bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Full-Length Sequence Analysis of Chloroquine Resistance Transporter Gene inPlasmodium falciparumIsolates from Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Tan Lii Lian , Lau Tiek Ying , Timothy William , Prabakaran Dhanaraj
Published: October 2014

Chloroquine resistance (CQR) in falciparum malaria was identified to be associated with several mutations in the chloroquine resistance transporter gene (pfcrt) that encodes the transmembrane transporter in digestive vacuole membrane of the parasite. This study aimed to investigate the point mutations across the full-lengthpfcrtinPlasmodium falciparumisolates in Sabah, Malaysia. A total of 31P. falciparumpositive samples collected from Keningau, Kota Kinabalu, and Kudat, Sabah, were analyzed.pfcrtwas PCR amplified and cloned prior to sequence analysis. This study showed that all the previously described 10 point mutations associated with CQR at codons 72, 74, 75, 76, 97, 220, 271, 326, 356, and 371 were found with different prevalence. Besides, two novel point mutations, I166V and H273N, were identified with 22.5% and 19.3%, respectively. Three haplotypes, namely, CVMNK (29%), CVIET (3.2%), and SVMNT (67.7%), were identified. High prevalence of SVMNT amongP. falciparumisolates from Sabah showed that these isolates are closer to theP. falciparumisolates from Papua New Guinea rather than to the more proximal Southeast Asian CVIET haplotype. Full-length analysis ofpfcrtshowed that chloroquine resistantP. falciparumin Sabah is still prevalent despite the withdrawal of chloroquine usage since 1979.
Association between Disease‐Specific Quality of Life and Complementary Medicine Use in Patients with Rhinitis in Taiwan: A Cross‐Sectional Survey Study
Authors: Koo Malcolm , Liang Kai-Li , Jiang Rong-San , Tsao Hsin , Yeh Yueh-Chiao
Published: October 2014

Rhinitis is a common medical condition and can seriously impact patients’ quality of life. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between disease‐specific quality of life and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities among Taiwanese rhinitis patients. A cross‐sectional survey was undertaken at the outpatient department of otolaryngology in a medical center in Taiwan. Sociodemographic information, disease‐specific quality of life (Chinese version of the 31‐item Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measure, CRSOM‐31), and previous use of CAM modalities for treatment of rhinitis of the patients were ascertained. Factor analysis was performed to reduce the number of CAM modalities. The resulting factors were analyzed for their association with CRSOM‐31 score using linear regression analyses. Results from the multiple linear regression analyses indicated that Factor 1 (traditional Chinese medicine), Factor 2 (mind‐body modalities), Factor 3 (manipulative‐based modalities), female sex, and smoking were significantly associated with a worse disease‐specific quality of life. In conclusion, various CAM modalities, female sex, and smoking were independent predictors of a worse disease‐specific quality of life in Taiwanese patients with rhinitis.
Adaptive Responses to Dasatinib-Treated Lung Squamous Cell Cancer Cells Harboring DDR2 Mutations
Authors: Bai Yun , Kim Jae-Young , Watters January M. , Fang Bin , Kinose Fumi , Song Lanxi , Koomen John M. , Teer Jamie K. , Fisher Kate , Chen Yian Ann , Rix Uwe , Haura Eric B.
Published: October 2014

DDR2 mutations occur in approximately 4% of lung squamous cell cancer (SCC) where the tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib has emerged as a new therapeutic option. We found that ERK and AKT phosphorylation was weakly inhibited by dasatinib in DDR2-mutant lung SCC cells, suggesting that dasatinib inhibits survival signals distinct from other oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) and/or compensatory signals exist that dampen dasatinib activity. To gain better insight into dasatinib's action in these cells, we assessed altered global tyrosine phosphorylation (pY) after dasatinib exposure using a mass spectrometry-based quantitative phosphoproteomics approach. Overlaying protein–protein interaction relationships upon this dasatinib-regulated pY network revealed decreased phosphorylation of Src family kinases and their targets. Conversely, dasatinib enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation in a panel of RTK and their signaling adaptor complexes, including EGFR, MET/GAB1, and IGF1R/IRS2, implicating a RTK-driven adaptive response associated with dasatinib. To address the significance of this observation, these results were further integrated with results from a small-molecule chemical library screen. We found that dasatinib combined with MET and insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) inhibitors had a synergistic effect, and ligand stimulation of EGFR and MET rescued DDR2-mutant lung SCC cells from dasatinib-induced loss of cell viability. Importantly, we observed high levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated EGFR and MET in a panel of human lung SCC tissues harboring DDR2 mutations. Our results highlight potential RTK-driven adaptive-resistant mechanisms upon DDR2 targeting, and they suggest new, rationale cotargeting strategies for DDR2-mutant lung SCC. Cancer Res; 74(24); 7217–28. ©2014 AACR.
Galectin-1 and Immune Suppression during Radiotherapy
Authors: Welsh James W. , Seyedin Steven N. , Cortez Maria Angelica , Maity Amit , Hahn Stephen M.
Published: October 2014

