bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of applause magnitude and musical style on listeners’ evaluations of wind band performances
Authors: Springer D. Gregory , Schlegel Amanda L.
Published: July 2015

Prior research indicates that listeners’ perceptions of music are influenced by the expressed approval of others. The focus of this investigation was the extent to which applause, an overt expression of approval from an audience of other listeners, influenced musicians’ perceptions of ensemble performances, specifically the effects of applause magnitude (high magnitude applause, low magnitude applause, or no applause) and musical style (ballad or march). Undergraduate instrumentalists ( N = 98) from five institutions listened to recorded excerpts of wind band music—three identical recordings of a ballad and three identical recordings of a march. A distinct applause magnitude condition was electronically attached to each recording, resulting in six unique stimuli. For each excerpt, participants rated eight performance dimensions, which were summed to create a composite rating. Results indicated that listeners’ composite ratings were influenced by an interaction between applause magnitude and musical style. Furthermore, a significant three-way interaction among applause, style, and performance dimension was observed, but the effect size was small. Another significant main effect was found, which could be evidence of an order effect. Results of this study suggest that listeners perceive different audience responses to be approving of musical performances, based on the musical style of works being performed.
Use of occupation-focused language by occupational therapists in physical health care settings when considering older people and alcohol use
Authors: Maclean Fiona , Breckenridge Jenna
Published: July 2015

Statement of context

There is ongoing debate about therapists’ use of occupation-focused language in practice. Through practice language analysis we explored how conceptual models influence therapists’ word choice by re-analysing qualitative data from a survey of occupational therapists’ knowledge and beliefs about alcohol use amongst older people.

Critical reflection on practice

We used word clouds to analyse practitioners’ responses about whether they used conceptual models in practice. We reflect on three themes: theories that mirror the realities of practice; shaping theories in action; and ‘considered’ practice.

Implications for practice

Conceptual models shape, and are shaped by, the language of practice. This provides insight into the relationship between models, language and professional identity.
Triage in times of drug shortage
Authors: Flynn Jennifer , Chubbs Katherine , Gladney-Martin Susan , Singleton Rick , Pullman Daryl
Published: July 2015

This paper addresses the current drug shortage, and examines the ethics framework for dealing with drug shortages developed by our organization. That three-step allocation process and framework was published previously in this journal. Specifically, this paper offers a rationale and justification for the framework’s second step, which involves a triage process aimed to ensure that the available drug supply is utilized effectively and ethically.
The impact and influence of hope and hype in decision-making about health technologies
Authors: Simpson Christy
Published: July 2015

Decision-making about health technologies is complex. An aspect that is not often addressed is the potential impact of both hope and hype regarding these technologies. This article discusses the commercialization of hope and how “hope hype” can influence our decision-making. As health leaders have a pivotal role in how these types of decisions are made, opportunities for and suggestions related to structuring decision-making processes to critically engage with “hope hype” are also canvassed.
Tracking habitus across a transnational professional field
Authors: Spence Crawford , Carter Chris , Belal Ataur , Husillos Javier , Dambrin Claire , Archel Pablo
Published: July 2015

The sociology of the professions has shied away from cross-national comparative work. Yet research in different professional jurisdictions emphasizes the transnational nature of professional fields. Further work is therefore needed that explores the extent to which transnational professional fields are characterized by unity or heterogeneity. To that end, this article presents the results of a qualitative interrogation of the habitus of partners in ‘Big 4’ professional service firms across, primarily, five countries (Bangladesh, Canada, France, Spain and the UK). Marked differences are observed between the partner habitus in Bangladesh and the other countries studied in terms of entrepreneurial and public service dispositions. In turn, these findings highlight the methodological relevance of habitus for both the sociology of the professions and comparative capitalism literatures: for the former, habitus aids in mapping the dynamics of transnational professional fields; for the latter, habitus can elucidate the informal norms and conventions of national business systems.
Stability and vibration of sandwich cylindrical shells containing a functionally graded material core with transverse shear stresses and rotary inertia effects
Authors: Sofiyev AH , Hui D , Huseynov SE , Salamci MU , Yuan GQ
Published: July 2015

The dimensionless fundamental frequencies and critical axial loads of sandwich cylindrical thin shell with a functionally graded (FG) core are studied by taking into account the combined and separately influences of the shear stresses and rotary inertia. The governing equations of sandwich cylindrical shell with an FG core are derived based on Donnell’s shell theory using the shear deformation theory. The governing equations are reduced the sixth-order algebraic equation using the Galerkin’s method. Numerically solving this algebraic equation gives the magnitudes of the dimensionless fundamental frequency. In addition, the expressions for the dimensionless fundamental frequencies and critical axial loads of the sandwich cylindrical shell containing an FG core with and without the shear stresses are obtained in a special case. To validate the present method, the numerical example is presented and compared with the available existing results. Finally, the influences of variations of the FG core, shear stresses, rotary inertia and sandwich shell geometry parameters on the dimensionless fundamental frequencies and critical axial loads are analyzed numerically.
Mother-Infant Contingent Vocalizations in 11 Countries
Authors: Bornstein Marc H. , Putnick Diane L. , Cote Linda R. , Haynes O. Maurice , Suwalsky Joan T. D.
Published: July 2015

