bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Languages of Stateness in South Lebanon's Palestinian Gatherings: The PLO's Popular Committees as Twilight Institutions
Authors: Stel Nora
Published: March 2016

Public authority beyond the state has often been seen as isolated from the state and/or constituting a threat to the state. Recent scholarship, however, has started to conceptualize ‘state’ and ‘non‐state’ forms of public authority as closely connected and interdependent. This article contributes to this theoretical shift by means of a qualitative case study of public authority in Palestinian refugee camps in South Lebanon. Lebanon's Palestinian camps are routinely characterized as ‘states‐within‐the‐state’, undermining the sovereignty of the Lebanese state. Yet, as this article demonstrates, both a generic state idea and the specific Lebanese state system constitute crucial benchmarks for the Popular Committees that govern informal Palestinian settlements. The article therefore conceptualizes the Popular Committees as ‘twilight institutions’ and explores the ‘languages of stateness’ that they adopt both communicatively, vis‐à‐vis Palestinian competitors, and coordinatively, vis‐à‐vis Lebanese counterparts. This reveals that the Popular Committees emulate the Lebanese state institutions they come into contact with, to bolster their own authority. They do this partly to be viable interlocutors for Lebanese state institutions; this suggests that the Popular Committees’ non‐state authority might validate rather than challenge state authority in Lebanon, and that state and non‐state authority can be mutually constitutive.
Causes of death in childhood‐onset Type 1 diabetes: long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Gagnum V. , Stene L. C. , Jenssen T. G. , Berteussen L. M. , Sandvik L. , Joner G. , Njølstad P. R. , Skrivarhaug T.
Published: March 2016

Aims

To assess the causes of death and cause‐specific standardized mortality ratios in two nationwide, population‐based cohorts diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes during the periods 1973–1982 and 1989–2012, and to evaluate changes in causes of death during the follow‐up period.

Methods

People with Type 1 diabetes who were aged < 15 years at diagnosis were identified in the Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry and followed from diagnosis until death, emigration or September 2013 (n = 7871). We assessed causes of death by linking data to the nationwide Cause of Death Registry and through a review committee that evaluated medical records, autopsy reports and death certificates.

Results

During a mean (range) follow‐up of 16.8 (0–40.7) years, 241 individuals (3.1%) died, representing 132 143 person‐years. The leading cause of death before the age of 30 years was acute complications (41/119, 34.5%). After the age of 30 years cardiovascular disease was predominant (41/122, 33.6%), although death attributable to acute complications was still important in this age group (22/122, 18.0%). A total of 5% of deaths were caused by ‘dead‐in‐bed’ syndrome. The standardized mortality ratio was elevated for cardiovascular disease [11.9 (95% CI 8.6–16.4)] and violent death [1.7 (95% CI 1.3–2.1)] in both sexes combined, but was elevated for suicide only in women [2.5 (95% CI 1.2–5.3)]. The risk of death from acute complications was approximately half in women compared with men [hazard ratio 0.43 (95% CI 0.25–0.76)], and did not change with more recent year of diagnosis [hazard ratio 1.02 (0.98–1.05)].

Conclusions

There was no change in mortality attributable to acute complications during the study period. To reduce premature mortality in people with childhood‐onset diabetes focus should be on prevention of acute complications. Male gender implied increased risk.
One‐hour post‐load plasma glucose level during the OGTT predicts mortality: observations from the Israel Study of Glucose Intolerance, Obesity and Hypertension
Authors: Bergman M. , Chetrit A. , Roth J. , Dankner R.
Published: March 2016

Aims

The relationship between 1‐ and 2‐h glucose levels following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and long‐term mortality was evaluated.

Methods

Over a 33‐year period, 2138 individuals were followed for all‐cause mortality. Fasting and post‐OGTT glucose parameters categorized the cohort according to baseline glycaemic status. Four categories were established according to 1‐ and 2‐h glucose levels (in mmol/l): group A = 1 h ≤ 8.8 and 2 h < 7.8; group B = 1 h > 8.6 and 2 h < 7.8; group C = 1 h ≤ 8.6 and 2 h = 7.8–11.1 (impaired glucose tolerance); group D = 1 h > 8.6 and 2 h = 7.8–11.1 (impaired glucose tolerance). Individuals with diabetes at baseline were excluded from the cohort.

Results

By August 2013, 51% of the study cohort had died. The worst prognosis occurred in group D (73.8% mortality), followed by groups C (67.5%), B and A (57.9% and 41.6%, respectively). When the 2‐h glucose value is ‘normal’ (< 7.8 mmol/l), the 1‐h glucose value > 8.6 mmol/l is an important predictor of mortality (28% increased risk) compared with group A, controlling for sex, age, smoking, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressures. A gradual increased hazard for mortality was seen by study group (hazard ratio = 1.28, 1.60 and 1.76, for groups B, C and D, respectively; group A = reference).

