bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stimulated Raman Scattering Interferometer for Molecular-Selective Tomographic Imaging
Authors: Banno Motohiro , Yui Hiroharu
Published: March 2017

Development of a stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) interferometer is presented. In the apparatus, a SRS signal generated in a sample is collinearly overlapped with a reference beam, and the interference pattern between the signal and reference beams is obtained. From the interference pattern, the phase of the SRS signal can be measured. From the phase of the signal, the spatial distribution of the target molecule can be obtained with high positioning precision. In the present article, the SRS interferometer was developed and the first SRS interference signal was obtained from a polyethylene film. The phase change of the SRS interference pattern caused by scanning the sample position along the direction of the incident light propagation was measured. From the result, the sample position difference for a sub-micron was detected with uncertainties of 15%. The tomographic images of a triple-layered polymer film were successfully obtained. The SRS interferometer would become a core optical technique of a novel molecular-selective tomographic imaging method.
Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy of Hidden Objects, Part I: Interpretation of the Reflection–Absorption-Scattering Fractions in Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectra of Polyethylene Films
Authors: Pomerantsev Alexey L. , Rodionova Oxana Ye. , Skvortsov Alexej N.
Published: March 2017

Investigation of a sample covered by an interfering layer is required in many fields, e.g., for process control, biochemical analysis, and many other applications. This study is based on the analysis of spectra collected by near-infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Each spectrum is a composition of a useful, target spectrum and a spectrum of an interfering layer. To recover the target spectrum, we suggest using a new phenomenological approach, which employs the multivariate curve resolution (MCR) method. In general terms, the problem is very complex. We start with a specific problem of analyzing a system, which consists of several layers of polyethylene (PE) film and underlayer samples with known spectral properties. To separate information originating from PE layers and the target, we modify the system versus both the number of the PE layers as well as the reflectance properties of the target sample. We consider that the interfering spectrum of the layer can be modeled using three components, which can be tentatively called transmission, absorption, and scattering contributions. The novelty of our approach is that we do not remove the reflectance and scattering effects from the spectra, but study them in detail aiming to use this information to recover the target spectrum.
Optimizing cure cycle of nanoclay-reinforced unsaturated polyester resins considering various curing kinetic models
Authors: Poorabdollah Mehdi , Kamran Arezoo
Published: March 2017

In this research, a method has been presented for optimizing cure cycle of neat unsaturated polyester resin and polyester resin containing 3 wt% nanoclay Cloisite® 10 A (UP/10 A) and nanoclay Cloisite® 30B (UP/30B) in thin components. We refer to this optimization method as the directed grid search method. To model cure behaviour of unsaturated polyester resin, four different kinetic models were considered, including advanced iso-conversional method, Kamal method, Kamal method with Chern diffusion factor, and Kamal method with Sbirrazzuoli diffusion factor. The comparison of our proposed optimized cure cycles indicates that addition of nanoclay to the resin causes the cure cycle duration and also the maximum temperature during the cure to decrease. In addition, by adding nanoclay to the resin, the optimal cure cycle is transformed from a five-stage cure cycle to a four-stage one. Our investigations indicate that optimal cure cycles for the UP/10 A and UP/30B systems do not significantly differ. This is because the pre-exponential factor can influence the optimal cure cycle as much as the activation energy. Our results show that the optimal cure cycle obtained from the Kamal model is much shorter than the optimal cure cycle obtained from the advanced iso-conversional method, while the optimal cure cycle obtained from the Kamal model with Chern diffusion factor is very similar to the cure cycle resulting from the advanced iso-conversional method.
Damage tolerance characterization of carbon fiber composites at a component level: A thermoset carbon fiber composite
Authors: Huang Xiaosong , Zhao Selina
Published: March 2017

This work focuses on the impact damage evaluation of a carbon fiber-reinforced thermoset composite at a component level (beams) as an effort to develop the service strategies for this class of materials. The beams were impact damaged at a variety of energy levels, and the pulse thermography nondestructive evaluation approach was used to characterize the damaged areas. The damaged beams were subjected to compression tests to evaluate their residual properties. As expected, both the beam maximum load and residual stiffness decreased with the increase in damage size. The damage growth rates under different load levels were investigated in fully reversed torsional fatigue tests. The fatigued beams were also characterized for their residual compression properties, which were then compared with those of the unfatigued beams. The results will be used to develop computer-aided engineering models to predict the residual strength and fatigue life of damaged composite components.
Self-Compassion and Confucian Coping as a Predictor of Depression and Anxiety in Impoverished Chinese Undergraduates
Authors: Lihua Zhou , Gui Chen , Yanghua Jiang , Liqiong Liu , Jian Chen
Published: March 2017

