bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathogenesis of Renal Injury and Gene Expression Changes in the Male CD-1 Mouse Associated with Exposure to Empagliflozin
Authors: Knight Brian , Yuan Jing , Koegler Sally , Pande Parimal , Hall Jennifer , Hill Jon D. , Hart Susan Emeigh , Phillips Jonathan A. , Ku Warren W.
Published: June 2018

An increased incidence of renal tubular adenomas and carcinomas was identified in the 2-year CD-1 mouse carcinogenicity study with empagliflozin (sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitor) in high dose (1,000 mg/kg/day) male mice. A 13-week mouse renal investigative pathogenesis study was conducted with empagliflozin to evaluate dose dependency and temporal onset of nonneoplastic degenerative/regenerative renal tubular and molecular (genes, pathways) changes which precede neoplasia. Male and female CD-1 mice were given daily oral doses of 0, 100, 300, or 1,000 mg/kg/day (corresponding carcinogenicity study dose levels) for 1, 2, 4, 8, or 13 weeks. The maximum expected pharmacology with secondary osmotic diuresis was observed by week 1 at ≥100 mg/kg/day in both genders. Histopathologic kidney changes were first detected after 4 weeks of dosing in the male 1,000 mg/kg/day dose group, with progressive increases in the incidence and/or number of findings in this dose group so that they were more readily detected during weeks 8 and 13. Changes detected starting on week 4 consisted of minimal single-cell necrosis and minimal increases in mitotic figures. These changes persisted at an increased incidence at weeks 8 and 13 and were accompanied by minimal to mild tubular epithelial karyomegaly, minimal proximal convoluted tubular epithelial cell hyperplasia, and a corresponding increase in Ki-67-positive nuclei in epithelial cells of the proximal convoluted tubules. There were no corresponding changes in serum chemistry or urinalysis parameters indicative of any physiologically meaningful effect on renal function and thus these findings were not considered to be adverse. Similar changes were not identified in lower-dose groups in males nor were they present in females of any dose group. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed male mouse-specific changes in kidney over 13 weeks of dosing at 1,000 mg/kg/day. Treatment-related changes included genes and pathways related to p53-regulated cell cycle and proliferation, transforming growth factor β, oxidative stress, and renal injury and the number of genes with significant expression change dramatically increased at week 13. These treatment-related changes in genes and pathways were predominant in high-dose males and complemented the observed temporal renal tubular changes. Overall, these mouse investigative study results support the role of early empagliflozin-related degenerative/regenerative changes only observed in high-dose male CD-1 mice as a key contributing feature to a nongenotoxic mode of renal tumor pathogenesis.
A single dose of cocaine enhances prospective memory performance
Authors: Hutten Nadia RPW , Kuypers Kim PC , van Wel Janelle HP , Theunissen Eef L , Toennes Stefan W , Verkes Robbert-Jan , Ramaekers Johannes G
Published: June 2018

Background:

Prospective memory is the ability to recall intended actions or events at the right time or in the right context. While cannabis is known to impair prospective memory, the acute effect of cocaine is unknown. In addition, it is not clear whether changes in prospective memory represent specific alterations in memory processing or result from more general effects on cognition that spread across multiple domains such as arousal and attention.

Aims:

The main objective of the study was, therefore, to determine whether drug-induced changes in prospective memory are memory specific or associated with more general drug-induced changes in attention and arousal.

Methods:

A placebo-controlled, three-way, cross-over study including 15 regular poly-drug users was set up to test the influence of oral cocaine (300 mg) and vaporised cannabis (300+150 ‘booster’ µg/kg bodyweight) on an event-based prospective memory task. Attentional performance was assessed using a divided attention task and subjective arousal was assessed with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire.

Results:

Results showed that cocaine enhanced prospective memory, attention and arousal. Mean performance of prospective memory and attention, as well as levels of arousal were lowest during treatment with cannabis as compared with placebo and cocaine as evinced by a significantly increased trend across treatment conditions. Prospective memory performance was only weakly positively associated to measures of attention and arousal.

Conclusion:

Together, these results indicate that cocaine enhancement of prospective memory performance cannot be fully explained by parallel changes in arousal and attention levels, and is likely to represent a direct change in the neural network underlying prospective memory.
Improvisation experience predicts how musicians categorize musical structures
Authors: Goldman Andrew , Jackson Tyreek , Sajda Paul
Published: June 2018

