bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sexual Activity and Condom Use among Israeli Adolescents
Authors: Shilo Guy , Mor Zohar
Published: July 2015

Introduction

In Israel, as in other industrialized countries, the age of sexual debut among adolescents has declined, and the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STI) has risen, but the motivations and attitudes of Israeli adolescents toward carrying condoms have yet to be studied.

Aims

The aims of this study were to establish the associations (if any) between demographic characteristics and the knowledge held by Jewish Israeli adolescents about HIV transmission, their attitudes toward condom use and sexual experience, and to explore their recommendations to increase condom use.

Methods

The method used was an analysis of sexual experience and practices, attitudes toward condom carrying and condom use among a national representative sample of Jewish adolescents aged 15–18.

Main Outcome Measures

Two dichotomized measures were assessed: (i) sexual experience (defined as having had previous consensual oral/vaginal/anal sex); and (ii) the practice of carrying a condom on a regular basis.

Results

Of all 410 participants, 14.6% carried condoms, 18.3% had sexual experience, and 70.7% of those used condoms. Those who thought condoms to be protective against HIV, and those who thought they are difficult to wear, were more likely to have sexual experience. The perception of condom use as important, and the perception that condoms are difficult to wear, were predictors of condom carrying. The participants' knowledge of the risk of HIV in vaginal intercourse was deficient. Participants did not consider school sex education to be effective in promoting condom use, and recommended the use of graphic, deterrent personal accounts told by youths to encourage wider use of condoms.

Conclusions

Health educators should consider the barriers cited by adolescents and the deterrent techniques they recommend when planning interventions to encourage condom use.
HCV: the best cure possible or the best possible cure?
Authors: Craxì L. , Cammà C. , Craxì A.
Published: July 2015

Progress in medicine goes along with an exponential growth of the cost of drugs and devices. While any person has the right to obtain the best possible benefit from medical care, a state needs to strike a balance between granting the optimal personal benefit to each individual and the needs of the society as a whole. Health systems in all countries therefore are facing a huge problem of distributive justice, as while they should guarantee individual rights, among which the right to health in its broader sense, including physical, psychological and social well‐being (therefore not limited to healing, but extending to compliance and quality of life), they must also grant equal access to the healthcare resources and keep the distribution system sustainable.
Clinical impact of treatment timing for chronic hepatitis C infection: a decision model
Authors: Pho M. T. , Jensen D. M. , Meltzer D. O. , Kim A. Y. , Linas B. P.
Published: July 2015

Recent advances in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have led to the availability of both highly efficacious interferon‐containing and interferon‐sparing regimens. However, the use of such therapies faces restrictions due to high costs. For patients who are medically eligible to receive interferon, the choice between the two will likely be impacted by preferences surrounding interferon, severity of disease, coverage policies and out‐of‐pocket costs. We developed a decision model to quantify the trade‐offs between immediate, interferon‐containing therapy and delayed, interferon‐free therapy for patients with chronic, genotype 1HCVinfection. We projected the quality‐adjusted life expectancy stratified by the presence or absence of cirrhosis for four strategies: (i) no treatment; (ii) immediate, one‐time treatment with an interferon‐containing regimen; (iii) immediate treatment as above with the opportunity for retreatment in patients who fail to achieve sustained virologic response with interferon‐free therapy in 1 year; and (iv) delayed therapy with interferon‐free therapy in 1 year. When compared to one‐time immediate treatment with the interferon‐containing regimen, delayed treatment with the interferon‐free regimen in 1 year resulted in longer life expectancy, with a 0.2 quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) increase in noncirrhotic patients, and a 1.1QALYincrease in patients with cirrhosis. This superiority in health benefits was lost when wait time for interferon‐free therapy was greater than 3–3.2 years. In this modelling analysis, interferon‐free therapy resulted in superior health benefits compared to immediate therapy with interferon until wait time exceeded 3–3.2 years. Such data can inform decision‐making regarding treatment initiation forHCVas healthcare financing evolves.
Investigation of Native Speaker and Second Language Learner Intuition of Collocation Frequency
Authors: Siyanova‐Chanturia Anna , Spina Stefania
Published: July 2015

Research into frequency intuition has focused primarily on native (L1) and, to a lesser degree, nonnative (L2) speaker intuitions about single word frequency. What remains a largely unexplored area is L1 and L2 intuitions about collocation (i.e., phrasal) frequency. To bridge this gap, the present study aimed to answer the following question: How do L2 learners and native speakers compare against each other and corpora in their subjective judgments of collocation frequency? Native speakers and learners of Italian were asked to judge 80 noun‐adjective pairings as one of the following: high frequency, medium frequency, low frequency, very low frequency. Both L1 and L2 intuitions of high frequency collocations correlated strongly with corpus frequency. Neither of the two groups of participants exhibited accurate intuitions of medium and low frequency collocations. With regard to very low frequency pairings, L1 but not L2 intuitions were found to correlate with corpora for the majority of the items. Further, mixed‐effects modeling revealed that L2 learners were comparable to native speakers in their judgments of the four frequency bands, although some differences did emerge. Taken together, the study provides new insights into the nature of L1 and L2 intuitions about phrasal frequency.
An ecological classification of rocky shores at a regional scale: a predictive tool for management of conservation values
Authors: Ramos Elvira , Puente Araceli , Juanes José A.
Published: July 2015

