bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasonography, Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Toward Improved Treatment Decisions
Authors: Murakami Takamichi , Imai Yasuharu , Okada Masahiro , Hyodo Tomoko , Lee Won-Jae , Kim Myeong-Jin , Kim Tonsok , Choi Byung Ihn
Published: December 2011

Detection, characterization, staging, and treatment monitoring are major roles in imaging diagnosis in liver cancers. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) using microbubble contrast agents has expanded the role of US in the detection and diagnosis of liver nodules in patients at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CEUS provides an accurate differentiation between benign and malignant liver nodules, which is critical for adequate management of HCC and is also useful for guidance of percutaneous local therapy of HCC and postprocedure monitoring of the therapeutic response. The technology of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) has increased spatial and temporal resolutions of computed tomography (CT). It has made possible a more precise evaluation of the hemodynamics of liver tumor, and the diagnostic accuracy of dynamic MDCT has improved. Perfusion CT can measure tissue perfusion parameters quantitatively and can assess segmental hepatic function. Dynamic MDCT with high spatial and temporal resolution enables us to reconstruct 3- and 4-dimensional imaging, which is very useful for pretreatment evaluation. Dual-energy CT makes possible the differentiation of materials and tissues in images obtained based on the differences in iodine and water densities. Monochromatic images, which can be reconstructed by dual-energy CT data, provide some improvement in contrast and show a higher contrast-to-noise ratio for hypervascular HCCs. Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with fast imaging sequence of 3-dimensional Fourier transformation T1-weighted gradient echo and nonspecific contrast medium can show high detection sensitivity of hypervascular HCC. However, the hepatic tissue-specific contrast medium, gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid, has become an essential contrast medium for liver imaging because of its higher diagnostic ability. It may replace CT during hepatic arteriography and during arterioportography.
Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Japanese Experience
Authors: Tamura Sumihito , Sugawara Yasuhiko , Kokudo Norihiro
Published: December 2011

Treatment strategies against hepatocellular carcinoma have progressed remarkably over the past decade. In Asia, evidence-based guidelines for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma have evolved, including the option of liver transplantation. Due to severe organ shortage, however, living donor liver transplantation has become mainstream in Japan. Unlike deceased donor transplantation, living donor transplantation is not limited by the restrictions imposed by the nationwide allocation system. The decision for transplantation often depends on institutional or case-by-case considerations, balancing the will of the donor, the operative risk, and the overall survival benefit for the recipient. Cumulative data from the national multicenter registry analysis as well as individual center experience suggest that expansion of the Milan criteria is warranted.
Treatment Algorithm for Intermediate and Advanced Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Korea
Authors: Choi Jong Young
Published: December 2011

The practice guideline for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Korea was revised in 2009. It was based on clinical evidence. The treatment algorithm was divided into curative and noncurative treatments. According to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging, the curative treatment group included early stage HCC (BCLC-A), and the noncurative treatment group consisted of intermediate and advanced stages of HCC (BCLC-B, C). The intermediate stage of HCC stands for noncurative disease, and therefore surgical resection and radiofrequency ablation are not considered as primary treatment modalities. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) forms the backbone of the treatment for intermediate stage HCC with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis. Patients in whom complete necrosis is not achieved or early recurrence after TACE develops should receive individualized treatments such as systemic treatment or combined radiation therapy (RT). Liver transplantation (LT) can be carried out for intermediate stage HCCs. However, the long-term survival rate after LT for intermediate stage HCCs is inferior to that of early stage HCCs because intermediate stage HCCs exceed the Milan criteria. In patients with Child-Pugh C liver function, LT would be better than TACE in terms of survival gain if the tumor burden is acceptable by expert opinion standards. The treatment algorithm becomes very complicated when it comes to advanced stage HCC. Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic and antiproliferative properties, has been shown to prolong the median overall survival and the median time to radiological progression compared to placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and has become the current standard of care for patients with advanced-stage tumors not suitable for surgical or locoregional therapies. RT is in the process of becoming a modality with a high efficacy and minimum side effects for HCC treatment, with recent improvements in equipment as well as radiation methods. However, to discover whether RT is really beneficial in the treatment of large-sized intermediate and advanced stage HCC, prospective RCTs should be carried out.
Current Situation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mongolia
Authors: Baatarkhuu Oidov , Kim Do Young , Bat-Ireedui Purevbaatar , Han Kwang-Hyub
Published: December 2011

Mongolia is one of the nations with the highest incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide; it occurs in 54.1 cases per 100,000 people each year and is attributable to a high prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis. Although universal vaccination for hepatitis B virus has been implemented and sterilization of medical devices is being improved, the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and C is still over 10%. Primary prevention of HCC is currently hard to achieve because of a limited availability of antiviral therapy. A significant proportion of HCC patients in Mongolia is diagnosed in the advanced stage, and this is due to the lack of a surveillance system using ultrasound and serum α-fetoprotein for early detection. Moreover, the resources for high resolution imaging such as computed tomography are absolutely insufficient in number, and the treatment modalities physicians can choose are largely restricted. Considering that HCC is the most prevalent malignancy in Mongolia, a systematic approach to prevention, early detection, and effective treatment is urgently required.
Food Allergy: Recent Advances in Pathophysiology and Diagnosis
Authors: Dupont Christophe
Published: December 2011

