bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic Kidney Disease and Health Status Outcomes Following Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Navarro Mark A. , Gosch Kensey L. , Spertus John A. , Rumsfeld John S. , Ho P. Michael
Published: September 2018

Background

The association between chronic kidney disease (
CKD
) and health status outcomes after acute myocardial infarction (
AMI
) is unknown.

Methods and Results

Patients were enrolled between 2005 and 2008 in the Translational Research Investigating Underlying Disparities in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients' Health Status (TRIUMPH) registry, a prospective multicenter observational study of
AMI
outcomes. The Seattle Angina Questionnaire and Short Form‐12 were collected at baseline and at 1, 6, and 12 months following
AMI
.
CKD
was defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min, calculated during the
AMI
hospitalization. Linear repeated‐measures models assessed the association between
CKD
and health status after
AMI
, accounting for the propensity to have follow‐up heath status measures. Of 3617 patients, 576 (16%) had
CKD
and 3041 (84%) did not have
CKD
. Patients with
CKD
were older and had more comorbidity. Patients with
CKD
were more likely to have multivessel coronary disease and less likely to undergo revascularization. Among
AMI
survivors, patients with and without
CKD
had similar health‐related quality of life (adjusted difference of 0.24, 95%
CI
−1.46 to 1.95), angina frequency (adjusted difference of 1.27, 95%
CI
−0.05 to 2.58), and mental health (adjusted difference of −0.07, 95%
CI
−0.90 to 0.75). In contrast, patients with
CKD
had lower physical health (adjusted difference −1.61, 95%
CI
−2.49 to −0.74), which was not clinically significant, compared with patients without
CKD
.

Conclusions

Among
AMI
survivors, patients with
CKD
not only had more comorbidities but also, after adjusting for these patient differences, had similar health status compared with patients without
CKD
. Interventions aimed at improving health status after
AMI
should not focus on
CKD
status.
ABCA1‐Mediated Cholesterol Efflux Capacity to Cerebrospinal Fluid Is Reduced in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Yassine Hussein N. , Feng Qingru , Chiang Jiarong , Petrosspour Larissa M. , Fonteh Alfred N. , Chui Helena C. , Harrington Michael G.
Published: September 2018

Background

Animal and human studies indicate that ABCA1‐mediated cholesterol transport is important in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that the efficiency of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to facilitate ABCA1‐mediated cholesterol efflux would be reduced in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD compared with cognitively healthy participants.

Methods and Results

CSF was collected from a cross‐sectional study of cognitively healthy participants (n=47) and participants with MCI (n=35) or probable AD (n=26).The capacity of CSF to mediate cholesterol transport was assessed using a BHK cell line that can be induced to express the ABCA1 transporter. ABCA1‐mediated cholesterol efflux capacity was 30% less in participants with MCI or AD compared with cognitively healthy participants (
P
<0.001 for both). Cholesterol efflux capacity correlated with CSF cholesterol content (
r
=0.37,
P
<0.001). CSF phosphatidylcholine decreased in participants with MCI and AD compared with cognitively healthy participants (9% less in MCI and 27% less in AD compared with cognitively healthy participants,
P
=0.01) and correlated with CSF efflux capacity (
r
=0.3,
P
=0.001). CSF sphingomyelin also correlated with the efflux capacity (
r
=0.24,
P
=0.02). Concentrations of CSF apoA‐I and apoE did not significantly correlate with measures of efflux capacity.

Conclusions

In people with MCI and AD, the capacity of CSF to facilitate ABCA1‐mediated cholesterol efflux is impaired. This lesser cholesterol efflux in MCI supports a pathophysiological role for ABCA1‐mediated cholesterol transport in early neurodegeneration.
Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Young and Middle‐Aged Adults: Effects of Positive Airway Pressure and Compliance on Arterial Stiffness, Endothelial Function, and Cardiac Hemodynamics
Authors: Korcarz Claudia E. , Benca Ruth , Barnet Jodi H. , Stein James H.
Published: September 2018

Background

The cardiovascular effects of positive airway pressure (
PAP
) therapy in obstructive sleep apnea (
OSA
) patients are not clear because of confounding by comorbid conditions.

Methods and Results

Prospective interventional study of
PAP
therapy and withdrawal. Apnea Hypopnea Index (
AHI
; events/hour of sleep) was determined from polysomnography. Central aortic blood pressures (
BPs
), Aortic Augmentation Index (
AAI
x), and central (
PWV
c‐f
) and peripheral pulse wave (
PWV
c‐r
) velocities were determined by applanation tonometry. Echocardiography and brachial artery reactivity testing were performed at baseline, after 4 and 12 weeks of
PAP
therapy, and 1 week after
PAP
withdrawal. The 84 participants were mean (SD) 41.1 (7.6) years old and had 39.8 (24.5)
AHI
events/hour. After 4 weeks post‐
PAP
initiation and sustained after 12 weeks, subjects experienced decreases in central systolic
BP
(
P
=0.008), diastolic
BP
, mean
BP
,
AAI
x, and
PWV
c‐r
, and brachial artery dilation (all
P
<0.001), as well as improvements in left ventricular diastolic function and systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance. In adjusted models,
PAP
use (hours/night) predicted reductions in diastolic
BP
(β=−0.65 [SE, 0.32] mm Hg/hour;
P
=0.045),
AAI
x (β=−0.53 [0.27] %/hour;
P
=0.049) and
PWV
c‐r
(β=−0.13 [0.05] m·s
−1
/hour;
P
=0.007), and improved brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation (β=0.31 [0.14] %/hour use;
P
=0.015). After 1 week of
PAP
withdrawal, brachial diameter, diastolic
BP
, mean
BP
,
AAI
x, and heart rate increased (
P
≤0.05).

