bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discrimination based on place of residence and access to employment
Authors: Bunel Mathieu , L’Horty Yannick , Petit Pascale
Published: January 2015

The purpose of this study is to assess the degree of employment discrimination against young people according to their place of residence. We considered several spatial scales in order to measure the effect of the reputation of the administrative department or county, the town or municipality and of the local neighbourhood. The evaluation is performed using correspondence test data carried out between October 2011 and February 2012. We studied 2988 candidacies that were submitted to 498 job offers (waiters and cooks) within the restaurant industry and located in the Paris area. Statistical and econometric results pointed out that resident effect is significant and important in magnitude: a good address can triple the chances of being invited to a job interview.
Conversation at Work
Authors: Jian Guowei , Dalisay Francis
Published: January 2015

Although research has made significant gains in understanding the constitutive nature of conversation in the process of organizing, its predictive effects on organizational outcomes are still uncertain. To contribute in this direction, based on social exchange theory and leader-member exchange (LMX) research, this study examined the predictive effects of leader-member conversational quality (LMCQ) on employee organizational commitment (OC), and the potential interaction effects of LMCQ with LMX quality. Using data from an online survey, this study found that above and beyond communication frequency and other control variables, LMCQ is significantly associated with employee OC. More interestingly, the effects of LMCQ vary based on the level of LMX quality. These findings have significant implications at both theoretical and practical levels.
Minimum variance distortionless response guided-wave imaging with particle swarm optimization
Authors: Li Peijiang , Zhu Xiaojin , Luo Cong , Deng Fei
Published: January 2015

Ultrasonic guided-wave detecting techniques are promising for wide application in structural health monitoring. A guided-wave imaging method based on improved MVDR (minimum variance distortionless response) is proposed for the defect detection of aluminium sheets by Lamb waves, utilizing the differences between baseline and defect signals to extract an envelope curve containing defect position information. Specifically, an imaging algorithm with a position weight vector is introduced to highlight the characteristics of pixels distorted by the presence of the structural defect. QPSO (quantum particle swarm optimization) is used for weight vector optimization. The QPSO improves upon the standard particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm by relaxing the requirement that either symbolic manipulation or constraint conditions of the second-order differentials are required in the Lagrangian optimization for further judgment. Diagonal loading compensation and windowing methods are used for the further improvement of imaging quality. Experimental comparison results and the optimizing procedure of the particle swarm’s weighting factor demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
A novel identification method based on frequency response analysis
Authors: Jin Qibing , Jiang Beiyan , Cheng Zhijin
Published: January 2015

Motivated by the fact that many classical identification methods cannot be directly used for a closed-loop control system or have to meet high requirements, a novel method is proposed for application to both open- and closed-loop identification by introducing a damping factor in the frequency response domain identification. Based on the mathematical analysis of the system, we proposed a novel particle swarm optimization (NPSO) algorithm to obtain an optimal estimate of the model by searching for the optimal damping factor. In addition, considering that many methods are confined to some special test signals as system inputs, the method presented here is proved to obtain the optimal estimated model by choosing the optimal damping factor for any continuous signals. With deep analysis and evidence, the method is improved so that the input signal can maintain output convergence and a second-order derivative in the s-domain is available. Simulations of the identification of open- and closed-loop systems are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and merits of the proposed algorithm in the paper.
What Does My Avatar Say About Me? Inferring Personality From Avatars
Authors: Fong Katrina , Mar Raymond A.
Published: January 2015

Many individuals now meet and develop friendships while online. As a result, people must form impressions of online acquaintances based on that person’s online representation. Here, we investigate personality inferences and intentions to befriend based solely on simple avatars (i.e., customized cartoon representations of the self). Our data show that some traits are more easily inferred from avatars than others, avatars can communicate accurate and distinctive information regarding personality, and individuals with certain personality traits create avatars that are more likely to be perceived accurately. We also found that agreeable and normative individuals created avatars that elicited more desire for friendship from others, implying that the impression given by one’s digital avatars may have social consequences.
Pretreatment With L‐Citrulline Positively Affects the Mucosal Architecture and Permeability of the Small Intestine in a Murine Mucositis Model
Authors: Antunes Maísa Mota , Leocádio Paola Caroline Lacerda , Teixeira Lílian Gonçalves , Leonel Alda Jusceline , Cara Denise Carmona , Menezes Gustavo Batista , Generoso Simone de Vasconcelos , Cardoso Valbert Nascimento , Alvarez‐Leite Jacqueline Isaura , Correia Maria Isabel Toulson Davisson
Published: January 2015

