bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bayesian Solutions for Handling Uncertainty in Survival Extrapolation
Authors: Negrín Miguel A. , Nam Julian , Briggs Andrew H.
Published: June 2016

Objective. Survival extrapolation using a single, best-fit model ignores 2 sources of model uncertainty: uncertainty in the true underlying distribution and uncertainty about the stability of the model parameters over time. Bayesian model averaging (BMA) has been used to account for the former, but it can also account for the latter. We investigated BMA using a published comparison of the Charnley and Spectron hip prostheses using the original 8-year follow-up registry data. Methods. A wide variety of alternative distributions were fitted. Two additional distributions were used to address uncertainty about parameter stability: optimistic and skeptical. The optimistic (skeptical) model represented the model distribution with the highest (lowest) estimated probabilities of survival but reestimated using, as prior information, the most optimistic (skeptical) parameter estimated for intermediate follow-up periods. Distributions were then averaged assuming the same posterior probabilities for the optimistic, skeptical, and noninformative models. Cost-effectiveness was compared using both the original 8-year and extended 16-year follow-up data. Results. We found that all models obtained similar revision-free years during the observed period. In contrast, there was variability over the decision time horizon. Over the observed period, we detected considerable uncertainty in the shape parameter for Spectron. After BMA, Spectron was cost-effective at a threshold of £20,000 with 93% probability, whereas the best-fit model was 100%; by contrast, with a 16-year follow-up, it was 0%. Conclusions. This case study casts doubt on the ability of the single best-fit model selected by information criteria statistics to adequately capture model uncertainty. Under this scenario, BMA weighted by posterior probabilities better addressed model uncertainty. However, there is still value in regularly updating health economic models, even where decision uncertainty is low.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis in R Using a Multi-state Modeling Survival Analysis Framework: A Tutorial
Authors: Williams Claire , Lewsey James D. , Briggs Andrew H. , Mackay Daniel F.
Published: June 2016

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to performing cost-effectiveness analysis using a multi-state modeling approach. Alongside the tutorial, we provide easy-to-use functions in the statistics package R. We argue that this multi-state modeling approach using a package such as R has advantages over approaches where models are built in a spreadsheet package. In particular, using a syntax-based approach means there is a written record of what was done and the calculations are transparent. Reproducing the analysis is straightforward as the syntax just needs to be run again. The approach can be thought of as an alternative way to build a Markov decision-analytic model, which also has the option to use a state-arrival extended approach. In the state-arrival extended multi-state model, a covariate that represents patients’ history is included, allowing the Markov property to be tested. We illustrate the building of multi-state survival models, making predictions from the models and assessing fits. We then proceed to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis, including deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Finally, we show how to create 2 common methods of visualizing the results—namely, cost-effectiveness planes and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. The analysis is implemented entirely within R. It is based on adaptions to functions in the existing R package mstate to accommodate parametric multi-state modeling that facilitates extrapolation of survival curves.
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 levels and aortic valve calcification: A prospective, cross sectional study
Authors: Wang Wen-guang , He Yong-feng , Chen Yuan-li , Zhao Fu-mei , Song Yan-qiu , Zhang Hong , Ma Yan-he , Guan Xin , Zhang Wen-ya , Chen Xiao-lin , Liu Chao , Cong Hong-liang
Published: June 2016

Objective

To investigate the possible association between plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and the incidence and severity of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD).

Methods

This prospective, cross sectional study involved patients with and without (controls) aortic valve calcification diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography and dual source computed tomography (DSCT) scan. Aortic valves calcification scores were calculated from DSCT scans and patients were graded: grade 1, no calcification; grade 2, mildly calcified; grade 3, moderately calcified; grade 4, heavily calcified. Plasma PCSK9 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Forty patients were grade 1 (controls), 32 were grade 2, 48 were grade 3 and 32 were grade 4. Plasma levels of PCSK9 were significantly different between the four groups and the highest value was observed in the patients with grade 2 calcification. Only low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lipoprotein (Lp)(a) were associated with the severity of CAVD. Regression analysis showed that age, Lp(a) and PCSK9 were independent predictors of CAVD.

