bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ectopic Fatty Acid–Binding Protein 4 Expression in the Vascular Endothelium is Involved in Neointima Formation After Vascular Injury
Authors: Fuseya Takahiro , Furuhashi Masato , Matsumoto Megumi , Watanabe Yuki , Hoshina Kyoko , Mita Tomohiro , Ishimura Shutaro , Tanaka Marenao , Miura Tetsuji
Published: September 2017

Background

Fatty acid‐binding protein 4 (FABP4) is expressed in adipocytes, macrophages, and endothelial cells of capillaries but not arteries.
FABP
4 is secreted from adipocytes in association with lipolysis, and an elevated circulating
FABP
4 level is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and atherosclerosis. However, little is known about the link between
FABP
4 and endovascular injury. We investigated the involvement of ectopic
FABP
4 expression in endothelial cells in neointima hyperplasia after vascular injury.

Methods and Results

Femoral arteries of 8‐week‐old male mice were subjected to wire‐induced vascular injury. After 4 weeks, immunofluorescence staining showed that
FABP
4 was ectopically expressed in endothelial cells of the hyperplastic neointima. Neointima formation determined by intima area and intima to media ratio was significantly decreased in
FABP
4‐defficient mice compared with that in wild‐type mice. Adenovirus‐mediated overexpression of
FABP
4 in human coronary artery endothelial cells (
HCAECs
) in vitro increased inflammatory cytokines and decreased phosphorylation of nitric oxide synthase 3. Furthermore,
FABP
4 was secreted from
HCAECs
. Treatment of human coronary smooth muscle cells or
HCAECs
with the conditioned medium of
Fabp4
‐overexpressed
HCAECs
or recombinant
FABP
4 significantly increased gene expression of inflammatory cytokines and proliferation‐ and adhesion‐related molecules in cells, promoted cell proliferation and migration of human coronary smooth muscle cells, and decreased phosphorylation of nitric oxide synthase 3 in
HCAECs
, which were attenuated in the presence of an anti‐
FABP
4 antibody.

Conclusions

Ectopic expression and secretion of
FABP
4 in vascular endothelial cells contribute to neointima formation after vascular injury. Suppression of ectopic
FABP
4 in the vascular endothelium would be a novel strategy against post‐angioplasty vascular restenosis.
Labetalol Use Is Associated With Increased In-Hospital Infection Compared With Nicardipine Use in Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Starr Jordan B. , Tirschwell David L. , Becker Kyra J.
Published: September 2017

Background and Purpose—

Increased sympathetic tone causes hypertension after intracerebral hemorrhage, and blood pressure reduction has been studied as a way to decrease hemorrhage growth and improve outcomes. It is unknown if the antihypertensive used to achieve blood pressure goals influences either. Because sympatholytic drugs reduce death and infection in animal models, we hypothesized that labetalol would improve outcomes compared with nicardipine.

Methods—

Prospective data from a single center were retrospectively reviewed. Patients receiving labetalol, nicardipine, or both during their first 3 days of hospitalization were included. Outcomes included in-hospital death; discharge modified Rankin Score >2; and in-hospital urinary tract infection, pneumonia, or bacteremia. Patients were compared with propensity scoring and analyzed with linear models adjusted for significant confounders.

Results—

Of 1066 admissions, 525 were treated with labetalol or nicardipine and are included; 229 (43.6%) received labetalol, 107 (20.4%) received nicardipine, and 189 (36.0%) received both. Mortality and infection rates were 40.2% and 15.8%, respectively, 77.2% had a modified Rankin Score >2. After adjustment, compared with nicardipine alone, labetalol alone was associated with infection (odds ratio, 3.12; confidence interval, 1.27–7.64;
P
=0.013) but not when combined with nicardipine (odds ratio, 2.44; confidence interval, 0.98–6.07;
P
=0.055). Labetalol, with or without nicardipine, was not associated with death or discharge modified Rankin Score >2.

Conclusions—

Compared with nicardipine, labetalol was associated with increased in-hospital infections, but not mortality or modified Rankin Score >2. These findings do not support our hypothesis that labetalol use improves outcomes relative to nicardipine in intracerebral hemorrhage.
Stereotactic Catheter Ventriculocisternostomy for Clearance of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Roelz Roland , Coenen Volker A. , Scheiwe Christian , Niesen Wolf-Dirk , Egger Karl , Csok Istvan , Kraeutle Rainer , Jabbarli Ramazan , Urbach Horst , Reinacher Peter C.
Published: September 2017

Background and Purpose—

Delayed cerebral infarction (DCI) is a major source of morbidity and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. We report a novel intervention—stereotactic catheter ventriculocisternostomy (STX-VCS) and fibrinolytic/spasmolytic lavage therapy—for DCI prevention. Outcomes of 20 consecutive patients are compared with 60 matched controls.

