bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum Interleukin-8 Reflects Tumor Burden and Treatment Response across Malignancies of Multiple Tissue Origins
Authors: Sanmamed Miguel F. , Carranza-Rua Omar , Alfaro Carlos , Oñate Carmen , Martín-Algarra Salvador , Perez Guiomar , Landazuri Sara F. , Gonzalez Álvaro , Gross Stefanie , Rodriguez Inmaculada , Muñoz-Calleja Cecilia , Rodríguez-Ruiz María , Sangro Bruno , López-Picazo José M. , Rizzo Manglio , Mazzolini Guillermo , Pascual Juan I. , Andueza Maria Pilar , Perez-Gracia Jose Luis , Melero Ignacio
Published: September 2014

Purpose: Interleukin-8 (IL8) is a chemokine produced by malignant cells of multiple cancer types. It exerts various functions in shaping protumoral vascularization and inflammation/immunity. We evaluated sequential levels of serum IL8 in preclinical tumor models and in patients to assess its ability to estimate tumor burden.

Experimental Design: IL8 levels were monitored by sandwich ELISAs in cultured tumor cells supernatants, tumor-xenografted mice serum, and in samples from 126 patients with cancer. We correlated IL8 serum levels with baseline tumor burden and with treatment-induced changes in tumor burden, as well as with prognosis.

Results: IL8 concentrations correlated with the number of IL8-producing tumor cells in culture. In xenografted neoplasms, IL8 serum levels rapidly dropped after surgical excision, indicating an accurate correlation with tumor burden. In patients with melanoma (n = 16), renal cell carcinoma (RCC; n = 23), non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; n = 21), or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; n = 30), serum IL8 concentrations correlated with tumor burden and stage, survival (melanoma, n = 16; RCC, n = 23; HCC, n = 33), and objective responses to therapy, including those to BRAF inhibitors (melanoma, n = 16) and immunomodulatory monoclonal antibodies (melanoma, n = 8). IL8 concentrations in urine (n = 18) were mainly elevated in tumors with direct contact with the urinary tract.

Conclusions: IL8 levels correlate with tumor burden in preclinical models and in patients with cancer. IL8 is a potentially useful biomarker to monitor changes in tumor burden following anticancer therapy, and has prognostic significance. Clin Cancer Res; 20(22); 5697–707. ©2014 AACR.
Affective State and Voice: Cross-Cultural Assessment of Speaking Behavior and Voice Sound Characteristics - a Normative Multicenter Study of 577 + 36 Healthy Subjects
Authors: Braun Silke , Botella Cristina , Bridler René , Chmetz Florian , Delfino Juan Pablo , Herzig Daniela , Kluckner Viktoria J. , Mohr Christine , Moragrega Ines , Schrag Yann , Seifritz Erich , Soler Carla , Stassen Hans H.
Published: September 2014

Background: Human speech is greatly influenced by the speakers' affective state, such as sadness, happiness, grief, guilt, fear, anger, aggression, faintheartedness, shame, sexual arousal, love, amongst others. Attentive listeners discover a lot about the affective state of their dialog partners with no great effort, and without having to talk about it explicitly during a conversation or on the phone. On the other hand, speech dysfunctions, such as slow, delayed or monotonous speech, are prominent features of affective disorders. Methods: This project was comprised of four studies with healthy volunteers from Bristol (English: n = 117), Lausanne (French: n = 128), Zurich (German: n = 208), and Valencia (Spanish: n = 124). All samples were stratified according to gender, age, and education. The specific study design with different types of spoken text along with repeated assessments at 14-day intervals allowed us to estimate the ‘natural' variation of speech parameters over time, and to analyze the sensitivity of speech parameters with respect to form and content of spoken text. Additionally, our project included a longitudinal self-assessment study with university students from Zurich (n = 18) and unemployed adults from Valencia (n = 18) in order to test the feasibility of the speech analysis method in home environments. Results: The normative data showed that speaking behavior and voice sound characteristics can be quantified in a reproducible and language-independent way. The high resolution of the method was verified by a computerized assignment of speech parameter patterns to languages at a success rate of 90%, while the correct assignment to texts was 70%. In the longitudinal self-assessment study we calculated individual ‘baselines' for each test person along with deviations thereof. The significance of such deviations was assessed through the normative reference data. Conclusions: Our data provided gender-, age-, and language-specific thresholds that allow one to reliably distinguish between ‘natural fluctuations' and ‘significant changes'. The longitudinal self-assessment study with repeated assessments at 1-day intervals over 14 days demonstrated the feasibility and efficiency of the speech analysis method in home environments, thus clearing the way to a broader range of applications in psychiatry.
Current Information and Asian Perspectives on Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Pregnancy, Lactation, and Infancy: Systematic Review and Practice Recommendations from an Early Nutrition Academy Workshop
Authors: Koletzko Berthold , Boey Christopher C.M. , Campoy Cristina , Carlson Susan E. , Chang Namsoo , Guillermo-Tuazon Maria Antonia , Joshi Sadhana , Prell Christine , Quak Seng Hock , Sjarif Damayanti Rusli , Su Yixiang , Supapannachart Sarayut , Yamashiro Yuichiro , Osendarp Saskia J.M.
Published: September 2014

