bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
YXQ-EQ Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Signaling Pathways Important for Metastasis in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Yan Xin , Shen Hua , Jiang Hongjian , Hu Dan , Wang Jun , Wu Xinqi
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world. The 5-year survival rate for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is only approximately 15%, with metastasis as the primary cause of death. This study was aimed to investigate cytotoxic effect of external qi of Yan Xin Qigong (YXQ-EQ) toward human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells as well as its effect on signaling pathways promoting migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in A549 cells. Methods: Cytotoxic effect of YXQ-EQ was evaluated using MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt] and cologenic assays. Apoptosis of treated cells was determined by Annexin V/propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry analysis, while cell migration and invasion were determined using transwell assays and EMT was assessed by morphological changes in cells. Protein expression and phosphorylation were examined by immunoblot analyses. Results: YXQ-EQ induced apoptosis in A549 cells, resulting in a pronounced reduction in viability and clonogenic formation. This was associated with inhibition of phosphorylation of AKT and ERK1/2 and reduced expression of anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-xL, XIAP and survivin. Furthermore, YXQ-EQ inhibited EGF/EGFR signaling and EGF mediated migration and invasion of A549 cells. While TGF-β1 induced phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 and EMT in A549 cells, YXQ-EQ suppressed TGF-β/SMAD signaling and induced cell death in these cells in the presence of TGF-β1. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that YXQ-EQ could exert anti-lung cancer effects via inhibiting signaling pathways that are important for NSCLC cell survival and NSCLC metastasis.
C. Elegans Fatty Acid Two-Hydroxylase Regulates Intestinal Homeostasis by Affecting Heptadecenoic Acid Production
Authors: Li Yuanbao , Wang Chunxia , Huang Yikai , Fu Rong , Zheng Hanxi , Zhu Yi , Shi Xiaoruo , Padakanti Prashanth K. , Tu Zhude , Su Xiong , Zhang Huimin
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: The hydroxylation of fatty acids at the C-2 position is the first step of fatty acid α-oxidation and generates sphingolipids containing 2-hydroxy fatty acyl moieties. Fatty acid 2-hydroxylation is catalyzed by Fatty acid 2-hydroxylase (FA2H) enzyme. However, the precise roles of FA2H and fatty acid 2-hydroxylation in whole cell homeostasis still remain unclear. Methods: Here we utilize Caenorhabditis elegans as the model and systemically investigate the physiological functions of FATH-1/C25A1.5, the highly conserved worm homolog for mammalian FA2H enzyme. Immunostaining, dye-staining and translational fusion reporters were used to visualize FATH-1 protein and a variety of subcellular structures. The “click chemistry” method was employed to label 2-OH fatty acid in vivo. Global and tissue-specific RNAi knockdown experiments were performed to inactivate FATH-1 function. Lipid analysis of the fath-1 deficient mutants was achieved by mass spectrometry. Results: C. elegans FATH-1 is expressed at most developmental stages and in most tissues. Loss of fath-1 expression results in severe growth retardation and shortened lifespan. FATH-1 function is crucially required in the intestine but not the epidermis with stereospecificity. The “click chemistry” labeling technique showed that the FATH-1 metabolites are mainly enriched in membrane structures preferable to the apical side of the intestinal cells. At the subcellular level, we found that loss of fath-1 expression inhibits lipid droplets formation, as well as selectively disrupts peroxisomes and apical endosomes. Lipid analysis of the fath-1 deficient animals revealed a significant reduction in the content of heptadecenoic acid, while other major FAs remain unaffected. Feeding of exogenous heptadecenoic acid (C17: 1), but not oleic acid (C18: 1), rescues the global and subcellular defects of fath-1 knockdown worms. Conclusion: Our study revealed that FATH-1 and its catalytic products are highly specific in the context of chirality, C-chain length, spatial distribution, as well as the types of cellular organelles they affect. Such an unexpected degree of specificity for the synthesis and functions of hydroxylated FAs helps to regulate protein transport and fat metabolism, therefore maintaining the cellular homeostasis of the intestinal cells. These findings may help our understanding of FA2H functions across species, and offer potential therapeutical targets for treating FA2H-related diseases.
Lentiviral Vector-Mediated SHC3 Silencing Exacerbates Oxidative Stress Injury in Nigral Dopamine Neurons by Regulating the PI3K-AKT-FoxO Signaling Pathway in Rats with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Gong Jian , Zhang Lei , Zhang Qian , Li Xiang , Xia Xiang-Jun , Liu Yin-Yuan , Yang Qin-Shang
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a prevalent disease that leads to motor and cognitive disabilities, and oxidative stress (OS) injury was found to be related to the etiology of PD. Increasing evidence has shown that SHC3 is aberrantly expressed in neurons. The current study examines the involvement of SHC3 silencing in OS injury in the nigral dopamine neurons in rats with PD via the PI3K-AKT-FoxO signaling pathway. Methods: To study the mechanisms and functions of SHC3 silencing in PD at the tissue level, 170 rats were selected, and a lentivirus-based packaging system was designed to silence SHC3 expression in rats. Furthermore, PC12 cells were selected for in vitro experimentation. To evaluate the effect of SHC3 silencing in nigral dopamine neuronal growth, an MTT assay, propidium iodide (PI) single staining and Annexin V-PI double staining were performed to detect cell viability, cell cycle progression and cell apoptosis, respectively. Results: SHC3 shRNA led to decreased SOD and MDA levels and enhanced GSH activity, indicating that SHC3 silencing leads to motor retardation. SHC3 silencing repressed the extent of Akt and FoxO phosphorylation, thereby inhibiting the PI3K-AKT-FoxO signaling pathway. Furthermore, in cell experiments, SHC3 silencing suppressed PC12 cell proliferation and cell cycle progression, whereas it enhanced cell apoptosis. Conclusion: The current study provides evidence suggesting that SHC3 silencing may aggravate OS injury in nigral dopamine neurons via downregulation of the PI3K-AKT-FoxO signaling pathway in PD rats.
Preaching Science and Islam: Dr. Zakir Naik and Discourses of Science and Islam in Internet Videos
Authors: Gardner Vika , Mayes E. Carolina , Hameed Salman
Published: September 2018

