bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Closing the attainment gap in Scottish schools: Three challenges in an unequal society
Authors: McCluskey Gillean
Published: January 2017

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has recently said, ‘Improving school attainment is arguably the single most important objective in this programme for Government’ (Parliamentary address, 1 September 2015). Scotland’s levels of academic attainment have become an increasing focus for debate amid continuing concerns that children living in the most deprived areas in Scotland are ‘6 to 13 months behind their peers in problem-solving at age 5; 11 to 18 months behind their peers in expressive vocabulary at age 5; and around two years of schooling behind their peers at age 15’. The link between educational disadvantage and low levels of attainment is well documented in many countries, but particularly troubling in the United Kingdom, where overall levels of inequality are greater than in many other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, including Sweden. This article draws on recent research in three fields of interest, namely student participation, home–school relationships and relationships within school, to explore the challenges for education in improving overall attainment. It considers how these fields of interest connect with each other and with issues of inequality and, finally, argues that they each have the potential to offer a new set of ‘guidewires’ for tackling this challenge.
Constructing drug effects: A history of set and setting
Authors: Hartogsohn Ido
Published: January 2017

Set and setting is a term which refers to the psychological, social, and cultural parameters which shape the response to psychedelic drugs. The concept is considered fundamental to psychedelic research and has also been used to describe nonpharmacological factors which shape the effects of other agents such as alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, or cocaine. This paper reviews the history and evolution of the concept of set and setting from the 19th-century Parisian Club des Hashischins, through to 1950s psychotomimetic research on nondrug determinants of psychopharmacology, the use of extra-drug techniques by psychedelic therapists of the 1950s, and the invention of the concept of set and setting by Leary. Later developments and expansions on the concept of set and setting are discussed, and the term of collective set and setting is suggested as a theoretical tool to describe the social forces which shape individual set and setting situations. The concept of set and setting, it is argued, is crucial not only for psychedelic research but also for advancing drug research and developing more effective drug policy.
Parallel implementation of color-based particle filter for object tracking in embedded systems
Authors: Truong Mai Thanh Nhat , Kim Sanghoon
Published: January 2017

Recently, embedded systems have become popular because of the rising demand for portable, low-power devices. A common task for these devices is object tracking, which is an essential part of various applications. Until now, object tracking in video sequences remains a challenging problem because of the visual properties of objects and their surrounding environments. Among the common approaches, particle filter has been proven effective in dealing with difficulties in object tracking. In this research, we develop a particle filter based object tracking method using color distributions of video frames as features, and deploy it in an embedded system. Because particle filter is a high-complexity algorithm, we utilize computing power of embedded systems by implementing a parallel version of the algorithm. The experimental results show that parallelization can enhance the performance of particle filter when deployed in embedded systems.
Complete genome sequence of Pseudomonas brassicacearum strain L13-6-12, a biological control agent from the rhizosphere of potato
Authors: Zachow Christin , Müller Henry , Monk Jana , Berg Gabriele
Published: January 2017

Pseudomonas brassicacearum strain L13-6-12 is a rhizosphere colonizer of potato, lettuce and sugar beet. Previous studies have shown that this motile, Gram-negative, non-sporulating bacterium is an effective biocontrol agent against different phytopathogens. Here, we announce and describe the complete genome sequence of P. brassicacearum L13-6-12 consisting of a single 6.7 Mb circular chromosome that consists of 5773 protein coding genes and 85 RNA-only encoding genes. Genome analysis revealed genes encoding specialized functions for pathogen suppression, thriving in the rhizosphere and interacting with eukaryotic organisms.
Scalloping Characteristics in a Patient with Extra- Cranial Hemangioma
Authors: Agrawal Amit , Jena Ranjan K. , V. Umamaheswara Reddy
Published: January 2017

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors of infancy and childhood with a reported incidence of 4% to 10% in infants. We report of a 9 year-old male child with a history of progressively increasing swelling over the right eyebrow region. The lesion was present since childhood; however, it increased in in size over the previous 3–4 months. The CT scan showed scalloping over the right supra-orbital ridge with an intact bone. The child underwent total excision of the lesion. A characteristic scalloping seen on imaging (depression in the outer or inner table of the skull) can help differentiate lesions of extracranial and intracranial origins.
Age-specific acceleration in malignant melanoma
Authors: Diffey Brian L , Frank Steven A
Published: January 2017

Background:The overall incidence of melanoma has increased steadily for several years. The relative change in incidence at different ages has not been fully described. Objective:To describe how incidence at different ages has changed over time and to consider what aspects of tumour biology may explain the observed pattern of change in incidence. Methods:The slope of incidencevsage measures the acceleration of cancer incidence with age. We described the pattern of change over time in the overall incidence of melanoma, as well as in acceleration. We used data for males and females from 3 different countries in the 17 sequential 5-year birth-cohort categories from 1895-99 to 1975-79, from which we derived the incidence patterns. Results:Over time, there has been a tendency for the overall incidence of melanoma to increase and for the acceleration (slope) of the age-incidence curves to decline. The changing patterns of melanoma incidence and acceleration differ between males and females and between the countries analysed. Conclusions:The observed pattern in melanoma of rising incidence and declining acceleration occurs in other cancers in response to genetic knockouts of mechanisms that protect against cancer. Perhaps some protective mechanism with respect to melanoma may be less effective now than in the past, possibly because of more intense environmental challenges.
Healthcare benefits linked with Below Poverty Line registration in India: Observations from Maharashtra Anaemia Study (MAS)
Authors: Ahankari Anand , Fogarty Andrew , Tata Laila , Myles Puja
Published: January 2017