The Early Nutrition Academy supported a systematic review of human studies on the roles of pre- and postnatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) published from 2008 to 2013 and an expert workshop that reviewed the information and developed recommendations, considering particularly Asian populations. An increased supply of n-3 LC-PUFA during pregnancy reduces the risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women should achieve an additional supply ≥200 mg docosahexaenic acid (DHA)/day, usually achieving a total intake ≥300 mg DHA/day. Higher intakes (600-800 mg DHA/day) may provide greater protection against early preterm birth. Some studies indicate beneficial effects of pre- and postnatal DHA supply on child neurodevelopment and allergy risk. Breast-feeding is the best choice for infants. Breast-feeding women should get ≥200 mg DHA/day to achieve a human milk DHA content of ∼0.3% fatty acids. Infant formula for term infants should contain DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) to provide 100 mg DHA/day and 140 mg AA/day. A supply of 100 mg DHA/day should continue during the second half of infancy. We do not provide quantitative advice on AA levels in follow-on formula fed after the introduction of complimentary feeding due to a lack of sufficient data and considerable variation in the AA amounts provided by complimentary foods. Reasonable intakes for very-low-birth weight infants are 18-60 mg/kg/day DHA and 18-45 mg/kg/day AA, while higher intakes (55-60 mg/kg/day DHA, ∼1% fatty acids; 35-45 mg/kg/day AA, ∼0.6-0.75%) appear preferable. Research on the requirements and effects of LC-PUFA during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood should continue.
Purinergic Component in the Coronary Vasodilatation to Acetylcholine after Ischemia-Reperfusion in Perfused Rat Hearts
Authors: García-Villalón Ángel Luis , Granado Miriam , Monge Luis , Fernández Nuria , Carreño-Tarragona Gonzalo , Amor Sara
Published: September 2014

To determine the involvement of purinergic receptors in coronary endothelium-dependent relaxation, the response to acetylcholine (1 × 10-8 to 3 × 10-7M) was recorded in isolated rat hearts perfused according to the Langendorff procedure before and after 30 min of ischemia and 15 min of reperfusion and after the inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis with L-NAME (10-4M), in the absence and presence of the antagonist of purinergic P2X receptors, PPADS (3 × 10-6M), and of the antagonist of purinergic P2Y receptors, Reactive Blue 2 (3 × 10-7M). In control conditions, the relaxation to acetylcholine was not altered by PPADS or Reactive Blue 2. The relaxation to acetylcholine was reduced after ischemia-reperfusion, and, in this condition, it was further reduced by treatment with PPADS or Reactive Blue 2. Likewise, the relaxation to acetylcholine was reduced by L-NAME, and reduced further by Reactive Blue 2 but not by PPADS. These results suggest that the relaxation to acetylcholine may be partly mediated by purinergic receptors after ischemia-reperfusion, due to the reduction of nitric oxide release in this condition.
Longitudinal Perspective on the Conundrum of Central Arterial Stiffness, Blood Pressure, and Aging
Authors: Scuteri Angelo , Morrell Christopher H. , Orrù Marco , Strait James B. , Tarasov Kirill V. , Ferreli Liana Anna Pina , Loi Francesco , Pilia Maria Grazia , Delitala Alessandro , Spurgeon Harold , Najjar Samer S. , AlGhatrif Majd , Lakatta Edward G.
Published: September 2014

The age-associated increase in arterial stiffness has long been considered to parallel or to cause the age-associated increase in blood pressure (BP). Yet, the rates at which pulse wave velocity (PWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, and BP trajectories change over time within individuals who differ by age and sex have not been assessed and compared. This study determined the evolution of BP and aortic PWV trajectories during a 9.4-year follow-up in >4000 community-dwelling men and women of 20 to 100 years of age at entry into the SardiNIA Study. Linear mixed effects model analyses revealed that PWV accelerates with time during the observation period, at about the same rate over the entire age range in both men and women. In men, the longitudinal rate at which BP changed over time, however, did not generally parallel that of PWV acceleration: at ages >40 years the rates of change in systolic BP (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) increase plateaued and then declined so that SBP, itself, also declined at older ages, whereas PP plateaued. In women, SBP, diastolic BP, and mean BP increased at constant rates across all ages, producing an increasing rate of increase in PP. Therefore, increased aortic stiffness is implicated in the age-associated increase in SBP and PP. These findings indicate that PWV is not a surrogate for BP and that arterial properties other than arterial wall stiffness that vary by age and sex also modulate the BP trajectories during aging and lead to the dissociation of PWV, PP, and SBP trajectories in men.
An Introduction to Kluge and Negt
Authors: Fore Devin
Published: September 2014