Approximately 5% of young children and 3–4% of adults exhibit adverse immune responses to foods in westernized countries, with a tendency to increase. The pathophysiology of food allergy (FA) relies on immune reactions triggered by epitopes, i.e. small amino-acid sequences able to bind to antibodies or cells. Some food allergens share specific physicochemical characteristics that allow them to resist digestion, thus enhancing allergenicity. These allergens encounter specialized dendritic cell populations in the gut, which leads to T-cell priming. In case of IgE-mediated allergy, this process triggers the production of allergen-specific IgE by B cells. Tissue-resident reactive cells, including mast cells, then bind IgE, and allergic reactions are elicited when these cells, with adjacent IgE molecules bound to their surface, are re-exposed to allergen. Allergic reactions occurring in the absence of detectable IgE are labeled non-IgE mediated. The abrogation of oral tolerance which leads to FA is likely favored by genetic disposition and environmental factors (e.g. increased hygiene or enhanced allergenicity of some foods). For an accurate diagnosis, complete medical history, laboratory tests and, in most cases, an oral food challenge are needed. Noticeably, the detection of food-specific IgE (sensitization) does not necessarily indicate clinical allergy. Novel diagnostic methods currently under study focus on the immune responses to specific food proteins or epitopes of specific proteins. Food-induced allergic reactions represent a large array of symptoms involving the skin and gastrointestinal and respiratory systems. They can be attributed to IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated (cellular) mechanisms and thus differ in their nature, severity and outcome. Outcome also differs according to allergens.
Breastfeeding and Allergy: The Evidence
Authors: Kramer Michael S.
Published: December 2011

Whether breastfeeding protects against the development of allergic disease has been a frequent subject of study and debate for 75 years. This paper summarizes the published evidence concerning the risks of atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, positive allergen skin tests, and food allergy associated with infant feeding. The summary is based largely on systematic reviews and meta-analyses carried out by other authors. In addition, I also incorporate the evidence from our long-term follow-up of Belarusian children participating in a cluster-randomized trial of a breastfeeding promotion intervention.
Effects of 22-Oxa-Calcitriol on Podocyte Injury in Adriamycin-Induced Nephrosis
Authors: Lydia Aida , Asanuma Katsuhiko , Nonaka Kanae , Takagi Miyuki , Jeong Kyung-Hwan , Kodama Fumiko , Asao Rin , Asanuma Etsuko , Prodjosudjadi Wiguno , Tomino Yasuhiko
Published: December 2011

Background: In various animal studies, vitamin D has been shown to have a significant effect on reduction of proteinuria and the progression of kidney disease. However, little is known on its renoprotective effect in adriamycin (ADR)-induced nephrosis mice. The present study was intended to determine the therapeutic benefit of 22-oxa-calcitriol (OCT), a vitamin D analog, in reducing proteinuria and its renoprotective effect, i.e. preventing podocyte injury on ADR-induced nephrosis mice. Methods: Three experimental groups were used as follows: (1) nephrosis mice, established by a single intravenous injection of ADR; (2) ADR+OCT mice, nephrosis mice treated with OCT, and (3) mice treated only with OCT as the control group. Podocyte injury was assessed by podocyte apoptosis using the TUNEL assay, podocyte counting, podocyte-specific expressed protein by immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis, and foot process effacement using electron microscopy. Results: Lower proteinuria was observed in ADR+OCT mice. Improvement in glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis, and prevention of glomerular hyperfiltration were observed in ADR+OCT mice. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses showed restoration of downregulated expression of nephrin, CD2AP and podocin. Nevertheless, dendrin expression was not restored. An insignificant reduction in podocyte numbers was found in ADR+OCT mice. Complete foot process effacement was partially prevented in ADR+OCT mice. Conclusions: The results indicate that OCT reduces podocyte injury and has renoprotective effects in ADR nephrosis mice.
Post-discharge compliance to venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in high-risk orthopaedic surgery
Authors: Arcelus Juan , Felicissimo Paulo , Bergqvist David ,   for the ETHOS investigators
Published: December 2011

