bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personalized Feedback in Web Surveys
Authors: Kühne Simon , Kroh Martin
Published: October 2016

Web surveys technically allow providing feedback to the respondents based on their previous responses. This personalized feedback may increase respondents’ motivation and possibly the accuracy of responses. While past studies mainly concentrate on the effects of providing study results on future response rates, thus far survey research lacks theoretical and empirical contributions on the effects of personalized, immediate, feedback on response behavior. To test this, we implemented a randomized trial in the context of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) in 2014, providing feedback regarding the respondents’ personality tests (Big Five Personality Inventory) to a subgroup of the sample. Results show only moderate differences in response behavior between experimental and control groups. However, we find that respondents who received personalized feedback report higher levels of satisfaction with the survey.
Confucius Institutes and the limitations of China’s global cultural network
Authors: Yuan Zhenjie , Guo Junwanguo , Zhu Hong
Published: October 2016

The majority of Anglophone literature tends to portray Confucius Institutes as playing a successful role serving China’s interests in its foreign collaborations. So far, the threat of this institution has been largely stereotyped and even taken for granted. Few scholars question the influence and capacity of the institution on both global and local scales. Relying on cartograms, correlation and national image analyses as well as qualitative studies, this article examines the influence of Confucius Institutes as the institution globalized and localized. This article reports three main findings: (1) the geopolitical influence of Confucius Institutes is uneven in different regions and they are engaged in an ongoing process of geopolitical construction; (2) analyses of correlation with China’s national image show that not only does the influence of the institution vary in regions but also that the project could have a negative impact on bilateral cooperation, suggesting that, contrary to popular thinking, Confucius Institutes have not had a positive impact on China’s global interests; and (3) the capacity of the institutes in everyday operations is systematically limited, reflecting China’s inexperience in managing this global cultural network. Confucius Institutes are generous in making economic concessions but are hesitant during political negotiations, which can be said to mirror China’s patchy performance in economic and political reform.
Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the HIV Treatment Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale in mainland China
Authors: Sun Liang , Yang Shu-min , Wu Hui , Chen Bing , Wang Chong-jian , Li Xiao-fang
Published: October 2016

The aim of this study was to translate the HIV Treatment Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale (HIV-ASES) and evaluate its reliability and validity in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in mainland China. The original HIV-ASES was translated from English into Chinese and adapted for cultural context according to cross-cultural adaptation guidelines. A cross-sectional survey investigating 1742 PLWHIV receiving antiretroviral treatment was conducted. Exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation confirmed the presence of two factors with an accumulated contribution rate of 58.357%. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis revealed the model’s goodness-of-fit index. The comparative fit index was greater than 0.9 and the overall efficacy of the model was satisfactory. The Cronbach α coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.876 (95% CI: 0.868–0.885), and the correlation coefficient of each item and the total was 0.536–0.660 ( P < 0.01). The Chinese version of the HIV-ASES has high reliability and validity; however, the individual item requires some adjustment.
Integrase strand transfer inhibitor-associated diabetes mellitus: A case report
Authors: Fong Peter S , Flynn Devon M , Evans Christopher D , Korthuis P Todd
Published: October 2016

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) have become integral antiretroviral therapy (ART) agents for treating HIV infection. We report the case of a 44-year-old male with a history of hemophilia A who developed diabetes mellitus four months after switching from abacavir, lamivudine, and efavirenz to abacavir, lamivudine, and raltegravir. Hemoglobin A1C normalized without further need for exogenous insulin after raltegravir was switched back to efavirenz. In this case report, we will review a possible mechanism for INSTI-induced hyperglycemia and/or diabetes mellitus.
Systematic review of the efficacy and safety of biological therapy for inflammatory conditions in HIV-infected individuals
Authors: Fink DL , Hedley L , Miller RF
Published: October 2016

Biologic therapies are injectable immunomodulatory agents directed against specific immune cell or chemical targets. They have transformed the lives of HIV-uninfected individuals with severe inflammatory conditions including psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. The perceived increased infection risk associated with these agents means that HIV-infected individuals have not been included in randomised control trials of these drugs. The literature for use of biologic therapies in HIV-infected populations is limited to case reports and case series. There are additional data on use of rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against B lymphocytes, in the setting of HIV-associated haematological malignancy. We performed a systematic review of efficacy and safety of biologic therapy for inflammatory conditions in HIV-infected individuals. Our systematic review identified 37 treatment episodes with six different biologic agents encompassing 10 different inflammatory conditions. Broadly, efficacy of the agents studied was comparable to reports from HIV-uninfected patients. Both infectious and non-infectious sequelae were also comparable with trial data from HIV-uninfected patients. HIV control, even for the minority of individuals not receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at the time of biologic therapy, was not adversely affected. However, detail was limited concerning ART regimens and both immunological and virological parameters of follow-up. Overall available literature is of very low quality and likely subject to publication bias of successful cases. Firm conclusions are not possible regarding the efficacy and safety of biologic agents in HIV-infected individuals; however, there appear to be sufficient data to warrant inclusion of individuals with well-controlled HIV in future trial studies.
Numerical investigations on tip leakage flow characteristics and vortex trajectory prediction model in centrifugal compressor
Authors: Zhao Huijing , Wang Zhiheng , Ye Shubo , Xi Guang
Published: October 2016

