bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sophocarpine Attenuates LPS-Induced Liver Injury and Improves Survival of Mice through Suppressing Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis
Authors: Jiang Zhengyu , Meng Yan , Bo Lulong , Wang Changli , Bian Jinjun , Deng Xiaoming
Published: May 2018

Septic liver injury/failure that is mainly characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis led to a great part of terminal liver pathology with limited effective intervention. Here, we used a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation model to simulate the septic liver injury and investigated the effect of sophocarpine on LPS-stimulated mice with endotoxemia. We found that sophocarpine increases the survival rate of mice and attenuates the LPS-induced liver injury, which is indicated by pathology and serum liver enzymes. Further research found that sophocarpine ameliorated hepatic oxidative stress indicators (H2O2, O2∙−, and NO) and enhanced the expression of antioxidant molecules such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH). In addition, sophocarpine also attenuated regional and systematic inflammation and further reduced apoptosis of hepatocytes. Mechanistic evidence was also investigated in the present study as sophocarpine inhibited hepatic expression of the CYP2E/Nrf2 pathway during oxidative stress, inactivated p38/JNK cascade and NF-κB pathway, and, meanwhile, suppressed PI3K/AKT signaling that reduced apoptosis. Conclusively, the present study unveiled the protective role of sophocarpine in LPS-stimulated oxidative reaction, inflammation, and apoptosis by suppressing the CYP2E/Nrf2/ROS as well as PI3K/AKT pathways, suggesting its promising role in attenuating inflammation and liver injury of septic endotoxemia.
Ulcerative Lesions: A Rare Cutaneous Manifestation of Brucellosis
Authors: Azadi Abbas , Jafarpour Fard Payman , Almasian Mohammad
Published: May 2018

Brucellosis is a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans mainly via the consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, and it can involve any organ all over the body. Here, we report a significant rare case of brucellosis with cutaneous manifestations in a 52-year-old male patient whose disease was diagnosed via a serology test. The patient received standard antibiotic treatment, and his cutaneous lesions healed quickly. Although the cutaneous manifestations of brucellosis are exceedingly rare, in case of encountering ulcerative lesions and other cutaneous findings, particularly in endemic areas, infection with brucellosis should be kept in mind as an important differential diagnosis.
Associations of Current Wheeze and Body Mass Index with Perennial and Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis in Young Adults
Authors: Matsumoto Munehiro , Konno Satoshi , Kimura Hirokazu , Takei Nozomu , Kimura Hiroki , Shimizu Kaoruko , Goudarzi Houman , Suzuki Masaru , Hashino Satoshi , Nishimura Masaharu
Published: May 2018

Background: The coexistence of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) and its distinct association with obesity have been reported. However, few studies have differentiated the two types of AR, i.e., perennial (PAR) and seasonal AR (SAR), with regard to their associations with asthma and obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the coexistence of current wheeze and two types of AR and the impact of body mass index (BMI) on these two conditions in Japanese young adults. Methods: First-year students from Hokkaido University were enrolled into this study from 2011 to 2016. A questionnaire survey including the prevalence of current wheeze, PAR, and SAR every year for 11,917 nonsmoking young adults was conducted. The difference in the impact of current wheeze and BMI on these two types of AR was separately evaluated. Results: Although both PAR and SAR were significantly associated with current wheeze, the impact of these two AR types on current wheeze was different (OR for PAR = 2.46 vs. OR for SAR = 1.29). When we classified all of the subjects into 4 groups with or/and without the two types of AR, the prevalence of current wheeze was significantly higher in subjects with PAR than in those without PAR (p < 0.001). However, the prevalence of current wheeze did not differ between subjects with or without SAR. Multinomial regression analyses showed that the association of wheeze with PAR and/or SAR was stronger compared to that of wheeze with SAR without PAR. The prevalence of PAR was not associated with BMI. Contrarily, a low BMI was significantly associated with a high SAR prevalence (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Comparisons between PAR and SAR showed that the conditions are differentially associated with current wheeze and BMI.
Carboplatin Dosing Accuracy by Estimation of Glomerular Filtration versus Creatinuria in Cancer Patients
Authors: Graciano Vera Noiver , Pino Villarreal Luis , Ureña Vargas Jenny
Published: May 2018

