bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thymosin-β4 Mediates Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation by Interfering with CircRNA-0067835/miR-155/FoxO3 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhu Lili , Ren Tingting , Zhu Zixin , Cheng Mingliang  , Mou Qiuju , Mu Mao , Liu Yongmei , Yao Yumei , Cheng Yiju , Zhang Baofang , Cheng Zhuo
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary cell type responsible for liver fibrosis. Our study proved that thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) has anti-fibrogenic effects in HSCs through PI3K/AKT pathway. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in fine-tuning gene expression and are often deregulated in cancers. However, the expression profile and clinical significance of in liver fibrosis is still unknown. Therefore, we hypothesize that Tβ4 influences circRNAs in liver fibrosis. Methods: Circular RNA microarray was conducted to identify Tβ4-related circRNAs. Pathway analysis and miRNA response elements analysis was conducted to predict the potential roles of differentially expressed circRNAs in liver fibrosis. CCK8 assays and flow cytometric assays were conducted to clarify the role of circRNA in liver fibrosis. Bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments were conducted to clarify the mechanism of circRNA-mediated gene regulation in liver fibrosis. Results: A total of 644 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified between the Tβ4-depleted LX-2 cells and the control LX2 cells. The expression of circRNA-0067835 was significantly increased in the Tβ4-depleted LX-2 cells compared with control. Knockdown of circRNA-0067835 observably decreased LX-2 cell proliferation by causing G1 arrest and promoting apoptosis. Bioinformatics online programs predicted that circRNA-0067835 acted as miR-155 sponge to regulate FOXO3a expression, which was validated using luciferase reporter assay. Conclusion: Our experiments showed that circRNA-0067835 regulated liver fibrosis progression by acting as a sponge of miR-155 to promote FOXO3a expression, indicating that circRNA-0067835 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for patients with liver fibrosis.
A first record of the Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791) (Teleostei: Caesionidae) from Visakhapatnam coastal waters, India
Authors: Naranji Muddula Krishna , Velamala Govinda Rao , Babu Kondamudi Ramesh
Published: November 2018

The Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791) is recorded for the first time from the coastal waters of Visakhapatnam, India.  This paper provides detailed description, morphometric and meristic characters.
Odonata of eastern Bangladesh with three new records for the country
Authors: Khan M. Kawsar
Published: November 2018

A study was conducted in the eastern region of Bangladesh to contribute to the knowledge of the country’s Odonata fauna.  A total of 75 species belonging to nine families was recorded during the study period from April 2014 to July 2016.  Two zygopteran species, Calicnemia imitans and Prodasineura autumnalis, and one anisopteran species, Megalogomphus smithii, are new records for the country.  The Megalogomphus genus is recorded for the first time from Bangladesh.
Breeding reports and conservation implications of the Endangered Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda J.E. Gray, 1831 (Aves: Charadriiformes: Laridae) in Odisha, eastern India
Authors: Kar Tuhinansu , Palei Himanshu Shekhar , Debata Subrat
Published: November 2018

The Black-bellied Tern is an endangered species and its population is declining severely due to the loss and degradation of its foraging and breeding habitats because of increasing anthropogenic activities.  We report the breeding of Black-bellied Tern from different localities along the Mahanadi River in Odisha, eastern India.  We recommend the protection and conservation of its breeding sites along with regular community outreach activities for the long-term conservation of this globally threatened species.
A new record of the Malay Cardamom Amomum aculeatum Roxb. (Zingiberaceae) for mainland India
Authors: Patil Sameer Chandrakant , Lakshminarasimhan P.
Published: November 2018

Amomum aculeatum Roxb. (Zingiberaceae), earlier known from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, is reported from Kodagu in Karnataka, for the first time from the mainland of India.  A detailed description of the species with relevant information and distribution are provided.
First record of colour aberration in Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis (Hartlaub, 1891) (Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae) from Central Marshes of southern Iraq, with notes on its intraspecific/interspecific behavior
Authors: Al-Sheikhly Omar F. , Haba Mukhtar K. , Faza’a Nadheer A. , Al-Asady Ra’ad H.
Published: November 2018

Pigment disorders such as albinism, leucism and progressive greying, which cause the absence of melanin pigments in all or parts of the plumage and bare parts, have been reported in many wild bird populations including Acrocephalus warblers.  Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis (Hartlaub, 1891) is a restricted-range species confined to the extensive reed beds of Mesopotamian marshes.  It is listed as Endangered due to breeding habitat degradation, water scarcity and climate change.  In April 2018, a partly white plumaged Basra Reed Warbler was sighted in Central Marshes in southern Iraq.  This is the first report of such a plumage aberration in this species.  The nature of the aberration involved an intraspecific/interspecific behavior of the white plumaged Basra Reed Warbler are described.
Don't Wake Daddy: Martin Kippenberger and the Schreber Case
Authors: Stobaugh Nathan
Published: November 2018