Radiotherapy induces galectin-1 (Gal-1) secretion by tumors, which induces CD8+ T-cell apoptosis and lymphopenia. These effects are substantially decreased by Gal-1 shRNA. Inhibition of Gal-1 may be an effective strategy for overcoming radiation-induced lymphopenia, which may improve clinical outcomes. Clin Cancer Res; 20(24); 6230–2. ©2014 AACR.
Alectinib Shows Potent Antitumor Activity againstRET-Rearranged Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Kodama Tatsushi , Tsukaguchi Toshiyuki , Satoh Yasuko , Yoshida Miyuki , Watanabe Yoshiaki , Kondoh Osamu , Sakamoto Hiroshi
Published: October 2014

Alectinib/CH5424802 is a known inhibitor of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and is being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of ALK fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, some RET and ROS1 fusion genes have been implicated as driver oncogenes in NSCLC and have become molecular targets for antitumor agents. This study aims to explore additional target indications of alectinib by testing its ability to inhibit the activity of kinases other than ALK. We newly verified that alectinib inhibited RET kinase activity and the growth of RET fusion–positive cells by suppressing RET phosphorylation. In contrast, alectinib hardly inhibited ROS1 kinase activity unlike other ALK/ROS1 inhibitors such as crizotinib and LDK378. It also showed antitumor activity in mouse models of tumors driven by the RET fusion. In addition, alectinib showed kinase inhibitory activity against RET gatekeeper mutations (RET V804L and V804M) and blocked cell growth driven by the KIF5B-RET V804L and V804M. Our results suggest that alectinib is effective against RET fusion–positive tumors. Thus, alectinib might be a therapeutic option for patients with RET fusion–positive NSCLC. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(12); 2910–8. ©2014 AACR.
Toxic Phytochemicals and Their Potential Risks for Human Cancer
Authors: Bode Ann M. , Dong Zigang
Published: October 2014

Consuming plants for their presumed health benefits has occurred since early civilizations. Phytochemicals are found in various plants that are frequently included in the human diet and are generally thought to be safe for consumption because they are produced naturally. However, this is not always the case and in fact many natural compounds found in several commonly consumed plants are potential carcinogens or tumor promoters and should be avoided. Cancer Prev Res; 8(1); 1–8. ©2014 AACR.
Acute Eosinophilic and Neutrophilic Pneumonia following Transarterial Chemoembolization with Drug-Eluting Beads Loaded with Doxorubicin for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report
Authors: Alifakioti Dimitra , Daccord Cécile , Lachenal Yann , Fitting Jean-William
Published: October 2014

At an intermediate or advanced stage, i.e. stage B or C, based on the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) may be offered as a treatment of palliative intent. We report the case of a patient suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome after TACE with drug-eluting beads loaded with doxorubicin for HCC. To our knowledge, this is the first case described where a bronchoalveolar lavage was performed, and where significant levels of alveolar eosinophilia and neutrophilia were evident, attributed to a pulmonary toxicity of doxorubicin following liver chemoembolization.
Successful Treatment of Multiplex Alopecia Areata Using Transactional Analysis: A Case Report
Authors: Yamakita Takashi , Shimizu Yoshinori , Arima Masaru , Ashihara Mutsumi , Matsunaga Kayoko
Published: October 2014

The patient was a 13-year-old female. Six years previously, she developed alopecia areata when her parents divorced. One year after that, the bald area drastically expanded when her mother remarried. She was treated at her local hospital; however, no improvement was observed. She then visited our hospital for examination. A bald patch was covering >80% of her head. Self Grow-Up Egogram indicated the basic interpersonal relationship stance of ‘I am not OK, You are OK'. We therefore implemented a transactional analysis approach to increase the patient's score on the Free Child subscale. New hair growth was observed after 6 months and the bald patch disappeared after 2 years. Our results suggest that this method could also be easily applied in a clinical setting by dermatologists.
Genetic Deletion of Rnd3/RhoE Results in Mouse Heart Calcium Leakage Through Upregulation of Protein Kinase A Signaling
Authors: Yang Xiangsheng , Wang Tiannan , Lin Xi , Yue Xiaojing , Wang Qiongling , Wang Guoliang , Fu Qin , Ai Xun , Chiang David Y. , Miyake Christina Y. , Wehrens Xander H.T. , Chang Jiang
Published: October 2014

Rationale:

Rnd3, a small Rho GTPase, is involved in the regulation of cell actin cytoskeleton dynamics, cell migration, and proliferation. The biological function of Rnd3 in the heart remains unexplored.

Objective:

To define the functional role of the
Rnd3
gene in the animal heart and investigate the associated molecular mechanism.

Methods and Results:

By loss-of-function approaches, we discovered that Rnd3 is involved in calcium regulation in cardiomyocytes. Rnd3-null mice died at the embryonic stage with fetal arrhythmias. The deletion of
Rnd3
resulted in severe Ca
2+
leakage through destabilized ryanodine receptor type 2 Ca
2+
release channels. We further found that downregulation of Rnd3 attenuated β
2
-adrenergic receptor lysosomal targeting and ubiquitination, which in turn resulted in the elevation of β
2
-adrenergic receptor protein levels leading to the hyperactivation of protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. The PKA activation destabilized ryanodine receptor type 2 channels. This irregular spontaneous Ca
2+
release can be curtailed by PKA inhibitor treatment. Increases in the PKA activity along with elevated cAMP levels were detected in Rnd3-null embryos, in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, and noncardiac cell lines with Rnd3 knockdown, suggesting a general mechanism for Rnd3-mediated PKA signaling activation. β
2
-Adrenergic receptor blocker treatment reduced arrhythmia and improved cardiac function.

