bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subjective Numeracy and the Influence of Order and Amount of Audible Information on Perceived Medication Value
Authors: Fraenkel Liana , Stolar Marilyn , Swift Sarah , Street Richard L. , Chowdhary Harjinder , Peters Ellen
Published: May 2016

Background. Order and amount of information influence patients’ risk perceptions, but most studies have evaluated patients’ reactions to written materials. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of 4 communication strategies, varying in their order and/or amount of information, on judgments related to an audible description of a new medication and among patients who varied in subjective numeracy. Methods. We created 5 versions of a hypothetical scenario describing a new medication. The versions were composed to elucidate whether order and/or amount of the information describing benefits and adverse events influenced how subjects valued a new medication. After listening to a randomly assigned version, perceived medication value was measured by asking subjects to choose one of the following statements: the risks outweigh the benefits, the risks and benefits are equally balanced, or the benefits outweigh the risks. Results. Of the 432 patients contacted, 389 participated in the study. Listening to a brief description of benefits followed by an extended description of adverse events resulted in a greater likelihood of perceiving that the medication’s benefits outweighed the risks compared with 1) presenting the extended adverse events description before the benefits, 2) giving a greater amount of information related to benefits, and 3) sandwiching the adverse events between benefits. These associations were only observed among subjects with average or higher subjective numeracy. Conclusion. If confirmed in future studies, our results suggest that, for patients with average or better subjective numeracy, perceived medication value is highest when a brief presentation of benefits is followed by an extended description of adverse events.
Daydreams and the True Self
Authors: Williams Honey , Vess Matthew
Published: May 2016

The feeling of knowing and expressing one’s true self (i.e., authenticity) is a critical component of well-being. This research examined how patterns of inner mental experience, or daydreaming styles, relate to differences in authenticity. In two online studies, participants completed a series of personality measures, including measures of daydreaming styles and authenticity. Study 1 ( N = 201) and Study 2 ( N = 203) generally supported our hypotheses. Positive constructive daydreaming predicted greater feelings of authentic living and lower feelings of true self-alienation, and guilty/fear-of-failure daydreaming predicted lower levels of authentic living and greater feelings of both true self-alienation and acceptance of external influence. Moreover, we found that poor attentional control was a consistent positive predictor of true self-alienation and a weak predictor of acceptance of external influence. These findings offer novel insight into how daydreaming relates to people’s subjective sense of knowing and being who they truly are.
Coblation tonsillectomy under surgical microscopy: A retrospective study
Authors: Pang Yufeng , Gong Jingrong , Huang Juan , He Shuangzhu , Zhou Hong
Published: May 2016

Objective

A retrospective study to compare surgical parameters and postoperative pain in patients undergoing coblation tonsillectomy with or without microscopic guidance.

Methods

Data regarding duration of surgery and hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, incidence of haemorrhage and postoperative pain scores were retrieved from the medical records of adult patients undergoing coblation tonsillectomy under direct vision or with microscopic guidance.

Results

The incidence of secondary haemorrhage (>24 h postoperatively) was significantly lower and the duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the microscope group ( n = 92) than the direct vision group ( n = 76). Pain scores both at rest and while swallowing reached ≤3 (no significant impact on quality-of-life) significantly faster in the microscope group than the direct vision group.

Conclusions

Microscope-assisted coblation tonsillectomy decreases the duration of hospital stay and the incidence of postoperative secondary haemorrhage, and results in an early improvement in postoperative pain scores.
Woodland neglect as social practice
Authors: Dandy Norman
Published: May 2016

The ‘under-management’ of forests is a long-standing challenge for forest policy in Europe and North America. In policy and research arenas it is most frequently explained via reference to individual land-managers’ decisions made on the basis of calculations of economic cost and benefit: a manifestation of the ‘attitudes’, ‘behaviour’, ‘choice’ paradigm. This paper seeks to challenge this analytic perspective by considering ‘under-management’ through the theoretical lens of social practice theory. Drawing on extensive qualitative data from the UK, it describes a deep-rooted practice of woodland neglect that is apparent in the ways land-managers understand woodlands, interact mentally and physically with them, and in the technology associated with them. The emergence of the UK’s woodfuel sector is used as an opportunity to consider management change from the perspective of practice. The paper finishes by considering the implications of a practice of woodland neglect for theory and forest policy, noting the importance of social and technical innovation for practice change.
Platelet-Rich Plasma in a Murine Model
Authors: Denapoli Priscila Martins Andrade , Stilhano Roberta Sessa , Ingham Sheila Jean McNeill , Han Sang Won , Abdalla Rene Jorge
Published: May 2016

Background:

It is well known that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations are not the same and that not all preparations include white blood cells, but the part that leukocytes play on the healing role of PRP is still unknown.

