bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association Between Prolactin and Incidence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Therkelsen Kate E. , Abraham Tobin M. , Pedley Alison , Massaro Joseph M. , Sutherland Patrice , Hoffmann Udo , Fox Caroline S.
Published: February 2016

Background

Prolactin is an anterior pituitary hormone that may modulate the adverse effects of obesity. Prolactin has been associated with cardiovascular disease mortality, but less is known about whether prolactin predicts incidence of cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Methods and Results

Our sample (n=3232, mean age 40.4 years, 52.1% women) was drawn from Framingham Heart Study participants who attended 2 examinations an average of 6.1 years apart. After excluding those with elevated prolactin (>30 mg/dL for women, >20 mg/dL for men), multivariable‐adjusted regressions modeled the associations between baseline prolactin and changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors. Models were adjusted for age, sex, baseline value of the risk factor, smoking status, hormone replacement therapy, and menopausal status and additionally for body mass index. Mean prolactin levels were 11.9 mg/dL (
SD
5.2) in women and 8.0 mg/dL (
SD
2.9) in men. No associations were observed for change in weight, body composition, total cholesterol, triglycerides, or fasting glucose. In women, for example, for each 5‐mg/dL increment in prolactin, odds of incident hypercholesterolemia were 1.06, which was not significant (95%
CI
0.91–1.23,
P
=0.46). Some exceptions were of note. In women, for each 5‐mg/dL increment in prolactin, we observed increased odds of low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol at follow‐up (odds ratio 1.50, 95%
CI
1.18–1.91,
P
=0.001) that persisted after adjustment for body mass index (
P
=0.001). In men, a 5‐mg/dL increment in prolactin was associated with increased odds of incident hypertension (odds ratio 1.61, 95%
CI
1.18–2.20
P
=0.002) and incident diabetes (odds ratio 1.70, 95%
CI
1.04–2.78,
P
=0.03).

Conclusions

Prolactin is not associated with a comprehensive panel of incident cardiovascular disease risk factors. Measurement of circulating prolactin levels in the community likely does not provide substantial insight into cardiometabolic risk.
Impairment of Coronary Flow Reserve Evaluated by Phase Contrast Cine‐Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Kato Shingo , Saito Naka , Kirigaya Hidekuni , Gyotoku Daiki , Iinuma Naoki , Kusakawa Yuka , Iguchi Kohei , Nakachi Tatsuya , Fukui Kazuki , Futaki Masaaki , Iwasawa Tae , Kimura Kazuo , Umemura Satoshi
Published: February 2016

Background

Phase contrast (
PC
) cine‐magnetic resonance imaging (
MRI
) of the coronary sinus allows for noninvasive evaluation of coronary flow reserve (
CFR
), which is an index of left ventricular microvascular function. The objective of this study was to investigate coronary flow reserve in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (
HF
p
EF
).

Methods and Results

We studied 25 patients with
HF
p
EF
(mean and SD of age: 73±7 years), 13 with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (
LVH
) (67±10 years), and 18 controls (65±15 years). Breath‐hold
PC
cine‐
MRI
images of the coronary sinus were obtained to assess blood flow at rest and during
ATP
infusion.
CFR
was calculated as coronary sinus blood flow during
ATP
infusion divided by coronary sinus blood flow at rest. Impairment of
CFR
was defined as
CFR
<2.5 according to a previous study. The majority (76%) of
HF
p
EF
patients had decreased
CFR
.
CFR
was significantly decreased in
HF
p
EF
patients in comparison to hypertensive
LVH
patients and control subjects (
CFR
: 2.21±0.55 in
HF
p
EF
vs 3.05±0.74 in hypertensive
LVH
, 3.83±0.73 in controls;
P
<0.001 by 1‐way
ANOVA
). According to multivariable linear regression analysis,
CFR
independently and significantly correlated with serum brain natriuretic peptide level (β=−68.0; 95% CI, −116.2 to −19.7;
P
=0.007).

Conclusions

CFR
was significantly lower in patients with
HF
p
EF
than in hypertensive
LVH
patients and controls. These results indicated that impairment of
CFR
might be a pathophysiological factor for
HF
p
EF
and might be related to
HF
p
EF
disease severity.
“Experimental Philosophy”: Invention and Rebirth of a Seventeenth-Century Concept
Authors: Feingold Mordechai
Published: February 2016

This essay offers a more dynamic, and historically grounded, context to explain how and why various individuals and groups in England adopted the term “experimental philosophy.” Before the foundation of the Royal Society, I contend, the term had been utilized promiscuously, its modern signification conspicuously absent. Building on this insight, I examine the seemingly deliberate decision by future members of the Royal Society to avoid using the term – and the subsequent shift in their attitude c. 1660. My aim is to demonstrate that while only in England did the fixed conceptual and polemical term “experimental philosophy” become popularized and its (supposed) practice institutionalized, English natural philosophers did not view themselves as engaged in a practice that was fundamentally different than that pursued by their counterparts on the Continent.
Gersonides and the Jacob’s Staff in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries: Unnoticed Enigmas, New Perspectives
Authors: Freudenthal Gad
Published: February 2016

