bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
α-Klotho protects against oxidative damage in pulmonary epithelia
Authors: Ravikumar Priya , Ye Jianfeng , Zhang Jianning , Pinch Sydney N. , Hu Ming Chang , Kuro-o Makoto , Hsia Connie C. W. , Moe Orson W.
Published: July 2014

α-Klotho exerts pleiotropic biological actions. Heterozygous α-Klotho haplo-insufficient mice ( kl/+) appear normal at baseline except for age-related changes in the lung, suggesting heightened pulmonary susceptibility to α-Klotho deficiency. We used in vivo and in vitro models to test whether α-Klotho protects lung epithelia against injury. Normally, α-Klotho is not expressed in the lung, but circulating α-Klotho levels are reduced ∼40% in kl/+ mice and undetectable in homozygous α-Klotho-deficient mice ( kl/kl). kl/+ mice show distal air space enlargement at a given airway pressure, with elevated lung oxidative damage marker (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine; 8-OHdG); these abnormalities are exacerbated in kl/kl mice. Studies were performed in A549 lung epithelial cells and/or primary culture of alveolar epithelial cells. Hyperoxia (95% O2) and high inorganic phosphate concentrations (Pi, 3–5 mM) additively caused cell injury (lactate dehydrogenase release), oxidative DNA damage (8-OHdG), lipid oxidation (8-isoprostane), protein oxidation (carbonyl), and apoptosis (caspase-8 activity and TUNEL stain). Transfection of transmembrane or soluble α-Klotho, or addition of soluble α-Klotho-containing conditioned media, increased cellular antioxidant capacity (Cu- and Fe-based assays) via increased nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factors 1 and 2 (Nrf1/2) transcriptional activity and ameliorated hyperoxic and phosphotoxic injury. To validate the findings in vivo, we injected α-Klotho-containing conditioned media into rat peritoneum before and during hyperoxia exposure and found reduced alveolar interstitial edema and oxidative damage. We conclude that circulating α-Klotho protects the lung against oxidative damage and apoptosis partly via increasing endogenous antioxidative capacity in pulmonary epithelia. Cytoprotection by α-Klotho may play an important role in degenerative diseases of the lung.
Ozone-induced airway epithelial cell death, the neurokinin-1 receptor pathway, and the postnatal developing lung
Authors: Murphy Shannon R. , Oslund Karen L. , Hyde Dallas M. , Miller Lisa A. , Van Winkle Laura S. , Schelegle Edward S.
Published: July 2014

Children are uniquely susceptible to ozone because airway and lung growth continue for an extensive period after birth. Early-life exposure of the rhesus monkey to repeated ozone cycles results in region-specific disrupted airway/lung growth, but the mediators and mechanisms are poorly understood. Substance P (SP), neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R); and nuclear receptor Nur77 (NR4A1) are signaling pathway components involved in ozone-induced cell death. We hypothesize that acute ozone (AO) exposure during postnatal airway development disrupts SP/NK-1R/Nur77 pathway expression and that these changes correlate with increased ozone-induced cell death. Our objectives were to 1) spatially define the normal development of the SP/NK-1R/Nur77 pathway in conducting airways; 2) compare how postnatal age modulates responses to AO exposure; and 3) determine how concomitant, episodic ozone exposure modifies age-specific acute responses. Male infant rhesus monkeys were assigned at age 1 mo to two age groups, 2 or 6 mo, and then to one of three exposure subgroups: filtered air (FA), FA+AO (AO: 8 h/day × 2 days), or episodic biweekly ozone exposure cycles (EAO: 8 h/day × 5 days/14-day cycle+AO). O3 = 0.5 ppm. We found that 1) ozone increases SP/NK-1R/Nur77 pathway expression in conducting airways, 2) an ozone exposure cycle (5 days/cycle) delivered early at age 2 mo resulted in an airway that was hypersensitive to AO exposure at the end of 2 mo, and 3) continued episodic exposure (11 cycles) resulted in an airway that was hyposensitive to AO exposure at 6 mo. These observations collectively associate with greater overall inflammation and epithelial cell death, particularly in early postnatal (2 mo), distal airways.
Circadian and Melatonin Disruption by Exposure to Light at Night Drives Intrinsic Resistance to Tamoxifen Therapy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Dauchy Robert T. , Xiang Shulin , Mao Lulu , Brimer Samantha , Wren Melissa A. , Yuan Lin , Anbalagan Muralidharan , Hauch Adam , Frasch Tripp , Rowan Brian G. , Blask David E. , Hill Steven M.
Published: July 2014