Mother-infant vocal interactions serve multiple functions in child development, but it remains unclear whether key features of these interactions are community-common or community-specific. We examined rates, interrelations, and contingencies of vocal interactions in 684 mothers and their 5½-month-old infants in diverse communities in 11 countries (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, and the United States). Rates of mothers’ and infants’ vocalizations varied widely across communities and were uncorrelated. However, collapsing the data across communities, we found that mothers’ vocalizations to infants were contingent on the offset of the infants’ nondistress vocalizing, infants’ vocalizations were contingent on the offset of their mothers’ vocalizing, and maternal and infant contingencies were significantly correlated. These findings point to the beginnings of dyadic conversational turn taking. Despite broad differences in the overall talkativeness of mothers and infants, maternal and infant contingent vocal responsiveness is found across communities, supporting essential functions of turn taking in early-childhood socialization.
Multi-methodological reconstruction of the lake level at Morgarten in the context of the history of the Swiss Confederation
Authors: Egli Markus , Maisch Max , Purves Ross , Çöltekin Arzu , Hilbich Christin
Published: July 2015

In AD 1315, the Habsburgs fought against the Swiss Confederation at Morgarten. Since historical records are very limited, the battle has been the subject of very controversial discussions. Its location and outcome seem likely to have been influenced by the landscape and the size of the Aegeri lake, but only sparse and contradictory information are available. Numerical, semi-quantitative and relative dating techniques were applied to reconstruct the lake’s dimensions and the landscape. Results obtained from radiocarbon dating of mires (last sedimentation phase of the lake), geomorphic mapping, geoelectrics, soil maps (surface age indication) and archaeological findings were pieced together and gave an astonishingly good consensus. In the Lateglacial, the lake level was higher (750–760 m a.s.l.): because of a catastrophic event, it decreased by 25 m. About 5500 BP, the lake level was at 732 m a.s.l., and since the Roman period, it has varied between 724 and 727 m a.s.l. At the time of the battle the lake was at 726 m – that is, about 2 m higher than today. Together with the cooler climate, the greater extension of the fens and larger lake, the valley floor was wet and unpleasant. If a Habsburg army had to cross this region, they would likely have preferred to walk on a more accessible trail along the footslopes (where they probably were attacked). Precise landscape reconstruction provides new input for historical research. Details about the exact location of the battle, however, remain unclear, and the myth of the battle at Morgarten persists.
Fire history of the central boreal forest in eastern North America reveals stability since the mid-Holocene
Authors: Frégeau Mathieu , Payette Serge , Grondin Pierre
Published: July 2015

Past and present fire frequencies are key factors to evaluate fire-mediated changes in climate, but this metric is difficult to evaluate realistically in paleoecological and climatic reconstructions. Here, we applied charcoal analysis of forest soils to test from direct evidence the stability and resilience of the eastern North-American boreal forest at the Holocene timescale. Current knowledge indicates that the boreal forest is not so stable and resilient in several parts of its range, particularly at its northern and southern edges where it is converted to tundra and woodland communities, respectively. However, it is not known to what degree the structure and composition of the boreal forest situated at the central core of its range (FCR), far from the climate-sensitive edges, have been modified during the Holocene. To address the long-term status of the boreal forest vis-a-vis the Holocene climate, we have used a large dataset composed of 14C-dated and botanically identified charcoal. Long-term fire frequencies in several sites of the FCR were calculated to assess the stability of the main forest ecosystems. The mean fire interval over the last 5000 years of the two principal ecosystems composed of black spruce–jack pine forests and black spruce–balsam fir forests was ~200 and >300 years, respectively. Fires occurred repetitively during this period without fire gaps longer than 400 years (ecosystem 1) and 600 years (ecosystem 2), an indication that the fire regime of the FCR remained stable since the mid-Holocene. Unchanged forest ecosystems during this period also suggest the maintenance of both fire-prone and less fire-prone tree species in their respective sites and the ability of the boreal biome to maintain its structure and function in a repetitive fire-disturbance regime.
Identification of possible cytotoxicity mechanism of polyethylenimine by proteomics analysis
Authors: Khansarizadeh M , Mokhtarzadeh A , Rashedinia M , Taghdisi SM , Lari P , Abnous KH , Ramezani M
Published: July 2015

