bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanobiological modelling of tendons: Review and future opportunities
Authors: Thompson Mark S , Bajuri M Nazri , Khayyeri Hanifeh , Isaksson Hanna
Published: April 2017

Tendons are adapted to carry large, repeated loads and are clinically important for the maintenance of musculoskeletal health in an increasing, actively ageing population, as well as in elite athletes. Tendons are known to adapt to mechanical loading. Also, their healing and disease processes are highly sensitive to mechanical load. Computational modelling approaches developed to capture this mechanobiological adaptation in tendons and other tissues have successfully addressed many important scientific and clinical issues. The aim of this review is to identify techniques and approaches that could be further developed to address tendon-related problems. Biomechanical models are identified that capture the multi-level aspects of tendon mechanics. Continuum whole tendon models, both phenomenological and microstructurally motivated, are important to estimate forces during locomotion activities. Fibril-level microstructural models are documented that can use these estimated forces to detail local mechanical parameters relevant to cell mechanotransduction. Cell-level models able to predict the response to such parameters are also described. A selection of updatable mechanobiological models is presented. These use mechanical signals, often continuum tissue level, along with rules for tissue change and have been applied successfully in many tissues to predict in vivo and in vitro outcomes. Signals may include scalars derived from the stress or strain tensors, or in poroelasticity also fluid velocity, while adaptation may be represented by changes to elastic modulus, permeability, fibril density or orientation. So far, only simple analytical approaches have been applied to tendon mechanobiology. With the development of sophisticated computational mechanobiological models in parallel with reporting more quantitative data from in vivo or clinical mechanobiological studies, for example, appropriate imaging, biochemical and histological data, this field offers huge potential for future development towards clinical applications.
Load application for the contact mechanics analysis and wear prediction of total knee replacement
Authors: Zhang Jing , Chen Zhenxian , Wang Ling , Li Dichen , Jin Zhongmin
Published: April 2017

Tibiofemoral contact forces in total knee replacement have been measured at the medial and lateral sites respectively using an instrumented prosthesis, and predicted from musculoskeletal multibody dynamics models with a reasonable accuracy. However, it is uncommon that the medial and lateral forces are applied separately to replace a total axial load according to the ISO standard in the majority of current finite element analyses. In this study, we quantified the different effects of applying the medial and lateral loads separately versus the traditional total axial load application on contact mechanics and wear prediction of a patient-specific knee prosthesis. The load application position played an important role under the medial–lateral load application. The loading set which produced the closest load distribution to the multibody dynamics model was used to predict the contact mechanics and wear for the prosthesis and compared with the total axial load application. The medial–lateral load distribution using the present method was found to be closer to the multibody dynamics prediction than the traditional total axial load application, and the maximum contact pressure and contact area were consistent with the corresponding load variation. The predicted total volumetric wear rate and area were similar between the two load applications. However, the split of the predicted wear volumes on the medial and the lateral sides was different. The lateral volumetric wear rate was 31.46% smaller than the medial from the traditional load application prediction, while from the medial–lateral load application, the lateral side was only 11.8% smaller than the medial. The medial–lateral load application could provide a new and more accurate method of load application for patient-specific preclinical contact mechanics and wear prediction of knee implants.
Sensitivity of a juvenile subject-specific musculoskeletal model of the ankle joint to the variability of operator-dependent input
Authors: Hannah Iain , Montefiori Erica , Modenese Luca , Prinold Joe , Viceconti Marco , Mazzà Claudia
Published: April 2017

Subject-specific musculoskeletal modelling is especially useful in the study of juvenile and pathological subjects. However, such methodologies typically require a human operator to identify key landmarks from medical imaging data and are thus affected by unavoidable variability in the parameters defined and subsequent model predictions. The aim of this study was to thus quantify the inter- and intra-operator repeatability of a subject-specific modelling methodology developed for the analysis of subjects with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Three operators each created subject-specific musculoskeletal foot and ankle models via palpation of bony landmarks, adjustment of geometrical muscle points and definition of joint coordinate systems. These models were then fused to a generic Arnold lower limb model for each of three modelled patients. The repeatability of each modelling operation was found to be comparable to those previously reported for the modelling of healthy, adult subjects. However, the inter-operator repeatability of muscle point definition was significantly greater than intra-operator repeatability ( p < 0.05) and predicted ankle joint contact forces ranged by up to 24% and 10% of the peak force for the inter- and intra-operator analyses, respectively. Similarly, the maximum inter- and intra-operator variations in muscle force output were 64% and 23% of peak force, respectively. Our results suggest that subject-specific modelling is operator dependent at the foot and ankle, with the definition of muscle geometry the most significant source of output uncertainty. The development of automated procedures to prevent the misplacement of crucial muscle points should therefore be considered a particular priority for those developing subject-specific models.
In silico assessment of biomedical products: The conundrum of rare but not so rare events in two case studies
Authors: Viceconti Marco , Cobelli Claudio , Haddad Tarek , Himes Adam , Kovatchev Boris , Palmer Mark
Published: April 2017

