bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Selection of Localization Radius in Ensemble Filtering for Multiscale Quasigeostrophic Dynamics
Authors: Ying Yue , Zhang Fuqing , Anderson Jeffrey L.
Published: January 2018

Covariance localization remedies sampling errors due to limited ensemble size in ensemble data assimilation. Previous studies suggest that the optimal localization radius depends on ensemble size, observation density and accuracy, as well as the correlation length scale determined by model dynamics. A comprehensive localization theory for multiscale dynamical systems with varying observation density remains an active area of research. Using a two-layer quasigeostrophic (QG) model, this study systematically evaluates the sensitivity of the best Gaspari–Cohn localization radius to changes in model resolution, ensemble size, and observing networks. Numerical experiment results show that the best localization radius is smaller for smaller-scale components of a QG flow, indicating its scale dependency. The best localization radius is rather insensitive to changes in model resolution, as long as the key dynamical processes are reasonably well represented by the low-resolution model with inflation methods that account for representation errors. As ensemble size decreases, the best localization radius shifts to smaller values. However, for nonlocal correlations between an observation and state variables that peak at a certain distance, decreasing localization radii further within this distance does not reduce analysis errors. Increasing the density of an observing network has two effects that both reduce the best localization radius. First, the reduced observation error spectral variance further constrains prior ensembles at large scales. Less large-scale contribution results in a shorter overall correlation length, which favors a smaller localization radius. Second, a denser network provides more independent pieces of information, thus a smaller localization radius still allows the same number of observations to constrain each state variable.
Carotid Artery Plaques, Carotid Intima–Media Thickness, and Risk of Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Death in Older Adults: A 5-Year Prospective, Community-Based Study
Authors: Zhang Yanlei , Fang Xianghua , Hua Yang , Tang Zhe , Guan Shaochen , Wu Xiaoguang , Liu Hongjun , Liu Beibei , Wang Chunxiu , Zhang Zhongying , Gu Xiang , Hou Chengbei , Liu Chunxiao
Published: January 2018

We assessed the effect of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) on the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in a community-based population aged ≥55 years in China. A total of 1376 residents underwent CAS assessment by ultrasonography in July 2009. New CVD events, including stroke and coronary heart events, were collected at the follow-up survey at the end of 2014. After adjusting for baseline demographic characteristics and traditional CVD risk factors, the risk of CVD in patients with minimal CAS (mean common carotid artery intima–media thickness [CCA-IMT] ≥1 mm and no plaques), nonstenotic plaques (carotid stenosis <50%), and stenotic plaques (carotid stenosis ≥50%) was 0.8 (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.33-1.69), 2.0 (HR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.24-3.25), and 3.1 (HR: 3.05, 95% CI: 1.62-5.74) times greater, respectively, than that of patients without CAS (CCA-IMT <1 mm and no plaques). Our findings provide direct evidence of the independent predictive value of the severity of asymptomatic CAS for the development of CVD in older Chinese adults.
Quantifying Lateral Frontal Sinus Access: The Upper Blepharoplasty Approach
Authors: Steele Toby O. , Chin Oliver Y. , Kinzinger Michael R. , Strong E. Bradley
Published: January 2018

Objective:

Despite advances in technology and instrumentation, access to the lateral frontal sinus remains a challenge for surgeons. We sought to quantify the reach and applicability of the upper blepharoplasty approach (UBA) to the frontal sinus.

Methods:

Twelve cadaveric specimens were obtained for anatomic research and frontal sinuses divided into 3 zones. Zone 1 was defined as medial to the supraorbital neurovascular bundle (SON). The remaining orbit was then bisected to define zone 2 (centrally) and zone 3 (laterally). Twenty-four UBAs were performed followed by 12 modified endoscopic Lothrop procedures (MELP). The ability to instrument each wall of the frontal sinus was recorded for the MELP, UBA, and combined approach.

Results:

The UBA provided excellent access to the lateral frontal sinus in zones 2 and 3 (89% and 100%). The MELP provided poorer access in zone 3 (67%) but improved access in zone 1 (83%-100%). Access for zone 1 through the UBA was limited. The combined approach yielded 100% access to each frontal sinus boundary.

Conclusion:

The MELP in combination with the UBA/lateral trephination provides excellent access to each frontal sinus boundary. The UBA provides excellent access to the lateral frontal sinus but is limited medially by the SON.
Conservative Management for Subperiosteal Orbital Abscess in Adults: A 20-Year Experience
Authors: Gavriel Haim , Jabarin Basel , Israel Ofer , Eviatar Ephraim
Published: January 2018

Objective:

Orbital complications (OC) secondary to acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) in adults are less common than in children, with assumed worse outcome.

Materials and Methods:

Adults with OC secondary to ARS between 1994 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Parameters recorded included age, gender, clinical symptoms and signs, computed tomography (CT) scan findings, duration of hospitalization, treatment before and during admission, cultures, and outcome.

