bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complement activation products in acute heart failure: Potential role in pathophysiology, responses to treatment and impacts on long-term survival
Authors: Trendelenburg Marten , Stallone Fabio , Pershyna Kateryna , Eisenhut Timo , Twerenbold Raphael , Wildi Karin , Dubler Denise , Schirmbeck Lucia , Puelacher Christian , Rubini Gimenez Maria , Sabti Zaid , Osswald Luca , Breidthardt Tobias , Müller Christian
Published: February 2017

Background:

Previous studies have indicated a correlation between heart failure, inflammation and poorer outcome. However, the pathogenesis and role of inflammation in acute heart failure (AHF) is incompletely studied and understood. The aim of our study was to explore the potential role of innate immunity – quantified by complement activation products (CAPs) – in pathophysiology, responses to treatment and impacts on long-term survival in AHF.

Methods:

In a prospective study enrolling 179 unselected patients with AHF, plasma concentrations of C4d, C3a and sC5b-9 were measured in a blinded fashion on the first day of hospitalisation and prior to discharge. The final diagnosis, including the AHF phenotype, was adjudicated by two independent cardiologists. Long-term follow-up was obtained. Findings in AHF were compared to that obtained in 75 healthy blood donors (control group).

Results:

Overall, concentrations of all three CAPs were significantly higher in patients with AHF than in healthy controls (all p < 0.001). In an age-adjusted subgroup analysis, significant differences could be confirmed for concentrations of C4d and sC5b-9, and these parameters further increased after 6 days of in-hospital treatment ( p < 0.001). In contrast, C3a levels in AHF patients did not differ from those of the control group in the age-adjusted subgroup analysis and remained constant during hospitalisation. Concentrations of C4d, C3a and sC5b-9 were significantly higher when AHF was triggered by an infection as compared to other triggers ( p < 0.001). In addition, CAP levels significantly correlated with each other ( r = 0.64–0.76), but did not predict death within 2 years.

Conclusions:

Activation of complement with increased plasma levels of C4d and sC5b-9 at admission and increasing levels during AHF treatment seems to be associated with AHF, particularly when AHF was triggered by an infection. However, CAPs do not have a prognostic value in AHF.
Women have a worse prognosis and undergo fewer coronary angiographies after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest than men
Authors: Winther-Jensen Matilde , Hassager Christian , Kjaergaard Jesper , Bro-Jeppesen John , Thomsen Jakob H , Lippert Freddy K , Køber Lars , Wanscher Michael , Søholm Helle
Published: February 2017

Background:

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is more often reported in men than in women.

Objectives:

We aimed to assess sex-related differences in post-resuscitation care; especially with regards to coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, mortality and functional status after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Methods:

We included 704 consecutive adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest-patients with cardiac aetiology in the Copenhagen area from 2007–2011. Utstein guidelines were used for the pre-hospital data. Vital status and pre-arrest comorbidities were acquired from Danish registries and review of patient charts. Logistic regression was used to assess differences in functional status and use of post-resuscitation care. Cox regression was used to assess differences in 30-day mortality. We used ‘smcfcs’ and ‘mice’ imputation to handle missing data.

Results:

Female sex was associated with higher 30-day mortality after adjusting for age and comorbidity (hazard ratio (HR): 1.42, confidence interval (CI): 1.13–1.79, p<0.01), this was not significant when adjusting for primary rhythm (HR: 1.12, CI: 0.88–1.42, p=0.37). Women less frequently received coronary angiography <24 h in multiple regression after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (odds ratio (OR)CAG=0.55, CI: 0.31–0.97, p=0.041), however no difference in percutaneous coronary intervention was found (ORPCI=0.55, CI: 0.23–1.36, p=0.19). Coronary artery bypass grafting was less often performed in women (ORCABG: 0.10, CI: 0.01–0.78, p=0.03). There was no difference in functional status at discharge between men and women ( p=1).

Conclusion:

Female sex was not significantly associated with higher mortality when adjusting for confounders. Women less often underwent coronary angiography and coronary artery bypass grafting, but it is not clear whether this difference can be explained by other factors, or an actual under-treatment in women.
Schoolbags and back pain in children between 8 and 13 years: a national study
Authors: Spiteri Karl , Busuttil Maria-Louisa , Aquilina Samuel , Gauci Dorothy , Camilleri Erin , Grech Victor
Published: February 2017

Schoolbag weight in schoolchildren is a recurrent and contentious issue within the educational and health sphere. Excessive schoolbag weight can lead to back pain in children, which increases the risk of chronic back pain in adulthood. There is limited research regarding this among the Maltese paediatric population. A cross-sectional study was undertaken across all schools in Malta among students aged 8–13 years (inclusive). Data were collected using a questionnaire detailing schoolbag characteristics, self-reported pain and demographic variables, such as age and gender. Structured interviews with participants were also carried out by physiotherapists. A total of 4005 participants were included in the study, with 20% of the total Malta schoolchildren population. Over 70% of the subjects had a schoolbag that exceeded the recommended 10% bag weight to body ratio. A total of 32% of the sample complained of back pain, with 74% of these defining it as low in intensity on the face pain scale–revised. The presence of back pain was statistically related to gender, body mass index (BMI), school and bag weight to body weight ratio. After adjusting for other factors, self-reported back pain in schoolchildren is independently linked to carrying heavy schoolbags. This link should be addressed to decrease the occurrence of back pain in this age group.
Intermediate- to Long-Term Results of Combined Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation
Authors: Pike Andrew N. , Bryant Tim , Ogura Takahiro , Minas Tom
Published: February 2017

Background:

Cartilage injury associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures is common; however, relatively few reports exist on concurrent cartilage repair with ACL reconstruction. Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) has been utilized successfully for treatment of moderate to large chondral defects.

