bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Response to Paclitaxel in an Adult Patient with Advanced Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma
Authors: Mota José Maurício , Scaranti Mariana , Fonseca Leonardo G. , Tolói Diego Araújo , de Camargo Veridiana Pires , Munhoz Rodrigo Ramella , Feher Olavo , Hoff Paulo M.
Published: August 2016

Background: Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare neoplasm of vascular origin that typically arises from the skin or soft tissues as a solitary tumor. The optimal therapy for this disease is still unknown. We report the case of an adult patient presenting with metastatic KHE of the spleen, who had a partial response after treatment with paclitaxel. Case Presentation: A 36-year-old man presented in November 2012 with a nontraumatic rupture of the spleen. A splenectomy was performed, and the pathology was consistent with a nonspecific vascular proliferation. Follow-up scans revealed lytic bone lesions and liver metastasis. A biopsy of the liver was performed and confirmed KHE. The decision was made to proceed with treatment with gemcitabine and docetaxel, which was discontinued due to myelotoxicity. The patient was then transferred to our institution, and a pathology review supported the diagnosis of metastatic KHE. His disease remained stable until February 2014, when he developed progression in the liver. Chemotherapy was restarted with paclitaxel, and a partial response was documented after 3 cycles. Unfortunately, disease progression occurred after 24 weeks, and subsequent treatments included prednisone, doxorubicin, interferon-α, gemcitabine, and ifosfamide, without any response. The patient developed Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon and passed away 1 week later due to a major gastrointestinal bleeding. Conclusions: This case report suggests that paclitaxel could be considered as a treatment option for advanced KHE, a rare condition for which no standard treatment exists.
Real-Time Sexing of Chicken Embryos and Compatibility with in ovo Protocols
Authors: Clinton Michael , Nandi Sunil , Zhao Debiao , Olson Sarah , Peterson Patrick , Burdon Tom , McBride Derek
Published: August 2016

The chicken embryo is an established model system for studying early vertebrate development. One of the major advantages of this model is the facility to perform manipulations in ovo and then continue incubation and observe the effects on embryonic development. However, in common with other vertebrate models, there is a tendency to disregard the sex of the experimental chicken embryos, and this can lead to erroneous conclusions, a lack of reproducibility, and wasted efforts. That this neglect is untenable is emphasised by the recent demonstration that avian cells and tissues have an inherent sex identity and that male and female tissues respond differently to the same stimulus. These sexually dimorphic characteristics dictate that analyses and manipulations involving chicken embryos should always be performed using tissues/embryos of known sex. Current sexing protocols are unsuitable in many instances because of the time constraints imposed by most in ovo procedures. To address this lack, we have developed a real-time chicken sexing assay that is compatible with in ovo manipulations, reduces the number of embryos required, and conserves resources.
Connected viewing: uma visão geral
Authors: Sá Fernanda Pires de
Published: August 2016

A range of mobile technologies, multiple screens, and user engagement are arising in connected formats of media usage. Connected viewing is a term that refers to these varieties of platforms for content distribution and multiple viewing practices that are being developed, or have evolved, within the convergent digital landscape, and generates many disruptions in the viewing consumption. This paper presents the book anthology edited by Holt and Sanson, Connected Viewing: Selling, Streaming, & Sharing Media in the Digital Age, with subjects on how connected viewing is affecting the contemporary media environment such as business models of production, infrastructure, distribution, user engagement
Suíte acadêmica: apontamentos poéticos para elaboração de projetos de pesquisa em Comunicação
Authors: Carrascoza João Anzanello
Published: August 2016

Research Methodology is compulsory within the stricto sensu graduate programs in Communication. Although reference works are of good quality, they limit themselves to discuss the process of the elaboration of research projects, with emphasis on its step- -by-step. However, you do not stimulate the researcher’s expansion of the meanings, as if sensibility were harmful to the scientific method. The present “text” was written for the Research Seminars of the ESPM Graduated Programme in Communication, with a focus on the pathos, in this way it aims at bringing the students near to the essential knowledge necessary to “make science”, entirely imprisoned in the logos. At each lecture, a “lyric extract” was distributed, on one of the items of the research projects
Contra a crítica abstrata. Tréplica a Francisco Rüdiger
Authors: Lemos André
Published: August 2016

The text is a rejoinder to Francisco Rüdiger’s critique of the paper “A crítica da crítica essencialista da cibercultura” (Lemos, 2015). It reaffirms the central argument that the problem of technology critique is an essentialist view of the technique, and discusses the 3 issues indicated in the reply: 1. lack of academic references, 2. performative contradiction, and 3. uncritical endorsement. The work reveals the fragility of Rüdiger’s paper in not naming the interpretation errors of the main works used and in not being able to seriously analyze Latour’s (2012) theoretical proposal, presented with a counterpoint to the essentialist view of technology. The text refuses the listed issues and affirms the abstract aspect of the reply
Design, Challenges, and Implications of Quality Improvement Projects Using the Electronic Medical Record
Authors: Ebinger Joseph E. , Porten Brandon R. , Strauss Craig E. , Garberich Ross F. , Han Christopher , Wahl Sharon K. , Sun Benjamin C. , Abdelhadi Raed H. , Henry Timothy D.
Published: August 2016

