bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On being technopositional in digital geographies
Authors: Wilson Matthew W
Published: November 2017

The rising interest in the digital within geography has created an opportunity to reassert the role and responsibility of academic inquiry – to study and to do, to understand and to intervene, to put thought into action, to be technopositional. Indeed, a groundswell of interest in what is termed ‘digital geographies’ across Anglophone human geography has been marked by the recent organization of working and specialty groups of the Royal Geographical Society and the American Association of Geographers. Whether political ecologies, economic and urban geographies, critical mapping, or cultural geographies, the subfields of our discipline are increasingly digital – both in how inquiry proceeds and in the object of inquiry itself. Therefore, it is timely to take stock of the role of the digital in the wider discipline, to better articulate a distinctly technopositional stance. In this cultural geographies Annual Lecture, I reflect on the launch of the journal in 1994 (under the name Ecumene) and its relaunch in 2002. I contemplate the simultaneous technophilic currents within the discipline and the ‘GIS wars’ which were being waged at that time. In doing so, I outline current opportunities (and urgencies) for technocultural geographies which are responsible and responsive, situated by the shifting registers of the digital in geographical scholarship, public imaginaries and attention economies, and radical engagements.
Tackling the multi-actor and multi-level complexity of European governance of knowledge: Transnational actors in focus
Authors: Fumasoli Tatiana , Stensaker Bjørn , Vukasovic Martina
Published: November 2017

This special issue is one of the first systematic attempts to map and investigate relevant transnational actors in European knowledge governance, highlighting the differences and commonalities in their structures, identities, and roles, as well as the links in which they are embedded, and the influence they can exert in knowledge policy formation. The introduction sets the stage for five empirical contributions focusing on different types of actors – an expert group, two university alliances, three student unions, the academic associations, and an advocacy coalition of individuals with strong institutional positions in one national science policy system. It provides an overview of various theoretical perspectives informing these studies, explores connections between them and discusses implications for a future research agenda. The introduction demonstrates how transnational actors matter for the European governance of knowledge, and calls for a cross-fertilization of different disciplinary perspectives, in particular comparative politics and organizational sociology, as a way forward.
Serum sclerostin in vascular calcification and clinical outcome in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Zeng Cong , Guo Chunyuan , Cai Juan , Tang Chengyuan , Dong Zheng
Published: November 2017

Sclerostin, a potent soluble inhibitor of the Wnt signalling pathway, is known to inhibit bone formation by suppressing osteocytes differentiation and function. Patients with chronic kidney disease have high levels of serum sclerostin. Sclerostin has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification, which may promote the cardiovascular events of morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease patients. However, the role of sclerostin in vascular calcification and clinical prognosis in chronic kidney disease remains elusive. While some studies suggested a positive correlation between serum sclerostin and vascular calcification or clinical outcome, other studies showed no or even negative correlation between them. Small sample size, heterogeneity in enrolled patients, discrepancy in anatomical structure examined and differences in the applied assays may be responsible for the discrepant results. Nonetheless, anti-sclerostin antibodies may be a new therapeutic approach to increase bone mass and strength in chronic kidney disease. This review aims to have a better understanding of the relationship of serum sclerostin with vascular calcification and clinical outcome in chronic kidney disease patients, and propose the application of anti-sclerostin therapy in chronic kidney disease.
Linking Work Engagement to Job Performance Through Flexible Human Resource Management
Authors: Sekhar Chandra , Patwardhan Manoj , Vyas Vishal
Published: November 2017

The Problem

The Indian information technology (IT) industry has shown a phenomenal growth over the last two decades. These changes such as increased global competition and the shift in the blend and level of the workforce have led to an increasing level of uncertainty in the industry. To overcome this unprecedented change, IT firms need to adopt flexible human resource management (FHRM) that has a direct and/or indirect impact on job performance. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to explore the impact of work engagement on job performance through FHRM among IT professionals in India.

The Solution

The results indicate that the use of FHRM by the employees is an important mediator between the positive relationship of work engagement and job performance. Both work engagement and FHRM contributed to job performance. The sample firm and responses for the study were limited to IT industry domain only. The results suggest that FHRM should be promoted at the employee and firm levels to boost job performance.

The Stakeholders

Reflecting on the employee engagement and job performance via FHRM would boost the organizational flexibility in the IT industry. FHRM makes the employee more organization fit and more engaged for their respective job. This study may be helpful in unveiling the importance of flexibility in job performance. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that links work engagement, FHRM, and job performance in the Indian IT industry context. The study helps in the development of theory in FHRM and employee engagement.
Coping with Shame in a Media-saturated Society: Norwegian Web-series Skam as Transitional Object
Authors: Krüger Steffen , Rustad Gry C.
Published: November 2017

