bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Video-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Education for High-Risk Families Before Hospital Discharge
Authors: Blewer Audrey L. , Putt Mary E. , Becker Lance B. , Riegel Barbara J. , Li Jiaqi , Leary Marion , Shea Judy A. , Kirkpatrick James N. , Berg Robert A. , Nadkarni Vinay M. , Groeneveld Peter W. , Abella Benjamin S.
Published: October 2016

Background—

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training rates in the United States are low, highlighting the need to develop CPR educational approaches that are simpler, with broader dissemination potential. The minimum training required to ensure long-term skill retention remains poorly characterized. We compared CPR skill retention among laypersons randomized to training with video-only (VO; no manikin) with those trained with a video self-instruction kit (VSI; with manikin). We hypothesized that VO training would be noninferior to the VSI approach with respect to chest compression (CC) rate.

Methods and Results—

We performed a prospective, cluster randomized trial of CPR education for family members of patients with high-risk cardiac conditions on hospital cardiac units, using a multicenter pragmatic design. Eight hospitals were randomized to offer either VO or VSI training before discharge using volunteer trainers. CPR skills were assessed 6 months post training. Mean CC rate among those trained with VO compared with those trained with VSI was assessed with a noninferiority margin set at 8 CC per min; as a secondary outcome, mean differences in CC depth were assessed. From February 2012 to May 2015, 1464 subjects were enrolled and 522 subjects completed a skills assessment. The mean CC rates were 87.7 (VO) CC per min and 89.3 (VSI) CC per min; we concluded noninferiority for VO based on a mean difference of −1.6 (90% confidence interval, −5.2 to 2.1). The mean CC depth was 40.2 mm (VO) and 45.8 mm (VSI) with a mean difference of −5.6 (95% confidence interval, −7.6 to −3.7). Results were similar after multivariate regression adjustment.

Conclusions—

In this large, prospective trial of CPR skill retention, VO training yielded a noninferior difference in CC rate compared with VSI training. CC depth was greater in the VSI group. These findings suggest a potential trade-off in efforts for broad dissemination of basic CPR skills; VO training might allow for greater scalability and dissemination, but with a potential reduction in CC depth.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01514656.
Sexual dimorphism and morphometric maturity in males of Ucides occidentalis (Ortmann, 1897) (Brachyura, Ocypodidae) in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador
Authors: Zambrano René , Aragón-Noriega E. Alberto
Published: October 2016

Sexual dimorphism was established inUcides occidentalis(Ortmann, 1897) in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador on the basis of the size and dimensions of the chelar propodus (CP); whether the CP can be used as an indicator of sexual maturity in males was also evaluated. Morphological differences were also established in individuals by inspecting CP variability. Morphotypes were identified as homochelous (HmC, having a similar CP) or heterochelous (HtC, having one CP larger than the other), and varieties were established by the differences in the CP dimensions of each morphotype. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to determine whether significant size differences based on the length and height of the major chelar propodus for each morphotype exist between the sexes. The largest sizes were determined in males (), and there was a significant difference () in length and height when the males of each morphotype were compared. This study established thatU. occidentalisexhibits allometric CP growth, because the small sizes in successive molts do not allow the observation of evident differences between the developmental stages (juveniles and adults). Therefore, sexual maturity cannot be estimated in males using the CP, and it is necessary to use other structures (e.g., the pleopods) or methodologies (e.g., physiological) to estimate sexual maturity.
Soft-bottom crustacean species from Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea, Turkey, with a new alien decapod
Authors: Doğan Alper , Bakir Kerem , Kirkim Fevzi̇ , Katağan Tuncer
Published: October 2016

The soft-bottom crustacean fauna from Izmir Bay was studied semi-annually between September 2014 and April 2016. Benthic samples were collected by means of a Van Veen grab, sampling ca. 0.1 m2 area, at 4 stations in the inner (3 stations) and middle (a single station) parts of the bay. Forty-one species and 999 individuals belonging to seven crustacean orders (Sessilia, Mysida, Amphipoda, Cumacea, Tanaidacea, Isopoda, Decapoda) were identified. Amphipoda were represented with the highest number of species (21 species) followed by Isopoda (7) and Decapoda (6). Among the species encountered, Phtisica marina was the most dominant species with an average 90.6 individuals (27.22% of the total number of individuals) while Iphinoe douniae was the most frequent species (occurring in 50% of the samples). Eurycarcinus integrifrons De Man, 1879 is an alien decapod herein reported for the first time from the Aegean Sea.
Discerning the Good
Authors: van Groningen Sandra , Hermans Chris A.M. , van der Zee Theo
Published: October 2016

