bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diamond Mining in Canada's Northwest Territories: A Colonial Continuity
Authors: Hall Rebecca
Published: June 2012

Abstract: The Canadian diamond industry has been lauded as a new approach to resource extraction, one whose institutions are characterized by a greater attention to Indigenous rights and the environment. However, an institutional analysis obfuscates the terrain of unequal relations that is the context for the Canadian diamond boom; an analysis of the effectiveness of social and environmental policies in relation to the extraction of diamonds in the Canadian North suggests that there is an intent on the part of those instigating this extraction (that is, the Canadian state, Canadian capitalist interests and international capitalist interests) to protect the Northern environment and to provide economic benefits to Northern Indigenous communities. This piece argues, instead, that this assumption is erroneous and that the Northern mining industry is part of Canada's project of internal colonization of Indigenous communities, a project that has intensified and expanded in the neoliberal era.
SUBSIDIZATION AND BARGAINING IN MIXED OLIGOPOLIES
Authors: Dapeng Cai , Jie Li
Published: June 2012

In this paper, we consider political interaction in a mixed oligopoly by characterizing how a subsidy is endogenously determined through the bargaining process between firms and politicians. We discuss how the nature of the political equilibrium changes with the type of competition, the specification of the cost function, and the timing of the game. We show that when bargaining between firms and politicians takes place, the resulting social welfare may be even worse than that under a public firm monopoly.
Robust Image Retargeting via Axis‐Aligned Deformation
Authors: Panozzo Daniele , Weber Ofir , Sorkine Olga
Published: June 2012

We propose the space of axis‐aligned deformations as the meaningful space for content‐aware image retargeting. Such deformations exclude local rotations, avoiding harmful visual distortions, and they are parameterized in 1D. We show that standard warping energies for image retargeting can be minimized in the space of axis‐aligned deformations while guaranteeing that bijectivity constraints are satisfied, leading to high‐quality, smooth and robust retargeting results. Thanks to the 1D parameterization, our method only requires solving a small quadratic program, which can be done within a few milliseconds on the CPU with no precomputation overhead. We demonstrate how the image size and the saliency map can be changed in real time with our approach, and present results on various input images, including the RetargetMe benchmark. We compare our results with six other algorithms in a user study to demonstrate that the space of axis‐aligned deformations is suitable for the problem at hand.
Real‐Time Disparity Map‐Based Pictorial Depth Cue Enhancement
Authors: Rößing Christoph , Hanika Johannes , Lensch Hendrik
Published: June 2012

The availability of stereoscopic image material is increasing rapidly. In contrast to the generation of distance information, displaying it is still a challenging task. To overcome the need for special 3D display hardware, we present a novel real‐time video processing framework‐based on edge‐avoiding à trous wavelets. The framework adds and emphasizes monocular depth cues corresponding to the depth information of a supplemental disparity map. This creates a compelling depth sensation on 2D display devices. The framework enhances multiple depth cues in parallel, such as depth of field, local contrast, ambient occlusion and saturation. At the same time, it improves the disparity map quality. Depth cues control how a human explores an image, since the perception of distance is coupled to visual attention. The presented work demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed framework in guiding the viewer, without destroying the image content, by evaluating the performance in search‐and‐find tasks. A user study analyzes the connection between faster response times and the boosting of particular monocular depth cues.
Light‐Field Retargeting
Authors: Birklbauer C. , Bimber O.
Published: June 2012

We present a first approach to light‐field retargeting using z‐stack seam carving, which allows light‐field compression and extension while retaining angular consistency. Our algorithm first converts an input light field into a set of perspective‐sheared focal stacks. It then applies 3D deconvolution to convert the focal stacks into z‐stacks, and seam‐carves the z‐stack of the center perspective. The computed seams of the center perspective are sheared and applied to the z‐stacks of all off‐center perspectives. Finally, the carved z‐stacks are converted back into the perspective images of the output light field. To our knowledge, this is the first approach to light‐field retargeting. Unlike existing stereo‐pair retargeting or 3D retargeting techniques, it does not require depth information.
Real‐time Realistic Rendering and Lighting of Forests
Authors: Bruneton Eric , Neyret Fabrice
Published: June 2012

Realistic real‐time rendering and lighting of forests is an important aspect for simulators and video games. This is a difficult problem, due to the massive amount of geometry: aerial forest views display millions of trees on a wide range of distances, from the camera to the horizon. Light interactions, whose effects are visible at all scales, are also a problem: sun and sky dome contributions, shadows between trees, inside trees, on the ground, and view‐light masking correlations. In this paper we present a method to render very large forest scenes in real‐time, with realistic lighting at all scales, and without popping nor aliasing. Our method is based on two new forest representations, z‐fields and shader‐maps, with a seamless transition between them. Our first model builds on light fields and height fields to represent and render the nearest trees individually, accounting for all lighting effects. Our second model is a location, view and light dependent shader mapped on the terrain, accounting for the cumulated subpixel effects. Qualitative comparisons with photos show that our method produces realistic results.
Mesh Colorization
Authors: Leifman George , Tal Ayellet
Published: June 2012

