bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low
MT‐CO1
in Monocytes and Microvesicles Is Associated With Outcome in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Holvoet Paul , Vanhaverbeke Maarten , Bloch Katarzyna , Baatsen Pieter , Sinnaeve Peter , Janssens Stefan
Published: December 2016

Background

Cytochrome oxidase (COX) IV complex regulates energy production in mitochondria. Impaired COX gene expression is related to obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, but whether it is directly related to the incidence of cardiovascular events is unknown. We investigated whether COX gene expression in monocytes is predictive for cardiovascular events in coronary artery disease patients. To avoid monocyte isolation from fresh blood, we then aimed to validate our findings in monocyte‐derived microvesicles isolated from plasma.

Methods and Results

We enrolled 142 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography between June 2010 and January 2011 and followed 67 patients with stable coronary artery disease prospectively for at least 3 years. Twenty‐two patients experienced a new cardiovascular event (32.8%). Circulating CD14
+
monocytes and microvesicles were isolated with magnetic beads, and COX mRNA levels were measured with quantitative polymerase chain reaction, after normalization with 5 validated house‐keeping genes. Patients in the lowest tertile of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase, subunit I (
MT‐COI
) in monocytes at baseline had a higher risk for developing a new event after adjusting for age, sex, (ex)smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, low‐density lipoprotein– and high‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol, triglycerides, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, interleukin‐6, and number of diseased vessels (harzard ratio [HR], 3.95; 95% CI, 1.63–9.57). Patients in the lowest tertile of
MT‐COI
in monocyte‐specific microvesicles had also a higher risk of developing a new event (adjusted HR, 5.00; 95% CI, 1.77–14).

Conclusions

In the current blinded study, low
MT‐COI
in monocytes of coronary artery disease patients identifies a population at risk for new cardiovascular events. For the first time, we show that signatures in monocyte‐specific microvesicles in plasma have similar predictive properties.
An Alternative Approach to Establishing a Studio Doctorate in Fine Art
Authors: Maksymowicz Virginia , Tobia Blaise
Published: December 2016

As soon as the creative arts migrated from academies into colleges and universities, questions about accreditation and evaluation arose. From its inception, the master of fine arts (MFA) degree has been problematic. Although the College Art Association published standards for the MFA in 1977, confusion remains between this terminal degree and the nonterminal master’s degree (MA) in fine arts. Some believe that the solution to this problem is to establish the PhD as the terminal degree in fine arts; however, this solution is problematic in other ways: Standard approaches to research and publication in PhD programs do not mesh with the reality of studio-based creative inquiry and production. A better solution might be the development of a doctor of fine arts (DFA) degree.
Scanning, Framing and Close-Up: Reimaging the Brain in 265 Looping Snapshots
Authors: Casini Silvia
Published: December 2016

This article stems from a broader research project that explored the aesthetics of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here the author focuses on firsthand experience of undergoing an MRI as an experimental subject within two different laboratory projects. The self-produced video created after the two examinations, 265 Looping Snapshots, muses on the role played by MRI sound and images, the notion of surveillance and the experience of undergoing a scan. The video attempts to resist the reading of MRI as a “vision machine” for surveillance purposes. Far from being a mere representation of an inner condition unavailable to the senses, MRI images slowly become more abstract—a pulsating, rhythmical light from which other forms can emerge.
Soybots: Mobile Micro-Gardens
Authors: McMullen Shannon C. , Winkler Fabian
Published: December 2016

Gardens express ideas and social relations; some are sites where art and technology produce material realities, construct social narratives and visualize politics. Soybots: Mobile Micro-Gardens unite code, robotics and soybean plants (robotanics) to create a speculative responsive installation that suggests questions about climate, place and agriculture implicated in contemporary practices and values. Soybots utilize light sensors to track sunlight intensity or to locate LED grow lights. As self-pollinating organisms in combination with a light-seeking mobile robotic platform, soybean plants metaphorically address the continually evolving interdependence between humans and cultivated crops, as well as the underlying political nature of photosynthesis.
Hearts and Minds: The Interrogations Project
Authors: Tsoupikova Daria , Rettberg Scott , Coover Roderick , Nishimoto Arthur
Published: December 2016

Hearts and Minds: The Interrogations Project is an interactive virtual reality narrative performance made for the EVL’s CAVE2™ large-scale 320-degree panoramic virtual reality environment that visualizes stories of violence and the post-traumatic stress experienced by ordinary American soldiers who became torturers in the course of serving their country. During the American-led counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism campaigns in Iraq in the years after 11 September 2001, the torture and abuse of detainees was a commonplace tactic.
The Virtual Reality Art Installation Endocytosis: Evolving from a Flat Land into a Three-Dimensional World
Authors: Simó Águeda
Published: December 2016

