bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lavandula angustifolia Extract Improves the Result of Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Wharton’s Jelly Stem Cell Transplantation after Contusive Spinal Cord Injury in Wistar Rats
Authors: Yaghoobi Kayvan , Kaka Gholamreza , Mansouri Korosh , Davoodi Shaghayegh , Sadraie Seyed Homayoon , Hosseini Seyed Ruhollah
Published: February 2016

Introduction. The primary trauma of spinal cord injury (SCI) results in severe damage to nervous functions. At the cellular level, SCI causes astrogliosis. Human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs), isolated from Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord, can be easily obtained. Previously, we showed that the neuroprotective effects of Lavandula angustifolia can lead to improvement in a contusive SCI model in rats. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of L. angustifolia (Lav) on HUMSC transplantation after acute SCI. Materials and Methods. Sixty adult female rats were randomly divided into eight groups. Every week after SCI onset, all animals were evaluated for behavior outcomes. H&E staining was performed to examine the lesions after injury. GFAP expression was assessed for astrogliosis. Somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) testing was performed to detect the recovery of neural conduction. Results. Behavioral tests showed that the HUMSC group improved in comparison with the SCI group, but HUMSC + Lav 400 was very effective, resulting in a significant increase in locomotion activity. Sensory tests and histomorphological and immunohistochemistry analyses verified the potentiation effects of Lav extract on HUMSC treatment. Conclusion. Transplantation of HUMSCs is beneficial for SCI in rats, and Lav extract can potentiate the functional and cellular recovery with HUMSC treatment in rats after SCI.
Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete and Its Application in Highway Bridge
Authors: Song Junwei , Liu Shuhua
Published: February 2016

A high-performance reactive powder concrete (RPC) was prepared with river sand, and the maximum particle size is 1.25 mm, under the 80°C steam curing condition. It is tested completely in terms of strength, uniaxial compressive stress-strain relation, flexural load-deflection relation, and frost resisting durability, and the results indicate that the concrete is suitable to RPC200. The uniaxial compressive stress-strain curve shows a linear-elastic behaviour up to explosive failure, which is different from that of conventional concrete. High postpeak load carrying capacity shows high toughness and reinforcing effect of the steel fibers. The RPC has not only much higher limit strain than conventional concrete, but also excellent frost resisting durability at the fifth day of age exceeding F300. Furthermore, the RPC satisfactorily meets the requirement of practical application for Xialouzi Bridge built with the RPC totally according to the calculation with finite element analysis software MIDAS/Civil. And the static loading testing result suggests that design of the bridge meets the utilization requirements.
Motif-Based Text Mining of Microbial Metagenome Redundancy Profiling Data for Disease Classification
Authors: Wang Yin , Li Rudong , Zhou Yuhua , Ling Zongxin , Guo Xiaokui , Xie Lu , Liu Lei
Published: February 2016

Background. Text data of 16S rRNA are informative for classifications of microbiota-associated diseases. However, the raw text data need to be systematically processed so that features for classification can be defined/extracted; moreover, the high-dimension feature spaces generated by the text data also pose an additional difficulty.Results. Here we present a Phylogenetic Tree-Based Motif Finding algorithm (PMF) to analyze 16S rRNA text data. By integrating phylogenetic rules and other statistical indexes for classification, we can effectively reduce the dimension of the large feature spaces generated by the text datasets. Using the retrieved motifs in combination with common classification methods, we can discriminate different samples of both pneumonia and dental caries better than other existing methods.Conclusions. We extend the phylogenetic approaches to perform supervised learning on microbiota text data to discriminate the pathological states for pneumonia and dental caries. The results have shown that PMF may enhance the efficiency and reliability in analyzing high-dimension text data.
Assessment of Patellar Tendon Reflex Responses Using Second-Order System Characteristics
Authors: Steineman Brett D. , Karra Pavan , Park Kiwon
Published: February 2016

Deep tendon reflex tests, such as the patellar tendon reflex (PTR), are widely accepted as simple examinations for detecting neurological disorders. Despite common acceptance, the grading scales remain subjective, creating an opportunity for quantitative measures to improve the reliability and efficacy of these tests. Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of quantified measurement variables; however, little work has been done to correlate experimental data with theoretical models using entire PTR responses. In the present study, it is hypothesized that PTR responses may be described by the exponential decay rate and damped natural frequency of a theoretical second-order system. Kinematic data was recorded from both knees of 45 subjects using a motion capture system and correlation analysis found that the meanR2value was 0.99. Exponential decay rate and damped natural frequency ranges determined from the sample population were −5.61 to −1.42 and 11.73 rad/s to 14.96 rad/s, respectively. This study confirmed that PTR responses strongly correlate to a second-order system and that exponential decay rate and undamped natural frequency are novel measurement variables to accurately measure PTR responses. Therefore, further investigation of these measurement variables and their usefulness in grading PTR responses is warranted.
The PMIPv6-Based Group Binding Update for IoT Devices
Authors: Guan Jianfeng , You Ilsun , Xu Changqiao , Zhang Hongke
Published: February 2016

