bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ViDRILO: The Visual and Depth Robot Indoor Localization with Objects information dataset
Authors: Martínez-Gómez Jesus , García-Varea Ismael , Cazorla Miguel , Morell Vicente
Published: August 2015

In this article we describe a semantic localization dataset for indoor environments named ViDRILO. The dataset provides five sequences of frames acquired with a mobile robot in two similar office buildings under different lighting conditions. Each frame consists of a point cloud representation of the scene and a perspective image. The frames in the dataset are annotated with the semantic category of the scene, but also with the presence or absence of a list of predefined objects appearing in the scene. In addition to the frames and annotations, the dataset is distributed with a set of tools for its use in both place classification and object recognition tasks. The large number of labeled frames in conjunction with the annotation scheme make this dataset different from existing ones. The ViDRILO dataset is released for use as a benchmark for different problems such as multimodal place classification and object recognition, 3D reconstruction or point cloud data compression.
Diagnostic value of serum CA125, CA19-9 and CA15-3 in endometriosis: A meta-analysis
Authors: Shen Airong , Xu Shengnan , Ma Yange , Guo Huanhuan , Li Canyu , Yang Chunli , Zou Shunhong
Published: August 2015

Aim

To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum cancer antigen (CA)125, CA19-9 and CA15-3 concentrations in endometriosis.

Methods

Case–control studies evaluating CA125, CA19-9 and CA15-3 and endometriosis, published between January 2000 and November 2014 were retrieved from PubMed® and Google Scholar. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Subgroup analyses were carried out by ethnicity and disease stage (early, stage I/II; advanced, stage III/IV).

Results

The analysis included 12 case–control studies (963 cases, 855 controls). CA125 was associated with endometriosis in the overall population (SMD 0.82, 95% CI 0.72, 0.92), Caucasian subgroup (SMD 1.08, 95% CI 0.96, 1.19), and early (SMD 1.20, 95% CI 0.93, 1.48) or advanced disease (SMD 1.29, 95% CI 1.04, 1.55). CA19-9 was associated with endometriosis in the overall population (SMD 0.48, 95% CI 0.24, 0.72), Caucasian subgroup (SMD 0.31, 95% CI 0.07, 0.55), Asian subgroup (SMD 9.65, 95% CI 7.88, 11.42) and advanced disease (SMD 0.60, 95% CI 0.34, 0.87). CA15-3 was significantly associated with advanced disease (SMD 0.47, 95% CI 0.09, 0.84).

Conclusions

Serum CA125 and CA19-9 may represent useful biomarkers for the noninvasive diagnosis of endometriosis.
Women’s Health in Queensland Prisons
Authors: Crissman Belinda , Smith Catrin , Ransley Janet , Allard Troy
Published: August 2015

Internationally, best practice for prison health care recommends transferring health service provision from corrections to health authorities. Although it is expected that this change will result in improved health care, there is little evidence of evaluation. This article used qualitative interviews with health service providers to gain insight into the health needs of women’s prisons in Queensland, Australia, both prior to and after the transition in health care service provision. We found that service providers identified that problems persisted regardless of service provider and that improvement required increased resources and more fundamental structural changes within prison environments.
Qualified, absolute, idealistic, impatient: dimensions of host community responses to wind energy projects
Authors: Fast Stewart
Published: August 2015

This study contributes to fuller understandings of the tensions in wind energy planning and politics. Through a q-method analysis of wind energy supporter and opponent discourses in communities hosting both proposed and constructed projects it extends the literature in three main ways. First, this study responds to the need for more nuanced understandings of wind energy supporter perspectives. It identifies and contrasts an impatient supporter with an idealistic supporter discourse. These differ in content, in constituents and in time of use. Second, it identifies an absolute opposition and qualified opposition discourse. Neither of these discourses confirm an expectation from previous studies that landscape and place attachment are the primary determinants for wind energy opposition, rather concerns over health risks, wildlife habitat and a rebuttal of the climate benefits of wind energy are of key concern. Finally, the study contributes to a critical mass of q-method studies of wind energy siting disputes from which tentative general patterns are identified.
Implications on equity in agricultural carbon market projects: a gendered analysis of access, decision making, and outcomes
Authors: Lee Jean , Martin Adrian , Kristjanson Patti , Wollenberg Eva
Published: August 2015

