bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequency and Outcomes of Postrandomization Atrial Tachyarrhythmias in the Resynchronization/Defibrillation in Ambulatory Heart Failure Trial
Authors: Wilton Stephen B. , Exner Derek V. , Wyse D. George , Yetisir Elizabeth , Wells George , Tang Anthony S.L. , Healey Jeffrey S.
Published: May 2016

Background—

Whether adding cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT-D) to an implanted cardioverter–defibrillator alters the risk of atrial fibrillation or other atrial tachyarrhythmias (AF/AT), or if postimplantation AF/AT modulate the benefits of CRT-D, remain unknown.

Methods and Results—

We studied 972 Resynchronization/Defibrillation in Ambulatory Heart Failure Trial (RAFT) participants without permanent AF, who were randomized to CRT-D (n=495) versus nonresynchronization defibrillator (implanted cardioverter–defibrillator; n=477) within the predefined stratum eligible for an atrial lead. Occurrence of postrandomization AF/AT was prospectively assessed, and Cox models were used to test the independent association between the postrandomization AF/AT and the RAFT primary composite outcome of all-cause mortality or hospitalization for heart failure. Over 41 (±19) months, postrandomization AF/AT occurred in 216 (45.3%) patients randomized to implanted cardioverter–defibrillator and 249 (50.3%) randomized to CRT-D. After adjusting for competing risk of death, randomization to CRT-D increased risk of postrandomization AF/AT (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–1.42;
P
=0.045). Postrandomization AF/AT, which remained paroxysmal in 69.5%, did not reduce biventricular pacing percentage. In adjusted models, postrandomization AF/AT was not associated with the primary outcome (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.84–1.30). However, AF/AT was associated with a borderline decreased risk of mortality (hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.58–1.00) but increased risk of heart failure hospitalization (hazard ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.90).

Conclusions—

In RAFT, nearly half of the patients developed postrandomization AF/AT, and those randomized to CRT-D had borderline significant higher risk. Postrandomization AF/AT was associated with risk of heart failure hospitalization, but not with the primary composite outcome.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00251251.
Short-Term Risk of Serious Fall Injuries in Older Adults Initiating and Intensifying Treatment With Antihypertensive Medication
Authors: Shimbo Daichi , Barrett Bowling C. , Levitan Emily B. , Deng Luqin , Sim John J. , Huang Lei , Reynolds Kristi , Muntner Paul
Published: May 2016

Background—

Antihypertensive medication use has been associated with an increased risk of falls in some but not all studies. Few data are available on the short-term risk of falls after antihypertensive medication initiation and intensification.

Methods and Results—

We examined the association between initiating and intensifying antihypertensive medication and serious fall injuries in a case-crossover study of 90 127 Medicare beneficiaries who were ≥65 years old and had a serious fall injury between July 1, 2007, and December 31, 2012, based on emergency department and inpatient claims. Antihypertensive medication initiation was defined by a prescription fill with no fills in the previous year. Intensification was defined by the addition of a new antihypertensive class, and separately, titration by the addition of a new class or increase in dosage of a current class. Exposures were ascertained for the 15 days before the fall (case period) and six 15-day earlier periods (control periods). Overall, 272, 1508, and 3113 Medicare beneficiaries initiated, added a new class of antihypertensive medication or titrated therapy within 15 days of their serious fall injury. The odds for a serious fall injury was increased during the 15 days after antihypertensive medication initiation (odds ratio, 1.36 [95% confidence interval, 1.19–1.55]), adding a new class (odds ratio, 1.16 [95% confidence interval, 1.10–1.23]), and titration [odds ratio, 1.13 [95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.18]). These associations were attenuated beyond 15 days.

Conclusions—

Antihypertensive medication initiation and intensification was associated with a short-term, but not long-term, increased risk of serious fall injuries among older adults.
Increasing Regulatory T Cells With Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-2 Antibody Complexes Attenuates Lung Inflammation and Heart Failure Progression
Authors: Wang Huan , Hou Lei , Kwak Dongmin , Fassett John , Xu Xin , Chen Angela , Chen Wei , Blazar Bruce R. , Xu Yawei , Hall Jennifer L. , Ge Jun-bo , Bache Robert J. , Chen Yingjie
Published: May 2016

