bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of a Stochastic Kinetic Energy Backscatter Scheme on Warm Season Convection-Allowing Ensemble Forecasts
Authors: Duda Jeffrey D. , Wang Xuguang , Kong Fanyou , Xue Ming , Berner Judith
Published: October 2015

The efficacy of a stochastic kinetic energy backscatter (SKEB) scheme to improve convection-allowing probabilistic forecasts was studied. While SKEB has been explored for coarse, convection-parameterizing models, studies of SKEB for convective scales are limited. Three ensembles were compared. The SKMP ensemble used mixed physics with the SKEB scheme, whereas the MP ensemble was configured identically but without using the SKEB scheme. The SK ensemble used the SKEB scheme with no physics diversity. The experiment covered May 2013 over the central United States on a 4-km Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model domain.

The SKEB scheme was successful in increasing the spread in all fields verified, especially mid- and upper-tropospheric fields. Additionally, the rmse of the ensemble mean was maintained or reduced, in some cases significantly. Rank histograms in the SKMP ensemble were flatter than those in the MP ensemble, indicating the SKEB scheme produces a less underdispersive forecast distribution. Some improvement was seen in probabilistic precipitation forecasts, particularly when examining Brier scores. Verification against surface observations agree with verification against Rapid Refresh (RAP) model analyses, showing that probabilistic forecasts for 2-m temperature, 2-m dewpoint, and 10-m winds were also improved using the SKEB scheme. The SK ensemble gave competitive forecasts for some fields. The SK ensemble had reduced spread compared to the MP ensemble at the surface due to the lack of physics diversity.

These results suggest the potential utility of mixed physics plus the SKEB scheme in the design of convection-allowing ensemble forecasts.
A clinical repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation service in Australia: 6 years on
Authors: Galletly Cherrie A , Clarke Patrick , Carnell Benjamin L , Gill Shane
Published: October 2015

Objective:

There is considerable research evidence for the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of depression. However, there is little information about its acceptability and outcomes in clinical settings.

Method:

This naturalistic study reports on a clinical repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation service that has been running in Adelaide, South Australia (SA), for 6 years. During this time, 214 complete acute courses were provided to patients with treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder. Patients received either sequential bilateral or right unilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment involving either 18 or 20 sessions given over 6 or 4 weeks respectively. Data included patient demographic details, duration of depression, and medication at the beginning of their repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation course. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to assess response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Results:

Of those undergoing a first-time acute treatment course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation ( N = 167), 28% achieved remission, while a further 12% met the criteria for a response to treatment. Most patients ( N = 123, 77%) had previously been treated with five or more antidepressant medications, and 77 (47%) had previously received electroconvulsive therapy. Referral rates remained high over the 6 years, indicating acceptance of the treatment by referring psychiatrists. There were no significant adverse events, and the treatment was generally well tolerated. In all, 41 patients (25%) had a second course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and 6 (4%) patients had a third course; 21 patients subsequently received maintenance repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Conclusion:

This naturalistic study showed that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was well accepted by both psychiatrists and patients, and has good efficacy and safety. Furthermore, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can provide a useful treatment alternative as part of outpatient mental health services for people with depression.
Differences in Reaction to Immediate Feedback and Opportunity to Revise Answers for Multiple-Choice and Open-Ended Questions
Authors: Attali Yigal , Laitusis Cara , Stone Elizabeth
Published: October 2015

There are many reasons to believe that open-ended (OE) and multiple-choice (MC) items elicit different cognitive demands of students. However, empirical evidence that supports this view is lacking. In this study, we investigated the reactions of test takers to an interactive assessment with immediate feedback and answer-revision opportunities for the two types of items. Eighth-grade students solved mathematics problems, both MC and OE, with standard instructions and feedback-and-revision opportunities. An analysis of scores based on revised answers in feedback mode revealed gains in measurement precision for OE items but not for MC items. These results are explained through the concept of effortful engagement—the OE format encourages more mindful engagement with the items in interactive mode. This interpretation is supported by analyses of response times and test takers’ reports.
Rethinking the benefits and pitfalls of leader–member exchange: A reciprocity versus self-protection perspective
Authors: Bernerth Jeremy B , Walker H Jack , Harris Stanley G
Published: October 2015