Background: The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is essential for calculating the dose and the monitoring of carboplatin. Although GFR measurement (mGFR) by external markers is ideal, in most cases these are not employed; the most used method is GFR estimation (eGFR) by formulae, hence the need to identify the formula with the best performance. Methods: Patients admitted between 2011 and 2017 and diagnosed with ovarian, endometrial, lung, esophageal, or testicular cancer were assessed retrospectively. The accuracy of the carboplatin dose calculated by creatinine concordance and by the Cockroft-Gault (CG), CKD-EPI, MDRD, Wright, and Jelliffe formulae was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: Fifty-six medical histories were analyzed. The best accuracy was observed between the Wright formula (i.e., 0.71) and the dose calculated based on the 24-h creatinine clearance. Stratification by CKD was made in depurations < 60 mL/min, where the Jelliffe value was excellent (i.e., 0.75). In depurations ≥60 mL/min, CKD-EPI was the best formula, with an accuracy of 0.65. CG was the formula with the worst performance in calculating the dose and glomerular filtration, losing its usefulness with very low filtrations. Conclusions: GFR formulae and calculation of the carboplatin dose have good accuracy with the GFR obtained based on the 24-h creatinine clearance, with the Wright formula being the one with best performance and CG the one with worst performance.
Phase I/II Trial of Chemotherapy with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and S-1 for Unresectable Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus
Authors: Ojima Toshiyasu , Nakamura Masaki , Nakamori Mikihito , Katsuda Masahiro , Hayata Keiji , Maruoka Shimpei , Shimokawa Toshio , Yamaue Hiroki
Published: May 2018

Our previous trial with a docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) regimen showed high response rates in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE). The observed increased toxicity of the DCF regimen, however, was clinically harmful. S-1, an oral anticancer drug, has been approved as a combination therapy for SCCE, and alternate-day regimen with S-1 has shown lower levels of toxicity. This prospective single-center phase I/II trial examines the efficacy and toxicity of a combination of docetaxel, cisplatin, and an alternate-day regimen of S-1 (modified DCS) for patients with metastatic SCCE. We use a two-stage design. Phase I is undertaken to determine the maximum tolerated dose and the recommended dose. The phase I trial adopts a three-patient cohort with escalating dose study design. In the phase II trial, the primary endpoint is the assessment of the overall response rate (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1). The secondary endpoints are the evaluation of drug-related toxicity (National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria 4.0), overall survival, and progression-free survival. Fifty patients with metastatic SCCE participate in the phase II section. This study protocol is the first to test the effects of the modified DCS regimen for metastatic SCCE.
The Case: Chronic Kidney Disease Unmasked by Single-Subject Research
Authors: Gollasch Benjamin , Wischnewski Oskar , Rudolph Birgit , Anistan Yoland-Marie , Luft Friedrich C. , Gollasch Maik
Published: May 2018

We present a 42-year-old man with a BMI of 32, who was referred because of proteinuria and decreased renal function. We were impressed by his markedly muscular physique. A renal biopsy was performed, which showed focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS). Is this patient merely an obese person with FSGS or is something else going on here? We performed extensive clinical and laboratory examinations, genetic testing, and anthropometric data monitoring over time. We transferred our methodology for routine FSGS mutation screening (Sanger sequencing) to the Ion Torrent PGM platform with a new custom-targeted NGS gene panel (Ion Ampliseq FSGS panel) and tested the performance of the system in two cohorts of patients with FSGS. We discuss FSGS in bodybuilders, including possible mechanisms, and review the literature.
Asiatic Acid (AA) Sensitizes Multidrug-Resistant Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A549/DDP Cells to Cisplatin (DDP) via Downregulation of P-Glycoprotein (MDR1) and Its Targets
Authors: Cheng Qilai , Liao Meixiang , Hu Haibo , Li Hongliang , Wu Longhuo
Published: May 2018

Background/Aims: P-glycoprotein (P-gp, i.e., MDR1) is associated with the phenotype of multidrug resistance (MDR) and causes chemotherapy failure in the management of cancers. Searching for effective MDR modulators and combining them with anticancer drugs is a promising strategy against MDR. Asiatic acid (AA), a natural triterpene isolated from the plant Centella asiatica, may have an antitumor activity. The present study assessed the reversing effect of AA on MDR and possible molecular mechanisms of AA action in MDR1-overexpressing cisplatin (DDP)-resistant lung cancer cells, A549/DDP. Methods: Human lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cells were either exposed to different concentrations of AA or treated with DDP, and their viability was measured by the MTT assay. A Rhodamine 123 efflux assay, immunofluorescent staining, ATPase assay, reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and western blot analysis were conducted to elucidate the mechanisms of action of AA on MDR. Results: Our results showed that AA significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of DDP toward A549/DDP cells but not its parental A549 cells. Furthermore, AA strongly inhibited P-gp expression by blocking MDR1 gene transcription and increased the intracellular accumulation of the P-gp substrate Rhodamine 123 in A549/DDP cells. Nuclear factor (NF)-kB (p65) activity, IkB degradation, and NF-kB/p65 nuclear translocation were markedly inhibited by pretreatment with AA. Additionally, AA inhibited the MAPK–ERK pathway, as indicated by decreased phosphorylation of ERK1 and -2, AKT, p38, and JNK, thus resulting in reduced activity of the Y-box binding protein 1 (YB1) via blockage of its nuclear translocation. Conclusions: AA reversed P-gp-mediated MDR by inhibition of P-gp expression. This effect was likely related to downregulation of YB1, and this effect was mediated by the NF-kB and MAPK–ERK pathways. AA may be useful as an MDR reversal agent for combination therapy in clinical trials.
Order, Integration and Boundaries in the Roman Empire: An essay
Authors: Guarinello Noberto Luiz
Published: May 2018

