bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histidine-rich glycoprotein binds DNA and RNA and attenuates their capacity to activate the intrinsic coagulation pathway
Authors: Vu Trang T. , Leslie Beverly A. , Stafford Alan R. , Zhou Ji , Fredenburgh James C. , Weitz Jeffrey I.
Published: September 2015

When triggered by factor (F) XII and nucleic acids, we showed that thrombosis in HRG-deficient mice is accelerated compared with that in wild-type mice. In this study, we set out to identify the mechanisms by which nucleic acids promote contact activation, and to determine whether HRG attenuates their effects. DNA or RNA addition to human plasma enhances thrombin generation via the intrinsic pathway and shortens the clotting time. Their effect on the clotting time is seven- to 14-fold greater in HRG-deficient plasma than in control plasma. Investigations into the mechanisms of activation reveal that nucleic acids a) promote FXII activation in the presence of prekallikrein- and high molecular weight kininogen (HK), and b) enhance thrombin-mediated FXI activation by 10– to 12-fold. Surface plasmon resonance studies show that DNA and RNA bind FXII, FXIIa, HK, FXI, FXIa and thrombin with high affinity. HRG attenuates DNA- and RNA-mediated FXII activation, and FXI activation by FXIIa or by thrombin, suggesting that HRG down regulates the capacity of DNA and RNA to activate the intrinsic pathway. Therefore, HRG attenuates the procoagulant activity of nucleic acids at multiple levels.
Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition to Zaire and Rwanda 11. Cephaloziaceae, Cephaloziellaceae, Gymnomitriaceae, Jungermanniaceae, Lophoziaceae

Authors: Vána J.
Published: September 2015

Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition
Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition to Zaire and Rwanda 12. Metzgeriaceae, Plagiochilaceae, Lejeuneaceae (the nonepiphyllous collections)

Authors: Pócs Tamás
Published: September 2015

Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition
Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition to Zaire and Rwanda 14. Sphagnaceae

Authors: Eddy A.
Published: September 2015

Six species and one variety of Sphagnum have been recorded from Rwanda and Zaire. Three of these were collected during the BRYOTROP field studies and are annotated below. A key is given to all the species known to occur in the region with the addition of one extra species (S. truncatum Hornsch.) which is likely, on ecological and distributional grounds, to be found there in the future.
Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition to Zaire and Rwanda 15. Fissidentaceae

Authors: Bruggeman-Nannenga M. A.
Published: September 2015

Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition
Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP Expedition to Zaire and Rwanda 17. Andreaeaceae, Bruchiaceae, Dicranaceae, Rhizogoniaceae, Bartramiaceae, Rhacocarpaceae, Hedwigiaceae, Cryphaeaceae, Leucodontaceae

Authors: Frahm Jan-Peter
Published: September 2015

Thirteen new records of species of Andreaea, Trematodon, Campylopus and Rhabdoweisia for Rwanda viz. Zaire are published. Campylopus cerradensis Vital and Paraleucobryum longifolium (Hedw.) Loeske ssp. brasiliense (Broth.) P. Müller & J.-P. Frahm, previously only known from Brazil, are reported for Africa for the first time. Campylopus schmidii C. Müll. is reported for the first time for the African continent. Campylopus leucochlorus is regarded as synonymous with C. hildebrandtii (C. Müll.) Jaeg. Atractylocarpus capillifolius Dix. is regarded as synonymous with A. alticaulis (Broth.) Williams. Based on a different spore size, spore ornamentation and growth form as well as cultivation experiments, Antitrichia kilimandscharica Broth. is regarded as separate species and not as synonymous with A. curtipendula (Hedw.) Brid. Acrocryphaea robusta Broth. in Mildbr. is combined new to the genus Schoenobryum.
Taxonomic Results of the Bryotrop Expedition to Rwanda and Zaire 25. Hypnum

Authors: Ando H.
Published: September 2015

Taxonomic Results of the Bryotrop Expedition
Taxonomic Results of the BRYOTROP-Expedition to Zaire and Rwanda 2. History of Bryological Exploration of Zaire and Rwanda

Authors: Fischer Eberhard
Published: September 2015

A short survey of the bryological exploration of Rwanda and Zaire is provided. The first to collect bryophytes in the area was Stuhlmann in 1891 on Ruwenzori. The first bryological collections from Rwanda were made by Mildbraed in 1907. In 1929 Humbert made the first gatherings on Mt. Kahuzi and Mt. Biega. Since then a lot of botanist have collected mosses and liverworts so that Rwanda and eastern Zaire can be regarded as well known. From most parts of Zaire and from Burundi however only few data are hitherto available.
Four new species of Brueelia Kéler, 1936 (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) from African songbirds (Passeriformes: Sturnidae and Laniidae)
Authors: GUSTAFSSON DANIEL R. , BUSH SARAH E.
Published: September 2015

