bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radiation-induced esophageal strictures treated with fluoroscopic balloon dilation: clinical outcomes and factors influencing recurrence in 62 patients
Authors: Park Jung-Hoon , Kim Kun Yung , Song Ho-Young , Cho Young Chul , Kim Pyeong Hwa , Tsauo Jiaywei , Kim Min Tae , Jun Eun Jung , Jung Hwoon-Yong , Kim Sung-Bae , Kim Jong Hoon
Published: June 2017

Background

Balloon dilation is safe and effective for the treatment of radiation-induced esophageal stricture (RIES), with favorable short-term and mid-term outcomes; however, few reports of long-term outcomes exist. Few studies have evaluated factors associated with recurrence after balloon dilation.

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term outcome of balloon dilation in patients with RIES and to identify factors associated with stricture recurrence.

Material and Methods

The medical records of 62 consecutive patients who had undergone fluoroscopic balloon dilation for RIES at our institution between December 1998 and June 2016 were reviewed.

Results

One hundred and twenty balloon dilation sessions were performed in 62 patients (mean = 1.9 sessions per patient). Clinical success was achieved in 53 (86%) patients after single (n = 37) or multiple (n = 16) dilation sessions. Complications occurred in 27% of the dilation sessions. The primary patency rates at one, two, three, and five years were 60%, 56%, 52%, and 52%, respectively. Secondary patency rates at one, two, three, and five years were 87%, 85%, 85%, and 80%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified an interval from radiation therapy (RT) to stricture of ≥6 months (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.205; P < 0.001), strictures located at the cervical esophagus (HR = 5.846; P < 0.001), and stricture length of ≥2 cm (HR = 2.923; P = 0.006) as significant predictors of recurrence.

Conclusion

Despite the high incidence of ruptures and recurrences, fluoroscopic balloon dilation is valuable as an initial therapeutic option for patients with RIES.
Matrix Production Affects MRI Outcomes After Matrix-Associated Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation in the Knee
Authors: Albrecht Christian , Reuter Carla-Antonia , Stelzeneder David , Zak Lukas , Tichy Brigitte , Nürnberger Sylvia , Boesmueller Sandra , Marlovits Stefan , Trattnig Siegfried , Hajdu Stefan , Aldrian Silke
Published: June 2017

Background:

Matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) has been an effective therapy for large, full-thickness cartilage lesions for years. However, little is known about how graft maturation is affected by characteristics of transplanted chondrocytes.

Purpose:

To investigate the influence of gene expression of chondrocytes at the time of transplantation on MRI outcomes up to 2 years after MACT.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

This study included 25 patients with 27 symptomatic traumatic defects of articular cartilage, who had undergone MACT in the knee. Postoperative MRI examinations were conducted at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. Biochemical graft maturation was assessed by measuring T2 relaxation time values of the transplant and healthy native cartilage areas. The MOCART (magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue) score was used to evaluate the morphological quality of regeneration tissue. Gene expression (collagen type I, collagen type II, aggrecan, versican, and interleukin-1β) was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in transplant residuals at the time point of transplantation and was correlated with MRI outcomes using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. A Friedman test with post hoc analysis (Wilcoxon signed rank test) conducted with a Bonferroni correction was applied to compare scores at different time points.

Results:

T2 relaxation time of regeneration tissue improved from a mean ± SD of 74.6 ± 20.1 milliseconds at 3 months to 47.9 ±13.3 milliseconds at 24 months ( P < .003). These values were similar to the T2 relaxation times of the native surrounding cartilage (50.9 ± 15 ms). The calculated T2 index (ratio of regeneration tissue to native cartilage) improved from 1.63 ± 0.76 at 3 months to 1.0 ± 0.4 at 24 months ( P < .011). The MOCART score increased from 51.6 ± 15 points to 72.4 ± 12.2 points ( P < .001). Improvement of the T2 index over time significantly correlated with aggrecan, COL1A1, COL2A1, and versican expression ( rs = 0.9, P < .001; rs = 0.674, P < .012; rs = 0.553, P < .05; and rs = 0.575, P < .04, respectively). No correlation was found for IL-1β.

Conclusion:

These data demonstrate that matrix production in transplanted chondrocytes affects maturation of MACT grafts in MRI 2 years after surgery.
Police Involvement in Intimate Partner Violence and Children’s Anxiety Symptoms
Authors: Jouriles Ernest N. , Rancher Caitlin , Vu Nicole L. , McDonald Renee
Published: June 2017

This study examined whether police involvement in intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with children’s anxiety symptoms and threat appraisals. Participants were 117 mothers and their children (7-10 years) recruited from domestic violence shelters and followed for 6 months. Mothers reported on IPV and police involvement in the past 6 months; children reported their own anxiety symptoms and threat appraisals. Police involvement in IPV incidents at Time 1 was positively related to children’s anxiety symptoms at both the Time 1 and Time 2 assessments, even after controlling for the severity of the IPV. Police involvement was not associated with children’s threat appraisals. Police involvement in IPV may inadvertently contribute to an increase in children’s anxiety symptoms. Efforts to mitigate adverse outcomes should be investigated.
Effect of transition on the aerodynamic characteristics of a spinning cone
Authors: Zhang Qiao , Wu Xiaosheng , Yin Jintao , Yao Ran
Published: June 2017

