bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying combined design and analysis procedures in two‐stage trials with a binary end point
Authors: Bowden Jack , Wason James
Published: July 2012

Two‐stage trial designs provide the flexibility to stop early for efficacy or futility and are popular because they have a smaller sample size on average than a traditional trial has with the same type I and II error rates. This makes them financially attractive but also has the ethical benefit of reducing, in the long run, the number of patients who are given ineffective treatments. Designs that minimise the expected sample size are often referred to as ‘optimal’. However, two‐stage designs can impart a substantial bias into the parameter estimate at the end of the trial. In this paper, we argue that the expected performance of one's chosen estimation method should also be considered when deciding on a two‐stage trial design. We review the properties of standard and bias‐adjusted maximum likelihood estimators as well as mean and median unbiased estimators. We then identify optimal two‐stage design and analysis procedures that balance projected sample size considerations with those of estimator performance. We make available software to implement this new methodology. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Planning future studies based on the conditional power of a meta‐analysis
Authors: Roloff Verena , Higgins Julian P.T. , Sutton Alex J.
Published: July 2012

Systematic reviews often provide recommendations for further research. When meta‐analyses are inconclusive, such recommendations typically argue for further studies to be conducted. However, the nature and amount of future research should depend on the nature and amount of the existing research. We propose a method based on conditional power to make these recommendations more specific. Assuming a random‐effects meta‐analysis model, we evaluate the influence of the number of additional studies, of their information sizes and of the heterogeneity anticipated among them on the ability of an updated meta‐analysis to detect a prespecified effect size. The conditional powers of possible design alternatives can be summarized in a simple graph which can also be the basis for decision making. We use three examples from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to demonstrate our strategy. We demonstrate that if heterogeneity is anticipated, it might not be possible for a single study to reach the desirable power no matter how large it is. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance‐based logistics and technology refreshment programs: Bridging the operational‐life performance capability gap in the Spanish F‐100 frigates
Authors: Sols Alberto , Romero Javier , Cloutier Robert
Published: July 2012

Many large and complex systems have extended operational lives. Examples of such systems include the oil and gas drilling systems, defense systems, and air traffic control systems. A growing concern for many users is the difference between actual and intended system performance during the operational life. An understanding of the root causes of that gap, known as performance capability gap, is required if appropriate measures are to be taken. This paper explores the main reasons for the existence of the performance capability gap and suggests the combination of performance‐based logistics and technology refreshment programs as a very effective and efficient remedial strategy. The paper examines the Spanish F‐100 frigate to illustrate actual application of these strategies. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 15
Budget‐constrained portfolio trades using multiobjective optimization
Authors: Smith Patrick , Ferringer Matthew , Kelly Ryan , Min Inki
Published: July 2012

A decision support process using many‐objective optimization, high‐performance computing, and advanced visualization is applied to gain comprehensive insight into multistakeholder portfolio budgeting trades. The key tradeoffs among nondominated portfolio budget solutions are systematically identified and examined with respect to different stakeholder viewpoints. The approach is illustrated using a portfolio of 14 U.S. Air Force satellite development programs using budget data taken from the 2010 Future Year Development Plan [http://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/budget/, last accessed April 20, 2011]. Practical lessons learned in applying the approach are discussed. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 15
On principles and rules in complex adaptive systems: A financial system case study
Authors: Polacek George A. , Gianetto David A. , Khashanah Khaldoun , Verma Dinesh
Published: July 2012

Systems engineers have always been concerned with the problems surrounding complex systems. An evolutionary class of complex systems called Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) is even more relevant today as we struggle to understand and cope with the often undesirable emergence effects of some of these systems, evidenced by recurring financial and sociopolitical crises. A key characteristic of CAS is a large, diverse, and sometimes unknown set of interactions both internally and across the system boundary. For the purpose of managing this complexity we present in this paper the concept that a principles orientation as compared to rules orientation of a complex system is an important and useful characteristic in need of further study. The US financial system is used as a CAS exemplar in support of this inquiry. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 15
Contracting processes and structures for systems‐of‐systems acquisition
Authors: Rendon Rene G. , Huynh Thomas V. , Osmundson John S.
Published: July 2012

Acquisition of a system‐of‐systems can be an all new acquisition of multiple systems that are intended to operate together as a system‐of‐systems. Much more common in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is acquisition of one or more new systems that are intended to interoperate with existing systems as a system of systems (SoS) with new capabilities. In either case, successful SoS acquisition necessarily depends on effective contracting structures and processes for SoS acquisition. In this paper, a set of issues that need to be addressed in SoS acquisition are identified, and the current findings discussed. The findings suggest maintaining an extensive systems engineering effort within the SoS acquisition and changes to the existing contracting processes, structures, and organizational structures to maximize the probability of SoS acquisition success. The resulting changes are recommended to current and future DoD SoS acquisitions. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 15
Evaluating deep uncertainties in strategic priority‐setting with an application to facility energy investments
Authors: Karvetski Christopher W. , Lambert James H.
Published: July 2012

