bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Immune System in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Potential New Immunotherapeutic Strategies
Authors: Bertino Gaetano , Demma Shirin , Ardiri Annalisa , Proiti Maria , Malaguarnera Giulia , Bertino Nicoletta , Malaguarnera Mariano , Malaguarnera Michele
Published: March 2015

Background. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a major health problem worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. HCC treatment decisions are complex and dependent upon tumor staging. Several molecular targeted agents have been evaluated in clinical trials in advanced HCC. Despite of only modest objective response rates according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, several studies showed encouraging results in terms of prolongation of the time to progression, disease stabilization, and survival. Cellular immunotherapy would improve the immune state and has potential in enhancing the therapeutic outcome for HCC patients.Materials and Methods. A search of the literature was made using cancer literature, the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS) database for the following keywords: “hepatocellular carcinoma,” “molecular hepatocarcinogenesis,” “targeted therapy,” “molecular immunological targets,” “tumour-associated antigens,” “Tregs,” “MDSCs,” “immunotherapy.”Discussion and Conclusion. Treatment strategies combining blockade of immunoregulatory cell types such as Tregs and MDSCs and of inhibitory receptors, with vaccine-induced activation of TAA-specific T cells, may be necessary to achieve the most effective therapeutic antitumour activity in HCC. In the future, new therapeutic options will be represented by a blend of immunotherapy-like vaccines and T-cell modulators, supplemented by molecularly targeted inhibitors of tumor signaling pathways.
Benchmarking RCGAu on the Noiseless BBOB Testbed
Authors: Sawyerr Babatunde A. , Adewumi Aderemi O. , Ali M. Montaz
Published: March 2015

RCGAu is a hybrid real‐coded genetic algorithm with “uniform random direction” search mechanism. The uniform random direction search mechanism enhances the local search capability of RCGA. In this paper, RCGAu was tested on the BBOB‐2013 noiseless testbed using restarts till a maximum number of function evaluations (#FEs) of 105 × D are reached, where D is the dimension of the function search space. RCGAu was able to solve several test functions in the low search dimensions of 2 and 3 to the desired accuracy of 108. Although RCGAu found it difficult in getting a solution with the desired accuracy 108 for high conditioning and multimodal functions within the specified maximum #FEs, it was able to solve most of the test functions with dimensions up to 40 with lower precisions.
The Expression of TLR‐9, CD86, and CD95 Phenotypes in Circulating B Cells of Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis B or C before and after Antiviral Therapy
Authors: Zhao Ping-wei , Ma Liang , Ji Hui-fan , Yu Lei , Feng Jun-yan , Wang Juan , Liu Ming-yuan , Jiang Yan-fang
Published: March 2015

Aims. This study aimed to assess the differential expression of specific B cell subtypes in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Methods. The frequencies of differential expression of specific B cell subtypes in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and healthy controls were assessed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies specific for CD38, CD27, CD86, CD95, TLR‐9, and IgD. The effect of adefovir treatment on B cell subsets in HBV patients was determined. The values of clinical parameters in the patients were also measured. Results. The frequency of CD86+ B cells was not significantly different in chronic HBV patients but was higher in HCV patients compared with that in healthy controls. CD95 and IgD levels were lower in HBV and HCV patients than in healthy controls. A significant negative correlation occurred between the proportion of CD95+ B cells and HBV DNA viral load. The frequency of TLR‐9 on the B cells in HBV and HCV patients was higher compared with that of healthy controls. After treatment with adefovir, the frequency of CD95 and IgD expressed on B cells was increased in HBV patients. Conclusions. Activated B cells and exhausted B cells homeostasis were commonly disturbed in HBV and HCV patients.
Nutritional Recovery with a Soybean Diet after Weaning Reduces Lipogenesis but Induces Inflammation in the Liver in Adult Rats Exposed to Protein Restriction during Intrauterine Life and Lactation
Authors: Reis Sílvia Regina de Lima , Feres Naoel Hassan , Ignacio-Souza Leticia Martins , Veloso Roberto Vilela , Arantes Vanessa Cristina , Kawashita Nair Honda , Colodel Edson Moleta , Botosso Bárbara Laet , Reis Marise Auxiliadora de Barros , Latorraca Márcia Queiroz
Published: March 2015

We evaluated the effects of postweaning nutritional recovery with a soybean flour diet on de novo hepatic lipogenesis and inflammation in adult rats exposed to protein restriction during intrauterine life and lactation. Rats from mothers fed with protein (casein) in a percentage of 17% (control, C) or 6% (low, L) during pregnancy and lactation were fed with diet that contained 17% casein (CC and LC groups, resp.) or soybean (CS and LS groups, resp.) after weaning until 90 days of age. LS and CS rats had low body weight, normal basal serum triglyceride levels, increased ALT concentrations, and high HOMA‐IR indices compared with LC and CC rats. The soybean diet reduced PPARγ as well as malic enzyme and citrate lyase contents and activities. The lipogenesis rate and liver fat content were lower in LS and CS rats relative to LC and CC rats. TNFα mRNA and protein levels were higher in LS and CS rats than in LC and CC rats. NF‐κB mRNA levels were lower in the LC and LS groups compared with the CC and LC groups. Thus, the soybean diet prevented hepatic steatosis at least in part through reduced lipogenesis but resulted in TNFα‐mediated inflammation.
Time-Series Analysis of Continuously Monitored Blood Glucose: The Impacts of Geographic and Daily Lifestyle Factors
Authors: Doherty Sean T. , Greaves Stephen P.
Published: March 2015

