bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Sequencing of Urinary RNAs for Bladder Cancer Molecular Diagnostics
Authors: Sin Mandy L.Y. , Mach Kathleen E. , Sinha Rahul , Wu Fan , Trivedi Dharati R. , Altobelli Emanuela , Jensen Kristin C. , Sahoo Debashis , Lu Ying , Liao Joseph C.
Published: February 2017

Purpose: The majority of bladder cancer patients present with localized disease and are managed by transurethral resection. However, the high rate of recurrence necessitates lifetime cystoscopic surveillance. Developing a sensitive and specific urine-based test would significantly improve bladder cancer screening, detection, and surveillance.

Experimental Design: RNA-seq was used for biomarker discovery to directly assess the gene expression profile of exfoliated urothelial cells in urine derived from bladder cancer patients (n = 13) and controls (n = 10). Eight bladder cancer specific and 3 reference genes identified by RNA-seq were quantitated by qPCR in a training cohort of 102 urine samples. A diagnostic model based on the training cohort was constructed using multiple logistic regression. The model was further validated in an independent cohort of 101 urines.

Results: A total of 418 genes were found to be differentially expressed between bladder cancer and controls. Validation of a subset of these genes was used to construct an equation for computing a probability of bladder cancer score (PBC) based on expression of three markers (ROBO1, WNT5A, and CDC42BPB). Setting PBC = 0.45 as the cutoff for a positive test, urine testing using the three-marker panel had overall 88% sensitivity and 92% specificity in the training cohort. The accuracy of the three-marker panel in the independent validation cohort yielded an AUC of 0.87 and overall 83% sensitivity and 89% specificity.

Conclusions: Urine-based molecular diagnostics using this three-marker signature could provide a valuable adjunct to cystoscopy and may lead to a reduction of unnecessary procedures for bladder cancer diagnosis. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3700–10. ©2017 AACR.
Transcriptional Mechanisms of Resistance to Anti–PD-1 Therapy
Authors: Ascierto Maria L. , Makohon-Moore Alvin , Lipson Evan J. , Taube Janis M. , McMiller Tracee L. , Berger Alan E. , Fan Jinshui , Kaunitz Genevieve J. , Cottrell Tricia R. , Kohutek Zachary A. , Favorov Alexander , Makarov Vladimir , Riaz Nadeem , Chan Timothy A. , Cope Leslie , Hruban Ralph H. , Pardoll Drew M. , Taylor Barry S. , Solit David B. , Iacobuzio-Donahue Christine A. , Topalian Suzanne L.
Published: February 2017

Purpose: To explore factors associated with response and resistance to anti–PD-1 therapy, we analyzed multiple disease sites at autopsy in a patient with widely metastatic melanoma who had a heterogeneous response.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-six melanoma specimens (four premortem, 22 postmortem) were subjected to whole exome sequencing. Candidate immunologic markers and gene expression were assessed in 10 cutaneous metastases showing response or progression during therapy.

Results: The melanoma was driven by biallelic inactivation of NF1. All lesions had highly concordant mutational profiles and copy number alterations, indicating linear clonal evolution. Expression of candidate immunologic markers was similar in responding and progressing lesions. However, progressing cutaneous metastases were associated with overexpression of genes associated with extracellular matrix and neutrophil function.

Conclusions: Although mutational and immunologic differences have been proposed as the primary determinants of heterogeneous response/resistance to targeted therapies and immunotherapies, respectively, differential lesional gene expression profiles may also dictate anti–PD-1 outcomes. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); 3168–80. ©2017 AACR.

See related commentary by Wilmott et al., p. 2921
Technetium-99m- or Cy7-Labeled Rituximab as an Imaging Agent for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Camacho Ximena , Machado Camila Longo , García María Fernanda , Gambini Juan Pablo , Banchero Agustina , Fernández Marcelo , Oddone Natalia , Bertolini Zanatta Daniela , Rosal Carolina , Buchpiguel Carlos Alberto , Chammas Roger , Riva Eloisa , Cabral Pablo
Published: February 2017

Introduction: Rituximab was the first monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) expressing CD20 antigen. This antibody has also the potential to be used as a specific fluorescent and radiolabel agent for targeting NHL. Objective: To radiolabel rituximab with technetium-99m (99mTc) or Cy7 and evaluate both probes as potential imaging agents for NHL. Methods: Rituximab was derivatized with the trifluoroacetyl hydrazino protected form of succinimidyl ester of HYNIC and radiolabeled with 99mTc. Radiochemical stability and in vitro cell assays were evaluated. Biodistribution and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) were performed. Raji cells were transfected with luciferase for bioluminescent NHL imaging up to 21 days. Rituximab was labeled with Cy7 for in vivo noninvasive fluorescence imaging up to 96 h. Results: Radiolabeling was carried out in a fast, reproducible, easy, and stable way with high radiochemical purity and did not interfere with epitope recognition. Biodistribution and SPECT/CT studies showed high liver and discrete tumor uptake. Bioluminescence and fluorescence studies helped us evaluate rituximab-Cy7 in Raji subcutaneous engraftment in BALB/c nude mice. Conclusions: Our results support the potential use of rituximab labeled either with 99mTc or Cy7 as a molecular imaging tool for staging, restaging, and guiding surgical excision of tumors, which merits further evaluation.
Leveraging Online Resources to Prioritize Candidate Genes for Functional Analyses: Using the Fetal Testis as a Test Case
Authors: McClelland Kathryn S. , Yao Humphrey H.-C.
Published: February 2017

