bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ischemic preconditioning increases muscle perfusion, oxygen uptake, and force in strength-trained athletes
Authors: Paradis-Deschênes Pénélope , Joanisse Denis R. , Billaut François
Published: May 2016

Muscle ischemia and reperfusion induced by ischemic preconditioning (IPC) can improve performance in various activities. However, the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of IPC on muscle hemodynamics and oxygen (O2) uptake during repeated maximal contractions. In a cross-over, randomized, single-blind study, 10 strength-trained men performed 5 sets of 5 maximal voluntary knee extensions of the right leg on an isokinetic dynamometer, preceded by either IPC of the right lower limb (3×5-min compression/5-min reperfusion cycles at 200 mm Hg) or sham (20 mm Hg). Changes in deoxyhemoglobin, expressed as a percentage of arterial occlusion, and total hemoglobin ([THb]) concentrations of the vastus lateralis muscle were monitored continuously by near-infrared spectroscopy. Differences between IPC and sham were analyzed using Cohen’s effect size (ES) ± 90% confidence limits, and magnitude-based inferences. Compared with sham, IPC likely increased muscle blood volume at rest (↑[THb], 46.5%; ES, 0.56; 90% confidence limits for ES, –0.21, 1.32). During exercise, peak force was almost certainly higher (11.8%; ES, 0.37; 0.27, 0.47), average force was very likely higher (12.6%; ES, 0.47; 0.29, 0.66), and average muscle O2 uptake was possibly increased (15.8%; ES, 0.36; –0.07, 0.79) after IPC. In the recovery periods between contractions, IPC also increased blood volume after sets 1 (23.6%; ES, 0.30; –0.05, 0.65) and 5 (25.1%; ES, 0.32; 0.09, 0.55). Three cycles of IPC immediately increased muscle perfusion and O2 uptake, conducive to higher repeated force capacity in strength-trained athletes. This maneuver therefore appears relevant to enhancing exercise training stimulus.
Privacy is dead, long live privacy
Authors: Hubaux Jean-Pierre , Juels Ari
Published: May 2016

Protecting social norms as confidentiality wanes.
Vector Coprocessor Virtualization for Simultaneous Multithreading
Authors: Lu Yaojie , Rooholamin Seyedamin , Ziavras Sotirios G.
Published: May 2016

Vector coprocessors (VPs), commonly being assigned exclusively to a single thread/core, are not often performance and energy efficient due to mismatches with the vector needs of individual applications. We present in this article an easy-to-implement VP virtualization technique that, when applied, enables a multithreaded VP to simultaneously execute multiple threads of similar or arbitrary vector lengths to achieve improved aggregate utilization. With a vector register file (VRF) virtualization technique invented to dynamically allocate physical vector registers to threads, our VP virtualization approach improves programmer productivity by providing at runtime a distinct physical register name space to each competing thread, thus eliminating the need to solve register-name conflicts statically. We applied our virtualization technique to a multithreaded VP and prototyped an FPGA-based multicore processor system that supports VP sharing as well as power gating for better energy efficiency. Under the dynamic creation of disparate threads, our benchmarking results show impressive VP speedups of up to 333% and total energy savings of up to 37% with proper thread scheduling and power gating compared to a similar-sized system that allows VP access to just one thread at a time.
Recent Advances in Camera Planning for Large Area Surveillance
Authors: Liu Junbin , Sridharan Sridha , Fookes Clinton
Published: May 2016

With recent advances in consumer electronics and the increasingly urgent need for public security, camera networks have evolved from their early role of providing simple and static monitoring to current complex systems capable of obtaining extensive video information for intelligent processing, such as target localization, identification, and tracking. In all cases, it is of vital importance that the optimal camera configuration (i.e., optimal location, orientation, etc.) is determined before cameras are deployed as a suboptimal placement solution will adversely affect intelligent video surveillance and video analytic algorithms. The optimal configuration may also provide substantial savings on the total number of cameras required to achieve the same level of utility.

In this article, we examine most, if not all, of the recent approaches (post 2000) addressing camera placement in a structured manner. We believe that our work can serve as a first point of entry for readers wishing to start researching into this area or engineers who need to design a camera system in practice. To this end, we attempt to provide a complete study of relevant formulation strategies and brief introductions to most commonly used optimization techniques by researchers in this field. We hope our work to be inspirational to spark new ideas in the field.
Standing on distributed shoulders of giants
Authors: Helland Pat
Published: May 2016

Farsighted physicists of yore were danged smart!
Impacts of Climate Change on the Collapse of Lowland Maya Civilization
Authors: Douglas Peter M.J. , Demarest Arthur A. , Brenner Mark , Canuto Marcello A.
Published: May 2016

