bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Framework for Privacy-Preserving Aggregation of Time-Series Data
Authors: Benhamouda Fabrice , Joye Marc , Libert BenoîT
Published: March 2016

Aggregator-oblivious encryption is a useful notion put forward by Shi et al. in 2011 that allows an untrusted aggregator to periodically compute an aggregate value over encrypted data contributed by a set of users. Such encryption schemes find numerous applications, particularly in the context of privacy-preserving smart metering.

This article presents a general framework for constructing privacy-preserving aggregator-oblivious encryption schemes using a variant of Cramer-Shoup’s paradigm of smooth projective hashing. This abstraction leads to new schemes based on a variety of complexity assumptions. It also improves upon existing constructions, providing schemes with shorter ciphertexts and better encryption times.
SQL’s Three-Valued Logic and Certain Answers
Authors: Libkin Leonid
Published: March 2016

The goal of the article is to bridge the difference between theoretical and practical approaches to answering queries over databases with nulls. Theoretical research has long ago identified the notion of correctness of query answering over incomplete data: one needs to find certain answers, which are true regardless of how incomplete information is interpreted. This serves as the notion of correctness of query answering, but carries a huge complexity tag. In practice, on the other hand, query answering must be very efficient, and to achieve this, SQL uses three-valued logic for evaluating queries on databases with nulls. Due to the complexity mismatch, the two approaches cannot coincide, but perhaps they are related in some way. For instance, does SQL always produce answers we can be certain about?

This is not so: SQL’s and certain answers semantics could be totally unrelated. We show, however, that a slight modification of the three-valued semantics for relational calculus queries can provide the required certainty guarantees. The key point of the new scheme is to fully utilize the three-valued semantics, and classify answers not into certain or noncertain, as was done before, but rather into certainly true, certainly false, or unknown. This yields relatively small changes to the evaluation procedure, which we consider at the level of both declarative (relational calculus) and procedural (relational algebra) queries. These new evaluation procedures give us certainty guarantees even for queries returning tuples with null values.
Parallel Optimal Pairwise Biological Sequence Comparison
Authors: Sandes Edans Flavius De Oliveira , Boukerche Azzedine , Melo Alba Cristina Magalhaes Alves De
Published: March 2016

Many bioinformatics applications, such as the optimal pairwise biological sequence comparison, demand a great quantity of computing resource, thus are excellent candidates to run in high-performance computing (HPC) platforms. In the last two decades, a large number of HPC-based solutions were proposed for this problem that run in different platforms, targeting different types of comparisons with slightly different algorithms and making the comparative analysis of these approaches very difficult. This article proposes a classification of parallel optimal pairwise sequence comparison solutions, in order to highlight their main characteristics in a unified way. We then discuss several HPC-based solutions, including clusters of multicores and accelerators such as Cell Broadband Engines (CellBEs), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and Intel Xeon Phi, as well as hybrid solutions, which combine two or more platforms, providing the actual landscape of the main proposals in this area. Finally, we present open questions and perspectives in this research field.
Construction and exploration of an interactive and collaborative map for the visually impaired
Authors: Ducasse Julie
Published: March 2016

The lack of tactile feedback is the main barrier that prevents access to 2D maps for visually impaired people. Artisanal techniques are used to produce tactile maps that can be explored by visually impaired people. Yet these are often expensive, take a long time to produce and, once printed, cannot be physically updated. Interactive maps can lessen these problems, and a recent study proved that interactive tactile maps are more usable than raised-line maps [2]. We plan to further improve the accessibility of maps by allowing visually impaired users to dynamically construct, explore or annotate a map, while also allowing several users to collaborate around it. To do so, we are particularly focusing on tabletop tangible interfaces, as they proved efficient for interacting with maps and also for supporting collaborative work. The usability of the prototypes and the resulting spatial representations will be evaluated.
Reducing viseme confusion in speech-reading
Authors: Gorman Benjamin M.
Published: March 2016

Speech-reading is an invaluable technique for people with hearing loss or those in adverse listening conditions (e.g., in a noisy restaurant, near children playing loudly). However, speech-reading is often difficult because identical mouth shapes (visemes) can produce several speech sounds (phonemes); there is a one-to-many mapping from visemes to phonemes. This decreases comprehension, causing confusion and frustration during conversation. My doctoral research aims to design and evaluate a visualisation technique that displays textual representations of a speaker's phonemes to a speech-reader. By combining my visualisation with their pre-existing speech-reading ability, speech-readers should be able to disambiguate confusing viseme-to-phoneme mappings without shifting their focus from the speaker's face. This will result in an improved level of comprehension, supporting natural conversation.
Hydrophobic bile acid apoptosis is regulated by sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 in rat hepatocytes and human hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Webster Cynthia R. L. , Anwer M. Sawkat
Published: March 2016

