bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating Microarrays into Routine Prenatal Diagnosis: Determinants of Decision Making
Authors: Cordoba Marcos , Andriole Stephanie , Evans Shara M. , Britt David , Chu Lam Melissa , Evans Mark I.
Published: January 2016

Objectives: The explosion in genetic technologies, including array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), has increased the complexity of genetic counseling. We now offer chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and aCGH to all first-trimester patients, as this allows the prenatal diagnosis of an additional 1% of anomalies not otherwise detectable and can detect genetic copy number variants at a much higher resolution than conventional cytogenetics. Here, we explored some of the determinants of how patients are deciding to use or not use this new technology and evaluate risk-benefit analyses for that decision. Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study of singleton and multiples pregnancies at our center. Those having aCGH testing along with CVS were defined as ‘testers' and those who declined aCGH but had the CVS were ‘nontesters'. Results: Demographic data of 181 educated women who chose CVS were compared. Among those carrying singletons (n = 144), older women, defined as over 35 years of age (or ‘advanced maternal age'; AMA), were more likely to choose the aCGH than younger women. Further, women who had a prior history of genetic testing and who wanted to know the gender of the fetus were more likely to choose the aCGH test. In women carrying multiples (n = 37), AMA ceases to be a predictor of choice. Having had prior genetic counseling remains a strong predictor for choosing aCGH, as does wanting to know the gender of the fetus. Neither prior abortions nor having prior children were significant for women carrying singletons or multiples. Conclusion: Offering pregnant couples an individualized choice regarding aCGH seems an appropriate approach. There are discrete patterns associated with the choice of taking the aCGH that varied depending on whether the patient was carrying a singleton or multiples.
The Complex Role of Anticoagulation in Cirrhosis: An Updated Review of Where We Are and Where We Are Going
Authors: Khoury Tawfik , Ayman Abu Rmeileh , Cohen Jonah , Daher Saleh , Shmuel Chen , Mizrahi Meir
Published: January 2016

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cirrhotic patients is an increasingly encountered problem in the daily clinical practice; there is still a debate on the ideal measures to be followed for prophylaxis and treatment of VTE among this population. Although traditionally, liver cirrhosis has been considered a disease with hypocoagulability state and increasing bleeding tendency due to severe homeostatic disruption in liver disease, until recently there is increasing awareness and evidence that cirrhotic patients are not completely protected from thrombotic events although they have an elevated international normalized ratio and auto anticoagulation. Furthermore, hypercoagulability is now an increasingly recognized aspect of chronic liver disease (CLD), and the bleeding risk of VTE prophylaxis and treatment remains unclear. In this review, we provide an updated discussion on the mechanisms involved in hemostasis in CLD as well as on the benefits and complications of anticoagulant therapy in cirrhotic patients. Overall, sufficient evidence exists, promoting the use of anticoagulation in cirrhotic patients for both VTE prophylaxis and treatment in carefully selected patients after consideration of pharmacologic or endoscopic variceal bleeding prophylaxis.
MicroRNA-150 Suppression of Angiopoetin-2 Generation and Signaling Is Crucial for Resolving Vascular Injury
Authors: Rajput Charu , Tauseef Mohammad , Farazuddin Mohammad , Yazbeck Pascal , Amin Md-Ruhul , Avin BR Vijay , Sharma Tiffany , Mehta Dolly
Published: January 2016

Objective—

Increased vascular permeability is a hallmark of sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Angiopoietin (Ang2) induces vascular leak, and excess Ang2 generation is associated with patient mortality from these diseases. However, mechanisms dampening Ang2 generation during injury remain unclear. Interestingly, microRNA (miR)-150 levels were decreased in septic patients. miR regulate signaling networks by silencing mRNAs containing complementary sequences. Thus, we hypothesized that miR-150 suppresses Ang2 generation and thereby resolves vascular injury.

Approach and Results—

Wild-type or
miR-150
−/−
mice or endothelial cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide or sepsis, and Ang2 levels, adherens junction reannealing, endothelial barrier function, and mortality were determined. Although Ang2 transiently increased during lipopolysaccharide-induced injury in wild-type endothelial cells and lungs, miR-150 expression was elevated only during recovery from injury. Deletion of miR-150 caused a persistent increase in Ang2 levels and impaired adherens junctions reannealing after injury, resulting thereby in an irreversible increase in vascular permeability. Also,
miR-150
−/−
mice died rapidly after sepsis. Rescuing miR-150 expression in endothelial cells prevented Ang2 generation, thereby restoring vascular barrier function in
miR-150
−/−
mice. miR-150 terminated Ang2 generation by targeting the transcription factor, early growth response 2. Thus, early growth response 2 or Ang2 depletion in
miR-150
−/−
endothelial cells restored junctional reannealing and reinstated barrier function. Importantly, upregulating miR-150 expression by injecting a chemically synthesized miR-150 mimic into wild-type mice vasculature decreased early growth response 2 and Ang2 levels and hence mortality from sepsis.