Conclusions:

Rnd3 is a novel factor involved in intracellular Ca
2+
homeostasis regulation in the heart. Deficiency of the protein induces ryanodine receptor type 2 dysfunction by a mechanism that attenuates Rnd3-mediated β
2
-adrenergic receptor ubiquitination, which leads to the activation of PKA signaling. Increased PKA signaling in turn promotes ryanodine receptor type 2 hyperphosphorylation, which contributes to arrhythmogenesis and heart failure.
Randomized Withdrawal Study of Patients With Symptomatic Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension Responsive to Droxidopa
Authors: Biaggioni Italo , Freeman Roy , Mathias Christopher J. , Low Phillip , Hewitt L. Arthur , Kaufmann Horacio
Published: October 2014

Abstract—

We evaluated whether droxidopa, a prodrug converted to norepinephrine, is beneficial in the treatment of symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, which results from failure to generate an appropriate norepinephrine response to postural challenge. Patients with symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension and Parkinson disease, multiple system atrophy, pure autonomic failure, or nondiabetic autonomic neuropathy underwent open-label droxidopa titration (100–600 mg, 3× daily). Responders then received an additional 7-day open-label treatment at their individualized dose. Patients were subsequently randomized to continue with droxidopa or withdraw to placebo for 14 days. We then assessed patient-reported scores on the Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire and blood pressure measurements. Mean worsening of Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire dizziness/lightheadedness score from randomization to end of study (the primary outcome; N=101) was 1.9±3.2 with placebo and 1.3±2.8 units with droxidopa (
P
=0.509). Four of the other 5 Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire symptom scores and all 4 symptom-impact scores favored droxidopa, with statistical significance for the patient’s self-reported ability to perform activities requiring standing a short time (
P
=0.033) and standing a long time (
P
=0.028). Furthermore, a post hoc analysis of a predefined composite score of all symptoms (Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire composite) demonstrated a significant benefit for droxidopa (
P
=0.013). There was no significant difference between groups for standing systolic blood pressure (
P
=0.680). Droxidopa was well tolerated. In summary, this randomized withdrawal droxidopa study failed to meet its primary efficacy end point. Additional clinical trials are needed to confirm that droxidopa is beneficial in symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, as suggested by the positive secondary outcomes of this trial.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00633880.
High-Sensitivity Troponin T and Cardiovascular Events in Systolic Blood Pressure Categories
Authors: Pokharel Yashashwi , Sun Wensheng , de Lemos James A. , Taffet George E. , Virani Salim S. , Ndumele Chiadi E. , Mosley Thomas H. , Hoogeveen Ron C. , Coresh Josef , Wright Jacqueline D. , Heiss Gerardo , Boerwinkle Eric A. , Bozkurt Biykem , Solomon Scott D. , Ballantyne Christie M. , Nambi Vijay
Published: October 2014

Based on observational studies, there is a linear increase in cardiovascular risk with higher systolic blood pressure (SBP), yet clinical trials have not shown benefit across all SBP categories. We assessed whether troponin T measured using high-sensitivity assay was associated with cardiovascular disease within SBP categories in 11 191 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study participants. Rested sitting SBP by 10-mm Hg increments and troponin categories were identified. Incident heart failure hospitalization, coronary heart disease, and stroke were ascertained for a median of 12 years after excluding individuals with corresponding disease. Approximately 53% of each type of cardiovascular event occurred in individuals with SBP<140 mm Hg and troponin T ≥3 ng/L. Higher troponin T was associated with increasing cardiovascular events across most SBP categories. The association was strongest for heart failure and least strong for stroke. There was no similar association of SBP with cardiovascular events across troponin T categories. Individuals with troponin T ≥3 ng/L and SBP <140 mm Hg had higher cardiovascular risk compared with those with troponin T <3 ng/L and SBP 140 to 159 mm Hg. Higher troponin T levels within narrow SBP categories portend increased cardiovascular risk, particularly for heart failure. Individuals with lower SBP but measurable troponin T had greater cardiovascular risk compared with those with suboptimal SBP but undetectable troponin T. Future trials of systolic hypertension may benefit by using high-sensitivity troponin T to target high-risk patients.
Amartya Sen’s Identity Pluralism Applied to Will Kymlicka’s Liberal Multiculturalism
Authors: van Waarden Betto
Published: October 2014