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a polycation widely used for successful gene delivery both in vitro and in vivo experiments. However, different studies showed that PEI could be cytotoxic to transfected cells, and the mechanism of toxicity is poorly understood. Identification of PEI-interacting proteins may help in understanding the toxicity pathways. In this study, we investigated proteins that could interact with PEI in human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT29). In order to identify the proteins interacting with PEI, PEI was immobilized to sepharose beads as solid matrix. The HT29 cell lysate were passed through the matrix. PEI-bound proteins were isolated, and further separation was performed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. After gel digestion, proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight (TOF)/TOF mass spectrometry. Our data indicated that most of the identified PEI-interacting proteins such as shock proteins, glutathione- S-transferases, and protein disulfide isomerase are involved in apoptosis process in cells. Thus, although this is a preliminary experiment implicating the involvement of some proteins in PEI cytotoxicity, it could partly explain the mechanism of PEI cytotoxicity in cells.
Gut feelings 2. Mind, mood and gut in inflammatory bowel disease: approaches to psychiatric care
Authors: Keightley Philip , Pavli Paul , Platten Jan , Looi Jeffrey CL
Published: July 2015

Objectives:

The authors aim to provide a clinically-focused summary of psychiatric complications of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and give treatment recommendations. A narrative review of literature drawn from PubMed and Medline.

Conclusions:

IBD is a chronic, debilitating and potentially body integrity altering condition with significant morbidity and a slight increase in mortality. Co-morbidity with anxiety and depression is common. Onset in the younger years can disturb development. Psychotherapy may be most useful for addressing fatigue, pain and assisting with coping. There is a lack of evidence to guide treatment of depression in this population.
Information Literacy and Adult Learners
Authors: Rapchak Marcia E. , Lewis Leslie A. , Motyka Julie K. , Balmert Margaret
Published: July 2015

Information literacy (IL) skills are essential for adult learners in higher education, especially those unfamiliar with information systems. Citing a lack of literature assessing such skills in adult learners, this article examines the IL abilities of adult learners in an IL course. Using a rubric and annotated bibliographies from study participants, the authors rank the IL abilities of adult students. Similar to studies assessing IL skills in traditional undergraduates, the authors found that adult students struggled to articulate their evaluations of sources. The authors make recommendations for improving IL instruction for adults and suggest future research.
Modeling hysteresis for piezoelectric actuators
Authors: Ma Lianwei , Shen Yu , Li Jinrong , Zheng Hui , Zou Tao
Published: July 2015

In this article, the concept of constraint factor is proposed, and a new hysteretic operator consisting of a constraint factor and a polynomial is presented. Based on the constructed hysteretic operator, the one-to-multiple mapping of hysteresis is transformed into one-to-one mapping by expanding the input space, so that the mapping between the expanded input space and the output space comprises one-to-one and multiple-to-one mappings. Finally, a neural network is employed to approximate hysteresis for piezoelectric actuators. The validation performance of experimental tests suggests that the proposed approach is effective.
Critical Thinking Assessment Across Four Sustainability-Related Experiential Learning Settings
Authors: Heinrich William F. , Habron Geoffrey B. , Johnson Heather L. , Goralnik Lissy
Published: July 2015

Today’s complex societal problems require both critical thinking and an engaged citizenry. Current practices in higher education, such as service learning, suggest that experiential learning can serve as a vehicle to encourage students to become engaged citizens. However, critical thinking is not necessarily a part of every experiential learning process. This project explored several learning experiences that used mindful instructional design of experiential learning to promote critical thinking outcomes. This project looked at four different learning settings that varied in sustainability topics and extent of experiential learning that suggests applicability to a wide educational audience. Our work identified four effective features of instructional design that supported critical thinking: planning, instruction method, content, and explicit critical thinking outcomes. We found that strong critical thinking outcomes result from experiential learning with appropriately scaffolded critical thinking exercises and processes.
Domain knowledge versioning and aggregation mechanisms in product design processes
Authors: Zouari Alaeddine , Tollenaere Michel , Ben Bacha Habib , Maalej Aref Y
Published: July 2015

In the context of concurrent engineering and routine design, this study consists in the first step of structuring knowledge models. In the second step, it deals with the development of a method that puts in emergence the collaboration of actors involved in a design process. This aims to dynamically build a project library that traces the history of engineering process and capitalizes knowledge related to the product. The crucial part of this article studies domain knowledge versioning and aggregation mechanisms after modifications made by actors during the design process. We propose, to mitigate these problems, a mechanism that allows expressing and managing knowledge version’s evolution strategies. The validation of the suggested approach was through its application on the design of car air-conditioners and the development of a prototype of knowledge processing tool named ‘DISKOVER’.
DOG1 Expression in Low-Grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma
Authors: Thway Khin , Ng Wen , Benson Charlotte , Chapman John , Fisher Cyril
Published: July 2015