Existing literature assumes employees sharing high-quality relationships with supervisors hold advantageous positions over their peers under the leader–member exchange model. We propose environmental conditions limit the generalizability of this logic. Our framework is based on the idea that certain environments threaten the cycle of resource exchange and reciprocity, a foundational assumption in existing leader–member exchange models. To demonstrate this effect, we integrate social exchange and self-regulation theories to define four generalized environmental conditions we label appetitive alignment, appetitive misalignment, aversive misalignment and aversive alignment. We discuss accompanying propositions including both theoretical and practical implications of a contextualized leader-member exchange model to help future researchers anticipate when the benefits associated with high-quality leader–member relations and the pitfalls of low-quality relationships are attenuated by the environment.
Ethos at stake: Performance management and academic work in universities
Authors: Kallio Kirsi-Mari , Kallio Tomi J , Tienari Janne , Hyvönen Timo
Published: October 2015

Higher education has been subject to substantial reforms as new forms of performance management are implemented in universities across the world. Extant research suggests that in many cases performance management systems have disrupted academic life. We complement this literature with an extensive mixed methods study of how the performance management system is understood by academics across universities and departments in Finland at a time when new management principles and practices are being forcefully introduced. While our survey results enabled us to map the generally critical and negative view that Finnish scholars have of performance management, the qualitative inquiry allowed us to disentangle how and why our respondents resent the ways and means of measuring their work, the assumptions that underlie the measurement, and the university ideal on which the performance management system is rooted. Most significantly, we highlight how the proliferation of performance management can be seen as a catalyst for changing the very ethos of what it is to be an academic and to do academic work.
The labour market for jazz musicians in Paris and London: Formal regulation and informal norms
Authors: Umney Charles
Published: October 2015

This article examines the normative expectations freelance jazz musicians have about the material conditions of live performance work, taking London and Paris as case studies. It shows how price norms constitute an important reference point for individual workers in navigating the labour market. However, only rarely do they take ‘stronger’ form as a collective demand. Two further arguments are made: first, that the strength of norms varies very widely across labour markets, being much stronger on jobs where other qualitative attractions (such as the scope for creative autonomy) are weak. Second, in the Paris case, an ostensibly solidaristic social insurance mechanism (the Intermittence du Spectacle system) had the seemingly paradoxical effect of further weakening social norms around working conditions. Workers’ individual efforts to meet the system’s eligibility criteria often disrupted the emergence of collective expectations around pricing, and in some cases the existence of formal regulation itself was stigmatized as stifling creativity.
Between Strategy and Unpredictability
Authors: Behrens Martin , Pekarek Andreas
Published: October 2015

Restructuring through mergers has been a key strategy of union revitalization. In Germany, union merger activity has been extensive but seemingly unpredictable in its outcomes, with failed mergers outnumbering successful attempts by a ratio of 2:1. The authors use case studies of two attempted union mergers in Germany—one failed and one successful—to exemplify how these complex processes unfold. Drawing on Walton and McKersie’s (1991) work on negotiation, the authors show how common decision-making processes involving key actors at various organizational levels shape the trajectory of merger attempts. Looking beyond mergers to broader questions of union strategy, the authors argue that the concept of negotiated decision making can help reveal the strategic and logical dimensions of apparently unpredictable processes.
Electric circuit interactive laboratory
Authors: Khaddaj Sara I , Marmar Ali Rida
Published: October 2015

Ensuring the best teaching quality and promoting the critical thinking and hands-on experience of students are main concerns in the continuous development plan of the laboratories in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the American University of Beirut. To this end, laboratory course materials are not only subject to constant updates, but also innovative teaching methods and evaluation techniques are developed. This paper outlines a new teaching methodology and novel academic Moodle-based evaluation techniques applied in a lab environment specific to Electric Circuits Laboratory which is a basic required course for all students majoring either in Computer and Communications Engineering or in Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. The objectives of this course are to familiarize students with various circuit and electronic devices and their applications, to teach them how to use basic laboratory instruments, and to introduce them to laboratory techniques to implement and analyze electronic circuits. The motivation to implement the new changes was due to many observations and problems encountered while teaching the course for several years. The inventive teaching and evaluation approach have been applied so far for three semesters. Significant improvement in students’ comprehension of the material, depicted in a considerable increase in class average of the final exam, proved the success of the adopted method. Besides, an increase in class participation and involvement was noticed and course assessment done by students scored very high.
Media Health Images of Africa and the Politics of Representation: A South African AIDS Choir Counter-Narrative
Authors: Okigbo Austin C , Ezumah Bellarmine A
Published: October 2015