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent complication of cardiac surgery, which results in increased morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and hospital costs. We developed and followed a process map to implement a protocol to decrease POAF: (1) identify stakeholders and form a working committee, (2) formal literature and guideline review, (3) retrospective analysis of current institutional data, (4) data modeling to determine expected effects of change, (4) protocol development and implementation into the electronic medical record, and (5) ongoing review of data and protocol adjustment. Retrospective analysis demonstrated that POAF occurred in 29.8% of all cardiovascular surgery cases. Median length of stay was 2 days longer (
P
<0.001), and median total variable costs $2495 higher (
P
<0.001) in POAF patients. Modeling predicted that up to 60 cases of POAF and >$200 000 annually could be saved. A clinically based electronic medical record tool was implemented into the electronic medical record to aid preoperative clinic providers in identifying patients eligible for prophylactic amiodarone. Initial results during the 9-month period after implementation demonstrated a reduction in POAF in patients using the protocol, compared with those who qualified but did not receive amiodarone and those not evaluated (11.1% versus 38.7% and 38.8%;
P
=0.022); however, only 17.3% of patients used the protocol. A standardized methodological approach to quality improvement and electronic medical record integration has potential to significantly decrease the incidence of POAF, length of stay, and total variable cost in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft and valve surgeries. This framework for quality improvement interventions may be adapted to similar clinical problems beyond POAF.
Storytellers: The Factory’s Dramaturgy
Authors: Trencsényi Katalin
Published: August 2016

The London-based Factory theatre company is renowned for its experiments with an improvisational approach to classics, chance dramaturgy, and a playful relationship between performers and audience. The dramaturgies of three Factory productions, Hamlet (2007), The Seagull (2009), and The Odyssey after Homer (2012), create porous structures that allow classics to be rendered within postdramatic theatre.
The Decision Dilemma: Academic Freedom in the Age of Monsanto
Authors: Taylor Diana
Published: August 2016

Impersonation is a practice of masquerading that troubles the boundaries between performance and the law. In 2013, The Yes Men, Diana Taylor, and Jesusa Rodríguez engaged in a digital impersonation of the agrochemical and biotechnology giant Monsanto in Chiapas, Mexico. This action led to debates about when impersonation qualifies as performance and when it counts as fraud, which raised questions of academic freedom, codes of ethics, and conflicts of interest.
Integrator or Coincidence Detector: A Novel Measure Based on the Discrete
Reverse Correlation to Determine a Neuron’s Operational Mode
Authors: Kanev Jacob , Koutsou Achilleas , Christodoulou Chris , Obermayer Klaus
Published: August 2016

In this letter, we propose a definition of the operational mode of a neuron, that is, whether a neuron integrates over its input or detects coincidences. We complete the range of possible operational modes by a new mode we call gap detection, which means that a neuron responds to gaps in its stimulus. We propose a measure consisting of two scalar values, both ranging from −1 to +1: the neural drive, which indicates whether its stimulus excites the neuron, serves as background noise, or inhibits it; the neural mode, which indicates whether the neuron’s response is the result of integration over its input, of coincidence detection, or of gap detection; with all three modes possible for all neural drive values. This is a pure spike-based measure and can be applied to measure the influence of either all or subset of a neuron’s stimulus. We derive the measure by decomposing the reverse correlation, test it in several artificial and biological settings, and compare it to other measures, finding little or no correlation between them. We relate the results of the measure to neural parameters and investigate the effect of time delay during spike generation. Our results suggest that a neuron can use several different modes simultaneously on different subsets of its stimulus to enable it to respond to its stimulus in a complex manner.
A Note on Divergences
Authors: Liang Xiao
Published: August 2016

In many areas of neural computation, like learning, optimization, estimation, and inference, suitable divergences play a key role. In this note, we study the conjecture presented by Amari ( 2009 ) and find a counterexample to show that the conjecture does not hold generally. Moreover, we investigate two classes of [Formula: see text]-divergence (Zhang, 2004 ), weighted f-divergence and weighted [Formula: see text]-divergence, and prove that if a divergence is a weighted f-divergence, as well as a Bregman divergence, then it is a weighted [Formula: see text]-divergence. This result reduces in form to the main theorem established by Amari ( 2009 ) when [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text].
On the Analytical Solution of Firing Time for SpikeProp
Authors: de Montigny Simon , Mâsse Benoît R.
Published: August 2016