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk persists for several weeks following high-risk orthopaedic surgery (HROS). The ETHOS registry evaluated post-operative VTE prophylaxis prescribed, and actual VTE prophylaxis received, compared with the 2004 American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines in HROS patients. We performed a subanalysis of ETHOS to assess patient compliance with ACCP-adherent prophylaxis after discharge and the factors predicting poor compliance. Consecutive patients undergoing hip fracture surgery, total hip arthroplasty, or knee arthroplasty were enrolled at discharge from 161 centres in 17 European countries if they had received adequate in-hospital VTE prophylaxis. Data on prescribed and actual prophylaxis received were obtained from hospital charts and patient post-discharge diaries. Good compliance was defined as percentage treatment intake ≥80% with no more than two consecutive days without treatment. A total of 3,484 patients (79.4%) received ACCP-adherent anticoagulant prescription at discharge and 2,999 (86.0%) had an evaluable patient diary. In total, 87.7% of evaluable patients were compliant with prescribed treatment after discharge. The most common reason for non-compliance (33.4%) was “drug was not bought”. Injection of treatment was not a barrier to good compliance. Main factors affecting compliance related to purchase of and access to treatment, patient education, the person responsible for administering injections, country, and type of hospital ward at discharge. Within our study population, patient compliance with ACCP-adherent thromboprophylaxis prescribed at discharge was good. Improvements in patient education and prescribing practices at discharge may be important in further raising compliance levels in high-risk orthopaedic surgery patients.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in Japanese and Caucasian subjects after oral administration of dabigatran etexilate
Authors: Yamamura Norio , Stangier Joachim , Reilly Paul , Clemens Andreas , Härtter Sebastian
Published: December 2011

Ethnic differences in drug disposition may potentially influence therapeutic response to dabigatran, a reversible direct thrombin inhibitor used for the prevention and/or treatment of various thromboembolic disorders. This analysis of data from 18 clinical studies in healthy volunteers and patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) or undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty investigated whether there were any clinically relevant differences in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dabigatran, the active form of dabigatran etexilate, between Japanese and Caucasian subjects. In pooled data from 14 phase I trials, total exposure (i.e. area under the plasma concentration-time curve [AUC]) after administration of dabigatran 150 mg once or twice-daily was on average 20% higher in Japanese than Caucasian subjects (median [10th to 90th percentile] 1,110 [644–1,824] vs. 924 [420–1,654] ng·h/ml) although the difference between the groups was not significant. Within-trial comparisons in subjects treated with dabigatran 150 mg twice-daily showed that AUC and maximum plasma concentration differed by less than 10% between the two groups. In patients with AF, trough concentrations after administration of 150 mg twice-daily were similar in Japanese and Caucasian subjects (80.1 [34.5–193.8] vs. 71.0 [34.0–190] ng/ml). Various factors, including body weight and renal clearance, may explain these observed pharmacokinetic differences. The relationship between plasma concentration and coagulation markers was similar and indicative of no difference in the exposure-pharmacodynamic response between these two groups. In conclusion, the results of this analysis show that the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dabigatran are similar in Japanese and Caucasian subjects and suggest that there is no need for dose adjustment of dabigatran in Japanese subjects.
Reversal of anticoagulant effects of edoxaban, an oral, direct factor Xa inhibitor, with haemostatic agents
Authors: Fukuda Toshio , Honda Yuko , Kamisato Chikako , Shibano Toshiro , Morishima Yoshiyuki
Published: December 2011

Edoxaban, an oral, direct factor Xa inhibitor, has a similar or low incidence of bleeding events compared with other anticoagulants in clinical trials. Therefore, agents to reverse the anticoagulant effects of edoxaban could be desirable in emergency situations. In this study, the reversal effects of haemostatic agents were determined on prothrombin time (PT) prolongation in vitro and bleeding time prolongation in vivo by edoxaban. PT using human plasma was measured in the presence of edoxaban at therapeutic and excess concentrations with the haemostatic agents, prothrombin complex concentrate (PPSB-HT), activated prothrombin complex concentrate (Feiba), and recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa). In rats, rFVIIa and Feiba was given during intensive anticoagulation with edoxaban. The haemostatic effect was evaluated in a model of planta template bleeding and a potential prothrombotic effect was evaluated in a venous thrombosis model. PPSB-HT, Feiba, and rFVIIa concentration-dependently shortened PT prolonged by edoxaban. Among these, rFVIIa and Feiba showed potent activities in reversing the PT prolongation by edoxaban. rFVIIa (1 and 3 mg/kg, i.v.) and Feiba (100 U/kg, i.v.) significantly reversed edoxaban (1 mg/kg/h)-induced prolongation of bleeding time in rats. In a rat venous thrombosis model, no potentiation of thrombus formation was observed when the highest dose (3 mg/kg) of rFVIIa was added to edoxaban (0.3 and 1 mg/kg/h) compared with the control. The present study indicated that rFVIIa, Feiba, and PPSB-HT have the potential to be reversal agents for edoxaban.
Net clinical benefit of new oral anticoagulants (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban) versus no treatment in a ‘real world’ atrial fibrillation population: A modelling analysis based on a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Banerjee Amitava , Lane Deirdre A. , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Lip Gregory Y. H.
Published: December 2011

