Predictors of Disruptions in Breast Cancer Care for Individuals with Schizophrenia

Background.

Patients with schizophrenia experience markedly increased breast cancer mortality, yet reasons for this disparity are poorly understood. We sought to characterize disruptions in breast cancer care for patients with schizophrenia and identify modifiable predictors of those disruptions.

Materials and Methods.

We performed a medical record review of 95 patients with schizophrenia and breast cancer treated at an academic cancer center between 1993 and 2015. We defined cancer care disruptions as processes that interfere with guideline-concordant cancer care, including delays to diagnosis or treatment, deviations from stage-appropriate treatment, and interruptions in treatment. We hypothesized that lack of psychiatric treatment at cancer diagnosis would be associated with care disruptions.

Results.

Half of patients with schizophrenia experienced at least one breast cancer care disruption. Deviations in stage-appropriate treatment were associated with breast cancer recurrence at 5 years (p = .045). Patients without a documented psychiatrist experienced more delays (p = .016), without documented antipsychotic medication experienced more deviations (p = .007), and with psychiatric hospitalizations after cancer diagnosis experienced more interruptions (p < .0001). Independent of stage, age, and documented primary care physician, lack of documented antipsychotic medication (odds ratio [OR] = 4.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.90, 12.98) and psychiatric care (OR = 4.56, 95% CI = 1.37, 15.15) predicted cancer care disruptions.

Conclusion.

Disruptions in breast cancer care are common for patients with schizophrenia and are associated with adverse outcomes, including cancer recurrence. Access to psychiatric treatment at cancer diagnosis may protect against critical disruptions in cancer care for this underserved population. The Oncologist 2017;22:1–9

Implications for Practice.

Disruptions in breast cancer care are common for patients with schizophrenia, yet access to mental health treatment is rarely integrated into cancer care. When oncologists documented a treating psychiatrist and antipsychotic medication, patients had fewer disruptions in breast cancer care after adjusting for age, cancer stage, and access to primary care. Addressing psychiatric comorbidity at breast cancer diagnosis may increase the likelihood that patients with schizophrenia receive timely, stage-appropriate cancer treatment. Comanagement of schizophrenia and breast cancer at cancer diagnosis may be one key strategy to decrease inequities in cancer treatment and improve cancer survival in this underserved population.

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Targeting the Molecular Subtypes of Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Understanding the Diversity to Progress the Field

Triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) represent 10%–20% of primary breast cancers, and despite having greater initial sensitivity to cytotoxic chemotherapy, patients with TNBCs have higher rates of distant metastasis and a poorer prognosis compared with patients with hormone receptor positive and/or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive disease. TNBC has historically been treated as a single disease entity in targeted therapy trials, but advances in gene expression profiling and other molecular diagnostic techniques over the last decade have revealed considerable biologic heterogeneity within TNBCs, including subgroups with distinct, targetable aberrations. Such molecular heterogeneity explains, in part, the disappointing performance of targeted therapeutics in unselected TNBC. Here we discuss the history of gene expression profiling in breast cancer and its application in partitioning TNBCs into subtypes that may lead to more consistent therapeutic successes in this heterogeneous disease. The Oncologist 2017;22:1–8

Implications For Practice.

Triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have historically been regarded as a single entity in clinical trial design. Over the last decade, molecular characterization has revealed much heterogeneity in TNBCs, explaining in part the lackluster performance of targeted therapeutics in TNBCs as a group. In this article, we review the history of the molecular classification of breast cancer based on gene expression profiling and discuss its role in TNBCs.

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Attitudes Toward Cancer and Cancer Patients in an Urban Iranian Population

Background.

Because of the significant incidence and mortality of cancer in Iran, a Comprehensive National Cancer Control Program for the prevention and early detection of cancer was launched in 2007. However, cancer awareness and screening rates in Iran did not improve. This study aimed to evaluate public attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients in Iran.