Purpose:

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of leukocytes in different PRP preparations with a special emphasis on growth factor concentrations. The secondary aim was to evaluate the influence of PRP on muscle healing.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Two PRP preparation procedures were evaluated. Blood fractions were stained with Rapid Panoptic, and growth factors (transforming growth factor beta 1 [TGF-β1], vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], insulin-like growth factor [IGF], epidermal growth factor [EGF], hepatocyte growth factor [HGF], and platelet-derived growth factor [PDGF]) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blotting analysis was performed for Fms-related tyrosine kinase 1 (Flt-1). A muscle contusion injury was created and treated with PRP at different time points.

Results:

Leukocytes were the main source of VEGF, and all other growth factors measured had a higher concentration in the preparations that included the buffy coat and consequently had a higher concentration of white blood cells. Flt-1 was also found in platelet-poor plasma (PPP). There were higher concentrations of PDGF and HGF in the preparations that encompassed the buffy coat. A PRP injection 7 days after the injury provided significantly increased exercise performance and decreased the fibrotic area when compared with other PRP-treated groups.

Conclusion:

VEGF is only present in PRP′s buffy coat, while Flt-1 is present in PPP. A PRP injection 7 days after an injury resulted in improved exercise performance.

Clinical Relevance:

The presence of Flt-1 in PRP provides yet another explanation for results described in the literature after a PRP injection. This information is relevant for selecting the best PRP for each type of injury.
Willing but Not Able: Patient and Provider Receptiveness to Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Johannesburg Antenatal Clinics
Authors: Hatcher Abigail M. , Woollett Nataly , Pallitto Christina C. , Mokoatle Keneoue , Stöckl Heidi , Garcia-Moreno Claudia
Published: May 2016

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is associated with maternal and infant health. However, in South Africa, where 20% to 35% of pregnant women report experiencing IPV, antenatal care rarely addresses violence. Little research has explored how clinic staff, community members, or pregnant women themselves view IPV. We conducted formative, qualitative research with 48 participants in urban Johannesburg. Focus group discussions with pregnant women ( n = 13) alongside qualitative interviews with health providers ( n = 10), managers and researchers ( n = 10), non-governmental organizations ( n = 6), community leaders ( n = 4), and pregnant abused women ( n = 5) explored the context of IPV and health care response. Data were analyzed using a team approach to thematic coding in NVivo 10. We found that pregnant women in the urban Johannesburg setting experience multiple forms of IPV, but tend not to disclose violence to antenatal care providers. Providers are alert to physical injuries or severe outcomes from IPV, but miss subtler cues, such as emotional distress or signs of poor mental health. Providers are uncertain how to respond to IPV, and noted few existing tools, training, or referral systems. Nevertheless, providers were supportive of addressing IPV, as they noted this as a common condition in this setting. Providers and managers considered the safety and well-being of mother and infant to be a strong rationale for the identification of IPV. Pregnant women were receptive to being asked about violence in a kind and confidential way. Understaffing, insufficient training, and poorly developed referral systems were noted as important health system problems to address in future interventions. South African patients and providers are receptive to the identification of and response to IPV in antenatal care, but require tools and training to be able to safely address violence in the health care setting. Future interventions should consider the urban South African antenatal clinic a supportive, if under-resourced, entry point for improving the health of pregnant women experiencing violence.
Marxism, Postcolonial Theory, and the Specter of Universalism
Authors: Chandra Uday
Published: May 2016

Following recent debates between Vivek Chibber and leading postcolonial theorists, I probe into what is missing in these exchanges. I focus on the figure of the ‘tribal’ in modern India in Ranajit Guha’s Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in Colonial India and Alpa Shah’s In the Shadows of the State, both of which claim to offer emic perspectives on subaltern politics and history. Yet both works, despite their undeniable differences, display a striking universalism that puts them, paradoxically, in the company of Chibber. This universalism, which we may call the resisting subject, is about the Other and about us simultaneously, the former constituted by the latter as an abstract object of analysis and as a key symbol of intellectual vanguardism. Are we not better off abandoning such universalisms and searching for ways in which Marxist theories of culture can be melded with postcolonial theories of capitalism?
Air recovery assessment on high-pressure pneumatic systems
Authors: Trujillo José A , Gámez-Montero Pedro J , Codina Macià Esteban
Published: May 2016

A computational simulation and experimental work of the fluid flow through the pneumatic circuit used in a stretch blow moulding machine is presented in this paper. The computer code is built around a zero-dimensional thermodynamic model for the air blowing and recycling containers together with a non-linear time-variant deterministic model for the pneumatic three stations single acting valve manifold, which, in turn, is linked to a quasi-one-dimensional unsteady flow model for the interconnecting pipes. The flow through the pipes accounts for viscous friction, heat transfer, cross-sectional area variation, and entropy variation. Two different solving methods are applied: the method of characteristics and the Harten-Lax-Van Leer (HLL) Riemann first-order scheme. The numerical model allows prediction of the air blowing process and, more significantly, permits determination of the recycling rate at each operating cycle. A simplified experimental set-up of the industrial process was designed, and the pressure and temperature were adequately monitored. Predictions of the blowing process for various configurations proved to be in good agreement with the measured results. In addition, a novel design of a valve manifold intended for the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle manufacturing industry is also presented.
Quantification of 2-methylcitric acid in dried blood spots improves newborn screening for propionic and methylmalonic acidemias
Authors: Al-Dirbashi Osama Y , McIntosh Nathan , Chakraborty Pranesh
Published: May 2016

