bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Virtual Planning on Surgical Reposition of the Premaxilla Using an Endonasal Approach and Simultaneous Alveoloplasty
Authors: Martínez Plaza Adoración , Martínez Elena Bullejos , Tara Miguel Pérez de Perceval , Fernandez Ana Belén Marín , Iglesias Fernando Monsalve , López Antonio España
Published: August 2018

Objective:

Describe the surgical repositioning of the premaxilla using an innovative minimally invasive endonasal approach and secondary bone graft at the same time. We want to emphasize the importance of virtual surgical planning in this technique.

Material and Methods:

A total of 6 patients with bilateral complete cleft lip and palate underwent a surgical repositioning of the premaxilla. Virtual surgical planning was performed in all cases. The ages varied between 8 and 12 years and all were male. Five patients were in the mixed dentition phase and 1 patient was in the definitive phase. Three of the patients had been prepared with presurgical nasoalveolar molding. The other 3 were not prepared for various reasons. All patients had primary repair of cleft lip and palate.

Interventions:

An innovative minimally invasive endonasal approach is presented that has allowed a safe 3-D reposition of the premaxilla in patients with bilateral cleft palate. A simultaneous secondary alveoloplasty with the use of absorbable osteosynthesis is a good choice to achieve symmetry and stability.

Conclusions:

Virtual surgical planning is an exceptional instrument to make an appropriate presurgical selection of the patients in which combine the 2 procedures.
Radiographic Evaluation of First Metatarsal and Medial Cuneiform Morphology in Juvenile Hallux Valgus
Authors: Kaiser Philip , Livingston Kristin , Miller Patricia E. , May Collin , Mahan Susan
Published: August 2018

Background:

Operative treatment of juvenile hallux valgus (JHV) has a high recurrence rate. The aim of this study was to better understand the pattern of radiographic deformity.

Methods:

Standing radiographs of 93 feet in 57 patients with JHV, and 50 feet in 36 normal patients were measured. Measurements included: hallux valgus angle (HVA), first metatarsal physis status (open or closed), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA), Meary’s angle, medial cuneiform angle (MCA), relative first to second metatarsal length ratio (1:2 MT ratio), cuneiform obliquity (CO), and congruency of the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ). JHV groups were defined as normal (HVA 0-15 degrees), mild-moderate (HVA 15-35), or severe (HVA > 35) and were analyzed.

Results:

Seventy of 93 feet (75%) with JHV presented with mild-moderate JHV (average HVA of 26.2 ± 5.6 degrees), and 23 feet (25%, 23/93) presented with severe JHV (average HVA of 41.9 ± 5.3 degrees). Multivariable analysis determined that DMAA ( P < .001), MCA ( P = .04), and congruency ( P < .001) were independently associated with JHV and its severity (normal vs mild-moderate vs severe). Severe JHV cases had larger DMAA ( P = .01), larger IMA ( P = .01), larger 1:2 MT ratio ( P = .02), and were less frequently congruent ( P = .03) compared with mild-moderate JHV cases.

Conclusion:

Deformity in JHV was highly correlated with both the proximal and distal morphology of the first metatarsal and medial cuneiform. Severe JHV was associated with increased bony deformity and increased incongruity of the MTPJ. Treatment should be individualized, but JHV treatment algorithms can take this information into account.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, comparative study.
The Robin: A Monologue of Aging With Chronic Diseases
Authors: Jønsson Alexandra Brandt Ryborg
Published: August 2018

In this article, I argue that ethnodramatic monologue is a valuable method for producing knowledge complementary to current research on living with chronic diseases. Inspired by discussions on ethnographic representations, I present the monologue of an older woman with chronic diseases. The monologue has been performed for a live audience, and several future performances are also booked; however, this article is an experiment on the textual presentation of a theatrical monologue. The protagonist’s voice is based on three interlocutors from my doctoral anthropological fieldwork, which was conducted among older people with chronic diseases in rural Denmark. Drawing on earlier training as a method actor, I consolidated notes, interviews, and observations to create a piece of art displaying my research. This article thus blends social sciences and the arts, building on the tradition of ethnographic theater.
Predicting the profile of increasing disability in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Tomassini Valentina , Fanelli Fulvia , Prosperini Luca , Cerqua Raffaella , Cavalla Paola , Pozzilli Carlo
Published: August 2018

Background:

Effective therapeutic strategies to preserve function and delay progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) require early recognition of individual disease trajectories.

Objectives:

To determine the profiles of disability evolution, identify their early predictors and develop a risk score of increasing disability.

Methods:

We analysed demographic, clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from patients with relapsing MS, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 3.0–4.0 and follow-up ≥ 2 years. Attaining EDSS = 6.0 defined increasing disability; relapses and/or MRI defined disease activity.

Results:

In total, 344 out of 542 (63.5%) patients reached EDSS ≥ 6.0; of these, 220 (64.0%) showed disease activity. In patients with activity, the number of relapses before reaching EDSS 3.0–4.0 predicted increasing disability; age > 45 at baseline predicted increasing disability without activity. Combining age and number of relapses increased the risk of and shortened the time to EDSS = 6.0.