This paper is an ethnomusicological and media studies collaborative study that discusses the politics of representation on media health images, especially HIV/AIDS in Africa, and how a South African AIDS support group and choral ensemble offers a counter-narrative to the images that are seen in the Western media. Using ethnographic data on the group’s organization, music events, and interviews with choir members, we argue that Siphithemba Choir’s story is a narrative of self-representation that subverts the appropriation of their story by the scientific community, and counters the helpless image of HIV-infected individuals that often comprise the face of HIV/AIDS in Africa in the mainstream media.
Conditional TNF-α Overexpression in the Tooth and Alveolar Bone Results in Painful Pulpitis and Osteitis
Authors: Hall B.E. , Zhang L. , Sun Z.J. , Utreras E. , Prochazkova M. , Cho A. , Terse A. , Arany P. , Dolan J.C. , Schmidt B.L. , Kulkarni A.B.
Published: October 2015

Tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) is a proalgesic cytokine that is commonly expressed following tissue injury. TNF-α expression not only promotes inflammation but can also lead to pain hypersensitivity in nociceptors. With the established link between TNF-α and inflammatory pain, we identified its increased expression in the teeth of patients affected with caries and pulpitis. We generated a transgenic mouse model (TNF-αglo) that could be used to conditionally overexpress TNF-α. These mice were bred with a dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1)–Cre line for overexpression of TNF-α in both the tooth pulp and bone to study oral pain that would result from subsequent development of pulpitis and bone loss. The resulting DMP1/TNF-αglo mice show inflammation in the tooth pulp that resembles pulpitis while also displaying periodontal bone loss. Inflammatory infiltrates and enlarged blood vessels were observed in the tooth pulp. Pulpitis and osteitis affected the nociceptive neurons innervating the orofacial region by causing increased expression of inflammatory cytokines within the trigeminal ganglia. With this new mouse model morphologically mimicking pulpitis and osteitis, we tested it for signs of oral pain with an oral function assay (dolognawmeter). This assay/device records the time required by a mouse to complete a discrete gnawing task. The duration of gnawing required by the DMP1/TNF-αglo mice to complete the task was greater than that for the controls; extended gnaw time in a dolognawmeter indicates reduced orofacial function. With the DMP1/TNF-αglo mice, we have shown that TNF-α expression alone can produce inflammation similar to pulpitis and osteitis and that this mouse model can be used to study dental inflammatory pain.
Lymphocyte/monocyte ratio in osteoarticular tuberculosis in children: a haematological biomarker revisited
Authors: Agarwal Anil , Bhat Mohd Shafi , Kumar Anubrat , Shaharyar Abbas , Mishra Madhusudhan , Yadav Rajeev
Published: October 2015

Introduction

*Work attributed to Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, Geeta Colony, Delhi-110031(India) This study tested the hypothesis whether the lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (L/M ratio) altered significantly during treatment of paediatric osteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB) for it to be a useful monitor of the response to therapy.

Material and methods

Thirty immunocompetent paediatric patients with OATB treated with 6 months of uninterrupted multidrug anti-tubercular treatment with resultant clinical and radiological healing of the lesion were included. Haemoglobin, total leucocyte, monocyte and lymphocyte count, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were collected at 0, 2 and 6 months, and were analysed.

Results

The L/M ratio altered from high (11) at the start of treatment towards normalisation (9) at 2 months and (7.7) at 6 months. There was no correlation with declining ESR levels.

Conclusions

The L/M ratio may have potential as an effective biomarker response.
The attitudes of general hospital doctors toward patients with comorbid mental illness
Authors: Noblett Joanne E , Lawrence Robert , Smith Jared G
Published: October 2015

Objective

What are the attitudes of general hospital doctors toward patients with comorbid mental illness? Do certain characteristics of the health professional related to attitude valence to patients with comorbid mental illness?

Method

An anonymous questionnaire was sent out to a cohort of doctors working in three General Hospitals in South West London. The questionnaire included vignettes to assess the respondents’ attitudes toward eight patients presenting with a physical compliant with different clinical histories, including depression, schizophrenia, personality disorder, diabetes, and criminal behavior.

Results

A total of 52 participants completed the questionnaire; 40 females and 12 males. Across all domains, the most positive attitudes were held toward patients without a diagnosis of mental illness. The least positive attitudes were toward patients with schizophrenia, personality disorder, and those classified as “criminals,” and negative attitudes relating to the unpredictability of patients was identified in these categories. There was no statistically significant difference in attitudes depending on age or level of training. However, female participants tended to endorse more positive attitudinal responses, most clearly toward patients with depression and heroin addiction.

