bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of Heavy Drinking and Alcohol Problems among Young Adults
Authors: Abrahamson Maria
Published: April 2018

Data from focus groups are presented. Interviews were conducted in various regions of Sweden with young men and women from different social groups. The groups were composed of naturally existing networks of friends. Participants provided definitions of three types of problem drinkers: an alcoholic, a heavy drinker, and a drunkard. The role of background factors in influencing the way the definitions were formed is examined. Two background factors of importance stood out in the analysis: personal drinking habits and gender. One finding was that the young people's own drinking habits influenced the way they perceived the three types of drinkers, and in particular how they perceived the difference between a heavy drinker and an alcoholic. Another finding was that the young women tended to describe the alcoholic in terms of drinking alone and in disguise, while the young men rather attributed problems at work to the alcoholic.
Drink, Drugs and Disability: An Introduction to the Controversy
Authors: Hunt Sharon R. , Baumohl Jim
Published: April 2018

This paper reviews the history of the drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A) program within Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the controversies that dogged the years before its termination in 1996. The DA&A program began in 1972, and for reasons understood early on, it was susceptible to rapid growth and discrediting scandal. Through the mid-1980s, the program remained very small, mainly because of a conservative judicial climate that limited the grounds for claiming substance abuse as a disabling impairment. Once the legal barriers were breached, SSI became an attractive welfare alternative for impoverished substance abusers and for local governments seeking to shift welfare and medical assistance costs to the federal government. By the early 1990s, program growth was extraordinary, and oversight bodies deemed the program “out of control.” This was compounded by highly publicized misuse of funds by beneficiaries. Seen as an instance of state-induced harm, the program became an early target of the conservative welfare reformers who took control of Congress after the 1994 elections.
Rationale and Procedures for Weighting the SSI Study Data
Authors: Choudhry G. Hussain , Helba Cynthia
Published: April 2018

This paper describes the rationale and procedures for developing a set of weights for the multisite study of former recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A). The sample weights corrected for two factors: differing sampling rates among the sites and incomplete sampling frames and non-response at the sample-recruitment stage, which resulted in samples with demographics discrepant from those of the represented populations. We derived the first component of the weights by assigning a base weight calculated as the reciprocal of the selection probability for each case. The second component of the weights was calculated using an iterative raking procedure using known population marginal totals for age, gender, and race. Application of the resultant weights to the study sample yields an aggregate sample that more closely approximates the characteristics of the aggregate population represented by the nine study sites. When conducting analyses using the cross-site data, we recommend the use of a replication technique to obtain corrected variance estimates in conjunction with the sample weights.
Effects of Losing SSI Benefits on Standard Drug and Alcohol Outcome Measures
Authors: Guydish Joseph , Ponath Claudia , Bostrom Alan , Campbell Kevin , Barron Nancy
Published: April 2018

P.L. 104–121 eliminated drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A) as an impairment category for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), allowing a six-month period for DA&A recipients to request an eligibility redetermination, and terminating all SSI DA&A benefits on January 1, 1997, In a multi-site cohort study of persons affected by this change, participants were interviewed prior to the benefits termination date and reinterviewed over a two-year follow-up period. We assessed the impact of loss of SSI DA&A benefits on Addiction Severity Index (ASI) composite scores, which are often used to reflect treatment outcomes in seven areas (psychological, social, alcohol, drug, legal, employment, and medical). We classified participants as either on SSI or off SSI (n=1,670) during follow-up and analyzed ASI composite scores treating time as a linear effect, including baseline composite scores as covariates. The dependent variable in each analysis was the ASI composite score, dichotomized into high and low categories. We hypothesized that those who lost SSI benefits would experience poorer outcomes than those who requalified for benefits. In the context of the limitations discussed, the results do not support this hypothesis. Participants in both groups showed either improvement or no change over time, and patterns of change did not differ by SSI status.
Medical and Mental Health Services Utilization among Requalified and Former Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Recipients of SSI
Authors: Podus Deborah , Barron Nancy , Chang Eunice , Watkins Katherine , Guydish Joseph , Anglin M. Douglas
Published: April 2018

This article examines the impact of the elimination of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A) disability category–-and the consequent loss of Medicaid benefits by most of those terminated from SSI–-on the medical and mental health services utilization of affected individuals. Data are from a two-year, five-wave panel study of a random sample of 1,764 former DA&A recipients in nine sites. Respondents were grouped into three categories: those who requalified for SSI on other grounds: those who lost SSI but obtained alternative health coverage: and those who lost SSI and were uninsured. We found, after controlling for covariates, that the uninsured were significantly less likely than those who requalified for SSI to receive any medical or mental health care. Disparities in care were less pronounced between those who requalified for SSI and those who lost SSI but obtained other coverage. Lack of insurance was associated with greater difficulty in accessing care in four sites, but it was not associated with higher emergency room use.
General Course and Correlates of Improvement and Decline following Termination of the Supplemental Security Income Impairment Category for Drug Addiction and Alcoholism
Authors: Swartz James A. , Martinovich Zoran
Published: April 2018