Multicultural theory pays surprisingly little attention to the plurality of identity. In addition, there is still dissatisfaction with Will Kymlicka’s distinction between polyethnic groups and national minorities and the rights they deserve, as well as continued criticism of liberal multiculturalism more broadly. I revisit this distinction based on Amartya Sen’s recent effort to introduce the notion of identity pluralism into liberal debates. In Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny (W.W. Norton and Company, New York, 2006), Sen stresses the importance of maintaining political stability through individuals’ plural identities mainly in relation to religious divides and global conflict. Sen’s theory is criticised for being too abstract, but I interpret these abstract ideas to criticise Kymlicka’s distinction between polyethnic groups and national minorities and strengthen liberal multiculturalism. I argue that the notion of identity pluralism implies that a state must promote multicultural ‘participation rights’ for all minority identities, rather than ‘accommodation rights’ for polyethnic groups and ‘self-government rights’ for national minorities as Kymlicka contends. Consequently, regions like Quebec, Flanders and Catalonia would not merit the level of autonomy they currently enjoy, and Scotland should not be granted independence from the United Kingdom.
Reflections on how Selected Shona and Ndebele Proverbs Highlight a Worldview that Promotes a Respect and/or a Violation of Children’s Rights
Authors: Mangena Tendai , Ndlovu Sambulo
Published: October 2014

This paper sets out to demonstrate that though the un Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) is the most widely accepted Human Rights Convention and Zimbabwe is one of the 193 states acceding to the treaty, there are still challenges in the promotion of children’s rights. Irrespective of the fact that human rights discourse is believed to be a modern concept and its universal application is contested, this paper also demonstrates that children’s rights have always been moral imperatives for both the Shona and Ndebele of Zimbabwe since time immemorial, as shown in their proverbs. Nevertheless, it is also imperative there were some beliefs that, if considered in the modern sense of the human rights paradigm, promoted the violation of some children’s rights. The following discussion shows that children’s autonomy is not culturally a Shona or Ndebele concept, and is often not realized in these cultures even if Zimbabwe adheres to the Convention of the Child’s Rights that stipulates that the child be viewed and treated as an autonomous being. In both Shona and Ndebele traditional cultures, as expressed in their proverbs, parents have an obligation to offer protection to their children. This paper also demonstrates the cultural ambivalence in two specific aspects of child care: the beating up of children as a discipline factor and the raising up of orphans.
Anonymous Birth
Authors: Margaria Alice
Published: October 2014

Although the right to know one’s origins has increasingly gathered momentum, anonymous birth remains an insurmountable obstacle to access in identifying information concerning one’s biological parents, at least within the Italian legal context. The judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of Godelli v Italy reiterated that the problematic issue does not lie in the woman’s right to remain anonymous per se, but rather in its irreversible nature. In addition to providing an analytical account of the main legislative and judicial milestones in the regulation of anonymous birth in Italy, the present paper wishes to shed light on two issues which has thus far been disregarded: firstly, all the arguments in favour of reversibility tend to be adoptee-centred, thus failing to contemplate the rise of a similar desire for knowledge on the side of the woman and, as a result, her right to initiate a search for her child; secondly, although the multiplicity of parties concerned is often invoked as a peculiarity of as well as a source of complexity in the regulation of anonymous birth, the figure of the biological father is de facto rarely acknowledged and involved, under the controversial assumption that all undesired pregnancies which lead to anonymous birth are the result of abusive relationships.
‘It’s not like in Apartheid’
Authors: Willenberg Ingrid A. , Tenenbaum Harriet R. , Ruck Martin D.
Published: October 2014

This study explored declarative knowledge about children’s rights in 67 South African children between 9 and 14 years old, using semi-structured interviews addressing the following questions:

What is a right? Who has rights? Do children have rights? What rights do children have? Why should children have rights? Can anyone take away your rights? Who can take away your rights?

Data were analysed quantitatively to examine age and gender differences. Qualitative content analyses explored salient themes. There were no gender differences for any of the questions and significant age differences only for the question: What rights do children have? Although the children’s responses shared some similarities with other research findings, their perspectives on rights strongly reflected their specific social context, especially the prevalence of crime and child abuse. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research and specific features of the South African socio-cultural landscape.
Realising Young Children’s Right to Health Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Authors: Reinbold Gary W.
Published: October 2014

I consider young children’s right to health under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, using an established medical and social science framework for studying children’s health and the complete reporting histories under the crc of two countries, Bangladesh and Kenya. Although the crc recognises rights corresponding to almost all of the factors that contribute to child mortality and growth faltering, its effectiveness has been reduced by substantive limitations on those rights, procedural limitations in enforcing those rights, and an inefficient state party reporting process. Kenya’s few successes in realising those rights all occurred recently and mainly involved societal factors, which have not yet produced significant improvements in young children’s right to health. Bangladesh achieved earlier successes that primarily involved proximate factors and it has experienced significant decreases in child mortality and growth faltering rates, but its failure to address broader societal factors may make it difficult to further reduce those rates.
Measuring Young People’s Participation in Decision Making
Authors: Charles Anthony , Haines Kevin
Published: October 2014

