bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging in Patients with Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Enzenhofer Elisabeth , Ubl Philipp , Czerny Christian , Erovic Boban M.
Published: February 2013

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine tumor of the skin with a mortality rate of approximately 25% (Peloschek et al., 2010). Accurate assessment of nodal involvement in patients with MCC predicts significantly overall outcome (Smith et al., 2012 and Ortin-Perez et al., 2007). Due to the rarity of this highly aggressive disease, only a few imaging reports on MCC were published, and subsequently still to date no accepted imaging algorithm for MCC is available. For primary staging of MCC, general recommendations have included ultrasonography, chest X-ray CT, and MRI, but recent articles show that the use of sentinel node and FDG-PET/PET-CT is gaining more and more importance.
Pilot Study to Evaluate Hearing Aid Service Delivery Model and Measure Benefit Using Self-Report Outcome Measures Using Community Hearing Workers in a Developing Country
Authors: Emerson Lingamdenne Paul , Job Anand , Abraham Vinod
Published: February 2013

Hearing loss is a major handicap in developing countries with paucity of trained audiologists and limited resources. In this pilot study trained community health workers were used to provide comprehensive hearing aid services in the community. One hundred and eleven patients were fitted with semi-digital hearing aid and were evaluated over a period of six months. They were assessed using self-report outcome measure APHAB. Results show that trained CHWs are effective in detecting disabling hearing loss and in providing HAs. APHAB can identify and pick up significant improvements in communication in daily activities and provides a realistic expectation of the benefits of a hearing aid. The model of using trained CHWs to provide rehabilitative services in audiology along with self-report outcome measures can be replicated in other developing countries.
Interleukin 21–Induced Granzyme B–Expressing B Cells Infiltrate Tumors and Regulate T Cells
Authors: Lindner Stefanie , Dahlke Karen , Sontheimer Kai , Hagn Magdalena , Kaltenmeier Christof , Barth Thomas F.E. , Beyer Thamara , Reister Frank , Fabricius Dorit , Lotfi Ramin , Lunov Oleg , Nienhaus G. Ulrich , Simmet Thomas , Kreienberg Rolf , Möller Peter , Schrezenmeier Hubert , Jahrsdörfer Bernd
Published: February 2013

The pathogenic impact of tumor-infiltrating B cells is unresolved at present, however, some studies suggest that they may have immune regulatory potential. Here, we report that the microenvironment of various solid tumors includes B cells that express granzyme B (GrB, GZMB), where these B cells can be found adjacent to interleukin (IL)-21–secreting regulatory T cells (Treg) that contribute to immune tolerance of tumor antigens. Because Tregs and plasmacytoid dendritic cells are known to modulate T-effector cells by a GrB-dependent mechanism, we hypothesized that a similar process may operate to modulate regulatory B cells (Breg). IL-21 induced outgrowth of B cells expressing high levels of GrB, which thereby limited T-cell proliferation by a GrB-dependent degradation of the T-cell receptor ζ-chain. Mechanistic investigations into how IL-21 induced GrB expression in B cells to confer Breg function revealed a CD19+CD38+CD1d+IgM+CD147+ expression signature, along with expression of additional key regulatory molecules including IL-10, CD25, and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase. Notably, induction of GrB by IL-21 integrated signals mediated by surface immunoglobulin M (B-cell receptor) and Toll-like receptors, each of which were enhanced with expression of the B-cell marker CD5. Our findings show for the first time that IL-21 induces GrB+ human Bregs. They also establish the existence of human B cells with a regulatory phenotype in solid tumor infiltrates, where they may contribute to the suppression of antitumor immune responses. Together, these findings may stimulate novel diagnostic and cell therapeutic approaches to better manage human cancer as well as autoimmune and graft-versus-host pathologies. Cancer Res; 73(8); 2468–79. ©2013 AACR.
Enhancing Chemotherapy Response with Sustained EphA2 Silencing Using Multistage Vector Delivery
Authors: Shen Haifa , Rodriguez-Aguayo Cristian , Xu Rong , Gonzalez-Villasana Vianey , Mai Junhua , Huang Yi , Zhang Guodong , Guo Xiaojing , Bai Litao , Qin Guoting , Deng Xiaoyong , Li Qingpo , Erm Donald R. , Aslan Burcu , Liu Xuewu , Sakamoto Jason , Chavez-Reyes Arturo , Han Hee-Dong , Sood Anil K. , Ferrari Mauro , Lopez-Berestein Gabriel
Published: February 2013

Purpose: RNA interference has the potential to specifically knockdown the expression of target genes and thereby transform cancer therapy. However, lack of effective delivery of siRNA has dramatically limited its in vivo applications. We have developed a multistage vector (MSV) system, composed of discoidal porous silicon particles loaded with nanotherapeutics, that directs effective delivery and sustained release of siRNA in tumor tissues. In this study, we evaluated therapeutic efficacy of MSV-loaded EphA2 siRNA (MSV/EphA2) with murine orthotopic models of metastatic ovarian cancers as a first step toward development of a new class of nanotherapeutics for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Experimental Design: Tumor accumulation of MSV/EphA2 and sustained release of siRNA from MSV were analyzed after intravenous administration of MSV/siRNA. Nude mice with metastatic SKOV3ip2 tumors were treated with MSV/EphA2 and paclitaxel, and therapeutic efficacy was assessed. Mice with chemotherapy-resistant HeyA8 ovarian tumors were treated with a combination of MSV/EphA2 and docetaxel, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy was evaluated.