In silico clinical trials, defined as “The use of individualized computer simulation in the development or regulatory evaluation of a medicinal product, medical device, or medical intervention,” have been proposed as a possible strategy to reduce the regulatory costs of innovation and the time to market for biomedical products. We review some of the the literature on this topic, focusing in particular on those applications where the current practice is recognized as inadequate, as for example, the detection of unexpected severe adverse events too rare to be detected in a clinical trial, but still likely enough to be of concern. We then describe with more details two case studies, two successful applications of in silico clinical trial approaches, one relative to the University of Virginia/Padova simulator that the Food and Drug Administration has accepted as possible replacement for animal testing in the preclinical assessment of artificial pancreas technologies, and the second, an investigation of the probability of cardiac lead fracture, where a Bayesian network was used to combine in vivo and in silico observations, suggesting a whole new strategy of in silico-augmented clinical trials, to be used to increase the numerosity where recruitment is impossible, or to explore patients’ phenotypes that are unlikely to appear in the trial cohort, but are still frequent enough to be of concern.
Investigation of latent infections caused by cyprinid herpesvirus 3 in koi (Cyprinus carpio) in southern China
Authors: Zheng Shucheng , Wang Qing , Bergmann Sven M. , Li Yingying , Zeng Weiwei , Wang Yingying , Liu Chun , Shi Cunbin
Published: April 2017

Although herpesviruses such as cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) can establish lifelong latent infections, little is known about latency conditions in farmed koi populations in China. We used nested polymerase chain reaction targeting the TK gene and an indirect antibody ELISA to screen asymptomatic fish obtained from southern China for evidence of CyHV-3 infection. CyHV-3 DNA could be detected either in peripheral blood leukocytes or from gills of asymptomatic koi. Most koi sera did not contain anti–CyHV-3 antibodies; however, 5 samples were ELISA positive, providing evidence of prior CyHV-3 infections. These findings suggest that koi may survive CyHV-3 infections and become virus carriers.
An adaptive negative capacitance circuit for enhanced performance and robustness of piezoelectric shunt damping
Authors: Pohl Martin
Published: April 2017

Piezoelectric shunt damping is investigated as one possible solution for improving the vibroacoustic behavior of noise-prone lightweight structures. The negative capacitance shunt circuit appears to be the best choice due to its broadband damping effect. Usually, it is built from analog electronic components, such as operational amplifiers, resistors, and capacitors. In terms of damping efficiency and the vibroacoustic behavior of the circuit, the capacitance ratio between the negative capacitance and the inherent capacitance of the piezoelectric transducer is of major concern. For laboratory setups, this ratio may be adjusted manually, but for real applications, this is not suitable due to a lack of damping or the risk of instability of the circuit. Therefore, an improved approach is presented in this article, where a concept for an adaptive negative capacitance circuit is presented. An electronically tunable resistor is used to change the value of the negative capacitance to the best fit for the present conditions. Adjustment laws for the ideal value of this resistor are derived from the transfer function of the whole circuit. Finally, a prototype board is designed and experimentally tested at a beam structure. It can be shown that the adaptive circuit allows a tighter adjustment to the edge of stability resulting in higher damping or, in the case of too high vibration amplitudes, prevents the output voltage from saturating.
Immediate Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Gershfeld Litvin Avital , Jacoby Rebecca
Published: April 2017

This article represents findings of a qualitative analysis of interviews with women age 30 to 64 years ( n = 14) who had undergone immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) following mastectomy. The purpose of the study was to explore women’s experiences for electing IBR. According to our analysis, women experienced mastectomy as a disability, and their expectations of IBR to restore their sense of normalcy were not fulfilled. Most women perceived the reconstructed breast mainly as a visual replacement. Women’s experience formed a continuous narrative from the moment of diagnosis, through mastectomy until the completion of the reconstruction.
Designing Wearable Technology for an Aging Population
Authors: Lewis Joanna E. , Neider Mark B.
Published: April 2017

When considering the future and application of wearable technological devices, the growing demographic of adults over the age of 65 should be included during the product design process. Wearable technology could provide an ideal mechanism for delivering supportive applications to a growing older adult population, but designers must consider age-related changes in cognitive, sensory, and motor function when developing for older populations. Potential issues with wearable devices for older adults can be avoided by acknowledging limitations, and development teams can create effective and safe platforms that appeal to a variety of end users.
A Window Into Bilingual Reading: The Bilingual Reading Practices of Fourth-Grade, Mexican American Children Who Are Emergent Bilinguals
Authors: García Georgia Earnest , Godina Heriberto
Published: April 2017