A 2015 Lancet paper by Patel et al. on healthcare access in India comprehensively discussed national health programmes where some benefits are linked with the country’s Below Poverty Line (BPL) registration scheme. BPL registration aims to support poor families by providing free/subsidised healthcare. Technical issues in obtaining BPL registration by poor families have been previously reported in the Indian literature; however there are no data on family assets of BPL registrants. Here, we provide evidence of family-level assets among BPL registration holders (and non-BPL households) using original research data from the Maharashtra Anaemia Study (MAS).

Social and health data from 287 pregnant women and 891 adolescent girls (representing 1178 family households) across 34 villages in Maharashtra state, India, were analysed. Several assets were shown to be similarly distributed between BPL and non-BPL households; a large proportion of families who would probably be eligible were not registered, whereas BPL-registered families often had significant assets that should not make them eligible. This is likely to be the first published evidence where asset distribution such as agricultural land, housing structures and livestock are compared between BPL and non-BPL households in a rural population. These findings may help planning BPL administration to allocate health benefits equitably, which is an integral part of national health programmes.
biojs-io-biom, a BioJS component for handling data in Biological Observation Matrix (BIOM) format
Authors: Ankenbrand Markus J. , Terhoeven Niklas , Hohlfeld Sonja , Förster Frank , Keller Alexander
Published: January 2017

The Biological Observation Matrix (BIOM) format is widely used to store data from high-throughput studies. It aims at increasing interoperability of bioinformatic tools that process this data. However, due to multiple versions and implementation details, working with this format can be tricky. Currently, libraries in Python, R and Perl are available, whilst such for JavaScript are lacking. Here, we present a BioJS component for parsing BIOM data in all format versions. It supports import, modification, and export via a unified interface. This module aims to facilitate the development of web applications that use BIOM data. Finally, we demonstrate its usefulness by two applications that already use this component.

Availability: https://github.com/molbiodiv/biojs-io-biom, https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.218277
The first genome sequences of human bocaviruses from Vietnam
Authors: Thanh Tran Tan , Van Hoang Minh Tu , Hong Nguyen Thi Thu , Nhu Le Nguyen Truc , Anh Nguyen To , Tuan Ha Manh , Hien Ho Van , Tuong Nguyen Manh , Kien Trinh Trung , Khanh Truong Huu , Nhan Le Nguyen Thanh , Hung Nguyen Thanh , Chau Nguyen Van Vinh , Thwaites Guy E , van Doorn H. Rogier , Tan Le Van
Published: January 2017

As part of an ongoing effort to generate complete genome sequences of hand, foot and mouth disease-causing enteroviruses directly from clinical specimens, two complete coding sequences and two partial genomic sequences of human bocavirus 1 (n=3) and 2 (n=1) were co-amplified and sequenced, representing the first genome sequences of human bocaviruses from Vietnam. The sequences may aid future study aiming at understanding the evolution of the virus.
Demographics, Microbiology and Outcome in Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
Authors: Witt Chance , Dissanaike Sharmila
Published: January 2017

Background: Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) are potentially severe infections that have a high morbidity and mortality even with modern medical care. This study examines factors associated with outcomes in patients with NSTI in an academic tertiary care hospital. Design: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted with NSTI between 2003 and 2008. Baseline demographics and comorbid conditions, laboratory and clinical parameters, timing of surgery, and outcomes, including length of stay and mortality, were compared with univariate analysis; significant factors were then analyzed for their effects on mortality using binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Sixty-nine patients with NSTI were analyzed; 61% were men. Diabetes (39%) was the most common comorbid condition. Most infections (55%) were polymicrobial. The most common organism in monomicrobial infections was Staphylococcus aureus, and 50 % of these isolates were methicillin resistant. Nine patients (13%) required amputation. Mortality was 20%, and the most significant predictor of mortality was a higher respiratory rate on admission (p=0.02). Conclusion: Patients in this series frequently had diabetes, usually had polymicrobial infections, and had a 20% mortality rate.
Palliative Care and COPD
Authors: Farrell Tommie
Published: January 2017

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A Rare Case of Posterior Mediastinal Seminoma Mimicking Primary Lung Neoplasm
Authors: Lim Sian Yik , Sutamtewagul Grerk , Panikkath Ragesh , Hardwicke Fred
Published: January 2017