This study addresses normativity in the practice of collaborative decision-making in Dutch Catholic school management teams. ‘Discernment’ is used as a heuristic to describe the process and content of collaborative decision-making. With regard to the process, discernment is marked by four distinctive aspects: reflection; trust; welcoming of diversity; and enactment of decisions. As for the content, discernment in schools requires different modes of reasoning, notably reasoning based on a vision of good education. In addition, this study investigates perceived impediments and conditions for improvement with regard to the practice of collaborative decision-making. The data suggest that the process aspect of welcoming diversity is dominant, whereas trust is almost absent. Reflection and enactment manifest to a moderate degree in decision-making. As for the content of decision-making, reasons referring to (formal) vision, reasons of care, instrumental reasons and reasons of control are dominant in school management teams. Within the reasons of vision, notions referring to the purpose of education are nearly absent; whereas references to (core) values that are abstract (not referring to patterned practices) are dominant. Impediments are experienced as related primarily to institutional, school-bound and team-bound cultural factors, as well as to institutional structural factors. Contrarily, conditions for improvement are experienced as related to team-bound cultural factors and material factors, and are thus found primarily within the direct span of control of the school management team.
United Nations and Regional Organizations: Complementarity v. Subsidiarity
Authors: Douhan Alena F.
Published: October 2016

The United Nations organization was planned to be established as a single universal system of collective security. Major efforts were supposed to be taken by the UN Security Council. Regional organizations were introduced into the system as a subordinate subsidiary means – elements of the system. Over the course of the time it has, however, appeared that the UN Security Council was not able to act in the way prescribed by the UN Charter in suppressing newly emerged threats and challenges in the sphere of security. In the contrary, the role of regional organizations has increased substantially. They do the majority of tasks in the sphere of maintenance of international peace and security, often without authorization or even informing the UN Security Council, although the legality of some of these actions may be dubious. As a result, the Council itself transfers the accent in relations between the UN and regional organizations from subsidiarity to complementarity or even partnership. It is thus necessary to re-check the meaning of the concepts of complementarity and subsidiarity as well as the UN Charter provisions in the changed circumstances and to specify principles of the new system.
The Interplay of Russian Law, Indigenous People and the Oil and Gas Industry – A Need for Non-Governmental Regulation?
Authors: Pappila Minna
Published: October 2016

This article scrutinizes how Russian legislation considers the rights of the indigenous peoples living in Russian oil production areas, and if there is a need for non-governmental certification standards in Russia. To do this, the Russian legislation has been compared with certain requirements of a new EO100TM Standard which seeks to regulate the social and environmental aspects of the oil and gas industry. The results of the study reveal that there are many aspects of indigenous peoples’ rights, such as access to information, possibilities for free, prior and informed consent, and the right to pursue traditional livelihoods, that Russian legislation does not adequately address. Since quick improvements in Russian legislation are unlikely, the use of an oil and gas certification system could help to improve the current situation in areas where the law does not safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples.
Charaeter-sense Association: A Study on Automatie Sense Determination for Chinese V-V Eompounds
Authors: Chen Chao-Jan
Published: October 2016

This paper presents a model of automatic sense determination for Chinese V-V compounds based on sense approximation for synonymous eompounds. The concepts of compounding semantie template and measures of template-similarity are proposed to retrieve potential synonymous compounds. The concept of the latent sense of characters is also proposed to bring up an association network among characters and senses. Based on this model, a system of automatic retrieval of synonyms for V-V compounds is implemented and tested, which obtains quite an encouraging performance according to a human evaluation.
述补结构与处置式发展关系初探
Authors: Ziyu Lju
Published: October 2016

This article investigates the development of verb complement structures and the disposal form in terms of their combination and interaction, from the Six Dynasties to the Qing dynasty. The process of grammaticalization of the disposal form began in the Six Dynasties, developed throughout the Tang and Song Dynasties and gradually took shape during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, finally being completed in the Qing Dynasty. It is suggested that the emergence of the verb complement structure accelerated the process of grammaticalization of the disposal construction in its present form, testified by its frequency in later periods.
Continuing or Settled? Prosecution of Israeli Settlements under Article 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute
Authors: Aysev Uzay Yasar
Published: October 2016

This article provides a definitional framework for the concepts of instantaneous, continuous and continuing crimes, drawing from domestic and international legal authorities and applying these definitions to article 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which criminalizes transfer of population by the Occupying Power into an occupied territory. The article focuses on the interpretation of article 8(2)(b)(viii) as an instantaneous, continuous or continuing crime with reference to the Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank in order to assess whether the transfer of settlers into the West Bank prior to June 2014 – i.e. the date that the temporal jurisdiction of the ICC starts in the territory of the State of Palestine, can be investigated and prosecuted.
Islamic Finance and the State in Central Asia
Authors: Wolters Alexander
Published: October 2016