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is associated with an increase of leukocyte infiltration, proinflammatory cytokines, and fibrosis in the heart and lung. Regulatory T cells (Tregs, CD4
+
CD25
+
FoxP3
+
) suppress inflammatory responses in various clinical conditions. We postulated that expansion of Tregs attenuates CHF progression by reducing cardiac and lung inflammation. We investigated the effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2) plus IL-2 monoclonal antibody clone JES6-1 complexes (IL2/JES6-1) on induction of Tregs, transverse aortic constriction–induced cardiac and lung inflammation, and CHF progression in mice. We demonstrated that end-stage CHF caused a massive increase of lung macrophages and T cells, as well as relatively mild left ventricular (LV) leukocyte infiltration. Administration of IL2/JES6-1 caused an ≈6-fold increase of Tregs within CD4
+
T cells in the spleen, lung, and heart of mice. IL2/JES6-1 treatment of mice with existing transverse aortic constriction–induced LV failure markedly reduced lung and right ventricular weight and improved LV ejection fraction and LV end-diastolic pressure. Mechanistically, IL2/JES6-1 treatment significantly increased Tregs; suppressed CD4
+
T-cell accumulation; dramatically attenuated leukocyte infiltration, including decreasing CD45
+
cells, macrophages, CD8
+
T cells, and effector memory CD8
+
; and reduced proinflammatory cytokine expressions and fibrosis in the lung of mice. Furthermore, IL2/JES6-1 administered before transverse aortic constriction attenuated the development of LV hypertrophy and dysfunction in mice. Our data indicate that increasing Tregs through administration of IL2/JES6-1 effectively attenuates pulmonary inflammation, right ventricular hypertrophy, and further LV dysfunction in mice with existing LV failure, suggesting that strategies to properly expand Tregs may be useful in reducing CHF progression.
Hospitalized Infection as a Trigger for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Cowan Logan T. , Alonso Alvaro , Pankow James S. , Folsom Aaron R. , Rosamond Wayne D. , Gottesman Rebecca F. , Lakshminarayan Kamakshi
Published: May 2016

Background and Purpose—

Acute triggers for ischemic stroke, which may include infection, are understudied, as is whether background cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk modifies such triggering. We hypothesized that infection increases acute stroke risk, especially among those with low CVD risk.

Methods—

Hospitalized strokes and infections were identified in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. A case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression were used to compare hospitalized infections among patients with stroke (14, 30, 42, and 90 days before stroke) with corresponding control periods 1 year and 2 years before stroke. Background CVD risk was assessed at both visit 1 and the visit most proximal to stroke, with risk dichotomized at the median.

Results—

A total of 1008 adjudicated incident ischemic strokes were included. Compared with control periods, hospitalized infection was more common within 2 weeks before stroke (14-day odds ratio [OR], 7.7; 95% CI, 2.1–27.3); the strength of association declined with increasing time in the exposure window before stroke (30-day OR, 5.7 [95% CI, 2.3–14.3]; 42-day OR, 4.5 [95% CI, 2.0–10.2]; and 90-day OR, 3.6 [95% CI, 2.1–6.5]). Stroke risk was higher among those with low compared with high CVD risk, with this interaction reaching statistical significance for some exposure periods.

Conclusions—

These results support the hypothesis that hospitalized infection is a trigger of ischemic stroke and may explain some cryptogenic strokes. Infection control efforts may prevent strokes. CVD preventive therapies may prevent strokes if used in the peri-infection period, but clinical trials are needed.
Social Cognition as Reinforcement Learning: Feedback Modulates Emotion Inference
Authors: Zaki Jamil , Kallman Seth , Wimmer G. Elliott , Ochsner Kevin , Shohamy Daphna
Published: May 2016

Neuroscientific studies of social cognition typically employ paradigms in which perceivers draw single-shot inferences about the internal states of strangers. Real-world social inference features much different parameters: People often encounter and learn about particular social targets (e.g., friends) over time and receive feedback about whether their inferences are correct or incorrect. Here, we examined this process and, more broadly, the intersection between social cognition and reinforcement learning. Perceivers were scanned using fMRI while repeatedly encountering three social targets who produced conflicting visual and verbal emotional cues. Perceivers guessed how targets felt and received feedback about whether they had guessed correctly. Visual cues reliably predicted one target's emotion, verbal cues predicted a second target's emotion, and neither reliably predicted the third target's emotion. Perceivers successfully used this information to update their judgments over time. Furthermore, trial-by-trial learning signals—estimated using two reinforcement learning models—tracked activity in ventral striatum and ventromedial pFC, structures associated with reinforcement learning, and regions associated with updating social impressions, including TPJ. These data suggest that learning about others' emotions, like other forms of feedback learning, relies on domain-general reinforcement mechanisms as well as domain-specific social information processing.
Prediction, Reduction, and Emergence: An Introduction to Rémy Lestienne’s Dialogues About Emergence
Authors: Turner Frederick
Published: May 2016

We human beings face two insults to our knowledge: our ignorance of the future, and our inability to know how things work. Science retorts to these two insults by two means: trying out predictive hypotheses about outcomes by experiment, and understanding the workings of the whole by breaking it down into parts: prediction and reduction. Lestienne recognizes these two insults as being the same insult, and the two retorts as the same retort. If the insult is uncertainty, the retort is determinism. But determinism looks very much like selective hindsight; we see only what confirms our post-facto theory of the result. Lestienne invites us to consider a different answer: wholes emerge from parts as future emerges from present. Lestienne’s three characters debate the coherence of the concept of emergence: does it complicate the concept of cause to the extent of depriving science of its usefulness? Can cause be top-down, from wholes to parts, as well as bottom-up, from parts to wholes? Can future possible wholes be “waiting” to be caused by the right chance combination of parts? Can there be more than one possible future?
The Heavenly Pattern of the Church
Authors: Burton Simon J. G.
Published: May 2016