Type 2 diabetes is known to be associated with environmental, behavioral, and lifestyle factors. However, the actual impacts of these factors on blood glucose (BG) variation throughout the day have remained relatively unexplored. Continuous blood glucose monitors combined with human activity tracking technologies afford new opportunities for exploration in a naturalistic setting. Data from a study of 40 patients with diabetes is utilized in this paper, including continuously monitored BG, food/medicine intake, and patient activity/location tracked using global positioning systems over a 4-day period. Standard linear regression and more disaggregated time-series analysis using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) are used to explore patient BG variation throughout the day and over space. The ARIMA models revealed a wide variety of BG correlating factors related to specific activity types, locations (especially those far from home), and travel modes, although the impacts were highly personal. Traditional variables related to food intake and medications were less often significant. Overall, the time-series analysis revealed considerable patient-by-patient variation in the effects of geographic and daily lifestyle factors. We would suggest that maps of BG spatial variation or an interactive messaging system could provide new tools to engage patients and highlight potential risk factors.
Investigation on the Effect of Underwater Acoustic Pressure on the Fundamental Mode of Hollow-Core Photonic Bandgap Fibers
Authors: Abdallah Adel , Chaozhu Zhang , Zhi Zhong
Published: March 2015

Recently, microstructured optical fibers have become the subject of extensive research as they can be employed in many civilian and military applications. One of the recent areas of research is to enhance the normalized responsivity (NR) to acoustic pressure of the optical fiber hydrophones by replacing the conventional single mode fibers (SMFs) with hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers (HC-PBFs). However, this needs further investigation. In order to fully understand the feasibility of using HC-PBFs as acoustic pressure sensors and in underwater communication systems, it is important to study their modal properties in this environment. In this paper, the finite element solver (FES) COMSOL Multiphysics is used to study the effect of underwater acoustic pressure on the effective refractive indexneffof the fundamental mode and discuss its contribution to NR. Besides, we investigate, for the first time to our knowledge, the effect of underwater acoustic pressure on the effective areaAeffand the numerical aperture (NA) of the HC-PBF.
Shift Work and Endocrine Disorders
Authors: Ulhôa M. A. , Marqueze E. C. , Burgos L. G. A. , Moreno C. R. C.
Published: March 2015

The objective of this review was to investigate the impact of shift and night work on metabolic processes and the role of alterations in the sleep-wake cycle and feeding times and environmental changes in the occurrence of metabolic disorders. The literature review was performed by searching three electronic databases for relevant studies published in the last 10 years. The methodological quality of each study was assessed, and best-evidence synthesis was applied to draw conclusions. The literature has shown changes in concentrations of melatonin, cortisol, ghrelin, and leptin among shift workers. Melatonin has been implicated for its role in the synthesis and action of insulin. The action of this hormone also regulates the expression of transporter glucose type 4 or triggers phosphorylation of the insulin receptor. Therefore, a reduction in melatonin can be associated with an increase in insulin resistance and a propensity for the development of diabetes. Moreover, shift work can negatively affect sleep and contribute to sedentarism, unhealthy eating habits, and stress. Recent studies on metabolic processes have increasingly revealed their complexity. Physiological changes induced in workers who invert their activity-rest cycle to fulfill work hours include disruptions in metabolic processes.
Synthesis of Chitosan Oligomers/Propolis/Silver Nanoparticles Composite Systems and Study of Their Activity againstDiplodia seriata
Authors: Matei Petruta Mihaela , Martín-Ramos Pablo , Sánchez-Báscones Mercedes , Hernández-Navarro Salvador , Correa-Guimaraes Adriana , Navas-Gracia Luis M. , Rufino Cassyo Araujo , Ramos-Sánchez M. Carmen , Martín-Gil Jesús
Published: March 2015

The synthesis and characterization of composites of oligomeric chitosan with propolis extract which allow the incorporation of a third component (silver nanoparticles) are reported, together with their application in aqueous or hydroalcoholic solutions with a view to the formation of adhesive substances or nanofilms for the protection of vineyards against harmful xylophagous fungi. The antimicrobial properties of the association of the two biological products or those resulting from the incorporation of silver nanoparticles (NPs) are studied and discussed. The efficacy of the chitosan oligomers/propolis/silver NPs ternary system is assessedin vitroforDiplodiafungi. A preliminary study on the convenience of replacing propolis with gentisic acid is also presented.
Clinical Manifestations of Herpes Zoster, Its Comorbidities, and Its Complications in North of Iran from 2007 to 2013
Authors: Babamahmoodi Farhang , Alikhani Ahmad , Ahangarkani Fatemeh , Delavarian Leila , Barani Hamidreza , Babamahmoodi Abdolreza
Published: March 2015