Islamic finance is a rather recent phenomenon in Central Asia. Only with the beginning of the financial crisis in 2007 did the cooperation between the states and the Islamic Development Bank result in domestic initiatives to establish forms of Islamic banking. The case studies in this article indicate a correlation between the subsequent development of such initiatives and the unfolding political crises. The states in Central Asia were eager to connect to available streams of Islamic investment capital in the early stages of the financial crisis. Their commitment to further adapt, however, declined when they entered periods of political crisis that brought about quick and sudden reshuffles of reform priorities.
Rediscovery, considerations about type locality and conservation of Rhipsalis agudoensis (Cactaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: GONZAGA DIEGO RAFAEL , MORAES LUCAS , MENINI NETO LUIZ , PEIXOTO ARIANE LUNA
Published: October 2016

Cactaceae Juss. is a family comprising 124 genera and about 1438 species which are distributed from Canada to Patagonia, with the largest diversity in tropical and subtropical America (see e.g., Hunt et al. 2006). The flora of Brazil include 39 Cactaceae genera and 261 species, of which 14 genera and 54 species can be found at Rio de Janeiro state, so showing its importance for the biodiversity of cacti (BFG 2015).
On the identity of some poorly known species of the genus Endonura Cassagnau, 1979 (Collembola, Neanuridae, Neanurinae)
Authors: SMOLIS ADRIAN
Published: October 2016

New data on little known species of the genus Endonura are provided. E. transcaucasica (Stach, 1951), from Georgia, is redescribed in details and its lectotype is designated. E. centaurea (Cassagnau & Péja, 1979) and E. deharvengi (Cassagnau & Péja, 1979), both described from Greece, are redescribed and illustrated based on type material for the first time. Redescription of E. caeca (Gisin, 1963), a taxon known only from the type locality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is given based on holotype.
The strange non-death of employer and business associations: An analysis of their representativeness and activities in Western European countries
Authors: Brandl Bernd , Lehr Alex
Published: October 2016

Against the background that corporatism is on the decline in recent decades, one could expect that the representativeness of employer and business associations is also declining. In this article it is argued and shown that, contrary to this expectation, this decline is not observable for employer and business associations. So the question arises as to whether employer and business associations are simply relics of a different era with no longer any purpose. Using a cross-national approach it is shown that by adapting their organizational structure as well as their activities to the changing needs of business, employer and business organizations are as ‘strong’ and active nowadays as ever.
Increase in disaster-related deaths: risks and social impacts of evacuation
Authors: Hayakawa M.
Published: October 2016

In Fukushima Prefecture, disaster-related death is a social problem for individuals who were forced to leave their hometowns as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Disaster-related death is caused by stress, exhaustion, and worsening of pre-existing illnesses due to evacuation. The number of disaster-related deaths has reached almost 2000, and continues to rise. Prolonged uncertainty and deteriorating living conditions suggest no end to such deaths, although response measures have been taken to improve the situation. It is said that insufficient response measures were taken, in particular, during the transitional period between the emergency phase and the reconstruction phase. There is a need to apply the lessons learned in planning for evacuation after a nuclear hazard, considering radiological protection as well as risks associated with evacuation.
Live from the pastures: Maasai YouTube protest videos
Authors: Hahn Allison Hailey
Published: October 2016

While much attention has turned to new and social media as tools to facilitate democratic participation, little attention has been paid to the ways that these tools are used by rural and nomadic communities. In this article, I examine the ways that Maasai pastoral-nomads are utilizing YouTube to present evidence of eviction, hunger, and other threats to their communities. I explore how the Maasai are using new and social media to engage and create communicative networks which both advance their protests and enrich our study of international communication.
Survival Outcomes for Combined Modality Therapy for Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma
Authors: Kuo Phoebe , Manes R. Peter , Schwam Zachary G. , Judson Benjamin L.
Published: October 2016

Objective

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Multi‐institutional studies examining outcomes of combined modality treatment versus other treatment modalities have not been performed. The objective of our study was to present outcomes for multimodality therapy through use of the National Cancer Database.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

National Cancer Database.

Methods

A total of 435 cases of SNUC diagnosed between 2004 and 2012 were identified. Kaplan‐Meier analyses were performed to find 5‐year cumulative survival rates. Multivariate Cox regression evaluated overall survival based on treatment when adjusting for other prognostic factors (age, primary site, sex, race, comorbidity, insurance, and TNM stage). Within the surgery + chemoradiotherapy group, survival analysis was also performed to compare outcomes for induction and adjuvant chemotherapy.

Results

The cumulative 5‐year survival rate was 41.5%, and 36.1% of patients received surgery with chemoradiotherapy. In multivariate analysis, surgery + chemoradiotherapy was associated with significantly improved overall survival versus surgery + radiotherapy and radiotherapy but not significantly different from chemoradiotherapy. Within the surgery + chemoradiotherapy group, induction and adjuvant chemotherapy groups did not have associated differences in survival.

