bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oxygen-enhanced MRI Is Feasible, Repeatable, and Detects Radiotherapy-induced Change in Hypoxia in Xenograft Models and in Patients with Non–small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Salem Ahmed , Little Ross A. , Latif Ayşe , Featherstone Adam K. , Babur Muhammad , Peset Isabel , Cheung Susan , Watson Yvonne , Tessyman Victoria , Mistry Hitesh , Ashton Garry , Behan Caron , Matthews Julian C. , Asselin Marie-Claude , Bristow Robert G. , Jackson Alan , Parker Geoff J.M. , Faivre-Finn Corinne , Williams Kaye J. , O'Connor James P.B.
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

Hypoxia is associated with poor prognosis and is predictive of poor response to cancer treatments, including radiotherapy. Developing noninvasive biomarkers that both detect hypoxia prior to treatment and track change in tumor hypoxia following treatment is required urgently.

Experimental Design:

We evaluated the ability of oxygen-enhanced MRI (OE-MRI) to map and quantify therapy-induced changes in tumor hypoxia by measuring oxygen-refractory signals in perfused tissue (perfused Oxy-R). Clinical first-in-human study in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was performed alongside preclinical experiments in two xenograft tumors (Calu6 NSCLC model and U87 glioma model).

Results:

MRI perfused Oxy-R tumor fraction measurement of hypoxia was validated with ex vivo tissue pathology in both xenograft models. Calu6 and U87 experiments showed that MRI perfused Oxy-R tumor volume was reduced relative to control following single fraction 10-Gy radiation and fractionated chemoradiotherapy (P < 0.001) due to both improved perfusion and reduced oxygen consumption rate. Next, evaluation of 23 patients with NSCLC showed that OE-MRI was clinically feasible and that tumor perfused Oxy-R volume is repeatable [interclass correlation coefficient: 0.961 (95% CI, 0.858–0.990); coefficient of variation: 25.880%]. Group-wise perfused Oxy-R volume was reduced at 14 days following start of radiotherapy (P = 0.015). OE-MRI detected between-subject variation in hypoxia modification in both xenograft and patient tumors.

Conclusions:

These findings support applying OE-MRI biomarkers to monitor hypoxia modification, to stratify patients in clinical trials of hypoxia-modifying therapies, to identify patients with hypoxic tumors that may fail treatment with immunotherapy, and to guide adaptive radiotherapy by mapping regional hypoxia.
Expression Analysis and Significance of PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 in Human Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Spatially Resolved and Multiparametric Single-Cell Analysis
Authors: Datar Ila , Sanmamed Miguel F. , Wang Jun , Henick Brian S. , Choi Jungmin , Badri Ti , Dong Weilai , Mani Nikita , Toki Maria , Mejías Luis D. , Lozano Maria D. , Perez-Gracia Jose Luis , Velcheti Vamsidhar , Hellmann Matthew D. , Gainor Justin F. , McEachern Kristen , Jenkins David , Syrigos Konstantinos , Politi Katerina , Gettinger Scott , Rimm David L. , Herbst Roy S. , Melero Ignacio , Chen Lieping , Schalper Kurt A.
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

To determine the tumor tissue/cell distribution, functional associations, and clinical significance of PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 protein expression in human non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Experimental Design:

Using multiplexed quantitative immunofluorescence, we performed localized measurements of CD3, PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 protein in >800 clinically annotated NSCLCs from three independent cohorts represented in tissue microarrays. Associations between the marker's expression and major genomic alterations were studied in The Cancer Genome Atlas NSCLC dataset. Using mass cytometry (CyTOF) analysis of leukocytes collected from 20 resected NSCLCs, we determined the levels, coexpression, and functional profile of PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 expressing immune cells. Finally, we measured the markers in baseline samples from 90 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with PD-1 axis blockers and known response to treatment.

Results:

PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 were detected in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) from 55%, 41.5%, and 25.3% of NSCLC cases, respectively. These markers showed a prominent association with each other and limited association with major clinicopathologic variables and survival in patients not receiving immunotherapy. Expression of the markers was lower in EGFR-mutated adenocarcinomas and displayed limited association with tumor mutational burden. In single-cell CyTOF analysis, PD-1 and LAG-3 were predominantly localized on T-cell subsets/NKT cells, whereas TIM-3 expression was higher in NK cells and macrophages. Coexpression of PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 was associated with prominent T-cell activation (CD69/CD137), effector function (Granzyme-B), and proliferation (Ki-67), but also with elevated levels of proapoptotic markers (FAS/BIM). LAG-3 and TIM-3 were present in TIL subsets lacking PD-1 expression and showed a distinct functional profile. In baseline samples from 90 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with PD-1 axis blockers, elevated LAG-3 was significantly associated with shorter progression-free survival.

