bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diffuse dermatophytosis occurring on dimethyl fumarate therapy
Authors: Greenstein Jeffrey I
Published: April 2018

Background:

Opportunistic infections have occurred during dimethyl fumarate (DMF) therapy.

Objective:

Diffuse skin dermatophytosis which occurred during DMF therapy in the setting of lymphopenia is described.

Methods and results:

The clinical course, the lymphocyte subset profile, and dermatologic evaluations were reviewed. In both instances, there was no other cause of lymphopenia or immune suppression, and it is likely that the tinea infections are associated with DMF therapy.

Conclusion:

The occurrence of dermatophytosis widens the spectrum of opportunistic infections associated with DMF therapy. Further research is necessary to fully elucidate the mechanism of lymphopenia and potentially impaired immune competence during DMF therapy.
Skin and Scars
Authors: Skelly Julia
Published: April 2018

What does considering skin carefully and specifically illuminate about addiction, addiction discourse and/or the visual culture of addiction, that more general considerations of the body do not? What light is shed when we talk about skin and addiction? I want to propose in this brief article that in looking at addiction and addiction discourse through the lens of skin studies, we see with even more clarity the thinness of the argument that addiction is legible from corporeal evidence. I conclude that while we may want skin to tell us things about others, it nevertheless behooves us to be wary of what we think skin tells us about addiction.
Positive affect skills may improve pain management in people with HIV
Authors: Addington Elizabeth L , Cheung Elaine O , Moskowitz Judith T
Published: April 2018

Non-opioid pain management strategies are critically needed for people with HIV. We therefore conducted a secondary analysis of pain-related outcomes in a randomized controlled trial of a positive affect skills intervention for adults newly diagnosed with HIV ( N = 159). Results suggest that, even if pain prevalence rises, positive affect skills may reduce pain interference and prevent increased use of opioid analgesics by people living with HIV. Future research should replicate and extend these findings by conducting trials that are specifically designed to target pain outcomes.
Incarnation and the dynamics of medical promises: DHEA as a fountain of youth hormone
Authors: Hauray Boris , Dalgalarrondo Sébastien
Published: April 2018

For more than a decade, the sociology of hope and expectations has gained growing influence in the social studies of health, medicine, and healthcare. This literature has stressed the role of representations of the future—through images, metaphors, theories, or visions—in the medical sector and analyzed the translation of these discursive contents into social practices and organizations. This article builds on these results and intends to explore a dimension that has received less attention: the incarnation of medical promises. Looking at the evolving case of a particular molecule, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)—which has been promoted from the mid-1990s onwards as a “fountain of youth” pill—, we emphasize that testimonies by and portrayals of those who are undergoing a treatment with uncertain risks and benefits, and representations of their bodies in the media, can play a key role in the performativity of a medical promise. We analyze this incarnation as a specific “form of veridiction” and stress its normative dimension. This leads us to underline how evidence-based medicine and experiential knowledge—which are often analyzed as two opposite sources of information—can intricate and give rise to the same incarnation dynamics.
The ubiquity of epistemics: A rebuttal to the ‘epistemics of epistemics’ group
Authors: Heritage John
Published: April 2018

In 2016, Discourse Studies published a special issue on the ‘epistemics of epistemics’ comprising six papers, all of which took issue with a strand of my research on how knowledge claims are asserted, implemented and contested through facets of turn design and sequence organization. Apparently coordinated through some years of discussion, the critique is nonetheless somewhat confused and confusing. In this article, I take up some of more prominent elements of the critique: (a) my work is ‘cognitivist’ substituting causal psychological analysis for the classic conversation analytic (CA) focus on the normative accountability of social action, (b) my work devalues and indeed flouts basic tenets of CA methodology such as the ‘next-turn proof procedure’, (c) my analysis of epistemic stance introduces unwarranted themes of conflict and hostility into CA thinking, (d) various concepts that I have introduced involve the invocation of ‘hidden orders’ of social conduct that is inimical to the traditions of our field and (e) that my work rests on an unwarranted ‘informationism’ – the discredited idea that much of human interaction is driven by a need to traffic in information. In this rebuttal, I refute all of these commentaries and correct many other ancillary mistakes of representation and reasoning that inhabit these papers.
Actions in practice: On details in collections
Authors: Clift Rebecca , Raymond Chase Wesley
Published: April 2018