Carbon market projects have focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, often at the expense of achieving sustainable development goals. A central pillar in sustainable development is equity, yet most projects pay little attention to equity implications for underrepresented farmers, especially women. Agricultural carbon market projects that explicitly seek to promote sustainable agricultural land management practices are quickly gaining attention worldwide for their promise to deliver the ‘triple-win’: adaptation, food security, and mitigation. Previous experience with other payment for ecosystem services projects indicate that women often are marginalized and their needs ignored. To address this gap, this case study examined the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project with a focus on gender equity in access, decision making, and outcomes. Results show that women had less access to joining the project than men, because they did not have the same level of influence in decision making at a household level. At the project level, both men and women had little influence in establishing project requirements and potential benefits, as these were decided upon prior to farmer recruitment. Regarding outcomes, women tended to participate in more project activities, and would in return reap more nonmonetary benefits than men. However, the costs involved in achieving these benefits was nontrivial: women's farm labor time increased significantly due to the substantial time and effort required to implement sustainable agricultural land management practices. If agricultural soil carbon market projects are to achieve better outcomes by addressing equity issues, they need to pay special attention to gender and the differing needs of farmers—male, female, young, old, poor, and less poor—by involving them at the project design stage. Our findings show the importance of additional project benefits unrelated to carbon income for addressing the requirements of equity perceived by both the implementing agency and women themselves.
When Participatory Forest Management makes money: insights from Tanzania on governance, benefit sharing, and implications for REDD+
Authors: Khatun Kaysara , Gross-Camp Nicole , Corbera Esteve , Martin Adrian , Ball Steve , Massao Glory
Published: August 2015

Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and the more recent framework for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) are two resource management strategies that were introduced in part for their cobenefits, including forest protection, employment opportunities, and added income for forest adjacent communities. In this paper we examine the early implementation of PFM in Tanzania's Kilwa District, led and promoted by the nongovernmental organisation Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative (MCDI). This organisation has also recently received support to design a REDD+ project that could potentially realise additional financial benefits for local communities through the sale of carbon offsets in PFM-supported villages. We explore the ways in which MCDI has established a PFM scheme in four villages, how it has supported the emergence of more robust local governance structures, and what villagers perceive to have been the main outcomes and pitfalls of PFM to date. MCDI has managed to reduce many of the challenges that have characterised PFM schemes in other contexts, such as conflicts arising from forest governance restructuring, elite capture, and illegitimate benefit sharing, but has been less successful in addressing some aspects related to participation, such as involving village hamlets and women more effectively in decision making due to spatial configuration of landscapes and settlements and to existing cultural norms. These insights suggest that well-implemented PFM can provide a solid foundation for REDD+ implementation but that full realisation of REDD+'s equitable benefit-sharing principle, particularly at the intracommunity level, may take time and will be dependent upon prevailing local cultural norms.
Floating or settling down: the effect of rural landholdings on the settlement intention of rural migrants in urban China
Authors: Hao Pu , Tang Shuangshuang
Published: August 2015

The industrialization and urban development in China have driven a huge portion of the rural population to its urban areas. While discriminating institutions engendered by the hukou system exclude most rural migrants from urban rights and benefits, the option of converting hukou has become increasingly available. Nevertheless, few rural migrants have chosen to settle down in cities by obtaining an urban hukou, which contradicts a common perception that rural migrants desire an urban hukou. Based on a recent migrant survey in Jiangsu Province, this paper explores rural migrants' intention of hukou conversion with respect to the availability, type, and quantity of rural landholdings in their home countryside, as well as their socioeconomic attributes and migration patterns. The results of regression analyses indicate that both the possession of farmland and housing land in rural areas significantly influences the intention of rural migrants to obtain an urban hukou in their destination cities. Moreover, systematic variances in settlement intention are found between the “born-after-1980” generation and their older counterparts, as well as between migrants from the more and less affluent regions. These findings suggest that the decision of hukou conversion incorporates varied concerns and purposes among rural migrants in Chinese cities, which should be addressed with more responsive rural and urban policies.
Carl Troll
Authors: Holtmeier Friedrich-Karl
Published: August 2015

Carl Troll published numerous articles in various fields of geography. The present article is focused on some remarkable publications that have essentially contributed to progress in physical geography. Articles on the relationships between vegetation and climates at the global and at the regional and local scales in a three-dimensional view play a major role in this respect. Among them is the map of the seasonal climates of the earth (1964). His detailed vegetation map (1: 50,000) of the Nanga Parbat regions must also be mentioned in this context. Troll’s extensive and profound article ‘Patterned ground and solifluction’ (1944) and a few related publications, however, have been at least as important and inspired younger generations of physical geographers. Troll was also a pioneer in modern high-mountain geography. It was mainly Troll’s comparative approach to the world’s high mountains that made his studies so valuable and unique.
Piperlongumine induces apoptosis and autophagy in human lung cancer cells through inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway
Authors: Wang Feng , Mao Yong , You Qingjun , Hua Dong , Cai Dongyan
Published: August 2015