We report an atypical case of posterior mediastinal seminoma. Mediastinal seminomasare a rare form of tumor usually located in the anterior mediastinum. Our casepresented as a diagnostic challenge because of the difficulty of differentiating the primarymediastinal mass from a primary lung neoplasm. Our case highlights the fact thatseminomas may occur in the posterior mediastinum and the importance of consideringa broad differential diagnosis, especially in cases of poorly differentiated carcinoma ofthe mediastinum.
Molecular Tools for Staphylococcus aureus Typing: Basic and Clinical Aspects
Authors: Mongkolrattanothai Kanokporn
Published: January 2017

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Factors affecting mortality in patients with COPD exacerbations requiring ICU admission
Authors: Limsuwat Chok , Nantsupawat Nopakoon , Umyarova Elvira , Ussavarungsi Kamonpun , Nugent Kenneth
Published: January 2017

Background: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) often require hospital admission and have a significant mortality rate. Patients with AECOPD who need intensive care (ICU) have higher mortality rates. Identifying factors associated with increased mortality might change approaches to treatment and improve communication with patients’ families about prognosis. Methods: Patients with AECOPD (ICD 9 code 491.21) directly admitted to the ICU between 1/1/2006 and 12/31/2010 were retrospectively reviewed. The inclusion criteria were age 45 years or older, diagnosis of AECOPD, and admission to an ICU. The exclusion criteria included any history of another respiratory disease or decompensated cardiac disease. The primary goal was to determine factors which affect survival. Result: Two hundred and seventeen patients were included this study. The mean ages were 70.4±10.4 years in the in-hospital death group and 66.4±10.9 years in the survivors. The overall mortality rate was 12%.  Multivariate analysis showed that the mortality rate was significantly associated with a low mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (odds ratio [OR] 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86-0.96), an intubation event (OR 6.12, 95% CI 1.24-30.87), and an elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.12) (p<0.05 for each factor). Conclusion: This study identified clinical parameters associated with increased mortality in patients with AECOPD admitted to an ICU. These factors include a low MAP, intubation, and a high BUN and are easily obtained during the initial evaluation of the patient. They reflect the severity of the acute exacerbation and complications in other organ systems.
Malnutrition in the ICU: Current recommendations for the assessment of nutritional status and a review of the use of albumin as an indicator of malnutrition
Authors: Fuhrmann Kristen , Panamonta Naree , Roaten Shelley
Published: January 2017

Many critically ill patients have malnutrition at presentation or develop it during hospitalization, and this complication adversely affects outcomes, including length of stay, morbidity, and mortality. All ICU patients should be evaluated for malnutrition using simple screening tools, such as the Nutritional Risk Screening and Subjective Global Assessment. Laboratory tests, including serum albumin levels, are inaccurate indicators of malnutrition and do not provide a simple method for screening. In particular, albumin levels often fall rapidly because of transcapillary efflux and altered hepatic synthesis during acute illness. Current guidelines recommend that the nutritional status should be assessed by a review of recent energy intake, recent weight loss, and current body mass index and bedside assessment of muscle mass, fluid accumulation, and grip strength. An integrated analysis of nutritional status provides a better assessment and helps develop patient specific therapeutic interventions.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome, metabolic acidosis, and respiratory acidosis associated with citalopram overdose
Authors: Edriss Hawa , Pfarr Marie
Published: January 2017

We report a 53-year-old man who ingested 2400 mg of citalopram and presented to the emergency department three hours post-ingestion with altered mental status, somnolence, and a blood pressure of 67/45 mmHg. He failed to respond to three boluses of normal saline (1000 ml each) and required vasopressors. The patient developed serotonin syndrome with hyper-reflexia, rigidity, and ankle myoclonus. He had a tonic-clonic seizure in the ER requiring intravenous lorazepam and phenytoin. An ECG showed QT prolongation. Chest x-ray on presentation was normal. Within 32 hours the patient developed acute respiratory distress, hypoxemia, a wide A-a gradient, PaO2/FiO2< 200, and chest x-ray changes compatible with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). He had normal central venous pressures, normal cardiac biomarkers, normal systolic and diastolic functions on echocardiography, and no acute ST/T wave changes. His ABG showed a metabolic acidosis and a respiratory acidosis. The patient required intubation and ventilation. Citalopram has been associated with seizures and ECG abnormalities after overdoses. The respiratory complications and metabolic acidosis have been reported only a few times in the literature.  We are reporting the second case of ARDS and the fifth case of metabolic acidosis due to citalopram overdose and suggest that the metabolic acidemia is explained by propionic acid. The respiratory acidosis seen in this patient has not been reported previously.
Metastatic Pulmonary Calcification An Uncommon Clinical Condition in End-Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Patel Gaurav , Yepes-Hurtado Andre , Huizar Isham
Published: January 2017

Patients with end-stage renal diseases have frequent pulmonary complicationsrelated to fluid overload, infection, and associated cardiovascular diseases. We reporta 73-year-old man with renal failure on peritoneal dialysis who had elevated serum calcium,phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone levels. He had progressive dyspnea andan abnormal chest x-ray. A high resolution computed tomography scan revealed calcifiednodules, large cavities with heavy calcification in the upper zones, calcifications inthe tracheobronchial tree, and calcified vessels. This patient had metastatic pulmonarycalcification and possibly dystrophic calcification due to renal failure which probablycontributed to his pulmonary symptoms.
Drug-Induced Methemoglobinemia: a Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Zedan Ahmed , Omar Sabry , Fenire Mahmoud
Published: January 2017

