bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perinatal Study in Tientsin: 1978
Authors: Lyle Katherine Ch'iu , Segal Sheldon J. , Chang Chih‐cheng , Ch'ien Li‐chuan
Published: January 2017

Clinical records of a total of 3320 singleton births, representing the year 1978, at the two Tientsin Medical College Hospitals, Tientsin, People's Republic of China, were studied to ascertain (a) reproductive parameters such as the average age of the mothers at first and successive births and (b) the relationships between perinatal deaths, prematurity and birth weight and the mother's age, number of previous pregnancies, parity, maternal conditions in the prenatal and delivery period and operative procedures of delivery.
Assessment of Gestational Age of Nigerian Newborns Using Teeth Calcification
Authors: Odita J. C. , Omene J. A.
Published: January 2017

The relationship between fetal teeth calcification and gestational age was evaluated in 54 Nigerian newborn chest radiographs. The first deciduous molar was found to calcify at the 33rd week of gestation and the second molar at the 36th week. The pattern of calcification of fetal teeth is similar to those of Caucasian infants, and there is no significant difference in teeth calcification between the sexes.
Laparoscopic Tubal Electrocoagulation for Sterilization: 5000 Cases
Authors: Limpaphayom Kobchitt , Reinprayoon Damrong , Aribarg Anek , Sinivongs Vongkulapat , Young John , Amatyakul Arun , Sindhuphak in , Witoonpanich Phairoj , Vaivanijkul Benchuab
Published: January 2017

Five thousand cases of laparoscopic tubal electrocoagulation were performed for voluntary interval sterilization in outpatient Thai women from January 1974 through June 1978. Immediate complications occurring during surgery resulted from mesosalpingeal hemorrhage, which was successfully managed by omental packing with or without repeated electrocoagulation. The overall failure rate was 0.40%. The authors find this method of tubal electrocoagulation for fertility management to be reliable and safe as an outpatient procedure and to provide rapid convalescence.
Triplet Pregnancy: A Review of 27 Cases
Authors: Egwuatu V. E.
Published: January 2017

Analysis of 27 consecutive triplet pregnancies seen at the University Teaching Hospital in Enugu, Nigeria, from 1972 to 1979 revealed an incidence of one in 1014 live births; three of these mothers had had a previous twin pregnancy. Overall fetal mortality was 30.9%, with babies of older women faring better than those of the younger. The fetal death rate was 1.8 times greater in the absence of antenatal supervision. Although the male infant was generally heavier at birth, sex did not influence survival and neither predominated. Surprisingly, vertex delivery, independent of birth order, was associated with the worst prognosis. All babies of sets having a combined birth weight of 2800 gm and under died; all those 5440 gm and above survived. Maturity, rather than birth weight, determined fetal survival, which was also unaffected by time interval between deliveries of a set. The first triplet did have the least birth hazard.
Compulsive Water Drinking in Pregnancy
Authors: Shalev Eliezer , Goldstein Dov , Zuckerman Henryk
Published: January 2017

A case report of a pregnant woman with primary polydipsia is presented. The workup, including an investigation of the disturbance and the implications for fetal outcome, is described. The terms primary and secondary polydipsia are defined, and the differential diagnosis is discussed. Compulsive water drinking was finally diagnosed following psychiatric evaluation. A brief review of the literature concerning compulsive water drinking is presented.
MicroRNA: Relevance to stroke diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy
Authors: Mirzaei Hamed , Momeni Fatemeh , Saadatpour Leila , Sahebkar Amirhossein , Goodarzi Mohammad , Masoudifar Aria , Kouhpayeh Shirin , Salehi Hossein , Mirzaei Hamid Reza , Jaafari Mahmoud Reza
Published: January 2017

Stroke is a life‐threatening disease that accounts for a considerable burden of mortality in both developing and developed world. Identification of specific biomarkers for stroke and its outcomes can greatly contribute to improved care of patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known as novel biomarkers that could be used as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers. Various studies have shown that miRNAs have key roles in the pathogenesis of stroke, and its complications and outcomes. In addition, there is evidence showing that mesenchaymal stromal cell‐derived exosomes containing miRNAs can be used for monitoring and treatment of various diseases such as stroke. Here, we summarized various aspects of miRNA applications in different stages of stroke.
HOTAIR role in melanoma progression and its identification in the blood of patients with advanced disease
Authors: Cantile Monica , Scognamiglio Giosuè , Marra Laura , Aquino Gabriella , Botti Chiara , Falcone Maria Rosaria , Malzone Maria Gabriella , Liguori Giuseppina , Di Bonito Maurizio , Franco Renato , Ascierto Paolo Antonio , Botti Gerardo
Published: January 2017

