bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Severe Lesions Involving Cortical Cholinergic Pathways Predict Poorer Functional Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Qu Jian-Feng , Chen Yang-Kun , Luo Gen-Pei , Zhao Jiang-Hao , Zhong Huo-Hua , Yin Han-Peng
Published: December 2018

Background and Purpose—

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of lesion severity in cortical cholinergic pathways in acute ischemic stroke patients on functional outcomes.

Methods—

The study sample consisted of 214 men (70.9%) and 88 women (29.1%) with acute ischemic stroke. We used the Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale (CHIPS) to assess the severity of lesions in cortical cholinergic pathways using brain magnetic resonance imaging. The other magnetic resonance imaging parameters included infarction, white matter lesions, and medial temporal lobe atrophy. Functional outcome was assessed using the Lawton activities of daily living (ADL) scale at 3 and 6 months after the index stroke. We also assessed disability status using the modified Rankin Scale.

Results—

Univariate analysis showed that patients with poor functional outcomes were older, more likely to be men, had a higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission, and had more frequent histories of previous stroke and infection complications. They also had significantly more frequent cortical infarcts, left subcortical infarcts, a larger infarct volume, more severe medial temporal lobe atrophy, and periventricular hyperintensities, and higher CHIPS scores. In the multiple regression analysis, model 1 showed that age and NIHSS score on admission were significant predictors of poor ADL at 3 months, with an
R
2
of 45.4% fitting the model. Age, NIHSS score on admission and stroke subtype were also significant predictors of poor ADL at 6 months, with an
R
2
of 37.9% fitting the model. In model 2, sex, previous stroke, NIHSS score on admission, right cortical infarcts, left subcortical infarcts and CHIPS score were significant predictors for poor ADL at 3 months, with an
R
2
of 53.5%. NIHSS score on admission, stroke subtype, and CHIPS score were significant predictors for poor ADL at 6 months, with an
R
2
of 40.2%. After adjustment for confounders, CHIPS score was also a significant predictor for poor modified Rankin Scale, both at 3 and 6 months. Even after removing patients with moderate-to-severe white matter lesions, higher CHIPS scores still correlated with poorer ADL and modified Rankin Scale both at both 3 and 6 months.

Conclusions—

In patients with acute ischemic stroke, cortical cholinergic pathways impairment is common, and the severity of lesions in the cortical cholinergic pathways may significantly predict a poorer functional outcome.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx
. Unique identifier: ChiCTR1800014982.
Temporal Trends in Emergency Medical Services and General Practitioner Use for Acute Stroke After Australian Public Education Campaigns
Authors: Bray Janet E. , Finn Judith , Cameron Peter , Smith Karen , Straney Lahn , Cartledge Susie , Nehme Ziad , Lim Michael , Bladin Christopher
Published: December 2018

Background and Purpose—

The Australian Stroke Foundation ran annual paid advertising between 2004 and 2014, using the FAST (Face, Arm, Speech, Time) campaign from 2006 and adding the message to call emergency medical services in 2007. In this study, we examined temporal trends in emergency medical services use and referrals from general practitioners in the Australian state of Victoria to evaluate the impact of these campaigns.

Methods—

Using data from 33 public emergency departments, contributing to the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset, we examined trends in emergency department presentations for 118 000 adults with an emergency diagnosis of stroke or transient ischemic attack between 2003 and 2015. Annual trends were examined using logistic regression using a precampaign period (January 2003 to August 2004) as reference and adjusting for demographic variables.

Results—

Compared with the precampaign period, significant increases in emergency medical services use were seen annually between 2008 and 2015 (all
P
<0.001, eg, 2015; adjusted odds ratio, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.10–1.23). In contrast, a decrease was seen in patients presenting via general practitioners across all campaign years (all
P
<0.001, eg, 2015; adjusted odds ratio, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.44–0.53).

Conclusions—

Since the Stroke Foundation campaigns began, a greater proportion of stroke and transient ischemic attack patients are presenting to hospital by emergency medical services and appear to be bypassing their general practitioners.
Fatal Stroke in Pregnancy and the Puerperium
Authors: Lappin Julia M. , Darke Shane , Duflou Johan , Kaye Sharlene , Farrell Michael
Published: December 2018

Background and Purpose—

Fatal stroke during pregnancy and the puerperium is rare. Pregnancy-related hypertension and vascular abnormalities underlie significant proportions of pregnancy-related stroke, but up to one-quarter are of no known cause.

Methods—

Case series of fatal pregnancy-related stroke. All cases where the cause of death was attributed to stroke during pregnancy/postpartum were retrieved from the National Coronial Information System database (January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2016).

Results—

Fourteen fatal strokes were identified, all hemorrhagic in origin. Underlying causes included pregnancy-related hypertension, rupture of vascular malformations, vasculitis, and cardiomyopathy.

