bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a nonautonomous eco‐epidemic diffusive model with disease in the prey
Authors: Pan Min , Yang Jing , Lin Zhigui
Published: December 2017

This paper deals with the behavior of positive solutions to a nonautonomous reaction‐diffusion system with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions, which describes a two‐species predator‐prey system in which there is an infectious disease in prey. The sufficient condition on the permanence of the prey and the predator is established by combining the comparison principle with the results related to the corresponding ODE system. Some sufficient conditions for the spreading and vanishing of the disease are obtained. The global attractivity is also discussed by constructing a Lyapunov functional. Our results show that the disease is spreading if the transmission rate is suitably large, while if the transmission rate is small, the disease must be vanishing.
Report of AAPM Task Group 162: Software for planar image quality metrology
Authors: Samei Ehsan , Ikejimba Lynda C. , Harrawood Brian P. , Rong John , Cunningham Ian A. , Flynn Michael J.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The AAPM Task Group 162 aimed to provide a standardized approach for the assessment of image quality in planar imaging systems. This report offers a description of the approach as well as the details of the resultant software bundle to measure detective quantum efficiency (DQE) as well as its basis components and derivatives.

Methods

The methodology and the associated software include the characterization of the noise power spectrum (NPS) from planar images acquired under specific acquisition conditions, modulation transfer function (MTF) using an edge test object, the DQE, and effective DQE (eDQE). First, a methodological framework is provided to highlight the theoretical basis of the work. Then, a step‐by‐step guide is included to assist in proper execution of each component of the code. Lastly, an evaluation of the method is included to validate its accuracy against model‐based and experimental data.

Results

The code was built using a Macintosh OSX operating system. The software package contains all the source codes to permit an experienced user to build the suite on a Linux or other *nix type system. The package further includes manuals and sample images and scripts to demonstrate use of the software for new users. The results of the code are in close alignment with theoretical expectations and published results of experimental data.

Conclusions

The methodology and the software package offered in AAPM TG162 can be used as baseline for characterization of inherent image quality attributes of planar imaging systems.
Unsaturated cryptophanes: Toward dual PHIP/hyperpolarised xenon sensors
Authors: Huber Gaspard , Léonce Estelle , Baydoun Orsola , De Rycke Nicolas , Brotin Thierry , Berthault Patrick
Published: December 2017

Cryptophanes, cage‐molecules constituted of aromatic bowls, are now well recognised as powerful xenon hosts in 129Xe NMR‐based biosensing. In the quest of a dual probe that can be addressed only by NMR, we have studied three cryptophanes bearing a tether with an unsaturated bond. The idea behind this is to build probes that can be detected both via hyperpolarised 129Xe NMR and para‐hydrogen induced polarisation 1H NMR. Only two of the three cryptophanes experience a sufficiently fast hydrogenation enabling the para‐hydrogen induced polarisation effect. Although the in–out xenon exchange properties are maintained after hydrogenation, the chemical shift of xenon encaged in these two cryptophanes is not strikingly modified, which impedes safe discrimination of the native and hydrogenated states via 129Xe NMR. However, a thorough examination of the hyperpolarised 1H spectra reveals some interesting features for the catalytic process and gives us clues for the design of doubly smart 1H/129Xe NMR‐based biosensors.
Trace analysis in water‐alcohol mixtures by continuous p‐H2 hyperpolarization at high magnetic field
Authors: Hermkens Niels K.J. , Aspers Ruud L.E.G. , Feiters Martin C. , Rutjes Floris P.J.T. , Tessari Marco
Published: December 2017

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of complex mixtures are often limited by the low sensitivity of the technique and by spectral overlap. We have recently reported on an NMR chemosensor on the basis of para‐Hydrogen Induced Polarization that potentially addresses both these issues, albeit for specific classes of compounds. This approach makes use of Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE) catalysts in methanol and allows selective detection and quantification of dilute analytes in complex mixtures. Herein, we demonstrate that, despite a large decrease in attained hyperpolarization, this method can be extended to water–alcohol mixtures. Our approach was tested on whisky, where nitrogenous heterocyclic flavor components at low‐micromolar concentration could be detected and quantified.
Improved developmental competence in embryos treated with lycopene during in vitro culture system
Authors: Chowdhury M.M.R. , Mesalam Ayman , Khan Imran , Joo Myeong‐Don , Lee Kyeong‐Lim , Xu Lianguang , Afrin Fahmida , Kong Il‐Keun
Published: December 2017