Several of the contributions to the Lynch et al. Special issue make the claim that conversation-analytic research into epistemics is ‘routinely crafted at the expense of actual, produced and constitutive detail, and what that detail may show us’. Here, we seek to address the inappositeness of this critique by tracing precisely how it is that recognizable actions emerge from distinct practices of interaction. We begin by reviewing some of the foundational tenets of conversation-analytic theory and method – including the relationship between position and composition, and the making of collections – as these appear to be primary sources of confusion for many of the contributors to the Lynch et al. Special Issue. We then target some of the specific arguments presented in the Special Issue, including the alleged ‘over-hearer’s’ writing of metrics, the provision of so-called ‘alternative’ analyses and the supposed ‘crafting’ of generalizations in epistemics research. In addition, in light of Lynch’s more general assertion that conversation analysis (CA) has recently been experiencing a ‘rapprochement’ with what he disparagingly refers to as the ‘juggernaut’ of linguistics, we discuss the specific expertise that linguists have to offer in analyzing particular sorts of interactional detail. The article as a whole thus illustrates that, rather than being produced ‘ at the expense of actual, produced and constitutive detail’, conversation-analytic findings – including its work in epistemics – are unambiguously anchored in such detail. We conclude by offering our comments as to the link between CA and linguistics more generally, arguing that this relationship has long proven to be – and indeed continues to be – a mutually beneficial one.
Epistemics – The Rebuttal Special Issue: An introduction
Authors: Drew Paul
Published: April 2018

A Special Issue of this journal, edited by Lynch et al., was published critiquing research in conversation analysis (CA) on epistemics and on oh. It would be more accurate to say that the articles in that Special Issue critique the work of Heritage on epistemics and oh. Their principal criticism is that Heritage’s analyses of epistemics and oh are cognitivist. Other criticisms are that his analysis of each of these phenomena is not sequential, that it does not attend to the details of turn design, and that his analyses are not truly conversation analytic – indeed that he does not comprehend CA, that his analyses are false and unwarranted, that he has adopted an ‘informationist’ perspective of knowledge transfer, and that epistemics represents some ‘hidden order’ invisible at the surface of conversation. Underlying these criticisms is their contention that Heritage has not adhered to the ‘radical’ agenda of ethnomethodology (or the agenda of ‘radical ethnomethodology’) which, they claim, underlies the origins of CA. In this Introduction, I outline some of the principal reasons for regarding the criticisms in The epistemics of Epistemics to be misguided, inaccurate and scurrilous. In doing so, I am setting out in very broad outline the arguments made by the contributors to this Special Issue rebutting those criticisms of Heritage’s work, and of CA more generally.
Sister talk: Investigating an older sibling’s responses to verbal challenges
Authors: Friedland Joanna , Mahon Merle
Published: April 2018

Children’s linguistic and social skills develop through play with siblings, but there is little research into sibling interaction using naturally occurring data. This conversation analytic case study presents an evidence-based account of how an older sibling responds to verbal challenges from her younger sibling during free play at home. The older sibling employs prosodic, rhetorical and linguistic devices to deflect challenges while avoiding conflict. She does this by acknowledging the grounds of the challenge, before invoking privileged information or epistemic differences to reject it. Structurally, the older sibling inserts extended digressions which obfuscate challenges by engaging the challenger and switching topic. These phenomena blur the traditional accept/reject response dichotomy. The findings provide insight into the complexity of a 5-/6-year-old’s challenge-defence strategies and highlight the importance of face preservation and mitigation of disagreement. We propose that the ability to respond to challenges while maintaining intersubjectivity is a component of communicative competence.
Talk, voice and gestures in reported speech: toward an integrated approach
Authors: Soulaimani Dris
Published: April 2018

Drawing on Arabic data sets, this study examines reported speech in naturally occurring conversations. Building on earlier work in discourse analysis, the study demonstrates how reported speech is a multiparty social field in which much of the reporting involves not only speech but also intricate forms of voice patterns and embodied reenactments. The study argues that speakers create an integrated complex of reporting, including multimodal utterances that go beyond the stream of speech to include relevant nonlinguistic sounds and embodied gestures. Analysis also shows that participants engage in verbal and nonverbal forms of stance (evaluation) toward the reported activities. The speaker makes certain these stance displays are available to the addressees to achieve co-participation. In contrast to studies which restrict analysis to linguistic phenomena, this study approaches reported speech as a fine performance in which different kinds of semiotic resources are brought together.
Positioning discourse on homophobia in schools: What have lesbian and gay families got to say?
Authors: Cocker Christine , Hafford-Letchfield Trish , Ryan Peter , Barran Charlotte
Published: April 2018

This paper reports findings from a study in England, which investigated the experiences of lesbian and gay parents in relation to homophobia in primary and secondary schools. The study was part of a larger European Union project investigating the impact of family and school alliances against homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools across six nation states. Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven lesbian and gay parents from five families were conducted to explore their unique experience and perspectives on these issues. Discourse analysis was used to facilitate understanding of how lesbian and gay families negotiated the outsider/insider and public/private spheres of the school and communities of which they were a part. Parents identified a number of strategies to address their experiences of homophobia within schools. The findings have implications for how social work recognises and promotes diversity and equality when working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families, as social workers have a powerful role in supporting families. This involves recognising the strengths of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families in their assessments.
Guided wave excitation and propagation in damped composite plates
Authors: Mei Hanfei , Giurgiutiu Victor
Published: April 2018