Conclusion

Data from this cross sectional study in a small sample of patients showed that plasma PCSK9 was correlated with the presence of CAVD but not its severity.
Distance from Dura mater to spinal cord at the thoracic vertebral level: An introductory study on local subdural geometry for thoracic epidural block
Authors: Park Jin-Woo , Bae Seung-Kil , Huh Jin
Published: June 2016

Objective

To evaluate the anatomical safety margins in relation to thoracic epidural block by analysing magnetic resonance (MR) images.

Methods

This retrospective study identified consecutive patients who underwent MR imaging of the thoracic vertebral spine. The distance from the dura mater to the spinal cord (DTC) was measured at different thoracic intervertebral levels using three different pathways as references: the ‘U’, ‘L’ and ‘M’ lines.

Results

A total of 346 patients provided MR images for analysis. The vertical DTC was the longest at the T5/6 intervertebral level (mean ± SD: 4.22 ± 1.43 mm) and the shortest at the T11/12 intervertebral level (mean ± SD: 2.51 ± 0.87 mm). The DTC was the longest on the ‘L’ line at the T1/2 and T5/6 intervertebral levels and on the ‘U’ line at the T10/11 intervertebral level. The difference in DTC between the ‘U’ and ‘L’ lines was the greatest at the T5/6 intervertebral level.

Conclusion

Differences in the DTC were observed among the thoracic intervertebral levels. The variability of the safety margin according to the angle of needle insertion was the largest at the T5/6 intervertebral level.
Feline Mammary Cancer
Authors: Hassan B. B. , Elshafae S. M. , Supsavhad W. , Simmons J. K. , Dirksen W. P. , Sokkar S. M. , Rosol T. J.
Published: June 2016

Feline mammary carcinoma (FMC) is similar to human breast cancer in the late age of onset, incidence, histopathologic features, biological behavior, and pattern of metastasis. Therefore, FMC has been proposed as a relevant model for aggressive human breast cancer. The goals of this study were to develop a nude mouse model of FMC tumor growth and metastasis and to measure the expression of genes responsible for lymphangiogenesis, angiogenesis, tumor progression, and lymph node metastasis in FMC tissues and cell lines. Two primary FMC tissues were injected subcutaneously, and 6 FMC cell lines were injected into 3 sites (subcutaneous, intratibial, and intracardiac) in nude mice. Tumors and metastases were monitored using bioluminescent imaging and characterized by gross necropsy, radiology, and histopathology. Molecular characterization of invasion and metastasis genes in FMC was conducted using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 6 primary FMC tissues, 2 subcutaneous FMC xenografts, and 6 FMC cell lines. The histologic appearance of the subcutaneous xenografts resembled the primary tumors. No metastasis was evident following subcutaneous injection of tumor tissues and cell lines, whereas lung, brain, liver, kidney, eye, and bone metastases were confirmed following intratibial and intracardiac injection of FMC cell lines. Finally, 15 genes were differentially expressed in the FMC tissues and cell lines. The highly expressed genes in all samples were PDGFA, PDGFB, PDGFC, FGF2, EGFR, ERBB2, ERBB3, VEGFD, VEGFR3, and MYOF. Three genes ( PDGFD, ANGPT2, and VEGFC) were confirmed to be of stromal origin. This investigation demonstrated the usefulness of nude mouse models of experimental FMC and identified molecular targets of FMC progression and metastasis.
Schistosomus Reflexus Syndrome in Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Authors: Bárcenas-Ibarra A. , Rojas-Lleonart I. , Lozano-Guzmán R. I. , García-Gasca A.
Published: June 2016

The olive ridley sea turtle ( Lepidochelys olivacea), considered the most abundant sea turtle species, is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. The most important nesting areas are located in the Eastern Pacific, and congenital malformations have been previously reported in this species. The present study was conducted in a single population at El Verde beach, one of the most important nesting beaches for the species in the northwestern Mexican Pacific. The study was based on embryos that had been incubated in a controlled environment. Schistosomus reflexus syndrome (SRS) was observed in 124 of 20 257 olive ridley embryos (0.6%), comprising 124 of 400 (31%) cases of congenital malformations over a 7-month period. Affected embryos had malformations of the carapace, bridge, or plastron, resulting in exposure of the abdominal or thoracic viscera, as well as spinal malformation and abnormal positioning of limbs adjacent to the head with subsequent ankylosis. SRS phenotypes (although lethal) varied from mild to severe, although most cases were severe. SRS was mostly associated with congenital malformations in the neck (short neck, 80%), tail (anury, 38%), and flippers (different types of dysmelias, 53%). In most cases of severe SRS, ankyloses were present. Documenting these findings could be important to identify the cause of the developmental defects, and identification of the cause of the defects may be of significance to the population and to our efforts to manage this and other populations at risk.
The Rise of Forensic Pathology in Human Medicine
Authors: Pollanen M. S.
Published: June 2016

