bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are lifecourse transitions opportunities for moving to more sustainable consumption?
Authors: Burningham Kate , Venn Susan
Published: September 2017

The idea that lifecourse transitions might offer ‘moments of change’ in which to encourage more sustainable consumption is popular. However, insights from the sociological literature on lifecourse transitions have rarely been brought to bear on this assumption, and little research explores how everyday consumption may change through such transitions. This article focuses on two distinct lifecourse transitions – becoming a mother and retirement – and through qualitative longitudinal research evaluates the assumption that such periods provide opportunities for movement to more sustainable consumption. Three interviews were conducted with 40 new mothers and 40 retirees in the United Kingdom, exploring change and continuity in aspects of everyday consumption. While our findings confirm that these are times of significant change with potential impacts on the sustainability of everyday consumption, we conclude that to characterise such transitions as ‘moments of change’ fails to adequately capture their lived experience.
Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment and Prophylaxis of Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Patients Receiving Radiotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wang Cong , Wang Peiguo , Ouyang Huaqiang , Wang Jing , Sun Lining , Li Yanwei , Liu Dongying , Jiang Zhansheng , Wang Bin , Pan Zhanyu
Published: September 2017

Objective: To estimate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (Chining decoction, CHIN) for radiation-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer. Methods: From May 2014 to December 2015, 70 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to receive CHIN (treatment group) or recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) spray (control group) at a 1:1 ratio. CHIN was administered to treatment group from the first day of radiotherapy until the completion of radiotherapy. Simultaneously, the rhEGF spray was administered to control group on the oral mucosa of irradiated area. The clinical benefit was determined by gradation of mucositis (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0), oral pain, and xerostomia (visual analysis scale) for each week during radiotherapy. Body mass index was evaluated before and after radiotherapy. Results: Patients in the treatment group had prominent remission of oral pain and grade of mucositis on each observing point compared with those in control group ( P < .01). Xerostomia was decreased notably in treatment group compared with control group ( P < .01). Body mass index in the treatment group exhibited advantage over control group after radiotherapy, but there was no statistical significance (19.8 ± 3.26 vs 18.8 ± 2.5 kg/m2, P = .153, >.05). Conclusions: CHIN presented an obvious advantage in preventing radiation-induced oral mucositis compared with rhEGF spray.
Comparative Study of 2D and 3D Optical Imaging Systems: Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery in an Ex Vivo Model
Authors: Vilaça Jaime , Pinto José Pedro , Fernandes Sandra , Costa Patrício , Pinto Jorge Correia , Leão Pedro
Published: September 2017

Background. Usually laparoscopy is performed by means of a 2-dimensional (2D) image system and multiport approach. To overcome the lack of depth perception, new 3-dimensional (3D) systems are arising with the added advantage of providing stereoscopic vision. To further reduce surgery-related trauma, there are new minimally invasive surgical techniques being developed, such as LESS (laparoendoscopic single-site) surgery. The aim of this study was to compare 2D and 3D laparoscopic systems in LESS surgical procedures. Materials and Methods. All participants were selected from different levels of experience in laparoscopic surgery—10 novices, 7 intermediates, and 10 experts were included. None of the participants had had previous experience in LESS surgery. Participants were chosen randomly to begin their experience with either the 2D or 3D laparoscopic system. The exercise consisted of performing an ex vivo pork cholecystectomy through a SILS port with the assistance of a fixed distance laparoscope. Errors, time, and participants’ preference were recorded. Statistical analysis of time and errors between groups was conducted with a Student’s t test (using independent samples) and the Mann-Whitney test. Results. In all 3 groups, the average time with the 2D system was significantly reduced after having used the 3D system ( P < .05). In the postexercise questionnaire, two thirds of participants showed a preference for using the 3D system. Conclusion. This study suggests that the 3D system may improve the learning curve and that learning from the 3D system is transferable to the 2D environment. Additionally, the majority of participants prefer 3D equipment.
Leadership in the ‘Wicked’ Problem of Bosnia’s civil war: A case study examining ethical decision making under duress
Authors: Watters Bryan SC
Published: September 2017

The author, as a UN Commander in Bosnia in the early 1990s, faced what he believed to be an ethically insoluble dilemma entangled in the Wicked Problem of Bosnia’s civil war. Bosnia’s civil war was a Wicked Problem constructed by history, the warring factions and the UN’s policy of neutrality. The moral uncertainty of leading in Bosnia’s Wicked Problem generated a tendency to construct Tame Problems enabling forthright action guided by deontological principles of moral certainty. The reality of the Wicked Problem required leaders to adopt Utilitarian judgements based on projected consequences, as in Bosnia’s grey zone the Deontological certainties did not appear valid. When a Wicked Problem morphed into a crisis or Critical Problem requiring direct action, the morally correct course had to be instinctive aligning with Virtue ethics, the ethical character of the actors. This article is an attempt at reflective learning through post hoc sense making of events portrayed in a case study, the events fractured relationships, changed lives and provided stark lessons.
Blood pressure variability and leukoaraiosis in acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Dickie David A , Aribisala Benjamin , Mair Grant , Berge Eivind , Lindley Richard I , Sandercock Peter , von Kummer Rudiger , von Heijne Anders , Peeters Andre , Cala Lesley , Farrall Andrew , Morris Zoe , Bradey Nick , Potter Gillian , Adami Alessandro , Wardlaw Joanna M
Published: September 2017

Higher blood pressure, blood pressure variability, and leukoaraiosis are risk factors for early adverse events and poor functional outcome after ischemic stroke, but prior studies differed on whether leukoaraiosis was associated with blood pressure variability, including in ischemic stroke.

