bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bimodal dwell-fatigue Weibull distribution of forged titanium IMI 834
Authors: Toubal Lotfi , Bocher Philippe , Moreau André
Published: July 2014

This study addresses cumulative damage and its evolution during the cold dwell fatigue of a near-α titanium alloy. An experimental study was undertaken to examine the evolution of life, strain, strength and damage of 13 titanium IMI 834 samples cut from a single disk forging. The samples were tested in the same dwell-fatigue loading conditions. In the dwell phase, the load is maintained at 80% of ultimate tensile strength (824 MPa, 90% of yield strength) for 30 s. The secant Young’s modulus and inelastic strain at minimum load were measured in order to document the evolution of the irreversible damage against the number of cycles for all specimens. Experimental observations show significant differences in dwell-fatigue life and damage behavior. This mechanical analysis and an analysis of the cumulative Weibull reliability distribution suggest a bimodal dwell-fatigue failure process. Some features of the mechanical behavior can be used to sort the samples according to each of the two failure modes and improve the reliability of the fatigue test campaign.
Appropriateness of Prescribing Dabigatran Etexilate and Rivaroxaban in Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Larock Anne-Sophie , Mullier François , Sennesael Anne-Laure , Douxfils Jonathan , Devalet Bérangère , Chatelain Christian , Dogné Jean-Michel , Spinewine Anne
Published: July 2014

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants have been developed to address some of the drawbacks of vitamin-K antagonists. However, special attention should be given when using these drugs, especially in patients with renal insufficiency, questionable compliance, and those at high risk of bleeding. Objective: To evaluate the appropriateness of prescribing dabigatran etexilate (DE) and rivaroxaban in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in real-life clinical practice. Methods: This was a prospective study that included patients presenting to a teaching hospital from April to mid-October 2013, who were taking rivaroxaban or DE for NVAF. Appropriateness of prescribing was evaluated using 9 of the 10 criteria of the Medication Appropriateness Index. The primary outcome measure was the prevalence of inappropriate prescribing. Secondary outcome measures included ( a) categories of inappropriateness, ( b) prevalence of adverse drug events, and ( c) interventions made by a clinical pharmacist to optimize prescribing. Results: A total of 69 patients were evaluated; 16 patients (23%) had 1 inappropriate criterion, and an additional 18 (26%) had more than 1 inappropriate criterion. The most frequent inappropriate criteria were inappropriate choice (28% of patients), wrong dosage (26%), and impractical modalities of administration (26%). An adverse event (AE) was found in 51% of patients (including 8 patients with transient ischemic attack/stroke). The clinical pharmacists performed 48 interventions, and 94% were accepted by the physician. Conclusions: Inappropriate use of DE and rivaroxaban in patients with NVAF is frequent and possibly leads to AEs. Reinforcing education of health care professionals and patients is needed. Collaboration with clinical pharmacists can contribute to better use.
The Sun and the Moon in Cross-Cultural Perspective
Authors: Munroe Robert L. , Huang Yan-Jie M.
Published: July 2014

The practical and symbolic significance of the sun and the moon was coded for a world sample of societies. Methods included use of the eHRAF World Cultures (hereafter eHRAF) Word Search function and the coding of relevant eHRAF materials. The sun, objectively of greater importance than the moon for many aspects of human existence, was expected to be ethnographically more prominent than the moon, and this was found in 55 of 60 cases. There was also a strong tendency for ethnographic mentions of the moon to be made in connection with magico-religious ideas, whereas statements about the sun tended to be more equally divided between the magico-religious and techno-econo-environmental domains. In exploratory investigation, it was found that both sun and moon were frequently mentioned in the ethnographies of foraging societies, which in turn were found to be at the low end of a scale of cultural complexity. Discussion centered on interpretation of the findings and on suggestions for further research.
Motor Planning
Authors: Wong Aaron L. , Haith Adrian M. , Krakauer John W.
Published: July 2014

Motor planning colloquially refers to any process related to the preparation of a movement that occurs during the reaction time prior to movement onset. However, this broad definition encompasses processes that are not strictly motor-related, such as decision-making about the identity of task-relevant stimuli in the environment. Furthermore, the assumption that all motor-planning processes require processing time, and can therefore be studied behaviorally by measuring changes in the reaction time, needs to be reexamined. In this review, we take a critical look at the processes leading from perception to action and suggest a definition of motor planning that encompasses only those processes necessary for a movement to be executed—that is, processes that are strictly movement related. These processes resolve the ambiguity inherent in an abstract goal by defining a specific movement to achieve it. We propose that the majority of processes that meet this definition can be completed nearly instantaneously, which means that motor planning itself in fact consumes only a small fraction of the reaction time.
Rapid identification of properties of column-supported bridge-type structure by using vibratory response
Authors: Zhou Kai , Christenson Richard , Tang Jiong
Published: July 2014