The ecological classification of coastal waters has become an important issue in ecosystem water quality assessment. Previous studies have suggested that abiotic variables seem to be a suitable alternative to biological data for classifying coastal areas at different scales. The study presented here proposes a downscaling methodology for the classification of coastal waters at a regional scale within the NE Atlantic based on standardized data and objective decision rules. Physical variables (temperature, wave exposure, tidal range and radiation) were selected because of their ecological role, availability and statistical decision rules. This information was based on satellite data and mathematical modelling of natural coastal processes. The N and NW Spanish coastline was subdivided into 41 20‐km segments that were classified according to physical variables using the self‐organizing map and k‐means algorithms. To validate the classification with biological data, 21 sites representing the entire range of physical typologies in the study area were simultaneously and consistently sampled. Intertidal macroalgae were identified in each of 10 quadrats of 50 × 50 cm for two to three transects per site, according to a stratified sampling procedure. The coverage of macroalgae was obtained by photographic analysis. The physical classification shows four typologies: Lower Rias, Upper Rias, West Cantabric and East Cantabric. Statistical analyses confirmed the ecological significance of these typologies at the tidal levels where seaweeds were the major structural element (lower and middle intertidal). According to the biological data, the greatest differences were found between the Upper Rias and the rest of the N and NW Iberian Peninsula coast. Thus, the classification methodology has potential application as a management tool.
Discourses of aggression in forensic mental health: a critical discourse analysis of mental health nursing staff records
Authors: Berring Lene L , Pedersen Liselotte , Buus Niels
Published: July 2015

Managing aggression in mental health hospitals is an important and challenging task for clinical nursing staff. A majority of studies focus on the perspective of clinicians, and research mainly depicts aggression by referring to patient‐related factors. This qualitative study investigates how aggression is communicated in forensic mental health nursing records. The aim of the study was to gain insight into the discursive practices used by forensic mental health nursing staff when they record observed aggressive incidents. Textual accounts were extracted from the Staff Observation Aggression Scale‐Revised (SOAS‐R), and Fairclough's critical discourse analysis was used to identify short narrative entries depicting patients and staffs in typical ways. The narratives contained descriptions of complex interactions between patient and staff that were linked to specific circumstances surrounding the patient. These antecedents, combined with the aggression incident itself, created stereotyping representations of forensic psychiatric patients as deviant, unpredictable and dangerous. Patient and staff identities were continually (re)produced by an automatic response from the staff that was solely focused on the patient's behavior. Such response might impede implementation of new strategies for managing aggression.
Health prevention in the era of biosocieties: a critical analysis of the ‘Seek‐and‐Treat’ paradigm in HIV/AIDS prevention
Authors: Foth Thomas , O'Byrne Patrick , Holmes Dave
Published: July 2015

On 18 November 2014, the United Nations launched an urgent new campaign to end AIDS as a global health threat by 2030. With its proposed strategy, the UN follows leading scientists who had declared the failure of former prevention strategies and now were promoting a ‘Seek and Treat for Optimal Prevention’ (STOP) approach as the most cost‐effective response to the pandemic to meet the goal of ‘an AIDS‐free generation’. STOP combines antiretroviral therapy and routine HIV screening to find persons unaware that they are HIV‐positive, because research has shown that people consistently change their behaviour (i.e. increase condom use, have fewer partners) after an HIV diagnosis. AIDS activists have broadly criticized this strategy on different levels. In this article, we go beyond these criticisms and try to analyse the political rationalities behind this ‘new’ strategy. We believe that it is necessary to put the rationale underpinning the STOP programme into the context of broader societal transformations that can best be captured as the development of advanced liberal societies and the new emphasis on self‐controlling or self‐responsibility rather than on disciplining behaviour.
Comparative epigenomics: a powerful tool to understand the evolution of DNA methylation
Authors: Zhong Xuehua
Published: July 2015

Understanding how developmental and functional complexity of organisms evolves is a longstanding challenge in biology. Genetic mutation has long been thought to be the cause of biological complexity. However, increasing evidence indicates that epigenetic variation provides a parallel path for the evolution of biological complexity. Cytosine DNA methylation, the addition of a chemical mark on DNA, is a conserved and essential gene regulatory mechanism. Recent studies have greatly advanced our understanding of the DNA methylation landscapes and key regulatory components across many species. In this review, I summarize recent advances in understanding DNA methylation from an evolutionary perspective. Using comparative approaches, I highlight the conservation and divergence of DNA methylation patterns and regulatory machinery in plants and other eukaryotic organisms.

