bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survivorship across the annual cycle of a migratory passerine, the willow flycatcher
Authors: Paxton Eben H. , Durst Scott L. , Sogge Mark K. , Koronkiewicz Thomas J. , Paxton Kristina L.
Published: April 2017

Annual survivorship in migratory birds is a product of survival across the different periods of the annual cycle (i.e. breeding, wintering, and migration), and may vary substantially among these periods. Determining which periods have the highest mortality, and thus are potentially limiting a population, is important especially for species of conservation concern. To estimate survival probabilities of the willow flycatcher Empidonax traillii in each of the different periods, we combined demographic data from a 10‐year breeding season study with that from a 5‐year wintering grounds study. Estimates of annual apparent survival for breeding and wintering periods were nearly identical (65–66%), as were estimates of monthly apparent survival for both breeding and wintering stationary periods (98–99%). Because flycatchers spend at least half the year on the wintering grounds, overall apparent survivorship was lower (88%) on the wintering grounds than on the breeding grounds (97%). The migratory period had the highest mortality rate, accounting for 62% of the estimated annual mortality even though it comprises only one quarter or less of the annual cycle. The migratory period in the willow flycatcher and many other neotropical migrants is poorly understood, and further research is needed to identify sources of mortality during this crucial period.
Selective blockade of B7‐H3 enhances antitumour immune activity by reducing immature myeloid cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Mao Liang , Fan Teng‐Fei , Wu Lei , Yu Guang‐Tao , Deng Wei‐Wei , Chen Lei , Bu Lin‐Lin , Ma Si‐Rui , Liu Bing , Bian Yansong , Kulkarni Ashok B. , Zhang Wen‐Feng , Sun Zhi‐Jun
Published: April 2017

Immature myeloid cells including myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) promote tumour growth and metastasis by facilitating tumour transformation and angiogenesis, as well as by suppressing antitumour effector immune responses. Therefore, strategies designed to reduce MDSCs and TAMs accumulation and their activities are potentially valuable therapeutic goals. In this study, we show that negative immune checkpoint molecule B7‐H3 is significantly overexpressed in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) specimen as compared with normal oral mucosa. Using immunocompetent transgenic HNSCC models, we observed that targeting inhibition of B7‐H3 reduced tumour size. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that targeting inhibition of B7‐H3 increases antitumour immune response by decreasing immunosuppressive cells and promoting cytotoxic T cell activation in both tumour microenvironment and macroenvironment. Our study provides direct in vivo evidence for a rationale for B7‐H3 blockade as a future therapeutic strategy to treat patients with HNSCC.
Stratified Social Rights Limiting EU Citizenship
Authors: Bruzelius Cecilia , Reinprecht Constantin , Seeleib‐Kaiser Martin
Published: April 2017

Differences in Member States' economic development and national social protection systems can translate into significant differences in the substantive social rights of EU migrant citizens. The substantive rights of economically inactive EU migrant citizens are dependent on the ‘export’ of social rights from their country of origin to the Member State of destination, in particular during the initial phase of their residence in a new Member State as a jobseeker or a pensioner. This paper demonstrates that EU citizens' social rights are substantively stratified, not only by economic status, but also according to the Member State of origin and destination. Stratified social rights, it is argued, generate unequal opportunities to free movement and eo ipso challenge the very concept of EU citizenship. The paper concludes with a proposal for a European Minimum Income Scheme to at least partially overcome the shortcomings of existing EU citizenship.
Anomalous diffusion based on fractional calculus approach applied to drying analysis of apple slices: The effects of relative humidity and temperature
Authors: Ramírez C. , Astorga V. , Nuñez H. , Jaques A. , Simpson R.
Published: April 2017

The objective of this research was to evaluate the diffusion mechanism based on Fick's second law and anomalous diffusion modifying the drying operating conditions temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) on apple slices (cv. Granny smith). Drying was performed at 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C and 30%, 50%, 70%RH based on a 32 experimental design. The drying curves were analyzed to determine the effective diffusion (Deff) using two methods: Fick's second law and anomalous diffusion model based on fractional calculus approach. Our results showed that the anomalous diffusion mechanism fit the experimental data better and revealed a super‐diffusive behavior (α > 1). Therefore, Deff values were estimated using the anomalous diffusion model with α = 1.735. With respect to the use of anomalous diffusion model solution based on fractional calculus at different operations conditions allow to get better fitting of drying data than second Fick's law model, even keeping the Arrhenius behavior of Deff with temperature.