Results: Treatment of SKOV3ip2 tumor mice with MSV/EphA2 biweekly for 6 weeks resulted in dose-dependent (5, 10, and 15 μg/mice) reduction of tumor weight (36%, 64%, and 83%) and number of tumor nodules compared with the control groups. In addition, tumor growth was completely inhibited when mice were treated with MSV/EphA2 in combination with paclitaxel. Furthermore, combination treatment with MSV/EphA2 and docetaxel inhibited growth of HeyA8-MDR tumors, which were otherwise resistant to docetaxel treatment.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that MSV/EphA2 merits further development as a novel therapeutic agent for ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 19(7); 1806–15. ©2013 AACR.
Role of WNT7B-induced Noncanonical Pathway in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Authors: Zheng Dali , Decker Keith F. , Zhou Tianhua , Chen Jianquan , Qi Zongtai , Jacobs Kathryn , Weilbaecher Katherine N. , Corey Eva , Long Fanxin , Jia Li
Published: February 2013

Advanced prostate cancer is characterized by incurable castration-resistant progression and osteoblastic bone metastasis. While androgen deprivation therapy remains the primary treatment for advanced prostate cancer, resistance inevitably develops. Importantly, mounting evidence indicates that androgen receptor (AR) signaling continues to play a critical role in the growth of advanced prostate cancer despite androgen deprivation. While the mechanisms of aberrant AR activation in advanced prostate cancer have been extensively studied, the downstream AR target genes involved in the progression of castration resistance are largely unknown. Here, we identify WNT7B as a direct AR target gene highly expressed in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells. Our results show that expression of WNT7B is necessary for the growth of prostate cancer cells and that this effect is enhanced under androgen-deprived conditions. Further analyses reveal that WNT7B promotes androgen-independent growth of CRPC cells likely through the activation of protein kinase C isozymes. Our results also show that prostate cancer-produced WNT7B induces osteoblast differentiation in vitro through a direct cell–cell interaction, and that WNT7B is upregulated in human prostate cancer xenografts that cause an osteoblastic reaction when grown in bone. Taken together, these results suggest that AR-regulated WNT7B signaling is critical for the growth of CRPC and development of the osteoblastic bone response characteristic of advanced prostate cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 11(5); 482–93. ©2013 AACR.
Activation of the NF-κB Pathway by the STAT3 Inhibitor JSI-124 in Human Glioblastoma Cells
Authors: McFarland Braden C. , Gray G. Kenneth , Nozell Susan E. , Hong Suk W. , Benveniste Etty N.
Published: February 2013

Glioblastoma tumors are characterized by their invasiveness and resistance to therapies. The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was recently identified as a master transcriptional regulator in the mesenchymal subtype of glioblastoma (GBM), which has generated an increased interest in targeting STAT3. We have evaluated more closely the mechanism of action of one particular STAT3 inhibitor, JSI-124 (cucurbitacin I). In this study, we confirmed that JSI-124 inhibits both constitutive and stimulus-induced Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and STAT3 phosphorylation, and decreases cell proliferation while inducing apoptosis in cultured GBM cells. However, we discovered that before the inhibition of STAT3, JSI-124 activates the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway, via NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. In addition, JSI-124 treatment induces the expression of IL-6, IL-8, and suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS3) mRNA, which leads to a corresponding increase in IL-6, IL-8, and SOCS3 protein expression. Moreover, the NF-κB–driven SOCS3 expression acts as a negative regulator of STAT3, abrogating any subsequent STAT3 activation and provides a mechanism of STAT3 inhibition after JSI-124 treatment. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirms that NF-κB p65 in addition to other activating cofactors are found at the promoters of IL-6, IL-8, and SOCS3 after JSI-124 treatment. Using pharmacological inhibition of NF-κB and inducible knockdown of NF-κB p65, we found that JSI-124–induced expression of IL-6, IL-8, and SOCS3 was significantly inhibited, showing an NF-κB–dependent mechanism. Our data indicate that although JSI-124 may show potential antitumor effects through inhibition of STAT3, other off-target proinflammatory pathways are activated, emphasizing that more careful and thorough preclinical investigations must be implemented to prevent potential harmful effects. Mol Cancer Res; 11(5); 494–505. ©2013 AACR.
Randomized Controlled Trial of the Intraoperative Bile Leakage Test in Preventing Bile Leakage after Hepatic Resection
Authors: Liu Zhiyi , Jin Hu , Li Yagang , Gu Yang , Zhai Chunliang
Published: February 2013