DOG1 is a highly sensitive marker for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and is in the routine diagnostic antibody repertoire of many surgical pathology laboratories. Moreover, GIST is well recognized by both pathologists and clinicians in the differential diagnosis of intra-abdominal and pelvic neoplasms. Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is, however, much less frequently anticipated, particularly when occurring at unusual sites, because of its rarity and bland histology, particularly on core biopsy. We describe a case of a 53-year-old male with a large pelvic and pararectal mass, which on biopsy showed a moderately cellular spindle cell neoplasm within fibrous stroma. Immunohistochemistry at the referring center showed diffuse and strong expression of DOG1 with negativity for other markers. After referral to a tertiary center, repeat DOG1 immunohistochemistry again showed diffuse expression, but MUC4 was also positive, and this was confirmed to be LGFMS, harboring FUS-CREB3L2 fusion transcripts by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and FUS rearrangement with fluorescence in situ hybridization. In view of this we assessed DOG1 expression in 10 other LGFMS (all MUC4 positive, and 9 molecularly confirmed to harbor FUS-CREB3L2 fusion transcripts and/or FUS or EWSR1 gene rearrangement), of which 5 showed DOG1 expression in up to 75% of tumor cells, varying in intensity from weak to strong. While LGFMS and GIST are generally morphologically dissimilar, less typical variants of each exist, and both can contain bland spindled cells within fibrous stroma. As the morphologic spectrum of LGFMS is wide, and as it can occur in unusual sites and may not be well recognized by general pathologists and non–soft tissue pathologists, we highlight the potential for diagnostic confusion with GIST owing to aberrant DOG1 expression. This is clinically pertinent, as the management and prognosis of these 2 neoplasms differs significantly.
Adaptive feedback synchronization of fractional-order complex dynamic networks
Authors: Lei Youming , Yang Yong , Fu Rui , Wang Yanyan
Published: July 2015

The aim of this paper is to investigate synchronization of fractional-order complex dynamic networks. To ensure synchronization of two dynamic networks, an adaptive feedback control method is proposed. With the stability analysis of the fractional-order differential system, we rigorously prove that the controller can make trajectory errors between the drive and response networks synchronized. The simple but practical method can be applied to a class of fractional-order networks without any prior analytical knowledge of the systems. Three illustrative examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Nitric Oxide, Inflammation, Lipid Profile, and Cortisol in Normal- and Overweight Women With Fibromyalgia
Authors: Rus Alma , Molina Francisco , Gassó Manuela , Camacho Maria Victoria , Peinado Maria Ángeles , Moral Maria Luisa del
Published: July 2015

Objectives:

Research has identified many factors associated with fibromyalgia (FM), but findings have been inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate changes in levels of nitric oxide (NO), inflammatory markers, lipid profile, and cortisol in normal- and overweight patients with FM and controls. Since most patients with FM are overweight, we explored possible changes in these markers according to body mass index (BMI).

Methods:

This preliminary study was performed on serum samples of women with FM and age-matched controls, grouped according to their BMI: 12 normal-weight patients and 12 controls and 13 overweight patients and 8 controls. Ozone-based chemiluminescence assay was used to measure NO. Inflammatory mediators and cortisol were determined by immunoassay. Lipid profile was measured by a spectrophotometric procedure. Functional capacity was assessed by the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ).

Results:

Normal-weight patients showed higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and apolipoprotein B compared to controls (both p < .05). CRP, apolipoprotein B, and triglycerides were higher in overweight patients versus overweight controls (all p < .05) and in overweight versus normal-weight patients (CRP p < .01; apolipoprotein B, triglycerides p < .05). The other markers were unaffected. Apolipoprotein B ( r = .762; p < .05) and NO ( r = −.921; p < .05) levels correlated with FIQ score in normal-weight patients. CRP level correlated with FIQ ( r = .912; p < .05) in overweight patients.

Conclusions:

CRP and apolipoprotein B, biomarkers linked to cardiovascular events, may be associated with FM-related dysfunction in normal- and overweight women with FM. Their increased levels in these patients may indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
How campaigns polarize the electorate
Authors: Hansen Kasper M , Kosiara-Pedersen Karina
Published: July 2015

The minimal effect theory of campaign studies stipulates that intense political competition during campaigns assures and reinforces the initial party choice of the electorate. We find that this reinforcement is two-fold. During the campaign, the party preference of the voters’ in-group party increases while the party preference of the voters’ out-group parties decreases. Voters’ preference for their most preferred party (MPP) increases during the election campaign, while their preference for their least liked party decreases during the campaign (LPP). Across parties voters experience an increase in their preference for their most preferred party and a decrease for their least liked party as the campaign progresses. These trends show that the political campaign polarizes the electorate by increasing the affective distance between in-group party and out-group party preferences, thereby resulting in stronger political polarization after the campaign than before the campaign. The data utilized in this study is a large six-wave panel-study of Danish voters’ party preferences during the Danish parliamentary election of 2011. Thus, the analysis provides evidence of the minimal effect theory and of political polarization within a multi-party context.
Instagram as a naturalized propaganda tool
Authors: Kohn Ayelet
Published: July 2015

