bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Convergent and Predictive Validity of the Jesness Inventory in a Sample of Juvenile Offenders
Authors: Olver Mark E. , Stockdale Keira C.
Published: February 2016

The present study examined the convergent and predictive validity of the Jesness Inventories (JI) in a sample of 138 juvenile offenders, completed in the course of routine service delivery. JI profiles were compared with ratings on three standardized forensic clinical scales: the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory, Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version, and Violence Risk Scale–Youth Version. The JI Asocial Index and the Undersocialized Active and Group-Oriented Conformist Interpersonal Maturity Level (I-level) subtypes demonstrated the strongest pattern of convergence and most consistently predicted recidivism. The Asocial Index did not incrementally predict recidivism after controlling for scores on the standardized forensic clinical scales; however, meaningful differences among broad I-Level groups (I-3 and I-4) remained after controlling for risk. Risk-need-responsivity applications of the JI (i.e., in terms of treatment dosage, identifying treatment targets, and adaptation of services) are discussed within the context of a comprehensive forensic assessment framework to inform case formulation, service delivery, and decision making with justice involved youth.
Spanish Validation of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y)
Authors: Valdivia-Salas Sonsoles , Martín-Albo José , Zaldivar Pablo , Lombas Andrés S. , Jiménez Teresa I.
Published: February 2016

Psychological inflexibility (PI) refers to the overarching and nonadaptive avoidance of thoughts and feelings. PI is a transdiagnostic process that is present in numerous psychopathologies, such as anxiety and mood disorders, addictive behaviors, and chronic pain, as presented by American adults and adolescents. Despite the high rates of depression and depressed mood among Spanish and Latino adolescents and the observed relation between PI and adjustment problems at this age, an instrument assessing PI in Spanish-speaking adolescents is lacking. In this study, we assessed the psychometric properties of a Spanish adaptation of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth with 483 students from Spain (mean age 13.89 years). The Spanish Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth proved to be a two-factor psychometrically sound instrument. Total PI scores correlated positively with depression and negatively with satisfaction with life. The predictive validity results showed cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance to be two interrelated but distinct processes that characterize PI.
Sex Trafficking of Girls With Intellectual Disabilities: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Reid Joan A.
Published: February 2016

Few researchers have examined sex trafficking of girls with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Drawing from 54 juvenile sex trafficking (JST) cases, this exploratory, mixed methods study compared 15 JST cases involving girls with ID with 39 JST cases involving girls without ID. Findings revealed a disproportionate risk for exploitation in JST for girls with ID, endangering circumstances creating vulnerability among this population, as well as the perpetrator–victim dynamics that complicate prevention and intervention. Complicating dynamics included victim lack of awareness of exploitation and its endangerments, inability of victims to self-identify, and the relative ease with which traffickers manipulated these girls. The disproportionate risk faced by girls with ID substantiates the need for enhanced safeguards to prevent sexual exploitation of girls with ID including stiffer penalties for those who exploit and buy sex with youth with disabilities.
Home-Based Physical Therapy for Individuals With Stroke in Thailand
Authors: Hiengkaew Vimonwan , Vongsirinavarat Mantana
Published: February 2016

In Thailand, individuals with stroke prefer to return home after being discharged from hospital and most of them have inconveniences to get to hospitals or clinics to receive physical therapy. Thus, home-based physical therapy (HBPT) might be an option. A retrospective pre-test and post-test study was conducted among 2,412 individuals with first stroke after receiving HBPT. It showed significant ( p < .0001) improvement in voluntary movement, postural balance, and activities of daily living (ADLs) in individuals with after-stroke duration of ≤20 years. Those with after-stroke duration of >20 years demonstrated significant development in voluntary movement ( p = .005) and postural balance ( p = .037), but not ADLs. In conclusion, HBPT improves voluntary movement, postural balance, and ADL in individuals following any period of first stroke, and might be an alternative service for them in Thailand.
Remediation, convergence, and big data
Authors: Zelenkauskaite Asta
Published: February 2016

The era of multiplatform media and big data provide new opportunities to reconsider data access by media companies. Outlined here is the discussion surrounding data access from media institutional logic and user-centric perspectives in the contexts of digitalization and big data. The discussion includes technological affordances that can be geared toward users or that merely reinforce media companies’ prominence. However, limitations of information architecture lie in its structure and the inability to facilitate navigation by users across multiple content streams. Media companies concentrate access around their own cross-platform content. Despite technological feasibility, media companies continue to choose cross-platform architecture that is structurally limiting to users. Cross-platform conceptual limits are discussed within the context of the broader socioeconomic landscape of mass media digitalization and big data.
The interpreter as co-interviewer: the role of the interpreter during interviews in cross-language health research
Authors: Suurmond Jeanine , Woudstra Anke , Essink-Bot Marie-Louise
Published: February 2016

Objective

Interviews with ethnic minority patients provide a rich source of data to understand their perspectives of disease and its management. Language barriers are, however, often a problem so interpreters need to be used. We explored the impact of the interpreter on cross-language interviews between researchers and respondents.

