bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Myeloid Suppressor Cells Accumulate and Regulate Blood Pressure in Hypertension
Authors: Shah Kandarp H. , Shi Peng , Giani Jorge F. , Janjulia Tea , Bernstein Ellen A. , Li You , Zhao Tuantuan , Harrison David G. , Bernstein Kenneth E. , Shen Xiao Z.
Published: August 2015

Rationale
:

Chronic inflammation is a major contributor to the progressive pathology of hypertension, and T-cell activation is required for the genesis of hypertension. However, the precise role of myeloid cells in this process is unclear.

Objective
:

To characterize and understand the role of peripheral myeloid cells in the development of hypertension.

Methods and Results
:

We examined myeloid cells in the periphery of hypertensive mice and found that increased numbers of CD11b
+
Gr1
+
myeloid cells in blood and the spleen are a characteristic of 3 murine models of experimental hypertension (angiotensin II, L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester, and high salt). These cells express surface markers and transcription factors associated with immaturity and immunosuppression. Also, they produce hydrogen peroxide to suppress T-cell activation. These are characteristics of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Depletion of hypertensive MDSCs increased blood pressure and renal inflammation. In contrast, adoptive transfer of wild-type MDSCs to hypertensive mice reduced blood pressure, whereas the transfer of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2–deficient MDSCs did not.

Conclusion
:

The accumulation of MDSCs is a characteristic of experimental models of hypertension. MDSCs limit inflammation and the increase of blood pressure through the production of hydrogen peroxide.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Acute Incidental Infarcts
Authors: Saini Monica , Suministrado Ma Serrie P. , Hilal Saima , Dong Yan Hong , Venketasubramanian Narayanaswamy , Ikram Mohammad K. , Chen Christopher
Published: August 2015

Background and Purpose—

The study of silent stroke has been limited to imaging of chronic infarcts; acute incidental infarcts (AII) detected on brain magnetic resonance imaging have been less investigated. This study aims to describe prevalence and risk factors of AII in a community and a clinic-based population.

Methods—

Subjects were drawn from 2 ongoing studies: Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore study, which is a subsample from a population-based study, and a clinic-based case–control study. Subjects from both studies underwent similar clinical and neuropsychological assessments and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Prevalence of AII from these studies was determined. Subsequently, risk factors of AII were examined using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results—

AII were seen in 7 of 623 (1.2%) subjects in Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore (mean age, 70.9±6.8 years; 45% men) and in 12 of 389 (3.2%) subjects (mean age, 72.1±8.3 years; 46% men) in the clinic-based study. AII were present in 0.8% of subjects with no cognitive impairment, 1.9% of those with cognitive impairment not dementia, and 4.2% of subjects with dementia. Significant association of AII was found with cerebral microbleeds (≥5) in the Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore (odds ratio, 6.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.28–35.65;
P
=0.02) and in the clinic-based cohort (odds ratio, 4.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.39–15.53;
P
=0.01). There was no association of AII with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or hyperlipidemia.

Conclusions—

AII are more likely to be present in those with cognitive impairment. Although a cause–effect relationship between the presence of AII and cognitive impairment is plausible, the association may be because of under-reporting of symptoms by individuals with cognitive impairment. The association between AII and cerebral microbleeds may indicate cerebral vasculopathy, independent of traditional vascular risk factors.
Fluoxetine Maintains a State of Heightened Responsiveness to Motor Training Early After Stroke in a Mouse Model
Authors: Ng Kwan L. , Gibson Ellen M. , Hubbard Robert , Yang Juemin , Caffo Brian , O’Brien Richard J. , Krakauer John W. , Zeiler Steven R.
Published: August 2015

Background and Purpose—

Data from both humans and animal models suggest that most recovery from motor impairment after stroke occurs in a sensitive period that lasts only weeks and is mediated, in part, by an increased responsiveness to training. Here, we used a mouse model of focal cortical stroke to test 2 hypotheses. First, we investigated whether responsiveness to training decreases over time after stroke. Second, we tested whether fluoxetine, which can influence synaptic plasticity and stroke recovery, can prolong the period over which large training-related gains can be elicited after stroke.

Methods—

Mice were trained to perform a skilled prehension task to an asymptotic level of performance after which they underwent stroke induction in the caudal forelimb area. The mice were then retrained after a 1- or 7-day delay with and without fluoxetine.

Results—

Recovery of prehension after a caudal forelimb area stroke was complete if training was initiated 1 day after stroke but incomplete if it was delayed by 7 days. In contrast, if fluoxetine was administered at 24 hours after stroke, then complete recovery of prehension was observed even with the 7-day training delay. Fluoxetine seemed to mediate its beneficial effect by reducing inhibitory interneuron expression in intact premotor cortex rather than through effects on infarct volume or cell death.

