bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Daily Station Observations to Produce High-Resolution Gridded Probabilistic Precipitation and Temperature Time Series for the Hawaiian Islands
Authors: Newman Andrew J. , Clark Martyn P. , Longman Ryan J. , Gilleland Eric , Giambelluca Thomas W. , Arnold Jeffrey R.
Published: February 2019

It is a major challenge to develop gridded precipitation and temperature estimates that adequately resolve the extreme spatial gradients present in the Hawaiian Islands. The challenge is particularly pronounced because the available station networks are irregularly spaced and sparse, creating large uncertainties in gridded spatial meteorological estimates. Here a 100-member, daily ensemble of precipitation and temperature estimates over the Hawaiian Islands for the period 1990–2014 at 1-km grid resolution is developed. First, an intermediary ensemble estimate of the monthly climatological precipitation and temperature is created, and those climatological surfaces are used to inform daily anomaly interpolation. This climatologically aided interpolation (CAI) method extends our initial ensemble system developed for the continental United States. This study demonstrates that direct interpolation of daily precipitation values is inferior to the CAI methodology, particularly over longer time periods (from years to decades). Daily interpolation performs better for short time periods (e.g., 1 month or less) or when the precipitation distribution substantially diverges from climatology. The CAI ensemble is able to reproduce observed precipitation and temperature patterns, including precipitation occurrence. Leave-one-out cross-validation results illustrate that the ensemble has 1) minimal bias for precipitation and temperature; 2) a mean absolute error of 2.5 mm day−1, 1.0 K, and 2.2 K for precipitation and mean and diurnal temperature, respectively; 3) a mean absolute error of 3.3 mm day−1 for the standard deviation of precipitation; and 4) nearly unbiased probability distributions across multiple thresholds of precipitation intensity. Additionally, the ensemble provides estimates of uncertainty across the distributions with increasing uncertainty for higher percentiles.
Corrections for Pumped SBE 41CP CTDs Determined from Stratified Tank Experiments
Authors: Martini Kim I. , Murphy David J. , Schmitt Raymond W. , Larson Nordeen G.
Published: February 2019

Sea-Bird Scientific SBE 41CP CTDs are used on autonomous floats in the global Argo ocean observing program to measure the temperature and salinity of the upper ocean. While profiling, the sensors are subject to dynamic errors as they profile through vertical gradients. Applying dynamic corrections to the temperature and conductivity data reduces these errors and improves sensor accuracy. A series of laboratory experiments conducted in a stratified tank are used to characterize dynamic errors and determine corrections. The corrections are adapted for Argo floats, and recommendations for future implementation are presented.
A “Meta” Analysis of the Fractions Skill Score: The Limiting Case and Implications for Aggregation
Authors: Mittermaier M. P.
Published: February 2019

The fractions skill score (FSS) is arguably one of the most popular spatial verification metrics in use today. The fraction of grid points exceeding a threshold within a forecast and observed field neighborhood are examined to compute a score. By definition a perfect forecast has an FSS of 1, and a “no skill” forecast has a score of 0. It is shown that the denominator defines the score’s characteristics. The FSS is undefined for instances in which both the forecast and the observed field do not exceed a threshold. In the limiting case, the FSS for a perfect null (zero) forecast is also undefined, unless a threshold of 0 is used, in which case it would be 1 (i.e., perfect). Furthermore the FSS is 0 if either the forecast or the observed field does not exceed a threshold. This symmetry means it cannot differentiate between what are traditionally referred to as false alarms or misses. Additional supplementary information is required. The FSS is greater than 0 if and only if there are values exceeding a given threshold in both the forecast and the observed field. The magnitude of an overall score computed over many forecasts is sensitive to the pooling method. Zero scores are nontrivial. Excluding them implies excluding all situations associated with false alarms or misses. Omitting near-zero scores is a more credible decision, but only if it can be proven that these are related to spurious artifacts in the observed field. To avoid ambiguity the components of the FSS should be aggregated separately for computing an overall score for most applications and purposes.
Women-Friendliness in European Asylum Policies: The Role of Women’s Political Representation and Opposition to Non-EU Immigration
Authors: Emmenegger Patrick , Stigwall Katarina
Published: February 2019

Based on the 1951 Refugee Convention, traditional conceptions of refugees typically referred to the politically active male persecuted for his obstructive acts against a communist regime. Yet, today’s asylum seekers are increasingly female with very different experiences of persecution and different reasons to flee their countries of origin. Not all states have updated their asylum policies to reflect the specific situation of women—an issue the refugee crisis in 2015 brought to glaring light. We develop a Women-Friendliness in Asylum Index (WFA), which reveals clusters of states within the European Union (EU) with a solid implementation of women’s rights in their asylum recognition and reception framework and others whom have yet to adapt their asylum policies to consider women’s needs. In addition, we show that women’s political representation is a key factor in explaining women-friendly asylum policies, whereas critical attitudes toward immigrants from non-EU countries retard the gendered revision of European asylum policies.
Buried by His Enemies? Acts 13:28–31
Authors: O’Collins Gerald
Published: February 2019