To better understand the characteristics of tip leakage flow and interpret the correlation between flow instability and tip leakage flow, the flow in the tip region of a centrifugal impeller is investigated by using the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes solver technique. With the decrease of mass flow rate, both the tip leakage vortex trajectory and the mainflow/tip leakage flow interface are shifted towards upstream. The mainflow/tip leakage flow interface finally reaches the leading edge of main blade at the near-stall condition. A prediction model is proposed to track the tip leakage vortex trajectory. The blade loading at blade tip and the averaged streamwise velocity of main flow within tip clearance height are adopted to determine the tip leakage vortex trajectory in the proposed model. The coefficient k in Chen’s model is found to be not a constant. Actually, it is correlated with h/b (the ratio of blade tip clearance height to blade tip thickness), because h/b will significantly influence the flow structure across the tip clearance. The effectiveness of the proposed prediction model is further demonstrated by tracking the tip leakage vortex trajectories in another three centrifugal impellers characterized with different h/b (s).
Suicidal ideation and non-fatal deliberate self-harm presentations in the Kimberley from an enhanced police–mental health service notification database
Authors: McHugh Cate , Balaratnasingam Sivasankaran , Campbell Anita , Chapman Murray
Published: October 2016

Objectives:

To determine the rate of presentations for suicidal ideation and deliberate self-harm in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, characterized in terms of age, gender, rates of repetition and engagement with community mental health services.

Methods:

An observational study of health service presentations over 12 months. Setting: 10 sites across the region with police services were included, capturing the overwhelming majority of self-harm presentations in the region. Participants: all Indigenous presentations were analyzed. Of the 433 individuals who presented, 361 were Indigenous. Main outcome measures: suicidal phenomena, including suicidal ideation and any type of deliberate self-harm regardless of intent.

Results:

Analysis suggests a broadly similar age and sex stratification of self-harm in this population compared with international reports. The rates, however, are 5–20 times higher than those reported in non-Indigenous populations in Australia and abroad, depending on whether the comparison rate is calculated from population surveys or hospital presentations.

Conclusions:

Prevalence of suicidal phenomena is very high and is likely to be much higher than estimated by this hospital based study. Such high prevalence suggests that a population level intervention is required in addition to interventions involving clinical services.
Immigrant Health in the United States
Authors: Hall Eleanor , Cuellar Norma Graciela
Published: October 2016

Introduction: Immigrants have a negative health trajectory due to interactions between immigration policies and the totality of the immigration experience. Despite the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, an association with the sociopolitical environment and its influence on chronic disease prevalence remains. The purpose of this review was to provide evidence for existing health disparities among immigrants based on ethnicity, immigration status, country of origin, duration in the United States. The sociopolitical environment affecting immigrant health and opportunities to change the course toward ameliorating health disparities is discussed. Method: Using PRISMA guidelines, the literature focused on immigrants, disease prevalence, health care access, and policy. Twenty-nine articles were selected for this review. Results: Chronic disease prevalence is associated with the restrictive immigration and health care policies among all immigrant groups. Discussion: Recent evidence and the current immigration debate signify an opportunity to explore strategies to improve health outcomes among immigrants.
The Hen’s Egg Test on Chorioallantoic Membrane
Authors: Batista-Duharte Alexander , Jorge Murillo Gisela , Pérez Ulpiano Marqués , Tur Enieyis Naranjo , Portuondo Deivys Fuentes , Martínez Bruno Téllez , Téllez-Martínez Damiana , Betancourt Juan E. , Pérez Oliver
Published: October 2016

Local reactions are the most frequent adverse event associated with vaccines. Adjuvants are major constituents of many vaccines and they are frequently involved in these reactions, associated with their irritating effect and the stimulation of local inflammation. The hen’s egg test on chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) is an alternative toxicological method widely used to determine ocular irritation potential, but very few studies have demonstrated the utility of this method for assessing the irritant properties of vaccine adjuvants. In this work, known/experimental adjuvants were evaluated by both HET-CAM and an in vivo local toxicity study in mice to compare irritation scores to determine whether there was a correlation (Pearson test). Based on these data ( r = 0.9034; P < 0.0001), the HET-CAM assay can be used as an alternate method for the prediction of the local toxicity potential of adjuvant candidates to be used in vaccines.
The benefits of light shelves over the daylight illuminance in office buildings in Toronto
Authors: Berardi Umberto , Anaraki Hamid Khademi
Published: October 2016

