bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Coaxial Dual-element Focused Ultrasound Probe for Guidance of Epidural Catheterization: An Experimental Study
Authors: Dong Guo-Chung , Chiu Li-Chen , Ting Chien-Kun , Hsu Jia-Ruei , Huang Chih-Chung , Chang Yin , Chen Gin-Shin
Published: March 2017

Ultrasound guidance for epidural block has improved clinical blind-trial problems but the design of present ultrasonic probes poses operating difficulty of ultrasound-guided catheterization, increasing the failure rate. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel ultrasonic probe to avoid needle contact with vertebral bone during epidural catheterization. The probe has a central circular passage for needle insertion. Two focused annular transducers are deployed around the passage for on-axis guidance. A 17-gauge insulated Tuohy needle containing the self-developed fiber-optic–modified stylet was inserted into the back of the anesthetized pig, in the lumbar region under the guidance of our ultrasonic probe. The inner transducer of the probe detected the shallow echo signals of the peak-peak amplitude of 2.8 V over L3 at the depth of 2.4 cm, and the amplitude was decreased to 0.8 V directly over the L3 to L4 interspace. The outer transducer could detect the echoes from the deeper bone at the depth of 4.5 cm, which did not appear for the inner transducer. The operator tilted the probe slightly in left-right and cranial-caudal directions until the echoes at the depth of 4.5 cm disappeared, and the epidural needle was inserted through the central passage of the probe. The needle was advanced and stopped when the epidural space was identified by optical technique. The needle passed without bone contact. Designs of the hollow probe for needle pass and dual transducers with different focal lengths for detection of shallow and deep vertebrae may benefit operation, bone/nonbone identification, and cost.
Authorship Norms and Project Structures in Science
Authors: Jabbehdari Sahra , Walsh John P.
Published: March 2017

Scientific authorship has become a contested terrain in contemporary science. Based on a survey of authors across fields, we measure the likelihood of specialist authors (sometimes called “guest” authors): people who only made specialized contributions, such as data, materials, or funding; and “nonauthor collaborators” (sometimes referred to as “ghost” authors): those who did significant work on the project but do not appear as authors, across different research contexts, including field, size of the project team, commercial orientation, impact of publication, and organization of the collaboration. We find that guest and ghost authors are common, with about one-third of publications having at least one specialist author and over half having at least one nonauthor collaborator. We see significant cross-field variations in both overall rates and types of specialist authors and nonauthor collaborators. We find there are generally fewer specialist authors among highly cited papers and more graduate student nonauthor collaborators in single location projects. The results suggest authorship practices vary across fields, and by project characteristics, complicating the use of authorship lists as a basis for evaluation (especially when comparing across fields or types of projects). We discuss implications of these findings for interpreting author lists in the context of science policy.
Too Much of a Good Thing? American Childbirth, Intentional Ignorance, and the Boundaries of Responsible Knowledge
Authors: Owens Kellie
Published: March 2017

In biomedicine, practitioners often treat risk of disease as an illness in itself—suitable for monitoring and intervention. In some cases, increased diagnostics improve health outcomes by detecting problems early. Recently, however, science and technology studies scholars and medical practitioners have noted that the treatment of risk can also lead to unnecessary intervention and possible harm. Despite these findings, it is often hard to see changes in practice. Childbirth serves as an illuminating case because two models of health risk operate simultaneously—in addition to the model valuing frequent intervention, there is another that seeks to mitigate risk by refusing medical surveillance. Based on interviews with birth providers and an analysis of professional documents, this article uses the case of fetal heart rate monitoring in American childbirth to demonstrate how some health providers are framing “intentional non-knowing” as a moral imperative to reduce medical risk. Studying the success and limitations of this “risk counterculture” illuminates how risk societies are changing in response to data suggesting that more information can have hurtful effects. This case integrates well-developed theories of knowledge production with less-developed theories of knowledge nonproduction, leading to a more fruitful discussion of the boundaries of responsible knowledge in risk management.
Marital and Cohabiting Union Dissolution in Middle and Later Life
Authors: Wu Zheng , Penning Margaret J.
Published: March 2017

This study examined the timing and risk factors for subsequent union disruption among individuals who were in a marital or cohabiting union at age 45, focusing particularly on the role of prior union history and children. Using retrospective data on union histories from the 2007 Canadian General Social Survey ( n = 17,194), the results of life-table analysis revealed that individuals in cohabiting relationships faced a greater risk of union disruption in middle or later life than those who were married. Cox proportional hazard models showed that both union biography (duration, remarriage/repartnership) and family biography (children born inside/outside union, child age) influenced union dissolution through separation or divorce, but their impact differed depending on union type and gender. These findings suggest that when it comes to marriage and cohabitation, the middle and later years of life are neither a clear continuation nor a complete departure from earlier patterns.
‘To heighten your desire’
Authors: Hila Marina
Published: March 2017

