bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract A40: CD30: A therapeutic target of MYC-driven cancer
Authors: Gennaro Victoria , Zhang Xiao-yong , DeSalle Lauren , Yu Duonan , Thomas-Tikhonenko Andrei , McMahon Steven
Published: October 2015

The MYC oncogene induces a multitude of human malignancies and has been well characterized as a critical driver of select lymphoma subtypes. In MYC-amplified tumor progression, there is a robust dependence on MYC activity; however, strategies developed to modulate MYC function in cancer have yielded little success. Patients harboring these MYC-driven tumors would benefit from a directed therapy that circumvents explicit molecular targeting of MYC expression. Our preliminary data from an unbiased expression-profiling screen identified CD30 as a primary downstream target of the MYC oncoprotein. CD30 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily and resides on the extracellular membrane; it is highly expressed in many lymphomas while acutely restricted in normal cells. Within the last few decades, CD30 has emerged as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target of many lymphoproliferative disorders and diseases. The biological function of CD30 is pleiotropic: CD30 stimulation is reportedly linked to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and proliferation through activation of the pro-survival transcription factor, NF-kB. However, the underlying mechanisms that regulate CD30 expression remain unclear. CD30-driven oncogenic pathways phenocopy those initiated by MYC, suggesting CD30's potential status as an effector of MYC-driven tumorigenic events. Here we report that CD30 is regulated at the transcriptional level by MYC. Through a genetic and biochemical approach, we define CD30 induction in a MYC-dependent manner across a variety of human cell lines of both lymphomagenic and non-lymphomagenic origin. Furthermore, in a murine lymphoma model where tumor formation is driven by a conditional allele of MYC, CD30 transcript levels are tightly correlated with MYC activity. Ultimately, CD30 induction offers a novel therapeutic avenue by which to target MYC-driven oncogenesis and has the potential to reshape detection and treatment of MYC-regulated cancer.

Citation Format: Victoria Gennaro, Xiao-yong Zhang, Lauren DeSalle, Duonan Yu, Andrei Thomas-Tikhonenko, Steven McMahon. CD30: A therapeutic target of MYC-driven cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Myc: From Biology to Therapy; Jan 7-10, 2015; La Jolla, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2015;13(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A40.
Abstract B40: Selective suppression of Myc transcription with a G-quadruplex stabilizing small molecule
Authors: Simmons John K. , Saunders Lindsey B. , Felsenstein Kenneth , Gareiss Peter , Zhang Shuling , Mock Beverly , Schneekloth John S.
Published: October 2015

The transcription factor Myc is disregulated in some 70% of human cancers, where it triggers aberrant growth and signaling, and contributes to tumorigenesis. Thus, Myc is a highly sought after drug target. However, targeting the Myc protein directly with small molecules has proven to be a significant challenge due to a lack of small molecule binding sites and rapid protein turnover in the cell. To date, most successes in inhibiting Myc function have come through alternative indirect approaches such as BET bromodomain inhibition. Here, we present a novel class of small molecules that silences Myc expression by stabilization of the G-quadruplex structure present in the NHEIII region of the Myc promoter. We used a small molecule microarray screen to identify molecules that selectively bind to the Myc G-quadruplex. Biophysical studies, including thermal melt and SPR analysis, demonstrated that the compound binds reversibly to the quadruplex structure with low micromolar affinity. Next, we demonstrated that the compound inhibited polymerase progression in an in vitro PCR-stop assay in a dose dependent fashion, while the compound had no effect on amplification of an oligo incapable of forming a quadruplex. Target specificity was demonstrated using a cell-based assay where one copy of the Myc gene has a translocation and is no longer under the control of a quadruplex. In this assay, Myc is only silenced upon treatment when there is a quadruplex in the promoter. Further studies demonstrate dose- and time-dependent effects on cell viability and Myc protein levels in a panel of myeloma cells. The compound also had minimal effects on viability of PBMCs from a healthy donor. Finally, gene expression analysis demonstrated that in contrast to other quadruplex-stabilizing small molecules, the compound reported here does not silence several other genes that are also under the control of quadruplexes.

Citation Format: John K. Simmons, Lindsey B. Saunders, Kenneth Felsenstein, Peter Gareiss, Shuling Zhang, Beverly Mock, John S. Schneekloth, Jr.. Selective suppression of Myc transcription with a G-quadruplex stabilizing small molecule. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Myc: From Biology to Therapy; Jan 7-10, 2015; La Jolla, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2015;13(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B40.
Abstract IA16: Transcriptional regulation by physiological and oncogenic Myc levels
Authors: Eyss Bjoern von , Wolf Elmar , Wiese Katrin , Eilers Martin
Published: October 2015

Myc proteins bind globally to open promoters of all three RNA polymerases and in some instances globally enhance transcription. Surprisingly, Myc-driven tumor cells are characterized by specific gene expression profiles, which are defined by both activation and repression of specific target genes and which hold considerable prognostic value and biological information about tumor physiology.