Modern envelope technologies and architectural trends often encourage the adoption of large glazing surfaces. Light shelves are then proposed to reduce glare complaints, while providing better indoor daylight distribution. In this paper, the benefits of light shelves over the illuminance levels in office buildings in Toronto are evaluated. The useful daylight illuminance was used as the metric of analysis in this study. Annual simulations for buildings with different window-to-wall ratios were compared. Moreover, the effects of different window shapes, façade orientation and external obstructing elements were investigated. Results show that in the context of analysis, light shelves increase the useful daylight illuminance values mainly in the first 6 m from the windows and provide a more homogeneous distribution of the daylight. Window-to-wall ratios above 35% consistently result in increasing glare risks. This study indicates that narrow full-height windows provide better daylighting compared to shorter but wider windows. The west orientation shows higher useful daylight illuminance compared to the south-facing ones, although light shelves are far less beneficial when applied to windows but not facing south. Finally, the illuminance levels in buildings with different obstruction angles of the façade are presented in order to provide a comprehensive analysis about the benefits of adopting light shelves in office buildings in the urban context of Toronto, Canada.
Evolution, revolution and culture shift
Authors: Billingsley Barbara , Ahmed Masood
Published: October 2016

Civil justice reforms in both England and Canada have consistently advocated the need for a litigation ‘culture shift’ away from the traditional adversarial trial process in resolving disputes to settlement through ADR. In seeking to implement this cultural shift, both countries have adopted distinctly diverging approaches to the issue of mandatory ADR. This paper critically analyses the current rules of civil process and associated judicial attitudes toward compulsory ADR in England and in Canada. It argues that the Canadian approach of legislating compulsory ADR provides greater consistency and predictability when it comes to ensuring that litigants undertake ADR efforts. In contrast, the English approach, which formally rejects but impliedly accepts and implements mandatory ADR, creates uncertainty for those who engage with the civil justice process. Drawing on the Canadian practice, this paper proposes ways in which the English court rules may be reformed to better integrate mandatory ADR.
Non-performance of statutory duty causing pure economic loss
Authors: Chan Sunny SH
Published: October 2016

This case note comments on the existence of a tortious duty of care when the defendant’s omission has caused pure economic loss. The orthodox position in the United Kingdom is that the existence of a statutory duty does not buttress a finding of duty of care in such cases. But a recent Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal decision went the other way, justifying a duty of care in such cases on the basis of a statutory duty. This case note tries to reconcile the positions in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, and suggests that the Hong Kong approach be followed for good reasons.
Can class members appeal class action settlements? A study from British Columbia
Authors: Morabito Vince
Published: October 2016

It is widely recognized that the review of settlement agreements executed by the formal parties to class action litigation—the representative plaintiff and the defendant—represents the most important and challenging task that judges presiding over such litigation face. In order to facilitate this judicial task the views with respect to proposed class action settlements are sought from those persons who will be bound by such compromises despite having had no involvement in the settlement negotiations and in the conduct of the litigation itself: the class members. If the trial court approves the settlement despite the filing of objections to the settlement (or aspects of the settlement) by one or more of the affected class members, can these dissatisfied class members or objectors seek the intervention of an appellate court? This general question has been considered by American appellate courts on numerous occasions. But in Canada this question has been considered only in Quebec and in a somewhat indirect manner, given that it has been held in that province that settlement approval orders are not appealable regardless of whether the appeal is filed by the representative plaintiff or one of the class members. The aim of this article is to explore the major issues that will need to be grappled with when the intervention of Canadian appellate courts will be sought by dissatisfied class members. This study will be undertaken with respect to British Columbia, which has Canada’s third longest-running class action regime.
The rule of law and the economy
Authors: Green Nicholas
Published: October 2016

The vigour of the legal system is critical to the success of the economy; and the integrity of the rule of law is critical to the legal system. The common law has, over many centuries, demonstrated its potency as a driver of international trade to the United Kingdom. In a troubled time (politically and economically) the need for a strong legal system committed to the rule of law is never more critical. Yet there are present threats to the legal system and the rule of law and political intervention risks creating unexpected and harmful consequences which will hinder the economy.
Totally Percutaneous Aneurysm Sac Embolization During Endovascular Aneurysm Repair
Authors: Ferretto Luca , Irsara Sandro
Published: October 2016