Materials and Methods.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 953 non-institutionalized individuals in Isfahan, Iran, from November 2014 to February 2015. We collected data on attitudes toward cancer in three domains (impossibility of recovery, cancer stereotypes, and discrimination), as well as questions on willingness to disclose a cancer diagnosis.

Results.

Among all participants, 33.9% agreed that it is very difficult to regain one's health after a cancer diagnosis, 17.4% felt uncomfortable with a cancer patient, and 26.9% said that they would avoid marrying people whose family members had cancer. While 88.9% of study participants said that cancer patients deserve to be protected in society, 53.3% and 48.4% of participants agreed that they would not disclose a cancer diagnosis to neighbors and coworkers, respectively.

Conclusion.

Negative attitudes with respect to impossibility of recovery and discrimination toward cancer and cancer patients were common among urban Iranians. Most people would not disclose a cancer diagnosis to others in spite of advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment, reflecting unfavorable attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients in society. Successful implementation of cancer awareness and prevention programs in Iran may require social changes based on adequate information on cancer and cancer patients. The Oncologist 2017;22:1–7

Implications for Practice.

Public attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients are an important factor affecting cancer control programs as well as quality of life and recovery of cancer patients. The issue has not been studied in Iran and the surrounding countries in the Middle East. This is the first report presented on the subject. These findings can be used by health policy makers, health managers, and clinicians for better practice.

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Complete Responses to Mitotane in Metastatic Adrenocortical Carcinoma--A New Look at an Old Drug

Purpose.

Based largely on reports that predate modern reporting standards, mitotane has been considered a systemic treatment option for both hormone control and antitumor control of metastatic adrenocortical cancer (ACC), although the therapeutic window is narrow.

Methods.

We searched electronic medical records to identify patients with metastatic ACC treated and prescribed single agent mitotane at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from March 15, 1989–September 18, 2015. Reference radiologists reviewed all imaging and determined efficacy according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1. Patient demographics, toxicities, and treatment outcomes were reviewed. Next generation sequencing was performed in selected cases.

Results.

Thirty-six patients were identified. The mean age was 54 and 50% had functional tumors. Grade 3 or greater toxicities were documented in 16 out of 36 patients (44%) and 17% had documented long term adrenal insufficiency. Progression of the disease as the best response occurred in 30 out of 36 patients (83%) and one patient (3%) experienced clinical progression. Three patients achieved a complete response (CR) (8%), one patient achieved a partial response (3%), and one patient (3%) had stable disease after slow disease progression prior to initiation of therapy (durable for 6 months). All responders had nonfunctional tumors. Next generation sequencing in two of the three CR patients was performed and failed to identify any novel alterations.

Conclusion.

In this retrospective series, mitotane had a low response rate and low tumor control rate; however, a disproportionately high complete response rate suggested it should be used in selected individuals. Adrenal insufficiency is common with mitotane use and aggressive treatment with steroid supplementation should be considered when appropriate to avoid excess toxicities. Biomarkers are desperately needed to further define this disease. The Oncologist 2017;22:1–5

Implications for Practice.

This is the first objective report of single agent mitotane using modern objective criteria. Although the vast majority of patients did not respond (and toxicity was high), we identified a remarkable 8% complete response rate (i.e. cure) in biopsy proven stage IV adrenocortical cancer patients. Biomarkers are desperately needed for this rare disease.

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Case Report: Encephalitis, with Brainstem Involvement, Following Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Metastatic Melanoma

Checkpoint inhibitors are increasingly being used in the treatment of malignant melanoma and other cancers. With the use of such therapies, autoimmune-mediated adverse events in the central and peripheral nervous system are likely to occur more frequently. We report a unique case of brainstem encephalitis with a sudden lethal outcome following ipilimumab and pembrolizumab therapy in a patient with malignant melanoma. The autopsy showed a diffuse nodular activation of microglia in the whole encephalon with prominent intraparenchymal and perivascular lymphocytic infiltration of the brainstem. Non-infectious brainstem encephalitis is a well-recognized subset of paraneoplastic encephalitis. Brainstem involvement is usually accompanied by a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms, which were not observed in this case. The timing of the clinical symptoms as well as the histopathological findings suggest an autoimmune-adverse event of ipilimumab and pembrolizumab administration rather than a paraneoplastic disorder. In the presence of neurological symptoms, immediate cessation of the immunotherapy and immunosuppressive therapy may lead to successful therapeutic intervention, as described in previous reports. Therefore, it is crucial that physicians are aware of the possible side effects of immunotherapies on the nervous system. The Oncologist 2017;22:1–5

Implications for Practice.

