bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Time Series Construction of Summer Surface Temperatures for Alabama, 1883–2014, and Comparisons with Tropospheric Temperature and Climate Model Simulations
Authors: Christy John R. , McNider Richard T.
Published: January 2016

Three time series of average summer [June–August (JJA)] daily maximum temperature (TMax) are developed for three interior regions of Alabama from stations with varying periods of record and unknown inhomogeneities. The time frame is 1883–2014. Inhomogeneities for each station’s time series are determined from pairwise comparisons with no use of station metadata other than location. The time series for the three adjoining regions are constructed separately and are then combined as a whole assuming trends over 132 yr will have little spatial variation either intraregionally or interregionally for these spatial scales. Varying the parameters of the construction methodology creates 333 time series with a central trend value based on the largest group of stations of −0.07°C decade−1 with a best-guess estimate of measurement uncertainty from −0.12° to −0.02°C decade−1. This best-guess result is insignificantly different (0.01°C decade−1) from a similar regional calculation using NOAA’s divisional dataset based on daily data from the Global Historical Climatology Network (nClimDiv) beginning in 1895. Summer TMax is a better proxy, when compared with daily minimum temperature and thus daily average temperature, for the deeper tropospheric temperature (where the enhanced greenhouse signal is maximized) as a result of afternoon convective mixing. Thus, TMax more closely represents a critical climate parameter: atmospheric heat content. Comparison between JJA TMax and deep tropospheric temperature anomalies indicates modest agreement (r2 = 0.51) for interior Alabama while agreement for the conterminous United States as given by TMax from the nClimDiv dataset is much better (r2 = 0.86). Seventy-seven CMIP5 climate model runs are examined for Alabama and indicate no skill at replicating long-term temperature and precipitation changes since 1895.
Simulating the Mutual Forcing of Anomalous High Southern Latitude Atmospheric Circulation by El Niño Flavors and the Southern Annular Mode*
Authors: Wilson Aaron B. , Bromwich David H. , Hines Keith M.
Published: January 2016

Numerical simulations using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) are conducted based on tropical forcing of El Niño flavors. Though these events occur on a continuum, two general types are simulated based on sea surface temperature anomalies located in the central (CP) or eastern (EP) tropical Pacific. The goal is to assess whether CAM adequately represents the transient eddy dynamics associated with each of these El Niño flavors under different southern annular mode (SAM) regimes. CAM captures well the wide spatial and temporal variability associated with the SAM but only accurately simulates the impacts on atmospheric circulation in the high southern latitudes when the observed SAM phase is matched by the model. Composites of in-phase (El Niño–SAM−) and out-of-phase (El Niño–SAM+) events confirm a seasonal preference for in-phase (out of phase) events during December–February (DJF) [June–August (JJA)]. Modeled in-phase events for both EP (during DJF) and CP (during JJA) conditions support observations of anomalous equatorward momentum flux on the equatorward side of the eddy-driven jet, shifting this jet equatorward and consistent with the low phase of the SAM. Out-of-phase composites show that the El Niño–associated teleconnection to the high southern latitudes is strongly modulated by the SAM, as a strong eddy-driven jet is well maintained by high-latitude transient eddy convergence despite the tropical forcing. A regional perspective confirms that this interaction takes place primarily over the Pacific Ocean, with high-latitude circulation variability being a product of both tropical and high-latitude forcing.
Research Aircraft Determination of D-Value Cross Sections
Authors: Parish Thomas R. , Rahn David A. , Leon Dave
Published: January 2016

Use of an airborne platform to determine the dynamics of atmospheric motion has been ongoing for over three decades. Much of the effort has been centered on the determination of the horizontal pressure gradient force along an isobaric surface, and with wind measurements the nongeostrophic components of motion can be obtained. Recent advances using differential GPS-based altitude measurements allow accurate assessment of the geostrophic wind. Porpoise or sawtooth maneuvers are used to determine the vertical cross section of the horizontal pressure gradient force. D-values, the difference of the height of a given pressure level from that in a reference atmosphere, are used to isolate the vertical structure of the horizontal component of the pressure gradient force from the vastly larger hydrostatic pressure gradient. Comparison of measured D-value cross sections with airborne measurements of the horizontal pressure gradient is shown. Comparison of D-values with output from the WRF Model demonstrates that the airborne measurements are consistent with finescale numerical simulations. This technique provides a means of inferring the thermal wind, thereby enabling a detailed examination of the vertical structure of the forcing of mesoscale and synoptic-scale wind regimes.
Evaluation of PBL Parameterizations in WRF at Subkilometer Grid Spacings: Turbulence Statistics in the Dry Convective Boundary Layer
Authors: Shin Hyeyum Hailey , Dudhia Jimy
Published: January 2016

Planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterizations in mesoscale models have been developed for horizontal resolutions that cannot resolve any turbulence in the PBL, and evaluation of these parameterizations has been focused on profiles of mean and parameterized flux. Meanwhile, the recent increase in computing power has been allowing numerical weather prediction (NWP) at horizontal grid spacings finer than 1 km, at which kilometer-scale large eddies in the convective PBL are partly resolvable. This study evaluates the performance of convective PBL parameterizations in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model at subkilometer grid spacings. The evaluation focuses on resolved turbulence statistics, considering expectations for improvement in the resolved fields by using the fine meshes. The parameterizations include four nonlocal schemes—Yonsei University (YSU), asymmetric convective model 2 (ACM2), eddy diffusivity mass flux (EDMF), and total energy mass flux (TEMF)—and one local scheme, the Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino (MYNN) level-2.5 model.

