bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Viewing Children’s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence Through a Developmental, Social-Ecological, and Survivor Lens: The Current State of the Field, Challenges, and Future Directions
Authors: Carlson Juliana , Voith Laura , Brown Jejuana C. , Holmes Megan
Published: December 2018

Although some children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) demonstrate resilience, the population-level health consequences of exposure across the lifespan and the related social and economic costs of such exposure are enormous. Using a developmental and social-ecological perspective, this article summarizes the literature examining the effects of IPV exposure on children, reviews key underlying mechanisms, and suggests the use of a public health prevention approach. It presents a discussion of next steps and identification of key challenges. One of the authors, a survivor of child exposure to IPV, presents a vignette that augments key sections and highlights children’s resilience.
Wild card: making sense of adoption and Indigenous citizenship orders in settler colonial contexts
Authors: Lee Damien , Horn-Miller Kahente
Published: December 2018

Foreword for 2018 Volume 14 Issue 4 Special Issue on Adoption and Indigenous Citizenship Orders authored by its two Guest Editors.
Analysing European Union decision-making during the Eurozone crisis with new data
Authors: Wasserfallen Fabio , Leuffen Dirk , Kudrna Zdenek , Degner Hanno
Published: December 2018

The collection of articles in this special issue provides a comprehensive analysis of European Union decision-making during the Eurozone crisis. We investigate national preference formation and interstate bargaining related to major reforms of the Economic and Monetary Union. The analyses rely on the new ‘EMU Positions’ dataset. This dataset includes information about the preferences and saliences of all 28 EU member states and key EU institutions, regarding 47 contested issues negotiated between 2010 and 2015. In this introductory article, we first articulate the motivation behind this special issue and outline its collective contribution. We then briefly summarise each article within this collection; the articles analyse agenda setting, preference formation, coalition building, bargaining dynamics, and bargaining success. Finally, we present and discuss the ‘EMU Positions’ dataset.
An on-board method to estimate the light-off temperature of diesel oxidation catalysts
Authors: Guardiola Carlos , Pla Benjamin , Bares Pau , Mora Javier
Published: December 2018

Current diesel engine regulations include on-board diagnostic requirements so that after-treatment systems need on-board methods to detect their aging state through the available measurements. In a state-of-the-art diesel exhaust line, two temperature and [Formula: see text] measurements can be found upstream and downstream of the diesel oxidation catalyst. Thus, the strategy presented in this article makes use of these measurements to estimate the light-off temperature, which has been widely studied as a characteristic of diesel oxidation catalyst aging. The light-off temperature estimation potential is evaluated first under dynamic engine operating conditions, in which [Formula: see text] measurements are proved to be precise enough to detect oxidation. However, dynamic conditions make the association of a representative temperature with an oxidation event difficult. Therefore, the method makes use of more controlled conditions at idle, during which the exhaust temperature decreases avoiding dynamics of normal driving conditions. During the idle, post-injection pulses are applied to determine whether oxidation occurs at a representative temperature measured by the upstream temperature sensor. The result of each pulse is used to generate a database. Then, after a long enough time window, the database generated will allow characterizing non-oxidation and oxidation temperatures, with an intermediate interval of indefinition. This article shows how the temperatures of these ranges increase as the light-off temperature increases, thereby validating the proposed method for light-off temperature estimation.
Visualizing a Black Future: Emory Douglas and the Black Panther Party
Authors: Gaiter Colette
Published: December 2018

In the post-Civil Rights late 1960s, the Black Panther Party (BPP) artist Emory Douglas created visual messages mirroring the US Western genre and gun culture of the time. For black people still struggling against severe oppression, Douglas’s work metaphorically armed them to defend against daily injustices. The BPP’s intrepid and carefully constructed images were compelling, but conversely, they motivated lawmakers and law enforcement officers to disrupt the organization aggressively. Decades after mainstream media vilified Douglas’s work, new generations celebrate its prescient activism and bold aesthetics. Using empathetic strategies of reflecting black communities back to themselves, Douglas visualized everyday superheroes. The gun-carrying avenger/cowboy hero archetype prevalent in Westerns did not transcend deeply embedded US racial stereotypes branding black people as inherently dangerous. Douglas helped the Panthers create visual mythology that merged fluidly with the ideas of Afrofuturism, which would develop years later as an expression of imagined liberated black futures.
On (Being) Fear: Utah v. Strieff and the Ontology of Affect
Authors: Douglass Patrice D
Published: December 2018

This article interrogates the dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor in Utah v. Strieff, a Fourth Amendment case on lawful police searches, to track the political assumptions that undergird conceptions of the legal boundaries of police search and seizures. Specifically, the author examines how the vestiges of slavery structure both the constitutive elements of how bodily autonomy and freedom from physical invasion is understood under the law. Thus, by employing critical Black Studies in tension with affect theory, this article questions what limits are present in the law that reify, even or especially through dissent, the ontological arrangements of slavery and its afterlife.
Why do people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease repeat pulmonary rehabilitation? Perspectives of patients and health professionals
Authors: Storey Shannon , Erbas Bircan , Holland Anne Elizabeth
Published: December 2018