A qualitative think-aloud study, informed by social literacies and holistic bilingual perspectives, was conducted to examine how six emergent bilingual, Mexican American, fourth graders approached, interacted with, and comprehended narrative and expository texts in Spanish and English. The children had strong Spanish reading test scores, but differed in their English reading and oral proficiency test scores. All but one of them varied their cognitive and bilingual strategy use according to the demands and genre of the text and their oral English proficiency. The most frequent bilingual strategies demonstrated were translating and code-mixing. Only two children used cognates. The children often employed one language to explain their reading in the other language. They displayed a wider range of strategies across two languages compared with a single language, supporting the use of a holistic bilingual perspective to assess their reading rather than a parallel monolingual perspective. Their reading profiles in the two languages were similar, suggesting cross-linguistic transfer, although the think-aloud procedures could not determine strategy transference. The findings supported a translanguaging interpretation of their bilingual reading practices. Future research on how emergent bilingual children of different ages develop translanguaging and use it to comprehend texts was recommended.
Engaging Community Leaders in the Development of a Cardiovascular Health Behavior Survey Using Focus Group–Based Cognitive Interviewing
Authors: Wallen Gwenyth R , Saygbe Johnetta N , Brooks Alyssa Todaro , McClurkin Michael , Thomas Samantha , Powell-Wiley Tiffany M
Published: April 2017

Establishing the validity of health behavior surveys used in community-based participatory research (CBPR) in diverse populations is often overlooked. A novel, group-based cognitive interviewing method was used to obtain qualitative data for tailoring a survey instrument designed to identify barriers to improved cardiovascular health in at-risk populations in Washington, DC. A focus group–based cognitive interview was conducted to assess item comprehension, recall, and interpretation and to establish the initial content validity of the survey. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts yielded 5 main themes for which participants (n = 8) suggested survey modifications, including survey item improvements, suggestions for additional items, community-specific issues, changes in the skip logic of the survey items, and the identification of typographical errors. Population-specific modifications were made, including the development of more culturally appropriate questions relevant to the community. Group-based cognitive interviewing provided an efficient and effective method for piloting a cardiovascular health survey instrument using CBPR.
Use and Misuse of Aspirin in Primary Cardiovascular Prevention
Authors: Coccheri Sergio
Published: April 2017

The use of low-dose aspirin in primary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) events in healthy or apparently healthy people is a widely debated topic. Many arguments indicate that “primary prevention” is only a conventional definition and that the transition from primary to secondary prevention represents a continuum of increasing levels of CV risk. Although there are no direct proofs of a different efficacy of aspirin at different CV risk levels, in low-risk populations aspirin will appear to be less efficient. In fact, the lower number of events occurring in patients at low risk yields lower absolute numbers of events prevented. As many as 6 meta-analyses of trials of primary CV prevention with aspirin versus placebo, performed between 2009 and 2016, confirmed the above concepts and showed a concordant, significant reduction in nonfatal myocardial infarction, with no significant effects on stroke, as well as on CV and all-cause mortality. The recent demonstration of a moderate protective effect of aspirin on cancer (especially colorectal) confers, however, additional value to the use of aspirin, although unusually long durations of treatment and optimal daily compliance seem to be necessary. Because aspirin increases the bleeding risk, the evaluation of its net clinical benefit is an important point of debate. Thus, it is justified to search for a cutoff level of global CV risk above which the net clinical benefit of aspirin becomes evident. Such a threshold value has been calculated considering the data of 9 primary prevention trials, by the Thrombosis Group of the European Society of Cardiology, and has been indicated as a risk value of 2 or more major CV events per 100 persons per year. Also, in the recent 2016 US Guidelines, the main criterion adopted for the indication of aspirin is the level of global CV risk (suggested cutoff is 1 or more major CV events per 100 persons per year). Beyond the different values selected, it is seems very important to introduce to clinical practice and future trials a new criterion based on the level of global CV risk.
Synthesising qualitative and quantitative evidence: A review of possible methods
Authors: Dixon-Woods Mary , Agarwal Shona , Jones David , Young Bridget , Sutton Alex
Published: April 2017

Background

The limitations of traditional forms of systematic review in making optimal use of all forms of evidence are increasingly evident, especially for policy-makers and practitioners. There is an urgent need for robust ways of incorporating qualitative evidence into systematic reviews.

Objectives

In this paper we provide a brief overview and critique of a selection of strategies for synthesising qualitative and quantitative evidence, ranging from techniques that are largely qualitative and interpretive through to techniques that are largely quantitative and integrative.

Results

A range of methods is available for synthesising diverse forms of evidence. These include narrative summary, thematic analysis, grounded theory, meta-ethnography, meta-study, realist synthesis, Miles and Huberman's data analysis techniques, content analysis, case survey, qualitative comparative analysis and Bayesian meta-analysis. Methods vary in their strengths and weaknesses, ability to deal with qualitative and quantitative forms of evidence, and type of question for which they are most suitable.