Four new species in the louse genus Brueelia Kéler, 1936 are described from African hosts of the families Sturnidae and Laniidae. They are: Brueelia rigbyi n. sp. ex Corvinella melanoleuca (Jardine, 1831), B. clara n. sp. ex Lamprotornis australis (A. Smith, 1836), B. tkachi n. sp. ex Spreo albicapillus albicapillus Blyth, 1856, and B. coryliventer n. sp. ex Creatophora cinerea (Meuschen, 1787). These four species are characterized by a unique abdominal chaetotaxy and a sinuous thickening of the distal margin of the male mesosome. These four species are very similar, and we consider them to form one species group. A key to the species of the group is provided.
First record of the genus Acropimpla Townes, 1960 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from Thailand, with descriptions of three new species
Authors: VARGA OLEKSANDR , RESHCHIKOV ALEXEY
Published: September 2015

Nine species of Acropimpla Townes, 1960 are recorded from Thailand with three species described as new: A. leoni sp.n., A. natae sp.n., A. patellalutea sp.n. Six species, A. aspera Gupta & Tikar, 1976, A. hapaliae (Rao, 1953), A. leucostoma (Cameron, 1907), A. nakula Gupta & Tikar, 1976, A. taishunensis Liu, He & Chen, 2010, and A. uchidai (Cushman, 1933) are recorded from Thailand for the first time. A key to the females of Acropimpla species in South East Asia is also provided.
Walking Away Hurt, Walking Around Scared
Authors: Thomas Alvin , Hope Elan C.
Published: September 2015

Using a person-centered approach, we examine phenomenological variations in exposure to violence for Black males and describe risk and protective factors associated with patterns of violence exposure. We ran K-means iterative cluster analysis to determine patterns of violence exposure and conducted analysis of variance to test whether clusters differed. Data are from 287 Black males ( M = 18.9) who participated in the Black Youth Project–Youth Culture Survey. Participants in the current study self-identified as Black or African American and male, and completed the political participation, health, and demographic portions of the survey questionnaire. We found four clusters of violence exposure that were related to demographic characteristics, maternal closeness, neighborhood condition, and sociopolitical inequity. Our findings highlight the heterogeneity of exposure to violence among young Black males and the individual and environmental risk and protective factors that are related to types and levels of exposure. This examination of quality of violence exposure in the context of available risks and protective factors may help clinicians and researchers improve their intervention efforts.
Intervening to Enhance Proactivity in Organizations: Improving the Present or Changing the Future
Authors: Strauss Karoline , Parker Sharon K.
Published: September 2015

A growing body of evidence has linked proactivity at work to positive outcomes. Yet little research to date has investigated whether employees’ proactive behavior in organizations can be facilitated through training and development. Nor has research considered which variables shape employees’ responses to such interventions. We investigate the effects on proactivity of two theoretically distinct training and development interventions in a randomized field experiment with police officers and police support staff ( N = 112). We hypothesized that a problem-focused intervention, which made discrepancies between the status quo and the ideal present more salient, would lead to increases in individual task proactivity, whereas a vision-focused intervention, which made discrepancies between the status quo and an ideal future more salient, would increase organization member proactivity. Intervention effects were moderated by role overload and future orientation, respectively. Only individuals with high levels of role overload increased their individual task proactivity as a result of the problem-focused intervention, and only individuals high in future orientation increased their organization member proactivity as a result of the vision-focused intervention. Our study integrates different cybernetic perspectives on how proactivity is motivated and provides novel insights into moderators of interventions designed to capture these different mechanisms. From a practical perspective, our study supports organizations seeking to implement training and development interventions and helps them to determine who might benefit most from interventions.
Attack or Defend? The Role of Institutional Context on Patent Litigation Strategies
Authors: Rudy Bruce C. , Black Stephanie L.
Published: September 2015

Research has suggested that firms engage in a number of different patent strategies to protect and even gain competitive advantage. However, we know less about the strategies firms employ when engaging in patent litigation. Using proprietary and defensive generic patent strategies as a starting point, this paper describes two types of patent litigation strategies, the types of institutional contexts that would be expected to motivate firms to engage in each, and the performance outcomes of firms undertaking such strategies. Analyzing patent litigation activity between 2002 and 2008 in the pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries, we find that firms in the pharmaceutical industry are more likely to follow a proactive proprietary patent litigation strategy, while firms in the semiconductor industry are more likely to engage in a proactive defensive patent litigation strategy. Furthermore, firms in the semiconductor industry that followed a proactive defensive patent litigation strategy enjoyed better performance than firms that did not engage in this strategy.
The Far Side of Vascular Injury
Authors: Guionaud Silvia
Published: September 2015