In the Third International Stroke Trial, blood pressure was measured in the acute phase of ischemic stroke immediately prior to randomization, and at 0.5, 1, and 24 h after randomization. Masked neuroradiologists rated index infarct, leukoaraiosis, and atrophy on CT using validated methods. We characterized blood pressure variation by coefficient of variance and three other standard methods. We measured associations between blood pressure, blood pressure variability, and leukoaraiosis using generalized estimating equations, adjusting for age, and a number of covariates related to treatment and stroke type/severity.

Among 3017 patients, mean (±SD) systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 155(±24)/82(±15) mmHg pre-randomization to 146(±23)/78(±14) mmHg 24 h later ( P < 0.005). Mean within-subject coefficient of variance was 0.09 ± 0.05 for systolic and 0.11 ± 0.06 for diastolic blood pressure. Patients with most leukoaraiosis were older and had higher blood pressure than those with least ( P < 0.0001). Although statistically significant in simple pairwise comparisons, no measures of blood pressure variability were associated with leukoaraiosis when adjusting for confounding variables ( P > 0.05), e.g. age.

Our results suggest that blood pressure variability is not a potential mechanism to explain the association between leukoaraiosis and poor outcome after acute stroke.
Deprivation of liberty and intensive care: an update post Ferreira
Authors: Baharlo Behrad , Bryden Daniele , Brett Stephen J
Published: September 2017

The right to liberty and security of the person is protected by Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights which has been incorporated into the Human Rights Act 1998. The 2014 Supreme Court judgment in the case commonly known as Cheshire West provided for an ‘acid test’ to be employed in establishing a deprivation of liberty. This ‘acid test’ of ‘continuous supervision and not free to leave’ led to concerns that patients lacking capacity being treated on an Intensive Care Unit could be at risk of a ‘deprivation of liberty’, if this authority was applicable to this setting. This article revisits the aftermath of Cheshire West before describing the recent legal developments around deprivation of liberty pertaining to intensive care by summarising the recent Ferreira judgments which appear for now to answer the question as to the applicability of Cheshire West in life-saving treatment.
Prevalence of the distal oblique bundle of the interosseous membrane of the forearm: an anatomical study
Authors: Hohenberger Gloria Maria , Schwarz Angelika Maria , Weiglein Andreas Heinrich , Krassnig Renate , Kuchling Sabine , Plecko Michael
Published: September 2017

A study was undertaken to examine the presence of the distal oblique bundle of the forearm in a large sample in order to describe its true prevalence. The study sample consisted of 200 cadaveric forearms. Fifteen were excluded due to defects in the distal interosseous membrane. In the remaining 185 specimens, the distal interosseous membrane was examined following removal of soft tissue, to determine whether a distal oblique bundle was present and whether there were connecting fibres to the distal radio–ulnar joint. The distal oblique bundle was observed in 53 specimens (29%). In 45 of these forearms (85%), one or more connecting fibres to the distal radio–ulnar joint were identified. The presence of a distal oblique bundle in 29% is less frequent than that reported in previous literature. The presence of the distal oblique bundle should be noted and may be of importance in the management of disorders of the distal radio–ulnar joint.
Intra-articular distal radius fractures in elderly patients: a randomized prospective study of casting versus volar plating
Authors: Martinez-Mendez Daniel , Lizaur-Utrilla Alejandro , de-Juan-Herrero Joaquin
Published: September 2017

We compared outcomes in elderly patients with intra-articular distal radius fractures treated by closed reduction and plaster immobilization or open reduction and internal fixation with a volar plate. Ninety-seven patients older than 60 years were randomly allocated to conservative (47 patients) or surgical (50 patients) treatment. Over a 2-year period, we assessed patient-rated wrist evaluation score, DASH (disability arm, shoulder and hand) questionnaire, pain, wrist range of motion, grip strength, and radiological parameters. The functional outcomes and quality of life were significantly better after volar plating fixation compared with conservative treatment. We found that restoration of the articular surface, radial inclination, and ulnar variance affected the outcomes, but the articular step-off did not. Twenty-five per cent of the patients with conservative treatment had secondary loss of reduction. We conclude that surgical plating leads to better outcomes than conservative treatment for elderly patients with intra-articular distal radius fractures.