Key findings are as follows: 1) None of the PBL schemes is scale-aware. Instead, each has its own best performing resolution in parameterizing subgrid-scale (SGS) vertical transport and resolving eddies, and the resolution appears to be different between heat and momentum. 2) All the selected schemes reproduce total vertical heat transport well, as resolved transport compensates differences of the parameterized SGS transport from the reference SGS transport. This interaction between the resolved and SGS parts is not found in momentum. 3) Those schemes that more accurately reproduce one feature (e.g., thermodynamic transport, momentum transport, energy spectrum, or probability density function of resolved vertical velocity) do not necessarily perform well for other aspects.
Changes in metabolic parameters in patients with severe mental illness over a 10-year period: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Heald Adrian H , Martin Julie L , Payton Tony , Khalid Luma , Anderson Simon G , Narayanan R Prakash , De Hert Marc , Yung Alison , Livingston Mark
Published: January 2016

Background:

Diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome are highly prevalent in patients with severe mental illness and can impose a major physical health burden.

Objective:

To determine how anthropometric and metabolic features changed over time in a retrospective cohort of people with Severe Mental Illness living in Cheshire, UK.

Methods:

In all, 1307 individuals on the severe mental illness Register were followed up between 2002 and 2012 in UK general practice. Subjects were identified through a pseudanonymised search of general practice registers.

Results:

Baseline body mass index was 28.6 kg/m2 increasing to 31.0 at 10-year follow-up ( r2 = 0.84; p = 0.0002). There was a significant increase in fasting blood glucose from 5.72 to 6.79 mmol/L ( r2 = 0.48; p = 0.026). Correspondingly, there was a strong positive univariate relation between increase in body mass index and fasting blood glucose ( r2 = 0.54; p < 0.0001) taking into account all measurements. Fasting blood glucose also increased slightly with age ( p = 0.028). With increasing use of statins, total cholesterol fell from 4.5 to 3.9 mmol/L ( r2 = 0.88; p = 0.0001), as did low-density lipoprotein cholesterol from 3.43 to 2.35 mmol/L ( r2 = 0.94; p = 0.0001). In multivariate models, adjusting for age, gender, smoking and blood pressure, each unit increase in body mass index (odds ratio = 1.07 [1.01, 1.13]; p = 0.031) and triglycerides (odds ratio = 1.28 (1.06, 1.55); p = 0.009) was independently associated with an increased risk of having type 2 diabetes.

Conclusion:

Increasing body mass index relates to increasing rates of dysglycaemia over time. Measures to encourage weight reduction should be key strategies to reduce dysglycaemia rates in severe mental illness. Prescribing statins may have been effective in improving the lipid profile in this group.
Banners, Barricades, and Bombs
Authors: Huff Connor , Kruszewska Dominika
Published: January 2016

In this article, we use an experimental survey design to explore how the tactical choices of social movements affect public opinion about whether the government should negotiate with the movement and the bargains that should be struck once negotiations begin. In doing so, we test competing theories about how we should expect the use of tactics with varying degrees of extremeness—including demonstrations, occupations, and bombings—to influence public opinion. We find that respondents are less likely to think the government should negotiate with organizations that use the tactic of bombing when compared with demonstrations or occupations. However, depending on the outcome variable and baseline category used in the analysis, we find mixed support for whether respondents think organizations that use bombings should receive less once negotiations begin. The results of this article are generally consistent with the theoretical and policy-based arguments centering around how governments should not negotiate with organizations that engage in violent activity commonly associated with terrorist organizations.
Elections and Property Rights
Authors: Frye Timothy , Yakovlev Andrei
Published: January 2016

The relative bargaining power of rulers and right holders is thought to be a key determinant of property rights, but because it both shapes and is shaped by property rights, it is difficult to estimate the impact of bargaining power on property rights. We take advantage of a natural experiment by comparing the responses of managers interviewed just before and just after a surprising parliamentary election in Russia that weakened the relative bargaining power of the ruling party. This electoral shock had little impact on the perceived property rights of the average firm, but firms with close economic ties to the state viewed their property as more vulnerable after the election. By exploiting largely exogenous variation in the timing of survey interviews, we estimate the impact of bargaining power on property rights with greater precision. We also contribute to the literature on elections under autocracy by focusing on their economic, rather than political, impacts on individuals.
Tyrants and Migrants
Authors: Shin Adrian J.
Published: January 2016