In the later years of his work, Martin Kippenberger made a number of paintings, multiples, and works on paper that referred to both Daniel Paul Schreber—a German judge whose Memoirs of My Nervous Illness (1903) became a subject of considerable commentary by psychoanalysts and critical theorists throughout the twentieth century—and his father, physician Daniel Gottlob Moritz Schreber. Nathan Stobaugh offers an analysis of these works from the 1990s and argues that Kippenberger's engagement with this case, when placed in the context of his larger body of work, demonstrates the necessity of scrutinizing the Schreber father and son together. While this scrutiny might cast Kippenberger's observers themselves as paranoiacs, such a position might be necessary to apprehend a cultural predicament in which authoritarian power seems equally likely to congeal in the form of a patriarchal master as it is to spread throughout a world in which children of all ages are forced, through the management of their desire, into particular molds.
Diplazium yinchanianum (Athyriaceae): A New Fern from the Border between China and Vietnam
Authors: LIU ZI-YUE , WEI HONG-JIN , SHANG HUI , WEI RAN , WANG YING , LIU BAO-DONG , YAN YUE-HONG
Published: November 2018

Diplazium yinchanianum, a new species of Athyriaceae from the Shiwandashan mountains in Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. This species is morphologically most similar to D. yaoshanense with both having a long creeping rhizome and 1-pinnate laminae with an abruptly reduced apex, but differs from the latter by having oblong laminae with an apical pinna. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the plastid matK, rbcL, and trnL-F sequences indicated that the two species are distantly related.
Evolutionary history of the tribe Astereae in the Flora Iranica area: Systematic implications
Authors: FARHANI TAYYEBEH , KAZEMPOUR-OSALOO SHAHROKH , ZARE-MAIVAN HASSAN , MOZAFFARIAN VALIOLLAH
Published: November 2018

The present study reconstructs the phylogenetic relationships of the tribe with emphasis on Psychrogeton using both nuclear (ITS, ETS) and chloroplast (trnL intron and trnL-trnF intergenic spacer) markers. Divergence times for main lineages were estimated using BEAST analysis. Based on results of molecular analyses, tribe Astereae is circumscribed here as containing 16 genera and 38 species and comprising strongly supported five major clades: Aster, Chamaegeron, Erigeron, Galatella and Psychrogeton. Among the Eurasian asteroid taxa, Aster bachtiaricus formed the basal most diverging lineage far distantly from the Aster s.str. clade. Lachnophllum and Chamaegeron are sister taxa in nuclear tree, although weakly united in plastid topology. Galatella with the inclusion of Crinitina (= Crinitaria) constitutes a well-supported clade, which along with Tripolium forms the Galatella group. Eurasian Erigeron species were derived within the Erigeron clade. Erigeron uniflorus subsp. daenensis and subsp. elborsensis are distinct from the type subspecies and are resurrected here as species in their own right. Our analyses of the datasets revealed that all examined species of Psychrogeton, except P. obovatus, emerged in a single clade comprising four distinct subclades. Molecular dating analyses indicate that tribe Astereae originated in the Late Eocene at 38.6 Ma. The most genera of Astereae diverged during the Middle Miocene whereas the diversification of lineages began mostly through the Pliocene and Pleistocene. On the basis of the molecular data as well as the morphological characteristics, Aster bachtiaricus was elevated to the generic rank and this new monospecific genus was named Iranoaster. Psychrogeton obovatus was treated as a member of the recently established genus Neobrachyactis. The conflicting position of some taxa including Lachnophyllum gossypinum, Dichrocephala, Myriactis and Asterothamnus in nuclear and plastid trees might be the result of ancient hybridization/introgression events.
A new species of Rudgea (Palicoureeae, Rubiaceae) from Espírito Santo state, Brazil
Authors: TORRES-LEITE FILIPE , BRUNIERA CARLA P. , ZAPPI DANIELA C. , CARRIJO TATIANA T.
Published: November 2018

A new endemic and critically endangered species of Rudgea (Rubiaceae) from Southeastern Brazil is described and illustrated. Rudgea minutifolia Bruniera & Torres-Leite is distinguished by its small leaves, a character found in only a handful of species in this genus. The indumentum of the branches, leaves and stipules, low number of secondary veins, corniculate corolla lobes, and vinaceous to almost black mature fruits are also characteristic of this species. Discovered in a forest remnant within the Atlantic Rainforest domain in the south of Espírito Santo state, this species is found only in the municipality of Castelo, an area that has been recognized as prioritary for conservation. Besides the description, taxonomic comments, conservation status, images and illustrations are provided.
Protoliupanshania wangi, a new genus and species from the Chinese Early Cretaceous (Odonata: Aeshnoptera: Liupanshaniidae)
Authors: HUANG DI-YING , NEL ANDRE
Published: November 2018

Protoliupanshania wangi, new genus and species, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China. It is probably the sister genus of the clade that comprises all other liupanshaniid genera, based on current knowledge of the wing venation of Paramesuropetala.
Larval morphology of Epomis circumscriptus (Duftschmid 1812) and of first instar E. dejeani, Dejean, 1831, (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Chlaeniini), with morphofunctional remarks
Authors: BRANDMAYR PIETRO , BONACCI TERESA , BRANDMAYR TULLIA ZETTO
Published: November 2018