Piperlongumine (PL), a natural alkaloid present in the fruit of the Long pepper, is known to exhibit notable anti-cancer effects. Nonetheless, the anti-tumor effect of PL in lung cancer cells still remains unclear. In the present study, we reported the chemotherapeutic effects of PL using in vitro and in vivo models. We showed that PL displayed potent anti-neoplastic activity against lung cancer A549 cells as well as corresponding docetaxel-resistant A549/DTX cells. In addition, we found that PL induced apoptosis in both A549 and A549/DTX cells. PL also induced autophagy in A549/DTX cells. Moreover, autophagy-specific inhibitors (3-methyladenine) or Beclin1 and Atg 5 small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) enhanced PL-induced apoptosis, indicating that PL-mediated autophagy may protect A549/DTX cells from undergoing apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, we observed the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway by PL. Finally, PL inhibited the growth of A549/DTX xenograft tumors, which was associated with inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis of tumor cells and decreased expression of p-Akt and p-mTOR in tumor xenograft tissues. In summary, our study demonstrated that PL induced apoptosis and autophagy through modulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in human lung cancer cells. This study may provide a rationale for future clinical application using PL as a chemotherapeutic agent for lung cancer.
Influence of matrix ductility on the high-temperature fatigue behaviour of notched and unnotched thermoplastic and thermoset laminates
Authors: Vieille B , Albouy W
Published: August 2015

An experimental study has been conducted on notched and unnotched carbon woven-ply PolyPhenylene Sulfide (PPS) and Epoxy laminates subjected to fatigue loadings at a test temperature T such as [Formula: see text]. Depending on matrix nature, the obtained results confirm that matrix ductility is prominent to rule the fatigue response of notched woven-ply laminates at high temperature. In C/PPS laminates whose behaviour is very ductile at T >  Tg, the presence of a stress concentrator improves their fatigue life, whereas it reduces the fatigue life in C/Epoxy laminates. During cycling loadings, the dissipated energy is about four times as high in C/PPS laminates as in C/Epoxy laminates. The overstresses relieving known to be primarily due to diffuse damage around the hole in C/Epoxy is not efficient at high frequency, contrary to the overstresses accommodation due to the fibres rotation and to the plastic deformation along the ±45° oriented fibres in C/PPS, resulting in a longer fatigue life with respect to unnotched laminates.
Seizure Action Plans Do Not Reduce Health Care Utilization in Pediatric Epilepsy Patients
Authors: Roundy Lindsi M. , Filloux Francis M. , Kerr Lynne , Rimer Alyssa , Bonkowsky Joshua L.
Published: August 2015

Management of pediatric epilepsy requires complex coordination of care. We hypothesized that an improved seizure management care plan would reduce health care utilization and improve outcomes. The authors conducted a cohort study with historical controls of 120 epilepsy patients before and after implementation of a “Seizure Action Plan.” The authors evaluated for differences in health care utilization including emergency department visits, hospitalizations, clinic visits, telephone calls, and the percentage of emergency department visits that resulted in hospitalization in patients who did or did not have a Seizure Action Plan. The authors found that there was no decrease in these measures of health care utilization, and in fact the number of follow-up clinic visits was increased in the group with Seizure Action Plans (4.2 vs 3.3, P = .006). However, the study was underpowered to detect smaller differences. This study suggests that pediatric epilepsy quality improvement measures may require alternative approaches to reduce health care utilization and improve outcomes.
Human Milk Analysis Using Mid‐Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Groh‐Wargo Sharon , Valentic Jennifer , Khaira Sharmeel , Super Dennis M. , Collin Marc
Published: August 2015

Background: The composition of human milk is known to vary with length of gestation, stage of lactation, and other factors. Human milk contains all nutrients required for infant health but requires fortification to meet the needs of low‐birth‐weight infants. Without a known nutrient profile of the mother's milk or donor milk fed to a baby, the composition of the fortified product is only an estimate. Human milk analysis has the potential to improve the nutrition care of high‐risk newborns by increasing the information about human milk composition. Equipment to analyze human milk is available, and the technology is rapidly evolving. This pilot study compares mid‐infrared (MIR) spectroscopy to reference laboratory milk analysis. Methods: After obtaining informed consent, we collected human milk samples from mothers of infants weighing <2 kg at birth. Duplicate samples were analyzed for macronutrients by MIR and by reference laboratory analysis including Kjeldahl for protein, Mojonnier for fat, and high‐pressure liquid chromatography for lactose. Intraclass correlation coefficients, Bland‐Altman scatter plots, and paired t tests were used to compare the two methods. Results: No significant differences were detected between the macronutrient content of human milk obtained by MIR vs reference laboratory analysis. Conclusions: MIR analysis appears to provide an accurate assessment of macronutrient content in expressed human milk from mothers of preterm infants. The small sample size of this study limits confidence in the results. Measurement of lactose is confounded by the presence of oligosaccharides. Human milk analysis is a potentially useful tool for establishing an individualized fortification plan.
Cognitive and Behavioral Symptoms in ALSFTD
Authors: Hsieh Sharpley , Caga Jashelle , Leslie Felicity V. C. , Shibata Marlene , Daveson Naomi , Foxe David , Ramsey Eleanor , Lillo Patricia , Ahmed Rebekah M. , Devenney Emma , Burrell James R. , Hodges John R. , Kiernan Matthew C. , Mioshi Eneida
Published: August 2015