One mechanism that contributes to this specificity is promoter affinity and functionally distinct classes of Myc target genes vary widely in their apparent affinity to Myc. As a result, physiological and supraphysiological/oncogenic levels of Myc regulate different gene expression programs. Furthermore, oncogenic levels of Myc engage the zinc finger protein, Miz1, to repress transcription and I will briefly review what we know about the mechanism of repression. I will discuss two examples how different levels of Myc sensitize cells towards apoptosis and regulate the self-renewing potential of adult stem cells.

Citation Format: Bjoern von Eyss, Elmar Wolf, Katrin Wiese, Martin Eilers. Transcriptional regulation by physiological and oncogenic Myc levels. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Myc: From Biology to Therapy; Jan 7-10, 2015; La Jolla, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2015;13(10 Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.
Harnessing Connectivity in a Large-Scale Small-Molecule Sensitivity Dataset
Authors: Seashore-Ludlow Brinton , Rees Matthew G. , Cheah Jaime H. , Cokol Murat , Price Edmund V. , Coletti Matthew E. , Jones Victor , Bodycombe Nicole E. , Soule Christian K. , Gould Joshua , Alexander Benjamin , Li Ava , Montgomery Philip , Wawer Mathias J. , Kuru Nurdan , Kotz Joanne D. , Hon C. Suk-Yee , Munoz Benito , Liefeld Ted , Dančík Vlado , Bittker Joshua A. , Palmer Michelle , Bradner James E. , Shamji Alykhan F. , Clemons Paul A. , Schreiber Stuart L.
Published: October 2015

Identifying genetic alterations that prime a cancer cell to respond to a particular therapeutic agent can facilitate the development of precision cancer medicines. Cancer cell-line (CCL) profiling of small-molecule sensitivity has emerged as an unbiased method to assess the relationships between genetic or cellular features of CCLs and small-molecule response. Here, we developed annotated cluster multidimensional enrichment analysis to explore the associations between groups of small molecules and groups of CCLs in a new, quantitative sensitivity dataset. This analysis reveals insights into small-molecule mechanisms of action, and genomic features that associate with CCL response to small-molecule treatment. We are able to recapitulate known relationships between FDA-approved therapies and cancer dependencies and to uncover new relationships, including for KRAS-mutant cancers and neuroblastoma. To enable the cancer community to explore these data, and to generate novel hypotheses, we created an updated version of the Cancer Therapeutic Response Portal (CTRP v2).

Significance: We present the largest CCL sensitivity dataset yet available, and an analysis method integrating information from multiple CCLs and multiple small molecules to identify CCL response predictors robustly. We updated the CTRP to enable the cancer research community to leverage these data and analyses. Cancer Discov; 5(11); 1210–23. ©2015 AACR.

See related commentary by Gray and Mills, p. 1130.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1111
Long-Term Natural History of Adult Wolff–Parkinson–White Syndrome Patients Treated With and Without Catheter Ablation
Authors: Bunch T. Jared , May Heidi T. , Bair Tami L. , Anderson Jeffrey L. , Crandall Brian G. , Cutler Michael J. , Jacobs Victoria , Mallender Charles , Muhlestein Joseph B. , Osborn Jeffrey S. , Weiss J. Peter , Day John D.
Published: October 2015

Background—

There are a paucity of data about the long-term natural history of adult Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome (WPW) patients in regard to risk of mortality and atrial fibrillation. We sought to describe the long-term outcomes of WPW patients and ascertain the impact of ablation on the natural history.

Methods and Results—

Three groups of patients were studied: 2 WPW populations (ablation: 872, no ablation: 1461) and a 1:5 control population (n=11 175). Long-term mortality and atrial fibrillation rates were determined. The average follow-up for the WPW group was 7.9±5.9 (median: 6.9) years and was similar between the ablation and nonablation groups. Death rates were similar between the WPW group versus the control group (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.83–1.11;
P
=0.56). Nonablated WPW patients had a higher long-term death risk compared with ablated WPW patients (hazard ratio, 2.10; 95% confidence interval: 1.50–20.93;
P
<0.0001). Incident atrial fibrillation risk was higher in the WPW group compared with the control population (hazard ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.29–1.87;
P
<0.0001). Nonablated WPW patients had lower risk than ablated patients (hazard ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.28–0.53;
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Long-term mortality rates in WPW patients are low and similar to an age-matched and gender-matched control population. WPW patients that underwent the multifactorial process of ablation had a lower mortality compared to nonablated WPW patients. Atrial fibrillation rates are high long-term, and ablation does not reduce this risk.
Ecclesial Reconstruction, Theological Conservation
Authors: Williams John A.
Published: October 2015

Recent thinking and writing about the regeneration of the churches in Britain is almost always devoted to ways and means: patterns of ministry, styles of worship, methods of communication and models of mission. These contemporary approaches envisage a renewal of the churches that seemingly leaves theology untouched. This article mounts a critique of this strategy of ‘ecclesial reconstruction’ plus ‘theological conservation’ as short-sighted and overly narrow in focus. The situation contrasts with the ‘radical theology’ of the 1960s, in which it was assumed that ecclesial and theological reconstruction go together. The article asks why things are so different today. It considers a possible sociological account of this state of affairs, but argues against it, drawing on sociological and ecclesiological factors to build a case instead for the vital importance of hospitality towards critical and exploratory theological thinking in all initiatives for the reconstruction and renewal of the churches.
Toward a Nonviolent Koinonia
Authors: Sasongko Nindyo
Published: October 2015

