bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temporal trends (2002–2014) of incidence and shockable status of adult emergency medical service attended out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest of presumed cardiac aetiology in Queensland
Authors: Pemberton Katherine , Bosley Emma
Published: November 2017

Objective

To describe trends in incidence and shockable status of adult out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) of presumed cardiac aetiology attended by Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) paramedics between 2002 and 2014.

Methods

The QAS cardiac arrest registry was used to collect data. Analyses included age‐standardised rates by gender for all adults and older adults only (65 years+); age‐specific incidence rates of young adults (18–49), middle age adults (50–64) and five groups of older adults (65–69, 70–74, 75–79, 80–84 and 85+); and proportions of shockable versus non‐shockable initial rhythm together and by age group (young, middle age and older adults). Temporal trends were analysed.

Results

Over the 13 years, 32 346 cases of adult OHCA of presumed cardiac aetiology were recorded on the QAS OHCA registry. Age‐standardised incidence reduced significantly over time overall and in males only, in all adults and independently in older adults. A significant reduction independently in females was observed only in older adults. Age‐specific rates reduced in the 18–49, 70–74, 75–79 and 80–84 year age groups, increased in the 50–64 age group (largely attributable to females) and no significant trends were found in the 65–69 and 85+ age groups. The proportion of cases with an initially shockable rhythm significantly decreased overall. This trend was observed independently in older adults, but not in young or middle age adults.

Conclusion

Age‐standardised incidence has reduced with a period of stagnation in the middle age and early older years. These factors require consideration in data interpretation and strategy planning.
The impact of consumer inattention on insurer pricing in the Medicare Part D program
Authors: Ho Kate , Hogan Joseph , Scott Morton Fiona
Published: November 2017

The Medicare Part D program relies on consumer choice to provide insurers with incentives to offer low‐priced, high‐quality pharmaceutical insurance plans. We demonstrate that consumers switch plans infrequently and search imperfectly. We estimate a model of consumer plan choice with inattentive consumers and show that high observed premiums are consistent with insurers profiting from consumer inertia. We estimate the reduction in steady state plan premiums if all consumers were attentive. An average consumer could save $1050 over three years; government savings in the same period could amount to $1.3 billion or 1% of the cost of subsidizing the relevant enrollees.
Advertising as a search deterrent
Authors: Wang Chengsi
Published: November 2017

This article examines a monopoly firm's incentive to disclose information through advertising when consumers can choose between buying immediately and searching for additional information. Because sales drop when search reveals low match values to consumers, the firm has an incentive to deter search. We show that partial information disclosure emerges as a useful tool for search deterrence when search costs are low. Informative advertising and consumer search can be viewed as complements in producing information. Although transparency policies reduce search expenditures and improve purchase decisions, whether they are socially desirable depends on the magnitude of search costs.
Patent privateering, litigation, and R&D incentives
Authors: Lemus Jorge , Temnyalov Emil
Published: November 2017

We model “patent privateering”—whereby producing firms sell patents to Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs), which then license them under the threat of litigation—in a bargaining game. PAEs can negotiate higher licensing fees than producing firms because they cannot be countersued for infringement. Privateering produces two countervailing effects: it increases the offensive value of patents, whereas it decreases their defensive value and lowers the aggregate surplus of producing firms. Embedding the bargaining game into a Research and Development (R&D) contest for multiple complementary technologies, we find that privateering may increase R&D investments, even as it induces more litigation threats and reduces industry profits.
Consumers' activism: the cottage cheese boycott
Authors: Hendel Igal , Lach Saul , Spiegel Yossi
Published: November 2017

We study a consumer boycott on cottage cheese, organized in Israel on Facebook in the summer of 2011 following a steep price increase since 2006. The boycott led to an immediate decline in prices, which remain low even six years later. We find that (i) demand at the start of the boycott would have been 30% higher but for the boycott, (ii) own‐ and especially cross‐price elasticities increased substantially after the boycott, and (iii) post‐boycott prices are substantially below the levels implied by the post‐boycott demand elasticities, suggesting that firms were concerned with public backlash due to high prices.
The economic advantages of chain organization
Authors: Hollenbeck Brett
Published: November 2017

