bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Directional Influences of Ventricular Activation on Myocardial Scar Characterization
Authors: Tung Roderick , Josephson Mark E. , Bradfield Jason S. , Shivkumar Kalyanam
Published: August 2016

Background—

The effects of varying the wavefront of activation on ventricular scar characterization has not been systematically assessed.

Methods and Results—

Patients referred for ablation of scar-related ventricular tachycardia underwent voltage maps during a minimum of 2 wavefronts of activation. The bipolar and unipolar low-voltage areas were compared, and direct electrogram analysis was performed in regions where discrepancies were seen. Concordance between wavefronts was measured by calculating percentage of overlap between maps. Sixty endocardial voltage maps (360±147 points) were performed in 29 patients during 2 distinct wavefronts, with 3 wavefronts in 7 patients. With median bipolar and unipolar low-voltage areas of 37 and 116 cm
2
, respectively, 22% and 14% variability in median scar area was observed with a different activation wavefront. Concordance between wavefronts was lower in patients with mixed scar compared to those with dense scar (52% [interquartile range, 29%–70%] versus 84% [interquartile range, 71%–87%]), with septal scars exhibiting the lowest concordance [(27% (interquartile range, 21%–56%)]. Among 16 critical sites for ventricular tachycardia, 3 (18%) were in a discordant region of scar, with one of the wavefronts showing voltage >1.5 mV.

Conclusions—

Significant differences in bipolar and unipolar low-voltage characterization of scar were observed with different ventricular activation wavefronts, particularly in septal locations and in patients without dense scar. In patients with a paucity of dense, low-voltage regions identified during substrate mapping, an alternate activation wavefront may increase the sensitivity to detect arrhythmogenic substrate and critical sites for ventricular tachycardia.
Validation and Comparison of Seven Mortality Prediction Models for Hospitalized Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Authors: Lagu Tara , Pekow Penelope S. , Shieh Meng-Shiou , Stefan Mihaela , Pack Quinn R. , Kashef Mohammad Amin , Atreya Auras R. , Valania Gregory , Slawsky Mara T. , Lindenauer Peter K.
Published: August 2016

Background—

Heart failure (HF) inpatient mortality prediction models can help clinicians make treatment decisions and researchers conduct observational studies; however, published models have not been validated in external populations.

Methods and Results—

We compared the performance of 7 models that predict inpatient mortality in patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure: 4 HF-specific mortality prediction models developed from 3 clinical databases (ADHERE [Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry], EFFECT study [Enhanced Feedback for Effective Cardiac Treatment], and GWTG-HF registry [Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure]); 2 administrative HF mortality prediction models (Premier, Premier+); and a model that uses clinical data but is not specific for HF (Laboratory-Based Acute Physiology Score [LAPS2]). Using a multihospital, electronic health record–derived data set (HealthFacts [Cerner Corp], 2010–2012), we identified patients ≥18 years admitted with HF. Of 13 163 eligible patients, median age was 74 years; half were women; and 27% were black. In-hospital mortality was 4.3%. Model-predicted mortality ranges varied: Premier+ (0.8%–23.1%), LAPS2 (0.7%–19.0%), ADHERE (1.2%–17.4%), EFFECT (1.0%–12.8%), GWTG-Eapen (1.2%–13.8%), and GWTG-Peterson (1.1%–12.8%). The LAPS2 and Premier models outperformed the clinical models (C statistics: LAPS2 0.80 [95% confidence interval 0.78–0.82], Premier models 0.81 [95% confidence interval 0.79–0.83] and 0.76 [95% confidence interval 0.74–0.78], and clinical models 0.68 to 0.70).

Conclusions—

Four clinically derived, inpatient, HF mortality models exhibited similar performance, with C statistics near 0.70. Three other models, 1 developed in electronic health record data and 2 developed in administrative data, also were predictive, with C statistics from 0.76 to 0.80. Because every model performed acceptably, the decision to use a given model should depend on practical concerns and intended use.
Implications of Using Different Definitions on Outcomes in Worsening Heart Failure
Authors: Kelly Jacob P. , Cooper Lauren B. , Gallup Dianne , Anstrom Kevin J. , Chen Horng H. , Redfield Margaret M. , O’Connor Christopher M. , Mentz Robert J. , Hernanadez Adrian F. , Felker G. Michael
Published: August 2016

Background—

In-hospital worsening heart failure (WHF) is an important event that has inconsistent definitions used across trials. We used data from 2 acute heart failure (HF) trials from the National Institutes of Health HF Network, DOSE (Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation) and ROSE (Renal Optimization Strategies), to understand event rates associated with different WHF definitions.

