bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Couples in Need of Home Care Services: Experiences With Support From Care Professionals
Authors: Norell Pejner Margaretha , Brobeck Elisabeth
Published: January 2018

Many older people desire to remain in their homes and be cared for by a family member, but this arrangement requires support from care professionals. The aim was to describe how couples in need of home care services experienced the received support from care professionals. A qualitative design with content analysis was used. Data were collected through diaries and focus groups consisting of eight couples between 65 and 80 years, and two registered nurses. The main findings are described by the following categories: Organizational adapted, Withholding, Being in a gap, resulting in the theme Lack of professional support. Couples experienced shortcomings that were related to the organization, the care professionals, and the couples themselves. The theme Lack of professional support requires more knowledge.
Safety and efficacy of ADS-5102 (amantadine) extended release capsules to improve walking in multiple sclerosis: A randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey A , Hunter Samuel F , Brown Theodore R , Gudesblatt Mark , Thrower Ben W , Llorens Lily , Souza-Prien Cindy J , Ruby April E , Chernoff David N , Patni Rajiv
Published: January 2018

Background:

Walking impairment causes disability and reduced quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective:

Characterize the safety and efficacy of ADS-5102 (amantadine) extended release capsules, 274 mg administered once daily at bedtime in patients with MS with walking impairment.

Methods:

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-week study was conducted at 14 trial sites in the United States. Study objectives included safety and tolerability of ADS-5102, and efficacy assessments (Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), Timed Up and Go (TUG), 2-Minute Walk Test, and Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12). Fatigue, depression, and cognition also were assessed.

Results:

A total of 60 patients were randomized (30 to ADS-5102 and 30 to placebo); 59 of whom were treated. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were dry mouth, constipation, and insomnia. Five ADS-5102 patients and no placebo patients discontinued treatment due to AEs. One patient in the ADS-5102 group experienced a serious AE—suspected serotonin syndrome. A 16.6% placebo-adjusted improvement was seen in the T25FW test ( p < 0.05). A 10% placebo-adjusted improvement in TUG was also observed. No changes in fatigue, depression, or cognition were observed.

Conclusion:

ADS-5102 was generally well tolerated. These data demonstrate an effect of ADS-5102 on walking speed. Further studies are warranted to confirm these observations.
Vibration response of cable for submerged floating tunnel under simultaneous hydrodynamic force and earthquake excitations
Authors: Wu Zhiwen , Ni Pengpeng , Mei Guoxiong
Published: January 2018

A simplified analysis model of cable for submerged floating tunnel subjected to simultaneous hydrodynamic force and earthquake-excited vibrations in an ocean environment is proposed in this study. The equation of motion of the cable is obtained by a mathematical method utilizing the Euler beam theory and the Galerkin method. The hydrodynamic force induced by earthquake excitations is formulated to simulate real seaquake conditions. Random earthquake records are generated in the time domain by the stochastic-phase spectrum method. The cable for submerged floating tunnel is then subjected to combined hydrodynamic force and earthquake excitations. A sensitivity study is performed to assess the influence of key parameters, including hydrodynamic, earthquake, and structural parameters, on the dynamic response of the cable. It has been observed that the ratio of parametric frequency to natural frequency, the direction and magnitude of earthquake excitation, the initial tension in the cable, and the damping ratio all have significant influences on the hydrodynamic and seismic response of the cable. Therefore, these effects must be considered rigorously during the design of anchor systems for submerged floating tunnel.
Plasma renin activity in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction on optimal medical therapy
Authors: Nijst Petra , Verbrugge Frederik H , Martens Pieter , Bertrand Philippe B , Dupont Matthias , Francis Gary S , Tang WH Wilson , Mullens Wilfried
Published: January 2018

Background:

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activation in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF) is detrimental through promotion of ventricular remodeling and salt and water retention.

Aims:

The aims of this article are to describe RAAS activity in distinct HFREF populations and to assess its prognostic impact.

Methods:

Venous blood samples were prospectively obtained in 76 healthy volunteers, 72 patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HFREF, and 78 ambulatory chronic HFREF patients without clinical signs of congestion. Sequential measurements were performed in patients with acute decompensated HFREF.

Results:

Plasma renin activity (PRA) was significantly higher in ambulatory chronic HFREF (7.6 ng/ml/h (2.2; 18.1)) compared to patients with acute decompensated HFREF (1.5 ng/ml/h (0.8; 5.7)) or healthy volunteers (1.4 ng/ml/h (0.6; 2.3)) (all p < 0.05). PRA was significantly associated with arterial blood pressure and renin-angiotensin system blocker dose. A progressive rise in PRA (+4 ng/ml/h (0.4; 10.9); p < 0.001) was observed in acute decompensated HFREF patients after three consecutive days of decongestive treatment. Only in acute HFREF were PRA levels associated with increased cardiovascular mortality or HF readmissions ( p = 0.035).

