bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postoperative adjuvante Therapie mit einem Mistelextrakt (Viscum album ssp. album) bei Hündinnen mit Mammatumoren
Authors: Biegel Ulrike , Stratmann Nina , Knauf Yvonne , Ruess Katja , Reif Marcus , Wehrend Axel
Published: December 2017

Hintergrund: Canine Mammatumoren (CMT) sind wegen ihrer Häufigkeit und hohen Malignitätsrate eine Herausforderung für die Veterinärmedizin. Bisher ist noch keine postoperative adjuvante Therapie als wirksamer Standard etabliert und in den nächsten Jahren wohl auch nicht zu erwarten. Zusätzlich ist die Frage nach der Verträglichkeit einer adjuvanten Therapie mit Erhaltung oder Verbesserung der Lebensqualität (LQ) wichtig. Die Therapie mit Mistelextrakten (Viscum album L.; VAE) ist in der Humanonkologie nach adjuvanter Tumorbasistherapie (Chemotherapie und Bestrahlung) eine sehr häufig verwendete, zusätzliche adjuvante Behandlungsmethode. Auch bei verschiedenen Tierarten werden inzwischen Mistelpräparate in der Onkologie erfolgreich angewendet. Methoden: Überprüfung von Wirkung und Nutzen einer postoperativen, adjuvanten Misteltherapie beim CMT sowie Erfassung der LQ unter der VAE-Behandlung. Ausgewertet wurden 56 Hündinnen mit Mammaadenokarzinom, 33 ausschließlich operierte Kontrolltiere und 23 operierte Tiere, die adjuvant VAE erhielten. Ergebnisse: Die mediane Überlebenszeit (MST) aller Tiere (n = 56) betrug 32 Monate (Interquartilbereich 13-51 Monate). Im deskriptiven Vergleich der Überlebenszeiten (ST) nach Kaplan-Meier waren nach 12, 24, 36 bzw. 48 Monaten noch 24, 20, 15 bzw. 5 Hündinnen (entsprechend 72,7%, 60,6%, 45,1%, 12,4%) der Kontrollgruppe sowie 19, 14, 11 und 1 Hündin (82,6%, 60,9%, 47,8%, 4,3%) der VAE-Gruppe am Leben. Die VAE-Therapie führte zu einem geringeren Gesamtversterberisiko, das statistisch nicht signifikant war (Hazard Ratio (HR) 0,530, 95%-Konfidenzintervall (KI) 0,222-1,262; p = 0,15). Tendenziell (p = 0,07) zeigte sich eine Verringerung des tumorbedingten Sterberisikos auf 25% (HR 0,251, 95%-KI 0,056-1,122). Schlussfolgerungen: Es kann eine Tendenz zur Senkung des tumorbedingten Sterberisikos der VAE-Gruppe bei guter Verträglichkeit der Therapie angenommen werden. Die LQ der Tiere blieb über die gesamte Beobachtungszeit auf hohem Niveau stabil.
Repeated Combined Chemotherapy with Cisplatin Lowers Carnitine Levels in Gastric Cancer Patients
Authors: Kawai Akimasa , Matsumoto Hideo  , Endou Youko , Honda Yui , Kubota Hisako , Higashida Masaharu , Hirai Toshihiro
Published: December 2017

Background/Aims: Carnitine plays an important role in the metabolism of fatty acids. It has also been reported that the administration of anticancer drugs may lead to reductions in serum carnitine levels due to decreased activity of organic cation transporter novel 2, which plays a role in the reabsorption of carnitine in the tubules of the kidney. We therefore studied the change in carnitine levels when chemotherapy was administered repeatedly to patients with gastric cancer. Methods: Ten patients with upper gastrointestinal cancer were enrolled in this study between December 2014 and August 2015. All patients were administered chemotherapy consisting of TS-1 and cisplatin every 3 weeks: 3 received it as adjuvant therapy post resection, the remaining 7 received it as treatment for unresectable tumors. Before the start of each chemotherapy cycle, serum was collected. Results: The mean total carnitine level was 54.5 ± 13.7 μmol/L prior to commencing chemotherapy; it was 46.7 ± 13.5 and 41.4 ± 14.8 μmol/L at the second and third cycles respectively. The total carnitine level was decreased in a statistically significant manner (p = 0.0039). The serum level of total protein and cholinesterase was also decreased significantly (p = 0.0218 and p = 0.0418). Conclusion: Carnitine levels decreased during repeated chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer, and they are associated with the nutritional status.
Potential Involvement of MiR-30e-3p in Myocardial Injury Induced by Coronary Microembolization via Autophagy Activation
Authors: Wang Xian-tao , Wu Xiao-dan , Lu Yuan-xi , Sun Yu-han , Zhu Han-hua , Liang Jia-bao , He Wen-kai , Zeng Zhi-yu , Li Lang
Published: December 2017

