bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COMPARING TRANSVERSE PLANE BIOMECHANICS BETWEEN FIXED- AND MOBILE-BEARING TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY DURING LEVEL WALKING, STAIR NEGOTIATION AND PIVOTING
Authors: WANG SHANGCHENG , LIU ZHIHONG , FENG JIANMING , DENG LIANFU , ZHENG NAIQUAN NIGEL
Published: July 2019

Compared with fixed-bearing (FB) total knee arthroplasty (TKA), mobile-bearing (MB) TKA may promote knee rotation and reduce rotational load at bone–implant interface. Unfortunately, this hypothesis has not been examined with neither knee rotation during stance of pivoting nor knee rotational moment during activities other than level walking. This study used 3D motion analysis to obtain the rotation of tibia relative to the femur and knee rotation moment during stance phase of level walking, stair ascent/descent, step and spin turn for 17 FB, 20[Formula: see text]MB and 28 healthy knees. Statistical comparisons revealed that transverse plane biomechanics was similar between MB and FB knees. Compared with healthy knees ([Formula: see text]), both FB ([Formula: see text]) and MB knees ([Formula: see text]) reduced internal rotation during step turn at early stance. During spin turn, FB knees ([Formula: see text] vs. [Formula: see text]) reduced internal rotation at late stance, whereas MB knees ([Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text]) reduced external rotation at early stance. MB knees (0.064% and 0.126% body weight [Formula: see text] height) had lower peak external rotation moments during early stance phase of both level walking and spin turn than healthy knees (0.108% and 0.238% body weight [Formula: see text] height). Using FB for TKA surgery without bias and step-turn strategy for pivoting were recommended.
BIOMECHANICAL STUDY ON MECHANISMS OF FEMORAL NECK FRACTURE AFTER HIP RESURFACING ARTHROPLASTY
Authors: CHOU WEN-HSIANG , LIU CHIEN-WEI
Published: July 2019

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) is a long-established procedure. It is a minimally invasive surgery where the surgical wound is relatively small to facilitate a shorter recovery period. HRA remained a popular option among the patients allowing better range of motion of the joint compared to that of total hip arthroplasty (THA). Although HRA is associated with the above advantages, complications involving femoral neck fractures after surgery still occur. Therefore, the present study attempts to assess the impact of stress under various alignment conditions and different scenarios in surgical errors upon the femoral neck in hip resurfacing prostheses (HRP) that may be encountered during the procedure using finite element analysis (FEA) technique. The results showed that anteversion implantation errors on femoral components should be avoided, and that the main reason that causes femoral neck fracture is related to the stress shielding effect generated internally in the femoral neck. Methods to prevent the incidence of such events are a major obstacle to be solved in the future.
China’s Sustainable Industrialization and Its Significance
Authors: GUO Chaoxian , HU Yue
Published: July 2019

China’s reform and opening-up over the past 40 years is in nature of an industrialization process. China’s industrial development conforms to the development goals, principles and spirit of inclusive and sustainable industrialization established in the United Nations’ Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This paper reviewed the main achievements obtained during China’s industrial development since the reform and opening up, and set forth the methods the Chinese Government had used to promote sustainable industrialization from five aspects, i.e. taking measures to promote infrastructure construction, paying high attention to scientific and technological innovations, boosting the integration of IT application with industrialization, advancing industrial energy conservation and emission reduction and developing small and medium enterprises. At the end, this paper pointed out that China’s industrial development and sustainable industrialization are not only important to the country itself, but also to the world’s economic development and sustainable development.
Plant wax compounds and soil microbial DNA profiles to ascertain urban land use type
Authors: Dawson L. A. , Macdonald L. M. , Ritz K.
Published: July 2019

Soil material found on questioned items (such as footwear, tools or vehicles) during a police enquiry can provide powerful forensic intelligence (and evidence) relating to geographical origin. We evaluated the potential of organic biomarkers (i.e. plant wax compounds
n
-alkanes and fatty alcohols) and microbial community DNA profiles (bacterial and fungal) in providing land-use-based intelligence within two geographically separated urban study areas. Our results demonstrate the limited potential of basic soil physico-chemical analysis, mineralogy (X-ray diffraction) and spectroscopic (colour and Fourier transform infrared) methods in providing land-use intelligence within these specific localized urban environments. Our results also demonstrate the complementary nature of biochemical/biological analysis to mineralogy, providing important information about the variability of analysis in localized urban environments. However the
n
-alkane compounds proved variable within land-use types. Bacterial DNA profiles were influenced by both land use and the urban/geographical origin. Fatty alcohol compounds and fungal DNA profiles provided characteristic analyses that discriminated grass-dominated, flowerbed, woodland and roadside soils, regardless of urban/geographic origin. Supported by appropriate knowledge of landscape variability (e.g. spatial, temporal), these methods demonstrate potential to provide rapid and cost-effective land-use-based intelligence to complement soil inorganic information over a greater definition of scale relevant to a contact point location at a locus.
Exploration performance in the UK and Norwegian North Sea
Authors: Myers Keith , Rouillard Pierrick , Zanella Edwige
Published: July 2019