Brief screening tools that detect and differentiate patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALSFTD) from those more subtle cognitive or behavioral symptoms (ALS plus) and motor symptoms only (ALS pure) is pertinent in a clinical setting. The utility of 2 validated and data-driven tests (Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination [M-ACE] and Motor Neuron Disease Behavioral Scale [MiND-B]) was investigated in 70 ALS patients (24 ALSFTD, 19 ALS plus, and 27 ALS pure). More than 90% of patients with ALSFTD scored at or below the cutoff on the M-ACE, whereas this was seen in only about 20% of ALS patients without dementia. The MiND-B differentiated between ALS pure and ALS plus diagnostic categories. Rasch modeling of M-ACE and MiND-B items revealed early cognitive (fluency, memory recall) and behavioral (apathy) symptoms in ALSFTD. The combined use of the M-ACE and MiND-B detects patients with ALSFTD, differentiates along the ALS continuum, and offers insight into the progression of nonmotor symptomatology in ALSFTD.
The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on Cognition, Depression, and Activities of Daily Living for Patients With Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Duru Aşiret Güler , Kapucu Sevgisun
Published: August 2015

The purpose of this study was, conducted with experimental design, to investigate the effect of reminiscence therapy on cognition, depression, activities of daily living of institutionalized mild and moderate Alzheimer patients. The study was conducted with a total of 62 patients (31 intervention group and 31 control group) in four home care in Ankara, Turkey. Study was done between the July 1, 2013 and December 20, 2014. Reminiscence therapy sessions were held with groups consists of 4-5 patients, once a week with 30-35 minute duration for 12 weeks. Standardized Mini Mental Test was used in sample selection. Patients were listed through their mini mental test scores, and randomized as odd numbers to control group and even numbers to intervention group. Data were collected with forms developed by researcher ‘Data Sheet’ and ‘Activities of Daily Living Follow-up Form’ as well as scales ‘Standardized Mini Mental Test’ and ‘Geriatric Depression Scale’. Chi-square, Mann Whitney-U test, variance analyses in repeated measures and Bonferroni tests were used for analysis. The increase in mean Standardized Mini Mental Test score and the decrease in mean Geriatric Depression Scale score of the individuals in the intervention group compared to the control group at the end of the reminiscence therapy was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). At the end of reminiscence therapy sessions, increase in cognition and decrease in depression were found statistically significant in intervention group.
Fabrication of amino acid-based graphene-zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid and its application for poly(ester–amide)/graphene-ZnO nanocomposite synthesis
Authors: Mallakpour Shadpour , Abdolmaleki Amir , Borandeh Sedigheh
Published: August 2015

Graphene/zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid was prepared using biosafe l-phenylalanine-functionalized graphene. In this regard, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were modified by γ-aminopropyltriethoxyl silane (KH550) and were covalently attached to functionalized graphene sheets by reaction of amino groups on the outer wall of ZnO NPs with the carboxyl groups existing on graphene surface. Microscopic analysis of resulted hybrid revealed good dispersion of ZnO NPs on the graphene sheets. Afterward, the prepared hybrid was used as a filler for fabrication of polymer nanocomposite (NC). To this aim, a novel optically active poly(ester–amide) (PEA) containing different amino acids such as S-tyrosine and l-leucine was synthesized and structurally characterized using Fourier transform infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies, and CHN elemental analyses. Different percentages of NCs have been prepared through solution mixing method. Thermal stability of NC has been improved, which is be due to the increased interfacial interaction between the PEA matrix and functional groups on the hybrid.
Do public consultations work? The case of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill
Authors: Kaehne Axel , Taylor Helen
Published: August 2015

Conducting a public consultation is a popular way to draw on wider expertise in framing legislation in the UK. In Wales, low scrutinising capacity of a relatively small legislative chamber and limited civil service resources to prepare legislation may contribute to the popularity of consultations. Public consultations may also resonate with themes of inclusion and participation in Welsh governance. The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill was the first large legislative project of the Welsh Government since gaining primary law making powers in 2011. This case study investigated the public consultation (conducted at Stage 1) for this bill in 2013. It used a coding matrix to analyse the submissions to the consultation. The findings reveal that individuals and organisations may struggle to effectively influence legislation. Using van Damme and Brans’ interpretative framework, the article locates the findings within the context of citizen participation, consultation techniques and discusses the usefulness of analysing submissions as part of consultation evaluations. In addition, the article makes a case for triangulating a documentary analysis of submissions with conventional qualitative evidence in future consultation research.
Multi-UAVs formation autopilot design and performance analysis under interconnection topologies
Authors: Yang Aolei , Naeem Wasif , Fei Minrui
Published: August 2015