The hepatotoxic bile acid glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC) modulates hepatocyte cell death through activation of JNK, Akt, and Erk. The nonhepatotoxic bile acid taurocholate activates Akt and Erk through the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2). The role of the S1PR2 in GCDC-mediated apoptosis and kinase activation is unknown. Studies were done in rat hepatocytes, HUH7 cells, and HUH7 cells stably transfected with rat Ntcp (HUH7-Ntcp). Cells were treated with GCDC and apoptosis was monitored morphologically by Hoechst staining and biochemically by immunoblotting for the active cleaved fragment of caspase 3. Kinase activation was determined by immunoblotting with phospho-specific antibodies. JTE-013, an inhibitor of S1PR2, significantly attenuated morphological evidence of GCDC-induced apoptosis and prevented caspase 3 cleavage in rat hepatocytes and HUH7-Ntcp cells. In hepatocytes, JTE-013 mildly suppressed, augmented, and had no effect on GCDC-induced JNK, Akt, and Erk phosphorylation, respectively. Similar results were seen in HUH7-Ntcp cells except for mild suppression of JNK and Erk phosphorylation. Knockdown of S1PR2 in HUH7-Ntcp augmented Akt, inhibited JNK, and had no effect on Erk phosphorylation. GCDC failed to induce apoptosis or kinase activation in HUH7 cells. In conclusion, SIPR2 inhibition attenuates GCDC-induced apoptosis and inhibits and augments GCDC-induced JNK and Akt phosphorylation, respectively. In addition, GCDC must enter hepatocytes to mediate cell death or activate kinases. These results suggest that SIPR2 activation is proapoptotic in GCDC-induced cell death but that this effect is not due to direct ligation of the S1PR2 by the bile acid.
Intracrine VEGF Signaling Mediates the Activity of Prosurvival Pathways in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Bhattacharya Rajat , Ye Xiang-Cang , Wang Rui , Ling Xia , McManus Madonna , Fan Fan , Boulbes Delphine , Ellis Lee M.
Published: March 2016

The effects of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A/VEGF) and its receptors on endothelial cells function have been studied extensively, but their effects on tumor cells are less well defined. Studies of human colorectal cancer cells where the VEGF gene has been deleted suggest an intracellular role of VEGF as a cell survival factor. In this study, we investigated the role of intracrine VEGF signaling in colorectal cancer cell survival. In human colorectal cancer cells, RNAi-mediated depletion of VEGF decreased cell survival and enhanced sensitivity to chemotherapy. Unbiased reverse phase protein array studies and subsequent validation experiments indicated that impaired cell survival was a consequence of disrupted AKT and ERK1/2 (MAPK3/1) signaling, as evidenced by reduced phosphorylation. Inhibition of paracrine or autocrine VEGF signaling had no effect on phospho-AKT or phospho-ERK1/2 levels, indicating that VEGF mediates cell survival via an intracellular mechanism. Notably, RNAi-mediated depletion of VEGF receptor VEGFR1/FLT1 replicated the effects of VEGF depletion on phospho-AKT and phospho-ERK1/2 levels. Together, these studies show how VEGF functions as an intracrine survival factor in colorectal cancer cells, demonstrating its distinct role in colorectal cancer cell survival. Cancer Res; 76(10); 3014–24. ©2016 AACR.
Proteasomal Inhibition by Ixazomib Induces CHK1 and MYC-Dependent Cell Death in T-cell and Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Ravi Dashnamoorthy , Beheshti Afshin , Abermil Nasséra , Passero Frank , Sharma Jaya , Coyle Michael , Kritharis Athena , Kandela Irawati , Hlatky Lynn , Sitkovsky Michail V. , Mazar Andrew , Gartenhaus Ronald B. , Evens Andrew M.
Published: March 2016

Proteasome-regulated NF-κB has been shown to be important for cell survival in T-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma models. Several new small-molecule proteasome inhibitors are under various stages of active preclinical and clinical development. We completed a comprehensive preclinical examination of the efficacy and associated biologic effects of a second-generation proteasome inhibitor, ixazomib, in T-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma cells and in vivo SCID mouse models. We demonstrated that ixazomib induced potent cell death in all cell lines at clinically achievable concentrations. In addition, it significantly inhibited tumor growth and improved survival in T-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma human lymphoma xenograft models. Through global transcriptome analyses, proteasomal inhibition showed conserved overlap in downregulation of cell cycle, chromatin modification, and DNA repair processes in ixazomib-sensitive lymphoma cells. The predicted activity for tumor suppressors and oncogenes, the impact on “hallmarks of cancer,” and the analysis of key significant genes from global transcriptome analysis for ixazomib strongly favored tumor inhibition via downregulation of MYC and CHK1, its target genes. Furthermore, in ixazomib-treated lymphoma cells, we identified that CHK1 was involved in the regulation of MYC expression through chromatin modification involving histone H3 acetylation via chromatin immunoprecipitation. Finally, using pharmacologic and RNA silencing of CHK1 or the associated MYC-related mechanism, we demonstrated synergistic cell death in combination with antiproteasome therapy. Altogether, ixazomib significantly downregulates MYC and induces potent cell death in T-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma, and we identified that combinatorial therapy with anti-CHK1 treatment represents a rational and novel therapeutic approach. Cancer Res; 76(11); 3319–31. ©2016 AACR.
Genotype–phenotype correlation in a cohort of Portuguese patients comprising the entire spectrum of VWD types: impact of NGS
Authors: Fidalgo Teresa , Salvado Ramon , Corrales Irene , Pinto Silva , Borràs Nina , Oliveira Ana , Martinho Patricia , Ferreira Gisela , Almeida Helena , Oliveira Cristina , Marques Dalila , Gonçalves Elsa , Diniz MJoão , Antunes Margarida , Tavares Alice , Caetano Gonçalo , Kjöllerström Paula , Maia Raquel , Sevivas Teresa , Vidal Francisco , Ribeiro Leticia
Published: March 2016