Conclusions—

Fatal pregnancy-related stroke occurred secondary to hemorrhages of heterogeneous causes, including pregnancy-related hypertension and previously undiagnosed risk factors.
Samuel Beckett in Virtual Reality: Exploring Narrative Using Free Viewpoint Video
Authors: O’Dwyer Néill , Johnson Nicholas , Bates Enda , Pagés Rafael , Ondřej Jan , Amplianitis Konstantinos , Monaghan David , Smolic Aljoša
Published: December 2018

This article describes an investigation of interactive narrative in virtual reality (VR) through Samuel Beckett's theatrical text Play. Actors are captured in a green screen environment using free-viewpoint video (FVV). Built in a game engine, the scene is complete with binaural spatial audio and six degrees of freedom of movement. The project explores how ludic qualities in the original text elicit the conversational and interactive specificities of the digital medium. The work affirms potential for interactive narrative in VR, opens new experiences of the text and highlights the reorganization of the author-audience dynamic.
Checklist of helminth parasites of cetaceans from Brazil
Authors: LUQUE JOSÉ L. , MUNIZ-PEREIRA LUÍS C. , SICILIANO SALVATORE , SIQUEIRA LIEGE R. , OLIVEIRA MAGDA S. , VIEIRA FABIANO M.
Published: December 2018

Based on published records and unpublished information retrieved from the Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (CHIOC), a checklist of the helminth parasites of cetaceans from Brazil was generated. A total of 215 records of 18 species of helminths were associated with 22 species of cetaceans in Brazil. Six species determined only to genus were also included. The majority of these helminth species are nematodes (33.3%) and trematodes (33.3%), which total 66.6% of the helminth fauna of cetaceans from Brazil. The Acanthocephala represents 22.2% of species, and the Cestoda 11.1%.
A critical review and systematic discussion of recent classification proposals for liolaemid lizards
Authors: LOBO FERNANDO , ESPINOZA ROBERT E. , QUINTEROS SEBASTIAN
Published: December 2018

We provide a critical review of a recent taxonomic revision of Chilean Liolaemus lizards (Iguania: Liolaemidae) by Pincheira-Donoso and Núñez (2005) and a recent paper (PincheiraDonoso et al. 2008), which proposed several new taxonomic and phylogenetic arrangements. We document fundamental problems with many of the proposed taxonomic revisions in both publications, which if followed, could lead to serious taxonomic confusion. In Pincheira-Donoso and Núñez (2005) a subgeneric classification is erected, which was produced by outdated methods (phenetic analyses), cannot be replicated (no matrix is presented), and is taxonomically untenable (some of the subgenera are nested within other subgenera). Most of the taxonomic groups that are proposed have been previously proposed, albeit differently constituted, yet often previous research is not given attribution; when findings are different, the research of others is either overlooked or dismissed without comment. The diagnoses of species and subspecies (including several newly proposed taxa) are often written in an authoritative manner (without supporting data or information), making them insufficient for distinguishing the focal taxon from others belonging to the same group, finally leading to uncertainty regarding the validity of several of the newly proposed taxa, combinations, or synonymies. We also describe less egregious errors of omission and commission. In Pincheira-Donoso et al. (2008), most of the proposals follow the Pincheira-Donoso and Núñez (2005) revisions, some species are allocated to groups without consistent cladistic support and other proposed relationships are based on incomplete evidence from other studies dismissing the limitations of the arrangement. Critical species are not identified in a list of material examined. Finally, Pincheira-Donoso et al. (2008) present a somewhat outdated and biased discussion of the relative value of using molecules or morphology in systematics. In light of these limitations, and in an effort to stabilize and prevent further taxonomic confusion, we provide an updated phylogenetic classification of the currently recognized lizards of the family Liolaemidae (Ctenoblepharys, Liolaemus, and Phymaturus), which is based on a consensus of studies published since the first phylogenetic major revision of the clade in 1995.
The family Aristiidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea) in Australian waters
Authors: STODDART H. E. , LOWRY J. K.
Published: December 2018

The lysianassoid amphipod family Aristiidae is reported from Australian waters for the first time. Two new genera and seven new species are described: Aristias eden sp. nov.; A. gomoni sp. nov.; A. nowra sp. nov.; A. otway sp. nov.; A. poorei sp. nov.; Memana sarda gen. nov., sp. nov.; and Pratinas ludmilla gen. nov. sp. nov.
A new species of Litoria (Anura: Hylidae) with a highly distinctive tadpole from the north-western Kimberley region of Western Australia
Authors: ANSTIS MARION , TYLER MICHAEL J. , ROBERTS J. DALE , PRICE LUKE C. , DOUGHTY PAUL
Published: December 2018

We describe a small hylid frog species with a highly distinctive tadpole from the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia. The new taxon is morphologically very similar to Litoria meiriana but can be differentiated using a combination of adult and larval morphology and male calls. Tadpoles of the new taxon can be readily differentiated from those of L. meiriana by their unique black, gold and red pigment patterns and the continuous papillary border around the oral disc. Advertisement calls of L. aurifera sp. nov. are longer, have more pulses, have more marked frequency modulation and are produced at a lower rate than those of L. meiriana. Litoria aurifera sp. nov. is only known from locations up to about 100 km south of the Prince Regent River and is associated with small creeks on massive sandstone escarpments, while L. meiriana is widespread in escarpments across northern Western Australia and the northern part of the Northern Territory.
Eurycercus (Bullatifrons) norandinus (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Eurycercidae), a new species of Cladocera in the Neotropical Region
Authors: ARANGUREN NELSON , MONROY DANIEL , GAVIRIA SANTIAGO
Published: December 2018