The larval stages of Epomis circumscriptus (Duftschmid 1812) and the first instar of Epomis dejeani Dejean, 1831, are described and illustrated for the first time. Epomis adults were collected in Israel and larvae obtained ex ovo under laboratory conditions. The larvae have an unusual mandibular morphology, with a long-hooked retinaculum in the first instar. This character is probably linked to the predatory habits of these carabids, which feed on body fluids and inner tissues of amphibians. The genus Epomis deserves an isolated position within Chlaeniini, and a new diagnosis for the larvae of this tribe is proposed. The life form of Epomis larvae seems intermediate between “surface runners” and “walkers”.
New and little known mollusks from ancient chemosynthetic environments
Authors: KIEL STEFFEN , CAMPBELL KATHLEEN A. , GAILLARD CHRISTIAN
Published: November 2018

Twelve mollusk species from late Jurassic to Oligocene cold seep deposits are described and illustrated. Nine of them are new, two have already been named, two new genera are introduced, and one species is described only in open nomenclature. Puncturella (sensu lato) mcleani sp. nov. and Fissurella (sensu lato) bipunctata Stanton, 1895 are the only confirmed fissurellids in fossil cold seeps. The sutilizonid Triassurella goederti sp. nov. is similar to the modern ventinhabiting Sutilizona and the Late Triassic shallow-water reef-inhabitant Triassurella carnica. A smooth, late Jurassic neritid is the oldest neritid from fossil seeps and probably represents an independent neritid radiation into the seep environment, without close phylogenetic connection to the modern Bathynerita. The four new abyssochrysoid caenogastropods Humptulipsia macsotayi, Hokkaidoconcha novacula, Paskentana anistratenkorum, and P. umbilicata significantly extend the stratigraphic and geographic ranges of these apparently seep-restricted genera. Four bivalves are described, including the new modiomorphid Caspiconcha rubani from the early Cretaceous and the new bathymodioline Bathymodiolus (s.l.) palmarensis from the Oligocene. Among the lucinids, the oldest seep-inhabiting lucinid (late Jurassic) is described as Beauvoisina carinata gen. et sp. nov.; the new genus Cubatea is introduced for an Oligocene lucinid from Cuba. It is suggested that Caspiconcha, Paskentana, and hokkaidoconchids constitute the core of a seeprestricted fauna that inhabited seeps worldwide from (at least) late Jurassic to early Cretaceous time. These taxa are, at the family level, phylogenetically unrelated to the modern vent and seep fauna.
Type condition and generic placement of Cuban species of Ichneumonidae described by Cresson and collected by Gundlach
Authors: GAULD IAN D. , FERNÁNDEZ-TRIANA JOSÉ L.
Published: November 2018

The 36 Cuban species of Ichneumonidae described by Ezra T. Cresson in 1865-1868 from material collected by Johannes Gundlach are studied and their correct generic placement according to modern standards of the family are established. Seven new combinations are proposed: Apechthis obscuratus (Cresson) comb. nov., Apechthis tricinctus (Cresson) comb. nov., Hyposoter bellus (Cresson) comb. nov., Lissonota cincta (Cresson) comb. nov., Lissonota rufithorax (Cresson) comb. nov., Ortezia magniceps (Cresson) comb. nov., and Orthocentrus exiguus (Cresson) comb. nov. The name Tryphon rufithorax Cresson is considered nomen nudum and a lectotype is designated for Ortezia magniceps (Cresson).
The pliomerid trilobite Ibexaspis and related new genera, with species from the Early Ordovician (Floian; Tulean, Blackhillsian) of the Great Basin, western USA
Authors: McADAMS NEO E.B. , ADRAIN JONATHAN M. , KARIM TALIA S.
Published: November 2018

Field-based revision and phylogenetic analysis demonstrate that the pliomerid trilobite taxon Ibexaspis Přibyl and Vaněk (in Přibyl et al., 1985), previously known from a single formally named species (I. brevis [Young, 1973]), belongs to a complex of 14 mostly newly discovered, related species from the Early Ordovician (Floian; Tulean and Blackhillsian) of the northern Laurentian margin. The species are known from silicified samples recovered from sections in eastern Nevada, western Utah, and southeastern Idaho. The stratigraphically early Tuleaspis n. gen. (type species: T. jeneki n. sp.; Tulean; low Protopliomerella contracta Zone) includes its type and two species described in open nomenclature. Tuleaspis is sister to the remainder of the clade. Ibexaspis now includes three additional species: I. coadyi n. sp. (Blackhillsian; Carolinites nevadensis Zone), I. leuppi n. sp. (Blackhillsian; Presbynileus ibexensis Zone), and I. rupauli n. sp. (Blackhillsian; "Pseudocybele nasuta Zone"). Ibexapsis is sister to a clade of Millardaspis n. gen. + Deltapliomera n. gen. Millardaspis (type species M. milsteadi n. sp.; Tulean; Heckethornia hyndeae Zone) also includes M. knoxi n. sp. (Tulean; Panisaspis sevierensis Zone). Deltapliomera (type species D. humphriesi n. sp.; Blackhillsian, Carolinites nevadensis Zone) also includes D. inglei n. sp. (Tulean; Heckethornia bowiei Zone), D. heimbergi (Tulean; Panisaspis sevierensis Zone), D. eppersoni n. sp. (Blackhillsian; Bathyurina plicolabeona Zone), and a species described in open nomenclature.
The RheaG Weather Generator Algorithm: Evaluation in Four Contrasting Climates from the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Nadal-Sala Daniel , Gracia Carlos A. , Sabaté Santiago
Published: November 2018

