bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Randomized Controlled Evaluation of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children
Authors: Dunlap Glen , Strain Phillip , Lee Janice K. , Joseph Jaclyn , Leech Nancy
Published: October 2017

Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children (PTR-YC) is a standardized model of positive behavior support designed to deliver individualized interventions for preschool-aged children with severe and persistent challenging behaviors. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare effects of PTR-YC with those of a “business as usual” (BAU) comparison condition implemented over the course of one school semester (approximately 3–4 months). Participants were 169 children in pre-K and Head Start classrooms in two states in the western United States. Mixed ANOVAs revealed statistically significant differences in pre–post scores on the problem behavior and social skills subscales of the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) as well as direct observation from video samples of the children’s appropriate engagement and challenging behavior, with all comparisons favoring the PTR-YC intervention. Results are discussed in terms of the need for effective strategies for enabling early childhood professionals to implement behavioral interventions with fidelity and effectiveness.
Acid–base regulation and sensing: Accelerators and brakes in metabolic regulation of cerebrovascular tone
Authors: Boedtkjer Ebbe
Published: October 2017

Metabolic regulation of cerebrovascular tone directs blood flow to areas of increased neuronal activity and during disease states partially compensates for insufficient perfusion by enhancing blood flow in collateral blood vessels. Acid–base disturbances frequently occur as result of enhanced metabolism or insufficient blood supply, but despite definitive evidence that acid–base disturbances alter arterial tone, effects of individual acid–base equivalents and the underlying signaling mechanisms are still being debated. H+ is an important intra- and extracellular messenger that modifies cerebrovascular tone. In addition, low extracellular [HCO3–] promotes cerebrovascular contraction through an endothelium-dependent mechanism. CO2 alters arterial tone development via changes in intra- and extracellular pH but it is still controversial whether CO2 also has direct vasomotor effects. Vasocontractile responses to low extracellular [HCO3–] and acute CO2-induced decreases in intracellular pH can counteract H+-mediated vasorelaxation during metabolic and respiratory acidosis, respectively, and may thereby reduce the risk of capillary damage and cerebral edema that could be consequences of unopposed vasodilation. In this review, the signaling mechanisms for acid–base equivalents in cerebral arteries and the mechanisms of intracellular pH control in the arterial wall are discussed in the context of metabolic regulation of cerebrovascular tone and local perfusion.
The Curious Case of the Coding and Self-Ratings Mismatches: A Methodological and Theoretical Detective Story
Authors: Panattoni Katherine , McLean Kate C.
Published: October 2017

In this article, we investigate methodological and theoretical constraints implicated by findings of low correlations between researcher codings and participant ratings of conceptually similar narrative features. We discuss potential explanations for these puzzling mismatches from a measurement perspective and from theoretical perspectives drawn from personality, developmental, and cognitive literatures. The mismatches raise questions for traditional theoretical assumptions of narrative identity as being internalized and subjective and may reflect different narrative constructs created through two different social contexts.
Longitudinal Relations Between Self-Defining Memories and Self-Esteem: Mediating Roles of Meaning-Making and Memory Function
Authors: Liao Hsiao-Wen , Bluck Susan , Westerhof Gerben J.
Published: October 2017

The present study examines Hsiao-Wen Liao is now at the Department of Psychology, Stanford University, CA, USA. the role of self-defining memories in predicting self-esteem using a 1-year longitudinal design with an adult lifespan sample ( N = 1,216; age range 18–92; Mage = 49.52; SDage = 17.25). The interplay between narrators’ personality at the life story level and two social-cognitive processes, meaning-making and functional memory use, is investigated. Participants provided three self-defining memories, and their personality positivity was assessed in terms of the ratio of positive-to-all memories. Memory narratives were reliably coded for meaning-making, and participants reported the extent to which they use each remembered event to serve adaptive functions. One year later, participants completed a measure of self-esteem. Personality positivity at Time 1 predicts greater self-esteem at Time 2. The effect of personality positivity occurs, however, completely through creating positive meaning and using memories functionally. The findings contribute to the literature on narrative identity and autobiographical memory by delineating how memory processes relate to self-regulation over time. The relative roles of personality and social-cognitive processes in autobiographical narratives in linking to self-esteem are discussed.
Imagery as a Skill: Longitudinal Analysis of Changes in Motivational Imagery
Authors: Gregg Melanie , Hall Craig
Published: October 2017

Imagery intervention research indicates that athletes improve their imagery skill through practice. As a skill, imagery is expected to improve over time only if athletes increase their use of imagery (i.e., engage in imagery practice). Forty-four track-and-field athletes striving for selection to national games completed the Sport Imagery Questionnaire to assess imagery use and the Motivational Imagery Ability Measure to assess imagery ability. The athletes completed the measures three times within 13 months prior to the games. Although cognitive general imagery use increased over time, paired t-tests indicated that there were no other significant changes across the functions of imagery use. For motivational imagery ability, there were minimal changes from Time 1 to Time 3 indicating the athletes’ motivational imagery ability remained relatively stable. These results add support for targeted imagery interventions as athletes do not spontaneously or independently begin to increase their use of imagery; athletes need purposeful interventions to realize improvements in imagery skills.
Detection of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque during thoracic endovascular aortic repair using nonobstructive angioscopy
Authors: Murakami Takashi , Komatsu Sei , Kodama Kazuhisa , Shibata Toshihiko
Published: October 2017