Methods

Secondary analysis of four interviews between researchers and patients involving professional interpreters.

Results

Interpreters were actively involved and influenced the interview in several ways: they assumed the interviewer’s communicative role, edited information; initiated information-seeking, took over control of the interview, and took over the respondent’s role. While the interpreter supported the interviewer, they posed risks to the quality of the interview.

Conclusion

Researchers need to be aware of the influence of interpreters. Researchers should instruct interpreters carefully about their roles though they may benefit from interpreters’ strategies to support them.
A systematic review on incentive-driven mobile health technology: As used in diabetes management
Authors: de Ridder Michael , Kim Jinman , Jing Yan , Khadra Mohamed , Nanan Ralph
Published: February 2016

Introduction

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have been shown to improve self-management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes. However, mHealth tools, e.g. apps, often have low rates of retention, eroding their potential benefits. Using incentives is a common mechanism for engaging, empowering and retaining patients that is applied by mHealth tools. We conducted a systematic review aiming to categorize the different types of incentive mechanisms employed in mHealth tools for diabetes management, which we defined as incentive-driven technologies (IDTs). As an auxiliary aim, we also analyzed barriers to adoption of IDTs.

Methods

Literature published in English between January 2008–August 2014 was identified through searching leading publishers and indexing databases: IEEE, Springer, Science Direct, NCBI, ACM, Wiley and Google Scholar.

Results

A total of 42 articles were selected. Of these, 34 presented mHealth tools with IDT mechanisms; Education was the most common mechanism ( n = 21), followed by Reminder ( n = 11), Feedback ( n = 10), Social ( n = 8), Alert ( n = 5), Gamification ( n = 3), and Financial ( n = 2). Many of these contained more than one IDT ( n = 19). The remaining eight articles, from which we defined barriers for adoption, were review papers and a qualitative study of focus groups and interviews.

Discussion

While mHealth technologies have advanced over the last five years, the core IDT mechanisms have remained consistent. Instead, IDT mechanisms have evolved with the advances in technology, such as moving from manual to automatic content delivery and personalization of content.

Conclusion

We defined the concept of IDT to be core features designed to act as motivating mechanisms for retaining and empowering users. We then identified seven core IDT mechanisms that are used by mHealth tools for diabetes management and classified 34 articles into these categories.
Framing preventive care messaging and cervical cancer screening in a health-insured population in South Africa: Implications for population-based communication?
Authors: Adonis Leegale , Paramanund Jithen , Basu Debashis , Luiz John
Published: February 2016

The impact of health message framing on cervical cancer screening uptake is poorly understood. In a prospective randomized control study with 748 females, aged 21–65 years with no Pap smear in the previous 3 years, they randomly received a loss-framed, gain-framed, or neutral health message (control) regarding cervical cancer screening by email. Screening rate in the control group was 9.58 percent (CI: 9.29%–9.87%), 5.71 percent (CI: 5.48%–6.98%) in the gain-framed group, and 8.53 percent (CI: 8.24%–8.81%) in the loss-framed group. Statistically there was no difference between the three screening rates. Framing of health messages may not be a significant consideration when communicating through emails.
Talking to Chief Mkwawa: Multivocality and negotiation in an ancestral offering in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands
Authors: Fischer Gundula
Published: February 2016

An ancestral offering carried out by the chiefs of two neighbouring groups in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands was documented through participant observation, photo-elicitation interviews and photography. The ritual took place in front of a museum, which contains the late Chief Mkwawa’s skull – a German war trophy in colonial times. Apart from preserving knowledge about the history of the region, the offering was marked by two other features, namely multivocality and negotiation. Photo-elicitation interviews conducted after the event unearthed the protagonists’ diverse and contradictory perspectives. Their high interest in others’ ‘mistakes’ and at the same time openness to modification can best be conceptualized using a post-modern performance approach. This approach allows reading ‘flaws’ as clues to ritual as a dynamic process that includes the freedom to deviate from a perceived norm.
A collaborative modelling of ship and port interface operations under uncertainty
Authors: John Andrew , Nwaoha Thaddeus C , Kpangbala Tarnue M
Published: February 2016