Substances historically thought to cause direct vascular injury in laboratory animals are a heterogeneous group of toxic agents with varied mechanisms of action. Morphologically, the reviewed agents can be broadly categorized into those targeting endothelial cell (ECs) and those targeting smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Anticancer drugs, immunosuppressants, and heavy metals are targeting primarily ECs while allylamine, β-aminopropionitrile, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitors affect mainly SMCs. It is now recognized that the pathogenicity of some of these agents is often mediated through intermediary events, particularly vasoconstriction. There are clear similarities in the clinical and microscopic findings associated with many of these agents in animals and man, allowing the use of animal models to investigate mechanisms and pathogenesis. The molecular pathogenic mechanisms and comparative morphology in animals and humans will be reviewed.
The association of music experience, pattern of practice and performance anxiety with playing-related musculoskeletal problems (PRMP) in children learning instrumental music
Authors: Ranelli Sonia , Smith Anne , Straker Leon
Published: September 2015

There is evidence supporting the social and cognitive benefits of music education. However aspects of music practice, such as an increase in frequency and intensity of practice, are associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems in adult musicians, though with limited evidence in children. The aim of this study was to describe the music practice of child instrumentalists and determine their associations with playing-related musculoskeletal problems (PRMP), accounting for gender and age. A total of 731 children learning musical instruments (460 females) ranging in age from 7 – 17 years were surveyed; music experience, music practice and intrinsic factors (e.g. the experience of butterflies in stomach before a concert/exam) were investigated. Logistic regression evaluated the independent association of these potential correlates with PRMP. Music experience (number of years playing main instrument) was significantly negatively associated with PRMP (OR 0.88, p = .003). Pattern of playing was significantly associated with PRMP, specifically playing less than usual (OR 2.1, p = .002) and playing more than usual for longer and more often (OR 2.7, p < .001), compared to playing about usual. The experience of butterflies in the stomach during exams/competitions most times (OR 2.1, p = .029) and always (OR 2.4, p = .027) compared to never, was significantly associated with PRMP. Music inexperience, changed pattern of practice and performance anxiety are associated with playing-related problems in child instrumentalists and are therefore important issues for music education. Evidence-based guidelines may be recommended to help prevent problems and optimize music performance and music education development.
Modeling Motives for Bilingual Accommodation by Minority and Majority Language Speakers
Authors: Gasiorek Jessica , Vincze Laszlo
Published: September 2015

Within the framework of communication accommodation theory, this study examined how self-reported motives for linguistic convergence and divergence by speakers of majority and minority languages (in demographic terms) predict language use in Finland, a bilingual country. In so doing, we also offer a novel approach to modeling motivation for linguistic accommodation. For majority language speakers, motives to converge, but not motives to diverge, were significant predictors of linguistic convergence to the outgroup. However, the opposite pattern was found for minority language speakers. To our knowledge, this is the first study to model how multiple self-reported motives for language use theorized by communication accommodation theory jointly map onto linguistic behavior in a bilingual setting.
From Restrictive to Prescriptive? Prospects for China’s Church Engaging with the Civil Society
Authors: Woods Paul
Published: September 2015

China’s civil society has expanded recently, providing space for new players, although it remains small and controlled by the Communist Party. The mainland Chinese church is taking its place in the civil society, although it is unlikely that it will enjoy Western-style freedoms even in the medium term. Singapore is an Asian democracy where relations between church and civil society are different again; the country has long been culturally and religiously pluralist, and was never part of ‘Christendom’. Also, Singapore’s government is more socially interventionist than its Western counterparts. I describe the West, Singapore and China as permissive, prescriptive and restrictive, respectively, and conclude that Singapore’s prescriptive approach to church and civil society may be a model for China.
Pulmonary collapse alone provides effective de-airing in cardiac surgery: a prospective randomized study
Authors: Landenhed Maya , Cunha-Goncalves Doris , Al-Rashidi Faleh , Pierre Leif , Höglund Peter , Koul Bansi
Published: September 2015

Objectives:

We previously described and showed that the method for cardiac de-airing involving: (1) bilateral, induced pulmonary collapse by opening both pleurae and disconnecting the ventilator before cardioplegic arrest and (2) gradual pulmonary perfusion and ventilation after cardioplegic arrest is superior to conventional de-airing methods, including carbon dioxide insufflation of the open mediastinum. This study investigated whether one or both components of this method are responsible for the effective de-airing of the heart.

Methods:

Twenty patients scheduled for open, left heart surgery were randomized to two de-airing techniques: (1) open pleurae, collapsed lungs and conventional pulmonary perfusion and ventilation; and (2) intact pleurae, expanded lungs and gradual pulmonary perfusion and ventilation.