Contents

Summary
76

I.
Introduction
76

II.
DNA methylation patterns
77

III.
Eukaryotic DNA methyltransferases
78

IV.
Regulation of DNA methylation
78

V.
Perspectives
79

Acknowledgements
80

References
80
Genome sequence of Valsa canker pathogens uncovers a potential adaptation of colonization of woody bark
Authors: Yin Zhiyuan , Liu Huiquan , Li Zhengpeng , Ke Xiwang , Dou Daolong , Gao Xiaoning , Song Na , Dai Qingqing , Wu Yuxing , Xu Jin‐Rong , Kang Zhensheng , Huang Lili
Published: July 2015

Canker caused by ascomycetous Valsa species are among the most destructive diseases of woody plants worldwide. These pathogens are distinct from other pathogens because they only effectively attack tree bark in the field. To unravel the potential adaptation mechanism of bark colonization, we examined the genomes of Valsa mali and Valsa pyri that preferentially infect apple and pear, respectively.

We reported the 44.7 and 35.7 Mb genomes of V. mali and V. pyri, respectively. We also identified the potential genomic determinants of wood colonization by comparing them with related cereal pathogens.

Both genomes encode a plethora of pathogenicity‐related genes involved in plant cell wall degradation and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. In order to adapt to the nutrient limitation and low pH environment in bark, they seem to employ membrane transporters associated with nitrogen uptake and secrete proteases predominantly with acidic pH optima. Remarkably, both Valsa genomes are especially suited for pectin decomposition, but are limited in lignocellulose and cutin degradation. Besides many similarities, the two genomes show distinct variations in many secondary metabolism gene clusters.

Our results show a potential adaptation of Valsa canker pathogens to colonize woody bark. Secondary metabolism gene clusters are probably responsible for this host specificity.
Therapeutic interventions to disrupt the protein synthetic machinery in melanoma
Authors: Kardos Gregory R. , Robertson Gavin P.
Published: July 2015

Control of the protein synthetic machinery is deregulated in many cancers, including melanoma, to increase the protein production. Tumor suppressors and oncogenes play key roles in protein synthesis from the transcription of rRNA and ribosome biogenesis to mRNA translation initiation and protein synthesis. Major signaling pathways are altered in melanoma to modulate the protein synthetic machinery, thereby promoting tumor development. However, despite the importance of this process in melanoma development, involvement of the protein synthetic machinery in this cancer type is an underdeveloped area of study. Here, we review the coupling of melanoma development to deregulation of the protein synthetic machinery. We examine existing knowledge regarding RNA polymerase I inhibition and mRNA translation focusing on their inhibition for therapeutic applications in melanoma. Furthermore, the contribution of amino acid biosynthesis and involvement of ribosomal proteins are also reviewed as future therapeutic strategies to target deregulated protein production in melanoma.
Characteristics of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia bacteremia in children
Authors: Furuichi Munehiro , Ito Kenta , Miyairi Isao
Published: July 2015

Background

Empiric antimicrobial coverage in compromised hosts commonly includes pseudomonal coverage but often lacks coverage against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Identification of risk factors specific for S. maltophilia infection may lead to prompt initiation of appropriate antibiotics and improved outcome.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of pediatric patients with bacteremia due to S. maltophilia or Pseudomonas aeruginosa from April 2002 to July 2014 at a tertiary children's hospital. Patient demographics, underlying disease, clinical course, and treatment were compared between S. maltophilia and P. aeruginosa cases.

Results

Nineteen children with S. maltophilia bacteremia and 49 children with P. aeruginosa bacteremia were identified. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, use of carbapenems within 7 days prior to onset (OR, 5.00; 95%CI: 1.25–20.07; P = 0.02) and previous intensive care unit stay (OR, 3.75; 95%CI: 1.13–12.47; P = 0.03) were significantly associated with S. maltophilia bacteremia compared with P. aeruginosa bacteremia. The majority of the S. maltophilia bacteremia patients had central line‐associated bloodstream infection (79%), compared with the P. aeruginosa bacteremia patients (37%, P = 0.002). There were nine children (47%) who had polymicrobial infection in the S. maltophilia bacteremia group, in contrast to four (8%) in the P. aeruginosa bacteremia group (OR, 10.13; 95%CI: 2.59–39.56; P = 0.001). Consultation with an infectious diseases physician was associated with a lower rate of persistent S. maltophilia bacteremia (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia should be considered in breakthrough bacteremia in pediatric patients who receive carbapenems within 7 days prior to onset.
Patterns of variation in desiccation resistance in a set of recombinant inbred lines in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Gomez Federico H. , Sambucetti Pablo D. , Loeschcke Volker , Norry Fabian M.
Published: July 2015

