bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence Supporting the Existence of a Distinct Obese Phenotype of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Obokata Masaru , Reddy Yogesh N.V. , Pislaru Sorin V. , Melenovsky Vojtech , Borlaug Barry A.
Published: April 2017

Background:

Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous syndrome. Phenotyping patients into pathophysiologically homogeneous groups may enable better targeting of treatment. Obesity is common in HFpEF and has many cardiovascular effects, suggesting that it may be a viable candidate for phenotyping. We compared cardiovascular structure, function, and reserve capacity in subjects with obese HFpEF, those with nonobese HFpEF, and control subjects.

Methods:

Subjects with obese HFpEF (body mass index ≥35 kg/m
2
; n=99), nonobese HFpEF (body mass index <30 kg/m
2
; n=96), and nonobese control subjects free of HF (n=71) underwent detailed clinical assessment, echocardiography, and invasive hemodynamic exercise testing.

Results:

Compared with both subjects with nonobese HFpEF and control subjects, subjects with obese HFpEF displayed increased plasma volume (3907 mL [3563–4333 mL] versus 2772 mL [2555–3133 mL], and 2680 mL [2380–3006 mL];
P
<0.0001), more concentric left ventricular remodeling, greater right ventricular dilatation (base, 34±7 versus 31±6 and 30±6 mm,
P
=0.0005; length, 66±7 versus 61±7 and 61±7 mm,
P
<0.0001), more right ventricular dysfunction, increased epicardial fat thickness (10±2 versus 7±2 and 6±2 mm;
P
<0.0001), and greater total epicardial heart volume (945 mL [831–1105 mL] versus 797 mL [643–979 mL] and 632 mL [517–768 mL];
P
<0.0001), despite lower N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was correlated with body mass and plasma volume in obese HFpEF (
r
=0.22 and 0.27, both
P
<0.05) but not in nonobese HFpEF (
P
≥0.3). The increase in heart volumes in obese HFpEF was associated with greater pericardial restraint and heightened ventricular interdependence, reflected by increased ratio of right- to left-sided heart filling pressures (0.64±0.17 versus 0.56±0.19 and 0.53±0.20;
P
=0.0004), higher pulmonary venous pressure relative to left ventricular transmural pressure, and greater left ventricular eccentricity index (1.10±0.19 versus 0.99±0.06 and 0.97±0.12;
P
<0.0001). Interdependence was enhanced as pulmonary artery pressure load increased (
P
for interaction <0.05). Compared with those with nonobese HFpEF and control subjects, obese patients with HFpEF displayed worse exercise capacity (peak oxygen consumption, 7.7±2.3 versus 10.0±3.4 and12.9±4.0 mL/min·kg;
P
<0.0001), higher biventricular filling pressures with exercise, and depressed pulmonary artery vasodilator reserve.

Conclusions:

Obesity-related HFpEF is a genuine form of cardiac failure and a clinically relevant phenotype that may require specific treatments.
Associations of Blood Pressure Dipping Patterns With Left Ventricular Mass and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Blacks: The Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Abdalla Marwah , Caughey Melissa C. , Tanner Rikki M. , Booth John N. , Diaz Keith M. , Anstey D. Edmund , Sims Mario , Ravenell Joseph , Muntner Paul , Viera Anthony J. , Shimbo Daichi
Published: April 2017

Background

Abnormal diurnal blood pressure (
BP
), including nondipping patterns, assessed using ambulatory
BP
monitoring, have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk among white and Asian adults. We examined the associations of
BP
dipping patterns (dipping, nondipping, and reverse dipping) with cardiovascular target organ damage (left ventricular mass index and left ventricular hypertrophy), among participants from the Jackson Heart Study, an exclusively black population–based cohort.

Methods and Results

Analyses included 1015 participants who completed ambulatory
BP
monitoring and had echocardiography data from the baseline visit. Participants were categorized based on the nighttime to daytime systolic
BP
ratio into 3 patterns: dipping pattern (≤0.90), nondipping pattern (>0.90 to ≤1.00), and reverse dipping pattern (>1.00). The prevalence of dipping, nondipping, and reverse dipping patterns was 33.6%, 48.2%, and 18.2%, respectively. In a fully adjusted model, which included antihypertensive medication use and clinic and daytime systolic
BP
, the mean differences in left ventricular mass index between reverse dipping pattern versus dipping pattern was 8.3±2.1 g/m
2
(
P
<0.001) and between nondipping pattern versus dipping pattern was −1.0±1.6 g/m
2
(
P
=0.536). Compared with participants with a dipping pattern, the prevalence ratio for having left ventricular hypertrophy was 1.65 (95% CI, 1.05–2.58) and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.63–1.97) for those with a reverse dipping pattern and nondipping pattern, respectively.