O objetivo deste ensaio é duplo: em primeiro lugar, discutir algumas das tendências mais recentes para se pensar e interpretar o Império Romano e, em segundo lugar, propor um certo ângulo de visão que pretende contribuir para uma compreensão mais atualizada do que foi o Império Romano na longa duração e que posição podemos atribuir-lhe sob o pano de fundo de uma História global. Os conceitos gerais que ordenam essa tentativa de revisão são os de ordem, integração e fronteira.
The Political Stances of the Pharisees and Essenes Concerning the Roman Domain in Judaea
Authors: Costa Junior Jorwan Gama da
Published: May 2018

Neste artigo, objetivamos apresentar de que forma a configuração das facções político-religiosas judaicas, em especial os fariseus e esssênios, obstaculizavam o processo de dominação imperial romana na Judeia. A fim de que possamos alcançar nosso objetivo, analisaremos passagens das obras de Flavio Josefo: Guerras Judaicas e Antiguidades Judaicas.
BNCC e a História Antiga: Uma possível compreensão do presente pelo passado e do passado pelo presente
Authors: Coelho Ana Lucia Santos , Belchior Ygor Klain
Published: May 2018

O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar de que modo as pesquisas em História Antiga foram e podem ser associadas à contemporaneidade política brasileira. Para tanto, mostraremos a princípio um breve panorama sobre o desenvolvimento da Base Nacional Comum Curricular e a exclusão da História Antiga do projeto inicial. Em seguida, apontaremos as críticas acerca de tal eliminação e a importância da disciplina para a compreensão do presente. Por fim, demonstraremos como podemos relacionar o Principado de Nero com o afastamento da Presidenta Dilma Lana Rouseff. O referencial teórico empregado nesse artigo pautou-se no conceito de Anacronismo e na concepção de tempo não-linear, discutida por Bevernage e Lorenz (2013).
A new Culeolus species (Ascidiacea) from the NE Pacific, California
Authors: SANAMYAN KAREN , SANAMYAN NADYA , KUHNZ LINDA
Published: May 2018

The paper describes Culeolus barryi n. sp. (Ascidiacea: Pyuridae), a species photographically documented in situ and collected in the northeast Pacific, off the coast of California (USA). This species of stalked tunicate inhabits deepwater (1200 m) and is characterized by numerous gonads on each side of the body. It is most similar to C. nadejdae from the Sea of Okhotsk and C. sluiteri from Aleutian Islands. A brief overview of all Culeolus species is provided.
Technology Reemergence: Creating New Value for Old Technologies in Swiss Mechanical Watchmaking, 1970–2008
Authors: Raffaelli Ryan
Published: May 2018

This article uses a study of the Swiss mechanical watch industry to build theory about how a legacy technology, instead of being supplanted by a new dominant design as current theory would predict, is able to reemerge and achieve new market growth. The introduction of the battery-powered quartz watch in the 1970s made mechanical watches largely obsolete, but by 2008 the Swiss mechanical watchmaking industry had rematerialized to become the world’s leading exporter (in monetary value) of watches. This study uncovers the process and mechanisms associated with technology reemergence: the resurgence of substantive and sustained demand for a legacy technology following the introduction of a new dominant design. It reveals that technology reemergence involves a cognitive process of redefining both the meanings and values associated with the legacy technology and the boundaries of the market for that technology. Watchmakers redefined and combined values of craftsmanship, luxury, and precision to create new meanings and values for mechanical watch technology; repositioned the mechanical watch as an identity and status marker; temporally distanced themselves from the period of the discontinuous quartz technology by recalling their founding and more successful past and connecting it to the future; and used conceptual bridges such as analogies and metaphors to help employees and consumers understand the new meanings. They redefined market boundaries by reclaiming the competitive set, rebuilding the community of mechanical watchmakers, and mobilizing groups of enthusiast consumers who valued the mechanical watch. For mechanical watchmakers, reemergence culminated in competitive and consumer differentiation that ushered in reinvestment in innovation and substantive and sustained demand growth for the legacy technology.
Tensions in Stakeholder Theory
Authors: Freeman R. Edward , Phillips Robert , Sisodia Rajendra
Published: May 2018

A number of tensions have been suggested between stakeholder theory and strategic management (SM). Following a brief review of the histories of stakeholder theory and mainstream SM, we argue that many of the tensions are more apparent than real, representing different narratives about stakeholder theory, SM, business, and ethics. Part of the difference in these two theoretical positions is due to the fact that they seek to solve different problems. However, we suggest how there are areas of overlap, and we argue that some of the tensions may, instead, provide interesting ways to put the two areas of scholarship and practice together. We maintain that SM and stakeholder theory could mutually benefit from a more pragmatist philosophy.
Religion and Political Protest: A Cross-Country Analysis
Authors: Arikan Gizem , Bloom Pazit Ben-Nun
Published: May 2018