Some engineering structures, such as bridges in transportation network, may be subject to unexpected hazardous events, which calls for the rapid identification of their structural properties using portable hardware and data analysis system to evaluate their remaining load-carrying capacity. A significant challenge in such mission is the lack of baseline information of the structure to be evaluated. In this research, we formulate a vibration-based methodology using modal testing to identify properties of column-supported bridge-type structure. An assumed-mode based discretization is adopted to establish an equivalent nominal model that is a function of the unknown structural properties. The system identification algorithm is built upon the mass response method, i.e., introducing a known added mass to the structure and measuring respectively the modal information before and after this mass is added. This approach enables the structural identification without a priori information of the mass. Systematic case studies are then carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of this methodology. It is found that the new algorithm formulated can yield very accurate and robust identification results.
Mode exchange and unstable modes in the dynamics of conical pipes conveying fluid
Authors: Wang Lin , Dai Huliang , Ni Qiao
Published: July 2014

When the velocity of fluid flow in a slender pipe, fixed at the upstream end and free at the other, is increased beyond a certain critical value, the system may become unstable by flutter. This paper is concerned with exploring the unstable modes and mode exchange in the dynamics of a conical pipe conveying fluid. Compared with uniform pipes conveying fluid, the equation of motion of conical pipes conveying fluid has several terms as functions of the axial coordinate, thus yielding more complexity. It is shown that, when the taper angle of the conical pipe is varied in an actual range, the system becomes subject to flutter instability at certain flow velocities. For mass ratio equal to 0.433, flutter does not always first occur in the third mode of the system. With successively increasing values of the taper angle, the transference of flutter instability from one mode to another has been detected. Thus, flutter instability may also first occur in the second or first mode, strongly depending on the value of the taper angle.
Chaos and control in Josephson system subjected to combined bounded noise and harmonic excitation
Authors: Liu Fangfang , Zhao Xiaoshan , Feng Jinqian
Published: July 2014

In this paper, nonlinear dynamic and chaotic behaviors of Josephson system subjected to combined bounded noise and harmonic excitation are investigated. Theoretically, the stochastic Melnikov method is employed to establish the necessary conditions of existence of chaotic motion in the system. Numerical simulations, including the safe basins, the maximal Lyapunov exponent and the Poincare map, are carried out according to the necessary conditions for the system’s parameters. They show that routes of the system turn faster into random chaos as the amplitude of the stochastic noise excitation increases. Finally by using sliding mode control method, the controller is designed to eliminate the adverse effect of the noise and improve the working performance of the system.
Investigation into galloping characteristics of iced quad bundle conductors
Authors: Yan Bo , Liu Xiaohui , Lv Xin , Zhou Linshu
Published: July 2014

A nonlinear finite element method for galloping of iced bundle conductor transmission lines is presented. Wind tunnel tests for galloping of quad bundle conductor segments with crescent-shaped and sector-shaped ice models were carried out, and validity of the finite element method is demonstrated by the consistency of the galloping responses determined by the numerical method and those measured by the wind tunnel tests. Numerical models of four sections of iced transmission lines with different Irvine parameter λ2, which determines if internal resonance exists, are set up. Galloping of the iced transmission lines in steady wind flow and stochastic wind field is numerically simulated by the presented finite element method. Based on the numerical results, galloping characteristics of the iced transmission lines with and without internal resonance in steady and stochastic wind fields are discussed. It is found that the galloping mode and frequency of an iced quad bundle conductor transmission line in a stochastic wind field are similar to those in a steady wind flow, but the galloping amplitude may be different. Moreover, the Irvine parameter λ2 may be used to estimate some galloping characteristics, such as galloping mode and coupling movement induced by internal resonance.
A self-adaptive time-frequency analysis method based on local mean decomposition and its application in defect diagnosis
Authors: Xiang Ling , Yan Xiaoan
Published: July 2014

Local mean decomposition is a self-adaptive analysis method, which is suitable for the processing of multi-component amplitude-modulated and frequency-modulated signals. In this paper, the evaluating indicator of the end effect is put forward to characterize the advantages of local mean decomposition in non-stationary signal analysis. The comparisons between local mean decomposition and empirical mode decomposition show that the capabilities of the local mean decomposition on restraining the end effect and resisting the mode mixing are superior to those of empirical mode decomposition. Wigner–Ville distribution has had an important influence on non-stationary signal analysis, which keeps a higher time-frequency resolution and obtains superior distribution, but the cross-terms are its fatal disadvantages. Therefore, a new time-frequency analysis method, called self-adaptive Wigner-Ville distribution based on local mean decomposition, is proposed to effectively analyze non-stationary amplitude-modulated and frequency-modulated signals. Its validation is performed for the applications in a numerical signal, a practical gearbox vibration signal and a rotor oil whirl signal. The proposed method can analyze the multi-component signal with multiple frequency components, and evidently remove the cross-terms of Wigner-Ville distribution, and keep all its advantages. The study provides new means for state detection and fault diagnosis.
Dynamic analysis of functionally graded nanocomposite cylinders reinforced by wavy carbon nanotube under an impact load
Authors: Moradi-Dastjerdi Rasool , Pourasghar Amin
Published: July 2014