In vitro embryo development remains suboptimal compared to in vivo development due to the challenge from various stressors associated with in vitro culturing of oocytes. When 0.2 μM lycopene was added to oocyte in vitro maturation and embryo culture media, to assess its antioxidant effects on embryo development, we observed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in cleavage and blastocyst development rates compared to the corresponding controls (84.3 ± 0.6% vs. 73.1 ± 1.9% and 41.0 ± 1.4% vs. 33.4 ± 0.7%, respectively). Lycopene also significantly reduced (p < 0.05) intracellular reactive oxygen species concentrations in oocytes and blastocysts, whereas lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial activity increased compared to control conditions. The number of apoptotic nuclei was significantly reduced in the lycopene‐treated compared to the control group (1.7 ± 0.1 vs. 4.7 ± 0.3), and the quantity of cells in the trophectoderm (207.1 ± 1.6 vs. 171.3 ± 1.0, respectively) and inner cell mass (41.9 ± 0.4 vs. 36.7 ± 0.4, respectively) was higher following treatment—although the inner cell mass‐to‐trophectoderm ratio was unchanged (1:3.3 vs. 1:3.4 for lycopene vs. control, respectively). Lycopene supplementation also significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated expression of IKBKB (Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B kinase, subunit beta) and reduced Caspase 9 and Caspase 3 protein abundance, while up‐regulating GDF9 (Growth and differentiation factor 9), BMP15 (Bone morphogenetic protein 15), SOD2 (Superoxide dismutase 2), NDUFA2 (NADH dehydrogenase), ACADL (Acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase, long chain), and ACSL3 (Acyl‐CoA synthetase 3, long‐chain membrane 3) transcription compared to control. Therefore, co‐culturing with lycopene during oocyte maturation improved bovine embryo developmental potential during in vitro culture by improving embryonic resilience to stress.
A review of conductive polymer composites filled with low melting point metal alloys
Authors: Amoabeng Derrick , Velankar Sachin S.
Published: December 2017

Metal alloys with low melting temperatures may be blended into polymers to improve their electrical conductivity. We review the preparation, morphology, and electrical conductivity of polymer composites based on low melting point metal alloys, with or without additional filler particles. Since such alloys can be liquid under melt processing conditions, the composite morphology is determined by phenomena such as coalescence of liquid metal drops, orientation of the liquid metal phase, or selective wetting of a second filler by the liquid metal. None of these phenomena appear in conductive composites based on more common conductive fillers such as carbon black, carbon nanotubes, or metal particles. The published literature suggests that composites based on low melting metal alloys, with or without additional non‐melting filler particles, can have much higher percolation thresholds and much higher electrical conductivity (∼1,000 S/m) than those based on fillers such as carbon black or carbon nanotubes. Changes in other properties such as rheological or mechanical properties are also discussed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1010–1019, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Flame retarding polyamide 11 with exfoliated vermiculite nanoflakes
Authors: Macheca Afonso D. , Focke Walter W. , Kaci Mustapha , Panampilly Bindu , Androsch René
Published: December 2017

Polyamide 11‐based bionanocomposites were prepared by melt compounding with 10 wt% clays of different chemistry and morphology. This included vermiculite nanoflakes obtained by consecutive thermal and ultrasonic exfoliation in both neat and organo‐modified form. The mechanical reinforcement‐ and flame‐retardant performance of the vermiculite clays were compared to organo‐modified montmorillonite (Cloisite 30B) and needle‐shaped sepiolite (Pangel S9). Electron microscope investigations revealed different structures and dispersion levels of the clay nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. Tensile tests showed that the addition of clays led to considerable improvements in Young's modulus without compromising the elongation at break. Compared to the neat polymer, all clays reduced the peak heat release rate and the smoke production rate in cone calorimeter testing. Surprisingly, the needle‐shaped sepiolite clay and the two vermiculites outperformed the montmorillonite organoclay in the fire testing even though it featured the highest degree of exfoliation in the polymer matrix. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1746–1755, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Behaviour vs. perception: An investigation into the components of emotional invalidation
Authors: Elzy Meredith , Karver Marc
Published: December 2017

Background

The negative effects of emotionally invalidating environments are theorized by the biosocial theory of borderline personality disorder to be vast and severe. However, findings from studies on the impact of emotional invalidation (EI) vary, perhaps due to different operational definitions of EI. The current investigation seeks to explore the relationship between the objective behavioural observations of EI and recipient's subjective perceptions of experiencing these behaviours.

Method

First, 58 participants watched scripted interactions between a confederate and a mock participant and identified the presence of invalidating and/or neutral behaviours. Next, 92 participants engaged in one‐on‐one interactions with a confederate utilizing the same scripted interactions observed by the first set of participants.

Results

While the first set of participants identified invalidating behaviours accurately and consistently, the participants who experienced the behaviours demonstrated more variability in their perceptions of the behaviours as emotionally invalidating.