Internet videos are one form of “new media” that enable us to study the movement of narratives. Lectures addressing both Islam and science appear often in these videos. One of the most popular speakers in this material is Dr. Zakir Naik, a Muslim preacher from India. Naik’s lectures often interpret select modern scientific discoveries to “prove” the divine origin of the Qurʾān, a pseudo-scientific endeavor known as iʿjāz ʿilmī. This paper contextualizes Naik’s branding and how he draws upon the authority of science and Western scientists. Naik has been able to trade on both his medical training and his South Asian roots by combining formulaic presentations from famous pro-Islamic Westerners such as Dr. Maurice Bucaille with stylings learned from preachers such as Ahmad Deedat. Garnering both devoted fans and vociferous critics, Naik has developed into a recognizable cultural symbol with his own transnational authority.
The Notion of ‘Jewish Surnames’
Authors: Beider Alexander
Published: September 2018

This article discusses the notion of ‘Jewish surnames,’ considering it to be synonymous to the expression ‘surnames borne by Jews.’ This can be particularly helpful if we want the definition to add real value for the search of etymologies. The article describes most important peculiarities of Jewish surnames, categories of names that are exclusively Jewish, and various cases when a surname is shared by both Jews and non-Jews. It shows that certain alternative definitions of the notion of ‘Jewish surnames’ (such as surnames found in all Jewish communities, surnames used by Jews only, surnames based on specifically Jewish linguistic elements) either have internal inconsistencies or are useless and sometimes misleading for the scientific analysis of the etymologies of these surnames.
Three new species of Rasahus, with clarifications on the identities of three other Neotropical corsairs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Peiratinae)
Authors: SWANSON DANIEL R.
Published: September 2018

Three new peiratine species in the genus Rasahus Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Peiratinae) are described: Rasahus nesiotes sp. nov. from Grand Bahama, Rasahus deliquus sp. nov. from Panama, and Rasahus abolitus sp. nov. from French Guiana. Rasahus castaneus Coscarón, 1983 is reported for the first time from French Guiana. The identity of Reduvius scutellaris Fabricius, 1787 is clarified, resulting in the following taxonomic and nomenclatural changes: Rasahus rufiventris (Walker, 1873) is considered a junior synonym of Rasahus scutellaris (Fabricius, 1787) stat. rev. et syn. nov., and Pirates myrmecinus Erichson, 1848 is resurrected and transferred, resulting in Rasahus myrmecinus (Erichson, 1848) stat. rev. et comb. nov. Most records of Rasahus scutellaris auct. (nec Fabricius) prior to this study remain indeterminate. Additionally, the peiratine fauna known from Panama and French Guiana are enumerated, and an updated key to the species of Rasahus is provided. Lastly, Pirates digramma Walker, 1873 (p. 102), tentatively considered to belong to Rasahus by previous authors, is discussed and transferred to Tydides Stål, 1866, resulting in Tydides digramma (Walker, 1873) comb. nov.
ANZUS and the Early Cold War
Authors: Kelly Andrew
Published: September 2018

After the end of the Dien Bien Phu Crisis, this chapter moves on to explore trilateral responses to the 1954-55 Taiwan Straits Crisis in Northeast Asia. Similar to the previous chapter, friction in the ANZUS relationship also manifested during this crisis when US and British policies clashed. The US consulted with Australia much more closely about strategies for ending the crisis, which made for an interesting difference of views with regards to the feasibility of defending the islands. Moreover, the NZ role in Operation Oracle also makes this chapter particularly interesting for a New Zealand audience, as policymakers played a key role with the US in attempts to mitigate the crisis through a resolution in the United Nations. Finally, this chapter exposes underlying trilateral views regarding diplomatic recognition of the People’s Republic of China, which invariably complicated the way in which each country wanted to mitigate hostilities.
ANZUS and the Early Cold War
Authors: Kelly Andrew
Published: September 2018