Conclusion:

PRA is significantly elevated in ambulatory chronic HFREF patients but is not associated with worse outcome. In contrast, in acute HFREF patients, PRA is associated with cardiovascular mortality or HF readmissions.
Haplotype-based association of renin gene polymorphisms with essential hypertension in Han population of northern china
Authors: Zhang Guoping , Li Xueyan , Zhang Keyong , Zhao Jingbo , Qiu Changchun
Published: January 2018

Introduction:

The renin gene has been suggested as a good candidate in the study of genetic mechanism of essential hypertension. However, studies on the contribution of renin gene polymorphisms to essential hypertension, have not had consistent outcomes. The purpose of the present study is to explore the association of renin gene polymorphisms with essential hypertension in the Han population of northern China.

Methods:

A case-control study was conducted among 3090 Han farmers (1533 essential hypertension patients and 1557 normotensives). Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and polymerase chain reaction-sequencing.

Results:

The genotypic and allelic distributions of rs2368564 in essential hypertension and control was significant statistically ( p<0.001). The allelic distribution of rs10900557 showed marginal statistical significance ( p=0.048). There were no significant differences in other genotypic and allelic distributions ( p>0.05). In the haplotypes comprised by the six single-nucleotide polymorphisms, there were differences in the distribution of haplotypes A-T-C-G-C-A, A-T-C-G-C-G, G-C-T-G-T-A and G-C-T-G-T-G in both groups, and their differences reached to significant levels, respectively. After having corrected for false discovery rate, this association still remained significant.

Conclusions:

The current study provides evidence for a possible association of renin gene polymorphisms with essential hypertension in a Han population of northern China.
miR-448 inhibits the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells by directly targeting the E-cadherin repressor ZEB1/2
Authors: Ma Peng , Ni Kan , Ke Jing , Zhang Wenyi , Feng Ying , Mao Qinsheng
Published: January 2018

Recently, accumulating evidence provides that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is considered to play vital roles in tumor progression. Based on microRNA arrays, we found that microRNA-448 (miR-448) was significantly downregulated in breast cancer tissue specimens. In our study, we were in an effort to clarify the function, the direct target gene, and the molecular mechanisms of miR-448 in breast cancer. By quantitative RT–PCR, we analyzed the expression of miR-448 in 16 patients with BC. Overexpression of miR-448 was established by transfecting miR-448-mimics into MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, methyl thiazolyl- tetrazolium and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate its effects on cell proliferation. We also performed cell migration and invasion assays in breast cells overexpressing miRNA-448. All the results indicated that overexpression of miR-448 in breast cancer cells markedly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Through the quantitative RT–PCR and Western Blots, we also evaluated epithelial–mesenchymal transition. We found that overexpression of miR-448 also downregulated the expression of vimentin, a well-known mesenchymal marker. Meanwhile, the epithelial marker E-cadherin was unregulated, suggesting that miR-448 inhibited epithelial–mesenchymal transition . Bioinformatics assay coupled with Western Blot and luciferase assays revealed that miR-448 directly binds to the 3′UTR of E-cadherin repressor ZEB1/2, resulting in suppression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells.

Impact statement

In our study, we revealed that miR-448 played a vital role in breast cancer development and we also uncovered the mechanisms of it. Following is the short description of the main findings: miR-448 is downregulated in BC. miR-448 regulates cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in BC. miR-448 specifically regulates ZEB1/2  through binding to the 3′UTR in BC cells. miR-448 inhibits cell migration, invasion,  and EMT by targeting to the 3′UTR of  ZEB1/2.
Levels of agreement in the measurements of carotid artery ultrasound across a regional vascular network
Authors: McKenna Mervyn Alexander , Bonfield Michelle Clare , Robinson Teresa
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Duplex ultrasound is often the sole imaging modality used in diagnosing carotid artery disease. However, the reproducibility and repeatability of scientists in determining the peak systolic velocity and end diastolic velocity of the internal carotid artery and common carotid artery (CCA) is widely debated.

Study aim

To investigate intra- and inter-operator variability in diagnostic ultrasound of the carotid arteries across a centralised vascular network using a healthy test subject. To identify potential causes of variability and highlight areas for improvement.

Methods

Fifteen vascular scientists across four hospital Trusts in the Bristol, Bath and Weston vascular network measured the peak systolic velocity and end diastolic velocity of the internal carotid artery and common carotid artery in a subject using a single portable ultrasound machine. A double blind assessment of spectral Doppler images was performed by two vascular clinical scientists for optimal caliper placement, spectral gain and angle correction. Results were compared for intra- and inter-operator variability.

Results

Initial quality assessment of the Doppler images revealed that three out of 15 scientists produced suboptimal results. Box plot analysis of the common carotid artery and internal carotid artery for each scientist revealed significant variance (ANOVA p < 0.05). However, a Levene’s test revealed no single operator who consistently produced highly variable results ( p = 0.569).