Methods and Results—

We pooled data from 668 patients in DOSE and ROSE and assessed the relationship between WHF and the composite end point of rehospitalization, emergency room visits for HF, and mortality through 60 days. We also assessed for a differential relationship between the timing of WHF development and outcomes. The overall incidence of WHF was 14.6% (24.1% in DOSE, 6.3% in ROSE, and 5.0% in DOSE using the ROSE definition). WHF was associated with an increase in the composite end point (hazard ratio [HR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–2.42;
P
=0.01). However, the association between WHF and outcomes was significantly stronger in ROSE than in DOSE (HR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.45–4.91;
P
<0.01 and HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.79–2.08;
P
=0.31, respectively). Development of WHF between baseline to 24 hours compared with 24 to 48 hours or 48 to 72 hours demonstrated a trend toward improved outcomes (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.21–1.17;
P
=0.11 and HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.20–1.04;
P
=0.06, respectively).

Conclusions—

A WHF definition that excluded the intensification of diuretics resulted in a lower event rate but a stronger association with outcomes. These data support the need for continued efforts to standardize WHF definitions in clinical trials.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT00577135 (DOSE) and NCT01132846 (ROSE).
PI(4,5)P2 Is Translocated by ABCA1 to the Cell Surface Where It Mediates Apolipoprotein A1 Binding and Nascent HDL Assembly
Authors: Gulshan Kailash , Brubaker Gregory , Conger Heather , Wang Shuhui , Zhang Renliang , Hazen Stanley L. , Smith Jonathan D.
Published: August 2016

Rationale:

The molecular mechanism by which ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mediates cellular binding of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA1) and nascent high-density lipoprotein (HDL) assembly is not well understood.

Objective:

To determine the cell surface lipid that mediates apoA1 binding to ABCA1-expressing cells and the role it plays in nascent HDL assembly.

Methods and Results:

Using multiple biochemical and biophysical methods, we found that apoA1 binds specifically to phosphatidylinositol (4,5) bis-phosphate (PIP2). Flow cytometry and PIP2 reporter-binding assays demonstrated that ABCA1 led to PIP2 redistribution from the inner to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. Enzymatic cleavage of cell surface PIP2 or decreased cellular PIP2 by knockdown of phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate 4-kinase impaired apoA1 binding and cholesterol efflux to apoA1. PIP2 also increased the spontaneous solubilization of phospholipid liposomes by apoA1. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we found that ABCA1’s PIP2 and phosphatidylserine translocase activities are independent from each other. Furthermore, we discovered that PIP2 is effluxed from cells to apoA1, where it is associated with HDL in plasma, and that PIP2 on HDL is taken up by target cells in a scavenger receptor-BI–dependent manner. Mouse plasma PIP2 levels are apoA1 gene dosage–dependent and are >1 μM in apoA1 transgenic mice.

Conclusions:

ABCA1 has PIP2 floppase activity, which increases cell surface PIP2 levels that mediate apoA1 binding and lipid efflux during nascent HDL assembly. We found that PIP2 itself is effluxed to apoA1 and it circulates on plasma HDL, where it can be taken up via the HDL receptor scavenger receptor-BI.
Haptoglobin or Hemopexin Therapy Prevents Acute Adverse Effects of Resuscitation After Prolonged Storage of Red Cells
Authors: Graw Jan A. , Mayeur Claire , Rosales Ivy , Liu Yumin , Sabbisetti Venkata S. , Riley Frank E. , Rechester Osher , Malhotra Rajeev , Warren H. Shaw , Colvin Robert B. , Bonventre Joseph V. , Bloch Donald B. , Zapol Warren M.
Published: August 2016

Background:

Extracellular hemoglobin and cell-free heme are toxic breakdown products of hemolyzed erythrocytes. Mammals synthesize the scavenger proteins haptoglobin and hemopexin, which bind extracellular hemoglobin and heme, respectively. Transfusion of packed red blood cells is a lifesaving therapy for patients with hemorrhagic shock. Because erythrocytes undergo progressive deleterious morphological and biochemical changes during storage, transfusion of packed red blood cells that have been stored for prolonged intervals (SRBCs; stored for 35–40 days in humans or 14 days in mice) increases plasma levels of cell-free hemoglobin and heme. Therefore, in patients with hemorrhagic shock, perfusion-sensitive organs such as the kidneys are challenged not only by hypoperfusion but also by the high concentrations of plasma hemoglobin and heme that are associated with the transfusion of SRBCs.

Methods:

To test whether treatment with exogenous human haptoglobin or hemopexin can ameliorate adverse effects of resuscitation with SRBCs after 2 hours of hemorrhagic shock, mice that received SRBCs were given a coinfusion of haptoglobin, hemopexin, or albumin.

Results:

Treatment with haptoglobin or hemopexin but not albumin improved the survival rate and attenuated SRBC-induced inflammation. Treatment with haptoglobin retained free hemoglobin in the plasma and prevented SRBC-induced hemoglobinuria and kidney injury. In mice resuscitated with fresh packed red blood cells, treatment with haptoglobin, hemopexin, or albumin did not cause harmful effects.

