bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Whole Exome Sequencing for the Identification of
I
to
‐Based Arrhythmia Mechanism and Therapy
Authors: Sturm Amy C. , Kline Crystal F. , Glynn Patric , Johnson Benjamin L. , Curran Jerry , Kilic Ahmet , Higgins Robert S. D. , Binkley Philip F. , Janssen Paul M. L. , Weiss Raul , Raman Subha V. , Fowler Steven J. , Priori Silvia G. , Hund Thomas J. , Carnes Cynthia A. , Mohler Peter J.
Published: May 2015

Background

Identified genetic variants are insufficient to explain all cases of inherited arrhythmia. We tested whether the integration of whole exome sequencing with well‐established clinical, translational, and basic science platforms could provide rapid and novel insight into human arrhythmia pathophysiology and disease treatment.

Methods and Results

We report a proband with recurrent ventricular fibrillation, resistant to standard therapeutic interventions. Using whole‐exome sequencing, we identified a variant in a previously unidentified exon of the dipeptidyl aminopeptidase‐like protein‐6 (

DPP
6

) gene. This variant is the first identified coding mutation in

DPP
6

and augments cardiac repolarizing current (
I
to
) causing pathological changes in
I
to
and action potential morphology. We designed a therapeutic regimen incorporating dalfampridine to target
I
to
. Dalfampridine, approved for multiple sclerosis, normalized the
ECG
and reduced arrhythmia burden in the proband by >90‐fold. This was combined with cilostazol to accelerate the heart rate to minimize the reverse‐rate dependence of augmented
I
to
.

Conclusions

We describe a novel arrhythmia mechanism and therapeutic approach to ameliorate the disease. Specifically, we identify the first coding variant of

DPP
6

in human ventricular fibrillation. These findings illustrate the power of genetic approaches for the elucidation and treatment of disease when carefully integrated with clinical and basic/translational research teams.
Cost-Effectiveness of Intra-Arterial Treatment as an Adjunct to Intravenous Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Leppert Michelle H. , Campbell Jonathan D. , Simpson Jennifer R. , Burke James F.
Published: May 2015

Background and Purpose—

The objective of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of intra-arterial treatment within the 0- to 6-hour window after intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator within 0- to 4.5-hour compared with intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator alone, in the US setting and from a social perspective.

Methods—

A decision analytic model estimated the lifetime costs and outcomes associated with the additional benefit of intra-arterial therapy compared with standard treatment with intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator alone. Model inputs were obtained from published literature, the Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands (MR CLEAN) study, and claims databases in the United States. Health outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Treatment benefit was assessed by calculating the cost per QALY gained. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to estimate the overall uncertainty of model results.

Results—

The addition of intra-arterial therapy compared with standard treatment alone yielded a lifetime gain of 0.7 QALY for an additional cost of $9911, which resulted in a cost of $14 137 per QALY. Multivariable sensitivity analysis predicted cost-effectiveness (≤$50 000 per QALY) in 97.6% of simulation runs.

Conclusions—

Intra-arterial treatment after intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator for patients with anterior circulation strokes within the 6-hour window is likely cost-effective. From a societal perspective, increased investment in access to intra-arterial treatment for acute stroke may be justified.
Revisiting Sphere Sovereignty to Interpret Restrictions on Religious Freedom
Authors: Petri Dennis P. , Visscher Frans
Published: May 2015

In this article, the Kuyperian concept of sphere sovereignty will be revisited in order to describe the multidimensionality of religious freedom. This article will show that true religious freedom requires not only a sovereign church sphere – the respect of church autonomy –, but also the freedom for religious expression in all other spheres of society. The first section will try to show that restrictions on religious expression in any sphere of society are restrictions on religious freedom. The second and third sections will provide examples of two global dynamics which in very distinct ways go against sphere sovereignty and specifically restrict religious expression in different spheres of society: “Islamic extremism” and “secular intolerance”. The article will conclude with a reflection about the virtues of sphere sovereignty as a guarantee against tyranny, and therefore also as a safeguard of religious freedom.
Spathius Nees, 1818 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Doryctinae) from China with a key to species
Authors: TANG PU , BELOKOBYLSKIJ SERGEY , CHEN XUE-XIN
Published: May 2015

