bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cinnamaldehyde Prevents Endothelial Dysfunction Induced by High Glucose by Activating Nrf2
Authors: Wang Fang , Pu Chunhua , Zhou Peng , Wang Peijian , Liang Dengpan , Wang Qiulin , Hu Yonghe , Li Binghu , Hao Xinzhong
Published: May 2015

Background/Aims: It is well documented that hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress is an important causative factor of endothelial dysfunction. Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is a key flavor compound in cinnamon essential oil that can enhance the antioxidant defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS) by activating NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which has been shown to have a cardiovascular protective effect, but its role in endothelial dysfunction induced by high glucose is unknown. Methods: Dissected male C57BL/6J mouse aortic rings and HUVECs were cultured in normal glucose(NG 5.5 mM) or high glucose(HG 30.0 mM) DMEM treatment with or without CA (10 µM). Results: Treatment with CA protected the endothelium relaxation, inhibited ROS generation and preserved nitric oxide (NO) levels in the endothelium of mouse aortas treated with high glucose . CA up-regulated Nrf2 expression, promoted its translocation to the nucleus‚and increased HO-1, NQO1, Catalase and Gpx1 expression under high glucose condition. The increased level of nitrotyrosine in HUVECs under high glucose was also attenuated by treatment with CA. Dihydroethidium (DHE) and DAF-2DA staining indicated that CA inhibited the ROS generation and preserved the NO levels in HUVECs, but these effects were reversed by Nrf2-siRNA in high glucose conditions. Conclusion: Our results indicated that CA protected endothelial dysfunction under high glucose conditions and this effect was mediated by Nrf2 activation and the up-regulation of downstream target proteins. CA administration may represent a promising intervention in diabetic patients who are at risk for vascular complications.
Rehabilitation in Patients before and after Lung Transplantation
Authors: Langer Daniel
Published: May 2015

Lung transplantation is an established treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease. It has been observed that despite near-normal lung function, exercise intolerance and reductions in quality of life (QOL) often persist up to years after transplantation. Several modifiable pre- and posttransplant factors are known to contribute to these persisting impairments. Physiological changes associated with severe and chronic lung disease, limb muscle dysfunction, inactivity/deconditioning, and nutritional depletion can affect exercise capacity and physical functioning in candidates for lung transplantation. After transplantation, extended hospital and intensive care unit stay, prolonged sedentary time, persisting inactivity, immunosuppressant medications and episodes of organ rejection may all impact lung recipients' recovery. Available evidence will be reviewed and content will be proposed (both evidence and experience based) for rehabilitation interventions prior to transplantation, during hospitalization after transplantation, and in both the immediate (≤12 months after hospital discharge) and long-term (>12 months after hospital discharge) posttransplant phase. Outpatient rehabilitation programs including supervised exercise training have been shown to be effective in improving limb muscle dysfunction, exercise capacity, and QOL both before and after transplantation if offered appropriately. Unmet research needs included the absence of sufficiently powered randomized controlled trials measuring the effects of rehabilitation interventions on crucial long-term outcomes such as sustained improvements in QOL, participation in daily activity, survival, incidence of morbidities and cost-effectiveness. Remotely monitored (telehealth) home-based exercise or pedometer-based walking interventions might be interesting alternatives to supervised outpatient rehabilitation interventions in the long-term posttransplant phase and warrant further investigation.
Metformin reduces hyper-reactivity of platelets from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome by improving mitochondrial integrity
Authors: Elgheznawy Amro , Popp Rüdiger , Rogowski Paul , Dornauf Imke , Dröse Stefan , Fleming Ingrid , Randriamboavonjy Voahanginirina , Mann W. Alexander
Published: May 2015

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with decreased fertility, insulin resistance and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Treating PCOS patients with metformin improves fertility and decreases cardiovascular complications. Given that platelet activation contributes to both infertility and cardiovascular disease development, we assessed platelet reactivity in PCOS patients and the consequences of metformin treatment. Compared to washed platelets from healthy donors, platelets from PCOS patients demonstrated enhanced reactivity and impaired activation of the AMP-activated kinase (AMPK). PCOS platelets also demonstrated enhanced expression of mitochondrial proteins such as the cytochrome c reductase, ATP synthase and the voltage-dependent anion channel-1. However, mitochondrial function was impaired as demonstrated by a decreased respiration rate. In parallel, the phosphorylation of dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp-1) on Ser616 was increased while that on Ser637 decreased. The latter changes were accompanied by decreased mitochondrial size. In insulin-resistant PCOS patients (HOMA-IR> 2) metformin treatment (1.7 g per day for 4 weeks to 6 months) improved insulin sensitivity, restored mitochondrial integrity and function and normalised platelet aggregation. Treatment was without effect in PCOS patients with HOMA-IR< 2. Moreover, treatment of megakaryocytes with metformin enhanced mitochondrial content and in the same cells metformin enhanced the phosphorylation of the Drp-1 on Ser637 via an AMPK[uni03B1]1-dependent mechanism. In conclusion, the improvement of mitochondrial integrity and platelet reactivity may contribute to the beneficial effects of metformin on cardiovascular disease.
An atypical IgM class platelet cold agglutinin induces GPVI-dependent aggregation of human platelets
Authors: Sánchez Guiu Isabel , Martínez-Martinez Irene , Martínez Constantino , Navarro-Fernandez José , Garcia-Candel Faustino , Ferrer-Marín Francisca , Vicente Vicente , Watson Steve , Andrews Robert , Gardiner Elizabeth , Rivera José , Lozano María
Published: May 2015

