bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ritual experimental: ¿Humanizando a los inmigrantes o prejuicio utilitario en Europa?
Authors: Pizarro Jose , Telletxea Saioa , Bobowik Magdalena , Zumeta Larraitz
Published: September 2018

A menudo los inmigrantes y refugiados son representados a través de formas deshumanizantes o como una ganancia económica para los países receptores. Este hecho, sumado a la situación sociopolítica europea actual, puede aumentar los niveles de infrahumanización que sufren las minorías objeto de prejuicio. En este estudio, se propuso reducir la infrahumanización hacia la población magrebí a través de una actividad ritualizada, manipulando la información que los participantes utilizaban. Los resultados indicaron que la participación fue diferente según las condiciones y que se redujo la infrahumanización. Además, los participantes que utilizaron información utilitarista humanizaban cuando percibían una ganancia económica, mientras que también aumentaban sus niveles de prejuicio. Los resultados se discuten en términos de rituales colectivos y efectos duales de la información utilitarista.
The Impact of Cultural Dissonance and Acculturation Orientations on Immigrant Students’ academic performance
Authors: Martinez-Taboada Cristina , Mera María José , Amutio Careaga Alberto , Castañeda Xochilt , Felt Emily , Nicolae Gabriela
Published: September 2018

Prior research has documented meaningful differences between school performance of immigrant and native students. Multicultural education has been associated with academic failure of foreign students. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a set of psychosocial variables on the perceived academic achievement of first generation immigrant adolescents from public secondary schools in Northern Spain. Results showed that 46% of the variability in foreign students’ perceived academic performance was explained by home-school cultural dissonance. We also explored the impact of acculturation orientation to separation, perception of discrimination from teachers, school adjustment and psychological well-being in academic performance. Any multicultural education context should take into account psychosocial adjustment, given its influence on academic performance of all students.
Intervenciones psicosociales y sus efectos en la trayectoria de mujeres inmigradas en Chile
Authors: Galaz Valderrama Caterine , Álvarez Catalina , Hedrera Luciana , Becerra Margarita María
Published: September 2018

Parte de los análisis sobre las migraciones en Chile ponen su atención en los sujetos inmigrados y su nivel de inclusión en diferentes esferas sociales. Ante ello, giramos la mirada hacia la intervención psicosocial: desde un enfoque feminista, observamos las formas de actuación de las intervenciones, cómo éstas generan efectos psicosociales y las “líneas de fuga" (Deleuze y Guattari, 1988/2012) que escapan a estas prácticas más hegemónicas. Para ello, se realizó un conjunto de Producciones Narrativas con interventoras y usuarias lo que, a través de un proceso de figuración, posibilitó comprender los múltiples puentes de apertura, contradicción y cierre, que se superponen unos a otros en las trayectorias de las mujeres inmigradas y su paso por servicios públicos y de la sociedad civil.
Cuestionario de Ansiedad Estado Rasgo (STAI): análisis psicométrico y funcionamiento en una muestra de drogodependientes y controles
Authors: Del Río Olvera Francisco Javier , Cabello Santamaría Francisco , Cabello García Marina A. , Aragón Vela Jerónimo
Published: September 2018

La presente investigación pretende evaluar las propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario STAI en población drogodependiente y comparar sus resultados con población no clínica. Se realizó un muestreo por conglomerados en 28 centros de tratamiento para las adicciones, repartidos en 27 provincias españolas. La muestra final estuvo compuesta por 1054 personas consumidoras de sustancias y 211 no consumidoras. El análisis de la fiabilidad mostró adecuada validez interna. El análisis de los ítems indica la necesidad de revisar dos ítems cuando se utiliza con población con historial de consumo de sustancias adictivas. Los resultados muestran que las personas que tenían un historial de drogodependencia obtenían una puntuación media superior a las personas no drogodependientes, que las mujeres obtenían una puntuación media superior a los hombres, y que las personas que habían consumido sustancias depresoras obtenían una puntuación superior a las que habían consumido sustancias estimulantes. Las diferencias eran estadísticamente significativas.
Cultura, experiencias negativas y diferencias en la percepción de la expresión facial de ira
Authors: López Pérez Rafael Manuel , Gordillo León Fernando , Pérez Nieto Miguel Ángel , Mestas Hernández Lilia
Published: September 2018

En el contexto del debate de la universalidad de la expresión y reconocimiento de la expresión facial, se estudió cómo las personas perciben diferentes emociones en una misma expresión facial y el papel de la experiencia, dentro de diferentes culturas, en este proceso. Se utilizaron doce expresiones faciales obtenidas del Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy-Adult Faces (DANVA), administrando una tarea de reconocimiento emocional a 90 sujetos (mexicanos y españoles). Ante la expresión de ira, la muestra mexicana percibió en menor grado las emociones no predominantes, respecto a la muestra española. Se discuten los resultados dentro de las teorías neodarwinianas de la emoción, entendiendo que podría derivarse del sesgo generado por la mayor experiencia negativa que la población mexicana tiene.
Para una Psicología social crítica no construccionista: reflexiones a partir del realismo crítico de Ignacio Martín-Baró
Authors: Blanco Amalio , De la Corte Luis , Sabucedo José Manuel
Published: September 2018