One hundred and twenty-nine Chinese species of Spathius Nees, 1819 are recognized, of which thirty-five species are described as new to science: S. aciculatus sp. nov., S. albithorax sp. nov., S. angustalatus sp. nov., S. aspratiloides sp. nov., S. basalis sp. nov., S. beatoides sp. nov., S. cephalus sp. nov., S. clavator sp. nov., S. daweiensis sp. nov., S. ferrugineus sp. nov., S. flavicorpus sp. nov., S. gutianensis sp. nov., S. hainanicola sp. nov., S. longulator sp. nov., S. macrurus sp. nov., S. moscoides sp. nov., S. nehebrus sp. nov., S. neleiformis sp. nov., S. parallelus sp. nov., S. parimbecillus sp. nov., S. proximoscus sp. nov., S. pseudaphareus sp. nov., S. pseudido sp. nov., S. pseudocritolaus sp. nov., S. quasiasander sp. nov., S. rectangulus sp. nov., S. rugosivertex sp. nov., S. spinosus sp. nov., S. striolatiformis sp. nov., S. subcyparissus sp. nov., S. suberymanthus sp. nov., S. tanae sp. nov., S. virgulatus sp. nov., S. wuae sp. nov., and S. xui sp. nov. Twenty-eight species are recorded from China for the first time: S. amoenus Belokobylskij, 1998; S. capys Nixon, 1943; S. cavus Belokobylskij, 1998; S. cyparissus Nixon, 1943; S. depressithorax Belokobylskij, 1998; S. fasciatus Walker, 1874; S. femoralis (Westwood, 1882); S. galinae Belokobylskij et Strazanac, 2012; S. habui Belokobylskij et Maeto, 2009; S. hephaestus Nixon, 1943; S. hikoensis Belokobylskij, 1998; S. ibarakius Belokobylskij et Maeto, 2009; S. ishigakus Belokobylskij 2009; S. konishii Belokobylskij, 2009; S. kunashiri Belokobylskij, 1998; S. leschii Belokobylskij, 1998; S. longipetiolus Belokobylskij et Maeto, 2009; S. melpomene Nixon, 1943; S. nixoni Belokobylskij et Maeto, 2009; S. paramoenus Belokobylskij et Maeto, 2009; S. parochus Belokobylskij et Maeto, 2009; S. piperis Wilkinson, 1931; S. planus Belokobylskij, 1998; S. pseudaspersus Belokobylskij, 2009; S. pumilio Belokobylskij, 2009; S. rubidus (Rossi, 1794); S. testaceitarsis (Cameron, 1908), and S. vladimiri Belokobylskij, 1998. The following new synonyms are proposed: S. crebristriatus Chao, 1978 and S. mundus Chao, 1978 with S. araeceri Nixon, 1943; S. tanycoleosus Shi et Chen, 2004 with S. exarator Chao, 1978; S. fukienensis Chao, 1957 with S. japonicus Watanabe, 1937; S. changbaishanensis Chen et Shi, 2004 with S. oriens Belokobylskij, 1998 (stat. nov.); S. applanatus Chen et Shi, 2004 with S. phymatodis Fischer, 1966; S. bellus Chao, 1957 and S. agrili Yang, 2005 with S. sinicus Chao, 1957; S. lunganjiding Chao, 1977 and S. shennongensis Chen et Shi, 2004 with S. verustus Chao, 1977. The records of S. brevicaudis Ratzeburg, S. esakii Watanabe, S. ruficeps (Smith) and S. labdacus Nixon in China are considered as invalid.
An additional record of Kyphosus vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) (Osteichthyes, Kyphosidae) from Sicily clarifies the confused situation of the Mediterranean kyphosids
Authors: MANNINO ANNA MARIA , BALISTRERI PAOLO , IACIOFANO DAVIDE , GALIL BELLA S. , BRUTTO SABRINA LO
Published: May 2015

The lowfin chub, Kyphosus vaigiensis, is reported for the first time off Favignana Island, Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea. The specimen was identified on the basis of morphometric and meristic characters as well as mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI and 16S-rDNA). Two, perhaps three, Kyphosus species—K. bigibbus, K. sectatrix and K. vaigiensis—have been occasionally recorded in the Mediterranean. These species occur both in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions but it is likely they entered the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. However, it is unclear whether they have established reproductive native populations in the Mediterranean.
Comparison of Gravity Waves in the Southern Hemisphere Derived from Balloon Observations and the ECMWF Analyses
Authors: Jewtoukoff Valérian , Hertzog Albert , Plougonven Riwal , Cámara Alvaro de la , Lott François
Published: May 2015

The increase of spatial resolution allows the ECMWF operational model to explicitly resolve a significant portion of the atmospheric gravity wave (GW) field, but the realism of the simulated GW field in the ECMWF analyses still needs to be precisely evaluated. Here the authors use data collected during the Concordiasi stratospheric balloon campaign to assess the representation of GWs in the ECMWF analyses over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in spring 2010. The authors first compare the balloonborne GW momentum fluxes with those in ECMWF analyses throughout the campaign and find a correct agreement of the geographical and seasonal patterns. However, the authors also note that ECMWF analyses generally underestimate the balloon fluxes by a factor of 5, which may be essentially due to the spatial truncation of the ECMWF model. Intermittency of wave activity in the analyses and observations are found comparable. These results are confirmed on two case studies dealing with orographic and nonorographic waves, which thus supports that the ECMWF analyses can be used to study the geographical and seasonal distribution of GW momentum fluxes. The authors then used both datasets to provide insights on the missing GW drag at 60°S in general circulation models in the Southern Hemisphere spring. These datasets suggest that a significant part of the missing drag may be associated with nonorographic GWs generated by weather systems above the Southern Ocean.
Impact of Tropical Pacific Precipitation Anomaly on the East Asian Upper-Tropospheric Westerly Jet during the Boreal Winter
Authors: Guo Yuanyuan , Wen Zhiping , Wu Renguang , Lu Riyu , Chen Zesheng
Published: May 2015

