bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Search of a Gold Standard Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Use in Chemotherapy- Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Clinical Trials
Authors: Smith Ellen M. Lavoie , Knoerl Robert , Yang James J. , Kanzawa-Lee Grace , Lee Deborah , Bridges Celia M.
Published: February 2018

Purpose:

To test a reduced version—CIPN15—of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy scale (QLQ-CIPN20) to establish a possible gold-standard patient-reported outcome measure for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).

Methods:

Using a prospective, longitudinal, case–control design, patients (n = 121) receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy completed the CIPN15 at baseline and 12 weeks and underwent objective neurological assessment using the 5-item Total Neuropathy Score-Clinical (TNSc). Healthy controls (n = 30) completed the CIPN15 once. Structural validity was evaluated using factor analysis. Because a stable factor structure was not found, a sum score was used to evaluate measures of the CIPN15’s psychometric properties—reliability, validity, sensitivity, and responsiveness—as follows: internal consistency via Cronbach’s α and item–item correlations; test–retest reliability via correlation between 2 CIPN15 scores from each patient; concurrent validity via correlation between CIPN15 and 5-item TNSc scores; contrasting group validity via comparison of CIPN15 scores from patients and healthy controls; sensitivity via descriptive statistics (means, standard deviation, ranges); and responsiveness via Cohen’s d effect size.

Results:

Most patients received single agent oxaliplatin (33.7%), paclitaxel (21.2%), or more than 1 neurotoxic drug concurrently (29.8%). Factor analysis revealed no stable factor structure. Cronbach’s α for the CIPN15 sum score was 0.91 (confidence interval [CI] = 0.89-0.93). Test–retest reliability was demonstrated based on strong correlations between the 2 scores obtained at the 12-week time point ( r = 0.86; CI = 0.80-0.90). The CIPN15 and 5-item TNSc items reflecting symptoms (not signs) were moderately correlated ( r range 0.57-0.72): concurrent validity. Statistically significant differences were found between patient and healthy control CIPN15 mean scores ( P < .0001): contrasting group validity. All items encompassed the full score range but the CIPN15 linearly converted sum score did not: sensitivity. The CIPN15 was responsive based on a Cohen’s d of 0.52 (CI = 0.25-0.79).

Conclusion:

The sum-scored CIPN15 is reliable, valid, sensitive, and responsive when used to assess taxane- and platinum-induced CIPN.
Dose Escalation of Vitamin D3 Yields Similar Cryosurgical Outcome to Single Dose Exposure in a Prostate Cancer Model
Authors: Santucci Kimberly L. , Baust John M. , Snyder Kristi K. , Van Buskirk Robert G. , Baust John G.
Published: February 2018

Vitamin D3 (VD3) is an effective adjunctive agent, enhancing the destructive effects of freezing in prostate cancer cryoablation studies. We investigated whether dose escalation of VD3 over several weeks, to model the increase in physiological VD3 levels if an oral supplement were prescribed, would be as or more effective than a single treatment 1 to 2 days prior to freezing. PC-3 cells in log phase growth to model aggressive, highly metabolically active prostate cancer were exposed to a gradually increasing dose of VD3 to a final dose of 80 nM over a 4-week period, maintained for 2 weeks at 80 nM, and then exposed to mild sublethal freezing temperatures. Results demonstrate that both acute 24-hour exposure to 80 nM VD3 and dose escalation resulted in enhanced cell death following freezing at −15°C or colder, with no significant differences between the 2 exposure regimes. Apoptotic analysis within the initial 24-hour period postfreeze revealed that VD3 treatment induced both caspase 8- and 9-mediated cell death, most notably in caspase 8 at 8-hour postfreeze. These results indicate that both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways are involved in VD3 sensitization prior to freezing. Additionally, both acute and gradual dose escalation regimes of VD3 exposure increase prostate cancer cell sensitivity to mild freezing. Importantly, this study expands upon previous reports and suggests that the combination of VD3 and freezing may offer an effective treatment for both slow growth and highly aggressive prostate cancers.
Gifted Education in Ireland
Authors: O’Reilly Colm
Published: February 2018

This article provides an overview of recent developments in gifted education in Ireland. It highlights changes in attitudes, educational policies, gifted education programs, and research.
Programs and Practices for Identifying and Nurturing High Intellectual Abilities in Spain
Authors: Sastre-Riba Sylvia , Pérez-Sánchez Luz F. , Villaverde Angeles Bueno
Published: February 2018