Purpose: To describe a sac embolization technique modification for type II endoleak prevention that makes a totally percutaneous approach feasible during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) using the Excluder stent-graft. Technique: Percutaneous access of the common femoral arteries is obtained and 2 suture-mediated closure systems are placed on each side. A 16-F or 18-F sheath is placed for delivery of the Excluder stent-graft main body and a 16-F sheath is used on the contralateral side. After the stent-graft and contralateral limb component are delivered to their intended positions, a standard 0.035-inch hydrophilic guidewire is placed into the aneurysm sac through the same 16-F sheath. Then a 5-F, straight, 65-cm-long catheter is advanced over the standard wire into the sac in parallel with the contralateral limb. The contralateral limb is deployed, the standard guidewire is removed; coils are released through the 5-F catheter into the sac, followed by injection of 5 to 10 mL of double-component fibrin glue. Conclusion: Totally percutaneous, nonselective sac embolization during EVAR, with a single access on each femoral artery, is feasible and helpful to physicians who wish to perform intraoperative sac embolization without relevant changes in their usual EVAR procedure.
Urban Cartographies
Authors: Zwicker Heather , Cooley Heidi Rae , Verhoeff Nanna
Published: October 2016

This special issue takes up new media in situ, addressing how new media technologies have the potential to re-orient us and, by extension, radically intervene in our understandings of place—specifically the public spaces of the city—and our place in it. We not only explore the specificities of these new media technologies and the cultural practices they afford but also highlight the intimate relationships they instantiate with their surroundings. The specific case studies highlighted in the contributors’ essays discuss gaming in Canada (Engel) and Japan (Hjorth), the traces of racism in South Carolina (Cooley), the topographical footprint of settler colonialism (Zwicker et al), Hong Kong pace (Wilmott), and artistic experiments that use the city as a laboratory (Verhoeff). What holds all of these contributions together is their indebtedness to creative cartography. This special issue on Urban Cartographies explores the paradoxes of presence, co-presence and absence as represented on and generated by our living, mediating screens.
Democracy Distracted in an Era of Accountability: Teacher Education Against Neoliberalism
Authors: Jenlink Patrick M.
Published: October 2016

Democracy’s distraction by the politics of accountability and the public’s disaffection in an ideologically bound culture of accountability further defines the work ahead for teacher educators in an era of neoliberalism. The author discusses the hegemony of neoliberalism and its political and economic threat to education and, more importantly, to the function of education in a democratic society. The author argues the need for teacher educators to advance a culture of democratic accountability in preparing future teachers. Further argued is that the current culture of technical-managerial accountability is counter intuitive to a democratic society and its educational system. The author examines the meaning of technical-managerial standards of accountability as a neoliberal agenda, presenting a counter narrative of standards of complexity as return to a culture of professional and democratic accountability.
Composing an Autoethnographic Cartography of Blue: Becoming a Pharologist in and of the Academy
Authors: MacDonald Shauna M.
Published: October 2016

In this autoethnographic cartography, I argue for the need for alternative embodied maps for academic life. Using my experiences as a budding pharologist (someone who studies lighthouses), I bear witness to my cultural experience of academia through a collaged autoethnography of mapping and composing space. I bring together autoethnography, theories of cartography, as well as my experiences researching lighthouses as sites of public memory performance, to demonstrate that there is a need in the culture of academia for real discussions about anxiety and similar issues—among faculty and students—and that autoethnography, cartography, and pharology provide an entry into such a discussion. In fragmented sections designed to highlight the ways experiences intertwine, I move through four phases of feeling “blue”: the deep blue of confusing academic anxiety and depression; the search for a methodology to lead me to a brighter, more pleasant kind of blue; the research journey that moved me forward; and the “blue sky” blue it led me to. Through autoethnographic writing and stylistic experimentation, I map my experience of journeying through academic anxiety, providing an example of working toward alternative mappings, compositions, and visions of academic life.
Morphological and Histological Effects of Radiofrequency and Laser (KTP and Nd:YAG) Treatment of the Inferior Turbinates in Animals
Authors: Somogyvári Krisztina , Móricz Péter , Gerlinger Imre , Kereskai László , Szanyi István , Takács Ildikó
Published: October 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the short and medium-term effects of radiofrequency (RF) and potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) and neodymium-yttrium-aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser treatment on the inferior turbinate mucosa in a porcine model. Following randomization, the inferior turbinates were treated either with RF submucosally or with the KTP or the Nd:YAG laser on the surface under videoendoscopic control. Tissue samples were taken at the end of postoperative weeks 1 and 6, and were evaluated macroscopically and histopathologically. Scanning electron microscopy was implemented to demonstrate the morphological changes in the respiratory epithelium. Six weeks following the RF procedure, the mucosa was intact in all cases, and the volume of the inferior turbinates was reduced in the majority of the cases. Although a volume reduction occurred in both laser groups, more complications associated with the healing procedure were noted. With hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid–Schiff staining, intact epithelium, and submucosal glands remained after the RF procedures at the end of postoperative week 6. Following the KTP-laser intervention, necrotizing sialometaplasia and cartilage destruction occurred, and squamous metaplasia was also apparent in the Nd:YAG group. In both laser groups, dilated glands with excess mucus were seen. The scanning electron microscopic findings demonstrated that cilia were present in all cases. In conclusion, the medium-term macroscopic results were similar in all 3 groups, but the postoperative complications were less following the RF procedure. RF procedure is minimally invasive due to the submucosal intervention that leads to a painless, function preserving recovery.
A concurrent reliability optimization procedure in the earlier design phases of complex engineering systems under epistemic uncertainties
Authors: Meng Debiao , Zhang Hua , Huang Tao
Published: October 2016