Conclusions:

PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 have distinct tissue/cell distribution, functional implications, and genomic correlates in human NSCLC. Expression of these immune inhibitory receptors in TILs is associated with prominent activation, but also with a proapoptotic T-cell phenotype. Elevated LAG-3 expression is associated with insensitivity to PD-1 axis blockade, suggesting independence of these immune evasion pathways.
Prognostic Impact of Left Atrial Function Following Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair
Authors: Ledwoch Jakob , Leidgschwendner Katharina , Fellner Carmen , Poch Felix , Olbrich Ida , Thalmann Ruth , Kossmann Hans , Dommasch Michael , Dirschinger Ralf , Stundl Anja , Laugwitz Karl‐Ludwig , Kupatt Christian , Hoppmann Petra
Published: May 2019

Background

Left atrial (
LA
) function predicts clinical outcome in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. However, limited data are available in the setting of mitral regurgitation. The aim of the present study was to assess potential changes in
LA
ejection fraction (LAEF) and its prognostic value in patients following transcatheter mitral valve repair using the MitraClip.

Methods and Results

A total of 88 consecutive patients undergoing MitraClip implantation with complete echocardiography at baseline and follow‐up between 3 and 6 months postprocedure were enrolled.
LAEF
improved in 58% of the population. Change in
LAEF
was associated with residual mitral regurgitation, residual transmitral gradient and left ventricular ejection fraction changes. Compared with their counterparts, patients with residual mitral regurgitation ≥grade 2 (change in LAEF, −6% [Interquartile [IQR], −9–1%] versus 4% [IQR, −5–15%];
P
=0.05) and with residual transmitral gradient ≥5 mm Hg (change in LAEF, −2% [IQR, −9–9%] versus 5% [IQR, −4–16%];
P
=0.03) showed a decline in
LAEF
, respectively. Furthermore,
LAEF
significantly correlated with changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (
r
=0.40;
P
=0.001). With regards to clinical outcome, heart failure symptoms as assessed by New York Heart Association class were more severe in patients with worsened
LAEF
at follow‐up. Finally,
LAEF
change was identified as an independent predictor of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90–0.98 [
P
=0.008]).

Conclusions

The present analysis showed that changes in
LA
function in patients undergoing MitraClip implantation are associated with important measures including residual mitral regurgitation, elevated transmitral gradient, and left ventricular function. Importantly,
LA
function alterations represent a strong predictor for all‐cause mortality.
Dicranomyia crane flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) of Korea
Authors: PODENAS SIGITAS , SEO HONG YUL , KIM TAEWOO , HUR JUN MI , KIM A YOUNG , KLEIN TERRY A. , KIM HEUNG CHUL , KANG TAE HWA , AUKŠTIKALNIENĖ RASA
Published: May 2019

A total of 38 Korean species of crane flies belonging to the genus Dicranomyia Stephens, 1829 (Diptera: Limoniidae: Limoniinae) are taxonomically revised. No species of Dicranomyia were previously reported from South Korea, and only twelve species were reported from North Korea. New records of Dicranomyia from the Korean Peninsula include: D. (Dicranomyia) depauperata Alexander, 1918, D. (D.) distendens pallida Savchenko, 1983, D. (D.) handlirschi handlirschi Lackschewitz, 1928, D. (D.) hyalinata (Zetterstedt, 1851), D. (D.) kandybinae Savchenko, 1987, D. (D.) longipennis (Schummel, 1829), D. (D.) mesosternatoides Alexander, 1924, D. (D.) modesta (Meigen, 1818), D. (D.) pammelas Alexander, 1925, D. (D.) poli (Alexander, 1941), D. (D.) sera (Walker, 1848), D. (D.) shinanoensis (Alexander, 1933), D. (D.) takeuchii Alexander, 1922, D. (D.) unispinosa Alexander, 1921, D. (Erostrata) globithorax Osten Sacken, 1869, D. (E.) globulithorax Alexander, 1924, D. (E.) yazuensis Kato et al., 2018, D. (Glochina) basifusca Alexander, 1919, D. (Melanolimonia) paramorio platysoma (Alexander, 1933), D. (Numantia) fusca (Meigen, 1804), D. (Sivalimnobia) euphileta (Alexander, 1924). Species D. (D.) byuni Podenas, sp. nov., D. (D.) cornuta Podenas, sp. nov., D. (D.) jirisana Podenas, sp. nov., D. (D.) petrasiuni Podenas, sp. nov., and D. (D.) yankovskyi Podenas, sp. nov. are described. An additional ten new records are reported from North Korea, bringing the total number of Dicranomyia species known from North Korea to 22 species. South Korea has a greater diversity of Dicranomyia with total number of 30 species.        D. (D.) amurensis Alexander, 1925 is synonymised with D. (D.) hyalinata (Zetterstedt, 1851). An illustrated key with redescriptions and photographs of all species and both sexes of adults collected in Korea are presented. Most females are illustrated or described for the first time. Elevation range, period of activity, habitat information, general distribution and a distribution map in Korean Peninsula is given for each species.
The Limits of Community: Deconstructing the White Framing of Racist Speech in Universities
Authors: Moore Wendy Leo , Bell Joyce M.
Published: May 2019