The Picture (1629), one of Philip Massinger’s solo tragicomedies, reflects changes in the perceptions of absolutism in the Caroline period. Charles’s absolutism involved a unique gender politics that undermined the patriarchal basis of royal authority. In response to such political anxieties, Massinger dramatizes the threat that female influence poses to patriarchal ideology and absolutism, at a time of concern about Henrietta Maria’s influence over Charles and his perceived emasculation. Massinger connects domesticity with authority, suggesting that King Ladislaus’ lack of control over his passions and his household has an effect on the body politic. Politics is redefined as a familial paradigm.
‘Grammatical laments, feminine arguments’
Authors: Klotz Lisa
Published: March 2017

In The White Devil Vittoria articulates her interiority, significantly in her dying confession, in which she verbalizes an inner state of moral blamelessness for the adultery she has committed and the murders she may have instigated. John Webster crafts a vague confession – a non-confession – that is unusual in relation to other contemporary plays and pamphlets based on actual murders; the full confession and repentance of the malefactor are conventional. Vittoria’s non-confessional confession has the effect of denying Jacobean audiences any anticipated revelation and resolution in favour of a new ‘realism’ that perhaps proved too novel for Webster’s dissatisfied audience.
Apophatic rhetoric in Shakespeare’s Rival Poet sonnets
Authors: Aquilina Mario
Published: March 2017

This article looks at Shakespeare’s paradoxical attitude to rhetoric in the sonnets, more specifically, the Rival Poet sonnets (78–80 and 82–86). Through close reading, it identifies an apophatic resistance to rhetoric and a simultaneous inherent rhetoricity in Shakespeare’s work. Apophasis is a rhetorical figure through which a speaker pretends to conceal that which he actually shows, or denies that he says or does that which he says or does. Apophasis is a self-reflexive, dynamic and ironic device, and works by inversion, highlighting that which it would seem to downplay, including the rhetorical effects of the writing itself.
Predicting Mother–Adolescent Sexual Communication Using the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction
Authors: Byers E. Sandra , Sears Heather A. , Hughes Kathleen
Published: March 2017

Guided by the integrative model of behavioral prediction, we examined factors associated with more extensive mother–adolescent sexual communication. Participants were 303 mothers of young adolescents who completed a survey assessing their skills, attitudes about the outcomes of sexual health discussions, perceptions of social norms, self-efficacy, and sexual communication intentions at baseline (Time 1) and the extent of their sexual communication with their adolescent 6 months later (Time 2). A path analysis showed that, after accounting for the correlations among the four predictors and sexual communication at Time 1, intentions mediated the relationships between mothers’ skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy and the extent of their sexual communication with their adolescent. Attitudes also were related directly to mothers’ sexual communication. These results provide support for the utility of the integrative model of behavioral prediction for identifying parent characteristics that are related to more extensive parent–adolescent sexual communication and one mechanism by which these relationships may occur.
The lack of short-term impact of cohesion policy on the competitiveness of SMEs
Authors: Čadil Jan , Mirošník Karel , Rehák Ján
Published: March 2017

The purpose of this article is to study the relationship between the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized companies and the public support offered to them in the form of direct subsidies allocated through European structural funds. Using micro-data gathered by the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness (OPEIC) of European structural funds from 2007–2013, this analysis focuses on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Czech Republic. We employed a counterfactual approach based on Propensity Score Matching (PSM), Nearest Neighbour Estimator and Difference in Difference design with two groups of companies: applicants receiving support and a control group. When using value added and value added per labour cost as the competitiveness indicators for SMEs, we found that Cohesion Policy (CP) support had no statistically significant impact on these indicators. On the other hand, we a found positive impact on personnel expenditure. These results highlight a number of doubts regarding the effectiveness of SME cohesion funding, given that a rise in personnel expenditure, which is not supported by an appropriate increase in added value, is unlikely to be sustainable.
Ninety-two days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support following congenital heart surgery
Authors: Bilal Mehmet Salih , Avsar Mustafa Kemal , Yıldırım Özgür , Önsel İbrahim Özgür , Zeybek Cenap , Yerebakan Can
Published: March 2017

We report on a case involving a 10-month-old infant who received prolonged ECMO therapy following cardiac surgery for multiple ventricular septal defects (VSD). The patient was successfully weaned from 92 days of ECMO support without any long-term deficits.
One-year results of the use of endovenous radiofrequency ablation utilising an optimised radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy protocol for the treatment of truncal superficial venous reflux
Authors: Badham George E , Dos Santos Scott J , Lloyd Lucinda BA , Holdstock Judy M , Whiteley Mark S
Published: March 2017

Background

In previous in vitro and ex vivo studies, we have shown increased thermal spread can be achieved with radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy when using a low power and slower, discontinuous pullback. We aimed to determine the clinical success rate of radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy using this optimised protocol for the treatment of superficial venous reflux in truncal veins.

Methods

Sixty-three patients were treated with radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy using the optimised protocol and were followed up after one year (mean 16.3 months). Thirty-five patients returned for audit, giving a response rate of 56%. Duplex ultrasonography was employed to check for truncal reflux and compared to initial scans.