Conclusion

Combined modality therapy (chemoradiotherapy or surgery + chemoradiotherapy) is associated with improved survival outcomes versus other treatment modalities in patients with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma.
Beginning and intermediate piano students’ experiences participating in evaluative performances
Authors: Mitchell Nancy
Published: October 2016

Evaluative performances, such as conservatory examinations and competitions, frequently play a significant role in piano instruction in many parts of the world. Many students participate in these performances as a result of the perception that a program of instruction that is focused on standardized curriculum and evaluation practices will be of higher quality and will result in higher levels of student motivation. This study employs grounded theory methodology and narrative inquiry to better understand the experiences of beginning and intermediate piano students. The findings consist of characteristics of positive experiences with evaluative performances as well as factors that contribute to the quality of students’ experiences. Students who had positive experiences with evaluative performances reported positive emotional responses, perceptions of meaningful music learning, and strengthened musical identity. In order for students to have positive experiences with evaluative performances, their understandings, values, goals, and characteristics as a performer needed to align with the demands of the evaluation. In addition, positive experiences with evaluative performances required the presence of supportive relationships with parents and teachers. This article concludes with pedagogical implications.
Hacktivism: On the Use of Botnets in Cyberattacks
Authors: Deseriis Marco
Published: October 2016

This article offers a reading of internet-based activism or ‘hacktivism’ as a phenomenon that cannot be confined to the instrumental use of information technologies. It focuses on a subset of hacktivism – the distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack for political ends – that aims at making an internet host unavailable to its intended users. Since the early 2000s these attacks have been increasingly conducted by means of botnets – networks of infected computers that send bogus requests to a target website without the consent of their users. The capacity of botnets to engender a more-than-human politics is analyzed from two distinct theoretical angles. First, drawing from Deleuze and Guattari, the hacktivist DDoS is discussed as an assemblage of signifying and a-signifying components, voluntary and involuntary actions. Second, Gilbert Simondon’s notions of transindividuation and transduction allow for a conceptualization of hacktivism as a sociotechnical assemblage with a high degree of indetermination.
Imaging of brain oxygenation with magnetic resonance imaging: A validation with positron emission tomography in the healthy and tumoural brain
Authors: Valable Samuel , Corroyer-Dulmont Aurélien , Chakhoyan Ararat , Durand Lucile , Toutain Jérôme , Divoux Didier , Barré Louisa , MacKenzie Eric T , Petit Edwige , Bernaudin Myriam , Touzani Omar , Barbier Emmanuel L
Published: October 2016

The partial pressure in oxygen remains challenging to map in the brain. Two main strategies exist to obtain surrogate measures of tissue oxygenation: the tissue saturation studied by magnetic resonance imaging (StO2-MRI) and the identification of hypoxia by a positron emission tomography (PET) biomarker with 3-[18F]fluoro-1-(2-nitro-1-imidazolyl)-2-propanol ([18F]-FMISO) as the leading radiopharmaceutical. Nonetheless, a formal validation of StO2-MRI against FMISO-PET has not been performed. The objective of our studies was to compare the two approaches in (a) the normal rat brain when the rats were submitted to hypoxemia; (b) animals implanted with four tumour types differentiated by their oxygenation. Rats were submitted to normoxic and hypoxemic conditions. For the brain tumour experiments, U87-MG, U251-MG, 9L and C6 glioma cells were orthotopically inoculated in rats. For both experiments, StO2-MRI and [18F]-FMISO PET were performed sequentially. Under hypoxemia conditions, StO2-MRI revealed a decrease in oxygen saturation in the brain. Nonetheless, [18F]-FMISO PET, pimonidazole immunohistochemistry and molecular biology were insensitive to hypoxia. Within the context of tumours, StO2-MRI was able to detect hypoxia in the hypoxic models, mimicking [18F]-FMISO PET with high sensitivity/specificity. Altogether, our data clearly support that, in brain pathologies, StO2-MRI could be a robust and specific imaging biomarker to assess hypoxia.
Pulsatility and high shear stress deteriorate barrier phenotype in brain microvascular endothelium
Authors: Garcia-Polite Fernando , Martorell Jordi , Del Rey-Puech Paula , Melgar-Lesmes Pedro , O’Brien Caroline C , Roquer Jaume , Ois Angel , Principe Alessandro , Edelman Elazer R , Balcells Mercedes
Published: October 2016

Microvascular endothelial cells at the blood–brain barrier exhibit a protective phenotype, which is highly induced by biochemical and biomechanical stimuli. Amongst them, shear stress enhances junctional tightness and limits transport at capillary-like levels. Abnormal flow patterns can reduce functional features of macrovascular endothelium. We now examine if this is true in brain microvascular endothelial cells. We suggest in this paper a complex response of endothelial cells to aberrant forces under different flow domains. Human brain microvascular endothelial cells were exposed to physiological or abnormal flow patterns. Physiologic shear (10–20 dyn/cm2) upregulates expression of tight junction markers Zona Occludens 1 (1.7-fold) and Claudin-5 (more than 2-fold). High shear stress (40 dyn/cm2) and/or pulsatility decreased their expression to basal levels and altered junctional morphology. We exposed cells to pathological shear stress patterns followed by capillary-like conditions. Results showed reversible recovery on the expression of tight junction markers. Flow protection of barrier phenotype commensurate with junctional signaling pathways decrease (Src, 0.25-fold, ERK, 0.77-fold) when compared to static conditions. This decrease was lost under high shear and pulsatile flow. In conclusion, abnormal shear stress inherent to systemic vascular disease leads to barrier impairment, which could be reverted by hemodynamic interventions.
Literary history as provocation of national identity, national identity as provocation of literary history
Authors: Pavlyshyn Marko
Published: October 2016