This introductory chapter provides a contextual framework and establishes the key themes that run throughout the book. It starts with an interesting moment that encapsulates the nature of the relationship, in which all delegates heading to the first ANZUS council meeting in August 1952 shared vastly different views about the scope and purpose of the treaty. Zooming back to a macroscopic perspective, the chapter then provides a broader overview of how moments like these were common during this period and briefly addresses the underlying causes of friction in the relationship. Finally, it poses key questions that the book seeks to answer, including why Australia and New Zealand disagreed so regularly about mutual security issues, how US global leadership shaped ANZUS, and the British impact on the trilateral relationship.
An Improved Electrical Hygrometer and Its Applications*
Authors: Dunmore Francis W.
Published: September 2018

The electric hygrometer consists of an aluminum tube coated with polystyrene and wound with a bifilar winding of bare palladium wire. The unit is then coated with a thin film of polyvinyl acetate with an amount of lithium chloride in it depending upon the humidity range to be covered. The electrical resistance of the film between the two coils is a function of humidity. If appreciable temperature changes are involved, a correction is applied.

The thin aluminium tube enables the unit to quickly assume the temperature of the air as it must if measuring relative humidity. The palladium wire prevents an increase in resistance caused by a film which forms on the surface of other types of wires. The polystyrene forms an excellent water-resistant surface of high electrical resistance for the wire and water sensitive film, which prevents a hysteresis effect caused by the absorption of water by glass and other materials originally used as bases. The polyvinyl acetate forms a porous binder for the lithium chloride which gives stability and uniformity to the units without appreciably decreasing their rapid rate of response.

With several units of different sensitivity in parallel, with resistors in series with each, humidities from 10 to 100% may be measured using a single scale of an indicating instrument.

Electrical hygrometer units have been made which have not varied more than 2 to 3% over a period of several months.

Flight tests with two radiosondes carried by the same balloon, one using the electric hygrometer and the other the hair type hygrometer, showed marked changes in humidity recorded by the electric hygrometer which the hair unit failed to register.
The Role of Extratropical Ocean Warming in the Coupled Climate Response to Arctic Sea Ice Loss
Authors: Blackport Russell , Kushner Paul J.
Published: September 2018

The role of extratropical ocean warming in the coupled climate response to Arctic sea ice loss is investigated using coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (AOGCM) and uncoupled atmospheric-only (AGCM) experiments. Coupled AOGCM experiments driven by sea ice albedo reduction and greenhouse gas–dominated radiative forcing are used to diagnose the extratropical sea surface temperature (SST) response to sea ice loss. Sea ice loss is then imposed in AGCM experiments both with and without these extratropical SST changes, which are found to extend beyond the regions where sea ice is lost. Sea ice loss in isolation drives warming that is confined to the Arctic lower troposphere and only a weak atmospheric circulation response. When the extratropical SST response caused by sea ice loss is also included in the forcing, the warming extends into the Arctic midtroposphere during winter. This coincides with a stronger atmospheric circulation response, including an equatorward shift in the eddy-driven jet, a deepening of the Aleutian low, and an expansion of the Siberian high. Similar results are found whether the extratropical SST forcing is taken directly from the AOGCM driven by sea ice loss, or whether they are diagnosed using a two-parameter pattern scaling technique where tropical adjustment to sea ice loss is removed. These results suggest that AGCM experiments that are driven by sea ice loss and only local SST increases will underestimate the Arctic midtroposphere warming and atmospheric circulation response to sea ice loss, compared to AOGCM simulations and the real world.
Enhancing Drought Monitoring and Early Warning for the United Kingdom through Stakeholder Coinquiries
Authors: Hannaford Jamie , Collins Kevin , Haines Sophie , Barker Lucy J.
Published: September 2018

Drought is widely written about as a complex, multifaceted phenomenon, with complexity arising not just from biophysical drivers, but also human understanding and experiences of drought and its impacts. This has led to a proliferation of different drought definitions and indicators, creating a challenge for the design of drought monitoring and early warning (MEW) systems, which are a key component of drought preparedness. Here, we report on social learning workshops conducted in the United Kingdom aimed at improving the design and operation of drought MEW systems as part of a wider international project including parallel events in the United States and Australia. We highlight key themes for MEW design and use: “types” of droughts, indicators and impacts, uncertainty, capacity and decision-making, communications, and governance. We shed light on the complexity of drought through the multiple framings of the problem by different actors, and how this influences their needs for MEW. Our findings suggest that MEW systems need to embrace this complexity and strive for consistent messaging while also tailoring information for a wide range of audiences in terms of the drought characteristics, temporal and spatial scales, and impacts that are important for their particular decision-making processes. We end with recommendations to facilitate this approach.
Interrupting Intergenerational Offending in the Context of America’s Social Disaster of Mass Imprisonment
Authors: Roettger Michael E. , Dennison Susan
Published: September 2018