Conclusions

A 1‐h glucose value > 8.6 mmol/l predicts mortality even when the 2‐h level is < 7.8 mmol/l. However, when the 2‐h level is in the impaired glucose tolerance range, the hazard for mortality rises significantly independent of the 1‐h value. Individuals at risk for developing diabetes could be identified earlier using the 1‐h threshold value of 8.6 mmol/l, which could avert progression to diabetes and increased mortality.‬
Diagnostic performance of HbA1c for diabetes in Arab vs. European populations: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Bertran E. A. , Berlie H. D. , Taylor A. , Divine G. , Jaber L. A.
Published: March 2016

Aim

To examine differences in the performance of HbA1c for diagnosing diabetes in Arabs compared with Europeans.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library databases were searched for records published between 1998 and 2015. Estimates of sensitivity, specificity and log diagnostic odds ratios for an HbA1c cut‐point of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) were compared between Arabs and Europeans, using a bivariate linear mixed‐model approach. For studies reporting multiple cut‐points, population‐specific summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were constructed. In addition, sensitivity, specificity and Youden Index were estimated for strata defined by HbA1c cut‐point and population type. Database searches yielded 1912 unique records; 618 full‐text articles were reviewed. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria; hand‐searching yielded three additional eligible studies. Three Arab (N = 2880) and 16 European populations (N = 49 127) were included in the analysis.

Results

Summary sensitivity and specificity for a HbA1c cut‐point of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) in both populations were 42% (33–51%), and 97% (95–98%). There was no difference in area under SROC curves between Arab and European populations (0.844 vs. 0.847; P = 0.867), suggesting no difference in HbA1c diagnostic accuracy between populations. Multiple cut‐point summary estimates stratified by population suggest that Arabs have lower sensitivity and higher specificity at a HbA1c cut‐point of 44 mmol/mol (6.2%) compared with European populations. Estimates also suggest similar test performance at cut‐points of 44 mmol/mol (6.2%) and 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) for Arabs.

Conclusions

Given the low sensitivity of HbA1c in the high‐risk Arab American population, we recommend a combination of glucose‐based and HbA1c testing to ensure an accurate and timely diagnosis of diabetes.
Management effects on composition and dynamics of cutin and suberin in topsoil under agricultural use
Authors: Armas‐Herrera C. M. , Dignac M.‐F. , Rumpel C. , Arbelo C. D. , Chabbi A.
Published: March 2016

We identified and quantified specific biomarkers of shoots and roots (cutin and suberin‐derived compounds, respectively) of three grassland species (Dactylis glomerata L., Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Lolium perenne L.) in soil under different land use (grass, crop and bare soil) of the SOERE‐ACBB experimental site in Lusignan (France). We also investigated the fate of these markers in soil after conversion from grassland (C3 plants) to Zea mays L. (maize) (C4 plant) with natural 13C isotope abundances. Our results indicated that 9‐hydroxy hexadecanedioic acid and 8(9)(10),16‐dihydroxy hexadecanoic acid may be used as biomarkers for above‐ground biomass, whereas 1,22‐docosandioic acid, 22‐hydroxy docosanoic acid and 24‐hydroxy tetracosanoic acid might be the best below‐ground biomarkers for the plants investigated under the experimental conditions studied. The presence, concentration and shoot–root allocation pattern of these markers were different from those described for other species, which demonstrates the importance of verifying biomarker specificity for each species. Concentrations of cutin and suberin were largest in soil under maize and smallest under bare soil; this corresponded to the biomass added to the two soils. Suberin decreased by 40–64% and cutin by 24–40% during a 6‐year bare fallow, which indicates that root markers were more sensitive than shoot markers to degradation. Changes in 13C isotopic signatures of specific biomarkers after 6 years of maize showed a faster turnover of root than shoot biomarkers, in spite of the much smaller root inputs from maize than from grasses. The sequestration of suberin in soil was more rapid but less durable than that of cutin.
Susceptibility of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) to Heat Stress During Floral Development and Anthesis
Authors: Bishop J. , Potts S. G. , Jones H. E.
Published: March 2016

Experiments were conducted over 2 years to quantify the response of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) to heat stress. Potted winter faba bean plants (cv. Wizard) were exposed to temperature treatments (18/10; 22/14; 26/18; 30/22; 34/26 °C day/night) for 5 days during floral development and anthesis. Developmental stages of all flowers were scored prior to stress, plants were grown in exclusion from insect pollinators to prevent pollen movement between flowers, and yield was harvested at an individual pod scale, enabling effects of heat stress to be investigated at a high resolution. Susceptibility to stress differed between floral stages; flowers were most affected during initial green‐bud stages. Yield and pollen germination of flowers present before stress showed threshold relationships to stress, with lethal temperatures (t50) ˜28 °C and ~32 °C, while whole plant yield showed a linear negative relationship to stress with high plasticity in yield allocation, such that yield lost at lower nodes was partially compensated at higher nodal positions. Faba bean has many beneficial attributes for sustainable modern cropping systems but these results suggest that yield will be limited by projected climate change, necessitating the development of heat tolerant cultivars, or improved resilience by other mechanisms such as earlier flowering times.
Defining a breeding objective for Nile tilapia that takes into account the diversity of smallholder production systems
Authors: Omasaki S.K. , van Arendonk J.A.M , Kahi A.K. , Komen H.
Published: March 2016