Many people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undertake pulmonary rehabilitation more than once. This study examined patient experiences and health professional perspectives regarding repeating pulmonary rehabilitation. Participants were 14 patients with COPD and 15 health professionals. Patients had undertaken pulmonary rehabilitation at a tertiary hospital; health professionals were doctors, physiotherapists, and nurses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Patients described improved fitness and better breathing after repeating pulmonary rehabilitation; however, some also reported that repeating required confronting their disease progression. Improved confidence and motivation were an important outcome of repeating. Although most participants had attended community-based exercise classes, they valued the greater intensity of exercise and closer supervision that came with repeating pulmonary rehabilitation. Health professionals reported referring patients to repeat pulmonary rehabilitation if they had worsening functional capacity, an exacerbation, or hospitalization. There was no agreement regarding the optimal time for repeating and many would only re-refer if the patient demonstrated motivation to attend. In conclusion, patients with COPD reported many symptomatic benefits from repeating pulmonary rehabilitation and gained confidence from a supervised program. There was no agreement between health professionals regarding the optimal time to repeat pulmonary rehabilitation.
Kienböck Disease: Quality, Accuracy, and Readability of Online Information
Authors: Noback Peter C. , Trofa David P. , Dziesinski Lucas K. , Trupia Evan P. , Galle Samuel , Rosenwasser Melvin P.
Published: December 2018

Background: Patients with limited health literacy require online educational materials to be written below a sixth grade level for optimal understanding. We assessed the quality, accuracy, and readability of online materials for Kienböck disease (KD). Methods: “Kienbock’s Disease” and “Lunate Avacular Necrosis” were entered into 3 search engines. The first 25 Web sites from each search were collected. Quality was assessed via a custom grading rubric, accuracy by 2 residents and a fellow, and readability by Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL) and New Dale-Chall test. Web sites were stratified according to the search term, FKGL, order of appearance, and authorship type. Results: A total of 38 unique Web sites were included, of which 22 were assigned to “KD” and 16 to “Lunate Avascular Necrosis.” The average quality score out of 30, accuracy score out of 12, and FKGL for all Web sites were 13.3 ± 7.3, 10.4 ± 1.9, and 10.5 ± 1.4, respectively. Web sites assigned to the term “Kienbock’s Disease” had a significantly higher FKGL. Web sites of higher FKGL had significantly worse accuracy scores. Order of appearance had no influence. Physician specialty societies (PSS) had a significantly lower FKGL than Web sites of other authorship types. Conclusions: Despite concerted efforts by national organizations, the readability of online patient materials is above the recommended level for KD. Patients with limited health literacy will be most affected by this reality. Until readability improves, patients should continue to consult their physicians when uncertain and prioritize Web sites that are easier to read and produced by PSS.
The Benefits of Obesity Medicine Certification
Authors: Alexander Lydia
Published: December 2018

With the majority of patients seen by primary care practitioners suffering from overweight or obesity, an additional certification in obesity medicine provides the critical tools and skillset to expertly address the many chronic health conditions predicated by unhealthy adiposity and excess weight.
Self-Compassion as a Christian Spiritual Practice
Authors: Wilhoit James C.
Published: December 2018

One of the human dynamics that spiritual formation must address is the set of messages that play over and over in our minds. This self-talk or personal commentary frames our reactions to life and its circumstances and shapes how we relate to God and others. Often, the pattern of self-talk that we employ is negative, and in the past decade Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff have developed a series of self-compassion exercises designed to dispute this negative thinking. Their research and program of Mindful Self-Compassion have been widely reported in the mainstream media and are marketed as being secular and religiously neutral. This article explores ways in which self-compassion practices can be used as a Christian spiritual practice. This article also examines some of the implicit theological assumptions in what is presented as a religiously neutral program and considers how Christians, from a spiritual formation standpoint, might view both self-critical self-talk and its remediation through the practice of self-compassion.
General practitioners’ perspectives on care coordination in primary health care: A qualitative study
Authors: Vassbotn Ane Drougge , Sjøvik Hege , Tjerbo Trond , Frich Jan , Spehar Ivan
Published: December 2018

Introduction

To explore Norwegian general practitioners’ experiences with care coordination in primary health care.

Methods

Qualitative study using data from five focus groups with 32 general practitioners in Norway. We analysed the data using systematic text condensation, a descriptive and explorative method for thematic cross-case analysis of qualitative data.

Results

The general practitioners had different notions of care pathways. They expressed a wish and an obligation to be involved in planning and coordination of primary health-care services, but they experienced organisational and financial barriers that limited their involvement and contribution. General practitioners reported lack of information about and few opportunities for involvement in formal coordination initiatives, and they missed informal arenas for dialogue with other primary health-care professionals. They argued that the general practitioner’s role as coordinator should be recognised by other parties and that they needed financial compensation for contributions and attendance in meetings with the municipality.

