bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening for pre‐eclampsia using sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio cut‐off of 38 at 30–37 weeks' gestation
Authors: Dragan I. , Georgiou T. , Prodan N. , Akolekar R. , Nicolaides K. H.
Published: September 2016

Objective

To evaluate a soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1 (sFlt‐1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio cut‐off of 38 for the prediction of pre‐eclampsia (PE) in routine assessment in singleton pregnancies at 30–37 weeks' gestation.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study in women attending a third‐trimester ultrasound scan at 30–37 weeks as part of routine pregnancy care. Serum sFlt‐1 and PlGF were measured and their ratio was calculated. We estimated the detection rate (DR), false‐positive rate (FPR), positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio >38 for the prediction of delivery with PE at < 1, < 4 and ≥ 4 weeks after assessment.

Results

The study population of 12 305 singleton pregnancies was examined at a median of 32.4 (range, 30.0–36.9) weeks and included 14 (0.11%), 77 (0.63%) and 227 (1.84%) cases that subsequently delivered with PE at < 1, < 4 or ≥ 4 weeks' after assessment, respectively. The DR, FPR, PPV and NPV of sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio > 38 in the prediction of delivery with PE at < 1 week were 78.6%, 4.5%, 1.9% and 99.97%, respectively; the values for delivery with PE at < 4 weeks were 76.6%, 4.1%, 10.4% and 99.85% and for delivery with PE ≥ 4 weeks were 20.7%, 4.3%, 8.3% and 98.47%.

Conclusion

In routine screening of singleton pregnancies, the performance of a sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio > 38 is modest for the prediction of delivery with PE at < 1 and at < 4 weeks after assessment and poor for the prediction of delivery with PE at ≥ 4 weeks after assessment. A sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio > 38 predicted 79% of cases delivering with PE at < 1 week after assessment, at a FPR of 4.5%; consequently, a policy of hospitalizing patients with a ratio > 38 would potentially lead to unnecessary hospitalization in 4.5% of pregnancies and a ratio of ≤ 38 would falsely reassure one fifth of women who will deliver with PE within 1 week of assessment. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Ergodic capacity of multiuser scheduling in cognitive radio networks: analysis and comparison
Authors: Sibomana Louis , Zepernick Hans‐Jürgen
Published: September 2016

This paper analyzes the ergodic capacity of secondary point‐to‐multipoint communications under the outage constraint of multiple primary user receivers (PU‐Rxs) and the secondary user (SU) maximum transmit power limit. We first derive analytical expressions of the ergodic capacity for three scheduling schemes, that is, round robin, Max‐signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise‐ratio (Max‐SINR) and Min‐SINR, and compare their performance. Numerical examples show that when the number of SU receivers (SU‐Rxs) increases in the presence of a single PU‐Rx and at high SINR, the Min‐SINR outperforms the Max‐SINR scheme. As the number of PU‐Rxs increases, the Max‐SINR performs better than the Min‐SINR scheduling. When the number of SU‐Rxs becomes large, the system capacity is enhanced but so is the feedback load. To exploit the Max‐SINR transmission while reducing the feedback load, we assume a threshold based on the channel quality where the SU‐Rxs with the instantaneous SINR above the threshold participate in the Max‐SINR scheduling; otherwise, an SU‐Rx is selected randomly. Then, an analytical expression of the average capacity is derived. Numerical results illustrate that the capacity with limited feedback is approximately the same as for the case of Max‐SINR with full feedback when the SU threshold for feedback condition is set to low and medium values. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Isomerization of sp2‐hybridized carbon nanomaterials: structural transformation and topological defects of fullerene, carbon nanotube, and graphene
Authors: Xu Ziwei , Liang Zilin , Ding Feng
Published: September 2016

The structural transformation of various carbon nanomaterials, such as fullerene, carbon nanotube (CNT), and graphene, has been extensively studied both experimentally and theoretically. It was broadly recognized that the isomerization of the sp2‐hybridized carbon network through the generalized Stone–Wales transformation (GSWT), which is equivalent to a CC bond's in‐plane rotation, is the key mechanism facilitating most structural revolutions in carbon materials. The GSWT process also plays a crucial role in the shape change, defect healing and the growth in these carbon materials and may greatly affect their mechanical, chemical, and electronic performances. In this review, we summarize the previous studies on the GSWT and topological defects in the sp2 carbon network as well as the consequent results of sp2‐hybridized carbon materials’ isomerization, including structural shrinkage of the giant fullerenes and CNTs at high temperature, plastic deformation of CNTs, coalescence of the fullerenes and carbon peapods, topological defects evolution under high energetic irradiation, and healing of the defects during the chemical vapor deposition growth of CNT and graphene. This review provides a clear picture of the isomerization of the sp2‐hybridized carbon materials, from single step process until the large‐scale structural transformation, and many examples for the readers to get into the topic deeply step by step. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2017, 7:e1283. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1283

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Reaction Mechanisms and Catalysis