This paper examines the response of former SSI DA&A beneficiaries to the loss of benefits across multiple areas of functioning and across time. The main purposes of the study were to determine how termination of the DA&A program affected individuals generally, to understand the degree of variation in response to lost benefits, and to determine the individual and social correlates of improvement and decline given expected individual variations in adaptability. Self-report data collected at six-month intervals over two years at nine study sites from 1,640 former SSI DA&A recipients were analyzed to assess the overall degree of change across seven areas of functioning. Contrary to expectations, we found that the majority of subjects had maintained a constant level of functioning or were slightly improved. However, those who were among the heaviest alcohol and drug users at baseline and who were not able to substantially replace their lost disability income were the most likely to show deteriorations in functioning.
Alcohol in Courtship Contexts: Focus-Group Interviews with Young Swedish Women and Men
Authors: Abrahamson Maria
Published: April 2018

This study consisted of focus-group interviews carried out in different parts of Sweden with young adults from varying social environments. The groups were taken from naturally existing networks of friends, and one of the principal items of discussion centered on the role of alcohol in social interplay between the sexes. The analysis shows both similarities and differences between how women and men talk about the significance of alcohol in making new contacts. Both give alcohol a similar and high rating for facilitating flirtation. In discussion of the pick-up situation, however, clear differences appear. The women's view was that for a woman it is possible to take sexual initiatives while being intoxicated, though within limits. What men describe in the corresponding situation is that for them intoxication is a means of daring to be open and natural with women.
Crystal Methamphetamine use among Gay Men in Sydney
Authors: Slavin Sean
Published: April 2018

Crystal methamphetamine is used by gay men in Sydney in a variety of social and sexual contexts and by various means including injection. This paper presents detailed ethnographic data that explore some of the social and cultural characteristics of Sydney gay men's crystal use and other associated practices. The meaning of these practices is explored through a discussion of cultural boundaries and social exchange that traverses them. These boundaries help to limit drug-related harms in some ways but also generate certain risks. A nuanced understanding of the cultural meaning of various drug use practices may assist in producing culturally relevant harm-reduction education.
“Charging” and “Blowing Out”: Patterns and Cultures of GHB Use in Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Duff Cameron
Published: April 2018

Recent increases in the use of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in club and rave settings have been associated with a series of acute health problems including overdose. Drawing upon research recently completed in Melbourne, Australia among a sample of young club and rave patrons, this article explores the knowledge, attitudes and related “risk-behaviors” of individuals who use GHB, as well as the various cultures and contexts surrounding its use. A mixed quantitative and qualitative research design was utilized, comprising a detailed survey (N=923) and semistructured interviews (N=24). Almost all survey respondents reported to have consumed illicit drugs in the past, with around half reporting “lifetime” use of GHB. A quarter reported using GHB in the past year. GHB related harms were widely reported with 22% of GHB users reporting to have overdosed on the drug at least once. The article closes with recommendations for GHB specific prevention and harm reduction strategies.
Illegal Drug-Attributable Mortality and Potential Years of Life Lost in Canada 2002: Implications for Prevention and Policy
Authors: Popova Svetlana , Rehm Jürgen , Patra Jayadeep
Published: April 2018

The article estimates the deaths and years of life lost due to use of illegal drugs in Canada in the year 2002. In 2002, for Canada, 1,695 deaths were attributable to illegal drug use, 0.8% of all deaths: 1,183 of men (1.0%) and 512 in women (0.5%). Main causes of illegal drug use-attributable death were drug overdose, suicide, and hepatitis C. In 2002 in total, 62,110 years of life were lost prematurely, 42,306 years among men and 19,805 years among women. Illegal drug use constitutes a major contributor to the burden of mortality in Canada. A mixture of prevention and harm reduction measures is proposed to reduce the burden of mortality associated with drug use.
The Narrative of Evaluations: Medically Supervised Injecting Centers
Authors: Zajdow Grazyna
Published: April 2018

Medically supervised injecting centers, or drug consumption rooms are officially sanctioned places where people can inject or smoke illegal drugs in hygienic conditions and under supervision. Their ostensible purposes are to protect the health of drug users and contain the nuisance potential of open drug markets. This article argues that the debates and arguments supporting the establishment and existence of medically supervised injecting centers follow four interweaving narratives. These narratives can be characterized as (1) Caring and humanitarian (2) Elimination of public nuisance (3) Governance of the drug-using subject (4) Neo-liberal, utilitarian, and bureaucratic. These narratives alternatively combine and oppose each other. This means that the analysis of the benefits and problems with such initiatives depends on the perspective of the actors involved and the claims made for their effectiveness.
Dancing with Death: The Grey Area between Suicide Related Behavior, Indifference and Risk Behaviors of Heroin Users
Authors: Miller Peter G.
Published: April 2018