This work mainly reports on the effects of the aspect ratio and waviness index of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the free vibration and stress wave propagation of functionally graded (FG) nanocomposite cylinders that are reinforced by wavy single-walled carbon nanotubes based on a mesh-free method. In this simulation, an axisymmetric model is used, three linear types of FG distributions of wavy CNTs along the radial direction of the cylinder are considered and their results are compared with the results of a uniform distribution. The material properties are estimated by a micromechanical model. In the mesh-free analysis, moving least squares shape functions are used for approximation of the displacement field in the weak form of motion equation and the transformation method was used for the imposition of essential boundary conditions. Also, the effects of volume fraction and distribution pattern of wavy CNTs and cylinder thickness are investigated on the natural frequency and stress wave propagation of carbon nanotube reinforced composite (CNTRC) cylinders subjected to an impact load. It is observed that waviness has a significant effect on the dynamic behavior of the CNTRC cylinders.
Dynamic modeling and simulation for the rigid flexible coupling system with a non-tip payload in non-inertial coordinate system
Authors: Li Cuichun , Meng Xiuyun , Liu Zaozhen
Published: July 2014

The rigid flexible coupling system with a payload at non-tip position of the flexible beam is studied in this paper. Using the theory about mechanics problems in a non-inertial coordinate system and the subsystem modeling principle, the dynamic equations of the rigid flexible coupling system with dynamic stiffening are established via material mechanics and the angular momentum principle. This paper elucidates that dynamic stiffening is produced by the coupling effect of the centrifugal inertial load distributed on the beam and the transverse vibration deformation of the beam. First, the payload at non-tip position is incorporated into the continuous dynamic equations of the system by means of the Dirac function and the Heaviside function. Then, the constrained modes of the flexible beam are analyzed. According to the boundary conditions of the constrained modes, a reasonable position interval of the payload is proposed. It corrects the inaccurate understandings in some papers. Finally, based on the conclusions of orthogonalization about the normal constrained modes, the finite dimensional state space model suitable for controller design is obtained. In addition, in order to make the finite dimensional dynamic model established more practical, based on the common constrained modes, the dimensionless variables and parameters are introduced, and the dimensionless finite dimensional dynamic model of the system is derived. The numerical simulation results show that: dynamic stiffening is included in the first-order dynamic model established in this paper, therefore, it can indicate the dynamic responses of the rigid flexible coupling system with large overall motion accurately; the payload has a softening effect on the dynamic behaviors of the flexible beam, and the effect would be more obvious when the payload has a larger rotary inertia or a larger mass, or lies closer to the tip of the beam.
An adaptive pneumatic suspension system for improving ride comfort and handling
Authors: Nieto Antonio J , Morales Angel L , Chicharro José M , Pintado Publio
Published: July 2014

The paper describes an adaptive pneumatic suspension system that can improve both comfort and handling. Each air spring in the vehicle is connected to an auxiliary tank via two connecting pipes of different sizes. Choosing the connecting pipe with larger diameter and shorter length renders a compliant suspension which improves comfort. Conversely, choosing the connecting pipe with smaller diameter and longer length makes the suspension stiffer which favors handling. Toggling between configurations is fast, efficient, and easily done by simply opening or closing the corresponding electrovalves. The proposed adaptive system requires a GPS receiver and access to two pieces of information regarding the road at every location: the International Roughness Index and the curve radius (if not infinite). This information is used to predict road-induced vibrations and evaluate comfort with the ISO 2631 standard, as well as forecast roll angles and settling times for handling assessment. These predictions are used to select the most appropriate configuration.
Becoming Oneself
Authors: Sheldon Kennon M.
Published: July 2014

Pursuing personal goals is an important way that people organize their behavior and mature as individuals. However, because people are typically unaware of their own implicit motivations and potentials, they may pick goals that do not serve them well. This article suggests that “self-concordant” goal selection is a difficult self-perceptual skill, with important ramifications for thriving. Various means of conceptualizing and measuring goal self-concordance are considered. Then, relevant literature is reviewed to show that goal self-concordance, as assessed by a self-determination theory methodology, is predicted by goal/motive fit; that goal self-concordance in turn predicts more persistent goal effort and, thus, better goal attainment over time; and that self-concordant goal selection is enhanced by personality variables and interpersonal contexts that promote accurate self-insight and personal autonomy. Implications for the nature of the self, the causes of personality thriving and growth, and the free will question are considered.
Realizing the Promise of Social Psychology in Improving Public Health
Authors: Klein William M. P. , Shepperd James A. , Suls Jerry , Rothman Alexander J. , Croyle Robert T.
Published: July 2014