Conclusions—

There is a gradient of diminishing responsiveness to motor training over the first week after stroke. Fluoxetine can overcome this gradient and maintain maximal levels of responsiveness to training even 7 days after stroke.
The Art of Suicide: Notes on Foucault and Warhol
Authors: Hite Christian
Published: August 2015

Andy Warhol, the ultimate copycat, is famously remembered for claiming in 1963: “I want to be a machine.” What is often forgotten, however, is that Warhol adopted the techniques of photo-silkscreening days after Marilyn Monroe committed suicide in August 1962. I argue that by copying and multiplying a publicity photo of Monroe taken for her 1953 film Niagara, Warhol spaces-out the supposed “interiority” of suicide by linking it metonymically with Niagara Falls, a top suicide destination in America. Similarly, Michel Foucault, in the inaugural issue of Gai Pied, the first French magazine for homosexuals, publishes a justification of suicide as a kind of impersonal technique, entitled “The Simplest of Pleasures” (1979). In this paper, I investigate the relationship between these two techniques—or arts—of suicide, and the way both Warhol and Foucault attempt to (dis)place the author(ity) of “suicide” as a supposedly “personal,” “intentional” act.
Human/Capital
Authors: McDonough Tom
Published: August 2015

This essay inquires into the vexed place of labor in the work of Cindy Sherman. Noting the curious absence of images of workingwomen among the vast repertoire of feminine types featured in the artist's photographs, it turns to her oft-disparaged film Office Killer (1997) to consider the stakes of representing class and labor within the contemporary regime of neoliberalism. The lead character in this horror film is read as an exemplar of human capital, an “entrepreneur of the self,” and as such, an updated version of the vampire-like tendencies of capital already discussed by Marx a century ago. Moving away from the prevalent psychoanalytic discourse around Sherman's work, the essay attempts to root her production within the larger social relations of present-day labor.
Gastrodia huapingensis (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Gastrodieae): a remarkable new mycoheterotrophic orchid with dimorphic columns from China
Authors: Huang Xinyi , Hu Ai-Qun , HSU TIAN-CHUAN , Liu Yan
Published: August 2015

The orchid genus Gastrodia Brown (1810: 330) comprises approximately 50 species with a broad Old World distribution (Pridgeon et al. 2005, Cribb et al. 2010, Kenji 2014). Currently, there are at least 20 accepted species of Gastrodia recorded from China (Chung & Hsu 2006, Chen et al. 2009, Hsu & Kuo 2010, 2011, Yeh et al. 2011, Hsu et al. 2012, Tan et al. 2012, Hu et al. 2014). During our field surveys of Chinese traditional medicine in Huaping National Nature Reserve, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China, a Gastrodia was spotted setting fruit in the past few years. Finally, we were able to observe it flowering in August 2014. After careful comparison morphological study with its close relatives (Averyanov & Efimov 2006) and three other species of Gastrodia recorded in Guangxi, namely Gastrodia damingshanensis A.Q.Hu & T.C.Hsu (2014: 256), Gastrodia elata Blume (1856: 174) and Gastrodia menghaiensis Z.H.Tsi & S.C.Chen (1994: 559), we confirmed this Gastrodia as a new species and thereby a new member to the flora of Guangxi. A detailed description, illustration and ecological information are presented below. We also discuss the remarkable dimorphic columns of this new species, which are documented in Gastrodia for the first time.
Changes in Aridity across Mexico in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century
Authors: Tereshchenko Iryna , Zolotokrylin Alexander N. , Cherenkova Elena A. , Monzón Cesar Octavio , Brito-Castillo Luis , Titkova Tatiana B.
Published: August 2015

Six regions in Mexico, with typical interannual changes in the aridity index, have been defined by the 1951–2001 meteorological dataset. Peak months of rainfall differ within the regions. Most of the land in the Mexican terrain has had a slow aridization since the early 1980s. The decline in the aridity index in the early 1950s and late 1990s was caused by droughts in the area. The distinctive features of the aridization of Mexican dry lands are characterized by steady and extensive droughts during 1948–57, 1960–65, and 1994–2003 in the second half of the twentieth century. During the drought of 1951–57 substantial aridization in most of the dry lands was observed, including the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental, and Mexican Altiplano. Aridization of dry lands during the drought in 1960–65 affected mostly the southern part of the Mexican Altiplano, the Sierra Madre del Sur, and the Yucatán Peninsula. For the drought in the 1990s, one special feature of the aridization was its propagation primarily beyond the Mexican Altiplano. Increased aridization of dry lands caused by long-term droughts during the last decade of the twentieth century did not result in a sizeable shift of the southern boundary of the dry lands. The only exception is the southern boundary (aridity index = 0.75) in the state of Sinaloa. In this area, the boundary moved southward and aridization intensified. The results obtained here can be used in studies of possible anthropogenic impact on the drought of the twentieth century’s last decade in Mexico, which includes changes in land use.
Effect of “Pink Eye” Label on Parents’ Intent to Use Antibiotics and Perceived Contagiousness
Authors: Scherer Laura D. , Finan Caitlin , Simancek Dalton , Finkelstein Jerome I. , Tarini Beth A.
Published: August 2015