Internet of Things (IoT) has been booming with rapid increase of the various wearable devices, vehicle embedded devices, and so on, and providing the effective mobility management for these IoT devices becomes a challenge due to the different application scenarios as well as the limited energy and bandwidth. Recently, lots of researchers have focused on this topic and proposed several solutions based on the combination of IoT features and traditional mobility management protocols, in which most of these schemes take the IoT devices as mobile networks and adopt the NEtwork MObility (NEMO) and its variants to provide the mobility support. However, these solutions are in face of the heavy signaling cost problem. Since IoT devices are generally combined to realize the complex functions, these devices may have similar movement behaviors. Clearly analyzing these characters and using them in the mobility management will reduce the signaling cost and improve the scalability. Motivated by this, we propose a PMIPv6-based group binding update method. In particular, we describe its group creation procedure, analyze its impact on the mobility management, and derive its reduction ratio in terms of signaling cost. The final results show that the introduction of group binding update can remarkably reduce the signaling cost.
A Fuzzy MCDM Approach for Green Supplier Selection from the Economic and Environmental Aspects
Authors: Wang Chen Hsiu Mei , Chou Shuo-Yan , Luu Quoc Dat , Yu Tiffany Hui-Kuang
Published: February 2016

Due to the challenge of rising public awareness of environmental issues and governmental regulations, green supply chain management (SCM) has become an important issue for companies to gain environmental sustainability. Supplier selection is one of the key operational tasks necessary to construct a green SCM. To select the most suitable suppliers, many economic and environmental criteria must be considered in the decision process. Although numerous studies have used economic criteria such as cost, quality, and lead time in the supplier selection process, only some studies have taken into account the environmental issues. This study proposes a comprehensive fuzzy multicriteria decision making (MCDM) approach for green supplier selection and evaluation, using both economic and environmental criteria. In the proposed approach, a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is employed to determine the important weights of criteria under vague environment. In addition, a fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) is used to evaluate and rank the potential suppliers. Finally, a case study in Luminance Enhancement Film (LEF) industry is presented to illustrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed method.
Recent Progress of TiO2-Based Anodes for Li Ion Batteries
Authors: Liu Yu , Yang Yefeng
Published: February 2016

TiO2-based materials have been widely studied in the field of photocatalysis, sensors, and solar cells. Besides that, TiO2-based materials are of great interest for energy storage and conversion devices, in particular rechargeable lithium ion batteries (LIBs). TiO2has significant advantage due to its low volume change (<4%) during Li ion insertion/desertions process, short paths for fast lithium ion diffusion, and large exposed surface offering more lithium insertion channels. However, the relatively low theoretical capacity and electrical conductivity of TiO2greatly hampered its practical application. Various strategies have been developed to solve these problems, such as designing different nanostructured TiO2to improve electronic conductivity, coating or combining TiO2with carbonaceous materials, incorporating metal oxides to enhance its capacity, and doping with cationic or anionic dopants to form more open channels and active sites for Li ion transport. This review is devoted to the recent progress in enhancing the LIBs performance of TiO2with various synthetic strategies and architectures control. Based on the lithium storage mechanism, we will also bring forward the existing challenges for future exploitation and development of TiO2-based anodes in energy storage, which would guide the development for rationally and efficiently designing more efficient TiO2-based LIBs anodes.
Coexisting Situs Inversus Totalis and Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Authors: Gundogdu Kemal , Altintoprak Fatih , Uzunoğlu Mustafa Yener , Dikicier Enis , Zengin İsmail , Yağmurkaya Orhan
Published: February 2016

Situs inversus totalis is a rare congenital abnormality with mirror symmetry of mediastinal and abdominal organs. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is an autoimmune disease with destruction of thrombocytes. This paper is presentation of surgical approach to a case with coexistence of these two conditions.
Syntheses and Antibiotic Evaluation of 2-{[(2R,4R)-4-Carboxy-2-hydroxypyrrolidin-1-yl]carbonyl}benzene-1,5-dicarboxylic Acids and 2-Carbamoylbenzene-1,5-dicarboxylic Acid Analogues
Authors: Tukur Abdulrazaq , Bello Isaac Asusheyi , Koorbanally Neil Anthony , Habila James Dama
Published: February 2016

Our search for new antibiotics led to the syntheses and biological evaluation of new classes of dicarboxylic acid analogues. The syntheses involve nucleophilic addition of different substituted benzylamine, aniline, alkylamine, and 4-hydroxyl-L-proline with carbamoylbenzoic acid. The results of the antimicrobial activity as indicated by the zone of inhibition (ZOI) showed that Z10 is the most active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (32 mm) and least active against Candida stellatoidea (27 mm) and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) (27 mm), while Z7 shows the least zone of inhibition (22 mm) against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) determination reveals that Z10 inhibits the growth of tested microbes at a low concentration of 6.25 μg/mL, while Z9 and Z12 inhibits the growth of most microbes at a concentration of 12.5 μg/mL, recording the least MIC. The Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentration (MBC/MFC) results revealed that Z10 has the highest bactericidal/fungicidal effect on the test microbes, at a concentration of 12.5 μg/mL, with the exception of Candida stellatoidea and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) with MBC/MFC of 25 μg/mL. The result of this investigation reveals the potential of the target compounds (Z1–3,5,7–12) in the search for new antimicrobial agents.
Basophil Recruitment into Tumor-Draining Lymph Nodes Correlates with Th2 Inflammation and Reduced Survival in Pancreatic Cancer Patients
Authors: De Monte Lucia , Wörmann Sonja , Brunetto Emanuela , Heltai Silvia , Magliacane Gilda , Reni Michele , Paganoni Anna Maria , Recalde Helios , Mondino Anna , Falconi Massimo , Aleotti Francesca , Balzano Gianpaolo , Algül Hana , Doglioni Claudio , Protti Maria Pia
Published: February 2016