Methods—

On the basis of individual treatment decisions, STX-VCS was performed in 20 high-risk aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients admitted to our department between September 2015 and October 2016. Three controls matched for age, sex, aneurysm treatment method, and admission Hunt and Hess grade were assigned to each case treated by STX-VCS. DCI was the primary outcome. Mortality and mRS at rehabilitation discharge were secondary outcome parameters. The association between STX-VCS and DCI, mortality, and mRS was assessed by conditional logistic regression.

Results—

Stereotactic procedures were performed without surgical complications. Continuous cisternal lavage was feasible in 17 of 20 patients (85%). One adverse event because of cisternal lavage was without sequelae. DCI occurred in 25 of 60 (42%) controls and 3 of 20 (15%) patients with STX-VCS (odds ratio, 0.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.04–0.64). Mortality occurred in 20 of 60 (33%) controls and 1 of 20 (5%) patients with STX-VCS, respectively (odds ratio, 0.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.01 – 0.66). Favorable outcome (mRS≤3) at rehabilitation discharge was observed in 12 of 20 patients with STX-VCS (60%) versus 21 of 60 (35%) matched controls (odds ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.8–0.86).

Conclusions—

STX-VCS was feasible and safe in patients with severe aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Initial results indicate that DCI and mortality can be reduced, and neurological outcome may be improved with this method.
A new species of Leberis Smirnov, 1989 (Cladocera: Chydoridae) from Colombia
Authors: KOTOV ALEXEY A. , FUENTES-REINÉS JUAN M.
Published: September 2017

A new species of Leberis Smirnov 1989 (Cladocera: Chydoridae) is described based on the material from Ciénaga El Convento (Atlántico Department), Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (Magdalena Department), and Laguna Navío Quebrado (La Guajira Department), Colombia. In the Neotropics, Leberis colombiensis sp. nov. could be confused with L. davidi Richard, 1985. But the former differs from the latter in: (1) smaller size; (2) smaller post-pore distance; (3) gonopore region on male postabdomen un-inflated, not overhanging base of postabdominal claw; (4) shorter postanal portion of male postabdomen. Diversity of the genus worldwide is underestimated yet. We believe that more species of Leberis will be described in the future, i.e. after molecular genetic studies.
Phylogenetic relationships of Epidrepanus within the subtribe Drepanocerina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Oniticellini), with the description of two new species
Authors: ROGGERO ANGELA , STANBROOK ROISIN , JOSSO JEAN-FRANÇOIS , BARBERO ENRICO , PALESTRINI CLAUDIA
Published: September 2017

Two new Drepanocerina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Oniticellini) species were recently found among samples from Malawi and Kenya, and are here described as Epidrepanus nyika new species and Epidrepanus kenyensis new species. Previously, the Afrotropical genus Epidrepanus Roggero, Barbero & Palestrini, 2015 was known only for three species: Epidrepanus caelatus (Gerstaecker, 1871), E. pulvinarius (Balthasar, 1963), and E. schimperi (Janssens, 1953). Morphological features (head, pronotum, elytra, epipharynx, and hindwing) were analysed using geometric morphometrics, whose results confirmed that the two new species are closely related to the known Epidrepanus species. A combined phylogenetic approach with TNT software was used to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships within Drepanocerina, corroborating the taxonomic position of Epidrepanus as a well-differentiated taxon. The phylogenetic results were integrated with the distribution data, and then processed with dispersal-vicariance analysis using RASP (Reconstruct Ancestral State in Phylogenies), while the speciation mechanisms were highlighted using VIP (Vicariance Inference Program). Both biogeographical analyses confirmed that the central East Africa area was the ancestral area of Epidrepanus. The genus was then interested by two basal vicariant and subsequent multiple dispersal events, leading to the present-day distribution.
A new species of Murina (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from sub-Himalayan forests of northern Myanmar
Authors: SOISOOK PIPAT , THAW WIN NAING , KYAW MYINT , LIN OO SAI SEIN , PIMSAI AWATSAYA , SUAREZ-RUBIO MARCELA , RENNER SWEN C.
Published: September 2017

A new species of Murina of the suilla-type is described from the Hkakabo Razi Landscape, Kachin, Upper Myanmar, an area that is currently being nominated as a World Heritage Site. The new species is a small vespertilionid, with a forearm length of 29.6 mm, and is very similar to M. kontumensis, which was recently described from Vietnam. However, it is distinguishable by a combination of external and craniodental morphology and genetics. The DNA Barcode reveals that the new species clusters sisterly to M. kontumensis but with a genetic distance of 11.5%. A single known specimen of the new species was collected from a lowland forest area in the plains of the Hkakabo Razi landscape, south-eastern Himalaya. Additional information on ecology, echolocation, and conservation are included. The high cryptic diversity of the genus Murina in Southeast Asia, as well as the Hkakabo Razi Landscape being a bat diversity hotspot, is highlighted.
Determination of Rare Earth Elements in Geological Samples Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
Authors: Bhatt Chet R. , Jain Jinesh C. , Goueguel Christian L. , McIntyre Dustin L. , Singh Jagdish P.
Published: September 2017