Eurycercus (Bullatifrons) norandinus sp. nov. is described from Lago de Tota, Boyacá, Colombia. It differs from other species of subgenus Bullatifrons in the lower number of denticles on the dorsal margin of the postabdomen, the lower number of denticles on the postadominal claw, and the higher number of denticles on scrapers 2, 3 and 4 of trunk limb II. Regression statistics comparing the new species with other species of the subgenus indicate that during ontogeny, the rate of increase in teeth number of the dorsal margin of the postabdomen in relation to postabdominal length is higher than in other species. With the present record, the distribution of Eurycercus expands to the central part of the Neotropical Region and that of subgenus Bullatifrons to South America.
A new thylacosmilid (Mammalia, Metatheria, Sparassodonta) from the Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: FORASIEPI ANALÍA M. , CARLINI ALFREDO A.
Published: December 2018

A new genus and species, Patagosmilus goini, of the family Thylacosmilidae (Mammalia, Metatheria, Sparassodonta) is described here. The new taxon is based on a single specimen collected from the west margin of the Río Chico, in Río Negro Province, Argentina, from the middle Miocene Colloncuran SALMA. Until now, two formally recognized species were encompassed in the family Thylacosmilidae: Thylacosmilus atrox, from the late Miocene-late Pliocene Huayquerian to Chapadmalalan SALMAof Argentina and probably Uruguay; and Anachlysictis gracilis, from the middle Miocene Laventan SALMA of Colombia. Recognition of the Patagonian taxon, Patagosmilus, provides new anatomical data, likely to be included in future phylogenetic analyses. The overall morphology of Patagosmilus suggests that it has a more generalized anatomy than Thylacosmilus. The dental morphology suggests the new Patagonian taxon was probably closer to Thylacosmilus than Anachlysictis. Saber-tooth thylacosmilids have several autapomorphic features in the skull that differentiate them from other sparassodonts, including the delayed replacement or non-replacement of the deciduous last premolar.
Nocturnal velvet ant males (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Deep Canyon, California including four new species and a fifth new species from Owens Lake Valley, California
Authors: PITTS JAMES P. , WILSON JOSEPH S. , WILLIAMS KEVIN A. , BOEHME NICOLE F.
Published: December 2018

The diversity of nocturnal velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) at the Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center of southern California is investigated. Thirty-five species are found to inhabit areas on and around the canyon. Odontophotopsis hammetti, Sphaeropthalma chandleri, S. fergusoni, and S. mankelli are described as new species. Odontophotopsis hammetti and S. mankelli are only known from Deep Canyon. Sphaeropthalma chandleri and S. fergusoni also are known from Painted Canyon located in the Mecca Hills on east the side of the Coachella Valley and from Corn Springs located east of the Coachella Valley in the Chuckwalla Mountains, respectively. The females of too few of the species are known, so only the males are treated. A key is provided for the males. A new species-group, the S. fergusoni species-group is described to house S. fergusoni and the new species S. arnalduri, which is an apterous male described from Owens Lake Valley. Similarities between the fauna of Deep Canyon and the Algodones Sand Dunes are discussed.
Description of a new species of Neocypholaelaps (Acari: Ameroseiidae) from Brazil, with a key to the world species
Authors: DE MORAES GILBERTO J. , NARITA JOÃO P. Z.
Published: December 2018

A new species, Neocypholaelaps geonomae n. sp., is described based on the morphology of adult females and males collected on Geonoma spp. (Arecaceae) in southeastern Brazil. This is the first species of this genus identified from the American continent. A key to the world species of Neocypholaelaps is provided.
Revision of Hermadion Kinberg, 1856, with a redescription of Hermadion magalhaensi Kinberg, 1856, Adyte hyalina (G.O. Sars, 1873) n. comb. and Neopolynoe acanellae (Verrill, 1881) n. comb. (Polychaeta: Polynoidae)
Authors: BOCK GORDON , FIEGE DIETER , BARNICH RUTH
Published: December 2018

Examination of all species previously referred to the genus Hermadion revealed that the type species, H. magalhaensi Kinberg, 1856, is the only valid species in the genus. H. magalhaensi is redescribed and its synonymy with Hermadion longicirratus Kinberg, 1856, Hermadion kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885, and Lagisca laevis Hartmann-Schröder, 1962, is discussed. The generic attribution of 12 species that had already been moved from Hermadion to other genera by earlier authors is confirmed. Following our re-examination four species are moved to other genera: Harmothoe ornatus (Hartman, 1967) n. comb., Harmothoe africanus (Hartman, 1974) n. comb., Adyte hyalina (G.O. Sars, 1873) n. comb., and Neopolynoe acanellae (Verrill, 1881) n. comb., are redescribed. Due to lack of type material and insufficient descriptions Hermadion sabatieri Darboux, 1900, and H. fauveli Gravier, 1918 are considered indeterminable polynoids. Hermadion fugax Giard, 1890 is a nomen nudum, because a formal description has never been published. The generic diagnosis of Hermadion is emended and the validity of Hermadionella Uschakov, 1982 is confirmed. An identification key and synoptic tables of characters are provided for all genera considered here.
Bernieridae (Aves: Passeriformes): a family-group name for the Malagasy sylvioid radiation
Authors: CIBOIS ALICE , DAVID NORMAND , GREGORY STEVEN M. S. , PASQUET ERIC
Published: December 2018