Results:

Thirty-seven adults with a mean age of 34.6 years, 27 males and 10 females, were diagnosed with OC, 19 (51.3%) with subperiosteal orbital abscess (SPOA), and none with orbital abscess/cellulitis or cavernous sinus thrombosis. Twelve patients with SPOA were managed conservatively with Amoxicillin-Clavulanate in most cases, and only 7 (36.8%) underwent surgery. A CT scan was performed in 27 cases revealing rhinosinusitis in all patients, including frontal involvement in 19 (51.3%) patients and sphenoid sinus in 16 (43.2%).

Conclusions:

A shift toward conservative treatment in cases of SPOA has long been integrated in the management protocols, mainly in children under 9 years old. The presumed worse prognosis in adults is not supported in our study, and a conservative treatment is urged to be considered in this group of patients albeit the more extensive radiologic involvement of their sinuses.
A New Reversal Steps Stapedotomy
Authors: Malafronte Giuseppe
Published: January 2018

Objective:

To evaluate whether removal of the stapes head and not the entire stapes superstructure prevents footplate complications.

Study Design:

Prospective study.

Patients:

One hundred and forty-five patients with otosclerosis were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups as follows: Individuals in group 1 (n = 75) underwent removal of the entire stapes superstructure; individuals in group 2 (n = 70) underwent removal of the stapes head only. These 2 groups were further subdivided into 2 subgroups based on the type of otosclerosis. Group 1a included 55 cases of marginal otosclerosis, while group 1b included 15 diffusive and 5 biscuit otosclerosis cases. Group 2a included 51 marginal otosclerosis cases, while group 2b included 14 diffuse and 5 biscuit otosclerosis cases. Estimations were made regarding statistical correlation between type of reversal steps stapedotomy, otosclerosis type, incidence of footplate complications, and hearing results.

Results:

There were 9 footplate complications in group 1b and no complications in group 2b. This difference was significant. Air-bone gap closure to within 10 dB was achieved in 65% of cases in group 1b and 94.7% in group 2b. This difference was significant.

Conclusion:

The new stapedotomy prevented footplate complications and improved hearing results in diffuse and biscuit otosclerosis
Survival in Vivo Canine Phonation Model Without Stimulation
Authors: Liu Kena , Ge Pingjiang , Sheng Xiaoli , Jiang Jie , Qin Huabiao
Published: January 2018

Objectives:

We describe a survival nonstimulated in vivo canine phonation model using distending laryngoscope, cramp frame, and constant humidified glottal airflow to elicit phonation.

Methods:

Five beagle dogs were involved in this study. One cuffed endotracheal tube was placed below the glottis through the tracheotomy and delivered humidified airflow to the glottis. Arytenoids approximation was maintained using a clamp under the distending laryngoscope. Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters were measured using synchronous signal collection system and analysis software. Vocal oscillation also was examined using stroboscope laryngeal imaging.

Results:

For the nonstimulated in vivo phonation animal, the sound intensity and fundamental frequency were 78.3 ± 6.8 dB and 127.6 ± 29.2 Hz in the first experiment and 82.9 ± 6.6 dB and 175.2 ± 4.4 Hz 4 weeks later. The aerodynamic analysis revealed the mean subglottal phonation threshold pressure (PTP) and phonation threshold flow (PTF) were 8.5 ± 4.0 cmH20 and 683.0 ± 356.4 mL/s in the first experiment and 16.1 ± 8.6 cmH20 and 384.8.0 ± 230.6 mL/s in the second experiment 4 weeks later. Stroboscope image revealed sustained vocal vibration during great airflow delivery to glottis in the phonation animal model.

Conclusions:

We developed a survival nonstimulated in vivo phonation canine model that allows the study of long-term animal phonation study as its own control.
Effect of Indigenous status on sentence outcomes for serious assault offences
Authors: Thorburn Hamish , Weatherburn Don
Published: January 2018

Recent studies have found evidence of a racial bias in sentencing in Australia despite previous work showing the opposite. However, in some cases, these studies fail to adjust properly for differences in offence seriousness and in others fail to control for important covariates. Our aim in this study was to investigate the relationship between Indigenous status and likelihood of imprisonment for serious assault offences, matching on offence seriousness and controlling for additional covariates. Multivariate logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to explore the effect of Indigenous status on the likelihood of a prison sentence while controlling for the other sentence-relevant factors. Interaction effects were examined by fitting a logistic regression model with all covariates separately for Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders and comparing the coefficient of each covariate for differences. The results show that the marginal increase in the risk of a prison sentence for Indigenous offenders is less than one percentage point (3.40% for Indigenous offenders compared with 2.45% for non-Indigenous). Significant interaction effects between Indigenous status and whether or not the offence was domestic violence related ( p = .024), whether or not the offence was committed after 2011 ( p = .020) and whether or not the offender had previously been issue a community service order for a serious assault offence ( p = .025) were found, each of which altered the probability of imprisonment. Despite this, no interaction effect was found that resulted in a difference in marginal probability of imprisonment greater than 1.2 percentage points between Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders. We conclude that while there is a significant effect of Indigenous status on sentencing, the effect is vastly reduced when controlling for additional covariates.
Pragmatic Secularism; Or, What The Scarlet Letter Can Teach Us about Modern Medicine
Authors: Bezio Kelly L.
Published: January 2018

