bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Optical Imaging of Primary Tumor Organoid Metabolism Predicts Drug Response in Breast Cancer
Authors: Walsh Alex J. , Cook Rebecca S. , Sanders Melinda E. , Aurisicchio Luigi , Ciliberto Gennaro , Arteaga Carlos L. , Skala Melissa C.
Published: August 2014

There is a need for technologies to predict the efficacy of cancer treatment in individual patients. Here, we show that optical metabolic imaging of organoids derived from primary tumors can predict the therapeutic response of xenografts and measure antitumor drug responses in human tumor–derived organoids. Optical metabolic imaging quantifies the fluorescence intensity and lifetime of NADH and FAD, coenzymes of metabolism. As early as 24 hours after treatment with clinically relevant anticancer drugs, the optical metabolic imaging index of responsive organoids decreased (P < 0.001) and was further reduced when effective therapies were combined (P < 5 × 10−6), with no change in drug-resistant organoids. Drug response in xenograft-derived organoids was validated with tumor growth measurements in vivo and staining for proliferation and apoptosis. Heterogeneous cellular responses to drug treatment were also resolved in organoids. Optical metabolic imaging shows potential as a high-throughput screen to test the efficacy of a panel of drugs to select optimal drug combinations. Cancer Res; 74(18); 5184–94. ©2014 AACR.
MicroRNA-26a/b Regulate DNA Replication Licensing, Tumorigenesis, and Prognosis by Targeting CDC6 in Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhang Xin , Xiao Dakai , Wang Ziyi , Zou Yongxin , Huang Liyan , Lin Weixuan , Deng Qiuhua , Pan Hui , Zhou Jiangfen , Liang Chun , He Jianxing
Published: August 2014

Cancer is characterized by mutations, genome rearrangements, epigenetic changes, and altered gene expression that enhance cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. To accommodate deregulated cellular proliferation, many DNA replication-initiation proteins are overexpressed in human cancers. However, the mechanism that represses the expression of these proteins in normal cells and the cellular changes that result in their overexpression are largely unknown. One possible mechanism is through miRNA expression differences. Here, it is demonstrated that miR26a and miR26b inhibit replication licensing and the proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells by targeting CDC6. Importantly, miR26a/b expression is significantly decreased in human lung cancer tissue specimens compared with the paired adjacent normal tissues, and miR26a/b downregulation and the consequential upregulation of CDC6 are associated with poorer prognosis of patients with lung cancer. These results indicate that miR26a/b repress replication licensing and tumorigenesis by targeting CDC6.

Implications: The current study suggests that miR26a, miR26b, and CDC6 and factors regulating their expression represent potential cancer diagnostic and prognostic markers as well as anticancer targets.

Visual Overview: http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/12/11/1535/F1.large.jpg.

Mol Cancer Res; 12(11); 1535–46. ©2014 AACR.
Aspirin-Responsive, Migraine-Like Transient Cerebral and Ocular Ischemic Attacks and Erythromelalgia in JAK2V617F-Positive Essential Thrombocythemia and Polycythemia Vera
Authors: Michiels Jan Jacques , Berneman Zwi , Gadisseur Alain , Lam King H. , De Raeve Hendrik , Schroyens Wilfried
Published: August 2014

Migraine-like cerebral transient ischemic attacks (MIAs) and ocular ischemic manifestations were the main presenting features in 10 JAK2V617F-positive patients studied, with essential thrombocythemia (ET) in 6 and polycythemia vera (PV) in 4. Symptoms varied and included cerebral ischemic attacks, mental concentration disturbances followed by throbbing headaches, nausea, vomiting, syncope or even seizures. MIAs were frequently preceded or followed by ocular ischemic events of blurred vision, scotomas, transient flashing of the eyes, and sudden transient partial blindness preceded or followed erythromelalgia in the toes or fingers. The time lapse between the first symptoms of aspirin-responsive MIAs and the diagnosis of ET in 5 patients ranged from 4 to 12 years. At the time of erythromelalgia and MIAs, shortened platelet survival, an increase in the levels of the platelet activation markers β-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 and also in urinary thromboxane B2 were clearly indicative of the spontaneous in vivo platelet activation of constitutively JAK2V617F-activated thrombocythemic platelets. Aspirin relieves the peripheral, cerebral and ocular ischemic disturbances by irreversible inhibition of platelet cyclo-oxygenase (COX-1) activity and aggregation ex vivo. Vitamin K antagonist, dipyridamole, ticlopidine, sulfinpyrazone and sodium salicylate have no effect on platelet COX-1 activity and are ineffective in the treatment of thrombocythemia-specific manifestations of erythromelalgia and atypical MIAs. If not treated with aspirin, ET and PV patients are at a high risk of major arterial thrombosis including stroke, myocardial infarction and digital gangrene.
Laparoscopic versus Open Partial Nephrectomy for Multilocular Cystic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Direct Comparison Based on Single-Center Experience
Authors: Xu Ben , Wang Jun-jie , Mi Yue , Zhou Li-qun , Jin Jie , Zhang Qian
Published: August 2014