Structure and Mechanism > Computational Materials Science
Aggressive behavior and hair cortisol levels in captive Dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas) as animal‐based welfare indicators
Authors: Salas Marina , Temple Déborah , Abáigar Teresa , Cuadrado Mariano , Delclaux Maria , Enseñat Conrad , Almagro Vanessa , Martínez‐Nevado Eva , Quevedo Miguel Ángel , Carbajal Annaïs , Tallo‐Parra Oriol , Sabés‐Alsina Maria , Amat Marta , Lopez‐Bejar Manel , Fernández‐Bellon Hugo , Manteca Xavier
Published: September 2016

Ensuring welfare in captive wild animal populations is important not only for ethical and legal reasons, but also to maintain healthy individuals and populations. An increased level of social behaviors such as aggression can reduce welfare by causing physical damage and chronic stress to animals. Recently, cortisol in hair has been advanced as a non‐invasive indicator to quantify long‐lasting stress in many species. The sensitivity of social behavior and hair cortisol concentration was evaluated in several groups of dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas). Four different groups of gazelles from three different zoos were observed and the expression of intra‐specific affiliative and negative social behaviors was assessed across the different groups. Hair samples were taken from sub‐groups of animals and analyzed for cortisol concentrations. Significant differences between groups of dorcas gazelles were found in frequency of negative social behavior and hair cortisol concentration. Despite the low sample size, these two parameters had a positive Spearman correlation coefficient (rs = +0.80,P = 0.20). These results suggest that hair cortisol levels are sensitive to differences in the social structure of dorcas gazelles. Zoo Biol. 35:467–473, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Lanreotide Depot: An Antineoplastic Treatment of Carcinoid or Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Wolin Edward M. , Manon Amandine , Chassaing Christophe , Lewis Andy , Bertocchi Laurent , Richard Joel , Phan Alexandria T.
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Peptide drugs for antineoplastic therapies usually have low oral bioavailability and short in vivo half-lives, requiring less preferred delivery methods. Lanreotide depot is a sustained-release somatostatin analog (SSA) formulation produced via an innovative peptide self-assembly method. Lanreotide is approved in the USA and Europe to improve progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with unresectable gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) and also approved in Europe for symptom control in carcinoid syndrome associated with GEP-NETs. This review discusses how the distinct molecule and formulation of lanreotide depot provide advantages to patients and health care providers, as well as the most recent clinical evidence demonstrating the safety and efficacy of lanreotide depot in inhibiting tumor growth and controlling hormonal symptoms in GEP-NETs.

Methodology and Results

The lanreotide depot formulation confers a remarkable pharmacokinetic profile with no excipients, comprised only of lanreotide acetate and water. Of note, lanreotide depot constitutes an example for peptide self-assembly based formulations, providing insights that could help future development of sustained-release formulations of other antineoplastic peptides. Most patients with GEP-NETs will present with inoperable or incurable disease; thus, medical management for symptoms and tumor control plays a crucial role. Recent long-term clinical studies have demonstrated that lanreotide depot is well tolerated, prolongs PFS in GEP-NET patients, and significantly reduces symptoms related to carcinoid syndrome.

Conclusions

The unique depot formulation and delivery method of lanreotide confer advantages in the treatment of metastatic GEP-NETs, contributing to improvements in NET-related symptoms and PFS without reducing quality of life in this patient population.
Temporary Life Changes and the Timing of Divorce
Authors: Fallesen Peter , Breen Richard
Published: September 2016

Marriage is a risky undertaking that people enter with incomplete information about their partner and their future life circumstances. A large literature has shown how new information gained from unforeseen but long-lasting or permanent changes in life circumstances may trigger a divorce. We extend this literature by considering how information gained from a temporary change in life circumstances—in our case, a couple having a child with infantile colic—may affect divorce behavior. Although persistent life changes are known to induce divorce, we argue that a temporary stressful situation allows couples more quickly to discern the quality of their relationship, in some cases leading them to divorce sooner than they otherwise would have. We formalize this argument in a model of Bayesian updating and test it using data from Denmark. We find that the incidence of infantile colic shortens the time to divorce or disruption among couples who would have split up anyway.
Predictors of Marital Dissolution During a Period of Rapid Social Change: Evidence From South Asia
Authors: Jennings Elyse A.
Published: September 2016

Few studies have examined the causes and consequences of marital dissolution in non-Western settings. This article explores the fundamental factors that may predict marital dissolution in a mainly agrarian setting in South Asia, where collectivism has historically been valued over individualism and where life is centered on the family. Using event history analyses with retrospective life history data from the Chitwan Valley Family Study conducted in rural Nepal, I explore the possible predictors of marital dissolution. Results suggest that couples in which wives married at older ages and chose their spouse in conjunction with their parents face lower risk of marital dissolution, while wives’ work increases the risk. Moreover, couples married for longer durations and couples who have more children face lower risks of marital dissolution. The influences of many of these factors have changed over the last few decades, pointing toward the important role of changing social context on marital trajectories.
Black-White Differences in Sex and Contraceptive Use Among Young Women
Authors: Kusunoki Yasamin , Barber Jennifer S. , Ela Elizabeth J. , Bucek Amelia
Published: September 2016

