bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence of Deep Sternal Wound Infection in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Off-Pump Skeletonized Internal Thoracic Artery Grafting
Authors: Ding Wen Jun , Ji Qiang , Shi Yun Qing , Ma Run Hua , Wang Chun Sheng
Published: October 2015

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of skeletonized bilateral or single internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafting on the risk of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) in diabetic patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). Materials and Methods: A total of 803 diabetic patients undergoing OPCAB surgery from January 2010 to December 2014 were enrolled into this study and assigned to the pSITA group (patients undergoing pedicled single ITA grafting, n = 362), the sSITA group (skeletonized single ITA grafting, n = 295), or the sBITA group (skeletonized bilateral ITA grafting, n = 146). The primary end point was the diagnosis of a DSWI. Results: Eighteen patients developed postoperative DSWI, with an incidence of 2.2%. Patients in the sSITA group had a significantly lower incidence of DSWI than those in the pSITA group (1.0 vs. 3.6%, p = 0.0408). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of DSWI in the sSITA group was 0.41 times that in the pSITA group. Conclusions: sSITA grafting lowered the risk of DSWI in diabetic patients undergoing OPCAB surgery compared to pSITA grafting. Multicenter clinical trials involving larger sample sizes are needed to determine the merit of pSITA grafting in reducing the risk of DSWI following OPCAB surgery.
Replication Stress and Telomere Dysfunction Are Present in Cultured Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Janson Christine , Nyhan Kristine , Murnane John P.
Published: October 2015

Replication stress causes DNA damage at fragile sites in the genome. DNA damage at telomeres can initiate breakage-fusion-bridge cycles and chromosome instability, which can result in replicative senescence or tumor formation. Little is known about the extent of replication stress or telomere dysfunction in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). hESCs are grown in culture with the expectation of being used therapeutically in humans, making it important to minimize the levels of replication stress and telomere dysfunction. Here, the hESC line UCSF4 was cultured in a defined medium with growth factor Activin A, exogenous nucleosides, or DNA polymerase inhibitor aphidicolin. We used quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization to analyze individual telomeres for dysfunction and observed that it can be increased by aphidicolin or Activin A. In contrast, adding exogenous nucleosides relieved dysfunction, suggesting that telomere dysfunction results from replication stress. Whether these findings can be applied to other hESC lines remains to be determined. However, because the loss of telomeres can lead to chromosome instability and cancer, we conclude that hESCs grown in culture for future therapeutic purposes should be routinely checked for replication stress and telomere dysfunction.
NUP214-RAC1 and RAC1-COL12A1 Fusion in Complex Variant Translocations Involving Chromosomes 6, 7 and 9 in an Acute Myeloid Leukemia Case with DEK-NUP214
Authors: Abe Akihiro , Yamamoto Yukiya , Iba Sachiko , Okamoto Akinao , Tokuda Masutaka , Inaguma Yoko , Yanada Masamitsu , Morishima Satoko , Kanie Tadaharu , Tsuzuki Motohiro , Akatsuka Yoshiki , Mizuta Shuichi , Okamoto Masataka , Kameyama Toshiki , Mayeda Akila , Emi Nobuhiko
Published: October 2015

DEK-NUP214 gene fusion in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with poor prognosis. It is most often a sole translocation and more rarely observed as complex chromosomal forms. We describe an AML case with complex karyotype abnormalities involving chromosome bands 6p23, 6q13, 7p22, and 9q34. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that exon 17 of NUP214 (9q34) was fused to exon 2 of RAC1 (7p22). We also detected that the 5′-end of intron 1 of RAC1 was fused with the antisense strand of intron 5 of COL12A1 (6q13). RT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression of DEK-NUP214, NUP214-RAC1, RAC1-COL12A1, NUP214, and RAC1. These results suggest that the 5′- and 3′-ends of NUP214 from the breakpoint in the same locus were fused to RAC1 and DEK, respectively, and the 5′-end of RAC1 was fused to COL12A1. The reading frame of NUP214 was not matched with RAC1; however, high expression of the RAC1 protein was detected by Western blotting. This study identifies the variant complex fusion genesNUP214-RAC1 and RAC1- COL12A1 in a case of AML.
The Use of Superselective Arteriography in the Evaluation of the Influence of Intracapsular Hip Joint Pressure on the Blood Flow of the Femoral Head
Authors: Wu Kai , Huang Jianhua , Wang Qiugen
Published: October 2015