The ecclesiology of Richard Baxter (1615–91) has long been a matter of dispute. In particular, his role in the Restoration debates over the settlement of the Church of England from 1660–2 and as a leader of the Nonconformist party thereafter has been a source of considerable confusion. In this article it is argued that from at least the 1650s onwards Baxter was motivated by an ‘Association ecclesiology’ – a desire to comprehend as many confessions as possible around the fundamentals of the Gospel – which displays marked affinities to Archbishop James Ussher’s system of reduced episcopacy. In this the twin themes of unity and discipline become rooted within a distinctive Trinitarian and covenantal framework, which unfolds in his mature ecclesiology into a moving vision of the universal Church reunited in bonds of love towards God and one another.
The Seven Sages at Sea
Authors: Mallette Karla
Published: May 2016

This essay studies the transmission of framed narratives in the medieval Mediterranean, focusing on a narrative tradition that was at once immensely popular, particularly complex, and poorly documented: theSeven Sages of Rome1 (known as theBook of Sindbadin the Eastern Mediterranean). Using the scholarship of political geographers and political scientists on territoriality, frontiers, and the ‘New Medievalism,’ and two theories borrowed from mathematics—fuzzy sets and game theory, the essay examines one story from theSeven Sagesin particular: the last tale told in the western versions of the work, known as ‘Vaticinium.’ The essay contributes to the development of a scholarly methodology able to describe transmission histories so complex that previous philological studies have had difficulty accounting for them in their entirety.
A new genus and species of gekkonid lizard (Squamata: Gekkota: Gekkonidae) from Hormozgan Province with a revised key to gekkonid genera of Iran
Authors: SAFAEI-MAHROO BARBOD , GHAFFARI HANYEH , ANDERSON STEVEN C.
Published: May 2016

We describe a new genus and species of gekkonid from two gravid specimens which were found within Koh-e Homag Protected Area, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran. The genus Parsigecko gen. nov. can be distinguished from other genera of Middle East Gekkonidae by a combination of the following characteristics: digits not dilated, dorsal tail covered with small scales without any tubercles or keels, having two strong keeled and pointed scales on each side of each annulus. Parsigecko ziaiei sp. nov. is a ground-dwelling lizard. The new species was found in the Zagros Mountain forest steppe patch with scattered wild pistachio trees and mountain almond shrubs surrounded by South Iran Nubo-Sindian desert and semi-desert habitat in the south of Iran. The genus is the 13th gekkonid genus known from Iran, and the only gekkonid genus endemic to the Zagros Mountains. A key to the genera of the Gekkonidae in Iran is provided.
Two new Meitingsunes species (Acari: Syringophilidae) from Indonesian doves (Columbiformes: Columbidae)
Authors: KASZEWSKA KATARZYNA , SKORACKI MACIEJ , KAVETSKA KATARZYNA
Published: May 2016

We describe two new quill mite species of the genus Meitingsunes Glowska and Skoracki, 2010 (Acari: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) parasitizing columbiform birds (Columbiformes: Columbidae): M. chalcophaps sp. nov. collected from the Emerald Dove, Chalcophaps indica (Linnaeus) and M. turacoenas sp. nov. from the White-faced Cuckoo Dove, Turacoena manadensis (Quoy and Gaimard) (type host) and the Black Cuckoo-Dove, Turacoena modesta (Temminck). All host species were collected in Indonesia. These represent two new genus-level host records for Meitingsunes. In addition, we summarize the diversity of Meitingsunes and present a key to species in this genus.
Response of the East Asian Winter Monsoon to Strong Tropical Volcanic Eruptions
Authors: Miao Jiapeng , Wang Tao , Zhu Yali , Min Jinzhong , Wang Huijun , Guo Dong
Published: May 2016

In this study, a 600-yr integration performed with the Bergen Climate Model (BCM), version 2.0, was used to investigate the impact of strong tropical volcanic eruptions (SVEs) on the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). It is found that SVEs have an important influence on the East Asian winter climate. The volcanic forcing can cause changes in surface heat fluxes and tropospheric circulation, particularly over the tropics and high-latitude regions. As a result, Arctic Oscillation enters into its positive phase in the first two winters after SVEs. The associated circulation weakens the Siberian high and reduces the cold air transport to East Asia, which is not conducive to the enhancement of the EAWM during this period. At the same time, the North Pacific Ocean gradually cools and shapes La Niña–like sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the third winter after SVEs. The Walker circulation is strengthened over the Pacific, and two anomalous lower-tropospheric cyclones are located over the South China Sea and southeast of Japan, respectively. Therefore, related northeasterly wind anomalies appear along the East Asian coast, indicating a strengthened EAWM during this period. Meanwhile, the enhanced Siberian high and East Asian trough further contribute to the enhancement of EAWM in the third winter. It is therefore concluded that the SVEs-induced climate changes over the tropical Pacific and north polar regions play an important role in regulating the EAWM in the posteruption winters.
Influence of Below-Cloud Evaporation on Deuterium Excess in Precipitation of Arid Central Asia and Its Meteorological Controls
Authors: Wang Shengjie , Zhang Mingjun , Che Yanjun , Zhu Xiaofan , Liu Xuemei
Published: May 2016