Background/Aims: Coronary microembolization (CME) can lead to no-reflow or slow reflow, which is one of the important reasons for loss of clinical benefit from myocardial reperfusion therapy. MicroRNAs and autophagy are heavily implicated in the occurrence and development of almost all cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the role of miR-30e-3p and autophagy in CME-induced myocardial injury rat model. Methods: Sixty rats were randomly divided into six groups: sham, CME 1h,3h,6h,9h, and 12h (n = 10 per group). Our CME rat model was created by injecting polyethylene microspheres (42mm) into the left ventricle of the heart; the sham group was injected with same volume of normal saline. The cardiac function and serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) level of each group was measured. HE staining and HBFP staining were used to evaluate the myocardial micro-infarction area of myocardium tissue samples. Then RT-qPCR and western blot were used to detect the expression of miR-30e-3p and, autophagy related protein LC3-II and p62, respectively. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to identify autophagic vacuoles in tissue samples. Results: The cardiac function of the CME 6h,9h, and 12h groups were significantly decreased compared to the sham group (P < 0.05) and the cTnI level in each group were also significantly increased (P < 0.05). The expression of miR-30e-3p in the CME 6h, 9h and 12h group were decreased significantly compared with the sham group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of autophagy related protein LC3-II decreased significantly and p62 increased significantly in the CME 9h and 12h group (P < 0.05). TEM images showed typical autophagic vacuoles for each of the CME groups. Conclusions: Myocardial miR-30e-3p is down regulated after CME and is accompanied by inhibited autophagy and decreased cardiac function. Therefore, miR-30e-3p may be involved in CME-induced cardiac dysfunction by regulating myocardial autophagy.
Hydrogen Treatment Protects Mice Against Chronic Pancreatitis by Restoring Regulatory T Cells Loss
Authors: Chen Luguang , Ma Chao , Bian Yun , Li Jing , Wang Tiegong , Su Li , Lu Jianping
Published: December 2017

Background/Aims: Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas characterized by progressive tissue destruction and fibrogenesis. The development of chronic pancreatitis is associated with immune cell dysregulation. Currently, the specific and effective treatment of chronic pancreatitis remains absent. Methods: By using an L-arginine induced chronic pancreatitis mouse model, we tested the therapeutic potential of hydrogen, a strong hydroxyl radicals scavenger, in the chronic pancreatitis model. Tissue inflammation, damage and fibrosis were analyzed on HE, TUNEL, MPO, and sirius staining. Pancreas levels of MDA content, SOD activity, TNF-α , IL-10 cytokine expression and serum amylase and lipase activity were determined by ELISA and absorbance assay. Apoptosis, T cells subtype proportion and intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Tregs adoptive transfer and CD25 neutralization were used to validate the role of Tregs in chronic pancreatitis. Results: We found that hydrogen treatment significantly improved multiple symptoms of chronic pancreatitis. The number of Tregs was reduced in chronic pancreatitis mice, while hydrogen treatment restored the Treg loss by L-arginine administrations. Depletion of Tregs abolished the protective effect of hydrogen treatment in chronic pancreatitis. In vitro study showed that hydrogen blocked ROS generation in Tregs and promoted Tregs survival. Conclusion: Hydrogen treatment showed reliable benefits in controlling the severity of chronic pancreatitis. Our study supported that hydrogen could be used as a novel treatment in chronic pancreatitis patient in the future.
Right Atrial Deformation in Predicting Outcomes in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Jone Pei-Ni , Schäfer Michal , Li Ling , Craft Mary , Ivy D. Dunbar , Kutty Shelby
Published: December 2017

Background—

Elevated right atrial (RA) pressure is a risk factor for mortality, and RA size is prognostic of adverse outcomes in pulmonary hypertension (PH). There is limited data on phasic RA function (reservoir, conduit, and pump) in pediatric PH. We sought to evaluate (1) the RA function in pediatric PH patients compared with controls, (2) compare the RA deformation indices with Doppler indices of diastolic dysfunction, functional capacity, biomarkers, invasive hemodynamics, and right ventricular functional indices, and (3) evaluate the potential of RA deformation indices to predict clinical outcomes.

Methods and Results—

Sixty-six PH patients (mean age 7.9±4.7 years) were compared with 36 controls (7.7±4.4 years). RA and right ventricular deformation indices were obtained using 2-dimensional speckle tracking (2DCPA; TomTec, Germany). RA strain, strain rates, emptying fraction, and right ventricular longitudinal strain were measured. RA function was impaired in PH patients versus controls (
P
<0.001). There were significant associations between RA function with invasive hemodynamics (
P
<0.01). RA reservoir, pump function, the rate of RA filling, and atrial minimum volume predicted adverse clinical outcomes (hazard ratio [HR], 0.15; confidence interval [CI], 0.03–0.73;
P
<0.01; HR, 0.05; CI, 0.003–0.43;
P
<0.004; HR, 0.04; CI, 0.006–0.56;
P
<0.01; and HR, 8.6; CI, 1.6–37.2;
P
<0.01, respectively).