Platelet cold agglutinins (PCA) cause pseudothrombocytopenia, spurious thrombocytopenia due to ex vivo platelet clumping, complicating clinical diagnosis, but mechanisms and consequences of PCA are not well defined. Here, we characterised an atypical immunoglobulin (Ig)M PCA in a 37-year-old woman with lifelong bleeding and chronic moderate thrombocytopenia, that induces activation and aggregation of autologous or allogeneic platelets via interaction with platelet glycoprotein (GP)VI. Patient temperature-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia was EDTA-independent, but was prevented by integrin αIIbβ3 blockade. Unstimulated patient platelets revealed elevated levels of bound IgM, increased expression of activation markers (P-selectin and CD63), low GPVI levels and abnormally high thromboxane (TX)A2 production. Patient serum induced temperature- and αIIbβ3-dependent decrease of platelet count in allogeneic donorcitrated platelet-rich plasma (PRP), but not in PRP from Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia or afibrinogenaemia patients. In allogeneic platelets, patient plasma induced shape change, P-selectin and CD63 expression, 14C-serotonin release, and TXA2 production. Activation was not inhibited by aspirin, cangrelor or blocking anti-Fc receptor (FcγRIIA) antibody, but was abrogated by inhibitors of Src and Syk, and by a soluble GPVI-Fc fusion protein. GPVI-deficient platelets were not activated by patient plasma. These data provide the first evidence for an IgM PCA causing platelet activation/aggregation via GPVI. The PCA activity persisted over a five-year follow-up period, supporting a causative role in patient chronic thrombocytopenia and bleeding.
Prehospital administration of P2Y12 inhibitors and early coronary reperfusion in primary PCI: an observational comparative study
Authors: Ratcovich Hanna , Biasco Luigi , Pedersen Frants , Helqvist Steffen , Saunamaki Kari , Tilsted Hans-Henrik , Clemmensen Peter , Olivecrona Goran , Kelbaek Henning , Jørgensen Erik , Engstrøm Thomas , Holmvang Lene , Backer Ole De
Published: May 2015

The newer oral P2Y12 inhibitors prasugrel and ticagrelor have been reported to be more potent and faster-acting antiplatelet agents than clopidogrel. This study aimed to investigate whether prehospital loading with prasugrel or ticagrelor improves early coronary reperfusion as compared to prehospital loading with clopidogrel in a real-world ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) setting. Over a 70-month period, 3497 patients with on-going STEMI of less than 6 hours and without cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) at our centre. The primary endpoint of this study was the proportion of patients who did not meet the criteria for TIMI (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction) flow grade 3 in the infarct-related artery at initial angiography before PPCI. Pre-hospital loading with prasugrel (n = 883) or ticagrelor (n = 491) did not significantly improve coronary reperfusion as compared to prehospital loading with clopidogrel (n = 1,532) – a TIMI-flow 3 at initial angiography was absent in 71.7 %, 69.0 % and 71.5 % of patients, respectively. Major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rates were low at 30 days (3.4 % to 4.0 %) and did not significantly differ between the different P2Y12 inhibitor regimens. In conclusion, this large observational, non-randomised study is the first to show that prehospital loading with the newer P2Y12 inhibitors does not improve early coronary reperfusion as compared to prehospital loading with clopidogrel in a PPCI cohort excluding cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock.
Active but inoperable thrombin is accumulated in a plasma protein layer surrounding Streptococcus pyogenes
Authors: Hurley Sinead , Malmström Erik , Plug Tom , Shannon Oonagh , Meijers Joost , Mörgelin Matthias , Björck Lars , Herwald Heiko , Naudin Clément
Published: May 2015

Activation of thrombin is a critical determinant in many physiological and pathological processes including haemostasis and inflammation. Under physiological conditions many of these functions are involved in wound healing or eradication of an invading pathogen. However, when activated systemically, thrombin can contribute to severe and life-threatening conditions by causing complications such as multiple multi-organ failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation. In the present study we investigated how the activity of thrombin is modulated when it is bound to the surface of Streptococcus pyogenes. Our data show that S. pyogenes bacteria become covered with a proteinaceous layer when incubated with human plasma, and that thrombin is a constituent of this layer. Though the coagulation factor is found attached to the bacteria with a functional active site, thrombin has lost its capacity to interact with its natural substrates and inhibitors. Thus, the interaction of bacteria with human plasma renders thrombin completely inoperable at the streptococcal surface. This could represent a host defense mechanism to avoid systemic activation of coagulation which could be otherwise induced when bacteria enter the circulation and cause systemic infection.
Two doses of rivaroxaban versus aspirin for prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism
Authors: Bauersachs Rupert , Beyer-Westendorf Jan , Bounameaux Henri , Brighton Timothy , Cohen Alexander , Davidson Bruce , Holberg Gerlind , Kakkar Ajay , Lensing Anthonie , Prins Martin , Haskell Lloyd , Bellen Bonno van , Verhamme Peter , Wells Philip , Prandoni Paolo , Weitz Jeffrey ,   the EINSTEIN CHOICE Investigators
Published: May 2015

Patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) are at high risk for recurrence. Although rivaroxaban is effective for extended VTE treatment at a dose of 20 mg once daily, use of the 10 mg dose may further improve its benefit-to-risk ratio. Low-dose aspirin also reduces rates of recurrent VTE, but has not been compared with anticoagulant therapy. The EINSTEIN CHOICE study is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled, event-driven study comparing the efficacy and safety of two once daily doses of rivaroxaban (20 and 10 mg) with aspirin (100 mg daily) for the prevention of recurrent VTE in patients who completed 6–12 months of anticoagulant therapy for their index acute VTE event. All treatments will be given for 12 months. The primary efficacy objective is to determine whether both doses of rivaroxaban are superior to aspirin for the prevention of symptomatic recurrent VTE, while the principal safety outcome is the incidence of major bleeding. The trial is anticipated to enrol 2,850 patients from 230 sites in 31 countries over a period of 27 months. In conclusion, the EINSTEIN CHOICE study will provide new insights into the optimal antithrombotic strategy for extended VTE treatment by comparing two doses of rivaroxaban with aspirin (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02064439).
Sleep apnea and venous thromboembolism
Authors: Mattiuzzi Camilla , Franchini Massimo , Lippi Giuseppe
Published: May 2015

Recent evidence suggests that obstructive sleep apnea is a significant and independent risk factor for a number of cardiovascular disorders. Since the association between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease is mediated by endothelial dysfunction, hypercoagulability and platelet abnormalities, we sought to investigate whether sleep apnea may also be considered a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). We carried out an electronic search in Medline and Scopus using the keywords “apnea” OR “apnoea” AND “venous thromboembolism” OR “deep vein thrombosis” OR “pulmonary embolism” in “Title/Abstract/Keywords”, with no language or date restriction. Fifteen studies (8 case-control, 4 retrospective observational, 2 prospective case-control and 1 prospective observational) were finally selected for this systematic review. In all studies except one (14/15; 93%), obstructive sleep apnea was found to be an independent risk factor for VTE, either deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). In the two prospective case-control studies the risk of DVT or PE was found to be two-to three-fold higher in patients with obstructive sleep apnea than in those without. In conclusion, the current epidemiological evidence supports the hypothesis that obstructive sleep apnea may be an independent risk factor for VTE.
Feedback Mechanisms for Cardiac-Specific MicroRNAs and cAMP Signaling in Electrical Remodeling
Authors: Myers Richard , Timofeyev Valeriy , Li Ning , Kim Catherine , Ledford Hannah A. , Sirish Padmini , Lau Victor , Zhang Yinuo , Fayyaz Kiran , Singapuri Anil , Lopez Javier E. , Knowlton Anne A. , Zhang Xiao-Dong , Chiamvimonvat Nipavan
Published: May 2015

Background—

Loss of transient outward K
+
current (I
to
) is well documented in cardiac hypertrophy and failure both in animal models and in humans. Electrical remodeling contributes to prolonged action potential duration and increased incidence of arrhythmias. Furthermore, there is a growing body of evidence linking microRNA (miR) dysregulation to the progression of both conditions. In this study, we examined the mechanistic basis underlying miR dysregulation in electrical remodeling and revealed a novel interaction with the adrenergic signaling pathway.

Methods and Results—

We first used a tissue-specific knockout model of
Dicer1
in cardiomyocytes to reveal the overall regulatory effect of miRs on the ionic currents and action potentials. We then validated the inducible cAMP early repressor as a target of
miR-1
and took advantage of a clinically relevant model of post myocardial infarction and miR delivery to probe the mechanistic basis of miR dysregulation in electrical remodeling. These experiments revealed the role of inducible cAMP early repressor as a repressor of
miR-1
and I
to
, leading to prolonged action potential duration post myocardial infarction. In addition, delivery of
miR-1
and
miR-133a
suppressed inducible cAMP early repressor expression and prevented both electrical remodeling and hypertrophy.