While many churches now affirm the importance of nonviolence as a missional strategy, it is not clear that this has yet affected their ecclesial self-understanding. What have the ecumenical churches said about the church and nonviolence? Have they developed enough of a nonviolent ecclesiology? In this study, I contend that it is essential that the Christian churches be a nonviolent koinonia. The true church is the nonviolent church. Drawing upon major ecumenical documents, and listening to the voices of three theologians who have endorsed nonviolent theology, I outline a vision of the nonviolent church as a koinonia which participates in the life of the Triune God. As the community which is centred on the eucharist, I argue that the nonviolent koinonia is a community of anamnesis, of prolepsis, and of philoxenia.
A redescription of Lithornis vulturinus (Aves, Palaeognathae) from the Early Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark
Authors: BOURDON ESTELLE , LINDOW BENT
Published: October 2015

The extinct Lithornithidae include several genera and species of flying palaeognathous birds of controversial affinities known from the Early Paleogene of North America and Europe. An almost complete, articulated skeleton from the Early Eocene marine deposits of the Fur Formation (Denmark) was recently assigned to Lithornis vulturinus Owen, 1840. This study provides a detailed redescription and comparison of this three-dimensionally preserved specimen (MGUH 26770), which is one of the best preserved representatives of the Lithornithidae yet known. We suggest that some new features might be diagnostic of Lithornis vulturinus, including a pterygoid fossa shallower than in other species of Lithornis and the presence of a small caudal process on the os palatinum. We propose that Lithornis nasi (Harrison, 1984) is a junior synonym of Lithornis vulturinus and we interpret minor differences in size and shape among the specimens as intraspecific variation. To date, Lithornis vulturinus is known with certainty from the latest Paleocene—earliest Eocene to Early Eocene of the North Sea Basin (Ølst, Fur and London Clay Formations). Among the four species of the genus Lithornis, the possibility that Lithornis plebius Houde, 1988 (Early Eocene of Wyoming) is conspecific with either Lithornis vulturinus or Lithornis promiscuus Houde, 1988 (Early Eocene of Wyoming) is discussed. The presence of closely related species of Lithornis on either side of the North Atlantic in the Early Eocene reflects the existence of a high-latitude land connection between Europe and North America at that time.
Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes in Real-World Patients Between Resolute Zotarilumus-Eluting and Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents in Small Vessel
Authors: Kilickesmez Kadriye Orta , Kocaş Betül , Yildiz Ahmet , Coskun Ugur , Ersanli Murat , Arat Alev , Gürmen Tevfik
Published: October 2015

Objective:

To compare the long-term clinical outcomes between Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES) and paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) in patients with small coronary artery disease.

Background:

Patients with a small vessel diameter are independently associated with increased risk of adverse cardiac events after drug-eluting stent implantation.

Methods:

A cohort of 265 patients treated with R-ZES (185 patients with 211 lesions) or PES (80 patients with 100 lesions) in small vessel (≤2.5 mm) lesions were retrospectively analyzed. The primary end point of the study was the composite of major adverse cardiac events. The secondary end points included target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and stent thrombosis at 3 years.

Results:

The baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. In the R-ZES group, the mean stent diameter was smaller and the total stent length per lesion was longer. Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 8 (10%) patients who had received PES and in 7 (3.8%) patients who had received R-ZES ( P = .07). The rates of 3-year TLR (2.2% vs 2.5%; P = 1.00) and TVR (5.4% vs 10.0%; P = .17) showed no statistically significant difference between the R-ZES and PES groups. The rate of stent thrombosis was 0.5% in the R-ZES group and 2.5% in the PES group ( P = .21).

Conclusion:

The rates of major adverse cardiac events and cardiac death were similar in the R-ZES-treated group compared with the PES-treated group.
Efficacy of Drug-Eluting Balloons for Patients With In-Stent Restenosis
Authors: Gao Shen , Shen Jing , Mukku Venkata Kishore , Wang Mei Jia , Akhtar Muzina , Liu Wei
Published: October 2015

The optimal treatment for in-stent restenosis (ISR) of both bare-metal stent (BMS) and drug-eluting stent (DES) is currently unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the role of drug-eluting balloon (DEB) as an optional treatment for ISR. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOS, and Web of Science from 2005 to July 2014. Eight studies, enrolling 1413 patients were included. Main end points were late lumen loss (LLL), binary in-segment restenosis (BR), major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), target lesion revascularization (TLR), death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stent thrombosis (ST). When compared to plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), DEB treatment significantly reduced the risk of MACE (risk rato [RR] 0.37, P < .01), death (RR 0.44, P = .04), TLR (RR 0.27, P < .01), BR (RR [95% CI]: 0.23[0.12 to 0.43], P < .01) and associated with better outcomes of LLL ( 0.50 [ 0.65 to 0.35] mm, P < .01). However, the differences were not significant between DEB treatment and DES treatment in all primary and secondary end points. The DEB was a better option to treat ISR when compared to POBA. However, it had similar effects as DES.
Maternal Risk Anxiety in Belfast: Claims, Evaluations, Responses
Authors: Smyth Lisa
Published: October 2015