Guided wave attenuation in composites due to material damping is strong, anisotropic, and cannot be neglected. Material damping is a critical parameter in selection of a particular wave mode for long-range structural health monitoring in composites. In this article, a semi-analytical finite element approach is presented to model guided wave excitation and propagation in damped composite plates. The theoretical framework is formulated using finite element method to describe the material behavior in the thickness direction while assuming analytical expressions in the wave propagation direction along the plate. In the proposed method, the Kelvin–Voigt damping model using a complex frequency-dependent stiffness matrix is utilized to account for anisotropic damping effects of composites. Thus, the existing semi-analytical finite element approach is being extended to include material damping effect. Theoretical predictions are experimentally validated using scanning laser Doppler vibrometer measurements of guided wave propagation generated by a circular piezoelectric wafer active sensor transducer in a unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite plate. The proposed method achieves good agreement with the experimental results.
Slaying my own ghosts: My process into action research
Authors: Romano Silvina A
Published: April 2018

In this article, I explain how I broke with the epistemological tradition in which I had been trained, in a process I call “Slaying my own ghosts.” I took this step when I was deciding on the approach of my action research dissertation. I explain the breaks with five ideas: there are diverse ways of generating knowledge; the researcher constructs knowledge through interpretation; context matters; the action researcher alters the process for good; action research produces academic and pragmatic knowledge. The article is written in the first person because it is associated with a personal process that I needed to resolve in order to develop the approach of my thesis. My analysis of this personal process highlights the indissolubility of the relationship between the researcher and the person as well as the difficulty and complexity of processes of change. I believe it may be of help to both researchers who have decided to develop action research dissertations and those who have to lead processes involving profound changes in people.
Models of colour quality over a wide range of spectral power distributions
Authors: Esposito T , Houser K
Published: April 2018

Twenty-four real spectra were strategically structured to have systematic variation in average fidelity (IES Rf = 65, 75, 85, 95), average gamut (IES Rg = 80, 90, 100, 110, 120) and gamut shape (nominally saturating or desaturating red colour evaluation samples), at 3500 K. For each spectrum, 20 participants rated a set of objects along continuous scales of naturalness, preference, vividness and skin preference. Most of the top rated spectra, along all four scales, had average gamut greater than or equal to 100 (IES Rg ≥ 100) and did not desaturate red hues (IES Rcs,h16 ≥ 0%). Best fit models illustrate that average fidelity (i.e. IES Rf) and a proxy for red saturation (i.e. IES Rcs,h16, Rcs,h1) are salient derived measures. The results illustrate that a two-metric system of colour rendition, comprised of average metrics for fidelity and gamut, cannot fully describe colour quality and underscore the importance of a colour rendering graphic (i.e. IES Colour Vector Graphic). We propose and illustrate the utility of quantifying the shape of the IES TM-30-15 Color Vector Graphic with a best-fit ellipse.
Self-Management in Liver Transplant Recipients
Authors: Ko Dami , Muehrer Rebecca J. , Bratzke Lisa C.
Published: April 2018

Introduction:

Although self-management is essential for liver transplant recipients, there is no review that has synthesized findings related to self-management in this population.

Objective:

This narrative review aimed to synthesize the current findings and identify the gaps in knowledge about self-management in liver recipients.

Methods:

A search of PubMed, CINAHL Plus, PsychINFO, ProQuest, and Web of Science was conducted using the following terms: [Self-care OR Self-management OR Health behavior] AND [Liver transplantation]. Peer-reviewed published research articles focusing on self-management of adult recipients were selected. A total of 23 articles were included for review. Two reviewers independently reviewed the full text of selected articles and extracted the data about definitions, measurements, and findings regarding self-management.

Results:

Three areas of self-management were identified, including medication nonadherence (n = 11), alcohol recidivism (n = 11), and health maintenance (n = 5). Reported rates of medication nonadherence ranged from 8% to 66%. Medication nonadherence was related to recipients’ demographic (eg, age or sex), transplant-related (eg, time since transplant), and pretransplant variables (eg, history of substance/alcohol abuse). Reported alcohol recidivism rates ranged from 3% to 95%. Age, pretransplant variables (eg, abstinent time before transplant), and personality disorder were identified to be related to alcohol recidivism after transplant. The health maintenance studies discussed behaviors such as smoking, clinic appointment attendance, or vaccination/health screening behaviors of recipients.

