bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of a novel gradient degradable ureteral stent in a beagle dog model
Authors: Jin Lu , Yao Lei , Zhou Yan , Dai Guangcheng , Zhang Wenfang , Xue Boxin
Published: August 2018

Ureteral stents are widely used in the department of urology, while the stent could result in many stent-associated complications, such as encrustation, a forgotten stent and patient discomfort. Thus, we developed a novel gradient degradable ureteral stent, which could degrade gradient in vivo, and assessed its effectiveness of the drainage, degradation and biocompatibility in a beagle dog model. In the present study, the degradation time and cytotoxicity were investigated in vitro. And the beagle dogs were inserted with a degradable stent or a biostable stent, and blood studies, liver function tests, renal function tests, urine studies, X-ray, excretory urograms and computerized tomography were performed at immediately, two weeks, four weeks and six weeks postoperative. The results showed that the drainage of the novel stent is similar to the conventional stent, while the biocompatibility and antibacterial ability of the novel stents are better than the conventional stents. The stents we developed provide an alternative for urologists and more assays would be performed in detail to assess the property of the stents.
Self-Reported Lifetime Violence Exposure and Self-Compassion Associated With Satisfaction of Life in Historically Black College and University Students
Authors: Blanden Gwenna , Butts Christina , Reid Mitchell , Keen Larry
Published: August 2018

In the United States, approximately 25% of minors have witnessed a violent act, specifically physical assault. African Americans from under-served backgrounds are more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to be exposed to traumatic events. However, there is scant literature examining violence exposure, SC, and life satisfaction collectively, specifically in an African American college sample. The current study sought to determine the associations among violence exposure, SC components, and life satisfaction in an African American college sample. The current sample was comprised of 356 participants (80% female) with a mean age of 20.23 (SD = 1.70). Eighty-eight participants (25%) reported being exposed to violence in their lifetime. Employing logistic regression, we determined violence exposed individuals were less likely to report high satisfaction of life than their non-exposed counterparts (OR = 0.58, 95% CIs = 0.33, 1.00). Individuals with high level of self-kindness were approximately two times more likely to have higher satisfaction of life (OR = 2.48; CI = 1.52, 4.05) compared to their low level self-kindness counterparts and in the presence of demographic covariates. These findings may educate and increase awareness of the impacts of traumatic events. This education could lead to the implementation of interventions to build upon overall well-being in order increase life satisfaction in college students.
Generating a Core Set of Outcomes for Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs
Authors: Monopoli W. John , Myers Rachel K. , Paskewich Brooke S. , Bevans Katherine B. , Fein Joel A.
Published: August 2018

Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) engage individuals who have experienced violent victimization in postmedical care programming, with the goal of reducing the incidence and impact of future injuries. Although there is some empirical support for HVIPs’ impact on violence and crime-related outcomes, proper impact assessment is limited by a lack of systematized research on outcomes that relate to the proximal goals and activities of the programs themselves. To address this critical gap, we conducted a two-stage Delphi method to elicit and prioritize these outcomes using the wisdom and experience of those who are engaged in service delivery (i.e., HVIP community-based practitioners, program coordinators, and embedded researchers; N = 79). Through this process, respondents prioritized outcomes related to posttraumatic stress symptoms, beliefs about aggression, coping strategies, and emotional regulation, which have not been consistently measured using validated or standardized tools. Results suggest that, rather than limiting program outcomes to those related to repeat violent injury or criminality, hospital- and community-based violence prevention programs seek to improve and measure mental health and socioemotional outcomes as a benchmark for healing and recovery after a violent injury. Prioritization of these outcomes broadens the definition of recovery to include psychosocial health and well-being. In addition, inclusion of these outcomes in effectiveness studies will serve to bolster the relevance of findings, and provide support for continued development and refinement of HVIP practice.
Perceived Synergistic Risk for Lung Cancer After Environmental Report-Back Study on Home Exposure to Tobacco Smoke and Radon
Authors: Butler Karen M. , Huntington-Moskos Luz , Rayens Mary Kay , Wiggins Amanda T. , Hahn Ellen J.
Published: August 2018

Purpose:

To examine the short-term impact of a personalized environmental report-back intervention to reduce home exposure to tobacco smoke and radon on perception of synergistic risk for lung cancer. Radon-induced lung cancer is more common among those exposed to tobacco smoke.

Design:

Randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Primary care clinics and a pharmacy waiting area at a University Medical Center in the Southeastern United States and community events.

Participants:

Five hundred sixty adult homeowners and renters (3-month follow-up, n = 334).

Intervention:

Personalized environmental report back.

Measures:

Single-item synergistic risk perception measure using 5-point Likert-type scale.

Analysis:

Change in synergistic risk from baseline to 3 months was evaluated using a generalized estimating equation model containing main effects of treatment group and time. Covariates in the model included age, gender, education, and home smoking status.