La naturaleza socio-históricamente construida y compartida del conocimiento y de la subjetividad que el construccionismo social parece haberse arrogado en propiedad, forma parte de la historia de la ciencia social. Por otra parte, la crítica al modelo causal-mecanicista como única fuente de conocimiento, que el movimiento construccionista considera una de sus principales aportaciones epistemológicas, se remonta nada menos que a Kant. La verdadera aportación del construccionismo social ha consistido en suprimir la experiencia como fuente del conocimiento y de la subjetividad, negar la existencia de una realidad externa al sujeto, mantenerse ontológicamente mudo frente a ella, y desconfiar de la posibilidad de cambiarla. Parece evidente que sobre estos cimientos no es posible, tal y como se ha pretendido, construir una Psicología social crítica. Frente a ella, y en sus antípodas, el realismo crítico de Martín-Baró parte de la existencia de una realidad objetiva cuyas injusticias y miserias denunció de manera insistente, se vale de métodos cuantitativos para analizarla, la estructura social es su marco de referencia preferido a la hora de estudiar las diversas modalidades y manifestaciones del comportamiento humano, no renuncia a la existencia de verdades parciales y socio históricamente situadas, y define como objetivo de su quehacer teórico el cambio social.
Review Study of the Impulsiveness Dimension of the Dimensional Clinical Personality Inventory
Authors: De Francisco Carvalho Lucas
Published: September 2018

The present study aimed to review the Impulsivity dimension from Dimensional Clinical Personality Inventory (IDCP) as well as to verify its psychometric properties in a non-clinical sample. The procedures were in a 2-stages shape. Step 1 was directed to the development of new items and Step 2 intended for testing the psychometric properties of the revised version. As result of the first step, we selected a set of 38 items. In the second step, the items were tested in a sample of 225 subjects (70.1% females), aging between 18 and 66 years (M = 26.2, SD = 8.1), mostly undergraduate students (58.9%). All subjects answered the IDCP, and the Brazilian versions of both, the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). As result, we obtained a set of 18 items in three interpretable factors, Inconsequence, Risk Taking and Deceitfulness, with internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach’s α) of .89 for the total score. The correlations of the Impulsivity factors with NEO-PI-R and PID-5 revealed consistent and expected relations. The data reveal the adequacy of the new Impulsivity dimension of IDCP.
Validación del Cuestionario de Clima Motivacional 3x2 en educación física
Authors: Méndez-Giménez Antonio , Cecchini Estrada José Antonio , Fernández-Río Javier
Published: September 2018

Esta investigación aborda dos objetivos: a) examinar la validez de constructo de un instrumento de medición del clima motivacional basado en el modelo de metas de logro 3x2, y b) estudiar las relaciones entre las seis estructuras de clima motivacional y diversas variables consecuentes relevantes. En el estudio 1 se elaboró el Cuestionario de Clima Motivacional 3x2 en Educación Física, completado por estudiantes de secundaria y bachillerato (N =192, M = 15.57 años). El Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio apoyó el modelo hipotético. Comparado con 10 modelos alternativos, este fue el que produjo mejor ajuste a los datos. En el estudio 2 se reexaminó el modelo con estudiantes más jóvenes (N= 299; M = 13.14 años) y se realizaron análisis de regresión para explorar los tipos de clima motivacional como predictores de variables dependientes. Se produjeron evidencias de patrones predictivos diferenciales entre las estructuras de clima basadas en la tarea y el yo.
¿Y si pensamos la comunidad con derechos? Psicología Comunitaria, derechos y políticas públicas. Una relación compleja
Authors: Olivares Espinoza Bárbara , Winkler Müller María Inés , Reyes Espejo María Isabel , Berroeta Torres Héctor , Montero Rivas Maritza
Published: September 2018

Este artículo expone resultados derivados de la tercera etapa de una investigación denominada “Ética y Política: ¿Dimensiones olvidadas en la Psicología Comunitaria?”, donde se reflexiona en torno a los derechos de las comunidades que participan de intervenciones comunitarias. Se utilizó una metodología cualitativa y se aplicaron técnicas como grupos focales y entrevistas a usuarios de programas sociales de distinta naturaleza. Como resultado, se elaboró un listado de derechos de la comunidad que pueden ser resumidos en: derecho a la información clara y transparente; derecho a la participación y toma de decisiones; derecho al respeto y reconocimiento de la comunidad; derecho a la autonomía de la comunidad, y derecho a recibir intervenciones de calidad.
Sentencia judicial, delito sexual y pericial psicológica: enfoque transcultural
Authors: Martínez Rudas Milena , Baena Valencia Stefany , Crissien Tito José , Pérez García Ismael , Santolaya Prego de Oliver Jesús
Published: September 2018

Se analiza la influencia de la pericial psicológica en las decisiones judiciales en delitos sexuales infantiles en tres departamentos de Colombia y una provincia española. El estudio transcultural compara las sentencias entre los años 2000 y 2014. Los resultados arrojaron que en el 91.7 % de sentencias de juicios celebrados, los magistrados españoles hacen referencia explícita a la pericial psicológica. En tanto que en Colombia, la proporción fue del 88.8 %. La cercanía de estos porcentajes es alentadora, porque a estos resultados se llega utilizando examen de datos distintos, desiguales códigos penales y recorridos dispares en la aplicación de la pericial psicológica. Se obtienen conclusiones similares que refrendan la importancia del psicólogo en la toma de decisiones judiciales.
Estudio neuropsicológico de la Dismorfia Muscular y del Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo
Authors: Favila Figueroa María Alejandra , Contreras Troya Teresa , Juárez López Salvador , Aldana González Gabriela , Valencia Cruz Alejandra
Published: September 2018