This article identifies the dominant frame through which university administrators in the United States respond to racist incidents and analyzes that from using the lens of critical race theory (CRT). We argue that the stock response of college and university administrators, which calls for counterspeech as the only appropriate response to racist speech, fails to consider the harmful effects of racist speech on students, staff, and faculty of color. Furthermore, this abstract-liberalist, color-blind approach decontextualizes racist speech from the historical and contemporary reality of structural racism that informs the speech acts and symbols used in these displays. We further use the CRT approach by shifting the perspective from a unilateral focus on protecting the right to racist speech to explore what happens when analysts focus instead on protecting substantively equal access for community members of color. In so doing, we highlight the value of CRT for revealing how white racial framing obscures competing legal and policy norms.
Taiwan–ASEAN Trade Relations: Trade Structure and Trade in Value Added
Authors: Hoan Truong Quang , Chung Dong Van , Hoang Nguyen Huy
Published: May 2019

How has the Taiwan–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade evolved without having official diplomatic relations? Using several international commodity classification systems and trade pattern indices, we argue that despite political constraints, Taiwan–ASEAN trade has rapidly expanded with a significant concentration on manufacturing and intermediate goods, embodied with high-technological content. Also, by employing the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) database on trade in value added (TiVA), we assess that Taiwan and ASEAN have become important partners in terms of trade in value addition. Nevertheless, Taiwan is seemingly lagging behind Northeast Asian economies in strengthening linkages with ASEAN over regional production networks and TiVA. This possibly results from the absence of a bilateral preferential trade agreement between Taiwan and ASEAN so far. Given the low possibility of reaching such an agreement in the near future, it is suggested that Taiwan and ASEAN should employ dynamic approaches to reap greater bilateral trade expansion and other economic benefits.
Rising Powers and International Organisations: The Case of China’s Counter-terrorism Strategy at the United Nations
Authors: Chandra Vikash
Published: May 2019

This article illustrates China’s counter-terrorism strategy at the United Nations (UN), analyses its cornerstones and underscores changing patterns. On this basis, it also seeks to make some broader observations about how rising powers behave in international organisations and to highlight their attitudes towards the liberal international order. It considers Chinese positions in the debates in the General Assembly (1972–2018), its Sixth Committee and the Security Council (since the early 1990s) and identifies four pillars of China’s counter-terrorism strategy. These include norm entrepreneurship, diplomatic measures, promotion of international cooperation and domestic measures to fulfil obligations emanating from UN resolutions, conventions and declarations. It shows how China has shaped the discourse on terrorism at the UN and how its counter-terror narratives and advocacy have been and are being shaped by the discourse among states and competing blocs like the Organization of Islamic Conference over this period. It concludes with the observation that, despite changes in its strategy in recent years, the defining principles of China’s counter-terrorism strategy, such as respect for state sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, have not eroded. Changes like accepting that the UN must play a ‘central coordination role’ in international counter-terrorism should be regarded as a further extension of China’s zeal to maintain the international order because the UN is a defining pillar of the present international order.
The Political Status of Tibet During the Ming Dynasty: An Analysis of Some Historical Evidence
Authors: Lau Hon-Shiang
Published: May 2019

This study analyses two authoritative texts and a map from the Ming and Qing eras to examine the political relationship between China and Tibet in the Ming period. It finds that in these documents Tibet was not classified as being a part of the realm governed by the Ming Empire. This casts doubt on the claim advanced by the People’s Republic of China that Tibet has been a part of China ‘since antiquity’. An important conclusion of this study is that, when taking recourse to historical texts to justify or refute territorial claims, the structure and content of the text as a whole, and not just isolated phrases or formulations, should be taken into account.
New Developments in Factor Score Regression: Fit Indices and a Model Comparison Test
Authors: Devlieger Ines , Talloen Wouter , Rosseel Yves
Published: May 2019

Factor score regression (FSR) is a popular alternative for structural equation modeling. Naively applying FSR induces bias for the estimators of the regression coefficients. Croon proposed a method to correct for this bias. Next to estimating effects without bias, interest often lies in inference of regression coefficients or in the fit of the model. In this article, we propose fit indices for FSR that can be used to inspect the model fit. We also introduce a model comparison test based on one of these newly proposed fit indices that can be used for inference of the estimators on the regression coefficients. In a simulation study we compare FSR with Croon’s corrections and structural equation modeling in terms of bias of the regression coefficients, Type I error rate and power.
Tensile behaviour of hybrid fibre architectures of randomly oriented strands combined with laminate groups
Authors: Visweswaraiah Swaroop B , Lessard Larry , Hubert Pascal
Published: May 2019