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to detect rare earth elements (REEs) in natural geological samples. Low and high intensity emission lines of Ce, La, Nd, Y, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, and Dy were identified in the spectra recorded from the samples to claim the presence of these REEs. Multivariate analysis was executed by developing partial least squares regression (PLS-R) models for the quantification of Ce, La, and Nd. Analysis of unknown samples indicated that the prediction results of these samples were found comparable to those obtained by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis. Data support that LIBS has potential to quantify REEs in geological minerals/ores.
The Hangover: The Lasting Impact of Early Conflict on the Duration of Bargaining Relationships
Authors: Weinberg Bradley R.
Published: September 2017

Although studies have shown that employer opposition negatively affects the likelihood of success at the certification and first-contract stages, there is little to no indication of what the long-term impact of such opposition might be for relationships that successfully conclude a first agreement. Using survival analysis on nearly three decades of data from Ontario, this article investigates whether relationships that experience early conflict encounter a “hangover”—a heightened likelihood of dissolution—that extends into the representation phase of the process, meaning beyond the settlement of the first agreement. Using unfair labor practice charges and first contract arbitration applications as proxies for conflict, the author finds evidence of a hangover for relationships that exhibit a turbulent start. Further, findings suggest that relationships that experience this early conflict also have a higher likelihood of dissolution throughout the entire relationship.
The Affordable Care Act: How Nixon’s Health Reform Proposal Became Democrats’ Albatross
Authors: Woolhandler Steffie , Himmelstein David U.
Published: September 2017

President Obama’s signature health care reform, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), was passed in 2010 and fully implemented in 2014. Two years later, Republicans’ attacks on the ACA as a failed reform helped fuel their recent electoral victory. The legislation significantly expanded insurance coverage. But it was built on, and fortified, private health insurance firms, and it accelerated the corporate takeover of hospitals and physicians’ practices. This obeisance to corporate interests precluded making coverage universal or care affordable. As a result, the reform failed to address the grave health care problems faced by most working- and middle-class Americans and left many of them feeling betrayed by Democrats who oversold the ACA’s benefits.
“It’s Totally Destroyed Our Life”
Authors: Premji Stephanie
Published: September 2017

Precarious employment is rapidly growing, but qualitative data on pathways to and mechanisms for health and well-being is lacking. This article describes the cumulative and intersecting micro-level pathways and mechanisms between precarious employment and health among immigrant men and women in Toronto. It draws on semi-structured interviews conducted in 2014 with 15 women and 12 men from 11 countries of origin. The article describes how precarious employment, conceptualized by workers as encompassing powerlessness, economic insecurity, work for multiple employers, nonstandard and unpredictable schedules, hazardous working conditions, and lack of benefits and protections, negatively impacts workers’ physical and mental health as well as that of their spouses or partners and children. It documents pathways to health and well-being, including stress, material and social deprivation, and exposure to hazards, as well as commuting difficulties and childcare challenges. Throughout, gender and migration are shown to influence experiences of work and health. The findings draw attention to dimensions of precarity and pathways to health that are not always highlighted in research and discourse on precarious employment and provide valuable insights into the vicious circle of precarious employment and health.
“Dark Newnesses”: The Failures of Joseph Anton
Authors: O’Gorman Daniel
Published: September 2017

Salman Rushdie’s 2012 memoir, Joseph Anton, marks a turning point in his career. While his earlier work celebrated “cultural translation” and the emergence of “newness” into the world, this book expresses reservations. “The arrival of the new was not always linked to progress”, Rushdie writes, “Men found new ways of oppressing one another, too, new ways of unmaking their best achievements and sliding back towards that primal ooze; and men’s darkest innovations, as much as their brightest ones, confused their fellow men”. These “dark newnesses”, as he calls them, “were innovations that came into being in the name of a totalizing ideology, an absolute ruler, an unarguable dogma, or a god”. However, despite this turn towards a more binary worldview, the complexity of Rushdie’s earlier writing refuses to be completely stifled, and this article argues that Joseph Anton is ultimately unable to persuasively follow through on its rhetoric of a world simplistically torn between newnesses “bright” and “dark”. Although frequently relying on binary language, it is precisely the memoir’s patent failure to convincingly represent the world in such starkly simplistic terms that, inadvertently, renders it valuable in foregrounding the nuances of post-9/11 identity politics that its author ostensibly seeks to deny.
“The Man Who Would Be Popular”: An Analysis of Salman Rushdie’s Twitter Feed
Authors: Ravy Tawnya
Published: September 2017