El objetivo de este estudio fue explorar y comparar las funciones ejecutivas (FE) y la memoria no verbal de un grupo de varones fisicoconstructivistas con sintomatología de dismorfia muscular (DM), con un grupo de varones que presentan sintomatología del trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (TOC) y un grupo de control. Aplicando pruebas neuropsicológicas se encontró que los fisicoconstructivistas muestran una capacidad limitada de las FE en el control inhibitorio y flexibilidad cognitiva, con déficits visuoespaciales moderados en la memoria no verbal, mientras que el grupo con TOC presentó mayores deficiencias de rendimiento en las mismas habilidades. Se sugiere realizar más estudios para evitar un conocimiento fragmentado o contradictorio entre la DM y el TOC.
Fear of Crime and Cultivation Effect. Social and Psychological Predictors
Authors: García-Castro Juan Diego , Perez Sanchez Rolando
Published: September 2018

Within the framework of the study of cultivation, the present research attempts to study the association between general TV consumption, particular TV news, and fear of crime. The analysis considers narrative transportation and system justification as psychological predictor variables; in addition, sex, level of crime in the area of residence, and social class as social covariates. Participants were 516 young (M = 20.5 years, SD = 4.7) Costa Ricans. A hierarchical regression analysis (stepwise) was made. Results indicated that people who experienced more narrative transportation, less system justification as women, and low social class, have higher levels of fear of crime. Results are discussed from the need to expand the cultivation hypothesis of fear of crime.
Graves vulneraciones de derechos en la infancia y adolescencia: variables de funcionamiento familiar
Authors: Contreras Taibo Lorena , Paulsen Gutierrez Catalina , Gómez Muzzio Esteban
Published: September 2018

La presente investigación tiene por objetivo determinar las características y problemáticas que se presentan en el funcionamiento familiar de 389 niños, niñas y adolescentes víctimas de graves vulneraciones de derechos en Chile, mediante la aplicación de la Escala de Evaluación Familiar de Carolina del Norte (NCFAS-G). Sus resultados identifican problemáticas centrales en esta muestra, tales como una moderadavulnerabilidad socioeconómica, dificultades en las interacciones entre sus miembros y con su entorno (familia, vecindario), así como debilitamiento de las competencias parentales. Se concluye que lasvariables de dinámica relacional de la familia y la pareja, los vínculos afectivos, la parentalidad y la autonomía familiar requieren ser abordadas mediante una intervención integral, sistémica, coordinada y oportuna.
Psychological Distress Predicts HbA1c Trajectories among Type 1 Diabetic Adolescents
Authors: Ortiz Manuel S. , Wiley Joshua F.
Published: September 2018

Diabetic adolescents have poor metabolic control. We aimed to characterize the longitudinal association between the stress-related domains of emotional burden (EB), physician related-distress (PD), regimen-related distress (RD), diabetes-related interpersonal distress (ID), and hemoglobin glycosylated (HbA1c) trajectories among Type 1 diabetics Chilean adolescents.
Thirty-two Type 1 diabetic adolescents (Mage=15.97; SD=3.45) were followed for one year. HbA1c was assessed at three time points, and a stress measure was obtained. Using a longitudinal growth curve modeling, a marginal overall negative linear trend was found in HbA1c (b = -0.23, p = 0.096). There was an interaction between time and PD (b = -0.33, p < 0.05), and a main effect of EB, RD, and ID on HbA1c. Psychological stress domains predict metabolic control trajectories.  Monitoring diabetes specific stress may be a useful tool to identify adolescents at risk for poor control, and interventions that reduce such stress might lead to better management of diabetes in adolescents.
Perfiles motivacionales de elección de estudios en estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso
Authors: García-Ripa María Inés , Sánchez-García María Fe , Risquez Angelica
Published: September 2018

Este trabajo tuvo como propósito analizar los motivos de elección de estudios y establecer perfiles motivacionales diferenciados en estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso en la Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA). Para ello se diseñó y validó un cuestionario ad hoc, estructurado en tres escalas de motivación: (1) Motivos de superación profesional y altruismo; (2) Búsqueda de prestigio y solvencia económica y (3) Motivos de evitación. El cuestionario se aplicó a la totalidad de los estudiantes de nuevo acceso a la UCA en el curso académico 2013-2014 (1 156 estudiantes de diferentes disciplinas). Los resultados permitieron establecer la existencia de grupos diferenciados de estudiantes y obtener un modelo predictivo de clasificación destinado al diseño de acciones de orientación que tengan en cuenta sus motivaciones y necesidades en un contexto determinado.
Perfil psicosocial de adolescentes españoles agresores y víctimas de violencia de pareja
Authors: Carrascosa Laura , Cava María-Jesús , Buelga Sofía
Published: September 2018