In this work, the tensile behaviour of co-moulded hybrid fibre architectures of randomly oriented strands (carbon/PEEK) combined with laminate groups (cross-ply, angle-ply and quasi-isotropic) is studied. The effects of varying the thickness of the laminate group relative to that of randomly oriented strands, stacking sequence of the architectures within a hybrid specimen, and the ply stacking sequences within the laminate group are quantified. Processing benefits of hybridization such as reduction in warpage and strand waviness are discussed. The tensile behaviour of hybrid fibre architectures is quantified and compared with that of randomly oriented strand specimens, base laminate groups and aluminum 7075. In addition, tensile failure modes have been investigated. Significant improvements in the mechanical properties of randomly oriented strands are observed with small proportions of laminate groups in the specimen. In addition, hybrid fibre architectures exhibit a positive synergy or a positive deviation from the rule-of-mixtures in the overall stiffness and strength behaviour when stacked in specific configurations, despite the same fundamental fibre type and matrix system.
An experimental characterization of wrinkling generated during prepreg autoclave manufacturing using caul plates
Authors: Weber Tobias A , Englhard Markus , Arent Jan-Christoph , Hausmann Joachim
Published: May 2019

Out-of-plane ply wrinkling is a major quality issue for carbon fiber reinforced prepreg parts. Its triggers are numerous and not every influencing parameter is fully understood, yet. The research presented in this paper aims at providing a better insight into ply wrinkling generated during autoclave compaction using caul plates. A detailed description of the experimental set-up and the applied methodology is provided. Statistical analyses of varying influencing factors such as part thickness, geometry, tool–part interaction, and laminate lay-up are presented. This, in turn, generates a better understanding of their impact on fiber wrinkling risk and size. Part geometry and compaction deformation show the most significant influence on wrinkle size. However, for the given manufacturing concept, tool–part interaction also plays a significant role. It influences both the dimension and location of the wrinkles, as well as the existence and size of a critical flange length of the part. A noteworthy effect on wrinkle generation and size can also be observed when adding unidirectional plies to an otherwise fabric laminate.
Nobel Prize Speech
Authors: Solzhenitsyn Alexander
Published: May 2019

In October 1970 Alexander Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. This award was not welcomed by the Soviet government, however, and Solzhenitsyn declined to attend the prize-giving ceremony in December 1970 for fear of not being allowed to return to the Soviet Union.

Subsequently, Solzhenitsyn tried to arrange for a private ceremony in Moscow where the prize could be handed over to him, but this in turn was prevented when the Soviet authorities refused to issue the Secretary of the Nobel Foundation, Dr Karl Ragnar Gierow, with a visa to travel to Moscow.

Meanwhile, Solzhenitsyn had composed his Nobel Prize address, which was a condition of receiving the prize, and would in normal circumstances have delivered it personally in Stockholm or at the private ceremony in Moscow. When neither of these courses of action proved possible, the text was sent to Stockholm and was published there in September in Swedish, French and Russian in the Nobel Yearbook.

This new translation from the original Russian is exclusive to INDEX and represents the first magazine publication of the full text in English.
Apartheid and ‘The Primary Homeland’
Authors: Gordimer Nadine
Published: May 2019

This is the text of an address given earlier this year in South Africa which illustrates some of the problems connected with the South African government's plans to abolish the right of appeal against decisions brought by the State Publications Control Board.
The Polygamist (extract)
Authors: Sithole Ndabaningi
Published: May 2019

The Revd. Ndabaningi Sithole is leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union and a minister in the American Congregational Church. He joined nationalist politics in Rhodesia in 1960 and in 1964 was sent to prison on a charge of subversion for calling on his supporters to resist UDI with any means at their disposal. After completing his sentence he was sent into detention, but in November 1968 he was re-arrested and in February 1969 sentenced to six years’ hard labour on a charge of plotting to assassinate cabinet ministers of the Rhodesian Front.

The various laws under which the Revd. Sithole has been held prohibit, among other things, the publication in Rhodesia of ‘any information, pictorial or in writing’ about restricted or imprisoned individuals and also prevent any communication between them and members of the public. This means that two earlier books by Sithole, African Nationalism and the novel Obed, may not be circulated in Rhodesia and that this latest work, The Polygamist, will not be published there.

The Polygamist deals with the clash between African and European culture among the Africans in Rhodesia and apparently contains autobiographical elements. It deals with the conflict between an African chieftain — ‘the polygamist’ — and his eldest son, who becomes a christian and shocks his elders by electing to marry only one wife. Interestingly enough, the novel comes down on the side of European culture, but not without a good deal of wry humour expressed at the expense of both sides, as the following extract shows.
Problems of Intellectual Freedom in France
Authors: Errera Roger
Published: May 2019

This article is part of a report on the state of cultural and intellectual freedom in France based upon the replies to a questionnaire prepared last year by the International Association for Cultural Freedom.
Data-Driven Methodology for Prioritizing Traffic Signal Retiming Operations
Authors: Dunn Michael R. , Ross Heidi Westerfield , Baumanis Carolina , Wall Jared , Lammert Jonathan , Duthie Jen , Ruiz Juri Natalia , Machemehl Randy B.
Published: May 2019