Discussion

General practitioners need informal arenas for dialogue with other primary health-care professionals and access to relevant information to promote coordinated care. There might be an untapped potential for improving patient care involving general practitioners more in planning and coordinating services at the system level. Financial compensation of general practitioners contribution may promote increased involvement by general practitioners.
Changes in care coordination and health insurance in the population of US children with muscular dystrophy, 2005–2006 and 2009–2010
Authors: Shing Jaimie Z , Liu Tiebin , Valdez Rodolfo
Published: December 2018

Introduction

We aimed to assess changes in care coordination and health insurance coverage among US children with muscular dystrophy.

Methods

We used 2005–2006 and 2009–2010 data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. We examined the distribution of sociodemographic and health characteristics of children with muscular dystrophy by survey cycle. Multivariable regression was used to calculate odds of not receiving effective care coordination, not having adequate health insurance coverage, receiving no help coordinating care, and having problems obtaining referrals in each survey cycle.

Results

In the 2005–2006 and 2009–2010 survey cycles, there were 135 and 117 children with muscular dystrophy (representing 34,672 and 31,169 US children with muscular dystrophy), respectively. The percentage of children with muscular dystrophy who did not receive effective care coordination changed from 59.2% (95% confidence interval (CI), 45.6%–72.7%) in 2005–2006 to 53.4% (95% CI, 38.3%–68.6%) in 2009–2010. The odds of not receiving effective care coordination (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.32–1.89) or having problems obtaining referrals (aOR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.17–1.59) did not change significantly between the two periods, whereas odds of having inadequate insurance coverage decreased significantly (aOR = 0.41, 95% CI, 0.18–0.93) and odds of not receiving help coordinating care increased significantly (aOR = 4.22, 95% CI, 1.24–14.29) between the two periods.

Conclusion

Our results suggest key health care needs for many families with children with muscular dystrophy have remained unmet for a prolonged period. Although there were significant improvements in health insurance coverage, nearly one-third of children with muscular dystrophy still had inadequate health insurance coverage in 2009–2010; it is likely that this situation has not changed much since then.
A real-world comparison of relapse rates, healthcare costs and resource use among patients with multiple sclerosis newly initiating subcutaneous interferon beta-1a versus oral disease-modifying drugs
Authors: Bowen James D , Kozma Chris M , Grosso Megan M , Phillips Amy L
Published: December 2018

Background

Administrative-claims data enable comparative effectiveness assessment using large numbers of patients treated in real-world settings.

Objective

To evaluate real-world relapses, healthcare costs and resource use in patients with MS newly initiating subcutaneous interferon beta-1a (sc IFNβ-1a) v. oral disease-modifying drugs (DMDs: dimethyl fumarate, fingolimod, teriflunomide).

Methods

Patients from an administrative claims database (1 Jan 2012–31 Dec 2015) were selected if they: were 18–63 years old; had an MS diagnosis; had newly initiated sc IFNβ-1a, dimethyl fumarate, fingolimod, or teriflunomide (first claim = index); had no evidence of DMD 12-months pre-index; and had 12-month eligibility pre- and post-index. Relapse was defined as an MS-related inpatient stay, emergency room visit, or outpatient visit with a corticosteroid prescription ± 7 days. Outcomes were evaluated using logistic regression and generalized linear models.

Results

A total of 4475 patients met inclusion criteria: 21.9% sc IFNβ-1a, 51.0% dimethyl fumarate, 19.7% fingolimod, 7.4% teriflunomide. Teriflunomide patients had 1.357 (95% CI 1.000, 1.831; p = 0.0477) greater odds of 1-year relapse than sc IFNβ-1a patients. Estimated mean all-cause 1-year costs were higher after fingolimod (US$72,376) v. sc IFNβ-1a initiation (US$65,408; p < 0.0001). Non-DMD costs were not significantly different.

Conclusion

Patients initiating sc IFNβ-1a had better relapse outcomes v. teriflunomide, and lower all-cause costs v. fingolimod.
Strategies for Developing Work Experiences for Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Whittenburg Holly N. , Sims Katie A. , Wehman Paul , Walther-Thomas Christine
Published: December 2018

High school work experience is a predictor of postsecondary employment success for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Developing integrated work experiences often requires schools to partner with local businesses; yet, secondary special education transition teams may not have prior experience or preparation in this type of transition work. Drawing on supported employment research, this article provides transition specialists and secondary special educators with practical strategies for identifying and engaging with potential local business partners and creating networking opportunities that build effective relationships.
Treatment of bleeding complications in patients on anticoagulant therapy
Authors: Piran Siavash , Schulman Sam
Published: December 2018