The recent educational legislation in Spain shows a great interest in enhancing the talents of all citizens. Different models of identification and intervention for students with high intellectual abilities (HIAs) coexist. The assessment model based on intelligence is still in force in the psychoeducational guidance field; however, from the research, other multidimensional and developmental models are prevalent, rethinking the nature of giftedness and talent, as well as identification and educational practices. These models consider HIA as potential in development, depending on the interrelation among neurobiological bases, personal, and environmental conditions. Efforts are being made to detect high-ability students. The most common intervention measures are the school enrichment of the curriculum, curricular adaptations, and acceleration. Several universities and some autonomous communities (i.e., school districts in the states) have organized extracurricular enrichment programs, some for longer than 10 years. The training of specialized teachers in high abilities has substantially increased, both in the Ministry of Education and autonomous local communities. Universities have also included some subjects in their programs related to this issue of gifted education with specific training designed in postgraduate courses. The research agendas of HIAs currently focus on studying metric approximation, identification and profiles, cognitive functioning and creativity, management of cognitive resources, socioemotional characteristics, gender, enrichment programs, and their effectiveness.
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats: Current knowledge and future potential
Authors: Quimby Jessica M , Borjesson Dori L
Published: February 2018

Practical relevance:

Stem cell therapy is an innovative field of scientific investigation with tremendous potential for clinical application in veterinary medicine. Based on the known desirable immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells, this therapy holds promise for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases in cats.

Aims:

This review details our current understanding of feline stem cell biology and proposed mechanism of action. Studies performed in feline clinical trials for diseases including gingivostomatitis, chronic enteropathy, asthma and kidney disease are summarized, with the goal of providing an overview of the current status of this treatment modality and its potential for the future.
Haemoplasmosis in cats: European guidelines from the ABCD on prevention and management
Authors: Tasker Séverine , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina , Belák Sándor , Frymus Tadeusz , Addie Diane D , Pennisi Maria Grazia , Boucraut-Baralon Corine , Egberink Herman , Hartmann Katrin , Hosie Margaret J , Lloret Albert , Marsilio Fulvio , Radford Alan D , Thiry Etienne , Truyen Uwe , Möstl Karin
Published: February 2018

Overview:

Haemoplasmas are haemotropic bacteria that can induce anaemia in a wide range of mammalian species.

Infection in cats:

Mycoplasma haemofelis is the most pathogenic of the three main feline haemoplasma species known to infect cats. ‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ and ‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis’ are less pathogenic but can result in disease in immunocompromised cats. Male, non-pedigree cats with outdoor access are more likely to be haemoplasma infected, and ‘ Candidatus M haemominutum’ is more common in older cats. All three haemoplasma species can be carried asymptomatically.

Transmission:

The natural mode of transmission of haemoplasma infection is not known, but aggressive interactions and vectors are possibilities. Transmission by blood transfusion can occur and all blood donors should be screened for haemoplasma infection.

Diagnosis and treatment:

PCR assays are the preferred diagnostic method for haemoplasma infections. Treatment with doxycycline for 2–4 weeks is usually effective for M haemofelis-associated clinical disease (but this may not clear infection). Little information is currently available on the antibiotic responsiveness of ‘ Candidatus M haemominutum’ and ‘ Candidatus M turicensis’.
Crystalline lens endocapsular fragmentation using an elastic loop filament
Authors: Diakonis Vasilios F , Cook Brittany N , Desai Neel R , Weinstock Alexander J , Weinstock Robert J
Published: February 2018

Purpose:

To describe a novel mechanical endocapsular fragmentation technique of the crystalline lens during cataract surgery using a loop elastic-thin filament.

Methods:

An alternative method to mechanically fragment the crystalline lens utilizing a nitinol loop is described. This device achieves lens sectioning in multiple pieces, decreasing ultrasonic energy expenditure during cataract surgery.

Results:

Endocapsular fragmentation of crystalline lens was achieved using a nitinol loop filament, without the use of ultrasound energy.

Conclusion:

This surgical technique demonstrates that a micro loop filament may be used as an alternative surgical approach for energy-free mechanical endocapsular nucleus disassembly and fragmentation.
Pragmatic Urban Protest: How Oppression Leads to Parochial Resistance
Authors: Danley Stephen
Published: February 2018

Protests struggle to gain traction in societies that are either too open (undermining the need for protest) or too closed (suppressing the possibility of protest). In the United States, there has been a sharp counter-movement responding to the election of President Donald Trump and conservative shift in ideology toward nativism. Given this shift and movement, an inquiry into the possibility of protest is both timely and critical. This ethnographic study of Camden, New Jersey, examines the ways local activists respond to oppression, finding that they use Alinsky-style community organizing that focuses on discrete, local actions and avoid direct confrontation with oppressive forces. These strategies differ from activists in adjacent communities joining in wide-scale, partisan resistance to nativism and President Donald Trump. The Camden strategy appears to be a learned response to failures in opposing wide-scale oppression and fear of loss of access and opportunity. In the face of such continued oppression, Camden activists target pragmatic urban issues to protest in the hopes of gaining small victories. Such a finding indicates that oppression may reify by making systemic changes seem unlikely or even impossible, causing activists in oppressed communities to make the strategic decision to avoid challenging oppression directly by focusing on pragmatic protest.
‘Sleeping with the enemy’: Non-monogamy and 1970s lesbian-feminists
Authors: Wandrei Karin E
Published: February 2018