This article considers the rapid spread of chain firms in many industries. The conventional explanation is that chains generate economies of scale in costs. Alternatively, the structure of chains may enhance demand by helping firms develop reputations, among other reasons. I quantify the value of these explanations empirically with a large, detailed data set on the hotel industry, combining a reduced‐form analysis of revenues with a structural estimation of firm costs. Revenue analysis shows substantial evidence of a large chain premium. Cost estimation shows that after accounting for unobserved heterogeneity, chain‐affiliated firms receive no cost advantage relative to independent firms.
Feng shui And Emotional Response in the Critical care Environment (FARCE) study
Authors: Charles R. , Glover S. , Bauchmüller K. , Wood D.
Published: November 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nursing staff emotions and their surrounding environment, using the ancient system of feng shui. Two orientations of critical care bed spaces (wind and water groups, respectively) were mapped using a western bagua. Energy or ‘chi’ scores for nine emotions were calculated based on the positive or negative flow of chi in each of the two groups. During a two‐week period, nursing staff were allocated to work in a bed space in either the wind or water groups; nursing staff who were not allocated to a study bed space acted as a control group. Participating nursing staff completed a questionnaire, ranking nine emotional states and their overall inner harmony, using a 11‐point chi scale. In total, 108 questionnaires were completed. Critical bed space orientation according to feng shui principles was not related to nurse‐reported chi scores or inner harmony (p > 0.05 for all measurements). There was also poor correlation between the bagua‐predicted and reported chi scores for both the wind and water groups (R2 = 0.338 and 0.093, respectively). The use of feng shui to guide the layout of critical care bed spaces does not improve the emotional well‐being of nursing staff.
Carotid endarterectomy: the change in practice over 11 years in a stroke centre
Authors: Tse Gabrielle T. W. , Kilkenny Monique F. , Bladin Chris , Grigg Michael , Dewey Helen M.
Published: November 2017

Background

Recent research evidence has impacted the practice of carotid endarterectomy (CEA). We aim to characterize changes in the practice and outcome of CEA over time in a single large‐volume stroke centre.

Methods

All patients who underwent CEA from 2004 to 2014 and carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) from 2003 to 2008 at an Australian metropolitan tertiary stroke centre hospital were included. Clinical data were analysed to identify time trends in choice of intervention, patient selection, preoperative imaging utilization, surgical timing and outcome.

Results

There were 510 CEAs performed during 2004–2014 and 95 CASs during 2003–2008. The proportion of patients undergoing CEA compared to CAS increased from 60% to 90% from 2004 to 2008 (P < 0.001). CAS patients were more likely to have cardiac co‐morbidities. From 2004 to 2014, the proportion of CEA patients aged ≥80 years increased (P = 0.001) and the proportion of asymptomatic patients decreased (P = 0.003) over time. Median time from symptom onset to surgery decreased from 52 days (Q1: 25, Q3: 74) in 2004 to 8 days (Q1: 5, Q3: 37) in 2014 (P < 0.001). Use of preoperative ultrasonography decreased whilst CT angiography and the number of imaging modalities applied to each patient increased over time (P < 0.001). Overall, 5.9% of CEAs were complicated by death, stroke or acute myocardial infarction with no significant change over time.

Conclusion

The trends in CEA practice at our centre align with international trends and guidelines. This study provides a representative indicator of Australian hospital practice, and illustrates how evidence from research is translated into clinical care.
Covariate-adjusted Spearman's Rank Correlation with Probability-scale Residuals
Authors: Liu Qi , Li Chun , Wanga Valentine , Shepherd Bryan E.
Published: November 2017

It is desirable to adjust Spearman's rank correlation for covariates, yet existing approaches have limitations. For example, the traditionally defined partial Spearman's correlation does not have a sensible population parameter, and the conditional Spearman's correlation defined with copulas cannot be easily generalized to discrete variables. We define population parameters for both partial and conditional Spearman's correlation through concordance–discordance probabilities. The definitions are natural extensions of Spearman's rank correlation in the presence of covariates and are general for any orderable random variables. We show that they can be neatly expressed using probability-scale residuals (PSRs). This connection allows us to derive simple estimators. Our partial estimator for Spearman's correlation between X and Y adjusted for Z is the correlation of PSRs from models of X on Z and of Y on Z, which is analogous to the partial Pearson's correlation derived as the correlation of observed-minus-expected residuals. Our conditional estimator is the conditional correlation of PSRs. We describe estimation and inference, and highlight the use of semiparametric cumulative probability models, which allow preservation of the rank-based nature of Spearman's correlation. We conduct simulations to evaluate the performance of our estimators and compare them with other popular measures of association, demonstrating their robustness and efficiency. We illustrate our method in two applications, a biomarker study and a large survey.
Canadian inflation targeting
Authors: Beaudry Paul , Ruge‐Murcia Francisco
Published: November 2017

This paper examines the intellectual environment in Canada that led to the adoption of inflation targets starting in 1991, reviews some of the Canadian contributions to the vast literature on inflation targeting and presents evidence in support of the view that the implementation of inflation targeting in Canada has been particularly successful when compared with the experiences of other inflation‐targeting countries and the US.
Models of Chinese Reading: Review and Analysis
Authors: Reichle Erik D. , Yu Lili
Published: November 2017

Our understanding of the cognitive processes involved in reading has been advanced by computational models that simulate those processes (e.g., see Reichle, 2015). Unfortunately, most of these models have been developed to explain the reading of English and other alphabetic languages, with relatively fewer efforts to examine whether or not the assumptions of these models also explain what has been learned from other languages and, in particular, non‐alphabetic writing systems like Chinese (e.g., see Li, Zang, Liversedge, & Pollatsek, 2015). In this article, we will review those computational models that have been developed to explain the reading of Chinese, with the goal of comparing their theoretical assumptions to those of models that explain the reading of English. Our analysis indicates that there are both points of convergence and divergence between the theoretical assumptions of Chinese versus English models, suggesting that the cognitive systems supporting reading may be differentially influenced by features of the languages and/or writing systems, or that certain theoretical assumptions developed to explain the reading of one language might be adapted to explain the reading of others.
Electoral Pluralism, Social Division and the 2016 Parliamentary Elections in Jordan
Authors: Köprülü Nur
Published: November 2017