This paper employs a unique extension-decomposition-aggregation (EDA) scheme to solve the formation flight control problem for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The corresponding decentralised longitudinal and lateral formation autopilots are novelly designed to maintain the overall formation stability when encountering changes of the formation error and topologies. The concept of propagation layer number (PLN) is also proposed to provide an intuitive criterion to judge which type of formation topology is more suitable to minimise formation error propagation (FEP). The criterion states that the smaller the PLN of the formation is, the quicker the response to the formation error is. A smaller PLN also means that the resulting topology provides better prevention to the FEP. Simulation studies of formation flight of multiple Aerosonde UAVs demonstrate that the designed formation controller based on the EDA strategy performs satisfactorily in maintaining the overall formation stable, and the bidirectional partial-mesh topology is found to provide the best overall response to the formation error propagation based on the PLN criterion.
Winifred Rushforth and the Davidson Clinic for Medical Psychotherapy: a case study in the overlap of psychotherapy, Christianity and New Age spirituality
Authors: Miller Gavin
Published: August 2015

The activities of both Winifred Rushforth (1885–1983), and the Edinburgh-based Davidson Clinic for Medical Psychotherapy (1941–73) which she directed, exemplify and elaborate the overlap in Scotland of religious discourses and practices with psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Even as post-war secularization began to affect Scottish culture and society, Rushforth and the Davidson Clinic attempted to renew the biographical discourses of Christianity using the idioms and practices of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Furthermore, alongside these Christian-inflected activities, Rushforth promoted a psychoanalytically-informed New Age spirituality. This parallel mode of belief and practice drew on Christian life-narrative patterns, preserving them within psychoanalytic forms grafted onto a vitalist worldview informed by the work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
‘S.W.’ and C.G. Jung: mediumship, psychiatry and serial exemplarity
Authors: Shamdasani Sonu
Published: August 2015

On the basis of unpublished materials, this essay reconstructs Jung’s seances with his cousin, Helene Preiswerk, which formed the basis of his 1902 medical dissertation, The Psychology and Pathology of so-called Occult Phenomena. It separates out Jung’s contemporaneous approach to the mediumistic phenomena she exhibited from his subsequent sceptical psychological reworking of the case. It traces the reception of the work and its significance for his own self-experimentation from 1913 onwards. Finally, it reconstructs the manner in which Jung continually returned to his first model and reframed it as an exemplar of his developing theories.
Marseille, European Capital of Culture 2013 Ins and Offs: A case for rethinking the effects of large-scale cultural initiatives
Authors: Giovanangeli Angela
Published: August 2015

Recent studies on urban change have emphasised the importance of culturally driven initiatives in the development of economic and social change. Concerns, however, have been raised in popular urban studies discourse that these strategies prioritise the economy and tourism over and above the needs of local residents and lead to the redefinition, and even the eradication, of local cultures. This paper looks at the case of the French city of Marseille as host of the European Capital of Culture programme in 2013. It analyses some of the cultural practices that arise at the intersection of a transnational cultural programme and localised cultural acts, and documents how some of Marseille’s residents have responded to the European cultural event through cultural performances that address and highlight community concerns.
Disappearing bodies: The workplace and documentary film in an era of pure money
Authors: Waters Sarah
Published: August 2015

This article examines recent documentary films that have sought to narrate, record and criticise the effects on the French workplace of a shift to a new model of finance capitalism driven by ‘pure’ money. The films give representation to subjective experiences in the workplace showing how abstract economics is played out at the most intimate, personal and material level. The films seem to challenge dominant representations of finance capitalism as an order that has emancipated workers from the physical and disciplinary constraints of industrialism. The workers in these films describe the transition to a new economic order in terms of an intensification of corporeal pain. We see an economic order that pits an infinite accumulation of virtual money against the finite productive capacities of the human body.
Size matters: A comparative analysis of pig domestication
Authors: Lega Clelia , Raia Pasquale , Rook Lorenzo , Fulgione Domenico
Published: August 2015

