bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
About‐Face: Gender, Disfigurement and the Politics of French Reconstruction, 1918–24
Authors: Powell Julie M.
Published: October 2016

This article examines the role of facially wounded soldiers and prosthetic masks in the post‐First World War reconstruction of a gendered French nation. In contextualising the work of Anna Coleman Ladd, who sculpted facial prosthetics to ‘re‐humanise’ disfigured French veterans, I aim to shed light on larger post‐war tensions between the accommodation and rejection of social and cultural change. By submitting to Ladd's efforts and donning her devices, the French mutilés who sought her help articulated, through their bodies, a conservative vision for the French nation – highlighting the resonance of the traditional masculine ideal in post‐war France and a desire to reconstruct an idealised past. The exposure of the ‘surreal’ face, conversely, signalled the futility of a return to the status quo ante and the creation of the Union des Blessés de la face et de la tête allowed veterans to renegotiate the bounds of acceptable masculinity. Collectively, the facially wounded suggest the ways in which the face serves as a site of gender work, a means by which to challenge or reify masculine norms of behaviour and appearance.
Feminism, Pacifism and Political Violence in Europe and China in the Era of the World Wars
Authors: Siegel Mona L.
Published: October 2016

This article examines international collaboration between Western and Chinese feminists in the interwar decades. Focusing on the 1927–28 ‘mission to Asia’ sponsored by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the article shows that, contrary to what existing historiography would lead us to suspect, neither feminist Orientalism nor colonial nationalism stood as a serious impediment to the formation of a truly international feminist alliance. Instead, European and Chinese women's varying experiences and memories of international conflict, and their varying understandings of the relationship between feminism, pacifism, militarism and political violence, defined the limits of global feminist collaboration in the late 1920s. The WILPF delegates, like many European women in the 1920s, were living in the shadow of the First World War, a conflict they condemned as futile and barbaric; their Chinese ‘sisters’ were living in the midst of a battle to determine the political future of their nation. For both sets of women, the question of women's emancipation was fundamentally entwined with broader national and international struggles. This article incorporates reports, personal letters and diaries of WILPF delegates as well as articles, speeches and letters by Chinese women to offer new insights into one of the earliest efforts to build a truly international women's movement and draw our attention to the centrality of warfare in defining the limits of global feminist collaboration in the twentieth century.
From Control to Terror: German Prostitution Policies in Eastern and Western European Territories during both World Wars
Authors: Röger Maren , Debruyne Emmanuel
Published: October 2016

In both World Wars, the German armies enacted a prostitution policy in all the occupied territories of Western and Eastern Europe. Through a comparative study, this article uses archival research in Poland, France, Belgium and Germany as well as existing studies in five languages to examine the continuities and discontinuities in German prostitution policies between the Western and the Eastern territories during both wars. In exploring the question of continuity, we consider the interaction of local authorities with occupation forces and how prostitution policies in Western and Eastern countries differed from the German ‘home front’. Strong continuities existed between the First and Second World War, including a severe backlash against the abolitionist trend in Europe and the extension of regulatory controls beyond the prostitutes to include other ‘suspect’ women, often justified by concerns over the spread of venereal diseases and public morality and health. Despite these continuities, prostitution policies were even more regressive during the Second World War, with the racial ideology of Nazism as the main trigger for the brutalisation of prostitution policies. German authorities pushed the system to greater extremes, overseeing its evolution from control to terror.
‘My Body was Aflame with His Memory’: War, Gender and Colonial Ghosts in Hiroshima mon amour (1959)
Authors: Sanos Sandrine
Published: October 2016

This article argues that historicising the iconic 1959 French film Hiroshima mon amour reveals a different set of meanings that most scholars have overlooked. As France found itself embroiled in the brutal and bloody Algerian War of Independence, many started reflecting on the meaning and aftereffects of the Second World War. Despite its anti‐colonial universalist humanism, Hiroshima remains haunted by colonial ghosts and fantasies of post‐war ‘Asia’ where Asian female bodies are passive and Asian male bodies only echo other European male bodies. Ultimately, sexual and racial differences organise the film's narrative of war and canonises a Eurocentric version of ‘history’. The film's melodramatic love story renders invisible the ways gender and sexuality shape understandings of violence, wars, and violated bodies. Against Marguerite Duras's and Alain Resnais's intentions, the love story allows the remembering and forgetting of a (French) national history that only the female character embodies. Only the French woman stands in for subjectivity, memory and trauma, rendering everything else secondary. Once read as a historical text, the film illustrates the limits and ambivalences of post‐war anti‐colonial humanist political imagination.
‘My Daughter was Genetically Drafted with me’: US‐Vietnam War Veterans, Disabilities and Gender
Authors: Reagan Leslie J.
Published: October 2016