Desiccation, resulting from extremely dry environmental conditions, is a serious obstacle to the survival of organisms. Water is vital for the maintenance of intracellular structure and prevents the irreversible formation of aggregates, an occurrence leading to loss of cellular function. To characterize genetic variation in desiccation stress resistance (DSR) in Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, an intercontinental set of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) is used. Flies are exposed to a low humidity environment (<10% relative humidity) at a constant temperature of 25 °C. Desiccation stress resistance is higher in RIL derived from a backcross to the parental stock sensitive to heat stress (from Denmark) than in RIL derived from the reciprocal backcross to the heat‐stress resistant stock (from Australia). Composite interval mapping reveals significant quantitative trail loci (QTL) for DSR in the set of RIL. Both major and minor effects QTL are detected, suggesting a complex genetic architecture. When compared with a previous investigation performed on the same set of RIL, the present study indicates that not all traits of resistance to environmental stressors are affected in the same direction by segregating co‐localized QTL.
Self‐reported skin colour and erythemal sensitivity vs. objectively measured constitutive skin colour in an African population with predominantly dark skin
Authors: Wright Caradee Y. , Wilkes Marcus , du Plessis Johan L. , Reeder Anthony I.
Published: July 2015

Background

Skin colour is an important factor in skin‐related diseases. Accurate determination of skin colour is important for disease prevention and supporting healthy sun behaviour, yet such data are lacking for dark skin types.

Methods

Self‐perceived, natural skin colour and sun–skin reaction were compared with objectively measured skin colour among an African population with predominantly dark skin. Unexposed skin of 556 adults (70.1% Black) was measured with a reflectance spectrophotometer to calculate an individual typology angle (°ITA). Participants reported self‐perceived skin colour and erythemal sensitivity.

Results

There was a strong, positive monotonic correlation between self‐reported and measured skin colour (Spearman ρ = 0.6438, P < 0.001), but only a weak correlation between self‐reported erythemal sensitivity and measured skin colour (Spearman ρ = 0.2713, P < 0.001). Self‐report biases in underestimation and overestimation of skin colour were evident. Many participants with ‘dark brown’ and ‘black’ skin had difficulty in classifying erythemal sensitivity.

Conclusions

In Africa, self‐reported skin colour could potentially be used in lieu of spectrophotometer measurements, but options for questions on sunburn and tanning require suitable adjustment. Our study provides evidence of range in °ITA values among residents in Africa and reinforces previous results that self‐report may be reliable for determining skin colour, but not erythemal sensitivity, for dark skin individuals.
Sanitation of olive plants infected by Verticillium dahliae using heat treatments
Authors: Morello P. , Díez C. M. , Codes M. , Rallo L. , Barranco D. , Trapero A. , Moral J.
Published: July 2015

Verticillium wilt, caused by the fungus Verticillium dahliae, is currently the most important disease affecting olive in the Mediterranean basin. There are no effective treatments for controlling this disease. The use of infected nursery stocks has largely contributed to the spread of the pathogen, and therefore the development of treatments to preventively sanitize the propagation stock is critical in the nursery industry. This study describes novel techniques to achieve this aim. The effects of several temperature–exposure time combinations were evaluated: (i) the survival of pathogen on culture medium (PDA); (ii) the pathogen viability on infected shoots and plants; (iii) the vegetative growth of plants of several cultivars; and (iv) the rooting ability of cuttings. The colonies of the pathogen growing in PDA were killed after 8 h and 60 min of exposure at 40 and 47°C, respectively. Temperatures ≥42°C for at least 2 h were lethal for the pathogen infecting the shoots. Likewise, moist hot air treatments at 42–44°C for 6–12 h eradicated the pathogen, without compromising the viability of the plants. Five olive cultivars were also evaluated and classified according to their thermotolerance as follows: sensitive (Chiquitita), moderately sensitive (Koroneiki, Frantoio and Picual) and heat tolerant (Arbequina). However, the optimized sanitation methods were applicable to all of the cultivars. Finally, heat treatments were applied to unrooted cuttings, which severely affected their rooting ability. Thus, this study developed a hot air treatment to produce V. dahliae‐free olive nursery plants.
Antioxidant response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii grown under different element regimes
Authors: Çakmak Zeynep E. , Ölmez Tolga T. , Çakmak Turgay , Menemen Yusuf , Tekinay Turgay
Published: July 2015

Nutrient stress is one of the most favorable ways of increasing neutral lipid and high value‐added output production by microalgae. However, little is known about the level of the oxidative damage caused by nutrient stress for obtaining an optimal stress level for maximum production of specific molecules. In this study, the antioxidant response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii grown under element deprivation (nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus and magnesium) and supplementation (nitrogen and zinc) was investigated. All element regimes caused a decrease in growth, which was most pronounced under N deprivation. Element deprivation and Zn supplementation caused significant increases in H2O2 and lipid peroxidation levels of C. reinhardtii. Decrease in total chlorophyll level was followed by an increase of total carotenoid levels in C. reinhardtii under N and S deprivation while both increased under N supplementation. Confocal imaging of live cells revealed dramatic changes of cell shape and production of neutral lipid bodies accompanied by a decrease of chlorophyll clusters. Antioxidant capacity of cells decreased under N, S and P deprivation while it increased under N and Zn supplementation. Fluctuation of antioxidant enzyme activities in C. reinhardtii grown under different element regimes refers to different metabolic sources of reactive oxygen species production triggered by a specific element absence or overabundance.
Transformations: The World Religions Survey through an Adjunct Feminist Lens
Authors: Downie Alison
Published: July 2015