Conclusion

This study highlights the difficulty in obtaining consistent velocity measurements from a subject. Despite the variability in absolute peak systolic velocity and end diastolic velocity, scientists were generally consistent in obtaining an optimal spectral Doppler trace. Some issues with consistency were, however, identified which were subsequently addressed.
The transition towards service-oriented business models
Authors: Adrodegari Federico , Bacchetti Andrea , Saccani Nicola , Arnaiz Aitor , Meiren Thomas
Published: January 2018

New trends for capital goods manufacturers push towards selling the products usage or performance rather than the product itself. This evolution from traditional business models, based on the product sales, to new service-oriented business models (BMs), has received increasingly attention both in the academic and managerial community. Despite this, a limited application of service offerings has been observed in the capital goods sector. This article reports the results from a survey carried out during the T-REX project, funded by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme, and has two objectives: (a) to empirically investigate the way BMs of capital goods companies are configured and (b) to analyse the degree of service orientation of such BMs. Finally, the main challenges for practitioners emerged from the survey are discussed in this article, highlighting directions for future research.
A Clinician's Guide to Diagnosing and Managing Psoriatic Arthritis
Authors: Sadeghian Azeen , Alldredge Virginia , Minokadeh Ardalan , Boh Erin
Published: January 2018

Psoriatic arthritis is commonly encountered in psoriasis patients. Its presentation varies and has several subtypes. Psoriatic arthritis should be differentiated from other forms of arthritis. The clinician must differentiate between the other potential various arthropathies that may be seen in patients with psoriasis. After the diagnosis is made, treatment can be tailored to the individual and his or her co-morbidities. There are several therapeutic options, ranging from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to biologic drugs. In order to provide optimal care for the patient, the clinician should become versed in various diagnostic and therapeutic modalities of psoriatic arthritis.
The Correlation between the Dermatology Life Quality Index and the Psoriasis Area Severity Index
Authors: Leon Argentina , Beroukhim Kourosh , Danesh Melissa , Nguyen Catherine , Lee Kristina , Farahnik Benjamin , Hao Zhu Tian , Abrouk Michael , Wang Eva , Malakouti Mona , Brown Gabrielle , Levin Ethan , Koo John
Published: January 2018

Background

Psoriasis patients experience a significant decrease in quality of life (QoL).

Objectives

This study was conducted to prospectively measure changes in QoL of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who are treated with ustekinumab. We performed a review of the literature, and discussed the significance of our results in the context of the controversy regarding the correlation between the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI).

Methods

Seventeen patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis received 36 weeks of ustekinumab and were followed every 4 weeks.

Results

All patients demonstrated significant improvement, both in terms of QoL and physical assessments. The data suggest a strong linear correlation between mean percent reduction in PASI and mean reduction in DLQI (R2=0.94).

Conclusion

Psoriasis patients treated with ustekinumab achieved significant improvement of QoL, which correlated with physical improvement. This study demonstrates a strong correlation between mean percent reduction in PASI and mean reduction in DLQI.
The Utility of Laser Thermometry in Grading Plaque Psoriasis
Authors: Pascoe Vanessa L. , Donigan Jessica M. , Schwartz Julia , Baughn Koo Eubee , Boer Kimball Alexandra
Published: January 2018

Characteristics of psoriatic plaques may affect thermoregulation and the temperature of psoriatic lesions. This study assessed the utility of handheld laser thermometry in evaluating the severity of psoriatic plaques. Twenty-five patients with plaque psoriasis were examined with temperature measurements performed on psoriatic plaques, adjacent normal-appearing skin and normal-appearing contralateral skin. Scaly regions of psoriatic plaques were, on average, 1.6° F cooler than non-scaled regions. Non-scaled plaque regions were 0.5° F cooler than both adjacent and contralateral skin, on average. Sixty-six percent of plaques were cooler than contralateral skin. None of these temperature differences was statistically significant. The thickened plaque stratum corneum may have provided a less penetrable outer layer, preventing reading the true underlying temperature. We conclude that given its ease of use, handheld laser thermometry may yet be a useful plaque assessment method. Further studies are warranted.
Validation and Comparison of Psoriasis Case-Finding Algorithms Using International Classification of Diseases Nosology
Authors: Besen Justin , McDermott Laura E. , Lam Christina , Legler Aaron , Burris Katy , Garg Amit
Published: January 2018

Background

The methodology of utilizing ICD nosology to identify psoriasis case cohorts within an EMR database has not been validated extensively.

Objective

To appraise the validity of the psoriasis case definition utilizing ICD-9 nosology and to compare performances of six distinct algorithms.

Design

Retrospective chart review of a randomly selected subset (n=966) of 2,737 cases with ≥1 ICD-9 diagnosis code for psoriasis in 2004–2013.

Results

Positive Predictive Values for the six algorithms ranged from 84.7% {Any Provider (AP) ≥ 1} to 97.7% {Dermatologist (Derm) ≥ 3}. Negative Predictive Values for the six algorithms evaluated ranged from 24.1% (‘Derm ≥ 3’) to 80.9% (‘Derm≥1’). NPV for ‘Derm≥1’ was 80.9%, while NPV for all other algorithms was ≤ 35.1%. Percent misclassification for the six algorithms ranged from 11.0% (‘Derm≥ 1’) to 46.3% (‘Derm≥ 3’). Increased frequency of code applied also resulted in corresponding significant increases in percent misclassification. Within class, percent misclassification for ‘Derm ≥ 1’ (11.0%) was significantly lower than for ‘AP≥ 1’ (15.3%, P<0.01).