Results:

For treatment and control groups combined, there was a significant increase in perception of synergistic risk from baseline to 3 months, but the study groups did not differ. There was no association between perceived synergistic risk and whether or not there were smokers at home.

Conclusion:

Learning about combined risks for lung cancer, with or without dual home screening for secondhand smoke and radon and environmental report-back, may enhance perceived risk for combined environmental exposures. Evaluation of perceived synergistic risk with a single item is a study limitation.
Answering Mobile Surveys With Images: An Exploration Using a Computer Vision API
Authors: Bosch Oriol J. , Revilla Melanie , Paura Ezequiel
Published: August 2018

Most mobile devices nowadays have a camera. Besides, posting and sharing images have been found as one of the most frequent and engaging Internet activities. However, to our knowledge, no research has explored the feasibility of asking respondents of online surveys to upload images to answer survey questions. The main goal of this article is to investigate the viability of asking respondents of an online opt-in panel to upload during a mobile web survey: First, a photo taken in the moment, and second, an image already saved on their smartphone. In addition, we want to test to what extent the Google Vision application programming interface (API), which can label images into categories, produces similar tags than a human coder. Overall, results from a survey conducted among millennials in Spain and Mexico ( N = 1,614) show that more than half of the respondents uploaded an image. Of those, 77.3% and 83.4%, respectively, complied with what the question asked. Moreover, respectively, 52.4% and 65.0% of the images were similarly codified by the Google Vision API and the human coder. In addition, the API codified 1,818 images in less than 5 min, whereas the human coder spent nearly 35 hours to complete the same task.
Career Counseling Interventions for Video Game Players
Authors: Rochat Shékina , Armengol Jérôme
Published: August 2018

Video games are becoming ubiquitous in Western societies. However, this virtual leisure has received little attention from researchers in career counseling, leaving career counselors relatively unprepared to work with video game players. In this article, we propose three types of interventions to capitalize on the benefits of playing video games to foster the career counseling process. The first intervention aims to identify and transfer the skills that video game players develop through their leisure activity. The second intervention highlights how video game players’ narrative may reveal vocational personality types. The third intervention proposes to turn career counseling tasks into a game to increase motivation to achieve it. The strengths and limitations of these interventions are underlined, as well as the potential of career counseling sessions to help remedy problematic video game play.
An extended framework for knowledge modelling and reuse in reverse engineering projects
Authors: Durupt Alexandre , Bricogne Matthieu , Remy Sébastien , Troussier Nadège , Rowson Harvey , Belkadi Farouk
Published: August 2018

Reverse engineering is when a real part is analysed in detail in order to create a numerical or virtual model. Reverse engineering allows for multiple redesign possibilities, including changes in the material, the shape and the parameters of the part. Reverse engineering is mostly a manual activity for companies and is thus time consuming. Indeed, measurements must be done in scanned files in order to fit sketches on a mesh and to finally rebuild the computer-aided design/bill of material. This manual process is acceptable when reverse engineering is exceptional. But it is considered as a non-value task when reverse engineering is routine. This non-value task could be automated, at least partially. To make it possible, a capitalization of the company’s part catalogue is a necessary step to proceed. The use of this capitalization can then drive the reverse engineering tasks to enable faster redesign possibilities. The aim of this contribution is thus to propose a knowledge model to support reverse engineering activities in order to integrate the reversed parts quickly into the new product’s detailed design. An extended knowledge framework based on the core product model is proposed, and a use case is shown to validate the feasibility of the proposal of the reverse engineering methodology called PHENIX.
Thermal effects on the tensile forces of rods in rod-fastened rotor of heavy-duty gas turbine
Authors: Zhuo M , Yang LH , Xia K , Yu L
Published: August 2018

Circumferential tie-rods fastened rotor is a common structure widely used in gas turbine. The preloads of rod groups are of great importance to ensure the strength, stiffness, and stability of the rotor in gas turbine. The tensile force of rods obtained through preload may change due to inconsistent axial thermal expansions between rods and discs during transient startup and shutdown processes, and the change should be within the safety margin. Based on the finite element method, thermal-structural analyses of a gas turbine are carried out to quantify the effect of temperature field on tensile force of rods under multiple operating conditions including steady state, shutdown process, turning gear operation, startup, and standstill. Results show that the maximum increase of the tensile force of rods reaches about 33% and 25% for the compressor and turbine shafts during startup. The tensile force of rod-groups presents nonuniform distribution with sine wave shapes during the standstill condition, and the unevenness is highly relative to the time on turning gear. The quantitative results provide a theoretical reference for the preload design of rods in gas turbine.
Effect of double splitter blades position in a centrifugal compressor impeller
Authors: Malik Adil , Zheng Qun
Published: August 2018