Level of evidence: I
Do clinicians receive adequate training to identify trafficked persons? A scoping review of NHS Foundation Trusts
Authors: Thompson Charles DR , Mahay Arun , Stuckler David , Steele Sarah
Published: September 2017

Objective

We investigate whether physicians in secondary care in the English NHS receive adequate training to recognise and appropriately refer for services those persons suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

Design

Freedom of Information requests were sent to the 105 England’s NHS Trusts delivering acute care in England.

Setting

NHS Trusts providing secondary care in England.

Participants

English NHS Trusts.

Main outcome measures

We requested data about the training provided on human trafficking to clinicians, including the nature, delivery, and format of any education, and any planned training.

Results

A total of 89.5% of the 105 Trusts responded. Of these Trusts, 69% provide education to physicians on human trafficking, and a further 6% provide training but did not specify who received it. The majority of Trusts providing training did so within wider safeguarding provision (91%). Only one trust reported that it provides stand-alone training on trafficking to all its staff, including physicians. Within training offered by Trusts, 54% observed best practice providing training on the clinical indicators of trafficking, while 16% referenced the National Referral Mechanism. Amongst those not providing training, 39% of Trusts report provision is in development.

Conclusions

Our results find that 25% of NHS Foundation Trusts appear to lack training for physicians around human trafficking. It is also of concern that of the Trusts who currently do not provide training, only 39% are developing training or planning to do so. There is an urgent need to review and update the scope of available training and bring it into alignment with current legislation.
The student-led movements of 2014 and public opinion
Authors: Hsiao Hsin-Huang Michael , Wan Po-San
Published: September 2017

This article, which is based on a comparative survey conducted in late 2014, explores public opinion in Taiwan and Hong Kong on the Sunflower and Umbrella movements. We find that public support for the local movement in each place was almost equally divided. As for the other movement, the supporters outnumbered opponents. The basic patterns of the relationship between socio-demographic attributes, political attitudes, as well as the evaluation of the “China impact”, and public support for the two movements were consistent in both societies. Those most likely to support the Sunflower and Umbrella movements were: the young; Minnanese, Hakka, or Hong Kong-born people; those who support the “Pan-Green” or “Pan-democracy” camps; those who agreed that democracy is the best political system; those who had a negative view of the “China impact”, especially its harmful influence on local democracy. Notwithstanding these similarities, in Taiwan, support for the Sunflower Movement was mainly divided by ethnic group and for the Umbrella Movement by gender; while in Hong Kong, support for both movements was largely divided by age, and the perceived “China impact” on local economic growth had no independent effects.
Measuring coagulation in burns: an evidence-based systematic review
Authors: Marsden Nicholas J. , Van Martin , Dean Samera , Azzopardi Ernest A. , Hemington-Gorse Sarah , Evans Phillip A. , Whitaker Iain S.
Published: September 2017

Introduction:

Dynamic monitoring of coagulation is important to predict both haemorrhagic and thrombotic complications and to guide blood product administration. Reducing blood loss and tailoring blood product administration may improve patient outcome and reduce mortality associated with transfusion. The current literature lacks a systematic, critical appraisal of current best evidence on which clinical decisions may be based.

Objectives:

Establishing the role of different coagulation markers in burn patients, diagnosing coagulopathy, tailoring blood product administration and indicating prognosis.

Methods:

Literature during 2004–2017 from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Medline and Embase was reviewed. Eligibility criteria included randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, multi-/single-centre study and meta-analyses. Keywords searched were ‘burns’, ‘blood coagulation disorders’, ‘rotem’, ‘blood coagulation’ and ‘thromboelastography’. The PRISMA flow system was used for stratification and the CASP framework for appraisal of the studies retrieved.

Results:

In total, 13 articles were included after inclusion/exclusion criteria had been applied to the initial 79 studies retrieved. Hypercoagulation increases in proportion to the severity of thermal injury. Whole blood testing, using thrombelastography (TEG) and rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM), was superior to standard plasma based tests, including prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) at detecting burn-related coagulopathies.

Conclusions:

Routine laboratory markers such as PT/APTT are poor indicators of coagulation status in burns patients. Viscoelastic tests, such as TEG and ROTEM, are efficient, fast and have a potential use in the management of burn patients; however, strong evidence is lacking. This review highlights the need for more randomised controlled trials, to guide future practice.
A Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Patients With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Recommendations for Patients With Mild, Moderate, and Severe Disease and Nonmyelopathic Patients With Evidence of Cord Compression
Authors: Fehlings Michael G. , Tetreault Lindsay A. , Riew K. Daniel , Middleton James W. , Aarabi Bizhan , Arnold Paul M. , Brodke Darrel S. , Burns Anthony S. , Carette Simon , Chen Robert , Chiba Kazuhiro , Dettori Joseph R. , Furlan Julio C. , Harrop James S. , Holly Langston T. , Kalsi-Ryan Sukhvinder , Kotter Mark , Kwon Brian K. , Martin Allan R. , Milligan James , Nakashima Hiroaki , Nagoshi Narihito , Rhee John , Singh Anoushka , Skelly Andrea C. , Sodhi Sumeet , Wilson Jefferson R. , Yee Albert , Wang Jeffrey C.
Published: September 2017

Study Design:

Guideline development.