The concept of net clinical benefit has been used to quantify the balance between risk of ischaemic stroke (IS) and risk of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) with the use oral anticoagulant therapy (OAC) in the setting of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF), and has shown that patients at highest risk of stroke and thromboembolism gain the greatest benefit from OAC with warfarin. There are no data for the new OACs, that is, dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban, as yet. We calculated the net clinical benefit balancing IS against ICH using data from the Danish National Patient Registry on patients with non-valvular AF between 1997–2008, for dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban on the basis of recent clinical trial outcome data for these new OACs. In patients with CHADS2=0 but at high bleeding risk, apixaban and dabigatran 110 mg bid had a positive net clinical benefit. At CHA2DS2-VASc=1, apixaban and both doses of dabigatran (110 mg and 150 mg bid) had a positive net clinical benefit. In patients with CHADS2 score≥1 or CHA2DS2-VASc≥2, the three new OACs (dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban) appear superior to warfarin for net clinical benefit, regardless of risk of bleeding. When risk of bleeding and stroke are both high, all three new drugs appear to have a greater net clinical benefit than warfarin. In the absence of head-to-head trials for these new OACs, our analysis may help inform decision making processes when all these new OACs become available to clinicians for stroke prevention in AF. Using ‘real world’ data, our modelling analysis has shown that when the risk of bleeding and stroke are both high, all three new drugs appear to have a greater net clinical benefit compared to warfarin.

The editorial process for this article was fully handled by Prof. Christian Weber, Editor-in-Chief.
Atrioventricular Nodal Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Chatterjee Neal A. , Upadhyay Gaurav A. , Ellenbogen Kenneth A. , McAlister Finlay A. , Choudhry Niteesh K. , Singh Jagmeet P.
Published: December 2011

Background—

In the treatment of patients with refractory atrial fibrillation (AF), the safety and efficacy of atrioventricular nodal ablation (AVNA) versus pharmacotherapy alone remains unclear. Additionally, the impact of AVNA in patients with reduced systolic function is of growing interest.

Methods and Results—

A total of 5 randomized or prospective trials were included for efficacy review (314 patients), 11 studies for effectiveness review (810 patients), and 47 studies for safety review (5632 patients). All-cause mortality was similar between AVNA and medical therapy (3.1% versus 3.3%; relative risk ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29–3.85). There was no significant difference in exercise duration or ejection fraction (EF) with AVNA relative to pharmacotherapy. In subgroup analysis, patients with baseline systolic dysfunction (116 patients; mean EF, 44%) showed significant relative improvement in EF after AVNA (+4% greater; 95% CI, 3.11–4.89). In pooled observational analysis, AVNA was also associated with significant improvement in EF only in patients with systolic dysfunction (+7.44%; 95% CI, 5.4–9.5). The incidence of procedure-related mortality (0.27%) and malignant arrhythmia (0.57%) was low. At mean follow-up of 26.5 months, the incidence of sudden cardiac death after AVNA was 2.1%. There was significant heterogeneity in quality-of-life scales used; compared with pharmacotherapy, AVNA was associated with significant improvement in several symptoms (palpitations, dyspnea).

Conclusions—

In the management of refractory AF, AVNA is associated with improvement in symptoms and quality of life, with a low incidence of procedure morbidity. In patients with reduced systolic function, AVNA demonstrates small but significantly improved echocardiographic outcomes relative to medical therapy alone.
Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology
Editors' Picks
Authors:   The Editors
Published: December 2011

The following articles are being highlighted as part of
Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology's
Topic Review series. This series will summarize the most important manuscripts, as selected by the editors, published in
Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology
and the rest of the
Circulation
portfolio. The studies included in this article represent the most read manuscripts published on the topic of atrial fibrillation in 2009 and 2010.
Be the Change You Want to See
Authors: Sussman Reuven , Gifford Robert
Published: December 2011

Composting biodegradable material is an effective means of reducing landfill waste and improving the state of the environment. To encourage the use of public compost bins, two interventions were introduced in community shopping center food courts and a local, independently owned fast food restaurant: tabletop signs outlining the benefits of composting and models who demonstrated the behavior. When diners ( n = 540) viewed confederate models composting ahead of them, they were more likely to compost as well ( p < .001). However, the signs did not significantly influence composting rates, either alone ( p > .05) or in combination with the models ( p > .05). Results support the idea that proenvironmental actions can influence similar behavior in others and may be more effective than signage in doing so.
Hearing Is Believing
Authors: Thomsen Kathy M.
Published: December 2011

Dalcroze solfège engages the ear and the mind in chords, functional harmony, and key relationships, in addition to scales, intervals, and melodies. This article provides an overview of Dalcroze solfège by describing its methodology and by offering sample exercises for beginners as well as advanced students.
On being a Reformed theologian
Authors: Crisp Oliver D.
Published: December 2011

In response to a paper by Professor Gavin D’Costa on being a Roman Catholic theologian, this paper offers some reflections on being a Reformed theologian, what this means, and why collegial, ecumenical, Reformed theology has an important role to play today in both the Academy and the Church.
Napoleon and the ethics of realism: Hebel, Hölderlin, Büchner, Celan
Authors: Anderson Mark M.
Published: December 2011