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar posibles diferencias en satisfacción con la vida, ánimo depresivo, autoconcepto y comunicación familiar entre adolescentes no implicados en violencia de pareja, agresores, víctimas, implicados en el rol de agresor-víctima de forma ocasional e implicados en este rol frecuentemente. Participaron 672 adolescentes españoles (325 chicas, 347 chicos), entre 12 y 19 años (M = 14.45; DT = 1.62). Los resultados muestran un perfil psicosocial más negativo en las chicas víctimas de violencia de pareja y en los chicos implicados frecuentemente en el rol de agresor-víctima. En las chicas con mayor implicación en violencia de pareja se observan también mayores dificultades en la comunicación familiar. Estos resultados muestran la existencia de perfiles psicosociales diferentes en chicos y chicas, que desempeñan diferentes roles en violencia de pareja, y la utilidad de considerar estos perfiles en el desarrollo de programas de intervención.
Effect of calcium ions on peptide adsorption at the aqueous rutile titania (110) interface
Authors: Sultan Anas M. , Hughes Zak E. , Walsh Tiffany R.
Published: September 2018

How the presence of Ca2+ ions at the aqueous TiO2 interface influences the binding modes of two experimentally identified titania-binding peptides, Ti-1 and Ti-2, is investigated using replica exchange with solute tempering molecular dynamics simulations. The findings are compared with available experimental data, and the results are contrasted with those obtained under NaCl solution conditions. For Ti-1, Ca2+ ions enhance the adsorption of the negatively charged Asp8 residue in this sequence to the negatively charged surface, via Asp–Ca2+–TiO2 bridging. This appears to generate a nonlocal impact on the adsorption of Lys12 in Ti-1, which then pins the peptide to the surface via direct surface contact. For Ti-2, fewer residues were predicted to adsorb directly to the surface in CaCl2, compared with predictions made for NaCl solution, possibly due to competition between the other peptide residues and Ca2+ ions to adsorb to the surface. This reduction in direct surface contact gives rise to a more extensive solvent-mediated contact for Ti-2. In general, the presence of Ca2+ ions resulted in a loss of conformational diversity of the surface-adsorbed conformational ensembles of these peptides, compared to counterpart data predicted for NaCl solution. The findings provide initial insights into how peptide–TiO2 interactions might be tuned at the molecular level via modification of the salt composition of the liquid medium.
REVIEWS OF ACOUSTICAL PATENTS
Authors: Fulop Sean A. , Rice Lloyd
Published: September 2018

The purpose of these acoustical patent reviews is to provide enough information for a Journal reader to decide whether to seek more information from the patent itself. Any opinions expressed here are those of the reviewers as individuals and are not legal opinions. Printed copies of United States Patents may be ordered at $3.00 each from the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Washington, DC 20231. Patents are available via the Internet at http://www.uspto.gov.
Lower-level acoustics underlie higher-level phonological categories in lexical tone perception
Authors: Chen Fei , Peng Gang
Published: September 2018

The pitch-processing deficit associated with congenital amusia has been shown to be transferable to lexical tone processing. However, it remains unclear whether the tone perception difficulties of amusics are merely due to the domain-general deficit in acoustic processing or additionally caused by impaired higher-level phonological operations. Answers to this question can shed light on the influence of lower-level acoustic processing on higher-level phonological processing. Using a modified categorical perception paradigm, the present study indicates that the acoustic processing deficit systematically extends to higher-level phonological processing. These findings suggest that lower-level acoustics underlie higher-level phonological categories in lexical tone perception.
Cells alter their tRNA abundance to selectively regulate protein synthesis during stress conditions
Authors: Torrent Marc , Chalancon Guilhem , de Groot Natalia S. , Wuster Arthur , Madan Babu M.
Published: September 2018

Stress-induced changes in tRNA abundance enhance the translation efficiency of stress response proteins.
The Transcription Factor VdHapX Controls Iron Homeostasis and Is Crucial for Virulence in the Vascular Pathogen Verticillium dahliae
Authors: Wang Yonglin , Deng Chenglin , Tian Longyan , Xiong Dianguang , Tian Chengming , Klosterman Steven J.
Published: September 2018

This study demonstrated that VdHapX is a conserved protein that mediates adaptation to iron starvation and excesses, affects microsclerotium formation, and is crucial for virulence of
V. dahliae
.
Effects and moderators of exercise on muscle strength, muscle function and aerobic fitness in patients with cancer: a meta-analysis of individual patient data
Authors: Sweegers Maike G , Altenburg Teatske M , Brug Johannes , May Anne M , van Vulpen Jonna K , Aaronson Neil K , Arbane Gill , Bohus Martin , Courneya Kerry S , Daley Amanda J , Galvao Daniel A , Garrod Rachel , Griffith Kathleen A , Van Harten Wim H , Hayes Sandra C , Herrero-Román Fernando , Kersten Marie J , Lucia Alejandro , McConnachie Alex , van Mechelen Willem , Mutrie Nanette , Newton Robert U , Nollet Frans , Potthoff Karin , Schmidt Martina E , Schmitz Kathryn H , Schulz Karl Heinz , Sonke Gabe , Steindorf Karen , Stuiver Martijn M , Taaffe Dennis R , Thorsen Lene , Twisk Jos W , Velthuis Miranda J , Wenzel Jennifer , Winters-Stone Kerri M , Wiskemann Joachim , Chin A Paw Mai J , Buffart Laurien M
Published: September 2018

Objective

To optimally target exercise interventions for patients with cancer, it is important to identify which patients benefit from which interventions.