This article examines the methods through which the formal and emotional components, embedded in the photo sharing and social networking application Instagram, are utilized as a propaganda tool to cultivate solidarity with promoted agendas. The test case is Instagram photos posted on the official Web site of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The article juxtaposes two conceptual systems, the one shared by the members of Instagram and a system based on presuppositions regarding the ideologies, values, and emotional attitudes shared by Israeli Instagram users toward the IDF. This juxtaposition is made possible, thanks to the resemblance found between the aesthetic and emotional aspects of Instagram and the ideological and emotional aspects emphasized by IDF. Three main interrelated motifs demonstrate the article’s argument: soldiers as civilians/photographers in momentary disguise, army and nature, and admiration for appearances of weapons.
Cellular modelling in functional tissue engineering: review oriented for pelvic floor dysfunctions
Authors: Ferreira João , Parente Marco , Mascarenhas Teresa , Damaser Margot , Jorge Renato Natal
Published: July 2015

This paper aims to review the current strategies for pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFDs). PFDs, such as stress urinary incontinence, foecal incontinence and vaginal prolapse affect the quality of life in women, involve high healthcare costs, and pose poor long-term success rates. As the problem progresses the cells in the pelvic tissues are impaired. The rheological relations between PFD and the damage of the tissues is not yet well established, bringing out clinical repair interventions, instead of knowing the root problem. As a consequence, the verification of damage mechanisms in the pelvic structures should be observed at cellular scales to correlate with the macroscopic phenomenological pathologies, namely, the changes in the mechanical properties and on the geometric configuration of the pelvic structures. Cells sense mechanical stimuli and respond biochemically via mechanotransduction mechanisms. Therefore, investigations on the cell dynamics must be performed, considering the physical conditions inside the bioreactors, to shed insight into the active behaviour of the cells during the treatment. These investigations should establish the conditions that push a cell to or keep a cell in a desired state during a regenerative treatment. This paper reviews the use of human adult stem cells to regenerate the defective muscles, ligaments and connective tissues in the pelvic floor, focusing on the role of the computational models as an assistive technology for these emergent tissue engineering treatments. First, the pelvic floor anatomy and physiology is related with the kinematic and mechanical behaviour of those structures at the tissue and cell scales. After, the relevance of the regenerative treatments is discussed and the requirements for their application are summarised. Later, the developments on computational models are exposed and the main guidelines for regeneration of the pelvic cavity tissues are proposed.
Fault diagnosis and classification of water pump using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system based on vibration signals
Authors: Moosavian Ashkan , Khazaee Meghdad , Ahmadi Hojat , Khazaee Majid , Najafi Gholamhassan
Published: July 2015

This article presents a procedure to intelligent fault diagnosis of water pump using vibration monitoring and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. Vibration data from a water pump with three different conditions, namely, healthy, looseness, and misalignment faults, were acquired using an accelerometer sensor. On this basis, the proposed method extracted different feature parameters from the vibration signals in the frequency-domain to establish feature vectors. Finally, these features were input into adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system to carry out faulty pattern classification. The performance of the system was validated by applying the testing data set to the trained adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system model. The experimental results showed that this method had a high classification accuracy for both training and testing data sets. Therefore, the proposed approach can reliably recognize different fault categories and serve as an intelligent fault diagnosis system in real applications.
Cranioplasty for isolated mild trigonocephaly with developmental conditions and continuing ignorance of Helsinki declaration
Authors: Ijichi Shinji , Ijichi Naomi , Sameshima Hisami , Kawaike Yoichi , Toki Atsushi
Published: July 2015

The ignorance of Helsinki declaration is continuing in Japan for approximately 20 years. More than 400 children including preschoolers with developmental conditions including temper tantrums, hyperactivity, and/or autistic characteristics have been already operated. The cranioplasty for isolated mild trigonocephaly had been empirically introduced by a physician to re-establish the brain spatial environment, and a government-granted and multi-centered clinical observation study is now in operation without scientific verification of the procedure’s validity. The characteristic of the skull shape are too mild and sometimes too subtle to be recognized by the parents and health checkup doctors. A physician may tentatively and extraordinarily use an unproven procedure in exceptional circumstances where proven and effective interventions do not exist. However, the intervention must as soon as possible be subjected to scientific scrutiny according to ethical principles in order to stop the utilization in case of misprediction (no evidence of the efficacy).
Step-and-Shoot IMRT by Siemens Beams
Authors: Russo M. , Piermattei A. , Greco F. , Azario L. , Orlandini L. , Zucca S. , Cilla S. , Menna S. , Grusio M. , Chiatti L. , Fidanzio A.
Published: July 2015

Purpose:

This work reports the extension of a semiempirical method based on the correlation ratios to convert electronic portal imaging devices transit signals into in vivo doses for the step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiotherapy Siemens beams. The dose reconstructed at the isocenter point Diso, compared to the planned dose, Diso,TPS, and a γ-analysis between 2-dimensional electronic portal imaging device images obtained day to day, seems to supply a practical method to verify the beam delivery reproducibility.