Objectives: To compare the treatment of laparoscopic (LPN) versus open partial nephrectomy (OPN) in patients with multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma (MCRCC). Methods: Thirty-seven patients diagnosed with MCRCC were reviewed retrospectively between January 2007 and January 2013 at our institution. They were divided into two groups: group 1 (LPN) consisted of 19 patients (51.4%) and group 2 (OPN) of 18 patients (48.6%). RENAL and the Preoperative Aspects and Dimensions Used for an Anatomical classification were applied to predict perioperative complications, which were graded based on the Clavien-Dindo classification. Results: The two groups were comparable with regard to all of the patients' baseline characteristics. In group 1, the mean operative time was 142.1 min, including the mean warm ischemia time (WIT) of 32.6 min; the mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 96.1 ml, the mean retroperitoneal drainage lasted 3.6 days, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 5.3 days. In group 2, the figures were 126.6 and 23.5 min, 223.3 ml, and 4.6 and 8.7 days, respectively. The differences in WIT, EBL, drainage days and hospitalization were statistically significant between both groups (p < 0.05). No recurrence or new lesions occurred in these patients during a mean follow-up of 37.8 months. Conclusions: Our single-center experience suggests that although it remains technically complex, demanding and challenging for MCRCC, LPN can still induce favorable perioperative results and survival rates in MCRCC are comparable with OPN.
Soluble CD138/Syndecan-1 Increases in the Sera of Patients with Moderately Differentiated Bladder Cancer
Authors: Sanaee Mohammad Nabi , Malekzadeh Mahyar , Khezri Abdolaziz , Ghaderi Abbas , Doroudchi Mehrnoosh
Published: August 2014

Background: CD138/Syndecan-1 (Sdc-1) is expressed on the tumor and stromal cells of invasive bladder carcinoma. CD138/Sdc-1 shedding from the cell surface is associated with the invasive phenotype in lung and breast cancers. Patients and Methods: Soluble CD138/Sdc-1 was measured in the sera of 86 bladder cancer patients and 57 healthy individuals by a commercial ELISA assay. Results: Soluble Sdc-1 was increased in the sera of patients with bladder cancer (138.42 ± 81.85 vs. 86.48 ± 82.58 ng/ml, p = 0.0003). Patients aged over 70 years had higher levels of CD138/Sdc-1 in their sera (159.7 ± 15.77 vs. 124.5 ± 9.99 ng/ml, p = 0.025), and soluble Sdc-1 levels were higher in the sera of patients with moderately differentiated tumors compared to poorly differentiated ones (170.47 ± 85.06 vs. 101.79 ± 68.24 ng/ml, p = 0.01). The soluble Sdc-1 level was higher in muscle-invasive (154.45 ± 83.60 vs. 89.9 ± 55.02 ng/ml) but not lymphatic-invasive (106.25 ± 52.10 vs. 123.43 ± 63.76 ng/ml) tumors (p = 0.027 and 0.45, respectively). A non-significant trend of soluble Sdc-1 increase in the sera of male patients compared to female patients was observed (145.38 ± 85.47 vs. 110.20 ± 59.04 ng/ml, p = 0.054). Conclusion: The elevated levels of soluble CD138/Sdc-1 in older bladder cancer patients and those with muscular invasion sheds some light on the mechanisms of the disease invasion.
Treatment of Bone Metastases in Urologic Malignancies
Authors: Froehner Michael , Hölscher Tobias , Hakenberg Oliver W. , Wirth Manfred P.
Published: August 2014

The skeletal system is the most common site of metastatic cancer spread. Bone metastases are often associated with severe morbidity, pain and functional impairment. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment may decrease morbidity, improve quality of life and in some cases even improve survival. External beam radiotherapy may effectively give pain relief in patients with painful bone metastases. In bone metastases from castration-resistant prostate cancer or urothelial bladder cancer, treatment with zoledronic acid or denosumab may reduce skeletal-related events. In contrast to castration-resistant prostate cancer, in patients with bone metastases from bladder cancer such treatment may even improve survival. On the other hand, the efficacy of these agents is questionable in patients with bone involvement from metastatic renal cell carcinoma or germ cell tumors. When bisphosphonates or denosumab are considered in such cases, the potential benefits of treatment should be critically weighed against the risk of side effects. In germ cell tumors, bone metastases may be cured by cisplatin-based chemotherapy, however, there are only limited data on the specific management of residual disease. Oligometastases may be treated by stereotactic radiotherapy or - especially in patients with renal cell carcinoma - by surgical resection and endoprosthetic replacement. Limited data are available on the management of bone involvement in germ cell tumors. Decisions on the resection or local radiotherapy of residual disease should be individualized considering the overall response and the feasibility and risks of resection.
Whole Exome Sequencing for Familial Bicuspid Aortic Valve Identifies Putative Variants
Authors: Martin Lisa J. , Pilipenko Valentina , Kaufman Kenneth M. , Cripe Linda , Kottyan Leah C. , Keddache Mehdi , Dexheimer Phillip , Weirauch Matthew T. , Benson D. Woodrow
Published: August 2014

Background—

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital cardiovascular malformation. Although highly heritable, few causal variants have been identified. The purpose of this study was to identify genetic variants underlying BAV by whole exome sequencing a multiplex BAV kindred.

