bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intraplacental Villous Artery Doppler as an Independent Predictor for Placenta-Mediated Disease and Its Comparison with Uterine Artery Doppler and/or Placental Biochemical Markers in Predictive Models: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Babic Inas , Mejia Alberto , Wrobleski Julie-Anne , Shen Minxue , Wen Shi Wu , Moretti Felipe
Published: November 2019

Objectives: To validate intraplacental villous artery (IPVA) Doppler as a predictor for placenta-mediated diseases (PMDs), to compare its predictive value with uterine artery (UtA) Doppler and placental biochemical markers, and to assess its value in predictive PMD models. Methods: IPVA and UtA indices (pulsatility index [PI] and resistance index [RI]) were recorded at 18–24 weeks of gestation in a cohort of 117 women. The predictive values of IPVA, UtA, and placental biochemical markers were analyzed and compared between the PMD group (the women who developed preeclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction) and the non-PMD group (the women who remained healthy throughout pregnancy and 3 months postpartum) using the receiver-operating characteristic curves. Logistic regression was used to compare predictive models for PMDs based on IPVA, UtA, and/or biochemical markers. Results: 31 (26.5%) women developed PMD (17 preeclampsia and 14 intrauterine growth restriction). IPVA PI was significantly higher in the PMD group than in the non-PMD group (p = 0.001). UtA PI and RI values remained nonsignificant between both groups (p = 0.066 and 0.104, respectively). IPVA PI from the 3 main branches of the placenta, and specifically the central main stem villi, showed a strong association with PMDs in comparison to UtA (p = 0.03 and 0.001 vs. 0.29). Model prediction including IPVA and UtA PI with or without placental biomarkers did not add any further significance to IPVA PI alone (p = 0.03, 0.41, and 0.36). Conclusions: IPVA PI appears superior to UtA PI or RI and placental biomarkers in PMD prediction. Model prediction for PMDs including IPVA, UtA Doppler, and biochemical markers did not enhance prediction values compared to IPVA Doppler alone.
Gut Microbiota: A Perspective for Psychiatrists
Authors: Rea Kieran , Dinan Timothy G. , Cryan John F.
Published: November 2019

There is mounting evidence that the trillions of microbes that inhabit our gut are a substantial contributing factor to mental health and, equally, to the progression of neuropsychiatric disorders. The extraordinary complexity of the gut ecosystem, and how it interacts with the intestinal epithelium to manifest physiological changes in the brain to influence mood and behaviour, has been the subject of intense scientific scrutiny over the last 2 decades. To further complicate matters, we each harbour a unique microbiota community that is subject to change by a number of factors including diet, exercise, stress, health status, genetics, medication, and age, amongst others. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a dynamic matrix of tissues and organs including the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota, immune cells, gut tissue, glands, the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and the brain that communicate in a complex multidirectional manner through a number of anatomically and physiologically distinct systems. Long-term perturbations to this homeostatic environment may contribute to the progression of a number of disorders by altering physiological processes including hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation, neurotransmitter systems, immune function, and the inflammatory response. While an appropriate, co-ordinated physiological response, such as an immune or stress response, is necessary for survival, a dysfunctional response can be detrimental to the host, contributing to the development of a number of central nervous system disorders.
2019 American Heart Association Focused Update on Neonatal Resuscitation: An Update to the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care
Authors: Escobedo Marilyn B. , Aziz Khalid , Kapadia Vishal S. , Lee Henry C. , Niermeyer Susan , Schmölzer Georg M. , Szyld Edgardo , Weiner Gary M. , Wyckoff Myra H. , Yamada Nicole K. , Zaichkin Jeanette G.
Published: November 2019

This 2019 focused update to the American Heart Association neonatal resuscitation guidelines is based on 2 evidence reviews recently completed under the direction of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Neonatal Life Support Task Force. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Expert Systematic Reviewer and content experts performed comprehensive reviews of the scientific literature on the appropriate initial oxygen concentration for use during neonatal resuscitation in 2 groups: term and late-preterm newborns (≥35 weeks of gestation) and preterm newborns (<35 weeks of gestation). This article summarizes those evidence reviews and presents recommendations. The recommendations for neonatal resuscitation are as follows: In term and late-preterm newborns (≥35 weeks of gestation) receiving respiratory support at birth, the initial use of 21% oxygen is reasonable. One hundred percent oxygen should not be used to initiate resuscitation because it is associated with excess mortality. In preterm newborns (<35 weeks of gestation) receiving respiratory support at birth, it may be reasonable to begin with 21% to 30% oxygen and to base subsequent oxygen titration on oxygen saturation targets. These guidelines require no change in the Neonatal Resuscitation Algorithm–2015 Update.
Breeding Beyond Bodies: Making and “Doing” Cattle
Authors: Petitt Andrea , Eriksson Camilla
Published: November 2019