Hypothesis:

ACL insufficiency with relatively large chondral defects may be effectively managed with concurrent ACL reconstruction and ACI.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Patients undergoing concurrent ACL primary or revision reconstruction with ACI of single or multiple cartilage defects were prospectively evaluated for a minimum 2 years. Pre- and postoperative outcome measures included the modified Cincinnati Rating Scale (MCRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, visual analog pain scales, and postsurgery satisfaction surveys. ACI graft failure or persistent pain without functional improvement were considered treatment failures.

Results:

Twenty-six patients were included, with 13 primary and 13 revision ACL reconstructions performed. Mean defect total surface area was 8.4 cm2, with a mean follow-up of 95 months (range, 24-240 months). MCRS improved from 3.62 ± 1.42 to 5.54 ± 2.32, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index from 45.31 ± 17.27 to 26.54 ± 17.71, and visual analog pain scale from 6.19 ± 1.27 to 3.65 ± 1.77 (all Ps <.001). Eight patients were clinical failures, 69% of patients were improved at final follow-up, and 92% stated they would likely undergo the procedure again. No outcome correlation was found with regard to age, body mass index, sex, defect size/number, follow-up time, or primary versus revision ACL reconstruction. In subanalysis, revision ACL reconstructions had worse preoperative MCRS scores and greater defect surface areas. However, revision MCRS score improvements were greater, resulting in similar final functional scores when compared with primary reconstructions.

Conclusion:

Challenging cases of ACL tears with large chondral defects treated with concurrent ACL reconstruction and ACI can lead to moderately improved pain and function at long-term follow-up. Factors associated with clinical failure are not clear. When combined with ACI, patients undergoing revision ACL reconstructions have worse function preoperatively compared with those undergoing primary reconstructions but have similar final outcomes.
Failure of Peace Talks between Turkey and the PKK: Victim of Traditional Turkish Policy or of Geopolitical Shifts in the Middle East?
Authors: Ozkahraman Cemal
Published: February 2017

When the third set of peace negotiations between Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerén Kurdistan, PKK) and the Turkish state were announced on March 21, 2013, there was a hope that they would lead to lasting peace in the Kurdish region of Turkey. However, these peace talks, like previous ones, failed. This article investigates whether traditional Turkish policy toward the Kurdish question impacted the peace process, and to what extent Kurdish autonomy in Syria and its increasing role in Middle East geopolitics contributed to the Turkish state’s unwillingness to pursue resolution for a lasting peace with the PKK. The article suggests that, in order to realize a lasting peace, skepticism must be diminished, and Turkey must consider its historical responsibility toward the Kurds.
How Can Home Care Patients and Their Caregivers Better Manage Fall Risks by Leveraging Information Technology?
Authors: Alhuwail Dari , Koru Güneş , Nahm Eun-Shim
Published: February 2017

Objectives:

From the perspectives of home care patients and caregivers, this study aimed to (a) identify the challenges for better fall-risk management during home care episodes and (b) explore the opportunities for them to leverage health information technology (IT) solutions to improve fall-risk management during home care episodes.

Methods:

Twelve in-depth semistructured interviews with the patients and caregivers were conducted within a descriptive single case study design in 1 home health agency (HHA) in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

Results:

Patients and caregivers faced challenges to manage fall risks such as unmanaged expectations, deteriorating cognitive abilities, and poor care coordination between the HHA and physician practices. Opportunities to leverage health IT solutions included patient portals, telehealth, and medication reminder apps on smartphones.

Conclusion:

Effectively leveraging health IT could further empower patients and caregivers to reduce fall risks by acquiring the necessary information and following clinical advice and recommendations. The HHAs could improve the quality of care by adopting IT solutions that show more promise of improving the experiences of patients and caregivers in fall-risk management.
Estimating the prevalence of dementia using multiple linked administrative health records and capture–recapture methodology
Authors: Waller Michael , Mishra Gita D. , Dobson Annette J.
Published: February 2017

Background

Obtaining population-level estimates of the incidence and prevalence of dementia is challenging due to under-diagnosis and under-reporting. We investigated the feasibility of using multiple linked datasets and capture–recapture techniques to estimate rates of dementia among women in Australia.

