bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microestruturas ósseas e a fossilização em vertebrados pleistocênicos da Formação Rio Madeira, Sudoeste Amazônico, Brasil
Authors: Andrade Luana Cardoso de , Maniesi Vanderlei , Adamy Amílcar
Published: March 2018

Microestruturas ósseas e suas relações com a fossilização foram estudadas em elementos esqueletais de indivíduos de Megatheriidae e Toxodontidae (megafauna pleistocênica de Araras, Rondônia), coletados nas décadas de 1970 a 1990, em depósitos fluviais da Formação Rio Madeira. A utilização de técnicas de microscopia (óptica convencional com luz polarizada e eletrônica de varredura) e determinação química (espectrometria de energia dispersiva) revelou o processo de fossilização com predominância de carbono atuando nos espécimes estudados. O processo foi constatado, pela primeira vez, em fósseis de vertebrados pleistocênicos provenientes de depósitos fluviais da Formação Rio Madeira, caracterizado pela presença da matriz amorfa negra em microestruturas ósseas, com atuação do processo de fossilização associada ao carbono, inicialmente em microestruturas de porções compactas ósseas e, em seguida, degradando porções esponjosas dos ossos. Esse processo gerou diferentes estágios de degradação microestrutural, sendo possível, em alguns casos, identificações histológicas detalhadas; em outros, de total degradação, ocorre somente a matriz amorfa negra disseminada. A matriz amorfa negra possui o carbono como constituinte químico predominante com teores de até 90,19%. Além disso, eventos diagenéticos geraram microfissuras na matriz amorfa negra dos canais de Havers e Volkmann (pós-fossilização), bem como nos ósteons (pós-soterramento) e radiais (post mortem).
Faciologia orgânica da Formação Romualdo (Grupo Santana, Cretáceo Inferior da Bacia do Araripe): caracterização da matéria orgânica sedimentar e interpretação paleoambiental
Authors: Teixeira Marília Carvalho , Mendonça Filho João Graciano , Oliveira Antônio Donizeti de , Assine Mário Luis
Published: March 2018

A reconstrução paleoambiental do Grupo Santana (Neoaptiano-Eoalbiano) é matéria ainda controversa, principalmente no que se refere à influência marinha na sedimentação. Nesse contexto, a análise de palinofácies pode ser utilizada como ferramenta na caracterização de sistemas deposicionais, por meio da determinação de parâmetros palinofaciológicos e organogeoquímicos, baseados na concentração e distribuição dos componentes da matéria orgânica. No presente estudo foram utilizadas técnicas de microscopia em luz branca transmitida e azul/ultravioleta incidente (fluorescência) e métodos geoquímicos para a identificação dos diferentes grupos e subgrupos da matéria orgânica particulada em 58 amostras de uma seção sedimentar da Formação Romualdo (Grupo Santana, Cretáceo Inferior da Bacia do Araripe). As análises permitiram verificar a existência de duas assembleias distintas de componentes orgânicos particulados. A primeira é caracterizada por dominância de matéria orgânica amorfa derivada de tecidos vegetais, com quantidades relativamente elevadas de componentes de origem marinha. A segunda assembleia é caracterizada por dominância do Grupo Fitoclasto, predominando o subgrupo do fitoclasto não opaco não bioestruturado. A subdivisão do perfil litológico estudado em cinco intervalos estratigráficos possibilitou identificar ciclicidade no padrão de suprimento do material orgânico, relacionada a oscilações do nível relativo do mar. Dentre os intervalos estratigráficos identificados, constatou-se indícios da ocorrência de pelo menos duas ingressões marinhas durante a deposição da Formação Romualdo. A primeira marca o estabelecimento de condições relativamente estáveis de deposição da matéria orgânica, sob fácies de caráter mais distal a intermediário, em ambiente de mar epicontinental. A segunda ingressão marinha apresenta tendência de deposição da matéria orgânica sedimentar em condições proximais, mas com elevada influência de componentes de origem marinha, evidenciando um ambiente transicional proximal-distal, possivelmente um ambiente marinho costeiro.
The Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera Daudin, 1800 (Aves: Falconiformes: Falconidae) breeding on Palmyra Palm at Bahour Lake, Puducherry (Pondicherry), India
Authors: Lekshmi Raveendran , Boobalan Surendhar
Published: March 2018

Breeding of the Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera is being reported from Bahour Lake in Union Territory of Puducherry along with the breeding period observations.  The falcon nesting on the Palmyra palm Borassus flabellifer is reported for the first time from the country. The courtship was observed in mid-January and chicks fledged in mid-April. Incubation lasted 37 days, chicks fledged in 34–37 days, become nest independent in 40–43 days and become independent from parental care in 69–72 days.  Feeding frequency for 27–30 days old chicks were five prey deliveries during a two hours’ observation in the morning.  Fledglings were adult size, but with brownish crown and moustachial stripe, pale collar, maroon shoulders, darker wings and buff tinge on the underside; and were observed to retain the foraging territory in nesting area even after one month of removal from parental care.  Availability of quality crow nest in areas of good prey density could be a decisive factor in selecting breeding location; many crow nests on Palmyra palms were noticed in Puducherry region.  The palm nesting falcon could face additional threats from toddy and fruit extractors since the breeding season coincides with the flowering and fruiting season of Palmyra.
A checklist of bird communities In Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary, the northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India
Authors: Vinayak Dhananjay Chavan , Mali Subhash Vitthal
Published: March 2018