The theories, phenomena, empirical findings, and methodological approaches that characterize contemporary social psychology hold much promise for addressing enduring problems in public health. Indeed, social psychologists played a major role in the development of the discipline of health psychology during the 1970s and 1980s. The health domain allows for the testing, refinement, and application of many interesting and important research questions in social psychology, and offers the discipline a chance to enhance its reach and visibility. Nevertheless, in a review of recent articles in two major social-psychological journals ( Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology), we found that only 3.2% of 467 studies explored health-related topics. In this article, we identify opportunities for research at the interface of social psychology and health, delineate barriers, and offer strategies that can address these barriers as the discipline continues to evolve.
Advanced mouse-tracking analytic techniques for enhancing psychological science
Authors: Hehman Eric , Stolier Ryan M. , Freeman Jonathan B.
Published: July 2014

Computer mouse-tracking is a relatively recently developed behavioral methodology that can contribute unique insight into a wide variety of psychological phenomena. By recording mouse movements en route to specific responses on a screen, researchers glean continuous information about tentative commitments to multiple response alternatives over time. This approach yields a richness of data that can be fully explored with a variety of sophisticated analytic techniques, but these approaches are relatively underutilized and can be difficult to adopt. Here we describe several techniques for researchers to examine the onset and timing of evolving decision processes; test the degree of response competition at different time points; assess trajectory complexity with spatial disorder analyses; identify qualitatively distinct psychological processes during response generation; and finally to distill unique and meaningful components from mouse-tracking data for subsequent analysis. With this guide, we hope researchers can address novel hypotheses otherwise inaccessible with more traditional methods.
Restorative planning ethics: The therapeutic imagination and planning in public institutions
Authors: Schweitzer Lisa
Published: July 2014

How should planners in public institutions restore relationships after they have done things that cause harm to communities? This manuscript examines how Sandercock’s therapeutic imagination in planning relates to the public ethics outlined by legal and political theorists. I explore the moral paradox for planning theory of the desire to engage in healing with communities when public institutions remain accountable to democratic majorities. That paradox defines three duties for planners in possession of Sandercock’s “therapeutic” imagination who would support healing and change via the profession of planning.
Evaluation of a self-management programme for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Turner AP , Anderson JK , Wallace LM , Kennedy-Williams P
Published: July 2014

Self-management is becoming an important part of treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We conducted a longitudinal survey of patients with COPD who attended a 7-week group-based lay and clinician co-delivered COPD self-management programme (SMP)to see whether they became more activated, enjoyed better health status, and quality of life, were less psychologically distressed and improved their self-management abilities. The main analysis was a per-protocol analysis ( N = 131), which included only patients who attended ≥5 SMP sessions and who returned a 6-month follow-up questionnaires. Changes in the mean values of the patient outcomes were compared over time using paired t tests and general linear model for repeated measures. Patient activation significantly improved 6 months after the SMP ( p < 0.001). There were also significant improvements in COPD mastery ( p = 0.001) and significant improvements in a range of self-management abilities (self-monitoring and insight p = 0.03), constructive attitude shift ( p = 0.04), skills and technique acquisition, ( p < 0.001)). This study showed that a lay and clinician-led SMP for patients with COPD has the potential to produce improvements in important outcomes such as activation, mastery and self-management abilities.
Correlation between impulse oscillometry and spirometry parameters in Indian patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Raj Dinesh , Sharma Ganesh Kumar , Lodha Rakesh , Kabra Sushil Kumar
Published: July 2014

Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is an emerging tool to assess lung function in chronic respiratory diseases, more often in preschool children and patients who are unable to perform spirometry. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study on patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Primary objective was to evaluate correlation between IOS and spirometry parameters. Secondary objective was to evaluate the ability of IOS parameters to discriminate patients with airflow limitation at various forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) cutoffs. Patients with CF above 6 years of age, who were following up on a routine visit, were enrolled in the study. Patients underwent IOS and spirometry as per guidelines. A total of 39 patients (34 children and 5 adults) were enrolled in the study. There was a significant moderate negative correlation between spirometry parameters (FEV1, forced vital capacity, and peak expiratory flow rate) and IOS parameters, that is, impedance at 5 Hz (Z5), resistance at 5 Hz (R5), and reactance area, both between raw values and percent predicted values. Of the various IOS parameters, Z5 percent predicted had the maximum area under the curve (AUC) of 0.8152 and 0.8448 for identifying children with FEV1 <60% and <80%, respectively. R5 percent predicted had an AUC of 0.8185 for identifying children with FEV1 <40%. IOS can be used as an alternative pulmonary function test in patients with CF more so in patients who are unable to perform spirometry.
Adam Smith and colonialism
Authors: Williams David
Published: July 2014