Aim: To evaluate the value of an intraoperative bile leakage test during liver resection in preventing bile leakage after hepatic resection. Methods: A sterile fat emulsion was injected through the duct of the gallbladder among patients from the treatment group so as to observe leakage status on the hepatic resection plane; the leakage points were dealt with in time. The hepatic resection plane was treated using conventional methods among patients from the control group. Results: The incidence rates of the bile leakage and other complications in the two groups were analyzed in this study. Two (3.7%) of the 53 patients from the treatment group had bile leakage, and 8 (14.8%) of the 54 patients from the control group had bile leakage. There were significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.05) in terms of the incidence of the bile leakage. With regard to the incidence of other complications, there were no significant differences between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: An intraoperative bile leakage test appears to be sensitive in detecting interoperative bile leaks and can effectively prevent bile leakage after hepatic resection, and it does not increase the likelihood of other complications.
Effects of Interleukin-31 on MUC5AC Gene Expression in Nasal Allergic Inflammation
Authors: Shah Said Ahmad , Ishinaga Hajime , Hou Bo , Okano Mitsuhiro , Takeuchi Kazuhiko
Published: February 2013

Background: Interleukin-31 (IL-31) is a newly discovered T helper lymphocyte-derived cytokine that plays an important role in allergic inflammation. However, the effects of IL-31 on mucus production in nasal allergic inflammation are completely unknown. Objective: To investigate the effects of IL-31 on mucin gene expression (MUC5AC) in patients with allergic rhinitis and in human airway epithelial cells. Methods: Expression levels of IL-31 and IL-31 receptor A (IL-31RA) were evaluated in the inferior turbinate of patients with allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis with immunohistochemistry. IL-31-induced MUC5AC gene expression was measured with a MUC5AC luciferase reporter assay in human epithelial HM3-MUC5AC cells and quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in human airway epithelial A549 cells. Results: IL-31RA was primarily localized in submucosal glands and upregulated in allergic rhinitis. IL-31 was detected in submucosal tissue and increased in allergic inflammation. MUC5AC gene expression was induced by IL-31 stimulation both in HM3-MUC5AC and A549 cells. Additionally, IL-31 cooperated with Th2 cytokines on MUC5AC gene expression in HM3-MUC5AC cells. Conclusion: IL-31 and IL-31RA are upregulated in patients with allergic rhinitis, and induce MUC5AC gene expression in human airway epithelial cells. These findings suggest that IL-31 plays an important role in mucus overproduction in nasal allergic inflammation.
Dexamethasone Effect on Postoperative Pain and Tramadol Requirement after Thyroidectomy
Authors: Barros Ana , Vale Carolina P. , Oliveira Fátima C. , Ventura Celso , Assunção JoséP. , Fontes Ribeiro Carlos Alberto , Pereira Frederico C.
Published: February 2013

Tramadol is a central-acting analgesic associated with nausea and vomiting. Clinical studies have demonstrated that glucocorticoids have analgesic and antiemetic effects when administered perioperatively. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that coadministration of tramadol and dexamethasone decreases both postoperative pain and tramadol requirement by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Forty female patients undergoing thyroidectomy under general anesthesia were enrolled in a double-blind randomized controlled study and allocated to receive dexamethasone 4 mg i.v. (dexamethasone group, n = 20) or saline (control group, n = 20). At 0, 1, 2, 4 and 22 h of PCA, tramadol consumption and pain were evaluated. Although pain (numerical rating scale 0–10) was significantly lower in the dexamethasone group compared to the control group (2.9 ± 1.4 vs. 3.8 ± 1.2, p = 0.02) at the beginning of PCA, tramadol demand was not significantly different. Although the results herein show a possible beneficial effect of a preoperative single low dose of dexamethasone on postoperative pain, the hypothesis that this corticosteroid decreases tramadol requirement is not supported.
Stroke Risk After Posterior Circulation Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack and its Relationship to Site of Vertebrobasilar Stenosis
Authors: Gulli Giosue , Marquardt Lars , Rothwell Peter M. , Markus Hugh S.
Published: February 2013

Background and Purpose—

Recent prospective studies have shown vertebrobasilar (VB) stenosis predicts stroke risk in posterior circulation stroke and transient ischemic attack. It is unclear whether this association is independent of other risk factors, and whether intracranial or extracranial stenosis confers different risks.

Methods—

A pooled individual patient analysis of data from 2 prospective studies was performed in 359 patients presenting with VB transient ischemic attack or stroke. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography, or computed tomography angiogram, and clinical follow-up were available in 323 patients. Risk of stroke was calculated from any VB transient ischemic attack/stroke in the month before the presenting episode (first event) and from the presenting event. A systematic review of similar prospective studies was performed.