Many white American women who came out as lesbians in the 1970s in the context of the feminist movement saw their lesbianism as part of their core identity. A tenet of that movement was that sexual/romantic involvements with men were incompatible with being a ‘true’ lesbian. Women who did were often ostracized. Changes in the lesbian-feminist community and larger society, including the viability and visibility of bisexuality and non-monogamy, have allowed some of these women to explore sexual and romantic involvement with men while holding onto the feminist aspects of their lesbian identification because of non-monogamy’s feminist potential. This analysis supports the work of van Anders in critiquing the primacy of genital configuration as a means of defining sexual orientation.
Book Review: Piot, Charles, ed. 2016: Doing Development in West Africa: A Reader by and for Undergraduates
Authors: Byers Madeline
Published: February 2018

Piot, Charles, ed. 2016: Doing Development in West Africa: A Reader by and for Undergraduates. Durham and London: Duke University Press. v + 216 pp. $84.95 (clothbound), $23.95 (paperback). ISBN: 9780822361763 (clothbound), 1923 (paperback).
Book Review: Lyttleton, Chris. 2014: Intimate Economies of Development: Mobility, Sexuality and Health in Asia
Authors: Wu Camille S.
Published: February 2018

Lyttleton, Chris. 2014: Intimate Economies of Development: Mobility, Sexuality and Health in Asia. London and New York, NY: Routledge. xii + 215 pp. £110 (hardback). ISBN 978-0-415-81773-8.
Do Men Produce Higher Quality Ejaculates When Primed With Thoughts of Partner Infidelity?
Authors: Pham Michael N. , Barbaro Nicole , Holub Andrew M. , Holden Christopher J. , Mogilski Justin K. , Lopes Guilherme S. , Nicolas Sylis C. A. , Sela Yael , Shackelford Todd K. , Zeigler-Hill Virgil , Welling Lisa L. M.
Published: February 2018

Sperm competition theory can be used to generate the hypothesis that men alter the quality of their ejaculates as a function of sperm competition risk. Using a repeated measures experimental design, we investigated whether men produce a higher quality ejaculate when primed with cues to sperm competition (i.e., imagined partner infidelity) relative to a control prime. Men ( n = 45) submitted two masturbatory ejaculates—one ejaculate sample for each condition (i.e., sperm competition and control conditions). Ejaculates were assessed on 17 clinical parameters. The results did not support the hypothesis: Men did not produce higher quality ejaculates in the sperm competition condition relative to the control condition. Despite the null results of the current research, there is evidence for psychological and physiological adaptations to sperm competition in humans. We discuss methodological limitations that may have produced the null results and present methodological suggestions for research on human sperm competition.
Performance and Return to Sport After Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament Surgery in National Football League Players
Authors: Sochacki Kyle R. , Jack Robert A. , Nauert Richard , Liberman Shari R. , McCulloch Patrick C. , Lintner David M. , Harris Joshua D.
Published: February 2018

Background: Acute ruptures of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the thumb are common injuries in sports. Surgical repair of complete tears has yielded excellent results in elite athletes. Methods: National Football League (NFL) players who underwent thumb UCL surgery and matched controls were identified. Demographic and performance data were collected. Performance scores were calculated using a standardized scoring system. Return to sport (RTS) in the NFL was defined as playing in at least 1 NFL game after thumb UCL surgery. Comparisons between case and control groups and preoperative and postoperative time points were made using paired-samples Student t tests. Results: Twenty-three players were identified (mean age: 28.8 ± 3.4 years and mean experience in the NFL: 5.9 ± 3.4 years). Twenty-two players (95.7%) were able to return to sport in the NFL at an average of 132.2 ± 126.1 days. The overall 1-year NFL career survival rate of players undergoing thumb UCL surgery was 87.0%. There was not a statistically significant decrease in games per season and career length for any position following surgery. No positions had a significant difference in postoperative performance when compared with preoperative performance, and there was no significant performance difference postoperatively when compared with matched controls. Conclusions: There is a high rate of RTS in the NFL following thumb UCL surgery. Players who underwent thumb UCL surgery played in a similar number of games per season and had similar career lengths in the NFL as controls. No position group had any significant postoperative performance score differences when compared with postindex matched controls.
A laser-based multi-robot collision avoidance approach in unknown environments
Authors: Yu Yingying , Wu Zhiyong , Cao Zhiqiang , Pang Lei , Ren Liang , Zhou Chao
Published: February 2018

As a fundamental problem, collision avoidance for multiple robots still need further investigation, especially for many robots aggregating in a tight space. In this article, a laser-based collision avoidance approach is proposed in complex multi-robot environments. The laser data is analyzed and processed in terms of distance thresholding, safe passageway analysis, obstacles repulsion, goal position attraction, and inter-robot safety. Specifically, the safe passageway analysis is used to remove unsafe directions effectively, and inter-robot safety processing reduces the possibility of being selected for the directions affected by the neighboring robots. On this basis, an optimized decision is made to guarantee that the robots achieve collision-free motions even in crowded environments. The validity of the proposed approach is verified by simulations.
“Others-in-Law”: Legalism in the Economy of Religious Differences
Authors: David Joseph E.
Published: February 2018