Paul’s address in Pisidian Antioch seems to differ from Luke 23:50–6 by attributing to those responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion his deposition from the cross and burial in a tomb (Acts 13:27–31). In his major commentary on Luke, François Bovon argued that ‘Jews hostile to Jesus and not a friendly Joseph of Arimathea buried the crucified one. The tradition [in Acts 13] must be older and historically more reliable than the data of the Gospels.’ Pace Bovon, this comment ignored the generic/generalizing usage of the plural. Concerned more with the actions than with the precise agents, Acts attributes to a vague ‘they’ not only Jesus’ condemnation and crucifixion but also his deposition from the cross and burial in a tomb. These four actions correspond exactly to what we read in Luke’s passion narrative. Furthermore, rather than recalling an older tradition, the verses in Acts are a Lukan summary, which contrasted the divine reversal of resurrection with the human sentence that brought Jesus to his death and burial.
Quantification of degraded constitutive coefficients of composites in the presence of distributed defects
Authors: Tavaf Vahid , Saadatzi Mohammadsadegh , Banerjee Sourav
Published: February 2019

Effect of distributed defects on effective material properties of composites is required for the progressive failure models. Although the degradation of the effective material properties due to the presence of the lower scale damages is well investigated, how each material coefficient should be compromised in a progressive failure model is still a dilemma. Percentage of defects, the shape of the defects and their stochastic distribution may affect the individual material coefficients in a unique way and may not be uniform across the constitutive matrix. Hence, to find how the individual material coefficients in a constitutive matrix changes due to the presence of the voids and fiber breakage, all material coefficients in a constitutive matrix were studied herein. Representative volume element of a unidirectional fiber-matrix composite was studied with appropriate boundary conditions and respective material coefficients were calculated. It was found that the local gradients of the degradation curve obtained for each material coefficient are not linear with the increasing percentage of degradation and not uniform for all material coefficients. The shape and different locations of the defects with constant defect percentage were found to be inert towards affecting the material coefficients.
LGBT* After Loss: A Mixed-Method Analysis on the Effect of Partner Bereavement on Interpersonal Relationships and Subsequent Partnerships
Authors: Nolan Rachael , Kirkland Chelsey , Davis Ronald
Published: February 2019

Grief and bereavement are universal human experiences that do not discriminate based on sex, gender, or sexual orientation. Existing literature provides valuable insight into the bereavement experiences of persons who identify as heterosexuals, but much less can be found on persons who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender/queer* (LGBT*). Given that the historical experiences of loss and personal characteristics such as interpersonal, familial, and social patterns of coping with grief are likely to influence the bereavement process, this study focused on the impact of partner bereavement on the interpersonal relationships and subsequent partnerships of the LGBT* bereaved. To this end, the purpose of this study was to use a mixed-methods approach to better understand how LGBT* persons described their experiences with partner bereavement and to identify what effect these experiences had on interpersonal relationships and subsequent partnerships.
Social-Psychological Environments and Cognitive Achievement ,
Authors: Randhawa Bikkar S. , Hunt Dennis
Published: February 2019

Differences in social-psychological environments between parochial and public schools, and between mathematics and English courses, were investigated for 317 boys and girls in Grade 10. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance produced significant main effects and an interaction of school × subject. Differential validities of environmental variables in predicting achievement using multiple regression suggested that perception of the learning environment for course content substantially predicted achievement in that course content. Incremental validity of the learning environment with achievement when IQ was partialled out was also substantial. Implications for instructional effectiveness and school organization are discussed.
Temporal Lobe Signs and Enhanced Pleasantness Scores for Words Generated during Spontaneous Narratives
Authors: Ruttan L. A. , Persinger M. A.
Published: February 2019

Temporal lobe function has been strongly implicated in the processes of semantic selection. Within this context, enhanced activity of deep mesiobasal structures is expected to influence the affective dimensions of language use. Quantitative measures of the evaluative (pleasantness) dimension but not the activity (arousal) dimension of words generated during narratives of subjective experiences within an exotic setting were significantly correlated with the numbers of temporal lobe signs.
Relations among Nightmare Frequency and Ego Strength, Death Anxiety, and Sex of College Students
Authors: Levin Ross
Published: February 2019

The present study was designed to investigate empirically the relationship between self-reports of nightmare frequency and ego strength and death anxiety in both men and women. In addition, the interrelations among these variables were assessed. 20 undergraduates with high frequencies of nightmares and 20 with low frequencies (10 men and 10 women per group) were administered the Barron Ego Strength Scale and a death anxiety scale. Significant differences were found between nightmare groups on the Barron scale for men and women but none on the death anxiety scale either by nightmare frequency or sex. A significant negative correlation of -.47 between death anxiety and ego strength was found for women and in one high frequency group. Women with high frequencies of nightmares showed the highest correlation, -.83. These data suggest that nightmare frequency may be a mediating factor in the relationship between ego strength, death anxiety, and sex of subject.
A Chronobiological Test for Cognitive Styles: Chrono-Trail Making
Authors: Leòn-Carriòn José
Published: February 2019