Paleoclimatologists have discovered abundant evidence that droughts coincided with collapse of the Lowland Classic Maya civilization, and some argue that climate change contributed to societal disintegration. Many archaeologists, however, maintain that drought cannot explain the timing or complex nature of societal changes at the end of the Classic Period, between the eighth and eleventh centuries ce. This review presents a compilation of climate proxy data indicating that droughts in the ninth to eleventh century were the most severe and frequent in Maya prehistory. Comparison with recent archaeological evidence, however, indicates an earlier beginning for complex economic and political processes that led to the disintegration of states in the southern region of the Maya lowlands that precedes major droughts. Nonetheless, drought clearly contributed to the unusual severity of the Classic Maya collapse, and helped to inhibit the type of recovery seen in earlier periods of Maya prehistory. In the drier northern Maya Lowlands, a later political collapse at ca. 1000 ce appears to be related to ongoing extreme drought. Future interdisciplinary research should use more refined climatological and archaeological data to examine the relationship between climate and social processes throughout the entirety of Maya prehistory.
CRISPR/Cas9 for Human Genome Engineering and Disease Research
Authors: Xiong Xin , Chen Meng , Lim Wendell A. , Zhao Dehua , Qi Lei S.
Published: May 2016

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) system, a versatile RNA-guided DNA targeting platform, has been revolutionizing our ability to modify, manipulate, and visualize the human genome, which greatly advances both biological research and therapeutics development. Here, we review the current development of CRISPR/Cas9 technologies for gene editing, transcription regulation, genome imaging, and epigenetic modification. We discuss the broad application of this system to the study of functional genomics, especially genome-wide genetic screening, and to therapeutics development, including establishing disease models, correcting defective genetic mutations, and treating diseases.
Cumulative Muscle Protein Synthesis and Protein Intake Requirements
Authors: Simmons Erin , Fluckey James D. , Riechman Steven E.
Published: May 2016

Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) fluctuates widely over the course of a day and is influenced by many factors. The time course of MPS responses to exercise and the influence of training and nutrition can only be pieced together from several different investigations and methods, many of which create unnatural experimental conditions. Measurements of cumulative MPS, the sum synthesis over an extended period, using deuterium oxide have been shown to accurately reflect muscle responses and may allow investigations of the response to exercise, total protein intake requirements, and interaction with protein timing in free-living experimental conditions; these factors have yet to be carefully integrated. Such studies could include clinical and athletic populations to integrate nutritional and exercise recommendations and help guide their revisions to optimize the skeletal muscle function that is so important to overall health.
Understanding the Surface Hopping View of Electronic Transitions and Decoherence
Authors: Subotnik Joseph E. , Jain Amber , Landry Brian , Petit Andrew , Ouyang Wenjun , Bellonzi Nicole
Published: May 2016

We present a current, up-to-date review of the surface hopping methodology for solving nonadiabatic problems, 25 years after Tully published the fewest switches surface hopping algorithm. After reviewing the original motivation for and failures of the algorithm, we give a detailed examination of modern advances, focusing on both theoretical and practical issues. We highlight how one can partially derive surface hopping from the Schrödinger equation in the adiabatic basis, how one can change basis within the surface hopping algorithm, and how one should understand and apply the notions of decoherence and wavepacket bifurcation. The question of time reversibility and detailed balance is also examined at length. Recent applications to photoexcited conjugated polymers are discussed briefly.
Biophysical Insights from Temperature-Dependent Single-Molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer
Authors: Holmstrom Erik D. , Nesbitt David J.
Published: May 2016

Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy techniques can be used in combination with micrometer length-scale temperature control and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in order to gain detailed information about fundamental biophysical phenomena. In particular, this combination of techniques has helped foster the development of remarkable quantitative tools for studying both time- and temperature-dependent structural kinetics of biopolymers. Over the past decade, multiple research efforts have successfully incorporated precise spatial and temporal control of temperature into single-molecule FRET (smFRET)-based experiments, which have uncovered critical thermodynamic information on a wide range of biological systems such as conformational dynamics of nucleic acids. This review provides an overview of various temperature-dependent smFRET approaches from our laboratory and others, highlighting efforts in which such methods have been successfully applied to studies of single-molecule nucleic acid folding.
Vectors and Spatial Patterns ofAngiostrongylus cantonensisin Selected Rice-Farming Villages of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
Authors: Tujan Ma. Angelica A. , Fontanilla Ian Kendrich C. , Paller Vachel Gay V.
Published: May 2016

In the Philippines, rats and snails abound in agricultural areas as pests and source of food for some of the local people which poses risks of parasite transmission to humans such asAngiostrongylus cantonensis. This study was conducted to determine the extent ofA. cantonensisinfection among rats and snails collected from rice-farming villages of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. A total of 209 rats, 781 freshwater snails, and 120 terrestrial snails were collected for the study. Heart and lungs of rats and snail tissues were examined and subjected to artificial digestion for parasite collection. Adult worms from rats were identified using SSU rDNA gene. Seven nematode sequences obtained matchedA. cantonensis. Results revealed that 31% of the rats examined were positive withA. cantonensis.Rattus norvegicusandR. tanezumishowed prevalence of 46% and 29%, respectively. Furthermore, onlyPomacea canaliculata(2%) andMelanoides maculata(1%) were found to be positive forA. cantonensisamong the snails collected. Analysis of host distribution showed overlapping habitats of rats and snails as well as residential and agricultural areas indicating risks to public health. This study presents a possible route of human infection forA. cantonensisthrough handling and consumption ofP. canaliculataandM. maculataor crops contaminated by these snails.
Perceived Clinical Competence among Undergraduate Nursing Students in the University of Gondar and Bahir Dar University, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Institution Based Study
Authors: Bifftu Berhanu Boru , Dachew Berihun Assefa , Tadesse Tiruneh Bewket , Mekonnen Kelkay Mengistu , Bayu Netsanet Habte
Published: May 2016