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to develop guidelines that outline how to best manage (1) patients with mild, moderate, and severe myelopathy and (2) nonmyelopathic patients with evidence of cord compression with or without clinical symptoms of radiculopathy.

Methods:

Five systematic reviews of the literature were conducted to synthesize evidence on disease natural history; risk factors of disease progression; the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of nonoperative and surgical management; the impact of preoperative duration of symptoms and myelopathy severity on treatment outcomes; and the frequency, timing, and predictors of symptom development. A multidisciplinary guideline development group used this information, and their clinical expertise, to develop recommendations for the management of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Results:

Our recommendations were as follows: (1) “We recommend surgical intervention for patients with moderate and severe DCM.” (2) “We suggest offering surgical intervention or a supervised trial of structured rehabilitation for patients with mild DCM. If initial nonoperative management is pursued, we recommend operative intervention if there is neurological deterioration and suggest operative intervention if the patient fails to improve.” (3) “We suggest not offering prophylactic surgery for non-myelopathic patients with evidence of cervical cord compression without signs or symptoms of radiculopathy. We suggest that these patients be counseled as to potential risks of progression, educated about relevant signs and symptoms of myelopathy, and be followed clinically.” (4) “Non-myelopathic patients with cord compression and clinical evidence of radiculopathy with or without electrophysiological confirmation are at a higher risk of developing myelopathy and should be counselled about this risk. We suggest offering either surgical intervention or nonoperative treatment consisting of close serial follow-up or a supervised trial of structured rehabilitation. In the event of myelopathic development, the patient should be managed according to the recommendations above.”

Conclusions:

These guidelines will promote standardization of care for patients with DCM, decrease the heterogeneity of management strategies and encourage clinicians to make evidence-informed decisions.
Efficacy, Safety, and Timing of Anticoagulant Thromboprophylaxis for the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review
Authors: Arnold Paul M. , Harrop James S. , Merli Geno , Tetreault Lindsay G. , Kwon Brian K. , Casha Steve , Palmieri Katherine , Wilson Jefferson R. , Fehlings Michael G. , Holmer Haley K. , Norvell Daniel C.
Published: September 2017

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to answer 5 key questions: What is the comparative effectiveness and safety of (1a) anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis compared to no prophylaxis, placebo, or another anticoagulant strategy for preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) after acute spinal cord injury (SCI)? (1b) Mechanical prophylaxis strategies alone or in combination with other strategies for preventing DVT and PE after acute SCI? (1c) Prophylactic inferior vena cava filter insertion alone or in combination with other strategies for preventing DVT and PE after acute SCI? (2) What is the optimal timing to initiate and/or discontinue anticoagulant, mechanical, and/or prophylactic inferior vena cava filter following acute SCI? (3) What is the cost-effectiveness of these treatment options?

Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies published through February 28, 2015. We sought randomized controlled trials evaluating efficacy and safety of antithrombotic strategies. Strength of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

Results:

Nine studies satisfied inclusion criteria. We found a trend toward lower risk of DVT in patients treated with enoxaparin. There were no significant differences in rates of DVT, PE, bleeding, and mortality between patients treated with different types of low-molecular-weight heparin or between low-molecular-weight heparin and unfractionated heparin. Combined anticoagulant and mechanical prophylaxis initiated within 72 hours of SCI resulted in lower risk of DVT than treatment commenced after 72 hours of injury.

Conclusion:

Prophylactic treatments can be used to lower the risk of venous thromboembolic events in patients with acute SCI, without significant increase in risk of bleeding and mortality and should be initiated within 72 hours.
Change in Functional Impairment, Disability, and Quality of Life Following Operative Treatment for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Fehlings Michael G. , Tetreault Lindsay A. , Kurpad Shekar , Brodke Darrel S. , Wilson Jefferson R. , Smith Justin S. , Arnold Paul M. , Brodt Erika D. , Dettori Joseph R.
Published: September 2017

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Objectives:

The primary objective of this systematic review was to define the change in impairment, disability, and pain following surgical intervention in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Secondary objectives included to assess the impact of preoperative disease severity and duration of symptoms on outcomes and to summarize complications associated with surgery.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify prospective studies evaluating the effectiveness and safety of operative treatment in patients with DCM. Outcomes of interest were functional status, disability, pain, and complications. The quality of each study was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and the strength of the overall body of evidence was rated using guidelines outlined by the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group.

Results:

Of the 385 retrieved citations, 32 met inclusion criteria and are summarized in this review. Based on our results, pooled standard mean differences showed a large effect for improvement in Japanese Orthopaedic Association or modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score from baseline at short-, medium-, and long-term follow-up: 6 to 12 months (1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.41 to 2.43), 13 to 36 months (1.40; 95% CI = 1.12 to 1.67), and ≥36 months (1.92; 95% CI = 1.14 to 2.69) (moderate evidence). Surgery also resulted in significant improvements in Nurick, Neck Disability Index, and Visual Analogue Scale scores (low to very low evidence). The cumulative incidence of complications was low (14.1%; 95% CI = 10.1% to 18.2%).