Results

In the 35 patients studied, there were 48 legs, with 64 truncal veins treated by radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy (34 great saphenous, 15 small saphenous and 15 anterior accessory saphenous veins). One year post-treatment, complete closure of all previously refluxing truncal veins was demonstrated on ultrasound, giving a success rate of 100%.

Conclusions

Using a previously reported optimised, low power/slow pullback radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy protocol, we have shown it is possible to achieve a 100% ablation at one year. This compares favourably with results reported at one year post-procedure using the high power/fast pullback protocols that are currently recommended for this device.
Efficacy of constraint-induced movement therapy compared with bimanual intensive training in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: a systematic review
Authors: Tervahauta MH , Girolami GL , Øberg GK
Published: March 2017

Objective:

To systematically review the evidence on the effect of constraint-induced movement therapy compared with bimanual intensive training in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

Data sources:

Seven electronic databases (Cinahl, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, PEDro, PsycINFO, PubMed) were searched from database inception through December 2016.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed using the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Standardised mean differences (effect sizes) were calculated for each study and outcome.

Results:

Nine studies met the eligibility criteria. All studies provided level II evidence. Methodological quality was high in two studies, moderate in four studies and low in three studies. The methodology, participant and intervention characteristics were heterogeneous. The participants’ ages ranged from 1.5 to 16 years. Their initial hand function ranged from Manual Ability Classification System Level I to Level III. The total intervention dose ranged from 24 to 210 hours and duration from one week to ten weeks. The studies measured outcomes assessing unimanual and bimanual hand and arm function, participation and attainment of individualised goals. Overall, the effect sizes did not favour one of the interventions at short- or long-term follow-up. The 95% confidence intervals were broad, indicating inaccurate precision of the effect sizes. Pooling of the data for a meta-analysis was judged to be of little clinical value owing to heterogeneity.

Conclusion:

It is not possible to conclude whether constraint-induced movement therapy or bimanual intensive training is more effective than the other in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors modify intracellular pH transients and contractions of rat middle cerebral arteries during CO2/HCO3– fluctuations
Authors: Rasmussen Jacob K , Boedtkjer Ebbe
Published: March 2017

The CO2/HCO3– buffer minimizes pH changes in response to acid–base loads, HCO3– provides substrate for Na+,HCO3–-cotransporters and Cl–/HCO3–-exchangers, and H+ and HCO3– modify vasomotor responses during acid–base disturbances. We show here that rat middle cerebral arteries express cytosolic, mitochondrial, extracellular, and secreted carbonic anhydrase isoforms that catalyze equilibration of the CO2/HCO3– buffer. Switching from CO2/HCO3–-free to CO2/HCO3–-containing extracellular solution results in initial intracellular acidification due to hydration of CO2 followed by gradual alkalinization due to cellular HCO3– uptake. Carbonic anhydrase inhibition decelerates the initial acidification and attenuates the associated transient vasoconstriction without affecting intracellular pH or artery tone at steady-state. Na+,HCO3–-cotransport and Na+/H+-exchange activity after NH4+-prepulse-induced intracellular acidification are unaffected by carbonic anhydrase inhibition. Extracellular surface pH transients induced by transmembrane NH3 flux are evident under CO2/HCO3–-free conditions but absent when the buffer capacity and apparent H+ mobility increase in the presence of CO2/HCO3– even after the inhibition of carbonic anhydrases. We conclude that (a) intracellular carbonic anhydrase activity accentuates pH transients and vasoconstriction in response to acute elevations of pCO2, (b) CO2/HCO3– minimizes extracellular surface pH transients without requiring carbonic anhydrase activity, and (c) carbonic anhydrases are not rate limiting for acid–base transport across cell membranes during recovery from intracellular acidification.
Chronotypes and circadian timing in migraine
Authors: van Oosterhout WPJ , van Someren EJW , Schoonman GG , Louter MA , Lammers GJ , Ferrari MD , Terwindt GM
Published: March 2017

Background

It has been suggested that migraine attacks strike according to circadian patterns and that this might be related to individual chronotype. Here we evaluated and correlated individual chronotypes, stability of the circadian rhythm, and circadian attack timing in a large and well-characterised migraine population.

Methods

In 2875 migraine patients and 200 non-headache controls we assessed differences in: (i) distribution of chronotypes (Münich Chronotype Questionnaire); (ii) the circadian rhythm’s amplitude and stability (Circadian Type Inventory); and (iii) circadian timing of migraine attacks. Data were analysed using multinomial and linear regression models adjusted for age, gender, sleep quality and depression.

Results

Migraineurs more often showed an early chronotype compared with controls (48.9% versus 38.6%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.58–3.69; p < 0.001); as well as a late chronotypes (37.7% versus 38.1%; adjusted OR = 1.69; 95% CI = 1.10–2.61; p = 0.016). Migraineurs, particularly those with high attack frequency, were more tired after changes in circadian rhythm (i.e. more languid; p < 0.001) and coped less well with being active at unusual hours (i.e. more rigid; p < 0.001) than controls. Of 2389 migraineurs, 961 (40.2%) reported early morning attack onset.