Concurrent engineering has obtained increasing attention to solve the design problems of multidisciplinary systems. In practical engineering, there are epistemic uncertainties during whole design cycle of complex systems. Especially in earlier design phases, the effects of epistemic uncertainties are not usually easy to be quantified. It is because design information is insufficient. Furthermore, commonly used probability theory is also not suitable to be utilized. In this situation, epistemic uncertainties will be introduced unavoidably by mathematical models or simulation tools and may affect the performance of complex system significantly. To solve this problem, evidence theory is introduced and combined with the collaborative optimization method in this study. An evidence-based collaborative reliability optimization method is also proposed. Evidence theory is a powerful approach to handle epistemic uncertainties by Plausibility and Belief. Meanwhile, collaborative optimization is widely utilized in the concurrent design of complex systems. An aircraft conceptual design problem is utilized to show the application of the proposed method.
Value of ultrasound shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of adenomyosis
Authors: Acar S , Millar E , Mitkova M , Mitkov V
Published: October 2016

Background

The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of ultrasound shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of adenomyosis.

Methods

One hundred and fifty three patients were examined. Ninety-seven patients were with suspected adenomyosis and 56 patients were with unremarkable myometrium. Adenomyosis was confirmed in 39 cases (A subgroup) and excluded in 14 cases (B subgroup) in the main group based on morphological examination. All patients underwent ultrasound examination using an Aixplorer (Supersonic Imagine, France) scanner with application of shear wave elastography during transvaginal scanning. Retrospective analysis of the elastography criteria against the findings from morphological/histological examination was performed.

Results

The following values of Young’s modulus were found in subgroup A (adenomyosis): Emean – 72.7 (22.6–274.2) kPa (median, 5–95th percentiles), Emax – 94.8 (29.3–300.0) kPa, SD – 9.9 (2.6–26.3) kPa; in subgroup B (non adenomyosis) – 28.3 (12.7–59.5) kPa, 33.6 (16.0–80.8) kPa, 3.0 (1.4–15.6) kPa; in the control group – 24.4 (17.9–32.4) kPa, 29.8 (21.6–40.8) kPa, 2.3 (1.3–6.1) kPa, respectively (P < 0.05 for all comparison with subgroup В and the control group). The Emean cut-off value for adenomyosis diagnosis was 34.6 kPa. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under curve (AUC) were 89.7%, 92.9%, 97.2%, 76.5% and 0.908. The Emax cut-off value was 45.4 kPa (89.7%, 92.9%, 97.2%, 76.5% and 0.907, respectively).

Conclusion

This study showed a significant increase of the myometrial stiffness estimated with shear wave elastography use in patients with adenomyosis.
Blood pressure-lowering therapy post stroke should be commenced before discharge from hospital: Contra
Authors: Phan Thanh
Published: October 2016

The discussion presented here is a summary of the debate given at the combined Stroke Society of Australasia and Smart Strokes meeting in 2015. In summary, the evidence for blood pressure lowering at discharge has been extrapolated from clinical trial performed in the latter phase of stroke. Evidence of harm from early commencing blood pressure therapy was provided. The debate ended with emphasis on personalized medicine and proposal for other avenues to improve the use of secondary stroke prevention strategies.
Therapeutic management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and associated interstitial lung disease: case report and literature review
Authors: Picchianti Diamanti Andrea , Markovic Milica , Argento Giuseppe , Giovagnoli Simonetta , Ricci Alberto , Laganà Bruno , D’Amelio Raffaele
Published: October 2016

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that can present different extrarticular manifestations involving heart, lungs and kidneys. In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the central role played by the lungs in the onset and progression of RA. In particular interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common pulmonary manifestation that may be related to the inflammatory process itself, infectious complications and to the treatments used. Management of patients with ILD/RA is still a challenge for clinicians, both synthetic [mainly methotrexate (MTX), leflunomide] and biologic immunosuppressors [mainly anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α] have in fact been related to the onset or worsening of lung diseases with conflicting data. Here we report the case of a 61-year-old male patient with severely active early RA, previously treated with MTX, who developed subacute ILD, along with a review of ILD/RA topic. Tocilizumab (humanized monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-6 receptor) was introduced on the basis of its effectiveness in RA without concomitant MTX and the ability to overcome the profibrotic effects of interleukin (IL)-6. After 3 months of treatment the clinical condition of the patient strongly improved until it reached low disease activity. He no longer complained of cough and dyspnea and bilateral basal crackles were no more present. Considering its distinctive features, tocilizumab, in such a challenging clinical condition, appears to be a safe and effective therapy, thus it enables RA remission without deteriorating ILD, at 1-year follow up, as confirmed by ultrasonography of the affected joints and chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT).
Pharmacology of pain management in general practice
Authors: Evans Christopher , Hoggarth Alison , Lanigan Colm
Published: October 2016