Conclusion:

Surgical intervention for DCM results in significant improvements in functional impairment, disability, and pain and is associated with an acceptably low rate of complications.
Dynamic Capital Structure Adjustments and Business Group Affiliations: Indian Evidence
Authors: Ghose Biswajit , Kabra Kailash Chandra
Published: September 2017

This study examines the asymmetries in capital structure adjustment speed depending on firms’ affiliation to business groups. Using partial adjustment framework on a dataset of 2001 listed Indian non-financial firms over the period of 2005–2013, it was found that Indian firms annually adjusted about 37 percent of their deviation from target leverage. Groups firms, in general, adjust their leverage ratio slower than the stand-alone firms, suggesting lesser net benefits of adjustment for the former than the latter. The results are persistent irrespective of firms’ extent of deviation from their target leverage. However, the net benefits of adjustment and consequently the adjustment speed for both the groups of firms, irrespective of their extent of deviation from target leverage, seem to be alike, when they are over-levered and lower for group firms than the stand-alone firms, when they are under-levered. These findings indicate that both group and stand-alone firms face identical threats, when they are over-levered, whereas group firms possibly have alternative arrangements to reduce the owner–manager agency conflicts and tax liability, when they are under-levered. These findings are expected to prove helpful for financial managers in designing their capital structure based on ownership structure, and the nature and extent of deviation from the target leverage.
Preseason Aerobic Fitness Predicts In-Season Injury and Illness in Female Youth Athletes
Authors: Watson Andrew , Brickson Stacey , Brooks M. Alison , Dunn Warren
Published: September 2017

Background:

Although preseason aerobic fitness has been suggested as a modifiable risk factor for injury in adult athletes, the relationship between aerobic fitness, injury, and illness in youth athletes is unknown.

Purpose:

To determine whether preseason aerobic fitness predicts in-season injury and illness risk in female adolescent soccer players.

Study Design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Fifty-four female adolescent soccer players underwent preseason evaluation to determine years of experience, body mass index (BMI), maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max), and time to exhaustion (Tmax) during cycle ergometer testing. All injuries and illnesses during the subsequent 20-week season were recorded. Variables were compared between individuals with and without a self-reported injury and individuals with and without a self-reported illness. Separate Poisson regression models were developed to predict number of injuries and illnesses for each individual by use of age, years of experience, BMI, VO2max, and Tmax.

Results:

Twenty-eight injuries and 38 illnesses in 23 individuals were recorded during the season. Although not a statistically significant finding, individuals who reported an in-season injury had lower VO2max than those who did not (54.9 ± 7.3 vs 58.3 ± 8.5 mL/kg/min, P = .13). Individuals who reported an illness had significantly lower VO2max than those who did not (54.5 ± 9.9 vs 58.8 ± 6.2 mL/kg/min, P = .014). With the Poisson regression models, VO2max was a significant predictor of both injury (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; P = .046) and illness (OR, 0.94; P = .009), while no significant relationships were identified between injury or illness and age, years of experience, Tmax, or BMI (all P > .05).

Conclusion:

Among adolescent female soccer players, greater preseason aerobic fitness is associated with a reduced risk of in-season injury and illness. Off-season intervention to promote aerobic fitness may help reduce the risk of lost time during the season due to injury and illness.
A stepwise model of Reaction-Diffusion and Positional-Information governs self-organized human peri-gastrulation-like patterning
Authors: Tewary Mukul , Ostblom Joel , Prochazka Laura , Zulueta-Coarasa Teresa , Shakiba Nika , Fernandez-Gonzalez Rodrigo , Zandstra Peter W.
Published: September 2017

How position-dependent cell fate acquisition occurs during embryogenesis is a central question in developmental biology. To study this process, we developed a defined, high-throughput assay to induce peri-gastrulation-associated patterning in geometrically-confined human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) colonies. We observed that, upon BMP4 treatment, phosphorylated SMAD1 (pSMAD1) activity in the colonies organized into a radial gradient. We developed a Reaction-Diffusion (RD) based computational model and observed that the self-organization of pSMAD1 signaling was consistent with the RD principle. Consequent fate acquisition occurred as a function of both pSMAD1 signaling strength and duration of induction – consistent with the Positional-Information (PI) paradigm. We propose that the self-organized peri-gastrulation-like fate patterning in BMP4 treated geometrically-confined hPSC colonies arises via a stepwise model of RD, and PI. This two-step model predicted experimental responses to perturbations of key parameters such as colony size, and BMP4 dose. Furthermore, it also predicted experimental conditions that resulted in RD-like periodic patterning in large hPSC colonies, and rescued peri-gastrulation-like patterning in colony sizes previously thought to be reticent to this behaviour.
Maternal Dead-end 1 promotes translation of nanos1 by binding the eIF3 complex
Authors: Aguero Tristan , Jin Zhigang , Chorghade Sandip , Kalsotra Auinash , King Mary Lou , Yang Jing
Published: September 2017