In order to study the effect of transition on the aerodynamic characteristics of a pointed cone at small angles of attack in supersonic flows, the [Formula: see text] transition model, γ transition model, and a trip wire applied with [Formula: see text] transition model coupled with the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations were used to simulate the flow over the spinning cone. The γ transition model, including the effects of crossflow instability, is better than other models in the transition and Magnus force prediction. The numerical calculations are in certain agreement with the experimental data. The results indicate that the positions of the maximum boundary layer thickness remain unchanged using different turbulence models, while the results obtained by the transition model shift towards spin direction, intensifying the difference of the boundary layer thickness between the right and the left side bodies; the contribution of the skin friction on the Magnus force increases due to the shift in the transition position; the contribution of pressure on the Magnus force also changes with the distortion of the boundary layer.
Tundra vegetation stability versus lake-basin variability on the Yukon Coastal Plain (NW Canada) during the past three centuries
Authors: Wolter Juliane , Lantuit Hugues , Herzschuh Ulrike , Stettner Samuel , Fritz Michael
Published: June 2017

Palaeoclimatic reconstructions of the northern Yukon show cooler conditions before AD 1850 followed by gradual warming, and 20th-century temperature measurements indicate decadal-scale temperature fluctuations. The impact of climate on regional vegetation and lake systems has seldom been observed on this scale, however. With this study, we provide a sub-decadal reconstruction of regional vegetation and lake-basin development for the past 300 years, covering the ‘Little Ice Age’ and the period of recent warming, in low Arctic tundra. We analysed a short lake sediment core from the Yukon Coastal Plain. The age–depth relationship of the core is based on 210Pb/137Cs validated by AMS radiocarbon dating. We analysed terrestrial pollen abundances as proxies for regional vegetation development, and we used grain size and biogeochemical analyses (TOC, TN, TOC/TN, δ13C) and the analysis of semiaquatic pollen to describe the lake development. Stable abundances of regional pollen taxa between AD 1730 and AD 2012 accompanied by climatic warming indicated that the regional vegetation was not sensitive to climate change. Based on changes in TOC/TN, δ13C and pollen of shallow-water taxa, we reconstructed an increase in lake water depth after AD 1910 that likely followed climatic warming. We attributed this development to climate-driven thaw subsidence in the lake basin. The impact of widespread permafrost thaw on regional vegetation needs to be better constrained in order to predict the limits of vegetation stability and drivers of lake changes in the region.
A Case Report of Parvovirus B19 Infection in a Renal Allograft
Authors: Oramas Diana M. , Setty Suman , Yeldandi Vijay , Cabrera Julio , Patel Tushar
Published: June 2017

Parvovirus B19 infection is undiagnosed in recipients undergoing solid organ transplantation. It is usually responsible for unexplained acute and chronic red blood cell aplasia that does not respond to erythropoietin therapy. Cases of parvovirus B19 infection associated with pancytopenia, solid organ dysfunction, and allograft rejection have been described in the literature. The deterioration of the immune system as a result of severe immunotherapy favors the reactivation of a previous infection or the acquisition of a new one. We present a case of a 32-year-old woman with a 1-year history of renal allograft transplant and previous cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection who presented with chest pain, polyarthritis, pancytopenia, and renal dysfunction. A serum sample using polymerase chain reaction showed a parvovirus titer of 13.8 trillion IU/mL and a CMV titer of 800 IU/mL. The renal biopsy revealed nucleomegaly with focal viral inclusions, along with changes associated with immunotherapy toxicity. Electron microscopy demonstrated capillary and tubular epithelial cells with “viral factories,” thereby confirming the diagnosis. Thus, screening for parvovirus B19 is advised in high-risk patients who present with refractory anemia to avoid the complications of a chronic infection associated with the fatal rejection of the transplanted organ.
Development of the Trauma-Related Anger Scale
Authors: Sullivan Connor , Jones Russell T. , Hauenstein Neil , White Bradley
Published: June 2017

Anger is a pervasive problem following traumatic events. Previous research has demonstrated a moderate relationship between anger and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet findings also highlight that anger has not been rigorously measured in the context of PTSD. Thus, this study concerns the development of a complimentary measure to assess anger in the context of PTSD. Participants were 435 undergraduate students. The participants were given a battery including the proposed scale and measures of trauma exposure, PTSD, anger, depression, anxiety, and social desirability. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a hierarchical, four-factor model provided the best fit to the data. The scale appeared psychometrically sound, with excellent internal consistency, good evidence of validity, and good model fit. This scale may provide implications for clinical work, specifically for the assessment and tracking of anger symptoms connected to PTSD. Additionally, this scale may assist with research by predicting treatment outcomes, aggression, and PTSD.
Subdifferential inclusions for stress formulations of unilateral contact problems
Authors: Sofonea Mircea , Bartosz Krzysztof
Published: June 2017