Suicide-related behavior (SRB) among heroin users is a complex and multifaceted continuum, including such fringe areas as indifference and “risky” behavior. The article investigates the nuances and intersections of SRB, using qualitative semi-structured interviews with 60 regular heroin users recruited primarily from syringe programs in Geelong, Australia. Twenty-eight percent of interviewees reported a previous suicide attempt and 45% reported serious consideration of it. Types of SRB reported included: Suicide attempts, instrumental suicide-related behaviors, suicidal ideation, indifference and risk-taking thoughts and behaviors. Heroin users engage in much behavior which inhabits a grey area of SRB. The use of a nomenclature which addresses the elements of lethality and intent improves the ability of research to properly define and categorize SRB in drug-using populations. But the categories should not be over inclusive; indifferent attitudes towards death and risk-taking behaviors can sometimes be a functional response to the risk environment of heroin users.
Social Processes Underlying Acculturation: A Study of Drinking Behavior among Immigrant Latinos in the Northeast United States
Authors: Lee Christina S. , López Steven Regeser , Cobly Suzanne M. , Tejada Monica , García-Coll Cynthia , Smith Marcia
Published: April 2018

Study Goals

To identify social processes that underlie the relationship of acculturation and heavy drinking behavior among Latinos who have immigrated to the Northeast United States of America (USA).

Method

Community-based recruitment strategies were used to identify 36 Latinos who reported heavy drinking. Participants were 48% female, 23 to 56 years of age, and were from South or Central America (39%) and the Caribbean (24%). Six focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed.

Results

Content analyses indicated that the social context of drinking is different in the participants’ countries of origin and in the United States. In Latin America, alcohol consumption was part of everyday living (being with friends and family). Nostalgia and isolation reflected some of the reasons for drinking in the USA. Results suggest that drinking in the Northeastern United States (US) is related to Latinos’ adaptation to a new sociocultural environment. Knowledge of the shifting social contexts of drinking can inform health interventions.
On the real, rational, bounded, unit interpolation problem in ℋ∞ and its applications to strong stabilization
Authors: Yücesoy Veysel , Özbay Hitay
Published: April 2018

One of the most challenging problems in feedback control is strong stabilization, i.e. stabilization by a stable controller. This problem has been shown to be equivalent to finding a finite dimensional, real, rational and bounded unit in [Formula: see text] satisfying certain interpolation conditions. The problem is transformed into a classical Nevanlinna–Pick interpolation problem by using a predetermined structure for the unit interpolating function and analysed through the associated Pick matrix. Sufficient conditions for the existence of the bounded unit interpolating function are derived. Based on these conditions, an algorithm is proposed to compute the unit interpolating function through an optimal solution to the Nevanlinna–Pick problem. The conservatism caused by the sufficient conditions is illustrated through strong stabilization examples taken from the literature.
Measurement Efficiency for Fixed-Precision Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Tests: Comparing Health Measurement and Educational Testing Using Example Banks
Authors: Paap Muirne C. S. , Born Sebastian , Braeken Johan
Published: April 2018

It is currently not entirely clear to what degree the research on multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (CAT) conducted in the field of educational testing can be generalized to fields such as health assessment, where CAT design factors differ considerably from those typically used in educational testing. In this study, the impact of a number of important design factors on CAT performance is systematically evaluated, using realistic example item banks for two main scenarios: health assessment (polytomous items, small to medium item bank sizes, high discrimination parameters) and educational testing (dichotomous items, large item banks, small- to medium-sized discrimination parameters). Measurement efficiency is evaluated for both between-item multidimensional CATs and separate unidimensional CATs for each latent dimension. In this study, we focus on fixed-precision (variable-length) CATs because it is both feasible and desirable in health settings, but so far most research regarding CAT has focused on fixed-length testing. This study shows that the benefits associated with fixed-precision multidimensional CAT hold under a wide variety of circumstances.
Leaving Work Behind? The Impact of Emigration on Female Labor Force Participation in Morocco
Authors: Lenoël Audrey , David Anda
Published: April 2018

Based on a mixed-methods approach using the 2006–2007 Morocco Living Standards Measurement Survey and qualitative interviews, this article examines the distinct roles that international migration and remittances play in female labor force participation (FLFP) in origin-country households and discusses the implications in terms of women’s empowerment. We find that having an emigrant among household members increases FLFP for a given household, while receiving remittances decreases it. However, these effects are significant only for unpaid family work, that is, a category of work unlikely to lead to any form of economic empowerment. Although previous studies sometimes hypothesized that emigration could drive gender-sensitive development at origin, the quantitative and fieldwork findings suggest that, while paid work remains a route to female empowerment, predominantly male emigration is unlikely to play a positive role in supporting women’s access to income-generating activities in a society characterized by strong patriarchal gender norms and poor job opportunities.
Implicit theories of relationships and self-expansion: Implications for relationship functioning
Authors: Mattingly Brent A. , McIntyre Kevin P. , Knee C. Raymond , Loving Timothy J.
Published: April 2018