Background

Newborn screening for propionic acidemia and methylmalonic acidurias using the marker propionylcarnitine (C3) is neither sensitive nor specific. Using C3 to acetylcarnitine (C3/C2) ratio, together with conservative C3 cut-offs, can improve screening sensitivity, but the false positive rate remains high. Incorporating the marker 2-methylcitric acid has been suggested, to improve the positive predictive value for these disorders without compromising the sensitivity.

Methods

Between July 2011 and December 2012 at the Newborn Screening Ontario laboratory, all neonatal dried blood spot samples that were reported as screen positive for propionic acidemia or methylmalonic acidurias based on elevated C3 and C3/C2 ratio were analyzed for 2-methylcitric acid, using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results

Of 222,420 samples screened, 103 were positive for methylmalonic acidurias or propionic acidemia using C3 and C3/C2 ratio as markers. There were nine true positives: propionic acidemia (n = 3), Cobalamin (Cbl) A (n=1), and Cbl C (n = 5). Among false positives there were 72 neonates not affected, 20 with maternal B12 deficiency, and two incidental finding (transcobalamin II and unclassified Cbl defect). 2-Methylcitric acid was analyzed in all 103 samples and ranged between 0.1 and 89.4 µmol/l (reference range 0.04–0.36). Only 14 samples exceeded the set 2-methylcitric acid cut-off of 1.0 µmol/l, including the samples from all nine true positives.

Conclusion

By including 2-methylcitric acid in the screening algorithm, the positive predictive value of our primary and secondary screening targets improved from 8.7 to 64.3%. This would have eliminated 89 unnecessary referrals while maintaining 100% sensitivity.
‘The secret garden’: Artists, bohemia and gentrification in the Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Authors: Whiting James , Hannam Kevin
Published: May 2016

Research has pointed to the importance of artists in the early stages of gentrification; however, few studies have examined specifically the meaning of gentrification and place-change from the perspective of artists themselves, and few studies have investigated the role of ‘creative city’ policies as unintended drivers of gentrification processes. This study generates insights into artists’ own views of gentrification processes within the gentrifying bohemia of the Ouseburn Valley in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. We stress that gentrification in this area cannot solely be understood as a process of displacement, but is also clearly linked to the growth of modes of regulation and commercialisation within social space. Increasing regulation, brought about by greater local state focus on ‘creative districts’, has impacted the Valley. Alongside this, projects of property development as well as a general growth in the popularity of the Valley as a nightlife consumption district and area of production for commercially-orientated creative class workers have challenged artists’ values of the area as a ‘secret garden’ where romantically inflected values of self-expression, autonomy, spontaneity and non-instrumental artist cooperation can be found.
Contentious (Socio-spatial) Relations: Tawaifs and Congress House in Contemporary Bombay/Mumbai
Authors: Thatra Geeta
Published: May 2016

This article explores the lives of tawaifs, baijis or courtesans (the terms used interchangeably) in a contentious space marked by the location of Congress House in Bombay/Mumbai through the 20th century. The tawaifs’ kothas are interestingly in the vicinity of Congress House, which was the hub of the Indian nationalist struggle from the 1930s onwards, the two sites coming into existence almost simultaneously and coexisting for many decades as this article demonstrates. However, there were various efforts during the last decades of 20th century to remove the presence of tawaifs from this neighbourhood, through the heightened interest of real-estate players in urban gentrification, and increased surveillance by the police and the citizens’ forum. Given this contemporary situation, the attempt of this article is (i) to historicise the performance of mujra in Bombay and explore the contribution of courtesans to the enrichment of Hindustani ‘classical’ music and (ii) to spatialise the presence of tawaifs in the nationalist hub of Bombay and reflect on the politics of their economic and cultural deprivation. This article, thus, reflects on the contested meanings of the space inhabited by the courtesans with its continued devaluing, disciplining and restructuring as well as the increased stigmatisation, criminalisation and marginalisation of the women. It also reads into newer modalities of regulation and the hegemonic processes of urban renewal.
Book Review: U.R. Rao, Inside the ISRO: Narrating the Indian Space Odyssey
Authors: Set Shounak
Published: May 2016

U.R. Rao, Inside the ISRO: Narrating the Indian Space Odyssey. Delhi: Foundation Books, 2014, pp. 230, ₹695. ISBN: 9789382993483
Book Review: Shebonti Ray Dadwal and Uttam Kumar Sinha (Eds), Non-Traditional Security Challenges in Asia: Approaches and Responses
Authors: Tiwary Smita
Published: May 2016