The ability of self-compassion and Confucian coping to predict anxiety and depression were examined in impoverished Chinese undergraduate students. Three hundred and thirty impoverished undergraduates completed measures of self-compassion, Confucian coping, depression, and anxiety. Results showed that higher self-compassion predicted lower depression and anxiety in impoverished undergraduates. Higher pro-setback thinking and responsibility thinking of Confucian coping were related with lower depression and anxiety. Higher fate thinking of Confucian coping was related with higher depression and anxiety. The predictive ability for depression and anxiety of self-compassion combined with fate thinking was better than self-compassion alone. Intervention to enhance self-compassion and reduce fate thinking may be beneficial to mental health in impoverished undergraduates.
Diverging Influences of Money Priming on Choice
Authors: Kim Hee Jin
Published: March 2017

Prior research on money priming has suggested two seemingly contradicting findings. On the one hand, money has been shown to highlight the importance of cost saving, leading to the choice of a low-quality/low-price option. On the other hand, individuals primed with money as a symbol of social status, and capabilities may focus on social value of money, e.g., higher spending symbolizes higher status and prefer an option with high quality/high price. Current research proposes and demonstrates that whether money priming will lead different choices depends on the nature of the consumption context. Specifically, when the product is to be consumed privately, money priming will highlight the importance of cost, thus increasing the preference for lower price at a lower quality. However, when the product is to be consumed publicly, reversed pattern of consumer preference will be found.
Dialogue or proclamation? Communication ethics and the problem of persuasion in mission
Authors: Niebauer Michael
Published: March 2017

This article utilizes the field of communication ethics to sharpen a critique of a form of interreligious dialogue that de-emphasizes the necessity of proclamation, as well as to provide helpful tools to recover a notion of proclamation that acknowledges its persuasive and purgative aspects. The article begins by showing how a particular form of communication ethic, invitational rhetoric, coheres with a form of interreligious dialogue promoted by John Cobb. Such cohesion will enable a critique of interreligious dialogue utilizing similar critiques levied at invitational rhetoric. Following this critique will be a brief recovery and strengthening of a notion of proclamation as persuasion and purgation, with the aid of portions of Augustine’s and Kenneth Burke’s rhetorical theories.
Intervening in Early Written Literacy Development for Gifted Children in Grade 2: Insights From an Action Research Project
Authors: Roessingh Hetty , Bence Michelle
Published: March 2017

This article reports on an action research project undertaken by a team of four Grade 2 teachers who work in a school for gifted learners. Focused on implementing a structured printing and spelling curriculum in addition to providing instructed support for planning, organizing, and vocabulary use for different genres of writing, both qualitative and quantitative data provide insights into the contribution and importance of these five curricular elements on the quality and quantity of written production during 1 school year. Of particular importance is the need for automaticity as this relates to capacity theory and the constraints of working memory. The unique needs as well as strengths of the gifted learner profile are highlighted. The article concludes with a series of unanswered questions for the research community to consider.
Study of the results in the acquisition of core competencies in schools that integrate primary education and music
Authors: Andreu Duran Maria , Godall Castell Pere , Amador Guillem Miquel , Castro Morera Maria
Published: March 2017

The goal of this research was to carry out an exploratory study on how music education integrated into primary schooling (children from 6 to 12 years old) can help in acquiring the core competencies characteristic of this stage. The study was conducted by developing a validated instrument, pilot-tested for reliability, to assess the eight core competencies. Pupils in their final year of primary education in the two schools integrating primary education and music that exist in Catalonia were evaluated by comparing them with a control group from ordinary schools.

The results of the research show that, although music pupils do not attend more than the minimum number of class contact hours legally established for all curriculum areas (except the arts), they obtained better results when performing a test on all the core competencies.
The Potential of Collective Intelligence in Emergency Medicine: Pooling Medical Students’ Independent Decisions Improves Diagnostic Performance
Authors: Kämmer Juliane E. , Hautz Wolf E. , Herzog Stefan M. , Kunina-Habenicht Olga , Kurvers Ralf H. J. M.
Published: March 2017

Background. Evidence suggests that pooling multiple independent diagnoses can improve diagnostic accuracy in well-defined tasks. We investigated whether this is also the case for diagnostics in emergency medicine, an ill-defined task environment where diagnostic errors are rife. Methods. A computer simulation study was conducted based on empirical data from 2 published experimental studies. In the computer experiments, 285 medical students independently diagnosed 6 simulated patients arriving at the emergency room with dyspnea. Participants’ diagnoses (n = 1,710), confidence ratings, and expertise levels were entered into a computer simulation. Virtual groups of different sizes were randomly created, and 3 collective intelligence rules (follow-the-plurality rule, follow-the-most-confident rule, and follow-the-most-senior rule) were applied to combine the independent decisions into a final diagnosis. For different group sizes, the performance levels (i.e., percentage of correct diagnoses) of the 3 collective intelligence rules were compared with each other and against the average individual accuracy. Results. For all collective intelligence rules, combining independent decisions substantially increased performance relative to average individual performance. For groups of 4 or fewer, the follow-the-most-confident rule outperformed the other rules; for larger groups, the follow-the-plurality rule performed best. For example, combining 5 independent decisions using the follow-the-plurality rule increased diagnostic accuracy by 22 percentage points. These results were robust across case difficulty and expertise level. Limitations of the study include the use of simulated patients diagnosed by medical students. Whether results generalize to clinical practice is currently unknown. Conclusion. Combining independent decisions may substantially improve the quality of diagnoses in emergency medicine and may thus enhance patient safety.
When Exchange Logics Collide
Authors: Godinho Vinita , Venugopal Srinivas , Singh Supriya , Russell Roslyn
Published: March 2017