Individuals hold implicit beliefs about the nature of romantic relationships. Growth beliefs are characterized by thoughts that romantic relationships can be cultivated over time, whereas destiny beliefs are characterized by thoughts that relationships are either meant to be or not. In the current research, we propose that individuals who hold strong growth beliefs (but not destiny beliefs) should be more likely to experience self-expansion, as these individuals are oriented toward relationship cultivation. In turn, this increase in self-expansion should promote greater relationship quality and maintenance. Across three studies (two cross-sectional and one longitudinal) that sampled from varying populations and relationship types, we found evidence that self-expansion mediates the association between growth beliefs (but not destiny beliefs) and satisfaction, commitment, accommodation, and dissolution consideration. These data provide insights into the mechanisms by which implicit theories influence relationship functioning and establish implicit theories as an individual-level antecedent to the self-expansion experience.
The roles of parental attachment and sibling relationships on life satisfaction in emerging adults
Authors: Ponti Lucia , Smorti Martina
Published: April 2018

Most research investigating relationships during emerging adulthood has focused on the quality of friendships and romantic relationships while devoting little attention to family relationships. The present study considered the quality of attachment to both parents in a sample of 253 emerging adults, aged 20–31 ( M = 24.32; SD = 2.22), examining how these could influence the quality of sibling relationships and analyzing the link of these family relationships with the level of life satisfaction. Results showed that the attachment to both the mother and the father was linked to the quality of sibling relationships. Moreover, parental attachment to both parents and sibling relationships affected the level of perceived life satisfaction during emerging adulthood. Limitations, strengths, and theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
Mapping the scope of occupational therapy practice in palliative care: A European Association for Palliative Care cross-sectional survey
Authors: Eva Gail , Morgan Deidre
Published: April 2018

Background:

Occupational therapists play an integral role in the care of people with life-limiting illnesses. However, little is known about the scope of occupational therapy service provision in palliative care across Europe and factors influencing service delivery.

Aim:

This study aimed to map the scope of occupational therapy palliative care interventions across Europe and to explore occupational therapists’ perceptions of opportunities and challenges when delivering and developing palliative care services.

Design:

A 49-item online cross-sectional survey comprised of fixed and free text responses was securely hosted via the European Association for Palliative Care website. Survey design, content and recruitment processes were reviewed and formally approved by the European Association for Palliative Care Board of Directors. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse data.

Setting/respondents:

Respondents were European occupational therapists whose caseload included palliative care recipients (full-time or part-time).

Results:

In total, 237 valid responses were analysed. Findings demonstrated a consistency in occupational therapy practice in palliative care between European countries. Clinician time was prioritised towards indirect patient care, with limited involvement in service development, leadership and research. A need for undergraduate and postgraduate education was identified. Organisational expectations and understanding of the scope of the occupational therapy role constrain the delivery of services to support patients and carers.

Conclusion:

Further development of occupational therapy in palliative care, particularly capacity building in leadership and research activities, is warranted. There is a need for continuing education and awareness raising of the role of occupational therapy in palliative care.
Barriers to end-of-life discussions among hematologists: A qualitative study
Authors: Prod’homme Chloé , Jacquemin Dominique , Touzet Licia , Aubry Regis , Daneault Serge , Knoops Laurent
Published: April 2018

Background:

Integrated palliative care is correlated with earlier end-of-life discussion and improved quality of life. Patients with haematological malignancies are far less likely to receive care from specialist palliative or hospice services compared to other cancers.

Aim:

The main goal of this study was to determine hematologists’ barriers to end-of-life discussions when potentially fatal hematological malignancies recur.

Design:

Qualitative grounded theory study using individual interviews.

Setting/participants:

Hematologists ( n = 10) from four hematology units were asked about their relationships with their patients and their attitudes toward prognosis and end-of-life discussions at the time of recurrence.

Results:

As long as there are potential treatments, hematologists fear that end-of-life discussions may undermine their relationship and the patient’s trust. Because of their own representations, hematologists have great difficulty opening up to their patients’ end-of-life wishes. When prognosis is uncertain, negative outcome, that is, death, is not fully anticipated. Persistent hope silences the threat of death.