The rise of forensic pathology in human medicine has greatly contributed to the administration of justice, public safety and security, and medical knowledge. However, the evolution of human forensic pathology has been challenging. Veterinary forensic pathologists can learn from some of the lessons that have informed the growth and development of human forensic pathology. Three main observations have emerged in the past decade. First, wrongful convictions tell us to use a truth-seeking stance rather than an a priori “think dirty” stance when investigating obscure death. Second, missed homicides and concealed homicides tell us that training and certification are the beginning of reliable forensic pathology. Third, failure of a sustainable institutional arrangement that fosters a combination of service, research, and teaching will lead to stagnation of knowledge. Forensic pathology of humans and animals will flourish, help protect society, and support justice if we embrace a modern biomedical scientific model for our practice. We must build training programs, contribute to the published literature, and forge strong collaborative institutions.
Between ontology and representation
Authors: Cockayne Daniel G. , Ruez Derek , Secor Anna
Published: June 2016

The concept of difference has long been integral to geographical thought. However, it is rare for geographers to consider precisely what difference is, or how it functions, and there are several contrasting traditions through which difference is understood. We argue that geographers could helpfully extend their theorizations of difference through Deleuze’s philosophy of ‘difference-in-itself’. We examine the value of a ‘difference-in-itself’ that views difference as generative, originary, and primary, in productive tension with conceptions of difference that tend to, purposefully or otherwise, subordinate difference to presupposed identity-based, representational categories, or dialectical forms of contradiction and opposition.
Ibuprofen Differentially Affects Supraspinatus Muscle and Tendon Adaptations to Exercise in a Rat Model
Authors: Rooney Sarah Ilkhanipour , Baskin Rachel , Torino Daniel J. , Vafa Rameen P. , Khandekar Pooja S. , Kuntz Andrew F. , Soslowsky Louis J.
Published: June 2016

Background:

Previous studies have shown that ibuprofen is detrimental to tissue healing after acute injury; however, the effects of ibuprofen when combined with noninjurious exercise are debated.

Hypothesis:

Administration of ibuprofen to rats undergoing a noninjurious treadmill exercise protocol will abolish the beneficial adaptations found with exercise but will have no effect on sedentary muscle and tendon properties.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 167 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into exercise or cage activity (sedentary) groups and acute (a single bout of exercise followed by 24 hours of rest) and chronic (2 or 8 weeks of repeated exercise) response times. Half of the rats were administered ibuprofen to investigate the effects of this drug over time when combined with different activity levels (exercise and sedentary). Supraspinatus tendons were used for mechanical testing and histologic assessment (organization, cell shape, cellularity), and supraspinatus muscles were used for morphologic (fiber cross-sectional area, centrally nucleated fibers) and fiber type analysis.

Results:

Chronic intake of ibuprofen did not impair supraspinatus tendon organization or mechanical adaptations (stiffness, modulus, maximum load, maximum stress, dynamic modulus, or viscoelastic properties) to exercise. Tendon mechanical properties were not diminished and in some instances increased with ibuprofen. In contrast, total supraspinatus muscle fiber cross-sectional area decreased with ibuprofen at chronic response times, and some fiber type–specific changes were detected.

Conclusion:

Chronic administration of ibuprofen does not impair supraspinatus tendon mechanical properties in a rat model of exercise but does decrease supraspinatus muscle fiber cross-sectional area. This fundamental study adds to the growing literature on the effects of ibuprofen on musculoskeletal tissues and provides a solid foundation on which future work can build.

Clinical Relevance:

The study findings suggest that ibuprofen does not detrimentally affect regulation of supraspinatus tendon adaptations to exercise but does decrease muscle growth. Individuals should be advised on the risk of decreased muscle hypertrophy when consuming ibuprofen.
Quantifying Head Impacts in Collegiate Lacrosse
Authors: Reynolds Bryson B. , Patrie James , Henry Erich J. , Goodkin Howard P. , Broshek Donna K. , Wintermark Max , Druzgal T. Jason
Published: June 2016

Background:

Concussion and repetitive head impact in sports has increased interest and concern for clinicians, scientists, and athletes. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the United States, but the burden of head impact in lacrosse is unknown.