Representing one of the most stable regimes in the Middle East, Jordan has been undergoing a process of political liberalization since 1989. Due to the so‐called East Bank‐West Bank cleavage that followed by the influx of Palestinian migrants to Jordan, the country has also come to epitomize a divided society. Within this context, this paper aims to analyze the ongoing prospects for democratization in Jordan through an examination of four persistent debates shaping its electoral pluralism: those over social/identity division, electoral law as a regime‐survival mechanism, the role of the Ikhwan and the IAF's electoral boycotts, and electoral apathy. Finally, the impact of the Arab upheavals/revolts on restructuring the process of political reform — as well as opposition in the kingdom in the post‐2011 era — will be explored with reference to the changing dynamics of Islamist opposition.
Inferring epidemiologic dynamics from viral evolution: 2014–2015 Eurasian/North American highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses exceed transmission threshold, R0 = 1, in wild birds and poultry in North America
Authors: Grear Daniel A. , Hall Jeffrey S. , Dusek Robert J. , Ip Hon S.
Published: November 2017

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) is a multihost pathogen with lineages that pose health risks for domestic birds, wild birds, and humans. One mechanism of intercontinental HPAIV spread is through wild bird reservoirs, and wild birds were the likely sources of a Eurasian (EA) lineage HPAIV into North America in 2014. The introduction resulted in several reassortment events with North American (NA) lineage low‐pathogenic avian influenza viruses and the reassortant EA/NA H5N2 went on to cause one of the largest HPAIV poultry outbreaks in North America. We evaluated three hypotheses about novel HPAIV introduced into wild and domestic bird hosts: (i) transmission of novel HPAIVs in wild birds was restricted by mechanisms associated with highly pathogenic phenotypes; (ii) the HPAIV poultry outbreak was not self‐sustaining and required viral input from wild birds; and (iii) reassortment of the EA H5N8 generated reassortant EA/NA AIVs with a fitness advantage over fully Eurasian lineages in North American wild birds. We used a time‐rooted phylodynamic model that explicitly incorporated viral population dynamics with evolutionary dynamics to estimate the basic reproductive number (R0) and viral migration among host types in domestic and wild birds, as well as between the EA H5N8 and EA/NA H5N2 in wild birds. We did not find evidence to support hypothesis (i) or (ii) as our estimates of the transmission parameters suggested that the HPAIV outbreak met or exceeded the threshold for persistence in wild birds (R0 > 1) and poultry (R0 ≈ 1) with minimal estimated transmission among host types. There was also no evidence to support hypothesis (iii) because R0 values were similar among EA H5N8 and EA/NA H5N2 in wild birds. Our results suggest that this novel HPAIV and reassortments did not encounter any transmission barriers sufficient to prevent persistence when introduced to wild or domestic birds.
Transgenic characterization of two silkworm tissue‐specific promoters in the haemocyte plasmatocyte cells
Authors: Zhang K. , Li C. , Weng X. , Su J. , Shen L. , Pan G. , Long D. , Zhao A. , Cui H.
Published: November 2017

Haemocytes play crucial roles in insect metabolism, metamorphosis, and innate immunity. As a model of lepidopteran insects, the silkworm is a useful model to study the functions of both haematopoiesis and haemocytes. Tissue‐specific promoters are excellent tools for genetic manipulation and are widely used in fundamental biological research. Herein, two haemocyte‐specific genes, Integrin β2 and Integrin β3, were confirmed. Promoter activities of Integrin β2 and Integrin β3 were evaluated by genetic manipulation. Quantitative real‐time PCR and western blotting suggested that both promoters can drive enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) specifically expressed in haemocytes. Further evidence clearly demonstrated that the transgenic silkworm exhibited a high level of EGFP signal in plasmatocytes, but not in other detected haemocyte types. Moreover, EGFP fluorescence signals were observed in the haematopoietic organ of both transgenic strains. Thus, two promoters that enable plasmatocytes to express genes of interest were confirmed in our study. It is expected that the results of this study will facilitate advances in our understanding of insect haematopoiesis and immunity in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.
Unknown Intracardiac Electrogram
Authors: Prystowsky Eric N.
Published: November 2017

Watch a video presentation of this article.