Results—

Ninety-day risk of stroke from the first event was 24.6% in patients with VB stenosis versus 7.2% in those without (odds ratio, 4.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.1–8.6;
P
<0.0001). Risk was higher (33%) with intracranial (odds ratio, 6.5; 2.8–15.0;
P
<0.0001) than extracranial stenosis (16.2%; odds ratio, 2.5; 0.9–6.8;
P
=0.06). Risk from the presenting event was 9.6% in patients with stenosis versus 2.8% in those without (odds ratio, 3.7; 1.2–11.0;
P
=0.012), and again the risk was higher with intracranial stenosis. Cox regression showed the risk associated with VB stenosis was independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. The systematic review identified only 1 other report, which included only 6 patients.

Conclusions—

Symptomatic VB stenosis, particularly intracranial stenosis, is a strong independent predictor of stroke recurrence. The high early risk of stroke provides a strong rationale for randomized trials to determine whether stenting can reduce risk.
Validity of Bartram’s Painted Vulture (Aves: Cathartidae)
Authors: SNYDER NOEL F. R. , FRY JOEL T.
Published: February 2013

William Bartram described the Painted Vulture (Vultur sacra) as a new species in his 1791 book on travels in Florida and other southeastern states. However, no specimen of this bird survives, and it has not been reported by any subsequent or-nithologist. Bartram’s detailed description is not presently endorsed by the American Ornithologists’ Union and has been widely regarded as a myth, a misdescribed King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa (Linnaeus), a misdescribed Northern Carac-ara Caracara cheriway (Jacquin), or a garbled mixture of species. In fact, his description bears almost no resemblance to a Northern Caracara, but it does match the King Vulture in all important respects except tail color (which is uniform dark brown in all ages and sexes of King Vultures but was white with a dark brown or black tip in Bartram’s description). Most 20th century ornithologists commenting on Bartram’s bird have been reluctant to accept his description because of the tail-color discrepancy. Only McAtee (1942) concluded that his description could be fully accurate as written, indicating a bird closely related to, but different from, a typical King Vulture. Paralleling Bartram’s description is an apparently independent account and painting of a vulture of uncertain geo-graphic origin by Eleazar Albin (1734). Details of Albin’s description, including tail color, are very similar to those of Bartram’s description. The only discrepancies are minor differences in color of softparts and tail that seem explicable as intraspecific variation. Available evidence suggests that Bartram knew nothing of Albin’s description, and if so, Albin’s bird provides quite persuasive support for the validity of Bartram’s bird. Equally important, none of the arguments offered historically against the validity of the Painted Vulture is persuasive when examined closely. Together, these and other fac-tors make a strong case for acceptance of Bartram’s Painted Vulture as a historic resident of northern Florida and likely other adjacent regions.
The Implementation of an Explicit Charging and Discharge Lightning Scheme within the WRF-ARW Model: Benchmark Simulations of a Continental Squall Line, a Tropical Cyclone, and a Winter Storm
Authors: Fierro Alexandre O. , Mansell Edward R. , MacGorman Donald R. , Ziegler Conrad L.
Published: February 2013

This work describes the recent implementation of explicit lightning physics within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. Charging of hydrometeors consists of five distinct noninductive parameterizations, polarization of cloud water, and the exchange of charge during collisional mass transfer. The three components of the ambient electric field are explicitly solved for via the computationally efficient multigrid elliptic solver. The discharge process employs concepts adapted from two well-documented bulk lightning models, whereby charge reduction is imposed within a prescribed volume centered at grid points characterized by electric field magnitudes exceeding a given breakdown threshold.

This lightning model was evaluated through benchmark convection-allowing (3 km) model simulations of three contrasting convective systems: a continental squall line, a major hurricane (Rita 2005), and a winter storm. The areal coverage and magnitude of the simulated hourly flash origin density (FOD) for the continental squall line are qualitatively comparable to that of the total lightning data observations from Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN). In agreement with the ENTLN observations, no FOD are simulated for the winter storm case. The simulated spatial FOD pattern of the hurricane and the eyewall gross charge structure were both in reasonable agreement with observations. The simulated FOD for all three cases were also evaluated against those obtained with the recently developed McCaul diagnostic lightning prediction schemes and exhibited overall good qualitative agreement with each other for Rita and the continental squall line.
The effects of the fabric properties on fabric movement and the prediction of the fabric movements in a front-loading washer
Authors: Park Sohyun , Yun Changsang , Kim Jooyoun , Park Chung Hee
Published: February 2013

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of the fabric properties on fabric movement and to suggest a prediction model for the fabric movements in a front-loading washer. During a wash cycle, the fabric moves in many different ways depending on the mechanical and physiochemical properties of the fabric. In this study, 14 different fabrics were measured for their mechanical and physiochemical properties by the Kawabata Evaluation System (KES) and the water absorption test. From the observation of the fabric movements in the washer, 13 movement indexes were derived, and the relationships between the fabric properties and fabric movements were studied. The critical fabric properties that affected the fabric movements were determined by the analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and the post hoc test using the Scheffe method. The major fabric properties that affected fabric movements were found to be fabric weight, drape coefficient, water content, shear recovery, compression linearity, and energy required for compression. These fabric properties were investigated for their relation with the fabric movement indexes. The predicting models for fabric movements were suggested by the multi-linear regression equations.
Family Environment and Depression
Authors: Guan Chaoping , Wen Xiaopiao , Gong Yanhong , Liang Yuan , Wang Zhiqing
Published: February 2013