This essay describes a transformation in my experience as an adjunct teaching underprepared students from one of shame toward a desire to assert the value of this work. Insights from my feminist theological training helped me to affirm the importance of encouraging transformative learning in teaching the academically marginalized and prompted my analysis of student writing in an introductory World Religions course, in order to determine whether or not the course was a site of transformative learning. I argue that despite many contextual limitations, the movement toward deepening self‐awareness and increasing openness to religious diversity seen in student writing demonstrates that transformative learning began in this course, and that is valuable for students' lives whether or not they are academically successful.
The Basic Courses for the Study of Religions at the University of Southern Denmark
Authors: Jensen Tim
Published: July 2015

This essay is part of a collection of short essays solicited from authors around the globe who teach religion courses at the college level (not for professional religious training). They are published together with an introduction in Teaching Theology and Religion 18:3 (July 2015). The authors were asked to provide a brief overview of the curriculum, student learning goals, and pedagogical techniques employed in their courses.
Teaching Religious Studies to Undergraduate Non‐Majors at Seoul National University, South Korea
Authors: Yoo Yohan
Published: July 2015

This essay is part of a collection of short essays solicited from authors around the globe who teach religion courses at the college level (not for professional religious training). They are published together with an introduction in Teaching Theology and Religion 18:3 (July 2015). The authors were asked to provide a brief overview of the curriculum, student learning goals, and pedagogical techniques employed in their courses.
Geometric Algebra Model for Geometry‐oriented Topological Relation Computation
Authors: Yu Zhaoyuan , Luo Wen , Yuan Linwang , Hu Yong , Zhu A‐xing , Lü Guonian
Published: July 2015

Classical topological relation expressions and computations are primarily based on abstract algebra. In this article, the representation and computation of geometry‐oriented topological relations (GOTR) are developed. GOTR is the integration of geometry and topology. The geometries are represented by blades, which contain both algebraic expressions and construction structures of the geometries in the conformal geometric algebra space. With the meet, inner, and outer products, two topology operators, the MeetOp and BoundOp operators, are developed to reveal the disjoint/intersection and inside/on‐surface/outside relations, respectively. A theoretical framework is then formulated to compute the topological relations between any pair of elementary geometries using the two operators. A multidimensional, unified and geometry‐oriented algorithm is developed to compute topological relations between geometries. With this framework, the internal results of the topological relations computation are geometries. The topological relations can be illustrated with clear geometric meanings; at the same time, it can also be modified and updated parametrically. Case studies evaluating the topological relations between 3D objects are performed. The result suggests that our model can express and compute the topological relations between objects in a symbolic and geometry‐oriented way. The method can also support topological relation series computation between objects with location or shape changes.
Virological efficacy with first‐line antiretroviral treatment in India: predictors of viral failure and evidence of viral resuppression
Authors: Shet Anita , Neogi Ujjwal , Kumarasamy N. , DeCosta Ayesha , Shastri Suresh , Rewari Bharat Bhushan
Published: July 2015

Objective

Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved in efficacy, durability and tolerability. Virological efficacy studies in India are limited. We determined incidence and predictors of virological failure among patients initiating first‐line ART and described virological resuppression after confirmed failure, with the goal of informing national policy.

Methods

Therapy‐naïve patients initiated on first‐line ART as per national guidelines were monitored every 3 months for adherence and virological response over 2 years. Genotyping on baseline samples was performed to assess primary drug resistance. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to assess predictors of virological failure.

Results

Virological failure rate among 599 eligible patients was 10.7 failures per 100 person‐years. Cumulative failure incidence was 13.2% in the first year and 16.5% over 2 years. Patients initiated on tenofovir had a significantly lower rate of virological failure than those on stavudine or zidovudine (6.7 vs. 11.9 failures per 100 person‐years, P = 0.013). Virological failure was independently associated with age <40 years, mean adherence <95%, non‐tenofovir‐containing regimens and presence of primary drug resistance. In a subset of 311 patients who were reassessed after treatment failure, 19% (11/58) patients resuppressed their viral load to <400 copies/ml after confirmed virological failure.