Pain is described as the fifth vital sign, yet its importance is frequently not fully recognised, despite 68 000 000 analgesic prescriptions being dispensed annually. GPs treat pain in the context of a wide spectrum of patient conditions and co-morbidities, recognising potential drug interactions and side-effects. They also factor in the patient’s anxieties, coping strategies, cultural background and previous experiences of pain. It is no wonder that we frequently do not get it right first time. This article discusses the pharmacological action of the major groups of analgesic drugs, considers common pitfalls, and suggests appropriate drug dosing. A titrated multi-modal approach is recommended to target nociceptor pain pathways, and to reduce the side-effects caused by large doses of monotherapy. It discusses the novel use of analgesic agents previously only used for chronic pain. It does not, however, discuss acute-on-chronic pain, drug tolerance, drug addiction or complex pain management.
Cross-presentation of lactoferrin encapsulated into chitosan-based nanoparticles
Authors: Lyalina Tatiana , Zubareva Anastasia , Varlamov Valery , Svirshchevskaya Elena
Published: October 2016

Induction of CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell response is essential for the protection from intracellular pathogens. It requires major histocompatibility complex class I processing of newly synthesized proteins transported from the cytosolic pathway. Presentation of mature soluble proteins occurs via a cross-presentation (CP) pathway that is much less efficient in the activation of cytotoxic response. Encapsulation of proteins into polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) can modulate the efficacy of antigen CP. In this article, a model antigen lactoferrin (L) was encapsulated into polysaccharide NPs with different physicochemical properties (size, charge, and hydrophobicity) and used as an immunogen. CD8+ or CD4+ associated IgG2a or IgG1 subclasses of L-specific antibodies, respectively, served as a measure of CD8+ versus CD4+ T-cell activation. Among five types of NPs produced, only succinylchitosan–galactomannan (LSG) and succinylchitosan–PEG-chitosan (LSPC) NPs induced a significant IgG2a response. IgG1 production was comparable in all but hydrophobic succinyl-dodecyl-chitosan (LSD) NPs, where it was only marginal. Confocal studies demonstrated that galactomannan-equipped LSG-NPs induced vacuolar type of CP, while positively charged LSPC-NPs were transported mostly via the cytosolic CP pathway.
The diagnostic value of 24‐hour ambulatory intraesophageal pH‐impedance in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms comparable with typical symptoms
Authors: Sakin Yusuf S , Vardar Rukiye , Sezgin Baha , Cetin Zeynep Erdogan , Alev Yasemin , Yildirim Esra , Kirazli Tayfun , Bor Serhat
Published: October 2016

Background

The diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux is currently based on a combination of the patient history of multichannel intraluminal impedance and ambulatory pH (MII‐pH); however, none of these findings alone is specific for the diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux. We aimed to compare the baseline characteristics and esophageal baseline impedance values between patients with and without laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from two groups of patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux according to their reflux finding score (RFS) as scored by ENTs. Control patients were nonerosive reflux disease patients without laryngopharyngeal reflux. All MII‐pH parameters and baseline impedance were analyzed from six levels and the proximal and distal baseline impedance and the ratio of the proximal to distal baseline impedance levels was calculated.

Results

Altogether 123 patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux and 49 control patients were included. A total of 81 of 123 patients had RFS ≥ 7, and 42 of 123 patients had RFS < 7. Baseline impedance analysis showed that patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms had significantly lower proximal baseline impedance values (1997 ± 51 vs 2245 ± 109, p  < 0.05) than the control group. Additionally, patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms had a significantly lower proximal‐to‐distal ratio (1.28 ± 0.05 vs 1.53 ± 0.09, p  < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, patients with RFS < 7 were found to have a significantly lower acid exposure time than either the patients with RFS ≥ 7 (3.85 ± 0.65 vs 8.2 ± 1.52, p  < 0.05) or the control group (3.85 ± 0.65 vs 6.1 ± 0.81, p  < 0.05). Additionally, patients with RFS ≥ 7 had significantly lower proximal baseline impedance levels than the control group (1970 ± 63 vs 2245 ± 109, p  < 0.05).