Background. Herpes zoster infection is a painful worldwide disease. Inappropriate and delayed treatment causes prolongation of the disease with debilitating symptoms and postherpetic neuralgia.Method. A cross-sectional study evaluated shingles cases admitted in a teaching hospital with one-year followup in north of Iran from 2007 to 2013.Results. From 132 patients, 60.4% were male. Head and neck involvement occurred in 78 people (59.1%), thoracoabdominal region in 37 cases (28%), and extremities in 16 cases (12.1%), and one case (0.8%) got multisites involvement. 54 cases (40.9%) had predisposing factors including diabetes mellitus in 26 cases (19.7%), malignancy in 15 (11.4%), immunosuppressive medication in 7 (5.03%), HIV infection in 3 (2.3%), radiotherapy in 2 (1.5%), and tuberculosis in one patient (0.8%). The most common symptoms were pain (95.5%), weakness (56%), fever (31.1%), headache (30.3%), ocular complaints (27.3%), itching (24.2%), and dizziness (5.3%). 21 cases (15.9%) had bacterial superinfection on blistering areas and overall 18 cases (13.6%) had opium addiction. 4 cases (3.03%) died during admission because of comorbidities. Postherpetic neuralgia was reported in 56 patients (42.5%) after three months and seven cases (5%) in one-year followup.Conclusion.Shortening interval between skin lesion manifestation and starting medication can accelerate lesion improvement and decrease disease course, extension, and complication.
A Reliability-Oriented Local-Area Model for Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Peng Haixia , Zhao Hai , Bi Yuanguo , Si Shuaizong , Cai Wei
Published: March 2015

Large-scale wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have demonstrated some complex features which are similar to those of other types of complex networks, such as social networks. Based on these complex features, evolution process and characteristic of WSNs, we represent a WSN topologically by building a suitable model, which is named as the reliability-oriented local-area model (ROLM) and aimed at improving the performance of WSNs. For analyzing the performance of the ROLM, we define the reliability as the probability of that the relative error between the measurement and the true value is equal to or less thanε  (ε≥0)and proposed a parameterηto measure the reliability of the network. Based on them, we useηto analyze the influence of network structure on the reliability, and compared the reliabilities of the ROLM and the existing WSNs. Experiment results prove that the large-scale WSN follows a power-law distribution, and it has scale-free characteristic and small world characteristic. And it also shows that, comparing with existing model, ROLM not only balances energy consumption by limiting the connectivity of each node to prolong the lifetime of the network, but also improves the reliability substantially. And the ROLM can be used to express the topology of reliability-oriented WSNs and analyze the structure preferably.
On Factorizations of Upper Triangular Nonnegative Matrices of Order Three
Authors: Chen Yi-Zhi
Published: March 2015

LetT3(N0)denote the semigroup of3×3upper triangular matrices with nonnegative integral-valued entries. In this paper, we investigate factorizations of upper triangular nonnegative matrices of order three. Firstly, we characterize the atoms of the subsemigroupSof the matrices inT3(N0)with nonzero determinant and give some formulas. As a consequence, problems 4a and 4c presented by Baeth et al. (2011) are each half-answered for the casen=3. And then, we consider some factorization cases of matrixAinSwithρ(A)=1and give formulas for the minimum factorization length of some special matrices inS.
Introduction to Louis Althusser, ‘Some Questions Concerning the Crisis of Marxist Theory and of the International Communist Movement’
Authors: Montag Warren
Published: March 2015

In July 1976, Althusser delivered a lecture in Spain on the topic of the dictatorship of the proletariat. At the moment that many Western European Communist parties sought formally or informally to distance themselves from the dictatorships of both West and East, Althusser proposed to examine the emergence of the concept of the proletarian dictatorship in a specificity. The debates of the mid-seventies, he argued, obscured or repressed the concept’s corollary: the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, a notion that made visible the forms of coercion and control characteristic of ‘bourgeois democracy’. To ignore the latter was to risk squandering the opportunities the conjuncture offered and suffer both political and theoretical regression.
The Governance of Economies and the Economics of Governance
Authors: Shams Safi
Published: March 2015

Nearly all fractions within the political, economic, and social spheres gave responses to the recent financial crisis. In broad terms, both left-leaning and right-leaning scholars and commentators presented their explanations for the crisis, with confident agendas defining ‘what is wrong’ and how to deal with it. However, as intellectual history shows us, most of those explanations were no less fascinating precisely because they shared more that they acknowledged. A major divide has been over the role of governments in coordinating markets, or, in the case of Roberts’sThe Logic of Discipline, the role of markets in coordinating governments. In this essay, I offer an overview of Alasdair Roberts’s arguments inThe Logic of Discipline. Gradually, I extend the examined issues beyond the state-market dichotomy, arguing that only in understanding the interactive force of the two can a systemic analysis of capitalism hope to be plausible.
Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty
Authors: Husson Michel
Published: March 2015