In September 2011, Salman Rushdie joined the popular social network Twitter. What initially began as an experiment to tweet a narrative in 140 characters became an intensely dynamic platform for engaging with the public and cultivating an authorial persona for the well-known author. By early 2015, Rushdie had nearly 700,000 Twitter followers and regularly appeared in news media for his Twitter content. Shortly after joining Twitter, Rushdie eagerly demonstrated his knowledge of the platform and has involved some of his 1.25 million followers in debates and conversations about a wide range of issues from the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns to gun control. More than just an interesting glimpse into Rushdie’s everyday thoughts, his Twitter feed is a valuable archive. By applying qualitative discourse analysis to Rushdie’s Twitter feed, patterns in Rushdie’s use of the social network emerge, revealing some of the ways in which he attempts to engage readers, defend his positions, and cultivate his authorial legacy. This article develops careful categorization of concepts and themes which emerge from a review of Rushdie’s tweets. Applying discourse analysis to this data will enable scholars to make valuable connections between analyses of Rushdie’s published work and his social media persona. In particular, this study looks at the ways in which this noted author is attempting to disseminate his message, inhabit his role as a celebrity author, and shape his authorial legacy.
Ethnic Socialization and Perceived Discrimination on Ethnic Identity Among Transracial Adoptees: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between Italy and the United States
Authors: Ferrari Laura , Hu Alison W. , Rosnati Rosa , Lee Richard M.
Published: September 2017

There is limited research on how ethnic socialization and perceived discrimination concurrently contribute to ethnic identity development among transracial adoptees, and few studies have investigated these relationships across national contexts. Drawing upon the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST) of human development, we examined the extent to which parental ethnic socialization and perceived discrimination as micro-level variables contribute to ethnic identity development among internationally adopted youth. Two different national contexts, the United States and Italy, as macro-level variables were examined as a potential moderator of these associations. Participants were 122 transracial adoptees living in the United States and 101 living in Italy (aged 15-20 years). In addition to adoptee survey reports, adoptive mothers completed a matching survey. Multisample structural equation modeling demonstrated parental ethnic socialization positively contributed to ethnic identity development in both groups. Cross-cultural differences emerged concerning the role of perceived discrimination. The ethnic identity of adoptees in Italy was negatively related to perceived discrimination, whereas there was no significant association among the adoptees in the United States. These findings highlighted the role of micro- and macro-levels of context in the ethnic identity development of internationally adopted youth.
A photograph-based approach for visual simulation of wrapped Jacquardtronic lace
Authors: Li Xinxin , Jiang Gaoming , Zhang Aijun , Chen Jonathan Y
Published: September 2017

A computing approach is proposed in this paper to simulate wrapped Jacquardtronic® lace appearance based on wrapped yarn photographs. The approach focuses on the determination of yarn color distribution functions using yarn photographs and extracted hue, saturation and value meshes in HSV color mode. Section curves of these meshes are fitted with a piecewise linear fitting algorithm and least-squares method to respectively describe the distribution functions of dull, semi-dull and shinning wrapped yarns. A modified depth-buffer method is also selected for visible lapping detection when dealing with multi-bar lapping coverage on the simulation plane. With the photograph-based approach, a simulator is implemented for visualization of wrapped Jacquardtronic lace via the Visual C++ programming language. It is confirmed that the developed method is capable of simulating sophisticated wrapped Jacquardtronic® lace with a superior stereoscopic impression and high efficiency.
From Misperception to Social Connection: Correlates and Consequences of Overestimating Others’ Social Connectedness
Authors: Whillans Ashley V. , Christie Chelsea D. , Cheung Sarah , Jordan Alexander H. , Chen Frances S.
Published: September 2017

Two studies document the existence and correlates of a widespread social belief, wherein individuals who have recently moved to a new social environment see their peers as more socially connected than they themselves are. In Study 1, the prevalence of this belief was documented in a large sample of first-year students ( N = 1,099). In Study 2, the prevalence of this social belief was replicated in a targeted sample of university students ( N = 389). Study 2 also documented both positive and negative implications of this belief. Specifically, at any given time, students who believed that their peers were more socially connected reported lower well-being and belonging. Over time, however, the belief that one’s peers are moderately more socially connected than oneself was associated with more friendship formation.
Bureaucratic Effectiveness and Civil Rights Enforcement
Authors: Bullock Charles S. , Wilk Eric M. , Lamb Charles M.
Published: September 2017

This article compares federal, state, and local civil rights agencies’ effectiveness in enforcing the Fair Housing Act. Two factors primarily define effective enforcement: whether agencies’ conciliation efforts are more likely to lead to agreements between the parties involved in complaints and whether agencies are more likely to provide remedies to complainants in cases in which there is cause to believe discrimination occurred. The analysis shows that state and local agencies are generally more effective than the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) both at conciliating complaints and at providing remedies. HUD does appear to be more effective than state and local agencies in terms of the dollar amount of monetary relief awarded when successful conciliations occur, but HUD’s remedial effectiveness disappears after controlling for the likelihood of successful conciliations.
Cement fragment from hip arthroplasty causing deep femoral artery pseudoaneurysm
Authors: Gorospe Luis , Tobío-Calo Ricardo , Rodríguez-Díaz Ricardo , Gómez-Barbosa Carol Fernanda , García Gómez-Muriel Isabel , García-Latorre Raquel
Published: September 2017

An 81-year-old woman who had undergone total hip arthroplasty 12 years earlier presented with a painful spontaneous hematoma in the proximal left thigh. A left hip radiograph showed a displaced cement fragment from the acetabular component of the hip prosthesis. Computed tomography confirmed an extruded cement fragment causing a large pseudoaneurysm of the deep femoral artery. The patient underwent successful percutaneous embolization of the pseudoaneurysm with coils.
Direct axillary artery cannulation in cardiac surgery: clinical outcomes
Authors: Hysi Ilir , Renaut Carlos , Fabre Olivier
Published: September 2017

Objective

Axillary artery cannulation is still regarded with distrust by surgeons because the artery is supposed to be fragile, difficult to access, and its cannulation is often considered time-consuming. This study was carried out to assess our results in a series of patients, using a simplified surgical approach to axillary artery cannulation.