This article examines war's lasting bodily legacies by focusing on the Vietnam veterans’ Agent Orange movement that arose in the mid‐1970s. This movement pushed for the recognition of the disabling effects of Agent Orange not only on veterans themselves but also on their children. By taking biological responsibility for miscarriages or children's birth defects, veteran‐fathers challenged gender norms that blamed women and required men to hide their grief about both war and children. They also reinforced pitiful representations of children with disabilities in seeking to win benefits for their children. This article studies the representations of and discourses about these children, including how race and gender informed media coverage of the Agent Orange movement. Although women fought on behalf of Vietnam veterans and their families, their roles nevertheless remained circumscribed within conventional gendered expectations and domestic arrangements. The article uses the methods of disabilities, gender, social and cultural history to analyse veterans’ movement records as well as newspapers, Congressional hearings, television news and documentary films. It underscores the centrality of disability as a category of historical analysis and the value of (re)considering the fields of war, gender and reproduction through the analytical lens of disability.
The Reaction of the Australian Stock Market to Monetary Policy Announcements from the Reserve Bank of Australia
Authors: Brown Alexandra , Karpavičius Sigitas
Published: October 2016

The aim of this paper is to explore the impact of monetary policy decisions by the Reserve Bank of Australia on the Australian stock market. We find some evidence that equity prices are negatively impacted by unexpected changes in the target cash rate. The result is generally consistent with existing studies that use US data in the analysis. We show that the stock market does not react to raw changes in the target cash rate, the expected component of raw cash rate changes, and the release of the explanatory meeting minutes.
Disparities in Diabetes Care Quality by English Language Preference in Community Health Centers
Authors: Leung Lucinda B. , Vargas‐Bustamante Arturo , Martinez Ana E. , Chen Xiao , Rodriguez Hector P.
Published: October 2016

Objective

To conduct a parallel analysis of disparities in diabetes care quality among Latino and Asian community health center (CHC) patients by English language preference.

Study Setting/Data Collection

Clinical outcomes (2011) and patient survey data (2012) for Type 2 diabetes adults from 14 CHCs (n = 1,053).

Study Design

We estimated separate regression models for Latino and Asian patients by English language preference for Clinician & Group—Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System, Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care, hemoglobin A1c, and self‐reported hypoglycemic events. We used the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition method to parse out observed and unobserved differences in outcomes between English versus non‐English language groups.

Principal Findings

After adjusting for socioeconomic and health characteristics, disparities in patient experiences by English language preference were found only among Asian patients. Unobserved factors largely accounted for linguistic disparities for most patient experience measures. There were no significant differences in glycemic control by language for either Latino or Asian patients.

Conclusions

Given the importance of patient retention in CHCs, our findings indicate opportunities to improve CHC patients' experiences of care and to reduce disparities in patient experience by English preference for Asian diabetes patients.
Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans: A comprehensive review on the spectrum of clinico‐radiological presentations
Authors: Sung Tony HT , Tam Annie CW , Khoo Jennifer LS
Published: October 2016

Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP) is a rare malignant soft‐tissue neoplasm which is often misdiagnosed due to its indolent clinical course and non‐specific radiological appearances. An observation case series was conducted with retrospective review of clinical and radiological data of DFSP patients presenting to a major tertiary hospital in Hong Kong for radiological assessment between November 2006 and February 2016. Seven patients with confirmed histological diagnosis of DFSP were included. Tumour sizes at presentation ranged from 1 to 5 cm, most commonly (n = 6) occurred over chest wall and abdominal wall. History of previous local trauma or surgery was identified in the majority of cases (n = 4). There was poor correlation between pre‐imaging clinical diagnoses and pathological diagnoses. Local recurrence and tumour de‐differentiation with sarcomatous changes occurred in the minority of cases (n = 2). A common radiological ‘claw’ sign at the lesion/skin interface formed by elongated appendages of the tumour superficially was appreciated in most cases (n = 6). A history of previous local trauma or surgery serves as a possible etiological factor for the development of DFSP. High clinical suspicion for the entity is essential in its detection and differentiation from simple wound complications and local recurrence of other benign lesions. The radiological ‘claw’ sign at the lesion/skin interface might serve as a tell‐tale sign for cutaneous tumour involvement. A comprehensive analysis of imaging findings in conjunction with individual clinical presentations is the key to accurate diagnoses and proper management.
First discovery of ancient soft‐stone (chlorite) vessel production in Arabia: Aqir al‐Shamoos (Oman)
Authors: Harrower Michael J. , David‐Cuny Hélène , Nathan Smiti , Dumitru Ioana A. , Al‐Jabri Suleiman
Published: October 2016

Soft‐stone vessels are a prominent feature of ancient culture throughout south‐east Arabia and the Gulf. Chlorite and steatite occur naturally in the al‐Hajar Mountains of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman; but until now, apart from the discovery of a few unfinished pieces, ancient production of soft‐stone vessels had yet to be documented in Arabia. This paper reports the discovery and preliminary analysis of soft‐stone vessel production at the site of Aqir al‐Shamoos. At this small and secluded mountain village, a range of soft‐stone vessels that are well known in the south‐east Arabian Iron Age were produced on a scale far beyond what was needed for local consumption.
Accuracy of Ultrasonographic Measurements of Adrenal Glands in Dogs: Comparison with Necroscopic Findings
Authors: Pagani E. , Tarducci A. , Borrelli A. , Iotti B. , Tursi M. , Zanatta R.
Published: October 2016