Objective: We aimed to analyze the intracapsular pressure of the hip joint following femoral neck fracture and its relationship to the position of the hip or to traction and (using superselective arteriography) to evaluate the blood supply to the femoral head and the influence of traction and hip position on the blood supply. Subjects and Methods: Twenty-six cases of fresh Garden type I-III femoral neck fractures were enrolled. After being placed in the neutral position, in internal rotation or with traction of 3 and 5 kg, respectively, intracapsular manometric changes were measured. Eight cases underwent superselective arteriography of the medial circumflex femoral artery and its branches under the manometric changes of the hip joint capsule. Results: Twenty-four to 48 h after the injury, the intracapsular pressure was significantly higher on the fractured side than on the normal side. The mean pressure was 28.41 ± 9.339 mm Hg in fully extended hips in the neutral position, 79.92 ± 12.80 mm Hg in internally rotated hips, 51.39 ± 15.41 mm Hg in hips with 3 kg of traction and 64.81 ± 13.56 mm Hg in hips with 5 kg of traction. The arteriographic findings revealed that traction and internal rotation reduced the perfusion of the femoral head at the medial circumflex femoral artery and its branches, and also negatively influenced venous reflux. Conclusion: Traction and internal rotation both caused the intracapsular pressure of the hip joint to rise considerably, which reduced the femoral head perfusion and impeded venous reflux. This could lead to avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
The Impact of Resveratrol on Oxidative Stress Induced by Methotrexate in Rat Ileum Tissue: Evaluation of Biochemical and Histopathological Features and Analysis of Gene Expression
Authors: Ozcicek Adalet , Cetin Nihal , Keskin Cimen Ferda , Tumkaya Levent , Malkoc Ismail , Gulaboglu Mine , Yarali Oguzhan , Suleyman Bahadir
Published: October 2015

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of resveratrol (RST) on oxidative stress induced by methotrexate in rat ileum tissue. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four rats were divided into 4 groups with 6 in each group. Each rat was orally administered the following every day for 30 days: group 1 (MTXG), methotrexate (MTX; 5 mg/kg); group 2 (RMTXG), MTX (5 mg/kg) plus RST (25 mg/kg/day); group 3 (RSTG), RST alone (25 mg/kg/day), and group 4 (controls), distilled water. After the rats had been sacrified, the ilea were removed for the assessment of malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione (tGSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Gene expression analyses for interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were also performed. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained paraffin-embedded sections of the ileum were analyzed under a light microscope and the findings were recorded. Statistical analyses of the data were performed using one-way ANOVA. Results: The administration of MTX in group 1 yielded a higher level of MDA (8.33 ± 2.5 μmol/g protein, p < 0.001) and lower levels of tGSH (0.97 ± 0.29 nmol/g protein) and GSH-Px (5.22 ± 0.35 U/g protein, p < 0.001) compared to the other groups. MTX also increased IL-1β (40.33 ± 5.43 gene expression levels), TNF-α (6.08 ± 0.59) and MPO gene expression (9 ± 1.41) in group 1 compared to the controls (11.33 ± 2.07, 2.15 ± 0.33 and 3.43 ± 0.48, respectively, p < 0.001). The impact of RST on IL-1β, TNF-α and MPO gene expression induced by MTX was observed as a reversal of these findings (p < 0.05). Severe inflammation, damage to the villus epithelium and crypt necrosis was observed histopathologically in the MTXG group, whereas only mild inflammation was seen in the RMTXG group. Conclusion: In this study, ileal damage caused by MTX was inhibited by RST.
IL-1 Signaling Is Critically Required in Stromal Cells in Kawasaki Disease Vasculitis Mouse Model
Authors: Lee Youngho , Wakita Daiko , Dagvadorj Jargalsaikhan , Shimada Kenichi , Chen Shuang , Huang Ganghua , Lehman Thomas J.A. , Fishbein Michael C. , Hoffman Hal M. , Crother Timothy R. , Arditi Moshe
Published: October 2015

Objective—

Kawasaki disease (KD) is the most common cause of acute vasculitis and acquired cardiac disease among US children. We have previously shown that both TLR2/MyD88 and interleukin (IL)-1β signaling are required for the
Lactobacillus casei
cell wall extract–induced KD vasculitis mouse model. The objectives of this study were to investigate the cellular origins of IL-1 production, the role of CD11c
+
dendritic cells and macrophages, and the relative contribution of hematopoietic and stromal cells for IL-1 responsive cells, as well the MyD88 signaling, in
Lactobacillus casei
cell wall extract–induced KD mouse model of vasculitis.

Approach and Results—

Using mouse knockout models and antibody depletion, we found that both IL-1α and IL-1β were required for
Lactobacillus casei
cell wall extract–induced KD. Both dendritic cells and macrophages were necessary, and we found that MyD88 signaling was required in both hematopoietic and stromal cells. However, IL-1 response and signaling were critically required in nonendothelial stromal cells, but not in hematopoietic cells.

Conclusions—

Our results suggest that IL-1α and IL-1β, as well as CD11c
+
dendritic cells and macrophages, are essential for the development of KD vasculitis and coronary arteritis in this mouse model. Bone marrow chimera experiments suggest that MyD88 signaling is important in both hematopoietic and stromal cells, whereas IL-1 signaling and response are required only in stromal cells, but not in endothelial cells. Determining the role of IL-1α and IL-1β and of specific cell types in the KD vasculitis mouse model may have important implications for the design of more targeted therapies and understanding of the molecular mechanisms of KD immunopathologies.
IL-37 Is a Novel Proangiogenic Factor of Developmental and Pathological Angiogenesis
Authors: Yang Tianshu , Lin Qing , Zhao Mengmeng , Hu Yongguang , Yu Ying , Jin Jiayi , Zhou Hongyan , Hu Xiao , Wei Rongbin , Zhang Xuetao , Yang Xiaoping , Liu Gaoqin , Lu Peirong , Xu Guotong , Yang Jianhua , Corry David B. , Su Shao Bo , Liu Shangfeng , Liu Xialin
Published: October 2015

Objective—

Angiogenesis is tightly controlled by growth factors and cytokines in pathophysiological settings. Interleukin 37 (IL-37) is a newly identified cytokine of the IL-1 family, some members of which are important in inflammation and angiogenesis. However, the function of IL-37 in angiogenesis remains unknown. We aimed to explore the regulatory role of IL-37 in pathological and physiological angiogenesis.