Young people are frequently exhorted to participate ‘more’ in decision making, both formally and informally. Paradoxically, no standard or comprehensively used measurement tool through which young people’s right to participate in decision making exists. However, a range of participation scales have been developed and these mainly adult-generated tools feature prominently in literature, impacting upon, and informing policy and participative practice. Yet, despite the emphasis on young people’s right to participate in those things which affect them, including how their participation is measured, examples of young person-generated approaches to understanding the extent of their decision making are somewhat elusive. Drawing upon research undertaken in Swansea to explore how young people thought their participation in decision making should be measured, this article focuses and reflects upon the development of an appropriate, participative methodology, the views which young people offered through the enquiry, and the construction of a new participation measurement scale.
New psallopinous plant bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, Miridae, Psallopinae) from the New Hebrides and Nigeria
Authors: HERCZEK ALEKSANDER , POPOV YURI A.
Published: October 2014

The paper presents descriptions and illustrations of two new species from the genus Psallops: P. schmitzi from New Hebridae and P. webbi from Nigeria. Photographs and line drawings general habitus and male genitalia are provided. A short review of the subfamily Psallopinae and two other related subfamilies Isometopinae and Cylapinae is given.
Correlation between the Onset of the East Asian Subtropical Summer Monsoon and the Eastward Propagation of the Madden–Julian Oscillation
Authors: Chi Yanzhen , Zhang Fuqing , Li Wei , He Jinhai , Guan Zhaoyong
Published: October 2014

Using the daily outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), the pentad Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP), and the 6-h Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) dataset from 1979 to 2010, a composite analysis along with space–time wave filtering is performed to examine the linkage between the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and the onset of the East Asian subtropical summer monsoon (EASSM) (over 20°–30°N, 110°–120°E). The onset of the EASSM is shown to be best characterized by the reversal of the mean meridional wind shear related to the rapid reestablishment of the South Asian high (SAH) over the southern Indochinese Peninsula in the upper troposphere. The mean date of EASMM onset is near the end of April, which is about a month earlier than the typical onset of the East Asian summer monsoon. Further analysis indicates that the onset of the EASSM and the reestablishment of SAH are often associated with the arrival of the wet phase of the tropical MJO over the central and eastern Indian Ocean.
The Relevance of the Location of Blocking Highs for Stratospheric Variability in a Changing Climate
Authors: Ayarzagüena Blanca , Orsolini Yvan J. , Langematz Ulrike , Abalichin Janna , Kubin Anne
Published: October 2014

Previous research shows that blocking highs (BHs) influence wintertime polar stratospheric variability through the modulation of the climatological planetary waves (PWs) depending on the BH location. BHs over the Euro-Atlantic sector tend to enhance the upward PW propagation, and those over the northwestern Pacific Ocean tend to reduce it. Future changes are examined in the response of the wave activity flux to the BH location and their relationship with wintertime stratospheric variability in transient simulations of ECHAM/Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC). After it is verified that EMAC can reproduce qualitatively well the geographical dependence of the BH influence on PW activity injection, it is shown that this dependence does not change in the future. However, an eastward shift of the pattern of the BH influence on PW propagation over the Pacific, a farther eastward extension of the pattern over the Atlantic Ocean, and an intensification of the wavenumber-1 component of the interaction between climatological and anomalous waves are detected. Changes in the upper-tropospheric jet and an intensification of the wavenumber-1 climatological wave due to a strengthening of the Aleutian low agree with these variations. The spatial distribution of future BHs preceding extreme polar vortex events is also affected by the slight modifications in the wave activity pattern. Hence, future BHs preceding strong vortex events tend to be more concentrated over the Pacific than in the past, where BHs interfere negatively with wavenumber-1 climatological waves. Future BHs prior to major stratospheric warmings are located in a broader area than in the past, predominantly over an extended Euro-Atlantic sector.
Scaling Surface Mixing/Mixed Layer Depth under Stabilizing Buoyancy Flux
Authors: Yoshikawa Yutaka
Published: October 2014

This study concerns the combined effects of Earth’s rotation and stabilizing surface buoyancy flux upon the wind-induced turbulent mixing in the surface layer. Two different length scales, the Garwood scale and Zilitinkevich scale, have been proposed for the stabilized mixing layer depth under Earth’s rotation. Here, this study analyzes observed mixed layer depth plus surface momentum and buoyancy fluxes obtained from Argo floats and satellites, finding that the Zilitinkevich scale is more suited for observed mixed layer depths than the Garwood scale. Large-eddy simulations (LESs) reproduce this observed feature, except under a weak stabilizing flux where the mixed layer depth could not be identified with the buoyancy threshold method (because of insufficient buoyancy difference across the mixed layer base). LESs, however, show that the mixed layer depth if defined with buoyancy ratio relative to its surface value follows the Zilitinkevich scale even under such a weak stabilizing flux. LESs also show that the mixing layer depth is in good agreement with the Zilitinkevich scale. These findings will contribute to better understanding of the response of stabilized mixing/mixed layer depth to surface forcings and hence better estimation/prediction of several processes related to stabilized mixing/mixed layer depth such as air–sea interaction, subduction of surface mixed layer water, and spring blooming of phytoplankton biomass.
Energy Cascades and Loss of Balance in a Reentrant Channel Forced by Wind Stress and Buoyancy Fluxes
Authors: Barkan Roy , Winters Kraig B. , Llewellyn Smith Stefan G.
Published: October 2014