This paper reveals a novel design of centrifugal compressor impeller with multisplitter blades for performance improvement. In order to investigate the effects of the location of the splitter between two main blades, two sample impellers were designed, keeping all flow conditions and impeller definitions same as the experimentally validated impeller: (1) with big splitter close to suction surface of main blade and smaller splitter close to pressure surface; (2) with small splitter close to suction surface of main blade and big splitter close to pressure surface. Flow field in both the impellers is analyzed and compared with the original experimentally validated impeller. Total pressure ratio is increased with improved efficiency in multisplitter blade impellers with the addition of pair of big and small splitters blades. It was identified that small splitter close to the suction surface of the main blade and big splitter close to the pressure surface has more uniform flow, reduced separation, and better efficiency than the placement of big splitter close to the suction surface.
Living single: A phenomenological study of a group of South African single women
Authors: Lesch Elmien , van der Watt Alberta SJ
Published: August 2018

Worldwide, societies continue to privilege the ideology of couplehood to the detriment of other relationship states, like singlehood, that are steadily increasing in number. Furthermore, according to developmental psychology theory, the formation of a committed romantic relationship is viewed as an important psychosocial developmental task in adulthood. It is therefore not surprising that women’s experience of being single has generally been neglected by psychological theory and research. Situated in a feminist-phenomenological perspective, this study explored the experiences of tertiary-educated, child-free, never-married, White, South African women between the ages of 30 and 40. Giorgi’s descriptive-phenomenological method was used to analyse the individual interview data. In this article, we discuss four of the prominent themes that best reflect the collective views and multi-faceted experiences of the participants: singlehood brings both freedom and loneliness; career as both fulfilment and singlehood coping mechanism; committed partners as sources of both restriction and connection; and hoping for a committed relationship. We highlight how the notion of a committed sexual relationship as the ultimate relationship that provides effortless connectedness and companionship underpins all of these themes. We argue that alternative discourses and mechanisms of connection that accommodate people who live as single adults, should be fostered.
The current role for clinical and renal histological findings as predictor for outcome in Australian patients with lupus nephritis
Authors: Nossent J , Raymond W , Kang A , Wong D , Ognjenovic M , Chakera A
Published: August 2018

Objectives

To investigate the current demographic, clinical and histological characteristics of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) in Western Australia (WA) with regards to their predictive value for patient and renal outcome.

Methods

Retrospective study of adult systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with a first renal biopsy demonstrating LN between 1997 and 2017 at a metropolitan tertiary hospital in WA. Clinical data were collected at baseline and last follow-up with renal biopsy findings classified by International Society of Nephrology (ISN) criteria. Annual incidence rates (AIRs)/100,000, Kaplan–Meyer curves and Cox regression hazard ratio for independent predictors for patient and renal survival were applied.

Results

The AIR was 3.3, 3.1 and 0.4 for Asian ( n = 29), Indigenous Australian (IA) ( n = 11) and Caucasian ( n = 43) patients, respectively ( p < 0.01). There was no significant subgroup difference regarding ISN class (proliferative 66%, membranous 19%, mesangial 15%), levels of proteinuria (median PCR 300 mg/mmol) or frequency of raised creatinine (31%), anti-dsDNA antibody (89%) or hypocomplementaemia (88%). Treatment included corticosteroids (91%), cyclophosphamide (30%), mycophenolate (67%) and antihypertensive drugs (67%). Five- (81%) and 10-year (70%) survival was lower for IAs than for Caucasians and Asians (95% each at both time points) ( p = 0.016). Five- and 10-year renal survival (endpoint renal replacement therapy (RRT)) was 86% and 64% for IA vs 100% for Asian, 100% and 96% for Caucasian patients ( p = 0.02). IA background was the only independent predictor for poor patient survival and together with male gender also for renal survival. Only 25% of all patients remained free of any organ damage with non-renal damage observed in 53% of survivors.

Conclusions

LN incidence in WA was 0.75/100,000 with the lowest rate observed in Caucasians. While Asian patients have the same favourable outlook as Caucasians, the outcome is much bleaker for IA patients. Other clinical and histological findings did not predict outcomes, and importantly more than half of all surviving patients accrued non-renal damage.
Mr Ponzi with Fraud Scheme Is Knocking: Investors Who May Open
Authors: Amoah Benjamin
Published: August 2018

Investors’ confidence is often abused by individuals who take advantage of investors on the financial market through fraudulent investment schemes. This article analyses factors that expose investors to Ponzi schemes. This study adopts a logistic regression model to assess the chances of investors falling prey to fraudulent investment schemes. This relationship is hypothesized as a function of affinity and trust, risk appetite, investment knowledge, understanding of Ponzi scheme, awareness of failed investment company, and demographic factors. The article reveals that affinity and trust, investment knowledge, awareness of investment company failure, understanding of Ponzi and educational level significantly affect the chances of an investor being victim or a non-victim of a Ponzi scheme. Demographic factors exhibit the expected relationship although not significant. The investment market can in no way be free of Ponzi schemes. Regulators of financial markets would have to intensify education of investors on how to identify and avoid Ponzi schemes. By analysing investors’ Ponzi victimization factors, this article adds to our empirical understanding of the factors that tend to put investors at risk of falling prey to Ponzi schemes.
Examining the Relationship Between Media Consumption, Fear of Crime, and Support for Controversial Criminal Justice Policies Using a Nationally Representative Sample
Authors: Dolliver Matthew J. , Kenney Jennifer L. , Reid Lesley Williams , Prohaska Ariane
Published: August 2018