Parents of children who presented for a pediatrics appointment responded to a clinical vignette that described a child with symptoms consistent with acute viral conjunctivitis. In a 2 × 2 randomized survey design, the physician in the vignette either used the term “pink eye” or “eye infection” to describe the symptoms, and either told parents that antibiotics are likely ineffective at treating the symptoms or did not discuss effectiveness. When the symptoms were referred to as “pink eye,” parents remained interested in antibiotics, despite being informed about their ineffectiveness. By contrast, when the symptoms were referred to as an “eye infection,” information about antibiotic ineffectiveness significantly reduced interest, Mdiff = 1.63, P < .001. Parents who received the “pink eye” label also thought that the symptoms were more contagious and were less likely to believe that their child could go to child care, compared with parents who received the “eye infection” label, Mdiff = 0.37, P = .38.
Sociodemographic Factors Influence Cultural Values
Authors: Park Heejung , Joo Jenna , Quiroz Blanca , Greenfield Patricia M.
Published: August 2015

The gross generalization that East is collectivistic and West is individualistic overlooks the within-group variability among East Asians in the current era of social change and globalization. The aim of this study was to disentangle the role of sociodemographic factors, ethnic heritage culture, and immigration in shaping the individualistic–collectivistic value orientations of Korean mothers and their fifth-grade children residing in rural Korea, urban Korea, and Koreatown, Los Angeles. A European American sample in Los Angeles provided an approximation of mainstream United States values. In semi-structured interviews, participants’ value orientations were assessed using interpersonal dilemma scenarios in home and school situations. Participants’ household sociodemographic factors were the most significant contributor to their home values: Higher maternal education was associated with orientation towards individualism, and three-generation households was associated with orienttion towards collectivism. When the sociodemographic factors were taken into consideration, Koreans were not more collectivistic than European Americans in the home domain. Domain-specificity was found such that individualism was greater in the school domain than in the home domain across the three groups of Koreans, who were as individualistic as European Americans in the school domain. Generational difference was found such that children were more collectivistic than mothers in the home domain. Rural Koreans were not more collectivistic than urban Koreans, which should be interpreted in the context of the high level of technology and education in the rural Korean environment.
Handheld Thermoacoustic Scanning System Based on a Linear-array Transducer
Authors: Ji Zhong , Ding Wenzheng , Ye Fanghao , Lou Cunguang
Published: August 2015

To receive the information necessary for imaging, traditional microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging systems (MITISs) use a type of circular-scanning mode using single or arc detectors. However, the use of MITISs for body scanning is complicated by restrictions in space and imaging time. A linear-array detector, the most widely used transducer in medical ultrasound imaging systems for body scanning, is a possible alternative to MITISs for scanning biological tissues, such as from the breast or limbs. In this paper, a handheld MITIS, based on a linear-array detector and a multiple data acquisition system, is described, and the capacity of the system is explored experimentally. First, the vertical and lateral resolution of the system is discussed. Next, real-time imaging of a moving object, obtained with an image capture rate of 20 frame/s, is described. Finally, a phantom experiment is detailed, investigating the overall imaging capability. The results show that this system achieves rapid scanning with a large field of view. The system has the obvious advantages of being handheld, not using coupled fluids, and achieving real-time imaging with a large field of view, which make this MITIS more suitable for clinical applications.
East Africa in the Malthusian Trap?
Authors: Korotayev Andrey , Zinkina Julia
Published: August 2015

The article demonstrates that: (i) the main countries of East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania) have not escaped the Malthusian trap yet, (ii) these countries are not likely to follow the “North African path” and are likely to encounter serious social problems before they achieve success in making a transition in their fertility rates, and (iii) East Africa is unlikely to achieve this escape if it does not follow the “Bangladeshi path” and will not achieve substantial fertility declines in the foreseeable future. The Bangladeshi path implies the introduction of compulsory universal secondary education, serious family planning programs, and a rise in the legal age for marriage with parental consent. Such measures should of course be accompanied by the substantial increases in agricultural labor productivity concomitant with a decline in the percentage of the population employed in agriculture.
The perils of semi-presidentialism: Confidence in political institutions in contemporary democracies
Authors: Ecevit Yüksel Alper , Karakoç Ekrem
Published: August 2015

The degree to which citizens perceive democratic political institutions as trustworthy indicates how well these institutions translate the citizenry’s interests into public policy and how effective and accountable they are seen to be. Low levels of public confidence in political institutions are an indicator of various political problems and are likely to raise concerns over democratic governance. Recent findings that trust in major political institutions has fallen over the last quarter of a century in many democracies have led scholars to examine individual and institutional factors associated with political confidence. Aiming to contribute to this burgeoning literature, this study investigates the impact of semi-presidentialism on public confidence in two major political institutions: the government and parliament. Testing our arguments in 29 democracies through a multilevel analysis, we have found that, compared to presidential and parliamentary systems, semi-presidentialism often generates dual-legitimacy problems, thereby reducing confidence in both government and parliament.
Bilothorax as a complication of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage
Authors: Sano Atsushi , Yotsumoto Takuma
Published: August 2015

