bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The X-Ray Transform Projection of 3D Mother Wavelet Function
Authors: Yang Xiangyu , Guo Jiqiang , Lu Li , Zeng Li
Published: November 2013

As we all know, any practical computed tomography (CT) projection data more or less contains noises. Hence, it will be inconvenient for the postprocessing of a reconstructed 3D image even when the noise in the projection data is white. The reason is that the noise in the reconstructed image may be nonwhite. X-ray transform can be applied to the three dimensional (3D) CT, depicting the relationship between material density and ray projection. In this paper, nontensor product relationship between the two dimensional (2D) mother wavelet and 3D mother wavelet is obtained by taking X-ray transform projection of 3D mother wavelet. We proved that the projection of the 3D mother wavelet is a 2D mother wavelet if the 3D mother wavelet satisfies certain conditions. So, the 3D wavelet transform of a 3D image can be implemented by the 2D wavelet transform of its X-ray transform projection and it will contribute to the reduction complexity and computation time during image processing. What is more, it can also avoid noise transfer and amplification during the processing of CT image reconstruction.
Synthesis and Evaluation of a Water‐Soluble Hyperbranched Polymer as Enhanced Oil Recovery Chemical
Authors: Lai Nanjun , Qin Xiaoping , Ye Zhongbin , Peng Qin , Zhang Yan , Ming Zheng
Published: November 2013

A novel hyperbranched polymer was synthesized using acrylamide (AM), acrylic acid (AA), N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NVP), and dendrite functional monomer as raw materials by redox initiation system in an aqueous medium. The hyperbranched polymer was characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The viscosity retention rate of the hyperbranched polymer was 22.89% higher than that of the AM/AA copolymer (HPAM) at 95°C, and the viscosity retention rate was 8.17%, 12.49%, and 13.68% higher than that of HPAM in 18000 mg/L NaCl, 1800 mg/L CaCl2, and 1800 mg/L MgCl2·6H2O brine, respectively. The hyperbranched polymer exhibited higher apparent viscosity (25.2 mPa·s versus 8.1 mPa·s) under 500 s−1 shear rate at 80°C. Furthermore, the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) of 1500 mg/L hyperbranched polymer solutions was up to 23.51% by the core flooding test at 80°C.
A Severe Case ofArthrographis kalraeKeratomycosis
Authors: Ramli Siti Roszilawati , Francis Alex Lourdes , Yusof Yushaniza , Khaithir Tzar Mohd Nizam
Published: November 2013

A 52-year-old man with diabetes developed a unilateral central corneal ulcer after accidental foreign body inoculation. He complained of pain and loss of visual acuity in the injured eye, which displayed redness and edema and eventually discharged pus. A corneal scraping from the left eye orbit revealed fungal elements, and cultures of the material grew a fungus. The isolate was identified asArthrographis kalraebased on gross and microscopic morphologies. The patient received amphotericin B intravenously and itraconazole orally. The wound healed following surgical intervention, but the patient lost the use of his left eye.
Impulsive Boundary Value Problems for Planar Hamiltonian Systems
Authors: Kayar Zeynep , Zafer Ağacık
Published: November 2013

We give an existence and uniqueness theorem for solutions of inhomogeneous impulsive boundary value problem (BVP) for planar Hamiltonian systems. Green's function that is needed for representing the solutions is obtained and its properties are listed. The uniqueness of solutions is connected to a Lyapunov type inequality for the corresponding homogeneous BVP.
A Knowledge-Based Simulated Annealing Algorithm to Multiple Satellites Mission Planning Problems
Authors: Jin Da-Wei , Xing Li-Ning
Published: November 2013

The multiple satellites mission planning is a complex combination optimization problem. A knowledge-based simulated annealing algorithm is proposed to the multiple satellites mission planning problems. The experimental results suggest that the proposed algorithm is effective to the given problem. The knowledge-based simulated annealing method will provide a useful reference for the improvement of existing optimization approaches.
Identification of a Cyclin D1 Network in Prostate Cancer That Antagonizes Epithelial–Mesenchymal Restraint
Authors: Ju Xiaoming , Casimiro Mathew C. , Gormley Michael , Meng Hui , Jiao Xuanmao , Katiyar Sanjay , Crosariol Marco , Chen Ke , Wang Min , Quong Andrew A. , Lisanti Michael P. , Ertel Adam , Pestell Richard G.
Published: November 2013