A large fraction of the kinetic energy in the ocean is stored in the “quasigeostrophic” eddy field. This “balanced” eddy field is expected, according to geostrophic turbulence theory, to transfer energy to larger scales. In order for the general circulation to remain approximately steady, instability mechanisms leading to loss of balance (LOB) have been hypothesized to take place so that the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) may be transferred to small scales where it can be dissipated. This study examines the kinetic energy pathways in fully resolved direct numerical simulations of flow in a flat-bottomed reentrant channel, externally forced by surface buoyancy fluxes and wind stress in a configuration that resembles the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The flow is allowed to reach a statistical steady state at which point it exhibits both a forward and an inverse energy cascade. Flow interactions with irregular bathymetry are excluded so that bottom drag is the sole mechanism available to dissipate the upscale EKE transfer. The authors show that EKE is dissipated preferentially at small scales near the surface via frontal instabilities associated with LOB and a forward energy cascade rather than by bottom drag after an inverse energy cascade. This is true both with and without forcing by the wind. These results suggest that LOB caused by frontal instabilities near the ocean surface could provide an efficient mechanism, independent of boundary effects, by which EKE is dissipated. Ageostrophic anticyclonic instability is the dominant frontal instability mechanism in these simulations. Symmetric instability is also important in a “deep convection” region, where it can be sustained by buoyancy loss.
Quality assessment of diabetes online patient education materials from academic institutions
Authors: Dorcely Brenda , Agarwal Nitin , Raghuwanshi Maya
Published: October 2014

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the readability of type 2 diabetes online patient education materials from academic institutions in the northeast USA and the American Diabetes Association. Many US residents utilise the Internet to obtain health information. Studies have shown that online patient education materials are often written above the recommended fifth grade reading level, and this may pertain to diabetes health information as well. As diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the USA and glycaemic control is related to health literacy, the readability of diabetic health information is pertinent.

Methods:

Many academic institutions provide type 2 diabetes online health information. A readability analysis was conducted of materials on the websites of academic institutions or affiliate hospitals with endocrinology fellowships in the northeast USA, and from the American Diabetes Association, using 10 quantitative scales: the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, the Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, the New Dale–Chall Test, the Coleman–Liau Index, the New Fog Count, the Raygor Readability Estimate, the FORCAST test and the Fry Graph.

Results:

On average, northeast US academic institutions prepared their online diabetes patient education materials at above a 10th grade reading level.

Conclusion:

The readability of type 2 diabetes patient health information from academic websites is too difficult. It may benefit people with diabetes for future patient education materials to be prepared at lower reading grade levels.
Two Generations, Two Interventions in One of the World’s Most-Failed States: The United States, Kenya and Ethiopia in Somalia
Authors: Hesse Brian J
Published: October 2014

In 1992, more than 25,000 United States forces landed in Somalia as part of a 37,000-strong United Nations Task Force (UNITAF) operation. In 2011, a combined total of 8000+ Kenyan and Ethiopian forces were ordered into Somalia. This article demonstrates that American soldiers were deployed to Somalia in the early days of a post-Cold War world, largely as a foreign policy experiment about how to deal with the threats ‘small states’ posed in a new world order. It is maintained that Kenyan and Ethiopian soldiers were deployed to Somalia to deal with some of the very threats American foreign policymakers had identified almost two decades earlier, from refugees to terrorism. To conclude, the article uses public goods theory to contend that military interventions that are ostensibly peacekeeping in nature can be inherently inadequate because ‘self-interest works against the interests of the collective’ (Bobrow and Boyer, 1997: 726). Accordingly, America’s intervention in Somalia between 1992 and 1994 failed to remedy adequately the circumstances and concerns which spawned the perceived need for Kenyan and Ethiopian forces to intervene in Somalia a generation later, in 2011. Unfortunately for Kenyan and Ethiopian soldiers, Somalia’s politicians and political processes might relegate them to realizing little more success than their American predecessors.
Katabasis and the politics of grief in Michael Ondaatje’s Anil’s Ghost
Authors: Herrick Margaret CS
Published: October 2014

In this article, I argue that while Anil’s forensic work in Sri Lanka can be read through the lens of detective fiction, it can also be read through a very different lens, namely that of katabasis, or descent into the underworld. Seeing herself as a detective, Anil attempts to enact a powerful fantasy of invulnerability that allows her to distance herself from both the victims and the perpetrators of the crimes she sees. The text itself, though, suggests a different reading, one Anil seems only to recognize very late in the novel. In this alternative reading, Anil’s time in Sri Lanka is a descent into the underworld, a descent that mirrors the experience of grief. In this light, her journey is a realization of shared vulnerability, shared human precarity. The recognition of a shared human exposure to harm is, I argue, also the opening up of a different kind of politics.
Unpacking Territorial Disputes
Authors: Wright Thorin M. , Diehl Paul F.
Published: October 2014