Introduction. To produce competent, confident, critical thinker with the ability to lead, to question, and to be questioned is needed in nursing education. This study aimed to assess perceived clinical competence among nursing students.Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted in two nursing schools in Ethiopia. Data were collected using pretested, semistructured questionnaire. Clinical competence was measured by Short Nursing Competence Questionnaires. Binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify associated factors. An adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed.Results. Overall, 48.7 % of the participants perceived themselves as clinically competent. Social support [moderate (AOR = 5.87, CI: 1.346, 9.586), high (AOR = 6.27, CI: 1.741, 7.608)], type of institution [(AOR = 3.20, CI: 1.331, 7.694)], year of study [(AOR = 1.89 (4.760, 18.510)], attending theoretical classes [(AOR = 0.83 CI: 0.017, 0.412)], and clinical environment [poor (AOR = 5.65, CI: 1.837, 13.453), fair (AOR = 7.31, CI: 2.790, 15.356), good (AOR = 9.31, CI: 3.260, 19.967)] were associated with clinical competence.Conclusion. More than half of the study participants perceived themselves as incompetent. Social support, type of institution, year of study, attending theory classes, and clinical environment were associated with perceived clinical competence. Authors suggested that nursing students attend their theoretical class and utilize the available resource.
LIM Kinase Inhibitor Pyr1 Reduces the Growth and Metastatic Load of Breast Cancers
Authors: Prunier Chloé , Josserand Véronique , Vollaire Julien , Beerling Evelyne , Petropoulos Christos , Destaing Olivier , Montemagno Christopher , Hurbin Amandine , Prudent Renaud , de Koning Leanne , Kapur Reuben , Cohen Pascale A. , Albiges-Rizo Corinne , Coll Jean-Luc , van Rheenen Jacco , Billaud Marc , Lafanechère Laurence
Published: May 2016

LIM kinases (LIMK) are emerging targets for cancer therapy, and they function as network hubs to coordinate actin and microtubule dynamics. When LIMKs are inhibited, actin microfilaments are disorganized and microtubules are stabilized. Owing to their stabilizing effect on microtubules, LIMK inhibitors may provide a therapeutic strategy to treat taxane-resistant cancers. In this study, we investigated the effect of LIMK inhibition on breast tumor development and on paclitaxel-resistant tumors, using a novel selective LIMK inhibitor termed Pyr1. Treatment of breast cancer cells, including paclitaxel-resistant cells, blocked their invasion and proliferation in vitro and their growth in vivo in tumor xenograft assays. The tumor-invasive properties of Pyr1 were investigated in vivo by intravital microscopy of tumor xenografts. A striking change of cell morphology was observed with a rounded phenotype arising in a subpopulation of cells, while other cells remained elongated. Notably, although Pyr1 decreased the motility of elongated cells, it increased the motility of rounded cells in the tumor. Pyr1 administration prevented the growth of metastasis but not their spread. Overall, our results provided a preclinical proof of concept concerning how a small-molecule inhibitor of LIMK may offer a strategy to treat taxane-resistant breast tumors and metastases. Cancer Res; 76(12); 3541–52. ©2016 AACR.
Histone Deacetylase Inhibition in Prostate Cancer Triggers miR-320–Mediated Suppression of the Androgen Receptor
Authors: Sato Shinya , Katsushima Keisuke , Shinjo Keiko , Hatanaka Akira , Ohka Fumiharu , Suzuki Shugo , Naiki-Ito Aya , Soga Norihito , Takahashi Satoru , Kondo Yutaka
Published: May 2016

Targeting androgen receptor (AR) by pharmacologic intervention is one of the effective approaches for treatment of malignant prostate cancers. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) alters the epigenetic status of tumor-associated genes, including those for miRNAs (miRNA), and affects the behavior of cancers. Here, we examined the molecular effects of a HDAC inhibitor, OBP-801, on AR expression and tumor cell growth in prostate cancers. Treatment with OBP-801 efficiently suppressed cell growth of three prostate cancer lines (22Rv1, VCaP, and LNCaP), together with AR downregulation, regardless of their hormone sensitivity. Intriguingly, this effect by OBP-801 was not due to decreased transcriptional activity of the AR gene, but due to posttranscriptional regulation, namely by miRNA-mediated suppression. Among the upregulated miRNAs after OBP-801 treatment in the three prostate cancer cell lines, miR-320a, whose expression was significantly correlated with prognosis of prostate cancers (P = 0.0185), was the most closely associated with AR expression. An miR-320a mimic suppressed AR protein expression together with growth suppression, while anti-miR-320a oligonucleotide significantly abrogated the growth suppression by OBP-801 treatment. FISH analysis revealed that miR-320a was highly expressed in human normal prostate luminal cells, but was rarely expressed in prostate cancer cells. In an AR-dependent prostate tumorigenic rat model, OBP-801 treatment profoundly increased miR-320a expression and repressed prostate tumorigenesis. Our data demonstrated that OBP-801 effectively suppressed AR activity via epigenetic upregulation of miR-320a, which resulted in tumor cell growth suppression of prostate cancers. OBP-801 may be a potent AR-targeting therapeutic reagent in AR-positive prostate cancer regardless of androgen dependency. Cancer Res; 76(14); 4192–204. ©2016 AACR.
A Review of the Ultrasound Assessment of Diaphragmatic Function in Clinical Practice
Authors: Sferrazza Papa Giuseppe Francesco , Pellegrino Giulia Michela , Di Marco Fabiano , Imeri Gianluca , Brochard Laurent , Goligher Ewan , Centanni Stefano
Published: May 2016