In general, livestock and fish farming systems in developing countries tend to be highly diverse in terms of agro‐ecological conditions and market orientation. There are no studies that have investigated if and how this diversity translates to varying preferences for breeding objective traits. This is particularly important for breeding programmes that are organized on a national level (e.g. government‐supported nucleus breeding programmes). The aim of this study was to investigate whether Nile tilapia farmers with diverse production systems and economic constraints have different preferences for breeding objective traits. The second objective was to derive a consensus breeding goal, using weighted goal programming that could be used for a national breeding programme for Nile tilapia. A survey was conducted among 100 smallholder Nile tilapia farmers in Kenya to obtain preference values for traits of economic importance, by using multiple pairwise comparisons. Individual and group preference values were estimated using analytical hierarchy process. Low‐income farmers preferred harvest weight, while medium‐ and high‐income farmers preferred growth rate and survival. Grouping farmers according to market objective (fingerling production or fattening) showed that fingerling producers preferred growth rate and survival, while fattening farmers preferred harvest weight, height and thickness. Weighted goal programming was used to obtain consensus preference values, and these were used to derive desired gains for a breeding goal of a national breeding programme that takes into account the diversity of smallholder production systems.
Properties of Bunium Persicum Essential Oil and its Application in Iranian White Cheese Against Listeria Monocytogenes and Escherichia Coli O157:H7
Authors: Ehsani Ali , Hashemi Mohammad , Naghibi Seyedeh Samaneh , Mohammadi Shadieh , Khalili Sadaghiani Surur
Published: March 2016

In the present study Bunium persicum essential oil (BEO) was examined for its phytochemical properties, In vitro antioxidant activities, antibacterial properties against Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes and antibacterial effects of the oil on survival of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 in Iranian white cheese. Results showed that Cuminaldehyde (11.4%) was the most abundant components of the oil. In vitro antibacterial analysis of the BEO indicated high sensitivity of gram‐positive bacteria and relative sensitivity of gram‐negative bacteria. DPPH and ABTS results revealed a notable radical scavenging ability of the BEO. The growth of inoculated E.coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes significantly decreased in experimentally manufactured white cheeses during 45‐day storage time. The sensory evaluation scores showed that the samples with BEO had significantly higher color, odor, flavor, texture as well as general acceptability scores than control.

Practical Application

L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 are known pathogenic bacteria that can transfer through cheese. Therefore production Iranian white cheese should be free of these pathogens. Use of natural antimicrobial agents such as essential oils as preservative in dairy industries is a preferred alternative to increase safety and shelf life of the products.
‘From past to future’ – deciphering the molecular basis of Alzheimer's disease through the pages of the Journal of Neurochemistry
Authors: Cappai Roberto
Published: March 2016

The Journal of Neurochemistry has made significant contributions to unraveling the molecular basis for Alzheimer's disease during its 60‐year history. To mark its 60th anniversary, this review describes the association between the journal and Alzheimer's disease research – from the early years when Alzheimer's disease was a minor topic in the journal through to the molecular era in the mid‐1980s. This coincided with a number of the highly cited Alzheimer's disease studies which described fundamental aspects of the neurochemistry of Alzheimer's disease and encompassed the themes of oxidative stress and post‐translational modifications, cholinergic system, tau, purification of Aβ, defining the Aβ toxic species, mechanism of amyloid precursor protein processing, and the development of diagnostics and therapeutics.

image

The Journal of Neurochemistry has made significant contributions toward unraveling the molecular, cellular and pathological basis of Alzheimer's disease through its 60 years.

This article is part of the 60th Anniversary special issue.
Direct costs of interferon‐based and interferon‐free direct‐acting antiviral regimens for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection
Authors: Gray E. , O'Leary A. , Kieran J. A. , Fogarty E. , Dowling T. , Norris S. ,   the Irish Hepatitis C Outcomes and Research Network (ICORN)
Published: March 2016

Given the increasing budget impact of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, robust real‐world cost data are essential for healthcare decision‐makers to evaluate and understand the costs and benefits of these treatments. To determine the direct cost of treating HCV infection in a hospital‐based ambulatory care setting in Ireland based on available data from the Irish national hepatitis C treatment registry. A microcosting study of the direct costs of patients with hepatitis C treated with interferon‐based and interferon‐free direct‐acting antiviral regimens was conducted. Attendance at the outpatient clinic for clinical assessment, the quantity of resources used per patient, the medication prescribed and the identification and timing of staff involvement was measured and combined to establish a mean cost of treatment per patient and a cost per sustained virological response (SVR). One hundred and sixty‐eight patients were included in the analysis; 119 treated with interferon‐based direct‐acting antiviral regimens and 47 treated with interferon‐free regimens. The mean costs of treatment with the interferon‐based regimens per patient were €38 286 (95% CI €35 305–€41 061). The cost per SVR was €62 457. The mean cost of treatment with interferon‐free regimens per patient was €55 734 (95% CI €50 906–€60 880). The cost per SVR was €81 873. Real‐world cost data provide valuable information to enhance reimbursement decisions. While the direct costs associated with hepatitis C treatment in Ireland are substantial, it is reasonable to expect that the mean cost of treatment and the cost per SVR will reduce as patients with less advanced disease are treated with interferon‐free therapies.
Whole genome duplication in coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and its implications for explaining the rarity of polyploidy in conifers
Authors: Scott Alison Dawn , Stenz Noah W. M. , Ingvarsson Pär K. , Baum David A.
Published: March 2016