Error backpropagation in networks of spiking neurons (SpikeProp) shows promise for the supervised learning of temporal patterns. However, its widespread use is hindered by its computational load and occasional convergence failures. In this letter, we show that the neuronal firing time equation at the core of SpikeProp can be solved analytically using the Lambert W function, offering a marked reduction in execution time over the step-based method used in the literature. Applying this analytical method to SpikeProp, we find that training time per epoch can be reduced by 12% to 56% under different experimental conditions. Finally, this work opens the way for further investigations of SpikeProp’s convergence behavior.
Eckhart, Lost in Translation: La traduction de Sh-h-r par Yehuda Alharizi et ses implications philosophiques
Authors: Sadik Shalom
Published: August 2016

Maimonides’s Guide for the Perplexed had a significant influence on both Jewish and Christian philosophy, although the vast majority of Jewish and Christian readers in the Middle Ages could not read the original Judeo-Arabic (Arabic written in Hebrew characters) text. Instead, they had access to the text through Hebrew and Latin translations. The article focuses on words derived from the root sh-h-r in the original text of Maimonides, first (section 1) on the understanding of Maimonides himself, where they take on two meanings; the first sense of these words is an adjective that refers to things well-known to the larger public; the second sense is that in which the opinions held by the public are opposed to the intelligibles. Second (section 2), while one of Maimonides’ Hebrew translators, Ibn Tibbon, did understand the original meaning of the words in the Guide, the other, Alharizi did not; he missed the distinction between rational understanding and generally admitted opinions. This misunderstanding changed the meaning of three important passages of the Guide. Finally (section 3) the mistranslation of Alharizi influenced the medieval philosophers that either read his translation, such as Rabbi Aaron ben Elijah of Nicomedia, or a Latin translation based upon it, such as Meister Eckhart.
Marià Fortuny and Japanese Art
Authors: Bru Ricard
Published: August 2016

Marià Fortuny, a painter in the forefront of the European avant-garde of the early 1870s, is also considered a key figure in the introduction of Japonisme in Spain and Italy. This study aims to offer a comprehensive analysis of Marià Fortuny’s links to Japanese art and the phenomenon of Japonisme. To this end, the article provides new information about Fortuny’s collection of Japanese art and considers the influence that these pieces had on the Catalan painter’s own work.
Suggested Protocol for Managing Acute Suppurative Cervical Lymphadenitis in Children to Reduce Unnecessary Surgical Interventions
Authors: Kwon Minsu , Seo Ji-Hyun , Cho Ki Ju , Won Seong Jun , Woo Seung Hoon , Kim Jin Pyeong , Park Jung Je
Published: August 2016

Objectives:

The indications and benefits of surgery in the management of pediatric acute suppurative cervical lymphadenitis (ASCL) remain unclear. We aimed to design a management protocol focusing on the avoidance of unnecessary operation in pediatric ASCL patients.

Methods:

The study population consisted of 45 pediatric patients with ASCL treated with antibiotics alone and 30 surgically treated patients. The primary outcome was the determination of differences in patient characteristics and radiologic findings in the 2 groups. The secondary outcome, after matching 20 cases with 20 controls, was to determine the benefits of surgery to patients.

Results:

There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in patient characteristics and radiologic findings at initial presentation. In the matched case-control analysis, intravenous antibiotics alone yielded successful treatment outcomes when compared with surgery, with no significant differences in time to symptom resolution, normalized laboratory test results, and duration of hospitalization (all P > .05).

Conclusions:

The size and location of suppurated lymph nodes are not absolute determinants for surgical drainage in the stable pediatric ASCL patients. If patients show no clinical improvements despite appropriate second- and third-line antibiotics, patients should be carefully reevaluated and image-guided aspiration considered.
Mental Toughness, Emotional Intelligence, and Coping Effectiveness
Authors: Cowden Richard G.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelationships between mental toughness (MT) and two constructs also linked to athletic performance, emotional intelligence (EI) and coping effectiveness. A sample of 151 male adolescent athletes ( M age = 15.4 years, SD = 1.3) completed the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire, the Self-Rated Emotional Intelligence Scale, and an adapted version of the Coping Effectiveness Scale. The regression and mediation analysis results supported both hypotheses in that (a) EI was a significant predictor of MT and (b) the relationship between EI and coping effectiveness was fully mediated by MT. The findings suggest that EI may be an important mechanism through which mentally tough responses and outcomes are generated. Furthermore, although EI is associated with coping effectiveness, it is the attributes of MT that account for the superior coping effectiveness reported among athletes high in EI. Future research could explore whether MT may be developed through intervention programs that target EI, along with the influence of such programs on athletes' coping effectiveness.
Modulation of Inhibitory Processing by Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Anxiety in a Subclinical Sample of Children
Authors: Gindt Morgane , Chanquoy Lucile , Garcia René
Published: August 2016