In this essay, the presence of Napoleon in Sebald’s work is shown to be a major structuring element of his conception of realism, which he sees as an ethical response to mass historical catastrophes. Sebald understands the violence of the modern period as originating during the Napoleonic era and extending to World War II and the Holocaust; the realism of Stendhal, Balzac, Hebel and Büchner is thus fundamentally linked to the documentary realism of Nossack, Kluge, Weiss and Sebald himself. Drawing on Celan’s notion of the ‘Meridian’ connecting the madness of Büchner’s ‘Lenz’ to the Final Solution, Sebald consistently posits a contingent link between the Napoleonic and Hitler eras, between historical and personal catastrophes.
The shadow of resistance: W. G. Sebald and the Frankfurt School
Authors: Hutchinson Ben
Published: December 2011

Sebald’s views on history and art were determined early on by his engagement with the leading thinkers of the Frankfurt School, namely Adorno, Horkheimer and Marcuse. From his earliest postgraduate research in the 1960s to his latest prose fiction in 2001, Sebald’s work bears signs of their influence at every level. This article traces this influence in three main phases. Initially, it establishes the main tenets underpinning Sebald’s interest in their thought. This interest is then followed through his books on Sternheim and Döblin, in order to establish the extent of the impact of the Frankfurt School on his formative years. After this reconstruction of the methodology in his early critical work, the article then assesses the consequences of Sebald’s interest in the Frankfurt School for his later prose fiction, highlighting in particular his dialectical syntax, his critique of the Enlightenment idea of progress, and his taste for certain kinds of modernist artists.
Transformations of early modernity in the work of W. G. Sebald
Authors: Lobsien Verena Olejniczak
Published: December 2011

This essay will examine the presence of early modern intertexts in the work of W. G. Sebald by describing the perspective in which they appear and the agenda according to which they are transformed there. The writings of Sir Thomas Browne will provide the paradigm example of Sebald’s reception of early modernity given that his alleged citations constitute a re-fashioning of the English author in Sebald’s own image. They are thus a travesty of Browne’s figurations of transcendence according both to Sebald’s personal pathogram of bipolarity and also to the Hellenistic, Epicurean model of ‘shipwreck with spectator’ that features so prominently in Lucretius’ De rerum natura. In presenting a range of bird’s-eye views of suffering, Sebald seems to offer a comparable scrutiny of the human condition. But his version of the ancient topos significantly distorts the answers given by Thomas Browne to similar metaphysical questions.
W. G. Sebald as a critic of Austrian literature
Authors: Robertson Ritchie
Published: December 2011

Rejecting the conservative study of German literature that he encountered as a student, Sebald found inspiration in Walter Benjamin and the Frankfurt School. He re-reads Austrian literature as an expression not of conservative attachment to a home, but of displacement from any home. He also explores the instabilities of the bourgeois age as revealed in fiction by Sealsfield, Stifter, Schnitzler and Hofmannsthal, and places their narratives within a wider history of colonial exploitation and ecological destruction. He then argues that the dislocation of language by schizophrenics like the poet Ernst Herbeck discloses a primitive substratum prior to the estrangement from nature and subjection to the administration of modernity. Reflections, especially Kafka’s, on the death of the individual, humanity and ultimately the universe itself, lead Sebald to empathize with the messianic images found in Benjamin and other Austrian writers.
Step by steppe - progressing probation in Russia
Authors: Harding John , Davies Keith
Published: December 2011

This article seeks to trace the development of probation services in the Russian Federation in recent years. It illustrates those developments by reference to two contrasting projects involving collaboration between Russian and European Probation Services. The first is a pilot training project for probation officers organized by a Human Rights NGO in Russia, whilst the second is an EU led policy and practice initiative with the Russian Ministry of Justice to strengthen alternative sanctions and to introduce electronic monitoring on a pilot basis.
A geometric approach to robotic laundry folding
Authors: Miller Stephen , van den Berg Jur , Fritz Mario , Darrell Trevor , Goldberg Ken , Abbeel Pieter
Published: December 2011

We consider the problem of autonomous robotic laundry folding, and propose a solution to the perception and manipulation challenges inherent to the task. At the core of our approach is a quasi-static cloth model which allows us to neglect the complex dynamics of cloth under significant parts of the state space, allowing us to reason instead in terms of simple geometry. We present an algorithm which, given a 2D cloth polygon and a desired sequence of folds, outputs a motion plan for executing the corresponding manipulations, deemed g-folds, on a minimal number of robot grippers. We define parametrized fold sequences for four clothing categories: towels, pants, short-sleeved shirts, and long-sleeved shirts, each represented as polygons. We then devise a model-based optimization approach for visually inferring the class and pose of a spread-out or folded clothing article from a single image, such that the resulting polygon provides a parse suitable for these folding primitives. We test the manipulation and perception tasks individually, and combine them to implement an autonomous folding system on the Willow Garage PR2. This enables the PR2 to identify a clothing article spread out on a table, execute the computed folding sequence, and visually track its progress over successive folds.
The new wave of childhood studies: Breaking the grip of bio-social dualism?
Authors: Ryan Kevin William
Published: December 2011

