bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Population-Based Precision Cancer Screening: A Symposium on Evidence, Epidemiology, and Next Steps
Authors: Marcus Pamela M. , Pashayan Nora , Church Timothy R. , Doria-Rose V. Paul , Gould Michael K. , Hubbard Rebecca A. , Marrone Michael , Miglioretti Diana L. , Pharoah Paul D. , Pinsky Paul F. , Rendle Katherine A. , Robbins Hilary A. , Roberts Megan C. , Rolland Betsy , Schiffman Mark , Tiro Jasmin A. , Zauber Ann G. , Winn Deborah M. , Khoury Muin J.
Published: August 2016

Precision medicine, an emerging approach for disease treatment that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle, is under consideration for preventive interventions, including cancer screening. On September 29, 2015, the National Cancer Institute sponsored a symposium entitled “Precision Cancer Screening in the General Population: Evidence, Epidemiology, and Next Steps”. The goal was two-fold: to share current information on the evidence, practices, and challenges surrounding precision screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers, and to allow for in-depth discussion among experts in relevant fields regarding how epidemiology and other population sciences can be used to generate evidence to inform precision screening strategies. Attendees concluded that the strength of evidence for efficacy and effectiveness of precision strategies varies by cancer site, that no one research strategy or methodology would be able or appropriate to address the many knowledge gaps in precision screening, and that issues surrounding implementation must be researched as well. Additional discussion needs to occur to identify the high priority research areas in precision cancer screening for pertinent organs and to gather the necessary evidence to determine whether further implementation of precision cancer screening strategies in the general population would be feasible and beneficial. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(11); 1449–55. ©2016 AACR.
Genomic Profiling of Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lung
Authors: Miyoshi Tomohiro , Umemura Shigeki , Matsumura Yuki , Mimaki Sachiyo , Tada Satoshi , Makinoshima Hideki , Ishii Genichiro , Udagawa Hibiki , Matsumoto Shingo , Yoh Kiyotaka , Niho Seiji , Ohmatsu Hironobu , Aokage Keiju , Hishida Tomoyuki , Yoshida Junji , Nagai Kanji , Goto Koichi , Tsuboi Masahiro , Tsuchihara Katsuya
Published: August 2016

Purpose: Although large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the lung shares many clinical characteristics with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), little is known about its molecular features. We analyzed lung LCNECs to identify biologically relevant genomic alterations.

Experimental Design: We performed targeted capture sequencing of all the coding exons of 244 cancer-related genes on 78 LCNEC samples [65 surgically resected cases, including 10 LCNECs combined with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) types analyzed separately, and biopsies of 13 advanced cases]. Frequencies of genetic alterations were compared with those of 141 SCLCs (50 surgically resected cases and biopsies of 91 advanced cases).

Results: We found a relatively high prevalence of inactivating mutations in TP53 (71%) and RB1 (26%), but the mutation frequency in RB1 was lower than that in SCLCs (40%, P = 0.039). In addition, genetic alterations in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway were detected in 12 (15%) of the tumors: PIK3CA 3%, PTEN 4%, AKT2 4%, RICTOR 5%, and mTOR 1%. Other activating alterations were detected in KRAS (6%), FGFR1 (5%), KIT (4%), ERBB2 (4%), HRAS (1%), and EGFR (1%). Five of 10 cases of LCNECs combined with NSCLCs harbored previously reported driver gene alterations, all of which were shared between the two components. The median concordance rate of candidate somatic mutations between the two components was 71% (range, 60%–100%).

Conclusions: LCNECs have a similar genomic profile to SCLC, including promising therapeutic targets, such as the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and other gene alterations. Sequencing-based molecular profiling is warranted in LCNEC for targeted therapies. Clin Cancer Res; 23(3); 757–65. ©2016 AACR.
Integrated Epigenomics Analysis Reveals a DNA Methylation Panel for Endometrial Cancer Detection Using Cervical Scrapings
Authors: Huang Rui-Lan , Su Po-Hsuan , Liao Yu-Ping , Wu Tzu-I , Hsu Ya-Ting , Lin Wei-Yu , Wang Hui-Chen , Weng Yu-Chun , Ou Yu-Che , Huang Tim Hui-Ming , Lai Hung-Cheng
Published: August 2016

Purpose: Endometrial cancer is a common gynecologic cancer whose incidence is increasing annually worldwide. Current methods to detect endometrial cancer are unreliable and biomarkers are unsatisfactory for screening. Cervical scrapings were reported as a potential source of material for molecular testing. DNA methylation is a promising cancer biomarker, but limited use for detecting endometrial cancer.

Experimental Design: We analyzed two methylomics databases of endometrioid-type endometrial cancer. Using nonnegative matrix factorization algorithm clustered the methylation pattern and reduced the candidate genes. We verified in pools DNA from endometrial cancer tissues and cervical scrapings, and validated in 146 cervical scrapings from patients with endometrioid-type endometrial cancer (n = 50), uterine myoma (n = 40), and healthy controls (n = 56) using quantitative methylation–specific PCR (QMSP). The logistic regression was used to evaluate the performance of methylation signal and gene combination.