In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC), lymphoid infiltrates, comprised mainly of Th2 cells, predict a poor survival outcome in patients. IL4 signaling has been suggested to stabilize the Th2 phenotype in this setting, but the cellular source of IL4 in PDAC is unclear. Here, we show that basophils expressing IL4 are enriched in tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLN) of PDAC patients. Basophils present in TDLNs correlated significantly with the Th2/Th1 cell ratio in tumors, where they served as an independent prognostic biomarker of patient survival after surgery. Investigations in mouse models of pancreatic cancer confirmed a functional role for basophils during tumor progression. The recruitment of basophils into TDLN relied partly upon the release of chemokine CCL7/MCP3 by "alternatively activated" monocytes, whereas basophil activation was induced by T-cell–derived IL3. Our results show how basophils recruited and activated in TDLNs under the influence of the tumor microenvironment regulate tumor-promoting Th2 inflammation in PDAC, helping in illuminating a key element of the immune milieu of pancreatic cancer. Cancer Res; 76(7); 1792–803. ©2016 AACR.
Dual Targeting of CDK4 and ARK5 Using a Novel Kinase Inhibitor ON123300 Exerts Potent Anticancer Activity against Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Perumal Deepak , Kuo Pei-Yu , Leshchenko Violetta V. , Jiang Zewei , Divakar Sai Krishna Athaluri , Cho Hearn Jay , Chari Ajai , Brody Joshua , Reddy M.V. Ramana , Zhang Weijia , Reddy E. Premkumar , Jagannath Sundar , Parekh Samir
Published: February 2016

Multiple myeloma is a fatal plasma cell neoplasm accounting for over 10,000 deaths in the United States each year. Despite new therapies, multiple myeloma remains incurable, and patients ultimately develop drug resistance and succumb to the disease. The response to selective CDK4/6 inhibitors has been modest in multiple myeloma, potentially because of incomplete targeting of other critical myeloma oncogenic kinases. As a substantial number of multiple myeloma cell lines and primary samples were found to express AMPK-related protein kinase 5(ARK5), a member of the AMPK family associated with tumor growth and invasion, we examined whether dual inhibition of CDK4 and ARK5 kinases using ON123300 results in a better therapeutic outcome. Treatment of multiple myeloma cell lines and primary samples with ON123300 in vitro resulted in rapid induction of cell-cycle arrest followed by apoptosis. ON123300-mediated ARK5 inhibition or ARK5-specific siRNAs resulted in the inhibition of the mTOR/S6K pathway and upregulation of the AMPK kinase cascade. AMPK upregulation resulted in increased SIRT1 levels and destabilization of steady-state MYC protein. Furthermore, ON123300 was very effective in inhibiting tumor growth in mouse xenograft assays. In addition, multiple myeloma cells sensitive to ON123300 were found to have a unique genomic signature that can guide the clinical development of ON123300. Our study provides preclinical evidence that ON123300 is unique in simultaneously inhibiting key oncogenic pathways in multiple myeloma and supports further development of ARK5 inhibition as a therapeutic approach in multiple myeloma. Cancer Res; 76(5); 1225–36. ©2016 AACR.
Vaccination with Irradiated Autologous Tumor Cells Mixed with Irradiated GM-K562 Cells Stimulates Antitumor Immunity and T Lymphocyte Activation in Patients with Recurrent Malignant Glioma
Authors: Curry William T. , Gorrepati Ramana , Piesche Matthias , Sasada Tetsuro , Agarwalla Pankaj , Jones Pamela S. , Gerstner Elizabeth R. , Golby Alexandra J. , Batchelor Tracy T. , Wen Patrick Y. , Mihm Martin C. , Dranoff Glenn
Published: February 2016

Purpose: Recurrent malignant glioma carries a dismal prognosis, and novel therapies are needed. We examined the feasibility and safety of vaccination with irradiated autologous glioma cells mixed with irradiated GM-K562 cells in patients undergoing craniotomy for recurrent malignant glioma.

Experimental Design: We initiated a phase I study examining the safety of 2 doses of GM-K562 cells mixed with autologous cells. Primary endpoints were feasibility and safety. Feasibility was defined as the ability for 60% of enrolled subjects to initiate vaccination. Dose-limiting toxicity was assessed via a 3+3 dose-escalation format, examining irradiated tumor cells mixed with 5 × 106 GM-K562 cells or 1 × 107 GM-K562 cells. Eligibility required a priori indication for resection of a recurrent high-grade glioma. We measured biological activity by measuring delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses, humoral immunity against tumor-associated antigens, and T-lymphocyte activation.

