bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Centrifuge Temperature on Routine Coagulation Tests
Authors: Yazar Hayrullah , Özdemir Fatma , Köse Elif
Published: March 2018

Background: This study investigated the effects of cooled and standard centrifuges on the results of coagulation tests to examine the effects of centrifugation temperature. Methods: Equal-volume blood samples from each patient were collected at the same time intervals and subjected to standard (25°C) and cooled centrifugation (2–4°C). Subsequently, the prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen, and D-dimer values were determined in runs with the same lot numbers in the same coagulation device using the Dia-PT R (PT and INR), Dia-PTT-liquid (aPTT), Dia-FIB (fibrinogen), and Dia-D-dimer kits, respectively. Results: The study enrolled 771 participants. The PT was significantly (p < 0.018) higher in participants on anticoagulant therapy. The respective median values of the test parameters determined using the standard and cooled centrifuges were as follows: PT 10.30 versus 10.50 s; PT (INR) 1.04 versus 1.09 s; APTT 28.90 versus 29.40 s; fibrinogen 321.5 versus 322.1 mg/dL; and D-dimer 179.5 versus 168.7 µg FEU/mL. There were significant differences (p < 0.001) in the parameters between the values obtained with the standard and cooled centrifuges. Conclusions: Centrifuge temperature can have a significant effect on the results of coagulation tests. However, broad and specific disease-based studies are needed.
Longitudinal Melanonychia: Differences in Etiology Are Associated with Patient Age at Diagnosis
Authors: Tseng Yi-Teng , Liang Cher-Wei , Liau Jau-Yu , Chang Koping , Tseng Yu-Hsian , Chen Jau-Shiuh , Liao Yi-Hua
Published: March 2018

Background: Longitudinal melanonychia (LM) may occur as a result of nail apparatus melanoma. Knowledge of etiology plays an important role in the management of LM. Objectives: The study is aimed to compare the diagnosis of LM in different age groups. Methods: We collected 63 cases (45 adults and 18 children) with LM who underwent nail matrix biopsy or excision in a 21-year cohort and assessed their clinicopathological features. Results: Melanomas in adults and children were 40% and none, while nevi accounted for 15.6% in adults and 94.4% in children. There was a statistically significant difference between the average age at diagnosis for melanoma (54.5 ± 13.3 years) and nevus (15.2 ± 18.5 years). Logistic regression related the occurrence of melanoma to older ages with a relative risk of 1.2 compared to nevus, but no cutoffs between age groups could be deﬁned between LM-associated nevus and melanoma. Conclusion: The adult group has a significantly higher risk of melanoma, while children with LM show mostly nonmelanoma etiologies. Tissue proof is more warranted in adult cases, and it is needed in selected cases of children with LM.
A Paediatric Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia Patient Harbouring a Cryptic PML-RARA Insertion due to a Complex Structural Chromosome 17 Rearrangement
Authors: El-Hajj Ghaoui Racha , St Heaps Luke , Hung Dorothy , Nagabushan Sumanth , Harris Catherine , Mirochnik Oksana , Sharma Praveen , Kellie Stewart J. , Wright Dale C.
Published: March 2018

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia with PML-RARA fusion is usually associated with the t(15;17)(q24.1;q21.1) translocation but may also arise from complex or cryptic rearrangements. The fusion usually resides on chromosome 15 but occasionally on others. We describe a cryptic PML-RARA fusion within a novel chromosome 17 rearrangement. We performed interphase fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using a dual-fusion PML-RARA probe, followed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for PML-RARA, karyotyping, and metaphase FISH using RARA break-apart, locus-specific, and subtelomere probes for chromosome 17. An 850K SNP microarray was also employed. Interphase and metaphase FISH showed atypical results involving a single PML-RARA fusion, no second fusion, but instead separate diminished PML and RARA signals. RT-PCR confirmed PML-RARA fusion; however, karyotyping detected only an altered chromosome 17. Metaphase FISH showed the single fusion and diminished 5′ RARA signals located unexpectedly in the subtelomeric short-arm and long-arm regions of the rearranged chromosome 17, respectively. SNP microarray revealed no copy number abnormality. This paediatric patient with PML-RARA fusion reflects a cryptic insertion that resides within a complex and novel chromosome 17 rearrangement. This rearrangement likely arose via 7 chromosome breaks with the insertion occurring first followed by sequential paracentric and then pericentric inversions.
E74-Like Factor (ELF3) and Leptin, a Novel Loop Between Obesity and Inflammation Perpetuating a Pro-Catabolic State in Cartilage
Authors: Conde Javier , Otero Miguel , Scotece Morena , Abella Vanessa , Gómez Rodolfo , López Verónica , Pino Jesús , Mera Antonio , Goldring Mary B. , Gualillo Oreste
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: The E74-like factor 3 (ELF3) is an inflammatory mediator that participates in cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis. Leptin and other adipokines negatively impact articular cartilage, triggering catabolic and inflammatory responses in chondrocytes. Here, we investigated whether leptin induces ELF3 expression in chondrocytes and the signaling pathway involved in this process. Methods: We determined mRNA and protein levels of ELF3 by RT-qPCR and Western blotting using cultured human primary chondrocytes and the human T/C-28a2 chondrocyte cell line. Further, we measured luciferase activities of different reporter constructs, and we assessed the contribution of leptin to the induction of ELF3 mRNA by knocking down hLEPR gene expression using siRNA technology. Results: Leptin synergizes with IL-1β in inducing ELF3 expression in chondrocytes. We also found that PI3K, p38, and JAK2 signaling pathways are at play in the leptin-driven induction of ELF3. Moreover, we confirm the participation of NFΚB in the leptin/IL-1β synergistic induction of ELF3. Conclusion: Here we show, for the first time, the regulation of ELF3 expression by leptin, suggesting that this transcription factor likely mediates the inflammatory responses triggered by leptin in articular chondrocytes.
Neural Basis of Learning
Authors: Rocha Elisa , Costa Beatriz , Ferreira Isadora , Fregni Fregni
Published: March 2018