This paper proposes a novel algorithm for colorization of meshes. This is important for applications in which the model needs to be colored by just a handful of colors or when no relevant image exists for texturing the model. For instance, archaeologists argue that the great Roman or Greek statues were full of color in the days of their creation, and traces of the original colors can be found. In this case, our system lets the user scribble some desired colors in various regions of the mesh. Colorization is then formulated as a constrained quadratic optimization problem, which can be readily solved. Special care is taken to avoid color bleeding between regions, through the definition of a new direction field on meshes.
Coding Depth through Mask Structure
Authors: Fortunato Horacio E. , Oliveira Manuel M.
Published: June 2012

We present a coded‐aperture method based on a family of masks obtained as the convolution of one “hole” with a structural component consisting of an arrangement of Dirac delta functions. We call the arrangement of delta functions the structural component of the mask, and use it to efficiently encode scene distance information. We illustrate the potential of our approach by analyzing a family of masks defined by a circular hole component and a structural component consisting of a linear combination of three Dirac deltas. We show that the structural component transitions from well conditioned to ill conditioned as the relative weight of the central peak varies with respect to the lateral ones. For the well‐conditioned structural components, deconvolution is efficiently performed by inverse filtering, allowing for fast estimation of scene depth. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by constructing a mask for distance coding and using it to recover pairs of distance maps and structurally‐deconvolved images from single photographs. For this application, we obtain significant speedup, and extended range and depth resolution compared to previous techniques.
Super‐Clothoids
Authors: Bertails‐Descoubes Florence
Published: June 2012

Piecewise clothoids are 2D curves with continuous, piecewise linear curvature. Due to their smoothness properties, they have been extensively used in road design and robot path planning, as well as for the compact representation of hand‐drawn curves. In this paper we present the Super‐Clothoid model, a new mechanical model that for the first time allows for the computing of the dynamics of an elastic, inextensible piecewise clothoid. We first show that the kinematics of this model can be computed analytically depending on the Fresnel integrals, and precisely evaluated when required. Secondly, the discrete dynamics, naturally emerging from the Lagrange equations of motion, can be robustly and efficiently computed by performing and storing formal computations as far as possible, recoursing to numerical evaluation only when assembling the linear system to be solved at each time step. As a result, simulations turn out to be both interactive and stable, even for large displacements of the rod. Finally, we demonstrate the versatility of our model by handling various boundary conditions for the rod as well as complex external constraints such as frictional contact, and show that our model is perfectly adapted to inverse statics. Compared to lower‐order models, the super‐clothoid appears as a more natural and aesthetic primitive for bridging the gap between 2D geometric design and physics‐based deformation.
A continuous, editable representation for deforming mesh sequences with separate signals for time, pose and shape
Authors: Cashman Thomas J. , Hormann Kai
Published: June 2012

It is increasingly popular to represent non‐rigid motion using a deforming mesh sequence: a discrete sequence of frames, each of which is given as a mesh with a common graph structure. Such sequences have the flexibility to represent a wide range of mesh deformations used in practice, but they are also highly redundant, expensive to store, and difficult to edit in a time‐coherent manner. We address these limitations with a continuous representation that extracts redundancy in three separate phases, leading to separate editable signals in time, pose and shape. The representation can be applied to any deforming mesh sequence, in contrast to previous domain‐specific approaches. By modifying the three signal components, we demonstrate time‐coherent editing operations such as local repetition of part of a sequence, frame rate conversion and deformation transfer. We also show that our representation makes it possible to design new deforming sequences simply by sketching a curve in a 2D pose space.
Fast Grasp Synthesis for Various Shaped Objects
Authors: Kyota Fumihito , Saito Suguru
Published: June 2012

Human‐like grasp planning is difficult because a human hand has a high number of degrees of freedom, and there are many grasping styles depending on the shape of an object and purpose. We propose a fast grasp synthesis system which enables a user to choose the desired grasping styles from a set of grasp types in a human grasp taxonomy. Given a 3D model of an object, our system detects graspable positions and generates grasping hand postures in every applicable grasp types in the grasp taxonomy for each grasping position. Hand postures are generated separately for each digit, and hand alignment is then refined iteratively. A user can also specify the grasping position by moving the cursor onto object surface, as well as grasp type. The generated hand postures are shown as a table of thumbnail images, and the user can select the grasping hand posture by clicking on one of those postures. Our system enables interactive generation of various grasping hand postures in real time.
Manufacturing Layered Attenuators for Multiple Prescribed Shadow Images
Authors: Baran Ilya , Keller Philipp , Bradley Derek , Coros Stelian , Jarosz Wojciech , Nowrouzezahrai Derek , Gross Markus
Published: June 2012