Results: Eleven patients were enrolled. Sufficient numbers of autologous tumor cells were harvested in 10 patients, all of whom went on to receive vaccine. There were no dose-limiting toxicities. Vaccination strengthened DTH responses to irradiated autologous tumor cells in most patients, and vigorous humoral responses to tumor-associated angiogenic cytokines were seen as well. T-lymphocyte activation was seen with significantly increased expression of CTLA-4, PD-1, 4-1BB, and OX40 by CD4+ cells and PD-1 and 4-1BB by CD8+ cells. Activation was coupled with vaccine-associated increase in the frequency of regulatory CD4+ T lymphocytes.

Conclusions: Vaccination with irradiated autologous tumor cells mixed with GM-K562 cells is feasible, well tolerated, and active in patients with recurrent malignant glioma. Clin Cancer Res; 22(12); 2885–96. ©2016 AACR.
Preclinical Evaluation of UAB30 in Pediatric Renal and Hepatic Malignancies
Authors: Waters Alicia M. , Stewart Jerry E. , Atigadda Venkatram R. , Mroczek-Musulman Elizabeth , Muccio Donald D. , Grubbs Clinton J. , Beierle Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2016

Rare tumors of solid organs remain some of the most difficult pediatric cancers to cure. These difficult tumors include rare pediatric renal malignancies, such as malignant rhabdoid kidney tumors (MRKT) and non-osseous renal Ewing sarcoma, and hepatoblastoma, a pediatric liver tumor that arises from immature liver cells. There are data in adult renal and hepatic malignancies demonstrating the efficacy of retinoid therapy. The investigation of retinoic acid therapy in cancer is not a new strategy, but the widespread adoption of this therapy has been hindered by toxicities. Our laboratory has been investigating a novel synthetic rexinoid, UAB30, which exhibits a more favorable side-effect profile. In this study, we hypothesized that UAB30 would diminish the growth of tumor cells from both rare renal and liver tumors in vitro and in vivo. We successfully demonstrated decreased cellular proliferation, invasion and migration, cell-cycle arrest, and increased apoptosis after treatment with UAB30. Additionally, in in vivo murine models of human hepatoblastoma or rare human renal tumors, there were significantly decreased tumor xenograft growth and increased animal survival after UAB30 treatment. UAB30 should be further investigated as a developing therapeutic in these rare and difficult-to-treat pediatric solid organ tumors. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(5); 911–21. ©2016 AACR.
3-Dimensional Patient-Derived Lung Cancer Assays Reveal Resistance to Standards-of-Care Promoted by Stromal Cells but Sensitivity to Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
Authors: Onion David , Argent Richard H. , Reece-Smith Alexander M. , Craze Madeleine L. , Pineda Robert G. , Clarke Philip A. , Ratan Hari L. , Parsons Simon L. , Lobo Dileep N. , Duffy John P. , Atherton John C. , McKenzie Andrew J. , Kumari Rajendra , King Peter , Hall Brett M. , Grabowska Anna M.
Published: February 2016

There is a growing recognition that current preclinical models do not reflect the tumor microenvironment in cellular, biological, and biophysical content and this may have a profound effect on drug efficacy testing, especially in the era of molecular-targeted agents. Here, we describe a method to directly embed low-passage patient tumor–derived tissue into basement membrane extract, ensuring a low proportion of cell death to anoikis and growth complementation by coculture with patient-derived cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). A range of solid tumors proved amenable to growth and pharmacologic testing in this 3D assay. A study of 30 early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens revealed high levels of de novo resistance to a large range of standard-of-care agents, while histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and their combination with antineoplastic drugs displayed high levels of efficacy. Increased resistance was seen in the presence of patient-derived CAFs for many agents, highlighting the utility of the assay for tumor microenvironment-educated drug testing. Standard-of-care agents showed similar responses in the 3D ex vivo and patient-matched in vivo models validating the 3D-Tumor Growth Assay (3D-TGA) as a high-throughput screen for close-to-patient tumors using significantly reduced animal numbers. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(4); 753–63. ©2016 AACR.
STAT5 Is a Key Regulator in NK Cells and Acts as a Molecular Switch from Tumor Surveillance to Tumor Promotion
Authors: Gotthardt Dagmar , Putz Eva M. , Grundschober Eva , Prchal-Murphy Michaela , Straka Elisabeth , Kudweis Petra , Heller Gerwin , Bago-Horvath Zsuzsanna , Witalisz-Siepracka Agnieszka , Cumaraswamy Abbarna A. , Gunning Patrick T. , Strobl Birgit , Müller Mathias , Moriggl Richard , Stockmann Christian , Sexl Veronika
Published: February 2016

Natural killer (NK) cells are tightly regulated by the JAK–STAT signaling pathway and cannot survive in the absence of STAT5. We now report that STAT5-deficient NK cells can be rescued by overexpression of BCL2. Our experiments define STAT5 as a master regulator of NK-cell proliferation and lytic functions. Although NK cells are generally responsible for killing tumor cells, the rescued STAT5-deficient NK cells promote tumor formation by producing enhanced levels of the angiogenic factor VEGFA. The importance of VEGFA produced by NK cells was verified by experiments with a conditional knockout of VEGFA in NK cells. We show that STAT5 normally represses the transcription of VEGFA in NK cells, in both mice and humans. These findings reveal that STAT5-directed therapies may have negative effects: In addition to impairing NK-cell–mediated tumor surveillance, they may even promote tumor growth by enhancing angiogenesis.