Conclusions

At least one ICD-9 code applied by a dermatologist represents the strongest performing algorithm to identify psoriasis cases.
Acute Exacerbation of Erythrodermic Psoriasis with Phototherapy: Pathophysiology and Results of a National Psoriasis Foundation Survey regarding Photo-Management of Erythrodermic Skin
Authors: Nguyen Tien V. , Wu Jashin J. , Lim Henry W. , Koo John Y.M.
Published: January 2018

The phenomenon whereby phototherapy exacerbates instead of reduces intensely inflamed skin may be known to most, but not all, phototherapy providers. Furthermore, it has never been articulated or named in the literature. We report a patient with near-erythrodermic psoriatic skin which became fully erythrodermic after one treatment with narrowband UVB, and the results of a survey study disseminated to all phototherapy practitioners registered with the National Psoriasis Foundation. We propose the name “hyper-photosensitivity threshold” to refer to the aforementioned phenomenon. Fifty-six percent of our survey respondents reported having observed this phenomenon and the following “cooling” procedures to reduce the intense inflammation of erythrodermic skin: topical corticosteroids, cyclosporine, wet wraps, and systemic medications other than cyclosporine, ranging from systemic steroids and methotrexate to mycophenolate mofetil. We hope that this knowledge will help future generations of phototherapy practitioners treat intensely inflamed skin properly and avoid unwanted adverse effects.
Improvement in Quality of Life in Patients with Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Treated with Adalimumab or Ustekinumab
Authors: Nakamura Mio , Zhu Tian Hao , Abrouk Michael , Farahnik Benjamin , Singh Rasnik , Lee Kristina , Koo John , Bhutani Tina
Published: January 2018

Introduction:

Quality of life (QoL) is an important issue in psoriatic disease that should be included when assessing therapeutic efficacy of treatments. The objective of this study was to compare improvement in the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) between patients treated with adalimumab and ustekinumab.

Methods:

Analysis was based on two separate open-label 24-week clinical trials assessing DLQI and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) at four-week intervals in adult subjects with moderate to severe psoriasis treated with adalimumab or ustekinumab.

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences in the improvement in DLQI and PASI between the adalimumab and ustekinumab groups except at week 12 for DLQI and week 8 for PASI (ustekinumab > adalimumab).

Discussion:

Both adalimumab and ustekinumab improve QoL, but further research is necessary to determine specific factors that improve QoL and if one medication improves QoL more than another.
Patient Research Partners: Lessons Learned from OMERACT Applied to Dermatology
Authors: Nergard-Martin Jennifer , Collins Jeffrey , Gottlieb Alice , Solomon James A.
Published: January 2018

Across medicine, vocal, educated patients are collaborating with researchers to generate clinical trial outcome measures that matter to the patient yet remain scientifically sound. Medical literature refers to these people as “patient research partners,” “patient experts,” “patient representatives,” or “patient stakeholders.” Spearheaded by the rheumatology-based Outcome Measures in Rheumatology group, the medical community has learned the value of allowing patients to be involved actively in outcome measure creation. This paper discusses the history, education, utilization, recruitment, and expanding role of patient experts in dermatology. This information was collected through literature searches and the meetings of outcome measure groups such as Harmonizing Outcome Measures for Eczema, Acne Core Research Network, and International Dermatology Outcome Measures. It was found that over the past several years, patient experts have been helping develop dermatology outcome measures through these groups, leading to major trial design changes.
Painting with recycled materials: on the morphology of calcite pseudomorphs as evidence of the use of wood ash residues in Baroque paintings
Authors: Carò Federico , Centeno Silvia A. , Mahon Dorothy
Published: January 2018

The nature of ground preparations is of critical interest to those engaging in the study of historical painting techniques, as certain materials can be identified with specific regions and school of painting. This is the case of a particular ash-based, calcite-rich material obtained as a byproduct of lye production, recently identified for the first time in ground preparations by means of chemical analysis, and which is considered specific to Baroque artists of Spanish school. Because of limitations in the size of the samples that can be removed from works of art, and because of the intrinsic variability of ash composition, chemical analysis alone may not be representative of the whole ash-containing layer, thus limiting the identification of this material. By comparing the morphology, texture and composition of calcite pseudomorphs in laboratory ash to the ground preparations in three Baroque paintings, we provide additional, unequivocal tools to identify calcite particles from ashes in paint cross sections. The results demonstrate that the chemical composition of the ash can vary, but that the morphology and size of the calcite pseudomorph crystals abundantly present in the recycled ash applied to the canvas supports are consistent and extremely characteristic. The unique polygonal shapes and skeletal morphology of the pseudomorphs and their abundance make them ideal markers to recognize ash in paintings’ ground layers, even when very limited amounts of sample are available. The study shows also that the practice of using recycled ash in the preparation of ground layers occurred outside Spain, by artists with direct or indirect Spanish lineage.
Making all routes into nursing attractive
Authors: Foster Sam
Published: January 2018