The exploration performance of the UK and Norway sectors of the North Sea in the years from 2008 to 2017 has been compared. In the decade between 2008 and 2017, 194 wildcats were completed in the Norwegian sector compared with 140 in the UK sector. Commercial volumes discovered in Norway were 4.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent (bnboe), of which 2.4 bnboe were accounted for by the Johan Sverdrup discovery in 2010/11. Excluding Johan Sverdrup, 1.9 bnboe were discovered in the Norwegian sector compared with 1.1 bnboe in the UK sector. The outlier Johan Sverdrup has been extracted from the performance analysis to get a better picture of the underlying trends in comparative exploration performance. Commercial success rates were comparable across the median line at 28% but the average discovery size was 30% higher at 26 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) in Norway, compared with 18 mmboe in the UK. The higher average discovery size meant that exploration efficiency, as measured by oil and gas discovered per wildcat well was higher in Norway at 10 mmboe per well compared with 8 mmboe in the UK. Differences in exploration performance across the median line largely reflect differences in exploration maturity. Most prospects drilled in the UK were either full stratigraphic traps or were combined structural/stratigraphic traps, whereas in the Norwegian sector stratigraphic traps are still in a minority, although the proportion is increasing. Exploring for stratigraphic traps effectively is a key challenge in the North Sea today – commercial success rates for this trap type were running at only 25% in the UK and 21% in Norway in the period.
Early studies on the surface epithelium of mammalian airways
Authors: Widdicombe Jonathan H.
Published: July 2019

This article traces the beginnings of the various areas of physiological research on airway epithelium. First mentioned in 1600, it was not until 1834 that it was found to be ciliated. Goblet and basal cells were described in 1852, to be followed by ~10 other epithelial cell types (the most recent in 2018). It also contains nerve endings and resident leukocytes. Mucociliary clearance was documented in 1835, but the first studies on the ciliary beat cycle did not appear until 1890, and a definitive description was not published until 1981. It was established in 1932 that goblet cells in the cat trachea were unresponsive to cholinergic agents; but only since 1980 or so has any significant progress been made on what does cause them to degranulate. Active transfer of salts across epithelia creates local osmotic gradients that drive transepithelial water flows. Vectorial salt transport was first described for airway epithelium in 1968, and the associated volume flows were measured in 1981. Evidence that airway epithelium releases signaling molecules first appeared in 1981. Since then, scores of molecules have been identified. The pace of research in most areas increased dramatically after the development of confluent, polarized cultures of airway epithelium in the early 1980s.
Urine complement activation fragments are increased in patients with kidney injury after cardiac surgery
Authors: Laskowski Jennifer , Philbrook Heather Thiessen , Parikh Chirag R. , Thurman Joshua M.
Published: July 2019

Experiments in mouse models have shown that the complement cascade is activated within the kidney after ischemia-reperfusion and that complement activation contributes to tubular injury in this setting. Less is known, however, about complement activation in human kidneys after ischemia or whether complement activation in the tubulointerstitium can be detected by measurement of complement fragments in the urine. We hypothesized that urine biomarkers of complement activation would rapidly increase in patients who develop ischemic acute kidney injury, signaling complement activation within the kidney. We confirmed that the alternative pathway of complement is activated in the kidneys of mice after ischemia-reperfusion, and we found that levels of factor B fragments (generated during alternative pathway activation) rapidly increase in the urine. We next performed a case-control study in which we measured complement fragments in human urine samples from patients undergoing cardiac surgery using ELISAs. The level of Ba increased after cardiac surgery and was significantly higher in patients who developed acute kidney injury. The increase in Ba also correlated with magnitude of the subsequent rise in serum creatinine and with the need for hemodialysis during the hospitalization. These findings demonstrate that the alternative pathway of complement is activated in patients who develop acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery and that increases in the level of urine Ba may be a predictive and functional biomarker of severe kidney injury.
Kinetic basis of metformin-MPP interactions with organic cation transporter OCT2
Authors: Sandoval Philip J. , Morales Mark , Secomb Timothy W. , Wright Stephen H.
Published: July 2019

Organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) clears the blood of cationic drugs. Efforts to understand OCT2 selectivity as a means to predict the potential of new molecular entities (NMEs) to produce unwanted drug-drug interactions typically assess the influence of the NMEs on inhibition of transport. However, the identity of the substrate used to assess transport activity can influence the quantitative profile of inhibition. Metformin and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP), in particular, display markedly different inhibitory profiles, with IC50values for inhibition of MPP transport often being more than fivefold greater than IC50values for the inhibition of metformin transport by the same compound, suggesting that interaction of metformin and MPP with OCT2 cannot be restricted to competition for a single binding site. Here, we determined the kinetic basis for the mutual inhibitory interaction of metformin and MPP with OCT2 expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Although metformin did produce simple competitive inhibition of MPP transport, MPP was a mixed-type inhibitor of metformin transport, decreasing the maximum rate of mediated substrate transport and increasing the apparent Michaelis constant ( Ktapp) for OCT2-mediated metformin transport. Furthermore, whereas the IC50value for metformin’s inhibition of MPP transport did not differ from the Ktappvalue for metformin transport, the IC50value for MPP’s inhibition of metformin transport was less than its Ktappvalue for transport. The simplest model to account for these observations required the influence of a distinct inhibitory site for MPP that, when occupied, decreases the translocation of substrate. These observations underscore the complexity of ligand interaction with OCT2 and argue for use of multiple substrates to obtain the needed kinetic assessment of NME interactions with OCT2.
Cortical and subcortical alterations associated with precision visuomotor behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Unruh Kathryn E. , Martin Laura E. , Magnon Grant , Vaillancourt David E. , Sweeney John A. , Mosconi Matthew W.
Published: July 2019

In addition to core deficits in social-communication abilities and repetitive behaviors and interests, many patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience developmental comorbidities, including sensorimotor issues. Sensorimotor issues are common in ASD and associated with more severe clinical symptoms. Importantly, sensorimotor behaviors are precisely quantifiable and highly translational, offering promising targets for neurophysiological studies of ASD. We used functional MRI to identify brain regions associated with sensorimotor behavior using a visually guided precision gripping task in individuals with ASD ( n = 20) and age-, IQ-, and handedness-matched controls ( n = 18). During visuomotor behavior, individuals with ASD showed greater force variability than controls. The blood oxygen level-dependent signal for multiple cortical and subcortical regions was associated with force variability, including motor and premotor cortex, posterior parietal cortex, extrastriate cortex, putamen, and cerebellum. Activation in the right premotor cortex scaled with sensorimotor variability in controls but not in ASD. Individuals with ASD showed greater activation than controls in left putamen and left cerebellar lobule VIIb, and activation in these regions was associated with more severe clinically rated symptoms of ASD. Together, these results suggest that greater sensorimotor variability in ASD is associated with altered cortical-striatal processes supporting action selection and cortical-cerebellar circuits involved in feedback-guided reactive adjustments of motor output. Our findings also indicate that atypical organization of visuomotor cortical circuits may result in heightened reliance on subcortical circuits typically dedicated to motor skill acquisition. Overall, these results provide new evidence that sensorimotor alterations in ASD involve aberrant cortical and subcortical organization that may contribute to key clinical issues in patients.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first known study to examine functional brain activation during precision visuomotor behavior in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We replicate previous findings of elevated force variability in ASD and find these deficits are associated with atypical function of ventral premotor cortex, putamen, and posterolateral cerebellum, indicating cortical-striatal processes supporting action selection and cortical-cerebellar circuits involved in feedback-guided reactive adjustments of motor output may be key targets for understanding the neurobiology of ASD.
Vestibular modulation of visuomotor feedback gains in reaching
Authors: Oostwoud Wijdenes Leonie , van Beers Robert J. , Medendorp W. Pieter
Published: July 2019

Humans quickly and sophisticatedly correct their movements in response to changes in the world, such as when reaching to a target that abruptly changes its location. The vigor of these movement corrections is time-dependent, increasing if the time left to make the correction decreases, which can be explained by optimal feedback control (OFC) theory as an increase of optimal feedback gains. It is unknown whether corrections for changes in the world are as sophisticated under full-body motion. For successful visually probed motor corrections during full-body motion, not only the motion of the hand relative to the body needs to be taken into account, but also the motion of the hand in the world should be considered, because their relative positions are changing. Here, in two experiments, we show that visuomotor feedback corrections in response to target jumps are more vigorous for faster passive full-body translational acceleration than for slower acceleration, suggesting that vestibular information modulates visuomotor feedback gains. Interestingly, these corrections do not demonstrate the time-dependent characteristics that body-stationary visuomotor feedback gains typically show, such that an optimal feedback control model fell short to explain them. We further show that the vigor of corrections generally decreased over the course of trials within the experiment, suggesting that the sensorimotor system adjusted its gains when learning to integrate the vestibular input into hand motor control.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Vestibular information is used in the control of reaching movements to world-stationary visual targets, while the body moves. Here, we show that vestibular information also modulates the corrective reach responses when the target changes position during the body motion: visuomotor feedback gains increase for faster body acceleration. Our results suggest that vestibular information is integrated into fast visuomotor control of reaching movements.
Cell Adhesion by Integrins
Authors: Bachmann Michael , Kukkurainen Sampo , Hytönen Vesa P. , Wehrle-Haller Bernhard
Published: July 2019