Background: Mucositis is a common complication in patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is associated with pain, poor quality of life, and malnutrition, leading to an increased number of hospital admissions and prolonged hospitalization. The use of immunonutrients may be an alternative treatment option, which may help to improve patient outcome. Objective: Here we assessed the impact of L‐citrulline (CIT) on a murine model of 5‐fluorouracil (5FU)–induced mucositis. Methods: Swiss male mice were randomized into 4 groups: control, CIT, 5FU, and 5FU+CIT. Mice were fed with commercial chow and supplemented with an oral solution of alanine (control and 5FU groups) or CIT (CIT and 5FU+CIT groups). On the seventh day, mice received intraperitoneal phosphate‐buffered saline or 5FU (200 mg/kg, single dose) to induce mucositis. On the 10th day, mice were euthanized, and the blood and small intestines were harvested. Body weight, morphology, histopathology score (hematoxylin and eosin) of the small intestine (from 0–12), myeloperoxidase activity, oxidative stress level, and intestinal permeability were assessed. Results: We observed significant weight loss after the administration of 5FU in both treated and control animals. CIT administration contributed to a partial recovery of the mucosal architecture as well as an intermediate reduction of the histopathologic score, and functional intestinal permeability was partially rescued. Conclusions: CIT administration attenuated 5FU‐mediated damage to the mucosal architecture of the small intestine, decreasing the size of the injured areas and promoting decreased intestinal permeability.
Representation in times of crisis: deputy–voter congruence on views of representation in Portugal
Authors: Belchior Ana Maria , Tsatsanis Emmanouil , Teixeira Conceição Pequito
Published: January 2015

This article compares how Portuguese voters and deputies evaluated the role of legislators and the representation process before and after the economic crisis (2008 and 2012, respectively). It makes use of a set of six issues characterising two views of representation: one institutional–independent and another participatory–mandatory. It also includes an analysis of two core policy issues. The research draws upon surveys of Portuguese voters and deputies carried out in 2008 and 2012. Findings reveal significant changes in the patterns of representation, a tendency for greater deputy–voter correspondence on the issues of representation, and lesser correspondence among government parties on core policy issues. Finally, voters’ views of representation seem equally significant when explaining levels of congruence both before and after the crisis.
Child Support and Subsequent Nonmarital Fertility With a New Partner
Authors: Kim Yeongmin , Cancian Maria , Meyer Daniel R.
Published: January 2015

When a parent has another child with a new partner, a significant effect on parents and children is likely, making factors associated with multiple-partner fertility of interest to policy makers. For single mothers, one potential policy-relevant factor influencing their subsequent fertility with a new partner is child support income. However, the direction and magnitude of any effect is not well-established. This study documents the simple negative relationship between child support and nonmarital fertility with a new partner in our sample of low-income unmarried mothers. We then take advantage of a policy experiment that resulted in randomly assigned differences in child support income to investigate its effects. We find no support for a negative causal relationship between child support receipt and nonmarital fertility with a new partner, instead finding suggestive evidence that mothers with more child support income are slightly more likely to have a subsequent nonmarital birth with a new partner.
Consistent Ipsilateral Development of the Posterior Extension of the Quadrangular Cartilage and Bony Spur Formation in Nasal Septal Deviation
Authors: Saedi Babak , Rashan Ali R. , Lipan Michael , Nayak Jayakar V. , Most Sam P.
Published: January 2015

Objective

Septal spurs are exceedingly common structural deformities that contribute to nasal obstruction and often require surgical correction. The posterior extension of the quadrangular cartilage (PEQC) and its relationship with septal spurs have not been previously examined. We seek to examine the anatomic and histologic relationship of the PEQC and concurrent septal spurs in patients undergoing septoplasty.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Facial plastic and rhinology center in tertiary hospital setting.

Subject and Methods

Thirty patients with septal deviation are described in this series. The quadrangular cartilage and associated septal spur were removed en bloc from patients undergoing septoplasty. The length of the PEQC, the side of spur deviation, and the relationship of the PEQC to the spur (ipsilateral vs contralateral) were recorded.

Results

The mean length of the PEQC, beyond the bony‐cartilaginous junction, was 30.06 ± 6.06 mm. The PEQC was present on the ipsilateral side of the spur deviation in all 30 patients (100%).

Conclusion

At sites of septal spur formation, the quadrangular cartilage possesses an average 3‐cm extension beyond its junction with the bony components of the septum. This cartilaginous extension is exclusively found on the same side of spur deviation. These findings have implications on our understanding of the ontogeny of commonly found septal spurs and deviations, as well as treatment strategies and cartilage graft harvesting.
Comparison of Hybrid Laryngotracheal Reconstruction to Traditional Single‐ and Double‐Stage Laryngotracheal Reconstruction
Authors: Raol Nikhila , Rogers Derek , Setlur Jennifer , Hartnick Christopher J.
Published: January 2015

Objectives

(1) To describe outcomes from and modifications to the hybrid laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR) technique and (2) to compare this technique to traditional single‐ and double‐stage LTR (ssLTR/dsLTR).

Study Design

Chart review with case series.

Setting

Tertiary care otolaryngology specialty hospital.

Subjects

All patients under 18 years of age who underwent LTR by a single surgeon from July 1, 2009, to December 31, 2013.

Methods

Charts were assessed for age, gender, etiology of stenosis, type of reconstruction, comorbidities, length of stay, complications, and tracheostomy status. Analysis was performed using Kruskal‐Wallis and Wilcoxon rank sum analysis.