Sam Foster, Chief Nurse, Oxford University Hospitals, discusses recent developments in technical qualifications and how to encourage more young people to consider a career in nursing
BJN Award Runner up 2017: Continence Nurse of the Year
Authors: Molyneux Hannah
Published: January 2018

Continence Promotion Service Team, Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust
Current thinking on catheter securement and infection prevention
Authors: Gabriel Janice
Published: January 2018

Janice Gabriel, Clinical Network Manager, NHS England (Wessex), Southampton, janice.gabriel@nhs.net , explains the importance of catheter securement in preventing complications of infusion therapy
Examining self-care, self-compassion and compassion for others: a cross-sectional survey of palliative care nurses and doctors
Authors: Mills Jason , Wand Timothy , Fraser Jennifer A
Published: January 2018

This study examined levels of, and relationships between, self-care ability, self-compassion, and compassion among palliative care nurses and doctors.

Methods:

A total of 369 participants across Australia completed a cross-sectional survey comprising a demographic questionnaire and outcome measures for each variable. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analysed, controlling for potential social-desirability bias.

Results:

Levels of compassion, self-compassion and self-care ability varied, with some individuals scoring high or low in each. Self-compassion and self-care ability were positively correlated (r = .412, p<.001), whereas a negative correlation was observed between compassion and self-compassion (r = -.122, p<.05). Linear regression further indicated that: increased compassion was associated with a decrease in self-compassion, and increased self-care ability was associated with an increase in self-compassion.

Conclusion:

These results suggest important implications for self-care in the palliative care workforce. Moreover, this study contributes an empirical basis to inform future research and education to promote balanced compassion and compassion literacy in palliative care practice.
Latin American “Neo-Developmentalism,” State Action and Supranational Realignment: What Consequences to Multipolarity?
Authors: Sergio Ordóñez  , Carlos Sánchez
Published: January 2018

Within the context of a new capitalistic phase of development, some South American countries undertook until recently a search process of an alternative path of development to neoliberalism, or “neo-developmentalism” experiences. In neo-developmentalist countries, the states' inner action was complemented with the use, at the supranational scale, of the states' external power to further a geoeconomic and political realignment with China, Russia, the BRICS and the Global South, and, thus, a distancing from US and its hegemonic system of states. Centered on state action, to which we provide a set of theoretical foundations related to capitalistic phases of development from a Gramscian perspective, we explore neo-developmentalism experiences (particularly Brazil's and Argentina's), their supranational realignment and the possible consequences to multi-polarity, including the recent setbacks suffered by the progressive governments. We conclude that those trends won't avoid China, the BRICS and the Global South to continue reconfiguring South America, but another push like the one recently seen might have to wait until the next expansive phase of the commodity price cycle.
Neuroimaging within the scope of art
Authors: Plerou Antonia
Published: January 2018

Brain imaging and neuroimaging are used both to perceive brain structure and function and to assess any outcome after intervention. Brain imaging and neuroimaging accessed within the scope of art is an innovative scientific field. The experience of brain imaging and neuroimaging of art emerges from the interaction of multiple cognitive processes. The author’s basic objective is to present the way that human brain functions, blended with state-of-the-art techniques, could be translated into an art experience. Moreover, the way brain region networks act is used to produce exceptional and moving art experiences, which are analysed henceforth.
Requiem for a Dream: Drug aesthetics in audiovisual processes
Authors: Rossi Laura Langer
Published: January 2018

Requiem for a Dream is an engaging three-act narrative presenting a sensorial take on the decaying experience of addiction. Using highly subjective representations of reality tainted by what can be refer to as a drug aesthetics, the second feature film directed by Darren Aronofsky is a four-way first-person account that revolves around Harry, a drifting young man who dreams of being successful, Sara, a widow who dreams of being on television, Marion, a psychotherapy patient who dreams of becoming independent, and Tyrone, an orphan who dreams of making his mother proud. Although there is not one single protagonist, Harry is the pivot figure connecting the four subjects: Sara is his mother, Marion is his girlfriend and Tyrone is his friend and business partner. The film is constructed with short alternating scenes of each character, merging its enunciation with these four individuals’ inner voices to depict how drugs – both prescribed and illegally acquired – affect their consciousness as they fall into addition.

Requiem for a Dream can be placed in a category of drug movies that aim to explore the internal effects of substances as their main subject matter. Instead of dealing with historical or sociological aspects, it explores the highly subjective representations of the world tainted by what can be referred to as the aesthetics of drugs. Deriving from Elsaesser‘s definition of productive pathology (2009: 24–30), this article proposes to explore how audiovisual narratives, in dealing with altered and sensorial states of the mind, can amplify the possibilities of storytelling. In other words, how internally focalized drug movies expand the aesthetics possibilities of realism in film, playing with subversive uses of language while still sustaining a verisimilar discourse.

The analysis will take two paths. First, based on the assumption that there is no objective access to the physical world except through subjectivity, the initial part of this article will present a reflection on the dichotomy of reality and illusion, proposing a new alternative by taking the perceptive alterations caused by drugs as a starting point to convey how social structures and morality play a definitive role in our understanding of realism in art.