Paralleling the growth of the U.S. criminal justice system in recent decades, American families have increasingly experienced a social disaster of parents, and subsequently their children, undergoing imprisonment. Adopting a life course perspective to examine the likely drivers of the intergenerational transmission of offending and incarceration, we contextualize the development of antisocial behavior in an era of mass imprisonment. In doing so, we draw from the literature on the sociology of disasters to examine how traumas related to intergenerational incarceration may be both understood and ameliorated through appropriate policies and interventions. We argue that it is possible to better frame how risk factors for antisocial behavior, such as prenatal maternal stress, exposure to trauma, and deviant peer groups, may be integrated with factors that promote resilience and recovery. This includes improving safety, self-efficacy, and connectedness to prevent intergenerational offending and incarceration and facilitate desistance. By framing mass incarceration as a social disaster, a multifaceted, comprehensive approach takes on new urgency so as to reduce the prevalence of intergenerational offending and incarceration among millions of families in the United States.
Stochastic micromechanical modeling of transverse punch shear damage behavior of unidirectional composites
Authors: (Gama) Haque Bazle Z , Ali Molla A , Ganesh Raja H , Tamrakar Sandeep , Yen Chian F , O'Brien Daniel , Gillespie John W
Published: September 2018

Punch shear in unidirectional composites is induced by transverse shear loading that progressively perforates the laminate within a narrow shear annulus. At lower micromechanical length scales, punch shear loading creates unique micromechanical damage mechanisms dominated by transverse fiber shear failure, fiber–matrix interphase debonding and large inelastic deformation and cracking of the matrix. A new punch shear experimental method has been developed to test unidirectional S glass/DER353 epoxy composite ribbons at sub-millimeter length scale. The experimental data consist of a statistical measurement of the continuum response (load-deformation and punch shear strength) and the characterization of micromechanical damage modes. A simplified 2D micromechanical finite element model incorporating Weibull fiber strength distribution has been developed and correlated with the experimental data. The 2D micromechanical finite element model can simulate the punch shear failure of the ribbon incorporating mixed mode fiber fracture, and fiber–matrix debonding mechanisms using zero thickness cohesive elements. Results from stochastic simulations of punch shear experiments show that an equivalent 2D micromechanical finite element model can predict the micromechanical damage mechanisms and the statistical distribution of punch shear strength of the continuum with favorable correlation with the experiments. This paper presents a combined experimental and computational approach in simulating the stochastic non-linear progressive punch shear behavior of unidirectional composites for the first time in the literature.
Serum Amyloid A Contributes to Chronic Apical Periodontitis via TLR2 and TLR4
Authors: Hirai K. , Furusho H. , Kawashima N. , Xu S. , de Beer M.C. , Battaglino R. , Van Dyke T. , Stashenko P. , Sasaki H.
Published: September 2018

In the current concept of bacterial infections, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) derived from pathogens and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) released from damaged/necrotic host cells are crucial factors in induction of innate immune responses. However, the implication of DAMPs in apical and marginal periodontitis is unknown. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a DAMP that is involved in the development of various chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. In the present study, we tested whether SAA is involved in the pathogenesis of periapical lesions, using human periapical surgical specimens and mice deficient in SAA and Toll-like receptors (TLR). SAA1/2 was locally expressed in human periapical lesions at the mRNA and protein levels. The level of SAA protein appeared to be positively associated with the inflammatory status of the lesions. In the development of mouse periapical inflammation, SAA1.1/2.1 was elevated locally and systemically in wild-type (WT) mice. Although SAA1.1/2.1 double-knockout and SAA3 knockout mice had redundant attenuation of the extent of periapical lesions, these animals showed strikingly improved inflammatory cell infiltration versus WT. Recombinant human SAA1 (rhSAA1) directly induced chemotaxis of WT neutrophils in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. In addition, rhSAA1 stimulation significantly prolonged the survival of WT neutrophils as compared with nonstimulated neutrophils. Furthermore, rhSAA1 activated the NF-κB pathway and subsequent IL-1α production in macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. However, TLR2/TLR4 double deficiency substantially diminished these SAA-mediated proinflammatory responses. Taken together, the SAA-TLR axis plays an important role in the chronicity of periapical inflammation via induction of inflammatory cell infiltration and prolonged cell survival. The interactions of PAMPs and DAMPs require further investigation in dental/oral inflammation.
Navigating the Intangible: Working With Nonphysical Suffering on the Front Lines of Palliative Care
Authors: Rattner Maxxine
Published: September 2018