Conclusions

PAP
therapy reduces arterial tone and improves endothelial and diastolic function in young to middle‐aged adults. This positive effect is observed after 4 weeks and depends on hours of use, but reverts quickly with
PAP
withdrawal.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/
. Unique identifier:
NCT
01317329.
Cost‐Effectiveness of Ivabradine for Heart Failure in the United States
Authors: Kansal Anuraag R. , Cowie Martin R. , Kielhorn Adrian , Krotneva Stanimira , Tafazzoli Ali , Zheng Ying , Yurgin Nicole
Published: September 2018

Background

Ivabradine is a heart rate–lowering agent approved to reduce the risk of hospitalization for worsening heart failure. This study assessed the cost‐effectiveness of adding ivabradine to background therapy in the United States from the perspective of a commercial or Medicare Advantage payer.

Methods and Results

A cost‐effectiveness, cohort‐based Markov model using a state transition approach tracked a cohort of heart failure patients with heart rate ≥70 beats per minute in sinus rhythm who were treated with ivabradine+background therapy or background therapy alone. Model inputs, including adjusted hazard ratios, rates of hospitalization and mortality, adverse events, and utility‐regression equations, were derived from a large
US
claims database and
SHIFT
(Systolic Heart failure treatment with the I
f
inhibitor ivabradine Trial). In the commercial population, ivabradine+background therapy was associated with a cost savings of $8594 versus the cost of background therapy alone over a 10‐year time horizon, primarily because of reduced hospitalization. Ivabradine was associated with an incremental benefit of 0.24 quality‐adjusted life years over a 10‐year time horizon. In the Medicare Advantage population, the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio for ivabradine was estimated to be $24 920/quality‐adjusted life years.

Conclusions

The cost‐effectiveness model suggests that for a commercial population, the addition of ivabradine to background therapy was associated with cost savings and improved clinical outcomes. For a Medicare Advantage population, the analysis indicates that the clinical benefit of ivabradine can be achieved at a reasonable cost.
Association Between Changes in Hemoglobin Concentration and Cardiovascular Risks and All‐Cause Mortality Among Young Women
Authors: Lee Gyeongsil , Choi Seulggie , Kim Kyuwoong , Yun Jae‐Moon , Son Joung Sik , Jeong Su‐Min , Kim Sung Min , Kim Yeon‐Yong , Park Seong Yong , Koh Youngil , Hwang Seung‐sik , Park Sang Min
Published: September 2018

Background

Anemia is considered to increase the risk of mortality in high‐risk populations, but its effect has not been examined among young populations. This study aimed to determine the effect of hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and its changes on the risk of acute myocardial infarction (
AMI
), stroke, cerebrovascular disease and all‐cause mortality among young women.

Methods and Results

We analyzed data from the Korean National Health Information Database on 808 143 women aged 20 to 39 years without any cardiocerebrovascular disease. A 1‐time Hb concentration and changes in Hb over a 2‐year period were calculated as exposures. Participants were followed for a median of 10 years to determine the risk of
AMI
, stroke, cerebrovascular disease, and all‐cause mortality. There were U‐ or J‐shaped associations between Hb concentration or change in Hb and
AMI
, stroke, cerebrovascular disease, and all‐cause mortality. Increasing the Hb concentration from normal to high increased the risk for
AMI
(hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.49 [1.08‐2.04]). With regard to the risk for stroke, increasing the Hb concentration from a normal to a high range increased the risk (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.10 [1.02‐1.35]), and decreasing the Hb concentration from a high to a normal range decreased this risk (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.80 [0.60‐0.97]). Improving anemia to the normal Hb range decreased all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.81 [0.69‐0.94]); however, overcorrection of Hb concentration (Hb≥14.0 g/dL) was not significant.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that regular Hb analysis may assist in identifying young women who are at risk of
AMI
, stroke, cerebrovascular disease, and all‐cause mortality.
Differential Effects of Levosimendan and Dobutamine on Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients With Heart Failure and Renal Impairment:A Randomized Double‐Blind Controlled Trial
Authors: Lannemyr Lukas , Ricksten Sven‐Erik , Rundqvist Bengt , Andersson Bert , Bartfay Sven‐Erik , Ljungman Charlotta , Dahlberg Pia , Bergh Niklas , Hjalmarsson Clara , Gilljam Thomas , Bollano Entela , Karason Kristjan
Published: September 2018

Background

The management of the cardiorenal syndrome in advanced heart failure is challenging, and the role of inotropic drugs has not been fully defined. Our aim was to compare the renal effects of levosimendan versus dobutamine in patients with heart failure and renal impairment.