The cross-staff is an instrument for measuring angles, invented by Gersonides (1288–1344) in the 1330s. The Latin text describing it, written in 1342, refers to it as baculus Jacob. Between the fifteenth and the eighteenth century, this instrument was widely used in astronomy, surveying, and navigation. Scholars have assumed that the early modern cross-staves have all descended from that of Gersonides. Here I will question this assumption: (i) late-fifteenth-century astronomers do not refer the cross-staff with the term baculus Jacob, but their staff may indeed have its origin in Gersonides’ text of 1342; this hypothesis needs to be checked. (ii) In the surveying literature, German artisans and craftsmen describe the cross-staff and refer to it as “Jakobsstab,” but it is likely an independent invention. I also suggest that the “Jacob” after whom the Jacob’s staff is named is not the Patriarch Jacob (as has been assumed), but St. James (= Jacob) the Great, who in the eleventh century became the object of great veneration.
Molecular Phylogeny and Recircumscription of the Fern Genus Pecluma (Polypodiaceae–Polypodiopsida)
Authors: ASSIS FRANCINE C. , ALMEIDA THAÍS ELIAS , RUSSELL STEPHEN J. , SCHNEIDER HARALD , SALINO ALEXANDRE
Published: February 2016

To evaluate the monophyly of the genus Pecluma, molecular data from species of Pecluma, members of the Polypodium dulce group, Phlebodium and other Polypodiaceae genera were analysed. The molecular study was based on four plastid regions, rps4+rps4–trnS, trnL–F, matK, and rbcL, and included sequences of 30 species of Pecluma (75% of the genus). The strongly supported phylogeny showed that three species of the Polypodium dulce group are nested inside the Pecluma clade and are sister to Pecluma species that bear pseudopeltate to peltate rhizome scales. Until now, these types of scales were not known to occur in Pecluma recurvata, P. hygrometrica and P. chnoophora, which were previously described as having basifixed rhizome scales. The results show that Pecluma, as currently circumscribed, is a paraphyletic genus, and some species from the Polypodium dulce group should be transferred to it. This study also confirmed the position of Pecluma chnoophora (considered Polypodium chnoophorum by some authors). In order to treat Pecluma as a monophyletic genus, this paper proposes a new generic circumscription and four new combinations for species previously recognized as Polypodium: Pecluma dulce, P. hartwegiana, P. longepinnulata and P. rhachipterygia.
Validation of the name Semecarpus kathalekanensis (Anacardiaceae)
Authors: KAMBALE SHARAD S. , KULLAYISWAMY RAJA , SWAMINATH MUDUVADI H. , SANJAPPA MUNIVENKATAPPA
Published: February 2016

During field surveys in Brahmakarmali (North Goa, India) we collected Semecarpus kathalekanensis Dasappa & Swaminath (2000: 78). In order to confirm the identity of the specimens, we examined the protologue and realized that the name Semecarpus kathalekanensis was not validly published, because the authors failed to indicate the herbarium in which the type is conserved (art. 40.7 of the ICN, McNeill et al., 2012). The authors, however, provided a Latin description and indicated a single gathering “10 Jan. 1998, Dasappa 758-WGP” as the holotype. They also cited “Dasappa 1865-WGP” and “Dasappa 1890-WGP” as paratypes. We traced the original material at the Herbarium of Karnataka Forest Department’s Research and Utilization Division, Doresanipalya, Bangalore (Office of the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Karnataka). So, the name Semecarpus kathalekanensis is validated here by reference to the previously published description by Dasappa & Swaminath (2000) and by indicating the herbarium in which the holotype is conserved.
A new species of Anthurium (Araceae) from Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil
Authors: GONÇALVES EDUARDO G. , PAULA LUIZA F. A. DE
Published: February 2016

A new species of Anthurium (A. mucuri E.G.Gonç. & L.F.A. de Paula) is described and illustrated. It occurs in rocky outcrops (inselbergs) in Minas Gerais state, Southeastern Brazil and it is so far know from a restricted area around the city of Teófilo Otoni. It seems to be closer to Anthurium viridispathum E.G.Gonç., but differs mainly in having smaller overall dimensions, a much narrower leaf blade and spathe and for the spathe that is glaucous in the inner surface. Anthurium mucuri is placed in the section Urospadix Engl. subsection Obscureviridia Engl.
Projected Changes in Heat Extremes and Associated Synoptic- and Mesoscale Conditions over the Northwest United States
Authors: Brewer Matthew C. , Mass Clifford F.
Published: February 2016

A number of studies have suggested that heat waves will increase in frequency, intensity, and duration under anthropogenic global warming. However, changes to heat extremes and temperature distributions in general are less understood in regions of complex terrain and substantial land–water contrasts. Such surface variations are important in the northwest United States, where synoptic- and mesoscale circulations interact with local topography and land–water interfaces to produce heat waves that have substantial impacts on fire weather, air quality, wind energy, and the population in general. Thus it is crucial to identify how the synoptic- and mesoscale circulations that drive such local extremes will change in a warming world.