An angioscope was used to observe the intima of the aorta in an 82-year-old patient who had undergone thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The aortic angioscopic findings showed vulnerable plaques from the ascending aorta to the aortic arch that had not been visualized using preoperative computed tomography. After deploying a stent graft from zone 1 to zone 4, the proximal edge of the stent graft was adjacent to the ruptured plaque with mixed thrombi. In spite of these findings, the patient had an uneventful recovery. Angioscopy may have the potential to stratify the risk of thoracic endovascular aortic repair-related complications.
Effect of Tai Chi Chuan on degeneration of lumbar vertebrae and lumbar discs in middle-aged and aged people: a cross-sectional study based on magnetic resonance images
Authors: Deng Chenghu , Xia Wei
Published: October 2017

Objective

Exercise has a positive effect on physical fitness. Tai Chi Chuan is a traditional Chinese aerobic exercise. We assessed the effect of Tai Chi on the degeneration of lumbar vertebrae and lumbar discs with magnetic resonance images.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study involved 2 groups of participants: 27 Tai Chi practitioners with more than 4 years of experience with regular Tai Chi exercise and 24 sex- and age-matched participants without Tai Chi experience. The lumbar magnetic resonance images of all participants were collected. The numbers of degenerated lumbar vertebrae and lumbar discs were evaluated by the same radiologist, who was blind to the grouping.

Results

The Tai Chi practitioners had significantly fewer degenerated lumbar vertebrae (1.9) and lumbar discs (2.3) than the control group (2.6 and 2.9, respectively). The most severely affected lumbar vertebrae and discs were L5 and L4/L5, respectively.

Conclusion

Regular performance of the simplified Tai Chi 24 form could possibly retard the degeneration of lumbar vertebrae and lumbar discs in middle-aged and aged people.
Hip Hop World News: reporting back
Authors: Berkson Sam
Published: October 2017

Responding to the BBC 4 documentary, The Hip Hop World News, the author examines a number of debates that the programme, narrated by Rodney P, a pioneer of British rap music, and a believer in the revolutionary potential of hip hop culture, throws up. For hip hop also has many reactionary elements and has become big business for the corporations and rap ‘stars’ involved in its production. Beyond just pointing to individual rappers who have been ‘conscious’ political voices, such as Public Enemy’s Chuck D, we are shown structures embedded in the origins and ‘elements’ of hip hop that continue to make it a ‘voice of the voiceless’. Some people, like Lord Jamar, who is interviewed on the documentary, have argued that hip hop as a black art form can only be performed by black artists, yet, as Rodney P points out, hip hop has been adopted everywhere to express and transmit the situations and struggles of marginalised and oppressed groups all over the globe.
Abolitionist futures and the US sanctuary movement
Authors: Paik A. Naomi
Published: October 2017

This article focuses on the histories, current challenges, and future directions of the sanctuary movement in the United States, which is becoming a central front of resistance to the administration of Donald Trump. The article is comprised of three main components. It discusses the history of the US sanctuary movement and situates it in the context of the rise of neoliberalism and its attendant escalating criminalisation, particularly since the 1980s, when the first iteration of the movement began. The article then discusses the limits of sanctuary, rooted in the movement’s liberal framework that risks reproducing the exclusions it has sought to dismantle. It nevertheless argues for the importance of sanctuary in opposing the Trump regime, while advocating that the movement adopt a more radical framework and solidarity-organising strategies inspired by the prison abolition movement.
Just wars of accumulation: the Salamanca School, race and colonial capitalism
Authors: Bohrer Ashley J.
Published: October 2017

This paper explores the links between international law, race and colonial capitalism through the Spanish and Portuguese Conquests of the Americas. Turning to the early modern philosophers of the School of Salamanca, Bohrer argues that economic theories of emergent capitalism are deeply intertwined with the racial theories of colonial conquest. Moreover, through a close reading of these texts, and in particular of the texts of Francisco de Vitoria, this paper argues that the conceptions of international trade, commerce and travel at the heart of liberal notions of international law are themselves suffused with the logics of racism, colonisation, and capitalist accumulation.
Remembering Balfour: empire, race and propaganda
Authors: Freeman-Maloy Dan
Published: October 2017