Conclusions

Our results support the inclusion of tenofovir as first‐line ART in resource‐limited settings and a role for regular adherence counselling and virological monitoring for enhanced treatment success. Detection of early virological failure should provide an opportunity to augment adherence counselling and repeat viral load testing before therapy switch is considered.
Geographies of youth work, volunteering and employment: the Jewish Lads' Brigade and Club in post‐war Manchester
Authors: Mills Sarah
Published: July 2015

This paper brings together current geographical debates on volunteering and employment through a unique focus on post‐war youth work. I use the example of the Jewish Lads' Brigade and Club in Manchester,UKto make a series of wider arguments about the emotional labour of paid/unpaid work, faith‐based identities and the spatialities of informal education. Through conceptualising youth work as a series of localised and inherently spatial practices, the paper explores how the identities of employed volunteers and youth workers shape – and are shaped by – the contexts through which they ‘work’ with young people. I draw on archival materials to show how the Club operated in practice at one site in Manchester, and place this experience in the context of the national organisation's post‐war reconstruction efforts. I show how the Club navigated a path through the post‐war moral landscape of childhood, shaped by the wider Anglo‐Jewish community, and I illustrate the dynamic relationships between paid and unpaid helpers in the performance of youth work. The paper concludes by drawing connections between the historical record and contemporary youth work practice. The professionalisation of youth work that emerged in the post‐war era is currently being dismantled via new geographies of voluntarism in austere times and, now as then, questions around the role of faith‐based youth organisations and the religious identities of their volunteers and employees remain politically charged.
Nested Multistate Design for Maximizing Probabilistic Performance in Persistent Observation Campaigns
Authors: Agte Jeremy S. , Borer Nicholas K.
Published: July 2015

The paper presents a nested multistate methodology for the design of mechanical systems (e.g., a fleet of vehicles) involved in extended campaigns of persistent surveillance. It uses multidisciplinary systems analysis and behavioral-Markov modeling to account for stochastic metrics such as reliability and availability across multiple levels of system performance. The effects of probabilistic failure states at the vehicle level are propagated to mission operations at the campaign level by nesting various layers of Markov and estimated-Markov models. A key attribute is that the designer can then quantify the impact of physical changes in the vehicle, even those physical changes not related to component failure rates, on the predicted chance of maintaining campaign operations above a particular success threshold. The methodology is demonstrated on the design of an unmanned aircraft for an ice surveillance mission requiring omnipresence over Antarctica. Probabilistic results are verified with Monte Carlo analysis and show that even aircraft design parameters not directly related to component failure rates have a significant impact on the number of aircraft lost and missions aborted over the course of the campaign.
Computational Modeling of the Female Pelvic Support Structures and Organs to Understand the Mechanism of Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A Review
Authors: Chanda Arnab , Unnikrishnan Vinu , Roy Samit , Richter Holly E.
Published: July 2015

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is an abnormality of the female pelvic anatomy due to events, such as multiple child births, menopause, and morbid obesity, which may lead to weakening of the pelvic floor striated muscles and smooth musculo-connective tissues. POP leads to dropping of the pelvic organs, namely, the bladder, uterus, and rectum into the vaginal canal and eventual protrusion, causing vaginal pain, pressure, difficulty emptying the bladder and rectum, and sexual dysfunction. Each year, close to 300,000 POP surgeries are performed in the U.S., out of which more than 60% of patients may face relapse conditions. A closer look into the problem reveals that POP surgery failures may be attributed mainly to the lack of understanding among medical practitioners on the mechanics of prolapse. In the literature, there have been attempts in the engineering community to understand prolapse using phenomenological computational modeling. This paper reviews the development and study of these numerical models, aimed at understanding the mechanics of POP. The various computational challenges related to geometry creation, material modeling, finite-element (FE) modeling, and boundary conditions (BCs) will be discussed and significant future research directions will also be highlighted in this review.
Three-Dimensional Dynamic Formation Control of Multi-Agent Systems Using Rigid Graphs
Authors: Zhang Pengpeng , de Queiroz Marcio , Cai Xiaoyu
Published: July 2015

In this paper, we consider the problem of formation control of multi-agent systems in three-dimensional (3D) space, where the desired formation is dynamic. This is motivated by applications where the formation size and/or geometric shape needs to vary in time. Using a single-integrator model and rigid graph theory, we propose a new control law that exponentially stabilizes the origin of the nonlinear, interagent distance error dynamics and ensures tracking of the desired, 3D time-varying formation. Extensions to the formation maneuvering problem and double-integrator model are also discussed. The formation control is illustrated with a simulation of eight agents forming a dynamic cube.
Technical Note: Impact on detective quantum efficiency of edge angle determination method by International Electrotechnical Commission methodology for cardiac x‐ray image detectors
Authors: Gislason‐Lee Amber J. , Tunstall Clare M. , Kengyelics Stephen K. , Cowen Arnold R. , Davies Andrew G.
Published: July 2015

Purpose:

Cardiac x‐ray detectors are used to acquire moving images in real‐time for angiography and interventional procedures. Detective quantum efficiency (DQE) is not generally measured on these dynamic detectors; the required “for processing” image data and control of x‐ray settings have not been accessible. By 2016, USA hospital physicists will have the ability to measure DQE and will likely utilize the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard for measuring DQE of dynamic x‐ray imaging devices. The current IEC standard requires an image of a tilted tungsten edge test object to obtain modulation transfer function (MTF) for DQE calculation. It specifies the range of edge angles to use; however, it does not specify a preferred method to determine this angle for image analysis. The study aimed to answer the question “will my choice in method impact my results?” Four different established edge angle determination methods were compared to investigate the impact on DQE.