Students’ learning mechanisms and success are crucial to the advancement of education and knowledge. Therefore, understanding the neural basis of learning and applying it to educational programs can enhance how individuals acquire knowledge. Currently, educational programs are mostly centered on a teacher-based approach, which is not ideal for information retention. Instead, programs should be focused on achieving the three stages of learning: encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. In fact, current methods do not result in significant encoding (the first step). Strong encoding is associated with individual’s attention and focus on the material. Consolidation comes from the strengthening of neural pathways by providing meaning to the material being learned, and establishing strong connections to achieve long-term potentiation. Finally, retrieval is maximized when knowledge is fully established and a schema has been attained. It is important to take into account how education influences and can be used to optimize learning. Considering existing neural evidence, educational systems should change to a student-centered approach to improve learning.
Os territórios da mineração sob a lógica da acumulação financeira no capitalismo contemporâneo
Authors: Lamoso Lisandra Pereira
Published: March 2018

Os territórios da mineração são espaços utilizados pela indústria extrativa mineral, que tem um significativo protagonismo no processo de acumulação de capital. Tomando como referência a geodiversidade brasileira na mineração, este artigo busca atualizar e aprofundar o debate sobre os processos que comandam esses territórios incorporados à lógica financeira do capitalismo contemporâneo. A pesquisa empregou dados secundários e revisão bibliográfica. O artigo mostra que está cada vez mais distante do poder público, em suas diversas instâncias, planejar o setor mineral como parte da estratégia de desenvolvimento econômico. Sob a lógica financeira, as decisões são tomadas pelo mercado de ações, dominado pela expectativa de rentabilidade e distribuição de dividendos, com relevante papel dos fundos de pensão.
Elaboração de transectos entre Ourinhos-SP/Presidente Prudente-SP e Itapetininga-SP/Irati-PR para análise da produção e expansão da cana-de-açúcar
Authors: Braido Leandro Marcos Herreiro , Tommaselli José Tadeu Garcia
Published: March 2018

O objetivo deste trabalho é demonstrar em dois transectos a variação de elementos naturais, como formação rochosa, tipos de solos, variação da altitude e de elementos atmosféricos (precipitação e temperatura), para analisar em que pontos a cultura da cana-de-açúcar consegue se desenvolver plenamente ou ser limitada. A área escolhida para o trabalho foi a bacia hidrográfica do rio Paranapanema, e os transectos traçados são de Ourinhos-SP/Presidente Prudente-SP, Itapetininga-SP e Irati-PR. A série histórica de dados climáticos de 1970 a 2010 foi obtida junto à Delaware University, e os dados sobre o acompanhamento da expansão da cultura da cana-de-açúcar foram solicitados ao Canasat/Inpe. Constatou-se que, no transecto Ourinhos-SP/Presidente Prudente-SP, a cultura tem condições ideais de desenvolvimento (precipitação 1.200 mm a 1.400 mm anuais, temperatura 20 °C a 23 °C, solos e relevo adequados). Já para o transecto Itapetininga - SP/Irati - PR, a grande variação altimétrica (entre 600 m e mais de 1.000 m) e as temperaturas mais baixas (18 °C a 16 °C) são fatores naturais limitadores para a expansão da cultura.
Emissões fugitivas de metano em aterros sanitários
Authors: Candiani Giovano , Viana Ednilson
Published: March 2018

A quantidade de metano emitida dos aterros sanitários à atmosfera é controlada pelo tipo de camada de cobertura sobre o aterro. As medições da emissão de metano foram realizadas utilizando o método da placa de fluxo, e o objetivo deste estudo foi estimar as emissões de metano a partir da superfície do aterro sanitário. Os resultados mostram que as emissões fugitivas de metano na atmosfera são de 18,66 g/m2/dia a 149,86 g/m2/dia, representando 31,4% da produção total de metano no aterro sanitário. A eficiência de captação de gás no aterro foi de 68,6%. A emissão fugitiva é o resultado da ineficiência do sistema de captação de gás no aterro sanitário.
Racial Differences in Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction in the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure Trial
Authors: Lewis Eldrin F. , Claggett Brian , Shah Amil M. , Liu Jiankang , Shah Sanjiv J. , Anand Inder , O’Meara Eileen , Sweitzer Nancy K. , Rouleau Jean L. , Fang James C. , Desai Akshay S. , Retta Tamrat M. , Solomon Scott D. , Heitner John F. , Stamos Thomas D. , Boineau Robin , Pitt Bertram , Pfeffer Marc A.
Published: March 2018

Background:

Black patients have been shown to have different baseline characteristics and outcomes compared with nonblack patients in cohort studies. However, few studies have focused on heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients. We aimed to determine the difference in cardiovascular outcomes in black and nonblack patients with HFpEF and to determine the relative efficacy and safety of spironolactone in black and nonblack patients.