Our objective was to estimate, at the general population level, the variance in prevalence of depression attributable to family environment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted door-to-door in rural China with a sample of 3720 individuals aged 18 years and older. Results showed that the difference in depression prevalence between extended and nuclear families was not statistically significant. In addition, the association of family structure and depression (for males and females) was not statistically significant after adjusting for potential confounding variables. The association of family-related negative life events and economic status of the family with depression (for males and females) was statistically significant. The association of family support and depression was statistically significant for males but not for females. Findings suggest that the Chinese traditional extended family may not be protective against depression at the general population level, and family interventions targeting family environment should reflect the above gender differences.
Contributions of Racial and Sociobehavioral Homophily to Friendship Stability and Quality Among Same-Race and Cross-Race Friends
Authors: McDonald Kristina L. , Dashiell-Aje Ebony , Menzer Melissa M. , Rubin Kenneth H. , Oh Wonjung , Bowker Julie C.
Published: February 2013

The current study examined how racial and sociobehavioral similarities were associated with friendship stability and friendship quality. Cross-race friends were not significantly similar to each other in peer-nominated shyness/withdrawal, victimization, exclusion, and popularity/sociability. Relative to same-race friends, cross-race friends were significantly less similar in peer-nominated popularity/sociability, exclusion, and victimization. Although same-race friendships were more prevalent than cross-race friendships, only similarity in friends’ aggressive behavior (but not racial homophily) was related to friendship stability. Neither racial nor sociobehavioral similarity predicted friendship quality beyond adolescents’ individual sociobehavioral characteristics. Taken together, findings suggest that although racial similarity may affect initial friendship formation, racial similarity may not impact friendship stability or friendship quality when also accounting for friends’ similarity in sociobehavioral characteristics.
Association between vascular endothelial growth factor +936 C/T gene polymorphism and age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Jiang Yanming , Liang Ge , Wang Liqiang , Jiang Jingjing , Du Gaiping , Huang Yifei
Published: February 2013

Objectives

The pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains unknown. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important regulator of angiogenesis and a target for inhibition therapy in wet AMD. This study investigated the association between the VEGF +936 C/T gene polymorphism and AMD, in a Chinese Han population.

Methods

Patients with AMD, and age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to analyse the VEGF +936 polymorphism in the promoter and the 3′ untranslated region of the gene.

Results

The study included 200 AMD patients and 200 control subjects. There was a significantly higher prevalence of the TT genotype among AMD patients (9.0%) compared with controls (3.5%); the odds ratio for this genotype in AMD patients was 2.73 (95% confidence intervals 1.11, 6.68). There were no significant associations between any genotype and AMD subphenotypic categories (early, geographic atrophy, choroidal neovascularization).

Conclusions

The present study findings suggested that the VEGF +936 TT genotype was associated with AMD among Han Chinese patients.
Racial Identity Buffers African American Women From Body Image Problems and Disordered Eating
Authors: Watson Laurel B. , Ancis Julie R. , White D. Nicholas , Nazari Negar
Published: February 2013

The purpose of our study was to extend tenets of objectification theory to a sample of 278 undergraduate African American women. We hypothesized that internalized multiculturally inclusive racial identity attitudes would moderate the relationship between sexually objectifying experiences and internalized sociocultural standards of beauty, which would then correlate with less body surveillance. In turn, we predicted that less body surveillance would be associated with less body shame, appearance anxiety, and greater interoceptive awareness, which would likely be associated with decreased eating disordered behaviors. A moderated mediation analysis supported the overall model, suggesting that internalized multiculturally inclusive racial identity attitudes buffer against sexually objectifying experiences. When sexually objectifying experiences were high and internalized multiculturally inclusive racial identity attitudes were low, participants were more likely to internalize dominant standards of beauty, which was then associated with increased body surveillance, body shame, appearance anxiety, disordered eating, and poorer interoceptive awareness. Interventions aimed to assist African American women develop a positive race salience and challenge sociocultural standards of beauty seem warranted in order to diminish body image concerns and disordered eating.
From One “Dragon Sleigh” to Another
Authors: Bhuyan Rupaleem , Velagapudi Kavya
Published: February 2013

This article presents the results of a study with providers of domestic violence and sexual assault services in Kansas. In recent years, the changing demographics of the U.S. Midwest have required community-based organizations to adapt their services quickly to “new” immigrant populations, many of whom are Spanish speaking and perceived as “illegal” and thus face numerous barriers to accessing services. We examine how intersecting and interlocking oppressions shape the delivery of services to immigrant women who are facing violence and discuss what strategies advocates use to support women’s safety and self-determination in an intense and at times hostile anti-immigrant environment.
Effect of Cognitive Status on Self-Regulatory Driving Behavior in Older Adults
Authors: Festa Elena K. , Ott Brian R. , Manning Kevin J. , Davis Jennifer D. , Heindel William C.
Published: February 2013