The diagnosis of von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most common inherited bleeding disorder, is characterised by a variable bleeding tendency and heterogeneous laboratory phenotype. The sequencing of the entire VWF coding region has not yet become a routine practice in diagnostic laboratories owing to its high costs. Nevertheless, nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) has emerged as an alternative to overcome this limitation. We aimed to determine the correlation of genotype and phenotype in 92 Portuguese individuals from 60 unrelated families with VWD; therefore, we directly sequenced VWF. We compared the classical Sanger sequencing approach and NGS to assess the value-added effect on the analysis of the mutation distribution in different types of VWD. Sixty-two different VWF mutations were identified, 27 of which had not been previously described. NGS detected 26 additional mutations, contributing to a broad overview of the mutant alleles present in each VWD type. Twenty-nine probands (48.3 %) had two or more mutations; in addition, mutations with pleiotropic effects were detected, and NGS allowed an appropriate classification for seven of them. Furthermore, the differential diagnosis between VWD 2B and platelet type VWD (n = 1), Bernard–Soulier syndrome and VWD 2B (n = 1), and mild haemophilia A and VWD 2N (n = 2) was possible. NGS provided an efficient laboratory workflow for analysing VWF. These findings in our cohort of Portuguese patients support the proposal that improving VWD diagnosis strategies will enhance clinical and laboratory approaches, allowing to establish the most appropriate treatment for each patient.
Cardio-Oncology
Authors: Lenneman Carrie G. , Sawyer Douglas B.
Published: March 2016

Through the success of basic and disease-specific research, cancer survivors are one of the largest growing subsets of individuals accessing the healthcare system. Interestingly, cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors after recurrent malignancy. This recognition has helped stimulate a collaboration between oncology and cardiology practitioners and researchers, and the portmanteau cardio-oncology (also known as onco-cardiology) can now be found in many medical centers. This collaboration promises new insights into how cancer therapies impact cardiovascular homeostasis and long-term effects on cancer survivors. In this review, we will discuss the most recent views on the cardiotoxicity related to various classes of chemotherapy agents and radiation. We will also discuss broadly the current strategies for treating and preventing cardiovascular effects of cancer therapy.
Christianity’s Content: (Neo)Platonism in the Middle Ages, Its Theoretical and Theological Appeal
Authors: Otten Willemien
Published: March 2016

The development of medieval Christian thought reveals from its inception in foundational authors like Augustine and Boethius an inherent engagement with Neoplatonism. To their influence that of Pseudo-Dionysius was soon added, as the first speculative medieval author, the Carolingian thinker Johannes Scottus Eriugena (810–877ce), used all three seminal authors in his magisterial demonstration of the workings of procession and return. Rather than a stable ongoing trajectory, however, the development of medieval Christian (Neo)Platonism saw moments of flourishing alternate with moments of philosophical stagnation. The revival of theTimaeusand Platonic cosmogony in the twelfth century marks the achievement of the so-called Chartrian authors, even as theTimaeusnever acquired the authority of the biblical book of Genesis. Despite the dominance of scholastic and Aristotelian discourse in the thirteenth century, (Neo)Platonism continued to play an enduring role. The Franciscan Bonaventure follows the Victorine tradition in combining Augustinian and Dionysian themes, but Platonic influence underlies the pattern of procession and return — reflective of the Christian arc of creation and salvation — that frames the thought of Thomas Aquinas. Echoing the interrelation of macro- and microcosmos, the major themes of medieval Christian Platonic thought are, on the one hand, cosmos and creation and, on the other, soul and self. The Dominican friar Meister Eckhart and the beguine Marguerite Porete, finally, both Platonically inspired late-medieval Christian authors keen on accomplishing the return, whether the aim is to bring out its deep, abyss-like “ground” (Eckhart) or to give up reason altogether and surrender to the free state of “living without a why” (Marguerite), reveal the intellectual audacity involved in upending traditional theological modes of discourse.
A new genus and two new species of soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae: Chiromyzinae) from Australia, one found infesting sugarcane in central Queensland
Authors: DANIELS GREG
Published: March 2016