In adults, pathologies of anxiety such as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) involve deficits in information processing that may reflect hypervigilance and deficient inhibitory control, specifically for negative information. However, little is known about inhibitory processing in children, particularly regarding the inhibition of emotional information. This study investigated whether children with PTSS or anxiety show impairments in executive control in an inhibition task. A total of 45 children ( M age = 9.2 year, SD = 0.7, range: 8–11) completed an inhibition task involving emotional—happy, angry, and fearful—and neutral stimuli and clinical scales for PTSS and anxiety. The results indicated that the percentage of correct answers was modulated by PTSS status, particularly in the happiness task. PTSS and anxiety altered the inhibition of fearful information in children. These data suggest different types of inhibitory deficits depending on clinical symptoms, and implications are discussed.
Relation Between Intelligence and Family Size, Position, and Income in Adolescent Girls in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Osman Habab , Alahmadi Maryam , Bakhiet Salaheldin , Lynn Richard
Published: August 2016

Data are reported showing statistically significant negative correlations between intelligence and family size, position, and income in a sample of 604 adolescent girls in Saudi Arabia. There were no statistically significant correlations or associations between whether the mother or father were deceased or both parents were alive, and whether the parents were living together or were divorced.
Hypoglycemia During the Temporary Interruption of Parenteral Nutrition Infusion in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Yanagisawa Ryu , Takeuchi Kouichi , Komori Kazutoshi , Fujihara Ikuko , Hidaka Yoshihiko , Morita Daisuke , Futatsugi Akiko , Ono Takako , Hidaka Eiko , Sakashita Kazuo , Shiohara Masaaki
Published: August 2016

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is required with pediatric procedures such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, risks associated with temporary PN infusion interruption remain unclear. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed in 22 children undergoing HSCT receiving PN with the same daily routine: temporary PN infusion interruption before breakfast for administering a saline‐diluted acyclovir drip. After correcting patients’ glucose levels, we examined minimum blood glucose levels between preparative regimen initiation and post‐HSCT day 30. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to a minimum glucose cutoff of 60 mg/dL. Patient background characteristics and hypoglycemia risk factors were compared between both groups. Results: The hypoglycemia group had a significantly lower body surface area, higher glucose infusion rate (GIR), lower cholinesterase levels, and higher zinc levels at the onset of the minimum blood glucose level (P < .05). Multivariate analyses revealed an association only between higher GIR (≥5 mg/kg/min) and hypoglycemia during the temporary PN infusion interruption. A time course analysis of blood glucose and immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels in 1 patient revealed a combined high‐caloric and saline flush before acyclovir initiation, causing temporary increased IRI, as the etiology for hypoglycemia. Conclusions: Particular attention and several precautions are required to prevent complications associated with temporary PN infusion interruption in children with higher GIR.
Institutional Complexity and Individual Responses: Delineating the Boundaries of Partial Autonomy
Authors: Martin Graham , Currie Graeme , Weaver Simon , Finn Rachael , McDonald Ruth
Published: August 2016

Research highlights how coexisting institutional logics can sometimes offer opportunities for agency to enterprising actors in organizational fields. But macro- and micro-level studies using this framework diverge in their approach to understanding the consequences of institutional complexity for actor autonomy, and correspondingly in the opportunities they identify for agents to resist, reinterpret or make judicious use of institutional prescriptions. This paper seeks to bridge this gap, through a longitudinal, comparative case study of the trajectories of four ostensibly similar change initiatives in the same complex organizational field. It studies the influence of three dominant institutional logics (professional, market and corporate) in these divergent trajectories, elucidating the role of mediating influences, operating below the level of the field but above that of the actor, that worked to constrain or facilitate agency. The consequence for actors was a divergent realization of the relationship between the three logics, with very different consequences for their ability to advance their interests. Our findings offer an improved understanding of when and how institutional complexity facilitates autonomy, and suggests mediating influences at the level of the organization and the relationship it instantiates between carriers of logics, neglected by macro- and micro-level studies, that merit further attention.
The Impact of Angiotensin‐Modulating Antihypertensives on Time Interval to Revision Surgery for Nasal Polyps
Authors: Brook Christopher D. , Maxfield Alice Z. , Stankovic Konstantina , Metson Ralph B.
Published: August 2016

Objective/Hypothesis

Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have been shown to suppress expression of periostin, a matricellular protein that is markedly elevated in nasal polyp tissue. The purpose of this study was to determine whether use of these antihypertensive agents affects the time to revision sinus surgery in patients with polyp regrowth.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Records were reviewed for 330 patients who underwent ≥2 operations for chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps from April 1987 through August 2015. The time between surgical interventions was compared with patient demographics and clinical characteristics, including use of ACEIs and ARBs.