This article argues that The Scarlet Letter (1850) offers a unique insight into American secularism’s inherent pragmatism—a pragmatism that attempts to provide a resolution for the healing arts’ struggle to be knowledgeable and moral at the same time. A “pragmatic secularism” continues to inform a particular brand of modern biomedicine, which can be seen in Atul Gawande’s medical reform text The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right (2009). Simply put, the pragmatic secularism found in these two very different books is a system of ascertaining right from wrong that relies on nothing more than someone’s work proving effective within the larger community. This article elaborates how these texts have a shared project in which a significant formation of the secular arises from situations that privilege practical applications—especially when urgent circumstances dictate immediate action as the only viable option. Inflected by the concerns of their respective historical moments, Hawthorne’s novel foregrounds the transformation of fringe knowledge into mainstream doing, whereas Gawande’s manifesto focuses on the limits of any kind of knowledge, privileging instead work as an end unto itself. However, the “power to do” exemplified by The Scarlet Letter as the core of the pragmatic secularist’s vocation finds its modern expression in The Checklist Manifesto’s fetishizing of medical work in a deliberate move to ideologically dismantle the pervasive epistemic fetishism undergirding health research and praxis.
Labeling and the Differential Impact of School Discipline on Negative Life Outcomes: Assessing Ethno-Racial Variation in the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Authors: Pesta Racheal
Published: January 2018

The relationship between educational attainment and involvement in the criminal justice system is one of the most consistent findings in the criminological literature. Contributing to this relationship is the increased and disproportionate use of exclusionary discipline, particularly among ethno-racial minorities. Exclusionary discipline is correlated with negative life outcomes however; scholars have yet to examine the impact of school discipline on behavioral outcomes across race and ethnicity. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health, this study addresses this gap by modeling the pathways from school exclusion to future dropout, delinquency, and criminal offending for White, Black, and Hispanic youth. Results suggest significant differences in the effect of school exclusion on future outcomes across ethno-racial groups.
The Significance of Variable Order in Assessing the Effect of Perceived Parental Knowledge and Peer Deviance on Participant Delinquency: A Replication and Extension
Authors: Walters Glenn D. , Espelage Dorothy L.
Published: January 2018

The current study sought to replicate and extend an earlier investigation on mid- to late-adolescent delinquent males to a school-based sample of mixed-gender early- to midadolescents. Two pathways—one running from parental knowledge to peer deviance to participant delinquency and the other running from peer deviance to parental knowledge to participant delinquency—were tested in a group of 597 children (290 boys, 307 girls) from the Illinois Study of Bullying and Sexual Violence (ISBSV). The results of a comparison mediation analysis revealed that consistent with prior research, the knowledge-initiated pathway achieved significance but the peer-initiated pathway did not. These findings suggest that perceived parental knowledge has its greatest impact on delinquency indirectly by way of its effect on peer associations.
Lyme Carditis: A Case Report and Review of Management
Authors: Muhammad Sheheryar , Simonelli Robert J.
Published: January 2018

Purpose: A case report of a patient who presented with an acute onset, fluctuating atrioventricular (AV) block and was diagnosed with Lyme carditis is presented. Summary: A 55-year-old man with progressively worsening generalized malaise, flu-like symptoms, dyspnea on exertion, and near syncope was admitted with bradycardia (heart rate was between 20 and 30 beats per minute upon admission). He endorsed having several tick bites after which he developed erythema migrans on his arm and abdomen. An electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed a second-degree AV block, fluctuating between Mobitz type I and Mobitz type II heart block, with a P-R interval of 300 ms. A presumptive diagnosis of Lyme carditis was made based on a confirmed history of tick exposure, presence of erythema migrans, and AV block. The patient was started on ceftriaxone. On day 3 of hospitalization, patient’s heart rate was between 50 and 60 beats per minute. A diagnosis of Lyme disease was confirmed based on serologic testing. A repeat ECG revealed a first-degree AV block with a P-R interval of 300 ms. On day 5 of hospitalization, a peripherally inserted central catheter line was placed and the patient was discharged to his home on a 28-day course of ceftriaxone. Patient’s heart rate was 65 beats per minute on discharge day. Conclusion: Considering Lyme carditis as a differential diagnosis in patients with an AV block of an unknown etiology can result in a timely diagnosis and treatment of Lyme carditis.
Developing the social work role in the Indonesian child protection system
Authors: O’Leary Patrick John , Young Amy , McAuliffe Donna , Wismayanti Yanuar
Published: January 2018

Indonesia is building a child protection system where primary preventions aim to support families and intervention is based on community-based care options rather than the current reliance on institutional care. Social work has been identified as the lead profession in this structural change. This requires social work to be better recognized as a profession in Indonesian society. This article outlines exploratory research in establishing a role for social work in child protection in Indonesia. Key learning outlines the need for global collaboration and the need for an indigenous Indonesian approach to the identity of social work.
Stigma and Status at an HBCU: Perceptions of Racial Authenticity Among Racially Underrepresented Students in the South
Authors: Webb Patrick , Patrick Le’Brian , Sulzer Sandra H.
Published: January 2018