Metridius nov. gen. and types species M. robertsoni nov. sp. with winged males and apterous females is described from adults and larvae found infesting sugarcane stools from near Mackay, central Queensland. A second new species, M. mcalpinei nov. sp., based only on males from near Sydney, New South Wales is also described. Notes on the biology of both species and an identification key to the genera of the subfamily Chiromyzinae and to the species are also given.
Whitened Résumés
Authors: Kang Sonia K. , DeCelles Katherine A. , Tilcsik András , Jun Sora
Published: March 2016

Using interviews, a laboratory experiment, and a résumé audit study, we examine racial minorities’ attempts to avoid anticipated discrimination in labor markets by concealing or downplaying racial cues in job applications, a practice known as “résumé whitening.” Interviews with racial minority university students reveal that while some minority job seekers reject this practice, others view it as essential and use a variety of whitening techniques. Building on the qualitative findings, we conduct a lab study to examine how racial minority job seekers change their résumés in response to different job postings. Results show that when targeting an employer that presents itself as valuing diversity, minority job applicants engage in relatively little résumé whitening and thus submit more racially transparent résumés. Yet our audit study of how employers respond to whitened and unwhitened résumés shows that organizational diversity statements are not actually associated with reduced discrimination against unwhitened résumés. Taken together, these findings suggest a paradox: minorities may be particularly likely to experience disadvantage when they apply to ostensibly pro-diversity employers. These findings illuminate the role of racial concealment and transparency in modern labor markets and point to an important interplay between the self-presentation of employers and the self-presentation of job seekers in shaping economic inequality.
Release of the Inferior Crus in Antihelix Plasty
Authors: Raunig Hermann , Ofner Michael
Published: March 2016

Objective:

Protruding ears with a hypoplastic antihelix often have poorly developed inferior cura. Publications on this topic until now have only dealt with absent inferior crus and have neglected its importance in everyday antihelix plasty. This article describes a new surgical technique to improve treatment of the antihelix.

Methods:

Patients with protruding upper third ears received either standard otoplasty with crus superior remodeling (ST) or the newly developed surgical procedure including crus inferior release (STI). To evaluate the results, a survey containing 10 questions about different outcome parameters was conducted with the patients. Each question was given a score ranging from 0 to 10, where 10 meant the best outcome and 0 the worst.

Results:

From January 2013 to March 2014, 216 patients underwent otoplasty, of which 99 completed the questionnaire. No differences could be found between ST and STI patients except for their duration of pain, which was significantly less in group STI. Overall, the scores from the questionnaire were 89.85 in ST and 92.35 in STI. Mean values for satisfaction were 9.33 in group ST and 9.56 in group STI.

Conclusion:

When correcting the antihelix, the inferior crus must always be checked because the protruding upper third cannot be compensated only by overcorrecting the superior crus. It should be a matter of routine to recognize the degree of malformation and determine the best possible treatment. This novel technique is an additional valuable option in otoplasty to improve the upper third in a more natural way and create highly satisfactory results.
A Five-Year Analysis of Airway Foreign Body Management
Authors: Friedman Ellen M. , Anthony Benjamin
Published: March 2016

Objective:

To identify characteristics in patients who undergo positive and negative bronchoscopy for a suspected airway foreign body (AFB).

Methods:

Review medical records between 2008 and 2012.

Results:

There were 145 patients who went to the operating room with the pre-bronchoscopy diagnosis of suspected AFB during the study period. There was an overall negative bronchoscopy rate of an average of 37%, with an annual range between 21% and 50%. The findings of history or suspicion of choking, asymmetric breath sounds, and wheezing were statistically more common in patients with an AFB. Chest roentograms (CXR) had a sensitivity and specificity of 62% and 57%. Twenty patients had a chest computed tomography (CT) scan, and 100% were clinically significant. Four CT scans were diagnostic of an AFB, and 16 patients avoided bronchoscopy after negative CT.

Conclusions:

In current clinical practice, it is difficult to identify patients with an AFB without performing bronchoscopy. This results in a significant number of negative bronchoscopes. Certain elements in the history and physical exam were more common in patients who were found to have an AFB. Our preliminary data suggest that chest CT scans may be useful to decrease the number of negative bronchoscopies.
Collaborative Strategic Reading for Students With Learning Disabilities in Upper Elementary Classrooms
Authors: Boardman Alison G. , Vaughn Sharon , Buckley Pamela , Reutebuch Colleen , Roberts Greg , Klingner Janette
Published: March 2016

Sixty fourth- and fifth-grade general education teachers were randomly assigned to teach Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR; Klingner, Vaughn, Boardman, & Swanson, 2012), a set of reading comprehension strategies, or to a business-as-usual comparison group. Results demonstrate that students with learning disabilities (LD) who received CSR instruction in their general education classrooms—approximately 2 times each week over a 14-week period—made significantly greater gains in reading comprehension than students with LD in comparison classrooms ( g = .52). Teachers in CSR classrooms were also more likely to provide feedback to students and to use collaborative grouping structures.
Singer Perceptions of Collegiate Mid-Level Choral Experiences
Authors: Major Marci L. , Dakon Jacob M.
Published: March 2016