Resistance to endocrine therapy is a major impediment to successful treatment of breast cancer. Preclinical and clinical evidence links resistance to antiestrogen drugs in breast cancer cells with the overexpression and/or activation of various pro-oncogenic tyrosine kinases. Disruption of circadian rhythms by night shift work or disturbed sleep-wake cycles may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer and other diseases. Moreover, light exposure at night (LEN) suppresses the nocturnal production of melatonin that inhibits breast cancer growth. In this study, we used a rat model of estrogen receptor (ERα+) MCF-7 tumor xenografts to demonstrate how altering light/dark cycles with dim LEN (dLEN) speed the development of breast tumors, increasing their metabolism and growth and conferring an intrinsic resistance to tamoxifen therapy. These characteristics were not observed in animals in which the circadian melatonin rhythm was not disrupted, or in animals subjected to dLEN if they received nocturnal melatonin replacement. Strikingly, our results also showed that melatonin acted both as a tumor metabolic inhibitor and a circadian-regulated kinase inhibitor to reestablish the sensitivity of breast tumors to tamoxifen and tumor regression. Together, our findings show how dLEN-mediated disturbances in nocturnal melatonin production can render tumors insensitive to tamoxifen. Cancer Res; 74(15); 4099–110. ©2014 AACR.
A Risk Prediction Model for Smoking Experimentation in Mexican American Youth
Authors: Talluri Rajesh , Wilkinson Anna V. , Spitz Margaret R. , Shete Sanjay
Published: July 2014

Background: Smoking experimentation in Mexican American youth is problematic. In light of the research showing that preventing smoking experimentation is a valid strategy for smoking prevention, there is a need to identify Mexican American youth at high risk for experimentation.

Methods: A prospective population-based cohort of 1,179 adolescents of Mexican descent was followed for 5 years starting in 2005–06. Participants completed a baseline interview at a home visit followed by three telephone interviews at intervals of approximately 6 months and additional interviews at two home visits in 2008–09 and 2010–11. The primary endpoint of interest in this study was smoking experimentation. Information about social, cultural, and behavioral factors (e.g., acculturation, susceptibility to experimentation, home characteristics, and household influences) was collected at baseline using validated questionnaires.

Results: Age, sex, cognitive susceptibility, household smoking behavior, peer influence, neighborhood influence, acculturation, work characteristics, positive outcome expectations, family cohesion, degree of tension, ability to concentrate, and school discipline were found to be associated with smoking experimentation. In a validation dataset, the proposed risk prediction model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.719 (95% confidence interval, 0.637–0.801) for predicting absolute risk for smoking experimentation within 1 year.

Conclusions: The proposed risk prediction model is able to quantify the risk of smoking experimentation in Mexican American adolescents.

Impact: Accurately identifying Mexican American adolescents who are at higher risk for smoking experimentation who can be intervened will substantially reduce the incidence of smoking and thereby subsequent health risks. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(10); 2165–74. ©2014 AACR.
Are HIV-Infected Men Vulnerable to Prostate Cancer Treatment Disparities?
Authors: Murphy Adam B. , Bhatia Ramona , Martin Iman K. , Klein David A. , Hollowell Courtney M.P. , Nyame Yaw , Dielubanza Elodi , Achenbach Chad , Kittles Rick A.
Published: July 2014

Background: HIV-infected (HIV+) men face cancer treatment disparities that impact outcome. Prostate cancer treatment and treatment appropriateness in HIV+ men are unknown.

Methods: We used electronic chart review to conduct a retrospective cohort study of 43 HIV+ cases with prostate cancer and 86 age- and race-matched HIV-uninfected (HIV−) controls with prostate cancer, ages 40 to 79 years, from 2001 to 2012. We defined treatment appropriateness using National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines and the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) to estimate life expectancy.

Results: Median age was 59.5 years at prostate cancer diagnosis. Median CD4+ T-cell count was 459.5 cells/mm3, 95.3% received antiretroviral therapy, and 87.1% were virally suppressed. Radical prostatectomy was the primary treatment for 39.5% of HIV+ and 71.0% of HIV− men (P = 0.004). Only 16.3% of HIV+ versus 57.0% of HIV− men received open radical prostatectomy (P < 0.001). HIV+ men received more radiotherapy (25.6% vs. 16.3%, P = 0.13). HIV was negatively associated with open radical prostatectomy (OR = 0.03, P = 0.007), adjusting for insurance and CCI. No men were undertreated. Fewer HIV+ men received appropriate treatment (89.2% vs. 100%, P = 0.003), due to four overtreated HIV+ men. Excluding AIDS from the CCI still resulted in fewer HIV+ men receiving appropriate treatment (94.6% vs. 100%, P = 0.03).

Conclusion: Prostate cancer in HIV+ men is largely appropriately treated. Under- or overtreatment may occur from difficulties in life expectancy estimation. HIV+ men may receive more radiotherapy and fewer radical prostatectomies, specifically open radical prostatectomies.