Practical applications

Diffusion process is typically analyzed using models based on Fick's second law. However, several assumptions inherent in Fick's second law are not fulfilled in food materials (e.g., structural heterogeneity). In addition, Fick's second law does not consider structural variations during the drying process, and it is well known that fruits such as apples experience significant structural changes during drying. Fractional calculus is a tool for mathematically representing the anomalous diffusion of solutes whose movements can be faster or slower than postulated in Fick's second law due to food structure. In general, with second Fick's law model not good fitting to data are obtained, therefore the prediction capacity of the model is limited. Based on this, anomalous diffusion solution based on fractional calculus was applied. The results showed good fit the data to the model, and also by the time exponent (α) is possible to identify the kind of diffusion process.
A Brief Report on the Ethical and Legal Guides For Technology Use in Marriage and Family Therapy
Authors: Pennington Michael , Patton Rikki , Ray Amber , Katafiasz Heather
Published: April 2017

Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) use ethical codes and state licensure laws/rules as guidelines for best clinical practice. It is important that professional codes reflect the potential exponential use of technology in therapy. However, current standards regarding technology use lack clarity. To explore this gap, a summative content analysis was conducted on state licensure laws/rules and professional ethical codes to find themes and subthemes among the many aspects of therapy in which technology can be utilized. Findings from the content analysis indicated that while there have been efforts by both state and professional organizations to incorporate guidance for technology use in therapy, a clear and comprehensive “roadmap” is still missing. Future scholarship is needed that develops clearer guidelines for therapists.
Moving Between Dialogic Reflexive Processes In Systemic Family Therapy Training: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study of Trainees’ Experience
Authors: Givropoulou Dimitra , Tseliou Eleftheria
Published: April 2017

In this article, we present a qualitative research study concerning the ways that systemic family therapy trainees experience reflexivity while in training. There is inadequate theorizing and limited research concerning reflexivity in family therapy, particularly from trainees’ perspective. In our study, we used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to analyse transcripts of semistructured interviews with 10 systemic family therapy trainees. Here, we present one of the four superordinate analytic themes, entitled “Moving between reflexive processes”. Our analysis suggests that trainees seem to experience reflexivity as a multifaceted, dialogic process, which occurs both at an inner and at an outer space and both synchronically but also subsequently to the therapeutic/training process. We conclude by raising implications for family therapy training.

Video abstract accessible by clicking here.
Fluorine and chlorine behaviour during progressive dehydration melting: Consequences for granite geochemistry and metallogeny
Authors: Finch E.G. , Tomkins A.G.
Published: April 2017

Dehydration melting of biotite is the main control on crustal differentiation in the mid to lower continental crust because this reaction produces the most voluminous and most mobile granitic melts. Biotite breaks down over a broad temperature interval, so the partitioning behaviour of elements between biotite and melt is likely to vary. It has been hypothesized that fluorine may stabilize biotite to higher melting temperatures because biotite is typically F‐rich in ultra‐high temperature (UHT) metamorphic rocks. If true, F would be an important influence on crustal differentiation because not only would it broaden the temperature range of melting but also elevated F concentration decreases melt viscosity. Furthermore, ligand partitioning between biotite and melt may be an important influence on the metallogeny of magmas. This study used electron microprobe analysis of biotite in rocks from the Ballachulish and Rogaland metamorphic aureoles to investigate the concentration of F and Cl in biotite heated to 600–1,000°C. Results show a broad increase in biotite F content (up to 5.04% F) with temperature until 850–920°C, beyond which F content decreases (<2.5% F). Chlorine concentrations in biotite are consistently lower (<1% Cl), and show a progressive decrease after the onset of partial melting. It was found that Mg content, and the processes that control Mg distribution, are most strongly correlated with F and Cl concentration in biotite. Calculations based on these results indicate that F‐enriched biotite could be a significant source of F for continental crust‐derived melts. Generation of a hot, F‐rich melt at UHT conditions could be important for transporting lower crustal metals to the upper crust.
Extending the assessment of patient‐centredness in health care: Development of the updated Valuing Patients as Individuals Scale using exploratory factor analysis
Authors: Jones Martyn C , Williams Brian , Rattray Janice , MacGillivray Steve , Baldie Debbie , Abubakari Abdul‐Razak , Coyle Joanne , Mackie Susan , McKenna Eileen
Published: April 2017

Aims and objectives

To update and re‐validate the Valuing Patients as Individuals Scale for use as a patient appraisal of received healthcare.

Background

Healthcare in the United Kingdom and beyond is required to deliver high quality, person‐centred care that is clinically effective and safe. However, patient experience is not uniform, and complaints often focus on the way patients have been treated. Legislation in United Kingdom requires health services to gather and use patients' evaluations of care to improve services.

Design

This study uses scoping literature reviews, cognitive testing of questionnaire items with patient and healthcare staff focus groups, and exploratory factor analysis.

Methods/Setting/Participants

Data were collected from 790 participants across 34 wards in two acute hospitals in one National Health Service Health Board in Scotland from September 2011–February 2012. Ethics and Research and Development approval were obtained.

