bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of Action and Efficacy of Statins against Influenza
Authors: Mehrbod Parvaneh , Omar Abdul Rahman , Hair-Bejo Mohd , Haghani Amin , Ideris Aini
Published: November 2014

The influenza virus (IV) is known to be a resistant virus with frequent mutations, causing severe respiratory diseases in the upper respiratory system. Public health concerns about clinical efficacy of all conventional drugs are ambiguous; therefore, finding additional therapeutic agents is critical to prevent and control influenza outbreaks. Influenza is associated with the induction of proinflammatory cytokines. Scientists have reported that anti-inflammatory drugs, with pleiotropic effects, reduce the burden of severe influenza diseases. Therefore, statins, which are cardioprotective drugs with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, may help patients suffering from influenza virus (IV). This review delineates the potential use of statins as an alternative therapy in treating influenza related illness.
Intraneobladder Hem-o-Lok Migration with Stone Formation after Orthotopic Neobladder Cystectomy
Authors: Shu-xiong Zeng , Zhen-sheng Zhang , Xiao-wen Yu , Hui-zhen Li , Xin Lu , Ying-hao Sun , Chuan-liang Xu
Published: November 2014

Introduction. Laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery are widely performed in urology field, so Hem-o-Lok clips are thus extensively used in the laparoscopic procedures. We describe the first case of Hem-o-Lok clip which migrated into the neobladder with calculus formation 26 months after laparoscopic orthotopic neobladder cystectomy, which causes symptoms of gross hematuria and frequent urination.Case Presentation. A 57-year-old man with T2a muscle invasive bladder cancer underwent laparoscopic orthotopic sigmoid neobladder reconstruction after cystectomy which was complicated by intestinal anastomosis leak and peritoneal abscess requiring transverse colostomy and drainage 15 days postoperatively. Twenty-six months after cystectomy, he complained of gross hematuria and frequent urination. Computerized tomography and plain pelvic X-ray revealed a stone measuring approximately 2.8 cm in diameter in the neobladder. During cystoscopy, a closed whitish Hem-o-Lok clip was seen in the center of the calculi. No anastomotic leak or neoplasm was found during cystoscopy.Conclusion. Hem-o-Lok clip migration into the bladder after laparoscopic orthotopic neobladder cystectomy is a rare complication; the first reported case in the literature. To prevent Hem-o-Lok clip migration, it is recommended to avoid extensive use of Hem-o-Lok clip close to anastomosis site, and any loose Hem-o-Lok clip should be retrieved before closure.
Effects of Gelam Honey (Melaleuca cajuputi) on Alveolar Bone Loss in Experimental Periodontitis
Authors: Hamzah N. , Aziz S. A. , Fauzi A. R. , Yusof Y. A. Mohd , Razali M. , Ibrahim N. , Baharin B.
Published: November 2014

Gelam honey has been shown to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in animal model. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Gelam honey (Melaleuca cajuputi) on alveolar bone level in experimental periodontitis. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study and randomly divided into four groups: ligated saline (LS), ligated honey (LH), nonligated saline (NLS), and nonligated honey (NLH). Fifteen days after supplementation with Gelam honey (3 g/kg), the rats were sacrificed and alveolar bone level was determined by radiography and histomorphometry. The number of osteoclasts was also calculated for all groups. Both radiographic and histomorphometric analyses showed that alveolar bone resorption was severely induced around the ligated molar in the LS and LH groups. There was no significant difference in alveolar bone level between the LS and LH groups. However, there was a nonsignificant reduction of osteoclast number by 15.2% in LH group compared to LS group. In the NLH group, there was less alveolar bone resorption and the number of osteoclasts was reduced by 13.2% compared to NLS group. In conclusion, systemically supplemented Gelam honey was shown to have the potential of reducing osteoclast activity in the experimental periodontitis rats, even though the effect on alveolar bone level was not well demonstrated and it warrants further research.
Psychophysiology of Refractive Accommodative Esotropia
Authors: Kim Ungsoo Samuel
Published: November 2014

Purpose. To investigate the psychophysiologic aspects of refractive accommodative esotropia (RAE).Methods. I prospectively recruited patients aged 3–6 years with more than 3.0 diopters of hyperopia who presented at Kim’s Eye Hospital from January 2011 to March 2013. I compared Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) which consists of internalizing factors (social withdrawal, somatic complaints, anxiety, and depression) and externalizing factors (social problems, thought problems, attention problems, delinquent behavior, and aggressive behavior) between RAE group and control group.Results. Two out of three internalizing indexes were significantly different between groups (somatic complaints: RAE children50.1±4.6and controls46.6±5.8, P=0.026; depression/anxiety: RAE children48.8±7.9and controls43.9±6.8, P=0.024). Although there was no significant difference, RAE children scored slightly higher on the externalizing behavior index. In the RAE group, the far angle of esodeviation showed a moderate correlation with withdrawn behaviors.Conclusion. Hypermetropic children with high scores on the somatic complaint and depression/anxiety subscales of the CBCL could be at high risk for developing RAE. Psychosocial problems might be related to the pathogenesis of refractive accommodative esotropia.
Changes in Fatty Acid Composition and Distribution of N-3 Fatty Acids in Goat Tissues Fed Different Levels of Whole Linseed
Authors: Abuelfatah Kamaleldin , Zakaria Md. Zuki Abu Bakar , Meng Goh Yong , Sazili Awis Qurni
Published: November 2014