Conclusions—

miR-150 is a novel suppressor of Ang2 generation with a key role in resolving vascular injury and reducing mortality resulting from sepsis.
Patterns and Implications of Intracranial Arterial Remodeling in Stroke Patients
Authors: Qiao Ye , Anwar Zeeshan , Intrapiromkul Jarunee , Liu Li , Zeiler Steven R. , Leigh Richard , Zhang Yiyi , Guallar Eliseo , Wasserman Bruce A.
Published: January 2016

Background and Purpose—

Preliminary studies suggest that intracranial arteries are capable of accommodating plaque formation by remodeling. We sought to study the ability and extent of intracranial arteries to remodel using 3-dimensional high-resolution black blood magnetic resonance imaging and investigate its relation to ischemic events.

Methods—

Forty-two patients with cerebrovascular ischemic events underwent 3-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography and contrast-enhanced black blood magnetic resonance imaging examinations at 3 T for intracranial atherosclerotic disease. Each plaque was classified by location (eg, posterior versus anterior circulation) and its likelihood to have caused a stroke identified on magnetic resonance imaging (culprit, indeterminate, or nonculprit). Lumen area, outer wall area, and wall area were measured at the lesion and reference sites. Plaque burden was calculated as wall area divided by outer wall area. The arterial remodeling ratio (RR) was calculated as outer wall area at the lesion site divided by outer wall area at the reference site after adjusting for vessel tapering. Arterial remodeling was categorized as positive if RR>1.05, intermediate if 0.95≤RR≤1.05, and negative if RR<0.95.

Results—

One hundred and thirty-seven plaques were identified in 42 patients (37% [50] posterior and 63% [87] anterior). Compared with anterior circulation plaques, posterior circulation plaques had a larger plaque burden (77.7±15.7 versus 69.0±14.0;
P
=0.008), higher RR (1.14±0.38 versus 0.95±0.32;
P
=0.002), and more often exhibited positive remodeling (54.0% versus29.9%;
P
=0.011). Positive remodeling was marginally associated with downstream stroke presence when adjusted for plaque burden (odds ratio 1.34, 95% confidence interval: 0.99–1.81).

Conclusions—

Intracranial arteries remodel in response to plaque formation, and posterior circulation arteries have a greater capacity for positive remodeling and, consequently, may more likely elude angiographic detection. Arterial remodeling may provide insight into stroke risk.
Retinal Artery Occlusion and the Risk of Stroke Development
Authors: Rim Tyler Hyungtaek , Han Jinu , Choi Yoon Seong , Hwang Seung-sik , Lee Christopher Seungkyu , Lee Sung Chul , Kim Sung Soo
Published: January 2016

Background and Purpose—

Our aim was to evaluate the risk of subsequent stroke development after retinal artery occlusion (RAO).

Methods—

National registry data were collected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, comprised 1 025 340 random subjects. Patients diagnosed with RAO in 2002 and 2003 were excluded. The RAO group was composed of patients with an initial diagnosis of either central or other RAO between January 2004 and December 2013 (n=401). The comparison group was composed of randomly selected patients (5 per RAO patient; n=2003) who were matched to the RAO group according to sociodemographic factors and year of RAO diagnosis. Each sampled patient was tracked until 2013. Cox proportional hazard regression was used.

Results—

Stroke occurred in 15.0% of the RAO group and in 8.0% of the comparison group (
P
< 0.001). RAO was associated with an increased risk of stroke occurrence (hazard ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.32–2.41). The magnitude of the RAO effect for stroke was larger among younger adults aged <65 years (hazard ratio, 3.11) than older adults aged ≥65 years (hazard ratio, 1.26). However, the risk of subsequent stroke was significantly increased in older adults aged ≥65 years at the 4-year follow-up (hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–2.48).

Conclusions—

RAO was significantly associated with subsequent stroke after adjusting for comorbidities and sociodemographic factors. These findings are limited by uncontrolled confounding factors and need to be replicated by other observational studies.
Online Tool to Improve Stratification of Adverse Events in Stroke Clinical Trials
Authors: Hesse Kerrick , MacIsaac Rachael L. , Abdul-Rahim Azmil H. , Lyden Patrick D. , Bluhmki Erich , Lees Kennedy R. , Alexandrov A. , Bath P.M. , Bornstein N. , Claesson L. , Davis S.M. , Donnan G. , Diener H.C. , Fisher M. , Gregson B. , Grotta J. , Hacke W. , Hennerici M.G. , Hommel M. , Kaste M. , Marler J. , Muir K. , Sacco R. , Shuaib A. , Teal P. , Wahlgren N.G. , Warach S. , Weimar C.
Published: January 2016

Background and Purpose—

Knowing characteristic adverse events (AEs) and their incidence among patients participating in acute stroke trials may assist interpretation of future studies. We aimed to develop an online tool to inform stroke trial safety.