This paper describes the assumptions, equations, and procedures of the RheaG weather generator algorithm (WGA). RheaG was conceived for the generation of robust daily meteorological time series, whether in static or transient climate conditions. Here we analyze its performance in four Iberian locations—Bilbao, Barcelona, Madrid, and Sevilla—with differentiated climate characteristics. To validate the RheaG WGA, we compared observed and generated meteorological time series’ statistical properties of precipitation, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature for all four locations. We also compared observed and simulated rain events spell length probabilities in all four locations. Finally, RheaG includes two weather generation procedures: one in which monthly mean values for meteorological variables are unconstrained and one in which they are constrained according to a predefined baseline climate variability. Here, we compare the two weather generation procedures included in RheaG using the observed data from Barcelona. Our results present a high agreement in the statistical properties and the rain spell length probabilities between observed and generated meteorological time series. Our results show that RheaG accurately reproduces seasonal patterns of the observed meteorological time series for all four locations, and it is even able to differentiate two climatic seasons in Bilbao that are also present in the observed data. We find a trade-off between generation procedures in which the unconstrained procedure better reproduces the variability of monthly and yearly precipitation than the constrained one, but the constrained procedure is able to keep the same climatic signal across meteorological time series. Thus, the first procedure is more accurate, but the latter is able to maintain spatial autocorrelation among generated meteorological time series.
Evaluation of Risk Factors for Limb-Specific Peripheral Vascular Events in Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease: A Post Hoc Analysis of the SEASON Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Miyata Tetsuro , Higashi Yukihito , Shigematsu Hiroshi , Origasa Hideki , Fujita Masatoshi , Matsuo Hiroshi , Naritomi Hiroaki , Matsuda Hiroaki , Nakajima Masahide , Yuki Satoshi , Awano Hideto
Published: November 2018

Surveillance of cardiovascular Events in Antiplatelet-treated arterioSclerosis Obliterans patients in JapaN (SEASON) is a 2-year, prospective, real-world, registry study conducted in Japan from 2009 to 2013. This post hoc analysis evaluated risk factors for limb ischemia in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and ankle–brachial index (ABI) <0.90. Vascular events were adjudicated by an Efficacy Endpoint Review Committee. Cox regression identified predictors of limb-specific peripheral vascular events (amputation, development of critical limb ischemia, and acute limb ischemia). Patients (n = 6565) were stratified according to ABI: normal (≥1.0; n = 1300), borderline (0.90 ≤ ABI ≤ 1.0; n = 776), and abnormal (<0.90; n = 4489). Compared to normal ABI, patients with ABI <0.90 had a significantly higher risk of any vascular event, all-cause death, and any limb-specific peripheral vascular event. Risk factors for limb-specific vascular events included history of lower extremity revascularization/amputation (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.49-3.20), chronic kidney disease (2.00; 1.33-3.00), diabetes (1.71; 1.16-2.52), and ABI <0.4 (4.45; 2.62-7.55) or <0.7 (1.78; 1.15-2.76). These findings from a Japanese real-world population confirm the increased vascular risk of patients with PAD and ABI <0.90 and identified risk factors for limb-specific peripheral vascular events.
Online health assessment of wind turbine based on operational condition recognition
Authors: Zhang Jing , Jiang Na , Li Huike , Li Ning
Published: November 2018

To reduce the operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, the health assessment of wind turbine has received more and more attention in recent years. However, it is difficult to evaluate the health condition of wind turbine due to the complex and non-stationary operation environment. This paper proposes a data-driven approach for online health assessment of wind turbine based on operational condition recognition. First, the operational condition parameters are selected by analyzing the monitoring data of wind turbine. Considering the time-varying of operation environment, the operational conditions are divided into four subspaces utilizing the K-means clustering algorithm. Then, using the historical state parameters data under normal operation, a health benchmark model is constructed in each operational condition space based on Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). Further, a Softmax model is trained according to the results of operational condition classification, which is used to identify the online operational condition of wind turbine. Moreover, an overall health index (HI) based on Mahalanobis distance is developed to assess the health condition of wind turbine. Finally, the method is verified by the actual supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data of a wind field in northwestern China. The test results show that the proposed approach can track the running state of the wind turbine accurately and play a good role in early fault warning.
Building Labor Solidarity in Precarious Times: The Danger of Union Paternalism
Authors: Paret Marcel
Published: November 2018

In a global context of union decline and widening economic insecurity, unions must decide how to relate to extra-workplace struggles and those without stable or unionized employment. One possibility is that unions will adopt a paternalistic view, in which they attempt to serve the interests of nonunion individuals and groups by disciplining them or speaking for them. Drawing on seventy-five brief interviews with participants in a protest led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), I examine how union activists understood their relationship to the unemployed and local protests within residential areas. Revealing support for union involvement in extra-workplace struggles, the results show that South Africa’s legacy of social movement unionism remains strong. Yet, some union activists also wanted to discipline or substitute for community struggles, and felt the need to educate or speak for the unemployed. Such paternalistic views may become an obstacle to broad working-class solidarity, in South Africa or elsewhere.
Revisiting the Madrassa Question in Pakistan: Worlding Lived Religion and Religious Education in Urban Spaces
Authors: Angeles Leonora C. , Aijazi Omer
Published: November 2018