We consider two classes of inclusions involving subdifferential operators, both in the sense of Clarke and in the sense of convex analysis. An inclusion that belongs to the first class is stationary while an inclusion that belongs to the second class is history-dependent. For each class, we prove existence and uniqueness of the solution. The proofs are based on arguments of pseudomonotonicity and fixed points in reflexive Banach spaces. Then we consider two mathematical models that describe the frictionless unilateral contact of a deformable body with a foundation. The constitutive law of the material is expressed in terms of a subdifferential of a nonconvex potential function and, in the second model, involves a memory term. For each model, we list assumptions on the data and derive a variational formulation, expressed in terms of a multivalued variational inequality for the stress tensor. Then we use our abstract existence and uniqueness results on the subdifferential inclusions and prove the unique weak solvability of each contact model. We end this paper with some examples of one-dimensional constitutive laws for which our results can be applied.
Enquiry calls to GP surgeries in the United Kingdom: Expressions of incomplete service and dissatisfaction in closing sequences
Authors: Sikveland Rein Ove , Stokoe Elizabeth
Published: June 2017

This article examines patients’ calls to three different GP services in the United Kingdom. Using conversation analysis, combined with coding of 447 calls, we studied the role of thank you in closing sequences, focusing on their timing and order in relation to service outcome. We show first how patients withhold thank you in orientation to an absent summary or specification of service: patients are more likely to initiate thank you if the receptionist volunteers such a summary. Second, we show there is variation in how appropriately participants project the termination of calls using thank you. Finally, while thank you serves a primary role in managing the termination of calls, the timing, order and design of thank you can also display patient (dis)satisfaction. We discuss our findings in terms of service encounters more generally, including implications for larger scale analysis.
Response Bias over Time
Authors: Valente Thomas W. , Dougherty Leanne , Stammer Emily
Published: June 2017

This study investigates potential bias that may arise when surveys include question items for which multiple units are elicited. Examples of such items include questions about experiences with multiple health centers, comparison of different products, or the solicitation of egocentric network data. The larger the number of items asked about each named individual or location, the greater potential interviewer and respondent burden accrues to the naming of more names. Interviewers may be inclined to limit the number of names elicited to reduce the amount of time required to complete the interviews. We tested whether such bias occurred from data collected in northwest Ghana by contrasting group learning with individual learning. The results provided mixed evidence for both group and individual learning and stress the need to take actions such as increased training, change in incentives, and/or monitoring responses to guard against such results.
Eccentric Exercise to Enhance Neuromuscular Control
Authors: Lepley Lindsey K. , Lepley Adam S. , Onate James A. , Grooms Dustin R.
Published: June 2017

Context:

Neuromuscular alterations are a major causal factor of primary and secondary injuries. Though injury prevention programs have experienced some success, rates of injuries have not declined, and after injury, individuals often return to activity with functionality below clinical recommendations. Considering alternative therapies to the conventional concentric exercise approach, such as one that can target neuromuscular injury risk and postinjury alterations, may provide for more effective injury prevention and rehabilitation protocols.

Evidence Acquisition:

Peer-reviewed sources available on the Web of Science and MEDLINE databases from 2000 through 2016 were gathered using searches associated with the keywords eccentric exercise, injury prevention, and neuromuscular control.

Hypothesis:

Eccentric exercise will reduce injury risk by targeting specific neural and morphologic alterations that precipitate neuromuscular dysfunction.

Study Design:

Clinical review.

Level of Evidence:

Level 4.

Results:

Neuromuscular control is influenced by alterations in muscle morphology and neural activity. Eccentric exercise beneficially modifies several underlying factors of muscle morphology (fiber typing, cross-sectional area, working range, and pennation angle), and emerging evidence indicates that eccentric exercise is also beneficial to peripheral and central neural activity (alpha motorneuron recruitment/firing, sarcolemma activity, corticospinal excitability, and brain activation).

Conclusion:

There is mounting evidence that eccentric exercise is not only a therapeutic intervention influencing muscle morphology but also targets unique alterations in neuromuscular control, influencing injury risk.
Long-standing aggressive angiomyxoma as a paratesticular mass: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Aydin Ahmet M , Katipoglu Kubra , Baydar Dilek E , Bilen Cenk Y
Published: June 2017

Objectives:

Aggressive angiomyxoma is known as a mesenchymal tumor of premenopausal women and it is extremely rare in men.

Methods:

Herein, we report a 66-year-old male with a firm scrotal mass that had gradually enlarged over 20 years.

Results:

Radiological studies revealed 10 x 15 cm mass lesion confined to right scrotum with neither local invasion nor distant metastasis. Inguinal orchiectomy was performed and histopathology showed characteristic features of an aggressive angiomyxoma occupying paratesticular region, which was a challenging diagnosis due to its unexpected occurrence in the male gender.