Virtual reality systems are an ideal platform for exploring spatial effects because of their ability to combine stereo imaging techniques and interactive real-time graphics. They allow the creation of artworks that, on the one hand, exhibit a dynamic organization of the environment’s spatial depth and, on the other, create an interaction with the stereoscopic optic flow. In this article, the author discusses the advantages of horizontal stereoscopic displays and describes how she has used the Responsive Workbench to display the evolution of a flat land into a three-dimensional world in her artwork Endocytosis. She uses endocytosis—a fundamental cellular trafficking process that moves material into the intracellular space—as a metaphor for this evolutionary process.
Totalization and Ressentiment: An Introductory Note
Authors: Baker George
Published: December 2016

For the idea uniting the initial series of essays on photography in this issue, I wish to extend gratitude to Matthew Witkovsky, organizer of the 2012 Clark Art Institute conference “Photography as Model?”; and to Susan Bielstein, executive editor at the University of Chicago Press, who kept alive the idea of a publication of this conference and then allowed it ultimately to come to fruition and to be extended here.
Against Distinction: Photography and Legendary Psychasthenia
Authors: Beshty Walead
Published: December 2016

Walead Beshty describes the editorial conditions and conceptual parameters for the special issue of Blind Spot that he edited and designed in 2013. Beshty argues that photography is the dominant medium through which the world is formulated, while simultaneously being wholly dissolved into the world it depicts, resulting in a kind of disappearance of the photograph beneath the weight of what it represents, as it becomes indistinguishable from the currents that surround and flow through it as part of the information landscape.
Debating what Lü Dongbin Practiced: Why did the Yuan Daoist Miao Shanshi Denounce the Zhong-Lü Texts?
Authors: Eskildsen Stephen
Published: December 2016

Miao Shanshi (fl. 1324), in his Chunyang dijun shenhua miaotong ji, a large collection of stories about the legendary immortal Lü Dongbin, denounces as spurious and fallacious the three so-called “Zhong-Lü texts” (Zhong-Lü chuandao ji, Lingbao bifa, and Xishan qunxian huizhen ji) that claim to convey the inner alchemical teachings learned and practiced by Lü Dongbin. So why did Miao Shanshi, who saw himself as a champion of Quanzhen Daoist orthodoxy and defender of Lü Dongbin’s true legacy, so disdain these texts? Clues for answering this question are to be found in the dialogue between Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin recorded in the Miaotong ji’s sixth episode. Miao Shanshi’s editorial comments provide further hints as to what he objected to in the Zhong-Lü texts, as well as to how he himself may have arrived at his notion of what Lü Dongbin learned, practiced, and later taught. Attention is here also paid to another work of his, entitled Xuanjiao dagong’an. Miao Shanshi’s inner alchemical methods, which he considered the true teachings of Lü Dongbin, compared to those advocated in the Zhong-Lü texts, are much less complicated and seem to essentially consist of making the mind clear and calm while slowing down one’s breathing. 

Miao Shanshi (fl. 1324), dénonce dans son Chunyang dijun shenhua miaotong ji (Miaotong ji ; une vaste collection de récits sur l’immortel légendaire Lü Dongbin), les trois textes dits de la tradition “Zhong-Lü” (Zhong-Lü chuandao ji, Lingbao bifa et Xishan qunxian huizhen ji). Il affirme que ces textes réputés exposer les techniques d’alchimie intérieure reçues et pratiquées par Lü Dongbin sont en réalité apocryphes et erronées. Pourquoi Miao Shanshi, qui se présente comme un pilier de l’orthodoxie du taoïsme Quanzhen et un gardien de l’héritage de Lü Dongbin, rejette-t-il ces textes avec autant de virulence ? La réponse se trouve en bonne partie dans le dialogue entre Zhongli Quan et Lü Dongbin exposé dans le 6e épisode du Miaotong ji. Miao Shanshi dans ses commentaires à son propre récit fournit des éléments supplémentaires sur son opposition à ces textes et sur sa propre façon de concevoir ce que fut l’enseignement de Lü Dongbin. La vision de l’orthodoxie défendue par Miao Shanshi est encore analysée dans une autre de ses œuvres, le Xuanjiao dagong’an. L’article conclut que les méthodes d’alchimie intérieure défendues par Miao Shanshi (et qu’il considère comme représentant l’enseignement authentique de Lü Dongbin) sont bien moins complexes techniquement que celles exposées dans les textes Zhong-Lü, et consistent essentiellement à rendre l’esprit clair et calme en ralentissant sa respiration.
Reclaiming a New World: Fen Drainage, Improvement, and Projectors in Seventeenth-Century England
Authors: Ash Eric H.
Published: December 2016

The draining of the English Fens was one of the largest and most expensive agricultural improvement projects undertaken in early-modern England. Though the principal motivation was to make money from the improved land, many advocates of fen drainage emphasized the moral, utopian dimension of such projects, part of a much broader program for improvement and reform of all kinds to benefit the English Commonwealth. To those interested in pursuing good husbandry and agricultural improvement for their own sake, the Fens represented an unparalleled opportunity, a region of great potential yet unrealized. This article examines several texts advocating fen drainage written between 1580 and 1660, especially those published by Samuel Hartlib and his extensive network of correspondents, with particular attention to the non-financial reasons they gave for undertaking such projects.
“Being Jew is like Travelling by Bus”: Constructing Jewish Identities in Spain between Individualisation and Group Belonging
Authors: Martínez-Ariño Julia
Published: December 2016