With each new microarray or RNA-seq experiment, massive quantities of transcriptomic information are generated with the purpose to produce a list of candidate genes for functional analyses. Yet an effective strategy remains elusive to prioritize the genes on these candidate lists. In this review, we outline a prioritizing strategy by taking a step back from the bench and leveraging the rich range of public databases. This in silico approach provides an economical, less biased, and more effective solution. We discuss the publicly available online resources that can be used to answer a range of questions about a gene. Is the gene of interest expressed in the system of interest (using expression databases)? Where else is this gene expressed (using added-value transcriptomic resources)? What pathways and processes is the gene involved in (using enriched gene pathway analysis and mouse knockout databases)? Is this gene correlated with human diseases (using human disease variant databases)? Using mouse fetal testis as an example, our strategies identified 298 genes annotated as expressed in the fetal testis. We cross-referenced these genes to existing microarray data and narrowed the list down to cell-type-specific candidates (35 for Sertoli cells, 11 for Leydig cells, and 25 for germ cells). Our strategies can be customized so that they allow researchers to effectively and confidently prioritize genes for functional analysis.
Oligometastatic Disease in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer - How to Proceed
Authors: Chiapponi Costanza , Berlth Felix , Plum Patrick S. , Betzler Christopher , Stippel Dirk L. , Popp Felix , Bruns Christiane J.
Published: February 2017

Background: In the present study we review and discuss the current evidence and suggest how to proceed in the management of oligometastatic disease in upper gastrointestinal cancer. Methods: An electronic search of the PubMed database for relevant articles was performed. Results: Both the search for ‘oligometastasis', ‘oligometastases', ‘oligometastatic', ‘oligometastatic disease' as well as ‘esophageal' and ‘esophageal cancer' and the search for ‘oligometastasis', ‘oligometastases', ‘oligometastatic', ‘oligometastatic disease' as well as ‘gastric', ‘gastric cancer', ‘stomach', and ‘stomach cancer' yielded very few studies. Most data need to be extrapolated in general studies on oligometastatic diseases of different origins. No randomized controlled trial could be found. Conclusion: In the absence of data to formulate recommendations on how to proceed in the treatment of oligometastatic disease in upper gastrointestinal cancer, a more aggressive treatment of oligometastatic disease can be considered in patients whose tumors show a more favorable neoplastic behavior after the ‘test of time'. The RENAISSANCE study will certainly deliver important data regarding this aspect.
Practical Application of Linear Growth Measurements in Clinical Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Wit Jan M. , Himes John H. , van Buuren Stef , Denno Donna M. , Suchdev Parminder S.
Published: February 2017

Background/Aims: Childhood stunting is a prevalent problem in low- and middle-income countries and is associated with long-term adverse neurodevelopment and health outcomes. In this review, we define indicators of growth, discuss key challenges in their analysis and application, and offer suggestions for indicator selection in clinical research contexts. Methods: Critical review of the literature. Results: Linear growth is commonly expressed as length-for-age or height-for-age z-score (HAZ) in comparison to normative growth standards. Conditional HAZ corrects for regression to the mean where growth changes relate to previous status. In longitudinal studies, growth can be expressed as ΔHAZ at 2 time points. Multilevel modeling is preferable when more measurements per individual child are available over time. Height velocity z-score reference standards are available for children under the age of 2 years. Adjusting for covariates or confounders (e.g., birth weight, gestational age, sex, parental height, maternal education, socioeconomic status) is recommended in growth analyses. Conclusion: The most suitable indicator(s) for linear growth can be selected based on the number of available measurements per child and the child’s age. By following a step-by-step algorithm, growth analyses can be precisely and accurately performed to allow for improved comparability within and between studies.
Clinical Relevance of Pleural Effusion in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Choi Sun Ha , Cha Seung-Ick , Shin Kyung-Min , Lim Jae-Kwang , Yoo Seung-Soo , Lee Shin-Yup , Lee Jaehee , Kim Chang-Ho , Park Jae-Yong , Lee Deok Heon
Published: February 2017

Background: Data regarding pleural effusion due to pulmonary embolism (PE) are limited. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of PE patients with pleural effusion caused by PE. Methods: Patients with PE were retrospectively analyzed and divided into 2 groups based on computed tomography: a group with pleural effusion due to PE (effusion group) and a group without pleural effusion (control group). Clinical characteristics were compared between the 2 groups. Results: The study population consisted of the effusion group (n = 127) and the control group (n = 651). Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level was significantly higher in the effusion group than in the control group. The percentages of high-risk Simplified PE Severity Index (57 vs. 47%, p = 0.008), central PE (84 vs. 73%, p = 0.013), right ventricular dilation (45 vs. 36%, p = 0.053), and pulmonary infarction (40 vs. 8%, p < 0.001) were higher in the effusion group than in the control group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that pulmonary infarction (odds ratio [OR] 6.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.49-10.91, p < 0.001) and CRP level (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.101-1.09, p = 0.023) were independent predictors of pleural effusion due to PE. The presence of pleural effusion was not a predictor of short-term outcomes or length of hospital stay. Conclusions: Patients with more severe PE are likely to have pleural effusion caused by PE. However, pleural effusion was not a proven predictor of short-term outcome or length of hospital stay. Pulmonary infarction and CRP levels were independent risk factors for the development of pleural effusion.
Clinical Factors Predicting Tumour Upgrading in Patients Under Active Surveillance and Elected to Active Treatment after Disease Reclassification or Progression
Authors: Porcaro Antonio Benito , Cavicchioli Francesca , De Luyk Nicolò , Mattevi Daniele , Corsi Paolo , Sebben Marco , Tafuri Alessandro , Processali Tania , Inverardi Davide , Cacciamani Giovanni , De Marchi Davide , Balzarro Matteo , Cerruto Maria A. , Brunelli Matteo , Novella Giovanni , Siracusano Salvatore , Artibani Walter
Published: February 2017