This article examines the determinants of immigration policy toward low-skilled workers across 13 relatively wealthy autocracies after World War II. I argue that authoritarian immigration policy is a consequence of an autocrat’s redistributive policy. As the distribution of resource rents in rentier autocracies reduces the incentive of domestic labor to enter the labor force, rentier states rely on migrant workers to meet the demand for low-skilled labor. Autocrats without resource rents, however, lack capacity for redistribution, so they use policies that provide people with wages in exchange for their labor while restricting immigration. Using a policy index that measures the extent to which low-skilled migrant workers can get into a country in a given year, I find strong evidence for this argument across 13 autocracies in the post-World War II era.
When the ‘unorganizable’ organize: The collective mobilization of migrant domestic workers in London
Authors: Jiang Zhe , Korczynski Marek
Published: January 2016

The collective mobilization of migrant workers is an important issue for analysis. Three key barriers to the mobilization of migrant workers have been identified – employment conditions, which tend to prevent migrant workers coming together; the framings held by migrant workers, which marginalize an understanding of their position as that of exploited workers; and the issue of the sustainability of any mobilization. The article examines migrant domestic workers as a case in which collective mobilization appears highly unlikely. The article uses the social movement approach as a meta-theoretical framing to explore the collective mobilization of migrant domestic workers in London. As such, it analyses how the ‘unorganizable’ organize. We show that mobilization changed the framing of migrant domestic workers from ‘labourers of love’ to workers with rights. It was able to do this because it addressed the three barriers to mobilization: by creating a space for the development of communities of coping among migrant workers; by using politicized learning; and by using participative democracy and collective leadership development, tied to links with formal organizations. The article argues for the importance of social scientists examining the creative processes by which migrant workers move towards collective mobilization, and for the utility of a social movement approach in this process.
Work-related smartphone use, work–family conflict and family role performance: The role of segmentation preference
Authors: Derks Daantje , Bakker Arnold B , Peters Pascale , van Wingerden Pauline
Published: January 2016

Is work-related smartphone use during off-job time associated with lower conflict owing to the blurring of the boundaries between work and family life? Or does it help employees juggling work and family demands? The present four-day quantitative diary study ( N = 71 employees, N = 265–280 data points) aims to shed light on the relationship between daily work-related smartphone use during off-job time, and daily work–family conflict and daily family role performance, respectively. Moreover, individuals’ general segmentation preference is investigated as a potential cross-level moderator in the relationships between daily work-related smartphone use during off-job time and both work–family conflict and family role performance. Overall, the results of multilevel modelling support our mediated moderation model indicating that for integrators more frequent work-related smartphone use during off-job time is associated with better family role performance through reduced work–family conflict. For segmenters, smartphone use does not have any impact on work–family conflict and family role performance. These findings suggest that for integrators smartphone use during off-job time may be useful to simultaneously meet both work demands and family demands, which has the potential to reduce work–family conflict and enhance family role performance; whereas for segmenters no effects were found.
‘What happens when you intuit?’: Understanding human resource practitioners’ subjective experience of intuition through a novel linguistic method
Authors: Sadler-Smith Eugene
Published: January 2016

The objective of this research was to understand the phenomenon of intuition from the perspective of the intuitor. Against a background of a steadily growing interest in intuition in managerial decision research, and inclining towards a phenomenological stance, the research used a novel linguistic method based on ‘de-nominalization’ to access participants’ (124 human resource practitioners) experiences of intuition. Based on an analysis of responses to the question ‘What happens when you intuit?’, the article: defines intuition based on participants’ subjective experiences; reveals the subjective experience of intuition as comprising three phases − ‘intuiting’, ‘intuition’ and ‘implementing’; uncovers two aspects of intuitive affect − ‘bodily awareness’ and ‘cognitive awareness’; and establishes that participants use primary metaphors to articulate their experiences of intuition. The article outlines the theoretical implications and practical relevance of these findings, and makes suggestions for further qualitative phenomenological studies of intuition.
Mechanical properties of nanocomposites with functionalized graphene
Authors: Lee Ming-Wei , Wang Tai-Yuan , Tsai Jia-Lin
Published: January 2016

The research investigated the thermal and mechanical properties of graphene/epoxy nanocomposites. Pristine graphene and functionalized graphene were used as nano-reinforcement in the nanocomposites. The graphene loadings employed in the nanocomposites were 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 wt%. The functional groups grafted on the functionalized graphene were characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results indicated that two kinds of functional groups are grafted on the functionalized graphene surfaces: one contains only COOH group and the other contains both COOH and NH2 groups. Moreover, from mechanical and thermal testing, it was found that the nanocomposites with functionalized graphene demonstrate better mechanical and thermal properties than those with pristine graphene. The graphene containing NH2 and COOH functional groups exhibits superior mechanical and thermal properties than the graphene with only COOH functional group. In addition, Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites increase as the graphene loading increases. However, the fracture toughness and tensile strength of the nanocomposites attain peak values when the functionalized graphene loading is 0.1 wt%. The effects of the functional groups on the mechanical and thermal properties of nanocomposites were elaborated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. It was revealed that the interfacial thermal conductance and normalized interaction energy increase between the functionalized graphene and epoxy matrix, which may be responsible for the enhanced mechanical properties in the functionalized graphene/epoxy nanocomposites.
The effects of different chemical treatment methods on the mechanical and thermal properties of textile fiber reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Bodur Mehmet Safa , Bakkal Mustafa , Sonmez Hasret Ece
Published: January 2016