The leading mode of boreal winter precipitation variability over the tropical Pacific for the period 1980–2010 shows a west–east dipole pattern with one center over the western North Pacific (WNP) and Maritime Continent and the other center over the equatorial central Pacific (CP). Observational evidence shows that the variability of the East Asian upper-tropospheric subtropical westerly jet (EAJ) has a significant correlation with precipitation anomalies over the WNP and CP and that tropical precipitation anomalies over WNP and CP have a distinct influence on the variation of the EAJ. A series of numerical experiments based on a linear baroclinic model are performed to confirm the influence of the heating anomalies associated with precipitation perturbations over the WNP and CP on the EAJ. The results of numerical experiments indicate that a heat source over the WNP can excite a northward-propagating Rossby wave train in the upper troposphere over East Asia and facilitate a poleward eddy momentum flux. It results in the acceleration of the westerlies between 30° and 45°N, which favors a northward displacement of the EAJ. The response induced by a heat sink over the CP features a zonal easterly band between 25° and 40°N, suggesting that the response to heat sink associated with negative precipitation anomalies over the CP may weaken the EAJ. A strengthened relationship was found between tropical Pacific precipitation and the EAJ since 1979. The modeling results suggest that the shift of mean states might be responsible for the strengthened EAJ–rainfall relationship after 1979.
Presence, Proximity, and Peer Interactions of Adolescents With Severe Disabilities in General Education Classrooms
Authors: Feldman Rebecca , Carter Erik W. , Asmus Jennifer , Brock Matthew E.
Published: May 2015

The authors conducted 324 full-class-length observations of 108 high school students with severe disabilities in general education classes, focusing analyses on how often students were present during class and in proximity to peers without disabilities. Students were not present for a substantial proportion of the classes in which they were enrolled, and they were infrequently in proximity to classmates without disabilities when they were present. Observations of a comparison group of peers without disabilities enrolled in these same classrooms suggest missed social opportunities for students with severe disabilities. We also found that primary disability category (i.e., autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability) and type of class (i.e., academic, other) were associated with different patterns of presence and proximity.
Parent Concern and Enrollment in Intervention Services for Young Children With Developmental Delays
Authors: Marshall Jennifer , Kirby Russell S. , Gorski Peter A.
Published: May 2015

This study sought to address underenrollment and late entry to early intervention by identifying factors associated with parental concern and services for developmental delays. The authors analyzed responses from 27,566 parents of children from birth to age 5 from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health to quantify and to identify factors associated with developmental concerns and enrollment in public intervention or therapy. Developmental concerns were common among parents from all backgrounds, increasing as children approach preschool age and particularly among children with poor health and those with non-English home language. However, enrollment in intervention is low. Nearly 40% of parents reported one or more concerns, yet 5% of children were enrolled in public intervention or therapy. Multirace or Black race, non-English home language, low income, and private or no insurance were associated with lower odds of services enrollment. Primary health care provider and parent involvement were associated with higher likelihood of parent-reported concern and services.
Efficacy of Teachers Training Paraprofessionals to Implement Peer Support Arrangements
Authors: Brock Matthew E. , Carter Erik W.
Published: May 2015

Although peer support arrangements are a promising strategy to promote inclusion in general education classrooms, previous studies have not addressed how paraprofessionals might implement this strategy under typical circumstances without extensive researcher involvement. In this single-case design study, four special education teachers trained and supported four paraprofessionals to implement peer support arrangements through delivery of a professional development package consisting of an initial orientation, video modeling, and brief coaching with performance feedback. Teachers implemented the professional development accurately, paraprofessionals implemented peer support arrangements with fidelity, and three of the four middle school students with severe disabilities increased their social interactions with peers while maintaining previous levels of academic engagement. These findings suggest a possible avenue for equipping paraprofessionals to implement peer support arrangements. Recommendations for preparing teachers to train and support paraprofessionals to implement intervention strategies are offered along with directions for future research.
Global networks against crime: Using the Financial Action Task Force as a model?
Authors: Jakobi Anja P.
Published: May 2015

For more than two decades, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has been the central governance network for developing anti-money laundering policies. It serves as a prototype of a new form of governance, linked to soft law, peer reviews, and expert advice. Literature on the FATF, however, rarely questions the transferability of this model to other areas of global governance. Seeking to fill this gap, this article analyzes the networking activities that created and maintain the FATF. I argue that two major difficulties are particularly challenging for any global governance network: initiation problems and commitment problems. The article describes how the FATF’s members have overcome these difficulties and developed the network over time. It also shows that some tools and conditions that contributed to the FATF’s success are difficult to replicate for other networks. The conclusions outline some ways to overcome these challenges and present further questions for research.
Can Dyscalculics Estimate the Results of Arithmetic Problems?
Authors: Ganor-Stern Dana
Published: May 2015