This article considers the social logic of maternal anxiety about risks posed to children in segregated, post-conflict neighbourhoods. Focusing on qualitative research with mothers in Belfast’s impoverished and divided inner city, the article draws on the interactionist perspective in the sociology of emotions to explore the ways in which maternal anxiety drives claims for recognition of good mothering, through orientations to these neighbourhoods. Drawing on Hirschman’s model of exit, loyalty and voice types of situated action, the article examines the relationship between maternal risk anxiety and evaluations of neighbourhood safety. In arguing that emotions are important aspects of claims for social recognition, the article demonstrates that anxiety provokes efforts to claim status, in this context through the explicit affirmation of non-sectarian mothering.
National types: The transatlantic publication and reception of Crania Americana (1839)
Authors: Poskett James
Published: October 2015

Samuel George Morton’s Crania Americana (1839) is most often read as a foundational work for the ‘American school’ of nineteenth-century ethnography. In this article, I challenge such a reading by demonstrating how transatlantic connections shaped both the publication and the reception of Morton’s atlas. In this lavish folio volume, complete with over seventy lithographic plates, Morton divides mankind into five races on the basis of skull configuration. However, to date, there have been no histories which consider the relevance of Morton’s extensive correspondence with physicians, naturalists, and phrenologists in Europe. Furthermore, there have been no studies which consider how Morton managed the reception of Crania Americana across the Atlantic Ocean. This article resituates American ethnology within this transatlantic world, drawing on archival collections in both Britain and the United States. More broadly, it demonstrates how the history of the book can be developed as we move beyond national contexts.
Gianantonio Tadini and falling bodies: A new documentary source for the reconstruction of the history of experimental proofs on the Earth’s rotation
Authors: Giannini Giulia
Published: October 2015

Gianantonio Tadini (1754–1830) is the little known protagonist in an important experiment carried out in Bergamo between 1794 and 1795. Based on the measurement of the deviation of a falling body, the experiment owes much to the one that was conducted by Giambattista Guglielmini (1760–1817) in Bologna in 1791, which aimed at demonstrating Earth’s rotation. Tadini’s experimental work represents the most successful attempt carried out before the 19th century, and it led to the first correct formulation of deviation’s measurement. In spite of this, it is not well represented in the general literature on the history of experiments intended to show diurnal Earth’s motion.1

The discovery of Tadini’s diary of experiments as well as some notes and a part of his correspondence – preserved as manuscripts in the Angelo Mai municipal library in Bergamo – allows us now to reconstruct the history of Tadini’s experiment and of his reasoning about Guglielmini’s work. In this paper, I describe the genesis and the development of Tadini’s experiment, clarify the role played by the different personalities involved and set these trials against the background of the widest history of proofs on diurnal Earth’s rotation carried out in Europe in those years.
Profiling users with tag networks in diffusion-based personalized recommendation
Authors: Mao Jin , Lu Kun , Li Gang , Yi Ming
Published: October 2015

This study explores new ways of tag-based personalized recommendation by relieving the assumption that tags assigned by a user occur independently of each other. The new methods profile users using tag co-occurrence networks, upon which link-based node weighting methods (e.g. PageRank and HITS) are applied to refine the weights of tags. A diffusion process is then performed upon the tag-item bipartite graph to transform the weights of tags into recommendation scores for items. Experiments on three datasets showed improvements of the proposed method over the tag-based collaborative filtering in terms of precision and recall in the datasets with dense user-tag networks and in terms of inter-diversity in all datasets. In addition, the user-tag network is found to be a necessary instrument for the improvements. The findings of this study contribute to more accurate user profiling and personalized recommendations using network theory and have practical implications for tag-based recommendation systems.
The Shanar Revolts, 1822–99
Authors: N.V. Sheeju
Published: October 2015

This article focuses on the Shanar revolts, a series of subaltern uprisings in nineteenth-century South Travancore, for the right to wear upper clothes over the bosoms of Shanar women. In the parlance of official accounts and modern histories, these revolts are mere disturbances or controversies and the subaltern rebels in these struggles were always pretenders. Contrary to this, an attempt is made here to document and explicate the becoming of the pretender and to demonstrate that historiography may well be implicated, all too easily, in generating the very precarity of the pretender by opposing any movement towards reform.
Indigenous Beliefs and Practices among the Galos of Arunachal Pradesh
Authors: Doye Eli
Published: October 2015

This fieldwork-based article provides an ethnographic overview of surviving traditional ritual practices and underlying belief systems among the Galos of Arunachal Pradesh. Since most of this community recently converted to Christianity, many of the details outlined here may soon be forgotten and no longer practised, or will be only used when other patterns of recourse to remedies for distress have shown no results. The evidence presented indicates the continued presence of ancient holistic worldviews that may be dismissed by others as ‘primitive’ but whose followers seek to fall in line and clearly connect themselves with locally grounded forces beyond immediate human control.
Inter-observer variation and diagnostic efficacy of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements obtained by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in small renal masses
Authors: Ponhold Lothar , Javor Domagoj , Heinz-Peer Gertraud , Sevcenco Sabina , Hofstetter Martin , Baltzer Pascal Andreas
Published: October 2015

Background

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is increasingly used to diagnose renal lesion subtypes. Especially in small renal masses, identification of less aggressive tumor types is of clinical interest, as active surveillance strategies can be applied.