Conclusions—

RA deformation properties are significantly altered in pediatric PH patients. Progressive worsening of RA reservoir and conduit functions is related to changes in right ventricular diastolic dysfunction. RA reservoir function, pump function, the rate of atrial filling, and atrial minimum volume emerged as outcome predictors in pediatric PH.
Shintō Shrines and Secularism in Modern Japan, 1890–1945
Authors: Shimizu Karli
Published: December 2017

From the late eighteenth century to WWII, shrine Shintō came to be seen as a secular institution by the government, academics, and activists in Japan (Isomae 2014; Josephson 2012, Maxey 2014). However, research thus far has largely focused on the political and academic discourses surrounding the development of this idea. This article contributes to this discussion by examining how a prominent modern Shintō shrine, Kashihara Jingū founded in 1890, was conceived of and treated as secular. It also explores how Kashihara Jingū communicated an alternate sense of space and time in line with a new Japanese secularity. This Shintō-based secularity, which located shrines as public, historical, and modern, was formulated in antagonism to the West and had an influence that extended across the Japanese sphere. The shrine also serves as a case study of how the modern political system of secularism functioned in a non-western nation-state.
The Influence of Investor-Centered Values in the Operation of Political Risk Insurance
Authors: Karagöz Tuğba
Published: December 2017

This article analyses the investor-centeredness in the regulatory and operative framework of political risk insurance arrangements. The dominant approach to the concept of political risk is profoundly market oriented and the operation of political risk arrangements, based on this approach, involves mechanisms of investment climate surveillance and supervision that further foster investor-centered values. This article argues that the authority of the agents that provide political risk insurance is dependent on the continued promotion of such values. In order to maintain their underwriting business, investment insurers are responsive to investors’ demand for a favorable investment climate in the host country and financial securities in the event of loss or damage – even when these demands are not legitimate. This is illustrated with reference to the operation of a major political risk insurance provider, the US government agency Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
Single-Source Records in the Intercommunal Life of al-Andalus: The Cases of Ibn al-Naghrīla and the Cordoban Martyrs
Authors: Stroumsa Sarah
Published: December 2017

In the historiography of the medieval Islamicate world, major events that concern two or three religious communities sometimes appear only in the records of one of them. The absence of evidence for a major event from the records of a community it supposedly concerns can be seen as merely reflecting the random survival of manuscripts, or it may cast doubt on the veracity of the existing reports concerning this event. The present paper discusses this methodological question through the examination of two examples from Umayyad al-Andalus: the alleged military position of Samuel ha-Nagid/Ibn al-Narghīla, and the so-called Cordoban voluntary martyrs. The paper argues that the evidence—explicit, implicit, or silent—of all concerned communities must be treated as relevant, and it offers some criteria for evaluating such unbalanced records.
Description of male of the rarest European Carpenter-moth Stygioides persephone (Reisser, 1962) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)
Authors: LINGENHÖLE ARTHUR , FRIEDRICH EGBERT , YAKOVLEV ROMAN V.
Published: December 2017

Despite the generally good knowledge of the European fauna of Cossidae, several new species (Lepidoptera) have been described in recent years: Dyspessa kostyuki Yakovlev, 2005 (type locality Ukraine, [Lugansk region], “Proval’skaya Stepp” Naturschutsgebiete), D. aphrodite Yakovlev & Witt, 2007 (type locality Greece, Peloponnes, Mega Spileon), and Stygia nilssoni Saldaitis & Yakovlev, 2008 (type locality Islas Canarias, Gran Canaria, Puerto de Mogan) (Yakovlev 2005; Yakovlev & Witt 2007; Saldaitis & Yakovlev 2008). However, a number of European cossids are still poorly known.
A new terrestrial species of Chiropterotriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from central Mexico
Authors: GARCÍA-CASTILLO MIRNA G. , ROVITO SEAN M. , WAKE DAVID B. , PARRA-OLEA GABRIELA
Published: December 2017

Chiropterotriton is a relatively small genus that comprises 15 species with great morphological and ecological diversity. In previous studies, molecular data provided evidence for a considerable number of species that remain undescribed. In this study, we describe one new species, Chiropterotriton chico sp. nov. based on molecular and morphological characters. We present mtDNA phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood that include all described and several undescribed species. Morphometric data from eight recognized species provide evidence for the distinctiveness of the new taxon. Description of this new species adds to the already high salamander diversity of the state of Hidalgo, which is an important area for the diversification of the genus.
Interannual Variability of Summer Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Western North Pacific Depicted by CFSR and Associated Large-Scale Processes and ISO Modulations
Authors: Chen Jau-Ming , Tan Pei-Hua , Wu Liang , Chen Hui-Shan , Liu Jin-Shuen , Shih Ching-Feng
Published: December 2017