Method:

The electronic portal imaging device images were obtained by the superposition of many segment fields, and the algorithm for the Diso reconstruction for intensity-modulated radiotherapy step and shoot was formulated using a set of simulated intensity-modulated radiotherapy beams. Moreover, the in vivo dose-dedicated software was integrated with the record and verify system of the centers.

Results:

Three radiotherapy centers applied the in vivo dose procedure at 30 clinical intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatments, each one obtained with 5 or 7 beams, and planned for patients undergoing radiotherapy for prostatic tumors. Each treatment beam was checked 5 times, obtaining 900 tests of the ratios R = Diso/Diso,TPS. The average R value was equal to 1.002 ± 0.056 (2 standard deviation), while the mean R value for each patient was well within 5%, once the causes of errors were removed. The γ-analysis of the electronic portal imaging device images, with 3% 3 mm acceptance criteria, showed 90% of the tests with Pγ < 1 ≥ 95% and γmean ≤ 0.5. The off-tolerance tests were found due to incorrect setup or presence of morphological changes. This preliminary experience shows the great utility of obtaining the in vivo dose results in quasi real time and close to the linac, where the radiotherapy staff may immediately spot possible causes of errors. The in vivo dose procedure presented here is one of the objectives of a project, for the development of practical in vivo dose procedures, financially supported by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare.
Prevalence, clinical consequences and management of acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea in the ICU: The FIRST™ Observational Study
Authors: Binks Rachel , De Luca Enrico , Dierkes Christine , Franci Andrea , Herrero Eva , Niederalt Georg
Published: July 2015

There are limited data on the incidence and management of acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea in the ICU. The FIRST™ Observational Study was undertaken to obtain data on clinical practices used in the ICU for the management of acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea in Germany, UK, Spain and Italy. ICU-hospitalised patients ≥18 years of age experiencing a second episode of acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea in 24 h were recruited, and management practices of acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea were recorded for up to 15 days. A total of 372 patients had complete data sets; the mean duration of study was 6.8 days. At baseline, 40% of patients experienced mild or moderate-to-severe skin excoriation, which increased to 63% in patients with acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea lasting >15 days. At baseline, 27% of patients presented with a pressure ulcer, which increased to 37%, 45% and 49% at days 5, 10 and 15, respectively. Traditional methods (pads, sheets and tubes) were more commonly used compared to faecal management systems during days 1–4 (76% vs. 47% faecal management system), while the use of a faecal management system increased to 56% at days 5–9 and 61% at days 10–15. At baseline, only 26% of nurses were satisfied with traditional management methods compared to 69% with faecal management systems. For patients still experiencing acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea after 15 days, 82% of nurses using a faecal management systems to manage acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea were satisfied or very satisfied, compared to 37% using traditional methods. These results highlight that acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea remains an important healthcare challenge in ICUs in Europe; skin breakdown and pressure ulcers remain common complications in patients with acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea in the ICU.
Modeling the Physiological Factors Affecting Glucose Sensor Function in Vivo
Authors: Novak Matthew T. , Reichert William M.
Published: July 2015

For implantable sensors to become a more viable option for continuous glucose monitoring strategies, they must be able to persist in vivo for periods longer than the 3- to 7-day window that is the current industry standard. Recent studies have attributed such limited performance to tissue reactions resulting from implantation. While in vivo biocompatibility studies have provided much in the way of understanding histology surrounding an implanted sensor, little is known about how each constituent of the foreign body response affects sensor function. Due to the ordered composition and geometry of implant-associated tissue reactions, their effects on sensor function may be computationally modeled and analyzed in a way that would be prohibitive using in vivo studies. This review both explains how physiologically accurate computational models of implant-associated tissue reaction can be designed and shows how they have been utilized thus far. Going forward, these in silico models of implanted sensor behavior may soon complement in vivo studies to provide valuable information for improved sensor designs.
First report of Cylicospirura felineus in a feral domestic shorthair cat in North America
Authors: Crossland Nicholas A , Hanks Cory R , Ferguson Jayde A , Kent Michael L , Sanders Justin L , Del Piero Fabio
Published: July 2015

Case summary

A feral domestic shorthair cat was euthanized owing to acute onset and progression of neurological signs attributed to ethylene glycol toxicity. At post-mortem examination two nodules were identified within the fundus of the stomach. Examination of the gastric nodules revealed an intact mucosal surface, each with multiple red slender nematodes extending through an individual central pore. Histopathological evaluation of the nodules highlighted unique reactive fibroplasia, mimicking feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia (FGESF), encasing numerous nematodes with females possessing gravid uteri containing abundant larvated eggs. The latter findings were highly suggestive of the Cylicospirura genus, further supported by an en face evaluation of the buccal cavity, highlighting a distinctive trifid tooth appearance. Together, these findings are consistent with Cylicospirura felineus. PCR for the COX-1 gene was unsuccessful on formalin-fixed specimens, attributed to nucleic acid and protein crosslinking.