Results

Fifty six unique items identified through literature review were added to 72 original Valuing Patients as Individuals Scale items. Face validity interviews removed ambiguous or low relevance items leaving 88 items for administration to patients. Two hundred and ninety questionnaires were returned, representing 37% response rate, 71 were incomplete. Thus 219 complete data were used for Exploratory Factor Analysis with varimax orthogonal rotation. This revealed a 31 item, three factor solution, Care and Respect; Understanding and Engagement; Patient Concerns, with good reliability, concurrent and discriminant validity in terms of gender. A shortened 10 item measure based on the top 3 or 4 loading items on each scale was comparable.

Conclusions

The Updated Valuing Patients as Individuals Scale is sufficiently developed to capture patient appraisals of received care.

Relevance to clinical practice

The short scale version is now being routinized in real‐time evaluation of patient experience contributing to this United Kingdom, National Health Service setting meeting its policy and legislative requirements.
Involvement of patients’ perspectives on treatment with noninvasive ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—A qualitative study
Authors: Christensen Helle Marie , Huniche Lotte , Titlestad Ingrid L
Published: April 2017

Aims and objectives

To clarify chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients’ perspectives on treatment with noninvasive ventilation and develop management strategies for the treatment based on these perspectives.

Background

The effect of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with noninvasive ventilation is well‐documented, as is the problem of patient difficulties in tolerating the treatment. Knowledge of how patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease experience and evaluate treatment with noninvasive ventilation is limited; therefore, more information of patient perspectives is needed to develop treatment practices in respiratory medicine.

Method

This study is based on critical psychological practice research.

Design

A co‐researcher group comprising diverse health professionals was set up and headed by the principal researcher. The group convened seven times over 12 months to develop new management strategies based on patients’ perspectives on noninvasive ventilation. Health professionals contributed with experience‐based perspectives, and the researcher contributed with data from participant observation in the department and semi‐structured interviews with 16 patients and four relatives.

Results

Interviews revealed that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease regarded noninvasive ventilation treatment positively even though they experienced discomfort and anxiety. Patients’ perspectives revealed that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease conduct their everyday lives with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease looking at chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a basic life condition rather than an illness. This approach had a major impact on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients’ attitudes to noninvasive ventilation treatment and hospitalisation.

Conclusion

Investigation of patient perspectives generated results that were highly productive in facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration and in developing and sustaining new management strategies. Critical psychological practice research facilitated ongoing development of clinical practice related to noninvasive ventilation treatment.

Relevance to clinical practice

Focus on patients’ perspectives in treatment with noninvasive ventilation resulted in the development of new management strategies regarding patient care, joint ward rounds, and in addition, one room at the ward, to which a nurse was assigned, was designated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients treated with noninvasive ventilation.
Child Skills and Teacher Qualifications: Associations with Elementary Classroom Teachers’ Reading Instruction for Struggling Readers
Authors: Bratsch‐Hines Mary E. , Vernon‐Feagans Lynne , Varghese Cheryl , Garwood Justin
Published: April 2017

This study explored the extent to which kindergarten and first grade teachers provided individualized reading instruction to struggling readers during a unique one‐on‐one reading instruction task. Three outcomes of teachers’ instructional strategies were captured: code‐focused strategies, meaning‐focused strategies, and level of challenge. Child skills in decoding and vocabulary/oral language as well as teacher qualifications of education, experience, and knowledge of reading were examined in relation to the three instructional strategies. Multilevel analyses showed relationships between child skills and reading instructional strategies, with teachers generally using code‐focused and meaning‐focused strategies, as well as an appropriate level of challenge, with children who struggled less with early reading. Although teacher education was not associated with any of the reading instructional strategies, teacher experience and knowledge of reading was associated with meaning‐based instruction and the level of challenge provided to struggling readers.
Onset and duration of gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) molt in the Wadden Sea, and the role of environmental conditions
Authors: Schop Jessica , Aarts Geert , Kirkwood Roger , Cremer Jenny S. M. , Brasseur Sophie M. J. M.
Published: April 2017

Surveys of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) during the molt period, when they are abundant on land, can be used to monitor changes in population size, but accurate interpretation of results requires an understanding of the molt process and how it may vary between years. This study investigates variability in onset (start date) and duration of visible molt by gray seals in the Wadden Sea, and the influence of environmental conditions on the onset. Molt was monitored in nine captive seals and observed molt phases were applied to wild seals over seven annual molt periods between 2004 and 2010, monitored using aerial photography. The onset of visible molt varied significantly between years, for example it differed 28 d between 2008 and 2009. Model selection by AIC retained one environmental variable that correlated with molt onset; however, its effect was inconsistent within the molt season and did not explain some of the apparent observed annual variation. Hence, the main causes of interannual variability in the onset of molt remain unclear and warrant further study. Researchers should account for annual variability in the onset of molt when interpreting survey results based on molt counts.
Changes in richness and community composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi among altitudinal vegetation types on Mount Kinabalu in Borneo
Authors: Geml József , Morgado Luis N. , Semenova‐Nelsen Tatiana A. , Schilthuizen Menno
Published: April 2017

The distribution patterns of tropical ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi along altitudinal gradients remain largely unknown. Furthermore, despite being an iconic site for biodiversity research, virtually nothing is known about the diversity and spatial patterns of fungi on Mt Kinabalu and neighbouring mountain ranges.

