bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Andrographolide Ameliorates Liver Fibrosis in Mice: Involvement of TLR4/NF‐κB and TGF‐β1/Smad2 Signaling Pathways
Authors: Lin Liteng , Li Rui , Cai Mingyue , Huang Jingjun , Huang Wensou , Guo Yongjian , Yang Liuhong , Yang Guizhi , Lan Tian , Zhu Kangshun
Published: March 2018

Liver fibrosis is characterized by activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and extracellular matrix accumulation. Blocking the activation of HSC and the inflammation response are two major effective therapeutic strategies for liver fibrosis. In addition to the long history of using andrographolide (Andro) for inflammatory disorders, we aimed at elucidating the pharmacological effects and potential mechanism of Andro on liver fibrosis. In this study, liver fibrosis was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and the mice were intraperitoneally injected with Andro for 6 weeks. HSC cell line (LX‐2) and primary HSC were also treated with Andro in vitro. Treatment of CCl4‐induced mice with Andro decreased the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Sirius red staining as well as the expression of α smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) and transforming growth factor‐ (TGF‐) β1. Furthermore, the expression of Toll‐like receptor (TLR)4 and NF‐κB p50 was also inhibited by Andro. Additionally, in vitro data confirmed that Andro treatment not only attenuated the expression of profibrotic and proinflammatory factors but also blocked the TGF‐β1/Smad2 and TLR4/NF‐κB p50 pathways. These results demonstrate that Andro prevents liver inflammation and fibrosis, which is in correlation with the inhibition of the TGF‐β1/Smad2 and TLR4/NF‐κB p50 pathways, highlighting Andro as a potential therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis.
Statistical Modeling, Simulation, and Experimental Verification of Wideband Indoor Mobile Radio Channels
Authors: Ma Yuanyuan , Hogstad Bjørn Olav , Pätzold Matthias , Crespo Pedro M.
Published: March 2018

This paper focuses on the modeling, simulation, and experimental verification of wideband single‐input single‐output (SISO) mobile fading channels for indoor propagation environments. The indoor reference channel model is derived from a geometrical rectangle scattering model, which consists of an infinite number of scatterers. It is assumed that the scatterers are exponentially distributed over the two‐dimensional (2D) horizontal plane of a rectangular room. Analytical expressions are derived for the probability density function (PDF) of the angle of arrival (AOA), the PDF of the propagation path length, the power delay profile (PDP), and the frequency correlation function (FCF). An efficient sum‐of‐cisoids (SOC) channel simulator is derived from the nonrealizable reference model by employing the SOC principle. It is shown that the SOC channel simulator approximates closely the reference model with respect to the FCF. The SOC channel simulator enables the performance evaluation of wideband indoor wireless communication systems with reduced realization expenditure. Moreover, the rationality and usefulness of the derived indoor channel model is confirmed by various measurements at 2.4, 5, and 60 GHz.
Extension of the Multi‐TP Model Transformation to Functions with Different Numbers of Variables
Authors: Baranyi Péter
Published: March 2018

The tensor product (TP) model transformation defines and numerically reconstructs the Higher‐Order Singular Value Decomposition (HOSVD) of functions. It plays the same role with respect to functions as HOSVD does for tensors (and SVD for matrices). The need for certain advantageous features, such as rank/complexity reduction, trade‐offs between complexity and accuracy, and a manipulation power representative of the TP form, has motivated novel concepts in TS fuzzy model based modelling and control. The latest extensions of the TP model transformation, called the multi‐ and generalised TP model transformations, are applicable to a set functions where the dimensionality of the outputs of the functions may differ, but there is a strict limitation on the dimensionality of their inputs, which must be the same. The paper proposes an extended version that is applicable to a set of functions where both the input and output dimensionalities of the functions may differ. This makes it possible to transform complete multicomponent systems to TS fuzzy models along with the above‐mentioned advantages.
“Omics” Signatures in Peripheral Monocytes from Women with Low BMD Condition
Authors: Daswani Bhavna , Khatkhatay M. Ikram
Published: March 2018

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) is a result of increased bone resorption compared to formation. Osteoclasts are responsible for bone resorption, which are derived from circulating monocytes that undertake a journey from the blood to the bone for the process of osteoclastogenesis. In recent times, the use of high throughput technologies to explore monocytes from women with low versus high bone density has led to the identification of candidate molecules that may be deregulated in PMO. This review provides a list of molecules in monocytes relevant to bone density which have been identified by “omics” studies in the last decade or so. The molecules in monocytes that are deregulated in low BMD condition may contribute to processes such as monocyte survival, migration/chemotaxis, adhesion, transendothelial migration, and differentiation into the osteoclast lineage. Each of these processes may be crucial to the overall route of osteoclastogenesis and an increase in any/all of these processes can lead to increased bone resorption and subsequently low bone density. Whether these molecules are indeed the cause or effect is an arena currently unexplored.
Optical Fiber Force Myography Sensor for Identification of Hand Postures
Authors: Fujiwara Eric , Suzuki Carlos Kenichi
Published: March 2018