Anticipating the publication later this year of the English edition of History and Obstinacy, this issue of October presents three texts related to this epochal book by Oskar Negt and Alexander Kluge: the volume's third chapter and philosophical nucleus, “Elements of a Political Economy of Labor Power”; an interview with Negt and Kluge, made shortly after the appearance of the original edition, which provides a concise introduction to the book's ambitious plan for writing an anthropology of capital; and a more recent interview in which Negt reflects on the historical and theoretical concerns that first motivated this collaborative enterprise.
The Undoing of Functional Differentiation
Authors: Vogl Joseph
Published: September 2014

On Friday morning, September 12, 2008, the New York investment bank Lehman Brothers was on the brink of bankruptcy. Over the course of the next four days, this situation would precipitate a rapid series of crisis meetings between American and British government officials, central-bank leaders, major international banks, and private investors. Already in March of the same year, the investment bank Bear Stearns had been forced to accept a merger with JPMorgan Chase, supported by a $29 billion government guarantee, and after the mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac received a $140 billion bailout during the summer, the US secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulsen, refused to consider the use of additional taxpayer dollars to save Lehman. By Friday evening, then, it had become clear to the American and European bank representatives that a private-sector solution was necessary. Various investors would take part; risk would be spread out. Bank of America and Barclays, based in London, were interested. Meanwhile, the insurance firm American International Group (AIG) also announced liquidity problems, and by Saturday morning it was obvious that the “well-being of the global financial system” was in danger, as one of the participating bank managers put it. At the same time, the investment bank Merrill Lynch, also hard hit, was looking for additional capital investment, concerned that, following the Lehman bailout, the crisis would seek out the next weakest link in the system. And indeed, after hasty and secret negotiations, Merrill was taken over by Bank of America, which hoped the acquisition would give it better access to the international investment business. But Bank of America was no longer interested in saving Lehman Brothers.
Defaced Statues: Idealism and Iconoclasm in Hegel's Aesthetics
Authors: Comay Rebecca
Published: September 2014

There is a wild iconoclasm that smashes statues, gouges out eyes, and uses the debris to build new, better, bigger monuments. There is a gentler iconoclasm that sees beauty in rubble, and finds in the spectacle of dereliction the consoling reassurance that life carries on. There is a more muted kind of iconoclasm that embalms and catalogues the pieces. In the museum, the things can be divested of their magic and put out of circulation while still being appreciated as fine art. A yet more furtive iconoclasm breaks the spell of this enjoyment by turning this pleasure to subtle profit. The museum becomes a warehouse of examples that can be scrutinized as a vehicle of philosophical truth.
The identity of Australia's northern-most giant pill-millipedes (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida)
Authors: WESENER THOMAS
Published: September 2014

The redescription of the lectotype of Zephronia larvalis Butler, 1878, from the Torres Strait islands between Australia and Papua-New Guinea, shows that it does not represent a member of the SE Asian Zephroniidae, but is a species of the Australian genus Cyliosoma of the Cyliosomatidae, C. larvalis new combination. The syntypes of Cyliosoma albertisii (Silvestri, 1895; Cyliosomatidae), Australia's northern-most Sphaerotheriida species described from Somerset (close to the Torres Strait islands), were restudied, and a lectotype was selected. C. albertisii is discovered to be a junior synonym of C. larvalis (Butler, 1878). C. larvalis, originally described as Zephronia larvalis, clearly belongs to the genus Cyliosoma, but displays some characters, such as a high number (25–30) of apical cones on the antennae, and the reduction of the spine-like projection of the stigmatic plates, that are unique in the genus and family. This synonymy confirms the Torres Strait giant pill-millipede fauna to be an Australian element, and not the first representative of a still undiscovered Papua-New Guinean fauna.
Long-Lived Response of the Midlatitude Circulation and Storm Tracks to Pulses of Tropical Heating
Authors: Branstator Grant
Published: September 2014

The midlatitude response to localized equatorial heating events that last 2 days is examined through experimentation with an atmospheric general circulation model. Such responses are argued to be important because many tropical rainfall events only last a short time and because the responses to such pulses serve as building blocks with which to study the impacts of more general heating fluctuations.

The experiments indicate that short-lived heating produces responses in midlatitudes at locations far removed from the source and these responses persist much longer than the pulses themselves. Indeed pulse forcing, which is essentially white in time, produces upper-tropospheric responses that have an e-damping time of almost a week and that are detectable for more than two weeks in the experiments. Moreover the upper-tropospheric structure of the reaction to short pulses is remarkably similar to the reaction to steady tropical heating, including having a preference for occurring at special geographical locations and being composed of recurring patterns that resemble the leading patterns of responses to steady heating. This similarity is argued to be a consequence of the responses to pulses having little or no phase propagation in the extratropics. The impact of short-lived tropical heating also produces a persistent response in midlatitude surface fields and in the statistics of synoptic eddies.