We carried out deep DNA sequencing of soil samples collected between 425 and 4000 m above sea level to compare richness and community composition of ECM fungi among altitudinal forest types in Borneo. In addition, we tested whether the observed patterns are driven by habitat or by geometric effect of overlapping ranges of species (mid‐domain effect).

Community composition of ECM fungi was strongly correlated with elevation. In most genera, richness peaked in the mid‐elevation montane forest zone, with the exception of tomentelloid fungi, which showed monotonal decrease in richness with increasing altitude. Richness in lower‐mid‐ and mid‐elevations was significantly greater than predicted under the mid‐domain effect model.

We provide the first insight into the composition of ECM fungal communities and their strong altitudinal turnover in Borneo. The high richness and restricted distribution of many ECM fungi in the montane forests suggest that mid‐elevation peak richness is primarily driven by environmental characteristics of this habitat and not by the mid‐domain effect.
Oral alendronate in pediatric chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis
Authors: Hirano Daishi , Chiba Kosuke , Yamada Saya , Ida Hiroyuki
Published: April 2017

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) primarily affects children and adolescents, and is characterized by episodic sterile osteomyelitis over several years. No definitive treatment is available. Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are common first‐line agents, but provide limited improvement in bone pain and do not affect disease duration. Several agents are utilized in the case of non‐response to NSAID, including corticosteroids, methotrexate, and tumor necrosis factor‐blocking agents. Bisphosphonates are increasingly being used. Most case series involve cyclic i.v. pamidronate, but this restricts the social lives of children and their families. Although oral medication has advantages over cyclic i.v. infusion because it does not require repeated hospital admissions, there have been no reports on treatment with oral bisphosphonates, such as alendronate, in pediatric CRMO patients. This case report describes the use of oral bisphosphonate as an alternative treatment in CRMO patients in whom standard therapy has failed.
No evidence of contemporary interploidy gene flow between the closely related European woodland violets Viola reichenbachiana and V. riviniana (sect. Viola, Violaceae)
Authors: Migdałek G. , Nowak J. , Saługa M. , Cieślak E. , Szczepaniak M. , Ronikier M. , Marcussen T. , Słomka A. , Kuta E.
Published: April 2017

Viola reichenbachiana (2n = 4x = 20) and V. riviniana (2n = 8x = 40) are closely related species widely distributed in Europe, often sharing the same habitat throughout their overlapping ranges. It has been suggested in numerous studies that their high intraspecific morphological variability and plasticity might have been further increased by interspecific hybridisation in contact zones, given the sympatry of the species and the incomplete sterility of their hybrid. The aims of this study were to: (i) confirm that V. reichenbachiana and V. riviniana have one 4x genome in common, and (ii) determine the impact of hybridisation and introgression on genetic variation of these two species in selected European populations.

For our study, we used 31 Viola populations from four European countries, which were analysed using AFLP and sequencing of a variable plastid intergenic spacer, trnH‐psbA.

Our analysis revealed that V. reichenbachiana exhibited larger haplotype diversity, having three species‐specific haplotypes versus one in V. riviniana. The relationships among haplotypes suggest transfer of common haplotypes into V. riviniana from both V. reichenbachiana and hypothetically the other, now extinct, parental species. AFLP analysis showed low overall genetic diversity of both species, with V. riviniana showing higher among‐population diversity. None of the morphologically designated hybrid populations had additive AFLP polymorphisms that would have indicated recent hybridisation. Also, kinship coefficients between both species did not indicate gene flow. V. riviniana showed significant population subdivision and significant isolation by distance, in contrast to V. reichenbachiana.

The results indicate lack of gene flow between species, high influence of selfing on genetic variability, as well as probably only localised introgression toward V. riviniana.
Inhibitory effect of Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare essential oils on virulence factors of phytopathogenic Pseudomonas syringae strains
Authors: Carezzano M. E. , Sotelo J. P. , Primo E. , Reinoso E. B. , Paletti Rovey M. F. , Demo M. S. , Giordano W. F. , Oliva M. de las M.
Published: April 2017

Pseudomonas syringae is a phytopathogenic bacterium that causes lesions in leaves during the colonisation process. The damage is associated with production of many virulence factors, such as biofilm and phytotoxins. The essential oils of Thymus vulgaris (thyme) and Origanum vulgare (oregano) have been demonstrated to inhibit P. syringae. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of T. vulgaris and O. vulgare essential oils on production of virulence factors of phytopathogenic P. syringae strains, including anti‐biofilm and anti‐toxins activities.