Secondly, approaching specifically the idea of drug aesthetics, the article will consider how audiovisual representation is affected when the subjective point of view is of a character with an altered state of mind. Exploring the mechanics used to translate the effects of drugs on consciousness into filmic form, Requiem for a Dream will be studied as an example of applying unorthodox methods of narration to expand an audience’s experience of a subject matter beyond dramatic storytelling and into a sensorial perception of the universe of mental stimulators.
Aural simulacra: The signal’s path to metamorphosis
Authors: Messinezis Luc
Published: January 2018

Hyper-reality has often been described as the inability of perception to identify and distinguish reality from a simulation of reality. Modern thinkers and scholars such as Umberto Eco and Jean Baudrillard have elaborated extensively on the subject and the effect of simulations within a variety of aspects of modern life. When it comes to auditory arts and research, even though the influence of simulations may be evident, it seems to have been overlooked. With this article, I intend to scrutinize ‘aural simulacra’. During the last two centuries, the audio signal has passed through various stages of transformation; it has mutated following the rhythm of an era marked by technological advancement and a globalized plethora of ideas. For example, the phenomenon of schizophonia has rendered possible the detachment of sounds from their original source and reproducing them within a variety of different contexts. Reproductive media in their turn have evolved from carved discs to magnetic tapes and from optical means to digital abyssal clouds, matrixes of ones and zeroes promoting endless expressive possibilities. In addition, innovative diffusion methods are being introduced and virtual reality technologies have started to populate the scene. Despite the debate on whether the medium may or may not be the message, it adds to it; it acts as a catalyst to an evolutionary reaction. But what happens to the signal itself? Is it transcending to a different dimension of existence?

Treating the signal as a sign, together with practice-based research, may delineate the importance of its conceptual metamorphosis and the ramifications it has for creative processes and the audience’s engagement with the sound artwork. With this article, I intend to examine the sign orders in relation to auditory reality and authenticity, the signal’s change as it may belong to the sacramental order, the order of maleficence, the order of sorcery or find itself outside of the orders of the heard as pure simulacrum. The acknowledgement of the aural simulacrum and the study of the signal’s path towards it may affect our understanding of sonic arts practice, the mediumship of the listener and related areas of research. More specifically subjects such as acoustic ecology, composition but also historical auditory research are scholarly fields that are expected to be influenced, initiating further dialogue, critical analysis and providing the foundation for further interdisciplinary research and new creative processes.
Semiotics and memetics in algorithmic music composition
Authors: Bakogiannis Konstantinos , Cambourakis George
Published: January 2018

In this article, we investigate the circumstances under which the sound structures, which are products of algorithmic composition, are considered as ‘music’. The methods of analysis and evaluation of the music pieces that have derived from mathematical procedures are still under development. Is their ‘beauty’ hidden in the final outcome of the algorithm or in its conceptual background? What is more important: the creator’s approach or the listener’s perception? The answers we attempt to provide are revealed from the tools of semiotics and memetics. We study whether a sound structure, derivative of an algorithm, can act as a signifier of an aesthetic signified, forming a seme. Moreover, we examine whether that seme can be spread as a meme (a unit of cultural phenomena).
Transgenic art: Creativity in the era of genetic engineering
Authors: Savini Mario
Published: January 2018

The spread of biotechnology and genetic engineering has led to a new creative thinking in the context of contemporary visual culture where art, science and life evolve into a network of interdependence. Starting from this premise, this article analyses the works of important artists who, from the late 1990s, have modelled genetic material to create artistic works. These transgenic representations become a metaphor for cultural hybridization. They are places of transaction that contradict their documentary size, losing the concept of memory, narration and storage. Artistic objects are replaced by the evanescence of aesthetics, reconsidering the relationship between image and information. This study goes beyond the boundaries of art, attempting to understand the reasons for the crisis of its representation. Focusing attention on transgenic art means to say that the artist as a scientist is not only able to change life, but to reinvent it completely. Attention is also focused on mixtures of the various ontological categories where bodies are connected to machines in an intimate or a hidden way, questioning the idea of nature and the concept of life. This article will attempt to answer the following questions: how has molecular biology influenced the development of contemporary art? Who is the artist today and what are the new areas of enquiry?
The art of living systems: Between the natural and the technological
Authors: Remneva Olga
Published: January 2018

The art of living systems is a type of art and science that explores and redefines specialities of living systems using sci-tech. Today, since we are living in anthropocene, nature has become increasingly more complex, and we can influence increasingly more. Artists are always at the edge of transforming processes, contemplating them and trying out what is going to happen soon. Living systems art is an artform where the natural and the technological converge and combine with each other. Julie Freeman’s words provide the right direction to the current article: ‘Technology is at its best when it creates a connection between humans and nature in a stimulating yet gentle way’ (2017). In other words, technology can help us to rethink nature and perceive it differently. This is the first and most important paradigm that I assume. The second focus of my framework, since the field of the art of living systems is quite vast, includes examples of sensual mastery of nature. By living systems I mean animals, plants, insects – the world of flora and fauna, and by sensual mastery of nature I mean a way to pay caring and mindful attention to it, becoming emotionally involved. My third focus is, since art and science is my professional interest, on the artworks where the natural and the technological are merged and intermingled. Finally, I describe five projects, all created by Russian artists, demonstrating some common features of the art of living systems.
Microscopy as a form of art
Authors: Avramouli Antigoni , Gonidi Maria , Lambropoulou Maria
Published: January 2018