Religious legalism encompasses a wide range of attitudes that assign religious meaning to legal content or to legal compliance. The phenomenology of religious legalism is assuming a significant role in various contemporary debates about legal pluralism, accommodation of religious minorities, religious freedom, and so forth. This article revises this conception and the commonplace equation of Judaism and legalism. It suggests that we ought to regard both as part of the economy of religious differences by which religious identities are expressed and defined as alternatives. The common ascription of religious legalism to Judaism (and Islam) is criticized here through a historical analysis of the law-religion-identity matrix in three cultural settings: late ancient Judeo-Hellenic, medieval Judeo–Arabic, and post-Reformation Europe.
Multi-objective optimization for safety and reliability trade-off: Optimization and results processing
Authors: Johansson Cristina , Ölvander Johan , Derelöv Micael
Published: February 2018

In early design phases, it is vital to be able to screen the design space for a set of promising design alternatives for further study. This article presents a method able to balance several objectives of different mathematical natures, with high impact on the design choices. The method (MOSART) handles multi-objective optimization for safety and reliability trade-offs. The article focuses on optimization problem approach and processing of results as a base for decision-making. The output of the optimization step is the selection of specific system elements obtaining the best balance between the targets. However, what is a good base for decision can easily transform into too much information and overloading of the decision-maker. To solve this potential issue, from a set of Pareto optimal solutions, a smaller sub-set of selected solutions are visualized and filtered out using preference levels of the objectives, yielding a solid base for decision-making and valuable information on potential solutions. Trends were observed regarding each system element and discussed while processing the results of the analysis, supporting the decision of one final best solution.
Stylistic convergences between British film and American television: Andrew Haigh’s Looking
Authors: Cortvriend Jack
Published: February 2018

This article compares Andrew Haigh’s HBO series, Looking, with his feature films Weekend and 45 Years. It addresses the role of the showrunner, particularly in relation to transmediality and transnationality suggesting there is a convergence between British film and American quality television. In doing this, it also addresses the particularities of Haigh’s style, representations of homonormativity and LGBT+ characters in popular television and the representation of national and ethnic difference in Looking.
Animality, domesticity and masculinity in My Cat From Hell
Authors: Negra Diane
Published: February 2018

This article analyses a US reality TV series for the way it reflects two coinciding phenomena: the elevation of animals to a new domestic status in which their needs and interests demand significant time, care and money and the rise of male-fronted instructional lifestyle television. The commercial dimensions of what has been characterised as ‘America’s hyper-profitable obsession with its dogs and cats’ are apparent in dramatic sales rises of premium pet food, the dramatic growth of pet care and grooming industries and the expansion of care animals in the public sphere. Considering the ways in which we are now called upon to cultivate and monitor the emotional well-being of our pets and to take part in an animal-centred economy on their behalf, I turn to the example of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell. This series emphatically repositions cat care and empathy as congruent with masculinity while demonstrating, as I will argue, the relevance of hipster entrepreneurialism to the vastly expanded pet economy.
Re-collecting old media
Authors: Johnson Daniel
Published: February 2018

Amachan was shown as a serialised morning drama on Japan’s Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) network between April and September 2013. New episodes played 6 days a week, with each instalment running 15 minutes. The combination of the long-form presentation and nearly day-to-day presence helped to integrate the drama into the daily lives of its viewers, and its narrative emphasis on family relationships, experiences shared across generations and nostalgic representation of 1980s popular culture imbued Amachan with a heavy dose of intimate sentimentality. This article will analyse the myriad of ways that Amachan entertains the possibility for public and private forms of media intimacy, focusing on questions of the temporality of broadcast formats, nostalgic representation of ‘old’ media and personal copies and celebration of television-centric models of celebrity.
Fabricating the American Dream in US media portrayals of Syrian refugees: A discourse analytical study
Authors: Bhatia Aditi , Jenks Christopher J
Published: February 2018

The months preceding and following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States have incited furious debate about the authenticity of media discourse in the shaping of reality (cf. fake news), including in particular the reporting of refugees from predominantly Muslim regions and their resettlement in Western nations. Much of this debate is rooted in how opposing discourse clans, such as liberal and conservative ideologies, construct a narrative of nationhood around contested views of refugees. Examining mainstream and alternative media from a critical discourse analytic perspective, the article uncovers how two key narratives about the Syrian refugee crisis emerge when the media attempt to orient their respective audiences to government policy through the discursive formation of the American Dream. Drawing on aspects of historicity, linguistic and semiotic action, and social impact, the analysis of the data reveals a discursive fracas between a humanistic perspective on the crisis that exploits a banal understanding of the American Dream and a more dichotomous narrative that homogenises refugees as a threat to the American way of life. These observations add to the growing body of literature that questions the ways in which the media discursively shapes, and is shaped by, political ideologies.
Use of endo-bronchial end-tidal CO2 test for location of the pleural air leakage in patients with intractable pneumothorax
Authors: Zeng Yi-Ming , Chen Yun-Feng , Lin Hui-Huang , Zhang Xiao-Bin
Published: February 2018

Background:

Location of the affected bronchus of pleural air leaks is the most important step of trans-bronchoscopic bronchial occlusion for the treatment of intractable pneumothorax. The balloon occlusion test is the most commonly used technique, but has failed in some cases. The aim of the present study was: (1) to determine if endo-bronchial end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) measurement can identify the affected bronchus that is the source of a persistent pleural air leak; and (2) to establish a methodology for endo-bronchial EtCO2 testing in locating affected bronchus in intractable pneumothorax.

