bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accountable Care in Transitions (ACTion): A Team-Based Approach to Reducing Hospital Utilization in a Patient-Centered Medical Home
Authors: Hawes Emily M. , Smith Jennifer N. , Pinelli Nicole R. , Adams Rayhaan , Tong Gretchen , Weir Sam , Gwynne Mark
Published: May 2017

Background:

There is limited data describing the role of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) in successful transitions programs and more information is needed to determine the transition points where pharmacist involvement is most impactful.

Methods:

A family medicine center developed a multidisciplinary outpatient-based transitions program focused on reducing emergency department (ED) and hospital use in medically complex patients. Key team members were a medical provider, clinical pharmacist practitioner (CPP), and care manager. The objective was to evaluate the impact of the program by comparing utilization before and after the intervention and to identify patient and process characteristic predictors of 30-day rehospitalizations.

Results:

Of the 268 patients included, the mean time to follow-up appointment attended was 11.6 (11.8) days after discharge. The majority of patients (72%) saw their primary care provider at follow-up. Patients experiencing the multidisciplinary intervention had lower 30-day rehospitalizations at 7, 14, and 30 days postdischarge with significance achieved at 14 and 30 days. Compared to before the intervention, reductions in both ED visits and hospitalizations as well as increases in clinic visits were seen at 1, 3, and 6 months. CPP involvement was associated with lower rehospitalizations (7.7% vs 18.8%; P = .04).

Conclusion:

A multidisciplinary outpatient-based transitions program embedded in the PCMH increased access to primary care and reduced hospital and ED utilization. Face-to-face CPP involvement significantly lowered rehospitalizations. This program describes a standardized approach to complex care needs with defined roles, a model that may be generalizable and reproduced in other medical homes.
The Use of 3- and 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate in Patients With Elevated INR
Authors: Mohan Sanjay , Howland Mary Ann , Lugassy Daniel , Jacobson Jessica , Su Mark K.
Published: May 2017

Background:

PCC (Kcentra®) is an Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved 4-factor PCC used for the treatment of warfarin-related coagulopathy (WRC), but it has also been used off-label to treat non-WRC. Three-factor PCC in the form of coagulation factor IX human (Bebulin®) has also been used for WRC and off-label to treat non-WRC. It is unclear whether the use of 3- or 4-factor PCCs is effective for the treatment of non-WRC,.

Objective:

Our aim is to characterize the use of 3- and 4-factor PCCs for patients identified with a non-WRC.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of patients who received PCCs for both WRC and non-WRC between January 2012 and July 2015 was conducted.

Results:

A total of 187 patients with elevated international normalized ratio (INR) who received PCCs were analyzed; 53.9% of patients in the WRC group and 27.7% in the non-WRC group corrected to an INR of 1.3 or less after 3- or 4-factor PCC administration. In those patients with non-WRC and who had underlying liver disease, 3- and 4-factor PCCs reduced mean INR by 0.98 and 1.43, respectively.

Conclusion:

Three and 4-factor PCCs can reduce INR in patients with WRC and in those with non-WRC secondary to liver disease.
Relationships Between Neighborhood Social Capital and The Occurrence of Outdoor Falls in Canadian Older Adults: A Multilevel Analysis
Authors: Vafaei Afshin , Pickett William , Zunzunegui Maria Victoria , Alvarado Beatriz E.
Published: May 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether neighborhood-level social capital is a risk factor for falls outside of the home in older adults. Methods: Health questionnaires were completed by community-dwelling Canadians aged +65 years living in Kingston (Ontario) and St-Hyacinthe (Quebec), supplemented by neighborhood-level census data. Multilevel logistic regression models with random intercepts were fit. Variations in the occurrence of falls across neighborhoods were quantified by median odds ratio and 80% interval odds ratio. Results: Between-neighborhood differences explained 7% of the variance in the occurrence of falls; this variance decreased to 2% after adjustment for neighborhood-level variables. In the fully adjusted models, higher levels of social capital increased the odds of falls by almost 2 times: (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.19, 3.71]). Discussion: Living in neighborhoods with higher levels of social capital was associated with higher risk of falling in older adults, possibly through more involvement in social activities.
Functional Status and Adaptation: Measuring Activities of Daily Living and Device Use in the National Health and Aging Trends Study
Authors: Frochen Stephen , Mehdizadeh Shahla
Published: May 2017

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the functional status and adaptation of older Americans and discover the factors that contribute to device use. Method: Using the community participants’ portion of the first round of National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), we demonstrate the prevalence of device use and reduction in activities, creating a multilevel measure of activities of daily living (ADL) functionality as compared with Katz’s dichotomous measure. In determining whether adaptation is universal irrespective of age, sex, race, living arrangement, and income, or dependent on these variables, we create a measure of device use, performing a path analysis of the device use measure and sociodemographic variables, with disability score as an intervening measure. Results: ADL functionality becomes more nuanced between the Katz-ADL and NHATS-ADL. Age, sex, and living arrangement were predictors of device use; income was indirectly, whereas race was not. Discussion: When assessors design service plans, consideration should be given to older adults’ ability, capacity, and resources to adapt.
Helping Others, Helping Myself: Collegiate Experiences and Graduates’ Altruistic and Wealth Aspirations
Authors: Routon P. Wesley , Walker Jay K.
Published: May 2017