Religion’s effect on individual tendency to engage in political protest is influenced both by the resources available to citizens at the individual level and opportunities provided to religious groups and organizations at the country level. Combining data from last two waves of the World Values Surveys with aggregate data on religious regulation, we show that private religious beliefs reduce an individual’s protest potential while involvement in religious social networks fosters it. At the country level, we find that government regulation of religion decreases individual tendency to protest, and has an especially detrimental effect on the likelihood of religious minorities joining peaceful protest activities. These findings are in line with opportunity structure theories that stress the importance of system openness for fostering political protest.
The Mediating Effects of Aspiration, Self-Confidence, Interest in Schooling, and Peer Influence on the Relationship Between Teen Girls’ Behavior and Academic Performance
Authors: Ngware Moses W. , Mahuro Gerald M. , Hungi Njora , Abuya Benta A. , Nyariro Milka P. , Mutisya Maurice
Published: May 2018

Indulgence in risky behavior is a reason for low academic performance. We hypothesized that four constructs including academic aspiration, self-confidence, interest in schooling, and peer influence mediate the relationship between risky behavior and academic performance. Data are from 1256 school-going girls in urban slums who came from the lowest 40% of poor households. Results show that indulgence in risky behavior leads to low aspiration, low self-confidence, and low interest in schooling. The constructs mediate between risky behavior and academic performance even after accounting for covariates. The results imply that education practitioners can focus on soft-skills to enhance academic achievement.
The illicit side of urban development: Corruption and organised crime in the field of urban planning
Authors: Chiodelli Francesco
Published: May 2018

The paper deals with issues of corruption in the planning domain. It centres on thorough analysis of the case of Desio (Milan, Italy), where a recent judicial inquiry discovered several instances of corruption related to the drafting of the local master plan, in an environment characterised by the rooted presence of a mafia-type organisation known as the ’Ndrangheta. The study sheds light on the various types of corrupt practices that prevail in the field of urban planning, the main issues at stake, and the key public agents involved. General hypotheses about the main internal and external factors fostering corruption in the planning domain are presented and discussed.
Tourism as a Pathway to the Good Life: Comparing the Top–Down and Bottom–Up Effects
Authors: Chen Chun-Chu , Yoon Sukjoon
Published: May 2018

This research examined the relationships among tourism, well-being, and novelty-seeking as a personality trait based on the top–down and bottom–up theories of well-being. A structural model that includes a direct effect of novelty-seeking on life satisfaction (top–down influence) and an indirect effect through tourism experiences (bottom–up influence) were proposed and tested using a sample of 556 American residents. Results showed that novelty-seekers were well aware of travel benefits and traveled more frequently. It was also found that the top–down influence of novelty-seeking on life satisfaction was significantly greater than the bottom–up influence. These findings highlight the crucial role of personality as a predictor of well-being as well as the importance of applying positive psychology principles to further enhance the potential contribution of tourism experiences to tourists’ well-being.
Control Versus Administrative Discretion in Negotiating Voluntary P4P Networks: The Case of Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations
Authors: Thompson Frank J. , Cantor Joel C. , Houston Rob
Published: May 2018

Government sponsored pay-for-performance systems (P4P) have emerged in many contexts, including those featuring third-party federalism such as Medicaid. In this vein, voluntary networks called Medicaid accountable care organizations (ACOs) seek to achieve health care savings while boosting the quality of care. Drawing on evidence from four states, this study probes how collaborative governance strategies that downplay formal democratic controls and enhance administrative flexibility shaped the response to two implementation problems. We find that administrative flexibility, combined with signals of support from political principals, helped galvanize ACO formation but undermined efforts to tailor performance metrics to the needs of Medicaid enrollees.
The Paleogene multi-phase tectono-sedimentary evolution of the syn-rift stage in the Nanpu Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, East China
Authors: Jin Siding , Cao Haiyang , Wang Hua , Chen Shanbin
Published: May 2018

The Bohai Bay Basin is the second largest oil-producing basin in China located on the east Asian margin. The Bohai Bay Basin contains numerous depressions, sub-basins, and sags. One of these, the Nanpu Sag, has played a particularly important role in oil and gas exploration in recent years. Four depositional systems are recognized in the Nanpu Sag, fan-delta, braided-river delta, turbidite deposits, and lacustrine systems. In the Paleogene, the Nanpu Sag underwent complex and multi-phased rifting evolution. Two evolutionary phases have been identified: the syn-rift phase and the post-rift phase, the syn-rift stage can be further sub-divided into four episodes. This study reveals the considerable faulting activity and associated strong subsidence that occurred during the deposition of the Dongying Formation in the fourth episode of the syn-rift stage. The depositional systems and the tectonic activity during the fourth episode in the Nanpu Sag have very different characteristics compared to those of other depressions or sub-basins in the Bohai Bay Basin. Boundary fault activity was extremely intense during the deposition of the Dongying Formation, especially the east to west trending faults, including the Xinanzhuang Fault and the Gaoliu Fault. Moreover, the migration of subsidence centers from the Shahejie Formation to the Dongying Formation is a result of the strong down-warping that occurred during the fourth episode of the syn-rift stage. In the Nanpu Sag, the Dongying Formation is of great significance to hydrocarbon exploration, which is affected by both the intensity of fault activity and magnitude of basement subsidence.
Thai Guestworker Export in Decline: The Rise and Fall of the Thailand-Taiwan Migration System
Authors: Rainwater Katie , Williams Lindy Brooks
Published: May 2018