A recent paper in this journal described the identification and integration of sources of risk in a systems engineering process model [Lambert, Jennings, and Joshi, Syst Eng 9(3) (2006), 187–198]. The earlier effort falls short in addressing sources of deep, nonprobabilistic uncertainty that should enter to strategic systems design and reengineering. Our new paper incorporates the earlier effort to a framework for evaluating which are the deep uncertainties that most influence a priority‐setting among investments in large‐scale systems with multiple stakeholders, and therefore warrant more investigation. The framework addresses that deep uncertainties are continuously discovered and reflective of diverse and unique stakeholder experiences, knowledge bases, and advocacy positions. Deep uncertainties are epistemic viewpoints across which the strategic priorities for investments will differ. The framework modifies existing tools of scenario analysis and multicriteria analysis to process and filter the deep uncertainties. The framework is demonstrated in an application to reengineering of an energy system for a defense installation where frequent outages are disruptive to scientific and other missions. The sources of deep uncertainty in the demonstration include regulatory, economic, environment, cyber‐threat, and others. The investments include innovative microturbine and microgrid technologies. An example of a result is thatinternational economic disruptionis relatively more influential thancyber‐threatsto strategic priority‐setting for investing in a microgrid at the particular installation. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 15
Cognitive foundations for science assessment design: Knowing what students know about evolution
Authors: Opfer John E. , Nehm Ross H. , Ha Minsu
Published: July 2012

To improve assessments of academic achievement, test developers have been urged to use an “assessment triangle” that starts with research‐based models of cognition and learning [NRC (2001)Knowing what students know: The science and design of educational assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press]. This approach has been successful in designing high‐quality reading and math assessments, but less progress has been made for assessments in content‐rich sciences such as biology. To rectify this situation, we applied the “assessment triangle” to design and evaluate new items for an instrument (ACORNS, Assessing Contextual Reasoning about Natural Selection) that had been proposed to assess students' use of natural selection to explain evolutionary change. Design and scoring of items was explicitly guided by a cognitive model that reflected four psychological principles: with development of expertise, (1) core concepts facilitate long‐term recall, (2) causally‐central features become weighted more strongly in explaining phenomena, (3) normative ideas co‐exist but increasingly outcompete naive ideas in reasoning, and (4) knowledge becomes more abstract and less specific to the learning situation. We conducted an evaluation study with 320 students to examine whether scores from our new ACORNS items could detect gradations of expertise, provide insight into thinking about evolutionary change, and predict teachers' assessments of student achievement. Findings were consistent with our cognitive model, and ACORNS was revealing about undergraduates' thinking about evolutionary change. Results indicated that (1) causally‐central concepts of evolution by natural selection typically co‐existed and competed with the presence of naïve ideas in all students' explanations, with naïve ideas being especially prevalent in low‐performers' explanations; (2) causally‐central concepts were elicited most frequently when students were asked to explain evolution of animals and familiar plants, with influence of superficial features being strongest for low‐performers; and (3) ACORNS scores accurately predicted students' later achievement in a college‐level evolution course. Together, findings illustrate usefulness of cognitive models in designing instruments intended to capture students' developing expertise. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 744–777, 2012
Developing and evaluating instructionally sensitive assessments in science
Authors: Ruiz‐Primo Maria Araceli , Li Min , Wills Kellie , Giamellaro Michael , Lan Ming‐Chih , Mason Hillary , Sands Deanna
Published: July 2012

The purpose of this article is to address a major gap in the instructional sensitivity literature on how to develop instructionally sensitive assessments. We propose an approach to developing and evaluating instructionally sensitive assessments in science and test this approach with one elementary life‐science module. The assessment we developed was administered to 125 students in seven classrooms. The development approach considered three dimensions of instructional sensitivity; that is, assessment items should: represent the curriculum content, reflect the quality of instruction, and have formative value for teaching. Focusing solely on the first dimension, representation of the curriculum content, this study was guided by the following research questions: (1) What science module characteristics can be systematically manipulated to develop items that prove to be instructionally sensitive? and (2) Are the instructionally sensitive assessments developed sufficiently valid to make inferences about the impact of instruction on students' performance? In this article, we describe our item development approach and provide empirical evidence to support validity arguments about the developed instructionally sensitive items. Results indicated that: (1) manipulations of the items at different proximities to vary their sensitivity were aligned with the rules for item development and also corresponded with pre‐to‐post gains; and (2) the items developed at different distances from the science module showed a pattern of pre‐to‐post gain consistent with their instructional sensitivity, that is, the closer the items were to the science module, the larger the observed gains and effect sizes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 691–712, 2012
The effect of an instructional intervention on middle school english learners' science and english reading achievement
Authors: Lara‐Alecio Rafael , Tong Fuhui , Irby Beverly J. , Guerrero Cindy , Huerta Maggie , Fan Yinan
Published: July 2012