Methods—

We identified relevant AEs from patients within the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA), using receiver operating characteristic principles. We modeled their incidence on patient age, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and comorbidities using binary logistic regression. Models with an
R
2
>5% were deemed powerful enough to predict expected AE incidences and were included. The calculator was developed using programs R and Visual Studios.

Results—

Forty-eight of the most common AEs were identified and incorporated into the Isch
AE
mic Stroke Calculator. The calculator, publicly available at
http://www.vistacollaboration.org
calculates the expected incidence of AEs or groups of AEs in a trial cohort and where possible compares them with the observed incidence.

Conclusions—

The Isch
AE
mic Stroke Calculator is an open access resource to support safety interpretation within acute stroke trials. Prediction of AEs with higher likelihood of occurrence may direct preventive clinical measures.
Corrigendum to “Tursiocola denysii sp. nov. (Bacillariophyta) from the neck skin of Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)”
Authors: Frankovich Thomas Anthony
Published: January 2016

N/A
Evaluation of Surface Fluxes in ERA-Interim Using Flux Tower Data
Authors: Zhou Chunlüe , Wang Kaicun
Published: January 2016

Surface air temperature Ta is largely determined by surface net radiation Rn and its partitioning into latent (LE) and sensible heat fluxes (H). Existing model evaluations by comparison of absolute flux values are of limited help because the evaluation results are a blending of inconsistent spatial scales, inaccurate model forcing data, and imperfect parameterizations. This study further evaluates the relationships of LE and H with Rn and environmental parameters, including Ta, relative humidity (RH), and wind speed (WS), using ERA-Interim data at a 0.125° × 0.125° grid with observations at AmeriFlux sites from 1998 to 2012. The results demonstrate ERA-Interim can roughly reproduce the absolute values of environmental parameters, radiation, and turbulent fluxes. The model performs well in simulating the correlation of LE and H with Rn, except for the notable correlation overestimation of H against Rn over high-density vegetation (e.g., deciduous broadleaf forest, grassland, and cropland). The sensitivity of LE to Rn in the model is similar to that observed, but that of H to Rn is overestimated by 24.2%. Over the high-density vegetation, the correlation coefficient between H and Ta is overestimated by over 0.2, whereas that between H and WS is underestimated by over 0.43. The sensitivity of H to Ta is overestimated by 0.72 W m−2 °C−1, whereas that of H to WS in the model is underestimated by 16.15 W m−2 (m s−1)−1 over all of the sites. The model cannot accurately capture the responses of evaporative fraction [EF; EF = LE / (LE + H)] to Rn and environmental parameters. This calls for major research efforts to improve the intrinsic parameterizations of turbulent fluxes, particularly over high-density vegetation.
Spatiotemporal Structure of Precipitation Related to Tropical Moisture Exports over the Eastern United States and Its Relation to Climate Teleconnections
Authors: Steinschneider Scott , Lall Upmanu
Published: January 2016

Tropical moisture exports (TMEs) may play an important role in extreme precipitation. An analysis of the spatiotemporal structure of precipitation associated with TMEs for the eastern United States at seasonal and daily time scales is presented. TME-based precipitation is characterized based on the change in specific humidity along TME tracks delineated in a Lagrangian analysis of the ERA-Interim dataset. The empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of seasonal TME-based precipitation are analyzed separately for each season to identify the dominant modes of interannual variability. Loading patterns for the first EOF show a distinct seasonal cycle in the core region of TME-based precipitation across the eastern United States, while the second EOF describes a northwest–southeast oscillation in the center of TME-induced precipitation occurrence. The EOFs for TMEs are compared against EOFs of gauged flood count data, which exhibit similar spatial structures. Correlations between TME EOFs, geopotential heights, and sea surface temperatures suggest a strong connection between TME-based precipitation, the Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern, Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO), and the Intra-Americas Sea patterns for much of the calendar year. Daily TME-based and total precipitation is projected onto the leading seasonal EOFs to examine the characteristics of upper-quantile daily events. The daily analysis suggests that the PNA can potentially provide information regarding heavy TME-based precipitation at a lead time of 1–10 days or more in most seasons and total precipitation in the winter. The potential for subseasonal, seasonal, and decadal forecasts or conditional simulations of precipitation in the study region is discussed.
Analysis of Missed Summer Severe Rainfall Forecasts
Authors: Cao Zuohao , Zhang Da-Lin
Published: January 2016