Conclusions

We identify a number of procedural, conceptual and theoretical issues that need to be addressed in moving forward with this area, and emphasise the need for existing techniques to be evaluated and modified, rather than inventing new approaches.
Alternative causes of myocardial ischemia in women: An update on spontaneous coronary artery dissection, vasospastic angina and coronary microvascular dysfunction
Authors: Ahmed Bina , Creager Mark A
Published: April 2017

Although coronary obstruction due to atherosclerosis is the most common cause of myocardial ischemia, a significant proportion of patients have myocardial ischemia in the absence of obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD). This finding is more common among women and alternative causes can mediate myocardial ischemia. Abnormalities in vascular structure, alterations in coronary vasomotion and dysfunction of the coronary microcirculation can all cause ischemia in the absence of obstructive CAD due to atherosclerosis. In this review, we provide an update on three alternative causes of myocardial ischemia: spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), vasospastic angina (VSA) and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMVD). We review pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes related to these important clinical entities. There is increasing interest in better defining this patient population with use of advanced imaging and testing tools. Despite the increased associated risk with future cardiac events, evidence-based treatments for these diagnoses remain under-studied and poorly defined. These alternative diagnoses should be kept in mind when evaluating women with myocardial ischemia without obstructive CAD due to atherosclerosis.
A note on the contact between Kurmanji Kurdish and Turkish at lexical and morphological level
Authors: Çabuk Sakine
Published: April 2017

Turkish-Kurdish social setting where the Turkish and Kurdish languages are in contact for a long time induces borrowing and change at different levels.This study explores the contact between Kurmanji Kurdish and Turkish that take place at both morphological and lexical level. The data consist of three hours of recordings of family talks on the phone. Corpus analysis of data obtained from audio and video recordings of a family talk on the phone was done. Preliminary findings revealed that verbs are borrowed from Turkish and then integrated into Kurdish. The changes that Turkish borrowed verbs undergo include the integration process of morphological elements and the combination of verbs with light verbs (kirin, bûn) in Kurdish. The change that takes place in the integration process can be explained by interference and long-lasting contact between the two languages. The results are in line with the findings reported by Dorleijn and Bulut who suggested that the influence is mostly unidirectional, which in turn suggests that external language change results in borrowing of some particles and grammatical chunks from Turkish.
Creating global moral iconicity
Authors: Inglis David
Published: April 2017

Since at least the late nineteenth century, a world-level moral culture has developed, providing a space for certain persons to be presented as global moral icons. This global moral space was already pointed to by Kant as an emergent form, and was later theorized by Durkheim. This article shows that an important institutionalization of global moral culture involved the founding of the Nobel Prizes, the subsequent mutations of which were also important in the constitution of that culture. These, and other awards which imitated them, are performative in a profound sense: they simultaneously reflect and help bring into being a planet-spanning culture which demands moral icons which both exemplify and partly constitute it. How the Nobel Prizes and their imitators work to create moral iconicity that is globally relevant is explored. The case of Gandhi is taken as an example of how, despite not being awarded a Nobel Prize, some moral icons are also brought into being through symbolic contact with other such icons, including Nobel Prize winners. The article considers the lingering, powerful, but generally invisible, influence today on world moral culture of the innovations pursued by the early Nobel Prize committees.
The police patrol rifle
Authors: Phillips Scott W , Jarvis John P
Published: April 2017

This work focuses upon the training associated with patrol rifles in American police agencies. Patrol rifles are the firearms most commonly employed by tactical units, but are now often carried by police officers in their patrol cars. The inevitability thesis suggests that arming street-level officers with patrol rifles is part of the natural evolution of firearms in policing. Officers, however, must be adequately trained. Data were gathered from a broad sample of police agencies from across the country. Police officers attending the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy in the spring and summer of 2015 completed a pen and paper survey with questions about police agency training and policies regarding the use of patrol rifles. In total, 370 usable surveys were completed. Results show that over 95% of American police agencies allow street-level officers to deploy with patrol rifles. Although training is primarily provided by internal sources, officers are trained for a variety of situations in which such rifles are necessary and appropriate. A discussion of the veracity of some training is also provided.
Unexpected spaces of confinement: Aversive technologies, intellectual disability, and “bare life”
Authors: Adams DL , Erevelles Nirmala
Published: April 2017