Conclusions

In this population‐based study of blacks, a reverse dipping pattern was associated with increased left ventricular mass index and a higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy. Identification of a reverse dipping pattern on ambulatory
BP
monitoring may help identify black at increased risk for cardiovascular target organ damage.
Prevalence of Positive Troponin and Echocardiogram Findings and Association With Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Wrigley Peter , Khoury Jane , Eckerle Bryan , Alwell Kathleen , Moomaw Charles J. , Woo Daniel , Flaherty Mathew L. , De Los Rios la Rosa Felipe , Mackey Jason , Adeoye Opeolu , Martini Sharyl , Ferioli Simona , Kissela Brett M. , Kleindorfer Dawn O.
Published: April 2017

Background and Purpose—

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients may have raised serum cardiac troponin levels on admission, although it is unclear what prognostic implications this has, and whether elevated levels are associated with cardiac causes of stroke or structural cardiac disease as seen on echocardiogram. We investigated the positivity of cardiac troponin and echocardiogram testing within a large biracial AIS population and any association with poststroke mortality.

Methods—

Within a catchment area of 1.3 million, we screened emergency department admissions from 2010 using
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition
, discharge codes 430 to 436 and ascertained all physician-confirmed AIS cases by retrospective chart review. Hypertroponinemia was defined as elevation in cardiac troponin above the standard 99th percentile. Multiple logistic regression was performed, controlling for stroke severity, history of cardiac disease, and all other stroke risk factors.

Results—

Of 1999 AIS cases, 1706 (85.3%) had a cardiac troponin drawn and 1590 (79.5%) had echocardiograms. Hypertroponinemia occurred in 353 of 1706 (20.7%) and 160 of 1590 (10.1%) had echocardiogram findings of interest. Among 1377 who had both tests performed, hypertroponinemia was independently associated with echocardiogram findings (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 2–4.2). When concurrent myocardial infarctions (3.5%) were excluded, hypertroponinemia was also associated with increased mortality at 1 year (35%; odds ratio, 3.45; 95% confidence interval, 2.1–5.6) and 3 years (60%; odds ratio, 2.91; 95% confidence interval, 2.06–4.11).

Conclusions—

Hypertroponinemia in the context of AIS without concurrent myocardial infarction was associated with structural cardiac disease and long-term mortality. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether further cardiac evaluation might improve the long-term mortality rates seen in this group.
Acoustic Ecology Data Transmitter in Exclusion Zone, 10 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
Authors: Kobayashi Hill Hiroki , Kudo Hiromi
Published: April 2017

Acoustic ecology data have been used for various types of soundscape investigations. Counting sounds in the soundscape is considered an effective method in ecology studies and offers comparative data for human-caused impacts on the environment. The authors constructed an Acoustic Ecology Data Transmitter in Exclusion Zone (Namie, Fukushima, Japan), 10 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. It aims to transmit and store a live stream of sound from an unmanned remote sensing station in the area. They expect this data to prove useful for studies on topics, which include radioecology and the emerging dialects for future observations.
3D Bio-Printing: an Introduction to a New Approach for Cancer Patients at the Interface of Art and Medicine
Authors: Petcu Eugen Bogdan
Published: April 2017

Cancer patients require a complex multidisciplinary therapy. In this context the 3D additive biological manufacturing could represent a significant development with potential significant medical and social consequences. This article reviews the 3D bioprinting methods and clinical settings in which this new revolutionary method could be applied. Apart from the actual field of post-cancer therapy prosthetics and medical education, this method could be applied in the actual molecular cancer research and organ regeneration/fabrication. Considering all of these, it is possible that in the future, 3D biological printing could be used on a regular basis in clinical oncology.
Interpreting International Crimes from a ‘Female Perspective’: Opportunities and Challenges for the International Criminal Court
Authors: Grey Rosemary
Published: April 2017

What would it mean for the International Criminal Court (icc) to interpret the crimes within its jurisdiction without “adverse distinction” on the grounds of gender? Would it simply mean recognising that these crimes may be committed against men, women, boys and girls; or would it require a deeper rethinking of, and perhaps a departure from, conventional interpretations of these crimes? This article explores this question, using the crime against humanity of “apartheid” and the war crime of “using children in hostilities” as examples. The article takes into account legal sources, such as relevant treaties and judicial decisions, as well as empirical research that throw the reality of violence against women and girls into sharp relief. It is hoped that this exploration will lead to further discussion about gender discrimination in the interpretation of the Rome Statute crimes, and contribute to the development of a “feminist jurisprudence” in international criminal law.
“They were Born There”
Authors: Cook Ryan J.
Published: April 2017

The Psalter references other nations or people groups frequently and in richly diverse ways. This article seeks to understand the role and function of these references in ancient Israelite worship. It conducts this study by outlining the diverse roles the nations play in the Psalter, then utilizing rhetorical criticism, it examines their suasive role in the Psalm 2. It argues that the primary function of the nations in the Psalter, despite the various ways in which the nations are depicted, is to help shape Israel’s identity both between itself and yhwh and between itself and the nations.
The Politics of “Invasion” of Greek and the “Demise” of Hebrew of Late Antiquity
Authors: Victor Royce M.
Published: April 2017