Improved clinical management of prostate cancer has been impeded by an inadequate understanding of molecular genetic elements governing tumor progression. Gene signatures have provided improved prognostic indicators of human prostate cancer. The TGF-β/BMP-SMAD4 signaling pathway, which induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), is known to constrain prostate cancer progression induced by Pten deletion. Herein, cyclin D1 inactivation reduced cellular proliferation in the murine prostate in vivo and in isogenic oncogene–transformed prostate cancer cell lines. The in vivo cyclin D1–mediated molecular signature predicted poor outcome of recurrence-free survival for patients with prostate cancer (K-means HR, 3.75, P = 0.02) and demonstrated that endogenous cyclin D1 restrains TGF-β, Snail, Twist, and Goosecoid signaling. Endogenous cyclin D1 enhanced Wnt and ES cell gene expression and expanded a prostate stem cell population. In chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, cyclin D1 occupied genes governing stem cell expansion and induced their transcription. The coordination of EMT restraining and stem cell expanding gene expression by cyclin D1 in the prostate may contribute to its strong prognostic value for poor outcome in biochemical-free recurrence in human prostate cancer. Cancer Res; 74(2); 508–19. ©2013 AACR.
GSK3 Inhibitors Regulate MYCN mRNA Levels and Reduce Neuroblastoma Cell Viability through Multiple Mechanisms, Including p53 and Wnt Signaling
Authors: Duffy David J. , Krstic Aleksandar , Schwarzl Thomas , Higgins Desmond G. , Kolch Walter
Published: November 2013

Neuroblastoma is an embryonal tumor accounting for approximately 15% of childhood cancer deaths. There exists a clinical need to identify novel therapeutic targets, particularly for treatment-resistant forms of neuroblastoma. Therefore, we investigated the role of the neuronal master regulator GSK3 in controlling neuroblastoma cell fate. We identified novel GSK3-mediated regulation of MYC (c-MYC and MYCN) mRNA levels, which may have implications for numerous MYC-driven cancers. In addition, we showed that certain GSK3 inhibitors induced large-scale cell death in neuroblastoma cells, primarily through activating apoptosis. mRNA-seq of GSK3 inhibitor–treated cells was performed and subsequent pathway analysis revealed that multiple signaling pathways contributed to the loss of neuroblastoma cell viability. The contribution of two of the signaling pathways highlighted by the mRNA-seq analysis was functionally validated. Inhibition of the p53 tumor suppressor partly rescued the cell death phenotype, whereas activation of canonical Wnt signaling contributed to the loss of viability, in a p53-independent manner. Two GSK3 inhibitors (BIO-acetoxime and LiCl) and one small-molecule Wnt agonist (Wnt Agonist 1) demonstrated therapeutic potential for neuroblastoma treatment. These inhibitors reduced the viability of numerous neuroblastoma cell lines, even those derived from high-risk MYCN-amplified metastatic tumors, for which effective therapeutics are currently lacking. Furthermore, although LiCl was lethal to neuroblastoma cells, it did not reduce the viability of differentiated neurons. Taken together our data suggest that these small molecules may hold potential as effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of neuroblastoma and other MYC-driven cancers. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(2); 454–67. ©2013 AACR.
Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy for Moderately Complex Renal Hilar Tumors
Authors: Xu Ben , Zhang Qian , Jin Jie
Published: November 2013

Objectives: To report our initial experience in retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) for moderately complex renal hilar tumors and summarize the feasibility of the retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach. Materials and Methods: 14 patients with renal hilar tumors underwent retroperitoneal LPN between June 2010 and January 2012 at our institution. All of the masses were confirmed in the hilar location by computed tomography preoperatively and then evaluated with the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scoring system; all were defined as moderately complex lesions. A three-port retroperitoneal approach with a dorsal incision was used in all cases. Patient baseline demographics, perioperative outcomes and pathological characteristics were recorded based on a retrospective data collection and telephone interview. Results: All operations were performed successfully without conversion to radical nephrectomy or open surgery. Only two complications of perirenal fluid collection occurred, but the patients recovered with active surveillance. Mean operative time was 134.3 min, mean estimated blood loss 133.2 ml, mean warm ischemia time 30.6 min and mean retroperitoneal drainage 2.2 days. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.7 days. No recurrence or metastasis occurred in these patients at a mean follow-up of 18.6 months. Conclusions: Our initial experience suggests that retroperitoneal LPN is a feasible, safe and effective procedure for moderately complex renal hilar tumors. Although it remains technically challenging, this approach can be recommended in some complex cases when in experienced hands.
Four-Variable Risk Model in Men and Women With Heart Failure
Authors: Chyu Jennifer , Fonarow Gregg C. , Tseng Chi Hong , Horwich Tamara B.
Published: November 2013

Background—

Risk stratification is an integral component of clinical decision making in heart failure (HF). Women with HF have unique characteristics compared with men, and it is unknown whether common prognostic factors are equally useful in both populations. We aimed to investigate whether sex-specific risk models are more accurate for risk prediction in patients with advanced HF.

Methods and Results—

Patients with advanced HF referred to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA; n=2255), were stratified by sex into derivation (referred in 2000–2007) and validation (referred in 2008–2011) cohorts. Cox regression analysis was used to ascertain key variables predictive of the primary end point of death/urgent transplantation/ventricular assist device in the derivation cohorts and confirmed in the validation cohorts in men, women, and the total population. Women were younger, with higher ejection fraction and better event-free survival. Despite differences in baseline characteristics, the 4 strongest predictors of outcome in both women and men, as well as in the total cohort, were B-type natriuretic peptide, peak oxygen consumption by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (pkVO
2
), New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, and use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker. In addition, the UCLA model performed better than the Seattle Heart Failure Model (SHFM) and the Heart Failure Survival Score (HFSS) in our cohort (c-indices of 0.791[UCLA] versus 0.758 [SHFM], 0.607 [noninvasive HFSS], and 0.625 [invasive HFSS]).

