bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Militarized Police and Unpermitted Protest
Authors: Myers-Montgomery Jamar
Published: April 2016

There exists a nexus between militarized police response and unpermitted protest. More specifically, there are three major causes of the militaristic/militarized police response to unpermitted protest conducted by citizens: (a) unpermitted protests present a threat to the police’s ultimate goal of order and control, (b) the militarized response is encouraged by the police leadership, and (c) the individual officers take personal pride and pleasure in equipping the specialized weapons. As a tool of critical analysis of this historical phenomenon, this work will utilize the ROCCIPI (Rule, Opportunity, Capacity, Communication, Interest, Process, Ideology) problem-solving methodology developed by Robert Seidman. The methodology addresses the problems of traditional doctrinal analysis by inquiring beyond the behaviors of the targets of a given rule. The Seidman analysis directs the researcher to identify how changes in the implementing agency’s behavior will affect the choices of the rule’s target. Currently, there exists no effective redress for protestors and demonstrators whose First Amendment rights are violated during encounters of protest with militarized police presence. As a result, there is an overwhelming need for legislation designed to increase police accountability to the citizens and provide for swifter prosecution of police abuses. While tailored for California, this legislation serves as model legislation for implementation in other states. If implemented, this legislation should help restore the power balance between protesting citizens and police agencies that violate their rights.
Stress
Authors: Braun Cameron , Foreyt John P. , Johnston Craig A.
Published: April 2016

Stress is a core issue to be addressed in lifestyle medicine. Not only does it influence disease directly (eg, cardiovascular disease), it also indirectly affects health by having a negative influence on other behaviors such as sleep and physical activity. The importance of stress is further highlighted by the fact that it is one of the most highly ranked health risks for employees globally. Practitioners are encouraged to attend to both significant life stressors and those that are encountered daily. Stress reduction strategies are further discussed.
Herniated disks unchanged over time: Size reduced after oxygen–ozone therapy
Authors: Bonetti Matteo , Zambello Alessio , Leonardi Marco , Princiotta Ciro
Published: April 2016

The spontaneous regression of disk herniation secondary to dehydration is a much-debated topic in medicine. Some physicians wonder whether surgical removal of the extruded nucleus pulposus is really necessary when the spontaneous disappearance of a herniated lumbar disk is a well-known phenomenon. Unfortunately, without spontaneous regression, chronic pain leads to progressive disability for which surgery seems to be the only solution. In recent years, several studies have demonstrated the utility of oxygen–ozone therapy in the treatment of disk herniation, resulting in disk shrinkage. This retrospective study evaluates the outcomes of a series of patients with a history of herniated disks neuroradiologically unchanged in size for over two years, treated with oxygen–ozone therapy at our center over the last 15 years. We treated 96 patients, 84 (87.5%) presenting low back pain complicated or not by chronic sciatica. No drug therapy had yielded significant benefits. A number of specialists had been consulted in two or more years resulting in several neuroradiological scans prior to the decision to undertake oxygen–ozone therapy. Our study documents how ozone therapy for slipped disks “unchanged over time” solved the problem, with disk disruption or a significant reduction in the size of the prolapsed disk material extruded into the spinal canal.
A proof-of-concept study of the VeinScrew: A new percutaneous venous closure device
Authors: Boersma Doeke , de Borst Gert Jan , Moll Frans L
Published: April 2016

Objective

This study evaluated the concept of percutaneous closure of insufficient veins using the VeinScrew principle.

Methods

The VeinScrew is designed to place a spring-shaped implant that contracts and clamps around the vein. The ability of the device to occlude adequately was tested in a bench model experiment. The feasibility of accurate placement and adequate venous occlusion was evaluated in an animal experiment and in a human cadaveric experiment.

Results

The VeinScrew implant occluded up to a pressure of 135 mmHg. In vivo studies confirmed that deployment was challenging but technically feasible, and subsequent phlebography showed closure of the vein. The cadaveric study showed that percutaneous placement of the evolved VeinScrew around the great saphenous vein was feasible and accurate.

Conclusions

The current studies show the feasibility of the VeinScrew concept. Future developments and translational studies are necessary to determine the potential of this technique as a new option in the phlebologist’s toolbox.
“I don’t like talking about it because that’s not who I am”: Challenges children face during epilepsy-related family communication
Authors: O’Toole S , Lambert V , Gallagher P , Shahwan A , Austin JK
Published: April 2016

Objectives

Childhood epilepsy not only significantly impacts a child’s social relationships and psychosocial wellbeing, but it can also cause disruptions in family relations. Children living with epilepsy often rely on parental figures for guidance in relation to their condition. A paucity of research has examined the challenges for children when communicating about epilepsy with parental figures. This qualitative study explored the challenges faced by children when talking about epilepsy with their parent(s).

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 children (aged 6–16 years) living with epilepsy. Participants were recruited from a neurology department of a major pediatric hospital and from a national epilepsy association. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed.