Colonialism and imperialism have enormous impact on every aspect of human life including languages, which is one of the significant markers of cultural identity. Often the colonial subjects had to face suppression of their languages by imposition of the language of the colonizers. When a language that has never been written down dies, it is as if it never existed. Imperialism or colonialism has always been at the heart of the murder of languages. The “linguistic imperialism” is not a modern phenomenon but it has been a reality throughout the history and all over the globe. The underlying reason for this sabotage is that the more linguistically coherent the society is, the easier it is to control. Take away a person’s language, and one robs them of the ability to express unique cultural concepts. The people in ancient Israel became one of the victims of this language incursion. This paper critically examines the impact of colonialism and imperialism on the gradual decline of Hebrew as spoken language during the Hellenistic period by analyzing the archaeological and epigraphic evidence as examples and illustrates the extent of the impact of “foreign” languages on Hebrew that eventually paved the way for its demise. The study further proves that colonialism and imperialism have been functioning throughout the history in a similar pattern to subjugate the “other,” and to exercise their power and interests over the “other.”
Oedipus and Socrates on the Quest for Self-Knowledge
Authors: Ward Ann
Published: April 2017

This article explores how Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Plato’s Apology of Socrates address the question of whether reason can ground the good human life. Sophocles’ tragedy and Plato’s dialogue both tell of the search for rational self-knowledge. Both Oedipus and Socrates are recognized for human wisdom and are presented as skeptical toward the gods. Yet, whereas Oedipus’ life ends in tragedy, Socrates’ life does not. Sophocles thus suggests that the rational search for truth must be limited by a pious respect for the gods. Plato, on the other hand, preserves Socrates’ belief that the ‘unexamined life is not worth living for a human being’. Four lines of inquiry into the causes of this divergence are then explored: 1) Socrates’ order of knowledge from particular to universal, 2) Oedipus’ proneness to anger, 3) Socrates’ private life in contrast to Oedipus’ public life and, 4) the differing status of the family.
Interactions Between Auditory Elevation, Auditory Pitch and Visual Elevation During Multisensory Perception
Authors: Jamal Yaseen , Lacey Simon , Nygaard Lynne , Sathian K.
Published: April 2017

Cross-modal correspondences refer to associations between apparently unrelated stimulus features in different senses. For example, high and low auditory pitches are associated with high and low visual elevations, respectively. Here we examined how this crossmodal correspondence between visual elevation and auditory pitch relates to auditory elevation. We used audiovisual combinations of high- or low-frequency bursts of white noise and a visual stimulus comprising a white circle. Auditory and visual stimuli could each occur at high or low elevations. These multisensory stimuli could be congruent or incongruent for three correspondence types: cross-modal featural (auditory pitch/visual elevation), within-modal featural (auditory pitch/auditory elevation) and cross-modal spatial (auditory and visual elevation). Participants performed a 2AFC speeded classification (high or low) task while attending to auditory pitch, auditory elevation, or visual elevation. We tested for modulatory interactions between the three correspondence types. Modulatory interactions were absent when discriminating visual elevation. However, the within-modal featural correspondence affected the cross-modal featural correspondence during discrimination of auditory elevation and pitch, while the reverse modulation was observed only during discrimination of auditory pitch. The cross-modal spatial correspondence modulated the other two correspondences only when auditory elevation was being attended, was modulated by the cross-modal featural correspondence only during attention to auditory pitch, and was modulated by the within-modal featural correspondence while performing discrimination of either auditory elevation or pitch. We conclude that the cross-modal correspondence between auditory pitch and visual elevation interacts strongly with auditory elevation.
What Can Illusory Conjunctions Reveal About Synaesthetic Bindings?
Authors: Arend Isabel , Henik Avishai
Published: April 2017

The visual system successfully binds the shapes and colours of objects; therefore, our visual experience regarding the objects around us is coherent. However, this binding process can break down when attention is diverted, producing illusory conjunctions (ICs); for example, when presented with a red 2 and a green 5, the observer may report a green 2 and a red 5. The strongest observation of binding in human cognition is found in synaesthesia. In grapheme–colour synaesthesia, linguistic stimuli (e.g., letters or numbers) are strongly associated with colours. It is debatable whether these highly stable bindings constitute a form of early binding that occurs outside the focus of attention. We examined for the first time the occurrence of ICs in grapheme–colour synaesthesia. Experiment 1 replicated our previous finding, showing the effects of numerical distance on ICs (Arendet al.,Psychon. Bull. Rev.2013,20, 1181–1186). Participants viewed a display containing two centrally presented letters and two coloured numbers and were asked to report: (1) whether the letters were same/different, (2) the colour of the larger number, and (3) the level of confidence concerning the colour of the number. Experiment 2 used a modified version of this task. Synaesthetes () and controls () viewed number–colour pairs that were congruent or incongruent with that of the synaesthetic association. Grapheme–colour synaesthesia significantly affected ICs on incongruent but not on congruent trials. Our findings strongly support the notion that shape and colour are free-floating features in synaesthesia, similar to what is observed in normal cognition.
The genus Eremiothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) from China, with one new species
Authors: ZHANG SHIMENG , FENG JINIAN
Published: April 2017