In this descriptive study, researchers surveyed choristers ( N = 630) from 16 mid-level collegiate choirs nationwide to investigate their perceptions and behaviors as they related to the strategies used by directors to facilitate ensemble identity. Also investigated were the factors affecting choristers’ dedication to choir and their intentions regarding future enrollment in the choral program. Results indicated that mid-level collegiate choristers hold very diverse opinions regarding the effectiveness of directors’ strategies. While participants indicated that many factors influenced their dedication to choir, those same factors did not directly affect reenrollment. Data indicated that choristers were dedicated when they did not have conflicts; felt committed; had an engaging, dedicated, and encouraging full-time faculty instructor; viewed the repertoire and ensemble as quality; and built friendships. Choristers who wanted to remain in their mid-level ensemble primarily cited the influence of personal and external factors followed by musical factors. Those who wanted to move into a different choir primarily sought the prestige of performing in a top-level choir.
Non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis at a tertiary care centre in South India
Authors: Mukta V , Panicker Lakshmi C , Sivamani Kalaimani , Goel Amit , Basu Debdutta , Dhanapathi Halnayak
Published: March 2016

Background

Non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF) is one of the important causes of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage in patients in tropical countries. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and laboratory profile of 68 patients with NCPF.

Material and Methods

NCPF is defined as liver disease with: (1) evidence of portal hypertension; (2) a liver biopsy showing no cirrhosis or a Tc-labelled sulphur colloid scan showing a pattern suggestive of NCPF; and (3) a patent splenoportal axis. The clinical, laboratory and demographic features of 68 patients with such criteria were studied and analysed.

Results

NCPF was common in women (73.5%) in the fourth decade of life. The median duration of illness was 24 months (range, 1 month–28 years). Patients presented to hospital with the sensation of a mass in the abdomen (50%) or with haematemesis (26.5%). They had splenomegaly (95.6%) and thrombocytopenia (88.2%). The majority of patients had normal liver function tests. Abdominal ultrasonography showed increased periportal and peri gallbladder echoes (72%), spontaneous collaterals (41.2%) and ascites (19.1%). Liver biopsy revealed portal venous sclerosis (76.3%) and periportal fibrosis (55.3%). Tc-labelled sulphur colloid scan was suggestive of NCPF in the remaining 30 cases.

Conclusion

NCPF is common in South India. Transient ascites occurs due to decompensation of liver function after variceal bleeding and in long standing cases of NCPF. Our study used Tc-sulphur scan for diagnosing NCPF in patients where liver biopsy was contraindicated in view of severe thrombocytopenia; however, the diagnostic utility of Tc-sulphur nuclear scan to diagnose NCPF in patients with severe hypersplenism needs to be further evaluated in future studies.
Cyclical Asymmetry in State Fiscal Policy: Is It Biased Toward Big or Small Government?
Authors: Kwak Sunjoo
Published: March 2016

Recent research has shown that fluctuations in revenue availability over the business cycle cause the adoption of fiscal policy that amplifies economic cycles. Building on theoretical models that address the political economy of fiscal expansions and adjustments and the fiscal policy preferences of voters and policymakers, this article examines whether those procyclical effects are symmetric between boom and recession. The analysis reveals that the procyclical effects of cyclical revenue increases (in upturn years) on expenditures are smaller than those of cyclical revenue decreases (in downturn years), whereas the procyclical effects of cyclical revenue increases on tax rates are larger than those of cyclical revenue decreases. That is, policymakers prefer tax cuts to spending increases in pursuing expansionary fiscal policy during booms and spending cuts to tax increases in making fiscal adjustments during recessions. Taken together, the results suggest that cyclical fluctuations in revenue availability have procyclical effects on state fiscal policies in a manner that is asymmetric between boom and recession and fiscally conservative.
Constructing a Language Problem: Status-based Power Devaluation and the Threat of Immigrant Inclusion
Authors: Estep Kevin
Published: March 2016

Opposition to immigrant inclusion is often grounded in a “Latino threat” narrative that portrays Latino immigrants and their descendants as incapable of assimilation and “undeserving” of the benefits of citizenship. Are nativist reactions to this narrative strongest where immigrants are lagging behind in cultural assimilation, or where they are actually making the greatest gains? Two competing logics of status threat are tested through an analysis of county-level voting returns on California’s Proposition 227. Status politics theories predict higher antibilingual support where immigrants are failing to learn English. In contrast, the status devaluation argument leads to the counterintuitive prediction that support should be highest where language assimilation rates are high. Although we might expect that the claims of the Latino threat narrative would be least appealing where objective circumstances refute them, findings suggest that the resonance of such claims can be amplified in settings where they are furthest from the truth. The theoretical argument advanced helps explain why nativist policies continue to generate broad appeal at a time when immigrants are rapidly assimilating.
Potential for improving efficiency of the internal cylindrical grinding process by modification of the grinding wheel structure—Part I: Grinding wheels made of conventional abrasive grains
Authors: Nadolny Krzysztof , Habrat Witold
Published: March 2016