Approach and Results—

We found that IL-37 was expressed and secreted in endothelial cells and upregulated under hypoxic conditions. IL-37 enhanced endothelial cell proliferation, capillary formation, migration, and vessel sprouting from aortic rings with potency comparable with that of vascular endothelial growth factor. IL-37 activates survival signals including extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and AKT in endothelial cells. IL-37 promoted vessel growth in implanted Matrigel plug in vivo in a dose-dependent manner with potency comparable with that of basic fibroblast growth factor. In the mouse model of retinal vascular development, neonatal mice administrated with IL-37 displayed increased neovascularization. We demonstrated further that IL-37 promoted pathological angiogenesis in the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy.

Conclusions—

Our findings suggest that IL-37 is a novel and potent proangiogenic cytokine with essential role in pathophy siological settings.
Right Atrial Function in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Querejeta Roca Gabriela , Campbell Patricia , Claggett Brian , Solomon Scott D. , Shah Amil M.
Published: October 2015

Background—

Elevated right atrial (RA) pressure is an established prognostic measure in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, little is known about perturbations in RA function in PAH.

Methods and Results—

Reservoir (RA longitudinal strain [RA LS]), conduit (RA early LS rate), and active (RA late LS rate) phases were assessed by 2D speckle tracking in 65 patients with PAH, 6-minute walk distance ≤450 m, and a pulmonary vascular resistance >800 dynes·s/cm
5
, despite therapy with at least 2 PAH-specific medications enrolled in the Imatinib in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, a Randomized Efficacy Study (IMPRES) trial and were compared with 30 healthy controls of similar age and sex. We studied the association of RA functional measures with invasive pulmonary hemodynamics, cardiac structure and function, and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide. RA LS and early LS rate were reduced in PAH patients compared with controls (27.1±11.6 versus 56.9±12.7, adjusted
P
<0.001 and −0.6±0.5 versus −1.5±0.5, adjusted
P
<0.001, respectively) even after adjusting for RA area and invasive RA pressure, whereas RA late LS rate was similar between groups (−1.4±0.7 versus −1.5±0.4,
P
=0.42). Among PAH patients, worse RA LS correlated with greater RA size (
r
=−0.50,
P
<0.0001) and pressure (
r
=−0.37,
P
=0.002), but not pulmonary artery pressure (
r
=−0.07,
P
=0.58). Worse RA LS was also associated with right ventricular enlargement and dysfunction and higher N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide independent of RA size and pressure.

Conclusions—

RA reservoir and passive conduit functions are impaired in PAH, independent of RA size and pressure, and likely reflect right ventricular failure and overload.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00902174.
Differential Role of G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 in Physiological Versus Pathological Cardiac Hypertrophy
Authors: Traynham Christopher J. , Cannavo Alessandro , Zhou Yan , Vouga Alexandre G. , Woodall Benjamin P. , Hullmann Jonathan , Ibetti Jessica , Gold Jessica I. , Chuprun J. Kurt , Gao Erhe , Koch Walter J.
Published: October 2015

Rationale
:

G protein–coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) are dynamic regulators of cellular signaling. GRK5 is highly expressed within myocardium and is upregulated in heart failure. Although GRK5 is a critical regulator of cardiac G protein–coupled receptor signaling, recent data has uncovered noncanonical activity of GRK5 within nuclei that plays a key role in pathological hypertrophy. Targeted cardiac elevation of GRK5 in mice leads to exaggerated hypertrophy and early heart failure after transverse aortic constriction (TAC) because of GRK5 nuclear accumulation.

Objective
:

In this study, we investigated the role of GRK5 in physiological, swimming-induced hypertrophy (SIH).

Methods and Results
:

Cardiac-specific GRK5 transgenic mice and nontransgenic littermate control mice were subjected to a 21-day high-intensity swim protocol (or no swim sham controls). SIH and specific molecular and genetic indices of physiological hypertrophy were assessed, including nuclear localization of GRK5, and compared with TAC. Unlike after TAC, swim-trained transgenic GRK5 and nontransgenic littermate control mice exhibited similar increases in cardiac growth. Mechanistically, SIH did not lead to GRK5 nuclear accumulation, which was confirmed in vitro as insulin-like growth factor-1, a known mediator of physiological hypertrophy, was unable to induce GRK5 nuclear translocation in myocytes. We found specific patterns of altered gene expression between TAC and SIH with GRK5 overexpression. Further, SIH in post-TAC transgenic GRK5 mice was able to preserve cardiac function.