In this study, the effects of improvement methods on the mechanical and thermal properties of textile fiber reinforced (T-FRP) composites were investigated. Five different chemical methods namely, silane treatment, alkaline treatment, alkali–silane treatment, maleic anhydride, and alkali–maleic anhydride coupling agents were applied to evaluate the suitable process parameters (concentration, soaking time, ratio by weight) for the enhanced properties of T-FRP composites. Tensile, three-point flexural and impact tests were performed on both untreated and treated composites for comparison purpose. Treated and untreated T-FRP composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to evaluate thermomechanical properties of composites. Results show that a significant improvement up to 60–70% can be seen on the mechanical properties of T-FRP composites via improving the interfacial adhesion and compatibility between fiber and matrix.
Ablation mechanism and properties of silica fiber-reinforced composite upon oxyacetylene torch exposure
Authors: Shi Shengbo , Gong Chunlin , Liang Jun , Fang Guodong , Wen Lihua , Gu Liangxian
Published: January 2016

The mechanism of mass loss and endothermic properties of silica fiber-reinforced phenolic composites during ablation were investigated in this paper. A theoretical prediction model combining the surface ablation theory and heat transfer theory of heat shield was developed to study the surface ablation behavior. In the formulation of the mathematical model, the effect of the moving boundary on the thermal response was considered, which results from the surface recession of the material in the thickness direction during ablation. The surface ablation recession rate and wall temperature of silica fiber-reinforced phenolic composite specimen were measured using an oxyacetylene torch experimental platform. Then, the efficiency of the model was verified by comparing calculation and experimental results. According to the principles of energy conservation on the ablated surface of the material, the proportion formulas of the heat absorption induced by individual endothermic mechanisms and the total heat absorption were derived. Similarly, the proportions of the mass loss caused by individual mass loss mechanisms were also given. Finally, variations of the ablation properties of the silica fiber-reinforced phenolic composites versus thermal exposure time were calculated and analyzed.
Celebrating the Nation: 12 October, from ‘Day of the Race’ to Spanish National Day
Authors: García Sebastiani Marcela , Marcilhacy David
Published: January 2016

This article is a study of the national holiday of 12 October, one of the most long-lasting and least transitory of the symbolic components of Spanish nationalism. Transnational in nature, this celebration of Spain’s existence constitutes an exception among similar national holidays, in that it is based upon the country’s role in the Americas and nostalgia for empire as founding elements of national identity. By analysing the changing ways in which this anniversary was celebrated in the course of the twentieth century, in rituals and language, the article highlights both the different imaginaries that were evoked and the roles played by particular actors and institutions in different stages of the construction of the national state and the definition of the regional and local identities of which it is composed. Our analysis of the progress of this celebration, from its inception in the late nineteenth century to the present day, as first Fiesta de la Raza, then Día de la Hispanidad and now just ‘National Day’, suggests that its durability, which has been maintained for nearly a century, stems from the notably ductile nature of the myths associated with it. Adaptable to regimes and political challenges of varied kinds, this commemoration melds together the inheritance of liberalism, the national-Catholic tradition and ‘regionalized nationalism’, all of which have been key elements in Spanish political history in the twentieth century.
‘Keeping with Contemporary Times’: Social Tourism and West German Youth Hostel Organizations, 1950s–80s
Authors: Papadogiannis Nikolaos
Published: January 2016

This article examines the organizations that ran youth hostels in West Germany from the 1950s to 1989. It analyses whether they reconfigured their aims and practices against the backdrop of the cultural, social and political transformations that West Germany underwent throughout its existence, especially concerning the establishment of strong ties with ‘Western’ countries and the spread of mass consumption. It argues that while the maintenance of discipline among guests by youth hostel personnel remained important in the operation of West German youth hostels throughout the period in question, the norms around which discipline revolved and the ways in which it was enforced increasingly became negotiated between the officials of these associations and the guests at youth hostels. This process does not fall into the category of the ‘cultural revolution’ that occurred in the ‘Long Sixties’, according to Arthur Marwick, but amounted to a protracted and cautious experimentation that lasted several decades. While the historiography of tourism has hitherto analysed either the explosion of commercial tourism or the spread of anti-commercial travel from the 1960s onwards, shifting youth hostel policies help illuminate a popular type of tourism, which growingly developed synergies with both those travel patterns, but yet remained distinct from them.
Mechanoresponsive Properties of the Periodontal Ligament
Authors: Huang L. , Liu B. , Cha J.Y. , Yuan G. , Kelly M. , Singh G. , Hyman S. , Brunski J.B. , Li J. , Helms J.A.
Published: January 2016