Relevance and novel information

This represents the first documented case of Cylicospirura species in a feral domestic shorthair cat in North America. This particular cat lived in the highly urban environment of New Orleans, Louisiana. Identification of this case demonstrates the potential for feral cats to serve as reservoir hosts and ultimately support transmission of Cylicospirura species into domesticated cat populations. Gastric cylicospiruriasis may present clinically as a firm abdominal mass, potentially with a history of chronic vomiting. The latter emphasizes the importance of differentiating this condition from a neoplastic process such as alimentary lymphoma and adenocarcinoma. Histologically, the unique thick anastomosing collagenous cords encasing nematodes represent a stereotypical response observed in a broad array of gastrointestinal inflammation in felines, including intralesional bacteria, fungal hyphae, foreign bodies and, in this case, gastric nematodes that closely resemble FGESF. Additionally, these unique histological lesions have previously been misinterpreted as neoplastic conditions, including sclerosing mast cell tumor and extraosseous osteosarcoma.
First case of feline leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum genotype E in a cat with a concurrent nasal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Maia Carla , Sousa Cristina , Ramos Cláudia , Cristóvão José Manuel , Faísca Pedro , Campino Lenea
Published: July 2015

Case summary

This is the first clinical report of feline viscerocutaneous leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum genotype E associated with an invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a domestic cat from Portugal. Initially, the cat presented a single cutaneous lesion in the right nostril. A fine-needle aspiration was performed and Leishmania amastigotes were observed without the presence of cells compatible with neoplasia. Systemic treatment with allopurinol was started. One year later, the cat presented a crateriform non-encapsulated and badly delineated mass in the nasal planum, with naso-oral fistulation and nasal destruction. Histologically, the skin mass consisted on an ulcerative plaque-like lesion with a nasal SCC. Leishmania infantum MON-1 parasites were detected by histopathology, culture and PCR of the skin mass, submandibular and popliteal lymph nodes, liver and spleen. Restriction enzyme analysis revealed genotype E, previously identified in humans and dogs living in the same region.

Relevance and novel information

This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first clinical report of feline viscerocutaneous leishmaniosis caused by L infantum genotype E. The detection and isolation of parasites from a cat that are genetically identical to the ones obtained from humans and dogs with visceral leishmaniosis highlights the need to clarify whether cats play a role in the epidemiology of this parasitic zoonosis. From a clinical point of view, this case reinforces the importance of including leishmaniosis in the differential diagnoses of feline pathology, especially in cats with cutaneous lesions.
“Do you understand what you are reading?” --rhetoric, ethics and aesthetics in the undergraduate classroom
Authors: Bowen Deborah C
Published: July 2015

Universities have a perhaps unique opportunity to provide training in the art of deep reading through attention to the interrelation of rhetoric, ethics, and aesthetics. While rhetorically sensitive reading will help students to become more sophisticated readers of voice and worldview, and ethically charitable reading will help them to become more sensitive to their neighbors both inside and outside of books, aesthetically delighted reading will give them the kind of sustained enjoyment that enriches and inspires the imagination. These modes of deep reading will defend them against the impoverished imagery, manipulative strategies and flashy narrative techniques of much commercial culture.
Topics of Conflict in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships
Authors: Reese-Weber Marla , Kahn Jeffrey H. , Nemecek Rebecca
Published: July 2015

This article presents reliability and validity evidence, from two separate studies, for a measure designed to assess topics of conflict within emerging adults’ romantic relationships (Topics of Conflict Scale [TCS]). In Study 1, college students in a current romantic relationship ( N = 293) completed an initial 79-item form of the TCS. Exploratory factor analyses found that 22 items adequately loaded onto three factors (money, trust, and sex) with good internal consistency for each factor. Evidence of convergent validity was found with conflict management strategies. In Study 2 ( N = 174 college students in a current romantic relationship), confirmatory factor analyses of the same 22 items from the initial 79-item TCS supported the same three factors (money, trust, and sex). In addition, acceptable test–retest reliability was found for each of the three subscales, and convergent validity evidence for the three subscales was found with conflict tactics. Overall, the TCS appears to be a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing three forms of conflict in romantic relationships among emerging adults.
FXIa and platelet polyphosphate as therapeutic targets during human blood clotting on collagen/tissue factor surfaces under flow
Authors: Zhu Shu , Travers Richard J. , Morrissey James H. , Diamond Scott L.
Published: July 2015

Key Points

Contribution of FXIa and platelet-derived polyphosphate in thrombin generation varies depending on surface tissue-factor level. Platelet-derived polyphosphate potentiates pathways downstream of FXIIa that require low participation of extrinsic pathways.
Facile Synthesis of Mn-Doped ZnO Porous Nanosheets as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries with a Better Cycle Durability
Authors: Wang Linlin , Tang Kaibin , Zhang Min , Xu Jingli
Published: July 2015