This study examined the effect of a quasi‐experimental project on fifth grade English learners' achievement in state‐mandated standards‐based science and English reading assessment. A total of 166 treatment students and 80 comparison students from four randomized intermediate schools participated in the current project. The intervention consisted of on‐going professional development and specific instructional science lessons with inquiry‐based learning, direct and explicit vocabulary instruction, integration of reading and writing, and enrichment components including integration of technology, take‐home science activities, and university scientists mentoring. Results suggested a significant and positive intervention effect in favor of the treatment students as reflected in higher performance in district‐wide curriculum‐based tests of science and reading and standardized tests of oral reading fluency. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 987–1011, 2012
Instruction and cognition
Authors: Cromley Jennifer G. , Byrnes James P.
Published: July 2012

When teachers provide instruction to students, they provide opportunities for students to learn information. To be maximally effective, these opportunities should present information in ways that are compatible with the way the mind works. Using a US Department of Education Practice Guide as a structure for our review, we review ‘second wave’ cognitive science research on spaced learning, worked examples, coordinating visual and verbal representations, coordinating and concrete representations, quizzing, delayed Judgment of Learning, and explanatory reasoning. We also contextualize these lines of research within the contemporary K‐12 classroom environment and constraints on teachers and school administrators. We close by advocating that all stakeholders in the instructional process also remember ‘first wave’ cognitive science findings, and also recommend more research on how specific motivational constructs could be brought to bear to encourage students to use these proven but effortful learning principles. WIREs Cogn Sci 2012 doi: 10.1002/wcs.1192

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Learning
Numerical investigation of unsteady aerodynamics of a Horizontal‐axis wind turbine under yawed flow conditions
Authors: Yu Dong Ok , You Ju Yeol , Kwon Oh Joon
Published: July 2012

In the present study, unsteady flow features and the blade aerodynamic loading of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory phase VI wind turbine rotor, under yawed flow conditions, were numerically investigated by using a three‐dimensional incompressible flow solver based on unstructured overset meshes. The effect of turbulence, including laminar‐turbulent transition, was accounted for by using a correlation‐based transition turbulence model. The calculations were made for an upwind configuration at wind speeds of 7, 10 and 15 m/sec when the turbine rotor was at 30° and 60° yaw angles. The results were compared with measurements in terms of the blade surface pressure and the normal and tangential forces at selected blade radial locations. It was found that under the yawed flow conditions, the blade aerodynamic loading is significantly reduced. Also, because of the wind velocity component aligned tangent to the rotor disk plane, the periodic fluctuation of blade loading is obtained with lower magnitudes at the advancing blade side and higher magnitudes at the retreating side. This tendency is further magnified as the yaw angle becomes larger. At 7 m/sec wind speed, the sectional angle of attack is relatively small, and the flow remains mostly attached to the blade surface. At 10 m/sec wind speed, leading‐edge flow separation and strong radial flow are observed at the inboard portion of the retreating blade. As the wind speed is further increased, the flow separation and the radial flow become more pronounced. It was demonstrated that these highly unsteady three‐dimensional aerodynamic features are well‐captured by the present method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Migration Systems in Europe: Evidence From Harmonized Flow Data
Authors: DeWaard Jack , Kim Keuntae , Raymer James
Published: July 2012

Empirical tests of migration systems theory require consistent and complete data on international migration flows. Publicly available data, however, represent an inconsistent and incomplete set of measurements obtained from a variety of national data collection systems. We overcome these obstacles by standardizing the available migration reports of sending and receiving countries in the European Union and Norway each year from 2003–2007 and by estimating the remaining missing flows. The resulting harmonized estimates are then used to test migration systems theory. First, locating thresholds in the size of flows over time, we identify three migration systems within the European Union and Norway. Second, examining the key determinants of flows with respect to the predictions of migration systems theory, our results highlight the importance of shared experiences of nation-state formation, geography, and accession status in the European Union. Our findings lend support to migration systems theory and demonstrate that knowledge of migration systems may improve the accuracy of migration forecasts toward managing the impacts of migration as a source of social change in Europe.
The Effect of Religion-Supported Programs on Health-Related Behaviors in Adolescence
Authors: Adamczyk Amy , Felson Jacob
Published: July 2012

Much research has found a relationship between religion and teens’ health related behaviors. The majority of this research focuses on personal religious beliefs and behaviors. But, many religious organizations also sponsor nonreligious activities. There is reason to think that nonreligious programs sponsored by religious organizations will be more likely than school and community-based extracurricular programs to be associated with healthier behaviors, even for youth who are not personally religious. The current study compares the influence of involvement in nonreligious activities that are supported by religious and other organizations for teen health outcomes. Using two waves of longitudinal data from the National Study of Youth and Religion the current study finds that involvement in religion-supported programs is associated with feelings of well-being, better physical health, less alcohol use, and delayed initiation into first sex. Conversely, involvement in activities sponsored by nonreligious organizations is associated with more alcohol use and initiation into sex.
The main trunk of the left bundle branch is not part of the re‐entry circuit of verapamil‐sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Nakagawa Eiichiro , Takagi Masahiko , Abe Yukio , Komatsu Rhyshi , Haze Kazuo , Naruko Takahiko , Itoh Akira
Published: July 2012