The existence of race-based stigma among minority populations in the United States has been well-documented. Notably, the acting White accusation has garnered considerable attention in relation to the African American population. Interestingly, studies related to this accusation have been primarily centered around Black students at Predominately White Institutions. Comparably, a focus on African American college students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities is limited. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which student characteristics (i.e., age, classification) are associated with the acting White accusation. Utilizing a quantitative method design, we analyzed over 100 student surveys which identified a number of significant outcomes. Through the use of ANOVA, findings indicate that both student classification and age are significantly associated with a number of aspects related to the race-based stigmatization. Limitations, policy implications, and areas of further research are discussed.
Integration of Murine and Human Studies for Mapping Periodontitis Susceptibility
Authors: Nashef A. , Qabaja R. , Salaymeh Y. , Botzman M. , Munz M. , Dommisch H. , Krone B. , Hoffmann P. , Wellmann J. , Laudes M. , Berger K. , Kocher T. , Loos B. , van der Velde N. , Uitterlinden A.G. , de Groot L.C.P.G.M. , Franke A. , Offenbacher S. , Lieb W. , Divaris K. , Mott R. , Gat-Viks I. , Wiess E. , Schaefer A. , Iraqi F.A. , Haddad Y.H.
Published: January 2018

Periodontitis is one of the most common inflammatory human diseases with a strong genetic component. Due to the limited sample size of available periodontitis cohorts and the underlying trait heterogeneity, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of chronic periodontitis (CP) have largely been unsuccessful in identifying common susceptibility factors. A combination of quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in mice with association studies in humans has the potential to discover novel risk loci. To this end, we assessed alveolar bone loss in response to experimental periodontal infection in 25 lines (286 mice) from the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse population using micro–computed tomography (µCT) analysis. The orthologous human chromosomal regions of the significant QTL were analyzed for association using imputed genotype data (OmniExpress BeadChip arrays) derived from case-control samples of aggressive periodontitis (AgP; 896 cases, 7,104 controls) and chronic periodontitis (CP; 2,746 cases, 1,864 controls) of northwest European and European American descent, respectively. In the mouse genome, QTL mapping revealed 2 significant loci (–log P = 5.3; false discovery rate = 0.06) on chromosomes 1 ( Perio3) and 14 ( Perio4). The mapping resolution ranged from ~1.5 to 3 Mb. Perio3 overlaps with a previously reported QTL associated with residual bone volume in F2 cross and includes the murine gene Ccdc121. Its human orthologue showed previously a nominal significant association with CP in humans. Use of variation data from the genomes of the CC founder strains further refined the QTL and suggested 7 candidate genes ( CAPN8, DUSP23, PCDH17, SNORA17, PCDH9, LECT1, and LECT2). We found no evidence of association of these candidates with the human orthologues. In conclusion, the CC populations enabled mapping of confined QTL that confer susceptibility to alveolar bone loss in mice and larger human phenotype-genotype samples and additional expression data from gingival tissues are likely required to identify true positive signals.
EZH2 Impairs Human Dental Pulp Cell Mineralization via the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
Authors: Li B. , Yu F. , Wu F. , Hui T. , A P. , Liao X. , Yin B. , Wang C. , Ye L.
Published: January 2018

The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a catalytic subunit of PRC2 (polycomb repressor complex 2). It mediates gene silencing via methyltransferase activity and is involved in the determination of cell lineage. However, the function of EZH2 and the underlying mechanisms by which it affects the differentiation of human dental pulp cell (hDPC) have remained underexplored. In this research, we found that EZH2 expression decreased during the mineralization of hDPCs, with attenuated H3K27me3 (trimethylation on lysine 27 in histone H3). Overexpression of EZH2 impaired the odontogenic differentiation of hDPCs, while EZH2 without methyltransferase activity mutation (mutation of suppressed variegation of 3 to 9, enhancer of zeste and trithorax domain, EZH2ΔSET) did not display this phenotype. In addition, siRNA knockdown studies showed that EZH2 negatively modulated hDPC differentiation in vitro and inhibited mineralized nodule formation in transplanted β-tricalcium phosphate / hDPC composites. To further investigate the underlying mechanisms, we explored the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in view of the fact that previous research had documented the essential role that it plays during hDPC mineralization, as well as its links to EZH2 in other cells. We demonstrated for the first time that EZH2 depletion activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and enhanced the accumulation of β-catenin in hDPCs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis suggested that these effects are attributable to the level of the EZH2-regulated H3K27me3 on the β-catenin promoter. We conclude that EZH2 plays a negative role during the odontogenic differentiation of hDPCs. Suppression of EZH2 could promote hDPC mineralization by epigenetically regulating the expression of β-catenin and activating the Wnt canonical signaling pathway.
Zymography of Hybrid Layers Created Using Extrafibrillar Demineralization
Authors: Gu L. , Mazzoni A. , Gou Y. , Pucci C. , Breschi L. , Pashley D.H. , Niu L. , Tay F.R.
Published: January 2018