Methods and Results—

Whole exome sequencing was performed on 17 individuals from a single family (BAV=3; other cardiovascular malformation, 3). Postvariant calling error control metrics were established after examining the relationship between Mendelian inheritance error rate and coverage, quality score, and call rate. To determine the most effective approach to identifying susceptibility variants from among 54 674 variants passing error control metrics, we evaluated 3 variant selection strategies frequently used in whole exome sequencing studies plus extended family linkage. No putative rare, high-effect variants were identified in all affected but no unaffected individuals. Eight high-effect variants were identified by ≥2 of the commonly used selection strategies; however, these were either common in the general population (>10%) or present in the majority of the unaffected family members. However, using extended family linkage, 3 synonymous variants were identified; all 3 variants were identified by at least one other strategy.

Conclusions—

These results suggest that traditional whole exome sequencing approaches, which assume causal variants alter coding sense, may be insufficient for BAV and other complex traits. Identification of disease-associated variants is facilitated by the use of segregation within families.
Acrolein Exposure Is Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Authors: DeJarnett Natasha , Conklin Daniel J. , Riggs Daniel W. , Myers John A. , O'Toole Timothy E. , Hamzeh Ihab , Wagner Stephen , Chugh Atul , Ramos Kenneth S. , Srivastava Sanjay , Higdon Deirdre , Tollerud David J. , DeFilippis Andrew , Becher Carrie , Wyatt Brad , McCracken James , Abplanalp Wes , Rai Shesh N. , Ciszewski Tiffany , Xie Zhengzhi , Yeager Ray , Prabhu Sumanth D. , Bhatnagar Aruni
Published: August 2014

Background

Acrolein is a reactive aldehyde present in high amounts in coal, wood, paper, and tobacco smoke. It is also generated endogenously by lipid peroxidation and the oxidation of amino acids by myeloperoxidase. In animals, acrolein exposure is associated with the suppression of circulating progenitor cells and increases in thrombosis and atherogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether acrolein exposure in humans is also associated with increased cardiovascular disease (
CVD
) risk.

Methods and Results

Acrolein exposure was assessed in 211 participants of the Louisville Healthy Heart Study with moderate to high (
CVD
) risk by measuring the urinary levels of the major acrolein metabolite—3‐hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (3‐
HPMA
). Generalized linear models were used to assess the association between acrolein exposure and parameters of
CVD
risk, and adjusted for potential demographic confounders. Urinary 3‐
HPMA
levels were higher in smokers than nonsmokers and were positively correlated with urinary cotinine levels. Urinary 3‐
HPMA
levels were inversely related to levels of both early (
AC
133
+
) and late (
AC
133
−
) circulating angiogenic cells. In smokers as well as nonsmokers, 3‐
HPMA
levels were positively associated with both increased levels of platelet–leukocyte aggregates and the Framingham Risk Score. No association was observed between 3‐
HPMA
and plasma fibrinogen. Levels of C‐reactive protein were associated with 3‐
HPMA
levels in nonsmokers only.

Conclusions

Regardless of its source, acrolein exposure is associated with platelet activation and suppression of circulating angiogenic cell levels, as well as increased
CVD
risk.
Review of the Stenothemus harmandi species-group (Coleoptera, Cantharidae), with description of six new species from China
Authors: YANG YUXIA , SU JUNYAN , YANG XINGKE
Published: August 2014

The diagnosis of the Stenothemus harmandi species-group is summarized, and all species are reviewed and keyed. S. harmandi (Bourgeois, 1902) is redescribed and six new species are described, S. fugongensis sp. nov. (CHINA: Yunnan), S. distortirudis sp. nov. (CHINA: Xizang), S. parallelus sp. nov. (CHINA: Xizang), S. septimus sp. nov. (CHINA: Xizang), S. leishanensis sp. nov. (CHINA: Guizhou) and S. laticollis sp. nov. (CHINA: Xizang). Each species treatment is provided with photos of habitus of male and abdominal sternite VIII of female, and illustrations of aedeagus. Additionally, S. subnitidus Švihla, 2005, S. holosericus Švihla, 2005 and S. orbiculatus Švihla, 2005 are provided with supplementary descriptions and photos of abdominal sternites VIII of females. Distribution maps are provided for each species of the S. harmandi species-group.
Redescription and distribution of the rare flower chafer, Periphanesthes aurora (Motschulsky, 1858) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae)
Authors: QIU JIAN-YUE , XU HAO , CHEN LI
Published: August 2014

This paper includes a detailed redescription of the monotypic genus Periphanesthes Kraatz, 1880 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) and its type species, Periphanesthes aurora (Motschulsky, 1858), based on the lectotype (designated within) and additional specimens. Illustrations of external features and parameres are also provided. The distribution of P. aurora is studied, and its new distribution records are mapped. Bonsiella Ruter, 1965 is confirmed as a junior synonym of Periphanesthes Kraatz, 1880.
Soil Moisture Droughts under the Retrospective and Projected Climate in India*
Authors: Mishra Vimal , Shah Reepal , Thrasher Bridget
Published: August 2014