Methods and Results

In a randomized double‐blind study, we assigned patients with chronic heart failure (left ventricular ejection fraction <40%) and impaired renal function (glomerular filtration rate <80 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
) to receive either levosimendan (loading dose 12 μg/kg+0.1 μg/kg per minute) or dobutamine (7.5  μg/kg per minute) for 75 minutes. A pulmonary artery catheter was used for measurements of systemic hemodynamics, and a renal vein catheter was used to measure renal plasma flow by the infusion clearance technique for PAH (para‐aminohippurate) corrected by renal extraction of
PAH
. Filtration fraction was measured by renal extraction of chromium ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. A total of 32 patients completed the study. Following treatment, the levosimendan and dobutamine groups displayed similar increases in renal blood flow (22% and 26%, respectively) with no significant differences between groups. Glomerular filtration rate increased by 22% in the levosimendan group but remained unchanged in the dobutamine group (
P
=0.012). Filtration fraction was not affected by levosimendan but decreased by 17% with dobutamine (
P
=0.045).

Conclusions

In patients with chronic heart failure and renal impairment, levosimendan increases glomerular filtration rate to a greater extent than dobutamine and thus may be the preferred inotropic agent for treating patients with the cardiorenal syndrome.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
02133105.
Associations of Obesity With Incident Hospitalization Related to Peripheral Artery Disease and Critical Limb Ischemia in the ARIC Study
Authors: Hicks Caitlin W. , Yang Chao , Ndumele Chiadi E. , Folsom Aaron R. , Heiss Gerardo , Black James H. , Selvin Elizabeth , Matsushita Kunihiro
Published: September 2018

Background

We conducted an analysis of data from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study to assess the independent association of obesity with peripheral artery disease (
PAD
) and critical limb ischemia (
CLI
).

Methods and Results

All black and white
ARIC
participants without prevalent
PAD
at baseline (1987–1989) were included. We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for potential confounders and then potential mediators to quantify the association between body mass index (
BMI
) and incident hospitalizations related to
PAD
without
CLI
and with
CLI
through 2013. Our analysis included 13 988 men and women followed for a median of 24 years. Incident
PAD
without
CLI
and
PAD
with
CLI
occurred in 373 and 201 participants, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher
BMI
at baseline was associated with increased risk of
PAD
without
CLI
when
BMI
was modeled continuously (hazard ratio per 1‐
SD
increment in BMI: 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.37) and with
PAD
with
CLI
regardless of whether
BMI
was modeled categorically (
P
<0.05) or continuously (hazard ratio per 1‐
SD
increment in BMI: 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–1.69). The associations of
BMI
with
PAD
without
CLI
and with
CLI
were attenuated after further accounting for potential mediators but remained significant for
PAD
with
CLI
when
BMI
was linearly modeled (hazard ratio per 1‐
SD
increment in BMI: 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.36). The positive association between
BMI
and
PAD
with
CLI
was stronger than the association between
BMI
and
PAD
without
CLI
for all models (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

In the general population,
BMI
is positively associated with incident hospitalized
PAD
after adjusting for potential confounders, particularly its most severe form of
CLI
. Maintaining an optimal weight, in addition to controlling other cardiovascular risk factors, may play a role in reducing risk of
PAD
with
CLI
.
Clinical Profile of Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Included in the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program
Authors: Martin Lila M. , Januzzi James L. , Thompson Ryan W. , Ferris Timothy G. , Singh Jagmeet P. , Bhambhani Vijeta , Wasfy Jason H.
Published: September 2018

Background

Medicare's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program assesses financial penalties to hospitals based on risk‐standardized readmission rates after specific episodes of care, including acute myocardial infarction. Detailed information about the type of patients included in the penalty is unknown.

Methods and Results

Starting with administrative data from Medicare, we conducted physician‐adjudicated chart reviews of all patients considered 30‐day readmissions after acute myocardial infarction from July 2012 to June 2015. Of 197 readmissions, 68 (34.5%) received percutaneous coronary intervention and 18 (9.1%) underwent coronary artery bypass grafting on index hospitalization. The remaining 111 patients did not receive any intervention. Of the 197 patients, 56 patients (28.4%) were considered too high risk for invasive management, 23 (11.7%) had nonobstructive coronary artery disease on diagnostic catheterization and therefore no indication for revascularization, 19 patients had a type
II
myocardial infarction (9.6%) for which noninvasive, outpatient workup was recommended, and 13 (6.6%) declined further care. The most common readmission diagnoses were cardiac causes and noncardiac chest discomfort, infection, and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that more than a quarter of the patients included in the penalty do not receive revascularization either because of provider assessment of risk or patient preference, and nearly one tenth have type
II
myocardial infarction. As such, administrative codes for prohibitive procedural risk, patient‐initiated “do not resuscitate” status, or type
II
myocardial infarction may improve the risk‐adjustment of the metric. Furthermore, provider organizations seeking to reduce readmission rates should focus resources on the needs of these patients, such as care coordination, hospice services when requested by patients, and treatment of noncardiac conditions.
Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization of Community Hospital Patients With QT Prolongation
Authors: Gibbs Charlotte , Thalamus Jacob , Tveten Kristian , Busk Øyvind L. , Hysing Jan , Haugaa Kristina H. , Holla Øystein L.
Published: September 2018

Background

Congenital long‐
QT
syndrome (
LQTS
) is a genetic disorder characterized by prolongation of the corrected
QT
interval (
QT
c) on an
ECG
. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of pathogenic and likely pathogenic sequence variants in patients who had at least 1
ECG
with a
QT
c ≥500 ms.