Polyploidy is common and an important evolutionary factor in most land plant lineages, but it is rare in gymnosperms. Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is one of just two polyploid conifer species and the only hexaploid. Evidence from fossil guard cell size suggests that polyploidy in Sequoia dates to the Eocene. Numerous hypotheses about the mechanism of polyploidy and parental genome donors have been proposed, based primarily on morphological and cytological data, but it remains unclear how Sequoia became polyploid and why this lineage overcame an apparent gymnosperm barrier to whole‐genome duplication (WGD).

We sequenced transcriptomes and used phylogenetic inference, Bayesian concordance analysis and paralog age distributions to resolve relationships among gene copies in hexaploid coast redwood and close relatives.

Our data show that hexaploidy in coast redwood is best explained by autopolyploidy or, if there was allopolyploidy, it happened within the Californian redwood clade. We found that duplicate genes have more similar sequences than expected, given the age of the inferred polyploidization.

Conflict between molecular and fossil estimates of WGD can be explained if diploidization occurred very slowly following polyploidization. We extrapolate from this to suggest that the rarity of polyploidy in gymnosperms may be due to slow diploidization in this clade.
Physicalism Requires Functionalism: A New Formulation and Defense of the Via Negativa
Authors: Tiehen Justin
Published: March 2016

How should ‘the physical’ be defined for the purpose of formulating physicalism? In this paper I defend a version of the via negativa according to which a property is physical just in case it is neither fundamentally mental nor possibly realized by a fundamentally mental property. The guiding idea is that physicalism requires functionalism, and thus that being a type identity theorist requires being a realizer‐functionalist. In §1 I motivate my approach partly by arguing against Jessica Wilson's no fundamental mentality constraint. In §2 I set out my preferred definition of ‘the physical’ and make my case that physicalism requires functionalism. In §3 I defend my proposal by attacking the leading alternative account of ‘the physical,’ the theory‐based conception. Finally, in §4 I draw on my definition, together with Jaegwon Kim's account of intertheoretic reduction, to defend the controversial view that physicalism requires a priori physicalism.
One‐year developmental stability and covariance among oddball, novelty, go/no‐go, and flanker event‐related potentials in adolescence: A monozygotic twin study
Authors: Burwell Scott J. , Malone Stephen M. , Iacono William G.
Published: March 2016

ERP measures may index genetic risk for psychopathology before disorder onset in adolescence, but little is known about their developmental rank‐order stability during this period of significant brain maturation. We studied ERP stability in 48 pairs of identical twins (age 14–16 years) tested 1 year apart. Trial‐averaged voltage waveforms were extracted from electroencephalographic recordings from oddball/novelty, go/no‐go, and flanker tasks, and 16 amplitude measures were examined. Members of twin pairs were highly similar, whether based on ERP amplitude measures (intraclass correlation [ICC] median = .64, range = .44–.86) or three factor scores (all ICCs ≥ .69) derived from them. Stability was high overall, with 69% of the 16 individual measures generating stability coefficients exceeding .70 and all factor scores showing stability above .75. Measures from 10 difference waveforms calculated from paired conditions within tasks were also examined, and were associated with lower twin similarity (ICC median = .52, .38–.64) and developmental stability (only 30% exceeding .70). In a supplemental analysis, we found significant developmental stability for error‐related negativity (range = .45–.55) and positivity (.56–.70) measures when average waveforms were based on one or more trials, and that these values were equivalent to those derived from averages using the current field recommendation, which requires six or more trials. Overall, we conclude that the studied brain measures are largely stable over 1 year of mid‐ to late adolescence, likely reflecting familial etiologic influences on brain functions pertaining to cognitive control and salience recognition.
Exercising Privilege: The Cyclical Reproduction of Capital through Swim Club Membership
Authors: DeLuca Jaime R. , Andrews David L.
Published: March 2016

According to cultural theorist Pierre Bourdieu, social class is defined by the interplay and operation of various forms of capital, within the set of durable and objective relations in which the classed subject is located. Informed by Bourdieu's understanding of social class, this article details the empirical dimensions of upper‐middle‐class familial involvement at the Valley View Swim and Tennis Club. An institution prefigured on the practice and development of important physical skills, Valley View represents a site for the complex interplay of capitals (economic, social, cultural, and physical) complicit in the preservation and reproduction of members' upper‐middle‐class habitus, and corresponding elevated and privileged social status. Specifically, we discuss the findings of ethnographic fieldwork focused on the acquisition, transmission, and conversion of economic, social, cultural, and physical capital in and through member families' club involvement. We argue that Valley View operates as a distinctive cultural field, wherein embodied techniques and expressions of class‐based power and privilege contribute to the reproduction of social class differences, boundaries, and hierarchies, in such a way as to render them natural, and largely unacknowledged, effects of being.
Sweet potato NAC transcription factor, IbNAC1, upregulates sporamin gene expression by binding the SWRE motif against mechanical wounding and herbivore attack
Authors: Chen Shi‐Peng , Lin I Winnie , Chen Xuanyang , Huang Yin‐Hao , Chang Shiao‐Chi , Lo Hui‐Shan , Lu Hseuh‐Han , Yeh Kai‐Wun
Published: March 2016