Results

Sixty patients were taking ACEIs or ARBs during the study period, of which 32 had concurrent asthma. The mean interval between polyp operations was 61.0 ± 45.2 months (range, 2‐228.6 months). Among patients with asthma (n = 197), the mean time to revision surgery was prolonged by >2 years for those taking ACEIs or ARBs (81.0 vs 54.5 months, P =. 006). A similar impact on time to revision surgery was not observed for nonasthmatics taking these medications (61.0 vs 65.2 months, P =. 655).

Conclusion

Use of ACEIs and ARBs is associated with an increased time to revision sinus surgery among patients with concurrent nasal polyps and asthma. A possible mechanism of this observed effect is suppression of periostin expression through inhibition of the angiotensin pathway.
Laryngology in Art
Authors: Patel Amit A.
Published: August 2016

Otto Dix’s portrait of the laryngologist Dr Wilhelm Mayer‐Hermann represents a shining example of Neue Sachlichkeit, or New Objectivity, offering a return to unsentimental reality and a focus on the objective world, as opposed to the more abstract and idealistic tendencies of expressionism. However, precious little is known about the subject of the portrait. This article examines the portrait and attempts to shed light on the life and career of the Dr Wilhelm Mayer‐Hermann.
Developing Quality Measures for Adult Cochlear Implant Centers
Authors: Vila Peter M. , Lieu Judith E. C. , Hullar Timothy E. , Buchman Craig A.
Published: August 2016

The study objective was to develop quality measures for adult cochlear implant centers. A modified Delphi design beginning with focus groups of surgeons and audiologists was used, as adapted from the American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association method for creating quality measures. Two academic cochlear implant programs and 1 private program participated. Qualitative focus group analysis yielded 58 candidate measures. An additional 5 candidate measures were added from a systematic review of the literature. After exclusion of pediatric measures, structure measures, and process measures and discussion of details and implications of each measure, 8 measures remained as the preliminary Adult Cochlear Implant Outcome (CI‐OUTCOME) Measure Set. This study provides a preliminary set of measures for evaluating the quality of adult cochlear implant centers, based on input from implant surgeons and audiologists. The next step will be to gather feedback from implant patients.
Structured Preoperative Phone Counseling by Junior Medical Staff for Improving the Consent Process for Tonsillectomy
Authors: Kam Jonathan , Harrop Elizabeth , Parmar Priscilla , Kim Raymond , Leith Nicholas , Gunawardena Indunil
Published: August 2016

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of preoperative phone counseling by junior medical staff for improving the standard of informed consent for tonsillectomy.

Study Design

Prospective randomized controlled trial.

Setting

District general hospital.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 43 patients undergoing tonsillectomy were randomly allocated to 2 groups. Group A (n = 25) underwent the conventional consent process by the consultant ear, nose, and throat surgeon at the time of assessment (which generally takes place 6 to 12 months prior to surgery due to wait‐list times). Group B (n = 18) underwent this same consent process but received a structured preoperative phone call 2 to 3 weeks prior to the day of surgery. A preoperative questionnaire assessing the knowledge of tonsillectomy, perioperative course, and risks was completed on the day of surgery.

Results

Group B had a better recall of the risks of tonsillectomy, recalling 7.1 of the 10 most significant risks, as compared with 4.6 for group A (P =. 017). Group B had a better awareness of tooth damage (78% vs 30% of patients, P ≤. 001), voice change (61 vs 19%, P =. 005), and burns to lips and mouth (44% vs 8%, P =. 005). Finally, 35% more patients from group B rated their understanding of tonsillectomy as good or very good (P =. 017).

Conclusion

Preoperative phone counseling by junior medical staff closer to the time of surgery reinforces and clarifies the information previously provided by senior consultants at the time of initial consent for tonsillectomy.
Toward speculative data: “Geographic information” for situated knowledges, vibrant matter, and relational spaces
Authors: Bergmann Luke
Published: August 2016

This essay offers paths for scholars influenced by the critical social sciences and theoretical humanities to contribute to the construction of concepts and digital practices of “data” that will allow “data” to better align with their approaches to scholarly inquiry. In particular, it explores how “geographic information” might be refashioned, rereading it from simplified theoretical positions drawn from interpretative inquiry, process-relational thought, and new materialisms. Geographic information has largely called forth self-sufficient entities that have intensive properties, are indexed by location in an absolute space, and are known objectively through a geographic gaze. By contrast, this article suggests ways geographic information may be reimagined to constitute spaces as relational, matter as vibrant, and/or knowledge as situated. If all claims are seen as interpretative, the boundaries between what were previously considered the roles for reader, researcher, data structures, observer, and observed may also need to be reordered, with implications for the ways that we “interface” with data. Although such paths can be difficult to travel, they hold promise for extending the reach of interpretative and (non-positivist) empirical practice as well as favorably altering the terms on which interpretative scholars can participate in debates around, and practices of, “data” today.
Investigating the role of adipokines in chronic migraine
Authors: Rubino Elisa , Vacca Alessandro , Govone Flora , Gai Annalisa , Boschi Silvia , Zucca Milena , De Martino Paola , Gentile Salvatore , Pinessi Lorenzo , Rainero Innocenzo
Published: August 2016