Methods

Data were collected retrospectively from our prospective database. All patients operated on in our department between January 2004 and October 2016 and scheduled for various cardiac procedures with direct axillary artery cannulation were included in this study. In this twelve-year period, 246 patients had direct axillary artery cannulation during a cardiac surgical procedure. The mean age was 67.3 ± 14.7 years. The artery was approached at the level of the deltopectoral groove and cannulated by the direct Seldinger technique.

Results

The main indications for axillary artery cannulation were: right minithoracotomy aortic valve replacement ( n = 93), aortic dissection ( n = 57), extracorporeal life support ( n = 36), transarterial valve replacement ( n = 27), ascending aortic aneurysm ( n = 16), and others ( n = 17). The cannulation was right-sided in 90.6% of patients. Axillary cannulation-related morbidity was 6.1%. Axillary cannulation-related mortality was 0.8% (2 patients).

Conclusions

The axillary artery is a reliable site for rapid cannulation, carrying a low risk of morbidity and mortality. Our findings show that this artery is solid and can be very useful in everyday cardiac surgical practice.
Oral paracetamol versus oral ibuprofen for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus
Authors: Al-lawama Manar , Alammori Iyad , Abdelghani Tariq , Badran Eman
Published: September 2017

Objective

This study was performed to investigate the safety and efficacy of oral paracetamol versus oral ibuprofen in the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature infants.

Methods

Premature infants with PDA with a gestational age of ≤32 weeks or birth weight of ≤1500 g were included in this randomized study.

Results

A total of 120 premature infants fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these 120 infants, 34 fulfilled the treatment criteria and 22 were finally randomized. We found no significant difference in the mortality or primary closure rates between the two groups. We also found no significant difference in the short-term neonatal outcomes.

Conclusions

Either oral paracetamol or oral ibuprofen can be used safely and effectively to treat PDA in premature infants.
Ilizarov technique combined with limited adjunctive surgical procedures for correction of relapsed talipes equinovarus in children
Authors: Wang Xiao-Jian , Chang Feng , Su Yun-Xing , Wei Xiao-Chun , Wei Lei
Published: September 2017

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using the Ilizarov invasive distraction technique combined with limited surgical operations in the treatment of relapsed talipes equinovarus in children.

Methods

This retrospective study analysed the outcomes of paediatric patients with relapsed talipes equinovarus who were treated with the Ilizarov technique with moderate open limited soft tissue or bony operations. The International Clubfoot Study Group (ICFSG) classification system score was used to evaluate the deformities before and after surgery.

Results

The study evaluated 16 feet in 14 patients (nine boys). The correction time ranged from 6 to 12 weeks. The mean duration of frame application was 5.9 months. The gait was improved significantly in all patients. At final follow-up, the mean ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion ranges were 8.3° and 34.6°, respectively. The talocalcaneal angle improved from 10.0° preoperatively to 28.3° postoperatively in the anteroposterior plane; and from 4.1° preoperatively to 42.1° postoperatively in the lateral plane. The differences in the angle of plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, range of motion of the ankle joint and talocalcaneal angles pre- and postoperation were significant.

Conclusions

These current findings suggest that the Ilizarov technique combined with limited surgery effectively corrects relapsed talipes equinovarus in children.
Gender Differences in Intimate Partner Violence in Current and Prior Relationships
Authors: Ahmadabadi Zohre , Najman Jackob M. , Williams Gail M. , Clavarino Alexandra M. , d’Abbs Peter
Published: September 2017

Although much available research indicates that intimate partner violence (IPV) is male perpetrated, growing recent evidence suggests a gender symmetry model of family violence. This article examines gender differences in IPV in current and prior relationships reported by young adults. Data comprised 2,060 young adults (62.1% females) who participated in the 30-year follow-up of the Mater Hospital and University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) in Brisbane, Australia. The Composite Abuse Scale was used to measure IPV during the last 12 months in the respondents’ most recent relationship. Similar proportions of males and females reported leaving their prior relationships. Both males and females who were not currently in a relationship reported experiencing much higher rates of IPV than those who were in a relationship. There were no differences in the past experience of IPV between males and females who were not currently in a relationship, but males in a current relationship reported they experienced most forms of IPV more often than did females. IPV typically involves both male and female perpetrators and victims. It does appear that the majority of relationships involving higher rates of IPV were dissolved. IPV was more likely to have occurred in relationships that ended than in relationships that persisted. Males more often remain in an abusive relationship and report experiencing higher rates of IPV in their current relationships compared with females.
Domestic Violence in Arab Society: A Comparison of Arab and Jewish Women in Shelters in Israel
Authors: Ben-Porat Anat , Levy Drorit , Kattoura Ola , Dekel Rachel , Itzhaky Haya
Published: September 2017