Results:

The number of cerebral microemboli measured by transcranial Doppler sonography was lower in patients with open pleurae 9 (6-36) vs 65 (36-210), p=0.004. Residual intra-cardiac air grade I or higher as monitored by transesophageal echocardiography 4-6 minutes after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass was seen in few patients with open pleurae 0 (0%) vs 7 (70%), p=0.002.

Conclusions:

Bilateral, induced pulmonary collapse alone is the key factor for quick and effective de-airing of the heart. Gradual pulmonary perfusion and ventilation, on the other hand, appears to be less important.
Development of a model for integrated care at the end of life in advanced dementia: A whole systems UK-wide approach
Authors: Jones Louise , Candy Bridget , Davis Sarah , Elliott Margaret , Gola Anna , Harrington Jane , Kupeli Nuriye , Lord Kathryn , Moore Kirsten , Scott Sharon , Vickerstaff Victoria , Omar Rumana Z , King Michael , Leavey Gerard , Nazareth Irwin , Sampson Elizabeth L
Published: September 2015

Background:

The prevalence of dementia is rising worldwide and many people will die with the disease. Symptoms towards the end of life may be inadequately managed and informal and professional carers poorly supported. There are few evidence-based interventions to improve end-of-life care in advanced dementia.

Aim:

To develop an integrated, whole systems, evidence-based intervention that is pragmatic and feasible to improve end-of-life care for people with advanced dementia and support those close to them.

Design:

A realist-based approach in which qualitative and quantitative data assisted the development of statements. These were incorporated into the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method to achieve consensus on intervention components. Components were mapped to underlying theory of whole systems change and the intervention described in a detailed manual.

Setting/participants:

Data were collected from people with dementia, carers and health and social care professionals in England, from expert opinion and existing literature. Professional stakeholders in all four countries of the United Kingdom contributed to the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method process.

Results:

A total of 29 statements were agreed and mapped to individual, group, organisational and economic/political levels of healthcare systems. The resulting main intervention components are as follows: (1) influencing local service organisation through facilitation of integrated multi-disciplinary care, (2) providing training and support for formal and informal carers and (3) influencing local healthcare commissioning and priorities of service providers.

Conclusion:

Use of in-depth data, consensus methods and theoretical understanding of the intervention components produced an evidence-based intervention for further testing in end-of-life care in advanced dementia.
The Moon as a Tiny Bright Disc: Insights From Observations in the Planetarium
Authors: Carbon Claus-Christian
Published: September 2015

Despite a relatively constant visual angle, the size of the moon appears very variable, mostly depending on elevation and context factors—the so-called moon illusion. As our perceptual experience of the size of the moon is clearly limited to the perceptual sphere of the sky, however, we do not know whether the typical perception of the moon at its zenith reflects a veridical interpretation of its visual angle of only 0.5°. When testing the moon illusion in a large-scale planetarium, we observed two important things: (a) variation in perceptual size was no longer apparent, and (b) the moon looked very much smaller than in any viewing condition in the real sky—even when comparing it at its zenith. A closer inspection of the control console of the planetarium revealed that classic-analog as well as updated-digital planetariums use projections of the moon with strongly increased sizes to compensate for the loss of a natural view of the moon in the artificial dome of the sky.
Dis-locating public space: Occupy Rondebosch Common, Cape Town
Authors: Houssay-Holzschuch Myriam , Thébault Emma
Published: September 2015

We argue here that public space research might benefit theoretically from the Southern Turn in urban studies. Our first objective is theoretical and methodological: unpack the idea of public space to make it suitable beyond its original location. Détienne’s work on Comparing the Incomparable, combined with Staeheli and Mitchell’s notion of “regimes of publicity” offer the theoretical tools for such a displacement. We end up thinking about public space as various, context-specific configurations of loosely structured, juridical, political, and social elements that take on new shapes and are prone to partial dislocation when dis-located. We test this model by displacing it to a piece of vacant land—Rondebosch Common in Cape Town. In so doing, we deal with our second objective: offering a detailed empirical analysis of the Occupy Rondebosch Common 2012 events, which relates to broader public space debates in contemporary, liminal, South Africa.
Adolescent Nondisclosure in Cultural Context
Authors: Yau Jenny
Published: September 2015