We report the case of a 19‐year‐old man with verapamil‐sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia (ILVT), who had paroxysmal palpitations for 3 years. Programmed right atrial and ventricular stimulation easily induced ventricular tachycardia (VT) with QRS duration of 125 ms, right bundle branch block pattern, and right inferior axis, which are characteristics of ILVT. Left ventricular endocardial mapping accidentally produced a complete left bundle branch block and provoked prolongation of the QRS duration of VT, which was 143 ms. However, no changes occurred in the cycle length, inducibility, or maintenance of VT. The VT was eliminated successfully by catheter ablation at the pre‐Purkinje potential (PP) recording site. These findings suggest that the main trunk of the left bundle branch is not a critical component of the re‐entry circuit of ILVT.
Optimizing heart failure therapy with implantable sensors
Authors: Lau Chu‐Pak , Siu David C.W. , Tse Hung‐Fat
Published: July 2012

Heart failure (HF)‐related hospitalization is associated with significant mortality and morbidity and can be prevented by early intervention. Implantable sensors detect early pathophysiological changes in HF, using an accelerometer, a paced electrogram, impedance and pressure sensors in implanted intracardiac leads, or stand‐alone devices. Such sensors monitor daily activity, QT and ST intervals, pulmonary fluid, and intracardiac pressures at various points. Sensor data are available either by patient's or physician's regular interrogation, or using remote patient monitoring. Different sensors have different levels of sensitivity and specificity for HF detection, and they have the ability to antedate HF exacerbation and thereby allow for the initiation of intervention to avert decompensation. Clinical studies suggest that alone or in combination, such sensors have a greater beneficial impact than conventional therapy on acute HF outcome.
Detection of atrial tachyarrhythmias in an implantable monitoring device
Authors: Abe Haruhiko
Published: July 2012

State‐of‐the‐art, implantable, dual‐chamber cardiac devices provide useful diagnostic information, including the number and duration of automatic‐mode switch episodes in cases of atrial tachycardia and atrial fibrillation encountered in clinical practice. However, to acquire accurate diagnostic information, special attention must be paid to the device settings; to the presence or absence of ventriculoatrial conduction, which, when present, often represents repetitive non‐reentrant synchrony (RNRVAS) or pacemaker‐mediated tachycardia; to the post‐ventricular atrial‐blanking period and atrial sensitivity; and to the sensing of far‐field R waves (FFRW) in the atrial channel. Physicians should be careful about the information gathered during the monitoring of patients with implantable devices.
Fact‐finding survey of antithrombotic treatment for prevention of cerebral and systemic thromboembolism in patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation in 9 countries of the Asia‐Pacific region
Authors: Ogawa Satoshi , Aonuma Kazutaka , Huang Dejia , Huang Jin‐Long , Kalman Jonathan , Kamakura Shiro , Nair Mohan , Shin Dong‐Gu , Stiles Martin , Teo Wee Siong , Tse Hung‐Fat , Yamane Teiichi
Published: July 2012

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been gaining much attention as one of the major causes of cerebral infarction. It is imperative to establish antithrombotic treatment for AF patients. Thus far, guidelines for antithrombotic treatment in the management of AF patients, including the verification of the efficacy of direct thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors, have been published from the United States, Europe, Canada, and Japan. When we look at the Asia‐Pacific region, antithrombotic treatment has not yet been defined, and no such guidelines have been published in this regard. The Asia‐Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS) conducted a Web‐based survey between June and August 2011, to elucidate the current status of antithrombotic treatment in 9 countries.

A total of 363 cardiologists in 9 countries examined 300 patients with cardiovascular disease per month on an average; of these patients, 37 (12%) had nonvalvular AF (NVAF; 6.5% in India to 16.9% in Australia).

The survey revealed that NVAF patients were not always administered appropriate antithrombotic treatment. These data give us a foothold for the next step, i.e., the formulation, of the APHRS practice guidelines.
Demonstration of entrainment in a case of adenosine‐sensitive focal atrial tachycardia near the His‐bundle
Authors: Mori Shumpei , Yagi Tetsuo , Kaneko Umihiko , Takizawa Kaname , Inoue Naoto , Meguro Taiichiro
Published: July 2012

Adenosine‐sensitive focal atrial tachycardia (AT) has been shown to originate in the confined area near the His‐bundle. While several pieces of evidence support focal reentry as the primary underlying mechanism, few studies have clearly demonstrated entrainment. In this report, we present a case of adenosine‐sensitive focal AT by focal reentry, wherein we were able to obtain clear evidence for entrainment.
A brief report on the nationwide survey of catheter ablation in Japan/the Japanese Catheter Ablation Registry (JCAR)
Authors: Murakawa Yuji , Nogami Akihiko , Hirao Kenzo , Shoda Morio , Aonuma Kazutaka , Ikeguchi Sigeru , Iwa Toru , Ushinohama Hiroya , Uno Kikuya , Okishige Kaoru , Kawamura Yuichiro , Kumagai Koichiro , Goya Masahiko , Kobayashi Yoshinori , Sakurada Harumizu , Sasaki Shingo , Sumitomo Naokata , Soejima Kyoko , Takahashi Atsushi , Tanno Kaoru , Chinushi Masaomi , Naito Shigeto , Nakazato Yuji , Nishizaki Mitsuhiro , Matsumoto Kazuo , Miyauchi Yasufumi , Yamane Teiichi , Watanabe Ichiro , Aizawa Yoshifusa , Nitta Takashi , Okumura Ken
Published: July 2012