Conclusion

Migraine patients are less prone to be of a normal chronotype than controls. They are more languid and more rigid when changes in circadian rhythm occur. Most migraine attacks begin in the early morning. These data suggest that chronobiological mechanisms play a role in migraine pathophysiology.
Isolated Subscapularis Repair in Irreparable Posterosuperior Massive Rotator Cuff Tears Involving the Subscapularis Tendon
Authors: Kim Sung-Jae , Choi Yun-Rak , Jung Min , Lee Won-Yong , Chun Yong-Min
Published: March 2017

Background:

No previous study has examined whether isolated subscapularis tendon repair in irreparable posterosuperior massive rotator tears involving the subscapularis tendon in relatively young patients without arthritis can yield satisfactory outcomes.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesized that this procedure would produce favorable outcomes in patients who might otherwise be candidates for reverse arthroplasty.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

This retrospective study included 24 patients in their 50s and 60s, without shoulder arthritis, who underwent arthroscopic isolated subscapularis repair for an irreparable massive rotator cuff tear involving the subscapularis tendon. Preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, subjective shoulder values (SSVs), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder scores, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores, subscapularis strength (modified bell-press test; maximum of 5), and shoulder active range of motion (ROM) were assessed. Postoperative magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) was performed 6 months postoperatively to assess structural integrity of the repaired subscapularis.

Results:

At a mean 34.8 months (range, 24-49 months) of follow-up, VAS pain scores (improved from 7.1 to 2.5), SSVs (33.3 to 75.2), ASES scores (35.9 to 76.0), UCLA shoulder scores (11.6 to 24.8), subscapularis strength, and ROM were significantly improved compared with preoperative measurements ( P < .001). Subscapularis muscle strength improved from 3.7 to 4.2 ( P < .001). For active ROM, forward flexion and internal rotation improved significantly ( P < .001); however, external rotation exhibited no significant improvement. Follow-up MRA was performed in 22 patients (92%) and showed retear of the repaired subscapularis in 6 (27% of the 22).

Conclusion:

Isolated repair of the subscapularis tendon in irreparable massive rotator cuff tears involving the subscapularis tendon yielded satisfactory short-term outcomes and structural integrity in patients in their 50s and 60s without arthritis. If patients with irreparable massive rotator cuff tears involving the subscapularis tendon are relatively young or have minimal concomitant arthritis, this repair can be worthwhile.
On the use of dance notation systems to generate movements in humanoid robots: The utility of Laban notation in robotics
Authors: Abe Naoko , Laumond Jean-Paul , Salaris Paolo , Levillain Florent
Published: March 2017

This article raises the issue of collaboration between the field of dance and that of robotics. Dance notation systems are developed in the choreographic field as a method to describe and record human movements. Translating movements into symbols is of particular concern for computer science and robotics, which are interested in generating anthropomorphic motions in robots or animated avatars. We examine different research projects on the use of Laban notation for this purpose, and present our own attempt at generating dance movements in a humanoid robot from a Laban score. We discuss the interests and difficulties related to the use of a dance notation system in a robotic context.
Fire behavior of simulated low voltage intumescent cables with and without electric current
Authors: Sarazin Johan , Bachelet Pierre , Bourbigot Serge
Published: March 2017

Many circumstances can lead to an electrical fire. It is then helpful to reproduce those circumstances in laboratory conditions to duplicate fire scenarios in order to increase knowledge and to develop safer and flame-retarded materials and electrical systems. Our approach was to develop specific bench scale tests. The mass loss cone calorimeter coupled with Fourier transform infrared was used to mimic a fire scenario on simulated low voltage cable (flame-retarded polymer molded around copper wire) and to characterize the gas phase. The electric current creates an additional heating condition (Joule effect) which can modify the decomposition of the flammable material (e.g. the cable jacket made in thermoplastic), and so its fire behavior in case of fire. It is the reason why we performed the experiments mimicking different fire scenarios with and without electric current. Specific test was also developed to investigate the flame spread and the delamination of the polymer around the wire. The bench scale tests presented in this article were applied on intumescent polymers (ethylene-vinyl acetate containing commercial intumescent additive). The results were discussed with a special emphasis on the influence of electric current on the fire behavior.
Investigating the Impact of Cognitive Style on Multimedia Learners’ Understanding and Visual Search Patterns: An Eye-Tracking Approach
Authors: Liu Han-Chin
Published: March 2017

Multimedia students’ dependence on information from the outside world can have an impact on their ability to identify and locate information from multiple resources in learning environments and thereby affect the construction of mental models. Field dependence-independence has been used to assess the ability to extract essential information from the environment. This study utilized eye-tracking technology to explore whether field-dependent and field-independent (FI) learners differed in their visual searching efficiency and multimedia learning performance. The FI learners outperformed field-dependent learners in posttest indices. In addition, FI learners were better able to identify visual cues and demonstrated efficient visual search patterns when learning using different information formats. The research findings echoed previous findings: The dependence on information in the context of learning can affect learners’ visual search efficiency and learning performance. The findings of this study suggest that adaptable learning environments that provide a rich variety of media may benefit learners with different levels of information-dependence. Applying eye-tracking technology enabled blueprints to be created pertaining to the learners’ information processing. However, additional research techniques, such as think-aloud exercises, would enable deeper understanding of how learners construct mental models of a knowledge base in a multimedia learning environment.
Creating a Unique Transnational Place: Deterritorialized Discourse and the Blending of Time and Space in Online Social Media
Authors: Christiansen M. Sidury
Published: March 2017