To mark the centenary of the Balfour Declaration (November 1917), which paved the way towards the dispossession of the Palestinians, this article reflects on how imperial strategy, ideas about race, and institutionalised propaganda converged to shape Britain’s contribution to the ‘Palestine problem’. The author illustrates the imperial tradition that shaped British support for Zionism by tracing the trajectory of John Buchan’s career. Buchan was an influential novelist, best known as the author of adventure stories including The Thirty-Nine Steps. He wrote in the service of Empire. During the first world war, Buchan spearheaded propaganda for the Empire’s eastward expansion and directed the propaganda service as Palestine fell to British troops. He began his career in South Africa, mentored by Lord Milner, and worked as a literary spokesperson for the policy of white rule. He ended it in Canada, serving as the country’s Governor General. This article foregrounds Canada as a settler polity with a privileged place in Buchan’s philosophy, and where Buchan’s approach to supporting Zionism thrived. And it explores Buchan’s hostile construction both of a menacing Islam and of ‘the Jew’. Buchan was not the only Briton to disparage Jews ‘at home’ only to find a place for them on the frontier.
The verification of strains obtained by grid measurements using digital image processing for sheet metal formability
Authors: Yildiz Rasid Ahmed , Yilmaz Safak
Published: October 2017

Grid marking, which is applied before mechanical tests, is a crucial step in formability tests. In this study, four different grid marking methods, serigraphy, electro-chemical etching, photo-chemical etching, and laser marking techniques, were investigated for the stability of grids and their measurement accuracy. After examining the performance of the grid marking methods, laser marking has been selected to obtain grids on the surface of aluminum alloy parts. To evaluate the efficiency of the strains calculation using grids, tensile tests were conducted that considered different levels of elongation. A forming limit diagram of the 6061-T6 Al alloy was constructed to demonstrate the influence of possible measurement errors. Verification of grid strain evaluation revealed that the error in size measurements is dependent on overall strain values and reduced with increasing overall strain as expected. The maximum error of the implemented method does not exceed 1% when 9% of overall uniform elongation is reached. The approach used in the study provides sufficient accuracy for evaluating strains in principal axis of deformed circular grids with minimalized costs.
Administrators’ Perceptions of Oral Health Care and Cancer Screening in Long-Term Care Nursing Facilities
Authors: Maramaldi Peter , Cadet Tamara , Burke Shanna , LeCloux Mary , White Erina , Kinnunen Taru Hannele , Kalenderian Elsbeth
Published: October 2017

An estimated 1.7 million adults in the United States more than the age of 65 reside in long-term care nursing facilities (LTCNFs), and only 17% of them receive dental care. More than 83% of LTCNF residents require assistance with oral care. Adequate dental care is a preventative behavior for oral cancer. Adults more than age 65 will account for 60% of oral cancer–related deaths, despite an 80% cure rate for early diagnosis. This study sought to expand knowledge of the perceived benefits, barriers, and ability to perform or provide for oral health care and oral cancer screening as reported by Administrators and Directors of Nursing in LTCNFs. Findings indicate that competing demands for resources make oral health a low priority issue and low knowledge about oral cancer risk among nursing home residents, family members, and staff is a barrier. Potential interventions suggested by participants are discussed.
The Forgotten 90%: Adult Nonparticipation in Education
Authors: Patterson Margaret Becker
Published: October 2017

Despite a highly developed U.S. adult education system, 90% of adults aged 20 years and older considered the least educated did not participate recently in formal or nonformal education. What are nonparticipants’ characteristics, learning backgrounds, and skill levels? What predicts their likelihood of not participating in recent formal or nonformal education? The author analyzed 2012/2014 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies–USA data. Situational deterrents of increasing age, parental education, low income, and work and family responsibilities contribute to nonparticipation. Dispositional deterrents include health and disability challenges, low social trust, and difficulties relating new ideas to real life. Institutional deterrents are education costs and little work schedule flexibility. Supports reported by nonparticipants are liking to learn new things, use of computers, and getting information from television and people they trust. Results from Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies–USA analyses inform adult and postsecondary educators and policy makers on what happened to—and how to reach—the forgotten 90%.
Technology-Aided Instruction and Intervention for Students With ASD: A Meta-Analysis Using Novel Methods of Estimating Effect Sizes for Single-Case Research
Authors: Barton Erin E. , Pustejovsky James E. , Maggin Daniel M. , Reichow Brian
Published: October 2017

