bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Signature and Mechanisms of Hepatitis D Virus–Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Diaz Giacomo , Engle Ronald E. , Tice Ashley , Melis Marta , Montenegro Stephanie , Rodriguez-Canales Jaime , Hanson Jeffrey , Emmert-Buck Michael R. , Bock Kevin W. , Moore Ian N. , Zamboni Fausto , Govindarajan Sugantha , Kleiner David E. , Farci Patrizia
Published: June 2018

There is limited data on the molecular mechanisms whereby hepatitis D virus (HDV) promotes liver cancer. Therefore, serum and liver specimens obtained at the time of liver transplantation from well-characterized patients with HDV-HCC (n = 5) and with non-HCC HDV cirrhosis (n = 7) were studied using an integrated genomic approach. Transcriptomic profiling was performed using laser capture–microdissected (LCM) malignant and nonmalignant hepatocytes, tumorous and nontumorous liver tissue from patients with HDV-HCC, and liver tissue from patients with non-HCC HDV cirrhosis. HDV-HCC was also compared with hepatitis B virus (HBV) HBV-HCC alone, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) HCV-HCC. HDV malignant hepatocytes were characterized by an enrichment of upregulated transcripts associated with pathways involved in cell-cycle/DNA replication, damage, and repair (Sonic Hedgehog, GADD45, DNA-damage-induced 14-3-3σ, cyclins and cell-cycle regulation, cell cycle: G2–M DNA-damage checkpoint regulation, and hereditary breast cancer). Moreover, a large network of genes identified functionally relate to DNA repair, cell cycle, mitotic apparatus, and cell division, including 4 cancer testis antigen genes, attesting to the critical role of genetic instability in this tumor. Besides being overexpressed, these genes were also strongly coregulated. Gene coregulation was high not only when compared with nonmalignant hepatocytes, but also to malignant hepatocytes from HBV-HCC alone or HCV-HCC. Activation and coregulation of genes critically associated with DNA replication, damage, and repair point to genetic instability as an important mechanism of HDV hepatocarcinogenesis. This specific HDV-HCC trait emerged also from the comparison of the molecular pathways identified for each hepatitis virus–associated HCC. Despite the dependence of HDV on HBV, these findings suggest that HDV and HBV promote carcinogenesis by distinct molecular mechanisms.

Implications: This study identifies a molecular signature of HDV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma and suggests the potential for new biomarkers for early diagnostics. Mol Cancer Res; 16(9); 1406–19. ©2018 AACR.
Corticolimbic Connectivity Mediates the Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Symptom Severity in Borderline Personality Disorder
Authors: Vai Benedetta , Sforzini Laura , Visintini Raffaele , Riberto Martina , Bulgarelli Chiara , Ghiglino Davide , Melloni Elisa , Bollettini Irene , Poletti Sara , Maffei Cesare , Benedetti Francesco
Published: June 2018

The interaction between biological and environmental factors (especially adverse childhood experiences, ACEs) plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of borderline personality disorder (BPD). These factors act influencing BPD core features such as pervasive instability in affect regulation, impulse control, social cognition, and interpersonal relationships. In line with this perspective, abnormalities in social cognition and related neurobiological underpinnings could mediate the relationship between ACEs and psychopathological manifestations in adulthood. In a sample of 14 females, functional connectivity (FC) analyses were performed modeling the interaction between ACEs and corticolimbic dysregulation during emotional processing and its relationship with BPD symptom severity. ACEs were associated with a dampening of the negative FC between (1) the right amygdala (Amy) and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and between (2) the left Amy and bilateral DLPFC, right precuneus, left cerebellum and left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex during emotional processing. The connectivity between right Amy and DLPFC mediates the relationship between childhood adversities and BPD symptomatology. Furthermore, the negative FC between Amy and DLPFC, postcentral gyrus, the vermis of cerebellum and precuneus was also associated with BPD symptom severity, with a weaker negative coupling between Amy and these regions being related to a worse BPD psychopathology. Our results confirm the role of ACEs in contributing to social cognition impairments in BPD and related symptomatology from a neurobiological perspective.
The Role of Frailty in Acute Coronary Syndromes in the Elderly
Authors: Alonso Salinas Gonzalo Luis , Sanmartin Marcelo , Pascual Izco Marina , Rincon Luis M. , Martin-Acuna Alba , Pastor Pueyo Pablo , del Val Martín David , Marco del Castillo Álvaro , Recio-Mayoral Alejandro , Martin-Asenjo Roberto , Garcia-Guerrero Alberto , Caravaca-Perez Pedro , Camino Lopez Asunción , Jimenez-Mena Manuel , Zamorano José Luis
Published: June 2018