Conclusions—

Taken together, our results illuminate the mechanistic links between miRs, adrenergic signaling, and electrical remodeling. They also serve as a proof-of-concept for the therapeutic potential of miR delivery post myocardial infarction.
Pathogenesis of the Novel Autoimmune-Associated Long-QT Syndrome
Authors: Yue Yuankun , Castrichini Monica , Srivastava Ujala , Fabris Frank , Shah Krupa , Li Zhiqiang , Qu Yongxia , El-Sherif Nabil , Zhou Zhengfeng , January Craig , Hussain M. Mahmood , Jiang Xian-Cheng , Sobie Eric A. , Wahren-Herlenius Marie , Chahine Mohamed , Capecchi Pier-Leopoldo , Laghi-Pasini Franco , Lazzerini Pietro-Enea , Boutjdir Mohamed
Published: May 2015

Background—

Emerging clinical evidence demonstrates high prevalence of QTc prolongation and complex ventricular arrhythmias in patients with anti-Ro antibody (anti-Ro Ab)–positive autoimmune diseases. We tested the hypothesis that anti-Ro Abs target the HERG (human ether-a-go-go–related gene) K
+
channel, which conducts the rapidly activating delayed K
+
current,
I
Kr
, thereby causing delayed repolarization seen as QT interval prolongation on the ECG.

Methods and Results—

Anti-Ro Ab–positive sera, purified IgG, and affinity-purified anti-52kDa Ro Abs from patients with autoimmune diseases and QTc prolongation were tested on
I
Kr
using HEK293 cells expressing HERG channel and native cardiac myocytes. Electrophysiological and biochemical data demonstrate that anti-Ro Abs inhibit
I
Kr
to prolong action potential duration by directly binding to the HERG channel protein. The 52-kDa Ro antigen–immunized guinea pigs showed QTc prolongation on ECG after developing high titers of anti-Ro Abs, which inhibited native
I
Kr
and cross-reacted with guinea pig ERG channel.

Conclusions—

The data establish that anti-Ro Abs from patients with autoimmune diseases inhibit
I
Kr
by cross-reacting with the HERG channel likely at the pore region where homology between anti–52-kDa Ro antigen and HERG channel is present. The animal model of autoimmune-associated QTc prolongation is the first to provide strong evidence for a pathogenic role of anti-Ro Abs in the development of QTc prolongation. It is proposed that adult patients with anti-Ro Abs may benefit from routine ECG screening and that those with QTc prolongation should receive counseling about drugs that may increase the risk for life-threatening arrhythmias.
Reactivity to the p305 Epitope of the α
1G
T‐Type Calcium Channel and Autoimmune‐Associated Congenital Heart Block
Authors: Markham Androo J. , Rasmussen Sara E. , Salmon Jane E. , Martinez‐Ortiz Wilnelly , Cardozo Timothy J. , Clancy Robert M. , Buyon Jill P.
Published: May 2015

Background

Only 2% of mothers positive for anti‐
SSA
/Ro (Ro) antibodies have children with congenital heart block (
CHB
). This study aimed to determine whether reactivity with p305, an epitope within the α
1G
T‐type calcium channel, confers added risk over anti‐Ro antibodies.

Methods and Results

Using sera from anti‐Ro‐exposed pregnancies resulting in offspring with
CHB
, no disease but
CHB
‐sibling, and no disease and no
CHB
‐sibling, as well as disease (lupus without anti‐Ro) and healthy controls, reactivities were determined for binding to Ro60, p305, and an epitope within Ro60, p133‐Ro60, which shares structural properties with p305, including key amino acids and an α‐helical structure. Candidate peptides were further evaluated in an in vitro model that assessed the binding of maternal antibodies to apoptotic cells. In anti‐Ro‐positive mothers, anti‐p305 autoantibodies (>3 
SD
above healthy controls) were detected in 3/59 (5%)
CHB
pregnancies, 4/30 (13%) unaffected pregnancies with a
CHB
‐sibling, and 0/42 (0%) of unaffected pregnancies with no
CHB
‐sibling. For umbilical bloods (61
CHB
, 41 healthy with
CHB
sibling), no association of anti‐p305 with outcome was detected; however, overall levels of anti‐p305 were elevated compared to mothers during pregnancy in all groups studied. For anti‐p133‐Ro60, reactivity paralleled that of anti‐p305. In the screen employing apoptotic cells, p133‐Ro60, but not p305, significantly attenuated the binding of immunoglobulin G isolated from a mother whose child had
CHB
(42.1% reduced to 13.9%, absence/presence of p133‐Ro60, respectively,
P
<0.05).

Conclusions

These data suggest that anti‐p305 is not a robust maternal marker for assessing increased risk of
CHB
during an anti‐
SSA
/Ro pregnancy.
Centennial Changes of the Global Water Cycle in CMIP5 Models
Authors: Levang Samuel J. , Schmitt Raymond W.
Published: May 2015

The global water cycle is predicted to intensify under various greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Here the nature and strength of the expected changes for the ocean in the coming century are assessed by examining the output of several CMIP5 model runs for the periods 1990–2000 and 2090–2100 and comparing them to a dataset built from modern observations. Key elements of the water cycle, such as the atmospheric vapor transport, the evaporation minus precipitation over the ocean, and the surface salinity, show significant changes over the coming century. The intensification of the water cycle leads to increased salinity contrasts in the ocean, both within and between basins. Regional projections for several areas important to large-scale ocean circulation are presented, including the export of atmospheric moisture across the tropical Americas from Atlantic to Pacific Ocean, the freshwater gain of high-latitude deep water formation sites, and the basin averaged evaporation minus precipitation with implications for interbasin mass transports.
A Critique of Health System Performance Measurement
Authors: Lynch Thomas
Published: May 2015

