bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple points of equilibrium for active magnetic regenerators using first order magnetocaloric material
Authors: Niknia I. , Trevizoli P. V. , Govindappa P. , Christiaanse T. V. , Teyber R. , Rowe A.
Published: May 2018

First order transition material (FOM) usually exhibits magnetocaloric effects in a narrow temperature range which complicates their use in an active magnetic regenerator (AMR) refrigerator. In addition, the magnetocaloric effect in first order materials can vary with field and temperature history of the material. This study examines the behavior of a MnFe(P,Si) FOM sample in an AMR cycle using a numerical model and experimental measurements. For certain operating conditions, multiple points of equilibrium (MPE) exist for a fixed hot rejection temperature. Stable and unstable points of equilibriums (PEs) are identified and the impacts of heat loads, operating conditions, and configuration losses on the number of PEs are discussed. It is shown that the existence of multiple PEs can affect the performance of an AMR significantly for certain operating conditions. In addition, the points where MPEs exist appear to be linked to the device itself, not just the material, suggesting the need to layer a regenerator in a way that avoids MPE conditions and to layer with a specific device in mind.
On the wetting properties of human stratum corneum epidermidis surface exposed to cold atmospheric-pressure pulsed plasma
Authors: Athanasopoulos D. , Svarnas P. , Ladas S. , Kennou S. , Koutsoukos P.
Published: May 2018

The Stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin, acting as a protective barrier of the epidermis, and its surface properties are directly related to the spreading of topically applied drugs and cosmetics. Numerous works have been devoted to the wettability of this layer over the past 70 years, but, despite the extensive application of atmospheric-pressure plasmas to dermatology, stratum corneum wettability with respect to plasma-induced species has never been considered. The present report assesses the treatment of human stratum corneum epidermidis by atmospheric-pressure pulsed cold plasma-jets for various time intervals and both chemical and morphological modifications are probed. The increase and saturation of the surface free energy due to functionalization are demonstrated, whereas prolonged treatment leads to tissue local disruption (tissue integrity is lost, and stratum corneum looks exfoliated, porous, and even thermally damaged). The latter point arises skepticism about the common practice of contacting atmospheric-pressure plasmas with skin without any previous precautions since the lost skin surface integrity may allow the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms.
Whistler waves with electron temperature anisotropy and non-Maxwellian distribution functions
Authors: Malik M. Usman , Masood W. , Qureshi M. N. S. , Mirza Arshad M.
Published: May 2018

The previous works on whistler waves with electron temperature anisotropy narrated the dependence on plasma parameters, however, they did not explore the reasons behind the observed differences. A comparative analysis of the whistler waves with different electron distributions has not been made to date. This paper attempts to address both these issues in detail by making a detailed comparison of the dispersion relations and growth rates of whistler waves with electron temperature anisotropy for Maxwellian, Cairns, kappa and generalized (r, q) distributions by varying the key plasma parameters for the problem under consideration. It has been found that the growth rate of whistler instability is maximum for flat-topped distribution whereas it is minimum for the Maxwellian distribution. This work not only summarizes and complements the previous work done on the whistler waves with electron temperature anisotropy but also provides a general framework to understand the linear propagation of whistler waves with electron temperature anisotropy that is applicable in all regions of space plasmas where the satellite missions have indicated their presence.
Change in the entropy during a first-order phase transition induced by a magnetic field in an isotropic non-Heisenberg ferromagnet
Authors: Lavanov G. Yu. , Kalita V. M. , Loktev V. M.
Published: May 2018

We describe a first-order phase transition in an isotropic non-Heisenberg ferromagnet induced by a magnetic field with a fourth-order spin exchange interaction at temperatures above the Curie point. The field behavior of the magnetization is analyzed and the temperature dependences of the critical fields of the stability of the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases as well as the critical field of the phase transition between them are determined. It is shown that this first-order phase transition has a finite amplitude of the magnetization jump and can occur in small magnetic fields. An H–T phase diagram is presented. It is found that the amplitude of the phase jump during the magnetic field-induced transition from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic phase can exceed the magnitude of the entropy change of an isotropic Heisenberg ferromagnet by two orders of magnitude when it is magnetized at the Curie point. It is shown that the expansion of the free energy model up to the 6th power in magnetization can only qualitatively describe the entropy behavior in the phase transition between the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases.
A refraction-corrected tomographic algorithm for immersion laser-ultrasonic imaging of solids with piecewise linear surface profile
Authors: Zarubin V. , Bychkov A. , Simonova V. , Zhigarkov V. , Karabutov A. , Cherepetskaya E.
Published: May 2018