Conclusion

These preliminary findings demonstrate that the objective existence of emotionally invalidating behaviours are likely not the same as the experienced perception of EI across individuals, highlighting the need to examine how EI is operationally defined and measured. Future research should examine what individual characteristics may play a role in perceiving behaviours as emotionally invalidating. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multidimensional Measures of Poverty: The Potential Contribution of Non‐Profit Food Pantry Data to Assess Community Economic Condition
Authors: Berner Maureen
Published: December 2017

To address the negative consequences of economic hardship, U.S. policymakers and practitioners rely on the official poverty rate in making decisions. Yet does it truly reflect economic condition, especially hardship? In line with an international movement to shift away from income and poverty lines and toward multidimensional measures including material deprivation, would information from community‐based non‐profits such as food pantries, often the first stop for people in need, provide a better understanding of local economic condition? This article presents original data on dramatic growth in demand at community‐level food pantries across North Carolina since the 1990s, and reflects on the resulting different perspective on economic condition. A call for additional research on the use of measures of material deprivation that include the non‐profit sector to reflect economic conditions in the United States is made.
The Two Legends of American Poverty: Breaking Out of Poverty's Historic Snare
Authors: Dobelstein Andrew
Published: December 2017

Efforts to reduce poverty in America have been hobbled by poverty's historic explanation accompanied by a political reticence to accept its contemporary manifestation. Public policy has directed resources toward modifying personal behavior rather than attending the role macroeconomic decisions contribute to poverty. Whereas poverty could be understood within an environment of economic individualism independent of political choices, the Employment Act of 1946 gave Congress the authority to shape the economy, putting economic choices in the center of the political process, and poverty has become a consequence. Congress holds the political power to shape the economy, and the scope of its constitutional obligation to provide for the General Welfare Clause as stated in the Preamble and in Article 1, Section 8, was clarified in 1936 and applied to the Social Security Act in 1937, giving Social Security and Unemployment Insurance constitutional legitimacy. Social Security has assumed the growing burdens of poverty as America's economic individualism world has waned. Expanded extraordinarily over the past 80 years to enlarge its income maintenance protection, Social Security's twentieth‐century economic structure endangers its twenty‐first‐century obligations while Unemployment Insurance's byzantine financing and its administrative structure have failed miserably to address the problems of contemporary poverty.
High Resolution Microsphere‐Assisted Interference Microscopy for 3D Characterization of Nanomaterials
Authors: Leong‐Hoi Audrey , Hairaye Camille , Perrin Stephane , Lecler Sylvain , Pfeiffer Pierre , Montgomery Paul
Published: December 2017

Nanoscale materials are nowadays widely used in many different modern technologies. Special attention is thus required for their characterization in order to optimize fabrication processes. However, current characterization systems which can achieve nanometric resolution over a large area and in three dimensions are few. Classical optical microscopy presents a resolving power limited by diffraction, making impossible the visualization of elements with a size under half the wavelength. Recently, several methods have thus been developed to overcome this limitation, among them microsphere‐assisted microscopy. Indeed, using a transparent microsphere, a full‐field image of the sample can be retrieved with a higher resolution than the diffraction‐limit. In this paper, this new imaging technique is combined with phase‐shifting interferometry in order to reconstruct the 3D surface of nanostructures. An enhancement of a factor of 4.0 in the lateral resolution is demonstrated while combining this with the nanometric axial sensitivity of interferometry. Results are shown of the topography of reference gratings as well as periodic Ag nano‐dots on silicon and laser induced ripples in steel, spaced by a few hundred nanometres. A comparison of these results is made with those from SEM and atomic force microscopy.
Dirac Equation and Optical Wave Propagation in One Dimension
Authors: González Gabriel
Published: December 2017

We show that the propagation of transverse electric (TE) polarized waves in one‐dimensional inhomogeneous settings can be written in the form of the Dirac equation in one space dimension with a Lorentz scalar potential, and consequently perform photonic simulations of the Dirac equation in optical structures. In particular, we propose how the zero energy state of the Jackiw–Rebbi model can be generated in an optical set‐up by controlling the refractive index landscape, where TE‐polarized waves mimic the Dirac particles and the soliton field can be tuned by adjusting the refractive index.
Nickel‐substituted iron‐dependent cysteine dioxygenase: Implications for the dioxygenation activity of nickel model compounds
Authors: Attia Amr A. A. , Silaghi‐Dumitrescu Radu
Published: December 2017

Reported here is a density functional theory study on the ability of Ni‐substituted iron‐dependent cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) to catalyze the oxidation of cysteine to cysteine sulfinic acid. The first steps of the commonly accepted mechanism for CDO, the O2 activation mechanism, suggests the binding of O2 to the metal ion (where redox isomerism takes place converting O2 to
) followed by the attack of the distal oxygen atom on the cysteine sulfur—in line with most previous evidence. An alternative mechanism entailing the attack of the cysteine sulfur on the proximal oxygen atom of the dioxygen moiety to form a persulfenate intermediate without any redox exchange between the metal ion and the O2 ligand, is supported by an X‐ray crystal structure showing a CDO with a bound cysteine persulfenate, and also supported by data on the oxidation of thiols catalyzed by Ni(II) compounds. Our results show that the O2 activation mechanism with a Ni‐substituted active site follows the same pattern as native CDOs albeit with much higher energy barriers for the formation of the intermediates suggesting that the reaction might not be biologically feasible. Conversely, the immediate cleavage of the persulfenate SO bond in the alternative mechanism suggests that cysteine persulfenate might not be a true intermediate in catalytic cycle of CDOs.
Generic Processes in Aligning the Multiple Bases of Identity: The Case of Becoming a Ministry Student
Authors: McLuhan Arthur
Published: December 2017