This paper analyzes changes to the conditions associated with heat extremes over the northwest United States by utilizing global and regional climate models. A maximum in 700-hPa warming is projected over the northwest United States and southwest Canada, with low-level warming attenuated near the coast. Soil moisture declines are projected over the region, which further enhances future extremes. It is found that low-level zonal wind distributions over the northwest United States become narrower, leading to fewer days with strong offshore flow. This is important since extreme warming events are associated with the strongest offshore/downslope flow. Historical and future regional temperature distributions are described and it is shown that although CMIP5 models predict increases in heat extremes for west Oregon and Washington, these increases are less than for inland areas.
Statistics of Nonlinear Internal Waves during the Shallow Water 2006 Experiment
Authors: Badiey Mohsen , Wan Lin , Lynch James F.
Published: February 2016

During the Shallow Water Acoustic Experiment 2006 (SW06) conducted on the New Jersey continental shelf in the summer of 2006, detailed measurements of the ocean environment were made along a fixed reference track that was parallel to the continental shelf. The time-varying environment induced by nonlinear internal waves (NLIWs) was recorded by an array of moored thermistor chains and by X-band radars from the attending research vessels. Using a mapping technique, the three-dimensional (3D) temperature field for over a month of NLIW events is reconstructed and analyzed to provide a statistical summary of important NLIW parameters, such as the NLIW propagation speed, direction, and amplitude. The results in this paper can be used as a database for studying the NLIW generation, propagation, and fidelity of nonlinear internal wave models.
Polypropylene structural foams: Measurements of the core, skin, and overall mechanical properties with evaluation of predictive models
Authors: Sadik Tarik , Pillon Caroline , Carrot Christian , Reglero Ruiz José A , Vincent Michel , Billon Noëlle
Published: February 2016

Relationships for the prediction of various linear mechanical properties of polymeric sandwich foams obtained in injection processes were studied in comparison with shear, tensile, and flexural tests. The samples were obtained by a core-back foam injection molding process that enables one to obtain sandwich materials with dense skins and a foamed core as revealed by the morphological analysis. Tensile, shear, and flexural moduli were investigated for the skin, the core, and the overall foamed structure. In addition, the Poisson’s ratio of the skin was also determined. The core properties were specifically analyzed by machining the samples and removing the skins. Tensile and shear properties of the core can be well described by the Moore equation. The tensile modulus can be calculated by a linear mixing rule with the moduli of the skin and of the core in relation to the thickness of the layers. Shear and flexural moduli are described by a linear mixing rule on the rigidity in agreement with the mechanics of beams. Tensile modulus, out-of-plane shear modulus, and flexural modulus can finally be predicted by the knowledge of only very few data, namely the tensile modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the matrix, the void fraction, and thickness of the core. The equations were proved to be physically meaningful and consistent with each other.
Generic production process for 3D woven nodal elementary and derivative structures
Authors: Taylor Lindsey Waterton , Chen Xiaogang
Published: February 2016

Current state of the art within textile truss structures requires a variety of production, assembly and joining processes to conclude in a fully integrated truss configuration. This approach sees the joining and bonding of separate struts to node parts. The node is the connecting area which accommodates the strut-to-strut intersections. A production process of separate truss components (struts and nodes) inherently has constraints, such as increased labour, bonding issues and longevity of product. In the development of a fully integrated textile truss, the utilisation of conventional weaving technology and production principles allowed the development of the three-dimensional woven nodal truss structure. The three-dimensional woven nodal truss structure’s node and nodal segmentation, defined by boundary lines provided defined areas within the weaving width, length and depth for the assignment of weave architectures. The commonalities within the production of varying strut-to-strut intersections and strut-to-strut variable dimensions within a T-shaped and K-shaped nodal configuration provide the foundations for the development of elementary nodes for other three-dimensional woven nodal truss structures. The development of the generic procedure and application of the three-dimensional-to-two-dimensional-to-three-dimensional nodal structure production process and elementary nodes will be presented within this article.
La mobilité religieuse à l’aune du butinage
Authors: Droz Yvan , Soares Edio , Gez Yonatan N , Rey Jeanne
Published: February 2016

In this article, we consider the place of religious mobility as one of the fundamental social structures governing religious practice. Rather than considering stable institutional loyalty as the norm, as indeed implied by common conceptions of religion, we suggest an alternative in the form of religious butinage, whose core feature is dynamic, polymorphous mobility. The notion of religious butinage thus reverses the classic perspective that sees religious mobility, and in particular conversion, as an exceptional occurrence requiring explanation through recourse to external factors (for example, social changes, economic transformation, or psychological hardships).
Kirogi Women’s Psychological Well-Being: The Relative Contributions of Marital Quality, Mother–Child Relationship Quality, and Youth’s Educational Adjustment
Authors: Chang Esther S.
Published: February 2016