Methods

This work is based on the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. A random sample of 12,432 women born in 1921–1926 was recruited in 1996. Over 16 years of follow-up records of dementia were obtained from five sources: three-yearly self-reported surveys; clinical assessments for aged care assistance; death certificates; pharmaceutical prescriptions filled; and, in three Australian States only, hospital in-patient records.

Results

A total of 2534 women had a record of dementia in at least one of the data sources. The aged care assessments included dementia records for 79.3% of these women, while pharmaceutical data included 34.6%, death certificates 31.0% and survey data 18.5%. In the States where hospital data were available this source included dementia records for 55.8% of the women. Using capture–recapture methods we estimated an additional 728 women with dementia had not been identified, increasing the 16 year prevalence for the cohort from 20.4 to 26.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.2, 26.8%).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that using routinely collected health data with record linkage and capture–recapture can produce plausible estimates for dementia prevalence and incidence at a population level.
Securing an OTL-HNS residency: How competitive is it? Comparing medical student perceptions to actual Canadian statistics
Authors: Kay-Rivest E. , Varma N. , Scott G. M. , Manoukian J. J. , Desrosiers M. , Vaccani J. P. , Nguyen L. H. P.
Published: February 2017

Background

The residency match is an important event in an aspiring physician's career. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (OTL-HNS) is a surgical specialty that has enjoyed high numbers of applicants to its residency programs. However, recent trends in Canada show a decline in first-choice applicants to several surgical fields. Factors thought to influence a medical student's choice include role models, career opportunities and work-life balance. The notion of perceived competitiveness is a factor that has not yet been explored. This study sought to compare competitiveness of OTL-HNS, as perceived by Canadian medical students to residency match statistics published yearly by CaRMS (Canadian Residency Matching Service), with the hope of informing future decisions of surgical residency programs.

Methods

An electronic survey was created and distributed to all medical students enrolled in the 17 Canadian medical schools. After gathering demographic information, students were asked to rank what they perceived to be the five most competitive disciplines offered by CaRMS. They were also asked to rank surgical specialties from most to least competitive. Publically available data from CaRMS was then collected and analyzed to determine actual competitiveness of admissions to Canadian OTL-HNS residency programs.

Results

1194 students, from first to fourth year of medical school, completed the survey. CaRMS statistics over the period from 2008 to 2014 demonstrated that the five most competitive specialties were Plastic Surgery, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Emergency Medicine and OTL-HNS. Among surgical disciplines, OTL-HNS was third most competitive, where on average 72% of students match to their first-choice discipline. When students were questioned, 35% ranked OTL-HNS amongst the top five most competitive. On the other hand 72%, 74% and 80% recognized Opthalmology, Dermatology and Plastic Surgery as being among the five most competitive, respectively. We found that fourth-year medical students were significantly more knowledgeable about the competitiveness of both OTL-HNS and Plastic Surgery compared to first-year students ( p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Overall, Canadian medical students may underestimate the competitiveness of OTL-HNS. Furthermore, competitiveness would appear to be a concept that resonates with medical students during the match process.
Analyzing chemical changes in verdigris pictorial specimens upon bacteria and fungi biodeterioration using voltammetry of microparticles
Authors: Ortiz-Miranda Annette S. , Doménech-Carbó Antonio , Doménech-Carbó María Teresa , Osete-Cortina Laura , Bolívar-Galiano Fernando , Martín-Sánchez Inés
Published: February 2017

It is reported the application of the voltammetry of microparticles (VMP), complemented with attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) techniques, to monitor the deterioration of verdigris pictorial specimens under the action of different biological agents. This methodology would be of application for identifying the type of biological agent causing deterioration of paintings, which is an important problem affecting cultural heritage. The analysis of biodeterioration processes is complicated by the fact that the action of microorganisms can affect both pigment and binding media. The deterioration of pictorial specimens combining verdigris with egg and egg–linseed oil binders by Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger, Acremonium chrysogenum, Trychoderma pseudokoningi and Mucor rouxii fungi and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Arthrobacter oxydans and Streptomyces cellulofans bacteria were tested using sample-modified graphite electrodes immersed into aqueous electrolytes. A model is presented to describe the involved electrochemistry resulting in specific voltammetric features for the electrochemical reduction of verdigris associated to the proteinaceous and lipidic fractions of the binders. The experimental results and model proposed have been discussed and compared with those previously obtained for cadmium yellow reconstructed paint film specimens.
A method of combining coherence-constrained sparse coding and dictionary learning for denoising
Authors: Turquais Pierre , Asgedom Endrias G. , Söllner Walter
Published: February 2017