Thomas Piketty’s book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, provides a monumental database for the history of capitalism. But the author’s interpretation of these data is based on an inconsistent theoretical framework that constantly oscillates between two definitions of capital: either capital as accumulated drawing rights on the value created; or capital as a factor of production in the neoclassical tradition. Capital as a social relation is forgotten and the history of capitalism appears as an accounting mechanism.
Thomas Piketty and the Search for r
Authors: Roberts Michael
Published: March 2015

Thomas Piketty’s magnum opus on the accumulation and distribution of wealth over the last 200 years has been greeted with the biggest noise from mainstream (and heterodox) economics of any economics book. Piketty shows that inequality of wealth and income is inherent to capitalism and it is getting worse. The reason for the rise in the inequality of wealth is a rise of income going to capital in the form of profits, rent and interest. Inequality is not due to higher-skilled labour getting higher income than the lower-skilled. The central question for Piketty’s thesis is whether rising inequality is the central contradiction of capitalism and thus its gravedigger. Is it a tendency for a rising net return on capital (Piketty) or is it the tendency for a falling rate of profit (Marx) that is the key contradiction of capitalism in the twenty-first century?
Recovering Georg Lukács
Authors: Lopez Daniel
Published: March 2015

I reviewGeorg Lukács ReconsideredandGeorg Lukács: The Fundamental Dissonance of Existencefrom a Lukácsian point of view, informed by a close reading of his works from the 1920s. The essays in these books, despite their heterogeneity, contribute towards revivifying Lukácsian Marxism, both philosophically and literarily. Specifically, many of the contributors criticise Honneth’s appropriation of the theory of reification, rejecting readings of Lukács that hypostatise or reify aspects of his theory. They begin to explore Lukács’s labour-centred ontology and the resultant philosophy of praxis, most importantly, returning the emphasis to the mediations whereby reification is overcome as a process, in contrast to those who see him as a voluntarist or messianic thinker. This allows a deeper engagement with Lukács’s theory of politics. While I contend that the authors explore this insufficiently, I conclude that these two books signify an important rediscovery of Lukács.
Photogrammetric Analysis of the 2013 El Reno Tornado Combined with Mobile X-Band Polarimetric Radar Data
Authors: Wakimoto Roger M. , Atkins Nolan T. , Butler Kelly M. , Bluestein Howard B. , Thiem Kyle , Snyder Jeffrey , Houser Jana
Published: March 2015

This study presents rapid-scanning X-band polarimetric radar data combined with photogrammetry of the El Reno tornado of 31 May 2013. The relationship between the hook echo, weak-echo hole (WEH), weak-echo column (WEC), and the rotational couplet with the visual characteristics of the tornado are shown. For the first time, cross-correlation coefficient (ρhv) and differential reflectivity (ZDR) data are included in the photogrammetric analyses. The tornado was accompanied by a large tornadic debris signature (TDS) with a diameter ~2 km wide during the analysis time. The center of the TDS was not collocated with the WEH and the rotational couplet. Instead, the TDS was displaced ~1 km to the north and within the weak-echo notch of the hook echo. A “debris overhang” was identified in vertical cross sections of the ρhv fields. The overhang was located in a weak-echo trench and a notch of high ρhv, consistent with the position of the tornado updraft. The updraft was hypothesized to be carrying small debris particles to heights that produced the overhang signature. A U-shaped band of high ρhv and ZDR was resolved in a vertical cross section and positioned at the periphery of the WEC during one of the analysis times. It was proposed that the band formed as a result of hydrometeors encircling the WEC while being surrounded on all sides by relatively hydrometeor-free air. The characteristics of the scatterers within the WEC were resolved and believed to be composed of a low concentration of very small, randomly oriented, debris particles, even in the presence of strong centrifuging, and a general absence of hydrometeors.
Males’ mental health disadvantage: An estimation of gender-specific changes in service utilisation for mental and substance use disorders in Australia
Authors: Harris Meredith G , Diminic Sandra , Reavley Nicola , Baxter Amanda , Pirkis Jane , Whiteford Harvey A
Published: March 2015

Background:

Concerns about low levels of service utilisation for mental and substance use disorders in Australia – especially among males – have prompted targeted help-seeking and stigma-reduction initiatives. Resulting changes in service utilisation according to gender are unknown. We modelled the percentage of Australian males with a mental or substance use disorder who used services each year between 2006–2007 and 2011–2012, and the types of services they used, relative to females.

Methods:

Twelve-month prevalence of mental and substance use disorders, stratified by gender, was synthesised from existing estimates. The percentage of males and females with these disorders who used mental health services in each year from 2006–2007 to 2011–2012 was modelled from published programme activity data, supplemented by analyses of epidemiological survey data. Uncertainty analysis quantified the effects of sampling error and assumptions on the estimates.