This article offers an overview of 14 grinding wheel construction modifications used in the peripheral grinding of flat-shaped internal and external cylindrical surfaces, when grinding wheels made of conventional abrasive grains are used (Al2O3, sol-gel alumina, SiC, etc.). The text contains characteristics of grinding wheels with mixed grains, glass-crystalline bond, a centrifugal provision of the coolant into the grinding zone, aggregate grains, zones of different diameters, radial rough grinding zone, extended finish grinding segments, active surface macro- and micro-discontinuities, as well as multiporous, impregnated (self-lubricating), sandwich, sectional and segment grinding wheels. Each of the presented structural modifications was described by giving construction scheme, used abrasive grains, range of applications, advantages as well as disadvantages. Modifications of the grinding wheel construction allow for effective improvement of both the conditions and the results of the grinding process. A wide range of the known modifications allows for their proper selection depending on the required criteria of effective evaluation and taking into account the specific characteristics of conventional abrasive grains. As a result, it is possible to obtain positive influence on a number of technological factors of the grinding process. The described modifications of the grinding wheel structure can be also an inspiration and the basis for creating new solutions in this field.
Enhanced situation awareness for unmanned aerial vehicle operating in terminal areas with circuit flight rules
Authors: Liu Cunjia , Coombes Matthew , Li Baibing , Chen Wen-Hua
Published: March 2016

This paper considers the situation awareness function associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle arriving at an uncontrolled airfield. Given no air traffic control service available within such a terminal area, the unmanned aerial vehicle needs to establish a good level of situation awareness by using its onboard sensors to detect and track other traffic aircraft. Comparing to the existing works which mainly use sensor observations in the filtering process, this paper exploits the circuit flight rules to provide extra knowledge about the target behaviour. This is achieved by using multiple models to describe the target motions in different flight phases and characterising the phase transition in a stochastic manner. Consequently, an interacting multiple model particle filter with state-dependent transition probabilities is developed to provide the required situation awareness function.
Analysis of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors and their human leukocyte antigen-ligands gene polymorphisms in Iranian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Akhtari M , Farazmand A , Mahmoudi M , Akbarian M , Ahmadzadeh N , Mirkazemi Z , Mostafaei S , Jamshidi A R
Published: March 2016

Objective

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease. Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders that mainly express killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs). The present study was undertaken to determine the association of the KIR alleles, genotypes, and KIR–human leukocyte antigen ( HLA) ligand gene combinations with the susceptibility to SLE.

Methods

The genotyping of 17 KIR and 5 HLA loci was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) method. The study population consisted of 230 SLE patients and 273 ethnical-, age-, and sex-matched healthy controls. The association of the polymorphisms with the prevalence of 11 clinical criteria in patients was analyzed.

Results

The carrier frequency of HLA-A-Bw4 was modestly decreased in the SLE patients. The prevalence of hematological and renal disorders was significantly increased in patients with combination of KIR3DL1+; HLA-B-Bw4Thr80+ and KIR2DS1+; HLA-C2+ genes, respectively. Female patients with combination of KIR2DL2+; HLA-C1− genes were more likely to develop serositis. In addition the prevalence of renal disorders, oral ulcer and serositis was significantly increased in male patients with KIR3DP1+, KIR2DS1+, and KIR2DS3+ genotypes respectively.

Conclusion

Our results showed that the presence of activating KIR receptors alone or in combination with their HLA ligands and the absence of inhibitory KIRs in combination with their HLA ligands may activate NK cells and are significantly correlated with the prevalence of renal disease, hematologic disorders, serositis, and oral ulcer in SLE patients.
Gender differences in systemic lupus erythematosus concerning anxiety, depression and quality of life
Authors: Macêdo E A , Appenzeller S , Costallat L T L
Published: March 2016

Several studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, few data address gender differences regarding these manifestations. This study aimed to investigate gender differences in the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, and their effect on the quality of life (QOL) of male and female SLE patients. This study included 54 male SLE patients, 54 female SLE patients, 54 male controls and 54 female controls. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); the anxiety symptoms were examined using HADS. We used the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) to assess QOL. Depressive symptoms were found in 22.2% of BDI respondents, 24.1% of CES-D respondents and 13% of HADS-D respondents who were male SLE patients; while in the female SLE patient group, they were found in 38.9% of BDI respondents ( p = 0.063), 51.9% of CES-D respondents ( p = 0.653) and 31.5% of HADS-D respondents ( p = 0.003). Anxiety symptoms were found in 16.7% of the male SLE patients and 38.9% of the female SLE patients ( p = 0.024). Lower scores on the SF-36 (for QOL) were found in both male and female SLE patients with depression and anxiety symptoms. In conclusion, we observed significant gender differences regarding the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with SLE, with significantly higher values in the female group. The presence of these symptoms appears to have a negative effect on the QOL of patients of both genders.
Bayesian joint modeling for assessing the progression of chronic kidney disease in children
Authors: Armero Carmen , Forte Anabel , Perpiñán Hèctor , Sanahuja María José , Agustí Silvia
Published: March 2016