The broth microdilution method was used for determination of MIC and biofilm inhibition assays. Coronatine, syringomycin and tabtoxin were pheno‐ and genotypically evaluated.

Both oils showed good inhibitory activity against P. syringae, with MIC values from 1.43 to 11.5 mg·ml−1 for thyme and 5.8 to 11.6 mg·ml−1 for oregano. Biofilm formation, production of coronatine, syringomycin and tabtoxin were inhibited by thyme and oregano essential oil in most strains.

The results presented here are promising, demonstrating the bactericidal activity and reduction of virulence factor production after treatment with thyme and oregano oil, providing insight into how they exert their antibacterial activity. These natural products could be considered in the future for the control of diseases caused by P. syringae.
Policy Science at an Impasse: A Matter of Conceptual Stretching?
Authors: Carlsson Lars
Published: April 2017

Policy science, particularly the policy network approach, is teeming with new studies and concepts. This abundance has resulted from the inescapably multidisciplinary approach of policy science and from our ambition to surpass traditional policy analysis. The field's concepts are developing so rapidly, however, that new hybrids and mutations threaten us with confusion and overcomplication rather than providing us with clarity, and cumulative improvement and theory development are thus hampered. These unintended consequences are intimately associated with errors of conceptual stretching, that is, using valuable concepts with clear meaning to refer to inapplicable phenomena, thus misusing and diminishing the value of our conceptual tools. In policy science, this is also the case with central analytic tools, frameworks, models, and theories. Therefore, although policy making can be messy, if we hope to escape the alleged impasse in policy science, we cannot afford to tolerate the current inaccuracies of conceptual stretching.

Related Articles

Raile, Eric D.,
Amber N. W. Raile,
Charles T. Salmon, and
Lori Ann Post. 2014. “.” Politics & Policy 42 (): 103‐130. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12063/full

Shanahan, Elizabeth A.,
Mark K. McBeth, and
Paul L. Hathaway. 2011. “.” Politics & Policy 39 (): 373‐400. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00295.x/full

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Education Policies and Taxation without Commitment
Authors: Findeisen Sebastian , Sachs Dominik
Published: April 2017

We study the implications of limited commitment on education and tax policies set by benevolent governments. Consistent with real‐world practices, a government can decide to subsidize different levels of education at different rates. A lack of commitment, however, affects the optimal structure of education subsidies. The direction of the effect depends on how labor taxes are designed. With linear labor tax rates and a transfer for redistribution, subsidies become more progressive. By contrast, if the government is only constrained by informational asymmetries when designing taxes, subsidies become more regressive.
Inviting perspective transformation: Sexual history awareness for professional formation
Authors: Ott Kate
Published: April 2017

How do we deal with our own sexuality as teachers and as learners in the classroom? As a seminary professor in a mainline Christian context, I find that discussing sexuality increases student discomfort levels by threatening to raise questions about the connections between morality, behavior, and bodies of those in the room – questions we have been culturally trained to avoid. In order to decrease discomfort, many instructors approach sexuality only as content‐based subject matter. Particularly for ministry students, this approach can be a disservice to their discernment process and preparation for future ministry contexts, especially for those in turmoil regarding sexuality‐related issues. By explicitly engaging how personal experience and cultural contexts shape our sexuality, pedagogical models can promote critical self‐reflection and seek perspective transformation, not values change, as a resource for professional sexual ethics training in ministry.
Teaching about teaching sexuality and religion
Authors: Stephens Darryl W.
Published: April 2017

Classroom instructors implementing pedagogical strategies for embodied learning about sexuality and religion need institutional support and assistance from colleagues and mentors to be successful. One means of providing institutional and peer support for classroom instructors is to host and lead a pedagogy workshop. Building on the work of Ott and Stephens on embodied learning and other articles and teaching tactics found throughout this issue of Teaching Theology and Religion, this article presents a sample design for a two‐hour workshop with faculty and/or graduate teaching assistants on the topic of teaching sexuality and religion. Non‐expert facilitators can lead this workshop and it is intended to start a conversation about pedagogy rather than to provide definitive answers to end the discussion. The goals are to demystify a taboo topic and to provide concrete strategies for teaching that will promote responsible engagement and a better‐integrated learning experience for students.
Paradigm Shift in Responding to Drug Users and Addicts: From a Criminal Justice to a Public Health Approach
Authors: Anderson James F. , Reinsmith-Jones Kelley , Brooks, Jr. Willie M. , Langsam Adam H.
Published: April 2017

Recently, there has been a paradigm shift in the way Americans have come to view drug users and offenders, particularly those affected by the current opioid epidemic. Unlike crack, this epidemic has led to humanistic and compassionate responses to treating the addiction and processing its users. While once stigmatized, demonized, and punished as criminals, today opioid addicts are treated using the medical model. We argue that the new paradigm has ushered in a public health approach, rather than the traditional criminal justice response that brings negative offender processing with adverse consequences. In the end, we believe that the new approach will be effective in treating and reducing opioid use. However, both criminal justice and public health approaches should be applied.
The Accessibility of Informal Urban Women Workers (Study of Street Vendors in Malang, Indonesia)
Authors: Avina Diyah Ayu Amalia
Published: April 2017