Conclusion:

Aggressive angiomyxoma is mostly considered as a benign tumor in females despite its propensity for local recurrence. Whether it may show a divergent biological behavior in men is unknown as the reported cases are too few.
Help seeking for social anxiety: A pilot randomised controlled trial
Authors: Griffiths Kathleen M , Walker Jennie , Batterham Philip J
Published: June 2017

Objective

Although social anxiety disorder is a persistent and debilitating condition, only a minority of people with social anxiety disorder seek help and little is known about methods for promoting help seeking for social anxiety disorder. This pilot trial explored the potential effectiveness of an online program designed to increase help-seeking intentions for social anxiety disorder.

Methods

Australian adults with symptoms of untreated social anxiety disorder were recruited online and randomised to either the Shyness Information Online intervention ( n = 41) or an online attention control condition ( n = 41). Each program together with a baseline and postintervention survey was delivered in one session. The primary outcome was intentions to seek help from a professional. Secondary measures included anxiety literacy, help-seeking attitudes, internalised stigma, and perceived need for treatment. The acceptability of the program content and feasibility of the recruitment method were also examined.

Results

Although they did not demonstrate a significantly greater increase in help-seeking intentions relative to the control group ( p = 0.097), those receiving the intervention showed more favourable attitudes towards seeking psychological help (Hedges’ g = 0.38; p = 0.025) and a higher level of perceived need for treatment ( p ≤ 0.001). Participants also showed a greater knowledge about social anxiety disorder at post-intervention than the control participants (adjusted Hedges’ g = 0.46, p < 0.001). Most respondents were satisfied with the intervention content; the recruitment strategy appeared feasible.

Conclusions

Further investigation of the intervention is warranted to test its effectiveness, explore the relationships between factors that influence social anxiety disorder help-seeking behaviour and to further test the validity of the social anxiety disorder help-seeking model on which the intervention was based.
Organizing Practice and Practicing Organization: An Outline of Translational Mobilization Theory
Authors: Allen Davina , May Carl
Published: June 2017

Understanding the relationship between emergent social phenomena and the stabilizing mechanisms that make collective action possible is a long-standing concern in social science, but remains an inadequately theorized area. This article sets out a middle range theory—translational mobilization theory—to address this challenge. Adopting a practice-based approach, we connect interactionist perspectives on social order, analyses of sociotechnical networks, and theories of strategic action fields, to describe and explain how projects of institutionally sanctioned collective action are progressed by actors interacting with and through socially constructed objects. Investigating these mechanisms is a prerequisite to advancing empirical and theoretical understanding of the complex organizational processes and structures that characterize contemporary society.
How I treat chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
Authors: Solary Eric , Itzykson Raphael
Published: June 2017

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a clonal hematopoietic malignancy that may deserve specific management. Defined by a persistent peripheral blood monocytosis ≥1 × 109/L and monocytes accounting for ≥10% of the white blood cells, this aging-associated disease combines cell proliferation as a consequence of myeloid progenitor hypersensitivity to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor with myeloid cell dysplasia and ineffective hematopoiesis. The only curative option for CMML remains allogeneic stem cell transplantation. When transplantation is excluded, CMML is stratified into myelodysplastic (white blood cell count <13 × 109/L) and proliferative (white blood cell count ≥13 × 109/L) CMML. In the absence of poor prognostic factors, the management of myelodysplastic CMML is largely inspired from myelodysplastic syndromes, relying on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents to cope with anemia, and careful monitoring and supportive care, whereas the management of proliferative CMML usually relies on cytoreductive agents such as hydroxyurea, although ongoing studies will help delineate the role of hypomethylating agents in this patient population. In the presence of excessive blasts and other poor prognostic factors, hypomethylating agents are the preferred option, even though their impact on leukemic transformation and survival has not been proved. The therapeutic choice is illustrated by 4 clinical situations among the most commonly seen. Although current therapeutic options can improve patient’s quality of life, they barely modify disease evolution. Improved understanding of CMML pathophysiology will hopefully lead to the exploration of novel targets that potentially would be curative.
Examining Summer Laboratory Research Apprenticeships for High School Students as a Factor in Entry to MD/PhD Programs at Matriculation
Authors: Tai Robert H. , Kong Xiaoqing , Mitchell Claire E. , Dabney Katherine P. , Read Daniel M. , Jeffe Donna B. , Andriole Dorothy A. , Wathington Heather D.
Published: June 2017

Do summer laboratory research apprenticeships during high school have an impact on entry into MD/PhD programs? Apart from the nearly decade-long span of time between high school and matriculation into an MD/PhD program, young people have many life-shaping experiences that presumably impact their education and career trajectories. This quantitative study (n = 236,432) examines the connection between early laboratory research apprenticeship experiences at the high school level and matriculation into one of the more rigorous educational programs for scientific research training. The span of time covered by this analysis reaches across more than a decade, examining the potential importance of research experiences during the precollege years in the educational trajectory of young people. Intertwined with this question on research experiences is a second major concern regarding diversity in the life sciences research corps. Diversity in this wide-ranging discipline refers specifically to the underrepresentation of Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latino/as, and American Indians/Alaska Natives among the ranks of research scientists. Thus, this study includes analyses that specifically focus on research apprenticeships of Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latino/as and their entrance into MD/PhD programs.
Transforming a time-domain electromagnetic signal to a frequency-domain electromagnetic response using regularization inversion
Authors: Weng Aihua , Li Dajun , Yang Yue , Li Sirui , Li Jianping , Li Shiwen
Published: June 2017