For additional educational resources, please visit Medtronic Academy .
Setting Standards for Single Respondent Survey Design
Authors: Montabon Frank , Daugherty Patricia J. , Chen Haozhe
Published: November 2017

We propose that single respondent surveys continue to be a viable supply chain management research tool. However, necessary care must be taken in research design and implementation. Articles published in leading supply chain management journals in the past 10 years were reviewed to identify patterns and trends in the use of single respondent surveys. Based on that analysis, several recommendations such as using multimethod research design, careful informant selection, and better documentation are presented for survey researchers to ensure and enhance the validity of single respondent survey research.
Shelf life characteristics of bread produced from ozonated wheat flour
Authors: Obadi Mohammed , Zhu Ke‐Xue , Peng Wei , Sulieman Abdellatif A. , Mahdi Amer Ali , Mohammed Khalid , Zhou Hui‐Ming
Published: November 2017

The objective of this work was to study the effect of ozone treatment on the quality of bread and its shelf life. Flour was treated with ozone gas a rate of 5 L/min for 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 min. Baking studies showed that bread made from flour treated with ozone for 15 min exhibited improved quality properties (in terms of specific volume, bread color, and crumb cell numbers). Exposure to ozone for shorter times did not cause obvious changes in the major volatile compounds of bread. A shelf life tests showed that ozone gas treatment influenced the extent of starch crystallinity. The relative starch crystallinity of bread made from flour treated with ozone for 15 min was lower than the control value, as were the hardness, springiness, and cohesiveness. Microscopic examination of crumb structure revealed remarkable differences between control and treated breads.

Practical applications

Although ozone is a naturally occurring substance found in the atmosphere, ozone can also be produced synthetically. Recently, ozone has come to be regarded as a new treatment for flour. Especially in countries where the chlorination is forbidden, ozone treatment may be of a great interest if it were associated with significant and reliable changes in flour. Ozone treatment of wheat flour tends to improve bread shelf life and quality in terms of physiochemical, baking properties, X‐ray diffraction data, volatile compound levels, crumb structure, and textural characteristics. Given such findings, desirable shelf life and bread qualities may be achieved when ozone is used as a flour oxidant prior to bread baking. Analyses of the effects of ozone gas on treatment of flour on bread shelf life and quality would aid the production of high quality and extend the shelf life of bread.
Evaluation of 3 Serological Tests for Early Detection Of Leptospira‐specific Antibodies in Experimentally Infected Dogs
Authors: Lizer J. , Velineni S. , Weber A. , Krecic M. , Meeus P.
Published: November 2017

Background

Leptospirosis in dogs is a disease of global importance. Early detection and appropriate therapeutic intervention are necessary to resolve infection and prevent zoonotic transmission. However, its diagnosis is hindered by nonspecific clinical signs and lack of rapid diagnostic tests of early infection. Recently, 2 rapid point‐of‐care tests (WITNESS Lepto [WITNESS Lepto, Zoetis LLC, Kalamazoo, MI, USA] and SNAP Lepto [SNAP Lepto, IDEXX Laboratories, Westbrook, ME, USA]) for detection of Leptospira‐specific antibodies in canine sera were developed.

Hypothesis

Immunoglobulin M‐based WITNESS Lepto containing multiple detection antigens can detect Leptospira‐specific antibodies to common leptospiral serovars earlier in the course of infection as compared to microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and SNAP Lepto.

Animals

Four groups of 8 6‐ to 8‐month‐old male Beagle dogs were used.

Methods

Thirty‐two healthy seronegative dogs were inoculated experimentally with serovars Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pomona (8 dogs/serovar). Acute‐phase sera were collected at regular intervals and monitored for Leptospira‐specific antibodies by WITNESS Lepto, MAT, and SNAP Lepto.

Results

Seroconversion was detected in all dogs by day 10 by WITNESS Lepto and in 30 of 32 dogs by day 14 by MAT. The SNAP Lepto test detected seroconversion in 3 dogs during the 2 weeks postchallenge.

Conclusions

Immunoglobulin M‐based WITNESS Lepto detected immune responses specific to multiple leptospiral serovars early in the course of infection and identified seroconversion in all animals earlier than did the gold standard MAT. The SNAP Lepto test displayed considerably lower and inconsistent performance during the study period. At the point‐of‐care, WITNESS Lepto should be the test of choice for rapid and reliable screening of acutely ill dogs suspected to have leptospirosis.
Efficacy of Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Sialocele in Dogs
Authors: Poirier V.J. , Mayer‐Stankeová S. , Buchholz J. , Vail D.M. , Kaser Hotz B.
Published: November 2017

Background

Sialocele is a collection of saliva that has leaked from a damaged salivary gland or duct and is surrounded by granulation tissue. Surgery is the recognized first‐line treatment. Recurrence rate after surgery is 5–14%. Salivary gland tissue is very sensitive to radiation therapy (RT).

Hypothesis/Objectives

Radiation therapy will be useful for the treatment of sialocele. The aims were to characterize response rate and clinical course of dogs with sialocele treated withRTand to determine a starting dose for clinical use.

Animals

Eleven dogs with sialocele.

Methods

Retrospective study of response and outcome afterRT.