This study examines black-white and other sociodemographic differences in young women’s sexual and contraceptive behaviors, using new longitudinal data from a weekly journal-based study of 1,003 18- to 19-year-old women spanning 2.5 years. We investigate hypotheses about dynamic processes in these behaviors during early adulthood in order to shed light on persisting racial differences in rates of unintended pregnancies in the United States. We find that net of other sociodemographic characteristics and adolescent experiences with sex and pregnancy, black women spent less time in relationships and had sex less frequently in their relationships than white women, but did not differ in the number of relationships they formed or in their frequency or consistency of contraceptive use within relationships. Black women were more likely to use less effective methods for pregnancy prevention (e.g., condoms) than white women, who tended to use more effective methods (e.g., oral contraceptives). And although the most effective method for pregnancy prevention—long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)—was used more often by black women than white women, LARC use was low in both groups. In addition, black women did not differ from white women in their number of discontinuations or different methods used and had fewer contraceptive method switches. Further, we find that net of race and adolescent experiences with sex and pregnancy, women from more-disadvantaged backgrounds had fewer and longer (and thus potentially more serious) relationships, used contraception less frequently (but not less consistently), and used less effective methods (condoms) than women from more-advantaged backgrounds.
Global regularity for 2D Muskat equations with finite slope
Authors: Constantin Peter , Gancedo Francisco , Shvydkoy Roman , Vicol Vlad
Published: September 2016

We consider the 2D Muskat equation for the interface between two constant density fluids in an incompressible porous medium, with velocity given by Darcy's law. We establish that as long as the slope of the interface between the two fluids remains bounded and uniformly continuous, the solution remains regular. The proofs exploit the nonlocal nonlinear parabolic nature of the equations through a series of nonlinear lower bounds for nonlocal operators. These are used to deduce that as long as the slope of the interface remains uniformly bounded, the curvature remains bounded. The nonlinear bounds then allow us to obtain local existence for arbitrarily large initial data in the class

W^{2,p}

,

1 < p \leq \infty

. We provide furthermore a global regularity result for small initial data: if the initial slope of the interface is sufficiently small, there exists a unique solution for all time.
Environmental enrichment may protect against neural and behavioural damage caused by withdrawal from chronic alcohol intake
Authors: Nobre Manoel Jorge
Published: September 2016

Exposure to stress and prolonged exposure to alcohol leads to neuronal damages in several brain regions, being the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) one of the most affected. These changes presumably reduce the ability of the organism to cope with these stimuli and may underlie a series of maladaptive behaviours among which include drug addiction and withdrawal. Drug‐addicted individuals show a pattern of behavior similar to patients with lesions of the mPFC. This impairment in the decision‐making could be one of the mechanisms responsible for the transition from the casual to compulsive drug use. The environmental enrichment (EE) has a protective effect on the neural and cognitive impairments induced by psychoactive drugs, including ethyl alcohol. The present study aims to determine the influence of withdrawal from intermittent long‐term alcohol exposure on alcohol preference, emotional reactivity and neural aspects of early isolated or grouped reared rats kept under standard or complex environments and the influence of social isolation on these measures, as well. Our results point out new insights on this matter showing that the EE can attenuate the adverse effects of withdrawal and social isolation on rat's behavior. This effect is probably due to its protective action on the mPFC integrity, including the cingulate area 1 (Cg1), and the prelimbic (PrL) and infralimbic cortex (IL), what could account for the absence of changes in the emotional reactivity in EE alcohol withdrawal rats. We argue that morphological changes at these cortical levels can afford the emotional, cognitive and behavioural dysregulations verified following withdrawal from chronic alcohol intake.
Genetics of Brugada syndrome
Authors: Juang Jyh‐Ming Jimmy , Horie Minoru
Published: September 2016

In 1992, the Brugada syndrome (BrS) was recognized as a disease responsible for sudden cardiac death, characterized by a right bundle‐branch block with ST segment elevation in the leads V1 and V2. This syndrome is highly associated with sudden cardiac death, especially in young males. BrS is currently diagnosed in patients with ST‐segment elevation showing type 1 morphology ≥ 2 mm in ≥1 leads among the right precordial leads V1 or V2 positioned in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th intercostal space, and occurring either spontaneously or after a provocative drug test by the intravenous administration of Class I antiarrhythmic drugs. With accumulated findings, the BrS inheritance model is believed to be an autosomal dominant inheritable model with incomplete penetrance, although most patients with BrS were sporadic cases. SCN5A, which was identified as the first BrS‐associated gene in 1998, has emerged as the most common gene associated with BrS, and more than 10 BrS‐associated genes have been identified thereafter. Mutation‐specific genetic testing is recommended for the family members and appropriate relatives following the identification of BrS‐causative mutations in an index patient. In addition, comprehensive or BrS1 (SCN5A) targeted genetic testing could be useful for patients in whom a cardiologist has established a clinical index of suspicion for BrS based on the patient's clinical history, family history, and the expressed electrocardiographic (resting 12‐lead ECGs and/or provocative drug challenge testing) phenotype.