What distinguishes the militarized territorial disputes that escalate to war from those that do not? Although research has clearly established that territorial conflicts are especially war-prone, the understanding as to why this is the case is less developed when compared to domestic factors such as joint democracy. We explain that territorial conflicts are especially war-prone when democratic and autocratic states are engaged in conflict against one another. Because of domestic concerns, democracies and autocracies value territory differently, generating a smaller bargaining space. Democracies will tend to be more resistant to settlement when territory is of a “public,” symbolic, or intangible value. Autocracies, on the other hand, are more likely to value the tangible qualities of territory, such as its resource value. This disparity in territorial goals makes mixed regime dyads more war-prone when territory is disputed. We further believe that the smaller the winning coalition in autocracies, the more war-prone they are against democracies. We test these propositions among all dyads as well as interstate rivals and find support for our theoretical framework.
WISC-IV Intellectual Profiles in Italian Children With Specific Learning Disorder and Related Impairments in Reading, Written Expression, and Mathematics
Authors: Poletti Michele
Published: October 2014

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders grouped specific learning disabilities in the single diagnostic category of specific learning disorder (SLD), with specifiers for impairments in reading, written expression, and mathematics. This study aimed at investigating the intellectual profile, assessed with the fourth edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV), of 172 children with a diagnosis of SLD, compared to 74 clinical referral controls. WISC-IV intellectual functioning in children with SLD was characterized by a significant discrepancy between general ability and cognitive proficiency (General Ability Index [GAI] > Cognitive Proficiency Index [CPI]), and worse performances on the Similarities, Digit Span, Letter–Number Sequencing, and Coding subtests, supporting models of multiple cognitive deficits at the basis of neurodevelopmental disorders as SLD. GAI was the best and more conservative measure provided by the WISC-IV to identify intellectual functioning in children with SLD, and the intellectual discrepancy between GAI and CPI could be considered a “cognitive sign” for the presence of SLD in a single diagnostic category. Cognitive deficits differed in subtypes of impairment (reading, written expression, and mathematics), supporting their distinction for empirical, educational, and rehabilitative purposes. These findings need further replication in larger samples and in comparison to typically developing children.
Elevated Neutrophil‐to‐Lymphocyte Ratio in Bell's Palsy and Its Correlation with Facial Nerve Enhancement on MRI
Authors: Kum Rauf Oguzhan , Yurtsever Kum Nurcan , Ozcan Muge , Yilmaz Yavuz Fuat , Gungor Volkan , Unal Adnan , Ciliz Deniz Sözmen
Published: October 2014

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of inflammation and atherothrombosis in Bell's palsy (BP) by using neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV), respectively, and to study their relations with the facial nerve enhancement on temporal gadolinium‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (TGd‐MRI).

Study Design

Case control study.

Setting

Tertiary health institution.

Subjects and Methods

This study was performed on 65 patients who were diagnosed with BP and a control group of 35 healthy individuals. The BP patients were also divided into 2 groups, those with facial nerve enhancement on TGd‐MRI and those without enhancement. The NLR and MPV of each group were compared.

Results

The NLRs of the BP patients were significantly higher than control group (P =. 001). The NLRs of patients with facial nerve enhancement on TGd‐MRI were significantly higher than patients without enhancement (P =. 001). There was a positive and significant correlation between NLR and House‐Brackmann (HB) grade of the patients (r = 0.641; P <. 05). MPV did not show any significant correlation with any of the parameters studied (P >. 05).

Conclusion

NLR can be used as a new and important marker in BP since it is high in BP patients and significantly correlated with HB grade and facial nerve enhancement on TGd‐MR. On the other hand, MPV does not have such correlations. These results offer evidence to support an inflammatory theory rather than microvascular response theory in the etiopatogenesis of BP.
Ruptured penetrating ulcer of the ascending aorta with pulmonary artery compression
Authors: Okiwelu Ngozichukwuka , Finn Chris , vanden Driesen Rohan , Sanders Lucas , Joshi Pragnesh
Published: October 2014

Pulmonary artery involvement has been reported in various degrees of complicated dissection of the ascending aorta. The prognosis remains poor without high-risk surgical intervention, but conservative management can be considered in high-risk cases. We report a case of nonoperative management of an octogenarian who presented with a contained rupture of his proximal ascending aorta, likely from a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer. It was complicated by extrinsic compression of the pulmonary trunk and transient pulmonary hypertension without features of acute right heart failure. He remained alive at the one-year follow-up.
Contained Rupture in HeartMate II Outflow Graft Bend Relief Disconnection
Authors: Chua Kim Chai , Tan Teing Ee , Lim Chong Hee , Kerk Ka Lee , Sivathasan Cumaraswamy
Published: October 2014

Thoratec recalled their HeartMate II ventricular assist device in March 2012 after some problems related to disconnection of the bend relief. Abrasion on the pump outflow graft caused by a disconnected bend relief is rare. We report the case of a 49-year-old man in whom a disconnected bend relief caused a puncture in the outflow graft, resulting in a contained hematoma, requiring outflow graft replacement.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Implantation in Osteoarthritic Knees
Authors: Kim Yong Sang , Choi Yun Jin , Suh Dong Suk , Heo Dong Beom , Kim Yong Il , Ryu Jae-Sung , Koh Yong Gon
Published: October 2014

Background:

The cell-based tissue engineering approach that uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has addressed the issue of articular cartilage repair in osteoarthritic (OA) knees. However, to improve outcomes, an advanced surgical procedure with tissue-engineered scaffolds may be needed to treat patients with large cartilage lesions.