Objectives: To evaluate clinical factors associated with tumour upgrading (UPG) in low-intermediate risk patients who progressed while under active surveillance (AS) and underwent delayed radical prostatectomy. Material and Methods: The evaluated factors included prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, PSA density and number of biopsy positive cores (BPC). Multivariate logistic regression by the forward step Wald procedure was used. Results: The study evaluated 24 patients who had UPG in 13 cases (54.2%). Independent factors associated with tumour UPG included PSA (OR 2.1; p = 0.047) and BPC (OR 2; p = 0.042). Conclusions: Clinical factors associated with UPG were identified in patients who were under AS for with low-intermediate risk disease. Preoperative PSA levels and number of BPC were independent factors associated with UPG in a contemporary cohort of patients who progressed under AS and underwent delayed active treatment.
Potential Deaths Averted and Serious Adverse Events Incurred From Adoption of the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) Intensive Blood Pressure Regimen in the United States
Authors: Bress Adam P. , Kramer Holly , Khatib Rasha , Beddhu Srinivasan , Cheung Alfred K. , Hess Rachel , Bansal Vinod K. , Cao Guichan , Yee Jerry , Moran Andrew E. , Durazo-Arvizu Ramon , Muntner Paul , Cooper Richard S.
Published: February 2017

Background:

SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) demonstrated a 27% reduction in all-cause mortality with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal of <120 versus <140 mm Hg among US adults at high cardiovascular disease risk but without diabetes mellitus, stroke, or heart failure. To quantify the potential benefits and risks of SPRINT intensive goal implementation, we estimated the deaths prevented and excess serious adverse events incurred if the SPRINT intensive SBP treatment goal were implemented in all eligible US adults.

Methods:

SPRINT eligibility criteria were applied to the 1999 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and linked with the National Death Index through December 2011. SPRINT eligibility included age ≥50 years, SBP of 130 to 180 mm Hg (depending on the number of antihypertensive medications being taken), and high cardiovascular disease risk. Exclusion criteria were diabetes mellitus, history of stroke, >1 g proteinuria, heart failure, estimated glomerular filtration rate <20 mL·min
−1
·1.73 m
−2
, or dialysis. Annual mortality rates were calculated by dividing the Kaplan-Meier 5-year mortality by 5. Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality and heart failure and absolute risks for serious adverse events in SPRINT were used to estimate the number of potential deaths and heart failure cases prevented and serious adverse events incurred with intensive SBP treatment.

Results:

The mean age was 68.6 years, and 83.2% and 7.4% were non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black, respectively. The annual mortality rate was 2.20% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.91–2.48), and intensive SBP treatment was projected to prevent ≈107 500 deaths per year (95% CI, 93 300–121 200) and give rise to 56 100 (95% CI, 50 800–61 400) episodes of hypotension, 34 400 (95% CI, 31 200–37 600) episodes of syncope, 43 400 (95% CI, 39 400–47 500) serious electrolyte disorders, and 88 700 (95% CI, 80 400–97 000) cases of acute kidney injury per year. The analysis-of-extremes approach indicated that the range of estimated lower- and upper-bound number of deaths prevented per year with intensive SBP control was 34 600 to 179 600. Intensive SBP control was projected to prevent 46 100 (95% CI, 41 800–50 400) cases of heart failure annually.

Conclusions:

If fully implemented in eligible US adults, intensive SBP treatment could prevent ≈107 500 deaths per year. A consequence of this treatment strategy, however, could be an increase in serious adverse events.
Between Pragmatism and Normativity: Legal Standards for Issuing Subpoenas and Witnesses Summonses in International Criminal Procedure
Authors: Pichou Maria
Published: February 2017

The article analyses the criteria that the international criminal tribunals developed to obtain additional evidence through witness testimony. It systemizes the legal standards of the ad hoc tribunals on subpoenas’ requests and reviews the International Criminal Court (icc) stance on witness summonses. After defining the types of subpoenas and the different tests applied by the courts, the article examines the courts’ discretionary power in the light of the fair trial standard and the appellate standard for such discretionary decisions. The analysis shows that when the tribunal had to adjudicate a request to compel a witness to appear, it adapted the legal standard by considering the type and the object of the subpoena, the witness and the court’s role and mandate. The icc iterated that this power to compel the appearance of witnesses constitutes a customary rule of international criminal procedural law. The article maps the content of this rule.
基諾語擦音的來源
Authors: Hayashi Norihiko
Published: February 2017

提要

基諾語是在中國雲南省西雙版納傣族自治州景洪市居住的基諾族的語言，屬於漢藏語系藏緬語族彝緬語群。基諾語有兩大方言，即悠樂話與補遠話。本文分析了基諾語悠樂話和補遠話的擦音的來源，得出了以下結論：

一、由共時層面來說，悠樂話有十個擦音，即/f, v, s, z, ʃ, r, ç, j, x, ɣ/，而補遠話只有四個擦音，即/f, s, ɕ, x/。本文同時還討論了補遠話/w, j/與悠樂話擦音的對應關係，儘管它們或可當作半元音。