Identity theory distinguishes three bases of identity—role, group, and person—but studies have typically focused on one identity at a time. The interrelationship among the multiple bases of identity remains understudied. This study examines the multiple bases of identity individuals engage on their way to becoming ministry students. The results reveal the advantage of examining the multiple bases of identity as subcultural processes, the utility of qualitative research for expanding the empirical scope of identity theory, and the possibility of employing structural symbolic interactionist concepts within a processual symbolic interactionist agenda.
Effects of inorganic fillers on withstanding short‐time breakdown and long‐time electrical aging of epoxy composites
Authors: Li Zhe , Sheng Gehao , Jiang Xiuchen , Tanaka Toshikatsu
Published: December 2017

Inorganic fillers were added to epoxy resin for preparing micro and nano filler/epoxy composite, and then the breakdown strengths, depths of erosion caused by partial discharge, and electrical tree experiments of composites were investigated. It was found that the loading of micro fillers usually decreases the short‐time breakdown strength (breakdown under a continuously rising voltage) of the composites. On the contrary, it increases the ability to withstand long‐time electrical aging (erosion or breakdown caused by electrical tree under a discontinuously rising voltage or constant voltage) of the composites. The effect of inorganic fillers in suppressing the electrical tree or erosion channel propagation in the composite is different during the process of withstanding short‐time breakdown and long‐time electrical aging. Defects are introduced during the mixing of fillers and epoxy resin, which play a role to decrease the short‐time breakdown strength and accelerate long‐time electrical aging. It is concluded that micro and nano inorganic fillers can suppress the electrical tree channel propagation and erosion caused by partial discharge, whereas defects play the opposite role in composites. Two opposite effects of inorganic fillers and defects exist simultaneously during the process of electrical aging and breakdown; whereas inorganic fillers play a primary role in long‐time electrical aging, defects play a primary role in short‐time breakdown.
Piezoresistive property of an aluminum‐doped zinc oxide thin film deposited via atomic‐layer deposition for microelectromechanical system/nanoelectromenchanical system applications
Authors: Inomata Naoki , Van Toan Nguyen , Ono Takahito
Published: December 2017

The piezoresistive property of an aluminum (Al)‐doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin film (thickness = 20 nm) is evaluated using a microfabricated silicon cantilever structure. The AZO thin film is deposited via atomic‐layer deposition with 5% Al doping. An AZO piezoresistor is patterned at the root of the cantilever. This cantilever device is fabricated using conventional microfabrication techniques such as lithography, lift‐off, ion milling, and dry/wet etching. The cantilever is deflected by pressing the tip of the cantilever by a needle mounted on a micromanipulator. The strain of the AZO pattern caused by the deflection is numerically calculated using a finite element method based on the dimensions and materials of the fabricated device. The output current of the AZO changes almost linearly with increase in the input voltage. The gauge factor of the AZO thin‐film piezoresistor is found to be 8.5.
Technology‐Mediated Tasks: Affordances Considered From the Learners’ Perspectives
Authors: Payant Caroline , Bright Rachel
Published: December 2017

Within the field of instructed second language acquisition, there has been an increase in the amount of research reporting on task‐based language teaching (TBLT; Kim, ; Van den Branden, ). The pervasive use of technology has prompted researchers to examine the potential synergies between TBLT and technology‐mediated teaching (González‐Lloret & Ortega, ; Ziegler, ). The present study examines the perception of 20 learners of English as a second language toward the use of tasks across two modes: a traditional paper‐mediated (PM) information gap task and a technology‐mediated (TM) information gap task. For the PM task, learners used paper resources and worked individually to find information about three colleges, whereas for the technology‐mediated TM task learners turned to the computer to accomplish this procedure. Participants then completed a collaborative information exchange task. To measure their attitudes toward the tasks, the researchers had the learners answer questionnaires following the completion of each task, which included Likert‐type scale items and open‐ended questions. Findings suggest that a majority of the learners benefited from completing a TM information gap task; however, some minor concerns were raised by the learners. Pedagogical implications for a weak form of technology‐mediated TBLT are discussed.
The use of video feedback in teaching process‐approach EFL writing
Authors: Özkul Sertaç , Ortaçtepe Deniz
Published: December 2017