Purpose:

To investigate the clinical and second-look arthroscopic outcomes of the implantation of MSCs loaded in fibrin glue as a scaffold in patients with OA knees and to compare these outcomes with those of MSC implantation without a scaffold.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

This study retrospectively evaluated 54 patients (56 knees) who were examined with second-look arthroscopy after MSC implantation for cartilage lesions in their OA knees. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 37 patients (39 knees) were treated with MSC implantation without a scaffold (group 1), and 17 patients (17 knees) underwent implantation of MSCs loaded in fibrin glue as a scaffold (group 2). Clinical outcomes were evaluated according to the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score and the Tegner activity scale, and cartilage repair was assessed with the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grade. Statistical analyses were performed to identify various prognostic factors associated with the clinical and second-look arthroscopic outcomes.

Results:

At final follow-up (mean, 28.6 months; range, 24-34 months), the mean IKDC score and Tegner activity scale in each group significantly improved: group 1, from 38.1 ± 7.7 to 62.0 ± 11.7 (IKDC) and from 2.5 ± 0.9 to 3.5 ± 0.8 (Tegner); group 2, from 36.1 ± 6.2 to 64.4 ± 11.5 (IKDC) and from 2.2 ± 0.8 to 3.8 ± 0.8 (Tegner) ( P < .001 for all). According to the overall ICRS cartilage repair grades, 9 of the 39 lesions (23%) in group 1 and 12 of the 17 lesions (58%) in group 2 achieved a grade of I or II. There was a significant difference in ICRS grades between the groups ( P = .028). Overweight (body mass index ≥ 27.5 kg/m2) and large lesion size (≥5.7 cm2) were significant predictors of poor clinical and arthroscopic outcomes in group 1 ( P < .05 for both). There was a similar trend in group 2, but the differences were not significant, possibly owing to the smaller sample size.

Conclusion:

Clinical and arthroscopic outcomes of MSC implantation were encouraging for OA knees in both groups, although there were no significant differences in outcome scores between groups. However, at second-look arthroscopy, there were better ICRS grades in group 2.
Hybrid reliability analysis for energy-absorbing composite structures based on evidence theory
Authors: Duan Shuyong , Yang Xujing , Tao Yourui , Hu Zhangping , Chen Yunbiao
Published: October 2014

It is important to investigate the uncertain modeling and reliability analysis for the crashworthiness capacity of composite energy-absorbing structures (CEAS) in which there are random and epistemic uncertainty. A probability-evidence theory hybrid uncertainty model and a corresponding efficient reliability analysis method for the crashworthiness capacity of CEAS are presented in this paper. In this method, evidence theory is introduced to address the difficulties in the epistemic uncertain modeling due to the lack of experimental samples, which expand greatly the applicability of reliability analysis technology in the crashworthiness capacity of CEAS research. Moreover, the probability theory is applied to address the random uncertainty. Based on the traditional equivalence normalization method, a probability-evidence theory hybrid reliability analysis model for the crashworthiness capacity of CEAS is developed. An explicit finite element analysis is used to calculate the peak crushing force and the specific energy absorption of CEAS which are presented by the quadratic response surface. Two numerical examples of CEAS are presented for verification of the validity of the proposed method.
Finally Making Good on the Promise of Qualitative Research in Special Education? A Response to the Special Issue
Authors: Pugach Marleen C. , Mukhopadhyay Ananya , Gomez-Najarro Joyce
Published: October 2014

In this response to the special issue, we would like to offer two additional considerations to the discourse on qualitative research and special education this issue is meant to catalyze. First, we would like to further problematize the question of why qualitative research continues to be so sparsely represented in most prominent publications of special education. Next, we look a little more deeply into the question of what constitutes methodological rigor, especially in a field that seems so resistant, at least from the perspective of its institutional structures, to embracing qualitative research as a worthy, serious enterprise.
Development of Infants With Idiopathic External Hydrocephalus
Authors: Halevy Ayelet , Cohen Rony , Viner Ilana , Diamond Gary , Shuper Avinoam
Published: October 2014

External hydrocephalus in an infant is a condition in which the rate of growth of head circumference exceeds the expectations of the Nellhouse curve together with increased size of the subarachnoid spaces. Developmental milestones of 20 infants (aged 0-16 months) with external hydrocephalus were studied by the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. The areas of development that were studied were visual reception, fine motor, expressive language, receptive language, and total Mullen score. There were no significant differences between the study group and the general population in all 5 scores. The only prominent feature of our external hydrocephalus patients was hypotonia (transient in 9 [45%] and persistent in 2 [10%]). Although the term external hydrocephalus describes a roentgenographic presentation, the term benign enlargement of subarachnoid space is preferred in infants similar to our group by better describing the benign nature of the phenomenon in appropriately selected infants.