Drugs, including those used during diagnostic procedures, can have adverse effects and potentially serious side-effects, especially in complicated patients with significant comorbidity. Benzocaine is frequently used as an oropharyngeal anesthetic agent during bronchoscopy, transesophageal echocardiography, and upper GI endoscopy and can cause methemoglobinemia, a potentially life-threatening event if not diagnosed and treated quickly. Co-oximetry is the gold standard for the diagnosis of methemoglobinemia and can quantitate blood levels, which in turn correlate with the clinical presentation and the urgency for treatment. Methylene blue is the treatment of choice for methemoglobinemia. In this case report we discuss the pathophysiology, the clinical presentation, the diagnosis, and the treatment of benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia.
Escherichia coli Pyomyositis Presenting as Right Hip Pain - a Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Sigler Mark , Midturi John , Byrd Timothy
Published: January 2017

Pyomyositis typically occurs after hematogenous bacterial dissemination, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Group A Streptococci are the mostcommon organisms isolated. Potential contributing factors to pyomyositis include underlyingmalignancy, trauma, or concurrent infection at other sites. In this case report,we present a 58-year-old woman with two months of fevers and two weeks of right hippain who was ultimately diagnosed with pyomyositis secondary to Escherichia coli.
Peritoneal dialysis associated peritonitis secondary to Mycobacterium fortuitum
Authors: McKenzie Paula , Sotello David , Parekh Kunal , Fuhrmann Kristen , Winn Richard
Published: January 2017

We report a 23-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematous, lupus nephritis(class IV), and end-stage renal disease on peritoneal dialysis who presented with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea for one week. A previous admission for peritonitis occurred one month earlier, and peritoneal fluid culture at that time was negative. She was discharged on three weeks of intraperitoneal cefepime and vancomycin. On the current admission, due to recurrent symptoms approximately two weeks after her antibiotics were discontinued, peritoneal fluid cultures were positive for Mycobacterium fortuitum. The peritoneal catheter was removed, and trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazoleand ciprofloxacin were initially recommended for six months. This was later changed to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and amikacin based on new susceptibilities.M. fortuitum is a rapidly growing mycobacterial species (RGM) widely distributedin nature; tap water is the major reservoir. It can produce a wide range of infections inhumans, and outbreaks have been reported in hospitals from contaminated equipment. Immunosuppression and chronic lung disease have been described as predisposing factors for RGM infection. Peritoneal dialysis associated with M. fortuitum infection occurs very rarely; no guidelines exist for treatment recommendations.
Multiple pulmonary contusions in a collegiate football player
Authors: Phy Michael
Published: January 2017

Pulmonary contusion is an infrequently reported event in contact sports. To date, there are only four reported cases in football players in the literature. This case is unique in its presentation (large contusion, coup/contrecoup injuries) and management (need for air transport shortly after the injury, persistent symptoms, delayed recovery and return to play). Clinical signs and symptoms, such as dyspnea, hemoptysis, and chest wall pain, should increase the suspicion for possible pulmonary contusion. Early imaging with computed tomography (CT) is preferred due to its superior sensitivity and specificity (compared to chest radiography) in detecting pulmonary contusions. In addition, CT scans can quantify the amount of lung damage which can be used in treatment decisions and prognosis. Treatment requires close monitoring and management off requently associated pulmonary symptoms, such as chest wall pain and hypoxia.
A self-extubation case series in an ICU after the introduction of an early mobilization project
Authors: Tseng Jim , Sigler Mark , Edriss Hawa , Turner Alisha , Valdez Kristi , Selvan Kavitha , Nugent Kenneth
Published: January 2017

Background: Recent studies demonstrate that early mobilization of patients with acute respiratory failure reduces ICU and hospital length of stay.  This patient care activity necessarily requires coordinated efforts by ICU personnel and alert patients and has the potential for adverse outcomes, including unplanned extubation. Methods: Our intensive care unit introduced an early mobilization quality improvement project in April 2014.  This project involved an eight step program which was started as soon as the patient was medically stable. The nurse managers kept a log of patients who participated in this project and a log of all patients who self-extubated during this period. Results: Twenty-five patients self-extubated during this time period; the event rate was 1.1 episodes per week in a 31 bed ICU.  The mean age was 46.8 ± 13.6 years; 64% were men. The initial indications for mechanical ventilation in these patients included respiratory disease (40%), sepsis (4%), encephalopathy (8%), and miscellaneous diagnoses (48%). Initial chest x-ray readings included clear lung fields, infiltrates, effusions, and other abnormalities. Twelve episodes occurred on the day shift, and 13 episodes occurred on the night shift.  The most recent Glasgow Coma Scale score in these patients was 11.8 (mean) with a range of 8-15. Eighty percent of the patients were restrained, 40% were on analgesics, and 56% were on sedatives.  The mean FiO2 at the time of self-extubation was 57.3 ± 29%, and the mean PEEP level was 5.4 ± 1.5 cm H2O.  Seven patients (28%) required reintubation. None of these patients in the early mobilization project had an episode of self-extubation. Conclusions: The patients who self-extubated in our ICU had no unique characteristics which might help us identify them before these events occurred. This did not occur in the patients in the early mobilization project. Self-extubation events provide a good monitor for ICU care.  In our ICU the frequency of reintubation was low, and this might suggest that we need to manage our weaning protocols better with earlier extubation in some patients.
Diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism in Patients with Suspected or Established Chronic Lung Disease
Authors: Tompkins Robert B , Harris Vaughn , Brown Clayton , Griffith David E
Published: January 2017