To comprehensively grasp the present state of catheter ablation of arrhythmias in Japan, the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society performed a nationwide survey. Data of procedures of the treatment, results, and complications of 8469 patients who had undergone ablation of any form of arrhythmia during January 2008 and July 2010 were collected.
High‐risk transseptal puncture in a patient with a “pancake” deformity in the left atrium caused by descending aorta displacement
Authors: Nishimura Takuro , Fukamizu Seiji , Matsushita Noriko , Hojo Rintaro , Hayashi Takekuni , Abe Tomomi , Komiyama Kota , Tanabe Yasuhiro , Tejima Tamotsu , Sakurada Harumizu , Nishizaki Mitsuhiro , Hiraoka Masayasu
Published: July 2012

Catheter ablation via the transseptal approach has recently become a widely performed technique for treating atrial fibrillation (AF). However, fluoroscopic imaging provides limited anatomic guidance for the left atrial structure. We describe the case of a 78‐year‐old man who was referred to our hospital for pulmonary vein isolation for symptomatic paroxysmal AF. He had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis for which he had undergone a right upper lobectomy. A “pancake” deformity of the left atrium (LA) was observed using 64‐slice multislice computed tomography. We performed a transseptal puncture by using real‐time three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT3D‐TEE) in combination with fluoroscopic imaging, without any complications. Although transseptal puncture can be performed without echocardiographic guidance in most patients, in our patient, RT3D‐TEE proved to be a very helpful imaging technique to access the LA.
Long‐term effectiveness of right septal pacing vs. right apical pacing in patients with atrioventricular block
Authors: Kikuchi Miwa , Tanno Kaoru , Miyoshi Fumito , Munetsugu Yumi , Onuma Yoshimasa , Ito Hiroyuki , Adachi Taro , Kawamura Mitsuharu , Asano Taku , Kobayashi Youichi
Published: July 2012

Background

Long‐term right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing increases the risk of heart failure (HF) by inducing ventricular dyssynchronization. Although recent studies suggest that right ventricular septal (RVS) pacing results in improved short‐term outcomes, its long‐term effectiveness remains unclear.

Methods and results

This study investigated 149 consecutive patients who underwent implantation of a dual chamber pacemaker for atrioventricular block with either RVS‐pacing between July 2007 and June 2010 or RVA‐pacing between January 2003 and June 2007. The endpoint was defined as death and hospitalization due to heart failure (HF). The rates of mortality and hospitalization due to HF were significantly lower in the RVS‐pacing group than that in the RVA‐pacing group (event free RVS: 1 year, 98% and 2 years, 98%; RVA: 1 year, 85% and 2 years, 81%; p<0.05). None of the patients died from HF in the RVS‐pacing group, while 4 patients died from HF in the RVA‐pacing group within 2 years after pacemaker implantation. The paced QRS interval was significantly shorter with RVS pacing than with RVA pacing at different times after pacemaker implantation (RVS: immediately 157.8±24.0 ms, after 3 months 157.3±17.5 ms, after 6 months 153.6±21.7 ms, after 12 months 153.6±19.4 ms, after 24 months 149.3±24.0 ms vs. RVA: immediately 168.3±23.7 ms, after 3 months 168.7±26.0 ms, after 6 months 168.0±22.8 ms, after 12 months 171.2±22.3 ms, after 24 months 176.1±25.5 ms; p<0.05).

Conclusions

RVS pacing is feasible and safe with more favorable clinical benefits than RVA pacing.
Implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator failure unmasked by a “lucky” shock
Authors: Eng Lim K. , Walters Tomos E. , Gould Paul A.
Published: July 2012

A young woman with placement of a dual‐chamber implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) and a history of prior cardiac arrest due to congenital long QT syndrome presented with defibrillation caused by a ventricular fibrillation arrest. Routine device interrogation revealed significant lead dysfunction. During device revision, breaches were detected in the insulation of both leads within the pre‐pectoral pocket and an “arc mark” was observed on the ICD generator casing; these findings were consistent with a high‐voltage discharge through a short circuit between the denuded right ventricular lead and the casing. In this case, system failure was unmasked only by interrogation after appropriate device activation, which highlights the importance of thorough evaluation after all ICD activations.
Nippon Storm Study design
Authors: Kurita Takashi , Noda Takashi , Nitta Takashi , Furushima Hiroshi , Shimizu Akihiko , Ohe Tohru , Aizawa Yoshifusa , Chiba Yasutaka
Published: July 2012