Methods:

A total of 28 patients with intractable pneumothorax underwent bronchoscopy with (1) the balloon occlusion test for the identification of the affected bronchus; and (2) endo-bronchial EtCO2 measurement (EtCO2 test) at the orifices of the bronchus of the affected lung. The effectiveness of these two methods of affected bronchus identification were compared. The threshold EtCO2 (T-EtCO2) was determined.

Results:

The positive rates of locating the affected bronchus by the endo-bronchial EtCO2 test, balloon occlusion test, and combination of the two techniques were 60.7% (17/28), 64.3% (18/28) and 96.4% (27/28), respectively. The average differences in EtCO2 between the affected bronchus and the main carina, main bronchus, and non-affected bronchus were (in mmHg) 4.41 ± 1.99 (95% confidence interval: 3.5, 5.3), 4.73 ± 2.10 (3.80, 5.66 ) and 5.57 ± 2.53 (4.45, 6.69), respectively.

Conclusions:

(1) The endo-bronchial EtCO2 test is complementary to the balloon occlusion test of the leading bronchus. (2) A threshold (T-EtCO2) value of >5 mmHg is optimal for this technique.
A Phenomenological Study of the Office Environments of Clinical Social Workers
Authors: Jones Jamie K.
Published: February 2018

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning and uses of the office space among licensed clinical social workers in private practice.

Background:

Previous research suggests the importance of the office space in clinical practice in regard to therapeutic alliance, client behavior, and the well-being of the therapist. However, therapist offices contain much variation in design. This study looked further into specifically how the therapy room is important through the perspective of the licensed clinical social workers in order to identify common themes.

Methods:

Seven licensed clinical social workers in private psychotherapy practice were interviewed in their offices. Phenomenological research methods were used to explore and analyze their experiences.

Results:

While the offices contained many physical differences, the intentions behind the designs were similar. Three themes emerged regarding how participants used and designed their spaces. First, participants used their offices to provide care for clients and themselves. Second, participants used their spaces to communicate therapeutic messages and to reveal and/or conceal aspects of themselves. Third, participants also used their space in direct practice.

Conclusion:

This phenomenological study provided insight into the importance and use of the psychotherapy office space. These findings may be helpful for therapists designing or redesigning their own practice spaces.
Private Rooms, Semi-Open Areas, or Open Areas for Chemotherapy Care: Perspectives of Cancer Patients, Families, and Nursing Staff
Authors: Wang Zhe , Pukszta Michael
Published: February 2018

Objective:

This research aims to better understand the needs and preferences of cancer outpatients, their families, and nursing staff with regard to private rooms, semi-open areas, or open areas for ambulatory cancer care.

Background:

Environments for cancer chemotherapy care are outpatient settings, and recommendations based on findings regarding inpatient settings may not be appropriate. Users of chemotherapy treatment environments include cancer patients, their families, and nursing staff.

Method:

A questionnaire survey was conducted in an academic cancer center in Louisiana. The participants included 171 cancer patients, 145 family members, and 16 nursing staff members. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. Participants’ environmental preferences were compared using analysis of variance. Reasons for preferences were analyzed through key word and content analysis.

Results:

Semi-open areas were preferred by the staff, whereas the three types of treatment environments were equally popular among both patients and families (preferred by 29%/28%/27% of the participants). Female patients and patients receiving longer periods of treatment per occurrence were more likely to prefer private rooms ( p < .05). Three common reasons for preferences were needs for privacy, social interaction, and patient–nurse access. Additional reasons for patient and family preferences included needs for sleep, openness, and access to nature. A shared environment of chemotherapy care was suggested to be appropriate for four to seven patients to occupy.