We present a practical and inexpensive method for creating physical objects that cast different color shadow images when illuminated by prescribed lighting configurations. The input to our system is a number of lighting configurations and corresponding desired shadow images. Our approach computes attenuation masks, which are then printed on transparent materials and stacked to form a single multi‐layer attenuator. When illuminated with the input lighting configurations, this multi‐layer attenuator casts the prescribed color shadow images. Alternatively, our method can compute layers so that their permutations produce different prescribed shadow images under fixed lighting. Each multi‐layer attenuator is quick and inexpensive to produce, can generate multiple full‐color shadows, and can be designed to respond to different types of natural or synthetic lighting setups. We illustrate the effectiveness of our multi‐layer attenuators in simulation and in reality, with the sun as a light source.
Interactive Self‐Organizing Windows
Authors: Steinberger Markus , Waldner Manuela , Schmalstieg Dieter
Published: June 2012

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a dynamic window management technique that changes the perception of windows as fixed‐sized rectangles. The primary goal of self‐organizing windows is to automatically display the most relevant information for a user's current activity, which removes the burden of organizing and arranging windows from the user. We analyze the image‐based representation of each window and identify coherent pieces of information. The windows are then automatically moved, scaled and composed in a content‐aware manner to fit the most relevant information into the limited area of the screen. During the design process, we consider findings from previous experiments and show how users can benefit from our system. We also describe how the immense processing power of current graphics processing units can be exploited to build an interactive system that finds an optimal solution within the complex design space of all possible window transformations in real time.
Multitouch Gestures for Constrained Transformation of 3D Objects
Authors: Au Oscar Kin‐Chung , Tai Chiew‐Lan , Fu Hongbo
Published: June 2012

3D transformation widgets allow constrained manipulations of 3D objects and are commonly used in many 3D applications for fine‐grained manipulations. Since traditional transformation widgets have been mainly designed for mouse‐based systems, they are not user friendly for multitouch screens. There is little research on how to use the extra input bandwidth of multitouch screens to ease constrained transformation of 3D objects. This paper presents a small set of multitouch gestures which offers a seamless control of manipulation constraints (i.e., axis or plane) and modes (i.e., translation, rotation or scaling). Our technique does not require any complex manipulation widgets but candidate axes, which are for visualization rather than direct manipulation. Such design not only minimizes visual clutter but also tolerates imprecise touch‐based inputs. To further expand our axis‐based interaction vocabulary, we introduce intuitive touch gestures for relative manipulations, including snapping and borrowing axes of another object. A preliminary evaluation shows that our technique is more effective than a direct adaption of standard transformation widgets to the tactile paradigm.
Factored Facade Acquisition using Symmetric Line Arrangements
Authors: Ceylan Duygu , Mitra Niloy J. , Li Hao , Weise Thibaut , Pauly Mark
Published: June 2012

We introduce a novel framework for image‐based 3D reconstruction of urban buildings based on symmetry priors. Starting from image‐level edges, we generate a sparse and approximate set of consistent 3D lines. These lines are then used to simultaneously detect symmetric line arrangements while refining the estimated 3D model. Operating both on 2D image data and intermediate 3D feature representations, we perform iterative feature consolidation and effective outlier pruning, thus eliminating reconstruction artifacts arising from ambiguous or wrong stereo matches. We exploit non‐local coherence of symmetric elements to generate precise model reconstructions, even in the presence of a significant amount of outlier image‐edges arising from reflections, shadows, outlier objects, etc. We evaluate our algorithm on several challenging test scenarios, both synthetic and real. Beyond reconstruction, the extracted symmetry patterns are useful towards interactive and intuitive model manipulations.
Procedural Generation of Parcels in Urban Modeling
Authors: Vanegas Carlos A. , Kelly Tom , Weber Basil , Halatsch Jan , Aliaga Daniel G. , Müller Pascal
Published: June 2012

We present a method for interactive procedural generation of parcels within the urban modeling pipeline. Our approach performs a partitioning of the interior of city blocks using user‐specified subdivision attributes and style parameters. Moreover, our method is both robust and persistent in the sense of being able to map individual parcels from before an edit operation to after an edit operation – this enables transferring most, if not all, customizations despite small to large‐scale interactive editing operations. The guidelines guarantee that the resulting subdivisions are functionally and geometrically plausible for subsequent building modeling and construction. Our results include visual and statistical comparisons that demonstrate how the parcel configurations created by our method can closely resemble those found in real‐world cities of a large variety of styles. By directly addressing the block subdivision problem, we intend to increase the editability and realism of the urban modeling pipeline and to become a standard in parcel generation for future urban modeling methods.
The Varieties of Wonder
Authors: Sherry Patrick
Published: June 2012

Although wonder is a response to what is extraordinary or regarded as such, this covers a variety of things. Hence, wonder covers a spectrum from mere surprise or puzzlement to stronger responses like dread or amazement; moreover, it is often linked to other powerful responses like fear or admiration, and it can lead people into many pursuits and areas of reflection. I look at the variety of the objects of wonder, and of the neighbouring responses and conceptual connections found here, then I discuss the response of wonder itself, and its causes and effects. Finally, I ask why the sense of wonder can atrophy, and whether it can be suppressed deliberately.
THE CANONICAL MODEL SPACE FOR LAW‐INVARIANT CONVEX RISK MEASURES IS L1
Authors: Filipović Damir , Svindland Gregor
Published: June 2012