The introduction of money into previously non-monetary, alternative economies can lead to many socio-cognitive tensions, if money is perceived as having been imposed from the ‘outside’, and disconnected from traditional ways of life. In this paper, we employ the lens of institutional theory to frame the phenomenon of money-use in remote Indigenous Australia. Through an immersive study in two remote communities, we develop themes of socio-cognitive tensions that arise as a result of disparity in exchange logics governing marketplace exchange in monetary marketplaces vis-a-vis historically non-monetary alternative economies. We draw upon emergent insights, and derive macro-marketing implications for the design of marketplace-literacy education, aimed at alleviating these tensions and enhancing well-being.
Towards measuring societal impact of research: Insights from an Irish case study
Authors: Brereton Finbarr , O'Neill Eoin , Dunne Louise
Published: March 2017

Academic research is increasingly required to demonstrate economic and policy relevance, with this becoming a key metric by which the success of research projects are being judged. Furthermore, the active, as opposed to passive, participation of citizens in science is now encouraged through dissemination and outreach, using, for example, co-production techniques. These non-traditional academic impacts have become a key component of a number of funding agency calls, most notably the European Union’s research funding programme Horizon 2020. However, exactly how measurable these ‘impacts’ are, particularly social and policy impacts, is unclear as there is not an obvious metric. Additionally, there is no standardised approach to assessing research impact recognised in the social sciences. Using a case study which describes the experience of using public engagement seminars as a means to disseminate academic research to stakeholder communities, this article aims to develop an impact assessment strategy to measure societal impact applicable in the social sciences. Based on recommendations in the UK Research Excellence Framework, amongst other literature, we put forward three steps to better capture research ‘impact’ in a more meaningful way in future research projects: (i) establish the quality of the academic research, (ii) choose appropriate discipline-specific criteria for measuring societal impact and (iii) choose appropriate measurable indicators. Other useful insights include the difficulty of motivating public interest in topics that are no longer high profile or emotive, and hence the necessity to provide access to research findings as early as possible in the research cycle. The article concludes with a discussion of the difficulties of measuring ‘impact’ in a meaningful sense.
Commissurorraphy in the Dog
Authors: Durand Corinne
Published: March 2017

Commissurorraphy is a surgical procedure designed to move the lip commissure rostrally. This procedure may be helpful as a unilateral procedure in cases of unilateral mandibulectomy to support tongue function and improve esthetics. Bilateral commissurorraphy is utilized in cases of radical bilateral mandibulectomy and as a salvage procedure for support of bilateral mandibular fractures in cases where rigid surgical fixation is not feasible. Dehiscence is the most likely complication of commissurorraphy. Tension can be reduced at the rostral extent of the incision by utilizing mattress sutures, intravenous fluid tubing, and/or buttons to prevent tearing through sutures.
Future developments for science parks
Authors: Cadorin Eduardo , Johansson Sten G. , Klofsten Magnus
Published: March 2017

Over the years, science parks have developed and improved their processes to offer better support to their tenants and promote the growth of the region in which they are located. Since regional growth is closely associated with groups of talented people, science parks carry out various activities at the company or individual level to attract and recruit talent. In order to understand how such activities have been and are being performed at Mjärdevi Science Park in Sweden, the authors highlight and analyse four talent-related cases. Their aim is to identify how talent can be attracted or recruited and to consider the stakeholders, their relationships and their motivations. The results confirm the importance to a science park of being close to a student community and of being connected to an international network with a well-recognized brand.
Rollover stabilities of three-wheeled vehicles including road configuration effects
Authors: Ataei Mansour , Khajepour Amir , Jeon Soo
Published: March 2017