Results: We filtered out 180 methylated genes, which constituted four consensus clusters. Serial testing of tissues and cervical scrapings detected 14 genes that are hypermethylated in endometrial cancer. Three genes, BHLHE22, CDO1, and CELF4, had the best performance. Individual genes were sensitivity of 83.7%–96.0% and specificity of 78.7%–96.0%. A panel comprising any two of the three hypermethylated genes reached a sensitivity of 91.8%, specificity of 95.5%, and odds ratio of 236.3 (95% confidence interval, 56.4–989.6). These markers were also applied to cervical scrapings of type II endometrial cancer patients, and detected in 13 of 14 patients.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the potential use of methylated BHLHE22/CDO1/CELF4 panel for endometrial cancer screening of cervical scrapings. Clin Cancer Res; 23(1); 263–72. ©2016 AACR.
Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene Variants and Neonatal Outcome in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Infants
Authors: Schreiner Christine , Schreiner Felix , Härtel Christoph , Heckmann Matthias , Heep Axel , Bartmann Peter , Woelfle Joachim , Müller Andreas , Herting Egbert , Göpel Wolfgang ,   the German Neonatal Network, GNN
Published: August 2016

Background: Induction of lung maturation by prenatal steroid treatment has become the standard of care for pregnant women at risk for preterm birth. In addition to the beneficial effects on lung maturation, prenatal steroids have been shown to reduce the incidence of neonatal death, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and intraventricular hemorrhage. However, little is known about the role of interindividual differences in corticoid sensitivity arising from polymorphisms in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene. Objectives: To assess the impact of GR polymorphisms N363S (rs56149945), R23K (rs6190), and BclI (rs41423247) on neonatal outcome. Methods: The GR polymorphisms N363S, R23K, and BclI were examined in 10,490 very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants from 49 German tertiary level neonatal units (German Neonatal Network, GNN) with respect to neonatal outcome. Results: Infants carrying the BclI genotype were at higher risk to develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (OR 1.12 per BclI allele, 95% CI: 1.02-1.23, p = 0.013) in a logistic regression model adjusted for gestational age, mechanical ventilation, and small for gestational age status. A similar relative risk was seen in the children (89.4%) who received antenatal betamethasone treatment (OR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.05-1.27, p = 0.003), whereas no such effect was detectable in infants without antenatal steroids. N363S and R23K did not show any stable association with neonatal outcome parameters. Conclusion: Except for a slightly higher risk of BPD in carriers of the GRBclI variant, the GR gene polymorphisms BclI, N363S, and R23K did not affect neonatal outcome parameters in this large multicenter cohort of VLBW preterm infants.
A "Revolta das Barcas": sobre silenciamento performativo e imaterialidade do protesto na (in)visibilidade contemporânea das periferias urbanas
Authors: Raposo Paulo
Published: August 2016

Neste artigo pretendo pensar do ponto vista da antropologia da performance o cruzamento entre espaço público, performances políticas e mediatização. Através da leitura de uma revolta urbana espoletada em 1959 em Niterói, a Revolta das Barcas, propus aos participantes de um curso-oficina na Universidade Federal Fluminense, em Novembro de 2014, uma instalação-performativa para revisitar sua memória e, sobretudo, para a reatualizá-la de um ponto de vista político face aos conflitos recentes associados ao Movimento Passe Livre no Brasil. Começo por analisar um conjunto imagético de protestos recentes em Portugal, stados Unidos, Espanha e Brasil para explicitar traços semelhantes no modo de atuação dessas mobilizações políticas e na resposta dada pelo poder dominante. “Artivismo” emerge como conceito a explorar nos protestos políticos contemporâneos. Ao longo do artigo, tentarei sublinhar a sua performatividade ativista, seus efeitos de carnavalização e suas possíveis articulações entre repertórios e arquivos.
Iconografia e Oralidade: sobre objetos e pessoa entre os Bororo
Authors: Caiuby Novaes Sylvia
Published: August 2016

O foco desse artigo centra-se em algumas modalidades sensíveis – visíveis, materiais e sonoras – por meio das quais é possível entender processos de criação e transformação de seres sociais que ocorrem em sociedades indígenas no Brasil. O estudo das formas culturais visíveis é uma das atividades da antropologia visual, tal como o coloca MacDougall; formas que constituem sistemas expressivos das sociedades humanas e que comunicam significados parcial ou fundamentalmente por meios visuais (MacDougall 1997, 283). Por outro lado, creio ser possível associar esses aspectos visíveis a outros aspectos sensíveis, como por exemplo os efeitos sonoros e mesmo o sopro, essenciais para a reflexão sobre a transformação que se opera em corpos humanos. Parto de um caso muito específico – alguns dos objetos presentes no funeral Bororo e as relações sociais que engendram a manufatura destes objetos, para mostrar que o caso Bororo pode enriquecer a perspectiva antropológica sobre esses processos. Nascimento, nominação, morte e funeral marcam transformações sociais da pessoa ao longo da vida, e a compreensão desses processos pode se beneficiar desta abordagem, que tem como foco essas modalidades sensíveis de expressão nos rituais. Vale lembrar que não se trata de entender estas modalidades sensíveis per se e sim o amplo espectro de relações culturalmente infletidas e codificadas por estas formas sensíveis de expressão.
Vozes e silêncios: apontamentos sobre reflexividade em filmes etnográficos
Authors: Mendonça João Martinho de
Published: August 2016