Despite considerable progress in mesoscale numerical weather prediction (NWP), the ability to predict summer severe rainfall (SSR) in terms of amount, location, and timing remains very limited because of its association with convective or mesoscale phenomena. In this study, two representative missed SSR events that occurred in the highly populated Great Lakes regions are analyzed within the context of moisture availability, convective instability, and lifting mechanism in order to help identify the possible causes of these events and improve SSR forecasts/nowcasts. Results reveal the following limitations of the Canadian regional NWP model in predicting SSR events: 1) the model-predicted rainfall is phase shifted to an undesired location that is likely caused by the model initial condition errors, and 2) the model is unable to resolve the echo-training process because of the weakness of the parameterized convection and/or coarse resolutions. These limitations are related to the ensuing model-predicted features: 1) vertical motion in the areas of SSR occurrence is unfavorable for triggering parameterized convection and grid-scale condensation; 2) convective available potential energy is lacking for initial model spinup and later for elevating latent heating to higher levels through parameterized convection, giving rise to less precipitation; and 3) the conversion of water vapor into cloud water at the upper and middle levels is underpredicted. Recommendations for future improvements are discussed.
Charcoal Suspension Tattoo
Authors: Tirelli Giancarlo , Cova Maria Assunta , Boscolo-Rizzo Paolo , Da Mosto Maria Cristina , Makuc Elisa , Gardenal Nicoletta
Published: January 2016

Objective:

The current surgical trend in the treatment of pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland is to limit the extent of resection. This raises the need to correctly identify the mass within the normal parenchyma so as to avoid dissecting the entire superficial lobe of the gland. We describe ultrasound-guided tattooing as a technique to facilitate identification and excision of parotid pleomorphic adenomas.

Methods:

We reviewed 23 consecutive patients with pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. All patients underwent ultrasound-guided tattooing of the lesions with a charcoal suspension. Baseline tumor and patients’ characteristics, major and minor complications, and subjective tolerance to the procedure were recorded. We assessed the number of intralesionally marked masses and the percentage of intraoperatively detected marked lesions.

Results:

The injection was well tolerated. No major complications were recorded. In 2 cases (9%), a transient increase in lesion size was observed. No other minor complications were encountered. Charcoal was found inside the tumor in 19 cases (83%). In 4 cases (17%), it was found in the tissues above the lesion. Twenty-three lesions were intraoperatively detected (100%) and dissected.

Conclusion:

Charcoal suspension tattooing is safe and well tolerated for the detection of small pleomorphic adenomas during parotid surgery.
Context Matters
Authors: Gingold Janet A. , Briccetti Christine , Zook Kathleen , Gillespie Catherine W. , Gubernick Ruth S. , Moon Rachel Y. , Fu Linda Y.
Published: January 2016

Uneven adherence to immunization guidelines might leave some communities vulnerable to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. To examine factors related to implementation of immunization delivery best practices, we analyzed responses to monthly surveys and debriefing interviews from 16 diverse pediatric practices engaged in a year-long virtual learning collaborative. The collaborative provided a toolkit, online learning sessions, performance feedback, and conference calls with a quality improvement coach. Participants used iterative plan-do-study-act cycles to implement self-selected changes in immunization practices. Descriptive statistics were applied to quantitative data; qualitative data were analyzed using a framework approach. Impediments to implementing guidelines included difficulties with electronic record systems, rigid management structures, competing priorities, and parental resistance. Facilitators included linkage with regional immunization registries, positive social interactions, and performance feedback. Findings suggest that improving immunization delivery requires not only awareness of recommendations and training in improvement methods but also efforts to ameliorate contextual factors that impede immunization delivery.
When and why do individuals craft their jobs? The role of individual motivation and work characteristics for job crafting
Authors: Niessen Cornelia , Weseler Daniela , Kostova Petya
Published: January 2016

As a proactive behavior, job crafting refers to changes in the task (cognitive, and behavioral) and social boundaries at work. This article focuses on antecedents of job crafting and the development and validation of a job crafting scale. In Study 1 ( N = 466), an exploratory factor analysis with one half of the sample ( n = 233) and a confirmatory factor analysis with the other half ( n = 233) supported a three-dimensional structure of job crafting (task crafting, relational crafting and cognitive crafting), and convergent as well as discriminant validity of job crafting, in relation to personal initiative and organizational citizenship behavior. In Study 2 ( N = 118, two points of measurement), we cross-validated the measure and demonstrated that job crafting was related to, yet distinct from, taking charge. We found that an increase in job crafting at Time 2 was predicted by need for positive self-image (Time 1), as well as by work experience (Time 1). Need for human connection (Time 1) was related to job crafting at Time 2 when self-efficacy was high. Moreover, there was evidence that job crafting as self-oriented behavior related positively to person–job fit. Implications for future research are discussed.
“The Lion Has Learnt to Speak?” The Novel A Fine Madness and Third Chimurenga Counter-Discourse in Contemporary Zimbabwe
Authors: Nyambi Oliver
Published: January 2016

