bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of sarcoidosis: current findings and future directions
Authors: Arkema Elizabeth V. , Cozier Yvette C.
Published: August 2018

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous inflammatory disease with unknown etiology. Epidemiological studies have contributed greatly to our knowledge about sarcoidosis, providing critical information on the determinants and distribution of the disease. In this review, we summarize recently published findings from epidemiological studies on sarcoidosis. We review the epidemiological tools used, the incidence and prevalence of disease, mortality and cancer risk after sarcoidosis and nongenetic risk factors for sarcoidosis. Genetics studies have not been included as they deserve a separate review. Leveraging existing epidemiological data to conduct etiological studies aimed towards understanding and preventing disease is critical for future sarcoidosis research.
Disney’s High School Musical and the construction of the tween audience
Authors: Sørenssen Ingvild Kvale
Published: August 2018

This article explores how the Disney Company scripts what it is to be a tween through the High School Musical trilogy. While children’s perspective is of pivotal concern within childhood studies, it has traditionally left out the material aspects and rather focused too narrowly on the subject and the social. I found that the trilogy was watched several times by tweens, thus in addition to exploring children’s voices and perspectives on media content, we also need to examine what the audience is served. The High School Musical trilogy is about teenagers as they attend high school, while it is the younger age group, tweens, who are the main target audience. Implicitly, this tells us that the Disney text configures its audience as aspiring teenagers. The article sets out to explore how Disney configures its tween audience by looking at how identity and age are scripted in the trilogy. Through the lens of the individualization thesis drawing on Beck and Beck-Gernsheim the article analyzes how age, identity, and individuality is portrayed in the trilogy. The article finds that the paradox of becoming a unique individual on one hand, and social obligations on the other hand, are present in the trilogy subsequently abiding in an ambiguous configuration of tweens through the High School Musical trilogy.
China’s peripheral diplomacy: Repeating Europe’s errors in dealing with the neighbourhood
Authors: Sobol Mor
Published: August 2018

The European Union (EU) and China are on a quest to establish themselves as global actors. Still, both powers first need to create a stable neighbourhood that will not threaten their interests. Consequently, in 2004 the EU launched the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), while in 2013 China’s Peripheral Diplomacy (CPD) was introduced. Against this background, this article aims to conduct a comparative analysis of both initiatives. Specifically, as there is a wide agreement that the ENP has failed to generate any impact on the EU’s periphery, the research question is: To what extent could the CPD transcend the problems of its European counterpart? The article posits that both policies are rather similar in their inability to strike the right balance between protecting core interests and acknowledging the neighbours’ needs. Thus, it is likely that the CPD, just like the ENP, will remain a policy with big potential but without effective results.
Patent foramen ovale and atrial fibrillation as causes of cryptogenic stroke: is treatment with surgery superior to device closure and anticoagulation? A review of the literature
Authors: Kjeld Thomas , Jørgensen Tem S , Fornitz Gitte , Roland Jan , Arendrup Henrik C
Published: August 2018

Closure of persistent foramen ovale (PFO) to avoid cryptogenic strokes is performed globally with enthusiasm but lacks prove of efficacy. We present a 79-year-old man who had had a PFO device introduced nine years previously because of cryptogenic strokes presenting as syncopes. The patient was referred from his general practitioner with two new syncopes. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed no cardiac causes of embolism. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed a misplaced device like an umbrella in a storm, but no septum defects. Holter revealed seconds-long episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF). The patient was successfully treated with anticoagulation.

A literature review showed that: (i) the efficacy of PFO closure devices has not been proven in any trial, but was demonstrated in a meta-analysis comparing three different devices; (ii) PFO devices are rarely controlled by TEE during or after insertion; (iii) residual shunts are detected in up to 45% of cases; (iv) there is an increased rate of post-arrhythmic complications; (v) the risk of AF in congenital heart disease increases with increasing age, with a 13% risk of transient ischemic attacks and stroke; and (vi) surgical treatment of PFO was found to have a 4.1% risk of complications including stroke.

The question to be asked is whether device closure of PFO should be avoided, considering that PFO is a congenital heart defect with risks of AF and (cryptogenic) stroke? Heart surgery should be a treatment option for symptomatic PFO.
Effects of L-655,708 on expression changes of GABA, glutamate, and beta-endorphin induced by propofol anesthesia in rats
Authors: Wang Jin , Li Xinyi , Wu Huisheng , Ke Jianjuan , Zhang Zongze , Wang Yanlin
Published: August 2018