Results

Forty‐four patients were identified, with 13 hybrid LTRs, 27 ssLTRs, and 4 dsLTRs. Of the hybrid LTRs, an overall decannulation rate of 76.9% was noted, comparable to those for dsLTR. The hybrid LTR technique offered a significantly shorter period of narcotic use when compared to ssLTR (median 15 vs 21 days, P <. 01). No patients in the hybrid LTR group developed supraglottic granulation tissue. There was no statistically significant difference in median length of stay for ssLTRs, dsLTRs, and hybrid LTRs (P =. 38).

Conclusion

The hybrid LTR technique is well tolerated and useful in patients of all ages. Narcotics can be weaned more quickly due to the presence of a secure airway at all times via the existing tracheostomy. Use of a long stent prevents formation of granulation tissue that may be seen with a suprastomal stent. This technique should be considered in patients with high‐grade stenosis with a preexisting tracheostomy.
Knowledge sharing behavior among community members in professional research information centers
Authors: Yeon KyeongNam , Wong Siew Fan , Chang Younghoon , Park Myeong-Cheol
Published: January 2015

South Korea is a world leader in human capital and research investment. However, compared to other countries with similar levels of resource input, Korea has relatively weaker output performance. This is a concern for the Korean government and the funding agencies that invest heavily in R&D activities. Since knowledge sharing among members influences the output performance within an R&D sector, this paper investigates the factors that affect the knowledge sharing intention and behavior among members of a national R&D center in Korea. A total of 286 members in the Biology Research Information Center participated in a survey. The results show that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations significantly influence the members’ intention to share knowledge. Cognitive and relational capital also exert significant effects on the members’ knowledge sharing intention. Structural capital, however, does not have any significant effect on intention. The members’ intention to share knowledge links significantly to their actual knowledge sharing behavior.
Psychedelic symptoms of cannabis and cocaine use as a function of trait impulsivity
Authors: van Wel JHP , Spronk DB , Kuypers KPC , Theunissen EL , Toennes SW , Verkes RJ , Ramaekers JG
Published: January 2015

Trait impulsivity has been linked to addiction in humans. It has been suggested that drug users with high trait impulsivity levels are more sensitive to subjective drug intoxication. This study assessed whether subjective response to drugs differs between drug users with normal or high levels of trait impulsivity. Regular drug users ( N = 122) received doses of cocaine HCl, cannabis, and placebo in a three-way crossover study. Their mood, dissociative state, and psychedelic symptoms were measured with subjective rating scales (CADDS, Bowdle, POMS). Trait impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Cannabis increased dissociation and psychedelic state, as well as fatigue, confusion, depression and anxiety, and decreased arousal, positive mood, vigor, friendliness, and elation. Cocaine increased dissociation, psychedelic state, vigor, friendliness, elation, positive mood, anxiety and arousal, while decreasing fatigue. Only a few subjective items revealed a drug × trait impulsivity interaction, suggesting that psychedelic symptoms were most intense in high impulsivity subjects. Trait impulsiveness ratings were negatively correlated with ratings of vigor ( r = −.197) and positively correlated with ratings of loss of thought control ( r = .237) during cannabis intoxication. It is concluded that a broad association between trait impulsivity and psychedelic subjective drug experience appears to be absent.
CT characteristics in 24 patients with POEMS syndrome
Authors: Shi Xiaofeng , Hu Shudong , Luo Xianfu , Luo Ming , You Haiyan , Zhu Yan , Xi Xiaodong
Published: January 2015

Background

POEMS (Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, M protein, and Skin changes) syndrome is a complicated and rare disease. Systematic research on computed tomography (CT) imaging characteristics in POEMS syndrome is scanty. The role of CT in diagnosis needs to be assessed.

Purpose

To retrospectively analyze the CT imaging features in 24 patients with POEMS syndrome and evaluate the role of CT in diagnosis of this disease.

Material and Methods

Twenty-four patients with confirmed POEMS syndrome were included in the study. Chest and abdominal CT images were analyzed.

Results

The three minor diagnostic criteria for POEMS syndrome (extravascular volume overload, organomegaly, and bone lesions) can be detected effectively by CT. Extravascular volume overload involved multiple serous cavities: hydrothorax, hydropericardium, and ascites, which were found in 79.2%, 41.7%, and 54.2% patients, respectively. The volume of effusion was small to moderate. Organomegaly involved multiorgans: hepatomegaly was found in 45.8% patients, splenomegaly in 54.2%, and lymphadenopathy in 75% patients. Hepatospleen exhibited moderate homogeneous enlargement without local enhanced signal after injection of contrast material. Bone lesions were classified into three groups: osteosclerotic, osteolytic, and mixed lesions. Osteosclerotic lesions, taking multiple, scattered, and variably sized high-density plaque-like appearance, were found in 20.8% patients. Osteolytic lesions, exhibiting punched-out low-density image, were found in 4.2% patients. Mixed ones, holding both common characteristics of them, were detected in 8.3% patients. These CT abnormalities disappeared after effective treatment.