A low-cost optical fiber force myography sensor for noninvasive hand posture identification is proposed. The transducers are comprised of 10 mm periodicity silica multimode fiber microbending devices mounted in PVC plates, providing 0.05 N−1 sensitivity over ~20 N range. Next, the transducers were attached to the user forearm by means of straps in order to monitor the posterior proximal radial, the anterior medial ulnar, and the posterior distal radial muscles, and the acquired FMG optical signals were correlated to the performed gestures using a 5 hidden layers, 20-neuron artificial neural network classifier with backpropagation architecture, followed by a competitive layer. The overall results for 9 postures and 6 subjects indicated a 98.4% sensitivity and 99.7% average accuracy, being comparable to the electromyographic approaches. Moreover, in contrast to the current setups, the proposed methodology allows the identification of poses characterized by different configurations of fingers and wrist joint displacements with the utilization of only 3 transducers and a simple interrogation scheme, being suitable to further applications in human-computer interfaces.
Structural, Optical, and Electrical Characterization of β‐Ga2O3 Thin Films Grown by Plasma‐Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy Suitable for UV Sensing
Authors: Arias Abraham , Nedev Nicola , Ghose Susmita , Rojas-Ramirez Juan Salvador , Mateos David , Curiel Alvarez Mario , Pérez Oscar , Suárez Mariel , Valdez-Salas Benjamin , Droopad Ravi
Published: March 2018

β‐Ga2O3 thin films were grown on c‐plane sapphire substrates by plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The films were grown using an elemental gallium source and oxygen supplied by an RF plasma source. Reflection high‐energy electron diffraction (RHEED) was used to monitor the surface quality in real time. Both in situ RHEED and ex situ X‐ray diffraction confirmed the formation of single crystal β‐phase films with excellent crystallinity on c‐plane sapphire. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to determine the film thicknesses, giving values in the 11.6–18.8 nm range and the refractive index dispersion curves. UV‐Vis transmittance measurements revealed that strong absorption of β‐Ga2O3 starts at ∼270 nm. Top metal contacts were deposited by thermal evaporation for I‐V characterization, which has been carried out in dark, as well as under visible and UV light illumination. The optical and electrical measurements showed that the grown thin films of β‐Ga2O3 are excellent candidates for deep‐ultraviolet detection and sensing.
Development and Standardization of a Test for Pragmatic Language Skills in Egyptian Arabic: The Egyptian Arabic Pragmatic Language Test (EAPLT)
Authors: Khodeir Mona S. , Hegazi Mona A. , Saleh Marwa M.
Published: March 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to standardize an Egyptian Arabic Pragmatic Language Test (EAPLT) using linguistically and socially suitable questions and pictures in order to be able to address specific deficits in this language domain. Participants and Methods: Questions and pictures were designed for the EAPLT to assess 3 pragmatic language subsets: pragmatic skills, functions, and factors. Ten expert phoniatricians were asked to review the EAPLT and complete a questionnaire to assess the validity of the test items. The EAPLT was applied in 120 typically developing Arabic-speaking Egyptian children (64 females and 56 males) randomly selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria in the age range between 2 years, 1 month, 1 day and 9 years, 12 months, 31 days. Children’s scores were used to calculate the means and standard deviations and the 5th and 95th percentiles to determine the age of the pragmatic skills acquisition. Results: All experts have mostly agreed that the EAPLT gives a general idea about children’s pragmatic language development. Test-retest reliability analysis proved the high reliability and internal consistency of the EAPLT subsets. A statistically significant correlation was found between the test subsets and age. Conclusion: The EAPLT is a valid and reliable Egyptian Arabic test that can be applied in order to detect a pragmatic language delay.
Procoagulant Activity of Blood and Endothelial Cells via Phosphatidylserine Exposure and Microparticle Delivery in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Su Ying , Chen Jingli , Dong Zengxiang , Zhang Yan , Ma Ruishuang , Kou Junjie , Wang Feng , Shi Jialan
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: The mechanisms for thrombosis in diabetic retinopathy (DR) are complex and need to be further elucidated. The purpose of this study was to test phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure on microparticles (MPs) and MP-origin cells from the circulation and to analyze cell-/MP-associated procoagulant activity (PCA) in DR patients. Methods: PS-positive MPs and cells from healthy controls (n = 20) and diabetic patients (n = 60) were analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Clotting time and purified coagulation complex assays were used to measure PCA. Results: PS exposure on platelets and monocytes was higher in proliferative DR (PDR) patients than in non-PDR patients or controls. The highest levels of MPs (derived from platelets [30%], erythrocytes [13%], leukocytes [28%], and endothelial cells [10%]) were found in patients with PDR. In addition, PS exposure on blood cells and shed MPs in DR patients led to significantly increased FXa and FIIa generation, fibrin formation, and markedly shortened coagulation time. Moreover, lactadherin reduced 70% of PCA by blocking PS, while an anti-tissue factor antibody had a smaller effect. Conclusion: Our results confirmed that PCA in DR patients may be partly ascribed to PS exposure and MP release from blood and endothelial cells. Lactadherin may act as an efficient anticoagulant factor in this process.
C/D-Box Snord105b Promotes Tumorigenesis in Gastric Cancer via ALDOA/C-Myc Pathway
Authors: Zhang Cong , Zhao Lian-mei , Wu Hao , Tian Guo , Dai Su-li , Zhao Ri-yang , Shan Bao-en
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) play an important role in carcinogenesis. In this study, we identified a C/D box snoRNA, snord105b, and further investigated the function and mechanism of the snord105b in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: The expression level of snord105b in GC tissures, sera and cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR. Cell viability was assessed using MTS assay. Transwell and wound healing assay were performed to evaluate migration and invasion, and protein expression was examined by western blotting. ChIRP and MS analysis was used to seek for the special binding protein of snord105b. Results: The snord105b was upregulated and associated with tumor size, differentiation, and pathological stage in GC. Snord105b affected proliferation, migration and invasion in multiple GC cell lines. The oncoqenic activity of snord105b was also confirmed with in vivo data. Mechanistically, snord105b specifically bound to ALDOA and affected C-myc, which plays a key role in carcinogenesis and tumor development. Conclusion: Snord105b appears to be a novel oncogene and is clinically and functionally involved in the development of GC. Targeting snord105b and its pathway may provide new biomarkers or potential treatments for patients with GC.
Dysregulated MiR-3150a-3p Promotes Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Targeting Aggrecan
Authors: Zhang Bin , Guo Wei , Sun Chao , Duan Hui-Quan , Yu Bing-Bing , Mu Kun , Guan Yue-Yan , Li Yan , Liu Shen , Liu Yang , Ban De-Xiang , Ruan Wen-Dong , Kong Xiao-Hong , Xing Cong , Ning Guang-Zhi , Feng Shi-Qing
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: Low back pain has become one of the most common musculoskeletal diseases in the world. Studies have shown that intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is an important factor leading to low back pain, but the mechanisms underlying IDD remain largely unknown. Research over the past decade has suggested critical roles for microRNAs (miRNAs) in natural growth and disease progression. However, it remains poorly understood whether circular RNAs participate in IDD. Methods: Clinical IDD samples were collected from 20 patients who underwent discectomy. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to identify the co-expression miRNA network modules (highly co-expressed clusters of miRNAs) that were associated with IDD grade. Results: miR-3150a-3p was the most significantly up-regulated miRNA in module “Blue.” Notably, aggrecan (ACAN) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-3150a-3p and ACAN expression was regulated by miR-3150a-3p. Overexpression of miR-3150a-3p decreased ACAN expression in nucleus pulposus cells, whereas inhibition of miR-3150a-3p increased ACAN expression. In addition, ACAN expression was negatively correlated with IDD grade. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the reduction of ACAN expression induced by the upregulation of miR-3150a-3p might participate in the development of IDD.
Multiplexed Optical Imaging of Energy Substrates Reveals That Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Is Associated With Brown Adipose Tissue Activation
Authors: Panagia Marcello , Chen Howard H. , Croteau Dominique , Iris Chen Yin-Ching , Ran Chongzhao , Luptak Ivan , Josephson Lee , Colucci Wilson S. , Sosnovik David E.
Published: March 2018