Conclusions:

These data suggest that although nuclear-localized GRK5 is a pathological mediator after stress, this noncanonical nuclear activity of GRK5 is not induced during physiological hypertrophy.
Coronary and Basilar Artery Ectasia Are Associated
Authors: Pico Fernando , Labreuche Julien , Hauw Jean-Jacques , Seilhean Danielle , Duyckaerts Charles , Amarenco Pierre
Published: October 2015

Background and Purpose—

Intracranial artery dolichoectasia (IADE) and coronary artery ectasia have been associated with stroke and myocardial infarction, respectively. Only rarely have cases of coexisting IADE and coronary artery ectasia been reported. We investigated this association in a large consecutive autopsy series.

Methods—

Sixteen stroke patients with IADE were identified among 381 stroke patients and were matched with 16 stroke patients without IADE. The heart and coronary arteries from all patients were examined after a prespecified protocol.

Results—

Coronary artery ectasia was observed in 8 of the stroke patients with IADE, and in none of the stroke patients without IADE (
P
=0.008). The diameters of basilar and right coronary arteries were positively correlated (IADE patients,
r
=0.51;
P
=0.003 and coronary artery ectasia patients,
P
=0.006).

Conclusions—

This autopsy study examining the association of coronary artery ectasia and IADE in stroke patients suggests a common pathogenesis.
Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Activity of Tenecteplase and Alteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Huang Xuya , Moreton Fiona Catherine , Kalladka Dheeraj , Cheripelli Bharath Kumar , MacIsaac Rachael , Tait R. Campbell , Muir Keith W.
Published: October 2015

Background and Purpose—

We compared the fibrinolytic activity of tenecteplase and alteplase in patients with acute ischemic stroke, and explored the association between hypofibrinogenaemia and intracerebral hemorrhage.

Methods—

Venous blood samples from a subgroup of participants in the Alteplase–Tenecteplase Trial Evaluation for Stroke Thrombolysis (ATTEST) study were obtained at pretreatment, 3 to 12 hours, and 24±3 hours post-intravenous thrombolysis for analyses of plasminogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1,
d
-dimer, factor V, fibrinogen, and fibrin(ogen) degradation products, in addition to routine coagulation assays. Related sample Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to test the within-group changes, and independent Mann–Whitney tests for between-group differences.

Results—

Thirty patients were included (alteplase=14 and tenecteplase=16) with similar baseline demographics. Compared with baseline, alteplase caused significant hypofibrinogenaemia (
P
=0.002), prolonged prothrombin time (
P
=0.011), hypoplasminogenaemia (
P
=0.001), and lower factor V (
P
=0.002) at 3 to 12 hours after administration with persistent hypofibrinogenaemia at 24 hours (
P
=0.011), whereas only minor hypoplasminogenaemia (
P
=0.029) was seen in the tenecteplase group. Tenecteplase consumed less plasminogen (
P
<0.001) and fibrinogen (
P
=0.002) compared with alteplase.

Conclusions—

In patients with acute ischemic stroke, alteplase 0.9 mg/kg caused significant disruption of the fibrinolytic system, whereas tenecteplase 0.25 mg/kg did not, consistent with the trend toward lower intracerebral hemorrhage incidence with tenecteplase in the ATTEST study.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01472926.
Expansion of a Holepunch Cloud by a Gravity Wave Front
Authors: Muraki David J. , Rotunno Richard , Morrison Hugh
Published: October 2015

A holepunch cloud is a curious phenomenon where a disturbance in a thin cloud layer initiates an expanding circular hole of clear air. Usually triggered by the passage of aircraft, observations of these holes in clouds date back to the earliest days of aviation, but only recently has a holepunch cloud been simulated within a full-physics numerical model. These computations confirm that ice crystal growth through the Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen process creates a small cloud-free region whose subsequent outward spread defines the holepunch. The mechanics behind this continued expansion, however, has yet to be definitively identified. In this article, the motion of the cloud edge is explained as a propagating gravity wave front. To support this idea, a hierarchy of three idealizations is analyzed: a full-physics numerical model, a fluid mechanical model with simplified moisture effects, and a conservation law analysis for front motion. The essence of the holepunch cloud is established to be a moist air layer that is unsaturated (clear) and weakly stratified within the hole but saturated (cloudy) and moist neutral outside of it. The cloud edge thus represents a barrier to the outward propagation of gravity waves within the clear air—the result of this collision is a wave front whose velocity determines the growth rate of the hole.
Essential Measures
Authors: Gullickson Aaron
Published: October 2015

Race and ancestry are both popularly viewed in the United States as different but intertwined reflections on a person’s essentialized identity that answer the question of “who is what?” Despite this loose but well-understood connection between the two concepts and the availability of ancestry data on the U.S. census, researchers have rarely used the two sources of data in combination. In this article, drawing on theories of boundary formation, I compare these two forms of identification to explore the salience and social closure of racial boundaries. Specifically, I analyze race-reporting inconsistency and predict college completion at multiple levels of racial ancestry aggregation using Census data. The results suggest that, while much of the variation in these measures corresponds to popular “big race” conceptions of difference, considerable variation remains among individual ancestries.
“Both Sides of the Story”
Authors: Teeger Chana
Published: October 2015