Health system performance measurement is a ubiquitous phenomenon. Many authors have identified multiple methodological and substantive problems with performance measurement practices. Despite the validity of these criticisms and their cross-national character, the practice of health system performance measurement persists. Theodore Marmor suggests that performance measurement invokes an “incantatory response” wrapped within “linguistic muddle.” In this article, I expand upon Marmor’s insights using Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical framework to suggest that, far from an aberration, the “linguistic muddle” identified by Marmor is an indicator of a broad struggle about the representation and classification of public health services as a public good. I present a case study of performance measurement from Alberta, Canada, examining how this representational struggle occurs and what the stakes are.
The Japanese Surgical Reimbursement System Fails to Reflect Resource Utilization
Authors: Nakata Yoshinori , Watanabe Yuichi , Otake Hiroshi , Nakamura Toshihito , Oiso Giichiro , Sawa Tomohiro
Published: May 2015

The goal of this study was to examine the current Japanese surgical payment system from the viewpoint of resource utilization. We collected data from surgical records in Teikyo University’s electronic medical record system from April 1 through September 30, 2013. We defined the decision-making unit as a surgeon with the highest academic rank in the surgery. Inputs were defined as: 1) the number of medical doctors who assisted surgery and 2) the time of operation from skin incision to closure. An output was defined as the surgical fee. We calculated each surgeon’s efficiency score using the output-oriented Banker-Charnes-Cooper model of data envelopment analysis. We compared the efficiency scores of each surgical specialty using the Kruskal–Wallis and Steel methods. We analyzed 2,825 surgical procedures performed by 103 surgeons. The difference in efficiency scores was significant ( P = 0.0001). The thoracic surgeons were the most efficient and were more efficient than plastic, obstetric and gynecologic, urologic, otorhinolaryngologic, orthopedic, general, and emergency surgeons ( P < 0.05). We demonstrated that surgeons’ efficiency in operating rooms was significantly different among surgical specialties. This suggests that the Japanese surgical reimbursement scales fails to reflect resource utilization.
Predictors of Payer Mix and Financial Performance Among Safety Net Hospitals Prior to the Affordable Care Act
Authors: Sommers Benjamin D. , Stone Juliana , Kane Nancy
Published: May 2015

The objective of this study was to use audited hospital financial statements to identify predictors of payer mix and financial performance in safety net hospitals prior to the Affordable Care Act. We analyzed the 2010 financial statements of 98 large, urban safety net hospital systems in 34 states, supplemented with data on population demographics, hospital features, and state policies. We used multivariate regression to identify independent predictors of three outcomes: 1) Medicaid-reliant payer mix (hospitals for which at least 25% of hospital days are paid for by Medicaid); 2) safety net revenue-to-cost ratio (Medicaid and Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital payments and local government transfers, divided by charity care costs and Medicaid payment shortfall); and 3) operating margin. Medicaid-reliant payer mix was positively associated with more inclusive state Medicaid eligibility criteria and more minority patients. More inclusive Medicaid eligibility and higher Medicaid reimbursement rates positively predicted safety net revenue-to-cost ratio. University governance was the strongest positive predictor of operating margin. Safety net hospital financial performance varied considerably. Academic hospitals had higher operating margins, while more generous Medicaid eligibility and reimbursement policies improved hospitals’ ability to recoup costs. Institutional and state policies may outweigh patient demographics in the financial health of safety net hospitals.
Initiation of structural defects in carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites under hygrothermal environments
Authors: Zhong Yucheng , Joshi Sunil Chandrakant
Published: May 2015

Exposure to hygrothermal environments affects mechanical properties of laminated composites through two principle mechanisms, namely, moisture absorption and the structural deterioration due to it. Previous studies have indicated that moisture plays a positive role in carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites by alleviating their damage under impact. In this study, carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites were exposed to long-term hygrothermal ageing to investigate the possibility of the initiation of structural defects due to it and their influences on the various behaviors of the laminated composites. A major type of observable structural defects was identified and the related initiation mechanism was proposed. It was found for the first time that the structural defects formed during hygrothermal ageing in turn changed the moisture uptake profile of the laminated composites. The effects of structural defects on the impact resistance of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites were exclusively evaluated after removing the absorbed moisture. Tensile testing on vacuum-oven-dried laminates was conducted to assist the understanding of the mechanical strength of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites exposed to the hygrothermal environments.
Income Inequality and Use of Dental Services in 66 Countries
Authors: Bhandari B. , Newton J.T. , Bernabé E.
Published: May 2015