We have addressed the seismic data denoising problem, in which the noise is random and has an unknown spatiotemporally varying variance. In seismic data processing, random noise is often attenuated using transform-based methods. The success of these methods in denoising depends on the ability of the transform to efficiently describe the signal features in the data. Fixed transforms (e.g., wavelets, curvelets) do not adapt to the data and might fail to efficiently describe complex morphologies in the seismic data. Alternatively, dictionary learning methods adapt to the local morphology of the data and provide state-of-the-art denoising results. However, conventional denoising by dictionary learning requires a priori information on the noise variance, and it encounters difficulties when applied for denoising seismic data in which the noise variance is varying in space or time. We have developed a coherence-constrained dictionary learning (CDL) method for denoising that does not require any a priori information related to the signal or noise. To denoise a given window of a seismic section using CDL, overlapping small 2D patches are extracted and a dictionary of patch-sized signals is trained to learn the elementary features embedded in the seismic signal. For each patch, using the learned dictionary, a sparse optimization problem is solved, and a sparse approximation of the patch is computed to attenuate the random noise. Unlike conventional dictionary learning, the sparsity of the approximation is constrained based on coherence such that it does not need a priori noise variance or signal sparsity information and is still optimal to filter out Gaussian random noise. The denoising performance of the CDL method is validated using synthetic and field data examples, and it is compared with the K-SVD and FX-Decon denoising. We found that CDL gives better denoising results than K-SVD and FX-Decon for removing noise when the variance varies in space or time.
Verification of the carbonate double-porosity conductivity model based on digital cores
Authors: Dong Huaimin , Sun Jianmeng , Li Yafen , Cui Likai , Yan Weichao , Zhang Jinyan
Published: February 2017

Carbonate reservoirs have complicated pore structure and reserving space, and the pore size distribution ranges are very large. Pore structure distributions represent a bimodal or trimodal state, which is also accompanied with an obviously non-Archie phenomenon. Double- and triple-porosity conductivity models based on the classification of pore dimensions were of a good coincidence with the non-Archie behavior. We have adopted digital core technology to verify the carbonate double-porosity conductivity model. Also, many rock-physical experiments and numerical simulations were performed. Through CT scanning under appropriate resolutions, macro- and micropore digital cores, which could respectively characterize the different pores, were constructed for the carbonate samples. Then the superposition method was further applied to construct the superposition digital cores, which can characterize different pores simultaneously. To quantitatively analyze and compare the effect of basic structural parameters to different digital cores, the pore network model was extracted using the Lee-Kashyap-Chu algorithm to furtherly verify the differences between scanning resolutions and pore selection characterization. In terms of qualitative validation of the double-pore conductivity model, the electrical characteristics and resistivity index (RI) under different saturations were simulated using the finite-element method and the lattice Boltzmann method. The RI curves indicated that the calculation results from the double-pore conductivity model based on a digital core are coincident with the numerical simulation results. In other words, the digital core technology can verify the double-porosity conductivity model effectively.
Prestack simultaneous inversion to predict lithology and pore fluid in the Realgrunnen Subgroup of the Goliat Field, southwestern Barents Sea
Authors: Yenwongfai Honore Dzekamelive , Mondol Nazmul Haque , Faleide Jan Inge , Lecomte Isabelle
Published: February 2017

An integrated multidisciplinary workflow has been implemented for quantitative lithology and fluid predictions from prestack angle gathers and well-log data within the Realgrunnen Subgroup in the Goliat Field, southwestern Barents Sea. We have first performed a qualitative amplitude-variation-with-angle (AVA) attribute analysis to assess the spatial distribution of lithology and fluid anomalies from the seismic data. A simultaneous prestack elastic inversion was then carried out for quantitative estimates of the P-impedance and [Formula: see text] ratio. Probability density functions, a priori lithology, and fluid class proportions extracted from well-log training data are further applied to the inverted P-impedance and [Formula: see text] seismic volumes. The AVA qualitative analysis indicates a class IV response for the top of the reservoir, whereas anomalies from the AVA attribute maps agree largely with the clean sand probabilities predicted from the Bayesian facies classification. The largest misclassification in the lithology classification occurs between shaly sands and shales. A mixed lithology and fluid classification indicates a smaller degree of overlap and allows for the discrimination of hydrocarbon sands. Integration of a qualitative AVA analysis and a quantitative Bayesian probability approach helps in constraining the depositional facies variability within the Realgrunnen Subgroup. Finally, a possible influence of tectonic activity during the deposition of the Realgrunnen reservoir is inferred based on the facies distribution maps.
Seismic reservoir characterization of Duvernay shale with quantitative interpretation and induced seismicity considerations — A case study
Authors: Chopra Satinder , Sharma Ritesh Kumar , Ray Amit Kumar , Nemati Hossein , Morin Ray , Schulte Brian , D’Amico David
Published: February 2017

The Devonian Duvernay Formation in northwest central Alberta, Canada, has become a hot play in the past few years due to its richness in liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon resources. The oil and gas generation in this shale formation made it the source rock for many oil and gas fields in its vicinity. We attempt to showcase the characterization of Duvernay Formation using 3D multicomponent seismic data and integrating it with the available well log and other relevant data. This has been done by deriving rock-physics parameters (Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio) through deterministic simultaneous and joint impedance inversion, with appropriate quantitative interpretation. In particular, we determine the brittleness of the Duvernay interval, which helps us determine the sweet spots therein. The scope of this characterization exercise was extended to explore the induced seismicity observed in the area (i.e., earthquakes of magnitude [Formula: see text]) that is perceived to be associated with hydraulic fracture stimulation of the Duvernay. This has been a cause of media coverage lately. We attempt to integrate our results with the induced seismicity data available in the public domain and elaborate on our learning experience gained so far.
Multicenter, Phase III, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Pravastatin Added to First-Line Standard Chemotherapy in Small-Cell Lung Cancer (LUNGSTAR)
Authors: Seckl Michael J. , Ottensmeier Christian H. , Cullen Michael , Schmid Peter , Ngai Yenting , Muthukumar Dakshinamoorthy , Thompson Joyce , Harden Susan , Middleton Gary , Fife Kate M. , Crosse Barbara , Taylor Paul , Nash Stephen , Hackshaw Allan
Published: February 2017