Dairy cows provide a spectacular example of what can be achieved with purposeful breeding of nonhuman animals in terms of increasing production and bodily adaptation to particular production systems. This implies that humans can make nonhuman bodies take whatever form they desire. However, the assumption that breeding outcomes are entirely shaped by humans has been criticized. This article contributes to ongoing discussions of breeds as socially constructed and applies a focus on cattle actions. Within a more-than-human biopower framework, cattle actions and ways of “doing” cattle are integral to both the notion and the future of the breed. This ethnography of breeding Swedish Mountain Cattle provides a detailed account of the mutual subjectification of cattle and farmers within an agricultural context, revealing the scope and limits of cattle agency and how “doing” cattle affects individuals and populations.
Mitigating the Necessity of the Past in the Second Half of the Twelfth Century: Future-Dependent Predestination
Authors: Wciórka Wojciech
Published: November 2019

Early twelfth-century logicians invoked past-tensed statements with future-oriented contents to undermine the assumption that every proposition ‘about the past’ is determinate. In the second half of the century, the notion of future-dependence was used to restrict the scope of necessity per accidens (e.g., in the Ars Meliduna). At some point, this idea began to be applied in theology to solve puzzles surrounding predestination, prescience, prophecy, and faith. In the mid-1160s, Magister Udo quotes some thinkers who insisted that the principle of the necessity of the past should exclude dicta that ‘relate to the future’, such as that he has been predestined. Peter of Poitiers adopted this ‘Ockhamist’ strategy around 1170. We find similar accounts in Simon of Tournai and Alan of Lille, who invoked it in other contexts as well. By the time of Praepositinus of Cremona, Hubert of Pirovano, and Stephen Langton, the restricted principle became something of a common view at Paris.
Decadal Changes in the Interannual Variability of Heat Waves in East Asia Caused by Atmospheric Teleconnection Changes
Authors: Choi Nakbin , Lee Myong-In , Cha Dong-Hyun , Lim Young-Kwon , Kim Kyu-Myong
Published: November 2019

The heat wave in East Asia is examined by using empirical orthogonal function analysis to isolate dominant heat-wave patterns in the ground-based temperature observations over the Korean Peninsula and China and related large-scale atmospheric circulations obtained from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research Reanalysis 1 during 1973–2012. This study focuses particularly on the interannual variability of heat waves and its decadal change. The analysis identifies two major atmospheric teleconnection patterns playing an important role in developing typical heat-wave patterns in East Asia—the Scandinavian (SCAND) and the circumglobal teleconnection (CGT) patterns, which exhibit a significant decadal change in the interannual variability in the mid-1990s. Before the mid-1990s, heat-wave occurrence was closely related to the CGT pattern, whereas the SCAND pattern is more crucial to explain heat-wave variability in the recent period. The stationary wave model experiments suggest an intensification of the SCAND pattern in the recent period driven by an increase in land–atmosphere interaction over Eurasia and decadal change in the dominant heat-wave patterns in East Asia.
Computational hemodynamic investigation of a new bileaflet mechanical heart valve
Authors: Khellaf Belkhiri , Boussad Boumeddane
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we perform a numerical analysis for simulating steady, two-dimensional, laminar blood flow through our proposed design, known as the Butterfly mechanical heart valve, where the leaflets are fully opened. Blood has been assumed to be Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid using the Casson model for shear-thinning behavior. A non-uniform Cartesian grid generation technique is presented to generate a two-dimensional grid for the irregular geometry of the Butterfly valve. The governing Navier–Stokes equations of flow, written in a stream function–vorticity formulation, are solved by the finite difference method with hybrid differencing of the convective terms. The computed results show that the blood’s non-Newtonian nature significantly affects the flow field with the existence of recirculation and consequently stagnation causing thrombus formation, as well as an increase of the shear stress along the wall, which contributes to hemolytic blood damage. The results demonstrate that the model is capable of predicting the hemodynamic features most interesting to physiologists. It can be used to assess thromboembolic problems occurring with heart valves and in the design of cardiac prostheses.
Varieties of Neoliberalism in Brazil (2003–2019)
Authors: Saad-Filho Alfredo
Published: November 2019

The main feature of capital accumulation in Brazil during the administrations led by Luís Inácio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers’ Party—PT) was the continuity of neoliberalism of two varieties: inclusive (2003–2006) and developmental (2006–2013). The PT’s attachment to neoliberalism was mitigated by the party’s (shifting) commitment to (mild) developmental outcomes, redistribution of income (at the margin), social inclusion (within narrow limits), and democratization of the state (bounded by the 1988 Constitution). Achievements in these areas were further constrained by the inability or unwillingness of the PT to confront the institutionalization of neoliberalism in the fields of economics, politics, ideology, the media, and class relations. The political crisis unfolding in Brazil since 2013 and the imposition of authoritarian neoliberalism after Rousseff’s impeachment can be examined from the perspective of the contradictions in the dominant varieties of neoliberalism under the PT and the limitations of the party’s political ambitions.