The association of madrassas as “breeding grounds for terrorists” is problematic, exacerbated by a lack of understanding of how Islamic religious schools function and contribute to cities and urban social life. Our article provides an interpretative examination of the so-called madrassa question by explaining the urban-spatial embeddedness of madrassas and emphasizing the heightened sense and deployment of religious identities in the quotidian “worlding” of “lived religion” and “lived religious education” of research participants in two madrassa communities in Islamabad, Pakistan. Positioned within the growing research on urban sociology and geographies of the intersections of religion and education, this article examines lived religion and religious education within urban spaces. It discusses ethnographic findings on the performance and reproduction of spatially grounded extrareligious roles, identities, and practices in city-based madrassas. We emphasize the religious and nonreligious meanings people attach to these identities and practices, and how these are manifested, represented, and experienced in urban community spaces. We demonstrate madrassas’ connection to people’s place-making practices and meaning-making as historical processes and purposeful action. Urban landscape, quotidian religious practices, and extra-local political economy are important to linking place, human aspirations, and lived religion in reframing the madrassa question in Pakistan.
Towards inclusive peace: Analysing gender-sensitive peace agreements 2000–2016
Authors: True Jacqui , Riveros-Morales Yolanda
Published: November 2018

The presence of gender provisions in peace agreements affects women’s participation in post-conflict societies as well as the chances that a post-conflict society will move towards gender equality. While there is an overall upward trend in the number of references to women’s rights and gender equality in peace agreements, gender-sensitive agreements are not a given. Why and how are peace agreements with gender provisions adopted? We use statistical analysis to explain why some peace agreements adopt gender provisions while others have no such provisions. Based on an analysis of 98 peace agreements across 55 countries between 2000 and 2016, we find that peace agreements are significantly more likely to have gender provisions when women participate in elite peace processes. Our study also shows that the likelihood of achieving a peace agreement with gender provisions increases when women’s representation in national parliaments increases and when women’s civil society participation is significant.
Reporting of Cosmesis in Head and Neck Reconstruction: A Systematic Review
Authors: Vila Peter M. , Ramsey Tam , Yaeger Lauren H. , Desai Shaun C. , Branham Gregory H.
Published: November 2018

Objective

To identify the method and rate at which cosmesis is reported after reconstruction from head and neck surgery among adults.

Data Sources

A medical librarian implemented search strategies in multiple databases for head and neck reconstruction, outcome assessment/patient satisfaction, and cosmesis/appearance.

Review Methods

Inclusion and exclusion criteria were designed to capture studies examining adults undergoing reconstruction after head and neck cancer surgery with assessment of postoperative cosmesis. The primary outcome was the method to assess cosmesis. Secondary outcomes were types of instruments used and the rate at which results were reported. Validated instruments used in these studies were compared and critically assessed.

Results

The search identified 4405 abstracts, and 239 studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of these, 43% (n = 103) used a scale or questionnaire to quantify the cosmetic outcome: 28% (n = 66), a visual analog, Likert, or other scale; 13% (n = 30), a patient questionnaire; and 3% (n = 7), both. Of the 103 studies that used an instrument, 14% (n = 14, 6% overall) used a validated instrument. The most common validated instrument was the University of Washington Quality of Life (UWQOL) questionnaire (4%, n = 9). The most highly rated instruments were the UWQOL and the Derriford Appearance Scale.

Conclusions

Reporting of cosmetic outcomes after head and neck cancer reconstruction is heterogeneous. Most studies did not report patient feedback, and a minority used a validated instrument to quantify outcomes. To reduce bias, improve reliability, and decrease heterogeneity, we recommend the UWQOL to study cosmetic outcomes after head and neck reconstruction.
Building Global Health Capacity at a Minority-Serving Institution in the Bronx: The Potential Role of PhotoVoice and the Geo-Social Pathway Framework in This Endeavor
Authors: Daniels Joseph
Published: November 2018

Global health training programs for undergraduate students are expanding in the United States, which includes Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), but capacity building is needed at MSIs to develop career pathways into the field, especially for those institutions that serve low-income students who live in communities with high health disparities. Often, global health pathways begin by building a global lens through the examination of local health issues coupled with international educational experiences. This approach is limited for students who come from low-income settings with limited funding for international experiences, and as a result, may not see the feasibility of a global health career. However, there may be opportunity in harnessing student motivations and participatory research methods to build interest in a global health career. This article outlines the course, Fundamentals of Global Health, offered at a public MSI in the Bronx. The course was grounded in the Geo-Social Pathway Framework and utilized PhotoVoice to engage students in individual research projects. A constant comparison method was used to analyze papers, photos, reflections, and presentations in order to identify themes. Analysis of course materials submitted by students suggests that they were motivated to examine health disparities using PhotoVoice and that they focused their research projects on their family and community health disparities, or aligned with educational or professional goals to address their community health needs. This course model may inform future training in global health for students at MSIs, but community-based participatory research priority funding is needed to sustain global health at these key institutions.
Female Soccer Players With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Have a Higher Risk of New Knee Injuries and Quit Soccer to a Higher Degree Than Knee-Healthy Controls
Authors: Fältström Anne , Kvist Joanna , Gauffin Håkan , Hägglund Martin
Published: November 2018

Background:

Many patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction who return to sport suffer new ACL injuries or quit sports soon after returning.