Metastatic melanoma patients treated with the anti-CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab have a high utilization of various types of health care services, such as inpatient hospital stays or doctor visits. There are differences across countries regarding patterns of health care utilization and economic burden of the disease. Health care services are used more frequently after patients experience progression of their disease. The study highlights that better therapies leading to durable response in patients with metastatic melanoma have the potential to decrease health care costs and patient burden in terms of hospitalizations and other health care services.

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Association of Pre-Chemotherapy Peripheral Blood Pro-Inflammatory and Coagulation Factors with Physical Function in Women with Breast Cancer

Background.

Pro-inflammatory and coagulation factors serve as biomarkers of aging and functional reserve. The purpose of this study was to determine if pro-inflammatory (interleukin-6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein [CRP]), and coagulation (D-dimer) factors were associated with pre-chemotherapy functional status in women with stage I–III breast cancer.

Patients and Methods.

Prior to chemotherapy initiation in patients with stage I–III breast cancer, the following was captured: IL-6, CRP, D-dimer blood levels, and physical function measures including activities of daily living (ADL, subscale of Medical Outcomes Study Physical Health); instrumental activities of daily living (IADL, subscale of the Older Americans Resources and Services Program); Timed Up and Go (TUG); physician-rated Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS); and self-rated KPS. The association of these biomarkers with physical function measures was evaluated.

Results.

One hundred sixty patients (mean age 58.3 years, range 30–81 years) with stage I–III breast cancer (stages I [n = 34; 21.5%], II [n = 88; 55.7%], III [n = 36; 22.8%]) were enrolled. The group with poorest physical function (defined by ADL <70, IADL <14, and TUG ≥10 seconds) had higher levels of IL-6 (p = .05), D-dimer (p = .0004), and CRP (p = .05). There was no significant association between these biomarkers and KPS. Patients with at least two biomarkers in the highest quartile were more likely to have poorer physical function (odds ration [OR] 18.75, p < .001). In multivariate analysis adjusting for age, stage, number of comorbidities, and body mass index, the association remained (OR 14.6, p = .002).

Conclusion.

Pre-chemotherapy biomarkers of aging are associated with poorer physical function among patients with breast cancer across the aging spectrum. The Oncologist 2017;22:1–7

Implications for Practice.

Commonly used physical function assessment tools may not reflect the diverse nature of physical function and risk for chemotherapy toxicity, particularly in older adults. No laboratory test reflects functional reserve. Pro-inflammatory and coagulation factors, such as IL-6, CRP, and D-dimer, can serve as biomarkers of aging and physical function; however, few studies have evaluated their utility in patients with cancer. This study was designed to understand the association between pre-chemotherapy biomarkers and physical function in women with early stage breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. Results indicate that elevated pre-chemotherapy levels in two of the three peripheral biomarkers are associated with the poorest physical function among patients with breast cancer across the aging spectrum.

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Social Network Structures of Breast Cancer Patients and the Contributing Role of Patient Navigators

Background.

Minority women in the U.S. continue to experience inferior breast cancer outcomes compared with white women, in part due to delays in care delivery. Emerging cancer care delivery models like patient navigation focus on social barriers, but evidence demonstrating how these models increase social capital is lacking. This pilot study describes the social networks of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and explores the contributing role of patient navigators.

Materials and Methods.

Twenty-five women completed a one hour interview about their social networks related to cancer care support. Network metrics identified important structural attributes and influential individuals. Bivariate associations between network metrics, type of network, and whether the network included a navigator were measured. Secondary analyses explored associations between network structures and clinical outcomes.