National statistics disclose that college graduates are more prone to volunteerism than nongraduates. These statistics motivate the question of exactly what college experiences are most likely to change a student’s altruistic goals and whether these same experiences alter a student’s self-interest. Using data from a longitudinal survey of American college students from 457 institutions of higher learning, we examine how the importance of altruistic acts and personal wealth aspirations changes during undergraduate tenure, and estimate the determinants of these changes. Among other results, we find major of study, certain collegiate activities, relative academic success, the ethnicity and background of roommates, institutional characteristics, and within-college labor market participation all play roles in shaping both the altruistic and personal wealth aspirations of individuals.
Unemployment, social protection spending and child poverty in the European Union during the Great Recession
Authors: Chzhen Yekaterina
Published: May 2017

The 2008 financial crisis triggered the first contraction of the world economy in the post-war era. This article investigates the effect of the Great Recession on child poverty across the EU-27 plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland and studies the extent to which social protection spending may have softened the negative impact of the economic crisis on children. While the risks of child poverty are substantially higher in countries with higher rates of working-age unemployment, suggesting a significant impact of the Great Recession on household incomes via the labour market, the study finds evidence for social protection spending cushioning the blow of the crisis at least to some extent. Children were significantly less likely to be poor in countries with higher levels of social protection spending in 2008–2013, even after controlling for the socio-demographic structure of the population, per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and the working-age unemployment rate. The poverty-dampening contextual effect of social spending was greater for the poverty risks of children in very low work intensity families and large families. The study uses two complementary thresholds of income poverty, both based on 60 percent of the national median: a relative poverty line and a threshold anchored in 2008. Although the choice of a poverty line makes a difference to aggregate child poverty rates, individual-level risks of a child being poor associated with a range of household-level characteristics are similar for the two poverty lines.
Generous to all or ‘insiders only’? The relationship between welfare state generosity and immigrant welfare rights
Authors: Römer Friederike
Published: May 2017

Two sharply contrasting accounts exist for the relationships between welfare generosity and immigrant social rights. The dualization hypothesis argues that due to fiscal pressures and welfare chauvinism, generous welfare states are more likely to exclude immigrants from access to welfare benefits. The generosity hypothesis argues that on the contrary, in generous welfare states, an immigrant will be granted greater access to benefits for material, institutional and cultural reasons. Using newly collected data from the Immigration Policies in Comparison (IMPIC) project that covers 18 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) states over 30 years (1980–2010) the two hypotheses are tested using pooled time series analyses. Both a composite index of welfare generosity and social welfare expenditures are used as explanatory variables. Furthermore, the analyses include a number of controls from the welfare state literature, as well as a measure for overall immigration policy restrictiveness. The results broadly support the generosity hypothesis. By contrast, the analyses yield no support for the dualization hypothesis. The index of welfare generosity is positively and significantly associated with immigrant access to benefits, while social welfare expenditures are positively signed but not significant. A number of sensitivity analyses confirm the robustness of the results. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that generous welfare states are more likely to grant immigrants access to welfare benefits, and less generous welfare states are more likely to exclude immigrants from access.
Blame it on the goats? Desertification in the Near East during the Holocene
Authors: Henry Donald O , Cordova Carlos E , Portillo Marta , Albert Rosa-María , DeWitt Regina , Emery-Barbier Aline
Published: May 2017

The degree to which desertification during the Holocene resulted from climatic deterioration or alternatively from overgrazing has puzzled Quaternary scientists in many arid regions of the world. In the research reported upon here, a multi-disciplinary investigation of a 5-m deep, ~11,000-year-old sediment column excavated in a dry lake bed in southern Jordan revealed an early interval in which proxies of plant cover and sheep/goat stocking rates co-varied directly with climatic cycles. Beginning ~5.6 kcal BP, however, this pattern changed with fecal spherulite and phytolith densities failing to co-vary and with spherulites often greatly exceeding phytolith densities, which we suggest is indicative of overgrazing. Moreover, the lack of agreement between the high phytolith densities and other indicators of a desert landscape (i.e. geomorphic and palynologic) suggests that phytolith densities were inflated by fodder subsidies and as such are not entirely reflective of plant cover for this later interval. Given the co-incidental emergence of overgrazing with archaeological evidence for a marked rise in regional population, emergence of widespread trade, and expansion of the Timnian pastoral complex during Chalcolithic–early Bronze times, we argue that desertification was a consequence of socio-economic factors (e.g. higher stocking rates) associated with a shift from a subsistence to a market economy. In addition, we contend that the signature lithic artifact variety (tabular scraper) that appeared in great abundance during this period was directly tied to the emergent market economy and its secondary products (wool) in having been used to shear sheep. Moreover, in that these changes took place largely concurrent with local and regionally recognized evidence of a moist interval, we conclude that the mid- to late-Holocene desertification of the southern Levant was induced more by anthropogenic than climatic factors.
A 2000-year history of disturbance and recovery at a sacred site in Peru’s northeastern cloud forest
Authors: Matthews-Bird Frazer , Valencia Bryan G , Church Warren , Peterson Larry C , Bush Mark
Published: May 2017