Background—

Substrate utilization in tissues with high energetic requirements could play an important role in cardiometabolic disease. Current techniques to assess energetics are limited by high cost, low throughput, and the inability to resolve multiple readouts simultaneously. Consequently, we aimed to develop a multiplexed optical imaging platform to simultaneously assess energetics in multiple organs in a high throughput fashion.

Methods and Results—

The detection of 18F-Fluordeoxyglucose uptake via Cerenkov luminescence and free fatty acid uptake with a fluorescent C
16
free fatty acid was tested. Simultaneous uptake of these agents was measured in the myocardium, brown/white adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle in mice with/without thoracic aortic banding. Within 5 weeks of thoracic aortic banding, mice developed left ventricular hypertrophy and brown adipose tissue activation with upregulation of β
3
AR (β
3
adrenergic receptors) and increased natriuretic peptide receptor ratio. Imaging of brown adipose tissue 15 weeks post thoracic aortic banding revealed an increase in glucose (
P
<0.01) and free fatty acid (
P
<0.001) uptake versus controls and an increase in uncoupling protein-1 (
P
<0.01). Similar but less robust changes were seen in skeletal muscle, while substrate uptake in white adipose tissue remained unchanged. Myocardial glucose uptake was increased post-thoracic aortic banding but free fatty acid uptake trended to decrease.

Conclusions—

A multiplexed optical imaging technique is presented that allows substrate uptake to be simultaneously quantified in multiple tissues in a high throughput manner. The activation of brown adipose tissue occurs early in the onset of left ventricular hypertrophy, which produces tissue-specific changes in substrate uptake that may play a role in the systemic response to cardiac pressure overload.
Protective Roles of Interferon‐γ in Cardiac Hypertrophy Induced by Sustained Pressure Overload
Authors: Kimura Akihiko , Ishida Yuko , Furuta Machi , Nosaka Mizuho , Kuninaka Yumi , Taruya Akira , Mukaida Naofumi , Kondo Toshikazu
Published: March 2018

Background

A clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying hemodynamic stress‐initiated cardiac hypertrophy is important for preventing heart failure. Interferon‐γ (
IFN
‐γ) has been suggested to play crucial roles in various diseases other than immunological disorders by modulating the expression of myriad genes. However, the involvement of
IFN
‐γ in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy still remains unclear.