This qualitative study explored second-generation Chinese American adolescents’ nondisclosure to parents on the basis of their experiences in daily interactions. The research questions were as follows: (a) What role does adolescents’ nondisclosure play in parent-adolescent relationships in second-generation Chinese American families? (b) How do factors of adolescent nondisclosure interplay with the cultural context? In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 16 adolescents (6 boys and 10 girls, average age 15) and 11 immigrant parents in a large urban area in the Western United States. The principal theme of the findings shows nondisclosure as an adaptive strategy to pursue autonomy in harmony with parental regulation. Findings are interpreted in light of cultural influences. These findings suggest that Chinese American parents need to make adaptations in the way of their parental control and should focus more on adolescents’ current interests.
Nascent Nonprofit Entrepreneurship
Authors: Andersson Fredrik O.
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this article is to provide a window into the earliest phase of nonprofit organizational formation. Using a sample of 91 nascent nonprofit entrepreneurs and a framework from the entrepreneurship literature identifying the vital capacities for new venture development success, this exploratory article examines the capacity endowments of nascent nonprofits. The results indicate that nascent nonprofits have rather well-developed venture ideas and also a good understanding of whom they will serve. However, few have developed programs or services ready to be implemented or established relations with real beneficiaries and/or payers. In addition, this research highlights differences in capacity between nascent nonprofit entrepreneurs with and without previous start-up experience.
Reducing the variability of hybrid electric vehicle fuel economy in the real world
Authors: Roy Hillol Kumar , McGordon Andrew , Jennings Paul A
Published: September 2015

Apart from improving the fuel economy, a reduction in the variability of the fuel economy is also of significant importance for hybrid electric vehicles. Previously, research on how to optimise the sizes of the powertrain components of hybrid electric vehicles has generally focused on improving the fuel economy over a given driving pattern. The variability of the fuel economy over a realistic range of driving patterns has generally been overlooked, and this can mean that the fuel economy benefits of hybrid electric vehicles are not consistently realised in real-world usage. In a recent study, a new methodology for design optimisation of the powertrain components of hybrid electric vehicles was proposed for the reduction in the variability of the fuel economy due to variation in the driving patterns, but the methodology needs to be validated in real-world usage for practical applicability. In this paper, the methodology is validated in real-world driving conditions. This paper investigated the methodology for 10 real-world driving patterns generated by 10 different drivers over a predefined route consisting of urban and highway driving. The study was carried out using a simulation model of a Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicle which was considered as the benchmark vehicle. The design produced by the methodology reduced the variability of the fuel economy by 5.3% without reducing the average fuel economy compared with the Toyota Prius over the 10 real-world driving patterns. This demonstrates that the methodology described is applicable to real-world usage.
Robust adaptive finite time control for spacecraft global attitude tracking maneuvers
Authors: Gao Jiwei , Cai Yuanli
Published: September 2015

This paper investigates spacecraft attitude control problem to achieve global fast tracking maneuvers. The concept of state-space form is initially introduced into spacecraft attitude dynamics and kinematics based on the unit quaternion, and then robust finite-time controllers are proposed based on geometric homogeneity and integral sliding mode. Furthermore, gain adaptation laws are employed and developed to eliminate the requirement of boundaries with respect to the lumped uncertainties, while there is no overestimation of the gains. Moreover, global finite-time controllers are designed to get across the singular point caused by the unit quaternion. Finally, simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the control strategies.
New features of solid particle erosion damage of control stage blades in supercritical steam turbine
Authors: Cai Liu-xi , Mao Jing-ru , Wang Shun-sen , Feng Zhen-ping
Published: September 2015

Reducing solid particle erosion of blades is one of the most urgent problems for high-parameter steam turbine power generation technology. Based on the erosion rate model and particle rebound model of blade materials obtained through accelerated erosion test under high temperature, erosion characteristics of flaky particles in control stage of a typical supercritical steam turbine were systemically studied using three-dimensional numerical simulation method. The erosion mechanism of hard coatings on nozzle suction surface is first revealed, and erosion resistance of boride coating with large oxide particles is validated through high-temperature erosion test. Results show that serious erosion damage of boride coating on the latter half of nozzle suction surface is caused by the combined rebounded impingement of large particles between 1000 µm and 2000 µm after their initial impingement on the nozzle pressure surface and the leading edge of rotating blade. The average particle impingement velocity can reach up to 150–180 m/s, and the impingement angle is in the range of 18°–28°. High-temperature erosion test results show that boride coating will soon broken and fall off under the continuing impact of millimeter-sized particles, which confirms that hard coatings are difficult to resist the high-intensity impingement from these large particles. Therefore, separating particles before entering the nozzle chamber with the employment of an inertial separator should be the optimal choice for improving the erosion resistance of turbine. The results of this study enrich the types of blade erosion damage and provide a new idea for reducing erosion damage of control stage blades.
Metabolic syndrome is not only a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in systemic lupus erythematosus but is also associated with cumulative organ damage: a cross-sectional analysis of 311 patients
Authors: Demir S , Artim-Esen B , Şahinkaya Y , Pehlivan Ö , Alpay-Kanıtez N , Omma A , Erer B , Kamalı S , Gül A , Aral O , Öcal L , İnanç M
Published: September 2015

Background/Purpose

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have increased rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that are one of the major causes of mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the frequencies of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and CVD in SLE patients and investigate the link between these and clinical features of SLE.