The adoption of methods and strategies validated through rigorous, experimentally oriented research is a core professional value of special education. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the experimental literature on Technology-Aided Instruction and Intervention (TAII) using research identified as part of the National Autism Professional Development Project. We applied novel between-case effect size methods to the TAII single-case research base. In addition, we used meta-analytic methodologies to examine the methodological quality of the research, calculate average effect sizes to quantify the level of evidence for TAII, and compare effect sizes across single-case and group-based experimental research. Results identified one category of TAII—computer-assisted instruction—as an evidence-based practice across both single-case and group studies. The remaining two categories of TAII—augmentative and alternative communication and virtual reality—were not identified as evidence-based using What Works Clearinghouse summary ratings.
Mathematics Interventions for Upper Elementary and Secondary Students: A Meta-Analysis of Research
Authors: Stevens Elizabeth A. , Rodgers Melissa A. , Powell Sarah R.
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this review was to conduct a meta-analysis of 25 years of mathematics interventions for students with mathematics difficulty or disability in Grades 4 through 12. A search of the literature yielded 25 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Studies were coded to extract important study information (e.g., participant information, research design, description of treatment, and comparison groups) and data needed to calculate Hedge’s g. We used robust variance estimation (RVE) to address dependence resulting from multiple outcomes per study. The RVE random-effects model estimated a treatment effect of 0.85. After adjusting for small-study effects, the final model estimated an underlying, moderate effect of 0.49 with a large amount of unexplained heterogeneity between studies. Studies with more than 15 hr of treatment and those focused on fraction content significantly moderated mathematics outcomes. Findings are limited by extreme variability across study estimates, the lack of standardized mathematics measures, and a limited number of studies across 25 years of research.
The Interaction Between Observer Sex and Sexual Identity on Attributions of Blame With a Heterosexual Female Victim
Authors: Diamond-Welch Bridget K. , Mann Olivia , Bass Melissa L. , Tollini Craig
Published: October 2017

This article examines the difference in blame attribution between men and women, heterosexuals and homosexuals, and heterosexual males, heterosexual females, gay males, and lesbians in response to a vignette depicting the acquaintance rape of a heterosexual female ( n = 177). While the levels of empathy for the victim and blaming of the perpetrator were high for every group and blaming of the victim and rape myth acceptance were low for every group, some important trends emerged. Consistent with previous research, women reported higher rates of empathy for the victim, lower rape myth acceptance, and lower victim blaming than did men. Men and homosexuals had higher rates of victim blaming and were more likely to excuse the perpetrator’s behavior than were women and heterosexuals, respectively. Lesbians had various patterns where they were at times more similar to heterosexual males (e.g., how much they blamed the perpetrator) or heterosexual females (e.g. in terms of empathy levels). They were consistently different from gay males. Further, the majority of differences were attributed to gay males, who had the highest levels of victim blaming and empathy for the perpetrator, were the most likely to excuse the perpetrator’s behavior, and had the highest rate of rape myth acceptance of all of the groups. We conclude that sex and sexual identity interact to shape attributions about rape and discuss avenues for future research to explore these patterns.
Transformational Leadership and Incivility: A Multilevel and Longitudinal Test
Authors: Bureau Julien S. , Gagné Marylène , Morin Alexandre J. S. , Mageau Geneviève A.
Published: October 2017

This research examines group-level perceptions of transformational leadership (TFL) as negative longitudinal predictors of witnessing person-related (e.g., insults/affronts) and work-related (e.g., negation/intentional work overload) acts of incivility at work. Witnessing workplace incivility was also postulated to negatively predict employee need satisfaction. Data were collected among production employees in different Canadian plants of a major manufacturing company ( N = 344) who worked for 42 different managers ( Mgroup size = 9.76). Two waves of data collection occurred 1 year apart. Results from multilevel analyses showed that workgroups where managers were perceived to engage in more frequent TFL behaviors reported reduced levels of person- and work-related incivility 1 year later. However, group-level incivility did not predict change in group-level need satisfaction 1 year later. At the individual level, results showed that witnessing higher levels of person-related incivility than one’s colleagues predicted reduced satisfaction of the need for relatedness 1 year later. These longitudinal findings build upon previous literature by identifying TFL as a potential managerial strategy to reduce incivility in workgroups over time. They also show that mere exposure to workplace misbehavior still affects employees’ adjustment, suggesting that every effort to reduce deviance in workplaces is worthwhile.
Possible Garcinia cambogia-Induced Mania With Psychosis: A Case Report
Authors: Nguyen David C. , Timmer Tysen K. , Davison Blair C. , McGrane Ian R.
Published: October 2017

Garcinia cambogia is a Southeast Asian fruit becoming increasingly popular as a weight management supplement. Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) is the primary active ingredient which demonstrates serotonergic- and muscarinic-enhancing properties via inhibition of selective serotonin reuptake and acetylcholinesterase. We report a young adult female with no history of bipolar disorder who developed mania and psychosis approximately 1 week following initiation of G cambogia and the Cleanse and Detox™ dietary supplement manufactured by Apex Vitality Health. She presented with a predominantly expansive mood, psychomotor agitation, disorganized and pressured speech, flight of ideas, grandiosity, delusions, and auditory hallucinations. Following discontinuation of G cambogia and the initiation of lithium and quetiapine, the patient experienced rapid and progressive mood stabilization and was discharged after 8 days. Seven previous case reports associating (hypo)mania and/or psychosis with G cambogia consumption have been published. The chronology of mania and/or psychosis onset may appear between 1 and 8 weeks following initiation of G cambogia. Psychiatric symptoms have resolved with G cambogia discontinuation in some instances and may not require chronic pharmacotherapy. Our report should encourage further research and case reports regarding this adverse event and the reconciliation of complete herbal supplement use at clinic visits and hospital admissions.
Medical Students’ Perceptions on the Role of Pharmacists
Authors: Wolfe Macey E. , Moeller Karen E. , Woods Barbara
Published: October 2017

Background:

Over the last decade, the pharmacists’ role in health-care services has evolved and expanded to include more direct patient care and disease management services.