A principal característica da acumulação de capital no Brasil durante os governos ûiderados por Luís Inácio Lula da Silva e Dilma Rousseff do Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) foi a continuidade do neoliberalismo de duas variedades: inclusiva (2003–2006) e desenvolvimentista (2006–2013). O apego do PT ao neoliberalismo foi mitigado pelo compromisso (inconstante) do partido com resultados de desenvolvimento (moderados), redistribuição de renda (na margem), inclusão social (dentro de limites estreitos) e democratização do estado (limitado pela Constituição de 1988). As realizações nessas áreas foram ainda mais limitadas pela incapacidade ou falta de vontade do PT em enfrentar a institucionalização do neoliberalismo nos campos da economia, política, ideologia, mídia e relações de classe. A crise política que se desenrola no Brasil desde 2013 e a imposição do neoliberalismo autoritário após o impeachment de Dilma podem ser examinadas sob a perspectiva das contradições nas variedades dominantes de neoliberalismo sob o PT e as limitações das ambições políticas do partido.
Intraoperative Radiographic Assessment of Bone Resection Margins During Mandibulectomy: A Case Series
Authors: Shan Alan , Boahene Kofi , Pitman Karen T. , Blanco Ray G.
Published: November 2019

Background and Purpose:

Mandibulectomy remains the treatment of choice for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with infiltration of bone and for benign tumors with full mandibular thickness involvement. Although bone resection margins are critical for patient outcomes, intraoperative immediate bone margins assessment is inadequate, and few alternative options have been described. The purpose of this study was to describe the use of an existing intraoperative radiographic system for objective determination of bone resection margins during mandibulectomy.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective case series of all patients at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center who underwent mandibulectomy and received intraoperative Faxitron radiography from January 1, 2016, to March 1, 2019. Patient characteristics including age, sex, diagnosis, tumor location, clinical and pathologic stage, procedure performed, and bone resection margins were reviewed.

Results:

A total of 10 patients underwent mandibulectomy with intraoperative radiography. Nine (90%) received surgery for squamous cell carcinoma, with 1 (10%) for ameloblastoma. Out of those with squamous cell carcinoma, tumor location varied, and all were clinically stage T4. Final pathologic margins were negative in all cases (10/10), though in 2 cases, close margins were assessed intraoperatively, leading to further resection or change in operative plan.

Conclusion:

Intraoperative radiographic assessment of bone resection margins is a promising technique, though further validation is required.
Surviving and Thriving: Fundamental Social Motives Provide Purpose in Life
Authors: Scott Matthew J. , Cohen Adam B.
Published: November 2019

Purpose in life (PIL) is often associated with grand achievements and existential beliefs, but recent theory suggests that it might ultimately track gainful pursuit of basic evolved goals. Five studies ( N = 1,993) investigated the relationships between fundamental social motives and PIL. In Study 1, attribution of a life goal pursuit to disease avoidance, affiliation, or kin care motives correlated with higher PIL. Studies 2 and 3 found correlations of self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, mate retention, and kin care motives with PIL after controlling for potential confounds. Study 4 showed that writing about success in the status, mating, and kin care domains increased PIL. Study 5 replicated the effect for mating and kin care, but not for status. Results imply that fundamental motives link to PIL through a sense of progress, rather than raw desire. Overall, this set of studies suggests that pursuit of evolved fundamental goals contributes to a purposeful life.
Through a Critical Lens: Expertise in Epidemiology for and by Indigenous Peoples
Authors: Prussing Erica
Published: November 2019

Epidemiology for and by Indigenous peoples uses quantitative and statistical methods to better document Indigenous health concerns, and is oriented around providing data for use in advocacy to promote Indigenous health equity. This advocacy-oriented, technoscientific work bridges the often distinct social worlds of Indigenous communities, professional public health research, and public policy-making. Using examples from a multisited ethnographic study in three settings (Aotearoa New Zealand, Hawai’i, and the continental United States), this paper examines the forms of expertise that researcher/practitioners enact as they conduct research that simultaneously harnesses epidemiology’s persuasive power in social worlds like public health and public policy, while also critically challenging legacies of colonialist erasures and misrepresentations of Indigenous health in population statistics. By demonstrating how these continual translations across multiple social worlds enact expertise, this analysis offers a new integration of discussions about both coloniality and expertise within science and technology studies (STS). By focusing on the experiences of technoscientific professionals themselves, this study’s findings also pose new questions for broader STS conversations about how activism is shaping the production of knowledge about health in the twenty-first century.
Spirituality, Symbolism and Storytelling in Twentyfirst-Century Organizations: Understanding and addressing the crisis of imagination
Authors: Fotaki Marianna , Altman Yochanan , Koning Juliette
Published: November 2019