Over the past 20 years, extensive research in this field has allowed better understanding of the pathophysiology, genetic background, and management of BrS even though controversies still exist. In this review article, a background of genetics, the genetic background of BrS, the genotype and phenotype relationship, the role of genetic screening in clinical practice, and the interpretation of the identified genetic variants have been addressed based on this understanding.
Comparison of the measured pre‐ejection periods and left ventricular ejection times between echocardiography and impedance cardiography for optimizing cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Noda Kazuki , Endo Hideaki , Kadosaka Takahide , Nakata Takashi , Watanabe Tasuku , Terui Yosuke , Kajitani Shoko , Monnma Yuto , Sato Kenjiro , Kanazawa Masanori , Nakajima Sota , Kondo Masateru , Takahashi Tohru , Nakamura Akihiro , Nozaki Eiji
Published: September 2016

Background

The pre‐ejection period (PEP) and left ventricular ejection time (LVET) are easily measured by impedance cardiography (ICG). We hypothesized that the PEP/LVET measured by ICG would correlate with that measured by echocardiography, and that PEP/LVET measured by ICG would be useful for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) optimization.

Methods

Newly CRT implanted patients were optimized by echocardiography. The PEP/LVET was measured by echocardiography and ICG in two different settings: optimized setting and right ventricle (RV)‐only pacing.

Results

The PEP/LVET was significantly decreased in the optimized setting compared with that in RV‐only pacing (0.62±0.13 vs 0.75±0.16, p<0.05). The PEP/LVET values calculated by ICG and echocardiography were positively correlated (r=0.553, p=0.003).

Conclusion

ICG was useful for the optimization of CRT.
Impact of positive surgical margin on biochemical recurrence following radical prostatectomy in locally advanced prostate cancer
Authors: Ceylan Cavit , Tonyali Senol , Keles Ibrahim
Published: September 2016

This study aimed to determine the effect of surgical margin positivity on biochemical recurrence (BCR) in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa) who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). The medical records of all patients with locally advanced PCa that underwent RRP were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, digital rectal examination findings, prostate biopsy Gleason score, prostate volume, pre‐ and post‐treatment prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels, definitive pathology Gleason score, surgical margin status, seminal vesicle invasion, perineural invasion, absence or presence of BCR, and the time to BCR were analyzed. The study included 130 patients. The final pathologic examination showed that seven (5.4%) patients had T3a disease and 123 (94.6%) had T3b disease. In all, 93 (71.5%) patients had a positive surgical margin [SM(+)], whereas 37 (28.5%) patients had a negative surgical margin [SM(−)]. Among the seven patients with pT3a disease, four (57.1%) had SM(+), whereas 89 (72.4%) of the 123 patients with pT3b disease had SM(−). BCR occurred in 11.8% (11 of 93) of patients with SM(+) and in 45.9% (17 of 37) of those with SM(−) (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SM(+) was the only significant predictor of BCR following RRP (relative risk, 0.163; 95% confidence interval (0.062–0.433); p < 0.001). SM(+) in RRP specimens is not always indicative of BCR in patients with locally advanced PCa. RRP should be considered an effective treatment choice for selected patients with locally advanced PCa, despite the associated high SM(+) rate.
The rise of European right radicalism: The case of Jobbik
Authors: Kim Dae Soon
Published: September 2016

Based on the qualitative research of elite interviews and narrative analysis of Hungarian documents, the main aim of this article is twofold: (1) to elucidate the transformation of Jobbik from a marginal extra-parliamentary youth focused movement to an influential parliamentary party; (2) to discuss the impact of Jobbik's ascension on the main centre-right Fidesz only as a pre-conclusion. It argues that the rise of Jobbik is not a protest phenomenon that simply demonstrates a social disenchantment with the transitional economy. Jobbik's transformation is a unique post-Communist political development that is rooted in elements of Hungarian nationalism. These national elements include underlying social prejudice against Roma and Jews, a preference for paternalistic economic systems, and even attraction to the historical narrative of mythic Turanism in the debate over the origins of Hungarian national identity. Jobbik manipulates all of these national elements for the transformation of its own party identity, emerging as a main challenger to the Fidesz.
DO IMPROVED GROUNDNUT SEEDS MAKE AFRICAN FARMERS MORE FOOD SECURE? EVIDENCE FROM UGANDA
Authors: MURRAY ANTHONY G. , MILLS BRADFORD F. , KOSTANDINI GENTI
Published: September 2016