Wide applications of time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) data require 3D inversion. A possible strategy is to use the developed 3D inversion algorithms in frequency-domain (FD) electromagnetic (EM) methods. Thus, the key of the strategy is how to transform the time-domain ([Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]) EM signal into the FD. An inversion algorithm has been developed to transform the [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] signal into a corresponding FD response. In this method, a step-off current is presumed. Under this assumption, the Fourier transform relating the EM FD response to the [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] signal becomes a sine or cosine transformation. Using the polynomial approximation method, the transformation turns into a linear equation. From a set of [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] signals, FD responses could be obtained by solving these linear equations in the least-squares sense. To reduce the nonuniqueness of the solution, and enhance the solution stability, an additional smoothness constraint on the FD response is imposed, thus converting the minimization problem into a regularization inversion problem. The algorithm is applied to synthetic and field vertical magnetic data in the in-loop TEM surveying mode. The numerical results show that in the entire audio-frequency range, the relative errors between the inversed and theoretical FD responses of the real and imaginary parts are almost all less than 1%, with the largest discrepancy of 5% occurring at high frequencies. There are two significances behind our work: First, the possibility of accurately transforming [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] response into FD response in audio-frequency range is coming into true, thereby (from the mathematical perspective) implementing the equivalence between the responses of the EM method in the time domain and the FD. Second, the algorithm provides a new approach to interpret TEM data in 3D mode by using developed 3D FEM inversion techniques.
Coping and Prognostic Awareness in Patients With Advanced Cancer
Authors: Nipp Ryan D. , Greer Joseph A. , El-Jawahri Areej , Moran Samantha M. , Traeger Lara , Jacobs Jamie M. , Jacobsen Juliet C. , Gallagher Emily R. , Park Elyse R. , Ryan David P. , Jackson Vicki A. , Pirl William F. , Temel Jennifer S.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

Patients’ understanding of their illness is key for making informed treatment decisions, yet studies suggest an association between prognostic awareness and worse quality of life (QOL) and mood among patients with advanced cancer. We sought to explore the relationships among prognostic awareness, coping, QOL, and mood in patients with newly diagnosed, incurable cancer.

Methods

We assessed patients’ self-reported health status and treatment goal (Prognosis and Treatment Perceptions Questionnaire), coping (Brief COPE), QOL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General), and mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) within 8 weeks of incurable lung or GI cancer diagnosis. We used linear regression to examine associations and interaction effects among patients’ health status and treatment goal, coping strategies, QOL, and mood.

Results

Patients who reported a terminally ill health status had worse QOL (unstandardized coefficient [B] = −6.88; P < .001), depression (B = 1.60; P < .001), and anxiety (B = 1.17; P = .007). Patients who reported their oncologist’s treatment goal was “to cure my cancer” had better QOL (B = 4.33; P = .03) and less anxiety (B = −1.39; P = .007). We observed interaction effects between self-reported health status and treatment goal and certain coping strategies. Specifically, subgroup analyses showed that greater use of positive reframing was related to better QOL (B = 2.61; P < .001) and less depression (B = −0.78; P < .001) among patients who reported a terminally ill health status. Active coping was associated with better QOL (B = 3.50; P < .001) and less depression (B = −1.01; P < .001) among patients who acknowledged their oncologist’s treatment goal was not “to cure my cancer.”

Conclusion

Prognostic awareness is related to worse QOL and mood in patients with newly diagnosed, incurable cancer; however, the use of certain coping strategies may buffer these relationships. Interventions to improve patients’ prognostic awareness should seek to cultivate more adaptive coping strategies in order to enhance QOL and mood.
Do the American Society of Clinical Oncology Value Framework and the European Society of Medical Oncology Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale Measure the Same Construct of Clinical Benefit?
Authors: Cheng Sierra , McDonald Erica J. , Cheung Matthew C. , Arciero Vanessa S. , Qureshi Mahin , Jiang Di , Ezeife Doreen , Sabharwal Mona , Chambers Alexandra , Han Dolly , Leighl Natasha , Sabarre Kelley-Anne , Chan Kelvin K.W.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

Whether the ASCO Value Framework and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (MCBS) measure similar constructs of clinical benefit is unclear. It is also unclear how they relate to quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and funding recommendations in the United Kingdom and Canada.

Methods

Randomized clinical trials of oncology drug approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, and Health Canada between 2006 and August 2015 were identified and scored using the ASCO version 1 (v1) framework, ASCO version 2 (v2) framework, and ESMO-MCBS by at least two independent reviewers. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to assess construct (between frameworks) and criterion validity (against QALYs from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE] and the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review [pCODR]). Associations between scores and NICE/pCODR recommendations were examined. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients.