Anesthetics are considered to be one of the important inducing factors of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). The hippocampal region of the rat is one of the action sites of general anesthesia drugs. L 655,708, a reverse agonist of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, can significantly improve short-term memory dysfunction in mice after anesthetized with isoflurane. So the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of L-655,708 on expression of GABA, glutamate (GLU), and beta-endorphin (β-EP) in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus and cognition of rats anesthetized with propofol. In all, 30 male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated into the control group, sham group, and L-655,708 group, with 10 in each group. The cognitive function of rats was measured by Morris water maze before and 1 h after administration. Then the rats were sacrificed for brain tissues. Immunohistochemistry was used to study the expression of GABA, GLU, and β-EP in the hippocampus of anesthetized rats in each group. Compared with the control group, the latency of the sham group and L-655,708 group were significantly prolonged after administration ( P < 0.05). However, L-655,708 could shorten the prolonged latency ( P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in times of accessing original platform area between the three groups before and after medication ( P > 0.05). The expression level of GABA in the dentate gyrus region of hippocampus of rats in the sham group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( P < 0.05), while the expression level in the L-655,708 group was significantly lower than that in the sham group ( P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in the expression of GLU in the dentate gyrus region of hippocampus of rats in each group ( P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the expression of β-EP was significantly lower in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus of sham group rats ( P < 0.05). However, the expression of β-EP in the L-655,708 group was significantly higher than that in the sham group ( P < 0.05). Cognitive dysfunction in rats anesthetized with propofol may be related to high expression of GABA and low expression of β-EP in the hippocampus. The mechanism of L-655,708 in reducing the cognitive impairment in propofol anesthetized rats may be bound up with down-regulating the expression of GABA and increasing the expression of β-EP in the hippocampus.
From “Their Stigma” to “My Stigma”: An Examination of the “Skul Konekt” Project Among Adolescents in North-Central Region of Nigeria
Authors: Afolabi Taiwo O.
Published: August 2018

This article investigates theater techniques employed in addressing self-stigmatization in Skul Konekt project, an “ anti- self- stigma” HIV/AIDS theater intervention in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. The project toured secondary schools in Nasarawa State to create awareness on the negative effect of self-stigmatization in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). This study answers the research question: What theater techniques were employed in the Skul Konekt project and how did these strategies address the theme of self-stigmatization in PLHIV? My arguments are supported with the play text, titled, Talk to Me, and reflections from the playwright and selected actors. My reflection as a participant–observer in the project; comments from government officials, students, parents, and teachers during talkback session; and evaluation sessions from the project coordinator form part of the analysis of the impact of the theater techniques. Findings show that many intervention campaigns focus on stigmatization rather than self-stigmatization because such campaigns are designed through a top-down participatory approach without much consultation with the people. It concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for participatory strategies that can foster open communication, collaboration, and a people-led participatory approach relevant in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 objectives.
Nutrition Education for the Health-care Provider Improves Patient Outcomes
Authors: Baute Vanessa , Sampath-Kumar Revathy , Nelson Sarah , Basil Barbara
Published: August 2018

Nutrition education is globally lacking in medical training, despite the fact that dietary habits are a crucial component of physician self-care, disease prevention, and treatment. Research has shown that a physician’s health status directly affects the quality of their preventative health counseling and patient outcomes, yet on average less than 20 hours over 4 years of medical education is spent teaching nutrition. This leaves providers with a gap in knowledge regarding this critical component of health. In a recent study, only 14% of resident physicians reported being adequately trained to provide nutritional counseling. Educating health-care professionals on how to eat well provides an opportunity to improve physician and patient well-being.
“Drama” in Interpersonal Conflict and Interactions Among Emerging Adults: A Qualitative Focus Group Study
Authors: Smith Alexandra C. G. , Fritz Patti A. Timmons , Daskaluk Samantha
Published: August 2018

Drama is a term used in popular culture to refer to interpersonal conflict that arises when individuals overreact to events and are overly emotional. The current study investigated emerging adults’ perspectives of drama, the context in which it occurs, and how drama relates to similar social interactions such as conflict, bullying, and relational aggression. University students ( N = 53; 18–25 years old) participated in eight same-sex focus groups. Using thematic analysis, seven main themes were found, suggesting that “drama” (a) refers to a wide range of situations, (b) is often associated with negative social interactions, and (c) harm and consequences, (d) is generally perceived as unnecessary, (e) exaggerated, and (f) involving females, and (g) frequently offers a learning experience. Findings suggest that future research should continue to explore drama as its own construct and that drama should be addressed more formally given how youth may be impacted by such incidents.
The Risk of Impingement With Sexual Activity in Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome Due to Cam Morphology: Shape Matters
Authors: Sochacki Kyle R. , Yetter Thomas R. , Morehouse Hannah , Delgado Domenica , Nho Shane J. , Harris Joshua D.
Published: August 2018

Background:

Sexual difficulties and dysfunction are common in patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) secondary to hip pain and stiffness.

Purpose:

To determine the risk of impingement in patients with FAIS during common sexual positions using 3-dimensional computer-simulated collision detection before and after cam correction.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Ten computed tomography scans of the pelvis and femur from patients with FAIS due to isolated cam morphology were retrospectively reviewed. Three-dimensional osseous models were developed using Mimics software. The cam deformity was then completely corrected. Simulations of hip range of motion for the most common sexual positions for men (n = 15) and women (n = 14) were conducted before and after cam resection. Impingement was determined for each sexual position. Position safety was defined as ≤20% of models demonstrating impingement in a position. Descriptive and simple comparative statistics were calculated.