In this paper, a technique for reflection mode immersion 2D laser-ultrasound tomography of solid objects with piecewise linear 2D surface profiles is presented. Pulsed laser radiation was used for generation of short ultrasonic probe pulses, providing high spatial resolution. A piezofilm sensor array was used for detection of the waves reflected by the surface and internal inhomogeneities of the object. The original ultrasonic image reconstruction algorithm accounting for refraction of acoustic waves at the liquid-solid interface provided longitudinal resolution better than 100 μm in the polymethyl methacrylate sample object.
Plasmonic metamaterials go dark with interference-based absorption
Authors: Majors J. H.
Published: May 2018

A new design for a multispectral absorber features an array of aligned nanogrooves and ring resonators that employ interference to create absorption effects.
Essential oils from Lippia turbinata and Tagetes minuta persistently reduce in vitro ruminal methane production in a continuous-culture system
Authors: Garcia F. , Vercoe P. E. , Martínez M. J. , Durmic Z. , Brunetti M. A. , Moreno M. V. , Colombatto D. , Lucini E. , Ferrer J. Martínez
Published: May 2018

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of essential oils (EO) from Lippia turbinata (LT) and Tagetes minuta (TM) as well as the rotation of both EO on fermentation parameters in vitro. Daily addition of LT, TM, or a 3-day rotation between them (TM/LT), as well as a control (without EO), was evaluated using the rumen simulation technique (Rusitec). The experiment lasted 19 days, with a 7-day adaptation period, followed by 12 days of treatment (Days 0–12). The EO were dissolved in ethanol (70% vol/vol) to be added daily to fermenters (300 μL/L) from Day 0. Daily measurements included methane concentration, total gas production, apparent DM disappearance and pH, which started 2 days before the addition of treatments. On Days 0, 4, 8 and 12 apparent crude protein disappearance and neutral detergent fibre disappearance, ammonia and volatile fatty acid concentration and composition were determined. Methane production was significantly inhibited shortly after addition of both EO added individually, and persisted over time with no apparent adaptation to EO addition. The TM/LT treatment showed a similar effect on methane production, suggesting that rotating the EO did not bring further improvements in reduction or persistency compared with the inclusion of the EO individually. Gas production, total volatile fatty acid concentration and composition and apparent crude protein disappearance were not affected by EO addition. Compared with the control, a 5% reduction of apparent DM disappearance and a 15% reduction of neutral detergent fibre disappearance were observed with the addition of EO. Only TM and TM/LT reduced ammonia concentration. Given the significant and persistent antimethanogenic activity of both EO, and the potential of T. minuta to modify nitrogen metabolism, EO from these plant species are of interest for developing new feed additives with potential application in ruminant nutrition that are also likely to be acceptable to consumers.
MAPLE 2.3.0: an improved system for evaluating the functionomes of genomes and metagenomes
Authors: Arai Wataru , Taniguchi Takeaki , Goto Susumu , Moriya Yuki , Uehara Hideya , Takemoto Kazuhiro , Ogata Hiroyuki , Takami Hideto
Published: May 2018

MAPLE is an automated system for inferring the potential comprehensive functions harbored by genomes and metagenomes. To reduce runtime in MAPLE analyzing the massive amino acid datasets of over 1 million sequences, we improved it by adapting the KEGG automatic annotation server to use GHOSTX and verified no substantial difference in the MAPLE results between the original and new implementations.
The Oxford Companion to the English Language
Authors: McArthur Tom , Lam-McArthur Jacqueline , Fontaine Lise
Published: May 2018

Over 1,400 entries

This new edition of a landmark Companion notably focuses on World Englishes, English language teaching, English as an international language, and the effect of technological advances on the English language. More than 130 new entries include African American English, British Sign Language, China English, digital literacy, multimodality, social networking, superdiversity, and text messaging. It also includes new biographical entries on key individuals who have had an impact on the English language in recent decades, including Beryl (Sue) Atkins, Adam Kilgariff, and John Sinclair.

It is an invaluable reference for English language students and fascinating reading for any general reader with an interest in language.
The entrance of statistics and mathematical models
Authors: Harper Sarah
Published: May 2018

By the 19th century the study of demography had developed from John Graunt’s primitive life table to the complex statistical laws and theories of Benjamin Gompertz and William Makeham. ‘The entrance of statistics and mathematical models’ describes the Gompertz–Makeham law of mortality, the first parametric model of human mortality that is still valid today, and the formation of the International Union for the Scientific Investigation of Population Problems in 1927. It also outlines the contributions of William Farr, Francis Galton, Karl Pearson, Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher, Leonard Henry Tippett, Ansley Johnson Coale, William Brass, and John ‘Jack’ Caldwell to the development of demography and demographic methods and analysis from the 19th century to the 21st century.
The trouble with terrorism
Authors: Townshend Charles
Published: May 2018

The point of terrorism is to upset and make people feel vulnerable. ‘The trouble with terrorism’ attempts to define terrorism by examining the relationship between terror and war. Should all acts of terrorism be regarded as illegal? What factors decide whether an act of violence by non-state actors is justifiable despite being illegal? There are three elements in the terror process: seizing attention (shock, horror, fear, or revulsion), getting the terrorist message across, and fight or flight (the response to terrorism). The different strategies of terror, the shapes and forms of different terrorist organizations and their arms, as well as the role of women in terrorism are also considered.
9. Confronting the Soviets
Authors: Symonds Craig L.
Published: May 2018