Domestic pigs were a key component of the Neolithic Revolution because of their great relevance to farming. Zoo-archaeological evidences suggest that Sus scrofa was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent about 10,500 years BP. From that moment, early Neolithic farmers spread domestic pigs westward into Europe. Yet, once domesticated, European pigs rapidly replaced pigs of Near Eastern origin throughout Europe. A temporal distribution change between European mitochondrial DNA haplotypes (A-side and C-side) also occurred: the A-side haplotype increased in domestic remains from the Neolithic to the Roman Age in Europe, at the expense of C-side individuals. This same pattern is absent in non-domestic settings. We jointly analyzed (modern) wild boar morphology and mitochondrial DNA, seeking out morphological differences between A- and C- side types. Our results show that A-side wild boars are significantly larger than C-sides, irrespective of sex, age, and reproductive stage. This suggests that the increased frequency of A-side individuals in domestic samples through time might be the direct result of active selection by early breeders for their fast growth rate.
Antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties of diindolylmethane and lupeol against N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine induced bladder carcinogenesis in experimental rats
Authors: Prabhu B , Balakrishnan D , Sundaresan S
Published: August 2015

Introduction:

Chemoprevention may involve perturbation of a variety of steps in tumor initiation, promotion, and progression.

Objective:

To investigate the antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory potential effects of diindolylmethane (DIM) and lupeol on experimental bladder carcinogenesis.

Methods:

Sixty healthy male Wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into six groups, with 10 rats in each group. Group I: control; group II: N-butyl- N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN; 150 mg/gavage/twice a week) for 8 weeks, and then they were given 100 ppm concentrations of dimethylarsenic acid (DMA) in the drinking water for 28 weeks; group III: BBN + DMA + DIM (5 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)/day) treatment was started after BBN treatment, and it was orally administered for 28 weeks); group IV: BBN + DMA + lupeol (50 mg/kg b.w./day) treatment was started after BBN treatment, and it was orally administered for 28 weeks); and groups V and VI: DIM and lupeol treatment alone for 36 weeks. Bladder tissues were collected after 36th week study protocol for further analysis.

Results:

Our results revealed that DIM and lupeol treatment showed inhibition of tumor growth in the bladder by histopathological confirmations as well as significantly ( p < 0.001) increased the expression of phosphotensin (PTEN) and significantly ( p < 0.001) decreased the expression of tumor necrosis factor α, nuclear factor κβ (p65) were quantified using Western blot analysis. DIM and lupeol treatment significantly ( p < 0.001) decreased the levels of Cox-2 in bladder tissue samples and NMP 22 in urine samples were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.

Conclusion:

Preventive DIM and lupeol administration act as potent Cox-2 inhibitors, which activates the tumor suppressor protein PTEN against experimental bladder carcinogenesis by antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties.
Severe Obesity and the Ambivalence of Attending Physical Activity
Authors: Danielsen Kjersti Karoline , Sundgot-Borgen Jorunn , Rugseth Gro
Published: August 2015

Physical activity is considered fundamental in lifestyle interventions. We explore experiences of physical activity prior to, during, and following a 10- to 14-week inpatient lifestyle modification program, including high volume of physical activity, for the treatment of severe obesity. Eight participants from a prospective clinical trial were selected to participate in a complementary qualitative study. The participants’ experiences with physical activity during and following the treatment program represented different opposites: “pain and pleasure,” “desire and duty,” and “bubble and battle.” We summarized the findings into one overall theme: “the ambivalence of attending physical activity.” The ambivalence is experienced as a shift in how participants experience physical activity during the intervention period and as an ongoing, dynamic, and constantly shifting experience during such activity. To address and reflect upon such experiences with the participants, and acknowledge ambivalence as a legitimate part of being physically active, might be important within obesity treatment.
The Framing and Fashioning of Therapeutic Citizenship Among People Living With HIV Taking Antiretroviral Therapy in Uganda
Authors: Russell Steve , Namukwaya Stella , Zalwango Flavia , Seeley Janet
Published: August 2015

In this article, we examine how people living with HIV (PLWH) were able to reconceptualize or “reframe” their understanding of HIV and enhance their capacity to self-manage the condition. Two in-depth interviews were held with 38 PLWH (20 women, 18 men) selected from three government and nongovernment antiretroviral therapy (ART) delivery sites in Wakiso District, and the narratives analyzed. ART providers played an important role in shaping participants’ HIV self-management processes. Health workers helped PLWH realize that they could control their condition, provided useful concepts and language for emotional coping, and gave advice about practical self-management tasks, although this could not always be put into practice. ART providers in this setting were spaces for the development of a collective identity and a particular form of therapeutic citizenship that encouraged self-management, including adherence to ART. Positive framing institutions are important for many PLWH in resource-limited settings and the success of ART programs.
Ensemble neural networks for structural damage identification using modal data
Authors: Hakim SJS , Razak H Abdul , Ravanfar SA
Published: August 2015