An understanding of the clinical aspects of electrical storm (E‐storms) in patients with implantable cardiac shock devices (ICSDs: ICDs or cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator [CRT‐D]) may provide important information for clinical management of patients with ICSDs. The Nippon Storm Study was organized by the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society (JHRS) and Japanese Society of Electrocardiology and was designed to prospectively collect a variety of data from patients with ICSDs, with a focus on the incidence of E‐storms and clinical conditions for the occurrence of an E‐storm. Forty main ICSD centers in Japan are participating in the present study. From 2002, the JHRS began to collect ICSD patient data using website registration (termed Japanese cardiac defibrillator therapy registration, or JCDTR). This investigation aims to collect data on and investigate the general parameters of patients with ICSDs, such as clinical backgrounds of the patients, purposes of implantation, complications during the implantation procedure, and incidence of appropriate and inappropriate therapies from the ICSD. The Nippon Storm Study was planned as a sub‐study of the JCDTR with focus on E‐storms. We aim to achieve registration of more than 1000 ICSD patients and complete follow‐up data collection, with the assumption of a 5–10% incidence of E‐storms during the 2‐year follow‐up.
Current strategies for non‐pharmacological therapy of long‐standing persistent atrial fibrillation
Authors: Yamane Teiichi
Published: July 2012

Non‐pharmacological rhythm control of atrial fibrillation (AF) is becoming increasingly important in our aging society. Advancement of catheter ablation techniques in the last decade has provided a cure for AF patients, with a nearly established efficiency for paroxysmal cases. However, since ablation of persistent/chronic AF cases is still challenging, early treatment of paroxysmal AF before transformation to the persistent/chronic form is mandatory. Although there is a consensus that pulmonary vein isolation is the first‐line approach for ablation of long‐standing persistent AF, similar to that for paroxysmal AF, there are still wide variations in the adjunctive approach to modify the atrial substrate of persistent AF (anatomical linear ablation, electrogram‐based complex fractionated atrial electrogram ablation, ganglionated plexus ablation, etc.). Since data comparing the effectiveness of these adjunctive approaches are still lacking, large‐scale controlled trials evaluating the effect of catheter ablation in diverse patient populations on a long‐term basis are needed to establish the appropriate approach for long‐standing persistent AF. Furthermore, the development of de novo ablation methods (new energies, new targets, etc.) is expected to improve ablation outcome in patients with long‐standing persistent AF.
Atrial tachycardia caused by a superior vena cava fibrillation with conduction block
Authors: Nozoe Masatsugu , Koyama Junjiroh , Honda Toshihiro , Nakao Koichi
Published: July 2012

AT caused by SVC fibrillation

Here, we report a case of a 62‐year‐old man with a history of incessant atrial tachycardia (AT) for several years. An electrophysiological study revealed rapid and irregular activity in the superior vena cava (SVC), but the surface 12‐lead electrocardiogram (ECG) exhibited a relatively regular AT (atrial cycle length=240 ms). CARTO mapping of the right atrium (RA) demonstrated that the earliest atrial activation occurred at the posterior septum of the upper RA (the SVC–RA junction). Intravenous administration of 20 mg adenosine triphosphate (ATP) led to an acceleration of the SVC–RA conduction up to 1:1 conduction, and the atrial cycle length decreased, consequently converting the AT to transient atrial fibrillation (AF). Application of single radiofrequency energy at the earliest atrial activation site during tachycardia terminated the AT and achieved isolation of the SVC from the RA, despite the continued presence of fibrillation in the SVC. We speculated that SVC fibrillation with spontaneous conduction block at the SVC–RA junction was the cause of this AT.
A case of typical atrial flutter causing unexpected advanced atrioventricular block despite lateral cavotricuspid isthmus ablation
Authors: Mano Hiroaki , Okumura Yasuo , Watanabe Ichiro , Nagashima Koichi , Nakai Toshiko , Ohkubo Kimie , Kofune Tatsuya , Kofune Masayoshi , Sonoda Kazumasa , Haruta Hironori , Hirayama Atsushi
Published: July 2012

Here, we report a case of a 69‐year‐old patient with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and inducible typical atrial flutter who required catheter ablation. After pulmonary vein isolation, cavotricuspid isthmus ablation was performed. During ablation at a lateral site of the cavotricuspid isthmus, a spiky potential appeared at the distal electrode of the ablation catheter, and subsequently, a 2:1 atrioventricular (AV) block occurred. Radiofrequency (RF) delivery at the same site caused a similar phenomenon, implying that the spiky potential may reflect a slow pathway potential as an anatomical variant of the rightward extension of the AV node.
ON KNOWLEDGE AND OBLIGATION
Authors: Başķent Can , Loohuis Loes Olde , Parikh Rohit
Published: July 2012

This article provides a brief overview of several formal frameworks concerning the relation between knowledge (or belief) on the one hand, and obligation (or permission) on the other. We discuss the paradox of the knower, knowledge based obligation, knowingly doing, deontic dynamic epistemology, descriptive obligations, and responsibilities as dynamic epistemology.
Review EssayThe Jewish Roots of the Modern Republic
Authors: Gregory Eric
Published: July 2012