Este artigo pretende discutir a voz autoral como expressão de subjetividade e de reflexividade em filmes etnográficos. Analisa três usos da voz autoral para estabelecer correlações entre níveis teórico-metodológicos, audiovisuais e emocionais. A voz, pensada como um tipo especial de performance corporal, é sugerida como exercício e prática de pesquisa. A abordagem aqui experimentada procura perceber, todavia, como vozes autorais nos filmes podem ser situadas num esforço de aproximação dos problemas da antropologia contemporânea desde os anos 1980. Assim, a preocupação central recai sobre como filmes etnográficos contribuem para o pensamento antropológico, com especial atenção para a experiência etnográfica, o diálogo e a subjetividade. Filmes de antropólogos como Margaret Mead e Jean Rouch, bem como de um autor brasileiro mais recente, Edgar Cunha, são tomados como base analítica a partir da qual a importância da voz autoral pode ser reavaliada. Espera- -se que essa discussão possa contribuir para o exame crítico tanto de produções já realizadas quanto em projetos futuros.Translation: Thaddeus Gregory Blanchette
Relendo "A musicológica Kamayurá" de Rafael José de Menezes Bastos: 40 anos para além de uma antropologia sem música e de uma musicologia sem homem
Authors: Jacques Tatyana de Alencar
Published: August 2016

A obra de Rafael José de Menezes Bastos A Musicológica Kamayurá está prestes a completar 40 anos. Inicialmente, foi apresentada como Dissertação de Mestrado em outubro de 1976, ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Antropologia Social da Universidade de Brasília, orientada por Peter Silverwood-Cope, DavidPrice e Roque de Barros Laraia. Foi publicada pela primeira vez pela Fundação Nacional do Índio (FUNAI) em 1978, com tiragem limitada que se esgotou rapidamente e, conforme Anthony Seeger, “circulou de mão em mão” e foi “guardada como tesouro por aqueles que puderam obter seu próprio exemplar” (Seeger 1999, 13). Em 1999, a obra recebeu sua segunda edição, segundo Menezes Bastos, quase ipsis litteris em relação à primeira, publicada pela Editora da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, onde seu autor é professor desde 1984.
A musicológica Kamayurá - Entrevista com Rafael José de Menezes Bastos
Authors: Jacques Tatyana de Alencar
Published: August 2016

https://vimeo.com/147721141

A Musicológica Kamayurá - Entrevista com Rafael José de Menezes Bastos

Na entrevista A Musicológica Kamayurá, o Professor Rafael José de Menezes Bastos nos fala de seus anos de formação e de suas primeiras experiências profissionais. Comenta sobre seus principais gurus intelectuais e sobre o contexto político que marca sua atividade profissional na FUNAI na década de 1960 e também os anos de seu Mestrado na Universidade de Brasília. Também são assunto dessa entrevista algumas das principais questões teórico-metodológicas que marcam o livro A Musicológica Kamayurá (1978), tais como a questão da metalinguagem musical e da importância do ritual na constituição dos sistemas musicais, temas que serão retomados em trabalhos posteriores do autor. Brasil, 2015, Colorido; 22 min Roteiro, edição e realização da entrevista Tatyana de Alencar Jacques Música: Índios Kamayurá Fotografias e gravações: Rafael José de Menezes Bastos Produção: Tatyana de Alencar Jacques e Ari Ghiggi Junior Realizada em Florianópolis, 18 de maio de 2015.
Randomized Comparison of High-Sensitivity Troponin Reporting in Undifferentiated Chest Pain Assessment
Authors: Chew Derek P. , Zeitz Christopher , Worthley Matthew , Grantham Hugh , Beltrame John , Arstall Margaret , Coates Penelope , Astley Carolyn , Quinn Stephen , Ratcliffe Julie , Horsfall Matthew , Aylward Philip G.
Published: August 2016

Background—

High-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) assays promise greater discrimination of evolving myocardial infarction, but the impact of unguided implementation on the effectiveness of care is uncertain.

Methods and Results—

We evaluated the impact of hs-TnT reporting on care and outcome among chest pain patients presenting to 5 emergency departments within a multicenter randomized trial. Patients were allocated to hs-TnT reporting (hs-report) or standard reporting (std-report; Roche Elecys). The primary end point was death and new or recurrent acute coronary syndrome by 12 months. A total of 1937 patients without ST-segment elevation were enrolled between July 2011 and March 2013. The median age was 61 (interquartile range, 48–74) years, and 46.3% were women. During the index hospitalization, 1466 patients (75.7%) had maximal troponin <30 ng/L within 24 hours. Randomization to hs-report format did not alter the admission rate (hs-report: 57.7% versus std-report: 58.0%;
P
=0.069). There was no difference in angiography (hs-report: 11.9% versus std-report: 10.9%;
P
=0.479). The hs-reporting did not reduce 12-month death or new/recurrent acute coronary syndrome in the overall population (hs-report: 9.7% versus std-report: 7.2% [hazard ratio, 0.83 (0.57–1.22);
P
=0.362]). However, among those with troponin levels <30 ng/L, a modest reduction in the primary end point was observed (hs-report: 2.6% versus std-report: 4.4%, [hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.34–0.1.00;
P
=0.050).