Bird communities in Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary in the northern Western Ghats were studied using line transect and point count methods from the year 2011 to 2013.  The updated checklist of birds at the Sanctuary is now represented by 164 bird species.  The present study reported 35 new records to the area, while 15 earlier reported bird species were not observed.  Overall, 55 insectivorous, 19 omnivorous, 14 granivorous, nine piscivorous, eight frugivorous, eight carnivorous and six nectarivorous species were observed.  Out of these, 98 were residents, 17 winter visitors, three vagrant visitors and one was summer migrant.  Four restricted range species were recorded from the Sanctuary as Nilgiri Wood Pigeon Columba elphinstonii, Malabar Grey Hornbill Ocyceros griseus, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher Cyornis pallipes and Crimson-backed Sunbird Leptocoma minima.  Human activities such as pruning, cutting, grazing, fires, quarrying, trailing and camping were also reported in and around the Sanctuary.
Prevalence and Predictors of Cholesterol Screening, Awareness, and Statin Treatment Among US Adults With Familial Hypercholesterolemia or Other Forms of Severe Dyslipidemia (1999–2014)
Authors: Bucholz Emily M. , Rodday Angie Mae , Kolor Katherine , Khoury Muin J. , de Ferranti Sarah D.
Published: March 2018

Background:

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and other extreme elevations in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly increase the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; however, recent data suggest that prescription rates for statins remain low in these patients. National rates of screening, awareness, and treatment with statins among individuals with FH or severe dyslipidemia are unknown.

Methods:

Data from the 1999 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to estimate prevalence rates of self-reported screening, awareness, and statin therapy among US adults (n=42 471 weighted to represent 212 million US adults) with FH (defined using the Dutch Lipid Clinic criteria) and with severe dyslipidemia (defined as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels ≥190 mg/dL). Logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic and clinical correlates of hypercholesterolemia awareness and statin therapy.

Results:

The estimated US prevalence of definite/probable FH was 0.47% (standard error, 0.03%) and of severe dyslipidemia was 6.6% (standard error, 0.2%). The frequency of cholesterol screening and awareness was high (>80%) among adults with definite/probable FH or severe dyslipidemia; however, statin use was uniformly low (52.3% [standard error, 8.2%] of adults with definite/probable FH and 37.6% [standard error, 1.2%] of adults with severe dyslipidemia). Only 30.3% of patients with definite/probable FH on statins were taking a high-intensity statin. The prevalence of statin use in adults with severe dyslipidemia increased over time (from 29.4% to 47.7%) but not faster than trends in the general population (from 5.7% to 17.6%). Older age, health insurance status, having a usual source of care, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and having a personal history of early atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease were associated with higher statin use.

Conclusions:

Despite the high prevalence of cholesterol screening and awareness, only ≈50% of adults with FH are on statin therapy, with even fewer prescribed a high-intensity statin; young and uninsured patients are at the highest risk for lack of screening and for undertreatment. This study highlights an imperative to improve the frequency of cholesterol screening and statin prescription rates to better identify and treat this high-risk population. Additional studies are needed to better understand how to close these gaps in screening and treatment.
Prognostic Performance of Heart Rate Recovery on an Exercise Test in a Primary Prevention Population
Authors: Sydó Nóra , Sydó Tibor , Gonzalez Carta Karina A. , Hussain Nasir , Farooq Shausha , Murphy Joseph G. , Merkely Béla , Lopez‐Jimenez Francisco , Allison Thomas G.
Published: March 2018

Background

Heart rate (
HR
) recovery has been investigated in specific patient cohorts, but there is less information about the role of
HR
recovery in general populations. We investigated whether
HR
recovery has long‐term prognostic significance in primary prevention.

Methods and Results

Exercise tests performed between 1993 and 2010 on patients aged 30 to 79 years without cardiovascular disease were included. Mortality was determined from Mayo Clinic records and Minnesota Death Index. Total,
cardiovascular
, and non‐cardiovascular mortality was reported according to
HR
recovery <13 bpm using Cox regression. 19 551 patients were included, 6756 women (35%), age 51±10 years. There were 1271 deaths over follow‐up of 12±5 years.
HR
recovery declined after age 60, and was also lower according to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, current smoking, and poor cardiorespiratory fitness but not sex or β‐blockers. Adjusting for these factors, abnormal
HR
recovery was a significant predictor of total (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]=1.56 [1.384–1.77]), cardiovascular (1.95 [1.57–2.42]), and non‐cardiovascular death (1.41 [1.22–1.64]). Hazard ratios for cardiovascular death according to abnormal
HR
recovery were significant in all age groups (30–59, 60–69, 70–79), in both sexes, in patients with and without hypertension, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, but not in patients taking β‐blockers, current smokers, and patients with normal cardiorespiratory fitness.