Conclusion

CT plays vital role in the confirmation of the three minor diagnostic criteria for POEMS syndrome: extravascular volume overload, organomegaly, and bone lesions.
Clinical significance of CD44s, CD44v3 and CD44v6 in breast cancer
Authors: Wu Xiao-Jin , Li Xiao-Dong , Zhang Hanze , Zhang Xiaofei , Ning Zhong-Hua , Yin Yong-Mei , Tian Ye
Published: January 2015

Objectives

To evaluate levels of CD44 standard variant (CD44s), CD44 variant exon 3 (CD44v3) and CD44 variant exon 6 (CD44v6) protein in breast cancer tissue, and investigate their relationships with clinicopathological characteristics of the disease.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry for CD44s, CD44v3 and CD44v6 was retrospectively performed on formalin-fixed paraffin wax-embedded breast cancer tissue samples.

Results

Tumour tissue samples from 60 patients with breast cancer were included. There was a significant relationship between CD44s positivity and tumour diameter and lymph node involvement. CD44v6 positivity was significantly associated with tumour–node–metastasis (TNM) stage and lymph node involvement. There were significant negative correlations between CD44s immunopositivity, tumour diameter and TNM stage, and significant positive correlations between CD44v6 immunopositivity, tumour diameter and TNM stage.

Conclusions

CD44s and CD44v6 appear to play opposing roles in the development of breast cancer, but their precise functions and mechanisms of action remain unclear.
Bilateral Dentate Gyrus Structural Alterations in a Cat Associated With Hippocampal Sclerosis and Intraventricular Meningioma
Authors: Klang A. , Thaller D. , Schmidt P. , Kovacs G. G. , Halasz P. , Pakozdy A.
Published: January 2015

A 13-year-old cat had a history of seizures for 3 years that resembled temporal lobe epilepsy. Histologic examination of the brain revealed bilateral hippocampal alterations, including hypergyration and broadening of the dentate gyrus associated with hippocampal sclerosis and an intraventricular meningioma near the hippocampal region. The findings in the dentate gyrus were interpreted as a congenital malformation; however, it could not be ruled out that the alterations were induced by the seizures. Similar changes of the dentate gyrus have not been previously described in cats.
Neuropathology of Natural Cytauxzoon felis Infection in Domestic Cats
Authors: Clarke L. L. , Rissi D. R.
Published: January 2015

Cytauxzoonosis is a tick-borne disease of felids caused by the protozoan Cytauxzoon felis. This article characterizes the neuropathologic changes in 8 cases of natural C. felis infection in domestic cats with typical clinical signs and pathologic changes in multiple organs. Histologic changes in the brain included intravascular schizont-laden macrophages in leptomeningeal and parenchymal arterioles and venules. Small capillaries throughout the gray and white matter and choroid plexus also appeared occluded. Affected vessels were often surrounded by small to moderate numbers of lymphocytes and plasma cells and multiple areas of hemorrhage. Vasculitis and fibrin thrombi were occasionally present. Parenchymal changes consisted of variable degrees of vacuolation of the gray and white matter, with microgliosis, astrocytosis, astrogliosis, and multiple microhemorrhages. Multiple well-demarcated areas of necrosis observed in 4 cases were characterized by marked vacuolation of the gray or white matter, with necrotic neurons containing shrunken hypereosinophilic cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei, nuclear debris, swollen axons, and scattered foamy macrophages. The changes in the brains of affected cats were attributed to vascular occlusion and secondary ischemia caused by the protozoal infection.
Oral Papillomas Associated With Felis catus Papillomavirus Type 1 in 2 Domestic Cats
Authors: Munday J. S. , Fairley R. A. , Mills H. , Kiupel M. , Vaatstra B. L.
Published: January 2015

Multiple small sessile raised lesions were detected on the ventral surface of the tongue in two 13-year-old domestic cats. The lesions were incidental in both cats. Lesions from both cats appeared histologically as well-demarcated foci of markedly thickened folded epithelium that formed keratin-filled shallow cuplike structures. Large keratinocytes that contained a swollen nucleus surrounded by a clear cytoplasmic halo (koilocytes) were common, suggesting a diagnosis of a papillomavirus-induced papillomas, and papillomavirus antigen was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. The papillomas exhibited diffuse intense cytoplasmic and nuclear immunoreactivity against cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A protein (also known as p16 or INK4a protein). Felis catus papillomavirus type 1 DNA sequences were amplified from both papillomas. The papillomas resolved in 1 cat within 3 months of diagnosis, while the papillomas were still visible 4 months after diagnosis in the other cat. This is the first evidence that these papillomas are caused by F. catus papillomavirus type 1.
The Politics of Death and Asylum Discourse
Authors: Estévez Ariadna
Published: January 2015