Eremiothrips Priesner, comprising 19 species in the world (ThripsWiki 2017), is a member of Anaphothrips genus-group in which species lack long setae or have only a single pair of more prominent setae on the pronotum (Bhatti et al. 2003, Mound & Masumoto 2009). Two species in this genus, E. eshghii Minaei and E. efflatouni (Priesner), have no long setae on the posterior angles of the pronotum in either sex, whereas the remaining members usually have one pair of long setae on the posterior angles of the pronotum.
Description of the male of Phoebe ornator (Tippmann, 1960) (Coleoptera:
Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Hemilophini), analysis of the species biogeography, and first observation of chromatic gender dimorphism in Hemilophini
Authors: PERGER ROBERT , SANTOS-SILVA ANTONIO , GUERRA FERNANDO
Published: April 2017

The male of Phoebe ornator (Tippmann, 1960) is described. Chromatic gender dimorphism is also reported for the first time in the Hemilophini. In addition, new records are presented for P. ornator for the Brazilian states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and São Paulo, and the Bolivian department of La Paz. The biogeography of P. ornator is analyzed.
Two new species of free-living marine nematodes of the family Oxystominidae Chitwood, 1935 (Enoplida) with a review of the genus Thalassoalaimus de Man, 1893 from the Argentine coast
Authors: MARTELLI ANTONELA , RUSSO VIRGINIA LO , VILLARES GABRIELA , WARD CATALINA T. PASTOR DE
Published: April 2017

Two new free-living marine nematodes of the family Oxystominidae are described from San Antonio Bay (Río Negro) and San José Gulf (Chubut). Litinium australis sp. n., is characterized by having a rounded tail, by the first and second crown of cephalic setae with different lengths, gubernaculum with apophysis and by the presence of at least four precloacal papillae; Thalassoalaimus nestori sp. n., is characterized by having a conical tail, cephalic setae equal in length, gubernaculum with rounded and dorso-caudally directed apophysis and two precloacal papillae. An emended diagnosis of the genus Thalassoalaimus and a key to species are given.
Evaluation of a Regional Reanalysis and ERA-Interim over East Asia Using In Situ Observations during 2013–14
Authors: Yang Eun-Gyeong , Kim Hyun Mee
Published: April 2017

In this study, the East Asia Regional Reanalysis (EARR) is developed for the period 2013–14 and characteristics of the EARR are examined in comparison with ERA-Interim (ERA-I) reanalysis. The EARR is based on the Unified Model with 12-km horizontal resolution, which has been an operational numerical weather prediction model at the Korea Meteorological Administration since being adopted from the Met Office in 2011. Relative to the ERA-I, in terms of skill scores, the EARR performance for wind, temperature, relative humidity, and geopotential height improves except for mean sea level pressure, the lower-troposphere geopotential height, and the upper-air relative humidity. In a similar way, RMSEs of the EARR are smaller than those of ERA-I for wind, temperature, and relative humidity, except for the upper-air meridional wind and the upper-air relative humidity in January. With respect to the near-surface variables, the triple collocation analysis and the correlation coefficients confirm that EARR provides a much improved representation when compared with ERA-I. In addition, EARR reproduces the finescale features of near-surface variables in greater detail than ERA-I does, and the kinetic energy (KE) spectra of EARR agree more with the canonical atmospheric KE spectra than do the ERA-I KE spectra. On the basis of the fractions skill score, the near-surface wind of EARR is statistically significantly better simulated than that of ERA-I for all thresholds, except for the higher threshold at smaller spatial scales. Therefore, although special care needs to be taken when using the upper-air relative humidity from EARR, the near-surface variables of the EARR that were developed are found to be more accurate than those of ERA-I.
Microphysical Properties of Snow and Their Link to Ze–S Relations during BAECC 2014
Authors: von Lerber Annakaisa , Moisseev Dmitri , Bliven Larry F. , Petersen Walter , Harri Ari-Matti , Chandrasekar V.
Published: April 2017

This study uses snow events from the Biogenic Aerosols–Effects on Clouds and Climate (BAECC) 2014 campaign to investigate the connection between properties of snow and radar observations. The general hydrodynamic theory is applied to video-disdrometer measurements to retrieve masses of falling ice particles. Errors associated with the observation geometry and the measured particle size distribution (PSD) are addressed by devising a simple correction procedure. The value of the correction factor is determined by comparison of the retrieved precipitation accumulation with weighing-gauge measurements. Derived mass–dimensional relations are represented in the power-law form m = . It is shown that the retrieved prefactor am and exponent bm react to changes in prevailing microphysical processes. From the derived microphysical properties, event-specific relations between the equivalent reflectivity factor Ze and snowfall precipitation rate S (Ze = ) are determined. For the studied events, the prefactor of the Ze–S relation varied between 53 and 782 and the exponent was in the range of 1.19–1.61. The dependence of the factors azs and bzs on the m(D) relation and PSD are investigated. The exponent of the Ze–S relation mainly depends on the exponent of the m(D) relation, whereas the prefactor azs depends on both the intercept parameter N0 of the PSD and the prefactors of the m(D) and υ(D) relations. Changes in azs for a given N0 are shown to be linked to changes in liquid water path, which can be considered to be a proxy for degree of riming.
Weather Warning Uncertainty: High Severity Influences Judgment Bias
Authors: Losee Joy E. , Naufel Karen Z. , Locker Lawrence , Webster Gregory D.
Published: April 2017