Conclusions

Negative attitudes of doctors were identified toward certain mental illness diagnoses and are likely to contribute the physical health disparity between patients with and without a comorbid mental illness. This raises the question as to how these attitudes can be changed in order to improve the parity of physical health care between patient with and without mental illness.
A hybrid ontology-based information extraction system
Authors: Gutierrez Fernando , Dou Dejing , Fickas Stephen , Wimalasuriya Daya , Zong Hui
Published: October 2015

Information Extraction is the process of automatically obtaining knowledge from plain text. Because of the ambiguity of written natural language, Information Extraction is a difficult task. Ontology-based Information Extraction (OBIE) reduces this complexity by including contextual information in the form of a domain ontology. The ontology provides guidance to the extraction process by providing concepts and relationships about the domain. However, OBIE systems have not been widely adopted because of the difficulties in deployment and maintenance. The Ontology-based Components for Information Extraction (OBCIE) architecture has been proposed as a form to encourage the adoption of OBIE by promoting reusability through modularity. In this paper, we propose two orthogonal extensions to OBCIE that allow the construction of hybrid OBIE systems with higher extraction accuracy and a new functionality. The first extension utilizes OBCIE modularity to integrate different types of implementation into one extraction system, producing a more accurate extraction. For each concept or relationship in the ontology, we can select the best implementation for extraction, or we can combine both implementations under an ensemble learning schema. The second extension is a novel ontology-based error detection mechanism. Following a heuristic approach, we can identify sentences that are logically inconsistent with the domain ontology. Because the implementation strategy for the extraction of a concept is independent of the functionality of the extraction, we can design a hybrid OBIE system with concepts utilizing different implementation strategies for extracting correct or incorrect sentences. Our evaluation shows that, in the implementation extension, our proposed method is more accurate in terms of correctness and completeness of the extraction. Moreover, our error detection method can identify incorrect statements with a high accuracy.
Impact of cardiac surgery on the expression of CD40, CD80, CD86 and HLA-DR on B cells and monocytes
Authors: Holmannova Drahomira , Kolackova Martina , Kunes Pavel , Krejsek Jan , Mandak Jiri , Andrys Ctirad
Published: October 2015

Objective:

We measured and compared changes in the percentage of cells expressing CD80, CD86, CD40, HLA-DR and the expression of these molecules on B cells and monocytes of patients who underwent either on-pump, mini on-pump or off-pump cardiac surgery.

Methods:

Blood samples from patients who underwent either on-pump, mini on-pump or off-pump cardiac surgery were collected before surgery, instantly after surgery and on the 1st, 3rd and 7th days after surgery. Surface expression of CD80, CD86, CD40 and HLA-DR molecules was determined by flow cytometry.

Results:

Our results show that all three surgical techniques altered the expression of these molecules, as well as the percentage relative number of specific cell populations. We identified statistically significant differences when comparing different surgical techniques. On-pump surgery revealed a more pronounced impact on the phenotype of immune system cells than the other techniques. Therefore, it is likely that the function of immune cells is changed the most by on-pump surgery. We found a lower decrease in the number of CD80+ monocytes and a lower drop in the CD40 expression on monocytes in off-pump patients in comparison with on-pump patients.

Conclusion:

All the types of cardiac surgical techniques, off-pump, on-pump and modified mini-invasive on-pump, are associated with changes in CD80, CD86, CD40 and HLA-DR expression. We found several significant differences in the expression of the selected molecules when we compared all three groups of patients.
Palliative Care Problem Severity Score: Reliability and acceptability in a national study
Authors: Masso Malcolm , Allingham Samuel Frederic , Johnson Claire Elizabeth , Pidgeon Tanya , Yates Patsy , Currow David , Eagar Kathy
Published: October 2015

Background:

The Palliative Care Problem Severity Score is a clinician-rated tool to assess problem severity in four palliative care domains (pain, other symptoms, psychological/spiritual, family/carer problems) using a 4-point categorical scale (absent, mild, moderate, severe).

Aim:

To test the reliability and acceptability of the Palliative Care Problem Severity Score.

Design:

Multi-centre, cross-sectional study involving pairs of clinicians independently rating problem severity using the tool.

Setting/participants:

Clinicians from 10 Australian palliative care services: 9 inpatient units and 1 mixed inpatient/community-based service.

Results:

A total of 102 clinicians participated, with almost 600 paired assessments completed for each domain, involving 420 patients. A total of 91% of paired assessments were undertaken within 2 h. Strength of agreement for three of the four domains was moderate: pain (Kappa = 0.42, 95% confidence interval = 0.36 to 0.49); psychological/spiritual (Kappa = 0.48, 95% confidence interval = 0.42 to 0.54); family/carer (Kappa = 0.45, 95% confidence interval = 0.40 to 0.52). Strength of agreement for the remaining domain (other symptoms) was fair (Kappa = 0.38, 95% confidence interval = 0.32 to 0.45).