Empirical research into political sentiments gives force to the proposition that, in the context of the 2013–14 Euromaidan and subsequent war, Ukrainian national identity, for most of its history predominantly ethno-cultural, has undergone changes justifying its qualification as ‘civic’. In this article I discuss the ethno-cultural orientation, conventional during the 19th and 20th centuries, of Ukrainian literary history, a scholarly genre that has a tradition of promoting the cause of Ukrainian nation-building; I identify contemporary examples of discourses in the literary sphere – literary works themselves, literary anthologies and the public statements and debates of writers – that embody or applaud civic identities akin to those in evidence on the Euromaidan; and I reflect upon the values, inclusive and multicultural, that a Ukrainian national literary history rhetorically in harmony with post-Euromaidan sentiment would evince.
The Predictive Role of Maternal Parenting and Stress on Pupils’ Bullying involvement
Authors: Alizadeh Maralani Fatemeh , Mirnasab Mirmahmoud , Hashemi Touraj
Published: October 2016

The link between inappropriate parenting style and both bullying and victimization is well documented. However, it is not clear as to which kind of parenting style is associated with victimization. Furthermore, no studies have yet been conducted regarding the role of parental stress in bullying and victimization. This study aimed to examine the role of parenting styles and maternal stress in pupils’ bullying and victimization. A total of 300 primary school pupils, enrolled in fourth and fifth grades, participated in the study. Initially, 100 noninvolved pupils were randomly selected using a multistage cluster sampling method. Then using a screening method, 100 bully pupils and 100 victimized peers were selected. Olweus Bullying Scale and teacher nomination were administered for screening these pupils. Baumrind Parenting Style Questionnaire and revised version of Abidin Parental Stress Index (short form) were also applied to all pupils in the study. Data were analyzed using discriminant function analysis. The findings showed that (a) with regard to parenting styles, significant differences were found among groups. Authoritarian parenting style could significantly predict pupils’ bullying behavior, whereas victimization was predictable in families with permissive parenting style. In addition, noninvolved pupils were predicted to have authoritative parenting style. (b) Considering maternal stress, significant differences were observed across groups. Parents of bullies and victims were predicted to have higher maternal stress than noninvolved pupils. The implications of the study in relation to the role of mothers in bullying and victimization are discussed.
Reactive Protection? Fear, Victimization, and Fighting Among U.S. High School Students
Authors: Sattler Leslie J. , Thomas Kristie A. , Cadet Tamara L.
Published: October 2016

Youth violence in high schools is a pervasive and persistent problem in the United States. Students engage in physical fights, experience bullying and teen dating violence (TDV), are threatened with weapons, and miss school due to safety concerns. However, despite theoretical support, research has not sufficiently addressed the relationship between students’ fear and fighting at school. This secondary analysis used data from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey ( n = 13,583) to examine the relationship between fear at school, victimization, and engagement in fighting at school among high school students. We created a 3-item composite fear variable, conducted logistic regression to examine likelihood of fighting, and multinomial regression to examine risk for multiple fights, and stratified all models by gender. Findings indicate that both male and female students who experienced fear were more likely to engage in fights at school than peers who did not experience fear, even when controlling for other factors. Likewise, the more fear incidents a student experienced, the more at risk they were for engaging in multiple fights. Findings on victimization indicate that the relationship with fighting is more straightforward for male students than for female students. For males, being bullied and experiencing multiple incidents of physical and sexual TDV were all associated with fighting at school. For females, however, only one type of victimization was associated with fighting at school: experiencing multiple incidents of physical TDV. Overall, findings suggest that fear may be more than merely a by-product of fighting, but rather—as the extant research supports—fear also can be generalized across situations and displayed through patterns of aggression. Findings support the need for interventions aimed at skill-building in areas of communication, emotion regulation, conflict resolution, and healthy relationships to help youth—particularly those in younger grades—negotiate interpersonal relationships without the use of violence.
Millennial to secular time-scale impacts of climate and sea-level changes on mangroves from the Doce River delta, Southeastern Brazil
Authors: França Marlon Carlos , Alves Igor Charles C , Cohen Marcelo CL , Rossetti Dilce F , Pessenda Luiz CR , Giannini Paulo CF , Lorente Flávio L , Buso Junior Antônio Álvaro , Bendassolli José Albertino , Macario Kita
Published: October 2016