In 2006, Mexico’s then-president Felipe Calderón declared war on drug trafficking. The human toll included the loss of over 95,000 lives, the forced disappearance of more than 27,000 people, and the displacement of 2 percent of the Mexican population. This article offers an explanation of how persecution and exile are specific effects of the governmentalization of the Mexican state. This governmentalization includes the shared use, by criminals and authorities, of techniques for dominating the population and controlling the conduct of citizens through the practices of death, that is, by necropolitics. The article goes on to discuss how the objectives, rationality, and governmentalization of the state serve to dislocate concepts of the legal discourse of asylum in such a way that its truth politics exclude Mexican asylum seekers, thereby constituting American migration biopolitics from the periphery.
Moving Borders
Authors: Warner Daniel
Published: January 2015

The establishment of country’s borders is both a political and a legal determination. The brief Russian–Georgian War of 2008 not only suspended diplomatic relations between the two countries but also caused international confusion about the definitive border between them. In 2012, with the help of creative Swiss diplomatic activity, a breakthrough took place that allowed the Russian Federation to finally become a member of the World Trade Organization. This article will examine how five years after a major conflict that left hundreds if not thousands of casualties and the declared independence of two separatist regions from Georgia, the Russian Federation and Georgia were able to agree on a border between the two countries for customs while still not agreeing on the definitive border between them.
The “Need for Success”
Authors: Greiff Tobias , Greiff Jacquie L.
Published: January 2015

This article critically engages with the need for success, a deep structure influencing, as we will argue, not only the outcome of international peace interventions today, but the very ways we think, understand, and evaluate interventions. We engage with this deep structure through a deconstructive double reading of the representations it creates and the influence of those representations on the everyday life of those exposed to it in the city of Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On the Elusive Subject of Sovereignty
Authors: Nayar Jayan
Published: January 2015

“Sovereignty” confounds, and the fate of the “subject” thus appears uncertain. Thus, sovereignty is perpetually rethought by critical philosophers, borders perpetually reconceptualized, and the “political subject” perpetually resurrected from abandonment. In this essay, I present a different, decolonial, view of sovereignty as a philosophical invention. I begin by identifying three incommensurable conditions of subject-beingness: the precarious citizen-subject, the abject subject of “exceptional” bans, and the trans-territorial subject of “exemptional” license. Rather than aberrations, these are co-constitutively regulated and enforced by the invention of sovereignty that constructs the materialities of differentiated subject-beingness within a global biopolitical regime of (b)ordered bodies-within(/out)-territory based on the incommensurable rationalities of license, containments, and bans. The aim of this correction to the philosophy of sovereignty is to further the tasks of denormalizing the coloniality of (b)ordering that has captured, emplaced, and banned imaginations of being(-otherwise). Conversely, a decolonial philosophy normalizes the oppositions to sovereign presents and naturalizes the many witnessed refusals and rejections of the present normalities of violence and dispossession. To de-invent sovereignty is to therefore re-invent philosophy as decolonial praxes.
Linking land use/land cover with climatic and geomorphologic factors in regional mean annual streamflow models with geospatial regression approach
Authors: Tran Liem T. , O’Neill Robert V. , Bruins Randall J. F. , Smith Elizabeth R. , Harden Carol
Published: January 2015

Estimates of annual streamflow in connection with key natural and anthropogenic factors are necessary and important for different purposes, such as water resource planning and management, sediment and nutrient loading in streams and rivers, hydropower, and navigation. This study is an attempt to use the spatial statistical regression approach to develop regression models for mean annual streamflow at regional scale while adequately dealing with the common spatial dependency issue in input and output variables used in regression models. The proposed modeling approach is illustrated with a case study of the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The R-squared and the Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient of the regional model were 0.993 and 0.985, respectively, while those of the sub-regional model were 0.995 and 0.990, respectively. Methodologically, the proposed model provided an effective way to utilize an extensive spatial dataset of various climatic, geomorphologic, and land cover variables for a large region like the Upper Mississippi River Basin to assess and compare the impact of various factors on mean annual streamflow at regional scale. Furthermore, the model was able to handle spatial dependency in data.
A meta-analysis of biomarkers related to oxidative stress and nitric oxide pathway in migraine
Authors: Neri Monica , Frustaci Alessandra , Milic Mirta , Valdiglesias Vanessa , Fini Massimo , Bonassi Stefano , Barbanti Piero
Published: January 2015

Background

Oxidative and nitrosative stress are considered key events in the still unclear pathophysiology of migraine.

Methods

Studies comparing the level of biomarkers related to nitric oxide (NO) pathway/oxidative stress in the blood/urine of migraineurs vs. unaffected controls were extracted from the PubMed database. Summary estimates of mean ratios (MR) were carried out whenever a minimum of three papers were available. Nineteen studies were included in the meta-analyses, accounting for more than 1000 patients and controls, and compared with existing literature.

Results

Most studies measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed lower activity in cases, although the meta-analysis in erythrocytes gave null results. On the contrary, plasma levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), an aspecific biomarker of oxidative damage, showed a meta-MR of 2.20 (95% CI: 1.65–2.93). As for NOs, no significant results were found in plasma, serum and urine. However, higher levels were shown during attacks, in patients with aura, and an effect of diet was found. The analysis of glutathione precursor homocysteine and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an NO synthase inhibitor, gave inconclusive results.