Anticoagulant therapy is often refrained from out of fear of hemorrhagic complications. The most frequent type of major bleeding is gastrointestinal, but intracranial hemorrhage has the worst prognosis. Management of these complications in patients on anticoagulants should follow the same routines as for nonanticoagulated patients, as described here with the previously mentioned bleeds as examples. In addition, for life-threatening or massive hemorrhages, reversal of the anticoagulant effect is also crucial. Adequate reversal requires information on which anticoagulant the patient has taken and when the last dose was ingested. Laboratory data can be of some help, but not for all anticoagulants in the emergency setting. This is reviewed here for the different types of anticoagulants: vitamin K antagonists, heparins, fondaparinux, thrombin inhibitors and factor Xa inhibitors. Specific antidotes for the latter are becoming available, but supportive care and nonspecific support for hemostasis with antifibrinolytic agents or prothrombin complex concentrates, which are widely available, should be kept in mind.
Update on clinical gene therapy for hemophilia
Authors: Perrin George Q. , Herzog Roland W. , Markusic David M.
Published: December 2018

In contrast to other diverse therapies for the X-linked bleeding disorder hemophilia that are currently in clinical development, gene therapy holds the promise of a lasting cure with a single drug administration. Near-to-complete correction of hemophilia A (factor VIII deficiency) and hemophilia B (factor IX deficiency) have now been achieved in patients by hepatic in vivo gene transfer. Adeno-associated viral vectors with different viral capsids that have been engineered to express high-level, and in some cases hyperactive, coagulation factors were employed. Patient data support that sustained endogenous production of clotting factor as a result of gene therapy eliminates the need for infusion of coagulation factors (or alternative drugs that promote coagulation), and may therefore ultimately also reduce treatment costs. However, mild liver toxicities have been observed in some patients receiving high vector doses. In some but not all instances, the toxicities correlated with a T-cell response directed against the viral capsid, prompting use of immune suppression. In addition, not all patients can be treated because of preexisting immunity to viral capsids. Nonetheless, studies in animal models of hemophilia suggest that the approach can also be used for immune tolerance induction to prevent or eliminate inhibitory antibodies against coagulation factors. These can form in traditional protein replacement therapy and represent a major complication of treatment. The current review provides a summary and update on advances in clinical gene therapies for hemophilia and its continued development.
ACTH-Dependent Cyclic Cushing Syndrome Triggered by Glucocorticoid Excess Through a Positive-Feedback Mechanism
Authors: Seki Yasufumi , Morimoto Satoshi , Saito Fumiko , Takano Noriyoshi , Kimura Shihori , Yamashita Kaoru , Yoshida Naohiro , Bokuda Kanako , Sasaki Nobukazu , Yatabe Midori , Watanabe Daisuke , Yatabe Junichi , Ando Takashi , Amano Kosaku , Kawamata Takakazu , Ichihara Atsuhiro
Published: December 2018

Context

Cyclic Cushing syndrome is a rare variant of Cushing syndrome that demonstrates periodic cortisol excess. It has been thought that inhibition of a glucocorticoid positive-feedback loop is associated with remission of hypercortisolism in ACTH-dependent cyclic Cushing syndrome. However, the underlying mechanism that triggers the development of the hypercortisolism is still unknown. We observed a case of ACTH-dependent cyclic Cushing syndrome that was developed by exogenous glucocorticoids, possibly through a glucocorticoid positive-feedback loop.

Case Description

A 75-year-old woman had experienced cyclic ACTH and cortisol elevations six times in the previous 4 years. Her diagnosis was cyclic Cushing syndrome. During the hypercortisolemic phase, neither low-dose nor high-dose dexamethasone suppressed her plasma ACTH and cortisol levels. Daily metyrapone therapy decreased her plasma cortisol and ACTH levels during every hypercortisolemic phase. After the sixth remission of a hypercortisolemic phase, she took 25 mg of hydrocortisone for 4 weeks and developed ACTH-dependent hypercortisolemia. Treatment with 1 mg of dexamethasone gradually increased both plasma ACTH and cortisol levels over 2 weeks, resulting in the eighth hypercortisolemic phase. Treatment using a combination of dexamethasone and metyrapone did not increase plasma ACTH or cortisol level and successfully prevented development of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism.

Conclusion

We present an interesting case of cyclic Cushing syndrome in which ACTH-dependent hypercortisolemic phases relapsed during exogenous glucocorticoid treatment. A glucocorticoid positive-feedback loop and endogenous glucocorticoid synthesis may play key roles in the periodicity of hypercortisolism in cyclic Cushing syndrome.
Transcriptionally dynamic progenitor populations organised around a stable niche drive axial patterning
Authors: Wymeersch Filip J. , Skylaki Stavroula , Huang Yali , Watson Julia A. , Economou Constantinos , Marek-Johnston Carylyn , Tomlinson Simon R. , Wilson Valerie
Published: December 2018