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) patients are increasingly older, and common risk scores include chronological age, but do not consider chronic comorbidity or biological age. Frailty status reflects these variables and may be independently correlated with prognosis in this setting. Objective: This study investigated the impact of frailty on the prognosis of elderly patients admitted due to MI. Methods: This prospective and observational study included patients ≥75 years admitted to three tertiary hospitals in Spain due to MI. Frailty assessment was performed at admission using the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe Frailty Index (SHARE-FI) tool. The primary endpoint was the composite of death or non-fatal reinfarction during a follow-up of 1 year. Overall mortality, reinfarction, the composite of death, reinfarction and stroke, major bleeding, and readmission rates were also explored. Results: A total of 285 patients were enrolled. Frail patients (109, 38.2%) were older, with a higher score in the Charlson Comorbidity Index and with a higher risk score addressed in the GRACE and CRUSADE indexes. On multivariate analysis including GRACE, CRUSADE, maximum creatinine level, culprit lesion revascularization, complete revascularization, and dual antiplatelet therapy at discharge, frailty was an independent predictor of the composite of death and reinfarction (2.81, 95% CI 1.16–6.78) and overall mortality (3.07, 95% CI 1.35–6.98). Conclusion: Frailty is an independent prognostic marker of the composite of mortality and reinfarction and of overall mortality in patients aged ≥75 years admitted due to MI.
ICUS, IDUS, CHIP and CCUS: Diagnostic Criteria, Separation from MDS and Clinical Implications
Authors: Valent Peter
Published: June 2018

Various myeloid neoplasms, including the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), bear a certain risk of progression to secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML). The evolution from low-risk to high-risk MDS and finally to sAML suggests that leukemogenesis is a multistep process. However, even before an overt neoplasm, such as an MDS, develops, “prediagnostic” clonal conditions may be identified. With the advent of large-scale genomic screens, such conditions may be detected quite frequently and early in apparently healthy individuals. Recent data suggest that these conditions increase with age and are indeed associated with an increased risk of the occurrence of MDS or another myeloid neoplasm. In other patients, unexplained cytopenia may be detected and may precede MDS. More recently, diagnostic criteria for potential pre-MDS conditions, including idiopathic cytopenia of uncertain significance and clonal hematopoiesis with indeterminate potential, have been proposed. The current article provides an overview of pre-MDS states and related criteria through which these conditions can be discriminated from each other and from MDS. In addition, the clinical implications and management of pre-MDS states are discussed.
Unraveling the Underlying Arrhythmia Mechanism in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Child Nicholas , Clayton Richard H. , Roney Caroline H. , Laughner Jacob I. , Shuros Allan , Neuzil Petr , Petru Jan , Jackson Tom , Porter Bradley , Bostock Julian , Niederer Steven A. , Razavi Reza S. , Rinaldi Christopher A. , Taggart Peter , Wright Matthew J. , Gill Jaswinder
Published: June 2018

Background:

The mechanisms that initiate and sustain persistent atrial fibrillation are not well characterized. Ablation results remain significantly worse than in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in which the mechanism is better understood and subsequent targeted therapy has been developed. The aim of this study was to characterize and quantify patterns of activation during atrial fibrillation using contact mapping.

Methods:

Patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (n=14; mean age, 61±8 years; ejection fraction, 59±10%) underwent simultaneous biatrial contact mapping with 64 electrode catheters. The atrial electrograms were transformed into phase, and subsequent spatiotemporal mapping was performed to identify phase singularities (PSs).

RESULTS:

PSs were located in both atria, but we observed more PSs in the left atrium compared with the right atrium (779±302, 552±235;
P
=0.015). Although some PSs of duration sufficient to complete >1 rotation were detected, the maximum PS duration was only 1150 ms, and the vast majority (97%) of PSs persisted for too short a period to complete a full rotation. Although in selected patients there was evidence of PS local clustering, overall, PSs were distributed globally throughout both chambers with no clear anatomic predisposition. In a subset of patients (n=7), analysis was repeated using an alternative established atrial PS mapping technique, which confirmed our initial findings.

Conclusions:

No sustained rotors or localized drivers were detected, and instead, the mechanism of arrhythmia maintenance was consistent with the multiple wavelet hypothesis, with passive activation of short-lived rotational activity.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01765075.
Impact of Intima–Media Thickness Progression in the Common Carotid Arteries on the Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease in the Suita Study
Authors: Kokubo Yoshihiro , Watanabe Makoto , Higashiyama Aya , Nakao Yoko M. , Nakamura Fumiaki , Miyamoto Yoshihiro
Published: June 2018

Background

No prospective study of the relationship between intima–media thickness (
IMT
) progression and incident cardiovascular disease (
CVD
) has been performed.