The present study is the first to examine the computation estimation skills of dyscalculics versus controls using the estimation comparison task. In this task, participants judged whether an estimated answer to a multidigit multiplication problem was larger or smaller than a given reference number. While dyscalculics were less accurate than controls, their performance was well above chance level. The performance of controls but not of those with developmental dyscalculia (DD) improved consistently for smaller problem sizes. The performance of both groups was superior when the reference number was smaller (vs. larger) than the exact answer and when it was far (vs. close) from it, both of which are considered to be the markers of the approximate number system (ANS). Strategy analysis distinguished between an approximated calculation strategy and a sense of magnitude strategy, which does not involve any calculation but relies entirely on the ANS. Dyscalculics used the latter more often than controls. The present results suggest that there is little, if any, impairment in the ANS of adults with DD and that their main deficiency is with performing operations on magnitudes rather than with the representations of the magnitudes themselves.
The Relationship Between Vocational Rehabilitation Professional’s Interactions With Businesses and Employment Outcomes for Consumers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Authors: McDonnall Michele C.
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an association between how vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors and business relations (BR) staff interact with employers and employment outcomes for consumers who are blind or visually impaired. To determine how VR professionals interact with employers, a survey was conducted that included measures of their use of the Business Relations Model (BRM) and of three blindness-specific techniques with businesses believed to be effective based on prior research. These measures were averaged across agencies and combined with Rehabilitation Services Administration’s case service report (RSA-911) data to determine their association with consumer employment outcomes, utilizing multilevel modeling. How staff reported interacting with employers was associated with the agency’s employment outcomes for consumers. The more counselors reported they used practices consistent with the BRM approach, the more likely their agency’s consumers were to achieve employment. The more BR staff used the blindness-specific techniques, the more likely their agency’s consumers were to achieve employment. Training in the areas of interacting with businesses (for counselors) and blindness and assistive technology (for BR staff) would be beneficial for many people in these positions.
A novel image processing technology for recognizing the weave of fabrics
Authors: Kuo Chung-Feng Jeffrey , Shih Chung-Yang , Huang Chang-Chiun , Su Te-Li , Liao I-Che
Published: May 2015

The current analysis of fabric weave diagrams requires using fabric analyzing glass to record the weave number manually. This method damages eyesight and is also very time consuming. In addition, the unweaving mode damages the weave structure of woven fabric. This study uses a computer vision system and digital image processing technology for direct non-destructive analysis of the commonly used 12 fabric textures of woven fabrics without unweaving. Moreover, it proposes an automated woven fabric weave recognition method to enhance the practicability and fault tolerance of the recognition system. Firstly, the woven fabric image was shot by using a front light source and back light source, the noise of the woven fabric image was reduced by using a median filter and the contrast was increased by using histogram equalization. The statistical threshold value was used to segment the warp yarn area and the opening operation of morphology was used to disconnect the connected blocks and erode small noise. Horizontal projection and vertical projection were used to segment the warp yarn and weft yarn. The weave diagram was drawn to improve the computing time of the gray-level co-occurrence matrix. The contrast in the gray-level co-occurrence matrix was selected as the eigenvalue. In terms of woven fabric samples, 12 target samples were obtained, the Euclidean distance classifier was used and the 12 test samples were used for the experiment. The result showed a recognition rate of 100%. The recognition system was adopted by this study to effectively recognize the woven fabric weave.
The impact of degumming conditions on the properties of silk films for biomedical applications
Authors: Allardyce Benjamin J , Rajkhowa Rangam , Dilley Rodney J , Atlas Marcus D , Kaur Jasjeet , Wang Xungai
Published: May 2015

The degumming process to remove sericin decreases silk fiber strength; however, the impact of degumming on the mechanical properties of regenerated silk biomaterials has not been established. This study investigated the effect of degumming temperature, time, alkaline component and alkaline concentration on the mechanical properties of silk fibroin films. Sericin removal was estimated using weight loss; 10 samples with 12.2–29.4% weight loss were then further characterized in terms of fiber mechanical properties, fiber surface morphology, molecular weight distribution and film tensile strength. A negative correlation was found between weight loss and fiber tensile strength. This loss of fiber strength under harsher degumming conditions had a direct impact on the tensile strength of regenerated films. Mild degumming conditions (weight loss of 12.2%) led to higher film strength (8.9 MPa), whereas aggressive degumming conditions (with 29.4% weight loss) resulted in significantly weaker films (4.3 MPa). The presence of some residual sericin, after mild degumming, is likely to affect the mechanical properties of the regenerated silk films. These results will assist in the development of materials with mechanical and biocompatibility properties tuned to specific biomedical applications.
Output feedback control for fractional-order Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems with unmeasurable premise variables
Authors: Song Xiaona , Liu Leipo , Tejado Balsera Ines , Guo Haigang
Published: May 2015