Methods

A total of 311 SLE patients were consecutively assessed for cumulative organ damage (SDI/SLICC scores), history of CVD and MetS as defined by the National Cholesterol Educational Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III). Clinical data of SLE patients were collected from the records.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 40.2 ± 13.4 years and 89% were female. The frequencies of CVD and MetS were 15.2% and 19%, respectively. In this SLE cohort increased age, cumulative damage, disease duration and CVD were associated with MetS. CVD was associated with disease duration, cumulative damage, pericarditis, hematologic involvement, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, neurological involvement and antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) positivity. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) use was found as a protective factor for CVD.

Conclusion

In SLE patients, MetS was associated with CVD and both increased with disease duration. Patients who developed MetS and/or CVD had increased cumulative organ damage. Certain clinical features of SLE and the presence of aPL were also associated with CVD. There was a significant protective effect of HCQ from CVD. The prevention of MetS and long-term use of HCQ may be beneficial in improving the prognosis of SLE.
Perspectives concerning the future when time is suspended: Analysing inmates’ discourse
Authors: Carvalho Renato Gomes , Capelo Regina , Nuñez Diana
Published: September 2015

Research has shown the importance of prospective thinking in the understanding of individual behaviour across different contexts. However, there has not been extensive attention paid to individuals’ future time perspective (FTP) in non-normative contexts, such as prison, especially using qualitative research methods. In this study, we qualitatively analyse the FTP of 16 Portuguese male prisoners, ranging in age from 24 to 51 years ( M = 35, SD = 8 (idem)) and serving sentences from one to 25 years ( M = 8.6, SD = 7.3). Through content analysis of data obtained in semi-structured interviews, four main categories emerged: life prior to prison, adaptation to prison, activities in prison, and perspectives concerning the future. Considering the primary features of FTP (content, extension, valence), we determined that prisoners develop FTP in different life domains. However, the extension and emotional valence of their FTP were influenced by the sentence time and perceived social support. The results are discussed regarding the importance of counselling and of the construction of future plans in the context of prison as relevant factors for individual adaptability.
Institutions of Higher Education as Public Diplomacy Tools
Authors: Metzgar Emily T.
Published: September 2015

Two flagship Chinese universities are home to newly established English-language graduate programs intended to arm international cohorts of future leaders with the skills, knowledge, and insights necessary to thrive in a world in which China will play a leading role. Employing the literature of international education and public diplomacy, this study considers the two new programs—Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University and Yenching Academy at Peking University—presenting them as international educational exchanges with all the public diplomacy connotations that term implies. Although Confucius Institutes typically dominate discussion of China’s public diplomacy efforts in educational milieu overseas, the nearly simultaneous emergence of the Schwarzman and Yenching programs offers an opportunity to consider the role of institutions of higher education, this time within China, as part of that country’s ongoing soft power promotion efforts.
Conclusiveness of the Cochrane Reviews in Palliative and Supportive Care for Cancer
Authors: Zhang Xia , Wu Zhiyong , Zhao Haiqing , Li Chenxi , Wu Jianyu , Dai Guanghai
Published: September 2015

To assess the conclusiveness of the Cochrane reviews (CRs) in the field of palliative and supportive care for cancer. We searched the CRs on Pain, Palliative, and Supportive Care Group available in the Cochrane library on February 01, 2015, to analyze whether a CR could reach a clinical decision. Each CR was analyzed for conclusiveness, number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolled, number of participants enrolled, the need for further studies, and the reasons. Only 45% (30 of 66) of the CRs reached definitive clinical recommendations. The number of RCTs and participants enrolled in conclusive CRs were significantly higher than those in inconclusive CRs. Nearly all CRs recognized the need for further studies. The conclusiveness was not affected by the year of publication. We concluded that a large number of clinical trials were not carried out well in the palliative and supportive oncology.
Return to Play in National Football League Players After Operative Jones Fracture Treatment
Authors: Lareau Craig R. , Hsu Andrew R. , Anderson Robert B.
Published: September 2015

Background:

Jones fractures commonly occur in professional athletes and operative treatment remains the standard of care in this patient population. In our clinical experience, an aggressive postoperative rehabilitation protocol for National Football League (NFL) players with an average return to play (RTP) between 8 and 10 weeks can have successful outcomes with few complications. The purpose of this study was to quantify RTP and rate of complications, including nonunion, refracture, and reoperation among a cohort of NFL players with operatively treated Jones fractures.