The article takes as its starting point a new wave of researchers who use concepts such as ‘hybridity’ and ‘multiplicity’ in a bid to move the study of childhood beyond the strictures of what Lee and Motzkau call ‘bio-social dualism’, whereby the division between the ‘natural child’ of developmental psychology and the ‘social child’ of socialization theory replicates a tendency in modern thought and practice to divide nature from culture. The article offers an alternative approach to understanding modern western childhood, and argues that this emerges not through a division between nature and culture, but in the form of a ‘biosocial nexus’ which is irreducible to distinct elements and which provides a way of locating developmental psychology and socialization theory within the same field of practice. The article concludes by reflecting on the implications of this for the new wave of childhood studies, which is said to redeploy rather than escape biosocial power.
The influence of Chine nose shapes on a slender body flight vehicle at high angles of attack
Authors: Lim S , Kim S D , Song D J
Published: December 2011

The flow characteristics of asymmetric vortices and the side force of a slender body flight vehicle with chine nose at high angles of attack have been studied using a three-dimensional upwind Navier–Stokes method with the k– ω turbulence model and a simple laminar–turbulent transition model. Asymmetrically changing turbulent viscosities that arise from asymmetric laminar–turbulent transition conditions cause asymmetric cross-flow vortex structures and side forces at higher angles of attack. However, certain type of edges may cause fixed flow separations on these edges. In this study, the chine nose shape with chine edge on its both sides is considered for the method to reduce side force. The asymmetric flow control capacity of chine nose shapes at high angles of attack is studied.
The Relationship Between Smoking, Body Weight, Body Mass Index, and Dietary Intake Among Thai Adults
Authors: Jitnarin Nattinee , Kosulwat Vongsvat , Rojroongwasinkul Nipa , Boonpraderm Atitada , Haddock Christopher K. , Poston Walker S. C.
Published: December 2011

This study examined the relationship between dietary intake, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in adult Thais as a function of smoking status. A cross-sectional, nationally representative survey using health and dietary questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were used. Participants were 7858 Thai adults aged 18 years and older recruited from 17 provinces inThailand. Results demonstrated that smoking is associated with lower weights and BMI. However, when smokers were stratified by smoking intensity, there was no dose–response relationship between smoking and body weight. There is no conclusive explanation for weight differences across smoking groups in this sample, and the results of the present study did not clearly support any of the purported mechanisms for the differences in body weight or BMI. In addition, because the substantial negative health consequences of smoking are far stronger than those associated with modest weight differences, smoking cannot be viewed as an appropriate weight management strategy.
A Prospective Study of Incidence and Risk Factors for the Onset and Persistence of Low Back Pain in Thai University Students
Authors: Kanchanomai Siriluck , Janwantanakul Prawit , Pensri Praneet , Jiamjarasrangsi Wiroj
Published: December 2011

This study aimed to examine the 12-month incidence and risk factors for the onset and persistence of low back pain (LBP) in undergraduate students. A 1-year prospective study was carried out among 684 healthy students in a large public university in Thailand. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and a physical examination. Follow-up data were collected every 3 months. A total of 524 (77%) students were followed for 1 year. A total of 31% reported a new onset of LBP, of whom 31% reported persistent LBP. Having no low back support during computer work was a significant predictor for the onset and persistence of LBP. The onset of LBP was also associated with quadriceps muscle tightness. LBP is common among undergraduate students, and many of them may have persistent symptoms. Physical risk factor plays a significant role for the onset and persistence of LBP among the study population.
Factors Influencing Perceived Oral Health of Japanese Middle-Aged Adults
Authors: Ueno Masayuki , Zaitsu Takashi , Ohara Satoko , Wright Clive , Kawaguchi Yoko
Published: December 2011

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationships between subjective oral health symptoms and clinical oral health conditions on the perceived oral health of 1799 Japanese middle-aged adults. A self-administered questionnaire together with dental examinations was administered. A structural equation modeling analysis with Bayesian estimation was used to examine the factors influencing perceived oral health as a latent variable with 4 other latent variables: subjective oral health symptoms, clinical tooth conditions, clinical periodontal conditions, and other clinical oral conditions. For perceived oral health as the endogenous variable, only subjective oral health symptoms and clinical tooth conditions showed significant relationship. Clinical periodontal conditions and other clinical oral conditions did not show significant effects on the perceived oral health.
A Retrospective Cohort Study on the Association Between Periapical Abscess, Advanced Periodontal Disease, and the National Oral Health Screening Program Among Korean Adults
Authors: Ha Jung-Eun , Jung Se-Hwan , Jin Bo-Hyoung , Lee Byoung-Jin , Bae Kwang-Hak
Published: December 2011