We recently identified four patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) who presented with progressive, but nonspecific, respiratory symptoms and were initially diagnosed with an exacerbation of established or presumed airflow obstruction.  No specific explanation for the apparent respiratory exacerbation was found and each patient failed to respond to bronchodilator and/or antibiotic therapy, thereby triggering an evaluation for PE. Pulmonary embolism occurs with disturbing frequency in the setting of an apparent chronic airflow obstruction exacerbation without a clear explanation.  Suspicion of PE by the clinician is essential as patient symptoms and routine laboratory evaluation do not always differentiate PE from exacerbation of airflow obstruction. D-dimer determination is a reasonable first diagnostic step with subsequent testing directed by the D-dimer result in the context of an individualized assessment of PE risk.  The diagnosis of PE in this setting is critically important for avoiding the attendant morbidity and mortality associated with untreated PE.
ACE- inhibitor induced angioedema requiring an emergency surgical airway
Authors: Patel Bhargav , Raval Hemant , Patel Gaurav , Al-Chalabi Ahmed , Fleyshman Robert
Published: January 2017

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors cause approximately 30% of the cases of angioedema which present to the emergency department; 11% of these patients require ICU admission. We report two patients who required emergency surgical airways secondary to angioedema related to ACE-inhibitors. Clinicians need to remember that these situations can be extremely dangerous and plan airway management carefully in these patients.
Symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a patient with unilateral pulmonary vein atresia
Authors: Sehli Sharmila , Donaldson David M
Published: January 2017

A 52-year-old man with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was offered an atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedure. His echocardiogram indicated that he had no structural heart disease. A cardiac computed tomographic (CT) scan showed enlargement of the right pulmonary veins, absence of the left pulmonary veins, a prominent left atrial appendage, and a hypoplastic left lung. Cardiac CT with an electroanatomic mapping system confirmed a prominent left atrial appendage and the absence of the left pulmonary veins. Due to the limited number of patients with this condition, information about ablation remains very limited, and his ablation was deferred. Unilateral pulmonary vein atresia is a rare condition in adults which results from failure of incorporation of the common pulmonary vein into the left atrium. This case demonstrates the clinical importance of preprocedural imaging prior to AF ablation.
Drug-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis: tigecycline a rare cause
Authors: Bhairavarasu Kalpana , Mocherla Satish , Amaram Jaya , Sharma Ena , Conlin Philip A , Umer Imran
Published: January 2017

Drug-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis is an inflammation of blood vessels triggered by various drugs. It presents with a localized skin rash but may involve the internal organ systems, including the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, lungs, central nervous system, and joints. The clinical recognition of drug-induced vasculitis is very important because continued use of the culprit drug can be organ or life threatening. The prognosis is excellent if the disease is limited to the skin and diagnosed promptly. The use of tigecycline has recently increased due to resistance patterns of bacteria, and it is important to recognize this potential adverse effect of this drug and to diagnose and treat the patient early to achieve a favorable outcome. To best of our knowledge, we report the first case of tigecycline-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis.
Vancomycin induced acute kidney injury: a review of the literature
Authors: Rambaran Kerry Anne , Furhmann Kristen
Published: January 2017

Vancomycin has been widely used for its activity against Gram positive bacteria and is often the first choice for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The current guidelines recommend trough levels of 15-20 mcg/mL to treat these resistant organisms. Higher trough levels are synonymous with higher doses and in turn predispose patients to adverse events. The most commonly reported adverse event is nephrotoxicity and/ or acute kidney injury. If detected early, this insult is reversible. We review the literatureon vancomycin nephrotoxicity in the adult medicine and critical care patients, highlighting risk factors and differences between continuous and intermittent dosing regimens.
Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis- a rare case
Authors: Yepez Kuri Jazmin I. , Roman Carlos L. Torres , Reddy Anand , Ahmed Yasir
Published: January 2017

Nodular glomerulosclerosis is considered a signature lesion of diabetes nephropathy, but when it occurs in the absence of diabetes, it is called Idiopathic Nodular Glomerulosclerosis (ING). Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis is a very rare disease and has been associated with obesity, hypertension, and smoking. We report a case of ING presenting as end-stage renal failure requiring hemodialysis.
Intrathoracic Manifestations of IgG4-Related Disease
Authors: Lim Sian Yik , Panikkath Deepa
Published: January 2017