Integrins are heterodimeric cell surface receptors ensuring the mechanical connection between cells and the extracellular matrix. In addition to the anchorage of cells to the extracellular matrix, these receptors have critical functions in intracellular signaling, but are also taking center stage in many physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we provide some historical, structural, and physiological notes so that the diverse functions of these receptors can be appreciated and put into the context of the emerging field of mechanobiology. We propose that the exciting journey of the exploration of these receptors will continue for at least another new generation of researchers.
A New Smoothed L0 Regularization Approach for Sparse Signal Recovery
Authors: Xiang Jianhong , Yue Huihui , Yin Xiangjun , Wang Linyu
Published: July 2019

Sparse signal reconstruction, as the main link of compressive sensing (CS) theory, has attracted extensive attention in recent years. The essence of sparse signal reconstruction is how to recover the original signal accurately and effectively from an underdetermined linear system equation (ULSE). For this problem, we propose a new algorithm called regularization reweighted smoothed L0 norm minimization algorithm, which is simply called RRSL0 algorithm. Three innovations are made under the framework of this method: (1) a new smoothed function called compound inverse proportional function (CIPF) is proposed; (2) a new reweighted function is proposed; and (3) a mixed conjugate gradient (MCG) method is proposed. In this algorithm, the reweighted function and the new smoothed function are combined as the sparsity promoting objective, and the constraint condition is taken as a deviation term. Both of them constitute an unconstrained optimization problem under the Tikhonov regularization criterion and the MCG method constructed is used to optimize the problem and realize high‐precision reconstruction of sparse signals under noise conditions. Sparse signal recovery experiments on both the simulated and real data show the proposed RRSL0 algorithm performs better than other popular approaches and achieves state‐of‐the‐art performances in signal and image processing.
Credit Default of Local Public Sectors in Chinese Government‐Pay PPP Projects: Evidence from Ecological Construction
Authors: Yang Jie , Song Lingchuan , Xing Zhongdan
Published: July 2019

Credit is regarded as a key factor to maintain the sustainability of cooperation between public authorities and social capitals in Government‐Pay Public‐Private Partnership (PPP) projects. The credit default of local public sectors has become a formidable force to cause termination in several cases. The study aims to explore the critical conditions and main logics behind opportunistic behaviours through literature analysis. In this research, political performance, fiscal illusion, subjective willingness, and objective limitation are identified as four certain conditions. Additionally, the crisp‐set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA) method is applied to determine the connections between conditions and the credit default in the Chinese Government‐Pay PPP projects according to 15 cases from the field of ecological construction. Consequently, two combinations with complete sufficiency leading to severe extent of credit default are categorized. The configuration of political performance and fiscal illusion is dominant, thereby causing severe extent of credit default in the preimplementation link. Correspondingly, the configuration of subjective willingness, objective limitation, and nonpolitical performance is crucial in the implementation and postimplementation links. Moreover, fiscal illusion alone could be totally sufficient to lead to a termination. This research not only enriches the theoretical system on credit default of public authorities in Government‐Pay PPP projects but also provides reference for all participants to forecast the potential risks especially the credit default in PPP projects.
Dandelion Root and Lemongrass Extracts Induce Apoptosis, Enhance Chemotherapeutic Efficacy, and Reduce Tumour Xenograft Growth In Vivo in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Nguyen Christopher , Mehaidli Ali , Baskaran Kiruthika , Grewal Sahibjot , Pupulin Alaina , Ruvinov Ivan , Scaria Benjamin , Parashar Krishan , Vegh Caleb , Pandey Siyaram
Published: July 2019

Many conventional chemotherapies have indicated side effects due to a lack of treatment specificity and are thus not suitable for long-term usage. Natural health products are well-tolerated and safe for consumption, and some have pharmaceutical uses particularly for their anticancer effects. We have previously reported the anticancer efficacy of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) extracts. However, their efficacy on prostate cancer and their interactions with standard chemotherapeutics have not been studied to determine if they will be suitable for adjuvant therapies. If successful, these extracts could potentially be used in conjunction with chemotherapeutics to minimize the risk of drug-related toxicity and enhance the efficacy of the treatment. We have demonstrated that both dandelion root extract (DRE) and lemongrass extract (LGE) exhibit selective anticancer activity. Importantly, DRE and LGE addition to the chemotherapeutics taxol and mitoxantrone was determined to enhance the induction of apoptosis when compared to individual chemotherapy treatment alone. Further, DRE and LGE were able to significantly reduce the tumour burden in prostate cancer xenograft models when administered orally, while also being well-tolerated. Thus, the implementation of these well-tolerated extracts in adjuvant therapies could be a selective and efficacious approach to prostate cancer treatment.
Estimation of Rail Axial Force in High‐Speed Railway Ballastless Track Based on Wave Modes
Authors: Yi Qiang , Zhao Cai-you , Wang Ping , Gao Xin , Wang Liu-cong , Ke Wen-hua
Published: July 2019