According to cultivation theory, higher levels of crime-based media consumption result in an increased fear of crime. This study extends cultivation theory’s basic assertion by (a) creating a robust measure of media consumption based on three different factors and 38 original questions, (b) examining the direct and indirect effects of media consumption and fear of crime on support of criminal justice policies, and (c) using a nationwide sample. Using a sample of 1,311 participants, a combination of principal components analysis and structural equation modeling was used to examine these relationships. The results support the usefulness of a four-factor measure of media consumption in relationship to fear of crime. Results also reveal that fear of crime amplifies the effect of media consumption in creating support for three-strikes, death penalty, stand your ground, and open carry laws.
Classroom Management Through Lesson Design: Considering Some Often-Overlooked Variables to Prevent Issues Before They Start
Authors: Robison Tiger
Published: August 2018

Classroom management skills and related issues are usually top concerns of preservice and new in-service music educators. This column, the first in a series about classroom management issues, is about designing lessons to avoid common behavior issues. There are many more variables to consider besides curriculum when designing a lesson, such as the students’ experiences directly prior to music class, the culture set by the classroom teacher, and dozens of others. This column contains a detailed examination with applicable strategies concerning two such variables: time of day of the lesson and students’ physiological needs.
Biobanks and the Moral Concerns of Donors: A Democratic Deliberation
Authors: De Vries Raymond G. , Ryan Kerry A. , Gordon Linda , Krenz Chris D. , Tomlinson Tom , Jewell Scott , Kim Scott Y. H.
Published: August 2018

Do members of the public believe that biobanks should accommodate the moral concerns of donors about the types of research done with their biospecimens? The answer to this question is critical to the future of genomic and precision medicine, endeavors that rely on a public willing to share their biospecimens and medical data. To explore public attitudes regarding the requirements of consent for biobank donations, we organized three democratic deliberations involving 180 participants. The deliberative sessions involved small group discussions informed by presentations given by experts in both biobank research and ethics. We found that participants had a sophisticated understanding of the ethical problems of biobank consent and the complexity of balancing donor concerns while promoting research important to the future of health care. Our research shows how deliberative methods can offer policy makers creative ideas for accommodating the moral concerns of donors in the biobank consent process.
The Very Efficient Assessment of Need for Cognition: Developing a Six-Item Version
Authors: Lins de Holanda Coelho Gabriel , H. P. Hanel Paul , J. Wolf Lukas
Published: August 2018

The need for cognition refers to people’s tendency to engage in and enjoy thinking and has become influential across social and medical sciences. Using three samples from the United States and the United Kingdom ( N = 1,596), we introduce a six-item short version of the Need for Cognition Scale (NCS-18). First, we reduced the number of items from 18 to 6 based on the items’ discrimination values, threshold levels, measurement precision (item information curve), item–total correlations, and factor loadings. Second, we confirmed the one-factor structure and established measurement invariance across countries and gender. Finally, we demonstrated that while the NCS-6 provides significant time savings, it comes at a minimal cost in terms of its construct validity with external variables such as openness, cognitive reflection test, and need for affect. Overall, our findings indicate that the NCS-6 is a parsimonious, reliable, and valid measure of need for cognition.
Communication Ecologies: Analyzing Adoption of False Beliefs in an Information-Rich Environment
Authors: Walter Nathan , Ball-Rokeach Sandra J. , Xu Yu , Broad Garrett M.
Published: August 2018

The continued fragmentation of information and the proliferation of communication resources necessitate a shift toward perspectives that situate communication practices in a multilevel ecosystem. The current article offers a method to map and analyze communication ecologies—defined as the networks of communication connections that individuals depend on in order to construct knowledge and achieve goals—as social networks. To demonstrate the potential of communication ecologies as an analytical tool in science communication, we report on the results of a feasibility study ( N = 654) in the context of climate science and vaccine safety. The article discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the communication ecology approach.
Narrative Inquiry and New Materialism: Stories as (Not Necessarily Benign) Agents
Authors: Rosiek Jerry Lee , Snyder Jimmy
Published: August 2018