Methods and Results

We studied 4724 participants (mean age: 59.7±11.9 years; without
CVD
at the baseline) who had carotid ultrasonographic measurement of
IMT
on both sides of the entire carotid artery area (ie, the entire scanned common carotid artery [CCA], carotid artery bulb, internal carotid artery, and external carotid artery areas for both sides) between April 1994 and August 2001. Carotid ultrasonographic follow‐up was performed every 2 years between April 1994 and March 2005 in 2722 of these participants, newly revealing 193
CCA
plaques (maximum
IMT
in the CCA >1.1 mm). We followed up for incident
CVD
until December 2013. Statistical analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazards regression model, evaluated using C statistics, and net reclassification improvement. During the 59 909 person‐years of follow‐up, we observed 221 strokes and 154 coronary heart disease events.
CCA
plaque and maximum
IMT
in the whole carotid artery area >1.7 mm were risk factors for
CVD
.
CCA
plaque presented an increased risk of
CVD
based on C statistics and the reclassification improvement of the current risk prediction model. After adding the new incident
CCA
plaques, during the 23 702 person‐years of follow‐up, 69 strokes and 43 coronary heart disease events occurred. The adjusted hazard ratios for incident
CCA
plaque were 1.95 (95% confidence interval, 1.14–3.30) in
CVD
and 2.01 (95% confidence interval, 1.01–3.99) in stroke.

Conclusions

Maximum
IMT
in the CCA contributed significantly but modestly to the predictive power of incident
CVD
used in calculating traditional risk factors. This study provides the first demonstration that new progression of incident
CCA
plaque is a
CVD
risk.
Extended Playing Techniques on an Augmented Virtual Percussion Instrument
Authors: Zappi Victor , Allen Andrew , Fels Sidney
Published: June 2018

Innovation and tradition are two fundamental factors in the design of new digital musical instruments. Although apparently mutually exclusive, novelty does not imply a total disconnection from what we have inherited from hundreds of years of traditional design, and the balance of these two factors often determines the overall quality of an instrument. Inspired by this rationale, in this article we introduce the Hyper Drumhead, a novel augmented virtual instrument whose design is deeply rooted in traditional musical paradigms, yet aimed at the exploration of unprecedented sounds and control. In the first part of the article we analyze the concepts of designing an augmented virtual instrument, explaining their connection with the practice of augmenting traditional instruments. Then we describe the design of the Hyper Drumhead in detail, focusing on its innovative physical modeling implementation. The finite-difference time-domain solver that we use runs on the parallel cores of a commercially available graphics card and permits the simulation of real-time 2-D wave propagation in massively sized domains. Thanks to the modularity of this implementation, musicians can create several 2-D virtual percussive instruments that support realistic playing techniques but whose affordances can be enhanced beyond most of the limits of traditional augmentation.
Interactive Learning of Timbral Rhythms for Percussion Robots
Authors: Krzyzaniak Michael
Published: June 2018

This article presents a machine-learning technique to analyze and produce statistical patterns in rhythm through real-time observation of human musicians. Here, timbre is considered an integral part of rhythm, as might be exemplified by hand-drum music. Moreover, this article considers challenges (such as mechanical timing delays, that are negligible in digitally synthesized music) that arise when the algorithm is executed on percussion robots. The algorithm's performance is analyzed in a variety of contexts, such as learning specific rhythms, learning a corpus of rhythms, responding to signal rhythms that signal musical transitions, improvising in different ways with a human partner, and matching the meter and the “syncopicity” of improvised music.
A new species in Physaraceae, Craterium yichunensis, and a new record for C. dictyosporum in China
Authors: ZHAO FENGYUN , LI YU , HSIANG TOM , LIU SHUYAN
Published: June 2018

Craterium yichunensis sp. nov., and C. dictyosporum are described and illustrated. They were found in Heilongjiang Province, China, and C. dictyosporum is a new record for China. Craterium yichunensis differs from other species of Craterium in having sessile sporocarps with a thick lid, the middle part of which is more than 100 μm thick, with a yellow membrane covering the cup after lid has fallen off. Additionally, it has no columella or pseudocolumella. Both species are also illustrated with scanning electron micrographs.
An Evaluation of On-Call Otolaryngology Consultations: Assessing an Increasing Workload
Authors: Smith Kristine A , Hinther Ashley V , Brookes James , Matthews Thomas Wayne , Dort Joseph C
Published: June 2018

Objective:

This study compares the volume of on-call otolaryngology consultations in a tertiary care center over a 5-year period. The objective of this study was to identify changes in the volume of consultations in an inpatient setting.

Methods:

A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed to determine the volume of consultations. The years 2010 and 2015 were the timepoints for the cross-sectional analysis. A review of electronic medical records was performed to identify all patients associated with the otolaryngology service from the emergency department, inpatient wards, and intensive care units. The primary outcome was the number of otolaryngology consultations per year.

Results:

The number of on-call consultations in 2010 was 992. In 2015, the number of on-call consultations was 2174. This represents a 120% increase in the number of consultations over a 5-year period ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

There has been a significant increase in the volume of on-call otolaryngology consultations at our tertiary care center. This increase has the potential to adversely affect patient care. A better understanding of the cause of this increase may allow policymakers and health care practitioners to improve patient access, physician workloads, and resource allocation.
The Relationship Between Modified Mallampati Score, Müller’s Maneuver and Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy Regarding Retrolingual Obstruction
Authors: Wang Wei-Min , Hsu Yen-Bin , Lan Ming-Ying , Yang Mei-Chen , Huang Tung-Tsun , Liu Chia-Jung , Lan Ming-Chin
Published: June 2018

Objectives:

This study explored the correlation between clinical explorations, including modified Mallampati score and Müller’s maneuver, with drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) findings regarding retrolingual obstruction.