In the context of debates about liberalism and colonialism, the arguments of Adam Smith have been taken as illustrative of an important line of anti-colonial liberal thought. The reading of Smith presented here challenges this interpretation. It argues that Smith’s opposition to colonial rule derived largely from its impact on the metropole, rather than on its impact on the conquered and colonised; that Smith recognised colonialism had brought ‘improvement’ in conquered territories and that Smith struggled to balance recognition of moral diversity with a universal moral framework and a commitment to a particular interpretation of progress through history. These arguments have a wider significance as they point towards some of the issues at stake in liberal anti-colonial arguments more generally.
Variations in time to receiving first surgical treatment for breast cancer as a function of racial/ethnic background: a cohort study
Authors: Bustami Rami T , Shulkin Daniel B , O'Donnell Nancy , Whitman Eric D
Published: July 2014

Objective

To evaluate surgical treatment delay disparities by race/ethnic group in a group of breast cancer patients treated in the New York region.

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

Two affiliated hospitals in the New York region.

Participants

Patients admitted at two affiliated hospitals in the New York region for breast cancer treatment during 2007–2011.

Main outcome measure

Time to receiving first surgery for breast cancer, defined as the time in days between initial diagnosis (biopsy) and definitive surgical treatment (lumpectomy or mastectomy). Predicted time to first surgery by race group was also analysed using a multivariate linear regression model with adjustments made for several demographic and clinical factors.

Results

Totally, 3071 patients who were first treated with surgery were identified. Racial background was classified as White, African American or Asian/other. Overall median time to surgery was 28 days: 28 days in whites, and 34 and 29 days in African Americans and Asian/others, respectively ( p = 0.032). Multivariate analyses showed that only African Americans, not Asian/others, had significantly increased surgical delay compared to whites ( p = 0.019).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates significant racial differences in surgical delay in a group of breast cancer patients treated in the New York region. These differences may reflect tacit attitudes of medical providers or processes insensitive to patient educational needs. Additional studies may improve our understanding of this delay.
Subacromial, supracoracoid dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint with ipsilateral clavicle fracture: a case report with review of the literature and classification
Authors: Davies Emma J , Fagg James A , Stanley David
Published: July 2014

A type VI acromioclavicular joint injury with a supracoracoid location of the distal end of the clavicle (VIa) may be associated with low energy injuries and, in association with a clavicle fracture, can successfully be treated with reduction of the dislocation, fixation of the clavicle, and may not require reconstruction of the acromioclavicular ligaments. An infracoracoid location (VIb) is highly suggestive of a higher energy injury.
Early life factors in relation to cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular disease in old age in Bergen: a Norwegian retrospective cohort study based on the Hordaland Health Study (HUSK)
Authors: Skogen Jens Christoffer , Stewart Robert , Knapstad Marit , Øverland Simon , Mykletun Arnstein
Published: July 2014

Summary

Objectives

The fetal origins of adult disease hypothesis describes associations found for fetal or early-life exposures with cardiovascular risk and disease in adulthood. The extension or not of these associations into old age has received less attention. We investigated if maternal health and family circumstances were associated with cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in late life and discuss results in light of possible selection effects and measurement error.

Design

A retrospective cohort study based on community survey. We examined 224 possible associations between anthropometric measures, maternal health information and family socioeconomic status at birth versus CVD and CVD-related risk factors 72–74 years later.

Participants

Of 3341 participants in a community survey of people aged 72–74 years, we were able to trace birth records from a historical archive in a broadly representative subsample of 480.

Setting

Bergen, Norway

Main outcome measures

Established cardiovascular risk factors and indicators of CVD.

Results

Only 11 (4.9%) of these associations were found to be statistically significant, and no strong or consistent patterns in the associations between exposures and outcomes were found.

Conclusions

There was little evidence in this relatively elderly sample for an association between early life factors and CVD outcomes of clinical or public health relevance. Further research is required to confirm the extent to which a diminution of early life influences into old age, if genuine, can be accounted for by selective mortality, systematic bias or by dilution of effects due to competing risk factors.
Conditions triggering local incident reviews in UK hospital maternity units: A national survey
Authors: Shah Anjali , Mohamed-Ahmed Olaa , McClymont Charlotte , Knight Marian
Published: July 2014

Objectives

In countries, such as the UK, where maternal deaths are rare, reviews of other severe complications of pregnancy and the puerperium can provide an additional perspective to help learn lessons to improve future care. The objective of this survey was to identify the types of incidents which triggered local reviews in the UK, in order to inform national safety reporting guidance.

Design

A national descriptive survey.

Setting

UK.

Participants

Consultant-led maternity units.

Main outcome measure

Seventy-one per cent of maternity units provided an incident review trigger list. The conditions included were classified by two assessors. Incidents that were listed by at least 5% of maternity units were reported and compared with incidents recommended for review by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).