The island of Madagascar is a renowned hotspot for adaptive radiations. Madagascar has been separated from mainland Africa since the end of the Jurassic, and from India since the Late Cretaceous. This long isolation, combined with the island’s large size and relatively few dispersal events has resulted in an avifauna characterized by a low species count and high endemism: for instance, 80% of the breeding Malagasy songbirds (Passeriformes) are endemic (Hawkins & Goodman 2003). A first series of papers (Cibois et al. 1999, 2001; Fjeldsa et al. 1999) on the phylogeny of the Malagasy taxa traditionally classified as Timaliidae, Sylviidae and Pycnonotidae (all families included in the large sylvioid clade) showed that several of these passerines form an original radiation endemic to the island. Because these results were based solely on a single kind of molecular marker (mitochondrial DNA sequences), the authors refrained at that time from giving a name to this clade. More recently, other studies using nuclear markers as well (Beresford et al. 2005; Johansson et al. 2008a, 2008b) confirm the existence of this Malagasy sylvioid radiation. The species that comprise this group exhibit a great variety of bill shapes, wing and tail proportions, and tarsus lengths. This diversity in morphology is linked to varieties of habitat and prey favoured by these insectivorous forest dwellers (Schulenberg 2003). Thus the endemic Malagasy sylvioid clade rivals other island radiations, including the vangas of Madagascar and the finches of the Galapagos, in ecological and morphological diversity. Several authors were inclined to consider this group at the family level, using the name ‘Bernieridae’. To our knowledge the first study using this name was the book “The natural history of Madagascar”, edited by S. M. Goodman and J. Benstead in 2003, where the name ‘Bernieridae’ appeared in two chapters (in Tingle et al. (2003: p. 522) and Hawkins & Goodman (2003: p. 1036), although Schulenberg (2003: p. 1131) referred to the Malagasy "warblers" in his chapter on the radiations of passerine birds on Madagascar). An alternative spelling for the family-group name, ‘Bernieriidae’, can be found in several personal pages on the internet, but we have not found an occurrence of this in any publication, as defined in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4th edition, 1999). The name ‘Bernieridae’ was later used in several journal articles (Chouteau & Fenosoa 2008; Fuchs et al. 2008; Johansson et al. 2008a, 2008b), however, none of these have introduced the family-group name ‘Bernieridae’ according to the provisions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, i.e. the nominal taxon was not explicitly indicated as intentionally new (Article 16.1) and the type genus was not cited (Article 16.2). In the present paper, we therefore propose to rectify this situation by correctly introducing the family-group name for the Malagasy sylvioid radiation.
Tanaidacea from Brazil. II. A revision of the subfamily Hemikalliapseudinae (Kalliapseudidae; Tanaidacea; Crustacea) using phylogenetic methods
Authors: DE L. ARAÚJO-SILVA CATARINA , LARSEN KIM
Published: December 2018

Based on recently collected material from Brazil the subfamily Hemikalliapseudinae is revised using phylogenetic methods and including ontogenetic observations. Due to the homoplastic nature of many family or subfamily characters, this analysis includes taxa from the family Kalliapseudidae as well as from other Apseudomorphan families (Apseudidella, Apseudidae, Parapseudidae and Sphyrapodidae). Gigantapseudes is chosen as an outgroup. According to this analysis the family Kalliapseudidae, the Kalliapseudinae and Hemikalliapseudinae are monophyletic but the subfamily Tanapseudinae is not monophyletic. Thaicungella currently residing in the Parapseudidae is transferred to Kalliapseudidae on the basis of this analysis. Male, female and manca I of a new species of the genus Acutihumerus, A. petronius, are described. The species Bacescapseudes patagoniensis is restored but moved to genus Acutihumerus. The genus Longipedis (Parapseudidae) is removed from Saltipedis and restored. Comments on the ontogeny of the pereopodal exopod are included.
New records and taxonomic data for 14 species of sand crabs (Crustacea: Anomura: Albuneidae) from localities worldwide
Authors: BOYKO CHRISTOPHER B.
Published: December 2018

Specimens representing 12 species of albuneid sand crabs (Albuneidae) are identified and discussed, and new taxonomic information is provided for an additional two species. These mostly new records come from diverse localities including Pacific Mexico (Lepidopa californica and L. deamae), Atlantic Panama (Albunea paretii and A. catherinae), Madagascar (Albunea groeningi and A. symmysta, although the locality data on these species needs verification), India (A. symmysta), Réunion Island (A. holthuisi), the Philippines (A. microps), Guam (A. speciosa and Paralbunea dayriti), Moorea (A. elioti) and Hawaii (Albunea bulla). The sole specimen of Albunea bulla from Hawaii represents only the third species of albuneid recorded from the island chain. An overlooked misidentification of specimens of “Albunea thurstoni” from Hawaii (= Albunea danai) is also included. The discovery of a population of A. catherinae in Atlantic Panama is surprising and shows a highly disjunct distribution for the species, which could be the result of ballast water discharge near the Panama Canal Zone. Several specimens studied exhibit morphological characters that differ from typical members of their species and this illustrates the challenges of defining species boundaries from relatively small sample sizes. Discovery of a long overlooked species description reveals that Albunea scutelloides Garstang, 1897 is the senior synonym of Albunea mariellae Serène, 1973 and is the valid name for the type species of the genus Squillalbunea Boyko, 2002.
Observed Rainfall Trends over Singapore and the Maritime Continent from the Perspective of Regional-Scale Weather Regimes
Authors: Hassim Muhammad E. E. , Timbal Bertrand
Published: December 2018