Information about hurricanes changes as the storm approaches land. Additionally, people tend to think that severe events are more likely to occur even if the probability of that event occurring is the same as a less severe event. Thus, holding probability constant, this research tested the influence of severity on storm judgments in the context of updates about the approaching storm’s severity. In two studies, participants watched one of four (experiment 1) or one of five (experiment 2) sequences of updating hurricane warnings. The position of category 1 and category 5 hurricane warnings in the sequences varied (e.g., category 1 first and category 5 last, or category 5 first and category 1 last). After the videos, participants made judgments about the approaching storm. In experiment 1, participants generally overestimated the threat of the storm if they saw a category 5 hurricane warning in any position. Experiment 2, designed to test whether experiment 1 results were due to a contrast effect, revealed a similar pattern to experiment 1. Overall, when participants saw a category 5 hurricane warning, they anchored to severity regardless of updates that the storm had decreased in severity. Importantly, however, the extent of anchoring to severity depended on the type of judgment participants made. In terms of policy, the study proposes that weather warning agencies focus on message content at least as much as they focus on message accuracy.
Experimental-theoretical predictions of stress–strain curves of Glare fiber metal laminates
Authors: Ergun Hale , Liaw Benjamin M , Delale Feridun
Published: April 2017

Monotonic tensile tests are conducted on seven different Glare grades of fiber metal laminates. In-situ stress–strain curves of glass/epoxy laminate interleaved in Glare 2(3/2) are exposed with the application of metal volume fraction method using the stress–strain curves of Glare 2(3/2) and Aluminum 2024-T3 in unidirectional and transverse directions. The strain–stress curves of cross-ply Glares are predicted by the modification of this method with an empirical parameter and a second parameter considering the relative glass/epoxy laminate thickness ratios of Glare grades. Modified metal volume fraction method presented in this study can be used as a preliminary estimation of stress–strain curves of multiple possible fiber metal laminate configurations without testing.
Exploring notions of fair practice in urban renewal and the position of post-colonial citizens in Amsterdam’s Bijlmer
Authors: Abdou Amy
Published: April 2017

Social scientists in the Netherlands have pleaded for circumspection when using the colonial paradigm to discuss racism, at times ignoring the latent racialization of post-colonial migrants in political and academic discourses throughout the later half of the twentieth century. This has led to a lack of critical reflection regarding the position of the post-colonial migrant in contemporary Dutch society. This paper describes the historical and social contexts surrounding two housing renewal projects in Amsterdam’s Bijlmer to illustrate how presuppositions regarding post-colonial citizens, race relations and neo-liberal urban restructuring have brought about an unequal approach to urban renewal in a historically Afro-Dutch neighbourhood.
A qualitative study of life events and psychological needs underlying the decision to have cosmetic surgery
Authors: Locatelli Katia , Boccara David , De Runz Antoine , Fournier Mathilde , Chaouat Marc , Villa François , Mimoun Maurice
Published: April 2017

Objective

A thorough psychological assessment of patients requesting cosmetic surgery can help to protect them from the risk of postoperative dissatisfaction and the onset and/or aggravation of psychiatric disorders. This study seeks to shed more light on why people desire cosmetic surgery and thus help surgeons, psychiatrists, and psychologists to conduct assessments before surgery.

Methods

In-depth interviews were conducted with 35 subjects who requested cosmetic surgery. The interviews were recorded and transcribed and then analyzed qualitatively with Grounded Theory. Themes and categories were identified and compared in logical order, to build a consistent theoretical model.

Results

In each interview, we identified one or more recent events that the subjects considered to be contributing factors in their decisions to have cosmetic surgery. We observed that 33 of 35 patients said they sought cosmetic surgery at a time when they were experiencing, or had just experienced, one or more major changes in their bodies or their relationships. Recent life events triggered or strengthened specific psychological needs in the subjects: to cope with the past and with change, attain a consistent identity, find or regain a positive self-image, alter others’ perceptions, define themselves in relation to others, or please themselves or others. Patients said that they chose plastic surgery to fulfill one or more of these needs.

Conclusions

This study identifies the role of recent events in inciting individuals to resort to cosmetic surgery. This factor provides new perspectives for surgeons to understand those patients and opens new avenues for research.
Entropy-Based Measures for Person Fit in Item Response Theory
Authors: Dardick William R. , Weiss Brandi A.
Published: April 2017