Results:

Modelling showed a significant increase in the percentage of people with mental or substance use disorders who used services for their mental health – from 32.0% in 2006–2007 to 40.0% in 2011–2012 in males and from 45.1% in 2006–2007 to 54.6% in 2011–2012 in females. Growth was driven largely by uptake of private specialised services – males’ use of these services grew by 92.7% and females’ by 115.4%. There appeared to be a non-significant decrease in use of general practitioner-only mental health care for males (−17.9%), and a significant decrease in the same for females (−35.1%); however, some assumptions made in the modelling of general practitioner-only care require validation. In 2006–2007, the percentage of females treated was 40.9% higher than for males; in 2011–2012, it was 36.6% greater.

Conclusions:

Recently implemented initiatives have improved males’ likelihood of service utilisation, particularly their use of specialised mental health services. Although the gender gap may have narrowed, improving males’ access to services should remain a policy priority.
Stakeholder Relevance for Reporting
Authors: Guenther Edeltraud , Guenther Thomas , Schiemann Frank , Weber Gabriel
Published: March 2015

Although stakeholder theory is widely accepted in environmental disclosure research, empirical evidence about the role of stakeholders in firms’ disclosure is still scarce. The authors address this issue for a setting of carbon disclosure. Our international sample comprises the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Global 500, S&P 500, and FTSE 350 reports from 2008 to 2011, resulting in a total of 1,120 firms with 3,631 firm-year observations. The authors apply Tobit regressions to analyze the relationship between carbon disclosure and the relevance of the following stakeholder groups: government, general public, media, employees, and customers. Our results confirm that in addition to carbon performance, all stakeholders are associated with carbon disclosure. Only one stakeholder group (government) acts as a moderator for the relationship between carbon performance and carbon disclosure. Furthermore, the authors find that carbon performance but not the affiliation to a carbon-intensive industry acts as a moderator between stakeholder relevance and carbon disclosure.
Exploration of masculinities in academic organisations: A tentative typology using career and relationship commitment
Authors: O’Connor Pat , O’Hagan Clare , Brannen Julia
Published: March 2015

In the Irish context and internationally a good deal of attention has been paid to the performance of masculinity among school students. However with a small number of notable exceptions, relatively little attention has been paid to masculinities in academic organisations. Drawing on a qualitative study in one university, this article proposes a tentative typology of masculinities in such an organisation. This typology involves two axes: career commitment and relationship commitment (with respondents classified as strong or weak on each dimension). Four types of masculinities are identified: Type 1: Careerist masculinity: Strong career and weak relationship commitment; Type 2: Enterprising masculinity: Strong career and strong relationship commitment; Type 3: Pure scientific masculinity: Weak career and weak relationship commitment; Type 4: Family oriented breadwinning masculinity: Weak career and strong relationship commitment. The titles careerist masculinity and family oriented breadwinning masculinity reflect generic characteristics. The titles of the other two types reflect the data derived from this particular sample. Since one of the important contributions of this article is an understanding of masculinities in an academic organisation, labels which relate to that context have been used. Although three of these types modify hegemonic careerist masculinity, they all reflect the persistence of an underlying system of male privileging in the changing landscape of higher education. This typology is seen as potentially having implications for theories and practices of motivation and management in academic organisations.
Dental Follicle Cells Participate in Tooth Eruption via the RUNX2-MiR-31-SATB2 Loop
Authors: Ge J. , Guo S. , Fu Y. , Zhou P. , Zhang P. , Du Y. , Li M. , Cheng J. , Jiang H.
Published: March 2015

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is characterized by the runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) mutation, which results in delayed tooth eruption due to disturbed functions of dental follicle. Accumulating evidence has revealed a key regulatory circuit, including RUNX2, miR-31, and special AT-rich binding protein 2 (SATB2) acting in concert in mesenchymal stem cell homeostasis and functions. However, whether such a regulatory loop works in dental follicle cells (DFCs) remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the roles of RUNX2-miR-31-SATB2 in DFCs from patients with CCD (DFCs-CCD) to advance our understanding regarding physical tooth eruption. We identified a novel mutation on exon 5 (c.634T>G, p.T212P) in RUNX2 via exome sequencing in the CCD patient with typical clinical presentations. Compared with DFCs from healthy donors, DFCs-CCD displayed significantly lower osteogenic, osteoclast-inductive, and matrix-degrading capacities and had lower RUNX2 (a transcriptional inhibitor of miR-31), higher miR-31, and downregulated SATB2. Lower ratios of RANKL/OPG and RANKL/RANK, as well as decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), would lead to inactivation of osteoclasts and suppression of bone matrix remodeling in DFCs-CCD. Furthermore, the roles of the RUNX2-miR-31-SATB2 loop in DFCs-CCD were revealed by endogenous miR-31 knockdown, which resulted in increased SATB2 and RUNX2, as well as osteoclast-inductive and matrix degradation capacities. Conversely, SATB2, RUNX2, MMP9, MMP2, and osteoclast-inductive factors expression declined upon ectopic miR-31 overexpression in normal DFCs. Importantly, neonatal mice with in vivo siRUNX2 delivery exhibited less activated osteoclasts around dental follicles and delayed tooth eruption. Together, these results suggest that RUNX2 mutation/haploinsufficiency disturbs osteoclast-inductive signaling in DFCs, which may be responsible for delayed tooth eruption in CCD patients. Manipulation of the RUNX2-miR-31-SATB2 loop may be a potential way to facilitate tooth eruption in CCD patients.
Impact of Patient Compliance on Tooth Loss during Supportive Periodontal Therapy
Authors: Lee C.T. , Huang H.Y. , Sun T.C. , Karimbux N.
Published: March 2015