Objective:

To evaluate medical students’ perceptions on pharmacists, their role in health care, and demographic or experiential factors that influenced the medical students’ opinions.

Methods:

Medical students, at a Midwest, academic medical center, were solicited to complete a cross-sectional, web-based survey consisting of 3 domains: basic demographics, knowledge of the pharmacy profession, and opinions of pharmacists.

Results:

Participants supported pharmacists’ role in recommending and monitoring drug therapy. However, participants did not support pharmacists’ role in performing physical examinations, health screenings, or managing patients with chronic diseases. The main factors that influenced perceptions of pharmacists were female gender and frequent (weekly or more) interaction with a pharmacist or pharmacy student. Neither year in medical school nor participation in intercollaborative practice significantly influenced perceptions of pharmacists.

Conclusion:

This survey highlights the need to improve the education medical students receive about pharmacists’ contribution to the health-care team and the importance of increasing the interaction between medical students and pharmacists or pharmacy students to enhance interprofessional collaboration.
Optimal Intensity of Warfarin Therapy in Patients With Mechanical Aortic Valves
Authors: Kido Kazuhiko , Ball Jennifer
Published: October 2017

Objective:

To review the current guidelines and published literature in order to identify the evidence-based international normalized ratio (INR) goal in patients with a mechanical aortic valve.

Data Sources:

Medline/PubMed, Cochrane and Google Scholar database searches for relevant articles from 1946 through March 2017 were executed using the key words “mechanical aortic valve” and “antithrombotic therapy or anticoagulation therapy or warfarin.”

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

All English-language observational and interventional studies assessing INR goals in patients with a mechanical aortic valve were evaluated.

Results:

After low thrombogenic valves became standard in the practice, the INR goal decreased to 2 to 3 in low-risk recipients with most of bileaflet mechanical aortic valves. There is a paucity of data to justify the INR goal of 2 to 3 in high-risk patients. Until further higher evidence is available, it is reasonable to target an INR range of 2.5 to 3.5 in patients with risk factors for thromboembolism with low thrombogenic valves, except for On-X valve. The INR goal in high-risk On-X aortic valve recipients can be managed at 1.5 to 2.5 with low-dose aspirin 3 months after valve implantation.

Conclusion:

The INR goals of 2 to 3 for low risk and 2.5 to 3.5 for high risk should be considered for bileaflet mechanical aortic valve recipients. Additionally, a lower INR goal of 2 to 3 for the first 3 months after valve replacement followed by an INR goal of 1.5 to 2.5 in both low- and high-risk aortic On-X valve recipients may be considered.
Tuneable model predictive control of a turbocharged diesel engine with dual loop exhaust gas recirculation
Authors: Zhang Yunfan , Lu Guoxiang , Xu Hongming , Li Ziyang
Published: October 2017

The air path of a turbocharged diesel engine is a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system with strong nonlinearity, coupling effect, delay and actuator constraints. This makes the design and tuning of the controller complex. In this paper, a tuneable model predictive control (TMPC) controller for a diesel engine’s air path with dual loop exhaust gas recirculation (DLEGR) is presented. The objective is to regulate the intake manifold pressure and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) mass flow in each loop to meet the time-varying setpoints through coordinated control of the variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) and EGR valves. The TMPC controller adopts the design framework of an MPC controller. This controller is also able to provide a map-based switching scheme for the local controller and the controller’s weightings. A comparison between the TMPC controller and a conventional PID controller is conducted on a validated real-time engine model. The simulation results show that the TMPC controller achieves lower overshoot, faster response and a shorter settling time on the manipulated objects. These improvements are beneficial for obtaining lower fuel consumption. In order to test the capability of the TMPC controller, it is validated on a hardware in the loop (HIL) platform. The results show that the agreement between the simulation and the actual ECU’s response is good.
Speed-dependent coordinated control of differential and assisted steering for in-wheel motor driven electric vehicles
Authors: Chen Te , Xu Xing , Li Yong , Wang Wujie , Chen Long
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we present a coordinated control system of differential and assisted steering for in-wheel motor driven (IMD) electric vehicles (EVs) with two independent front-wheel drives. An electric differential (ED) control strategy is proposed to track the expected yaw rate based on sliding mode control (SMC). Meanwhile, to realize differential drive assisted steering (DDAS), a variable speed integral PID controller is used to follow the ideal steering wheel torque. The impacts of the coupling with the ED and DDAS systems on EVs are analyzed, and a coordinated control system with adaptive weighting dependent on vehicle speed is designed. Results of the simulation on the CarSim-Simulink joint platform for IMD EVs model show that the proposed coordinated control approach can effectively reduce the torque of a steering wheel while ensuring the vehicle’s stability. Finally, road testing results of IMD EVs are demonstrated to be comparable with joint simulations, indicating the correctness of this solution.
Celastrol ameliorates acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells
Authors: Jannuzzi AT , Kara M , Alpertunga B
Published: October 2017