We report two cases of bilothorax that occurred as a complication of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. In an 86-year-old woman who had undergone percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice, bilothorax occurred after accidental removal of the tube. She recovered with chest drainage only. An 83-year-old man who had undergone percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for cholecystitis developed bilothorax with infection. He recovered with thoracoscopic curettage. Although bilothorax is a rare complication of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, appropriate diagnosis and prompt treatment is important, especially when bilothorax is accompanied by infection.
Identifying depression post-stroke in patients with aphasia: a systematic review of the reliability, validity and feasibility of available instruments
Authors: van Dijk Mariska J , de Man-van Ginkel Janneke M , Hafsteinsdóttir Thóra B , Schuurmans Marieke J
Published: August 2015

Objective:

To identify and critically appraise the evidence for instruments assessing depression in stroke patients with aphasia.

Methods:

The PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Psych Info and Cochrane databases were searched from inception until May 2015.

Results:

Of the 383 titles found in the search, 15 articles met the inclusion criteria and six instruments were identified: The Aphasic Depression Rating Scale, the Clinical Global Impression-Scale, the Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire (four versions), the Signs of Depression Scale, the Visual Analogue Mood Scale (three versions) and the Visual Analogue Self Esteem Scale. Supporting evidence for reliability and validity was limited owing to methodological flaws in the studies influencing the ratings of methodological quality. Feasibility data were available for all instruments. Rating time of the instruments ranged from less than one minute to five minutes, two instruments required extensive training.

Conclusion:

A number of instruments to assess depressive symptoms in patients with aphasia are available. None of the instruments however, were found to be sufficiently investigated and most of the studies identified were of low methodological quality. Given the present evidence, the Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire-10, the Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire-H10 and the Signs of Depression Scale are the most feasible and can be recommended for clinical practice.
MR spectroscopy for assessing the effects of oxytocin on marrow adipogenesis induced by glucocorticoid in rabbits
Authors: Li Baoqing , Jiang Yuqing , Sun Jinlei , Liang Jie , Jin Yulian
Published: August 2015

Background

Previous studies suggest that oxytocin (OT) negatively modulates adipogenesis while promoting osteogenesis in vitro. Because of its effects on marrow stromal cells, OT might have potential utility in therapy for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO).

Purpose

To explore the effects of OT on marrow adipogenesis in a rabbit model of GIO.

Material and Methods

Thirty-six-month-old female New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to the control, GIO, and GIO + OT groups. Magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) were performed to detect marrow fat content (MFC) and bone mineral density (BMD) at baseline, and 1, 2, and 3 months. After 3 months of treatment, marrow adipocytes were quantitatively evaluated by histopathology.

Results

In the GIO group, MFC substantially increased from 34.1% to 43.2% at month 1, and it was maintained until month 3 (by 59.2%, all P <0.01). MFC values in the GIO group were significantly different from the control and OT-treated groups over time. Early OT treatment reversed marrow adiposity to levels of the controls. BMD values were significantly lower in the GIO group at months 2 and 3 compared to the controls; however, partial recovery of vertebral BMD (87.1% of baseline) and femoral BMD (89.3% of baseline) in the OT-treated group were observed. The mean diameter and density of adipocyte and percentage of adipocyte area increased by 30.0%, 70.1%, and 88.9%, respectively (all P <0.05) in the GIO group, but remained unchanged in the OT-treated group.

Conclusion

Early OT treatment was sufficient to eliminate glucocorticoid-induced marrow adiposity.
Knowing the subterranean: Land grabbing, oil palm, and divergent expertise in Indonesia’s peat soil
Authors: Goldstein Jenny E
Published: August 2015

So-called global land grabbing is not only a response to socio-ecological shifts but can also generate substantial subterranean and atmospheric biogeochemical changes. As land acquisitions for agricultural development play out in Indonesia, the country’s peatlands have been a key to rapid and expansive oil palm development. Oil palm production in tropical peatlands, however, requires soil drainage through hydrological engineering, which stimulates carbon dioxide emissions. Research on the quantities and mechanisms of those carbon emissions has been central to generating scientific consensus stipulating peatland conservation and rehabilitation, rather than agricultural development. Yet, alternate scientific knowledge networks have generated what I call divergent expertise, which supports a peatland management strategy of continued development despite ecological risk. This divergent expertise raises questions of how land is made suitable for large-scale acquisition and investment for agricultural development, and how to manage the biogeochemical crises that can ensue when land is incorporated into land grab regimes.
Understanding customer requirements through quantitative analysis of an improved fuzzy Kano’s model
Authors: He Lina , Ming Xinguo , Li Miao , Zheng Maokuan , Xu Zhitao
Published: August 2015