This article introduces the Special Issue concerned with organizational spirituality, symbolism and storytelling. Stressing the growing scholarly interest in these topics, the article makes a two-fold contribution. First, it critically assesses their development over time while identifying the emerging trends and new ways in which spirituality, symbolism and storytelling are taken up in management and organization studies. We make a case for utilizing their promise to transcend the epistemic boundaries and extend the scope of our academic practice beyond self-referential approaches or ‘fashionable’ topics. Second, it links them to what we term the current crises of imagination, calling into question extant institutional and organizational paradigms, as well as the theoretical frames we rely on in our teaching and research. The multiple crises we face – economic, financial, food, water, energy, climate, migration and security – we suggest, are partly due to the fragmentation of meaning that bedevils our scholarship and, implicitly, the failure of our collective imagination. Reaching across foundational disciplines and core methodologies, we bring into the conversation the interlocking fields of spirituality, symbolism and storytelling, highlighting their potential for addressing the cardinal challenges we face as citizens of this world as much as organizational scholars.
Lupus, Silica, and Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Interventions
Authors: Wierenga Kathryn A. , Harkema Jack R. , Pestka James J.
Published: November 2019

Two environmental factors, crystalline silica (cSiO2), a toxic airborne particle encountered occupationally, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a dietary omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA), have the potential to influence the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). Using the NZBWF1 mouse, which spontaneously develops lupus, we found that intranasal exposure to cSiO2 significantly decreases latency and promotes rapid progression of the disease. Specifically, cSiO2 induces the development of ectopic lymphoid structures (ELS) containing germinal centers in the lungs that yield vigorous and diverse autoantibody responses locally and systemically. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that cSiO2 promotes a robust type I interferon gene signature that likely precipitates ELS neogenesis. Intriguingly, dietary supplementation with human-relevant doses of DHA impedes cSiO2-induced gene expression, ELS neogenesis, autoantibody elevation, and glomerulonephritis in this lupus-prone mouse model. Together, our findings point to the feasibility of enhancing tissue omega-3 HUFAs as a personalized nutritional intervention to impede onset and progression of environment-triggered autoimmune disease.
Subvocalization in singers: Laryngoscopy and surface EMG effects when imagining and listening to song and text
Authors: Bruder Camila , Wöllner Clemens
Published: November 2019

Subvocalization has been described as a series of attenuated movements of the vocal tract during silent reading and imagination. This two-part study investigated covert laryngeal activations among singers during the perception and imagination of music and text. In the first part, 155 singers responded to an online survey investigating their self-perceived corporal activation when listening to live or recorded singing. Respondents reported frequent corporal activation in their larynx and other body parts in response to live singing and, to a lesser extent, recordings. In the second part, an exploratory experiment was conducted to investigate physiological correlates of subvocalization in singers during the perception and imagery of melody and text stimuli, using simultaneous measurements of laryngeal activation both externally, with surface electromyography, and internally, with nasolaryngoscopy. Experimental results indicate the occurrence of subvocalization during imagination—but not during listening—of both stimuli and suggest that laryngoscopy is more sensitive to detection of subvocalization in singers. The results may point to vocal resonance or empathy in the perception of singers.
A Contemporary Look at the Evaluation and Treatment of Adult Borderline and Frank Hip Dysplasia
Authors: Kraeutler Matthew J. , Safran Marc R. , Scillia Anthony J. , Ayeni Olufemi R. , Garabekyan Tigran , Mei-Dan Omer
Published: November 2019

Background:

Adult hip dysplasia is often diagnosed according to the lateral center-edge angle (LCEA). Patients with frank hip dysplasia (LCEA <20°) traditionally require treatment with bony realignment through a periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) and/or derotational femoral osteotomy, while patients with borderline hip dysplasia (BHD) present a challenging treatment dilemma, as it remains unknown when they should be treated with hip arthroscopy and/or a PAO.

Purpose:

To perform a narrative review to report the differences in hip morphology and clinical outcomes between adult patients with frank hip dysplasia and BHD.

Study Design:

Narrative review.

Methods:

A systematic search of the literature was conducted through the Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases with the search phrase borderline hip dysplasia.

Results:

The search identified 305 articles, of which 48 were considered relevant to this study after screening of titles and abstracts. Four articles discussed new radiographic means of evaluating adult hip dysplasia, 16 articles analyzed morphology of dysplastic hips, and 28 articles described the clinical outcomes of patients with frank hip dysplasia or BHD treated with hip arthroscopy and/or PAO. Because the level of evidence obtained from this search was not adequate for systematic review or meta-analysis, a current concepts review on the diagnosis, hip morphology, and clinical outcomes of patients with frank hip dysplasia or BHD is presented.