To estimate the rail axial force of high‐speed railway ballastless track, the reasonable index without complex measuring or error correction process is proposed. Taking the ballastless track structure in high‐speed railway as the research object, the wave motion of periodic ballastless track is studied using the wave finite element method. It is found that some standing wave modes are linearly correlated with the rail axial force and thus can be considered as the basic indices for rail axial force estimation. A further in situ experiment according to the modal test method is performed and the feasibility of different wave modes for estimating rail axial force is discussed. Experiment results show that the lateral wave mode coincides well with the theoretical result while there is a large difference for the vertical wave mode. To explicate the difference, the temperature‐dependent properties of the fastening are tested additionally. Parametric analysis shows that the frequency shift of vertical wave mode is greatly affected by the fastening temperature‐dependent characteristics including the rail pad, elastic pad, and fastener clamping force, while the frequency shift of lateral wave mode is mainly determined by the rail axial force.
Risk Factors of Pancreatic Fistula in Distal Pancreatectomy Patients
Authors: Jiwani Amyna , Chawla Tabish
Published: July 2019

Introduction.Benign and malignant lesions of the pancreas located at the body and tail of the pancreas are managed by the standard procedure of distal pancreatectomy (DP). The mortality associated with this procedure is reported as less than 5% in high-volume centers. The major proportion of morbidity is comprised of pancreatic fistula with a reported incidence of 5% to 60%. The most considered risk factors associated with pancreatic fistula formation are soft pancreatic texture, diameter of the pancreatic duct <3 mm, intraoperative blood loss >1000 ml and surgical techniques. Among all these factors, the modifiable factor is the surgical technique. Several surgical techniques have been developed and modified for closure of the pancreatic remnant in the recent past in order to minimize the risk of pancreatic fistula and other complications. The main objective of the study is to analyze the factors associated with formation of pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy.Patients and Methods. We performed a single-center retrospective study at Aga Khan University Hospital from January 2004 till December 2015. The perioperative and postoperative data of 131 patients who underwent pancreatic resection were recorded by using ICD 9 coding. 45 patients underwent distal pancreatectomy, out of which 38 were included in the study based on inclusion criteria. Variables were grouped into demographics, indications, operative details, and postoperative course. Statistical analysis software (SPSS) was used for analysis. Quantitative variables were presented as mean with standard deviation or median with interquartile range depending on the distribution of data. Study endpoints for the risk factor analysis were surgical morbidity and development of pancreatic fistula. Univariate logistic regressions were performed associated with study endpoints.Pvalue less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results.Postoperative pancreatic fistula was the most common perioperative morbidity. The significant associated risk factor for pancreatic fistula was multivisceral resection as compared to spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (Pvalue 0.039). However, the technique of stump closure when opted for suture techniques was seen to be associated with a higher occurrence of postoperative pancreatic fistula. The mortality rate was 2.6%.Conclusion.Postoperative pancreatic fistula is the most common complication seen after distal pancreatectomy in our series. Multivisceral resection is associated with a high incidence of pancreatic fistula and is a statistical significant predictor of pancreatic fistula.
Stabilization of Discrete‐Time Delayed Systems in Presence of Actuator Saturation Based on Wirtinger Inequality
Authors: Pal Vipin Chandra , Negi Richa , Zhu Quanxin
Published: July 2019

This paper examines the stability analysis of discrete‐time control systems particularly during the event of actuator saturation and time‐varying state delay. With the help of Wirtinger inequality along with Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional gain of state feedback controller is determined for stabilization of above system. The saturation nonlinearity is represented in the terms of convex hull. A new linear matrix inequality (LMI) criterion is settled with reciprocally convex combination based inequality which is dependent on delay. The proposed criterion is less conservative in concern to increase the delay bound and a controller is also simulated for real time problem of missile control system in this paper. It is also attained that projected stability criterion is less conservative compared to other outcomes. Furthermore, an optimization procedure together with LMI constraints has been proposed to maximize the attraction of domain.
Hepatoprotective Effects ofMorchella esculentaagainst Alcohol-Induced Acute Liver Injury in the C57BL/6 Mouse Related to Nrf-2 and NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Meng Bo , Zhang Yuanzhu , Wang Zhuqian , Ding Qinran , Song Jia , Wang Di
Published: July 2019

This study investigated the hepatoprotective effects ofMorchella esculentafruit body (ME) and the underlying mechanisms in mice with alcohol-induced acute liver injury. Systematic analysis revealed that ME contained 21 types of fatty acid, 17 types of amino acid, and 12 types of mineral. Subsequently, a mouse model of acute alcohol-induced liver injury was established by oral administration of alcohol for 14 days. Fourteen-day administration of ME prevented alcohol-induced increases in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels and reduced the activity of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in blood serum and liver tissue. ME appears to regulate lipid metabolism by suppressing triglycerides, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein in the liver. ME inhibited the production of inflammatory factors including chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL 40), interleukin-7 (IL-7), plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) in blood serum and/or liver tissue. ME treatment relieved the alcohol-induced imbalance in prooxidative and antioxidative signaling via nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), as indicated by upregulation of superoxide dismutase-1, superoxide dismutase-2, catalase, heme oxygenase-1, and heme oxygenase-2 expression and downregulation of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap-1) in the liver. Moreover, ME reduced the levels of phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa-B kinaseα/β, inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-Bαand nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65) in the liver. The hepatoprotective effects of ME against alcohol-induced acute liver injury were thus confirmed. The mechanism of action may be related to modulation of antioxidative and anti-inflammatory signaling pathways, partially via regulation of Nrf-2 and NF-κB signaling.
An Environmental Scan of Biopsychosocial and Clinical Variables in Cohort Studies of Cancer Survivors
Authors: Krok-Schoen Jessica L. , Bernardo Brittany M. , Elena Joanne W. , Green Paige A. , Hoover Elise , Peng Juan , Anderson Garnet L. , Caan Bette , Johnson Lisa G. , Paskett Electra D.
Published: July 2019