The effects of feeding different levels of whole linseed on fatty acid (FA) composition of muscles and adipose tissues of goat were investigated. Twenty-four Crossed Boer bucks were assigned randomly into three treatment diets: L0, L10, or L20, containing 0%, 10%, or 20% whole linseed, respectively. The goats were slaughtered after 110 days of feeding. Samples from thelongissimus dorsi,supraspinatus,semitendinosus, and subcutaneous fat (SF) and perirenal fat (PF) were taken for FA analyses. In muscles, the average increments inα-linolenic (ALA) and total n-3 PUFA were 6.48 and 3.4, and 11.48 and 4.78 for L10 and L20, respectively. In the adipose tissues, the increments in ALA and total n-3 PUFA were 3.07- and 6.92-fold and 3.00- and 7.54-fold in SF and PF for L10 and L20, respectively. The n-6 : n-3 ratio of the muscles was decreased from up to 8.86 in L0 to 2 or less in L10 and L20. The PUFA : SFA ratio was increased in all the tissues of L20 compared to L0. It is concluded that both inclusion levels (10% and 20%) of whole linseed in goat diets resulted in producing meat highly enriched with n-3 PUFA with desirable n-6 : n-3 ratio.
Precise Localization and Formation Control of Swarm Robots via Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wu Han , Qu Shizhen , Xu Dongdong , Chen Chunlin
Published: November 2014

Precise localization and formation control are one of the key technologies to achieve coordination and control of swarm robots, which is also currently a bottleneck for practical applications of swarm robotic systems. Aiming at overcoming the limited individual perception and the difficulty of achieving precise localization and formation, a localization approach combining dead reckoning (DR) with wireless sensor network‐ (WSN‐) based methods is proposed in this paper. Two kinds of WSN localization technologies are adopted in this paper, that is, ZigBee‐based RSSI (received signal strength indication) global localization and electronic tag floors for calibration of local positioning. First, the DR localization information is combined with the ZigBee‐based RSSI position information using the Kalman filter method to achieve precise global localization and maintain the robot formation. Then the electronic tag floors provide the robots with their precise coordinates in some local areas and enable the robot swarm to calibrate its formation by reducing the accumulated position errors. Hence, the overall performance of localization and formation control of the swarm robotic system is improved. Both of the simulation results and the experimental results on a real schematic system are given to demonstrate the success of the proposed approach.
Scenario Studies on Effects of Soil Infiltration Rates, Land Slope, and Furrow Irrigation Characteristics on Furrow Irrigation-Induced Erosion
Authors: Dibal Jibrin M. , Ramalan A. A. , Mudiare O. J. , Igbadun H. E.
Published: November 2014

Furrow irrigation proceeds under several soil-water-furrow hydraulics interaction dynamics. The soil erosion consequences from such interactions in furrow irrigation in Samaru had remained uncertain. A furrow irrigation-induced erosion (FIIE) model was used to simulate the potential severity of soil erosion in irrigated furrows due to interactive effects of infiltration rates, land slope, and some furrow irrigation characteristics under different scenarios. The furrow irrigation characteristics considered were furrow lengths, widths, and stream sizes. The model itself was developed using the dimensional analysis approach. The scenarios studied were the interactive effects of furrow lengths, furrow widths, and slopes steepness; infiltration rates and furrow lengths; and stream sizes, furrow lengths, and slopes steepness on potential furrow irrigation-induced erosion, respectively. The severity of FIIE was found to relate somewhat linearly with slope and stream size, and inversely with furrow lengths and furrow width. The worst soil erosion (378.05 t/ha/yr) was found as a result of the interactive effects of 0.65 m furrow width, 50 m furrow length, and 0.25% slope steepness; and the least soil erosion (0.013 t/ha/yr) was induced by the combined effects of 0.5 l/s, 200 m furrow length, and 0.05% slope steepness. Evidently considering longer furrows in furrow irrigation designs would be a better alternative of averting excessive FIIE.
Case Study of Remaining Service Life Assessment of a Cooling Water Intake Concrete Structure in Indonesia
Authors: Darmawan M. Sigit , Bayuaji Ridho , Husin N. A. , Anugraha R. B.
Published: November 2014