Previous findings that older drivers engage in strategic self-regulatory behaviors to minimize perceived safety risks are primarily based on survey reports rather than actual behavior. This study analyzed in-car video recording of naturalistic driving of 18 patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and 20 age-matched controls in order to (1) characterize self-regulatory behaviors engaged by older drivers and (2) assess how behaviors change with cognitive impairment. Only participants who were rated “safe” on a prior standardized road test were selected for this study. Both groups drove primarily in environments that minimized the demands on driving skill and that incurred the least risk for involvement in major crashes. Patients with AD displayed further restrictions of driving behavior beyond those of healthy elderly individuals, suggesting additional regulation on the basis of cognitive status. These data provide critical empirical support for findings from previous survey studies indicating an overall reduction in driving mobility among older drivers with cognitive impairment.
In the Eye of the Perfect Storm
Authors: Santos José L. , Sáenz Victor B.
Published: February 2013

The authors paint a national portrait of Latina/o trends over more than 30 years in terms of demographic and financial concerns that pertain to access at 4-year institutions. Using a multiple policy streams framework, the authors contend that growing numbers of Latina/os are in the eye of the perfect storm in a global economy that calls for more skilled workers at the same time that there are significant policy shifts converging in college finance. Trends over time reveal that Latina/os have remained more sensitive to financial assistance than non-Hispanic Whites in deciding where to go to college. The data also reveal several alarming trends that indicate Latina/os are not benefiting from policy directions established in the past. Realizing the potential for a new policy window of opportunity to reverse adverse effects for Latina/os will be key to the vitality of the nation.
Searching for ancient forests: A 2000 year history of land use in northeastern French forests deduced from the pollen compositions of closed depressions
Authors: Etienne David , Ruffaldi Pascale , Dupouey Jean Luc , Georges-Leroy Murielle , Ritz Frédéric , Dambrine Etienne
Published: February 2013

Evidence of the agricultural use, during Roman or Medieval times, of forested areas formerly considered to be ancient, as well as legacies of this former land use on plant biodiversity and soil properties, have encouraged the search for archives of former land use in forests. In central Lorraine (northeastern France), thousands of small closed depressions (CD) on marlstone have been inventoried in forests over the past 150 years, and we hypothesised that these CDs could be used to reconstruct patterns of land use. Closed depressions near the Seille and Sarre valleys were selected and cored for pollen and sediment analyses. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was used to analyse variations of pollen assemblages during the last two millennia. The history of vegetation changes depicts five main phases. During the Roman period, the region appears to have been primarily covered by grasslands, with some croplands but few forests. All areas were reforested by the end of the Roman period. During the early Medieval period, croplands with grasslands developed in the region, while the late Medieval was characterised by cereal cropping, with especially intense use at sites near the Seille valley, and a lesser extension of grasslands. The present forest cover developed over the past 500 years because of the development of the salt industry in the Seille valley, which required firewood, and the general decrease of agricultural pressure over the past 150 years. Previous investigations had provided evidence of large-scale Roman field systems in the forests covering the limestone plateau and the Vosges foothills on sandstone, areas west and east of the research focus, respectively. These convergent findings suggest that that forests considered to be ‘ancient’ on the basis of historical documents may have been used for pasture or agriculture over extensive periods during the last 2000 years.
Influence of Support Group Intervention on Quality of Life of Malaysian Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Abu Kassim Noor Lide , Hanafiah Khayriyyah Mohd , Samad-Cheung Humairah , Rahman Mohammad Tariqur
Published: February 2013

Given that breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer affecting Malaysian women and its low survival rate, this study investigates the possible influence of support group intervention on quality of life (QOL). It also examines the interrelationships between QOL subdomains as research has shown the influence of emotional expression on psychological and physical well-being. Rasch analysis was implemented to examine perception of QOL and the comparability of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General and Breast Cancer scales (FACT-G and FACT-B) of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy inventory. Results indicated that perception of QOL may be influenced by factors other than support group intervention. The FACT-G and FACT-B scales were comparable in the measurement of QOL for breast cancer, and the interrelationships between the QOL subdomains were supported. The findings of this study accentuate the importance of focusing support group interventions on improvement of emotional well-being to maintain patients’ QOL despite the cancer.
Association of Morbus Ledderhose With Dupuytren’s Contracture
Authors: Gudmundsson Kristján G. , Jónsson Thorbjörn , Arngrímsson Reynir
Published: February 2013

Background:

Fibromatous nodules in the sole of the foot are often called Ledderhose disease. It is a benign nodular formation in the plantar aponeurosis, typically at the distal medial border. A lump forms and it can be a few centimeters in diameter. It is frequently seen as an isolated disease, but a relationship to Dupuytren’s has been noted in some patients.