Conclusion:

The Palliative Care Problem Severity Score is an acceptable measure, with moderate reliability across three domains. Variability in inter-rater reliability across sites and participant feedback indicate that ongoing education is required to ensure that clinicians understand the purpose of the tool and each of its domains. Raters familiar with the patient they were assessing found it easier to assign problem severity, but this did not improve inter-rater reliability.
A Framework for Prioritizing Research Investments in Precision Medicine
Authors: Basu Anirban , Carlson Josh J. , Veenstra David L.
Published: October 2015

Introduction. The adoption of precision medicine (PM) has been limited in practice to date, and yet its promise has attracted research investments. Developing foundational economic approaches for directing proper use of PM and stimulating growth in this area from multiple perspectives is thus quite timely. Methods. Building on our previously developed expected value of individualized care (EVIC) framework, we conceptualize new decision-relevant metrics to better understand and forecast the expected value of PM. Several aspects of behavior at the patient, physician, and payer levels are considered that can inform the rate and manner in which PM innovations diffuse throughout the relevant population. We illustrate this framework and the methods using a retrospective evaluation of the use of OncotypeDx genomic test among breast cancer patients. Results. The enriched metrics can help inform many facets of PM decision making, such as evaluating alternative reimbursement levels for PM tests, implementation and education programs for physicians and patients, and decisions around research investments by manufacturers and public entities. We replicated prior published results on evaluation of OncotypeDx among breast cancer patients but also illustrated that those results are based on assumptions that are often not met in practice. Instead, we show how incorporating more practical aspects of behavior around PM could lead to drastically different estimates of value. Conclusion. We believe that the framework and the methods presented can provide decision makers with more decision-relevant tools to explore the value of PM. There is a growing recognition that data on adoption is important to decision makers. More research is needed to develop prediction models for potential diffusion of PM technologies.
Asymptotically optimal feedback planning using a numerical Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman solver and an adaptive mesh refinement
Authors: Yershov Dmitry S. , Frazzoli Emilio
Published: October 2015

We present the first asymptotically optimal feedback planning algorithm for nonholonomic systems and additive cost functionals. Our algorithm is based on three well-established numerical practices: 1) positive coefficient numerical approximations of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations; 2) the Fast Marching Method, which is a fast nonlinear solver that utilizes Bellman’s dynamic programming principle for efficient computations; and 3) an adaptive mesh-refinement algorithm designed to improve the resolution of an initial simplicial mesh and reduce the solution numerical error. By refining the discretization mesh globally, we compute a sequence of numerical solutions that converges to the true viscosity solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. In order to reduce the total computational cost of the proposed planning algorithm, we find that it is sufficient to refine the discretization within a small region in the vicinity of the optimal trajectory. Numerical experiments confirm our theoretical findings and establish that our algorithm outperforms previous asymptotically optimal planning algorithms, such as PRM* and RRT*.
The number of optic neuritis attacks is a potential confounder when comparing patients with NMO vs. controls by voxel-based neuroimaging analysis
Authors: Sánchez-Catasús Carlos A , Cabrera-Gomez José , Almaguer Melián William , Bosch Bayard Jorge , Rodríguez Rojas Rafael , Valdes-Sosa Pedro
Published: October 2015

Background

Voxel-based morphometric (VBM) studies in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) have shown limited reproducibility. A previous study suggests that the number of optic neuritis (ON) attacks may be a confounding factor when comparing NMO patients with controls if it is not taken into account during VBM analysis.

Purpose

To investigate the potential confounding effect of the number of ON attacks, for both tissue volumes and perfusion by voxel-based statistical analysis.

Material and Methods

Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and perfusion SPECT were obtained from 15 controls and two patient subgroups: subgroup I was composed of nine patients with one or two ON attacks; and subgroup II of six patients with three or four ON attacks. We performed non-parametric voxel-based comparison of tissue volumes and perfusion between controls versus the two patient subgroups and for the whole patient group.

Results

Subgroup I presented no volume reductions, contrary to subgroup II that showed unequivocal reduction. We also found hypoperfusion in different brain regions in different subgroups. The results were quite different for the whole patient group.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the confounding effect of the number of ON attacks, providing a new methodological insight that could explain the limited reproducibility of previous VBM studies in NMO.
Virtual stenting of intracranial aneurysms: application of hemodynamic modification analysis
Authors: Song Yunsun , Choe Jooae , Liu Hairi , Park Kye Jin , Yu HyungBin , Lim Ok Kyun , Kim Hyoweon , Park Darlene , Ge Jiajia , Suh Dae Chul
Published: October 2015

Background

Practical application of hemodynamic modification analysis based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in intracranial aneurysms is still under study.