Straddling the Asian–Australian monsoon region, the Maritime Continent (MC) experiences substantial rainfall variations from diurnal to interannual and longer time scales. In this study, rainfall over Singapore and the wider MC region are analyzed using objectively identified weather regimes. Eight regional-scale weather regimes are derived byk-means clustering of local vertical profiles of zonal and meridional winds, temperature, and specific humidity extracted over Singapore from ERA-Interim data for the period December 1980–November 2014. The composite synoptic flow and rainfall patterns over the region show that the weather regimes correspond to the seasonal migration of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) across the equator. For Singapore, the regimes depict seasonal rainfall variability by capturing the alternating dry and wet phases of the prevailing local monsoon and transition periods associated with the regional-scale ITCZ movement. Following previous work, the regimes are used to examine the annual rainfall trend by calculating the contributions due to 1) changes in regime frequency, indicating regional-scale circulation changes, and 2) changes in within-regime precipitation, indicating altered thermodynamic conditions. The overall trend observed at Singapore and many other MC locations is overwhelmingly due to changes in within-regime precipitation. However, the overall trend masks the larger contribution resulting from regime frequency changes as these circulation changes tend to offset one another in reality. In many MC areas (including Singapore), summed rainfall changes due to regime frequency changes outweigh those due to changes in within-regime rainfall, when aggregated in an absolute sense.
A Systematic Comparison of Tropical Waves over Northern Africa. Part I: Influence on Rainfall
Authors: Schlueter Andreas , Fink Andreas H. , Knippertz Peter , Vogel Peter
Published: December 2018

Low-latitude rainfall variability on the daily to intraseasonal time scale is often related to tropical waves, including convectively coupled equatorial waves, the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), and tropical disturbances (TDs). Despite the importance of rainfall variability for vulnerable societies in tropical Africa, the relative influence of tropical waves for this region is largely unknown. This article presents the first systematic comparison of the impact of six wave types on precipitation over northern tropical Africa during the transition and full monsoon seasons, using two satellite products and a dense rain gauge network. Composites of rainfall anomalies in the different datasets show comparable modulation intensities in the West Sahel and at the Guinea Coast, varying from less than 2 to above 7 mm day−1 depending on the wave type. African easterly waves (AEWs) and Kelvin waves dominate the 3-hourly to daily time scale and explain 10%–30% locally. On longer time scales (7–20 days), only the MJO and equatorial Rossby (ER) waves remain as modulating factors and explain about up to one-third of rainfall variability. Eastward inertio-gravity waves and mixed Rossby–gravity (MRG) waves are comparatively unimportant. An analysis of wave superposition shows that low-frequency waves (MJO, ER) in their wet phase amplify the activity of high-frequency waves (TD, MRG) and suppress them in the dry phase. The results stress that more attention should be paid to tropical waves when forecasting rainfall over northern tropical Africa.
An Objective Climatology of Tropical Cyclone Diurnal Pulses in the Atlantic Basin
Authors: Ditchek Sarah D. , Molinari John , Corbosiero Kristen L. , Fovell Robert G.
Published: December 2018

Storm-centered IR brightness temperature imagery was used to create 6-h IR brightness temperature difference fields for all Atlantic basin tropical cyclones from 1982 to 2017. Pulses of colder cloud tops were defined objectively by determining critical thresholds for the magnitude of the IR differences, areal coverage of cold-cloud tops, and longevity. Long-lived cooling pulses (≥9 h) were present on 45% of days overall, occurring on 80% of major hurricane days, 64% of minor hurricane days, 46% of tropical storm days, and 24% of tropical depression days. These cooling pulses propagated outward between 8 and 14 m s−1. Short-lived cooling pulses (3–6 h) were found 26.4% of the time. Some days without cooling pulses had events of the opposite sign, which were labeled warming pulses. Long-lived warming pulses occurred 8.5% of the time and propagated outward at the same speed as their cooling pulse counterparts. Only 12.2% of days had no pulses that met the criteria, indicating that pulsing is nearly ubiquitous in tropical cyclones. The environment prior to outward propagation of cooling pulses differed from warming pulse and no pulse days by having more favorable conditions between 0000 and 0300 LT for enhanced inner-core convection: higher SST and ocean heat content, more moisture throughout the troposphere, and stronger low-level vorticity and upper-level divergence.
Strength Outlooks for the El Niño–Southern Oscillation
Authors: L’Heureux Michelle L. , Tippett Michael K. , Takahashi Ken , Barnston Anthony G. , Becker Emily J. , Bell Gerald D. , Di Liberto Tom E. , Gottschalck Jon , Halpert Michael S. , Hu Zeng-Zhen , Johnson Nathaniel C. , Xue Yan , Wang Wanqiu
Published: December 2018