Art and Science are usually considered fields of different perceptions and approaches with very little overlap, but when combined, sometimes something unusually beautiful and unexpected can arise. Currently, a major effort is being made to promote the interaction between artists and scientists as demonstrated by some of the most recent grant programmes by organizations such as the United Kingdom’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Occasionally, artists are approaching science with slightly different insights than those expected, but to date, there is a gap that is rarely violated despite the extraordinary ideas that may arise from such collaborations. There can be no doubt that Nature is the greatest inspiration for art and beauty. In many ways, science attempts to reveal the rules and the beauty of nature. Microscopy, as a technique in scientific research, plays a key role in revealing the beauty of nature, a trend that has led some to regard it as a form of art. But can this claim be justified? For the uninitiated, microscopy could provide a high-resolution image of nature’s creations, revealing at the same time its inherent beauty. The cells – human or non-human – form images of the same beauty as those represented in paintings. Preparations observed under the microscope contain a wealth of information. The aim of the researcher is to correlate the cellular structure with the functioning of the organism and ultimately with the miracle of life. The aesthetic quality of the images has led many scientists to stand in their artistic nature. But can we say that microscopy, which is essentially a way of acquiring and analyzing scientific data, is a form of art? If art is the creation of works by people of extraordinary talent, then microscopy might be an art form and a technique that seeks the functional disclosure of complex admirers of cellular structures. However, unlike music or painting, microscopy is certainly not a form of art, with the traditional concept of creativity. The question therefore arises as to whether the aesthetic nature of the images revealed by a microscope can be considered as art. This is a question that is the starting point of this article.
Invisible motion: Paratactical curation of bio art and performative political imaginaries
Authors: Yetiskin Ebru
Published: January 2018

Bio artworks tend towards social reflection, conveying political and societal criticism through the combination of artistic and scientific processes. Some bio artworks also challenge to subvert hegemonic political imaginaries. In this article, focusing on the curation of a bio artwork and making an ethnographic research based on my participatory observation, I suggest a new conception of contemporary curatorial practice, ‘paratactical curation’, which aims to create performative political imaginaries and alternative futures. The article focuses on The Invisible Life, a series of a bio artwork of Joseph A. DeGiorgis and Ayse Gul Suter. This series was exhibited in Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair – Plugin New Media Section that I have curated in 2015. The main discussion is developed by paying attention to the giant squid axon work, in which the article responds to the emergence of a new political realm that reflects the communication problems of post-control societies: connection failures, memory loss and noise.
The aesthetics of anger: Spatializing emotions through intermedia practices
Authors: Psarras Bill
Published: January 2018

Art has always been a transgressive way of exploring in-between and liminal aspects of human experience. Within the current era of social upheaval and crisis, it is of great interest how extreme emotions can be aestheticized and examined under new interdisciplinary lenses. Anger has constituted an excluded emotion – often a taboo within rationalized social norms – although the politics of repression in various threads of contemporary life are often a provoking factor. Yet, it has always been an emotion with not only great expressive qualities but also located near wisdom, virtue and wrath. Can anger be spatialized through intermedia practices? How can the aesthetization of such an emotion reveal political aspects of such works of art? The current article seeks to explore the potential and aesthetics of anger in contemporary art and in particular how it becomes performed, spatialized and mediatized with poetic and political implications. Having as the starting platform the philosophical, cultural and socio-spatial aspects of emotions within wider contemporary affective structures of the everyday, it explores such an emotion through different trajectories (philosophical, cultural, spatial) and forms of artistic expression, ranging from video art and installation to hybrid performances and documented walking actions. Therefore, the article focuses on a number of artists including the works of Bill Viola, Pipilotti Rist, Claire Fontaine, Lanfranco Aceti, Regina Galindo and Bill Psarras.
Juan Luis Vives y la responsabilidad para con los pobres
Authors: Panea Márquez José Manuel
Published: January 2018

Juan Luis Vives (Valencia 1492, Brujas 1540) reflexionó sobre el tema de la pobreza como un problema de justicia personal y social. El abandono en el que vivían los pobres, cuyo número iba en aumento en pleno siglo XVI, plantea no sólo problemas de orden social, sino también moral y religioso. Reflexionar sobre dicho asunto le ofrece a Vives la oportunidad para realizar una fuerte crítica, no sólo de aquellos que detentan el poder político y religioso, sino también para exigir un cambio de actitud, en el plano individual e institucional, y una reflexión sobre la propia esencia del cristianismo. Por todo ello, Vives ofrece no sólo un conjunto de medidas concretas para tratar de afrontar dicho problema, sino también un amplio abanico de razones morales y religiosas, con las que será muy difícil poder negar nuestra responsabilidad para con los pobres, a la vez que nos exhorta a que hagamos frente común contra la pobreza.
Analyticity and Existence of the Keller–Segel–Navier–Stokes Equations in Critical Besov Spaces
Authors: Yang Minghua , Fu Zunwei , Liu Suying
Published: January 2018