Customer requirement analysis has become a primary concern for companies who compete in the global market. Kano’s model, as a customer-driven tool, has been widely used for customer requirement analysis in product improvement. Although a number of authors have improved the traditional Kano’s model, there has been a limitation of dealing with the fuzzy and uncertainty of human thought under multi-granularity linguistic environment. Furthermore, the traditional Kano’s model faces problems regarding quantitative data computation and customer requirements importance assessment. In this article, an improved fuzzy Kano’s model is proposed to analyze customer requirements under uncertain environment. A 2-tuple linguistic fuzzy Kano’s questionnaire is developed to model the uncertainty and diversity of customers’ assessments using 2-tuple linguistic variables under multi-granularity linguistic environment. Then, a comprehensive and systematic methodology is presented to prioritize customer requirements through quantitative analysis of improved fuzzy Kano’s model. This method integrates subjective judgments assigned by decision maker, objective weights based on maximizing deviation method and customer satisfaction contribution to determine the priority ratings of customer requirements. A case study of combine harvester development is presented to evaluate the proposed model.
Hedging-point control policy for a failure-prone manufacturing system
Authors: Yan Hong-Sen , Jiang Tian-Hua , Meng Xian-Gang , Shi Wen-Wu
Published: August 2015

The production control of failure-prone manufacturing systems is notoriously difficult because such systems are uncertain and non-linear. Since the introduction of hedging-point policies, many researches have been done in this field. However, there are few literatures that consider the production control problem of tree-structured manufacturing systems. In this article, a hedging-point production control policy is proposed for a multi-machine, tree-structured failure-prone manufacturing system. To obtain the optimal hedging points, an iterative learning algorithm is developed by considering the system’s characteristics. A simulation method is embedded in the iterative learning algorithm to calculate the system cost. To estimate the performance of the proposed algorithm, comparisons are made between our algorithm, genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization algorithm. The experimental results show that our algorithm works better than others in reducing the computation time and minimizing the production cost.
A preliminary study on surgical navigation for epiduroscopic laser neural decompression
Authors: Jeon Sangseo , Lee Gun Woo , Jeon Young Dae , Park Il-Hyung , Hong Jaesung , Kim Jae-Do
Published: August 2015

Epiduroscopic laser neural decompression is an emerging therapeutic modality to treat lumbar spine pathologies including chronic low back pain, spinal stenosis, and disk herniation via catheter insertion followed by laser ablation of the lesion. Despite the efficacy of epiduroscopic laser neural decompression, excessive radiation doses due to fluoroscopy during epiduroscopic laser neural decompression have limited its widespread application. To address the issue, we propose a surgical navigation system to assist in epiduroscopic laser neural decompression procedures using radiation-free image guidance. An electromagnetic tracking system was used as the basic modality to track the internal location of the surgical instrument with respect to the patient body. Patient-to-image registration was carried out using the point-based registration method to determine the transformation between the coordinate system of the patient and that of the medical images. We applied the proposed system in epiduroscopic laser neural decompression procedures to assess its effectiveness, and the outcomes confirmed its clinical feasibility. To the best of our knowledge, this is a report on the first surgical navigation applied for epiduroscopic laser neural decompression procedure.
Application of microencapsulated unsaturated polyester toward temperature-triggered healing in epoxy composites
Authors: Tripathi Manorama , Dwivedi Raman , Kumar Devendra , Roy Prasun Kumar
Published: August 2015

In this article, we demonstrate the potential of encapsulated unsaturated polyester resin toward introduction of temperature-triggered healing functionality in a representative cycloaliphatic epoxy matrix. Unsaturated polyester resin was encapsulated in poly(urea–formaldehyde) shell by dispersion polymerization technique which resulted in the formation of free-flowing microcapsules (diameter ∼130 ± 49 µm) with a core content 58 ± 4%. Calorimetric studies confirmed the chemical activity of the encapsulated unsaturated polyester resin, which spontaneously polymerized in the presence of a free radical initiator, 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile), at temperature as low as 80°C. Temperature-triggered healing of epoxy-microcapsule composites was performed at 110°C and the healing efficiency was quantified as the ratio of impact strength of healed and virgin specimens. The healing efficiency was found to increase with the increasing amount of microcapsule in the formulation and reached a maximum (100 ± 2%) at 20% (w/w) loading. Fractographic analysis of the surface revealed the flow pattern of chemically active resin from the ruptured microcapsules, which subsequently cured in the presence of 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) pre-dispersed in the matrix.
Adolescent (Mis)Perceptions About Nicotine Addiction
Authors: Roditis Maria , Lee Joann , Halpern-Felsher Bonnie L.
Published: August 2015