Results

From 109 included randomized clinical trials, 108 ASCOv1, 111 ASCOv2, and 83 ESMO scores were determined. Correlation coefficients for ASCOv1 versus ESMO, ASCOv2 versus ESMO, and ASCOv1 versus ASCOv2 were 0.36 (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.54), 0.17 (95% CI, −0.06 to 0.37), and 0.50 (95% CI, 0.35 to 0.63), respectively. Compared with NICE QALYs, correlation coefficients were 0.45 (ASCOv1), 0.53 (ASCOv2), and 0.46 (ESMO); with pCODR QALYs, coefficients were 0.19 (ASCOv1), 0.20 (ASCOv2), and 0.36 (ESMO). None of the frameworks were significantly associated with NICE/pCODR recommendations. Inter-rater reliability was good for all frameworks.

Conclusion

The weak-to-moderate correlations of the ASCO frameworks with the ESMO-MCBS, as well as their correlations with QALYs and with NICE/pCODR funding recommendations, suggest different constructs of clinical benefit measured. Construct convergent validity with the ESMO-MCBS did not increase with the updated ASCO framework.
Mechanically Enhanced Hyaluronic Acid Hybrid Hydrogels with Halloysite Nanotubes
Authors: Park Kyung-Lynne , Ma Wei , Higaki Yuji , Takahara Atsushi
Published: June 2017

Hybrid hydrogels composed of hyaluronic acid (HA) and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were prepared via photocrosslinking of HA and HNTs functionalized with vinyl groups. These hybrid hydrogels showed enhanced mechanical properties without sacrificing good swelling capability, which is crucial for biomedical applications.
Creative Destruction: Barriers to Urban Growth and the Great Boston Fire of 1872
Authors: Hornbeck Richard , Keniston Daniel
Published: June 2017

Urban growth requires the replacement of outdated buildings, yet growth may be restricted when landowners do not internalize positive spillover effects from their own reconstruction. The Boston Fire of 1872 created an opportunity for widespread simultaneous reconstruction, initiating a virtuous circle in which building upgrades encouraged further upgrades of nearby buildings. Land values increased substantially among burned plots and nearby unburned plots, capitalizing economic gains comparable to the prior value of burned buildings. Boston had grown rapidly prior to the Fire, but negative spillovers from outdated durable buildings had substantially constrained its growth by dampening reconstruction incentives. (JEL H76, N91, R11, R52, R58)
Occlusive Shrinkage of Ovation Endograft Presenting as Acute Lower Limb Ischemia
Authors: Bianchi Paolo , Scalise Filippo , Mortara Andrea , Lanzillo Guido , Scardina Giuseppe , Trimarchi Santi , Parati Gianfranco , Tolva Valerio
Published: June 2017

The aim of this report is to describe the imaging and successful treatment of an acute shrinkage of the Ovation Abdominal Stent Graft System. The Ovation Prime system utilizes a polymer-filled sealing ring that is cast in situ at the margin of the aneurysm; however, the residual endograft inner volume after ring filling may reduce volume and graft flow. Nevertheless, there are no reports about severe complications using the Ovation Prime system. A 75-year-old male presented to our hospital for acute lower limb ischemia. The patient reported a previous endograft for abdominal aortic aneurysm 1 month previously, which utilized the Ovation device. Computed tomography (CT) angiography demonstrated a critical narrowing of the endograft at the site of the proximal sealing rings. We decided on urgent treatment, delivering a covered stent graft (CP STENT NUMED™). Intraoperative intravascular ultrasound showed effective compaction of the proximal rings. Nine-month follow-up with CT angiography demonstrated good patency without ring recoil of the endograft. This is the first report of endovascular treatment for an acute and symptomatic shrinkage of proximal rings in the Ovation trivascular endograft. Angiographic and intravascular ultrasound findings showed that covered stenting is effective and that the ring polymer is safely moldable.
A Case of Primary Aortoduodenal Fistula and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in a Patient with Chronic Q Fever
Authors: de Niet Arne , Tielliu Ignace , van Schaik Paul , van den Dungen Jan , Zeebregts Clark
Published: June 2017

A 70-year-old man was successfully treated for an aortoduodenal fistula originating from a Q fever-related abdominal aortic aneurysm. He had no known history of contact with cattle or sheep. Although the combination of abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortoduodenal fistula is rare, one should be suspicious of Q fever infection as the causative agent, and additional medical treatment should be initiated.
NOTICES ÉPIGRAPHIQUES DE LA CIVITAS PICTONUM: D’UNE PICTONNE À U N LUSITANIEN
Authors: Tranoy Alan
Published: June 2017