Ultrasonography is the only non-invasive, non-ionizing imaging technique widely available to directly assess diaphragmatic function. Two different sonographic approaches permit the assessment of muscle thickening in the zone of apposition and excursion of the dome of the diaphragm. Thanks to the new hand-held ultrasound instruments, the morphology and function of the diaphragm can be assessed in different settings, such as outpatient clinic, pulmonary function test laboratory, hospital department and intensive care unit, and under different conditions. Despite the existence of different acoustic views and several codified approaches, a comprehensive sonographic examination has never been standardized for clinical use. In this review, we summarize the clinical indications, methods and perspectives of the technique in adults.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Metabolizes and Partially Inactivates Pyr-Apelin-13 and Apelin-17
Authors: Wang Wang , McKinnie Shaun M.K. , Farhan Maikel , Paul Manish , McDonald Tyler , McLean Brent , Llorens-Cortes Catherine , Hazra Saugata , Murray Allan G. , Vederas John C. , Oudit Gavin Y.
Published: May 2016

Apelin peptides mediate beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system and are being targeted as potential new drugs. However, apelin peptides have extremely short biological half-lives, and improved understanding of apelin peptide metabolism may lead to the discovery of biologically stable analogues with therapeutic potential. We examined the ability of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to cleave and inactivate pyr-apelin 13 and apelin 17, the dominant apelin peptides. Computer-assisted modeling shows a conserved binding of pyr-apelin 13 and apelin 17 to the ACE2 catalytic site. In ACE2 knockout mice, hypotensive action of pyr-apelin 13 and apelin 17 was potentiated, with a corresponding greater elevation in plasma apelin levels. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of ACE2 potentiated the vasodepressor action of apelin peptides. Biochemical analysis confirmed that recombinant human ACE2 can cleave pyr-apelin 13 and apelin 17 efficiently, and apelin peptides are degraded slower in ACE2-deficient plasma. The biological relevance of ACE2-mediated proteolytic processing of apelin peptides was further supported by the reduced potency of pyr-apelin 12 and apelin 16 on the activation of signaling pathways and nitric oxide production from endothelial cells. Importantly, although pyr-apelin 13 and apelin 17 rescued contractile function in a myocardial ischemia–reperfusion model, ACE2 cleavage products, pyr-apelin 12 and 16, were devoid of these cardioprotective effects. We designed and synthesized active apelin analogues that were resistant to ACE2-mediated degradation, thereby confirming that stable apelin analogues can be designed as potential drugs. We conclude that ACE2 represents a major negative regulator of apelin action in the vasculature and heart.
Broken Hearths: Melville's Israel Potter and the Bunker Hill Monument
Authors: Hay John
Published: May 2016

When he dedicated Israel Potter to the Bunker Hill Monument, Herman Melville gestured to an eminent national memorial which took so long to build that it appeared to be in ruins before it was finished. Melville's novel addresses the temporal quirks of both patriotic communal commemoration and posthumous personal recognition.
Variation among free-living spotted hyenas in three personality traits
Authors: Yoshida Kathryn C. Shaw , Van Meter Page E. , Holekamp Kay E.
Published: May 2016

Inter-individual differences in behaviour, termed ‘animal personality’, are often consistent over time and across contexts and can be significantly related to fitness. However, most studies of animal personality are conducted in the laboratory or involve experimental protocols. Here, we used longitudinal scan and all-occurrence data collected under naturalistic conditions over 21 years to study boldness, aggressiveness, and sociability in a wild population of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). We found significant variation among individual hyenas in all three traits; however, whereas both sexes exhibited consistent inter-individual differences in aggressiveness and sociability, males were less consistent than females in their boldness. Heritability and maternal effects were small but significant for both boldness and sociability. A large proportion of the variation in aggressiveness could be attributed to genetic and maternal effects, supporting previous research linking hormone exposure in utero to aggressive behaviour later in life. All three traits were correlated with at least one measure of fitness. Particularly aggressive females were more successful in raising their offspring to reproductive maturity than less aggressive females. Interestingly, the reproductive benefits of sociability depended on social rank; for low-ranking hyenas, gaining feeding tolerance via sociability may significantly enhance reproductive success. Both boldness and sociability were linked to survival, but these traits affected longevity in different ways; highly social hyenas lived longer than those that were less social, but selection on boldness was stabilizing, favoring hyenas with intermediate boldness values that balance the benefits of risky behaviour against risks of injury and death.
Polystyrene/multi-wall carbon nanotube composite and its foam assisted by ultrasound vibration
Authors: Fu Dajiong , Kuang Tairong , Yen Ying-Chieh , Li Dachao , Benatar Avraham , Peng Xiang Fang , Lee Ly James
Published: May 2016