Design

We conducted an individual patient data meta-analysis to investigate demographic, clinical, intervention-related and exercise-related moderators of exercise intervention effects on physical fitness in patients with cancer.

Data sources

We identified relevant studies via systematic searches in electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL).

Eligibility criteria

We analysed data from 28 randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of exercise on upper body muscle strength (UBMS) and lower body muscle strength (LBMS), lower body muscle function (LBMF) and aerobic fitness in adult patients with cancer.

Results

Exercise significantly improved UBMS (β=0.20, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.14 to 0.26), LBMS (β=0.29, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.35), LBMF (β=0.16, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.24) and aerobic fitness (β=0.28, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.34), with larger effects for supervised interventions. Exercise effects on UBMS were larger during treatment, when supervised interventions included ≥3 sessions per week, when resistance exercises were included and when session duration was >60 min. Exercise effects on LBMS were larger for patients who were living alone, for supervised interventions including resistance exercise and when session duration was >60 min. Exercise effects on aerobic fitness were larger for younger patients and when supervised interventions included aerobic exercise.

Conclusion

Exercise interventions during and following cancer treatment had small effects on UBMS, LBMS, LBMF and aerobic fitness. Demographic, intervention-related and exercise-related characteristics including age, marital status, intervention timing, delivery mode and frequency and type and time of exercise sessions moderated the exercise effect on UBMS, LBMS and aerobic fitness.
Prevalence and incidence of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in Europe—the Euro-epiME study from the European network EUROMENE: a protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Estévez-López Fernando , Castro-Marrero Jesus , Wang Xia , Bakken Inger Johanne , Ivanovs Andrejs , Nacul Luis , Sepúlveda Nuno , Strand Elin B , Pheby Derek , Alegre Jose , Scheibenbogen Carmen , Shikova Evelina , Lorusso Lorenzo , Capelli Enrica , Sekulic Slobodan , Lacerda Eliana , Murovska Modra
Published: September 2018

Introduction

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic disease involving central nervous system and immune system disorders, as well as cardiovascular abnormalities. ME/CFS is characterised by severe chronic fatigue lasting for at least 6 months, including clinical symptoms such as tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes, muscle pain, joint pain without swelling or redness, post-exertional malaise for more than 24 hours and unrefreshing sleep. Studies on the epidemiology of ME/CFS in Europe only include single countries and, therefore, the prevalence and incidence of ME/CFS in Europe (as a whole) is unknown. One of the purposes of the European Network on ME/CFS (EUROMENE; European Union-funded COST Action; Reference number: 15111) is to address this gap in knowledge. We will systematically review the literature reporting figures from European countries to provide a robust summary and identify new challenges.

Methods and analysis

We will systematically search the literature databases Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science for studies published in the last 10 years (ie, after 2007). No language restriction will be applied. Two independent reviewers will search, screen and select studies as well as extract data about their main characteristics and evaluate their methodological and reporting quality. When disagreements emerge, the reviewers will discuss to reach a consensus. We plan to produce a narrative summary of our findings as we anticipate that studies are scarce and heterogeneous. The possibility of performing meta-analyses will be discussed in a EUROMENE meeting.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required as only publicly available data will be included. Findings will be described in EUROMENE reports, published in peer-reviewed journal(s) and presented at conferences. The findings will be also communicated to policy-makers, healthcare providers, people with ME/CFS and other sections of society through regular channels including the mass-media.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017078688
Cost-effectiveness of single-dose zoledronic acid for nursing home residents with osteoporosis in the USA
Authors: Ito Kouta
Published: September 2018

Objective

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of routine administration of single-dose zoledronic acid for nursing home residents with osteoporosis in the USA.

Design

Markov cohort simulation model based on published literature from a healthcare sector perspective over a lifetime horizon.

Setting

Nursing homes.

Participants

A hypothetical cohort of nursing home residents aged 85 years with osteoporosis.

Interventions

Two strategies were compared: (1) a single intravenous dose of zoledronic acid 5 mg and (2) usual care (supplementation of calcium and vitamin D only).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), as measured by cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained.

Results

Compared with usual care, zoledronic acid had an ICER of $207 400 per QALY gained and was not cost-effective at a conventional willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000 per QALY gained. The results were robust to a reasonable range of assumptions about incidence, mortality, quality-of-life effects and the cost of hip fracture and the cost of zoledronic acid. Zoledronic acid had a potential to become cost-effective if a fracture risk reduction with zoledronic acid was higher than 23% or if 6-month mortality in nursing home residents was lower than 16%. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the zoledronic acid would be cost-effective in 14%, 27% and 44% of simulations at willingness-to-pay thresholds of $50 000, $100 000 or $200 000 per QALY gained, respectively.