Results

Findings revealed four themes: communication impeding normalcy, parental overprotection, parental reactions to epilepsy-related communication, and restriction of activities as a consequence of epilepsy-related communication.

Discussion

The study highlights the need for a greater understanding of parent–child dialogue surrounding epilepsy and where challenges lie for children in conversing about their condition. Parents and health care professionals play a pivotal role in facilitating an environment where children feel comfortable talking about epilepsy. This information will be instrumental in the development of a communication-based intervention for families living with epilepsy.
Neural correlates of hyperalgesia in the monosodium iodoacetate model of osteoarthritis pain
Authors: Abaei Maryam , Sagar Devi R , Stockley Elizabeth G , Spicer Clare H , Prior Malcolm , Chapman Victoria , Auer Dorothee P
Published: April 2016

Background

The mechanisms driving osteoarthritic pain remain poorly understood, but there is increasing evidence for a role of the central nervous system in the chronification of pain. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the influence of a model of unilateral knee osteoarthritis on nociceptive processing.

Results

Four to five weeks post intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA, 1 mg) into the left knee, Sprague Dawley rats were anesthetized for functional magnetic resonance imaging studies to characterize the neural response to a noxious stimulus (intra-articular capsaicin injection). In a two-arm cross-over design, 5 µM/50 µl capsaicin was injected into either the left knee ( n = 8, CAPS-MIA) or right control knee ( n = 8, CAPS-CON), preceded by contralateral vehicle (SAL) injection. To assess neural correlates of mechanical hyperalgesia, hindpaws were stimulated with von Frey hairs (8 g: MIA; 15 g: control knee, based on behavioral withdrawal responses). The CAPS-MIA group exhibited significant activation of the periaqueductal gray, unilateral thalamus and bilateral mensencephalon, superior-colliculus, and hippocampus, with no significant activation in the other groups/conditions. Capsaicin injection increased functional connectivity in the mid-brain network and mediodorsal thalamic nucleus, hippocampus, and globus pallidus, which was significantly stronger in CAPS-MIA compared to CAPS-CON groups. Mechanical stimulation of the hyperalgesic (ipsilateral to MIA knee) and normalgesic (contralateral) hindpaws evoked qualitatively different brain activation with more widespread brainstem and anterior cingulate (ACC) activation when stimulating the hyperalgesic paw, and clearer frontal sensory activation from the normalgesic paw.

Conclusions

We provide evidence for modulation of nociceptive processing in a chronic knee osteoarthritis pain model with stronger brain activation and alteration of brain networks induced by the pro-nociceptive stimulus. We also report a shift to a medial pain activation pattern following stimulation of the hyperalgesic hindpaw. Taken together, our data support altered neural pain processing as a result of peripheral and central pain sensitization in this model.
Embolic strokes of undetermined source: Prevalence and patient features in the ESUS Global Registry
Authors: Perera Kanjana S , Vanassche Thomas , Bosch Jackie , Giruparajah Mohana , Swaminathan Balakumar , Mattina Katie R , Berkowitz Scott D , Arauz Antonio , O’Donnell Martin J , Ameriso Sebastian F , Hankey Graeme J , Yoon Byung-Woo , Lavallee Philippa , Cunha Luis , Shamalov Nikolay , Brouns Raf , Gagliardi Rubens J , Kasner Scott E , Pieroni Alessio , Vermehren Philipp , Kitagawa Kazuo , Wang Yongjun , Muir Keith , Coutinho Jonathan , Vastagh Ildiko , Connolly Stuart J , Hart Robert G
Published: April 2016

Background

Recent evidence supports that most non-lacunar cryptogenic strokes are embolic. Accordingly, these strokes have been designated as embolic strokes of undetermined source (ESUS).

Aims

We undertook an international survey to characterize the frequency and clinical features of ESUS patients across global regions.

Methods

Consecutive patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke were retrospectively surveyed from 19 stroke research centers in 19 different countries to collect patients meeting criteria for ESUS.

Results

Of 2144 patients with recent ischemic stroke, 351 (16%, 95% CI 15% to 18%) met ESUS criteria, similar across global regions (range 16% to 21%), and an additional 308 (14%) patients had incomplete evaluation required for ESUS diagnosis. The mean age of ESUS patients (62 years; SD = 15) was significantly lower than the 1793 non-ESUS ischemic stroke patients (68 years, p ≤ 0.001). Excluding patients with atrial fibrillation ( n = 590, mean age = 75 years), the mean age of the remaining 1203 non-ESUS ischemic stroke patients was 64 years ( p = 0.02 vs. ESUS patients). Among ESUS patients, hypertension, diabetes, and prior stroke were present in 64%, 25%, and 17%, respectively. Median NIHSS score was 4 (interquartile range 2–8). At discharge, 90% of ESUS patients received antiplatelet therapy and 7% received anticoagulation.