The National Oral Health Screening Program (NOHSP) is a general population-based program in Korea. The objective of this study was to assess the association between participation in the NOHSP and dental visit for periapical abscess (PA) and advanced periodontal disease (APD) among Korean adults. Data were obtained for subjects from the National Health Insurance database. The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of 9358 randomly selected subjects who were between 40 and 64 years old in 2002. The outcomes of dental visit for PA or APD from the years 2003 to 2007 were compared between the screening and nonscreening groups. The nonscreening group had 19% higher risk of PA and 15% higher risk of APD. This study suggests that the NOHSP may decrease the risk of dental visit because of PA and APD by preventing the progress of lesion to the advanced stage among Korean adults.
Does Ethnicity Contribute to the Control of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes?
Authors: Lee Ping Yein , Cheong Ai Theng , Zaiton Ahmad , Mastura Ismail , Chew Boon-How , Sazlina Sharrif G. , Adam Bujang Mohamad , Syed Alwi Syed Abdul Rahman , Jamaiyah Haniff , SriWahyu Taher
Published: December 2011

This study aimed to examine the control of cardiovascular risk factors among the ethnic groups with type 2 diabetes in Malaysia. The authors analyzed the data of 70 092 adults from the Malaysian diabetes registry database. Malays had the worst achievement of target for most of the risk factors. Indians had poor achievement of control for waist circumference (odds ratio [OR] = 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.6-0.7) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.4-0.5). As compared with the Malays, the Chinese had a better achievement of target control for the risk factors, including the following: body mass index (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2-1.4), blood pressure (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.3-1.4), total cholesterol (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.6-1.8), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.6-1.8), glycated hemoglobin A1c (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.3-1.4) and fasting blood glucose (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.3-1.5). Ethnicity, sociocultural factors, and psychobehavioral factors should be addressed in designing and management strategies for the control of cardiovascular risk factors among type 2 diabetes patients.
Does Obesity Increase the Risk of Injury or Mortality in Motor Vehicle Crashes? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Desapriya Ediriweera , Giulia Scime , Subzwari Sayed , Peiris Dinithi C. , Turcotte Kate , Pike Ian , Sasges Deborah , Hewapathirane D. Sesath
Published: December 2011

The objective of this review was to assess the risk of obesity in injuries and fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crash (MVC), as compared with individuals with a normal-range body mass index. A systematic review of the literature was conducted yielding 824 potential studies. Nine of these studies met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses examining obesity as a risk factor for various injury types and risk of fatality were conducted using data from these studies. Obesity was associated with higher fatality risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.51-2.37, P = .0001; pooled estimate from 6 studies), and increased risk of lower extremity fractures (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.18-1.65, P = .0001; pooled estimate from 2 studies). No significant differences were observed when considering abdominal injuries or pelvic fractures. Interestingly, for head injuries obesity was a protective factor (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.46-0.97, P = .0001; pooled data from 3 studies). Evidence strongly supports the association of obesity with higher fatality and fractures of the lower extremities in MVCs. Contrary to our hypothesis, 3 studies showed that obesity was a protective factor in reducing head injuries. Furthermore, the review shows that obesity was not a risk factor of MVC-related pelvic fractures and abdominal injuries.
Immunization Coverage and Its Determinants Among Children Born in 2008-2009 by Questionnaire Survey in Zhejiang, China
Authors: Hu Yu , Chen Enfu , Li Qian , Chen Yaping , Qi Xiaohua
Published: December 2011

The study aimed to assess the determinants of immunization coverage in children born in 2008-2009, living in Zhejiang Province. The World Health Organization’s cluster sampling technique was applied. Immunization coverage of 5 vaccines was assessed: BCG vaccine, diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine, poliomyelitis vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, and measles-containing vaccine. Determinants for age-appropriate immunization coverage rates were explored using logistic regression models. Immunization coverage of 5 vaccines were all greater than 90%, but the age-appropriate immunization coverage rates for 3 months and for first dose of measles-containing vaccine was 41.3% and 64.5%, respectively. Siblings in household, mother’s education level, household registration, socioeconomic level of resident areas, satisfaction with clinical immunization service, and convenient access to local immunization clinic were associated with age-appropriate coverage rates. Age-appropriate immunization coverage rates should be given more attention and should be considered as a benchmark to strive for in the future intervention.
Community Beliefs About Intentional Injury and Responsibility for Prevention
Authors: Too Lay San , Haworth Narelle , Lennon Alexia , Titchener Kirsteen
Published: December 2011

Community beliefs related to intentional injury inflicted by others were examined in a population-based telephone survey (n = 1032) in Queensland, Australia. Young adults 18 to 24 years old were nominated as the most likely to be intentionally injured. It was found that 89.1% of respondents nominating this group believed that the injury incidents occur in alcohol environments. Though respondents from this age group also identified 18- to 24-year-olds as most likely to be intentionally injured, this was at a significantly lower level when compared with parents or 25- to 64-year-olds respondents. Responsibility for preventing injuries was placed on proprietors of licensed premises, schools, and parents/family of the victim for alcohol, school, and home environments, respectively. Beliefs were aligned with prevalence data on intentional injury, demonstrating a high level of awareness in the community about likely victims and situations where intentional injuries occur. Interventions could target families of young adults to capitalize on high levels of awareness about young adult vulnerability.
A piezoelectric energy harvester based on flow-induced flexural vibration of a circular cylinder
Authors: Xie Jiemin , Yang Jiashi , Hu Hongping , Hu Yuantai , Chen Xuedong
Published: December 2011