Results.

We identified three types of networks: kin-based, role and/or affect-based, or heterogeneous. Network metrics did not vary significantly by network type. There was a low prevalence of navigators included in the support networks (25%). Network density scores were significantly higher in those networks without a navigator. Network metrics were not predictive of clinical outcomes in multivariate models.

Conclusion.

Patient navigators were not frequently included in support networks, but provided distinctive types of support. If navigators can identify patients with poorly integrated (less dense) social networks, or who have unmet tangible support needs, the intensity of navigation services could be tailored. Services and systems that address gaps and variations in patient social networks should be explored for their potential to reduce cancer health disparities. The Oncologist 2017;22:1–7

Implications for Practice.

This study used a new method to identify the breadth and strength of social support following a diagnosis of breast cancer, especially examining the role of patient navigators in providing support. While navigators were only included in one quarter of patient support networks, they did provide essential supports to some individuals. Health care providers and systems need to better understand the contributions of social supports both within and outside of health care to design and tailor interventions that seek to reduce health care disparities and improve cancer outcomes.

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Ceftriaxone reverses deficits of behavior and neurogenesis in an MPTP-induced rat model of Parkinson’s disease dementia

Publication date: Available online 30 May 2017
Source:Brain Research Bulletin
Author(s): Ming-Hong Hsieh, Wan-Yun Meng, Wen-Chieh Liao, Jun-Cheng Weng, Hsin-Hua Li, Hong-Lin Su, Chih-Li Lin, Ching-Sui Hung, Ying-Jui Ho
Hyperactivity of the glutamatergic system is involved in excitotoxicity and neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) so that glutamatergic modulation maybe a potential therapeutic target for PD. Ceftriaxone (CEF) has been reported to increase glutamate uptake by increasing glutamate transporter expression and has been demonstrated neuroprotective effects in animal study. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of CEF on behavior and neurogenesis in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD rat model. MPTP was stereotaxically injected into the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of male Wistar rats. Starting on the same day after MPTP lesioning (day 0), the rats were injected daily with either CEF or saline for 14days and underwent a T-maze test on days 8-10 and an object recognition test on days 12-14, then the brain was taken for histological evaluation on day 15. The results showed that MPTP lesioning resulted in decreased motor function, working memory, and object recognition and reduced neurogenesis in the substantial nigra and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. These behavioral and neuronal changes were prevented by CEF treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that CEF prevents loss of neurogenesis in the brain of PD rats. CEF may therefore have clinical potential in the treatment of PD.



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Rotator cuff tendinopathy alters the muscle activity onset and kinematics of scapula

Publication date: Available online 30 May 2017
Source:Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology
Author(s): Hio Teng Leong, Gabriel Yin-fat Ng, Shing Chung Chan, Siu Ngor Fu
Athletes with rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathy demonstrate an aberrant pattern of scapular motion which might relate to deficits in the scapular muscles. This study aimed to determine whether alteration in scapular kinematics is associated with deficits in the activity onset of scapular muscles. Forty-three male volleyball players (17 asymptomatic and 26 with RC tendinopathy) joined the study. Three-dimensional scapular kinematics was quantified using an acromial marker cluster method. The activity onset of the upper (UT), middle (MT), and lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) during arm abduction was assessed with electromyography. Athletes with RC tendinopathy demonstrated less scapular upward rotation (6.6 ± 2.3° vs. 8.2 ± 1.1°, p = 0.021) in the early phase of shoulder abduction from 0° to 30° when compared to asymptomatic athletes. The tendinopathy group had delayed activity onset of LT (14.1 ± 31.4 ms vs. 74.4 ± 45.1 ms, p < 0.001) and SA (-44.9 ± 26.0 ms vs. 23.0 ± 25.2 ms, p < 0.001) relative to UT when compared to the asymptomatic group. In asymptomatic athletes, earlier activity onset of MT and LT relative to UT was associated with more scapular upward rotation during 0° to 30° of abduction (r = 0.665, p = 0.021) and 30° to 60° of abduction (r = 0.680, p = 0.015), respectively. Our findings showed the control of the scapular upward rotation is related to the activity onset of the scapular muscles in athletes.