The current study is based on the responses of 153 married Korean mothers accompanying their youth in the United States or in New Zealand while their spouses remained in Korea. Kirogi means “wild geese” in Korean and has come to refer to split-family transnational living for the sake of children’s education. Spillover, or a positive correlation, between indicators assessing marital and parent–child relationship quality was tested within the transnational family context. It was also hypothesized that mother–child relationship quality and youth’s educational progress would be positively and uniquely predictive of indicators of maternal well-being when compared with marital quality due to education-focused Confucian values among Koreans. Results indicated positive correlations between indicators of marital and parent–child relationship quality; and only measures of marital quality had unique associations with maternal well-being.
Compression therapy for venous disease
Authors: Attaran Robert R , Ochoa Chaar Cassius I
Published: February 2016

For centuries, compression therapy has been utilized to treat venous disease. To date it remains the mainstay of therapy, particularly in more severe forms such as venous ulceration. In addition to mechanisms of benefit, we discuss the evidence behind compression therapy, particularly hosiery, in various forms of venous disease of the lower extremities. We review compression data for stand-alone therapy, post-intervention, as DVT prevention, post-thrombotic syndrome and venous ulcer disease. We also review the data comparing compression modalities as well as the use of compression in mixed arteriovenous disease.
Routed roads: Probabilistic vision-based place recognition for changing conditions, split streets and varied viewpoints
Authors: Pepperell Edward , Corke Peter , Milford Michael
Published: February 2016

Vision-based place recognition is becoming an increasingly viable component of navigation systems for autonomous robots and personal aids. However, attaining robustness to variations in environmental conditions—such as time of day, weather and season—and camera viewpoint remains a major challenge. Featureless, sequence-based place recognition techniques have demonstrated promise, but often rely on long image sequences, manually-tuned parameters and exhaustive sequence match searching through multiple locations and image scales. In this paper, we address these deficiencies by implementing a condition-invariant, sequence-based place recognition algorithm suitable for networked environments, such as city streets, and routes with lateral platform shift, such as multiple-lane roads. We achieve this capability by augmenting the traditional 1D image database with a directed graph to describe the branching of contiguous sections of imagery at intersections. A particle filter is then used to efficiently explore these paths, as well as various lateral positions synthesized by rescaling imagery. Our proposed approach eliminates manual tuning of sequence length parameters, improves localization on branched routes, improves overall place recognition accuracy and coverage, and reduces computational requirements. We evaluated the new method against the original SeqSLAM and SMART algorithms on two day–night, road-based datasets and a summer–winter train dataset, where it attained superior precision-recall performance and coverage in all environments. Together, these contributions represent a significant step towards the provision of a robust, near parameter-free condition- and viewpoint-invariant visual place recognition capability for vehicles and robots.
High-precision motion of magnetic microrobot with ultrasonic levitation for 3-D rotation of single oocyte
Authors: Feng Lin , Di Pei , Arai Fumihito
Published: February 2016

In this study, we propose an innovative driving method for a microrobot. By using acoustic levitation, the microrobot can be levitated from the glass substrate. We are able to achieve positioning accuracy of less than 1 μm, and the response speed and output force are also significantly improved. Silicon-based microrobots can be made into diverse shapes using deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE). Using custom-designed microrobots allows for the 3-D rotational control of a single bovine oocyte. Orientation with an accuracy of 1° and an average rotation velocity of 3 rad/s are achieved. This study contributes to the biotechnology. In the study of oocytes/embryos, manipulation is used for the enucleation, microinjection, and investigation of the characteristics of oocytes, such as the meiotic spindle and zona pellucida using PolScope. These studies and their clinical applications involve the three-dimensional (3-D) rotation of mammalian oocytes. The overall out-of-plane and in-plane rotations of the oocyte are demonstrated by using an acoustically levitated microrobot. In addition, by using this approach, it becomes much easier to manipulate the cell to investigate the characteristics of the single cell and analyze its mechanical properties.
Observers’ Judgments of the Effects of Glare on Their Visual Acuity for High and Low Contrast Stimuli
Authors: Sewall Ashley A. Stafford , Borzendowski Stephanie A. Whetsel , Tyrrell Richard A. , Stephens Benjamin R. , Rosopa Patrick J.
Published: February 2016

Disability glare refers to a reduction in the ability to discern a stimulus that is positioned near another stimulus that has a much higher luminance. While it is common for drivers to report that they have been “blinded” by oncoming headlights, it is unclear whether observers can accurately judge when they are visually disabled by glare. This experiment sought to quantify the accuracy with which observers can judge when a glare source reduces their visual acuity. Seventeen observers estimated their disability glare threshold (DGT)—the luminance of a glare source that would be just sufficient to impair their ability to discern the orientation of a Landolt C that was surrounded by the glare source. These estimated DGTs were compared to the participant’s actual DGTs. Participants consistently underestimated the intensity of glare that was required to impair their acuity. On average, estimates of glare threshold were 88% lower than actual glare threshold intensities. Participants’ judgments were affected by stimulus size but not stimulus contrast. These results suggest that observers can exaggerate the debilitating effects of glare and that they can fail to appreciate that high contrast stimuli are more robust to glare. A driver who believes that even the lowest intensities of headlight glare can visually impair an oncoming driver may be reluctant to use high beam headlamps, despite their significant visibility advantages.
Linking Extroversion and Proactive Personality to Career Success
Authors: Turban Daniel B. , Moake Timothy R. , Wu Sharon Yu-Hsien , Cheung Yu Ha
Published: February 2016