For decades, rural Thais have been employed as “guestworkers” in the Middle East and Asia. Once the predominate source of guest labor in Taiwan, Thais are being replaced by migrants from other countries. Building on the migration systems literature, we examine this transition. We find that Thais are increasingly deciding against work in Taiwan because of a diminishing wage gap between the two states. We argue that one outcome of the maturation of guestworker programs in Asia and the Middle East is the succession of migrant groups, especially a decline among those from relatively prosperous labor-sending states.
Narrativity as a Locus Hermeneuticus for Ecumenical Theology: Culture, Koinonia and Transformation
Authors: Bargár Pavol
Published: May 2018

This article argues that narrativity has the potential to be a key hermeneutical concept in ecumenical theology. Instead of pursuing a complex elaboration of the notion, it will seek to explore various aspects of narrativity. The thesis will be explicated in three major steps, consecutively discussing culture as the general setting of narrativity, explicating narrativity as a concept that can helpfully address some of the major issues in ecumenical theology and proposing transformation as the ultimate horizon of the faith and practice of the Christian koinonia.
The Contributions of British Female Missionaries and Japanese Bible Women to the Ministry of the Japan Evangelistic Band in the Early 20th Century
Authors: Maxton Esther
Published: May 2018

Early 20th century evangelical mission organisations that emerged from the British Holiness Movement prioritised evangelism over social reform. Female missionaries, however, were often engaged in bringing social transformation. Even though women were the major workforce in overseas mission, leadership was always in male hands. This article discusses how even though women in the Japan Evangelistic Band were not in leadership positions, their initiative in social engagement enabled the Mission to participate in spiritual as well as social transformation, and raise a generation of Japanese female leadership.
Healthcare use, costs and quality of life in patients with end-stage kidney disease receiving conservative management: results from a multi-centre observational study (PACKS)
Authors: Phair Glenn , Agus Ashley , Normand Charles , Brazil Kevin , Burns Aine , Roderick Paul , Maxwell Alexander P , Thompson Colin , Yaqoob Magdi , Noble Helen
Published: May 2018

Background:

Previous research has explored the cost of providing renal replacement therapies in patients with end-stage kidney disease and their quality of life. This is the first study to examine the healthcare costs of patients receiving conservative care without dialysis for end-stage kidney disease. This alternative to dialysis is an option for patients who prefer a supportive and palliative care approach.

Aim:

Descriptive cost and quality of life analyses alongside a UK-based multi-centre observational study in patients receiving conservative management for end-stage kidney disease.

Design:

Health service use was recorded up to 12 months after making the decision to receive conservative management. Mean costs were calculated for each 3-month time period. The annual cost was calculated in two ways: by using only patients with complete cost data and by using all available data weighted by the number of patients at each time point.

Setting:

In total, 42 patients who opted for conservative management over dialysis were recruited.

Results:

Mean costs were £1622 (0–3 months), £1008 (3–6 months), £554 (6–9 months) and £2626 (9–12 months). Mean annual cost based on complete data ( n = 8) was £5511, and the weighted mean annual cost was £5620.

Conclusion:

The importance of this study is twofold. First, it provides substantive new information for health and social care planning of conservative management by demonstrating where demand exists for services, in both the United Kingdom and other countries with a comparable health service structure. Second, methodologically, it indicates that it is feasible to collect service use data directly from this patient population.
‘Death is difficult in any language’: A qualitative study of palliative care professionals’ experiences when providing end-of-life care to patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Authors: Green Anna , Jerzmanowska Natalia , Green Marguerite , Lobb Elizabeth A
Published: May 2018

Background:

Ethnic minority patients have unique challenges in accessing health services. These include language difficulties, unfamiliarity with the health system, lower rates of cancer screening and survival, higher rates of reported side effects from cancer treatment and poorer quality of life. Little is known about this patient group when transitioning to palliative care.

Aim:

To elicit the experiences of palliative care health professionals when providing care for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds which differ from mainstream Australian language and culture.

Design:

An emergent qualitative design, informed by theoretical and procedural direction from grounded theory research.

Setting/participants:

Four focus groups held with palliative care staff ( n = 28) in a single specialist palliative care service in Australia.

Results:

The following themes emerged: (1) determining the rules of engagement around discussion of diagnosis and prognosis, (2) navigating the challenge of language to patient understanding, (3) understanding migration experiences to establish trust, (4) maintaining the balance between patient safety and comfort care, (5) providing a good death experience through accommodation of beliefs, and (6) navigating the important role of family members while privileging patient preferences.