Individualisation theory has mainly focused on the deregulation of religion and dissolution of traditional majority churches, but there is less evidence of its appropriateness for religious minorities. In this paper I contribute to this debate by analysing how Jews in Spain construct their Jewish sense of belonging in the context of a diverse, traditionally Catholic society. My main argument is that Jews, as a small and invisible minority, confronted by the exigencies of a secular and plural context, combine notions of religious choice and ethnic ascription in narrating their individual and collective identities. Consequently, while the theory of individualisation partly accounts for this identity construction, the specificities of the context and the minority condition require additional conceptual tools about collective identities and symbolic boundaries.
“Welcome to Interfaith Dialogue”, the Employee of the Art Gallery Said and Started the Tour – Frames and Spaces of Interfaith Interaction
Authors: Kalender Mehmet
Published: December 2016

Considering the presence of interfaith activities outside the religious sphere, this paper raises the question of a correlation between space and interfaith interaction, and proposes an analytical scheme for the analysis of the spatiality of (interfaith) interaction. Using the example of an interfaith tour in the Hamburg Art Gallery and based on a spatial and interaction theory framework, the paper focuses on three dimensions in which space is expressed and correlated with interaction. First, is space as an element of the social situation’s definition, this includes a synthesised picture of the gallery. Secondly, the activity structures affect the (spatial) positioning between the participants and space is reproduced in interaction. The third dimension refers to the material space, especially the artwork and its function in interaction.
Taxonomy and nomenclature of Salix muliensis, S. wuxuhaiensis and S. floccosa
Authors: HE LI , CHEN SHI-PIN , ZHANG ZHI-XIANG
Published: December 2016

Salix muliensis Goerz was originally described based on three collections. The specimens in these collections belong to two different taxa (S. muliensis and S. wuxuhaiensis N. Chao). Chinese authors have in many cases misapplied S. muliensis to S. floccosa Burkill. The names S. muliensis, S. occidentalisinensis N. Chao and S. wuxuhaiensis are lectotypified, and S. occidentalisinensis is treated as a synonym of S. muliensis.
Acanthotetilla celebensis sp. nov., a new species from North Sulawesi, Indonesia (Porifera: Demospongiae: Spirophorida: Tetillidae)
Authors: DE VOOGD NICOLE J. , VAN SOEST ROB W. M.
Published: December 2016

A new megacanthoxea- bearing tetillid Acanthotetilla celebensis sp.nov. (Porifera: Demospongiae: Spirophorida: Tetillidae) is described from North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The new species is compared with all other (four) Acanthotetilla species occurring in the Indian Ocean and the West Indies. The new species differs from these other species by the overall morphology, and especially the presence of two sizes of megacanthoxeas. This is the first record of Acanthotetilla in Indonesia.
An account of the Genus Turris species (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Turridae) from the East and South China Seas
Authors: LI BAOQUAN , LI XINZHENG
Published: December 2016

Five species of the genus Turris Röding, 1798 from the China seas are reported in the present paper, they are Turris grandis (Gray, 1834); T. crispa (Lamarck, 1816); T. undosa (Lamarck, 1816); T. annulata (Reeve, 1843); T. normandavidsoni Olivera, 1999. In which, T. grandis, T. undosa and T. normandavidsoni are recorded here for the first time from the China Seas. The material was collected from the South China Sea off Gongdong, Beibu Gulf, Hainan Island, Xisha Islands, Nansha Islands, and the East China Sea.
Peruphasma marmoratum, a remarkable new species of high montane Phasmatodea (Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae) from the Venezuelan Andes
Authors: MURÁNYI DÁVID
Published: December 2016

A remarkable new species of high montane Phasmatodea (Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae), Peruphasma marmoratum sp. n. from the Venezuelan Andes is described and illustrated from both sexes. The species of Peruphasma Conle & Hennemann, 2002, which were excluded by Zompro (2004) are confirmed as belonging to the genus. The new species differs from all other members of the genus by the presence of tubercles on the mesonotum. Affinities, ecological and distributional notes, and notes on other Anisomorphini from Venezuela are presented.
A world catalogue of Aholcocerus Yakovlev, 2006 (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) with description of a new species from Indonesia
Authors: YAKOVLEV ROMAN V. , WITT THOMAS J.
Published: December 2016

Aholcocerus jakli Yakovlev & Witt sp. nov. is described from Indonesia. A catalogue of the genus Aholcocerus Yakovlev, 2006 is provided. External appearance of all species of the genus is illustrated.
New records of the rare pandalid shrimp Plesionika exigua (Rathbun, 1906 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) in the western Pacific
Authors: CHAN TIN-YAM
Published: December 2016

The rare species Plesionka exigua (Rathbun, 1906) is recorded for the first time from three western Pacific localities New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Redescription, illustrations on distinguishing characters and color photograph are provided for this poorly known species.
Four new species of the genus Philanthaxia Deyrolle, 1864 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Thomassetiini)
Authors: BÍLÝ SVATOPLUK
Published: December 2016