In this study, the problem of fractional-order (FO) output feedback controller design for FO Takagi–Sugeno (TS) fuzzy systems with deterministic parameters and unmeasurable premise variables has been investigated, and the FO is in the range of 0 to 2. First, the FO TS fuzzy system is changed to an equivalent FO system with uncertain parameters. Then, a FO output feedback controller for the equivalent FO uncertain parameter system can be designed. In terms of linear matrix inequality, an explicit expression for the designed FO output feedback controller is found. Consequently, the FO TS fuzzy system is shown to be stabilized by the designed FO output feedback controller. Examples are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Model and algorithm for heterogeneous scheduling integrated with energy-efficiency awareness
Authors: Wang Jinglian , Gong Bin , Liu Hong , Li Shaohui
Published: May 2015

Enabled to provide pervasive access to distributed resources in parallel ways, heterogeneous scheduling is applied extensively in large-scale computing systems for high performance. Conventional real-time scheduling algorithms, however, disregard energy efficiency in addition to stringent timing constraints. In recognition of green computing, an energy-aware model is first presented. Second, inspired by multi-disciplines, the meta-heuristic is addressed based on the supercomputer hybrid architecture. On the other hand, some technological breakthroughs are achieved, including boundary conditions for different heterogeneous computing and grid scheduling and descriptions of real-time variation of scheduling indexes (stringent timing and energy constraints). Extensive simulator and simulation experiments highlight higher efficacy and better scalability for the proposed approaches compared with the other three meta-heuristics; the overall improvements achieve 8%, 12% and 14% for high-dimension instances, respectively.
Finite-time L1 control for positive Markovian jump systems with constant time delay and partly known transition rates
Authors: Qi Wenhai , Gao Xianwen
Published: May 2015

The paper is concerned with finite-time L1 control for positive Markovian jump systems with constant time delay and partly known transition rates. By constructing appropriate co-positive type Lyapunov function, sufficient conditions for finite-time boundedness and L1 finite-time boundedness of the underlying system are firstly given. Based on the results obtained, a state feedback controller is designed such that the closed-loop Markovian jump system is positive and L1 finite-time bounded. All the proposed conditions are given in linear programming. Finally, an example is given to demonstrate the validity of the main results.
To open or not to open? Determinants of open government data
Authors: Yang Tung-Mou , Lo Jin , Shiang Jing
Published: May 2015

In recent years, open government data has become an important movement among government administrations around the world. While there is still limited open data research conducted in East Asia, this study explores the complexity of open data initiatives in Taiwan. In particular, the influential factors and their impacts on open data initiatives are investigated from four perspectives: technology, organization, legislation and policy, and environment. Legislation and policy is found to have the most significant impact while agencies’ existing regulations and policies act as constraints. The factors residing in organizational and environmental perspectives follow as the secondary impacts. Technological factors also exist but are considered to be relatively more easily resolved with sufficient support. While the identified factors act as determinants to influence government agencies’ intentions towards open data participation, it is also found that open data is closely related to interagency information sharing, and the two activities in the long term are expected to reinforce to each other iteratively. In addition, practical implications are discussed to provide practitioners with insights. Lastly, the contributions, limitations and potential future research of the current study are listed in the Conclusion section.
Early Onset Substance Use in Adolescents With Depressive, Conduct, and Comorbid Symptoms
Authors: Stone Andrea L. , Vander Stoep Ann , McCauley Elizabeth
Published: May 2015

This study investigates whether co-occurring depressive and conduct symptoms in early adolescence are associated with an elevated occurrence of early onset substance. Five hundred twenty-one sixth graders were assessed for depressive symptoms and conduct problems and underwent five substance use assessments during middle school. Logistic regression analyses were used to compare lifetime substance use across subgroups with and without depressive symptoms and conduct problems. Adolescents with co-occurring problems were more likely to have used alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, other drugs, and any substance compared with adolescents with neither type of symptom (adjusted odds ratio [OR] range = 2.5-3.5), and were more likely to report alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and any substance use compared with adolescents with depressive symptoms only (adjusted OR range = 0.1-0.3). Conduct problems modify the effect of depressive symptoms on early adolescent substance use. Early screening for depression and conduct problems may be helpful in targeting substance use prevention efforts.
Extrinsic calibration of 2D laser rangefinders from perpendicular plane observations
Authors: Fernández-Moral Eduardo , González-Jiménez Javier , Arévalo Vicente
Published: May 2015

Many applications in the fields of mobile robotics and autonomous vehicles employ two or more 2D laser rangefinders (LRFs) for different purposes: navigation, obstacle detection, 3D mapping or simultaneous localization and mapping. The extrinsic calibration between such sensors (i.e. finding their relative poses) is required to exploit effectively all of the sensor measurements and to perform data fusion. In the literature, most works employing several LRFs obtain their extrinsic calibration from manual measurements or from ad-hoc solutions. In this paper we present a new method to obtain such calibration easily and robustly by scanning perpendicular planes (typically corners encountered in structured scenes), from which geometric constraints are inferred. This technique can be applied to a rig with any number of LRFs in almost any geometric configuration (a minimum of two LRFs whose scanning planes are not parallel is required). Experimental results are presented with synthetic and real data to validate our proposal. A C++ implementation of this method and a dataset are also provided.
Temporal logic motion control using actor–critic methods
Authors: Wang Jing , Ding Xuchu , Lahijanian Morteza , Paschalidis Ioannis Ch. , Belta Calin A.
Published: May 2015