The molecular mechanisms responsible for the metastatic progression of melanoma have not been fully defined yet. We have recently shown that an important role in this process is certainly played by HOX genes, whose regulation is under control of particular non‐coding RNAs, some of which are present within the HOX locus. HOTAIR is the most studied among them, whose aberrant expression is associated with the metastatic progression of many malignancies. The aim of this study was to verify the role played by HOTAIR in metastatic progression of melanoma and to evaluate the circulating levels of HOTAIR in the blood of patients with metastatic melanoma. A series of melanocytic lesions were selected to evaluate the potential changes in the expression of HOTAIR during the evolution of the disease through in situ and molecular approaches. None of the benign melanocytic lesions showed the presence of HOTAIR. The staining of HOTAIR resulted very weak in the primary pT1 lesions, while it was very strong in all pairs of primary tissues and corresponding metastases. Surprisingly, we found the presence of HOTAIR in some intratumoral lymphocytes, while this positivity decreased in lymphocyte component further away from the tumor. HOTAIR was also detected in the serum of selected metastatic patients. These data allowed us to speculate on the fundamental role played by HOTAIR in tumor evolution of melanoma. Its presence in intratumoral lymphocytes might suggest that its involvement in the modulation of tumor microenvironment and the detection in the serum could be used in the management of melanoma patients.
Methylation of hemoglobin to enhance flocculant performance
Authors: Essandoh Matthew , Garcia Rafael A , Strahan Gary D
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUND

Synthetic organic polymer flocculants can be highly effective at clarifying suspensions, but these substances may also have negative environmental and health effects. Relatively few studies have been done using biobased flocculants, which are more environment friendly. Hemoglobin (Hb) has previously been demonstrated to be a promising flocculant of kaolin and lignin suspensions. This study examines the methylation of Hb side chain carboxyl groups for the purpose of improving its flocculation performance at near‐neutral pH.

RESULTS

Potentiometric titration of methylated Hb (MeHb) showed an approximately 28% degree of methylation when the Hb was suspended in methanol with 0.8 mol L−1 HCl for 48 h. Under some conditions, MeHb clarified suspensions of kaolin at one‐quarter the dose that was required for Hb. Furthermore, MeHb exhibited flocculant activity over a wide pH range, compared with Hb. The percentage of original turbidity removed was 37% for Hb while 60% of the original turbidity was removed for MeHb at near‐neutral pH (pH = 6.8).

CONCLUSIONS

Very small doses of methylated hemoglobin (MeHb) rapidly clarify suspensions of kaolin. The potential of MeHb as a biobased flocculant for the clarification of water for industrial or municipal use was demonstrated. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
A Study of Effective Financial Support for SMEs to Improve Economic and Employment Conditions: Evidence from OECD Countries
Authors: Seo Ji‐Yong
Published: January 2017

Using a panel logit regression model, this study analyzes whether or not five categorized financial supports for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the governments of 11 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries facilitate economic and employment growth: (1) direct government loans to SMEs; (2) government‐guaranteed loans to SMEs; (3) the reinforcement of relationship banking; (4) financial stability steps to ease pro‐cyclicality; and (5) equity‐linked financing. The academic contribution of this research is in identifying the optimal type of government financial support to SMEs given a country's level of financial crisis and market‐rate level. The main empirical test results are as follows. First, the type of financial support that contributes most to economic and employment growth is the set of steps that governments take to ease pro‐cyclicality. Second, the reinforcement of relationship banking can also contribute to improved economic and employment conditions. Third, in less capital‐intensive countries, the results confirm that economic and employment improvement occurs more often if equity‐linked financing is used. Fourth, the adoption of dynamic loan‐loss provisions to prepare for periods of economic recession is necessary to reduce the pro‐cyclicality of SME loans within the 11 OECD countries studied in this paper; it is also necessary to transition from a persistent monetary‐easing policy stance to a flexible monetary stance within a country's fiscal policy in order to make commercial banks benefit from an incentive‐like risk premium for SME loans despite the existence of economic recessions. Finally, the study finds that the need to apply equity‐linked financing methods through the stock market is especially urgent in developing countries. As the managerial perspectives, it is confirmed that easing pro‐cyclicality of SME loan and enhancing banking relationship can contribute to SMEs fund management. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Some inequalities involving Hadamard‐type k‐fractional integral operators
Authors: Agarwal Praveen
Published: January 2017

In this paper, our main aim is to establish some new fractional integral inequalities involving Hadamard‐type k‐fractional integral operators recently given by Mubeen et al. Furthermore, the paper discusses some of their relevance with known results. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Attractors for a plate equation with nonlocal nonlinearities
Authors: Narciso Vando
Published: January 2017

This paper contains results on well‐posedness, stability, and long‐time behavior of solutions to a class of plate models subject to damping and source terms given by the product of two nonlinear components [EQUATION1] where Ω is a bounded open set of Rn with smooth boundary, γ,ρ⩾0 and
are nonlocal functions. The main result states that the dynamical system {S(t)}t⩾0 associated with this problem has a compact global attractor. In addition, in the limit case γ = 0, it is also shown that {S(t)}t⩾0 has a finite dimensional global attractor by using an approach on quasi‐stability because of Chueshov–Lasiecka (2010). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Further results on exponential stability of discrete‐time BAM neural networks with time‐varying delays
Authors: Shu Yanjun , Liu Xinge , Wang Fengxian , Qiu Saibing
Published: January 2017