Scholars have documented the emergence of apparently race-neutral discourses that serve to entrench racial stratification following the elimination of de jure segregation. These discourses deny the existence of both present-day racism and the contemporary effects of histories of racial oppression. Researchers posit that individuals are socialized into these views, but little empirical attention has been paid to the processes through which such socialization occurs. Focusing on the South African case study, I draw on five months of daily observations in seventeen 9th-grade history classrooms, content analysis of notes distributed in class, and 170 in-depth interviews with teachers and students to document how and why students are taught not to attend to the effects of apartheid on their society. To mitigate race-based conflict in their local school context, teachers told “both sides of the story,” highlighting that not all whites were perpetrators and not all blacks were victims. By decoupling the racialized coding of victims and perpetrators, and sidelining discussions of beneficiaries, teachers hindered students’ abilities to make connections to the present. In outlining how and why individuals are taught about the irrelevance of the past, this study contributes to literatures on race, education, collective memory, and transition to democracy.
The Impact of Routine Angiographic Follow-Up in a Population of Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Within the Left Main Coronary Artery
Authors: Mencel Grzegorz , Kowalczyk Jacek , Lenarczyk Radosław , Chodór Piotr , Wąs Tomasz , Świerad Marcin , Honisz Grzegorz , Świątkowski Andrzej , Woźniak Aleksandra , Kalarus Zbigniew , Sredniawa Beata
Published: October 2015

Prognostic value of angiographic follow-up in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) still remains uncertain. The aim of the study was to compare clinical characteristics, mortality, and major cardiovascular events in patients with versus without angiographic follow-up after PCI of the LMCA as well as to identify independent risk factors for death after PCI of the LMCA. Study population consisted of 217 patients of 290 consecutive participants who underwent PCI of the LMCA and subsequently were divided into 2 groups: angiographic follow-up group (angio FU group, n = 155) and clinical follow-up group (clinical FU group, n = 62). In angio FU group, significantly lower mortality (19.4% vs 32.3%, P < .05) and higher repeated revascularization rates (PCI: 46.5% vs 8.1%, P < .001 and coronary artery bypass grafting: 12.9% vs 1.6%, P < .05) were observed. Independent risk factors for death were as follows: metal stent implantation (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.753), no angiographic follow-up (HR: 1.959), and an increase in serum creatinine level of 1 μmol/L (HR: 1.006). These preliminary data suggest that the lack of angiographic follow-up after PCI of the LMCA may result in higher long-term mortality.
Utility of γ-Glutamyl Transferase in Predicting Troponin Elevation in Emergency Departments
Authors: Demirelli Selami , Firtina Serdar , Askin Lutfu , Akgol Gur Sultan Tuna , Tanrikulu Ceren Sen , Ermis Emrah , Ipek Emrah , Kalkan Kamuran , Yildirim Erkan , Kiziltunc Ahmet
Published: October 2015

Serum γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity is a risk predictor for the development of coronary artery disease and is related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the clinical utility of GGT activity in predicting high troponin levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admitted to the emergency department with chest pain. A total of 200 troponin-positive and 203 troponin-negative patients were classified into groups 1 and 2, respectively. γ-Glutamyl transferase activity was significantly higher in group 1 (44 ± 34 U/L) compared with group 2 (31 ± 26 U/L, P = .001). A GGT activity cutoff >25.5 showed 62% sensitivity and 61% specificity in predicting troponin positivity. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant predictive value of GGT for troponin positivity. Spearman rank correlation analysis showed a moderately strong relationship between GGT activity and troponin positivity. Considering the predictive value of high GGT activity for troponin positivity, GGT activity may complement other diagnostic biomarkers for predicting troponin positivity in patients having ACS admitted with chest pain.
Concerning a Pointer on the Astrolabe
Authors: Turner Anthony
Published: October 2015

A brief exploration of the presence or absence of the Capricorn pointer on astrolabes.
Metallographic investigation of tensile- and impact-tested aluminum composites
Authors: Ibrahim MF , Ammar HR , Alkahtani SA , Samuel FH
Published: October 2015

The present work was performed on two composites: Al-15 vol.% B4C and experimental 6063/15% B4C. Additions of 0.45% Ti + 0.25% Zr were made to both composites melts. The composites were cast from the respective melts at 730℃ using two metallic molds to produce tensile as well as impact test samples. All samples were solution heat treated for 24 h at 540℃ for both composites, followed by aging at 200℃ for 10 h. Samples for microstructure and fractography were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the powder injection technique used in this study produces composites with B4C uniformly distributed throughout the matrix. The strength and impact toughness of the two composites are controlled by the simultaneous precipitation of Al3Zr and Mg2Si phase particles depending on the matrix type. Hardening caused by precipitation of Mg2Si is more pronounced than that caused by Al3Zr phase precipitation. No B4C particle debonding was observed due to the presence of Zr-/Ti-rich layers surrounding the B4C particles. The cracks mainly propagate through the B4C reinforcement particles.
The Role of Wnt Signaling in Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Shiah S.-G. , Shieh Y.-S. , Chang J.-Y.
Published: October 2015