Conclusions

The role of the oxidative pathway in migraine is still uncertain. Interesting evidence emerged for TBARS and SOD, and concerning the possible role of diet in the control of NOx levels.
Sleep and chronobiology in cluster headache
Authors: Barloese M , Lund N , Petersen A , Rasmussen M , Jennum P , Jensen R
Published: January 2015

Background and aim

M.R. present address: PAIN, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA Cluster headache (CH) is the headache disorder with the strongest chronobiological traits. The severe attacks of pain occur with diurnal and annual rhythmicity but the precise rhythm and involvement of potential zeitgebers is unknown. Patients complain of poor sleep quality yet this has never been studied. We investigated triggers, rhythms, sleep quality and chronotypes in CH.

Methods

Patients and controls completed questionnaires and structured interviews composed of new and previously validated parts including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Patients were characterized by a CH index, a unified measure of headache burden.

Results

A total of 275 CH patients and 145 matched controls were included. The most common trigger was sleep (80%) and a relationship between clusters and daylight was identified. Of the patients, 82.2% reported diurnal and 56% annual rhythmicity. Patients reported impaired sleep quality (PSQI) ( p < 0.0001) and an inverse relationship between time passed since last attack and sleep quality was identified ( p < 0.0001). The CH index was positively related to the PSQI ( p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Diurnally, CH exhibits a relationship with night-time and annually with daylight hours. Patients’ sleep quality is reduced compared with controls. Results suggest a complex relationship as sleep quality improves between clusters, but remains pathological.
Can nitric oxide induce migraine in normal individuals?
Authors: Olesen Jes , Ashina Messoud
Published: January 2015

Introduction

For many years, scientists have debated the possibility that an individual “migraine threshold” determines the likelihood with which individuals may express migraine attacks.

Discussion

Recent discoveries provided evidence for both genetic and environmental influences on individual migraine expression. The question is whether any person may express a migraine attack given a sufficiently strong stimulus or provocation. Here, we reviewed and discussed the ability of nitric oxide to induce migraine-like attacks in normal individuals.

Conclusion

Experimental data show that normal individuals may develop a migraine-like attack and that the human data point to different ways of further developing existing animal and human models.
Can Evidence Impact Attitudes? Public Reactions to Evidence of Gender Bias in STEM Fields
Authors: Moss-Racusin Corinne A. , Molenda Aneta K. , Cramer Charlotte R.
Published: January 2015

Our research capitalized on a naturalistic data collection opportunity to investigate responses to experimental evidence of gender bias within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We analyzed 831 written comments made by members of the public in response to three prominent articles reporting on experimental evidence of science faculty members’ gender biases. Utilizing a mixed-method approach (i.e., thematic and quantitative analysis), we identified the nature and frequency of positive and negative responses, and we investigated possible gender and professional differences in what commenters wrote. Although acknowledgment of gender bias was the most prevalent category, a wide range of positive (e.g., calls for social change) and negative (e.g., justifications of gender bias) reactions emerged. Among the subsample of 423 comments for which it was possible to code commenters’ gender, gender differences arose for the majority of categories, such that men were more likely than women to post negative responses and women were more likely than men to post positive responses. Results were unaffected by commenters’ own STEM field affiliation. We discuss implications for the role of clearly demonstrated bias in prejudice recognition and reduction as well as the development of STEM diversity interventions.
Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Bipolar Reciprocal Osteochondral Lesions of the Knee
Authors: Meric Gokhan , Gracitelli Guilherme C. , Görtz Simon , De Young Allison J. , Bugbee William D.
Published: January 2015

Background:

Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation is an effective treatment option for chondral and osteochondral defects of the knee.

Hypothesis:

Patients treated with OCAs for reciprocal bipolar lesions of the knee would demonstrate significant clinical improvement.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Between 1983 and 2010, OCAs were implanted for bipolar chondral lesions in 46 patients (48 knees). The 21 male and 25 female patients averaged 40 years of age (range, 15-66 years). Thirty-four lesions were tibiofemoral, and 14 were patellofemoral. Forty-two knees (88%) had undergone a mean of 3.4 previous surgeries (range, 1-8). The mean allograft area was 19.2 cm2. Clinical evaluation included the modified Merle d’Aubigné-Postel (18-point), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) pain and function, and Knee Society function (KS-F) scores. Further surgeries on the operative joint were documented.

Results:

Survivorship of the bipolar OCA was 64.1% at 5 years. Thirty knees underwent further surgery; 22 knees (46%) were considered failures (3 OCA revisions, 14 total knee arthroplasties, 2 unicondylar arthroplasties, 2 arthrodeses, and 1 patellectomy). Among patients whose OCA was still in situ at follow-up, the mean follow-up was 7 years (range, 2.0-19.7 years). The mean 18-point score improved from 12.1 to 16.1; 88% (23/26 knees) of surviving allografts scored ≥15. The mean IKDC pain score improved from 7.5 to 4.7, and the mean IKDC function score improved from 3.4 to 7.0. The mean KS-F score improved from 70.5 to 84.1.