Perhaps nowhere else in southern Africa has liberation war memories had such a stranglehold on political developments than in Zimbabwe post 2000. In this period, the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) devised and operationalized the Third Chimurenga—a cache of anti-colonial, anti-West, and anti-opposition narratives that essentially re-constructs political power as inextricably bound up with the liberation struggle, for long an exclusive site of the party’s claims to political legitimacy. The Third Chimurenga often manifested in the form of political rhetoric by political leaders and reinforced by an array of cultural performances such as song and other forms of spectacular dramaturgy such as national commemorations. The literary text is the latest participant in the Third Chimurenga politics and aesthetics. In this article, I read Mashingaidze Gomo’s novel A Fine Madness as a Third Chimurenga literary narrative, centering on how its representations of the post-2000 political and economic crisis relates to the underlying counter-discourse of the empirical Third Chimurenga. This article dialogues with the nature of the connection between Gomo’s novel and the empirical Third Chimurenga. This reading reveals how the literary text exploits the affective and aesthetic dimensions of creative art to portray a vivid picture of the Third Chimurenga, which can move the reader to a new consciousness of issues around Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and the contemporary land politics.
Failure behavior of composite laminates under four-point bending
Authors: Koc Murat , Sonmez Fazil O , Ersoy Nuri , Cinar Kenan
Published: January 2016

In this study, failure behavior of fiber-reinforced composites under four-point bending is investigated. First, the tests are modeled analytically using the classical lamination theory (CLT). The maximum allowable moment resultants of [θ12]T off-axis laminate as well as balanced and symmetric angle-ply [θ3/−θ3]s composite laminates as a function of fiber orientation angle, θ, are obtained using Tsai-Wu, maximum stress, maximum strain, Hashin, Tsai-Hill, Hoffman, quadric surfaces, modified quadric surfaces, and Norris failure criteria. Second, the same tests are simulated using the finite element method (FEM). Thermal residual stresses are calculated and accounted for in the failure analysis. An analysis is conducted for optimal positioning of the supports so as to ensure that intralaminar failure modes dominate interlaminar (delamination) failure mode. A test setup is then constructed accordingly and experiments are conducted. The correlation of the predicted failure loads and the experimental results is discussed. The quadric surfaces criterion is found to correlate better with the experimental results among the chosen failure criteria for the selected configurations.
Size effect on the thermal intensification of alumina-filled nanocomposites
Authors: Moreira Debora C , Braga Nelson R , Sphaier Leandro A , Nunes Luiz CS
Published: January 2016

This work comprises an experimental investigation of thermal intensification in polymeric nanocomposites. Polyester and epoxy resins were employed as continuous phases and alumina spherical nanoparticles with different diameters (30–40, 27–43, 150, and 200 nm) were used as fillers, in volumetric concentrations up to 10%. The thermal conductivities of the fabricated samples were measured using a guarded heat flow meter and the influence of filler size was investigated. Density measurements were performed for verifying the volume concentrations of particles in batches containing distinct sorts of nanoparticles. In addition, scanning electron micrographs of all samples were obtained. Results show that larger particles are responsible for larger agglomerates and greater thermal conductivity augmentation of the polymeric matrices, indicating that interfacial properties play a significant role in the effective thermal conductivity of nanocomposites.
Graded epoxy–hard coal composites: Surface resistivity study
Authors: Stabik Józef , Chomiak Monika
Published: January 2016

The goal set for this paper was to investigate the relationship between gradation of filler particles content in the epoxy matrix and the gradation of electric properties. In order to characterize the electric properties, the surface resistivity was selected, because it determined the surface ability to electrostatic charging, important in expected applications. In particular, the influence of conditions of centrifugal casting technique and microstructure parameters on electric resistivity was searched. Experimental models were elaborated that juxtapose the dependence of surface resistivity on the volumetric content of the filler, as well as casting rotational velocity. Investigations results confirmed that achieved graded composites were characterized by the reduced ability of electrostatic charging on one side and good insulating properties on the other side. Measured surface resistivities of order 109–1011 Ω allow to classify them as surfaces with reduced susceptibility to static electricity accumulation. These composites may be applied in areas where antistatic properties of the surface, with preservation of insulating properties in the remaining volume of the composite, are beneficial.
20 Years of the MENC Biennial Conference
Authors: Palkki Joshua , Albert Daniel J. , Hill Stuart Chapman , Shaw Ryan D.
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the content and intended audiences for educational sessions offered at MENC biennial conferences in order to illuminate trends and topics in professional development. The researchers performed a content analysis of each session ( N = 2,593) using program booklets from conferences between 1988 and 2008, creating a coding scheme with separate codes for audience focus and session content. After establishing sufficient interjudge agreement, the researchers coded all educational sessions offered at the conferences from 1988 to 2008. Results indicated that the number of sessions targeted at specific audiences (e.g., choral teachers only) remained small relative to those targeting broader audiences. Content coding revealed large increases in the number of sessions focused on technology and a slight decrease in the number of sessions focused on traditional large ensembles. Session content sometimes followed professional trends (e.g., the inception of the National Standards in 1994) but did not reflect increased attention in the profession to topics such as creativity and students with exceptionalities. These findings have important implications for those planning state and national music education conferences and for music educators who attend these professional development events.
Effects of Conductor Expressivity on Secondary School Band Members’ Performance and Attitudes Toward Conducting
Authors: Silvey Brian A. , Koerner Bryan D.
Published: January 2016