Descriptions of four new species of the genus Philanthaxia Deyrolle, 1864: P. depressifrons sp. nov. (Vietnam), P.granum sp. nov., P. hanloni sp. nov. and P. purpureifrons sp. nov (all from The Philippines). All described species are illustrated and compared with the similar or sympatric congeners.
A taxonomic revision of the genus Diplonevra Lioy (Diptera: Phoridae) from China
Authors: LIU GUANG-CHUN , YANG MENG
Published: December 2016

The Chinese species of Diplonevra are revised, with 16 recognised species from both the Oriental and Palaearctic parts of China. The following 8 species are described as new to science: D. corniculata sp. nov., D. trapezia sp. nov., D. vecticrassa sp. nov., D. lamella sp. nov., D. furcavectis sp. nov., D. brevicula sp. nov., D. triangulata sp. nov., D. spinibotra sp. nov. All known species are re-identified, re-described and illustrated. Diagnostic characters of the base of the posterior face of the hind trochanter and femur are depicted in detail. A revised identification key to Chinese species based on males is presented.
A new species of iguanid lizard, genus Stenocercus (Squamata, Iguania), from the Central Andes in Peru
Authors: VENEGAS PABLO J. , ECHEVARRÍA LOURDES Y. , GARCÍA-BURNEO KARLA , KOCH CLAUDIA
Published: December 2016

We describe a new species of Stenocercus from the montane forest of the right margin of the Marañón river in the northern portion of the Central Andes in northern Peru (Amazonas and La Libertad departments), at elevations ranging from 2300 to 3035 m. Stenocercus omari sp. nov. differs from other Stenocercus species, with the exception of S. amydrorhytus, S. chrysopygus, S. cupreus, S. johaberfellneri, S. latebrosus, S. melanopygus, S. modestus, S. ornatissimus, S. orientalis, and S. stigmosus, by having granular scales on the posterior surfaces of thighs, a conspicuous antehumeral fold and by lacking a vertebral crest. However, Stenocercus omari sp. nov. is easily distinguished from the aforementioned species, except S. orientalis, by the presence of prominently keeled dorsal head scales. The new species differs from S. orientalis by lacking a prominent oblique neck fold and by having a distinct deep postfemoral mite pocket.
Two new species of the genus Deontolaimus de Man, 1880 (Nematoda: Leptolaimidae) from mangrove ecosystems of Vietnam
Authors: TU NGUYEN DINH , THANH NGUYEN VU , HOANG LAI PHU , SAINT-PAUL ULRICH
Published: December 2016

Two new species of the free-living marine nematode genus Deontolaimus (Leptolaimidae) are described from mangrove forests of the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve and Tien Yen, Quang Ninh, Vietnam. D. mangrovi sp. nov. is distinguished from D. papillatus de Man, 1880 and D. cangioensis sp. nov. by tail shape: conical and then elongated, without pointed tip. Deontolaimus cangioensis sp. nov. resembles D. papillatus in body shape, especially in the pointed tail terminus. D. cangioensis differs from D. papillatus in having a complicated gubernaculum with dorsally curved apophyses.
The advertisement calls of Quasipaa shini (Ahl, 1930) (Anura: Dicroglossidae)
Authors: KONG SHEN SHEN , ZHENG RONG QUAN , ZHANG QI PENG
Published: December 2016

The genus Quasipaa (Family Dicroglossidae) is currently composed of 11 species distributed in China and Southeast Asia: Quasipaa acanthophora (Dubois & Ohler 2009), Q. boulengeri (Günther 1889), Q. courtoisi (Angel 1922), Q. delacouri (Angel 1928), Q. exilispinosa (Liu & Hu, 1975), Q. fasciculispina (Inger 1970), Q. jiulongensis (Huang & Liu, 1985), Q. shini (Ahl 1930), Q. spinosa (David 1875), Q. verrucospinosa (Bourret 1937), Q. yei (Chen, Qu & Jiang 2002) (Frost 2016). These species are morphologically similar, and their taxonomy is subject to controversy (Che et al. 2009). Analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial genes suggest the genus likely encompass additional cryptic species (Ye et al. 2013). Bioacoustics has contributed to studies on the taxonomy of the genus (Ye et al. 2013; Shen et al. 2015), however, to date, only the advertisement calls of Q. spinosa are known (Yu & Zheng 2009; Chen et al. 2012; Shen et al. 2015). Here, we describe the advertisement calls of Q. shini, which inhabits streams in the southern part of central China(Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi and Jiangxi) and is characterized by the presence of keratinized skin spines on the lateral surfaces of the body.
Flightless Catapionus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) in Southwest China survive the Holocene trapped on mountaintops: new species, unknown phylogeny and clogging taxonomy
Authors: GREBENNIKOV VASILY V.
Published: December 2016