Giorgio Agamben describes the “camp” as the “zone of indistinction between law and violence” where bodies located in exceptional spaces are stripped of citizenship rights and embody “bare life.” We deploy Agamben’s analysis to the context of the everyday violence of aversive technologies meted out against students living at the dangerous intersections of race, class, gender, and disability and located in unexpected spaces of confinement such as schools, developmental centers, and family homes. We argue here that the logic of the “state of exception” applies to disabled children and adults where acts of violence enacted via disciplinary practices are justified as being outside the realm of the legal and subject to sovereign power. The locus of our study is the Judge Rothenberg Center that over the past 40 years has utilized behavioral techniques that have been investigated as abusive and only very recently has been held accountable for these infractions. We examine the discourses used to justify these forms of inhumane punishment as well as the discourses that oppose them to foreground the real material implications of “how we understand the role of systems and institutions of punishment” in unexpected spaces of confinement of children/adults with intellectual disabilities.
Creating learning and action space in South Africa’s post-apartheid land redistribution program
Authors: Kepe Thembela , Hall Ruth
Published: April 2017

This paper uses the case of South Africa’s latest land redistribution strategy known as the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy, to explore whether, and how, research can have direct and positive impacts on beneficiaries of land reform. The study is situated within the practice of action research: to explore how it can generate knowledge that can be shared back and forth between stakeholders, as well as how it may ignite changes that the participants desire. The findings are that Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy is not meeting the overall goals land reform. But action research has allowed the beneficiaries to emerge from the process with new knowledge about their rights, as well as what options they have to move forward in their fight for secure land rights and decent livelihoods. We introduce a concept of a ‘learning and action space’ to explain our practice of action research. The paper concludes that action research is a desirable approach for land reform, but while it succeeded in educating beneficiaries, it is only one ingredient in ongoing struggles to challenge power relations among citizens and between citizens and the state.
Regulation of vascular large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels by Nrf2 signalling
Authors: Li Yong , Wang Xiao-Li , Sun Xiaojing , Chai Qiang , Li Jingchao , Thompson Benjamin , Shen Win-Kuang , Lu Tong , Lee Hon-Chi
Published: April 2017

BK channels are major ionic determinants of vasodilation. BK channel function is impaired in diabetic vessels due to accelerated proteolysis of its beta-1 (BK-β1) subunits in response to increased oxidative stress. The nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) signalling pathway has emerged as a master regulator of cellular redox status, and we hypothesized that it plays a central role in regulating BK channel function in diabetic vessels. We found that Nrf2 expression was markedly reduced in db/db diabetic mouse aortas, and this was associated with significant downregulation of BK-β1. In addition, the muscle ring finger protein 1 (MuRF1), a known E-3 ligase targeting BK-β1 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation, was significantly augmented. These findings were reproduced by knockdown of Nrf2 by siRNA in cultured human coronary artery smooth muscle cells. In contrast, adenoviral transfer of Nrf2 gene in these cells downregulated MuRF1 and upregulated BK-β1 expression. Activation of Nrf2 by dimethyl fumarate preserved BK-β1 expression and protected BK channel and vascular function in db/db coronary arteries. These results indicate that expression of BK-β1 is closely regulated by Nrf2 and vascular BK channel function can be restored by Nrf2 activation. Nrf2 should be considered a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of diabetic vasculopathy.
Redistricting by Formula: An Ohio Reform Experiment
Authors: Altman Micah , McDonald Michael
Published: April 2017

In the last decade, Ohio reformers advocated redistricting by formula: selecting the redistricting plan that scores best on a predefined objective scoring function that combines prima facie neutral criteria with political goals of plan fairness and district competition. In the post-2010 redistricting, these reformers hosted a public competition where prizes were awarded to the best legal plan scored on the reformers’ formula. The submitted plans provide a unique opportunity to evaluate how redistricting by formula may work in practice. Our analysis finds the public yields a broader range of redistricting plans, on indicia of legal and public policy interest, than developed by the state legislature. The Pareto frontier reveals plans that perform better than the legislature’s adopted plan on one and two dimensions, as well as the reformers’ overall scoring function. Our evaluation reveals minimal trade-offs among the components of the overall competition’s scoring criteria, but we caution that the scoring formula may be sensitive to implementation choices among its components. Compared with the legislature’s plan, the reform community can get more of the four criteria they value; importantly, without sacrificing the state’s only African American opportunity congressional district.
An Autoethnographic Quest: Searching for “Peace” in Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Kavoori Anandam
Published: April 2017

This autoethnographic narrative explores the cultural contours of “Peace” in Seoul, South Korea, bringing together elements of cultural criticism, narrative travelogue, and cultural anthropology. Written as an exemplar for a “Quest Autoethnography,” it seeks to explore the multiple, layered nature of the question of “Peace” through local vocabularies for identity, including media, language, consumption, community, and above all, culture. The essay draws on the field of Korean Studies (across cultural anthropology, media studies, sociology, and political science) in its theoretical embedding—referenced in footnotes.
Spinal Alterations of Reil Insula in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Petrides Foivos E. , Mavroudis Ioannis A. , Spilioti Martha , Chatzinikolaou Fotios G. , Costa Vasiliki G. , Baloyannis Stavros J.
Published: April 2017