A concise study of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Protestant Hebraica does not immediately suggest a provocative contribution to contemporary debates about secularization, religion, and politics. But that is what Eric Nelson’s learned yet accessible book about the Jewish sources of early modern republicanism provides.1According to Nelson, Professor of Government at Harvard University, the distinctive authority of the Hebrew Republic made possible the Protestant development of three central ideas: republican liberty, care for equality, and religious toleration. Nelson’s rehabilitation of the neglected Christian Hebraism of the late Renaissance and Reformation seeks to challenge historiographies which characterize modern political thought in terms of a rationalist independence from theology. These dominant narratives roughly describe a transition frompolitical theologytopolitical sciencethat excludes religious conviction from political argument.2Nelson invokes (but does not engage) Mark Lilla’s description of “the Great Separation” of religion and politics as one expression of this threshold of disenchantment.3He also associates this narrative with figures as diverse as Hans Blumenberg, Leo Strauss, C. B. Macpherson, Michael Oakeshott, John Rawls, and Jonathan Israel. The book, therefore, contributes to scholarship that complicates the primacy of the “Enlightenment” origins and character of Western politics. It also raises complex questions about our relation to these origins. Much like Nelson’s own argument about the way Jewish sources helped reorganize accepted categories, his book opens new spaces for scholarly conversation across multiple fields of study. This review briefly raises normative implications of Nelson’s book for scholars of theology, ethics, and religious studies. I examine stronger and weaker versions of Nelson’s historical narrative as well as his gestures at their implications.
The legacy of Islam in Somnath
Authors: Shokoohy Mehrdad
Published: July 2012

Since the sack of Somnath by Maḥmūd of Ghazna in 1025–26, Somnath has been a byword for religious orthodoxy, intolerance and conflict between Muslims and Hindus. Yet looking further than Maḥmūd's greed for the temple's gold and later the Delhi sultans' appetite for territory, Somnath and most other towns of Saurashtra had long-established settlements of Muslims engaged in international maritime trade. The settlers, while adhering to their own values, respected their hosts and their traditions and enjoyed the support of the local rajas. It is only in recent years that Hindu nationalist parties have revived the story of Maḥmūd to evoke resentment against the era of Muslim domination, with the aim of inducing communal tensions and gaining political power. The inscriptions and many mosques and Muslim shrines in this Hindu holy city and its vicinity bear witness to the long history of harmonious co-existence between Hindus and Muslims. This paper explores the Muslim culture of Somnath by studying its major mosques. Through an analytic exploration of the typology of the mosques of Saurashtra, the paper demonstrates that while the old centres of power in Gujarat lay outside Saurashtra it is in Somnath and its neighbouring towns that numerous mosques dating from prior to the sultanate of Gujarat still stand. These monuments help illuminate our understanding of early Muslim architecture in Gujarat and its aesthetic evolution from the time of the peaceful maritime settlements to the establishment of the Gujarat Sultanate.
Pathways from harsh parenting to adolescent antisocial behavior: A multidomain test of gender moderation
Authors: Burnette Mandi L. , Oshri Assaf , Lax Rachael , Richards Dayton , Ragbeer Shayne N.
Published: July 2012

We tested for gender moderation within a multidomain model of antisocial behavior (ASB) among community youth, drawn from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods study. Youths (N= 1,639) were 9 to 12 years old at baseline and were followed for two additional waves, spaced approximately 2.5 years apart. We hypothesized that harsh and physically coercive parenting, afamilial levelrisk factor, would impactindividual levelrisk factors for ASB, such as childhood temperament ratings of emotionality and inhibitory control, and preadolescent externalizing and internalizing symptoms, as well as involvement with antisocialpeers. We further hypothesized that this process and its impact on ASB would be moderated by gender. We used both multiple indicator multiple causes and multiple group analyses to test for gender moderation and a structural equation modeling multiple mediation framework to evaluate the strength of indirect effects. We tested the role of family, individual, and peer level influences on ASB, after accounting for the role of known contextual factors, including poverty, race, and neighborhood. Our overall model fit the data well for males and females, indicating harsh parenting, disinhibition, emotionality, and peers exert a strong influence on risk for ASB. Gender moderated the pathway from harsh parenting to externalizing behavior, such that this was a significant pathway for girls, but not boys. We discussed the importance of these findings with regard to intervention planning for youth at risk for ASB and future gender-informed models of ASB.
The effects of child maltreatment on early signs of antisocial behavior: Genetic moderation by tryptophan hydroxylase, serotonin transporter, and monoamine oxidase A genes
Authors: Cicchetti Dante , Rogosch Fred A. , Thibodeau Eric L.
Published: July 2012