Although extroversion and proactive personality are related to career success, the mechanisms through which the relationships occur are unclear. Based on the contest- and sponsored-mobility processes, we examine a model linking extroversion and proactive personality to career success through the mediating effects of mentoring received and organizational knowledge. We also theorize that mentoring provides learning opportunities, which result in greater organizational knowledge, that contribute to career success. Results, from a sample of 333 employees with a diverse set of occupations, indicated that the relationships of proactive personality and extroversion with objective and subjective measures of career success were mediated by mentoring received and organizational knowledge. Additionally, mentoring received influenced organizational knowledge, and both were related to objective and subjective measures of career success. Our study provides insight into how personality influences career success and provides support for both contest- and sponsored-mobility models of career success.
Experimental investigations of catalytic effect of Cu2+ during anodic dissolution of iron in NaCl electrolyte
Authors: Upadhyay Ritesh Kumar , Kumar Arbind , Srivastava Prem Kumar
Published: February 2016

Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array has been effectively used to study the effect of process parameters such as voltage, feed rate and electrolyte concentration on material removal rate in context of two different types of electrolyte, namely, aqueous NaCl solution and CuSO4 mixed aqueous NaCl solution. The results indicated that Cu2+ ions formed due to electrochemical reactions prevent the oxidation of Fe2+ to Fe3+ and catalyze the anodic dissolution of iron during machining. The experimental results were analyzed using analysis of variance method to investigate the significance and percentage contribution of individual process parameters on performance characteristics.
Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents With Rare Bleeding Disorders in Southern Iran
Authors: Haghpanah Sezaneh , Mohtadi Hassan , Akbari Mahboobeh , Karimi Mehran
Published: February 2016

The aim of this study is to evaluate quality of life (QOL) in patients with rare bleeding disorders (RBDs). In this cross-sectional study, 52 consecutive children aged between 4 and 18 years old with RBDs registered at the Haemophila Center of Fars province in Southern Iran were investigated from January to April 2015. Quality of life was evaluated using Haemo-QOL questionnaire. Final score is defined between 0 and 100, and higher score of QOL shows worse condition. P value less than .05 was considered statistically significant. Mean age of the patients was 13.96 ± 4.50 and ranged from 4 to 18 years old including 28 males and 24 females. Family and friends were the 2 most impaired domains of Haemo-QOL in these patients. In univariate analysis, bleeding severity based on bleeding score, health status, and being bothered by the disease showed statistically significant correlations with QOL of the patients ( P < .05). In multiple linear regression models, only degree of being bothered by the disease was determined as an independent influencing factor on QOL. Taking together, Haemo-QOL of children with RBDs was better than what was reported in patients with hemophilia in our region, but it was worse than that reported in patients with hemophilia in other developing and developed countries. Due to chronic feature of bleeding disorders, more attention to different aspects of the disease, especially in 2 dimensions of family and friends through considering educational and psychological program for the patients and their family, are recommended to improve QOL of the patients with RBDs.
Adverse reactions in mRCC patients documented in routine practice by German office-based oncologists and uro-oncologists
Authors: Marschner Norbert , Müller Lothar , Münch Axel , Blumenstengel Klaus , Hutzschenreuter Ulrich , Busies Sabine
Published: February 2016

Background

Signal transduction inhibitors (STIs) have considerably improved treatment of advanced/metastasized renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Most safety data for these drugs are derived from clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to evaluate which adverse drug reactions are documented during first-line treatments in routine clinical practice.

Patients and methods

The ongoing prospective German mRCC clinical registry is recruiting patients in 110 oncology and urology outpatient centers. Data from the first 250 patients who had completed first-line treatment were analyzed regarding adverse drug reactions (ADRs) documented in patients’ medical records.

Results

Patients were older than in clinical trials and had comorbidities. Patients were treated with the STIs sunitinib (61%), temsirolimus (14%), sorafenib (10%), or bevacizumab combined with interferon (6%). About 520 ADRs were documented, of which 29% resulted in treatment modifications. The most frequently affected organ system was the gastrointestinal system. The most frequently documented ADRs were mucositis/stomatitis (14%), fatigue (14%), diarrhea (12%), and nausea (12%).