Background:

An inventory of cancer survivorship cohorts is necessary to identify important gaps in what is being studied among cancer survivors.

Methods:

We conducted an environmental scan of cancer survivor cohorts to determine the scope and scale of information collected on demographic, biopsychosocial, and selected clinical variables from cancer survivors. Cohorts were eligible for inclusion in the environmental scan if the study was conducted in the United States, reported in English, and consisted of data collected from cancer survivors postdiagnosis and followed for at least 1 year.

Results:

Out of the 131 cohorts identified, 62 were eligible. There were 23 cancer sites represented, and more than half of the studies included breast cancer survivors (n = 34). The next most commonly included cancers were leukemia (n = 22) and lymphoma (n = 23). The majority (n = 59) collected information on clinical characteristics and basic diagnostic information, patient demographic characteristics (n = 57), patient-reported symptoms (n = 44), lifestyle (n = 45), and psychologic characteristics (n = 42). Half collected biospecimens (n = 35) and biomarkers (n = 35); fewer collected CAM use (n = 19) and social characteristics (n = 27).

Conclusions:

Extensive data are available in cancer cohorts to study important questions relevant to cancer survivors. Cohorts should consider collecting information on social and environmental factors, as well as biospecimen collection and biomarker analyses, and should include survivors from cancer sites less likely to be studied.

Impact:

This information can assist researchers in understanding the types of information currently being gathered from cancer survivors for further analysis and identify areas where more research is needed.
Pretreatment Dietary Patterns Are Associated with the Presence of Nutrition Impact Symptoms 1 Year after Diagnosis in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Crowder Sylvia L. , Sarma Kalika P. , Mondul Alison M. , Chen Yi Tang , Li Zonggui , Pepino M. Yanina , Zarins Katie R. , Wolf Gregory T. , Rozek Laura S. , Arthur Anna E.
Published: July 2019

Background:

Dietary inflammatory potential could impact the presence and severity of chronic adverse treatment effects among patients with head and neck cancer. The objective of this study was to determine whether pretreatment dietary patterns are associated with nutrition impact symptoms (NIS) as self-reported 1 year after diagnosis.

Methods:

This was a longitudinal study of 336 patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer enrolled in the University of Michigan Head and Neck Specialized Program of Research Excellence. Principal component analysis was utilized to derive pretreatment dietary patterns from food frequency questionnaire data. Burden of seven NIS was self-reported 1 year after diagnosis. Associations between pretreatment dietary patterns and individual symptoms and a composite NIS summary score were examined with multivariable logistic regression models.

Results:

The two dietary patterns that emerged were prudent and Western. After adjusting for age, smoking status, body mass index, tumor site, cancer stage, calories, and human papillomavirus status, significant inverse associations were observed between the prudent pattern and difficulty chewing [OR 0.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.21–0.93; P = 0.03], dysphagia of liquids (OR 0.38; 95% CI, 0.18–0.79; P = 0.009), dysphagia of solid foods (OR 0.46; 95% CI, 0.22–0.96; P = 0.03), mucositis (OR 0.48; 95% CI, 0.24–0.96; P = 0.03), and the NIS summary score (OR 0.45; 95% CI, 0.22–0.94; P = 0.03). No significant associations were observed between the Western pattern and NIS.

Conclusions:

Consumption of a prudent diet before treatment may help reduce the risk of chronic NIS burden among head and neck cancer survivors.

Impact:

Dietary interventions are needed to test whether consumption of a prudent dietary pattern before and during head and neck cancer treatment results in reduced NIS burden.
Phenomenology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Methodologically Structured Overview
Authors: Bürgy Martin
Published: July 2019

A methodological order is derived from the concept of phenomena and stages of understanding are developed according to Karl Jaspers. The three levels of descriptive, genetic and hermeneutic understanding are applied to the study of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Descriptive understanding essentially reveals a sense of incompleteness and depersonalization that underlies the experience of the nonsense of obsessive thoughts and that obsessive-compulsive symptoms do not come to an end. Genetic understanding shows particularly by reference to the trigger situation that sensitivity, undifferentiated affects, affective hyperarousal and traumatization are important aspects in the development and maintenance of the obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hermeneutic understanding brings to light the fear of death in obsessive-compulsive disorder as its anthropological dimension. The aim of this methodologically structured overview is to focus on the experience of the obsessive-compulsive patient, to keep curiosity and interest alive, so that both research and relationship to the patient is stimulated.
Os conjuntos-bairros e a expansão periférica do espaço intraurbano de Fortaleza
Authors: Máximo Rérisson
Published: July 2019