Background and aims

Adiponectin, leptin, and resistin are adipocyte-derived secretory factors involved in endothelial function, weight, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Recent studies suggested a role for adipokines in episodic migraine as mediators of inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to investigate plasma concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, and resistin in patients with chronic migraine.

Materials and methods

Twenty-seven chronic migraineurs (20 females, 7 males; mean age 49.0 ± 9.0 yrs) and 37 healthy controls (23 females, 14 males; mean age 49.8 ± 15.0 yrs) were selected for the study. Fasting plasmatic levels of total adiponectin, leptin, and resistin were measured using ELISA kits during a pain-free period. Fasting glucose, insulin, total and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and ESR were also determined.

Results

Serum levels of adiponectin and resistin were significantly increased in chronic migraineurs in comparison with controls ( p = 0.001 and p = 0.032, respectively). After correction for BMI, sex and age, leptin levels were significantly increased in chronic migraineurs ( p = 0.007). A positive correlation between leptin concentrations and both indices of insulin resistance and markers of inflammation was found.

Discussion

Our data suggest that adiponectin and resistin are altered in non-obese chronic migraineurs. Further studies are needed to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying adipokine dysfunction in migraine.
Socioecological Risk Predictors of Physical Activity and Associated Mortality
Authors: Loprinzi Paul D. , Davis Robert E.
Published: August 2016

Purpose:

To assess (1) the cumulative effect of socioecological factors (social risk) on objectively measured physical activity, (2) the cumulative socioecological risk on all-cause mortality, (3) the potential interaction effects of social risk factors on physical activity and mortality, and (4) whether physical activity mediates the relationship between social risk and mortality.

Design:

Cross-sectional and prospective.

Setting:

Laboratory- and survey-based testing of the general US population.

Participants:

Five thousand five hundred seventy-four adult participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2006.

Measures:

Social risk was assessed from 4 variables, namely poverty level, education, minority status, and social living status. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed via accelerometry. Mortality was assessed via linkage with the National Death Index, with follow-up through 2011.

Analysis:

Negative binomial regression and Cox proportional hazard model.

Results:

Compared to those with 0 social risk factors, those with 1 and 2+ social risk factors engaged in 11% and 10% less MVPA, respectively. Those with 1 (vs 0) social risk factor had a 2.0-fold increase in mortality risk, and those with 2+ (vs 0) social risk factors had a 2.3-fold increase in mortality risk. Interaction effects for various socioecological factors on both MVPA and mortality were observable.

Conclusion:

Cumulative social risk is associated with less MVPA and increased all-cause mortality risk. Given the interaction effects of socioecological factors, targeted interventions in identified populations may be needed.
Measuring Risk Perception in Later Life
Authors: Lifshitz Rinat , Nimrod Galit , Bachner Yaacov G.
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND: Risk perception is a subjective assessment of the actual or potential threat to one’s life or, more broadly, to one’s psychological well-being. Given the various risks associated with later life, a valid and reliable integrative screening tool for assessing risk perception among the elderly is warranted. OBJECTIVES: The study examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of a new integrative risk perception instrument, the Perceived Risk Scale. This eight-item measure refers to various risks simultaneously, including terror, health issues, traffic accidents, violence, and financial loss, and was developed specifically for older adults. DESIGN: An online survey was conducted with 306 participants aged 50 years and older. The scale was examined using exploratory factor analysis and concurrent validity testing. RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure: later-life risks and terror risks. A high percentage of explained variance, as well as internal consistency, was found for the entire scale and for both factors. Concurrent validity was supported by significant positive associations with participants’ depression and negative correlations with their life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the Perceived Risk Scale is internally reliable, valid, and appropriate for evaluating risk perception in later life. The scale’s potential applications are discussed.
Entertainment-Education Narrative Versus Nonnarrative Interventions to Educate and Motivate Latinas to Engage in Mammography Screening
Authors: Borrayo Evelinn A. , Rosales Monica , Gonzalez Patricia
Published: August 2016