Damage in a structure is defined as changes to its geometric and material properties, leading to a reduction in the structural stiffness which negatively affects the performance of the structure. Reduction in the structural stiffness produces changes in the modal parameters such as the natural frequencies and mode shapes. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been applied extensively in recent years due to their excellent pattern recognition ability that is useful for structural damage identification purposes. In this paper, ANNs based damage identification techniques were developed and applied for damage localization and severity identification in I-beam structures using dynamic parameters. Experimental modal analysis and numerical simulations were applied to generate dynamic parameters of the first five flexural modes of structures. In damage identification using ANNs, five individual networks corresponding to mode 1 to mode 5 were trained, and then a method based on neural network ensemble was proposed to combine the outcomes of the individual neural networks into a single network. The ensemble network has the advantages of all the individual networks from different vibrational modes. The results showed that ensemble neural networks have a strong potential for structural damage identification.
The Impact of Leader Humor on Subordinate Job Satisfaction
Authors: Robert Christopher , Dunne Timothy C. , Iun Joyce
Published: August 2015

Conventional wisdom from the popular and scholarly literatures consistently suggests that positive humor by leaders can be beneficial, but that negative humor should be avoided at all costs. To explore the boundaries of that conventional wisdom, we draw on leadership and humor theory to develop and test a conceptual model describing the relationships between leader humor, leader–subordinate relationship quality, the subordinate’s tenure with the leader, and subordinate job satisfaction. Analysis of multilevel data from 241 subordinates nested within 70 leaders in 54 organizations revealed that the relationship between leader humor and job satisfaction was dependent on the quality of the leader–subordinate relationship, and not the positive/negative tone of the leader’s humor. Specifically, both positive and negative (i.e., affiliative and aggressive) leader humor styles were positively associated with job satisfaction when the relationship was positive, but both types were negatively associated with job satisfaction when the relationship was negative. Our results also suggested that the effects of positive humor increased with increasing subordinate tenure. We discuss the practical implications of these findings, including the importance of understanding the relational context of humor.
Rheology of sheared gels based on low acyl-gellan gum
Authors: García M. Carmen , Alfaro M. Carmen , Muñoz José
Published: August 2015

Sheared gels containing 0.2 wt% low-acyl gellan gum were prepared by different processing protocols using Na+ or Ca2+ as gel-promoting ions. Rheology and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to gain information on the sample structure. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed the formation of a heterogeneous microstructure consisting of a dispersion of gel-like clusters. Small amplitude oscillatory shear stress results indicated that their viscoelastic properties had a predominant elastic component. Flow curves exhibited very high viscosities at low shear stress, an apparent yield stress and very shear thinning behaviour, supporting their applications as a stabilizer.
Faking ADHD? Symptom Validity Testing and Its Relation to Self-Reported, Observer-Reported Symptoms, and Neuropsychological Measures of Attention in Adults With ADHD
Authors: Hirsch Oliver , Christiansen Hanna
Published: August 2015

Objective: To compare ADHD patients who failed a symptom validity test with those who passed the test to explore whether there are signs of negative response bias on group level. Method: In our outpatient department, 196 adults were diagnosed with ADHD using a comprehensive diagnostic strategy featuring a detailed clinical history, clinical interview, observer rating, several self-rating scales, and neuropsychological attention tests. The Amsterdam Short Term Memory Test (AKGT) was applied as a symptom validity measure. Results: Sixty-three patients (32.1%) scored below the AKGT cutoff level. The two groups did not significantly differ regarding self-report and observer ratings. Those who failed the AKGT had higher reaction time variabilities in selective, auditory and visual divided attention, and higher omission errors in sustained attention. Conclusion: We found no strong indicators for negative response bias in ADHD patients who failed a symptom validity test. New measures and approaches to detect feigned ADHD should be developed.
In Search of How Principals Change
Authors: McIntosh Kent , Kelm Joanna L. , Canizal Delabra Alondra
Published: August 2015

Research has shown principal support to be a critical variable for implementing and sustaining evidence-based practices. However, there remains little understanding of the factors that may influence a principal’s personal decision to support a practice. The purpose of the current study was to examine events that influenced principals’ support for a widely used approach to behavior in schools, school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 school administrators who self-reported that they were initially opposed to or not supportive of PBIS but became stronger supporters over time. Qualitative analysis using the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique revealed eight helping and three hindering categories of experiences in change in support, as well as two categories of early experiences that they reported might have built their support from the beginning. Implications for enhancing administrator support are provided.
Adverse health behaviours are associated with depression and anxiety in multiple sclerosis: A prospective multisite study
Authors: McKay Kyla A. , Tremlett Helen , Fisk John D. , Patten Scott B. , Fiest Kirsten , Berrigan Lindsay , Marrie Ruth Ann ,   for the CIHR Team in the Epidemiology and Impact of Comorbidity on Multiple Sclerosis (ECoMS)
Published: August 2015

Background:

Depression and anxiety are common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), as are adverse health behaviours, but the associations between these factors are unclear.

Objective:

To evaluate the associations between cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and depression and anxiety in MS in a cross-Canada prospective study.