二、悠樂話保留著原始基諾語的擦音體系，而補遠話的擦音已在一定條件下合併了。並且，補遠話/f, ɕ, x/中的一部分實際上源自原始基諾語的/*l̥/。

三、西雙版納地區有很多語言，其中傣仂語(侗傣語族)與漢語景洪方言是主要語言。基諾語悠樂話與補遠話從中吸收了很多帶擦音的外來詞。這些外來擦音大部份與傣仂語或漢語方言的擦音相同，但是 ɕ-與 ʂ-卻是合併為一個擦音後才進入基諾語悠樂話與補遠話的。
海南島的哥隆話
Authors: Chin Andy C.
Published: February 2017

提要

本文是作者於2011和2012年調查海南島西部哥隆話的初步報告。調查目的是比較現代哥隆話跟二十多年前的差別 (如符鎮南(1996)和歐陽覺亞(1998))。此外,我們也比較哥隆話和黎語的一百個基本詞匯,討論哥隆話的系屬。
From the Perspective of the Pervasiveness of Sound Correspondences: 語音對應與苗瑤語比較研究——從普遍對應的角度看
Authors: Wang Feng
Published: February 2017

提要

普遍對應指對應的表現形式在所有參與比較的語言中都有分佈。放寬這一要求會導致晚期借用混入比較，乃至造成對語源關係的誤判。從這一角度出發，本文考察了原始苗瑤語重構所依賴的語音對應基礎。無論是在普遍對應的嚴格要求下，還是放寬要求，苗瑤語之間的關係語素都是高階比低階多，這可以進一步確認它們之間的親緣關係。應用同樣的比較程式，漢語和原始苗瑤語之間的關係語素也顯示出同樣的分佈，因此，詞階分析支持苗瑤語與漢語之間的親緣關係，而非接觸關係。不可釋原則的應用同樣確認了這一判斷。不可釋原則指無法用施借語言的音韻系統來解釋受借語言中關係語素的表現，就說明二者之間的關係假定為親緣關係比接觸關係更為合理。幾個不可釋的例子可以在漢-苗瑤語關係語素中找到，因此，苗瑤語應該仍然歸屬於漢藏語系。
漢語運動事件指向表達的歷時演變及相關問題
Authors: Shi Wenlei
Published: February 2017

提要

本文對漢語運動事件指向信息編碼的句法搭配及其與一般路徑、參照背景的排序等的歷時演變做出了綜合描寫和分析。調查發現，漢語指向信息的編碼結構發生了較爲顯著的變化，表現在指向動詞與其他動詞連用的排序、路徑指向與背景的排序、攜帶背景賓語能力等方面。上述歷時演變的動因是漢語句法結構模式的歷時演變，主要表現爲聯合結構逐漸喪失其顯赫地位，進而讓位於動補結構。本文還指出，句法結構演變在概念結構模式上産生了一系列效應。這說明“概念→語義→句法”這樣的投射和决定關係并不總是適用，從歷時的角度來看，語言結構的演變會影響到與之相應的概念結構的演變。
量詞語言中定指不定指的標記方式
Authors: Julie Jiang L.
Published: February 2017

提要

以漢語為代表的語言與日耳曼、羅曼語族的語言相比有許多顯著的不同。例如，漢語類語言的名詞不用帶複數標記，沒有冠詞，但是這類語言有著一系列的量詞。這些量詞在名詞和數詞結合的時候，必須出現。雖然漢語類量詞語言的名詞結構在很大程度上很相似，它們在表達定指與不定指時呈現出相當大的差異。本文研究這些差異，並在Krifka (1995) 和Chierchia (1998)基礎上提出一個對名詞的分析，這個分析能對漢語類語言也能對其他例如必須帶複數標記的語言進行分析。
Two New Species of Eschweilera (Lecythidaceae) from rainforest on the Caribbean slope of Panama
Authors: BATISTA G. JUVENAL E. , MORI SCOTT A.
Published: February 2017

Eschweilera donosoensis and Eschweilera rotundicarpa are described from the lowlands rainforest and cloud forest of the Caribbean slope of Panama. E. donosoensis is common in the lowland rainforests in the Donoso District, Colón Province and E. rotundicarpa is endemic to cloud forest in the General De División Omar Torrijos Herrera National Park, Coclé Province and also the lowland rainforest of Valle Grande in the Donoso District, Colón Province. In this paper these species are illustrated, and information on distribution, habitat, ecology, phenology and conservation status according to IUCN are provided.
Eriosema elegans (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae): A new species from the Highlands of Goiás State, Brazil
Authors: FORTUNA-PEREZ ANA PAULA , SILVA MARCOS JOSÉ DA , CÂNDIDO ELISA SILVA , DE VARGAS WANDERLEIA , MONTEIRO THIAGO COBRA E , VATANPARAST MOHAMMAD
Published: February 2017

During a taxonomic study of Eriosema in Brazil, a new species was discovered from the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, Goiás State. Eriosema elegans is herein described and illustrated and its morphological affinities with related species discussed. The geographical distribution, conservation status, and information about flowering and fruiting are provided. Also, a study of secretory structures of leaflets of the new species and the morphologically related species E. glabrum was carried out.
Begonia polyclada (sect. Petermannia, Begoniaceae), a gracile new species from Luzon, Philippines
Authors: PENG CHING-I , RUBITE ROSARIO RIVERA , LIN CHE-WEI
Published: February 2017