Impact: Research on HIV/AIDS survival indices and etiologies and outcomes of this prostate cancer treatment disparity in HIV+ men are needed. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(10); 2009–18. ©2014 AACR.
Unbiased Proteomic and Transcript Analyses Reveal that Stathmin-1 Silencing Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Metastasis and Sensitizes to 5-Fluorouracil Treatment
Authors: Wu Wei , Tan Xing Fei , Tan Hwee Tong , Lim Teck Kwang , Chung Maxey Ching Ming
Published: July 2014

Colorectal cancer metastasis is a major cause of mortality worldwide, which may only be controlled with novel methods limiting tumor dissemination and chemoresistance. High stathmin-1 (STMN1) expression was previously established as a hallmark of colorectal cancer progression and predictor of poor survival; however, the mechanism of action is less clear. This work demonstrates that STMN1 silencing arrests tumor-disseminative cascades by inhibiting multiple metastatic drivers, and repressing oncogenic and mesenchymal transcription. Using a sensitive iTRAQ labeling proteomic approach that quantified differential abundance of 4562 proteins, targeting STMN1 expression was shown to reinstate the default cellular program of metastatic inhibition, and promote cellular adhesion via amplification of hemidesmosomal junctions and intermediate filament tethering. Silencing STMN1 also significantly improved chemoresponse to the classical colorectal cancer therapeutic agent, 5FU, via a novel caspase-6 (CASP6)–dependent mechanism. Interestingly, the prometastatic function of STMN1 was independent of p53 but required phosphorylations at S25 or S38; abrogating phosphorylative events may constitute an alternative route to achieving metastatic inhibition. These findings establish STMN1 as a potential target in antimetastatic therapy, and demonstrate the power of an approach coupling proteomics and transcript analyses in the global assessment of treatment benefits and potential side-effects.

Implications: Stathmin-1 is a potential candidate in colorectal cancer therapy that targets simultaneously the twin problems of metastatic spread and chemoresistance. Mol Cancer Res; 12(12); 1717–28. ©2014 AACR.
Functional Analysis of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Regulation of Coactivator-Associated Arginine Methyltransferase 1 Expression and Plasma Homocysteine Levels
Authors: Liu Xuehui , Hao Yongchen , Wang Laiyuan , Li Hongfan , Lu Xiangfeng , Cao Jie , Hu Yongyan , Mo Xingbo , Peng Xiaozhong , Gu Dongfeng
Published: July 2014

Background—

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (
CARM1
) participates in the synthesis of homocysteine, but whether the genetic variations regulate
CARM1
expression and homocysteine levels remains unknown.

Methods and Results—

Functional analyses combined with an association study were conducted to identify the causal variant for
CARM1
expression and homocysteine levels. Based on functional annotations obtained from Encyclopedia of DNA Elements, we selected 4 potentially functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the
CARM1
gene and investigated their effect on
CARM1
transcription levels in vivo. rs117569851, located in the promoter region of
CARM1
, as well as rs12460421 and rs4804544, was associated with
CARM1
expression levels, and the last 2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were discovered in high linkage disequilibrium with rs117569851 (
r
2
=0.9 and 1.0) in our study sample. rs117569851 was further identified to be responsible for regulating
CARM1
expression. The T allele disrupted the binding of early growth response-1, which led to the downregulation of transcriptional activity in vitro and
CARM1
mRNA levels in vivo. In addition, rs117569851 was associated with plasma homocysteine levels in a Chinese population (n=406), with a 2.16 μmol/L decrease per copy of T allele.

Conclusions—

The present study suggests that a noncoding variant in the
CARM1
-promoter functions as a regulator of gene transcription and homocysteine levels.
Acute Rupture of Chordae Tendineae of the Mitral Valve in Infants
Authors: Shiraishi Isao , Nishimura Kunihiro , Sakaguchi Heima , Abe Tadaaki , Kitano Masataka , Kurosaki Kenichi , Kato Hitoshi , Nakanishi Toshio , Yamagishi Hiroyuki , Sagawa Koichi , Ikeda Yoshihiko , Morisaki Takayuki , Hoashi Takaya , Kagisaki Koji , Ichikawa Hajime
Published: July 2014

Background—

Recently, infant cases of acute heart failure attributable to rupture of the mitral chordae tendineae have been reported. However, little is known about the pathogenesis and clinical course of this condition.

Methods and Results—

Ninety-five children with rupture of mitral chordae tendineae were identified in nationwide surveys of Japan diagnosed from 1995 to 2013. The clinical manifestations, management strategies, and prognosis were investigated. Eighty-one (85%) patients were between 4 and 6 months (median, 5 months) of age. In 63 (66%) patients, rupture occurred during the spring or summer. The underlying conditions before rupture included Kawasaki disease (10 cases), maternally derived anti-SSA antibodies (2 cases), and infective endocarditis (1 case). Surgery was performed in 80 patients (94 operations), and the final operations included plasty of mitral chordae in 52 cases and mechanical valve replacement in 26 cases. The histopathologic examinations of the mitral valves and chordae (n=28) revealed inflammatory reactions with predominant mononuclear cell infiltration in 18 cases (64%) and increased fibrous and myxoid tissue in 11 cases (39%), suggesting that nonbacterial infectious or autoimmune endocarditis and myxoid changes are involved in the pathogenesis. Eight patients (8.4%) died before (n=6) and shortly after (n=2) the operation, and significant neurological complications persisted in 10 cases (11%).