In this paper, we establish a one‐to‐one correspondence between law‐invariant convex risk measures on L∞ and L1. This proves that the canonical model space for the predominant class of law‐invariant convex risk measures is L1.
Ambiguity Aversion, Company Size and the Pricing of Earnings Forecasts
Authors: Antoniou Constantinos , Galariotis Emilios C. , Read Daniel
Published: June 2012

Several authors have reported an unconditional size effect in returns around earnings announcements. In this study we show how this finding can be understood as resulting from ambiguity aversion. We hypothesise that analyst forecasts for smaller companies are relatively more ambiguous; hence they are priced pessimistically by ambiguity‐averse investors. As the quarter comes to a close and ambiguity gradually subsides, the stock prices of smaller companies rise to correct this pessimism, creating the size effect. Our results support these hypotheses.
A Simple Model of Health Insurance Competition
Authors: Kemnitz Alexander
Published: June 2012

This study investigates competition between health insurance companies under different financing regulations. We consider two alternatives advanced in recent German healthcare reform discussions: competition by contribution rates (health contributions) and by fees (health premia). We find that contribution rate competition yields lower company profits and higher consumer welfare than premia competition when switching between insurance companies is costly.
The mind’s scalpel in surgical education: a randomised controlled trial of mental imagery
Authors: Geoffrion R , Gebhart J , Dooley Y , Bent A , Dandolu V , Meeks R , Baker K , Tang S , Ross S , Robert M
Published: June 2012

Please cite this paper as: Geoffrion R, Gebhart J, Dooley Y, Bent A, Dandolu V, Meeks R, Baker K, Tang S, Ross S, Robert M. The mind’s scalpel in surgical education: a randomised controlled trial of mental imagery. BJOG 2012;119:1040–1048.

Objective  To evaluate the role of mental imagery (MI) in resident training for a complex surgical procedure.

Design  Randomised controlled trial.

Setting  Eight centres across Canada and the USA.

Population  Junior gynaecology residents who had performed fewer than five vaginal hysterectomies (VH).

Methods  After performing a pretest VH, junior gynaecology residents were randomised to standard MI versus textbook reading (No MI) and then performed a test VH. Surgeons blinded to group evaluated resident performance on the pretest and test VH via global rating scales (GRS), procedure‐specific scales and intraoperative parameters. Residents evaluated their own performance.

Main outcome measure  Change in surgeon GRS score from pretest to test VH. The study was powered to detect a 20% difference in score change.

Results  Fifty residents completed the trial (24 MI, 26 No MI). There was no difference in GRS score change via blinded assessment from pretest to test evaluation between groups (mean change 13% [SD 17] versus 7% [SD 14], P = 0.192). There was no difference in procedure‐specific score change. There was a significant difference in self‐scored GRS score change between groups (mean change 19% [SD 12] versus 9% [SD 11], P = 0.005). Residents also felt more confident performing a VH (mean change 19% [SD 16] MI versus 11% [SD 10] No MI, P = 0.033).

Conclusions  No difference was observed in the surgical performance of residents after MI. Improved resident self‐confidence may be attributable to MI or the effect of unblinding on trial participants.
Hyperdopaminergic modulation of inhibitory transmission is dependent on GSK‐3β signaling‐mediated trafficking of GABAA receptors
Authors: Li Yan‐Chun , Wang Min‐Juan , Gao Wen‐Jun
Published: June 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 308–320.

Cortical dopamine (DA) modulation of the gamma‐amino butyric acid (GABA) system is closely associated with cognitive function and psychiatric disorders. We recently reported that the glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK‐3β) pathway is required for hyperdopamine/D2 receptor‐mediated inhibition of NMDA receptors in the prefrontal cortex. Here we explore whether or not GSK‐3β is also involved in dopaminergic modulation of GABAA receptor‐mediated inhibitory transmission. We confirmed that DA induces a dose‐dependent, bidirectional regulatory effect on inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in prefrontal neurons. The modulatory effects of DA were differentially affected by co‐application of GSK‐3β inhibitors and different doses of DA. GSK‐3β inhibitors completely blocked high‐dose (20 μM) DA‐induced depressive effects on IPSCs but exhibited limited effects on the facilitating regulation of IPSC in low‐dose DA (200 nM). We also confirmed that surface expressions of GABAA receptor β2/3 subunits were significantly decreased by DA applied in cultured prefrontal neurons and in vivo administration of DA reuptake inhibitor. These effects were blocked by prior administration of GSK‐3β inhibitors. We explored DA‐mediated regulation of GABAA receptor trafficking and exhibited the participation of brefeldin A‐inhibited GDP/GTP exchange factor 2 (BIG2) or dynamin‐dependent trafficking of GABAA receptors. Together, these data suggest that DA may act through different signaling pathways to affect synaptic inhibition, depending on the concentration. The GSK‐3β signaling pathway is involved in DA‐induced decrease in BIG2‐dependent insertion and an increase in the dynamin‐dependent internalization of GABAA receptors, which results in suppression of inhibitory synaptic transmission.
Meaning of work and the returning process after breast cancer: a longitudinal study of 56 women
Authors: Lilliehorn Sara , Hamberg Katarina , Kero Anneli , Salander Pär
Published: June 2012

Scand J Caring Sci; 2013; 27; 267–274

Meaning of work and the returning process after breast cancer: a longitudinal study of 56 women

Background: An increasing number of women survive breast cancer and a majority return to work. However, findings based on mean values may conceal individual processes that need to be better understood to discuss meaningful rehabilitation.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to describe the sick‐leave pattern of a group of Swedish women with primary breast cancer but foremost to explore their ideas about what motivates and discourages their return to work.