Methods and Results

Telemark Hospital Trust is a community hospital within the Norwegian national health system, serving ≈173 000 inhabitants. We searched the
ECG
database at Telemark Hospital Trust, Norway, from January 2004 to December 2014, and identified 1531 patients with at least 1
ECG
with a
QT
c ≥500 ms. At the time of inclusion in this study (2015), 766 patients were alive. A total of 733 patients were invited to participate, and 475 accepted. The 17 genes that have been reported to cause monogenic LQTS were sequenced among the patients. Pro‐
QT
c score was calculated for each patient. A molecular genetic cause of
LQTS
was detected in 31 (6.5%) of 475 patients. These patients had a lower pro‐
QT
c score than those without pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants (1.7±1.0 versus 2.8±1.6;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

Compared with the general population, hospitalized patients with a
QT
c ≥500 ms in at least 1
ECG
recording had an increased likelihood for pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants in
LQTS
genes. We recommend increased awareness of the possibility of
LQTS
in patients with at least 1
ECG
with a
QT
c ≥500 ms.
Assessing Baseline and Temporal Changes in Cardiometabolic Risk Using Metabolic Syndrome Severity and Common Risk Scores
Authors: Gurka Matthew J. , Filipp Stephanie L. , Pearson Thomas A. , DeBoer Mark D.
Published: September 2018

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2
DM
) is considered a cardiovascular disease (
CVD
) risk equivalent, thereby linking assessment of cardiometabolic risk with that of
CVD
risk over time. Our goal was to determine how commonly used
CVD
risk scores and metabolic syndrome (MetS) severity performed in predicting T2
DM
with and without ultimate
CVD
.

Methods and Results

We assessed data from 8273 participants of the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Study, using the pooled cohort atherosclerotic
CVD
risk score, the Framingham Risk Score, and a MetS severity
Z
score to assess their association with future risk for
CVD
alone, T2
DM
alone, or both over 20 years of follow‐up. Baseline levels of all scores were significantly associated with isolated incident T2
DM
(odds ratios [
OR
s] for each 1‐
SD
increase: atherosclerotic
CVD
=1.7, Framingham risk score=1.7, MetS
Z
score=5.1). All 3 baseline scores were also significantly associated with isolated incident
CVD
(atherosclerotic
CVD OR
=2.4, Framingham risk score
OR
=2.3, MetS
Z
‐score
OR
=1.8), with the 2
CVD
scores remaining significant independent of MetS severity. MetS severity was strongly associated with future T2
DM
leading to
CVD
(MetS
Z
‐score
OR
=7.0, atherosclerotic
CVD OR
=3.9, Framingham risk score
OR
=3.5). Furthermore, changes in MetS severity were independently associated with future T2
DM
‐
CVD
progression.

Conclusions

CVD
risk scores are associated with risk for future isolated T2
DM
in addition to isolated
CVD
. However, MetS severity (both baseline and changes over time) was more strongly associated with T2
DM
, including T2
DM
ultimately leading to
CVD
. Following MetS severity within patients over time may identify those at greatest risk of combined cardiometabolic disease.
Improvement in Non‐Traumatic, Out‐Of‐Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival in Detroit From 2014 to 2016
Authors: May Spencer , Zhang Liying , Foley Dan , Brennan Erin , O'Neil Brian , Bork Ethan , Levy Phillip , Dunne Robert
Published: September 2018

Background

In 2002, the out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (
OHCA
) survival rate in Detroit was the lowest in the nation. Concerted efforts sought to improve the city's chain of survival with a focus on emergency medical services (
EMS
). This study assesses the impact on
OHCA
survival rates and describe factors associated with survival.

Methods and Results

Data for non‐traumatic
OHCA
cases in Detroit from 2014 to 2016 were extracted from CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival). Chi‐squared tests, non‐parametric tests, and a multivariable logistic regression analysis were employed to examine the associations between overall survival and its covariates. A total of 2359 non‐traumatic
OHCA
cases were examined. The overall survival rate increased from 3.7% in 2014 to 5.4% in 2015, and 6.4% in 2016 (
P
<0.01), reflecting a 73% improvement in survival over the 3‐year period.
EMS
median on‐scene time decreased over the study period, while the rate at which
EMS
initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation and applied an automated external defibrillator (AED) greatly increased (
P
<0.001). The factors significantly associated with survival were female sex (odds ratio=1.70,
P
<0.05), a public setting (odds ratio=2.31,
P
<0.01), an
EMS
witness (odds ratio=6.18,
P
<0.01), and the presence of an initial shockable rhythm (odds ratio=1.88,
P
<0.05).