Methods:

One hundred forty-two obstructive sleep apnea patients were enrolled in this prospective study. All of the patients received clinical explorations including modified Mallampati scoring and Müller’s maneuver in the clinic. Drug-induced sleep endoscopy was further evaluated in the operating room.

Results:

A significant relationship was noted between modified Mallampati score and retrolingual obstruction during DISE. In contrast, no significant relationship was noted between Müller’s maneuver and DISE findings regarding retrolingual obstruction.

Conclusions:

A significant discrepancy existed between retrolingual airway collapse evaluated by modified Mallampati score and Müller’s maneuver. Modified Mallampati score is more correlated with DISE regarding retrolingual obstruction compared to Müller’s maneuver. It should therefore be used as an initial evaluation of retrolingual obstruction when DISE is unavailable.
Developing Fully Automated Quality Control Methods for Preprocessing Raman Spectra of Biomedical and Biological Samples
Authors: Schulze H. Georg , Rangan Shreyas , Piret James M. , Blades Michael W. , Turner Robin F. B.
Published: June 2018

Spectral preprocessing is frequently required to render Raman spectra useful for further processing and analyses. The various preprocessing steps, individually and sequentially, are increasingly being automated to cope with large volumes of data from, for example, hyperspectral imaging studies. Full automation of preprocessing is especially desirable when it produces consistent results and requires minimal user input. It is therefore essential to evaluate the “quality” of such preprocessed spectra. However, relatively few methods exist to evaluate preprocessing quality, and fully automated methods for doing so are virtually non-existent. Here we provide a brief overview of fully automated spectral preprocessing and fully automated quality assessment of preprocessed spectra. We follow this with the introduction of fully automated methods to establish figures-of-merit that encapsulate preprocessing quality. By way of illustration, these quantitative methods are applied to simulated and real Raman spectra. Quality factor and quality parameter figures-of-merit resulting from individual preprocessing step quality tests, as well as overall figures-of-merit, were found to be consistent with the quality of preprocessed spectra.
Socially transformative wellbeing practices in flexible learning environments: Invoking an education of hope
Authors: MacDonald Fiona J , Bottrell Dorothy , Johnson Bethany
Published: June 2018

Objectives:

Student wellbeing is closely linked to young people’s satisfaction with life at school. Wellbeing practices in an alternative learning environment take on a particularly significant role as they aim to re-engage young people who are disenfranchised from Australia’s education system. The Wellbeing Project, which is described and reported on here, aimed to capture young people’s perceptions to strengthen and create a Youth+ model of wellbeing in participating centres.

Design:

A mixed methods approach was employed to explore student experiences of wellbeing. A quantitative methodology informed the development of surveys, and focus groups adopted a semi-structured qualitative approach.

Setting:

Youth+ Flexible Learning Centres (Flexis) in various parts of Australia.

Method:

Students in the flexible learning centres were invited to complete a survey during class time. Young people from each centre were then invited to participate in focus group discussions. Four groups were held in Melbourne, two in Geelong and Adelaide and one each in Hobart, St Mary’s, Alice Springs, Wollongong and Geraldton.

Results:

Thematic analysis revealed that being supported by staff to learn and working towards long-term goals in an individual way were central to the development of wellbeing among young people involved in the centres. Relationships with staff were highly valued.

Conclusion:

Findings demonstrate that wellbeing for young people in flexible learning centres is associated with staff support and respect. There is value in giving young people the opportunity to engage in a socially transformative education, enabling them to envision new learning and work opportunities.
Evaluating the effectiveness of faith-based breast health education
Authors: Brown Maria T , Cowart Luvenia W
Published: June 2018

Objective:

In an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of faith-based health promotion programmes in educating African American women about breast cancer knowledge and risks, the local affiliate of a national breast cancer research foundation funded the Genesis Health Project (GHP) Network, a community-designed, culturally competent intervention, to develop, implement and evaluate the Breast Cancer Awareness and Education Program. This article reports on the faith-based education model used and uses evaluation data to determine whether the intervention improved awareness of breast cancer risk, methods for reducing risk, the importance of early detection and the availability of low-cost or free mammograms.

Design:

Pastoral health messaging and culturally appropriate strategies were used to heighten awareness of breast cancer risks and prevention, promote mammography and early detection, increase awareness of free/low-cost mammography and encourage the adoption of healthier behaviours.

Setting:

African American churches and collaborators targeting African American women in a mid-sized city in the northeastern USA.