The last 2000 years in the tropical Andes was both a time of major pre-Hispanic and Hispanic period cultural developments, and increased climate variability. From c. AD 1000, Andean societies underwent significant transformation and many sites previously integrated under imperial Wari hegemony were abandoned. It has been argued that this sociopolitical reorganization was, in part, a response to the heightened climate variability of the late-Holocene. Here, we present a 2000-year diatom record from the cloud forest setting of Laguna de los Condores, in the Peruvian Andes. Cliff tombs overlooking the lake and a nearby abandoned village form one of the most important archaeological complexes in the Peruvian Chachapoyas region. The presence of diatoms that indicate high productivity (e.g. Planothidium frequentissimum and Amphora pediculus) from as early as 2000 cal. yr BP suggest the lake was impacted by human activity predating the construction of monumental architecture and the regional Chachapoya cultural identity. The diatom fauna is consistent with sediment geochemical evidence that suggests high terrigenous input during the same period that would indicate that the surrounding catchment was disturbed. After c. AD 900 (1050 cal. yr BP), the diatom assemblage becomes dominated by species more indicative of a less productive system, coincident with a declining sedimentation rate, and a decrease in total biogenic silica: conditions that persist to modern times. The transition from a lake with high productivity receiving high erosional input to a less productive more stable system is contemporaneous with an increase in archaeologically documented mortuary and settlement activity. This period of declining terrigenous input is at odds with regional climate, which suggests a wetter than average period. Our data suggest the occupants of Laguna de los Condores changed their land use practices, as the region became wetter, and, in so doing, reduced erosion around the lake.
LncRNA-MALAT1-mediated Axl promotes cell invasion and migration in human neuroblastoma
Authors: Bi Shaojie , Wang Chunyan , Li Yixin , Zhang Wei , Zhang Juan , Lv Zhaopeng , Wang Junxia
Published: May 2017

Overexpression of Axl has been noted to correlate with several human cancers. However, the regulatory mechanisms and effects of Axl in human neuroblastoma development remain unclear. Here, we explore the expression of Axl in neurobalstoma and related upstream regulatory mechanisms of invasion and migration. We found that Axl was overexpressed in metastatic neuroblastoma tissues and positively associated with long non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1. Meanwhile, our data suggested that metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 upregulated Axl expression in neuroblastoma cells, resulting in cell invasion and migration. Furthermore, we found that targeting Axl by inhibitor R428 significantly suppressed the abilities of tumor cell invasion and migration. In summary, these results suggested that Axl, which is regulated by long non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1, may exert great influence on invasion and migration of neuroblastoma.
Hyaluronan-binding peptide for targeting peritoneal carcinomatosis
Authors: Ikemoto Hideki , Lingasamy Prakash , Anton Willmore Anne-Mari , Hunt Hedi , Kurm Kaarel , Tammik Olav , Scodeller Pablo , Simón-Gracia Lorena , Kotamraju Venkata Ramana , Lowy Andrew M , Sugahara Kazuki N , Teesalu Tambet
Published: May 2017

Peritoneal carcinomatosis results from dissemination of solid tumors in the peritoneal cavity, and is a common site of metastasis in patients with carcinomas of gastrointestinal or gynecological origin. Peritoneal carcinomatosis treatment is challenging as poorly vascularized, disseminated peritoneal micro-tumors are shielded from systemic anticancer drugs and drive tumor regrowth. Here, we describe the identification and validation of a tumor homing peptide CKRDLSRRC (IP3), which upon intraperitoneal administration delivers payloads to peritoneal metastases. IP3 peptide was identified by in vivo phage display on a mouse model of peritoneal carcinomatosis of gastric origin (MKN-45P), using high-throughput sequencing of the peptide-encoding region of phage genome as a readout. The IP3 peptide contains a hyaluronan-binding motif, and fluorescein-labeled IP3 peptide bound to immobilized hyaluronan in vitro. After intraperitoneal administration in mice bearing peritoneal metastases of gastric and colon origin, IP3 peptide homed robustly to macrophage-rich regions in peritoneal tumors, including poorly vascularized micro-tumors. Finally, we show that IP3 functionalization conferred silver nanoparticles the ability to home to peritoneal tumors of gastric and colonic origin, suggesting that it could facilitate targeted delivery of nanoscale payloads to peritoneal tumors. Collectively, our study suggests that the IP3 peptide has potential applications for targeting drugs, nanoparticles, and imaging agents to peritoneal tumors.
A herpes simplex virus type 2–encoded microRNA promotes tumor cell metastasis by targeting suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 in lung cancer
Authors: Wang Xudong , Liu Shupeng , Zhou Zhenhua , Yan Hongli , Xiao Jianru
Published: May 2017