Acetaminophen (APAP) is the most commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drug in the world. However, hepatotoxicity caused by APAP overdose is the most frequent cause of acute liver failure worldwide and oxidative stress involved in the pathogenesis of APAP hepatotoxicity. Celastrol is a natural triterpenoid derived from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential ameliorative effects of celastrol against APAP-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) were incubated with 20 mM of APAP for 24 h and posttreated with 50 nM, 100 nM, or 200 nM of celastrol for a further 24 h. The methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide, lactate dehydrogenase, and neutral red uptake assays showed celastrol posttreatments recovered cell viability and cell membrane integrity in a concentration-dependent manner. Celastrol posttreatments exerted a significant increase in the glutathione content and a decrease in the malondialdehyde and protein carbonylation levels. Also, celastrol posttreatments attenuated the APAP-induced oxidative stress by raising glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase activities. However, superoxide dismutase activity did not change. In conclusion, celastrol treatment may improve cell viability and increase cellular antioxidant defense in HepG2 cells. These results suggest that celastrol may have the potential to ameliorate the APAP-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity.
Tumor SHB gene expression affects disease characteristics in human acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Jamalpour Maria , Li Xiujuan , Cavelier Lucia , Gustafsson Karin , Mostoslavsky Gustavo , Höglund Martin , Welsh Michael
Published: October 2017

The mouse Shb gene coding for the Src Homology 2-domain containing adapter protein B has recently been placed in context of BCRABL1-induced myeloid leukemia in mice and the current study was performed in order to relate SHB to human acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Publicly available AML databases were mined for SHB gene expression and patient survival. SHB gene expression was determined in the Uppsala cohort of AML patients by qPCR. Cell proliferation was determined after SHB gene knockdown in leukemic cell lines. Despite a low frequency of SHB gene mutations, many tumors overexpressed SHB mRNA compared with normal myeloid blood cells. AML patients with tumors expressing low SHB mRNA displayed longer survival times. A subgroup of AML exhibiting a favorable prognosis, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with a PMLRARA translocation, expressed less SHB mRNA than AML tumors in general. When examining genes co-expressed with SHB in AML tumors, four other genes ( PAX5, HDAC7, BCORL1, TET1) related to leukemia were identified. A network consisting of these genes plus SHB was identified that relates to certain phenotypic characteristics, such as immune cell, vascular and apoptotic features. SHB knockdown in the APL PMLRARA cell line NB4 and the monocyte/macrophage cell line MM6 adversely affected proliferation, linking SHB gene expression to tumor cell expansion and consequently to patient survival. It is concluded that tumor SHB gene expression relates to AML survival and its subgroup APL. Moreover, this gene is included in a network of genes that plays a role for an AML phenotype exhibiting certain immune cell, vascular and apoptotic characteristics.
“To Promote That Demand”
Authors: Malone Edward A. , Wright David
Published: October 2017

Although various types of documents are called white papers, in technical marketing communication the white paper is usually a document that describes a new or improved technology in order to generate interest in—and promote sales of—that technology. Most sources discussing the history of the white paper assume that marketing white papers evolved from government white papers. They conflate genre history with etymology. At some point in the mid-20th century, the term white paper—denoting a type of government policy document—began being applied to other types of documents, including eventually a particular form of technical marketing communication. This article proposes a revised history of the marketing white paper as a genre. By examining the formal features and characteristic substance of white papers through the lens of their pragmatic value as social action, we show that the marketing white paper of today has much in common with documents from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.
Organizational Routines and Institutional Maintenance: The Influence of Legal Artifacts
Authors: Royer Isabelle , Daniel Alexandre
Published: October 2017

This article investigates how managers perform routines under artifacts in an institutionalized environment designed to exert pressure to comply. Using the framework of routines as generative systems, we studied the legally regulated disciplinary sanction routine in French public nursing homes. We found that managers tend to choose lesser penalties than those specified by law, and that legal artifacts have both coercive and symbolic dimensions that influence routines in different ways. The coercive dimension favors compliance with formal procedures but motivates departure in substance (penalty). In contrast, the symbolic dimension motivates compliance in substance and leads to complementary actions. The combination of the opposed influences tends to limit departure in substance, and helps maintain both artifacts and the institution that they carry. Our findings contribute to linking the routine and institutional literatures, and may be of interest to organizational control scholars.
Assessment of Headache Among High School Students in Jordan
Authors: ALBashtawy Mohammed , Al Qadire Mohammad , Aloush Sami , Tawalbeh Loai , AlAzzam Manar , Suliman Mohammad , Batiha Abdul-Monim , Alhalaiqa Fadwa , Alshakh Hind , Abd Al-Rahman Areej
Published: October 2017