Conclusions—

Acute heart failure attributable to rupture of the mitral chordae tendineae in infants is a unique disease resulting from diverse causes. This condition should be recognized as a significant cardiovascular disorder that may cause sudden onset of cardiogenic shock and death in infants.
Not Just a Personal Decision
Authors: Mortensen Elin Berstad
Published: July 2014

This article explores the interplay between individual decisions and wider collective pressures over return migration among Zimbabweans in the UK. What was perceived as a transitional moment in Zimbabwe opened up the possibility of return after exile, and has been characterized not only by hope but also uncertainty, fear and ambivalence about return. As such, it is a particularly interesting time to study return considerations, which are not simply personal, but are influenced by moral obligations and collective pressures, both within the diaspora and transnationally. The article analyses the intersection between the personal and communal domains in matters of return in relation to three aspects of the anticipated transition; economic change and uncertainty in Zimbabwe, the politics of asylum, and identity politics. I argue that emotions and decisions about settlement and return are complicated by collective influences on personal considerations and that questions of return are partly questions of identity.
‘The Pots on Our Roads’
Authors: Mazarire Gerald Chikozho , Swart Sandra
Published: July 2014

This article explores the role of the ‘diaspora fleet’ in Harare’s urban commuter system. Imported vehicles in the form of haulage trucks and commuter buses were one of the popular and visible forms of diasporic investment over Zimbabwe’s difficult decade spanning from 2000 to about 2010. The article argues that this diaspora fleet occupies a significant place in the history of commuting in Harare. Diasporic investment introduced a cocktail of European vehicles that quickly became ramshackle and ended up discarded in scrap heaps around the city. These imports and the businesses based on them destroyed the self-regulatory framework existing in the commuting business. This disruption was facilitated by the retreat or undermining of the state and city council regulatory instruments, which in turn created a role for middlemen, who manoeuvred to perpetuate a new and chaotic system known as ‘mshika-shika [faster-faster]’, based on a culture of irresponsible competitive gambling. This chaotic system remains in place today to the chagrin of city council planners and traffic police. Its origins, we argue, lie in the cultures and practices introduced by the diasporan vehicle fleet.
Majoni-joni – Wayward Criminals or a Good Catch?
Authors: Manamere Kundai Tichagwa
Published: July 2014

This article explores how intense cross-border flows of young Zimbabwean men across the border into South Africa are reworking ideas of masculinity and marriage in rural sending communities. It examines moral discourse in rural Chiredzi over these issues, exploring performances of masculinity on the part of returning male labour migrants themselves, the evaluations and agency of young women who enter into relationships with them, and the views of rural elders whose derogatory opinions of the youth of today are underpinned by romanticised versions of respectable labour migration in the past. Even during the crisis period, I argue that cross-border migrancy was about more than simply work: young people’s decisions and mobility in desperate economic times are deeply enmeshed with their sexuality and aspirations towards marriage, the future and the quest for respectable adulthood. By scrutinising polarised stereotypes of majoni-joni as either wayward criminals or a good catch, the article reveals more complex realities shaped by class, types of work and levels of education, providing a nuanced picture of the moral economies of migrancy, marriage and sexuality as these are debated and enacted in rural Chiredzi. The circulation of both stereotypes of majoni-joni matters: the derogatory view underpins elders’ efforts to control youthful sexualities, particularly those of young women, while the positive view underpins young people’s own dreams for a better future and attempts to seek out opportunities to fulfil them.
Transnational Parenting and the Emergence of ‘Diaspora Orphans’ in Zimbabwe
Authors: Kufakurinani Ushehwedu , Pasura Dominic , McGregor JoAnn
Published: July 2014

This article explores the emergence of ‘diaspora orphans’ over the course of Zimbabwe’s crisis. The debates over this phenomenon reflect a range of real emotional and practical problems encountered by children and youth with parents abroad. But they also highlight the ambiguity of moral judgments of emigration and émigrés, and the crisis of expectation that assumptions of diaspora wealth have fostered within families and among those remaining behind. The negative stereotyping of ‘diaspora orphans’ reflects the moral discourse circulating within families, schools and society more broadly, which is revealing for the light it sheds on unfolding debates over changing parenting, gender, and extended family obligations as these have been challenged by crisis and mass exodus. The article furthers understanding of transnational parenting, particularly the perspectives of those who fulfil substitute parental caring roles for children left behind, and of the moral dimensions of debates over the role of money and material goods in intimate relationships of care for children. It adds a new strand to debates over African youths by focusing not on the problems created through entrapment by poverty, but on the emotional consequences of parents’ spatial mobility in middle class families where material resources may be ample. The article is based on interviews with adults looking after children and youths left behind (maids, siblings, grandparents and single parents), and the reflections of teachers and ‘diaspora orphans’ themselves.
Migration, Transnationalism and the Shaping of Zimbabwean Pentecostal Spirituality
Authors: Biri Kudzai
Published: July 2014