Three strategies for creating probabilistic forecast outlooks for El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are compared. One is subjective and is currently used by the NOAA/Climate Prediction Center (CPC) to produce official ENSO outlooks. A second is purely objective and is based on the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME). A new third strategy is proposed in which the forecaster only provides the expected value of the Niño-3.4 index, and then categorical probabilities are objectively determined based on past skill. The new strategy results in more confident probabilities compared to the subjective approach and higher verification scores, while avoiding the significant forecast busts that sometimes afflict the NMME-based objective approach. The higher verification scores of the new strategy appear to result from the added value that forecasters provide in predicting the mean, combined with more reliable representations of uncertainty, which is difficult to represent because forecasters often assume less confidence than is justified. Moreover, the new approach can produce higher-resolution probabilistic forecasts that include ENSO strength information and that are difficult, if not impossible, for forecasters to produce. To illustrate, a nine-category ENSO outlook based on the new strategy is assessed and found to be skillful. The new approach can be applied to other outlooks where users desire higher-resolution probabilistic forecasts, including the extremes.
Combined Microspectroscopic Characterization of a Red-Colored Granite Rock Sample
Authors: Okada Katsuya , Nakashima Satoru
Published: December 2018

Combined microspectroscopic mapping have been conducted on a red-colored Tenzan granite sample by using an original visible–fluorescence–Raman microspectrometer together with a low vacuum scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) without coating. Visible darkfield reflectance spectra were converted to L*a*b* color values and Kubelka–Munk (KM) spectra. Large a* value (red) positions correspond to large band areas at 500–560 nm, possibly due to hematite-like iron oxide, while large b* value (yellow) positions to large band areas at 450–500 nm, due to epidote-like mineral. Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectrometry analyses indicated that the reddish parts are Na and K-feldspars with low Fe contents (<0.5 wt%). Raman microspectroscopy could not detect hematite-like minerals. Since some hematite-like minerals were only identified by transmission electron microscope, they are considered to be submicron microcrystals disseminated in feldspar matrices. The KM spectra for prehnite-like minerals show a weak broad band around 430 nm due possibly to a ligand field band of Fe3+ without clear Fe2+–Fe3+ inter-valence charge transfer (IVCT) bands around 720 nm. Therefore, Fe in prehnite is not considered to be present as hematite-like iron oxide, but can be mainly present as Fe3+ replacing Al3+ in the crystal structure. Since determination of physicochemical states of Fe such as valence and coordination states (Fe2+ or Fe3+, oxide or in crystal lattice, etc.) and their distributions are extremely difficult, especially in complex colored materials such as rocks, the combined microspectroscopic methods are useful for their nondestructive characterization.
“I Know They Would Kill Me”: Abortion Attitudes and Experiences Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Authors: Begun Stephanie , Combs Katie Massey , Schwan Kaitlin , Torrie Michaela , Bender Kimberly
Published: December 2018

Pregnancy rates among youth experiencing homelessness are much higher than those of their housed peers, yet limited research exists on this population’s abortion experiences. This study examined abortion attitudes, experiences, and decision making through individual interviews with 30 female, male, and gender-fluid youth (ages 18-21 years) experiencing homelessness. Respondents indicated that abortions are common in this population. Many youth also reported they either had, and/or knew of others, who had attempted abortions outside of the formal medical system while experiencing homelessness. Most youth noted that self-inductions resulted from not knowing where or how to access abortions safely, and as many feared stigma, judgment, and violence from family members and serious partners in response to obtaining abortions. Most youth reflected inaccurate perceptions regarding abortion cost, accessibility, and legality. Findings should be considered in developing socially contextualized family planning prevention and outreach efforts among this highly vulnerable youth population.
Exploring Consumer Behavior in Virtual Reality Tourism Using an Extended Stimulus-Organism-Response Model
Authors: Kim Myung Ja , Lee Choong-Ki , Jung Timothy
Published: December 2018

Although virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology in tourism, little research has been conducted on what factors make consumers visit destinations presented by VR. To address this gap in the literature, this study developed a theoretical framework including authentic experience, cognitive and affective responses, attachment, and visit intention with VR tourism using a stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory. The results revealed significant impacts of authentic experience on cognitive and affective responses, indicating that authentic experience is an important factor in VR tourism. The study identified cognitive and affective responses as significant mediators in predicting attachment and visit intention. The results demonstrated that the intention to visit places shown in VR tourism was influenced by attachment to VR. Cognitive response had a stronger influence than affective response on the intention to visit a destination in VR. This study sheds light on why potential tourists visit destinations shown in VR.
Predicting Young Adults’ Romantic Relationship Quality: Sibling Ties and Adult Attachment Styles
Authors: Sommantico Massimiliano , Donizzetti Anna Rosa , Parrello Santa , De Rosa Barbara
Published: December 2018