Method: Fifty‐six women were repeatedly interviewed over a period of 18–24 months. Interview sections that clearly illustrated the women’s experiences and ideas about work were categorized using the comparative similarities‐differences technique.

Findings: The average length of sick leave was 410 days (range 0–942). Six months after the first day of sick leave, 29% worked at least their previous service grade. At 12 months, 55% and at 18 months 57% did so. Those treated with chemotherapy had in average more than twice as large sick leave as those who did not. Three categories emerged. ‘Motives for not returning to work’ consists of four subcategories: ‘I’m still too fragile to return to work’; ‘My workplace is a discouraging place’; ‘I took an opportunity to pause’ and ‘I’ve lost the taste for work’. ‘Motives for returning’ consists of two sub‐categories: ‘Work generates and structures my everyday life’ and ‘I miss my workplace’. Finally, ‘Transition in work approach’ reflects a changed approach to work.

Conclusion: The meaning of work varies over time, but first and foremost work was regarded as an important part of the healing process as it restores the disruption of everyday life. Guidelines cannot be reduced to a linear relationship with biomedical variables but the individual context of everyday life must be considered.
Biotic interactions influence the projected distribution of a specialist mammal under climate change
Authors: Bateman Brooke L. , VanDerWal Jeremy , Williams Stephen E. , Johnson Christopher N.
Published: June 2012

Aim

To measure the effects of including biotic interactions on climate‐based species distribution models (SDMs) used to predict distribution shifts under climate change. We evaluated the performance of distribution models for an endangered marsupial, the northern bettong (Bettongia tropica), comparing models that used only climate variables with models that also took into account biotic interactions.

Location

North‐east Queensland, Australia.

Methods

We developed separate climate‐based distribution models for the northern bettong, its two main resources and a competitor species. We then constructed models for the northern bettong by including climate suitability estimates for the resources and competitor as additional predictor variables to make climate + resource and climate + resource + competition models. We projected these models onto seven future climate scenarios and compared predictions of northern bettong distribution made by these differently structured models, using a ‘global’ metric, the I similarity statistic, to measure overlap in distribution and a ‘local’ metric to identify where predictions differed significantly.

Results

Inclusion of food resource biotic interactions improved model performance. Over moderate climate changes, up to 3.0 °C of warming, the climate‐only model for the northern bettong gave similar predictions of distribution to the more complex models including interactions, with differences only at the margins of predicted distributions. For climate changes beyond 3.0 °C, model predictions diverged significantly. The interactive model predicted less contraction of distribution than the simpler climate‐only model.

Main conclusions

Distribution models that account for interactions with other species, in particular direct resources, improve model predictions in the present‐day climate. For larger climate changes, shifts in distribution of interacting species cause predictions of interactive models to diverge from climate‐only models. Incorporating interactions with other species in SDMs may be needed for long‐term prediction of changes in distribution of species under climate change, particularly for specialized species strongly dependent on a small number of biotic interactions.
Consistent contrast between eyelid and iris brightness supports a role for vigilance signalling in ducks
Authors: GUILLEMAIN MATTHIEU , FOUQUE CAROL , FIGUEROLA JORDI
Published: June 2012

Signalling self‐ability to maintain vigilance may help in securing a mate, while providing accurate information about vigilance status may result in conspecifics adjusting their own scanning rate of the environment, potentially to the individual's benefit. In birds, vigilance is often associated with head‐up postures adopted within a bout of head‐down activity, and this can be used by conspecifics to assess the vigilance of their flock mates. However, vigilance behaviour is not always obvious and other cues may then be used to assess vigilance rates of conspecifics. Here we assess whether iris/eyelid/face patterns from 43 duck species are consistent with the hypothesis that eyelid brightness has evolved so as to contrast with iris brightness, which may then help in signalling individual vigilance status. Ducks generally flock when resting during the day, and because of their wide visual fields, individuals can monitor their environment while remaining in a resting head‐down position. Ducks also show a wide variety of plumage and iris patterns, with both light‐headed and dark‐headed species. Matching our prediction, most ducks with dark irises had pale eyelids, irrespective of head colour. Furthermore, the smaller number of species with a pale iris generally have darker eyelids. A phylogenetic analysis shows a clear and significant association in the evolution of eyelid and iris brightness patterns in both males and females. These data therefore provide support for the hypothesis that eyelid brightness has evolved to act as a contrast with iris brightness. Further studies are now needed to examine the extent to which and the way this is used in vigilance information transfer between individuals.
Electoral coordination in mixed‐member systems: Does the level of democratic experience matter?
Authors: RIERA PEDRO
Published: June 2012