This study describes how members of a transnational social network of Mexican bilinguals living in Chicago manipulate their language on online social media to facilitate and maintain close connections across borders. Using a discourse-centered online ethnographic approach, I examine conversations posted on members’ Facebook walls and the contexts in which the discourses are formed. I argue that members of this transnational social network engage in the use of deterritorialized discourse to create chronotopes; that is, through discourse, members connect temporal and spatial relationships and form them into a single constructed context. These chronotopes help members recontextualize Facebook as a unique transnational social place that connects families and allows for the continuation of cultural practices that maintain their transnationalism. This study sheds light on the use of linguistic resources and modes of communication to examine how individuals construct imagined experiences within a real intimate community in the deterritorialized space of online social media.
Acute Effects of Morning Light on Plasma Glucose and Triglycerides in Healthy Men and Men with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Versteeg Ruth I. , Stenvers Dirk J. , Visintainer Dana , Linnenbank Andre , Tanck Michael W. , Zwanenburg Gooitzen , Smilde Age K. , Fliers Eric , Kalsbeek Andries , Serlie Mireille J. , la Fleur Susanne E. , Bisschop Peter H.
Published: March 2017

Ambient light intensity is signaled directly to hypothalamic areas that regulate energy metabolism. Observational studies have shown associations between ambient light intensity and plasma glucose and lipid levels, but human data on the acute metabolic effects of light are scarce. Since light is the main signal indicating the onset of the diurnal phase of physical activity and food intake in humans, we hypothesized that bright light would affect glucose and lipid metabolism. Therefore, we determined the acute effects of bright light on plasma glucose and lipid concentrations in 2 randomized crossover trials: (1) in 8 healthy lean men and (2) in 8 obese men with type 2 diabetes. From 0730 h, subjects were exposed to either bright light (4000 lux) or dim light (10 lux) for 5 h. After 1 h of light exposure, subjects consumed a 600-kcal mixed meal. Primary endpoints were fasting and postprandial plasma glucose levels. In healthy men, bright light did not affect fasting or postprandial plasma glucose levels. However, bright light increased fasting and postprandial plasma triglycerides. In men with type 2 diabetes, bright light increased fasting and postprandial glucose levels. In men with type 2 diabetes, bright light did not affect fasting triglyceride levels but increased postprandial triglyceride levels. We show that ambient light intensity acutely affects human plasma glucose and triglyceride levels. Our findings warrant further research into the consequences of the metabolic effects of light for the diagnosis and prevention of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia.
DNA Hybridization Arrays for Gene Expression Analysis of Human Oral Cancer
Authors: Todd R. , Wong D.T.W.
Published: March 2017

DNA hybridization arrays permit global gene expression profiling to be done in a single experiment. The evolution and challenges of DNA hybridization arrays are reflected in the variety of experimental platforms, probe composition, hybridization/signal detection methods, and bioinformatic interpretation. In tumor biology, DNA hybridization arrays are being used for gene/gene pathway discovery, diagnosis, and therapeutic design. Similar applications are advancing our understanding of oral cancer cell biology.
Potentiation of Tumor Necrosis Factor-mediated Apoptosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells by Adenovirus-mediated Gene Transfer of NF-κB Inhibitor
Authors: Chen S. , Fribley A. , Wang C.-Y.
Published: March 2017

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a malignant tumor which is often resistant to cancer-therapy-mediated apoptosis. The stress-responsive transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which has been found to be associated with SCC development, plays an essential role in the suppression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated apoptosis. Here, we report that an adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of NF-κB inhibitor, super-repressor I kappa B alpha (Adv-SR-IκBα), blocked TNF-induced NF-κB activation and sensitized oral SCC cells to TNF killing. Additionally, we found that the inhibition of NFκB by Adv-SR-IκBα enhanced TNF-mediated caspase-8 and -3 activation. These results suggest that NF-κB activation is a general mechanism by which oral squamous carcinoma cells are resistant to TNF killing and provide a molecular basis for gene therapy of oral cancer by IκBα gene transfer in vivo.
Amelogenin Gene Expression in Porcine Odontoblasts
Authors: Oida S. , Nagano T. , Yamakoshi Y. , Ando H. , Yamada M. , Fukae M.
Published: March 2017