Signal retiming is one of the chief responsibilities of municipal transportation agencies, and is an important means of reducing congestion and improving transportation quality and reliability. Many agencies conduct signal retiming and adjustment in a schedule-based manner. However, leveraging a data-driven, need-based approach to signal retiming to prioritize operations could better optimize use of agency resources. Additionally, the growing availability of probe vehicle data has made it an increasingly popular tool for use in roadway performance measurement. This paper presents a methodology for using segment-level probe-based speed data to rank the performance of traffic signal corridors for retiming purposes. This methodology is then demonstrated in an analysis of 79 traffic signal corridors maintained by the City of Austin, Texas. The analysis considers 15-minute speed records for all weekdays in September 2016 and September 2017 to compute metrics and rank corridors based on their relative performance across time periods. The results show that the ranking methodology compares corridors equitably despite differences in road length, functional class, and traffic signal density. Additionally, the results indicate that the corridors prioritized by the ranking methodology represent a much greater potential for improving travel time than the corridors selected under the schedule-based approach.
Determination of the effective thermoelastic properties of cork-based agglomerates
Authors: Delucia Marco , Catapano Anita , Montemurro Marco , Pailhès Jérôme
Published: May 2019

In this paper, a general numerical homogenisation scheme coupled with an efficient modelling strategy for predicting the effective thermoelastic properties of cork-based agglomerates is presented. In order to generate a realistic representation of the geometry and distribution of particles for the representative volume element of the agglomerate at the mesoscopic scale, a general parametric model based on the Voronoi’s tesselation has been developed. However, the classical algorithm for Voronoi’s tesselation has been enhanced by adding a full parametrisation of the representative volume element. The grains composing the representative volume element are generated by considering the full set of design variables involved at this scale, i.e. the material properties of the constitutive phases (grains and matrix) and the main geometric parameters related to the grain (volume fraction, average diameter, geometric and material orientations). Numerical results show that the macroscopic effective thermoelastic properties of the cork-based agglomerate are strongly affected by the previous parameters in perfect agreement with experimental results available in literature.
Police, Public, and Arrestee Perceptions of Body-Worn Video: A Single Jurisdictional Multiple-Perspective Analysis
Authors: Clare Joseph , Henstock Darren , McComb Christine , Newland Roy , Barnes Geoffrey C. , Lee Murray , Taylor Emmeline
Published: May 2019

This article analyzes police, public, and arrestee survey responses from a single jurisdiction to give a multiple-perspective insight into the use of body-worn video (BWV) cameras by police. Police attitudinal data were collected from before ( n = 190), during ( n = 139), and at the conclusion ( n = 221) of a BWV implementation trial. Public attitudes were collected at the conclusion of the BWV implementation trial via online survey ( n = 995 respondents) and intercept survey ( n = 428 respondents). Arrestee attitudes ( n = 302) were collected for detainees in police custody over a 6-month period immediately preceding the BWV trial. Results showed (a) all three perspectives were supportive of the use of BWV, (b) the extent to which police felt BWV influenced their behavior tempered during the trial, (c) the public who had encountered BWV-wearing officers and the arrestee sample indicated limited belief that BWV would reduce bad behavior, and (d) there was clear contention about the policy and practice decisions around recording. These findings have significance for BWV trials, commenting on the importance of collecting police attitudes at multiple points, separating the attitudes of public who did encounter police-wearing BWV, and data collection/policy for evaluation outcomes.
Familial Intracranial Hypertension in 2 Brothers With PTEN Mutation: Expansion of the Phenotypic Spectrum
Authors: Hady-Cohen Ronen , Maharshak Idit , Michelson Marina , Yosovich Keren , Lev Dorit , Constantini Shlomi , Leiba Hana , Lerman-Sagie Tally , Blumkin Lubov
Published: May 2019

PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog on chromosome TEN) encodes a vastly expressed tumor suppressor protein that antagonizes the PI3 K signaling pathway and alters the MTOR pathway. Mutations in PTEN have been described in association with a number of syndromes including PTEN hamartoma-tumor syndrome, macrocephaly/autism, and juvenile polyposis of infancy. Although there is a wide variability in the clinical and radiologic presentations of PTEN-related phenotypes, the most consistent features include macrocephaly and increased tumorigenesis. Intracranial hypertension may be idiopathic or secondary to multiple etiologies. We describe 2 siblings harboring a PTEN mutation who presented with macrocephaly and intracranial hypertension. Repeat brain MRIs were normal in both. Acetazolamide treatment normalized intracranial pressure, but several trials of medication tapering led to recurrence of intracranial hypertension symptoms. The clinical presentation of our patients expands the PTEN-related phenotypes. We discuss the possible pathophysiology in view of PTEN function.
Dopamine-assisted immobilization of peptide arginine–glycine–aspartic acid to enhance the cellular performances of MC3T3-E1 cells of carbon–carbon composites
Authors: Yang Xiaoling , Liu Xue , Wu Qianqian , Lv Xu , Li Bo , Sun Hongzhe , Xu Wenfeng , Liao Xiaoling
Published: May 2019