Conclusions—

A simple risk model assessing 4 clinical variables—B-type natriuretic peptide, pkVO
2
, NYHA, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker use—is well suited to provide prognostic information in both men and women with advanced HF.
Renal Function Trajectories and Clinical Outcomes in Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Givertz Michael M. , Postmus Douwe , Hillege Hans L. , Mansoor George A. , Massie Barry M. , Davison Beth A. , Ponikowski Piotr , Metra Marco , Teerlink John R. , Cleland John G.F. , Dittrich Howard C. , O’Connor Christopher M. , Cotter Gad , Voors Adriaan A.
Published: November 2013

Background—

Prior studies have demonstrated adverse risk associated with baseline and worsening renal function in acute heart failure, but none has modeled the trajectories of change in renal function and their impact on outcomes.

Methods and Results—

We used linear mixed models of serial measurements of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine to describe trajectories of renal function in 1962 patients with acute heart failure and renal dysfunction enrolled in the Placebo-Controlled Randomized Study of the Selective A
1
Adenosine Receptor Antagonist Rolofylline for Patients Hospitalized with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure and Volume Overload to Assess Treatment Effect on Congestion and Renal Function study. We assessed risk of 180-day mortality and 60-day cardiovascular or renal readmission and used Cox regression to determine association between renal trajectories and outcomes. Compared with patients alive at 180 days, patients who died were older, had lower blood pressure and ejection fraction, and higher creatinine levels at baseline. On average for the entire cohort, creatinine rose from days 1 to 3 and increased further after discharge, with the trajectory dependent on the day of discharge. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and the rate of change in creatinine from baseline were the strongest independent predictors of 180-day mortality and 60-day readmission, whereas the rate of change of blood urea nitrogen from baseline was not predictive of outcomes. Baseline blood urea nitrogen >35 mg/dL and increase in creatinine >0.1 mg/dL per day increased the risk of mortality, whereas stable or decreasing creatinine was associated with reduced risk.

Conclusions—

Patients with acute heart failure and renal dysfunction demonstrate variable rise and fall in renal indices during and immediately after hospitalization. Risk of morbidity and mortality can be predicted based on baseline renal function and creatinine trajectory during the first 7 days.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT00328692 and NCT00354458.
Guideline Concordance of Testing for Hyperkalemia and Kidney Dysfunction During Initiation of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Therapy in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Allen Larry A. , Shetterly Susan M. , Peterson Pamela N. , Gurwitz Jerry H. , Smith David H. , Brand David W. , Fairclough Diane L. , Rumsfeld John S. , Masoudi Frederick A. , Magid David J.
Published: November 2013

Background—

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) reduce morbidity and mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction but can cause hyperkalemia and acute kidney injury. Guidelines recommend measurement of serum potassium (K) and creatinine (Cr) before and serially after MRA initiation, but the extent to which this occurs is unknown.

Methods and Results—

Using electronic data from 3 health systems 2005 to 2008, we performed a retrospective review of laboratory monitoring among 490 patients hospitalized for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction who were subsequently initiated on MRA therapy. Median age at time of MRA initiation was 73 years, and 37.1% were women. Spironolactone accounted for 99.4% of MRA use. Initial ambulatory MRA dispensing occurred at hospital discharge in 70.0% of cases. In the 30 days before MRA initiation, 94.3% of patients had a K or Cr measurement. Preinitiation K was >5.0 mmol/L in 1.4% and Cr >2.5 mg/dL in 1.7%. In the 7 days after MRA initiation among patients who remained alive and out of the hospital, 46.5% had no evidence of K measurement; by 30 days, 13.6% remained untested. Patient factors explained a small portion of postinitiation K testing (
c
-statistic, 0.67).

Conclusions—

Although laboratory monitoring before MRA initiation for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is common, laboratory monitoring after MRA initiation frequently does not meet guideline recommendations, even in patients at higher risk for complications. Quality improvement efforts that encourage the use of MRA should also include mechanisms to address recommended monitoring.
Relationship Between Intravascular Ultrasound Guidance and Clinical Outcomes After Drug-Eluting Stents
Authors: Witzenbichler Bernhard , Maehara Akiko , Weisz Giora , Neumann Franz-Josef , Rinaldi Michael J. , Metzger D. Christopher , Henry Timothy D. , Cox David A. , Duffy Peter L. , Brodie Bruce R. , Stuckey Thomas D. , Mazzaferri Ernest L. , Xu Ke , Parise Helen , Mehran Roxana , Mintz Gary S. , Stone Gregg W.
Published: November 2013

Background—

Prior small to modest-sized studies suggest a benefit of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance in noncomplex lesions. Whether IVUS guidance is associated with improved clinical outcomes after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in an unrestricted patient population is unknown.