Conclusions

From 2014 to 2016, the overall survival rate for
OHCA
patients in Detroit, MI significantly improved. Our results suggest that an improved chain of survival may explain this progress. This study is an example of how
OHCA
data analysis and
EMS
improvement can improve end
OHCA
outcomes in a resource‐limited urban setting.
Applications of Recurrent Neural Networks in Environmental Factor Forecasting: A Review
Authors: Chen Yingyi , Cheng Qianqian , Cheng Yanjun , Yang Hao , Yu Huihui
Published: September 2018

Analysis and forecasting of sequential data, key problems in various domains of engineering and science, have attracted the attention of many researchers from different communities. When predicting the future probability of events using time series, recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are an effective tool that have the learning ability of feedforward neural networks and expand their expression ability using dynamic equations. Moreover, RNNs are able to model several computational structures. Researchers have developed various RNNs with different architectures and topologies. To summarize the work of RNNs in forecasting and provide guidelines for modeling and novel applications in future studies, this review focuses on applications of RNNs for time series forecasting in environmental factor forecasting. We present the structure, processing flow, and advantages of RNNs and analyze the applications of various RNNs in time series forecasting. In addition, we discuss limitations and challenges of applications based on RNNs and future research directions. Finally, we summarize applications of RNNs in forecasting.
Property and Social Relations in Mughal India: Litigations and Disputes at the Qazi’s Court in Urban Localities, 17th-18th Centuries
Authors: Hasan Farhat
Published: September 2018

Critiquing the commodity-centered frames of reference, this paper looks at property not within an economic logic, but as a set of practices that served to structure and reconfigure social relations. Based on a study of property documents and court papers, the essay argues that property was not simply an index of wealth, but a medium through which social relations were affirmed, reproduced and contested. Owing to the identification of property with the honor of families and caste groups, transactions in property were socially regulated activities that bore the imprint of local power relations. Property documents were imbued with a plethora of meanings, and this was because the scribal-literate tradition in Mughal India co-existed with an oral-performative culture. Writing was used by social actors in a wide variety of ways, and for different sets of objectives, sometimes to reinforce the social order, on other occasions to disrupt it.
The Principle of “Party Newspaper Committed to the Party” in Practice: A Micro-Analysis of Kangzhan Ribao
Authors: Yue Qianhou , Qiao Aolong
Published: September 2018

Kangzhan Ribao (War of Resistance Daily) was the cornerstone of the CCP’s ideological propaganda among its troops in the Shanxi-Suiyuan Base Area, which the Party established in early 1940. In response to the Party’s call for publishing newspapers for and by all party members and the masses, this newspaper maintained a large network of reporters while relying on those at the grassroots as its authors and turning the illiterate and semi-literate populace into its faithful audience. All these made the newspaper a remarkable success in the history of Chinese journalism.
Historical review, catalog of type specimens and online database of the ichthyology collection of the Instituto de Ciencias Naturales of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (ICN-MHN)
Authors: MOJICA JOSÉ IVAN , AGUDELO-ZAMORA HENRY D.
Published: September 2018

For the first time, the catalog of type specimens of ICN-MHN is presented with high resolution photographs. The catalog lists 87 species in 161 lots and includes 41 holotypes, 3 neotypes, and 117 lots of paratypes. Some doubts remain about type specimens of some species described by Miles and Dahl that were supposedly deposited at ICN-MHN. The history of the collection is reconstructed and valuable specimens once considered lost or destroyed have been rediscovered. The botanical and zoological collections of the ICN can be consulted online (http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co).
Simulated Dust Aerosol Impacts on Western Sahelian Rainfall: Importance of Ocean Coupling
Authors: Jordan Asha K. , Gnanadesikan Anand , Zaitchik Benjamin
Published: September 2018

North Africa is the world’s largest source of mineral dust, and this dust has potentially significant impacts on precipitation. Yet there is no consensus in published studies regarding the sign or magnitude of dust impacts on rainfall in either the highly climate-sensitive Sahel region of North Africa or the neighboring tropical Atlantic Ocean. Here the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) Climate Model 2 (GFDL CM2.0) with Modular Ocean Model, version 4.1 (MOM4.1), run at coarse resolution (CM2Mc) is applied to investigate one poorly characterized aspect of dust–precipitation dynamics: the importance of sea surface temperature (SST) changes in mediating the atmospheric response to dust. Two model experiments were performed: one comparing Dust-On to Dust-Off simulations in the absence of ocean–atmosphere coupling, and the second comparing Dust-On to Dust-Off with the ocean fully coupled. Results indicate that SST changes in the coupled experiment reduce the magnitude of dust impacts on Sahel rainfall and flip the sign of the precipitation response over the nearby ocean. Over the Sahel, CM2Mc simulates a net positive impact of dust on monsoon season rainfall, but ocean–atmosphere coupling in the presence of dust decreases the inflow of water vapor, reducing the amount by which dust enhances rainfall. Over the tropical Atlantic Ocean, dust leads to SST cooling in the coupled experiment, resulting in increased static stability that overrides the warming-induced increase in convection observed in the uncoupled experiment and yields a net negative impact of dust on precipitation. These model results highlight the potential importance of SST changes in dust–precipitation dynamics in North Africa and neighboring regions.
A Decade of Ocean Changes Impacting the Ice Shelf of Petermann Gletscher, Greenland
Authors: Washam P. , Münchow A. , Nicholls K. W.
Published: September 2018