Aberrant Wnt signaling pathway is a common feature of tumors and also plays important roles in tumor progression and metastasis of many cancer types. Various lines of evidence suggest that genetic defects affect Wnt pathway components, as well as epigenetic mechanisms that modulate the suppressors of Wnt pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Recently, the newly discovered microRNAs are important molecular regulators in gene expression through transcription and translation repression. They play fundamental roles in a wide spectrum of biological functions, including cancer. In this review, we aim to accumulate recent research findings on the roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and discuss how microRNAs affect Wnt/β-catenin signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma tumorigenesis. Apparently, investigations into the role of microRNAs with regard to the Wnt pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma may help in the development of better strategies for tumor treatment.
A Framework for Social Ontology
Authors: Epstein Brian
Published: October 2015

This paper sets out an organizing framework for the field of social ontology, the study of the nature of the social world. The subject matter of social ontology is clarified, in particular the difference between it and the study of causal relations and the explanation of social phenomena. Two different inquiries are defined and explained: the study of the grounding of social facts, and the study of how social categories are “anchored” or set up. The distinction between these inquiries is used to clarify prominent programs in social theory, particularly theories of practice and varieties of individualism.
High serum sodium level in affective episode associated with coronary heart disease in old adults with bipolar disorder
Authors: Chen Pao-Huan , Gildengers Ariel G , Lee Chao-Hsien , Chen Meng-Ling , Kuo Chian-Jue , Tsai Shang-Ying
Published: October 2015

Objective

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the principal cause of excessive natural deaths in bipolar patients; however, electrocardiogram analyses and clinical features predicting CHDs in elderly bipolar patients remain limited. We sought to examine the relationship between CHDs, as determined by electrocardiogram, and clinical characteristics.

Methods

We recruited bipolar I outpatients Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM-IV) who were more than 60 years old and had at least one psychiatric admission. Subjects were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of CHD diagnosed by electrocardiogram analysis at entry of study. Clinical data were obtained by a combination of interviewing patients and family members and retrospectively reviewing medical records of the most recent acute psychiatric hospitalization.

Results

Eighty patients with bipolar disorder were enrolled. A total of 20 (25%) in the study had CHDs. The mean age at the time of entry into study was 67.6 ± 5.5 years old in group with CHD and 66.8 ± 6.8 years old in that without CHD. Among the clinical characteristics examined, higher mean levels of serum sodium and thyroxine during the acute affective phase as well as more first-degree family history with bipolar disorder were related to having CHD, particularly the serum sodium level.

Conclusions

About one fourth of old bipolar patients have CHDs in both Asian and Western populations. Aging patients with bipolar disorder may have unique clinical factors (e.g., hypernatremia or elevated thyroxine) related CHDs that could warrant special attention in their psychiatric and medical care to minimize cardiovascular disease and mortality.
Correlates of Interorganizational Service Coordination in Community Corrections
Authors: Welsh Wayne N. , Prendergast Michael , Knight Kevin , Knudsen Hannah , Monico Laura , Gray Julie , Abdel-Salam Sami , Malvini Redden Shawna , Link Nathan , Hamilton Leah , Shafer Michael S. , Friedmann Peter D.
Published: October 2015

Because weak interagency coordination between community correctional agencies (e.g., probation and parole) and community-based treatment providers has been identified as a major barrier to the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for treating drug-involved offenders, this study sought to examine how key organizational (e.g., leadership, support, staffing) and individual (e.g., burnout, satisfaction) factors influence interagency relationships between these agencies. At each of 20 sites, probation/parole officials ( n = 366) and community treatment providers ( n = 204) were surveyed about characteristics of their agencies, themselves, and interorganizational relationships with each other. Key organizational and individual correlates of interagency relationships were examined using hierarchical linear models (HLM) analyses, supplemented by interview data. The strongest correlates included Adaptability, Efficacy, and Burnout. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
“Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t”
Authors: Barragan Melissa , Sherman Nicole , Reiter Keramet , Tita George E.
Published: October 2015

Procedural justice research generally indicates that legitimacy produces compliance when people perceive the law and legal actors to be fair. Drawing upon 140 in-depth interviews with gun offenders detained in Los Angeles County jails, this article examines legal and extra-legal factors that influence illegal gun possession. Although prior research studies on legal and illegal gun carrying have suggested a relationship between (a) safety perceptions and possession and (b) legal perceptions and possession, few have deeply interrogated how such perceptions develop and interact to inform ideas of legitimacy and compliance with gun laws. Our findings suggest that feelings of insecurity coupled with perceptions of, and experiences with, law enforcement interacted in complex ways to condition legitimacy-based beliefs, and ultimately, compliance. Although many of our respondents viewed the law as legitimate in the abstract, they believed it to be illegitimate in individual application, especially where rules and sanctions failed to account for personal experiences of insecurity.
Women Alone in Early Modern Dutch Towns
Authors: Schmidt Ariadne , van der Heijden Manon
Published: October 2015