Agential realism—the idea that it makes sense to view the world as being composed of various forms of protean nonhuman agency—has been a topic of discussion for many social science scholars in recent years. This increase of interest in agent ontologies can be attributed to the new feminist materialist movement in the philosophy of science literature. However, agent ontologies also are found in Indigenous studies literature and in Peircean pragmatism. These latter sources are also a part of the current methodological conversation about nonhuman agency. This article explores the connections between agential realist philosophy and social science research that employs narrative forms of analysis and representation. The goal is to assist narrative researchers in avoiding oversimplification by tracing out different strands in these literatures and mapping out points of connection and disconnection in detail. Intersections that hold the promise of complementary development are highlighted.
Sarcoma Subgrouping by Detection of Fusion Transcripts Using NanoString nCounter Technology
Authors: Sheth Javal , Arnoldo Anthony , Zhong Yunan , Marrano Paula , Pereira Carlos , Ryall Scott , Thorner Paul , Hawkins Cynthia , Somers Gino R
Published: August 2018

Background

NanoString technology is an innovative barcode-based system that requires less tissue than traditional techniques and can test for multiple fusion transcripts in a single reaction. The objective of this study was to determine the utility of NanoString technology in the detection of sarcoma-specific fusion transcripts in pediatric sarcomas.

Design

Probe pairs for the most common pediatric sarcoma fusion transcripts were designed for the assay. The NanoString assay was used to test 22 specific fusion transcripts in 45 sarcoma samples that had exhibited one of these fusion genes previously by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A mixture of frozen (n = 18), formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue (n = 23), and rapid extract template (n = 4) were used for testing.

Results

Each of the 22 transcripts tested was detected in at least one of the 45 tumor samples. The results of the NanoString assay were 100% concordant with the previous RT-PCR results for the tumor samples, and the technique was successful using both FFPE and rapid extract method.

Conclusion

Multiplexed interrogation for sarcoma-specific fusion transcripts using NanoString technology is a reliable approach for molecular diagnosis of pediatric sarcomas and works well with FFPE tissues. Future work will involve validating additional sarcoma fusion transcripts as well as determining the optimal workflow for diagnostic purposes.
Strain parameters at hot rolling of aluminum strips reinforced with steel netting
Authors: Stolbchenko M , Makeieva H , Grydin O , Frolov Ya , Schaper M
Published: August 2018

This experiment studied the strain parameters of rolling an aluminum matrix when wire netting is inserted between aluminum layers. During the experiment, two types of stainless steel fabric netting oriented parallel and diagonal to the rolling axis were placed between two aluminum strips and rolled. Multiple rolling processes were performed in which the temperature and pressure on the material were varied to produce bonding of matrix layers. During the study, the following main investigations were made: strain on areas of longitudinal and transverse cross sections of the composite was measured; stretching and ovalization of net wiring and changes in the net cell angles were determined; mechanical properties of composites along the rolling direction were tested. The main contradiction resulting from this experiment was as follows: the contact pressure required for the bonding of aluminum layers produces extreme tensile strain on the inserted net wires, reducing the mechanical properties of the reinforcing net and thus reducing properties of the entire composite. Optimal results in the longitudinal tension tests were achieved by using strips with diagonally oriented net-reinforcement.
Making the future together: Shaping autism research through meaningful participation
Authors: Fletcher-Watson Sue , Adams Jon , Brook Kabie , Charman Tony , Crane Laura , Cusack James , Leekam Susan , Milton Damian , Parr Jeremy R , Pellicano Elizabeth
Published: August 2018

Participatory research methods connect researchers with relevant communities to achieve shared goals. These methods can deliver results that are relevant to people’s lives and thus likely to have a positive impact. In the context of a large and growing body of autism research, with continued poor implementation, and some evidence of community dissatisfaction, there is a powerful case for participatory autism research. In order to develop a framework for such collaborative working, a UK seminar series was organised and co-produced by autistic and non-autistic people with academic, practitioner and lived expertise. This article reports on the outcomes from the series, identifying five topics relevant to building a community of practice in participatory research: Respect, Authenticity, Assumptions, Infrastructure and Empathy. Each topic is connected to a specific example from within and beyond research, to inspire new practices in the field. We call for the development of participatory research skills among the autism research community and the facilitation of greater autistic leadership of, and partnership in, research. Such work, if delivered to a high standard, is likely to lead to better translation into practice and improved outcomes for autistic people and those who support them.
Influence of ambient temperature on diesel engine raw pollutants and fuel consumption in different driving cycles
Authors: Luján José Manuel , Climent Héctor , Ruiz Santiago , Moratal Ausias
Published: August 2018