Methods:

Between 2004 and 2014, 25 consecutive NFL players who underwent acute Jones fracture fixation by a single surgeon were reviewed. Operative treatment for the majority of patients involved fixation with a Jones-specific intramedullary screw and iliac crest bone marrow aspirate with demineralized bone matrix injected at the fracture site. Additionally, our protocol involved the use of noninvasive bone stimulators, application of customized orthoses, and an aggressive patient-specific rehabilitation protocol. Patient demographics were recorded along with position played, seasons played after surgery, RTP, and complications. RTP was defined as the ability to play in a single regular-season NFL game after surgery. At the time of surgery, average age for all patients was 24.0 years and BMI 31.0.

Results:

Player positions included 8 wide receivers, 4 linebackers, 4 tight ends, 2 defensive tackles, 2 cornerbacks, 1 offensive tackle, 1 center, 1 tackle, 1 defensive end, and 1 quarterback. Seventy-six percent of players underwent operative fixation during their first 3 seasons. Forty-eight percent were diagnosed before or during their rookie (first) season. RTP was 100% for all players and 80% were still playing at time of publication. Three patients (12.0%) refractured and required revision surgery. Time until RTP was influenced by other variables and difficult to measure because many surgeries were performed early in the offseason. All 9 players who underwent surgery between July and October, and were therefore eligible to return to play in the same season, had an average RTP of 8.7 weeks (range 5.9-13.6).

Conclusion:

With an appropriately placed intramedullary screw and an aggressive rehabilitation protocol, early RTP was achievable with a low refracture rate in professional athletes. All NFL players in this series were able to return to play after surgery. We observed that these injuries were more likely to occur in the first 3 seasons of play and in wide receivers, linebackers, and tight ends. This at-risk subset of players may benefit from improved preventative measures.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Modeling the vibration of spatial flexible mechanisms through an equivalent rigid-link system/component mode synthesis approach
Authors: Vidoni Renato , Gallina Paolo , Boscariol Paolo , Gasparetto Alessandro , Giovagnoni Marco
Published: September 2015

In this paper, a novel formulation for modeling the vibration of spatial flexible mechanisms and robots is introduced. The formulation is based on the concepts of equivalent rigid-link system (ERLS) that allows kinematic equations of motion for the ERLS decoupled from the compatibility equations of the displacement at the joint to be written. With respect to the available literature, in which the ERLS concept has been proposed together with a finite element method (FEM) approach (ERLS-FEM), the formulation is extended in this paper through a modal approach and, in particular, a component mode synthesis technique which allows a reduced-order system of dynamic equations to be maintained even when a fine discretization is needed. The model is validated numerically by comparing it with the results obtained from the Adams-Flex™ software, which implements the well-known floating frame of reference approach for a benchmark L-shaped mechanism. A good agreement between the two models is shown.
Enhancing the abilities in assessing slurry pumps' performance degradation and estimating their remaining useful lives by using captured vibration signals
Authors: Tse Peter W , Wang Dong
Published: September 2015

Slurry pumps are widely used to transport abrasive slurry that contains oil and sands. Because of the abrasive nature, the impellers inside the pumps wear easily. Severe impeller wear may cause unexpected pump failure that leads to substantial oil production loss. To assess the impeller performance degradation and then estimate its remaining useful life (RUL), an efficient prognostic method has been designed. For assessing the impeller performance degradation, statistical features were extracted from vibration signals collected from on-site operating slurry pumps. Their corresponding frequency spectra were generated after the vibration signals were processed by a low-pass filter. Here, the low-pass filter aims to retain impeller-related vibration components, such as the pump vane-passing frequency and its harmonics. Principal component analysis was then applied to reduce the dimensionality of the extracted statistical features to one dimensionality, which was used to construct a health indicator to reflect the health evolution of the impeller over time. For estimating the impeller's RUL, a nonlinear state space model was designed to track its temporal health indicator. An efficient unscented transform method was employed to iteratively estimate the joint posterior probability density function of the parameters of the nonlinear state space model. After the proper nonlinear state space model had been determined, extrapolations of the nonlinear state space model to a specified alert threshold were used to estimate the impeller's RUL. Vibration signals captured from on-site operating slurry pumps were used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed prognostic method. The results show that prediction accuracy of the estimated RULs have been improved as compared to those generated by other recently developed slurry pump prognostic methods. Moreover, the more the temporal vibration data is available, the better the performance of the state space model; hence, the higher the accuracy in predicting the impeller's RUL.
Goodall’s Verbal Exchange Coding
Authors: Saldaña Johnny
Published: September 2015

This article provides a descriptive overview and brief example of Bud Goodall’s Verbal Exchange Coding, a method profiled in his book, Writing the New Ethnography. Verbal Exchange Coding categorizes conversation into five forms of verbal exchange, then into five practices or cultural performances of everyday life. Written reflection stimulates the analyst to create storied accounts that weave the researcher’s personal experiences into meaning in ways that serve as an analysis of culture. The example is a poignant verbal exchange between the author and a stranger at an airport boarding area.
Identification of constant contaminant sources in a test chamber with real sensors
Authors: Shao Xiaoliang , Li Xianting , Ma Huiying
Published: September 2015