Method:

Summative evaluations used paper and pencil pre- and post-event surveys, with measures for objectives targeted by the programme to evaluate the impact of activities.

Results:

Overall, participants in the Breast Cancer Awareness and Education Program showed improvements in general knowledge about breast cancer, higher breast cancer mortality among African American women, warning signs, risks and ways to mitigate risk, and the availability of low-cost or free mammograms.

Conclusion:

Findings confirm that faith-based health promotion programmes can be effective in helping to educate inner-city African American women about breast cancer and associated risk factors.
Acute Hepatotoxicity After High-Dose Cytarabine for the Treatment of Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Case Report
Authors: Fu Samuel H. , Flannery Alexander H. , Thompson Bastin Melissa L.
Published: June 2018

Purpose: Cytarabine is considered the standard of care for induction therapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are preparing for bone marrow transplant. Summary: We report a case of a 72-year-old female presenting to the intensive care unit with hepatic failure after high-dose cytarabine (HiDAC) for the treatment of relapsed AML. The patient’s liver function tests (LFTs) were elevated acutely, with a mildly elevated bilirubin and a normal alkaline phosphatase. HiDAC was discontinued but her LFTs remained high for 9 days post discontinuation, and the patient eventually expired due to sepsis and multiple organ failure. We estimated the probability of the hepatotoxicity observed with HiDAC as probable based on a score of 5 on the Naranjo scale. Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of the potential hepatotoxicity associated with HiDAC for patients with AML, specifically in the elderly population.
Robert J. Genco: Pioneer in Oral Science Advancement
Authors: Taubman M.A.
Published: June 2018

Professor Robert J. Genco made extraordinary research advances in immunology, periodontology, and microbiology research, pioneering major advances in oral science. In addition to his extraordinary research advancements in oral biology, his pioneering advances in oral science leadership at the local/university, national, and international levels are recognized worldwide, as are his educational advancements. In his era, he is truly the “father” of oral science.
Discrete Event System Specification-based framework for modeling and simulation of propagation phenomena in social networks: application to the information spreading in a multi-layer social network
Authors: Bouanan Youssef , Zacharewicz Gregory , Ribault Judicael , Vallespir Bruno
Published: June 2018

The diffusion of information is defined as the communication process by which an idea or information spreads within a social system and impacts the behavior of social actors (individuals). The social interaction plays an important role in studying the propagation of information and how it influences people. When an informational event occurs, it can either die out quickly or have significant impact on a population. The interactions could be supported by physical proximity contact, remote collaboration, any type of social meetings, and some forms of verbal or written communication, depending on the situations. Institutions and firms search to understand and predict the impact of information propagation on individuals. Agent-based modeling is a powerful approach for studying such a collective process. However, existing models oversimplify the cultural attributes, the different types of links, and information content, despite the evidence of their central role in the diffusion process.

In this context, great benefits could be derived from the exploitation of an individual’s personality and cultural values in the diffusion models. In this paper, we describe a new architecture for an agent-based model using the DEVS (Discrete Event System Specification) framework and show how this architecture is flexible and can support the simulation of the dissemination process. In more detail, we define a set of models of individuals characterized by a set of state variables to represent the behavior of an individual and the individual’s network within a multi-layer social network. Then, we start by introducing the platform architecture, specifically designed to simulate message propagation in a multi-layer network. Finally, a military scenario of message diffusion during a stabilization phase is used to test our DEVS models on the platform and the relevancy of the simulation results.
‘Crisis’ and Migration in Poland: Discursive Shifts, Anti-Pluralism and the Politicisation of Exclusion
Authors: Krzyżanowska Natalia , Krzyżanowski Michał
Published: June 2018

This essay illustrates the extent to which crisis has had an impact on public perceptions and discourses of contemporary migration in Poland. We focus on the actual moment of the ‘coming together’ between crisis- and immigration-related discourses and argue that this connection has arisen as part of the recent political strategies of Poland’s right-wing populist government ‘Law and Justice’ (PiS) party. The strong anti-immigration and anti-refugee rhetoric orchestrated by PiS across the Polish public sphere has also played a pivotal role in countenancing xenophobic as well as outright racist sentiments in wider Polish public discourse and society.
Creating Undocumented EU Migrants through Welfare: A Conceptualization of Undeserving and Precarious Citizenship
Authors: Lafleur Jean-Michel , Mescoli Elsa
Published: June 2018

Following the financial and economic crisis, welfare policies across the EU are increasingly becoming instruments for limiting the mobility of certain EU migrants. In this article, we focus on EU citizens who see their freedom of movement in the EU being restricted after they have applied for social assistance or unemployment benefits in their country of residence. Doing so, we conceptualize undocumented EU migration by means of the concepts of ‘non-deportability’, ‘deservingness’ and ‘precariousness’. Overall, this article – based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted with Italian migrants in Belgium – expands our understanding of undocumented migration by demonstrating how arbitrary and intimidating bureaucratic processes undermine the exercise of EU citizenship.
Ambivalent Mobilities and Survival Strategies of Moroccan and Bangladeshi Families in Italy in Times of Crisis
Authors: Della Puppa Francesco
Published: June 2018