Changes in precipitation, air temperature, and model-simulated soil moisture were examined for the observed (1950–2008) and projected (2010–99) climate for the sowing period of Kharif and Rabi [KHARIF_SOW (May–July) and RABI_SOW (October–December)] and the entire Kharif and Rabi [KHARIF (May–October) and RABI (October–April)] crop-growing periods in India. During the KHARIF_SOW and KHARIF periods, precipitation declined significantly in the Gangetic Plain, which in turn resulted in declines in soil moisture. Statistically significant warming trends were noticed as all-India-averaged air temperature increased by 0.40°, 0.90°, and 0.70°C in the KHARIF, RABI_SOW, and RABI periods, respectively, during 1950–2008. Frequency and areal extent of soil moisture–based droughts increased substantially during the latter half (1980–2008) of the observed period. Under the projected climate (2010–99), precipitation, air temperature, and soil moisture are projected to increase in all four crop-growing seasons. In the projected climate, all-India ensemble mean precipitation, air temperature, and soil moisture are projected to increase up to 39% (RABI_SOW period), 2.3°C, and 5.3%, respectively, in the crop-growing periods. While projected changes in air temperature are robust across India, robust increases in precipitation and soil moisture are projected to occur in the end-term (2070–99) climate. Frequency and areal extents of soil moisture–based severe, extreme, and exceptional droughts are projected to increase in the near- (2010–39) and midterm (2040–69) climate in the majority of crop-growing seasons in India. However, frequency and areal extent of droughts during the crop-growing period are projected to decline in the end-term climate in the entire crop-growing period because of projected increases in the monsoon season precipitation.
Spatial and Temporal Scales of Sverdrup Balance*
Authors: Thomas Matthew D. , De Boer Agatha M. , Johnson Helen L. , Stevens David P.
Published: August 2014

Sverdrup balance underlies much of the theory of ocean circulation and provides a potential tool for describing the interior ocean transport from only the wind stress. Using both a model state estimate and an eddy-permitting coupled climate model, this study assesses to what extent and over what spatial and temporal scales Sverdrup balance describes the meridional transport. The authors find that Sverdrup balance holds to first order in the interior subtropical ocean when considered at spatial scales greater than approximately 5°. Outside the subtropics, in western boundary currents and at short spatial scales, significant departures occur due to failures in both the assumptions that there is a level of no motion at some depth and that the vorticity equation is linear. Despite the ocean transport adjustment occurring on time scales consistent with the basin-crossing times for Rossby waves, as predicted by theory, Sverdrup balance gives a useful measure of the subtropical circulation after only a few years. This is because the interannual transport variability is small compared to the mean transports. The vorticity input to the deep ocean by the interaction between deep currents and topography is found to be very large in both models. These deep transports, however, are separated from upper-layer transports that are in Sverdrup balance when considered over large scales.
Lateral Heat Exchange after the Labrador Sea Deep Convection in 2008
Authors: Zhang Weiwei , Yan Xiao-Hai
Published: August 2014

The mechanisms through which convected water restratifies in the Labrador Sea are still under debate. The Labrador Sea restratification after deep convection in the 2007/08 winter is studied with an eddy-resolving numerical model. The modeled mixed layer depth during wintertime resembles the Argo observed mixed layer very well, and the lateral heat flux during the subsequent restratification is in line with observations. The Irminger rings (IRs) are reproduced with fresher caps above the 300-m depths, and they are identified and tracked automatically. The model underestimates both the number of IRs in the convection area and the heat they carry. The underestimation is most likely caused by the errors in the direction of the west Greenland currents in the model, which causes more IRs propagating westward, and only the IRs originating south of 61.5°N are able to propagate southward, yet with speed much slower than observed speed. The model still observed three eddies propagating into the convection area during the restratification phase in 2008, and their thermal contribution ranges from 1% to 4% if the estimation is made at the time when they enter the convection area. If all newly generated eddies are considered, then the ensemble-mean contributions by the IRs become 5.3%. The more detailed and direct heat flux by IRs is difficult to derive because of the strong fluctuation of the identified eddy radius. Nevertheless, the modeled lateral heat flux is largely composed of the boundary current eddies and convective eddies, thus it is possible for the model to maintain an acceptable thermal balance.
Validation of High-Resolution Ultrasound Measurements of Intima–Media Thickness of the Radial Artery for the Assessment of Structural Remodeling
Authors: Stegemann Emilia , Sansone R. , Stegemann B. , Kelm M. , Heiss C.
Published: August 2014