Conclusions

In routine practice, mRCC first-line treatments using STIs frequently lead to ADRs partly necessitating treatment modifications. The pattern of reported ADRs is similar to that reported in clinical trials, but frequencies of events differ, especially for symptoms of multifactorial origin that are not immediately associated with the treatment. These results indicate that perception and documentation of adverse reactions is different between clinical trials and routine practice, and that reviews of patients’ medical records might not be the best method to assess safety in routine practice.
‘It might hurt, but you have to push through the pain’
Authors: Race Douglas L , Sims-Gould Joanie , Tucker Lori B , Duffy Ciaran M , Feldman Debbie Ehrmann , Gibbon Michele , Houghton Kristin M , Stinson Jennifer N , Stringer Elizabeth , Tse Shirley ML , McKay Heather A
Published: February 2016

Our primary objective was to gather perspectives of children diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and their parents as they relate to physical activity (PA) participation. To do so, we conducted a study on 23 children diagnosed with JIA and their parents ( N = 29). We used convenience sampling to recruit participants and qualitative method- logies (one-on-one semi-structured interviews). We adopted a five-step framework analysis to categorize data into themes. Children and their parents described factors that act to facilitate or hinder PA participation. Pain was the most commonly highlighted PA barrier described by children and their parents. However, children who were newly diagnosed with JIA and their parents were more likely to highlight pain as a barrier than were child/parent dyads where children had been previously diagnosed.
Seismic performance assessment of pile-supported wharves retrofitted by carbon fibre–reinforced polymer composite considering ageing effect
Authors: Banayan-Kermani Ali , Bargi Khosrow , Heidary-Torkamani Hamid
Published: February 2016

This study aims to assess seismic vulnerability of a typical pile-supported wharf considering ageing effects due to chloride-induced corrosion of the reinforced concrete piles. In order to improve the seismic performance of corroded wharves, carbon fibre–reinforced polymers is used as a retrofit technique. Three-dimensional model of the wharf is constructed using SAP2000, and pushover analysis is conducted to deduce the capacity curve of the wharf and establish quantitative criteria for bound of damage states. Then, using eight ground motion records, nonlinear static analysis called capacity spectrum method is used to evaluate the response of initial ( t = 0 years), corroded ( t = 25, 50, 75 years) and carbon fibre–reinforced polymer-retrofitted-corroded ( t = 50, 50, 75 years) pile-supported wharf structures. In order to assess the seismic vulnerability of wharves quantitatively, fragility curves are developed using two different engineering demand parameters, including displacement ductility factor ( µd) and state of plastic hinges. These fragility curves demonstrate the evolving damage potential under different levels of intensities taking into account time-dependent corrosion-induced deterioration. In addition, these curves reveal the effectiveness of carbon fibre–reinforced polymer method on the fragility reduction. Results indicate an increment in seismic vulnerability throughout the lifetime of the structure due to corrosion denoting the considerable impact of deterioration due to ageing effects on structural response. Moreover, using carbon fibre–reinforced polymer jacketing as a retrofit and repair method for corrosion-induced damaged structures can remarkably enhance their seismic performance.
Health information seeking and scanning among US adults aged 50–75 years: Testing a key postulate of the information overload model
Authors: Jensen Jakob D , Liu Miao , Carcioppolo Nick , John Kevin K , Krakow Melinda , Sun Ye
Published: February 2016

Past research has found that older US adults (aged 50–75 years) exhibit high levels of cancer information overload and cancer worry; however, no study to date has examined whether these perceptions are related to information seeking/scanning. To explore this relationship, older adults ( N = 209, Mage = 55.56, SD = 4.24) were recruited to complete a survey measuring seeking, scanning, cancer information overload, and cancer worry. Most participants were high-scan/seekers (40.2%) followed by low-scan/seekers (21.1%), high-scan/no seekers (19.6%), and low-scan/no seekers (19.1%). Low-scan/no seekers had significantly higher cancer information overload compared to all other groups, consistent with the postulate that overload and seeking/scanning are negatively related. Low-scan/no seekers and high-scan/seekers both exhibited higher cancer worry severity, consistent with past research suggesting that cancer worry explains high levels of activity/inactivity.
Campus Sexual Assault: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Research From 2000 to 2015
Authors: Fedina Lisa , Holmes Jennifer Lynne , Backes Bethany L.
Published: February 2016

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem on university and college campuses in the United States that has garnered growing national attention, particularly in the past year. This is the first study to systematically review and synthesize prevalence findings from studies on campus sexual assault (CSA) published since 2000 ( n = 34). The range of prevalence findings for specific forms of sexual victimization on college campuses (i.e., forcible rape, unwanted sexual contact, incapacitated rape, sexual coercion, and studies’ broad definitions of CSA/rape) is provided, and methodological strengths and limitations in the empirical body of research on CSA are discussed. Prevalence findings, research design, methodology, sampling techniques, and measures, including the forms of sexual victimization measured, are presented and evaluated across studies. Findings suggest that unwanted sexual contact appears to be most prevalent on college campuses, including sexual coercion, followed by incapacitated rape, and completed or attempted forcible rape. Additionally, several studies measured broad constructs of sexual assault that typically include combined forms of college-based sexual victimization (i.e., forcible completed or attempted rape, unwanted sexual contact, and/or sexual coercion). Extensive variability exists within findings for each type of sexual victimization measured, including those that broadly measure sexual assault, which is largely explained by differences in sampling strategies and overall study designs as well as measures of sexual assault used in studies. Implications for findings and recommendations for future research on the prevalence of college-based sexual victimization are provided.
Amlodipine and atorvastatin improved hypertensive cardiac hypertrophy through regulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B/osteoprotegerin system in spontaneous hypertension rats
Authors: Lu Jingchao , Liu Fan , Liu Demin , Du Hong , Hao Jie , Yang Xiuchun , Cui Wei
Published: February 2016