Methods and Results—

Assessment of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy With Drug-Eluting Stents (ADAPT-DES) was a prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized “all-comers” study of 8583 consecutive patients at 11 international centers designed to determine the frequency, timing, and correlates of stent thrombosis and adverse clinical events after DES. Propensity-adjusted multivariable analysis was performed to examine the relationship between IVUS guidance and 1-year outcomes. IVUS was utilized in 3349 patients (39%), and larger-diameter devices, longer stents, and/or higher inflation pressures were used in 74% of IVUS-guided cases. IVUS guidance compared with angiography guidance was associated with reduced 1-year rates of definite/probable stent thrombosis (0.6% [18 events] versus 1.0% [53 events]; adjusted hazard radio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.21–0.73;
P
=0.003), myocardial infarction (2.5% versus 3.7%; adjusted hazard radio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–0.88;
P
=0.004), and composite adjudicated major adverse cardiac events (ie, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis) (3.1% versus 4.7%; adjusted hazard radio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.55–0.88;
P
=0.002). The benefits of IVUS were especially evident in patients with acute coronary syndromes and complex lesions, although significant reductions in major adverse cardiac events were present in all patient subgroups those with including stable angina and single-vessel disease.

Conclusions—

In ADAPT-DES, the largest study of IVUS use to date, IVUS guidance was associated with a reduction in stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and major adverse cardiac events within 1 year after DES implantation.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00638794.
Preadmission Oral Anticoagulant Treatment and Clinical Outcome Among Patients Hospitalized With Acute Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Johnsen Søren Paaske , Svendsen Marie Louise , Hansen Morten Lock , Brandes Axel , Mehnert Frank , Husted Steen Elkjær
Published: November 2013

Background and Purpose—

Preadmission oral anticoagulant treatment (OAT) has been linked with less severe stroke and a better outcome in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, the existing studies have methodological limitations and have, with one exception, not included hemorrhagic strokes. We performed a nationwide historic follow-up study using data from population-based healthcare registries to assess the effect of preadmission OAT on stroke outcomes further.

Methods—

We identified 11 356 patients with atrial fibrillation admitted to hospital with acute stroke (including ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage) between 2003 and 2009. Propensity score–matched analyses were used to compare stroke severity (Scandinavian Stroke Scale score) and mortality among 2175 patients with preadmission OAT and 2175 patients without preadmission OAT.

Results—

A total of 2492 (21.9%) patients received OAT at the time of their stroke. Preadmission OAT was associated with a lower risk of severe stroke (Scandinavian Stroke Scale score at time of admission, <30 point; propensity score–matched odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.63–0.86) and lower 30-day mortality rate (propensity score–matched adjusted odds ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.71–0.98).

Conclusions—

Only a minority of hospitalized patients with acute stroke with atrial fibrillation received OAT at the time of stroke. Preadmission OAT was associated with less severe stroke and lower 30-day mortality rate in a propensity score–matched analysis.
Design and Validation of a Prehospital Stroke Scale to Predict Large Arterial Occlusion
Authors: Pérez de la Ossa Natalia , Carrera David , Gorchs Montse , Querol Marisol , Millán Mònica , Gomis Meritxell , Dorado Laura , López-Cancio Elena , Hernández-Pérez María , Chicharro Vicente , Escalada Xavier , Jiménez Xavier , Dávalos Antoni
Published: November 2013

Background and Purpose—

We aimed to develop and validate a simple prehospital stroke scale to predict the presence of large vessel occlusion (LVO) in patients with acute stroke.

Methods—

The Rapid Arterial oCclusion Evaluation (RACE) scale was designed based on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) items with a higher predictive value of LVO on a retrospective cohort of 654 patients with acute ischemic stroke: facial palsy (scored 0–2), arm motor function (0–2), leg motor function (0–2), gaze (0–1), and aphasia or agnosia (0–2). Thereafter, the RACE scale was validated prospectively in the field by trained medical emergency technicians in 357 consecutive patients transferred by Emergency Medical Services to our Comprehensive Stroke Center. Neurologists evaluated stroke severity at admission and LVO was diagnosed by transcranial duplex, computed tomography, or MR angiography. Receiver operating curve, sensitivity, specificity, and global accuracy of the RACE scale were analyzed to evaluate its predictive value for LVO.

Results—

In the prospective cohort, the RACE scale showed a strong correlation with NIHSS (
r
=0.76;
P
<0.001). LVO was detected in 76 of 357 patients (21%). Receiver operating curves showed a similar capacity to predict LVO of the RACE scale compared with the NIHSS (area under the curve 0.82 and 0.85, respectively). A RACE scale ≥5 had sensitivity 0.85, specificity 0.68, positive predictive value 0.42, and negative predictive value 0.94 for detecting LVO.