Methods and Results

In order to elucidate the roles of
IFN
‐γ in pressure overload–induced cardiac pathology, we subjected Balb/c wild‐type (
WT
) or
IFN
‐γ‐deficient (
Ifng
−/−
) mice to transverse aortic constriction (
TAC
). Three weeks after
TAC
,
Ifng
−/−
mice developed more severe cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction than
WT
mice. Bone marrow–derived immune cells including macrophages were a source of
IFN
‐γ in hearts after
TAC
. The activation of
PI
3K/Akt signaling, a key signaling pathway in compensatory hypertrophy, was detected 3 days after
TAC
in the left ventricles of
WT
mice and was markedly attenuated in
Ifng
−/−
mice. The administration of a neutralizing anti‐
IFN
‐γ antibody abrogated
PI
3K/Akt signal activation in
WT
mice during compensatory hypertrophy, while that of
IFN
‐γ activated
PI
3K/Akt signaling in
Ifng
−/−
mice.
TAC
also induced the phosphorylation of Stat5, but not Stat1 in the left ventricles of
WT
mice 3 days after
TAC
. Furthermore,
IFN
‐γ induced Stat5 and Akt phosphorylation in rat cardiomyocytes cultured under stretch conditions. A Stat5 inhibitor significantly suppressed
PI
3K/Akt signaling activation in the left ventricles of
WT
mice, and aggravated pressure overload–induced cardiac hypertrophy.

Conclusions

The
IFN
‐γ/Stat5 axis may be protective against persistent pressure overload–induced cardiac hypertrophy by activating the
PI
3K/Akt pathway.
“Military Engagement with a Responsible Stakeholder: The Taft Administration and Qing Imperial China”
Authors: Setzekorn Eric
Published: March 2018

In the early 20th Century, the Taft administration and the Qing Empire developed a working relationship that went beyond transactional “Dollar Diplomacy” to include military engagement. Military and official visits, arms contracts, and opportunities for military education signaled a shift away from both President Theodore Roosevelt’s pro-Japanese policies and the Qing Empire’s isolation from the international order. The massacre of over three hundred Chinese at Torreon, Mexico in May 1911 inadvertently assisted this rapprochement, which presented the Qing Dynasty with an opportunity to demonstrate power and influence when it dispatched the cruiser Hai Qi to the Caribbean. The swift response to the massacre shows that Qing diplomats were capable of using an integrated and mutually reinforcing set of legal, diplomatic, and military tools to attain their political objectives. The incident also demonstrates that the Taft administration was willing to allow a foreign military vessel to coerce Mexico for monetary gain in a direct violation of the Monroe Doctrine. The Qing Empire’s very effective use of gunboat diplomacy revealed a highly competent Chinese government, as well as how u.s. officials arranged a sophisticated rapprochement with Imperial China in the 1909–1912 period.
An Introduction to the African Commodity Trade Database, 1730–2010
Authors: Frankema Ewout , Woltjer Pieter , Dalrymple-Smith Angus , Bulambo Leandre
Published: March 2018

The African Commodity Trade Database (actd) aims to stimulate and deepen research on African and global economic history. The database provides export and import series at product level for more than two and a half centuries of African trade (1730–2010). This article introduces potential users to some of the major questions that can be explored with African commodity trade data, as well as the sources, structure and limitations of the dataset. The current version of the actd is downloadable from the data repository of the African Economic History Network (www.aehnetwork.org/data-research) and will be regularly updated with new data.
Land, State Capacity, and Colonialism: Evidence From India
Authors: Lee Alexander
Published: March 2018

Many authors have argued that colonial institutions influenced contemporary economic outcomes by influencing levels of economic inequality and political conflict. Such accounts neglect an additional important mechanism, differences in state capacity. These two mechanisms of colonial persistence are examined in the context of India, where colonial land tenure arrangements are widely thought to influence contemporary outcomes through class conflict. However, land tenure institutions were also associated with differences in state capacity: In landlord-dominated areas, the colonial state had little or no presence at the village level. An analysis of agricultural outcomes in Indian districts, using a set of original measures of colonial state capacity, shows that while land tenure in isolation is a surprisingly weak predictor of agricultural success, state capacity has a strong and consistent positive association with 20th-century economic activity. The findings reinforce the importance of colonial rule in influencing contemporary state capacity and the importance of state capacity for development.
In Whose Interest? Gender and Mass–Elite Priority Congruence in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Clayton Amanda , Josefsson Cecilia , Mattes Robert , Mozaffar Shaheen
Published: March 2018