This article proposes a new piezoelectric structure for energy harvesting from flow-induced vibrations. It consists of a properly poled and electroded flexible ceramic cylinder. When it is in a flow perpendicular to its axis, the flow exerts a transverse force on the cylinder due to asymmetric vortex shedding, which drives the cylinder into flexural vibrations with an electrical output. A one-dimensional model is derived for the motion of the cylinder, which allows an analytical solution from which the basic behaviors of the energy harvester are calculated and examined. For a cylinder of 40 cm in length and [Formula: see text]cm in diameter in flowing air with a speed of 5 m/s, the output power is of the order of [Formula: see text]. It becomes significantly higher if the flow speed is increased.
Ford’s Approach to Managing Driver Attention: SYNC and MyFord Touch
Authors: Shutko John , Tijerina Louis
Published: December 2011

SYNC and MyFord Touch represent the new direction in automotive human-machine interface (HMI) for Ford Motor Company. Improving driver focus was one of the most critical aspects in the development of the new HMI. This article describes the approach used in development to ensure that driver attention would be improved with this new system. This approach includes research, technology, requirements, and education. The research that was conducted and used, the technology and associated benefits, and the requirements that were followed during the development of the new system are summarized.
Competing Agendas in Upstream Engagement Meetings Between Celiac Disease Experts and Patients
Authors: Veen Mario , te Molder Hedwig , Gremmen Bart , van Woerkum Cees
Published: December 2011

This article examines discussions between innovators and patient users about emergent medical technologies in the field of celiac disease. Using discursive psychology and conversation analysis, the authors analyze participants’ talk with regard to the social activities performed. They find that the topical agenda, preference structure, and presuppositions incorporated in the innovators’ questions restrict patients’ scope for saying things in and on their own terms. Not participants’ intentions per se but what the questions indirectly communicate profoundly shapes the agenda of these meetings. This may explain why some of the difficulties of innovator-user interaction are persistent and hard to pinpoint.
Social Stigma and Consumer Benefits
Authors: Mather Damien W. , Knight John G. , Insch Andrea , Holdsworth David K. , Ermen David F. , Breitbarth Tim
Published: December 2011

Attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) foods have been extensively studied, but there are very few studies of actual consumer purchasing behavior regarding GM foods offering a consumer benefit. Using a field choice-modeling experiment, the authors investigate the trade-off between price and social desirability in consumer choices with regard to conventional, organic, and GM fruit. What consumers say they will choose in a survey and what they actually choose in a real-purchase situation may differ substantially when their decision is framed by a socially charged issue such as genetic modification. The results are analyzed in relation to established principles of diffusion of innovation.
Narratives of self and identity in women's prisons: Stigma and the struggle for self-definition in penal regimes
Authors: Rowe Abigail
Published: December 2011

A concern with questions of selfhood and identity has been central to penal practices in women's prisons, and to the sociology of women's imprisonment. Studies of women's prisons have remained preoccupied with women prisoners’ social identities, and their apparent tendency to adapt to imprisonment through relationships. This article explores the narratives of women in two English prisons to demonstrate the importance of the self as a site of meaning for prisoners and the central place of identity in micro-level power negotiations in prisons.
‘Homo journalisticus’: Journalism education’s role in articulating the objectivity norm
Authors: Vos Tim P
Published: December 2011

This study, building on an ideational theory of historical change, examines what role journalism education had in the articulation of objectivity as an occupational norm from the 1890s to the 1940s. An analysis of early texts of journalism education shows how objectivity was naturalized and legitimated. The texts rarely engaged criticism of objectivity and instead mythologized journalism by portraying it as a mechanical process overseen by professionals who are like judges, scientists and professors. The desires of audiences and advertisers did not complicate objectivity, as contemporaneous critics suggested – the texts conclude that market mechanisms were what made objective journalism possible.
Explaining the Gender Gap in Fear of Crime
Authors: Snedker Karen A.
Published: December 2011

In the fear of crime literature, there is a consensus that women consistently report higher levels of fear. I examine how men and women assess their risks in light of prior experience, the environmental conditions that signal risk, and perceived personal vulnerability to provide a more thorough account of the gender disparity. Findings from in-depth interviews with New York City residents suggest that subjective evaluations of vulnerability are strong indicators of fear of crime for men and women. Furthermore, qualitative data reveal that gender assessments of vulnerability are related to issues of socialization, social learning processes and notions of effective agency. Little evidence supports fear of rape as the driving force behind perceived vulnerability for women.