At the end of World War II, the U.S. Navy was more than twice as large as all the rest of the navies of the world combined. The inevitable contraction that followed was less draconian than after previous wars because of the almost immediate emergence of the Cold War. ‘Confronting the Soviets: the Cold War navy (1945–1975)’ explains that while deterring a Soviet missile strike remained a primary mission of all of America’s services throughout the Cold War, the United States also confronted a series of smaller wars around the world. These included the Korean War, unrest in the Middle East, the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War, 1965–74.
A strengths-based data capture model: mining data-driven and person-centered health assets
Authors: Gao Grace , Kerr Madeleine J , Lindquist Ruth A , Chi Chih-Lin , Mathiason Michelle A , Austin Robin R , Monsen Karen A
Published: May 2018

With health care policy directives advancing value-based care, risk assessments and management have permeated health care discourse. The conventional problem-based infrastructure defines what data are employed to build this discourse and how it unfolds. Such a health care model tends to bias data for risk assessment and risk management toward problems and does not capture data about health assets or strengths. The purpose of this article is to explore and illustrate the incorporation of a strengths-based data capture model into risk assessment and management by harnessing data-driven and person-centered health assets using the Omaha System. This strengths-based data capture model encourages and enables use of whole-person data including strengths at the individual level and, in aggregate, at the population level. When aggregated, such data may be used for the development of strengths-based population health metrics that will promote evaluation of data-driven and person-centered care, outcomes, and value.
Spatially resolved metal gas clouds
Authors: Péroux C , Rahmani H , Arrigoni Battaia F , Augustin R
Published: May 2018

We now have mounting evidences that the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of galaxies is polluted with metals processed through stars. The fate of these metals is however still an open question and several findings indicate that they remain poorly mixed. A powerful tool to study the low-density gas of the CGM is offered by absorption lines in quasar spectra, although the information retrieved is limited to 1D along the sightline. We report the serendipitous discovery of two close-by bright zgal = 1.148 extended galaxies with a fortuitous intervening zabs = 1.067 foreground absorber. MUSE IFU observations spatially probes kpc-scales in absorption in the plane of the sky over a total area spanning ∼30 kpc−2. We identify two [O ii] emitters at zabs down to 21 kpc with SFR ∼ 2 M⊙ yr−1. We measure small fractional variations (<30 per cent) in the equivalent widths of Fe ii and Mg ii cold gas absorbers on coherence scales of 8 kpc but stronger variation on larger scales (25 kpc). We compute the corresponding cloud gas mass <2 × 109 M⊙. Our results indicate a good efficiency of the metal mixing on kpc-scales in the CGM of a typical z ∼ 1 galaxy. This study show-cases new prospects for mapping the distribution and sizes of metal clouds observed in absorption against extended background sources with 3D spectroscopy.
Collision strengths for FIR and UV transitions in P iii and the phosphorus abundance
Authors: Naghma Rahla , Nahar Sultana N , Pradhan Anil K
Published: May 2018

Phosphorus abundance is crucial for DNA-based extraterrestrial life in exoplanets. Atomic data for observed spectral lines of P-ions are needed for its accurate determination. We present the first calculations for collision strengths for the forbidden [P iii] fine structure transition $\mathrm{ 3s^23p (^2P^o_{1/2{\text{--}}3/2})}$ within the ground state at 17.9 $\mu$m , as well as allowed UV transitions in the $\mathrm{ 3s^23p (^2P^o_{1/2,3/2}) \rightarrow 3s3p^2 (^2D_{3/2,5/2}, ^2S_{1/2}, ^2P_{1/2,3/2})}$ multiplets between 915 and 1345 Å. Collision strengths are computed using the Breit–Pauli R-Matrix method including the first 18 levels, and they exhibit extensive auto-ionizing resonance structures. In particular, the Maxwellian averaged effective collision strength for the FIR 17.9 $\mu$m  transition shows a factor 3 temperature variation broadly peaking at typical nebular temperatures. Its theoretical emissivity with solar phosphorus abundance is computed relative to H β and found to be similar to observed intensities from planetary nebulae; the abundances derived in earlier works are 3–5 times sub-solar. The results pertain to the reported paucity of phosphorus from preferred production sites in supernovae, and abundances in planetary nebulae and supernova remnants.
Automated Telephone Follow-up for Smoking Cessation in Smokers With Coronary Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Reid Robert D , Aitken Debbie A , Mullen Kerri-Anne , McDonnell Lisa , Armstrong Ashley , LeBlanc Allana G , Slovinec-D’Angelo Monika , Pipe Andrew L
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Smokers with coronary heart disease (CHD) benefit from in-hospital cessation treatment, but relapse is common without ongoing support postdischarge. The purpose of this study was to determine if smoking abstinence would be higher after hospital discharge in smokers who received automated telephone follow-up (ATF) and nurse-counseling, compared with a standard care (SC) control group.