The depiction of the situation of single women in early modern urban society is rather pessimistic. Women without men were portrayed as pitiful, with migrant never-married women as the most vulnerable of all. They were said to have lacked the support of parents and of charitable institutions, and to be legally subordinated, and their opportunities on the labor market were extremely restricted. A considerable and probably growing part of the female population in early modern towns lived alone. These were women who had not yet married or never married and widows, as well as married women living without a husband and divorced women. How, then, did these women without men survive these difficult circumstances? This article readdresses the gloomy depiction of women alone in Dutch towns and examines women’s legal options, their position in court, their work opportunities, and criminal strategies. We argue that in the Dutch Republic, women had more opportunities to exercise independence than is often assumed. The evidence is based on various examinations of women’s legal options, their uses of civil courts, Protestant consistories, work options, and criminal activities in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Landscape governance as policy integration ‘from below’: A case of displaced and contained political conflict in the Netherlands
Authors: Buizer Marleen , Arts Bas , Westerink Judith
Published: October 2015

Agrienvironmental schemes (AES) have been a predominant manifestation of environmental policy Integration in the EU. However, rather than strictly following formal AES policy, farmers across Europe have taken various other initiatives to integrate environmental and agricultural practices. Mostly, these integrative initiatives were based on dynamic actor networks at various levels, responding to local problems and challenges. Compared with situations where, from the top down, one (mostly weaker) policy domain is integrated into another, the kind of integration taking place in these examples may be called more ‘fundamental’. Here, integration is already embedded in the practical outcomes envisioned in specific places. The parts of the outcome require each other. However, this fundamental form of integration may render problems at other levels and sectors of governance. In this paper we present a case study of an initiative called Farming for Nature. The initiative aimed to integrate farming and nature more thoroughly than EU and national policies and incorporated some important other characteristics of the area, such as its water dynamics and relationships with the urban environment. However, it also involved some key differences from mainstream policy; and although it resonated with EU support for participative governance, these differences rendered a lengthy process towards implementation lasting more than half a decade. We use the concept of ‘landscape governance’—operationalized as the interplay of discourses, institutional practices, and natural–spatial conditions—to understand the politics of scale involved when mainstream government policies and local integrative initiatives meet. Particular attention is paid to how the local ideas toned down some of their integrative ingredients in order to comply with mainstream sectoral policy discourse. We find that the type of landscape governance implemented shaped the initiatives into a form that contributed to their implementation, but simultaneously displaced and contained political conflict in a way that prevented public debate.
The maintenance of urban circulation: An operational logic of infrastructural control
Authors: Luque-Ayala Andrés , Marvin Simon
Published: October 2015

This paper examines the increased visibility of urban infrastructures occurring through a close coupling of information technologies and the selective integration of urban services. It asks how circulatory flow is managed in the contemporary city, by focusing on the emergence of new forms of governmentality associated with “smart” technologies. Drawing on Foucault’s governmentality, and based on a case study of Rio de Janeiro’s Operations Centre (COR), the paper argues that new understandings of the city are being developed, representing a new mode of urban infrastructure based on the partial and selective rebundling of splintered networks and fragmented urban space. The COR operates through a “un-black boxing” of urban infrastructures, where the extension of control room logics to the totality of the city points to their fragility and the continuous effort involved in their operational accomplishment. It also functions through a collapse in relations of control—of the everyday and the emergency—, which, enabled by the incorporation of the public in operational control, further raise public awareness of urban infrastructures. These characteristics point to a specific form of urban governmentality based on the operationalisation of infrastructural flows and the development of novel ways of seeing and engaging with the city.
Exotic endurance: Tourism, fitness and the Marathon des Sables
Authors: Lisle Debbie
Published: October 2015

This paper critically examines the intersections of global tourism and fitness in the Marathon des Sables, an annual ultramarathon in the Sahara desert in which over a thousand athletes run the equivalent of five marathons in six days. It demonstrates how the globalization of health and fitness resonates with familiar Western productions of exotic cultures for the purposes of tourist consumption. Of particular interest here is how established colonial asymmetries are recast in a neoliberal context as runners test their resilience, endurance and strength against an ‘extreme’ Saharan landscape. While the paper calls attention to these asymmetries, it is more concerned with troubling reductive colonial encounters in order to reveal their instability, heterogeneity and ambivalence. Indeed, the central conceit of the Marathon des Sables – that superior Western fitness regimes and technologies will dominate the race – is inverted by the overwhelming success of Moroccan runners and disaggregated by the biopolitical regulation of elite running bodies. These unexpected intersections of global tourism and fitness demand further attention because they reconfigure our received notions of who (and what) is capable of exerting agency in postcolonial encounters.
Weapon of the weak? The social media landscape of interest groups
Authors: van der Graaf Amber , Otjes Simon , Rasmussen Anne
Published: October 2015