Fault tree analysis is a known methodology used for analysing engineering systems. The approach is usually conducted using known failure data. Given that most maritime operations are conducted in a challenging and uncertain environment, their failure data are usually unavailable requiring a flexible and yet robust algorithm for the analysis of the systems. This research therefore seeks to analyse hazards of ships during ship and port interface operations as a result of manoeuvring by incorporating fuzzy fault tree analysis method to optimise the performance effectiveness of the system. Fuzzy set theory provides the needed flexibility to represent vague information from the analysis process. The methodology is structured in such a manner that diverse sets of data can be integrated and synthesised for analysing the system. It is envisaged that the proposed method could avail safety specialist with a simple and a step-by-step framework for evaluating maritime hazards in seaport operations in a concise way.
An action-oriented method for interprofessional organization development at a hospital operating unit
Authors: Rydenfält Christofer , Larsson Per-Anders , Odenrick Per
Published: February 2016

The complexity of modern interdisciplinary health care practices, where different specialties work together to solve complex problems, challenges traditional approaches to organizational development and quality improvement. An example of this is surgery. This article describes and evaluates an action-oriented method to facilitate organizational development and innovation at an operating unit, centered on interprofessional aspects of health care, a method that shares some features with action learning. At its core the method had a group with members from all specialties in an operating team, who participated in regular meetings facilitated by a process leader, according to experiential learning principles. The group was evaluated using mixed methods (including interaction process analysis (IPA)), of which video recorded group meetings and interviews constituted the main sources of data. Results showed that the group achieved a successful organizational change. Indications of the success of the group process were the low level of conflicts and the high level of task focus. Interprofessional boundaries appeared to be bridged as all members participated in formulation of both problems and solutions while not being afraid to voice different opinions. Problems could be attributed to lack of awareness of the group at the operating unit at which the intervention took place.
Research and activism about girls’ education for global democracy: The case of the campaign ‘Etna, Volcano of Peace’, Catania, Italy
Authors: Cristaldi Melita , Pampanini Giovanni
Published: February 2016

According to a progressive interpretation of human development, girls’ education should form an integral part of a full democratic system. Nevertheless, girls’ education is threatened and attacked in many ways in current societies, be they authoritarian or democratic societies, developing or developed ones. In this article the two authors, both educators and researchers in education in Catania, Sicily, introduce their educational activities regarding the defence and promotion of girls’ education for development and social change. Three activities are at the core of their current, local and global commitment to the issue: continual seminars on Intercultural Geo-History (with a special focus on the ongoing wars), operating simultaneous Skype connections (the so-called ‘Orbital Classroom’); the Intercultural Prayer Against War; and the campaign ‘Etna, Volcano of Peace’. The article provides some details and describes partial successes of these educational activities led by a consistent group of girls, and explains how the activities relate to both interculturalism and global democracy theory.
Social Marketing for Social Change
Authors: Wood Matthew
Published: February 2016

This article explores the role of social marketing in achieving health equality and social change in the context of obesity, one of the most serious global public health issues we face today. Social marketing has traditionally taken a downstream focus, targeting individuals to change their behavior. This article takes a critical perspective, supporting moves toward upstream social marketing and applying a socioecological model to social marketing theory. At the macrolevel, the marketing activities of some companies and social–economic environment mean it is difficult for some consumers to make healthy choices—for example, food and drink. At the microlevel, there is robust evidence parenting style and quality of preschool education during the critical early years’ period of child development profoundly influences long-term health and life outcomes. Ecological models enable social marketers and policy makers to understand which interventions are likely to reduce inequality through sustainable, holistic positive behavior change compared with short-term, issue-based programs.
The State of Media Studies in China
Authors: Wu Jing
Published: February 2016

The article first delineates the transformations of China’s media institutions since the reform and opening up policy of the 1980s and argues that marketization and new media technologies are two important factors in shaping media operations and culture in contemporary China. Then the author introduces the changes in perspective, problematic and research methods in the academic field of media studies in China. The article also uses some recent research articles to illustrate the author’s point about the state of media studies in China.
Enhancement of durable photocatalytic properties of cotton/polyester fabrics using TiO2/SiO2 via one step sonosynthesis
Authors: Li Wan-Di , Gao Jing , Wang Lu
Published: February 2016

This study aimed to increase the photocatalytic efficiency and durability of functional fabrics coated with TiO2/SiO2 nanoparticles. Tetrabutyl titanate and tetraethyl orthosilicate were used as precursor and ultrasonic irradiation was utilized as a tool for synthesis of TiO2/SiO2 in low temperature and loading nanoparticles onto the polyester-cotton fabric. The multifunctionality of such nanocomposite material was evaluated by analyzing its hydrophilicity, photocatalytic, and antibacterial activities. The hydrophilicity and photocatalytic activity were analyzed based on water droplet contact angle measurements and removal of methylene blue stain under UV, respectively. On the other hand, antibacterial activities were examined against the Gram-positive S. aureus and the Gram-negative E. Coli. TiO2/SiO2-coated fabrics exhibited outstanding self-cleaning, antibacterial, and superhydrophilic properties. Moreover, particle size analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV–Visible spectrophotometry confirmed that TiO2/SiO2 nanoparticles produced higher photocatalytic activities on the treated fabrics than pure TiO2 nanoparticles. Furthermore, the self-cleaning properties remained after 30 launderings, indicating excellent washing durability. Therefore, this process had no significant negative effect on the wearability including tensile strength, whiteness index, ventilation property, and surface roughness of sonotreated fabrics.
Doxorubicin release from optimized electrospun polylactic acid nanofibers
Authors: Doustgani Amir
Published: February 2016