Purpose. Despite evidence that adolescents become addicted to nicotine even after limited use, adolescents believe they can experiment with or smoke cigarettes for a few years and easily quit. The goal of this study was to examine adolescents’ understanding of the definition and process of nicotine addiction using a mixed-methods approach. Method. A total of 367 adolescents with and without smoking experience rated the perceived risk for addiction, still being a smoker in 5 years, and ability to quit smoking. A subsample of adolescents ( N = 41) were interviewed about their conceptualization and understanding of nicotine addiction. Within-participants analyses of variance were conducted to assess differences in perceptions of addiction across the three scenarios; thematic analyses of interviews were conducted to assess adolescents’ understanding of addiction. Results. Adolescents rated their perceived risk for addiction, still being a smoker in 5 years, and ability to quit as significantly different from one another for three different scenarios ( F = 7.81, 47.78, and 70.27, respectively; p < .001). Seven themes describing how youth conceptualize and understand addiction emerged from the interview data, including skepticism and uncertainty about addiction, how smoking makes a person feel, and family and friends’ experiences. Conclusion. While adolescents have received the message that cigarettes are addictive, they are uncertain regarding the definition of addiction and have not recognized that addiction means experiencing difficulty quitting and continuing to smoke longer than expected. Findings suggest the need for comprehensive messaging regarding nicotine addiction in educational, clinical, and intervention settings and for product warning messages aimed at reducing and preventing tobacco use.
Intralesional Vitamin D Injection May Be an Effective Treatment Option for Warts
Authors: Aktaş Habibullah , Ergin Can , Demir Betül , Ekiz Özlem
Published: August 2015

Background:

Plantar warts are typically resistant to treatment. In recent years, treatments have included administration of intralesional tuberculin; measles, mumps, rubella vaccine; and Candida albicans antigen immunotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of intralesional vitamin D administration for the treatment of warts.

Aim:

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional vitamin D treatment for plantar warts.

Methods:

Twenty patients with single or multiple plantar warts were included in this study. Vitamin D3 (0.2 mL, 7.5 mg/mL) was injected into the base of the warts after prilocaine (0.1 mL, 20 mg/mL) injection. A maximum of 5 warts were treated in 1 session, with at maximum 2 injections performed at 4-week intervals.

Results:

In total, 16 of 20 patients (80%) showed complete resolution of warts, and 1 patient showed partial resolution. Three patients failed to show any response. No recurrence or serious adverse effects were observed.

Conclusion:

Intralesional vitamin D3 may be an effective treatment option for warts.
A combined, large, multi-faceted bulbous façade glazed curtain with open atrium as a natural ventilation solution for an energy efficient sustainable office building in Southern China
Authors: Bai Guiping , Gong Guangcai , Yu Chuck Wah , Zhen Ouyang
Published: August 2015

This paper investigates the ventilation performance of a stack system built with a bulbous façade glazed curtain and an open atrium in a six-storey office building, in DongGuan eco-park in southern China. Sustainable development, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and thermal comfort are the key criteria for the design; incorporating LingNan architectural cultural elements, with large open atrium for natural ventilation and openable windows to allow air movement throughout the building. The high energy load accentuated by the glazing would be offset by stack ventilation, to provide indoor circulation of air to maintain a satisfactory level of thermal comfort in spring/autumn, without relying on air conditioning, thus saving energy consumption (about 60%). Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to determine the efficacy of natural ventilation to illustrate the heat storage, dissipation and transfer within the building. The ventilation and heat dissipation performance of the stack system in the bulbous atrium in different seasons are illustrated with four different percentage of inlet and outlet openings. In summer and autumn/spring, good natural ventilation performance in the building can be achieved by the bulbous façade layer caused by buoyancy force and wind pressure and in the atrium courtyard. Sound ventilation performance can be achieved in rooms on most floors, while worst ventilation performance is expected in the top floor. The design of the bulbous façade with a large open atrium can provide effective ventilation efficiency for a better indoor thermal environment by strategic use of building self-shading and natural ventilation.
Informal planning in a transactive governmentality. Re-reading planning practices through Ghent’s community gardens
Authors: Certomà Chiara , Notteboom Bruno
Published: August 2015

This article addresses a new mode of planning that involves a collaboration between State, private and community actors in the context of growing urban gardening movements. It questions the view of urban gardening as a manifestation of citizens’ dissensus towards administration’s institutional planning, and the expression of urban ‘counterplanning’ whose aim is to resist the consequences of a neoliberal governmentality. Although this interpretation of urban gardening is to a certain extent true, it does not completely explain some current developments in socio-spatial planning practices. In order to fill this gap, the article advances a theoretical analysis of the emerging governmentality generated by an intensified relationship between institutional, private and community actors. The theoretical analysis is complemented by the example of representative urban gardening projects in Ghent, a dynamic and inspiring mid-size city in Belgium, providing an ideal context for exploring the transformation of planning practices and their socio-political underpinnings. The article concludes that urban gardening practices exemplify an emerging informal mode of planning supported by a new transactive governmentality, which may lead to a co-creative transformation of public urban space.
Sweat, Skepticism, and Uncharted Territory
Authors: Hate Ketaki , Meherally Sanna , Shah More Neena , Jayaraman Anuja , Bull Susan , Parker Michael , Osrin David
Published: August 2015