This paper reports the first discovery of the weevil genus Catapionus in Southwest China. Eighteen specimens of C. mopsus sp.n. were collected in two high altitude localities some 360 km apart: Mt. Haba in Yunnan (the type locality) at 4,158–4,195 m and Mt. Gongga in Sichuan at 3,533–4,143 m. Habitus and genitalia of a male and a female from each locality are extensively illustrated. Six specimens from each locality were DNA barcoded (dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-CATAPCH). Taxonomic validation of the new species name was made by referring to high quality illustrations of the holotype and to its DNA barcode, and without providing a customary verbal description. This novel approach was chosen partly due to the redundancy of description in the presence of high quality images, and partly due to the lack of adequate and unambiguously identified comparative material. Analysis of mtDNA sequences dated the separation of both geographical populations at about 3.65 Ma. The disjunct distribution of Catapionus in Asia is discussed and mapped for the first time. Monophyly and internal relationships of the genus are discussed and remain untested, together with the generic assignment to the phylogenetically vague Cneorhinini and/or Dermatodini. Discovery of the southernmost members of Catapionus high in the mountains of Southwest China evokes a hypothesis on interglacial refugia. A new term “clogging taxonomy” is introduced for situations as encountered in Catapionus when an abundance of obscure historical species-group names impedes further research.
A new species of Athaumasta Hampson, 1906 from eastern Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Bryophilinae)
Authors: VOLYNKIN ANTON V. , PEKARSKY OLEG
Published: December 2016

The name Athaumasta was introduced by Hampson (1906) as replacement for Thaumasta Staudinger, 1871 (nec. Gistl). Athaumasta is a small Bryophilinae genus found in southern Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russian Far East, Korea and China. By the male genitalia structure Athaumasta is very close to Victrix Staudinger and Bryophila Treitschke, but characteristic forewing pattern, strong pectinate of male antennae, narrow and dorso-lateral flattened uncus, and distally narrowed and apically pointed valvae are characteristic for the genus. The genus includes six described species, one of which has recently been described (Volynkin 2012), and many species are still undescribed. The species cortex Alphéraky, 1887 was incorrectly included to Athaumasta by Poole (1989), and transferred to the genus Parvispinia Babics, Kononenko & Saldaitis by Babics et al. (2012). The species miltina Püngeler, 1902 distributed in the Tien Shan mountain massif (Püngeler 1902; Lehmann & Bergmann 2005) has appearance very close to Athaumasta, but male antennae much less pectinate (Fig. 12). It was treated by Poole (1989) and Lehmann & Bergmann (2005) as a member of the genus Oederemia Hampson (= Victrix), but was not mentioned by Fibiger et al. (2009) in the checklist of Palaearctic taxa of the genus. The male genitalia of miltina (Fig. 22) differ from those of all other Athaumasta by the broad uncus, apically broadened and rounded valvae, and presence of a torn in cornutus in vesica, whereas in Athaumasta uncus is narrow, valvae are apically narrowed and pointed, cornutus is plate-like or absent. By the male genitalia structure, miltina resembles the genus Victrix, subgenus Rasihia Koҫak, but have broader uncus and strongly different appearance. Thus, the genus position of miltina is unclear. Here we treated miltina as a member of Athaumasta (sensu lato), but its genus position will be revised later in a further revision of Eurasiatic Bryophilinae.
Facing the Normative Challenges: The Potential of Reflexive Historical Research
Authors: Stutz Christian , Sachs Sybille
Published: December 2016

This article explores methodological problems of qualitative research templates, that is, the Eisenhardt and the Gioia case study approaches, which are relevant for the business and society (B&S) scholarship and outlines a reflexive historical research methodology that has the potential to face these challenges. Building on Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics, we draw critical attention to qualitative B&S research and frame the methodological problems identified as the normative challenges of qualitative research, that is, to productively deal with both the researchers’ norms and the research subjects’ norms. We then introduce the reflexive historical case study (RHCS), a distinct research strategy to face normative challenges based on philosophical hermeneutics and the interpretive tradition of studying organizations. This research approach aims at theory elaboration while its mode of enquiry is reflexive. By explicating three of its key characteristics and using a case example to illustrate our approach, we demonstrate how B&S scholars can benefit from the “temporal filter” of the historical lens and from reflexive concerns about the nature of theory and empirical material. To tap the potential of historical research, we finally envision a research program for studying issues and debates associated with B&S scholarship.
Compatibility, morphology and mechanical properties of polylactic acid/polyolefin elastomer foams
Authors: Forghani E , Azizi H , Karabi M , Ghasemi I
Published: December 2016

In this study, different blends based on polylactic acid (PLA)/polyolefin elastomer (POE) and compatibilized PLA/POE was prepared by melt mixing. The compatibilizer glycidyl methacrylate-grafted-polyolefin elastomer (POE-g-GMA) was synthesized in a separate process. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum confirmed the reaction of POE and glycidyl methacrylate. Meanwhile, the morphology of dispersed phase was observed by scanning electron microscope. The results indicated that the compatibilizer has improved the compatibility and interfacial adhesion between PLA and POE phase. The rheological test results revealed that the introduction of compatibilizer could enhance the storage modulus and melt complex viscosity of PLA/POE blends. The foamability was studied in the presence of azodicarbonamide as a chemical blowing agent in the batch foaming process. Morphology of foams such as porous cell size, porous cell population density, and foam density were studied. It was found that the presence of POE in PLA foams has a great influence on their mechanical properties and the toughness. Addition of POE-g-GMA in samples increased elastic modulus of foams and decreased their strain at break.
Mixed matrix membranes based on silica nanoparticles and microcellular polymers for CO2/CH4 separation
Authors: Chen Xiao Yuan , Razzaz Zahir , Kaliaguine Serge , Rodrigue Denis
Published: December 2016