Since its launch in late 2015, the Norwegian web-series Skam ( Shame), produced by public broadcaster NRK, has become one of the most notable successes in Norwegian television history, both in terms of ratings and critical acclaim. A high-school web-series about teenagers, mostly girls, coming of age in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, the series not only depicts young people in their everyday digital-media use but also reaches its audience through these same media and in a variety of formats extending far beyond video clips. Its success, we argue, is significantly tied to its multimedial form and distribution. We unpack the show’s sociocultural potential by analyzing its various outputs (video clips, screen grabs of the characters’ messenger chats, and updates from their Instagram accounts), as well as the audience’s/users’ responses to these in the form of comments to the web page. We argue that the show functions as a “transitional object” (per Winnicott) for its teen audiences, providing them with a “potential space” (also from Winnicott) in which they can learn how to cope with the challenges of a media-saturated society.
Phosphorylation of STAT3 Promotes Vasculogenic Mimicry by Inducing Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Han Cong , Sun Baocun , Zhao Xiulan , Zhang Yanhui , Gu Qiang , Liu Fang , Zhao Nan , Wu Lili
Published: November 2017

Vasculogenic mimicry refers to the process by which highly invasive cancer cells mimic endothelial cells by forming blood channels. Vasculogenic mimicry is important for the invasion and metastasis of tumor cells in colorectal cancer. STAT3 was initially identified as a mediator of the inflammation-associated acute phase response. The phosphorylation of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (p-STAT3) is closely related to tumor invasion and migration. We analyzed the relationship between p-STAT3 and vasculogenic mimicry formation in 65 human colorectal cancer samples, and the results showed that the expression of p-STAT3 is significantly correlated with vasculogenic mimicry, tumor metastasis, Tumor, Lymph Node and Metastasis Stage (TNM Stage), and poor prognosis. It is known that interleukin 6 can induce the phosphorylation of STAT3. We found that using interleukin 6 to induce p-STAT3 activation in colorectal cancer cell lines can result in vasculogenic mimicry and using AG490 to suppress p-STAT3 activation restrained vasculogenic mimicry. Furthermore, the state of p-STAT3 activation can affect epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. By immunofluorescence double staining, we discovered that p-STAT3 expression is more directly correlated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition marker vimentin than with the vasculogenic mimicry-related protein VE-cadherin. These data show that activated p-STAT3 upregulates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition–related proteins and promotes vasculogenic mimicry.
Development and Initial Evaluation of the Measure of Active Supervision and Interaction
Authors: Collier-Meek Melissa A. , Johnson Austin H. , Farrell Anne F.
Published: November 2017

Implementation of research-based, Tier 1 behavior management strategies can be monitored to provide data-driven feedback and in support of integrity. The Measure of Active Supervision and Interaction (MASI) was developed to measure four behavior management practices (i.e., Praise, Correction, References to Behavior Expectations, Active Supervision) using systematic direct observation. This study was designed to address research questions related to reliability and validity by applying the MASI to evaluate staff behavior in seven out-of-school time programs. Findings indicate that two raters can complete the MASI with high agreement. Ratings are attributable largely to desirable sources of variance, and content validators positively rate the measure. Results are nonsignificantly correlated with established implementation measures for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.
Telemedicine in Diabetic Foot Care: A Systematic Literature Review of Interventions and Meta-analysis of Controlled Trials
Authors: Tchero Huidi , Noubou Lazarre , Becsangele Beatrice , Mukisi-Mukaza Martin , Retali Gerald-Reparate , Rusch Emmanuel
Published: November 2017

The care of individuals with diabetic foot ulcers is costly and requires multiple hospital visits. Inadequate care leads to serious complications and a high risk of lower extremity amputation. In this review, we aimed at evaluating whether telemedicine can be effective in diabetic foot patient care. We searched Medline through Embase and PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for relevant studies, published up to April 2017. The studies were summarized and discussed in a narrative method and a meta-analysis of 2 controlled trials was conducted using the fixed-effects model. The main outcomes, assessed in the retrieved studies were the healing rate and satisfaction of patients and health care personnel. Most of the studies showed that implementing telemonitoring programs increased the rate of complete ulcer healing, while the patients were highly satisfied. Two trials providing data on 213 patients on telemedicine and 301 patients on usual care were included for meta-analysis. Subjects in telemedicine, as well as control groups had statistically similar healing time (43 vs 45 days; P = .83), healing time ratio adjusted for age (1 vs 1.4; P = .1), unhealed ulcers or loss to follow-up (3 of 20 vs 7 of 120; P = .13), and amputations (12 of 193 vs 14 of 182; P = .59). Subjects in the telemedicine group experienced a significantly higher mortality rate (8 of 193 vs 1 of 181; P = .0001) due to unexplained factors. No adverse events were attributed to using the telemedicine technology. The odds of complete ulcer healing were statistically similar between the telemedicine group and controls (odds ratio = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.57-1.33; P = .53). Telemedicine care is promising for the management of diabetic foot patients as the results were comparable with usual care. However, further large-scale studies need to be undertaken before it can be implemented widely.
Analysis of Expected Costs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment Strategies
Authors: Milone Michael T. , Karim Adnan , Klifto Christopher S. , Capo John T.
Published: November 2017