While relieving suffering is palliative care’s primary aim, how palliative care providers navigate patients’ nonphysical suffering in their day-to-day work and the impact of working with nonphysical suffering on the clinician have been understudied. This exploratory study aims to begin to fill this gap in the literature. Results revealed that palliative care clinicians face several challenges in their efforts to navigate patients’ nonphysical suffering in their day-to-day work, including (a) the intangible nature of nonphysical suffering, (b) systemic barriers (e.g., lack of time and adequate resources), (c) clinician helplessness or suffering, and (d) a lack of education, training, and support for clinicians specific to their work with patients’ nonphysical suffering. Study outcomes have the potential to improve frontline clinical care with patients and support and education for clinicians.
The Use of Online Pornography as Compensation for Loneliness and Lack of Social Ties Among Israeli Adolescents
Authors: Efrati Yaniv , Amichai-Hamburger Yair
Published: September 2018

The Internet provides people with the ability to act anonymously, which may lead them to feel secure and to release them from many of their inhibitions. In many cases, this leads them to participate in cybersex activities and online pornography. This study examined the psychological factors behind young people’s sexual behavior online. Participants comprised 713 Israeli adolescents (383 boys and 330 girls) aged 14 to 18 years. Our results indicated that the impact of loneliness on online sexual activity and frequency of pornography use was dependent on participants’ attachment orientations. Engagement in online sexual activities and use of pornography were high among anxiously attached individuals regardless of the extent of their loneliness. Loneliness was found to increase the use of online sexual activities and pornography, only among secure and anxiously avoidant individuals. Online sexual activity and pornography were also found to be related to offline sexual activity. The results are described and discussed.
Quadrivalent Meningococcal Vaccine Uptake Among Men Who Have Sex With Men During a Meningococcal Outbreak in Los Angeles County, California, 2016-2017
Authors: Holloway Ian W. , Wu Elizabeth S. C. , Gildner Jennifer , Fenimore Vincent L. , Tan Diane , Randall Laura , Frew Paula M.
Published: September 2018

Objective:

The objective of our study was to assess meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine uptake among men who have sex with men (MSM) during an ongoing, invasive meningococcal disease outbreak in Southern California. This research was important to inform future vaccination uptake interventions for this high-priority population.

Methods:

We conducted venue-based sampling to recruit and enroll MSM living in Los Angeles County, California, from December 2016 through February 2017. We conducted bivariate and multivariable analyses to evaluate associations between MenACWY vaccine uptake and other predetermined factors.

Results:

Of 368 participants, 138 (37.5%) reported receiving the MenACWY vaccine. In multivariable analyses, older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-5.03), previous diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection (aOR = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.14-4.30), belief that MenACWY vaccine is important (aOR = 3.49; 95% CI, 1.79-6.82), confidence in the MenACWY vaccine (aOR = 5.53; 95% CI, 3.11-9.83), and knowing someone who had been vaccinated (aOR = 5.82; 95% CI, 3.05-11.12) were significantly associated with MenACWY vaccine uptake.

Conclusions:

Our findings reflect low uptake of the recommended MenACWY vaccine among MSM after a local outbreak, despite public health efforts. In addition to ongoing, widespread campaigns to inform MSM about local outbreaks and vaccination recommendations, MSM may be responsive to direct outreach from peers who have been vaccinated.
Mapping a Subfield’s Sociology of Science: A 25-Year Network and Bibliometric Analysis of the Knowledge Construction of Sports Crisis Communication
Authors: Harker Jennifer L. , Saffer Adam J.
Published: September 2018

Sport crisis communication research has emerged as a substantial subfield of communication, sport communication, and crisis communication. The purpose of this study is to assess the development and diffusion of the subfield’s scholarly works to uncover the influential authors, theories, and journals central to the subfield’s knowledge construction process. We chart the development of the subfield by combining network analysis and bibliometric methods. Our analysis of 25 years of scholarship in 25 journals reveals seven major areas of focus in sport crisis communication with an emphasis on applied and critical cultural scholarship. Furthermore, our research indicates that the Journal of Sport & Social Issues played an integral and interdisciplinary role in supporting the emergence of this area of study. We argue the subfield holds great opportunity for future growth, most notably in empirical research.
Serum neuron-specific enolase, a marker of neuronal injury, increases after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Acibuca Aynur , Vurgun Veysel Kutay , Gerede Demet Menekse , Altin Ali Timucin , Gul Inci Sule , Candemir Basar , Isikay Togay Canan , Kilickap Mustafa , Akyurek Omer
Published: September 2018

Objective

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) can lead to thromboembolic complications, especially stroke. We measured the periprocedural serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) level, which is a biomarker of neuronal injury, after ablation of AF.

Methods

Forty-three patients with paroxysmal AF were prospectively enrolled before radiofrequency ablation. A neurological examination was performed before and after the procedure. The serum NSE level was determined before and at the end of the procedure and at 2, 24, and 48 h after the procedure.

Results

No patients developed new neurological deficits. However, the median (interquartile range) NSE level increased after ablation from 6.7 (3.87) ng/mL at baseline to 11.48 (5.3) ng/mL at 24 h postoperatively. The NSE level exceed the upper reference limit of normal (17 ng/mL) in 14 patients (33%), and these patients were found to have a larger left atrium.