Conclusions

Routine administration of single-dose zoledronic acid in nursing home residents with osteoporosis is not a cost-effective use of resources in the USA but could be justifiable in those with a favourable life expectancy.
Real-world health services utilisation and outcomes afterBRCA1andBRCA2testing in Ontario, Canada: the What Comes Next Cohort Study protocol
Authors: Dossa Fahima , Cusimano Maria C , Sutradhar Rinku , Metcalfe Kelly , Little Tari , Lerner-Ellis Jordan , Eisen Andrea , Meschino Wendy S , Baxter Nancy N
Published: September 2018

Introduction

Women who have pathogenic mutations in theBRCA1andBRCA2genes are at greatly increased risks for breast and ovarian cancers. Although risk-reduction strategies can be undertaken by these women, knowledge regarding the uptake of these strategies is limited. Additionally, the healthcare behaviours of women who receive inconclusive test results are not known. This study protocol describes the creation of a retrospective cohort of women who have undergone genetic testing forBRCA1andBRCA2, linking genetic test results with administrative data to quantify the uptake of risk-reduction strategies and to assess long-term cancer and non-cancer outcomes after genetic testing.

Methods and analysis

Approximately two-thirds ofBRCA1andBRCA2testing in Ontario, Canada is performed at North York General Hospital (NYGH) and Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH), Toronto. We will use registries at these sites to assemble a cohort of approximately 17 000 adult women who underwentBRCA1andBRCA2testing from January 2007 to April 2016. Trained chart abstractors will obtain detailed information for all women tested over this period, including demographics, personal and family cancer histories and genetic test results. We will link these data to provincial administrative databases, enabling assessment of healthcare utilisation and long-term outcomes after testing. Study outcomes will include the uptake of breast cancer screening and prophylactic breast and ovarian surgery, cancer incidence and mortality and incidence of non-cancer health outcomes, including cardiovascular, osteoporotic and neurodegenerative disease.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the Research Ethics Boards at NYGH (no 16-0035), MSH (no 13-0124) and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (no 275-2016). We plan to disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international meetings.
Decreasing birth asphyxia: utility of statistical process control in a low-resource setting
Authors: Mukhtar-Yola Mariya , Audu Lamidi Isah , Olaniyan Oluyinka , Akinbi Henry T , Dawodu Adekunle , Donovan Edward F
Published: September 2018

The neonatal period is a critical time for survival of the child. A disproportionate amount of neonatal deaths occur in low-resource countries and are attributable to perinatal events, especially birth asphyxia. This project aimed to reduce the incidence of birth asphyxia by 20% by June 2014 through training in neonatal resuscitation and improving the availability of resuscitation equipment in the delivery room in the National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria.

A prospective, longitudinal study using statistical process control analytical methods was done enrolling babies delivered at the National Hospital Abuja.

Low Apgar scores or birth asphyxia (defined a priori as any score <7 at 1, 5 and/or at 10 min) was assessed. To ensure reliability and validity of Apgar scoring, trainings on scoring were held for labour and delivery staff. Interventions included provision of additional equipment and trainings on neonatal resuscitation. Apgar scores were aggregated weekly over 25 months. Control charts with three SE confidence limits were used to monitor the proportion of scores ≤7.

The baseline incidence of low Apgar scores, as defined a priori, was 33%, 17% and 10% while postintervention the incidence was 18%, 17% and 6% at 1, 5 and 10 min, respectively—a reduction of 45% and 40% in the 1-min and 10-min low Apgar scores.

Increased communication, additional resuscitation equipment and training of delivery personnel on neonatal resuscitation are associated with reductions in measures of birth asphyxia. These improvements have been sustained and efforts are ongoing to spread our interventions to other special care delivery units/nursery in adjoining states. Our study demonstrates the feasibility and utility of using improvement science methods to assess and improve perinatal outcome in low-resource settings.
A 52-year-old woman with ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Fidalgo Ana , Fernandez-Friera Leticia , Solis Jorge
Published: September 2018

Clinical introduction

A 52-year-old woman with shortness of breath and palpitations was referred to a cardiologist. A 24-hour Holter demonstrated high density (37%) of ventricular premature beats (VPBs) and long runs of non-sustained (eventually sustained) monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) with the same morphology as several VPBs detected in a 12-lead ECG (figure 1A). A transthoracic echocardiogram was performed, and the patient’s evaluation was completed with a functional and gadolinium-enhanced cardiovascular MR (CMR) study (figure 1B,C) to assess structural heart disease. In a follow-up visit, an electrophysiological study (EPS) was performed to identify the origin of VPBs and VT (figure 1D).

Figure 1

(A) A 12-lead ECG. (B) Cine CMR-SSFP (steady-state-free-precession) sequence on a three-chamber view. (C) Inversion-recovery gradient echo CMR pulse sequence for delayed enhancement assessment. (D) Three-dimensional electroanatomic voltage mapping of the left ventricular cavity (cranial left anterior oblique view). CMR, cardiovascular MR.

Question

What is the most likely cause of VPBs and VT?

Idiopathic VT in the absence of structural heart disease.

Bileaflet mitral valve prolapse (MVP).

Dilated cardiomyopathy.

Left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy.

Ischaemic cardiomyopathy.
Acute-onset abdominal pain in a woman in her 30s
Authors: O’Donohoe Rory , Fitzsimmons Samantha , Bryant Timothy J C
Published: September 2018

Clinical introduction

A woman in her 30s presented to the emergency department with sudden-onset abdominal pain with hypotension and tachycardia. She gave a history of congenital heart disease for which she had previously undergone multiple operations. On examination she demonstrated right upper quadrant tenderness. She underwent an urgent multiphase CT (figure 1A–C).