Results:

There was no sexual position that was impingement free in all models before cam correction. After cam correction, 11 (37.9%) of 29 total positions were impingement free. There was a significant decrease in impingement from before to after cam correction (40.7% vs 11.4%, respectively, of all female positions [ P < .0001]; 26.0% vs 6.7%, respectively, of all male positions [ P < .0001]). There was a significant increase in the number of “safe” positions from before to after cam correction (4 vs 11, respectively, of all female positions [ P = .008]; 7 vs 15, respectively, of all male positions [ P = .001]).

Conclusion:

After cam correction, there was a significant reduction in the impingement rate and a significant increase in the number of “safe” sexual positions.

Clinical Relevance:

Impingement in patients with cam morphology is common during sexual activity. Surgical correction of cam morphology significantly reduces the rate of impingement. Although this laboratory imaging-only study did not account for patient symptoms, this likely translates to significant symptomatic improvement during sexual activity after surgical cam correction.
Parent perspectives on autistic girls’ friendships and futures
Authors: Sedgewick Felicity , Hill Vivian , Pellicano Elizabeth
Published: August 2018

Background and aims

Young people’s parents often play a key role in facilitating friendships and have their own views on these friendships. Yet parents have rarely been asked to report on the friendships and peer relationships of their autistic children. This study therefore sought to examine parents’ perspectives on the friendships and social difficulties of their autistic daughters, and their views and concerns about their daughters’ futures.

Methods

Twenty parents of autistic adolescent girls, aged between 11 and 18 years, took part in semi-structured interviews on the topics of friendships, conflict and thoughts about adulthood and the future.

Results

Results demonstrated that parents often have significant involvement in their daughters’ social lives and friendships and have a range of views on these relationships. They highlighted both benefits and pitfalls of their daughters’ peer interactions, and the perceived negative influence of these interactions on their daughters’ mental health. Most parents had significant concerns about their daughters’ futures, either about their ability to live independently, or their potential vulnerability to exploitation. Despite these concerns around sexual relationships, some parents were avoiding raising the issue with their daughters.

Conclusions

Adolescent autistic girls often have positive, close friendships, but can also be the victims of bullying, with significant negative impacts on their mental health, at least according to their parents. Concerns about girls’ development into adulthood were commonplace, with parents taking a range of approaches to attempt to talk about the future with their daughters.

Implications

There is an urgent need for more open conversations to help autistic girls stay safe and secure as they mature, supporting their ability to understand and negotiate more intimate social relationships. Future research should examine these changing relationships as autistic girls’ transition to adulthood and should seek to combine the views of parents alongside the young people themselves.
High-Speed Video Analysis of Syndesmosis Injuries in Soccer—Can It Predict Injury Mechanism and Return to Play? A Pilot Study
Authors: Jain Neil , Murray David , Kemp Steve , Calder James
Published: August 2018

Background:

Ankle syndesmosis injuries in professional soccer may lead to an unpredictable and prolonged recovery. This injury has been investigated in anatomical and radiologic studies but the precise mechanism leading to syndesmosis injury is not well understood and remains debated. The 2 goals of this study were to (1) evaluate the relationship between the mechanism of syndesmosis injury as determined by high-speed video analysis and the injured structures identified by clinical and radiologic examination and to (2) investigate the relationship between mechanism of injury and time of return to play.

Methods:

This pilot study prospectively reviewed high-speed video analysis of 12 professional soccer players who sustained syndesmosis injuries. The mechanism of injury was compared with the clinical and MRI evaluation and the time taken to return to play.

Results:

Higher-grade syndesmosis injuries occurred during ankle external rotation with dorsiflexion. Supination-inversion injuries with a standard lateral ankle sprain (rupture of the anterior talofibular ligament) may extend proximally, causing a lower-grade syndesmosis injury. These may present with signs of a high ankle sprain but have a quicker return to sport than those following a dorsiflexion-external rotation injury (mean 26 days vs 91 days).

Conclusions:

Video analysis confirmed that at least 2 mechanisms may result in injury to the ankle syndesmosis. Those “simple” ankle sprains with signs of syndesmosis injury had a quicker return to play. This new finding may be used by club medical teams during their initial assessment and help predict the expected time away from soccer in players with suspected high ankle sprains.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective cohort study.
Comorbid Dysphagia and Dyspnea in Muscle Tension Dysphonia: A Global Laryngeal Musculoskeletal Problem
Authors: McGarey Patrick O. , Barone Nicholas A. , Freeman Michael , Daniero James J.
Published: August 2018

Objective

To characterize the associated symptoms of dysphagia and dyspnea among patients presenting with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD).

Study Design

Retrospective chart review performed over a 14‐month period from October 2014 to December 2015.