Methods

A total of 440 smokers hospitalized with CHD were randomly assigned to the ATF group (n = 216) or to the SC group (n = 224). Participants in the ATF group received automated phone calls 3, 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days after hospital discharge. The ATF system posed questions concerning smoking status, confidence in staying smoke-free, and need for assistance. If flagged by the ATF system, a nurse-counselor provided additional counseling by phone. Self-reported continuous smoking abstinence was assessed 26 and 52 weeks postdischarge using intention-to-treat analysis. The main outcome measure was continuous abstinence for weeks 1–26 postdischarge.

Results

Participants in the ATF group achieved higher abstinence rates for weeks 1–26 than those in the SC group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01 to 2.33). There was no significant difference between groups in abstinence rates for weeks 27–52 (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 0.89 to 2.09).

Conclusions

ATF-mediated follow-up helped smokers with CHD achieve abstinence during the intervention period. There was a trend toward clinically important improvements for weeks 27–52; but between-group differences for this time point did not achieve statistical significance.

Clinical Trial Number

NCT00449852.

Implications

Automated telephone follow-up exerts its effect by reinforcing participants’ efforts to be smoke-free and by proactively linking people requiring assistance to individualized support (eg, telephone counseling). This study shows that automated telephone follow-up can assist smokers with CHD in remaining smoke-free; however, the success of automated telephone follow-up is limited to the treatment period and abstinence rates after the treatment period were not statistically different from among those receiving standard care. Extended treatment via automated telephone follow-up may provide a solution to extend cessation assistance beyond hospital discharge.
Distal Measurements Can Produce False Negative Results: A Prospective Secondary Analysis of a Natural History Study
Authors: Klemperer Elias M , Hughes John R , Naud Shelly
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Most prospective studies of quit attempts (QAs) or abstinence measure the ability of variables to predict quitting many weeks or months later. This design ignores more proximal fluctuations in the predictor that may be more relevant. The present secondary analysis compares 6-week (distal) and daily (proximal) changes in cigarettes per day (CPD) as predictors of making a QA.

Methods

Daily smokers reported CPD and QAs nightly throughout a 12-week natural history study. We provided no treatment. In the distal analysis, we tested whether reduction in CPD between baseline and 6 weeks predicted making a QA during the following 6 weeks. In the proximal analysis, we identified episodes of one or more days of ≥10% reduction in CPD and tested whether reduction predicted making a QA on the day immediately after the reduction episode. We tested the following predictors: (1) reduction in CPD of ≥10% (yes/no), (2) percent reduction, (3) absolute magnitude of reduction, and (4) CPD at the end of reduction.

Results

In the distal analysis, reduction did not predict making a QA. In the proximal analysis, any reduction (OR = 3.0), greater percent reduction (OR = 1.6), greater absolute reduction (OR = 1.3), and fewer CPD on the final day of an episode (OR = 11.8) predicted making a QA the next day (all p < .001).

Discussion

Relying on distal measurements to identify causes of a behavior may produce false-negative results. Increased use of technological advances will make assessments of the more valid proximal measurements more feasible.

Implications

This secondary analysis tested distal and proximal predictors of making a quit attempt among the same participants and found that distal tests did not, but proximal tests did predict quit attempts. Relying on distal measurements may result in false negatives.
Vicarious Trauma Redefining PTSD
Authors: Sprang Ginny
Published: May 2018

Vicarious trauma occurs when individuals are exposed indirectly to the direct trauma experienced by others, usually through sensory contact with graphic, traumatic content. This indirect exposure can produce symptoms of distress that fall on a continuum of mild to severe, with subcategories of vicarious trauma often referred to as secondary traumatic stress (STS), compassion fatigue, and vicarious traumatization. STS is a trauma condition that parallels post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and includes the symptom domains of re-experiencing, avoidance, disturbances of arousal and reactivity, and alterations of cognitions and mood. The term STS is used broadly to include both threshold and subthreshold symptoms of PTSD caused by indirect exposure. It is assumed in the definition of STS that Criterion A for PTSD, an exposure to a traumatic stressor (including vicarious exposure) has occurred. In application and reference, this term is used primarily to refer to professionals or others whose occupations or experiences require the solicitation or receipt of trauma details. Compassion fatigue is used inconsistently in the literature to refer to symptoms of STS, burnout, moral distress, empathic strain, and interchangeably with STS. In Pearlman and Saakvitne’s 1995 book, Trauma and the Therapist, vicarious traumatization is defined as a permanent “transformation in the inner experience of the therapist that comes about as a result of empathic engagement with client’s trauma material” (p. 280). It is considered to be the consequence of long-term exposure to indirect trauma. In the 2017 article “Toward a Mechanism for Secondary Trauma Induction and Reduction: Reimagining a Theory of Secondary Traumatic Stress,” Marne Ludick and Charles Figley offer a model of compassion fatigue resilience that describes the occurrence of STS given varying levels of exposure and competence. This model has some promise as a guide to research and practice. Prevalence estimates are difficult to determine based on the wide range of criteria used to establish caseness. The severity of trauma symptoms following indirect exposure is not well documented and understood in the context of PTSD following direct exposure. This remains an area warranting further investigation.
Evaluating Antimicrobial Use and Spectrum of Activity in Ontario Hospitals: Feasibility of a Multicentered Point Prevalence Study
Authors: Leung Valerie , Li Michael , Wu Julie Hui-Chih , Langford Bradley , Zvonar Rosemary , Powis Jeff , Longpre Julie , Béïque Lizanne , Gill Suzanne , Ho Grace , Garber Gary
Published: May 2018