A number of institutional and non‐institutional factors hamper electoral coordination and, hence, increase party system fragmentation in the nominal tier of mixed electoral systems. Contrary to expectations, the number of electoral parties is not lower in all old democracies. Nevertheless, the level of democratic experience modifies the effect of other variables like the type of mixed electoral system or the closeness of the races. Econometric tests evaluate this phenomenon in a diverse sample of 15 countries and a total of 57 elections with more than 10,000 observations at the district level.
The Patient‐Centered Medical Home and Patient Experience
Authors: Martsolf Grant R. , Alexander Jeffrey A. , Shi Yunfeng , Casalino Lawrence P. , Rittenhouse Diane R. , Scanlon Dennis P. , Shortell Stephen M.
Published: June 2012

Objective

To examine the relationship between practices' reported use of patient‐centered medical home (PCMH) processes and patients' perceptions of their care experience.

Data Source

Primary survey data from 393 physician practices and 1,304 patients receiving care in those practices.

Study Design

This is an observational, cross‐sectional study. Using standard ordinary least‐squares and a sample selection model, we estimated the association between patients' care experience and the use of PCMH processes in the practices where they receive care.

Data Collection

We linked data from a nationally representative survey of individuals with chronic disease and two nationally representative surveys of physician practices.

Principal Findings

We found that practices' use of PCMH processes was not associated with patient experience after controlling for sample selection as well as practice and patient characteristics.

Conclusions

In our study, which was large, but somewhat limited in its measures of the PCMH and of patient experience, we found no association between PCMH processes and patient experience. The continued accumulation of evidence related to the possibilities of the PCMH, how PCMH is measured, and how the impact of PCMH is gauged provides important information for health care decision makers.
RECOVER evidence and knowledge gap analysis on veterinary CPR. Part 6: Post‐cardiac arrest care
Authors: Smarick Sean D. , Haskins Steve C. , Boller Manuel , Fletcher Daniel J. ,   the RECOVER Post‐Cardiac Arrest Care Domain Worksheet Authors
Published: June 2012

Objective

To systematically examine the evidence for interventions after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) on outcomes from veterinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to determine important knowledge gaps.

Design

Standardized, systematic evaluation of the literature, categorization of relevant articles according to level of evidence and quality, and development of consensus on conclusions for application of the concepts to clinical post‐cardiac arrest care.

Setting

Academia, referral practice, and general practice.

Results

Fifteen standardized clinical questions important for post‐cardiac arrest care were asked and research articles relevant to answering these questions were identified through structured, explicit literature database searches. The majority of these articles report research in species other than dogs or cats or consisted of experimental work in canine cardiac arrest models. Outcome metrics reported in these studies widely varied and ranged from quantification of mechanistic endpoints, such as elaboration of reactive oxygen species, to survival, and functional neurologic outcome.

Conclusions

Despite the near complete absence of clinical veterinary studies, the process allowed the formulation of statements for several postcardiac arrest treatments that were either supportive, such as mild therapeutic hypothermia or controlled reoxygenation, or neutral, such as for mannitol administration or seizure prophylaxis. Evidence grading allowed transparency in regards to the strength of these recommendations. Moreover, numerous knowledge gaps emerged that will allow generation of a road map for progress in veterinary post‐cardiac arrest care.
NorLeu3‐A(1–7) stimulation of diabetic foot ulcer healing: Results of a randomized, parallel‐group, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase 2 clinical trial
Authors: Balingit Peter P. , Armstrong David G. , Reyzelman Alexander M. , Bolton Laura , Verco Shelagh J. , Rodgers Kathleen E. , Nigh Katherine A. , diZerega Gere S.
Published: June 2012

This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled Phase 2 clinical trial explored NorLeu3‐A(1–7) (DSC127) safety and healing efficacy in diabetic foot ulcers. Patients with chronic, noninfected, neuropathic, or neuroischemic plantar Wagner Grade 1 or 2 foot ulcers (n = 172) were screened for nonhealing. Subjects were randomized to receive 4 weeks’ once‐daily topical treatment with 0.03% DSC127 (n = 26), 0.01% DSC127 (n = 27), or Placebo (n = 24), followed by 20 weeks’ standard of care. DSC127 was assessed for safety (including laboratory values and adverse events), primary efficacy (% ulcers completely epithelialized at Week 12), and durability of effect. Baseline, demography, and safety parameters were compared between intent‐to‐treat groups and were comparable. Dose‐response curves for DSC127 effect on % area reduction from baseline at Week 12 (40% placebo; 67% 0.01% DSC127; 80% 0.03% DSC127) and 24 (23% placebo; 53% 0.01% DSC127; 95% 0.03% DSC127) followed a log‐linear pattern for both intent‐to‐treat and per‐protocol populations. Covariate analysis compared reduction in ulcer area, depth, and volume from baseline; reductions in the 0.03% DSC127 group were greater at Weeks 12 and 24. Placebo‐treated ulcers healed in a median 22 weeks vs. 8.5 weeks for 0.03%DSC127 (p = 0.04). This study provides preliminary evidence that DSC127 is safe and effective in accelerating the healing of diabetic foot ulcers.
Dealing with heterogeneous populations in randomized wound trials: Challenges and potential solutions
Authors: Vollenweider Daniela , Ebneter Ingrid , Mayer Dieter , Hafner Jürg , Steurer Johann , Puhan Milo A.
Published: June 2012