Discussion:

Self-management studies in liver recipients have been narrowly focused on medication nonadherence and alcohol recidivism. To improve self-management in recipients, self-management beyond medication nonadherence and alcohol recidivism should be comprehensively examined.
Benzodiazepine Use and Cognition in the Elderly
Authors: Toombs Amber R. , Jung Joon Y. , White Nicole D.
Published: April 2018

Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed to treat insomnia in the elderly. The use of benzodiazepines in this population has been associated with various risks, including the potential to cause cognitive decline. The purpose of this article is to discuss the relationship between the use of benzodiazepines and cognitive decline, the importance of patient education when prescribing benzodiazepines in this population, and lifestyle modifications that can be used to help treat insomnia in older adults.
Prevalence and variables associated with an abnormal ankle-brachial index among patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Authors: Hinojosa Carlos A , Nunez-Salgado Ana E , Anaya-Ayala Javier E , Laparra-Escareno Hugo , Ortiz-Lopez Laura J , Herrera-Caceres Jaime O , Crabtree-Ramirez Brenda E , Sierra-Madero Juan G
Published: April 2018

Objectives

The longer survival of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and the introduction of the highly active antiretroviral therapy have increased the number of chronic conditions; among these, cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study is to determine patient, disease, and factors associated with peripheral arterial disease in a population of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Methods

A prospective nested case–control study of a cohort of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was conducted in a tertiary medical center in Mexico City. A sample size of 206 patients was calculated. Medical history, relevant laboratory data, peripheral arterial exam, and screening ankle-brachial index tests were obtained.

Results

The prevalence of abnormal ankle-brachial indexes was 20% (42 patients). Patient’s mean age was 44 years ±13. The majority (98.5%) were actively receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy; active smoking was reported in 55 (27%), arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus were found in 24 (12%) and 22 (11%) patients. Median time from the human immunodeficiency virus diagnosis was eight years (Interquartile range ±11); the mean CD4 count was 481, with a mean viral load of 13,557 copies (SD ± 69025.27) and 1889.18 (SD ± 9052.77) for patients with normal and abnormal ankle-brachial index and a median of 40 (IQ ± 2). Viral load ( p = 0.04) and number of years with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ( p = 0.04) were significantly associated with abnormal ankle-brachial indexes.

Conclusions

Abnormal ankle-brachial index seems to be more frequent in Mexican patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome when compared with the general population at the same age. The most important factors associated with arterial disease were the viral load and the number of years with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02264509.
Multi-exposure image fusion based on wavelet transform
Authors: Zhang Wenlong , Liu Xiaolin , Wang Wuchao , Zeng Yujun
Published: April 2018

This article proposes a novel wavelet-based algorithm for the fusion of multi-exposed images. The luminance inversion is suppressed and the contrast of the fused image is enhanced, by introducing the brightness of input images into the well-exposedness weight. The weight is used to fuse the approximate sub-bands of input images in the wavelet domain. At the same time, the detail sub-bands of input images are fused by the adjusted contrast weight to avoid losing details around the strong edges. Besides, a novel enhancement function was proposed to enhance the details of the fused image. The proposed multi-exposure fusion scheme consists of three steps: (1) transforming the input images into YUV space and fusing the color-difference components U and V according to the saturation weight; (2) transforming the luminance component Y into the wavelet domain and fusing the corresponding approximate sub-bands and detail sub-bands by the well-exposedness weight and adjusted contrast weight, respectively; and (3) transforming the fused image back into RGB space to obtain the final result. The experiments illustrate that the proposed method is able to effectively preserve details, enhance contrast, and maintain consistency with the luminance distribution of input images.
Psychometric properties of the goniometric assessment of the Dart Thrower’s Motion
Authors: Parish Melanie , Bugden Benjamin , Liu Karen PY
Published: April 2018

Introduction

The Dart Thrower’s Motion is an important movement for hand function. A goniometric clinical measure of Dart Thrower’s Motion has been developed. However, its validity and reliability in people with wrist and hand injury is not known. This study investigated the inter-rater and test–retest reliability and criterion validity of the Dart Thrower’s Motion measure.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used. Thirty-five participants with hand or wrist injury completed the goniometric assessment of the Dart Thrower’s Motion and goniometric wrist active range of motion assessment three times in a hand clinic. Two assessors and a reader to record the results were involved. Participants also completed the patient-rated wrist and hand evaluation.

Results

The intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.70–0.83 and 0.91–0.92, respectively for inter-rater and test–retest reliability in the injured hands indicating moderate to high reliability. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the Dart Thrower’s Motion measure and wrist active range of motion assessment ranged from 0.45 to 0.73, and with patient-rated wrist and hand evaluation ranged from −0.36 to −0.53. The results indicate that goniometric assessment of the Dart Thrower’s Motion has acceptable criterion validity.