Conclusion:

Multiple types of treatment environments should be provided in chemotherapy care to incorporate varied user needs. Privacy, social interaction, patient–nurse access, and access to nature should be considered during the design of environments for cancer chemotherapy.
Inflammation and autoimmunity in pulmonary hypertension: is there a role for endothelial adhesion molecules? (2017 Grover Conference Series)
Authors: Kuebler Wolfgang M. , Bonnet Sébastien , Tabuchi Arata
Published: February 2018

While pulmonary hypertension (PH) has traditionally not been considered as a disease that is directly linked to or, potentially, even caused by inflammation, a rapidly growing body of evidence has demonstrated the accumulation of a variety of inflammatory and immune cells in PH lungs, in and around the wall of remodeled pulmonary resistance vessels and in the vicinity of plexiform lesions, respectively. Concomitantly, abundant production and release of various inflammatory mediators has been documented in both PH patients and experimental models of PH. While these findings unequivocally demonstrate an inflammatory component in PH, they have fueled an intense and presently ongoing debate as to the nature of this inflammatory aspect: is it a mere bystander of or response to the actual disease process, or is it a pathomechanistic contributor or potentially even a trigger of endothelial injury, smooth muscle hypertrophy and hyperplasia, and the resulting lung vascular remodeling? In this review, we will discuss the present evidence for an inflammatory component in PH disease with a specific focus on the potential role of the endothelium in this scenario and highlight future avenues of experimental investigation which may lead to novel therapeutic interventions.
Impact of histologic chorioamnionitis on pulmonary hypertension and respiratory outcomes in preterm infants
Authors: Yum Sook Kyung , Kim Min‐Sung , Kwun Yoojin , Moon Cheong‐Jun , Youn Young‐Ah , Sung In Kyung
Published: February 2018

We aimed to evaluate the association between the presence of histologic chorioamnionitis (HC) and development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay. Data of preterm infants born at 32 weeks of gestation or less were reviewed. The development of PH and other respiratory outcomes were compared according to the presence of HC. Potential risk factors associated with the development of PH during NICU stay were used for multivariable logistic regression analysis. A total of 188 infants were enrolled: 72 in the HC group and 116 in the no HC group. The HC group infants were born at a significantly shorter gestational age and lower birthweight, with a greater proportion presenting preterm premature rupture of membrane (pPROM) > 18 h before delivery. More infants in the HC group developed pneumothorax (P = 0.008), and moderate and severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD; P = 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). PH in the HC group was significantly more frequent compared to the no HC group (25.0% versus 8.6%, P = 0.002). Based on a multivariable logistic regression analysis, birthweight (P = 0.009, odds ratio [OR] = 0.997, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.995–0.999), the presence of HC (P = 0.047, OR = 2.799, 95% CI = 1.014–7.731), and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) > 14 days (P = 0.015, OR = 8.036, 95% CI = 1.051–43.030) were significant factors. The presence of HC and prolonged invasive MV in infants with lower birthweight possibly synergistically act against preterm pulmonary outcomes and leads to the development of PH. Verification of this result and further investigation to establish effective strategies to prevent or ameliorate these adverse outcomes are needed.
Novel imaging approaches for small animal models of lung disease (2017 Grover Conference series)
Authors: Pinar Isaac P. , Jones Heather D.
Published: February 2018

Imaging in small animal models of lung disease is challenging, as existing technologies are limited either by resolution or by the terminal nature of the imaging approach. Here, we describe the current state of small animal lung imaging, the technological advances of laboratory‐sourced phase contrast X‐ray imaging, and the application of this novel technology and its attendant image analysis techniques to the in vivo imaging of the large airways and pulmonary vasculature in murine models of lung health and disease.
Reappraisal of the reliability of Doppler echocardiographic estimations for mean pulmonary artery pressure in patients with pulmonary hypertension: a study from a tertiary centre comparing four formulae
Authors: Kaymaz Cihangir , Akbal Ozgur Yasar , Hakgor Aykun , Tokgoz Hacer Ceren , Tanboga Ibrahim Halil , Aktemur Tugba , Turkday Sevim , Tanyeri Seda , Poci Nertila , Keskin Berhan , Dogan Cem , Bayram Zubeyde , Acar Rezzan Deniz , Ozdemir Nihal
Published: February 2018

Different Doppler echocardiography (DE) models have been proposed for estimation of mean pulmonary arterial pressures (PAMP) from tricuspid regurgitation (TR) jet velocity. We aimed to compare four TR‐derived DE models in predicting the PAMP measured by right heart catheterization (RHC) in different groups of precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). A total of 287 patients with hemodynamically pre‐capillary PH were enrolled (mean age = 51 ± 17.4 years, 59.9% female). All patients underwent DE before RHC (< 3 h) and four formulae (F) were used for TR‐derived PAMP estimation (PAMP‐DE). These were as follows: F1 = Chemla (0.61 × systolic pulmonary artery pressure [PASP] + 2); F2 = Friedberg (0.69 × PASP − 0.22), F3 = Aduen (0.70 × PASP); and F4 = Bech‐Hanssen (0.65 × PASP − 1.2). The PASP and PAMP (mmHg) measured by RHC were 89.1 ± 30.4 and 55.8 ± 20.8, respectively. In the overall PH group, DE estimates for PASP (r = 0.59, P = 0.001) and PAMP (r = 0.56, P = 0.001 for all) showed significant correlations with corresponding RHC measures. Concordance was noted between Chemla and Bech‐Hanssen, and Aduen and Bech‐Hanssen. The Bland–Altman plot showed that Chemla and Bech‐Hanssen overestimated and Friedberg and Aduen underestimated PAMP‐RHC measures. Paired‐t test showed significant systematic biases for Aduen and Bech‐Hanssen while Passing‐Bablok non‐parametric analysis revealed significant systematic biases all four PAMP‐DE estimates. There was poor agreement between PAMP‐RHC measures and PAMP‐DE deciles (Kappa values were 0.112, 0.097, 0.095, and 0.121, respectively). This study showed a poor agreement between PAMP‐DE estimates by four TR‐derived formulae and PAMP‐RHC in patients with PH, regardless of the etiology. However, these results can not be fully extrapolated to a normal population and did not address the reliability of DE estimates for PH screening procedures.
Racial differences in patients referred for right heart catheterization and risk of pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Yang Bin Q. , Assad Tufik R. , O'Leary Jared M. , Xu Meng , Halliday Stephen J. , D'Amico Reid W. , Farber‐Eger Eric H. , Wells Quinn S. , Hemnes Anna R. , Brittain Evan L.
Published: February 2018