Significance: The importance of the immune system in effective cancer treatment is widely recognized. We show that the new signal interceptors targeting the JAK–STAT5 pathway may have dangerous side effects that must be taken into account in clinical trials: inhibiting JAK–STAT5 has the potential to promote tumor growth by enhancing NK-cell–mediated angiogenesis. Cancer Discov; 6(4); 414–29. ©2016 AACR.

See related commentary by Ni and Cerwenka, p. 347.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 331
Phase I/II Study of Metastatic Melanoma Patients Treated with Nivolumab Who Had Progressed after Ipilimumab
Authors: Weber Jeffrey , Gibney Geoffrey , Kudchadkar Ragini , Yu Bin , Cheng Pingyan , Martinez Alberto J. , Kroeger Jodie , Richards Allison , McCormick Lori , Moberg Valerie , Cronin Heather , Zhao Xiuhua , Schell Michael , Chen Yian Ann
Published: February 2016

The checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab is active in patients with metastatic melanoma who have failed ipilimumab. In this phase I/II study, we assessed nivolumab's safety in 92 ipilimumab-refractory patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma, including those who experienced grade 3–4 drug-related toxicity to ipilimumab. We report long-term survival, response duration, and biomarkers in these patients after nivolumab treatment (3 mg/kg) every 2 weeks for 24 weeks, then every 12 weeks for up to 2 years, with or without a multipeptide vaccine. The response rate for ipilimumab-refractory patients was 30% (95% CI, 21%–41%). The median duration of response was 14.6 months, median progression-free survival was 5.3 months, and median overall survival was 20.6 months, when patients were followed up for a median of 16 months. One- and 2-year survival rates were 68.4% and 31.2%, respectively. Ipilimumab-naïve and ipilimumab-refractory patients showed no significant difference in survival. The 21 patients with prior grade 3–4 toxicity to ipilimumab that was managed with steroids tolerated nivolumab well, with 62% (95% CI, 38%–82%) having complete or partial responses or stabilized disease at 24 weeks. High numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) were associated with poor survival. Thus, survival and long-term safety were excellent in ipilimumab-refractory patients treated with nivolumab. Prior grade 3–4 immune-related adverse effects from ipilimumab were not indicative of nivolumab toxicities, and patients had a high overall rate of remission or stability at 24 weeks. Prospectively evaluating MDSC numbers before treatment could help assess the expected benefit of nivolumab. Cancer Immunol Res; 4(4); 345–53. ©2016 AACR.
Association of Borderline Pulmonary Hypertension With Mortality and Hospitalization in a Large Patient Cohort: Insights From the Veterans Affairs Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking Program
Authors: Maron Bradley A. , Hess Edward , Maddox Thomas M. , Opotowsky Alexander R. , Tedford Ryan J. , Lahm Tim , Joynt Karen E. , Kass Daniel J. , Stephens Thomas , Stanislawski Maggie A. , Swenson Erik R. , Goldstein Ronald H. , Leopold Jane A. , Zamanian Roham T. , Elwing Jean M. , Plomondon Mary E. , Grunwald Gary K. , Barón Anna E. , Rumsfeld John S. , Choudhary Gaurav
Published: February 2016

Background—

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with increased morbidity across the cardiopulmonary disease spectrum. Based primarily on expert consensus opinion, PH is defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mm Hg. Although mPAP levels below this threshold are common among populations at risk for PH, the relevance of mPAP <25 mm Hg to clinical outcome is unknown.

Methods and Results—

We analyzed retrospectively all US veterans undergoing right heart catheterization (2007–2012) in the Veterans Affairs healthcare system (n=21 727; 908-day median follow-up). Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association between mPAP and outcomes of all-cause mortality and hospitalization, adjusted for clinical covariates. When treating mPAP as a continuous variable, the mortality hazard increased beginning at 19 mm Hg (hazard ratio [HR]=1.183; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.004–1.393) relative to 10 mm Hg. Therefore, patients were stratified into 3 groups: (1) referent (≤18 mm Hg; n=4 207); (2) borderline PH (19–24 mm Hg; n=5 030); and (3) PH (≥25 mm Hg; n=12 490). The adjusted mortality hazard was increased for borderline PH (HR=1.23; 95% CI, 1.12–1.36;
P
<0.0001) and PH (HR=2.16; 95% CI, 1.96–2.38;
P
<0.0001) compared with the referent group. The adjusted hazard for hospitalization was also increased in borderline PH (HR=1.07; 95% CI, 1.01–1.12;
P
=0.0149) and PH (HR=1.15; 95% CI, 1.09–1.22;
P
<0.0001). The borderline PH cohort remained at increased risk for mortality after excluding the following high-risk subgroups: (1) patients with pulmonary artery wedge pressure >15 mm Hg; (2) pulmonary vascular resistance ≥3.0 Wood units; or (3) inpatient status at the time of right heart catheterization.