Conclusion:

Increasing disability is frequently associated with persistent activity. The high number of relapses identifies early those patients worsening in the presence of activity. Age predicts increasing disability in the absence of activity. The presence of both factors increases the risk of developing severe disability. As this study likely describes the transition to progression, our findings contribute to improving patient management and stratification in trials on progressive MS.
Hearing impairment detection and intervention in children from centre-based early intervention programmes
Authors: Maluleke Ntsako P , Khoza-Shangase Katijah , Kanji Amisha
Published: August 2018

The study aimed to describe ages at identification and initiation of early intervention (EI) services for children enrolled in centre-based EI programmes in Gauteng, as well as to describe the nature of EI services that the children received. The researchers conducted retrospective record reviews of the EI programme files. In addition, caregivers of eight children identified with hearing impairments and enrolled in centre-based EI programmes in Gauteng completed a newly constructed questionnaire. The caregiver questionnaire produced data pertaining to the child's family demographics, background information and schooling history. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data, using frequency distribution and measures of central tendency. None of the children received newborn hearing screening services, thus they were identified late following maternal suspicion of hearing impairment. Late identification of the hearing impairment resulted in suboptimal initiation of EI services. All the children received aural habilitation and/or speech–language therapy services. These findings indicate that there is a great need for the establishment of widespread early hearing detection and intervention programmes that will lead to earlier identification of infant and childhood hearing impairment and timely initiation of EI services.
Give Them a Chance: Public Attitudes to Sentencing Young Offenders in Western Australia
Authors: Ellis Suzanne , Gately Natalie , Rogers Shane , Horrigan Andrée
Published: August 2018

Public opinion is often reported as punitive towards sentencing young people. Attitudes remain important to investigate given their potential to influence policy within the criminal justice system. Therefore, it is important to understand the formation of these attitudes and their consistency with sentencing principles. Semi-structured interviews ( n = 72) and surveys ( n = 502) were used to gauge opinions of sentencing young people under different scenario manipulations (age, weapon, drug treatment, prior record). The findings revealed the public expected punishment, but favoured rehabilitation with an opportunity to repent, suggesting the public are open to alternatives to ‘tough on crime’ approaches.
The Effects of Primary Care–Based Parenting Interventions on Parenting and Child Behavioral Outcomes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Moon Deborah J. , Damman Jeri L. , Romero Aly
Published: August 2018

Behavioral parenting interventions can enhance positive parenting practice, which is crucial in preventing maltreatment and promoting child well-being. Primary care has been increasingly recognized as an underutilized platform to widely disseminate evidence-based parenting interventions, given parents’ ongoing access to primary care without stigma and the perceptions toward health-care providers as a trustworthy source of information about positive parenting. This study sought to explore the effects of primary care–based parenting interventions on parenting practice and child behavioral outcomes while examining the types of and the theories of change underlying these interventions. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline. Randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies of interventions targeting caregivers of children aged between 1 and 17 were included in the review. Information sources included electronic databases, relevant government and private organizational websites, and expert consultations. The final sample included 17 studies focusing on 10 interventions. Positive results were found in knowledge gain, locus of control, monitoring, parent–child interactions, and negative discipline. Child behavior outcomes were inconsistent as most studies reported nonsignificant changes while one study reported significant intervention effects on various externalizing behaviors. A limited number of studies described the process of adapting, installing, and implementing the interventions in primary care. Future studies should examine the types, dosages, and delivery formats that are most suitable and sustainable in the context of primary care to maximize its utility in promoting child well-being while preventing maltreatment through integrated behavioral parenting interventions.
Combined Ascending Aortic Stent-Graft and Inner Branched Arch Device for Type A Aortic Dissection
Authors: Law Yuk , Tsilimparis Nikolaos , Rohlffs Fiona , Makaloski Vladimir , Debus E. Sebastian , Kölbel Tilo
Published: August 2018

Purpose: To report the use of the Zenith Ascend stent-graft in conjunction with the Zenith inner branched arch device to treat type A aortic dissection. Case Report: Five patients (mean age 66 years, range 52–78; 4 men) with type A aortic dissection (2 acute) and insufficient distal landing zones were treated with the Zenith Ascend stent-graft and inner branched arch devices to extend the distal landing zone. Left carotid–subclavian bypass was performed in a staged or simultaneous setting depending on the urgency of the condition. Technical success (no type I or III endoleak and successful revascularization of all supra-aortic vessels) was achieved in all patients. Median intensive care unit stay was 5 days (range 4–23) and the median hospital stay was 16 days (range 8–25). The 2 patients with acute dissection died in hospital and at 5 months, respectively. The 3 elective patients were followed for 7, 13, and 19 months, respectively. All had false lumen thrombosis with either a reduced or stable aneurysm diameter. Conclusion: This limited experience demonstrated the feasibility and safety of the combined use of the Ascend stent-graft and inner branched arch devices. This strategy may sometimes be more beneficial than either stent-graft used alone.
White Supremacist Danger Narratives
Authors: Rondini Ashley C.
Published: August 2018