Conclusion:

Adult hip dysplasia is most commonly diagnosed based on the LCEA; however, the LCEA is an unreliable sole marker for dysplasia, and additional radiographic parameters should be utilized. Furthermore, specific pathology identified on imaging and/or during hip arthroscopy can provide clues to a surgeon when the diagnosis is inconclusive according to history and physical examination alone. While the data support that patients with frank dysplasia are best treated with PAO, there is no such preferred treatment for patients with BHD, who have a wide spectrum of instability. Selective use of arthroscopic labral and capsular treatment alone may provide good results in carefully chosen patients with BHD, while some may end up requiring a bony realignment procedure.
Curriculum Theory: The Missing Perspective in Teacher Education for Inclusion
Authors: Pugach Marleen C. , Blanton Linda P. , Mickelson Ann M. , Boveda Mildred
Published: November 2019

Our intergenerational authorial team takes up a central—and unresolved—issue within teacher education for inclusion, namely, the role of curriculum in reconceptualizing pre-service programs. We specifically review literature and policy on how special education teacher educators have approached conceptions of curriculum, using this past as prologue to argue that the teacher education curriculum requires a community of educators constructing a balance between a shared equity agenda to support the preparation of all teachers for inclusion, and the simultaneous need to prepare experts who can effectively share and utilize expertise that addresses the specific learning needs of marginalized learners, including those with disabilities. Unless curriculum is addressed comprehensively, deep transformation will be difficult to achieve, and role clarity for prospective special education teachers is likely to remain unclear. Our aim is for readers to consider the complicating power of curriculum theory as essential framework for renegotiating the teacher education curriculum for inclusion.
Empowering the Career Development of Persons With Disabilities (PWD)
Authors: Dispenza Franco
Published: November 2019

A narrative literature review was conducted with the intention of providing practitioners with foundational knowledge regarding the career development trajectory of persons with disabilities (PWD). The author selected scholarship from various disciplines including rehabilitation, psychology, and special education. In the article, the author provides an overview of career development barriers and facilitators for PWD, provides a review of self-determination theory as a framework that can be used alongside other career development interventions with PWD, discusses career development interventions that have been identified as effective with PWD within vocational rehabilitation, and lastly, provides recommendations for career intervention outcomes and research.
Entrepreneurial Activism? Platform Cooperativism Between Subversion and Co-optation
Authors: Sandoval Marisol
Published: November 2019

Platform cooperativism proposes to create an alternative to the corporate sharing economy based on a model of democratically owned and governed co-operatives. The idea sounds simple and convincing: cut out the corporate middleman and replace Uber with a service owned and managed by taxi drivers themselves, create a version of Airbnb run by cities, or turn Facebook into a platform democratically controlled by all users. This article discusses the ambivalences of platform cooperativism, exploring both the movement’s potentials to subvert digital capitalism from the inside and the risk of being co-opted by it. Platform cooperativism aims to foster social change by creating a People’s Internet and replacing corporate-owned platforms with user-owned co-operatives. It yokes social activism with business enterprise. As a result, the movement is shaped by tensions and contradiction between politics and enterprise, democracy and the market, commons and commercialisation, activism and entrepreneurship. This article explores these tensions based on a Marxist perspective on the corrosive powers of capitalist competition on the one hand and a Foucaultian critique of entrepreneurialism on the other. It concludes with a reflection on the politics of platform cooperativism, drawing out problematic implications of an uncritical embrace of entrepreneurialism and highlighting the need to defend a politics of social solidarity, equality and public goods.
Evaluation of thermo-mechanical, dielectric and corrosion resistant properties of cardanol benzoxazine-epoxy based hybrid composites: A very low temperature curing pre-polymer for high performance paint related applications
Authors: Selvaraj V , Raghavarshini TR , Alagar M
Published: November 2019

In the present work, the hybrid siloxane-based cardanol-benzoxazine-epoxy (1:1 ratio) matrix (SBCBz-EP) capable of curing at substantially low temperature when compared with that of conventional benzoxazines was prepared and characterized. The matrix SBCBz-EP was reinforced with varying weight percentages (1, 3 and 5 wt%) of hydroxyl-terminated cyclotriphosphazene (HTCP) and the resulting hybrid composites were characterized by modern analytical methods, which can be used for paint-related applications due to their low-temperature curing behaviour. Data obtained from differential scanning calorimeter analysis infer that the glass transition temperature of the hybrid matrix (SBCBz-EP) and HTCP reinforced with 1, 3 and 5 wt% composites was 73°C, 75°C, 82°C, and 88°C, respectively. The polymerization temperature obtained for SBCBz-EP matrix and HTCP-reinforced hybrid composites was considerably lower than that of conventional benzoxazines. The present hybridization approach of benzoxazine and epoxy paves an avenue to alleviate the deficient characteristics of both industrially valuable resins namely high curing temperature and brittle behaviour of benzoxazines and also to improve thermal stability, mechanical strength and flame-retardant behaviour of epoxy resins. Data obtained from mechanical, dielectric, thermal stability and corrosion-resistant studies indicate that the properties of hybrid composites (HTCP/SBCBZ-EP) were enhanced to an appreciable extent according to the wt% of HTCP and it can be suggested that these hybrid composite materials can be used in the form of adhesives, sealants, encapsulants and water-resistant coatings for high performance industrial applications.
Transplantation with GXHPC1 for Liver Cirrhosis: Phase 1 Trial
Authors: Huang Ko-Chang , Chuang Ming-Hsi , Lin Zung-Sheng , Lin Yi-Chun , Chen Chun-Hung , Chang Chao-Liang , Huang Pi-Chun , Syu Wan-Sin , Chiou Tzyy-Wen , Hong Zih-Han , Tsai Yu-Chen , Harn Horng-Jyh , Lin Po-Cheng , Lin Shinn-Zong
Published: November 2019