The deuterium excess is a second-order parameter linking water-stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes and has been widely used in hydrological studies. The deuterium excess in precipitation is greatly influenced by below-cloud evaporation through unsaturated air, especially in an arid climate. Based on an observation network of isotopes in precipitation of arid central Asia, the difference in deuterium excess from cloud base to ground was calculated for each sampling site. The difference on the southern slope of the Tian Shan is generally larger than that on the northern slope, and the difference during the summer months is greater than that during the winter months. Generally, an increase of 1% in evaporation of raindrops causes deuterium excess to decrease by approximately 1‰. Under conditions of low air temperature, high relative humidity, heavy precipitation, and large raindrop diameter, a good linear correlation is exhibited between evaporation proportion and difference in deuterium excess, and a linear regression slope of <1‰ %−1 can be seen; in contrast, under conditions of high air temperature, low relative humidity, light precipitation, and small raindrop diameter, the linear relationship is relatively weak, and the slope is much larger than 1‰ %−1. A sensitivity analysis under different climate scenarios indicates that, if air temperature has increased by 5°C, deuterium excess difference decreases by 0.3‰–4.0‰ for each site; if relative humidity increases by 10%, deuterium excess difference increases by 1.1‰–10.3‰.
Attitudes to the gender division of labor and the transition to fatherhood
Authors: Bernhardt Eva , Goldscheider Frances , Turunen Jani
Published: May 2016

Most European countries, including Sweden, have witnessed considerable postponement of first births over the past several decades, and societal gender equality has been mentioned among the central reasons for the delay in childbearing. Continued postponement of parenthood over the life course can result in “final childlessness,” i.e. the individual will reach the end of his/her reproductive period without having become a parent. As levels of final childlessness have been increasing in most European countries, studies of childlessness have become more common. However, most of these studies deal exclusively with women, and the theorizing regarding what leads to final childlessness, particularly among men, is clearly underdeveloped. In this paper we will contribute to this research area by investigating the long-term relationships between attitudes toward domestic gender equality and men’s transition to parenthood in Sweden. Our dependent variable is a close approximation of “final childlessness.” We use Swedish panel survey data on attitudes to the gender division of labor among still childless young adults aged 22–30 in 1999, combined with register data on births in the period 1999–2012. The article shows that the initial delay in becoming fathers evidenced by more egalitarian men is not made up in the long term.
Commitment and Betrayal
Authors: Curran William J.
Published: May 2016

Our nation has become a wealth-based contradiction of a democracy with 20% of Americans owning almost 90% of America’s wealth. Creating wealth is antitrust’s goal, but any wealth created defaults automatically to the wealthy, adding to democracy’s peril. Democracy must be saved from antitrust and the negative distributional impact of the wealth it creates. It is time for its repeal.
Multiple myeloma and multiple plasmacytomas associated with free gamma heavy chain, free kappa light chain and IgGk paraproteins: an unusual triple gammopathy
Authors: Deighan William I , O’Kane Maurice J , McNicholl Feargal P , Keren David F
Published: May 2016

Multiple myeloma is a malignant plasma cell dyscrasia that is becoming more prevalent in an increasingly ageing population. It is a complex disease with clinical phases ranging from the premalignant monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance to asymptomatic (smouldering) myeloma and then symptomatic myeloma; the latter occasionally terminating in the clonal proliferation of plasma cells outside the bone marrow. We present a patient whose clonally evolved disease from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance to multiple myeloma demonstrated the presence of an unusual combination of monoclonal immunoproteins. Capillary electrophoresis demonstrated the presence of three paraproteins in the gamma region (γ-region), two of which were additional to the IgGk paraprotein which migrated in the slow γ-region at initial diagnosis. Subsequent isotypic identification of the new paraproteins was not possible by immunotyping and initial immunofixation studies failed to definitively characterize the monoclonal proteins. After reduction with beta-mercaptoethanol, two paraproteins were detected by both capillary and gel electrophoresis. However, only immunofixation was able to resolve three distinct monoclonal bands, confirming the presence of free monoclonal kappa light chains in the mid-gamma region and free monoclonal heavy chains in the fast gamma region. Triple gammopathies in themselves are uncommon; this case presents a very unusual combination of paraproteins which required various electrophoretical and immunochemical techniques to identify and characterize them. The change of electrophoretic signature from the monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance phase to the diagnosis of multiple myeloma suggested that a number of genetically distinct subclones were present in the pretreatment clonal evolution of the disease.
Parents’ Perspectives on How to Improve the Childhood Vaccination Process
Authors: Lieu Tracy A. , Zikmund-Fisher Brian J. , Chou Cathy , Ray G. Thomas , Wittenberg Eve
Published: May 2016