Hydrographic data collected during five summer surveys between 2002 and 2015 reveal that the subsurface ocean near Petermann Gletscher, Greenland, warmed by 0.015° ± 0.013°C yr−1. New 2015–16 mooring data from beneath Petermann Gletscher’s ice shelf imply a continued warming of 0.025° ± 0.013°C yr−1 with a modest seasonal signal. In 2015, we measured ocean temperatures of 0.28°C near the grounding line of Petermann Gletscher’s ice shelf, which drove submarine melting along the base of the glacier. The resultant meltwater contributed to ocean stratification, which forced a stronger geostrophic circulation at the ice shelf terminus compared with previous years. This increased both the freshwater flux away from the sub–ice shelf cavity and the heat flux into it. Net summertime geostrophic heat flux estimates into the sub–ice shelf cavity exceed the requirement for steady-state melting of Petermann Gletscher’s ice shelf. Likewise, freshwater fluxes away from the glacier exceed the expected steady-state meltwater discharge. These results suggest that the warmer, more active ocean surrounding Petermann Gletscher forces “non steady state” melting of its ice shelf. When sustained, such melting thins the ice shelf.
Who are the “Illegals”? The Social Construction of Illegality in the United States
Authors: Flores René D. , Schachter Ariela
Published: September 2018

Immigration scholars have increasingly questioned the idea that “illegality” is a fixed, inherent condition. Instead, the new consensus is that immigration laws produce “illegality.” But can “illegality” be socially constructed? When initially judging who is an “illegal immigrant,” common observers and even authorities typically do not rely on an individual’s documentation. Instead, people rely on shared stereotypes to assign “illegality” to certain bodies, a condition we refer to as “social illegality.” Ethnographers have documented that individual traits like occupation or national-origin may trigger illegality suspicions, but it is not clear how widespread these stereotypes are, or whether all stereotypes are equally consequential. To address this question, we examine the personal attributes shaping perceived “illegality.” We apply a paired conjoint survey experiment on a nationally representative sample of 1,515 non-Hispanic white U.S. adults to assess the independent effect of each dimension. We find that national origin, social class, and criminal background powerfully shape perceptions of illegality. These findings reveal a new source of ethnic-based inequalities—“social illegality”—that may potentially increase law enforcement scrutiny and influence the decisions of hiring managers, landlords, teachers, and other members of the public.
Beyond Social Contagion: Associative Diffusion and the Emergence of Cultural Variation
Authors: Goldberg Amir , Stein Sarah K.
Published: September 2018

Network models of diffusion predominantly think about cultural variation as a product of social contagion. But culture does not spread like a virus. We propose an alternative explanation we call associative diffusion. Drawing on two insights from research in cognition—that meaning inheres in cognitive associations between concepts, and that perceived associations constrain people’s actions—we introduce a model in which, rather than beliefs or behaviors, the things being transmitted between individuals are perceptions about what beliefs or behaviors are compatible with one another. Conventional contagion models require the assumption that networks are segregated to explain cultural variation. We show, in contrast, that the endogenous emergence of cultural differentiation can be entirely attributable to social cognition and does not require a segregated network or a preexisting division into groups. Moreover, we show that prevailing assumptions about the effects of network topology do not hold when diffusion is associative.
Does the Severity of Students’ Pre-Intervention Math Deficits Affect Responsiveness to Generally Effective First-Grade Intervention?
Authors: Fuchs Lynn S. , Fuchs Douglas , Gilbert Jennifer K.
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this analysis was to assess whether effects of first-grade mathematics intervention apply across the range of at-risk learners’ initial skill levels. Students were randomly assigned to control ( n = 213) and two variants of intervention ( n = 385) designed to improve arithmetic. Of each 30-minute intervention session (48 over 16 weeks), 25 minutes were identical in the two variants, focused on number knowledge that provides the conceptual bases for arithmetic. The other five minutes provided nonspeeded conceptual practice ( n = 196) or speeded strategic practice ( n = 199). Contrasts tested effects of intervention (combined across variants) versus control and effects between the variants. Moderation analysis indicated no significant interactions between at-risk children’s pre-intervention mathematics skill and either contrast on any outcome. Across pre-intervention math skill, effects favored intervention over control on arithmetic and transfer to double-digit calculations and number knowledge, and favored speeded over nonspeeded practice on arithmetic.
The Relationship Between Study Quality and the Effects of Supplemental Reading Interventions: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Austin Christy R. , Wanzek Jeanne , Scammacca Nancy K. , Vaughn Sharon , Gesel Samantha A. , Donegan Rachel E. , Engelmann Morgan L.
Published: September 2018