Currently, the only effective therapy for cirrhosis of the liver is liver transplantation. However, finding a compatible liver is difficult due to the low supply of healthy livers and the ever-increasing demand. However, stem-cell therapy may offer a solution for liver cirrhosis; for example, GXHPC1 therapy preparation contains adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) and was developed for the treatment of liver cirrhosis. In our previous report, animal studies suggested that treatment of a diseased liver via GXHPC1 transplantation can abrogate liver fibrosis and facilitate recovery of liver function. In our current human trial, patients with liver cirrhosis were included. Their adipose tissue was harvested from the subcutaneous fat of the abdominal wall during surgery. AD-MSCs were cultured and suspended at a concentration of 100 million cells in 1 ml of physiological saline (i.e., GXHPC1). This human study passed the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration IND inspection and received Phase I clinical trial permission. The trial was conducted with six patients with liver cirrhosis to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of administering GXHPC1. Intrahepatic injection of GXHPC1 did not cause any safety issues in the analysis of adverse drug reactions and suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions, and showed a tendency for improvement of liver function, METAVIR score, Child–Pugh score, MELD score, and quality of life for patients with liver cirrhosis.
miR-141-3p and TRAF5 Network Contributes to the Progression of T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Zhou Ruiqing , Mo Wenjian , Wang Shunqing , Zhou Wei , Chen Xiaowei , Pan Shiyi
Published: November 2019

Numerous lines of evidence have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in regulating the progression in many types of cancers, including T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In this study, the potential underlying mechanism and functional role of miR-141-3p in T-ALL cells were determined. We found that the expression level of miR-141-3p was significantly downregulated, while that of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 5 (TRAF5) was strongly upregulated in tissues from patients with T-ALL compared with healthy controls. Subsequently, upregulation of miR-141-3p significantly repressed T-ALL cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Conversely, downregulation of miR-141-3p significantly inhibited cell apoptosis and enhanced T-ALL cell proliferation. We also verified that TRAF5 was the direct target of miR-141-3p in T-ALL cells. Additionally, TRAF5 overexpression significantly repressed cell apoptosis and increased T-ALL cell proliferation. In summary, miR-141-3p regulates T-ALL cell progression by directly targeting TRAF5, and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for T-ALL.
Effect of winding angle on the quasi-static crushing behaviour of thin-walled carbon fibre-reinforced polymer tubes
Authors: Quanjin Ma , Rejab MRM , Idris MS , Hassan Shukur Abu , Kumar Nallapaneni Manoj
Published: November 2019

Carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) tubes have been increasingly used in various structural applications due to its lightweight and attractive crashworthiness performance. The key parameter of the winding angle plays an important role in the energy-absorbing performance of CFRP tubes. In order to understand the relationship between the compressive performance and winding angle, this article is aimed to study the effect of winding angle with ±45°, ±60° and ±75° of CFRP tubes. The thin-walled CFRP tubes were performed by the quasi-static compression test, which were fabricated using the wet winding technique. The result was concluded that as the winding angle increased, the compressive modulus showed the decreasing trend. In the view of energy absorption (EA) and specific energy absorption (SEA), it was exhibited the decreasing trend as the winding angle increased. It was noted that CFRP tubes with ±45° winding angle recorded the average maximum SEA of 24.67 kJ kg−1. Moreover, the crushing behaviour of thin-walled CFRP tubes were involved and studied.
Preparation of the copper-based polyoxometalate/polyurethane composites and their dielectric properties
Authors: Küçük İlhan , Vural Sema , Kıvılcım Nilüfer , Adıgüzel İbrahim , Köytepe Süleyman , Seçkin Turgay
Published: November 2019

The aim of this study is synthesis of polyurethane (PU) composites from 4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate), 1,2-ethanediol and different amounts of copper-based polyoxometalate (Cu-POM) and investigation of their dielectric properties. Firstly, Cu-POM structure as reinforcement was synthesized with ammonium heptamolybdate and Cu metal ion salt by a hydrothermal synthesis method. Then, Cu-POM-PU composites were prepared by in situ polymerization process. The prepared Cu-POM-PU composites were characterized by means of various techniques for their structure, morphology and thermal behaviour. The chemical structure, surface and morphological properties of the obtained composites were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. Thermal properties of these Cu-POM-PU composites were determined by thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analysis techniques. Dielectric properties of the Cu-POM-PU composites were also determined. The dielectric measured results showed that the dielectric constants decreased with the increase of the Cu-POMs content. The Cu-POM-PU composites showed relatively low dielectric constant compared to pure PUs.
Masculinity, Male Sexual Virility, and Use of Aphrodisiacs in Ghana
Authors: Fiaveh Daniel Yaw
Published: November 2019