Conclusions

HR
recovery is a powerful prognostic factor predicting total, cardiovascular, and non‐cardiovascular death in a primary prevention cohort. It performs consistently well according to sex, age, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus but shows diminished utility in patients taking β‐blockers, current smokers, and patients with normal cardiorespiratory fitness.
Effect of Vegan Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on Carnitine‐ and Choline‐Derived Trimethylamine‐N‐Oxide Production and Vascular Inflammation in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Smits Loek P. , Kootte Ruud S. , Levin Evgeni , Prodan Andrei , Fuentes Susana , Zoetendal Erwin G. , Wang Zeneng , Levison Bruce S. , Cleophas Maartje C. P. , Kemper E. Marleen , Dallinga‐Thie Geesje M. , Groen Albert K. , Joosten Leo A. B. , Netea Mihai G. , Stroes Erik S. G. , de Vos Willem M. , Hazen Stanley L. , Nieuwdorp Max
Published: March 2018

Background

Intestinal microbiota have been found to be linked to cardiovascular disease via conversion of the dietary compounds choline and carnitine to the atherogenic metabolite TMAO (trimethylamine‐N‐oxide). Specifically, a vegan diet was associated with decreased plasma
TMAO
levels and nearly absent
TMAO
production on carnitine challenge.

Methods and Results

We performed a double‐blind randomized controlled pilot study in which 20 male metabolic syndrome patients were randomized to single lean vegan‐donor or autologous fecal microbiota transplantation. At baseline and 2 weeks thereafter, we determined the ability to produce
TMAO
from d
6
‐choline and d
3
‐carnitine (eg, labeled and unlabeled
TMAO
in plasma and 24‐hour urine after oral ingestion of 250 mg of both isotope‐labeled precursor nutrients), and fecal samples were collected for analysis of microbiota composition.
18
F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans of the abdominal aorta, as well as ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cell cytokine production assays, were performed. At baseline, fecal microbiota composition differed significantly between vegans and metabolic syndrome patients. With vegan‐donor fecal microbiota transplantation, intestinal microbiota composition in metabolic syndrome patients, as monitored by global fecal microbial community structure, changed toward a vegan profile in some of the patients; however, no functional effects from vegan‐donor fecal microbiota transplantation were seen on
TMAO
production, abdominal aortic
18
F‐fluorodeoxyglucose uptake, or ex vivo cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Conclusions

Single lean vegan‐donor fecal microbiota transplantation in metabolic syndrome patients resulted in detectable changes in intestinal microbiota composition but failed to elicit changes in
TMAO
production capacity or parameters related to vascular inflammation.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.trialregister.nl
. Unique identifier: NTR 4338.
Prognostic Value of Serial N‐Terminal Pro‐B‐Type Natriuretic Peptide Measurements in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Baggen Vivan J. M. , Baart Sara J. , van den Bosch Annemien E. , Eindhoven Jannet A. , Witsenburg Maarten , Cuypers Judith A. A. E. , Roos‐Hesselink Jolien W. , Boersma Eric
Published: March 2018

Background

A single
NT
‐pro
BNP
(N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) measurement is a strong prognostic factor in adult congenital heart disease. This study investigates
NT
‐pro
BNP
profiles within patients with adult congenital heart disease and relates these to cardiovascular events.

Methods and Results

In this prospective cohort, 602 patients with adult congenital heart disease were enrolled at the outpatient clinic (years 2011–2013).
NT
‐pro
BNP
was measured at study inclusion in 595 patients (median age 33 [
IQR
25–41] years, 58% male, 90%
NYHA
I) and at subsequent annual visits. The primary end point was defined as death, heart failure, hospitalization, arrhythmia, thromboembolic event, or cardiac intervention; the secondary end point as death or heart failure. Repeated measurements were analyzed using linear mixed models and joint models. During a median follow‐up of 4.4 [
IQR
3.8–4.8] years, a total of 2424 repeated measurements were collected. Average
NT
‐pro
BNP
increase was 2.9 pmol/L the year before the primary end point (n=199, 34%) and 18.2 pmol/L before the secondary end point (n=58, 10%), compared with 0.3 pmol/L in patients who remained end point‐free (
P
‐value for difference in slope 0.006 and <0.001, respectively). In patients with elevated baseline
NT
‐pro
BNP
(>14 pmol/L, n=315, 53%), repeated measurements were associated with the primary end point (
HR
per 2‐fold higher value 2.08; 95%
CI
1.31–3.87;
P
<0.001) and secondary end point (
HR
2.47; 95%
CI
1.13–5.70;
P
=0.017), when adjusted for the baseline measurement.