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the adrenal glands was performed in 85 dogs, followed by macroscopic and histopathological examination either post‐mortem or after adrenalectomy. This retrospective cross‐sectional study evaluated the difference between gross and ultrasonographic measurements to determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in the evaluation of canine adrenal gland size. The differences were assessed for gland length, thickness at cranial, middle and caudal regions, and surface area. In our sample, ultrasound error accuracy ranged between 0% in measurement of the right adrenal gland surface area and 25.21% for left cranial pole thickness. The parameters with minor errors were caudal pole thickness (3.64% right side and 3.49% left side) and length (5.75% right side and 2.19% left side). The ultrasonographic measurements generally underestimated the actual size of the adrenal glands. No statistically significant differences were observed for measurement errors between normal and pathological adrenal glands. This study confirmed that the caudal pole of both glands is the best parameter for ultrasonographic evaluation of normal and pathological adrenal glands size in dog. Furthermore, the surface area could be considered as a dimensional parameter for better assessment of the complex shape and the global aspect of the adrenal glands, while standardize ultrasonographic projections are needed to measure the cranial pole of both adrenal glands.
Gross Anatomy of Pampas Deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus, Linnaeus 1758) Mouth and Pharynx
Authors: Pérez W. , Vazquez N. , Ungerfeld R.
Published: October 2016

The aims of this study were to describe the anatomy of the mouth and pharynx of the pampas deer, and to consider its evolutionary feeding niche according to those characteristics. Gross dissections of the mouth and pharynx were performed in 15 animals, 10 adult females and five young animals under 1 year (three males and two females), all dead by causes unrelated to this anatomical region. The upper lip entered in the constitution of a pigmented nasolabial plane. The masseter muscles weighed 43.8 ± 3.5 g and represented 0.23% of body weight, which corresponds to ruminants of feeders intermediate to grazers and browsers. Parotid glands represented 0.08% of the body weight, characteristic that also categorize the pampas deer as belonging to the intermediate feeding group. The dental formula was the same of the domestic ruminants. The upper incisors and canines were absent, and instead of them, there was a dental pad (Pulvinus dentalis). The upper canine teeth were present only in the deciduous dentition. The existence of a brachydont dentition turns Ozotoceros very vulnerable to continuous use as there is no compensatory teeth growth. The particular anatomy of the mouth and lips of this animal was adapted to a very selective feeding, taking highly nutritious sprouts beyond plant category. In conclusion and in addition to previous studies of anatomy of the digestive organs in this species, pampas deer may be categorized as belonging to the intermediate type of feeding.
Contentious space and scale politics: Planning for intercity railway in China's mega‐city regions
Authors: Xu Jiang
Published: October 2016

Over the past three decades, we have seen a flourishing of scholarship which explores the emerging political spaces and variegated scales of governance in China. This research draws on political economic tradition to argue that the way in which cities and regions are governed is indeed infused with socio‐political struggles which are proliferating at a range of spatial scales. Such theoretical interpretation is illuminating, but it has been subject to increasing criticism from the poststructuralist approach that views scale as an epistemological construct. This paper uses the Pearl River Delta Intercity Railway System (PRD‐ICRS) as a case study to challenge the onesidedness of both the political economy tradition and the poststructuralist approach in reading scale. It employs the “scale politics” thesis to argue that scale is more than a material existence (or institutionalised structure) that represents a particular arrangement of political power, being subject to perpetual transformation through regulatory projects and strategies. It is also a “representation trope” deployed in political discourses to acquire persuasive power to frame and legitimise these projects and strategies. Scale is thus both material and discursive. Understanding the two moments of scale enables a fuller dissection of political transformation.
Body condition and stage of seasonal anestrus interact to determine the ovulatory response after male biostimulation in anovulatory Criollo × Nubian goats
Authors: Vera‐Avila Hector R. , Urrutia‐Morales Jorge , Espinosa‐Martinez Mario A. , Gamez‐Vazquez Hector G. , Jimenez‐Severiano Hector , Villagomez‐Amezcua Eugenio
Published: October 2016

The effect of goat nutritional condition on the response to biostimulation with sexually active males during different stages of anestrus was determined. Fifty‐eight Criollo × Nubian females on high and low body mass index (BMI) diets were used. Each BMI group was divided into two for biostimulation with sexually active males during May (mid‐anestrus) or July (transition period). Ovulatory responses to biostimulation were characterized from serum progesterone, as well as the delay for response (first and second ovulations followed by a normal length luteal phase, O‐WNLP). The percentage of goats showing one O‐WNLP was greater in the high BMI group than in the low BMI group and greater during the transition period than in the mid‐anestrus. However, the interaction between factors revealed that the difference between BMI groups was only significant in the transition period and the difference between stages was only significant in goats with high BMI. Occurrence of a second O‐WNLP tended to be greater in the high BMI group than in the low BMI group. Response delay was shorter in the transition period than in mid‐anestrus. In conclusion, female nutritional status interacting with the stage of anestrus determined the ovulatory response to male biostimulation in crossbred Criollo goats.
Modelling Mutation Spectra of Human Carcinogens Using Experimental Systems
Authors: Zhivagui Maria , Korenjak Michael , Zavadil Jiri
Published: October 2016