Indigenous peoples’ knowledge of and expertise in herbal remedies is not new. Although studies have emphasized use of herbal medicine in Africa, it remains unclear how gender impacts the uptake of herbal remedies as aphrodisiac-therapeutic types. Using qualitative data from urban Ghana, this article examines how cultural expectations of male sexuality in intimate heterosexual relationships influence the marketing and patronage of local aphrodisiacs, that is, herbal bitters in the West African context. Analysis reveals links with how men talk about notions of manhood and experiences of herbal bitters, including issues related to insecurities about hegemonic masculine ideals and women’s power. Although dominant masculinity has been associated with practices that allow men’s control over women, it also functions to harm men’s sexuality. Harm reduction requires behavioral modification and sexual and reproductive health and rights education program via media advocacy. A call to scale-up research, policy development, and implementation in regard to the production, advertisements, and patronage of local aphrodisiacs especially in countries in Africa where the phenomenon has risen to problematic levels is sine qua non to this approach.
Intentional Cannibalization, Radical Innovation, and Performance: A Comparison of Chinese and Western Enterprises in China
Authors: Samiee Saeed , Sääksjärvi Maria , Harmancioǧlu Nükhet , Hultink Erik Jan
Published: November 2019

Research contrasting the marketing strategies of foreign and domestic firms within local markets is scarce but is of critical importance to both types of firms. This research examines how intentional cannibalization (IC) functions in Western and Chinese enterprises operating in China and evaluates IC’s impact on radical innovation and subsequent performance while accounting for the moderating effects of cost leadership and differentiation strategies. The investigation uncovers important marketing strategy concerns for firms competing in emerging markets such as China. The results demonstrate that IC on its own correlates with radical innovation for Western firms, but not for Chinese firms. For Chinese firms, the link between IC and radical innovation becomes significant only in combination with a cost leadership strategy. For Western firms, the link between IC and radical innovation is strengthened when these firms pursue a differentiation strategy and, in contrast to Chinese firms, radical innovation mediates the effect between IC and performance. Thus, the way IC and radical innovation affect performance varies across Western and Chinese enterprises. These findings bolster and extend research regarding strategies of local and nonlocal firms in home markets.
Clinicopathological and radiographic features in 40 cats diagnosed with pulmonary and cutaneous Rhodococcus equi infection (2012–2018)
Authors: Aslam Muhammad Waseem , Lau Seng Fong , Chin Chelly Sze Lee , Ahmad Nur Indah , Rahman Nor-Alimah , Kuppusamy Krishnammah , Omar Sharina , Radzi Rozanaliza
Published: November 2019

Objectives

This retrospective study aimed to describe clinical manifestations, diagnostic options, radiological features, therapeutic plans and outcomes for cats infected with Rhodococcus equi.

Methods

Forty cats aged between 2 months and 11 years old (median 6 months) that were definitively diagnosed with rhodococcosis between 2012 and 2018 were recruited in this study. Medical records were reviewed for information on signalment, history, clinical presentation, diagnostic testing, treatment plans and clinical outcomes.

Results

Of the 40 cats, 36 showed the pulmonary form of the disease, with 35 (87.5%) presenting with dyspnoea, while four cats presented with only cutaneous lesions. Mean body temperature was 38.7 ± 0.2°C. Dyspnoea was noted in 87.5% of the cats. Leukocytosis (58.3%) with band neutrophilia (83.3%), monocytosis (58.3%) and thrombocytopenia (55.5%) were prominent findings in the haematology reports. Hyperproteinaemia (61.1%) with hypoalbuminaemia (22.2%) and hyperglobulinaemia (63.8%) with a low albumin:globulin ratio (38.9%) were prominent features of blood biochemistry reports. An alveolar–interstitial pattern was noted in 75% of pre-thoracocentesis radiographs. Pleural effusion, hepatomegaly, thoracic lymphadenopathy and atelectasis of any lung lobe were seen in 88.9%, 75%, 41.7% and 36.1% of cats, respectively. Overall, the mortality rate was 67.5% in both forms.

Conclusions and relevance

Clinicians should be aware that feline rhodococcosis manifests as a pulmonary disease at a much higher rate than previously reported. Further studies are required to address the epidemiology, pathophysiology, disease management and prognosis of feline rhodococcosis. The role of immunosuppression as a predisposing factor in feline rhodococcosis requires further investigation.
Contrasting Effects of Flood Disturbance on Alluvial Soils and Riparian Tree Structure and Species Composition in Mixed Temperate Forests
Authors: Saint-Laurent Diane , Arsenault-Boucher Lisane , Berthelot Jean-Sébastien
Published: November 2019