Western music improvisers learn to realize chord symbols in multiple ways according to functional classifications, and practice making substitutions of these realizations accordingly. In contrast, Western classical musicians read music that specifies particular realizations so that they rarely make such functional substitutions. We advance a theory that experienced improvisers more readily perceive musical structures with similar functions as sounding similar by virtue of this categorization, and that this categorization partly enables the ability to improvise by allowing performers to make substitutions. We tested this with an oddball task while recording electroencephalography. In the task, a repeating standard chord progression was randomly interspersed with two kinds of deviants: one in which one of the chords was substituted with a chord from the same functional class (“exemplar deviant”), and one in which the substitution was outside the functional class (“function deviant”). For function compared to exemplar deviants, participants with more improvisation experience responded more quickly and accurately and had more discriminable N2c and P3b ERP components. Further, N2c and P3b signal discriminability predicted participants’ behavioral ability to discriminate the stimuli. Our research contributes to the cognitive science of creativity through identifying differences in knowledge organization as a trait that facilitates creative ability.
Music as a trigger of religious experience: What role does culture play?
Authors: Demmrich Sarah
Published: June 2018

Music and religion are linked in many ways. For example, music can trigger religious experiences, which has been a topic since the beginnings of the study of the psychology of religion. Whether this musical effect is culture-dependent, a pure neuropsychological phenomenon, or a combination of both remains empirically unanswered. This cross-cultural experiment among n = 84 Turks and n = 63 Germans shows that religious music can trigger religious experience but this is, at least partially, a culture-dependent experience. Moreover, certain kinds of religious music can fail to trigger a religious experience independent of culture, which can also underpin a neuropsychological effect of musical features on religious experience. Religious experience during music is strongly predicted by positive emotions that are felt during the musical experience. Future studies should be more interdisciplinary, focusing on the effect of certain musical features on the religious experience of individuals from different cultural backgrounds.
Can Social Support Overcome the Individual and Structural Challenges of Being a Sex Offender? Assessing the Social Support-Recidivism Link
Authors: Kras Kimberly R.
Published: June 2018

Social support is important for individual’s successful reentry; however, little is known about how it operates or is influenced by individual and structural factors. Understanding how social support matters for individuals convicted of a sex offense is especially important as they may have a different reentry experience due to the nature of their crime and post-conviction restrictions. This study examines the nature and effects of instrumental and expressive social support from family, friends, intimate partners, and parole officers on recidivism for a sample of men convicted of sex offenses using mixed methods. Results show that family, friend, and intimate partner support had no effects on recidivism, however participants reporting a positive relationship with their parole officer were more likely to return to prison. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews sheds light on how the nature of these relationships might explain the social support-recidivism link in a high stakes population.
Radical Economics as Journalism: The Origins of Dollars & Sense
Authors: Mata Tiago
Published: June 2018

In this essay, I argue that radical economics innovated in the communication of economic ideas, engendering new idioms and print formats to intervene in circuits of progressive activism. The essay mentions the pamphlet work of the Union for Radical Political Economics’ various public engagement projects of the early 1970s but at its heart is the 1974 founding of the mass distribution monthly Dollars & Sense. It looks at the positions taken by the periodical over the years and asks, “What kind of print object was it?” It places the publication within a twentieth century history of left political economy periodicals and compares it with its closest contemporaries in the cultures of print of the American Left, notably Monthly Review and Radical America. The attention to the print ventures of radical economics in the 1970s is a contribution to a new kind of historiography that takes an expanded and extra-curricular outlook of economics.
Koios: Design, Development, and Evaluation of an Educational Visual Tool for Greek Novice Programmers
Authors: Vasilopoulos Ioannis V. , van Schaik Paul
Published: June 2018

This article discusses the design and implementation of a new programming tool for Greek novices as a means to improve introductory programing instruction in Greece. We implemented Koios, a new highly interactive and visual programming tool for Greek novices, based on the body of research in the field of psychology of programming. The main contribution of this article is the empirical demonstration of the benefit of this tool in novice programming, compared with two other popular programming tools for Greek novices. The results show that users of Koios performed significantly better than users of the other two programming tools.
Enhanced extracellular matrix synthesis using collagen dressings loaded with Artemisia absinthium plant extract
Authors: Gaspar-Pintiliescu Alexandra , Seciu Ana-Maria , Miculescu Florin , Moldovan Lucia , Ganea Elena , Craciunescu Oana
Published: June 2018

The aim of this study was to develop three-dimensional porous composites of collagen (Col) incorporating polyphenolic-rich wormwood extract and to investigate their interaction with human skin cells, in order to optimize wound healing treatments. The scaffolds’ ultrastructure was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and biodegradability and bioactive compounds release were investigated in physiologic environment. Interaction of composites in direct and indirect contact with human skin cells was evaluated using two in vitro experimental models. ColWE scaffolds presented high porosity, swelling degree, and increased stability against enzymatic degradation, compared to Col scaffold. Composite scaffolds incorporating higher quantities of wormwood extract allowed better control of polyphenolics release. ColWE 0.5 variant favored the attachment and proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocyte cells. In addition, the composite scaffold stimulated the synthesis of skin extracellular matrix components. All these results demonstrated that ColWE composites with improved physico-chemical and biological properties could be used in advanced wound healing applications.
Personalized Telemedicine for Depression in Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Trial
Authors: Dobkin Roseanne D. , Interian Alejandro , Durland John Logan , Gara Michael A. , Menza Matthew A.
Published: June 2018