Results

All dogs had cervical sialocele. Seven dogs (63.6%) were treated with 3 weekly fractions of 4 Gray (Gy); (total dose, 12 Gy). Three dogs (27.3%) received 4 fractions of 4 Gy (16 Gy) and 1 dog received 5 fractions of 4 Gy (20 Gy) on a Monday‐Wednesday‐Friday schedule. Six dogs (54%) achieved a complete response (CR), and 5 dogs (45%) achieved a partial response (PR). Three dogs had progression of their sialocele 2, 3, and 9 months afterRT; all three had received 12 Gy initially and 2 received 2 additional fractions of 4 Gy (cumulative total dose, 20 Gy) and subsequently achieved remission for >2 years.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Radiation therapy is useful for the treatment of recurrent sialocele refractory to surgical management and a minimum total dose of 16 or 20 Gy in 4 Gy fractions appears effective.
Suboptimal initiation predicts short‐term prognosis and vulnerability among very elderly patients who start haemodialysis
Authors: Kanno Atsuhiro , Nakayama Masaaki , Sanada Satoru , Sato Mitsuhiro , Sato Toshinobu , Taguma Yoshio
Published: November 2017

Aim

A recent, growing concern regarding haemodialysis in Japan is a sustained increase in the elderly population. Among very elderly people who start haemodialysis, the prognosis is considered to be poor; however, this has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to discover the short‐term prognosis and related factors in very elderly patients who commence haemodialysis.

Methods

Between January 2008 and December 2013, 122 patients aged ≥85 years at haemodialysis initiation were documented in our hospital. Predictors of 90‐day and 1‐year mortality after haemodialysis initiation were assessed with Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Selection of covariates for the multivariate model was based on forward stepwise selection using the probability of a likelihood ratio statistics.

Results

The subjects’ mean age was 87.4 ± 2.5 years, and 48% were female. The most common cause of death was infection (38% of patients) and the leading cause of infectious death was pneumonia. The 90‐day and 1‐year survival rates were 81% and 62%, respectively. Suboptimal initiation was a significant prognostic factor for 90‐day [hazard ratio (HR) 3.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18–13.43] and 1‐year [HR 3.19, 95% CI 1.51–6.76] mortality after adjusting for confounders in multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

Very elderly patients who started haemodialysis had a poor prognosis, and suboptimal initiation significantly predicted outcome. Shared decision‐making with patients and their families is needed for initiating haemodialysis on the conditions that appropriate information on the expected prognosis is provided.
Psychometric analysis of subjective sedation scales used for critically ill paediatric patients
Authors: Ge Xiaohua , Zhang Tingting , Zhou Lingling
Published: November 2017

Aims

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of subjective sedation scales using one psychometric scoring system to identify the appropriate scale that is most suitable for clinical care practice.

Background

A number of published sedation assessment scales for paediatric patients are currently used to attempt to achieve a moderate depth of sedation to avoid the undesirable effects caused by over‐ or undersedation. However, there has been no systematic review of these scales.

Search strategy

We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, etc., to obtain relevant articles. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated according to the Consensus‐based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist.

Inclusion criteria

Articles that had been published or were in press and discussed the psychometric properties of sedation scales were included. The population comprised critically ill infants and non‐verbal children ranging in age from 0 to 18 years who underwent sedation in an intensive care unit.

Findings

Data were independently extracted by two investigators using a standard data extraction checklist: 43 articles were included in this review, and 13 sedation scales were examined. The quality of the psychometric evidence for the Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale was ‘very good’, with the Comfort Scale having a higher quality (total weighted scores, Comfort Scale = 17·3 and Comfort Behaviour Scale = 15·5).

Conclusions

We suggest that the scales be systematically and comprehensively tested in terms of development method, reliability, validation, feasibility and correlation with clinical outcome. The Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale are useful tools for measuring sedation in paediatric patients.

Relevance to clinical practice

Nursing staff should choose one subjective sedation scale that is suitable for assessing paediatric patients' depth of sedation. We recommend the Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale as optimal choices if the clinical environment permits.
A Theory of Bayesian Groups
Authors: Dietrich Franz
Published: November 2017

A group is often construed as one agent with its own probabilistic beliefs (credences), which are obtained by aggregating those of the individuals, for instance through averaging. In their celebrated “Groupthink”, Russell et al. (2015) require group credences to undergo Bayesian revision whenever new information is learnt, i.e., whenever individual credences undergo Bayesian revision based on this information. To obtain a fully Bayesian group, one should often extend this requirement to non‐public or even private
information (learnt by not all or just one individual), or to non‐representable
information (not representable by any event in the domain where credences are held). I propose a taxonomy of six types of ‘group Bayesianism’. They differ in the information for which Bayesian revision of group credences is required: public representable information, private representable information, public non‐representable information, etc. Six corresponding theorems establish how individual credences must (not) be aggregated to ensure group Bayesianism of any type, respectively. Aggregating through standard averaging is never permitted; instead, different forms of geometric averaging must be used. One theorem—that for public representable information—is essentially Russell et al.'s central result (with minor corrections). Another theorem—that for public non‐representable
information—fills a gap in the theory of externally Bayesian opinion pooling.
Do tax officials use double standards in evaluating citizen‐clients? A policy‐capturing study among Dutch frontline tax officials
Authors: Raaphorst Nadine , Groeneveld Sandra , Van de Walle Steven
Published: November 2017