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Ankle and knee biomechanics during normal walking following ankle plantarflexor fatigue

Publication date: Available online 30 May 2017
Source:Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology
Author(s): Michael A. Hunt, Gillian L. Hatfield
The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of unilateral ankle plantarflexor fatigue on bilateral knee and ankle biomechanics during gait. Lower leg kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activation were assessed before and after an ankle plantarflexor fatiguing protocol in 31 healthy individuals. Fatigue (defined as > 10% reduction in maximal isometric ankle plantarflexor torque production and a downward shift in the median power frequency of both heads of the gastrocnemius muscle of the fatigued limb) was achieved in 18 individuals, and only their data were used for analysis purposes. Compared to pre-fatigue walking trials, medial gastrocnemius activity was significantly reduced in the study (fatigued) limb. Other main changes following fatigue included significantly more knee flexion during loading, and an associated larger external knee flexion moment in the study limb. At the ankle joint, participants exhibited significantly less peak plantarflexion (occurring at toe-off) with fatigue. No significant differences were observed in the contralateral (non-fatigued) limb. Findings from this study indicate that fatigue of the ankle plantarflexor muscle does not produce widespread changes in gait biomechanics, suggesting that small to moderate changes in maximal ankle plantarflexor force production capacity (either an increase or decrease) will not have a substantial impact on normal lower limb functioning during gait.



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Long term beneficial effect of neurotrophic factors-secreting mesenchymal stem cells transplantation in the BTBR mouse model of autism

Publication date: 28 July 2017
Source:Behavioural Brain Research, Volume 331
Author(s): Nisim Perets, Hadar Segal-Gavish, Yael Gothelf, Ran Barzilay, Yael Barhum, Natalie Abramov, Stav Hertz, Darya Morozov, Michael London, Daniel Offen
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disabilities characterized by severe impairment in social communication skills and restricted, repetitive behaviors. We have previously shown that a single transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) into the cerebral lateral ventricles of BTBR autistic-like mice resulted in an improvement across all diagnostic criteria of ASD. We suggested that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein which supports the survival and regeneration of neurons secreted by MSC, largely contributed to the beneficial behavioral effect. In this study, we investigated the behavioral effects of transplanted MSC induced to secrete higher amounts of neurotrophic factors (NurOwn^®), on various ASD-related behavioral domains using the BTBR mouse model of ASD. We demonstrate that NurOwn^® transplantation had significant advantages over MSC transplantation in terms of improving communication skills, one and six months following treatment, as compared to sham-treated BTBR mice. Furthermore, NurOwn^® transplantation resulted in reduced stereotypic behavior for as long as six months post treatment, compared to the one month improvement observed in the MSC treated mice. Notably, NurOwn^® treatment resulted in improved cognitive flexibility, an improvement that was not observed by MSC treatment. Both MSC and NurOwn^® transplantation induced an improvement in social behavior that lasted for six months. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that a single transplantation of MSC or NurOwn^® have long-lasting benefits, while NurOwn^® may be superior to MSC treatment.



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Reduced Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter favors antidepressant behaviors and modulates serotonin and dopamine in female mouse brain

Publication date: 14 July 2017
Source:Behavioural Brain Research, Volume 330
Author(s): Marina Pádua-Reis, Nayara S. Aquino, Vinícius E.M. Oliveira, Raphael E. Szawka, Marco A.M. Prado, Vânia F. Prado, Grace S. Pereira
Depression is extremely harmful to modern society. Despite its complex spectrum of symptoms, previous studies have mostly focused on the monaminergic system in search of pharmacological targets. However, other neurotransmitter systems have also been linked to the pathophysiology of depression. In this study, we provide evidence for a role of the cholinergic system in depressive-like behavior of female mice. We evaluated mice knockdown for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT KD mice), which have been previously shown to exhibit reduced cholinergic transmission. Animals were subjected to the tail suspension and marble burying tests, classical paradigms to assess depressive-like behaviors and to screen for novel antidepressant drugs. In addition, brain levels of serotonin and dopamine were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. We found that female homozygous VAChT KD mice spent less time immobile during tail suspension and buried less marbles, indicating a less depressive phenotype. These differences in behavior were reverted by central, but not peripheral, acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Moreover, female homozygous VAChT KD mice exhibited higher levels of dopamine and serotonin in the striatum, and increased dopamine in the hippocampus. Our study thus shows a connection between depressive-like behaviors and the cholinergic system, and that the latter interacts with the monoaminergic system.