Conclusions

This cross-sectional global sample of patients with recent ischemic stroke shows that one-sixth met criteria for ESUS, with additional ESUS patients likely among those with incomplete diagnostic investigation. ESUS patients were relatively young with mild strokes. Antiplatelet therapy was the standard antithrombotic therapy for secondary stroke prevention in all global regions.
Endarterectomy vs. stenting vs. medical therapy
Authors: Spence J David
Published: April 2016

In recent trials, after deducting the risks in the 30-day periprocedural period, the long-term risk of stroke or death was similar with carotid stenting (CAS) and endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) – approximately 0.5% per year. These findings may exacerbate the problem of inappropriate routine intervention in ACS, being justified on the basis of an invalid comparison of the risks in the medical arms of clinical trials conducted decades ago (˜ 2% per year) to the risks in modern trials of CAS vs. CEA with no medical arm. Intervention is regarded as justified if it can be carried out with a risk below 3%. The annual risk of ipsilateral stroke or death in ACS with intensive medical therapy is now ˜ 0.5% – similar to the long-term risk after the periprocedural period in recent trials of intervention. However, periprocedural risk was ˜ 3% for CAS and 1.7% for CEA. Thus with modern CAS and CEA, the risk remains much higher than with modern medical therapy, even with careful vetting of the surgeons and interventionalists. In real world practice, documented in registries, the risks are much higher. National differences – 90% of carotid intervention for ACS in the US vs. 0% in Denmark – bring into question the advisability and ethics of routine intervention. A moratorium on routine intervention for ACS should be respected except in ongoing randomized trials comparing CAS, CEA and modern intensive medical therapy. Patients with high-risk ACS can be identified for appropriate intervention.
Between Certainty and Trust: Boundary-Work and the Construction of Archaeological Epistemic Authority
Authors: Alonso González Pablo
Published: April 2016

The discovery of a rock art site in 2008 by an amateur archaeologist spurred a wave of public interest in archaeology in Maragatería, Spain. As new discoveries took place, alternative archaeological discourses thrived facing the inaction of institutional and academic archaeologists. A long-term study of Maragatería carried out by the author serves to explore the construction of archaeological epistemic authority in a context where various social actors compete for dominance. Gieryn’s notion of ‘boundary-work’ serves to analyse the different strategies employed by academic and institutional archaeologists, amateurs and pseudoarchaeologists to build epistemic authority. This article draws on Latour’s affirmation that the legitimisation of scientific objectivity should rely on ‘trust’ rather than on ‘certainty’. Ethnographic research showed that the more archaeologists attempted to legitimise their authority by reclaiming certainty, the more pseudoarchaeology proliferated. In contrast, the work of amateurs restrained the growth of pseudoarchaeology by creating networks of trust.
Glomus tumour of the elbow: an unusual complication of surgery
Authors: Lunn Jessica , Stanton Jeremy , Arya Anand
Published: April 2016

Glomus tumours of the elbow remain a challenge to diagnose correctly and efficiently. We present a case of a glomus tumour as a complication of elbow surgery. This has not been described previously. This case highlights the possibility of injury as a causative factor in these tumours and the difficulty in differentiating them from postoperative neuromas by clinical presentation and ultrasound imaging alone.
Safety of Repeated Injections of Sodium Hyaluronate (SUPARTZ) for Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Bannuru Raveendhara R. , Brodie Christopher R. , Sullivan Matthew C. , McAlindon Timothy E.
Published: April 2016

Objective

Though there is no consensus on its efficacy, knee osteoarthritis is symptomatically managed with intra-articular hyaluronic acid (IAHA). Recent reports suggest that IAHA may delay the need for total knee replacement, with the magnitude of delay proportional to the number of injection series. However, the safety of repeated injection series is reported to vary between commercial products. This report describes a systematic review of safety data on repeated treatment courses of SUPARTZ.

Design

We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, Cochrane database, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and unpublished data. We included all human randomized controlled trials or observational studies with adverse event (AE) data for SUPARTZ in knee osteoarthritis. Two independent reviewers extracted data and evaluated study quality. Data were analyzed separately for the first and subsequent series of injections.

Results

The primary sources for repeated-injection data on SUPARTZ were a postmarket registry ( N = 7404), 4 prospective studies ( N = 127 total), and a retrospective study ( N = 220). None of the sources reported increased frequency or severity of AEs with repeated injections. In the registry, 95% of multiple-injection-series patients who reported an AE did so during the first series. None of the AEs was serious, and most resolved spontaneously without medical intervention. The overall adverse event rate after repeat courses of SUPARTZ was 0.008 (95% confidence interval: 0.001-0.055).