In line with psychological and economic discrimination theories, street‐level bureaucracy studies show a direct effect of citizen characteristics on officials' judgements, or show how street‐level bureaucrats employ stereotypical reasoning in making decisions. Relying on sociological double standards theory, this study hypothesizes that citizen‐clients' status characteristics influence officials' evaluations not only directly, but also indirectly and more pervasively by influencing the interpretation of other signals. By means of a policy‐capturing study among Dutch frontline tax officials, this study takes a first step in testing double standards propositions in the context of official–citizen encounters. The findings support only some hypotheses, but indicate that citizen‐clients' level of education could serve as a moderating context affecting the interpretation of cues. The article provides important theoretical and methodological guidelines for future research on stereotyping at the front line.
Leibniz on determinateness and possible worlds
Authors: Harmer Adam
Published: November 2017

Leibniz argues that God doesn't create everything possible because not all possible things are compossible, that is, compatible with each other. Much recent debate has focused on Leibniz's conception of compossibility. One important aspect of this debate, which has not been examined directly, is the distinction between possible worlds and possible creations: the notion of possible world is more robust than simply whatever God can create. Many commentators have relied on this distinction without a clear formulation of it.

I develop the distinction between possible worlds and possible creations by looking at how Leibniz characterizes what God is capable of creating. I argue that possible creations must be both logically consistent and determinate. Possible creations differ from possible worlds insofar as possible creations fail to be either maximal or harmonious. I conclude, therefore, that focusing on the notion of determinateness offers a new approach to answering the question why doesn't God create everything possible?
Tunnel Vision: Part Two—Explaining Australian anthropology's conservatism
Authors: Cowlishaw Gillian
Published: November 2017

Part One of Tunnel Vision discussed the limited scope of ethnographic attention in Australia in the late 20th century, and the discipline's reluctance to take up post‐colonial ideas that were influential elsewhere. In Part Two I examine the challenges faced by apolitical classicism since the 1970s, and the continuing resistance of historical and political perspectives in Indigenist anthropology, despite some individual attempts to blaze new trails. Demands for specialised work related to land rights and native title has meant the survival of anthropological classicism and a failure to explore basic questions concerning Indigenous conditions in Australia.
Enactive Filmmaking: Rethinking Ethnographic Cinema in the First Person
Authors: Ferrarini Lorenzo
Published: November 2017

In this article, I revisit the concept of ethnographic filmmaking in the first person, reviewing first the different interpretations of the first person in documentary filmmaking and then proposing an approach that stresses interaction and intersubjectivity. I term this approach enactive filmmaking, drawing inspiration from the films of Jean Rouch and the thought of cognitive scientist Francisco Varela. I discuss enactive filmmaking's interconnected aspects of sensory evocation, collaborative methods, and performativity as applied to the making of my documentary Kalanda—The Knowledge of the Bush, arguing for films in the first person in which the filmmaker provokes revelatory performances and is deeply changed by the experience of filming.
Humanizing Big Numbers: Representational Strategies in Institutional Films about Global Maternal Mortality
Authors: Howes‐Mischel Rebecca
Published: November 2017

Maternal mortality is simultaneously a global epidemiological phenomenon and an individually contextualized tragedy. This article analyzes how films promoting the Millennium Development Goals’ campaign to reduce maternal mortality rely on particular visual and narrative tropes to align the affective tug of a single case and the global import of an aggregated statistic. Their reliance on particular stories to embody figures of global development constitutes an affective pedagogy that raises familiar questions for anthropologists: how to represent global suffering, who represents global suffering, and at whom such representations are aimed. I argue that reliance on the weight of visually absent, yet symbolically present, dead maternal bodies directs the films’ representational strategies about structural violence toward a reinforcement of a long‐standing narrative and image of witnessing from a distance.
Synthesis and Characterization of Nanofluids Useful in Concentrated Solar Power Plants Produced by New Mixing Methodologies for Large-Scale Production
Authors: Chieruzzi Manila , Miliozzi Adio , Crescenzi Tommaso , Kenny José M. , Torre Luigi
Published: November 2017

In this study, different nanofluids (NFs) were developed by mixing a molten salt mixture (60% NaNO3–40% KNO3) with 1.0 wt % of silica–alumina nanoparticles using different methods. These NFs can be used as thermal energy storage materials in concentrating solar plants with a reduction of storage material if the thermal properties of the base fluid are increased. New mixing procedures without sonication were introduced with the aim to avoid the sonication step and to allow the production of a greater amount of NF with a procedure potentially more suitable for large-scale productions. For this purpose, two mechanical mixers and a magnetic stirrer were used. Each NF was prepared in aqueous solution with a concentration of 100 g/l. The effect of different concentrations (300 g/l and 500 g/l) was also studied with the most effective mixer. Specific heat, melting temperature, and latent heat were measured by means of differential scanning calorimeter. Thermal conductivity and diffusivity in the solid state were also evaluated. The results show that the highest increase of the specific heat was obtained with 100 g/l both in solid (up to 31%) and in liquid phase (up to 14%) with the two mechanical mixers. The same NFs also showed higher amount of stored heat. An increase in thermal conductivity and diffusivity was also detected for high solution concentrations with a maximum of 25% and 47%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses revealed that the grain size in the NFs is much smaller than in the salt mixture, especially for the NF showing the highest thermal properties increase, and a better nanoparticles distribution is achieved with the lowest concentration. NFs with enhanced thermal properties can be synthesized in a cost-effective form in high concentrated aqueous solutions by using mechanical mixers.
Thermochemical Mechanism Optimization for Accurate Predictions of CH Concentrations in Premixed Flames of C1–C3 Alkane Fuels
Authors: Versailles Philippe , Watson Graeme M. G. , Durocher Antoine , Bourque Gilles , Bergthorson Jeffrey M.
Published: November 2017