Methods:

Following the IEC standard, edge and flat field images were acquired on a cardiac flat‐panel detector to calculate MTF and noise power spectrum, respectively, to determine DQE. Accuracy of the methods in determining the correct angle was ascertained using a simulated edge image with known angulations. Precision of the methods was ascertained using variability of MTF and DQE, calculated via bootstrapping.

Results:

Three methods provided near equal angles and the same MTF while the fourth, with an angular difference of 6%, had a MTF lower by 3% at 1.5 mm−1 spatial frequency and 8% at 2.5 mm−1; corresponding DQE differences were 6% at 1.5 mm−1 and 17% at 2.5 mm−1; differences were greater than standard deviations in the measurements.

Conclusions:

DQE measurements may vary by a significant amount, depending on the method used to determine the edge angle when following the IEC standard methodology for a cardiac x‐ray detector. The most accurate and precise methods are recommended for absolute assessments and reproducible measurements, respectively.
Vowel identification by cochlear implant users: Contributions of duration cues and dynamic spectral cues
Authors: Donaldson Gail S. , Rogers Catherine L. , Johnson Lindsay B. , Oh Soo Hee
Published: July 2015

A recent study from our laboratory assessed vowel identification in cochlear implant (CI) users, using full /dVd/ syllables and partial (center- and edges-only) syllables with duration cues neutralized [Donaldson, Rogers, Cardenas, Russell, and Hanna (2013). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134, 3021–3028]. CI users' poorer performance for partial syllables as compared to full syllables, and for edges-only syllables as compared to center-only syllables, led to the hypotheses (1) that CI users may rely strongly on vowel duration cues; and (2) that CI users have more limited access to dynamic spectral cues than steady-state spectral cues. The present study tested those hypotheses. Ten CI users and ten young normal hearing (YNH) listeners heard full /dVd/ syllables and modified (center- and edges-only) syllables in which vowel duration cues were either preserved or eliminated. The presence of duration cues significantly improved vowel identification scores in four CI users, suggesting a strong reliance on duration cues. Duration effects were absent for the other CI users and the YNH listeners. On average, CI users and YNH listeners demonstrated similar performance for center-only stimuli and edges-only stimuli having the same total duration of vowel information. However, three CI users demonstrated significantly poorer performance for the edges-only stimuli, indicating apparent deficits of dynamic spectral processing.
A proposed mechanism for rapid adaptation to spectrally distorted speech
Authors: Azadpour Mahan , Balaban Evan
Published: July 2015

The mechanisms underlying perceptual adaptation to severely spectrally-distorted speech were studied by training participants to comprehend spectrally-rotated speech, which is obtained by inverting the speech spectrum. Spectral-rotation produces severe distortion confined to the spectral domain while preserving temporal trajectories. During five 1-hour training sessions, pairs of participants attempted to extract spoken messages from the spectrally-rotated speech of their training partner. Data on training-induced changes in comprehension of spectrally-rotated sentences and identification/discrimination of spectrally-rotated phonemes were used to evaluate the plausibility of three different classes of underlying perceptual mechanisms: (1) phonemic remapping (the formation of new phonemic categories that specifically incorporate spectrally-rotated acoustic information); (2) experience-dependent generation of a perceptual “inverse-transform” that compensates for spectral-rotation; and (3) changes in cue weighting (the identification of sets of acoustic cues least affected by spectral-rotation, followed by a rapid shift in perceptual emphasis to favour those cues, combined with the recruitment of the same type of “perceptual filling-in” mechanisms used to disambiguate speech-in-noise). Results exclusively support the third mechanism, which is the only one predicting that learning would specifically target temporally-dynamic cues that were transmitting phonetic information most stably in spite of spectral-distortion. No support was found for phonemic remapping or for inverse-transform generation.
Evaluation and analysis of whispered speech for cochlear implant users: Gender identification and intelligibility
Authors: Hazrati Oldooz , Ali Hussnain , Hansen John H. L. , Tobey Emily
Published: July 2015

This study investigates the degree to which whispered speech impacts speech perception and gender identification in cochlear implant (CI) users. Listening experiments with six CI subjects under neutral and whispered speech conditions using sentences from the UT-Vocal Effort II corpus (recordings from male and female speakers) were conducted. Results indicated a significant effect of whispering on gender identification and speech intelligibility scores. In addition, no significant effect of talker gender on the speech/gender identification scores was observed. Results also suggested that exposure to longer speech stimuli, and consequently more temporal cues, would not improve gender identification performance in CI subjects.
Improving tissue-sample profiling: The optimization and application of immunohistochemistry
Authors: Varki Nissi M. , Long Kevin D.
Published: July 2015

Though it has been used for more than 70 years, immunohistochemistry (IHC) is still an essential research and diagnostic tool in many scientific laboratories. Understanding the basic principles underlying IHC and how to address the technical aspects of experimental design are key to producing high-quality, reproducible data. IHC is used in a variety of fields—from cancer diagnostics to neuroscience research—but some common advice can be applied across-the-board. Many variables are vital for generating valuable results and require optimization when designing IHC experiments, such as fixing tissue, choosing the proper antibodies, and defining the proper controls. In this webinar, we will hear from experts who will share their insights into the key aspects of assay design.
It costs more than a nickel
Authors: Zamble Deborah
Published: July 2015

Lactate racemase contains a complex nickel cofactor

[Also see Report by

Desguin
et al.