Certain viruses use microRNAs to regulate the expression of their own genes, host genes, or both. A number of microRNAs expressed by herpes simplex virus type 2 have been confirmed by previous studies. However, whether these microRNAs play a role in the metastasis of lung cancers and how these viral microRNAs precisely regulated the tumor biological process in lung cancer bone metastasis remain obscure. We recently identified the high expression of an acutely and latently expressed viral microRNA, Hsv2-miR-H9-5p, encoded by herpes simplex virus type 2 latency-associated transcript through microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses which compared the expression of microRNAs in bone metastasis from lung cancer with primary lung cancers. We now reported that Hsv2-miR-H9-5p was highly expressed in bone metastasis and closely associated with pathological and metastatic processes of lung cancers. The functions of Hsv2-miR-H9-5p were determined by overexpression which results in an increase in survival, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells in vitro. We determined that Hsv2-miR-H9-5p directly targeted SOCS2 mechanistically by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Then, we investigated the functions of SOCS2 in the progress of lung cancers. Reduction of SOCS2 dosage by hsv2-miR-H9-5p induced increased migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. Overexpression of SOCS2 inverted these phenotypes generated by hsv2-miR-H9-5p, indicating the potential roles of SOCS2 in Hsv2-miR-H9-5p-driven metastasis in lung cancers. The results highlighted that Hsv2-miR-H9-5p regulated and contributed to bone metastasis of lung cancers. We proposed that Hsv2-miR-H9-5p could be used as a potential target in lung cancer therapy.
A substantial peer-worker workforce in a psychiatric service will improve patient outcomes – the case against
Authors: O’Connor Nick , Clark Scott , Ryan Christopher J
Published: May 2017

Objectives:

The aim of this work was to examine, via narrative review, the evidence supporting the drive for more peer workers to gauge the likely impact on patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

Despite considerable research into the effectiveness of peer workers in clinical psychiatry, there is insufficient evidence to support the proposition that a substantial peer workforce would improve the outcomes of people living with mental illness.
The Effect of the Nepal Community Forestry Program on Equity in Benefit Sharing
Authors: Luintel Harisharan , Bluffstone Randall A. , Scheller Robert M. , Adhikari Bhim
Published: May 2017

We assessed the effectiveness of Nepalese Community Forestry Program (CFP) in increasing local perceptions of equity in benefit sharing. Our aim is to inform emerging forest policy that aims to mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity conservation, and address poverty and livelihood needs. We collected data from 1,300 households from nationally representative samples of 65 CFP communities and 65 non-CFP communities. By using a robust method of covariates matching, we demonstrate the unique and positive effect of the CFP on perception of equity in benefit sharing at national level and among poor, Dalits, indigenous and women-headed households and in the hills (except Terai). Our results suggest the need to continue the current benefit-sharing practices in CFP except in the Terai, where such practices need to be reviewed. However, caution should be taken in implementing emerging carbon-focused forestry so that it does not alter the CFP management sufficiently to conflict with equity goals and upend the generally positive effects on equity.
The Epigenetics of Epilepsy and Its Progression
Authors: Hauser Rebecca M. , Henshall David C. , Lubin Farah D.
Published: May 2017

Epilepsy is a common and devastating neurological disorder characterized by recurrent and unprovoked spontaneous seizures. One leading hypothesis for the development and progression of epilepsy is that large-scale changes in gene transcription and protein expression contribute to aberrant network restructuring and hyperexcitability, resulting in the genesis of repeated seizures. Current research shows that epigenetic mechanisms, including posttranslational alterations to the proteins around which DNA is coiled, chemical modifications to DNA, and the activity of various noncoding RNA molecules exert important influences on these gene networks in experimental epilepsy. Key findings from animal models have been replicated in humans using brain tissue obtained from living patients at the time of neurosurgical resection for pharmacoresistant epilepsy. These findings have spurred efforts to target epigenetic processes to disrupt or modify epilepsy in experimental models with varying degrees of success. In this review, we will (1) summarize the epigenetic mechanisms implicated in epileptogenesis and epilepsy, (2) explore the influence of metabolic factors on epigenetic mechanisms, and (3) assess the potential of using epigenetic markers to support diagnosis and prognosis. Translation of these findings may guide the development of molecular biomarkers and novel therapeutics for prevention or modification of epileptic disorders.
Attaining the Active School Flag: How physical activity provision can be enhanced in Irish primary schools
Authors: Bowles Richard , Chróinín Déirdre Ní , Murtagh Elaine
Published: May 2017