Purpose

To determine the clinical applicability of virtual stenting of aneurysms by comparing the simulated results with clinical outcome of real stenting.

Material and Methods

Three-dimensional (3D) digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images were imported to a dedicated integrated prototypic CFD platform (Siemens Healthcare GmbH) which allows all necessary steps of 3D models for CFD analysis. The results of CFD simulation with virtual implantation of a stent can be visualized in the same platform for qualitative comparisons on a color-coded volume visualization window. Five small intracranial aneurysms with and without virtual stenting were analyzed and assessed on a qualitative level. Expert rating were performed for evaluating the simulated results, and comparing those to the long-term follow-up outcomes of real stenting.

Results

CFD simulation after virtual stenting was feasible in five differently located aneurysms and corresponded to the long-term changes of stented aneurysms by showing alteration in flow pattern. There was no significant difference ( P = 0.5) between the simulated hemodynamic changes after virtual stenting and the angiographic changes after stenting in four aneurysms except one. There was good agreement regarding the assessment of the changes by two raters (kappa = 0.657).

Conclusion

CFD analysis using patient-specific virtual stenting of the CFD platform may be used as a simple and less time-consuming test tool predicting the involution of aneurysms after stent placement by analyzing the vector visualization of the flow changes.
The influence of genetic constitution on migraine drug responses
Authors: Christensen Anne Francke , Esserlind Ann-Louise , Werge Thomas , Stefánsson Hreinn , Stefánsson Kári , Olesen Jes
Published: October 2015

Objective

Specific acute treatments of migraine are 5HT1B/D receptor agonists; triptans and ergotamine, but only two-thirds of patients respond well without side effects. No migraine-prophylactic drugs are specific to migraine. Prophylactic drugs are selected by time-consuming “trial and error.” Personalized treatment is therefore much needed. The objective of this study was to test the effect of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with migraine on migraine drug responses.

Methods

Semi-structured migraine interviews including questions on drug responses, blood samples and genotyping were performed on 1806 unrelated migraine cases recruited from the Danish Headache Center. Association analyses were carried out using logistic regression, assuming an additive model for the genetic effect. The effect on drug responses was tested for a combined genetic score and for each of the 12 SNPs. Significant findings were subsequently tested in an independent replication sample of 392 unrelated Danish migraine cases.

Results

A single risk variant, rs2651899 in PRDM16, was significantly associated with efficacy of triptans with an odds ratio (OR) of treatment success of 1.3, and a higher combined genetic score was significantly associated with efficacy of triptans with an OR of success of up to 2.6. A number of SNPs showed nominal preferential association with the efficacy of triptans and others with prophylactic drugs. Analyses of triptans and ergotamine complemented each other and gave a stronger signal when analyzed together. The associations between response to triptans and genetic load and rs2651899 were partially confirmed in the independent sample.

Conclusion

We show for the first time an association between genetic constitution and migraine drug response. This is a first step toward future individualized medicine.
Knowledge map of Latin American research on management: Trends and future advancement
Authors: Ronda-Pupo Guillermo Armando
Published: October 2015

The objective of this article is to determine the dynamics of the evolution of management as an academic research discipline in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in the past 25 years. The methodology used in the research comprises a combination of co-word analysis with Social Networks Analysis organized in a six-step procedure. First, the data retrieval was carried out; second, a list of key words related to the management discipline was created; third, a key word co-occurrence matrix and its normalization using Salton’s Cosine was done; fourth, each key word was assigned to the research line it represents, taking into consideration the 25 divisions that make up the Academy of Management Society; fifth, the internal cohesion was calculated for each research line using the density of the words network that makes it up and each line’s centrality degree; and, sixth, a strategic diagram was created representing the stage of development of each research line. The results show how the research lines Strategic Management Process and Innovation & Technology Management have formed the backbone of the development of management as an academic discipline in LAC. We also present how research lines that are necessary for the economic and social development of the region such as Entrepreneurship, Cooperative Strategy and Public Sector Management appear as peripheral underdeveloped lines. Finally, we address possible strategies for future development of the management discipline in LAC.
An assessment of hot metal fragments from heavy mechanical equipment as a potential ignition source for forest litter
Authors: Howitt David G
Published: October 2015

The presence of metal particles, produced by rock strikes with heavy mechanical equipment, has come to be considered as evidence of fire causation in the investigation of forest fires. I report here the results of a series of experiments where direct thermographic measurements were made of the temperatures of the fragments that are created by repeatedly driving a bulldozer over rocks under extreme conditions. It is apparent, from these experimental determinations, a theoretical evaluation of the process that gives rise to them and comparison with published data, including the ignition of cellulose fuel beds by steel particles, that the minimum requirements for the ignition of kindling are not being met and that such fragments are not in fact a viable source of ignition for forest litter.
An Exploration of Three-Dimensional Integrated Assessment for Computational Thinking
Authors: Zhong Baichang , Wang Qiyun , Chen Jie , Li Yi
Published: October 2015