Conclusions:

In mice, the adverse effects of transfusion with SRBCs after hemorrhagic shock are ameliorated by treatment with either haptoglobin or hemopexin. Haptoglobin infusion prevents kidney injury associated with high plasma hemoglobin concentrations after resuscitation with SRBCs. Treatment with the naturally occurring human plasma proteins haptoglobin or hemopexin may have beneficial effects in conditions of severe hemolysis after prolonged hypotension.
Two new combinations in Polygonaceae for the Flora of Taiwan
Authors: HSU TIAN-CHUAN , CHUNG SHIH-WEN
Published: August 2016

When preparing the Illustrated Flora of Taiwan, we noticed that new combinations are necessary for two endemic species in family Polygonaceae Jussieu (1789: 82), Polygonum pilushanense Y.C.Liu & C.H.Ou in Ou (1976: 123) and P. yatagaianum Mori (1937: 25), to fit recently revised taxonomic framework (Sanchez et al. 2009, 2011, Schuster et al. 2011, 2015). Brief notes on their taxonomic positions are also provided.
Will Global Warming Make Hurricane Forecasting More Difficult?
Authors: Emanuel Kerry
Published: August 2016

Hurricane track forecasts have improved steadily over the past few decades, yet forecasting hurricane intensity remains challenging. Of special concern are the rare instances of tropical cyclones that intensify rapidly just before landfall, catching forecasters and populations off guard, thereby risking large casualties. Here, we review two historical examples of such events and use scaling arguments and models to show that rapid intensification just before landfall is likely to become increasingly frequent and severe as the globe warms.
The Robustness of Midlatitude Weather Pattern Changes due to Arctic Sea Ice Loss
Authors: Chen Hans W. , Zhang Fuqing , Alley Richard B.
Published: August 2016

The significance and robustness of the link between Arctic sea ice loss and changes in midlatitude weather patterns is investigated through a series of model simulations from the Community Atmosphere Model, version 5.3, with systematically perturbed sea ice cover in the Arctic. Using a large ensemble of 10 sea ice scenarios and 550 simulations, it is found that prescribed Arctic sea ice anomalies produce statistically significant changes for certain metrics of the midlatitude circulation but not for others. Furthermore, the significant midlatitude circulation changes do not scale linearly with the sea ice anomalies and are not present in all scenarios, indicating that the remote atmospheric response to reduced Arctic sea ice can be statistically significant under certain conditions but is generally nonrobust. Shifts in the Northern Hemisphere polar jet stream and changes in the meridional extent of upper-level large-scale waves due to the sea ice perturbations are generally small and not clearly distinguished from intrinsic variability. Reduced Arctic sea ice may favor a circulation pattern that resembles the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation and may increase the risk of cold outbreaks in eastern Asia by almost 50%, but this response is found in only half of the scenarios with negative sea ice anomalies. In eastern North America the frequency of extreme cold events decreases almost linearly with decreasing sea ice cover. This study’s finding of frequent significant anomalies without a robust linear response suggests interactions between variability and persistence in the coupled system, which may contribute to the lack of convergence among studies of Arctic influences on midlatitude circulation.
Wind and Wave Climate in the Arctic Ocean as Observed by Altimeters
Authors: Liu Qingxiang , Babanin Alexander V. , Zieger Stefan , Young Ian R. , Guan Changlong
Published: August 2016

Twenty years (1996–2015) of satellite observations were used to study the climatology and trends of oceanic winds and waves in the Arctic Ocean in the summer season (August–September). The Atlantic-side seas, exposed to the open ocean, host more energetic waves than those on the Pacific side. Trend analysis shows a clear spatial (regional) and temporal (interannual) variability in wave height and wind speed. Waves in the Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea (near the northern Alaska), and Laptev Sea have been increasing at a rate of 0.1–0.3 m decade−1, found to be statistically significant at the 90% level. The trend of waves in the Greenland and Barents Seas, on the contrary, is weak and not statistically significant. In the Barents and Kara Seas, winds and waves initially increased between 1996 and 2006 and later decreased. Large-scale atmospheric circulations such as the Arctic Oscillation and Arctic dipole anomaly have a clear impact on the variation of winds and waves in the Atlantic sector. Comparison between altimeter observations and ERA-Interim shows that the reanalysis winds are on average 1.6 m s−1 lower in the Arctic Ocean, which translates to a low bias of significant wave height (−0.27 m) in the reanalysis wave data.
Do early internalizing and externalizing problems predict later irritability in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder?
Authors: Mulraney Melissa , Zendarski Nardia , Mensah Fiona , Hiscock Harriet , Sciberras Emma
Published: August 2016

Objective:

Irritable mood is common in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Research to date has primarily comprised cross-sectional studies; thus, little is known about the antecedents of irritability. Furthermore, existing cross-sectional studies generally focus on the association between irritability and comorbidities and do not examine broader aspects of functioning. Finally, previous research has neglected to include child-report of irritability. This study aimed to address these gaps using data from a longitudinal study of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Method:

Children aged 5–13 years (mean = 10.2; standard deviation = 1.9) with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were recruited from pediatric practices across Victoria, Australia. This study reports on those who had reached adolescence (12 years or older, mean = 13.8; standard deviation = 1.2) at the 3-year follow-up ( n = 140). Internalizing and externalizing problems were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. At follow-up, parent-reported and adolescent self-reported irritability was assessed using the Affective Reactivity Index. Parent and adolescent outcomes measured at follow-up included attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom severity, sleep, behavior and parent mental health.