Conclusion:

Underlying provider perceptions of caring for patients was that death is difficult in any language. Care was conceptualised as considering cultural and linguistic backgrounds within individualistic care. Understanding the migration experience and building trust were key elements of this individualised approach. Acknowledgement of the key role played by families in patient care and safety are strategies to minimise barriers and understand the concerns of this patient group.
Drunk decisions: Alcohol shifts choice from habitual towards goal-directed control in adolescent intermediate-risk drinkers
Authors: Obst Elisabeth , Schad Daniel J , Huys Quentin JM , Sebold Miriam , Nebe Stephan , Sommer Christian , Smolka Michael N , Zimmermann Ulrich S
Published: May 2018

Background:

Studies in humans and animals suggest a shift from goal-directed to habitual decision-making in addiction. We therefore tested whether acute alcohol administration reduces goal-directed and promotes habitual decision-making, and whether these effects are moderated by self-reported drinking problems.

Methods:

Fifty-three socially drinking males completed the two-step task in a randomised crossover design while receiving an intravenous infusion of ethanol (blood alcohol level=80 mg%), or placebo. To minimise potential bias by long-standing heavy drinking and subsequent neuropsychological impairment, we tested 18- to 19-year-old adolescents.

Results:

Alcohol administration consistently reduced habitual, model-free decisions, while its effects on goal-directed, model-based behaviour varied as a function of drinking problems measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. While adolescents with low risk for drinking problems (scoring <8) exhibited an alcohol-induced numerical reduction in goal-directed choices, intermediate-risk drinkers showed a shift away from habitual towards goal-directed decision-making, such that alcohol possibly even improved their performance.

Conclusions:

We assume that alcohol disrupted basic cognitive functions underlying habitual and goal-directed decisions in low-risk drinkers, thereby enhancing hasty choices. Further, we speculate that intermediate-risk drinkers benefited from alcohol as a negative reinforcer that reduced unpleasant emotional states, possibly displaying a novel risk factor for drinking in adolescence.
Impact of NTRK2, DRD2 and ACE polymorphisms on prolactin levels in antipsychotic-treated patients with first-episode psychosis
Authors: Gassó Patricia , Mas Sergi , Bioque Miquel , Cabrera Bibiana , Lobo Antonio , González-Pinto Ana , Díaz-Caneja Covadonga M , Corripio Iluminada , Vieta Eduard , Castro-Fornieles Josefina , Sarró Salvador , Mané Anna , Sanjuan Julio , Llerena Adrián , Lafuente Amalia , Saiz-Ruiz Jerónimo , Bernardo Miguel ,   PEPs Group
Published: May 2018

Background:

Hyperprolactinemia is a common side-effect of antipsychotics (APs), which may trigger serious secondary problems and compromise the adherence to treatment which is crucial for prognosis, especially in patients presenting with a first-episode of psychosis (FEP).

Aims:

We evaluated, in some cases for the first time, the effect of polymorphisms in multiple candidate genes on serum prolactin (PRL) levels in an AP-treated FEP cohort recruited in the multicenter PEPs study (Phenotype − genotype and environmental interaction; Application of a predictive model in first psychotic episodes).

Methods:

PRL concentration was measured in serum from 222 patients. A total of 167 polymorphisms were selected in 23 genes. Genetic association analysis was performed in the whole sample and also in homogenous subgroups of patients treated with APs with a high (N = 101) or low risk (N = 95) of increasing PRL release, which showed significant differences in their PRL levels.

Results:

After Bonferroni correction, polymorphisms in NTRK2, DRD2 and ACE genes were associated with PRL concentration.

Conclusion:

Our results give more support to the impact of DRD2, but also of other genes related to dopamine availability such as ACE. Moreover, this study provides the first evidence for the involvement of NTRK2, which suggests that pathways other than the ones related to dopamine or serotonin may participate in the AP-related PRL levels.
Change in microcalcifications on mammography after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: correlation with tumor response grade and comparison with lesion extent
Authors: Yim Hyunee , Ha Taeyang , Kang Doo Kyoung , Park Seong Young , Jung Yongsik , Kim Tae Hee
Published: May 2018

Background

After neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), persistent microcalcifications are often observed in spite of a decrease in the primary tumor size.

Purpose

To analyze the changes in microcalcifications after NAC and to evaluate the accuracy of residual microcalcifications in predicting the extent of residual cancer.

Material and Methods

Eighty patients who received NAC and underwent both mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after the completion of NAC were included. The location of microcalcifications was classified into two types: inside the mass and outside the mass.

Results

The extent of the residual calcifications was larger than the pathologic residual lesion in 14 (74%) of 19 patients with complete response (CR) on MRI, but the discrepancy was <1 cm in eight (42%) patients. The median value of the discrepancy was significantly higher in patients showing CR with outside calcifications compared to CR with inside calcifications (2.0 cm vs. 0.7 cm, P = 0.008). After NAC, the decrease of calcifications was more frequently observed in cancers showing CR on MRI or Miller-Payne grade 5 and the increase of calcifications more frequently occurred in cancers showing progress disease on MRI or Miller-Payne grade 1 ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.044).