Groundnuts are an important crop for Ugandan smallholders because they are high in protein, resupply nutrients to the soil, and are a storable source of wealth once dried. Adoption of virus-resistant seeds that increase yield and reduce yield variance may improve household food security, but the complex relationship is an empirical question. This article considers the effect of improved groundnut seed on smallholder food security in eastern Uganda. Results indicate that adopters have significantly higher household food security after controlling for observed and unobserved household heterogeneity. The food consumption score index increases more than 15 points with improved seed adoption.
Guest Editors’ Introduction:Human Dignity and Business
Authors: Pirson Michael , Goodpaster Kenneth , Dierksmeier Claus
Published: September 2016

After a brief historical introduction, three interpretations of dignity in relation to management theory and business ethics are elaborated: Dignity as a general category, Human Dignity as Inherent and Universal, and Human Dignity as Earned and Contingent. Next, two literature reviews are presented under the headings of “Dignity and Business Research” and “Dignity and Business Ethics Research.” The latter discussion identifies three subcategories of business ethics research involving human dignity: the role of dignity as a cornerstone for paradigmatic shifts, the role of dignity as the ‘ultima ratio’ for the protection of human rights, and the role of dignity in organizing business practices. The article concludes with summaries of the three articles chosen for this special section.
Can an emergency department clinical “triggers” program based on abnormal vital signs improve patient outcomes?
Authors: Imperato Jason , Mehegan Tyler , Henning Daniel J. , Patrick John , Bushey Chase , Setnik Gary , Sanchez Leon D.
Published: September 2016

Background

Because abnormal vital signs indicate the potential for clinical deterioration, it is logical to make emergency physicians immediately aware of those patients who present with abnormal vital signs.

Objectives

To determine if a clinical triggers program in the emergency department (ED) setting that utilized predetermined abnormal vital signs to activate a rapid assessment by an emergency physician-led multidisciplinary team had a measurable effect on inpatient hospital metrics.

Methods

The study design was a retrospective pre and post intervention study. The intervention was the implementation of an ED clinical “triggers” program. Abnormal vital sign criteria that warranted a trigger response included: heart rate <40 beats/minute or>130 beats/minutes, respiratory rate <8 breaths/minute or>30 breaths/minute, systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg, or oxygen saturation <90% on room air. The primary outcome investigated was the median days admitted with secondary outcomes of median days in special care unit, in-hospital 30-day mortality and proportion of patients who required an upgrade in inpatient care level.

Results

There was no difference in median days admitted for inpatient care (3.8 v. 4.0 days,p=0.21) or median days spent in a special care unit (5.0 v. 5.6 days,p=0.42) between the groups. There was no difference in the percentage of in-hospital patient deaths (6.0% v. 5.6%,p=0.66) or frequency of upgrade in level of care within 24 hours (4.9% v. 4.0%,p=0.52).

Conclusions

In our study, the implementation of an ED clinical triggers program did not result in a significant change in measured inpatient outcomes.
SGEM Hot Off the Press: hypertonic saline in severe traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Purdy Eve , Thoma Brent , Milne Ken , Bond Chris
Published: September 2016

As part of the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine’s (CJEM) developing social media strategy,1 we are collaborating with the Skeptics’ Guide to Emergency Medicine (SGEM) to summarize and critically appraise the current emergency medicine (EM) literature using evidence-based medicine principles. In the “Hot Off the Press” series, we select original research manuscripts published in CJEM to be featured on the SGEM website/podcast and discussed by the study authors and the online EM community. A similar collaboration is under way between the SGEM and Academic Emergency Medicine. What follows is a summary of the selected article, the immediate post-publication synthesis from the SGEM podcast, commentary by the first author, and the subsequent discussion from the SGEM blog and other social media. Through this series, we hope to enhance the value, accessibility, and application of important, clinically relevant EM research. In this, the second SGEM HOP hosted collaboratively with CJEM, we discuss a systematic review evaluating the use of hypertonic saline in the treatment of severe traumatic brain injury.2
Life and Mind in Hegel’sLogicand Subjective Spirit
Authors: Ng Karen
Published: September 2016

This paper aims to understand Hegel’s claim in the introduction to hisPhilosophy of Mindthat mind is an actualization of the Idea and argues that this claim provides us with a novel and defensible way of understanding Hegel’s naturalism. I suggest that Hegel’s approach to naturalism should be understood as ‘formal’, and argue that Hegel’sLogic, particularly the section on the ‘Idea’, provides us with a method for this approach. In the first part of the paper, I present an interpretation of Hegel’s method in which life plays a central role. In the second part of the paper, I develop Hegel’s method by providing a reading of Hegel’s Subjective Spirit, focusing on the sections ‘Anthropology’ and ‘Phenomenology’ in particular, arguing that they display the dialectic between life and cognition outlined by Hegel’s Idea.
A Novel Risk Factor Associated With Colonization by Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae: Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Addition to Antimicrobial Treatment
Authors: Cheng Vincent C. C. , Chen Jonathan H. K. , So Simon Y. C. , Wong Sally C. Y. , Chau Pui-Hing , Wong Lisa M. W. , Ching Radley H. C. , Ng Modissa M. L. , Lee Wan-Mui , Hung Ivan F. N. , Ho Pak-Leung , Yuen Kwok-Yung
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