We investigated the effects of expressive and unexpressive conducting on secondary school band members’ and experts’ audio evaluations of band performance expressivity. A conductor, who demonstrated either expressive or unexpressive conducting techniques, led both an eighth-grade and a high school band in four separate “run-throughs” of a one-minute excerpt from David Holsinger’s A Childhood Hymn. Each excerpt was conducted both expressively and unexpressively at two separate rehearsals, resulting in four performances for each band. Participants ( N = 165) involved with the audio evaluation task included the band members as well as experts (i.e., public school band directors). Results indicated significant main effects for evaluator group (eighth grade, high school, or experts) and ensemble level (eighth grade or high school). No significant main effect was found for conductor expressivity, but a significant three-way interaction between conductor expressivity, evaluator group, and ensemble level was found, with experts assigning lower ensemble expressivity scores than the band members. To determine whether the performers in this study would notice any differences between the conducting conditions, we replicated a survey from Price and Winter to gauge their opinions about the conductor. Our results indicated that eighth-grade and high school students preferred being conducted expressively rather than unexpressively.
Gastrostomy tube replacement by endoscopic cannulation of a narrowed previous tube site
Authors: Sharma Vishal , Lamoria Sandeep , De Arka , Lamba Brinder Mohan S
Published: January 2016

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is warranted when oral feeding is not feasible. Indications include central nervous system disorders, head trauma and occasionally malignancies of upper gastrointestinal tract. If tube replacement after accidental dislodgement is delayed, the track may become narrowed. This may compromise routine replacement and may require repeated procedures. Occasionally no further external dilation is possible. We describe the endoscopic cannulation of the previously used track after its internal cannulation and subsequent external dilation and the successful replacement of a gastrostomy tube.
Our Sense of Problem
Authors: Huang Philip C. C.
Published: January 2016

This article begins by reviewing the past three generations of postwar U.S.-based China research in terms of the central problematique of the most influential scholarship of each generation, and then goes on to place those into the larger context of the past three centuries of Western thought about China. The purpose is to demonstrate how the either/or binary of the West versus China has governed the questions asked and not asked by those influential scholars, and how it has shaped the main answers proffered, sometimes even when they violate available empirical evidence. The article argues that the interpenetration of the Chinese and the Western, with reinterpretations and syncretizing no less than tensions and contradictions, is in fact the basic given reality of a modern China; an either/or choice between the two is not possible in reality, only in theoretical construction. An insistence on the latter is what has given rise to violations of empirical evidence. A truly China-centered approach is not to swing from the extreme of Western-centrism to Chinese-centrism, but rather to make the real problems of modern China our own, namely, to search for a viable mix of the Chinese and the Western, anchored in empirical evidence. The either/or binary mode of thinking, moreover, is evidenced in a host of other similar binaries, including modernity versus tradition, industry versus agriculture, cities versus countryside, market versus population, market versus the state, formal-rational law versus substantive law, the universal versus the particular, and so on. A historical approach requires that we set the either/or, mutually exclusive mode of thinking aside and focus instead on their interrelationship and interaction. The article provides concrete illustrations, mainly about rural development and the justice system.
Catheter‐Related Complications in Children With Cancer Receiving Parenteral Nutrition: Change in Risk Is Moderated by Catheter Type
Authors: Shenep Melissa A. , Tanner Mary R. , Sun Yilun , Culley Tina , Hayden Randall T. , Flynn Patricia M. , Tang Li , Wolf Joshua
Published: January 2016

Background: Although central venous catheters (CVCs) are essential to pediatric cancer care, complications are common (eg, occlusion, central line–associated bloodstream infection [CLABSI]). Parenteral nutrition (PN) and external CVCs are associated with an increased complication risk, but their interaction is unknown. Methods: A retrospective matched cohort study of pediatric oncology patients who received PN through subcutaneous ports or external CVCs. Complication rates were compared between CVC types during PN and non‐PN periods (log‐negative binomial model). Results: Risk of CLABSI was higher during PN for children with ports (relative risk [RR] = 39.6; 95% confidence interval, 5.0–309) or external CVCs (RR = 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–7.4). This increased risk during PN was greater for ports than for external CVCs (ratio of relative risks = 13.6). Occlusion risk was higher during PN in both groups (RR = 10.0 for ports; RR = 2.0 for external CVCs), and the increase was significantly greater in ports (ratio of relative risks, 4.9). Overall, complication rates for ports were much lower than for external CVCs during the non‐PN period but similar during the PN period. Conclusion: Children with cancer who receive PN have increased risk of CLABSI and occlusion. The risk increase is greatest in children with ports: a 40‐ and 10‐fold increase in infection risk and occlusion, respectively, resulting in similar complication rates during PN regardless of CVC type and negating the usual benefits of ports. Children with cancer who will require PN should have primary insertion of external CVCs where possible.
From polarisation to pluralisation: A deliberative approach to illiberal cultures
Authors: Ercan Selen A
Published: January 2016