A chelate-and-rinse extrafibrillar calcium chelation dentin bonding concept has recently been developed and investigated for its effectiveness in improving resin-dentin bonding by bridging the gap between wet and dry dentin bonding. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the gelatinolytic activity of hybrid layers (HLs) created using the chelate-and-rinse bonding technique. Gelatinolytic activity within the HL was examined using in situ zymography and confocal laser-scanning microscopy after 24-h storage or after thermomechanical cycling. Dentin specimens were bonded with Prime&Bond NT (Dentsply Sirona) after conditioning with 15 wt% phosphoric acid for 15 s (control) or 15 wt% polymeric chelators (sodium salt of polyacrylic acid; PAAN) of 2 different molecular weights for 60 s. For each reagent, bonding was performed using dry-bonding and wet-bonding techniques ( n = 10). Slices containing the adhesive-dentin interface were covered with fluorescein-conjugated gelatin and examined with a confocal laser-scanning microscope. Fluorescence intensity emitted by the hydrolyzed fluorescein-conjugated gelatin was quantified. Gelatinolytic activity was expressed as the percentage of green fluorescence emitted within the HL. After storage for 24 h, enzymatic activity was only detected within the completely demineralized phosphoric acid–etched dentin, with values derived from dry bonding higher than those from wet bonding ( P < 0.05). Almost no fluorescence signals were detected within the HL when dentin was conditioned with PAANs compared with the controls ( P < 0.05). After thermomechanical cycling, enzymatic activities significantly increased for the phosphoric acid–conditioned, drying-bonding group compared with 24-h storage ( P < 0.05). The present study showed that the use of the chelate-and-rinse bonding concept for both dry-bonding and wet-bonding approaches results in the near absence of matrix-bound collagenolytic activities in the HL even after aging. This may be attributed to fossilization of endogenous proteases via preservation of intrafibrillar minerals within the dentin collagen matrix.
Osteochondral Interface Stiffening in Mandibular Condylar Osteoarthritis
Authors: Zhang J. , Liao L. , Zhu J. , Wan X. , Xie M. , Zhang H. , Zhang M. , Lu L. , Yang H. , Jing D. , Liu X. , Yu S. , Lu X.L. , Chen C. , Shan Z. , Wang M.
Published: January 2018

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is associated with dental biomechanics. A major change during OA progression is the ossification of the osteochondral interface. This study investigated the formation, radiological detectability, and mechanical property of the osteochondral interface at an early stage, the pathogenesis significance of which in OA progression is of clinical interest and remains elusive for the TMJ. Unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) was performed on 6-wk-old rats as we previously reported. TMJs were harvested at 4, 12, and 20 wk. The progression of TMJ OA was evaluated using a modified Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) score system. Osteochondral interface was investigated by quantifying the thickness via von Kossa staining of histological slices and in vivo calcium deposition by calcein injection. Tissue ossification was imaged by micro–computed tomography (CT). Mechanical properties were measured at nanoscale using dynamic indentation. Time-dependent TMJ cartilage lesions were elicited by UAC treatment. Geometric change of the condyle head and increased value of the OARSI score were evident in UAC TMJs. At the osteochondral interface, there was not only enhanced deep-zone cartilage calcification but also calcium deposition at the osseous boundary. The thickness, density, and stiffness of the osteochondral interface were all significantly increased. The enhanced ossification of the osteochondral interface is a joint outcome of the aberrant deeper cartilage calcification at the superior region and promoted formation of subchondral cortical bone at the inferior region. The micro-CT detectable ossification from an early stage thus is of diagnostic significance. Although the environment of the cartilage and subchondral bone could be changed due to the stiffness of the interface, whether or not the stiffened interface would accelerate OA progress remains to be confirmed. With that evidence, the osteochondral interface could be a new diagnostic and therapeutic target of the mechanically initiated OA in the TMJ.
Impact of HOTAIR Gene Polymorphism and Environmental Risk on Oral Cancer
Authors: Su S.C. , Hsieh M.J. , Lin C.W. , Chuang C.Y. , Liu Y.F. , Yeh C.M. , Yang S.F.
Published: January 2018