Conclusion

The change in microcalcifications after NAC was correlated with the tumor response to NAC. The discrepancy was highest in the group showing CR on MRI with outside calcifications. In tumors with inside calcifications, the discrepancy was relatively low within an acceptable range.
Planting the seed to grow local creative industries: The impacts of cultural districts and arts schools on economic development
Authors: Breznitz Shiri M , Noonan Douglas S
Published: May 2018

The impact of arts and culture on local economies has been studied extensively. However, a review of the literature finds conflicting and critical results regarding the impact of cultural on economic outcomes. In this paper, we shift attention to examine different intermediaries and concentrations of cultural agents that can influence growth and innovation in the “creative economy.” Thus, we build on previous work and expand on it by refining the scale of analysis (zip-code level). The paper focuses on education in the arts and digital media in all arts-related programs at universities as well as accredited art schools across the United States. Further, employing more observations for larger cities allows a richer depiction of the rather urban nature of the arts and digital media industries. We find that, by going to the zip-code level, we can say that both districts and arts programs (especially at schools that specialize in arts education) have a positive relationship with the share of jobs in the arts and digital media. Moreover, when we evaluate the impact of schools versus districts, we find that schools have a greater role.
Does Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Affect the Outcome of Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation? A Matched Cohort Study With a Mean Follow-up of 6 Years
Authors: Tírico Luís E.P. , McCauley Julie C. , Pulido Pamela A. , Bugbee William D.
Published: May 2018

Background:

Few studies have evaluated the influence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on the outcome of cartilage repair.

Hypothesis/Purpose:

The purpose was to investigate the association between ACL reconstruction and functional outcomes after osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation. The hypothesis was that patients treated with OCA transplantation who had a history of ACL reconstruction would have inferior clinical outcomes and lower osteochondral graft survivorship when compared with a matched group of patients undergoing OCA transplantation without a history of ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

This study compared 31 knees that underwent OCA transplantation with a history of ACL reconstruction (OCA and ACL group) and 62 knees treated with isolated OCA transplantation (OCA group) that had an intact ACL. Groups were matched by age, diagnosis, year of surgery, and graft size. Minimum follow-up was 2 years. Frequency and type of reoperation were assessed. Clinical failure was defined as revision OCA transplantation or conversion to arthroplasty. Subjective outcome measures included International Knee Documentation Committee scores, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores, and patient satisfaction.

Results:

Clinical failure occurred in 3 of 31 knees (9.7%) in the OCA and ACL group and 6 of 62 knees (9.7%) in the OCA group ( P ≤ .999). Five- and 10-year survivorship of the OCA was 94.7% and 82.3% for the OCA and ACL group and 93.4% and 79.6% for OCA group, respectively ( P = .979). Mean follow-up was 6.2 ± 3.3 years among all knees with grafts in situ. Changes from preoperative to latest follow-up visit (difference scores) on all subjective outcome measures were greater in the OCA group; however, none of the difference scores were statistically significant. Satisfaction with the results of OCA transplantation was reported in 78.3% of the OCA and ACL group and 71.7% of the OCA group ( P = .551).

Conclusion:

Treatment of cartilage lesions with OCA transplantation proved to be reliable and effective regardless of a history of ACL reconstruction as demonstrated by the improvements in outcome scores, long survivorship, and high satisfaction rates. History of ACL reconstruction did not influence outcome of OCA transplantation.
Implementing the Integrated Strategy for the Cultural Adaptation of Evidence-Based Interventions: An Illustration
Authors: Sidani Souraya , Ibrahim Sarah , Lok Jana , Fan Lifeng , Fox Mary
Published: May 2018

Background

Persons’ cultural beliefs about a health problem can affect their perceived acceptability of evidence-based interventions, undermining evidence-based interventions’ adherence, and uptake to manage the problem. Cultural adaptation has the potential to enhance the acceptability, uptake, and adherence to evidence-based interventions.

Purpose

To illustrate the implementation of the first two phases of the integrated strategy for cultural adaptation by examining Chinese Canadians’ perceptions of chronic insomnia and evidence-based behavioral therapies for insomnia.

Methods

Chinese Canadians ( n = 14) with chronic insomnia attended a group session during which they completed established instruments measuring beliefs about sleep and insomnia, and their perceptions of factors that contribute to chronic insomnia. Participants rated the acceptability of evidence-based behavioral therapies and discussed their cultural perspectives regarding chronic insomnia and its treatment.

Results

Participants actively engaged in the activities planned for the first two phases of the integrated strategy and identified the most significant factor contributing to chronic insomnia and the evidence-based intervention most acceptable for their cultural group.