Background: Over 500 000 carpal tunnel releases costing over $2 billion are performed each year in the United States. The study’s purpose is to perform a cost-minimizing analysis to identify the least costly strategy for carpal tunnel syndrome treatment utilizing existing success rates based on previously reported literature. Methods: We evaluate the expected cost of various treatment strategies based on the likelihood of further treatments: (1) a single steroid injection followed by surgical release; (2) up to 2 steroid injections before surgical release; (3) 3 steroid injections before surgery, and (4) immediate surgical release. To reflect costs, we use our institution’s billing charges to private payers and reimbursements from Medicare. A range of expected steroid injection success rates are employed based on previously published literature. Results: Immediate surgical release is the costliest treatment with an expected cost of $2149 to $9927 per patient. For immediate surgical release to cost less than a single injection attempt, the probability of surgery after injection would need to exceed 80% in the Medicare reimbursement model and 87% in the institutional billing model. A single steroid injection with subsequent surgery, if needed, amounts to a direct cost savings of $359 million annually compared with immediate surgical release. Three injections before surgery, with “high” expected success rates, represent the cost-minimizing scenario. Conclusions: Although many factors must be considered when deciding upon treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, direct payer cost is an important component, and the initial management with steroid injections minimizes these direct payer costs.
Cisplatin alters the function and expression of N-type voltage-gated calcium channels in the absence of morphological damage of sensory neurons
Authors: Leo Markus , Schmitt Linda-Isabell , Jastrow Holger , Thomale Jürgen , Kleinschnitz Christoph , Hagenacker Tim
Published: November 2017

Platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents, such as cisplatin, are still frequently used for treating various types of cancer. Besides its high effectiveness, cisplatin has several serious side effects. One of the most common side effects is dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurotoxicity. However, the mechanisms underlying this neurotoxicity are still unclear and controversially discussed. Cisplatin-mediated modulation of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) in the DRG neurons has been shown to alter intracellular calcium homeostasis, a process critical for the induction of neurotoxicity. Using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, immunostaining, behavioural experiments and electron microscopy (EM) of rat DRGs, we here demonstrate that cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity is due to functional alteration of VGCC, but not due to morphological damage. In vitro application of cisplatin (0.5 µM) increased N-type VGCC currents ( ICa(V)) in small DRG neurons. Repetitive in vivo administration of cisplatin (1.5 mg/kg, cumulative 12 mg/kg) increased the protein level of N-type VGCC over 26 days, with the protein level being increased for at least 14 days after the final cisplatin administration. Behavioural studies revealed that N-type VGCCs are crucial for inducing symptoms of cisplatin-related neuropathic pain, such as thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia. EM and histology showed no evidence of any structural damage, apoptosis or necrosis in DRG cells after cisplatin exposure for 26 days. Furthermore, no nuclear DNA damage in sensory neurons was observed. Here, we provide evidence for a mainly functionally driven induction of neuropathic pain by cisplatin.
Activation of STAT3-mediated CXCL12 up-regulation in the dorsal root ganglion contributes to oxaliplatin-induced chronic pain
Authors: Li Yong-Yong , Li He , Liu Ze-Long , Li Qiong , Qiu Hua-Wen , Zeng Li-Jin , Yang Wen , Zhang Xiang-Zhong , Li Zhen-Yu
Published: November 2017

Oxaliplatin-induced chronic painful neuropathy is the most common dose-limiting adverse event that negatively affects cancer patients’ quality of life. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In the present study, we found that the intraperitoneal administration of oxaliplatin at 4 mg/kg for five consecutive days noticeably upregulated the expression of CXC motif ligand 12 (CXCL12) in the dorsal root ganglion, and the intrathecal injection of an anti-CXCL12 neutralizing antibody or CXCL12 siRNA attenuated the mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia induced by oxaliplatin. We also found that the signal transducers and transcription activator 3 (STAT3) was activated in the dorsal root ganglion, and inhibition of STAT3 with S3I-201 or the injection of AAV-Cre-GFP into STAT3flox/flox mice prevented the upregulation of CXCL12 expression in the dorsal root ganglion and chronic pain following oxaliplatin administration. Double-label fluorescent immunohistochemistry findings also showed that p-STAT3 was mainly localized in CXCL12-positive cells in the dorsal root ganglion. Furthermore, the results of a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that p-STAT3 might be essential for oxaliplatin-induced CXCL12 upregulation via binding directly to the specific position of the CXCL12 gene promoter. Finally, we found that cytokine TNF-α and IL-1β increases mediated the STAT3 activation following oxaliplatin treatment. Taken together, these findings suggested that the upregulation of CXCL12 via TNF-α/IL-1β–dependent STAT3 activation contributes to oxaliplatin-induced chronic pain.
Bodily collisions: Toward a new materialist account of memorial art
Authors: Golańska Dorota
Published: November 2017