Conclusion

The goniometric assessment of Dart Thrower’s Motion can be considered a valid and reliable clinical measure for measuring the impact of the injury to one’s hand and wrist range of motion and function. It shows its clinical utility in people with hand and wrist injury. It is hoped this simple measure can be eventually implemented in clinical settings, allowing for an increased understanding of an individual’s functional use of the hand and wrist.
Surgical Treatment of Mild to Severe Hallux Valgus Deformities With a Percutaneous Subcapital Osteotomy Combined With a Lateral Soft Tissue Procedure
Authors: Maniglio Mauro , Fornaciari Paolo , Bäcker Henrik , Gautier Emanuel , Lottenbach Marc
Published: April 2018

Distal metatarsal (MT) osteotomies have been used in mild or moderate cases of hallux valgus (HV) and proximal MT osteotomy has been considered the treatment of choice for severe deformities. A distal osteotomy could achieve a greater degree of correction by the addition of a distal soft-tissue procedure and be used to treat also severe deformity. Limited evidence about the use of the percutaneous subcapital osteotomy (SCOT); a type of MT osteotomy, in combination of a soft tissue procedure, is available. We evaluated this procedure routinely used in our clinic. A total of 30 consecutive patients treated in our hospital from September 2012 to April 2015 with SCOT combined with lateral soft tissue release were included in this retrospective review. Outcomes assessed included radiological parameters: HV angle (HVA) and intermetatarsal angle (IMA), clinical evaluation using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and complication rate. In 12 of the 30 patients included, the pathology was bilateral, comprising a total of 42 cases. The overall correction of the angles was statistically significant (P < .001), changing from a HVA of 28.2° and IMA of 13.5° preoperatively to 8.0° and 6.0° postoperatively, respectively. The cases were divided into mild-moderate (34/42) and severe (8/42). Both groups showed a statistically significant correction in the angles, 3 months after surgery (P < .001). The AOFAS score showed a median of 49 points (n = 24) preoperatively and of 95 points (n = 40) at the end of follow-up. The complication rate at end of follow-up was 19% (8/42). After a minimum follow-up of 1 year, our technique for HV correction results in a clinically relevant improvement of the radiological parameters and AOFAS score in mild to severe deformities. Combination with lateral release could be a meaningful surgical alternative for the treatment of severe cases to help decrease the risk of recurrence.

Levels of Evidence: Level IV
A review of the Australian healthcare system: A policy perspective
Authors: Dixit Sunil K , Sambasivan Murali
Published: April 2018

This article seeks to review the Australian healthcare system and compare it to similar systems in other countries to highlight the main issues and problems. A literature search for articles relating to the Australian and other developed countries’ healthcare systems was conducted by using Google and the library of Victoria University, Melbourne. Data from the websites of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Productivity Commission, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank have also been used. Although care within the Australian healthcare system is among the best in the world, there is a need to change the paradigm currently being used to measure the outcomes and allocate resources. The Australian healthcare system is potentially dealing with two main problems: (a) resource allocation, and (b) performance and patient outcomes improvements. An interdisciplinary research approach in the areas of performance measurement, quality and patient outcomes improvement could be adopted to discover new insights, by using the policy implementation error/efficiency and bureaucratic capacity. Hospital managers, executives and healthcare management practitioners could use an interdisciplinary approach to design new performance measurement models, in which financial performance, quality, healthcare and patient outcomes are blended in, for resource allocation and performance improvement. This article recommends that public policy implementation error and the bureaucratic capacity models be applied to healthcare to optimise the outcomes for the healthcare system in Australia. In addition, it highlights the need for evaluation of the current reimbursement method, freedom of choice to patients and a regular scrutiny of the appropriateness of care.
Utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Multiethnic Population: The Malaysian Cohort Study
Authors: Abdullah Noraidatulakma , Borhanuddin Boekhtiar , Patah Afzan Effiza Abdul , Abdullah Mohd Shaharom , Dauni Andri , Kamaruddin Mohd Arman , Shah Shamsul Azhar , Jamal Rahman
Published: April 2018

Background.

This study aimed to identify the factors of CAM usage for general health and to determine the factors associated with the usage of different types of CAM after the diagnosis of chronic diseases among The Malaysian Cohort participants.

Methods.

This was a cross-sectional study derived from The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) project, a prospective population-based cohort aged between 35 to 65 years old that recruited from April 2006 to September 2012. Association between the CAM usage and contributing factors were determined via logistic regression.

Results.

The sample were mostly female (58.1%), Malays (43.1%), came from urban (71.9%), aged 44 years and below (26.8%) and had secondary education (45.9%). The prevalence of CAM usage varied across diseases; 62.8% in cancer patients, 53.3% in hypercholesterolemia, 49.4% in hypertensives and 48.6% in diabetics. General CAM usage was greater among female (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.49, 1.59), Chinese (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.19), those with higher education (OR: 3.12, 95% CI: 3.00, 3.25), urban residents (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.50, 1.61) and older people (OR ranging from 1.15 to 1.75) while for post-diagnosis of chronic diseases usage, the odds were higher among those with lower education and living in rural areas.