Setting

Voice and swallowing center of a tertiary academic medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Thirty‐eight patients with MTD were included for analysis. Clinical data were collected and analyzed, including perceptual voice evaluation and patient‐reported outcomes measures.

Results

Among patients with a diagnosis of MTD, the incidence of reported dysphagia during clinical history and examination was 44.7%. Among patients with MTD, 60.5% had an EAT‐10 (10‐item Eating Assessment Tool) score ≥3 (ie, abnormal). Patients who reported dysphagia and/or had abnormal EAT‐10 score (≥3) had significantly greater voice impairment than that of patients without dysphagia (P =. 02). Patients who reported dysphagia also had significantly higher Clinical COPD Questionnaire scores than those of patients who reported only dysphonia (P =. 002).

Conclusions

Patients presenting for dysphonia who are diagnosed with MTD have a high rate of comorbid dysphagia. Patients who reported dysphagia had significantly higher self‐reported voice impairment and greater severity of breathing dysfunction as measured by the Clinical COPD Questionnaire. The coincidence of these symptoms in this patient cohort may suggest an underlying pathophysiology that has yet to be elucidated. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify the underlying cause of dysphagia and breathing dysfunction in the setting of MTD and to investigate diagnostic and therapeutic paradigms.
Endovascular Interventional Management of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis
Authors: Narayan Sunil K. , Elavarasi Arunmozhimaran
Published: August 2018

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is relatively a rare cause of stroke and can have protean manifestations ranging from headache, seizures, diplopia, focal deficits or coma. It is usually managed with anticoagulation. However, various studies have shown a mortality of 13% to 30% and have elucidated certain risk factors such as poor sensorium at presentation and rapid deterioration in spite of anticoagulation, for poor outcomes. In these situations, it has been postulated that endovascular management using thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy can give better outcomes. This review tries to address the role of endovascular interventions in CVST.
Interaction between the microbiome and TP53 in human lung cancer
Authors: Greathouse K. Leigh , White James R. , Vargas Ashely J. , Bliskovsky Valery V. , Beck Jessica A. , von Muhlinen Natalia , Polley Eric C. , Bowman Elise D. , Khan Mohammed A. , Robles Ana I. , Cooks Tomer , Ryan Bríd M. , Padgett Noah , Dzutsev Amiran H. , Trinchieri Giorgio , Pineda Marbin A. , Bilke Sven , Meltzer Paul S. , Hokenstad Alexis N. , Stickrod Tricia M. , Walther-Antonio Marina R. , Earl Joshua P. , Mell Joshua C. , Krol Jaroslaw E. , Balashov Sergey V. , Bhat Archana S. , Ehrlich Garth D. , Valm Alex , Deming Clayton , Conlan Sean , Oh Julia , Segre Julie A. , Harris Curtis C.
Published: August 2018

Background

Lung cancer is the leading cancer diagnosis worldwide and the number one cause of cancer deaths. Exposure to cigarette smoke, the primary risk factor in lung cancer, reduces epithelial barrier integrity and increases susceptibility to infections. Herein, we hypothesize that somatic mutations together with cigarette smoke generate a dysbiotic microbiota that is associated with lung carcinogenesis. Using lung tissue from 33 controls and 143 cancer cases, we conduct 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) bacterial gene sequencing, with RNA-sequencing data from lung cancer cases in The Cancer Genome Atlas serving as the validation cohort.

Results

Overall, we demonstrate a lower alpha diversity in normal lung as compared to non-tumor adjacent or tumor tissue. In squamous cell carcinoma specifically, a separate group of taxa are identified, in which Acidovorax is enriched in smokers. Acidovorax temporans is identified within tumor sections by fluorescent in situ hybridization and confirmed by two separate 16S rRNA strategies. Further, these taxa, including Acidovorax, exhibit higher abundance among the subset of squamous cell carcinoma cases with TP53 mutations, an association not seen in adenocarcinomas.

Conclusions

The results of this comprehensive study show both microbiome-gene and microbiome-exposure interactions in squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer tissue. Specifically, tumors harboring TP53 mutations, which can impair epithelial function, have a unique bacterial consortium that is higher in relative abundance in smoking-associated tumors of this type. Given the significant need for clinical diagnostic tools in lung cancer, this study may provide novel biomarkers for early detection.
Supporting the Writing Productivity of Biomedical Graduate Students: An Integrated, Structured Writing Intervention
Authors: Gardner Susan A. , Salto Lorena M. , Riggs Matt L. , Casiano Carlos A. , De Leon Marino
Published: August 2018