The periodontal ligament (PDL) functions as an enthesis, a connective tissue attachment that dissipates strains created by mechanical loading. Entheses are mechanoresponsive structures that rapidly adapt to changes in their mechanical loading; here we asked which features of the PDL are sensitive to such in vivo loading. We evaluated the PDL in 4 physiologically relevant mechanical environments, focusing on mitotic activity, cell density, collagen content, osteogenic protein expression, and organization of the tissue. In addition to examining PDLs that supported teeth under masticatory loading and eruptive forces, 2 additional mechanical conditions were created and analyzed: hypoloading and experimental tooth movement. Collectively, these data revealed that the adult PDL is a remarkably quiescent tissue and that only when it is subjected to increased loads—such as those associated with mastication, eruption, and orthodontic tooth movement—does the tissue increase its rate of cell proliferation and collagen production. These data have relevance in clinical scenarios where PDL acclimatization can be exploited to optimize tooth movement.
Sudden death of a child due to respiratory diphtheria
Authors: Swain Rajanikanta , Behera Chittaranjan , Arava Sudheer Kumar , Kundu Naveen
Published: January 2016

A four-year-old girl presented to the emergency department with respiratory distress. Death occurred despite attempted resuscitation. The illness was not clinically diagnosed. Her father revealed that she had a fever and sore throat for the last four days and was not immunised for diphtheria. Characteristic gross and microscopic pathology of respiratory diphtheria and microbiological findings were observed. The cause of death was acute respiratory failure consequent upon upper airway obstruction from diphtheria. Forensic pathologists should remember that the diphtheria cases can cause sudden death especially in developing countries.
Making sense of the past: The embodied information practices of field archaeologists
Authors: Olsson Michael
Published: January 2016

This paper reports the findings of a study of the information practices of archaeologists, students and volunteers undertaking an excavation in the field. Conceptually, the study was guided by a social constructionist and practice-theoretical epistemological standpoint. Methodologically, the study employed a multi-faceted approach incorporating both ethnographic observation of archaeologists working in the field and in-depth interviews. The findings show that participants’ practices were both social and embodied in nature.
Care, Laboratory Beagles and Affective Utopia
Authors: Giraud Eva , Hollin Gregory
Published: January 2016

A caring approach to knowledge production has been portrayed as epistemologically radical, ethically vital and as fostering continuous responsibility between researchers and research-subjects. This article examines these arguments through focusing on the ambivalent role of care within the first large-scale experimental beagle colony, a self-professed ‘beagle utopia’ at the University of California, Davis (1951–86). We argue that care was at the core of the beagle colony; the lived environment was re-shaped in response to animals ‘speaking back’ to researchers, and ‘love’ and ‘kindness’ were important considerations during staff recruitment. Ultimately, however, we show that care relations were used to manufacture compliancy, preventing the predetermined ends of the experiment from being troubled. Rather than suggesting Davis would have been less ethically troubling, or more epistemologically radical, with ‘better’ care, however, we suggest the case troubles existing care theory and argue that greater attention needs to be paid to histories, contexts, and exclusions.
Foucault, Gary Becker and the Critique of Neoliberalism
Authors: Newheiser David
Published: January 2016

Although Foucault’s 1979 lectures on The Birth of Biopolitics promised to treat the theme of biopolitics, the course deals at length with neoliberalism while mentioning biopolitics hardly at all. Some scholars account for this elision by claiming that Foucault sympathized with neoliberalism; I argue on the contrary that Foucault develops a penetrating critique of the neoliberal claim to preserve individual liberty. I show that the Chicago economist Gary Becker exemplifies what Foucault describes elsewhere as biopolitics: a form of power applied to the behaviour of a population through the normalizing use of statistics. Although Becker’s preference for indirect intervention might seem to preserve the independence of individuals, under biopolitics individual liberty is itself the means by which populations are governed indirectly. In my view, by describing the history and ambivalence of neoliberal biopolitics, Foucault fosters a critical vigilance that is the precondition for creative political resistance.
The effect of a subsequent pregnancy after transjugular coil embolisation for pelvic vein reflux
Authors: Dos Santos Scott J , Holdstock Judy M , Harrison Charmaine C , Whiteley Mark S
Published: January 2016

Background

Pelvic venous reflux has been proven to contribute to the development of primary and recurrent varicose veins, vulval/labial varicose veins and pelvic congestion syndrome. It is associated with lower limb varicose veins in 20% of patients who have a history of at least one prior vaginal delivery. Pelvic vein embolisation is known to be a safe and effective treatment for the abolition of pelvic venous reflux. However, the effect of a subsequent pregnancy on a previously embolised patient remains largely unknown. This study aims to report the effect of pregnancy on patients that have undergone pelvic vein embolisation.