Conclusions

NT
‐pro
BNP
increased before the occurrence of events, especially in patients who died or developed heart failure. Serial
NT
‐pro
BNP
measurements could be of additional prognostic value in the annual follow‐up of patients with adult congenitive heart disease with an elevated
NT
‐pro
BNP
.
Reichweite und Instrumente islamrechtlicher Normenfindung in der Moderne: Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwīs iǧtihād-Konzept
Authors: El-Wereny Mahmud
Published: March 2018

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries were one of the most dynamic and innovative periods in Islamic history: The encounter with modernity due to the European colonialism has led to the emergence of new questions and challenges in the Islamic world. In response, reform thinkers and jurists try to reform Islam and its judicial system from within as a way to counter the perceived weakness and the decline of Muslim societies. One of the best-known and most controversial figures of Sunni Islam today who deals with the question of Islam and modernity is Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī (born in 1926). He is the cofounder and president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) as well as of the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR). His fatwas (Islamic legal opinions) count as an important reference point for issues of religious practice – not only for Muslims in the Middle East but also for European Muslims. Al-Qaraḍāwī considers iǧtihād as the essential medium of renewal that enables the practical implementation of sharīʿa rules into the daily life of Muslims. This, in turn, provides the solution (al-ḥall) for all their problems and challenges in compliance with contemporary living conditions. The present paper aims at shedding light on his understanding of iǧtihād and showing which jurisprudential methods and instruments he uses in order to perform his aspired “contemporary” iǧtihād. There will also be an exploration of whether and how far his concept of iǧtihād can be considered as muʿāṣir and adequate for Muslims living today.
Managing Contention: Divergent Government Responses to Youth Protests in the Arab World
Authors: Thyen Kressen
Published: March 2018

Why do some authoritarian governments respond beneficently to political protest while others opt for repression? This article argues that beneficent government responses in the form of concessions or institutional inclusion are fostered by three interrelated mechanisms working at three distinct levels: institutionalization of political protest within the polity, external certification of protest demands by legally legitimized authorities, and interest polarization between protesting groups and the government. Empirical comparison of government responses to youth protests before and during the 2011 uprisings in Morocco and Egypt proves that the divergent strategies in the two countries were not the result of spontaneous decision-making in times of heightened regime contention. Rather, they mirror established patterns of protest politics that are relatively resistant to ad-hoc manipulations. By extending the focus beyond a particular episode of contention, this study offers important insights into government-challenger relations in authoritarian regimes.
‘Preparing Children of Colonialism for a Postcolonial Future’: A Comparison of Orphanages for Eurasians in the Dutch East Indies, British India, and French Indochina during the Decolonisation Period, 1930–1975
Authors: Jacobson Liesbeth Rosen
Published: March 2018

In most colonies children of mixed European and indigenous origin were a concern for colonial authorities, who feared that if these children were abandoned by their European fathers they could harm white prestige, and with that endanger the colonial project. This article compares European-run orphanages in the Dutch East Indies, British India and French Indochina on the eve of decolonisation. At that time, the leaders of the orphanages and the older children in all three colonies faced a dilemma: should the Eurasian children leave or stay after decolonisation? In this article I look at how the orphanages dealt with the impending decolonisation, and how differences in this process between the colonies can be explained. I answer these questions by using archival material from orphanages in the three colonial contexts. I conclude that the differences between the contexts were explained best by the type of legal position Eurasians had in each colony.
Implications of the Second World War us Refugee Resettlement Efforts of Cecilia Razovsky and Varian Fry
Authors: Shaw Stacey A.
Published: March 2018

Despite anti-immigrant sentiment and severe restrictions on immigration to the us during the Second World War, many individuals and organisations fought to change attitudes and utilise the limited possibilities available. Cecilia Razovsky worked throughout this era to utilise quotas, increase awareness, and avoid negative attention that could hinder immigration. Varian Fry provided practical and legal assistance to refugees fleeing France until he was stopped by government officials. Razovsky has remained largely unknown but Varian Fry has drawn attention as an example of America’s best intentions. The Second World War is frequently invoked in contemporary discourse surrounding immigration and the stories of rescue during that era continue to fascinate, as Fry’s recognition shows. Through examining how the us immigration advocates Cecilia Razovksy and Varian Fry responded to restrictions during the Second World War, this article asks why aspects of humanitarian memory persist and examines why particular aspects of their work continue to resonate and hold meaning for contemporary resettlement work.
Women Pluralists Negotiating Immigrant Children’s Health in an Era of Mass Migration (the 1960s)
Authors: Iacovetta Franca
Published: March 2018

The article explores immigrant children’s health in Toronto, Canada, during mass migration by analysing a 1960s women-led project involving southern Europeans launched by the International Institute of Metropolitan Toronto, the city’s leading immigrant agency and part of a long-standing North American pluralist movement. Focused on the immigrant female fieldworkers tasked with convincing parents known for their ‘reticence’ in dealing with ‘outsiders’ to access resources to ensure their children’s well-being, it assesses their role as interpreters for the public health nurses investigating the Italian and Portuguese children who increasingly dominated their referrals from Toronto’s downtown schools. Without exaggerating their success, it documents the women’s capacity for persuasion, and notes the value of community-based pluralist strategies in which women with links to those being served play active roles as front-line intermediaries. The article highlights the history of women’s grassroots multiculturalism and the need to consider pluralism’s possibilities as well as its limits.
Jurisdiction and Admissibility in Investment Arbitration: The Practice and the Theory
Authors: Fontanelli Filippo
Published: March 2018