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Time and Speed of Vascular Pedicle Dissection in Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator Flap Elevation

J reconstr Microsurg
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1603351

Introduction Breast reconstruction using deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) free flap is widely used because of the advantages of minimizing donor-site morbidity, but it requires technical competency in vascular dissection. This study evaluated the influence of patient factors and vascular status on the time and speed of dissection of the vascular pedicle. Methods DIEP free flap procedures were performed in 49 patients assigned to immediate or delayed reconstruction groups. Factors that significantly influenced the time required and the speed of dissection were evaluated. Results The average total dissection time was 55.9 minutes (34.5 minutes for the intramuscular dissection and 21.4 minutes for the submuscular dissection). The dissection speed for the total vascular pedicle was 2.65 cm/10 minutes (1.71 cm/10 minutes for the intramuscular dissection and 4.30 cm/10 minutes for the submuscular dissection). The presence of a Pfannenstiel scar, length of the vascular pedicle in the intramuscular area, and the number of microclips used significantly correlated with the total dissection time. Conclusion The length of the intramuscular pedicle, number of microclips used, and presence of a Pfannenstiel scar significantly correlated with the total dissection time of the vascular pedicle. An assessment prior to the surgery can reduce the time of operation and make it easier to elevate the flap.
[...]

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Scholar : These new articles for Amyloid are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Amyloid and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Article Diagnostic score for the detection of cardiac amyloidosis in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and impact on prognosis Eve Cariou, Youssef Bennani Smires, Gérard Victor, Guillaume Robin, David Ribes, Pierre Pascal, Antoine Petermann, Pauline Fournier, Stanislas Faguer, Jérôme Roncalli, Hervé Rousseau, Dominique Chauveau, Didier Carrié, Isabelle Berry, Michel Galinier & Olivier Lairez; On behalf of the Toulouse Amyloidosis Research Network collaborators Pages: 1-9 | DOI: 10.1080/13506129.2017.1333956 Free access World Diabetes Day research collection – Eyes on Diabetes. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Acta Odontologica Scandinavica and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Article Knowledge and competence in temporomandibular disorders among Swedish general dental practitioners and dental hygienists Maja Gnauck, Tomas Magnusson & EwaCarin Ekberg Pages: 1-8 | DOI: 10.1080/00016357.2017.1331373 Free access World Diabetes Day research collection – Eyes on Diabetes. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for Africa Review are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Africa Review and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: BOOK REVIEW Competing norms: state regulations and local praxis in sub-Saharan Africa Abhiruchi Ojha Pages: 1-3 | DOI: 10.1080/09744053.2017.1329810 Interested in the political-economic topics surrounding China? You wouldn't want to miss this exclusive collection. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Advances in School Mental Health Promotion and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Differences between teacher reports on universal risk assessments Marissa K. Smith-Millman, Paul D. Flaspohler, Melissa A. Maras, Joni Williams Splett, Kristy Warmbold, Hannah Dinnen & Aaron Luebbe Pages: 1-15 | DOI: 10.1080/1754730X.2017.1333914 The impact on anxiety and depression of a whole school approach to health promotion: evidence from a Canadian comprehensive school health (CSH) initiative Wijaya Dassanayake, Jane Springett & Tania Shewring Pages: 1-14 | DOI: 10.1080/1754730X.2017.1333913 Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services – FREE ACCESS Article Collection - click here To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Archives and Manuscripts and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Here, there and everywhere: an analysis of reference services in academic archives Amanda Oliver, Amanda Jamieson & Anne Daniel Pages: 1-19 | DOI: 10.1080/01576895.2017.1324801 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Enhanced biocompatibility and long-term durability in vivo of Mg-Nd-Zn-Zr alloy for vascular stent application