Identification of contaminant sources is important for controlling indoor air pollution. Previous studies of source identification are mainly based on computational fluid dynamic simulation results, and studies based on experimental measurements results are scarce. In this paper, six source identification experiments, five with one source and one with two sources, were conducted to investigate the effectiveness of source identification in real situations. A multi-source identification model was developed based on real measurements. The effects of number, layout, sampling duration and sampling interval of the sensors and the number of potential sources on the identification accuracy were analysed. Our findings showed that most of the source scenarios can be identified effectively, including both one- and two-source scenarios. The identification method is most accurate when the potential sources have different effects on sensor network. The identification accuracy can be improved by increasing the number of sensors and sampling duration, and proper arrangement of the sensors, but the sampling interval has a minimal effect. The identification accuracy may decrease with the increase in the number of potential sources. Our research demonstrates the feasibility of applying the source identification method under realistic indoor conditions for various scenarios of buildings.
Modeling the second-level digital divide: A five-country study of social differences in Internet use
Authors: Büchi Moritz , Just Natascha , Latzer Michael
Published: September 2015

Based on representative surveys on Internet use, this article advances comparative research on the second-level digital divide by modeling Internet usage disparities for five countries with narrowing access gaps. Four core Internet usage types are constructed and predicted by sociodemographic variables in a structural model. Overall, the findings confirm the recently identified shift in the digital divide from access to usage in five further countries. Results show that sociodemographics alone account for up to half of the variance in usage in these high-penetration countries, with age being the strongest predictor. Measurement invariance tests indicate that a direct comparison is only valid between three of the five countries explored. Methodologically, this points to the indispensability of such tests for unbiased comparative research.
Predicting international Facebook ties through cultural homophily and other factors
Authors: Barnett George A , Benefield Grace A
Published: September 2015

This study describes the structure of the international Facebook friendship network and its determinants using various predictors, including physical proximity, cultural homophily, and communication. Network analysis resulted in one group of nations, with countries that bridge geographic and linguistic clusters (France, Spain, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates) being the most central. Countries with international Facebook friendship ties tended to share borders, language, civilization, and migration. Physical distance, shared hyperlinks, use of common websites, telephone traffic, cultural similarity, and international student exchange were either weakly or not significantly related to international Facebook friendships.
Nudging, intervening or rewarding
Authors: Le Clainche Christine , Tubeuf Sandy
Published: September 2015

Public health policies typically assume that there are characteristics and constraints over health that an individual cannot control and that there are choices that an individual could change if he is nudged or provided with incentives. We consider that health is determined by a range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors and we discuss to what extent an individual can control these factors. In particular, we assume that the observed health status of an individual is a result of factors within the individual’s control and constraints the individual faces. We suggest three different constraints: budget, time and psychological constraints and position various determinants of health according to increasing levels of constraint and increasing degrees of individual control. We finally discuss public health policies such as nudging, intervening and rewarding within this new framework and show that the level of constraints and the degree of individual control on health status are essential dimensions to consider when designing and implementing public health policies.
When your errors are your only hope: Testing “Hidden Hypotheses” in mediation studies in strategic management
Authors: DeVaro Jed , Boyd Brian K
Published: September 2015

Mediation models involve two regression equations, one each for the dependent and mediating variables, Y and M. Tests of theoretical hypotheses in strategic management focus on “betas,” that is, the estimated regression coefficients in the Y and M equations. A neglected point is that strategic management theory sometimes suggests a “hidden hypothesis” concerning the sign of the error correlation between the Y and M regressions. Systems-based estimation methods can be used to test “hidden hypotheses.” We show that sometimes “hidden hypotheses” offer the only hope of empirically distinguishing between competing theories.
How boards’ internal and external social capital interact to affect firm performance
Authors: Barroso-Castro Carmen , Villegas-Periñan Ma del Mar , Casillas-Bueno José C
Published: September 2015

Board social capital encompasses two types of relationships: external and internal ties. This study examines the effects of board social capital on firm performance using a sample of the 103 companies listed on The Madrid Stock Exchange (2008). In order to measure board internal social capital, we consider the directors’ co-working experience on the board. On the other hand, to measure external board social capital, we rely on the directors’ ties to other organizations through interlocking directorates. We introduce internal social capital as a necessary variable for a more complete understanding of the external social capital/firm performance relationship. Our results have important implications for corporate governance practices. When firms propose reconsidering the composition of boards, they should not be guided solely by the intention of maximizing external connections. On the contrary, they should really take into account the fundamental role of internal social capital, which (1) intensifies the positive effects of the external capital when its level is low and (2) attenuates the negative effects of an excess of the board’s external social capital.