Conclusion:

Osteochondral allograft transplantation is a useful salvage treatment option for reciprocal bipolar cartilage lesions of the knee. High reoperation and failure rates were observed, but patients with surviving allografts showed significant clinical improvement.
Do Patient Age and Sex Influence Tendon Cell Biology and Clinical/Radiographic Outcomes After Rotator Cuff Repair?
Authors: Pauly Stephan , Stahnke Katharina , Klatte-Schulz Franka , Wildemann Britt , Scheibel Markus , Greiner Stefan
Published: January 2015

Background:

Many clinical and radiographic studies suggest that patient age and sex have an influence on rotator cuff (RC) repair outcomes. However, these findings result from retrospective statistical analyses and cannot provide a causal answer.

Purpose:

To analyze whether age and sex influence the biological potential at the time of RC repair or midterm clinical and radiographic outcomes. Also assessed was the effect of the biological potential on intraindividual clinical/radiographic results.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 40 patients underwent arthroscopic RC repair. At the time of surgery (t = 0), supraspinatus tendon biopsy specimens were obtained, cultivated, and assessed for their biological potential, particularly (1) cell growth and (2) collagen type I production. After a follow-up at 24 months (t = 1), all patients were assessed by clinical scores (Constant score, subjective shoulder value, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES] score, and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index [WORC] score) and underwent magnetic resonance imaging to determine RC integrity. The data were examined for age- and sex-related differences and to identify the correlation between biological potential (t = 0) and clinical/radiographic outcome (t = 1).

Results:

The follow-up rate for the imaging and clinical evaluation was 100%. Age, but not sex, influenced the biological tendon cell parameters at t = 0. However, there was no effect of age or sex on the clinical and radiographic results at t = 1. Furthermore, no correlation was observed between the initial biological parameters and later clinical outcomes or radiographic RC integrity. Finally, there was no significant difference between intact and nonhealed repairs in terms of the respective clinical scores.

Conclusion:

Age, but not sex, was found to have a negative effect on RC tendon cell biology. However, neither sex nor, in particular, a higher age influenced repair outcomes after 24 months.
Return to Play After Chondroplasty of the Knee in National Football League Athletes
Authors: Scillia Anthony J. , Aune Kyle T. , Andrachuk John S. , Cain E. Lyle , Dugas Jeffrey R. , Fleisig Glenn S. , Andrews James R.
Published: January 2015

Background:

Knee injuries, including articular cartilage damage, are common in football players and are potentially career threatening. The rate of return to play (RTP) as well as the factors affecting return after arthroscopic chondroplasty of the knee is performed in National Football League (NFL) athletes are not known.

Purpose:

To determine the rate of return to regular season NFL competition after arthroscopic knee surgery including chondroplasty of articular cartilage lesions. In addition, identification of factors that influence successful return was investigated.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Athletes in the NFL who underwent arthroscopic chondroplasty at a single institution were identified. Retrospective chart review and review of the NFL online database were utilized to determine the rate of RTP and factors affecting an athlete’s ability to return. Chi-square and Student t tests were used to assess differences among players who were and were not able to RTP, and logistic regression was employed to determine a player’s odds of return.

Results:

There were 52 patients (54 procedures) identified from the surgical database who met the inclusion criteria for the study operated on between August 1, 2001, and March 31, 2011. Of these players, 36 (67%) were able to return to regular season NFL game play at an average of 8.2 months, including 13 (24%) who were still active in the NFL. The average time to follow-up was 5.9 years, and all players were allowed at least 2 years of follow-up. There was no significant correlation of RTP to athlete age, lesion size, lesion location, position played, or round selected in the NFL draft. Players who underwent concomitant microfracture were 4.4 times less likely to return to the NFL than were those who did not undergo this procedure (95% CI, 1.3-15.5). Athletes who played more than 11.6 games per season were 4.7 times more likely to RTP than were those who played fewer games per season (95% CI, 1.4-16.6). Athletes who returned to play competed in 56 fewer games, 3.3 fewer seasons, and played in 3.2 fewer games per season compared with their level of competition before surgery.

Conclusion:

A majority (67%) of NFL players are able to RTP after arthroscopic knee surgery including chondroplasty of articular cartilage lesions. Athletes who play more games per season are more likely to RTP after chondroplasty of articular cartilage lesions of the knee, but those undergoing concomitant microfracture are less likely to return. No statistical significance was determined when comparing the athletes who returned to play with respect to age at surgery, lesion location, lesion size, lesion grade, position that the athlete played, or draft round.
Biomechanical Evaluation of the Transtibial Pull-Out Technique for Posterior Medial Meniscal Root Repairs Using 1 and 2 Transtibial Bone Tunnels
Authors: LaPrade Christopher M. , LaPrade Matthew D. , Turnbull Travis Lee , Wijdicks Coen A. , LaPrade Robert F.
Published: January 2015

Background:

Current methods of the transtibial pull-out meniscal root repair significantly displace under cyclic loading in porcine models but have not been evaluated in human models. One potential explanation for the displacement is that a single transtibial tunnel may not fully restore the attachment of the entire posterior medial meniscal root.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to biomechanically evaluate the transtibial pull-out technique in a human cadaveric model using either 1 or 2 transtibial bone tunnels. The hypothesis was that a transtibial pull-out technique using 2 transtibial bone tunnels would confer superior biomechanical properties in comparison to an iteration using 1 transtibial bone tunnel.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Ten matched pairs of male human cadaveric knees (average age, 52.7 years) were randomly assigned (1 each of the pair) to 2 groups consisting of a transtibial pull-out technique using either 1 or 2 transtibial bone tunnels. The knees were cyclically loaded for 1000 cycles from 10 to 30 N at 0.5 Hz, representing the loads experienced during a typical meniscal root repair postoperative rehabilitation program, and then pulled to failure at a rate of 0.5 mm/s.