Purpose

Treating small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains a therapeutic challenge. Experimental studies show that statins exert additive effects with agents, such as cisplatin, to impair tumor growth, and observational studies suggest that statins combined with anticancer therapies delay relapse and prolong life in several cancer types. To our knowledge, we report the first large, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of a statin with standard-of-care for patients with cancer, specifically SCLC.

Patients and Methods

Patients with confirmed SCLC (limited or extensive disease) and performance status 0 to 3 were randomly assigned to receive daily pravastatin 40 mg or placebo, combined with up to six cycles of etoposide plus cisplatin or carboplatin every 3 weeks, until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Primary end point was overall survival (OS), and secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS), response rate, and toxicity.

Results

Eight hundred forty-six patients from 91 United Kingdom hospitals were recruited. The median age of recruited patients was 64 years of age, 43% had limited disease, and 57% had extensive disease. There were 758 deaths and 787 PFS events. No benefit was found for pravastatin, either in all patients or in several subgroups. For pravastatin versus placebo, the 2-year OS rate was 13.2% (95% CI, 10.0 to 16.7) versus 14.1% (95% CI, 10.9 to 17.7), respectively, with a hazard ratio of 1.01 (95% CI, 0.88 to 1.16; P = .90. The median OS was 10.7 months v 10.6 months, respectively. The median PFS was 7.7 months v 7.3 months, respectively. The median OS (pravastatin v placebo) was 14.6 months in both groups for limited disease and 9.1 months versus 8.8 months, respectively, for extensive disease. Adverse events were similar between groups.

Conclusion

Pravastatin 40 mg combined with standard SCLC therapy, although safe, does not benefit patients. Our conclusions are the same as those found in all four much smaller, randomized, placebo-controlled trials specifically designed to evaluate statin therapy in patients with cancer.
Submarine Futures of the Anthropocene
Authors: DeLoughrey Elizabeth
Published: February 2017

This essay outlines the development of the “oceanic turn” and the rise of “critical ocean studies” as vital to figuring the Anthropocene. It builds upon the work of Elizabeth Povinelli's theory of “geontologies,” and by turning to the submarine sculptures of Jason deCaires Taylor it argues for a provocative Caribbean aesthetic of “sea ontologies.” By examining the multispecies collaborations of coral and reef ecologies, it suggests a new oceanic imaginary for the more-than-human Anthropocene.
Afterword: The Last Universal Commons
Authors: Price Rachel
Published: February 2017

This response highlights several important currents in Oceanic Studies raised in the essays included in this special forum on the topic. It signals the importance of such work in an era in which the sea's status as a global commons is both freshly vital and imperiled. It then comments on work that historicizes both the formation and use of different oceans; that underscores the differences between Oceanic Studies and histories of globalization; and that interrogates the role for literature, art, and aesthetic theory more generally in engaging with research into the oceans. Along the way, the afterword identifies important recent work in history, literary studies, art, and histories of science that indicates promising avenues in Oceanic Studies.
The Languages of Love: An Essay on Translation and Affect
Authors: Shankar S.
Published: February 2017

This essay harnesses the use of translation as a critical method to explore affect in a comparative mode. By way of readings of ethnography (Margaret Trawick's Notes on Love in a Tamil Family), film (the Hindi-language masala film Guide), and fiction (Chinua Achebe's Nigerian novel A Man of the People), the essay illustrates the different ways different cultures understand and express an affect such as “love.” The recent surge of critical interest in affect has not properly engaged the challenge of this kind of cross-cultural work, which is implicated not just in linguistic differences but also in differences of culture, genre, and disciplines of study. Instead, Affect Studies has often spoken (implicitly or otherwise) of affect in a universalist vein. While acknowledging the limits of translation, the essay concludes that a considered approach to translation as method would prove enabling for a Comparative Affect Studies.
Latin American Literature in the Age of Global War
Authors: Steinberg Samuel
Published: February 2017

This essay reads the works of the late Roberto Bolaño, arguably the most widely read and significant Latin American novelist since Gabriel García Márquez, according to their relation to world literature, or what has come to be understood as the “Latin American global novel.” I argue that such a conception circles around the secret and more sinister global scene at work in Bolaño's texts, understood as the figure of global war, traced from his mourning of the ideals of modernity (the fall of the Spanish Second Republic, the Nazis, the overthrow of Chile's Salvador Allende) to his works' deeply felt uncertainties about our present times (post-dictatorial reconciliation, narcoterror, the women of Ciudad Juárez). Focusing on the short novel Amulet, the essay proposes Bolaño's writing as an experiment in infrapolitical dwelling in an age unmoored from the orienting promise of modernity that had previously assured the place of the literary institution.
Crying a river: how much salt-laden jelly can a leatherback turtle really eat?
Authors: Davenport John
Published: February 2017

Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are capital breeders that accumulate blubber (33 kJ g wet mass−1) by hyperphagia on a gelatinous diet at high latitudes; they breed in the tropics. A jellyfish diet is energy-poor (0.1–0.2 kJ g wet mass−1), so leatherbacks must ingest large quantities. Two published estimates of feeding rate (50% body mass d−1 (on Rhizostoma pulmo), 73% body mass d−1 (on Cyanea capillata)) have been criticised as too high. Jellyfish have high salt and water contents that must be removed to access organic material and energy. Most salt is removed (as NaCl) by paired lachrymal salt glands. Divalent ions are lost via the gut. In this study the size of adult salt glands (0.622 kg for a 450kg turtle; relatively 3 times the size of salt glands in cheloniid turtles) is measured for the first time by CT scanning. Various published values for leatherback field metabolic rate (FMR), body fluid composition and likely blubber accumulation rates are combined with known jellyfish salt, water and organic compositions to calculate feasible salt gland secretion rates and feeding rates. The results indicate that leatherbacks can produce about 10–15 ml secretion g salt gland mass−1 h−1 (tear osmolality 1800 mOsm kg−1). This will permit consumption of 80 % body mass d−1 of Cyanea capillata. Calculations suggest that leatherbacks will find it difficult/impossible to accumulate sufficient blubber for reproduction in a single feeding season. Rapid jellyfish digestion and short gut transit times are essential.
Octopamine and tyramine regulate the activity of reproductive visceral muscles in the adult female blood-feeding bug, Rhodnius prolixus
Authors: Hana Sam , Lange Angela B.
Published: February 2017

The role of octopamine and tyramine in regulating spontaneous contractions of reproductive tissues was examined in the female Rhodnius prolixus. Octopamine decreased the amplitude of spontaneous contractions of the oviducts and reduced RhoprFIRFa-induced contractions in a dose-dependent manner, whereas tyramine only reduced the RhoprFIRFa-induced contractions. Both octopamine and tyramine decreased the frequency of spontaneous bursal contractions and completely abolished the contractions at 5×10−7 M and above. Phentolamine, an octopamine receptor antagonist, attenuated the inhibition induced by octopamine on the oviducts and the bursa. Octopamine also increased the levels of cAMP in the oviducts, and this effect was blocked by phentolamine. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP mimicked the effects of octopamine by reducing the frequency of bursal contractions suggesting that the octopamine receptor may act by an Octβ-receptor. The tyramine receptor antagonist yohimbine failed to block the inhibition of contractions induced by tyramine on the bursa suggesting that tyramine may be acting on the Octβ-R in the bursa.
Automated Wormscan
Authors: Puckering Timothy , Thompson Jake , Sathyamurthy Sushruth , Sukumar Sinduja , Shapira Tirosh , Ebert Paul
Published: February 2017

There has been a recent surge of interest in computer-aided rapid data acquisition to increase the potential throughput and reduce the labour costs of large scale Caenorhabditis elegans studies. We present Automated WormScan, a low-cost, high-throughput automated system using commercial photo scanners, which is extremely easy to implement and use, capable of scoring tens of thousands of organisms per hour with minimal operator input, and is scalable. The method does not rely on software training for image recognition, but uses the generation of difference images from sequential scans to identify moving objects. This approach results in robust identification of worms with little computational demand. We demonstrate the utility of the system by conducting toxicity, growth and fecundity assays, which demonstrate the consistency of our automated system, the quality of the data relative to manual scoring methods and congruity with previously published results.
Indigenous Knowledge Studies and the Next Generation: Pedagogical Possibilites for Anti-Colonial Education
Authors: Dei George J. Sefa
Published: February 2017

Abstract
This paper raises issues pertaining to our collective
responsibilities in nurturing the next generation of
Indigenous scholars. It highlights aspects of current
theorising of Indigenity, namely, the search for
“epistemological equity” through reclamation of identity,
knowledge and politics of embodiment; and discusses how
knowledge about our own existence, realities and identities
can help produce a form of knowing legitimate in its own
right and able to contest other ways of knowing. The paper
concludes with what I see as some of the pedagogical
possibilities of anti-colonial education using the
Indigenous framework.
Indigenous Knowledge: Beyond Protection, Towards Dialogue
Authors: Davis Michael
Published: February 2017