Conclusions

Serum NSE increased in most of the patients undergoing ablation for AF, and it exceeded the normal limit in one-third of the patients. Although NSE is a biomarker of neuronal injury, the clinical importance of this increase after AF ablation and its relationship with the left atrial diameter should be evaluated in a longitudinal study.
Sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics identify groups of Italian cancer patients with high rates of unmet needs
Authors: Bonacchi Andrea , Fazzini Eleonora , Messina Silvia , Muraca Maria Grazia , Pacetti Paola , Di Miceli Stefania , Miccinesi Guido
Published: September 2018

Purpose:

Although an optimal goal remains the routine assessment of unmet needs of all patients with cancer, particular attention should be paid to those groups of patients with characteristics known to be more frequently associated with unmet needs in general or with specific areas of need. This report aims to describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics associated with higher unmet needs in Italian cancer patients.

Methods:

A total of 835 cancer patients from different care settings (ward, day hospital, follow-up ambulatory, rehabilitation unit, and palliative care) filled out the Needs Evaluation Questionnaire (NEQ), the Psychological Distress Inventory, and the Sense of Coherence Scale. Association of NEQ scores with the clinical and demographic variables were tested using analysis of variance.

Results:

Higher NEQ total score was associated with lower educational level, inpatient care setting, radiotherapy treatment, psychological distress, and lower resilience trait sense of coherence. Different predictors were identified for different areas of unmet needs. Care setting, psychological distress, and resilience trait were the strongest indicators of unmet needs in every area: information/communication, assistance/care, material needs, relational needs, and psychoemotional support.

Conclusions:

Clinicians should consider that inpatients with a high distress and a low resilience trait sense of coherence represent a group of cancer patients to be investigated with particular attention regarding unmet needs.
A Comparative Study between Private-Sector and Automated Vehicle Identification System Data through Various Travel Time Reliability Measures
Authors: Chung Whoibin , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Park Juneyoung , Ponnaluri Raj
Published: September 2018

Traffic data from private-sector sources is increasingly used to estimate the travel time reliability of major road infrastructure. However, there is as yet no study evaluating the difference in estimating travel time reliability between the private-sector data and automated vehicle identification (AVI) based on radio frequency identification. As ground truth data, the AVI data were collected from an AVI system using toll tags and aggregated into five-minute intervals. As one of the representative traffic information providers, data from HERE was obtained through the Regional Integrated Traffic Information System, calculated in five-minute intervals. For the comparison, four kinds of measures were selected and estimated on the basis of the day of the week, specific time periods, and time of day in five-minute, 15-minute, and one-hour intervals. The statistical difference in travel time reliability was assessed through paired t-tests. According to the results, AVI and HERE data are comparable based on day of the week, specific time periods, and time of day at one-hour intervals, whereas at five-minute and 15-minute intervals, HERE and AVI data are not generally comparable. Thus, when estimating travel time reliability in real time, travel time reliability derived from HERE data may be different from the true travel time reliability. Considering that private-sector traffic data are currently used to estimate travel time reliability measures, the measures should be harmonized on the basis of robust statistics to provide more consistent measures related to the true travel time reliability.
Quality of Bicycle Traffic Management at Urban Road Links and Signalized Intersections Operating under Mixed Traffic Conditions
Authors: Beura Sambit Kumar , Bhuyan Prasanta Kumar
Published: September 2018

This study proposes bicycle level of service (BLOS) models for the urban road links and signalized intersection approaches operating under heterogeneous traffic flow conditions prevailing in developing countries. Extensive data collection was carried out through field investigations, videography techniques, and perception surveys to inspect which parameters primarily affect the quality of bicycling in the mentioned facilities. As many as 74 road links and 70 intersection approaches of nine different Indian cities were included in the study locations. In addition, the perceived satisfaction ratings of 22,320 on-site bicyclists (i.e., 155 bicyclists from each site) were included in the database. These ratings ranged from 1 to 6 (excellent–worst bicycling conditions), and were used as the array of dependent variable in the model development process. Separate BLOS models were developed for road links and bicycle through movement at signalized intersections through the application of a novel evolutionary artificial intelligence technique, namely multi-gene genetic programming. The link model included eight significant variables in total whereas the intersection model included a total of seven. With compacted structures, both models represented excellent reliabilities in the present context and produced high coefficient of determination ( R2) values of above 0.86 with averaged observations. These models will help traffic planners and engineers to evaluate the service levels of urban bicycle facilities of developing countries. Statistical analysis of modeled parameters has reported that the traffic volume and crossing pedestrians have the highest influences on the quality of bicycle traffic management at urban road links and intersection approaches, respectively.
Incidence and variables associated with short and long-term mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and sepsis admitted in intensive care units
Authors: Abramovich E , Barrett O , Dreiher J , Novack V , Abu-Shakra M
Published: September 2018

Background

Infections are common among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality.

Objectives

To determine whether SLE is an independent risk factor for short- and long-term mortality in patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with sepsis, and to identify the characteristics of SLE patients admitted to an ICU with sepsis.