A primeira inscrição trata da formulação da dedicacia funeraria de Claudia Varenilla, esposa do governador da provincia da Aquitania e do papel de la civitas dos Pictons. A segunda, contestada por varios epigrafistes, permite abordar as relações entre a cidade dos Pictons e a Lusitania.
Notes from the Editors, June 2017
Authors: The Editors -
Published: June 2017

buy this issueIn the last several years, the left has experienced a series of defeats, and the grip of capital has tightened. The recent reversals in Latin America are a warning. We live in an age where a new era of revolutionary social change, unlike any that came before it, is the only hope—not just for ourselves, but for the chain of human generations.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
The Irish legislative gender quota: The first election
Authors: Brennan Mary , Buckley Fiona
Published: June 2017

In 2012 legislative gender quotas were introduced as part of the Fine Gael/Labour coalition government’s political reform agenda. The legislation specifies that payments to political parties ‘shall be reduced by 50 per cent, unless at least 30 per cent of the candidates whose candidatures were authenticated by the qualified party at the preceding general election were women and at least 30 per cent were men’. The 30 per cent gender threshold came into effect at the 2016 general election. Research demonstrates that gender quotas work to increase women’s political descriptive representation, but to do so, political parties must engage with them in ‘goodwill’, be ‘wellintentioned’ or place women in ‘winnable seats’. This article examines if this was the case at the 2016 general election. Using statistics, as well as drawing from interviews with party strategists, the article assesses the impact of gender quotas on women’s candidate selection and election. We conclude that parties did embrace the spirit of the gender quota law but resistance remains.
Dáil reforms since 2011: Pathway to power for the ‘puny’ parliament?
Authors: Lynch Catherine , O’Malley Eoin , Reidy Theresa , Farrell David M. , Suiter Jane
Published: June 2017

We know that the Dáil is dominated by the government. From 2010 to 2016 there was a clamour for change, which ultimately led to significant reforms of the Oireachtas, and specifically the Dáil. In this article we show that the basis for the weakness of the Dáil was the government’s control of the legislative agenda. This article tracks the changes that were made, and we make an early assessment of them. However, firm conclusions are difficult to draw because of the extent to which the strengthening of the Dáil is a function of the weak position of the current minority government.
‘Insufficient critique’ – The Oireachtas Banking Inquiry and the media
Authors: Rafter Kevin
Published: June 2017

A parliamentary inquiry into the Irish banking collapse was formally established in November 2014, tasked with examining relevant issues from the period of January 1992 to December 2013. In focusing on the role played by the media - and where reportage may have impacted on, or contributed to, the crisis - the Banking Inquiry heard from eight senior media executives who held either commercial or editorial positions in four media organisations in Ireland during the period of the economic boom and subsequent collapse. This article focuses on the engagement of these media witnesses with the inquiry, drawing on written submissions and oral evidence. Having reviewed the place of journalism in a democracy and examined the role of journalism during the economic crisis, the article considers the Banking Inquiry’s final report, specifically in relation to the media. The review concludes that this parliamentary inquiry did not assist in advancing a serious understanding of the work undertaken by the Irish media in the pre-2007 period and that, ultimately, for all involved this engagement was a missed opportunity.
The Role of Accounting and the Debate between Historical Cost and Fair Value
Authors: Tang Vicki Wei
Published: June 2017

This article argues that the debate between historical cost basis and fair value basis of accounting also rests upon one central question: what kinds of output do users want out of the accounting system: metrics to measure the long-run profit-generating ability or metrics to capture the short-run fluctuation in the estimated values of net assets?
A Comparative Analysis of Serum Lipids in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Healthy Controls
Authors: Valkov I. , Ivanova R. , Marinova C. , Alexiev A. , Antonov K. , Jelev D. , Ivanova R. S. , Mateva L.
Published: June 2017

Serum lipids abnormalities are widespread among patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), but the impact of concomitant hepatic steatosis [steatosis, nonalcoholic steatosis (NAS)], as well as distinctions between it and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are not well established yet. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the serum lipids in patients with genotype 1 CHC with and without steatosis, those with NAFLD, and healthy controls (HC). A total of 1010 subjects were included in this study: 366 CHC genotype 1 patients with steatosis (n = 227) and without steatosis (n = 139), 403 NAFLD patients, and 241 HC without fatty liver or other disease, matched for age and gender. Serum lipids, body mass index (BMI), components of metabolic syndrome (MS), and serum insulin levels were evaluated. In addition serum lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels were studied in 112 CHC and 80 NAFLD patients. The mean levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides (Tg) were higher and the mean levels of HDL-cholesterol were lower in all patients with steatosis (CHC and NAFLD) than in CHC cases without steatosis (p < 0.05 and p = 0.001, resp.). Higher prevalence and severity of lipid abnormalities, including Lp(a), were observed in patients with NAFLD than in those with CHC (p < 0.001). No difference was found between CHC patients without steatosis and HC. Higher prevalence and grade of glucose metabolic abnormalities were also observed in patients with NAFLD and CHC with steatosis than in cases without steatosis (p < 0.05 and p = 0.001, resp.). Lipid and glucose metabolic abnormalities in patients with CHC were dependent on steatosis. CHC with steatosis and NAFLD were associated with insulin resistant type dyslipidemia, with total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol being generally lower in CHC.
Ileal mesenteric cyst in young patient – Case presentation
Authors: Chisalau V. , Tica C. , Chirila S. , Ionescu C.
Published: June 2017