Radial artery (RA) intima–media thickness (IMT) could be used to study short- and long-term structural vascular adaptation following transradial cardiac catheterization. We aimed at assessing the reliability and reproducibility of RA-IMT measurement. Using high-resolution ultrasound, we studied RA-IMT in 17 patients, who underwent transradial catheterization via the right RA 1 to 12 months before. Radial artery intima–media thickness was measured in both arms, with the left RA as control. Repeated measurements were performed by 2 examiners and offline analyses were performed by independent blinded interpreters. Radial artery intima–media thickness was highly reliable with an interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.911 [0.870-0.939], a high examiner (ICCexaminer 0.910 [0.883-0.931]), and interpreter agreement (ICCinterpreter 0.963 [0.954-0.971]). Intima–media thickness at the radial access site was significantly increased compared with the contralateral RA (0.30 ± 0.056 vs 0.41 ± 0.055 mm, P < .00001). Radial artery intima–media thickness can be measured reliably using high-resolution ultrasound. Initial data suggest that transradial catheterization leads to long-term structural adaption processes.
‘Those Voices Unheard’: Re-negotiating Gender, Masculinity and Participation
Authors: Roy Ahonaa
Published: August 2014

This paper reports on an ethnographic study of a village near the town of Sangola in the Sholapur district of Maharashtra, India. The paper is influenced by the feminist interpretations of Gayatri Chakrabarty Spivak, and her plausible enquiry into gender imperialism, colonialism and Western dominations in one hand, and the critique of the quite celebrated development research approach of the 1980s - the participatory rural appraisal (PRA), on the other. Further proposing a new way of looking into ‘participation’ in development practices. Furthermore, it draws out the politics of ‘voice’, empowerment and participation as integral to women’s rights – and also to study men and their changing masculinities with regard to gender inequalities in the village.
The Definitive Exercise of Teaching Authority
Authors: Sullivan Francis A.
Published: August 2014

The author first explains that the pope and bishops exercise their teaching authority definitively and infallibly when they oblige the faithful to give their irrevocable adherence of faith to a revealed truth, or firmly to accept and hold a truth that is necessarily connected to revelation. He then discusses the replies that Joseph Ratzinger has given to the question whether John Paul II declared definitively and infallibly that the church has no authority to ordain women to the priesthood.
“For the Many”: The Vicarious-Representative Heart of Joseph Ratzinger’s Theology
Authors: Ruddy Christopher
Published: August 2014

The concept of vicarious representation ( Stellvertretung) is central to Joseph Ratzinger’s thought. He uses it, with its correlative concept of pro-existence, to develop a theology in which “the few” are the starting point from which God saves “the many.” This article examines the concept’s influence on Ratzinger’s soteriology, Christology, and ecclesiology. It concludes by exploring four areas in which his vicarious-representative theology makes a significant contribution: the soteriological role of human freedom, the pro multis controversy, the “smaller but purer” criticism of his ecclesiology, and the Church’s mission in a religiously plural world.
Sign of Reconciliation and Conversion? Differing Views of Power—Ecclesial, Sacramental, Anthropological—among Hierarchy and Laity
Authors: Morrill Bruce T.
Published: August 2014

Monika Hellwig’s 1982 history and theology of the sacrament of penance, Sign of Reconciliation and Conversion, is representative of the expectations that theologians and pastoral ministers had for expanded forms of the sacrament. Pope John Paul II’s 1984 exhortation, “Reconciliation and Penance,” produced a contrasting history to assert private confession to a priest as the church’s continuous tradition. That this instruction found little traction is evident in subsequent directives combatting a “crisis” of confession and the proliferation of communal penance services. The article concludes with a theological analysis of the theoretical and practical state of the question today.
A Buddhist Critique of, and Learning from, Christian Liberation Theology
Authors: Makransky John
Published: August 2014

This article is an exercise in comparative theology from a Buddhist perspective. Christian liberation theology and engaged Buddhism both seek to empower people by liberating them from causes of suffering that prevent them from realizing their deeper identity and fuller potential. Christian and Buddhist liberation theologies differ in what they identify as the main conditions of suffering, as well as in the epistemologies they use to disclose those suffering conditions and to address them. Through their differences, the author argues, each tradition points out an epistemological weakness in the other that would otherwise have remained unnoticed and, by exposing it, helps correct it.
Review of N. T. Wright's Paul and the Faithfulness of God
Authors: Hurtado Larry W.
Published: August 2014

Tom Wright’s huge new work on Paul is an expansive treatment reiterating views familiar from his previous publications, and reflecting his passion for his subject. Questions remain, however, as to the persuasiveness of some key claims and the adequacy of discussion of some matters.
Difficult Texts: Psalm 88
Authors: Jameson Beverley
Published: August 2014

Psalm 88 helps people come to terms with emotions in times of distress in psychological terms (Kubler-Ross model) but the psalm has a purpose aside from twentieth-century psychology, bringing the honest expression of emotion before God, giving permission to rant at God within a culture of praise and adoration.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Mullin Gerard E. , Shepherd Sue J. , Chander Roland Bani , Ireton‐Jones Carol , Matarese Laura E.
Published: August 2014

Irritable bowel syndrome is a complex disorder whose pathophysiology involves alterations in the enteric microbiota, visceral hypersensitivity, gut immune/barrier function, hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis regulation, neurotransmitters, stress response, psychological factors, and more. The importance of diet in the management of irritable bowel syndrome has taken center stage in recent times as the literature validates the relationship of certain foods with the provocation of symptoms. Likewise, a number of elimination dietary programs have been successful in alleviating irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Knowledge of the dietary management strategies for irritable bowel syndrome will help guide nutritionists and healthcare practitioners to deliver optimal outcomes. This tutorial reviews the nutrition management strategies for irritable bowel syndrome.
Adorno’s politics
Authors: Freyenhagen Fabian
Published: August 2014