Joint models are rich and flexible models for analyzing longitudinal data with nonignorable missing data mechanisms. This article proposes a Bayesian random-effects joint model to assess the evolution of a longitudinal process in terms of a linear mixed-effects model that accounts for heterogeneity between the subjects, serial correlation, and measurement error. Dropout is modeled in terms of a survival model with competing risks and left truncation. The model is applied to data coming from ReVaPIR, a project involving children with chronic kidney disease whose evolution is mainly assessed through longitudinal measurements of glomerular filtration rate.
Correlates of a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question in people with schizophrenia
Authors: Maguire Paul A , Reay Rebecca E , Raphael Beverley
Published: March 2016

Objective:

The objective of this study was to explore the correlates of a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question in people with schizophrenia, in order to achieve a better understanding of what it is measuring.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted exploring the responses of 71 adults with schizophrenia to a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question and the relationship with psychological distress, illness perception, and self-rated general health. Measures included the 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the single-item Self-Rated Health Question.

Results:

People with schizophrenia who reported poorer levels of mental health on a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question were more likely to have: higher levels of psychological distress; depressive and anxiety symptoms; and negative illness perceptions, especially a lack of perceived personal control over their illness. There was a moderate positive correlation between self-rated mental health and self-rated general health.

Conclusion:

The single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question is a predictor of important clinical features in people with schizophrenia. As such, there are implications for health services, with a possible role as a brief, easily administered screening tool for the detection of clinical vulnerability.
Ankle Power and Endurance Outcomes Following Isolated Gastrocnemius Recession for Achilles Tendinopathy
Authors: Nawoczenski Deborah A. , DiLiberto Frank E. , Cantor Maxwell S. , Tome Josh M. , DiGiovanni Benedict F.
Published: March 2016

Background:

Studies have demonstrated improved ankle dorsiflexion and pain reduction following a gastrocnemius recession (GR) procedure. However, changes in muscle performance during functional activities are not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an isolated GR on ankle power and endurance in patients with Achilles tendinopathy.

Methods:

Fourteen patients with chronic unilateral Achilles tendinopathy and 10 healthy controls participated in this study. Patient group data were collected 18 months following GR. Pain was compared to preoperative values using a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS). Patient-reported outcomes for activities of daily living (ADL) and sports were assessed using the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM). Kinematic and kinetic data were collected during gait, stair ascent (standard and high step), and repetitive single-limb heel raises. Between-group and side-to-side differences in ankle plantarflexor muscle power and endurance were evaluated with appropriate t tests.

Results:

Compared with preoperative data, VAS pain scores were reduced (pre 6.8, post 1.6, P < .05). Significant differences were observed between GR and Control groups for FAAM scores for both ADL (GR 90.0, Control 98.3, P = .01) and Sports subscales (GR 70.6, Control 94.6, P = .01). When compared to controls, ankle power was reduced in the involved limb of the GR group for all activities (all P < .05). Between-group and side-to-side deficits (GR group only) were also found for ankle endurance.

Conclusion:

The gastrocnemius recession procedure provided significant pain reduction that was maintained at the 18-month follow-up for patients with chronic Achilles tendinopathy who failed nonoperative interventions. There were good patient-reported outcomes for activities of daily living. However, compared to controls, ankle plantarflexion power and endurance deficits in the GR group were noted. The functional implications of the muscle performance deficits are unclear, but may be reflective of patients’ self-reported difficulty during more challenging activities.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, comparative study.
Psychopathy in a Multiethnic World: Investigating Multiple Measures of Psychopathy in Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian Offenders
Authors: Gatner Dylan T. , Blanchard Adam J. E. , Douglas Kevin S. , Lilienfeld Scott O. , Edens John F.
Published: March 2016

Despite the forensic relevance of psychopathy and the overrepresentation of Hispanics in the United States’ criminal justice system, these two issues remain underexplored, particularly with self-report measures of psychopathy. We investigated the criterion validity of three psychopathy measures among African Americans, Caucasians, and Hispanics in a sample of 1,742 offenders. More similarity than dissimilarity emerged across groups. The factor structures of psychopathy measures among Hispanic offenders were consistent with previous findings. Few significant differences emerged between Hispanic and Caucasian offenders, with most differences emerging between African Americans and the other ethnic groups. In such instances, the correlates of psychopathy were typically weaker for African Americans. The Psychopathy Checklist–Revised yielded fewer psychopathy × ethnicity interactions than the Psychopathic Personality Inventory and Levenson Primary and Secondary Psychopathy Scales. Overall, these psychopathy measures showed reasonable validity across these cultural groups.
Shades of Grey in Vaccination Decision Making
Authors: Seethaler Sherry L.
Published: March 2016