To study the association between gastrointestinal colonization of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

METHODS

We analyzed 31,526 patients with prospective collection of fecal specimens for CPE screening: upon admission (targeted screening) and during hospitalization (opportunistic screening, safety net screening, and extensive contact tracing), in our healthcare network with 3,200 beds from July 1, 2011, through December 31, 2015. Specimens were collected at least once weekly during hospitalization for CPE carriers and subjected to broth enrichment culture and multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Of 66,672 fecal specimens collected, 345 specimens (0.5%) from 100 patients (0.3%) had CPE. The number and prevalence (per 100,000 patient-days) of CPE increased from 2 (0.3) in 2012 to 63 (8.0) in 2015 (P<.001). Male sex (odds ratio, 1.91 [95% CI, 1.15–3.18],P=.013), presence of wound or drain (3.12 [1.70–5.71],P<.001), and use of cephalosporins (3.06 [1.42–6.59],P=.004), carbapenems (2.21 [1.10–4.48],P=.027), and PPIs (2.84 [1.72–4.71],P<.001) in the preceding 6 months were significant risk factors by multivariable analysis. Of 79 patients with serial fecal specimens, spontaneous clearance of CPE was noted in 57 (72.2%), with a median (range) of 30 (3–411) days. Comparing patients without use of antibiotics and PPIs, consumption of both antibiotics and PPIs after CPE identification was associated with later clearance of CPE (hazard ratio, 0.35 [95% CI, 0.17–0.73],P=.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Concomitant use of antibiotics and PPIs prolonged duration of gastrointestinal colonization by CPE.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2016;1418–1425
Understanding Barriers to Optimal Cleaning and Disinfection in Hospitals: A Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Survey of Environmental Services Workers
Authors: Bernstein Daniel A. , Salsgiver Elizabeth , Simon Matthew S. , Greendyke William , Eiras Daniel P. , Ito Masahiro , Caruso Dean A. , Woodward Timothy M. , Perriel Odette T. , Saiman Lisa , Furuya E. Yoko , Calfee David P.
Published: September 2016

In this study, we used an online survey to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to environmental cleaning and other infection prevention strategies among environmental services workers (ESWs) at 5 hospitals. Our findings suggest that ESWs could benefit from additional education and feedback as well as new strategies to address workflow challenges.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1492–1495
Energy Consumption Minimization of an Industrial Furnace by Optimization of Recuperative Heat Exchange
Authors: Ghadamian H. , Esmailie F. , Ozgoli H. A.
Published: September 2016

A mathematical model has been developed to determine the best geometry of a compact heat exchanger in this research study. Accordingly, an objective function was introduced to define the optimized structure of the exchanger. Two main targets were pursued in this regard. First was the rate of existing discrepancy between the possible heat transfer rate in the exchanger and the maximum rate. Second was possible heat transfer consideration between exchanging gasses and incoming air of the furnace. A sample shell and tube heat exchanger of existing tube in a processing industry has been studied and the calculations have been performed to solve the relevant equations. In addition, a comprehensive code to design an optimized compact heat exchanger for heat recovery of the furnaces has been presented. Then, data gathering and model synchronization caused to a preliminary evaluation of model quality. Thus, for increasing accuracy level of mentioned research, along with measurements’ correction program, model modification has been done and new results were calculated. Optimization model analysis showed that by using this approach, not only significant heat conservation can be achieved, but also suggested procedure might be completely economical.
Vibration Behavior of Laminated Composite Beams Integrated with Magnetorheological Fluid Layer
Authors: Naji J. , Zabihollah A. , Behzad M.
Published: September 2016

Vibration behavior of adaptive laminated composite beams integrated with magnetorheological (MR) fluid layer has been investigated using layerwise displacement theory. In most of the existing studies on the adaptive laminated beams with MR fluids, shear strain across the thickness of magnetorheological (MR) layer has been assumed a constant value, resulting in a constant shear stress in MR layer. However, due to the high shear deformation pattern inside MR layer, this assumption is not adequate to accurately describe the shear strain and stress in MR fluid layer. In this work a modified layerwise theory is employed to develop a Finite Element Model (FEM) formulation to simulate the laminated beams integrated with MR fluids. In the present model, each layer is modeled based on First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT). The inter-laminar stresses between face-layer and MR layer is estimated more precise so FEM results are more accurate. Standard test of ASTM E 756-98 was employed to develop an empirical relationship for the complex shear modulus of MR fluid. Numerical examples have been illustrated the effects of MR fluid layer on the vibration behavior of the laminated beam. An experimental setup has been (FSDT) fabricated for the verification of the results.
Investigating the Local Reservoir Age and Stable Isotopes of Shells from Southeast Arabia
Authors: Lindauer Susanne , Marali Soraya , Schöne Bernd R , Uerpmann Hans-Peter , Kromer Bernd , Hinderer Matthias
Published: September 2016