This paper deals with the Cauchy problem to the Keller–Segel model coupled with the incompressible 3-D Navier–Stokes equations. Based on so-called Gevrey regularity estimates, which are motivated by the works of Foias and Temam [20], we prove that the solutions are analytic for a small interval of time with values in a Gevrey class of functions. As a consequence of Gevrey estimates, we particularly imply higher-order derivatives of solutions in Besov and Lebesgue spaces. Moreover, we prove that the existence of a positive constant

C
~

{\tilde{C}}

such that the initial data

(

u
0

,

n
0

,

c
0

)

:=

(

u
0
h

,

u
0
3

,

n
0

,

c
0

)

{(u_{0},n_{0},c_{0}):=(u_{0}^{h},u_{0}^{3},n_{0},c_{0})}

satisfy

C
~

⁢

(

∥

(

n
0

,

c
0

)

∥

B
˙

q
,
1

-
2

+

3
/
q

⁢

(

ℝ
3

)

×

B
˙

q
,
1

3
/
q

⁢

(

ℝ
3

)

+

∥

u
0
h

∥

B
˙

p
,
1

-
1

+

3
/
p

⁢

(

ℝ
3

)

+

∥

u
0
h

∥

B
˙

p
,
1

-
1

+

3
/
p

⁢

(

ℝ
3

)

α

⁢

∥

u
0
3

∥

B
˙

p
,
1

-
1

+

3
/
p

⁢

(

ℝ
3

)

1
-
α

)

≤
1

\tilde{C}\bigl{(}\lVert(n_{0},c_{0})\rVert_{\dot{B}^{-2+3/q}_{q,1}(\mathbb{R}^% {3})\times\dot{B}^{3/q}_{q,1}(\mathbb{R}^{3})}+\lVert u_{0}^{h}\rVert_{\dot{B}% ^{-1+3/p}_{p,1}(\mathbb{R}^{3})}+\lVert u_{0}^{h}\rVert_{\dot{B}^{-1+3/p}_{p,1% }(\mathbb{R}^{3})}^{\alpha}\lVert u_{0}^{3}\rVert_{\dot{B}^{-1+3/p}_{p,1}(% \mathbb{R}^{3})}^{1-\alpha}\bigr{)}\leq 1

for certain conditions on

p
,
q

{p,q}

and α implies the global existence of solutions with large initial vertical velocity component.
On the images of Sobolev spaces under the Schrödinger semigroup
Authors: C Sivaramakrishnan , D Sukumar , Dogga Venku Naidu
Published: January 2018

In this article, we consider the Schrödinger semigroup for the Laplacian Δ on

{\mathbb{R}^{n}}

, and characterize
the image of a Sobolev space in

{L^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n},e^{u^{2}}du)}

under this semigroup as weighted Bergman space (up to equivalence of norms). Also we have a similar characterization for Hermite Sobolev spaces under the Schrödinger semigroup associated to the Hermite operator H on

{\mathbb{R}^{n}}

.
Sequential Auctions with Decreasing Reserve Prices
Authors: Landi Massimiliano , Menicucci Domenico
Published: January 2018

We study sequential sealed bid auctions with decreasing reserve prices when there are two identical objects for sale and unit-demand bidders (existing literature has dealt with the case of weakly increasing reserve prices). Under decreasing reserve prices bidders may have an incentive not to bid in the first auction, and no equilibrium exists with a strictly increasing stage one bidding function. However, we find that an equilibrium always exists, and its shape depends on the distance between the two reserve prices. The equilibrium exhibits some pooling at the stage one auction, which disappears in the limit as the number of bidders tends to infinity. We also show revenue equivalence between first-price and second-price sequential auctions under decreasing reserve prices. Finally, our results allow us to shed some light on an optimal order problem (increasing versus decreasing exogenous reserve prices) for selling the two objects.
Mapping landscape units in Galicia (Spain): A first step for assessment and management?
Authors: Corbelle-Rico Eduardo , Sánchez José María Tubío
Published: January 2018

In the beginning of 2015, the Regional Administration of Galicia (NW Spain) set the requirements for a map of landscape units: it had to be produced in less than 3 months, it should cover the whole territory of the region (29,574 km²), and it should be useful for management at a scale of 1:25,000. With these objectives in mind, we pro- posed a semiautomatic mapping methodology entirely based on the use of free software (GRASS GIS) and already available cartographic information. Semi-automatic classification of different land-use patterns was at the heart of the proposed process. Consultation with experts of different academic background took place along the project. This consultation process allowed to identify both problems and opportunities. As it could be expected, the diverse epistemic community represented by the expert panel implied that one of the main challenges was to reach consensus on the understanding of the concept of landscape and the decisions leading to the mapping methodology proposed in this paper. This initiated a very interesting debate that, in our view, was centred around three main issues: the approach to the landscape, the purpose of the mapping exercise, and the ability to include subjectivity into the analysis.