Figure 1

(A) Arterial phase coronal CT. (B) Arterial phase axial CT. (C) Portal venous phase axial CT.

Question

What is the underlying liver pathology?

Hepatocellular adenoma

Cholangiocarcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma

Focal nodular hyperplasia

Hepatoblastoma
Are you suffering from a large arterial occlusion? Please raise your arm!
Authors: Cooray Charith , Mazya Michael V , Bottai Matteo , Scheitz Jan F , Abdul-Rahim Azmil H , Moreira Tiago Prazeres , Mikulik Robert , Krajina Antonin , Nevsimalova Miroslava , Toni Danilo , Wahlgren Nils , Ahmed Niaz
Published: September 2018

Background and purpose

Triage tools to identify candidates for thrombectomy are of utmost importance in acute stroke. No prognostic tool has yet gained any widespread use. We compared the predictive value of various models based on National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) subitems, ranging from simple to more complex models, for predicting large artery occlusion (LAO) in anterior circulation stroke.

Methods

Patients registered in the SITS international Stroke Register with available NIHSS and radiological arterial occlusion data were analysed. We compared 2042 patients harbouring an LAO with 2881 patients having no/distal occlusions. Using binary logistic regression, we developed models ranging from simple 1 NIHSS-subitem to full NIHSS-subitems models. Sensitivities and specificities of the models for predicting LAO were examined.

Results

The model with highest predictive value included all NIHSS subitems for predicting LAO (area under the curve (AUC) 0.77), yielding a sensitivity and specificity of 69% and 76%, respectively. The second most predictive model (AUC 0.76) included 4-NIHSS-subitems (level of consciousness commands, gaze, facial and arm motor function) yielding a sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 75%, respectively. The simplest model included only deficits in arm motor-function (AUC 0.72) for predicting LAO, yielding a sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 72%, respectively.

Conclusions

Although increasingly more complex models yield a higher discriminative performance for predicting LAO, differences between models are not large. Assessing grade of arm dysfunction along with an established stroke-diagnosis model may serve as a surrogate measure of arterial occlusion-status, thereby assisting in triage decisions.
Heat-not-burn tobacco products: a systematic literature review
Authors: Simonavicius Erikas , McNeill Ann , Shahab Lion , Brose Leonie S
Published: September 2018

Objective

To review peer-reviewed evidence on heat-not-burn tobacco products (HnB), their secondhand emissions and use by humans; to identify differences between independent and industry-funded studies.

Data sources

Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched up to 6 November 2017 for studies on HnB published after December 2009; reference lists were screened and other researchers contacted, yielding 637 records.

Study selection

Thirty-one publications on HnB secondhand emissions (n=16) or use by humans (n=15) were selected by two reviewers with excellent agreement (k=0.75).

Data extraction

Data on authors’ affiliations, HnB products, secondhand emissions and human exposure were extracted by one reviewer. Two reviewers assessed the quality of experimental HnB studies using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool.

Data synthesis

Twenty out of 31 studies were affiliated with tobacco industry. Studies on secondhand emissions varied by methodology, products and comparators. Compared with cigarettes, HnB delivered up to 83% of nicotine and reduced levels of harmful and potentially harmful toxicants by at least 62% and particulate matter by at least 75%. Experimental HnB use studies were limited to one product, reductions of human exposure to toxicants varied between 42% and 96%. HnB use suppressed urges to smoke, but participants rated HnB less satisfying than cigarettes. While limited by methodological heterogeneity, findings were largely similar for independent and industry-funded studies.

Conclusions

Studies on HnB secondhand emissions and human use were heterogeneous and largely affiliated with the manufacturers. HnB exposed users and bystanders to toxicants, although at substantially lower levels than cigarettes.
The renormalization group equations revisited
Authors: Mathiot Jean-François
Published: September 2018

Starting from a well-defined local Lagrangian, we analyze the renormalization group equations in terms of the two different arbitrary scales associated with the regularization procedure and with the physical renormalization of the bare parameters, respectively. We apply our formalism to the minimal subtraction scheme using dimensional regularization. We first argue that the relevant regularization scale in this case should be dimensionless. By relating bare and renormalized parameters to physical observables, we calculate the coefficients of the renormalization group equation up to two-loop order in the [Formula: see text] theory. We show that the usual assumption, considering the bare parameters to be independent of the regularization scale, is not a direct consequence of any physical argument. The coefficients that we find in our two-loop calculation are identical to the standard practice. We finally comment on the decoupling properties of the renormalized coupling constant.
Little hierarchy in the minimally specified MSSM
Authors: Dermíšek Radovan , McGinnis Navin
Published: September 2018

We study constrained versions of the minimal supersymmetric model and investigate the hierarchy between the electroweak scale and the scale of superpartners that can be achieved without relying on specifying model parameters by more than one digit (or with better than 10% precision). This approach automatically avoids scenarios in which a large hierarchy is obtained by special choices of parameters and yet keeps scenarios that would otherwise be disfavored by various sensitivity measures. We consider models with universal gaugino and scalar masses, models with nonuniversal Higgs masses or nonuniversal gaugino masses and focus on scenarios in which all the model parameters are either of the same order or zero at the grand unification scale. We find that the maximal hierarchy between the electroweak scale and stop masses, requiring that model parameters are not specified beyond one digit, ranges from a factor of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]10–30 for the CMSSM up to [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]300 for models with nonuniversal Higgs or gaugino masses.
Combining Simulation and Emulation Systems for Smart Grid Planning and Evaluation
Authors: Hannon Christopher , Yan Jiaqi , Jin Dong , Chen Chen , Wang Jianhui
Published: September 2018