We recently started a systematic approach to determine the reservoir age in southeast Arabia and its dependence on mollusk species and their environment. This part of the study concentrates on local reservoir age and stable isotopes of the lagoonal species Terebralia palustris and Anadara uropigimelana at Khor Kalba, Oman Sea. Environmental and nutritive influences on mollusks are reflected in the radiocarbon and stable isotope signal. We found a local reservoir age of A. uropigimelana of about 940 yr and that of T. palustris as 800 yr. Sclerochronological analyses yielded information about seasonality of growth and death in A. uropigimelana. The modern shell of Periglypta reticulata shares food resources and habitat with Anadara sp., of which we did not find a modern specimen. It provided information on response to changes in temperature in the lagoonal system needed for suitability as reflecting climatic conditions. We were interested in carbon pathways of the mangrove in Kalba and a mangrove planted anew on a former mangrove sediment in Ajman. Being an obvious source of charcoal and food of T. palustris makes this information necessary. Further analyses will be performed to interpret changes in reservoir age in complex lagoonal systems as reaction to environmental variability.
Dietary patterns and the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in older British men
Authors: Atkins Janice L. , Whincup Peter H. , Morris Richard W. , Lennon Lucy T. , Papacosta Olia , Wannamethee S. Goya
Published: September 2016

Dietary patterns are a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, few studies have examined this relationship in older adults. We examined prospective associations between dietary patterns and the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in 3226 older British men, aged 60–79 years and free from CVD at baseline, from the British Regional Heart Study. Baseline FFQ data were used to generate thirty-four food groups. Principal component analysis identified dietary patterns that were categorised into quartiles, with higher quartiles representing higher adherence to the dietary pattern. Cox proportional hazards examined associations between dietary patterns and risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. We identified three interpretable dietary patterns: ‘high fat/low fibre’ (high in red meat, meat products, white bread, fried potato, eggs), ‘prudent’ (high in poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, pasta, rice, wholemeal bread, eggs, olive oil) and ‘high sugar’ (high in biscuits, puddings, chocolates, sweets, sweet spreads, breakfast cereals). During 11 years of follow-up, 899 deaths, 316 CVD-related deaths, 569 CVD events and 301 CHD events occurred. The ‘high-fat/low-fibre’ dietary pattern was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality only, after adjustment for confounders (highest v. lowest quartile; hazard ratio 1·44; 95 % CI 1·13, 1·84). Adherence to a ‘high-sugar’ diet was associated with a borderline significant trend for an increased risk of CVD and CHD events. The ‘prudent’ diet did not show a significant trend with cardiovascular outcomes or mortality. Avoiding ‘high-fat/low-fibre’ and ‘high-sugar’ dietary components may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in older adults.
Non-Accidentally Factive Mental States
Authors: RANAEE MAHDI
Published: September 2016

I offer a counterexample to Timothy Williamson’s conjecture that knowledge is the most general factive mental state; i.e., that every factive mental state entails knowledge. I describe two counterexamples (Ernest Sosa’s and Baron Reed’s) that I find unpersuasive, and argue that they fail due to a specific feature they have in common. I then argue that there is a primitive mental state that is factive but does not entail knowledge, and that constitutes a counterexample to Williamson’s conjecture that is not subject to the problems faced by Sosa’s and Reed’s counterexamples.
THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR NON-RESIDENT CITIZENS IN EUROPE
Authors: Lappin Richard
Published: September 2016

The right to vote is the most important political right in international human rights law. Framed within the broader right of political participation, it is the only right in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights not guaranteed as a universal human right but rather as a citizen's right. While limitations on the right to vote are permissible in respect of citizenship and age, residency-based restrictions are not explicitly provided. However, recent judgments of the European Court of Human Rights endorse a view that voting rights may be conditioned on residency on the grounds of an individual's bond to their country-of-origin and the extent to which laws passed by that government would affect them. This article questions this proposition and explores whether disenfranchisement based solely on residency constitutes an unreasonable and discriminatory restriction to the essence of the right.
Childhood trauma, psychosis liability and social stress reactivity: a virtual reality study
Authors: Veling W. , Counotte J. , Pot-Kolder R. , van Os J. , van der Gaag M.
Published: September 2016

Background

Childhood trauma is associated with higher risk for mental disorders, including psychosis. Heightened sensitivity to social stress may be a mechanism. This virtual reality study tested the effect of childhood trauma on level of paranoid ideations and distress in response to social stress, in interaction with psychosis liability and level of social stress exposure.

Method

Seventy-five individuals with higher psychosis liability (55 with recent onset psychotic disorder and 20 at ultra-high risk for psychosis) and 95 individuals with lower psychosis liability (42 siblings and 53 controls) were exposed to a virtual café in five experiments with 0–3 social stressors (crowded, other ethnicity and hostility). Paranoid ideation was measured after each experiment. Subjective distress was self-rated before and after experiments. Multilevel random regression analyses were used to test main effects of childhood trauma and interaction effects.