Polystyrene/multi-wall carbon nanotube composite with an interconnected honeycomb-like structure was prepared by firstly coating the surface of the polystyrene pellets with multi-wall carbon nanotube, and sequentially welded through an ultrasound vibration technique. The mechanical and morphological properties of as-prepared composite were investigated in various measurements. It was found that an aggregative and honeycomb-like morphology of multi-wall carbon nanotube existed in the polystyrene/multi-wall carbon nanotube composite according to the polarized optical microscopic and scanning electron microscopic results; the ultrasound vibration could benefit to the performance of flexural strength. Furthermore, different composite foams were studied in this work, employing supercritical carbon dioxide as a blowing agent. Compared to other foams prepared by the conventional methods, the compressive strength of the foams derived from as-described novel method, was significantly improved. Also, being ascribed to this interconnected structure by coating carbon nanotube on polystyrene pellets, good electrical conductivity of 0.05–0.11 S/m was achieved in the novel composite foams.
How Stock Market Reacts to Budget Announcement? Through the Lens of Social Media in Indian Context
Authors: Khatua Aparup , Khatua Apalak
Published: May 2016

Analysis of social media data like tweet feeds can reveal market sentiments. So, researchers are trying to forecast the stock market behaviour through social media analytics. However, the extant research broadly focused on a longer time horizon and attempted to forecast mostly stock market level indicators. On the contrary, we employ social media analytics to forecast stock market’s spontaneous behaviour as a reaction to a macroeconomic event, that is, Indian Budget announcement on 28 February 2015. We captured stock market reactions through company-level Cumulative Abnormal Returns (CAR). We collected around 0.37 million budget related tweets during our three-day event window. Our empirical evidence, of 190 firms from 8 different industries, confirms that industry tweet volume and sentiment can be an indicator of company-level share price movements. This article contributes to the extant literature of information science research as well as behavioural finance by demonstrating the applicability of social media analytics for event study methodology.
Work Ethic among Jews and Muslims
Authors: Sharabi Moshe
Published: May 2016

There are no studies that compare the work ethic of Jews and Muslims in and out of Israel. This study examines and compares the work ethic among Jews and Muslims in Israel according to their degree of religiosity. The sample included 898 Jews and 215 Muslims representing the labor force that filled out the Meaning of Work questionnaire. The work ethic dimensions were obligation norms, entitlement norms, and work centrality. Among Jews, the agreement with obligation and entitlement norms was the highest among religious respondents and the lowest among their secular counterparts, while secular Jews have higher work centrality than traditionalists, especially than religious Jews. Muslim society was found to be more homogeneous than Jewish society, as the work ethic dimensions among Muslims are not affected by religiosity degree and, even when it is controlled, the other demographic variables do not generally influence work ethic dimensions. The meaning of the findings and their implications are discussed.
Development of an equine coronavirus–specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine serologic responses in naturally infected horses
Authors: Kooijman Lotte J. , Mapes Samantha M. , Pusterla Nicola
Published: May 2016

Equine coronavirus (EqCoV) infection has been documented in most reports through quantitative qPCR analysis of feces and viral genome sequencing. Although qPCR is used to detect antigen during the acute disease phase, there is no equine-specific antibody test available to study EqCoV seroprevalence in various horse populations. We developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) targeting antibodies to the spike (S) protein of EqCoV and validated its use, using acute and convalescent sera from 83 adult horses involved in 6 outbreaks. The EqCoV S protein–based ELISA was able to reliably detect antibodies to EqCoV in naturally infected horses. The greatest seroconversion rate was observed in horses with clinical signs compatible with EqCoV infection and EqCoV qPCR detection in feces. The EqCoV S protein–based ELISA could be used effectively for seroepidemiologic studies in order to better characterize the overall infection rate of EqCoV in various horse populations.
General on-off damping controller for semi-active tuned liquid column damper
Authors: La Viet Duc , Adam Christoph
Published: May 2016

This paper addresses an on-off damping tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) regulated by a general controller. This general controller can represent many conventional controllers such as groundhook, skyhook, bang-bang, or linear clipping controller. Due to the on-off damping and quadratic damping of the TLCD the system is complex nonlinear. To cope with those nonlinearities, this paper presents a simple approximated solution by solving a scalar algebraic equation. Outcomes of numerical simulations verify the proposed approximated solution. Moreover, the approximated solution is useful to clarify the condition of robust controllers, to speed up the optimization of the general controller, and to conduct any parametric study. Based on a parametric study, an empirical formula for the optimized parameters of the general on-off damping controller is derived. In a case study of an earthquake excited five degree-of-freedom shear frame the simplicity, robustness, and effectiveness of the semi-active TLCD with optimized parameters is illustrated, considering limited noisy measurements, time delay, modeling error, and nonlinear TLCD behavior.
Predicting Bystander Efficacy and Willingness to Intervene in College Men and Women
Authors: Foubert John D. , Bridges Ana J.
Published: May 2016