Methods

A retrospective age- and sex-matched cohort study, based on data of the SEPSIS-ISR (Sepsis Israel) Registry, an ongoing study that collects data on all patients admitted with sepsis to the ICUs. The primary outcome was to determine whether SLE is an independent risk factor for 30-day and 3-year mortality. Secondary outcomes were 30-day and 3-year survival rates, and the identification of variables associated with mortality within the group of patients with SLE.

Results

In total, 29 SLE and 87 non-SLE patients (median age 55 years; 79.3% females) were included. The primary sites of infection as well as pathogen distributions were similar between the two groups. The most common infections among the SLE and non-SLE patients were pneumonia (48.3 vs. 31%, p = 0.09), urinary tract infection (20.7 vs. 14.9%, p = 0.56) and peritonitis (13.8 vs. 16.1%, p = 0.77). Severe sepsis and septic shock were diagnosed in 79.3 versus 80.5% ( p = 0.89) and 55.2 versus 33.3% ( p = 0.04) of the SLE and non-SLE patients, respectively. The 30-day and 3-year survival rates did not differ between SLE and non-SLE patients, and were 69 versus 67.8% ( p = 0.79) and 41.4 versus 47.1% ( p = 0.69), respectively. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, age (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–1.05) and cardiovascular involvement during sepsis (HR = 3.32; 95% CI 1.4–7.86) were significant independent risk factors for 30-day mortality. Multiorgan dysfunction during sepsis admission was associated with increased 3-year mortality (HR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.07–1.75).

Conclusions

SLE is not an independent risk factor for 30-day or 3-year mortality following ICU admission with sepsis. Increased late mortality was associated with congestive heart failure within the SLE patients alone. None of the SLE-related variables were statistically different between the living and deceased SLE patients.
9-year review of new psychoactive substance use in Hong Kong: A clinical laboratory perspective
Authors: Tang Magdalene HY , Hung LY , Lai CK , Ching CK , Mak Tony Wing Lai
Published: September 2018

Background:

New psychoactive substances are constantly evolving structural analogues of traditional drugs of abuse that have become a threat to public health worldwide and within our locality. An understanding of the local pattern of new psychoactive substance use will help guide frontline clinical management.

Objectives:

This study was conducted to review the new psychoactive substances detected in cases referred to the authors’ laboratory (a tertiary clinical toxicology centre), as well as the associated clinical features and toxicological findings.

Methods:

All cases referred to the laboratory for toxicology analysis between January 2009 and December 2017, and which were analytically confirmed to involve new psychoactive substance use, were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data, clinical features and toxicology findings were studied.

Results:

A total of 111 cases involving 104 patients and 22 types of new psychoactive substances were identified, with an increasing trend in the number of cases and subclass of new psychoactive substances detected. Up to half of the cases (n = 64) were related to the use of 2-phenyl-2-(ethylamino)-cyclohexanone (2-oxo-PCE, a ketamine analogue); other new psychoactive substances detected included para-methoxymethamphetamine, 4-fluoroamphetamine, phenazepam, 3-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine, 5-methoxy-diisopropyltryptamine, 2-diphenylmethylpyrrolidine, methoxyphenidine, the N-methoxybenzyl drugs, cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids and opioids. Among the acute poisoning cases attributable to new psychoactive substance use, the severity was fatal (n = 3), severe (n = 17), moderate (n = 67) and minor (n = 17). And 11 patients required intensive care unit admission. All three fatal cases were associated with para-methoxymethamphetamine use.

Conclusion:

A rising trend of new psychoactive substance use is observed locally, which is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Continued vigilance from frontline clinicians and medical professionals is imperative in the combat against new psychoactive substance use.
Ixekizumab: A Review of Its Use for the Management of Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis
Authors: Shelton Sydney K. , Bai Sandra R. , Jordan Joseph K. , Sheehan Amy Heck
Published: September 2018

Objective: To review the efficacy, safety, and place in therapy of ixekizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Data Sources: PubMed (1966 to July 2018) and clinicaltrials.gov were searched using the terms ixekizumab, LY2439821, interleukin-17, and psoriasis. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Human studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals in English were used. Data Synthesis: The efficacy and safety of ixekizumab has been primarily reported by 4 phase III trials (UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2, UNCOVER-3, and UNCOVER-J) and multiple post hoc analyses. The average proportions of patients achieving a 75%, 90%, and 100% reduction in their Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) were 89%, 70%, and 38%, respectively, after 12 weeks of therapy. PASI75 was maintained for up to 3 years in 80.5% of participants. Ixekizumab was statistically significantly more effective than ustekinumab, with 76.5%, compared with 59%, of patients achieving PASI90 in 52 weeks. The most common adverse events include nasopharyngitis (14.1%), upper respiratory tract infections (7.9%), and injection-site reactions (6.8%), which are similar to that for other biological agents. The risk of inflammatory bowel disease may be increased with ixekizumab. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This review summarizes and evaluates clinical data regarding the efficacy and safety of ixekizumab and discusses relevant differences compared with other biological agents used for the management of chronic plaque psoriasis. Conclusions: Ixekizumab is a highly efficacious and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
An analytical investigation of the best stacking sequence of a symmetric laminated composite plate weakened by a hole
Authors: Patel Nirav P , Sharma Dharmendra S
Published: September 2018