Electrospinning has been known as an efficient method for fabrication of polymer nanofibers. In this study, an electrospun nanofibrous mats based on polylactic acid with a defined release using doxorubicin was developed. The effects of process parameters, such as concentration, distance, applied voltage, temperature and flow rate on the mean diameter of electrospun doxorubicin-loaded polylactic acid nanofibers were investigated. The fiber morphology and mean fiber diameter of prepared nanofibers were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry was employed to identify the presence of doxorubicin within nanofibers. Response surface methodology based on a five-level, five-variable central composite design was used to model the average diameter of electrospun polylactic acid/doxorubicin nanofibers. Mean fiber diameter was correlated to these variables by using a polynomial function at a 95% confidence level. The coefficient of determination of the model was found to be 0.93. The predicted fiber diameter was in good agreement with the experimental result. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the doxorubicin was loaded into the nanofibers successfully. In vitro drug release in phosphate-buffered solution and acetate buffer for the optimized and non-optimized samples demonstrated that diffusion is the dominant drug release mechanism for drug-loaded fibers. The initial burst release was observed for non-optimized nanofibers compared to optimized nanofibers. Optimized drug-loaded polylactic acid nanofibers could be good candidates for biomedical applications.
The Role of Character Strengths and Family Importance on Mexican American College Students’ Life Satisfaction
Authors: Vela Javier C. , Sparrow Gregory Scott , Ikonomopoulos James , Gonzalez Stacey L. , Rodriguez Basilio
Published: February 2016

We examined how character strengths and family importance influenced Mexican American college students’ life satisfaction. Using multiple regression analysis, findings indicated that optimism, grit, and gratitude were significant predictors of life satisfaction. We provide a discussion regarding the importance of these findings as well as recommendations for future research.
Paternal Mental Health: Why Is It Relevant?
Authors: Fisher Sheehan D.
Published: February 2016

Father’s mental health is an emerging area of interest that is beginning to be recognized in research, and to a lesser extent in clinical practice and society. Fathers are part of a parenting dyad with 2 partners who are responsible for their children’s emotional development. Similar to mothers, the risk for mental health problems increases once a male becomes a father, but there is limited research examining this issue. The purpose of this review is to present the available literature on father’s mental health and its effect on child emotional health through various mechanisms. In general, father’s mental health was found to be related to increased child internalizing and externalizing behaviors, but each disorder had different risk factors, and a unique effect on parenting behaviors and the child’s emotional health. The most developed paternal mental health literature is focused on depression. However, key conceptual and methodological problems exist that may limit our understanding of paternal depression. Additionally, the focus on paternal depression may not accurately represent the largest risk for paternal psychopathology and the resultant child mental health outcomes because men have an increased likelihood of displaying externalizing behaviors. Implications for research, clinical practice, and policy are discussed.
“Two-coil technique” for embolization of small internal carotid artery aneurysms incorporating the origin of the anterior choroidal artery
Authors: Heo Young Jin , Yang Ku Hyun , Jung Sung Chul , Park Jung Cheol , Lee Deok Hee
Published: February 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the efficacy, safety and stability of the “two-coil technique.”

Materials and methods

We evaluated a single-center experience by using a two-coil technique, which is a variation of the multiple-microcatheter technique in the treatment of a small internal carotid artery aneurysm with its sac incorporated with the origin of the anterior choroidal artery. Six consecutive patients with small ICA aneurysms with its sac incorporated with origin of the anterior choroidal artery and treated with the two-coil technique were included in this study. We finished the embolization with only two coils introduced via two different microcatheters without any other device assistance in all cases. Embolization status was determined at immediate postoperative and follow-up angiography after six months.

Results

The two-coil technique was technically successful in five of six cases; one case was converted to surgical clipping because of persistent occlusion of the anterior choroidal artery after several attempts. On follow-up study, all five cases showed stable occlusion status without recanalization or residual aneurysm.