Due to their excellent biocompatibility and suitable elastic modulus, carbon–carbon composites have excellent prospects for a wide range of applications such as artificial joints and bone replacements. However, the hydrophobicity and poor bioactivity limit their application in bone repair and substitution. Herein, a two-step surface modification of carbon–carbon composites was proposed to overcome these disadvantages. A polydopamine (PDA) layer was first deposited on the surface of carbon–carbon composites, followed by covalent coupling with arginine–glycine–aspartic acid (RGD) in varying concentrations. The surface-modified materials were characterized using a variety of techniques including water contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and protein adsorption. In addition, the cellular proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) analysis were further tested in vitro. The results indicated that polydopamine and RGD nanoparticles formed on the surface, which significantly enhanced the hydrophilicity following modification. The RGD–PDA-coated carbon–carbon composites exhibited excellent roughness, protein adsorption behavior, and uniform morphology when a concentration of 50 µg/mL RGD was used, unlike blank and polydopamine-modified carbon–carbon composites. The in vitro cell co-culture experiments demonstrated that proliferation and alkaline phosphatase expression in osteoblasts was greatly improved after RGD–PDA coating. The RT-PCR results revealed that the expression of differentiation markers (alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin) in cells on the RGD–PDA-coated carbon–carbon composites was higher than that on the blank and polydopamine-modified carbon–carbon composites, indicating that the RGD–PDA coating could support cell proliferation and promote osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. In particular, the cells cultured on this material grew linearly along the morphological features of the material, which was effective for the subsequent regulation of cell growth. Our study suggested that the RGD–PDA coating was an effective method of enhancing the hydrophobicity and the cellular bioactivity of carbon–carbon composites, thus extending applications of carbon–carbon composites to the bone repair field.
Confounding, Mediation, or Independent Effect? Childhood Psychological Abuse, Mental Health, Mood/Psychological State, COPD, and Migraine
Authors: Sheikh Mashhood Ahmed
Published: May 2019

In some settings, it may be difficult to differentiate between a confounder and a mediator. For instance, the observed association of self-reported childhood psychological abuse (CPA) with onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and migraine may be confounded by current mood/psychological state (e.g., the subjective evaluation of one’s own affective state), as well as mediated by an individual’s psychopathological symptoms. In this study, we propose the “independence hypothesis,” which could prove meaningful to explore in data that lack prospective or objective indices of CPA. We used cross-sectional data from wave VI (2007-2008) of the Tromsø Study, Norway ( N = 12,981). The associations between CPA and COPD and migraine were assessed with Poisson regression models. CPA was associated with a 46% increased risk of COPD (relative risk [RR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.02, 1.90]) and a 28% increased risk of migraine in adulthood (RR = 1.28, 95% CI: [1.04, 1.53]), independent of age, sex, parental history of psychiatric problems/asthma/dementia, smoking, respondent’s mood/psychological state, and mental health. These findings suggest that the association between retrospectively reported CPA and COPD and migraine is not driven entirely by respondent’s mood/psychological state and mental health. Assessing the independent effect of self-reported CPA on COPD and migraine in retrospective studies may prove more meaningful than exploring the mediating role of mental health. Here, we provide the analytical rationale for assessing the independent effect in settings where it is difficult to differentiate between a confounder and a mediator. Moreover, we provide a theoretical rationale for assessing the independent effect of retrospectively reported childhood adversity on health and well-being.
Bounded Blame: The Effects of Victim–Perpetrator Relationship and Victimization History on Judgments of Sexual Violence
Authors: Catlin Mary , Scherr Kyle C. , Barlett Christopher P. , Jacobs Erin , Normile Christopher J.
Published: May 2019

Individuals often tend to irrationally blame victims for their plight. This research incorporated a bounded rationality framework to examine first-person perspectives (rather than third-person) of both victims’ and nonvictims’ perceptions and judgments of acquaintance and stranger sexual violence. Upon completing individual difference measures, including a just-world belief assessment, participants ( N = 296) were randomly assigned to read a scenario in which the vignette victim was either acquainted with or had no prior relationship with the perpetrator. Then, taking the perspective of the vignette victim, participants offered four judgments: the likelihood of reporting the crime, self-blame, perceived control, and sympathy expected from others. Results showed that instances of acquaintance sexual violence were judged more negatively than instances of stranger sexual violence. Moreover, participants who had previously experienced sexual violence reported more negative judgments than nonvictims (except for sympathy expected from others). An exploratory path analysis indicated that as nonvictims’, but not victims’, just-world beliefs became stronger, they indicated a higher willingness to report the crime, perceived more control over the situation, and expected more sympathy from others. We end with a discussion of how the present research can advance our understanding of sexual violence by using a bounded rationality framework and discuss the practical implications that the observed effects have for professionals in the legal system, outside observers, and victims themselves.
Breastfeeding Before and After Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report of a Mother With C6 Tetraplegia
Authors: Lee Amanda H. X. , Wen Betty , Hocaloski Shea , Sandholdt Nora , Hultling Claes , Elliott Stacy L. , Krassioukov Andrei V.
Published: May 2019

Introduction:

Although lactation dysfunction and breastfeeding difficulties after spinal cord injury have been previously reported, there is still a lack of research on the specific challenges and aspects that require more support. This unique case of a mother with C6 tetraplegia details her breastfeeding experience before and after spinal cord injury.