Conclusions—

The RACE scale is a simple tool that can accurately assess stroke severity and identify patients with acute stroke with large artery occlusion at prehospital setting by medical emergency technicians.
Relative Cerebral Blood Volume as a Marker of Durable Tissue-at-Risk Viability in Hyperacute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Cortijo Elisa , Calleja Ana Isabel , García-Bermejo Pablo , Mulero Patricia , Pérez-Fernández Santiago , Reyes Javier , Muñoz Mª Fe , Martínez-Galdámez Mario , Arenillas Juan Francisco
Published: November 2013

Background and Purpose—

Selection of best responders to reperfusion therapies could be aided by predicting the duration of tissue-at-risk viability, which may be dependant on collateral circulation status. We aimed to identify the best predictor of good collateral circulation among perfusion computed tomography (PCT) parameters in middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic stroke and to analyze how early MCA response to intravenous thrombolysis and PCT-derived markers of good collaterals interact to determine stroke outcome.

Methods—

We prospectively studied patients with acute MCA ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis who underwent PCT before treatment showing a target mismatch profile. Collateral status was assessed using a PCT source image–based score. PCT maps were quantitatively analyzed. Cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow, and Tmax were calculated within the hypoperfused volume and in the equivalent region of unaffected hemisphere. Occluded MCAs were monitored by transcranial Duplex to assess early recanalization. Main outcome variables were brain hypodensity volume and modified Rankin scale score at day 90.

Results—

One hundred patients with MCA ischemic stroke imaged by PCT received intravenous thrombolysis, and 68 met all inclusion criteria. A relative CBV (rCBV) >0.93 emerged as the only predictor of good collaterals (odds ratio, 12.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.9–55.9;
P
=0.001). Early MCA recanalization was associated with better long-term outcome and lower infarct volume in patients with rCBV<0.93, but not in patients with high rCBV. None of the patients with rCBV<0.93 achieved good outcome in absence of early recanalization.

Conclusions—

High rCBV was the strongest marker of good collaterals and may characterize durable tissue-at-risk viability in hyperacute MCA ischemic stroke.
Description of a new species of the genus Neolucanus Thomson, 1862 (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) from central Vietnam
Authors: NGUYEN THAI QUANG
Published: November 2013

Neolucanus baongocae  new species is described from Lam Dong Province (Central Vietnam) and compared to closely related  Neolucanus taxa.
Characteristics of Convective Processes and Vertical Vorticity from the Tropical Wave to Tropical Cyclone Stage in a High-Resolution Numerical Model Simulation of Tropical Cyclone Fay (2008)
Authors: Wang Zhuo
Published: November 2013

The statistics of convective processes and vertical vorticity from the tropical wave to tropical cyclone stage are examined in a high-resolution simulation of Tropical Cyclone Fay (2008). The intensity of vertical velocity follows approximately the truncated lognormal distribution in the model simulation, which is consistent with previous observational studies. The upward motion at the pregenesis stage is weaker compared to mature hurricanes or midlatitude thunderstorms. The relatively strong upward velocities occupying a small areal fraction make a substantial contribution to the upward mass and moisture fluxes and condensation.

It is also found that upward motion and downward motion both intensify with time, but the former is stronger than the latter, and the mean vertical motion and the mean vertical mass flux thus increase with time. By contrast, the maximum anticyclonic vorticity is comparable to the maximum cyclonic vorticity in magnitude. Both cyclonic vorticity and anticyclonic vorticity intensify with time, but the former covers a larger areal fraction in the lower and middle troposphere and becomes dominant throughout the troposphere after genesis.

Sensitivity tests with different model resolutions were carried out to test the robustness of the results. When the horizontal grid spacing is reduced, the size of updrafts decreases and the number of updrafts increases, but the areal fraction of updrafts, the mean vertical velocity, and the mean vertical mass flux are rather insensitive to the model resolution, especially in the lower troposphere and when the model resolution is 1 km or higher. This may explain why models with relatively coarse resolution can simulate tropical cyclogenesis reasonably well.
Response of the Ocean Natural Carbon Storage to Projected Twenty-First-Century Climate Change
Authors: Bernardello Raffaele , Marinov Irina , Palter Jaime B. , Sarmiento Jorge L. , Galbraith Eric D. , Slater Richard D.
Published: November 2013