This study examines the interannual variability of summer tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall (TCR) in the western North Pacific (WNP) depicted by the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR). This interannual variability exhibits a maximum region near Taiwan (19°–28°N, 120°–128°E). Significantly increased TCR in this region is modulated by El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-related large-scale processes. They feature elongated sea surface temperature warming in the tropical eastern Pacific and a southeastward-intensified monsoon trough. Increased TC movements are facilitated by interannual southerly/southeasterly flows in the northeastern periphery of the intensified monsoon trough to move from the tropical WNP toward the region near Taiwan, resulting in increased TCR. The coherent dynamic relations between interannual variability of summer TCR and large-scale environmental processes justify CFSR as being able to reasonably depict interannual characteristics of summer TCR in the WNP. For intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) modulations, TCs tend to cluster around the center of a 10–24-day cyclonic anomaly and follow its northwestward propagation from the tropical WNP toward the region near Taiwan. The above TC movements are subject to favorable background conditions provided by a northwest–southeasterly extending 30–60-day cyclonic anomaly. Summer TCR tends to increase (decrease) during El Niño (La Niña) years and strong (weak) ISO years. By comparing composite TCR anomalies and correlations with TCR variability, it is found that ENSO is more influential than ISO in modulating the interannual variability of summer TCR in the WNP.
Greenland Ice Sheet Surface Melt and Its Relation to Daily Atmospheric Conditions
Authors: Cullather Richard I. , Nowicki Sophie M. J.
Published: December 2017

Melt area is one of the most reliably monitored variables associated with surface conditions over the full Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). Surface melt is also an important indicator of surface mass balance and has potential relevance to the ice sheet’s global sea level contribution. Melt events are known to be spatially heterogeneous and have varying time scales. To understand the forcing mechanisms, it is necessary to examine the relation between the existing conditions and melt area on the time scales that melt is observed. Here, the authors conduct a regression analysis of atmospheric reanalysis variables including sea level pressure, near-surface winds, and components of the surface energy budget with surface melt. The regression analysis finds spatial heterogeneity in the associated atmospheric circulation conditions. For basins in the southern GrIS, there is an association between melt area and high pressure located south of the Denmark Strait, which allows for southerly flow over the western half of the GrIS. Instantaneous surface melt over northern basins is also associated with low pressure over the central Arctic. Basins associated with persistent summer melt in the southern and western GrIS are associated with the presence of an enhanced cloud cover, a resulting decreased downwelling solar radiative flux, and an enhanced downwelling longwave radiative flux. This contrasts with basins to the north and east, where an increased downwelling solar radiative flux plays a more important role in the onset of a melt event. The analysis emphasizes the importance of daily variability in synoptic conditions and their preferred association with melt events.
Variational Computation of Sensible and Latent Heat Flux over Lake Superior
Authors: Cao Zuohao , Mackay Murray D. , Spence Christopher , Fortin Vincent
Published: December 2017

Sensible and latent heat fluxes over Lake Superior are computed using a variational approach with a Bowen ratio constraint and inputs of 7 years of half-hourly temporal resolution observations of hydrometeorological variables over the lake. In an advancement from previous work focusing on the sensible heat flux, in this work computations of the latent heat flux are required so that a new physical constraint of the Bowen ratio is introduced. Verifications are made possible for fluxes predicted by a Canadian operational coupled atmosphere–ocean model due to recent availabilities of observed and model-predicted fluxes over Lake Superior. The observed flux data with longer time periods and higher temporal resolution than those used in previous studies allows for the examination of detailed performances in computing these fluxes. Evaluations utilizing eddy-covariance measurements over Lake Superior show that the variational method yields higher correlations between computed and measured sensible and latent heat fluxes than a flux-gradient method. The variational method is more accurate than the flux-gradient method in computing these fluxes at annual, monthly, daily, and hourly time scales. Under both unstable and stable conditions, the variational method considerably reduces mean absolute errors produced by the flux-gradient approach in computing the fluxes. It is demonstrated with 2 months of data that the variational method obtains higher correlation coefficients between the observed and the computed sensible and latent heat fluxes than the coupled model predicted, and yields lower mean absolute errors than the coupled model. Furthermore, comparisons are made between the coupled-model-predicted fluxes and the fluxes computed based on three buoy observations over Lake Superior.
Turbulence-Induced Anti-Stokes Flow and the Resulting Limitations of Large-Eddy Simulation
Authors: Pearson Brodie
Published: December 2017

This study shows that the presence of Stokes drift us in the turbulent upper ocean induces a near-surface Eulerian current that opposes the Stokes drift. This current is distinct from previously studied anti-Stokes currents because it does not rely on the presence of planetary rotation or mean lateral gradients. Instead, the anti-Stokes flow arises from an interaction between the Stokes drift and turbulence. The new anti-Stokes flow is antiparallel to us near the ocean surface, is parallel to us at depth, and integrates to zero over the depth of the boundary layer. The presence of Stokes drift in large-eddy simulations (LES) is shown to induce artificial energy production caused by a combination of the new anti-Stokes flow and LES numerics. As a result, care must be taken when designing and interpreting simulations of realistic wave forcing, particularly as rotation becomes weak and/or us becomes perpendicular to the surface wind stress. The mechanism of the artificial energy production is demonstrated for a generalized LES subgrid scheme.
The Making of State Homosexuality: How AIDS Funding Shaped Same-Sex Politics in France
Authors: Broqua Christophe , Fillieule Olivier
Published: December 2017