Mesenteric cysts represent rare diseases of the abdominal cavity. The low incidence and the nonspecific clinical manifestations lead to a difficult diagnosis. Most of the time, these are diagnosed in advanced stages when complications arise or by chance following routine imagistic investigations. The ideal treatment for mesenteric cysts is the total surgical removal. The prognostic is favorable in most of the cases.
Jüdische Sportfunktionäre im Wien der Zwischenkriegszeit und Jewish Difference. Zur Methodik eines Forschungsprojekts
Authors: Hachleitner Bernhard
Published: June 2017

This article gives an overview of the research project »Jewish Sports Officials in Interwar Vienna«. The project uses the example of Jewish sports officials to reconstruct the social field of sport as a site of identity politics in Vienna during the interwar period. It tries to show the significance of sports officials for questions of
Der jüdische Sport im Salzburg der Zwischenkriegszeit
Authors: Praher Andreas , Schwarzbauer Robert
Published: June 2017

The Jewish community in Salzburg before 1938 never exceeded 300 and there were consequently hardly any Jewish sportsmen/women. Anti-Semitism was quite common, especially in the city of Salzburg, where nearly the whole Jewish community lived and where sport had been established by that time. There were, nevertheless, a few personalities who had a major impact on the development of sport (i. e. football) in Salzburg such as Johann (Isak) Dachinger, who played a part in the foundation of Austria Salzburg in 1933, Erwin Bonyhadi, who was an official in various clubs and the SFV (Salzburg Football Association), and Ferdinand Morawetz, the »founding father of football in Salzburg«, who was co-founder and official of the two oldest football clubs, helped to establish an independent football association in Salzburg in 1921, and was kicked out of Salzburger AK 1914 when the club introduced an Aryan Paragraph, just a few months after he had organised a football ground for the club.
Sport und die jüdische Suche nach Gemeinschaft in (ost-)europäischen Metropolen der Zwischenkriegszeit
Authors: Hilbrenner Anke
Published: June 2017

The main Jewish sport movement was and is Zionist (and as such nationalist), nevertheless I would claim that Jewish sport is a transnational practice par excellence. Sport, and especially Jewish sport, transcends the concept of nation and state, but sport historiography still follows national paradigms. The sport history of big cities might help to find an empirical basis for a transnational history of modern sports. The search for community and belonging is vital for the experience of the modern individual. From the nineteenth century onwards the »nation« was the preferred »imagined community« to fill the void left by religion and tradition after the age of Enlightenment. But there were other communities as well, such as the workers’ movement or other political communities and social classes or sporting communities. By looking at an East European Jewish metropolis such as Vilne (today’s Vilnius), I want to explore the ambiguous character of the Jewish sport movement and the agency of Jewish athletes in their search for identity and belonging.
One-carbon metabolism and ionizing radiation: a multifaceted interaction
Authors: Miousse Isabelle R. , Tobacyk Julia , Melnyk Stepan , James S. Jill , Cheema Amrita K. , Boerma Marjan , Hauer-Jensen Martin , Koturbash Igor
Published: June 2017

Ionizing radiation (IR) is a ubiquitous component of our environment and an important tool in research and medical treatment. At the same time, IR is a potent genotoxic and epigenotoxic stressor, exposure to which may lead to negative health outcomes. While the genotoxocity is well described and characterized, the epigenetic effects of exposure to IR and their mechanisms remain under-investigated. In this conceptual review, we propose the IR-induced changes to one-carbon metabolism as prerequisites to alterations in the cellular epigenome. We also provide evidence from both experimental and clinical studies describing the interactions between IR and one-carbon metabolism. We further discuss the potential for the manipulation of the one-carbon metabolism in clinical applications for the purpose of normal tissue protection and for increasing the radiosensitivity of cancerous cells.
Recent advances in the mechanism of selenoamino acids toxicity in eukaryotic cells
Authors: Lazard Myriam , Dauplais Marc , Blanquet Sylvain , Plateau Pierre
Published: June 2017

Selenium is an essential trace element due to its incorporation into selenoproteins with important biological functions. However, at high doses it is toxic. Selenium toxicity is generally attributed to the induction of oxidative stress. However, it has become apparent that the mode of action of seleno-compounds varies, depending on its chemical form and speciation. Recent studies in various eukaryotic systems, in particular the model organismSaccharomyces cerevisiae, provide new insights on the cytotoxic mechanisms of selenomethionine and selenocysteine. This review first summarizes current knowledge on reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced genotoxicity of inorganic selenium species. Then, we discuss recent advances on our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of selenocysteine and selenomethionine cytotoxicity. We present evidences indicating that both oxidative stress and ROS-independent mechanisms contribute to selenoamino acids cytotoxicity. These latter mechanisms include disruption of protein homeostasis by selenocysteine misincorporation in proteins and/or reaction of selenols with protein thiols.