Conclusions

The two-coil technique has potential to be used for coiling small aneurysms, particularly where there is an important branch incorporated into the sac or neck of the aneurysm.
The treatment of missing data in a large cardiovascular clinical outcomes study
Authors: Little Roderick J , Wang Julia , Sun Xiang , Tian Hong , Suh Eun-Young , Lee Michael , Sarich Troy , Oppenheimer Leonard , Plotnikov Alexei , Wittes Janet , Cook-Bruns Nancy , Burton Paul , Gibson C Michael , Mohanty Surya
Published: February 2016

Background:

The potential impact of missing data on the results of clinical trials has received heightened attention recently. A National Research Council study provides recommendations for limiting missing data in clinical trial design and conduct, and principles for analysis, including the need for sensitivity analyses to assess robustness of findings to alternative assumptions about the missing data. A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee raised missing data as a serious concern in their review of results from the ATLAS ACS 2 TIMI 51 study, a large clinical trial that assessed rivaroxaban for its ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction or stroke in patients with acute coronary syndrome. This case study describes a variety of measures that were taken to address concerns about the missing data.

Methods:

A range of analyses are described to assess the potential impact of missing data on conclusions. In particular, measures of the amount of missing data are discussed, and the fraction of missing information from multiple imputation is proposed as an alternative measure. The sensitivity analysis in the National Research Council study is modified in the context of survival analysis where some individuals are lost to follow-up. The impact of deviations from ignorable censoring is assessed by differentially increasing the hazard of the primary outcome in the treatment groups and multiply imputing events between dropout and the end of the study. Tipping-point analyses are described, where the deviation from ignorable censoring that results in a reversal of significance of the treatment effect is determined. A study to determine the vital status of participants lost to follow-up was also conducted, and the results of including this additional information are assessed.

Results:

Sensitivity analyses suggest that findings of the ATLAS ACS 2 TIMI 51 study are robust to missing data; this robustness is reinforced by the follow-up study, since inclusion of data from this study had little impact on the study conclusions.

Conclusion:

Missing data are a serious problem in clinical trials. The methods presented here, namely, the sensitivity analyses, the follow-up study to determine survival of missing cases, and the proposed measurement of missing data via the fraction of missing information, have potential application in other studies involving survival analysis where missing data are a concern.
Collaboration without Representation: Labor Issues in Motion and Performance Capture
Authors: Mihailova Mihaela
Published: February 2016

Classical film theory topics, such as the divide between live action and animation, the definition of cinematic performance, and the configuration and impact of the star system continue to shape – while also being reshaped by – discourse on animation labor in the digital age. Focusing on motion capture in contemporary Hollywood, the first part of this article historicizes and examines the diminishment of the animators’ contribution to this filmmaking process in promotional materials and public discussions, and the accompanying overemphasis on the star persona’s performance. In doing so, it aims to contextualize and shed light on the practices and imperatives that determine current labor policies and power dynamics in the industry. The second part introduces questions of gender relations and gender-based hierarchies of representation into the discussion of motion and performance capture’s labor climate. In order to highlight and reflect on the ambivalence of the motion capture industry’s labor politics, it offers a feminist reading of a distinct, yet related form of disenfranchisement in motion-capture filmmaking, namely digital voyeurism and the objectification of the female performer in films such as Beowulf (Robert Zemeckis, 2007) and Avatar (James Cameron, 2009), and video games such as Beyond: Two Souls (Quantic Dream, 2013). Finally, by highlighting such interrelated policies of marginalization and erasure of labor, the author aims to emphasize the inadequacy of describing motion capture as a collaborative process and to call for a reconceptualization of the critical approaches towards its study.
Designing for India: Government Animation Education and the Politics of Identity
Authors: Jones Timothy G
Published: February 2016

This article examines animation education at the two Indian government design schools, the National Institute of Design (NID) and Industrial Design Centre (IDC), looking beyond the transfer of skills to the negotiation of social and professional identity. The accounts of faculty, students and graduates express symbolic values of local relevance and cultural continuity rooted in a tradition of ‘purposeful design’ as a tool for post-independence national development. Moreover such testimony not only reveals fraught discourses of national, regional, class, and gender identity, but also creative independence and entrepreneurship. By placing design instruction in a context of communities of practice, the author argues that this reflects an overt politicised effort on the part of educators and students to respond to the current industrial conditions of Indian animation, rejecting market-driven labour standardization in favour of ideologically-based professional networks of their own devising.
Slapstick after Fordism: WALL-E, Automatism and Pixar’s Fun Factory
Authors: Flaig Paul
Published: February 2016