Begonia polyclada, a new species of sect. Petermannia from Luzon, Philippines is here described and illustrated. The new species is apparently allied to a group of Begonia in the Philippines with axillary inflorescences and numerous, relatively small-sized sub-symmetric, ovate to lanceolate-ovate leaves, i.e. B. aequata A. Gray (1854: 658), B. binuangensis Merr. (1918: 40), B. edanoi Merr. (1918: 314), B. gracilipes Merr. (1912: 405), B. lagunensis Elmer (1910: 735), B. sarmentosa L.B. Sm. & Wassh. (1983: 443) and B. wenzelii Merr. (1915: 277). However, a combination of characters such as the much smaller, nearly sessile leaves, tomentose stem, petiole and leaf abaxial surface, and an erect habit readily distinguish the new species from them.
Typification and nomenclatural notes on twenty-seven names of Gomphrena L. (Amaranthaceae) linked to the South American flora
Authors: BENA MARIA JULIA
Published: February 2017

Twenty-seven Gomphrena names are here investigated, and discussed. Seventeen names are typified (sixteen lectotypes, one neotype) in the present paper on specimens preserved at B, GOET, M, P, and S, while isolectotypes are found at B, BM, BR, CORD, F, G, M, P, S, and US. Concerning the other ten names, they were previously dicusssed by Holzhammer, who reported the word “Typus”. According to the Art. 7.10 of the ICN Holzhammer’s statements are here interpreted as lectotypifications.
Impatiens tanintharyiensis (Balsaminaceae), a new species from Southern Myanmar
Authors: RUCHISANSAKUN SAROJ , SUKSATHAN PIYAKASET , VAN DER NIET TIMOTHEÜS , LWIN SAW , JANSSENS STEVEN B.
Published: February 2017

Impatiens tanintharyiensis Ruchisansakun, Suksathan & Saw-Lwin from the Tanintharyi region of Southern Myanmar is described and illustrated as a new species. The presence of connate lateral united petals and a four-locular ovary, as well as results of molecular phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ITS and plastid atpB-rbcL spacer DNA sequences, suggest that the new species is a member of Impatiens section Semeiocardium (Zoll.) S.X. Yu & Wei Wang. The new species is morphologically most similar to I. spectabilis Triboun & Suksathan, but can be distinguished by its asymmetric flowers, saccate-bucciniform lower sepal, and shorter, slightly incurved spur. Floral traits, including the presence of a large ﬂoral chamber with a wide entrance, are consistent with the bee-pollination syndrome in Impatiens. Since I. tanintharyiensis is only known from two small populations, its conservation status is assessed as Endangered.
Refugees and asylum seekers from Darfur: The escape and life in Israel
Authors: Slonim-Nevo Vered , Lavie-Ajayi Maya
Published: February 2017

The study explores the perspectives of asylum seekers from Darfur with regard to four stages of their journey: before leaving Sudan, their journey to Israel, living in Israel, and future plans. Group interviews were conducted with male participants. During the first stage, themes included the urgent need to run for their life and the transition from family life to being alone. During the second stage, themes included experiencing extreme conditions and intense emotions. The third stage included experiencing positive and negative experiences. The fourth stage included keeping hope alive under uncertainty. Implications for social work practice are suggested.
Performing innocence: Violence and the nation in Ian McEwan’s Saturday and Sunjeev Sahota’s Ours Are the Streets
Authors: Sánchez-Arce Ana María
Published: February 2017

Mainstream British society and post-9/11 fiction borrow from the discourse of American exceptionalism (including the fall from innocence to experience, the desire to create or preserve a better world, a “Messianic consciousness” reflecting the arrogance of virtue, the development of narratives of heroism and goodness tied to nation-building, and the use of the above to justify “exemptionalism”) to expose and query the entitlement of those within the narrative home of Britishness and the outsider status of those used to define its borders. This article discusses Ian McEwan’s Saturday and Sunjeev Sahota’s Ours Are the Streets, arguing that they illustrate a turning point in Britain’s imagination of itself as a nation in a struggle over Britishness which is predicated on notions of violence and innocence. Since 9/11 the debate about Britishness has used innocence as a constitutive inside of the nation and direct violence as an exclusionary characteristic. McEwan satirizes this rhetoric of innocence whereas Sahota challenges it. Both novels illustrate how post-9/11 British fiction deals with politics as war, placing violence at the heart of society. McEwan parodies the point of view of British normative society by allowing his main character to justify his privileged position under the guise of arguing for the current social and international status quo. Sahota charts the journey of those who are caught between the rejection of unjust social structures and the desire to fit within them, depicting his protagonist’s misguided attempt to redefine the British nation through terrorism. Violence and exceptionalism are central to both novels, which portray a turn in the imagining of Britain. The events of 9/11 can therefore be seen not just as a historical turning point but as a turn in Britain’s imagination of itself.
EFL/ESL Teachers’ General Language Proficiency and Learners’ Engagement
Authors: Tsang Art
Published: February 2017