Background

Antimicrobial stewardship, a key component of an overall strategy to address antimicrobial resistance, has been recognized as a global priority. The ability to track and benchmark antimicrobial use (AMU) is critical to advancing stewardship from an organizational and provincial perspective. As there are few comprehensive systems in Canada that allow for benchmarking, Public Health Ontario conducted a pilot in 2016/2017 to assess the feasibility of using a point prevalence methodology as the basis of a province-wide AMU surveillance program.

Methods

Three acute care hospitals of differing sizes in Ontario, Canada, participated. Adults admitted to inpatient acute care beds on the survey date were eligible for inclusion; a sample size of 170 per hospital was targeted, and data were collected for the 24-hour period before and including the survey date. Debrief sessions at each site were used to gather feedback about the process. Prevalence of AMU and the Antimicrobial Spectrum Index (ASI) was reported for each hospital and by indication per patient case.

Results

Participants identified required improvements for scalability including streamlining ethics, data sharing processes, and enhancing the ability to compare with peer organizations at a provincial level. Of 457 patients, 172 (38%) were receiving at least 1 antimicrobial agent. Beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors were the most common (18%). The overall mean ASI per patient was 6.59; most cases were for treatment of infection (84%).

Conclusions

This pilot identified factors and features required for a scalable provincial AMU surveillance program; future efforts should harmonize administrative processes and enable interfacility benchmarking.
Outcomes Following Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery in the Elderly: A Retrospective Single-Center Review
Authors: Memel Zoe , Chesney Kelsi , Pangal Dhiraj J , Bonney Phillip A , Carmichael John D , Zada Gabriel
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for pituitary adenomas (PAs) is performed on elderly patients with increasing frequency. More research is necessary to assess the risk factors that are associated with TSS in an aging population.

OBJECTIVE

To perform a retrospective study on postoperative safety outcomes following TSS in the elderly population stratified by decade of life.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of the USC Pituitary Database was conducted to identify patients ≥70 yr, who underwent TSS for PAs between 1995 and 2017. Surgical outcomes were analyzed in elderly (≥70 yr) vs nonelderly (<70 yr) patients. Elderly patients were additionally stratified according to age 70 to 79 vs ≥80 yr.

RESULTS

The cohorts included 115 elderly patients (70-79 yr: 94 patients; ≥80 yr: 21 patients) and 770 nonelderly patients. Elderly patients presented with more vision loss (62% vs 38%, P < .0001), dizziness (17% vs 6%, P = .0001) and altered mental status (7.3% vs 3%, P = .0451). Overall rates of surgical, medical, and endocrine complications were similar; however, elderly patients had significantly higher rates of postoperative hyponatremia (9.3% vs 4.7%, P = .0401) and lower rates of transient diabetes insipidus (0.9% vs 7.9%, P = .0038). Patients ≥ 80 yr had significantly more surgical complications (26.3%) compared to the 70 to 79 group (7.87%; P = .021) and <70 group (12.5%; P = .04).

CONCLUSION

Patients >70 yr are appropriate surgical candidates for TSS given the similar safety outcomes as younger patients. Given the higher propensity for surgical complications; however, a higher level of operative selectivity should be maintained in octogenarian patients.
Stimulation Contractility Gradient of a Neuromuscular Choristoma Within the Sciatic Nerve: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Stone Jonathan J , Amrami Kimberly K , Carter Jodi M , Spinner Robert J
Published: May 2018

Neuromuscular choristoma (NMC) is a rare congenital nerve lesion that is classified by the presence of heterotopic muscle fibers intercalated within nerve fascicles.
1
The presence of NMC typically causes progressive neuropathy and bony/soft tissue undergrowth, often leading to a shortened atrophic limb.
2,3
The typical appearance of NMC on magnetic resonance imaging is an enlarged fusiform nerve that exhibits minimal gadolinium enhancement.
4
While there is increasing documentation of pathognomonic clinical and radiographic features for various diffuse fusiform peripheral nerve lesions, nerve biopsy is still occasionally required for some patients given the rarity of these diseases and progressive neuropathic features.