Abstract
This paper interrogates the emphasis on devising regimes
for protection of Indigenous knowledge, based on narrowly
defined concepts of property, especially intellectual
property in legislative and policy discussions and debates
and programs of work on Indigenous knowledge. Commenting on
the classificatory and typological tendencies of
legislative protection regimes, the paper argues for a
shift from this emphasis on protection, toward the creation
of a space for engagement between Indigenous, and other
knowledge traditions, wherein concepts of dialogue,
negotiation and agreement-making can occur. The paper
supports its argument by reviewing selected legal
instruments such as the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage, and drawing on
some of the author's experience working with Aboriginal
people in the Kimberley.
Finding Hybrid Solutions to the Financial Management of Customary Land from a Pacific Perspective
Authors: Boydell Spike
Published: February 2017

Abstract Within contemporary society, customary land is at the nexus of culture and commercialisation. Tasked with facilitating market-based returns on customary land whilst promoting equitable inter and intra-generational sharing of returns, this paper reports a solutions-based research project that investigated and tested a range of hybrid models in the Pacific context. The challenges are diverse, in many cases confronted by the Western approach, which identifies property and ownership as something to address in a businesslike way. Accepting the notion of ongoing Indigenous guardianship of land as sacrosanct and that de Soto's privatisation model is an unacceptable simplification, this paper offers innovative regional examples of customary land administration/management arrangements in encouraging equitable use of customary land by both members and non-members of land “owning” groups. Land is the foundation for the lives and cultures of Indigenous peoples the world over. Without access to and rights over their land and natural resources, Indigenous peoples' distinct cultures, and the possibility of determining their own development and future, become eroded (Jensen, 2004, p. 4).
The Need to Extend Beyond the Knowledge Gained in Cross-Cultural Awareness Training
Authors: Fredericks Bronwyn
Published: February 2017

Abstract
In the Health sector, Cross-Cultural Awareness Training
has been seen as a way to improve knowledge and
understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people to therefore improve service delivery and
therapeutic care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people. Health personnel may have undertaken this type of
training in their workplace or as part of their education
in an undergraduate degree program. Other sectors
additionally undertake Cross-Cultural Awareness Training
for similar reasons and in similar educational settings.
This paper includes the views of a selection of Aboriginal
women and highlights the need to extend beyond knowledge
gained through Cross-Cultural Awareness Training to
Anti-Racism Training. Furthermore, that Anti-Racism
Training and addressing white race privilege is required in
order to address the inequities within the health system,
the marginalisation and disempowerment of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Linking Learning to Community for Indigenous Computing Courses
Authors: Kutay Cat , Mooney Janet
Published: February 2017

Abstract
Since its inception, Problem-based learning (PBL) as a
process for learning and teaching has been used to enhance
many skills based courses, including education programs at
Bachelor College and the Aboriginal Technical Health Worker
training program at the Centre for Appropriate Technology
in Alice Springs. While PBL is an approach to learning and
teaching which has been designed to provide a more holistic
educational process for all students, Foster and Meehane
(2007) suggest that many aspects of the courses are ideally
suited for Indigenous students. In particular, this
approach is useful when introducing students to a subject
matter which is new both in being derived from another
culture and not being accessible to Indigenous parents in
the past. PBL provides a flexible approach to enable
motivation and involvement of the students and their
community. This paper considers the benefits of PBL for
learning Information Technology and presents some course
templates developed to support teaching Indigenous students
at school.
Indigenous Epistemologies in Tertiary Education
Authors: Edwards Shane , Hewitson Kieran
Published: February 2017

Abstract
This paper contends that Indigenous epistemologies in
educational curriculum can serve as powerful counter
hegemonic action to dominant discourses. It then discusses
how the implementation and application of Indigenous
epistemologies in adult educational curricula can support
intellectual sovereignty and positive identity construction
for Indigenous wellbeing.
Difficult Dialogue: Conversations with Aboriginal Parents and Caregivers
Authors: Hayes Debra , Johnston Ken , Morris Kristal , Power Kerith , Roberts Dianne
Published: February 2017

Abstract
Indigenous conversation and voice are increasingly heard
in the research literature but there needs to be more
dialogue in order for it to be a two-way conversation. This
paper contributes to research that attempts to redress this
situation by reporting on conversations with Aboriginal
parents and caregivers of students enrolled in a public
secondary school in a large New South Wales country town.
The conversations were conducted over a three-year period
(2005-7) by a team non-Indigenous researchers working in
collaboration with Indigenous researchers. In this paper,
we describe the various approaches we developed to
establish conversations with Aboriginal parents and
caregivers, and the various themes that emerged over the
course of the study. We also assess how this type of
research is located within and contributes to, the existing
research literature. Finally, we discuss the importance of
ongoing conversations with Aboriginal parents and
caregivers, and how schools and systems can better respond
to well-established policy goals of productive
parent-school relationships.
A Study on the Intelligence Profiles of Taiwan Indigenous Students: The Case of Second Grade Pupils
Authors: Liu Wei-Yu , Teele Sue
Published: February 2017