This paper presents a description of the test, Chrono-Trail Making, an adaptation of the format of the Trail Making Test of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. Generated were 28 parallel forms adapted from Part A; another 28 forms were adapted from Part B. These forms are assumed to be of similar difficulty and to have the same physical characteristics as the two parts of the original test. Each of the series of 28 was given consecutively at 15-min. intervals. Examination of scores confirms the identification in 24 young men of a Basic Rest-Activity Cycle (BRAC) of 90- to 100-min. periods. These, it was proposed, may refer to two different cognitive styles.
Auditory and Visual Effects on Solutions to Computerized Mathematics Problems as a Function of Rate of Digit Presentation ,
Authors: Vitulli William F. , Anderson Connie P.
Published: February 2019

This exploratory investigation concerned the effects of both auditory and visual stimulus variations on the accuracy of mental solutions to addition problems presented on a computer screen (CRT). 5 intensities of background noise and 5 background hues were presented randomly to 123 undergraduate volunteers as they mentally summed 25 numerals ranging from 1 to 5 at rates of either 1 sec. or 3 sec. per numeral timed from the onset of the previous numeral. A 2 × 2 × 5 mixed split-plot factorial analysis of variance gave a significant difference in errors between rates of digit presentation with greater accuracy associated with the 3-sec. rate. There was no significant difference in mean errors for auditory vs color modalities, yet a post hoc Newman-Keuls paired-comparison test of decibel levels at the 1-sec. rate of digit presentation gave a significant difference in mean errors between 60-dB and 70-dB sound-pressure levels (SPLs) of white masking noise. Also, a post hoc F test on differences between successive stages indicated significant differences suggesting a “learning set.” Comparisons between ‘everyday’ instances of these noise levels are made with implications for optimal computational environments.
Mini-Mental State Examination and Brain Age Quotient—Short Form: Relationship and Demographic Correlates
Authors: Horton Arthur MacNeill , Heller Stephanie , Anilane Juhan , Puente Antonio E.
Published: February 2019

Modest intercorrelations between scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Brain Age Quotient were obtained for 30 men in a VA medical program for alcoholic dependency. rs with age and education were small. As the two measures are reasonably different, they may be applied to advantage in studies of behavioral intervention.
Mechanisms Involved in the Münsterberg “Shifted Chequerboard” Illusion: An Empirical Test
Authors: Purghé Franco , Russo Angela
Published: February 2019

In the present work three alternative hypotheses proposed as explanations of the Münsterberg illusion are discussed: the Moulden and Renshaw 1979 hypothesis, which explains this effect using Helmholtz's 1856 “irradiation theory,” the Gregory and Heard 1979 hypothesis, which proposes a mechanism of “border locking,” and the McCourt 1982 hypothesis, which sustains a relation between this effect and brightness induction phenomena. To check these hypotheses, we took four measures, each one obtained by using a different pair of patterns mounted on circular displays which could be tilted by 360°. The results do not support McCourt's hypothesis but, on the other hand, they seem to be partially in agreement, or at least not to be in disagreement, with the hypotheses both of Moulden and Renshaw and of Gregory and Heard.
Dual Attention to Dynamically Structured Naturalistic Events
Authors: Stoffregen Thomas A. , Becklen Robert C.
Published: February 2019

Videotapes of two naturalistic events, a basketball-like game and a vocalizing human face, were presented in a dual-task situation, with subjects responding to target events in individual episodes. The fact that the stimulus episodes consisted of natural motions permitted subjects to base their attention on the partially determinate structure that characterizes such motions. Simultaneous visual presentations were in full transparent overlap; the auditory presentations were overlapped spatially. Performance on the dual task improved significantly in all experimental conditions over two days of practice. Performance approached control-group ceiling levels for events available to different modalities (hearing and sight). When information was available only in a single modality, performance was lower over-all, but practice effects were still significant. The results are discussed in the context of a cognitive skills approach to attention.
Nightmare Frequency and Sex-Role Differences: A Test of Hartmann's Hypothesis
Authors: McCann Stewart J. H.
Published: February 2019

Hartmann (1984) states quite clearly that nightmare sufferers have “thin boundaries” with regard to sex-role and that one should expect more androgynous persons would experience more frequent frightening dreams. This aspect of Hartmann's nightmare theory was tested with data from 144 undergraduates who responded to the Bern Sex-role Inventory and an item which tapped the percent of their dreams deemed to be frightening and often accompanied by feelings of oppression and helplessness. No difference was found in the incidence of nightmares for those categorized as adopting androgynous sex-roles compared to those having more traditional sex-roles for the entire sample or for men and women separately. In addition, neither masculinity nor femininity related to the tendency to have nightmares for either sex.
Listeners’ Perceptual Strategies in Word Recognition: Shadowing Misarticulated Speech
Authors: Small Larry H.
Published: February 2019