This study investigates the rollover stabilities of three-wheeled vehicles including the effects of road configurations. Tripped and untripped rollovers on flat and sloped roads are studied, and a new rollover index is introduced. To explore the unique dynamic behaviours of three-wheeled vehicles, the rollover stability is investigated on the basis of the lateral load transfer ratio, and the proposed rollover index is expressed in terms of measurable vehicle parameters and state variables. In addition to the effects of the lateral acceleration and the roll angle, the proposed rollover index takes the effects of the longitudinal acceleration and the pitch angle into account as well as the effects of banked roads and graded roads. Lateral and vertical road inputs are also considered since they can represent the effects of kerbs, soft soil and road bumps as the main causes of tripped rollovers. Sensitivity analysis is also provided in order to evaluate and compare the effects of different vehicle parameters and different state variables on the rollover stabilities of three-wheeled vehicles. To evaluate the proposed rollover index, simulations are also conducted using a high-fidelity CarSim model for a three-wheeled vehicle.
Finite element analysis and experimental investigation of nonlinear features of rail fastening systems
Authors: Liu Y , Yin HP , Luo Y , Zhang J
Published: March 2017

The more demanding requirements for the reduction of vibration in passenger railways and urban railway lines have led to a trend towards lower-stiffness rail fastening systems accompanied by greater deformation of their rubber components. Nonlinearities under large deformation due to the boundary conditions, geometric properties, intrinsic hyperelasticity and viscidity of the rubber material, and dynamic nonlinear features such as the Payne effect have become prominent and cannot be ignored. In this research, a shear-type fastening system and a bonded compression-type rail fastening system have been designed and produced using the same rubber material. A set of mechanical experiments of the used rubber material was first performed to obtain the rubber properties; this information was later used as an input to a three-dimensional finite element model constructed using Abaqus. Laboratory tests of the two fastening specimens were then performed to obtain the quasi-static and dynamic displacement–force curves. Later, the three-dimensional finite element models were presented, and the calculated curves were compared to the measured values. Finally, the two fastening systems were comparatively analyzed, and the influences of their various nonlinear properties were discussed. The combined experimental and numerical analyses of the nonlinear properties of the two typical types of rail fastening systems are believed to enhance the understanding of their mechanical behavior and to improve the product design, structural optimization, and testing in practice.
Numerical simulation of the effects of obstacle deflectors on the aerodynamic performance of stationary high-speed trains at two yaw angles
Authors: Niu Ji-qiang , Zhou Dan , Liang Xi-feng
Published: March 2017

In this study, based on the shear-stress transport κ–ω turbulent model, the improved delayed detached eddy simulation method has been used to simulate the unsteady aerodynamic performance of trains with different obstacle deflectors at two yaw angles (0° and 15°). The numerical algorithm is used and some of the numerical results are verified through wind tunnel tests. By comparing and analysing the obtained results, the effects of the obstacle deflectors on the force of the trains as well as the pressure and flow structure around the trains are elucidated. The results show that the obstacle deflectors primarily affect the flow field at the bottom of the head car as well as the wake flow, and that the internal oblique-type obstacle deflector (IOOD) markedly improves the aerodynamic performance of the trains, by decreasing most of the aerodynamic forces of the train cars and minimising their fluctuations. Further, a nonzero yaw angle weakens or even changes the effect of the IOOD on the aerodynamic forces of the train cars. However, the effect of the IOOD is more on the tail car.
Cessation of oral anticoagulants in antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Comarmond C , Jego P , Veyssier-Belot C , Marie I , Mekinian A , Elmaleh-Sachs A , Leroux G , Saadoun D , Oziol E , Fraisse T , Hyvernat H , Thiercein-Legrand M-F , Sarrot-Reynauld F , Ferreira-Maldent N , de Menthon M , Goujard C , Khau D , Nguen Y , Monnier S , Michon A , Castel B , Decaux O , Piette J-C , Cacoub P
Published: March 2017

Objective

To study the outcome of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) after oral anticoagulant treatment cessation.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study of patients with APS experiencing cessation of oral anticoagulant and enrolled in a French multicentre observational cohort between January 2014 and January 2016. The main outcome was the occurrence of recurrent thrombotic event after oral anticoagulation cessation.

Results

Forty four APS patients interrupted oral anticoagulation. The median age was 43 (27–56) years. The median duration of anticoagulation was 21 (9–118) months. Main causes of oral anticoagulant treatment cessation were switch from vitamin K antagonists to aspirin in 15 patients, prolonged disappearance of antiphospholipid antibodies in ten, bleeding complications in nine and a poor therapeutic adherence in six. Eleven (25%) patients developed a recurrent thrombotic event after oral anticoagulation cessation, including three catastrophic APS and one death due to lower limb ischemia. Antihypertensive treatment required at time of oral anticoagulants cessation seems to be an important factor associated with recurrent thrombosis after oral anticoagulant cessation (15.2% in patients with no relapse versus 45.5% in patients with recurrent thrombosis, p = 0.038). Oral anticoagulant treatment was re-started in 18 (40.9%) patients.