Conclusion:

This study reveals some of the barriers clinicians face in initiating early discussion about palliative care or patients’ end-of-life care plan. These difficulties may explain why early palliative care is little integrated into the hematology care model.
Field Evaluation and Cost Effectiveness of Crack Sealing in Flexible and Composite Pavements
Authors: Mousa Momen , Elseifi Mostafa A. , Bashar Mohammad , Zhang Zhongjie , Gaspard Kevin
Published: April 2018

One of the most common methods used to treat longitudinal and transverse cracks is crack sealing (CS), which is categorized as a preventive maintenance method. Field performance and cost-effectiveness of this treatment widely vary depending on pavement conditions and installation of the material. The objective of this study was to evaluate the field performance and cost-effectiveness of CS in flexible and composite pavements in hot and wet climates such as Louisiana, and to develop a model that would quantify the expected benefits of CS given project conditions. To achieve this objective, 28 control sections that were crack-sealed between 2003 and 2010 were monitored for at least four years. These sections included flexible and composite pavements, sealed and unsealed segments, and varying traffic levels. The performance of these sections was evaluated for the random cracking index (RCI) and roughness index (RI). Based on the results of this analysis, it was concluded that CS only has a significant impact on random cracking. When compared with untreated segments, CS extended pavement service life (PSL) by two years. When compared with the original pavement, CS extended PSL by 5.6 and 3.2 years for flexible and composite pavements, respectively, if applied at the correct time. The cost-benefit analysis indicated that CS is cost-effective whether asphalt emulsion or rubberized asphalt sealant is used. A non-linear regression model was developed to predict the extension in PSL because of CS without the need for performance data based on the average daily traffic (ADT), pavement type, and prior pavement conditions.
Industrial Effects on Male and Female Unemployment Over the Great Recession: An Interurban Analysis
Authors: Van Gent Thomas , Khan Farida C. , Cloutier Norman
Published: April 2018

This study looks at the determinants of the interurban variation in male and female unemployment in 2009, a recession year and 2014, a recovery year. We hypothesize that the variation in male and female unemployment is informed by different factors or react to these determinants differently. Industrial shifts in employment across the nation are examined, allowing us to gain insight into the unemployment gender gap and its evolution in recent years, especially in the recent business cycle that includes the Great Recession. The use of cross-sectional data makes an original contribution by analyzing how interurban effects might have impacted recent unemployment levels.

JEL Classifications: R10, R64, J16
Can Animal Models Inform on the Relationship between Depression and Alzheimer Disease?
Authors: Nyarko Jennifer N. K. , Quartey Maa O. , Baker Glen B. , Mousseau Darrell D.
Published: April 2018

The focus on the β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) as well as in animal models of AD has perhaps biased our understanding of what contributes to the heterogeneity in disease onset and progression. Part of this heterogeneity could reflect the various neuropsychiatric risk factors that present with common symptomatology and can predispose the brain to AD-like changes. One such risk factor is depression. Animal models, particularly mouse models carrying variants of AD-related gene(s), many of which lead to an accumulation of Aβ, suggest that a fundamental shift in depression-related monoaminergic systems (including serotonin and noradrenaline) is a strong indicator of the altered cellular function associated with the earlier(est) stages of AD-related pathology. These changes in monoaminergic neurochemistry could provide for relevant targets for intervention in clinical AD and/or could support a polypharmacy strategy, which might include the targeting of Aβ, in vulnerable populations. Future studies must also include female mice as well as male mice in animal model studies on the relationship between depression and AD.
Closer to the Truth: Admission to Multiple Psychiatric Facilities and an Inaccurate History of Hospitalization Are Strongly Associated with Inpatient Suicide
Authors: Bruer Robert A. , Rodway-Norman Marissa , Large Matthew
Published: April 2018

Objective:

To investigate clinical associations within Canadian psychiatric inpatient suicides.

Method:

We conducted a case-control study comparing 98 patients who died by suicide while in hospital and 196 similarly admitted living inpatient controls. All were admitted to an Ontario psychiatric bed between 2008 and 2015 inclusive and had data collected at admission using the Resident Assessment Instrument for Mental Health (RAI-MH). The data were analyzed with bivariate tests and logistic regression modeling.

Results:

The strongest associations with inpatient suicide were prior admission to any Ontario psychiatric bed within the previous 30 days (odds ratio [OR] = 6.13), self-harm assessed at prior admission to a psychiatric hospital other than the hospital of suicide (OR = 6.07), and prior admission to a psychiatric hospital other than the hospital of suicide in the previous year (OR = 5.38). A multivariate model using risk factors assessed at admission had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.77. The model improved to (AUC) 0.81 using a retrospective search of all Ontario admissions to more accurately detect prior admissions. The risk model was optimized to (AUC) 0.83 when the model also included a “discrepancy” variable to denote records in which admission assessment data and retrospective search data did not agree regarding past month admissions.