Conclusions—

High-sensitivity troponin reporting alone is associated with only modest changes in practice. Clinical effectiveness in the adoption of high-sensitivity troponin may require close coupling with protocols that guide interpretation and care.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.ANZCTR.org.au
. Unique identifier: ACTRN12611000879965.
Gut Microbiome Associates With Lifetime Cardiovascular Disease Risk Profile Among Bogalusa Heart Study Participants
Authors: Kelly Tanika N. , Bazzano Lydia A. , Ajami Nadim J. , He Hua , Zhao Jinying , Petrosino Joseph F. , Correa Adolfo , He Jiang
Published: August 2016

Rationale:

Few studies have systematically assessed the influence of gut microbiota on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Objective:

To examine the association between gut microbiota and lifetime CVD risk profile among 55 Bogalusa Heart Study participants with the highest and 57 with the lowest lifetime burdens of CVD risk factors.

Methods and Results:

16S ribosomal RNA sequencing was conducted on microbial DNA extracted from stool samples of the Bogalusa Heart Study participants. α Diversity, including measures of richness and evenness, and individual genera were tested for associations with lifetime CVD risk profile. Multivariable regression techniques were used to adjust for age, sex, and race (model 1), along with body mass index (model 2) and both body mass index and diet (model 3). In model 1, odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for each SD increase in richness, measured by the number of observed operational taxonomic units, Chao 1 index, and abundance-based coverage estimator, were 0.62 (0.39–0.99), 0.61 (0.38–0.98), and 0.63 (0.39–0.99), respectively. Associations were consistent in models 2 and 3. Four genera were enriched among those with high versus low CVD risk profile in all models. Model 1
P
values were 2.12×10
−3
, 7.95×10
−5
, 4.39×10
−4
, and 1.51×10
−4
for
Prevotella 2, Prevotella 7
,
Tyzzerella
, and
Tyzzerella 4
, respectively. Two genera were depleted among those with high versus low CVD risk profile in all models. Model 1
P
values were 2.96×10
−6
and 1.82×10
−4
for
Alloprevotella
and
Catenibacterium
, respectively.

Conclusions:

The current study identified associations of overall microbial richness and 6 microbial genera with lifetime CVD risk.
Tadalafil Treatment Delays the Onset of Cardiomyopathy in Dystrophin‐Deficient Hearts
Authors: Hammers David W. , Sleeper Margaret M. , Forbes Sean C. , Shima Ai , Walter Glenn A. , Sweeney H. Lee
Published: August 2016

Background

Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of mortality among Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and lacks effective therapies. Phosphodiesterase type 5 is implicated in dystrophic pathology, and the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor tadalafil has recently been studied in a clinical trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Methods and Results

Tadalafil was evaluated for the prevention of cardiomyopathy in the
mdx
mouse and golden retriever muscular dystrophy dog models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Tadalafil blunted the adrenergic response in
mdx
hearts during a 30‐minute dobutamine challenge, which coincided with cardioprotective signaling, reduced induction of μ‐calpain levels, and decreased sarcomeric protein proteolysis. Dogs with golden retriever muscular dystrophy began daily tadalafil treatment prior to detectable cardiomyopathy and demonstrated preserved cardiac function, as assessed by echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging at ages 18, 21, and 25 months. Tadalafil treatment improved golden retriever muscular dystrophy histopathological features, decreased levels of the cation channel
TRPC
6, increased total threonine phosphorylation status of
TRPC
6, decreased m‐calpain levels and indicators of calpain target proteolysis, and elevated levels of utrophin. In addition, we showed that Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient myocardium exhibited increased
TRPC
6, m‐calpain, and calpain cleavage products compared with control human myocardium.

Conclusions

Prophylactic use of tadalafil delays the onset of dystrophic cardiomyopathy, which is likely attributed to modulation of
TRPC
6 levels and permeability and inhibition of protease content and activity. Consequently, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibition is a candidate therapy for slowing the development of cardiomyopathy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.
“Not an Ordinary Game, But a School of War”
Authors: Wintjes Jorit
Published: August 2016

Although the Prussian Kriegsspiel was a key training instrument in the Prussian army, it has so far attracted comparatively little scholarly attention. The article covers the early history of the Prussian Kriegsspiel, which was officially adopted as a training tool in 1824, and concentrates on the development of the first two Prussian wargames by Georg Leopold von Reiswitz (1812) and Georg Heinrich von Reisswitz (1824). A closer look at the immediate prehistory of the Prussian Kriegsspiel reveals that these two versions were not solitary inventions but emerged during a period when thinking about wargames design was en vogue among certain circles in Germany. None of these games gained official recognition, but the 1824 game introduced a number of key innovations that fundamentally changed the playing experience, resulting in the Prussian army’s chief of staff famously stating that the Kriegsspiel was “not an ordinary game, but a school of war.”
Tuber shii sp. nov., a sister species of T. jinshajiangense from China in Puberulum group
Authors: WANG YANWEI , LI XUEDONG , FAN LI
Published: August 2016