This paper deals with the assessment of remaining service life of a cooling water intake concrete structure (CWICS) subjected to corrosion due to chloride attacks. Field and laboratory tests were performed to determine the current existing condition of the structure. Both destructive and nondestructive tests were employed to obtain the parameter needed for the assessment. Based on the current condition and test results, structural analysis was carried out and the remaining safety factor of CWICS was determined. From the analysis, it was found that most concrete elements of CWICS had safety factor greater than unity and might fulfil its intended service life up to the year 2033. However, fewer elements require immediate strengthening to extend their service life.
Vehicle Collisions Cause Differential Age and Sex-Specific Mortality in Mule Deer
Authors: Olson Daniel D. , Bissonette John A. , Cramer Patricia C. , Bunnell Kevin D. , Coster Daniel C. , Jackson Patrick J.
Published: November 2014

As roads continue to be built and expanded, it is important that managers understand the effects that vehicle-related mortality can have on the population dynamics of wildlife. Our objective was to examine the frequency of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) vehicle collisions to determine if different demographic groups showed differential susceptibility to mortality when compared with their proportion in the population. We also compared vehicle collision rates of mule deer, elk (Cervus canadensis), and moose (Alces alces) to determine their relative vulnerability to vehicle collisions. We found that 65% of mule deer involved in vehicle collisions were female; of those, 40% were adult does ≥2 yrs. When we compared the proportion of bucks, does, and fawns killed in vehicle collisions to surveys of live deer, we found that bucks were killed at rate of 2.1–3.0 times their proportion in the population. Additionally, when we compared vehicle collision rates for 2010 and 2011, we found that mule deer were 7.4–8.7 times more likely to be involved in collisions than elk and 1.2–2.0 times more likely than moose. However, we were unable to detect a negative correlation (P=0.55) between mule deer abundance and increasing traffic volume.
Telomere Length and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Roberts Jason D. , Dewland Thomas A. , Longoria James , Fitzpatrick Annette L. , Ziv Elad , Hu Donglei , Lin Jue , Glidden David V. , Psaty Bruce M. , Burchard Esteban G. , Blackburn Elizabeth H. , Olgin Jeffrey E. , Heckbert Susan R. , Marcus Gregory M.
Published: November 2014

Background—

Advanced age is the most important risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF); however, the mechanism remains unknown. Telomeres, regions of DNA that shorten with cell division, are considered reliable markers of biological aging. We sought to examine the association between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and incident AF in a large population-based cohort using direct LTL measurements and genetic data. To further explore our findings, we compared atrial cell telomere length and LTL in cardiac surgery patients.

Methods and Results—

Mean LTL and the
TERT
rs2736100 single nucleotide polymorphism were assessed as predictors of incident AF in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). Among the surgical patients, within subject comparison of atrial cell telomere length versus LTL was assessed. Among 1639 CHS participants, we observed no relationship between mean LTL and incident AF before and after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval: 0.92–1.29;
P
=0.299); chronologic age remained strongly associated with AF in the same model. No association was observed between the
TERT
rs2736100 single nucleotide polymorphism and incident AF (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.88–1.04;
P
=0.265). In 35 cardiac surgery patients (26 with AF), atrial cell telomere length was longer than LTL (1.19±0.20 versus 1.02±0.25 [T/S ratio],
P
<0.001), a finding that remained consistent within the AF subgroup.

Conclusions—

Our study revealed no evidence of an association between LTL and incident AF and no evidence of relative atrial cell telomere shortening in AF. Chronological aging independent of biological markers of aging is the primary risk factor for AF.
Recognition and Significance of Pathological T-Wave Inversions in Athletes
Authors: Schnell Frédéric , Riding Nathan , O’Hanlon Rory , Axel Lentz Pierre , Donal Erwan , Kervio Gaelle , Matelot David , Leurent Guillaume , Doutreleau Stéphane , Chevalier Laurent , Guerard Sylvain , Wilson Mathew G. , Carré François
Published: November 2014

Background—

Pathological T-wave inversion (PTWI) is rarely observed on the ECG of healthy athletes, whereas it is common in patients with certain cardiac diseases. All ECG interpretation guidelines for use within athletes state that PTWI (except in leads aVR, III and V1 and in V1–V4 when preceded by domed ST segment in asymptomatic Afro-Caribbean athletes only) cannot be considered a physiological adaptation. The aims of the present study were to prospectively determine the prevalence of cardiac pathology in athletes presenting with PTWI, and to examine the efficacy of cardiac magnetic resonance in the work-up battery of further examinations.

Methods and Results—

Athletes presenting with PTWI (n=155) were investigated with clinical examination, ECG, echocardiography, exercise testing, 24h Holter ECG, and cardiac magnetic resonance. Cardiac disease was established in 44.5% of athletes, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (81%) the most common pathology. Echocardiography was abnormal in 53.6% of positive cases, and cardiac magnetic resonance identified a further 24 athletes with disease. Five athletes (7.2%) considered normal on initial presentation subsequently expressed pathology during follow-up. Familial history of sudden cardiac death and ST-segment depression associated with PTWI were predictive of cardiac disease.