Methods

Patients that had previously undergone pelvic vein embolisation for pelvic venous reflux at our unit were sent a questionnaire asking if they had had a pregnancy and subsequently delivered post-embolisation. Patients responding positively were invited to attend our unit for transvaginal duplex ultrasonography of their pelvic veins. Post-pregnancy transvaginal duplex ultrasonography results were compared to pre-embolisation and 6-week post-embolisation scans.

Results

Eight women, aged 32–48 years (mean 38.8), were retrospectively analysed. Parity prior to embolisation ranged from 1 to 5 (mean 2.8).

Initial outcomes at 6 weeks

Pelvic venous reflux was completely eliminated in five patients, two patients achieved complete elimination of truncal reflux with very minor vulval reflux and one patient had persistent, mild reflux in the right internal iliac vein.

Post-pregnancy outcomes

Pelvic venous reflux was completely eliminated in three patients and five patients displayed pelvic venous reflux in at least one truncal vein, with or without concurrent vulval reflux. No patient showed any coil displacement or embolisation as a result of the pregnancy.

Conclusions

Pregnancy is associated with recurrent reflux in the pelvic veins in women who had previously been treated with coil embolisation. Following recovery from pregnancy, repeat embolisation can eliminate recurrent reflux. Pregnancy appears to be safe following coil embolisation of pelvic veins.
Practice patterns of adjunctive therapy for venous leg ulcers
Authors: Aziz Faisal , Raffetto Joseph D , Diaz Jose A , Myers Daniel D , Ozsvath Kathleen J , Carman Teresa L , Lal Brajesh K ,   on behalf of the American Venous Forum (AVF) Research Committee
Published: January 2016

Objectives

Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are the most severe clinical sequelae of venous reflux and post thrombotic syndrome. There is a consensus that ablation of refluxing vein segments and treatment of significant venous obstruction can heal VLUs. However, there is wide disparity in the use and choice of adjunctive therapies for VLUs. The purpose of this study was to assess these practice patterns among members of the American Venous Forum.

Methods

The AVF Research Committee conducted an online survey of its own members, which consisted of 16 questions designed to determine the specialty of physicians, location of treatment, treatment practices and reimbursement for treatment of VLUs

Results

The survey was distributed to 667 practitioners and a response rate of 18.6% was achieved. A majority of respondents (49.5%) were vascular specialists and the remaining were podiatrists, dermatologists, primary care doctors and others. It was found that 85.5% were from within the USA, while physicians from 14 other countries also responded. Most of the physicians (45%) provided adjunctive therapy at a private office setting and 58% treated less than 5 VLU patients per week. All respondents used some form of compression therapy as the primary mode of treatment for VLU. Multilayer compression therapy was the most common form of adjunctive therapy used (58.8%) and over 90% of physicians started additional modalities (biologics, negative pressure, hyperbaric oxygen and others) when VLUs failed compression therapy, with a majority (65%) waiting less than three months to start them. Medicare was the most common source of reimbursement (52.4%).

Conclusions

Physicians from multiple specialties treat VLU. While most physicians use compression therapy, there is wide variation in the selection and point of initiation for additional therapies once compression fails. There is a need for high-quality data to help establish guidelines for adjunctive treatment of VLUs and to disseminate them to physicians across multiple specialties to ensure standardized high-quality treatment of patients with VLUs.
Outcomes of return-to-work after stroke rehabilitation: A systematic review
Authors: Wei Xi-Jun , Liu Xue-feng , Fong Kenneth NK
Published: January 2016

Introduction

The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the outcomes of return-to-work for stroke survivors of working age after conventional stroke rehabilitation or vocational rehabilitation.

Method

Searches were performed using three electronic databases for literature published in English in the 10-year period 2004–2014 which included a population of working age stroke survivors who had previously participated in conventional or vocational rehabilitation, and which presented the outcomes of return-to-work.

Findings

The literature search yielded 10 studies that satisfied our selection criteria. Three studies involved vocational rehabilitation. Studies illustrated and compared the vocational status at or among different stages of ‘pre-stroke’, ‘post-stroke and before rehabilitation discharge’, ‘rehabilitation discharge’ and ‘follow-up’. The employment rate at follow-up ranged from 7% to 81.1%.

Conclusion

Methodological variations accounted for the wide range of return-to-work rates. There was limited evidence to support the conclusion that rehabilitation increases return-to-work rates for stroke survivors of working age, but recent studies showed that improvements in fatigue and cognitive function after stroke rehabilitation were related to good return-to-work outcomes. Either specialised vocational rehabilitation, conventional stroke rehabilitation or their combination is needed to increase return-to-work rates and improve the quality of life for stroke survivors of working age.
Differences in Body Build in Children of Different Ethnic Groups and their Impact on the Prevalence of Stunting, Thinness, Overweight, and Obesity
Authors: Poh Bee Koon , Wong Jyh Eiin , Norimah A. Karim , Deurenberg Paul
Published: January 2016

Background:

The prevalence of stunting, thinness, overweight, and obesity among children differs by ethnicity. It is not known whether differences in body build across the ethnic groups influence the interpretation of nutritional parameters.