Shebonti Ray Dadwal and Uttam Kumar Sinha (Eds), Non-Traditional Security Challenges in Asia: Approaches and Responses. New Delhi: Routledge, 2015, pp. 393, ₹ 1295. ISBN: 978-1-138-19119-8
The interplay between law and accounting in the conceptualization of depreciation in Spain (1885–1939)
Authors: Morales-Caparrós María-Jesús , Bentabol-Manzanares Amparo
Published: May 2016

This research studies the emergence of the concept of depreciation in Spain up to 1939, identifying the interplay between law and accounting. We focus our analysis on the hypotheses of both Watts and Zimmermann (1979) and of Napier and Noke (1992). Our intention is to fulfil this dual task of retrieval and reinterpretation of the origins of depreciation in Spain, in order to analyse the concerns over the importance of implementing depreciation policies and the role played by accounting thinkers and legal regulations in the adoption of Spanish accounting depreciation. We find no evidence for the market-for-excuses hypothesis and, in contrast to the conclusions of Watts and Zimmermann (1979), it seems that the change in accounting theory appeared before rather than after changes to the law. This interplay fits with Napier and Noke’s hypothesis of a multidirectional process in which each discipline affects and influences the other.
Adult Pornography and Violence Against Women in the Heartland: Results From a Rural Southeast Ohio Study
Authors: DeKeseredy Walter S. , Hall-Sanchez Amanda
Published: May 2016

Many rural parts of the United States are now “pornified.” There is growing quantitative evidence revealing that rural women are at higher risk of being victimized by intimate violence than their urban and suburban counterparts. In-depth interviews with 55 rural southeast Ohio women who wanted to leave, were trying to leave, or were in the process of leaving, or who have left their male marital/cohabiting partners reveal that pornography is a major component of the problem of rural woman abuse. The main objective of this article is twofold: (a) to present the results of our qualitative study, and (b) to suggest future directions in theoretical and empirical work.
Handbook of bi-dimensional tensors: Part I: Harmonic decomposition and symmetry classes
Authors: Auffray N , Kolev B , Olive M
Published: May 2016

To investigate complex physical phenomena, bi-dimensional models are often an interesting option. It allows spatial couplings to be produced while keeping them as simple as possible. For linear physical laws, constitutive equations involve the use of tensor spaces. As a consequence the different types of anisotropy that can be described are encoded in tensor spaces involved in the model. In the present paper, we solve the general problem of computing symmetry classes of constitutive tensors in [Formula: see text] using mathematical tools coming from representation theory. The power of this method is illustrated through the tensor spaces of Mindlin strain-gradient elasticity.
The shifting landscape of prime ministerial accountability to parliament: An analysis of Liaison Committee scrutiny sessions
Authors: Kelso Alexandra , Bennister Mark , Larkin Phil
Published: May 2016

Prime ministerial power is always contingent, based on the utilisation of personal and institutional resources, subject to various formal and informal constraints. Parliament is both a political resource to be utilised, but also a veto-player. In the absence of formal mechanisms setting out the requirements for the UK prime ministerial accountability to parliament, a fluid and essentially personalised relationship has developed. Regular prime ministerial appearances before the House of Commons Liaison Committee, begun in 2002, have added to parliament’s scrutiny toolkit. This article considers the accountability of the prime minister to parliament by analysing the emergence and development of the Liaison Committee evidence sessions, and draws on interviews with participants and examination of the session transcripts, in order to assess the value of this scrutiny mechanism within the broader framework of prime ministerial-legislative relations.
Peer Mentor Characteristics That Predict Supportive Relationships With First-Year Students: Implications for Peer Mentor Programming and First-Year Student Retention
Authors: Holt Laura J. , Fifer James E.
Published: May 2016

Peer mentoring programs frequently are implemented on college campuses to enhance first-year college student retention; however, few studies have examined characteristics of peer mentors that are associated with more supportive mentor–mentee relationships, leaving college personnel with a limited understanding of how to improve these vital programs. Accordingly, in this prospective study, we examined whether mentors’ attachment style and self-efficacy to mentor predicted peer mentors’ ( n = 76) or mentees’ ( n = 999) ratings of mentor-provided support. Results showed that mentor self-efficacy mediated the relation between an avoidant attachment style and mentor-reported support; that is, peer mentors with a more avoidant attachment style reported lower self-efficacy to mentor and, in turn, endorsed providing lower levels of support for mentees. Mentor–mentee contact, however, was the only predictor of mentees’ ratings of mentor support. Future research should aim to extend these preliminary findings so as to inform the selection, training, and supervision of peer mentors in college settings, with the ultimate goal of enhancing first-year student retention.
Statewide Dissemination of Sesame Street Resources for Families Affected by Incarceration
Authors: Shlafer Rebecca J. , Wanous Amanda A. , Schubert Erin C.
Published: May 2016