Conclusions

Multiple courses of SUPARTZ injections appear to be at least as safe, and probably safer, than the first course. This study supports the safety of repeat courses of SUPARTZ injections for knee osteoarthritis.
Peculiarities in Ankle Cartilage
Authors: Kraeutler Matthew J. , Kaenkumchorn Tanyaporn , Pascual-Garrido Cecilia , Wimmer Markus A. , Chubinskaya Susanna
Published: April 2016

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is the most common form of osteoarthritis (OA) of the ankle joint. PTOA occurs as a result of several factors, including the poor regenerative capacity of hyaline articular cartilage as well as increased contact stresses following trauma. The purpose of this article is to review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and potential targets for treatment of PTOA in the ankle joint. Previous reviews primarily addressed clinical approaches to ankle PTOA, while the focus of the current article will be specifically on the newly acquired knowledge of the cellular mechanisms that drive PTOA in the ankle joint and means for potential targeted therapeutics that might halt the progression of cartilage degeneration and/or improve the outcome of surgical interventions. Three experimental treatment strategies are discussed in this review: (1) increasing the anabolic potential of chondrocytes through treatment with growth factors such as bone morphogenetic protein-7; (2) limiting chondrocyte cell death either through the protection of cell membrane with poloxamer 188 or inhibiting activity of intracellular proteases, caspases, which are responsible for cell death by apoptosis; and (3) inhibiting catabolic/inflammatory responses of chondrocytes by treating them with anti-inflammatory agents such as tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists. Future studies should focus on identifying the appropriate timing for treatment and an appropriate combination of anti-inflammatory, chondro- and matrix-protective biologics to limit the progression of trauma-induced cartilage degeneration and prevent the development of PTOA in the ankle joint.
Social Class and Social Worlds
Authors: Bianchi Emily C. , Vohs Kathleen D.
Published: April 2016

Does access to money predict social behavior? Past work has shown that money fosters self-sufficiency and reduces interest in others. Building on this work, we tested whether income predicts the frequency and type of social interactions. Two studies using large, nationally representative samples of Americans ( N = 118,026) and different measures of social contact showed that higher household income was associated with less time spent socializing with others (Studies 1 and 2) and more time spent alone (Study 2). Income also predicted the nature of social contact. People with higher incomes spent less time with their families and neighbors and spent more time with their friends. These findings suggest that income is associated with how and with whom people spend their time.
Some Evidence for a Gender Gap in Personality and Social Psychology
Authors: Brown Adam J. , Goh Jin X.
Published: April 2016

This research examined a possible gender gap in personality and social psychology. According to membership demographics from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), women and men are represented near parity in the field. Yet despite this equal representation, the field may still suffer from a different type of gender gap. We examined the gender of first authors in two major journals, citations to these articles, and gender of award recipients. In random samples of five issues per year across 10 years (2004–2013; N = 1,094), 34% of first authors in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology were women and 44% of first authors in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin were women. Articles authored by men were cited more than those authored by women. In examining the gender of award recipients given by SPSP (2000–2016), on average, 25% of the recipients were women.
Patient perceptions of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation discussions: A qualitative study
Authors: MacIver Jane , Tibbles Alana , Billia Filio , Ross Heather
Published: April 2016

Background:

There is a class I recommendation for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation discussions to occur between physicians and heart failure patients. Few studies have reported the patient’s perspective on the timing of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation discussions.

Aim:

To determine patient awareness, preferences and timing of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation discussions.

Design:

Grounded theory was used to collect and analyze interview data from 25 heart failure patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Setting and participants:

Patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, from the Heart Function Clinic at University Health Network (Toronto, Canada).

Results:

The sample (n = 25) was predominately male (76%) with an average age of 62 years. Patients identified three stages where they felt implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation should be discussed: (1) prior to implantation, (2) with any significant deterioration but while they were of sound mind to engage in and communicate their preferences and (3) at end of life, where patients wished further review of their previously established preferences and decisions about implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation. Most patients (n = 17, 68%) said they would consider deactivation, six (24%) were undecided and two (8%) were adamant they would never turn it off.

Conclusion:

The patient preferences identified in this study support the need to include information on implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation at implant, with change in clinical status and within broader discussions about end-of-life treatment preferences. Using this process to help patients determine and communicate their implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation preferences may reduce the number of patients experiencing distressing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks at end of life.
NICE prostate cancer quality standards
Authors: Madaan Sanjeev , Reekhaye Abhishek
Published: April 2016

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom. Over 42,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. In June 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) finally published five key statements regarding prostate cancer care. The quality standards are mostly derived from the NICE prostate cancer guidelines. In this article, we discuss the development process by the NICE Advisory Committee and highlight the five key priorities proposed by NICE to drive quality improvements in patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness. We also discuss areas for potential improvement to improve the standard of care for men with prostate cancer.
“Aren’t These Just Young, Rich Women Doing Vain Things Online?”: Influencer Selfies as Subversive Frivolity
Authors: Abidin Crystal
Published: April 2016