Genetic and acquired factors are thought to be interrelated and imperative to estimate the risk and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA ( HOTAIR) plays crucial roles in gene regulation and is regulated in a variety of cancers. Polymorphisms in HOTAIR have been recently linked to the predisposition to diverse malignancies. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the influences of HOTAIR gene polymorphisms, combined with environmental triggers, on the susceptibility to oral tumorigenesis. Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the HOTAIR gene— rs920778, rs1899663, rs4759314, and rs12427129—were tested in 1,200 control participants and 907 patients with OSCC. We detected a significant association of rs1899663 with the risk of OSCC (adjusted odds ratio, 2.227; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.197 to 4.146; P = 0.012) after adjustment for 3 potential confounders: smoking, betel quid chewing, and alcohol consumption. In further analyses where habitual exposure to each of 3 environmental factors was excluded, we found that, in addition to rs1899663, non–betel quid users who carried the polymorphic allele of rs920778 were more prone to develop OSCC than were those homozygous for wild-type allele (TC: odds ratio [OR], 1.472; 95% CI, 1.069 to 2.029; P = 0.018; TC+CC: OR, 1.448; 95% CI, 1.060 to 1.977; P = 0.020). Moreover, in exploring the relationship between HOTAIR gene polymorphisms and the clinical status of only patients with OSCC who were non–betel quid chewers (excluding the advanced clinical stage), we found that rs920778 and rs4759314 were correlated with the development of large-size tumors (OR, 1.891; 95% CI, 1.027 to 3.484; P = 0.04) and increased lymph node metastasis (OR, 4.140; 95% CI, 1.785 to 9.602; P = 0.001), respectively. Further functional assessments link rs920778 to the regulation of HOTAIR expression and epigenetic status. Our results reveal an interactive effect of HOTAIR gene polymorphisms and betel quid chewing on the development and progression of oral cancer.
An unusual case of suicidal double ligature strangulation
Authors: Marella Gian Luca , De Dominicis Enrico , Arcudi Giovanni , Potenza Saverio , Mauriello Silvestro , Milano Filippo , Feola Alessandro , Marsella Luigi T
Published: January 2018

As suicide by ligature strangulation is rare, the correct medico-legal diagnosis may be difficult to establish if there is no clear supporting circumstantial evidence. We report an unusual case of suicide by strangulation with a double ligature. Investigation of the scene of death and pathological findings at autopsy are reported and discussed. We emphasise the importance of an external examination and an on-the-spot investigation.
Effect of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy Program on the Symptoms of Burnout Syndrome Among Undergraduate Electronics Work Students in Nigeria
Authors: Ogbuanya Theresa C. , Eseadi Chiedu , Orji Chibueze T. , Omeje Joachim C. , Anyanwu Joy I. , Ugwoke Samuel C. , Edeh Nkechinyere C.
Published: January 2018

This research aimed to investigate the effect that rational-emotive behavior therapy had on the symptoms of burnout among undergraduate electronics work students in Southeast Nigeria. This study utilized a pretest–posttest design involving a no-intervention group versus an intervention group. Participants were 124 undergraduate electronics work students who met the inclusion criteria of the study. The intervention consisted of 12 weeks of rational-emotive behavior therapy treatment and 2 weeks of follow-up meetings conducted at 6 months. Self-report questionnaire was used for data collection. Repeated measures analysis of variance and t test were used for data analysis. The results show that rational-emotive behavior therapy had a significant effect on the symptoms of burnout syndrome among the electronics work students in the treatment group compared to their counterparts in the no-intervention group. Finally, the positive gains were significantly maintained by the treatment group at the follow-up. The current study suggests that rational-emotive behavior therapy program can be effective for dealing with burnout syndrome among the population of undergraduates in Nigeria. Further clinical evaluation is needed.
Role of Fault Attributions and Other Factors in Adults’ Attitudes Toward Hypothetical Children With an Undesirable Characteristic
Authors: Wadian Taylor W. , Sonnentag Tammy L. , Jones Tucker L. , Barnett Mark A.
Published: January 2018

A total of 184 adults read descriptions of six hypothetical children with various undesirable characteristics (i.e., being extremely overweight, extremely aggressive, extremely shy, a poor student, a poor athlete, displaying symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Following each description, the participants were asked to rate how much they disagree or agree that the child, the child’s parents, and the child’s biological condition (i.e., “something wrong inside the child’s body or brain”) are at fault for the onset and the perpetuation of the undesirable characteristic. In addition, the participants were asked to rate their attitude toward each child using a 100-point “feeling thermometer.” Analyses of the participants’ various fault attribution ratings revealed that they tended to agree more strongly that a child’s parents and his/her biological condition are at fault for the onset and the perpetuation of the child’s undesirable characteristic than is the child him/herself. Despite the participants’ reluctance to blame a hypothetical child for his/her undesirable characteristic, regression analyses revealed that, in general, the more they blamed the child for the onset of his/her undesirable characteristic, the more negative their attitude was toward the child. However, the participants’ ratings of the extent to which the child’s parents or biological condition are at fault for the onset and the perpetuation of the child’s undesirable characteristic were not found to be associated with their attitude toward any of the children. Similarities and differences between the present findings and those reported in prior studies involving younger individuals are addressed.
Durable visible light self-cleaning surfaces imparted by TiO2/SiO2/GO photocatalyst
Authors: Gao Jing , Li Wandi , Zhao Xinzhe , Wang Lu , Pan Ning
Published: January 2018

This research intends to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency and durability of substrates coated with TiO2-based nanocomposites under visible light illumination. More specifically, TiO2/SiO2/graphene oxide nanocomposites are successfully sono-synthesized and sono-fabricated onto a polymeric fabric through a facile one-step method. The morphologies, phase structures and optical properties of the samples are studied. The photocatalytic activity of the functionalized samples is assessed through a gentian violet stain removal test and then photodecomposition of methylene blue under visible light, and tested again after 10 washes to check on its durability. It is corroborated that TiO2/SiO2/graphene oxide nanocomposites have shown significantly better visible light self-cleaning performance than just using the pure TiO2 alone. In addition, even after 10 washes, the samples virtually maintain the functionality. Herein, sono-synthesis of TiO2/SiO2/graphene oxide represents a remarkable step forward in visible light-driven self-cleaning treatment for flexible materials and, hence, holds a great potential for commercialization.
Reconceiving the grain heap
Authors: Krishnamurthy Mekhala
Published: January 2018