The intraoperative appearance of NMC and its unique electrical stimulation properties are quite interesting. Intrafascicular replacement of nerve by skeletal muscle gives the nerve a red beefy color and causes the fascicles to contract with electrical stimulation.
5
In this video, we demonstrate the intraoperative appearance and contractile properties of NMC in a 60-yr-old woman with progressive sciatic neuropathy. Histologic and immunohistochemical studies identified a gradient of intralesional mature skeletal muscle within the NMC, with substantially fewer desmin-positive skeletal muscle fibers in the distal aspect. A gradient of contractility with intraoperative stimulation seemed to correlate with this pathology. These findings suggest that the lesional extent of NMC may not be clinically or grossly evident, reflecting a varying distribution of skeletal muscle within the affected nerve.

The Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board Office for Human Research Protection does not require approval for single participant case studies. The subject involved in this study was not identifiable and the general surgical consent form included permission for intraoperative photos and video.
A Brief Life of a Very Long Life
Authors: Schiff David
Published: May 2018

This chapter outlines the known facts about Carter’s life and tracks the reception history of his music. Carter grew up in a comfortable upper middle class New York household and was groomed to take over the successful importing business founded by his grandfather. His family gave him piano lessons but otherwise discouraged his pursuit of music which only began in earnest when he was in high school and first met Charles Ives. Even after that meeting, Carter studied literature, not music, as a Harvard undergraduate, and only received a full musical education when he went to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger. This delayed development cast Carter into relative obscurity until the age of forty and critical recognition only came a decade later when he was awarded the first of two Pulitzer Prizes. With the arrival of post-modernism, there was a critical reaction against Carter’s music in the USA, tempered, toward the very end of his life, with some appreciation of the clarity of his very late works.
Introduction
Authors: Seidman Laurence
Published: May 2018

Are we ready to combat the next severe recession? We can be, but we’re not. Experience shows that a huge boost in demand for goods and services can be achieved by a large fiscal stimulus—in particular, a temporary large increase in tax rebates for households. So why aren’t we ready? Because a large fiscal stimulus has always in the past required large borrowing by the Treasury. Fortunately, the assumption that a large fiscal stimulus requires an increase in government debt is false. In fact, it is astonishingly easy to implement a very large fiscal stimulus without any increase in government debt. All it takes is this: When Congress enacts fiscal stimulus, the Federal Reserve can decide to make a transfer (not loan) to the Treasury roughly equal to the fiscal stimulus so the Treasury doesn’t have to borrow. That’s it.
Can’t Monetary Stimulus Overcome a Severe Recession?
Authors: Seidman Laurence
Published: May 2018

Why can’t cutting interest rates to zero overcome a severe recession? In a severe recession, aggregate demand for goods and services is much too low, so there must be a large increase in customer demand for goods and services. To cut interest rates banks charge consumers and firms, the Fed buys Treasury bonds from private bondholders through its standard open-market operations, the private bond sellers deposit their Fed checks in banks, and banks have excess reserves they would like to lend to borrowers who they judge will be able to repay them. But in a severe recession, banks doubt many borrowers will be able to repay, and even if banks offer to lend at a very low interest rate, consumers and businesses are reluctant to borrow and spend because they believe they might be unable to repay the principal plus interest on the loan.
Are We Ready for the Next Severe Recession?
Authors: Seidman Laurence
Published: May 2018

In early 2009, a majority in both houses of Congress and the president favored fiscal stimulus, but they were also worried about rising federal deficits and debt caused by the recession itself, and were therefore reluctant to propose a fiscal stimulus large enough to overcome the recession. As a consequence, the fiscal stimulus that was enacted and implemented was, according to the author’s calculations in early 2009, only a half of what was needed, and according to the author’s later calculations, a third of what was needed. This sobering experience shows that we are still not ready to combat a severe recession. So for the first time the author asked whether it would be possible to implement a large fiscal stimulus without any increase in government deficits and debt. Once the question was asked, it wasn’t long before an astonishingly simple way to do it emerged.
A Critical Analysis of Racial Categories in the Age of Genomics
Authors: Suzuki Kazuko , von Vacano Diego A.
Published: May 2018

This introduction discusses perspectives on race after the genomics revolution, which posed a serious question to those who had accepted the synthetic or nonnatural foundations of the idea and the phenomenon of race. Some argued that the new genomics data affirmed either the existence of biologically distinctive human subgroups or the need to use these new findings to address apparent health disparities along “racial” lines. Although some scholars have argued that we should discard the idea of race altogether, the fact remains that it is a widely used concept in social reality. Due to the tensions between biological, medical, and genetic understandings of race, there is no term that properly describes the distinction between a genetically rooted racial concept and a socioculturally rooted racial concept. A new concept, clusivity, is proposed here to make analytical distinctions for further explorations of “race” in the postgenomic age.
How Did East Asians Become Yellow?
Authors: Keevak Michael
Published: May 2018