In view of the considerable and growing number of non-native EFL/ESL teachers across the globe, which has been reported to surpass that of native English teachers (NETs), much controversy has been aroused globally, especially in the Asian context, over issues concerning the language proficiency of these Non-Native English Teachers (NNETs). Further commotion was fueled after the revelation of some of NNETs’ unsatisfactory linguistic competence and/or knowledge in research and official language proficiency tests for teachers. This has led many to challenge whether NNETs are qualified as EFL/ESL teachers. Equally contentious in the literature are the formats, content, rationale, and difficulty of teacher language proficiency assessment. The focus of the present study, however, steers to a slightly new direction supported by the philosophy of greater practicality and usefulness for practitioners in ELT. This article reports on a qualitative study that delves into the relationship between teachers’ general language proficiency (hereinafter referred to as TGLP) and their teaching effectiveness operationalized by learners’ engagement. Classroom observations (of both NETs and NNETs), post-observation interviews with teachers and students, as well as interviews with highly proficient tertiary-level EFL students were conducted. The preliminary findings reveal that teachers’ general linguistic competence plays an important role in ELT classrooms but once a proficiency threshold is met, higher language standards play a lesser role compared with other factors in contributing to teaching effectiveness. This article ends with implications for stakeholders in ELT as well as practical suggestions for further (quantitative) studies based on the present findings.
Associations Between Food-Related Parenting Behaviors and Adolescents’ Engagement in Unhealthy Eating Behaviors
Authors: Ferris Kaitlyn A. , Babskie Elizabeth , Metzger Aaron
Published: February 2017

Food-related parenting behaviors have the potential to impact youth eating behaviors and nutrition knowledge. The present study examined associations between parental behaviors specific to eating (i.e., rules, solicitation, and the creation of a health-focused home environment) and specific unhealthy eating behaviors prevalent during adolescence. Additional analyses examined whether such associations were explained by adolescent nutrition knowledge. A total of 145 adolescents ( M = 14.48, SD = 1.75 years) and their mothers ( M = 43.52, SD = 6.76 years) completed questionnaires as part of a larger study investigating parent–adolescent communication. Mothers’ food-related parenting behaviors were not directly associated with adolescents’ engagement in unhealthy eating behaviors. However, more parental rules were associated with greater adolescent nutrition knowledge. In addition, mothers’ creation of a health-focused home environment was indirectly associated with less fast food consumption through greater adolescent nutrition knowledge. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Fault estimation and observer-based fault-tolerant controller in finite frequency domain
Authors: Tian Yingying , Zhu Fanglai
Published: February 2017

In this paper, the problems of finite-frequency fault estimation (FE) and fault tolerant controller design are investigated for a class of systems subjected to both sensor and actuator faults. To begin with, by introducing an expanded state vector, the original system is transformed into a descriptor system, and then an unknown input proportional-integral observer (PI) is developed to provide state and FE, which avoids the overdesign problems occurring in the entire frequency domain. After this, based on reconstructed information, an observer-based fault-tolerant controller is designed to stabilize the closed-loop system even if it suffers from faults and disturbances. In addition, the sufficient conditions of the existence of the PI and fault tolerant controller are derived by linear matrix inequality (LMI) tools. Finally, a simulation example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.
The Combination of Anatomy and Genioglossus Activity in Predicting the Outcomes of Velopharyngeal Surgery
Authors: Zhao Di , Li YanRu , Xian JunFang , Qu Yue , Cao Xin , Ye JingYing
Published: February 2017

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the combination of genioglossus (GG) activity and anatomical characteristics in predicting outcomes of velopharyngeal surgery in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Study Design

Case series with planned data collection.

Setting

Sleep medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Forty patients with OSA underwent overnight polysomnography with synchronous genioglossus electromyography (GGEMG) using intraoral electrodes. The upper airway anatomy was evaluated by 3‐dimensional computed tomography in patients with OSA. All patients received the same type of velopharyngeal surgery, consisting of revised uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with uvula preservation and concurrent transpalatal advancement pharyngoplasty. We followed up all patients using polysomnography for at least 3 months postoperatively.

Results

Twenty‐five patients (62.50%) were responders, and 15 patients (37.50%) were nonresponders. The decreased apnea‐hypopnea index was significantly positively correlated to the sleep onset GGEMG (P =. 006) but was negatively correlated to the change in GGEMG (P =. 013) and tonic GGEMG (P =. 018). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the minimal cross‐sectional airway area at the velopharynx (VmCSA) (odds ratio [OR], 1.760; P =. 019) and the sleep onset GGEMG (OR, 0.322; P =. 043) were significant predictors for surgical outcomes. Combined the two predictors, the area under the ROC curve was 0.901 (OR, 0.789; P =. 001) for surgical success, was more valuable than any one predictor. The area under the ROC curve with GGEMG was 0.843, VmCSA was 0.848.

Conclusions

The combination of sleep onset GGEMG and VmCSA can predict the outcome of velopharyngeal surgery in patients with OSA.
Dosimetric Analysis of Neural and Vascular Structures in Skull Base Tumors Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Authors: Haidar Yarah M. , Bhatt Jay M. , Ghavami Yaser , Moshtaghi Omid , Schwer Amanda , Chenery Stafford , Djalilian Hamid R.
Published: February 2017

Objective

To examine the relationship between the prescribed target dose and the dose to healthy neurovascular structures in patients with vestibular schwannomas treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

SRS center from 2011 to 2013.

Subjects

Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas treated at the center from 2011 to 2013.

Methods

Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas were included. The average radiation dose delivered to healthy neurovascular structures (eg, carotid artery, basilar artery, facial nerve, trigeminal nerve, and cochlea) was analyzed.