Headache is considered one of the most common complaints affecting all ages: children, adolescents, and adults. A school-based, cross-sectional study was conducted to assess primary headache among high school students aged 16–18 in Grades 11–12, over a period of 3 weeks (May 2017). A questionnaire was designed, in accordance with the International Headache Society’s criteria. The Pearson’s χ2 test was computed to show the differences between the variables. Nearly two thirds of the students reported having headache (19.0% tension-type headache, 8.8% migraine, and 39.0% unknown type). Nearly a quarter sought help for headache, and the most frequently used analgesic was acetaminophen (82.2%) followed by aspirin (5.1%). The current study revealed that the prevalence of headache and migraine was initially high and increased with age. Moreover, headache is one of the major public health problems among high school students. An education program conducted by school nurses and other health-care providers regarding headache and migraine is needed.
“Not My Father’s Son”: Qualitative Investigation of U.S. Men’s Perceptions of Their Fathers’ Expectations and Influence
Authors: Levant Ronald F. , Gerdes Zachary T. , Jadaszewski Stefan , Alto Kathleen M.
Published: October 2017

The present study examined men’s perceptions of their father’s general expectations of them when they were growing up and what the effects have been on their lives. Previous research suggests fathers influence sons’ development, but few studies have examined sons’ perceptions qualitatively. Participants were 252 demographically diverse community-dwelling and college men (ages 18-78; 36.5% men of color). Descriptive coding and content analysis were used to analyze written open-ended responses from an online questionnaire. Results suggest that fathers’ expectations for their sons are quite influential. Common topics of expectations reported by participants included Academics, Work Ethic, Athletics, Family, Career, Independence and Self-Reliance, Authenticity, and Happiness. Sons who perceived their fathers as supporting their authentic selves without having unattainable expectations reported positive impacts. Rigid and ill-fitting expectations may have negative effects. These findings suggest fathers are an important influence on their sons with positive or negative impacts on their well-being, depending on how well the expectations fit their sons.
Encountered but Not Engaged: Examining the Use of Social Media for Science Communication by Chinese Scientists
Authors: Jia Hepeng , Wang Dapeng , Miao Weishan , Zhu Hongjun
Published: October 2017

Thus far, few studies have examined how scientists choose different social media platforms, or how using multiple platforms of social media is related to public engagement with science. This article investigates the role of social media in China’s science communication and scientists’ selective use of them. We found that social media enabled Chinese scientists to avoid relying on legacy media and to develop more interdisciplinary collaborations. In the process, these scientists strategically chose different social media platforms to increase controllability. Despite their preference for the approach of knowledge dissemination rather than dialogues, Chinese scientists tried to avoid the bureaucratic practice of science communication, and instead, they promoted some level of public participation.
Redefining ADHD Using an Adult Population: Should Inattention be Viewed as a Separate Dimension From Cognitive and Physiological Activity Level?
Authors: Miller Nathan , Prevatt Frances
Published: October 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to reexamine the latent structure of ADHD and sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) due to issues with construct validity. Two proposed changes to the construct include viewing hyperactivity and sluggishness (hypoactivity) as a single continuum of activity level, and viewing inattention as a separate dimension from activity level. Method: Data were collected from 1,398 adults using Amazon’s MTurk. A new scale measuring activity level was developed, and scores of Inattention were regressed onto scores of Activity Level using curvilinear regression. Results: The Activity Level scale showed acceptable levels of internal consistency, normality, and unimodality. Curvilinear regression indicates that a quadratic (curvilinear) model accurately explains a small but significant portion of the variance in levels of inattention. Conclusion: Hyperactivity and hypoactivity may be viewed as a continuum, rather than separate disorders. Inattention may have a U-shaped relationship with activity level. Linear analyses may be insufficient and inaccurate for studying ADHD.
Empirically Derived Profiles of Teacher Stress, Burnout, Self-Efficacy, and Coping and Associated Student Outcomes
Authors: Herman Keith C. , Hickmon-Rosa Jal’et , Reinke Wendy M.
Published: October 2017

Understanding how teacher stress, burnout, coping, and self-efficacy are interrelated can inform preventive and intervention efforts to support teachers. In this study, we explored these constructs to determine their relation to student outcomes, including disruptive behaviors and academic achievement. Participants in this study were 121 teachers and 1,817 students in grades kindergarten to fourth from nine elementary schools in an urban Midwestern school district. Latent profile analysis was used to determine patterns of teacher adjustment in relation to stress, coping, efficacy, and burnout. These profiles were then linked to student behavioral and academic outcomes. Four profiles of teacher adjustment were identified. Three classes were characterized by high levels of stress and were distinguished by variations in coping and burnout ranging from (a) high coping/low burnout (60%) to (b) moderate coping and burnout (30%), to (c) low coping/high burnout (3%). The fourth class was distinguished by low stress, high coping, and low burnout. Only 7% of the sample fell into this Well-Adjusted class. Teachers in the high stress, high burnout, and low coping class were associated with the poorest student outcomes. Implications for supporting teachers to maximize student outcomes are discussed.
Efficacy of Intra-articular Injection of a Newly Developed Plasma Rich in Growth Factor (PRGF) Versus Hyaluronic Acid on Pain and Function of Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Single-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Raeissadat Seyed Ahmad , Rayegani Seyed Mansoor , Ahangar Azadeh Gharooee , Abadi Porya Hassan , Mojgani Parviz , Ahangar Omid Gharooi
Published: October 2017