The major objective of this article is to elaborate on the new materialist philosophical framework as a useful analytical perspective for approaching contemporary artistic memorials. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (designed by Eisenman, 2005) and The Garden of Exile (designed by Libeskind, 2001), both situated in Berlin, serve as illustrative examples for theoretical investigations developed in this contribution. Relying on Deleuze and Guattari’s definition of art, the article argues that these sites heighten our awareness of materials, compositional structures, or the process of encountering the work. By weaving together the representable (narrative/symbolic/semiotic) and the unrepresentable (traumatic/bodily/material), the sites deny a purely representational logic, producing instead intensive singular events that are never fixed or unwavering. The memorial character of these sites is therefore always emergent and contingent on the complex dynamic material-semiotic assemblages of different bodies. As such, it only exists in the encounter. Relation is its onto-epistemology.
NT-proBNP: When is it useful in Obstetric Medicine?
Authors: Ker James A , Soma-Pillay Priya
Published: November 2017

Pregnancy, viewed as a stress test of the haemodynamic system, may unmask underlying cardiac disease. Pregnancy may also induce de novo cardiac disease. N-terminal pro brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a useful biomarker in all clinical conditions in which the ventricle is stressed and especially stretched in the general population. In hypertensive diseases of pregnancy, increased levels of NT-proBNP in preeclampsia are associated with increased cardiac filling pressures and diastolic dysfunction. Increased levels of NT-proBNP in pregnant women with known cardiac disease may lead to earlier diagnosis of impending heart failure. Similarly, elevated levels of NT-proBNP assist with the diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy and are increasingly used in follow-up. Women with known congenital heart disease who are pregnant can be screened for risk of cardiac events such as heart failure by the use of NT-proBNP levels. There is a paucity of data in pregnancy with the use of NT-proBNP and more research is needed.
Peritoneal dialysis throughout pregnancy with successful outcome: A case report
Authors: Malin GL , Wallace SVF , Hall M , Ferraro A
Published: November 2017

We present the case of a 28-year-old woman who was para 1, with end-stage renal failure secondary to reflux nephritis. She conceived after two years on peritoneal dialysis. She successfully continued this throughout pregnancy, although her antenatal course was complicated by an episode of peritonitis. Induction at 34 weeks resulted in a vaginal birth of a live boy. Her postnatal course was uncomplicated. We reviewed the literature regarding peritoneal dialysis in pregnancy. A recent systematic review identified 14 cases. When the outcomes of these women were compared with those receiving haemodialysis in pregnancy, there was a significantly higher proportion of small for gestational age fetuses, but other parameters were comparable. Two cases of peritonitis complicating peritoneal dialysis in pregnancy have been reported, both successfully treated. We conclude that peritoneal dialysis may be continued in pregnancy with successful maternal and fetal outcome, particularly in women with some residual renal function.
Practical differences between luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists in prostate cancer: perspectives across the spectrum of care
Authors: Meani Davide , Solarić Mladen , Visapää Harri , Rosén Rose-Marie , Janknegt Robert , Soče Majana
Published: November 2017

Background:

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists is well established for the treatment of men with metastatic prostate cancer. As clear differences in efficacy, safety, or tolerability between the available LHRH agonists are lacking, the healthcare management team needs to look to practical differences between the formulations when selecting therapy for their patients. Moreover, as the economic burden of prostate cancer rises alongside earlier diagnosis and improved survival, the possibility for cost savings by using products with specific features is growing in importance.

Methods:

A review was conducted to summarize the information on the different LHRH agonist formulations currently available and offer insight into their relative benefits and disadvantages from the perspectives of physicians, a pharmacist, and a nurse.

Results:

The leuprorelin acetate and goserelin acetate solid implants have the advantage of being ready to use with no requirement for refrigeration, whereas powder and microsphere formulations have to be reconstituted and have specific storage or handling constraints. The single-step administration of solid implants, therefore, has potential to reduce labor time and associated costs. Dosing frequency is another key consideration, as administering the injection provides an opportunity for face-to-face interaction between the patient and healthcare professionals to ensure therapy is optimized and give reassurance to patients. Prostate cancer patients are reported to prefer 3- or 6-monthly dosing, which aligns with the monitoring frequency recommended in European Association of Urology guidelines and has been shown to result in reduced annual costs compared with 1-month formulations.