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceptual salience of various types of phonetic, lexical, and prosodic information by examining subjects’ responses to altered words in a continuous speech-shadowing task. 48 subjects shadowed a prose passage in which the word initial consonant of 14 two-syllable words was altered by either mispronouncing or deleting it. Analysis of responses showed that subjects made use of lexical stress and stressed vowel information during word recognition to cope with the altered auditory signal.
Order of Item Difficulty on Picture Arrangement: Data from a Normal Elderly Sample
Authors: Ryan Joseph J. , Paolo Anthony M. , Brungardt Terry M.
Published: February 2019

In a sample of 226 normal elderly persons the order of item difficulty for the WAIS—R Picture Arrangement subtest was examined. Means for age and education were 80.8 yr. ( SD = 5.2) and 10.9 yr. ( SD = 2.9), respectively. The current order of items does not conform to the expectation of increasing difficulty. When testing elderly persons, intrasubtest scatter on Picture Arrangement should not be used to infer pathology.
Nonconscious Perception, Where are You?
Authors: Larsen Janet D. , Yatsko Cheryl K. , McCulley Bonnie , Fritsch Thomas
Published: February 2019

In three studies, no evidence of nonconscious perception was found, although general procedures used in previous studies reporting the effect were followed. Presence/absence thresholds (Exps. 1 and 2) or recognition threshold (Exp. 3) were established for each subject. There was no difference in the effects of related and unrelated primes on voice reaction time during a word naming task. These findings raise questions about the robustness of nonconscious priming effects.
Reading Efficiency and the Development of Left-to-Right Writing by the Ancient Greeks
Authors: Fudin Robert
Published: February 2019

Ancient Greeks added vowels to a consonantal language and changed their horizontal writing direction from right-to-left to left-to-right. The idea that the dextral majority in ancient Greece developed left-to-right writing solely because writing efficiency was greater is questioned. Cerebral hemispheric functions that might be involved during fixation pauses in reading suggest that horizontal ancient Greek was read more efficiently from left to right than from right to left, the other direction in which it usually was written. The same considerations suggest that horizontal consonantal scripts are read more efficiently from right to left than from left to right. The importance of boustrophedon, a continuous writing style, in the development of left-to-right writing and aspects of the reciprocity between cerebral hemispheric functioning and writing direction of vocalic scripts are discussed.
The Taxonomy and Course of Childhood Autism
Authors: Bagley Christopher , McGeein Van
Published: February 2019

The hypothesis that prognosis in autism would vary across subgroups was explored through cluster analysis of 52 cases. Four clusters related mainly to presence or absence of mutism, speech pathology, and lack of social responsiveness. Children who were mute and socially unresponsive on admission had particularly poor outcomes at follow-up 4.5 yr. later. For a third of the 35 subjects followed, the Vine-land Social Quotients (mean 46.0 for all subjects) had declined.
Arousal Effects during Tournament Play in Squash
Authors: Cox Tom , Kerr John H.
Published: February 2019

This study investigated possible differences in psychological responses among three groups of players ( n = 30) participating in competitive squash tournaments. The 1982 reversal theory of Apter was taken as the theoretical base for the experiment and subjects’ ongoing changes in “state” characteristics (including arousal), before and after competitive play, were measured using the Telic State Measure. More enduring personality dispositions among subjects were assessed by means of the Telic Dominance Scale. No significant differences (there was one exception) were found between winners and losers on the seriousmindedness and planning orientation Telic State Measure items. Although winners and losers showed no differences in levels of felt (experienced) arousal or preferred levels of arousal, winners and losers showed significant changes in level of preferred arousal across games. The effect of games was significant. Also, a decrease effect in level of preferred arousal pre- to post-game was significant. Losers’ discrepancy scores, i.e., preferred minus felt arousal, changed significantly across games but winners’ scores did not. No significant differences were obtained among subject groups in telic dominance.
Juvenile Delinquency and Child Pedestrian Accidents: An Ecological Analysis
Authors: Bagley Christopher , Kufeldt Kathleen
Published: February 2019

Data on child pedestrian and cycle accidents and on juvenile delinquency were expressed as population-adjusted rates and covaried with social and demographic data for 120 districts in Calgary, Western Canada. Earlier results were confirmed, in that high rate areas on the indicators employed tended to coincide, identifying particular urban areas with high rates of many types of social problems.
Factor Analysis of the Reitan-Indiana Neuropsychological Test Battery
Authors: Foxcroft Cheryl D.
Published: February 2019

The Reitan-Indiana Neuropsychological Test Battery was administered to a sample of 116 normal children aged 5 to 7 yr. A principal components factor analysis showed that six different areas of functioning were being measured. The neuropsychological dimensions were identified as Analytic-Synthetic Visual-motor Ability, Perceptual Organization, Crossed Modality Motoric Efficiency, Directed Motor Speed, Patterned Critical Discrimination, and Strength. Regression equations for estimating a child's scores on the six factors were presented. The dimensions were related to previous factor-analytic studies with young chileren.
Use of a Motor Creativity Test with Young Learning Disabled Boys
Authors: Holguin Omar , Sherrill Claudine
Published: February 2019