This article investigates the link between the economic crisis and migrant family reunification with a focus on mobility strategies of reunited families. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Moroccan and Bangladeshi families, carried out in the Metropolitan City of Venice, between 2012 and 2016, the article aims to show the complex process of further separation that reunified families endure in order to deal with the consequences of the crisis. Family unity does not represent a definitive and lasting achievement. Rather, it is a status that must be constantly protected in order to fulfil the requirements imposed by reunification policies. Migrant families must undertake various forms of mobility to maintain their housing, occupational and economic standards and sometimes may move to other countries to preserve their unity. In response to the crisis, migrants appropriate the instruments of citizenship in order to increase their mobility capital and the opportunity to stay in Europe.
Checking the Math: Do Restrictive Housing and Mental Health Need Add Up to Psychological Deterioration?
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: June 2018

The current study sought to determine whether restrictive housing leads to psychological deterioration. A growth mixture modeling analysis of clinician ratings on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale identified two classes of participants in a sample of 266 state prison inmates: A large group of prisoners whose psychological status gradually improved over the course of a year and a small group of inmates whose psychological status deteriorated over the course of a year. Inmates with a history of mental health need were significantly more likely to experience severe psychological reactions to administrative segregation (AS) than inmates with no history of mental health need, although inmates with a history of mental health need were just as likely to experience severe psychological deterioration in general population as in AS. These results indicate that psychological deterioration in mentally ill inmates may have less to do with AS than with incarceration in general.
Religiosity, Education, John Henryism Active Coping, and Cardiovascular Responses to Anger Recall for African American Men
Authors: Ayazi Maryam , Johnson Kayla T. , Merritt Marcellus M. , Di Paolo Michelle R. , Edwards Christopher L. , Koenig Harold G. , Bennett Gary G. , Whitfield Keith A. , Barker Camela S.
Published: June 2018

The present study examined if high levels of religious attendance (ORG), private religious activity (NOR), or intrinsic religiosity (SUB) buffer cardiovascular responses to active speech and anger recall lab stressors alone and by John Henryism Active Coping (JHAC) and educational attainment. A sample of 74 healthy African American males, aged 23 to 47 years, completed psychosocial surveys and a lab reactivity protocol involving active speech and anger recall with a 5-minute baseline and ensuing recovery periods. Measures of religiosity, JHAC, and education were related to continuous measures of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), for each task and rest period with repeated measures ANOVA tests. The period by education by JHAC interaction effect was significant for diastolic BP responses at low but not higher NOR. At low education and low NOR, diastolic BP levels increased significantly during anger recall and ensuing recovery for high but not low JHAC persons. Thus, being deprived of education and private religious activity may put these African American men in a vulnerable situation where higher effort coping may exacerbate their cardiovascular reactivity and recovery to anger induction.
Comparative Regression Discontinuity: A Stress Test With Small Samples
Authors: Kisbu-Sakarya Yasemin , Cook Thomas D. , Tang Yang , Clark M. H.
Published: June 2018

Compared to the randomized experiment (RE), the regression discontinuity design (RDD) has three main limitations: (1) In expectation, its results are unbiased only at the treatment cutoff and not for the entire study population; (2) it is less efficient than the RE and so requires more cases for the same statistical power; and (3) it requires correctly specifying the functional form that relates the assignment and outcome variables. One way to overcome these limitations might be to add a no-treatment functional form to the basic RDD and including it in the outcome analysis as a comparison function rather than as a covariate to increase power. Doing this creates a comparative regression discontinuity design (CRD). It has three untreated regression lines. Two are in the untreated segment of the RDD—the usual RDD one and the added untreated comparison function—while the third is in the treated RDD segment. Also observed is the treated regression line in the treated segment. Recent studies comparing RE, RDD, and CRD causal estimates have found that CRD reduces imprecision compared to RDD and also produces valid causal estimates at the treatment cutoff and also along all the rest of the assignment variable. The present study seeks to replicate these results, but with considerably smaller sample sizes. The power difference between RDD and CRD is replicated, but not the bias results either at the treatment cutoff or away from it. We conclude that CRD without large samples can be dangerous.
Examination of American Indian/Alaska Native School Discipline Disproportionality Using the Vulnerable Decision Points Approach
Authors: Gion Cody , McIntosh Kent , Smolkowski Keith
Published: June 2018

The present study examined the extent to which racial disproportionality in office discipline referrals (ODRs) exists between American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) and White students in elementary ( n = 140), middle ( n = 67), and high ( n = 48) schools. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to examine overall levels of ODR disproportionality. For school levels with significant disproportionality, patterns of ODRs were analyzed to examine disproportionality of subjectively defined ODRs within the contexts of (a) student ethnicity, (b) time of day, (c) location, (d) severity of problem behavior, and (e) student gender. Results showed a sizable difference in subjective ODRs between AIAN and White students at the high school level.
Investigation of Taguchi optimization, equilibrium isotherms, and kinetic modeling for phosphorus adsorption onto natural zeolite of clinoptilolite type
Authors: Razmi Bahareh , Ghasemi-Fasaei Reza
Published: June 2018