Few national studies have asked parents how to improve the childhood vaccination process. We surveyed a nationally representative online panel of parents on how to improve this process, rationales for nonstandard approaches, and alternatives to the standard schedule. Twelve percent of the 1222 respondents reported using nonstandard approaches: 3.2% used a specific schedule, 6.0% had no specific schedule, and 2.5% declined all vaccinations. The most common rationales were that too many vaccines are given at once, and discomfort with vaccine ingredients. Regarding how to improve the process, parents using the standard schedule most often said nothing could be improved (51%), or better vaccine information (22%). Those using nonstandard approaches most often would have liked more choice (40%) or better vaccine information (26%). Parents’ experiences with the vaccination process could be improved by offering information prior to visits, giving more information about side effects, and allowing more flexibility about vaccine scheduling.
Prospects for the UK economy
Authors: Kirby Simon , Carreras Oriol , Meaning Jack , Piggott Rebecca
Published: May 2016

The production of this forecast is supported by the Institute's Corporate Members: Bank of England, HM Treasury, Mizuho Research Institute Ltd, Office for National Statistics, Santander (UK) plc and by the members of the NiGEM users group.
Independent and Combined Effects of Sex and Biological Maturation on Motor Coordination and Performance in Prepubertal Children
Authors: Luz Leonardo G. O. , Cumming Sean P. , Duarte João P. , Valente-dos-Santos João , Almeida Maria J. , Machado-Rodrigues Aristides , Padez Cristina , Carmo Bruno Cleiton M. , Santos Rute , Seabra André , Coelho-E-Silva Manuel J.
Published: May 2016

Sex differences and maturation-associated variation in fitness and motor coordination were examined in children aged 8–9 years ( n = 128, 67 girls). Assessments included stature and body mass, two-component body composition, percentage of predicted adult stature (as an index of biological maturation), and motor performance and coordination (Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder). Compared to girls, boys were less advanced in maturation status, possessed larger fat mass, demonstrated superior performances in six tests of fitness, and obtained one superior score on the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder. After controlling for somatic maturation, sex differences persisted in the two multivariate domains: motor performance and motor coordination.
The Effects of Attention on the Trigeminal Blink Reflex
Authors: Schicatano Edward J.
Published: May 2016

During top-down processing, higher cognitive processes modulate lower sensory processing. The present experiment tested the effects of directed attention on trigeminal reflex blinks in humans ( n = 8). In separate sessions, participants either attended to blink-eliciting stimuli or were given no attentional instructions during stimulation of the supraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve. Attention to blink-eliciting stimuli significantly increased reflex blink amplitude and duration and shortened blink latency compared with the no attention condition. These results suggested that higher processes such as attention can modify the trigeminal blink reflex circuit.
Accountability as a Design for Teacher Learning: Sensemaking About Mathematics and Equity in the NCLB Era
Authors: Horn Ilana Seidel
Published: May 2016

Using a learning design perspective on No Child Left Behind (NCLB), I examine how accountability policy shaped urban educators’ instructional sensemaking. Focusing on the role of policy-rooted classifications, I examine conversations from a middle school mathematics teacher team as a “best case” because they worked diligently to comply with the NCLB. Using discourse analysis, I identify instances of torque in their conversations: when educators’ compliance with accountability logics pulled them away from humanistic goals of education in ways that stood to exacerbate existing educational inequality. This article contributes to documentation on unintended consequences of accountability policies while identifying features that contribute to torque.
Does a Cognitive Skills Training Program for Prisoners Affect Neurocognitive Functioning and Heart Rate Activity?
Authors: Cornet Liza J. M. , van der Laan Peter H. , Nijman Henk L. I. , Tollenaar Nikolaj , de Kogel Catharina H.
Published: May 2016

This study investigates changes in neurobiological characteristics after a cognitive skills program for prisoners. It was hypothesized that prisoners who completed a cognitive skills training program would show improved neurocognitive functioning and changes in heart rate (HR) activity. In addition, it was expected that neurobiological changes were related to behavioral improvement. Male adult prisoners were included in the study and divided into two groups: the “intervention group”—prisoners participating in a cognitive skills training program—and the “control group”—prisoners placed on a waitlist. Several neurocognitive skills and HR activity measures were assessed at pre- and posttest assessment. In addition, trainers, prison officers, and prisoners were requested to evaluate behavioral changes over time. Results did not confirm the hypotheses. The absence of both neurobiological and behavioral improvement is discussed in light of the measures used, the content and duration of the current intervention program, and the prison setting.
Polyethyene melt-flow examined with time-dependent thermodynamics
Authors: Nakajima Nobuyuki
Published: May 2016

Time-dependent thermodynamics was applied to steady-state melt flow of polyethylene. The steady-state viscosity behavior and first normal-stress difference were examined as a couple. The latter was a measure of the energy intensity (energy per volume); the time derivative of that was treated as the rate of energy production. In steady-state flow, viscosity decreased and the rate of the energy production increased with increasing shear stress. From the sign of the rate of production, steady flow was found to be in the stable region. The stress growth leading into steady-state flow was known from our previous work to be in the unstable region. This may be called pseudo-stable region. Under a constant rate of shear deformation, both shear stress and viscosity increased rapidly. A change into steady-state flow was interpreted to be the fracture point. The growth of the normal stress was slower than that of shear stress. The first normal-stress difference was a manifestation of deformation, which is a volume increase caused by shear stress. The volume increase led to fracture.
On stability for discrete-time non-linear singular systems with switching actuators via average dwell time approach
Authors: Liu Yunlong , Wang Juan , Gao Cunchen , Gao Zairui , Wu Xiaojin
Published: May 2016