Writing is a critical skill for graduate students, but few studies in the literature describe how it is supported in the training of biomedical graduate students. The Initiative for Maximizing Student Development program at Loma Linda University aims to develop this important skill in its students through an integrated, structured writing intervention. Specifically, the program hired a writing specialist who taught writing seminars, facilitated writing and publishing workshops, and mentored students in one-on-one writing conferences. Doctoral students in the program, primarily underrepresented minority students with some not having English as a first language, all exhibited writing apprehension and blocking behaviors. The percentage of students graduating, publishing, and entering science careers, all of which require writing, is high. To yield insight into how this intervention worked, we conducted in-depth interviews of six of the earliest graduates, derived themes, analyzed data from pre- and post-assessments, and described their publication records. Participating students increased their writing confidence, adopted productive writing strategies, decreased writing anxiety and blocking behaviors, and published successfully.
Welcoming Deaf Students into STEM: Recommendations for University Science Education
Authors: Braun Derek C. , Clark M. Diane , Marchut Amber E. , Solomon Caroline M. , Majocha Megan , Davenport Zachary , Kushalnagar Raja S. , Listman Jason , Hauser Peter C. , Gormally Cara
Published: August 2018

Scientists are shaped by their unique life experiences and bring these perspectives to their research. Diversity in life and cultural experiences among scientists, therefore, broadens research directions and, ultimately, scientific discoveries. Deaf individuals, for example, have successfully contributed their unique perspectives to scientific inquiry. However, deaf individuals still face challenges in university science education. Most deaf students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines interact with faculty who have little to no experience working with deaf individuals and who often have preconceptions or simply a lack of knowledge about deaf individuals. In addition to a lack of communication access, deaf students may also feel unwelcome in STEM, as do other underrepresented groups. In this essay, we review evidence from the literature and, where data are lacking, contribute the expert opinions of the authors, most of whom are deaf scientists themselves, to identify strategies to best support deaf students in university STEM education. We describe the journey of a hypothetical deaf student and methods for faculty to create a welcoming environment. We describe and provide recommendations for classroom seating and layout, accommodations, teaching strategies, and research mentoring. We also discuss the importance of including deaf scientists in research about deaf individuals.
Learning Strategies for First-Year Biology: Toward Moving the “Murky Middle”
Authors: Kritzinger Angelique , Lemmens Juan-Claude , Potgieter Marietjie
Published: August 2018

Higher education faces the challenge of high student attrition, which is especially disconcerting if associated with low participation rates, as is the case in South Africa. Recently, the use of learning analytics has increased, enabling institutions to make data-informed decisions to improve teaching, learning, and student success. Most of the literature thus far has focused on “at-risk” students. The aim of this paper is twofold: to use learning analytics to define a different group of students, termed the “murky middle” (MM), early enough in the academic year to provide scope for targeted interventions; and to describe the learning strategies of successful students to guide the design of interventions aimed at improving the prospects of success for all students, especially those of the MM. We found that it was possible to identify the MM using demographic data that are available at the start of the academic year. The students in the subgroup were cleanly defined by their grade 12 results for physical sciences. We were also able to describe the learning strategies that are associated with success in first-year biology. This information is useful for curricular design, classroom practice, and student advising and should be incorporated in professional development programs for lecturers and student advisors.
Using outcrop data and analog models to aid seismic interpretation in fold and thrust belts
Authors: Serra Sandro
Published: August 2018

Seismic data in fold and thrust belts (FTBs), especially in onshore areas, are often difficult to interpret due to poor imaging of complex structures. Outcrops, either in the same area as the seismic or in FTBs with similar stratigraphy, provide direct and essentially unfiltered views of structures that can form in this structural style. In addition, physical and mathematical analog models can provide insights on the development of compressional structures and the parameters that most strongly influence their shape. The task of seismic interpretation in FTBs can be aided substantially by using well-exposed outcrops and analog models of compressional structures as templates.
Fluvial architecture of the Burro Canyon Formation using unmanned aerial vehicle-based photogrammetry and outcrop-based modeling: Implications for reservoir performance, Escalante Canyon, southwestern Piceance Basin, Colorado
Authors: Clark Sarah A. , Pranter Matthew J. , Cole Rex D. , Reza Zulfiquar A.
Published: August 2018

The Cretaceous Burro Canyon Formation in the southern Piceance Basin, Colorado, represents low sinuosity to sinuous braided fluvial deposits that consist of amalgamated channel complexes, amalgamated and isolated fluvial-bar channel fills, and floodplain deposits. Lithofacies primarily include granule-cobble conglomerates, conglomeratic sandstones, cross-stratified sandstones, upward-fining sandstones, and gray-green mudstones. To assess the effects of variable sandstone-body geometry and internal lithofacies and petrophysical heterogeneity on reservoir performance, conventional field methods are combined with unmanned aerial vehicle-based photogrammetry to create representative outcrop-based reservoir models. Outcrop reservoir models and fluid-flow simulations compare three reservoir scenarios of the Burro Canyon Formation based on stratigraphic variability, sandstone-body geometry, and lithofacies heterogeneity. Simulation results indicate that lithofacies variability can account for an almost 50% variation in breakthrough time (BTT). Internal channel-bounding surfaces reduce the BTT by 2%, volumetric sweep efficiency by 8%, and recovery efficiency by 10%. Three lateral grid resolutions and two permeability-upscaling methods for each reservoir scenario are explored in fluid-flow simulations to investigate how upscaling impacts reservoir performance. Our results indicate that coarsely resolved grids experience delayed breakthrough by as much as 40% and greater volumetric sweep efficiency by an average of 10%. Permeability models that are upscaled using a geometric mean preserve slightly higher values than those using a harmonic mean. For upscaling based on a geometric mean, BTTs are delayed by an average of 17% and the volumetric sweep efficiency is reduced by as much as 10%. Results of the study highlight the importance of properly incorporating stratigraphic details into 3D reservoir models and preserving those details through proper upscaling methods.
The Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Pulse Generator
Authors: Herbison Allan E
Published: August 2018