The effect of low ambient temperature on diesel raw pollutant emissions is analysed in two different driving cycles: NEDC and WLTC. The study is focused on hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and fuel consumption. Tests are conducted at cold start in a HSDI light-duty diesel engine with two levels of ambient temperature: 20 °C and −7 °C. Results showed a general detriment of pollutant emissions and break thermal efficiency at low ambient temperatures. NOx is increased around 250% in both cycles when running at low temperatures. Effect on hydrocarbons is more noticeable in the NEDC, where it rises in 270%, compared with the 150% of increase in the WLTC. In the case of carbon monoxide, uncorrelated tendencies are observed between both driving cycles. Concerning the NEDC, carbon monoxide emissions increase up to 125%, while at the WLTC, they are reduced up to 20%. Finally, from the point of view of the thermal efficiency, a reduction of nearly 10% in the NEDC is observed. However, no fuel penalty is spotted regarding the WLTC.
Digital Surveillance/Militant Resistance: Categorizing the “Proto-state Hacker”
Authors: Skare Erik
Published: August 2018

Rapid developments in digital infrastructure have made all-encompassing surveillance all too possible. However, the same infrastructure has simultaneously enabled the use of new possibility spaces that react to, shape, and resist these structures of control and surveillance. The Israel/Palestine conflict is no different, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has created an electronic unit with hackers to circumvent and resist the Israeli matrix of control and its surveillance. I argue that out of this dialectical relationship in Palestine, between new possibility spaces of resistance and structures of control, new phenomena arise in the gray area between the nation state hacker and the hacktivist as PIJ emulates the features of a modern state army. To understand the nature of its electronic unit, one must take this dialectic into account by introducing the category, “proto-state hacker.”
Integrating Treatments for HD and PTSD: A Clinical Report
Authors: Conley Sara , Faleer Hannah , Wu Kevin
Published: August 2018

This report details the course of psychotherapy methods and outcomes for a 57-year-old White man who sought services for hoarding disorder (HD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Over 14 months, he completed 54 treatment sessions that spanned two distinct treatment approaches. Given his presentation and the conceptualized relations among his symptoms, therapy was sequenced to address PTSD symptoms prior to undergoing cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for HD. The implications of this decision were key to his treatment progress and outcome, and they are reviewed in detail. Together, treatment consisted of psycho-education, cognitive restructuring, and a combination of in-clinic and home-based exposures. Results were positive, with the client experiencing a decrease in self-reported HD and PTSD symptoms, reduction in home clutter and decreased distress related to discarding, and increased feelings of self-efficacy. In light of limited data addressing treatment for individuals with HD who have a salient trauma history, the major aim of this report is to detail how each step of the client’s treatment was approached, what factors and data were considered for reaching specific decision points, and how the sequencing of treatment is believed to have contributed to the positive outcome achieved.
The inadequacy of the reductionist approach in discovering new therapeutic agents against complex diseases
Authors: Duval Manuel X
Published: August 2018

For more than 20 years, drug discovery has relied on two assumptions, i.e. (i) a therapeutic response can be triggered by modulating the activity of a single gene product, and (ii) a compound uncovered by its activity on a recombinant protein in vitro can perform its activity in vivo. Drug discovery operates accordingly by using the concepts of targets and pipelines. The target, such as a gene product, is the intended point of therapeutic intervention, and compounds that modulate its activity in vitro follow a series of downstream developments. This reductionist approach has developed due to advances in combinatorial chemistry, robotics, molecular biology, and genomics. The expectation of this approach is that the frequency of drug discovery will dramatically increase, while its associated cost would decrease. However, the frequency of new drug discovery has decreased, while the associated costs have surged. We performed a retrospective study that examined how successful development programs have led to marketed drugs for all indications except anti-infective and anti-neoplastic agents. We concluded that the target and pipeline paradigms are limited and are actually causing the drug development industry to collectively fail to meet the critical medical needs.

Impact statement

The initial scope of this investigation was to build the set of human genes that are presumed to be the therapeutic intervention points of US FDA-approved drugs, in all therapeutics areas but oncology. The prerequisite for this study was the establishment of the non-redundant set of all active pharmaceutical ingredients for these disease areas. Pertaining to complex diseases, the main observation was that there is not a single instance in the history of drug discovery, where a compound, initially selected by means of a biochemical assay, achieved a significant therapeutic response. The whole field of Drug R&D faces an unacceptable lack of new treatments to address unmet medical needs. The conclusion is that complex biological assays have to be designed for the primary selection of candidate therapeutics.
CEO Power and Top Management Team Tenure Diversity: Implications for Firm Performance
Authors: Tanikawa Tomohiko , Jung Yuhee
Published: August 2018

Using agency theory, we explore how the CEO (as principal) and the top management team (TMT) members (as agents) interactively influence the performance of a firm. By adding performance feedback theory into agency relations, we investigate whether the interactive effect of CEO–TMT relations on firm performance differs when past firm performance is either poor or strong. Using a sample of 115 Japanese firms, our results show that the interactive effect of CEO power and TMT tenure diversity on firm performance is positive in a situation of poor past firm performance. However, in a situation of strong past firm performance, the opposite result is found. These findings imply that CEO power might play a significant role in enhancing the effectiveness of TMT diversity on firm performance when past firm performance is poor.
Moving Beyond Churn: Barriers and Constraints to Playing a Social Network Game
Authors: Bergstrom Kelly
Published: August 2018