Ashley C. Rondini on the scripts justifying and reinforcing supremacy.
Engaging Older Men in Physical Activity: Implications for Health Promotion Practice
Authors: Thandi Manpreet Kaur Gill , Phinney Alison , Oliffe John L. , Wong Sabrina , McKay Heather , Sims-Gould Joanie , Sahota Simran
Published: August 2018

According to Health Canada (2016), only about 11% of older men meet recommended guidelines for physical activity, and participation decreases as men age. This places men at considerable risk of poor health, including an array of chronic diseases. A demographic shift toward a greater population of less healthy older men would substantially challenge an already beleaguered health-care system. One strategy to alter this trajectory might be gender-sensitized community-based physical activity. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted to enhance understanding of community-dwelling older men’s day-to-day experiences with physical activity. Four men over age 65 participated in a semistructured interview, three walk-along interviews, and a photovoice project. An interpretive descriptive approach to data analysis was used to identify three key themes related to men’s experiences with physical activity: (a) “The things I’ve always done,” (b) “Out and About,” and (c) “You do need the group atmosphere at times.” This research extends the knowledge base around intersections among older men, physical activity, and masculinities. The findings provide a glimpse of the diversity of older men and the need for physical activity programs that are unique to individual preferences and capacities. The findings are not generalized to all men but the learnings from this research may be of value to those who design programs for older men in similar contexts. Future studies might address implementation with a larger sample of older men who reside in a broad range of geographic locations and of different ethnicities.
How do facilitators of group programmes for long-term conditions conceptualise self-management support?
Authors: Hughes Stephen , Lewis Sophie , Willis Karen , Rogers Anne , Wyke Sally , Smith Lorraine
Published: August 2018

Objectives

Increasing self-management skills in people with long-term conditions is widely advocated in policies and guidelines. Group programmes are a common format; yet, how self-management support objectives are enacted in their delivery is poorly understood. Our aim is to explore the perspectives of group programme facilitators.

Methods

We undertook thematic analysis of transcribed data from in-depth semi-structured interviews with health professional facilitators (n = 13) from six diverse self-management support group programmes (of obesity, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

Results

Facilitators viewed group programmes as responses to health system pressures, e.g. high patient demand. They focussed on providing in-depth education and instruction on physical health, risks and lifestyle behaviour change and emphasised self-responsibility for behaviour change whilst minimising goal setting and support amongst group participants. There were tensions between facilitators’ professional identity and group leader role.

Discussion

Group self-management support programmes may not be realising the broader aspirations advocated in long-term condition policy to support medical, emotional and social aspects of long-term conditions by minimising shared learning, problem solving, building of self-efficacy and goal setting. This suggests a disconnect at implementation. Increasing understandings of theoretical and practical self-management support in group programmes across both implementation and health professional (HCP) training will further the professional skills in this format.
A review of the performance requirements of squash
Authors: Jones Thomas W , Williams Benjamin K , Kilgallen Conor , Horobeanu Cosmin , Shillabeer Barry C , Murray Andrew , Cardinale Marco
Published: August 2018

Squash is a sport characterised by complex physical, technical and tactical demands. Despite its increased popularity, there is presently no synthesis of the literature pertaining to the performance requirements of squash. As such, it is difficult to generate evidence-based guidelines for applied practitioners working with squash athletes. The purposes of this review were to a) identify the most important aspects of squash performance with reference to junior and senior athletes, b) identify and discuss the available methods of assessment of squash performance and c) identify areas where further research efforts are needed so that the performance requirements of the squash game are understood. Critical analysis of literature pertaining to movement characteristics and time motion analyses, physiological demands, methods of assessing physical qualities, psychological demands and injury epidemiology were conducted. A summary of the physical characteristics of squash athletes of varying ages and playing standards is presented. Time motion analysis studies present consistent information on the game demands. There are limited data on game demands evolution from youth to senior. There appears to be usable testing protocols available for practitioners supporting squash athletes, although further work is needed to determine the applicability of these measures in junior athletes. Furthermore, better controlled studies are required to establish the injury risks associated with squash.
Selection of time-to-failure model for computerized numerical control turning center based on the assessment of trends in maintenance data
Authors: Patil Rajkumar Bhimgonda , Kothavale Basavraj S , Waghmode Laxman Yadu
Published: August 2018

This article provides a generalized framework for selection of time-to-failure model based on the assessment of trends in failure and repair time data. This framework is based on modifications of existing frameworks and can be applied for binary as well as multi-state systems. The proposed framework is applied for reliability analysis of a computerized numerical control turning center. For analysis purpose, the failure data are collected for 50 computerized numerical control turning center over a period of 7 years for three different working conditions, that is, when machining material is steel, aluminum and cast iron. The data collected are then processed using the proposed framework and the best-fit distribution is found for the time-to-failure data. Furthermore, the reliable life and reliabilities of the different sub-systems are estimated. From the analysis, it is found that spindle system, computerized numerical control system, electrical and electronic system, hydraulic system and cooling system are found to be critical from reliability and maintainability point of view. The analysis presented here is expected to help the users and manufacturers of computerized numerical control turning center to estimate the reliability in accurate manner.
Schadenfreude and Gluckschmerz
Authors: Smith Richard H. , van Dijk Wilco W.
Published: August 2018