The pulsatile release of GnRH and LH secretion is essential for fertility in all mammals. Pulses of LH occur approximately every hour in follicular-phase females and every 2 to 3 hours in luteal-phase females and males. Many studies over the last 50 years have sought to identify the nature and mechanism of the “GnRH pulse generator” responsible for pulsatile LH release. This review examines the characteristics of pulsatile hormone release and summarizes investigations that have led to our present understanding of the GnRH pulse generator. There is presently little compelling evidence for an intrinsic mechanism of pulse generation involving interactions between GnRH neuron cell bodies. Rather, data support the presence of an extrinsic pulse generator located within the arcuate nucleus, and attention has focused on the kisspeptin neurons and their projections to GnRH neuron dendrons concentrated around the median eminence. Sufficient evidence has been gathered in rodents to conclude that a subpopulation of arcuate kisspeptin neurons is, indeed, the GnRH pulse generator. Findings in other species are generally compatible with this view and suggest that arcuate/infundibular kisspeptin neurons represent the mammalian GnRH pulse generator. With hindsight, it is likely that past arcuate nucleus multiunit activity recordings have been from kisspeptin neurons. Despite advances in identifying the cells forming the pulse generator, almost nothing is known about their mechanisms of synchronicity and the afferent hormonal and transmitter modulation required to establish the normal patterns of LH pulsatility in mammals.
Modeling human somite development and fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva with induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Nakajima Taiki , Shibata Mitsuaki , Nishio Megumi , Nagata Sanae , Alev Cantas , Sakurai Hidetoshi , Toguchida Junya , Ikeya Makoto
Published: August 2018

Somites (SMs) comprise a transient stem cell population that gives rise to multiple cell types, including dermatome (D), myotome (MYO), sclerotome (SCL) and syndetome (SYN) cells. Although several groups have reported induction protocols for MYO and SCL from pluripotent stem cells, no studies have demonstrated the induction of SYN and D from SMs. Here, we report systematic induction of these cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) under chemically defined conditions. We also successfully induced cells with differentiation capacities similar to those of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC-like cells) from SMs. To evaluate the usefulness of these protocols, we conducted disease modeling of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), an inherited disease that is characterized by heterotopic endochondral ossification in soft tissues after birth. Importantly, FOP-iPSC-derived MSC-like cells showed enhanced chondrogenesis, whereas FOP-iPSC-derived SCL did not, possibly recapitulating normal embryonic skeletogenesis in FOP and cell-type specificity of FOP phenotypes. These results demonstrate the usefulness of multipotent SMs for disease modeling and future cell-based therapies.
Deriving functional human enteroendocrine cells from pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Sinagoga Katie L. , McCauley Heather A. , Múnera Jorge O. , Reynolds Nichole A. , Enriquez Jacob R. , Watson Carey , Yang Hsiu-Chiung , Helmrath Michael A. , Wells James M.
Published: August 2018

Enteroendocrine cells (EECs) are a minor cell population in the intestine yet they play a major role in digestion, satiety, and nutrient homeostasis. Recent development of human intestinal organoid models include EECs, but their rarity makes it difficult to study their formation and function. Here we used the EEC-inducting property of the transcription factor NEUROG3 in human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived human intestinal organoids (HIOs) and colonic organoids (HCOs) to promote EEC development in vitro. An 8 hour pulse of NEUROG3 expression induced expression of known target transcription factors and after 7 days organoids contained up to 25% EECs in the epithelium. EECs expressed a broad array of human hormones at the mRNA and /or protein level, including MOTILIN, SOMATOSTATIN, NEUROTENSIN, SECRETIN, SUBSTANCE P, SEROTONIN, VIP, OXYNTOMODULIN, GLP-1 and INSL5. EECs secreted several hormones including GIP, GHRELIN, GLP-1, and OXYNTOMODULIN. Injection of glucose into the lumen of organoids caused an increase in both GIP secretion and K-cell number. Lastly, we observed formation of all known small intestinal EEC subtypes following transplantation and growth of HIOs in mice.
Caucasian and south Asian men show equivalent improvements in surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular and metabolic health following 6-weeks of supervised resistance training
Authors: Knox Allan , Sculthorpe Nicholas , Grace Fergal
Published: August 2018

Background: The South Asian population have greater cardiovascular risk than their age-matched Caucasian counterparts, characterized by unfavorable biomarkers. South Asians may also be partially resistant to the pleiotropic benefits of physical activity on cardiovascular health. There is a current absence of studies that compare markers of cardio-metabolic health between Caucasians and South Asians employing resistance exercise. This study set out to compare the response in biomarkers of cardio-metabolic health in Caucasians and South Asians in response to resistance exercise.