Students from two research universities completed items measuring the frequency of their using different kinds of pornography, and measures of their willingness and intent to intervene to help a bystander who might be experiencing sexual violence. Hierarchical logistic regressions showed that for men, violent/degrading pornography use, but not explicit but non-degrading pornography use, was significantly associated with reduced bystander willingness to intervene, but not associated with bystander efficacy. Women did not show the same impact of violent/degrading pornography use on the two bystander intervention variables. Results suggest violence/degrading pornography may contribute to a culture of acceptance of violence against women.
Regularized regression for categorical data
Authors: Tutz Gerhard , Gertheiss Jan
Published: May 2016

In the last two decades, regularization techniques, in particular penalty-based methods, have become very popular in statistical modelling. Driven by technological developments, most approaches have been designed for high-dimensional problems with metric variables, whereas categorical data has largely been neglected. In recent years, however, it has become clear that regularization is also very promising when modelling categorical data. A specific trait of categorical data is that many parameters are typically needed to model the underlying structure. This results in complex estimation problems that call for structured penalties which are tailored to the categorical nature of the data. This article gives a systematic overview of penalty-based methods for categorical data developed so far and highlights some issues where further research is needed. We deal with categorical predictors as well as models for categorical response variables. The primary interest of this article is to give insight into basic properties of and differences between methods that are important with respect to statistical modelling in practice, without going into technical details or extensive discussion of asymptotic properties.
The New Generation of Thai Fathers: Breadwinners Involved in Parenting
Authors: Sriyasak Atcharawadee , Almqvist Anna-Lena , Sridawruang Chaweewan , Neamsakul Wanwadee , Häggström-Nordin Elisabet
Published: May 2016

Becoming a father for the first time might cause great changes in a man’s identity and lifestyle. Teenage fathers must strive to balance two competing roles: the teenage role and the father role. The current study design followed grounded theory methodology to gain a deeper understanding of how Thai teenage fathers reason about becoming and being a father from a gender equality perspective. Participants were selected from a heterogeneous group of fathers until saturation was reached ( n = 25). Most of the fathers were cohabiting with their partner in an extended family. An interview guide was developed, a pilot study was undertaken, and interviews were performed on two different occasions: once during the second trimester of pregnancy and again when the baby was 5 to 6 months old. The core category, “Male breadwinners involved in parenting,” encompassed persons making the transition from being solely a teenager to being a teenage father. Most of the fathers accepted the unintended pregnancy and took on the expected breadwinning responsibility of a father. They prepared for fatherhood and changed their lifestyle. Their families provided support. Nevertheless, the fathers sought to avoid further unplanned parenthood by learning about family planning. The teenage fathers emphasized breadwinning first, then involved himself in the child and the housework. These findings provide an increased understanding of Thai teenage fathers.
Discussions of Life Expectancy and Changes in Illness Understanding in Patients With Advanced Cancer
Authors: Epstein Andrew S. , Prigerson Holly G. , O’Reilly Eileen M. , Maciejewski Paul K.
Published: May 2016

Purpose

Accurate illness understanding enables patients to make informed decisions. Evidence of the influence of prognostic discussions on the accuracy of illness understanding by patients would demonstrate the value of discussions.

Methods

Recent and past oncology provider-patient discussions about prognosis/life expectancy were examined for their association with changes in illness understanding by patients. Patients (N = 178) with advanced cancers refractory to prior chemotherapy whom oncologists expected to die within 6 months were interviewed before and after a visit in which cancer restaging scan results were discussed. Illness understanding scores were the sum of four indicator variables: patient terminal illness acknowledgment, recognition of incurable disease status, knowledge of the advanced stage of the disease, and expectation to live months as opposed to years.

Results

Before the restaging scan visit, nine (5%) of 178 patients had completely accurate illness understanding (ie, correctly answered each of the four illness understanding questions). Eighteen patients (10%) reported only recent discussions of prognosis/life expectancy with their oncologists; 68 (38%) reported only past discussions; 24 (13%) reported both recent and past discussions; and 68 (38%) reported that they never had discussions of prognosis/life expectancy with their oncologists. After adjustment for potential confounders (ie, education and race/ethnicity), analysis identified significant, positive changes in illness understanding scores for patients in groups that reported recent only (least-squares mean change score, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.23 to 1.01; P = .002) and both recent and past (least-squares mean change score, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.70; P = 0.028) discussions of prognosis/life expectancy with their oncologists.

Conclusion

Patients with advanced cancer who report recent discussions of prognosis/life expectancy with their oncologists come to have a better understanding of the terminal nature of their illnesses.
Final 5-Year Study Results of DASISION: The Dasatinib Versus Imatinib Study in Treatment-Naïve Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients Trial
Authors: Cortes Jorge E. , Saglio Giuseppe , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Baccarani Michele , Mayer Jiří , Boqué Concepción , Shah Neil P. , Chuah Charles , Casanova Luis , Bradley-Garelik Brigid , Manos George , Hochhaus Andreas
Published: May 2016

Purpose

We report the 5-year analysis from the phase III Dasatinib Versus Imatinib Study in Treatment-Naïve Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients (DASISION) trial, evaluating long-term efficacy and safety outcomes of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP) treated with dasatinib or imatinib.