Taking seriously the global trend of selfies becoming marketable and entangled in ecologies of commerce, this article looks at Influencers who have emerged as (semi-)professional selfie-producers and for whom taking selfies is a purposively commercial, thoughtful, and subversive endeavor. Based on in-depth ethnographic fieldwork and grounded theory analysis, I examine Influencers’ engagements with selfies on Instagram and their appropriations of selfies as salable objects, as tacit labor, and as an expression of contrived authenticity and reflexivity. Through these practices, Influencers achieve “subversive frivolity,” which I define as the under-visibilized and under-estimated generative power of an object or practice arising from its (populist) discursive framing as marginal, inconsequential, and unproductive.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Authors: Wysong Kristi , Phillips Jennan A. , Hammond Stephanie
Published: April 2016

Chronic exposure to a broad array of antigens after workers inhale aerosolized organic dust particles from mold, animal dander, bird droppings, and chemicals, especially pesticides or herbicides, increases risk for hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Several demographic characteristics of immigrant workers in farming, poultry processing, construction, and landscaping increase this worker population’s risk.
Memorable Messages of Social Support That Former High School Athletes Received From Their Head Coaches
Authors: Cranmer Gregory A. , Anzur Christine K. , Sollitto Michael
Published: April 2016

Social support is an important resource that coaches provide to athletes. However, the specific messages that coaches utilize to support athletes have remained overlooked. This study examines the memorable messages (i.e., enduring and influential messages) of informational, esteem, and emotional support that former high school athletes recall receiving from their head coaches. To accomplish this purpose, messages were inductively derived from 102 former high school athletes via open-ended questionnaires. These data were subjected to open and axial coding. Results indicate that athletes recall informational support messages that tell them how to play, be successful, and relate to others; esteem support messages that emphasize their abilities to succeed, encourage intangible qualities, and reinforce relationships with others; and emotional support messages that improve their well-being, praise them, help improve their performances, and deal with their poor performances. This study ultimately reinforces the use of message-based approaches for understanding athlete–coach interactions as well as highlights the specific types of prosocial messages that coaches can utilize to support athletes and improve their coaching effectiveness.
Arithmetic Accuracy in Children From High- and Low-Income Schools
Authors: Laski Elida V. , Schiffman Joanna , Vasilyeva Marina , Ermakova Anna
Published: April 2016

This study investigated income group differences in kindergartners’ and first graders’ ( N = 161) arithmetic by examining the link between accuracy and strategy use on simple and complex addition problems. Low-income children were substantially less accurate than high-income children, in terms of both percentage of correctly solved problems and the magnitude of errors, with low-income first graders being less accurate than high-income kindergartners. Higher-income children were more likely to use sophisticated mental strategies than their lower-income peers, who used predominantly inefficient counting or inappropriate strategies. Importantly, this difference in strategies mediated the relation between income group and addition. Examining underlying strategies has implications for understanding income group differences in arithmetic and potential means of remedying it via instruction.
Nurses’ Perceptions of Horizontal Violence
Authors: Taylor Rosemary
Published: April 2016

In this article, I describe a study exploring horizontal violence and nurses’ perceptions of the phenomenon within the context of two 28-bed inpatient hospital units. The purpose of the study was to develop a clearer understanding of horizontal violence, incorporating observation and inquiry to identify the language nurses use to describe their experiences and factors in the nursing work environment that may perpetuate the phenomenon. Observation, review and analysis of policies, and interviews with staff were completed between June and November 2012. Thematic analysis resulted in five themes: (a) behaviors are minimized and not recognized, (b) fear inhibits all reporting, (c) avoidance and isolation are coping strategies, (d) lack of respect and support, and (e) organizational chaos. The findings suggest future interventions must address a range of factors that perpetuate horizontal violence within the nursing work environment with consideration for the embeddedness and complexity of the phenomenon.
Expertise in Everyday Nurse–Patient Conversations
Authors: Macdonald Lindsay M.
Published: April 2016

A great deal of nursing activity is embedded in what is considered to be everyday conversation. These conversations are important to health professionals because communication can affect health outcomes, and they are important to patients who want to know they are being heard and cared for. How do nurses talk with patients and what are the features of effective communication in practice? In this exploratory study, two expert nurses recorded conversations with patients during domiciliary visits. Linguistic discourse analysis, informed by contextual knowledge of domiciliary nursing shows the nurses skillfully used small talk to support their clinical work. In their conversations, nurses elicit specific information, normalize unpleasant procedures, manage the flow of the interaction, and strengthen the therapeutic relationship. Small talk can be big talk in achieving nursing goals. Critically reflecting on recorded clinical interactions can be a useful method of professional development and a way of demonstrating nursing expertise.
Financial Crisis, Exchange Rate Regimes, Organizational Forms, and Bank Efficiency: Does Globalization Matter?
Authors: Sufian Fadzlan
Published: April 2016