Purpose

To evaluate the inter-observer variation and diagnostic efficacy of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements obtained by DWI in small renal masses ≤4 cm (SRM).

Material and Methods

This retrospective IRB-approved study included 39 patients (46 SRM: 12 benign, 34 malignant). All underwent a 3 T DWI of SRM prior to surgery. Two radiologists independently analyzed all imaging data by three measurements. Limits of agreement, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), group comparisons by t-tests, and ROC analysis were performed.

Results

Reliability of ADC measurements was very high with an ICC of >0.9 for both observers. Inter-rater reliability was high with an ICC of 0.82. Limits of agreement for average ADC values between both observers were −23.5% to 38.3% with a mean difference of 7.5% between both observers. No significant differences were found between benign and malignant lesions ( P value Observer 1: 0.362, Observer 2: 0.622). Papillary carcinoma showed lower ADC values compared to non-papillary carcinoma ( P value Observer 1: 0.008, Observer 2: 0.012). Consequently, ROC analysis revealed a significant ( P < 0.001, respectively) area under the ROC curve of 0.853 (Observer 1) and 0.837 (Observer 2) without significant differences between both readers ( P = 0.772).

Conclusion

ADC measurements of SRM at 3 T show a high reproducibility and differentiate papillary from non-papillary carcinoma subtypes. However, measurement variability may limit the application of fixed ADC thresholds for lesion diagnosis.
Trois points de vue sur les partenariats pour corriger les lacunes en matière de soins de santé
Authors: Tsuyuki Ross T. , Sebestyen Norma , Davis Sheila , Rondos Spyro ,   Merck Canada inc.
Published: October 2015

Puisqu’ils sont en première ligne auprès des patients, les pharmaciens communautaires jouent un rôle essentiel au sein du système de santé. Le présent article propose trois points de vue sur la manière dont une approche concertée, qui inclut le pharmacien communautaire, peut améliorer les soins aux patients et réduire les coûts pour le système. C’est la réussite de ces modèles de partenariat qui contribue à susciter des changements systémiques. L’article présente les réflexions du docteur Ross Tsuyuki, l’un des chercheurs canadiens de pointe sur le sujet, et quelques découvertes réalisées tout au long de son partenariat avec Merck au Canada depuis 20 ans. La majeure partie des études révisées par des pairs du docteur Tsuyuki sont menées en Alberta, où la portée de la pratique des pharmaciens est élargie.
“Moving the needle” through partnerships
Authors: Sebestyen Norma , Sulatycky Ron , Rondos Spyro , Davis Sheila
Published: October 2015

Two projects illustrate how the application of real-world evidence can help to address healthcare challenges to generate better outcomes and efficiencies. In the first example, a broad coalition of public and private partners in Alberta is applying enhanced measurement techniques and the Triple Aim methodology to improve health outcomes among complex care, high needs patients in Edmonton’s Eastwood community. The innovative findings, it is hoped, will be scaled to other areas of the province. In the second example, the Childhood Obesity Foundation, with support from Merck in Canada, and Ayogo (a Vancouver-based digital therapeutics company) are partnering to use innovative “gamification” to build engagement and change behaviours among Canada’s increasingly sedentary youth.
Toward an Understanding of the Poor Health Status of Indigenous Australian Men
Authors: Mellor David , McCabe Marita , Ricciardelli Lina , Mussap Alex , Tyler Matthew
Published: October 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of health and health behaviors among Indigenous Australian men. Using a participatory action research (PAR) framework, we conducted two focus groups and 40 individual semi-structured interviews with men between the ages of 18 and 35 years in each of three locations across Australia. We used the health beliefs model to provide a framework for the analyses. Participants recognized that their Indigenous status placed them in a vulnerable position with regard to health, and that there might be serious consequences of failing to follow a good diet and engage in appropriate exercise. However, they delineated a number of barriers to engaging in such health behaviors. These perceived barriers require addressing at a range of policy levels within government, with a focus on social structures and institutionalized discrimination, as well as unemployment, poverty, dispossession, and cultural oppression.
Political Agency at Older Ages in Turkey
Authors: Erol Pelin Önder
Published: October 2015

Today there is a continuing increase in both absolute and relative numbers of old people in the Turkish population. Paradoxically, this category of people is devalued and portrayed through deficiency and insufficiency in modern capitalist society. It is critical to emphasize that old age groups have some agency that helps to transform society. Certainly, one of the most important kinds of agency they have is a political one, depending on parameters such as gender, level of educational attainment, residential area, and health status. The research included a field study drawing upon the quantitative data gathered through structured interviews conducted with a sample of 416 people aged 65 and above, and the qualitative data gathered through in-depth interviews conducted with 16 people chosen from the same research population. Drawing upon Giddens' Structuration Theory, this article revealed that although majority of old people are not highly engaged to politics, heterogeneity among old people should be taken into consideration while examining the forms and the levels of political agency. Particularly old people who are living at the urban center, having a higher degree of educational attainment, and being healthier and male are much more likely to have a higher political agency.
Slim by Design
Authors: Wansink Brian , Hanks Andrew S. , Kaipainen Kirsikka
Published: October 2015