The article traces the way AIDS activism, and more largely the homosexual movement, have been progressively supported and funded by the State in France. If the State is most often viewed as a target of protest movements, some research focuses on how state interventions may contribute not only to the development and success of voluntary groups but also constrain their room to maneuver, pushing them to soften their claims, their identities and their repertoires of action. The authors also address a less often explored dimension of the effect of State funding, that is, how, in the case under study, it has contributed to shaping the social and legal forms of same-sex politics and coproduced social norms of contemporary homosexuality. State funding is viewed less as a factor of transformation of movements, in its effects of acting as a brake on or a facilitator of action by mobilized groups, and more in the way it has become involved in a process of coproduction of social norms along with social movements.
Sorption behavior and microcellular foaming of low-density polyethylene/clay nanocomposites by gas dissolution under sub-critical conditions
Authors: Laguna-Gutierrez E , Escudero J , Kumar V , Rodriguez-Perez MA
Published: December 2017

Two of the most interesting properties of polymer composites are their improved gas barrier properties, which make them useful for packaging and protective applications and their ability to generate microcellular structures with interesting applications in the construction sector. In this paper, the batch gas dissolution method has been employed to analyze both the sorption behavior and the microcellular foamability of different formulations based on blends of low-density polyethylene, polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride, and layered clays. Blends of low-density polyethylene and polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride have been also produced with the aim of clearly distinguish the role played by the clays. The batch gas dissolution process, employing CO2 as gaseous phase, has been intensively used for the foaming of amorphous polymers; however, it is not common in the case of semi-crystalline polymers like low-density polyethylene. Results indicate that the presence of clays reduces slightly the diffusivity. However, the reduction in diffusivity when the clay content increases from 3 wt.% to 5 wt.% is not as high as expected. The existence of an interface between the clays and the polymer, which allows gas molecules to find faster ways across the composite, could be the reason of this behavior. Regarding the cellular materials, in general the relative density increases when adding nanoparticles and also a deterioration of the cellular structure is observed. The slight improvements in the sorption behavior have not been high enough to overcome the effects related to the worsening of the extensional rheological properties of the polymer composites.
The manipulations of time: On the temporal embeddedness of urban insecurity
Authors: Agbiboa Daniel E
Published: December 2017

Turning the table on Henri Lefebvre’s argument that the structure of everyday life is closely associated with the non-accumulative routing of cyclical or immanent time whereas it lags behind the forward-moving linear or transcendent time, I argue that cyclical and linear time are in fact intertwined in lived reality and popular imagination. This suggests that the ebb and flow of time cannot be grasped in rigidly binary terms such as the opposition of cyclical and linear time. Interrogating popular arts like the entextualised slogans painted on the mobile bodies of commercial minibus-taxis ( danfos) and tricycles ( keke napeps) in Nigeria’s – and in fact, sub-Saharan Africa’s – most populous city, I argue that the interaction of these seemingly conflicting representations of time affects and ultimately shapes the grounds of our meaning(lessness), (in)security and being-in-the-city. At these interfaces and interstices of conflicting notions of time, and in the interchange between familiar and unfamiliar termini, a powerful sense of unknown (or future) time can emerge, which in turn reinforces the need for a more experimental re-positioning and re-orientation in everyday urban life.
Do I Really Feel Your Pain? Comparing the Effects of Observed and Personal Ostracism
Authors: Giesen Anna , Echterhoff Gerald
Published: December 2017

It has been argued that “we feel the pain of others’ ostracism as our own”. However, it is unknown whether observed ostracism is as distressing as self-experienced ostracism. We conducted two studies to address this lacuna. In Study 1, participants played or observed an online ball-tossing game, in which they or a stranger were ostracized or included by others. In Study 2, participants imagined themselves or someone else being ostracized or included. Across both studies, self-experienced and observed ostracism had the same negative effect on mood. Also, both self-experienced and observed ostracism evoked need threat, but this effect was slightly lower after observed ostracism. In sum, the findings suggest that we do feel the pain of others’ ostracism as our own, consistent with the notion that humans are equipped with a system that detects violations of social inclusion norms in the environment.
A Synthesis of Technology-Mediated Mathematics Interventions for Students With or at Risk for Mathematics Learning Disabilities
Authors: Kiru Elisheba W. , Doabler Christian T. , Sorrells Audrey M. , Cooc North A.
Published: December 2017

With the increasing availability of technology and the emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of technology-mediated mathematics (TMM) interventions on student mathematics outcomes. The purpose of this study was to review studies on TMM interventions that target the mathematical outcomes of K–12 students with or at risk for mathematics learning disabilities (MLDs). A review of the literature revealed 19 studies (9 single-case and 10 group/quasi experimental designs) published between 2000 and 2016. Results suggest that TMM interventions had mainly positive results on the mathematics outcomes of students with or at risk for MLD. This study also examined the extent to which principles of explicit instruction were integrated in TMM interventions. While many of the interventions provided frequent practice opportunities with academic feedback, few complemented such practice opportunities with overt demonstrations and explanations of mathematical content. Implications for designing TMM interventions are discussed.
Distinctions in the media welfare state: audience fragmentation in post-egalitarian Sweden
Authors: Lindell Johan , Hovden Jan Fredrik
Published: December 2017