Efforts to internalize data sharing in research practice have been driven largely by developing international norms that have not incorporated opinions from researchers in low- and middle-income countries. We sought to identify the issues around ethical data sharing in the context of research involving women and children in urban India. We interviewed researchers, managers, and research participants associated with a Mumbai non-governmental organization, as well as researchers from other organizations and members of ethics committees. We conducted 22 individual semi-structured interviews and involved 44 research participants in focus group discussions. We used framework analysis to examine ideas about data and data sharing in general; its potential benefits or harms, barriers, obligations, and governance; and the requirements for consent. Both researchers and participants were generally in favor of data sharing, although limited experience amplified their reservations. We identified three themes: concerns that the work of data producers may not receive appropriate acknowledgment, skepticism about the process of sharing, and the fact that the terrain of data sharing was essentially uncharted and confusing. To increase data sharing in India, we need to provide guidelines, protocols, and examples of good practice in terms of consent, data preparation, screening of applications, and what individuals and organizations can expect in terms of validation, acknowledgment, and authorship.
Sharing Research Data to Improve Public Health
Authors: Carr David , Littler Katherine
Published: August 2015

Through the Public Health Research Data Forum, global health research funders are working together to increase the availability of public health and epidemiology research data in ways that are equitable, ethical, and efficient. The Wellcome Trust funded the research reported in this special edition as a first step toward building an evidence base on the perspectives of research stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries on the benefits and challenges of sharing health research data. We hope this work will make a key contribution to discussions aimed at creating policy frameworks for data access at local, national, and regional levels that are sensitive to different contexts and ensure the benefits to research and health are realized in an equitable manner.
Best Practices for Ethical Sharing of Individual-Level Health Research Data From Low- and Middle-Income Settings
Authors: Bull Susan , Cheah Phaik Yeong , Denny Spencer , Jao Irene , Marsh Vicki , Merson Laura , Shah More Neena , Nhan Le Nguyen Thanh , Osrin David , Tangseefa Decha , Wassenaar Douglas , Parker Michael
Published: August 2015

Sharing individual-level data from clinical and public health research is increasingly being seen as a core requirement for effective and efficient biomedical research. This article discusses the results of a systematic review and multisite qualitative study of key stakeholders’ perspectives on best practices in ethical data sharing in low- and middle-income settings. Our research suggests that for data sharing to be effective and sustainable, multiple social and ethical requirements need to be met. An effective model of data sharing will be one in which considered judgments will need to be made about how best to achieve scientific progress, minimize risks of harm, promote fairness and reciprocity, and build and sustain trust.
Views of Ethical Best Practices in Sharing Individual-Level Data From Medical and Public Health Research
Authors: Bull Susan , Roberts Nia , Parker Michael
Published: August 2015

There is increasing support for sharing individual-level data generated by medical and public health research. This scoping review of empirical research and conceptual literature examined stakeholders’ perspectives of ethical best practices in data sharing, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. Sixty-nine empirical and conceptual articles were reviewed, of which, only five were empirical studies and eight were conceptual articles focusing on low- and middle-income settings. We conclude that support for sharing individual-level data is contingent on the development and implementation of international and local policies and processes to support ethical best practices. Further conceptual and empirical research is needed to ensure data sharing policies and processes in low- and middle-income settings are appropriately informed by stakeholders’ perspectives.
An update on the efficacy of endobronchial valve therapy in the management of hyperinflation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Valipour Arschang , Burghuber Otto Chris
Published: August 2015

Lung volume reduction surgery has been shown to be effective in patients with heterogeneous emphysema, but is also associated with a relatively high perioperative morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, several novel and potentially less invasive methods for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction have been developed. Endobronchial valve (EBV) therapy is one such therapeutic approach in patients with advanced emphysema. It has been the most widely studied technique over the past years and represents an effective treatment option for patients with severe heterogeneous upper- or lower-lobe-predominant emphysema. The choice of EBV therapy largely depends on the distribution of emphysema and the presence or absence of interlobar collateral ventilation. Adequate patient selection and technical success of valve implantation with the intention of lobar exclusion are predictive factors for positive outcomes. This review attempts to highlight the milestones in the development of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with one-way valve implantation over the past few years.
The growth pattern of the human intestine and its mesentery
Authors: Soffers Jelly HM , Hikspoors Jill PJM , Mekonen Hayelom K. , Koehler S. Eleonore , Lamers Wouter H.
Published: August 2015

Background

It remains unclear to what extent midgut rotation determines human intestinal topography and pathology. We reinvestigated the midgut during its looping and herniation phases of development, using novel 3D visualization techniques.

Results

We distinguished 3 generations of midgut loops. The topography of primary and secondary loops was constant, but that of tertiary loops not. The orientation of the primary loop changed from sagittal to transverse due to the descent of ventral structures in a body with a still helical body axis. The 1st secondary loop (duodenum, proximal jejunum) developed intraabdominally towards a left-sided position. The 2nd secondary loop (distal jejunum) assumed a left-sided position inside the hernia before returning, while the 3rd and 4th secondary loops retained near-midline positions. Intestinal return into the abdomen resembled a backward sliding movement. Only after return, the 4th secondary loop (distal ileum, cecum) rapidly “slid” into the right lower abdomen. The seemingly random position of the tertiary small-intestinal loops may have a biomechanical origin.