This experimental study investigated the use of video feedback as an alternative to feedback with correction codes at an institution where the latter was commonly used for teaching process‐approach English as a foreign language (EFL) writing. Over a 5‐week period, the control and the experimental groups were provided with feedback based on comments and correction codes and video feedback, respectively, and the extent of feedback incorporation was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to the experimental group to explore their perceptions of video feedback. The findings show that teacher feedback delivered in the form of videos is more effective than written feedback when EFL learners revise their written work in process writing. The study confirms that video feedback is more information‐rich, and in return results in more correction in learners’ subsequent drafts. The findings imply that video feedback, because of its features of conferencing and multimodality, is an effective method of providing EFL learners with teacher feedback and is therefore eligible for classroom practice and for future research.
Re: Automatic ultrasound technique to measure angle of progression during labor. F. Conversano, M. Peccarisi, P. Pisani, M. Di Paola, T. De Marco, R. Franchini, A. Greco, G. D'Ambrogio and S. Casciaro. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 50: 766–775.
Authors: Volpe N.
Published: December 2017

Linked Comment: Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 50: 766–775
Long‐term trends in weather severity indices for dabbling ducks in eastern North America
Authors: Schummer Michael L. , Coluccy John M. , Mitchell Michael , Van Den Elsen Lena
Published: December 2017

Annual distributions of waterfowl during the nonbreeding period can influence ecological, cultural, and economic relationships. We used previously developed Weather Severity Indices (WSI) that explained migration by dabbling ducks in eastern North America and weather data from the North American Regional Reanalysis to develop an open‐access internet‐based tool (i.e., WSI web app) to visualize and query WSI data. We used data generated by the WSI web app to determine whether the weather known to elicit southerly migration by dabbling ducks had changed, from October to April 1979 to 2013. We detected that the amount of area in the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways with weather severe enough to cause southerly migration decreased during 1) October–December for American wigeon (Mareca americana), green‐winged teal (Anas crecca), and northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata); 2) December–January for mallard (A. platyrhynchos), American black duck (A. rubripes), and northern pintail (A. acuta); and 3) February–April for mallard, American black duck, gadwall (M. strepera), American wigeon, green‐winged teal, and northern shoveler. Results were consistent with prior research indicating that weather causing autumn and winter migration of dabbling ducks has become increasingly mild in the past 3 decades. The WSI web app enables users to query daily data and maps by species and by Flyway, Joint Venture, Landscape Conservation Cooperative, and State. We encourage those with corresponding data on participation and satisfaction by waterfowl enthusiasts (i.e., birders and hunters) to test for relationships with the WSI because of the implications for conservation funding, especially if autumn and winter weather severity continues to become increasingly mild as predicted. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
When Faith, Race, and Hate Collide: Religious Ecology, Local Hate Cultures, and Church Burnings
Authors: Howell Frank M. , Bartkowski John P. , Hempel Lynn M. , Porter Jeremy R.
Published: December 2017

This study explores the extent to which the spate of church burnings that occurred throughout the South during the 1990s may have been influenced by local religious ecologies, diverse forms of civic engagement, and broader community support for racial animus that we call local hate cultures (e.g., prior hate crime incidents, hate group presence). We use county-level data from a variety of sources to determine the degree to which church arsons were associated with relevant features of local communities. Various congregational factors measuring county-level religious ecology are significantly associated with the number of church burnings in Southern communities, as are several local hate culture indicators. Our study provides empirical confirmation of the linkages between church arsons, the public role of religious institutions, and local hate cultures. It also suggests a number of theoretical refinements for existing community-level approaches to the study of religion and hate crimes.
Relationship between Motor Coordination, Cognitive Abilities, and Academic Achievement in Japanese Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Higashionna Takuya , Iwanaga Ryoichiro , Tokunaga Akiko , Nakai Akio , Tanaka Koji , Nakane Hideyuki , Tanaka Goro
Published: December 2017

Background/Objective

Motor coordination impairment is common in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motor coordination, cognitive ability, and academic achievement in Japanese children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Methods

Thirty-four school-age (6–12 years old) children with neurodevelopmental disorders and 34 age-matched typically developing (TD) children were recruited in this study. Correlations between the scores of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (M-ABC2) and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children — Second Edition (K-ABCII) that assesses cognitive abilities, and academic achievement were analyzed.

Results

The children with neurodevelopmental disorders obtained a lower total score and all component scores on M-ABC2 compared to the TD children. In children with neurodevelopmental disorders, M-ABC2 Manual Dexterity score was significantly correlated with K-ABCII Simultaneous Processing (r = .345, p = .046), Knowledge (r = .422, p = .013), Reading (r = .342, p = .048), Writing (r = .414, p = .017), and Arithmetic (r = .443, p = .009) scores. In addition, M-ABC2 Balance score was significantly correlated with K-ABCII Learning (r = .341, p = .048), Writing (r = .493, p = .004), and Arithmetic (r = .386, p = .024) scores.