This chapter offers a brief historical intervention explaining the rise of the term yellow for racial thinking about Asians. Using his binomial nomenclature species-naming system, the Swedish taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus separated Homo sapiens into four continental types, with distinct colors assigned to each. Over two decades later the German anatomist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach also classified Asians as yellow in his five-race scheme. Although some early twentieth-century anthropologists claimed to have proven that Mongolians (Asians) were physically yellow in an attempt to place Asians lower than Europeans, the initial categorization of yellow had no visual or biological basis. As Asians continued to refuse to take part in Western systems (Christianity, international trade), Europeans' perceptions of Asians' skin color darkened. Moreover in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, the yellow idea began to spread to East Asian cultures themselves.
Academic Regionalism and the Study of Human Genetic Variation in a Transnational Context
Authors: Sun Shirley
Published: May 2018

This chapter discusses academic regionalism and racialization of ethnicity in Asia. Geneticists from China, Japan, and South Korea were interviewed about Asianism and the racialization of ethnicity. Four major themes emerged from these interviews: that there is a need to recognize the genetic diversity of the Asian population in clinical trials in the United States, that ethnicity was used as a basis to start the population variation study, that the consortium identified genetic diversity through ethnicity as defined by local geneticists, and that a reaction to Eurocentrism underpins the pride of emerging Asian players in genome science. The overall conclusion resulting from the discussions with the geneticists is that ethnicity is a sociopolitical construct rather than biological.
The Development of Relational Aggression
Authors: Coyne Sarah M. , Ostrov Jamie M.
Published: May 2018

This chapter provides an overview to The Development of Relational Aggression. It focusses on one type of nonphysical aggression—namely, relational aggression. Relational aggression is defined as behavior that is intended to harm another’s relationships or feelings of inclusion in a group. Unlike physical aggression, the scars of relational aggression are more difficult to see. However, victims (and aggressors) may experience strong and long-lasting consequences, including reduced self-esteem, loneliness, substance use, eating pathology, depression, and anxiety. The field of relational, indirect, and social aggression is introduced in this chapter and the need for research on these topics is delineated. Each chapter in the volume is briefly described and the major points summarized. Additionally, this chapter synthesizes the book as a whole and describes the need to examine these behaviors in a developmental context.
Media and Relational Aggression
Authors: Martins Nicole , Coyne Sarah M. , Linder Jennifer Ruh
Published: May 2018

The majority of the existing research on media aggression has focused on media violence and its effects on physical aggression. However, more recently, scholars have focused their attention on other forms of aggression in the media, such as relational aggression, and its effects on viewer attitudes and behaviors. This chapter reviews the existing theory and research on the portrayal of relational aggression in the media; how exposure to such portrayals is related to subsequent aggressive behaviors across childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood; and potential moderators and mediators of effects. We conclude with specific recommendations for future research, particularly as it relates to theory building and public policy.
Relational Aggression in Sibling Relationships
Authors: Campione-Barr Nicole , Giron Sonia E. , Odudu Christopher
Published: May 2018

Given the uniqueness of siblings, it is important to consider the presence and role of relational aggression within the sibling relationship. Due to the time spent together and the information disclosed between siblings, during conflict, such information could be used in threatening or relationally aggressive ways. Relationally aggressive actions do not pose a threat to end the sibling relationship, making it a safe relationship to practice such strategies. While parents are likely to be aware of physical aggression between siblings, and attempt to stop it, relational aggression may be difficult for parents to catch and address, reinforcing its effectiveness as a strategy of control. This chapter describes the developmental course of relational aggression within the sibling relationship, as well as associations between relational aggression in the sibling relationship and relationships with others. Finally, we highlight the conclusions and limitations of this research and offer ideas for future research directions.
Relational Aggression in Dating and Romantic Relationships
Authors: Zimmer-Gembeck Melanie J. , Duffy Amanda L. , Ferguson Samantha , Gardner Alex A.
Published: May 2018

Romantic relational aggression (RRA) is aimed at harming a romantic partner’s relationships with others. In this chapter, we discuss 15 RRA studies that show a high prevalence of RRA in surveys of adolescents, young adults, and married partners, and a gender difference (favoring females) in studies with large sample sizes. There is evidence of personal and social antecedents (e.g., parents and peers) of RRA, as well as poorer psychosocial outcomes from RRA. Researchers are identifying a developmental pathway from late childhood or adolescent general relational aggression to RRA, which seems to also involve attributions for and beliefs about aggressive and other hostile behavior, physiological and emotional reactions, and alcohol use. We present key future research directions, including the integration of RRA research with that from related fields, clarification regarding the conceptualization and measurement of RRA, and the development and evaluation of intervention programs aimed at reducing this form of aggression.
An Updated Review of Existing Relational Aggression Programs
Authors: Leff Stephen S. , Waasdorp Tracy Evian , Mehari Krista R.
Published: May 2018