Methods:

The study was a part of a large cohort study, the Reykjavík study. Men with Dupuytren’s disease (n = 122) were invited to follow-up 18 years after the initial observation. An equal number of controls, matched for age and smoking habits, were also invited. A total of 92 Dupuytren’s patients and 101 control subjects attended for follow-up and were examined for plantar nodules. Statistical evaluation was carried out using chi-square test and presented as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results:

Ledderhose disease was identified in 14 of the 92 (15.2%) men with Dupuytren’s disease, while it was only in 4 of the 101 (3.9%) matched controls (OR = 4.35, 95% CI, 1.3-16.7, P < 0.01). Men operated for Dupuytren’s disease or with finger contractures were more likely to have plantar nodules than those with only nodules or strings in the palms (OR = 6.1, 95% CI, 1.8-27.1, P < 0.001). The plantar involvement was related to family history of Dupuytren’s disease (OR = 3.1, 95% CI, 1.1-8.5, P = 0.02).

Conclusion:

Men with manifestations of finger contractures or who need surgery for Dupuytren’s disease are more likely to also develop plantar fibromas.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative series.
Fourth Metatarsal Base Stress Fractures in Athletes
Authors: Rongstad Kurt M. , Tueting Jonathan , Rongstad Meriel , Garrels Katie , Meis Ryan
Published: February 2013

Background:

Metatarsal stress fractures account for approximately 28% of all stress fractures reported in the literature. Second and third metatarsal stress fractures are most common, followed by fractures of the fourth and fifth metatarsal. Reports in the literature suggest that proximal fourth metatarsal stress fractures have the same propensity for delayed healing and nonunion as do fifth metatarsal stress fractures. There is a paucity of literature on operative management of fourth metatarsal fractures. This study reports the results of operative management of fourth metatarsal stress fractures in athletes.

Methods:

A retrospective review with prospectively collected data was undertaken to evaluate utility of operative care of fourth metatarsal stress fractures in an athletic population desiring early return to sports. Eleven athletes over a 13-year period were enrolled with proximal fourth metatarsal stress fractures. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Midfoot scores were obtained pre- and postoperatively. Midfoot alignment, including the presence or absence of metatarsus adductus, radiographic time to healing, and time to return to sports were also recorded.

Results:

All patients were treated with operative open reduction and internal plate fixation with calcaneal autograft. Four of the 11 patients had metatarsus adductus. All had evidence of radiographic healing prior to return to activity, all returned to sports at an average of 12 weeks post surgery, and all would choose surgery again given the same injury. The AOFAS Midfoot scale improved from an average of 55 preoperatively to 94 postoperatively ( P < .001)

Conclusion:

Our study suggests that operative repair of fourth metatarsal stress fractures hastens time of healing and return to sports in athletes. It also supports the theory that there is a correlation between metatarsus adductus lateral metatarsal stress fractures.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Writing Qualitative Inquiry and Other Impossible Journeys
Authors: Lockford Lesa
Published: February 2013

In this essay I consider the challenges of asserting one’s subjectivity in a postmodern context. I offer that though to do so is a contested endeavor, writing qualitatively helps render lives coherent and meaningful especially when confronting a world that is often brutal, hostile, and dehumanizing.
“The Beast Within”
Authors: Moore Isabel S.
Published: February 2013

This autoethnography documents the author’s lived experience while in the midst of an acute flare-up of ulcerative colitis (UC). Through depicting such a flare-up the depths of despair, anger, and frustration are relived. The disruption caused by the chronic illness upon daily functioning leads the author to reflect upon the influence of illness on an athletic body within a sporting subculture. Questions are raised regarding the “validity” of having an invisible chronic illness when confronted with what has been termed a “culture of risk.” The autoethnographical journey helps the author to understand issues of disclosure.
Attraction in the Field
Authors: Grauerholz Liz , Barringer Mandi , Colyer Timothy , Guittar Nicholas , Hecht Jaime , Rayburn Rachel L. , Swart Elizabeth
Published: February 2013

Physical or sexual attraction plays an important role in shaping a wide range of relationships and in myriad ways. Our primary interest here is in how attraction shapes the qualitative research experience. Close examination of popular sociological ethnographies found that attractiveness is used as a descriptor, and almost always in a distancing fashion, but never considered in a reflexive manner. We explore implications of this silence surrounding attraction and urge greater candidness among sociologists conducting field research and teachers of qualitative methods.
Performance, Reflexivity, and Learning Through Biographical-Narrative Research
Authors: Suárez-Ortega Magdalena
Published: February 2013

This article provides a critical reflection on biographical-narrative research based on research experience with qualitative methodology, particularly with the application of phenomenological and existential methods with rural women in processes of socio-laboral transition. Focusing on this methodological approach, this article will consider: (a) the use and importance of the biographical-narrative approach in social sciences, (b) the main tensions and paradoxes that exist today in studies based on interpretative-critical methods, (c) the biographical-narrative research process using life stories, their phases, tasks, and contributions to science. Joining theoretical and field research, the author shows how the biographical-narrative method and its performance favor critical reflection and shared learning. The reflection on one’s own experience this method provides gives a person a sense of authorship regarding her life, and contributes to the development and transformation of the participants.
The Evaluation of Qualitative Research
Authors: Correa Fernando Peñaranda
Published: February 2013