This article outlines the advantages of a deliberative democratic approach to ‘illiberal cultures’ and polarised debates in contemporary multicultural societies. In doing so, it draws on the insights of agonistic pluralism, and shows that a cross-fertilisation between certain variants of deliberative democracy and agonistic pluralism is both possible and desirable. Focusing particularly on the works of John Dryzek and William Connolly, the article highlights three normative criteria for polities to aspire to, if not fully achieve, to democratise the debates over illiberal cultural practices. These include: i) an expanded notion of inclusion underpinned by the principle of agonistic respect; ii) the presence of spaces that facilitate interaction and contestation among the multiple publics of a culturally contested issue; and iii) the generation of concrete outcomes based on discursive contestation among multiple publics. To illustrate how approximation to these criteria might look in practice, the article focuses on the example of the honour-killing debate in Britain.
Is climate change framed as ‘business as usual’ or as a challenging issue? The practitioners’ dilemma
Authors: Aldunce Paulina , Handmer John , Beilin Ruth , Howden Mark
Published: January 2016

There is growing recognition that routine climate change framing is insufficient for addressing the challenges presented by this change, and that different framings of climate change shape stakeholders' practices and guide policy options. This research investigated how stakeholders conceptualise climate change in terms of its seriousness and related uncertainty, and a resilience approach as a possible policy option to confront this uncertainty. An application of the conceptual framework provided by Handmer and Dovers' typology of emergencies is novel to the climate change field. Results show that there is a tendency to frame climate change as complex (with uncertainty representing part of that complexity) and to confront this complexity with less complex policies and solutions. No pattern of a conceptual link between uncertainty and resilience was observed. The results presented in this study offer empirical evidence to inform theory and provide helpful insights to inform policy design and practice.
An Introduction to Shape Schema Grammars
Authors: Woodbury Robert
Published: January 2016

Shape schema grammars generalize parametric shape grammars so that both rules and the objects to which they apply are expressed with shape schemata. This paper defines shape schema grammars. It starts with a notation for schemata in general and shape schemata in particular. Schema equality is shown to have at least three possible definitions, of which schema consistency is the most useful. A limited notion of shape schema maximality potentially reduces the size and redundancy of a given schema. Shape schema subpart is a multifunction returning all of the possible ways that one shape schema can be embedded in another. Shape schema difference and addition complete the basic mathematical operations over shape schemata required to define shape schema rules, grammars and languages.
A qualitative narrative policy framework? Examining the policy narratives of US campaign finance regulatory reform
Authors: Gray Garry , Jones Michael D
Published: January 2016

In 2010, the narrative policy framework was introduced as a positivist, quantitative, and structuralist approach to the study of policy narratives. Deviating from this central tenet of the narrative policy framework, in this article we show that the framework is quite compatible with qualitative methods—and the various epistemologies associated with them. To demonstrate compatibility between qualitative methods and the Narrative Policy Framework, we apply classic qualitative criteria to an illustrative case examining policy narratives in US campaign finance reform. Drawing on elite interviews, we illuminate competing policy narratives rooted in distinct democratic values that exhibit variation in how victims and harm are defined, how blame is attributed to villains, what policy solutions are put forth, and policy narrative communication strategies. Our incorporation of qualitative methods within the narrative policy framework is critical for the framework's overall development as it provides opportunities for more detailed description, inductive forms of inquiry, and grounded theory development in policy areas where sample sizes, access, and salience may limit quantitative approaches.
Variation in electrosurgical vessel seal quality along the length of a porcine carotid artery
Authors: Wyatt Hayley Louise , Richards Rosie , Pullin Rhys , Yang TH Jimmy , Blain Emma J , Evans Sam L
Published: January 2016

Electrosurgical vessel sealing has been demonstrated to have benefits for both patients and practitioners, but significant variation in the strength of the seal continues to be a concern. This study aims to examine the variation in electrosurgical seal quality along the length of a porcine common carotid artery and explore the relationships between seal quality, vessel size and morphology. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the minimum safety threshold for successful seals and the influence of vessel characteristics on meeting this requirement. A total of 35 porcine carotid arteries were sealed using the PlasmaKinetic Open Seal device (Gyrus). Each seal was burst pressure tested and a sample taken for staining with elastin van Gieson’s stain, with morphological quantification using image processing software ImageJ. With increasing distance from the bifurcation, there was an increase in seal strength and a reduction in both elastin content and vessel outer diameter. A significant correlation was found between burst pressure with both outer diameter (p < 0.0001) and elastin content (p = 0.001). When considering the safe limits of operation, vessels of less than 5 mm in outer diameter were shown to consistently produce a seal of a sufficient strength (burst pressure > 360 mmHg) irrespective of vessel morphology.
Elucidation of the potential disease-promoting influence of IgM apoptotic cell-reactive antibodies in lupus
Authors: Malik M , Arora P , Sachdeva R , Sharma L , Ramachandran V G , Pal R
Published: January 2016