Intrathoracic involvement with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is frequently overlooked in IgG4-related disease patients. In this article we review the intrathoracic findings of IgG4-RD which are variable and protean. IgG4-related disease has been reported to affect the lung parenchyma, pleura, mediastinal/hilar lymph nodes, vasculature, and pericardium within the thorax. Mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy is the most common intrathoracic manifestation of IgG4-RD. Four main patterns of pulmonary disease have been described, including the solid nodular type, the bronchovascular type, the alveolar interstitial type, and the round shaped ground glass type. When feasible, a biopsy should be obtained to confirm the diagnosis. Most lesions show characteristic pathologic findings of IgG4-RD: dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, storiform fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis. While this helps establish the diagnosis, the interpretation of pathology findings in the clinical context is key in making an accurate diagnosis. Mimickers of IgG4-RD should be ruled out, before making a diagnosis. The intrathoracic findings of IgG4-RD can be treated effectively with prednisone, but may require additional immunosuppressive therapies, including rituximab.
Reviews
Authors: Padfield Deborah , Docherty Tom , Crawford Amy , Brown Michael
Published: January 2017

THE WHITE STONES, J. H. PRYNNE (2016) New York: NYRB Poets, ISBN-10: 159017979X, ISBN-13: 9781590179796, p/bk, £11.39

MY GRANDMOTHER’S GLASS EYE: A LOOK AT POETRY, CRAIG RAINE (2016) London: Atlantic Books, ISBN-10: 1848872895, ISBN-13: 978-1848872899, h/bk, £19.99

ODES, SHARON OLDS (2016) London: Jonathan Cape, 116 pp., ISBN-10: 1911214063; ISBN-13: 9781911214069, p/bk, £12.00

E-BOOKS VS. AUDIOBOOKS: SOME THOUGHTS ON SELF-PUBLISHING
Reflections on teaching poetry
Authors: Freeborn Caron
Published: January 2017

In this article, the writer reflects on her practice as poet, her experience as a teacher of literature and creative writing, and her own training, and how these have contributed to her personal approaches to teaching poetry writing in Higher Education. She also examines how these approaches have helped her overcome the acknowledged particular difficulties of teaching both the reading and the writing of poetry.
‘The real life of language’: Encouraging young poets in universities
Authors: Gowar Mick , Wormald Mark
Published: January 2017

Mark Wormald and Mick Gowar both teach in universities in the city of Cambridge – Mark at Pembroke College, and the Faculty of English, University of Cambridge; Mick at the Cambridge School of Art, and Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University. Both are published poets, and both have spent significant portions of their professional lives teaching poetry, and encouraging the writing of poetry. They have a shared interest in the life and work of the English poet and essayist Ted Hughes, and have collaborated on a number of literary events that have brought together students and staff from both universities. But, as their conversation reveals, the differences in their backgrounds and professional experiences are as marked as the apparent similarities.
Subverting the narrative of the Lampedusa borderscape
Authors: Mazzara Federica
Published: January 2017

With this article I wish to challenge the concept of ‘crisis’, commonly associated with the arrival of irregularized migrants to the island of Lampedusa, by showing how this conception is usually the result of a fabrication and spectacle to which migrants become subjected, fuelling a ‘moral panic’ difficult to overcome. The understanding and representation of migrants as ‘carriers of crisis’ has inevitably undermined their dignity and rights as individuals. As a counter-narrative, this article explores a series of acts of resistance revolving around the issue of migration, where Lampedusa plays a central role, promoting the autonomy of migrants that is challenging the order of a securitized Europe. Through analyses of the grassroots documentary and theatre projects On the Bride’s Side (Angliaro et al., 2014) and Queens of Syria (Fedda, 2013), this article finally explores the possibility of perceiving art about migrant experiences as a domain of struggle, through acts that I have defined as ‘aesthetics of subversion’, where those who are normally depicted as ‘imperceptible bodies’ become ‘subjects of power’, the power of subverting the narrative around their journey, their past and their desires for the future.
Reframing the debate: The art of Lampedusa
Authors: Ramsay Maya
Published: January 2017

This article considers the art that has been produced in relation to the subject of migrant deaths at sea, with a focus on artworks that refer to the island of Lampedusa and its long history of the subject. Now that the world’s media are at last paying attention to the subject of migrant deaths, the small islands of Lampedusa and Lesbos are in danger of being ‘invaded’ by more than just migrants – artists are on their way in ever-increasing numbers. The ‘migration crisis’ has become the latest hot topic for artists, but art on the subject of migrant deaths at sea is often controversial, dividing both critics and audiences. Written from the perspective of an artist, this article explores the complexities of making and presenting art about this extremely sensitive issue.
The ordinary celebrity: Italian young vloggers and the definition of girlhood
Authors: Andò Romana
Published: January 2017