Conclusions—

PTWI should be considered pathological in all cases until proven otherwise, because it was associated with cardiac pathology in 45% of athletes. Despite echocardiography identifying pathology in half of these cases, cardiac magnetic resonance must be considered routine in athletes presenting with PTWI with normal echocardiography. Although exclusion from competitive sport is not warranted in the presence of normal secondary examinations, annual follow-up is essential to ascertain possible disease expression.
Word as Object: A View of Language at Hand
Authors: Elias John Z. , Gallagher Shaun
Published: November 2014

Here we develop a view of language as a form of material engagement, one that foregrounds its embodied and ecological character. Achieving such a view, however, requires disabusing ourselves of certain received and deeply entrenched notions. We present a thought experiment meant to illuminate the materiality of language, as a technological activity on par with the construction and manipulation of artifacts. We explore its implications, justifying the comparison with actual languages while emphasizing revealing differences. Ultimately, we hope to expose the embodied and enactive nature of language, offering a view of language as continuous with our engagement with the environment, as opposed to a picture of language as an essentially symbolic system or code.
Additive Technology and Material Cognition: A View from Anthropology
Authors: Küchler Susanne
Published: November 2014

The paper reflects on the theory of material cognition the advent of 3-D printing arguably calls for, pointing to the topology implicit in additive fabrication that invites a vision of the world in which the environment is no longer outside, but inside material structures that envelop in a self-referential manner and that work by aggregating and assembling, much like the layers of an onion. The questions that additive technology invites are not just technical and material in nature but chiefly concern the question of how the mind will inhabit this material technology that calls for and creates structures of internally held, manifold relations. The challenge additive technology poses to us is examined in this paper by turning to the maritime cultures of Oceania, where the wrapping of objects and of physical bodies in composite, iterative shapes, internally held and additive in fabrication is a chief way to secure the distinctiveness of the social body in the face of pervasive connectivity in a world in which perpetual movement and a conception of relation at a distance is not a matter of choice, but of necessity. The paper uses ethnographic data from Oceania to question the difference additive fabrication will make to the conceptualization of connectivity by directing us away from a network oriented approach informed by communication systems to a localised and immanent system which replicates internally relational elements in a simultaneously enfolding and expansive manner.
Using Geometrical Representations as Cognitive Technologies
Authors: de Kirby Kenton , Saxe Geoffrey B.
Published: November 2014

In this article we provide a treatment of geometric diagrams as a semiotic ‘technology’ in mathematics education. To this end, we review two classroom observations and one experimental study that illuminate the potential for communicative breakdown in the use of this technology, as well as possibilities for mitigating the breakdown. In the classroom observations, we show that rather than ‘seeing through’ the diagrams to the idealized mathematical objects (a pervasive semiotic practice in academic mathematics), upper-elementary grade students may treat the misleading appearances of the diagrams as mathematically significant. We argue that one source of such communicative breakdowns is that the ‘rules’ for using the semiotic technology are rarely made explicit in classrooms. In the experimental study, we review findings showing that when students’ have access to mathematical definitions that distinguish between the diagram and the idealized mathematical object (e.g., a diagram of a mathematical point is the size of a small dot, but a true mathematical point has no size), they are less likely to rely on the misleading appearances of the diagrams; we also found that this effect increases over grade level. The issues explored in this article suggest that upper elementary students could benefit from explicit treatment of definitional practices in academic mathematics. At a broader theoretical level, the findings serve to emphasize the potential for any semiotic technology to have multiple meanings and the role of active sense making in communications with and about technologies.
Expressivism and Mind-Dependence
Authors: Köhler Sebastian
Published: November 2014

Despite the efforts of meta-ethical expressivists to rebut such worries, one objection raised over and over again against expressivism is that, if the theory is true, matters of morality must be mind-dependent in some objectionable way. This paper develops an argument which not only shows that this is and cannot be the case, but also – and perhaps more importantly – offers a diagnosis why philosophers are nevertheless so often led to think otherwise.
Magnolia sanchez-vegae, a new species of Magnoliaceae from northern Peru
Authors: Peña José Luis Marcelo , TOMAZELLO FILHO MARIO
Published: November 2014

The family Magnoliaceae Jussieu (1789: 280) in South America includes a total of 50 species. Thirty species are listed for Colombia, ten for Ecuador, eight for Peru, three each for Brazil and Venezuela, and one for Bolivia (Lozano-Contreras, 1994; Nee, 1994; Dillon & Sanchez, 2009; Arroyo & Pérez 2013; Marcelo-Peña & Arroyo 2013; Vázquez et al. 2013). The following species are currently known to occur in Peru: Magnolia rimachii (Lozano 1994: 104) Govaerts (1996: 71), M. amazonica (Ducke 1915: 11) Govaerts (1996: 70), M. bankardiorum Dillon & Sánchez-Vega (2009: 7), M. jaenensis Marcelo-Peña (2013: 110), M. manguillo Marcelo-Peña & Arroyo (2013: 113), M. elfina Vázquez (2012: 100), M. gentryi Vázquez (2012: 104) and M. peruviana Vázquez.(2012: 117).
New Perspectives on Observed and Simulated Antarctic Sea Ice Extent Trends Using Optimal Fingerprinting Techniques*
Authors: Hobbs William Richard , Bindoff Nathaniel L. , Raphael Marilyn N.
Published: November 2014