Background. The home is one place where people can control what foods are available and how the environment is arranged. Given the impact of environments on health, the objective of this study is to determine whether the presence of foods on a person’s kitchen counter are associated with their body mass index (BMI). Method. In Study 1, a nationwide sample of 500 households was asked to inventory their kitchen and provide their height and weight. In Study 2, researchers photographed and catalogued 210 households in Syracuse, New York, and measured the occupants’ height and weight. Main outcome measures for the study were BMI differences between households that had various foods visible on the counter compared with those that did not. Findings. The presence of fruit on the counter was associated with lower BMI in both studies, but the presence of foods such as candy, cereal, soft drinks, and dried fruit were associated with weight differences that ranged from 9.4 to 14.4 kg. Interpretations. Although correlational, the findings from these two studies suggest that when counseling patients regarding their weight, physicians also suggest they clear their kitchen counter of all food except a fruit bowl.
A physiological basis for visual discomfort: Application in lighting design
Authors: Wilkins AJ
Published: October 2015

Visual discomfort occurs when the statistics of the retinal image depart from those of natural scenes, particularly in respect of an excess energy at spatial frequencies close to 3 cycles/degree. Computer models suggest that uncomfortable stimuli are processed with a larger and less sparse neural response. Uncomfortable stimuli usually evoke a relatively large oxygenation of the visual cortex of the brain, consistent with inefficient neural encoding. The discomfort may be homeostatic. The neural computation that sustains sight is therefore likely to be more complex when the visual scene is spatially periodic, when the colour contrast is high or when saccadic suppression is impaired by flicker that is too rapid to be seen.
Picturing Masculinities: Using Photoelicitation in Men’s Health Research
Authors: Creighton Genevieve M. , Brussoni Mariana , Oliffe John L. , Han Christina
Published: October 2015

This article explores the use of photo-elicitation methods in two men’s health studies. Discussed are the ways that photo-elicitation can facilitate conversation about health issues that might be otherwise challenging to access. In the first study, researchers explored 35 young men’s experiences of grief following the accidental death of a male peer. In the second study, researchers describe 64 fathers’ perceptions about their roles and identity with respect to child safety and risk. Photographs and accompanying narratives were analyzed and results were theorized using a masculinities framework. Discussed are the benefits of photo-elicitation, which include facilitating conversation about emotions, garnering insight into the structures and identities of masculinity in the context of men’s health. Considered also are some methodological challenges amid recommendations for ensuring reflexive practices. Based on the findings it is concluded that photo-elicitation can innovatively advance qualitative research in men’s health.
Accessibility and Use of Online Video Captions by Local Television News Websites
Authors: Youngblood Norman E. , Lysaght Ryan
Published: October 2015

In July 2014, the Federal Communications Commission expanded broadcaster requirements for captioning online videos. The new guidelines, which go into effect in January 2016, require broadcasters to caption online clips from shows originally aired with captions. We conducted a content analysis and examined a stratified sample of one fifth of U.S. Designated Market Areas to see how prepared local TV news sites are for the rule changes and how accessible the sites are for users with disabilities. Barely 60% of sites captioned any of the sampled video clips and almost all sites had major accessibility issues.
Beyond the Global Emergency
Authors: Slaughter Richard A.
Published: October 2015

This paper argues that external, technology-led views of futures tend to be one-sided and overlook significant interior aspects of reality. As everything is socially constructed, it follows that no technology stands alone. They arise from social processes that are, in many cases, centuries old. Human beings also enact their own individual and shared interior worlds. An integral perspective and the four-quadrant model give equal attention to interior/exterior and individual/collective phenomena. It also helps us to embrace and respect the contributions of many different disciplines. Part One uses these distinctions to raise questions about the views of prominent Silicon Valley figures and their particular framing of the “Digital revolution.” Part Two suggests how integral methods help us to “see with fresh eyes” and open up new and renewed strategies or “proto-solutions” to pressing global issues.
Design Me a Planet
Authors: Saloff-Coste Michel
Published: October 2015

The number and variety of cultures past and present have divided members of the human race throughout the course of history. Our differing cultural perspectives make it difficult to grasp the process of evolving values, and often allow us to ignore or discount the cultures of others, and cultures of the past, or the future, as well. Because culture is the means by which we encode our experience of the world, it is also our reality. Thus, at this moment when social conflicts and destructive practices threaten not only our future as a species but the future of our world as a living system, we must seek new ways for individuals and cultures to cooperate and use technologies wisely to restore and guard the environment while bringing the benefits of sustainable prosperity to people everywhere. The global initiative “Design Me a Planet,” outlined and discussed in this article, aims to help accomplish this vital and long-desired goal.
Autologous stem cell transplantation aids autoimmune patients by functional renewal and TCR diversification of regulatory T cells
Authors: Delemarre Eveline M. , van den Broek Theo , Mijnheer Gerdien , Meerding Jenny , Wehrens Ellen J. , Olek Sven , Boes Marianne , van Herwijnen Martijn J. C. , Broere Femke , van Royen Annet , Wulffraat Nico M. , Prakken Berent J. , Spierings Eric , van Wijk Femke
Published: October 2015