Sporamin is a tuberous storage protein with trypsin inhibitory activity in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.), which accounts for 85% of the soluble protein in tubers. It is constitutively expressed in tuberous roots but is expressed in leaves only after wounding. Thus far, its wound‐inducible signal transduction mechanisms remain unclear. In the present work, a 53‐bp DNA region, sporamin wound‐response cis‐element (SWRE), was identified in the sporamin promoter and was determined to be responsible for the wounding response. Using yeast one‐hybrid screening, a NAC domain protein, IbNAC1, that specifically bound to the 5′‐TACAATATC‐3′ sequence in SWRE was isolated from a cDNA library from wounded leaves. IbNAC1 was constitutively expressed in root tissues and was induced earlier than sporamin following the wounding of leaves. Transgenic sweet potato plants overexpressing IbNAC1 had greatly increased sporamin expression, increased trypsin inhibitory activity, and elevated resistance against Spodoptera litura. We further demonstrated that IbNAC1 has multiple biological functions in the jasmonic acid (JA) response, including the inhibition of root formation, accumulation of anthocyanin, regulation of aging processes, reduction of abiotic tolerance, and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, IbNAC1 is a core transcription factor that reprograms the transcriptional response to wounding via the JA‐mediated pathway in sweet potato.
Movable Rigid Scatterer Model for Flexural Wave Scattering on Thin Plates
Authors: Cai Liang-Wu , Hambric Stephen A.
Published: March 2016

Rigid scatterers are fundamentally important in the study of scattering of many types of waves. However, in the recent literature on scattering of flexural waves on thin plates, a “rigid scatterer” has been used to represent a clamped boundary. Such a model physically resembles riveting the plate to a fixed structure. In this paper, a movable model for a rigid scatterer that allows rigid-body motion is established. It is shown that, when the mass density of the movable rigid scatterer is much greater than that of the host plate and at high frequencies, the movable rigid scatterer approaches the limiting case that is the riveted rigid scatterer. The single- and multiple-scattering by such scatterers are examined. Numerical examples show that, at the extreme end of lower frequencies, the scattering cross section for the movable model vanishes while that of the riveted models approaches infinity. An array of such movable rigid scatterers can form a broad and well-defined stop band for flexural wave transmission. With a volume fraction above 50%, the spectrum is rather clean: consisting of only an extremely broad stop band and two groups of higher frequency Perot–Fabry resonance peaks. Increasing either scatterer’s mass density or the lattice spacing can compress the spectral features toward lower frequencies.
Frequency Shifts of Micro and Nano Cantilever Beam Resonators Due to Added Masses
Authors: Bouchaala Adam , Nayfeh Ali H. , Younis Mohammad I.
Published: March 2016

We present analytical and numerical techniques to accurately calculate the shifts in the natural frequencies of electrically actuated micro and nano (carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) cantilever beams implemented as resonant sensors for mass detection of biological entities, particularly Escherichia coli (E. coli) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) cells. The beams are modeled as Euler–Bernoulli beams, including the nonlinear electrostatic forces and the added biological cells, which are modeled as discrete point masses. The frequency shifts due to the added masses of the cells are calculated for the fundamental and higher-order modes of vibrations. Analytical expressions of the natural frequency shifts under a direct current (DC) voltage and an added mass have been developed using perturbation techniques and the Galerkin approximation. Numerical techniques are also used to calculate the frequency shifts and compared with the analytical technique. We found that a hybrid approach that relies on the analytical perturbation expression and the Galerkin procedure for calculating accurately the static behavior presents the most computationally efficient approach. We found that using higher-order modes of vibration of micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) beams or miniaturizing the sizes of the beams to nanoscale leads to significant improved frequency shifts, and thus increased sensitivities.
Gyromagnetically-induced transparency for ferrites
Authors: Chang Tsun-Hsu
Published: March 2016

The magnetic permeability is generally a second-rank tensor for an anisotropic medium. By considering a dc bias magnetic field and an ac circularly polarized wave, a generalized permeability can be derived. The formula for the generalized permeability explains why most dielectrics, paramagnetic and diamagnetic materials, and even metals have a relative permeability close to unity. For ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic materials, the permeability strongly depends on the applied magnetic field and the polarizations of the electromagnetic waves. This work discusses how a circularly polarized wave interacts with the magnetic dipole moment being induced by and precessing around the applied dc bias field. The gyromagnetic resonance between the wave and the induced dipole allows us to find a condition where the incident wave can propagate through the medium without reflection. This explains the mysterious effect of gyromagnetically induced transparency.
Rapid Low-Cost Virtual Human Bootstrapping via the Crowd
Authors: Borish Michael , Lok Benjamin
Published: March 2016