Results:

Children with externalizing problems at age 10 had higher parent-reported irritability (β = 0.31, 95% confidence interval = [0.17,–0.45], p = 0.001) in adolescence. Cross-sectional analyses found that irritability was associated with increased attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom severity and sleep problems; poorer emotional, behavioral and social functioning; and poorer parent mental health.

Conclusion:

Our findings highlight the importance of assessing for and managing early conduct problems in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as these predict ongoing irritability which, in turn, is associated with poorer functioning across a number of domains.
The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement and Pharmaceutical Regulation in Canada and Australia
Authors: Lexchin Joel , Gleeson Deborah
Published: August 2016

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) is a large regional trade agreement involving 12 countries. It was signed in principle in February 2016 but has not yet been ratified in any of the participating countries. The TPP provisions place a range of constraints on how governments regulate the pharmaceutical sector and set prices for medicines. This article presents a prospective policy analysis of the possible effects of the TPP on these two points in Canada and Australia. Five chapters of relevance to pharmaceutical policy are analyzed: chapters on Technical Barriers to Trade (Chapter 8), Intellectual Property (Chapter 18), Investment (Chapter 9), Dispute Resolution (Chapter 28), and an annex of the chapter on Transparency and Anti-Corruption (Chapter 26, Annex 26-A). The article concludes that the TPP could have profound effects on the criteria these countries use to decide on drug safety and effectiveness, how new drugs are approved (or not) for marketing, post-market surveillance and inspection, the listing of drugs on public formularies, and how individual drugs are priced in the future. Furthermore, the TPP, if ratified and enforced, will reduce future policy flexibility to address the increasing challenge of rising drug prices.
Prevalence of LD From Parental and Professional Perspectives: A Comparison of the Data From the National Survey of Children’s Health and the Office of Special Education Programs’ Reports to Congress
Authors: Pullen Paige C.
Published: August 2016

Since the emergence of the field of learning disabilities (LD) in the late 1960s and early 1970s, controversy has surrounded issues regarding methods used for identification. The prevalence of students identified as LD increased steadily from the 1970s until the beginning of the 21st century, at which time it has decreased until at least 2011 (the most current data available from the U.S. Office of Education). In this article, I compare the prevalence rates of children aged 6 to 17 years being served in schools according to the Office of Special Education Programs with the prevalence rates as reported by parents on the National Survey of Children’s Health. To date, no such comparison has been made that takes into account parents’ knowledge of their children’s disabilities. Results of the analyses reveal that parents report that their children have LD at a significantly higher rate than what is reported by schools of students receiving LD services. Most important, the longitudinal trend from 2001 to 2011 indicates that parents are reporting a slight increase whereas the Office of Special Education Programs is reporting a dramatic decrease in LD.
Localized legacies of civil war
Authors: Deglow Annekatrin
Published: August 2016

This study explores the local effects of internal armed conflict on postwar violent crime in Northern Ireland. It argues that exposure to wartime violence will lead to higher levels of violent crime in the aftermath of conflict. Particularly, it claims that exposure to violence committed by armed groups challenging the state (anti-government groups) will have this effect, as it erodes the legitimacy needed for local law enforcement agencies to function effectively. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to the emergence of a postwar public security gap that lowers opportunity costs to resort to violent crime for a range of local actors. To evaluate these propositions, spatial statistics on a subnational dataset covering war-related fatalities for the period 1969–98 and police crime records for the postwar period 2002–06 are employed. The results indicate that the more an area has been exposed to violence, and the larger the proportion of this violence committed by anti-government groups, the more violent crime on the local level. This study hence contributes both to the burgeoning literature on the legacies of civil war and to recent research emphasizing the need to disaggregate non-state actors.
The state of ethical-legal oaths in UK medical practice today: Is it time to look at standardising?
Authors: Atenstaedt RL
Published: August 2016

The taking of an ethical-legal oath is a “rite of passage” for many medical practitioners. A 1997 paper noted that half of medical schools in the UK administer an oath. I performed a survey of UK medical schools to see whether these are still used today. An electronic survey was sent to 31 UK medical schools, asking them whether the Hippocratic Oath (in any version) was taken by their medical students; non-respondents were followed up by telephone. Information was obtained from 21 UK medical schools, giving a response rate of 68% (21/31). A total of 18 (86%) institutions use an oath. Ethical-legal oaths are therefore taken in the vast majority of UK medical schools today. However, a great variety are used, and there are advantages in standardisation. My recommendation is that the Standard Medical Oath of the UK (SMOUK) is adopted by all medical schools, and that this is also taken regularly by doctors as part of revalidation.
Structural deformation behavior of Jacquardtronic lace based on the mass-spring model
Authors: Li Xinxin , Zhang Aijun , Ma Pibo , Cong Honglian , Jiang Gaoming
Published: August 2016