Objective:

To explore the differences in body build across the 5 main ethnic groups in Malaysia and to determine whether differences in body build have an impact on the interpretation of nutrition indicators.

Methods:

A total of 3227 children aged 2.0 to 12.9 years who participated in the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS) in Malaysia were included in this analysis. Body weight, height, sitting height, wrist and knee breadths, and biceps and subscapular skinfolds were measured, and relative leg length, slenderness index, and sum of skinfolds were calculated. Z scores for height-for-age (HAZ) and body mass index-for-age (BAZ) were calculated using the World Health Organization (WHO) 2007 growth standards.

Results:

Differences in relative leg length and slenderness across the ethnic groups were correlated with HAZ and BAZ. Correction for differences in body build did, in some ethnic groups, have significant impact on the prevalence of stunting, thinness, overweight, and obesity, and the pattern of prevalence across ethnic groups changed.

Conclusion:

At the population level, corrections for body build had only minor and mostly nonsignificant effects on prevalence, but at an individual level, corrections for body build placed a substantial number of children in different height or weight categories. Whether these misclassifications warrant additional assessment of body build in clinical practice will need further investigation.
Enhancing sound absorption properties of open-cell natural rubber foams with treated bagasse and oil palm fibers
Authors: Tomyangkul Supitcha , Pongmuksuwan Pornlada , Harnnarongchai Wanlop , Chaochanchaikul Kantima
Published: January 2016

The aim of this work was to study the effects of natural fiber type and loading content on the sound absorption efficiency of natural rubber (NR)/treated natural fiber composite foams. This was investigated by measuring the cell characteristics of composite foam, sound absorption coefficient (SAC), and viscoelastic behavior. Bagasse (BF) and Oil Palm (OPF) fibers were treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution and the optimal treatment conditions for BF and OPF were determined by varying treatment times and NaOH concentrations. Potassium oleate (K-oleate) was used as a blowing agent to create open-cell NR foam. The results indicated that the most suitable NaOH concentration for both BF and OPF was 10%wt. and optimal treatment times were 30 and 10 min, respectively. At low fiber loadings, the addition of treated BF and OPF resulted in a decrease in the average cell size and an increase in the number of foam cells. As loading increased above 5%wt., cell size and cell number exhibited the opposite trends. Both treated BF and OPF enhanced the sound absorption efficiency of NR foams, especially at medium and high frequencies. NaOH treatment improved the interfacial bonding between the matrix and natural fibers, and increased the roughness on the surface of BF and OPF, leading to an enhanced ability for BF and OPF to absorb sound waves. The results indicated that treated BF was more effective than treated OPF for increasing SAC values. Type and dispersion of fiber and viscoelastic behavior were important factors on SAC of composite foams more than cell characteristic.
Patterns of Shelter Use Among Men New to Homelessness in Later Life
Authors: Rothwell David W. , Sussman Tamara , Grenier Amanda , Mott Sebastian , Bourgeois-Guérin Valérie
Published: January 2016

People who become homeless for the first time in late life are a growing but understudied population. This study draws on administrative data from one shelter ( N = 1,214 first-time homeless) to assess the extent to which age is related to shelter stay and, to examine psychosocial factors that may be associated with shelter departure. Our bivariate and survival analysis results suggest that older homeless men stay in the shelter 2 weeks longer than younger clients. Older men with pending legal issues and mobility concerns were more likely to leave the shelter than those without such concerns. Findings highlight the impact of age and other psychosocial variables on shelter stay, and provide direction from which to address homelessness among men who are new to homelessness in later life.
Older Adults’ Opinions on Fall Prevention in Relation to Physical Activity Level
Authors: Tuvemo Johnson Susanna , Martin Cathrin , Anens Elisabeth , Johansson Ann-Christin , Hellström Karin
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe older adults’ opinions regarding actions to prevent falls and to analyze differences in the opinions of highly versus less physically active older adults. An open-ended question was answered by 262 individuals aged 75 to 98 years living in the community. The answers were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, and differences in the categories were compared between highly and less physically active persons. Physical activity was measured according to a five-level scale. The content analysis resulted in eight categories: assistive devices, avoiding hazards, behavioral adaptive strategies, being physically active, healthy lifestyle, indoor modifications, outdoor modifications, and seeking assistance. Behavioral adaptive strategies were mentioned to a greater extent by highly active people, and indoor modifications were more often mentioned by less active older adults. Support for active self-directed behavioral strategies might be important for fall prevention among less physically active older adults.
Hidden Obligatory Fluid Intake in Critical Care Patients
Authors: Bashir Muhammad Umair , Tawil Anan , Mani Vishnu R. , Farooq Umer , A. DeVita Michael
Published: January 2016

Introduction:

In addition to the fluid intake in the form of intravenous maintenance or boluses in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, there are sources of fluids that may remain unrecognized but contribute significantly to the overall fluid balance. We hypothesized that fluids not ordered as boluses or maintenance infusions—“hidden obligatory fluids”—may contribute more than a liter to the fluid intake of a patient during any random 24 hours of critical care admission.