Conclusion

The risk of a new thrombotic event in APS patients who stopped their anticoagulation is high, even in those who showed a long lasting disappearance of antiphospholipid antibodies. Except for the presence of treated hypertension, this study did not find a particular clinical or biological phenotype for APS patients who relapsed after anticoagulation cessation. Any stopping of anticoagulant in such patients should be done with caution.
Stereotyping by omission and commission: Creating distinctive gendered spectacles in the televised coverage of the 2015 Australian Open men’s and women’s tennis singles semi-finals and finals
Authors: Quayle Michael , Wurm Alanna , Barnes Harley , Barr Thomas , Beal Erin , Fallon Mairead , Flynn Rachel , McGrath Dearan , McKenna Roseanne , Mernagh Dylan , Pilch Monika , Ryan Emma , Wall Peter , Walsh Sarah , Wei Ran
Published: March 2017

This paper explores the way in which announcers created spectacle in the Eurosport coverage of the men’s and women’s tennis singles semi-finals and finals at the Australian Open 2015. This was an event where gender representations were under global social media scrutiny after two female players were asked to ‘twirl’ for the audience. We used a two-phase thematic analysis. Semantic thematic analysis showed that more personal descriptions were directed at women than men and these often described off-court features. Descriptions of men included detailed and specific portrayals of physical characteristics, while women’s bodies were seldom referred to specifically. Discourse analysis showed that men’s games were spoken of as physical clashes between titans. In contrast, women’s matches were described in aesthetic rather than physical terms and ‘diva-like’ personalities and relationships were important features of women’s game narratives. While male bodies were described in specific detail where relevant to technical features of the game, women’s bodies were only described indirectly and non-specifically. For the women’s game, this dialogical repression of specific body talk in combination with a strong focus on aesthetic judgements invoked stereotypes by omission, simultaneously reinscribing gender stereotypes and emphasizing their importance by communicating taboo. These gendered commentaries created distinctive gendered spectacles for the men’s and women’s events.
Evaluation of an automated enzyme-linked fluorescent assay for thyroxine measurement in cat and dog sera
Authors: Anderson Rouven , Mueller Ralf , Reese Sven , Wehner Astrid
Published: March 2017

Measurement of total thyroxine (T4) is the first testing step in the work-up of thyroid disease in small animals. We evaluated an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA) as an in-house method to measure T4 in cats and dogs. We compared the T4 concentration in sera of 122 cats and 176 dogs measured by the ELFA with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to assess the concordance of the 2 methods. Bias of the ELFA in cats was −11.4% and in dogs 1.4%. Using Bland–Altman plots, limits of agreement were −81.5 to 58.7% in cats and −71.4 to 74.4% in dogs. Imprecision was calculated for both methods. Intra- and interassay coefficients of variation (CVs) of the ELFA in feline sera were 0.7 and 3.4% and of the EIA 7.6 and 15.7%, respectively. Intra- and interassay CVs of both ELFA and EIA in canine sera were <9.5%. Reference intervals for the ELFA method were established and were 13.3–49.5 nmol/L for cats and 10.1–42.9 nmol/L for dogs. Accuracy of the EIA and ELFA was scored by assessing if the measured T4 value would identify the expected T4 range (low, normal, or elevated) of patients, based on history, clinical presentation, other diagnostic means, and response to therapy. This was possible for 75 cats and 50 dogs. Both methods yielded acceptable results, but the EIA was more accurate compared to the ELFA (percentage of true-positives in cats and dogs: EIA: 97% and 100%; ELFA: 92% and 94%).
Managing and Correcting Defiant Behavior Through Music
Authors: Lohmeyer Aaron Z.
Published: March 2017

The purpose of this article is to share principles and strategies that may be used to teach appropriate behaviors to students that that may struggle with an emotional behavior disorder. Operating from the principle that music is naturally rewarding, classroom procedures and lessons that address preparation, imagination, effortful control, pacing, and collaboration are offered as areas that may provide potent forms of redirection and positive practice for behavioral change.
Making Rights Come Alive
Authors: Christel Lucas G. , Gutiérrez Ricardo A.
Published: March 2017

New environmental rights were introduced in Argentina with the 1994 amendments to the 1853 national constitution. This constitutional recognition of environmental rights is a fundamental step in the advancement of environmental justice and citizenship, but it is not enough. When and how do environmental rights become effective? Under what circumstances are environmental rights effectively applied and enforced? We claim that participation is the key mechanism through which constitutionally enacted environmental rights become effective. More specifically, we argue that the embodiment of constitutional environmental rights in concrete policies and practices are propelled by the combination of contentious and institutionalized modes of participation. Based on evidence from two contrasting and salient cases—river sanitation in the Metropolitan Buenos Aires Region and open-pit mining in Andean Argentina—this article discusses how the combination of different modes of participation has been an effective channel for the enforcement and effectiveness of environmental rights.
Incidence of asparaginase-related hepatotoxicity, pancreatitis, and thrombotic events in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with a pediatric-inspired regimen
Authors: Christ Trevor N , Stock Wendy , Knoebel Randall W
Published: March 2017