The effort to increase people’s welfare through empowerment of informal woman workers to increase household income becomes interesting and important to do it. The empowerment of informal woman workers has important roles to decrease unequal distribution income and give substantial contribution for overcome the problem of unemployment. However, although woman had given income in the family, the man dominates the decision-making of the household rules. The accessibility should be directly proportional to the decision-making in the household rules. The purpose of this research is for 1) to analyze the motivation of informal urban woman worker, 2) to analyze the experience of woman worker, 3) to analyze education, 4) to analyze the capital of the worker, 5) to analyze the urban informal decision-making in the household rules. This research did in Malang. The population of this research is 1000 street vendors in Malang. Then, the sampling is taken using Random Sampling Method. The sample of this research consists of 24 respondents of street vendors. The result of the research is between motivation of work, work experience, and the fund are positively related to accessibility and the decision-making in the household rules have not high accessibility. It is due to very strong culture of patriarchy in society.
Variability in muscle activation of simple speech motions: A biomechanical modeling approach
Authors: M. Harandi Negar , Woo Jonghye , Stone Maureen , Abugharbieh Rafeef , Fels Sidney
Published: April 2017

Biomechanical models of the oropharynx facilitate the study of speech function by providing information that cannot be directly derived from imaging data, such as internal muscle forces and muscle activation patterns. Such models, when constructed and simulated based on anatomy and motion captured from individual speakers, enable the exploration of inter-subject variability of speech biomechanics. These models also allow one to answer questions, such as whether speakers produce similar sounds using essentially the same motor patterns with subtle differences, or vastly different motor equivalent patterns. Following this direction, this study uses speaker-specific modeling tools to investigate the muscle activation variability in two simple speech tasks that move the tongue forward (/ə-ɡis/) vs backward (/ə-suk/). Three dimensional tagged magnetic resonance imaging data were used to inversely drive the biomechanical models in four English speakers. Results show that the genioglossus is the workhorse muscle of the tongue, with activity levels of 10% in different subdivisions at different times. Jaw and hyoid positioners (inferior pterygoid and digastric) also show high activation during specific phonemes. Other muscles may be more involved in fine tuning the shapes. For example, slightly more activation of the anterior portion of the transverse is found during apical than laminal /s/, which would protrude the tongue tip to a greater extent for the apical /s/.
The effect of tone-vocoding on spatial release from masking for old, hearing-impaired listeners
Authors: King Andrew , Hopkins Kathryn , Plack Christopher J. , Pontoppidan Niels Henrik , Bramsløw Lars , Hietkamp Renskje K. , Vatti Marianna , Hafez Atefeh
Published: April 2017

Old, hearing-impaired listeners generally benefit little from lateral separation of multiple talkers when listening to one of them. This study aimed to determine how spatial release from masking (SRM) in such listeners is affected when the interaural time differences (ITDs) in the temporal fine structure (TFS) are manipulated by tone-vocoding (TVC) at the ears by a master hearing aid system. Word recall was compared, with and without TVC, when target and masker sentences from a closed set were played simultaneously from the front loudspeaker (co-located) and when the maskers were played 45° to the left and right of the listener (separated). For 20 hearing-impaired listeners aged 64 to 86, SRM was 3.7 dB smaller with TVC than without TVC. This difference in SRM correlated with mean audiometric thresholds below 1.5 kHz, even when monaural TFS sensitivity (discrimination of frequency-shifts in identically filtered complexes) was partialed out, suggesting that low-frequency audiometric thresholds may be a good indicator of candidacy for hearing aids that preserve ITDs. The TVC difference in SRM was not correlated with age, pure-tone ITD thresholds, nor fundamental frequency difference limens, and only with monaural TFS sensitivity before control for low-frequency audiometric thresholds.
Research integrity revisited
Authors: McNutt Marcia , Nerem Robert M.
Published: April 2017

The U.S. public and private sectors invest billions of dollars and countless hours of highly skilled labor into scientific research every year, an investment that delivers enormous benefits to society. Integrity is indispensable to the orderly and efficient progress of this research. Regrettably, there have been some well-publicized breakdowns in scientific integrity and reported cases of irreproducible research. A new report from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM),
Fostering Integrity in Research
, recommends specific steps to secure a future based on integrity and reliability (
www.nap.edu/catalog/21896/
). These include establishing a new Research Integrity Advisory Board (RIAB) and taking stronger actions to discourage and eliminate practices that are clearly detrimental to research.
Opening borders for foreign bodies
Authors: Jewell Christopher M.
Published: April 2017