African Americans (AA) have a higher incidence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) risk factors. Few studies have examined the racial differences in the prevalence and etiology of PH and direct comparison of invasive hemodynamics between AAs and Caucasians has rarely been reported. In this study, we examined whether racial differences exist in patients referred for right heart catheterization (RHC) and hypothesized that AA race is an independent risk factor for PH and is associated with increased adjusted mortality. We extracted data for AA and Caucasian patients who underwent RHC at Vanderbilt between 1998 and 2014. Clinical information was obtained from Vanderbilt's Synthetic Derivative, a de‐identified mirror of our Electronic Medical Record. A total of 4576 patients were analyzed, including 586 (13%) AAs and 3990 (87%) Caucasians. AAs were younger than Caucasians by an average of eight years, but had more prevalent heart failure, features of metabolic syndrome, and higher creatinine. AAs also had higher mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. After adjusting for relevant co‐morbidities, the AA race is associated with 41% increased risk of PH (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12–1.79). Among patients with PH, AA race is associated with 24% increased adjusted mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.09–1.45). AAs were younger but had more prevalent cardiometabolic and renal disease and worse pulmonary hemodynamics. The AA race is an independent risk factor for PH. Among patients with PH, the AA race is associated with increased adjusted mortality. Future studies should focus on delineating whether genetic or environmental factors contribute to PH risk in AAs.
Safety Gear Decontamination Practices Among Florida Firefighters: Analysis of a Text-Based Survey Methodology
Authors: Moore Kevin J. , Koru-Sengul Tulay , Alvarez Armando , Schaefer-Solle Natasha , Harrison Tyler R. , Kobetz Erin N. , Caban-Martinez Alberto J.
Published: February 2018

Despite the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1851 Personal Protective Equipment Care and Maintenance guidelines, little is known about the routine cleaning of firefighter bunker gear. In collaboration with a large Florida firefighter union, a mobile phone text survey was administered, which included eight questions in an item logic format. In total, 250 firefighters participated in the survey of which 65% reported cleaning their bunker gear in the past 12 months. Approximately 32% ( n = 52) indicated that they had above average confidence in gear cleaning procedures. Arriving at a fire incident response was a significant predictor of gear cleaning in the 12 months preceding survey administration. Using mobile phone–based texting for periodic queries on adherence to NFPA cleaning guidelines and safety message distribution may assist firefighters to increase decontamination procedure frequency.
Unmasking a Case of Asymptomatic Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT1A) With Vincristine
Authors: Jariwal Roopam , Shoua Basel , Sabetian Katayoun , Natarajan Piruthiviraj , Cobos Everardo
Published: February 2018

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a hereditary demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system that results in sensory and motor dysfunction. CMT includes a spectrum of diseases with different types of mutations in the genes encoding myelin protein, resulting in a variety of dysfunctions in its life cycle. In CMT subtype 1A there is duplication mutation of peripheral myelin protein 22 gene on chromosome 17. Incomplete penetrance, gene-dosage effect, and variable expressivity can attribute to the asymptomatic nature of the disease in some subset of patients. Vincristine administration is contraindicated in patients who are alrea\dy diagnosed with CMT disease. We report a case of asymptomatic CMT disease unmasked only by the neurotoxic effects of vincristine. Genetic testing for a patient with a preexisting family background of inherited diseases before starting vincristine therapy can potentially prevent a disability.
Implementation of laparoscopic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer over the past decade
Authors: Wollinga Tim , Ezendam Nicole P. M. , Eggink Florine A. , Smink Marieke , van Hamont Dennis , Pijlman Brenda , Boss Erik , Robbe Elisabeth J. , Ngo Huy , Boll Dorry , Mom Constantijne H. , van der Aa Maaike A. , Kruitwagen Roy F. L. P. , Nijman Hans W. , Pijnenborg Johanna M. A.
Published: February 2018

Background

Laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) for the treatment of early-stage endometrial carcinoma/cancer (EC) has demonstrated to be safe in several randomized controlled trials. Yet, data on implementation of LH in clinical practice are limited. In the present study, implementation of LH for EC was evaluated in a large oncology network in the Netherlands.