Porous Zn1 − x
Mn
x
O (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.44) nanosheets were prepared by a low-cost, large-scale production and simple approach, and the applications of these nanosheets as an anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) were explored. Electrochemical measurements showed that the porous Zn0.8Mn0.2O nanosheets still delivered a stable reversible capacity of 210 mA h g−1 at a current rate of 120 mA g−1 up to 300 cycles. These results suggest that the facile synthetic method of producing porous Zn0.8Mn0.2O nanostructure can realize a better cycle durability with stable reversible capacity.
The clinical relevance of animal models in Sjögren’s syndrome: the interferon signature from mouse to man
Authors: Maria Naomi I , Vogelsang Petra , Versnel Marjan A
Published: July 2015

Mouse models have been widely used to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of human diseases. The advantages of using these models include the ability to study different stages of the disease with particular respect to specific target organs, to focus on the role of specific pathogenic factors and to investigate the effect of possible therapeutic interventions. Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease, characterised by lymphocytic infiltrates in the salivary and lacrimal glands. To date, effective therapy is not available and treatment has been mainly symptomatic. Ongoing studies in murine models are aimed at developing more effective and targeted therapies in SS. The heterogeneity of SS will most probably benefit from optimising therapies, tailored to specific subgroups of the disease. In this review, we provide our perspective on the importance of subdividing SS patients according to their interferon signature, and recommend choosing appropriate mouse models for interferon-positive and interferon-negative SS subtypes. Murine models better resembling human-disease phenotypes will be essential in this endeavour.
α-$(\psi,\phi)$ Contractive mappings on quasi-partial metric spaces
Authors: Karapınar Erdal , Gholizadeh Leila , Alsulami Hamed H , Noorwali Maha
Published: July 2015

In this paper, we consider α-$(\psi,\phi)$
(
ψ
,
ϕ
)
contractive mappings in the setting of quasi-partial metric spaces and verify the existence of a fixed point on such spaces. Moreover, we present some examples and applications in integral equations of our obtained results.
Antidiabetic, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic effect of extract of Euryale ferox salisb. with enhanced histopathology of pancreas, liver and kidney in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats
Authors: Ahmed Danish , Kumar Vikas , Verma Amita , Shukla Girija Shankar , Sharma Manju
Published: July 2015

Background

Ethanolic extract of Euryale ferox salisb. (EFx) may have an effect on the activity of hepatic antioxidant enzymes, glycemic control and lipid profile and histopathology of pancreas, liver and kidney of streptozotocin (STZ)—induced diabetic wistar rats.

Methods

Wistar albino rats were divided into eight groups viz. non-diabetic (normal control), diabetic control (STZ-induced), diabetic treated (infused with different doses of Euryale ferox. Salisb. ethanolic extract) and diabetic conventional treated (treated with Glibenclamide). Diabetes was induced by administering streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneal (i.p). The ethanolic extract was supplemented in different doses through oral route. Biochemical investigations were carried out according to previously reported methods. Histopathological examinations were done accordingly.

Results

The EFx supplemented diabetic rats significantly (p < 0.001) decreased the blood glucose level in a dose dependent manner. Plasma insulin level was significantly increased in EFx treated rats. The hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes activities were restored to normal in EFx treated rats. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were significantly increased (p < 0.001) among EFx treated rats. Lipid profile was reinstated to nearly normal level among EFx treated rats. Histopathological investigations revealed that microscopic architecture of pancreatic, hepatic and renal cells improvised in EFx treated diabetic rats.

Conclusion

EFx supplement could improve the glycemic control as well as lipid profile in diabetic rats along with improvised antioxidant enzymes which has beneficial effect in preventing the diabetic complications by scavenging the free radicals in diabetic rats.
GPU-enabled particle-particle particle-tree scheme for simulating dense stellar cluster system
Authors: Iwasawa Masaki , Portegies Zwart Simon , Makino Junichiro
Published: July 2015

We describe the implementation and performance of the $\mathrm {P}^{3}\mathrm{T}$

P
3

T
(Particle-Particle Particle-Tree) scheme for simulating dense stellar systems. In $\mathrm{P}^{3}\mathrm{T}$

P
3

T
, the force experienced by a particle is split into short-range and long-range contributions. Short-range forces are evaluated by direct summation and integrated with the fourth order Hermite predictor-corrector method with the block timesteps. For long-range forces, we use a combination of the Barnes-Hut tree code and the leapfrog integrator. The tree part of our simulation environment is accelerated using graphical processing units (GPU), whereas the direct summation is carried out on the host CPU. Our code gives excellent performance and accuracy for star cluster simulations with a large number of particles even when the core size of the star cluster is small.