This is the first half of a two-part essay on jurisdiction and admissibility in investment arbitration. It focuses on the arbitration practice, whilst the second part sets these concepts in the wider framework of public international law litigation. This essay maps the objections to the tribunal’s jurisdiction (by ratio: materiae, temporis, loci and personae) and the claim’s admissibility. It offers some preliminary conclusions: in certain areas there still is no consensus; tribunals are inclined to characterise objections as jurisdictional, and rarely resort to admissibility; findings of inadmissibility draw a judgment on the claimant or the claim’s propriety (whilst jurisdictional decisions typically eschew value-judgment); tribunals failed to distinguish jurisdiction from admissibility. These findings are further explored, within a wider theoretical context, in the second part of the essay.
Interactions between Water Vapor and Potential Vorticity in Synoptic-Scale Monsoonal Disturbances: Moisture Vortex Instability
Authors: Adames Ángel F. , Ming Yi
Published: March 2018

South Asian monsoon low pressure systems, referred to as synoptic-scale monsoonal disturbances (SMDs), are convectively coupled cyclonic disturbances that are responsible for up to half of the total monsoon rainfall. In spite of their importance, the mechanisms that lead to the growth of these systems have remained elusive. It has long been thought that SMDs grow because of a variant of baroclinic instability that includes the effects of convection. Recent work, however, has shown that this framework is inconsistent with the observed structure and dynamics of SMDs. Here, we present an alternative framework that may explain the growth of SMDs and may also be applicable to other modes of tropical variability. Moisture is prognostic and is coupled to precipitation through a simplified Betts–Miller scheme. Interactions between moisture and potential vorticity (PV) in the presence of a moist static energy gradient can be understood in terms of a “gross” PV (qG) equation. The qG summarizes the dynamics of SMDs and reveals the relative role that moist and dry dynamics play in these disturbances, which is largely determined by the gross moist stability. Linear solutions to the coupled PV and moisture equations reveal Rossby-like modes that grow because of a moisture vortex instability. Meridional temperature and moisture advection to the west of the PV maximum moisten and destabilize the column, which results in enhanced convection and SMD intensification through vortex stretching. This instability occurs only if the moistening is in the direction of propagation of the SMD and is strongest at the synoptic scale.
Sino-globalisation
Authors: Thornton William H. , Thornton Songok Han
Published: March 2018

China’s return to hard-power strategies in Asia represents more than a geopolitical sea change. It is not just Xi Jinping rejecting Deng Xiaoping’s soft-power foreign policy, but the whole ethos of Dengism as the West has sorely misunderstood it. A generation of Western observers has taken this putative Dengism as the abiding essence of the China model. Its ‘win/win’ blueprint for China’s rise became a central pillar of ‘Washington Consensus’ globalism, which is now giving way to the Sino-globalism of Xi’s ‘China Dream’. There is still talk of the ‘peaceful rise’, but Xi conditions his vision of Asian ‘harmony’ on the acceptance of China’s regional supremacy. To comprehend the full implications of this hard-power shift is to recognise that the era of irenic globalism has ended and a new age of power politics has dawned.
Reduction of Tribocorrosion Products When Using the Platform-Switching Concept
Authors: Alrabeah G.O. , Knowles J.C. , Petridis H.
Published: March 2018

The reduced marginal bone loss observed when using the platform-switching concept may be the result of reduced amounts of tribocorrosion products released to the peri-implant tissues. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the tribocorrosion product release from various platform-matched and platform-switched implant-abutment couplings under cyclic loading. Forty-eight titanium implants were coupled with pure titanium, gold alloy, cobalt-chrome alloy, and zirconia abutments forming either platform-switched or platform-matched groups ( n = 6). The specimens were subjected to cyclic occlusal forces in a wet acidic environment for 24 h followed by static aqueous immersion for 6 d. The amount of metal ions released was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Microscopic evaluations were performed pre- and postimmersion under scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy X-ray for corrosion assessment at the interface and wear particle characterization. All platform-switched groups showed less metal ion release compared with their platform-matched counterparts within each abutment material group ( P < 0.001). Implants connected to platform-matched cobalt-chrome abutments demonstrated the highest total mean metal ion release (218 ppb), while the least total mean ion release (11 ppb) was observed in the implants connected to platform-switched titanium abutments ( P ≤ 0.001). Titanium was released from all test groups, with its highest mean release (108 ppb) observed in the implants connected to platform-matched gold abutments ( P < 0.001). SEM images showed surface tribocorrosion features such as pitting and bands of fretting scars. Wear particles were mostly titanium, ranging from submicron to 48 µm in length. The platform-matched groups demonstrated a higher amount of metal ion release and more surface damage. These findings highlight the positive effect of the platform-switching concept in the reduction of tribocorrosion products released from dental implants, which consequently may minimize the adverse tissue reactions that lead to peri-implant bone loss.
Psychiatric Medication Withdrawal: Survivor Perspectives and Clinical Practice
Authors: Hall Will
Published: March 2018