Conclusions—

These data illustrate a continuum of risk according to mPAP level and that borderline PH is associated with increased mortality and hospitalization. Future investigations are needed to test the generalizability of our findings to other populations and study the effect of treatment on outcome in borderline PH.
Combining Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy with Molecular Laser-Induced Fluorescence
Authors: Nagli Lev , Gaft Michael
Published: February 2016

We propose combining laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with molecular laser-induced fluorescence (MLIF) with resulting plasma-borne molecules as a means of studying laser-induced plasma (LIP). Examples of this method with LIP-created Al, Si, and B monoxides are presented. Applicability of the LIBS-MLIF method for elemental and isotope analysis is demonstrated.
Quantitative Analysis of Carbon Steel with Multi-Line Internal Standard Calibration Method Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
Authors: Pan Congyuan , Du Xuewei , An Ning , Zeng Qiang , Wang Shengbo , Wang Qiuping
Published: February 2016

A multi-line internal standard calibration method is proposed for the quantitative analysis of carbon steel using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). A procedure based on the method was adopted to select the best calibration curves and the corresponding emission lines pairs automatically. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy experiments with carbon steel samples were performed, and C, Cr, and Mn were analyzed via the proposed method. Calibration curves of these elements were constructed via a traditional single line internal standard calibration method and a multi-line internal standard calibration method. The calibration curves obtained were evaluated with the determination coefficient, the root mean square error of cross-validation, and the average relative error of cross-validation. All of the parameters were improved significantly with the proposed method. The results show that accurate and stable calibration curves can be obtained efficiently via the multi-line internal standard calibration method.
Conciliatory States
Authors: McDonnell Erin Metz
Published: February 2016

Existing theory associates ethnolinguistic diversity with a host of negative outcomes. This article analyzes the puzzle of Ghana, the 12th most diverse state globally, yet among the most peaceful, democratic, and developed African states. It argues the position of post-independence political elites within ethno-demographic structures helps explain why some diverse African states pursued broad nation-building public goods, mitigating the political salience of diversity. Diversity encouraged provision of social goods with broad-based support in states with a modest plurality—not large enough to dominate, but without proximately sized ethnic groups—especially for leaders from a minority. Comparative historical analysis of Ghana is expanded with abbreviated case studies on Guinea, Togo, and Kenya.
A new method for testing composite materials under mode III fracture
Authors: López-Menéndez A , Viña J , Argüelles A , Rubiera S , Mollón V
Published: February 2016

This paper describes a method for characterizing composite materials subjected to mode III delamination fracture using a custom-designed testing device and test equipment which allows loads or displacements to be applied to the test specimen in two directions, one axial and the other torsional. To verify the method’s functionality experimentally, a composite material made up of an epoxy matrix and unidirectional carbon-fiber reinforcement was used in conjunction with an image analysis device for the purpose of determining the displacement field in the crack front of a double cantilever beam test specimen. According to the results, this test method permits almost pure mode III fracture tests to be carried out, as the mode II component is practically negligible. Another feature of the method is the improvement in the quality and ease of inserting the specimen in the device, thus permitting more repetitive results to be obtained with less dispersion.
Carbon monoxide poisoning in our homes – report of two survivors from North India
Authors: Sharma Amit
Published: February 2016

Carbon monoxide poisoning can result from, e.g., the use of unvented coal-burning heaters, indoor barbecues, or inhalation of exhaust of vehicles. The latter is sometimes used to commit suicide. The most common presentation of carbon monoxide poisoning is cerebral hypoxia. Despite frequent use of indoor coal-burning heaters and stoves during winter months in the northern part of India, carbon monoxide poisoning has been infrequently reported. We describe two cases of carbon monoxide poisoning who reported to the Emergency Department in the early morning of a winter season with un-witnessed, unexplained development of altered level of consciousness.
Inside Patients’ Homes
Authors: White Zachary M. , Gilstrap Cristina M.
Published: February 2016

This study examined the metaphors used by home hospice nurses when describing their experiences working with dying patients. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 home hospice nurses from a midsize for-profit hospice organization that provides services to approximately 230 patients each year. The interviews revealed four main metaphors emphasizing how home hospice nurses conceive and communicate their experiences working with patients: a calling, hallowed ground, going with the flow, and life lessons. These metaphors highlight how home hospice nurses transcend organizational role descriptions, feel empowered to make a difference, appreciate the inevitable unpredictability of their work, and draw upon patient interactions for self-reflection. The findings reveal a consistent emphasis on the positive and rewarding aspects of hospice work and prescriptions about how nurses should perform their role. Metaphors identified in this study could be used to recruit prospective home hospice nurses and strengthen training or education programs.
Coping and Attitudes Toward Dying and Death in German Adults
Authors: Wittkowski Joachim
Published: February 2016