The implications these results have for subseasonal variability are discussed. These include 1) the potential for improving subseasonal prediction through improved assimilation and short-range forecasts of tropical precipitation and 2) the difficulties involved in attributing subseasonal midlatitude events to tropical heating.
High-Water Alerts from Coinciding High Astronomical Tide and High Mean Sea Level Anomaly in the Pacific Islands Region
Authors: Stephens Scott A. , Bell Robert G. , Ramsay Douglas , Goodhue Nigel
Published: September 2014

A technique to produce high-water alerts from coinciding high astronomical tide and high mean sea level anomaly is demonstrated for the Pacific Islands region. Low-lying coastal margins are vulnerable to episodic inundation that often coincides with times of higher-than-normal high tides. Prior knowledge of the dates of the highest tides can assist with efforts to minimize the impacts of increased exposure to inundation. It is shown that the climate-driven mean sea level anomaly is an important component of total sea level elevation in the Pacific Islands region, which should be accounted for in medium-term (1–7 months) sea level forecasts. An empirical technique is applied to develop a mean sea level–adjusted high-water alert calendar that accounts for both sea level components and provides a practical tool to assist with coastal inundation hazard planning and management.
Abnormal Winter Weather in Japan during 2012 Controlled by Large-Scale Atmospheric and Small-Scale Oceanic Phenomena
Authors: Ando Yuta , Ogi Masayo , Tachibana Yoshihiro
Published: September 2014

Negative Arctic Oscillation (AO) and western Pacific (WP) indices persisted from October to December 2012 in the Northern Hemisphere. For the first time, the monthly AO and WP were both negative for three consecutive months since records have been kept. Although in general negative AO and WP phases cause Siberia, East Asia, and Japan to be abnormally cold, Japan was relatively warm in October 2012 even though both the AO and WP were strongly negative. The temperature of the Sea of Japan reached a record-breaking high in October 2012, and it was found that heating by these very warm waters, despite the small size of the Sea of Japan, overwhelmed the cooling effect of the strongly negative AO and WP in October. Linear regression analyses showed that Japan tends to be warm in years when the Sea of Japan is warm. Consequently, the temperature over Japan is controlled by interannual variations of small-scale oceanic phenomena as well as by large-scale atmospheric patterns. Previous studies have ignored such small-scale oceanic influences on island temperatures.
Arterial Plaques in Peripheral Arteries Diagnosed by Ultrasound in a Cohort of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Signorelli Salvatore Santo , Fiore Valerio , Mangiafico Marco , Castrogiovanni Davide
Published: September 2014

Macroangiopathy (eg, peripheral arterial disease) diagnosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can be carried out by ultrasound. A surveillance study was performed in 366 consecutive patients (166 patients with T2DM and 200 non-T2DM) aiming to evaluate the frequency of single or multiple arterial plaques (Aplqs) in lower limbs and the relationship with different factors (age, duration of T2DM, glycemic balance, DM treatment, smoking habit, and microalbuminuria). Single and multiple Aplqs, respectively, were found in 10.2% and 38.6% among the patients with T2DM. Age, male gender ( P < .0002), duration of T2DM ( P < .009), insulin therapy ( P < .03), and mediocalcinosis ( P < .001) were risk factors in patients with T2DM. In conclusion, Aplqs of lower limbs are frequent in T2DM and several factors can play a determining role. Ultrasound is a helpful diagnostic tool.
Contrast-Induced Nephropathy
Authors: Katsiki Niki , Athyros Vasilios G. , Karagiannis Asterios , Mikhailidis Dimitri P.
Published: September 2014

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) represents an important adverse effect of contrast media (CM) administration. Contrast-induced nephropathy is associated with prolonged hospitalization as well as increased cardiovascular morbidity, renal morbidity, and all-cause mortality. Several risk factors may predict CIN incidence, and various scores and ratios have been proposed to identify high-risk patients. Novel biomarkers may provide an earlier diagnosis of CIN. A multifactorial approach is required for CIN prevention including hydration, administration of low- or iso-osmolar CM, minimizing CM volume, and statin administration. Renal function may deteriorate after CM administration, even in the absence of CIN. Therefore, this deterioration may not be an “all or none” phenomenon; it may well occur in many patients receiving CM, with/without CIN, and may prove to be an underestimated risk factor. Patients should be followed up for longer periods as outpatients after CM exposure to assess kidney function and predict subsequent increased morbidity and mortality.
A Comparison of 2 Methods of Endoscopic Laryngeal Sensory Testing
Authors: Kaneoka Asako , Krisciunas Gintas P. , Walsh Kayo , Raade Adele S. , Langmore Susan E.
Published: September 2014

Objective:

This study examined the association between laryngeal sensory deficits and penetration or aspiration. Two methods of testing laryngeal sensation were carried out to determine which was more highly correlated with Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) scores.

Methods:

Healthy participants and patients with dysphagia received an endoscopic swallowing evaluation including 2 sequential laryngeal sensory tests—air pulse followed by touch method. Normal/impaired responses were correlated with PAS scores.

Results:

Fourteen participants completed the endoscopic swallowing evaluation and both sensory tests. The air pulse method identified sensory impairment with greater frequency than the touch method ( P < .0001). However, the impairment identified by the air pulse method was not associated with abnormal PAS scores ( P = .46). The sensory deficits identified by the touch method were associated with abnormal PAS scores ( P = .05).