As patient/survivor movements continue to challenge reductionist biological views of mental health and psychosis, there is rising skepticism toward psychiatric medications and growing interest in withdrawal and alternatives. This new perspective also calls for a rethinking of reductionist assumptions about psychiatric medications themselves. General medical patient experience with collaborative decision making for other conditions has broad implications for psychiatric drug withdrawal, and by recognizing psychiatric medications as psychoactive substances, addiction science also suggests a central role for social context and therapeutic common factors in medication withdrawal response. New understandings of madness and medications support an emerging reconsideration of what constitutes the very definition of “health,” where measuring the absence of disease symptoms gives way to a systems-based focus on self-management, social relationships, and adaptability.
Inflectional Morphology in Fluent Aphasia: A Case Study in a Highly Inflected Language
Authors: Auclair-Ouellet Noémie , Pythoud Pauline , Koenig-Bruhin Monica , Fossard Marion
Published: March 2018

Inflectional morphology difficulties are typically reported in non-fluent aphasia with agrammatism, but a growing number of studies show that they can also be present in fluent aphasia. In agrammatism, morphological difficulties are conceived as the consequence of impaired phonological encoding and would affect regular verbs more than irregular verbs. However, studies show that inflectional morphology difficulties concern both regular and irregular verbs, and that their origin could be more conceptual/semantic in nature. Additionally, studies report more pronounced impairments for the processing of the past tense compared to other tenses. The goal of this study was to characterize the impairment of inflectional morphology in fluent aphasia. RY, a 69-year-old man with chronic fluent aphasia completed a short neuropsychological and language battery and three experimental tasks of inflectional morphology. The tasks assessed the capacity to select the correct inflected form of a verb based on time information, to access the time information included in an inflectional morpheme, and to produce verbs with tense inflection. His performance was compared to a group of five adults without language impairments. Results showed that RY had difficulties selecting the correct inflected form of a verb, accessing time information transmitted by inflectional morphemes, and producing inflected verbs. His difficulties affected both regular and irregular verbs, and verbs in the present, past, and future tenses. The performance also shows the influence of processing limitations over the production and comprehension of inflectional morphology. More studies of inflectional morphology in fluent aphasia are needed to understand the origin of difficulties.
How school counselors make a world of difference
Authors: O’Connor Patrick
Published: March 2018

School counselors play a key role in promoting students’ academic achievement, social and emotional development, and college and career readiness. The author reviews the research on counselors’ work in these areas and discusses how schools can ensure that their counselors are better able to succeed in supporting students.
Peer mentoring to support first-generation low-income college students
Authors: Plaskett Sean , Bali Diksha , Nakkula Michael J. , Harris John
Published: March 2018

Transitioning from high school to college can be a formidable challenge, especially for students who are the first in their family to attend college (first-generation) and/or are from low-income backgrounds. The authors’ qualitative investigation of a college mentoring program illuminates the potential value of relatable peer mentors in helping these students get off to a good start.
Adaptive decision feedback equalizer with dynamic principle for echo cancellation
Authors: Mastan Sharif SK , Satya Prasad K , Venkata Rao D
Published: March 2018

Adaptive decision feedback equalizer (ADFE) based on Least Mean square algorithm (LMS) has emerged as a novel tool for signal propagation without noise. However, it has the limitation of computational complexity. Since it has been reported that substantial echo cancellation leads to increased system quality and capacity, this paper proposes a dynamic LMS-based ADFE (DLMS-ADFE) to cancel the generation of the echo signal. The DLMS-ADFE has two dynamic principles in updating the coefficients. The first principle has varying step-size and the second principle has varying degree and magnitude of the signal. The comparison results show that the DLMS-ADFE is outperforming LMS-ADFE.
Corporate social responsibility’s influence on organizational attractiveness
Authors: Lis Bettina
Published: March 2018

While most studies of corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been conducted at the firm level, there is a nascent interest in research at the individual, particularly the employee, level of analysis. However, the extant literature has revealed that the effect of CSR on organizational attractiveness (OA) remains under-examined. Previous studies have overlooked the complex nature of the decisions that potential employees make about job choices while addressing the isolated effect of CSR on OA. Addressing this research gap, the present study aims to answer the question: What will be the result if CSR is compared to other factors when choosing an employer? Therefore, this study provides meaningful insights for both researchers and practitioners not only by analyzing how CSR affects the OA but also by showing the importance of CSR relative to other factors, such as remuneration, location, and intellectual challenge.
Operative Management of Acute Triceps Tendon Ruptures: Review of 184 Cases
Authors: Mirzayan Raffy , Acevedo Daniel C. , Sodl Jeffrey F. , Yian Edward H. , Navarro Ronald A. , Anakwenze Oke , Singh Anshuman
Published: March 2018

Background:

Distal triceps tendon ruptures are rare. The authors present a series of 184 surgically treated, acute, traumatic triceps tendon avulsions and compare the complications between those treated with anchors (A) versus transosseous (TO) suture repair.

Hypothesis:

No difference exists in the retear rate between TO and A repairs.

Study Designed:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

All patients who underwent an open primary repair of a traumatic triceps tendon avulsion within 90 days of injury, between 2007 and 2015, were retrospectively reviewed. Surgeries were performed within a multisurgeon (75 surgeons), multicenter (14 centers), community-based integrated health care system. Patient demographic information, type of repair, complications, and time from surgery to release from medical care were recorded.