Theodor W. Adorno inspired much of Germany’s 1960s student movement, but he came increasingly into conflict with this movement about the practical implications of his critical theory. Others – including his friend and colleague Herbert Marcuse – also accused Adorno of a quietism that is politically objectionable and in contradiction with his own theory. In this article, I reconstruct, and partially defend, Adorno’s views on theory and (political) praxis in Germany’s 1960s in 11 theses. His often attacked and maligned stance during the 1960s is based on his analysis of these historical circumstances. Put provocatively, his stance consists in the view that people in the 1960s have tried to change the world, in various ways; the point – at that time – was to interpret it.
Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help (SSRPH)
Authors: Pinto Melissa D. , Hickman Ronald L. , Thomas Tami L.
Published: August 2014

Stigma is one of the greatest obstacles to care and impedes recovery. The Stigma Scale for Receiving Professional Psychological Help (SSRPH), a measure of public stigma, has been used in young adults and has limited psychometric data in adolescents. This article reports the reliability and validity of the SSRPH in adolescent girls ( N = 156, age = 13-17). Discriminant validity was supported, but concurrent validity was not. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed excellent model fit and serves as beginning evidence for construct validity. Cronbach’s alpha for the SSRPH was .65. The SSRPH was stable over 8 weeks. Findings suggest that the SSRPH can serve as a foundation for further instrument development. Future studies may explore enhancing the reliability and validity of the SSRPH and use advanced analytic techniques to examine the overall global construct of stigma, the latent constructs of public and private stigma, and associations of individual items to these constructs.
Patient‐centered Guideline Development: Best Practices Can Improve the Quality and Impact of Guidelines
Authors: Roman Benjamin R. , Feingold Jordyn
Published: August 2014

Guideline development is improved when diverse stakeholders, including patients, specialists, and experts, share power in the process, from defining the scope of the question to the final stages of review. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Guidelines International Network (G‐I‐N) have each released best‐practice standards for clinical guidelines that place health care consumers at the forefront of guideline development. The AAO‐HNSF has placed a growing emphasis on consumer engagement in its latest guideline development manual and has developed clear, multifaceted infrastructural approaches to identify and utilize consumers in guideline development and guideline review. This article reviews those recommendations and emphasizes that patient‐centered guideline development can improve the quality and impact of medical guidelines.
Atmospheric Resource Impact Assessment (ARIA)
Authors: Kendall Michaela , Kothencz Gyula , Stahl-Timmins Will , Thornes John
Published: August 2014

The atmosphere is a global public asset under increasing pressure, requiring protection. Human activities damage the atmosphere, and yet there is currently no systematic way to assess a loss of functionality or measure the costs of degradation. Geographically, there is no method for identifying how atmospheric services are distributed, or where conflicts between services arise. Here we propose an ecosystem services approach, to consider all the benefits derived from atmospheric resources, and to quantify them nationally. The UK is used as a first model to test the methodological validity. The Atmospheric Resource Impact Assessment (ARIA) provides a basic framework for economic evaluation of 12 atmospheric services, which extend beyond the traditional atmospheric disciplines of climate change and urban air quality. Using free information and a deliberative mapping approach, the ARIA model summarizes key atmospheric goods and services humans benefit from in the UK, attributing location, temporal and scale estimates. The resultant Geographical Information System (GIS) maps demonstrate proof-of-concept, enable regional comparisons and test the basis for economic evaluation. Future work will attribute economic costs of ARIA in the UK, (1) to explore ARIA as a planning and policy development tool and (2) to provide leadership in protecting global atmospheric assets.
The impact of climate change on urban transport resilience in a changing world
Authors: Jaroszweski David , Hooper Elizabeth , Chapman Lee
Published: August 2014

The assessment of the potential impact of climate change on transport is an area of research very much in its infancy, and one that requires input from a multitude of disciplines including geography, engineering and technology, meteorology, climatology and futures studies. This paper investigates the current state of the art for assessments on urban surface transport, where rising populations and increasing dependence on efficient and reliable mobility have increased the importance placed on resilience to weather. The standard structure of climate change impact assessment (CIA) requires understanding in three important areas: how weather currently affects infrastructure and operations; how climate change may alter the frequency and magnitude of these impacts; and how concurrent technological and socio-economic development may shape the transport network of the future, either ameliorating or exacerbating the effects of climate change. The extent to which the requisite knowledge exists for a successful CIA is observed to decrease from the former to the latter. This paper traces a number of developments in the extrapolation of physical and behavioural relationships on to future climates, including a broad move away from previous deterministic methods and towards probabilistic projections which make use of a much broader range of climate change model output, giving a better representation of the uncertainty involved. Studies increasingly demand spatially and temporally downscaled climate projections that can represent realistic sub-daily fluctuations in weather that transport systems are sensitive to. It is recommended that future climate change impact assessments should focus on several key areas, including better representation of sub-daily extremes in climate tools, and recreation of realistic spatially coherent weather. Greater use of the increasing amounts of data created and captured by ‘intelligent infrastructure’ and ‘smart cities’ is also needed to develop behavioural and physical models of the response of transport to weather and to develop a better understanding of how stakeholders respond to probabilistic climate change impact projections.
A method for regional-scale assessment of vegetation recovery time after high-severity wildfires
Authors: Rodrigues Marcos , Ibarra Paloma , Echeverría Maite , Pérez-Cabello Fernando , Riva Juan de la
Published: August 2014