Conclusions

The protocol for implementing the two phases of the integrated strategy for cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions was feasible, acceptable, and useful in identifying culturally relevant evidence-based interventions.
The Role of Maternal Acceptance in Mediating Child Outcomes Among Substance Using Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Cully Laura , Wu Qiong , Slesnick Natasha
Published: May 2018

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent in the United States, and many women who experience IPV have children in their care. Substance use is common among this population and affects parenting behaviors such as maternal acceptance and child outcomes. Maternal experience of IPV affects a mother’s ability to parent and interact with her child. Little is known about the combined influence of both maternal substance use and IPV on parenting behaviors and child problem behaviors. The current study examined differences in maternal acceptance and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors among mothers who reported experiencing IPV to mothers who never reported experiencing IPV. Results showed that mothers with a history of IPV reported lower rates of maternal acceptance and higher rates of child problem behaviors compared with those with no history of IPV. In addition, frequency of substance use moderated this relationship. This is the first study, to date, to examine the relationship between maternal acceptance and child problem behaviors among substance using mothers with a history of IPV and is a first step to understanding the parenting practices of this population.
The Modified Telephone-Administered Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen for Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Pillemer Sarah , Papandonatos George D. , Crook Cara , Ott Brian R. , Tremont Geoffrey
Published: May 2018

Objective:

This study aimed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of a modified version of the Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen (MCAS-m), by adding learning and recognition memory components, to the original version MCAS to distinguish amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) from healthy controls (HCs).

Methods/Design:

A total of 30 individuals with aMCI and 30 HCs underwent neuropsychological testing, neurologic examination, laboratory, and brain imaging tests. Once diagnosis was confirmed, participants completed the MCAS and MCAS-m in counterbalanced order.

Results:

The average administration time was 12.6 minutes for the MCAS and 13.5 minutes for the MCAS-m. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed that the MCAS-m demonstrated 97% sensitivity and 97% specificity for distinguishing between aMCI and HC versus 97% and 87%, respectively, for the original MCAS in this sample.

Conclusions:

Both the MCAS and the MCAS-m were highly sensitive when distinguishing between normal cognition and aMCI; however, the MCAS-m demonstrated a 10% increase in specificity compared to the original version. Improved specificity is particularly relevant to screening in larger community samples with lower base rates of MCI than clinic populations. This modified screening measure presents a brief and cost-effective tool for identifying MCI. Given the risk of progression from aMCI to Alzheimer disease dementia (AD), the MCAS-m represents a modest improvement in telephone-administered methods for the early detection of AD.
Broad Search, Deep Search, and the Absorptive Capacity Performance of Family and Nonfamily Firm R&D
Authors: Brinkerink Jasper
Published: May 2018

This study investigates how family and nonfamily firms learn. Specifically, it asks whether family influence fosters or hinders the transformation of the potential absorptive capacity augmented by research and development (R&D) into the realized absorptive capacity embodied by innovation outcomes. The conceptual model posits that family influence will enhance the absorptive capacity performance of R&D regarding exploitative innovations that tend to result from deep external search yet diminish the absorptive capacity performance of R&D regarding exploratory innovations that tend to result from broad external search. Regression analyses using a sample of 346 Dutch manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises largely support the hypothesized model.
Effect of charge transfer and chain stacking on the optical and thermal properties of polyimides derived from sulfone and amide-containing dianhydride
Authors: Huo Jizhen , Yu Yingfeng
Published: May 2018

To study the effect of charge transfer and chain stacking on the optical and thermal properties, a group of polyimides (PIs) were prepared from various diamines and dianhydrides containing sulfone, amide, and/or trifluoromethyl groups. Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, thermomechanical analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis were employed to study the properties of PIs. PIs containing sulfone and amide groups exhibited transmittance varying from 2.9% to 44.9% at 400 nm with good thermal stabilities of 5% weight loss in nitrogen at 455–466°C. The coefficient of thermal expansion values were 37.7–49.8 ppm/°C and glass transition temperatures were 261–299°C. The improved optical properties are owing to incorporation of amide group that decreases the electron-acceptability and sulfone group that distorts the chains, inhibiting the dense chain stacking. There is a trade-off relationship between the optical property and thermal property.
Singular treatment of viscous flow near the corner by using matched eigenfunctions
Authors: Deliceoğlu Ali , Çelik Ebutalib , Gürcan Fuat
Published: May 2018

In this paper, the local singular behavior of Stokes flow is solved near the salient and re-entrant corners by the matching eigenfunction method. The flow in a rectangular and an L-shaped cavity are considered as a model for the flow generated by the motion of the upper lid. The solutions of the Stokes equation in polar coordinates are matched with a velocity vector components obtained by analytic or numerical solution for the streamfunction developed for any values of the heights of the rectangular and an L-shaped cavity. Streamline patterns near the corner are simulated for a different aspect ratio A. The techniques are tested on a flow problem undergoing Stokes or Navier–Stokes equations in a square cavity. It is seen that the method appears to be cheaper and more accurate than the numerical and analytical methods. It is expected that the study will lead to useful insights into the understanding of the flow topology near a re-entrant corner from a combined analytical-numerical method. Attention is then focused on the topological behavior near the re-entrant corner of the L-shaped cavity. Careful analysis of the streamlines of streamfunction near the re-entrant corner by using wall shear stress allows us to give a possible flow bifurcation of dividing streamline.