Main Issue:

A 23-year-old woman with a 20-month-old daughter sustained a motor and sensory complete traumatic spinal cord injury in a motor-vehicle crash while she was 6 months pregnant with her second child. This resulted in complete absence of sensory function below the level of injury (including the breast) and limited hand function. In comparison with her breastfeeding experience before injury, after injury she experienced decreased milk production, absence of the milk ejection reflex, and impaired ability to pick up, hold, and position her infant.

Management:

Care aides and family members assisted this mother with picking up, positioning, and latching her infant. She also utilized alternative breastfeeding positions, nursing pillows, and wedges. Domperidone was suggested by her physiatrist to increase milk production but ultimately was not used as there were no concerns with her infant’s growth or development.

Conclusion:

Breastfeeding as a recently injured mother while undergoing intensive post-injury rehabilitation was challenging. Her second child developed well and was breastfed for 3 months compared to her first child (9 months). Breastfeeding was possible for this mother after spinal cord injury, in part due to previous experience successfully breastfeeding her first child, assistance from care personnel, and nursing aids.
Social types and sociological analysis
Authors: Turner Charles
Published: May 2019

Social types, or types of persons, occupy a curious place in the history of sociology. There has never been any agreement on how they should be used, or what their import is. Yet the problems surrounding their use are instructive, symptomatic of key ambivalences at the heart of the sociological enterprise. These include a tension between theories of social order that privilege the division of labour and those that focus on large-scale cultural complexes; a tension between the analysis of society in terms of social groups and an acknowledgement of modern individualism; sociology’s location somewhere between literature and science; and sociology’s awkward response to the claim – made by both Catholic conservatives and Marxists – that modern industrial and post-industrial society cannot be a society of estates. These ambivalences may help to explain why the attempts to use social types for the purpose of cultural diagnosis – from the interesting portrait of arbitrarily selected positions in the division of labour to more ambitious guesswork about modern culture’s dominant ‘characters’ – have been unconvincing.
Behind the scenes of the British Library Qatar National Library Partnership: Digital operations and workflow management
Authors: Davies Richard , Alpanis Sotirios
Published: May 2019

The British Library and Qatar National Library have been working in partnership since 2012 to make an extraordinary tranche of material available for everyone to access for free via the Qatar Digital Library. This article delves behind the scenes of the partnership, highlighting some of the operational and workflow lessons learnt when running this major digitisation programme. We look in detail at workflow management and coordination, how to use management information to find efficiencies, as well as providing a supportive team atmosphere for creative use of the collections via ‘Hack Days’.
Stability and Change in Implicit Bias
Authors: Vuletich Heidi A. , Payne B. Keith
Published: May 2019

Can implicit bias be changed? In a recent longitudinal study, Lai and colleagues (2016, Study 2) compared nine interventions intended to reduce racial bias across 18 university campuses. Although all interventions changed participants’ bias on an immediate test, none were effective after a delay. This study has been interpreted as strong evidence that implicit biases are difficult to change. We revisited Lai et al.’s study to test whether the stability observed reflected persistent individual attitudes or stable environments. Our reanalysis ( N = 4,842) indicates that individual biases did not return to preexisting levels. Instead, campus means returned to preexisting campus means, whereas individual scores fluctuated mostly randomly. Campus means were predicted by markers of structural inequality. Our results are consistent with the theory that implicit bias reflects biases in the environment rather than individual dispositions. This conclusion is nearly the opposite of the original interpretation: Although social environments are stable, individual implicit biases are ephemeral.
Transendocardial CD34+ Cell Therapy does not Increase the Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Poglajen Gregor , Zemljič Gregor , Cerar Andraž , Frljak Sabina , Jaklič Martina , Androcec Vesna , Vrtovec Bojan
Published: May 2019

Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) are of major concern in the field of cell therapy, potentially limiting its safety and efficacy. We sought to investigate the effects of CD34+ cell therapy on VA burden in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We performed registry data analysis of patients with CHF and implanted ICD/CRT devices treated with transendocardial CD 34+ cell therapy. Demographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters were analyzed. Device records were reviewed and the number and type of VA 1 year prior to and 1 year after cell therapy were analyzed. All patients underwent electroanatomical mapping, and myocardial scar was defined as unipolar voltage (UV) <8.3 mV and linear local shortening (LLS) <6%. Of 209 patients screened, 48 met inclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients was 52 years and 88% were male. Nonischemic and ischemic cardiomyopathy were present in 55% and 45% of patients. The average serum creatinine was 91±26 µmol/L, serum bilirubin 18±9 µmol/L, NT-proBNP 1767 (468, 2446) pg/mL, LVEF 27±9% and 6’ walk test 442±123 m. The average scar burden in patients with nonischemic and ischemic DCM was 58±15% and 51±25% (P=0.48). No significant difference in VA burden was observed before and after cell therapy (48% vs. 44%; P=0.68). ICD activation occurred in 19% and 27% of patients before and after cell therapy (P=0.33). According to our results, transendocardial CD34+ cell therapy does not appear to increase the risk of VA in chronic heart failure patients.
Caregivers’ perception of women’s dignity in the delivery room: A qualitative study
Authors: Mohammadi Fateme , Tabatabaei Hadise sadate , Mozafari Farzaneh , Gillespie Mark
Published: May 2019

Introduction:

Dignified care is one of the moral responsibilities of professional caregivers. However, in many cases the dignity of hospitalized patients, especially women in the delivery room, is not maintained. Dignity is an abstract concept and there has been no previous research exploring the dignity of pregnant women in the delivery room in Iran.