We explore why people feel the socially improper emotions of schadenfreude (pleasure at another person’s or group’s misfortune) and gluckschmerz (pain at another person’s or group’s good fortune). One explanation follows from sentiment relations. Prior dislike leads to both schadenfreude and gluckschmerz. A second explanation relates to concerns over justice. Deserved misfortune is pleasing and undeserved good fortune is displeasing. A third explanation concerns appraisal of the good or bad fortunes of others as creating either benefit or harm for the self or in-group. Especially in competitive situations and when envy is present, gain is pleasing and loss is displeasing. Both emotions have important implications for understanding human relations at the individual and group levels.
The Intersection of Goals to Experience and Express Emotion
Authors: Greenaway Katharine H. , Kalokerinos Elise K.
Published: August 2018

Experience and expression are orthogonal emotion dimensions: we do not always show what we feel, nor do we always feel what we show. However, the experience and expression dimensions of emotion are rarely considered simultaneously. We propose a model outlining the intersection of goals for emotion experience and expression. We suggest that these goals may be aligned (e.g., feeling and showing) or misaligned (e.g., feeling but not showing). Our model posits these states can be separated into goals to (a) experience and express, (b) experience but not express, (c) express but not experience, or (d) neither experience nor express positive and negative emotion. We contend that considering intersections between experience and expression goals will advance understanding of emotion regulation choice and success.
Local-Level Authoritarianism, Democratic Normative Aspirations, and Antipress Harassment: Predictors of Threats to Journalists in Mexico
Authors: Hughes Sallie , Márquez-Ramírez Mireya
Published: August 2018

Cross-national research has identified crime, corruption, and human rights abuses as explanations for threats against journalists in democracies and authoritarian hybrids plagued by antipress violence. In-depth studies additionally suggest gender or occupational characteristics such as risky newsbeats increase the likelihood of being threatened. We overcome data limitations in many of these studies by analyzing work-related threats reported by journalists in Mexico, a territorially uneven democracy. Findings confirm that contexts of criminal insecurity are the strongest predictor of threats but only for journalists who are frequently harassed. For the infrequently threatened, democratic normative commitments are a stronger predictor. Subnational government corruption is another important predictor of threat but operates counter to expectations. We believe this is because clientelism sufficiently controls journalists without the need for threat. Neither occupational traits nor gender were individually important predictors. Findings suggest future research should compare threat and harassment across lower and higher risk contexts, and measure public insecurity and clientelism at the local level where journalists actually work. Measurement improvements might better reveal the gender dynamics of threat. More broadly, comparative research and policy-making in democracies and authoritarian hybrids should focus on how local authoritarians limit journalists’ democratic normative aspirations.
The Effects of Right-Wing Populist Communication on Emotions and Cognitions toward Immigrants
Authors: Wirz Dominique S. , Wettstein Martin , Schulz Anne , Müller Philipp , Schemer Christian , Ernst Nicole , Esser Frank , Wirth Werner
Published: August 2018

The persuasiveness of right-wing populist communication has become a widely discussed topic; it is often assumed that such messages might foster anti-immigrant attitudes among citizens. The present study explores the effects of the different components of right-wing populist communication—anti-immigrant messages, populist content, and populist style—on attitudes toward immigrants. By combining a media content analysis ( N = 605 articles) with a panel survey ( N = 1,968) in metropolitan areas of four Western European countries (France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom), this study analyzes how citizens’ attitudes toward immigrants are influenced by the right-wing populist communication with which they are confronted in their individual media diet. The results show that anti-immigrant statements in the media lead to more negative cognitions toward immigrants, while populist content leads to more negative emotions. The study, thus, demonstrates that not only anti-immigrant rhetoric but also populism as a thin-centered ideology influence citizens’ attitudes toward immigrants on top of pre-existing attitudes.
Impact of surface topography and coating on osteogenesis and bacterial attachment on titanium implants
Authors: Damiati Laila , Eales Marcus G , Nobbs Angela H , Su Bo , Tsimbouri Penelope M , Salmeron-Sanchez Manuel , Dalby Matthew J
Published: August 2018

Titanium (Ti) plays a predominant role as the material of choice in orthopaedic and dental implants. Despite the majority of Ti implants having long-term success, premature failure due to unsuccessful osseointegration leading to aseptic loosening is still too common. Recently, surface topography modification and biological/non-biological coatings have been integrated into orthopaedic/dental implants in order to mimic the surrounding biological environment as well as reduce the inflammation/infection that may occur. In this review, we summarize the impact of various Ti coatings on cell behaviour both in vivo and in vitro. First, we focus on the Ti surface properties and their effects on osteogenesis and then on bacterial adhesion and viability. We conclude from the current literature that surface modification of Ti implants can be generated that offer both osteoinductive and antimicrobial properties.
Loneliness, social isolation and risk of cardiovascular disease in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Valtorta Nicole K , Kanaan Mona , Gilbody Simon , Hanratty Barbara
Published: August 2018