Mutation spectra in cancer genomes provide information on the disease aetiology and the causality underlying the evolution and progression of cancer. Genome‐wide mutation patterns reflect the effects of mutagenic insults and can thus reveal past carcinogen‐specific exposures and inform hypotheses on the causative factors for specific cancer types. To identify mutation profiles in human cancers, single‐gene studies were first employed, focusing mainly on the tumour suppressor gene TP53. Furthermore, experimental studies had been developed in model organisms. They allowed the characterization of the mutation patterns specific to known human carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or ultraviolet light. With the advent of massively parallel sequencing, mutation landscapes become revealed on a large scale, in human primary tumours and in experimental models, enabling deeper investigations of the functional and structural impact of mutations on the genome, including exposure‐specific base‐change fingerprints known as mutational signatures. These studies can now accelerate the identification of aetiological factors, contribute to carcinogen evaluation and classification and ultimately inform cancer prevention measures.
Distance Sampling Detection Functions: 2D or Not 2D?
Authors: Borchers David Louis , Cox Martin James
Published: October 2016

Conventional distance sampling (CDS) methods assume that animals are uniformly distributed in the vicinity of lines or points. But when animals move in response to observers before detection, or when lines or points are not located randomly, this assumption may fail. By formulating distance sampling models as survival models, we show that using time to first detection in addition to perpendicular distance (line transect surveys) or radial distance (point transect surveys) allows estimation of detection probability, and hence density, when animal distribution in the vicinity of lines or points is not uniform and is unknown. We also show that times to detection can provide information about failure of the CDS assumption that detection probability is 1 at distance zero. We obtain a maximum likelihood estimator of line transect survey detection probability and effective strip half-width using times to detection, and we investigate its properties by simulation in situations where animals are nonuniformly distributed and their distribution is unknown. The estimator is found to perform well when detection probability at distance zero is 1. It allows unbiased estimates of density to be obtained in this case from surveys in which there has been responsive movement prior to animals coming within detectable range. When responsive movement continues within detectable range, estimates may be biased but are likely less biased than estimates from methods that assuming no responsive movement. We illustrate by estimating primate density from a line transect survey in which animals are known to avoid the transect line, and a shipboard survey of dolphins that are attracted to it.
The magic of magic: The effect of magic tricks on subsequent engagement with lecture material
Authors: Moss Simon A. , Irons Melanie , Boland Martin
Published: October 2016

Background and aims

Lecturers often present entertaining videos, or organize a variety of amusing demonstrations, to foster student engagement or to encourage critical analysis. Magic tricks, in particular, have been shown to activate neural circuits that underpin motivation or problem‐solving and, therefore, could be beneficial during lectures. Nevertheless, we hypothesize that, unless the method that underpins these tricks is revealed, students may ruminate over possible explanations, distracting attention from the lecture material.

Sample and methods

To test these arguments, in this study, 224 participants watched a video of a magic performance, watched a video of a circus act, or watched no video at all. In half the participants who watched the magic performance, the secret that underpinned the trick was disclosed. Next, participants watched a psychology tutorial, before answering questions that assessed engagement, need for cognition, and comprehension of the material.

Results

If the secret was withheld, magic tricks diminished subsequent need for cognition but did not affect comprehension. Furthermore, magic tricks tended to diminish engagement with the subsequent tutorial. These effects, however, were small.

Conclusion

Future research is warranted to ascertain whether information that is embedded within a magic trick, rather than presented after the trick, is more likely to be remembered or understood later. This research could clarify when performance can enhance or disrupt student engagement.
What Detoxifies Shame in Integrative Psychotherapy? an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Authors: Anthony Friel Joseph
Published: October 2016

This study investigated the detoxification process of shame in integrative psychotherapy from the client's perspective, focusing on the experience of shame and the interventions used in working with toxic shame. Through identifying the detoxification process, successful therapeutic outcomes that reduced shame over time were determined with further exploration into the experience of the shame phenomenon. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse data from transcripts of semi‐structured recorded interviews from a sample of trainee/qualified therapists who had experienced shame as clients. The findings from the study evidence the separating and isolating qualities of the shame experience, an experience that was crippling and correlated with development and early infantile relationships. The findings of this study highlight how shame is experienced and the fundamental role therapists have in detoxifying shame through recognizing, understanding and working to normalize it. Sensitivity to the shame experience is crucial so as not to compound the shame experience further. The need to be sensitive to regression in treatment, the need for a secure attachment within a relational oriented psychotherapy such as integrative psychotherapy and the centrality of the relationship in the reparative process are seen as fundamental to the effective management of toxic shame. In view of integrative psychotherapy being influenced by a variety of psychoanalytical theories, this paper draws upon psychoanalytic and humanistic perspectives in the analysis and interpretation of the findings.
Long‐term utility of adjuvant hormonal and radiation therapy for patients with seminal vesicle invasion at radical prostatectomy
Authors: Moschini Marco , Sharma Vidit , Gandaglia Giorgio , Dell'Oglio Paolo , Fossati Nicola , Zaffuto Emanuele , Montorsi Francesco , Briganti Alberto , Karnes Robert Jeffrey
Published: October 2016

Objective

To investigate the long‐term utility of adjuvant therapy after radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer with seminal vesicle invasion (SVI; pT3b), as the published data are conflicting.