Using optimal fingerprinting techniques, a detection analysis is performed to determine whether observed trends in Southern Ocean sea ice extent since 1979 are outside the expected range of natural variability. Consistent with previous studies, it is found that for the seasons of maximum sea ice cover (i.e., winter and early spring), the observed trends are not outside the range of natural variability and in some West Antarctic sectors they may be partially due to tropical variability. However, when information about the spatial pattern of trends is included in the analysis, the summer and autumn trends fall outside the range of internal variability. The detectable signal is dominated by strong and opposing trends in the Ross Sea and the Amundsen–Bellingshausen Sea regions. In contrast to the observed pattern, an ensemble of 20 CMIP5 coupled climate models shows that a decrease in Ross Sea ice cover would be expected in response to external forcings. The simulated decreases in the Ross, Bellingshausen, and Amundsen Seas for the autumn season are significantly different from unforced internal variability at the 95% confidence level. Unlike earlier work, the authors formally show that the simulated sea ice response to external forcing is different from both the observed trends and simulated internal variability and conclude that in general the CMIP5 models do not adequately represent the forced response of the Antarctic climate system.
Three-Dimensional Circulation Structure of Summer Heavy Rainfall in Central North China
Authors: Sun Wei , Yu Rucong , Li Jian , Yuan Weihua
Published: November 2014

Based on daily rainfall observations and Japanese 25-year Reanalysis Project data during ~1981–2010, a three-dimensional circulation structure that formed before heavy summer rainfall in central north China (CNC) is revealed in this study. Composite analyses of circulation in advance of 225 heavy rain days show that the circulation structure is characterized by a remarkable upper-tropospheric warm anomaly (UTWA), which covers most of northern China with a center at ~300 hPa. Under hydrostatic and geostrophic equilibriums, the UTWA contributes to the generation of an anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly above (below). The anticyclonic anomaly strengthens (weakens) westerly winds to the north (south) of the warm center and pushes the high-level westerly jet to the north. The cyclonic anomaly deepens the trough upstream of CNC and intensifies lower southwesterly winds to the mideast of the warm center. As a result, the northerly stretched high-level jet produces upper divergence in its right-front side and the intensified southwesterly winds induce lower moisture convergence in its left-front side, causing heavy rainfall in CNC. Correlation analyses further confirm the close connections between UTWA and circulation in the upper and lower troposphere. The correlation coefficients between UTWA and the upper geopotential height, upper westerly jet, and lower southerly flow reach 0.95, 0.70, and 0.39, implying that the two critical factors leading to intense rainfall in CNC, the high-level jet and the low-level southerly flow, are closely connected with the UTWA. Consequently, in the future analyses and forecasts of heavy rainfall over northern China, more attention should be paid to the temperature in the upper troposphere.
Outcomes of Recurrent Facial Palsy in Melkersson Rosenthal Syndrome
Authors: Wang Junying , Li Peizhong , Jin Xin , Xu Yu , Zhang Xin
Published: November 2014

Objective:

The objective of the study was to investigate outcomes of recurrent facial palsy in Melkersson Rosenthal syndrome (MRS).

Methods:

We carried out a prospective investigation on patients who had recurrent facial palsy in MRS and visited an outpatient department of otolaryngology from January 2002 to January 2012, focusing on their facial nerve outcomes. They were followed up for 12 months. The patients who visited our department due to recurrent Bell’s palsy during the same period were selected as controls. Oral prednisolone alone was given to each patient.

Results:

A total of 22 patients with recurrent facial palsy in MRS and 73 patients with recurrent Bell’s palsy were included in the study. Twelve months later, only 3 of 22 patients (13.6%) who had recurrent facial palsy in MRS recovered to House-Brackmann grade I, whereas 52 of 73 patients (71.2%) who had recurrent Bell’s palsy recovered completely. The difference was statistically significant ( P < .01).

Conclusion:

Compared to recurrent Bell’s palsy, recurrent facial palsy in MRS had much worse prognosis.
The Utility of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT) as a Treatment Outcome Measure in Nonsinogenic Facial Pain Syndrome
Authors: Leong Samuel C. , Tsang Hoo K. , Banhegyi Gyorgy
Published: November 2014

Introduction:

The purpose of this study was to assess the strength of correlation between the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT) subdomains to determine which bore the greatest disease burden so that it could be used as a suitable measure of clinical response.

Methods:

Prospective clinical audit of patients attending the Liverpool Multi-Disciplinary Facial Pain Clinic. The Brief Pain Inventory–Facial (BPI-F) was used as a comparator and surrogate measure of quality of life.