The aim of the current study was to address a gap in the literature by determining prevalence, specific types of violence, and risk factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Israeli born Arab women compared with Israeli born Jewish women. The following measures were compared: demographic and socioeconomic measures; measures relating to the characteristics of the violence, that is, the three types of violence (physical, emotional, and verbally threatening), sense of danger, and history of violence in childhood; family support levels; and perpetrator characteristics. The sample consisted of 154 Israeli born Arab women and 149 Israeli born Jewish women who were staying in shelters for victims of domestic violence in Israel. A comparison of the two groups revealed that the Arab women were exposed to more physical violence and received less family support than did their Jewish counterparts. The proportion of Arab perpetrators with access to weapons was higher than that of Jewish perpetrators, whereas the proportion of police complaints against Jewish perpetrators was higher than that against Arab perpetrators. Arab women were also younger, less educated, and less a part of the workforce than Jewish women. The contribution of the woman’s age to the variance in levels of physical violence was negative and significant. In contrast, the contribution of her sense of danger, and various perpetrator characteristics, was positive. Moreover, the interaction between sense of danger × ethnicity contributed significantly to levels of violence. This study extends the existing knowledge about the contribution of ethnicity as one of many variables that play a role in the lives of women who are victims of domestic violence and highlights the need to develop, in particular, unique individual, community, and social interventions for Arab women in Israeli society.
Governing aid from China through embedded informality: Institutional response to Chinese development aid in Laos
Authors: Aroonpipat Sunida
Published: September 2017

This study explores how Laos PDR has its adjusted institutional settings in response to China’s aid. The study argues that the donor-oriented approach is not sufficient to explain Chinese overseas development assistance (ODA) to Laos. An alternative explanation, using a recipient-oriented approach, is instead presented so that the divergence of necessity, development paths and norms, and attempts of the recipient country to change its institutional structure in response to the operation of the donor, can enhance understanding of the characteristics of Chinese aid to Laos. The study demonstrates that although Laos has attempted to systematically institutionalize the administration of ODA, the institutional configuration of Chinese ODA is informally embedded and based on flexible strategy, limited transparency, and personal relationships. Chinese ODA disbursements are open to negotiation, even if the purpose of ODA projects contradicts Chinese policy. The ODA framework developed by Laos is limited in transparency and depends on the preferences of donors. This study illustrates that personal relationships have affected the smooth implementation of projects. Such ‘embedded informality’ helps facilitate positive perceptions of high-ranking Laotian government officials towards Chinese ODA in terms of responsiveness to the latter country’s land link strategy, fast project approval periods, and high predictability of project approvals.
Educational Attainment and Personality Are Genetically Intertwined
Authors: Mõttus René , Realo Anu , Vainik Uku , Allik Jüri , Esko Tõnu
Published: September 2017

Heritable variance in psychological traits may reflect genetic and biological processes that are not necessarily specific to these particular traits but pertain to a broader range of phenotypes. We tested the possibility that the personality domains of the five-factor model and their 30 facets, as rated by people themselves and their knowledgeable informants, reflect polygenic influences that have been previously associated with educational attainment. In a sample of more than 3,000 adult Estonians, education polygenic scores (EPSs), which are interpretable as estimates of molecular-genetic propensity for education, were correlated with various personality traits, particularly from the neuroticism and openness domains. The correlations of personality traits with phenotypic educational attainment closely mirrored their correlations with EPS. Moreover, EPS predicted an aggregate personality trait tailored to capture the maximum amount of variance in educational attainment almost as strongly as it predicted the attainment itself. We discuss possible interpretations and implications of these findings.
Sediment geochronology for bar-built estuaries subject to flood deposition and erosion: A robust multiproxy approach across an estuarine zone
Authors: Gallagher John B , Ross Donald J
Published: September 2017

This paper presents a contiguous late Anthropocene 210Pb sediment geochronology and a late Anthropocene flood/fire event geochronology for an estuary subject to flood deposition and erosion. The procedure used multiple proxies to identify and evaluate flood facies overlying regions of erosion. Reconstructions of the original baseline sediments were undertaken for the major 210Pb geochronological methods. Only the lower estuary core site, which was deficient in inventory of excess 210Pb of baseline sediments, over the expected atmospheric supply for, was chosen to calculate the total amount of erosion. Erosion, as both cumulative mass and thickness, was then proportioned across flood events, relative to the size of the Rp index flood signal. The Rp index is the product of a simple stepwise thermogravimetric procedure. The flood geochronology was constructed by correlating the relative magnitudes of pivotal floods from an existing 100-year rainfall/river flow model and correlations in peak sediment char content outside of the flood facies with contemporary fire records. Overall, it was determined that 210Pb sediment isotope tomography gave the closest convergence with flood and fire events over those of the constant rate of supply and constant initial concentration methods. The agreement signified that around 40% of the original baseline accretion (25 cm) had been eroded by floods over the last 83 years and that there was possibly considerably more erosion at the upper site, which led to the loss of two flood facies.
Ethical tensions: A qualitative systematic review of new graduate perceptions
Authors: Hazelwood Tori , Murray Carolyn M , Baker Amy , Stanley Mandy
Published: September 2017