Methods and Results:

Patients with HFpEF, randomized to spironolactone versus placebo in the TOPCAT trial (Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist) in North and South America, were grouped according to self-described black and nonblack race. Black HFpEF patients (n=302) were younger and were more likely to have diabetes mellitus and hypertension than nonblack patients but had similar HFpEF severity. Black patients had higher risk for the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.71;
P
=0.02) and first HF hospitalization (HR, 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.167–1.97;
P
=0.002)], but no significant difference in cardiovascular mortality risk (HR, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–1.20;
P
=0.326). In black and nonblack patients, randomization to spironolactone conferred similar efficacy in the primary outcome (HR, 0.83 versus 0.79;
P
for interaction=0.49), HF hospitalization (HR, 0.67 versus 0.82;
P
for interaction=0.76), and cardiovascular mortality (
P
for interaction=0.19). The risk of hyperkalemia and worsening renal function with spironolactone and study drug adherence were also similar.

Conclusions:

Black patients with HFpEF have a higher HF hospitalization risk than nonblack patients, but spironolactone is similarly effective and safe in both groups.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00094302.
Impact of Coronary Artery Revascularization Completeness on Outcomes of Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Witberg Guy , Zusman Oren , Codner Pablo , Assali Abid , Kornowski Ran
Published: March 2018

Background—

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is highly prevalent in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. In the overall CAD population, complete revascularization or reasonable incomplete revascularization (ICR) is associated with improved outcomes; whether the same applies for the transcatheter aortic valve replacement population is still a matter of debate.

Methods and Results—

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that examined the prognostic effect of revascularization completeness in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement using the residual SYNTAX score (Synergy Between PCI With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) to separate between reasonable ICR and ICR (using the individual threshold used by each study). Six studies with a total of 3107 patients were included. The duration of follow-up ranged from 0.7 to 3 years. Overall, ICR was associated with an increased risk for mortality. This was true when comparing ICR patients to those with no CAD (odds ratio, 1.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.42–2.40;
P
<0.01), to those with reasonable ICR (odds ratio, 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.26–2.28;
P
<0.001), or to both groups combined (odds ratio, 1.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.36–2.16;
P
<0.001). On the contrary, patients in the reasonable ICR category did not show an increased risk for mortality when compared with those with no CAD (odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.89–1.39;
P
=0.33).

Conclusions—

Our results suggest that for patients with CAD undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a residual SYNTAX score–guided revascularization strategy may carry significant benefits in terms of mortality. Adequate revascularization may offer a unique and valuable opportunity to improve the prognosis of these patients.
Association of Body Fat Mass and Fat Distribution With the Incidence of Hypertension in a Population‐Based Chinese Cohort: A 22‐Year Follow‐Up
Authors: Chen Yongjie , Liang Xuan , Zheng Senshuang , Wang Yuan , Lu Wenli
Published: March 2018

Background

There have been few studies on the association between the incidence of hypertension and the presence and distribution of body fat. The aim of this article was to evaluate this association.

Methods and Results

Data were obtained from the China Health Nutrition Survey, a 22‐year cohort study of 12 907 participants. Body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness were used as markers of body fat, whereas waist circumference (
WC
) was used as a marker of fat distribution. Cox regression was used to examine the association of body mass index,
WC
, and skinfold thickness with the incidence of hypertension. The interval between the baseline and hypertension diagnosis was the time variable, and hypertension was the end event. The mean age and proportion of men and women were 38.29 and 38.03 years and 45.63% and 54.37%, respectively. Compared with normal
WC
, abdominal obesity was associated with hypertension (
P
<0.001; crude hazard ratio, 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.89–2.37). Similarly, overweight (crude hazard ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.64–1.87) and obesity (crude hazard ratio, 3.19; 95% confidence interval, 2.80–3.63) were risk factors for hypertension (all
P
<0.001). When stratified by sex, the results confirmed that
WC
and body mass index predicted the development of hypertension in both men and women but not skinfold thickness in women.