This paper considers the problem of deploying a robot from a specification given as a temporal logic statement about some properties satisfied by the regions of a large, partitioned environment. We assume that the robot has noisy sensors and actuators and model its motion through the regions of the environment as a Markov decision process (MDP). The robot control problem becomes finding the control policy which maximizes the probability of satisfying the temporal logic task on the MDP. For a large environment, obtaining transition probabilities for each state–action pair, as well as solving the necessary optimization problem for the optimal policy, are computationally intensive. To address these issues, we propose an approximate dynamic programming framework based on a least-squares temporal difference learning method of the actor–critic type. This framework operates on sample paths of the robot and optimizes a randomized control policy with respect to a small set of parameters. The transition probabilities are obtained only when needed. Simulations confirm that convergence of the parameters translates to an approximately optimal policy.
Ferumoxytol as an intraprostatic MR contrast agent for lymph node mapping of the prostate: a feasibility study in non-human primates
Authors: Sankineni Sandeep , Smedley Jeremy , Bernardo Marcelino , Brown Anna M , Johnson Linda , Muller Berrend , Griffiths Gary L , Kobayashi Hisataka , Rais-Bahrami Soroush , Pinto Peter A , Wood Bradford J , Keele Brandon , Choyke Peter L , Turkbey Baris
Published: May 2015

Background

A variety of magnetic resonance (MR) lymphographic agents have been proposed for mapping the lymph nodes draining the prostate.

Purpose

To investigate the feasibility of using ferumoxytol (an FDA-approved iron oxide agent) for lymph node mapping of the prostate on imaging (MRI) in a non-human primate (NHP) Macaque model.

Material and Methods

Four NHPs weighing 5–13 kg underwent injection of ferumoxytol after a needle was introduced transrectally under MRI guidance into the prostate using a commercially available intrarectal MRI biopsy guide. Ferumoxytol was administered at dosage in the range of 0.15–0.75 mg Fe/kg in a fixed injection volume of 0.2 mL. T1-weighted MRI was performed at 3 T starting immediately and extending at least 45 min post-injection. Two readers evaluated the images in consensus. The NHPs tolerated the ferumoxytol injections at all doses with no evident side effects.

Results

It was determined that the lowest dose of 0.15 mg Fe/kg produced the best outcome in terms of lymph node visualization and draining nodes were reliably visualized at this dose and volume.

Conclusion

Thus, MRI with intraprostatic injection of ferumoxytol may be considered an effective T1 contrast agent for prospective mapping of lymph nodes draining the prostate and, thus, for attempted sentinel lymph node identification in prostate cancer. Large clinical trials to determine safety and efficacy are needed.
The inability of an early post-transplantation intrarenal resistive index to predict renal allograft function at 12 weeks after engraftment in young adults
Authors: Shakeri Bavil Abolhassan , Mirfakhraei Alirezal , Tayebi Khosroshahi Hamid , Chokhachizadeh Moghadam Reihaneh , Fouladi Daniel Fadaei
Published: May 2015

Background

The intrarenal resistive index (RI) is a promising tool for predicting renal graft outcomes. Due to the complexity of graft function and the presence of diverse contributing factors, however, the available data are inconclusive.

Purpose

To examine the performance of the RI 1 week after transplant in predicting allograft function at week 12, with an emphasis on the type of intrarenal artery used in the examination.

Material and Methods

A total of 58 first-time living-donor kidney-allograft-transplantation patients aged less than 50 years underwent Doppler ultrasonography (US) of the intrarenal arteries 1 week after engraftment. The RI was calculated for both the segmental (RI-C) and interlobar-arcuate (RI-P) arteries. Serum creatinine level and the creatinine reduction ratio (CRR) were determined at weeks 1 and 12 post transplantation.

Results

While the RI did not correlate with serum creatinine level and CRR at week 1, significant correlations were present between the RI and serum creatinine level (r = 0.28, P = 0.03 for both RI-C and RI-P) and CRR (r = –0.25, P = 0.05 for both RI-C and RI-P) at week 12. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of using RI-C in predicting abnormal 12-week serum creatinine level were 51.2%, 52.9%, 72.4%, and 31.3%, respectively; and 53.7%, 47.1%, 70.9%, and 29.6% for RI-P, respectively ( P > 0.99 for all comparisons).