Background

There is increasing evidence of an association between social relationships and morbidity in general, and cardiovascular disease in particular. However, recent syntheses of the evidence raise two important questions: is it the perceived quality or the more objective quantity of relationships that matters most; and what are the implications of changes in relationships over time? In this study, we investigate the cumulative effects of loneliness and social isolation on incident cardiovascular disease.

Design

A secondary analysis of prospective follow-up data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

Methods

To assess the association between social isolation or loneliness and incident cardiovascular disease, lagged values of exposure to loneliness and isolation were treated as time-varying variables in discrete time survival models controlling for potential confounders and established cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Results

A total of 5397 men and women aged over 50 years were followed up for new fatal and non-fatal diagnoses of heart disease and stroke between 2004 and 2010. Over a mean follow-up period of 5.4 years, 571 new cardiovascular events were recorded. We found that loneliness was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (odds ratio 1.27, 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.57). Social isolation, meanwhile, was not associated with disease incidence. There was no evidence of a cumulative effect over time of social relationships on cardiovascular disease risk.

Conclusions

Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke, independently of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. Our findings suggest that primary prevention strategies targeting loneliness could help to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Association Between Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin and Risk of Bleeding Among Hemodialysis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Lazrak Hind H. , René Emilie , Elftouh Naoual , Lafrance Jean-Philippe
Published: August 2018

Background:

Low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) replaced unfractionated heparin (UFH) in multiple indications. Although LMWH efficacy in hemodialysis was demonstrated through multiple studies, their safety remains controversial. The potential bioaccumulation in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis raised the question of bleeding risk among this population.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate bleeding risk among patients with chronic hemodialysis receiving LMWH or UFH for the extracorporeal circuit anticoagulation.

Design:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study on data extracted from the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) and Med-Echo databases from January 2007 to March 2013.

Setting:

Twenty-one hemodialysis centers in the province of Québec, Canada.

Patients:

Chronic hemodialysis patients.

Measurements:

Bleeding risk evaluated by proportional Cox model for time-dependent exposure using demographics, comorbidities, and drug use as covariates.

Methods:

Minor, major, and total bleeding events identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision ( ICD-9)/ International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision ( ICD-10) codes in the RAMQ and Med-Echo databases. Exposure status to LMWH or UFH was collected through surveys at the facility level.

Results:

We identified 5322 prevalent and incident patients with chronic hemodialysis. The incidence rate for minor, major, and total bleeding was 9.45 events/1000 patient-year (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.61-11.03), 24.18 events/1000 patient-year (95% CI: 21.52-27.08), and 32.88 events/1000 patient-year (95% CI: 29.75-36.26), respectively. We found similar risks of minor adjusted hazard ratio (HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.68-1.61), major (HR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.63-1.10), and total bleeding (HR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.72-1.14) when comparing LMWH with UFH.

Limitations:

Potential misclassification of patients’ exposure status and possible underestimation of minor bleeding risk.

Conclusion:

LMWH was not associated with a higher minor, major, or total bleeding risk. LMWH did not increase the risk of bleeding compared with UFH for the extracorporeal circuit anticoagulation in hemodialysis. The convenience of use and predictable effect made LMWH a suitable alternative to UFH in hemodialysis.
TLR4 overexpression enhances saturated fatty acid–induced inflammatory cytokine gene expression in sheep
Authors: Xu Xue , Qi Mei-Yu , Liu Shuang , Song Xu-Ting , Zhang Jia-Nan , Zhai Yu-Fei , Lu Ming-Hai , Han Hong-Bing , Lian Zheng-Xing , Yao Yu-Chang
Published: August 2018

Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) can directly stimulate innate immune responses, thereby exacerbating inflammatory aspects of metabolic syndrome. Dietary SFAs act as ligands of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), triggering associated signaling pathways. In this study, we investigated the role of TLR4 in palm oil SFA-associated inflammatory cytokine gene expression in monocytes/macrophages and adipose tissue using TLR4-overexpressing genetically modified sheep. SFA stimulation resulted in upregulation of interleukin-6 ( IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α), interleukin-8 ( IL-8), interferon-γ ( IFN-γ), and interleukin-10 ( IL-10), and TLR4 overexpression enhanced such SFA-induced inflammatory cytokine expression. Moreover, SFAs markedly activated MyD88-dependent signaling, including IL-1 receptor–associated kinase 4 ( IRAK4), TNF receptor–associated factor 6 ( TRAF6), and nuclear factor-κB ( NF-κB). Taken together, our results indicate that TLR4 overexpression enhances the SFA-induced inflammatory response through MyD88-dependent signaling in monocytes/macrophages and adipose tissue.
Causal Relationship or Not? Nationalism, Patriotism, and Anti-immigration Attitudes in Germany
Authors: Heinrich Horst-Alfred
Published: August 2018