Social media have the potential to offset existing inequalities in representation among interest groups and act as a ‘weapon of the weak’ by providing a technological infrastructure that allows even groups with limited resources to create content and interact across the globe. We expand on the sparse existing literature on interest groups and social media in a quantitative, structural analysis of both the range and volume of social media use examining a data set of groups active in European Union lobbying. Despite the positive expectations, we find limited evidence that social media have been able to reinvigorate democratic processes by changing inequalities in the landscape of political representation among interest groups. The level of resources held by the interest groups acts as the single most consistent predictor of both the range and volume of their social media use. Interest groups representing citizen and worker interests do play a leading role in explaining the volume of social media use, but the landscape is dominated by large interest groups with an international scope rather than by small, national ones. Moreover, firms also use a broad range of different social media platforms even if they lose ground to traditional membership groups when the actual volume of Twitter and Facebook use is assessed.
Confronting sex trafficking: Gender depictions in newspaper coverage from the Former Soviet Republics and the Baltic states
Authors: Sobel Meghan R
Published: October 2015

The Former Soviet Republics and the Baltic states are a primary source destination for sex traffickers. Drawing on framing theory and the gendered mediation thesis, this study uses a quantitative content analysis and a qualitative textual analysis to analyse how four English-language newspapers in the Former Soviet Republics and the Baltic states report on the issue of sex trafficking over a period of 11 years. Findings suggest that there is little coverage of sex trafficking in English-language newspapers in the region, existing coverage lacks a clear definition regarding what sex trafficking is and the issue appears to only be deemed newsworthy when tied to policy changes. This article argues that given the severity of the issue, it is important that it is brought to the public and policy makers’ attention. News media have the ability to serve that function, but are not currently doing so.
Development, discrimination, and domestic terrorism: Looking beyond a linear relationship
Authors: Ghatak Sambuddha , Gold Aaron
Published: October 2015

This study relates economic development to one of the well-observed predictors of domestic terrorism—minority discrimination—and revisits the relationship between terrorism and economic development. We argue that terrorism may be a rational choice when minorities’ exclusion from political power and relative deprivation from public goods increases and the unsettling forces in the initial phases of economic development provide aggrieved people with opportunities for mobilization. We find that economic development has a curvilinear relationship with terrorism. Highly developed countries are less likely to experience domestic terrorism than less-developed ones and the least developed countries have few targets. However, both rich and middle-income countries are vulnerable to domestic terrorism in the presence of minority discrimination.
Le comportement non-éthique des vendeurs durant un concours de vente : L’effet médiateur du climat éthique perçu du concours
Authors: Poujol Fanny-Juliet , Harfouche Antoine , Pezet Eric
Published: October 2015

L’objet de cet article est d’approfondir les travaux de Murphy (2004) des conséquences des concours de vente en montrant qu’il existe une relation entre les variables psychographiques (esprit de compétition et ambition des commerciaux), le climat éthique perçu du concours et les comportements non-éthiques observés pendant celui-ci. Les données ont été collectées par un questionnaire adressé à des conseillers commerciaux vendant des produits financiers dans quatre banques françaises. 747 questionnaires complets ont été collectés et les données ont été analysées par l’approche PLS (Partial Least Square). Les résultats montrent que les concours de vente peuvent créer un climat éthique spécifique qui est médiateur de la relation entre l’esprit de compétition, l’ambition des commerciaux et leur comportement non-éthique durant le concours.
Comparing of melt blending and solution mixing methods on the physical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane/organoclay nanocomposite films
Authors: Ercan Nevra , Durmus Ali , Kaşgöz Ahmet
Published: October 2015

In this study, microstructural features and physical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/organoclay nanocomposites films prepared via melt blending (MB) and solution mixing (SM) methods were investigated in detail. Amount of organoclay into the composition varied in the range of 2 and 8 wt%. Microstructural properties of samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. It was found that the organoclay layers exhibited better dispersion, exfoliated, and semi-exfoliated structure in the MB samples than the SM counterparts. Viscoelastic properties of samples were also studied by measuring the rheological behaviors of bulk samples in an oscillatory rheometer in the melt state and measuring of the time-dependent nonlinear creep behaviors of film samples in a dynamic mechanical analyzer in the solid state. Gas and water vapor permeability (WVP) values of nanocomposite films were measured. Based on the melt rheology measurements, it was found that the MB samples showed characteristic solid-like behavior and higher improvement in storage modulus at low-frequency region. Creep behaviors of samples were also quantified with the four-element Burger model. It was found that the introducing of organoclay into the composition via MB method yielded more improvement in the creep resistance, gas, and WVP values of films than the SM counterparts, possibly due to the better dispersion of organoclay layers into the TPU structure. Based on the improvement in permeability and mechanical properties of the samples and also SEM and TEM observations, the average aspect ratio value ( Af) of organoclay stacks was estimated in the range of 15–20 for the MB samples.
Engaging with childhood: Student placements and the employability agenda
Authors: Reid James
Published: October 2015

Employability is an organising narrative within the global, neoliberal economic discourse, with relevance across different educational contexts. Most attention is paid to attaining the knowledge and skills relevant to gain employment and competitive advantage. This is particularly concerning in university programmes that develop professionals who work with children. Placements are a common approach to embedding employability within university curricula. This article explores student placements in primary school settings in the north of England. Analysis considers students’ engagement with their own learning and with the children who are essential to that learning, who may be marginalised as a feature of it.