This study draws on Pierre Bourdieu’s sociology of culture in order to shed new light on the ongoing fragmentation of media audiences and users. We use a multiple correspondence analysis on national survey data (n = 1604) collected in Sweden in 2015–2016 to (1) create a statistical representation of the contemporary Swedish class structure and proceed to (2) analyze the distribution of a broad range of media practices and media preferences in that space. Results show that social groups reproduce their social status by monopolizing distinct media repertoires. We are able to show that class matters for how people orient themselves in an increasingly high-choice media environment – even in a so-called media welfare state. Following the results of our media-sociological approach, we introduce the concept of audience islands which promotes a non-media-centric understanding of the fragmentation of society and media audiences.
“Fat” Chicks Who Run: Stigma Experienced by “Overweight” Endurance Athletes
Authors: Inderstrodt-Stephens Jill , Acharya Lalatendu
Published: December 2017

Research on “overweight” and “obese” populations is extensive, but little of this research specifically addresses the “obese” or “overweight” amateur endurance athlete. Amateur endurance athletes often have bodies that defy the stereotype of the typical marathoner, swimmer, or triathlete. As a result, these athletes can experience stigma, both within their sporting communities as well as in the workplace, at home, and from spectators at athletic events. In an effort to discover what brings “overweight” adults to endurance sports and to recognize the barriers that they encounter to stay active in sports, this study seeks to identify the types of stigma that “overweight” endurance athletes face, the effects stigma has on their physical and mental health, and the effects stigma has on their participation in sports. Six amateur endurance athletes who identify as “overweight” were interviewed, and data were coded using Owen’s interpretive themes framework. Participants were found to experience stigma in being members of the “back of the pack,” in their entry into endurance sports, and in the lack of competition-quality clothing available for larger body types. Participants experienced negative physical and mental health outcomes as they internalized the stigma messages received during training and racing. No negative effects on participation were observed.
NIH Funding within Otolaryngology: 2005‐2014
Authors: Lennon Christen J. , Hunter Jacob B. , Mistry Akshitkumar M. , Espahbodi Mana , Deasey Matthew , Niesner K. J. , Labadie Robert F.
Published: December 2017

Objective

Analyze grants awarded between 2005 and 2014 to otolaryngology departments that appear in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePORTER database, summarize characteristics of grant recipients associated with otolaryngology departments as listed in the RePORTER between 2005 and 2014, and identify trends in otolaryngology NIH funding between 2005 and 2014 by topic.

Study Design

Case series.

Setting

NIH database inquiry.

Subjects

Grant recipients.

Methods

The RePORTER was queried for all grants awarded to otolaryngology departments between 2005 and 2014. All grants classified as new, renewal, or revision were included while duplicates were excluded.

Results

In total, 475 grants to 51 institutions were categorized by topic and subtopic. Internet searches were conducted for characteristics of 352 principal investigators. Sixty‐seven percent of awardees had a PhD, 22% had an MD, and 11% had an MD/PhD. Sex ratios varied by degrees held. Although 31% of all grant recipients were women, this ratio was not seen when recipients were classified by degree type, with 78% of women holding a PhD compared with 55% of men (P =. 0013). Of the award types, 39% were R01s, 15% were R21s, and 10% were R03s. The top 3 represented topics were otology/neurotology (52%), audiology (25%), and head and neck surgery (14%). The mean annual award amount, after adjusting for inflation to 2014 dollars, was $226,495.76, with 72.8% awarded by the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders. Twenty percent of awardees received multiple grants.

Conclusion

NIH funding in otolaryngology tends to be awarded to those with PhDs studying the hearing sciences, with 1 in 5 having multiple awards. As in other areas of NIH funding, women are underrepresented overall.
Beyond labour migration: The making of migrant enterprises in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Rahman Md Mizanur
Published: December 2017

Migrant labour has been an integral part of the social and economic fabric of the Gulf societies. While labour migration has affected many aspects of the lives of migrants and their receiving states in the Gulf, one of the most visible but often neglected migration outcomes is the development of migrant-operated businesses across the Gulf states. Evidently, many of these businesses are owned and run by migrants in collaboration with kafeels. Drawing on the experiences of Bangladeshi migrant entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia, this article explores the dynamics of Gulf migration, by identifying the transition from migrant worker to migrant entrepreneur, and explaining the making of migrant entrepreneurship within the temporary migration process. The study suggests that migrant entrepreneurship is embedded within the dynamics of the migration trajectory and the broader factors on which this depends. Notwithstanding their marginal character, the Bangladeshi enterprises in this study have flourished because of migrants’ willingness to embrace innovation. The article concludes with a call for identifying the best way to recognize migrant entrepreneurs’ contribution to economic development in Saudi Arabia.
Interplay of Gravicentric, Egocentric, and Visual Cues About the Vertical in the Control of Arm Movement Direction
Authors: Bock Otmar , Bury Nils
Published: December 2017

Our perception of the vertical corresponds to the weighted sum of gravicentric, egocentric, and visual cues. Here we evaluate the interplay of those cues not for the perceived but rather for the motor vertical. Participants were asked to flip an omnidirectional switch down while their egocentric vertical was dissociated from their visual–gravicentric vertical. Responses were directed mid-between the two verticals; specifically, the data suggest that the relative weight of congruent visual–gravicentric cues averages 0.62, and correspondingly, the relative weight of egocentric cues averages 0.38. We conclude that the interplay of visual–gravicentric cues with egocentric cues is similar for the motor and for the perceived vertical. Unexpectedly, we observed a consistent dependence of the motor vertical on hand position, possibly mediated by hand orientation or by spatial selective attention.
A Demotic Narrative Ostracon from Abydos
Authors: Draper Charles
Published: December 2017