Conclusions

Patients with pathologic laryngopharyngeal reflux symptom scores had lower proximal baseline impedance levels and lower proximal‐to‐distal ratios, which may reflect the proximal mucosal noxious effect of the refluxate. These results may indicate that laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms may be due to chronic acid exposure in the proximal segments of the esophagus, and the proximal‐to‐distal ratio may be used as a new metric for diagnosis.
Soft skills and hard numbers: Gender discourse in human resources
Authors: Hong Renyi
Published: October 2016

The cultural rise of “big data” in the recent years has pressured a number of occupations to make an epistemological shift toward data-driven science. Though expressed as a professional move, this article argues that the push incorporates gendered assumptions that disadvantage women. Using the human resource occupation as an example, I demonstrate how normative perceptions of feminine “soft skills” are seen as irreconcilable with the masculine “hard numbers” of a data-driven epistemology. The history of human resources reflects how assumptions of a biological fit with an occupation limit what women can convincingly describe as her skillsets. However, challenging this cannot stay within the confines of the occupation itself. To undo sexist thinking, it is necessary to understand the broader networks of patriarchal power that dictate how value is defined in corporate environments, especially within other high status professions in business.
Baking Gender Into Social Media Design: How Platforms Shape Categories for Users and Advertisers
Authors: Bivens Rena , Haimson Oliver L.
Published: October 2016

In recent years, several popular social media platforms have launched freeform custom gender fields. This decision reconstitutes gender categories beyond an oppressive binary only permitting “males” and “females.” In this work, we uncover many different user-facing gender category design strategies within the social media ecosystem, ranging from custom gender options (on Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest) to the absence of gender fields entirely (on Twitter and LinkedIn). To explore how gender is baked into platform design, this article investigates the 10 most popular English-speaking social media platforms by performing recorded walkthroughs from two different subject positions: (1) a new user registering an account, and (2) a new advertiser creating an ad. We explore several different spaces in social media software where designers commonly program gender—sign-up pages, profile pages, and advertising portals—to consider (1) how gender is made durable through social media design, and (2) the shifting composition of the category of gender within the social media ecosystem more broadly. Through this investigation, we question how these categorizations attribute meaning to gender as they materialize in different software spaces, along with the recursive implications for society. Ultimately, our analysis reveals how social media platforms act as intermediaries within the larger ecosystem of advertising and web analytics companies. We argue that this intermediary role entrusts social media platforms with a considerable degree of control over the generation of broader categorization systems, which can be wielded to shape the perceived needs and desires of both users and advertising clients.
Making It “Facebook Official”: Reflecting on Romantic Relationships Through Sustained Facebook Use
Authors: Robards Brady , Lincoln Siân
Published: October 2016

For the past 12 years, Facebook has played a significant role in mediating the lives of its users. Disclosures on the site go on to serve as intimate, co-constructed life records, albeit with unique and always-evolving affordances. The ways in which romantic relationships are mediated on the site are complex and contested: “What is the significance of articulating a romantic relationship on Facebook?” “Why do some choose to make socially and culturally critical moments like the beginning and ends of relationships visible on Facebook, whereas others (perhaps within the same relationship) do not?” “How do these practices change over time?” and “When is it time to go “Facebook official”?” In this article, we draw on qualitative research with Facebook users in their 20s in Australia and the United Kingdom who have been using the site for 5 years or more. Interviews with participants revealed that romantic relationships were central to many of their growing up narratives, and in this article, we draw out examples to discuss four kinds of (non-exclusive) practices: (1) overt relationship status disclosures, mediated through the “relationship status” affordance of the site, (2) implied relationship disclosures, mediated through an increase in images and tags featuring romantic partners, (3) the intended absence of relationship visibility, and (4) later-erased or revised relationship disclosures. We also critique the ways in which Facebook might work to produce normative “relationship traces,” privileging neat linearity, monogamy, and obfuscating (perhaps usefully, perhaps not) the messy complexity of romantic relationships.
Comparing data quality between online panel and intercept samples
Authors: Liu Mingnan
Published: October 2016

Although some research effort has been devoted to the comparison of probability- and nonprobability-based Web surveys, different types of nonprobability-based samples have not been thoroughly examined. This exploratory study compares the data quality between online panel and intercept samples. Online panel refers to a pre-recruited and profiled pool of respondents. An intercept sample is a pool of respondents that are obtained through banners, ads, or promotions. Anyone can click on them and subsequently respond to a survey. Respondents are not pre-recruited or profiled. Three surveys with 52, 29, and 19 questions, respectively, were administered to both samples. Propensity score weighting adjustment is used for the analyses. The results show that the completion rates are higher for the panel than the intercept sample. The completion times are similar for these two samples. Data quality, on average, tends to be higher for panel than intercept samples.
Please participate in Part 2: Maximizing response rates in longitudinal MTurk designs
Authors: Stoycheff Elizabeth
Published: October 2016