Adsorption process plays an important role in the removal of phosphorus from aqueous solutions. A laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the adsorption characteristics of phosphorus onto natural zeolite and to find out the relative importance of some controllable treatments in phosphorus adsorption process using the Taguchi optimization methodology. Results showed that the adsorption of phosphorus in the presence of Fe3+ and Al3+ was higher than that in the absence of these two cations probably due to the adsorption of phosphorus-bearing anions on opposite charges of these cations. Also, increase in contact time tended phosphorus adsorption to be increased. The addition of base and acid treatments caused an increase and a decrease, respectively, on phosphorus adsorption. The order of effectiveness of treatments on the values of phosphorus adsorption was as follows: acid/base treatment >sorbent to sorbate ratio > modification with aluminium (Al)/iron (Fe) >contact time >phosphorus concentration. Phosphorus adsorption data well fitted to the Freundlich isotherm model. The pseudo-second order was the best model describing phosphorus adsorption kinetics. According to the results reported herein, it is assumed that the main mechanism controlling phosphorus adsorption onto natural zeolite is chemisorption.
Transgender exclusion from the world of dating: Patterns of acceptance and rejection of hypothetical trans dating partners as a function of sexual and gender identity
Authors: Blair Karen L. , Hoskin Rhea Ashley
Published: June 2018

The current study sought to describe the demographic characteristics of individuals who are willing to consider a transgender individual as a potential dating partner. Participants ( N = 958) from a larger study on relationship decision-making processes were asked to select all potential genders that they would consider dating if ever seeking a future romantic partner. The options provided included cisgender men, cisgender women, trans men, trans women, and genderqueer individuals. Across a sample of heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and trans individuals, 87.5% indicated that they would not consider dating a trans person, with cisgender heterosexual men and women being most likely to exclude trans persons from their potential dating pool. Individuals identifying as bisexual, queer, trans, or non-binary were most likely to indicate a willingness to date a trans person. However, even among those willing to date trans persons, a pattern of masculine privileging and transfeminine exclusion appeared, such that participants were disproportionately willing to date trans men, but not trans women, even if doing so was counter to their self-identified sexual and gender identity (e.g., a lesbian dating a trans man but not a trans woman). The results are discussed within the context of the implications for trans persons seeking romantic relationships and the pervasiveness of cisgenderism and transmisogyny.
Adoption of agro-weather information sources for climate smart agriculture among farmers in Embu and Ada’a districts of Kenya and Ethiopia
Authors: Oladele OI , Gitika MP , Ngari F , Shimeles A , Mamo G , Aregawi F , Braimoh AK , Olorunfemi OD
Published: June 2018

Adaptation strategies are considered to be an effective measure to build resilience to the effects of climate change. The agro-weather tools for adaptation to climate smart agriculture were implemented as a pilot project in Embu and Ada’a Districts of Kenya and Ethiopia respectively. Random sampling technique was used to select 360 and 171 farmers from the population of project’s beneficiaries in Kenya and Ethiopia and data collection was carried out with the use of a questionnaire. The overall results show that farming experience and impact of agro-weather information were significant determinants of the use of all the tools. Ownership/access, extension contact, frequency of extension contact and extension agency were significant determinants of the use of short message service (SMS), newsletter, and radio while group membership was a significant determinant of the use of SMS, newsletter, and interactive voice response. The significance of these variables stresses their need in the planning and policy formulation for the use of agro-weather tools for information dissemination.
Information literacy, creativity and work performance
Authors: Wu Ming-Shian
Published: June 2018

In the digital age, information literacy, defined as the ability to effectively identify information needs, access needed information, and evaluate and use information, is a crucial skill set for both individuals and organizations. Therefore, understanding the relationships between information literacy, creativity, and work performance could not only help enterprises recognize the importance of information literacy and its influence on the workplace, but also provide educators with guidance for planning related training programs. This empirical study explores the relationships between self-efficacy in information literacy, creativity and work performance. The findings show that (1). self-efficacy in defining information needs, self-efficacy in evaluating information and self-efficacy in using information can significantly positively affect creativity; (2). creativity can significantly positively affect work performance; and, (3). creativity mediates the association between self-efficacy in information literacy and work performance. Implications based on the findings are also discussed.
How are balance and mobility problems after stroke treated in England? An observational study of the content, dose and context of physiotherapy
Authors: Tyson Sarah F , Woodward-Nutt Kate , Plant Sarah
Published: June 2018

Objective:

To describe the dose, intensity and context of physiotherapy for balance and mobility problems after stroke.