Amelogenin is the major organic component in the enamel matrix of developing teeth and plays an important role in enamel biomineralization. Amelogenin has been reported to be a specific secretory product of ameloblasts. In this study, we examined amelogenin gene expression in various cell layers prepared from a porcine permanent tooth germ using reverse transcription-polymerase chain-reaction (RT-PCR). Amelogenin amplification products were detected only in the secretory ameloblast layer after 20 cycles of PCR. After 30 cycles of PCR, amelogenin amplification products were detected in secretory and maturation-stage ameloblasts and in odontoblasts. The relative levels of amelogenin gene expression in secretory and maturation-stage ameloblasts and odontoblasts were determined. Secretory ameloblasts expressed over 1000 times the level of amelogenin mRNA found in odontoblasts. Amelogenin gene expression in odontoblasts was confirmed in an erupted porcine permanent first molar, which has no ameloblasts. Amelogenin PCR amplification products were identified from 4 different alternatively spliced transcripts in the ameloblast samples, and the same spliced forms were detected in the odontoblast samples.
Dynamic Viscoelasticity of Soft Liners and Masticatory Function
Authors: Murata H. , Taguchi N. , Hamada T. , Kawamura M. , McCabe J.F.
Published: March 2017

Soft denture liners are used for edentulous patients to cushion functional forces. We hypothesized that the application of soft liners having viscoelastic properties would lead to the most marked improvement in masticatory function. The shear storage modulus ( G′), shear loss modulus ( G′′), and loss tangent (tan δ) were determined for 6 materials by means of a dynamic viscoelastometer. Masticatory function of ten subjects was evaluated by measurements of maximum bite forces and chewing times and frequencies for 2 food samples, and by the use of visual analogue scales. The acrylic materials exhibited viscoelastic behavior, while the silicones exhibited elastic behavior. The improvement in masticatory function compared with hard resin was found to be in the order: acrylic permanent materials > silicone > acrylic temporary materials. The results suggest that the use of materials with higher tan δ and G′ provides the most optimum masticatory function for patients requiring the provision of soft liners on their dentures.
A Novel Mutation in Human PAX9 Causes Molar Oligodontia
Authors: Frazier-Bowers S.A. , Guo D.C. , Cavender A. , Xue L. , Evans B. , King T. , Milewicz D. , D'Souza R.N.
Published: March 2017

Experimental and animal studies, as well as genetic mutations in man, have indicated that the development of dentition is under the control of several genes. So far, mutations in MSX1 and PAX9 have been associated with dominantly inherited forms of human tooth agenesis that mainly involve posterior teeth. We identified a large kindred with several individuals affected with molar oligodontia that was transmitted as an isolated autosomal-dominant trait. Two-point linkage analysis using DNA from the family and polymorphic marker D14S288 in chromosome 14q12 produced a maximum lod score of 2.29 at Θ = 0.1. Direct sequencing of exons 2 to 4 of PAX9revealed a cytosine insertion mutation at nucleotide 793, leading to a premature termination of translation at aa 315. Our results support the conclusion that molar oligodontia is due to allelic heterogeneity in PAX9, and these data further corroborate the role of PAX9 as an important regulator of molar development.
Comparison of Volatile Sulfur Compound Concentrations Measured with a Sulfide Detector vs. Gas Chromatography
Authors: Furne J. , Majerus G. , Lenton P. , Springfield J. , Levitt D.G. , Levitt M.D.
Published: March 2017

The accuracy of the Halimeter®, an inexpensive, simple instrument that measures total breath volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), has not been adequately tested. We compared Halimeter® measurements with those obtained with a specific and sensitive gas chromatographic (GC) technique. The Halimeter® gave different, bi-exponential responses to a constant concentration of different VSCs: The relative response rate and sensitivity were hydrogen sulfide > methyl mercaptan > dimethylsulfide. The transient peak VSC concentration of oral samples was reached long before the sulfide detector fully responded. The GC measurement of initial total VSCs in breath samples was 2.7 ± 0.48 times greater than the peak concentration of the Halimeter®. However, the plateau phase measurement of the Halimeter® was 25% greater than that of GC. While GC and Halimeter® measurements positively correlated, appreciable differences were observed. In studies where relatively precise VSC measurements are required, GC is the preferable technique.
Applying Modern Survival Analysis Methods to Longitudinal Dental Caries Studies
Authors: Härkänen T. , Larmas M.A. , Virtanen J.I. , Arjas E.
Published: March 2017

Before the 1960s, tooth-specific caries risk was reported to be highest at 2 to 4 years after eruption. We studied the tooth-specific caries risk in three contemporary age cohorts in Finland. All together, 4072 boys and girls were followed annually from age 6 to age 18+ years in three age cohorts born in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. We used a survival model and Bayesian inferential methods in the statistical analyses to establish the secular changes during this period. The analysis was based on the caries risk in individual teeth as a function of tooth age instead of summary measures, such as DMFS values. Our first finding was a marked overall decrease of caries. Moreover, analyses of the 1960 and 1970 cohorts revealed that the risk in molar teeth was highest immediately after eruption; in the youngest cohort, however, the risks of individual teeth were so low that no such dependencies on tooth age could be established.
Overbite and Overjet are not Related to Self-report of Temporomandibular Disorder Symptoms
Authors: John M.T. , Hirsch C. , Drangsholt M.T. , Mancl L.A. , Setz J.M.
Published: March 2017