The provision of regular physical activity opportunities has the potential to have positive health benefits for children. This study used qualitative interviews and focus groups to examine the experiences of two Irish primary school communities as they worked to attain an Active School Flag. The data suggest that engagement in this formal physical activity initiative impacts positively on children’s engagement in physical activity. Schools were encouraged to embark on innovative activities that attracted widespread participation within schools and in the wider community. The establishment of links with community groups fostered collaborations that were empowering and inclusive. This research supports the contention that primary school initiatives can provide enhanced physical activity opportunities for children, and may provide guidance to national and international policy-makers as they devise school-based physical activity interventions.
Developing manual handling skills in relative social isolation: A case study of Australian home care workers
Authors: Palesy Debra
Published: May 2017

This paper elaborates how home care workers develop skills in their workplaces after only brief classroom manual handling training and suggests how this development may be supported in situations of relative social isolation. A qualitative approach was adopted for this inquiry, in which new home care workers were directly observed and interviewed in their workplaces at two points over a 12-week predetermined training trajectory. When developing skills in their socially isolated workplaces, these workers followed a pathway that differs from traditional accounts. They developed procedural capacities first, rendered this knowledge and skill into principled understandings and then adapted these understandings to become skillful in a range of other tasks. Moreover, these workers placed high value on sociality in developing their skills. Consequently, a training format which focuses on the development of procedural knowledge and provides opportunities for shared practice is most important for learning in circumstances of relative social isolation.
Rethinking Psychosis in Dementia: An Analysis of Antecedents and Explanations
Authors: Cohen-Mansfield Jiska , Golander Hava , Cohen Rinat
Published: May 2017

An in-depth analysis of qualitative data regarding antecedents, consequences, and descriptions of delusions of persons with dementia (PwD) provided by family caregivers is presented. Three broad classifications of reasons given behind types of delusions are included, namely environmental factors, personal factors, and dementia, with dementia being the most prominent factor. We observed an overlap between known cognitive symptoms of dementia and the characteristics of the reported “delusions” in dementia. It therefore appears that what is often classified as a delusion of a seemingly psychotic nature is in fact the PwD’s disorientation combined with an attempt to fill in gaps caused by cognitive deficiencies.
Fluorescent, Plasmonic, and Radiotherapeutic Properties of the 177Lu–Dendrimer-AuNP–Folate–Bombesin Nanoprobe Located Inside Cancer Cells
Authors: Mendoza-Nava Héctor , Ferro-Flores Guillermina , Ramírez Flor de María , Ocampo-García Blanca , Santos-Cuevas Clara , Azorín-Vega Erika , Jiménez-Mancilla Nallely , Luna-Gutiérrez Myrna , Isaac-Olivé Keila
Published: May 2017

The integration of fluorescence and plasmonic properties into one molecule is of importance in developing multifunctional imaging and therapy nanoprobes. The aim of this research was to evaluate the fluorescent properties and the plasmonic–photothermal, therapeutic, and radiotherapeutic potential of 177Lu–dendrimer conjugated to folate and bombesin with gold nanoparticles in the dendritic cavity (177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin) when it is internalized in T47D breast cancer cells. The intense near-Infrared (NIR) fluorescence emitted at 825 nm from the conjugate inside cells corroborated the usefulness of DenAuNP–folate–bombesin for optical imaging. After laser irradiation, the presence of the nanosystem in cells caused a significant increase in the temperature of the medium (46.8°C, compared to 39.1°C without DenAuNP–folate–bombesin, P < 0.05), resulting in a significant decrease in cell viability (down to 16.51% ± 1.52%) due to the 177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin plasmonic properties. After treatment with 177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin, the T47D cell viability decreased 90% because of the radiation-absorbed dose (63.16 ± 4.20 Gy) delivered inside the cells. The 177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin nanoprobe internalized in cancer cells exhibited properties suitable for optical imaging, plasmonic–photothermal therapy, and targeted radiotherapy.
Leader and Peer Ethical Behavior Influences on Job Embeddedness
Authors: Ferreira Aristides I.
Published: May 2017

Drawing on the social learning theory, the current research proposes that employees learn specific ethical behavior by observing others (leader and peers), thus influencing their job embeddedness. This study examined the mediating and moderating contextual variables in the relationship between ethical leadership and job embeddedness using a sample of 343 employees from 40 different companies. Results revealed that ethical leadership is related to job embeddedness and that perceived supervisor support mediated the influence of ethical leadership on job embeddedness. Also, peer unethical behavior moderated the indirect ethical leadership–job embeddedness relationship at the group level of analysis. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed. Specifically, this study proposes that there is a need to select middle managers that are focused on people’s needs and to train and motivate supervisors to support and stimulate their subordinates.
Roger Caillois and E-Sports: On the Problems of Treating Play as Work
Authors: Brock Tom
Published: May 2017