The elongating mouse anteroposterior axis is supplied by progenitors with distinct tissue fates. It is not known whether these progenitors confer anteroposterior pattern to the embryo. We have analysed the progenitor population transcriptomes in the mouse primitive streak and tail bud throughout axial elongation. Transcriptomic signatures distinguish three known progenitor types (neuromesodermal, lateral/paraxial mesoderm and notochord progenitors; NMPs, LPMPs and NotoPs). Both NMP and LPMP transcriptomes change extensively over time. In particular, NMPs upregulate Wnt, Fgf, and Notch signalling components and many Hox genes as progenitors transit from production of the trunk to the tail and expand in number. In contrast, the transcriptome of NotoPs is stable throughout axial elongation and they are required for normal axis elongation. These results suggest that NotoPs act as a progenitor niche while anteroposterior patterning originates within NMPs and LPMPs.
Targeted substrate degradation by Kelch controls the actin cytoskeleton during ring canal expansion
Authors: Hudson Andrew M. , Mannix Katelynn M. , Gerdes Julianne A. , Kottemann Molly C. , Cooley Lynn
Published: December 2018

During Drosophila oogenesis, specialized actin-based structures called ring canals form and expand to accommodate growth of the oocyte. Previous work demonstrated that Kelch and Cullin 3 function together in a Cullin 3-RING ubiquitin ligase complex (CRL3Kelch) to organize the ring canal cytoskeleton, presumably by targeting a substrate for proteolysis. Here, we use tandem affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry to identify HtsRC as the CRL3Kelch ring canal substrate. CRISPR-mediated mutagenesis of HtsRC revealed its requirement in the recruitment of the ring canal F-actin cytoskeleton. We present genetic evidence consistent with HtsRC being the CRL3Kelch substrate, as well as biochemical evidence indicating that HtsRC is ubiquitylated and degraded by the proteasome. Finally, we identify a short sequence motif in HtsRC that is necessary for Kelch binding. These findings uncover an unusual mechanism during development wherein a specialized cytoskeletal structure is regulated and remodeled by the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
Glycosphingolipid metabolism in cell fate specification
Authors: Russo Domenico , Capolupo Laura , Loomba Jaipreet Singh , Sticco Lucia , D'Angelo Giovanni
Published: December 2018

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are ubiquitous components of eukaryotic plasma membranes that consist of a ceramide backbone linked to a glycan moiety. Both the ceramide and the glycan parts of GSLs display structural variations that result in a remarkable repertoire of diverse compounds. This diversity of GSLs is exploited during embryogenesis, when different GSLs are produced at specific developmental stages and along several differentiation trajectories. Importantly, plasma membrane receptors interact with GSLs to modify their activities. Consequently, two otherwise identical cells can respond differently to the same stimulus owing to their different GSL composition. The metabolic reprograming of GSLs is in fact a necessary part of developmental programs, as its impairment results in developmental failure or tissue-specific defects. Moreover, single-cell variability is emerging as a fundamental player in development: GSL composition displays cell-to-cell variability in syngeneic cell populations owing to the regulatory gene expression circuits involved in microenvironment adaptation and in differentiation. Here, we discuss how GSLs are synthesized and classified and review the role of GSLs in the establishment and maintenance of cell identity. We further highlight the existence of the regulatory circuits that modify GSL pathways and speculate how GSL heterogeneity might contribute to developmental patterning.
Epidermal epidemic: unravelling the pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis
Authors: Wu Nicholas C. , Cramp Rebecca L. , Ohmer Michel E. B. , Franklin Craig E.
Published: December 2018

Chytridiomycosis, a lethal fungal skin disease of amphibians, fatally disrupts ionic and osmotic homeostasis. Infected amphibians increase their skin shedding rate (sloughing) to slow pathogen growth, but the sloughing process also increases skin permeability. Healthy amphibians increase active ion uptake during sloughing by increasing ion transporter abundance to offset the increased skin permeability. How chytridiomycosis affects the skin function during and between sloughing events remains unknown. Here we show that non-sloughing frogs with chytridiomycosis have impaired cutaneous sodium uptake, in part because they have fewer sodium transporters in their skin. Interestingly, sloughing was associated with a transient increase in sodium transporter activity and abundance, suggesting that the newly exposed skin layer is initially fully functional until the recolonization of the skin by the fungus again impedes cutaneous function. However, the temporary restoration of skin function during sloughing does not restore ionic homeostasis, and the underlying loss of ion uptake capacity is ultimately detrimental for amphibians with chytridiomycosis.
Visuomotor strategies for object approach and aversion in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Mongeau Jean-Michel , Cheng Karen Y. , Aptekar Jacob , Frye Mark A.
Published: December 2018

Animals classify stimuli to generate appropriate motor actions. In flight, Drosophila melanogaster classify equidistant large and small objects with categorically different behaviors: a tall object evokes approach whereas a small object elicits avoidance. We studied visuomotor behavior in rigidly- and magnetically-tethered D. melanogaster to reveal strategies that generate aversion to a small object. We discovered that small object aversion in tethered flight is enabled by aversive saccades and smooth movement, which varies with the stimulus type. Aversive saccades to a short bar had different dynamics than approach saccades to a tall bar and the distribution of pre-saccade error angles were more stochastic for a short bar. Taken together, we show that aversive responses in Drosophila are driven in part by processes that elicit signed saccades with distinct dynamics and trigger mechanisms. Our work generates new hypotheses to study brain circuits that underlie classification of objects in D. melanogaster.
Ίχνη του εφήμερου: Το χρονικό της μόνιμης έκθεσης κοστουμιών του Κρατικού Θεάτρου Βορείου Ελλάδος
Authors: Κερτεμελίδου Παρασκευή
Published: December 2018