Empirical studies investigating supplemental reading interventions for students with or at risk for reading disabilities in the early elementary grades have demonstrated a range of effect sizes. Identifying the findings from high-quality research can provide greater certainty of findings related to the effectiveness of supplemental reading interventions. This meta-analysis investigated how four variables of study quality (study design, statistical treatment, Type I error, and fidelity of implementation) were related to effect sizes from standardized measures of foundational reading skills and language and comprehension. The results from 88 studies indicated that year of publication was a significant predictor of effect sizes for both standardized measures of foundational reading skills and language and comprehension, with more recent studies demonstrating smaller effect sizes. Results also demonstrated that with the exception of research design predicting effect sizes on foundational reading skills measures, study quality was not related to the effects of supplemental reading interventions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Book Review: Balmiki Prasad Singh, The 21st Century: Geopolitics, Democracy and Peace
Authors: Marwah Ved
Published: September 2018

Balmiki Prasad Singh, The 21st Century: Geopolitics, Democracy and Peace. New York, London: Routledge, 2017, 354 pp., ₹995.
What Are the Benefits of Having More Female Leaders? Evidence from the Use of Part-Time Work in Italy
Authors: Devicienti Francesco , Grinza Elena , Manello Alessandro , Vannoni Davide
Published: September 2018

Using three waves of a representative survey of Italian private firms, the authors explore the impact of female managers on a firm’s use of part-time work. Building on a literature that suggests female leaders display relatively more altruistic values compared to their male counterparts, the authors assess whether these differences manifest themselves in relation to working time arrangements offered by firms. Results, robust to controls for several time-varying firm-level characteristics and unobserved fixed firm heterogeneity, indicate that female managers are significantly more likely to limit the employment of involuntary part-time workers and correspondingly make greater use of full-time employees. Female managers also are more prone to grant part-time arrangements to employees who request them. Results also suggest that increasing the number of female business leaders may mitigate the problem of underemployment among involuntary part-time workers and contribute to the work–life balance of workers with child care or elder care activities.
Strengthening of students’ skills through practical tests in a belt conveyor training system
Authors: de Medeiros Renan LP , Ayres Florindo AC , Barra Walter , das Neves Cleonor C , Costa Carlos T , Barreiros José AL , Vieira Petrônio
Published: September 2018

This paper presents a small-scale laboratory system developed for emulating large belt conveyors in industrial systems. The aim was to develop a teaching tool that is suitable for use in teaching and training of both undergraduate students and engineers. Belt conveyor systems are applied to raw material (ore) transportation in mining beneficiation plants. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to build and improve students’ and engineers’ skills on belt conveyor operation and supervision. To that end, the training system discussed in this paper allows for training on belt conveyor systems under different loading levels and operating speeds. The typical belt conveyor behaviors—under transient and steady-state belt behavior—are emulated by means of an embedded system that controls the resistant torque at the electrical motor shaft. To assess the adequacy of the training tool developed, several laboratory assignments were accomplished by a class made up by electrical engineering undergraduate students. Pedagogical evaluation has shown that the methodology improved the overall students’ skill on belt conveyor operation.
Neoliberalism and Accountability Failure in the Delivery of Services Affecting the Health of the Public
Authors: Church John , Gerlock Amy , Smith Donna Lynn
Published: September 2018

Since the 1980s, the emergence of neoliberalism as a dominant government paradigm has led to increasing instances of accountability failure, resulting in significant injuries or death. Employing a grounded theory approach, accountability failure is defined and explored through analysis of 18 public inquiries and reports in the United Kingdom and Canada. The analysis reveals that the combination of a neoliberal policy paradigm and flawed regulation, governance, culture, and performance management inevitably led to accountability failure. Neoliberal policies have precipitated uncoordinated and underfunded regulatory regimes, an oppressive culture focused on financial efficiency at the expense of quality, self-serving and willfully blind governance, and underfunded and inadequate tools for measuring performance. The evidence suggests that organizations have not learned from each other within or between countries, revealing a pattern of accountability failure in which citizens are placed at risk in their communities and hospitals for preventable injury or death within an increasingly politicized government and leadership environment.
Digital Platforms, Gig Economy, Precarious Employment, and the Invisible Hand of Social Class
Authors: Muntaner Carles
Published: September 2018

Digital platform capitalism, as exemplified by companies like Uber or Lyft has the potential to transform employment and working conditions for an increasing segment of the worforce. Most digital economy workers are exposed to the health damaging precarious employment conditions characteristic of the contemporary working class in high income countries. Just as with Guy Standing or Mike Savage’s “precariat” it might appear that digital platform workers are a new social class or that they do not belong to any social class. Yet the class conflict interests (wages, benefits, employment and working conditions, collective action) of digital platform workers are similar to other members of the working class.
The marketization of childcare and elderly care, and its results in South Korea
Authors: Chon Yongho
Published: September 2018

To cope with a low birth rate and an aging population, some East Asian countries have actively reformed their care systems for children and older people by adopting policies for the marketization of care services. This research aims to explore the recent implementation of marketization of childcare and elderly care services by the South Korean government, and to examine the outcomes of the implementation of such policies. Owing to the marketization of services, a number of positive and challenging results have been reported. Similarities and differences have appeared in the processes and outcomes of the marketization of care between child and elderly services.
Hidden Scriptures, Then and Now: Rediscovering “Apocrypha”
Authors: Mroczek Eva
Published: September 2018