Results:

184 triceps tears in 181 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 49 years (range, 15-83 years). There were 169 males. The most common mechanisms of injury were fall (56.5%) and weight lifting (19%). Mean time from injury to surgery was 19 days (range, 1-90 days); in 74.5% of cases, surgery was performed in 3 weeks or less. There were 105 TO and 73 A repairs. No significant difference was found between the two groups in the mean age ( P = .18), sex ( P = .51), completeness of tears ( P = .74), tourniquet time ( P = .455), and prevalence of smokers ( P = .64). Significant differences were noted between TO and A repairs in terms of reruptures (6.7% vs 0%, respectively; P = .0244), overall reoperation rate (9.5% vs 1.4%; P = .026), and release from medical care (4.3 vs 3.4 months; P = .0014), but no difference was seen in infection rate (3.8% vs 0%; P = .092). No difference was noted in release from medical care in patients who underwent surgery 3 weeks or less after injury compared with those undergoing surgery more than 3 weeks after injury (3.90 vs 4.09 months, respectively; P = .911).

Conclusion:

Primary repair of triceps ruptures with TO fixation has a significantly higher rerupture rate, higher reoperation rate, and longer release from medical care than does repair with A fixation. Implementation of suture anchors in triceps repairs offers a lower complication rate and earlier release from medical care.
Regional citrate-calcium anticoagulation during polymyxin-B hemoperfusion: A case series
Authors: Forfori Francesco , Brogi Etrusca , Sidoti Anna , Giraudini Martina , Monti Gianpaola , Zarrillo Nadia , Cantaluppi Vincenzo , Ronco Claudio
Published: March 2018

Introduction:

So far, only heparin-based anticoagulation has been proposed during polymyxin-B hemoperfusion. However, postsurgical septic patients can be at high risk of bleeding due to either surgical complications or septic coagulation derangement. Consequently, heparin should not represent in some cases the anticoagulation regimen of choice in this type of patients.

Methods and results:

We present a case series of four postsurgical septic patients treated with polymyxin-B hemoperfusion using regional citrate anticoagulation. All the treatments were performed without complications. During each treatment, there were no episodes of filter clotting, no bleeding, and no metabolic complications for any of the patients.

Conclusion:

To our knowledge, this is the second published report on the use of citrate anticoagulation during polymyxin-B hemoperfusion. Our case series continued to show that regional citrate anticoagulation regimen is feasible and safe during polymyxin-B hemoperfusion treatment in postsurgical septic patients.
Cognitive Social Capital and Formal Volunteering Among Older Adults in Urban China: Does Gender Matter?
Authors: Lu Nan , Peng Changmin , Jiang Nan , Lou Vivian W. Q.
Published: March 2018

This study examined the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between cognitive social capital and formal volunteering among older adults in urban China. Cognitive social capital refers to individuals’ perceptions of their social relationships in local communities. We used quota sampling to recruit 456 older adults aged 60 years and older from 16 communities of Gusu district, Suzhou city, in late 2015. Multiple group analysis was used to examine the proposed model. Gender had a moderating effect on the relationship between cognitive social capital and volunteering. The associations between cognitive social capital and volunteering were higher among older men than older women. The findings highlight the important role of cognitive social capital in influencing formal volunteering among older adults in urban Chinese contexts. The findings are particularly important for enhancing volunteering among older adults across different social and economic backgrounds. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.
Applying Agnew’s Integrated Theory of Crime and Delinquency to Victimization Risk
Authors: Grubb Jonathan A. , Posick Chad
Published: March 2018

Stemming from the work of Schreck (1999), criminological frameworks have increasingly been reframed to explore victimization experiences. Given developmental and situational changes over time, Agnew’s integrated theory of crime and delinquency provides a potentially profitable framework for explaining victimization that has remained relatively unexplored. To address this gap, the current study investigated whether contemporaneous and lagged effects of life domains outlined within the theory were predictive of violent victimization. Using multiple waves of data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods Longitudinal Cohort Study (PHDCN-LCS), support was obtained for peer domain factors, involvement in offending, and prior victimization. Implications for crime prevention in the form of interrupting the cycle of violence and future directions for testing victimization theory are discussed.
Detailed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Analysis in Infantile Spasms
Authors: Harini Chellamani , Sharda Sonal , Bergin Ann Marie , Poduri Annapurna , Yuskaitis Christopher J. , Peters Jurriaan M. , Rakesh Kshitiz , Kapur Kush , Pearl Phillip L. , Prabhu Sanjay P.
Published: March 2018

Purpose:

To evaluate initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in infantile spasms, correlate them to clinical characteristics, and describe repeat imaging findings.

Methods:

A retrospective review of infantile spasm patients was conducted, classifying abnormal MRI into developmental, acquired, and nonspecific subgroups.