Do men and women representatives hold different legislative priorities? Do these priorities align with citizens who share their gender? Whereas substantive representation theorists suggest legislators’ priorities should align with their cogender constituents, Downsian-based theories suggest no role for gender. We test these differing expectations through a new originally collected survey data set of more than 800 parliamentarians and data from more than 19,000 citizens from 17 sub-Saharan African countries. We find that whereas parliamentarians prioritize similar issues as citizens in general, important gender differences also emerge. Women representatives and women citizens are significantly more likely to prioritize poverty reduction, health care, and women’s rights, whereas men representatives and men citizens tend to prioritize infrastructure projects. Examining variation in congruence between countries, we find that parliamentarians’ and cogender citizens’ priorities are most similar where democratic institutions are strongest. These results provide robust new evidence and insight into how and when legislator identity affects the representative process.
Notes Toward a Theology of Cross/ing
Authors: Askew Emily
Published: March 2018

Born from the ethical imperative of two sets of wounds, the open sores on the feet of a migrant who crosses the desert and the crucified feet of the One on the cross, this essay compares the U.S.-Mexico border wall and the cross of Jesus through the lives of undocumented migrants crossing into the U.S. From the “third space” of the desert, this essay develops a theology of cross/ing in which the crucified Christ challenges the status quo of state policies that promote injustice, suffering, exploitation, and poverty.
Hypoplastic AI with Highly Variable Expressivity Caused by ENAM Mutations
Authors: Koruyucu M. , Kang J. , Kim Y.J. , Seymen F. , Kasimoglu Y. , Lee Z.H. , Shin T.J. , Hyun H.K. , Kim Y.J. , Lee S.H. , Hu J.C.C. , Simmer J.P. , Kim J.W.
Published: March 2018

Tooth enamel, the hardest tissue in the human body, is formed after a complex series of interactions between dental epithelial tissue and the underlying ectomesenchyme. Nonsyndromic amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is a rare genetic disorder affecting tooth enamel without other nonoral symptoms. In this study, we identified 2 novel ENAM mutations in 2 families with hypoplastic AI by whole exome sequencing. Family 1 had a heterozygous splicing donor site mutation in intron 4, NM_031889; c.123+2T>G. Affected individuals had hypoplastic enamel with or without the characteristic horizontal hypoplastic grooves in some teeth. Family 2 had a nonsense mutation in the last exon, c.1842C>G, p.(Tyr614*), that was predicted to truncate the protein by 500 amino acids. Participating individuals had at least 1 mutant allele, while the proband had a homozygous mutation. Most interestingly, the clinical phenotype of the individuals harboring the heterozygous mutation varied from a lack of penetrance to a mild hypoplastic enamel defect. We believe that these findings will broaden our understanding of the clinical phenotype of AI caused by ENAM mutations.
Soteria: Reflections on “Being With” finding ones way through psychosis
Authors: Jacobs Yana
Published: March 2018

A firsthand report by a staff member from Soteria House. It tells the story of how human connection, “being with” is an approach to well-being, finding one’s way through psychosis.
Leading the asset: Resilience training efficacy in UK policing
Authors: Hesketh Ian , Cooper Cary , Ivy Jonathan
Published: March 2018

This paper examines and reports on the efficacy of work-based personal resilience training in a provincial police force in the north of UK. Taking a contextual view, data is modelled from an ASSET survey (n = 350) that provides evidence of the manifestations and consequences of providing such input, in comparison with respondents who had no training and were in the same organisation. The findings support the use of such training programmes (Hesketh et al., 2015) for improving employee well-being and resilience by addressing the sources of stress and educating the workforce in how to deal with these stressors. This research provides compelling evidence that resilient individuals are better equipped to deal with the stressful nature of both policing and an uncertain working environment. This paper posits that effective leadership, a working environment congruent with employee well-being, and investment in resilience programmes for the workforce enhance subsequent organisational performance and are a marker of good practice.
As Thick as Thieves: Exploring Thomas Hobbes’ Critique of Ancient Friendship and its Contemporary Relevance
Authors: Slomp Gabriella
Published: March 2018

Recent decades have witnessed a revival of interest in ancient friendship both as a normative and as an explanatory concept. The literature concurs in holding Hobbes responsible for the marginalisation of friendship in political science and suggests that Hobbes devalued friendship because of his understanding of man. This article argues that although Hobbes’ appraisal of friendship hinges on his assumption that man is self-interested, his critique of normative friendship does not rest on that notion. Hobbes’ challenge to us is this: without foundation in the ‘truth’ (i.e. the ‘Good Life’) that underpinned ancient friendship, modern friendship, whether self-interested or selfless, cannot be assumed to be a civic virtue, nor an index of the health of a political association, nor a facilitator of domestic or global peace. Hobbes’ critique is especially relevant for writers who maintain that a resurgence of friendship can nurture concord and foster reconciliation within contemporary liberal democracies.
A Hotel of Her Own: Building by and for the New Woman, 1900-1930
Authors: Mandell Nikki
Published: March 2018