This article introduces three new variants of entropy to detect person misfit ( Ei, EMi, and EMRi), and provides preliminary evidence that these measures are worthy of further investigation. Previously, entropy has been used as a measure of approximate data–model fit to quantify how well individuals are classified into latent classes, and to quantify the quality of classification and separation between groups in logistic regression models. In the current study, entropy is explored through conceptual examples and Monte Carlo simulation comparing entropy with established measures of person fit in item response theory (IRT) such as lz, lz*, U, and W. Simulation results indicated that EMiand EMRiwere successfully able to detect aberrant response patterns when comparing contaminated and uncontaminated subgroups of persons. In addition, EMiand EMRiperformed similarly in showing separation between the contaminated and uncontaminated subgroups. However, EMRimay be advantageous over other measures when subtests include a small number of items. EMiand EMRiare recommended for use as approximate person-fit measures for IRT models. These measures of approximate person fit may be useful in making relative judgments about potential persons whose response patterns do not fit the theoretical model.
Natural Infections With Pigeon Paramyxovirus Serotype 1: Pathologic Changes in Eurasian Collared-Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) and Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) in the United States
Authors: Isidoro-Ayza M. , Afonso C. L. , Stanton J. B. , Knowles S. , Ip H. S. , White C. L. , Fenton H. , Ruder M. G. , Dolinski A. C. , Lankton J.
Published: April 2017

Pigeon paramyxovirus serotype 1 (PPMV-1) is a globally distributed, virulent member of the avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 serogroup that causes mortality in columbiformes and poultry. Following introduction into the United States in the mid-1980s, PPMV-1 rapidly spread causing numerous mortality events in Eurasian collared-doves ( Streptopelia decaocto) (ECDOs) and rock pigeons ( Columba livia) (ROPIs). The investigators reviewed pathological findings of 70 naturally infected, free-ranging columbiforms from 25 different mortality events in the United States. Immunohistochemistry targeting PPMV-1 nucleoprotein was used to determine the tissue distribution of the virus in a subset of 17 birds from 10 of the studied outbreaks. ECDOs (61 birds) and ROPIs (9 birds) were the only species in which PPMV-1-associated disease was confirmed by viral isolation and presence of histologic lesions. Acute to subacute tubulointerstitial nephritis and necrotizing pancreatitis were the most frequent histologic lesions, with immunolabeling of viral antigen in renal tubular epithelial cells and pancreatic acinar epithelium. Lymphoid depletion of bursa of Fabricius and spleen was common, but the presence of viral antigen in these organs was inconsistent among infected birds. Hepatocellular necrosis was occasionally present with immunolabeling of hypertrophic Kupffer cells, and immunopositive eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were present in hepatocytes of 1 ECDO. Immunopositive lymphocytic choroiditis was present in 1 ECDO, while lymphocytic meningoencephalitis was frequent in ROPIs in absence of immunolabeling. This study demonstrates widespread presence of PPMV-1 antigen in association with histologic lesions, confirming the lethal potential of this virus in these particular bird species.
Using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process multi-criteria and automatic computation to analyse coastal vulnerability
Authors: Tahri Meryem , Maanan Mohamed , Maanan Mehdi , Bouksim Hassan , Hakdaoui Mustapha
Published: April 2017

This paper presents an integrated method to assess the vulnerability of coastal risks by applying the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and spatial analysis techniques with a geographic information system (GIS). The coast of Mohammedia, located in Morocco, was chosen as the study site to implement and validate the proposed framework by applying a GIS-FAHP-based methodology. Coastal risk vulnerability mapping reflects multi-parametric causative factors such as sea level rise, significan twave height, tidal range, shoreline evolution, elevation, geomorphology and distance to an urban area. The results show that the coastline of Mohammedia is characterised by low, moderate and high levels of vulnerability to coastal risk. The high vulnerability areas are situated in the east at Monica and Sablettes beaches. This technical approach helps decision-makers to find optimal strategies and to minimise coastal risks. In comparison with other assessment methods, this approach involves rapid data processing and provides an improved means of sustainable and multi-objective coastal management.
Outcomes After Arthroscopic Bankart Repair: Patients With First-Time Versus Recurrent Dislocations
Authors: Marshall Tyler , Vega Jose , Siqueira Marcelo , Cagle Robert , Gelber Jonathan D. , Saluan Paul
Published: April 2017

Background:

The young athletic population makes up the largest portion of shoulder instability and, when treated nonoperatively, has a recurrent dislocation rate as high as 71%. It is unknown how the outcomes of those who have a recurrent dislocation are affected versus those who have a stabilization procedure after a first-time dislocation.

Purpose:

To report the postoperative outcomes of patients with first-time dislocations versus patients with recurrent dislocations before surgery.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify patients who had arthroscopic Bankart repair between 2003 and 2013. A total of 173 eligible patients were identified across 8 fellowship-trained surgical practices. The first phase of the study was a retrospective chart review. Patients were identified as having a first-time dislocation or as having recurrent dislocations when they had >1 dislocation before surgical intervention. The second phase consisted of a survey to record a Simple Shoulder Test score and return to sport and to report postoperative instability and whether patients had further surgery on the shoulder.

Results:

A total of 121 patients participated, providing 70% follow-up at an average of 51 months. There were 53 patients in the recurrent dislocation group and 68 in the first-time dislocation group. The postoperative instability rate was 29% in the first-time dislocation group and 62% in the recurrent dislocation group; this difference was significant ( P < .001). The odds of postoperative instability were 4 times higher in the recurrent dislocation group (odds ratio = 4.14). The first-time dislocation group reported a 7% rate of repeat operation to address instability, whereas the recurrent dislocation group reported a rate of 32%; this difference was significant ( P < .001). The odds of needing additional surgery on the index shoulder was 6 times higher in the recurrent dislocation group (odds ratio = 6.01).