This paper aims to study stability for discrete-time non-linear singular systems with switching actuators. A sufficient condition is addressed to ensure that non-linear closed-loop singular systems are input-to-state stable via average dwell time approach and the iterative relationship of discrete-time systems. In the stability criterion, we neither construct a certain Lyapunov function, nor design the specific structure of the control inputs. It is much easier to design each sub-controller of switching actuators via the proposed condition. Finally, a numerical example is provided to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the results obtained.
Embodying place: An ecotheological reading of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
Authors: Russell Richard Rankin
Published: May 2016

The blackened landscape of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (2006) suggests the possibility of a future restoration of the earth through the survival of the nameless boy, who is variously figured as a fire-carrier and more specifically, as the Word of God, a chalice holder, a tabernacle. McCarthy’s privileging of the bodies of the boy and father suggests how the body is the basis for our encounters with the dynamism of place. The sacrificial love of the father for the son exemplifies embodied, emplaced love and is finally Christ-like in its manner and tone. This relationship and the relationship of father and son to the earth, which can be thought of figuratively as God’s body, can be best understood through “deep incarnation,” a dramatic understanding of God’s sacramental presence and action in the world in which human beings build communities and reconsider their place in nature. Moreover, reading the novel through Gerard Manley Hopkins’s sonnet “God’s Grandeur” allows us to see how The Road might suggest both the earth’s capacity to regenerate itself and its potential supernatural restoration. The present ecotheological reading of The Road is the first to unite McCarthy’s intertwined environmental and Christian emphases.
Intersectionality in Quantitative Psychological Research
Authors: Else-Quest Nicole M. , Hyde Janet Shibley
Published: May 2016

Intersectional approaches, which consider how simultaneous membership in multiple social categories characterize our experiences and are linked to power and privilege, have deep roots in feminist psychology. While an intersectional approach is well suited to a variety of research questions and topics, its application to date has chiefly been found with qualitative methods; when quantitative methods are used, components of the approach are used but not clearly framed as intersectional. Building upon our previous discussion and analysis of the theoretical and epistemological issues that arise when combining intersectionality and quantitative methods, this article articulates how quantitative researchers might incorporate an intersectional approach into their work. The techniques we describe are frequently used within quantitative methods, but they are infrequently used within an intersectional approach. Techniques include framing social categories (e.g., gender and ethnicity) as person variables or as stimulus variables, using a between-groups design to examine multiple locations at an intersection, stratified random sampling and purposive sampling, and examining how measures demonstrate conceptual equivalence and measurement invariance across groups. We also focus on data-analytic methods, which include examination of multiple main effects and interactions, moderators in meta-analysis, multilevel modeling, moderated mediation, and person-centered methods. These methods are insufficient without also including intersectional interpretations and framing with attention to inequalities and power relations. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article (and the related response articles) for teaching are available on PWQ's website at http://pwq.sagepub.com/supplemental
Quality of Life and Nutrition Condition of Patients Improve Under Home Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Girke Jutta , Seipt Claudia , Markowski Andrea , Luettig Birgit , Schettler Anika , Momma Michael , Schneider Andrea S.
Published: May 2016

Background: Patients with end‐stage cancer and advanced chronic bowel disease are often malnourished, which has a negative effect on patients' outcome, well‐being, and activity. It is inconclusive whether these patients benefit from home parenteral nutrition. This prospective exploratory study investigates its influence on nutrition state, muscle strength, mobility, and quality of life. Materials and Methods: Patients ≥18 years old with an indication for home parenteral nutrition were included and followed for 2–24 months. Nutrition parameters, activity, and quality of life were assessed. Results: Forty‐eight patients participated (mean age 11.5 years), and 85% were severely malnourished (subjective global assessment score, class C). Four weeks after parenteral nutrition, patients with tumors demonstrated a deterioration in phase angle (from 3.9 to 3.4) and extracellular mass:body cell mass ratio (from 1.6 to 2.1), while patients with bowel disease improved (from 3.4 to 4.0 and 2.1 to 1.6, respectively); grip strength remained constant in both groups (difference: 1.11 and −2.11, respectively). Activity improved in patients with bowel disease but stayed the same in the tumor group (P = .02 and P = .33, respectively). When the groups were pooled, emotional and social functioning domain scores (P < .03), dyspnea and sleeping (P < .04), and median quality of life improved (P = .02) 4 weeks after home parenteral nutrition. Conclusion: Both groups seem to benefit from home parenteral nutrition without harmful side effects. If the indication is determined early, the patients' disease course could perhaps be improved.
Informal Control by Family and Risk Markers for Alcohol Abuse/Dependence in Seoul
Authors: Emery Clifton R. , Wu Shali , Yang Hyerin , Lee Hotaek , Kim Junpyo , Chan Ko Ling
Published: May 2016