Overbite and overjet, especially high or low values, have been found in some studies to be associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). This study evaluates the relationship between overbite/overjet and three TMD self-report measures (pain, joint noises, limited mouth-opening). Subjects were from two population-based cross-sectional studies (3033 subjects). After adjustment for age and gender, high or low values of overbite were not associated with an increased risk of self-reported TMD pain as compared with a reference category of a normal overbite of 2 to 3 mm (-8 to -1 mm, odds ratio = 0.36, 95% confidence interval = 0.05-2.76; 6 to 15 mm, odds ratio = 1.08, 95% confidence interval = 0.68-1.72). Similar non-significant results were found for overjet and TMD pain, and for the association of overjet/overbite and joint noises or limited mouth-opening. This study provides the strongest evidence to date that there is no association between overbite or overjet and self-reported TMD.
Cathepsin C, Matrix Metalloproteinases, and their Tissue Inhibitors in Gingiva and Gingival Crevicular Fluid from Periodontitis-affected Patients
Authors: Soell M. , Elkaim R. , Tenenbaum H.
Published: March 2017

Successive active phases observed in periodontal diseases may be explained either by a sudden activation of the pro-forms of tissue-stored degradative enzymes such as metalloproteinases (MMPs) or by an imbalance between metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs). To discriminate between these two hypotheses, we quantified the levels, the percentage of active form, and the activities of four metalloproteinases (MMPs -1, -2, -3, and -9), as well as the levels of two tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and -2) and the activity of cathepsin C in tissue extract supernatants and their corresponding gingival crevicular fluid samples collected from periodontitis-affected and healthy patients. Our results supported evidence that tissue destruction results from an imbalance of metalloproteinases over their tissue inhibitors rather than from a sudden activation of the pro-forms of these enzymes. A significant reduction in the activity of cathepsin C also contributed to the degradative process.
Influence of Mastication on Gastric Emptying
Authors: Pera P. , Bucca C. , Borro P. , Bernocco C. , De Lillo A. , Carossa S.
Published: March 2017

The role of mastication on digestion efficiency remains to be demonstrated. This study investigates whether masticatory function influences gastric emptying rate. Twelve normal volunteers were studied on two occasions after ingestion of the same test meal containing ham cubes, crackers, and egg (mixed with 13C-octanoic acid), chewed, in random order, either with 50 masticatory cycles or with 25 cycles, swallowing ham cubes whole. Lag phase (Tlag) and gastric half-emptying time (T½) were measured by means of the 13C-octanoic acid breath test. Trituration performance was assessed by the sieve test, and was expressed as the percentage of ham particles ≤ 1 mm after 50 masticatory cycles. Tlag and T½ were significantly shorter when the meal was chewed with 50 cycles than with 25 cycles (Tlag 25.9 ± 3.8 vs. 36.4 ± 4.1 min, p = 0.017; T½ 49.1 ± 5.7 vs. 62.5 ± 6 min, p = 0.009). Trituration performance was inversely related to both Tlag (r = 0.621, p = 0.031) and T½ (r = 0.699, p = 0.012). Comminution of food influences significantly gastric emptying rates.
Factors Associated with Delay in the Diagnosis of Oral Cancer
Authors: Pitiphat W. , Diehl S.R. , Laskaris G. , Cartsos V. , Douglass C.W. , Zavras A.I.
Published: March 2017

Early detection and treatment improve the prognosis for oral cancer. Delays from the onset of symptoms to clinical diagnosis are common. Our aim is to identify factors associated with this delay. Between 1995 and 1998, we interviewed 105 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed oral cancer in Greece. If 21 or more days elapsed from the time the patient noticed major symptoms to a definitive diagnosis, we called it a delay (52% of cases). We used logistic and linear regression to estimate odds ratios of delayed diagnosis and to identify correlates of length of delay, respectively. Former smokers had a 4.3 times greater risk of delayed diagnosis compared with current smokers (95% confidence interval: 1.1-17.1). The length of delay was greater among single patients, non-smokers, or those with stage IV tumors. Clinicians should be advised that delay in the diagnosis of oral cancer occurs frequently, even in individuals who do not smoke heavily.
α-Smooth-muscle Actin in and Contraction of Porcine Dental Pulp Cells
Authors: Brock D.P. , Marty-Roix R. , Spector M.
Published: March 2017

The finding of expression of a muscle actin isoform, α-smooth-muscle actin (SMA), by the stromal cells of several tissues prompted this study of SMA expression by cells derived from the porcine dental pulp. The SMA content of the cells increased with time in culture. These SMA-containing cells were found to have the capability to contract a collagen-glycosaminoglycan analog of extracellular matrix in vitro.
Experimentally Induced Unilateral Tooth Loss: Histochemical Studies of the Temporomandibular Joint
Authors: Huang Q. , Opstelten D. , Samman N. , Tideman H.
Published: March 2017