The number of children with an incarcerated parent has increased nearly 80% in the past 20 years. Despite the growing need, few educational resources exist to promote the emotional health of young children with incarcerated parents. To address this need, Sesame Street recently released developmentally appropriate, multimedia resources, and piloted the dissemination of those resources in 10 states. The current study describes the process used in one pilot state to disseminate the resources; documents the reach of those dissemination efforts, including the number of resource kits distributed, number of community-based and clinical providers reached, and location of providers across the state; and examines providers’ impressions of the utility of the resources and their perspectives on how the resources support children and families affected by incarceration. This study has important implications for translating research evidence for community providers and practitioners who aim to promote the emotional health of young children affected by incarceration.
Accidental tourists: Visiting ephemeral war memorials
Authors: Haskins Ekaterina V , Rancourt Michael A
Published: May 2016

How a memorial impacts public memory depends not just on its symbolic appeals but also on how it gains the attention of visitors and how those appeals convert visitors into engaged participants. Although numerous studies have explored visitors’ performances at sites of memory, this scholarship has largely overlooked what we call “the accidental tourist,” the would-be visitor who had not planned to visit a site of memory but ended up doing so because of the site’s proximity to another existing attraction or daily route. Building on research into the performances of memory at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, we expand inquiry into the way memorials attract and engage visitors by studying two temporary memorials to the cost of the Iraq War. We demonstrate how these memorials gain attention and prompt the engagement of “accidental tourists” through temporal and spatial tactics as well as both overt and subtle cues for visitors to interact with the site, organizers, and other visitors.
Nitric oxide in paediatric respiratory disorders: novel interventions to address associated vascular phenomena?
Authors: Akter Farhana , Coghlan Gerry , de Mel Achala
Published: May 2016

Nitric oxide (NO) has a significant role in modulating the respiratory system and is being exploited therapeutically. Neonatal respiratory failure can affect around 2% of all live births and is responsible for over one third of all neonatal mortality. Current treatment method with inhaled NO (iNO) has demonstrated great benefits to patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. However, it is not without its drawbacks, which include the need for patients to be attached to mechanical ventilators. Notably, there is also a lack of identification of subgroups amongst abovementioned patients, and homogeneity in powered studies associated with iNO, which is one of the limitations. There are significant developments in drug delivery methods and there is a need to look at alternative or supplementary methods of NO delivery that could reduce current concerns. The addition of NO-independent activators and stimulators, or drugs such as prostaglandins to work in synergy with NO donors might be beneficial. It is of interest to consider such delivery methods within the respiratory system, where controlled release of NO can be introduced whilst minimizing the production of harmful byproducts. This article reviews current therapeutic application of iNO and the state-of-the-art technology methods for sustained delivery of NO that may be adapted and developed to address respiratory disorders. We envisage this perspective would prompt active investigation of such systems for their potential clinical benefit.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults
Authors: Magon Rakesh
Published: May 2016

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most-common psychiatric disorders; it is highly comorbid with many other psychiatric disorders and associated with substantial role impairment. Untreated ADHD results in psychiatric comorbidity, relationship and parenting problems, underachievement, frequent job losses, and opportunistic delinquency. Nevertheless, ADHD remains the most under-recognised and undertreated mental health condition in adults. This article discusses the clinical presentation of ADHD in adulthood with a particular focus on recognition, assessment and management of ADHD in adults in primary care.
Domestic violence and abuse
Authors: Cosh Ayla , Carslaw Helen
Published: May 2016

Domestic abuse is a subject that is difficult to deal with for most people. Health professionals often lack confidence when approaching the subject, due to various reasons, such as lack of training, not knowing how to manage the situation or how to communicate with the survivor. However, it is vitally important that awareness is increased at an individual and practice level, so that more survivors can get the help, support and protection they need. This article aims to educate the reader about: what comes under the umbrella term ‘domestic abuse’; how it presents, particularly in general practice; how to break down barriers to disclosure; and what resources are available to help.
Magnetic resonance enterography versus capsule endoscopy activity indices for quantification of small bowel inflammation in Crohn’s disease
Authors: Kopylov Uri , Klang Eyal , Yablecovitch Doron , Lahat Adi , Avidan Benjamin , Neuman Sandra , Levhar Nina , Greener Tomer , Rozendorn Noa , Beytelman Arkadi , Yanai Henit , Dotan Iris , Chowers Yehuda , Weiss Batya , Ben-Horin Shomron , Amitai Marianne M. , Eliakim Rami ,   on behalf of the Israeli IBD research Nucleus (IIRN)
Published: May 2016

Background:

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) and magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) are the prime modalities for the evaluation of small bowel (SB) Crohn’s disease (CD). Mucosal inflammation on VCE is quantified using the Lewis score (LS). Diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for accurate assessment of SB inflammation without administration of intravenous contrast material. The Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity (MaRiA) and the Clermont index are quantitative activity indices validated for contrast-enhanced MRE and DW-MRE, respectively. The aim of this study was to compare the quantification of distal SB inflammation by VCE and MR-related activity indices.