Mixed matrix membranes made from silica nanoparticles and microcellular polymers were prepared from Matrimid® 5218 combined with tetramethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane, and tetrapropoxysilane via the sol–gel method. The nanoparticles were prepared in situ during membrane casting yielding a homogeneous distribution inside a foamed polyimide structure. Mixed matrix membranes with SiO2 contents up to 16% wt. were treated at 60℃, 100℃, 150℃, and 200℃. Thermal gravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses were performed providing information on chemical composition and thermal stability, while the porous structure (average cell diameter and cell density) was studied by scanning electron micrograph. Also, dynamic mechanical analysis was used to determine the glass transition temperature (Tg) and elastic modulus. Finally, the gas transport properties were studied in terms of treatment temperature, feed pressure, SiO2 loading, and testing temperature. CO2 permeability was found to increase by a factor of 3–4 at 3% SiO2 content using tetraethoxysilane in Matrimid, while ideal selectivity for CO2/CH4 separation was constant. Finally, the plasticization effect was practically eliminated by the introduction of SiO2 nanoparticles.
Progressive failure simulation in laminated composites under fatigue loading by using discrete damage modeling
Authors: Iarve Endel V , Hoos Kevin , Braginsky Michael , Zhou Eric , Mollenhauer David H
Published: December 2016

The discrete damage modeling method is extended for progressive failure analysis in laminated composites under fatigue loading. Discrete damage modeling uses the regularized extended finite element method for the simulation of matrix cracking at initially unknown locations and directions independent of the mesh orientation. A material history variable in each integration point is introduced and updated after each loading increment, corresponding to certain load amplitude and number of cycles. The accumulation of the material history variable is governed by Palmgren-Miner’s rule. Cohesive zones associated with mesh-independent cracks are inserted when the material history parameter reaches the value of 1. Cohesive zone model consistently describing crack initiation and propagation under fatigue loading without any assumption of initial crack size is proposed. The fatigue properties required for matrix failure prediction include shear and tensile S-N curves as well as Mode I and II Paris law parameters. Tensile fiber failure is assumed unaffected by fatigue. All input data required for model application are directly measured by ASTM tests except tensile fiber scaling parameter and compression fiber failure fracture toughness, which were taken from literature sources. The model contains no internal calibration parameters. Fatigue damage extent, stiffness degradation and residual tensile and compressive strength of IM7/977-3 laminates have been evaluated. Three different layups, [0/45/90/-45]2S, [30/60/90/-60/-30]2S and [60/0/-60]3S, were modeled and tested. The predictions captured most experimental trends and showed good agreement with X-ray CT damage assessment; however, significant further work is required to develop reliable methodology for quantitative composite durability prediction.
Searching for meaning in a hybrid and fractured world: Contemporary Chinese cultural identity and its implications for missiology
Authors: Hsu Danny
Published: December 2016

Few societies have experienced the pace of change that China has in the last half century. Massive ideological and socio-economic shifts, along with the more recent forces of globalization, have produced a culture that is now hybrid and fragmented. Thus, it is simply no longer viable, or even wise, to continue to think of Chinese culture primarily in terms of “traditional” or Confucian. Instead, concepts of hybridity, fractured narratives, and the expressive self offer us much more productive conceptual lenses both for understanding contemporary Chinese culture and for informing future missiological research.
An ensemble scheme based on language function analysis and feature engineering for text genre classification
Authors: Onan Aytuğ
Published: December 2016

Text genre classification is the process of identifying functional characteristics of text documents. The immense quantity of text documents available on the web can be properly filtered, organised and retrieved with the use of text genre classification, which may have potential use on several other tasks of natural language processing and information retrieval. Genre may refer to several aspects of text documents, such as function and purpose. The language function analysis (LFA) concentrates on single aspect of genres and it aims to classify text documents into three abstract classes, such as expressive, appellative and informative. Text genre classification is typically performed by supervised machine learning algorithms. The extraction of an efficient feature set to represent text documents is an essential task for building a robust classification scheme with high predictive performance. In addition, ensemble learning, which combines the outputs of individual classifiers to obtain a robust classification scheme, is a promising research field in machine learning research. In this regard, this article presents an extensive comparative analysis of different feature engineering schemes (such as features used in authorship attribution, linguistic features, character n-grams, part of speech n-grams and the frequency of the most discriminative words) and five different base learners (Naïve Bayes, support vector machines, logistic regression, k-nearest neighbour and Random Forest) in conjunction with ensemble learning methods (such as Boosting, Bagging and Random Subspace). Based on the empirical analysis, an ensemble classification scheme is presented, which integrates Random Subspace ensemble of Random Forest with four types of features (features used in authorship attribution, character n-grams, part of speech n-grams and the frequency of the most discriminative words). For LFA corpus, the highest average predictive performance obtained by the proposed scheme is 94.43%.
Symptom Cluster Research With Biomarkers and Genetics Using Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Conley Samantha
Published: December 2016