Conclusions:

In addition to the well-known risks of suicide associated with previous suicide attempts and depressive conditions, our data suggest a particular risk of inpatient suicide associated with inpatient care in more than one hospital, particularly when the treating clinicians were unaware of recent previous admissions.
Editorial: Silicone Implants and Systemic Immunological Disease: Review of the Literature and Preliminary Results
Authors: Brautbar Nachman , Vojdani Aristo , Campbell Andrew W.
Published: April 2018

Silicone has been utilized as an implant in reconstructive surgery. For years, silicone has been considered to be biologically inert and essentially harmless. Several studies and case reports show that female patients treated with silicone implants developed a systemic disease associated with immunological abnormalities. Removal of the silicone implants was associated with recovery and resolution of the immune abnormalities. Recently, specific antibodies to silicone have been isolated in children with silicone implants. Additionally, immunological abnormalities and high incidence of systemic progressive sclerosis in patients with silicone implants or injections further support the notion that silicone is not biologically inert, and can cause a syndrome of a systemic disease and immunological abnormalities. The specific mechanisms and duration of the latency period is not yet fully understood.
Human Exposure Assessment I: Understanding the Uncertainties
Authors: Whitmyre Gary K. , Driver Jeffrey H. , Ginevan Michael E. , Tardiff Robert G. , Baker Scott R.
Published: April 2018

Exposure estimates produced using predictive exposure assessment methods are associated with a number of uncertainties that relate to the inherent variability of the values for a given input parameter (e.g., body weight, ingestion rate, inhalation rate) and to unknowns concerning the representativeness of the assumptions and methods used. Despite recent or ongoing consensus-building efforts that have made significant strides forward in promoting consistency in methodologies and parameter default values, the potential variability in the output exposure estimates has not been adequately addressed from a quantitative aspect. This is exemplified by remaining tendencies within federal and state agencies to use worst-case approaches for exposure assessment. In this study, range-sensitivity and Monte Carlo analyses were performed on several different exposure scenarios in order to illustrate the impact of the variability in input parameters on the total variability of the exposure output. The results of this study indicate that the variability associated with the example scenarios range up to more than four orders of magnitude when just some of the parameters are allowed to vary. Comparison of exposure estimates obtained using Monte Carlo simulations (in which selected parameters were allowed to vary over their observed ranges) to exposure estimates obtained using standard parameter default assumptions demonstrate that a default value approach can produce an exposure estimate that exceeds the 95th percentile exposure in an exposed population.
Mutagenic Activity of p-Toluenesulfonhydrazide
Authors: Blakey David H. , Nestmann Earle R. , Bayley Janet M. , Maus K. Laurie , Douglas George R.
Published: April 2018

Toluenesulfonhydrazide (TSH) is a high volume production chemical for which there is relatively little toxicological data. In this study, the mutagenic activity of TSH was determined in the Salmonella/mammalian microsome assay and the in vitro chromosomal aberration assay using Chinese hamster ovary cells. TSH induced gene mutations both with and without metabolic activation in the Salmonella/mammalian microsome assay but that it did not induce chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The results of this study indicate that TSH is an in vitro mutagen and should be assessed for in vivo mutagenicity.
Detection of Protein Changes in Serum of Workers following Inhalation Exposure to Toluene Diisocyanate Vapors
Authors: Czuppon Adam B. , Marczynski Boleslaw , Baur Xaver
Published: April 2018

Serum samples of 10 workers undergoing occupational type inhalative challenge tests by toluene diisocyanate (TDI) were investigated by anion-exchange fast-protein-liquid-chromatography (FPLC) and polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis (PAGE-SDS). Their serum chromatography profiles were compared to those of 20 unexposed individuals. The peak height of the first prealbumin peak in sera of workers after inhalative challenge tests was significantly different (p > 0, 01 Chi-square test) compared to that obtained before exposure and to that of unexposed subjects. In addition, qualitative changes of these peaks were also noted in sera of workers exposed to TDI. In the cases of exposed individuals, that peak was more diffuse with some shoulders and less symmetric in appearance. Similarly, PAGE-SDS of the serum proteins, followed by silver nitrate staining, revealed a different banding pattern after in vivo TDI exposure. One of the serum components at approximately 15 kD showed an increase of staining intensity after exposure (n = 10), compared to unexposed subjects or to patients before exposure. This serum fraction has not yet been identified. The results here demonstrate that it is possible to detect changes of serum proteins in TDI-exposed individuals within a relatively short analysis time. This could be useful for biological monitoring of exposure, since no method for such is yet available.
Electrocardiographic Evaluation in Patients With Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Falsaperla Raffaele , Vitaliti Giovanna , Collotta Ausilia Desiree , Fiorillo Chiara , Pulvirenti Alfredo , Alaimo Salvatore , Romano Catia , Ruggieri Martino
Published: April 2018

Background:

This study aimed to show the impairment of autonomic cardiac conduction causing bradycardia and/or electrocardiographic alterations in children affected by spinal muscular atrophy type 1 and 2 (SMA 1 and 2). Methods: We included 25 spinal muscular atrophy patients, admitted from November 2016 to May 2017. All patients underwent an electrocardiographic examination and we studied PR and QRS intervals, P-waves and QRS amplitudes, and heart rate in spinal muscular atrophy patients compared to a control group.