A new white truffle species Tuber shii is described and illustrated from China. Both the ML trees generated from ITS and the combined sequences of ITS and nrLSU revealed that T. shii is a distinct species and sister to T. jinshajiangense in phylogeny. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from T. jinshajiangense by its ascospore shape dominated with globose spores but often with the presence of subglobose ones. The pattern of relationship between T. shii and T. jinshajiangense is the same as that of European species T. sphaerospermum and T. oligospermum in morphology and phylogeny.
Phylogenetic relationships of the genera of Ptiloneuridae (Psocodea, ‘Psocoptera’, Epipsocetae) and a test on the monophyly of Brasineura Silva-Neto & García Aldrete and Loneuroides García Aldrete
Authors: SILVA-NETO ALBERTO MOREIRA DA , ALDRETE ALFONSO N. GARCÍA , RAFAEL JOSÉ ALBERTINO
Published: August 2016

The phylogenetic relationships of the genera of Ptiloneuridae were inferred on the basis of morphological characters of adult specimens. Two distinct clades are recognized: one, including Belicania, Euplocania, Omilneura, Perucania, Timnewia and Triplocania, and the other, including Brasineura, Loneura, Loneuroides, Ptiloneura, Ptiloneuropsis and Willreevesia. Brasineura and Loneuroides are recognized as monophyletic. A correction of nomenclature for the parts of the phallosome in Brasineura was made; we also modified the identification key to the genera of Ptiloneuridae, in the couplets that separate Loneura from Brasineura.
The Design of a Modern Information Technology Infrastructure to Facilitate Research-to-Operations Transition for NCEP’s Modeling Suites
Authors: Carson Laurie , Tallapragada Vijay
Published: August 2016

NOAA/NCEP runs a number of numerical weather prediction (NWP) modeling suites to provide operational guidance to the National Weather Service field offices and service centers. A sophisticated infrastructure, which includes a complex set of software tools, is required to facilitate running these NWP suites. This infrastructure needs to be maintained and upgraded so that continued improvements in forecast accuracy can be achieved. This contribution describes the design of a robust NWP Information Technology Environment (NITE) to support and accelerate the transition of innovations to NOAA operational modeling suites.

Through consultation with and at the request of the NOAA NCEP Environmental Modeling Center, a survey of segments of the national NWP community, and a review of selected aspects of the computational infrastructure of several modeling centers was conducted, which led to the following elements being considered as key for NITE: data management, source code management and build systems, suite definition tools, scripts, workflow management, experiment database, and documentation and training.

The design for NITE put forth by the DTC would make model development by NOAA staff and their external collaborators more effective and efficient. It should be noted that NITE was not designed to work exclusively for a certain modeling suite; instead it transcends the current operational suites and is applicable to the expected evolution in NCEP systems. NITE is particularly important for community engagement in the Next-Generation Global Prediction System, which is expected to be an Earth modeling system including several components.
Seasonal and Intraseasonal Variability of Mesoscale Convective Systems over the South Asian Monsoon Region
Authors: Virts Katrina S. , Houze Robert A.
Published: August 2016

Seasonal and intraseasonal differences in mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over South Asia are examined using A-Train satellites, a ground-based lightning network, and reanalysis fields. Premonsoon (April–May) MCSs occur primarily over Bangladesh and the eastern Bay of Bengal. During the monsoon (June–September), small MCSs occur over the Meghalaya Plateau and northeast Himalayan notch, while large and connected MCSs are most widespread over the Bay of Bengal. Monsoon MCSs produce less lightning and exhibit more extensive stratiform and anvil reflectivity structures in CloudSat observations than do premonsoon MCSs.

During the monsoon, Bay of Bengal and Meghalaya Plateau MCSs vary with the 30–60-day northward-propagating intraseasonal oscillation, while northeast Himalayan notch MCSs are associated with weak large-scale anomalies but locally enhanced CAPE. During intraseasonal active periods, a zone of enhanced large and connected MCSs, precipitation, and lightning extends from the northeastern Arabian Sea southeastward over India and the Bay of Bengal, flanked by suppressed anomalies. Spatial variability is observed within this enhancement zone: lightning is most enhanced where MCSs are less enhanced, and vice versa. Reanalysis composites indicate that Bay of Bengal MCSs are associated with monsoon depressions, which are frequent during active monsoon periods, while Meghalaya Plateau MCSs are most frequent at the end of break periods, as anomalous southwesterly winds strengthen moist advection toward the terrain. Over both regions, MCSs exhibit more extensive stratiform and anvil regions and less lightning when the large-scale environment is moister, and vice versa.
The Diurnal Cycle of Warm Season Rainfall over West Africa. Part I: Observational Analysis
Authors: Zhang Gang , Cook Kerry H. , Vizy Edward K.
Published: August 2016

This study provides an improved understanding of the diurnal cycle of warm season (June–September) rainfall over West Africa, including its underlying physical processes. Rainfall from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and atmospheric dynamics fields from reanalyses are used to evaluate the 1998–2013 climatology and a case study for 2006.