Methods: Caucasian (n=15, 25.5 ± 4.8 yrs) and South Asian (n=13, 25.4 ± 7.0 yrs) males completed a 6-week progressive resistance exercise protocol. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, and their product insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides (TRIGS), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TC), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), asymmetric dimythylarginine (ADMA), L-arginine (L-ARG) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were established at baseline and following resistance exercise.

Results: There were significant improvements in fasting glucose, TC, LDL, HDL and VEGF in both groups following resistance exercise (p<0.05, for all). No change was observed in insulin, HOMA-IR, TRIGS, ADMA, L-ARG following resistance exercise (p>0.05, in both groups). CRP increased in the South Asian group (p<0.05) but not the Caucasian group (p>0.05)

Conclusions: The cardio-metabolic response to resistance exercise is comparable in young Caucasian and South Asian males though inflammatory response to exercise may be prolonged in South Asians.
FastQ Screen: A tool for multi-genome mapping and quality control
Authors: Wingett Steven W. , Andrews Simon
Published: August 2018

DNA sequencing analysis typically involves mapping reads to just one reference genome.  Mapping against multiple genomes is necessary, however, when the genome of origin requires confirmation. Mapping against multiple genomes is also advisable for detecting contamination or for identifying sample swaps which, if left undetected, may lead to incorrect experimental conclusions.  Consequently, we present FastQ Screen, a tool to validate the origin of DNA samples by quantifying the proportion of reads that map to a panel of reference genomes. FastQ Screen is intended to be used routinely as a quality control measure and for analysing samples in which the origin of the DNA is uncertain or has multiple sources.
Politics and palliative care: Kenya
Authors: Smyth Dion
Published: August 2018

Dion Smyth's review of palliative nursing on the internet
Let the bird fly: Somatic practice and Sufi hadra performance, the embodied experience
Authors: Rodrigues Jamila
Published: August 2018

Based on an ethnographic case study conducted amidst the Sufi women of the Naqshbandi group in Cape Town South Africa in 2013/14, this article discusses and analyses Sufi women’s verbalized ideas of the embodied ritual practice named hadra. From their experience with the ritual I argue that body and mind can somatically co-habit in a relationship in Sufi religious ritual practice. I challenge Sufi women’s ideas of an ‘outside of the body’ and ‘inside of the body’ experience during the fan’a, or final stage of the ritual. This article argues that when body and mind are connected within ritual praxis, an embodied experience is generated; this holistic experience goes beyond current Sufi theological thinking. This theory is evidenced in my research through an analysis of how dancers make sense of their own body and movement experience.
‘No mind’: A Zen Buddhist perspective on embodied consciousness
Authors: Sakuta Aska
Published: August 2018

This article explores the idea of a deeply embodied consciousness during movement, which has become one of the most intensely discussed topics in terms of the phenomenology and spirituality of dance and somatic practices. The strive towards an embodied state of consciousness has been historically present in the context of Zen Buddhist philosophy, wherein true embodiment is considered an enlightened state of being, wherein one’s consciousness transcends the barriers of mind versus body, self versus other and human versus non-human; it is thought that, in this state, we experience a visceral enlightenment towards our inherent connection to (or interrelation with) the spiritual and physical world around us, and that this state is a form of ‘purified’ – or even optimal – being. Phenomenological aspects underpinning this paradigm will be unpacked through representative cases of eastern movement practices whose founding philosophies align with Zen Buddhist thought. Among these movement practices will be Nihon-buyo (Japanese traditional dance), eastern martial arts and Butoh, which all utilize movement as a meditative process towards a state of selfworld transcendence. At the end of the article, the phenomenon of deeply embodied consciousness will be reframed and explained through the lens of neurophenomenology, with the aim of bringing forth the validity and relevance of this phenomenon in the newly emerging scientific research of consciousness and attention.
Shamanic striptease
Authors: Hamilton Mark James
Published: August 2018

This article explores a performance called Salvation: Shamanic Striptease. It considers how my co-creation of this spiritual–erotic work with white South African performer Daniel P. Cunningham1 has elaborated ‘shamanic striptease’ – an emergent practice through which he seeks to discover movement and vocalization (words and song) that yield deep significance for him (as performer) and for those who witness his performance. This is a process in which somatic and semiotic meaning are negotiated. Inspired by the vision of seminal Polish theatre practitioner Jerzy Grotowski (1933–99), shamanic striptease looks for what might be called naïve expression, that is, a close merging of intention and action that generates a dense performance open to multiple interpretations. Our working process opens up considerations of the relationships between performers’ and audiences’ experiences, the multivalence of identity and searches for the transcendental in a cosmopolitan context of London. Special consideration is given in this essay to how the identity politics of postcolonial white settler culture intersect with queer cisgender expressions of masculinity.
Be still and know: Authentic Movement, witness and embodied testimony
Authors: McMillan Christopher-Rasheem
Published: August 2018