Conclusion:

Sensory impairment detected by the air pulse method does not appear to be associated with risk of penetration/aspiration. Significant laryngeal sensory loss revealed by the touch method is associated with compromised airway protection.
The Egyptian Uprising and the Global Capitalist System
Authors: Aoude Ibrahim
Published: September 2014

This article situates Egypt in the global capitalist system to understand better the causes of the uprising beyond the one that has been put forth primarily in the Western media, viz. the authoritarian, undemocratic Mubarak regime was the main source. While democracy is a critical instrument that gives people more say in the process of governance, the uprising was primarily caused by the failure of the Mubarak regime to bring economic prosperity. Indeed, poverty had increased and political repression was used to squelch any opposition to Mubarak’s economic policies. This article argues that the continuing uprising is part of a global resistance to a US-led global capitalist system.
Post-Politics and Subaltern (De)Mobilization in an African City Nouakchott (Mauritania)
Authors: Choplin Armelle
Published: September 2014

Whereas some scholars have shown that urban contexts are the best place for mobilization, some others have argued that the contemporary complex governance transforms the city into a “post-political” space. Focusing on urban residents’ reactions to slum clearance in Nouakchott, the capital city of Mauritania, this paper seeks to explore these two opposite theses about politics in the Southern urban contexts – the quiet encroachment paradigm versus the post-political thought. Both dynamics are useful and complementary according to the scale of analysis: depoliticization on the level of urban governance and politicization on the level of popular politics.
Tonghak Ecofeminist Epistemology
Authors: Jun Hyun-Shik
Published: September 2014

This article attempts to develop a Tonghak ecofeminist epistemology as a way of grappling with the global crisis of ecology and justice. Identifying one of root causes of the global crisis as the Western dualistic mode of knowing, I introduce the Eastern Lemma logic of tolerance in juxtaposition to the Western logos logic of intolerance. In comparison to the Hegelian positive dialectics of reason I suggest the negative dialectics of the Mādhyamaka and the negative-positive dialectics of Māhāyāna Buddhism as a non-dual middle path of intuition. I then address the logic of Pulyo˘n Kiyo˘n of Tonghak as a Korean dialectic of negative identity of śūnyatā (emptiness) and tathatā (suchness). Finally, I envision a Tonghak ecofeminist critical reconstructive dialectics as a Korean ecofeminist epistemology in apprehending ultimate truth.
Spirit-driven Discipleship A Pneumatology of Youth Ministry
Authors: Langford Michael D.
Published: September 2014

The failure of faith formation in the lives of adolescents is a result of the loss of pneumatological consciousness in the life of our churches. If we are to help our youth toward holistic discipleship, whereby they are properly situated in subjective connection to an objective reality, we must help them recover a sense of God as Holy Spirit. Such a conception will counteract an understanding of God as predictable, utilitarian, distant, and relatively impotent with an understanding of God as sovereign, missional, immanent, and relational, and point youth toward a sense of hope, vocation, presence, and community.
A Survey to Assess Barriers to Urban Teaching Careers
Authors: Creasey Gary , Mays Jennifer , Lee Robert , D’Santiago Verenice
Published: September 2014

The Urban Teaching Barriers survey was created to assess barriers to urban teaching careers. Pre-service teachers ( N = 377) completed this instrument, along with questionnaires that assessed urban teaching intentions and urban teaching self-efficacy. Six barrier domains were identified that tapped concerns over (a) lack of resources, (b) insufficient urban teacher preparation training, (c) cultural competency, (d) safety, (e) personal concerns, and (f) lack of support. The barrier subscales were differentially related to urban teaching intentions and teaching self-efficacy. These results as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
Heuristics, Interactions, and Status Hierarchies
Authors: Manzo Gianluca , Baldassarri Delia
Published: September 2014

Since Merton’s classical analysis of cumulative advantage in science, it has been observed that status hierarchies display a sizable disconnect between actors’ quality and rank and that they become increasingly asymmetric over time, without, however, turning into winner-take-all structures. In recent years, formal models of status hierarchies tried to account for these facts by combining two micro-level, counterbalancing mechanisms: “social influence” (supposedly driving inequality) and the desire for “reciprocation in deferential gestures” (supposedly limiting inequality). In the article, we adopt as empirical benchmark basic features that are common to most distributions of status indicators (e.g., income, academic prestige, wealth, social ties) and argue that previous formal models were only partially able to reproduce such macro-level patterns. We then introduce a novel agent-based computational model of deferential gestures that improves on the realism of previous models by introducing heuristic-based decision making, actors’ heterogeneity, and status homophily in social interactions. We systematically and extensively study the model’s parameter space and consider a few variants to determine under which conditions the macroscopic patterns of interest are more likely to appear. We find that specific forms of status-based heterogeneity in actors’ propensity to interact with status-dissimilar others are needed to generate status hierarchies that best approximate these macroscopic features.
Cultivating Follower Trust: Are All Leader Behaviors Equally Influential?
Authors: Hernandez Morela , Long Chris P. , Sitkin Sim B.
Published: September 2014