Increasingly stringent regulations on NOx emissions are enforced by governments owing to their contribution in the formation of ozone, smog, fine aerosols, acid rains, and nutrient pollution of surface water, which affect human health and the environment. The design of high-efficiency, low-emission combustors achieving these ever-decreasing emission standards requires thermochemical mechanisms of sufficiently high accuracy. Recently, a comprehensive set of experimental data, collected through laser-based diagnostics in atmospheric, jet-wall, stagnation, premixed flames, was published for all isomers of C1–C4 alkane and alcohol fuels. The rapid formation of NO through the flame front via the prompt (Fenimore) route was shown to be strongly coupled to the maximum concentration of the methylidyne radical, [CH]peak, and the flow residence time within the CH layer. A proper description of CH formation is then a prerequisite for accurate predictions of NO concentrations in hydrocarbon–air flames. However, a comparison against the Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) experimental data of Versailles, P., et al. (2016, “Quantitative CH Measurements in Atmospheric-Pressure, Premixed Flames of C1–C4 Alkanes,” Combust. Flame, 165, pp. 109--124) revealed that (1) modern thermochemical mechanisms are unable to accurately capture the stoichiometric dependence of [CH]peak, and (2) for a given equivalence ratio, the predictions of different mechanisms span over more than an order of magnitude. This paper presents an optimization of the specific rate of a selection of nine elementary reactions included in the San Diego combustion mechanism. A quasi-Newton algorithm is used to minimize an objective function defined as the sum of squares of the relative difference between the numerical and experimental CH–LIF data of Versailles, P., et al. (2016, “Quantitative CH Measurements in Atmospheric-Pressure, Premixed Flames of C1–C4 Alkanes,” Combust. Flame, 165, pp. 109--124), while constraining the specific rates to physically reasonable values. A mechanism properly describing CH formation for lean to rich, C1–C3 alkane–air flames is obtained. This optimized mechanism will enable accurate predictions of prompt-NO formation over a wide range of equivalence ratios and alkane fuels. Suggestions regarding which reactions require further investigations, either through experimental or theoretical assessments of the individual specific rates, are also provided.
Output-Only Modal Analysis of Micromilling Systems
Authors: Ahmadi K.
Published: November 2017

An output-only modal analysis (OMA) approach is presented to obtain the direct frequency response function (FRF) at the tip of the tool in micromilling setups. White noise input is provided using acoustic excitation and the resulting vibrations are measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Autoregressive (AR) identification is used to extract the natural frequencies and damping ratios of the structural modes of the milling setup, and mass-sensitivity analysis is used to obtain modal stiffness values. The accuracy of the tool tip FRFs that are constructed using OMA is verified by comparing them against the FRFs that are measured using impulse hammer tests. The direct FRF at the tool tip is an essential component in predicting and avoiding excessive and unstable vibrations in milling operations, and the presented approach provides a practical method for the direct measurement of the tool tip FRF in micromilling where the application of traditional hammer tests is not possible.
Absorption, scattering, and radiation force efficiencies in the longitudinal wave scattering by a small viscoelastic particle in an isotropic solid
Authors: Lopes J. H. , Leão-Neto J. P. , Silva G. T.
Published: November 2017

Analytical expressions of the absorption, scattering, and elastic radiation force efficiency factors are derived for the longitudinal plane wave scattering by a small viscoelastic particle in a lossless solid matrix. The particle is assumed to be much smaller than the incident wavelength, i.e., the so-called long-wavelength (Rayleigh) approximation. The efficiencies are dimensionless quantities that represent the absorbed and scattering powers and the elastic radiation force on the particle. In the quadrupole approximation, they are expressed in terms of contrast functions (bulk and shear moduli, and density) between the particle and solid matrix. The results for a high-density polyethylene particle embedded in an aluminum matrix agree with those obtained with the partial wave expansion method. Additionally, the connection between the elastic radiation force and forward scattering function is established through the optical theorem. The present results should be useful for ultrasound characterization of particulate composites, and the development of implanted devices activated by radiation force.
Monitoring ice thickness and elastic properties from the measurement of leaky guided waves: A laboratory experiment
Authors: Moreau Ludovic , Lachaud Cédric , Théry Romain , Predoi Mihai V. , Marsan David , Larose Eric , Weiss Jérôme , Montagnat Maurine
Published: November 2017