This article explores the effects of global expansion and the importance of diasporic transnational connections on the theology and practice of an African Pentecostal church. It takes the case of Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA), one of the largest and oldest Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe. The growth of this Pentecostal movement, both within and without Zimbabwe, has depended centrally on the homeland church leadership’s capacity to maintain transnational connections with its own external congregations, termed Forward in Faith Ministries International (FIFMI). The article examines how transnational ties, strengthened through the phenomenal exodus from Zimbabwe from 2000 and the associated creation of new diasporic communities, have affected the church’s teaching and practice. Existing literature on globalised African Pentecostal movements elaborates how these churches can provide modes of coping, cutting across geographical and conceptual boundaries to create powerful new transnational notions of community that enable congregants to cope with circumstances of rapid change, uncertainty and spatial mobility. Here, I argue that ZAOGA’s teaching encouraged emigration over the period of the Zimbabwe crisis, but combined this with an emphasis on departure as a temporary sojourn, stressed the morality and importance of investing in the homeland, and promoted a theology of Zimbabwe as morally superior to the foreign countries where diasporic communities have grown up. A sense of transnational Pentecostal religious community has thus developed alongside the circulation of essentialised notions of national cultural difference hinging on derogatory stereotypes of foreigners while elevating the moral supremacy of Zimbabwean nationhood.
The effect of lactation educators implementing a telephone-based intervention among low-income Hispanics: A randomised trial
Authors: Efrat Merav W , Esparza Salvador , Mendelson Sherri G , Lane Christianne J
Published: July 2014

Objectives:

To assess whether a telephone-based breastfeeding intervention delivered by lactation educators influenced exclusive breastfeeding rates among low-income Hispanic women in the USA.

Design:

Randomised two-group design.

Setting:

Pregnant low-income Hispanic women (298) were recruited from community health clinics in Los Angeles County (USA) and randomly assigned to either a control or an intervention group.

Methods:

Data relating to the factors associated with breastfeeding were collected during the third trimester. Breastfeeding outcome data were collected at 72 hours, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postpartum.

Results:

There were no differences between the groups in rates of breastfeeding initiation. There was a significant difference in the duration of exclusive breastfeeding among participants during the infant’s first week of life. While not significant, after controlling for covariates and intent to breastfeed at third trimester, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding among all participants was, on average, longer for intervention group mothers than control group mothers. Additionally, the intervention group mothers were more likely to report exclusive and only breastfeeding at all data points compared to the control group and less likely to discontinue breastfeeding.

Conclusion:

Findings from this study suggest that telephone-based breastfeeding interventions delivered by a lactation educator show promise as a cost-effective strategy for improving both the quantity and the duration of breastfeeding among low-income Hispanic women in the USA. Intervention group mothers not only sustained breastfeeding for a longer durations but also provided their infants with greater amounts of breast milk over these longer durations.
Psychiatric morbidity and predisposing factors in a primary care population in Madrid
Authors: Reneses Banca , Garrido Sofía , Navalón Aida , Martín Olga , Ramos Isabel , Fuentes Manuel , Moreno Jorge , López-Ibor Juan José
Published: July 2014

Objectives:

The aim of this article is to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders in patients in primary care centers in an urban area of Madrid and to study possible associated risk factors.

Methods:

Cross-sectional month prevalence was evaluated in two phases in an urban area of Madrid. The sample for the first phase included 635 individuals (aged 18–65 years), and the second phase included 320 individuals. Socio-demographic variables (age, sex, educational level, living conditions and country of origin) and clinical variables (psychiatric diagnosis and level of psychosocial stress) were studied. The instruments used for screening were the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-28 item questionnaire and the MULTICAGE-CAD 4test. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) was used in the second phase (in ‘possible cases’ and 20% of the ‘non-cases’). Prevalence was calculated using weighted logistic regression with the observed sampling fractions of the patients in study phase 2 as sample weights.

Results and conclusions:

The month prevalence of mental disorders was 31.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) = [27.6, 35.2]). Anxiety disorders were the most frequent diagnoses with a prevalence of 22.4% (95% CI = [17.8, 27.1]), followed by depressive disorders (16.6%; 95% CI = [12.9, 20.3]), substance abuse or dependence disorders (5.6%; 95% CI = [3.2, 6.9]) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 4.4%; 95% CI = [2.0, 2.8]). Factors associated with mental disorders were the presence of stressful life events in the previous 12 months, Latin American region of origin, being woman aged 25 and 34 years and having a low education level.
The prevalence and correlates of severe social withdrawal (hikikomori) in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey study
Authors: Wong Paul WC , Li Tim MH , Chan Melissa , Law YW , Chau Michael , Cheng Cecilia , Fu KW , Bacon-Shone John , Yip Paul SF
Published: July 2014

Background:

Severe social withdrawal behaviors among young people have been a subject of public and clinical concerns.

Aims:

This study aimed to explore the prevalence of social withdrawal behaviors among young people aged 12–29 years in Hong Kong.

Methods:

A cross-sectional telephone-based survey was conducted with 1,010 young individuals. Social withdrawal behaviors were measured with the proposed research diagnostic criteria for hikikomori and were categorized according to the (a) international proposed duration criterion (more than 6 months), (b) local proposed criterion (less than 6 months) and (c) with withdrawal behaviors but self-perceived as non-problematic. The correlates of social withdrawal among the three groups were examined using multinomial and ordinal logistic regression analyses.