An edition and discussion of a previously unpublished demotic narrative ostracon known as O. Abydos. The ostracon contains the start of a tale involving a beneficent king, the goddess Bastet, a violent episode, and an entreaty. The article discusses the ostracon's provenance and physical appearance, and provides a textual and contextual discussion. As one of few published demotic narrative ostraca, O. Abydos provides important additional evidence for the use of ostraca in demotic scholarship.
What Happens When Municipalities Set Targets to Reduce Their Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
Authors: Stevens Mark , Senbel Maged
Published: December 2017

We study the process of setting targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in municipalities within the Canadian province of British Columbia. Our findings are based on a survey of municipal planners and administrators regarding different features of the process their municipality followed to set targets. We find that the type of process a municipality follows has potential implications for both the ambitiousness of their targets and the likelihood of targets being achieved. Future research can monitor and evaluate which types of targets and target-setting processes prove more effective for fostering actual reductions in municipal emissions.
Healthcare Utilization Characteristics for Intranasal Midazolam Versus Rectal Diazepam
Authors: Nunley Sunjay , Glynn Peter , Rust Steve , Vidaurre Jorge , Albert Dara V. F. , Patel Anup D.
Published: December 2017

To investigate connections between patient demographics, health care utilization, prescription use, and refills for patients using intranasal midazolam, per rectum diazepam, or both. A retrospective cohort contained patients with epilepsy prescribed intranasal midazolam, per rectum diazepam, or both. We analyzed number of emergency department visits, ambulance services, urgent care visits, and unplanned hospitalizations. A total of 5458 patients were identified. Patients on intranasal midazolam had on average 1.53 fewer emergency department visits (95% confidence interval 1.16-1.89, P < .0001), 0.29 fewer uses of ambulance services (95% confidence interval 0.17-0.41, P < .0001), and 0.60 fewer urgent care visits (95% confidence interval 0.36-0.83, P < .0001) compared to patients in the per rectum diazepam group. Patients with commercial insurance were more likely to have intranasal midazolam prescription (odds ratio = 1.73, 95% confidence interval 1.42-2.11, P < .0001). The results substantiate the cost-effective benefits of prescribing intranasal midazolam compared to per rectum diazepam because several aspects of health care utilization were decreased in those using intranasal midazolam.
Kinematics optimization and static analysis of a modular continuum robot used for minimally invasive surgery
Authors: Qi Fei , Ju Feng , Bai Dong Ming , Chen Bai
Published: December 2017

For the outstanding compliance and dexterity of continuum robot, it is increasingly used in minimally invasive surgery. The wide workspace, high dexterity and strong payload capacity are essential to the continuum robot. In this article, we investigate the workspace of a cable-driven continuum robot that we proposed. The influence of section number on the workspace is discussed when robot is operated in narrow environment. Meanwhile, the structural parameters of this continuum robot are optimized to achieve better kinematic performance. Moreover, an indicator based on the dexterous solid angle for evaluating the dexterity of robot is introduced and the distal end dexterity is compared for the three-section continuum robot with different range of variables. Results imply that the wider range of variables achieve the better dexterity. Finally, the static model of robot based on the principle of virtual work is derived to analyze the relationship between the bending shape deformation and the driven force. The simulations and experiments for plane and spatial motions are conducted to validate the feasibility of model, respectively. Results of this article can contribute to the real-time control and movement and can be a design reference for cable-driven continuum robot.
A model for meta-analysis of correlated binary outcomes: The case of split-body interventions
Authors: Efthimiou Orestis , Mavridis Dimitris , Nikolakopoulou Adriani , Rücker Gerta , Trelle Sven , Egger Matthias , Salanti Georgia
Published: December 2017

In several areas of clinical research, it is common for trials to assign different sites of the participants’ bodies to different interventions. For example, a randomized controlled trial comparing surgical techniques for correcting myopia may randomize each eye of a participant to a different operation. Under such bilateral (‘split-body’) interventions, the observations from each participant are correlated. It is challenging to account for these correlations at the meta-analysis level, especially when the outcome is rare. Here, we present a meta-analysis model based on the bivariate binomial distribution. Our model can synthesize studies on patients who received one intervention at one body site, patients who received two interventions at different sites or a mixture of these two groups. The model can analyse studies with zero events in one or both treatment arms and can handle the case of incomplete data reporting. We use simulations to assess the performance of our model and to compare it with the bivariate beta-binomial model. In the case of bilateral interventions, our model performed well and outperformed the bivariate beta-binomial model in all scenarios explored. We illustrate our methods using two previously published meta-analyses from the fields of orthopaedics and ophthalmology. We conclude that our model constitutes a useful new tool for the meta-analysis of binary outcomes in the presence of split-body interventions.
The principle of solidarity in asylum and migration within the context of the European Union accession process
Authors: Šalamon Neža Kogovšek
Published: December 2017