In both the climatology and the 2006 case study, most regions of West Africa are shown to have a single diurnal peak of rainfall either in the afternoon or at night. Averaging over West Africa produces a diurnal cycle with two peaks, but this type of diurnal cycle is quite atypical on smaller space scales. Rainfall systems are usually generated in the afternoon and propagate westward, lasting into the night. Afternoon rainfall peaks are associated with an unstable lower troposphere. They occur either over topography or in regions undisturbed by nocturnal systems, allowing locally generated instability to dominate. Nocturnal rainfall peaks are associated with the westward propagation of rainfall systems and not generally with local instability. Nocturnal rainfall peaks occur most frequently about 3°–10° of longitude downstream of regions with afternoon rainfall peaks. The diurnal cycle of rainfall is closely associated with the timing of extreme rainfall events.
Skill Assessment of HF Radar–Derived Products for Lagrangian Simulations in the Bay of Biscay
Authors: Solabarrieta Lohitzune , Frolov Sergey , Cook Mike , Paduan Jeff , Rubio Anna , González Manuel , Mader Julien , Charria Guillaume
Published: August 2016

Since January 2009, two long-range high-frequency (HF) radar systems have been collecting hourly high-spatial-resolution surface current data in the southeastern corner of the Bay of Biscay. The temporal resolution of the HF radar surface currents permits simulating drifter trajectories with the same time step as that of real drifters deployed in the region in 2009. The main goal of this work is to compare real drifter trajectories with trajectories computed from HF radar currents obtained using different methods, including forecast currents. Open-boundary modal analysis (OMA) is applied to the radar radial velocities and then a linear autoregressive model on the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) decomposition of an historical data series is used to forecast OMA currents. Additionally, the accuracy of the forecast method in terms of the spatial and temporal distribution of the Lagrangian distances between observations and forecasts is investigated for a 4-yr period (2009–12). The skills of the different HF radar products are evaluated within a 48-h window. The mean distances between real trajectories and their radar-derived counterparts range from 4 to 5 km for real-time and forecast currents after 12 hours of simulations. The forecast model improves persistence (i.e., the simulations obtained by using the last available OMA fields as a constant variable) after 6 hours of simulation and improves the estimation of trajectories up to 28% after 48 hours. The performance of the forecast is observed to be variable in space and time, related to the different ocean processes governing the local ocean circulation.
Understanding Heavy Lake-Effect Snowfall: The Vertical Structure of Radar Reflectivity in a Deep Snowband over and downwind of Lake Ontario
Authors: Welsh Dan , Geerts Bart , Jing Xiaoqin , Bergmaier Philip T. , Minder Justin R. , Steenburgh W. James , Campbell Leah S.
Published: August 2016

The distribution of radar-estimated precipitation from lake-effect snowbands over and downwind of Lake Ontario shows more snowfall in downwind areas than over the lake itself. Here, two nonexclusive processes contributing to this are examined: the collapse of convection that lofts hydrometeors over the lake and allows them to settle downwind; and stratiform ascent over land, due to the development of a stable boundary layer, frictional convergence, and terrain, leading to widespread precipitation there. The main data sources for this study are vertical profiles of radar reflectivity and hydrometeor vertical velocity in a well-defined, deep long-lake-axis-parallel band, observed on 11 December 2013 during the Ontario Winter Lake-effect Systems (OWLeS) project. The profiles are derived from an airborne W-band Doppler radar, as well as an array of four K-band radars, an X-band profiling radar, a scanning X-band radar, and a scanning S-band radar.

The presence of convection offshore is evident from deep, strong (up to 10 m s−1) updrafts producing bounded weak-echo regions and locally heavily rimed snow particles. The decrease of the standard deviation, skewness, and peak values of Doppler vertical velocity during the downwind shore crossing is consistent with the convection collapse hypothesis. Consistent with the stratiform ascent hypothesis are (i) an increase in mean vertical velocity over land; and (ii) an increasing abundance of large snowflakes at low levels and over land, due to depositional growth and aggregation, evident from flight-level and surface particle size distribution data, and from differences in reflectivity values from S-, X-, K-, and W-band radars at nearly the same time and location.
A Dynamical Initialization Scheme for Binary Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Liu Hao-Yan , Tan Zhe-Min
Published: August 2016

This paper reports on a dynamical initialization scheme for binary vortices (BVDI) that was developed to improve the initial conditions supplied to the models used to forecast binary tropical cyclones (TCs). For binary TCs, one TC can be regarded as the environment for the other TC’s development. Based on the dynamical initialization scheme for a single vortex (SVDI), a specified multistep iteration of SVDI was introduced in the BVDI scheme to ensure that each TC develops under conditions of realistic binary vortices interaction during the 6-h cycle run. In the BVDI scheme, each TC is initialized twice within a continuously adjusted environmental flow. Four clusters of forecast simulations with different initial conditions were run for 11 pairs of binary TCs over the northwest Pacific. The forecasts of binary TCs by the BVDI scheme reduced the position and intensity errors associated with the forecast TCs by 35.2% and 56.6%, respectively, compared with those without initialization, and also performed better than the direct extension of the SVDI scheme to binary TCs. The representation of binary vortices interaction will need to be improved for initialization and future forecasts of binary TCs.
Exploring and Understanding Differences Between Deliberate and Impulsive Male and Female Burglars
Authors: Sanders Amber N. , Kuhns Joseph B. , Blevins Kristie R.
Published: August 2016