Results

The conditions covered were highly variable, although those recommended by the RCOG were most highly represented. The most commonly listed conditions that had not been recommended for review by the RCOG included inadequate staffing levels (70%), cardiac arrest (69%) and maternal sepsis (64%).

Conclusions

Substantial variation exists in the types of incident listed for review by maternity units in the UK. Importantly, some units are not reviewing cases of severe infective complications even though this is a current major concern. Future guidance concerning local serious incident review processes should include how the list of conditions triggering a review should be managed in the light of changing clinical and safety priorities.
Gestational intestinal obstruction complicated by cortical blindness – a multidisciplinary case report
Authors: Pearce Phill , Patel Hemali , Vijithan Thamilinee , Craddock Charles TJ , Banerjee Saswata
Published: July 2014

Lesson

Our case highlights the difficulty of diagnosing and managing surgical pathology during the advanced stages of pregnancy.
Rapidly developing renal milk of calcium in a patient with myelomonocytic leukaemia
Authors: Morjaria Anika , Balasubramaniam Gowrie , Perera Saman , Almond Mike K
Published: July 2014

Rapidly developing renal milk of calcium, diagnosed by computed tomography (CT), X-ray and ultrasound, should be considered as a rare differential diagnosis in patients with apparent ureteric obstruction to prevent unnecessary interventions.
Emotion Regulation in Depression
Authors: Joormann Jutta , Vanderlind W. Michael
Published: July 2014

Sustained negative affect and difficulties experiencing positive affect are hallmark features of major depressive disorder. Recent research has suggested that difficulties in emotion regulation are at the core of these cardinal symptoms of major depressive disorder; depressed patients exhibit more frequent use of maladaptive emotion regulation and difficulties effectively implementing adaptive strategies. It remains unclear, however, what underlies these difficulties in emotion regulation. Cognitive theories of depression have a long tradition of focusing on cognitive factors that increase depression risk and maintain depressive episodes, but the link between cognitive and affective aspects of major depressive disorder remains to be explored. We propose that cognitive biases and deficits in cognitive control putatively associated with depression affect emotion regulation in critical ways, thereby setting the stage for maintained negative affect and diminished levels of positive affect. We close with a discussion of implications for treatment and future directions for research in this area.
Tacrolimus/sirolimus vs tacrolimus/methotrexate as GVHD prophylaxis after matched, related donor allogeneic HCT
Authors: Cutler Corey , Logan Brent , Nakamura Ryotaro , Johnston Laura , Choi Sung , Porter David , Hogan William J. , Pasquini Marcelo , MacMillan Margaret L. , Hsu Jack W. , Waller Edmund K. , Grupp Stephan , McCarthy Philip , Wu Juan , Hu Zhen-Huan , Carter Shelly L. , Horowitz Mary M. , Antin Joseph H.
Published: July 2014

Key Points

Tac/Sir prophylaxis provides equivalent GVHD-free survival when compared with Tac/Mtx in MRD transplantation. Tac/Sir is associated with more rapid engraftment and reduced oropharyngeal mucositis after MRD transplantation.
Effects of sex hormones on bronchial reactivity during the menstrual cycle
Authors: Matteis Maria , Polverino Francesca , Spaziano Giuseppe , Roviezzo Fiorentina , Santoriello Carlo , Sullo Nikol , Bucci Maria Rosaria , Rossi Francesco , Polverino Mario , Owen Caroline A , D’Agostino Bruno
Published: July 2014

Background

Many asthmatic women complain of symptom exacerbations in particular periods, i.e. during pregnancy and menstrual cycles (perimenstrual asthma: PMA)". The goal of this study was to study the effect of the luteal and follicular phases of the menstrual cycle on bronchial reactivity (BR) in a group of asthmatic women.

Methods

For this purpose, 36 pre-menopausal women were enrolled and underwent testing for resting pulmonary function, measurement of the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and airway responsiveness to methacholine in the follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycles. We also measured plasma hormone levels and levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP; a mediator of bronchial smooth muscle contraction) and testosterone in induced sputum samples.

Results

Our study showed that about 30% of the asthmatic women had decreased PC20FEV1.0in the follicular phase of menstrual cycle with a significant correlation between PC20FEV1.0and serum testosterone levels. Moreover, marked increases in sputum testosterone levels (mean = 2.6-fold increase) together with significant increases in sputum cAMP concentrations (mean = 3.6-fold increases) were observed during the luteal phase of asthmatic patients, suggesting that testosterone contributes to the pathophysiology of PMA. We excluded the possibility that testosterone directly inhibits phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity as incubating PDE with testosterone in vitro did not reduce PDE catalytic activity.