The article looks at dance narratives and the body, investigating the somatic and spiritual practice of Authentic Movement. Be Still and Know: Authentic Movement, Witness, and Testimony considers the movement practice of Authentic Movement as a possible creative source for ‘bodily becoming.’ This article also traces the practice of Authentic Movement, which sits on the intersections of dance and spirituality, from its origins to new applications, and even its application to Body Theology. To view this physical practice as a way of meaning-making in the context of dance knowledge, and as a methodology for analyzing the body, arguably adds new ways of reflecting on biblical knowledge. As a bodily practise, Authentic Movement has the possibility of grounding a reflective theologising through the somatic body. This article uses a phenomenology of testimony as a performative mode of providing both location, context, and proof for the experiences that are documented through Authentic Movement practice. In this article I unfold the term ‘witness’ used prolifically in Authentic Movement in relation to my own religious embodiment growing up in the South as a child of a minister, demonstrating how terminology in Authentic Movement slips its taken-for-granted understandings. Thus, I expand the practice of Authentic Movement beyond its useful application and normative usage.
Image, imagination and the social imaginary: Solo improvisational dances of North Africa and the Middle East
Authors: Sellers-Young Barbara
Published: August 2018

The solo improvisational dances of North Africa and the Middle East became part of popular discourse following Napoleon’s conquering of Egypt. Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824–1904) and other visual artists painted images depicting the dancers. Gustave Flaubert (1821–80) and others penned narratives of encounters with dancers. Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) wrote his play Salome (1893). Sol Bloom created the street scenes of dancers for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Hollywood turned out countless ‘blood, sex and sand films’ by stars such as Rudolph Valentino (1895–1926). These images created in the nineteenth and early twentieth century became fixed in the popular imagination and dictated the conception of the dances of North Africa and the Middle East, and ultimately the ethos of the region itself. This article considers the impact these images have had on what Arjun Appadurai refers to as the social imaginary. By extension, it examines the impact of the imagination created within the vocabulary of the dances on the dialogue between North Africa and the Middle East, and the global community, including those who trace their lineage to this area and those who do not.
Adoptee life writing 2.0: Transnationality and social justice online
Authors: Seethaler Ina C.
Published: August 2018

Jane Jeong Trenka was adopted from South Korea in 1972 at the age of 6 months. Her blog, ‘Jane’s blog: Bitter angry ajumma’, on which she published her adoption file, expresses the hope that she ‘will live to see the day when adoption as it is practised today is viewed as the archaic, primitive and exploitative practice that it really is’. This article analyses how Trenka’s web presence challenges rigid identity constructions, examines transnational adoption as a consequence of globalized oppression and offers an intersectional analysis of transnational adoptees’ and poor birth mothers’ lives. Through her blog posts, Trenka communicates directly with her audience and engages in concrete discussions about transnational adoption and identity. Web 2.0’s interactive possibilities turn the audience from traditional voyeurs into active participants, thereby substituting the patriarchal, colonialist gaze that many transnational adoptees experience with a powerful virtual collaboration. Trenka’s online life writing takes on a decidedly collective nature, challenging master narratives of home and identity with counter-histories of oppression and discrimination that destabilize social, cultural and political hierarchies. Trenka’s blog illuminates connections between the commodification of adoptees, cultural forces creating traumatic identity struggles and the choices poor women make under structural constraints.
Confession narratives and mass kinship of YouTube celebrities: A narrative rationality analysis
Authors: Humphrey Michael
Published: August 2018

Walter R. Fisher argued that human beings are homo narrans or storytelling animals who make decisions using narrative rationality, which is the ability to choose among competing stories. The question I consider is whether Fisher’s arguments have explanatory power in quick media, especially a specific type of everyday autobiography: narratives of well-known YouTube vloggers confessing intimate details or turning-point moments about their lives. Examples of videos include coming out as LGBTQ, serious illness, relationship dissolution and depression. This textual analysis looks at both sides of YouTube discourse – creator vlogs and audience comments.
Reframing adoptive family narratives through digital and social media technologies
Authors: Samuels Julie
Published: August 2018

This article examines some of the transformations within adoptive family dynamics driven by digital and social media technologies. Extending beyond the privacy within the adoptive family narrative to direct and often-unmediated communication with biological kin, these technologies continue to offer choices, opportunities, threats, temptations and new challenges. It is within these online communities that conversations within the adoption triad (the term used to describe the adopted individual, the adoptive family and the biological family) continue to reveal and document these transformations. It is partially due to these conversations within the adoption triad that we are compelled to reconsider what it means to be an adoptive family in the twenty-first century. For an adoptive parent, these digital communications within the adoption triad continue to reframe both our family narrative and shared experiences of adoption.