This study explored the association between income inequality and use of dental services and the role that investment in health care plays in explaining that association. We pooled individual-level data from 223,299 adults, 18 years or older, in 66 countries, who participated in the World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Surveys with country-level data from different international sources. Income inequality was measured at the national level using the Gini coefficient, and use of dental services was defined as having received treatment to address problems with mouth and/or teeth in the past year. The association between the Gini coefficient and use of dental services was examined in multilevel models controlling for a standard set of individual- and country-level confounders. The individual and joint contributions of 4 indicators of investment in health care were evaluated in sequential modeling. The Gini coefficient and use of dental services were inversely associated after adjustment for confounders. Every 10% increase in the Gini coefficient corresponded with a 15% lower odds of using dental services (odds ratio: 0.85; 95% confidence interval: 0.70–0.99). The association between the Gini coefficient and use of dental services was attenuated and became nonsignificant after individual adjustment for total health expenditure, public expenditure on health, health system responsiveness, or type of dental health system. The 4 indicators together explained 80% of the association between the Gini coefficient and use of dental services. This study suggests that more equal countries have greater use of dental services. It also supports the mediating role of investment in health care in explaining that association.
‘It’s Nothing Personal’: Anti-Homosexuality in the British Workplace
Authors: Einarsdóttir Anna , Hoel Helge , Lewis Duncan
Published: May 2015

Scholarship on homophobia has been critiqued for being individualistic and psychological, failing to account for structural inequalities, experiences of homophobia and discursive manifestations of homophobia. This Economic and Social Research Council funded study attempts to address some of these concerns by focusing on the experiences of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (LGBs) in relation to bullying, harassment and discrimination in the British workplace. We examine what homophobia is understood to be and how psychological and organisational discourses make it difficult to make sense of negative experiences and how anti-homosexual attitudes and work environments are sustained and left unchallenged through the claim ‘it’s not personal’. Drawing on theories of selective incivility and modern discrimination, we illustrate how ambiguous anti-homosexual sentiments are, and argue that the term ‘homophobia’ not only prevents people from challenging negative experiences, but it further masks inequalities based on sexuality at work.
Political Change, State Autonomy, and Post-Neoliberalism in Ecuador, 2007–2012
Authors: Gallegos Franklin Ramírez
Published: May 2015

Along with other progressive experiments in the region, the government of the Citizens’ Revolution has restored the state to a central position with regard to social coordination and the promotion of economic development. The open conflict created by the return of the state between 2007 and 2012 transformed power relationships, allowing civil government to expand the state’s relative autonomy and orient it toward constructing a public policy agenda associated with transcending neoliberalism. The challenge of this transition has been to modify the pattern of commodity specialization away from the primacy of primary exports. While reappropriating the surplus that comes from the income from strategic resources increases national sovereignty, it may also contribute to preserving the nation’s position in the international division of labor. The National Plan for Living Well aims at overcoming the centrality of the primary sector and of oil exports in the national economy.

En convergencia con otros gobiernos progresistas de la region, el gobierno del la Revolución Ciudadana relanza el Estado al primer plano de la coordinación social y la promoción del desarrollo. El conflictivo proceso político abierto en relación a dicho retorno estatal entre 2007 y 2012 trastrocó de los factores de poder y permitió al gobierno civil ampliar la autonomía relativa del Estado y orientarlo hacia la construcción de una agenda de políticas públicas asociada con la superación del neoliberalismo. El desafio de dicha transición reside en la posibilidad de modificar el patrón de especialización productiva más allá de la centralidad de las exportaciones primarias. Aunque la estrategia estatal de reapropriación del excedente que proviene de las rentas de recursos estratégicos eleva los márgenes de soberanía nacional respecto a la determinación global, también puede contribuir a la continuidad del lugar del país en la vigente división internacional del trabajo. El Plan Nacional del Buen Vivir apunta a superar en el mediano plazo la centralidad del sector primario y de las exportaciones petroleras en la economía nacional.
“The Pig That Therefore I Am”
Authors: Cherry Elizabeth
Published: May 2015

How does visual art affect the work of social movements? In her photography series “The Pig That Therefore I Am,” artist Miru Kim photographs her nude body alongside pigs in factory farms and in farm sanctuaries. Using Kim’s photographs, her artist’s statement, and her artist talk from her exhibit opening, I argue that Kim’s work, and several other visual artists’ work, mirrors the work of animal rights activists as they bring to light typically invisible animal practices, subvert typical power relations regarding “the gaze,” and shift symbolic boundaries between humans and animals. By making the invisible visible, and by highlighting symbolic boundaries between humans and animals, I show how visual art plays a significant role in viewers’ initial awareness of and potential mobilization into the animal rights movement. I argue that these roles hold true for art created explicitly for animal rights purposes, as well as art created without such a political goal in mind. In doing so, this article contributes to our broader understanding of the relationship between art and social movements.
Consumer Fetish: Commercial Ethnography and the Sovereign Consumer
Authors: Arnould Eric J. , Cayla Julien
Published: May 2015

What is the sovereign consumer that occupies such a central role in organizational discourse whose satisfaction has become an organizational imperative? Our research draws from extended fieldwork in the world of commercial ethnography. Our analysis shows how ethnography is implicated in the organizational fetishization of consumers, that is, how in the process of understanding and managing markets, a quasi-magical fascination with amalgams of consumer voices, images, and artefacts comes about. We offer several contributions. First, we demonstrate the pertinence of (primarily anthropological) theories of the fetish to organizational sensemaking. Second, we describe a distinctive process of organizational market sensemaking that is sensuous, magical, and analogical. Third, we offer a subtle critique of commercial ethnography, a popular research practice that aims to bring ‘real’ consumers to life inside the firm.
The evolution of the small business and entrepreneurship field: A bibliometric investigation of articles published in the International Small Business Journal
Authors: Volery Thierry , Mazzarol Tim
Published: May 2015