Conclusion

Early post-transplantation RI correlates significantly with both serum creatinine level and creatinine reduction ratio 12 weeks after engraftment with intermediate predictive accuracy.
Is there an additive value of 18 F-FDG PET-CT to CT/MRI for detecting nodal metastasis in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients with palpably negative neck?
Authors: Sohn Beomseok , Koh Yoon Woo , Kang Won Jun , Lee Jae-Hoon , Shin Na-Young , Kim Jinna
Published: May 2015

Background

Cervical node metastasis is one of the most significant prognostic factors in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). There is little information regarding the comparison of histopathologic analysis following neck dissection with imaging results in oropharyngeal SCC.

Purpose

To investigate the clinical utility of PET-CT compared with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting nodal metastasis in oropharyngeal SCC patients with palpably negative neck and to investigate whether pretreatment imaging modalities support the rationale for elective neck treatment.

Material and Methods

A total of 49 oropharyngeal SCC patients with palpably negative neck (42 men, 7 women; average age, 59.1 years) underwent primary tumor resection and neck dissection as a primary treatment. All patients were preoperatively evaluated with PET-CT and CT/MRI, and the diagnostic accuracy of each imaging modality was assessed by comparison with histopathologic results of the surgical specimen.

Results

Twenty-five (51.0%) of our 49 patients had neck metastases. On a level-by-level analysis, the sensitivity of PET-CT, CT/MRI, and a combination of PET-CT and CT/MRI was 54.6%, 54.6%, and 60.6%, respectively, at all neck levels. The area under the ROC showed that the diagnostic performance of the combined interpretation was not significantly different from that of CT/MRI alone (0.780 vs. 0.750, respectively; P = 0.158) and PET-CT alone (0.780 vs. 0.765, respectively; P = 0.501).

Conclusion

Addition of PET-CT to CT/MRI did not provide better diagnostic accuracy for detecting nodal metastasis in preoperative evaluation of oropharyngeal SCC patients with palpably negative neck, suggesting that current imaging studies might not replace elective neck dissection.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx: what does the apparent diffusion coefficient tell us about its histology?
Authors: Bonello Luke , Preda Lorenzo , Conte Giorgio , Giannitto Caterina , Raimondi Sara , Ansarin Mohssen , Maffini Fausto , Summers Paul , Bellomi Massimo
Published: May 2015

Background

Diffusion-weighted imaging obtained with magnetic resonance (DW-MRI) is a non-invasive imaging tool potentially able to provide information about microstructural tumor characteristics.

Purpose

To prospectively analyze the correlation between the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and clinical-histologic characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) of the oral cavity and oropharynx.

Material and Methods

Sixty-seven patients with untreated, histologically proven SCCA of the oral cavity and oropharynx underwent conventional and diffusion-weighted (b-values 0, 50, 250, 500, and 900 s/mm2) MRI. Tumor ADC was calculated from regions of interest drawn manually on the highest b-value images using ImageJ (ImageJ, NIH) and fsl (fsl 4, University of Oxford) image processing packages. ADC was calculated in two ways: standard ADC using all b-values; and ADCHigh using only b-values ≥ 250 s/mm2. We assessed the correlations between both ADC and ADCHigh and the clinical-histological characteristics of SCCA.

Results

Fifty-two patients (36 men, 16 women; mean age, 55 ± 13 years) were suitable for ADC calculation. Mean ADC was 1136.0 ± 108.5 × 10–6 mm2/s. Mean tumor ADCHigh was 991.2 ± 152.1 × 10–6 mm2/s. Mean tumor size was 32.3 ± 13.4 mm (range, 14.0–69.0 mm). We observed no correlation of either ADC or ADCHigh values with any of the clinical-histological tumor characteristics. Undifferentiated tumors (G3) showed lower apparent diffusion coefficient values compared to differentiated ones (G1-G2), without reaching statistical significance.

Conclusion

We did not observe any statistically significant correlation between ADC values and clinical-histological characteristics of SCCA of the oral cavity and oropharynx.
Is all ‘I’ IR?
Authors: Naumes Sarah
Published: May 2015

Narrative approaches to International Relations have steadily increased in popularity in recent years. As narrative has gained further acceptance among other methodological traditions in International Relations, it has also provoked questions about the sort of restrictions that should be placed on academic writing in general and narrative writing in particular. Narrative approaches have faced challenges that ask whether they allow room for critique or if they necessarily turn into standpoint epistemologies. This author views narrative approaches as both valid and necessary in addition to the stable of other methods utilised in International Relations scholarship. However, in order for narratives to contribute effectively, they must be subject to critique. This article proposes two questions that both authors and readers should ask when engaging with narrative: 1) Does the narrative disrupt notions of congruity in political thought? Does it bring to light contradictions that may otherwise be ignored? 2) Does the narrative make room to incorporate those who have been excluded from political science discourse? Through asking these questions, International Relations scholars who utilise narrative approaches can open the field to novel lines of inquiry.
The Visual Turn in IR: Documentary Filmmaking as a Critical Method
Authors: Callahan William A.
Published: May 2015