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that involves numerous cellular and biochemical mechanisms resulting in synaptic alterations and extensive neuronal loss. It is primarily characterized by impairment of memory, associated frequently with mood disorders. Continuous studies have shown that insula may be an important target of AD, but neuropathological alterations have not been described extensively. In the present study, we attempted to describe the morphometric and morphological changes of the spines of Reil insula in AD in comparison with normal aging using a silver impregnation technique. We classified spines into 3 types: (1) long neck, (2) short stubby, and (3) other types; and we measured and correlated the length of them in normal controls and in individuals with AD using ImageJ application. Statistical analysis was based on the Student t test on the basis of 360 cells in SPSS v.17.0, and significance was taken as P < .05.
Distinctive Characteristics of Small Businesses as Sites for Informal Learning
Authors: Coetzer Alan , Kock Henrik , Wallo Andreas
Published: April 2017

Few studies have examined workplace factors that influence informal learning in small businesses and in general the studies are not framed by the characteristics of small businesses. To address this weakness in existing literature, we conducted a review of literatures which examine (a) workplace factors that influence informal learning, (b) small-business characteristics, and (c) factors influencing informal learning in small businesses. The several workplace factors that influence learning were categorized as job and relational and organizational characteristics. Each category was examined in relation to characteristics of small businesses. We outline what is known about each category and what we need to learn about them as they relate to informal learning in small businesses. For each category, propositions are generated that should be examined in future research. We also produce a heuristic conceptual framework that can be used to focus and bound future research that tests a different set of propositions.
Improved Quality of Life After Transtibial Amputation in Patients With Diabetes-Related Foot Complications
Authors: Wukich Dane K. , Ahn Junho , Raspovic Katherine M. , La Fontaine Javier , Lavery Larry A.
Published: April 2017

The purpose of this study was to evaluate health-related quality of life after major lower-extremity amputation in a cohort of patients with diabetes mellitus. We evaluated 81 patients with diabetes and transtibial amputation (TTA) who had a minimum of 1 year of follow-up. Of these 81 patients, 50.6% completed the Short Form Survey (SF-36) and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) preoperatively and postoperatively. Outcome measures before and after TTA were compared using Welch’s ANOVA for continuous variables and Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. There was significant improvement in all 8 subscales of the SF-36, physical component summary (PCS) score, mental component summary (MCS) score, and the FAAM. The median SF-36 PCS score improved from 26.2 to 36.6 preoperatively versus postoperatively ( P < .0005). The postoperative PCS score improved in 75.6% of patients and worsened in 24.4%. The median SF-36 MCS score improved from 43.7 to 56.1 preoperatively versus postoperatively ( P < .0005). Both the FAAM activities of daily living (ADL; P < .005) and FAAM sports scores ( P < .05) improved significantly. The postoperative FAAM general/ADL score improved in 75.6% of patients and worsened in 24.4%. Patients who were nonambulatory postoperatively had significantly lower SF-36 general health subscale scores and lower FAAM scores than patients who were ambulatory postoperatively. In select patients with nonfunctional lower extremities resulting from instability and/or chronic infection, TTA can result in significant improvement in quality of life and lower-extremity function. We acknowledge that 25% of patients had a reduction in self-reported quality of life; however, 75% of patients improved their quality of life.
MicroRNA-451 regulates chemoresistance in renal cell carcinoma by targeting ATF-2 gene
Authors: Sun Xiang , Lou Longhua , Zhong Kezhao , Wan Lijuan
Published: April 2017

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignant tumor, which severely threatens human’s life, moreover, the multi-drug resistance (MDR) under RCC undoubtedly strengthen the difficulties in the treatment. MiR-451 has been considered to play an important role in regulation of MDR in several cancers, but the role of it in MDR of RCC has not been explored. This study aims to explore the mechanism of miR-451 as a target to regulate chemotherapy resistance, which is crucial for further exploring novel therapy for RCC. Two human cell lines (ACHN and GRC-1) were performed in this study and adriamycin (ADM) was used to construct MDR cell lines. qRT-PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression of miR-451 and ATF-2. Weston blot was used to determine protein expression. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used for assessing cell viability and apoptosis, individually. Luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the targeting of miR-451 and ATF-2. Results presented that the expression of miR-451 was higher in low MDR cell line (ACHN) comparing with the high MDR cell line (GRC-1), while the expression of ATF-2 revealed an opposite results. MiR-451 targeted ATF-2 and regulated its expression. Overexpression of miR-451 strengthened drug resistance, decreased cell viability, and increased cell apoptosis of GRC-1 pretreated by ADM, while overexpressed ATF-2 reversed the effect induced by miR-451 overexpression. Then miR-451 knockdown improved drug susceptibility, decreased cell apoptosis, and increased cell viability of ACHN induced by ADM, however, ATF-2 suppression reversed the low rate of cell apoptosis and high rate of cell viability induced by miR-451 knockdown. Our results revealed that miR-451 regulates the drug resistance of RCC by targeting ATF-2 gene, which might be critical for overcoming MDR in RCC patients.