Results

Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas who were treated with fused computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging–guided SRS were included in the study. The prescribed dose ranged from 10.58 to 17.40 Gy over 1 to 3 hypofractions to cover 95% of the target tumor volume. The mean dose to the carotid artery was 5.66 Gy (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.53‐6.80 Gy), anterior inferior cerebellar artery was 8.70 Gy (95% CI, 4.54‐12.86 Gy), intratemporal facial nerve was 3.76 Gy (95% CI, 3.04‐4.08 Gy), trigeminal nerve was 5.21 Gy (95% CI, 3.31‐7.11 Gy), and the cochlea was 8.70 Gy (95% CI, 7.81‐9.59 Gy).

Conclusions

SRS for certain vestibular schwannomas can expose the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and carotid artery to radiation doses that can potentially initiate atherosclerotic processes. The higher doses to the AICA and carotid artery correlated with increasing tumor volume. The dose delivered to other structures such as the cochlea and intratemporal facial nerve appears to be lower and much less likely to cause immediate complications when shielded.
Microflora of Retained Intracochlear Electrodes from Infected Cochlear Implants
Authors: Varadarajan Varun V. , Dirain Carolyn O. , Antonelli Patrick J.
Published: February 2017

Objectives

Cochlear implant infections may be refractory to medical management and require device removal with subsequent reimplantation. During device removal, the intracochlear electrode array is commonly left in place to prevent obliteration of the cochlear lumen. If the electrode is colonized with pathogens, this risks contaminating the replacement implant. In this study, we compare the microorganisms detected on infected cochlear implants against those on the retained electrode using culture and microbial gene‐sequencing techniques.

Study Design

Prospective single‐cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Six patients with refractory cochlear implant infections had the receiver‐stimulator and extracochlear electrode removed to facilitate treatment of the infection. The intracochlear electrode was removed at (delayed) reimplantation. Implant specimens were analyzed by microbial culture and 16S DNA gene sequencing.

Results

Staphylococcus aureus was the organism most commonly identified. None of the 6 patients’ intracochlear electrodes yielded microbes by culture. Two intracochlear electrodes revealed bacterial species, and 1 revealed fungal species by gene sequencing. There was no correlation between the microbes on the infected extracochlear implants and the retained intracochlear electrodes. All subjects underwent reimplantation after resolution of their infections. One of 6 subjects developed a second infection after reimplantation, with S aureus in the primary and secondary infections.

Conclusions

The intracochlear electrodes of infected cochlear implants carry a low microbial burden. Preserving intracochlear electrodes upon removal of infected cochlear implants appears to carry a low risk of contaminating a replacement cochlear implant.
Happy town: Cultural governance and biopolitical urbanism in China
Authors: Oakes Tim
Published: February 2017

This paper explores the cultural inscription of urban space in China as a technology of government. Based on a three years of fieldwork, including interviews, surveys, and participant observation, the paper examines the case of one city’s campaign to increase its “happiness index” by creating an ethnic culturally themed built environment. The paper examines the city’s happiness campaign as a project of biopolitical urbanism, and finds that while urban Chinese governmentality bears some striking resemblances to liberal approaches that view the city as a machine for experimenting with, and producing, certain kinds of (governable) citizens and social relations, the happiness campaign should also be understood as a deliberate effort to reinforce state power at the local level. The happiness campaign, in other words, aims to reproduce a sovereign mode of state power even as it speaks a language of neoliberal governmentality. Thus, the colonization of culture by biopolitical urbanism in China today suggests a complex combination of disciplinary and discursive modalities of sovereign power rooted in the paternalistic legacies of Chinese statecraft.
Contesting TINA: Community Planning Alternatives for Disaster Reconstruction in Chile
Authors: Letelier Francisco , Irazábal Clara
Published: February 2017

Talca, Chile, has been negatively impacted by both a major 2010 earthquake and the ensuing reconstruction process. Talca’s poor have been forced out from their neighborhoods and relocated to remote areas where employment, public transportation, and basic services are limited. Based on extensive community development work in Talca, this article analyzes the dynamics that have led to these conditions and the insufficiently supported alternative community-based initiatives that could have allowed Talca to redevelop in more sustainable and equitable ways. Planners need to systemically understand the implications of programs often pushed in times of emergency as urgent and inevitable that may not favor a healthy long-term redevelopment of communities recovering from disasters, be politically savvy and courageous to denounce and resist them when necessary, and work with/for communities to define and promote more just and sustainable postdisaster futures.
Therapeutic Assessment of Slow-K and K-Tab Potassium Chloride Formulations in Hypertensive Patients Treated with Thiazide Diuretics
Authors: Skoutakis Vasilios A. , Carter Charles A. , Acchiardo Sergio R.
Published: February 2017

Therapeutic equivalency among different drug products is one of the major issues confronting many clinicians today who are functioning as members of pharmacy and therapeutic committees and state Medicaid programs (SMP). Selection of one of the available slow-release potassium chloride formulations for inclusion in a hospital formulary or SMP exemplifies one of these therapeutic equivalency issues. To evaluate this issue, we studied 20 hypertensive adult patients receiving hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg/d to determine if there are significant differences between the administration of 24 mEq of Slow-K given as 8 mEq/tablet tid, and 30 mEq of K-Tab given as a 10 mEq/tablet tid. The study was conducted in a randomized, open-label, crossover design in which the two drug formulations of potassium chloride were compared over two four-week treatment periods. Results from this study indicate that 24 mEq of Slow-K and 30 mEq of K-Tab were equally effective in maintaining serum electrolyte concentrations, blood pressure measurements, and electrocardiogram evaluations within normal limits in all 20 hypertensive patients studied. Furthermore, no adverse effects were noted with either potassium chloride formulation, and patient acceptance, tolerability, and compliance to prescribed dosing regimens were similar for both products. Based on our findings, therefore, we conclude that 24 mEq of Slow-K and 30 mEq of K-Tab given three times daily as 8 mEq and 10 mEq tablets, respectively, are therapeutically equivalent.
Medial Impingement Syndrome of the Anterior Tibiotalar Fascicle of the Deltoid Ligament on the Talus
Authors: Clair Susan M. Mosier-La , Monroe Michael T. , Manoli Arthur
Published: February 2017