Gene–environment interaction effects in predicting antisocial behavior in late childhood were investigated among maltreated and nonmaltreated low-income children (N= 627,Mage = 11.27). Variants in three genes were examined: tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) upstream variable number tandem repeat. In addition to child maltreatment status, we considered the impact of maltreatment subtypes, developmental timing of maltreatment, and chronicity. Indicators of antisocial behavior were obtained from self-, peer, and adult counselor reports. In a series of analyses of covariance, child maltreatment and its parameters demonstrated strong main effects on early antisocial behavior as assessed by all report forms. Genetic effects operated primarily in the context of gene–environment interactions, moderating the impact of child maltreatment on outcomes. Across the three genes, among nonmaltreated children no differences in antisocial behavior were found based on genetic variation. In contrast, among maltreated children specific polymorphisms ofTPH1,5-HTTLPR, andMAOAwere each related to heightened self-report of antisocial behavior; the interaction of5-HTTLPRand developmental timing of maltreatment also indicated more severe antisocial outcomes for children with early onset and recurrent maltreatment based on genotype.TPH1and5-HTTLPRinteracted with maltreatment subtype to predict peer reports of antisocial behavior; genetic variation contributed to larger differences in antisocial behavior among abused children. TheTPH1and5-HTTLPRpolymorphisms also moderated the effects of maltreatment subtype on adult reports of antisocial behavior; again, the genetic effects were strongest for children who were abused. In addition,TPH1moderated the effect of developmental timing of maltreatment and chronicity on adult reports of antisocial behavior. The findings elucidate how genetic variation contributes to identifying which maltreated children are most vulnerable to antisocial development.
Effects of divorce on Dutch boys' and girls' externalizing behavior in Gene × Environment perspective: Diathesis stress or differential susceptibility in the Dutch Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey study?
Authors: Nederhof Esther , Belsky Jay , Ormel Johan , Oldehinkel Albertine J.
Published: July 2012

The effects of divorce on children's behavioral development have proven to be quite varied across studies, and most developmental and family scholars today appreciate the great heterogeneity in divorce effects. Thus, this inquiry sought to determine whether select dopaminergic genes previously associated with externalizing behavior and/or found to moderate diverse environmental effects (dopamine receptors D2 and D4, catechol-O-methyltransferase) might moderate divorce effects on adolescent self-reported externalizing problems; and, if so, whether evidence of gene–environment (G × E) interaction would prove consistent with diathesis–stress or differential-susceptibility models of environmental action. Data from the first and third wave of the Dutch Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (n = 1,134) revealed some evidence of G × E interaction reflecting diathesis–stress but not differential susceptibility. It is intriguing that some evidence pointed to “vantage sensitivity,” which are benefits accruing to those with a specific genotype when their parents remained together, the exact opposite of diathesis–stress. The limits of this work are considered, especially with regard to the conditions for testing differential susceptibility, and future directions are outlined.
Testing multiple levels of influence in the intergenerational transmission of alcohol disorders from a developmental perspective: The example of alcohol use promoting peers and μ-opioid receptor M1 variation
Authors: Chassin Laurie , Lee Matthew R. , Cho Young Il , Wang Frances L. , Agrawal Arpana , Sher Kenneth J. , Lynskey Michael T.
Published: July 2012

This study examined the interplay between the influence of peers who promote alcohol use and μ-opioid receptor M1 (OPRM1) genetic variation in the intergenerational transmission of alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms while separating the “traitlike” components of AUD symptoms from their age-specific manifestations at three ages from emerging adulthood (17–23 years) to adulthood (29–40 years). The results for males were consistent with genetically influenced peer selection mechanisms as mediators of parent alcoholism effects. Male children of alcoholics were less likely to be carriers of the G allele in single nucleotide polymorphism A118G (rs1799971), and those who were homozygous for the A allele were more likely to affiliate with alcohol use promoting peers who increased the risk for AUD symptoms at all ages. There was evidence for women of an interaction between OPRM1 variation and peer affiliations but only at the earliest age band. Peer influences had stronger effects among women who were G-carriers. These results illustrate the complex ways in which the interplay between influences at multiple levels of analysis can underlie the intergenerational transmission of alcohol disorders as well as the importance of considering age and gender differences in these pathways.
Primary and secondary variants of juvenile psychopathy differ in emotional processing
Authors: Kimonis Eva R. , Frick Paul J. , Cauffman Elizabeth , Goldweber Asha , Skeem Jennifer
Published: July 2012

Accumulating research suggests that psychopathy can be disaggregated into low-anxious primary and high-anxious secondary variants, and this research may be important for understanding antisocial youths with callous–unemotional traits. Using model-based cluster analysis, the present study disaggregated 165 serious male adolescent offenders (M age = 16) with high scores on the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory into primary and secondary variants based on the presence of anxiety. The results indicated that the secondary, high-anxious variant was more likely to show a history of abuse and scored higher on measures of emotional and attentional problems. On a picture version of the dot-probe task, the low-anxious primary variant was not engaged by emotionally distressing pictures, whereas the high-anxious secondary variant was more attentive to such stimuli (Cohen d = 0.71). Although the two groups differed as hypothesized from one another, neither differed significantly in their emotional processing from a nonpsychopathic control group of offending youth (n = 208). These results are consistent with the possibility that the two variants of psychopathy, both of which were high on callous–unemotional traits, may have different etiological pathways, with the primary being more related to a deficit in the processing of distress cues in others and the secondary being more related to histories of abuse and emotional problems.