Asparaginase is a critical component of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment in children; however, its use in adults is often avoided as a result of toxicities including hepatotoxicity, thrombosis, and pancreatitis which have been reported more commonly in adults than in children. In this retrospective analysis, short-acting L-asparaginase (L-ASP) and long-acting polyethylene glycol (PEG)-asparaginase (PEG-ASP) were compared for grade 3–4 toxicities and characterized by patient and drug-related factors to identify strategies for toxicity avoidance in adults with ALL. Asparaginase was administered during sequential courses of chemotherapy using a pediatric-inspired treatment regimen. Forty-eight patients who received PEG-ASP and nine patients who received L-ASP were identified. The rates of toxicity were as follows for the PEG-ASP and L-ASP groups, respectively: hepatotoxicity (60% vs. 33%, P = 0.275), pancreatitis (17% vs. 22%, P = 0.650), thrombosis (19.0% vs. 0%, P = 0.328), or any grade 3–4 toxicity (71% vs. 44%, P = 0.143). Toxicity did not correlate with dose, either by individual dose based on flat or BSA-based measures. Logistic regression identified obesity as a risk factor for heptatotoxicity (OR = 8.44, 95% CI: 1.395–51.117). Hypofibrinogenemia was identified as a pharmacodynamic marker for predicting hepatotoxicity. In conclusion, grade 3–4 toxicity was not statistically different between adult ALL patients receiving PEG-ASP and L-ASP, but toxicity was strongly associated with obesity and hypofibrinogenemia, not dose.
Abiraterone-induced rhabdomyolysis resulting in acute kidney injury: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Dineen Michael , Hansen Elizabeth , Guancial Elizabeth , Sievert Lynn , Sahasrabudhe Deepak
Published: March 2017

Abiraterone, a CYP17 inhibitor, blocks androgen biosynthesis in multiple tissue types. In combination with prednisone, it is approved as a first-line treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. We present a case of rhabdomyolysis associated with abiraterone therapy resulting in acute on chronic kidney injury in a patient with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Strict monitoring should be employed in patients started on abiraterone who have additional risk factors for developing rhabdomyolysis.
An Insight Into Structure, Function, and Expression Analysis of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase ofCymbopogon winterianus
Authors: Devi Kamalakshi , Patar Lochana , Modi Mahendra K , Sen Priyabrata
Published: March 2017

Citronella ( Cymbopogon winterianus) is one of the richest sources of high-value isoprenoid aromatic compounds used as flavour, fragrance, and therapeutic elements. These isoprenoid compounds are synthesized by 2 independent pathways: mevalonate pathway and 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate pathway. Evidence suggests that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) is a rate-controlling enzyme for the synthesis of variety of isoprenoids. This study reports the isolation, characterization, and tissue-specific expression analysis of HMGR from citronella. The modelled HMGR is a class I type of HMGR enzyme with 3-domain architecture. The active site comprises a cofactor (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) and the substrate-binding motifs. The real-time and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction results revealed equal expression level in both leaf sheath and root tissue. The results from our study shall be a valuable resource for future molecular intervention to alter the metabolic flux towards improvement of key active ingredient in this important medicinal plant.
A Little Help From the Follicles: Understanding the Germinal Center Response to Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 Infection and Prophylactic Vaccines
Authors: Gary Ebony N , Kutzler Michele A
Published: March 2017

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is the causative agent of AIDS. There are currently more than 35 million people living with HIV infection worldwide, and more than 2 million new infections occur each year. The global pandemic caused by HIV-1 is the subject of numerous research projects, with the development of a prophylactic vaccine and a therapeutic cure being the ultimate goals. The classic paradigms of vaccinology have proven incapable of producing a viable vaccine due to the complexity of the virus’ replication cycle, its genetic diversity, and a lack of understanding of the immune correlates of protection. Here, we briefly discuss recent vaccine approaches and the immune correlates of protection from HIV-1 infection with a focus on the role of the germinal center as a reservoir of replication-competent virus and its role in the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies in response to vaccination.
A Case of Amoxicillin-Induced Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis Presenting as Septic Shock
Authors: McDonald Katherine A. , Pierscianowski Tadeusz A.
Published: March 2017

This case report demonstrates the challenges of diagnosing and managing acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) presenting as septic shock. The disseminated, erythematous, pustular rash is a common feature. However, extensive organ involvement and life-threatening hypotension are unusual. The constellation of signs has not previously been documented following amoxicillin therapy. Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS) were considered in addition to AGEP because of the systemic presentation. AGEP was diagnosed following histopathology (TEN was ruled out based on limited necrotic keratinocytes and lack of epidermal necrosis) and a negative antistreptolysin O titer (eliminated TSS). Antibiotic therapy for septic shock was provided before the diagnosis was confirmed as AGEP. Upon confirmation of the AGEP diagnosis, antibiotics were discontinued and a 5-day course of oral prednisone (40 mg/d) was initiated in addition to topical half-strength (0.05%) betamethasone valerate. The patient rapidly improved and was discharged. Outpatient patch testing confirmed amoxicillin as the culprit drug. In conclusion, it is critical to realize that AGEP cannot be ruled out with a septic shock presentation. Recent drug history is critical in recognizing an adverse drug reaction, and patch testing is useful for determining the culpable drug when the diagnosis is AGEP.
Cellulitis Secondary to Liquid Nitrogen Cryotherapy: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Huang Christina M. , Lu Emily Y. , Kirchhof Mark G.
Published: March 2017