To simulate the structural deformation behavior of Jacquardtronic lace, which is formed on a multibar Jacquard Raschel machine and is widely used in female fashion, the key influencing factors on structural deformation were introduced and a tailored mass-spring model was built in which the lace was considered to be numbers of evenly distributed particles connected by elastane springs. These springs covered structural springs, restriction springs and spiral springs, respectively, created for ground pillars, Jacquard inlays, pattern lapping and elastane yarns. The elastane force on particles was analyzed to study motion state and deformation behavior with the explicit Euler method. The deformation simulated models were implemented by a simulator program via Visual C++ and were tested with a lace sample. Particular attention was paid to analyzing the effect of Jacquard structures and yarn tension on deformation and the detection model was introduced to avoid improper deformation caused by excessive yarn tension. The simulation results showed practicability and efficiency when compared with the real sample.
Universalism After the Post-colonial Turn
Authors: Getachew Adom
Published: August 2016

This essay explores the possibilities and limits of decentering Europe by examining the Haitian Revolution and contemporary invocations of its legacy among political theorists and historians. Recent accounts of the Haitian Revolution have celebrated its universalism as a realization of French revolutionary ideals. As I argue in the essay, this interpretation undermines the Haitian Revolution’s specificity as the first and only successful revolution against colonial slavery. I offer an alternative interpretation that begins from the specificity of colonial slavery and explores how Haitian revolutionaries inaugurated another universalism linked to individual and collective autonomy. Haitian revolutionaries offered a radical account of black citizenship and envisioned a world order in which both slavery and colonial rule would be transcended. This reinterpretation of the Haitian Revolution offers an alternative approach to what it might mean to decenter Europe—one that begins from the specific political problems subaltern actors encountered and illustrates how ideals are remade in diverse contexts.
Employee Age and Company Performance: An Integrated Model of Aging and Human Resource Management Practices
Authors: von Bonsdorff Monika E. , Zhou Le , Wang Mo , Vanhala Sinikka , von Bonsdorff Mikaela B. , Rantanen Taina
Published: August 2016

This study investigated the relationships among company average age, company work ability, and company performance by examining (a) the effects of employee average use of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) personal strategies and high-involvement work practices (HIWPs) on employee work ability; (b) the buffering effects of both employee average use of SOC and HIWPs on the negative relationship between company-level average age of employees and employee work ability; and (c) the link between company average age and company performance as mediated by company work ability. Analysis was conducted on data from 70 Finnish companies in the retail and metal industries and their 889 employees. Results showed that company average age was negatively related to company work ability, which in turn was positively related to company performance assessed by company managers. HIWPs were positively related to company work ability. Employee average use of SOC strategies buffered the negative effect of company average age on company work ability. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Simple Word of Mouth or Complex Resource Orchestration for Overcoming Liabilities of Outsidership
Authors: Stoyanov Stoyan , Woodward Richard , Stoyanova Veselina
Published: August 2016

Drawing on the resource orchestration literature, we explore the processes by which transnational entrepreneurs offset the liabilities of outsidership they face in their host country. We show how these entrepreneurs’ outsidership with respect to domestic business networks of the host country is compensated by their involvement in diaspora networks. Our second contribution lies in an extension of the resource orchestration framework, as we show that sequencing of resource orchestration processes is important for the implementation of the entrepreneurs’ strategy for using their embeddedness within the diaspora network for enhancing their competitiveness and can lead to groupings of activities that differ from the groupings found in the original version of the framework.
Relations of shyness–sensitivity and unsociability with adjustment in middle childhood and early adolescence in suburban Chinese children
Authors: Liu Junsheng , Chen Xinyin , Zhou Ying , Li Dan , Fu Rui , Coplan Robert J.
Published: August 2016

This study examined how shyness–sensitivity and unsociability were associated with social, school, and psychological adjustment in Chinese children and adolescents. Participants included 564 children (272 boys, Mage=9 years) and 462 adolescents (246 boys, Mage=13 years) in a suburban region in China. Data were obtained from peer assessments, sociometric nominations, teacher-ratings, self-reports, and school records. The results showed that relations of shyness and unsociability with adjustment differed in middle childhood and early adolescence. Shyness tended to be associated with social and psychological problems more evidently in adolescence than in childhood. In contrast, unsociability was associated with problems more evidently across domains in childhood than in adolescence. The results indicate that the implications of the two main forms of social withdrawal may vary across developmental periods.
First-Time Motherhood Experiences and the Decision to Have a Second Child
Authors: Cassé Julie F. H. , Oosterman Mirjam , Volling Brenda L. , Schuengel Carlo
Published: August 2016

Mothers’ experiences with their firstborn child may be relevant for understanding the further growth of families. Dutch women ( N = 795) reported on motherhood experiences during pregnancy and the first year. Direct effect models of mood symptoms, birth expectations, and child negative reactivity, and indirect effect models via parenting self-efficacy were tested to discriminate mothers who had, wanted, were undecided, and did not want a second child at a 2-year follow-up. Results indicated that mothers with two children had higher prenatal parenting self-efficacy and less postnatal trait anxiety compared with those who wanted a second child. There was no evidence for indirect effects of mood symptoms, birth expectations, or negative reactivity on having a second child via parenting self-efficacy. Also, mothers who did not want a second child had more unmet expectations regarding childbirth and, surprisingly, reported less child negative reactivity than other mothers. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Effects of Listening to Music on the Comfort of Chemotherapy Patients
Authors: Bilgiç Şebnem , Acaroğlu Rengin
Published: August 2016