High rates of depression are observed in Parkinson’s disease, and limited access to care complicates management. The purpose of this pilot project was to evaluate the feasibility and impact of a personalized cognitive–behavioral telemedicine program for depression in Parkinson’s disease (dPD). Thirty-four individuals with dPD and their carepartners participated in this pilot study. A 10-module self-help workbook, tailored to the unique needs of the dPD population, was created to be used as either a stand-alone intervention, with minimal therapist support, or a supplement to formal telephone-administered cognitive–behavioral therapy sessions. Improvements in depression, anxiety, quality of life, sleep, negative thoughts, and caregiver burden were observed over the course of the 4-month study, independent of treatment modality (guided self-help vs formal telephone-based psychotherapy). Future research will utilize randomized controlled designs and continue to focus on delivery models that can improve access to this and other evidence-based mental health interventions for dPD.
Impedance control in multiple cooperative space robots pulling a flexible wire
Authors: Dalla Vijay K , Pathak Pushparaj M
Published: June 2018

With the interaction between the space robot tip and the environment, the base’s position and orientation are disturbed leading to force and trajectory control complexity. Impedance control is a technique for force and trajectory control in a robotic system. This paper presents a strategy of impedance control in a multiple cooperative space robots pulling a flexible wire. First, the control strategy was developed for one degree of freedom multiple space robots. The developed control strategy was extended to two degree of freedom cooperative space robots. A flexible wire is pulled by a group of space robots with one degree of freedom and two degree of freedoms, respectively. In the impedance-based control strategy design, the process of modulating the robot tip impedance is a very significant feature. In this work, impedance control strategy between tip and environment is applied for pulling a wire by one degree of freedom and two degree of freedoms. Impedance depends on the gain compensation for passive degree of freedom dynamics. Simulation and the animation studies are carried out to validate the proposed control scheme. The results achieved are quite satisfactory and reveal that impedance controllers in a multiple cooperative space robots with one and two degree of freedoms can limit the interaction forces to a predefined value of 8 N. The bond graph modeling methodology is used in the dynamic system model for the generation of system equations.
Experimental investigation on influence of inlet/outlet pressures on submerged jet flow in common rail injector
Authors: Qiu Tao , Wu Chenglin , Lei Yan , Liu Yuwei , Chen Xinyu , Guo Peng
Published: June 2018

The fuel flow in the working chamber of the common rail fuel injector, which is a submerged jet flow, determines the needle movement and causes great effects on the fuel injection performance. This work presents an experimental investigation on the submerged jet flow characteristics of a cylindrical orifice under conditions of varied boundary pressures. A full-scale optical test rig is set up to examine the submerged flow of the cylindrical orifice based on a fuel pump test bench. The optical experimental results reveal that the inner cylindrical orifice flow induces cavitation and causes influences on the submerged jet flow. As the inner cavitation is at the cylindrical orifice outlet, the cylindrical orifice discharge coefficient declines but the mass flow rate becomes choking. The test results also show the boundary pressures (the inlet and outlet pressures) of the cylindrical orifice have great influences on the impingement force of the submerged jet flow. The development process of the impingement force is divided into two periods: the stable period and the fluctuation period. Moreover, the impingement force increases quadratically with the increase in the mass flow rate. Once the choking flow happens, it is useless to increase the jet impingement force by improving the inlet pressure.
A preventive maintenance policy for a pull system with degradation and failures considering product quality
Authors: Zhou Binghai , Cheng Guoqing , Liu Ziqiang , Liu Zilong
Published: June 2018

This paper aims to integrate a two-period condition-based preventive maintenance (TP-CBM) into a pull production system by using Kanban control policy. The pull system is subject to continuous degradation and random failures. It is assumed that the system’s degradation can be divided into several stages, where the hazard rate increasing factor is introduced to describe the failure rate at each stage. Meanwhile, quality of products is also considered. Markov chain is used to formulate the process of degradation and periodic inspection policy is adopted to trigger the preventive maintenance. A mathematical model is proposed to obtain the optimal production control and maintenance policies, i.e. the inspection rate, the amount of Kanban and the preventive maintenance threshold. A genetic algorithm combined with integer programming is proposed to solve the problem. Numerical instances indicate that the proposed TP-CBM policy is effective and efficient.
Study of buzz phenomenon using visualization of external shock structure
Authors: Farahani M , Jaberi A
Published: June 2018