Although the field of international relations (IR) is arguably in the midst of a ‘visual turn’, few scholars have directly discussed research methods for studying visual international politics. This article follows the aesthetic turn’s call to resist the rational methods that frame our understanding of ourselves and the world. Yet it also argues that the visual turn is more than an elaboration of the aesthetic turn. While analyses of visual culture are characteristically suspicious of the power of images, this article argues that making films can provide an innovative method for studying IR. In particular, the visual turn can better examine the IR of self/Other relations in terms of affect, bodily sense and experience. The article thus goes beyond such theoretical discussions to offer an autoethnographic account of the methods used to produce a documentary film about being the Other in China: toilet adventures. It argues that fieldwork that employs on-camera interviews does not just gather the ‘facts’ of people’s experiences, but can also illustrate the affective politics of the estrangement, the giddiness, and thus the excess evoked by such experiences. The goal of this article is to show what documentary filmmaking can ‘do’ by providing an innovative method for creating new sites and senses of international politics.
On Movies, Matrices and Scope: Some Remarks on PTJ’s Keynote
Authors: Chelotti Nicola
Published: May 2015

This note takes issue with two aspects of PTJ’s keynote speech. The first one concerns the internal validity of his analysis. It argues that the matrix (which produces the four forms of knowledge) uses ambiguous and conceptually contestable boundaries and that implicitly (and paradoxically) seems to rely on an essentially positivist understanding of epistemic knowledge. The second claim raises the issue of the external scope of PTJ’s argument. If human beings have produced for millenniums (international) political knowledge through any sort of work, and if PTJ convincingly gives these works a solid intellectual legitimacy, the repercussions of this endeavour on how IR is (ought to be) taught and researched are vague and/or seem to be limited (or conservative). On a whole, PTJ’s note has conveniently set up the stage for further (hopefully enriching) debates within and across different disciplines interested to study the cross-boundary encounters with difference.
#sorrynotsorry: A Well-meaning Response to PTJ
Authors: Salter Mark B.
Published: May 2015

Responding to Patrick T. Jackson’s ‘Must International Studies Be a Science?’ I argue that his proposed division of incommensurable logics of inquiry (aesthetic, normative, empirical and technical) cannot be separated in a meaningful way in the exercise of judgement, and that corporeal and practical skill must be also included.
Found in Translation: Combining Discourse Analysis with Computer Assisted Content Analysis
Authors: Bennett Andrew
Published: May 2015

Scholars have become increasingly aware of the benefits of multi-method research, through which the strengths of one method can offset the limits of another. Yet epistemological differences between interpretivists and researchers interested in quantitative methods and causal explanation have inhibited a potentially fruitful multi-method approach: combining discourse analysis and computer-assisted content analysis. The growing availability of digital text is creating new opportunities for combining these methods, so if scholars treat their epistemological assumptions as reconcilable and translatable epistemic wagers rather than incompatible commitments, there is much to be gained. Computer-assisted searches can quickly identify patterns in vast amounts of text and provide clues on which particular texts (and silences) merit a close reading and interpretation in context, and scholars versed in discourse analysis are adept at making such interpretations. Researchers from these two communities, who at present rarely cite one another’s work, have much to learn from each other, and much to gain by working together.
What’s Lost in Translation? Neopositivism and Critical Research Interests
Authors: Sjoberg Laura
Published: May 2015

This piece engages with Andrew’s Bennett’s ‘Found in Translation’ to complicate the notion that combining epistemologies is intellectually simple or politically desirable.
Encountering Vulnerabilities through ‘Filmmaking for Fieldwork’
Authors: Barabantseva Elena , Lawrence Andy
Published: May 2015

In this article we discuss the potential of observational and participatory filmmaking methods to both explore and represent a research subject through a documentary film. We position our project ‘British Born Chinese’ about the experiences of the second generation of Chinese migrants in relation to other recent audio-visual interventions in IR, and present our methodological approach of observational and dialogical engagement with participants and the ethics of representation related to it. In doing this, we explore the potential of audio-visual research to go beyond identity-based forms of inquiries concerning, in particular, migrant and diasporic experiences. Our aim is to develop a situated and contextualised understanding of how and under what conditions individuals resort to racialised forms of belonging. We consider the promise and limitations of observational filmmaking to depart from the structures of representation to evoke alternative solidarities around vulnerability.
Pluralist Methods for Visual Global Politics
Authors: Bleiker Roland
Published: May 2015

Images play an increasingly important role in global politics but pose significant and so far largely unexplored methodological challenges. Images are different from words. They circulate in ever more complex and rapid ways. I argue that the political significance of images is best understood through an interdisciplinary framework that relies on multiple methods, even if they are at times incompatible. I defend such a pluralist approach as both controversial and essential: controversial because giving up a unitary standard of evidence violates social scientific conventions; essential because such a strategy offers the best opportunity to assess how images work across their construction, content and impact. I counter fears of relativism, arguing that the hubris of indisputable knowledge is more dangerous than a clash of different perspectives. The very combination of incompatible methods makes us constantly aware of our own contingent standpoints, thus increasing the self-reflectiveness required to understand the complexities of visual global politics.