Patients and Methods

Patients with SVI during RP and pelvic lymph node dissection at two major referral centres from 1986 to 2014 were included. Kaplan–Meier analyses and multivariable Cox regressions were used to determine if adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) and adjuvant hormonal therapy (aHT) were predictors of biochemical recurrence (BCR), cancer‐specific mortality (CSM) and overall mortality (OM). Subset analyses were performed for pN0 patients and pN+ patients.

Results

Overall, 3 279 patients with prostate cancer and SVI were included with a median follow‐up of 148 months. Considering the whole SVI population, 1 387 (42%) received no adjuvant therapy, 1 179 (36%) received aHT, 461 (14.1%) received aRT, while 252 (7.7%) received both aHT and aRT. The 10‐year BCR, CSM, and OM rates were 64%, 14%, and 27%, respectively. In the overall population, aRT and aHT were predictors of BCR, CSM and OM (all P < 0.04). When only pT3bN0 patients were considered, aHT was a significant multivariate predictor of BCR [hazard ratio (HR) 0.50, P < 0.001), CSM (HR 0.62, P = 0.01) and OM (HR 0.75, P = 0.004). Conversely, aRT was not associated with survival outcomes (all P > 0.05). When only the subgroup pT3bN+ was considered, the use of aRT was related to an improvement in CSM (HR 0.65, P = 0.03) and OM (HR 0.78, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

aHT + aRT seems to be effective in pT3b patients. However, when stratified according to the presence of nodal metastases, aHT remains effective only in the node‐negative subgroup, while aRT remains effective only in the node‐positive subgroup. Further data including prospective trials are warranted to study the utility of adjuvant therapies in this setting.
Factors associated with regional recurrence after lymph node dissection for penile squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Reddy Jay P. , Pettaway Curtis A. , Levy Lawrence B. , Pagliaro Lance C. , Tamboli Pheroze , Rao Priya , Jayaratna Isuru , Hoffman Karen E.
Published: October 2016

Objective

To identify factors associated with regional recurrence after lymph node dissection (LND) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to determine which patients might benefit from adjuvant therapy.

Patients and Methods

Men who underwent LND for penile SCC from 1977 to 2014 were identified from an institutional database. Kaplan–Meier curves estimated recurrence‐free survival (RFS) calculated from the date of LND. Cox regression models evaluated the association between RFS and patient and tumour characteristics.

Results

In all, 182 men who underwent LND for penile SCC were identified. The median patient age was 62 years and the median follow‐up was 4.2 years. After LND 34 men had regional recurrence, of which 24 developed isolated regional recurrences without distant metastasis. The median RFS was 5.7 months, and the 3‐year RFS rate was 70%. On univariate analysis, lymphovascular invasion, clinical and pathological nodal stage, pathological inguinal laterality, pelvic nodal involvement, lymph node density ≥5.2%, ≥3 pathologically involved lymph nodes, and extranodal extension (ENE) were associated with worse RFS (all P < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, clinical N3 disease [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR)] 3.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.68–7.45; P = 0.001), ≥3 pathologically involved lymph nodes (AHR 3.78, 95% CI 2.12–6.65; P < 0.001), and ENE (AHR 3.32, 95% CI 1.93–5.76; P < 0.001) were associated with worse RFS. The 3‐year RFS for patients with cN0, cN1, cN2, and cN3 disease was 91.7%, 64.5%, 54.7%, and 38.3%, respectively. For men with ≥3 involved nodes, the 3‐year RFS was 17% vs 82.4% in men with <3 involved nodes. The 3‐year RFS was 29.7% in men with ENE and 85.7% in men without ENE.

Conclusion

The presence of clinical N3 disease, ≥3 pathologically involved lymph nodes, and ENE was associated with worse RFS. As regional recurrence portends a dismal prognosis with few salvage options, adjuvant therapies should be developed for men with the aforementioned adverse factors.
Integrated Structural–Architectural Design for Interactive Planning
Authors: Steiner B. , Mousavian E. , Saradj F. Mehdizadeh , Wimmer M. , Musialski P.
Published: October 2016