The undigested remnants of apoptosis are believed to stimulate the generation of autoantibodies in lupus. The biological properties of initiator, disease-specific IgM antibodies that specifically recognize apoptotic cells, readily detected in the sera of lupus patients, remain unclear. Apoptotic cell-reactive IgM monoclonal antibodies (generated from lupus-prone mice), as opposed to control IgM, preferentially stimulated maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) derived from such mice, relative to BMDCs derived from healthy mice. An influence of both antibody specificity and cell genotype was also apparent in the secretion of signature inflammatory cytokines. Immunization of such antibodies in lupus-prone animals induced increases in total serum IgG levels, with the elicited antibodies also preferentially recognizing moieties on dying cells. An expanded specificity was apparent both upon Western blot on cellular lysate and from the enhanced recognition of dsDNA, Ro60, RNP68 and Sm; the antibody most efficient in mediating autoreactive diversity, while being germline encoded, also induced the highest degree of phenotypic changes on BMDCs. Apoptotic cell-reactive IgM antibodies may therefore be potentially capable of influencing the course of systemic autoimmune disease by affecting both innate and adaptive immunity.
Direct oral anticoagulants in antiphospholipid syndrome: a real life case series
Authors: Betancur J F , Bonilla-Abadía F , Hormaza A A , Jaramillo F J , Cañas C A , Tobón G J
Published: January 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to describe a case series of patients with primary or secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).

Patients and methods

Clinical charts of eight patients with thrombotic primary or secondary APS treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) between January 2012 and May 2015 were reviewed.

Results

The mean age was 45 ± 14.36 (range 27–69 years). Four patients had secondary APS (50%). All patients were initially treated with warfarin by a mean time of 70.87 ± 57.32 months (range 17–153 months). Changes in anticoagulation were defined by recurring thrombosis in five patients (62.5%) and life-threatening bleeding in the other three cases. Seven patients (87.5%) received rivaroxaban treatment and one patient (12.5%) apixaban. The mean follow-up period with DOACs was 19 ± 10.06 months (range 2–36 months). There was no recurrence of thrombosis by the time of data collection.

Conclusions

Despite not being the standard treatment in APS, we propose DOACs as a rational alternative for the management of patients with this diagnosis. Further interventional clinical studies are necessary for possible standardization of this therapy in APS patients.
Policy Diffusion and the Pro-innovation Bias
Authors: Karch Andrew , Nicholson-Crotty Sean C. , Woods Neal D. , Bowman Ann O’M.
Published: January 2016

Existing research on policy diffusion focuses almost exclusively on “successes” where many jurisdictions adopted the policy or policies under examination. Some have speculated that this “pro-innovation bias” compromises scholars’ ability to draw valid inferences about the factors that influence the diffusion process. We argue that the study of interstate compacts in the United States provides an analytic opportunity to assess whether these concerns are warranted because it allows us to examine an entire universe of cases with unusually wide variability in their adoption patterns. Based on a pooled event history analysis of the interstate compacts that are open to all fifty states, we conclude that the tendency to limit diffusion research to widely adopted policies affects the results of previous studies. Specifically, it appears to lead scholars to systematically overestimate the impact of geographic diffusion pressures and policy attributes, and to underestimate the importance of professional associations and the opportunity to learn from previous adoptions. In sum, the longstanding concerns about a pro-innovation bias in diffusion research seem to be warranted.
Testing the Similarity Fit/Misfit Hypothesis in Adolescents and Parents With ADHD
Authors: Grimbos Teresa , Wiener Judith
Published: January 2016

Objective: Higher rates of conflict are observed between adolescents with ADHD and their parents due to cognitive, academic, social, and behavioral difficulties. Conflict should be even more pronounced when parents have ADHD themselves; however, some research suggests that parents with ADHD may have increased tolerance toward children who share similar challenges (i.e., similarity-fit hypothesis). Method: We tested the similarity-fit model and its converse, the similarity-misfit model, in a sample of 93 ADHD adolescents, 63 comparison adolescents, and their parents with varying levels of ADHD. Quantity and intensity of conflict were examined in mothers and fathers separately. Results: We found evidence for the similarity-fit process in fathers, and similarity misfit in mothers, particularly regarding quantity of conflict between parent and adolescent. Conclusion: Results indicate the importance of differential parental roles in mothers and fathers, and have implications for involving parents in treatment for ADHD in adolescents.
Reflections on Government Service Rotations by an Academic Health Education Professional
Authors: Green Lawrence W.
Published: January 2016

This reflection is on a health education professional’s rotation from professor in a school of public health to a government position and back parallels that of Professor Howard Koh’s journey to Assistant Secretary of Health, one level higher in the same federal bureaucracy. We both acknowledge the steep learning curve and some bureaucratic hassles and mazes that can attend government service, but similarly conclude that “. . . it was worth it.” In this personalized case, I weigh some of the specific learning experiences and challenges I faced while in the government against the needs of the field of health promotion for more such revolving-door experiences among academic public health professionals. From my argument that to get more evidence-based practice we need more practice-based evidence, I conclude that more experience in practice among those returning to academia will render their teaching and research more relevant to the needs for evidence in policy and practice.