Results:

Fifty patients (38 female) were reviewed, of whom 66% had midfacial segment pain. The total SNOT score was highly correlated with the BPI-F. Both the sleep function and psychological issues were the most highly correlated SNOT subdomains with the BPI-F, followed by ear-facial symptoms. The rhinologic symptom subdomain had a weak correlation with the BPI-F. The total SNOT score was most significantly correlated with the sleep function and psychological issues subdomains.

Conclusion:

This study supports the utility of the SNOT questionnaire as a measure of clinical outcome for nonsinogenic facial pain. The total SNOT score is highly correlated with the BPI-F, which has been used as a surrogate measure of quality of life. In addition, the sleep function and psychological issues subdomains are suitable variables to measure response to treatment.
Association Between Sleep Bruxism and Psychosocial Factors in Children and Adolescents
Authors: De Luca Canto Graziela , Singh Vandana , Conti Paulo , Dick Bruce D. , Gozal David , Major Paul W. , Flores-Mir Carlos
Published: November 2014

Objective. To summarize the association between sleep bruxism and psychosocial factors in children and adolescents. Design. Individual search strategies for five databases were developed. The references cited in the selected articles were checked and a partial gray literature search was undertaken. Only articles that used the international diagnostic criteria for sleep bruxism as proposed by the American Association of Sleep Medicine were included. Any form of reporting of psychosocial factors was considered. Results. Of the 44 retained articles, only 7 studies were finally included for the qualitative/quantitative synthesis. No evidence supportive of an association between sleep bruxism and psychosocial factors in children younger than 5 years emerged. A significant association was present in children between 6 and 11 years old and in adolescents 12 to 17 years old. Risk of bias was low–to-moderate in most of the included studies. Conclusion. The current available evidence suggests an association between sleep bruxism and psychological factors in children older than 6 years.
Decolonization of Children After Incision and Drainage for MRSA Abscess
Authors: Finnell S. Maria E. , Rosenman Marc B. , Christenson John C. , Downs Stephen M.
Published: November 2014

Background/Purpose. Whether decolonization following incision and drainage (I&D) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) abscess decreases repeat I&D and MRSA-positive cultures in children is unknown. Materials/Methods. Referral to the Pediatric Infectious Disease Service (PIDS) for decolonization was determined for eligible children (2003-2010), with outcomes studied over 12 months. Results. We identified 653 children; 54 had been seen by PIDS. In the PIDS group, no patients (0/54, 0%) had a repeat I&D. In the no PIDS group 36/599 (6%) had a repeat I&D, P = .06. Logistic regression modeling for repeat I&D showed no significant effect, odds ratio = 0.29; 95% confidence interval = 0.04-2.15; P = .23. In the PIDS group, 3 patients (3/54, 5.6%) had a repeat MRSA-positive culture. In the no PIDS group, 58/599 (9.7%) had a positive repeat culture, P = .46. Logistic regression modeling for positive culture showed no significant effect (odds ratio = 0.55; 95% confidence interval = 0.17-1.81; P = .32). Conclusions. We detected no statistically significant association between decolonization and repeat I&D or MRSA-positive culture.
The shifting reception of The Village in the Jungle (1913) in Sri Lanka
Authors: Ranasinha Ruvani
Published: November 2014

This article seeks to explore the reception of Leonard Woolf’s novel The Village in the Jungle (1913) in Sri Lanka. It examines the contrasting responses between those Sri Lankan critics who read the novel as anti-imperialist, and a younger generation who argue that the text manifests a wholly imperialist attitude and ideology and that its troping of colonial Ceylon and its inhabitants as savage, primitive, and Other replicates the discursive project of imperialism. This discussion asks to what extent are the differing responses to The Village in the Jungle explicable in terms of differing “horizons of expectations” and suggests how and why these have changed over the last few decades. It demonstrates how these responses problematize the nature of readerships, as well as the tension between aesthetics and politics in the literary text.
The Village in the Jungle: An uncolonial novel
Authors: Glendinning Victoria
Published: November 2014

This article offers a biographical account of the emergence of The Village in the Jungle, and focuses on Leonard Woolf’s internal conflicts, or deep “psychic archaeology”, at the time of writing the novel. It suggests that the novel’s unique features of empathy and close observation — weighed in relation both to Woolf’s oeuvre, and to colonial writing more generally — emerged out of a special time in his life. He worked through his ambivalences about empire, and about marrying Virginia, through transmuting into narrative form his own closely observed and often already conflicted reports on his experiences as a colonial officer.
Development of testing methods for endurance trials of composites components
Authors: Di Maio Dario , Magi Fabrizio
Published: November 2014