Methods:

Patients admitted to the Harlem Hospital ICU for at least 24 hours were included in this study (N = 98). Medical records and nursing charts were reviewed to determine the sources and volumes of various fluids for the study patients.

Results:

The mean hidden obligatory volume for an ICU patient was calculated to be 978 mL (standard deviation [SD]: 904, median: 645) and 1571 mL (SD: 1023, median: 1505), with enteral feeds compared to the discretionary volume of 2821 mL (SD: 2367, median: 2595); this obligatory fluid volume was affected by a patient’s need for pressor support and renal replacement therapy.

Conclusion:

Hidden obligatory fluids constitute a major source of the fluid intake among patients in a critical care unit. Up to 1.5 L should be taken into account during daily decision making to effectively regulate their volumes.
Towards functional 3D-stacked electrospun composite scaffolds of PHBV, silk fibroin and nanohydroxyapatite: Mechanical properties and surface osteogenic differentiation
Authors: Paşcu Elena I , Cahill Paul A , Stokes Joseph , McGuinness Garrett B
Published: January 2016

Bone tissue engineering scaffolds have two challenging functional tasks to fulfil: to encourage cell proliferation, differentiation and matrix synthesis and to provide suitable mechanical stability upon implantation. Composites of biopolymers and bioceramics combine the advantages of both types of materials, resulting in better processability and enhanced mechanical and biological properties through matrix reinforcement. In the present study, novel thick bone composite scaffolds were successfully fabricated using electrospun flat sheets of polyhydroxybutyrate–polyhydroxyvalerate/nanohydroxyapatite/silk fibroin essence (2% nanohydroxyapatite – 2% silk fibroin essence and 5% nanohydroxyapatite – 5% silk fibroin essence, respectively). Their potential as in vitro bone regeneration scaffolds was evaluated using mouse calvarian osteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1), in terms of morphology (scanning electron microscope), cell attachment, cell proliferation, Col type I, osteopontin and bone alkaline phosphatase activity (Quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction [qRT-PCR], enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunocytochemistry). Electrospun polyhydroxybutyrate–polyhydroxyvalerate scaffolds were used as reference constructs. The results showed that the compressive and tensile mechanical properties of the scaffolds are dependent on the change in their composition, and the treatment these underwent. Furthermore, methanol-treated and autoclaved (MA) P2 (2% nanohydroxyapatite, 2% silk fibroin essence) samples appeared to exhibit more promising tensile properties. Additionally, the compressive tests results confirmed that the methanol pre-treatment and the autoclaving step lead to an increase in the P2 secant modulus when compared to the non-methanol-treated ones, P2 and P5 (5% nanohydroxyapatite, 5% silk fibroin essence), respectively.

Both formulations of polyhydroxybutyrate–polyhydroxyvalerate/nanohydroxyapatite/silk fibroin essence composite promoted greater cell adhesion and proliferation than the corresponding polyhydroxybutyrate–polyhydroxyvalerate control ones. Cells seeded on the composite fibrous scaffolds were extensively expanded and elongated on the fibre surface after one day in culture, whereas those seeded on the polyhydroxybutyrate–polyhydroxyvalerate scaffolds were not completely elongated. In addition, cells grown on P2 and P5 scaffolds had higher alkaline phosphatase activity when compared to those containing no nanohydroxyapatite/silk fibroin essence.
Lessons from Sarajevo and the First World War
Authors: Andersen Tea Sindbæk
Published: January 2016

This article investigates the developments of public memory of the First World War as it is written into the national narratives of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia on the way to the centennial of the war’s outbreak. The First World War constitutes both a shared and a divided memory in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia. Though the war was a catastrophe everywhere, to Serbia it also became a triumph on the allied side, whereas in Bosnia and Croatia it was mainly a state collapse. Yet, the First World War also provided the immediate conditions for the creation of the first Yugoslav state, and consequently the history of the war was narrated within a Yugoslav context, echoing the triumphant Serbian narrative. With the fall of socialist Yugoslavia, the memory of the First World War developed quite differently in the three states. Different lessons are being drawn from war history, often with the aim of situating the nation within a European context. In Serbia, First World War narratives remain national and heroic and are framed as a virtuous, pro-democratic, and European legacy. In Croatia and Bosnia, First World War history is being created anew and, at least in the Bosnian case, with an aspiration to present Bosnia’s war experience within a discourse of European reconciliation. Based on analyses of popular history books, history debates in newspapers and media, and political commentary, the article shows how the First World War as public memory has moved from Yugoslav to national narratives with an increasingly European aspiration.