Results:

The prevalence rates of more than 6 months, less than 6 months and self-perceived non-problematic social withdrawal were 1.9%, 2.5% and 2.6%, respectively. In terms of the correlates, the internationally and locally defined socially withdrawn youths are similar, while the self-perceived non-problematic group is comparable to the comparison group.

Conclusions:

The study finds that the prevalence of severe social withdrawal in Hong Kong is comparable to that in Japan. Both groups with withdrawal behaviors for more or less than 6 months share similar characteristics and are related to other contemporary youth issues, for example, compensated dating and self-injury behavior. The self-perceived non-problematic group appears to be a distinct group and the withdrawal behaviors of its members may be discretionary.
Assessing the Patterns of Temporary Employment in the Food Processing Industry in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Jawando Jubril Olayiwola , Adenugba Adebimpe Adetutu
Published: July 2014

This paper assesses the patterns of temporary employment in the food processing industry. Previous studies viewed temporary employment workers as homogeneous groups without focusing on the differences among temporary employees in Nigeria. This study is anchored on work stress models and social comparison or exchange theories as theoretical leanings. A sample size of 40 respondents were chosen for in-depth interviews through the snowball method from 15 casual workers, eight contract workers, six temporary workers, seven outsourced workers and four disengaged workers. The study found a high level of disparity among the various categories of temporary employees.
Characterization and simulation of impact behavior of graphene/polypropylene nanocomposites using a novel strain rate–dependent micromechanics model
Authors: Shokrieh MM , Joneidi VA
Published: July 2014

The current paper examines a newly developed model to simulate the strain rate–dependent constitutive equation of graphene/polypropylene nanocomposites. The model is a combination of the Halpin-Tsai micromechanics method and the Goldberg model which is called the strain rate–dependent micromechanics model. First, tensile properties of pure polypropylene are measured experimentally. Then by utilizing the Halpin-Tsai micromechanics method, tensile properties of graphene/polypropylene nanocomposites under static loading conditions are achieved. The obtained properties from the micromechanics method are used by the Goldberg model in order to simulate the strain rate–dependent mechanical behavior of nanocomposites under dynamic loading conditions. The material constants of the Johnson-Cook material model are calculated by the strain rate–dependent micromechanics model. The material constants are used in a material model which is implemented in the explicit finite element code LS-DYNA, to simulate the strain rate strain rate–dependent micromechanics-dependent mechanical behavior of the standard Charpy impact test specimen. Polypropylene reinforced with 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt% graphene sheets were prepared via coating polypropylene with graphene particles. Then, by melt blending in a twin-screw extruder followed by an injection molding process, the nanocomposites samples are manufactured. The results revealed that the incorporation of a low amount of graphene caused a good improvement in impact strength of polypropylene. To evaluate the current model, the results are compared with the experimental results of the standard Charpy test specimens. A good agreement between the experimental data and the strain rate–dependent micromechanics model is achieved.
Bio-based polyolefin composites and functional films for reducing total carbon footprint
Authors: Shi Bo , Wideman Greg , Wang James , Shlepr Mike
Published: July 2014

The utilization of bio-based renewable and sustainable materials for industrial application is pursued aggressively by multiple research entities and manufacturing companies. Effective sequestration of CO2 by sugarcane plantation as a first step, which is then converted to green polyolefin, reduces greenhouse gases effect on global warming. This article addresses bio-based polyethylene composites and functional films for flexible packaging and personal care product applications. The bio-based polyethylene composite films, obtained by melt compounding of thermoplastic cross-linked starch as filler for film casting, show relatively low film modulus, peak stress and total energy to break even at a high level of filler inclusion. In comparison, petroleum-based polyethylene filled with CaCO3 exhibits unusually high film modulus and total energy absorption except for film peak stress. The bio-based polyethylene composite film elongation ranges from 829% for the neat bio-based polyethylene to 522% for the film containing 30% thermoplastic cross-linked starch, whereas petroleum-based polyethylene composite films as a control show relatively small changes in film elongation with and without CaCO3 filler. The scanning electron microscopy results revealed a majority of filler is in micrometer sizes in the bio-based PE composite films and an open porous network existed for breathable films containing CaCO3 as filler.
TRPA1 and TRPV4 Activation in Human Odontoblasts Stimulates ATP Release
Authors: Egbuniwe O. , Grover S. , Duggal A.K. , Mavroudis A. , Yazdi M. , Renton T. , Di Silvio L. , Grant A.D.
Published: July 2014