Results

Childhood trauma was more prevalent in individuals with higher psychosis liability, and was associated with higher level of (subclinical) psychotic and affective symptoms. Individuals with a history of childhood trauma responded with more subjective distress to virtual social stress exposures. The effects of childhood trauma on paranoia and subjective distress were significantly stronger when the number of virtual environmental stressors increased. Higher psychosis liability increased the effect of childhood trauma on peak subjective distress and stress reactivity during experiments.

Conclusions

Childhood trauma is associated with heightened social stress sensitivity and may contribute to psychotic and affective dysregulation later in life, through a sensitized paranoid and stress response to social stressors.
Towards integrated ecological research in tropical montane cloud forests
Authors: Martin Patrick H. , Bellingham Peter J.
Published: September 2016

Tropical tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs) cover a small portion of the Earth, yet they are significant biodiversity hotspots and centres of endemism, and they provide important hydrological and biogeochemical functions that affect human livelihoods. Given their fundamental sensitivity to climate, TMCFs also serve as an early warning system for climate change impacts. This paper outlines a new international initiative, CloudNet, that aims to promote integrated research across TMCFs, and introduces a special issue that reviews emerging themes and topics in the ecology of TMCFs, highlighting knowledge gaps and suggesting new directions for research. CloudNet is helping coordinate several new research projects and protocols: (1) a global repository of TMCF data and meta-analyses across multiple sites; (2) a multi-site study of plant functional traits across TMCFs; (3) a multi-site study of decomposition processes across TMCFs; (4) a protocol for standardizing climate data collection across TMCFs. These studies are intended to evaluate the extent to which general patterns emerge, accounting for biogeographic, phylogenetic and environmental differences among sites. Common data collection across TMCFs should also allow better integration across disciplines, such as linking nutrient limitation, seed production and propagule recruitment, and enable cross-site comparisons of how TMCFs respond to drivers of global change, including rising cloud bases, increasing temperatures, altered disturbance regimes, biological invasions and extinction, and changing human land use.
ON THE IDENTIFICATION AND MITIGATION OF WEAKNESSES IN THE KNOWLEDGE GRADIENT POLICY FOR MULTI-ARMED BANDITS
Authors: Edwards James , Fearnhead Paul , Glazebrook Kevin
Published: September 2016

The knowledge gradient (KG) policy was originally proposed for online ranking and selection problems but has recently been adapted for use in online decision-making in general and multi-armed bandit problems (MABs) in particular. We study its use in a class of exponential family MABs and identify weaknesses, including a propensity to take actions which are dominated with respect to both exploitation and exploration. We propose variants of KG which avoid such errors. These new policies include an index heuristic, which deploys a KG approach to develop an approximation to the Gittins index. A numerical study shows this policy to perform well over a range of MABs including those for which index policies are not optimal. While KG does not take dominated actions when bandits are Gaussian, it fails to be index consistent and appears not to enjoy a performance advantage over competitor policies when arms are correlated to compensate for its greater computational demands.
Predicting arboviral disease emergence using Bayesian networks: a case study of dengue virus in Western Australia
Authors: HO S. H. , SPELDEWINDE P. , COOK A.
Published: September 2016

A Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) for assessing the potential risk of dengue virus emergence and distribution in Western Australia (WA) is presented and used to identify possible hotspots of dengue outbreaks in summer and winter. The model assesses the probabilities of two kinds of events which must take place before an outbreak can occur: (1) introduction of the virus and mosquito vectors to places where human population densities are high; and (2) vector population growth rates as influenced by climatic factors. The results showed that if eitherAedes aegyptiorAe. albopictuswere to become established in WA, three centres in the northern part of the State (Kununurra, Fitzroy Crossing, Broome) would be at particular risk of experiencing an outbreak. The model can also be readily extended to predict the risk of introduction of other viruses carried byAedesmosquitoes, such as yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika viruses.
A primer to metabarcoding surveys of Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity
Authors: Czechowski Paul , Clarke Laurence J. , Cooper Alan , Stevens Mark I.
Published: September 2016

Ice-free regions of Antarctica are concentrated along the coastal margins but are scarce throughout the continental interior. Environmental changes, including the introduction of non-indigenous species, increasingly threaten these unique habitats. At the same time, the unique biotic communities subsisting in isolation across the continent are difficult to survey due to logistical constraints, sampling challenges and problems related to the identification of small and cryptic taxa. Baseline biodiversity data from remote Antarctic habitats are still missing for many parts of the continent but are critical to the detection of community changes over time, including newly introduced species. Here we review the potential of standardized (non-specialist) sampling in the field (e.g. from soil, vegetation or water) combined with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of bulk DNA as a possible solution to overcome some of these problems. In particular, HTS metabarcoding approaches benefit from being able to process many samples in parallel, while workflow and data structure can stay highly uniform. Such approaches have quickly gained recognition and we show that HTS metabarcoding surveys are likely to play an important role in continent-wide biomonitoring of all Antarctic terrestrial habitats.