The idea of an existential threat caused by the awareness of mortality has been rarely investigated within coping research. The study explores relationships between coping strategies and attitudes toward dying and death in a sample of German adults aged 20 to 93 years. Participants responded to a Stress Coping Inventory and a questionnaire for the multidimensional assessment of attitudes toward dying and death. Pearson correlations for men, women, and the young and old age-groups confirm the expectation that attitudes toward dying and death are mainly associated with disengagement and accommodative coping. Gender- and age-specific findings refer to drug intake and aggression. Results are discussed within both a coping and a thanatological frame of reference and issues for future research are outlined.
Bereavement Following Substance Misuse
Authors: Valentine Christine , Bauld Linda , Walter Tony
Published: February 2016

Bereavement following a drug- or alcohol-related death has been largely neglected in research and service provision, despite its global prevalence and potentially devastating consequences for those concerned. Whilst researchers have drawn attention to the suffering experienced by families worldwide in coping with a member’s substance misuse, this article highlights the predicament of families bereaved following a substance misuse death. To this end, it reviews literature drawn from addiction and bereavement research that sheds light on this type of loss. The article also considers how general bereavement theory may illuminate bereavement following a substance misuse death. We argue that available frames of reference reflect not only a lack of focus on this type of loss but also a tendency to reproduce rather than interrogate normative assumptions of bereavement following “bad deaths.” The article concludes by considering how findings from existing literature can guide future research.
Design Effects of Multilevel Estimates From National Probability Samples
Authors: Stapleton Laura M. , Kang Yoonjeong
Published: February 2016

This research empirically evaluates data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for design effects of ignoring the sampling design in weighted two-level analyses. Currently, researchers may ignore the sampling design beyond the levels that they model which might result in incorrect inferences regarding hypotheses due to biased standard error estimates; the degree of bias depends on the informativeness of any ignored stratification and clustering in the sampling design. Some multilevel software packages accommodate first-stage sampling design information for two-level models but not all. For five example public release data sets from the NCES, design effects of ignoring the sampling design in unconditional and conditional two-level models are presented for 15 dependent variables selected based on a review of published research using these five data sets. Empirical findings suggest that there are minor effects of ignoring the additional sampling design and no differences in inference would be made had the first-stage sampling design been ignored. Strategically, researchers without access to multilevel software that can accommodate the sampling might consider including stratification variables as independent variables at level 2 of their model.
The validation of the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule – Short Form in Nigeria
Authors: Agbo Aaron Adibe
Published: February 2016

The present study examined the competing factor structures, validity, and reliability of the state and trait versions of the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule – Short Form and the effect of the number of response categories on the scale qualities among Nigerians. Undergraduates (N-1510) completed a trait version of the scale with 5-point and 7-point response formats and a state version with a 7-point response format. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed alongside other techniques to gauge the psychometric properties of the scale. The obtained factor structures for the trait and state versions were in line with the theoretical assumptions of the scale and previous findings. A correlated two-factor model provided the best fit for the trait version, while an orthogonal two-factor model provided the best fit for the state version. The scale performed well with the 7-point response format, but it performed poorly with the 5-point response format, suggesting that the behaviour of the scale depends on the number of response categories. The findings, limitations of the study, and suggestions for further studies are discussed.
Governability of Synergy Innovation
Authors: Juan Bi , Yun Zhang
Published: February 2016

Synergy innovation is one of the emerging processes among global organizations. In the process of synergy innovation, cross-regional governance is very important to realize synergy innovation performance. Governing bodies need to have some abilities, including that providing institutional system in synergy innovation, participating in public Research and Development (R&D), allocating the resources of science and technology innovation. This article constructs the “governance–main body behavior–synergy innovation performance” three-order model, by using the structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the effect of various governance factors and taking the synergy innovation of science and technology in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei as a case study. The conclusion is that all the identified factors are important for developing and implementing a policy system in synergy innovation, R&D investment, and allocating the resources for science and technology innovation.
Noncontingent Reinforcement to Improve Classroom Behavior of a Student With Developmental Disability
Authors: Moore Tara C. , Robinson Christina C. , Coleman Mari Beth , Cihak David F. , Park Yujeong
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a noncontingent reinforcement intervention package implemented by an interning teacher in a special education classroom to address disruptive behavior and task engagement for a third-grade, 8-year-old boy with developmental disability. Using a within-subject reversal design (A-B-A-B), a teacher interning in Max’s classroom delivered 3-min breaks (i.e., escape) from classroom tasks on a fixed-time 2-min interval schedule for five daily sessions during the first intervention phase and for five daily sessions during the reimplementation phase; breaks were not contingent on his behavior. The intervention package also included a reinforcement menu for the student to select daily from escape activities (i.e., preferred activities including swinging and taking a walk) and a picture prompt to provide a continuous, visual reminder of the upcoming reinforcer. Results indicated increases in task engagement and decreases in disruptive behavior during phases when the intervention was applied. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Social Skills Training for Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: O’Handley Roderick D. , Ford W. Blake , Radley Keith C. , Helbig Kate A. , Wimberly Joy K.
Published: February 2016