Endurance of composites materials is a critical and important factor that enables engineers to design structural components more efficiently. In fact, what it matters for many industries is to define the life of their products and, within that life, their safe operational conditions. Endurance of composites materials goes by the definition of failure criteria that can be obtained by cooperation between research groups acting both in a modelling and in an experimental framework. This research work is focussed on the development of an experimental test planning directed at testing composites components. Endurance trials for full reverse loading conditions, such as R = −1, can be executed by exploiting the first resonant mode of a beam, or a narrow plate. The major obstacles for this type of testing are (a) the fixture of the sample and (b) the amplitude of vibrations required for initiating fatigue behaviours. This paper will present two experimental methods based on (i) pulsed air-jet contactless excitation method and (ii) a novel fixture for electromagnetic shaker type testing. These methods will show how to overcome these obstacles in order to perform endurance trials on Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) components. The experimental results obtained from two sets of components are presented here and an interpretation of the fatigue behaviour of the trialled specimens will be also attempted.
Community-Based School Finance and Accountability
Authors: Vasquez Heilig Julian , Ward Derrick R. , Weisman Eric , Cole Heather
Published: November 2014

Top-down accountability policies have arguably had very limited impact over the past 20 years. Education stakeholders are now contemplating new forms of bottom-up accountability. In 2013, policymakers in California enacted a community-based approach that creates the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) process for school finance to increase flexibility. The reform also seeks to involve stakeholders at the local level by creating a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). We conducted a statutory analysis of the state’s new funding formula in comparison to its predecessor. We also analyze the state’s new system of district implementation, support, and intervention. We then discuss the implications of California’s reforms for future K-12 funding and accountability policy.
Convergence of rotating consensus algorithm for second-order dynamics in three dimensions
Authors: Wang Yintao , Sun Qi
Published: November 2014

This paper investigates the collective rotating motions of a group of agents with second-order dynamics in three dimensions. A rotating consensus algorithm for such agents was proposed by introducing a Cartesian Coordinate Coupling and a velocity consensus item to an existing consensus protocol. This note shows that the resulting rotating motions can be affected by network topology, the damping gain and the Euler angle. It is also shown that convergence of the rotating consensus can be achieved when the damping gain is above a certain bound, the Euler angle is below a critical value and the communication network topology has a directed spanning tree. Furthermore, we show that the agents will eventually keep moving on a straight-line path, cylindrical spirals, and logarithmic columnar curves when the damping gain is above a certain bound, the Euler angle is below, equal and above a critical value, respectively. In particular, when the agents eventually move on circular orbits, the relative radii of the orbits (respectively, the relative phases of the agents on their orbits) are equal to the relative magnitudes (respectively, the relative phases) of the components of a right eigenvector associated with a critical eigenvalue of the nonsymmetric Laplacian matrix. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the proposed algorithm.
A new model reference adaptive control structure for uncertain switched systems with unmodeled input dynamics
Authors: Sinafar Behzad , Ghiasi Amir Rikhtehgar , Fazli Atousa Karimi
Published: November 2014

In this paper, a new model reference adaptive controller (MRAC) for uncertain switched linear systems is developed. A class of uncertain switched linear systems with parametric mismatched and input matched uncertainties, control input effectiveness and unmodeled dynamics is studied in this paper. The difference in input matrix for different switching modes which means the input channel degradation is investigated through this paper. By using common Lyapunov function method and developing new linear matrix inequality based sufficient conditions, uniform ultimate boundedness of the reference tracking error is guaranteed by switched MRAC and by using a novel nonlinear controller term, the size of the uniform ultimate bounded region can be made arbitrarily small which could enhance the performance of the overall control structure. Modified versions of MRAC systems using low-frequency learning adaptation MRAC is also used for better transient performance at switching instants. An illustrative numerical example demonstrates the performance of the proposed approach. Results also show that for the cases without parametric uncertainty in the linear part, asymptotic stability of the reference tracking error is guaranteed.
Interests, Trust and Security in US–Jordanian Nuclear Relations
Authors: El-Anis Imad
Published: November 2014

This article explores the relationship between Jordan and the United States (US) in the field of nuclear energy cooperation. Since 2010 the Jordanian government has accelerated its plans for a nuclear energy program and has engaged with multiple partners around the world in order to agree terms for cooperation in technology exchange, monitoring, and the construction of infrastructure. Bilateral negotiations between the US and Jordan for a “123” nuclear cooperation agreement were underway by early 2008, but were suspended in 2011 without an agreement being reached. Jordanian nuclear energy policy has been spurred by energy security considerations (as it currently imports 97 percent of its energy needs) and the discovery of up to 120,000 tonnes of uranium ore in Jordan. At the same time, the US is primarily interested in management of nuclear technology proliferation. This work considers the perceptions of self and other in Jordanian and US policymaking in order to understand why bilateral cooperation has not materialized and what this means for nuclear proliferation in Jordan. This study finds that the US–Jordanian negotiations have been impeded by contradictory objectives and perceptions, and a “123” agreement is not likely in the short to medium term, but that development of Jordan’s nuclear energy program will likely continue regardless.
Who Cares for the Kids? Caregiving and Parenting in Disney Films
Authors: Holcomb Jeanne , Latham Kenzie , Fernandez-Baca Daniel
Published: November 2014