Background:

Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy is a commonly used technique to treat a wide variety of dermatologic conditions including actinic keratoses, non-melanoma skin cancers, verrucae, and seborrheic keratoses. The risks associated with liquid nitrogen cryotherapy are important to know and discuss with patients prior to treatment.

Objective:

We report a case of cellulitis secondary to liquid nitrogen cryotherapy for actinic keratosis. We sought to review the literature for an estimate of secondary infection rates following cryotherapy treatment.

Methods:

We searched Pubmed using the terms cryotherapy and infection or cellulitis. We then looked at articles classified as clinical trials where cryotherapy was used to treat skin conditions. We then selected clinical trials that listed cellulitis or infection as an adverse event.

Results and Conclusion:

There were no case reports, case series, or review articles detailing the risk of infection from liquid nitrogen cryotherapy. We found 8 articles classified as clinical trials on Pubmed that did list infection as an adverse event. The risk of infection from these studies varied from approximately 2% to 30%. There was a great degree of heterogeneity in treatment sites, length of treatment, and treatment targets. While it is difficult to determine the true incidence of infection from liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, clinicians should endeavor to inform patients of this potential risk.
New Identities or New Intimacies? Rethinking ‘Coming Out’ in Taiwan through Cross-Generational Ethnography
Authors: Brainer Amy
Published: March 2017

In this article, the author analyzes the emergence of a ‘coming out’ discourse in Taiwan and the generational variation in its relevance for queer lives. Drawing from fieldwork with gender and sexually nonconforming people ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s, she argues that dominant identity-based frameworks are inadequate for understanding how and why this discourse has emerged in Taiwan at this historical moment. The findings point instead to generational shifts in familial interdependency and intimacy, which require new and hybridized strategies for managing gender and sexuality within families. This article highlights the importance of placing the small but growing body of work on LGBT family of origin relationships in conversation with theories of parenthood, kinship and family change.
Sexuality at Imagined Home: Same-Sex Desires among Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong
Authors: Lai Francisca Yuenki
Published: March 2017

This article examines the contested meaning of home in shaping the sexual subjectivities of Indonesian migrant domestic workers by investigating their imagined future home. It points to the question of how individuals negotiate their sexualities when subjected to particular gendered positions. The author suggests that a transnational perspective is needed for understanding the sexuality of migrant women, who negotiate between the same-sex pleasure they obtain in Hong Kong and the family expectations they are supposed to fulfill in Indonesia. For these migrant women, sexuality is malleable because it is a continuing process of relating gendered positions to sexualities, and relating the future to the present.
Clientelism and corruption: Institutional adaptation of state capture strategies in view of resource scarcity in Greece
Authors: Trantidis Aris , Tsagkroni Vasiliki
Published: March 2017

How do strategies of state capture adapt to tight fiscal conditions? The article uses a historical institutionalist approach and content analysis to study the case of Greece. Three theoretically relevant patterns of institutional adaptation are unearthed: first, limited resources for state capture do indeed trigger self-limitation initiatives as expected, but these initiatives replace costly benefits with less costly ones. Second, different forms of capture have different implications for the terms of political competition. Third, there is a mutually reinforcing relationship between clientelism and corruption, which becomes pronounced in the creative ways by which strategies of capture adjust to shifting opportunities and constraints. Clients are appointed in state offices and extract bribes directly from citizens. ‘Client corruption’ replaces extraction from the state with extraction through the state, which is less costly for the public finances: the benefit the governing party gives to its clients is the ‘right’ to extract rents for themselves.
Quick assessment of high-speed railway bridges based on a non-dimensional parameter representation
Authors: Salcher Patrick , Adam Christoph
Published: March 2017

The objective of this study is to provide the engineering practice with a tool for simplified dynamic response assessment of high-speed railway bridges in the pre-design phase. To serve this purpose, a non-dimensional representation of the characteristic parameters of the train–bridge interaction problem is described and extended based on a beam bridge model subjected to the static axle loads of the crossing high-speed train. The non-dimensional parameter representation is used to discuss several code-related design issues. It is revealed that in an admitted parameter domain, a code-regulated static assessment of high-speed railway bridges may under-predict the actual dynamic response. Furthermore, the minimum mass of a bridge as a function of the characteristic parameters is presented to comply with the maximum bridge acceleration specified in standards.
Exploring the Potential for Secondary uses of Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) Data for Improving the Quality of Dementia Care
Authors: Khalid Shehla , Surr Claire , Neagu Daniel , Small Neil
Published: March 2017