Background:

New graduate transition into the workforce is challenging and can involve managing ethical tensions. Ethical tensions cause new graduates to doubt their capabilities due to their lack of experience. To support new graduates, we need to know what these ethical tensions are.

Objectives:

To explore the ethical tensions perceived to occur in practice for new graduate health professionals.

Research design:

This qualitative systematic review involved a search of five databases (Medline, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL and Scopus) which resulted in the retrieval of 3554 papers. After the two-phased screening process, eight studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria and had rich data on the review question. Articles were read several times, critically appraised and analysed through thematic analysis.

Ethical considerations:

No ethical approval was required for the systematic review. The review was conducted following well-established reporting guidelines enabling transparency and rigour.

Findings:

Studies originated from Australia, United States, Iran and China. One study included speech pathologists and seven were with nurses. Four themes included the following: (1) enduring an unknown workplace culture that generates uncertainty without support for new graduates; (2) being vulnerable because of distress from bullying, exclusion and being a scapegoat; (3) constraining systems and institutional restrictions that cause dilemmas; and (4) experiencing disillusionment from lost ideals about ethical practice.

Discussion:

This review has brought to light the vulnerability of new graduates to negative workplace culture and collegial incivility. In addition, new graduates are subjected to ethical tensions created by institutional constraints which can create dilemmas and uncertainties through practice that does not align with what they anticipated.

Conclusion:

Understanding ethical tensions experienced by new graduates enables provision of informed support. There needs to be considerable cultural change for orientation and socialisation of new graduates to enable them to learn and manage ethical tensions.
Book Review: Pritam Singh, Asha Bhandakar and Snigdha Rai, The Leadership Odyssey: From Darkness to Light
Authors: Sharma Lalit
Published: September 2017

Pritam Singh, Asha Bhandakar and Snigdha Rai, The Leadership Odyssey: From Darkness to Light, New Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2016, 364 pp.
Book Review: Robin Banerjee, Who Cheats and How? Scams, Fraud and the Dark Side of the Corporate World
Authors: Dwivedi Amit Kumar
Published: September 2017

Robin Banerjee, Who Cheats and How? Scams, Fraud and the Dark Side of the Corporate World, New Delhi, SAGE Publications, 2015, 338 pp.
Investment Flows from Japan and China to South Asia: Are They Matching with the Economic Prospects of the Region?
Authors: Barai Munim K.
Published: September 2017

In 2013, China and Japan accounted for about 16.8 per cent of world’s outward investment and 6.1 per cent of outstanding FDI stocks. Due to underlying objectives and strategies, they seem to differ in selecting economies for their investment. While the Japanese investors invest distinctively more in the developed economies, the Chinese investors invest mainly in the developing countries. This article, however, looks into the Chinese and Japanese investment in the South Asian economies and finds that they are yet to channel any significant amount of FDI to this region. This contrasts the investment positions that the Chinese and Japanese investors have followed in the economies of East and Southeast Asia. At the moment, Japan has much higher investment stocks than China’s in South Asia, though the Chinese investment in the region is catching up. However, the article argues that investments from these two major investing countries have not matched with the economic growth record and prospects of the region. In fact, most of the countries in the SAARC have the potential to grow more quickly than many other parts of the world, and Japan and China should take notice of this fact while devising their investment approach.
Self-Reported Height and Weight in Oceanian School-Going Adolescents and Factors Associated With Errors
Authors: Frayon Stéphane , Cavaloc Yolande , Wattelez Guillaume , Cherrier Sophie , Lerrant Yannick , Galy Olivier
Published: September 2017

We examined the accuracy of self-reported weight and height in New Caledonian school-going adolescents. Self-reported and measured height and weight data were collected from 665 adolescents of New Caledonia and were then compared. Multivariable logistic regressions identified the factors associated with inaccurate self-reports. Sensitivity and specificity of self-reported body mass index values to detect overweight or obesity were evaluated. Self-reported weight was significantly lower than measured weight (boys, −3.56 kg; girls, −3.13 kg). Similar results were found for height (boys, −2.51 cm; girls, −3.23 cm). Multiple regression analyses indicated that the difference between self-reported and measured height was significantly associated with ethnicity and pubertal status. Inaccurate self-reported weight was associated with socioeconomic status, place of residence, body-size perception and weight status. Screening accuracy of self-reported body mass index was low, particularly in the Melanesian subgroup. These findings should be considered when overweight is estimated in the Melanesian adolescent population at individual scale.
Comparison of whole genome sequencing to restriction endonuclease analysis and gel diffusion precipitin-based serotyping of Pasteurella multocida
Authors: LeCount Karen J. , Schlater Linda K. , Stuber Tod , Robbe Austerman Suelee , Frana Timothy S. , Griffith Ronald W. , Erdman Matthew M.
Published: September 2017