The mechanism of pain in dentine hypersensitivity is poorly understood but proposed to result from the activation of dental sensory neurons in response to dentinal fluid movements. Odontoblasts have been suggested to contribute to thermal and mechanosensation in the tooth via expression of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. However, a mechanism by which odontoblasts could modulate neuronal activity has not been demonstrated. In this study, we investigated functional TRP channel expression in human odontoblast-like cells and measured ATP release in response to TRP channel activation. Human immortalized dental pulp cells were driven toward an odontoblast phenotype by culture in conditioned media. Functional expression of TRP channels was determined with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and ratiometric calcium imaging with Fura-2. ATP release was measured using a luciferin-luciferase assay. Expression of mRNA for TRPA1, TRPV1, and TRPV4 but not TRPM8 was detected in odontoblasts by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Expression of TRPV4 protein was detected by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The TRPA1 agonists allyl isothiocyanate and cinnamaldehyde and the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A caused a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration that was inhibited by the selective antagonists HC030031, AP18, and HC067047, respectively. In contrast, exposure to the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin or the TRPM8 agonist icilin had no effect on intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Treatment with allyl isothiocyanate, cinnamaldehyde, or GSK1016790A caused an increase in ATP concentration in culture medium that was abolished by preincubation with TRP channel antagonists. These data demonstrate that activation of TRPA1 and TRPV4 channels in human odontoblast-like cells can stimulate ATP release. We were unable to confirm the presence of thermosensitive TRPV1 and TRPM8 that has previously been reported in odontoblasts.
Homeless Students and Academic Achievement
Authors: Tobin Kerri J.
Published: July 2014

Child homelessness has recently reached levels unprecedented in the United States since the Great Depression. Contemporary research has attempted to isolate the effects of homelessness on education, with mixed results. This study reports results from a study in one large urban area and finds that there is no meaningful difference in achievement between homeless and housed low–socioeconomic status (SES) elementary school students. Furthermore, we find that attendance is a mediator of lowered achievement and that commonly suspected school-level characteristics do not predict homeless student success. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.
The Unified State Examination and the Determinants of Academic Achievement
Authors: Prakhov Ilya
Published: July 2014

This article examines the relationship between pre-entry coaching (both in terms of money and effort) and the achievement of Russian high school graduates as measured by the results of the Unified State Examination (USE). Using a data set of students from the 16 biggest Russian cities, which includes information on USE results, family background, school characteristics, and patterns on pre-entry coaching, I estimate the factors that determine the final USE results. Characteristics of pre-entry courses (the duration of the program as well as the total fee) are related to higher USE scores, but the size of this association is moderate. Attending individual classes has a significant (but still moderate) relationship with the USE score in Russian, but the duration of a program moderately and positively relates to the USE scores. Other factors, like parental education, family income, student abilities, and the type of school attended are significant predictors of USE results in Russian, Mathematics, and the average USE score.
The Performance of RMSEA in Models With Small Degrees of Freedom
Authors: Kenny David A. , Kaniskan Burcu , McCoach D. Betsy
Published: July 2014

Given that the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) is currently one of the most popular measures of goodness-of-model fit within structural equation modeling (SEM), it is important to know how well the RMSEA performs in models with small degrees of freedom ( df). Unfortunately, most previous work on the RMSEA and its confidence interval has focused on models with a large df. Building on the work of Chen et al. to examine the impact of small df on the RMSEA, we conducted a theoretical analysis and a Monte Carlo simulation using correctly specified models with varying df and sample size. The results of our investigation indicate that when the cutoff values are used to assess the fit of the properly specified models with small df and small sample size, the RMSEA too often falsely indicates a poor fitting model. We recommend not computing the RMSEA for small df models, especially those with small sample sizes, but rather estimating parameters that were not originally specified in the model.
Qualitative Comparative Analysis in Critical Perspective
Authors: Lucas Samuel R. , Szatrowski Alisa
Published: July 2014

Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) appears to offer a systematic means for case-oriented analysis. The method not only offers to provide a standardized procedure for qualitative research but also serves, to some, as an instantiation of deterministic methods. Others, however, contest QCA because of its deterministic lineage. Multiple other issues surrounding QCA, such as its response to measurement error and its ability to ascertain asymmetric causality, are also matters of interest. Existing research has demonstrated the use of QCA on real data, but such data do not allow one to establish the method’s efficacy, because the true causes of real social phenomena are always contestable. In response, the authors analyze several simulated data sets for which true causal processes are known. They find that QCA finds the correct causal story only 3 times across 70 different solutions, and even these rare successes, on closer examination, actually reveal additional fundamental problems with the method. Further epistemological analyses of the results find key problems with QCA’s stated epistemology, and results indicate that QCA fails even when its stated epistemological claims are ontologically accurate. Thus, the authors conclude that analysts should reject both QCA and its epistemological justifications in favor of existing effective methods and epistemologies for qualitative research.
Why Do Men Prefer Nice Women? Gender Typicality Mediates the Effect of Responsiveness on Perceived Attractiveness in Initial Acquaintanceships
Authors: Birnbaum Gurit E. , Ein-Dor Tsachi , Reis Harry T. , Segal Noam
Published: July 2014

Responsiveness may signal to a potential partner that one is concerned with her or his welfare, and may therefore increase sexual interest in this person. Research shows, however, that this proposition holds true for men, but not for women. In three studies, one observational and two experimental, we explored a potential mechanism that explains why men and women diverge in their sexual reactions to a responsive opposite-sex stranger. Studies 1 and 2 showed that men, but not women, perceived a responsive stranger as more gender typical (masculine/feminine) and, in turn, as more attractive. Study 3 revealed that responsiveness increased men’s perception of partner’s femininity. This, in turn, was associated with higher sexual arousal, which was, in turn, linked to greater partner attractiveness and greater desire for a long-term relationship. These findings suggest that whether responsiveness affects perceptions of partner attractiveness varies in individuals, depending on the contextually based meaning of responsiveness.
How a Strike Was Won
Authors: Juravich Tom , Dashnaw Dan , Greenberg Andrea , Johnson Nate
Published: July 2014