Methods:

Patients with known quiescent SB CD were prospectively recruited and underwent MRE and VCE. LS, MaRIA and Clermont scores were calculated for the distal SB.

Results:

Both MRI-based indices significantly correlated with the LS and the Clermont index ( r = 0.50, p = 0.001 and r = 0.53, p = 0.001, respectively). Both MaRIA and Clermont scores were significantly lower in patients with mucosal healing (LS < 135). The area under the curve (AUC) with both MR scores was moderate for prediction of any mucosal inflammation (LS ⩾ 135) and excellent for prediction of moderate-to-severe inflammation (LS ⩾ 790) (0.71 and 0.74 versus 0.93 and 0.91 for MaRIA and Clermont score, respectively).

Conclusions:

Modest correlation between VCE- and MRE-based quantitative indices of inflammation in patients with quiescent SB CD was observed. Between-modality correlation was higher in patients with endoscopically severe disease. DW-MRE gauged by Clermont score was at least as accurate as contrast-enhanced MRE for quantification of SB inflammation.
Is an ecological school-based nutrition intervention effective to improve adolescents’ nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in rural areas of China?
Authors: Wang Dongxu , Stewart Donald , Chang Chun
Published: May 2016

Purpose:

The purpose of this article is to examine the effect of a school-based nutrition intervention using an ecological approach to improve adolescents’ nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in rural China.

Methods:

A cluster-randomised intervention trial design was employed. Two middle schools were randomly selected and assigned to the school that was conducting a holistic school-based intervention using health-promoting school (HPS) framework, ‘HPS School’, or to the ‘Control School’ in Mi Yun County, Beijing. From each school we randomly selected 65 seventh-grade students to participate in the study. Their nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour were measured by pre- and post-intervention surveys with the same instrument. The nutrition intervention lasted for six months.

Results:

Adolescents in the intervention school were more likely to know the nutrition knowledge items, with an odds ratio (OR) ranging from 1.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11–3.09) to 6.34 (95% CI: 3.83–10.47); more likely to think nutrition is very important to health, developing healthy dietary habits is very important, and that expired foods should be thrown away, with ORs of 3.03 (95% CI: 1.60–5.76), 2.76 (95% CI: 1.66–4.59) and 2.35 (95% CI: 1.33–4.17) respectively, and more likely to consume no soft drinks, desserts or fried food, and to eat vegetables every day of the last week, with ORs of 1.99 (95% CI: 1.31–3.04), 3.96 (95% CI: 2.43–6.46), 3.63 (95% CI: 2.26–5.85), and 2.51 (95% CI: 1.41–4.48) respectively, as compared with those in the control school after interventions.

Conclusions:

Our intervention using the HPS framework, an ecological approach, was an appropriate model to promote nutrition among adolescents in rural China and its use should be advocated in future school-based nutrition promotion programmes for adolescents.
Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae as leading causes of pediatric bacterial meningitis in nine Mexican hospitals following 3 years of active surveillance
Authors: Chacon-Cruz Enrique , Martinez-Longoria Cesar Adrian , Llausas-Magana Eduardo , Luevanos-Velazquez Antonio , Vazquez-Narvaez Jorge Alejandro , Beltran Sandra , Limon-Rojas Ana Elena , Urtiz-Jeronimo Fernando , Castaneda-Narvaez Jose Luis , Otero-Mendoza Francisco , Aguilar-Del Real Fernando , Rodriguez-Chagoyan Jesus , Rivas-Landeros Rosa Maria , Volker-Soberanes Maria Luisa , Hinojosa-Robles Rosa Maria , Arzate-Barbosa Patricia , Aviles-Benitez Laura Karina , Elenes-Zamora Fernando Ivan , Becka Chandra M. , Ruttimann Ricardo
Published: May 2016

Objectives:

Meningococcal meningitis is reported as a rare condition in Mexico. There are no internationally published studies on bacterial causes of meningitis in the country based on active surveillance. This study focuses on finding the etiology of bacterial meningitis in children from nine Mexican Hospitals.

Methods:

From January 2010 to February 2013, we conducted a three years of active surveillance for meningitis in nine hospitals throughout Mexico. Active surveillance started at the emergency department for every suspected case, and microbiological studies confirmed/ruled out all potentially bacterial pathogens. We diagnosed based on routine cultures from blood and cerebrospinal fluid (not polymerase chain reaction or other molecular diagnostic tests), and both pneumococcal serotyping and meningococcal serogrouping by using standard methods.

Results:

Neisseria meningitidis was the leading cause, although 75% of cases occurred in the northwest of the country in Tijuana on the US border. Serogroup C was predominant. Streptococcus pneumoniae followed Neisseria meningitides, but was uniformly distributed throughout the country. Serotype 19A was the most incident but before universal implementation of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Other bacteria were much less common, including Enterobacteriaceae and Streptococcus agalactiae (these two affecting mostly young infants).