Background and objectives:

Knee osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of intra-articular injection of a newly developed plasma rich in growth factor (PRGF) versus hyaluronic acid (HA) on pain and function of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods:

In this single-blinded randomized clinical trial, patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of knee were assigned to receive 2 intra-articular injections of our newly developed PRGF in 3 weeks or 3 weekly injections of HA. Our primary outcome was the mean change from baseline until 2 and 6 months post intervention in scores of visual analog scale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Lequesne index. We used analysis of variance for repeated-measures statistical test.

Results:

A total of 69 patients entered final analysis. The mean age of patients was 58.2 ± 7.41 years and 81.2% were women. In particular, total WOMAC index decreased from 42.9 ± 13.51 to 26.8 ± 13.45 and 24.4 ± 16.54 at 2 and 6 months in the newly developed PRGF group (within subjects P = .001), and from 38.8 ± 12.62 to 27.8 ± 11.01 and 27.4 ± 11.38 at 2 and 6 months in the HA group (within subjects P = .001), respectively (between subjects P = .631). There was no significant difference between PRGF and HA groups in patients’ satisfaction and minor complications of injection, whereas patients in HA group reported significantly lower injection-induced pain.

Conclusions:

In 6 months follow up, our newly developed PRGF and HA, both are effective options to decrease pain and improvement of function in patients with symptomatic mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis.
Longer term effectiveness of inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation on health-related quality of life in MS patients: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial – The Danish MS Hospitals Rehabilitation Study
Authors: Boesen Finn , Nørgaard Michael , Trénel Philipp , Rasmussen Peter Vestergaard , Petersen Thor , Løvendahl Brita , Sørensen Jan
Published: October 2017

Background:

There is insufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of multidisciplinary rehabilitation on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of MS patients.

Objectives:

To evaluate the longer term effectiveness of inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation on the HRQoL of MS patients.

Methods:

The study was a two-hospital, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial with a 6-month follow-up. Patients aged 18–65 years with MS and Expanded Disability Status Scale scores ≤7.5 were randomly assigned (1:1) to 4 weeks of inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation (20 days of scheduled rehabilitation) or 6 months on a wait list. The outcome measures were Functional Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis (FAMS), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 (MSIS-29), EQ-5D-5L and 15D.

Results:

We randomized 213 patients to the wait-list control group and 214 patients to the treatment group. Trends in favour of the treatment group were observed across all measures. However, the difference was significant in only two of the six measures. The treatment effect was −2.7 (95% CI: −5.6 to (−0.1)), p = 0.046) for the MSIS-29 Psychological and 0.017 (95% CI: 0.005–0.030, p = 0.008) for the 15D. FAMS, which we used to calculate the sample size, was not significant.

Conclusion:

The results indicated that inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation is effective in improving the HRQoL of MS patients after 6 months.
Dual action by fumaric acid esters synergistically reduces adhesion to human endothelium
Authors: Breuer Johanna , Herich Sebastian , Schneider-Hohendorf Tilman , Chasan Achmet I , Wettschureck Nina , Gross Catharina C , Loser Karin , Zarbock Alexander , Roth Johannes , Klotz Luisa , Wiendl Heinz , Schwab Nicholas
Published: October 2017

Objective:

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is prescribed against relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we investigated the effects of DMF and monomethyl fumarate (MMF), its metabolite in vivo, at the (inflamed) blood–brain barrier (BBB).

Methods:

Effects of fumaric acid esters were analyzed using primary human brain–derived microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) in combination with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from DMF-treated MS patients.

Results:

MMF-binding to brain endothelium cells leads to activation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)–related factor 2 (Nrf2)–induced downregulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). This might be mediated via the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), a known molecular target of MMF, as we could demonstrate its expression and regulation on HBMECs. DMF treatment in vivo led to a strongly reduced expression of VCAM-1’s ligand very late antigen 4 (VLA-4) by selectively reducing integrin high-expressing memory T cells of MS patients, potentially due to inhibition of their maturation by reduced trans-localization of NFκB.

Conclusion:

DMF-mediated VCAM-1 downregulation on the endothelial side and reduction in T cells with a migratory phenotype on the lymphocyte side result in a synergistic reduction in T-cell adhesion to activated endothelium and, therefore, to reduced BBB transmigration in the setting of MS.