Conclusions

In conclusion, our data show that PC20FEV1.0was decreased in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle in about 30% of women and was associated with lower cAMP levels in sputum samples, which may contribute to bronchoconstriction. Our results also suggest a link between PMA and testosterone levels. However, whether these findings are of clinical significance in terms of the management of asthma or asthma worsening during the menstrual cycle needs further investigation.
Clustering in mental health payment by results: a critical summary for the clinician
Authors: Yeomans David
Published: July 2014

Mental health payment by results (PbR) is a disruptive new prospective payment system intended to replace National Health Service block contracts in England and provide a mechanism for opening up the mental health economy. Patients are allocated to one of 21 treatment clusters, each with a different price or tariff. Clinicians perform cluster allocation using the Mental Health Clustering Tool. The clustering process makes demands on clinicians' time even with support from information systems. Clustering is novel and it is unclear how it will work in practice. The process is likely to be susceptible to gaming.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Understand that the clinical process of diagnostic classification is different from the financial process of clustering categorisation.

Understand the importance of learning the clustering tool ratings definitions in order to make accurate cluster allocations.

Recognise that mental health payment by results is driving the widespread adoption of outcomes measurement.
Use of medication for challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disability
Authors: Glover Gyles , Bernard Sarah , Branford David , Holland Anthony , Strydom Andre
Published: July 2014

Medications, particularly antipsychotics, are commonly used to manage challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disability. When the behaviour does not arise from an underlying mental illness, this is commonly off-licence and evidence of efficacy is lacking. A national audit programme would be one way to address the concerns this raises.
Second-Line Oxaliplatin, Folinic Acid, and Fluorouracil Versus Folinic Acid and Fluorouracil Alone for Gemcitabine-Refractory Pancreatic Cancer: Outcomes From the CONKO-003 Trial
Authors: Oettle Helmut , Riess Hanno , Stieler Jens M. , Heil Gerhard , Schwaner Ingo , Seraphin Jörg , Görner Martin , Mölle Matthias , Greten Tim F. , Lakner Volker , Bischoff Sven , Sinn Marianne , Dörken Bernd , Pelzer Uwe
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To assess the efficacy of a second-line regimen of oxaliplatin and folinic acid–modulated fluorouracil in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who have experienced progression while receiving gemcitabine monotherapy.

Patients and Methods

A randomized, open-label, phase III study was conducted in 16 institutions throughout Germany. Recruitment ran from January 2004 until May 2007, and the last follow-up concluded in December 2012. Overall, 168 patients age 18 years or older who experienced disease progression during first-line gemcitabine therapy were randomly assigned to folinic acid and fluorouracil (FF) or oxaliplatin and FF (OFF). Patients were stratified according to the presence of metastases, duration of first-line therapy, and Karnofsky performance status.

Results

Median follow-up was 54.1 months, and 160 patients were eligible for the primary analysis. The median overall survival in the OFF group (5.9 months; 95% CI, 4.1 to 7.4) versus the FF group (3.3 months; 95% CI, 2.7 to 4.0) was significantly improved (hazard ratio [HR], 0.66; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.91; log-rank P = .010). Time to progression with OFF (2.9 months; 95% CI, 2.4 to 3.2) versus FF (2.0 months; 95% CI, 1.6 to 2.3) was significantly extended also (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.94; log-rank P = .019). Rates of adverse events were similar between treatment arms, with the exception of grades 1 to 2 neurotoxicity, which were reported in 29 patients (38.2%) and six patients (7.1%) in the OFF and FF groups, respectively (P < .001).

Conclusion

Second-line OFF significantly extended the duration of overall survival when compared with FF alone in patients with advanced gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer.
Deletion of the titin N2B region accelerates myofibrillar force development but does not alter relaxation kinetics
Authors: Elhamine Fatiha , Radke Michael H. , Pfitzer Gabriele , Granzier Henk , Gotthardt Michael , Stehle Robert
Published: July 2014

Cardiac titin is the main determinant of sarcomere stiffness during diastolic relaxation. To explore whether titin stiffness affects the kinetics of cardiac myofibrillar contraction and relaxation, we used subcellular myofibrils from left ventricles of homozygous (KO) and heterozygous (HET) N2B-KO mice which express truncated cardiac titins lacking the unique elastic N2B region. Compared to myofibrils from wildtype (WT) mice, myofibrils from KO and HET mice exhibit increased passive myofibrillar stiffness. To determine the kinetics of Ca2+-induced force development (rate constant kACT), myofibrils from KO, HET and WT mice were stretched to the same sarcomere length (2.3 µm) and rapidly Ca2+ activated. Additionally, mechanically-induced force redevelopment kinetics (rate constant kTR) was determined by slackening and re-stretching myofibrils during Ca2+ activation. Myofibrils from KO mice exhibited significant higher kACT, kTR and maximum Ca2+ activated tension than myofibrils from WT. In contrast, the kinetic parameters of biphasic force relaxation induced by rapidly reducing [Ca2+] were not significantly different among the three genotypes. These results indicate that increased titin stiffness promotes myocardial contraction by accelerating the formation of force-generating cross-bridges without decelerating relaxation.
Hydrodechlorination of para-Chloroacetophenone in Water/Ethanol Mixtures Using Organosilane-grafted Rh/SiO2 Catalysts
Authors: Yoneda Tetsuya , Aoyama Tadashi , Koizumi Koshiro , Takido Toshio
Published: July 2014