Many studies have investigated how individual factors, message factors, and combinations of individual and message factors influence choice of information processing strategy. This commentary probes a complex contemporary personal and policy issue to illustrate the drawbacks of relying on subjects’ self-reports of reasoning strategy, or the conclusions of subjects’ decision-making processes, to distinguish between heuristic and systematic information processing. Moreover, it argues that to reach their audiences effectively, science communicators need both a sophisticated understanding of the tradeoffs in the science and health issues they cover, and a knowledge of the commonly used heuristics that influence individuals’ costs-benefits analyses.
Improving adherence to the Epic Beacon ambulatory workflow
Authors: Chackunkal Ellen , Dhanapal Vogel Vishnuprabha , Grycki Meredith , Kostoff Diana
Published: March 2016

Computerized physician order entry has been shown to significantly improve chemotherapy safety by reducing the number of prescribing errors. Epic's Beacon Oncology Information System of computerized physician order entry and electronic medication administration was implemented in Henry Ford Health System's ambulatory oncology infusion centers on 9 November 2013. Since that time, compliance to the infusion workflow had not been assessed. The objective of this study was to optimize the current workflow and improve the compliance to this workflow in the ambulatory oncology setting. This study was a retrospective, quasi-experimental study which analyzed the composite workflow compliance rate of patient encounters from 9 to 23 November 2014. Based on this analysis, an intervention was identified and implemented in February 2015 to improve workflow compliance. The primary endpoint was to compare the composite compliance rate to the Beacon workflow before and after a pharmacy-initiated intervention. The intervention, which was education of infusion center staff, was initiated by ambulatory-based, oncology pharmacists and implemented by a multi-disciplinary team of pharmacists and nurses. The composite compliance rate was then reassessed for patient encounters from 2 to 13 March 2015 in order to analyze the effects of the determined intervention on compliance. The initial analysis in November 2014 revealed a composite compliance rate of 38%, and data analysis after the intervention revealed a statistically significant increase in the composite compliance rate to 83% ( p < 0.001). This study supports a pharmacist-initiated educational intervention can improve compliance to an ambulatory, oncology infusion workflow.
Network Ethnography
Authors: Berthod Olivier , Grothe-Hammer Michael , Sydow Jörg
Published: March 2016

A general interest in the study of social practices has been spreading across a diversity of disciplines in organization and management research, relying mostly on rich ethnographic accounts of units or teams. What is often called the practice-turn, however, has not reached research on interorganizational networks. This is mainly due to methodological issues that call, in the end, for a mixed-method approach. This article addresses this issue by proposing a research design that balances well-established social network analysis with a set of techniques of organizational ethnography that fit with the specifics of interorganizational networks. In what we call network ethnography, qualitative and quantitative data are collected and analyzed in a parallel fashion. Ultimately, the design implies convergence during data interpretation, hereby offering platforms of reflection for each method toward new data collection and analysis. We discuss implications for mixed-method literature, research on interorganizational networks, and organizational ethnography.
Dynamics of the spleen and its significance in a murine H22 orthotopic hepatoma model
Authors: Li Baohua , Zhang Shu , Huang Na , Chen Haiyan , Wang Peijun , Li Jun , Pu Yansong , Yang Jun , Li Zongfang
Published: March 2016

The dynamics of the spleen during tumor progression remains incompletely understood. In this study, we established a murine H22 orthotopic hepatoma model and dynamically detected alterations in the percentages of immunocytes in the spleen. We observed a prominent myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) accumulation during the early response which persisted through all the stages of tumor growth. In addition, the percentage of regulatory T cells (Tregs) increased by week 2. Although the percentage of CD3+CD49b+ natural killer T (NKT) cells increased by day 3, and that of CD3+CD4+ T cells slightly increased by week 1, they decreased to either normal or lower levels compared with those of normal mice. The percentages of total CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ T cells decreased by week 2, and that of NK cells decreased by week 3. The activation of non-Treg CD4+ T cells was scarce. Moreover, splenic MDSCs of tumor-bearing mice suppressed the activation of splenocytes. Therefore, a negative immune response gradually prevailed over a positive immune response during tumor growth. In addition, splenectomy was performed at the time of tumor inoculation, and we found that splenectomy could prolong the survival time, reduce the tumor weights, decrease the ascites volumes, and ameliorate the immune status of the tumor-bearing mice. Splenectomy also decreased the percentage of MDSCs and increased the percentages of CD8+ T cells, NK, and NKT cells in tumor tissues. Additionally, splenectomy decreased the percentage of MDSCs and increased that of CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood. Overall, our findings suggest that immune-negative cells are dominant in the spleen during tumor progression. Splenectomy could be helpful to improve the immune responses of tumor-bearing hosts.