The separate impacts of wind stress, buoyancy fluxes, and CO2 solubility on the oceanic storage of natural carbon are assessed in an ensemble of twentieth- to twenty-first-century simulations, using a coupled atmosphere–ocean–carbon cycle model. Time-varying perturbations for surface wind stress, temperature, and salinity are calculated from the difference between climate change and preindustrial control simulations, and are imposed on the ocean in separate simulations. The response of the natural carbon storage to each perturbation is assessed with novel prognostic biogeochemical tracers, which can explicitly decompose dissolved inorganic carbon into biological, preformed, equilibrium, and disequilibrium components. Strong responses of these components to changes in buoyancy and winds are seen at high latitudes, reflecting the critical role of intermediate and deep waters. Overall, circulation-driven changes in carbon storage are mainly due to changes in buoyancy fluxes, with wind-driven changes playing an opposite but smaller role. Results suggest that climate-driven perturbations to the ocean natural carbon cycle will contribute 20 Pg C to the reduction of the ocean accumulated total carbon uptake over the period 1860–2100. This reflects a strong compensation between a buildup of remineralized organic matter associated with reduced deep-water formation (+96 Pg C) and a decrease of preformed carbon (−116 Pg C). The latter is due to a warming-induced decrease in CO2 solubility (−52 Pg C) and a circulation-induced decrease in disequilibrium carbon storage (−64 Pg C). Climate change gives rise to a large spatial redistribution of ocean carbon, with increasing concentrations at high latitudes and stronger vertical gradients at low latitudes.
The Historical Moment in the Analysis of Gay Men
Authors: Cohler Bertram J. , Galatzer-Levy Robert M.
Published: November 2013

The meanings of men’s same-sex desire have changed rapidly in the last fifty years. As a result it is common that patients and analysts (or psychotherapists) have dissonant implicit understandings of the significance of this desire. This dissonance can have untoward clinical consequences, some of which are explored here, and may be partly mitigated to facilitate better analytic and psychotherapeutic work with gay men.
The Influence of Hispanic Ethnicity on Parent–Provider Communication About Asthma
Authors: Carlin Courtney , Yee Alison B , Fagnano Maria , Halterman Jill S.
Published: November 2013

Research has shown that minority caregivers of children with asthma report poorer communication with health care providers than nonminority caregivers. Less is known about the specific influence of Hispanic ethnicity on parent–provider communication. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of Hispanic ethnicity on parent–provider communication regarding their child’s asthma and on caregiver confidence in communicating with their child’s provider at a primary care visit. Data were obtained from 166 caregivers of children (2-12 years) with persistent asthma. Caregiver perceptions of provider communication and confidence were evaluated. We found that Hispanic compared to non-Hispanic caregivers reported better communication with providers on several items. Hispanic caregivers also were more likely to indicate full confidence in their ability to communicate with providers. These findings suggest Hispanic caregivers may experience better parent–provider communication than non-Hispanics. Further investigation is needed to assess provider- and clinic-specific factors that may influence communication between minority caregivers and providers.
Untangling the Relationship Between Mental Health and Homelessness Among a Sample of Arrestees
Authors: Fox Andrew M. , Mulvey Philip , Katz Charles M. , Shafer Michael S.
Published: November 2013

Past research has focused on the intertwined relationship between homelessness, mental illness, and criminal justice. Although a well-established correlation between mental illness and homelessness has emerged, a better understanding of how this may be mediated by other prominent risk factors such as substance use or victimization is warranted. The current study uses data obtained from 3,673 recently booked arrestees to examine these relationships. Using structural equation modeling with measured variables, the analyses indicate the relationship between mental health and homelessness to be almost entirely mediated by alcohol use, drug use, and violent victimization. Policy implications are discussed.
Students’ attitudes towards school-based sex and relationships education in Tanzania
Authors: Mkumbo Kitila AK
Published: November 2013

Objective:

The objective of this paper was to assess students’ attitudes towards school-based sex and relationships education (SRE).

Design:

This study featured a cross-sectional survey design.

Method:

A sample of 715 students from two districts in Tanzania completed a survey questionnaire assessing various aspects related to their attitudes towards SRE.

Results:

Results show that the overwhelming majority (more than 80%) of students supported the provision of SRE in schools and the inclusion of a wide range of SRE topics in the curriculum. The majority of students wanted the teaching of SRE in schools to begin early during primary education (ages 10–14). Nevertheless, the majority of students objected to the inclusion of some of the SRE topics that are commonly regarded as controversial, including homosexuality and masturbation. Students’ attitudes towards SRE and specific topics were associated with participants’ sex, age and religious affiliation.

Conclusion:

The results of this study should encourage policy makers and researchers in Tanzania to advocate for the provision of comprehensive sex education in schools.
Women’s attitudes towards formal and informal support-seeking coping strategies against intimate partner violence
Authors: Sayem Amir Mohammad , Begum Housne Ara , Moneesha Shanta Shyamolee
Published: November 2013

This article examines women’s attitudes towards informal, formal social and formal legal support-seeking strategies against intimate partner violence (IPV). This study found that the majority of the participants were likely to seek help from informal, formal social and formal legal agents. Multivariate analyses revealed that women’s attitudes significantly varied by women’s age, women’s working status, experience of violence, receipt of micro-credit, women’s decision-making authority, husband’s age, husband’s education, family economic status and family type. We suggest that increased employment opportunities and increased number of micro-credit recipients may change women’s attitudes from avoidance coping strategies to help-seeking coping strategies.
Sociodemographic Differences Within Countries Produce Variable Cultural Values
Authors: Greenfield Patricia M.
Published: November 2013