The article provides new empirical evidence on the impact of economic globalization on the efficiency of the banking sector. The analysis is confined into two stages. In the first stage, we employ the bias corrected data envelopment analysis method to compute the efficiency of individual banks during the period 1999–2008. We then use bootstrap regressions to examine the impact of economic globalization on bank efficiency, while controlling for the potential impacts of contextual variables. The empirical findings indicate that liberalization (restrictions) of the trade and capital account exerts positive (negative) influence on the efficiency of Malaysian banks. Likewise, the impacts of better personal contacts and information flows seem to work in favor of Malaysian banks’ efficiency. The empirical findings also bring forth the importance of cultural proximity in determining the efficiency of banks operating in the Malaysian banking sector.
Association of Androgen Deprivation Therapy With Depression in Localized Prostate Cancer
Authors: Dinh Kathryn T. , Reznor Gally , Muralidhar Vinayak , Mahal Brandon A. , Nezolosky Michelle D. , Choueiri Toni K. , Hoffman Karen E. , Hu Jim C. , Sweeney Christopher J. , Trinh Quoc-Dien , Nguyen Paul L.
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) may contribute to depression, yet several studies have not demonstrated a link. We aimed to determine whether receipt of any ADT or longer duration of ADT for prostate cancer (PCa) is associated with an increased risk of depression.

Methods

We identified 78,552 men older than age 65 years with stage I to III PCa using the SEER-Medicare–linked database from 1992 to 2006, excluding patients with psychiatric diagnoses within the prior year. Our primary analysis was the association between pharmacologic ADT and the diagnosis of depression or receipt of inpatient or outpatient psychiatric treatment using Cox proportional hazards regression. Drug data for treatment of depression were not available. Our secondary analysis investigated the association between duration of ADT and each end point.

Results

Overall, 43% of patients (n = 33,882) who received ADT, compared with patients who did not receive ADT, had higher 3-year cumulative incidences of depression (7.1% v 5.2%, respectively), inpatient psychiatric treatment (2.8% v 1.9%, respectively), and outpatient psychiatric treatment (3.4% v 2.5%, respectively; all P < .001). Adjusted Cox analyses demonstrated that patients with ADT had a 23% increased risk of depression (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.23; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.31), 29% increased risk of inpatient psychiatric treatment (AHR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.41), and a nonsignificant 7% increased risk of outpatient psychiatric treatment (AHR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.17) compared with patients without ADT. The risk of depression increased with duration of ADT, from 12% with ≤ 6 months of treatment, 26% with 7 to 11 months of treatment, to 37% with ≥ 12 months of treatment (P trend < .001). A similar duration effect was seen for inpatient (P trend < .001) and outpatient psychiatric treatment (P trend < .001).

Conclusion

Pharmacologic ADT increased the risk of depression and inpatient psychiatric treatment in this large study of elderly men with localized PCa. This risk increased with longer duration of ADT. The possible psychiatric effects of ADT should be recognized by physicians and discussed with patients before initiating treatment.
Disparities in Use of Human Epidermal Growth Hormone Receptor 2–Targeted Therapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Authors: Reeder-Hayes Katherine , Peacock Hinton Sharon , Meng Ke , Carey Lisa A. , Dusetzina Stacie B.
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Trastuzumab is a key component of adjuvant therapy for stage I to III human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–positive breast cancer. The rates and patterns of trastuzumab use have never been described in a population-based sample. The recent addition of HER2 information to the SEER-Medicare database offers an opportunity to examine patterns of trastuzumab use and to evaluate possible disparities in receipt of trastuzumab.

Methods

We examined a national cohort of Medicare beneficiaries with incident stage I to III HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosed in 2010 and 2011 (n = 1,362). We used insurance claims data to track any use of trastuzumab in the 12 months after diagnosis as well as to identify chemotherapy drugs used in partnership with trastuzumab. We used modified Poisson regression analysis to evaluate the independent effect of race on likelihood of receiving trastuzumab by controlling for clinical need, comorbidity, and community-level socioeconomic status.

Results

Overall, 50% of white women and 40% of black women received some trastuzumab therapy. Among women with stage III disease, 74% of whites and 56% of blacks received trastuzumab. After adjustment for tumor characteristics, poverty, and comorbidity, black women were 25% less likely to receive trastuzumab within 1 year of diagnosis than white women (risk ratio, 0.745; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.93).

Conclusion

Approxemately one half of patients 65 years of age and older with stage I to III breast cancer do not receive trastuzumab-based therapy, which includes many with locally advanced disease. Significant racial disparities exist in the receipt of this highly effective therapy. Further research that identifies barriers to use and increases uptake of trastuzumab could potentially improve recurrence and survival outcomes in this population, particularly among minority women.
PD-L1 and PD-L2 Genetic Alterations Define Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma and Predict Outcome
Authors: Roemer Margaretha G.M. , Advani Ranjana H. , Ligon Azra H. , Natkunam Yasodha , Redd Robert A. , Homer Heather , Connelly Courtney F. , Sun Heather H. , Daadi Sarah E. , Freeman Gordon J. , Armand Philippe , Chapuy Bjoern , de Jong Daphne , Hoppe Richard T. , Neuberg Donna S. , Rodig Scott J. , Shipp Margaret A.
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Classical Hodgkin lymphomas (cHLs) include small numbers of malignant Reed-Sternberg cells within an extensive but ineffective inflammatory/immune cell infiltrate. In cHL, chromosome 9p24.1/PD-L1/PD-L2 alterations increase the abundance of the PD-1 ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, and their further induction through Janus kinase 2–signal transducers and activators of transcription signaling. The unique composition of cHL limits its analysis with high-throughput genomic assays. Therefore, the precise incidence, nature, and prognostic significance of PD-L1/PD-L2 alterations in cHL remain undefined.