Conclusions:

A number of practical differences exist between the different LHRH agonist preparations available, which may impact on clinical practice. It is important for healthcare providers to be aware and carefully consider these differences when selecting treatments for their prostate cancer patients.
How social stigma sustains the HIV treatment gap for MSM in Mpumalanga, South Africa
Authors: Maleke Kabelo , Daniels Joseph , Lane Tim , Struthers Helen , McIntyre James , Coates Thomas
Published: November 2017

There are gaps in HIV care for men who have sex with men (MSM) in African settings, and HIV social stigma plays a significant role in sustaining these gaps. We conducted a three-year research project with 49 HIV-positive MSM in two districts in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, to understand the factors that inform HIV care seeking behaviors. Semi-structured focus group discussions and interviews were conducted in IsiZulu, SiSwati, and some code-switching into English, and these were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. We used a constant comparison approach to analyze these data. HIV social stigma centered around gossip that sustained self-diagnosis and delayed clinical care with decisions to use traditional healers to mitigate the impact of gossip on their lives. More collaboration models are needed between traditional healers and health professionals to support the global goals for HIV testing and treatment.
Harming the very people whom the law is seeking to protect? The nexus between international, European Union and domestic law on human trafficking and undercover police operations
Authors: Constantinou Angelo G.
Published: November 2017

The conundrum of trade in women for sex has engendered many feminist struggles that sought to influence the political and legal actions on the matter, in an attempt to eliminate female sexual exploitation. However, albeit a number of transnational legal means (especially European Union law) have been put into effect for such purpose and, also, for universalizing the national anti-trafficking approaches, the very recipients of exploitation (victims of human trafficking) are still marginalized. A case in point is the role of the Cypriot law in the execution of undercover police operations, where deceit, exploitation and subjectification of prostituted women are predicated as standard procedure.
Diagnostic value of glycemic markers HbA1c, 1,5-anhydroglucitol and glycated albumin in evaluating gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Saglam Baris , Uysal Sezer , Sozdinler Sadik , Dogan Omer Erbil , Onvural Banu
Published: November 2017

Background:

The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is the current established method performed worldwide to diagnose gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of the use of long- and short-term markers of glycemic status.

Methods:

The study group was composed of 80 pregnant women, 40 with GDM and 40 with normal glucose tolerance. GDM was diagnosed with the American Diabetes Association criteria. Glycemic markers were measured in the OGTT blood samples of women at 24–28 weeks of gestation.

Results:

HbA1c was significantly higher in the GDM group when compared with the controls, whereas 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) levels were significantly lower. There was not a significant difference between the groups for glycated albumin. Whereas HbA1c levels were correlated with fasting and 1 h glucose and negatively correlated with mean corpuscular volume, 1,5-AG was only negatively correlated with the first hour glucose. No difference was found for the diagnostic performances of HbA1c and 1,5-AG (receiver operating characteristic of the area under the concentration curve values were 0.756 and 0.722, respectively).

Conclusion:

HbA1c and 1,5-AG alone does not have sufficient diagnostic accuracy to diagnose GDM. 1,5-AG values were correlated with post-load glucose values in pregnant women so will improve the GDM management and be useful to predict complications.
Severe haematuria of lower urinary tract origin with low dose dabigatran use in three Indian elderly patients: unresolved issues in the safety of novel oral anticoagulants
Authors: Kaur Upinder , Chakrabarti Sankha Shubhra , Manna Sukdev , Gambhir Indrajeet Singh
Published: November 2017

Dabigatran is a newer oral direct thrombin inhibitor approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The proper dosage of the drug, the potential for adverse drug reactions and the nature of bleeds with use of this drug as with other novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), in the elderly population are still areas of uncertainty. Despite the existence of a specific antibody, idarucizumab which is an antidote to dabigatran toxicity, management of dabigatran-induced bleeds is an undefined area especially in resource constrained settings. We report severe haematuria with dabigatran in three elderly Indian patients at the lowest recommended therapeutic dose and explore these grey zones in dabigatran therapy.
Meningeal carcinomatosis and spinal cord infiltration caused by a locally invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma in a cat
Authors: Posporis Christoforos , Grau-Roma Llorenç , Travetti Olga , Oliveira Maria , Polledo Laura , Wessmann Annette
Published: November 2017

Case summary

A 12-year-old domestic shorthair cat was presented with acute non-painful hindlimb proprioceptive ataxia localising to T3–L3 spinal cord segments. MRI revealed paravertebral muscular hyperintensity on T2-weighted images at the level of T7–T8 vertebrae. The cat improved on conservative management but deteriorated 3 months later. Repeated MRI showed meningeal enhancement at the same level and hyperintensity of the paravertebral musculature extending to the right thoracic wall and pleural space on short tau inversion recovery images. Thoracic CT showed mineralised lesions of the right lung, restricted pleural effusion and expansile bone lesions affecting multiple ribs. The cat had been treated for pyothorax 5 years earlier but manifested no current respiratory signs. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination showed lymphocytic pleocytosis but no neoplastic cells. Biopsy of the affected muscles and cytology of the lung and pleural lesions suggested a malignant epithelial cell tumour. Post-mortem examination confirmed a pulmonary adenocarcinoma locally infiltrating the thoracic wall, T7–T8 vertebrae and the spinal cord white matter. Meningeal carcinomatosis was detected with neoplastic cells invading the ventral median fissure of the spinal cord. No metastases were observed in other organs, indicating that neoplastic cells reached the spinal cord by direct extension.