This article analyses the evolution of the small business management and entrepreneurship fields as reflected in articles published in its premier journal, the International Small Business Journal. It investigates the evolution of the fields through bibliometric examination of all 660 articles published between 1982 and 2012. While small business management has remained the main focus of the journal, there has been a significant growth in the number of articles focusing specifically on entrepreneurship. Also identified in this analysis are the rise of theoretical studies and the relative decline of descriptive work. Parallel to a clear improvement in the rigour of the articles published, the field of small business and entrepreneurship has relied on a multidisciplinary foundation which offers a diverse and multifaceted engagement. Despite this increasing diversity, it appears that small business and entrepreneurship have unique characteristics that distinguish this field from the broader economics and or management discipline.
Noribogaine reduces nicotine self-administration in rats
Authors: Chang Qing , Hanania Taleen , Mash Deborah C , Maillet Emeline L
Published: May 2015

Noribogaine, a polypharmacological drug with activities at opioid receptors, ionotropic nicotinic receptors, and serotonin reuptake transporters, has been investigated for treatment of substance abuse-related disorders. Smoking cessation has major benefits for both individuals and society, therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of noribogaine for use as a treatment for nicotine dependence. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer nicotine intravenous. After initial food pellet training, followed by 26 sessions of nicotine self-administration training, the rats were administered noribogaine (12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg orally), noribogaine vehicle, varenicline or saline using a within-subject design with a Latin square test schedule. Noribogaine dose-dependently decreased nicotine self-administration by up to 64% of saline-treated rats’ levels and was equi-effective to 1.7 mg/kg intraperitoneal varenicline. Noribogaine was less efficient at reducing food pellets self-administration than at nicotine self-administration, inhibiting the nondrug reinforcing effects of palatable pellets by 23% at the highest dose. These results suggest that noribogaine dose-dependently attenuates drug-taking behavior for nicotine, attenuates the reinforcing effects of nicotine and is comparable to varenicline power in that regard. The findings from the present study hold promise for a new therapy to aid smoking cessation.
Assessing the Value of a Societal-Level Sustainability Index for Macromarketing Research
Authors: Simkins Travis Jody , Peterson Mark
Published: May 2015

As the Internet makes secondary data increasingly more accessible and less costly to obtain, the need for methods to evaluate the reliability and validity of such data has grown accordingly. In efforts to harness the surge of data at the country level, researchers have created indexes to more efficiently track the performance of societies on a variety of dimensions. Large-scale global indexes like the Sustainable Society Index (SSI), published biannually since 2006 by the Sustainable Society Foundation, have the potential to provide valuable insights into important issues related to macromarketing, sustainability, and quality of life. The primary purpose of this article is to assess the value of a societal-level index for macromarketing research. By evaluating the reliability, internal validity and external validity of a societal-level index, such as the SSI, researchers will be better informed about the importance of such an index, but will also understand how the protocol used in this study can be applied to other indexes. In order to gauge the external validity of the SSI, the study also evaluates and utilizes three other established secondary data sources in conjunction with the SSI. These include: (1) the Legatum Prosperity Index; (2) Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index; and (3) the Euromoney Country Risk Index.
MRI and comparison mammography: a worthy diagnostic alliance for breast microcalcifications?
Authors: Brnic Dijana , Brnic Darko , Simundic Ivan , Vanjaka Rogosic Lucija , Tadic Tade
Published: May 2015

Background

There is a lack of data concerning diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with new or increasing microcalcifications.

Purpose

To evaluate suspicious microcalcifications by using comparison mammography, MRI, and a combination of both methods.

Material and Methods

Our study group consisted of 55 patients with mammographically detected BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) 3–5 microcalcifications for whom comparison mammograms were available. All patients underwent breast MRI before SVAB (stereotactic vacuum-assisted biopsy). Diagnostic performances of comparison mammography and MRI were evaluated, as well as the combination of the respective imaging findings.

Results

Of the 55 microcalcification cases, 35 showed progression and 20 were stable between interval screenings. The negative predictive value (NPV) of comparison mammography was 100%, whereas the NPV of MRI was 92%. However, the specificity of combination of findings was 97%, significantly higher than the 42% specificity of comparison mammography ( P < 0.001). Additionally, the positive predictive value of combination of findings was 93% versus 44% of comparison mammography ( P = 0.001).