In Man, Play and Games, Roger Caillois warns against the “rationalization” of play by working life and argues that the professionalization of competitive games (agôn) will have a negative impact on people and society. In this article, I elaborate on Caillois’ argument by suggesting that the professional context of electronic sports (e-Sports) rationalizes play by turning player psychology toward the pursuit of extrinsic rewards. This is evidenced in the instrumental decision-making that accompanies competitive gameplay as well as the “survival” strategies that e-Sports players deploy to endure its precarious working environment(s). In both cases, play is treated as work and has problematic psychological and sociological implications as a result.
A health condition model for wind turbine monitoring through neural networks and proportional hazard models
Authors: Mazidi Peyman , Du Mian , Bertling Tjernberg Lina , Sanz Bobi Miguel A
Published: May 2017

In this article, a parametric model for health condition monitoring of wind turbines is developed. The study is based on the assumption that a wind turbine’s health condition can be modeled through three features: rotor speed, gearbox temperature and generator winding temperature. At first, three neural network models are created to simulate normal behavior of each feature. Deviation signals are then defined and calculated as accumulated time-series of differences between neural network predictions and actual measurements. These cumulative signals carry health condition–related information. Next, through nonlinear regression technique, the signals are used to produce individual models for considered features, which mathematically have the form of proportional hazard models. Finally, they are combined to construct an overall parametric health condition model which partially represents health condition of the wind turbine. In addition, a dynamic threshold for the model is developed to facilitate and add more insight in performance monitoring aspect. The health condition monitoring of wind turbine model has capability of evaluating real-time and overall health condition of a wind turbine which can also be used with regard to maintenance in electricity generation in electric power systems. The model also has flexibility to overcome current challenges such as scalability and adaptability. The model is verified in illustrating changes in real-time and overall health condition with respect to considered anomalies by testing through actual and artificial data.
Linear stability assessment of a cryogenic rocket engine
Authors: Schulze Moritz , Sattelmayer Thomas
Published: May 2017

The linear high frequency stability of DLR’s cryogenic H2/O2 BKD test chamber is assessed using a hybrid computational fluid dynamic/computational aeroacoustic methodology, which is based on single flame simulations for the generation of an adequate mean flow and for the calibration of feedback models as well as on frequency space transformed linearized Euler equations. The application of a realistic mean flow field including combustion explains the spatial separation of transverse modes into a near face plate mode, which is found linearly unstable under certain operation conditions for the first transverse and a rear part mode. The axial mode shape length as well as eigenfrequencies is affected by propellant injection specifications and, in consequence, decisively influence pressure and transverse velocity sensitive dynamic flame response. The stability assessment procedure is finally applied to four operation conditions and the linear stability is predicted for the first transverse mode.
Nation Rebranding Through a New Approach to Cultural Diplomacy: A Case Study of Mauritius
Authors: Pudaruth Santosh Kumar
Published: May 2017

Whenever the word “power” is uttered in the context of international relations, notions such as force or payoff immediately come to mind. These, put together, connote the idea of hard power as this involves leveraging hard resources and capabilities to reach desired outcomes when dealing with the other countries of the world. Soft power, also known as the second and third face of power, however, refers to a country’s use of attractions to achieve certain positive diplomatic results without ‘twisting the arms of others’. Several resources could be used as soft power, including a nation’s tangible and intangible cultural assets. Based on a theoretical framework built up from existing literature on power and soft power, and the author’s experiences in the performing arts for more than 40 years now and observations of the functioning of Mauritian diplomacy, this article reflects upon two potential soft power resources, namely, music and dance, two important intangible cultural expressions, thriving on the Mauritian soil for more than 180 years now, and attempts to elucidate how these art forms could be factored in as added value to Mauritian diplomacy for nation rebranding. Such a proven strategy, which has been adopted by other countries, has not had the required attention from Mauritian policy makers and technocrats so far. The author is convinced that a judicious utilization of music and dance in Mauritian international relations will contribute immensely to the country’s overall development, not only politically and economically, but also culturally.
Protective role of tocopherol and ascorbic acid in taxol-treated human erythrocytes in vitro
Authors: Faridi Uzma , Alatawi Fatema , Mostafa Magda
Published: May 2017

Taxol is a well-known anticancer agent. It is used for the treatment of several kinds of cancer, including breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer. In spite of being a good chemotherapeutic agent, taxol has several side effects. Drug-induced haemolytic anaemia is one of the most common side effects of taxol. This study investigated the haemolytic effect of taxol on normal erythrocytes and the protective effect of natural antioxidants ascorbic acid and tocopherol in the presence of taxol. We evaluated the osmotic fragility and the activity of enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase of erythrocytes in the presence of taxol alone and taxol in combination with tocopherol and ascorbic acid. Taxol-induced haematological perturbation significantly caused haemolysis and reduced the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in erythrocytes. The antioxidants tocopherol and ascorbic acid demonstrated a protective effect when added to taxol. The combination of tocopherol with taxol significantly protected the osmotic lysis of erythrocytes and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase but had less effect on catalase. Ascorbic acid showed significant protection of erythrocytes from osmotic lysis but didn’t show any significant effect on superoxide and catalase. The results suggest that both antioxidants, especially tocopherol, could exhibit a protective effect against taxol-induced haematological toxicity.
Plasmacytoid and conventional dendritic cells cooperate in crosspriming AAV capsid-specific CD8+ T cells
Authors: Rogers Geoffrey L. , Shirley Jamie L. , Zolotukhin Irene , Kumar Sandeep R. P. , Sherman Alexandra , Perrin George Q. , Hoffman Brad E. , Srivastava Arun , Basner-Tschakarjan Etiena , Wallet Mark A. , Terhorst Cox , Biswas Moanaro , Herzog Roland W.
Published: May 2017