Conclusions

Body mass index and
WC
were independent risk factors for hypertension, but skinfold thickness was a poor marker of body fat and could not be used to predict hypertension.
Reclaiming Representations & Interrupting the Cycle of Bias Against Native Americans
Authors: Eason Arianne E. , Brady Laura M. , Fryberg Stephanie A.
Published: March 2018

The most widely accessible ideas and representations of Native Americans are largely negative, antiquated, and limiting. In this essay, we examine how the prevalence of such representations and a comparative lack of positive contemporary representations foster a cycle of bias that perpetuates disparities among Native Americans and other populations. By focusing on three institutions – the legal system, the media, and education – we illustrate how the same process that creates disparate outcomes can be leveraged to promote positive contemporary ideas and representations of Native Americans, thereby creating more equitable outcomes. We also highlight the actions some contemporary Native Americans have taken to reclaim their Native American identity and create accurate ideas and representations of who Native Americans are and what they can become. These actions provide a blueprint for leveraging cultural change to interrupt the cycle of bias and to reduce the disparities Native Americans face in society.
Employment Effects of Financial Constraints during the Great Recession
Authors: Siemer Michael
Published: March 2018

Employment declined substantially during the 2007–2009 recession, especially in small and young firms. Using confidential firm-level data of the universe of firms and a difference-in-differences methodology, this paper estimates that financial constraints reduced employment growth by 4 to 8 percentage points in small firms relative to large firms and by 7 to 9 percentage points in young relative to old firms. I find that the effect of financial constraints on small firms is driven to a large extent by young firms. I then document that financial constraints affected employment growth in small and young firms strongly through the entry and exit of firms.
Canis in Fabula
Authors: Pigoń Jakub
Published: March 2018

The story of the astrologer Ascletario is introduced by Suetonius as the last item in a series of portents and predictions presaging Domitian’s violent death. This paper gives an analysis of this episode, discussed in the wider context of the catalogue of portents in Dom. 15.2-3 and, indeed, of the whole death narrative of the biography. A comparison to the parallel story in Cassius Dio (67.16.3) reveals important differences between the two authors; it is argued that Suetonius is closer to the original version of the anecdote and that Dio may have been influenced by Herodotus’ story of Croesus on the pyre. It is also argued that Suetonius expects his readers to connect the Ascletario episode with another Flavian portent, reported at Ves. 7.4 (dogs are prominent in both). Two other ‘canine’ passages of the Domitian, 10.1 and 23.1, are briefly discussed. The proposed analysis supports the view of Suetonius as an author who carefully structured his biographical rubrics and invited his readers to make connections within both a single biography and wider textual units.
Rowdies and Dandies (Schläger und Stutzer)
Authors: Krämer Olav
Published: March 2018

The decades between 1730 and 1770 witnessed the publication of a large number of mock-heroic epic poems, in many cases inspired by Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock (1712–1717). One of the most successful products of this trend was Friedrich Wilhelm Zachariä’s Der Renommiste (1744). The article attempts to show that Zachariä’s poem, in addition to using the constitutive contrasts of mock-heroic for comic effects, also displays a critical attitude towards traditional ideals of heroism.
The Thirty Years War in Heroic Epics (Der Dreißigjährige Krieg im heroischen Epos)
Authors: Kühlmann Wilhelm
Published: March 2018

This article contains a historical and theoretical categorization of Bernhard Dieterlin’s heroic epic ‘Magneis’ (1623) as well as a translation, analysis, and interpretation of certain selected passages. ‘Magneis’ panegyrically sings of Magnus von Württemberg’s death in the battle of Wimpfen. This example is used to illustrate how 17th century epic poems make use of the genre’s ancient models and how contemporary history is interpreted literarily by embedding it in a manifold generic context rich in tradition.
Lipsia incassum obsessa: Caspar von Barth’s Epic Fragment on Banér’s Siege of Leipzig in 1637 (Lipsia incassum obsessa: Caspar von Barths episches Fragment zur Banérschen Belagerung Leipzigs im Jahr 1637)
Authors: Winkler Alexander
Published: March 2018

This paper discusses a little known short and unfinished epic poem on the Fourth Siege of Leipzig in 1637 by the Baroque philologist and poet Caspar von Barth (1587–1658). The poem, the autograph of which is preserved at the Ratsschulbibliothek in Zwickau, is shown to be based on a contemporary newspaper account of this event. Whilst it is suggested that the poem’s shortcomings result first and foremost from the poet’s sticking too closely to the historical source, the main part of the discussion explores the various functions and purposes the poem could have been intended to serve.
Osbeckia saddlepeakensis (Melastomataceae): a new species from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Authors: PRASHOB P. , MANUDEV K.M. , THOMAS SIBICHEN M. , NAMPY S.
Published: March 2018

Osbeckia saddlepeakensis, a new species of Melastomataceae from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India is described. The new species is easily distinguished by its small flowers, hypanthium with emergences only on basal portion, lanceolate and ciliate sepals, short stalked intersepalar emergences and oblong to narrowly ovoid anthers with a single apical pore.
Typification of the name Orobanche ebuli Huter & Rigo (Orobanchaceae) and its taxonomic implications
Authors: DOMINA GIANNIANTONIO , SCAFIDI FILIPPO , GARGANO MARIA LETIZIA
Published: March 2018