Conclusion

These findings stress that it is essential to accurately identify motor coordination impairments and the interventions that would consider motor coordination problems related to cognitive abilities and academic achievement in Japanese children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Person‐centered care for older people with dementia in the acute hospital
Authors: Tay Felicia Hui En , Thompson Claire L. , Nieh Chih Ming , Nieh Chih Chiang , Koh Hui Mien , Tan Jessie Joon Cheen , Yap Philip Lin Kiat
Published: December 2017

Introduction

Patients with dementia (PWDs) are often subjected to enforced dependency and experience functional decline and emotional distress during hospital stay. Person‐centered care (PCC) with specialized psychosocial interventions, minimally obtrusive medical care, and physical restraints‐free practice holds potential to improve patient outcomes. We evaluate the effectiveness of an acute hospital dementia unit (Care for Acute Mentally Infirm Elders [CAMIE]) that adopts a PCC protocol.

Methods

Prospective naturalistic cohort study whereby PWDs in the CAMIE unit (n = 170) were compared with a control group in usual care wards (n = 60) over 6 months. Assessments included patient demographics, dementia type and stage, comorbidities (Charlson's Comorbidity Index), acute illness severity, Well‐Being, Ill‐Being, functional status (Modified Barthel Index), agitation levels (Pittsburgh Agitation Scale), and quality of life (EuroQoL), assessed on admission and discharge. Multivariate analysis of covariance examined the effect of CAMIE versus usual care on pre‐post outcomes.

Results

CAMIE patients showed statistically significant greater gains in Modified Barthel Index function and Well‐Being, decreased Ill‐Being and agitation, and greater improvement in EuroQoL index score (effect size: Δ = 0.18) after adjusting for baseline differences that translated to a quality‐adjusted life years gain of 0.045, assuming stability over 3 months. Estimating added cost of CAMIE stay over usual care at SGD 1500 (USD 1040) for average length of stay of 15 days per patient, the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio fell within the threshold for cost‐effectiveness at USD 23,111.

Discussion

PCC for PWDs in acute hospitals not only improves clinical outcomes for patients but is also cost‐effective. The results support the adoption of PCC on a wider scale for better care of PWDs.
The Medieval Tradition of Cerberus
Authors: Savage John J.
Published: December 2017

In the sixth canto of the Inferno Dante depicts the punishment of the gluttonous. They are represented as lying in the mire under a continuous heavy storm of hail and snow. Three-headed Cerberus keeps barking over them and rending them apart:
Carbon Emissions, Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, and Unintended Harms
Authors: Preston Christopher J.
Published: December 2017

In the rapidly expanding literature on the ethics of climate engineering, a lot has been made of the fact that stratospheric aerosol injection would for the first time create a world whose climate had been intentionally shaped by deliberate human decisions. Intention has always mattered in ethics. Due to the importance of intention in assigning culpability for harms, one might expect that the moral responsibility for any harms created during an attempt to reconstruct the global climate using stratospheric aerosols would be considerable. This article investigates such an expectation by making a comparison between the culpability for any unintended harms resulting from stratospheric aerosol injection and culpability for the unintended harms already taking place due to carbon emissions. To make this comparison, both types of unintended harms are viewed through the lens of the doctrine of double effect. The conclusion reached goes against what many might expect. The article closes by suggesting that a good way to read this surprising conclusion is that it points toward the continuing moral importance of prioritizing emission reductions.
The rock and the hunter. The significance of rocks and boulders in rock art production in the western Himalayas
Authors: Aas Lars Reinholt
Published: December 2017

This paper is an addition to the recent advances in the field of rock art research and aims to accentuate the significance of rocks and boulders in the production of rock art. I argue that the rock itself must be recognized as an important element in rock art production even in cases where there are no discernible connections between the rock art images and the irregularities found in the rock surface. The paper concerns rock carvings from the Taru Thang site in Ladakh in northern India and builds on ethnography drawn from the Dardic-speaking people of the western Himalayas. I argue that the rocks must be understood as devices of communication between hunters and their supernatural allies, and that the images represent messages conveyed through the rock interface. In these acts of communication, the geological irregularities of the rock surface serve no purpose and have been avoided rather than included in the compositions.
The Association Between Carotenoid Status and Body Composition in Children 2 – 18 Years of Age – A Systematic Review
Authors: Gust Jessica L. , Logomarsino John V.
Published: December 2017

Abstract.The aim of this review was to determine the association between carotenoid status and body composition in children 2 – 18 years of age. Obesity is often related to poor dietary habits and lower fruit and vegetable consumption in children. Fruit and vegetables are the primary sources of antioxidant-rich dietary carotenoids; decreased intake may lead to increased risk of chronic diseases. Identifying those with lower carotenoid status in childhood could be an important target for public health intervention. Research methods for the review were conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) checklist and the Central Michigan University library, via multiple scientific databases. Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms were utilized to identify relevant studies for inclusion. Twenty-three studies were included in the review (n = 16,285). Thirteen studies reported a significant inverse association between carotenoid status and body composition in children (p < 0.05), (n = 15,206). Five additional studies had varying associations between body composition and carotenoid status based on the type of carotenoid and/or measure of carotenoid status (n = 763). Carotenoid status is inversely associated with body composition; however, varying degrees of association were observed in this review. It remains to be determined whether this association is related to intake, fat mass or a combination of the two.
Diet and Other Lifestyle Factors Associated with Prostate Cancer Differ Between the German and Italian Region of Switzerland
Authors: Richard Aline , Faeh David , Bopp Matthias , Rohrmann Sabine
Published: December 2017