This study aims to develop a method to estimate the recovery time of plant communities after high-severity wildfires. The designed methodology is based on map algebra and a geographical information system, which enabled calculation of the approximate time required to restore vegetation to conditions similar to pre-fire regarding plant height and canopy cover. The methodology considered, first, the vegetation in the territory, characterized by the structure of the dominant plant community (tree, shrub, or grassland) and its regeneration strategy (resprouter or seeder); and, second, two of the main factors determining recovery time – water availability and soil loss. We also considered the influence of observed rainfall trends over the past 50 years on these latter two factors. The methodology was applied to Spain to test its performance. The results suggest a period of 2 and approximately 100 years for grassland communities and tree communities with low germination, respectively. There are significant differences in plant communities between the two biogeographic regions (Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean) as well as within each community, directly linked to variability in terrain and climatic conditions.
Nongovernmental Regulation and Construction of Value in Global Markets
Authors: Shorette Kristen
Published: August 2014

The past 70 years has seen the rise of a new type of actor that falls outside traditional conceptions of regulation and value. Fair trade organizations regulate production and distribution processes globally and provide the infrastructure for a market in which value lies in a product’s utility and conditions of production and terms of exchange. Fair trade emerged to address persistent economic, social, and environmental inequalities between global North and South. But what explains the rise of the fair trade market over this time period? Using time series regression analysis, I evaluate the claims of several theoretical traditions and use world society theory to inform economic sociology on understanding how social forces shape global markets. I find that only after a shift in world cultural norms do processes of unequal exchange become problematized so that moves toward liberalization in international trade are countered by movements toward regulation.
Stress, Social Support, and Burnout Among Long-Term Care Nursing Staff
Authors: Woodhead Erin L. , Northrop Lynn , Edelstein Barry
Published: August 2014

Long-term care nursing staff are subject to considerable occupational stress and report high levels of burnout, yet little is known about how stress and social support are associated with burnout in this population. The present study utilized the job demands–resources model of burnout to examine relations between job demands (occupational and personal stress), job resources (sources and functions of social support), and burnout in a sample of nursing staff at a long-term care facility ( N = 250). Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that job demands (greater occupational stress) were associated with more emotional exhaustion, more depersonalization, and less personal accomplishment. Job resources (support from supervisors and friends or family members, reassurance of worth, opportunity for nurturing) were associated with less emotional exhaustion and higher levels of personal accomplishment. Interventions to reduce burnout that include a focus on stress and social support outside of work may be particularly beneficial for long-term care staff.
Multilevel vehicle–dummy design optimization for mass and injury criteria minimization
Authors: Gandikota Imtiaz , Rais-Rohani Masoud , DorMohammadi Saber , Kiani Morteza
Published: August 2014

A vehicle–dummy multidisciplinary design optimization problem is treated as a multilevel system composed of structural and occupant restraint system design elements. The vehicle-based responses and the dummy-based responses are obtained from nonlinear transient dynamic finite element simulations of full frontal impacts and side impacts. The wall thicknesses of a set of energy-absorbing components together with the occupant restraint system control parameters associated with the seat belt and the airbag are treated as design variables and used to optimize the multilevel system to minimize both the structural mass and the selected injury criteria. Each element optimization problem is modeled using the augmented Lagrangian with exponential penalty function formulation. A single-loop coordination strategy is used to solve the multilevel optimization problem. To maximize the computational efficiency, surrogate models are used to approximate the vehicle-based responses and the dummy-based responses. The results of the vehicle–dummy design problem are used to examine the computational efficiency and the accuracy of the decomposed multilevel optimization methodology.
Contextual influences on nurses’ decision-making in cases of physical restraint
Authors: de Casterlé Bernadette Dierckx , Goethals Sabine , Gastmans Chris
Published: August 2014

Background:

In order to fully understand nurses’ ethical decision-making in cases of physical restraint in acute older people care, contextual influences on the process of decision-making should be clarified.

Research questions:

What is the influence of context on nurses’ decision-making process in cases of physical restraint, and what is the impact of context on the prioritizing of ethical values when making a decision on physical restraint?

Research design:

A qualitative descriptive study inspired by the Grounded Theory approach was carried out.

Participants and research context:

In total, 21 in-depth interviews were carried out with nurses working on acute geriatric wards in Flanders, Belgium.

Ethical considerations:

The research protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Leuven.