This study deals with the effects of flooding on alluvial soils and riparian forests in the basins and sub-basins of southern Québec (Canada). These riparian environments are sensitive to hydroclimatic variations, which may increase with current climate change, which is why it is important to analyse them. The study areas were divided by flood frequency based on government maps that show flood recurrence intervals of 0 to 20 years and 20 to 100 years. Woodlands located outside of the floodplains were also analysed for comparison to measure and better determine the effect of floods on soils and forest stands. Soil depletion is found in the frequent-flood zones (FFZ), which results in lower total organic carbon (mean values of 1.9%-3.7% in FFZ vs 3.2%-5.9% in no-flood zones [NFZ]) and total nitrogen (mean values of 0.1%-0.2% in FFZ vs 0.2%-0.3% NFZ). Field observations and measurements show that the aboveground biomass (plant litter) is reduced or absent from the active flood zones. The structure and composition of tree stands are relatively comparable from one zone to another, but a slightly lower rate of small (5-10 cm dbh [diameter at breast height]) and intermediate (10-15 cm dbh) trees can be noted in FFZ, and tree diversity (Shannon index) and species richness are also slightly lower. The mechanical action of water in trees during floods and the burial of seedlings through the accumulation of fine alluvial deposits could negatively impact forest regeneration in active floodplains.
Can household debt influence income inequality? Evidence from Britain: 1966–2016
Authors: Wood James DG
Published: November 2019

The various processes of financialisation widen inequalities by increasing incomes for financial sector employees and shareholders, as well as affluent households who hold the concentrated ownership of financial assets. Although interest payments provide a flow of revenue from indebted households to financial institutions, the distributional consequences of such debt-based systems of financialisation remain an under-explored research area. As the financialisation of the British economy has been driven by the widespread adoption of private debt, this econometric analysis examined the effects of changes in household debt on income inequality in Britain between 1966 and 2016. These results demonstrate household debt increases the share of income captured at the top of the income distribution, while increasing inequality between the top and the middle of the income scale. Therefore, the mundane decision to take on household debt has significant distributional consequences, specifically entrenching pre-existing disparate social relations between affluent and less-affluent households in Britain.
Perceived health competence predicts anxiety and depressive symptoms after a three-year follow-up among adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease
Authors: Leslie Carine E , Schofield Kyle , Vannatta Kathryn , Jackson Jamie L
Published: November 2019

Background:

Congenital heart disease places survivors at increased risk for cardiovascular complications as they age and requires long-term medical management. Perceived health competence, or how capable one feels in managing one’s health, is linked to emotional adjustment in various disease populations, but has not been investigated among congenital heart disease survivors.

Aim:

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of perceived health competence at baseline (T1) as a predictor of anxiety and depressive symptoms three years later (T2).

Methods:

Congenital heart disease survivors ( n=125; MT1age=27; 58.6% female; severity of cardiac lesion: 25% simple, 44% moderate, 31% complex) were recruited from a pediatric and an adult hospital as part of a larger study. Participants completed the Perceived Health Competence Scale and the Youth or Adult Self-Report at T1 for anxiety and affective/depressive symptoms. At T2, participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. New York Heart Association functional class, a measure of functional impairment, was abstracted from medical charts at T2.

Results:

Lower T1 perceived health competence was significantly associated with greater emotional distress at T1 (depression r=−0.47; anxiety: r=−0.45), as well as greater T2 functional impairment ( r=−0.41). T1 perceived health competence also predicted T2 anxiety and depressive symptoms, which remained significant when including T1 anxiety and depressive symptoms and T2 functional impairment.

Conclusion:

Congenital heart disease survivors who feel more competent in managing their health may be less likely to experience future anxiety and depressive symptoms. Perceived health competence may be a worthwhile target for psychosocial intervention to promote emotional wellbeing among congenital heart disease survivors and ensure the best outcomes.
Usefulness of the “Non-Slip Element” Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty Balloon in the Treatment of Femoropopliteal Arterial Lesions
Authors: Karashima Eiji , Yoda Shunsuke , Yasuda Shioto , Kajiyama Shota , Ito Hiroyuki , Kaneko Takeo
Published: November 2019

Purpose: To evaluate a new scoring balloon, the non-slip element (NSE) percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon, in the treatment of femoropopliteal lesions by comparing angiographic dissection patterns to those of a conventional balloon. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 71 symptomatic patients (mean age 77.4±8.8 years; 33 men) with de novo femoropopliteal lesions <20 cm long treated with balloon angioplasty between January 2017 and May 2018. Thirty-four patients were treated with 3 inflations of an NSE balloon and 37 patients were treated with a conventional balloon. Results: Severe dissections were fewer (8.8% vs 29.7%, p=0.027) and the total dissection length was shorter (11.5±12.8 vs 35.7±24.1 mm, p=0.027) in the NSE group. The bailout stenting rate was also lower in the NSE group (17.6% vs 40.5%, p=0.035). There were no significant differences between the groups regarding lesion length (70.3±50.4 vs 77.8±56.6 mm, p=0.28), inflation time (294±162 vs 353±179 seconds, p=0.08), or inflation pressure (10.6±5.0 vs 11.3±5.3 atm, p=0.31). Conclusion: Three NSE balloon inflations may reduce severe dissections induced by balloon angioplasty in femoropopliteal lesions.