Background. The evidence is limited comparing the effects of entertainment-education (E-E) narrative versus nonnarrative interventions to educate and motivate Latinas to engage in mammography screening. Aims. This study compared an E-E narrative intervention to two nonnarrative interventions’ effects among Latinas on breast cancer knowledge and motivation, as measured by changes in self-efficacy, behavioral norms, and behavioral intentions to engage in mammography screening. Method. A sample of 141 Spanish-speaking Latinas was randomly assigned to one of three arms: an E-E narrative video, a nonnarrative educational video, and printed educational materials. Using a repeated measures design, the influence of the E-E narrative on pretest to posttest measures was assessed and compared to the influence of the other two interventions. Results. The E-E narrative and nonnarrative interventions significantly increased Latinas’ breast cancer knowledge, mammography self-efficacy, and behavioral norms from pretest to posttest. However, the E-E narrative participants’ pretest to posttest difference in mammography self-efficacy was significantly higher when compared to the difference of the other two interventions. The effect of the E-E narrative intervention on self-efficacy and behavioral norms was moderated by the participants’ absorption in the story and identification with the story characters. Conclusion. E-E narrative and nonnarrative interventions significantly educated and motivated Latinas to engage in mammography screening. The effects on mammography self-efficacy, an important precursor to behavior change, can be more strongly influenced by E-E narratives. Discussion. Although E-E narrative and nonnarrative interventions were effective, the need still exists to assess if they can ultimately influence lifesaving breast cancer screening behaviors.
Frequency of electrophoretic changes consistent with feline infectious peritonitis in two different time periods (2004–2009 vs 2013–2014)
Authors: Stranieri Angelica , Giordano Alessia , Bo Stefano , Braghiroli Chiara , Paltrinieri Saverio
Published: August 2016

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the frequency of electrophoretic changes in serum of cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) changed in recent years vs past years.

Methods

Agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) from cats with FIP and healthy cats recorded in the periods 2004–2009 and 2013–2014 were retrospectively analysed. Relative and absolute values of each electrophoretic fraction were recorded and the number of cats showing single or combined electrophoretic changes consistent with FIP (hypoalbuminaemia, inverted albumin to globulin [A:G] ratio, increased total protein, total globulin, alpha [α]2-globulin and gamma [γ]-globulin concentration) were counted. Additionally, a visual analysis of electrophoretograms was also performed. Results for the two time periods were statistically compared.

Results

The details of 91 AGE procedures (41 from cats with FIP and 50 from healthy cats) and 45 CZE procedures (26 from cats with FIP and 19 from healthy cats) were obtained from the database. No significant differences between the two time periods were found both in FIP and in healthy cats analysed with CZE and in healthy cats analysed with AGE. Compared with 2004–2009, cats with FIP sampled in 2013–2014 with AGE showed a significantly lower concentration of total protein, γ-globulins and total globulins, and a significantly higher A:G ratio and percentage of albumin and α2-globulins. Using both AGE and CZE, in recent years the proportion of cats with high α2-globulins without gammopathy and the proportion of cats with gammopathy alone decreased. With a visual approach, the number of patterns considered as dubious increased in the second period with AGE (non-statistically significant).

Conclusions and relevance

The frequency of electrophoretic abnormalities in cats with FIP decreased in recent years, independently of the technique employed. Although the mechanism responsible for this change was not investigated in this study, this altered frequency may decrease the diagnostic accuracy of serum protein electrophoresis for FIP.
Freedom of choice as a critical success factor in destination marketing: Empirical evidence from a far-east gambling city
Authors: Li Jun (Justin) , Chung Yeasun , Kim Woo G
Published: August 2016

When people feel that their freedom of choice is eliminated or reduced, they may experience unpleasant arousal. Creative tourism and the quality of the tourism experience are more likely to occur when an individual has the opportunity and freedom to choose travel options and perceives control over the activity. While freedom of choice is an essential part of tourists’ enjoyment, less research attention has been given to freedom of choice in the context of tourism destinations. This study focused on mainland Chinese travelers at a recently emerging gambling capital of the world as a case for investigation and aims at filling this literature gap by proposing a “freedom of choice—satisfaction—destination loyalty” paradigm. Hence, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate a theoretical model by examining the relationship among freedom of choice, satisfaction, and destination loyalty and the mediating effect of satisfaction between freedom of choice and destination loyalty. The study also examines the potential moderating effects of gender on the aforementioned relationships. The structural model indicates that freedom of choice had a direct and positive impact on destination loyalty, but this relationship is partially mediated by satisfaction levels. However, the model did not discover a moderating effect of gender. Based on these findings, this study discusses conclusion and implications for research and practice in the context of tourism literature.
The Health-Care Provider’s Perspective of Education Before Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Trivedi Paraag , Rosaasen Nicola , Mansell Holly
Published: August 2016

Context:

Adequate patient education is essential for preparing potential recipients for kidney transplantation. Health-care providers play a vital role in education and can identify gaps in patient understanding.