Impact statement

This is the first study to emphasize the expression of miR-451 on regulating multi-drug resistance (MDR) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Our study found that miR-451 regulates the drug resistance of RCC by targeting ATF-2, which might be critical for overcoming MDR in RCC patients. This study not only provides solid theory foundation for the clinical therapy, but also offers unique insights for the further RCC research. Furthermore, the study helps us to understand the mechanism of MDR, which was crucial for identifying the chemoresistance on several related tumors.
Clinical development of fenretinide as an antineoplastic drug: Pharmacology perspectives
Authors: Cooper Jason P , Reynolds C Patrick , Cho Hwangeui , Kang Min H
Published: April 2017

Fenretinide (4-HPR) is a synthetic retinoid that has cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. Despite substantial in vitro cytotoxicity, response rates in early clinical trials with 4-HPR have been less than anticipated, likely due to the low bioavailability of the initial oral capsule formulation. Several clinical studies have shown that the oral capsule formulation at maximum tolerated dose (MTD) achieved <10 µmol/L concentrations in patients. To improve bioavailability of 4-HPR, new oral powder (LYM-X-SORB®, LXS) and intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) formulations are being tested in early-phase clinical trials. ILE 4-HPR administered as five-day continuous infusion achieved over 50 µmol/L at MTD with minimal systemic toxicities; multiple complete and partial responses were observed in peripheral T cell lymphomas. The LXS oral powder 4-HPR formulation increased plasma levels approximately two-fold at MTD in children without dose-limiting toxicities and demonstrated multiple complete responses in recurrent neuroblastoma. The clinical activity observed with new 4-HPR formulations is attributed to increased bioavailability. Phase I and II clinical trials of both LXS 4-HPR and ILE 4-HPR are in progress as a single agent or in combination with other drugs.

Impact statement

One of the critical components in drug development is understanding pharmacology (especially pharmacokinetics) of the drugs being developed. Often the pharmacokinetic properties, such as poor solubility leading to poor bioavailability, of the drug can limit further development of the drug. The development of numerous drugs has often halted at clinical testing stages, and several of them were due to the pharmacological properties of the agents, resulting in increased drug development cost. The current review provides an example of how improved clinical activity can be achieved by changing the formulations of a drug with poor bioavailability. Thus, it emphasizes the importance of understanding pharmacologic characteristics of the drug in drug development.
Tournaments of the Michigan State Band Association: 1877–1884
Authors: Hash Phillip M.
Published: April 2017

This study examined the history of band tournaments governed by the Michigan State Band Association (MSBA), beginning with the first competition in 1877 and ending with the disbandment of the Association and tournaments in 1884. The research focused specifically on the (a) organization, rules, and procedures of the tournaments; (b) details surrounding the individual competitions held throughout the state; and (c) influence of the tournaments on local culture, participating ensembles, and future band activities in Michigan. The first Michigan State Band Tournament met in Port Huron in June 1877. Festivities included parades, massed performances, and competitions for prizes consisting of silver cups, cash, and new instruments. To ensure equal opportunity among the ensembles, bands were divided into classifications based at first on size and instrumentation and then on ability. Officials added a solo cornet contest in 1878 and expanded this event to other instruments the following year. In 1879, bandmasters met at Lansing to organize the MSBA to standardize rules, select the location of the annual competition, and ensure fairness among participants. The Association and tournaments ended six years later, probably because of the failure of the competitions to generate a profit for the sponsors.
Latinos and Higher Education: A Literature Review
Authors: Flink Patrick Jermain
Published: April 2017

This article is an overview of the Latino population within the United States, and within higher education. Changes in demography have led to an increase in Latinos in higher education. First-generation Latinos face unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic challenges on campus. As a result, there has been an increase in English-language learners (ELLs), as well as an increase in the number of Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) across the country.
Lateral control strategy for a hypersonic cruise missile
Authors: Fan Yonghua , Yan Pengpeng , Xu Hongyang , Wang Fan
Published: April 2017

Hypersonic cruise missile always adopts the configuration of waverider body with the restraint of scramjet. As a result, the lateral motion exhibits serious coupling, and the controller design of the lateral lateral system cannot be conducted separately for yaw channel and roll channel. A multiple input and multiple output optimal control method with integrators is presented to design the lateral combined control system for hypersonic cruise missile. A hypersonic cruise missile lateral model is linearized as a multiple input and multiple output plant, which is coupled by kinematics and fin deflection between yaw and roll. In lateral combined controller, the integrators are augmented, respectively, into the loop of roll angle and lateral overload to ensure that the commands are tracked with zero steady-state error. Through simulation, the proposed controller demonstrates good performance in tracking the command of roll angle and lateral overload.
Understanding differing conceptions of violence through Self–Other relations in Gandhi and Fanon
Authors: Devare Aparna
Published: April 2017