Due to the diversity of research options, as well as the lack of consensus regarding criteria for research quality, an evaluative process is needed that can take into account the different characteristics of diverse research options and their specific contributions. Therefore, it is essential to carry out the evaluation of qualitative research in a pluralistic setting. The author’s observation is that research needs to be understood as a political concern within the domain of justice. This means that it is necessary to move forward with the construction of a more democratic setting so that differences between scientists and scientific communities can be dealt with, and the right of researchers to promote and develop different paradigms and research options can therefore be guaranteed, as well as facilitating dialogue and mutual learning between researchers and different paradigms. Its construction will imply discussions, tensions, and agreements that go beyond the epistemological and theoretical sphere into a political and moral one.
Maternal Childhood Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence, and Child Psychopathology
Authors: Miranda Jenniffer K. , de la Osa Nuria , Granero Roser , Ezpeleta Lourdes
Published: February 2013

This study examined the mediator role of mothers’ mental health in the relationship among maternal childhood abuse (CA), intimate partner violence (IPV), and offspring’s psychopathology, and explored whether mediational pathways were moderated by children’s sex. Participants were 327 Spanish outpatient children, 8 to 17 years old, and their mothers. Mothers’ global psychological distress and depressive symptoms mediated the associations between mothers’ violence history and children’s externalizing problems. However, only depressive symptoms fully mediated these relationships. Children’s sex did not have a moderating role in adjusted paths. Mothers’ depressive symptoms are an important mechanism by which maternal violence experiences could affect externalizing problems in Spanish children.
How Much Time Do Home Health Nurses Spend on Nonclinical Supply Chain Duties?
Authors: Milburn Ashlea Bennett , Mason Scott J.
Published: February 2013

When home health agencies employ supply chain practices that require nurses to order, handle, and deliver patient supplies, critical nursing resources are diverted from patient care. A model that enables full assessment of the nursing resources associated with a set of supply chain practices is presented. In this model, nurse involvement is measured in hours per nurse per year. The current state of nurse involvement in home health supply chains in the United States is quantified by considering survey data in the model. Results suggest the average amount of nurse involvement time per year is 170 hr. Stated another way, typical nurse involvement in supply chain functions is time that could have been spent conducting an additional 120 patient visits per nurse per year.
The Nature and Frequency of Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Program Evaluation
Authors: Jacobson Miriam R. , Azzam Tarek , Baez Jeanette G.
Published: February 2013

Although evaluation theorists over the last two decades have argued for the importance of including stakeholders from marginalized groups in program planning and research, little is known about the degree of inclusion in program evaluation practice. In particular, we know little about the type and level of inclusion of people with intellectual, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities in the evaluation of programs that aim to serve them. Through a content analysis of articles published in the last decade describing evaluations of programs for people with these types of disabilities, this article describes which stakeholders have been included in evaluations, how program recipient input was obtained, and in which stages of the evaluation stakeholder participation occurred. The findings indicate that program recipient disability type (developmental, psychiatric, or other) may predict type and level of inclusion, and inclusion tends to occur in later parts of the evaluation process.
Balancing Evaluation Theory and Practice in the Real World
Authors: Chelimsky Eleanor
Published: February 2013

In this paper, the author argues that evaluation theory and practice interact insufficiently today, even though early evaluation theorists expected them to be closely intertwined. She views this limited connection as the result of differing interests on the part of theorists and practitioners, differing frequencies of dissemination, and differing targets of opportunity, with theorists concentrating often on methodological processes internal to evaluation, and practitioners more concerned with the application of these processes to an external environment. The author provides examples taken from current evaluation practice in which theory is largely ignored, as well as instances of theoretical writing which fail to consider problems faced by practitioners in their efforts to accommodate current theory. These examples are chosen among many which commonly occur across the planning, implementation and reporting phases of an evaluation in progress. The likely implications of this still unfulfilled relationship for the development of the evaluation field are discussed and some potential ways forward are described.
Arguments for a Common Set of Principles for Collaborative Inquiry in Evaluation
Authors: Cousins J. Bradley , Whitmore Elizabeth , Shulha Lyn
Published: February 2013

In this article, we critique two recent theoretical developments about collaborative inquiry in evaluation—using logic models as a means to understand theory, and efforts to compartmentalize versions of collaborative inquiry into discrete genres—as a basis for considering future direction for the field. We argue that collaborative inquiry in evaluation is about relationships between trained evaluation specialists and nonevaluator stakeholders (i.e., members of the program community, intended program beneficiaries, or other persons with an interest in the program) and that practice should, in the first instance, be sensitive to stakeholder interests and context, and it should be principle-driven.