Values vary more within countries than between countries because cultural values are adapted to sociodemographic conditions. The globalization of capitalism and commerce has increased economic differences between the haves and the have-nots within countries around the world; at the same time, it has decreased differences between countries, as virtually all countries have urbanized, developed communications technologies such as the Internet, and developed their systems of comprehensive formal education. Hence, according to this theoretical framework, one would actually expect increased within-country differences in values and decreased between-country differences in values, relative to earlier periods of history.
SWAMP: An agent-based model for wetland and waterfowl conservation management
Authors: Miller Matt L , Ringelman Kevin M , Schank Jeffrey C , Eadie John M
Published: November 2013

The management of North American waterfowl is widely recognized as a premier example of a successful conservation program. Conservation managers on the wintering grounds typically use simple estimates of food availability and population-wide cumulative energy demand to determine how many birds can be supported on a given landscape. When attempting to plan for future needs due to land reallocation, climate change, and other large-scale environmental changes, simple bioenergetic models may not capture important impacts on individual behavior, such as changes in metabolic costs due to increased travel-time and reduced food accessibility leading to non-linear declines in forager success. We describe the development of an agent-based model of foraging waterfowl that uses explicit individual behavior to generate more detailed and potentially more accurate insights into the impact of environmental changes on forager success and survival. While there is growing recognition of the potential utility of agent-based models in conservation planning, there has yet to be an attempt to formulate, validate, and communicate such a model for use as a decision support tool to guide habitat management conservation for wetlands in North America. Our model seeks to provide the foundational framework for such an effort. We predict that this model will be a useful tool for stakeholders making conservation management decisions.
Growing buildings in corn fields: Urban expansion and the persistence of maize in the Toluca Metropolitan Area, Mexico
Authors: Lerner Amy , Sweeney Stuart , Eakin Hallie
Published: November 2013

Urban growth continues to rise globally, especially in and around small cities and peri-urban areas of the developing world. In Mexico, a culture of maize production still exists alongside rapid urban and industrial growth, which exemplifies a hybridized urban-rural landscape. This paper discusses a study of household land-use and livelihood strategies in the Toluca Metropolitan Area, west of Mexico City, a traditional maize-growing region that has experienced rapid urban growth. Logistic regression combined with ethnographic data illustrate that maize is being abandoned to some extent as producers age and non-farm income sources surge. At the same time, some maize still persists for tradition and security as non-farm income is often volatile. Our results reflect a persistence of maize in peri-urban areas of central Mexico, which should not be ignored by policy and planning.
A Novel Calibration Estimator in Social Surveys
Authors: Arcos Antonio , Contreras José M. , Rueda María M.
Published: November 2013

Social surveys generally assume that a sample of units (students, individuals, employees,…) is observed by two-stage selection from a finite population, which is grouped into clusters (schools, household, companies,…). This design involves sampling from two different populations: the population of schools or primary stage units and the population of students or second-stage units. Calibration estimators for student statistics can be defined by using combined information based on school totals and student totals. Auxiliary information from the units at the two stages can be calibrated by integrated weighting, as proposed by Lemaître and Dufour or Estevao and Särndal. Two calibration estimators for the population total based on unit weights are defined. The first estimator satisfies a calibration equation at the unit level, and the second one, at the cluster level. The proposed estimator shrinks the unit estimator toward the cluster. A simulation study based on two real populations is carried out to study the empirical performance of this shrinkage estimator. The populations studied were obtained from the Programme for International Student Assessment database and from the Spanish Household Budget Survey.
The Effects of Victimization on Routine Activities
Authors: Bunch Jackson , Clay-Warner Jody , Mcmahon-Howard Jennifer
Published: November 2013

Is there a relationship between victimization and subsequent behaviors, and if so, does victimization lead to risky or constrained activities? Previous research is mixed, possibly due to limitations associated with selection bias, cross-sectional data, and floor and ceiling effects. The current study examines how victimization influences lifestyles using longitudinal National Crime Victimization Survey data. To avoid problems of selection bias and spuriousness, we use a propensity score matching approach to compare the subsequent lifestyles of victims and nonvictims. We find that victims tend to engage in higher levels of risky behavior following victimization than do nonvictims at similar points in time but that differences are due to preexisting factors that distinguish victims from nonvictims and not due to the victimization event, itself.
Development of active control within working memory
Authors: Blain-Brière Bénédicte , Bouchard Caroline , Bigras Nathalie , Cadoret Geneviève
Published: November 2013

This study aimed to compare children’s performance on two mnemonic functions that engage the lateral prefrontal cortex. Brain imaging studies in adults have shown that the mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex is specifically involved in active controlled retrieval, and the mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is specifically involved in monitoring mnemonic information (Petrides, 2005). Eighty-two children aged from 6 years, 8 months to 8 years, 7 months were tested. They showed equivalent success rates in active retrieval and monitoring with color and shape information. However, children were slower in monitoring than in active retrieval in color trials. The results demonstrate that the specialized contributions of the lateral prefrontal cortex emerge conjointly during childhood giving children multiple tools to exert an active control within memory.
The Emergence of Neoliberalism: Thinking Through and Beyond Michel Foucault’s Lectures on Biopolitics
Authors: Gane Nicholas
Published: November 2013