Abstract.Purpose: In Switzerland, prostate cancer mortality is higher in the German than in the Italian-speaking region. We aimed at exploring the association of living in one of the two regions with lifestyle factors presumably lowering the risk of prostate cancer. Methods: We pooled data from the Swiss Health Survey, conducted every 5 years 1992 – 2012. Information on diet (meat, fish, dairy, fruits and vegetables), alcohol, smoking, physical activity and body mass index were dichotomized into “risky” and “risk-reducing” lifestyle behaviour with respect to prostate cancer. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess associations between the German and Italian region of Switzerland and each single lifestyle factor. Results: Living in the Italian region was associated with “risk-reducing” diet, i.e. with a higher prevalence of low dairy products and meat consumption and high fish consumption (odds ratio [OR] 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21 – 1.48; OR 3.31, 95% CI 2.94 – 3.72; OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.71 – 2.12, respectively). However, men in the Italian region were less likely to have low alcohol consumption and regular physical activity than men in the German region (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.36 – 0.52 and OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.69 – 0.86, respectively). Conclusions: Prostate cancer risk-reducing dietary behaviour (i.e., less dairy products, less meat and more fish) was more common in the Italian region, whereas other risk-reducing lifestyle behaviours were more common in the German region.
Preventive Role of Vitamin D in Silica-Induced Skin Fibrosis: A Study in Relation to Oxidative Stress and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines
Authors: Koul Ashwani , Angmo Stanzin , Bharati Sanjay
Published: December 2017

Abstract.The protective effects of vitamin D analogue calcipotriol in silica-induced skin fibrosis were studied in the present study. Male BALB / c mice were divided into four groups; Control, Vitamin D, Silica and Silica+Vitamin D. Silica was administered as a single intradermal injection (40 µg / µL, dissolved in normal saline; particle size 1 – 5 µm) in the hind limbs of animals in Silica & Silica+Vitamin D group. Vitamin D group animals received topical application of 100µL of vitamin D solution (10-7M in Ethanol) daily for 12 weeks. Silica+Vitamin D group animals received co-treatment of silica and vitamin D as described for other groups. After 12 weeks of treatment, dermal thickness and hydroxyproline content of treated sections were measured. The TNF-α and IL-6 levels were measured in serum of all treated animals. The silica-induced oxidative stress was measured in terms of lipid peroxidation in skin tissue. Antioxidant defence system was assessed in terms of levels of reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. A significant increase in the dermal thickness and hydroxyproline content was observed after silica treatment (931 ± 57.98 to 1804.61 ± 146.20 µm)(p < 0.05). Vitamin D co-treatment reduced dermal thickness and hydroxyproline content compared to Silica group (p < 0.05). Similarly a decrease in TNF-α and IL-6 levels were also observed after vitamin D treatment. A significant reduction in oxidative stress in terms of lipid peroxidation (4.92 ± 0.70 to 2.40 ± 0.31 nmol / mg protein). Therefore, present study suggested that vitamin D could be an effective agent against silica-induced skin fibrosis and oxidative stress.
The Influence of Perceived Stress and Depression on Suicide-Related Beliefs in Caucasian and Indian Adults
Authors: Gill Supria K. , Muñoz Ricardo F. , Leykin Yan
Published: December 2017

Abstract. Background and Aims: Suicidality research in developing countries, including India, faces logistical and cultural challenges. Technology may help address these challenges and offer data to providers treating a diverse clientele. Method: The relationship between perceived stress and suicide-related beliefs was examined in two populations: Indians in India (n = 374) and Caucasians in English-speaking countries (n = 326); the influence of depression on that relationship was also explored. The study was conducted via an Internet-based survey. Results: Three-way interactions (Ethnicity × Perceived stress × Depression status) were observed, predicting strength of the belief that suicide is a solution to problems, F(1,679) = 4.18, p < .05, and that suicide is a good option if quality of life worsens, F(1,675) = 9.53, p < .01. For both beliefs, Caucasians screening positive for depression exhibited the strongest relationship between stress and suicide-related beliefs; for Indians, that relationship was not moderated by depression status. Caucasians also exhibited a stronger association between higher stress and greater belief strength that suicide is a good option assuming a steady quality of life than did Indians, F(1,680) = 6.05, p < .05. Limitations: Participants were recruited through a depression screening website; results may not generalize to those who are uninterested in depression screening or to those who are unwilling or unable to use the internet for that purpose. Conclusion: Our findings may help to better target interventions to reduce suicidality, for example, employ stress reduction techniques for Caucasians who are depressed, and monitor suicidality for Indians reporting high stress regardless of depression.
Psychiatric polygenic risk associates with cortical morphology and functional organization in aging
Authors: Lee Annie , Shen Mojun , Qiu Anqi
Published: December 2017