This chapter reviews school-based programming for its impact on relational aggression, relational victimization, and/or relational bullying: specifically, 14 programs with publications between 2010–2016 that were reviewed across key areas, including: (1) mode of operation; (2) targeted population and age range; (3) implementation factors; (4) primary strategies employed; (5) materials available to conduct the program; and (6) their impact on relevant target outcomes. Review of these programs highlighted certain factors important for future research related to relational aggression and bullying prevention programming, such as employing strong designs using random assignment taking into account the complexity of relational aggression at the individual, classroom, and school level whenever possible, and examining the impact of programming on the forms of aggression separately. Generalizability and implementation integrity need to be considered when designing and implementing programming. The field of relational aggression and bullying prevention programming has grown substantially over the past decade, but much remains to be done.
Perceived Satisfaction with Health Behavior Change
Authors: Baldwin Austin S. , Sala Margarita
Published: May 2018

Perceived satisfaction with health behavior change is defined as the overall assessment of the various positive and negative experiences and outcomes that result from engaging in the target behavior. Perceived satisfaction is theorized to be a critical predictor of health behavior change maintenance. It is therefore important to understand both (1) determinants of satisfaction and (2) the effect of satisfaction on health behavior change maintenance. This chapter reviews evidence across several different behavioral domains suggesting that perceived satisfaction is an important predictor of health behavior change maintenance. However, evidence to date is not yet clear on why people are satisfied with the changes they make or how best to intervene on this construct.
Self-Regulation of Affect–Health Behavior Relations
Authors: Sheeran Paschal , Webb Thomas L. , Gollwitzer Peter M. , Oettingen Gabriele
Published: May 2018

The present chapter analyzes relations between affect and health behaviors from the perspective of the action control model of affect regulation. It presents evidence that forming if-then plans or implementation intentions can emancipate health actions from unwanted influence by three kinds of affect—experienced affect, anticipated affect, and implicit affect. For each of these kinds of affect, it demonstrates that emancipation can be achieved in two ways—either by directly targeting the affect itself so as to undermine the strength of the affective response, or by targeting the relationship between affect and health behavior so that the translation of affect into action is reduced or blocked. It concludes that the impact of affect on health decisions and actions is not inevitable: affective influence can be modulated effectively using if-then plans.
“Stressed Spelled Backward Is Desserts”
Authors: de Ridder Denise , Evers Catharine
Published: May 2018

This chapter discusses the relationship between affect and eating behavior from two points of view—how affect shapes eating behavior and how eating behavior generates affect—arguing that appreciating how affect influences eating behavior depends on understanding in what way eating generates affect. It first discusses biological and social-cultural perspectives on the pleasure of eating and posits that the inherently rewarding experience of eating is compromised by concerns about the health consequences of eating too much or by eating the wrong foods. The second part of this chapter explains in what way both negative and positive affect influences consumption and highlights the contrast between theoretical notions on the phenomenon of emotional eating and empirical findings. It elaborates on new avenues for investigating the association between affect and eating, including the role of positive emotions, emotions as justifications for overeating, and eating as a coping strategy for dealing with negative emotions.
Affective Determinants of Smoking
Authors: McCarthy Danielle E. , Cook Jessica W. , Leyro Teresa M. , Minami Haruka , Bold Krysten W.
Published: May 2018

Cigarette smoking remains a leading preventable cause of death and disease. Prominent drug motivation models posit that affective processes are important drivers of continued and renewed tobacco use. Negative affect and anhedonia are core components of nicotine withdrawal that are thought to motivate smoking and prompt smoking relapse. Individual differences in affective processing, such as anhedonia, anxiety sensitivity, distress intolerance, and emotion dysregulation enhance risk for tobacco use and moderate affect–smoking relations. The strength of affect–smoking relations seems to depend on methodological and contextual factors in important ways. Extant and developing treatments targeting affective processes show promise as tobacco cessation interventions. Theoretical models and empirical evidence support the importance of affective processes in smoking and suggest potential affect-focused interventions.
Feeling Hot Hot Hot
Authors: Hansen Natasha S. , Gillman Arielle S. , Ewing Sarah W. Feldstein , Bryan Angela D.
Published: May 2018

Sex in one of its many forms is an almost universal human experience. Given its ubiquity and its potential for widespread health impacts, understanding the determinants of sexual behaviors has become a topic of considerable scientific investigation. Sex is often a highly emotionally charged experience, so it is perhaps unsurprising that certain affective states have been shown to be closely tied to particular sexual behaviors. This chapter begins by briefly describing the evidence for why sex should be considered an important health behavior, including the health benefits associated with certain sexual behaviors and risks associated with others, and then outlines the research on some of the affective determinants of sexual behaviors. Specific topics include how emotional states predict sexual intercourse frequency and sexual arousal, the interplay of mood and sex in the context of romantic relationships, and affective determinants of risky sexual behaviors.