The present contribution is part of the ongoing work aimed at researching and identifying the original material on which the names of Orobanche Linnaeus (1753: 632) described for Europe and the Mediterranean are based (Domina et al. 2005, Domina & Stepanek 2009, Domina et al. 2013, Carlón et al. 2015). It falls within the researches promoted by the Italian Botanical Society aimed at recognizing and typifying all the taxa described from Italy and their loci classici, in order to increase their systematic knowledge and promote further studies (Domina et al. 2012, Peruzzi et al. 2015, Brundu et al. 2017). Orobanche ebuli Huter & Rigo (1907: 354), is an Italian endemic (Peruzzi et al. 2015, Bartolucci et al. 2018), exclusive to Lazio and Abruzzo. It grows on the edge of beech woods at 1200–1300 m a.s.l., host of Sambucus ebulus Linnaeus (1753: 269) (Lattanzi et al. 1999, Corazzi 2003). This name, as far as we are aware, it not yet typified.
A new combination in Parkinsonia (Caesalpinoideae/Fabaceae): Parkinsonia andicola
Authors: ROMÃO MARCOS VINICIUS VARJÃO , MANSANO VIDAL FREITAS
Published: March 2018

A phylogenetic study with molecular data for the Peltophorum group (Haston 2005: 1359) indicated that Parkinsonia Linnaeus (1753: 375) and Cercidium Tulasne (1844: 133), recognized as distinct genera (Johnston 1924: 61, Carter 1974: 17), are paraphyletic, and when lumped, together form a well-sustained monophyletic group.
Liu, H.J., Ding, C.H., He, J., Cheng, J., Pei, L.Y. & Xie, L. (2018) Complete chloroplast genomes of Archiclematis, Naravelia and Clematis (Ranunculaceae), and their phylogenetic implications. Phytotaxa 343 (3): 214–226.
Authors: LIU HUI-JIE , DING CHUAN-HUA , HE JIAN , CHENG JIN , PEI LIN YING , XIE LEI
Published: March 2018

N/A
Rubus prissanicus (Rosaceae), a new bramble species from North West Poland
Authors: KOSIŃSKI PIOTR , MALIŃSKI TOMASZ , SLIWINSKA ELWIRA , ZIELIŃSKI JERZY
Published: March 2018

Rubus prissanicus, a new regional apomictic species, is described from north-western Poland. It is similar to R. lindleianus and R. langei, however it differs from the former species by broader leaflets and less numerous prickles on the inflorescence axis, and from the latter by unequally serrate leaflet margin, and from both these species by different types of trichomes on abaxial leaflet surface. Unlike other Polish species of R. ser. Rhamnifolii, in which the indumentum of abaxial leaf surface consists mainly of branched hairs, simple trichomes are the main component of indumentum of R. prissanicus leaves. The new species has been observed mainly on fertile soils, in broadleaf forest habitats, usually in fairly sunny places, along forest margins, by forest roads, in clearings, and in wayside thickets.
Taxonomy of Stenus tenuimargo group (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Steninae) with descriptions of two new species from China
Authors: LV WEI-XIANG , ZHAO CAI-YUN , ZHOU HONG-ZHANG
Published: March 2018

This paper treats the Stenus tenuimargo group (Coleoptera: Steninae) from China and includes descriptions of two new species: Stenus nabanhensis Lv et Zhou, sp. nov., from Yunnan Province and Stenus zhangyejunianus Lv et Zhou, sp. nov., from Sichuan Province. Their diagnostic characters are illustrated and a key to all Chinese species of the group is provided.
Spectral Signatures of Moisture–Convection Feedbacks over the Indian Ocean
Authors: Ahmed Fiaz , Schumacher Courtney
Published: March 2018

Positive feedbacks between the cloud population and the environmental moisture field are central to theoretical expositions on the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). This study investigates the statistical incidence of positive moisture–convection feedbacks across multiple space and time scales over the tropical Indian Ocean. This work uses vertically integrated moisture budget terms from the ECMWF interim reanalysis [ERA-Interim (ERA-I)] in a framework proposed by Hannah et al. Positive moisture–convection feedbacks are primarily a low-frequency, low-wavenumber phenomenon with significant spectral signatures in the 32–48-day time scale. The efficacy of these feedbacks, however, is subject to horizontal moisture advection variations, whose relative importance varies with scale. Wave-filtered Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite precipitation is used to show that these moisture–convection feedbacks contribute more to moisture increases in the MJO than in other equatorial waves. A moving-window correlation analysis suggests that instances of moisture–convection feedbacks are more frequent in drier conditions, when column water vapor (CWV) is below its climatological mean value, with the implication that positive moisture–convection feedbacks shape the mean CWV field by moistening drier air columns, but that they are less effective in moistening already moist environments. Ground radar observations show that stratiform rain damps local CWV increases on short time scales (<2 days) and therefore precludes positive moisture–convection feedbacks in high-CWV environments. Vertical coherence structures from ERA-I confirm that relatively bottom-heavy cloud ensembles (i.e., peaks between 700 and 850 hPa) are more effective in inducing low-frequency positive moisture–convection feedbacks than ensembles with other vertical structures. Low-frequency horizontal advective drying damps moisture increases and is strongly coherent with upper-level rising motion.
Diurnal Cycle of Rainfall and Winds near the South Coast of China
Authors: Du Yu , Rotunno Richard
Published: March 2018