O Estado brasileiro atuou na questão habitacional de maneira diversa, com destaque para a produção direta, cujo resultado formal geralmente são conjuntos habitacionais. Construídos em diferentes momentos históricos, ganham significância com a atuação do Banco Nacional da Habitação, quando são construídos grandes conjuntos nas periferias urbanas. Por vezes compreendendo bairros inteiros, relacionam-se ao processo de desenvolvimento urbano e crescimento territorial das cidades. Este texto discute a expansão periférica do espaço intraurbano e a produção habitacional na metrópole Fortaleza através da construção dos conjuntos-bairros, que apresentam sobreposição quase absoluta entre a área projetada e a divisão político-administrativa adotada pelas administrações municipais.
Reflexões sobre o espaço habitado contemporâneo
Authors: Constantinou Eliane , Bettio Machado Letícia
Published: July 2019

O artigo tem como tema o espaço habitado contemporâneo, e como objeto de estudo projetos de habitação econômica contemporânea brasileira realizados para concursos públicos e/ou parcerias público privadas. Analisa-se a produção de Habitação Social a partir da década de noventa, investigando as soluções do ponto de vista espacial, econômico, e social. A metodologia envolve etapas de seleção de documentação, redesenhos digitais, análise gráfica através de diagramas, simulação de percursos a partir dos 3D gerados, e investigação da geração de espaços humanizadores (Barros e Pina, 2011). Infere-se que padrões tipo-morfológicos condicionem potencialidades humanizadoras da habitação e do espaço urbano.
Radiographic aspects of major salivary glands in sialography
Authors: Morita Lucas , Silva Vagner Braga da , Takeda Letícia Mayumi , Choi Isabela Goulart Gil , Kim Jun Ho , Hisatomi Miki , Arita Emiko Saito
Published: July 2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiographic aspects of the major salivary glands in sialography and their grade of inflammation with patients’ individual characteristics. Methods: A total of 30 radiographic images of both parotid and submandibular glands from 25 patients, who underwent sialography examinations, were retrospectively analyzed. Chi-squared test was performed to correlate the grade of inflammation of each area of the salivary glands with the categorical variables: sex, type and side of the affected gland. Pearson correlation was performed to correlate the grade of inflammation between the main duct and the intraglandular duct and the parenchyma. Results: There was no statistically significant relationship between the grade of inflammation of any of the parts of the salivary glands and the categorical variables in the Chi-squared test (p>0.05). The grade of inflammation in the main duct had a weak correlation with the degree of inflammation in the intraglandular duct (p<0.05). Conclusions: Salivary glands affected by obstruction or inflammation are not significantly related to the sex of patients, not to the type or side of the affected gland. The , but sialography examination demonstrated the delicate anatomy of the ductal system and allowed an accurate visualization of sialoliths and strictures that are two of the most common causes of obstruction, showing its important role in the assessment of salivary gland status.
Sedation with oral benzodiazepines in dental practice in cardiac patients
Authors: Santos Monah Sampaio , Campos Wladimir Gushiken , Esteves Camilla Vieira , Santos-Paul Marcela Alves dos , Carvalho Cíntia Maria Alencar de , Montano Tania Cristina Pedroso , Neves Itamara Lucia Itagiba , Neves Ricardo Simões , Lemos Celso Augusto
Published: July 2019

There are different types of sedation used for performing medical and dental procedures. The medications most commonly used for this purpose are benzodiazepines, which are considered safe and effective in the hospital or outpatient dental practice. However, in dental clinical practice, they are underutilized, especially in patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to address the use of benzodiazepines as oral sedatives, their indications, contraindications, and peculiarities, as well as their correlation with cardiac patients, through a literature review. Sedation or minimum anxiolysis is a drug-induced state during which patients respond normally to verbal commands and airway reflexes, while respiratory and cardiovascular functions are unaffected. The beneficial effects of benzodiazepines include reduced anxiety, sleep induction and maintenance, muscle relaxation, and treatment and prevention of epileptic seizures. Benzodiazepines are indicated for patients with anxiety but should be used with caution in patients with serious illnesses, pregnancy or using other central nervous system depressants. Its use in cardiac patients is safe and effective because it reduces the hemodynamic function. It is important for the dentist to know and use this class of medications, improving the quality of care for the cardiac patient.
Protocolo de acabamento, texturização e polimento para restaurações diretas em resina composta
Authors: Santin Daniella Cristo , Scotti Cassiana Koch , Velo Marilia Mattar de Amoêdo Campos , Camim Francielly Da Silva , Mondelli Rafael Francisco Lia , Bombonatti Juliana Fraga Soares
Published: July 2019