Chronic wounds have a great variety of etiologies and manifestations that influence wound healing. Such heterogeneity potentially threatens the validity and clinical usefulness of trials if not considered appropriately. In 82 randomized wound trials retrieved from 10 Cochrane reviews, we assessed if and how authors considered wound and other prognostically important characteristics in the conduct and analysis of wound trials. We assessed whether these characteristics were discussed, reflected in the eligibility criteria, used for prestratification or for adjustments to ensure comparability of treatment groups, and whether subgroup analyses were conducted to identify heterogeneity of treatment effects. Nine percent of all trials explicitly discussed characteristics that influence wound healing in the introduction and 43% in the Discussion section. Ninety percent of trials had at least one prognostically important characteristic as eligibility criterion. Only 11% of trials used prestratification, and 6% adjusted the results for imbalances between treatment groups. Twenty‐seven percent performed subgroup analyses with prognostically important characteristics defining subgroups. Chronic wound trials use simple randomization, but rarely adapt the study design and analysis to take the heterogeneity of patients into consideration. Collaborative multicenter trials would overcome many of the limitations and provide statistical power to detect important treatment effects both overall and in subgroups.
Metamorphism and kinematics of the early deformation in the Variscan suture of SW Iberia
Authors: PONCE C. , SIMANCAS J. F. , AZOR A. , MARTÍNEZ POYATOS D. J. , BOOTH‐REA G. , EXPÓSITO I.
Published: June 2012

The early (Devonian) collisional stage in SW Iberia has been investigated through the analysis of deformation in the Cubito‐Moura schists, the main lithology of an Allochthonous Complex putatively rooted in the suture between the Ossa‐Morena and South Portuguese zones. The first deformation in these schists (D1) is recorded as a S1‐L1 mylonitic fabric well preserved in early quartz veins. Subsequent D2 deformation caused the main folds and the main (S2) foliation. After restoration, the stretching lineation (L1) trends at a small angle with the Ossa‐Morena/South Portuguese suture. This trend, together with the top‐to‐the‐east kinematics determined from quartz microfabric is indicative of an oblique left‐lateral collisional scenario in SW Iberia. Chlorite–white K‐mica–quartz ± chloritoid multi‐equilibrium calculations yield P–T conditions in the range 0.9–1.2 GPa and 300–400 °C, during the first collisional stage. P–T conditions during D2 were 0.3–0.8 GPa and 400–450 °C, thus indicating an important stage of exhumation of the Allochthonous Complex during these two collisional events, after subduction of the Ossa‐Morena Zone margin under the South Portuguese Zone continental crust. In the general context of the Variscan orogen, dominated by dextral collision, the left‐lateral convergence in SW Iberia can be explained in terms of the Avalonian salient represented by the South Portuguese Zone, which would impinge between Iberia and Morocco.
Return of Fire as a Restoration Tool: Long‐Term Effects of Burn Severity on Habitat Use by Mexican Fox Squirrels
Authors: Doumas Sandra L. , Koprowski John L.
Published: June 2012

After decades of suppression, fire is returning to forests of the western United States through wildfires and prescribed burns. These fires may aid restoration of vegetation structure and processes, which could improve conditions for wildlife species and reduce severe wildfire risk. Understanding response of wildlife species to fires is essential to forest restoration because contemporary fires may not have the same effects as historical fires. Recent fires in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona provided opportunity to investigate long‐term effects of burn severity on habitat selection of a native wildlife species. We surveyed burned forest for squirrel feeding sign and related vegetation characteristics to frequency of feeding sign occurrence. We used radio‐telemetry within fire‐influenced forest to determine home ranges of Mexican fox squirrels,Sciurus nayaritensis chiricahuae, and compared vegetation characteristics within home ranges to random areas available to squirrels throughout burned conifer forest. Squirrels fed in forest with open understory and closed canopy cover. Vegetation within home ranges was characterized by lower understory density, consistent with the effects of low‐severity fire, and larger trees than random locations. Our results suggest that return of low‐severity fire can help restore habitat for Mexican fox squirrels and other native wildlife species with similar habitat affiliations in forests with a historical regime of frequent, low‐severity fire. Our study contributes to an understanding of the role and impact of fire in forest ecosystems and the implications for forest restoration as fire returns to the region.
Large‐Scale Restoration of Dry Grasslands on Ex‐Arable Land Using a Regional Seed Mixture: Establishment of Target Species
Authors: Prach Karel , Jongepierová Ivana , Řehounková Klára
Published: June 2012