The ease and affordability of Amazon’s Mechanical Turk make it ripe for longitudinal, or panel, study designs in social science research. But the discipline has not yet investigated how incentives in this “online marketplace for work” may influence unit non-response over time. This study tests classic economic theory against social exchange theory and finds that despite Mechanical Turk’s transactional nature, expectations of reciprocity and social contracts are important determinants of participating in a study’s Part 2. Implications for future research are discussed.
Social Context and Hearing Aid Adoption
Authors: Singh Gurjit , Launer Stefan
Published: October 2016

Hearing rehabilitation tends to focus on the influence of intraindividual factors and concepts such as readiness for change and health beliefs. In contrast, less is known about the role of social context and the potential role of significant others on hearing aid adoption. This explorative retrospective study investigated whether hearing aid adoption is associated with significant other attendance at audiology appointments. The study sample consisted of 33,933 and 27,031 individuals who attended appointments either alone or with a significant other, respectively ( n = 60,964). It was found that hearing aid adoption was significantly greater when patients attended audiology appointments with a significant other (63.8%) than when attending appointments alone (50.6%). The association between hearing aid adoption and attendance by a significant other was hearing dependent, with 96% higher hearing aid adoption for patients with mild hearing losses when patients attended appointments with a significant other than when attending appointments alone. Hearing aid return rates were comparable when patients attended appointments alone (27%) or with a significant other (24%). Several potential explanations for the observed association are discussed. The pattern of results is consistent with the view that greater adherence is observed when audiologic care is provided from a patient-centered care perspective. Future research should establish whether there is a causal relationship between attendance at appointments by significant others and hearing aid adoption and should attempt to better understand the mechanisms underpinning the relationship between these variables.
Storytelling at Its Best
Authors: Teckchandani Atul , Obstfeld David
Published: October 2016

This article discusses the virtues of using podcasts in the classroom by focusing on the pedagogical merits of one podcast: StartUp. The StartUp podcast provides a compelling first-person account of the entrepreneurial journey, as told by an award-winning radio journalist. Episodes from the podcast can be used to engage students and improve their ability to master concepts in the areas of entrepreneurship, human resources, leadership, and organizational behavior. To facilitate its use in the classroom, specific ways in which the podcast can be used in the classroom are highlighted.
Spectrum of somatic mutation dynamics in chronic myeloid leukemia following tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy
Authors: Kim TaeHyung , Tyndel Marc S. , Kim Hyeoung Joon , Ahn Jae-Sook , Choi Seung Hyun , Park Hee Jeong , Kim Yeo-kyeoung , Kim Soo Young , Lipton Jeffrey H. , Zhang Zhaolei , Kim Dennis (Dong Hwan)
Published: October 2016

Key Points

Mutation clearance in CML does not directly result in successful treatment in CML. Clinical implications of patterns of mutation acquisition, persistence, and clearance in CML should be interpreted with caution.
Distinct shape-shifting regimes of bowl-shaped cell sheets – embryonic inversion in the multicellular green alga Pleodorina
Authors: Höhn Stephanie , Hallmann Armin
Published: October 2016

Background

The multicellular volvocine alga Pleodorina is intermediate in organismal complexity between its unicellular relative, Chlamydomonas, and its multicellular relative, Volvox, which shows complete division of labor between different cell types. The volvocine green microalgae form a group of genera closely related to the genus Volvox within the order Volvocales (Chlorophyta). Embryos of multicellular volvocine algae consist of a cellular monolayer that, depending on the species, is either bowl-shaped or comprises a sphere. During embryogenesis, multicellular volvocine embryos turn their cellular monolayer right-side out to expose their flagella. This process is called ‘inversion’ and serves as simple model for epithelial folding in metazoa. While the development of spherical Volvox embryos has been the subject of detailed studies, the inversion process of bowl-shaped embryos is less well understood. Therefore, it has been unclear how the inversion of a sphere might have evolved from less complicated processes.

Results

In this study we characterized the inversion of initially bowl-shaped embryos of the 64- to 128-celled volvocine species Pleodorina californica. We focused on the movement patterns of the cell sheet, cell shape changes and changes in the localization of cytoplasmic bridges (CBs) connecting the cells. The development of living embryos was recorded using time-lapse light microscopy. Moreover, fixed and sectioned embryos throughout inversion and at successive stages of development were analyzed by light and transmission electron microscopy. We generated three-dimensional models of the identified cell shapes including the localization of CBs.

Conclusions

In contrast to descriptions concerning volvocine embryos with lower cell numbers, the embryonic cells of P. californica undergo non-simultaneous and non-uniform cell shape changes. In P. californica, cell wedging in combination with a relocation of the CBs to the basal cell tips explains the curling of the cell sheet during inversion. In volvocine genera with lower organismal complexity, the cell shape changes and relocation of CBs are less pronounced in comparison to P. californica, while they are more pronounced in all members of the genus Volvox. This finding supports an increasing significance of the temporal and spatial regulation of cell shape changes and CB relocations with both increasing cell number and organismal complexity during evolution of differentiated multicellularity.