Purpose:

To prospectively follow a cohort of female soccer players with primary unilateral ACL reconstruction and matched knee-healthy controls from the same soccer teams to compare (1) the rate of new traumatic and nontraumatic knee injuries and other injuries, (2) the proportion of players who quit soccer, and (3) player-reported activity level and satisfaction with activity level and knee function.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 117 active female soccer players (mean ± SD age, 19.9 ± 2.5 years) 18.9 ± 8.7 months after ACL reconstruction and 119 knee-healthy female soccer players (19.5 ± 2.5 years) matched from the same teams were prospectively followed for 2 years for new knee injuries, other injuries, soccer playing level, activity level according to the Tegner Activity Scale, and satisfaction with activity level and knee function.

Results:

Players with ACL reconstruction had a higher rate of new ACL injuries (n = 29 vs 8; 19 vs 4 per 100 player years; rate ratio [RR], 4.82; 95% CI, 2.20-10.54; P < .001), other traumatic knee injuries (29 vs 16 per 100 player years; RR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.16-2.93; P < .01), and nontraumatic knee injuries (33 vs 9 per 100 player years; RR, 3.62; 95% CI, 2.11-6.21; P < .001) as compared with controls. There was no difference in the rate of other (not knee) injuries (43 vs 48 per 100 player years; RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.65-1.23; P = .494). During the 2-year follow-up, 72 (62%) players with ACL reconstruction quit soccer, as opposed to 43 (36%) controls ( P = .001). The median Tegner Activity Scale score decreased in both groups ( P < .001) but more for the ACL-reconstructed group ( P < .015).

Conclusion:

Female soccer players with ACL reconstruction had nearly a 5-fold-higher rate of new ACL injuries and a 2- to 4-fold-higher rate of other new knee injuries, quit soccer to a higher degree, and reduced their activity level to a greater extent as compared with knee-healthy controls.
Predictors of 5-Year Citation Rate in the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Literature
Authors: Movassagi Kamran , Kunze Kyle N. , Beck Edward C. , Fu Michael C. , Nho Shane J.
Published: November 2018

Background:

The citation rate of a research published article is an indicator of its quality and impact and contributes to the journal’s impact factor. Within the orthopaedic sports medicine literature, predictors of citation rates have not been previously described.

Purpose:

To identify characteristics of published articles that predict 5-year citation rates of studies in the orthopaedic sports medicine literature.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

Research articles published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM), Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, and Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy (KSSTA) from 2012 were analyzed. Extracted characteristics of published articles included journal, author number, origin of study, first author degree, subject of study, study type, sample size, number of references and institutions, conflicts of interest, level of evidence, and 5-year citation rates. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of greater than the mean number of citations at 5 years.

Results:

A total of 825 published articles ( AJSM, n = 313; Arthroscopy, n = 173; KSSTA, n = 339) were included in the final analysis. The mean number of 5-year citations was 23.2 (95% CI, 21.6-24.9; range, 1.0-260.0). AJSM had a significantly greater citation rate (32.4) than Arthroscopy (21.7) and KSSTA (15.2) ( P < .001 for both). Arthroscopy had a greater citation rate than KSSTA ( P = .008). Independent predictors of greater than the mean number of citations at 5 years were published articles in AJSM (odds ratio [OR], 5.17; 95% CI, 2.81-9.52; P < .0001), published articles of North American origin (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.25-2.58; P = .002), and published articles regarding the hip (OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.08-6.67; P = .035).

Conclusion:

Published articles in AJSM, those from North America, and those examining the hip were independent predictors of greater citation rates at 5 years.
Implementation of Occupational Sun Safety at a 2-Year Follow-Up in a Randomized Trial: Comparison of Sun Safe Workplaces Policy Intervention to Attention Control
Authors: Buller David B. , Walkosz Barbara J. , Buller Mary Klein , Wallis Allan , Andersen Peter A. , Scott Michael D. , Meenan Richard T. , Cutter Gary R.
Published: November 2018

Purpose:

Implementation of employer sun safety actions was assessed in a 2-year follow-up to an occupational sun protection policy intervention.

Design:

Two-year follow-up assessment in a randomized pretest–posttest controlled design.

Setting:

Local government organizations with workers in public safety, public works, and parks and recreation.

Participants:

Sixty-three local government organizations (participation = 64%) and 330 frontline supervisors and 1454 workers.

Intervention:

Sun Safe Workplaces (SSW) intervention promoting occupational sun safety policy and education.

Measures:

Observations of SSW messages and sun safety items and surveys on organizations’ communication and actions on sun safety.

Analysis:

Comparison between SSW and control groups was conducted using regression models and adjusted for clustering where appropriate, with α criterion set at P = .05 (2-tailed).

Results:

At intervention worksites, more SSW messages ( P < .001) and sun safety items ( P = .025) were observed; more frontline supervisors reported organizations provided free/reduced price sunscreen ( P = .005) and communicated about sun safety ( P < .001); and more workers recalled receiving sun safety messages ( P < .001) and sun safety training ( P <.001) compared to control organizations. Implementation was greater at larger than smaller intervention organizations for wide-brimmed hats ( P = .009), long work pants ( P = .017), and shade structures ( P = .036). Older workers received the most written messages ( P = .015).