Relying on rational choice theory, we compare burglars’ varying levels of offense planning to understand differences among types of burglars. Surveys were collected from a sample of incarcerated male and female burglars in three states. Participants answered questions detailing aspects of a burglary including motivations, target selection, deterrents, and techniques. Comparisons were made between 119 deliberate (32%) and 257 impulsive (68%) burglars. Deliberate burglars focused on obtaining cash, whereas impulsive burglars were more motivated by drug habits. Impulsive burglars were more easily dissuaded from a target when multiple obstacles are present. Burglars consider how many obstacles they may have to overcome, providing support for rational choice-based, situational crime prevention efforts. Differences in burglar motivation emerged and are discussed.
Bonds of love, ties of kinship? Or are there other ways of imagining the family
Authors: Arunima G.
Published: August 2016

Can one write a ‘visual history’ of the family? This article is a preliminary attempt to explore the relationship between visuals and history and how this is configured in relation to an institution like the family. By examining a diverse set of Indian images, ranging from Company art, Kalighat prints, realist portraiture and some photography, I wish to problematise the relationship between representation and history. A chief interest in this exploration is to see how the visual effects exceed the illustrative, and how that transforms our understanding of the ‘subject’ in question, in this instance, understanding the family conceptually.
Adult Playfulness, Humor Styles, and Subjective Happiness
Authors: Yue Xiao D. , Leung Chun-Lok , Hiranandani Neelam A.
Published: August 2016

Playfulness has been referred to as a disposition that involves reframing a situation to amuse others and to make the situation more stimulating and enjoyable. It may serve to shift one’s perspective when dealing with environmental threats. Despite all the benefits of playfulness towards psychological well-being, it remains a largely understudied subject in psychology, particularly in Chinese societies. Hence, this study examined the association between adult playfulness, humor styles, and subjective happiness among a sample of 166 university students in Hong Kong and 159 students in Guangzhou, who completed a self-administered questionnaire, including the Short Measure for Adult Playfulness, the Chinese Humor Styles Questionnaire, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Results showed that adult playfulness was positively correlated with affiliative humor, self-enhancing humor, and subjective happiness in both Hong Kong and Guangzhou samples. By its implication, highly playful Chinese students preferred using affiliative and self-enhancing humor to amuse themselves and others.
Mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of graphene oxide–multiwalled carbon nanotubes-filled thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposite
Authors: Tarawneh Mou’ad A , Ahmad Sahrim , Chen Ruey Shan
Published: August 2016

This article studies the enhancement in the properties of thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) reinforced by graphene oxide (GnO) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). TPNR is a blend of polypropylene and liquid natural rubber (NR), which is used as a compatibilizer and NR at a percentage of volume ratio 70:10:20, respectively. Using TPNR as the host matrix, a number of TPNR/carbon nanotubes (CNTs), TPNR/GnO, and hybrid TPNR/GnO/CNTs nanocomposites are processed and their mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties are characterized. The results extracted from tensile and impact test showed that tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and storage modulus of TPNR/GnO/MWCNTs hybrid nanocomposite increased as compared with TPNR composite and TPNR/GnO nanocomposite but lower than TPNR/MWCNTs nanocomposite. On the other hand, the elongation at break considerably decreased with increasing the content of both types of nanoparticles. Based on the experimental results, the thermal, electrical conductivity of a 0.5 wt% MWCNTs-reinforced sample increased as compared with a pure TPNR and other MWCNTs/GnO-reinforced composites. The improved dispersion properties of the nanocomposites can be due to altered interparticle interactions. MWCNTs, GnO, and MWCNTs–GnO networks are well combined to generate a synergistic effect that is shown by scanning electron microscopy micrographs. With the existence of this network, the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of the nanocomposite were improved significantly.
Palliative homecare is associated with reduced high- and low-acuity emergency department visits at the end of life: A population-based cohort study of cancer decedents
Authors: Sutradhar Rinku , Barbera Lisa , Seow Hsien-Yeang
Published: August 2016

Background:

Prior work shows that palliative homecare services reduce the subsequent need for hospitalizations and emergency services; however, no study has investigated whether this association is present for emergency department visits of high acuity or whether it only applies to low-acuity emergency department visits.

Aim:

To examine the association between palliative versus standard homecare nursing and the rate of high-acuity and low-acuity emergency department visits among cancer decedents during their last 6 months of life.

Design:

This is a retrospective cohort study of end-of-life homecare patients in Ontario, Canada, who had confirmed cancer cause of death from 2004 to 2009. A multivariable Poisson regression analysis was implemented to examine the association between the receipt of palliative homecare nursing (vs standard homecare nursing) and the rate of high- and low-acuity emergency department visits, separately.

Results:

There were 54,743 decedents who received homecare nursing in the last 6 months of life. The receipt of palliative homecare nursing decreased the rate of low-acuity emergency department visits (relative rate = 0.53, 95% confidence interval = 0.50–0.56) and was significantly associated with a larger decrease in the rate of high-acuity emergency department visits (relative rate = 0.37, 95% confidence interval = 0.35–0.38).