Occlusal abnormality may contribute to osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Since mechanical force may induce changes in the extracellular matrix, we tested the hypothesis that unilateral removal of teeth and the resulting unilateral mastication change the content of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the TMJ condyle and disc. Lower-right-side teeth were extracted from 12 adult male rabbits, which were killed 3 or 6 weeks later. Three normal rabbits served as controls. Sections were analyzed for morphological changes and levels of sulfated GAGs in the condyle and disc. Unilateral removal of teeth led to thickening of the condylar cartilage, alterations in the morphology of chondrocyte nuclei in the condylar cartilage and disc, and increases in levels of negatively charged ions in the hypertrophic layer of condylar cartilage. Small differences were observed, after unilateral removal of teeth, between the functional and non-functional sides of the TMJ. The results suggest that in response to mechanical stress, chondrocytes alter sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAGs) synthesis and degradation rates, resulting in an elevated level of sulfated GAGs in the condylar cartilage.
Fourier Analysis Reveals Increased Trabecular Spacing in Sickle Cell Anemia
Authors: Faber T.D. , Yoon D.C. , White S.C.
Published: March 2017

Sickle cell anemia may expand marrow spaces in the jaws. Fourier analysis is well-suited to the analysis of trabecular spacing in radiographs. We hypothesize that individuals with sickle cell anemia demonstrate increased intertrabecular spacing. Periapical radiographs of 18 African Americans with sickle cell disease and 18 controls were examined by one-dimensional discrete Fourier analyses in both jaws for measurement of the spatial frequency distribution of repeating trabecular structures. A strut analysis of trabeculae was also performed and the results compared. Trabecular structures in individuals with sickle cell anemia revealed increased intertrabecular distance compared with controls. Strut analysis revealed significant reductions in trabecular complexity. Fourier analysis allows for the classification of subjects with 94% sensitivity and specificity. Fourier analysis of dental radiographs is a more effective method of identifying individuals with sickle cell anemia than strut analysis.
Development and Evaluation of a Lactation Rotation for a Pediatric Residency Program
Authors: Albert Jennifer B. , Heinrichs-Breen Jody , Belmonte Frank W.
Published: March 2017

Background:

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians promote and help manage breastfeeding. However, research has shown that they are not adequately prepared. To address this gap, a 2-week mandatory lactation rotation program was developed for first-year pediatric residents.

Research aim:

The aim of the study was to provide a lactation education program and to measure the residents’ knowledge and perceived confidence regarding breastfeeding.

Methods:

This longitudinal self-report pretest/posttest study was conducted with a convenience sample of 45 first-year pediatric residents. Each resident spent a minimum of 50 hours with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. To measure breastfeeding knowledge and clinical confidence, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Breastfeeding Residency Curriculum pretest was used 4 times: first and last day of the rotation and at 6 and 12 months postrotation.

Results:

Test and confidence scores were evaluated. Statistically significant differences in knowledge were found between test 1 when compared with tests 2, 3, and 4 ( p < .001). No significant differences were found between tests 2, 3, and 4 ( p > .05). The abilities to “adequately address parents’ questions” and to “completely manage common problems” were significant, with confidence increasing in tests 2, 3, and 4 ( p < .001).

Conclusion:

As a result of an innovative, comprehensive educational lactation program, the pediatric residents’ knowledge and perceived confidence related to breastfeeding significantly increased.
“You’re Fired,” Says the Robot
Authors: McClure Paul K.
Published: March 2017

The rapid adoption of new technologies in the workplace, especially robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), has motivated some researchers to determine what effects such technologies may have. Few scholars, however, have examined the possibility that a large segment of the population is apprehensive about the quick pace of technological change and encroachment into modern life. Drawing from economic projections about the future of the digital economy and from literature in the sociology of technology and emotions, this article explores whether certain fears of technology exacerbate fears of unemployment and financial insecurity. Using data from Wave 2 of the Chapman Survey of American Fears ( N = 1,541), I find that there exists a sizable population of “technophobes” or those who fear robots, AI, and technology they do not understand. Technophobes are also more likely than nontechnophobes to report having anxiety-related mental health issues and to fear unemployment and financial insecurity. With advances in robotics and AI, the threat of technological unemployment is discussed as a real concern among a substantial portion of the American population.
Traveling Policy: Place Marketing and the Neoliberal Turn of Urban Studies in South Korea
Authors: Hae Laam
Published: March 2017

This paper examines how South Korean policy field in the 1990s adopted Western style place-marketing strategies, and put them into practice as cultural revitalization programs of different Korean cities. The emergence of place marketing in Korea as a new paradigm for local growth stems from Korea’s transition from a developmental to a post-developmental system, which was a conjunctural outcome of democratization, neoliberalization and administrative decentralization of the early 1990s. This paper interrogates how place marketing traveled from the West to Korea in this context. In particular, it attends to how critical urbanists in Korea became a vanguard in mobilizing and developing place marketing for different local governments, perceiving it as a progressive alternative to the authoritarian, economy-centric developmentalist urban paradigm of the previous decades, despite its entanglement in the neoliberal urban paradigm of the West. The paper also examines the contradictions and conflicts that place-marketing policies have generated across different places in Korea.