In its history, production, plots and gestures, slapstick comedy was tied to the rise of modern labor in terms of both Taylorist theory and Fordist practice. Comic heroes ranging from live action comedians Chaplin or Keaton to animated animals Felix or Mickey worked against work through the playful excesses of their obediences and transgressions within an increasingly rationalized, industrial world. The digital animation studio Pixar summoned slapstick and its specifically Fordist resonances in its 2008 feature, WALL-E, yet offered a twist in humanizing a figure of perfected Fordism itself with its title character, a robot repetitively working in a post-apocalyptic earth devoid of human life. Explicitly modeled after Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd, WALL-E contrasts with the film’s humans, who are entirely liberated from labor through automation in a satirical reflection of both post-Fordist accounts of the ‘end of work’ as well as broader critiques of a distracting digital culture. This article focuses on the film’s revitalization of slapstick traditions within the context of recent debates about post-Fordism, the future of automated labor and the transformation of working human bodies. Just as slapstick’s relationship to modern labor touched on the playful mode of its cinematic production as well as their form as indexical montage so too does Pixar’s corporate reputation as ‘Creativity, Inc’ suggest a complex relationship between its slapstick hero and the digital labor animating his movement. The same will be argued of Pixar’s vaunted techniques with both digital image-making and commodity generation, both of which suggest a nostalgic animation of slapstick’s antinomies as much as a disavowal of the post-Fordist production of which Pixar is vanguard.
The short future of public broadcasting: Replacing digital terrestrial television with internet protocol?
Authors: Ala-Fossi Marko , Lax Stephen
Published: February 2016

According to recent European estimates, the life expectancy of broadcasting as a free-to-air television platform is not more than 15 years. BBC, Yle and the UK regulator Ofcom have reached this conclusion in their reports about the future of news, media distribution and digital terrestrial television. Although broadcasting is seen as necessary until 2030, all three assume that digital terrestrial television can – under certain conditions – be replaced with delivery using internet protocol. However, it seems that the idea of IPTV taking over digital terrestrial television is just a sophisticated version of ‘black box fallacy’, driven by the expected growth of the new media ecosystem. The problems in replacing a socio-technological system have largely been neglected.
Src kinases central to T-cell receptor signaling regulate TLR-activated innate immune responses from human T cells
Authors: Sharma Naveen , Akhade Ajay Suresh , Qadri Ayub
Published: February 2016

TLRs have a fundamental role in immunity. We have recently reported that stimulation of TLR2 and TLR5 in freshly isolated and activated human T cells with microbial ligands without concomitant activation through the TCR brings about secretion of neutrophil chemoattractant, CXCL8, and effector cytokine, IFN-γ, respectively. However, the mechanism of TLR signaling in T cells has not been worked out. Here, we show that the Src family kinases, p56lck (Lck) and p59fyn (Fyn), which are essential for activation of T cells through the TCR, are also critical for signal transduction through TLRs in human T cells. The secretion of CXCL8 following stimulation of the model human T cell line, Jurkat, with the TLR5 ligand, flagellin, was reduced in presence of the Src-kinase inhibitor, PP2 and specific inhibitors of Lck and Fyn. These inhibitors suppressed generation of activated JNK and p38, which were both required for TLR-induced CXCL8 production. The Lck-deficient derivative of Jurkat, JCam1.6, responded poorly to TLR2, TLR5 and TLR7 agonists, and did not generate active signaling intermediates. Lck and Fyn inhibitors also reduced TLR5-induced IFN-γ secretion from the activated T cell phenotype-representing T cell line, HuT78, without modulating JNK and p38 activation. These results reveal that TCR and TLRs share key proximal signaling regulators in T cells.
Novel bile acid therapeutics for the treatment of chronic liver diseases
Authors: Hegade Vinod S. , Speight R. Alexander , Etherington Rachel E. , Jones David E. J.
Published: February 2016

Recent developments in understanding the role of bile acids (BAs) as signalling molecules in human metabolism and inflammation have opened new avenues in the field of hepatology research. BAs are no longer considered as simple molecules helping in fat digestion but as agents with real therapeutic value in treating complex autoimmune and metabolic liver diseases. BAs and their receptors such as farnesoid X receptor, transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor 5 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor have been identified as novel targets for drug development. Some of these novel pharmaceuticals are already in clinical evaluation with the most advanced drugs having reached phase III trials. Chronic liver diseases such as primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, for which there is no or limited pharmacotherapy, are most likely to gain from these developments. In this review we discuss recent and the most relevant basic and clinical research findings related to BAs and their implications for novel therapy for chronic liver diseases.
Treatment of patients with multifocal motor neuropathy with immunoglobulins in clinical practice: the SIGNS registry
Authors: Stangel Martin , Gold Ralf , Pittrow David , Baumann Ulrich , Borte Michael , Fasshauer Maria , Hensel Manfred , Huscher Dörte , Reiser Marcel , Sommer Claudia
Published: February 2016

Objectives:

The management of patients with multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) under everyday clinical conditions has been insufficiently studied. We therefore collected comprehensive observational data on patients with MMN who received intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) immunoglobulins (IGs) as maintenance therapy.

Methods:

This was a prospective, noninterventional study (registry) in neurological centres (hospitals and offices) throughout Germany.