This paper is concerned with the exponential stability for the discrete‐time bidirectional associative memory neural networks with time‐varying delays. Based on Lyapunov stability theory, some novel delay‐dependent sufficient conditions are obtained to guarantee the globally exponential stability of the addressed neural networks. In order to obtain less conservative results, an improved Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional is constructed and the reciprocally convex approach and free‐weighting matrix method are employed to give the upper bound of the difference of the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional. Several numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment with alpha‐galactosylceramide protects mice from early onset of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Role of intestinal barrier function
Authors: Engstler Anna Janina , Sellmann Cathrin , Jin Cheng Jun , Brandt Annette , Herz Kathleen , Priebs Josephine , Bergheim Ina
Published: January 2017

Scope

The role of invariant natural killer T cells in the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has not yet been fully understood. Here, the effect of the invariant natural killer T‐cell activator alpha‐galactosylceramide (αGalCer) on the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and intestinal barrier function was assessed in a mouse model of early Western‐style diet (WSD) induced NASH.

Methods and results

Female C57BL/6J mice were either fed a liquid control diet or a liquid fructose‐enriched WSD for 6 wk while being treated three times weekly with αGalCer (2 μg intraperitoneal) or vehicle. Indices of liver damage, glucose metabolism, and intestinal permeability were measured. Treatment with αGalCer markedly suppressed hepatic fat accumulation and inflammation while not affecting fasting glucose. The protective effects of αGalCer were associated with a protection against the increased translocation of bacterial endotoxins and the decreased protein levels of tight junction proteins occludin and zonula occludens 1 found in vehicle‐treated mice while being fed a WSD.

Conclusion

Taken together, our data suggest that the protective effects of αGalCer against the development of a diet‐induced NASH in mice are associated with a protection against the increased translocation of intestinal bacterial endotoxins associated with the development of NASH.
A quantitative symmetry‐based analysis of hyperacute ischemic stroke lesions in noncontrast computed tomography
Authors: Peter Roman , Korfiatis Panagiotis , Blezek Daniel , Oscar Beitia A. , Stepan‐Buksakowska Irena , Horinek Daniel , Flemming Kelly D. , Erickson Bradley J.
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Early identification of ischemic stroke plays a significant role in treatment and potential recovery of damaged brain tissue. In noncontrast CT (ncCT), the differences between ischemic changes and healthy tissue are usually very subtle during the hyperacute phase (< 8 h from the stroke onset). Therefore, visual comparison of both hemispheres is an important step in clinical assessment. A quantitative symmetry‐based analysis of texture features of ischemic lesions in noncontrast CT images may provide an important information for differentiation of ischemic and healthy brain tissue in this phase.

Methods

One hundred thirty‐nine (139) ncCT scans of hyperacute ischemic stroke with follow‐up magnetic resonance diffusion‐weighted (MR‐DW) images were collected. The regions of stroke were identified in the MR‐DW images, which were spatially aligned to corresponding ncCT images. A state‐of‐the‐art symmetric diffeomorphic image registration was utilized for the alignment of CT and MR‐DW, for identification of individual brain hemispheres, and for localization of the region representing healthy tissue contralateral to the stroke cores. Texture analysis included extraction and classification of co‐occurrence and run‐length texture‐based image features in the regions of ischemic stroke and their contralateral regions.

Results

The classification schemes achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic [Az] ≈ 0.82 for the whole dataset. There was no statistically significant difference in the performance of classifiers for the data sets with time between 2 and 8 hours from symptom onset. The performance of the classifiers did not depend on the size of the stroke regions.

Conclusions

The results provide a set of optimal texture features which are suitable for distinguishing between hyperacute ischemic lesions and their corresponding contralateral brain tissue in noncontrast CT. This work is an initial step toward development of an automated decision support system for detection of hyperacute ischemic stroke lesions on noncontrast CT of the brain.
Management of adrenal masses in patients with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome
Authors: MacFarland Suzanne P. , Mostoufi‐Moab Sogol , Zelley Kristin , Mattei Peter A. , States Lisa J. , Bhatti Tricia R. , Duffy Kelly A. , Brodeur Garrett M. , Kalish Jennifer M.
Published: January 2017

Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a genetic overgrowth and cancer predisposition syndrome, associated with both benign and malignant adrenal findings. Literature review and an institutional case series elucidate the wide spectrum of adrenal findings in BWS patients. The altered expression of the 11p15 region is likely related to adrenal gland hyperplasia and growth dysregulation. Given the absence of guidelines for managing adrenal findings in BWS, we propose a systematic approach to adrenal findings in BWS patients, to allow for maximum detection of potentially malignant pathology without posing additional risk to patients.
Concomitant use of calcium channel blockers with dual antiplatelet therapy and re‐hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Wang Chen‐Yu , Lin Zhen‐Fang , Lee Chii‐Ming , Tsai Yi‐Wen , Huang Ting‐Ying , Shen Li‐Jiuan , Hsiao Fei‐Yuan
Published: January 2017

Background

Existing studies suggested that concomitant use of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) may interfere with the antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of concomitant use of CCBs and clopidogrel on risks of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) re‐hospitalization in patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods

Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 51 925 patients who were admitted for newly diagnosed ACS, received percutaneous coronary intervention, and used clopidogrel within 1 year after discharge. We further stratified them into three groups based on their uses of guideline‐recommended secondary prevention medications for ACS (fully, partially, and non‐compliant groups) to assess the potential modification effect of guideline compliance. For each group, we conducted a 1:1 propensity score matching to minimize selection bias. Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the effect of concomitant use of CCBs (overall, subclasses, and individual CCBs) and clopidogrel on risks of ACS re‐hospitalization.

Results

Concomitant use of CCBs in patients discharged with clopidogrel was significantly associated with a lower risk of ACS re‐hospitalization in the fully compliant group (HRfully compliant = 0.82 [95% confidence interval 0.75–0.89], p < 0.001) but was associated with increased risk of ACS re‐hospitalization in the non‐compliant group (HRnon‐compliant = 1.22 [1.03–1.45], p = 0.0252).

Conclusions

Different guideline compliance of secondary prevention medications could modify the potential drug–drug interaction between clopidogrel and CCBs. Concomitant use of CCBs and clopidogrel was significantly associated with increased risk of ACS re‐hospitalization in ACS patients not compliant to guideline‐recommended secondary prevention drugs. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultrashort self‐assembling Fmoc‐peptide gelators for anti‐infective biomaterial applications
Authors: McCloskey Alice P. , Draper Emily R. , Gilmore Brendan F. , Laverty Garry
Published: January 2017

Biomaterial‐related infections have a significant impact on society and are a major contributor to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Current licensed antibiotic classes struggle to breakdown or penetrate the exopolysaccharide biofilm barrier, resulting in sub‐therapeutic concentrations of antibiotic at the surface of the biomaterial, treatment failure and increased spread of resistant isolates. This paper focuses for the first time on the ability of ultrashort Fmoc‐peptide gelators to eradicate established bacterial biofilms implicated in a variety of medical device infections (Gram‐positive: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Gram‐negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The effect of increasing the cationicity of FmocFF via addition of di‐lysine and di‐orntithine was also studied with regard to antibacterial activity. Our studies demonstrated that Fmoc‐peptides (FmocFF, FmocFFKK, FmocFFFKK, FmocFFOO) formed surfactant‐like soft gels at concentrations of 1% w/v and above using a method of glucono‐δ‐Lactone pH induction. The majority of Fmoc‐peptides (0.5–2% w/v) demonstrated selective action against established (grown for 24 h) biofilms of Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative pathogens. These results are likely to increase the clinical translation of short‐peptide gelator platforms within the area of anti‐infective biomaterials including as wound dressings and coatings for prostheses, catheters, heart valves and surgical tubes. In the long term, this will lead to wider treatment choices for clinicians and patients involved in the management of medical device infections and reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Concise Review: Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Based Approaches for the Treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress and Sepsis Syndromes
Authors: Johnson Christian L. , Soeder Yorick , Dahlke Marc H.
Published: January 2017

Despite extensive research on candidate pharmacological treatments and a significant and increasing prevalence, sepsis syndrome, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain areas of unmet clinical need. Preclinical studies examining mesenchymal stromal cell (MSCs) based-therapies have provided compelling evidence of potential benefit; however, the precise mechanism by which MSCs exert a therapeutic influence, and whether MSC application is efficacious in humans, remains unknown. Detailed evaluation of the limited number of human trials so far completed is further hampered as a result of variations in trial design and biomarker selection. This review provides a concise summary of current preclinical and clinical knowledge of MSCs as a cell therapy for sepsis syndrome and ARDS. The challenges of modeling such heterogeneous and rapidly progressive disease states are considered and we discuss how lessons from previous studies of pharmacological treatments for sepsis syndrome and ARDS might be used to inform and refine the design of the next generation of MSC clinical trials.
Barth Syndrome: Connecting Cardiolipin to Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ikon Nikita , Ryan Robert O.
Published: January 2017