This article returns to what was once an ethnographic staple in the sociology of India: the post-harvest grain heap. Having long occupied centre stage in analyses of a moneyless, redistributive transactional order widely known as the jajmani system, it has also been the subject of influential critique, where it has been argued that the misconceived heap sustained a powerful anthropological fiction. Moving beyond these positions, which seem to have left the heap grounded in the past, the grain heap in this work is reconceptualised as a critical entry point and analytic for the study of contemporary commodity markets. Based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork in an agricultural market (mandi) in Madhya Pradesh, it finds that it is along the seams or internal margins of the market, at routine sites of physical transfer and exchange, assembly and dispersal, integration and disruption, that heaps of agricultural produce materialise. An analysis of critical aspects of the heap—its position, composition, measurement and distribution—provides sharp insights into the changing dynamics of the market and its complex relationships. In the process, it also reveals important yet often unnoticed shifts in the sources and distribution of economic and social margins, and their diverse and differentiated effects on market life and livelihoods.
Possible role of stress, coping strategies, and life style in the development of breast cancer
Authors: Yıldırım Nazmiye K , Özkan Mine , İlgün Ahmet S , Sarsenov Dauren , Alço Gül , Aktepe Fatma , Kalyoncu Nesiba , İzci Filiz , Selamoğlu Derya , Ordu Çetin , Pilancı Kezban N , İyigün Zeynep E , Eralp Yeşim , Özmen Vahit
Published: January 2018

Objective

The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility of the effect of life long stressful events, along with coping method used, perception of social support, and life style on the development of breast cancer.

Methods

In this hospital-based case control study, the study group comprised 250 women with breast cancer who were followed by Florence Nightingale Breast Study Group. Control group included 250 women, who had similar sociodemographic characteristics to the study group. Data were collected with semi-structured interview form, Healthy Life Style Behavior Scale, Coping Strategy Indicator, and Stress Evaluation Form developed by us.

Results

In multivariate analysis, family history of cancer (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 2.29–1.05), inadequate social support (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.23–2.73), and loss of father during childhood (OR: 2.68, 95% CI: 5.52–1.30) and serious stressor within the last five years (OR: 4.72, 95% CI: 7.03–3.18) were found to be risk factors increasing the risk of breast cancer. When family history of cancer was excluded from the model, the presence of psychiatric disorder history (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 3.26–1.17) and major life events (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 4.07–1.24) were added to the model as risk factors.

Conclusion

The present study indicates that especially the stressful events experienced within the last five years plays an undeniable role in the risk of breast cancer. Social support may be as important in the period before the diagnosis as in the period after diagnosis.
A suicidal, dysarthric patient who wishes to discontinue life-sustaining treatments: A case report
Authors: Orlins Zachary
Published: January 2018

Psychiatrists may be among the clinicians to encounter a depressed and suicidal patient who wishes to discontinue life-sustaining treatment. A patient who is suffering from a condition such as dysarthria makes decision-making capacity (a physician’s determination of a patient’s ability to medically consent) increasingly difficult to assess. The clinician must balance ethical principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice in order to achieve a plan of care that is in the patient’s best interest.
The relation between short-term memory and vocabulary skills in Greek children with cochlear implants: The role of hearing experience
Authors: Talli Ioanna , Tsalighopoulos Miltiadis , Okalidou Areti
Published: January 2018

Weak performance in short-term memory (STM) in children with cochlear implants (CI) may have an impact on vocabulary development. Vocabulary, phonological STM (non-word repetition), phonological/verbal STM (digit span) and rapid naming measures were administered to 15 Greek-speaking children with CI (ages 4;6–8;6) and to chronological age (CA) and younger controls with normal hearing (NH). The children with CI exhibited lower performance in all tasks compared to CA controls but lagged behind only in phonological STM tasks in comparison to younger NH controls. For children with CI, vocabulary correlated with phonological STM, while for younger NH controls it correlated with all the cognitive measures used. The present results showed that children with CI demonstrate age-matched rapid naming skills, a slower development in vocabulary acquisition rates and developmental lags in their phonological STM skills, suggesting an overall atypical pattern of development. The results also suggest a relationship between these skills which needs to be explored further.
Factors influencing oil saturation and exploration fairways in the lower cretaceous Quantou Formation tight sandstones, Southern Songliao Basin, China
Authors: Xi Kelai , Cao Yingchang , Liu Keyu , Zhu Rukai
Published: January 2018