Conclusions

The interpretation of “intestinal rotation” as a mechanistic rather than a descriptive concept underlies much of the confusion accompanying the physiological herniation. We argue, instead, that the concept of “en-bloc rotation” of the developing midgut is a fallacy of schematic drawings. Primary, secondary and tertiary loops arise in a hierarchical fashion. The predictable position and growth of secondary loops is pre-patterned and determines adult intestinal topography. We hypothesize based on published accounts that malrotations result from stunted development of secondary loops.
Characterisation of neurons derived from a cortical human neural stem cell line CTX0E16
Authors: Anderson Greg W. , Deans P. J. Michael , Taylor Ruth D T , Raval Pooja , Chen Ding , Lowder Harrison , Murkerji Srishti , Andreae Laura C. , Williams Brenda P. , Srivastava Deepak P.
Published: August 2015

Introduction

Conditionally immortalised human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) represent a robust source of native neural cells to investigate physiological mechanisms in both health and disease. However, in order to recognise the utility of such cells, it is critical to determine whether they retain characteristics of their tissue of origin and generate appropriate neural cell types upon differentiation. To this end, we have characterised the conditionally immortalised, cortically-derived, human NPC line, CTX0E16, investigating the molecular and cellular phenotype of differentiated neurons to determine whether they possess characteristics of cortical glutamatergic neurons.

Methods

Differentiated CTX0E16 cells were characterised by assessing expression of several neural fates markers, and examination of developing neuronal morphology. Expression of neurotransmitter receptors, signalling proteins and related proteins were assessed by q- and RT-PCR and complemented by Ca2+ imaging, electrophysiology and assessment of ERK signalling in response to neurotransmitter ligand application. Finally, differentiated neurons were assessed for their ability to form putative synapses and to respond to activity-dependent stimulation.

Results

Differentiation of CTX0E16 hNPCs predominately resulted in the generation of neurons expressing markers of cortical and glutamatergic (excitatory) fate, and with a typical polarized neuronal morphology. Gene expression analysis confirmed an upregulation in the expression of cortical, glutamatergic and signalling proteins following differentiation. CTX0E16 neurons demonstrated Ca2+ and ERK1/2 responses following exogenous neurotransmitter application, and after 6 weeks displayed spontaneous Ca2+ transients and electrophysiological properties consistent with that of immature neurons. Differentiated CTX0E16 neurons also expressed a range of pre- and post-synaptic proteins that co-localized along distal dendrites, and moreover, displayed structural plasticity in response to modulation of neuronal activity.

Conclusions

Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the CTX0E16 hNPC line is a robust source of cortical neurons, which display functional properties consistent with a glutamatergic phenotype. Thus CTX0E16 neurons can be used to study cortical cell function, and furthermore, as these neurons express a range of disease-associated genes, they represent an ideal platform with which to investigate neurodevelopmental mechanisms in native human cells in health and disease.
φ-Contraction in generalized probabilistic metric spaces
Authors: Alsulami Saud M , Choudhury Binayak S , Das Pradyut
Published: August 2015

We use the gauge function introduced by Fang to gain a fixed point result in probabilistic G-metric spaces. Our work extends some existing results. Moreover, our result is supported with an example.
A new hybrid algorithm and its numerical realization for two nonexpansive mappings
Authors: Dong Qiao-Li , He Songnian , Cho Yeol Je
Published: August 2015

In the paper, first, we introduce a new hybrid projection algorithm and present its strong convergence theorem. Next, we analyze different hybrid algorithms in computing and conclude that our proposed algorithm has an advantage. Finally, the numerical experiments validate the efficiency and advantages of the new algorithm.
Remittances, school quality, and household education expenditures in Nepal
Authors: Bansak Cynthia , Chezum Brian , Giri Animesh
Published: August 2015

A heightened interest in understanding the remitting practices of immigrants and their impact on a variety of economic indicators has emerged as remittances to developing countries have risen substantially over the past decade. If remittances primarily enhance consumption, they may have no lasting impact on economic growth. However, through asset accumulation and human capital investment, remittances may serve as a vehicle for growth. In this paper, we use the 2010 Nepal Living Standards Survey III (NLSS III) to examine how remittances affect household expenditures on human capital investment. Overall, our findings suggest that at the margin, remittances do contribute to human capital investment, but this effect varies substantially by school quality within Nepal. In addition, our results indicate that internal remittances (remittances from household members migrating internally) have a greater impact on education than do external remittances. We posit that this may be due to a higher value placed on Nepali education by internal migrants as compared to the education needed for foreign job opportunities by migrants abroad.

JEL codes: J61, I25, F22, F24, H52, O15