We draw on the relevant extant literatures to examine the pathways to building trust through leader behaviors with three distinct emphases: the leader (personal leadership), the leader-follower relationship (relational leadership), and the situation (contextual leadership). We test this model using experimental data collected from experienced managers (Study 1) and field data collected from the peers and direct reports of business executives (Study 2). The results from these two studies both build on and challenge current views in the trust and leadership literatures about how leaders influence trust. Consistent with past literature, our findings indicate that various leadership behaviors appear to directly promote follower trust when analyzed independently. However, when these behaviors are analyzed jointly, relational leadership behaviors were found to mediate the effects of personal and contextual leadership behaviors on follower trust. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Balancing Passion and Priorities
Authors: Beisser Sally R. , Peters Randal E. , Thacker Valerie M.
Published: September 2014

Given the increased attention on school-based programs to decrease obesity and emphasize fitness among children, there is an alarming lack of attention on health and wellness of school administrators. This study investigated the work-life balance, health, and nutrition status of secondary administrators in one Midwest state using an online survey. Results indicated disparity between administrators’ perceived responsibility to foster healthy school environments and their personal wellness modeling. Stress levels and years of experience were found to affect wellness modeling.
Latino Educators of Tomorrow
Authors: Treviño Anna , Hite Julie M. , Hallam Pamela R. , Ferrin Scott E.
Published: September 2014

This qualitative study examines the perspectives of high school– and college-age students who participated in an educational program designed to increase the number of Latino students entering teaching as a profession: Latino Educators of Tomorrow. Using open-ended surveys and semistructured interviews, this study identified themes regarding the program and its instructors, including their influence on the participants’ plans to continue in higher education toward education-related careers. Findings point to the importance of the mentoring framework of Crisp and Cruz as well as cultural responsiveness in mentoring relationships for Latino students in the transition from high school to college.
Use of a Fluoroscopic Overlay to Guide Femoral Tunnel Placement During Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Araujo Paulo H. , Moloney Gele , Rincon Gustavo , Carey Robert , Zhang Xudong , Harner Christopher
Published: September 2014

Background:

Intraoperative recognition of the local anatomy of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is difficult for many surgeons, and correct positioning of the graft can be challenging.

Purpose:

To investigate the efficacy of an overlay system based on fluoroscopic landmarks in guiding femoral tunnel placement during PCL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Twenty cadaveric knees were arthroscopically prepared, and their PCL femoral insertion sites were digitized. The digitized images were co-registered to computed tomography–acquired 3-dimensional bone models. Twenty surgeons with diverse backgrounds performed simulated arthroscopic reconstruction of the anterolateral (AL) and posteromedial (PM) bundles of the PCL, first without and then with the aid of a lateral fluoroscopic image on which the position of a target insertion site based on literature data was displayed as an overlay. The surgeons were allowed to adjust tunnel placement in accordance with the displayed target position. A 3-way comparison was made of the tunnel positions placed by the surgeons, the native insertion site positions, and the literature-based positions.

Results:

The overlay system was effective in helping surgeons to improve femoral tunnel placement toward the target and toward the anatomic insertion site ( P < .05). For femoral AL tunnel placement, surgeons needed 2.35 ± 2.21 extra attempts, which added an extra 80.00 ± 67.95 seconds to the procedure. For PM tunnel placement, surgeons needed 1.80 ± 1.88 extra attempts, adding 66.00 ± 70.82 seconds to the simulated surgery. In their first attempts, more than half of the surgeons positioned either the AL or PM femoral tunnel >5 mm from the native insertion site. With the use of the overlay, 70% of the surgeons were <5 mm away from the PM and 75% from the AL native insertion site.

Conclusion:

The use of a fluoroscopic overlay to guide intraoperative placement of the femoral tunnel(s) during PCL reconstruction can result in more anatomic reconstructions and therefore assist in re-creating native knee kinematics after PCL reconstruction.

Clinical Relevance:

Intraoperative fluoroscopy is an effective, easy, and safe method for improving femoral tunnel positioning during PCL reconstruction.
Initial Development and Factor Structure of the Educator Test Stress Inventory
Authors: von der Embse Nathaniel P. , Kilgus Stephen P. , Solomon Hadley J. , Bowler Mark , Curtiss Caroline
Published: September 2014

With the proliferation of test-based accountability policies, educators and students alike are under pressure to improve test performance. However, little is known regarding the stress experienced by educators in response to these policies. The purpose of this article is to describe the initial development and validation of a new measure of stress associated with high-stakes testing. Psychometric properties were examined within a sample of 8,084 educators in a southeastern state in the United States. An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the Educator Test Stress Inventory supported a bifactor model of teacher test stress, with one general factor of Total Teacher Stress and two narrow factors of Sources of Stress and Manifestations of Stress. This study is an important first step in establishing a reliable and valid measure of teacher stress and better understanding the impact of high-stakes testing and educational accountability policies. Implications for the assessment and intervention of teacher stress are discussed.
Investigation of Lamb waves attenuation in elastic–viscoelastic three-layer adhesive joints in low and high frequencies: Theoretical modeling
Authors: Taghipour Birgani Pezhman , Naderan Tahan Khosro , Sodagar Sina , Shishesaz Mohammad
Published: September 2014