Although previous research documents a reliable relationship between physical intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and alcoholism, relatively little research has examined new theoretical constructs in IPV research that may increase risk for or help buffer women from alcohol abuse/dependence. The purpose of the present study was to examine informal social control of IPV by family members as a protective factor against and coercive control as a risk factor for alcohol abuse/dependence in a small population sample of married women in Seoul, South Korea. We hypothesized that (a) informal social control by family members would be negatively associated with victim alcohol abuse/dependence and (b) husband’s coercive control would be positively associated with victim alcohol abuse/dependence. We measured alcohol abuse/dependence (CAGE scale), IPV and coercive control by husbands, and informal social control of IPV (ISC_IPV) by extended family members in a three-stage random cluster sample of 462 married women in Seoul, South Korea. Both random effects regression and zero-inflated Poisson regression models found that ISC_IPV by extended family members was associated with a significantly lower CAGE scores, and coercive control was associated with significantly higher CAGE scores. Interventions to boost ISC_IPV by extended family members may mitigate some of the risk of alcohol abuse/dependence by victims.
User choice in Swedish eldercare – conditions for informed choice and enhanced service quality
Authors: Moberg Linda , Blomqvist Paula , Winblad Ulrika
Published: May 2016

Proponents of user choice argue that this type of policy arrangement improves the quality of public social services since users are expected to select the most highly performing providers. In order for users to make informed choices, however, they need quality information about the services offered by different providers. In this article, we carry out a case study, investigating whether information about service quality was presented to users of home-based elderly care in Sweden. The analysis is based on unique data regarding the information of 223 providers in 10 municipalities. The results suggest that the information was poor and lacking in important quality dimensions. This indicates a lack of real user power since it is virtually impossible for users to make informed choices without relevant information. It also makes it less likely that the general quality level of home-based services will increase as a result of the user choice.
Sexual Dysfunction Due to Antihypertensive Agents
Authors: Stevenson James G. , Umstead Gregory S.
Published: May 2016

A review of sexual dysfunction due to antihypertensive agents is presented. Sexual dysfunction is a relatively common complication of antihypertensive drug therapy and has been associated with nearly all of the antihypertensive agents. The physiology of the normal sexual response, proposed mechanisms of sexual dysfunction, and the types of disorders and relative incidence rates associated with individual agents are discussed. Since a disturbance in sexual function may lead to poor compliance with the drug regimen, it is important that the clinician be familiar with this topic. Information on the detection of antihypertensive-agent-induced sexual dysfunction, patient counseling, and therapeutic alternatives, should a disorder in sexual function occur, also is provided.
Evaluation of an Empirical Dosing Schedule for Gentamicin in Neonates
Authors: Bloome Mary R. , Warren Amy J. , Ringer Linda , Walker Paul C.
Published: May 2016

The standard gentamicin dosing recommendations for neonates appear to be inappropriate because they fail to consider the influence of neonatal development on gentamicin pharmacokinetics. Recent reports have emphasized that the standard regimens of 2.5 mg/kg q8–12h produce steady-state trough serum concentrations > 2 μg/ml in up to 91 percent of preterm infants of less than 35 weeks' gestation. A new dosing schedule based on postconceptional age (PCA) was developed to provide a better guideline for initiating and maintaining gentamicin therapy in neonates: PCA greater than 34 weeks, 2.5 mg/kg iv q12h; PCA 28–34 weeks, 2.5 mg/kg iv q16h; PCA less than 28 weeks, 2.5 mg/kg iv q24h. The new dosing schedule reduced the number of neonates with elevated trough concentrations (>2 μg/ml) from 68.4 percent to 33–40 percent. Pharmacokinetic parameters for gentamicin in the various PCA groups were determined. Volume of distribution was constant across age groups (0.5 ± 0.09 L/kg). Elimination rate constants (kel), half-lives, and clearance rates (Cl) ranged from 0.069 ± 0.02 to 0.14 ± 0.04h−1, 10.71 ± 2.92 to 6.04 ± 1.24 h, and 0.58 ± 0.25 to 0.93 ± 0.24 ml/kg/min, respectively. Significant relationships were found between kel and Cl and patient age and weight; significant correlations were found between actual and estimated (based on PCA and weight) kel and Cl. Variability in kel and Cl estimated was considerable in spite of the correlations. The observed variability stresses again the need for pharmacokinetic monitoring of gentamicin therapy in neonates.
The “L” Word
Authors: Neiheisel Jacob R.
Published: May 2016