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) often demonstrate impairments in social functioning, with deficits becoming more apparent during adolescence. This study evaluated the effects of the Superheroes Social Skills program, a program that combines behavioral skills training and video modeling to teach target social skills, on accurate demonstration of three target social skills in adolescents with ID. Skills taught in the present study include Expressing Wants and Needs, Conversation, and Turn Taking. Four adolescents with ID participated in a 3-week social skills intervention, with the intervention occurring twice per week. A multiple baseline across skills design was used to determine the effect of the intervention on social skill accuracy in both a training and generalization setting. All participants demonstrated substantial improvements in skill accuracy in both settings, with teacher ratings of social functioning further suggesting generalization of social skills to nontraining settings.
The Effects of a Brief Acceptance-Based Behavioral Treatment Versus Traditional Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Public Speaking Anxiety
Authors: Glassman Lisa H. , Forman Evan M. , Herbert James D. , Bradley Lauren E. , Foster Elizabeth E. , Izzetoglu Meltem , Ruocco Anthony C.
Published: February 2016

Individuals with public speaking anxiety (PSA) experience fear and avoidance that can cause extreme distress, impaired speaking performance, and associated problems in psychosocial functioning. Most extant interventions for PSA emphasize anxiety reduction rather than enhancing behavioral performance. We compared the efficacy of two brief cognitive-behavioral interventions, a traditional cognitive-behavior treatment (tCBT) and an acceptance-based behavior treatment (ABBT), on public speaking performance and anxiety in a clinical sample of persons with PSA. The effects of treatment on prefrontal brain activation were also examined. Participants ( n = 21) were randomized to 90 min of an ABBT or a tCBT intervention. Assessments took place at pre- and post-treatment and included self-rated anxiety and observer-rated performance measures, a behavioral assessment, and prefrontal cortical activity measurements using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Exploratory results indicated that participants in the ABBT condition experienced greater improvements in observer-rated performance relative to those in the tCBT condition, while those in the tCBT condition experienced greater reductions in subjective anxiety levels. Individuals in the ABBT condition also exhibited a trend toward greater treatment-related reductions in blood volume in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex relative to those who received tCBT. Overall, these findings preliminarily suggest that acceptance-based treatments may free more cognitive resources in comparison with tCBT, possibly resulting in greater improvements in objectively rated behavioral performances for ABBT interventions.
Examining Effectiveness of Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Externalizing and Internalizing Disorders in Urban Schools
Authors: Eiraldi Ricardo , Power Thomas J. , Schwartz Billie S. , Keiffer Jackie N. , McCurdy Barry L. , Mathen Manju , Jawad Abbas F.
Published: February 2016

This article presents outcome data of the implementation of three group cognitive-behavioral therapy (GCBT) interventions for children with externalizing behavior problems, anxiety, and depression. School counselors and graduate students co-led the groups in two low-income urban schools. Data were analyzed to assess pre-treatment to post-treatment changes in diagnostic severity level. Results of the exploratory study indicated that all three GCBT protocols were effective at reducing diagnostic severity level for children who had a primary diagnosis of an externalizing disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder at the clinical or intermediate (at-risk) level. All three GCBT protocols were implemented with relatively high levels of fidelity. Data on the effectiveness of the interventions for reducing diagnostic severity level for externalizing and internalizing spectrum disorders and for specific disorders are presented. A discussion of implementation of mental health evidence-based interventions in urban schools is provided.
Information Technology Controls Quality and Audit Fees: Evidence From Italy
Authors: Mazza Tatiana , Azzali Stefano
Published: February 2016

This study analyzes the impact of Information Technology (IT) Controls quality on control risk and audit fees. The impact is expected to occur when regulation increases sensitiveness to audit risk assessment. The research focuses on IT Controls as part of Internal Control over Financial Reporting, particularly on scoping quality, segregation of duties, and Controls framework compliance. The research was conducted with a questionnaire on a population of Italian listed companies. We find that audit fees are lower for higher IT scoping quality, IT Controls segregation of duties, and IT Controls framework compliance. The overall conclusion is that IT Controls quality is related to lower control risk, audit fees, and audit effort.
Nonlinearities in Interregional Migration Behavior
Authors: Basile Roberto , Lim Jaewon
Published: February 2016

Traditional “Marshallian” theories predict a linear relationship between internal migration and regional wage differentials. Using panel data on gross place-to-place migration flows in the United States, we estimate a semiparametric version of the modified gravity model and find evidence of a nonlinear effect of wage differentials in line with alternative theories of interregional migration, including the “option value of waiting” theory, liquidity constraints, and wealth-conditioned immobility. Traditionally, the migration decision process is believed to be mainly composed of two criteria: “whether to move” and “where to move.” However, the empirical evidence of nonlinearity found in this study supports the potential presence of another important decision criterion, “when to move” on interregional migration.