The Barth syndrome (BTHS) is caused by an inborn error of metabolism that manifests characteristic phenotypic features including altered mitochondrial membrane phospholipids, lactic acidosis, organic acid‐uria, skeletal muscle weakness and cardiomyopathy. The underlying cause of BTHS has been definitively traced to mutations in the tafazzin (TAZ) gene locus on chromosome X. TAZ encodes a phospholipid transacylase that promotes cardiolipin acyl chain remodeling. Absence of tafazzin activity results in cardiolipin molecular species heterogeneity, increased levels of monolysocardiolipin and lower cardiolipin abundance. In skeletal muscle and cardiac tissue mitochondria these alterations in cardiolipin perturb the inner membrane, compromising electron transport chain function and aerobic respiration. Decreased electron flow from fuel metabolism via NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase activity leads to a buildup of NADH in the matrix space and product inhibition of key TCA cycle enzymes. As TCA cycle activity slows pyruvate generated by glycolysis is diverted to lactic acid. In turn, Cori cycle activity increases to supply muscle with glucose for continued ATP production. Acetyl CoA that is unable to enter the TCA cycle is diverted to organic acid waste products that are excreted in urine. Overall, reduced ATP production efficiency in BTHS is exacerbated under conditions of increased energy demand. Prolonged deficiency in ATP production capacity underlies cell and tissue pathology that ultimately is manifest as dilated cardiomyopathy.
Agency in Fertility Decisions in Western Europe During the Demographic Transition: A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Reher David Sven , Sandström Glenn , Sanz-Gimeno Alberto , van Poppel Frans W. A.
Published: January 2017

We use a set of linked reproductive histories taken from Sweden, the Netherlands, and Spain for the period 1871–1960 to address key issues regarding how reproductive change was linked specifically to mortality and survivorship and more generally to individual agency. Using event-history analysis, this study investigates how the propensity to have additional children was influenced by the number of surviving offspring when reproductive decisions were made. The results suggest that couples were continuously regulating their fertility to achieve reproductive goals. Families experiencing child fatalities show significant increases in the hazard of additional births. In addition, the sex composition of the surviving sibset also appears to have influenced reproductive decisions in a significant but changing way. The findings offer strong proof of active decision-making during the demographic transition and provide an important contribution to the literature on the role of mortality for reproductive change.
Effect of replenishment and backroom on retail shelf-space planning
Authors: Hübner Alexander , Schaal Kai
Published: January 2017

Shelf-space optimization models support retailers in making optimal shelf-space decisions. They determine the number of facings for each item included in an assortment. One common characteristic of these models is that they do not account for in-store replenishment processes. However, the two areas of shelf-space planning and in-store replenishment are strongly interrelated. Keeping more shelf stock of an item increases the demand for it due to higher visibility, permits decreased replenishment frequencies and increases inventory holding costs. However, because space is limited, it also requires the reduction of shelf space for other items, which then deplete faster and must be reordered and replenished more often. Furthermore, the possibility of keeping stock of certain items in the backroom instead of the showroom allows for more showroom shelf space for other items, but also generates additional replenishment costs for the items kept in the backroom. The joint optimization of both shelf-space decisions and replenishment processes has not been sufficiently addressed in the existing literature. To quantify the cost associated with the relevant in-store replenishment processes, we conducted a time and motion study for a German grocery retailer. Based on these insights, we propose an optimization model that addresses the mutual dependence of shelf-space decisions and replenishment processes. The model optimizes retail profits by determining the optimum number of facings, the optimum display orientation of items, and the optimum order frequencies, while accounting for space-elasticity effects as well as limited shelf and backroom space. Applying our model to the grocery retailer’s canned foods category, we found a profit potential of about 29%. We further apply our model to randomly generated data and show that it can be solved to optimality within very short run times, even for large-scale problem instances. Finally, we use the model to show the impact of backroom space availability and replenishment cost on retail profits and solution structures. Based on the insights gained from the application of our model, the grocery retailer has decided to change its current approach to shelf-space decisions and in-store replenishment planning.
Peer victimization in adolescence: The nature, progression, and consequences of being bullied within a developmental context☆
Authors: Troop‐Gordon Wendy
Published: January 2017

Since Dan Olweus's seminal work on bullying in the 1970's (Olweus, 1978), there has been a concerted effort by investigators to identify the confluence of factors that contribute to peer victimization and its role in psychosocial development. Although the cause and consequences of peer victimization may include underlying, age‐invariant processes, the manifestation of these factors is, in part, driven by the developmental stage being studied. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of peer victimization requires an explicit developmental perspective. This paper examines how peer victimization in adolescence is unique from other developmental periods. Changes in the nature of peer victimization, associated risk factors, the contexts in which victimization is experienced, and the psychosocial outcomes affected are addressed. A primary focus is how maturational processes and interpersonal contexts characteristic of adolescence contribute to changes in victimization, with the objective of informing future research directions and the development of effective interventions.
Factorization Algebras in Quantum Field Theory
Authors: Costello Kevin , Gwilliam Owen
Published: January 2017