Software-defined networking (SDN) enables efficient network management. As the technology matures, utilities are looking to integrate those benefits to their operations technology (OT) networks. To help the community to better understand and evaluate the effects of such integration, we develop DSSnet, a testing platform that combines a power distribution system simulator and an SDN-based network emulator for smart grid planning and evaluation. DSSnet relies on a container-based virtual time system to achieve efficient synchronization between the simulation and emulation systems. To enhance the system scalability and usability, we extend DSSnet to support a distributed controller environment. To enhance system fidelity, we extend the virtual time system to support kernel-based switches. We also evaluate the system performance of DSSnet and demonstrate the usability of DSSnet with a resilient demand response application case study.
Incremental Linearization for Satisfiability and Verification Modulo Nonlinear Arithmetic and Transcendental Functions
Authors: Cimatti Alessandro , Griggio Alberto , Irfan Ahmed , Roveri Marco , Sebastiani Roberto
Published: September 2018

Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) is the problem of deciding the satisfiability of a first-order formula with respect to some theory or combination of theories; Verification Modulo Theories (VMT) is the problem of analyzing the reachability for transition systems represented in terms of SMT formulae. In this article, we tackle the problems of SMT and VMT over the theories of nonlinear arithmetic over the reals (NRA) and of NRA augmented with transcendental (exponential and trigonometric) functions (NTA).

We propose a new abstraction-refinement approach for SMT and VMT on NRA or NTA, called
Incremental Linearization
. The idea is to abstract nonlinear multiplication and transcendental functions as uninterpreted functions in an abstract space limited to linear arithmetic on the rationals with uninterpreted functions. The uninterpreted functions are incrementally axiomatized by means of upper- and lower-bounding piecewise-linear constraints. In the case of transcendental functions, particular care is required to ensure the soundness of the abstraction.

The method has been implemented in the M
ath
SAT SMT solver and in the
nu
X
mv
model checker. An extensive experimental evaluation on a wide set of benchmarks from verification and mathematics demonstrates the generality and the effectiveness of our approach.
High-Performance Generalized Tensor Operations
Authors: Gareev Roman , Grosser Tobias , Kruse Michael
Published: September 2018

The efficiency of tensor contraction is of great importance. Compilers cannot optimize it well enough to come close to the performance of expert-tuned implementations. All existing approaches that provide competitive performance require optimized external code. We introduce a compiler optimization that reaches the performance of optimized BLAS libraries without the need for an external implementation or automatic tuning. Our approach provides competitive performance across hardware architectures and can be generalized to deliver the same benefits for algebraic path problems. By making fast linear algebra kernels available to everyone, we expect productivity increases when optimized libraries are not available.
The Dagstuhl Perspectives Workshop on Performance Modeling and Prediction
Authors: Ferro Nicola , Fuhr Norbert , Grefenstette Gregory , Konstan Joseph A. , Castells Pablo , Daly Elizabeth M. , Declerck Thierry , Ekstrand Michael D. , Geyer Werner , Gonzalo Julio , Kuflik Tsvi , Lindn Krister , Magnini Bernardo , Nie Jian-Yun , Perego Raffaele , Shapira Bracha , Soboroff Ian , Tintarev Nava , Verspoor Karin , Willemsen Martijn C. , Zobel Justin
Published: September 2018

This paper reports the findings of the Dagstuhl Perspectives Workshop 17442 on performance modeling and prediction in the domains of Information Retrieval, Natural language Processing and Recommender Systems. We present a framework for further research, which identifies five major problem areas: understanding measures, performance analysis, making underlying assumptions explicit, identifying application features determining performance, and the development of prediction models describing the relationship between assumptions, features and resulting performance.
Named Entity Extraction for Knowledgebase Enhancement
Authors: Radhakrishnan Priya
Published: September 2018

Past decade witnessed an explosive growth in the amount of unstructured data, especially in the public domain, mainly due to Web 2.0 and social media. This led to the creation of applications, called information extractors, that extract structured information from unstruc- tured data. The extracted information is stored in a Knowledge Base (KB). KB stores facts about entities like name, type and other attributes. My PhD thesis entitled 'Named Entity Extraction for Knowledgebase Enhancement' deals with information extraction on named entities with the purpose of enhancing a KB. The enhanced KB is in turn used by the information extraction task to refine the extraction process. Thus, KB provides structure and guidance to the extraction task, and gets enhanced by the results of the extraction task. Here we see that the tasks of entity extraction and KB enhancement are mutually dependent and mutually beneficial. Hence in my research I propose methods to enhance both the tasks, in an effort to build a strong and sound named entity extraction system. Named Entity Extraction, also known as Entity Linking (EL) in scientific literature, is the task of determining the identity of entities mentioned in text. EL helps automatic extraction of structured information about entities from unstructured data, which is stored in the KB. EL consists of Mention Detection and Entity Disambiguation. In my research, I propose methods to enhance mention detection, entity disambiguation and KB enhancement.