This article examines the phenomenon of the ‘ordinary celebrity’ on YouTube and social media in relation to female adolescent fandom of Italian teen vloggers. The aim is to contribute to the debate on celebrity culture, by investigating the role of Web 2.0 in building and defining online performances that are recognized by young audiences as expressions of celebrity status. The young female vloggers studied for this work actively and regularly produce videos and media content to share on social media; their results are very impressive in terms of followers and fan comments, which are comparable to (or even greater than) those of mass media stars. However, vloggers’ daily narratives about their experience in everyday life (at school, with friends, opinions on fashion brands and make-up, etc.) are perceived by teenagers as natural and authentic and as something they can easily relate to, unlike the life of a traditional celebrity; as a consequence, vloggers’ discourses and behaviours are easily appropriated and used as symbolic materials in building girlhood identity. The article discusses the results of a netnographic research conducted on three teen vloggers, who are very famous among Italian teenagers, and on twenty teen fans. Vlogging productions and interviews were all analysed to understand what being a celebrity means in the convergence culture of the Web 2.0 and the role of these ordinary celebrities in defining contemporary girlhood.
From made in Italy to ethno-chic: Some thoughts on costume design in contemporary Italian cinema (class, gender and national identity)
Authors: Minuz Andrea
Published: January 2017

This article outlines an overview of the relationship between costume and film in contemporary Italian cinema, with particular reference to class, gender and ideological discourse. Considering Italian film production in the last fifteen to twenty years, from popular film to auteur cinema, the article lays out the challenge of cultural stereotypes about ‘Made in Italy’ and its meanings in a global age. The significance of costume will be explored in terms of plot and character development, mise-en-scène and visuality, negotiating cinematic technique, film analysis and cultural interpretation. More specifically, and with particular reference to the work of Stephen Gundle, we investigate how costume design of male and female characters embodies national discourses such as nostalgia, male anxiety and the ideals of feminine beauty.
Dressing Checco Zalone: Popular Italian cinema and the rhetoric of national character
Authors: Vacirca Silvia
Published: January 2017

This article starts from the assumption that male film costuming and popular Italian cinema have been two under-researched topics. The study of costumes in popular cinema requires different tools compared to those of the study of cinema stars and the way people use fashion in everyday life should be at the centre of the analyses of dress, fashion and film. This article, through a close analysis of the box office hits Cado dalle Nubi (2009) and Sole a Catinelle (2013) by Nunziante, against the background of the Oscar-winning The Great Beauty by Sorrentino (2013), aims to suggest that their sartorial codes, which draw upon notions of kitsch and dandyism, offer up afresh deeply rooted stereotypes of Italy and Italian masculinity. In developing the analysis, the article will also take into account that cultural watershed in the Italy’s history of Italy that was represented by berlusconismo, when vulgarity and bad taste in clothing choices were associated with moral and political judgements on the so-called italiano medio – the average Italian.
Performing style: Fashion in Italian factual entertainment
Authors: Manzato Anna
Published: January 2017

In recent years factual entertainment has gained space in Italian television programmes, especially in ‘native digital’ channels (RealTime, DMAX, La7d). Common people are the main characters of stories dealing with everyday life, often in the makeover form, from the house to cooking, from DIY to personal fitness. And in this context fashion constitutes a privileged theme. The article aims at analysing current examples of Italian fashion factual entertainment, discussing the discursive forms and the thematization processes of the fashion object. The roles of televisual apparatus and audiences will also be considered: experts and learners are represented in these programmes, leading to the consideration of fashion as a space of negotiation of experience. The article aims at answering questions such as: what kind of style is proposed and through which discursive procedures (testimony, suggestion, lesson)? What is the function of television in transmitting fashion contents (divulgation, imposition of a style code)? What is the function of the audience (learner, competent)? Finally, what connotation of fashion emerges (apparatus of rules, individual competence)?
The Baroque imagination: Film, costume design and Italian high fashion
Authors: Pesce Sara
Published: January 2017

In the 2010s, feature films such as The Great Gatsby (Luhrmann, 2013) or The Grand Budapest Hotel (Anderson, 2014) and other audio-visuals like fashion films or video ads of Italian fashion houses’ collections reveal a convergence between narration and costume that renovates and adapts the cultural meaning of the Baroque. This ‘Baroque imagination’ has deep roots in the first centuries of European Modernity, when Italian cultural vectors dominated the arts and a few spheres of material culture, including clothing, architecture and garden design. Presently, it is sustained by fashion jargon’s exploitation of the word ‘Baroque’ and by the impressive visual impact of costume cinema (beginning with Marie Antoinette, Coppola, 2006). The author interrogates how some Italian high-fashion brands’ engagement with spheres of meaning connected to sumptuousness and sophisticated craftsmanship plays an influential role on an international scale, as revealed in big film productions based on a ‘sartorial film aesthetic’, which convey exclusiveness of tastes and spaces, blatant social inequality, and an oneiric projection into a decadent past. She explains cinematic vintage aesthetics against the backdrop of the fashion industry’s not-innovative production politics in the current end-of-fashion era. Drawing on some crucial traits of the historical Baroque, including the centrifugal phenomenon of French Rococo, she also underscores surprising similarities with the contemporary culture of celebrity: the rituals of power in a decadent democracy, a perception of economy as static, the fear of public and private debt accompanied by a cult of luxury and personality, the conflict between the exhibition of wealth and its condemnation.
Book Reviews
Authors: Ajlouni Rima , Hartmuth Maximilian , Kuppinger Petra , Rehman Abdul , Ergin Nina
Published: January 2017