Factorization algebras are local-to-global objects that play a role in classical and quantum field theory which is similar to the role of sheaves in geometry: they conveniently organize complicated information. Their local structure encompasses examples like associative and vertex algebras; in these examples, their global structure encompasses Hochschild homology and conformal blocks. In this first volume, the authors develop the theory of factorization algebras in depth, but with a focus upon examples exhibiting their use in field theory, such as the recovery of a vertex algebra from a chiral conformal field theory and a quantum group from Abelian Chern-Simons theory. Expositions of the relevant background in homological algebra, sheaves and functional analysis are also included, thus making this book ideal for researchers and graduates working at the interface between mathematics and physics.
Legal Aid for Ensuring Access to Justice in Bangladesh: A Paradox?
Authors: AKTER Farzana
Published: January 2017

This article examines the government-funded legal aid system of Bangladesh. It indicates that the Bangladeshi legal aid system is lacking in terms of both legal provisions and the actual performance of the Legal Aid Services Act. The inadequacies in the implementation of the Act even raise the concern of whether the government has any intention to use the legal system to improve the condition of the poor or whether it intends to establish a legal aid system that is directed to providing mere lip service to the poor. The Bangladeshi legal aid system is therefore in a paradox; the state has established an institution that exposes its drawbacks and is not able to meet the needs of the beneficiaries. The article finally makes recommendations in order to redress the deficiencies of the system and thus to ensure effective access to justice for those who are in need of the service.
Challenges of Hospital Response to the Twin Earthquakes of August 21, 2012, in East Azerbaijan, Iran
Authors: Pouraghaei Mahboub , Jannati Ali , Moharamzadeh Peyman , Ghaffarzad Amir , Far Moharram Heshmati , Babaie Javad
Published: January 2017

Objective

As the cornerstone of any health system, hospitals have a crucial role in response to disasters. Because hospital experiences in disaster response can be instructive, this study examined the challenges of hospital response to the twin earthquakes of 2012 in East Azerbaijan, Iran.

Methods

In this qualitative study, the challenges of hospital response in the East Azerbaijan earthquakes were examined through focus group discussions. Participants were selected purposefully, and focus group discussions continued until data saturation. The data were manually analyzed by using Strauss and Corbin’s recommended method.

Results

Hospitals were faced with 6 major challenges: lack of preparedness, lack of coordination, logistic deficiencies, patient/injured management, communication management, and other smaller challenges that were categorized in the “other challenges” category. The main theme was the lack of preparedness for disasters.

Conclusion

Although hospital preparedness is emphasized in credible references, this study showed that lack of preparedness is a major challenge for hospitals during disasters. Thus, it seems that hospital officials’ disaster risk perception and hospital preparedness should be improved. In addition, hospital preparedness assessment indexes should be included in the hospital accreditation process. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:422–430)
Democratization, Political Parties and Korean Welfare Politics: Korean Family Policy Reforms in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Lee Soohyun Christine
Published: January 2017

Recent reforms of family policy signal a turning point in the Korean welfare state, as they undermine the welfare developmentalism that is commonly ascribed to Korean social policy. Drawing on the East Asian as well as Western welfare state literatures, this research seeks to understand the politics behind family policy reforms. In doing so, this research argues that political parties were the driver of these reforms, contrary to the conventional ‘parties do not matter’ perspective that dominates the East Asian welfare state literature. Utilizing the party competition thesis from the study of Western welfare states, this article demonstrates that political parties, the unlikely reform agency due to their perceived non-policy orientation, moved family policy to centre stage in election campaigns. Far-reaching changes in the electorate, namely the diminishing effect of regionalism and the increasing importance of young voters, incentivized parties to promote family policy. Thus, this research calls for bringing political parties into the analysis of East Asian welfare politics.
The Changeableness of Subnational Constitutions: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Authors: Reutter Werner
Published: January 2017

Why have some GermanLandconstitutions been changed more frequently than others? This is the basic research question addressed in this article. In addition and maybe even more importantly, for the first time the article will apply fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to the study of comparative constitutional policy, and thus will investigate what conditions explain the changeableness of subnational constitutions. Overall, I will argue that subnational constitutional policy is not just a manifestation of Germany’s consensus democracy. On the contrary, it seems that a crucial element of majoritarian democracy – that is, a low number of effective parties – appears to be a core condition for the changeableness of constitutions. In addition, the findings suggest that any theory striving to explain the frequency and scope of constitutional amendments in a comparative perspective should include both institutional and party factors.
Research and development of new neodymium laser glasses
Authors: He Dongbing , Kang Shuai , Zhang Liyan , Chen Lin , Ding Yajun , Yin Qianwen , Hu LiLi
Published: January 2017

This work presents a brief introduction on three kinds of newly developed

$\text{Nd}^{3+}$

-doped laser glasses in Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), China. Two