Conclusion:

Patients with first-time dislocations had lower postoperative instability rates and reoperation rates when compared with patients with recurrent dislocations before surgery. Young patients with shoulder instability should be offered early surgical intervention to lower the risk of postoperative instability and reoperation.
Are Predictive Energy Expenditure Equations in Ventilated Surgery Patients Accurate?
Authors: Tignanelli Christopher J. , Andrews Allan G. , Sieloff Kurt M. , Pleva Melissa R. , Reichert Heidi A. , Wooley Jennifer A. , Napolitano Lena M. , Cherry-Bukowiec Jill R.
Published: April 2017

Background:

While indirect calorimetry (IC) is the gold standard used to calculate specific calorie needs in the critically ill, predictive equations are frequently utilized at many institutions for various reasons. Prior studies suggest these equations frequently misjudge actual resting energy expenditure (REE) in medical and mixed intensive care unit (ICU) patients; however, their utility for surgical ICU (SICU) patients has not been fully evaluated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the REE measured by IC with REE calculated using specific calorie goals or predictive equations for nutritional support in ventilated adult SICU patients.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was performed on all adults (n = 419, 18-91 years) mechanically ventilated for >24 hours, with an Fio2 ≤ 60%, who met IC screening criteria. Caloric needs were estimated using Harris-Benedict equations (HBEs), and 20, 25, and 30 kcal/kg/d with actual (ABW), adjusted (ADJ), and ideal body (IBW) weights. The REE was measured using IC.

Results:

The estimated REE was considered accurate when within ±10% of the measured REE by IC. The HBE, 20, 25, and 30 kcal/kg/d estimates of REE were found to be inaccurate regardless of age, gender, or weight. The HBE and 20 kcal/kg/d underestimated REE, while 25 and 30 kcal/kg/d overestimated REE. Of the methods studied, those found to most often accurately estimate REE were the HBE using ABW, which was accurate 35% of the time, and 25 kcal/kg/d ADJ, which was accurate 34% of the time. This difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Using HBE, 20, 25, or 30 kcal/kg/d to estimate daily caloric requirements in critically ill surgical patients is inaccurate compared to REE measured by IC. In SICU patients with nutrition requirements essential to recovery, IC measurement should be performed to guide clinicians in determining goal caloric requirements.
A study on numerical optimization and performance verification of multiphase pump for offshore plant
Authors: Suh Jun-Won , Kim Jin-Hyuk , Choi Young-Seok , Joo Won-Gu , Lee Kyoung-Yong
Published: April 2017

Multiphase pumps are core equipment for offshore plant industry. They are utilized in diverse areas. According to a report about the tendency of multiphase pumps for offshore plant, a helico-axial pump is the most preferred. A helico-axial pump with advanced technologies is widely known to have large handling capacity and operability even at high GVF ranges. However, its disadvantage is that its mechanical efficiency is lower than other multiphase pumps. Because of this, a numerical optimization was performed in this study to enhance the hydraulic performance of multiphase pumps. Before numerical optimization, reliability verification of numerical analysis for single-phase and multiphase flow was carried out. To perform a single objective optimization for high efficiency, design variables and ranges were selected. The single objective optimization was conducted for both impeller and diffuser. The objective function was evaluated at design points using Latin-hypercube sampling, one experiment technique, in design ranges. The performance of the experiment sets was evaluated using advanced computational fluid dynamics. After that, the response surface of a second-order polynomial function which was produced based on the performance evaluation results was used to find the optimal point. The results showed remarkable increases in a higher performance level than the base model. The reason for performance improvement was analyzed through comparison of the internal flow field. Additionally, numerical results were compared to results of performance evaluation through experiment.
Affectivity and liminality in ritualized protest: Politics of transformation in the Kiev uprising
Authors: Scott Georgsen Mie , Thomassen Bjørn
Published: April 2017

This article provides an anthropologically inspired analysis of the Maidan protest movement in Ukraine. We argue that the uprisings involved all essential features of liminality: a dramatic situation marked by volatility, ambivalence, and potentiality that led to the embryonic formation of a communitas. The article describes how protesters met and mobilized on Independence Square in ritualized action, and how these forms of action served to frame the meaningfulness of the events. Engaging this social drama as a “liminal hotspot,” we discuss how subjectivity and affectivity must be analysed jointly as part of the same political-ritual process.
Suspended transitions and affective orderings: From troubled monogamy to liminal polyamory
Authors: Domínguez Giazú Enciso , Pujol Joan , Motzkau Johanna F. , Popper Miroslav
Published: April 2017