This article compares and contrasts Gandhi’s and Fanon’s views on violence by placing these ideas within a larger framework of how each viewed the Self and its relationship with the Other. I argue in the article that Gandhi did not view the Self as clearly separable from the Other; the Self was internal to the Other and hence violence to the Other would also affect the Self. This was one of the underlying reasons behind his adopting a philosophy of non-violence. In the case of Fanon, I argue that one can identify a “dominant” Fanon who makes a clear separation between Self and Other in contrast to Gandhi and hence can justify violence inflicted on the colonizer. But, the article also teases out a “marginal” or “Other” Fanon who comes much closer to Gandhi in the manner in which he views the Other as implicated within the Self particularly through his own lived experience, his activism, his views on psychiatry, and his other writings apart from Wretched of the Earth.
Inter-rater and inter-instrument reliability of goniometric thumb active and passive flexion range of motion measurements in healthy hands
Authors: McGee Corey , Carlson Kali , Koethe Amanda , Mathiowetz Virgil
Published: April 2017

Introduction

Goniometry is a common measure of range of motion and may be assessed by different therapists and goniometers. To date, there is limited psychometric data on active and passive range of motion measurements of individual thumb joints. The purpose of this study was to analyze inter-rater and inter-instrument reliability of passive and active flexion goniometric measures of thumb joints in healthy adults.

Methods

A within-subjects psychometric design was utilized. Two raters each used two goniometers (Baseline™ Flexion-Hyper Extension and Baseline™ 180 Degree Digit) to measure each participant’s (n = 48) thumb carpometacarpal, metacarpophalangeal, and interphalangeal flexion range of motion. Inter-rater and inter-instrument reliability and stability were evaluated through use of intraclass correlation coefficient, standard error of the measurement, and minimal detectable change test statistics.

Results

Inter-rater reliability was poor for carpometacarpal flexion and good-to-excellent for metacarpophalangeal and IP flexion. Between-rater error ranged between 3.9 and 6.3 degrees for active measurements and between 3.9 and 7.9 degrees for passive. Error was generally less when using the Baseline™ 180 Degree Digit goniometer. Inter-instrument reliability was excellent for all joints.

Discussion

These findings validate the concerns that thumb goniometry inter-rater reliability may differ in clinical and non-clinical populations, support further study in clinical populations, and support a common assumption that the same rater should test the same client with the same goniometer to minimize measurement error. When compared to the Baseline™ Flexion-Hyper Extension Goniometer, the Baseline™ 180 Degree Digit had higher repeatability across raters. Further research on within-rater reliability is required as is study on clinical populations.
Synthesis of cubic CdSe nanocrystals and their spectral properties
Authors: Gao Yukun , Yin PG
Published: April 2017

The cadmium selenide nanocrystals are prepared by colloidal chemistry under mild conditions. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements indicate that as-prepared cadmium selenide nanocrystals are zinc blende cubic structure. We carry out an analysis of quantum size effect in the Raman spectra of cadmium selenide nanocrystals performed by utilizing the chemical bond theory of Raman peak shift developed recently. It is revealed that the shifts of Raman peaks in cadmium selenide nanocrystals result from the overlapping of the quantum effect shifts and surface effect shifts. The sizes of the as-prepared cadmium selenide nanocrystals obtained by employing the Raman peak shift theory are in good agreement with the nanocrystal sizes determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.
A study of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorod-based metal-semiconductor-metal UV detectors on glass substrates
Authors: Singh Shaivalini , Kumar Yogesh , Kumar Hemant , Vyas Sumit , Periasamy Chinnamuthan , Chakrabarti Parthasarathi , Jit Satyabrata , Park Si-Hyun
Published: April 2017

This study reports hydrothermally grown zinc oxide nanorod-based metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet detectors with palladium metal as the electrodes. The zinc oxide nanorods were deposited on glass substrates in two steps, seed layer deposition and growth of nanorods. The structural and optical properties of nanorods were examined using scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet–vis spectroscopy, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy image showed that the growth of nanorods was uniform, and the ultraviolet–vis results indicate that the bandgap of zinc oxide nanorods was 3.23 eV. For metal-semiconductor-metal devices, interdigited metal electrodes with equal interelectrode spacing and a width of 0.3 mm were deposited above the zinc oxide nanorod thin films with a shadow mask using a thermal evaporation system. The current–voltage characteristics of the metal-semiconductor-metal detector were investigated and it showed a contrast ratio of approximately 2.10 and responsivity of approximately 0.199 A/W at 1.8 V. These results are expected to be beneficial to fabricating cheap and practical ultraviolet detection applications.