Virtual human interactions provide an important avenue for training as emergent opportunities arise. In response to a new training need, we propose a framework to rapidly create experiential learning opportunities in the form of a question--answer chat interaction with virtual humans. This framework takes quickly generated case documents and breaks down the case into small tasks that can be crowdsourced by nonexperts. This framework can serve as a first step to rapidly bootstrapping new virtual humans. We have applied our framework to the task of preparing health care students and professionals to infrequent, but high-stakes, situations such as infectious diseases, cranial nerve disorders, and stroke.

Our framework was utilized by medical professionals interested in providing new training experiences to students and colleagues. Over the course of two months, these professionals created seven scenarios on a diverse range of topics that included Ebola, cancer, and neurological disorders. These scenarios were developed for multiple target audiences such as medical students, residents, and fellows. As a first step, each scenario utilized our framework and crowdsourced workers to create an initial corpus over the course of two days.

From these seven cases, we selected two to evaluate the quality of the resulting virtual-human corpuses. The two scenarios were compared to preexisting reference scenarios that have been in curricular use for several years. We found a reduction in author time commitment of at least 92% while creating a character that was at least 75% as accurate as its reference counterparts. The commitment reduction and accuracy achieved by our framework represents a first step towards rapid development of a virtual human. Our framework can then be combined with other creation processes for further virtual-human development in order to create a mature virtual human. As part of a virtual-human development process, our framework can help to rapidly develop new scenarios in response to emergent training opportunities.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis in A Patient with Turner Syndrome
Authors: Milkiewicz Piotr , Heathcote Jenny
Published: March 2016

An increased prevalence of X chromosome monosomy has recently been demonstrated in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Chronic cholestasis of unknown etiology is a common clinical feature in patients with Turner syndrome who reach the fourth and fifth decades of life. A 37-year-old patient with Turner syndrome who presented with clinical and biochemical features of chronic cholestasis is described. Subsequent investigations confirmed the diagnosis of PBC. The patient did not respond to the medical treatment and was referred for liver transplant assessment. The present case may support the importance of X chromosome genes in the development of genetic predisposition to PBC, and emphasizes the necessity for a systematic study of the prevalence of PBC in patients with Turner syndrome.
Predictors of Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Comparison of Men and Women
Authors: McGregor S Elizabeth , Bryant Heather E
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND: New Canadian guidelines recommend screening average-risk adults to reduce mortality from colorectal cancer, the second most common cause of cancer death among Canadians. The present study examined the self-reported prevalence of colorectal cancer testing and sex-specific predictors of having had a fecal occult blood (FOB) test for screening, among a cohort of Alberta residents aged 50 to 69 years.

METHODS: Subjects (n=5009) enrolled in a geographically based cohort study completed a Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire between October 2000 and June 2002 that ascertained their colorectal cancer detection practices, as well as demographic and other health and lifestyle characteristics.

RESULTS: Patterns of FOB testing, and sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, were similar for men and women. The majority of subjects (83.3%) reported no first-degree family history of colorectal cancer or bowel conditions, and they were considered to be at average risk. Few average-risk subjects reported having a screening FOB test within the past two years (7.7% [95% CI 6.7% to 8.7%] of subjects aged 50 to 59 years and 12.5% [95% CI 10.9% to 14.3%] of subjects aged 60 to 69 years). In men, the strongest predictors of having a screening FOB test in the past two years were a recent history of prostate-specific antigen testing and educational attainment. Among women, the strongest predictors were a recent history of having had a Pap test, a recent mammogram, employment status and educational attainment.

CONCLUSIONS: Screening for colorectal cancer in average-risk adults was infrequent in this sample and lagged behind screening for other cancers. Screening of average-risk adults occurred primarily in people already accessing the health care system, suggesting that public education programs will be required to increase screening rates.
A Survey of Canadian Gastroenterologists about the Use of Methotrexate in Patients with Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Chande Nilesh , Ponich Terry , Gregor James
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND: Methotrexate (MTX) is effective in remission induction and maintenance in steroid-dependent Crohn's disease (CD), but is often considered to be a second-line immunosuppressive agent, to be used in cases of failure or intolerance to azathioprine (AZA) or 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP). This may be related to concerns about hepatotoxicity, but this adverse effect is rare in monitored CD patients taking MTX. Still, there are no guidelines for monitoring patients with CD on MTX, and physicians must decide based on rheumatological literature about how to monitor their patients.

PURPOSE: To determine the patterns of MTX use in patients with CD by Canadian gastroenterologists, examining the reasons for choosing MTX versus AZA/6-MP, the doses and routes of administration of MTX, and how patients on MTX are monitored, including the use of liver biopsy.

METHODS: A self-report survey was sent to physician members of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, with a second mailing three months later to increase response rate.