Patients and Methods

Patients with newly diagnosed CML-CP were randomly assigned to receive dasatinib 100 mg once daily (n = 259) or imatinib 400 mg once daily (n = 260).

Results

At the time of study closure, 61% and 63% of dasatinib- and imatinib-treated patients remained on initial therapy, respectively. Cumulative rates of major molecular response and molecular responses with a 4.0- or 4.5-log reduction in BCR-ABL1 transcripts from baseline by 5 years remained statistically significantly higher for dasatinib compared with imatinib. Rates for progression-free and overall survival at 5 years remained high and similar across treatment arms. In patients who achieved BCR-ABL1 ≤ 10% at 3 months (dasatinib, 84%; imatinib, 64%), improvements in progression-free and overall survival and lower rates of transformation to accelerated/blast phase were reported compared with patients with BCR-ABL1 greater than 10% at 3 months. Transformation to accelerated/blast phase occurred in 5% and 7% of patients in the dasatinib and imatinib arms, respectively. Fifteen dasatinib-treated and 19 imatinib-treated patients had BCR-ABL1 mutations identified at discontinuation. There were no new or unexpected adverse events identified in either treatment arm, and pleural effusion was the only drug-related, nonhematologic adverse event reported more frequently with dasatinib (28% v 0.8% with imatinib). First occurrences of pleural effusion were reported with dasatinib, with the highest incidence in year 1. Arterial ischemic events were uncommon in both treatment arms.

Conclusion

These final results from the DASISION trial continue to support dasatinib 100 mg once daily as a safe and effective first-line therapy for the long-term treatment of CML-CP.
Rereading as a Mechanism of Defamiliarization in Proust
Authors: Gardner Darci L.
Published: May 2016

One of the enigmas of Marcel Proust's great novel is the unusual type of engagement it necessitates. It is impossible to read without frequently referring back to earlier portions of the text. Hypotactic sentences and unanticipated developments not only trigger reflection; they sometimes also prompt us to physically revisit pages we have already turned. While many Proust scholars have commented on this perplexing quality of the work and theorists of rereading have offered partial accounts of it, no one has explained for what purpose A la recherche du temps perdu (translated as In Search of Lost Time or Remembrance of Things Past) cannot be read without also being reread. The answer to this question illuminates a new facet of Proust's aesthetic philosophy, namely, his vision of what literature offers that nonliterary texts cannot. As my title suggests, it is a notable variant of the effect that Victor Shklovsky called defamiliarization. Perhaps what is most interesting about this reward in Proust is that readers must restructure their everyday interpretive habits to experience it. The sensation of renewed vision is available only to those who, through both careful reading and rereading, manage to overcome common cognitive biases or patterns of error that most people make when processing information. In this respect, the value of rereading the Recherche extends beyond Proust and even beyond literature, for ultimately the question at hand is whether literature can change our interpretive habits. My conclusion is that it can, perhaps even in ways that expository and instructive texts cannot.
ΠΕΡΙΕΧΟΜΕΝΑ
Authors: Mnimon Mnimon
Published: May 2016

Δεν παρατίθεται περίληψη στα ελληνικά.
Δώρα Μονιούδη-Γαβαλά, Πολεοδομία στο ελληνικό κράτος 1833-1890 / Dora Monioudi­Gavala, Urban Planning in the Greek State 1833-1890, δίγλωσση εικονο­γραφημένη έκδοση, Πανεπιστήμιο Δ. Ελλάδας, Αγρίνιο 2012
Authors: ΦΕΣΣΑ-­ΕΜΜΑΝΟΥΗΛ ΕΛΕΝΗ
Published: May 2016

Δεν παρατίθεται περίληψη στα ελληνικά.
Γιάννης Καρακατσιάνης, Ο πόλεμος στη Μάνη. Κατοχή, Αντίσταση, Εμφύλιος, μέσα από αφηγήσεις πρωταγωνιστών και ανέκδοτες πηγές, 2 τόμοι, Αρεόπολη, εκδόσεις Αδούλωτη Μάνη, 2014
Authors: ΜΠΡΕΓΙΑΝΝΗ ΚΑΤΕΡΙΝΑ
Published: May 2016

Δεν παρατίθεται περίληψη στα ελληνικά.
Dynamical systems, attractors, and neural circuits
Authors: Miller Paul
Published: May 2016