Social network games (SNGs) are genre of casual games that require being logged into a social networking site (e.g., Facebook) to access the gameworld. To date, investigations of these games are typically focused on the rate of attrition or “churn,” reinforcing the idea that SNG players exist to make the developer money rather than participating in a game they derive pleasure from. Seeking to recenter the player in research about SNGs, this article reports on a survey of former players ( N = 147) who were queried about their reason(s) for no longer participating in YoWorld, a Facebook-based SNG. Findings indicate that players typically quit because of external constraints to their leisure time rather than no longer interested in the game, which are not barriers to play that can be overcome by personalized in-game incentives, the typical developer response to prevent churn from taking place.
Academic and Scientific Authorship Practices: A Survey Among South African Researchers
Authors: Breet Elsie , Botha Jan , Horn Lyn , Swartz Leslie
Published: August 2018

Empirical studies of authorship practices in high-income countries have been conducted, while research on this issue is scarce in low- and middle-income countries. A survey was conducted among South African researchers who have published in peer-reviewed journals, to explore their understanding of and ability to apply academic authorship criteria. A total of 967 researchers participated in the survey; 88% of respondents had knowledge of academic authorship criteria, while only 52% found it easy to apply the criteria. More respondents experienced disagreement regarding who qualifies for coauthorship compared with authorship order (59% vs. 48%). Disagreement was mostly linked to different ways of valuing or measuring contributions. Level of agreement with academic authorship criteria was higher than the perceived ability to apply the criteria.
Dose-Dependent Antifibrotic Effect of Chrysin on Regression of Liver Fibrosis: The Role in Extracellular Matrix Remodeling
Authors: Balta Cornel , Ciceu Alina , Herman Hildegard , Rosu Marcel , Boldura Oana Maria , Hermenean Anca
Published: August 2018

Liver fibrosis represents an overaccumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). This study was designed to investigate the effect of chrysin on established ECM overproduction in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) mouse liver fibrosis. Experimental fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 2 mL/kg CCl4 twice a week, for 7 weeks. Mice were orally treated with 3 doses of chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone). For the assessment of the spontaneous reversion of fibrosis, CCl4-treated mice were investigated after 2 weeks of recovery time. Silymarin was used as a standard of liver protection. In fibrotic livers, the results showed the upregulation of collagen I (Col I) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and modulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which led to an altered ECM enriched in Col, confirmed as well by electron microscopy investigations. Treatment with chrysin significantly reduced ultrastructural changes, downregulated Col I, and restored TIMP-1/MMP balance, whereas in the group observed for the spontaneous regression of fibrosis, they remained in the same pattern with fibrotic livers. In this study, we have shown chrysin efficacy to attenuate dose-dependent CCl4-stimulated liver ECM accumulation by regulation of MMP/TIMP imbalance and inhibition of Col production. We have shown the dose-dependent chrysin efficiency in attenuation of CCl4-induced liver ECM accumulation by regulation of MMP/TIMP imbalance and inhibition of Col production. Our findings suggest that chrysin oral administration may introduce a new strategy for treating liver fibrosis in humans.
Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Amiri Fatemeh Nasiri , Faramarzi Mahbobeh , Bakhtiari Afsaneh , Omidvar Shabnam
Published: August 2018

Background: The underlying causes of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are important because they are effective for the diagnosis and prevention of this condition. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for GDM and the possible etiological agents. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted with 100 women with GDM and 100 healthy pregnant women at a tertiary care hospital, affiliated to Babol University. GDM was identified by impaired oral glucose tolerance test based on the Carpenter and Coustan criteria. Healthy women were randomly selected from the prenatal health care clinic of the same center and were matched to gestational age of 24 to 28 weeks. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis via the SPSS software. Results: After adjusting variables, multivariate analysis identified 4 significant risk factors of GDM, including prepregnancy low physical activity (odds ratio [OR] = 2.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]= 0.97-8.34), advanced maternal age (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.13-1.35), body mass index ⩾ 30 kg/m2 (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.02-1.20), and family history of diabetes mellitus (OR = 5.62, 95% CI = 2.26-13.96). Conclusion: We observed significant associations between low prepregnancy physical activity and obesity with GDM risk. Thus the finding of this study can help devise strategies for the prevention of GDM.
Value of Percent Free Prostate-Specific Antigen for the Prediction of Pathological Stage in Men with Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer
Authors: Morote J. , Trilla E. , Esquena S. , Serrallach F. , Abascal J.M. , Id H'Mammed Y. , De Torres I.M.
Published: August 2018

Purpose

To analyze if the percentage of free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can provide additional information to the combination of local clinical stage, serum PSA and Gleason score in the prediction of final stage and pathological features of prostate cancer.