Despite broad research on the connection between in-group and out-group attitudes, empirical studies dealing with the relationship between nation-related and anti-immigration attitudes rarely provide a consistent theoretical framework. On one hand, it is assumed that if persons agree with nationalistic statements, they might develop an orientation against strangers. On the other hand, one might imagine the existence of simple factor correlations among nationalism, patriotism, and anti-immigration attitudes. It can be argued that if people form a group, they will be automatically confronted with out-group members. Both proposals can claim some plausibility. But as several empirical studies mirror varying theoretical assumptions, the author compares different structure models on the basis of German International Social Survey Programme data. Two models lead to satisfactory solutions. Their respective theoretical meaning is discussed in detail. As a result, personal construct theory is integrated here as a theoretical framework with which to explain the correlational structure of a model with three factors without assuming any causality between them.
Community as tool for low carbon transitions: Involvement and containment, policy and action
Authors: Taylor Aiken Gerald
Published: August 2018

This paper introduces the Heideggerian terms Zuhanden and Vorhanden to studies of community low carbon transitions. It sets apart Zuhandenheit community as involvement: the doing, enacting and belonging aspects of community movements and activism. Vorhandenheit community contrastingly is observed: community as an object at arm's length, to be studied, tasked or used. The article builds on authors, particularly Malpas, who have utilised these concepts in spatial theory by adopting their associated spatialisation of involvement and containment. After introducing this theoretical understanding, the article addresses the case of a Transition initiative in receipt of government funding, where both Vorhanden and Zuhanden subjectivities can be found. Through focusing on this specific Transition project, we can more clearly grasp both the tensions emerging from state-funded community and the limits to, and possibilities for, appreciating community action phenomenologically.
The Poetics and Politics of Migration: A Study of Selected Works of Hindi Dalit and Tribal Women Poets
Authors: Singh Anjali
Published: August 2018

According to the social activist and renowned author Arundhati Roy, almost 30 million people have been displaced since 1990 due to dam and development projects undertaken by the Indian government. The new economic reform policies have triggered a massive movement of landless workers towards nearby towns and suburbs resulting in the mushrooming of slums on the outskirts of metropolitan cities with an intimidating promptness. The present dismal scenario proves the fact that the global India is heading towards a clean cleavage. There is an ongoing parallel life on the outskirts of the thriving city as in the middle of it. The thrust of this article is to deliberate on the growing discontent among the marginalized women as represented by themselves and understand the nuances of living on the periphery. They have reiterated their demands for Jal (water), Jungle (Forest) and Zameen (Land) with renewed vigour and lash out at the anti-people policies with double ferocity. The new crop of Dalit and tribal women writers have put their foot down and refused to accept the dark holes as home. They have expressed themselves through the genre of poetry and commented on the inhuman living conditions they are subjected to. Hence, under the light of given circumstances, this article endeavours to engage with the selected works of post-1990s Hindi Dalit women poets and study the rise of political consciousness in their literary representations. The selected works have autobiographical element or ‘testimonies’ as described by Arun Prabha Mukherjee adding depth to the poems. The trauma of leaving one’s village comes alive in the following lines from the poem Humne Chode Diye Hai Gaon (We Have Left Our Villages) by Poonam Tushamed (2017b), ‘We Have left our villages/and left behind that well, pond, temple and chaupal’.
Book Review: Hugo Gorringe, Panthers in Parliament: Dalits, Caste, and Political Power in South India
Authors: Balasubramaniam J.
Published: August 2018

Hugo Gorringe, Panthers in Parliament: Dalits, Caste, and Political Power in South India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2017, ₹995, 424 pp. ISBN-0-19-946815-X.
Superior Canal Dehiscence: A Comparative Postmortem Multislice Computed Tomography Study
Authors: Mittmann Philipp , Ernst Arne , Seidl Rainer , Skulj Anna‐Felicitas , Mutze Sven , Windgassen Marc , Buschmann Claas
Published: August 2018

Objective

Superior canal dehiscence is defined by missing bony coverage of the superior canal against the middle cranial fossa. The gold standard in diagnosis is high‐resolution computed tomography (CT). A false‐positive CT scan, identifying a dehiscence when one is not present, could lead to unnecessary surgical therapy. This study aims to compare postmortem CT scans with autopsy findings with regard to superior canal dehiscence.

Study Design

Postmortem study.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Twenty‐two nontraumatic death cases within a 3‐month period (January to March 2017) were included with 44 temporal bones. Each body underwent postmortem head CT prior to medicolegal autopsy. The middle fossa floor was exposed, and if present, the superior semicircular canal dehiscence was identified and measured. In each case, 3 comparable photographs were taken during the autopsy (left temporal bone, right temporal bone, overview).