Relevance and novel information

Spinal meningeal carcinomatosis has not been reported in dogs or cats with extraneural tumours but is a well-recognised condition in humans. A metastatic cause of meningeal enhancement should be considered in patients with neurological signs of unknown origin. Imaging findings and CSF results can be non-specific.
The effect of exposure to thiazolidinediones on the development of head-and-neck cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Govindarajan Rangaswamy , Siegel Eric R
Published: November 2017

Background:

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) ligands with a variety of metabolic activities approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition to being potent hypoglycemic agents, they are recognized through in-vitro studies as having antiproliferative activity. This study was conducted to explore the impact of TZD exposures on the development of head-and-neck cancer.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on subjects attending 10 Veterans Affairs medical centers comprising Veterans Integrated Services Network 16 (VISN-16). Data were collected from the VISN-16 database created from the electronic patient charts. Male diabetics who were eligible to be prescribed TZDs were followed for the development of head-and-neck cancer. Head-and-neck cancers were identified by International Statistical Classification of Diseases 9 (ICD 9) codes; exposures to TZDs and other antidiabetic agents were determined from pharmacy dispensing records.

Results:

A total of 130,406 subjects who met the study criteria were followed for a total of 571,237 person-years, during which time 911 head-and-neck cancers developed. There was a significant reduction in the incidence of head-and-neck cancers among subjects exposed to TZDs after adjusting for other antidiabetic agents, race, age, body mass index (BMI), and glycosylated hemoglobin [hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C)] (hazard ratio 0.43, confidence interval 0.21–0.89; p = 0.023).

Conclusion:

A statistically significant reduction was noted in the incidence of head-and-neck cancers among male diabetic veterans exposed to TZDs. These data warrant further investigation.
High-ACE Low Wage Workers: Occupational Health Nursing Research and Praxis Through a Trauma-Informed Lens
Authors: Rosemberg Marie-Anne , Gultekin Laura , Pardee Michelle
Published: November 2017

Individuals with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) disproportionately have poor mental and physical health outcomes. These experiences affect individuals across the life span extending beyond health with deleterious impact on work-related outcomes. Low-wage workers are particularly at risk. Social service and health organizations are becoming aware of the extent to which the populations they serve have been affected by these experiences. Employment support programs may serve high-ACE individuals but likely are unaware of their histories and the developmental or health deficits that result and can impinge on successful employment. Occupational health nurses may be well-positioned not only to implement trauma-informed care in workplaces but also to influence the ways in which employment services for this vulnerable group are delivered. The purpose of this article is to consider how ACEs could affect vulnerable workers. The need for trauma-informed research and praxis to advance occupational health nursing is discussed.
After the Rainy Day: How Private Resources Shape Personal Trajectories following Job Loss and Amplify Racial Inequality
Authors: Gould-Werth Alix
Published: November 2017

Using data from in-depth interviews with a diverse group of people who lost jobs between 2007 and 2011, my study identifies the important role of private resource banks—reserves of personal resources such as assets and social connections amassed during more favorable times—following job loss. Without these resources, job losers are unable to move past the struggle to survive and onto recovery (through reemployment, comfortable labor market exit, or buffered labor market failure). Because private resources are unequally distributed by race, Black respondents are less able to leverage these resources toward recovery than their White counterparts. These results suggest that job loss may be a turning point in the life course—like incarceration, childbirth, and eviction—in which racial inequality is magnified and reproduced.
Positing the Polis: Topography as a Way to De-centre Urban Thinking
Authors: De Boeck Filip , Baloji Sammy
Published: November 2017

Urban living constantly attempts to ‘suture’ the city, finding ways to stitch gains and losses, or pasts and futures together in the moment of the ‘urban now’. De Boeck’s reflection on the complexities of the postcolonial urban world in the Central African locale is shaped around the visual archive that he built up over the past years with photographer Sammy Baloji. This article addresses the possibilities of such a combination of ethnography and photography to de-centre and reframe urban theory and build an alternative urban archive to explore in novel ways what this ‘suturing’, this living and living together, might mean in Central Africa’s urban worlds today.
Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes: considerations pre- and posttransplant
Authors: Alter Blanche P.
Published: November 2017

Patients with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes are usually identified when they develop hematologic complications such as severe bone marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndrome, or acute myeloid leukemia. They often have specific birth defects or other physical abnormalities that suggest a syndrome, and sequencing of specific genes or next-generation sequencing can determine or confirm the particular syndrome. The 4 most frequent syndromes are Fanconi anemia, dyskeratosis congenita, Diamond Blackfan anemia, and Shwachman Diamond syndrome. This review discusses the major complications that develop as the patients with these syndromes age, as well as additional late effects following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The most common complications are iron overload in transfused patients and syndrome-specific malignancies in untransplanted patients, which may occur earlier and with higher risks in those who have received transplants.
A Call to Use Cultural Competence When Teaching Evolution to Religious College Students: Introducing Religious Cultural Competence in Evolution Education (ReCCEE)
Authors: Barnes M. Elizabeth , Brownell Sara E.
Published: November 2017