The Torrance Test of Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement, developed to measure the motor creativity of children ages 3 to 8 yr., has been subjected to little psychometric study. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of using this instrument with young learning disabled boys and to determine whether differences between learning disabled boys and the test manual's nondisabled normative sample ( n = 193) were significant. Subjects were 30 learning disabled boys ( M = 8.11 yr.), representing seven different school systems. Significant differences were noted between two groups on fluency, imagination, and total motor creativity but not on originality. Test-retesting over 1 to 14 days gave coefficients of .71 to .89. The alpha coefficient for total test internal consistency was .79.
Validation of Graphology through use of a Matching Method Based on Ranking
Authors: Nevo Baruch
Published: February 2019

Matching models are offered as a possible solution to some of the major methodological problems presented in the research on validation of graphology. Past studies based on matching procedures are briefly summarized. An improved variation of matching based on ranking is presented, together with a report on a study conducted by the author in which such a procedure was instituted. Analyses show that raters can match, with a probability higher than chance, persons known to them with graphological reports of those persons.
Bombesin-Induced Hypothermia in the Insulin-Treated Rat: Effect on Tail-Skin Temperature
Authors: Babcock Alex M. , Barton Chris
Published: February 2019

Bombesin-like peptides are widely distributed in the mammalian central nervous system and appear to participate in the regulation of a variety of autonomic functions. Bombesin has been shown to alter feeding behavior, locomotor activity, and thermoregulation. Microinfusion of bombesin into the preoptic area of the hypothalamus produces a reduction in core body temperature, but only if the rat has been cold-exposed, food-deprived, or pretreated with insulin. The mechanism for bombesin-induced hypothermia under the latter two conditions is unknown. The present study evaluated the possible contribution of peripheral heat loss mechanisms in bombesin-induced hypothermia. Rats were administered insulin (10U/kg, Regular Iletin I i.m.) or saline followed by an intrahypothalamic injection of bombesin (.05 μg/ .25 μl) or peptide vehicle. Rectal and tail-skin temperatures were measured continuously for 120 min. Changes in temperature were evaluated at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min., using analysis of variance. As previously demonstrated, bombesin produced hypothermia in rats pretreated with insulin. This reduction in core temperature was not associated with any significant alteration in tail-skin temperature. Results suggest that bombesin-induced hypothermia in rats pretreated with insulin may not be mediated by an increase in peripheral heat loss.
Perceptions of Ideal Group Size in Sport Teams
Authors: Carron Albert V. , Widmeyer W. Neil , Brawley Lawrence R.
Published: February 2019

Among possible definitions of optimal sizes of teams, participants in basketball, volleyball, soccer, and hockey agreed a roster size of about 25% greater and 25% smaller than perceived ideals of 11.9, 9.8, 16.3, and 16.1 respectively, were unsatisfactary for competition. Advantages and disadvantages of discrepant sizes were related to resources, team organization, and opportunity to compete.
Circulating solution for the degumming and modification of hemp fiber by the laccase–2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical–hemicellulase system
Authors: Yeping Xiang , Liu Liu , Ruiyun Zhang , Jianyong Yu , Bin Fang , Feng Ji , Miaolei Jing
Published: February 2019

Hemp fiber, as a kind of renewable textile fiber, has evoked much interest due to its excellent properties in various fields. It has been investigated in just one step to finish the process of chemo-enzymatic degumming and modification of hemp fiber, which is done in acetic acidsodium acetate buffer solution containing laccase (6.0 g), hemicellulase (0.3 g) and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (0.3 g) under a mild condition (pH 5, 50C). The degumming effects of different batches of raw hemp fibers were also discussed. We found that the residual rate, fineness, length and tensile strength of degummed fiber were 15–27%, 9.00–24.00 dtex, 14.00–19.00 cm and 3.8–5.1 cN/dtex, respectively. Meanwhile, some of the oxidized functional groups were introduced into degummed fiber, which improved the moisture absorption and water retention value of the hemp fiber. The hemp fiber treated by this process could be further improved and then applied in the textile industry.
Maxillary myxoma misdiagnosed as tuberculosis
Authors: Gandhi Darshini , Pawar Vinit , Chandane Parmarth , Shah Ira
Published: February 2019

We present here the case of a three-year-old girl with a maxillary myxoma misdiagnosed as tuberculosis (TB). She was referred to our TB clinic with fever for seven months and swelling of the left cheek and a positive Mantoux test. Her mother was also on treatment for TB lymphadenitis. The child had been commenced on anti-tuberculous therapy (ATT) two months before, and because of its unusual location of the swelling, we did a Caldwell-Luc procedure and a white gelatinous tissue was obtained which, on histopathological examination, revealed myxomatous tissue and no granulomas. TB culture was negative. The patient was then referred to the ENT department for surgical excision. We present this case, as not all swellings with positive Mantoux test or contact with TB are TB and it is essential to have a tissue diagnosis of TB to prevent unnecessary treatment with ATT drugs.
The Social Component of Resilience in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Utilizing Wartime Strategies to Solve Current Problems
Authors: Cohen Ronen A. , Lewin Eyal
Published: February 2019