Το χρονικό της μόνιμης έκθεσης κοστουμιών του Κρατικού Θεάτρου Βορείου Ελλάδος.
Photodynamic therapy in infected venous and mixed leg ulcers: a pilot experience
Authors: Mosti Giovanni , Picerni Pietro , Licau Manuel , Mattaliano Vincenzo
Published: December 2018

Objective:

To assess the tolerability and efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with RLP068, a novel phthalocyanine-derived photosensitiser, in controlling the bacterial load in different leg ulcers, due to vascular pathophysiology.

Method:

An observational study of patients with infected leg ulcers of different pathophysiology, admitted to the hospital for a skin grafting procedure, were included. All patients underwent two sessions of PDT at time zero and after 72 hours. A semi-quantitative swab was taken before and 30 minutes after both sessions of PTD. During the time interval between the two treatments the ulcer was covered with foam dressing and compression therapy was applied to all patients. No systemic or topical antibiotics were administered. Statistical analysis of results was performed.

Results:

A total of 36 patients (13 males, 23 females; aged 72.4±8.6 years, range: 55-85 years) were recruited; two had ulcers on both legs. PDT was shown to be effective in reducing bacterial load after the first treatment. Before the second PDT treatment (72 hours after first PDT treatment), a slight increase of the bacterial load was observed in all ulcers. However, after the second PDT session, bacterial swab results were negative in all but two ulcers. The procedure was well tolerated in all but four patients, who reported a very severe pain at baseline, which increased during treatment.

Conclusion:

In this study, PDT was effective in reducing bacterial load in patients with infected vascular leg ulcers, and allowed successful skin grafting to take place in all patients. The treatment was generally well tolerated. Studies with a greater number of patients and a control group are planned to confirm these results.
An MMP/TIMP ratio scoring system as a potential predictive marker of diabetic foot ulcer healing
Authors: Luanraksa Sivat , Jindatanmanusan Punyanuch , Boonsiri Tanit , Nimmanon Thirayost , Chaovanalikit Thiti , Arnutti Pasra
Published: December 2018

Objectives:

The mechanism of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in MMP-1, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 levels during DFU healing, and to search for any correlation in the changes in MMP levels with wound healing, in order to find possible predictors of healing.

Methods:

Patients with a DFU were recruited and placed into two groups, according to the degree of wound healing: ‘good healers’ and ‘poor healers’. Levels of MMP-1, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 were analysed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).

Results:

A total of 22 patients participated in the study. The MMP-1 level was significantly higher at weeks zero (W0) and 12 (W12) in ‘good healers’ than in ‘poor healers’ (p=0.045 and 0.008, respectively). In contrast, the MMP-9 level was significantly lower in ‘good healers’ than in ‘poor healers’ at W0, W4, and W12 (p=0.001, 0.001 and 0.028, respectively). Receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis of the MMP-9 level, MMP-1/TIMP-1 ratio, and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio at W0 provided cut-off levels of 0.38, 0.056, and 9.06, respectively, which were best predictive of a reduction in wound area at W4 (‘good healers’ versus ‘poor healers’; thereby predicting wound healing condition at W12) with a sensitivity of 81.8%, 81.8%, and 90.9%, and a specificity of 64.6%, 55%, and 64.6%, respectively.

Conclusion:

A ‘poor healing scoring system’ is therefore proposed that could be determined on patient admission, which has the potential to be used clinically as a predictor of healing, thus allowing an appropriate treatment plan to be developed.
Why use manuka honey?
Authors: Curtis Amanda
Published: December 2018

Wound management can be a challenging and confusing subject. With numerous products at our disposal and ever-changing advances in wound management techniques, it can become overwhelming trying to make the best clinical decision to suit patients. With the increasing awareness and concern of antibiotic resistance, and a holistic approach to veterinary medicine being sought by clients, the new and old ways of treating wounds are under scrutiny. Throughout various points in history honey has been linked to wound management, possessing desirable properties that can provide osmotic debridement, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects that are beneficial during the inflammatory phase of healing. This article aims to discuss how manuka honey's properties can best be utilised within modern veterinary practice.
Ask To Pet — be a responsible dog lover
Authors: Brant Bethaney
Published: December 2018

Since getting my puppy this year, I have realised how many people can behave around dogs and have been genuinely shocked at how willing people are to dangle their valuable hands in the face of an unknown dog without asking if it's OK to say hello.
The huge violet ground beetle Carabus (Procerus) scabrosus crimeanus Mazzi & Cavazzuti (Coleoptera: Carabidae) was found outside of the Crimea

Authors: VOLOVNIK SEMYON V. , SUCHKOV SERGEY I.
Published: December 2018

Carabus (Procerus) scabrosus crimeanus Mazzi et Cavazzuti, 2014 was recorded in Melitopol (Zaporizhzhia Region, Ukraine). This subspecies has been previously recorded only from the Crimean Peninsula. Possible ways of its appearance in a new locality are discussed. Some data of its counts, distribution and biology are provided.
Day surgery for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in children: A prospective study on feasibility and satisfaction
Authors: Barbier D. , N'Dele D. , Bennis M. , Thevenin-Lemoine C. , De Gauzy J. Sales , Accadbled F.
Published: December 2018

Purpose

To evaluate the feasibility of day surgery anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in children. Our hypothesis was that proper patient selection, adequate information and a streamlined clinical pathway would allow for a safe and satisfactory procedure.