Traditionally, building floor plans are designed by architects with their usability, functionality and architectural aesthetics in mind; however, the structural properties of the distribution of load‐bearing walls and columns are usually not taken into account at this stage. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for the design of architectural floor plans by integrating structural layout analysis directly into the planning process. In order to achieve this, we introduce a planning tool which interactively enforces checks for structural stability of the current design, and which on demand proposes how to stabilize it if necessary. Technically, our solution contains an interactive architectural modelling framework as well as a constrained optimization module where both are based on respective architectural rules. Using our tool, an architect can predict already in a very early planning stage whose designs are structurally sound such that later changes due to stability reasons can be prevented. We compare manually computed solutions with optimal results of our proposed automated design process in order to show how much our proposed system can help architects to improve the process of laying out structural models optimally.
Sleep Problems in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Study of Parenting Stress, Mothers' Sleep‐Related Cognitions, and Bedtime Behaviors
Authors: Levin Anat , Scher Anat
Published: October 2016

Introduction

Disrupted sleep is common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Aims

Our goal was to (1) examine the contribution of sleep problems to parenting stress in children with ASD as compared to typically developing (TD) and (2) to address maternal sleep‐related cognitions and behaviors in both groups.

Methods

Mothers of 34 ASD (mean age = 39.29 months, SD = 5.22) and 31 TD children (mean age = 36.23 months, SD = 5.75) completed questionnaires measuring maternal stress, sleep‐related cognitions and settling to sleep interactions, and the child's sleep problems; mothers in the ASD group completed a symptom severity questionnaire.

Results

In accord with previous research, children with ASD had more sleep problems compared to the TD group, and their mothers reported higher levels of stress. In the ASD group, sleep problems contributed to the experience of maternal stress, over and above symptom severity. Across groups, maternal cognitions and bedtime interactions were significantly associated with children's sleep problems.

Conclusion

The results highlight the interplay between sleep‐related cognitions, bedtime interactions, and sleep problems and underscore the contribution of disrupted sleep to mothers' experience of parenting stress. As sleep problems in ASD children are common, clinicians are advised to include sleep in consultations with parents.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Methylphenidate in Healthy Adults Emphasizing Novel and Known Effects of Several Carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) Variants
Authors: Lyauk YK , Stage C , Bergmann TK , Ferrero‐Milliani L , Bjerre D , Thomsen R , Dalhoff KP , Rasmussen HB , Jürgens G
Published: October 2016

The aim of this study was to identify demographic and genetic factors that significantly affect methylphenidate (MPH) pharmacokinetics (PK), and may help explain interindividual variability and further increase the safety of MPH. d‐MPH plasma concentrations, demographic covariates, and carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) genotypes were gathered from 122 healthy adults and analyzed using nonlinear mixed effects modeling. The structural model that best described the data was a two‐compartment disposition model with absorption transit compartments. Novel effects of rs115629050 and CES1 diplotypes, as well as previously reported effects of rs71647871 and body weight, were included in the final model. Assessment of the independent and combined effect of CES1 covariates identified several specific risk factors that may result in severely increased d‐MPH plasma exposure.
Myocardial scintigraphy – a method for detecting cardiac comorbidity in psoriasis patients?
Authors: Zutt Markus , Rudolph Hagen , Kaune Kjell Matthias , Wosniok Werner , Gärtner Ulrich , Linke Rainer
Published: October 2016

Background

In recent years, cardiac comorbidities in psoriasis patients have increasingly moved into the focus of clinical research. The objective of the present study was to evaluate myocardial scintigraphy as a screening method in patients with psoriasis.

Patients and methods

Assessment of various comorbidities in 50 psoriasis patients without clinical symptoms of cardiac disease. Myocardial scintigraphy was employed to detect cardiac risk/exercise‐induced ischemia.

Results

Twenty‐eight patients (56 %) had pathological findings on myocardial scintigraphy. Fourteen individuals showed evidence of small‐vessel disease (cardiac syndrome X). Other comorbidities included obesity, arterial hypertension, nicotine and alcohol abuse, as well as elevated CRP levels. Frequencies largely corresponded to those reported in the recent literature. There was no significant correlation between the severity of psoriasis or any comorbidities and pathological findings on myocardial scintigraphy.

Conclusions

Myocardial scintigraphy seems to be a very sensitive, noninvasive method for the early detection of cardiac comorbidities in psoriasis patients. However, determining its true diagnostic value will require larger studies with control subjects and control methods such as coronary angiography.
Oculomotor atypicalities in Developmental Coordination Disorder
Authors: Sumner Emma , Hutton Samuel B. , Kuhn Gustav , Hill Elisabeth L.
Published: October 2016