The reuse of existing datasets to identify mechanisms for improving healthcare quality has been widely encouraged. There has been limited application within dementia care. Dementia Care Mapping is an observational tool in widespread use, predominantly to assess and improve quality of care in single organisations. Dementia Care Mapping data have the potential to be used for secondary purposes to improve quality of care. However, its suitability for such use requires careful evaluation. This study conducted in-depth interviews with 29 Dementia Care Mapping users to identify issues, concerns and challenges regarding the secondary use of Dementia Care Mapping data. Data were analysed using modified Grounded Theory. Major themes identified included the need to collect complimentary contextual data in addition to Dementia Care Mapping data, to reassure users regarding ethical issues associated with storage and reuse of care related data and the need to assess and specify data quality for any data that might be available for secondary analysis.
Public facility design for sustainability: Participatory action research on household recycling in Hong Kong
Authors: Siu Kin Wai Michael , Xiao Jia Xin
Published: March 2017

While many researchers have pointed out that public design can increase users’ sustainable practices, how to achieve good public designs is challenging. To explore the current public design barriers and solutions to household recycling in Hong Kong, our research group, in collaboration with two Caritas Community Centres, adopted participatory action research, including questionnaires, interviews, non-participant observations, collaborative workshops and on-site iterative prototyping process, to carry out a research project. In this project, local residents, recyclers, property management officers and cleaners in five public rental housing estates were recruited to voice their views on public design for recycling. Through the results of the spiral design exploration conducted at Sai Wan Estate, this study demonstrates the validity of action research to promote the participatory design for recycling. The paper concludes with a discussion of some barriers to and experience with applying these methods to improve the practice in the context of high-rise living environments. It also provides experience and insights into action research in public design for designers, researchers and policy makers.
Team-Level Time Series Analysis in MLB, the NBA, and the NHL
Authors: Mills Brian M. , Fort Rodney
Published: March 2017

We extend the attendance break point literature to the team level, addressing structural change and season aggregated outcome uncertainty for franchises in three of the four North American major leagues. We compare the larger variation at the team level with past time series analysis of league-level annual aggregate attendance. We also note that there is at best mixed evidence of outcome uncertainty impacts on team-level attendance. We discuss the implications for these findings with respect to future research that attempts to comprehensively estimate the demand for attendance.
Students’ Beliefs About and Perceived Effectiveness of a Tobacco-Free Campus Policy
Authors: Ickes Melinda J. , Rayens Mary Kay , Wiggins Amanda , Hahn Ellen J.
Published: March 2017

Tobacco-free (TF) college campus policies have potential to be a high-impact tobacco control strategy. The purposes of the study presented here were to (a) determine the demographic and personal characteristics associated with students’ beliefs about and perceived effectiveness of a TF campus policy and (b) assess whether tobacco use status and exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) predicted beliefs and perceived effectiveness. Five thousand randomly selected students from a large southeastern university were invited by e-mail to participate in an online survey in April 2013, three and a half years after policy implementation. Students held positive beliefs about the policy (average rating 84% of the maximum possible score). Sixty-one percent believed that the policy was successful at reducing SHS exposure; and 40% thought the policy encouraged quitting. Males were less likely than females to believe the policy was effective in reducing SHS exposure and encouraging quitting. Lower undergraduates were more likely to perceive the policy as less effective in reducing SHS exposure; international students were more likely than domestic students to perceive the policy as more effective at encouraging quitting. Students most exposed to SHS were less likely to perceive the policy was effective. Compared with nonusers, those who smoked cigarettes were less likely to perceive the policy as effective in encouraging quitting. Tailored messaging regarding policy benefits are necessary. Perceived effectiveness of TF policies may be related to compliance with the policy and should be further investigated. Objective measures of effectiveness and tobacco use behaviors are needed to fully measure the success of TF campus policies.
Real-time RGB-D image stitching using multiple Kinects for improved field of view
Authors: Li Hengyu , Liu Hang , Cao Ning , Peng Yan , Xie Shaorong , Luo Jun , Sun Yu
Published: March 2017

This article concerns the problems of a defective depth map and limited field of view of Kinect-style RGB-D sensors. An anisotropic diffusion based hole-filling method is proposed to recover invalid depth data in the depth map. The field of view of the Kinect-style RGB-D sensor is extended by stitching depth and color images from several RGB-D sensors. By aligning the depth map with the color image, the registration data calculated by registering color images can be used to stitch depth and color images into a depth and color panoramic image concurrently in real time. Experiments show that the proposed stitching method can generate a RGB-D panorama with no invalid depth data and little distortion in real time and can be extended to incorporate more RGB-D sensors to construct even a 360° field of view panoramic RGB-D image.