While monogamy is the norm for romantic and intimate relationships in contemporary western societies, having other sexual and affective interactions alongside a monogamous relationship is a common practice. Instead of a unilateral and/or covert non-monogamy, polyamory promises a consensual, ethical, and responsible non-monogamy. The personal transformation of normative cultural frameworks is fundamental to the experience of “becoming polyamorous.” This article explores such occasions using the notion of liminality in order to illustrate the phenomenon of “liminal hotspots.” Focusing on a specific and exemplary case describing the first stages of a polyamorous relationship, the paper explores the reordering of social formations involved. In this case, “becoming polyamorous” is expressed through a process of suspended transition where categories can be described as both/and monogamous/polyamorous and neither/nor monogamous/polyamorous.
Managing suspended transition in medicine and law: Liminal hotspots as resources for change
Authors: Motzkau Johanna F. , Clinch Megan
Published: April 2017

This article explores occasions when professionals in law enforcement and medicine find themselves trapped amidst the paradoxical demands of diagnostic/investigative practice. By juxtaposing research into the experiences of police officers charged with interviewing children who are the alleged victims of sexual abuse, and clinicians tasked with diagnosing and managing contested cases of thyroid disease, the paper develops an understanding of such practice paradoxes as occasions of stalled transition, or liminal hotspots. Drawing on a process theoretical understanding of liminality, the analysis explores the personal, experiential, and affective efficacy of the epistemological framework that both practices share. While liminal hotspots denote paradox stalemates, the paper argues that they are also responsible for recurrent instants of temporary affective unsettledness, and as such can provoke novel thinking and agency towards innovation in practice areas notoriously resistant to change and improvement. Systematizing this property could turn them into resources for change.
Frequency response coupling technique for the estimation of the power transmission in multi-point-connected structures
Authors: Di Sante Raffaella , Fagiani Ramona , Manconi Elisabetta , Vanali Marcello
Published: April 2017

This article presents a frequency response coupling technique for the prediction of the complex mechanical power in multi-point-connected structures. The motivation of this study originates from a real industrial application case concerning the evaluation of the power transmission from a large machine (source) to a flexible structure (cabin/receiver) when only forces and response data of the decoupled substructures (source, receiver, and connectors) can be measured and only acceleration/velocity response data of the whole coupled structure in operation are available. The predicted power can then be used as the input for further investigation on the vibro-acoustic behaviour of the receiver and for design optimisation in terms of noise and vibration reduction. The method is illustrated for a dynamic case representing many real situations of two flexible structures connected through multiple points. Comparison between experimental and numerical results, obtained in the case of a simplified assembled structure consisting of two coupled beams, is investigated.
Individualizing and Combining Treatments in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Vivanti Giacomo
Published: April 2017

Although several early intervention programs can be efficacious in improving outcomes of children with autism, treatment response is variable, leading most families to enroll their child in several interventions simultaneously. Because knowledge on the effects of combining different therapies is limited, it is critically important to develop and test predictions on how the “active ingredients” of different interventions interact with child characteristics and with one another when combined. An obstacle to this research agenda is the “pre-paradigmatic” stage of the autism early intervention field, in which many practices are organized around seemingly irreconcilable vocabularies. I argue that a formalization of the explanatory structures informing different treatments—based on the four parameters of logical coherence, falsifiability, parsimony, and consilience—can provide a conceptual lingua franca for the formulation of testable hypotheses on treatment individualization and combination, thus facilitating a more coherent and rational approach to research in this area.
On Language Processing Shaping Decision Making
Authors: Costa Albert , Vives Marc–Lluís , Corey Joanna D.
Published: April 2017

Recent research has revealed that people’s preferences, choices, and judgments are affected by whether information is presented in a foreign or a native language. Here, we review this evidence, focusing on various decision-making domains and advancing a variety of potential explanations for this foreign-language effect on decision making. We interpret the findings in the context of dual-system theories of decision making, entertaining the possibility that foreign-language processing reduces the impact of intuition and/or increases the impact of deliberation on people’s choices. In closing, we suggest future research directions for progressing our understanding of how language and decision-making processes interact when guiding people’s decisions.
Dynamics Within Intimate Relationships and the Causes, Consequences, and Functions of Sexist Attitudes
Authors: Hammond Matthew D. , Overall Nickola C.
Published: April 2017

Ambivalent sexism theory (Glick & Fiske, 1996) revolutionized understanding of sexist attitudes by revealing how attitudes expressing that women are incompetent and seek power over men (hostile sexism) are accompanied by more benevolent attitudes expressing that men are fulfilled by cherishing and protecting women (benevolent sexism). In the current article, we demonstrate how recent research examining intimate relationship dynamics has advanced understanding of the causes, consequences, and functions of sexist attitudes. Men’s hostile sexism is associated with aggressive perceptions and behaviors within intimate relationships that impede the fulfillment of fundamental relational needs. Benevolent sexism functions to counterbalance these costs by facilitating caring relationship behavior that enhances men’s influence and satisfaction in relationships. The relationship security that benevolent sexism promises to women is also a key reason why women endorse benevolent sexism. Yet men’s and women’s endorsement of benevolent sexism has benefits for men, such as greater relationship-oriented support of men’s goals, but imposes costs for women, such as by promoting dependence-oriented support that undermines women’s competence. Moreover, the relationship investment that benevolent sexism fosters in women makes women more vulnerable to dissatisfaction when relationship problems arise. These dynamics demonstrate how seemingly positive outcomes in intimate relationships may be a barrier to gender equality.