Periodontal treatment consists of active periodontal therapy (APT) and supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Regular SPT is recommended to prevent and control the occurrence of periodontal disease following APT. A patient’s compliance with SPT is considered one of the most important factors affecting long-term periodontal status. Tooth loss is generally considered the final outcome of periodontitis. This review aimed to analyze the relationship between patient compliance with regular SPT and tooth loss. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guideline for systematic reviews was used. A search of articles was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed) and other databases. Quality assessments of selected studies were performed. To assess the effect of compliance on tooth loss during SPT, pooled risk ratio of tooth loss (RRTL) was used as the primary outcome. Pooled risk difference of tooth loss (RDTL) and weighted mean difference of tooth loss rate (WDTLR) were used as secondary outcomes. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to evaluate the effects of different variables. In total, 710 articles were screened. Eight studies, which had a regular-compliance (RC) group and an erratic-compliance (EC) group with at least a 5-y follow-up period, qualified for the meta-analysis. The risk of tooth loss in the RC group was significantly lower than that in the EC group (pooled RRTL: 0.56 [confidence interval (CI): 0.38, 0.82]; pooled RDTL: –0.05 [CI: –0.08, –0.01]). The definition of compliance was a variable significantly related to risk ratio of tooth loss. Patients in the RC group had significantly lower tooth loss rate during SPT than did patients in the EC group (WDTLR: –0.12 [CI: –0.19, –0.05]). Teeth have less risk of being lost if patients are more compliant with supportive periodontal therapy. However, unidentified variables causing data heterogeneity and affecting the risk of tooth loss may have been present. More well-controlled prospective studies are needed in the future.
POEMS syndrome with opticneuritis as initial symptom: a case report
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Lu Weiping , Zhang Hong , Li Xiang
Published: March 2015

Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, M-protein and Skin changes syndrome is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome from a plasma cell dyscrasia, which most commonly presents with peripheral neuropathy.

We report a 30-year-old female with blurred vision and vision loss as reasons for her initial treatment; the patient was diagnosed with bilateral opticneuritis. Five months later, the patient started to have lower extremity numbness and fatigue. Initial laboratory tests did not reveal positive monoclonal immunoglobulin. Therefore, simple peripheral neuropathy was considered for diagnosis, and the patient was treated in the Department of Neurology in our hospital; however, the symptom was not alleviated. Seven months later, the patient showed symptoms of cough, dyspnea, along with rough skin, pigmentation and drooping of both feet. Chest CT revealed bronchiectasis and infection of lungs, destruction of thoracic bones and ribs. Further examination indicated that the patient had splenomegaly, hypothyroidism and monoclonal IgA-λ chain zone, which led to a clear diagnosis of Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, M-protein and Skin changes syndrome.
Air gap thickness and contact area in undershirts with various moisture contents: influence of garment fit, fabric structure and fiber composition
Authors: Frackiewicz-Kaczmarek Joanna , Psikuta Agnes , Bueno Marie-Ange , Rossi René M
Published: March 2015

The heat and water vapor transport in clothing results from fabric properties, air layers enclosed in the garment and environmental conditions. Accumulation of moisture in clothing layers intensifies this transport because of the change in thermal properties of wet fabrics and the size of air gap thickness and the contact area. This paper presents distribution of air gaps and contact areas in relation to various moisture contents in typical undershirts confectioned from fabrics with contrasting affinity to moisture. The effect of the undershirt fit, body region, fabric structure and fiber type is also discussed. The air gap thickness and the contact area were determined using three-dimensional scanning and the post-processing technique.

The results show that the influence of the moisture content on the sought parameters noticeably varied among body regions and was related to the regional fit of the clothing. This variation was larger in cotton than polyester undershirts or those containing spandex, but the direct relevance of the fabric structure was not clear. Although influence of the moisture content was found, the magnitude of the air gap thickness and the contact area resulted mainly from the garment fit.
Exploring geometric morphology in shape memory textiles: design of dynamic light filters
Authors: Cabral Isabel , Souto AP , Carvalho Helder , Cunha Joana
Published: March 2015

Thermo-responsive Shape Memory Alloys are able to adopt a temporary configuration and return to their programmed shape when heated to a determined activation temperature. The possibility to integrate them in textile substrates creates potential to develop smart textiles whose shape change explores functional and expressive purposes.