Conclusion.

Health status, educational level, age, living location and types of chronic diseases were significant factors that influence CAM usage for the intent of either health maintenance or disease treatment. Further exploration on CAM safety and benefit are crucial to minimize the adverse effect and to ensure the efficacy of CAM product.
In Vivo Hypoglycemic Effect of Kigelia africana (Lam): Studies With Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Mice
Authors: Njogu Stephen M. , Arika Wycliffe M. , Machocho Alex K. , Ngeranwa Joseph J. N. , Njagi Eliud N. M.
Published: April 2018

The claims by the traditional herbal medicine practitioners that Kigelia africana has bioactivity against several diseases, including diabetes mellitus, were investigated in this study. Type I diabetes mellitus was induced in mice by intraperitoneal administration of alloxan monohydrate followed by treatment with the therapeutic doses of the aqueous and ethyl acetate leaf extract of K africana to the experimentally diabetic mice. The treatment effects were compared with the normal control, diabetic control, and diabetic control rats treated with a standard antidiabetic drugs (insulin administered intraperitoneally at 1 IU/kg body weight in 0.1 mL physiological saline or glibenclamide administered orally at 3 mg/kg body weight in 0.1 mL physiological saline). Phytochemical composition of the leaf extract was assessed using standard procedures and mineral elements assessed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and total reflection X-ray fluorescence system. Oral and intraperitoneal administration of the aqueous and ethyl acetate leaf extract caused a statistically significant dose-independent reduction in plasma glucose level in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The observed hypoglycemic activity of this plant extract could be attributed to the observed phytochemicals and trace elements, which have been associated with exhibiting antidiabetic properties. Therefore, the data appear to support the hypoglycemic effects of K africana validating its folkloric usage.
Transperineal Sonography of Anal Mass Status Post Total Colectomy: A Case Report
Authors: Rohrbach Susan , Asch Elizabeth , Giovani Mara , David Kailee
Published: April 2018

Transperineal sonography is a diagnostic tool for imaging the pelvic floor and lower pelvis. Because of the higher spatial resolution of pelvic sonography compared with other cross-sectional imaging techniques, transperineal sonography can provide detailed visualization of the lower pelvic organs, including the urethra, vagina, and anorectum. This case report describes the use of transperineal sonography for evaluation of an indeterminate lower pelvic process seen on computed tomography in a 53-year-old woman with progressive pelvic pain, dysuria, and dyspareunia. Because of severe dyspareunia, the patient declined transvaginal sonography. Transperineal sonography provided diagnostic imaging of the anal mass causing these symptoms.
TRRAP is essential for regulating the accumulation of mutant and wild-type p53 in lymphoma
Authors: Jethwa Alexander , Słabicki Mikołaj , Hüllein Jennifer , Jentzsch Marius , Dalal Vineet , Rabe Sophie , Wagner Lena , Walther Tatjana , Klapper Wolfram ,   MMML Network Project, Bohnenberger Hanibal , Rettel Mandy , Lu Junyan , Smits Arne H. , Stein Frank , Savitski Mikhail M. , Huber Wolfgang , Aylon Yael , Oren Moshe , Zenz Thorsten
Published: April 2018

Key Points

The HAT complex member TRRAP is vital for maintaining high p53 levels by shielding it against the natural p53 degradation machinery. Acetylation-modifying complexes regulate p53 protein stability, which may provide a basis for therapeutic targeting of mutant p53.
How should we monitor patients with acute respiratory failure treated with noninvasive ventilation?
Authors: Ergan Begum , Nasiłowski Jacek , Winck João Carlos
Published: April 2018

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is currently one of the most commonly used support methods in hypoxaemic and hypercapnic acute respiratory failure (ARF). With advancing technology and increasing experience, not only are indications for NIV getting broader, but more severe patients are treated with NIV. Depending on disease type and clinical status, NIV can be applied both in the general ward and in high-dependency/intensive care unit settings with different environmental opportunities. However, it is important to remember that patients with ARF are always very fragile with possible high mortality risk. The delay in recognition of unresponsiveness to NIV, progression of respiratory failure or new-onset complications may result in devastating and fatal outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to understand that timely action taken according to monitoring variables is one of the key elements for NIV success. The purpose of this review is to outline basic and advanced monitoring techniques for NIV during an ARF episode.
The role of mitochondria in stem cell fate and aging
Authors: Zhang Hongbo , Menzies Keir J. , Auwerx Johan
Published: April 2018