Conclusions:

Sun Safe Workplaces appeared to produce actions by organizations to support employee sun safety. Large organizations may have processes, communication channels, and slack resources to achieve more implementation.
Human Milk Expression After Domperidone Treatment in Postpartum Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Taylor Alicia , Logan Gabrielle , Twells Laurie , Newhook Leigh Anne
Published: November 2018

Background:

Insufficient milk production is among the most cited reasons by mothers for discontinuing breastfeeding. Medications that can increase milk production, such as domperidone, an off-label galactagogue, are often prescribed. Domperidone is controversial as it is not approved for any purpose in the United States and is approved only for gastrokinetic purposes in Canada and other countries.

Research aim:

The aim was to update the existing literature on the efficacy of domperidone as a galactagogue compared to placebo when given to mothers with insufficient human milk production. The primary outcome is the change in expressed human milk volume per day from baseline.

Methods:

The authors independently searched the literature from inception to May 2018. The search included any randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of domperidone increasing mothers’ expressed human milk, measured via a human milk pump. Both authors independently assessed quality and risk of bias and extracted relevant data. Meta-analysis on expressed human milk volume per day was performed.

Results:

Seven studies met the inclusion criteria for review; two were excluded from the meta-analysis due to quality grading and insufficient reporting of the outcome of interest. Five studies ( N = 239) were combined in the meta-analysis. The effect size showed an increase in the mean difference of expressed human milk volume in mothers given domperidone, 93.97 mL per day (95% CI [71.12, 116.83 mL]; random effect, T2 0.00, I2 0%).

Conclusion:

This meta-analysis reports a significant improvement in expressed human milk volume per day with the use of domperidone in mothers experiencing insufficient human milk production.
Implication of Fast Activities of Spectral Analysis in Subjective Sleep Complaints of Elderly Women
Authors: Choi Hayun , Jeong Jahyun , Kim Heejun , Shin Chuljin , Yoon In-Young
Published: November 2018

Objective:

In elderly patients, women have better qualities of sleep than men in objective parameters; however, women subjectively complain more about sleep disturbances than men. We performed visual scoring and spectral analysis of sleep electroencephalograms to explain these gender differences in the degree of arousal, the most representative marker in insomnia.

Methods:

A total of 354 participants (≥60 years old) were recruited from a Korean community underwent nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG). A Fast Fourier transform was used for the spectral analysis of the NPSG data. Relative power was calculated as absolute power of each band divided by total absolute power. Difference in total sleep time (D_TST) is obtained by subtracting the total sleep time reported in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) from the TST measured by the NPSG.

Results:

A total of 75 participants (women, 51) were finally analyzed. Women had higher PSQI, longer sleep latencies, sleep inefficiencies, and daytime dysfunctions compared to men. The percentage of stage 1 sleep was higher in men versus in women, whereas percentage of stage 3 sleep was higher in women than in men ( P = .001; P = .001). Women had higher relative alpha and beta powers than men during nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep ( P = .017; P = .015). During NREM sleep, beta power was negatively correlated with D_TST ( R = −0.250, P = .033), and relative alpha power in stage 3 sleep was positively correlated with sleep latency in PSQI ( R = 0.267, P = .022).

Conclusion:

Spectral analysis showed that women had more disturbed sleep than men. The result from the spectral analysis may explain hyperarousal in elderly women.
Suicide Among Persons With Dementia, Georgia, 2013 to 2016
Authors: Annor Francis B. , Bayakly Rana A. , Morrison Reynolds A. , Bryan Michael J. , Gilbert Leah K. , Ivey-Stephenson Asha Z. , Holland Kristin M. , Simon Thomas R.
Published: November 2018

Introduction:

Findings from studies examining the relationship between dementia and suicide have been inconsistent. This study examined the characteristics, precipitants, and risk factors for suicide among persons with dementia.

Methods:

Data from the Georgia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia registry were linked with 2013 to 2016 data from Georgia Vital Records and Georgia Violent Death Reporting System. Descriptive statistics were calculated and logistic regression was used to examine risk factors for suicide.

Results:

Ninety-one Georgia residents with dementia who died by suicide were identified. Among decedents with known circumstances, common precipitants included depressed mood (38.7%) and physical health problems (72.6%). Suicide rate among persons with dementia was 9.3 per 100 000 person-years overall and substantially higher among those diagnosed in the past 12 months (424.5/100 000 person-years). Being male, dementia diagnosis before age 65, and a recent diagnosis of dementia independently predicted suicide, but not depression or cardiovascular diseases.