Purpose:

The goal of this pilot study was to quantify head impact associated with practicing and playing collegiate lacrosse while subjects were fitted with wearable accelerometers.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

In a single year, a collegiate cohort of 14 women’s and 15 men’s lacrosse players wore mastoid-patch accelerometers to measure the frequency and severity of head impacts during official practices and games. Average impact severity, mean number of impacts, and cumulative acceleration were evaluated, stratified by sport and event type.

Results:

Men’s and women’s collegiate lacrosse players did not significantly differ in the number of head impacts received during games (11.5 for men vs 9.2 for women) or practices (3.1 vs 3.1). Men’s lacrosse players had significantly higher average head acceleration per impact during games compared with women (21.1 g vs 14.7 g) but not during practices (21.3 g vs 18.1 g). For both men and women, more impacts occurred during games than during practices (men, 11.5 vs 3.1; women, 9.2 vs 3.1), but impact severity did not significantly differ between events for either sport (men, 21.1 g vs 21.3 g; women, 14.7 g vs 18.1 g).

Conclusion:

The study data suggest a higher impact burden during games compared with practices, but this effect is driven by the quantity rather than severity of impacts. In contrast, sex-based effects in impact burden are driven by average impact severity rather than quantity. Data collected from larger multisite trials and/or different age groups could be used to inform ongoing debates, including headgear and practice regulations, that might appreciably affect the burden of head impacts in lacrosse.

Clinical Relevance:

While most head impacts do not result in a clinical diagnosis of concussion, evidence indicates that subconcussive head impacts may increase susceptibility to concussion and contribute to long-term neurodegeneration.
The Medial Stitch in Transosseous-Equivalent Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Montanez Anthony , Makarewich Christopher A. , Burks Robert T. , Henninger Heath B.
Published: June 2016

Background:

Despite advances in surgical technique, rotator cuff repair retears continue to occur at rates of 10%, 22%, and 57% for small, medium, and large tears, respectively. A common mode of failure in transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repairs is tissue pullout of the medial mattress stitch. While the medial mattress stitch has been studied extensively, no studies have evaluated a vertical mattress pattern placed near the musculotendinous junction in comparison with a horizontal mattress pattern.

Hypothesis:

Vertical mattress stitches will have higher load to failure and lower gapping compared with horizontal mattress stitches in a transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Double-row transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repairs were performed in 9 pairs of human male cadaveric shoulders (mean age ± SD, 58 ± 10 years). One shoulder in each pair received a medial-row suture pattern using a vertical mattress stitch, and the contralateral shoulder received a horizontal mattress. Specimens were mounted in a materials testing machine and tested in uniaxial tensile deformation for cyclic loading (500 cycles at 1 Hz to 1.0 MPa of effective stress), followed by failure testing carried out at a rate of 1 mm/s. Construct gapping and applied loads were monitored continuously throughout the testing.

Results:

Vertical mattress sutures were placed in 5 right and 4 left shoulders. Peak cyclic gapping did not differ between vertical (mean ± SD, 2.8 ± 1.1 mm) and horizontal mattress specimens (3.0 ± 1.2 mm) ( P = .684). Vertical mattress sutures failed at higher loads compared with horizontal mattress sutures (568.9 ± 140.3 vs 451.1 ± 174.3 N; P = .025); however, there was no significant difference in failure displacement (8.0 ± 1.6 vs 6.0 ± 2.1 mm; P = .092). Failure stiffness did not differ between the suture patterns ( P = .204).

Conclusion:

In transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repairs near the musculotendinous junction, a vertical mattress suture used as the medial stitch has a higher load to failure but no difference in gapping compared with a horizontal mattress pattern.