The characteristics and mechanisms of diurnal rainfall and winds near the south coast of China are explored using satellite data (CMORPH), long-term hourly WRF Model data (Du model data), a simple 2D linear model, and 2D idealized simulations. Both the CMORPH and Du model data indicate that the diurnal cycle of rainfall has two propagation modes near the coast: onshore and offshore. The diurnally periodic winds (vertical motions) also show a similar propagation feature. Analysis of the rainfall budget indicates that vertically integrated vertical vapor advection plays a key role in the diurnal cycle of rainfall and thus provides a physical connection between winds and rainfall in the diurnal cycle. It was found that a simple 2D linear land–sea breeze model with a background wind can well capture the two propagation modes, which are associated with inertia–gravity waves, in terms of speed and phase. The background wind changes the pattern of the inertia–gravity waves and further affects the diurnal propagation. The effect of the background wind on the diurnal propagation was verified through idealized simulations using a simplified version of the WRF Model that can also capture the diurnal features.
Geochemical characteristics of natural gases from different petroleum systems in the Longgang gas field, Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Qin Shengfei , Zhou Guoxiao , Zhou Zheng , Yang Yu
Published: March 2018

Located in the Sichuan Basin, China, the Longgang gas field consists of three vertically developed petroleum systems with the Triassic Leikoupo Formation as a dividing interface. There is one marine petroleum system below the interface and one continental petroleum system above it. The marine petroleum system is composed of coal measures, the main source rock in the Longtan Formation, and marine reef reservoirs in the Changxing and Feixianguan formations. The continental petroleum system can also be subdivided into two sets. One is the Xujiahe petroleum system sourced from the Xujiahe coal measures in the Upper Triassic formation. The other is a Jurassic petroleum system that is sourced from Jurassic lacustrine black shales. The gas pools in the marine system contain H2S gas. The gases are very dry and the δ13C1 and δ13C2 values display less negative values with an average of −29.2 and −25.0‰, respectively. The gases are humic origin generated at highly to over mature stages from coal measures of the Longtan Formation. The natural gas in the continental petroleum system does not contain H2S. The natural gases from the Xujiahe petroleum system are mainly wet gases with a few dry gases, and belong to typical humic type sourced from coal measures of the Xujiahe Formation. All the gases from this Jurassic petroleum system are wet gases and the alkane gases show more negative carbon isotopic values typical of sapropels. These are derived from the lower Jurassic lacustrine black mudstone. The three sets of petroleum systems in the Longgang gas field are vertically well separated. Each system has its own source rock, and there are no gases from other sources despite multiple tectonic events in the past. The reservoirs had been in a relatively stable tectonic condition with excellent seals by cap rocks during the gas accumulation period.
A Comparison of Social Dominance Theory and System Justification: The Role of Social Status in 19 Nations
Authors: Vargas-Salfate Salvador , Paez Dario , Liu James H. , Pratto Felicia , Gil de Zúñiga Homero
Published: March 2018

This study tests specific competing hypotheses from social dominance theory/realistic conflict theory (RCT) versus system justification theory about the role of social status. In particular, it examines whether system justification belief and effects are stronger among people with low socioeconomic status, and in less socially developed and unequal nations than among better-off people and countries. A cross-national survey was carried out in 19 nations from the Americas, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, and Oceania using representative online samples ( N = 14,936, 50.15% women, Mage = 41.61 years). At the individual level, system justification beliefs, right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, national identification, sociopolitical conservatism, sex, age, and social status were measured. At the national level, the human development index and the Gini index were used. Multilevel analyses performed indicated that results fit better with the social dominance/RCT approach, as system justification was higher in high-status and developed nations; further, associations between legitimizing ideologies and system justification were stronger among high-status people.
The Intricacies of the Pursuit of Higher Self-Control
Authors: Uziel Liad
Published: March 2018

Self-control is a central human capacity associated with a wide range of personal and societal advantages. In view of its benefits, increasing self-control among children and adults has been advocated as a remedy to many of society’s illnesses. This approach is evident in the popular media, as well as in educating and governing agencies, and has subsequently taken root in the general public. The present article advocates a broader approach by noting some of the downsides of the pursuit of high self-control. It does so by highlighting often-ignored issues relating to (a) uncertainties about the nature of self-control, (b) nuances concerning the benefits of high self-control, and (c) undesirable implications of wanting more self-control. The conclusion is that research on self-control should deal not only with the benefits of self-control but also with the costs associated with advocating, wanting, and even having high self-control. This approach would provide society with informed knowledge about potential side effects of one of the most powerful psychological solutions to its ailments.
Care ethics: An ethics of empathy?
Authors: van Dijke Jolanda , van Nistelrooij Inge , Bos Pien , Duyndam Joachim
Published: March 2018

Background:

Empathy is a contested concept in the field of care ethics. According to its proponents, empathy is a unique way to connect with others, to understand what is at stake for them, and to help guide moral deliberation. According to its critics, empathy is biased, inaccurate or a form of projection that does not truly grasp and respect the otherness of the other, and that may be distorted by prejudices.

Objectives:

We aim to contribute to a better understanding of the significance of empathy in care ethics by reviewing both the functions and limitations of empathy in this field.

Research design:

Drawing on literature from care ethics and closely related fields, we identify the relevant functions and limitations of empathy from the relational, epistemic, normative, and political perspectives. These perspectives are drawn from four main characteristics of care ethics, which serve as a concise framework for understanding the significance of empathy.