Biology is the study of dynamical systems. Yet most of us working in biology have limited pedagogical training in the theory of dynamical systems, an unfortunate historical fact that can be remedied for future generations of life scientists. In my particular field of systems neuroscience, neural circuits are rife with nonlinearities at all levels of description, rendering simple methodologies and our own intuition unreliable. Therefore, our ideas are likely to be wrong unless informed by good models. These models should be based on the mathematical theories of dynamical systems since functioning neurons are dynamic—they change their membrane potential and firing rates with time. Thus, selecting the appropriate type of dynamical system upon which to base a model is an important first step in the modeling process. This step all too easily goes awry, in part because there are many frameworks to choose from, in part because the sparsely sampled data can be consistent with a variety of dynamical processes, and in part because each modeler has a preferred modeling approach that is difficult to move away from. This brief review summarizes some of the main dynamical paradigms that can arise in neural circuits, with comments on what they can achieve computationally and what signatures might reveal their presence within empirical data. I provide examples of different dynamical systems using simple circuits of two or three cells, emphasizing that any one connectivity pattern is compatible with multiple, diverse functions.
Iterative Refinement for Linear Programming
Authors: Gleixner Ambros M. , Steffy Daniel E. , Wolter Kati
Published: May 2016

We describe an iterative refinement procedure for computing extended-precision or exact solutions to linear programming (LP) problems. Arbitrarily precise solutions can be computed by solving a sequence of closely related LPs with limited-precision arithmetic. The LPs solved share the same constraint matrix as the original problem instance and are transformed only by modification of the objective function, right-hand side, and variable bounds. Exact computation is used to compute and store the exact representation of the transformed problems, and numeric computation is used for solving LPs. At all steps of the algorithm the LP bases encountered in the transformed problems correspond directly to LP bases in the original problem description. We show that this algorithm is effective in practice for computing extended-precision solutions and that it leads to direct improvement of the best known methods for solving LPs exactly over the rational numbers. Our implementation is publically available as an extension of the academic LP solver SoPlex.
Different ways to get to the answer
Authors: Davis John
Published: May 2016

John Davis provides techniques for increasing children's understanding of the process of multiplication, and what is meant by commutative and associative. Encourage them to make an estimate, and then apply a variety of approaches.
CPR: advanced life support
Authors: Haskey Eleanor
Published: May 2016

Cardiopulmonary arrest is an emergency situation which can present to any veterinary clinic at any time. The RECOVER guidelines (2012) are an evidence-based consensus for current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) recommendations for veterinary patients. Basic life support (BLS) includes circulation, airway and breathing. Advanced life support measures involve the administration of emergency drug therapy and cardiorespiratory monitoring. Alternative drug therapies may be beneficial such as electrolyte supplementation or drug antagonist administration. Both electrocardiogram (ECG) and end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring are recommended during CPR efforts and the veterinary nurse will play a vital role in ensuring that trends are observed. Debriefing is an important part of any CPR event so that the team can critique one another and improve performance in the future.
How to use and maintain anaesthesia monitors
Authors: Taylor Susanna
Published: May 2016

Carefully monitoring an anaesthetised patient is vital to maintaining the patient's wellbeing, and ensuring a patient's return to the same or improved physiological state that they were in prior to being anaesthetised. Although no monitor can be a substitute for a trained and attentive anaesthetist, mechanical monitors do provide information that the anaesthetist cannot know otherwise. The availability of different modes of mechanical monitors has increased for veterinary practices over recent years, and this can mean several pieces of equipment are required to be correctly set up for a single patient's anaesthetic. If monitoring equipment is not correctly used and maintained, it can become at best a waste of resources, and at worst, a risk in itself by distracting the anaesthetist from the job in hand. A lack of understanding about equipment use can also make the task of instrumenting an anaesthetised patient overwhelming, and lead to underuse of valuable resources.

This article discusses how to appropriately attach commonly used monitoring modalities to a patient to ensure their best results and patient safety. It will not discuss their use further or interpretation.
Nursing a canine patient with a pneumothorax — a patient care report
Authors: Jobson Lauren
Published: May 2016

This article will describe and evaluate the nursing care provided for a canine patient that had a chest drain in place due to a tension pneumothorax. It is evident that nursing a patient with a chest drain involves implementing and carrying out a number of nursing interventions to ensure a high standard of nursing care is maintained and to reduce the risk of any complications. The relevant nursing interventions included: pain management, management of the chest drain, preventing patient interference and observation of the patient for potential complications associated with the chest drain. Recommendations for future practice have been suggested and based on available literature, these include: implementation of a pain scoring assessment and changing the patient's thoracic bandage twice daily to allow earlier recognition of any signs of infection.
How you can help secure a healthier future for horses
Authors: Taylor Gemma
Published: May 2016

Please join the National Equine Health Survey during 23-30 May 2016, and encourage your horseowning clients and colleagues to do so too, urges Gemma Taylor, Education Officer at Blue Cross.
Kajian Indeks Bahaya Seismik Regional Menggunakan Data Seismik Pulau Jawa Tahun 1900-2006
Authors: S Sulistiyani , Koesuma Sorja , W Nugroho Budi
Published: May 2016

It has been conducted a research about Regional Seismic Disaster Index (RSDI) in Java Island by using seismic data from 1900 – 2006. RSDI is a index showing vulnerability seismic disaster in an area. The hight risk area is the highest risk, the low area is the lowest risk. The highest RSDI areas were Banten, Jawa Barat, and D.I Yogyakarta Provinces. While the lowest RSDI areas were DKI Jakarta and Jawa Tengah Province. Deviations standard value showed the moving RSDI value each region. Region with big RSDI value had high Seismic level were Banten , Jawa Barat, and D.I. Yogyakarta Province.