Hydrodechlorination was performed in water/ethanol mixtures over organosilane-grafted Rh/SiO2 catalysts. All catalysts in which organosilanes were covalently connected onto silica supports promoted hydrodechlorination, which may be attributed to the presence of a hydrophobic zone on the catalyst surfaces. Additional aromatic π–π interactions between the 4-tolylsilyl substituent in the catalyst and the aromatic ring of p-chloroacetophenone may be important for the activity of the most active Rh/SiO2–TS catalyst that was produced via silylation using trichloro-4-tolylsilane.
ReactomeFIViz: the Reactome FI Cytoscape app for pathway and network-based data analysis
Authors: Wu Guanming , Dawson Eric , Duong Adrian , Haw Robin , Stein Lincoln
Published: July 2014

High-throughput experiments are routinely performed in modern biological studies. However, extracting meaningful results from massive experimental data sets is a challenging task for biologists. Projecting data onto pathway and network contexts is a powerful way to unravel patterns embedded in seemingly scattered large data sets and assist knowledge discovery related to cancer and other complex diseases. We have developed a Cytoscape app called “ReactomeFIViz”, which utilizes a highly reliable gene functional interaction network and human curated pathways from Reactome and other pathway databases. This app provides a suite of features to assist biologists in performing pathway- and network-based data analysis in a biologically intuitive and user-friendly way. Biologists can use this app to uncover network and pathway patterns related to their studies, search for gene signatures from gene expression data sets, reveal pathways significantly enriched by genes in a list, and integrate multiple genomic data types into a pathway context using probabilistic graphical models. We believe our app will give researchers substantial power to analyze intrinsically noisy high-throughput experimental data to find biologically relevant information.
Biological network analysis with CentiScaPe: centralities and experimental dataset integration
Authors: Scardoni Giovanni , Tosadori Gabriele , Faizan Mohammed , Spoto Fausto , Fabbri Franco , Laudanna Carlo
Published: July 2014

The growing dimension and complexity of available experimental data generating biological networks has increased the need for tools allowing to categorize nodes by their topological relevance in biological networks. Here we present CentiScaPe, a Cytoscape app specifically designed to calculate centrality indexes for the identification of the most important nodes of a network. CentiScaPe is a comprehensive suite of algorithms dedicated to network nodes centrality analysis, computing several centralities for undirected, directed and weighted networks. The results of the topological analysis can be also integrated with data sets from lab experiments, such as expression or phosphorylation levels of the proteins represented in the network, using the graphical features of the tool. This opens a new perspective in the analysis of biological networks, since integration of topological analysis with lab experimental data can increase the predictive power of a bioinformatical analysis.
GASOLINE: a Cytoscape app for multiple local alignment of PPI networks
Authors: Micale Giovanni , Continella Andrea , Ferro Alfredo , Giugno Rosalba , Pulvirenti Alfredo
Published: July 2014

Comparing protein interaction networks can reveal interesting patterns of interactions for a specific function or process in distantly related species. In this paper we present GASOLINE, a Cytoscape app for multiple local alignments of PPI (protein-protein interaction) networks. The app is based on the homonymous greedy and stochastic algorithms. To the authors knowledge, it is the first Cytoscape app for computing and visualizing local alignments, without requiring any post-processing operations. GO terms can be easily attached to the aligned proteins for further functional analysis of alignments. GASOLINE can perform the alignment task in few minutes, even for a large number of input networks.
Invited Paper—Even the Rich Can Make Themselves Poor: A Critical Examination of IV Methods in Marketing Applications
Authors: Rossi Peter E.
Published: July 2014

Marketing is a field that is rich in data. Our data is of high quality, often at a highly disaggregate level, and there is considerable variation in the key variables for which estimates of effects on outcomes such as sales and profits are desired. The recognition that, in some general sense, marketing variables are set by firms on the basis of information not always observable by the researcher has led to concerns regarding endogeneity and widespread pressure to implement instrumental variables methods in marketing problems. The instruments used in our empirical literature are rarely valid and the IV methods used can have poor sampling properties, including substantial finite sample bias and large sampling errors. Given the problems with IV methods, a convincing argument must be made that there is a first order endogeneity problem and that we have strong and valid instruments before these methods should be used. If strong and valid instruments are not available, then researchers need to look toward supplementing the information available to them. For example, if there are concerns about unobservable advertising or promotional variables, then the researcher is much better off measuring these variables rather than using instruments (such as lagged marketing variables) that are clearly invalid. Ultimately, only randomized variation in marketing variables (with proper implementation and large samples) can be argued to be a valid instrument without further assumptions.