O presente relato de caso clínico descreve uma abordagem conservadora para otimização de facetas diretas em resina composta. Para melhoria da anatomia e textura superficial das restaurações antigas, o tratamento baseou-se em um protocolo previsível e reprodutível de acabamento e polimento, o qual garantiu a obtenção de um sorriso equilibrado sem expor a paciente ao ciclo restaurador repetitivo. Inicialmente, a estratégia consistiu na remoção dos excessos de resina, definindo a anatomia primária dos dentes, seguindo a definição dos sulcos verticais e horizontais para mimetizar as características superficiais naturais, proporcionando superfície mais estética e favorável à reflexão de luz. Em adição, o polimento foi conduzido de modo a obter restaurações lisas e brilhantes, que proporcionam maior longevidade aos tratamentos restauradores estéticos.
Comparative and Historical Sociology of Women’s Careers: an Introduction
Authors: Onaka Fumiya , Nagai Akiko
Published: July 2019

Various hypotheses have been used to examine gender inequality in careers, while at the same time comparative and historical sociology has developed around certain areas of interest. This introduction clarifies that there is a need for a comparative and historical sociology specifically related to women’s careers. It presents the rationale for this special issue, which gathers articles opening gateways to further research in this vein.
Does Japanese Women’s Labor Force Development Cause Gender Inequality?: Focusing on Maternity Leave Substitute Jobs in 1940’s-70’s
Authors: Atobe Chisato
Published: July 2019

This article describes a social divide among women which was caused by an increase of highly-educated women’s labor force participation. The author focuses on female teachers in elementary school who managed to continue working after marriage in a time when most married women stayed at home in Japan. By focusing on a difference between the types of employment status among female teachers, the examination revealed that a group of women with low wages and unstable employment was generated as an unintended consequence when female teachers, who were regarded to have a stable occupational status, sought to continue working after giving birth. Further study should be conducted on this problem, because an international divide of labor is in progress under the global economy.
Macro-qualitative Comparisons: Grounded Theory and the Comparative Case of Norwegian and Danish Food Industries since the 1990s Transformations
Authors: Klimek Bjørn
Published: July 2019

This article examines macro-qualitative methodology specified for studies in comparative economic sociology. It elaborates a qualitative approach to comparative theory development. An examination of the socio-philosophical roots of social science theory is given, grounded theory methodology is reconstructed and research designs for macro-qualitative studies are discussed. It is argued that grounded theory methodology is able to contribute to macro-comparative studies as knowledge accumulation in case-specific research projects enables researchers to develop empirically grounded and plural notions of comparative theory. The research design presented for macro-qualitative inquiry builds on a middle-range attempt to accumulate knowledge in a micro-meso-macro procedure, including the productive examination of empirically grounded theoretical concepts at each analytical level. A previous macro-qualitative case study on Norwegian and Danish food industries since the 1990s turn is reconstructed to demonstrate how qualitative sociology is able to contribute to research frontiers that usually are dominated by quantitative economics.
The evolutionary history of the white wagtail species complex, (Passeriformes: Motacillidae: Motacilla alba)
Authors: Shirazinejad Maliheh Pirayesh , Aliabadian Mansour , Mirshamsi Omid
Published: July 2019

The white wagtail (Motacilla alba) species complex with its distinctive plumage in separate geographical areas can serve as a model to test evolutionary hypotheses. Its extensive variety in plumage, despite the genetic similarity between taxa, and the evolutionary events connected to this variety are poorly understood. Therefore we sampled in the breeding range of the white wagtail: 338 individuals were analyzed from 74 areas in the Palearctic and Mediterranean. We studied the white wagtail complex based on two mitochondrial DNA markers to make inferences about the evolutionary history. Our phylogenetic trees highlight mtDNA sequences (ND2, CR), and one nuclear marker (CHD1Z), which partly correspond to earlier described clades: the northern Palearctic (clade N); eastern and central Asia (clade SE); south-western Asia west to the British Isles (clade SW); and Morocco (clade M). The divergence of all clades occurred during the Pleistocene. We also used ecological niche modelling for three genetic lineages (excluding clade M); results showed congruence between niche and phylogenetic divergence in these clades. The results of the white wagtail ancestral area reconstruction showed the influence of dispersal on the distribution and divergence of this complex species. The most important vicariance event for the white wagtail complex may have been caused by the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts. We conclude that the ancestral area of the white wagtail complex was probably in the Mediterranean, with its geography having a considerable effect on speciation processes.
A Functional Approach to Garshunography
Authors: Kiraz George A.
Published: July 2019

It is argued here that functionalism lies at the heart of garshunographic writing systems (where one language is written in a script that is sociolinguistically associated with another language). Giving historical accounts of such systems that began as early as the eighth century, it will be demonstrated that garshunographic systems grew organically because of necessity and that they offered a certain degree of simplicity rather than complexity. While the paper discusses mostly Syriac-based systems, its arguments can probably be expanded to other garshunographic systems.