Abstract
This paper attempts to develop an intelligence-fair
assessment tool to explore the intelligence profiles of 15
second grade Amis pupils. This study was conducted in an
elementary school in Taiwan with a largely Amis population
of lower socioeconomic status. The results illustrate that
the most developed intelligence for eight pupils was
musical intelligence and that most pupils in this class are
also skilled at bodily-kinesthetic and linguistic
intelligence. However, these second grade pupils did not
have very highly developed interpersonal intelligences
which traditionally stereotyped the capabilities of
indigenous pupils. Furthermore, each student had his/her
own unique intelligence profile. Do Amis pupils have a
particular intelligence profile as a group? Or are their
individual differences greater than their group
similarities? It is recommended that future studies observe
both the whole ethnic group and individual pupil's
intelligence profile to help each pupil develop to their
full potential.
Engaging with Learnscapes: Connecting Community and School
Authors: Boylan Colin , Wallace Andrew
Published: February 2017

Abstract

Learnscapesare places where learning has
been designed in ways that enhance the interaction with an
environment (Tyas-Tunggal, 1997). A small rural primary
school has creatively adopted a
Learnscapeas a significant focus to engage
with its community. Within the school the
LearnscapesProgram works from the
classroom to the playground and from there to the broader
community to create a new place for learning. The
LearnscapesProgram allows cross curriculum
boundaries to emerge and in the case of this school
facilitates active participation with the school community,
in ways that reengage culture, the community and
curriculum. The experiences of this rural school as it
promotes learning across the whole community through the
exploration of Indigenous culture using
Learnscapesare documented.
A Dog of a Qcat: Collateral Effects of Mandated English Assessment in the Torres Strait
Authors: Exley Beryl
Published: February 2017

Abstract
This paper critiques a 2008 Queensland Studies Authority
(QSA) assessment initiative known as Queensland Comparable
Assessment Tasks, or QCATs. The rhetoric is that these
centrally devised assessment tasks will provide information
about how well students can apply what they know,
understand and can do in different contexts (QSA, 2009).
The QCATs are described as “authentic, performance based
assessment” that involves a “meaningful problem”,
“emphasises critical thinking and reasoning” and “provides
students with every opportunity to do their best work”
(QSA, 2009). From my viewpoint as a teacher, I detail my
professional concerns with implementing the 2008 middle
primary English QCAT in one case study Torres Strait
Islander community. Specifically I ask “QCATs: Comparable
with what?” and “QCATs: Whose authentic assessment?” I
predict the possible collateral effects of implementing
this English assessment in this remote Indigenous
community, concluding, rather than being an example of
quality assessment, colloquially speaking, it is nothing
more than a “dog”.
Bullying in an Aboriginal Context
Authors: Coffin Juli , Larson Ann , Cross Donna
Published: February 2017

Abstract Aboriginal children appear to be more likely to be involved in bullying than non-Aboriginal children. This paper describes part of the “Solid Kids Solid Schools” research process and discusses some of the results from this three year study involving over 260 Aboriginal children, youth, elders, teachers and Aboriginal Indigenous Education Officers (AIEO's), and an Aboriginal led and developed Steering Committee. It is the first study that contextualises Aboriginal bullying, using a socio-ecological model where the individual, family, community and society are all interrelated and influence the characteristics and outcomes of bullying. This paper demonstrates that for Aboriginal children and youth in one region of Western Australia, bullying occurs frequently and is perpetuated by family and community violence, parental responses to bullying and institutional racism. Addressing bullying requires actions to reduce violence, foster positive cultural identity and reduce socio-economic disadvantage.
Follicular dynamic and repeatability of follicular wave development in Peranakan Ongole (PO) cattle
Authors: Imron Muhammad , Supriatna Iman , Amrozi . , Setiadi Mohamad Agus
Published: February 2017

Superovulation treatment on PO cattle (Bos indicus) was less responsive compared to Bos taurus breed. It might due to the difference of their follicular dynamic. This study was conducted to investigate the follicular dynamics and its repeatability in PO cattle. Follicular dynamics observations conducted on 9 cows trough ultrasound scanning every day. Observations of wave patterns repeatability were performed in 6 cows which its wave pattern already known on the next consecutive IOI.  Research result indicated that PO cattle had 3 (66%) and 4-waves (34%) pattern. The first wave of 3 and 4-waves pattern emerged on day -0.4+0.9 and 1.4+1.1 respectively.  The second wave of 3 and 4-wave pattern emerged on day 9.8+1.5 and 7.4+1.9 respectively.  The pattern of 3 waves has a longer follicle dominant duration (11.6+1.5 day) in the first wave of estrous cycle, compared with 4 waves pattern (10+2.92 and 7+1.00 day respectively). The growth rate of dominant follicle was not different significantly between the 3 and 4-waves pattern (0.87+0.23 and 0.94+0.25 mm/day respectively). Similarly, ovulatory follicle diameter between 3 and 4-waves pattern was also not different significantly (12.24+12.34 and 12.30+12.23 mm respectively). Observation of wave patterns repeatability in 6 PO cows indicated that PO cattle had high repeatability in follicular wave pattern (0.88) and the number of growing follicle was 0.91.  This study resulted data for dynamic of follicular development, wave pattern, its repeatability which be expected to design the protocol of superovulation treatment or other reproduction technologies based on follicular dynamic to improve its result in PO cattle.

 