Low acceptance of evolution among undergraduate students is common and is best predicted by religious beliefs. Decreasing students’ perceived conflict between religion and evolution could increase their acceptance of evolution. However, college biology instructors may struggle with trying to decrease students’ perceived conflict between religion and evolution because of differences in the religious cultures and beliefs of instructors and students. Although a large percentage of undergraduate students in evolution courses are religious, most instructors teaching evolution are not. To consider differences between the secular culture of many college instructors and the religious culture of many students, we propose using a lens of cultural competence to create effective evolution education. Cultural competence is the ability of individuals from one culture (in this case, primarily secular instructors who are teaching evolution) to bridge cultural differences and effectively communicate with individuals from a different culture (in this case, primarily religious undergraduate biology students). We call this new framework Religious Cultural Competence in Evolution Education (ReCCEE). In this essay, we describe a suite of culturally competent practices that can help instructors reduce students’ perceived conflict between evolution and religion, increase students’ acceptance of evolution, and help create more inclusive undergraduate biology classrooms.
Adsorption Behavior of Arsenic to an Isolated Ferric Ion Combined on Chelate Resin
Authors: Aacharya Sabita , Gaowa Naren , Ohashi Hironori , Kawamoto Daisuke , Honma Tetsuo , Okaue Yoshihiro , Yokoyama Takushi
Published: November 2017

Adsorption behavior of As(V) and As(III) to an isolated ferric ion combined with Chelex 100 suggested that an isolated ferric ion combined with organic substances plays an important role in the uptake of arsenic in the pedosphere in addition to ferric hydrous oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) which are ubiquitous inorganic polymers.
Focused ultrasound: tumour ablation and its potential to enhance immunological therapy to cancer
Authors: Mauri Giovanni , Nicosia Luca , Xu Zhen , Di Pietro Salvatore , Monfardini Lorenzo , Bonomo Guido , Varano Gianluca Maria , Prada Francesco , Della Vigna Paolo , Orsi Franco
Published: November 2017

Various kinds of image-guided techniques have been successfully applied in the last years for the treatment of tumours, as alternative to surgical resection. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a novel, totally non-invasive, image-guided technique that allows for achieving tissue destruction with the application of focused ultrasound at high intensity. This technique has been successfully applied for the treatment of a large variety of diseases, including oncological and non-oncological diseases. One of the most fascinating aspects of image-guided ablations, and particularly of HIFU, is the reported possibility of determining a sort of stimulation of the immune system, with an unexpected “systemic” response to treatments designed to be “local”. In the present article the mechanisms of action of HIFU are described, and the main clinical applications of this technique are reported, with a particular focus on the immune-stimulation process that might originate from tumour ablations.
Οριοθετώντας τον ευρωπαϊκό πολιτειακό χώρο
Authors: Τσινισιζέλης M. Ι. , Χρυσοχόου Δ. Ν.
Published: November 2017

Το άρθρο αυτό αναφέρεται στο πρόβλημα του ποιοτικού μετασχηματισμού της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης από έναν ατελή και ασαφή πολιτικό χώρο σε μια δημοκρατικά οργανωμένη res publica. Ο μετασχηματισμός αυτός πρέπει να στηρίζεται στις αρχές της διαβουλευτικής δημοκρατίας και της ουσιαστικής εμπλοκής των πολιτών στη διαδικασία της ευρωπαϊκής διακυβέρνησης μετά τη Συνθήκη του Άμστερνταμ. Η έμφαση του άρθρου είναι στις κανονιστικές ιδιότητες των διαδικασιών μετασχηματισμού προς μια δημοκεντρική ευρωπαϊκή πολιτεία. Το γενικό συμπέρασμα είναι ότι ένας ευρωπαϊκός πολιτειακός χώρος θα μπορούσε να αναδυθεί ως αποτέλεσμα της εμβάθυνσης των δικαιωμάτων που απορρέουν από τη διεθνική ιθαγένεια και τη θεσμοθέτηση της αρμοδιότητας των πολιτών σε ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο.
Κατασκευάζοντας την (παγκόσμια) πολιτική: Ο ρόλος και η λειτουργία των επιστημονικών κοινοτήτων
Authors: Αντωνιάδης Ανδρεας
Published: November 2017