This article addresses the question of the principle of solidarity in the fields of asylum and migration within the context of accession negotiations between the European Union and the candidate countries for EU membership. When a candidate country fulfils the membership conditions, it is expected that they will share the values of solidarity, mutual assistance and burden sharing in the fields of asylum and migration which will naturally impinge on their state sovereignty. This article is based on the hypothesis that solidarity in the field of asylum and migration has not been discussed within the enlargement process, meaning that the ‘new’ Member States were not aware of the concrete forms that this principle could take in the future. This hypothesis was tested on three case studies by analysing the accession documents of one candidate country from each of the three enlargement cycles (Slovenia, Bulgaria and Croatia respectively). This article concludes by showing that by agreeing to the EU Treaties, its solidarity clause and the majority vote rules, either as Member States or candidates, the states undertook the duty to transpose obligations in the fields of asylum and migration, even if they did not necessarily agree with them.
“Trapped in an Empty Waiting Room”—The Existential Human Core of Loneliness in Old Age: A Meta-Synthesis
Authors: Kitzmüller Gabriele , Clancy Anne , Vaismoradi Mojtaba , Wegener Charlotte , Bondas Terese
Published: December 2017

Loneliness in old age has a negative influence on quality of life, health, and survival. To understand the phenomenon of loneliness in old age, the voices of lonely older adults should be heard. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-synthesis was to synthesize scientific studies of older adults’ experiences of loneliness. Eleven qualitative articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed and synthesized according to Noblit and Hare’s meta-ethnographic approach. The analysis revealed the overriding meaning of the existential human core of loneliness in old age expressed through the metaphor “trapped in an empty waiting room.” Four interwoven themes were found: (a) the negative emotions of loneliness, (b) the loss of meaningful interpersonal relationships, (c) the influence of loneliness on self-perception, and (d) the older adults’ endeavors to deal with loneliness. The joint contribution of family members, health care providers, and volunteers is necessary to break the vicious circle of loneliness.
Efficacy and Safety of Ranolazine in Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Zeng Xiaofang , Zhang Yinyin , Lin Jianhui , Zheng Haikuo , Peng Jie , Huang Wei
Published: December 2017

Background:Recent studies have discovered that the antiangina agent ranolazine exerts a glucometabolic effect. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to further understand the efficacy and safety profile of ranolazine in patients with diabetes. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched in PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases and in ClinicalTrials.gov up to July 2017. Efficacy end points were defined as the change in hemoglobin A1C (A1C) and fasting serum glucose (FSG) levels. Safety end points included the incidence of hypoglycemia, persistent hyperglycemia, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Sensitive and subgroup analyses were also conducted. Results: Seven RCTs with 4461 diabetic patients were selected. Compared with placebo, the use of ranolazine significantly reduced the levels of A1C (weighted mean difference [WMD] = −0.49%; 95% CI = −0.58 to −0.40; P < 0.00001) and FSG (WMD = −6.70 mg/dL; 95% CI = −11.87 to −1.52; P = 0.01). No significant differences were observed in the rates of hypoglycemia (relative risk [RR] = 1.17; 95% CI = 0.76 to 1.80; P = 0.47), persistent hyperglycemia (RR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.47 to 1.31; P = 0.35), and MACE (RR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.32 to 1.32; P = 0.23). Conclusion: Ranolazine exerts a positive effect on glucose control and is a well-tolerated agent for patients with diabetes.
In Reciprocity: Responses to Critiques of Indigenous Methodologies
Authors: Windchief Sweeney , Polacek Cheryl , Munson Michael , Ulrich Mary , Cummins Jason D.
Published: December 2017

This article will examine and respond to significant critiques of Indigenous research methodologies as part of an Indigenous Methodologies in Educational Research course at a midsized public university in the intermountain west. The authors will present their perspectives in response to critiques of Indigenous research methodologies as presented at the American Indigenous Research Association’s annual meeting in October of 2014. This collection of responses is offered in an effort to facilitate an interactive dialogue with scholars who use Indigenous research methodologies applicable to multiple fields of study, support scholarship that is responsive to the needs of Indigenous communities, and ultimately center relevant research design and findings within Indigenous paradigms.
Default publicness: Queer youth of color, social media, and being outed by the machine
Authors: Cho Alexander
Published: December 2017

This article finds that US queer youth of color prefer Tumblr to express intimate feelings and personal politics over other social media such as Facebook. It is based on 5 years of cyberethnographic research in queer Tumblr circulations as well as multi-year rounds of qualitative interviewing with queer youth informants. Several informants experienced drastically negative consequences, to the point of being disowned by their families, because of what this article calls a design bias toward “default publicness” that shapes user experience on social media such as Facebook. This article identifies four design decisions that create “default publicness” on social media platforms, viewing these decisions through queer, feminist, and critical race theories that have argued that the “public” is never neutral terrain. It understands these design decisions as imperatives of “platform capitalism,” which extracts robust and verifiable user data for monetization, and structures these spaces accordingly.