The symptoms of an illness that requires chemotherapy and the corresponding effects of such treatment exacerbate the pain and discomfort that patients typically experience. Listening to music may help patients cope with chemotherapy symptoms, thereby contributing to their physical ease and well-being. Seventy patients who were receiving treatment at the outpatient chemotherapy unit were invited to participate in this work. During chemotherapy sessions and the week after the sessions, the patients listened to music with headphones. The occurrence of chemotherapy symptoms such as pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, lack of appetite, not feeling well, and shortness of breath in the intervention group was statistically significant after listening to music ( p < .05). Improvements in total general comfort, as well as physical, psychospiritual, and sociocultural comfort, were also statistically significant ( p < .05). These findings indicate that listening to music effectively reduces the severity of chemotherapy symptoms and enhances the comfort of patients receiving the treatment.
“Our Struggles Are Unequal”
Authors: Maragh Raven S.
Published: August 2016

This article uses the digital and affective labor frameworks to examine how Black women provide specific kinds of production online. The intersection of television and Twitter through “live tweeting” elucidates unique ways in which Black women function within each site as well as between them. Through a critical race analysis of the documentary Light Girls, I examine the material functions and corporate goals of Twitter coupled with the solicitation strategies of the Oprah Winfrey Network. In doing so, I show how these women’s affective labor gets refashioned as production. I argue that the grassroots functions and rhetoric of Twitter rely specifically on Black women. Similarly, television networks rely on these women as they reify the text and provide sustained feedback to its content. The exploitation of Black women occurs within and between these two media through the women’s production of affective labor.
Urban entrepreneurialism, global networks and export support: Are UK cities looking east?
Authors: Cocks Matthew
Published: August 2016

Since the 1970s urban localities in advanced capitalist nations have taken a more central role in their economic development. This urban ‘entrepreneurialism’ has taken place within the context of an increasingly place-competitive international economy, and has been the subject of substantial academic study. However, there has been a lack of consideration for the role of export promotion in this process. This article suggests that export promotion is an increasingly significant but often overlooked component of entrepreneurial strategies, and draws upon a study of export promotion activities in the UK's regions in relation to the emerging Chinese economy.
Cloud geographies
Authors: Amoore Louise
Published: August 2016

The architecture of cloud computing is becoming ever more closely intertwined with geopolitics – from the sharing of intelligence data, to border controls, immigration decisions, and drone strikes. Developing an analogy with the cloud chamber of early twentieth century particle physics, this paper explores the geography of the cloud in cloud computing. It addresses the geographical character of cloud computing across two distinct paradigms. The first, ‘ Cloud I’ or a geography of cloud forms, is concerned with the identification and spatial location of data centres where the cloud is thought to materialize. Here the cloud is understood within a particular history of observation, one where the apparently abstract and obscure world can be brought into vision and rendered intelligible. In the second variant, ‘ Cloud II’ or the geography of a cloud analytic, the cloud is a bundle of experimental algorithmic techniques acting upon the threshold of perception itself. Like the cloud chamber of the twentieth century, contemporary cloud computing is concerned with rendering perceptible and actionable that which would otherwise be beyond the threshold of human observation. The paper proposes three elements of correlative cloud reasoning, suggesting their significance for our geopolitical present: condensing traces; discovering patterns; and archiving the future.
Waste prevention impacts on small municipalities: Three experiences from northern Italy
Authors: Bonelli Mariaelena , Bosio Luigi , Cavallo Roberto , Gianolio Umberto , Marengo Paolo
Published: August 2016

Waste management is an important issue all over the world and it will become even more urgent in the near future due to the increase of global volumes of waste. Waste prevention is at the top of the European waste hierarchy, followed by reuse, recycling, other recovery (including energy recovery), and safe disposal. In Italy, municipalities are the authorities that concretely choose the prevention actions to be applied in their territory and therefore they are crucial in promoting a decrease in waste amounts. In our research we investigated costs and benefits of prevention actions in three small municipalities in the north of Italy. We found that the “Pay as You Throw” (PAYT) scheme is an effective action in preventing waste production, with many instances, on analyzing the collection data. The specific effect of the other actions (such as the awareness raising campaigns) is difficult to isolate, even if we found positive impacts. We analyzed some external drivers, such as the migration effect, in order to understand the real effectiveness of the implemented actions. One of the objectives of the study was to comprehend the consequences of political choices at a bigger scale than the individual municipality. Analyzing the results obtained in three typical small Italian municipalities, this study suggests that local authorities, with their choices, can greatly affect the efficacy of selected waste collection and waste prevention.
Pyrolysis of tyre powder using microwave thermogravimetric analysis: Effect of microwave power
Authors: Song Zhanlong , Yang Yaqing , Zhou Long , Zhao Xiqiang , Wang Wenlong , Mao Yanpeng , Ma Chunyuan
Published: August 2016