This work integrates geomorphological, sedimentological, and palynological data with radiocarbon dating, as well as δ13C, δ15N, and C/N from sedimentary organic matter to provide a model of mangrove dynamics during the evolution of a wave-dominated delta in Southeastern Brazil. Mangrove dynamics are analyzed within the context of millennial and secular climatic and sea-level changes. Tidal flats, positioned at highest limit of the intertidal zone along the edge of a lagoon sheltered by beach ridges, were occupied by wetlands represented by mangrove and herbaceous vegetation during the mid-Holocene high sea level. After considering the relative sea-level fall and relatively higher fluvial sediment discharge, during the last ~6350 years, progradation took place along this shoreline, resulting in extensive beach ridge deposits that overlie transgressive muds. This process led to loss of mangrove area. Similar dynamics were repeated at ~3043 cal. yr BP, although in a relatively more distal (i.e. seaward) position. Between ~1337 and ~900 cal. yr BP, a tidal flat attached to the edge of a lagoon near the modern coastline was colonized by herbaceous vegetation (C4 plants). The next phase, which occurred between ~900 and ~400 or ~100 cal. yr BP, is marked by the transition from herbaceous to mangrove tidal flats with an increased trend of terrestrial organic matter. During the recent centuries, a mangrove vegetation became established, and there was an increased trend of estuarine-derived organic matter. This mangrove phase, recorded during the last century(ies), may be due to a relative sea-level rise. Under this scenario, erosion of beach ridges and expansion of lagoons and mangroves are expected along the littoral of the State of Espírito Santo in Southeastern Brazil.
Cobimetinib
Authors: Signorelli Jessie , Shah Gandhi Arpita
Published: October 2016

Objective: To review and summarize data on cobimetinib, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2015 for use in combination with vemurafenib for unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600E or V600K mutation. Data Sources: A literature search using PubMed was conducted using the terms cobimetinib, MEK inhibitor, and melanoma from January 2000 to June 2016. Study Selection and Data Extraction: The literature search was confined to human studies published in English. Trials of cobimetinib for melanoma were prioritized. Data Synthesis: Cobimetinib is a reversible inhibitor of MEK1 and MEK2. Its FDA approval was based on a phase III, randomized trial of vemurafenib monotherapy (n = 248) or vemurafenib and cobimetinib (n = 247) in unresectable stage IIIC or IV melanoma with a BRAFV600 mutation. Cobimetinib was administered as 60 mg orally daily for 21 days/7 days off, whereas vemurafenib was administered as 960 mg twice daily. Vemurafenib and cobimetinib were associated with an objective response rate of 68%, and median progression-free survival of 9.9 months. The overall survival was not reached at the time of first interim analysis. Clinically relevant grade ≥3 adverse events were diarrhea (6%), rash (6%), photosensitivity (2%), elevated liver function tests (LFTs) (8%-12%), increased creatine kinase (11%), and retinal detachment (3%). Conclusion: Cobimetinib combined with vemurafenib is an alternative BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy for unresectable or metastatic melanoma with BRAFV600 mutation. The role of cobimetinib in melanoma and other solid tumors is likely to expand as the results from ongoing studies become available.
Formation and psychometric evaluation of a health-related quality of life instrument for children living with HIV in India
Authors: Das Aritra , Detels Roger , Afifi Abdelmonem A , Javanbakht Marjan , Sorvillo Frank , Panda Samiran
Published: October 2016

In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to inform the development of an instrument to measure the health-related quality of life of children living with HIV. The QOL-CHAI instrument consists of four generic core scales of the “Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory” and two HIV-targeted scales—“symptoms” and “discrimination.” A piloting exercise involving groups of children living with HIV and HIV-negative children born to HIV-infected parents provided evidence for the acceptable psychometric properties and usability of the instrument. It is expected that the QOL-CHAI can serve well as a brief, standardized, and culturally appropriate instrument for assessing health-related quality of life of Indian children living with HIV.
Procedural tradition in the Italian Criminal Justice System
Authors: Montana Riccardo
Published: October 2016

The reform of the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure (ccp) in 1989 was an ambitious attempt to transplant adversarial principles in a Criminal Justice System (CJS) that was rooted in its inquisitorial structure. From the pure legal perspective, the reform failed because the CJS appears now as a superimposition of adversarial values on a structure that remains inquisitorial. From the socio-legal comparative perspective, however, there are other contextual issues that deserve to be analysed. Following the introduction, I will focus on the changes that have taken place in the Italian ccp in 1989. This part of the article will explain the new semi-adversarial legal structure of the Italian CJS and the reasons why the current procedural system appears very complicated. The second part of the article will concentrate on the inquisitorial cultural resistance that Italian legal actors use to oppose the adversarial reform. The cultural analysis will be emphasised through the contextualisation of the 1989 reform in the Italian distinctive socio-political environment. In the third part I will analyse prosecutors’ legal culture to discuss the internalisation of adversarial principles in the Italian CJS. The conclusion will emphasise the importance of socio-legal asymmetrical comparisons to study the evolution and harmonisation of European procedural traditions.
Social justice for the poor: The framing of socioeconomic rights in selected South African newspapers
Authors: Chiumbu Sarah H , Reddy Vasu , Bohler-Muller Narnia , Gumede Ntombizonke A , Mtshengu Amanda
Published: October 2016