In the developing embryo, primordial germ cells (PGCs) represent the exclusive progenitors of the gametes, and their loss results in adult infertility. During early development, PGCs are exposed to numerous signals that specify somatic cell fates. To prevent somatic differentiation, PGCs must transiently silence their genome, an early developmental process that requires Nanos activity. However, it is unclear how Nanos translation is regulated in developing embryos. We report here that translation of nanos1 after fertilization requires Dead-end 1 (Dnd1), a vertebrate-specific germline RNA-binding protein. We provide evidence that Dnd1 protein, expression of which is low in oocytes, but increases dramatically after fertilization, directly interacts with, and relieves the inhibitory function of eukaryotic initiation factor 3f, a repressive component in the 43S preinitiation complex. This work uncovers a novel translational regulatory mechanism that is fundamentally important for germline development.
Rapid-Flow and Spin-Trapping ESR Study on Carbonyl-Conjugated Radicals of Modified Poly(vinyl alcohol) Bearing 1,2-Propanediol Pendant Moiety as Intermediates of Graft Copolymerization
Authors: Matsui Kazuma , Nishihara Yuko , Yamaguchi Tomoko , Sakurai Yasuhiro , Miyake Yusuke , Ikegami Tohru , Kanaori Kenji , Tajima Kunihiko
Published: September 2017

Based on the results of rapid-flow electron spin resonance (RF-ESR) and spin-trapping (ST-ESR) measurements, carbonyl-conjugated radicals derived from the vicinal diol moiety (2, i.e., the head-to-head structure) of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) have been proposed to be the most probable intermediate species involved in the initial stages of the graft reaction of PVA with methyl methacrylate (MMA). A modified poly(vinyl alcohol) (PPVA) bearing a 1,2-propanediol pendant moiety (3) with a molar ratio of 8% (based on the monomer unit) was prepared to clarify the role of the carbonyl-conjugated radicals of PPVA in the graft reaction with MMA. The RF-ESR spectra observed for the mixtures composed of PPVA, hydrogen peroxide (HPO) or ammonium persulfate (APS), and Ti2(SO4)3 (pH ca. 2) revealed the formation of four radical species (A, B1, B2, and C) derived from PPVA. By comparison of the RF-ESR spectra observed for PPVA and PVA, species A (g = 2.0041) was confirmed to be the pendant derived radical of PPVA, and species B1 and B2 (g = 2.0023) and C (g = 2.0032) were assigned to be the PVA main-chain derived radicals. Species B1 and B2 were deduced to be a pair of carbonyl-conjugated radicals (4, 5, R1–CH2–CO–•CH–CH2–R2) derived from the vicinal diol (2), and species C was assigned to be the secondary alcohol (1) derived radicals (6, R1–CH2–•COH–CH2–R2). In terms of g value and proton hyperfine coupling constants (hfcc), the molecular structure of species A was ascribed to be the carbonyl-conjugated radical of the pendant moiety (7, •CH2–CO–CHR1R2). The results of ST-ESR measurements using the sodium salt of 3,5-dibromo-4-nitroso-benzene-sulfonate (DBNBS) show that a pair of pendant radicals (7) and (8, O=CH–•CH–CHR1R2) was formed in the graft polymerization reaction solutions containing APS or HPO as an oxidant (80 °C, pH ca. 2). The grafted copolymers of PPVA and PVA (PPVA-g-MMA and PVA-g-MMA) were separated from similar graft reaction solutions composed of APS and MMA after heating at 70 °C for 1 h (pH ca. 2), and the grafting efficiencies of PPVA (PPVAge%) and PVA (PVAge%) were, respectively, estimated to be 4% and 2%. The molecular and electronic structure of the carbonyl-conjugated radicals derived from the main-chain (4, 5) and from the pendant moiety (7, 8) of PPVA will be discussed in relation to the reaction mechanisms of the initial reaction stage of the graft copolymerization with MMA.
Novel biomarkers and endoscopic techniques for diagnosing pancreaticobiliary malignancy
Authors: Keane Margaret G , Shah Amar , Pereira Stephen P , Joshi Deepak
Published: September 2017

The UK incidence of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is 9 per 100,000 population, and biliary tract cancer occurs at a rate of 1–2 per 100,000. The incidence of both cancers is increasing annually and these tumours continue to be diagnosed late and at an advanced stage, limiting options for curative treatment. Population-based screening programmes do not exist for these cancers, and diagnosis currently is dependent on symptom recognition, but often symptoms are not present until the disease is advanced. Recently, a number of promising blood and urine biomarkers have been described for pancreaticobiliary malignancy and are summarised in this review. Novel endoscopic techniques such as single-operator cholangioscopy and confocal endomicroscopy have been used in some centres to enhance standard endoscopic diagnostic techniques and are also evaluated in this review.
Dysmenorrhea and related disorders
Authors: Bernardi Mariagiulia , Lazzeri Lucia , Perelli Federica , Reis Fernando M. , Petraglia Felice
Published: September 2017