Results:

Differences between 1- and 2-tunnel repair groups were neither statistically nor clinically significant with respect to displacement or ultimate failure load. On average, the 1- and 2-tunnel repair groups resulted in 3.32 mm and 3.23 mm of displacement, respectively, after 1000 testing cycles. At 1, 100, 500, and 1000 testing cycles, displacement was not significantly different between groups ( P > .799). The 2-tunnel repair technique resulted in a 10.2% higher ultimate failure load (135 N vs 123 N); however, this was not significant ( P = .333).

Conclusions:

Similar biomechanical properties were seen between transtibial pull-out repairs using either 1 or 2 transtibial bone tunnels in a human cadaveric model. Both repair groups exceeded the 3-mm threshold for nonanatomic displacement.

Clinical Relevance:

This study indicates that a newly proposed iteration of the transtibial pull-out repair technique using a second transtibial tunnel, which theoretically restores more of the posterior medial meniscal root, was almost identical to the current clinical standard involving a single transtibial tunnel. As the importance of repairing meniscal root tears is increasingly recognized, further studies on new iterations of both techniques are warranted to minimize the risk of displacement caused by early motion in the initial postoperative rehabilitation period.
Numerical study of the vacuum infusion process for laminated composites with different fiber orientations
Authors: Hurtado Francisco J , Kaiser Antonio S , Viedma Antonio , Díaz Sebastián
Published: January 2015

The vacuum infusion is a process usually applied to manufacture large structures of composite materials, such as wind turbine blades. This work analyzes the macroscopic resin flow through a laminate of fiberglass plies with different orientations, during the filling stage of the vacuum infusion process to manufacture two different pieces. The pressure inside the mold, velocity vectors, and the resin inlet mass flow are studied through a three-dimensional numerical modeling under non-steady conditions validated experimentally. The numerical model simulates each ply of the laminate like an individual porous media and takes into account the stacking sequence of the laminate. The influence of the permeability values of the distribution media and of the fiberglass laminate on the evolution of resin infusion is analyzed. The numerical model reproduces the effects of the stacking sequence and race tracking on the resin flow front.
Almost nuclear: Introducing the Nuclear Latency dataset
Authors: Fuhrmann Matthew , Tkach Benjamin
Published: January 2015

The capacity to build nuclear weapons—known as “nuclear latency”—is widely believed to be important in world politics. Yet scholarly research on this topic remains limited. This paper introduces a new dataset on nuclear latency from 1939 to 2012. It discusses coding procedures, describes global trends, and compares the dataset with earlier efforts to measure nuclear latency. We show that nuclear latency is far more common than nuclear proliferation: 31 countries developed the capacity to build nuclear bombs from 1939 to 2012, and only 10 of those states went on to acquire atomic arsenals. This paper provides one empirical application of the dataset, showing how the study of nuclear latency can contribute to our understanding of international conflict. We provide preliminary evidence that nuclear latency reduces the likelihood of being targeted in militarized disputes. Having the capacity to build nuclear weapons, therefore, may provide deterrence benefits that we usually associate with possessing a nuclear arsenal.
The Outcome and Predictors of Mortality in Patients Therapeutically Cooled Postcardiac Arrest
Authors: Botha John , O’Brien Yvette , Malouf Saada , Cole Elizabeth , Ansari Erum Sahid , Green Cameron , Tiruvoipati Ravindranath
Published: January 2015

Purpose:

To review the outcomes of patients postcardiac arrest admitted to a metropolitan intensive care unit (ICU) where therapeutic hypothermia is practiced.

Materials and Methods:

Patients admitted from 2004 to 2012 were reviewed. The management protocol included cooling to 33°C for 24 hours. The primary outcome assessed was hospital mortality. Secondary outcome measures included mortality in patients admitted to ICU after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) when compared to those with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and to review initial cardiac rhythm as an indicator of mortality.

Results:

A total of 330 patients were included. The overall hospital mortality was 58.1%. Hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients who had OHCA when compared to IHCA (62.5% vs 51%; P = .04). Patients who had asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA) had a higher mortality when compared to ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) arrest (81.7% vs 67.8% vs 41.9%, respectively; P < .01).

Conclusion:

Patients admitted to ICU postcardiac arrest after therapeutic cooling have a high mortality. An initial rhythm of VT/VF confers a mortality benefit when compared to asystole and PEA.