The aim of this research is to develop shape memory woven textiles in which dynamic behavior achieves predefined geometric shapes. The requirement of geometric morphology was addressed through origami techniques. Combining foldability properties with shape change, it is possible to design textile structures with a variable number of layers. Difference in light transmittance is analyzed according to layer variation. Experiments conducted explore methodological processes aimed at future developments in dynamic light filters research. The results highlight a process to design textiles with predefined geometric morphologies that can be activated electrically, and delineate a further study in order to improve the shape memory textile behavior.
Growing Up in Nationalist China
Authors: Moore Aaron William
Published: March 2015

The study of childhood and youth in modern China features few investigations that make engagement with personal documents by young people their focus. In order to understand how images of childhood and youth constructed by adults affected juvenile subjectivity, it is necessary to begin exploring how young people in China expressed themselves. This article first highlights the importance of youth in the Republican culture of mass education, when new opportunities for juvenile self-expression emerged. The success of the Northern Expedition, led by the Chinese Nationalist Party (Guomindang [GMD]), accelerated the spread of instructions for and publication of young people’s personal accounts. Finally, the article examines young people’s diaries, letters, and autobiographies ( zizhuan) during the Nationalist period to argue for a greater emphasis on the contribution of children and adolescents to the conceptualization of youth, and the unique image of “modern China” that their personal documents reveal.
Refleksjon over praksis i lys av empowerment – en fokusgruppeundersøkelse
Authors: Tveiten Sidsel , Onstad Ragnhild Flittie , Haukland Magne
Published: March 2015

The aim of this study was to develop knowledge of health care professionals’ interpretation of and experience of empowerment in psychiatric care. Patient participation is described as a central strategy in the health services according to the Norwegian political health reform White Papers. However, implementing patient participation is complicated especially in psychiatric practice. Twenty-nine health care professionals were selected to participate in four focus group discussions. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the transcript data. Two main categories were identified; system based legitimizing and discipline-based legitimizing, that describe two aspects that contribute to patient empowerment according to health care professionals. The complexity regarding practicing empowerment requires further research.
Alternative Hypothesis Testing Procedures for DIMTEST
Authors: Kieftenbeld Vincent , Nandakumar Ratna
Published: March 2015

Many commonly used item response models make the unidimensionality assumption of a single latent trait underlying the response data. The validity of this assumption needs to be tested before these models can be applied. One option is to use Stout’s non-parametric hypothesis test of essential unidimensionality, which is operationalized in the DIMTEST procedure. Although generally successful, Type I error rates of this procedure are usually deflated in small samples and inflated in large samples, while power can be low in small samples. A possible cause for the unfavorable Type I error rates and power may be that estimates of the sampling distribution, bias, and standard error of the test statistic are not sufficiently accurate in finite samples. In this study, five alternative hypothesis testing procedures were formulated that replace the (asymptotically correct) approximations in the current DIMTEST procedure with computational alternatives. The performance of these procedures was investigated in two simulation studies. One of these alternative procedures, which uses a conditional covariance statistic directly in a bootstrap hypothesis test, exhibited better controlled Type I errors and higher power than the current DIMTEST procedure in most conditions. Averaged over all sample sizes and correlations between two underlying dimensions, power increased by 5 percentage points for simple structure and by 7 percentage points for approximate simple structure.
Authority, resistance, and representing national values in the Brazilian television mini-series
Authors: Brennan Niall P
Published: March 2015

This article examines how politics, class, family, and morals form discourses of authority and resistance in the Brazilian television mini-series’ representations of national values. The Brazilian mini-series is first placed in a global perspective of genres and formats, including soap opera, the telenovela, the Brazilian series, and film. Following a methodological discussion, the article considers conceptualizations of authority, resistance, and national values within a critical framework, which anticipates how tensions of authority and resistance are represented in the Brazilian mini-series, and enables seeing how the practice of authorship becomes a contested site for television creators and critics of the Brazilian mini-series. The article concludes by arguing that tensions of authority and resistance in the mini-series’ representations of political, class, family, and moral frameworks reflect both historical and contemporary value-conflicts in Brazil. It also concludes by arguing that discourses surrounding production and critique of the television mini-series provide an understanding of the roles of authority and resistance in Brazil’s continuing negotiations of its national values.
Nurses’ Use of Computerized Clinical Guidelines to Improve Patient Safety in Hospitals
Authors: Hovde Birgit , Jensen Kari H. , Alexander Gregory L. , Fossum Mariann
Published: March 2015