Young adults’ romantic relationships have continually emerged as a significant area of study in psychological research. The authors examine possible associations between a measure of attitudes toward sibling relationships, a measure of adult attachment styles, and a measure of romantic relationship quality in a sample of 350 Italian university students (68.6% females, 31.4% males; age range 19-30 years, M age = 23.6 years, SD = 3.2). The authors tested the following hypotheses: that the perceived relationship quality between siblings was positively correlated with adult attachment styles and romantic relationship quality, that the frequent use of behaviors associated with adult attachment styles was negatively correlated with romantic relationship quality, and that attitudes toward sibling relationships and adult attachment styles predicted romantic relationship quality. Findings only partly supported the hypotheses, indicating that more positive attitudes toward sibling relationships and lower use of behaviors associated with avoidant attachment style influenced and predicted higher romantic relationship quality.
Carrying the Burden of a Culture: Bargaining With Patriarchy and the Gendered Reputation of Arab American Women
Authors: Aboulhassan Salam , Brumley Krista M.
Published: December 2018

This article analyzes how Arab American women understand cultural expectations that govern their lives and bodies, as they grapple with tension between U.S. and Arab cultural narratives. Using data from 20 in-depth interviews with second-generation Arab American women, this study shows how they draw on traditional familial narratives of honor and reputation, (re)interpret acculturation into the United States, and bargain with patriarchy to (re)shape their views on gender, family, and community. Reputation is embedded in everyday language; their narratives unmask fears of scandal when they cross boundaries based on rigid gender expectations about sexual activity, marriage, and divorce. As immigrant women experience new pathways to navigate U.S. and Arab culture, new attitudes toward gender may reshape normative expectations toward gender and family. Grounded in the lived experiences of Arab American women, this study extends scholarship on gendered expectations within the family and community, challenging the cultural policing of women.
Ocular Medical Devices: Histologic Technique and Histopathologic Evaluation of the Biocompatibility and Performance
Authors: Drevon-Gaillot Elodie
Published: December 2018

Ocular medical devices (MDs) represent a very wide and promising field of human ophthalmology. In preclinical studies evaluating the safety and/or performance of these ocular MDs, the choice of histologic technique and the focus of the histopathologic evaluation method should take into consideration the following aspects: the specific guidelines possibly associated with the MD or combination product, the ocular compartment in contact with the MD and its specificities, and last the nature of the biomaterial used in the MD. Following a brief overview of animal models, this short review will present the different types of ocular MDs and will present the specificities of the histologic technique and the histopathologic evaluation related to ocular MDs.
Intranodal Angiomyomatous Hamartoma in a Cynomolgus Monkey
Authors: Thirion-Delalande Catherine , Gervais Frédéric , Palate Bernard , Forster Roy , Schenka André Almeida
Published: December 2018

We describe here an angiomyomatous hamartoma in the right axillary lymph node of a three-year-old male cynomolgus monkey ( Macaca fascicularis), used as a control subject in a short-term toxicity study. This is a very rare lesion that has been reported almost exclusively in inguinal lymph nodes, and to date only in human beings. In the present case, light microscopy revealed partial replacement of the lymph node parenchyma by a disorganized, irregular vascular network, sparsely distributed smooth muscle cells, and a fibro-adipocytic stroma. This was considered to be fortuitous given the age of the animal, with no clinical or toxicological significance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an intranodal angiomyomatous hamartoma in a nonhuman animal species.
Method for Combined Observation of Serial Sections of Stented Arteries Embedded in Resin by Light Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Isobe Atsushi , Iwatani Kouichi , Souba Junko , Terao Hisako , Hagiwara Hitomi , Kumagai Fumiaki , Saito Yoshiaki , Nagano Kasuke , Tasaki Masako
Published: December 2018

We have developed a new method for obtaining information on whole tissues by light microscopy (LM) and ultrastructural features by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This method uses serial sections of a stented artery embedded in resin. Stents were implanted in porcine coronary arteries in this study. The heart was perfusion fixed in a 2% paraformaldehyde and 1.25% glutaraldehyde mixed solution. The stented artery was then removed, fixed in 1% osmium, embedded in Quetol 651 resin, and sectioned serially. For LM, the black color of osmium was removed from the section by immersion in periodic acid and hydrogen peroxide after deplasticization. These sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Elastica–Masson trichrome stain. For TEM, thin sections were re-embedded in Quetol 812 resin by the resupinate method and cut into ultrathin sections. A clear, fine structure was obtained, and organelles, microvilli, and cell junctions in the endothelium were easily observed. The combined observation of adjacent specimens by LM and TEM enabled us to relate histopathological changes in the millimeter scale to those in the nanometer scale.
Amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells improve viability of endothelial cells exposed to shear stress in ePTFE grafts
Authors: Pfeiffer Dagmar , Wankhammer Karin , Stefanitsch Christina , Hingerl Kerstin , Huppertz Berthold , Dohr Gottfried , Desoye Gernot , Lang Ingrid
Published: December 2018

Purpose:

Blood vessel reconstruction is an increasing need of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. For the development of microvascular prostheses, efficient endothelialization is mandatory to prevent graft occlusion. Here, we assessed the impact of amnion-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hAMSC), known for their important angiogenic potential, on the integrity and stability of endothelial cells exposed to shear stress in vascular grafts.