This article explores the determinants of a successful strike by examining the victory by Utility Workers Local 369 at NStar, a Boston-based utility company. The conventional wisdom in the labor movement is that unions are successful when they use specific tactics during a strike. This case shifts the focus back to what unions do organizationally in the years prior to the strike. Three years before going on strike Local 369, the recent amalgamation of six separate locals, undertook a massive effort to directly involve members, build a transparent organization, and reengage with the broader community and labor movement. Once on strike, the local used this increased organizational capacity to build a strategic approach, which repeatedly outflanked NStar, targeting key relationships of the firm, changing the rules of bargaining, and reframing the company’s characterization of the strike. Coupled with strong membership involvement Local 369 won a strong contract in thirteen days.
Pushed by Angels and Hellbent on Better
Authors: Sandy Marie
Published: July 2014

How families overcome homelessness receives much less research attention than risk factors for becoming homeless. Qualitative focus groups with 14 formerly homeless women were held in diverse neighborhoods in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Grounded in an ecological approach and employing a hermeneutic research design, this study includes their perspectives regarding factors that facilitated successful rehousing. The method was also trauma informed, and specific recommendations for research with this population are offered. The results are divided into two sections. The first identifies factors associated with successfully transitioning out of homelessness. These included perceived benefits of overcoming homelessness, connecting to social services, and the seemingly randomness of stabilization. Second, participants’ recommendations for supporting homeless families are offered. These included the removal of common barriers to housing by addressing poor credit and criminal records; reforming payee systems; providing mediated peer-mentoring programs; ensuring equitable access to emergency shelter for women who become homeless but are not in another risk category (e.g., addiction); offering supportive services in community agency settings; and ensuring that schools are better prepared to assist homeless families. These women also expressed a desire to participate in the broader political realm to have a greater say about the institutions that impact their lives.
Fate of traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst: Factors of resolution
Authors: El-Hag-Aly Mohammed Ahmed , Allam Heba Khodari
Published: July 2014

Background

Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts are rarely talked about, developing in less than 3% of patients with pulmonary parenchymal injuries. Resolution usually occurs within a few weeks to a few months.

Method

A prospective study was undertaken in 21 cases treated in Menouﬁa University Hospital, Egypt from August 2011 through August 2013.

Results

The overall mean time for complete resolution was 61.1 days. The mean time for resolution of simple traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts was 21 days ( n = 6), and the mean time for resolution of complicated (blood filled) traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts was 77.1 days ( n = 15). Mean resolution time was 26.3 days for small pulmonary pseudocysts ≤22 mm ( n = 11) and 99.4 days for those >22 mm ( n = 10). The resolution time was 42.6 days in patients 17-years old or younger ( n = 11) and 81.4 days in patients older than 17 years ( n = 10).

Conclusion

There was a highly significant difference in resolution time between simple and complicated pseudocysts. There was also a highly significant delay in the resolution time of pseudocysts larger than 22 mm and in patients older than 17 years.
Pheochromocytoma and tetralogy of Fallot: Coincidence or a rare association?
Authors: Singh Gagan Deep , Anuradha Subramanian , Sethi Prayas , Singla Sumeet , Saran Ravindra Kumar , Dewan Richa
Published: July 2014

We report the case of a 25-year-old woman with tetralogy of Fallot who presented with chest pain and hypertension, and on further investigation, was diagnosed with a pheochromocytoma in the right adrenal gland. She underwent surgical excision of the tumor. While the simultaneous occurrence of these two diseases is extremely rare, the suspicion of a possible relationship has been raised in the past.
Arteries masquerading as varicose veins: A trap for phlebologists
Authors: Jones L , Parsi K
Published: July 2014

Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy may be complicated by intra-arterial injections resulting in significant tissue necrosis. Here, we present a 69-year-old man with a history of right small saphenous vein “stripping”, presenting for the treatment of symptomatic lower limb varicose veins. Duplex ultrasound of the right lower limb outlined the pathway of venous incompetence. Despite the history of “stripping”, the small saphenous vein was present but the sapheno-popliteal junction was ligated at the level of the knee crease. No other unusual findings were reported at the time. During ultrasound guided sclerotherapy, subcutaneous vessels of the right posterior calf were noted to be pulsatile on B-mode ultrasound. Treatment was interrupted. Subsequent angiography and sonography showed absence of the right distal popliteal artery. A cluster of subcutaneous vessels of the right medial and posterior calf were found to be arterial collaterals masquerading as varicose veins. Injection sclerotherapy of these vessels would have resulted in significant tissue loss. This case highlights the importance of vigilance at the time of treatment and the invaluable role of ultrasound in guiding endovenous interventions.