In recent years, the electorate has sorted along ideological lines. Republican identifiers have grown more likely to self-identify as conservatives. Democrats, however, have been slow to embrace the liberal label. And while many Americans are operationally liberal and express support for liberal policy positions, in symbolic terms, the American electorate is much more conservative in nature and appears reluctant to hew to the liberal label. The uneven nature of partisan sorting and the observed symbolic/operational divide have both been linked to Republican efforts at making “liberal” a dirty word, but researchers have yet to offer a direct test of the effects of exposure to anti-liberal rhetoric. In this study, I rectify this shortcoming using the 2004 University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW)/Brigham Young University (BYU) panel study coupled with data on the content of candidates’ campaign advertising from the Wisconsin Advertising Project. I find that exposure to anti-liberal campaign messages had a direct effect on evaluations of Democratic candidates, vote intention, and vote choice, but only in senate races. At the same time, self-identified ideology was unmoved by elite efforts at disparaging the liberal label—thereby calling into question simple versions of a common explanation for the existence of conservative Democrats and “conflicted” conservatives.
Relationship of Self-Reported Ability to Weight-Bear Immediately After Injury as Predictor of Stability for Ankle Fractures
Authors: Chien Bonnie , Hofmann Kurt , Ghorbanhoseini Mohammad , Zurakowski David , Rodriguez Edward K. , Appleton Paul , Ellington J. Kent , Kwon John Y.
Published: May 2016

Background:

Determining the stability of ankle fractures, particularly Weber B fibula fractures, can be challenging. Ability to weight-bear after injury may be predictive of stability. We sought to determine whether patients’ ability to weight-bear immediately after injury was an effective indicator for ankle stability following fracture.

Methods:

A prospective review was conducted of patients sustaining ankle fractures. Patients’ ability to weight-bear after injury was elicited and correlated with ankle radiographs, which were deemed stable or unstable based on commonly used indices to assess stability.

Results:

For the entire cohort (n = 121), patients who were able to weight-bear immediately after injury were over 8 times more likely to have a stable fracture than those who could not (odds ratio [OR] = 8.6, P < .001). Positive predictive value (PPV) for being able to fully weight-bear as it related to stability was 73%. Inability to weight-bear was 85% specific among patients with an unstable fracture. When analyzing patients with radiographic isolated fibula fractures (n = 67), PPV = 82%, negative predictive value [NPV] = 53%, specificity = 79%, whereas the OR was 5.0 ( P = .003) for those who could weight-bear having a stable fracture. When subanalyzing patients who presented with isolated fibula fractures and anatomic mortises (n = 43), PPV = 74%, NPV = 52%, specificity = 62%, whereas the OR was 3.6 ( P = .07) for those who could weight-bear having a stable fracture.

Conclusion:

Patients’ ability to weight-bear immediately after injury was a specific and prognostic indicator for stability across a range of ankle fracture subtypes. Patients with an isolated fibula fracture and anatomic mortise were 3.6 times more likely to have a stable fracture if they were able to fully weight-bear at the time of injury. Although a patient’s history does not preclude the need for appropriate imaging studies and clinical judgment, it may aid in the assessment of ankle stability following fracture.

Level of Evidence:

Level II, clinical diagnostic.
Cingulate Cortical Thickness and Dopamine Transporter (DAT1) Genotype in Children and Adolescents With ADHD
Authors: Fernández-Jaén Alberto , Albert Jacobo , Fernández-Mayoralas Daniel Martín , López-Martín Sara , Fernández-Perrone Ana Laura , Jimenez de la Peña Mar , Calleja-Pérez Beatriz , Recio Rodríguez Manuel , López Arribas Sonia
Published: May 2016

Objective: This study aimed to examine the influence of dopamine transporter gene ( DAT1) 3’UTR genotype on cingulate cortical thickness in a large sample of children and adolescents with ADHD. Method: Brain MRIs were acquired from 46 ADHD patients with homozygosity for the 10-repeat allele and 52 ADHD patients with a single copy or no copy of the allele. The cingulate cortex of each MRI scan was automatically parceled into sulci and gyri as well as into Brodmann areas (BA). Results: There were no group differences in age, gender, full-scale intelligence quotient, symptom severity, treatment status, comorbidity, or mean overall cortical thickness. Sulcus/gyrus- and BA-based analyses revealed that patients homozygous for the 10-repeat allele showed significantly greater thickness in right cingulate gyrus and right BA 24 compared with 9-repeat carriers. Conclusion: These findings suggest that thickness of cingulate cortex is influenced by the presence of the 10-repeat allele in ADHD.
Popular Media Representations of Physical Activity Among Mothers
Authors: Sanders Margaret P. , Dlugonski Deirdre
Published: May 2016

Purpose. Many mothers fail to meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity. Popular media magazines targeting mothers provide information about physical activity and health, but little is known about the framing and content of physical activity messages within these sources. The aim of this content analysis was to analyze the framing and content (i.e., benefits, consequences, and sources of self-efficacy) of physical activity messages directed toward mothers in popular magazines. Method. Ten popular magazines were selected for data analysis and coded independently by two researchers in NVivo Version 10.0 for gain- or loss-framed messages, benefits and consequences of physical activity, and sources of self-efficacy. Results. Most of the 164 articles encouraged physical activity by presenting benefits associated with physical activity. These benefits primarily focused on weight loss and fitness gains and few articles used self-efficacy messages to enhance confidence in physical activity participation. Conclusions. It is promising that popular media magazines used gain-framed messages about the benefits of physical activity for mothers. Future research should focus on finding ways of using popular media outlets to promote a more comprehensive set of physical activity benefits, enhance physical activity self-efficacy, and determine the impact of such messages on physical activity participation.