Conclusion

A biopsy is recommended when MRI positive lesion corresponding the area of new or increasing mammographic microcalcifications is detected. Patients with stable microcalcifications can continue follow-up mammography, regardless of MRI result.
Remote sensing of terrestrial non-photosynthetic vegetation using hyperspectral, multispectral, SAR, and LiDAR data
Authors: Li Zhaoqin , Guo Xulin
Published: May 2015

Quantifying non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV) is important for ecosystem management and studies on climate change, ecology, and hydrology because it controls uptake of carbon, water, and nutrients together with frequency and intensity of natural fire, and serves as wildlife habitat. The ecological importance of NPV has driven considerable research on quantitatively estimating NPV in diverse ecosystems including croplands, forests, grasslands, savannah, and shrublands using remote sensing data. However, a comprehensive review is not available. This review highlights the theoretical bases and the critical elements of remote sensing for NPV estimation, and summarizes research on estimating fractional cover of NPV (NPV cover) and biomass using passive optical hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing data, active synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and integrated multi-sensorial data. We also discuss advantages and disadvantages of optical, LiDAR, and SAR data and pinpoint future direction on NPV estimation using remote sensing data. Currently, most NPV research has been mainly focused on NPV cover, not NPV biomass, using passive optical data, while a few studies have used LiDAR data to quantify NPV biomass in forests and SAR data on NPV estimation in croplands and grasslands. In the future, more efforts should be made to estimate NPV biomass and to investigate the best use of hyperspectral, LiDAR, SAR data, and their integration. The upcoming new optical sensor on Sentinel-2 satellites, Radarsat-2 constellation and NovaSAR, technological innovation in hyperspectral, LiDAR, and SAR, and improvements on methodology for information extraction and combining multi-sensorial data will provide more opportunities for NPV estimation.
On CALL
Authors: Bradley-Johnson Sharon , Johnson C. Merle , Drevon Daniel D.
Published: May 2015

Students with low-incidence disabilities frequently receive less than optimal psychoeducational services because the specialized tests and instructional materials required to meet their idiosyncratic needs often are unavailable due to budget constraints, inadequate training of school personnel, and the difficulty school personnel have keeping current on low-incidence disabilities. To enhance the services provided for these students, a centralized statewide lending library for school personnel serving students with low-incidence disabilities was implemented. The development of this project, its impact, and the needs of school personnel in the area of low-incidence disabilities are described.
Memory at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Authors: Perrin Kristen
Published: May 2015

Scrutiny of the legal elements of international criminal tribunals such as the ICTY are frequent and important, but this article suggests that new avenues need to be taken in order to truly understand what is taking place within the courtroom sociologically. Embedded within courtroom interactions are symbolic exchanges that can stand as both reflections of and implications for the success or failure of transitional justice as a tool to promote community understanding post-conflict. Using a mixture of social psychology and cognitive linguistics, this article examines the significance of in-court references to memory, theorising that the concepts of remembering and forgetting as discussed in transcripts reveal greater struggles between the witnesses and the court over narrative control. This ultimately raises questions about the nature of the relationship between international legal bodies and the individual victim-witness, and demonstrates that there are failings occurring here that could make processes of reconciliation and community healing more difficult.
On a not so chance encounter of neurophilosophy and science studies in a sleep laboratory
Authors: Langlitz Nicolas
Published: May 2015

This article was inspired by participant observation of a contemporary collaboration between empirically oriented philosophers of mind and neuroscientists. An encounter between this anthropologist of science and neurophilosophers in a Finnish sleep laboratory led to the following philosophical exploration of the intellectual space shared by neurophilosophy and science studies. Since these fields emerged in the 1970s, scholars from both sides have been visiting brain research facilities, but engaged with neuroscientists very differently and passionately fought with each other over the reduction of mind to brain. As a case in point, this article looks at the philosophical controversy over the dreaming brain. It serves as a window on the problem space opened up by the demise of positivist conceptions of science, now inhabited by both neurophilosophy and science studies. Both fields face the problem of how to bridge the gap between empirical research and conceptual work. At a time when ontological speculation has made a comeback in these areas of research, studies on how epistemic objects manifest themselves in the material culture of neuroscience could help neurophilosophers to become better materialists. In the sleep laboratory, however, the materiality of dreams continues to be elusive. In dreaming science studies and neurophilosophy encounter a phenomenon that – at least in 2015 – still invites a positivist rather than a materialist attitude.
Informal Workers in Thailand
Authors: Kongtip Pornpimol , Nankongnab Noppanun , Chaikittiporn Chalermchai , Laohaudomchok Wisanti , Woskie Susan , Slatin Craig
Published: May 2015

Informal workers in Thailand lack employee status as defined under the Labor Protection Act (LPA). Typically, they do not work at an employer’s premise; they work at home and may be self-employed or temporary workers. They account for 62.6 percent of the Thai workforce and have a workplace accident rate ten times higher than formal workers. Most Thai Labor laws apply only to formal workers, but some protect informal workers in the domestic, home work, and agricultural sectors. Laws that protect informal workers lack practical enforcement mechanisms and are generally ineffective because informal workers lack employment contracts and awareness of their legal rights. Thai social security laws fail to provide informal workers with treatment of work-related accidents, diseases, and injuries; unemployment and retirement insurance; and workers’ compensation. The article summarizes the differences in protections available for formal and informal sector workers and measures needed to decrease these disparities in coverage.