Results:

In all patients, we found longer PRi and QRSi ( P < .05), lower P-wave and QRS complex amplitudes ( P < .01), and a decreased heart rate ( P < .01) with respect to controls. When we divided our patients into SMA1 and SMA2 subgroups, we found that statistical differences were maintained for P-wave and QRS complex amplitudes and heart rate, but not for PRi and QRSi with respect to controls.

Conclusion:

We suggest the hypothesis of SMN expression on cardiac tissue condition and/or autonomic cardiac conduction.
“The Intentions of Life”: Philosophical Points of Departure in The Power of the Powerless
Authors: Karfíková Lenka
Published: April 2018

Philosophical scrutiny of The Power of the Powerless shows that Havel’s key concept “the intentions [or aims] of life” depends on Heidegger’s conception of Dasein’s authenticity, even if Havel replaces Heidegger’s “anticipating death” with “the intentions of life” to fulfill itself in freedom. At the same time, these “intentions” prove to have a self-destructive tendency (as Havel’s plays make very clear). In his political reflections and possibly also in his later political activities, however, this point seems to be underestimated. Political systems do not differ only by the room they allow for free development but also by the degree to and manner by which they protect the intentions of life from their inner tendency to degenerate.
Exploring the Health-Promoting Potential of the “parkrun” Phenomenon: What Factors are Associated With Higher Levels of Participation?
Authors: Cleland Verity , Nash Meredith , Sharman Melanie J. , Claflin Suzi
Published: April 2018

Purpose:

“ parkrun” is a free and increasingly popular weekly 5-km walk/run international community event, representing a novel setting for physical activity (PA) promotion. However, little is known about who participates or why. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic, health, behavioral, individual, social, and environmental factors associated with higher levels of participation.

Design:

Cross-sectional.

Setting:

Tasmania, Australia; June 2016.

Participants:

Three hundred seventy two adult parkrun participants.

Measures:

Online survey measuring sociodemographic, health, individual, social and environmental factors, parkrun participation, and PA.

Analysis:

Descriptive statistics, zero-truncated Poisson regression models.

Results:

Respondents (n = 371) were more commonly women (58%), aged 35 to 53 years (54%), and occasional or nonwalkers/runners (53%) at registration. A total of 44% had overweight/obesity. Half had non-adult children, most spoke English at home, and 7% reported PA-limiting illness/injury/disability. Average run/walk time was 30.2 ± 7.4 minutes. Compared to regular walkers/runners at registration, nonwalkers/runners were less commonly partnered, more commonly had overweight/obesity, less physically active, and had poorer self-rated health. Multivariate analyses revealed relative parkrun participation was inversely associated with education level and positively associated with interstate parkrun participation, perceived social benefits, self-efficacy for parkrun, and intentions to participate.

Conclusion:

parkrun attracts nonwalkers/runners and population groups hard to engage in physical activity. Individual- and social-level factors were associated with higher relative parkrun participation. parkrun’s scalability, accessibility, and wide appeal confers a research imperative to investigate its potential for public health gain.
Effect of intake swirl on combustion performance in an unthrottled spark ignition engine
Authors: Zhang Kaiyu , Chang Yingjie , Xie Zongfa , Sun Tingting , Chen Fei
Published: April 2018

A Fully Hydraulic Variable Valve System is described in this article which can achieve continuous variation in valve lift, duration, and timing. The system was installed in a four-cylinder port fuel injection spark ignition engine and achieved unthrottled load control through early intake valve closing. The in-cylinder pressure measured experimentally showed that pumping losses of the unthrottled spark ignition engine at 2000 r/min and 0.189 MPa brake mean effective pressure was reduced by 85.4% compared with the throttled spark ignition engine. However, its slow and unstable combustion reduced the indicated thermal efficiency. Compared with the throttled spark ignition engine, the amount of residual exhaust flowing back into the intake port was greatly reduced at the early stage of the intake process. Consequently, it negatively influenced fuel evaporation and fuel–air mixing processes in the intake port of the port fuel injection spark ignition engine and decreased the flow of in-cylinder gases, which resulted in a low combustion rate. A new centrosymmetric helical valve is proposed in this article to improve the fuel–air mixing and combustion rate of the unthrottled spark ignition engine. The experiments demonstrate that the helical valve can generate a strong intake swirl at small intake valve lift. It helps to increase combustion rate and lower cycle-to-cycle variation, which improves indicated thermal efficiency and fuel economy of the unthrottled spark ignition engine at low load.
Methane emissions from the Algerian natural gas pipelines transportation: Exploring process to reduce environmental consequences
Authors: Louhibi–Bouiri Mounia , Hachemi Messaoud
Published: April 2018