This paper uses Michel Foucault’s lectures on biopolitics as a starting point for thinking historically about neoliberalism. Foucault’s lectures offer a rich and detailed account of the emergence of neoliberalism, but this account is far from complete. This paper addresses some of the blind-spots in Foucault’s lectures by focusing on the space between the decline of classical liberalism at the end of the 19th century and the subsequent attempt to develop a ‘positive’ or ‘ordo’ liberalism in post-war Germany. The primary concern of this paper is to chart the emergence of a new or neo- liberalism in the writings of Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek through the 1920s and 1930s. These writings, which are barely considered by Foucault, are important as they redefine the liberal project against the political economy of the late 19th century and, in particular, against the threat of socialism. In conclusion, it is argued that by returning to the work of Mises and Hayek it is possible to develop a critical sociology of neoliberalism, one that not only engages with the writings of these two thinkers but which also exposes the fracture lines that exist within the neoliberal project, and reconsiders the political positions that neoliberalism initially sought to reject.
Cilostazol decreases total atrial conduction time in patients with peripheral artery disease
Authors: Alizade E , Şahin M , Şimşek Z , Açar G , Bulut M , Güler A , Avcı A , Kalkan ME , Pala S , Akçakoyun M , Esen AM
Published: November 2013

Objective:

Total atrial conduction time (TACT) is the most important parameter in predicting the development of new-onset atrial fibrillation. We investigated the effect of cilostazol therapy on TACT in patients with peripheral artery disease.

Methods:

Thirty patients with peripheral artery disease were treated with cilostazol (200 mg/day) for 6 months. The baseline echocardiographic total atrial conduction time parameter was compared with the 6-month follow-up.

Results:

The TACT duration was decreased in all patients compared with the baseline after therapy (121.8 ± 19.3 vs. 109.1 ± 15.9 milliseconds, p<0.001). However, left atrial (LA) diameter was not changed with the therapy. The reduction of TACT duration was correlated with the increase in mitral E wave velocity/mitral A wave velocity ratio (r=-0.48, p<0.003).

Conclusion:

Our results showed that 200 mg cilostazol treatment decreased TACT duration in patients with peripheral artery disease, which may also prevent the development and/or recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF).
Why do older people oppose physician-assisted dying? A qualitative study
Authors: Malpas Phillipa J , Wilson Maria KR , Rae Nicola , Johnson Malcolm
Published: November 2013

Background:

Physician-assisted dying at the end of life has become a significant issue of public discussion. While legally available in a number of countries and jurisdictions, it remains controversial and illegal in New Zealand.

Aim:

The study aimed to explore the reasons some healthy older New Zealanders oppose physician-assisted dying in order to inform current debate.

Design:

Recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed by the authors after some edits had been made by respondents.

Setting/participants:

In all, 11 older participants (over 65 years) who responded to advertisements placed in Grey Power magazines and a University of Auckland email list were interviewed for around 1 h and asked a number of open-ended questions.

Results:

Four central themes opposing physician-assisted dying were identified from the interviews: one’s personal experience with health care and dying and death, religious reasoning and beliefs, slippery slope worries and concern about potential abuses if physician-assisted dying were legalised.

Conclusions:

An important finding of the study suggests that how some older individuals think about physician-assisted dying is strongly influenced by their past experiences of dying and death. While some participants had witnessed good, well-managed dying and death experiences which confirmed for them the view that physician-assisted dying was unnecessary, those who had witnessed poor dying and death experiences opposed physician-assisted dying on the grounds that such practices could come to be abused by others.
The Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale: Further validity testing
Authors: Bergstraesser Eva , Paul Michaela , Rufibach Kaspar , Hain Richard D , Held Leonhard
Published: November 2013

Background:

Paediatric palliative care is still often introduced late in the illness trajectory of children with life-limiting diseases. Translating palliative care into practice continues to be a challenge.

Aim:

To validate the Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale further by defining attributes that predict the need for palliative care in children between 1 and 18 years.

Design:

Proportional-odds logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the attributes of the Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale and the experts’ assessment of case vignettes with various combinations of different attribute characteristics. Estimates from regression analysis were transformed to empirical weightings of the Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale attribute characteristics.

Setting/participants:

Online questionnaires with case vignettes were sent to 33 paediatric palliative care experts from Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Results:

The highest weightings among the five previously defined attributes were estimated life expectancy <12 months (40% of maximum score) and preferences of the child/parents received (24%). Trajectory of disease and impact on daily activities of the child, expected outcome of treatment directed at the disease and burden of treatment, and symptom or problem burden were weighted less.

Conclusions:

According to this second step of psychometric testing of the Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale, the strongest and most urgent necessity indicators for a palliative care approach are life expectancy and child/family preferences. These results are somewhat discrepant with results from the previous validation of the instrument as well as previous research findings.