Large‐scale (circa 500 ha) restoration of species‐rich dry grasslands was conducted using a high‐diversity regional seed mixture in the White Carpathians Protected Landscape Area and Biosphere Reserve, Czech Republic, Central Europe. After sowing, the restored grasslands were regularly mown. Vegetation was analyzed at sites restored 1–12 years ago and compared with that of ancient, extremely species‐rich grasslands nearby. Nearly all (98%) sown target species successfully established and nearly half of unsown target species established spontaneously, partly dependent on distance to the ancient grasslands. Early mowing in the first half of June appeared to support species diversity and broad‐leaved forbs at the expense of competitive grasses. Using a regional seed mixture appeared to be an effective way of restoring dry grasslands and is especially recommended in the proximity of still existing ancient grasslands where spontaneous establishment of unsown target species may reinforce the success of restoration more easily.
Association Between Alcohol Screening Scores and Mortality in Black, Hispanic, and White Male Veterans
Authors: Williams Emily C. , Bradley Katharine A. , Gupta Shalini , Harris Alex H. S.
Published: June 2012

Background

Scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption (AUDIT‐C) questionnaire are associated with mortality, but whether or how associations vary across race/ethnicity is unknown.

Methods

Self‐reported black (n = 13,068), Hispanic (n = 9,466), and white (n = 182,688) male Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatients completed the AUDIT‐C via mailed survey. Logistic regression models evaluated whether race/ethnicity modified the association between AUDIT‐C scores (0, 1 to 4, 5 to 8, and 9 to 12) and mortality after 24 months, adjusting for demographics, smoking, and comorbidity.

Results

Adjusted mortality rates were 0.036, 0.033, and 0.054, for black, Hispanic, and white patients with AUDIT‐C scores of 1 to 4, respectively. Race/ethnicity modified the association between AUDIT‐C scores and mortality (p = 0.0022). Hispanic and white patients with scores of 0, 5 to 8, and 9 to 12 had significantly increased risk of death compared to those with scores of 1 to 4; Hispanic ORs: 1.93, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.49; 1.57, 1.07 to 2.30; 1.82, 1.04 to 3.17, respectively; white ORs: 1.34, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.40; 1.12, 1.03 to 1.21; 1.81, 1.59 to 2.07, respectively. Black patients with scores of 0 and 5 to 8 had increased risk relative to scores of 1 to 4 (ORs 1.28, 1.06 to 1.56 and 1.50, 1.13 to 1.99), but there was no significant increased risk for scores of 9 to 12 (ORs 1.27, 0.77 to 2.09). Post hoc exploratory analyses suggested an interaction between smoking and AUDIT‐C scores might account for some of the observed differences across race/ethnicity.

Conclusions

Among male VA outpatients, associations between alcohol screening scores and mortality varied significantly depending on race/ethnicity. Findings could be integrated into systems with automated risk calculators to provide demographically tailored feedback regarding medical consequences of drinking.
Who Is Supporting Homeless Youth? Predictors of Support in Personal Networks
Authors: de la Haye Kayla , Green Harold D. , Kennedy David P. , Zhou Annie , Golinelli Daniela , Wenzel Suzanne L. , Tucker Joan S.
Published: June 2012

Homeless youth lack the traditional support networks of their housed peers, which increases their risk for poor health outcomes. Using a multilevel dyadic analytic approach, this study identified characteristics of social contacts, relationships, and social networks associated with the provision of tangible and emotional support to homeless youth (N = 419, M age = 20.09, SD = 2.80). Support providers were likely to be family members, sex partners, or non–street‐based contacts. The provision of support was also associated with contacts' employment and homelessness status, frequency of contact, shared risk behaviors, and the number of network members that were homeless and employed. The results provide insights into how homeless youth could be assisted to develop more supportive social networks.
Immunoglobulin G dimers and immune complexes are dispensable for the therapeutic efficacy of intravenous immune globulin in murine immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Tremblay Tony , Paré Isabelle , Bazin Renée
Published: June 2012

BACKGROUND: Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the therapeutic effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Noteworthy, a major role has been attributed to immunoglobulin (Ig)G dimers present in IVIG. It has also been suggested that immune complexes formed between IVIG and the patient's proteins after infusion could contribute to the therapeutic effect of IVIG in several autoimmune disorders. We recently observed that in‐house preparations of polyclonal human IgG derived from small pools of plasma and devoid of IgG dimers were as efficient as IVIG in a mouse model of thrombocytopenia. In this work, we revisited the role of IgG dimers in the therapeutic effects of IVIG in ITP.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We used the passive mouse model of ITP to determine the therapeutic efficacy of human IgG preparations devoid of IgG dimers and of dimer‐enriched and ‐depleted commercial IVIG. Immune complex formation between IVIG and mouse plasma proteins was evaluated using a combination of chromatography and immunoprecipitation procedures.

RESULTS: All preparations tested showed the same efficacy to alleviate ITP, regardless of their dimer contents. Significant amounts of immune complexes formed between IVIG and mouse plasma proteins were detected. However, the amount of immune complexes detected using the in‐house preparation of human polyclonal IgG and mouse plasma was significantly lower, although the in‐house preparation exhibited the same therapeutic efficacy as commercial IVIG.

CONCLUSION: IgG dimers and immune complexes are dispensable to prevent thrombocytopenia in a mouse model of the disease.