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of latent class analysis (LCA) and examples from symptom cluster research that includes biomarkers and genetics. A review of LCA with genetics and biomarkers was conducted using Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Google Scholar. LCA is a robust latent variable model used to cluster categorical data and allows for the determination of empirically determined symptom clusters. Researchers should consider using LCA to link empirically determined symptom clusters to biomarkers and genetics to better understand the underlying etiology of symptom clusters. The full potential of LCA in symptom cluster research has not yet been realized because it has been used in limited populations, and researchers have explored limited biologic pathways.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis Alternative: Free, Accessible CBID Software
Authors: Bott Marjorie , Karanevich Alex G. , Garrard Lili , Price Larry R. , Mudaranthakam Dinesh Pal , Gajewski Byron
Published: December 2016

New software that performs Classical and Bayesian Instrument Development (CBID) is reported that seamlessly integrates expert (content validity) and participant data (construct validity) to produce entire reliability estimates with smaller sample requirements. The free CBID software can be accessed through a website and used by clinical investigators in new instrument development. Demonstrations are presented of the three approaches using the CBID software: (a) traditional confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), (b) Bayesian CFA using flat uninformative prior, and (c) Bayesian CFA using content expert data (informative prior). Outcomes of usability testing demonstrate the need to make the user-friendly, free CBID software available to interdisciplinary researchers. CBID has the potential to be a new and expeditious method for instrument development, adding to our current measurement toolbox. This allows for the development of new instruments for measuring determinants of health in smaller diverse populations or populations of rare diseases.
Troubleshooting for bleeding in thoracoscopic anatomic pulmonary resection
Authors: Igai Hitoshi , Kamiyoshihara Mitsuhiro , Ibe Takashi , Kawatani Natsuko , Osawa Fumi , Yoshikawa Ryohei
Published: December 2016

Introduction

The objective of this study was to evaluate intraoperative vessel injury and assess troubleshooting during thoracoscopic anatomic pulmonary resection.

Methods

Between April 2012 and March 2016, 240 patients underwent thoracoscopic anatomic lung resection, 26 of whom were identified as having massive bleeding intraoperatively. We analyzed the injured vessel and the hemostatic procedure employed, then compared the perioperative outcomes in patients with ( n = 26) and without ( n = 214) vessel injury. In addition, we compared perioperative results based on the period when surgery was performed: early period: April 2012 to March 2014 ( n = 93) or late period: April 2014 to March 2016 ( n = 146).

Results

The surgical procedures included 20 lobectomies and 6 segmentectomies. One of the 26 patients had vessel injury at 2 points, giving a total of 27 points of injury. Hemostasis was mostly achieved by application of thrombostatic sealant (63.0%). There were no significant differences in the length postoperative hospitalization ( p = 0.67) or morbidity rate ( p = 0.43) between the vessel injury and the no-vessel injury groups. There were no significant differences in the incidence of significant intraoperative bleeding ( p = 0.13) and total blood loss ( p = 0.13) between the early and late periods.

Conclusions

Application of thrombostatic sealant is one of the useful methods to achieve hemostasis during thoracoscopic anatomic pulmonary resection. Vascular hazards are inherent to a thoracoscopic approach. Therefore, thoracic surgeons should always be concerned about significant intraoperative bleeding and treat it appropriately.
Improving Child Peer Adjustment in Military Families Through Parent Training: The Mediational Role of Parental Locus of Control
Authors: Piehler Timothy F. , Ausherbauer Kadie , Gewirtz Abigail , Gliske Kate
Published: December 2016

The present study investigated the mechanisms through which a parenting intervention for military families fosters positive peer adjustment in children. A sample of 336 families with a history of parental deployment enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of the After Deployment Adaptive Parenting Tools (ADAPT) preventive intervention. ADAPT is a 14-week preventive intervention designed to strengthen parenting in military families. The intervention was associated with improvements in mother’s and father’s parental locus of control (i.e., a more internal locus of control) at a 6-month follow-up assessment while controlling for baseline levels. Mothers’ parental locus of control was positively associated with improvements in children’s peer adjustment 12 months following the intervention while controlling for baseline peer adjustment. A significant indirect effect revealed that participation in ADAPT resulted in improved 12-month peer adjustment by improving mothers’ parental locus of control. Implications for supporting youth resilience to stressors associated with deployment are discussed.
Posterior Meniscal Root Repairs: Outcomes of an Anatomic Transtibial Pull-Out Technique
Authors: LaPrade Robert F. , Matheny Lauren M. , Moulton Samuel G. , James Evan W. , Dean Chase S.
Published: December 2016

Background:

Outcomes after transtibial pull-out repair for posterior meniscal root tears remain underreported, and factors that may affect outcomes are unknown.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to compare patient-centered outcomes after transtibial pull-out repair for posterior root tears in patients <50 and ≥50 years of age. We hypothesized that improvement in function and activity level at minimum 2-year follow-up would be similar among patients <50 years of age compared with patients ≥50 years and among patients undergoing medial versus lateral root repairs.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Inclusion criteria were patients aged 18 years or older who underwent anatomic transtibial pull-out repair of the medial or lateral posterior meniscus root by a single surgeon. All patients were identified from a data registry consisting of prospectively collected data in a consecutive series. Cohorts were analyzed by age (<50 years [n = 35] vs ≥50 years [n = 15]) and laterality (lateral [n = 15] vs medial [n = 35]). Patients completed a subjective questionnaire preoperatively and at minimum of 2 years postoperatively (Lysholm, Tegner, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC], 12-Item Short Form Health Survey [SF-12], and patient satisfaction with outcome). Failure was defined as revision meniscal root repair or partial meniscectomy.

Results:

The analysis included 50 knees in 49 patients (16 females, 33 males; mean age, 38.3 years; mean body mass index, 26.6). Of the 50 knees, 45 were available for analysis. Three of 45 (6.7%) required revision surgery. All failures were in patients <50 years old, and all failures underwent medial root repair. No significant difference in failure was found based on age ( P=.541) or laterality ( P = .544). For age cohorts, Lysholm and WOMAC scores demonstrated significant postoperative improvement. For laterality cohorts, all functional scores significantly improved postoperatively. No significant difference was noted in postoperative Lysholm, WOMAC, SF-12, Tegner, or patient satisfaction scores for the age cohort or the laterality cohort.

Conclusion:

Outcomes after posterior meniscal root repair significantly improved postoperatively and patient satisfaction was high, regardless of age or meniscal laterality. Patients <50 years had outcomes similar to those of patients ≥50 years, as did patients who underwent medial versus lateral root repair. Transtibial double-tunnel pull-out meniscal root repair provided improvement in function, pain, and activity level, which may aid in delayed progression of knee osteoarthritis.
Same Care, Different Populations
Authors: Blackwell Laura S. , Robinson Anna F. , Proctor Mark R. , Taylor Alex M.
Published: December 2016

The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of Massachusetts school nurses examining return-to-learn practices for children recovering from concussion in prekindergarten through high school. Regardless of school setting, all students received academic accommodations to support learning during recovery. School nurses perceived less benefit to prolonged cognitive rest (>4 days) for high school students relative to students in elementary school, but provided academic accommodations to them for comparatively longer periods of time (10-14 days vs 6-10 days). In all settings, respondents indicated a need for improved communication among treating physicians, parents, and school personnel, as well as improved education and standardized management tools for younger children and those who sustain non-sport-related injuries. Despite serving children at different developmental stages, school return-to-learn practices are essentially the same in primary and secondary schools, highlighting the need for standardized, developmentally appropriate return-to-learn plans and additional education for the providers and school personnel who implement them.
Drama at Dunder Mifflin: Workplace Bullying Discourses on The Office
Authors: Sumner Erin M. , Scarduzio Jennifer A. , Daggett Jena R.
Published: December 2016

This study examines the portrayal and affective framing of workplace bullying behaviors on the popular American television show The Office. Quantitative and qualitative content analyses were conducted on 54 episodes spanning the show’s nine seasons. Results revealed 331 instances of workplace bullying, for an average of 6.13 bullying behaviors per episode. Workplace bullying behavior on The Office was grouped into five categories: sexual jokes, public humiliation, practical jokes, belittlement, and misuse of authority. In general, instances of workplace bully were scripted as humorous and lacking significant consequences, which could further contribute to social discourses that perpetuate the problem of bullying in real-life workplaces.
Factors Affecting Counseling Services in Social Service Structures Providing Support to Women Who Are Victims of Violence: A Qualitative Research in Greece
Authors: Flora Katerina , Argyroudi Anthi
Published: December 2016

This qualitative study examines the factors that affect counseling services in structures aimed to provide support to women who are victims of violence. What has created the need to investigate the above issues is the increase in events of violence against women in Greece, and the subsequent development of relevant support and accommodation structures. Despite the clinical experience accumulated, research data from Greece are incomplete. The main research question concerns the factors that affect counseling in violence counseling structures. The participants were 10 professional counselors employed in violence counseling structures. The research data were collected through semi-structured interviews and their analysis followed the interpretative phenomenological method. The results designate two main axes: the personal and that of the others. The main categories of factors on the “personal” axis highlighted the importance of prior as well as continuing training for the counselor’s work with the specific population; the crucial role of experience, which is characterized as dense and very rich; and the necessary presence of unfailing supervision. Regarding the axis of “the others,” the main categories that emerged are cooperation with colleagues—in the light of interdisciplinarity as well as support—and cooperation with the local authorities and the central responsible body, as an important determinant of the operation of the structure. The results are discussed on the basis of the factors’ importance and of possible implications for finding solutions.