The importance of mitochondria in energy metabolism, signal transduction and aging in post-mitotic tissues has been well established. Recently, the crucial role of mitochondrial-linked signaling in stem cell function has come to light and the importance of mitochondria in mediating stem cell activity is becoming increasingly recognized. Despite the fact that many stem cells exhibit low mitochondrial content and a reliance on mitochondrial-independent glycolytic metabolism for energy, accumulating evidence has implicated the importance of mitochondrial function in stem cell activation, fate decisions and defense against senescence. In this Review, we discuss the recent advances that link mitochondrial metabolism, homeostasis, stress responses, and dynamics to stem cell function, particularly in the context of disease and aging. This Review will also highlight some recent progress in mitochondrial therapeutics that may present attractive strategies for improving stem cell function as a basis for regenerative medicine and healthy aging.
Amyloid assembly and disassembly
Authors: Chuang Edward , Hori Acacia M. , Hesketh Christina D. , Shorter James
Published: April 2018

Amyloid fibrils are protein homopolymers that adopt diverse cross-β conformations. Some amyloid fibrils are associated with the pathogenesis of devastating neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Conversely, functional amyloids play beneficial roles in melanosome biogenesis, long-term memory formation and release of peptide hormones. Here, we showcase advances in our understanding of amyloid assembly and structure, and how distinct amyloid strains formed by the same protein can cause distinct neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss how mutant steric zippers promote deleterious amyloidogenesis and aberrant liquid-to-gel phase transitions. We also highlight effective strategies to combat amyloidogenesis and related toxicity, including: (1) small-molecule drugs (e.g. tafamidis) to inhibit amyloid formation or (2) stimulate amyloid degradation by the proteasome and autophagy, and (3) protein disaggregases that disassemble toxic amyloid and soluble oligomers. We anticipate that these advances will inspire therapeutics for several fatal neurodegenerative diseases.
Nuclear phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate islets contribute to efficient RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription
Authors: Sobol Margarita , Krausová Alžběta , Yildirim Sukriye , Kalasová Ilona , Fáberová Veronika , Vrkoslav Vladimír , Philimonenko Vlada , Marášek Pavel , Pastorek Lukáš , Čapek Martin , Lubovská Zuzana , Uličná Lívia , Tsuji Takuma , Lísa Miroslav , Cvačka Josef , Fujimoto Toyoshi , Hozak Pavel
Published: April 2018

This paper describes a novel type of nuclear structure – nuclear lipid islets (NLIs). They are of 40–100 nm with a lipidic interior, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] molecules comprise a significant part of their surface. Most of NLIs have RNA at the periphery. Consistent with that, RNA is required for their integrity. The NLI periphery is associated with Pol II transcription machinery, including the largest Pol II subunit, transcription factors and NM1 (also known as NMI). The PtdIns(4,5)P2–NM1 interaction is important for Pol II transcription, since NM1 knockdown reduces the Pol II transcription level, and the overexpression of wild-type NM1 [but not NM1 mutated in the PtdIns(4,5)P2-binding site] rescues the transcription. Importantly, Pol II transcription is dependent on NLI integrity, because an enzymatic reduction of the PtdIns(4,5)P2 level results in a decrease of the Pol II transcription level. Furthermore, about half of nascent transcripts localise to NLIs, and transcriptionally active transgene loci preferentially colocalise with NLIs. We hypothesize that NLIs serve as a structural platform that facilitates the formation of Pol II transcription factories, thus participating in the formation of nuclear architecture competent for transcription.
Has knowledge of the vaginal microbiome altered approaches to health and disease?
Authors: Reid Gregor
Published: April 2018

Sixteen years ago, when we published the first molecular characterization of the vaginal microbiota, little did we know the vast numbers of species that would be detected in this niche. As exciting as these discoveries have been, what have they and more recent advances contributed to how vaginal health and disease are managed? This review provides a brief discussion of the potential, but so far limited, applications that have arisen from microbiome research. Calls for innovation have been made before but to little avail.
Clinotator: analyzing ClinVar variation reports to prioritize reclassification efforts
Authors: Butler III Robert R. , Gejman Pablo V.
Published: April 2018

While ClinVar has become an indispensable resource for clinical variant interpretation, its sophisticated structure provides it with a daunting learning curve. Often the sheer depth of types of information provided can make it difficult to analyze variant information with high throughput. Clinotator is a fast and lightweight tool to extract important aspects of criteria-based clinical assertions; it uses that information to generate several metrics to assess the strength and consistency of the evidence supporting the variant clinical significance. Clinical assertions are weighted by significance type, age of submission and submitter expertise category to filter outdated or incomplete assertions that otherwise confound interpretation. This can be accomplished in batches: either lists of Variation IDs or dbSNP rsIDs, or with vcf files that are additionally annotated. Using sample sets ranging from 15,000–50,000 variants, we slice out problem variants in minutes without extensive computational effort (using only a personal computer) and corroborate recently reported trends of discordance hiding amongst the curated masses. With the rapidly growing body of variant evidence, most submitters and researchers have limited resources to devote to variant curation. Clinotator provides efficient, systematic prioritization of discordant variants in need of reclassification. The hope is that this tool can inform ClinVar curation and encourage submitters to keep their clinical assertions current by focusing their efforts. Additionally, researchers can utilize new metrics to analyze variants of interest in pursuit of new insights into pathogenicity.
Factors influencing the higher incidence of tuberculosis among migrants and ethnic minorities in the UK
Authors: Hayward Sally , Harding Rosalind M. , McShane Helen , Tanner Rachel
Published: April 2018