An experimental study was carried out on an axisymmetric supersonic inlet with external compression in order to investigate the buzz phenomenon at different angles of attack and mass flow rates. The model was equipped with accurate and high-frequency pressure sensors, and the tests were conducted at Mach numbers varying from 1.8 to 2.5, for various angles of attack. Shadowgraph visualization technique, together with a high-speed camera, was used to provide the visual description of the shock structure in front of the inlet and to study the characteristics of buzz. Furthermore, pressure distribution over the spike surface was measured using several pressure sensors. Frequency of the buzz and shock displacement were measured by inspection of visualization pictures in each test. The obtained data from shadowgraphs were compared with those obtained from pressure measurements, and good agreement was found between them. The results revealed that for a moderate value of mass flow rate, the frequency of shock oscillation decreases as Mach number increases. Further, by increasing angle of attack, the shock displacement of oscillation will increase. At non-zero angles of attack, the displacement and frequency of shock motion show different behaviors on the leeward and windward sides of the body.
Development of rational hybrid fuselage structure for prospective civil aircraft
Authors: Dubovikov E , Fomin V , Kondakov I , Shanygin A , Vedernikov D
Published: June 2018

The concept of hybrid fuselage structure including conventional metal, conventional composite, and lattice composite sections is presented. The method of strength analysis and choosing the rational values of structure parameters of hybrid fuselage structure is presented. The weight efficiency of the presented fuselage structure is proven.
Anthropometric definitions for antiretroviral-associated lipodystrophy derived from a longitudinal South African cohort with serial dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements
Authors: Abrahams Zulfa , Maartens Gary , Levitt Naomi , Dave Joel
Published: June 2018

The development of lipodystrophy is associated with the long-term use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We assessed agreement between patient-reported lipodystrophy and body composition measures using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and developed objective measures to define lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy in black South Africans. One hundred and eighty-seven ART-naïve HIV-infected adults were enrolled in a 24-month longitudinal study. Self-reported information on regional fat loss and fat gain, anthropometry, and DXA measures were collected at baseline, three, six, 12, 18, and 24 months after starting ART. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to describe the performance of anthropometric variables using change in limb and trunk fat measured by DXA, as the reference standard. The proportion of men and women who developed lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy increased over the 24-month period, with lipoatrophy occurring more frequently in men (21% versus 10%). In women, lipoatrophy was best determined by thigh skinfold thickness (80.3% correctly classified) and mid-arm circumference (77.6% correctly classified). None of the anthropometric measures performed well for defining lipoatrophy in men. Anthropometric measures performed well for defining lipoatrophy in women, but not lipohypertrophy.
Evaluation of a vaccine passport to improve vaccine coverage in people living with HIV
Authors: Chadwick DR , Corbett K , Mann S , Teruzzi B , Horner S
Published: June 2018

An increased risk of vaccine-preventable infections (VPIs) is seen in people living with HIV (PLWH), and current vaccine coverage and immunity is variable. Vaccine passports have the potential to improve vaccine coverage. The objective was to assess how successful a vaccine passport was in improving vaccine coverage in PLWH. Baseline immunity to VPIs was established in PLWH attending a single HIV clinic and vaccinations required were determined based on the BHIVA Vaccination Guidelines (2015). The passport was completed and the PLWH informed about additional vaccines they should obtain from primary care. After 6–9 months the passport was reviewed including confirmation if vaccines were given. PLWH satisfaction with the system was evaluated by a survey. Seventy-three PLWH provided sufficient data for analysis. At baseline significant proportions of PLWH were not immune/unvaccinated to the main VPIs, especially human papillomavirus, pneumococcus and measles. After the passport was applied immunity improved significantly (56% overall, p < 0.01) for most VPIs; however, full coverage was not achieved. The system was popular with PLWH. The passport was successful in increasing vaccination coverage although full or near-full coverage was not achieved. A more successful service would probably be achieved by commissioning English HIV clinics to provide all vaccines.
Undervaluing Gratitude: Expressers Misunderstand the Consequences of Showing Appreciation
Authors: Kumar Amit , Epley Nicholas
Published: June 2018

Expressing gratitude improves well-being for both expressers and recipients, but we suggest that an egocentric bias may lead expressers to systematically undervalue its positive impact on recipients in a way that could keep people from expressing gratitude more often in everyday life. Participants in three experiments wrote gratitude letters and then predicted how surprised, happy, and awkward recipients would feel. Recipients then reported how receiving an expression of gratitude actually made them feel. Expressers significantly underestimated how surprised recipients would be about why expressers were grateful, overestimated how awkward recipients would feel, and underestimated how positive recipients would feel. Expected awkwardness and mood were both correlated with participants’ willingness to express gratitude. Wise decisions are guided by an accurate assessment of the expected value of action. Underestimating the value of prosocial actions, such as expressing gratitude, may keep people from engaging in behavior that would maximize their own—and others’—well-being.
An investigation on the active control strategy for a high-speed pantograph using co-simulations
Authors: Zdziebko Paweł , Martowicz Adam , Uhl Tadeusz
Published: June 2018