This article examines the social components of national resilience as the source of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ability to cope with possibly lethal blows and economic setbacks through four stages: (I) an account of the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War and the surprising outcome that left Iran undefeated, (II) a review of several theories that can aid us to analyze Iran’s national resilience ability, (III) an analysis of Iran’s wartime survival using the abovementioned theoretical infrastructure, (IV) a concise review of current issues in Iranian society which concludes with an evaluation of the state of Iran’s resilience regarding attacks on their nuclear program and its ramifications.
Validity and Reliability of a (Brief) Diabetes “Survival Skills” Knowledge Test: KNOW Diabetes
Authors: Youssef Gretchen , Ip Edward H. , Magee Michelle , Chen Shyh-Huei , Wallia Amisha , Pollack Teresa , Touma Emilie , Bourges Clayton , Brecker Lynne
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the KNOW Diabetes test, a survival skills knowledge test, in identifying essential self-care knowledge deficits in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

The study was conducted in 3 United States cities among adults with T2DM. A pilot feasibility phase was followed by a validation phase. Both traditional and item response theory (IRT)–based analyses were conducted. Test items were scored against an answer key. Descriptive statistics, internal consistency evaluation using Cronbach’s alpha, IRT, reliability assessment using test-retest correlation, and construct validity analyses were conducted.

Results

Consented adults (n = 280) with T2DM completed the study. In phase 1 (n = 53), the feasibility of implementation was demonstrated and resulted in a 15-question survey. In phase 2, participants (n = 227) completed the survey, with a subgroup (n = 54) completing it in a test-retest fashion. The test showed acceptable psychometric properties including unidimensionality, local independence, and differential item functioning. Concurrent validity testing showed that patients who are older, have a lower level of education, have Medicare or Medicaid, and have foot pain or numbness scored significantly lower than patients who did not. Divergent validity was assessed by testing differences between other comorbidities and revealed all tests to be nonsignificant.

Conclusions

The KNOW Diabetes test is appropriate for identifying knowledge deficits in diabetes self-management survival skills.
Does Home Equity Affect Decisions on Long-Term Care Insurance Purchases? Evidence From the United States
Authors: Hirth Richard A. , Acharya Yubraj , Levy Helen G. , Langa Kenneth M.
Published: February 2019

The low uptake of private long-term care insurance (LTCI) by the elderly in the United States, despite visible risks, has left economists puzzled. Prior studies have hypothesized that home equity can be a substitute for LTCI and hence may partly explain the low uptake. We test this hypothesis empirically. We utilize exogenous variation in house prices at the level of the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) as an instrument for home equity for individuals residing in that MSA and data from the Health and Retirement Study. In the most robust specifications, we find no evidence that the elderly change their decision on LTCI based on variation in their home equity, and even specifications requiring stronger identification assumptions imply only small effect magnitudes. Home equity as a substitute for LTCI does not appear to be a major contributing factor to low LTCI take up.
LAZY R-tree: The R-tree with lazy splitting algorithm
Authors: Yang Yang , Bai Pengwei , Ge Ningling , Gao Zhipeng , Qiu Xuesong
Published: February 2019

The spatial index is a data structure formed according to the position and shape of the spatial object or the relationship between the spatial objects according to certain rules, and the spatial data is managed by an effective spatial data structure. The quality of a spatial index directly affects the performance of spatial queries. The R-tree index structure is a highly efficient spatial index. According to the R-tree query rule, when performing spatial query, most data that is not related to the query condition can be filtered out, and finally, a few leaf nodes can be accessed to query the data satisfying the condition. Its query performance is affected by factors such as non-leaf node overlap and node space utilisation. This article proposes a lazy splitting method to improve the R-tree construction process. The scheme works as follows: (1) When a node overflows, it creates an overflow node for that node and all overflow nodes are saved in a hash table. (2) If the node continues to insert data, the data are added to its overflow node. (3) When an overflow node is saturated, the node and its overflow node are split into two saturated nodes. We use both simulated and actual data to perform experiments. The experimental results show that an R-tree constructed by the lazy algorithm is superior to an R-tree constructed using the original R-tree PM algorithm or the corner-based splitting (CBS) algorithm based on the number of splits created, the node space used and the efficiency of region queries and k-nearest neighbour (kNN) queries.
Association of ENAM, TUFT1, MMP13, IL1B, IL10 and IL1RN gene polymorphism and dental caries susceptibility in Chinese children
Authors: Hu Xiao-Pan , Song Tian-Zhu , Zhu Yan-Yan , Wu Ling-Li , Zhang Xuan , Zhou Jian-Ye , Li Zhi-Qiang
Published: February 2019

Objective

To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six candidate genes (enamelin [ ENAM]; tuftelin 1 [ TUFT1]; matrix metallopeptidase 13 [ MMP13]; interleukin 1 beta [ IL1B]; interleukin 10 [ IL10]; interleukin 1 receptor antagonist [ IL1RN]) and dental caries in children from northwest China.