Publication date: 5 October 2017
Source:Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Volume 720
Author(s): Lin Mao, Hao Zhou, Li Chen, Jialin Niu, Lei Zhang, Guangyin Yuan, Chengli Song
Biodegradable magnesium (Mg) alloy emerges as revolutionary biomaterial by meeting both engineering and medical requirements for implants. In this study, we report a Mg alloy Mg-2.5Nd-0.21Zn-0.44Zr (wt. %, denoted as JDBM) potential for vascular stent application due to its outstanding performance in corrosion behaviors and biocompatibility. The investigation of corrosion properties evaluated by immersion test and electrochemical measurement shows less susceptibility to pitting corrosion and lower corrosion rate of JDBM as compared with AZ31 alloy. The corrosion products of JDBM do not cause significant adverse effect on the cell viability and growth during in vitro cytotoxicity test of the Mg extract via human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). We also investigated macrophage response to the Mg extract and observed compromised foreign body reaction (FBR) determined by human peripheral blood derived macrophage fusion and inflammatory cytokine and chemokine secretion. At last, we performed in vivo degradation assessment via implantation of JDBM stent in an animal model, and confirmed long-term stability and structural integrity of the stent in blood vessel. Thus, the JDBM alloy with excellent biocompatibility and long-term stability and durability in vivo, represents a significant advance in the development of biodegradable implants.



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Experimental study on thermal and chemical stability of pentaerythritol blended with low melting alloy as possible PCM for latent heat storage

Publication date: November 2017
Source:Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, Volume 88
Author(s): K.P. Venkitaraj, S. Suresh
This paper presents the experimental investigation on the performance of a novel organic Solid-Solid/Low Melting Alloy composite PCM for thermal energy storage applications. Poly alcohols are solid-solid organic PCMs having low heat transfer characteristics due to their poor thermal conductivity. So additives are used to improve the thermal properties of poly alcohols. Metal and its alloys with low melting point exhibit a much stronger heat transfer capacity than that of traditional organic PCMs. Therefore, low melting metals and alloys can be considered as effective additives for improving the thermal performance of organic PCMs. But the presence of additives used for enhancing the heat transfer characteristics may result in thermal and chemical degradation of the material. In this experimental work, the effect of adding the low melting alloy (LMA) of Bi, Sn, Zn and In on the thermal and chemical stability of Pentaerythritol (PE) was investigated using the characterisation methods such as TGA-DTA, DSC and FTIR. For this, thermal cycling of pure PE, and PE mixed with 0.1% & 0.5% of LMA were performed. The characterisation results of PE mixed with LMA after 100 thermal cycles were compared with pure PE samples. The thermal conductivity of the PCM samples was studied using laser flash method. It was found that thermal conductivity of PE, PE+0.1%LMA, and PE+0.5%LMA after 100 thermal cycles decreased by 3.21%, 4.55% and 10.08%. Thermogravimetric analysis of pentaerythritol added with LMA showed a noticeable change in material thermal behavior due to thermal cycling. The test results revealed that the weight loss in the pure PE was lower than the weight loss for PE samples mixed with LMA subjected to 100 thermal cycles. The FTIR results did not show the formation of any new chemical bonds in pentaerythritol and therefore PE samples with LMA additives can be considered as chemically stable during thermal cycling. DSC and DTA results showed about 6%, 8% and 15% of the decrease in enthalpy value after 100 thermal cycles for pure PE, PE+0.1%LMA and PE+0.5%LMA respectively. Thermal storage/release test conducted showed a decrease of 14.64% and 30.22% in the time taken for total energy storage and release for PE+0.1%LMA and PE+0.5%LMA compared to pure PE.

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