The pyrolytic characteristics of tyre powder treated under different microwave powers (300, 500, and 700 W) were studied via microwave thermogravimetric analysis. The product yields at different power levels were studied, along with comparative analysis of microwave pyrolysis and conventional pyrolysis. The feedstock underwent preheating, intense pyrolysis, and final pyrolysis in sequence. The main and secondary weight loss peaks observed during the intense pyrolysis stage were attributed to the decomposition of natural rubbers and synthetic rubbers, respectively. The total mass loss rates, bulk temperatures, and maximum temperatures were distinctively higher at higher powers. However, the maximum mass loss rate (0.005 s-1), the highest yields of liquid product (53%), and the minimum yields of residual solid samples (43.83%) were obtained at 500 W. Compared with conventional pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis exhibited significantly different behaviour with faster reaction rates, which can decrease the decomposition temperatures of both natural and synthetic rubber by approximately 110 °C–140 °C.
Click-guides and panic buttons: Designed possibilities for youth agency and user empowerment in online youth counselling services
Authors: Lundmark Sofia , Evaldsson Ann-Carita
Published: August 2016

This study examines how possibilities for agency are designed into online youth counselling services, as well as how such possibilities are addressed by young prospective users during the design of the services. The data are drawn both from the design of a national website for youth clinics in Sweden and from a design project developing e-services for local youth clinics in a Swedish municipality. The agency of young users is here treated as a key concern for understanding how user empowerment is accomplished through the design of websites and e-services. Using combined research materials (i.e. two websites and focus group meetings), this study demonstrates how design features may both facilitate and restrict young people’s involvement and control over sensitive and private issues. In addition, we demonstrate how the designed possibilities for empowerment may allow young users to critically approach and effectively use such services.
Vehicle air leakage ventilation and its effect on cabin indoor air quality
Authors: Chang Tong-Bou , Sheu Jer-Jia , Huang Jhong-Wei
Published: August 2016

This study investigates the air leakage ventilation phenomenon in a passenger car and examines its effects on the concentration of carbon dioxide in the cabin. A theoretical general equation ([Formula: see text]) is proposed for predicting the air leakage ventilation rate. The validity of the equation is demonstrated by means of real car on-road experiments. The results show that when the car is at rest, the effect of the fan-supplied air speed on the air leakage ventilation rate is more apparent. However, for a moving vehicle, the contribution of the fan-supplied air speed to the cabin indoor air quality reduces, while that of the car speed increases. Applying a curve-fitting technique to the experimental data, it is shown that parameters Acar , m1, Afan and m2 in the proposed theoretical equation have values of [Formula: see text], 0.725, [Formula: see text] and 0.315, respectively, for the present experimental car (a Mitsubishi Galant). In general, the results obtained in this study suggest that a fractional fresh air ventilation mode should be employed to guarantee the ASHRAE standard for the minimum fresh air requirement of 2.5 l/s per individual at low driving speeds.
Predicted sea-level changes and evolutionary estimates for age of isolation in Central Mediterranean insular lizards
Authors: Raia Pasquale , Ferranti Luigi , Castiglione Silvia , Melchionna Marina , Saggese Fiorella , Raimondi Ranieri , Serio Carmela , Carotenuto Francesco , Passaro Federico , Antonioli Fabrizio
Published: August 2016

Rates of biological evolution on islands are often presumed to exceed rates on the mainland. We tested this postulation by computing the evolutionary rate of head shape in Italian wall lizard Podarcis siculus, occurring on four islands off the coast of Southern Italy. We calculated the evolutionary rate using a phylogenetic tree whose node ages were derived from Lambeck et al. predicted ages of geographic isolation of the islands. Such ages are based on a relative sea-level change model for the late Pleistocene–Holocene. Through a likelihood optimization procedure, our method allows computing, besides the evolutionary rate, biological estimates of the ages of insular populations, with this indirectly testing Lambeck et al.’s model estimates. We found that the rate of evolution in Podarcis head shapes on islands is not statistically different from the mainland rate, although insular lizards have distinctive head shapes. Overall, the insular phenotype took 1–4000 years to arise (differing among islands). The estimated ages of insular populations are lower than Lambeck et al.’s estimates and fall in the 5- to 6-ka interval.
Nurse’s perceptions of organisational barriers to delivering compassionate care: A qualitative study
Authors: Valizadeh Leila , Zamanzadeh Vahid , Dewar Belinda , Rahmani Azad , Ghafourifard Mansour
Published: August 2016

Background:

Compassionate care is an international priority of healthcare professionals. There is little understanding about how workplace issues impact provision of compassionate care in nursing practice. Therefore, it is important to address the workplace issues and organizational factors which may hinder compassionate care delivery within nursing practice.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to explore workplace and organizational barriers to compassionate care from the nurses’ perspective.

Research design:

The study used a qualitative exploratory design, and data were analyzed by conventional content analysis.