Targeting macrophage-specific receptors involved in host immune response against foreign bodies eliminates the fibrotic processes responsible for failure of many implantable biomedical devices.
Diverging effects of diabetes mellitus in patients with peripheral artery disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm and the role of advanced glycation end-products: ARTERY study — protocol for a multicentre cross-sectional study
Authors: de Vos L C , Boersema J , Hillebrands J L , Schalkwijk C G , Meerwaldt R , Breek J C , Smit A J , Zeebregts C J , Lefrandt J D
Published: April 2017

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is a well-defined risk factor for peripheral artery disease (PAD), but protects against the development and growth of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Diabetes mellitus is associated with arterial stiffening and peripheral arterial media sclerosis. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are increased in diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. AGEs are known to form cross-links between proteins and are associated with arterial stiffness. Whether AGEs contribute to the protective effects of diabetes mellitus in AAA is unknown. Therefore, the ARTERY (Advanced glycation end-pRoducts in patients with peripheral arTery disEase and abdominal aoRtic aneurYsm) study is designed to evaluate the role of AGEs in the diverging effects of diabetes mellitus on AAA and PAD.

Methods and analysis

This cross-sectional multicentre study will compare the amount, type and location of AGEs in the arterial wall in a total of 120 patients with AAA or PAD with and without diabetes mellitus (n=30 per subgroup). Also, local and systemic vascular parameters, including pulse wave velocity, will be measured to evaluate the association between arterial stiffness and AGEs. Finally, AGEs will be measured in serum, urine, and assessed in skin with skin autofluorescence using the AGE Reader.

Ethics and dissemination

This study is approved by the Medical Ethics committees of University Medical Center Groningen, Martini Hospital and Medisch Spectrum Twente, the Netherlands. Study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and scientific events.

Trial registration number

trialregister.nl NTR 5363.
Direct costs of osteoporosis-related hip fractures: protocol for a cross-sectional analysis of a national database
Authors: Maghbooli Zhila , Hossein-nezhad Arash , Jafarpour Maryam , Noursaadat Sima , Ramezani Majid , Hashemian Roxana , Moattari Syamak
Published: April 2017

Introduction

It is estimated that Iran accounted for about 1% of hip fracture burden of the world in 2007, but these data are based on incomplete evidence. As the country’s population is ageing, it is expected that a dramatic rise in hip fracture incidence will result. There is no single national study that accurately estimates the incidence of all hip fractures in the country or identifies the direct costs for affected patients. To help fill this gap, the current study has been designed to determine the incidence of hip fracture associated with osteoporosis in the Iranian population and to assess the direct costs involved.

Methods and analysis

This is a cross-sectional analysis of 2 years of hospital admissions due to hip fracture in Iran from October 2014 to October 2016 using an electronic health record called SEPAS. SEPAS is a nationwide health information system established by Information Technology (IT) and the Statistics Department of the Ministry of Health. SEPAS has recorded more than 8.5 million inpatient hospitalizations since October 2014. Our study will identify reported hip fracture data in SEPAS among admitted adult hospital patients aged ≥50 in Iran. International Classification of Diseases ICD-9 and 10 will be used as diagnostic codes. Study factors are demographic data, types of fracture, types of treatment, duration of admission, early complications, in-hospital mortality and direct cost of fracture treatment. The accuracy of the SEPAS fracture data will be ascertained through a pilot study that compares the SEPAS data with the data directly extracted from medical records of the Shariati Hospital in Tehran during the study period.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the National Institute for Medical Research Development of Iran. Dissemination plans include academic publications, conference presentations and social media.
A Pareto-based Ensemble with Feature and Instance Selection for Learning from Multi-Class Imbalanced Datasets
Authors: Fernández Alberto , Carmona Cristobal José , José del Jesus María , Herrera Francisco
Published: April 2017

Imbalanced classification is related to those problems that have an uneven distribution among classes. In addition to the former, when instances are located into the overlapped areas, the correct modeling of the problem becomes harder. Current solutions for both issues are often focused on the binary case study, as multi-class datasets require an additional effort to be addressed. In this research, we overcome these problems by carrying out a combination between feature and instance selections. Feature selection will allow simplifying the overlapping areas easing the generation of rules to distinguish among the classes. Selection of instances from all classes will address the imbalance itself by finding the most appropriate class distribution for the learning task, as well as possibly removing noise and difficult borderline examples. For the sake of obtaining an optimal joint set of features and instances, we embedded the searching for both parameters in a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm, using the C4.5 decision tree as baseline classifier in this wrapper approach. The multi-objective scheme allows taking a double advantage: the search space becomes broader, and we may provide a set of different solutions in order to build an ensemble of classifiers. This proposal has been contrasted versus several state-of-the-art solutions on imbalanced classification showing excellent results in both binary and multi-class problems.
Finite order corks
Authors: Tange Motoo
Published: April 2017