Computerized clinical guidelines are frequently used to translate research into evidence-based behavioral practices and to improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this integrative review is to summarize the factors influencing nurses’ use of computerized clinical guidelines and the effects of nurses’ use of computerized clinical guidelines on patient safety improvements in hospitals. The Embase, Medline Complete, and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant literature published from 2000 to January 2013. The matrix method was used, and a total of 16 papers were included in the final review. The studies were assessed for quality with the Critical Appraisal Skills Program. The studies focused on nurses’ adherence to guidelines and on improved patient care and patient outcomes as benefits of using computerized clinical guidelines. The nurses’ use of computerized clinical guidelines demonstrated improvements in care processes; however, the evidence for an effect of computerized clinical guidelines on patient safety remains limited.
The Role of Obstruction Length and Height in Predicting Outcome of Velopharyngeal Surgery
Authors: Zhang Peng , Ye Jingying , Pan Chuxiong , Sun Nian , Kang Dan
Published: March 2015

Objective

To measure obstruction length and height using drug‐induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients and to evaluate their association with outcomes of velopharyngeal surgery.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

University medical center.

Methods

Forty‐three consecutive patients with OSA were evaluated by DISE using dexmedetomidine. The 2 new parameters, obstruction length (defined as the distance from the most superior point of the collapse to the most inferior point of the collapse) and obstruction height (the distance from the posterior border of the nasal septum to the most proximal point of the collapse), were measured by both DISE and a pressure transducer catheter method before surgery. All of the patients received velopharyngeal surgery, including revised uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with uvula preservation and transpalatal advancement pharyngoplasty. We followed up with all of the patients using polysomnography at least 3 months after surgery.

Results

Twenty‐six (60.5%) patients were responders, and 17 (39.5%) were nonresponders. The mean obstruction length and obstruction height were 1.3 ± 0.5 cm (range, 0.4‐2.2 cm) and 3.4 ± 0.9 cm (range, 1.1‐5.0 cm), respectively. Nonresponders had a longer obstruction length and a shorter obstruction value. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that obstruction length >1.4 cm (odds ratio [OR], 0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04‐0.98; P =. 048) and obstruction height ≥3.2 cm (OR, 9.35; 95% CI, 1.79‐48.80; P =. 008) were the only independent predictors of velopharyngeal surgery success.

Conclusions

Accurate measurement of obstruction length and height can be performed with both DISE and a pressure transducer catheter method. The 2 parameters can predict the outcome of velopharyngeal surgery.
Free Flaps in Head and Neck Reconstruction after Oncologic Surgery
Authors: Grammatica Alberto , Piazza Cesare , Paderno Alberto , Taglietti Valentina , Marengoni Alessandra , Nicolai Piero
Published: March 2015

Objective

To provide surgeons and clinicians with a critical review of microvascular reconstructive options and their expected outcomes after head and neck cancer resection in the elderly.

Data Sources

Medline, Isiweb, and Cochrane databases.

Review Methods

A literature search was performed in May 2014 and included studies published between 2000 and 2014. Keywords were used for articles identification, and inclusion criteria were defined for consideration in the present review.

Conclusions

Evaluation of the pertinent literature is hampered by a number of biases, such as a lack of general consensus of a definition of “elderly,” differences among scales used to quantify comorbidities, and subjective evaluation of flap‐related and systemic complications. However, our findings showed no differences in terms of free flap success, surgical complications, or mortality rate between older and younger patients. Moreover, recipient site complications do not seem to be affected by age.

Implication for Practice

Microvascular reconstruction in the elderly can be performed with high success rates, even though medical complications can occur more frequently compared to younger patients. Minor and major surgical complications in the elderly appear to be comparable to those in the younger population and do not affect final outcome or the perioperative mortality rate. Flap outcome does not seem to be significantly affected by age. Careful preoperative assessment and postoperative monitoring are mandatory to prevent adverse events, and prompt management is warranted whenever present.
Office‐Based Photoangiolytic Laser Treatment of Reinke’s Edema
Authors: Koszewski Ian J. , Hoffman Matthew R. , Young W. Greg , Lai Ying‐Ta , Dailey Seth H.
Published: March 2015

Objective

To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and voice outcomes of office‐based photoangiolytic laser treatment of Reinke’s edema.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Subjects and Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing office‐based laser treatment of endoscopy‐proven Reinke’s edema. Safety and tolerability were evaluated by reviewing complications. Voice outcomes were analyzed by comparing pre‐ and postprocedural acoustic, aerodynamic, and Voice Handicap Index measurements. Complete data sets were not available for all subjects; sample size for each parameter is reported with the corresponding result.

Results

Nineteen patients met inclusion criteria. There were no minor or major complications. Five procedures were truncated due to patient intolerance. Phonatory frequency range increased (n = 12, P =. 003), while percent jitter decreased (n = 12, P =. 004). Phonation threshold pressure decreased after treatment (n = 4, P =. 049). Voice Handicap Index also decreased (n = 14, P <. 001).

Conclusion

This study represents the largest series of patients undergoing office‐based photoangiolytic laser treatment specifically for Reinke’s edema. Our data suggest that this is a safe and effective modality to treat dysphonia associated with Reinke’s edema, although patient intolerance of the procedure may represent a barrier.