The article presents simulation results on the active control strategy for a railway pantograph to improve contact quality in pantograph–catenary interface. Three different approaches were investigated: nominal torque tuning, torque active control and combination of them—combined control approach. The first control scenario minimizes the pantograph nominal uplift force exerted on the catenary. The second approach is based on active pantograph toque control, employing the proportional–integral–derivative controller, to compensate actual contact force error. The last control scenario links the above-mentioned approaches. Promising results are obtained employing the co-simulation environment recently presented by the authors.
Validating a continental European charcoal calibration dataset
Authors: Adolf Carole , Doyon Fabienne , Klimmek Fabian , Tinner Willy
Published: June 2018

Large-scale training sets enabling quantitative reconstructions of past fire parameters are needed to better assess potential effects of increased fire hazard under global warming conditions. The aim of this article is to validate recently developed continental regression equations for the reconstruction of fire number, intensity and size. These transfer functions were built by linking satellite data and charcoal collected in annually sampled sediment traps. We apply these European regression equations to four annually layered lakes located on a North–South gradient in Europe. Down-core annual microscopic charcoal (MIC) and macroscopic charcoal (MAC) influx values were compared with satellite-derived time series of fire number, fire intensity and area burned. Results show that the match between predicted and observed values improves when the overall mean and median of sampled years (12 and 9 years) are considered. Especially, the comparisons of median values show a very good agreement between charcoal-inferred and satellite-observed fire-regime parameters. MIC-based predictions underestimate the variability of the observed fire parameters and MAC-based predictions overestimate it. Our results imply that median values of the fire parameters can be reconstructed well by using MIC and MAC, while it is more difficult to infer the variability of fire-regime parameters. However, when MIC- and MAC-based predictions are pooled together, the fit between observed and predicted values increases for both medians and variability. This finding suggests that MIC and MAC are complementary proxies, thus best sedimentary fire reconstructions may be achieved when they are used together. We conclude that sediment traps can be used for the construction of continental-scale training sets and that their results can be applied to Holocene sedimentary charcoal sequences.
Middle Holocene subsistence east of the Romanian Carpathians: Bioarchaeological data from the Chalcolithic site of Poduri-Dealul Ghindaru
Authors: Bejenaru Luminiţa , Bodi George , Stanc Simina , Danu Mihaela
Published: June 2018

The paper analyzes the archaeobotanical and archaeozoological remains originating from the middle Holocene (i.e. Chalcolithic site of Poduri- Dealul Ghindaru, in Eastern Romania, Bacău County). Poduri- Dealul Ghindaru site is the only tell settlement known in the area of existence of the Cucuteni culture, with inhabitation levels from Neolithic to the Bronze Age. In order to better understand the diet components of the prehistoric inhabitation belonging to the Cucuteni A and Cucuteni B phases, we follow evidence from archaeozoology, carpology, and palynology. For the carpological taxa, we calculate their ubiquity, diversity, and edibility score. The two sets of taxa are then compared in their similarity. Palynological data record the presence of cereal grains in all samples. We present the archaeozoological taxa with their quantification values and we calculate for the Cucuteni A and B phases, and in comparison with the Bronze Age sample, their richness, Shannon–Weaver diversity index and equitability. A correspondence analysis is carried out in order to compare the exploitation strategies for the three assemblages. For the archaeobotanical data, we find that the Cucuteni A phase is dominated by anthropogenic activity indicators and a heavy reliance on cereals. The Cucuteni B phase seems to be characterized by a restriction of human activity. The archaeozoological data highlight a preference for large mammals (cattle, dear, boar) during Cucuteni A and BA and smaller mammals during Cucuteni B (sheep/goat, pig, hare). We conclude that although the subsistence strategies remain similar, the dietary components change during the Cucuteni A and B phases, probably in response to environmental changes.
The impact of in vitro cell culture duration on the maturation of human cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of myogenic origin
Authors: Lewandowski Jarosław , Rozwadowska Natalia , Kolanowski Tomasz J. , Malcher Agnieszka , Zimna Agnieszka , Rugowska Anna , Fiedorowicz Katarzyna , Łabędź Wojciech , Kubaszewski Łukasz , Chojnacka Katarzyna , Bednarek-Rajewska Katarzyna , Majewski Przemysław , Kurpisz Maciej
Published: June 2018

Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease (CAD), poses a challenge for regenerative medicine. iPSC technology might lead to a breakthrough due to the possibility of directed cell differentiation delivering a new powerful source of human autologous cardiomyocytes. One of the factors supporting proper cell maturation is in vitro culture duration. In this study, primary human skeletal muscle myoblasts were selected as a myogenic cell type reservoir for genetic iPSC reprogramming. Skeletal muscle myoblasts have similar ontogeny embryogenetic pathways (myoblasts vs. cardiomyocytes), and thus, a greater chance of myocardial development might be expected, with maintenance of acquired myogenic cardiac cell characteristics, from the differentiation process when iPSCs of myoblastoid origin are obtained. Analyses of cell morphological and structural changes, gene expression (cardiac markers), and functional tests (intracellular calcium transients) performed at two in vitro culture time points spanning the early stages of cardiac development (day 20 versus 40 of cell in vitro culture) confirmed the ability of the obtained myogenic cells to acquire adult features of differentiated cardiomyocytes. Prolonged 40-day iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) revealed progressive cellular hypertrophy; a better-developed contractile apparatus; expression of marker genes similar to human myocardial ventricular cells, including a statistically significant CX43 increase, an MHC isoform switch, and a troponin I isoform transition; more efficient intercellular calcium handling; and a stronger response to β-adrenergic stimulation.
Adiponectin Attenuates Oxygen–Glucose Deprivation-Induced Mitochondrial Oxidative Injury and Apoptosis in Hippocampal HT22 Cells via the JAK2/STAT3 Pathway
Authors: Wang Bodong , Guo Hao , Li Xia , Yue Liang , Liu Haixiao , Zhao Lei , Bai Hao , Liu Xunyuan , Wu Xun , Qu Yan
Published: June 2018

Ischemic stroke is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Improving the tolerance of neurons to ischemia and reperfusion injury could be a feasible strategy against ischemia. Adiponectin (APN) is a major adipokine that regulates glucose and lipid metabolism and plays an important role in the protection of the cerebral nervous system. We aimed to investigate the effects of APN on oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced neuronal injury in hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells. APN displayed neuroprotective effects against OGD, evidenced by increased cell viability and decreased lactate dehydrogenase release and apoptotic rate. Additionally, APN also maintained mitochondrial ultrastructure and transmembrane potential, attenuated reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, and increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity. Moreover, APN promoted Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation, enhanced STAT3 nuclear translocation, increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and decreased cleaved caspase-3. The aforementioned APN-induced effects were almost reversed by a JAK2 inhibitor, AG490. APN may attenuate OGD-induced hippocampal HT22 neuronal impairment by protecting cells against mitochondrial oxidative stress and apoptosis, mediated by JAK2/STAT3 signaling.
Comparison of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Isolated from Murine Adipose Tissue and Bone Marrow in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Takahashi Ai , Nakajima Hideaki , Uchida Kenzo , Takeura Naoto , Honjoh Kazuya , Watanabe Shuji , Kitade Makoto , Kokubo Yasuo , Johnson William E. B. , Matsumine Akihiko
Published: June 2018

The use of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) transplantation to repair the injured spinal cord has shown consistent benefits in preclinical models. However, the low survival rate of grafted MSC is one of the most important problems. In the injured spinal cord, transplanted cells are exposed to hypoxic conditions and exposed to nutritional deficiency caused by poor vascular supply. Also, the transplanted MSCs face cytotoxic stressors that cause cell death. The aim of this study was to compare adipose-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) and bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) isolated from individual C57BL6/J mice in relation to: (i) cellular characteristics, (ii) tolerance to hypoxia, oxidative stress and serum-free conditions, and (iii) cellular survival rates after transplantation. AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs exhibited a similar cell surface marker profile, but expressed different levels of growth factors and cytokines. To research their relative stress tolerance, both types of stromal cells were incubated at 20.5% O2 or 1.0% O2 for 7 days. Results showed that AD-MSCs were more proliferative with greater culture viability under these hypoxic conditions than BM-MSCs. The MSCs were also incubated under H2O2-induced oxidative stress and in serum-free culture medium to induce stress. AD-MSCs were better able to tolerate these stress conditions than BM-MSCs; similarly when transplanted into the spinal cord injury region in vivo, AD-MSCs demonstrated a higher survival rate post transplantation Furthermore, this increased AD-MSC survival post transplantation was associated with preservation of axons and enhanced vascularization, as delineated by increases in anti-gamma isotype of protein kinase C and CD31 immunoreactivity, compared with the BM-MSC transplanted group. Hence, our results indicate that AD-MSCs are an attractive alternative to BM-MSCs for the treatment of severe spinal cord injury. However, it should be noted that the motor function was equally improved following moderate spinal cord injury in both groups, but with no significant improvement seen unfortunately following severe spinal cord injury in either group.
Ethical issues experienced during palliative care provision in nursing homes
Authors: Muldrew (née Preshaw) Deborah HL , McLaughlin Dorry , Brazil Kevin
Published: June 2018

Background:

Palliative care is acknowledged as an appropriate approach to support older people in nursing homes. Ethical issues arise from many aspects of palliative care provision in nursing homes; however, they have not been investigated in this context.

Aim:

To explore the ethical issues associated with palliative care in nursing homes in the United Kingdom.