We show that for any positive integer [Formula: see text], there exist pairs of compact, contractible, Stein 4-manifolds and order [Formula: see text] self-diffeomorphisms of the boundaries that do not extend to the full manifolds. Each boundary of the Stein 4-manifolds is a cyclic branched cover along a slice knot embedded in the boundary of a contractible 4-manifold. Each pair is called a finite order cork, we give a method producing examples of many finite order corks, which are possibly not a Stein manifold. The example of the Stein cork gives a diffeomorphism generating [Formula: see text] homotopic but non-isotopic Stein fillable contact structures for an arbitrary positive integer [Formula: see text].
Self-organized energetic model for collective activity on animal tissue
Authors: dos Santos Michelle C. Varela , Macedo-Filho Antonio , dos Santos Lima Gustavo Zampier , Corso Gilberto
Published: April 2017

We construct a self-organized critical (SOC) model to explain spontaneous collective activity in animal tissue without the necessity of a muscular or a central control nervous system. Our prototype model is an epithelial cuboid tissue formed by a single layer of cells as the internal digestive cavity of primitive animals. The tissue is composed by cells that absorb nutrients and store energy, with probability [Formula: see text], to participate in a collective tissue activity. Each cell can be in two states: at high energy and able to became active or at low metabolic energy and remain at rest. Any cell can spontaneously, with a very low probability, spark a collective activity across its neighbors that share a minimal energy. Cells participating in tissue activity consume all their energy. A power-law relation [Formula: see text] for the probability of having a collective activity with [Formula: see text] cells is observed. By construction this model is analogue to the forest fire SOC model. Our approach produces naturally a critical state for the activity in animal tissue, besides it explains self-sustained activity in a living animal tissue without feedback control.
Image Matching Optimization Based on Taguchi Method and Adaptive Spatial Clustering with SIFT Features
Authors: Xu Yuan , Lu Hehui , Zhou Defu , Zheng Jiongbin , Zhang Jianguo
Published: April 2017

A novel image matching algorithm based on both Taguchi method and spatial clustering is proposed to optimize the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) matching results. To improve the matching accuracy, adaptive spatial clustering is used. What is more, in order to get the fitting parameters to balance matching accuracy and quantity, Taguchi method is adopted to optimize the key parameter combination including the ratio threshold of Euclidean distance and the constrain parameters in the process of adaptive spatial clustering. Moreover, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) results are analyzed by variance to get the effect factor which is taken as the basis for the selection of optimized parameters. The optimum parameters combination is obtained eventually. The final experimental results show that the matching quality based on SIFT feature are improved significantly.
Automatic Retinal Image Registration Using Blood Vessel Segmentation and SIFT Feature
Authors: Guo Fan , Zhao Xin , Zou Beiji , Liang Yixiong
Published: April 2017

Automatic retinal image registration is still a great challenge in computer aided diagnosis and screening system. In this paper, a new retinal image registration method is proposed based on the combination of blood vessel segmentation and scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) feature. The algorithm includes two stages: retinal image segmentation and registration. In the segmentation stage, the blood vessel is segmented by using the guided filter to enhance the vessel structure and the bottom-hat transformation to extract blood vessel. In the registration stage, the SIFT algorithm is adopted to detect the feature of vessel segmentation image, complemented by using a random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm to eliminate incorrect matches. We evaluate our method from both segmentation and registration aspects. For segmentation evaluation, we test our method on DRIVE database, which provides manually labeled images from two specialists. The experimental results show that our method achieves 0.9562 in accuracy (Acc), which presents competitive performance compare to other existing segmentation methods. For registration evaluation, we test our method on STARE database, and the experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method, which makes the algorithm a suitable tool for automated retinal image analysis.
Therapeutic Effects and Finite Element Analysis of a Combined Treatment Using Laser Needle-Knife with Supine Repositioning Massage on Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Vertebral Arteriopathy
Authors: Liu Fang , Wei Wei , Yang Gaoyi , Wang Cunxin , Yang Xin , Jin Yabei , Liu Chenghao , Wang Fangjun
Published: April 2017

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of combined laser needle-knife and massage on cervical spondylotic vertebral arteriopathy patients. Summary of background data: With the recent rise of electronic businesses, the incidence of cervical spondylosis has also risen rapidly. Methods: Cervical spondylotic vertebral arteriopathy patients were treated using laser needle-knife with massage, and compared to patients who only received the massage. A 3D anatomical and hemodynamic model was developed. Results: The symptomatic and functional overall scores were reduced by 71.43% after the combined treatment. Results from the finite element analysis indicated that the maximum flow rate of the left vertebral artery was improved by 47.52% and the right was improved by 38.67%. Conclusion: A combined treatment of cervical spondylotic vertebral arteriopathy using laser needle-knife and massage is an effective approach with a therapeutic mechanism closely related to hemodynamics.