Methods:

Human placental endothelial cells (hPEC) were cultured at the inner surface of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft positioned within a bioreactor and exposed to a minimal shear stress of 0.015 dyne/cm2 or a physiological shear stress of 0.92 dyne/cm2. hAMSC attached to the outer graft surface were able to interact with human placental endothelial cells by paracrine factors.

Results:

Microscopical analysis and evaluation of glucose/lactate metabolism evidenced successful cell seeding of the graft: hPEC formed a stable monolayer, hAMSC showed a continuous growth during 72 h incubation. hAMSC improved the viability of hPEC exposed to 0.015 dyne/cm2 as shown by a decreased lactate dehydrogenase release of 13% after 72 h compared to hPEC single culture. The viability-enhancing effect of hAMSC on hPEC was further improved by 13% under physiological shear stress. Angiogenesis array analysis revealed that hPEC exposed to physiological shear stress and hAMSC co-culture reduced the secretion of angiogenin, GRO, MCP-1, and TIMP-2.

Conclusion:

hAMSC exerted best survival-enhancing effects on hPEC under exposure to physiological shear stress and modulated endothelial function by paracrine factors. Our data support further studies on the development of grafts functionalized with hAMSC–derived secretomes to enable fast clinical application.
Holiday Gifting at a Children’s Hospital: Sacred Ritual, Sacred Space
Authors: Barnes Liberty
Published: December 2018

Every Christmas season children’s hospitals in the United States are flooded with gift donations. Businesses, service organizations, and the public deliver carloads of new toys, puzzles, games, books, electronics, sports equipment, art supplies, cosmetics, blankets, and clothing for sick children. The practice is so common and widespread that donors rarely ask whether they may donate, what types of donations are welcome, and when and where they should deliver their donations. Based on ethnographic observations of holiday gifting at University Children’s Hospital, a nationally ranked pediatric hospital on the West Coast, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the implicit cultural beliefs that guide holiday gifting practices. Eschewing the popular rhetoric of American hyper-consumption and hedonism, I use a Durkheimian framework to argue that holiday gifting in children’s hospital is a sacred ritual. The data presented describe the wide-ranging variety of donors—from Boy Scouts to nightclub strippers—who journey to the hospital bearing gifts. Drawing on sacred conceptualizations of childhood and gifting in American culture, I argue that children’s hospitals are more than medico-scientific institutions. They represent sacred unifying spaces and the heart of their local communities where individuals and organizations come to privately and publicly reaffirm their moral commitments to society through holiday gifting.
Belonging to Another: Christ, Moral Nature, and the Shape of Humility
Authors: Wittman Tyler R.
Published: December 2018

This article reflects on Paul’s Christology in the Epistle to the Philippians and the operative notion of humility that is both implicit and explicit in his paraenesis. Through a theological exegesis of the famous Christ-hymn in particular, three consequential aspects of humility come to the fore: its grounding in Christ’s love, as well as its definition by and distinction from Christ’s own humility. Humility thus has a Christological foundation in a twofold sense because Christ not only exemplifies this virtue but constitutes the moral nature that defines those who belong to him. When the shape of humility is discerned in this light and explicated in relation to the theological virtues, it is understood as a form of eschatological belonging that finds concrete expression in faith working through love.
Research on lateral-directional stability augmentation system of flying wing aircraft based on reliability model
Authors: Pan Yalin , Huang Jun
Published: December 2018

Poor lateral-directional stability is a great risk to the design of flying wing aircraft due to the absence of vertical stabilizer. In order to improve the lateral-directional flying quality of this configuration aircraft, eigenstructure assignment technique by state feedback is adopted to design the stability augmentation system. The influence of eigenstructure on energy consumption of the control system is analyzed by citing energy consumption index in this paper. In addition, a reliability model is established to measure the reliability of the control system under uncertain factors. In order to assign eigenvalues and eigenvectors to obtain the control law of the system, a nested optimization model based on coupling degree, energy consumption and reliability is proposed. The outer optimization is used to optimize the eigenstructure, and inner optimization is used to compute the reliability of the control system in optimization process. A flying wing aircraft is used as a basis for the design of the stability augmentation system through the suggested optimization strategy. The optimization results demonstrate the validity of the method, and the lateral-directional flying quality of the aircraft has been improved greatly.
Study on the preparation of graphene oxide/silica/natural rubber latex composites by different processes
Authors: Wang Chuansheng , Chang Tianhao , Bian Huiguang , Zhang Luqi
Published: December 2018

In this study, the graphene oxide/silica/natural latex composites were prepared by four different processes, including spray sputtering drying method, dry-ice–expansion predispersion method, mechanical stirring method, and traditional drying method. Compared to the other three methods, the spray sputtering method had higher physical mechanical properties and better silica dispersion in the rubber matrix. Meanwhile, the cross-linking density of vulcanizates prepared by the spray sputtering drying method is the largest. Compared with the compound prepared by mechanical stirring, the tensile strength, tear strength, and wear resistance property of the compound prepared by spray sputtering drying method increased by 13.6%, 31.5%, and 16.7%, respectively. The tensile strength, tear strength, and wear resistance property of the compound prepared by spray sputtering drying method increased by 27.2%, 43.6%, and 24.6%, respectively, than those prepared by dry mixing method.