Objective:

To identify deficits in patient knowledge from the perspective of a transplant multidisciplinary care team and determine whether their perceptions align with patients who have previously undergone a transplant.

Design:

An open call was advertised for health-care providers to attend a focus group discussion regarding the educational needs of pretransplant patients in 1 Canadian center. A predetermined, semistructured set of questions was used to collect the views of transplant caregivers. A moderator, assistant moderator, and research assistant facilitated the discussion, which was transcribed verbatim. Paper surveys were distributed to collect opinions of those unable to attend or uncomfortable to voice their opinion in an open forum. Qualitative analysis software was used to identify any emergent themes. Results were compared to a previous study undertaken in transplant recipients.

Results:

Despite pre- and posttransplant education, specific themes emerged including misconceptions about the assessment process and time on the wait list and the surgery, incongruency between patient expectations and outcome, and confusion regarding medications. Health-care provider perceptions were remarkably consistent with transplant recipients.

Conclusion:

Health-care providers identified gaps in patient understanding indicating that transplant candidates may not be internalizing what is taught. Innovative educational approaches may be needed to provide more successful patient education. Similarities between health-care provider and patient perceptions suggest that care providers are a valuable source of information.
Fatal Graft-Versus-Host Disease Following Adult-To-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation From an HLA Nonhomozygous Donor
Authors: Yu Young-Dong , Kim Dong-Sik , Ha Neul , Jung Sung-Won , Han Jae-Hyun , Kim Joo-Young , Park Sung-Hwan , Cho Yun-Jung
Published: August 2016

The use of a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) homozygous donor to a haploidentical recipient is a well-documented cause of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Several authors have reported that use of a graft from an HLA-homozygous donor with 1-way donor-recipient HLA matching led to an extremely high risk of developing GVHD in LDLT. We have experienced a fatal case of acute GVHD following adult-to-adult LDLT from a donor who was heterozygous at a single HLA locus. A 53-year-old female underwent LDLT for chronic hepatitis B and recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma. The donor was her 23-year-old son. The HLA phenotype of the donor was not homozygous (A24, -; B54, -; DR4, 9) and revealed one-way donor-dominant HLA matching at two loci with the recipient (A2, 24; B48, 54; DR4, 12). On the fortieth postoperative day, the patient showed erythematous skin lesions. Skin biopsy revealed typical findings of GVHD. Donor-derived chimerism was demonstrated by performing fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using the recipient’s skin tissue. As the clinical course deteriorated, etanercept was started in addition to broad-spectrum antibiotics but there was no improvement. As multi-organ failure progressed, the patient succumbed to death on the 54th postoperative day, which was 2 weeks after onset of GVHD. The prevention of GVHD is more important since the results of treatment have been disappointing. We have experienced a fatal case of acute GVHD following adult-to-adult LDLT from a HLA non-homozygous donor. HLA heterozygosity at a single locus does not preclude the possibility of developing GVHD following adult-to-adult LDLT.
Having a Healthy Birth With a 100-Year-Old Liver
Authors: Tolan Kerem , Kayaalp Cuneyt , Ispir Mukadder , Kirmizi Serdar , Yilmaz Sezai
Published: August 2016

In March 2008, a 19-year-old woman required emergency liver transplantation due to acute-on-chronic liver failure. No living donor candidate was available. A marginal deceased liver that had been rejected by all the other centers was offered. The liver belonged to a 93-year-old woman and contained a hydatid cyst. Because of low donation rates in our country, we chose to accept the 93-year-old liver. The postoperative early and late courses were fortunately uneventful. Five years after transplantation, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy female baby. Today, the ages of the baby, mother, and the transplanted liver are 1, 26, and 100 years, respectively. A nonagenarian liver with hydatid disease was able to sustain its viability in a younger woman after transplant and also helped her bring in a new life into the world.
Barriers for Hispanic Caregivers With Obese Preschool Children
Authors: White Christina , Murphy Taylor , Hodges Eric A. , Berry Diane C.
Published: August 2016

Introduction:

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic, and the rates are disproportionately higher in minorities. Clinical guidelines have contributed to decreased prevalence overall, but the rates in Hispanic preschoolers have increased.

Method:

This review of the literature summarizes the perceptions and beliefs of caregivers of Hispanic preschool children regarding weight status and feeding behaviors, as well as the perceived cultural barriers to guideline adherence. A search of the CINAHL, PubMed, Joanna Briggs, and Global Health databases identified studies performed between January 1, 2008, and April 1, 2016. Search terms included Hispanics, guideline adherence, gap, barriers, obesity, overweight, and attitude to obesity.

Results:

Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, including some about Hispanic caregivers of preschool-aged children. Several cultural perceptions and beliefs were identified.

Conclusion:

Further study is needed to develop more culturally relevant and sensitive guidelines and to design specific and effective interventions for this population.