The investigation of the best set of fiber arrangements of a composite laminated structure under various loading conditions is very challenging and the analytical derivation is also complex when the laminate contains various shaped discontinuities. In this article, the best stacking sequence is investigated by treating it as an inverse problem, in which the best fiber arrangement is predicted considering maximization of the failure strength as an objective function. This inverse problem is solved using the hybrid genetic algorithm that operates the Tsai–Hill quadratic criterion as a fitness function and stacking sequence as design variables. A 4, 8 and 16-layered symmetrical laminated composite plate containing a triangular and square hole is optimized by considering the in-plane loading conditions, and the stresses in the Tsai–Hill quadratic criterion are calculated by an analytical solution of Muskhelishvili’s complex variable approach. The problem of the calculation of stresses and failure strengths from the estimated fiber arrangement data is presented as a forward problem. The effect of hole geometry and loading angle on an optimum design is also presented. The presented approach will be useful as an effective tool to study composites.
Bodies and emotions in tense and threatening situations
Authors: Keesman Laura D , Weenink Don
Published: September 2018

This study investigates the experiences of social workers with tense and threatening situations in homeless shelters of the Salvation Army in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Clients intimidated and threatened social workers verbally, damaged property and, in some cases, physically assaulted them. The study is based on qualitative analyses of 18 interviews.

Findings

Social workers reported that such situations have intense emotional, bodily and mental impact. Their main concern is to manage overwhelming bodily manifestations of fear and tension to maintain work-related comportment. We demonstrate that social workers use emotion/body work in their attempts to control their own and their clients’ emotions. We also found that social workers’ emotion/body work is informed and supported by feeling rules that revolve around their identity as professionals. Being a professional social worker means to be in control of the situation and to regard the aggression and violence of clients from a distanced, sociologized perspective. Finally, social workers note the longer term emotional consequences of their experiences, but also of their emotion/body work, in the sense that some of them become habituated to violence.

Applications

The study concludes that more systematic attention should be given to the ‘emotion/body' work of social workers who are exposed to tense and threatening situations, in both academic studies and current prevention policies and practices. While the former tend to offer a disembodied view of work place violence, the latter do not give sufficient attention to sharing and reflection on the emotional and bodily experiences among social workers.
Upward or downward? The importance of organizational forms and embedded peer groups for the second generation
Authors: Le Andrew Nova
Published: September 2018

Second-generation assimilation outcomes have been hotly debated amongst migration scholars. While there is a general tendency in the literature to emphasize the positive outcomes of ethnic religious organizational participation, this article explores how some youth downwardly assimilate even though they actively take part in such organizations. This project, on the greater Seattle area Vietnamese Buddhist youth organizations, explores how organizations of various forms, and the peer groups formed within these organizations, play a crucial role in mobility outcomes. Based on 53 interviews with second-generation Vietnamese Americans, this study shows how participation in organizations that are based on horizontal peer groups can result in various assimilation outcomes including the creation of oppositional youth cultures, while organizations centered on vertical intergenerational groups can induce normative values. This article suggests migration scholars refocus on studying the processes that lead to different assimilation outcomes.
Pullout Strength After Multiple Reinsertions in Radial Bone Fixation
Authors: Mejia Alfonso , Solitro Giovanni , Gonzalez Elena , Parekh Amit , Gonzalez Mark , Amirouche Farid
Published: September 2018

Background: Due to bone cutting loss from self-tapping screws (STS), progressive destruction of bone can occur with each reinsertion during surgery. When considering the use of jigs that utilize multiple insertions such as those seen in ulnar and radial shortening osteotomy systems, or scenarios where a screw needs to be removed and reinserted due to some technical issue, this can be concerning, as multiple studies examining the effects of multiple reinsertions and the relationship between insertional torque and pullout strength have had mixed results. Methods: Insertional torque and pullout strength were experimentally measured following multiple reinsertions of STS for up to 5 total insertions for various densities and locations along radial sawbone shafts. Results: Torque and pullout strength were significantly greater in middle segments of the radial shaft. Our trials corroborate previous literature regarding a significant reduction in fixation between 1 and 2 insertions; beyond this, there was no significant difference between pullout strength across all segment locations as well as bone densities for 3 to 5 insertions. There was a moderate to high correlation of insertional torque to pullout strength noted across all bone densities and segments (Pearson r = 0.663, P < .001). Conclusion: While reinsertion of STS between 1 and 2 insertions has been shown to significantly differ in pullout strength, beyond this, there does not appear to be a significant difference in up to 5 insertions at any specific region of radial bone across a range of sawbone densities. Further insertions may be considered with caution.