This article examines the little-known phenomenon of apartment hotels built for single middle- and upper-class women during the early decades of the twentieth century. Focusing on New York City, where the first and most influential of these residences opened, this study argues that upscale women’s apartment hotels severed the Victorian equivalency between home and family, and reconfigured home as a site of women’s independence and self-fulfillment. They also helped redefine women’s economic role; rather than engaging elite women as consumers of household goods, apartment hotels engaged them as consumers of housing and as real-estate developers. As women’s apartment hotels moved from amusing experiment to markers of twentieth-century modernity, they etched the New Woman’s individuality, ambitions, sexuality, and civic engagement into the urban landscape.
You Can’t See the Real Me: Attachment Avoidance, Self-Verification, and Self-Concept Clarity
Authors: Emery Lydia F. , Gardner Wendi L. , Carswell Kathleen L. , Finkel Eli J.
Published: March 2018

Attachment shapes people’s experiences in their close relationships and their self-views. Although attachment avoidance and anxiety both undermine relationships, past research has primarily emphasized detrimental effects of anxiety on the self-concept. However, as partners can help people maintain stable self-views, avoidant individuals’ negative views of others might place them at risk for self-concept confusion. We hypothesized that avoidance would predict lower self-concept clarity and that less self-verification from partners would mediate this association. Attachment avoidance was associated with lower self-concept clarity (Studies 1-5), an effect that was mediated by low self-verification (Studies 2-3). The association between avoidance and self-verification was mediated by less self-disclosure and less trust in partner feedback (Study 4). Longitudinally, avoidance predicted changes in self-verification, which in turn predicted changes in self-concept clarity (Study 5). Thus, avoidant individuals’ reluctance to trust or become too close to others may result in hidden costs to the self-concept.
Extending Social Learning Theory to Explain Victimization Among Gang and Ex-Gang Offenders
Authors: Gagnon Analisa
Published: March 2018

This study is among the first to extend and test social learning theory’s ability to understand property and violent victimization. It specifically tests whether aspects of definitions, differential reinforcement, and differential association/modeling can explain the three types of victimization of gang members: actual experience, perception of likelihood, and fear. The sample consists of over 300 male and female gang members incarcerated in jails throughout Florida. The results show that all three types of victimization can be explained by the three aspects of social learning theory.
Femicide: Psychosocial Characteristics of the Perpetrators in Turkey
Authors: Tosun Altınöz Şengül , Altınöz Ali Ercan , Utku Çisem , Eşsizoğlu Altan , Candansayar Selçuk
Published: March 2018

Female homicides are widely prevalent in Turkey with rising trend. The aim of this study is to identify gender role attitudes, childhood trauma histories, and individual characteristics of men who have been involved in the femicide, and to compare them with men who do not exercise violence against women. Participants completed a Sociodemographic and Clinical Information form, Semistructured Interview form, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Case group was not significantly different than the control group in terms of any measured individual characteristics including childhood traumas, psychopathology, and gender attitudes. Our data indicate that only migration history may be linked to femicide. A unique psychopathology that could be related to being a femicide perpetrator was not identified. Migration and perception of gender roles stand out as factors that separate men who exercise violence from men who do not.
Restorative Justice Conferencing: Not a Panacea for the Overrepresentation of Australia’s Indigenous Youth in the Criminal Justice System
Authors: Little Simon , Stewart Anna , Ryan Nicole
Published: March 2018

Restorative justice conferencing is a police diversionary strategy used extensively in Australian jurisdictions to channel young offenders away from formal court processing. Advocates view conferencing as culturally appropriate and a means to reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous young people because it is rooted in Indigenous justice traditions. However, whether conferencing is effective at reducing recidivism by Indigenous young people compared with non-Indigenous young people remains unknown. We examine this using a longitudinal cohort of youth offenders from Australia. Propensity score matching was used to match Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people at their first conference and examined reoffending outcomes to explore its efficacy at reducing recidivism ( n = 394). Results indicate that, despite statistically controlling for factors related to reoffending, recidivism levels postconference were significantly higher for Indigenous young people. These results suggest that conferencing is unlikely to address the problem of Indigenous overrepresentation within Australia’s youth justice system.
Intensive Care of Pulmonary Complications Following Liver Transplantation
Authors: Lui Justin K. , Spaho Lidia , Holzwanger Erik , Bui Rosa , Daly Jennifer S. , Bozorgzadeh Adel , Kopec Scott E.
Published: March 2018

Chronic liver disease has been associated with pulmonary dysfunction both before and after liver transplantation. Post-liver transplantation pulmonary complications can affect both morbidity and mortality often necessitating intensive care during the immediate postoperative period. The major pulmonary complications include pneumonia, pleural effusions, pulmonary edema, and atelectasis. Poor clinical outcomes have been known to be associated with age, severity of liver dysfunction, and preexisting lung disease as well as perioperative events related to fluid balance, particularly transfusion and fluid volumes. Delineating each and every one of these pulmonary complications and their associated risk factors becomes paramount in guiding specific therapeutic strategies.
The Impact of Opening a Medical Step-Down Unit on Medically Critically Ill Patient Outcomes and Throughput: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis
Authors: Gershengorn Hayley B. , Chan Carri W. , Xu Yunchao , Sun Hanxi , Levy Ronni , Armony Mor , Gong Michelle N.
Published: March 2018

Objective:

To understand the impact of adding a medical step-down unit (SDU) on patient outcomes and throughput in a medical intensive care unit (ICU).