Key Points

Autologous HSCT induces functional renewal of regulatory T cells as well as a strong Treg TCR diversification in autoimmune patients. Adding regulatory T cells to the graft does not lead to additional clinical improvement but results in delayed donor T-cell reconstitution.
High-dose dexamethasone vs prednisone for treatment of adult immune thrombocytopenia: a prospective multicenter randomized trial
Authors: Wei Yu , Ji Xue-bin , Wang Ya-wen , Wang Jing-xia , Yang En-qin , Wang Zheng-cheng , Sang Yu-qi , Bi Zuo-mu , Ren Cui-ai , Zhou Fang , Liu Guo-qiang , Peng Jun , Hou Ming
Published: October 2015

Key Points

HD-DXM is a preferred strategy to conventional prednisone as first-line management of newly diagnosed adult primary ITP.
VAC chemotherapy with valproic acid for refractory/relapsing small cell lung cancer: a phase II study
Authors: Berghmans Thierry , Lafitte Jean-Jacques , Scherpereel Arnaud , Ameye Lieveke , Paesmans Marianne , Meert Anne-Pascale , Colinet Benoit , Tulippe Christian , Willems Luc , Leclercq Nathalie , Sculier Jean-Paul ,   for the European Lung Cancer Working Party
Published: October 2015

Salvage chemotherapy (CT) for relapsing or refractory small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains disappointing.In vitroexperiments showed that valproic acid increases apoptosis of SCLC cell lines exposed to doxorubicin, vindesine and bis(2-chloroethyl)amine. The primary objective of this phase II study was to determine whether epigenetic modulation with valproic acid in addition to a doxorubicin, vindesine and cyclophosphamide (VAC) regimen improves 6-month progression-free survival (PFS).

Patients with pathologically proven SCLC refractory to prior platinum derivatives and etoposide were eligible. After central registration, patients received VAC plus daily oral valproic acid.

64 patients were registered, of whom six were ineligible. Seven patients did not receive any CT, leaving 51 patients assessable for the primary end-point. The objective response rate was 19.6%. Median PFS was 2.8 months (95% CI 2.5–3.6 months) and 6-month PFS was 6%. Median survival time was 5.9 months (95% CI 4.7–7.5 months). Toxicity was mainly haematological, with 88% and 26% grade 3–4 neutropenia and thrombopenia, respectively.

Despite an interesting response rate, the addition of valproic acid to VAC did not translate into adequate PFS in relapsing SCLC or SCLC refractory to platinum–etoposide.
Surviving protein quality control catastrophes – from cells to organisms
Authors: Schneider Kim , Bertolotti Anne
Published: October 2015

Organisms have evolved mechanisms to cope with and adapt to unexpected challenges and harsh conditions. Unfolded or misfolded proteins represent a threat for cells and organisms, and the deposition of misfolded proteins is a defining feature of many age-related human diseases, including the increasingly prevalent neurodegenerative diseases. These protein misfolding diseases are devastating and currently cannot be cured, but are hopefully not incurable. In fact, the aggregation-prone and potentially harmful proteins at the origins of protein misfolding diseases are expressed throughout life, whereas the diseases are late onset. This reveals that cells and organisms are normally resilient to disease-causing proteins and survive the threat of misfolded proteins up to a point. This Commentary will outline the limits of the cellular resilience to protein misfolding, and discuss the possibility of pushing these limits to help cells and organisms to survive the threat of misfolding proteins and to avoid protein quality control catastrophes.
Reduction of Chemical Oxygen Demand from Refinery Wastewater by Three-Dimensional Electrode-Electro-Fenton Process
Authors: Yan Long , Wang Yufei , Li Jian , Shen Huidong , Zhang Chao , Qu Tiantian
Published: October 2015

In this work, a three-dimensional electrode-electro-Fenton system (3DE-EF), where Fe particles and air were introduced simultaneously into a traditional two-dimensional reactor, was employed to treat refinery wastewater. The effect of operating conditions—initial pH, electrolytic voltage, amount of Fe particles, electrolyte type and electrolyte amount—on chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction were explored and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). The possible reaction mechanisms of these processes were also discussed by comparing the results of COD reduction. The results showed that the COD of refinery wastewater nearly reached the grade I wastewater discharge standard (100 mg L−1) when the initial pH was 2.98, cell voltage was 13 V, electrolysis time was 60 min, and NaCl and Fe particles were added at 2.70 g/300 mL NaCl and 3.12 g/300 mL, respectively. The results indicated that the 3DE-EF system is a highly efficient COD reduction technology, successfully combining the features of a three-dimensional electrode and an electro-Fenton system.
Clinical determinants of mental disorders occurring during the infertility treatment.
Authors: Holka-Pokorska Justyna , Jarema Marek , Wichniak Adam
Published: October 2015