Conclusions:

Meningococcal meningitis is endemic in Tijuana, Mexico, and vaccination should be seriously considered in that region. Continuous universal vaccination with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine should be nationally performed, and polymerase chain reaction should be included for bacterial detection in all cultures – negative but presumably bacterial meningitis cases.
Risky Pleasures
Authors: Soo Jin Lim , Shu Xu Cheah
Published: May 2016

This ethnographic study explores the discourses and practices of male clients of foreign female sex workers (FSWs) who carried out relationships with their regular FSW. Situated in an environment that rejects and stigmatizes sex work, this study explores the paths taken by this small group of men pursuing a relationship with a FSW. Findings from a sample of 23 Malaysian men obtained from an online forum and through snowball sampling display a demand for intimacy that for some clients transcends conventions of commercial sex, while for others display a desire for consumption of commodified intimacy within the sex trade. Participants’ narratives provide an insight as to how FSWs adapt and utilize emotional labor to their advantage. The resulting relationship is one of extreme inequality in power relations, resulting in both sides developing different strategies to compensate for their vulnerabilities.
Effect of Micronutrients on Insomnia in Adults
Authors: Lothian Joanna , Blampied Neville M. , Rucklidge Julia J.
Published: May 2016

Insomnia is a debilitating condition causing psychological distress and frequently comorbid with other mental health conditions. This study examined the effect of 8 weeks of treatment by broad spectrum micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) on insomnia using a multiple-baseline-across-participants open-label trial design. Seventeen adults were randomized to 1-, 2-, or 3-week baseline periods (14 completed). Self-report measures were the Consensus Sleep Diary–Morning (CSD-M), the Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale (PIRS), and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS). Baselines were generally stable. Treatment completers reported reliable and clinically significant change in insomnia severity (PIRS), in depression, stress, and anxiety (DASS), and on at least two aspects of sleep measured by the CDS-M. All completers were treatment-compliant, and side effects were minimal. Nutritional supplementation is shown to be a novel, beneficial treatment for insomnia in adults. Follow-up research using placebo-controlled designs as well as comparisons to cognitive-behavioral and other treatments is recommended.
Treatment Adherence and Its Impact on Disease-Free Survival in the Breast International Group 1-98 Trial of Tamoxifen and Letrozole, Alone and in Sequence
Authors: Chirgwin Jacquie H. , Giobbie-Hurder Anita , Coates Alan S. , Price Karen N. , Ejlertsen Bent , Debled Marc , Gelber Richard D. , Goldhirsch Aron , Smith Ian , Rabaglio Manuela , Forbes John F. , Neven Patrick , Láng István , Colleoni Marco , Thürlimann Beat
Published: May 2016

Purpose

To investigate adherence to endocrine treatment and its relationship with disease-free survival (DFS) in the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 clinical trial.

Methods

The BIG 1-98 trial is a double-blind trial that randomly assigned 6,193 postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive early breast cancer in the four-arm option to 5 years of tamoxifen (Tam), letrozole (Let), or the agents in sequence (Let-Tam, Tam-Let). This analysis included 6,144 women who received at least one dose of study treatment. Conditional landmark analyses and marginal structural Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relationship between DFS and treatment adherence (persistence [duration] and compliance with dosage). Competing risks regression was used to assess demographic, disease, and treatment characteristics of the women who stopped treatment early because of adverse events.

Results

Both aspects of low adherence (early cessation of letrozole and a compliance score of < 90%) were associated with reduced DFS (multivariable model hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.93; P = .01; and multivariable model hazard ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.38; P = .02, respectively). Sequential treatments were associated with higher rates of nonpersistence (Tam-Let, 20.8%; Let-Tam, 20.3%; Tam 16.9%; Let 17.6%). Adverse events were the reason for most trial treatment early discontinuations (82.7%). Apart from sequential treatment assignment, reduced adherence was associated with older age, smoking, node negativity, or prior thromboembolic event.

Conclusion

Both persistence and compliance are associated with DFS. Toxicity management and, for sequential treatments, patient and physician awareness, may improve adherence.
Amyloids assemble as part of recognizable structures during oogenesis in Xenopus
Authors: Hayes Michael H. , Weeks Daniel L.
Published: May 2016