Conclusion:

Prevention strategies that identify at-risk individuals, provide support, and ensure continuity of care for persons diagnosed with dementia may help reduce suicide in this population.
Autologous Gene and Cell Therapy Provides Safe and Long-Term Curative Therapy in A Large Pig Model of Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1
Authors: Hickey Raymond D. , Nicolas Clara T. , Allen Kari , Mao Shennen , Elgilani Faysal , Glorioso Jaime , Amiot Bruce , VanLith Caitlin , Guthman Rebekah , Du Zeji , Chen Harvey , Harding Cary O. , Kaiser Robert A. , Nyberg Scott L. , Lillegard Joseph B.
Published: November 2018

Orthotopic liver transplantation remains the only curative therapy for inborn errors of metabolism. Given the tremendous success for primary immunodeficiencies using ex-vivo gene therapy with lentiviral vectors, there is great interest in developing similar curative therapies for metabolic liver diseases. We have previously generated a pig model of hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT1), an autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficiency of fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH). Using this model, we have demonstrated curative ex-vivo gene and cell therapy using a lentiviral vector to express FAH in autologous hepatocytes. To further evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of this therapeutic approach, we continued to monitor one of these pigs over the course of three years. The animal continued to thrive off the protective drug NTBC, gaining weight appropriately, and maintaining sexual fecundity for the course of his life. The animal was euthanized 31 months after transplantation to perform a thorough biochemical and histological analysis. Biochemically, liver enzymes and alpha-fetoprotein levels remained normal and abhorrent metabolites specific to HT1 remained corrected. Liver histology showed no evidence of tumorigenicity and Masson’s trichrome staining revealed minimal fibrosis and no evidence of cirrhosis. FAH-immunohistochemistry revealed complete repopulation of the liver by transplanted FAH-positive cells. A complete histopathological report on other organs, including kidney, revealed no abnormalities. This study is the first to demonstrate long-term safety and efficacy of hepatocyte-directed gene therapy in a large animal model. We conclude that hepatocyte-directed ex-vivo gene therapy is a rational choice for further exploration as an alternative therapeutic approach to whole organ transplantation for metabolic liver disease, including HT1.
Preferred Place of Death for Patients With Incurable Cancer and Their Family Caregivers in Egypt
Authors: Alsirafy Samy A. , Hammad Ahmad M. , Ibrahim Noha Y. , Farag Dina E. , Zaki Omar
Published: November 2018

Background:

Little is known about the place of death of patients with cancer in Eastern Mediterranean countries including Egypt, where palliative care is underdeveloped. Identifying the preferred place of death (PPoD) is important for the development of appropriate palliative care models in these countries.

Objectives:

To know the PPoD of Egyptian patients with incurable cancer and their family caregivers (FCGs) and to determine the factors that may impact their preferences.

Methods:

An observational cross-sectional study that included 301 dyads of patients with incurable cancer and one of their FCGs. A questionnaire was designed to collect data about the characteristics of patients and FCGs as well as their preferences.

Results:

The majority of dyads (272/301, 90.4%) answered the PPoD question. Home was the PPoD in 93% of patients and 90.1% of FCGs ( P = .218). The congruence between patients’ and FCGs’ PPoD was 92.7% (κ = 0.526). In multivariate analysis, poorer performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 3 or 4) and full employment of FCGs associated significantly with patients’ preference to die in hospital (odds ratio [OR] = 3.015 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.004-9.054], P = .049 and OR = 4.402 [95% CI: 1.561-12.417], P = .005, respectively), while poorer performance status and nonreferral to the palliative medicine unit were associated with FCGs’ preference of hospital death (OR = 2.705 [95% CI: 1.105-6.626], P = .029 and OR = 2.537 [95% CI: 1.082-5.948], P = .032, respectively).

Conclusions:

The results of the current study suggest that home is the PPoD for the vast majority of Egyptian patients with incurable cancer and their FCGs. Palliative care interventions that promote home death of patients with incurable cancer are needed in Egypt.
ER Stress, CREB, and Memory: A Tangled Emerging Link in Disease
Authors: Sen Nilkantha
Published: November 2018

The brain undergoes several changes at structural, molecular, and cellular levels leading to alteration in its functions and these processes are primarily maintained by proteostasis in cells. However, an imbalance in proteostasis due to the abnormal accumulation of protein aggregates induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. This event, in turn, activate the unfolded protein response; however, in most neurodegenerative conditions and brain injury, an uncontrolled unfolded protein response elicits memory dysfunction. Although the underlying signaling mechanism for impairment of memory function following induction of ER stress remains elusive, recent studies have highlighted that inactivation of a transcription factor, CREB, which is essential for synaptic function and memory formation, plays an essential role for ER stress–induced synaptic and memory dysfunction. In this review, current studies and most updated view on how ER stress affects memory function in both physiological and pathological conditions will be highlighted.
Fearful Conservatives, Angry Liberals: Information Processing Related to the 2016 Presidential Election and Climate Change
Authors: Yang Janet Z. , Chu Haoran , Kahlor LeeAnn
Published: November 2018

This study focuses on motivators of information processing during the 2016 U.S. presidential election cycle in relation to two specific topics—the election itself and the issue of climate change. We conducted two national surveys based on the risk information seeking and processing model (RISP) in October 2016, about a month before Election Day. Results indicate that political ideology is an important determinant of people’s motivations for information processing related to both topics. These findings attest to the utility of the RISP model in explicating information processing behaviors beyond environmental and health risk issues.
Answering the Call
Authors: Denzin Norman K.
Published: November 2018

A poetic text joins the voices of C. Wright Mills, Paulo Freire, and Augusto Boal in a critical dialogue concerning social justice, performance, and critical pedagogy.