Results:

As of 1 December 2015, 80 patients with MMN were included (mean age 55.4 ± 9.8 years, 67% males, mean disease duration 10.7 ± 10.2 years). The affected limb regions were predominantly distal muscle groups of the upper extremities. On the inflammatory neuropathy cause and treatment (INCAT) scale, 94% of the patients had some disability in the arms and 61% in the legs. At inclusion, 98.8% received IVIG and 1.3% SCIG. Substantial variation was observed between IVIG treatment intervals (every 0.7 to 17.3 weeks) and dosage (0.2–2.1 g/kg body weight received during a single administration; mean monthly dosage, 0.9 g/kg body weight). However, the mean monthly dosage was steady over time. At 1-year follow up, improvement was seen in muscle strength, INCAT and quality of life (QoL) scores (SF-36 questionnaire).

Conclusions:

The management of patients with MMN in everyday clinical practice demonstrates a wide range of absolute dosages and treatment intervals of IG, supporting the recommended practice of determining treatment dose on an individual patient basis. The improvements in muscle strength and reduction in disability, accompanied by increased QoL, strengthen the case for use of IG as a maintenance treatment for MMN.
Immunotherapy for head and neck cancer: latest developments and clinical potential
Authors: Bauml Joshua M. , Cohen Roger B. , Aggarwal Charu
Published: February 2016

Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is a malignancy with a rapidly changing demographic profile, given the recent epidemic of human papilloma virus related cancers. Most patients present with locally advanced disease and receive combination therapeutic approaches with curative potential, albeit with significant toxicity. Up to a third of patients, however, will eventually develop recurrent or metastatic disease. The prognosis of such patients is dismal, as palliative treatment options remain limited. Immune-directed therapies offer a novel therapeutic strategy beyond cytotoxic chemotherapy and are currently being evaluated in a wide variety of malignancies. HNSCC is a particularly favorable disease for immunotherapy, as immune evasion and dysregulation have been shown to play a key role in the initiation and progression of HNSCC. This review focuses on the latest developments in immunotherapy in HNSCC, with a particular focus on checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cellular therapies, and vaccines.
Overcoming resistance to first/second generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and ALK inhibitors in oncogene-addicted advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Romanidou Ourania , Landi Lorenza , Cappuzzo Federico , Califano Raffaele
Published: February 2016

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represent the two oncogenic events with an impact on current clinical practice. EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and crizotinib are the standard of care for the treatment of EGFR mutant and ALK gene rearranged advanced NSCLC patients. Unfortunately, despite initial clinical benefit, acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs or crizotinib usually develops after an average of 10–12 months of treatment. The aim of this review is to describe the mechanisms of resistance to first/second generation EGFR-TKIs and crizotinib. In particular, we focus on strategies to overcome resistance due to secondary EGFR T790M mutation and mutations of the ALK domain.
Automated Diabetic Retinopathy Screening and Monitoring Using Retinal Fundus Image Analysis
Authors: Bhaskaranand Malavika , Ramachandra Chaithanya , Bhat Sandeep , Cuadros Jorge , Nittala Muneeswar Gupta , Sadda SriniVas , Solanki Kaushal
Published: February 2016

Background:

Diabetic retinopathy (DR)—a common complication of diabetes—is the leading cause of vision loss among the working-age population in the western world. DR is largely asymptomatic, but if detected at early stages the progression to vision loss can be significantly slowed. With the increasing diabetic population there is an urgent need for automated DR screening and monitoring. To address this growing need, in this article we discuss an automated DR screening tool and extend it for automated estimation of microaneurysm (MA) turnover, a potential biomarker for DR risk.

Methods:

The DR screening tool automatically analyzes color retinal fundus images from a patient encounter for the various DR pathologies and collates the information from all the images belonging to a patient encounter to generate a patient-level screening recommendation. The MA turnover estimation tool aligns retinal images from multiple encounters of a patient, localizes MAs, and performs MA dynamics analysis to evaluate new, persistent, and disappeared lesion maps and estimate MA turnover rates.

Results:

The DR screening tool achieves 90% sensitivity at 63.2% specificity on a data set of 40 542 images from 5084 patient encounters obtained from the EyePACS telescreening system. On a subset of 7 longitudinal pairs the MA turnover estimation tool identifies new and disappeared MAs with 100% sensitivity and average false positives of 0.43 and 1.6 respectively.