ISLAMIC GEOMETRIC DESIGN, ERIC BROUG (2013) New York: Thames & Hudson Inc., 256 pp., 800 illus., ISBN: 9780500516959, $49.40 (hardback)

ARCHITECTURE AND THE LATE OTTOMAN HISTORICAL IMAGINARY: RECONFIGURING THE ARCHITECTURAL PAST IN A MODERNIZING EMPIRE, AHMET A. ERSOY (2015) Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 313 pp., 72 b&w illus., ISBN: 9781472431394, $112.46 (hardback)

THE SUPERLATIVE CITY: DUBAI AND THE URBAN CONDITION IN THE EARLY TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, AHMED KANNA (ED.) (2013) Cambridge, MA: Aga Khan Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, 169 pp., ISBN: 9780977122431, $24.95 (paperback)

BALOCHISTAN: ARCHITECTURE, CRAFT, AND RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM, MOHSEN KEIANY (2015) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 370 pp., 370 illus., ISBN: 9780199067848, $70.00 (hardback)

THE ARCHITECTS OF OTTOMAN CONSTANTINOPLE: THE BALYAN FAMILY AND THE HISTORY OF OTTOMAN ARCHITECTURE, Alyson Wharton (2015) London, New York: I.B. Tauris, 336 pp., 40 b&w illus. and 2 maps., ISBN: 9781780768526, $99.00 (hardback)
Religion and global media: Impact of Arabic TV channels on lowland Eritrean youth
Authors: Mannar Indira S. , Peddiboyina Vijayalakshmi
Published: January 2017

Eritrea is a tiny north-eastern African nation that attained statehood during the postmodern period. This ancient seat of culture and civilization was subjected to a series of colonial aggressions and invasions, leading to the emergence of revolutionary warring fronts that waged fierce guerilla warfare for 30 years to attain independence. Eritrean society is highly diversified in terms of geography, language, ethnic nationalities, religion and culture. Colonial rulers brought modern means of mass communication such as the printing press, radio, TV and films to Eritrea. Eritrea fell into the hands of an authoritarian regime on attaining independence and the media in Eritrea is strictly under government control. Satellite TV channels from the Middle East started beaming into Eritrea from 1996, and the Eritrean youth are avid consumers of the global messages from across the borders. Following an in-depth interview method as a research technique, using an unstructured, openended questionnaire, the present study presents how ethnicity and religion play a role in making meaning out of the messages of Middle East-based Arabic TV channels among lowland Tigre-/Arabic-speaking Eritrean youth aged 18–25 years. The researchers have observed the way foreign TV channel programmes have influenced family norms, social roles for women, sexual norms, lifestyles and music preferences of young Tigre viewers. The study concludes that Islam and Arabic language are two important factors influencing the lowland Tigre youth in picking up Arabic channels as they reinforce the same culture and traditions apart from creating Pan-Arab identities among the Arabic-/Tigre-speaking youth, at the same time preserving the indigenous culture from the influence of the West.
Bewegt (moved): Dancing among
Authors: Peisl Nicole
Published: January 2017

This article examines felt sense as a tool for making the prearticulated qualities of affect and feeling more tangible. It looks at situations, practices, and performances to clarify the relationship of felt sense and affect. Looking at felt sense this way foregrounds formative processes that direct ‘what happens next,’ that is, our being moved.
the sheep are black and white and they are not black and not white
Authors: Mainz Bettina , Kramer Paula , Kipp Christian
Published: January 2017

These artist pages emerged from a performance presented at the third conference of Dance and Somatic Practices at Coventry University, during which we worked in the company of things, objects and materials. The photographs were taken by Christian Kipp and gave us a visual, outer perspective of our doing, additional to our felt and imaginative understanding of it. With these pages we try to merge both: a more external with a more internal view and let both find their own path of coming about. We understand our process of making to be an extension and part of our working relationship that now spans almost 20 years. The notion of ‘black and white sheep’ point for us to the continuing conundrum of how to be in the company of difference, also in the current conditions of increasing fragmentation, both within individuals and communities. The songs we sang during the performance nourished our sense of strength, youth, emotional involvement and connection to what we might call our cultural heritage.
Whispering secrets
Authors: Kampe Thomas
Published: January 2017

These artist-reflections aim to give an insight into somatic-informed arts practices as acts of reconciliation and personal transformation in a post-World War II Europe. The author worked for more than twenty years in collaboration with writer and theatre director Julia Pascal, creating works that in her words aimed ‘to challenge the idea that theatre cannot explore the Holocaust imaginatively and without exploitation, sensation or sentimentality’. This collaboration culminated in a site-responsive choreographic performance The Secret Listeners that the author directed in 2012 using somatic-informed choreographic processes to construct an experiential journey designed as a guided tour for all participants. The article draws on the author’s artistic practice, including collaborative work with Pascal Theatre Company, and the author’s extended period of study with Holocaust survivor choreographer Hilde Holger (1905–2001). This work is contextualized through micro-narratives of the author’s family history.