Participants and research context:

This article is written as part of an empirical and theoretical research project that aims to better understand the functions and limitations of empathy in care practices, from the perspective of care ethics.

Ethical considerations:

We try to do justice to both the appraisal and critique of empathy in the care ethics literature.

Findings:

Our findings stress that the relationship between care ethics and empathy is complicated and rife with opposing views. Therefore, we conclude that care ethics is not an ethics of empathy.

Discussion and conclusion:

Based on our findings, we formulate pathways that may guide the further analysis of empathy in care practices and care ethics.
Entrepreneurship in the Agricultural Sector: A Literature Review and Future Research Opportunities
Authors: Fitz-Koch Sarah , Nordqvist Mattias , Carter Sara , Hunter Erik
Published: March 2018

Heeding calls for contextualizing entrepreneurship research and for greater attention to the role of sector in entrepreneurship research, we conduct a systematic literature review of extant research in agricultural entrepreneurship. Recent and rapid vertical integration and rationalization within the agricultural sector provides a dynamic setting for scholars to investigate entrepreneurship theory and practice. We identify three key contextual dimensions of the agricultural sector: identity, family, and institutions, which provide promising opportunities for future research and the potential to contribute to and extend current theoretical and empirical analyses of entrepreneurship research.
Adolescents’ Perceptions of “Cheating” in Gaming and Educational Settings
Authors: Nease Brandon , Samura Michelle
Published: March 2018

Background. Given the widespread popularity of video gameplay among adolescents, it is important to understand the relationship between video gameplay and adolescent behaviors in various contexts.

Aim. This exploratory study aimed to explore adolescent gamers use of player guides and cheat codes during video gameplay in order to understand how they reason about the relationship between cheating in video games and cheating in academic settings.

Method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents in order to gain in-depth insight into participants’ perspectives on video gameplay and their perceptions of cheating in video games and academic settings. Interview data was coded and qualitatively analyzed to identify patterns and key emergent themes.

Results. Findings from this exploratory study highlight seemingly contradictory views on cheating among adolescents. On the one hand, participants viewed player guides, cheat codes, and other forms of gameplay resources as simply part of the overall gaming experience. They did not view this type of assistance as cheating. On the other hand, participants viewed unsanctioned assistance and taking others’ ideas as their own as cheating within academic settings.

Conclusion. As findings from this study suggest, understanding how student navigate video gameplay may provide much needed insight into providing effective supports and tools in academic contexts. Findings from this research can inform the development of more effective approaches to address cheating in academic settings, including the integration of study guides, student-created aids and guides and additional materials as part of an effective support system.
Phase-based spectrum analysis method for identifying weak harmonics
Authors: Xie Jingsong , Cheng Wei , Zi Yanyang , Zhang Mingquan
Published: March 2018

Fault characteristic frequency extraction is an important means for the fault diagnosis of rotating machineries. Traditional signal processing methods commonly use the amplitude information of signals to detect damages. However, when the amplitudes of characteristic frequencies are weak, the recognition effects of traditional methods may be unsatisfactory. Therefore, this paper proposes the phase-based enhanced phase waterfall plot (EPWP) method and frequency equal ratio line (FERL) method for identifying weak harmonics. Taking a cracked rotor as an example, the characteristic frequency detection performances of the EPWP and FERL methods are compared with that of the traditional signal processing methods namely fast Fourier transform, short-time Fourier transform, discrete wavelet transform, continuous wavelet transform, ensemble empirical mode decomposition, and Hilbert–Huang transform. Research results demonstrate that the effects of EPWP and FERL for the recognitions of weak harmonics which are contained in steady signals and transient signals are better than that of the traditional signal processing methods. The accurate identification of weak characteristic frequencies in the vibration signals can provide an important reference for damage detections and improve the diagnostic accuracy.
Metastatic Choriocarcinoma Masquerading as a Congenital Glabellar Hemangioma
Authors: Taylor Steve , Eisenstein Kimberly , Gildenstern Vanessa , Price Harper , Hingorani Pooja , Patel Apurvi , Page Nathan , Bailey Smita , Carpentieri David
Published: March 2018

Infantile choriocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare, highly malignant form of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Rapid diagnosis and initiation of treatment are paramount in reaching a successful outcome. Patients with these tumors typically present with a triad of anemia, hepatomegaly, and precocious puberty. Cutaneous manifestations of ICC are extraordinarily rare with few documented cases. Here, we describe a male neonate who presented to our Dermatology clinic with a rapidly growing, markedly vascular glabellar mass associated with abnormal laboratory values suggestive of Kasabach–Merritt phenomenon. The initial clinical impression of infantile hemangioma led to an initial treatment with propranolol. However, the mass continued to enlarge and a biopsy was obtained. Histology revealed a high-grade, poorly differentiated carcinoma. A robust immunohistochemical battery demonstrated tumor reactivity with Glut-1, GATA3, Glypican-3, CAM5.2, and β-hCG establishing the diagnosis of metastatic choriocarcinoma. The diagnosis was further supported by the elevated serum β-hCG. In addition to the glabellar mass, imaging demonstrated tumor foci in the liver and lung. Clinical investigation of the mother revealed no evidence of disease.
A case series of favorable vessel dilatation using a nitinol scoring element–equipped helical balloon catheter (AngioSculpt®)
Authors: Sato Ryo , Sato Tetsuhiko , Shirasawa Yuichi , Kondo Chika , Tadakoshi Masao , Fukuda Michio , Ohte Nobuyuki , Morozumi Kunio
Published: March 2018