RESULTS: Of 490 surveys mailed, a 54.9% response rate was achieved. Of adult gastroenterologists, 60.7% stated they never use MTX as a first-line immunosuppressive agent, and 33.3% never use MTX at all. The most common reasons for choosing MTX were a contraindication to the use of AZA/6-MP (43.7%) and patient preference (22.5%). MTX is used intramuscularly in 41.5%, subcutaneously in 31.8%, and orally in 26.7% of patients. The most common dose used for remission induction was 25 mg/week (84.2%; range 7.5 mg/week to 50 mg/week; three responders used more frequent dosing than weekly) and for remission maintenance was 15 mg/week (55.4%; range 7.5 mg/week to 50 mg/week; three responders used more frequent dosing than weekly). Most responders checked a liver profile and complete blood count at baseline and serially. Of those who used MTX, 26.5% routinely performed liver biopsy after an accumulated dose of MTX had been taken (usually 1 g to 2 g), 57.7% sometimes performed liver biopsy, and 16.8% never performed liver biopsy. Of pediatric gastroenterologists, 17.6% never used MTX, but those who used it prescribed it subcutaneously (80.0%) more often than intramuscularly (17.5%) or orally (2.5%).

CONCLUSIONS: MTX was used as a first-line immunosuppressive agent in patients with CD by a minority of Canadian gastroenterologists. When used, there is variability in how MTX is prescribed and monitored. Although hepatotoxicity is rare, liver biopsy was performed frequently and probably often unnecessarily.
Will Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Childhood Alter the Risk of Developing Gastric Cancer?
Authors: Bourke Billy
Published: March 2016

Helicobacter pylori has been classified as a group 1 carcinogen for gastric cancer. It is estimated that there is between a two- and sixfold increase in the risk of developing gastric cancer among infected patients. Among different populations, the risk of H pylori-infected individuals developing gastric cancer varies greatly. However, on a worldwide scale, gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death. Therefore, H pylori eradication could help prevent up to three to four million gastric cancer deaths per year. H pylori is usually acquired in childhood. Because infected children have not harboured the organism for long enough to have developed precancerous lesions, childhood is theoretically an attractive time for H pylori eradication and, thus, could help prevent gastric cancer later in life. However, as H pylori prevalence and the incidence of gastric cancer are falling rapidly in developed nations, widespread population screening programs aimed at the eradication of H pylori in these countries would be enormously expensive. Therefore, except in groups with a high risk for development of gastric cancer (eg, Japanese or those with a strong positive family history of gastric cancer), a population-based test-and-treat policy is not justified.
Management of Acute Bleeding Upper GI Ulcers in the Era of Endoscopic and IV PPI Therapy
Authors: Ilnyckyj Alexandra , Mathew George
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in therapy, the morbidity and mortality of gastrointestinal bleeding remains high. A review of current practice patterns was undertaken in St Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba to assess the standard of care provided.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) attributable to a single acute ulcer is treated appropriately with respect to local therapy, acid suppression and Helicobacter pylori status.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review identified patients with consecutive acute UGIB attributable to a single gastric or duodenal ulcer presenting to a tertiary care centre over a six-month period. The lesions were classified as high- or low-risk based on endoscopic appearance. Local care of the ulcer, acid suppressive therapy and management of H pylori were determined by reviewing pertinent chart materials. Appropriate care was defined for all three end points a priori using literature-supported standards of care.

RESULTS: Fifty-five patients who met study criteria were identified. Twenty-six of 55 (47%) and 29 of 55 (52%) lesions were considered to be low- and high-risk respectively. Of the high-risk lesions, two of 29 received no local therapy, 24 of 29 received adrenaline injection and two had an endoclip placed. Of the 27 patients whose lesions were treated, 16 received thermal coagulation. Twenty-five of 29 (88%) received intravenous proton pump inhibitors. Thirty-three of 55 (55%) patients did not have H pylori status considered in their management.

CONCLUSION: Weaknesses in the management of UGIB were identified, particularly with respect to addressing the role of H pylori. Fragmentation and compartmentalization of patient care may be important contributing factors.
Gastrointestinal Complications after Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Sixteen Years of Experience
Authors: Bolcal Cengiz , Iyem Hikmet , Sargin Murat , Mataraci Ilker , şahin Mehmet Ali , Temizkan Veysel , Yildirim Vedat , Demirkilic Ufuk , Tatar Harun
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) complications are one of the serious complications of cardiac surgery. Although rarely seen, they cause major morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively analyze the risk factors acting on the GI complications seen after cardiac operations performed under cardiopulmonary bypass.

METHOD: The present study was designed to retrospectively evaluate 13,544 patients who underwent cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass, between 1988 and 2004 in the authors' clinic.

RESULTS: The overall mortality was 346 (2.55%) of 13,544 patients. GI complications developed in 128 patients (0.94%). Among those, 18 (14.1%) died because of GI complications, the most common of which was bleeding. Mesenteric ischemia had the highest case-fatality rate at 71.4%. Valve surgery, concomitant valve and coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, preoperative chronic renal dysfunction, postoperative acute renal failure, deep sternal infection, prolonged ventilation, need for intra-aortic balloon pump and ejection fraction less than 30% were found to be risk factors acting on GI complications.