Findings:

Relationships with nursing colleagues and the patient’s family form an inter-personal network. Nurses also point to the importance of the procedural–legal context as expressed in an institutional ethics policy and procedures, or through legal requirements concerning physical restraint. Furthermore, the architectural structure of a ward, the availability of materials and alternatives for restraint use can be decisive in nurses’ decision-making. All interviewed nurses highlighted the unquestionable role of the practical context of care. Context can have a guiding, supportive, or decisive role in decision-making concerning the application of physical restraint.

Discussion:

The discussion focuses on the role of the inter-personal network of nurses on the process of decision-making.

Conclusion:

An institutional ethics policy and a value-supportive care environment can support nurses in their challenge to take ethically sound decisions.
Women and the European crisis
Authors: Harcourt Wendy
Published: August 2014

The article raises questions about how the economic crisis is being played out ‘in place’, taking an embodied, generational and gender perspective. ‘Place’ is used in a political context by examining how global realities are experienced in place, and the author argues the need to look at the everyday realities of the crisis from a gendered ontological perspective in order to counter grand narratives of gloom and doom where women (whether old, young, migrant, heterosexual or otherwise) are particular victims. By discussing local contexts of the gendered realities of the crisis in three southern Europe areas, the author shows the possibility of changing the crisis narrative from one of overwhelming paralysis to one of potential transformation. The focus is on the rise of resistance, solidarity economies and new types of communities in the search by women in southern Europe for alternatives to neoliberal capitalism.
Damage location by ultrasonic Lamb waves and piezoelectric rosettes
Authors: Kijanka Piotr , Manohar Arun , Lanza di Scalea Francesco , Staszewski Wieslaw J
Published: August 2014

An approach based on macro-fiber composite transducer rosettes and ultrasonic guided waves is proposed for damage location in plate-like structures. By using the directivity behaviour of the three macro-fiber composite sensors in each rosette, the direction of an incoming wave generated by scattering from damage can be estimated without knowledge of the wave velocity in the structure. Two rosettes suffice to identify the location of a scatterer in a planar structure. The technique does not have the drawbacks of time-of-flight triangulation, requiring information on wave velocity that complicates the damage location when testing anisotropic materials, tapered sections or any structure under temperature fluctuations. The effectiveness of the piezoelectric rosette method is tested experimentally on an aluminium plate with a simulated damage subjected to temperature variation.
A numerically accurate and efficient coupled polynomial field interpolation for Euler–Bernoulli piezoelectric beam finite element with induced potential effect
Authors: Sulbhewar Litesh N , Raveendranath P
Published: August 2014

An accurate and efficient coupled polynomial-based interpolation scheme is proposed for the Euler–Bernoulli piezoelectric beam finite element which accommodates induced potential effects and is free from material-locking due to asymmetric distribution of material in the beam cross-section. The consistent through-thickness potential derived from electrostatic equilibrium equation is used, unlike conventional formulations which use assumed linear through-thickness potential. The relationship between mechanical and electrical field variables involved in the formulation is established using governing equations derived from the variational formulation. This relationship is used to derive a coupled polynomial for the axial displacement field with contributions from an assumed cubic polynomial for transverse displacement and linear polynomials for layerwise electric potential. A set of coupled shape functions obtained using these polynomials handles the effects of extension–bending coupling and induced potential in an efficient manner at the field interpolation level itself. The accuracy of the present formulation is proved by comparison of results obtained for test problems with those from ANSYS 2D simulation and conventional formulations. Convergence studies prove the merit of the present coupled polynomial interpolation over the conventional independent polynomial interpolation. This improved performance is achieved with the same number of nodal degrees of freedom as used by conventional formulations.
A lower bound estimate of the critical load in bifurcation analysis for incompressible elastic solids
Authors: Fosdick Roger , Foti Pilade , Fraddosio Aguinaldo , Marzano Salvatore , Piccioni Mario Daniele
Published: August 2014

A procedure for obtaining a lower bound estimate of the critical load for arbitrary incompressible hyperelastic solids is presented. By considering a lower bound estimate for the Hadamard functional based on the Korn inequality, we establish sufficient conditions for the infinitesimal stability of a distorted configuration. We then determine an optimal lower bound estimate of the critical load in a monotonic loading process and specialize our procedure to the case of homogeneous deformations of incompressible, hyperelastic bodies. We apply our procedure to some representative dead-load boundary value problems for Mooney–Rivlin elastic solids and discuss its effectiveness and handiness for applications by comparing our results to other estimates.
Men, Masculinities, and the Demise of a State
Authors: Hollander Theo
Published: August 2014

This article explains why Connell’s classification of masculinities is inadequate for the analysis of clear crisis situations. Based on a study in a small town in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the author found two ways in which men renegotiated their masculinities after the war broke out and closure of a sugarcane factory caused 3,000 people to lose their jobs. Some men adopted a victim identity; they placed the blame of their situation outside themselves, and became idle, aggressive, suspicious toward others and nonself-reflective. Other men renegotiated their masculinities and accepted a lower status within the family and society. The latter renegotiation was more conducive for the survival of individuals and families; it decreased sexual and gender-based violence and increased gender equality and general levels of cooperative behavior. Examining men in terms of “victimized” and “effaced” masculinities increases our understanding of how men respond differently to emasculation and it can also inform humanitarian and developmental responses.