The global environmental community recognizes global warming as one of the major serious threats to the planet. The emissions of methane from natural gas transportation pipeline are an important factor for global warming. While being transported by pipeline, natural gas is often emitted to the atmosphere, either for depressurization (venting emissions) or leak through the pipeline (fugitive emission). Emissions of methane are of particular concern since the methane represents the major component of natural gas and a powerful greenhouse gas. The present study investigates the feasibility of gas venting mitigation, from the Algerian natural gas transportation network with pipeline pump-down technique, prior pipeline maintenance activities. First, we calculate the amount of methane released during venting operation from GZ3 40″ pipeline based on the weighted average pipe diameter and pressure in the pipeline section being repaired. We then estimate quantity of cost value of the gas recovered. We, thereafter, suggest a mobile compressor for saving this gas. The results obtained showed that using pump-down technique with portable compressor solution instead of venting mainly saves 54.873 million m3 of gas with gain net cost saving about 11.628 million USD. Avoiding the release of gas to the atmosphere during venting operations will be crucial to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. For the developing countries, including Algeria, mitigating these emissions can provide green investments for the joint implementation Kyoto Protocol flexibility mechanism. This will contribute to sustainable development and additional economic benefits through carbon credit revenues and technology transfer from industrialized countries.
Automated steering controller design for vehicle lane keeping combining linear active disturbance rejection control and quantitative feedback theory
Authors: Chu Zhengrong , Wu Christine , Sepehri Nariman
Published: April 2018

In this article, a new automated steering control method is presented for vehicle lane keeping. This method is a combination between the linear active disturbance rejection control and the quantitative feedback theory. The structure of the steering controller is first determined based on the linear active disturbance rejection control, then the controller is tuned in the framework of the quantitative feedback theory to meet the prescribed design specifications on sensitivity and closed-loop stability. The parameter uncertainties of the vehicle system are considered at the tuning stage. The proposed steering controller is simulated and tested on a scale vehicle. Both the simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the scale vehicle controlled by the proposed controller is able to perform the lane keeping. In the experiments, the lateral offset between the scale vehicle and the road centerline is regulated within the acceptable ranges of ±0.03 m during straight lane keeping and ±0.15 m during curved lane keeping. The proposed controller is easy to be implemented and is simple without requiring complex calculations and measurements of vehicle states. Simulations also show that the control method can be implemented on a full-scale vehicle.
Book review: Pathak, Dev Nath (Ed.), Another South Asia!
Authors: Mookherjee Ankita
Published: April 2018

Pathak, Dev Nath (Ed.), Another South Asia! Primus Books: New Delhi, 2018. 323 Pages. ₹1,395 US$69.95. ISBN: 978-93-86552-58-7.
Cardioprotective and Anti-Aggregatory Effects of Levosimendan on Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Injury in High-Fat-Fed Rats Involves Modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway and Inhibition of Apoptosis
Authors: Tawfik Mona K. , El-Kherbetawy Mohamed K. , Makary Samy
Published: April 2018

Hyperlipidemia and hypercoagulability states are linked with the increased risks of myocardial infarction (MI). Levosimendan has vasorelaxant and anti-aggregatory properties. The present study evaluated the anti-aggregatory and cardioprotective effects of levosimendan versus cilostazol in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats subjected to isoproterenol-induced MI. Rats were assigned to normal, HFD, HFD + isoproterenol, HFD + isoproterenol + cilostazol, and HFD + isoproterenol + levosimendan. The present study investigated the anti-aggregatory effect of both levosimendan and cilostazol and revealed that both drugs attenuated the severity of platelet aggregation. Moreover, both levosimendan and cilostazol revealed effectiveness in attenuating the severity of HFD/isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury as revealed by electrocardiogram signs, apoptotic markers, and histopathological score via counteracting the oxidative stress burden, increments in the expression of inflammatory mediators, and modulating nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/ mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. It was obvious that levosimendan offered more cardioprotective properties than cilostazol. The study showed the relations between hyperlipedemia, hyperaggregability state, and myocardial injury with the modulation of NF-κB and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.
Distributed robust consensus control for nonlinear leader–follower multi-agent systems based on adaptive observer-based sliding mode
Authors: Rahimi N , Binazadeh T
Published: April 2018

This paper investigates an adaptive observer-based consensus control strategy for general nonlinear multi-agent systems (MASs). The distributed control of leader–follower MASs is studied in the presence of unknown parts in the dynamical equations of the followers which may be due to model simplification, parameter uncertainties and/or external disturbances. In order to decrease the conservatism of robust analysis, the upper bound of unknown terms are considered as unknown positive constants and are obtained through the adaptation laws. Additionally, it is assumed that all the agents’ states are not directly measurable and nonlinear distributed observers are designed. Furthermore, the robust consensus is achieved via distributed adaptive observer-based sliding mode controllers. In this regard, a theorem is given and it is proved that the consensus error converges to zero. Finally, computer simulations are performed and the theoretical results are verified.