Results

Retrospectively, a total of 556 EC patients with FIGO stage I-II were registered in the selected years. The proportion of LH gradually increased from 11% in 2006 to 85% in 2015. LH was more often performed in patients with low-grade EC and was not related to the studied patient characteristics. The introduction of TLH was frequently preceded by LAVH. Patients treated in teaching hospitals were more likely to undergo a LH compared to patients in non-teaching hospitals. The conversion rate was 7.7%, and the overall complication rates between LH and AH were comparable, but less postoperative complications in LH.

Conclusions

Implementation of laparoscopic hysterectomy for early-stage EC increased from 11 to 85% in 10 years. Implementation of TLH was often preceded by LAVH and was faster in teaching hospitals.
Higher frequency of hamstring injuries in elite track and field athletes who had a previous injury to the ankle ‐ a 17 years observational cohort study
Authors: Malliaropoulos Nikolaos , Bikos Georgios , Meke Maria , Vasileios Korakakis , Valle Xavier , Lohrer Heinz , Maffulli Nicola , Padhiar Nat
Published: February 2018

Background

Inversion injury to the ankle and hamstring injuries are common problems in most sports. It is not known whether these injuries constitute a predisposing factor or a precursor of injury or re‐injury of these anatomical locations. Therefore, we wished to test the hypothesis that a previous inversion ankle injury exerted a significant effect on the chance of an athlete suffering from a subsequent ipsilateral hamstring injury and vice versa.

Methods

In an observational cohort study over 17 years (1998–2015), 367 elite track and field athletes, were grouped according to their first traumatic isolated ankle or hamstring injury. Fifty athletes experienced both injuries. The Mann‐Whitney U and Chi‐square tests (p < 0.05) were performed to test possible associations of ankle and hamstring injury with age, gender, athletics discipline, grade, and type of antecedent injury.

Results

Athletes with a preceding ankle injury had a statistically significantly higher chance of experiencing a subsequent hamstring injury compared with athletes who had experienced a hamstring injury as their first traumatic event (x2 = 4.245, p = 0.039). The proportion of both ankle and hamstring injury events was not statistically different between female (18%) and male (11%) athletes. Age and grade of injury did not influence the proportion of ankle and/or hamstring injury events.

Conclusion

There is a statistically significantly higher frequency of hamstring injuries in elite track and field athletes having experienced a previous ankle ligament injury.
An assessment of multimodal imaging of subsurface text in mummy cartonnage using surrogate papyrus phantoms
Authors: Gibson Adam , Piquette Kathryn E. , Bergmann Uwe , Christens-Barry William , Davis Graham , Endrizzi Marco , Fan Shuting , Farsiu Sina , Fitzgerald Anthony , Griffiths Jennifer , Jones Cerys , Li Guorong , Manning Phillip L. , Maughan Jones Charlotte , Mazza Roberta , Mills David , Modregger Peter , Munro Peter R. T. , Olivo Alessandro , Stevenson Alice , Venugopal Bindia , Wallace Vincent , Wogelius Roy A. , Toth Michael B. , Terras Melissa
Published: February 2018

Ancient Egyptian mummies were often covered with an outer casing, panels and masks made from cartonnage: a lightweight material made from linen, plaster, and recycled papyrus held together with adhesive. Egyptologists, papyrologists, and historians aim to recover and read extant text on the papyrus contained within cartonnage layers, but some methods, such as dissolving mummy casings, are destructive. The use of an advanced range of different imaging modalities was investigated to test the feasibility of non-destructive approaches applied to multi-layered papyrus found in ancient Egyptian mummy cartonnage. Eight different techniques were compared by imaging four synthetic phantoms designed to provide robust, well-understood, yet relevant sample standards using modern papyrus and replica inks. The techniques include optical (multispectral imaging with reflection and transillumination, and optical coherence tomography), X-ray (X-ray fluorescence imaging, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray micro computed tomography and phase contrast X-ray) and terahertz-based approaches. Optical imaging techniques were able to detect inks on all four phantoms, but were unable to significantly penetrate papyrus. X-ray-based techniques were sensitive to iron-based inks with excellent penetration but were not able to detect carbon-based inks. However, using terahertz imaging, it was possible to detect carbon-based inks with good penetration but with less sensitivity to iron-based inks. The phantoms allowed reliable and repeatable tests to be made at multiple sites on three continents. The tests demonstrated that each imaging modality needs to be optimised for this particular application: it is, in general, not sufficient to repurpose an existing device without modification. Furthermore, it is likely that no single imaging technique will to be able to robustly detect and enable the reading of text within ancient Egyptian mummy cartonnage. However, by carefully selecting, optimising and combining techniques, text contained within these fragile and rare artefacts may eventually be open to non-destructive imaging, identification, and interpretation.