Methods

We used a fluorescent in situ hybridization assay to evaluate CD274/PD-L1 and PDCD1LG2/PD-L2 alterations in 108 biopsy specimens from patients with newly diagnosed cHL who were treated with the Stanford V regimen and had long-term follow-up. In each case, the frequency and magnitude of 9p24.1 alterations—polysomy, copy gain, and amplification—were determined, and the expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. We also assessed the association of 9p24.1 alterations with clinical parameters, which included stage (early stage I/II favorable risk, early stage unfavorable risk, advanced stage [AS] III/IV) and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

Ninety-seven percent of all evaluated cHLs had concordant alterations of the PD-L1 and PD-L2 loci (polysomy, 5% [five of 108]; copy gain, 56% [61 of 108]; amplification, 36% [39 of 108]). There was an association between PD-L1 protein expression and relative genetic alterations in this series. PFS was significantly shorter for patients with 9p24.1 amplification, and the incidence of 9p24.1 amplification was increased in patients with AS cHL.

Conclusion

PD-L1/PD-L2 alterations are a defining feature of cHL. Amplification of 9p24.1 is more common in patients with AS disease and associated with shorter PFS in this series. Further analyses of 9p24.1 alterations in patients treated with standard cHL induction regimens or checkpoint blockade are warranted.
American Society of Clinical Oncology Statement: Human Papillomavirus Vaccination for Cancer Prevention
Authors: Bailey Howard H. , Chuang Linus T. , duPont Nefertiti C. , Eng Cathy , Foxhall Lewis E. , Merrill Janette K. , Wollins Dana S. , Blanke Charles D.
Published: April 2016

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the leading medical professional oncology society, is committed to lessening the burden of cancer and as such will promote underused interventions that have the potential to save millions of lives through cancer prevention. As the main providers of cancer care worldwide, our patients, their families, and our communities look to us for guidance regarding all things cancer related, including cancer prevention. Through this statement and accompanying recommendations, ASCO hopes to increase awareness of the tremendous global impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) –caused cancers, refocus the discussion of HPV vaccination on its likely ability to prevent millions of cancer deaths, and increase HPV vaccination uptake via greater involvement of oncology professionals in ensuring accurate public discourse about HPV vaccination and calling for the implementation of concrete strategies to address barriers to vaccine access and acceptance.
Prioritizing US Cervical Cancer Prevention With Results From a Geospatial Model
Authors: Kish Jonathan K. , Rolin Alicia I. , Zou Zhaohui , Cucinelli James E. , Tatalovich Zaria , Saraiya Mona , Altekruse Sean F.
Published: April 2016

Purpose

To determine if differences in screening and vaccination patterns across the population may accentuate ethnic and geographic variation in future burden of disease.

Methods

Using Cancer in North America data provided by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, county cervical cancer incidence trends from 1995 to 2009 were modeled for the entire United States using ecologic covariates. Rates for health service areas were also modeled by ethnicity. State-level incidence was mapped together with Papanicolaou (Pap) screening, past 3 years (women ≥ 18 years old), and three-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage (girls 13 to 17 years old) to identify potential priority areas for preventive services.

Results

US cervical cancer incidence decreased more during the periods 1995 to 1999 and 2000 to 2004 than during the period 2005 to 2009. During these 15 years, the most affected areas became increasingly confined to Appalachia, the lower Mississippi Valley, the Deep South, Texas, and Florida. Hispanic and black women experienced a higher incidence of cervical cancer than both white and Asian and Pacific Islander women during each period. Women in 10 of 17 states/districts with a high incidence (≥ 8.14/100,000) reported low Pap testing (< 78.5%), HPV vaccine coverage (< 33.9%), or both prevention technologies.

Conclusion

The decline in cervical cancer incidence has slowed in recent years. Access to HPV vaccination, targeted screening, and treatment in affected populations is needed to reduce cervical cancer disparities in the future.
Experience of the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program on Community-Based Cancer Clinical Trials Activity
Authors: Hirsch Bradford R. , Locke Susan C. , Abernethy Amy P.
Published: April 2016

Purpose:

A goal of the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) was to improve cancer research capacity in community settings. We examined research capacity development during the pilot phase of the NCCCP within the context of national trends in clinical trial activity with respect to the number and phase of trials, total accrual, and accrual of underserved populations.

Materials and Methods:

We examined self-reported data from NCCCP sites during 2007 to 2010, supplemented with data from the National Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program.