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) fail to acquire adequate motor skill, yet surprisingly little is known about the oculomotor system in DCD. Successful completion of motor tasks is supported by accurate visual feedback. The purpose of this study was to determine whether any oculomotor differences can distinguish between children with and without a motor impairment. Using eye tracking technology, visual fixation, smooth pursuit, and pro‐ and anti‐saccade performance were assessed in 77 children that formed three groups: children with DCD (aged 7–10), chronologically age (CA) matched peers, and a motor‐match (MM) group (aged 4–7). Pursuit gain and response preparation in the pro‐ and anti‐saccade tasks were comparable across groups. Compared to age controls, children with DCD had deficits in maintaining engagement in the fixation and pursuit tasks, and made more anti‐saccade errors. The two typically developing groups performed similarly, except on the fast speed smooth pursuit and antisaccade tasks, where the CA group outperformed the younger MM group. The findings suggest that children with DCD have problems with saccadic inhibition and maintaining attention on a visual target. Developmental patterns were evident in the typically developing groups, suggesting that the pursuit system and cognitive control develop with age. This study adds to the literature by being the first to systematically identify specific oculomotor differences between children with and without a motor impairment. Further examination of oculomotor control may help to identify underlying processes contributing to DCD. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/NinXa2KlB4M. [Correction added on 27 January 2017, after first online publication: The video abstract link was added.]
The effect of liraglutide on renal function: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: von Scholten Bernt J. , Persson Frederik , Rosenlund Signe , Hovind Peter , Faber Jens , Hansen Tine W. , Rossing Peter
Published: October 2016

Aims

Among patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuria, cardiorenal morbidity and mortality are high despite multifactorial treatment. Short‐term reduction in albuminuria is considered suggestive of long‐term renoprotective effects. We evaluated the renal effects of the glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonist liraglutide on top of multifactorial care, including renin‐angiotensin‐system (RAS)‐inhibition.

Materials and methods

Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over trial including patients with type 2 diabetes and persistent albuminuria (urinary albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio >30 mg/g) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2. Patients received liraglutide (1.8 mg/d) and matched placebo for 12 weeks in a random order. The primary endpoint was change in 24‐h urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER).

Results

A total of 32 patients were randomized and 27 completed the study. After placebo treatment, geometric mean (IQR) UAER was 199 (81‐531) mg/24‐h, mean (SD) measured GFR (mGFR) 75 (36) mL/min/1.73 m2, 24‐h blood pressure 145/80 (15/8) mm Hg and HbA1c 61 (11) mmol/mol. Liraglutide reduced HbA1c by 8 (95% CI: 5; 11) mmol/mol (P
< .001) and weight by 1.8 (95% CI: 0.2; 3.4) kg (P
= .032) compared to placebo. Furthermore, liraglutide reduced UAER by 32 (95% CI: 7; 50)% (
P
= .017) compared with placebo. The change in mGFR was −5 (95% CI: −11; 2) mL/min/1.73 m2 (
P
= .15), and change in 24‐h systolic blood pressure was −5 (95% CI: −10; 0) mm Hg (
P
= .07). In multivariate regression models, change in UAER was associated with change in 24‐h systolic blood pressure (
P
= .025) but not with change in HbA1c, weight or mGFR (
P
≥ .14), overall model
R
2
= .39.

Conclusions

Our placebo‐controlled randomized trial suggests that liraglutide has renoprotective effects on top of multifactorial treatment, including RAS‐inhibition, in patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuria.
Lipoprotein‐like receptor 4 antibodies in myasthenia gravis: pathogenic or protective
Authors: Richman D. P.
Published: October 2016

Click here to view the accompanying paper in this issue.
Crystal structure of a peptidyl‐dipeptidase K‐26‐DCP from Actinomycete in complex with its natural inhibitor
Authors: Masuyer Geoffrey , Cozier Gyles E. , Kramer Glenna J. , Bachmann Brian O. , Acharya K. Ravi
Published: October 2016

Several soil‐derived Actinobacteria produce secondary metabolites that are proven specific and potent inhibitors of the human angiotensin‐I‐converting enzyme (ACE), a key target for the modulation of hypertension through its role in the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. K‐26‐DCP is a zinc dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase (DCP) produced by Astrosporangium hypotensionis, and an ancestral homologue of ACE. Here we report the high‐resolution crystal structures of K‐26‐DCP and of its complex with the natural microbial tripeptide product K‐26. The experimental results provide the structural basis for better understanding the specificity of K‐26 for human ACE over bacterial DCPs.

Database

Structural data are available in the PDB under the accession numbers 5L43 and 5L44.
Assessment of a fisheries legal framework for potential development of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in large rivers
Authors: Castillo T. I. , Baigún C. R. M. , Minotti P. G.
Published: October 2016

Most small‐scale fisheries of large floodplain rivers are still managed under conventional top‐down regulations that limit the application of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) due to inappropriate legal frameworks. Using the Parana–Paraguay River fisheries (Argentina) as an example, this study examines the extent to which existing provincial legislations can be prepared for the adoption of an EAF. An Ecosystem Fishing Legal Approach (EFLA) framework is proposed based on different criteria across an environmental–ecological, fishing, social, economic and institutional template. Policy Component Scores (PCS) and an Integrated Policy Legal Index (IPLI) were applied to assess the degree of compliance by current provincial legislations to EAF implementation. Cluster analysis was used to recognise the potential for articulating a legal framework at a basin scale. The EFLA framework, which provided an accurate picture of how provinces were poorly prepared to adopt an EAF for the Paraguay–Parana fisheries, and represents a suitable tool that can be adapted and extended to other basins around the world.
Morphogenesis, biomass and nutritive value of Panicum maximum under different shade levels and fertilizer nitrogen rates
Authors: Paciullo D. S. C. , Gomide C. A. M. , Castro C. R. T. , Maurício R. M. , Fernandes P. B. , Morenz M. J. F.
Published: October 2016