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to define and explain the concept of dignity for pregnant women in the delivery room from the perspectives of professional caregivers.

Research design:

This is qualitative research. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured individual interviews. The conventional content analysis method was used to analyze the data. In qualitative content analysis, participant narrative is examined in-depth and sorted into categories and themes.

Participants and research context:

Potential participants who met the entrance criteria for this study were approached between July 2016 and February 2017. In all, 20 professional caregivers working in the delivery room setting within Iranian general hospitals were invited to participate in the study. The sampling was done through targeted sampling until saturation was achieved.

Ethical considerations:

The research ethics committee of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences has approved the study’s protocol and all commonly recognized ethical principles were followed throughout the study.

Findings:

The findings of this study were presented in three main themes, including “privacy,” “respecting patients’ preferences,” and “comprehensive attention” and eight categories.

Discussions and conclusion:

Women in the delivery room need to be taken care of in an environment where healthcare staff promote the preservation of dignity through maintaining privacy, by providing attentive care and through ensuring that patient preferences regarding care and treatment are respected. In such an environment, the dignity of these women would be maintained and desirable outcomes achieved.
Sensitive detection of porcine circovirus 3 by droplet digital PCR
Authors: Liu Yuqi , Meng Hecheng , Shi Lei , Li Lili
Published: May 2019

Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) is a newly emerging virus that poses a potential threat to the swine industry. We developed a sensitive assay utilizing droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to detect PCV-3. Specificity of the assay was confirmed by the failure of amplification of DNA of other relevant viruses. The detection limit for ddPCR was 1 copy/μL, 10 times greater sensitivity than TaqMan real-time PCR (rtPCR). Both methods showed a high degree of linearity, although TaqMan rtPCR showed less sensitivity than ddPCR for clinical detection. Our findings indicate that ddPCR might offer faster and improved analytical sensitivity for PCV-3 detection.
Personal Responsibility in Health and Health Care: Luck Egalitarianism as a Plausible and Flexible Approach to Health
Authors: Albertsen Andreas
Published: May 2019

Allocating health care resources based on personal responsibility is a prominent and controversial idea. This article assesses the plausibility of such measures through the lens of luck egalitarianism, a prominent responsibility-sensitive theory of distributive justice. This article presents a framework of luck egalitarianism in health, which integrates other concerns of justice than health, is pluralist, and is compatible with a wide range of measures for giving lower priority to those deemed responsible. Applying this framework to oral health, the allocation of livers among potential transplant recipients and travel insurance demonstrates that this version of luck egalitarianism is a much more attractive and flexible theory than much of the contemporary discussion allows. This also pertains to its ability to provide plausible answers to two prominent critiques of harshness and intrusiveness. The discussion also shows that the luck egalitarian commitment to eliminating the influence of luck on people’s lives is likely to require substantial redistribution.
MiR-942-3p Promotes the Proliferation and Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Targeting MBL2
Authors: Xu Chun-Yang , Dong Jun-Feng , Chen Zi-Qi , Ding Guo-Shan , Fu Zhi-Ren
Published: May 2019

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a subgroup of small noncoding RNAs, play critical roles in tumor growth and metastasis. Accumulating evidence shows that the dysregulation of miRNAs is associated with the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular mechanism by which miR-942-3p contributes to HCC remains undocumented. The association between miR-942-3p expression and the clinicopathological characteristics in HCC patients was analyzed by The Cancer Genome Atlas data set. The targets of miR-942-3p were identified by bioinformatic analysis and dual luciferase report assay. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and Transwell assays were performed to assess the functional role of miR-942-3p in HCC cells. Consequently, we found that miR-942-3p expression level was elevated in HCC tissues and cell lines as compared with the normal tissues and was associated with the pathological stage and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, acting as an independent prognostic factor of poor survival in patients with HCC. Ectopic expression of miR-942-3p enhanced the proliferation and invasive potential of HCC cells, but inhibition of miR-942-3p expression had the opposite effects. Mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) was further identified as a direct target of miR-942-3p and possessed a negative correlation with miR-942-3p expression and unfavorable survival in patients with HCC. Restoration of MBL2 inhibited the progression of HCC cells and attenuated the tumor-promoting effects induced by miR-942-3p. In conclusion, miR-942-3p may act as an oncogenic factor in HCC cells by targeting MBL2 and provide a potential marker for patients with HCC.