A hallmark of Alzheimer's, Huntington's and similar diseases is the assembly of proteins into amyloids rather than folding into their native state. There is an increasing appreciation that amyloids, under specific conditions, may be non-pathogenic. Here we show that amyloids form as a normal part of Xenopus oocyte development. Amyloids are detectable in the cytosol and the nucleus using an amyloid binding dye and antibodies that recognize amyloid structure. In the cytosol, yolk platelets are amyloid reactive, as are a number of yet to be characterized particles. In the nucleus, we find particles associated with transcription by RNA polymerase I, II and III and RNA processing contain amyloids. Nuclear amyloids remain intact for hours following isolation; however, RNase treatment rapidly disrupts nuclear amyloids.
Γιάννης Ν. Γκλαβίνας, Οι μουσουλμανικοί πληθυσμοί στην Ελλάδα (1912-1923). Από την ενσωμάτωση στην ανταλλαγή, Θεσσαλονίκη, εκδ. Αντ. Σταμούλης, 2013
Authors: ΠΛΟΥΜΙΔΗΣ ΣΠΥΡΙΔΩΝ Γ.
Published: May 2016

Δεν παρατίθεται περίληψη στα ελληνικά.
Biomarkers of acute kidney injury and associations with short- and long-term outcomes
Authors: Schaub Jennifer A. , Parikh Chirag R.
Published: May 2016

Acute kidney injury is strongly associated with increased mortality and other adverse outcomes. Medical researchers have intensively investigated novel biomarkers to predict short- and long-term outcomes of acute kidney injury in many patient care settings, such as cardiac surgery, intensive care units, heart failure, and transplant. Future research should focus on leveraging this relationship to improve enrollment for clinical trials of acute kidney injury.
Duality in Two-Stage Adaptive Linear Optimization: Faster Computation and Stronger Bounds
Authors: Bertsimas Dimitris , de Ruiter Frans J. C. T.
Published: May 2016

In this paper we derive and exploit duality in general two-stage adaptive linear optimization models. The equivalent dualized formulation we derive is again a two-stage adaptive linear optimization model. Therefore, all existing solution approaches for two-stage adaptive models can be used to solve or approximate the dual formulation. The new dualized model differs from the primal formulation in its dimension and uses a different description of the uncertainty set. We show that the optimal primal affine policy can be directly obtained from the optimal affine policy in the dual formulation. We provide empirical evidence that the dualized model in the context of two-stage lot-sizing on a network and two-stage facility location problems solves an order of magnitude faster than the primal formulation with affine policies. We also provide an explanation and associated empirical evidence that offer insight on which characteristics of the dualized formulation make computations faster. Furthermore, the affine policy of the dual formulations can be used to provide stronger lower bounds on the optimality of affine policies.
Trading Time in a Congested Environment
Authors: Yang Luyi , Debo Laurens , Gupta Varun
Published: May 2016

The first in, first out (FIFO) queue discipline respects the order of arrivals, but is not efficient when customers have heterogeneous waiting costs. Priority queues, in which customers with higher waiting costs are served first, are more efficient but usually involve undesirable queue-jumping behaviors that violate bumped customers’ property rights over their waiting spots. To have the best of both worlds, we propose time-trading mechanisms, in which customers who are privately informed about their waiting costs mutually agree on the ordering in the queue by trading positions. If a customer ever moves back in the queue, she will receive an appropriate monetary compensation. Customers can always decide not to participate in trading and retain their positions as if they are being served FIFO. We design the optimal mechanisms for the social planner, the service provider, and an intermediary who might mediate the trading platform. Both the social planner’s and the service provider’s optimal mechanisms involve a flat admission fee and an auction that implements strict priority. If a revenue-maximizing intermediary operates the trading platform, it should charge a trade participation fee and implement an auction with some trade restrictions. Therefore, customers are not strictly prioritized. However, relative to a FIFO system, the intermediary delivers value to the social planner by improving efficiency, and to the service provider by increasing its revenue.

This paper was accepted by Noah Gans, stochastic models and simulation.
Utility-Based Link Recommendation for Online Social Networks
Authors: Li Zhepeng , Fang Xiao , Bai Xue , Sheng Olivia R. Liu
Published: May 2016

Link recommendation, which suggests links to connect currently unlinked users, is a key functionality offered by major online social networks. Salient examples of link recommendation include “People You May Know” on Facebook and LinkedIn as well as “You May Know” on Google+. The main stakeholders of an online social network include users (e.g., Facebook users) who use the network to socialize with other users and an operator (e.g., Facebook Inc.) that establishes and operates the network for its own benefit (e.g., revenue). Existing link recommendation methods recommend links that are likely to be established by users but overlook the benefit a recommended link could bring to an operator. To address this gap, we define the utility of recommending a link and formulate a new research problem—the utility-based link recommendation problem. We then propose a novel utility-based link recommendation method that recommends links based on the value, cost, and linkage likelihood of a link, in contrast to existing link recommendation methods that focus solely on linkage likelihood. Specifically, our method models the dependency relationship between the value, cost, linkage likelihood, and utility-based link recommendation decision using a Bayesian network; predicts the probability of recommending a link with the Bayesian network; and recommends links with the highest probabilities. Using data obtained from a major U.S. online social network, we demonstrate significant performance improvement achieved by our method compared with prevalent link recommendation methods from representative prior research.

This paper was accepted by Anandhi Bharadwaj, information systems.