Panicum maximum is important for cattle production in tropical regions, and it responds well to nitrogen (N) fertilization. Many cultivars have exhibited potential for use in silvopastoral systems, although there is limited information on how different levels of N can influence plant growth and nutritive value under shading. Morphogenetic and structural traits, biomass production and nutritive value of two P. maximum cultivars (Tanzânia and Massai) were investigated under three shading levels (0, 37 and 58%) and four N rates (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg N dm−3). Plants were grown in pots under shade. Leaf and stem elongation rate and leaf blade length increased with shading and in response to N. Tiller density was reduced with shading, but showed a linear increase fashion with N under full sun and moderate shading. Under intense shading, the tillering showed a quadratic response to N. Plant biomass production increased linearly with N under full sun and moderate shade, but it increased quadratically under intense shade. Crude protein (CP) content increased with shade and N and was greater for Tanzânia than Massai under shade. Contents of NDF and ADF were greater for Massai than Tanzânia. Acid detergent insoluble protein was reduced in Tanzânia under shade, but it increased for Massai. It is suggested that the positive shading effect on CP content may not result in increased nutritional value. Although N fertilization was important for increasing biomass production under full sun and moderate shade, it should be avoided under intense shading.
Aquifer Treatment of Sea Water to Remove Natural Organic Matter Before Desalination
Authors: Dehwah Abdullah H. A. , Al‐Mashharawi Samir , Ng Kim Choon , Missimer Thomas M.
Published: October 2016

An investigation of a sea water reverse osmosis desalination facility located in western Saudi Arabia has shown that aquifer treatment of the raw sea water provides a high degree of removal of natural organic matter (NOM) that causes membrane biofouling. The aquifer is a carbonate system that has a good hydraulic connection to the sea and 14 wells are used to induce sea water movement 400 to 450 m from the sea to the wells. During aquifer transport virtually all of the algae, over 90% of the bacteria, over 90% of the biopolymer fraction of NOM, and high percentages of the humic substance, building blocks, and some of the low molecular weight fractions of NOM are removed. Between 44 and over 90% of the transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) are removed with a corresponding significant reduction in concentration of the colloidal fraction of TEP. The removal rate for TEP appears to be greater in carbonate aquifers compared to siliciclastic systems. Although the production wells range in age from 4 months to 14 years, no significant difference in the degree of water treatment provided by the aquifer was found.
The Headache Triggers Sensitivity and Avoidance Questionnaire: Establishing the Psychometric Properties of the Questionnaire
Authors: Kubik Sonja U. , Martin Paul R.
Published: October 2016

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developedHeadache Triggers Sensitivity and Avoidance Questionnaire(HTSAQ) designed to measure variables relating to the Trigger Avoidance Model of Headaches.

Background

TheTrigger Avoidance Model of Headachesproposes that one pathway to developing a primary headache disorder is through the avoidance of headache triggers, resulting in an increase in trigger potency through sensitization. Conversely, prolonged exposure to certain triggers may reduce a potential trigger's ability to precipitate a headache. This model has led to an alternative approach to trigger management being proposed calledLearning to Cope with Triggers, which advocates the desensitization of certain headache triggers through controlled exposure, while supporting avoidance of those triggers that are detrimental to health and wellbeing. To be able to evaluate predictions based on theTrigger Avoidance Model of Headachesand to investigate the effectiveness ofLearning to Cope with Triggers, psychometrically sound measures of trigger sensitivity and trigger avoidance are needed.

Method

A convenience sample of 376 participants (87.5% female; 64.1% European descent) was recruited for the online study which consisted of a battery of measures including the HTSAQ, Brief Headache Screen, Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire, Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire, and demographic items. With an interval of 2‐6 weeks, a subsample of participants (n = 201) completed the HTSAQ for a second time. The mean age of the sample was 31.4 years (SD = 12.8). The most common headache diagnoses (based on the Brief Headache Screen) were migraine (chronic = 62; episodic = 160), followed by medication‐overuse headache (n = 87). The remaining participants (n = 67) were diagnosed as having episodic less severe headache (most likely tension‐type headache).

Results

Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and test‐retest reliability over a period of 2‐6 weeks, and both were excellent (alpha > .80). Strong construct validity was demonstrated by the measure's scale scores being significantly correlated in theoretically consistent ways with the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire, Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, and Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire. As theTrigger Avoidance Model of Headacheswould predict, correlations between the HTSAQ Sensitivity scales and the Avoidance scale were strong (P < .001), and participants with chronic migraine had significantly higher HTSAQ scores than those with episodic headaches.

Conclusion

The findings support the use of the HTSAQ as a valid and reliable tool for assessing sensitivity to headache triggers and avoidance of headache triggers. Further research examining the factor structure of the HTSAQ is warranted.