$\text{Nd}^{3+}$

-doped phosphate glasses with lower thermal expansion coefficient and thermal shock resistance 4 times higher than that of N31 glass are developed for laser processing. Nd:Silicate and Nd:Aluminate glasses with peak emission wavelength at 1061 and 1065 nm, effective emission bandwidth of 34 and 50 nm, respectively, are developed for Exawatt-class laser system application. Fluorophosphate glasses with low nonlinear refractive index (

$n_{2}=0.6{-}0.86$

) and long fluorescence lifetime (

$430{-}510~\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{s}$

) are investigated for the purpose of decreasing B integral in high-power laser system. The properties of all these glasses are presented and compared with those of commercial neodymium laser glasses.
Paramyxovirus Outbreak in a Long-Term Care Facility: The Challenges of Implementing Infection Control Practices in a Congregate Setting
Authors: Spires Steven Schaeffer , Talbot H. Keipp , Pope Carolyn A. , Talbot Thomas R.
Published: January 2017

OBJECTIVE

We report an outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in a dementia care ward containing 2 separately locked units (A and B) to heighten awareness of these pathogens in the older adult population and highlight some of the infection prevention challenges faced during a noninfluenza respiratory viral outbreak in a congregate setting.

METHODS

Cases were defined by the presence of new signs or symptoms that included (1) a single oral temperature ≥ 37.8°C (100.0°F) and (2) the presence of at least 2 of the following symptoms: cough, dyspnea, rhinorrhea, hoarseness, congestion, fatigue, and malaise. Attempted infection-control measures included cohorting patients and staff, empiric isolation precautions, and cessation of group activities. Available nasopharyngeal swab specimens were sent to the Tennessee Department of Health for identification by rT-PCR testing.

RESULTS

We identified 30 of the 41 (73%) residents as cases over this 16-day outbreak. Due to high numbers of sick personnel, we were unable to cohort staff to 1 unit. Unit B developed its first case 8 days after infection control measures were implemented. Of the 14 cases with available specimens, 6 patients tested positive for RSV-B, 7 for HMPV and 1 patient test positive for influenza A. Overall, 15 cases (50%) required transfer to acute care facilities; 10 of these patients (34%) had chest x-ray confirmed pulmonary infiltrates; and 5 residents (17%) died.

CONCLUSIONS

This case report highlights the importance of RSV and HMPV in causing substantial disease in the older adult population and highlights the challenges in preventing transmission of these viruses.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:399–404
Wake vortex evolution of square cylinder with a slot synthetic jet positioned at the rear surface
Authors: Qu Yuan , Wang Jinjun , Sun Mao , Feng Lihao , Pan Chong , Gao Qi , He Guosheng
Published: January 2017

Wake vortex evolution of a square cylinder with a slot synthetic jet issuing from the cylinder’s rear surface has been experimentally investigated using the time-resolved particle image velocimetry technique. The Reynolds number based on the side length of the square cylinder is $Re=836$. The excitation frequency normalized by the natural shedding frequency $f_{e}/f_{0}$ varies from 0 to 6 at the dimensionless stroke length $L_{0}/w=72.6$. The distributions of the time-averaged Reynolds stresses present significant differences as the excitation frequency increases. With control, the mean streamwise velocity deficit of the wake recovers more quickly in comparison with the natural case, and the vertical velocity fluctuation intensity becomes weaker. Moreover, a drag reduction can be achieved for the control cases, especially, for $f_{e}/f_{0}=4$ and $f_{e}/f_{0}=6$, a thrust instead of drag reduction can be obtained. The profiles of the mean streamwise velocity tend to have jet-like distributions. The wake vortex dynamics and its evolution with the excitation frequency are revealed. (i) For the low excitation frequency cases ($f_{e}/f_{0}=0.5$, 1, 2), no significant changes in the dominant frequency and the spanwise vortex structures are observed in comparison with the natural case. (ii) For the moderate excitation frequency case ($f_{e}/f_{0}=3$), the wake vortex shedding frequency is locked on half of the control frequency. In this case, the shear layer is divided into two parts by the synthetic jet vortex, and the wake vortices with smaller scales still shed asymmetrically and appear closer to the square cylinder. (iii) For the high excitation frequency case ($f_{e}/f_{0}=6$), the flow is governed by the synthetic jet. As a result of strong perturbations of the synthetic jet, the wake vortex shedding becomes symmetric with the shedding frequency consistent with the control frequency. And the separation is suppressed effectively. The different control effects of the slot synthetic jet on a square cylinder and a circular cylinder are also compared in detail. Generally speaking, the circular cylinder is easier to be controlled due to its non-fixed separation points.
Theories of exceptional executive powers in Turkey, 1933–1945
Authors: Parslow Joakim
Published: January 2017