Common brain abnormalities in cortical morphology and functional organization are observed in psychiatric disorders and aging, reflecting shared genetic influences. This preliminary study aimed to examine the contribution of a polygenetic risk for psychiatric disorders (PRScross) to aging brain and to identify molecular mechanisms through the use of multimodal brain images, genotypes, and transcriptome data. We showed age-related cortical thinning in bilateral inferior frontal cortex (IFC) and superior temporal gyrus and alterations in the functional connectivity between bilateral IFC and between right IFC and right inferior parietal lobe as a function of PRScross. Interestingly, the genes in PRScross, that contributed most to aging neurodegeneration, were expressed in the functioanlly connected cortical regions. Especially, genes identified through the genotype-functional connectivity association analysis were commonly expressed in both cortical regions and formed strong gene networks with biological processes related to neural plasticity and synaptogenesis, regulated by glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission, neurotrophin signaling, and metabolism. This study suggested integrating genotype and transcriptome with neuroimage data sheds new light on the mechanisms of aging brain.
Elevated peripheral expression of neuregulin-1 (NRG1) mRNA isoforms in clozapine-treated schizophrenia patients
Authors: Mostaid Md Shaki , Lee Ting Ting , Chana Gursharan , Sundram Suresh , Shannon Weickert Cynthia , Pantelis Christos , Everall Ian , Bousman Chad
Published: December 2017

Differential expression of neuregulin-1 (NRG1) mRNA isoforms and proteins has been reported in schizophrenia, primarily in post-mortem brain tissue. In this study, we examined 12NRG1SNPs, eightNRG1mRNA isoforms (type I, type I(Ig2), type II, type III, type IV, EGFα, EGFβ, pan-NRG1) in whole blood, and NRG1-β1 protein in serum of clozapine-treated schizophrenia patients (N = 71) and healthy controls (N = 57). In addition, using cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 15 healthy individuals, we examined the effect of clozapine onNRG1mRNA isoform and protein expression. We found elevated levels ofNRG1mRNA, specifically the EGFα (P = 0.0175), EGFβ (P = 0.002) and type I(Ig2)(P = 0.023) containing transcripts, but lower NRG1-β1 serum protein levels (P = 0.019) in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls. However, adjusting for smoking status attenuated the difference in NRG1-β1 serum levels (P = 0.050). Examination of clinical factors showedNRG1EGFα (P = 0.02) and EGFβ (P = 0.02) isoform expression was negatively correlated with age of onset. However, we found limited evidence thatNRG1mRNA isoform or protein expression was associated with current chlorpromazine equivalent dose or clozapine plasma levels, the latter corroborated by our PBMC clozapine exposure experiment. Our SNP analysis found no robust expression quantitative trait loci. Our results represent the first comprehensive investigation ofNRG1isoforms and protein expression in the blood of clozapine-treated schizophrenia patients and suggest levels of someNRG1transcripts are upregulated in those with schizophrenia.
Huntingtin gene repeat size variations affect risk of lifetime depression
Authors: Gardiner Sarah L. , van Belzen Martine J. , Boogaard Merel W. , van Roon-Mom Willeke M. C. , Rozing Maarten P. , van Hemert Albert M. , Smit Johannes H. , Beekman Aartjan T. F. , van Grootheest Gerard , Schoevers Robert A. , Oude Voshaar Richard C. , Roos Raymund A. C. , Comijs Hannie C. , Penninx Brenda W. J. H. , van der Mast Roos C. , Aziz N. Ahmad
Published: December 2017

Huntington disease (HD) is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder caused by a cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeat expansion in the HTT gene. Although HD is frequently complicated by depression, it is still unknown to what extent common HTT CAG repeat size variations in the normal range could affect depression risk in the general population. Using binary logistic regression, we assessed the association between HTT CAG repeat size and depression risk in two well-characterized Dutch cohorts─the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety and the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons─including 2165 depressed and 1058 non-depressed persons. In both cohorts, separately as well as combined, there was a significant non-linear association between the risk of lifetime depression and HTT CAG repeat size in which both relatively short and relatively large alleles were associated with an increased risk of depression (β = −0.292 and β = 0.006 for the linear and the quadratic term, respectively; both P < 0.01 after adjustment for the effects of sex, age, and education level). The odds of lifetime depression were lowest in persons with a HTT CAG repeat size of 21 (odds ratio: 0.71, 95% confidence interval: 0.52 to 0.98) compared to the average odds in the total cohort. In conclusion, lifetime depression risk was higher with both relatively short and relatively large HTT CAG repeat sizes in the normal range. Our study provides important proof-of-principle that repeat polymorphisms can act as hitherto unappreciated but complex genetic modifiers of depression.