The present study aims to study the role of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B/osteoprotegerin (RANKL/RANK/OPG) system in cardiac hypertrophy in a spontaneous hypertension rat (SHR) model and the effects of amlodipine and atorvastatin intervention. Thirty-six-week-old male SHRs were randomly divided into four groups: 1) SHR control group; 2) amlodipine alone (10 mg/kg/d) group, 3) atorvastatin alone (10 mg/kg/d) group, 4) combination of amlodinpine and atorvastatin (10 mg/kg/d for each) group. Same gender, weight, and age of Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats with normal blood pressure were used as normal control. Drugs were administered by oral gavage over 12 weeks. The thicknesses of left ventricle walls, left ventricle weight, and cardiac function were measured by transthoracic echocardiography. Left ventricular pressure and function were assessed by hemodynamic examination. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and collagen accumulation in cardiac tissue were measured by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson staining, respectively. The hydroxyproline content of cardiac tissue was examined by biochemistry technique. RANKL, RANK and OPG mRNA, protein expression and tissue localization were studied by RT-PCR, Immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Treatment with amlodipine or atorvastatin alone significantly decreased left ventricular mass index, cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area and interstitial fibrosis in SHR (each P < 0.05). Moreover, combined amlodipine and atorvastatin treatment induced significant reversal of left ventricular hypertrophy and decreased cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area and interstitial fibrosis in SHR to a greater extent than each agent alone ( P < 0.05). Compared with WKY rats, the myocardial expression of RANKL, RANK, and OPG was increased. Both amlodipine and atorvastatin reduced RANKL, RANK, and OPG expression, with the best effects seen with the combination. Based on our results, activation of the RANKL/RANK/OPG system may be an important factor leading to ventricular remodeling in SHR rats. Amlodipine and atorvastatin could improve ventricular remodeling in SHR rats through intervention with the RANKL/RANK/OPG system.
Life Balance and Stress in Adults With Medical Conditions or Obesity
Authors: Matuska Kathleen , Bass Julie
Published: February 2016

This cross-sectional research examined differences in life balance and perceived stress by body mass index (BMI) levels and self-reported medical conditions that limited physical activity. The sample consisted of 2,338 participants between the ages of 18 and 49 years who took the Life Balance Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, and provided demographic information including height and weight. Findings showed that individuals who were obese (BMI > 30.0) reported significantly lower life balance scores and higher stress scores than participants without obesity ( p < .001). Also, individuals who had medical conditions that resulted in activity limitations reported significantly less life balance and more stress than individuals without medical conditions ( p < .001). These findings highlight the importance of addressing activity participation as a means to promote health and wellness.
Safety assessment for inland waterway transportation with an extended fuzzy TOPSIS
Authors: Liu Kezhong , Zhang Jinfen , Yan Xinping , Liu Yiliu , Zhang Di , Hu Weidong
Published: February 2016

Maritime safety has been one of the top concerns for inland waterway transportation, and safety assessment based on historic accident data is one of the most effective ways to evaluate navigation risk and take steps to enhance safety. Maritime safety is usually affected by many cost/benefit indicators, and it can be treated as multi-criteria decision making problem. An extended technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution is proposed in this article at first. The model not only facilitates the comparison between fuzzy numbers with the same expected value but also makes it possible for the fuzzy number with lower expected value but higher reliability to outperform that with higher expected value but lower reliability. A variance matrix is adapted to measure the degree of uncertainty of an alternative. The proposed method is then applied to an inland waterway transportation safety assessment, which is regarded as a multi-criteria decision making. The results indicate that the safety situation has been improved a lot over the last 21 years with some local fluctuations, and an evident improvement can be seen from the year of 2003. In addition, the extended model is proved to provide more flexibility for the ranking of alternatives with similar expected values.
Spatial Access to Primary Care Providers in Appalachia
Authors: Donohoe Joseph , Marshall Vince , Tan Xi , Camacho Fabian T. , Anderson Roger T. , Balkrishnan Rajesh
Published: February 2016