Migrants and ethnic minorities in the UK have higher rates of tuberculosis (TB) compared with the general population. Historically, much of the disparity in incidence between UK-born and migrant populations has been attributed to differential pathogen exposure, due to migration from high-incidence regions and the transnational connections maintained with TB endemic countries of birth or ethnic origin. However, focusing solely on exposure fails to address the relatively high rates of progression to active disease observed in some populations of latently infected individuals. A range of factors that disproportionately affect migrants and ethnic minorities, including genetic susceptibility, vitamin D deficiency and co-morbidities such as diabetes mellitus and HIV, also increase vulnerability to infection withMycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb)or reactivation of latent infection. Furthermore, ethnic socio-economic disparities and the experience of migration itself may contribute to differences in TB incidence, as well as cultural and structural barriers to accessing healthcare. In this review, we discuss both biological and anthropological influences relating to risk of pathogen exposure, vulnerability to infection or development of active disease, and access to treatment for migrant and ethnic minorities in the UK.
The challenges of designing a benchmark strategy for bioinformatics pipelines in the identification of antimicrobial resistance determinants using next generation sequencing technologies
Authors: Angers-Loustau Alexandre , Petrillo Mauro , Bengtsson-Palme Johan , Berendonk Thomas , Blais Burton , Chan Kok-Gan , Coque Teresa M. , Hammer Paul , Heß Stefanie , Kagkli Dafni M. , Krumbiegel Carsten , Lanza Val F. , Madec Jean-Yves , Naas Thierry , O'Grady Justin , Paracchini Valentina , Rossen John W.A. , Ruppé Etienne , Vamathevan Jessica , Venturi Vittorio , Van den Eede Guy
Published: April 2018

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies are expected to play a crucial role in the surveillance of infectious diseases, with their unprecedented capabilities for the characterisation of genetic information underlying the virulence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) properties of microorganisms.  In the implementation of any novel technology for regulatory purposes, important considerations such as harmonisation, validation and quality assurance need to be addressed.  NGS technologies pose unique challenges in these regards, in part due to their reliance on bioinformatics for the processing and proper interpretation of the data produced.  Well-designed benchmark resources are thus needed to evaluate, validate and ensure continued quality control over the bioinformatics component of the process.  This concept was explored as part of a workshop on "Next-generation sequencing technologies and antimicrobial resistance" held October 4-5 2017.   Challenges involved in the development of such a benchmark resource, with a specific focus on identifying the molecular determinants of AMR, were identified. For each of the challenges, sets of unsolved questions that will need to be tackled for them to be properly addressed were compiled. These take into consideration the requirement for monitoring of AMR bacteria in humans, animals, food and the environment, which is aligned with the principles of a “One Health” approach.
On Formation of Graphics Culture in Future Engineers in the Field of Hydrotechnical Construction
Authors: Ерцкина Елена , Ertskina Elena , Королькова Надежда , Korol'kova Nadezhda
Published: April 2018

The quality of university students’ graphic training should meet modern requirements to design and development execution and design drafting. The role of students’ tools training for wide use of CAD systems in solving of learning problems and execution of project tasks is increasing. It meets modern requirements to designer’s professional activity. The lack of clear and accurate originals for construction of views, sections, schemes and tabular materials, as well as use of hand work and the counterfeit automated software products, are current problems for graphics culture in the field of hydrotechnical design because significantly reduce labor productivity, quality of drawing’s performance and use. The authors offer a novel approach to formation of graphics culture in future engineers in the field of hydrotechnical construction. In this paper the possibilities of the AutoCAD system, mainly as a tool for performance of a wide range of engineering graphics tasks of any complexity when developing drawings for hydraulic engineering constructions have been considered, including:

• search and analysis of layout solutions. By using AutoCAD system in its simplest, basic version, one can both analyze configuration of huge structures with accuracy up to 0,001 m and design drawings for more sizeable objects, such as plants, hydroelectric power stations, conglomerations;

• design drawings of any subject and complexity. The basic version’s possibilities are quite enough to convert obtained layout solutions into high-quality project documentation that meets the requirements of domestic design standards;

• design development for work execution – even without a digitized basis;

• construction of loading schemes and stresses epures;

• construction of graphs and diagrams.

Sequential approach to formation of graphics culture will allow realize a united learning task on engineering and computer graphics for aiding in solution such important task as providing of combination for manual and computer-aided drawing when getting students’ education in graphics courses.