Disney is recognized as producing powerful cultural products that make major contributions to many forms of children’s media. While it has been suggested that mothers are marginalized in Disney films, there has been no extensive research exploring alternate caregivers, including other-parents. Given the minimal roles of mothers in Disney films and the cultural relevance of biological mothers as primary caregivers, we ask “who cares for the kids?” in these carefully crafted family films with adolescent protagonists. Utilizing a feminist approach, this study explores narrative subtexts surrounding parenting and caregiving by systematically examining feature-length, animated Disney films. A sample of 15 films was analyzed; the films were purposefully sampled using specific family-related criteria. Results reiterate that mothers are marginalized either through their absence or their relatively minor roles. However, fathers and other-parents are significant caregivers in the majority of the films. The use of created kinship was particularly striking.
Improving Geographic Equity in Kidney Transplantation Using Alternative Kidney Sharing and Optimization Modeling
Authors: Davis Ashley E. , Mehrotra Sanjay , Friedewald John J. , Daskin Mark S. , Skaro Anton I. , Abecassis Michael M. , Ladner Daniela P.
Published: November 2014

The national demand for kidney transplantation far outweighs the supply of kidney organs. Currently, a patient's ability to receive a kidney transplant varies depending on where he or she seeks transplantation. This reality is in direct conflict with a federal mandate from the Department of Health and Human Services. We analyze current kidney allocation and develop an alternative kidney sharing strategy using a multiperiod linear optimization model, KSHARE. KSHARE aims to improve geographic equity in kidney transplantation while also respecting transplant system constraints and priorities. KSHARE is tested against actual 2000–2009 kidney allocation using Organ Procurement and Transplant Network data. Geographic equity is represented by minimizing the range in kidney transplant rates around local areas of the country. In 2009, less than 25% of standard criteria donor kidneys were allocated beyond the local area of procurement, and Donor Service Area kidney transplantation rates varied from 3.0% to 30.0%, for an overall range of 27.0%. Given optimal sharing of kidneys within 600 miles of procurement for 2000–2009, kidney transplant rates vary from 5.0% to 12.5% around the country for an overall kidney transplant range of 7.5%. Nationally sharing kidneys optimally between local areas only further decreases the transplant rate range by 1.7%. Enhancing the practice of sharing kidneys by the KSHARE model may increase geographic equity in kidney transplantation.
‘What happened next’: a study of outcomes for maltreated children following care proceedings
Authors: Mulcahy Gerry , Badger Julia , Wright Hannah , Erskine Catherine
Published: November 2014

This is the first report from a study of outcomes for 114 children from 49 families assessed in an expert multi-disciplinary service during care proceedings. The study investigated the extent of children’s adaptation following judicial decisions made in the proceedings and what factors might be involved in changes in the children’s adaptation and well-being. We also aimed to investigate the reliability of the expert placement and treatment recommendations made to the court.

The original assessment reports for the court were independently coded using a comprehensive child adaptation measure (Target and Fonagy, 1992). At follow-up, mean time of 26 months after their assessment, the researchers re-employed the child adaptation measure in semi-structured interviews with carers in birth, adoptive, foster and kinship placements. The data were independently coded and the results compared with the child’s original score as a measure of change in adaptation post proceedings in their substitute family or birth family. Researchers also collected information about the children’s placement(s) and any support or treatment received.

The study found that children’s well-being significantly improved by an average of +6.7 points between initial assessment ( M = 68.13; SD = 9.86) and follow-up ( M = 74.82; SD = 7.84), ( t (67) = −5.0, p < .001, d = 0.76). Children whose global adjustment scores were clinically concerning at the time of assessment hardly improved their scores (.44), compared to children whose global adjustment scores were within the normal range at the time of assessment. Interestingly, the majority (88%) of expert placement recommendations had been accepted and implemented. However, less than 50% of the children and only 30% of parents received the support and treatment recommended in the experts’ reports in the proceedings. The implications for both policy and practice in working with children and their families during and after care proceedings are explored.
‘I started to feel not ashamed of who I was’: transracially adopted adults and adoption support
Authors: Harris Perlita
Published: November 2014

Transracially adopted adults are largely invisible as users of adoption support services in England and their voices are rarely heard in discussions about appropriate provision. This article reports findings from interviews with transracially adopted adults and transracially adopted adult participants at a lesbian, gay and bisexual focus group, carried out as part of a mixed-method study of service users’ views and experiences of post-adoption services delivered by an independent agency. The article opens by outlining the policy context and what is known from existing research about the experiences of domestic transracially adopted adults. It then considers the experiences of 12 adults receiving support services. Drawing on their own words, it describes the difference that adoption support services can make, before highlighting gaps in existing provision and identifying the support needs specific to this group.