Results

Autopsy findings revealed bony dehiscences in 11% of the temporal bones, whereas CT scan revealed bony dehiscences in 16%. The length of the dehiscences were longer when measured by CT imaging.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of superior canal dehiscence syndrome requires high‐resolution CT with clinical symptoms and physiologic evidence of a third mobile window. Our study underlines a mismatch between multislice CT imaging in the coronal plane and the presence of a dehiscence on autopsy.
Separating two painting campaigns in Saul and David, attributed to Rembrandt, using macroscale reflectance and XRF imaging spectroscopies and microscale paint analysis
Authors: Dooley Kathryn A. , Gifford E. Melanie , van Loon Annelies , Noble Petria , Zeibel Jason G. , Conover Damon M. , Alfeld Matthias , Van der Snickt Geert , Legrand Stijn , Janssens Koen , Dik Joris , Delaney John K.
Published: August 2018

Late paintings of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) offer intriguing problems for both art historians and conservation scientists. In the research presented here, the key question addressed is whether observed stylistic differences in paint handling can be correlated with material differences. In Saul and David, in the collection of the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague, NL, the stylistic differences between the loose brushwork of Saul’s cloak and the more detailed depiction of his turban and the figure of David have been associated with at least two painting stages since the late 1960s, but the attribution of each stage has been debated in the art historical literature. Stylistic evaluation of the paint handling in the two stages, based on magnified surface examination, is further described here. One of the research goals was to determine whether the stylistic differences could be further differentiated with macroscale and microscale methods of material analysis. To address this, selected areas of the painting having pronounced stylistic differences were investigated with two macroscopic chemical imaging methods, X-ray fluorescence and reflectance imaging spectroscopies. The pigments used were identified and their spatial distribution was mapped. The mapping results show that the passages rendered in more detail and associated stylistically with the first painting stage, such as the orange-red color of David’s garment or the Greek key design in Saul’s turban, were painted with predominately red ochre mixed with vermilion. The regions of loose, bold brushwork, such as the orange-red slashing strokes in the interior of Saul’s cloak, associated with the second painting stage, were painted with predominately red ochre without vermilion. These macroscale imaging results were confirmed and extended with scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) analysis of three cross-sections taken from regions of stylistic differences associated with the two painting stages, including one sample each from the right and left sleeve of David, and one from the interior of Saul’s cloak. SEM–EDX also identified a trace component, barium sulfate, associated with the red ochre of the second stage revisions. Combining mapping information from two spectroscopic imaging methods with localized information from microscopic samples has clearly shown that the stylistic differences observed in the paint handling are affiliated with differences in the chemical composition of the paints.
Are there any differences in the provided burn care between men and women? A retrospective study
Authors: Pompermaier Laura , Elmasry Moustafa , Abdelrahman Islam , Fredrikson Mats , Sjöberg Folke , Steinvall Ingrid
Published: August 2018

Background

Disparity between medical treatment for men and women has been recorded worldwide. However, it is difficult to find out if the disparities in both the use of resources and outcome depend entirely on sex-related discrimination. Our aim was to investigate if there are differences in burn treatments between the sexes.

Methods

All patients admitted with burns to Linköping University Hospital during the 16-year period 2000–2015 were included. Interventions were prospectively recorded using the validated Burn SCoring system (BSC). Data were analysed using a multivariable panel regression model adjusted for age, percentage total body surface area (%TBSA), and in-hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 1363 patients were included, who generated a total of 22,301 daily recordings while they were inpatients. Males were 70% (930/1363). Sex was not an independent factor for daily scores after adjustment for age, %TBSA, and mortality in hospital (model R2=0.60, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

We found no evidence of inequity between the sexes in treatments given in our burn centre when we had adjusted for size of burn, age, and mortality. BSC seems to be an appropriate model in which to evaluate sex-related differences in the delivery of treatments.
BRAF V600E Confers Male Sex Disease-Specific Mortality Risk in Patients With Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhao Shihua , Shen Xiaopei , Zhu Guangwu , Liu Rengyun , Viola David , Elisei Rossella , Puxeddu Efisio , Fugazzola Laura , Colombo Carla , Jarzab Barbara , Czarniecka Agnieszka , Lam Alfred K. , Mian Caterina , Vianello Federica , Yip Linwah , Riesco-Eizaguirre Garcilaso , Santisteban Pilar , O’Neill Christine J. , Sywak Mark S. , Clifton-Bligh Roderick , Bendlova Bela , Sýkorová Vlasta , Wang Yangang , Xing Mingzhao
Published: August 2018

Purpose

To test whether the prognostic risk of male sex in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is determined by BRAF V600E and can thus be stratified by BRAF status.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively investigated the relationship between male sex and clinicopathologic outcomes in PTC, particularly mortality, with respect to BRAF status in 2,638 patients (male, n = 623; female, n = 2,015) from 11 centers in six countries, with median age of 46 years (interquartile range, 35-58 years) at diagnosis and median follow-up time of 58 months (interquartile range, 26-107 months).