Materials and Methods

A group of 480 men with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent lymphadenectomy and radical prostatectomy. Total and free PSA were measured in preoperative serum. Clinical stage was T1 in 70.4% of patients and T2 in 29.6%. The biopsy Gleason score ranged between 2 and 4 in 5.6%, between 5 and 7 in 78.4%, and was higher than 7 in 16%. Total serum PSA was below 4.1 ng/mL in 4.3%, between 4.1 and 10 ng/mL in 66.4%, between 10.1 and 20 ng/mL in 22.5%, and higher than 20 in 6.7% of patients. The tumor was organ-confined in 49.8% and specimen-confined in 64.2%, and its pathological features were favorable in 35%.

Results

Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that percent free PSA has independent predictive value for pathological stage only in the subset of patients with cT1 tumors and serum PSA between 4.1 and 10 ng/mL. In this group the probability of organ-confined cancer was 68.3% if the percent free PSA was above 15 and 56.3% if it was lower (p<0.001). The probability of specimen-confined disease was 86.6% and 71.3%, respectively (p<0.007), and the probability of favorable pathology was 59.8% and 39.6%, respectively (p<0.002). We also found higher rates of organ- and specimen-confined tumors and favorable pathology for every Gleason score when the percent free PSA was higher than 15.

Conclusions

Percent free PSA seems to provide additional information to the combination of clinical stage and Gleason score for the prediction of pathological features only in patients with clinical stage T1c and serum PSA between 4.1 and 10 ng/mL.
Alterations of microRNAs and their predicted targeting mRNAs expression in RAW264.7 macrophages infected with Omp25 mutant Brucella melitensis
Authors: Zhu Huapei , Jiao Hanwei , Nie Xin , Li Baobao , Xu Kailian , Pang Feng , Cao Ruiyong , Zhu Shu , Yang Xiaojian , Zhang Zhenxing , Peng Dongmei , Li Yaying , Li Guohua , Huang Haifeng , Chen Chuangfu , Du Li , Wang Fengyang
Published: August 2018

Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Brucella species and represents a serious threat to both human and animal health. Omp25 is an important immunogenic and protective antigen in Brucella species; however, the functional mechanism of Omp25 in macrophages has not yet been elucidated. Here, we constructed a Brucella melitensis omp25 deletion mutant (M5-90-Δ omp25) and performed microRNA (miRNA) profiling of infected RAW264.7 cells. Eight differentially expressed miRNAs ( mmu-miR-146a-5p, mmu-miR-155-5p, mmu-miR-3473a, mmu-miR-149-3p, mmu-miR-671-5p, mmu-miR-1224-5p, mmu-miR-1895, and mmu-miR-5126) were identified, with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis confirming the up-regulation of mmu-miR-146-a-5p and mmu-miR-155-5p and down-regulation of mmu-miR-149-3p and mmu-miR-5126. mRNA profiling of B. melitensis M5-90-Δo mp25-infected RAW264.7 cells identified 967 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (fold change ≥ 2). Among these, we focused on genes that were predicted by TargetScan, miRanda, and PicTar to be the potential targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs. The results suggested that 17 separate genes are potentially targeted by mmu-miR-149-3p, with one of these genes, Tbr1, also targeted by mmu-miR-5126. qRT-PCR analysis confirmed the up-regulation of nine of the predicted target genes. Our findings provide important information about the functional molecules in host cells, including miRNA and their target genes, affected by Omp25 from Brucella. This information is particularly valuable for the prophylaxis and treatment of brucellosis.
Schadenfreude and Gluckschmerz Are Emotional Signals of (Im)Balance
Authors: van de Ven Niels
Published: August 2018

Smith and van Dijk (2018) explore the relationship between the emotions schadenfreude and gluckschmerz, and why people experience these emotions. Their perspective is valuable and adds to a better understanding of how people respond to the fortunes of others. In this manuscript I try to further these ideas by arguing that schadenfreude and gluckschmerz are best seen as signals that indicate that a balance in how we would want the world to be is restored (for schadenfreude) or violated (for gluckschmerz).
Post-traumatic elbow stiffness: Pathogenesis and current treatments
Authors: Zhang Dafang , Nazarian Ara , Rodriguez Edward K
Published: August 2018

Post-traumatic elbow stiffness is a major cause of functional impairment after elbow trauma. A stiff elbow limits patients’ ability to position their hand in space for optimal use of their upper extremities, and as such, is a frequent indication for reoperation. This article reviews current concepts on the pathogenesis of post-traumatic elbow stiffness. Current nonoperative treatment options include therapy, bracing, and manipulation under anesthesia, while operative treatment options include arthroscopic and open arthrolysis. The pros and cons of various treatment options are discussed, with a focus on the evidence supporting their use, the expected functional gains, and associated complications. Future directions in post-traumatic elbow stiffness are highlighted.