The gel diffusion precipitin test (GDPT) and restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) have commonly been used in the serotyping and genotyping of Pasteurella multocida. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis has become the gold standard for other organisms, offering higher resolution than previously available methods. We compared WGS to REA and GDPT on 163 isolates of P. multocida to determine if WGS produced more precise results. The isolates used represented the 16 reference serovars, isolates with REA profiles matching an attenuated fowl cholera vaccine strain, and isolates from 10 different animal species. Isolates originated from across the United States and from Chile. Identical REA profiles clustered together in the phylogenetic tree. REA profiles that differed by only a few bands had fewer SNP differences than REA profiles with more differences, as expected. The GDPT results were diverse but it was common to see a single serovar show up repeatedly within clusters. Several errors were found when examining the REA profiles. WGS was able to confirm these errors and compensate for the subjectivity in analysis of REA. Also, results of WGS and SNP analysis correlated more closely with the epidemiologic data than GDPT. In silico results were also compared to a lipopolysaccharide rapid multiplex PCR test. From the data produced in our study, WGS and SNP analysis was superior to REA and GDPT and highlighted some of the issues with the older tests.
A Critical Dialogical Methodology for Conducting Research With Disabled Youth Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Authors: Teachman Gail , McDonough Peggy , Macarthur Colin , Gibson Barbara E.
Published: September 2017

In this article, we present a theoretical examination of communication difference in the context of a critical qualitative study that explored “inclusion” with disabled youth who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin’s dialogism, we articulate a novel critical dialogical methodology developed to rethink dominant understandings of voice, authenticity, and the autonomous participant. Case examples illustrate how the methodology surfaced normative value judgments that tacitly deem some kinds of interview talk more valid than others. The approach helped recognize the agency of disabled youth as they worked to make sense of inclusion and its effects.
The Use of Topical Tacrolimus 0.1% Skin Ointment for Anterior Segment Conditions: A Case Series
Authors: Abeysiri Poorna , Johnston Nicholas R. , Molteno Anthony C.B.
Published: September 2017

Tacrolimus (FK 506) is a macrolactam derivative with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity. Topical tacrolimus 0.03% has been used for inflammatory conditions of the anterior segment. This article adds to the literature on the off-license application of tacrolimus ointment, by describing the safe and effective use of the higher strength of 0.1% topical tacrolimus skin ointment in four patients. To our knowledge this is the first report of topical tacrolimus 0.1% ointment applied to the conjunctival sac for the treatment of atopic keratoconjunctivitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis and the post-operative management of trabeculectomy and graft rejection in steroid responders.
Small Neutral Amino Acid Ester Prodrugs of Acyclovir Targeting Amino Acid Transporters on the Cornea: Possible Antiviral Agents against Ocular HSV-1 Infections
Authors: Suresh Katragadda , Xiadong Zhu , Ravi Talluri S. , Mitra Ashim K.
Published: September 2017

The aim of this study was to characterize the affinity and permeability patterns of the amino acid ester prodrugs of acyclovir (ACV), L-alanine-ACV (AACV), L-serine-ACV (SACV), L-serine-succinate-ACV (SSACV) and L-cysteine-ACV (CACV) on rabbit primary corneal epithelial cell culture (rPCEC) and on rabbit cornea. Amino acid prodrugs of acyclovir, AACV, SACV, SSACV and CACV were synthesized in our laboratory. Chemical hydrolysis in aqueous buffer, enzymatic hydrolysis in corneal homogenates and transport across freshly excised rabbit cornea of these prodrugs were studied. SSACV inhibited the uptake of [3H] L-alanine on rPCEC and across the intact rabbit cornea. Lineweaver-Burk plot transformation revealed competitive inhibition between L-alanine and SSACV. In corneal tissue homogenate, the half lives of SSACV, SACV and CACV (t1/2) were observed to be 3.5 ± 0.4, 9.2 ± 0.6 and 1.8 ± 0.1 hr respectively, whereas AACV was readily converted to the active parent drug acyclovir exhibiting complete degradation before 5 min. Interestingly translocation of SACV across cornea was inhibited in the presence of 5 mM arginine (~51%), a specific substrate for cationic transport system and in presence of BCH (~38%), a substrate specific for large neutral amino acid transport system (LAT) or cationic and neutral amino acid transport system (B0,+). SACV exhibited higher permeability across cornea along with excellent antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in comparison to ACV. Recognition by multiple transporters, stability in corneal homogenate and changes in physico-chemical properties contributed to the increased permeability of SACV across cornea.