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Two academic tertiary care hospitals within the same health-care system.

Patients:

Adults admitted to the medical ICU at either the control or intervention hospital from October 2013 to March 2014 (preintervention) and October 2014 to March 2015 (postintervention).

Interventions:

Opening a 4-bed medical SDU at the intervention hospital on April 1, 2014.

Measurements and Main Results:

Using standard summary statistics, we compared patients across hospitals. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we quantified the association of opening an SDU and outcomes (hospital mortality, hospital and ICU length of stay [LOS], and time to transfer to the ICU) after adjustment for secular trends in patient case-mix and patient-level covariates which might impact outcome. We analyzed 500 (245 pre- and 255 postintervention) patients in the intervention hospital and 678 (323 pre- and 355 postintervention) in the control hospital. Patients at the control hospital were younger (60.5-60.6 vs 64.0-65.4 years, P < .001) with a higher severity of acute illness at the time of evaluation for ICU admission (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score: 4.9-4.0 vs 3.9-3.9, P < .001). Using the difference-in-differences methodology, we identified no association of hospital mortality (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.81 [0.42 to 1.55], P = .52) or hospital LOS (% change [95% confidence interval]: −8.7% [−28.6% to 11.2%], P = .39) with admission to the intervention hospital after SDU opening. The ICU LOS overall was not associated with admission to the intervention hospital in the postintervention period (−23.7% [−47.9% to 0.5%], P = .06); ICU LOS among survivors was significantly reduced (−27.5% [−50.5% to −4.6%], P = .019). Time to transfer to ICU was also significantly reduced (−26.7% [−44.7% to −8.8%], P = .004).

Conclusions:

Opening our medical SDU improved medical ICU throughput but did not affect more patient-centered outcomes of hospital mortality and LOS.
Extended Mortality and Chronic Kidney Disease After Septic Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Chua Horng-Ruey , Wong Weng-Kin , Ong Venetia Huiling , Agrawal Dipika , Vathsala Anantharaman , Tay Hui-Ming , Mukhopadhyay Amartya
Published: March 2018

Purpose:

To evaluate 1-year mortality in patients with septic acute kidney injury (AKI) and to determine association between initial AKI recovery patterns ( reversal within 5 days, beyond 5 days but recovery, or nonrecovery) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression.

Methods:

Prospective observational study, with retrospective evaluation of initial nonconsenters, of critically ill patients with septic AKI.

Results:

We studied 207 patients (age, mean [SD]: 64 [16] years, 39% males), of which 56 (27%), 18 (9%), and 9 (4%) died in intensive care unit (ICU), post-ICU in hospital, and posthospitalization, respectively. Infections (including pneumonia) and major adverse cardiac events accounted for 64% and 12% of deaths, respectively. Factors independently associated with 1-year mortality include older age, ischemic heart disease, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, central nervous system or musculoskeletal primary infections, higher daily fluid balance (FB), and frusemide administration during ICU stay (all P < .05). Among 63 patients receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT), hospital mortality was higher with cumulative median FB >8 L versus ≤8 L at RRT initiation (57% vs 24%; P = .009); there was trend for less ICU- and RRT-free days at day 28 in patients with higher FB pre-RRT ( P = NS). Chronic kidney disease progression over 1 year developed in 21%, 30%, and 79% of 105 initial survivors with AKI reversal, recovery, and nonrecovery, respectively ( P < .001). Acute kidney injury nonrecovery during hospitalization independently predicted CKD progression ( P = .001).

Conclusions:

Patients with septic AKI had 40% 1-year mortality, mainly associated with infections. High FB and frusemide administration were modifiable risk factors. Risk of CKD progression is high especially with initial AKI nonrecovery.
Perceptions of Balanced Justice and Rehabilitation for Drug Offenders
Authors: Sloas Lincoln B. , Atkin-Plunk Cassandra A.
Published: March 2018

Drug courts were designed as a way to provide both rehabilitation and sanction-based approaches to drug offenders. Yet studies have not directly tested a “balanced” approach to justice for drug offenders. Drawing on the work of Mears, Pickett, and Mancini, this study adapts the philosophical tenets of juvenile courts into a drug court setting. This study uses multinomial logistic regression from a sample of 575 undergraduate criminology and criminal justice students from a large southern university to assess support for sanctioning approaches for nonviolent and violent drug offenders. Findings suggest that participants support a balanced justice approach to sanctioning violent drug offenders, whereas supporting a rehabilitation approach to sanctioning nonviolent drug offenders. The findings from this study highlight the importance of the public’s differing views on sanctioning drug-involved offenders.
‘Going Underground’: A Tube Worker’s Experience of Struggles over the Frontier of Control
Authors: Hughes Emma S , Dobbins Tony , Murphy Stephen
Published: March 2018