Objective:

Although percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is an effective therapy against vascular access failure in hemodialysis patients, recurrent stenosis imposes enormous burden for hemodialysis patients. A nitinol scoring element–equipped helical balloon catheter (AngioSculpt®) has been altered the landscape for treating several vascular diseases. It is not, however, fully elucidated whether AngioSculpt for advanced vascular access stenosis, difficult to expand by conventional balloons, successfully provides bailout angioplasty. Here, we report our cases whose intradialytic venous pressure significantly improved after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty without any serious adverse complications using AngioSculpt.

Patients and Methods:

Among patients undergoing hemodialysis in Masuko Memorial Hospital, 16 cases with resistant and recurrent vascular access stenosis underwent AngioSculpt (diameter 6 mm, total length 4 cm) angioplasty. We simultaneously measured the average venous pressures during hemodialysis before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

Results:

The average outflow vessel stenosis rate was 73.0 ± 11.3% before AngioSculpt intervention. Fully enlarged vessels were observed by expanding vessels at maximum pressure of 14 atm in all cases without any complications including vascular ruptures. Their intradialytic venous pressures decreased from 181.8 ± 39.2 mmHg to 150.5 ± 39.3 mmHg ( p < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

AngioSculpt may provide a promising option for treating hemodialysis patients with severely advanced vascular access stenosis, who would otherwise need repeated vascular access surgeries and/or conventional percutaneous transluminal angioplasties.
The rise of linear borders in world politics
Authors: Goettlich Kerry
Published: March 2018

This article argues that the dominance of precise, linear borders as an ideal in the demarcation of territory is an outcome of a relatively recent and ongoing historical process, and that this process has had important effects on international politics since circa 1900. Existing accounts of the origins of territorial sovereignty are in wide disagreement largely because they fail to specify the relationship between territory and borders, often conflating the two concepts. I outline a history of the linearization of borders, which is separate from that of territorial sovereignty, having a very different timeline and featuring different actors, and offer an explanation for the dominance of this universalizing system of managing and demarcating space, based on the concept of rationalization. Finally, I describe two broad ways in which linearizing borders has affected international politics: by making space divisible in new ways; and underpinning hierarchies by altering the distribution of geographical knowledge resources.
A Systematic Review of the Literature on Early Vocalizations and Babbling Patterns in Young Children
Authors: Morgan Lydia , Wren Yvonne E.
Published: March 2018

Children’s speech development begins in infancy. The pattern of this development has been explored in studies over a number of years using a range of research methodology and approaches to investigation. A systematic review of the existing literature was carried out to determine the collective contribution of this literature to our understanding of early vocalizations and babbling through the period 9 to 18 months. Eight bibliographic databases were searched as well as the Cochrane library. Thirteen studies were identified for inclusion, which were mostly longitudinal observational case series. The review identified progressive increases in the complexity and volume of infants’ early vocalizations through the period. It also found a broad order of phonological acquisition. Although the studies in this review demonstrated marked individual variation, the review provides indicative patterns of development which can be used as a basis to explore relationships with later speech development in future studies.
Implementing Integration in an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study of Belief Bias About Climate Change With High School Students
Authors: McCrudden Matthew T. , McTigue Erin M.
Published: March 2018

Integration in mixed methods involves bringing together quantitative and qualitative approaches. There is a need for practical examples of how to integrate the two approaches in an explanatory sequential design at the methods level and at the interpretation and reporting level. This article reports an explanatory sequential mixed methods study of adolescents’ quantitative judgments about belief-related scientific arguments and qualitative reasons behind those judgements via interviews. This context is used to illustrate how integration can be achieved in an explanatory sequential design at the methods level, through the sampling frame and through the development of the interview protocol with a methodological joint display, and at the interpretation and reporting level through narrative and the use of a results joint display.
Optimal design and experiment of exhaust vent on impeller of medium consistency pulp pump
Authors: Ye Daoxing , Lai Xide , Li Hong , Zhang Xiang
Published: March 2018

The separation of gas in pulp is the prerequisite to realize pumping. In order to achieve the gas–liquid separation, a hydraulic structure of medium consistency pump was designed, and the parameters of exhaust on impeller were optimized by orthogonal test. Four factors were designed such as exhaust number, diameter of exhaust, radial distance, and circumferential position, and each factor has three levels. Nine projects were decided upon L9(34) orthogonal test. Based on studying the numerical simulation results of medium consistency pump model, the best project was selected after orthogonal test analysis and produced to test. The head, hydraulic efficiency, and gas–liquid separation efficiency are improved by 5%, 7%, and 20% comparing with the state before optimization at 0.8 Q, 1.0 Q, and 1.2 Q flow rate. The gas–liquid separation effect is particularly evident after optimization of the parameters of exhaust, which meets design requirement.