Methods:

From July 2010 to March 2011 we recruited consecutive MS patients from four MS clinics. At three visits over two years, clinical and demographic information was collected, and participants completed questionnaires regarding health behaviours and mental health.

Results:

Of 949 participants, 75.2% were women, with a mean age of 48.6 years; most had a relapsing−remitting course (72.4%). Alcohol dependence was associated with increased odds of anxiety (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.32–2.58) and depression (OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.05–2.23) adjusting for age, sex, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and smoking status. Smoking was associated with increased odds of anxiety (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.02–1.63) and depression (OR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.04–1.78) adjusting for age, sex, EDSS, and alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence was associated with an increased incidence of depression but not anxiety. Depression was associated with an increased incidence of alcohol dependence.

Conclusion:

Alcohol dependence and smoking were associated with anxiety and depression. Awareness of the effects of adverse health behaviours on mental health in MS might help target counselling and support for those ‘at risk’.
Legitimating the illegitimate: How doctors manage their knowledge of the prestige of diseases
Authors: Haldar Marit , Engebretsen Eivind , Album Dag
Published: August 2015

Although the sociology of medicine has developed a rich body of research on patients’ experiences and how they handle their illnesses, few analyses have examined doctors’ concepts of disease. Building on previous research findings that doctors consider some diseases to be more worthy than others, this article focuses on how these differences in disease prestige are articulated and made logical. We presented a focus group panel of doctors a table of 38 diseases rank-ordered by prestige according to the results of a previous quantitative study of doctors. We prompted a lively discussion among the doctors by asking them whether they were familiar with this rank order. In analysing how they managed the prestige knowledge presented to them, we focused on how they handled the value conflict between this informal rank order and the formal value of equality of treatment. Using positioning theory as a theoretical premise and a methodological tool, we found that the focus group participants created positions in their conversations that allowed them to present and discuss views on disease prestige that would be considered illegitimate if they were declared directly. However, they were able to do so without being forced to take a personal stand. Thus, we demonstrate how informal disease rankings can be produced and reproduced.
Improving energy efficiency in private rented housing: Why don't landlords act?
Authors: Ambrose Aimee R
Published: August 2015

The private rented sector in England contains some of the least energy efficient properties in the country and houses more vulnerable households than any other sector. Occupants endure dangerously cold homes and fuel poverty but have no direct influence over the energy performance of their homes. The choices that occupants make regarding energy are constrained by the material characteristics of a property: something only the landlord can alter. Enduringly poor conditions in the sector indicate that an initiative that convinces landlords of the benefits of improving energy efficiency remains elusive. Based on a review of existing research and 30 interviews with landlords, this paper identifies factors which deter landlords from acting to improve energy efficiency. Factors include lack of knowledge regarding the consequences of energy inefficiency and possible solutions, the absence of direct financial incentives (the principal–agent problem), local housing market and cultural factors. It also identifies a number of motivating factors that may encourage landlords to invest in energy efficiency. It is argued that policies to tackle energy inefficiency in the sector should take account of these factors in order to improve effectiveness.
Dysphagia is not a Valuable Indicator of Tumor Response after Preoperative Chemotherapy for R0 Resected Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Gastroesophageal Junction
Authors: Strandby R. B. , Svendsen L. B. , Bæksgaard L. , Egeland C. , Achiam M. P.
Published: August 2015

Background:

Monitoring treatment response to preoperative chemotherapy is of utmost importance to avoid treatment toxicity, especially in non-responding patients. Currently, no reliable methods exist for tumor response assessment after preoperative chemotherapy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate dysphagia as a predictor of tumor response after preoperative chemotherapy and as a predictor of recurrence and survival.

Methods:

Patients with adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction, treated between 2010 and 2012, were retrospectively reviewed. Dysphagia scores (Mellow-Pinkas) were obtained before and after three cycles of perioperative chemotherapy together with clinicopathological patient characteristics. A clinical response was defined as improvement of dysphagia by at least 1 score from the baseline. The tumor response was defined as down staging of T-stage from initial computer tomography (CT) scan (cT-stage) to pathologic staging of surgical specimen (pT-stage). Patients were followed until death or censored on June 27th, 2014.

Results:

Of the 110 included patients, 59.1% had improvement of dysphagia after three cycles of perioperative chemotherapy, and 31.8% had a chemotherapy-induced tumor response after radical resection of tumor. Improvement of dysphagia was not correlated with the tumor response in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.23). Moreover, the presence of dysphagia was not correlated with recurrence (p = 0.92) or survival (p = 0.94) in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusion:

In our study, improvement of dysphagia was not valid for tumor response evaluation after preoperative chemotherapy and was not correlated with the tumor response. The presence of dysphagia does not seem to be a predictor of recurrence or survival.