Computational thinking (CT) is a fundamental skill for students, and assessment is a critical factor in education. However, there is a lack of effective approaches to CT assessment. Therefore, we designed the Three-Dimensional Integrated Assessment (TDIA) framework in this article. The TDIA has two aims: one was to integrate three dimensions (directionality, openness, and process) into the design of effective assessment tasks; and the other was to assess comprehensively the three dimensions of CT including computational concepts, practices, and perspectives. Guided by the TDIA framework, we designed three pairs of tasks: closed forward tasks and closed reverse tasks, semiopen forward tasks and semiopen reverse tasks, and open tasks with a creative design report and open tasks without a creative design report. To further confirm each task’s applicability and its advantages and disadvantages, we conducted a test experiment at the end of the autumn semester in 2014 in a primary school for 3 weeks. The results indicated that (a) the reverse tasks were not more superior than the forward tasks; (b) the semiopen tasks and the open tasks were more effective than the closed tasks, and the semiopen tasks had higher difficulty and discrimination than the others; (c) the self-reports provided a helpful function for learning diagnosis and guidance; (d) the scores had no significant difference between the schoolboys and the schoolgirls in all six tasks; and (e) the six tasks’ difficulty and discrimination were all acceptable, and the semiopen tasks had higher difficulty and discrimination than the others. To effectively apply them, the following suggestions for teachers to design computational tasks are proposed: motivating students’ interest and enthusiasm, incorporating semifinished artifacts, involving learning diagnosis and guidance, and including multiple types of tasks in an assessment.
The Nature and Extent of Self-Help Housing in Texas
Authors: Durst Noah J.
Published: October 2015

Despite regulatory efforts in Texas aimed at preventing the spread of “colonias”—self-help settlements with inadequate water and wastewater infrastructure—since the early 1990s hundreds of new self-help “model subdivisions” have formed throughout the state. Using aerial photography and parcel-level property records, I provide the first systematic analysis of these subdivisions. Their proliferation poses considerable challenges for local planners, and although most model subdivisions appear to have basic infrastructure, housing conditions are exceedingly poor because of the protracted nature of the self-help process. The study highlights the need for renewed attention by scholars, policymakers, and planners toward self-help settlements in Texas.
Examining the Relationship Between Civil Service Commissions and Municipal Police Diversity
Authors: Kringen Anne Li
Published: October 2015

Despite the widely held goal of increasing diversity in policing, police organizations have struggled to diversify. Previous research highlights the role of civilian involvement in the process by illustrating the impact of mayors and city councils on diversity in police departments. This scholarship has overlooked the important role of municipal civil service commissions, which oversee public personnel policies and set hiring standards. Research has demonstrated that some of these hiring standards disproportionately impact minority applicants. As a result, civil service commissions may be a missing link in understanding how civilian oversight can promote or impede diversification in policing. This article presents an introduction to civil service commissions and processes and illustrates their potential impact on diversity in policing. Areas for future research are discussed.
Association of Complementary and Alternative Therapies With Mental Health Outcomes in Pregnant Women Living in a Postdisaster Recovery Environment
Authors: Barcelona de Mendoza Veronica , Harville Emily , Savage Jane , Giarratano Gloria
Published: October 2015

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine if complementary and alternative medicine therapies are associated with mental health in postdisaster environments. Design: Pregnant women ( N = 402) were interviewed between 2010 and 2012 as part of a larger cross-sectional study on hurricane recovery and models of prenatal care. Methods: Symptoms of depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screen), prenatal anxiety (Revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire), posttraumatic stress (PCL-S), and perceived stress (PSS) were examined. Logistic regression was used to adjust for income, race, education, parity, and age. The most commonly reported therapies were prayer, music, multivitamins, massage, and aromatherapy. Findings: Mental illness symptoms were common (30.7% had likely depression, 17.4% had anxiety, and 9.0% had posttraumatic stress). Massage was protective for depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Index [EDSI] >8; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.3-0.9), while use of aromatherapy (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1-3.2) and keeping a journal (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1-3.2) were associated with increased odds of depression. Aromatherapy was associated with symptoms of pregnancy-related anxiety (aOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.1-3.8). Conclusions: Symptoms of mental illness persist after disaster, when untreated. Nurses should consider assessing for complementary and alternative medicine utilization in pregnancy as a potentially protective factor for mental health symptoms.
Biowaste material reinforced cyanate ester based epoxy composites for flame retardant applications
Authors: Krishnadevi Krishnamoorthy , Selvaraj Vaithilingam
Published: October 2015