Dysmenorrhea is a common symptom secondary to various gynecological disorders, but it is also represented in most women as a primary form of disease. Pain associated with dysmenorrhea is caused by hypersecretion of prostaglandins and an increased uterine contractility. The primary dysmenorrhea is quite frequent in young women and remains with a good prognosis, even though it is associated with low quality of life. The secondary forms of dysmenorrhea are associated with endometriosis and adenomyosis and may represent the key symptom. The diagnosis is suspected on the basis of the clinical history and the physical examination and can be confirmed by ultrasound, which is very useful to exclude some secondary causes of dysmenorrhea, such as endometriosis and adenomyosis. The treatment options include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone or combined with oral contraceptives or progestins.
A case series report of cancer patients undergoing group body psychotherapy
Authors: Grossert Astrid , Meinlschmidt Gunther , Schaefert Rainer
Published: September 2017

Background: Disturbances in bodily wellbeing represent a key source of psychosocial suffering and impairment related to cancer. Therefore, interventions to improve bodily wellbeing in post-treatment cancer patients are of paramount importance. Notably, body psychotherapy (BPT) has been shown to improve bodily wellbeing in subjects suffering from a variety of mental disorders. However, how post-treatment cancer patients perceive and subjectively react to group BPT aiming at improving bodily disturbances has, to the best of our knowledge, not yet been described.

Methods: We report on six patients undergoing outpatient group BPT that followed oncological treatment for malignant neoplasms. The BPT consisted of six sessions based on a scientific embodiment approach, integrating body-oriented techniques to improve patients’ awareness, perception, acceptance, and expression regarding their body.

Results: The BPT was well accepted by all patients. Despite having undergone different types of oncological treatment for different cancer types and locations, all subjects reported having appreciated BPT and improved how they perceived their bodies. However, individual descriptions of improvements showed substantial heterogeneity across subjects. Notably, most patients indicated that sensations, perceptions, and other mental activities related to their own body intensified when proceeding through the group BPT sessions.

Conclusion: The findings from this case series encourage and inform future studies examining whether group BPT is efficacious in post-treatment cancer patients and investigating the related mechanisms of action. The observed heterogeneity in individual descriptions of perceived treatment effects point to the need for selecting comprehensive indicators of changes in disturbances of bodily wellbeing as the primary patient-reported outcome in future clinical trials. While increases in mental activities related to their own body are commonly interpreted as important mechanisms of therapeutic action in BPT, follow-up assessments are needed to evaluate intended and unintended consequences of these changes in cancer patients.
Accuracy increase in computation of cutting force components at corrosion-resistant steel parts turning
Authors: Сергеев Александр , Sergeyev Aleksandr , Тихонова Жанна , Tikhonova Zhanna , Уварова Татьяна , Uvarova Tatyana
Published: September 2017

The simulators of the cutting force components computation with the introduction in them a structure of an additional in-formation parameter – thermo-EMF (electromotive force) of the preliminary test working stroke as a characteristic of thermo-physical properties of a contacting pair are shown. Mathematical dependences offered may be used for the algorithm formation of computer-aided computations.
Expanding Impacts of Technology-Assisted Service Systems Through Generalization: Case Study of the Japanese Service Engineering Research Project
Authors: Watanabe Kentaro , Mochimaru Masaaki
Published: September 2017

The importance of technologies for services has been remarkably emphasized recently with the terms “digitalization” and “smart service systems.” Technologies, especially information and communications technologies, have been regarded as an important driver of innovating services, and various researchers of services and service systems have investigated the development of technology-assisted service systems and their methods. However, few studies report how to generalize and disseminate developed service systems and technologies for other service systems. This type of study is essential to expand the impact of the study on technology-assisted service systems on the industrial and societal levels. As our research question, we examined the necessary processes and deliverables to develop and disseminate technology-assisted service systems. We analyzed five cases of a service engineering research project in Japan that aimed at improving service industry productivity through disseminating developed technologies. We conducted semistructured interviews with the researchers responsible in each case. As a result, we clarified the generalization process through continuous codevelopment with stakeholders in the same or different service systems. We also specified a set of research outputs: technology, activity guideline, and application process, designated as a technological support model for a service system. The features of these outputs can be emphasized by categorizing them into three types: knowledge-worker support model, organization management support model, and association management support model. These processes and outputs provide a practical guideline for developing and disseminating technology-assisted service systems effectively.
Advances in Patient Reported Outcomes: The NIH PROMIS Measures
Authors: Broderick Joan , DeWit Esi Morgan , Rothrock Nan , Crane Paul , Forrest Christopher B.
Published: September 2017