Methods

This case–control study enrolled children (12–15 years) who underwent routine dental examinations. The children were divided into two groups based on the presence of dental caries. A saliva sample was collected and seven SNPs (rs3806804A/G in ENAM, rs3811411T/G in TUFT1, rs2252070A/G and rs597315A/T in MMP13, rs1143627C/T in IL1B, rs1800872A/C in IL10 and rs956730G/A in IL1RN) were genotyped.

Results

A total of 357 children were enrolled in the study: 161 with dental caries and 196 without dental caries. No significant difference was found in the alleles and genotypes of five genes ( ENAM, TUFT1, MMP13, IL10 and IL1RN) between those with and without dental caries. A significant relationship was found between the IL1B rs1143627C/T polymorphism and dental caries susceptibility with those carrying the rs1143627CT genotype having a lower risk of dental caries compared with those carrying the CC genotype (odds ratio 0.557; 95% confidence interval 0.326, 0.952).

Conclusion

The IL1B rs1143627C/T polymorphism may be associated with dental caries susceptibility in children from northwest China.
Successful treatment of an adult with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome using thalidomide, vincristine, and prednisone
Authors: Huang Yue-Hua , Zhou Dao-Bin , Han Bing , Li Tian , Wang Shu-Jie
Published: February 2019

Objective

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome is a rare disease that mainly occurs in infants and adolescents. It usually manifests as disseminated intravascular coagulation and severe bleeding, and is associated with high mortality. However, its low incidence and clinical rarity in adults mean that there is currently no well-verified treatment regimen for this disease. We report on an effective novel therapeutic regimen in a patient with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome.

Methods

A woman with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome presented with a recurrent subcutaneous mass and disseminated intravascular coagulation, and was treated with prednisone, vincristine and thalidomide.

Results

This treatment regimen successfully resolved the patient’s symptoms, with tumor regression. The patient remained disease-free after 6 years of follow-up.

Conclusions

Prednisone combined with vincristine and thalidomide may be an effective treatment for Kasabach-Merritt syndrome, but further studies are needed to verify the use of this regimen.
Evaluation of Vehicle Braking Performance on Wet Pavement Surface using an Integrated Tire-Vehicle Modeling Approach
Authors: Liu Xiuyu , Cao Qingqing , Wang Hao , Chen Jiaying , Huang Xiaoming
Published: February 2019

Water film on a pavement surface greatly increases vehicle accident rates on rainy days. The simple use of a lower friction coefficient to evaluate the vehicle braking performance oversimplifies the contact mechanism between the tire and the pavement, and the use of a pure single tire model simulating hydroplaning was not able to reflect actual vehicle braking-cornering behaviors. This paper proposes an integrated tire-vehicle model to evaluate vehicle braking performance based on Persson’s friction theory, a tire hydroplaning finite element model, and a vehicle dynamic analysis. The friction coefficients between the tire and the pavement were calculated theoretically from the pavement surface morphology and the tire rubber properties; the tire hydrodynamic forces were obtained mechanistically from the hydroplaning model with different water film thicknesses and were used as inputs for calculating the braking distances in a vehicle model. The calculated friction coefficients and braking distances were verified using the field test results. A case study was conducted to illustrate the approach and evaluate the vehicle braking performance on straight and curved road sections. The results show that both longitudinal braking distances and lateral slip distances should be considered in the evaluation of vehicle braking performance.
Comparison of intraoperative versus intraoperative plus postoperative hemoadsorption therapy in cardiac surgery patients with endocarditis
Authors: Kühne Lars-Uwe , Binczyk Robert , Rieß Friedrich-Christian
Published: February 2019

Infective endocarditis is caused by a bacterial infection of the endocardial surface, and despite improvements in surgical interventions and antimicrobial therapy, mortality remains high. Recently published data suggest that intraoperative hemoadsorption therapy might represent a promising treatment option; however, randomized data still lack, and a comparative study on the intraoperative versus intraoperative plus postoperative use of CytoSorb has not yet been performed. We hypothesized that patients developing intraoperative renal failure benefit from additional postoperative CytoSorb treatment in terms of outcome. We examined the application of hemoadsorption therapy in 20 endocarditis patients separated into two groups: (1) sole intraoperative versus (2) intraoperative plus postoperative treatment, with regard to inflammatory and hemodynamic status, the postoperative course including development of complications, extent of extracorporeal organ support, and outcome. Despite an obviously more pronounced disease severity in the intraoperative plus postoperatively treated patients as evidenced by a higher initial European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score, higher reoperation rate, longer cardiopulmonary bypass times, a worse inflammatory status, and perioperative development of acute renal failure, we observed a clear and comparable stabilization in hemodynamics and inflammatory parameters in both groups. More importantly and despite a higher rate of postoperative complications and a longer intensive care unit stay, patients from the intraoperative plus postoperative group showed an equal intensive care unit and 90-day survival compared to patients treated only intraoperatively. Our data suggest that postoperative continuation of hemoadsorption treatment might be beneficial in patients with endocarditis who develop perioperative renal failure in combination with severe hemodynamic instability and high-grade intraoperative findings.
WordBricks: Mobile Technology and Visual Grammar Formalism for Gamification of Natural Language Grammar Acquisition
Authors: Purgina Marina , Mozgovoy Maxim , Blake John
Published: February 2019