This article reports the development of halogen-free flame-retardant amine-terminated cyclophosphazene (ATCP) and functionalized rice husk ash (FRHA)-reinforced cyanate ester (CE; 2,2-bis(4-cyanatophenyl)propane)-based epoxy (EP) composite material through the ring formation of cyanurate and imino carbonyl adduct formation. The ATCP/FRHA/CE-EP composites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis and contact angle measurements. A plausible fire-retardant mechanism has been hypothesized based on the analysis of decomposition temperature, char yield, heat release rate, total smoke production, smoke production rate and carbon monoxide production. These results suggest that the ATCP/FRHA/CE-EP composites can be used as hydrophobic, electrical-resistant and improved fire-retardant materials. Hence, ATCP/FRHA/CE-EP flame-retardant system paves new possibility of high-performance non-halogen flame-retardant polymeric materials for electronic and microelectronic applications.
Identification of a driver’s starting intention based on an artificial neural network for vehicles equipped with an automated manual transmission
Authors: Li Liang , Zhu Zaobei , Wang Xiangyu , Yang Yiyong , Yang Chao , Song Jian
Published: October 2015

The driver’s starting intention, which coordinates the engine output torque and the engagement speed of clutch for a vehicle equipped with an automated manual transmission, may be the key state for automated manual transmission clutch control. Fast and accurate identification of the starting intention can ensure a smooth clutch engagement and a smooth start of a vehicle. In this paper, a novel method based on an artificial error back-propagation neural network is proposed to identify the driver’s starting intention. By analysis of the experimental data, the driver’s starting intention can be defined strictly and divided into three modes: a slow start, a medium start and a fast start. The statistical regularity of the acceleration pedal opening is obtained on the basis of a novel method for processing the experimental data. Because in the first period of time in a starting process, the time proportion of the acceleration pedal opening over a certain value is closely related to the driver’s starting intention, therefore, this statistical regularity of the acceleration pedal opening is regarded as the input of the neural network, and the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno algorithm is applied to train the neural network. The real-vehicle test results with different drivers show that the identification accuracy of the driver’s starting intention is greater than 95% during the first 600 ms with the proposed artificial error back-propagation neural network. This can provide a reasonable quantization method of the driver’s starting intention for smooth automated manual transmission clutch control.
Factors associated with hepatitis B vaccination among men who have sex with men: a systematic review of published research
Authors: Vet Raymond , de Wit John BF , Das Enny
Published: October 2015

This systematic review identified and synthesised evidence from published research regarding personal and environmental factors associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination uptake among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in low prevalence, high-income countries. A systematic literature search identified 18 eligible papers that addressed factors potentially associated with HBV vaccination uptake among MSM, of which 16 reported research conducted in the US. Studies assessed possible associations between HBV vaccination among MSM and socio-demographic characteristics, behavioural and social-cognitive factors and indicators of health service access. Converging evidence was found for associations between HBV vaccination and younger age, gay self-identification, and not using alcohol and drugs; evidence suggests a lack of association between HBV vaccination and ethnicity. There was converging evidence for associations between HBV vaccination and social-cognitive factors, in particular knowledge, perceived vulnerability and perceived severity regarding HBV infection, and perceived barriers to HBV vaccination. Evidence further supported associations between HBV vaccination and indicators of health service access. While research regarding factors associated with HBV vaccination among MSM remains limited, the identified correlates of HBV vaccination among MSM provide important guidance for the development of health promotion interventions to effectively increase coverage of HBV vaccination among MSM.
Exogenous Attention Enables Perceptual Learning
Authors: Szpiro Sarit F. A. , Carrasco Marisa
Published: October 2015

Practice can improve visual perception, and these improvements are considered to be a form of brain plasticity. Training-induced learning is time-consuming and requires hundreds of trials across multiple days. The process of learning acquisition is understudied. Can learning acquisition be potentiated by manipulating visual attentional cues? We developed a protocol in which we used task-irrelevant cues for between-groups manipulation of attention during training. We found that training with exogenous attention can enable the acquisition of learning. Remarkably, this learning was maintained even when observers were subsequently tested under neutral conditions, which indicates that a change in perception was involved. Our study is the first to isolate the effects of exogenous attention and to demonstrate its efficacy to enable learning. We propose that exogenous attention boosts perceptual learning by enhancing stimulus encoding.