Apartheid South Africa created a society of deep-seated inequalities divided along race, class, and gender lines. The promotion of socioeconomic rights and redistributive justice is thus an important element in the country’s on-going transformation. This article analyzes the framing of stories on socioeconomic rights by three South African national newspapers. Using a combination of framing analysis and critical political economy insights, we show that although the newspapers foreground the importance of socioeconomic rights and recognize voices of the marginalized, the majority of the stories contain gaps and silences on critical issues concerning the structural causes of inequality and socioeconomic injustices in South Africa. The argument concludes by motivating a rethinking of the country’s normative media frameworks for the development of a journalism practice that would resonate in a country characterized by social polarization and material inequalities.
Giving an Account of Oneself: Architecturally
Authors: Rendell Jane
Published: October 2016

In January 2013, I questioned the decision of my employer, UCL, to accept $10 million of funding from the Anglo-Australian multinational mining and petroleum company BHP Billiton to create an International Energy Policy Institute in Adelaide, and the Institute for Sustainable Resources in London at the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment. At the time, I was Vice Dean of Research and my questions started a process which is figured here as a site-writing, articulated through two registers: bios – a set of diary entries noting personal anxieties and hopes related to my institutional role at UCL, and logos – an attempt to relate these issues to the development of my own intellectual work and concepts concerning ethics and critique generated by others.
Changes in the gendered nature of homicides: Comparing 20th- and 21st-century Finland
Authors: Virtanen Suvi , Savinen Herman
Published: October 2016

Women commit fewer homicides than men, yet recent research has suggested that the nature of female-perpetrated homicides has started to resemble that of male perpetration. This study examines gender differences and changes in the nature of female and male homicides, and aims to demonstrate how developments in Finnish society, such as the formation of the welfare state, are reflected in the gendered nature of homicide offending. Data consist of samples from the early 20th and 21st centuries. Comparisons in frequencies are made concerning the profiles of the victim and the offender, as well as the context of the crime. Results indicate that female offending is more similar to male offending in the 21st century than it was in the early 20th century.
Health Policy Initiatives for African American Women Veterans
Authors: McClerking Carolyn A. , Wood Felecia
Published: October 2016

America’s military has experienced great changes in the demographic makeup of its veterans over the past few decades. In fact, the fastest growing group in the U.S. military is women. This demographic trend has also brought new challenges in dealing with gender issues, something that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has only recently begun to acknowledge. The VHA has responded in several ways to gender issues in health care and health outcomes. And, although the VHA is dealing with multiple gender matters, this article will focus on initiatives to combat cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women veterans. It will also highlight the significance of CVD, both to women veterans in general and to African American women veterans specifically. The article concludes with a discussion of VHA activities and strategies to improve the cardiovascular health of African American women veterans.
The prevalence of fatigue after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cumming Toby B , Packer Marcie , Kramer Sharon F , English Coralie
Published: October 2016

Background

Fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom after stroke. The last decade has seen rapid expansion of the research literature on post-stroke fatigue, but prevalence remains unclear.

Aims

To estimate post-stroke fatigue prevalence and to identify the contributing factors to fatigue, by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Summary of review

We included all studies of adult stroke survivors that used a recognized assessment scale for fatigue (search date September 2014). Two reviewers independently reviewed all full texts for inclusion. Data were extracted by one reviewer and independently cross-checked by a second. Risk of bias was evaluated using a critical appraisal tool. From an overall yield of 921 studies, 101 full text papers were screened, and 49 of these met inclusion criteria. The most widely used measure of fatigue was the Fatigue Severity Scale ( n = 24 studies). Prevalence estimates at a cut-off score of > or ≥ 4 were available for 22 of these 24 studies (total n = 3491), and ranged from 25 to 85%. In random effects meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence estimate was 50% (95% CI 43–57%), with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 94%). Neither depression status nor time point post-stroke explained the heterogeneity between studies. In post-hoc analysis, fatigue prevalence was found to be lower in the four Asian studies (35%; 95% CI 20–50; I2 = 96%).