]
Knowing when to fold them
Authors: Striedter Georg F. , Srinivasan Shyam
Published: July 2015

Crumpled paper is a possible model for cortical folding in mammalian brains

[Also see Report by
Mota and Herculano-Houzel
]
Draft Genome Sequence of Tombunodavirus UC1
Authors: Greninger Alexander L. , DeRisi Joseph L.
Published: July 2015

We report here the draft genome sequence of tombunodavirus UC1 assembled from metagenomic sequencing of organisms in San Francisco wastewater. This virus shares hallmarks of members of the
Tombusviridae
and the nodavirus-like
Plasmopara halstedii
and
Sclerophthora macrospora
viruses.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Strain from Chile
Authors: Opazo Andrés , Lopes Bruno S. , García Patricia , Domínguez Yévenes Mariana , Lima Celia , Bello-Toledo Helia , González-Rocha Gerardo , Amyes Sebastian G. B.
Published: July 2015

Acinetobacter baumannii
strain Ab5 was isolated in the year 2007 in Chile, being one of the first multidrug-resistant (MDR) cases reported in the country. Here, we present the very first draft genome sequence of an MDR Chilean strain, which shows the presence of diverse resistance and acquired virulence genes.
Complete Genome Sequence of Mycoplasma gallinaceum
Authors: Abolnik Celia , Beylefeld Amanda
Published: July 2015

Mycoplasma gallinaceum
strain B2096 8B was isolated from domestic chickens in South Africa. The 845,307-bp full genome was sequenced, assembled, and annotated.
Transnasal endoscopy: no gagging no panic!
Authors: Parker Clare , Alexandridis Estratios , Plevris John , O'Hara James , Panter Simon
Published: July 2015

Background

Transnasal endoscopy (TNE) is performed with an ultrathin scope via the nasal passages and is increasingly used. This review covers the technical characteristics, tolerability, safety and acceptability of TNE and also diagnostic accuracy, use as a screening tool and therapeutic applications. It includes practical advice from an ear, nose, throat (ENT) specialist to optimise TNE practice, identify ENT pathology and manage complications.

Methods

A Medline search was performed using the terms “transnasal”, “ultrathin”, “small calibre”, “endoscopy”, “EGD” to identify relevant literature.

Results

There is increasing evidence that TNE is better tolerated than standard endoscopy as measured using visual analogue scales, and the main area of discomfort is nasal during insertion of the TN endoscope, which seems remediable with adequate topical anaesthesia. The diagnostic yield has been found to be similar for detection of Barrett's oesophagus, gastric cancer and GORD-associated diseases. There are some potential issues regarding the accuracy of TNE in detecting small early gastric malignant lesions, especially those in the proximal stomach. TNE is feasible and safe in a primary care population and is ideal for screening for upper gastrointestinal pathology. It has an advantage as a diagnostic tool in the elderly and those with multiple comorbidities due to fewer adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. It has significant advantages for therapeutic procedures, especially negotiating upper oesophageal strictures and insertion of nasoenteric feeding tubes.

Conclusions

TNE is well tolerated and a valuable diagnostic tool. Further evidence is required to establish its accuracy for the diagnosis of early and small gastric malignancies. There is an emerging role for TNE in therapeutic endoscopy, which needs further study.
Helical piles in unsaturated structured soil: a case study
Authors: Tsuha Cristina de Hollanda Cavalcanti , dos Santos Filho João Manoel Sampaio Mathias , Santos Thiago da Costa
Published: July 2015

The use of helical piles as tower foundations in Brazil has increased considerably during the last 5 years. A number of these piles are installed in unsaturated structured soils that cover a significant part of the Brazilian territory. However, the installation of helical piles in such soils produces a breakdown of the natural soil structure, which affects the pile performance for tension applications. This scenario motivates the present work, in which a comprehensive pile load-test program was carried out on helical piles composed of a single helix or multi-helices, installed in an unsaturated tropical residual soil. Eleven full-scale pile axial load tests were carried out, including two compression and nine tension tests. In addition, cone penetration tests were performed close to the piles after installation, and undisturbed soil samples were collected at the depth of the helices. The aim of these additional tests was to contribute to the understanding of the effect of helical pile installation on soil structure. The results of the tension load tests showed that the changes in the structure of the porous tested soil result in particularly low pile uplift capacities. In contrast, the load–settlement curves of the pile compression tests indicate a peculiar failure mechanism due to the sensitive soil structure associated with the high void ratio of the intact soil beneath the bottom plate.