CONCLUSION: GI complications remain a significant concern after cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. Higher-risk patients can be identified and treated prophylactically and in the postoperative period.
Clutter Loss Modelling for Low Elevation Link Scenarios
Authors: Valtr Pavel , Zeleny Jan , Pechac Pavel , Grabner Martin
Published: March 2016

An analysis of the accuracy of several deterministic and semideterministic propagation models related to calculating clutter loss for low elevation links is presented. Predictions are compared with measurements carried out at 2 GHz over three locations. By comparing prediction and measurement techniques, improved predictive capabilities of deterministic models are demonstrated and quantified in cases where a description of the propagation environment exists and an air-to-ground scenario is considered.
The Effect of Adoption of an Electronic Health Record on Duplicate Testing
Authors: Kerwin Todd C. , Leighton Harmony , Buch Kunal , Avezbadalov Azriel , Kianfar Hormoz
Published: March 2016

Background. The electronic health record (EHR) has been promoted as a tool to improve quality of patient care, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. There is little data to confirm that the use of EHR has reduced duplicate testing. We sought to evaluate the rate of performance of repeat transthoracic echocardiograms before and after the adoption of EHR.Methods. We retrospectively examined the rates of repeat echocardiograms performed before and after the implementation of an EHR system.Results. The baseline rate of repeat testing before EHR was 4.6% at six months and 7.6% at twelve months. In the first year following implementation of EHR, 6.6% of patients underwent a repeat study within 6 months, and 12.9% within twelve months. In the most recent year of EHR usage, 5.7% of patients underwent repeat echocardiography at six months and 11.9% within twelve months. All rates of duplicate testing were significantly higher than their respective pre-EHR rates (p<0.01for all).Conclusion. Our study failed to demonstrate a reduction in the rate of duplicate echocardiography testing after the implementation of an EHR system. We feel that this data, combined with other recent analyses, should promote a more rigorous assessment of the initial claims of the benefits associated with EHR implementation.
Porous Gold Films Fabricated by Wet-Chemistry Processes
Authors: Pastre Aymeric , Cristini Odile , Boe Alexandre , Raulin Katarzyna , Grimbert Bertrand , Chassagneux Fernand , Rolland Nathalie , Bernard Remy
Published: March 2016

Porous gold films presented in this paper are formed by combining gold electroless deposition and polystyrene beads templating methods. This original approach allows the formation of conductive films (2 × 106 (Ω·cm)−1) with tailored and interconnected porosity. The porous gold film was deposited up to 1.2 μm on the silicon substrate without delamination. An original zirconia gel matrix containing gold nanoparticles deposited on the substrate acts both as an adhesion layer through the creation of covalent bonds and as a seed layer for the metallic gold film growth. Dip-coating parameters and gold electroless deposition kinetics have been optimized in order to create a three-dimensional network of 20 nm wide pores separated by 20 nm thick continuous gold layers. The resulting porous gold films were characterized by GIXRD, SEM, krypton adsorption-desorption, and 4-point probes method. The process is adaptable to different pore sizes and based on wet-chemistry. Consequently, the porous gold films presented in this paper can be used in a wide range of applications such as sensing, catalysis, optics, or electronics.
New Stenting Technique to Achieve Favorable Jailing Configuration on Side Branch Ostium: Bent Stent Technique
Authors: Nakao Fumiaki
Published: March 2016

According to data from stent-enhanced three-dimensional optical coherence tomography, incomplete stent apposition after side branch dilation in coronary bifurcation stenting can be reduced by the free carina type (no links bridged from a carina) and by distal cell rewiring. This is the first report to describe a bent stent technique that was devised to achieve the free carina type (no links bridged from a carina), as a favorable jailing configuration.
How to Efficiently Reconfigure Tunable Lookup Tables for Dynamic Circuit Specialization
Authors: Kulkarni Amit , Stroobandt Dirk
Published: March 2016

Dynamic Circuit Specialization is used to optimize the implementation of a parameterized application on an FPGA. Instead of implementing the parameters as regular inputs, in the DCS approach these inputs are implemented as constants. When the parameter values change, the design is reoptimized for the new constant values by reconfiguring the FPGA. This allows faster and more resource-efficient implementation but investigations have shown that reconfiguration time is the major limitation for DCS implementation on Xilinx FPGAs. The limitation arises from the use of inefficient reconfiguration methods in conventional DCS implementation. To address this issue, we propose different approaches to reduce the reconfiguration time drastically and improve the reconfiguration speed. In this context, this paper presents the use of custom reconfiguration controllers and custom reconfiguration software drivers, along with placement constraints to shorten the reconfiguration time. Our results show an improvement in the reconfiguration speed by at least a factor 14 by using Xilinx reconfiguration controller along with placement constraints. However, the improvement can go up to a factor 40 with the combination of a custom reconfiguration controller, custom software drivers, and placement constraints. We also observe depreciation in the system’s performance by at least 6% due to placement constraints.