Key Points

Crosspriming of AAV capsid-specific CD8+ T cells requires cooperation between distinct subsets of DCs. Innate immune sensing of the viral DNA genome induces cross-presentation of viral capsid in trans.
Clinicopathological features and outcomes of progression of CLL on the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax
Authors: Anderson Mary Ann , Tam Constantine , Lew Thomas E. , Juneja Surender , Juneja Manu , Westerman David , Wall Meaghan , Lade Stephen , Gorelik Alexandra , Huang David C. S. , Seymour John F. , Roberts Andrew W.
Published: May 2017

Key Points

Complex karyotype and fludarabine refractoriness are key risk factors for progression of CLL on venetoclax. Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors are active in patients with CLL after prior therapy with venetoclax.
Genome sequencing and description of Oerskovia enterophila VJag, an agar- and cellulose-degrading bacterium
Authors: Jag Vanessa , Poehlein Anja , Bengelsdorf Frank R. , Daniel Rolf , Dürre Peter
Published: May 2017

A nonmotile, Gram-positive bacterium that shows an elongated and branching cell shape was isolated from soil samples from the botanical garden of Ulm University, Ulm, Germany. Here, the isolation procedure, identification, genome sequencing and metabolic features of the strain are described. Phylogenetic analysis allowed to identify the isolated strain as Oerskovia enterophila. The genus Oerskovia belongs to the family Cellulomonadaceae within the order Actinomycetales. The length of cells of O. enterophila ranges from 1 μm to 15 μm, depending on the growth phase. In the exponential growth phase, cells show an elongated and branching shape, whereas cells break up to round or coccoid elements in the stationary growth phase. The 4,535,074 bp long genome consists of 85 contigs with 3918 protein-coding genes and 57 RNA genes. The isolated strain was shown to degrade numerous complex carbon sources such as cellulose, chitin, and starch, which can be found ubiquitously in nature. Moreover, analysis of the genomic sequence revealed the genetic potential to degrade these compounds.
A review and critical appraisal of central axis flaps in axillary and elbow contractures
Authors: Karki Durga , Ahuja Rajeev B.
Published: May 2017

Contractures of the axilla and elbow can produce a significant impact on quality of life by reducing the ability to perform activities of daily living. Varieties of techniques are available for resurfacing defects following contracture release but graft or flap loss, donor-site morbidity, esthetics, and recurrences are still challenges for reconstructive surgeons. Central axis “propeller” flaps based on a random, subcutaneous pedicle were first described for axillary and elbow contractures to deploy the unburnt skin of axillary dome in type I and II contractures (Kurtzman and Stern) by moving them 90° to straddle the contracting bands. This strategy provided better esthetics and avoided prolonged splinting. Over more than two decades, there have been several design modifications of these flaps with extended applications to cubital fossa. A comprehensive review of published literature on the topic is presented to discuss classifications, design modifications, and applications of such flaps in managing axillary and elbow contractures.
A disparity between locomotor economy and territory holding ability in male house mice
Authors: Morris Jeremy S. , Ruff James S. , Potts Wayne K. , Carrier David R.
Published: May 2017

Both economical locomotion and physical fighting are important performance traits to many species because of their direct influence on components of Darwinian fitness. Locomotion represents a substantial portion of the total daily energy budget of many animals. Fighting performance often determines individual reproductive fitness through the means of resource control, social dominance, and access to mates. However, phenotypic traits that improve either locomotor economy or fighting ability may diminish performance in the other. Here we test for a predicted disparity between locomotor economy and competitive ability in wild-derived house mice (Mus musculus). We used 8-week social competition trials in semi-natural enclosures to directly measure male competitive ability through territorial control and female occupancy within territories. We also measured oxygen consumption during locomotion for each mouse using running trials in an enclosed treadmill and open-flow respirometry. Our results show that territory-holding males have higher absolute and mass-specific oxygen consumption when running (i.e., reduced locomotor economy) as compared to males that do not control territories. This relationship was present both before and after 8-week competition trials in semi-natural enclosures. This disparity between physical competitive ability and economical locomotion may impose viability costs on males in species for which competition over mates is common and may constrain the evolution of behavioral and phenotypic diversity, particularly in natural settings with environmental and resource variability.
Validation of commercial ERK antibodies against the ERK orthologue of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata
Authors: Courtial Lucile , Picco Vincent , Pagès Gilles , Ferrier-Pagès Christine
Published: May 2017

The extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signalling pathway controls key cellular processes, such as cell cycle regulation, cell fate determination and the response to external stressors. Although ERK functions are well studied in a variety of living organisms ranging from yeast to mammals, its functions in corals are still poorly known. The present work aims to give practical tools to study the expression level of ERK protein and the activity of the ERK signalling pathway in corals. The antibody characterisation experiment was performed five times and identical results were obtained. The present study validated the immune-reactivity of commercially available antibodies directed against ERK and its phosphorylated/activated forms on protein extracts of the reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata.
The refined biomimetic NeuroDigm GEL™ model of neuropathic pain in a mature rat
Authors: Hannaman Mary R. , Fitts Douglas A. , Doss Rose M. , Weinstein David E. , Bryant Joseph L.
Published: May 2017

Background:Many humans suffering with chronic neuropathic pain have no objective evidence of an etiological lesion or disease. Frequently their persistent pain occurs after the healing of a soft tissue injury. Based on clinical observations over time, our hypothesis was that after an injury in mammals the process of tissue repair could cause chronic neural pain. Our objectives were to create the delayed onset of neuropathic pain in rats with minimal nerve trauma using a physiologic hydrogel, and characterize the rats’ responses to known analgesics and a targeted biologic.

Methods:In mature male Sprague Dawley rats (age 9.5 months) a percutaneous implant of tissue-derived hydrogel was placed in the musculofascial tunnel of the distal tibial nerve. Subcutaneous morphine (3 mg/kg), celecoxib (10 mg/kg), gabapentin (25 mg/kg) and duloxetine (10 mg/kg) were each screened in the model three times each over 5 months after pain behaviors developed. Sham and control groups were used in all screenings. A pilot study followed in which recombinant human erythropoietin (200 units) was injected by the GEL™ neural procedure site.

Results:The GEL group gradually developed mechanical hypersensitivity lasting months. Morphine, initially effective, had less analgesia over time. Celecoxib produced no analgesia, while gabapentin and duloxetine at low doses demonstrated profound analgesia at all times tested. The injected erythropoietin markedly decreased bilateral pain behavior that had been present for over 4 months,p≤ 0.001. Histology of the GEL group tibial nerve revealed a site of focal neural remodeling, with neural regeneration, as found in nerve biopsies of patients with neuropathic pain.

Conclusion:The refined NeuroDigm GEL™ model induces a neural response resulting in robust neuropathic pain behavior. The analgesic responses in this model reflect known responses of humans with neuropathic pain. The targeted recombinant human erythropoietin at the ectopic neural lesion appears to alleviate the persistent pain behavior in the GEL™ model rodents.
Algorithmic Theories of Problems. A Constructive and a Non-Constructive Approach
Authors: Pezlar Ivo
Published: May 2017

In this paper we examine two approaches to the formal treatment of the notion of problem in the paradigm of algorithmic semantics. Namely, we will explore an approach based on Martin-Löf’s Constructive Type Theory (CTT), which can be seen as a direct continuation of Kolmogorov’s original calculus of problems, and an approach utilizing Tichý’s Transparent Intensional Logic (TIL), which can be viewed as a non-constructive attempt of interpreting Kolmogorov’s logic of problems. In the last section we propose Kolmogorov and CTT-inspired modifications to TIL-based approach. The focus will be on non-empirical (i.e., mathematical and logical) problems only.
Are Creative Cities Good Places for Creative People? Notes on the Social Conditions for Cultural Production in Contemporary Economy
Authors: Romão João
Published: May 2017

Purpose: This paper discusses the social conditions for cultural production in contemporary cities, in the context of a globalized economy, with rising importance of the integration of cognitive, symbolic and emotional elements into tradable products and services. Although the agglomeration dynamics of creative activities in urban contexts and the social or spatial inequalities related to processes of urban reorganization in Post-Fordist societies have been analysed in the last years, the interrelations between these aspects still lack adequate investigation and empirical analysis.Methodology/Approach: By synthetizing diverse theoretical contributions related to different levels and interactions arising from creative activities, their transformations into tradable products (commodification) and some of their spatial implications in the urban context (agglomeration, externalities, identity, place branding and gentrification), the article emphasizes the different benefits obtained by the agents involved in this process, potentially contributing for increasing social conflicts and to a process of cultural homogenization with negative implications on the uniqueness and authenticity of places.Findings: Benefits arising from the externalities generated by the agglomeration of cultural production and creative activities can be framed within the “Common Pool of Resources” approach, suggesting that a more balanced share of the benefits can be obtained by means of participatory processes for city planning and development.Research Limitation/implication: The paper is based on a conceptual approach and further empirical research can be useful in order to test the formulations proposed.Originality/Value of paper: This analysis leads to the identification of different questions for further research, by combining quantitative analysis for the measurement of cultural and creative externalities and modelling processes for the distribution of benefits arising from cultural production, with qualitative analysis related to participatory processes of urban planning and monitoring.