Purpose: The goal of this research was to examine spatial access to primary care physicians in Appalachia using both traditional access measures and the 2-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method. Spatial access to care was compared between urban and rural regions of Appalachia. Methods: The study region included Appalachia counties of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Primary care physicians during 2008 and total census block group populations were geocoded into GIS software. Ratios of county physicians to population, driving time to nearest primary care physician, and various 2SFCA approaches were compared. Results: Urban areas of the study region had shorter travel times to their closest primary care physician. Provider to population ratios produced results that varied widely from one county to another because of strict geographic boundaries. The 2SFCA method produced varied results depending on the distance decay weight and variable catchment size techniques chose. 2SFCA scores showed greater access to care in urban areas of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina. Conclusion: The different parameters of the 2SFCA method—distance decay weights and variable catchment sizes—have a large impact on the resulting spatial access to primary care scores. The findings of this study suggest that using a relative 2SFCA approach, the spatial access ratio method, when detailed patient travel data are unavailable. The 2SFCA method shows promise for measuring access to care in Appalachia, but more research on patient travel preferences is needed to inform implementation.
Grey Oxisol from the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil: a conceptual challenge to the soil classification system?
Authors: Silva A. C. , Murad E. , Fabris J. D. , De Souza S. , Mendes Pires M. J . , Pereira M. C. , Guimarães A. O. , Vargas H. , Ardisson J . D.
Published: February 2016

The upper Jequitinhonha Valley is located within the Serra do Espinhaço Meridional mountain range in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The topography is flat or gently undulating with large flat areas known aschapadas(‘high plains’) that are dissected by rivers forming swamps known locally asveredas(‘paths’). The present study is concerned mainly with a representative toposequence in the watershed of the Lagoa do Leandrovereda, a swamp near the city of Minas Novas on a chapada of the highlands of the Alto (Upper) Jequitinhonha region.

The soils of this sequence were studied by a variety of physical and chemical techniques, including Mössbauer, electron spin resonance (ESR) and photoacoustic (PAS) spectroscopies, as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and carbon isotope data. Mössbauer spectra of the silt fraction of a grey Xanthic Haplustox (Munsell 10YR 3/2) from the Lagoa do Leandrovereda, referred to here as a ‘Grey Haplustox’ (‘LAC’), proved the existence of Fe2+- and Fe3+-bearing components. Photoacoustic spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Fe2+, as shown by Mössbauer spectroscopy, probably in an octahedrally coordinated site, but the principal optical absorption bands are due to different Fe3+sites. A ferrimagnetic contribution and three other paramagnetic lines attributed to Fe3+and Ti3+were demonstrated by means of ESR. The ESR and PAS results are thus in agreement with the chemical composition and Mössbauer spectroscopy, allowing a detailed characterization of the mineralogy of this silt.

Carbon isotope data indicate the climate to have varied during the past: awetter climate in the Pleistocene, with drier phases in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene, and again a more humid climate 1200 years ago. δ13Cdata indicate the C3scrubland vegetation to have occupied the bottom of theveredain the past (Bispo & Silva, 2014).

Greyish Oxisols that consist chiefly of phyllosilicate minerals of the kaolinite group (which are usually associated with binary oxides and hydroxides) are of common occurrence in tropical soils resulting from leaching and precipitation. Such Oxisols of greyish appearance and similar mineralogy have been described elsewhere from Brazil and, for example, from India. Such soils are therefore proposed here as a new hierarchical level of the Soil Classification System.
Disturbed B-lymphocyte selection in autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome
Authors: Janda Ales , Schwarz Klaus , van der Burg Mirjam , Vach Werner , Ijspeert Hanna , Lorenz Myriam Ricarda , Elgizouli Magdeldin , Pieper Kathrin , Fisch Paul , Hagel Joachim , Lorenzetti Raquel , Seidl Maximilian , Roesler Joachim , Hauck Fabian , Traggiai Elisabetta , Speckmann Carsten , Rensing-Ehl Anne , Ehl Stephan , Eibel Hermann , Rizzi Marta
Published: February 2016

Key Points

Fas-mutated B cells accumulate in the memory compartment and are highly mutated and polyreactive. Fas deficiency leads to an intrinsic defect in B cells selection that predisposes to autoimmunity and identifies B cells as therapeutic targets for autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome.
GEMINI: a computationally-efficient search engine for large gene expression datasets
Authors: DeFreitas Timothy , Saddiki Hachem , Flaherty Patrick
Published: February 2016

Background

Low-cost DNA sequencing allows organizations to accumulate massive amounts of genomic data and use that data to answer a diverse range of research questions. Presently, users must search for relevant genomic data using a keyword, accession number of meta-data tag. However, in this search paradigm the form of the query – a text-based string – is mismatched with the form of the target – a genomic profile.

Results

To improve access to massive genomic data resources, we have developed a fast search engine, GEMINI, that uses a genomic profile as a query to search for similar genomic profiles. GEMINI implements a nearest-neighbor search algorithm using a vantage-point tree to store a database of n profiles and in certain circumstances achieves an $\mathcal {O}(\log n)$
O
(
log
n
)
expected query time in the limit. We tested GEMINI on breast and ovarian cancer gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas project and show that it achieves a query time that scales as the logarithm of the number of records in practice on genomic data. In a database with 105 samples, GEMINI identifies the nearest neighbor in 0.05 sec compared to a brute force search time of 0.6 sec.

Conclusions

GEMINI is a fast search engine that uses a query genomic profile to search for similar profiles in a very large genomic database. It enables users to identify similar profiles independent of sample label, data origin or other meta-data information.