Design:

Exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods design.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews with 13 registered nurses and 10 healthcare assistants (HCAs) working in 13 nursing homes in the United Kingdom were used to explore ethical issues in palliative care. The ‘Ethical Issues in Palliative Care for Nursing Homes’ instrument was used to measure the frequency and level of distress arising from ethical issues through a cross-sectional survey with 69 registered nurses and 129 healthcare assistants. Data collection occurred between December 2014 and November 2015.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approval was granted by Queen’s University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery Research Ethics Committee and governance sought from each nursing home’s manager.

Findings:

The interviews revealed three themes: ethical issues in practice; relational issues; and organisational issues. No significant differences between registered nurses and healthcare assistants were evident, confirming the patterns emerging from the interviews. Relational issues, primarily issues with residents and families, occurred most frequently and caused greater distress.

Conclusion:

The shared environment is key in the experience of ethical issues; therefore, multidisciplinary education is needed for ethical decision making in palliative care. Addressing staff knowledge and service organisation may reduce ethical issues locally and provide a benchmark for global change.
Nudging in nursing
Authors: Mortensen Anne Helene , Nordhaug Marita , Lohne Vibeke
Published: June 2018

Nudging is a concept in behavioural science, political theory and economics that proposes indirect suggestions to try to achieve non-forced compliance and to influence the decision making and behaviour of groups and individuals. Researchers in medical ethics are currently discussing whether nudging is ethically permissible in healthcare. In this article, we examine current knowledge about how different decisions (rational and pre-rational decisions, major and minor decisions) are made and how this decision-making process pertains to patients. We view this knowledge in light of the nursing project and the ongoing debate regarding the ethical legitimacy of nudging in healthcare. We argue that it is insufficient to discuss nudging in nursing and healthcare in light of free will and patient autonomy alone. Sometimes, nurses must take charge and exhibit leadership in the nurse–patient relationship. From the perspective of nursing as leadership, nudging becomes a useful tool for directing and guiding patients towards the shared goals of health, recovery and independence and away from suffering. The use of nudging in nursing to influence patients’ decisions and actions must be in alignment with the nursing project and in accordance with patients’ own values and goals.
The Role of Personality in Influencing Work–Family Balance Experience: A Study of Indian Journalists
Authors: Bhalla Abha , Kang Lakhwinder Singh
Published: June 2018

While an increasing body of research has investigated the situational factors affecting balancing of work and family roles, there is still scarcity of research on the relationship between personal factors and work -family balance (WFB). Therefore, the purpose of this article is to estimate the effect of big five personality traits (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism) on the four dimensions of WFB i.e. work-to-family conflict [WFC], family-to-work conflict [FWC], work-to-family facilitation [WFF] and family-to-work facilitation [FWF] among Indian journalists. From the perspective of WFB, journalists are regarded as an interesting group that has rarely been examined by the scholars. The study validated the ‘fourfold WFB scale and ‘big five personality’ scale in the Indian context. Further, results revealed that big five personality variables emerged as significant predictor set for all the four dimensions of WFB. Unexpectedly, conscientiousness did not reduce WFC, given the unpredictable nature of journalism that pressurizes even a conscientious journalist to sacrifice his family life and work lousy hours. Openness behaved like a double-edged sword that escalate both conflict and facilitation experiences. However, extraversion did not increase facilitation experience for journalists. These findings suggest media organizations to conduct personality test for recruiting suitable candidates, whose personality traits make them best suited to the stressors of journalism profession. Moreover, knowledge of employees’ personality traits may increase the effectiveness of organizational interventions that aims to enhance employees’ WFB.
Reinventing capitalism to address automation: Sharing work to secure employment and income
Authors: Rafi Khan Shahrukh
Published: June 2018

Accumulating evidence suggests that automation is on an exponential growth path and it is projected to lead to massive technological unemployment. This paper proposes a conceptual framework within which to view automation and technological unemployment. The overarching conceptual framework pertains to the concepts of optimal and just factor shares. Within this framework, the issues associated with technological unemployment including the non-neutrality of technology, the subsequent inevitability of automation, the mechanisms via which this impacts work and the case for a re-invention of capitalism are explored. Sharing work is proposed as a modest institutional reform. The specific policy proposals within the broad area of sharing work are work-sharing and shortened work-week. The theoretical literature on the sharing work concept and the empirical literature on the two specific reforms are then reviewed. While these reforms are incremental and hence perhaps the most politically acceptable, they nonetheless represent a reinvention of capitalism if broadly implemented. It is argued that such re-inventions are well rooted in history during crises periods such as the one technological unemployment is likely to lead to based on the evidence provided. It is further argued that taxing capital to pay for these reforms, to the extent that they are not self-financing, is socially just.
The Use of Aromatherapy to Reduce Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea in Children With Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Evans Anna , Malvar Jemily , Garretson Cassie , Pedroja Kolovos Eliza , Baron Nelson Mary
Published: June 2018

Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced nausea can be distressing and difficult to manage in children with cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of ginger aromatherapy in relieving chemotherapy-induced nausea in children with cancer. Method: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 49 children with cancer explored whether inhalation of the aroma of essential oil of ginger during chemotherapy decreased nausea compared with a placebo (water) or control (Johnson’s baby shampoo) measured by prechemotherapy and postchemotherapy assessment with the Pediatric Nausea Assessment Tool (PeNAT). Results: While well received, well tolerated, nontoxic, and noninvasive, ginger aromatherapy did not significantly decrease nausea in patients enrolled in this study. Among 21 patients who indicated feeling nausea prechemotherapy, 67% reported improvement, 5% worsening, and 28% no change in their postinfusion PeNAT score. We failed to detect a statistical significant difference in the change in PeNAT scores among the three groups.
Magnetic circuit analysis to obtain the magnetic permeability of magnetorheological elastomers
Authors: Bastola Anil K , Paudel Milan , Li Lin
Published: June 2018

The magnetic permeability of magnetorheological elastomers must be known for their long-term use in the actual engineering systems. In this article, the magnetic permeability of both isotropic and anisotropic magnetorheological elastomers has been determined using a new method. The magnetic induction was measured and a closed magnetic circuit analysis was carried out to obtain the magnetic permeability of magnetorheological elastomers for both isotropic and anisotropic magnetorheological elastomers with 10%–50% volume concentration of carbonyl iron particles. The magnetic permeability was increased with increasing particle concentration for both isotropic and anisotropic magnetorheological elastomers as we could expect. The isotropic permeability is always lower than the anisotropic permeability. The maximum relative permeability value of 6.6 was obtained for 50% particle volume concentration. The experimental results also show a good agreement with theoretical predictions and previous investigations.
Broadband nonlinear behaviour of a soft magneto-sensitive elastomer cantilever under low-frequency and low-magnitude excitation
Authors: Yang Zhaoshu , Tang Lihua , Xie Mengying , Sun Shuaishuai , Li Weihua , Aw Kean
Published: June 2018

In this article, a soft magneto-sensitive elastomer cantilever with strong nonlinear behaviour is presented. With the help of a permanent magnet, a strong nonlinear behaviour is observed under low-frequency and low-magnitude excitation, which demonstrated its potential for vibrational energy harvesting. A theoretical model is developed which incorporates the nonlinear magnetic interaction in an Euler–Bernoulli beam. The theoretical model is further discretized using finite element method, and the frequency response was obtained through numerical simulation. Frequency sweep experiment was conducted to validate the model and investigate the nonlinear behaviour of the cantilever under different excitations. With the validated model, various contributing factors were parametrically studied to investigate their influences towards the dynamic behaviour of the cantilever. The results show that magnetic force dominates the linear stiffness increase of soft magneto-sensitive elastomer cantilever rather than the magnetorheological effect, and the nonlinear performance of soft magneto-sensitive elastomer cantilever mainly derives from horizontal magnetic force variations during vibration. These properties make the soft magneto-sensitive elastomer cantilever an attractive candidate to automatically tune and broaden the operational bandwidth of vibrational energy harvesters.
Adoption Breakdown: Concept, Research, and Implications
Authors: Palacios Jesús , Rolock Nancy , Selwyn Julie , Barbosa-Ducharne Maria
Published: June 2018

Purpose:

A rich and heterogeneous body of knowledge about adoption breakdown has accumulated in recent years. The goal of this article is to review the existing research literature on the topic.

Method:

A comprehensive review of journal articles, book chapters, and technical reports addressing the issue of adoption breakdown was conducted.

Results:

Terminological and methodological difficulties are discussed before the main findings about the incidence of adoption breakdown are presented. A detailed examination of the child, parent, and support and service characteristics associated with the breakdown experience follows. The review ends with the analysis of some policy and practice implications, as well as with suggestions about how to increase and improve the study of adoption breakdown.

Discussion:

Although research into adoption breakdown has achieved a considerable progress in recent years, improvements are still needed in both the basic research and the applied implications domains.
The State of Journalism and Press Freedom in Postgenocide Rwanda
Authors: Sobel Meghan , McIntyre Karen
Published: June 2018

News media played a prominent role in perpetuating the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Since then, Rwanda has undergone impressive social and economic growth, but the media landscape during this redevelopment remains understudied. Qualitative interviews with Rwandan journalists reveal that reporters censor themselves to promote peace and reunification. Short-term, prioritizing social good over media rights might help unify the country, but ultimately it could limit development and reinforce existing authoritarian power structures. Findings suggest that McQuail’s development media theory and Hachten’s developmental concept maintain relevance but point to the need for a new or revised media development paradigm.
Email With the Dead
Authors: Lahman Maria K. E.
Published: June 2018

The author considers the death of her mother and email as a form of epistle research poetry.