Results

Distant metastasis rates in men and women were not different in wild-type BRAF PTC but were different in BRAF V600E PTC: 8.9% (24 of 270) and 3.7% (30 of 817; P = .001), respectively. In wild-type BRAF PTC, mortality rates were 1.4% (five of 349) versus 0.9% (11 of 1175) in men versus women ( P = .384), with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.59 (95% CI, 0.55 to 4.57), which remained insignificant at 0.70 (95% CI, 0.23 to 2.09) after clinicopathologic multivariable adjustment. In BRAF V600E PTC, mortality rates were 6.6% (18 of 272) versus 2.9% (24 of 822) in men versus women ( P = .006), with an HR of 2.43 (95% CI, 1.30 to 4.53), which remained significant at 2.74 (95% CI, 1.38 to 5.43) after multivariable adjustment. In conventional-variant PTC, male sex similarly had no effect in wild-type BRAF patients; mortality rates in BRAF V600E patients were 7.2% (16 of 221) versus 2.9% (19 of 662) in men versus women ( P = .004), with an HR of 2.86 (95% CI, 1.45 to 5.67), which remained significant at 3.51 (95% CI, 1.62 to 7.63) after multivariable adjustment.

Conclusion

Male sex is a robust independent risk factor for PTC-specific mortality in BRAF V600E patients but not in wild-type BRAF patients. The prognostic risk of male sex in PTC can thus be stratified by BRAF status in clinical application.
Pheochromocytoma in Children and Adolescents With Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2B
Authors: Makri Angeliki , Akshintala Srivandana , Derse-Anthony Claudia , Del Rivero Jaydira , Widemann Brigitte , Stratakis Constantine A , Glod John , Lodish Maya
Published: August 2018

Context

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) is characterized by early-onset medullary thyroid cancer in virtually all cases and a 50% lifetime risk of pheochromocytoma (PHEO) development. The literature on PHEO in patients with MEN2B is limited with most data being reported from adult studies that primarily address MEN2A.

Objective

The aim of the current study is to describe PHEO development in a cohort of pediatric patients with MEN2B.

Design

Retrospective chart review of patients with MEN2B evaluated at the National Institutes of Health in the period between July 2007 and February 2018.

Results

A total of 38 patients were identified (21 males and 17 females). Mean age at MEN2B diagnosis was 10.6 ± 3.9 years. Eight patients (21%) developed PHEO in the course of follow-up to date, all of whom were sporadic cases with the classic M918T RET mutation. PHEO was diagnosed based on biochemical and/or imaging screening studies in five patients, whereas three patients presented with symptoms of excess catecholamines. PHEO was diagnosed at a mean age 15.2 ± 4.6 (range, 10 to 25) years and 4.0 ± 3.3 years after MEN2B diagnosis. Only one patient was diagnosed with PHEO as the initial manifestation of MEN2B after she presented with hypertension and secondary amenorrhea.

Conclusion

Undiagnosed PHEO can be associated with substantial morbidity. Current American Thyroid Association guidelines recommend PHEO screening starting at age 11 for the high-/highest risk group. The youngest patient diagnosed with PHEO in our cohort was an asymptomatic 10-year-old, suggesting that PHEO development may begin before the screening-recommended age of 11, though remains clinically undetectable and thus the current screening guidelines seem appropriate.
Early-Onset Complete Ovarian Failure and Lack of Puberty in a Woman With Mutated Estrogen Receptor β (ESR2)
Authors: Lang-Muritano Mariarosaria , Sproll Patrick , Wyss Sascha , Kolly Anne , Hürlimann Renate , Konrad Daniel , Biason-Lauber Anna
Published: August 2018

Context

Estrogen resistance due to mutations in the estrogen receptor α gene (ESR1) has been described in men and women and is characterized by osteoporosis, delayed bone age and continuous growth in adulthood, and delayed puberty and multiple ovarian cysts in women. Although mutations in the estrogen receptor β gene ESR2 were found in 46, XY patients with differences of sex development, no genetic variants of ESR2 were linked to gonadal defects in women.

Settings and Patient

Here we describe a 16-year-old female patient who came to our tertiary care hospital with complete lack of estrogen action, as demonstrated by absent breast development, primary amenorrhea, and osteoporosis, resembling patients with ESR1 mutation. However, her gonads were clearly abnormal (streak), a finding not observed in ESR1-deficient patients.

Design

To gain insights into the molecular consequences of the ESR2 defect, whole exome sequencing and extensive functional transactivation studies in ovarian, bone, and breast cells were conducted, with or without the natural activator of estrogen receptors, 17β-estradiol.

Results

We identified a loss-of-function heterozygous mutation of a highly conserved residue in ESR2 that disrupts estradiol-dependent signaling and has a dominant negative effect, most likely due to failure to interact with its coactivator, nuclear coactivator 1.

Conclusions

This is a report of a loss-of-function mutation in the estrogen receptor β in a young woman with complete ovarian failure, suggesting that ESR2 is necessary for human ovarian determination and/or maintenance and that ESR1 is not sufficient to sustain ovarian function in humans.