Turkish constitutions have generally sought to limit the executive branch’s emergency powers by codifying and subjecting them to judicial and parliamentary supervision. In practice, however, ever since the single-party regime of the interwar years, cabinets have wielded wide powers to suspend rights and exercise discretion concerning both security issues and property and finance regimes. The result has been a legal system that, barred from explicitly embracing executive prerogative as a matter of principle, has instead dispersed “exceptional” powers throughout the fabric of the statutes, temporary laws, regulations, and decrees with which the state articulates its authority. The task of maintaining a semblance of normality and coherence within this scattered and contradictory system has been left to legal theoreticians. This article examines how three such theoreticians—the law professors Sıddık Sami Onar, Ali Fuad Başgil, and Ragıp Sarıca—responded to the cabinet’s recourse to emergency powers during the troubled 1930s and 1940s. Instead of defending rule-of-law principles, I argue, these formative figures integrated prerogative into the sphere of ordinary legality, thereby transforming exceptional powers into a normal mode of governance.
Paradoxes in Turkey’s Syria policy: Analyzing the critical episode of agenda building
Authors: Tür Özlem , Kumral Mehmet Akif
Published: January 2017

This article explores the discursive reasons behind the paradoxes in Turkey’s foreign policy since the onset of the Syria crisis. By looking at representation of Turkey’s Syria policy in two prominent pro-government newspapers, Star and Yeni Şafak, the authors highlight the significance of the February 2012 episode, after which Ankara experienced deep discursive dilemmas for three reasons: the uncertain portrayal of the dyadic context, the ambiguous framing of third-party roles, and ambivalent agenda building. Despite the shadow of imminent civil war, Turkey’s foreign policy elite refrained from framing the real risks arising within Syria. Idealistic-normative calls appealed to massacre rhetoric in order to legitimize humanitarian intervention. However, the geopolitical framing of third-party roles did not assist in the building of diplomatic ground for international intervention. Quite the contrary, it led to the shaping of public opinion toward realistic-utilitarian interference. Swinging between intervention and interference, Ankara pushed itself toward a liminal position. Even though the Turkish government’s rhetorical ambivalence helped to sway anti-war domestic public opinion, it did not help to control the spiraling of Syria into civil war. That is to say, the ambivalent agenda building in the critical February 2012 episode perpetuated paradoxes in Turkey’s Syria policy and left lingering implications for the transformation of the Syrian crisis in the years to come.
The state of property development in Turkey: facts and comparisons
Authors: Demiralp Seda , Demiralp Selva , Gümüş İnci
Published: January 2017

In this article, we investigate economic and political developments in Turkey’s construction sector over the last decade and consider their implications. We find that during the first term of the government of the Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP), thanks to administrative and economic incentives, both private and public construction rose considerably. Despite the construction sector’s contribution to growth, there is also evidence of a transfer from the industrial sector toward the construction sector, which led to significant decline in the trend growth of the industrial sector in the era prior to 2006. Such evidence disappears in the post-crisis period, when the growth of private construction slows. However, overcentralization, clientelism, an absence of transparency, and limitations on citizen participation in urban planning remain as problems that need to be addressed through urban reform.
Phenotypic factors influencing the variation in response of circulating cholesterol level to personalised dietary advice in the Food4Me study
Authors: Kirwan Laura , Walsh Marianne C. , Celis-Morales Carlos , Marsaux Cyril F. M. , Livingstone Katherine M. , Navas-Carretero Santiago , Fallaize Rosalind , O’Donovan Clare B. , Woolhead Clara , Forster Hannah , Kolossa Silvia , Daniel Hannelore , Moschonis George , Manios Yannis , Surwillo Agnieszka , Godlewska Magdalena , Traczyk Iwona , Drevon Christian A. , Gibney Mike J. , Lovegrove Julie A. , Martinez J. Alfredo , Saris Wim H. M. , Mathers John C. , Gibney Eileen R. , Brennan Lorraine
Published: January 2017

Individual response to dietary interventions can be highly variable. The phenotypic characteristics of those who will respond positively to personalised dietary advice are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to compare the phenotypic profiles of differential responders to personalised dietary intervention, with a focus on total circulating cholesterol. Subjects from the Food4Me multi-centre study were classified as responders or non-responders to dietary advice on the basis of the change in cholesterol level from baseline to month 6, with lower and upper quartiles defined as responder and non-responder groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between demographic and anthropometric profiles of the groups. Furthermore, with the exception of alcohol, there was no significant difference in reported dietary intake, at baseline. However, there were marked differences in baseline fatty acid profiles. The responder group had significantly higher levels of stearic acid (18 : 0,P=0·034) and lower levels of palmitic acid (16 : 0,P=0·009). Total MUFA (P=0·016) and total PUFA (P=0·008) also differed between the groups. In a step-wise logistic regression model, age, baseline total cholesterol, glucose, five fatty acids and alcohol intakes were selected as factors that successfully discriminated responders from non-responders, with sensitivity of 82 % and specificity of 83 %. The successful delivery of personalised dietary advice may depend on our ability to identify phenotypes that are responsive. The results demonstrate the potential use of metabolic profiles in identifying response to an intervention and could play an important role in the development of precision nutrition.