Participants and research context:

A total of 15 nurses working in different fields of nursing were recruited from four hospitals at northwest of Iran. Participants were selected by purposive sampling. Semistructured interviews were conducted for data collection.

Ethical consideration:

Ethical approval of this study was gained from the Ethical Review Board of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

Findings:

The main theme which emerged from data analysis was “unsupportive organizational culture.” This theme had two main categories including “excessive workload alongside inadequate staffing” and “the lack of value on compassionate care.”

Discussion:

Organizational barriers to development of compassionate in clinical practice were identified in this study. A closer examination of these barriers is required to move compassionate practice from an individual responsibility to a collective responsibility that is owned and shared by organizations.

Conclusion:

For compassionate care to flourish, policy makers, managers, and healthcare providers must foster an organizational atmosphere conducive to compassionate care.
Investigating Impact of Volatility Persistence and Information Inflow on Volatility of Stock Indices Using Bivarite GJR-GARCH
Authors: Sinha Pankaj , Agnihotri Shalini
Published: August 2016

Joint dynamics of market index returns, volume traded and volatility of stock market returns can unveil different dimensions of market microstructure. In this study, the joint dynamics is investigated with the help of bivarite Glosten–Jagannathan–Runkle generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GJR-GARCH) methodology given by Bollerslev (1990), as this method helps in jointly estimating volatility equation of return and volume in a one-step estimation procedure and it also eliminates the regressor problem (Pagan, 1984). The study finds negative conditional correlation between volume traded and return of large-cap index. The relation between volume traded and volatility is found to be positive in case of large-cap index but it is negative in the case of mid-cap and small-cap indices. Volatility is affected by pronounced persistence in volatility, mean-reversion of returns and asymmetry in market. The rate of information arrival measured by intra-day volatility (IDV) is found to be a significant source of the conditional heteroskedasticity in Indian markets since the presence of volume (proxy for information flow) in volatility equation, as an independent variable, marginally reduces the volatility persistence, whereas presence of IDV, as a proxy for information flow, completely makes GARCH effect insignificant.
Sexuality, masculinity and homophobia in association football: An empirical overview of a changing cultural context
Authors: Cleland Jamie
Published: August 2016

Influenced by the industrial working classes in the nineteenth century, the emergence of regulated and professional association football became a symbol of masculinity for millions of boys and men that subsequently became engrained in future generations of male fans. One particular element of this was heightened sexism and homophobia and was illustrated by the dreadful reaction by fans, the media, team mates and opposition players to the decision by Justin Fashanu to come out in 1990 during a period of high cultural homophobia. Since 1990, however, there has been a cultural shift occurring in professional football. This article focuses on reviewing the empirical research that has illustrated a more inclusive change in attitude amongst some players and fans (both those attending games in person and those who actively engage in football-related discussions via the internet) as well as within the print and online media.
The Validity and Reliability of Turkish Version of the Chemotherapy-induced Taste Alteration Scale (CiTAS)
Authors: Sozeri Elif , Kutluturkan Sevinc
Published: August 2016

The study was aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Chemotherapy-induced Taste Alteration Scale (CiTAS), and was conducted on adult patients receiving chemotherapy ( N = 184) in the Chemotherapy Unit and Hematology Clinic (Outpatient) of a university hospital between December 2013 and May 2014. The results showed that the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (.869) was satisfactory. The alpha value was .89 for the Decline in Basic Taste subscale, .70 for Discomfort subscale, .82 for Phantogeusia and Parageusia subscale, and .72 for General Taste Alterations subscale. The coefficients of the relationship between test–retest reliability results were significantly high ( r = .939, n = 28). The Turkish version of the CiTAS was a sufficient and suitable tool in evaluating the taste alterations associated with chemotherapy.
Distributed interface for group affinity-diagram brainstorming
Authors: Widjaja William , Takahashi Makoto
Published: August 2016

Affinity diagram is a popular brainstorming method for groups to visualize and organize their ideas together. These groups likely use sticky-note paper and whiteboard as their brainstorming tool. While there is simplicity in using paper, engineers develop technologies that make the process more efficient. However, despite the advantages of technologies, utilizing them in brainstorming was not widely adopted. We explore the earlier technologies proposed and their design flaws, and based on their studies, we propose a digital affinity-diagram system using the concept of concurrent engineering of distributed system and conducted an experiment to compare the productivity of group brainstorming between paper analog method and our proposed digital methods. We will report on which of the two methods is more productive and on whether the proposed system could increase the adoption of digital tools for group brainstorming.
The Impact of Primary Aggressor Laws on Single Versus Dual Arrest in Incidents of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Hirschel David , Deveau Lindsay
Published: August 2016

To combat the concern that mandatory arrest laws have resulted in officers unjustly arresting victims, states have enacted primary aggressor laws. Examining 3,078 incidents of intimate partner violence reported to the police in 25 jurisdictions in four states, the authors assess the impact of primary aggressor laws on the likelihood of both single and dual arrest. While dual arrests were more than twice as likely in a state without a primary arrest statute, an arrest was nearly a third less likely in a state with such a statute. The policy implications are discussed.