Współcześnie niepłodność stanowi coraz bardziej rozpowszechniony problem medyczny i społeczny. Terapia niepłodności została zrewolucjonizowana poprzez wprowadzenie oraz ciągłe doskonalenie technologii rozrodu wspomaganego (ART). W większości krajów notuje się także stały wzrost częstości stosowania procedur z zakresu ART. Niepłodność, terapia niepłodności oraz zaburzenia psychiczne są ze sobą powiązane w bardzo złożony sposób. Większość badań wskazuje, że obecność zaburzeń psychicznych (a w tym najczęstszych pośród nich zaburzeń depresyjnych) u osób leczonych z powodu niepłodności, może wpływać na zmniejszenie skuteczności terapii ginekologicznej. Inne badania wskazują, że nieskuteczna terapia niepłodności, stanowi niezależny czynnik ryzyka rozwoju zaburzeń psychicznych (zwłaszcza zaburzeń psychotycznych oraz uzależnień). Mimo coraz większego rozpowszechnienia procedur rozrodu wspomaganego brak jest jednolitych standardów dotyczących psychologiczno-psychiatrycznego postępowania wspierającego terapię niepłodności oraz procedur postępowania w przypadku psychiatrycznych powikłań diagnozy i terapii niepłodności. Celem niniejszego opracowania było dokonanie analizy prac dotyczących psychiatrycznych aspektów terapii niepłodności pod kątem ich znaczenia dla postępowania klinicznego w zakresie pomocy psychiatryczno-psychologicznej wobec chorych leczonych z powodu niepłodności.
Gerrymandering for Justice: Redistricting U.S. Liver Allocation
Authors: Gentry Sommer , Chow Eric , Massie Allan , Segev Dorry
Published: October 2015

U.S. organ allocation policy sequesters livers from deceased donors within arbitrary geographic boundaries, frustrating the intent of those who wish to offer the livers to transplant candidates based on medical urgency. We used a zero-one integer program to partition 58 donor service areas into between four and eight sharing districts that minimize the disparity in liver availability among districts. Because the integer program necessarily suppressed clinically significant differences among patients and organs, we tested the optimized district maps with a discrete-event simulation tool that represents liver allocation at a per-person, per-organ level of detail. In April 2014, the liver committee of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) decided in a unanimous vote of 22-0-0 to write a policy proposal based on our eight-district and four-district maps. The OPTN board of directors could implement the policy after the proposal and public-comment period.Redistricting liver allocation would save hundreds of lives over the next five years and would attenuate the serious geographic inequity in liver transplant offers.
Oxycodone IV?; Eliminate Teaspoonfuls; Avoid Vitamin D Products Dosed and Measured in Drops
Authors: Cohen Michael R. , Smetzer Judy L.
Published: October 2015

These medication errors have occurred in health care facilities at least once. They will happen again—perhaps where you work. Through education and alertness of personnel and procedural safeguards, they can be avoided. You should consider publishing accounts of errors in your newsletters and/or presenting them at your inservice training programs.

Your assistance is required to continue this feature. The reports described here were received through the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Medication Errors Reporting Program. Any reports published by ISMP will be anonymous. Comments are also invited; the writers’ names will be published if desired. ISMP may be contacted at the address shown below.

Errors, close calls, or hazardous conditions may be reported directly to ISMP through the ISMP Web site ( www.ismp.org ), by calling 800-FAIL-SAFE, or via e-mail at ismpinfo@ismp.org . ISMP guarantees the confidentiality and security of the information received and respects reporters’ wishes as to the level of detail included in publications.
Association of Uninterrupted Oral Anticoagulation during Cardiac Device Implantation with Pocket Hematoma
Authors: Melton Brittany L. , Howard Patricia A. , Goerdt Abby , Casey Jessica
Published: October 2015

Purpose

Implantation of permanent pacemakers (PPMs) or implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) may be complicated by the development of pocket hematomas. Current practice guidelines provide little guidance to clinicians about the preferred strategy for chronic oral anticoagulation (OAC). The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency and clinical significance of pocket hematoma among patients receiving uninterrupted OAC during cardiac device implantation.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing cardiac device implantation between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012, at an academic teaching hospital. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, comorbidities, and medications. The primary outcome was development of pocket hematomas within 30 days of device implantation. Clinical significance was based on the need for additional intervention. Data were assessed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and chi-square tests.

Results

The final cohort included 380 patients. The median age was 68.4 years, and 56.6% were male. Cardiovascular comorbidities were common. Among 80 patients receiving uninterrupted OAC, 71.3% were taking warfarin, 11.2% rivaroxaban, and 17.5% dabigatran. The incidence of pocket hematomas for the entire cohort was 9.7%, of which 1.3% were clinically significant. Pocket hematoma occurred in 21.4% of patients continued on OAC versus 7.7% of those not anticoagulated ( P = .001). Pocket hematoma was more common among those receiving ICDs than PPMs (18.5% vs 5.7%, respectively; P < .001).

Conclusions

Continuing chronic OAC increased pocket hematoma formation but most were clinically insignificant. Pocket hematoma occurred irrespective of the oral anticoagulant drug used, but additional study is needed to determine comparative risks among the drugs.