Mainstream media representation of London Underground (LU) workers typically foregrounds their alleged militancy, greed and negligence towards the travelling public. This knee-jerk tendency obscures the voices, expressions and experiences of workers themselves. This article enriches public sociology by giving Stephen, a Tube driver and former LU station worker, a platform to share his vivid story. Stephen’s voice reveals deep sociological insights into the realities of workplace struggles over the shifting ‘frontier of control’ at LU, and graphically captures uneven and fluid patterns of individual/collective resistance to restructuring and ‘modernization’. His lived experiences of managerial control and worker autonomy, interfacing with different degrees of alienation, new technology and customer engagement, have changed over time as ‘passengers’ become ‘customers’ and ‘give and take’ employment relations dwindle.
Evaluating Palliative Care Resources Available to the Public Using the Internet and Social Media
Authors: Claudio Celeste H. , Dizon Zoelle B. , October Tessie W.
Published: March 2018

Background:

Accessible information about palliative care available to the public on the Internet is growing. We do not know whether this information is consistent with the current accepted definition of palliative care.

Aim:

To identify resources on the Internet and social media regarding palliative care and evaluate the information conveyed.

Design:

A cross-sectional study of “palliative care” search results.

Setting:

Top 10 Google websites, top 10 most viewed YouTube videos, and social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter, were searched.

Results:

The most popular Google websites were mostly from national organizations promoting palliative care, whose definitions of palliative care consistently mention “quality of life” and “relief from symptoms and stress.” None of the websites mentioned children, and 77% cited palliative care as treatment for cancer with less focus on other diseases. No personal stories were included in Google websites, while 60% of YouTube videos included personal stories. Five main themes were generated from 266 YouTube video comments analyzed. The most common theme was emotionality, of which 91% were positive statements. Facebook and Twitter were mostly used by health-care professionals and not the public.

Conclusions:

Palliative care resources are mostly positive and consistent with the current definition of palliative care. Major Internet search engines such as Google and YouTube provide valuable insight into information the public receives about palliative care. Future development of Internet resources on palliative care should consider including children and emphasizing palliative care for all life-limiting illnesses.
Development of a Risk Tool to Support Discussions of Care for Older Adults Admitted to the ICU With Pneumonia
Authors: Satchidanand Nikhil , Servoss Timothy J. , Singh Ranjit , Bosinski Angela M. , Tirpak Penny , Horton Linda L. , Naughton Bruce J.
Published: March 2018

Background:

Early, data-driven discussion surrounding palliative care can improve care delivery and patient experience.

Objective:

To develop a 30-day mortality prediction tool for older patients in intensive care unit (ICU) with pneumonia that will initiate palliative care earlier in hospital course.

Design:

Retrospective Electronic Health Record (EHR) review.

Setting:

Four urban and suburban hospitals in a Western New York hospital system.

Participants:

A total of 1237 consecutive patients (>75 years) admitted to the ICU with pneumonia from July 2011 to December 2014.

Measurements:

Data abstracted included demographics, insurance type, comorbidities, and clinical factors. Thirty-day mortality was also determined. Logistic regression identified predictors of 30-day mortality. Area under the receiver operating curve (ROC) was calculated to quantify the degree to which the model accurately classified participants. Using the coordinates of the ROC, a predicted probability was identified to indicate high risk.

Results:

A total of 1237 patients were included with 30-day mortality data available for 100% of patients. The mortality rate equaled 14.3%. Age >85 years, having active cancer, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), sepsis, and being on a vasopressor all predicted mortality. Using the derived index, with a predicted probability of mortality >0.146 as a cutoff, sensitivity equaled 70.6% and specificity equaled 65.6%. The area under the ROC was 0.735.

Conclusion:

Our risk tool can help care teams make more informed decisions among care options by identifying a patient group for whom a careful review of goals of care is indicated both during and after hospitalization. External validation and further refinement of the index with a larger sample will improve prognostic value.
Photometric Evaluation in Adolescence of Patients With Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Treated With Nasoalveolar Molding and Primary Columella Lengthening
Authors: Meazzini Maria Costanza , Chiavenna Carlo , Autelitano Luca , Garattini Giovanna , Brusati Roberto
Published: March 2018

Objective:

Nasal stigma in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) are a short columella and a flattened nasal tip.

Design:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the aesthetics of adolescents with BCLP, operated with a modified Cutting primary columella lengthening technique, associated to a modified Grayson orthopedic nasoalveolar molding (NAM).

Setting and Patients:

72 BCLP patients were operated with this approach. Standardized photographic records were taken every 2 years. A group of 23 patients between 12 and 13 years of age was compared through normalized photogrammetry to a matched control of 23 noncleft adolescents.

Results:

Nasal protrusion and length of the columella were very close to normal. On the other hand, nasolabial angle and interalar width were still excessively wide compared to the noncleft sample.

Conclusions:

NAM and primary columella lengthening in BCLP has allowed to avoid traditional secondary columella lengthening at 5 to 6 years of age and given the patients a more pleasing, near-normal nasolabial appearance until adolescence. Some of the patients will require correction of the nasal width at a later stage.