Gamification of language learning is a clear trend of recent years. Widespread use of smartphones and the rise of mobile gaming as a popular leisure activity contribute to the popularity of gamification, as application developers can rely on an unprecedented reach of their products and expect acceptance of game-like elements by the users. In terms of content, however, most mobile apps implement traditional language learning activities, such as reading, listening, translating, and solving quizzes. This article discusses gamification of learning natural language grammar with a mobile app WordBricks, based on a concept of more user-centric lab-style experimental activities. WordBricks challenges users to create syntactically accurate sentences by arranging jigsaw-like colored blocks. Users receive instantaneous feedback on the syntactic compatibility each time any two blocks are placed together. This Scratch-inspired virtual language lab harnesses grammar models used in computational linguistics and allows users to discover underlying grammatical constructions through experimentation. The system was evaluated in a number of diverse settings and shows how the principles of gamification can be applied to second-language acquisition. We discuss general features that enable the users to engage in game-playing behavior and analyze open challenges, relevant for a variety of language learning systems.
Nocturnal Melatonin Suppression by Adolescents and Adults for Different Levels, Spectra, and Durations of Light Exposure
Authors: Nagare Rohan , Rea Mark S. , Plitnick Barbara , Figueiro Mariana G.
Published: February 2019

The human circadian system is primarily regulated by the 24-h LD cycle incident on the retina, and nocturnal melatonin suppression is a primary outcome measure for characterizing the biological clock’s response to those light exposures. A limited amount of data related to the combined effects of light level, spectrum, and exposure duration on nocturnal melatonin suppression has impeded the development of circadian-effective lighting recommendations and light-treatment methods. The study’s primary goal was to measure nocturnal melatonin suppression for a wide range of light levels (40 to 1000 lux), 2 white light spectra (2700 K and 6500 K), and an extended range of nighttime light exposure durations (0.5 to 3.0 h). The study’s second purpose was to examine whether differences existed between adolescents’ and adults’ circadian sensitivity to these lighting characteristics. The third purpose was to provide an estimate of the absolute threshold for the impact of light on acute melatonin suppression. Eighteen adolescents (age range, 13 to 18 years) and 23 adults (age range, 24 to 55 years) participated in the study. Results showed significant main effects of light level, spectrum, and exposure duration on melatonin suppression. Moreover, the data also showed that the relative suppressing effect of light on melatonin diminishes with increasing exposure duration for both age groups and both spectra. The present results do not corroborate our hypothesis that adolescents exhibit greater circadian sensitivity to short-wavelength radiation compared with adults. As for threshold, it takes longer to observe significant melatonin suppression at lower CS levels than at higher CS levels. Dose-response curves (amount and duration) for both white-light spectra and both age groups can guide lighting recommendations when considering circadian-effective light in applications such as offices, schools, residences, and healthcare facilities.
Achilles-Mediated and Sex-Specific Regulation of Circadian mRNA Rhythms in Drosophila
Authors: Li Jiajia , Yu Renee Yin , Emran Farida , Chen Brian E. , Hughes Michael E.
Published: February 2019

The circadian clock is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that generates the rhythmic expression of downstream genes. The core circadian clock drives the expression of clock-controlled genes, which in turn play critical roles in carrying out many rhythmic physiological processes. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms by which clock output genes orchestrate rhythmic signals from the brain to peripheral tissues are largely unknown. Here we explored the role of one rhythmic gene, Achilles, in regulating the rhythmic transcriptome in the fly head. Achilles is a clock-controlled gene in Drosophila that encodes a putative RNA-binding protein. Achilles expression is found in neurons throughout the fly brain using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and legacy data suggest it is not expressed in core clock neurons. Together, these observations argue against a role for Achilles in regulating the core clock. To assess its impact on circadian mRNA rhythms, we performed RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to compare the rhythmic transcriptomes of control flies and those with diminished Achilles expression in all neurons. Consistent with previous studies, we observe dramatic upregulation of immune response genes upon knock-down of Achilles. Furthermore, many circadian mRNAs lose their rhythmicity in Achilles knock-down flies, suggesting that a subset of the rhythmic transcriptome is regulated either directly or indirectly by Achilles. These Achilles-mediated rhythms are observed in genes involved in immune function and in neuronal signaling, including Prosap, Nemy and Jhl-21. A comparison of RNAseq data from control flies reveals that only 42.7% of clock-controlled genes in the fly brain are rhythmic in both males and females. As mRNA rhythms of core clock genes are largely invariant between the sexes, this observation suggests that sex-specific mechanisms are an important, and heretofore under-appreciated, regulator of the rhythmic transcriptome.