Conclusion:

Receiving homecare nursing with palliative intent may decrease the need for dying cancer patients to visit the emergency department, for both high and low-acuity visits, compared to receiving general homecare nursing. Policy implications include building support for additional training in palliative care to generalist homecare nurses and increasing access to palliative homecare nursing.
Feasibility of assessing patients’ acceptable pain in a randomized controlled trial on a patient pain education program
Authors: Oldenmenger Wendy H , van der Rijt Carin CD
Published: August 2016

Background:

For patients with cancer-related pain, the numeric rating scale is the most frequently used instrument to measure pain intensity. In the literature, it has been suggested to interpret patient-reported ratings of pain in relation to the pain intensity which is acceptable to the individual patient.

Aim:

We aimed to examine the feasibility and course of acceptable pain intensity.

Design:

A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial that tested the effectiveness of standard care versus standard care supplemented by a pain consultation combined with a patient pain education program.

Setting:

A total of 72 patients were included from an outpatient oncology clinic of a university hospital. They were diagnosed with cancer-related nociceptive pain with an average pain intensity ⩾4.

Results:

Most patients (97%) were able to give a score for acceptable pain. Almost half of the patients scored their acceptable pain in the range of moderate to severe. Patients’ ratings of acceptable pain were stable; after 8 weeks, 69% of patients had a variation of up to 1 point compared to baseline. However, the mean acceptable pain intensity remained equal in the standard care group (from 4.6 (range: 0–8) to 5.0 (range: 2–8)) and decreased in the intervention group (from 4.6 (range: 2–8) to 3.8 (range: 0–7, p < 0.01), difference between groups p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Measurement of acceptable pain intensity is feasible. Patients with additional pain treatment became more critical and accepted less pain. More research is needed before we can use acceptable pain intensity as a reference for the interpretation of pain ratings.
Globalization and growth of US university patenting (2009–2014)
Authors: Leydesdorff Loet , Etzkowitz Henry , Kushnir Duncan
Published: August 2016

Following a pause, with a relatively flat rate, from 1998 to 2008, the long-term trend of university patenting rising as a share of all patenting has resumed, driven by the internationalization of academic entrepreneurship and the persistence of US university technology transfer. The authors disaggregate this recent growth in university patenting at the US Patent and Trademark Organization (USPTO) in terms of nations and patent classes. Foreign patenting in the United States almost doubled during the period 2009–2014, mainly due to patenting by universities in Taiwan, Korea, China and Japan. These nations compete with the United States in terms of patent portfolios, whereas most European countries – with the exception of the United Kingdom – have more specific portfolios, mainly in biomedical fields. In the case of China, Tsinghua University holds 63% of the university patents in USPTO; followed by King Fahd University with 55.2% of the national portfolio.
Angular speed estimation and fault diagnosis based on an adaptive high-order sliding-mode observer
Authors: Wang Bin , Li Yan , Chen Jingjie , Zhang Chenchen
Published: August 2016

Digitally controlled electromechanical actuators with d.c. motors have been installed on a growing number of luxury vehicles, improving the vehicle performance significantly. However, the installation space and the cost issues of speed sensors in d.c. motors have limited the application of electromechanical actuators on medium-size and compact vehicles. In this paper, a novel adaptive high-order sliding-mode observer, which is based on the hybrid sliding-mode method and adaptive theory, is proposed. By integration of two adaptive gains with a high-order sliding-mode observer, the proposed observer facilitates application without the use of a filter, reduces the estimation oscillations and strengthens the system’s robustness. The effectiveness of the proposed adaptive observer was validated by simulations and experimental data.
Sample size and classification error for Bayesian change-point models with unlabelled sub-groups and incomplete follow-up
Authors: White Simon R , Muniz-Terrera Graciela , Matthews Fiona E
Published: August 2016

Many medical (and ecological) processes involve the change of shape, whereby one trajectory changes into another trajectory at a specific time point. There has been little investigation into the study design needed to investigate these models. We consider the class of fixed effect change-point models with an underlying shape comprised two joined linear segments, also known as broken-stick models. We extend this model to include two sub-groups with different trajectories at the change-point, a change and no change class, and also include a missingness model to account for individuals with incomplete follow-up. Through a simulation study, we consider the relationship of sample size to the estimates of the underlying shape, the existence of a change-point, and the classification-error of sub-group labels. We use a Bayesian framework to account for the missing labels, and the analysis of each simulation is performed using standard Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques. Our simulation study is inspired by cognitive decline as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination, where our extended model is appropriate due to the commonly observed mixture of individuals within studies who do or do not exhibit accelerated decline. We find that even for studies of modest size ( n = 500, with 50 individuals observed past the change-point) in the fixed effect setting, a change-point can be detected and reliably estimated across a range of observation-errors.
Engaging Families and Other Systems in School-Based Treatment
Authors: Rayburn Allison D. , Winek Jon L. , Anderson Hope
Published: August 2016

This article explores how systems theory can be utilized to inform an interdisciplinary team working with student/clients in a school setting. Specifically, postmodern family therapy theory is utilized as a framework to understand how specific parts of the whole of a school can be engaged in a conversation to construct solutions for student/clients’ problems. We develop a preliminary phase model of engagement and illustrate the model with a case example.