Conclusions

Our results confirm that fatigue is a widespread issue for stroke survivors, although it may be less prevalent in Asia. Further research is needed to explain the wide variability in prevalence estimates between studies.
SF-36 total score as a single measure of health-related quality of life: Scoping review
Authors: Lins Liliane , Carvalho Fernando Martins
Published: October 2016

According to the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire developers, a global measure of health-related quality of life such as the “SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score” cannot be generated from the questionnaire. However, studies keep on reporting such measure. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and to describe some characteristics of articles reporting the SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score in the scientific literature. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method was adapted to a scoping review. We performed searches in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, BVS, and Cochrane Library databases for articles using such scores. We found 172 articles published between 1997 and 2015; 110 (64.0%) of them were published from 2010 onwards; 30.0% appeared in journals with Impact Factor 3.00 or greater. Overall, 129 (75.0%) out of the 172 studies did not specify the method for calculating the “SF-36 Total Score”; 13 studies did not specify their methods but referred to the SF-36 developers’ studies or others; and 30 articles used different strategies for calculating such score, the most frequent being arithmetic averaging of the eight SF-36 domains scores. We concluded that the “SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score” has been increasingly reported in the scientific literature. Researchers should be aware of this procedure and of its possible impacts upon human health.
No difference found in time to publication by statistical significance of trial results: a methodological review
Authors: Jefferson L , Fairhurst C , Cooper E , Hewitt C , Torgerson T , Cook L , Tharmanathan P , Cockayne S , Torgerson D
Published: October 2016

Objective

Time-lag from study completion to publication is a potential source of publication bias in randomised controlled trials. This study sought to update the evidence base by identifying the effect of the statistical significance of research findings on time to publication of trial results.

Design

Literature searches were carried out in four general medical journals from June 2013 to June 2014 inclusive ( BMJ, JAMA, the Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine).

Setting

Methodological review of four general medical journals.

Participants

Original research articles presenting the primary analyses from phase 2, 3 and 4 parallel-group randomised controlled trials were included.

Main outcome measures

Time from trial completion to publication.

Results

The median time from trial completion to publication was 431 days ( n = 208, interquartile range 278–618). A multivariable adjusted Cox model found no statistically significant difference in time to publication for trials reporting positive or negative results (hazard ratio: 0.86, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.16, p = 0.32).

Conclusion

In contrast to previous studies, this review did not demonstrate the presence of time-lag bias in time to publication. This may be a result of these articles being published in four high-impact general medical journals that may be more inclined to publish rapidly, whatever the findings. Further research is needed to explore the presence of time-lag bias in lower quality studies and lower impact journals.
Lipoxin A4promotes lung epithelial repair whilst inhibiting fibroblast proliferation
Authors: Zheng Shengxing , D'Souza Vijay K. , Bartis Domokos , Dancer Rachel C.A. , Parekh Dhruv , Naidu Babu , Gao-Smith Fang , Wang Qian , Jin Shengwei , Lian Qingquan , Thickett David R.
Published: October 2016

Therapy that promotes epithelial repair whilst protecting against fibroproliferation is critical for restoring lung function in acute and chronic respiratory diseases.

Primary human alveolar type II cells were used to model the effects of lipoxin A4in vitroupon wound repair, proliferation, apoptosis and transdifferention. Effects of lipoxin A4upon primary human lung fibroblast proliferation, collagen production, and myofibroblast differentiation were also assessed.

Lipoxin A4promoted type II cell wound repair and proliferation, blocked the negative effects of soluble Fas ligand/tumour necrosis factor α upon cell proliferation, viability and apoptosis, and augmented the epithelial cell proliferative response to bronchoaveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In contrast, Lipoxin A4reduced fibroblast proliferation, collagen production and myofibroblast differentiation induced by transforming growth factor β and BALF from ARDS. The effects of Lipoxin A4were phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase dependent and mediatedviathe lipoxin A4receptor.

Lipoxin A4appears to promote alveolar epithelial repair by stimulating epitheial cell wound repair, proliferation, reducing apoptosis and promoting trans-differentiation of alveolar type II cells into type I cells. Lipoxin A4reduces fibroblast proliferation, collagen production and myofibroblast differentiation. These data suggest that targeting lipoxin actions may be a therapeutic strategy for treating the resolution phase of ARDS.
In Vitro Activation: A Dip Into the Primordial Follicle Pool?
Authors: Yin Ophelia , Cayton Kamaria , Segars James H.
Published: October 2016

Context:

A current limitation of assisted reproduction is the number of available female gametes. This Commentary discusses in vitro activation (IVA), a technique that activates dormant ovarian follicles so that these follicles can become mature oocytes for fertilization. There is considerable evidence that mechanical signaling plays an important role in oocyte maturation and survival; manipulation of the mechanical environment is a key component of the IVA process. IVA acts on existing follicles and does not promote neo-oogenesis, which likely contributes little to the primordial follicle pool in the adult.

Conclusions:

Several women with primary ovarian insufficiency who underwent the IVA procedure have achieved live births. IVA might also be applicable to women with pathological diminished ovarian reserve and those with physiological diminished reserve due to natural aging. Cancer patients with cryopreserved ovarian tissue also might benefit from IVA. Based on future studies, IVA could prove to be a revolutionary tool for assisted reproduction.