Favorable exploration fairway prediction becomes crucial for efficient exploration and development of tight sandstone oil plays due to their relatively poor reservoir quality and strong heterogeneous oil saturation. In order to better understand the factors influencing oil saturation and favorable exploration fairway distribution, petrographic investigation, reservoir properties testing, X-ray diffraction analysis, oil saturation measurement, pressure-controlled mercury injection, and rate-controlled mercury injection were performed on a suite of tight reservoir from the fourth member of the Lower Cretaceous Quantou Formation (K1q4) in the southern Songliao Basin, China. The sandstone reservoirs are characterized by poor reservoir properties and low oil saturations. Reservoir properties between laboratory pressure conditions and in situ conditions are approximately the same, and oil saturations are not controlled by porosity and permeability obviously. Pores are mainly micro-scale, and throats are mainly nano-scale, forming micro- to nano-scale pore–throat system with effective connected pore–throat mainly less than 40%. Oil emplacement mainly occurs through the throats with average radius larger than 0.25 µm under original geological condition. Moreover, the samples with higher oil saturation show more scattered pore and throat distributions, but centered pore–throat radius ratio distribution. Pore–throat volume ratio about 2.3–3.0 is best for oil emplacement, forming high oil saturation. Quartz overgrowth, carbonate cements, and authigenic clays are the major diagenetic minerals. The reservoirs containing about 4–5% carbonate cements are most preferable for oil accumulation, and oil saturation increases with increasing of chlorite as well. The flow zone indicator is a reasonable parameter to predict favorable exploration targets in tight sandstone reservoirs. The reservoirs with flow zone indicator values larger than 0.05 can be regarded as favorable exploration targets in the K1q4 tight sandstones. According to the planar isoline of average flow zone indicator value, the favorable exploration targets mainly distribute in the delta plain distributary channel and deltaic front subaqueous distributary channel.
Prevalence of Obesity, Prediabetes, and Diabetes in Sexual Minority Men: Results From the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Authors: Newlin Lew Kelley , Dorsen Caroline , Long Thomas
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence and related odds ratios for obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes in sexual minority men (SMM) in relation to straight men.

Methods

A secondary analysis of 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 19 states (n = 53 542) was conducted. Weighted means and standard errors were computed to estimate prevalence rates of obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes across male sexual orientation groups, respectively. Unadjusted and adjusted (demographics, depression, and health care access factors) weighted logistic regression models were developed.

Results

Obesity prevalence was lower in gay men relative to straight men with logistic regression modeling indicating gay men were significantly less likely to be obese, relative to their straight counterparts, in the unadjusted and adjusted models. In terms of prediabetes, rates were low across all sexual orientation groups with no significant differences observed. Yet bisexual men, relative to straight men, had higher rates of diabetes with significantly increased odds for the disease in both the unadjusted and adjusted models.

Conclusion

Findings indicate gay men have reduced risk for obesity while bisexual men may have increased diabetes burden. Across all male sexual orientation groups, prediabetes prevalence was low, suggesting the need for more aggressive prediabetes screening. Additional research is necessary to confirm the findings.
International Diversification, SFAS 131, and Debt Maturity Structure
Authors: Wang Changjiang
Published: January 2018

This study examines the impact of geographic segment disclosures under the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 131 (SFAS 131) on the debt maturity structure of internationally diversified firms. I find that the proportion of short-maturity debt increases with a firm’s international diversification. Moreover, the implementation of SFAS 131 attenuates the positive relation between international diversification and short-maturity debt. This attenuation effect is more pronounced for firms that continue to disclose geographic segment earnings in the post-SFAS 131 period than firms that do not. As short-maturity debt subjects firms to refinancing and potential costly liquidation risks, these results suggest a beneficial role of SFAS 131 in reducing firms’ reliance on short-maturity debt to address information asymmetry and agency costs of debt arising from international diversification. Furthermore, this study suggests that enhanced mandatory disclosure has a real effect on firms’ financing activities and capital structure.
Interspecies Parenting: How Pet Parents Construct Their Roles
Authors: Owens Nicole , Grauerholz Liz
Published: January 2018

This qualitative study explores a widespread contemporary family form, the interspecies family, to understand how people who count their cats and dogs as family members describe this process of becoming and maintaining family. We focus on one aspect of interspecies families—pet parenting. We find that even though individuals say their pets are family, not all consider themselves to be parents or engaged in pet parenting. Participants with human children differed somewhat from those without human children, suggesting that family form shapes pet parenting experiences. Childless participants draw heavily from larger cultural narratives surrounding parenting to construct the parent–pet child relationship. Those with younger human children talk about the relationship primarily from a place of difference, while those with older human children construct the relationship in similar ways to childless individuals and emphasize similarities between raising children and pets. This study contributes to the literature on family change and human–animal relationships within households.
‘Maymd soldiours or poore schollers’
Authors: Sivefors Per
Published: January 2018

The present article suggests that war and peace are explored in the works of Thomas Nashe as figures for the condition of the writer. Throughout his career, including his troubles with the authorities and his conflict with Gabriel Harvey, Nashe makes use of the war metaphor in order to elaborate on the condition of authorship. However, war is also a literal presence in Nashe’s texts, which frequently reference events like the Spanish Armada or the campaign in Ireland. Thus, the article examines the complex interplay between social reality and self-referential metaphor that characterizes Nashe’s use and descriptions of warfare.