In this paper the attenuation of Lamb waves in three-layer joints, including two elastic plates bonded together by a viscoelastic adhesive layer, is investigated in high and low frequencies using global matrix method. Theoretical boundary value problem in three-layer adhesive joints with perfect bond and traction-free boundary conditions on their outer surfaces is solved to find a combination of frequencies and modes with lowest attenuation. Characteristic equation is derived by applying continuity and boundary conditions in three-layer joints using global matrix method. Attenuation and phase velocity dispersion curves in high and low frequencies are obtained with numerical solution of this equation by a computer code for a three-layer joint, including an aluminum repair patch bonded to the aircraft aluminum skin by a layer of viscoelastic epoxy adhesive. To validate the numerical solution results of characteristic equation, wave structure curves are plotted for a special mode in two different frequencies in the adhesive joint. Also, attenuated displacement amplitude curves in a round-trip of Lamb wave along the adhesive joint are plotted to investigate the reduction of the signal amplitude generated by a single transducer. The purpose of present paper is to find a combination of frequencies and modes with minimum attenuation in high and low frequencies. These frequencies and modes are recognizable by transducers in inspections with Lamb waves because of low attenuation level.
Self-perceived job insecurity across Europe over time: Does changing context matter?
Authors: Lübke Christiane , Erlinghagen Marcel
Published: September 2014

Self-perceived job insecurity is characterised by a considerable variation across European countries; this is mostly attributed to different labour market conditions and welfare-state institutions. In addition to the previous, often static examination of these determinants, this study asks how labour market dynamics and changes in welfare-state interventions are linked to individuals’ perceptions of job insecurity. It is argued that the changing context represents a set of shared experiences that serves as a frame of reference for the perception of job insecurity. Hence, time series of context indicators provided by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and data from the European Social Survey are used to conduct multilevel analyses. The results reveal that job insecurity is dynamic, as it increases in countries facing an economic crisis, such as Greece, but decreases in countries with prosperous development like Poland. Furthermore, the results reveal that the past development of the labour market and changes in welfare-state interventions contribute to the explanation of individuals’ perceptions of job insecurity. The response to these changes differs, however, depending on the dimension of job insecurity and the socio-economic characteristics of the workers.
Recurrent early pregnancy loss and antiphospholipid antibodies: where do we stand?
Authors: Wong LF , Porter TF , Jesús GR de
Published: September 2014

Evidence from basic science studies supports a causative relationship between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and recurrent early miscarriage (REM) (prior to 10 weeks of gestation). However, human studies have not consistently found a relationship between aPL and REM. Members of the Obstetric Task Force of the 14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies performed a literature review of the association of aPL and REM and searched for clinical trials in women with REM who tested positive for aPL. Of the 46 studies that investigated the relationship between aPL and REM, 27 found a positive association, seven found no association, and the remaining 12 papers could not report an association (lack of control group). The main identified problems for such conflicting results were varying definitions of REM (two or three abortions, not necessarily consecutive; different gestational age at which pregnancy losses occurred); analysis of patients with previous fetal death (>10 weeks) in the same group of REM; and different definitions of “positive aPL” (cutoffs not following international recommendations; small number of studies confirmed persistence of positive aPL after six to 12 weeks). The 10 identified randomized trials with proposed treatments for women with REM who test positive for aPL also had heterogeneous inclusion criteria, with only one trial limited to subjects who would meet the current criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) by both clinical and laboratory criteria. Against this background, we conclude that the association between REM and aPL remains inconclusive and that the findings of treatment trials are at best inconsistent and at worst misleading. More convincing data are critically needed. Studies that identify, or at least stratify, according to international consensus criteria and include standardized core laboratory testing results are crucial if we are to establish an evidence-based association between aPL and REM and treatment recommendations.
Long-term persistence of anti-β2 glycoprotein I in treated leprosy patients
Authors: Ribeiro SLE , Pereira HLA , Silva NP , Sato EI , Passos LFS , Dos-Santos MC
Published: September 2014

β2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) is a phospholipid binding protein that plays an important role in endothelial stability, blood coagulation, clearance of apoptotic debris and other physiologic processes. Anti-β2GPI antibodies occur in normal individuals and transiently during the course of infections, but are also associated with thrombotic events in autoimmune disease: the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). A total of 31 out of 37 treated leprosy patients previously found to present high titers of IgM anti-β2GPI and/or anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) remained positive for IgM antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), and exhibited high titers of anti-β2GPI. The 37 patients were part of the 77 aPL-positive patients from a previous study that evaluated 158 leprosy patients. The median time elapsed between the first and second sample was 66 months. None of the 37 patients had any thrombotic event and 24 had a reactional state and were still requiring the use of prednisone, thalidomide or both. None of them fulfilled World Health Organization criteria for leprosy recurrence.
My contribution, my dream – a look at the future of APS
Authors: Koike T
Published: September 2014