Conclusions:

The presented automated tools have the potential to address the growing need for DR screening and monitoring, thereby saving vision of millions of diabetic patients worldwide.
AP@home
Authors: Heinemann Lutz , Benesch Carsten , DeVries J. Hans ,   on Behalf of the AP@home Consortium
Published: February 2016

In the past years the development of an artificial pancreas (AP) has made great progress and many activities are ongoing in this area of research. The major step forward made in the last years was moving the evaluation of AP systems from highly controlled experimental conditions to daily life conditions at the home of patients with diabetes; this was also the aim of the European Union–funded AP@home project. Over a time period of 5 years a series of clinical studies were performed that culminated in 2 “final studies” during which an AP system was used by patients in their home environment for 2 or 3 months without supervision by a physician, living their normal lives. Two different versions of the AP system developed within this project were evaluated. A significant improvement in glycated hemoglobin was observed during closed-loop conditions despite the fact that during the control period the patients used the best currently available therapeutic option. In addition, a “single-port AP system” was developed within the project that combines continuous glucose monitoring and insulin infusion at a single tissue site. By using such a combined device the patients not only have to carry one less device around, the number of access points through the skin is also reduced from 2 to 1. In summary, close cooperation of 12 European partners, both academic centers and industry, enabled the development and evaluation of AP systems under daily life conditions. The next step is to develop these into products in cooperation with commercial partners.
The Chondroprotective Role of Erythromycin in a Murine Joint Destruction Model
Authors: Uchimura Tomoya , Foote Andrea T. , Markel David C. , Ren Weiping , Zeng Li
Published: February 2016

Objective

Inflammation is a major player in the joint destruction process. Macrolide antibiotics have recently been found to have a novel anti-inflammatory function, but their effects on the joint are unknown. Our objective was to investigate the effect of macrolide antibiotic erythromycin on cartilage gene expression under inflammatory conditions as well as on joint pathology in an in vivo inflammatory joint destruction model.

Design

In our in vivo studies, mouse knee joints were injected with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA), a chemical that inhibits glycolysis and causes joint inflammation and matrix loss. Erythromycin was administered by daily intraperitoneal injection. Changes in joint cartilage and synovium were evaluated by histological analysis. In our in vitro studies, primary bovine articular chondrocytes were treated with erythromycin in the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and cartilage gene expression analysis was performed.

Results

Regional differences in cartilage matrix destruction along the medial-lateral axis were observed in joints of MIA-injected mice. Erythromycin treatment inhibited cartilage matrix loss and synovitis in these joints. In addition, erythromycin inhibited IL-1β and LPS-induced expression of MMPs and iNOS, as well as the positive regulatory loop between IL-1β and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in articular chondrocytes. Furthermore, erythromycin prevented LPS-induced NF-κB activation, a key mediator of TLR4-mediated cartilage destruction process.

Conclusions

Erythromycin has the ability to inhibit catabolic gene expression mediated by IL-1β and TLR4 in chondrocytes in vitro and maintains cartilage matrix levels in experimental inflammatory joint destruction in vivo, suggesting that it possesses a chondroprotective activity.
Porcine acellular lung matrix for wound healing and abdominal wall reconstruction: A pilot study
Authors: Fernandez-Moure Joseph S , Van Eps Jeffrey L , Rhudy Jessica R , Cabrera Fernando J , Acharya Ghanashyam S , Tasciotti Ennio , Sakamoto Jason , Nichols Joan E
Published: February 2016

Surgical wound healing applications require bioprosthetics that promote cellular infiltration and vessel formation, metrics associated with increased mechanical strength and resistance to infection. Porcine acellular lung matrix is a novel tissue scaffold known to promote cell adherence while minimizing inflammatory reactions. In this study, we evaluate the capacity of porcine acellular lung matrix to sustain cellularization and neovascularization in a rat model of subcutaneous implantation and chronic hernia repair. We hypothesize that, compared to human acellular dermal matrix, porcine acellular lung matrix would promote greater cell infiltration and vessel formation. Following pneumonectomy, porcine lungs were processed and characterized histologically and by scanning electron microscopy to demonstrate efficacy of the decellularization. Using a rat model of subcutaneou implantation, porcine acellular lung matrices (n = 8) and human acellular dermal matrices (n = 8) were incubated in vivo for 6 weeks. To evaluate performance under mechanically stressed conditions, porcine acellular lung matrices (n = 7) and human acellular dermal matrices (n = 7) were implanted in a rat model of chronic ventral incisional hernia repair for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, tissues were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining to quantify cell infiltration and vessel formation. Porcine acellular lung matrices were shown to be successfully decellularized. Following subcutaneous implantation, macroscopic vessel formation was evident. Porcine acellular lung matrices demonstrated sufficient incorporation and showed no evidence of mechanical failure after ventral hernia repair. Porcine acellular lung matrices demonstrated significantly greater cellular density and vessel formation when compared to human acellular dermal matrix. Vessel sizes were similar across all groups. Cell infiltration and vessel formation are well-characterized metrics of incorporation associated with improved surgical outcomes. Porcine acellular lung matrices are a novel class of acellular tissue scaffold. The increased cell and vessel density may promote long-term improved incorporation and mechanical properties. These findings may be due to the native lung scaffold architecture guiding cell migration and vessel formation. Porcine acellular lung matrices represent a new alternative for surgical wound healing applications where increased cell density and vessel formation are sought.