Το άρθρο αυτό, χρησιμοποιώντας τις θεωρίες του κονστρουκτιβισμού και της συμβολικής διαντίδρασης, αφορά το ρόλο των επιστημονικών κοινοτήτων στην κατασκευή της πραγματικότητας της παγκόσμιας πολιτικής. Οι επιστημονικές κοινότητες, ασκώντας «εξουσιαστική αρμοδιότητα» όσον αφορά τη γνώση, διαδραματίζουν αποφασιστικό ρόλο στο «παιχνίδι» των διαντιδράσεων που αναπαράγουν τις διυποκειμενικές νοητικές κατασκευές πάνω στις οποίες βασίζεται η πραγματικότητα της παγκόσμιας πολιτικής. Ωστόσο, οι επιστημονικές κοινότητες δεν συγκροτούν ενιαία ελίτ γνώσης· συνίστανται σε πληθώρα ανταγωνιστικών κοινοτήτων σκέψεως, με διαφορετικές αξίες. Για την ανάλυση της θέσης αυτής διακρίνονται δύο τύποι επιστημονικών κοινοτήτων, ένας ολιστικός και ένας ad hoc, καθώς και δύο επίπεδα δράσης τους, ένα νοητικό και ένα πρακτικό. Τέλος, αναφορά γίνεται στη σχέση των επιστημονικών κοινοτήτων με την πολιτική εξουσία.
Monocytes isolated by positive and negative magnetic sorting techniques show different molecular characteristics and immunophenotypic behaviour
Authors: Bhattacharjee Jashdeep , Das Barun , Mishra Alaknanda , Sahay Preeti , Upadhyay Pramod
Published: November 2017

Background: Magnetic sorting of cells, based on  microbead conjugated antibodies (Abs), employs positive as well as negative immunomagnetic separation methods, for isolation of a specific cell population. These microbeads are suggested to be nontoxic, biodegradable carriers conjugated to various antibodies. Isolation of cells through positive selection involves the attachment of antibody conjugated microbeads to the cells of interest, followed by their isolation in the presence of a strong magnetic field to obtain higher purity. Negative selection involves attachment of microbead conjugated antibodies to all other cell populations except the cells of interest, which remain untagged. In the present study, we compared the two methods for their effect on functional and immunophenotypic behavior of isolated CD14+ monocytes.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from blood collected from healthy volunteers by density gradient centrifugation. Human blood derived monocytes were isolated through positive selection and negative selection, making use of the appropriate monocyte isolation kit. Monocytes were then stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and their activation and proliferation capacity were examined. The degradation or dissociation of cell-bound microbeads was also investigated.

Results: We observed an impaired LPS sensitivity as well as poor activation and proliferation capacity upon stimulation by LPS in positively sorted CD14+ monocytes as compared to negatively sorted CD14+ monocytes. The attached microbeads did not degrade and remained attached to the cells even after 6 days of culture.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that positively sorted CD14+ cells exhibit hampered functionality and may result in inaccurate analysis and observations in downstream applications. However, these cells can be used for immediate analytical procedures.
miRcomp-Shiny: Interactive assessment of qPCR-based microRNA quantification and quality control algorithms
Authors: Kemperman Lauren , McCall Matthew N.
Published: November 2017

The miRcomp-Shiny web application allows interactive performance assessments and comparisons of qPCR-based microRNA expression and quality estimation methods using a benchmark data set. This work is motivated by two distinct use cases: (1) selection of methodology and quality thresholds for use analyzing one's own data, and (2) comparison of novel expression estimation algorithms with currently-available methodology. The miRcomp-Shiny application is implemented in the R/Shiny language and can be installed on any operating system on which R can be installed. It is made freely available as part of the miRcomp package (version 1.3.3 and later) available through the Bioconductor project at: http://bioconductor.org/packages/miRcomp. The web application is hosted at https://laurenkemperman.shinyapps.io/mircomp/. A detailed description of how to use the web application is available at: http://lkemperm.github.io/miRcomp_shiny_app
High-dependency care: experiences of the psychosocial work environment
Authors: Rahman Hanif Abdul , Naing Lin , Abdul-Mumin Khadizah
Published: November 2017

Aim:

to explore high-dependency care nurses' experiences of their psychosocial work environment.

Methods:

four focus groups were conducted with 23 emergency and critical care hospital nurses in Brunei. All sessions were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive-approach thematic analysis.

Findings:

three major themes were identified. ‘Specialisation/specific skills’ explained a fundamental requirement for the high-dependency care nurses to work effectively and efficiently in their workplace. ‘Task completion’ narrated the pressure they experienced to complete their tasks within time constraints exacerbated by a reduced number of staff. ‘Acknowledgement’ signified their need for fair and adequate reward for their hard work through career progression and promotion.

Conclusion:

this study facilitates the design of future interventions and policies that promote a healthy psychosocial work environment by ensuring nurses working in these areas have the required specialisation skills, there is a balance of workload and nurse-to-patient ratios, and they are offered fairness and equity in career progression and promotion.
How peer facilitation can help nursing students develop their skills
Authors: Davis Emily , Richardson Sally
Published: November 2017

Nursing education is continuously evolving to meet Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements for registered nurses. NMC standards state that all registered nurses are responsible for the student learning experience. However, newly qualified nurses can feel underprepared to support pre-registration student learning in the clinical area as the university setting does not facilitate formal peer support. This article will discuss the implementation of a peer facilitation scheme for pre-registration nursing students undertaking the BSc (Hons) and PGDip programmes in a higher education institution in London. The scheme trained second-year nursing students to be peer facilitators for first-year clinical skills sessions. This article will also consider the benefits of the scheme for both first and second-year student nurses.