The decline of Arctic sea ice extent is one of the most spectacular signatures of global warming, and studies converge to show that this decline has been accelerating over the last four decades, with a rate that is not reproduced by climate models. To improve these models, relying on comprehensive and accurate field data is essential. While sea ice extent and concentration are accurately monitored from microwave imagery, an accurate measure of its thickness is still lacking. Moreover, measuring observables related to the mechanical behavior of the ice (such as Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, etc.) could provide better insights in the understanding of sea ice decline, by completing current knowledge so far acquired mostly from radar and sonar data. This paper aims at demonstrating on the laboratory scale that these can all be estimated simultaneously by measuring seismic waves guided in the ice layer. The experiment consisted of leaving a water tank in a cold room in order to grow an ice layer at its surface. While its thickness was increasing, ultrasonic guided waves were generated with a piezoelectric source, and measurements were subsequently inverted to infer the thickness and mechanical properties of the ice with very good accuracy.
Pharmacokinetics and Exposure-Response Analysis of RG7667, a Combination of Two Anticytomegalovirus Monoclonal Antibodies, in a Phase 2a Randomized Trial To Prevent Cytomegalovirus Infection in High-Risk Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Deng Rong , Wang Yehong , Maia Mauricio , Burgess Tracy , McBride Jacqueline M. , Liao X. Charlene , Tavel Jorge A. , Hanley William D.
Published: November 2017

RG7667, a novel combination of two anticytomegalovirus (anti-CMV) monoclonal IgG1 antibodies (MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A), was designed to block CMV entry into host cells. It was developed as a potential therapy for preventing CMV infection and disease in transplant recipients. RG7667 was assessed for preventing CMV infection in a phase 2a trial with CMV-seronegative recipients of kidney transplants from CMV-seropositive donors. The patients received 4 intravenous doses of RG7667 (10 mg/kg of body weight of each antibody,
n
= 60) or placebo (
n
= 60) at the time of the transplant and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after the transplant. Serum samples were collected for pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis and antidrug antibody (ADA) evaluation. To guide future dose selection, the relationships between RG7667 exposure and pharmacological activity were evaluated. MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A exposures were confirmed in all RG7667-treated patients. Mean clearances for MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A were 2.97 and 2.65 ml/day/kg, respectively, and the terminal half-lives of MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A were 26.9 and 27.4 days, respectively. The ADA incidence was low and was not associated with lower drug exposure. Patients with RG7667 or component antibody exposures greater than the respective median values had a lower incidence of viremia at 12 weeks and 24 weeks after transplantation and a longer delayed time to detectable CMV viremia than patients with exposures less than the median values. MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A exhibited expected IgG1 PK profiles in high-risk kidney transplant recipients, consistent with the earlier PK behavior of RG7667 in healthy subjects. Higher drug exposure was associated with better anti-CMV pharmacological activity. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01753167.)
A Promising Antiprion Trimethoxychalcone Binds to the Globular Domain of the Cellular Prion Protein and Changes Its Cellular Location
Authors: Ferreira N. C. , Ascari L. M. , Hughson A. G. , Cavalheiro G. R. , Góes C. F. , Fernandes P. N. , Hollister J. R. , da Conceição R. A. , Silva D. S. , Souza A. M. T. , Barbosa M. L. C. , Lara F. A. , Martins R. A. P. , Caughey B. , Cordeiro Y.
Published: November 2017

The search for antiprion compounds has been encouraged by the fact that transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) share molecular mechanisms with more prevalent neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Cellular prion protein (PrP
C
) conversion into protease-resistant forms (protease-resistant PrP [PrP
Res
] or the scrapie form of PrP [PrP
Sc
]) is a critical step in the development of TSEs and is thus one of the main targets in the screening for antiprion compounds. In this work, three trimethoxychalcones (compounds J1, J8, and J20) and one oxadiazole (compound Y17), previously identified
in vitro
to be potential antiprion compounds, were evaluated through different approaches in order to gain inferences about their mechanisms of action. None of them changed PrP
C
mRNA levels in N2a cells, as shown by reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR. Among them, J8 and Y17 were effective in real-time quaking-induced conversion reactions using rodent recombinant PrP (rPrP) from residues 23 to 231 (rPrP
23–231
) as the substrate and PrP
Sc
seeds from hamster and human brain. However, when rPrP from residues 90 to 231 (rPrP
90–231
), which lacks the N-terminal domain, was used as the substrate, only J8 remained effective, indicating that this region is important for Y17 activity, while J8 seems to interact with the PrP
C
globular domain. J8 also reduced the fibrillation of mouse rPrP
23–231
seeded with
in vitro
-produced fibrils. Furthermore, most of the compounds decreased the amount of PrP
C
on the N2a cell surface by trapping this protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. On the basis of these results, we hypothesize that J8, a nontoxic compound previously shown to be a promising antiprion agent, may act by different mechanisms, since its efficacy is attributable not only to PrP conversion inhibition but also to a reduction of the PrP
C
content on the cell surface.