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are questionnaire measures of patients’ symptoms,
functioning, and health-related quality of life. They are designed to provide important
clinical information that generally cannot be captured with objective medical testing.
Recent legislative developments in the United States support greater efforts to include
patients’ reports of health experience to evaluate treatment outcomes, engage in shared
decision-making, and prioritize the focus of treatment. PROs have garnered increased
attention by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for evaluating drugs and medical
devices. Recent calls for comparative effectiveness research favor inclusion of PROs. In
2004, the National Institutes of Health launched a research initiative to improve the
clinical research enterprise by developing state-of-the-art PROs. The NIH Patient
Reported Outcomes Measurement System (PROMIS) and Assessment Center are the products of
that initiative. Adult, pediatric, and parent-proxy item banks have been developed using
contemporary psychometric methods, yielding rapid, accurate measurement. PROMIS
currently provides tools for assessing physical, mental, and social health using
short-form and computer adaptive testing methods. The PROMIS tools are being adopted for
use in clinical trials and translational research. They are also being introduced in
clinical medicine to assess a broad range of disease outcomes. There is potential for
use of PROs to improve quality of care and disease outcomes, to provide patient-centered
assessment for comparative effectiveness research, and to enable a common metric for
tracking outcomes across providers and medical systems.
Ethical and sustainable luxury: The paradox of consumerism and caring
Authors: Arrington Deidra W.
Published: September 2017

The exposure of the dark underbelly of fashion sheds light on the ethical dilemma of manufacturing and consuming apparel. Tragedy caused by deplorable working conditions and human exploitation is as much a part of the fashion landscape as textiles and garments. What lessons were learned after the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire that killed 145 workers in New York City? Not many, based on the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse where 1130 factory workers died. Over hundred years after the Triangle fire the fashion industry’s failure to provide measures ensuring the safety and ethical treatment of workers continues. The environment also suffers from the absence of sustainable and renewable resources in the production of fashion. 20 per cent of global industrial water pollution comes from the treatment and dyeing of textiles. Water usage, the destruction of the rain forests, bulging landfills and toxic chemicals are incalculably detrimental to the environment and yet the fashion industry lags woefully behind in creating sustainable solutions. The root of the fashion industry’s ethical problems is consumer demand for more goods at every price point, including the luxury sector. Yet, many consumers believe they purchase fashion responsibly. In the 2015 The Ethical Consumer Report, 70 per cent of consumers stated their purchasing decisions are influenced by ethics. However, a mere 23 per cent are ‘often or always’ influenced by ethics. ‘It is well known that consumers saying they want ethical products does not necessarily translate into greater sales’. Therein lies the rub; consumers say they care, but they do not purchase like they care. The paradox of consumerism and caring is real.
Dressing for the Internet: A study of female self-presentation via dress on Instagram
Authors: Shumaker Claire , Loranger David , Dorie Amy
Published: September 2017

Social networking sites (SNS) and social media (SM) have evolved into important methods of communication in modern society. A number of SM platforms are imageoriented sites such as Instagram, which provide tools to edit and post images of one’s self in place of verbal communication. These tools are especially critical in the lives of younger generations who have been reared on technology. SM provides the ability to curate one’s image and receive feedback in an almost instantaneous and customizable manner. In this two-stage, qualitative grounded theory study, a stage-one initial survey (n=208) indicated that nearly half of the respondents used dress as a communication tool when posting images on SM and that Instagram was the most used SNS. In stage-two, in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of (n=15) undergraduate students to investigate participants’ usage of Instagram, along with their self-proclaimed use of dress as a method of communication through images posted on the SNS. Results indicated that participants used dress as a tool to communicate aspects of experiences, feelings, lifestyles and beliefs when posting images on Instagram.
Geopolitical location and plot in The Night Manager
Authors: Agger Gunhild
Published: September 2017

The primary aim of the article is to contribute to developing concepts for the analysis of location and plot in visual fiction. The secondary aim is to assess which strategies the Danish director Susanne Bier uses in her approach to an international production such as the British-American TV serial The Night Manager. Three perspectives are tested in combining the analysis of location with the development of the plot: the general concepts of universal and real geography; the idea of being located inside or outside a given context; and the associated notion of centre-periphery opposition. A geopolitical context is applied to illustrate the implication of these concepts.
Old-school modernism? On the cinema of Roy Andersson
Authors: Brodén Daniel
Published: September 2017

Too little attention has been paid to the aesthetic and cultural contexts of the cinema of Roy Andersson. Arguing that his filmmaking is informed by a high-modernist sensibility, I wish to draw attention to how its style and themes are tied to a vital, ‘old school’ exploration of the essentials of the human condition.
Book Review
Authors: Hochscherf Tobias
Published: September 2017

A Companion to Nordic Cinema, Mette Hjort and Ursula Lindqvist (eds) (2016)

Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, xii + 614 pp.,

ISBN 978-1118475256, h/bk, €150/£120
Terra Preta zwischen Hype und Hoffnung
Authors: Trabelsi Stefanie , Zundel Stefan
Published: September 2017

Die Schwarzerde Terra Preta kann zu einer Verbesserung der Bodenfruchtbarkeit führen und dient als Kohlendioxidspeicher. Wie erfolgreich das Biokohlesubstrat ist, hängt von den lokalen Bodenbedingungen und Stoffkreisläufen und wirtschaftlichen Faktoren ab
The Unsustainability of Economic Man
Authors: Mellor Mary
Published: September 2017

Modern economics is not sufficiently accounting for the work women do or the damage done to the environment. To account for this, economics should focus on social and ecological wellbeing. But what would a sustainable, sufficiency economy look like?