Methods

A total of 20 patients, seven girls and 13 boys, who underwent outpatient ACLR at mean age of 14 years (8 to 16) were included in this single institution prospective case series. Surgery took place under simple general anesthesia while analgesia protocol combined local anesthesia, oral analgesics for the postoperative period and compressive cryotherapy. The main failure criterion was the inability to return home the day of surgery or the need for rehospitalization during the first week after discharge. Secondary evaluation parameters were the rate of postoperative complications, postoperative pain, quality of life (QOL) and patients' satisfaction outcome questionnaire (PSOQ) at postoperative day 1, 7 and 31.

Results

Of the 20 patients included, only one failed the ambulatory mode. The mean PSOQ score was, respectively for children and parents, 91.4% and 90.7% at day 7 and 94.6% and 95.7% at one month. Postoperative QOL at day 7 was very satisfying for all patients. Two minor early complications were reported. Both of the late complications, which included one partial wound dehiscence and one persistent knee swelling, resolved spontaneously.

Conclusion

This study indicates that, in a targeted and well-informed population, day surgery for children ACLR yields high level of patient and family satisfaction in a safely manner.

Level of evidence

IV, prospective case series.
Not one Brexit: How local context and social processes influence policy analysis
Authors: Ge Jiaqi , Polhill J. Gareth , Matthews Keith B. , Miller David G. , Spencer Michael
Published: December 2018

This paper develops an empirical agent-based model to assess the impacts of Brexit on Scottish cattle farms. We first identify several trends and processes among Scottish cattle farms that were ongoing before Brexit: the lack of succession, the rise of leisure farming, the trend to diversify and industrialise, and, finally, the phenomenon of the “disappearing middle”, characterised by the decline of medium-sized farms and the polarization of farm sizes. We then study the potential impact of Brexit amid the local context and those ongoing social processes. We find that the impact of Brexit is indeed subject to pre-Brexit conditions. For example, whether industrialization is present locally can significantly alter the impact of Brexit. The impact of Brexit also varies by location: we find a clear divide between constituencies in the north (highland and islands), the middle (the central belt) and the south. Finally, we argue that policy analysis of Brexit should consider the heterogeneous social context and the complex social processes under which Brexit occurs. Rather than fitting the world into simple system models and ignoring the evidence when it does not fit, we need to develop policy analysis frameworks that can incorporate real world complexities, so that we can assess the impacts of major events and policy changes in a more meaningful way.
Dynamics of digital media in school music contexts
Authors: Nielsen Tess
Published: December 2018

This study focuses on participants’ behaviours and practices as they discovered, produced and shared music using digital devices. Three broad areas of engagement include students’ perception of digital music reception, self-production and transmission. A constructivist–interpretivist viewpoint frames the theoretical perspective of the study. Interviews and observations of four high school students and their music teacher comprise the data. Detailed accounts illustrate the perceptions of the participants, building a thick description. The study also considers what a music teacher understood about her students’ out-of-school musical interactions. The findings are represented in a visual model demonstrating the convergence and divergence of digital music engagement in a high school setting. Themes of experiencing music for personal identity, creativity and popular culture intermix in classroom and informal learning contexts. The outcomes may suggest possible paths for connecting in-school and out-of-school music learning with digital devices.
Finding pedagogical value in Australian contemporary popular music: A comparative case study of electric guitar compositional styles
Authors: Lee Daniel , Baker Bill , Haywood Nick
Published: December 2018

How do educators ascertain the pedagogical value of a musical composition for inclusion as curriculum exemplars? A number of factors contribute, including: canonic status, historical and cultural significance, popularity and aesthetic values. This comparative case study examines a number of Australian compositions from within the scope of contemporary popular music (CPM) looking for musical richness as a factor of pedagogical value in modern guitar curricula. Using The Beatles’ song ‘Eleanor Rigby’ as a comparative basis, musicological methodologies of theoretical analysis are applied to six Australian CPM compositions to evaluate their pedagogical value. Discussion of the musical richness discovered in each composition leads to conclusions regarding their value within a guitar programme of an Australian CPM school curriculum.
Comparison of an HPLC-MS/MS Method with Multiple Commercial ELISA Kits on the Determination of Levels of 8-oxo-7,8-Dihydro-2'-Deoxyguanosine in Human Urine
Authors: Chen Kun-Ming , Calcagnotto Ana , Zhu Junjia , Sun Yuan-Wan , El-Bayoumy Karam , Richie Jr John P.
Published: December 2018