Results:

Trial availability and accrual improved more quickly at NCCCP sites compared with national trends. Phase III trial availability increased 8% nationally versus 16% across NCCCP sites, and accrual increased 30% nationally versus 133% across NCCCP sites. Accrual of racial and ethnic minorities rose 82%, from 83 to 151 patients, and accrual of patients age ≥ 65 years rose by 221%, from 200 to 641 patients. Change in trial portfolio and accrual differed by sophistication of the site and by prior experience in conducting clinical trials at the site.

Conclusion:

Despite the short duration, the NCCCP pilot resulted in an increase in the number of open trials as well as patient accrual at a faster rate than that observed nationally. These results, coupled with insights into the relative success of sites with varying sophistication at the outset, provide promise that lessons learned can be applied more broadly to increase research participation.
Myeloma Is Not a Single Disease
Authors: Lonial Sagar , Nooka Ajay K.
Published: April 2016

Treatment of plasma cell disorders has dramatically improved during the past decade as a result of the availability of new biology-based drugs, such as proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents. With increased attention to disease biology, however, it has become clear that there are many different subsets of patients with myeloma with different biologic drivers as well as different patient-based characteristics that can influence treatment. Obtaining initial genetics or genomics information can provide some of the information needed to define therapy after initial induction, and careful performance status assessment can help to define patient-specific characteristics that are important when determining the intensity of therapy. Careful assessment of both can help to optimize therapy type and duration for all patients and to improve long-term outcomes.
Adaptive Significance of ERα Splice Variants in Killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) Resident in an Estrogenic Environment
Authors: Cotter Kellie A. , Nacci Diane , Champlin Denise , Yeo Alan T. , Gilmore Thomas D. , Callard Gloria V.
Published: April 2016

The possibility that chronic, multigenerational exposure to environmental estrogens selects for adaptive hormone-response phenotypes is a critical unanswered question. Embryos/larvae of killifish from an estrogenic-polluted environment (New Bedford Harbor, MA [NBH]) compared with those from a reference site overexpress estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) mRNA but are hyporesponsive to estradiol. Analysis of ERα mRNAs in the two populations revealed differences in splicing of the gene encoding ERα (esr1). Here we tested the transactivation functions of four differentially expressed ERα mRNAs and tracked their association with the hyporesponsive phenotype for three generations after transfer of NBH parents to a clean environment. Deletion variants ERαΔ6 and ERαΔ6–8 were specific to NBH killifish, had dominant negative functions in an in vitro reporter assay, and were heritable. Morpholino-mediated induction of ERαΔ6 mRNA in zebrafish embryos verified its role as a dominant negative ER on natural estrogen-responsive promoters. Alternate long (ERαL) and short (ERαS) 5′-variants were similar transcriptionally but differed in estrogen responsiveness (ERαS ≫ ERαL). ERαS accounted for high total ERα expression in first generation (F1) NBH embryos/larvae but this trait was abolished by transfer to clean water. By contrast, the hyporesponsive phenotype of F1 NBH embryos/larvae persisted after long-term laboratory holding but reverted to a normal or hyper-responsive phenotype after two or three generations, suggesting the acquisition of physiological or biochemical traits that compensate for ongoing expression of negative-acting ERαΔ6 and ERαΔ6–8 isoforms. We conclude that a heritable change in the pattern of alternative splicing of ERα pre-mRNA is part of a genetic adaptive response to estrogens in a polluted environment.
“Can One Enter a Theater Softly?”
Authors: Freedman John
Published: April 2016

John Freedman surveys the trends and important events in Russian theater from 2010 to 2015. Freedman pays particular attention to how changes in Russia's increasingly conservative political climate and cultural policy have resulted in increased censorship of, decreased funding for, and division among Russian artists. The article also discusses major milestones, such as the opening of the Gogol Center, the closing of Teatr.doc, and provocative productions by Konstantin Bogomolov and Timofei Kulyabin.
Olfactory organ ofOctopus vulgaris: morphology, plasticity, turnover and sensory characterization
Authors: Polese Gianluca , Bertapelle Carla , Di Cosmo Anna
Published: April 2016

The cephalopod olfactory organ was described for the first time in 1844 by von Kölliker, who was attracted to the pair of small pits of ciliated cells on each side of the head, below the eyes close to the mantle edge, in both octopuses and squids. Several functional studies have been conducted on decapods but very little is known about octopods. The morphology of the octopus olfactory system has been studied, but only to a limited extent on post-hatching specimens, and the only paper on adult octopus gives a minimal description of the olfactory organ. Here, we describe the detailed morphology of young male and female Octopus vulgaris olfactory epithelium, and using a combination of classical morphology and 3D reconstruction techniques, we propose a new classification for O. vulgaris olfactory sensory neurons. Furthermore, using specific markers such as olfactory marker protein (OMP) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) we have been able to identify and differentially localize both mature olfactory sensory neurons and olfactory sensory neurons involved in epithelium turnover. Taken together, our data suggest that the O. vulgaris olfactory organ is extremely plastic, capable of changing its shape and also proliferating its cells in older specimens.