Eleven patients with medial impingement syndrome of the anterior tibio-talar fascicle (ATTF) of the deltoid ligament on the talus were identified. Six sustained inversion injuries, one talus and four ankle fractures. The mean preoperative Ankle-Hindfoot Scale (AHS) was 56 and the postoperative was 87.

Surgical debridement of the ATTF was performed. A thickened ATTF and localized synovitis were seen. Talar osteophytes were removed in 8 patients. Mean follow up 4 years. Nine patients had good to excellent results and all patients returned to work.
The Role of the Passive Structures in the Mobility and Stability of the Human Ankle Joint: A Literature Review
Authors: Leardini Alberto , O'Connor John J. , Catani Fabio , Giannini Sandro
Published: February 2017

The mobility and stability of the ankle joint have been extensively investigated, but many critical important issues still need to be elucidated. However, there seems to be a general agreement on several important observations. A more isometric pattern of rotation for the calcaneofibular and the tibiocalcaneal ligaments with respect to all the others has been reported. Many recent studies have found changing positions of the instantaneous axis of rotation, suggesting that the hinge joint concept is an oversimplification for the ankle joint. A few recent works have also claimed anterior shift of the contact area at the tibial mortise during dorsiflexion, which would imply combined rolling and sliding motion at this joint. Many findings from the literature support the view of a close interaction between the geometry of the ligaments and the shapes of the articular surfaces in guiding and stabilizing motion at the ankle joint.
Correction of Ankle Valgus Deformity Secondary to Multiple Hereditary Osteochondral Exostoses with llizarov
Authors: Shawen CPT Scott B. , McHale COL Kathleen A. , Temple H. Thomas
Published: February 2017

The following case report highlights basic aspects of Multiple Hereditary Osteochondral Exostoses (MHOCE) and discusses the successful treatment of an adult with ankle pain secondary to growth arrest and foreshortening of the fibula. Two salient features include the age of the patient at presentation and the success of the procedure. Symptomatic valgus deformities of the ankle secondary to MHOCE are normally corrected during adolescence, prior to physeal closure. Reducing the ankle mortise by distally displacing the fibula and correcting rotational and angular ankle deformities with llizarov external fixation improved this patient's ankle function and relieved his pain.
‘The better way to fight crime’: Why fiscal arguments do not restrain the carceral state
Authors: Cate Sarah , HoSang Daniel
Published: February 2017

In recent years, actors from across the political spectrum concerned about the expansion of the US carceral state have pointed to the fiscal impacts of incarceration in a time of public austerity. A new regime of public policies pledging to be ‘smart on crime’ has taken root as a result. Advocates of such policies operate on the assumption that fiscal arguments will shift the trajectory of prison expansion because commitments to austerity will override the costly ‘tough on crime’ regime that has driven prison expansion in the USA over the last 40 years. This article reverses this assumption through a consideration of state-level policy in Oregon, a state that has formally embraced a commitment to fiscal restraint and ‘justice reinvestment’ as a strategy to limit prison growth. Our historical analysis reveals that since statehood, commitments to austerity and taxpayer protection have always framed criminal justice policy debates. Understood from this perspective, the story is not that prison reform advocates have discovered a new framework (‘smart on crime’) to restrain prison growth. It is that the longstanding discourse and politics of fiscal austerity has come to incorporate and absorb a portion of the anti-prison movement itself. That is fiscal arguments for prison reform are fully commensurate with the logic that drove mass incarceration in the first place. As a result, the state’s prison population has continued to expand even in the era of ‘smart on crime’ policymaking because commitments to fiscal austerity have not fundamentally challenged the policies and discourses that fueled the initial prison boom in the state. As most prisoners in the USA continue to be confined in state institutions, the analysis of state-level policy development in this article offers important insights into ongoing political debates over decarceration.
Empirical approaches to improving the use of DNA in crime scene investigative practice
Authors: Smith Paul A , Mound Simon , Brown Natasha , Leonard Roxy , Lovell Carolyn , Bennett Stephanie
Published: February 2017

This article reports on a collaborative project that explored the targeted use of swabbing evidence sources which, up until now, have not been routinely recovered or utilised for DNA analysis. All genres of the forensic portfolio have undergone significant changes driven by economic, political and technological influencers, which have resulted in an array of interpretations on its frontline delivery, often based on local requirements. The approach reported here pertains to a research project bringing together a collaborative team of researchers, representing practitioners and academics, working in conjunction with forensic service providers. The project reviewed the process of swabbing glove marks at crime scenes, comparing the methods used with DNA profiling outcomes. The findings showed significant benefits in regards to DNA outcomes, providing six detections over a four-month period that were attributable to the swabbing of the glove marks. Furthermore, the study provided key data to guide practice and crime scene methods to meet new operational requirements.