We found, in 1994, that the epitope for anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) developed when β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) was adsorbed on polyoxygenated polystyrene plates. We also found, in 2009, that the cleaved form of β2GPI (nicked β2GPI) was bound to angiostatin 4.5 and attenuated its antiangiogenic property. We described in 2000 that antiprothrombin antibodies were bound to prothrombin exposed to immobilized phosphatidylserine (aPS/PT) and more than 95% of antiphospholipid syndrome patients who were positive for aPS/PT had lupus anticoagulant. We demonstrated that in the cells stimulated by human monoclonal anti-β2GPI antibodies, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation was observed in the presence of β2GPI. Furthermore, we found that complement activation was essential for thrombus formation in patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome in vivo.
New oral anticoagulants in thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Chighizola CB , Moia M , Meroni PL
Published: September 2014

A main goal in clinical management of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is to prevent thrombotic recurrences and/or miscarriages. For many decades, the only available oral anticoagulant drugs have been vitamin K antagonists (VKA), which are still the cornerstone of long-term treatment of thromboembolism. However, the limits of VKA treatment are well known: narrow therapeutic window and high patient-to-patient variability of response. Moreover, in some patients with APS a higher international normalized ratio (INR) therapeutic target was suggested, and INR inaccuracy due to antiphospholipid antibodies was reported. Therefore, VKA management in APS patients is frequently cumbersome, requires close INR monitoring and may affect patient’s quality of life. A new class of oral anticoagulant agents has been developed, the Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOA), which directly inhibit a single enzyme of the coagulation cascade. Compared with VKA, they have more stable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, little interaction with food or drugs with a predictable anticoagulation effect, they can thus be prescribed in a fixed dose, without requiring frequent laboratory monitoring. The efficacy and safety of DOA has been shown in large phase III clinical trials. Unfortunately, translating these good results to APS patients is not straightforward: currently, at least three randomized controlled clinical trials are ongoing.
Thrombotic risk assessment in APS: the Global APS Score (GAPSS)
Authors: Sciascia S , Bertolaccini ML
Published: September 2014

Recently, we developed a risk score for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (Global APS Score or GAPSS). This score derived from the combination of independent risk factors for thrombosis and pregnancy loss, taking into account the antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) profile (criteria and non-criteria aPL), the conventional cardiovascular risk factors, and the autoimmune antibodies profile. We demonstrate that risk profile in APS can be successfully assessed, suggesting that GAPSS can be a potential quantitative marker of APS-related clinical manifestations.
Using the GRADE system in diagnostic strategy: the case of antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: de Abreu M Mendes , Levy RA , Wahl D
Published: September 2014

Diagnostic strategy studies commonly focus on the accuracy of tests in diagnosing, and grading this body of evidence is a challenge in itself because (1) standard tools for grading evidence were designed for questions about treatment rather than diagnostic testing; and (2) the clinical usefulness of a diagnostic strategy depends on multiple links in a chain of evidence connecting the performance of a test to changes in clinical outcomes. The application of the GRADE approach requires a shift in clinicians’ thinking to clearly recognize that, whatever their accuracy, diagnostic tests are valuable only if they result in improved outcomes for patients.
Autoimmunity, phospholipid-reacting antibodies and malaria immunity
Authors: Gomes LR , Martins YC , Ferreira-da-Cruz MF , Daniel-Ribeiro CT
Published: September 2014

Several questions regarding the production and functioning of autoantibodies (AAb) during malaria infection remain open. Here we provide an overview of studies conducted in our laboratory that shed some light on the questions of whether antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and other AAb associated with autoimmune diseases (AID) can recognize Plasmodia antigens and exert anti-parasite activity; and whether anti-parasite phospholipid antibodies, produced in response to malaria, can inhibit phospholipid-induced inflammatory responses and protect against the pathogenesis of severe malaria. Our work showed that sera from patients with AID containing AAb against dsDNA, ssDNA, nuclear antigens (ANA), actin, cardiolipin (aCL) and erythrocyte membrane antigens recognize plasmodial antigens and can, similarly to monoclonal AAb of several specificities including phospholipid, inhibit the growth of P. falciparum in vitro. However, we did not detect a relationship between the presence of anti-glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) antibodies in the serum and asymptomatic malaria infection, although we did register a relationship between these antibodies and parasitemia levels in infected individuals. Taken together, these results indicate that autoimmune responses mediated by AAb of different specificities, including phospholipid, may have anti-plasmodial activity and protect against malaria, although it is not clear whether anti-parasite phospholipid antibodies can mediate the same effect. The potential effect of anti-parasite phospholipid antibodies in malarious patients that are prone to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus or antiphospholipid syndrome, as well as the (possibly protective?) role of the (pathogenic) aPL on the malaria symptomatology and severity in these individuals, remain open questions.