Introduction: Analysis of 8-oxodG is usually conducted by either chromatography-based methods or by immunochemical methods commonly used based upon their low cost and high-throughput. However, concern regarding the accuracy of ELISA methods has complicated their use. We directly compare the levels of urinary 8-oxodG obtained by HPLC-MS/MS with three commercially available ELISA kits in this report. Methods: In the current study, a total of 9 human urine samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS and three commonly used commercial available ELISA kits. Results: We found that urinary 8-oxodG levels analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS [1.4 ± 0.3 nmol/mmol creatinine) were 7.6- to 23.5-fold lower than those detected by ELISA. Overall, the correlations between ELISA and HPLC-MS/MS were poor but were improved after SPE purification for kits from ENZO (P = 0.2817 without SPE; P = 0.0086 with SPE) and Abcam (P = 0.0596 without SPE; P = 0.0473 with SPE). Discussion and conclusion: While we confirmed that SPE purification can improve the correlation between the selected ELISA kits and HPLC-MS/MS, HPLC-MS/MS is still the method of choice to accurately assess the levels of 8-oxodG in human urine.
Blood profile of implantation stainless steel 316L local implant material on rat femoral bone
Authors: Gustian . , Soehartono H. , Jujur N. , Wargadipura A.H. S. , Noviana D.
Published: December 2018

This study was aimed to obtain information regarding complete blood count (CBC) profile of post implantation of stainless steel (SS) 316L as an Indonesian local product of non-degradable metal implant. Thirty adult male rat, aged approximately 12 weeks were divided into 3 groups, i.e. control group without implantation, implant group with import SS316L and implant group with Indonesian national local SS316L that developed by Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT). The implant groups were given implants by inserting it between femoral bone and biceps femoris muscle. On the control group, defect was made on bone without inserting an implants material. Examination of the systemic response was done with CBC before and 30 days after implantation. The analysis of red blood cells amount, haemoglobin level, haematocrite value, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), total white blood cell and its differentiation from each group did not show significant differences. In conclusion, stainless steel 316L of import and national local product showed non-negative effects on blood profile.
Blood Biochemical Components and Progesterone Hormone on Day of Estrus in Crossbred Cattle in Egypt
Authors: Mourad R. S.
Published: December 2018

Deficiencies or excess minerals such as P, Cu, and Zn are associated with subnormal fertility and anoestrus conditions in cows. This study was conducted in a veterinary unit in Menufiya, Egypt.  Eighteen head of crossbred cows were randomly selected at random at estrus time (estrus group) and as a control 14 head of crossbred cows were selected from newly-calving dams at about 6-12 hours after calving (control group). The aim of this study was to use the components of biochemistry and progesterone hormone on estrus day of crossbreeding cattle in Egypt.  The information from this study will be used to confirm estrus time to improve mating percentage. In blood plasma, the concentrations of all biochemical components and progesterone concentrations in estrus animals are higher than control cows except globulin. The results showed that blood plasma from control animal obtained Mg, Ca / P ratio, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, and Mo concentration is higher than estrus cattle. On the other hand, blood plasma concentrations of Na, K, Ca, P, Mn, and Fe are higher in estrus cattle. The progesterone concentration of estrus cattle is lower during summer than in winter. In estrus cows, higher plasma macro-elements were found in winter than in summer except for K, Ca and Ca/P ratio.  On the other side of estrus cattle, all trace elements of blood plasma are higher in winter than in summer except Zn, Mn, Se, and Fe.
O Estado como poluidor indireto e o direito ao desenvolvimento sustentável: a responsabilidade estatal a partir do caso da mineradora brasileira Samarco
Authors: Vargas Tuany Baron de
Published: December 2018

O advento do Estado Sustentável impõe um modelo desenvolvimentista durável, a partir de um Direito apto a reconhecer a titularidade de direitos fundamentais de gerações futuras e lhe tutelar adequadamente. Visto que o meio ambiente é patrimônio essencial à saúde e qualidade de vida das atuais e futuras gerações, na esfera do direito civil essa tutela ocorre eminentemente por meio da responsabilização civil objetiva do poluidor. Para tanto, considera-se poluidor não só o agente direto, como também o indireto, sendo estabelecida uma relação de corresponsabilidade. Nesse sentido é possível identificar o dever da atuação estatal tanto preventivamente, quanto repressivamente, a fim de prevenir a concretização do dano, fazendo com que o Estado possa ser identificado também como agente poluidor indireto. Especificamente no caso do rompimento das barragens da mineradora brasileira Samarco verifica-se que esta também foi consequência de uma omissão sistêmica do Poder Público, contrária à Constituição e à Convenções internacionais, frente aos sucessivos danos causados por eventos dessa natureza, fruto da atividade de mineração no Brasil. Dessa forma, serão identificadas as disfunções da imputação subjetiva da responsabilidade do Estado por omissão, perante a mais moderna doutrina privatista da responsabilização por danos ambientais.