Results:

MRIs were abnormal in 52 of 71 infantile spasm patients (23 developmental, 23 acquired, and 6 nonspecific) with no correlation to the clinical infantile spasm characteristics. Both developmental and acquired subgroups exhibited cortical gray and/or white matter abnormalities. Additional abnormalities of deep gray structures, brain stem, callosum, and volume loss occurred in the structural acquired subgroup. Repeat MRI showed better definition of the extent of existing malformations.

Conclusion:

In structural infantile spasms, developmental/acquired subgroups showed differences in pattern of MRI abnormalities but did not correlate with clinical characteristics.
Experiences of Foreign-Born Immigrant, Undergraduate Women at a U.S. Institution and Influences on Career–Life Planning
Authors: Stebleton Michael J. , Diamond Kate K. , Rost-Banik Colleen
Published: March 2018

This qualitative study explores the career–life experiences of foreign-born immigrant women pursuing undergraduate degrees. Two conceptual frameworks guided this study: life role salience and systems theory framework. We interviewed 18 women studying at a regional comprehensive university in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Two categories emerged from our analysis, which used constructivist grounded theory methods: (a) managing multiple roles, expectations, and options and (b) mediating the contexts that influence career–life decisions. Each category is organized by two subcategories. Our findings led to two theoretical propositions as well as suggestions for career development practitioners and implications for practice, policy, and research.
Effect of specimen size and ball size on breakage throughput in the drop-weight test
Authors: Akhondizadeh Mehdi , Rezaeizadeh Masoud
Published: March 2018

Effects of specimen size and ball size on the breakage throughput under the impact loading are investigated using a drop-weight test machine. Samples are square-shaped building stones ranging 20–60 mm in width and 22–256 g in mass. They include granite, marble, and two types of travertine with the thickness of 15 mm. The impact energies, up to 160 J, are achieved by falling balls in a drop-weight test machine. Several steel balls with the diameter of 60, 84, 96, and 120 mm have been used as an impactor. The ball size is a parameter whose effect on the breakage throughput is investigated here. Results show that the larger specimens have better breakage than the smaller ones at the same specific impact energy. It is also indicated that, at constant specific impact energy, the smaller balls behave more efficiently than the larger balls.
Petroleum coke exposure leads to altered secretome profiles in human lung models
Authors: Caruso JA , Stemmer PM
Published: March 2018

Petroleum coke (PC) is a coal-like product that is produced during the refinement of crude oil and bituminous sand. Fugitive dust from open storage of PC in urban areas is a potential human health concern. Animal inhalation studies suggest that PC leads to an adverse pulmonary histopathology, including areas of fibrosis and chronic inflammation; however, little is known about its impact on human health. In order to identify biomarkers and cellular pathways that are associated with exposure, we performed two-dimensional liquid chromatography–mass spectrometric analyses on secreted proteins from two human lung culture models. A total of 2795 proteins were identified and relatively quantified from an immortalized cell line and 2406 proteins from primary cultures that were either mock treated or exposed to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5–10 μm PC or filtered urban air particulates for 16 h. Pathway analysis on secretomes from primary lung cultures indicated that PC exposure suppressed the secretion of proteins involved in the organization of the extracellular matrix and epithelial differentiation. Because these cellular processes could facilitate fibrosis, we performed chronic 12-day exposure studies on three-dimensional human lung cultures consisting of epithelia and stromal fibroblasts. Relative to mock-treated cells, matrix metallopeptidase 9 levels in the conditioned media were lower by 4 days postexposure and remained suppressed for the duration of the experiment. Immunocytochemical staining of collagen III, a marker associated with fibrosis, showed increased accumulation in the epithelial layer and at the air–liquid interface.
Problems With Reliability of Speech Variables for Use in Quality Registries for Cleft Lip and Palate—Experiences From the Swedish Cleft Lip and Palate Registry
Authors: Malmborn Jan-Olof , Becker Magnus , Klintö Kristina
Published: March 2018

Objective:

To test the reliability of the speech data in the Swedish quality registry for cleft lip and palate.

Design:

Retrospective study.

Setting:

Primary care university hospital.

Participants:

Ninety-four children born with cleft palate with or without cleft lip between 2005 and 2009 who had been assessed and registered in the quality registry at the age of 5 years.

Main Outcome Measures:

Data in the registry on percent oral consonants correct, percent oral errors, percent nonoral errors, perceived velopharyngeal function (PVPF), and intelligibility were compared with results based on reassessments by 3 independent raters from audio recordings. Agreement was calculated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), quadratic weighted kappa, and percentage agreement.

Results:

Absolute agreement calculated by average measures ICC for percent oral consonants correct, percent oral errors, and percent nonoral errors was above >0.90. Single measures ICC for percent oral consonants correct was 0.82, for percent oral errors 0.69, and for percent nonoral errors 0.83. The kappa coefficient for PVPF was 0.5 to 0.59 and for intelligibility 0.65 to 0.77. Exact percentage agreement for PVPF was 33% and for intelligibility 47.8%.

Conclusions:

The data on oral consonants correct and nonoral errors in the quality registry seem to be reliable. The data on oral errors, PVPF, and intelligibility should be interpreted with caution. If differences among treatment centers are detected, one should go back and examine the collected raw data before drawing any definitive conclusions about treatment outcome.