The category of “Apocrypha” depends on a perception of the canonical Bible as a closed and definitive book of sacred texts, set apart from other writings. But before the biblical canon was established, early Jewish writers imagined Scripture in radically different ways, as vast bodies of heavenly writing that were never fully accessible. Considering evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls and other literature reveals this surprisingly widespread belief about sacred writing: it is not contained in any specific collection, but much of it is hidden from view—illustrating a different way that texts could be “apocryphal” in the religious imagination.
Test Review No. 111 Tests of Achievement in Basic Skills
Authors: Proger Barton B.
Published: September 2018

Grades 7, 8, and 9: copyright 1971; 4 scores: arithmetic skills, geometry-measurement-application, modern concepts, and total; group-administered; hand- or machine-scored: 2 forms (each 1971, 8 pages); manual (1971, 11 pages); specimen set (includes manual, Form 1 test booklet, and answer sheet), $2.21; package of 35 reusable test booklets, $7.50 for either Form 1 or Form 2; package of 35 digitek answer sheets, $2.75; package of 500 digitek answer sheets, $35.00; set of handscoring keys for Forms 1 and 2, $1.50 each; examiner's manual, .50 each; scoring and reporting by publisher per student answer-sheet, $.35 (must have minimum of $25.00); student progress chart, $2.75 per package of 35; student checklist folder, $5.50 per package of 35; technical data supplement, 1.00 each; untimed (typically 45 to 60 minutes); test authors: James C. Young and Robert R. Knapp; publisher; Educational and Industrial Testing Service (EITS), P.O. Box 7234, San Diego, Cal. 92107; test review and prices relate to specimen set received May 8, 1972.
Robust image retrieval for lacy and embroidered fabric
Authors: Yao Li , Ke Huishu
Published: September 2018

Image retrieval is a task which retrieves similar images from a large database based on a given input query image. The lacy and embroidered fabric contains repetitive patterns and rich texture, making the image retrieval difficult. The GIST feature is a spatial information feature that performs well on retrieving images with duplicate patterns. Speeded-up robust features (SURF) feature is invariant to rotation, which makes it powerful in retrieving rotated images. The method proposed in this paper is to combine the benefits of both GIST and SURF features, supporting the image retrieval from a fabric image database. In addition, we extract the structure from the texture via the relative total variation to eliminate the influence of complex texture on the feature point extraction. A key insight and contribution of our paper is that the combination enables accurate fabric image retrieval, especially for rotated images. To demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of our method, we applied it to a database that contains 527 fabric images. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art methods on the fabric images with hollow and embroidery patterns.
How Parentally Abducted Children Fare: An Interim Report on Families who Recover Their Children
Authors: Hegar Rebecca L. , Greif Geoffrey L.
Published: September 2018

Parental abduction of children is a little-studied psychiatric and legal problem. Interviews were conducted with 69 parents whose children had been abducted and recovered, part of a larger group who responded to a written survey in 1989. Comparison of survey and follow up interview responses revealed a process of normalizing relationships with the abducting parent. At follow up, more cases showed a pattern that involved visits between the child and the former abductor, payment of child support, and decreased fear of another abduction. In 12 cases the child was living with the former abducting parent at follow up. Seventy-nine percent of the children had received mental health care since the abduction. Large proportions of the parents reported satisfaction with their children's adjustment in four areas of functioning.
Multiple Personality Disorder and Criminal Responsibility: Critique of a Paper by Elyn Saks
Authors: Piper August
Published: September 2018

This article critiques a recent essay that argues that patients who have multiple personality disorder (MPD) are not legally responsible for any crimes they commit: the simple finding that the accused has MPD is sufficient to exonerate him or her.

The present article makes the following points: first, the cause of MPD is unknown, despite claims to the contrary made by the disorder's proponents. Second, the central features of MPD are ill-defined: for example, the definition of the word “personality” is ambiguous and unsatisfactory. Third, this vagueness makes it impossible to differentiate MPD from numerous other psychiatric conditions; this inability is probably responsible for the epidemic of MPD cases currently seen in the United States. Such imprecision also makes it impossible to distinguish between true and false MPD cases, raising concern that accused individuals will malinger MPD in an effort to avoid criminal responsibility. Fourth, good evidence exists that MPD patients have control over at least some manifestations of the disorder, such as personality switching. The article concludes that adopting the position taken in the essay would have serious adverse consequences for both the law and psychiatry.
Psycholegal Considerations in Abuse-Motivated Parricides: Children who Kill Their Abusive Parents
Authors: Bumby Kurt M.
Published: September 2018

Child maltreatment has been recognized as a significantly influential force in precipitating parricides committed by children and adolescents, in that an abused youth may learn to be violent, may suffer psychological and physical trauma that leads to impaired functioning, and may act out violently in direct response to severe and longstanding victimization. This review of the literature delineates the significant psychological and legal issues surrounding abuse-motivated parricides. Particular emphasis is placed on (a) characteristics of maltreated children and various psychological conceptualizations of the effects of and responses to abuse, and (b) relevant legal issues, including the admissibility of expert testimony, self-defense claims of abused children who kill, and the use of mitigating factors. Finally, the treatment of abused children who kill their parents is addressed, as are future directions for research involving these captivating cases.