Design:

Process mapping to describe the context and non-participant observation of therapy sessions to describe the dose and content of therapy.

Setting:

Four inpatient stroke units in North-West England.

Participants:

Therapy staff and previously mobile stroke survivors who were treating, or receiving treatment for balance and mobility problems in the participating units.

Results:

Two units were stand-alone rehabilitation units; two offered a service at the weekends. One had no access to community-based rehabilitation. All had dedicated treatment facilities but often did not use them because of lack of space and difficulty transporting patients. Twenty-two patients participated and 100 treatment sessions were observed. Practicing walking, sit-to-stand and transfers were the most frequent objectives and interventions usually with the therapist(s) physically facilitating the patient’s movements. The dose of practise was low; mean repetitions of sit-to-stand per session was 5 (SD 6.4); mean time spent upright per session was 11.24 (SD = 7) minutes, and mean number of steps per session was 202 (SD 118). The mean number of staff per patient was 2.1 (SD = 0.6, mode = 2), usually involving two qualified therapists. Falls prevention or management, wheelchair skills and bed mobility were not practised.

Conclusion:

Stroke physiotherapy for balance and mobility problems features low-dose, low-intensity therapist-led practice, mainly of walking and sit-to-stand. Staff:patient ratios were high. Therapists need to organize treatment sessions to maximize the intensity of functional task practice.
Clinician-reported changes in octreotide prescribing for malignant bowel obstruction as a result of an adequately powered phase III study: A transnational, online survey
Authors: Campbell Rachel , McCaffrey Nikki , Brown Linda , Agar Meera R , Clark Katherine , Currow David C
Published: June 2018

Background:

Translating research evidence into clinical practice often has a long lag time.

Aim:

To determine the impact of a phase III randomised controlled trial on palliative care clinicians’ self-reported practice change.

Design:

Online survey about use of octreotide in managing inoperable malignant bowel obstruction due to cancer or its treatments distributed in November 2016, 2 years after the first publication of the study in a peer-reviewed journal. Demographic, self-reported practice and the reasons underpinning this were collected. Responses were aggregated to ‘practice modified’ or ‘practice not modified’. A multinomial regression model explored predictors of practice change.

Setting:

Members of the Australian New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine.

Results:

Response rate was 20.8% (106/509): 55.6% were aged >50 years, 56.5% were female and 77% had previously prescribed octreotide for this clinical indication. Out of 106 respondents, 52 (49.1%) indicated modified practice (60.9% of those who had previously prescribed octreotide in this setting). In those who reported practice change, most frequently octreotide was now used when other therapies failed; for not changing practice, ‘more confirmatory evidence was needed’ was most often cited. In the regression model, older age (clinician age = 50–59 years; relative risk = 0.147; 95% confidence interval = 0.024–0.918; p = 0.04) and having practices with lower proportions of people treated with octreotide (0%–20%; relative risk = 0.039; 95% confidence interval = 0.002–0.768; p = 0.033) predicted greater self-reported practice change.

Conclusion:

Clinician-reported change in practice in the survey is seen in the majority of respondents. This suggests that there is a cohort of ‘early adopters’ within palliative care practice as new evidence becomes available.
Simultaneous functional photoacoustic microscopy and electrocorticography reveal the impact of rtPA on dynamic neurovascular functions after cerebral ischemia
Authors: Bandla Aishwarya , Liao Lun-De , Chan Su Jing , Ling Ji Min , Liu Yu-Hang , Shih Yen-Yu Ian , Pan Han-Chi , Wong Peter Tsun-Hon , Lai Hsin-Yi , King Nicolas Kon Kam , Chen You-Yin , Ng Wai Hoe , Thakor Nitish V
Published: June 2018

The advance of thrombolytic therapy has been hampered by the lack of optimization of the therapy during the hyperacute phase of focal ischemia. Here, we investigate neurovascular dynamics using a custom-designed hybrid electrocorticography (ECoG)-functional photoacoustic microscopy (fPAM) imaging system during the hyperacute phase (first 6 h) of photothrombotic ischemia (PTI) in male Wistar rats following recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA)-mediated thrombolysis. We reported, for the first time, the changes in neural activity and cerebral hemodynamic responses following rtPA infusion at different time points post PTI. Interestingly, very early administration of rtPA (< 1 h post PTI) resulted in only partial recovery of neurovascular dynamics (specifically , neural activity recovered to 71 ± 3.5% of baseline and hemodynamics to only 52 ± 2.6% of baseline) and late administration of rtPA (> 4 h post PTI) resulted in the deterioration of neurovascular function. A therapeutic window between 1 and 3 h post PTI was found to improve recovery of neurovascular function (i.e. significant restoration of neural activity to 93 ± 4.2% of baseline and hemodynamics to 81 ± 2.1% of baseline, respectively). The novel combination of fPAM and ECoG enables direct mapping of neurovascular dynamics and serves as a platform to evaluate potential interventions for stroke.