Clinical Relevance:

A vertical mattress suture may offer enhanced strength of repair for transosseous-equivalent repairs.
Hyaluronic acid: Perspectives in dentistry. A systematic review
Authors: Casale Manuele , Moffa Antonio , Vella Paola , Sabatino Lorenzo , Capuano Francesco , Salvinelli Beatrice , Lopez Michele Antonio , Carinci Francesco , Salvinelli Fabrizio
Published: June 2016

To date, topical therapies guarantee a better delivery of high concentrations of pharmacologic agents to the soft periodontal tissue, gingiva, and periodontal ligament as well as to the hard tissue such as alveolar bone and cementum. Topical hyaluronic acid (HA) has recently been recognized as an adjuvant treatment for chronic inflammatory disease in addition to its use to improve healing after dental procedures. The aim of our work was to systematically review the published literature about potential effects of HA as an adjuvant treatment for chronic inflammatory disease, in addition to its use to improve healing after common dental procedures. Relevant published studies were found in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Ovid using a combined keyword search or medical subject headings. At the end of our study selection process, 25 relevant publications were included, three of them regarding gingivitis, 13 of them relating to chronic periodontitis, seven of them relating to dental surgery, including implant and sinus lift procedures, and the remaining three articles describing oral ulcers. Not only does topical administration of HA play a pivotal key role in the postoperative care of patients undergoing dental procedures, but positive results were also generally observed in all patients with chronic inflammatory gingival and periodontal disease and in patients with oral ulcers.
Idea Generation in Student Writing
Authors: Crossley Scott A. , Muldner Kasia , McNamara Danielle S.
Published: June 2016

Idea generation is an important component of most major theories of writing. However, few studies have linked idea generation in writing samples to assessments of writing quality or examined links between linguistic features in a text and idea generation. This study uses human ratings of idea generation, such as idea fluency, idea flexibility, idea originality, and idea elaboration, to analyze the extent to which idea generation relates to human judgments of essay quality in a corpus of college student essays. In conjunction with this analysis, linguistic features extracted from the essays are used to develop a predictive model of idea generation to further understand relations between the language features in an essay and the idea generation scores assigned to that essay. The results indicate that essays rated as containing a greater number of ideas that were flexible, original, and elaborated were judged to be of higher quality. Two of these features (elaboration and originality) were significant predictors of essay quality scores in a regression analysis that explained 33% of the variance in human scores. The results also indicate that idea generation is strongly linked to language features in essays. Specifically, the use of unique multiword units, more difficult words, semantic but not lexical similarities between paragraphs, and fewer word repetitions explained 80% of the variance in human scores of idea generation. These results have implications for writing theories and writing practice.
Value-based procurement
Authors: Prada Gabriela
Published: June 2016

Value-based healthcare models are being adopted globally to maximize value for patients. Given that procurement is at the heart of purchasing value, value-based procurement goes hand in hand with value-based healthcare. Shifting procurement’s traditional focus on short-term cost savings to a more holistic objective that includes health system performance and patient outcomes, giving preference to longer-term cost efficiencies, and working with suppliers to identify opportunities to develop more innovative products and services, is proving successful in leading jurisdictions. This article presents an overview of value within healthcare systems and how healthcare value-based procurement is being implemented across various jurisdictions.
Color Vision Deficiency and Functional Disorders Among Israeli Male Adolescents Between 2007 and 2013
Authors: Berger Assaf , Findler Michael , Maymon Dror , Korach Tzfanya , Yativ Oshrat Fono , Gronovich Yoav , Hassidim Ayal
Published: June 2016

Color vision deficiency has been associated with educational difficulties among male children, as well as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We examined the association of color vision deficiency with functional conditions, including ADHD, irritable bowel syndrome, enuresis and somatoform disorders, in a large population of male adolescents. We included all Israeli male adolescents that underwent medical and cognitive examinations during conscription between the years 2007 and 2013. The prevalence of ADHD, irritable bowel syndrome, enuresis, and somatoform disorders among color vision deficiency patients was compared to a control group. The study included 305 964 males aging 17 ± 0.6, of which 7584 (2.5%) had color vision deficiency. Using a multivariable analysis, the probability for irritable bowel syndrome, enuresis, and somatoform disorders among color vision deficiency patients was increased by 1.41, 1.94, and 3.87, respectively ( P < .05). No significant association was found between ADHD and color vision deficiency. Color vision abnormalities are associated with functional disorders in male adolescents, including irritable bowel syndrome, enuresis, and somatoform disorders.
Epidemiology of Pediatric Convulsive Status Epilepticus With Fever in the Emergency Department
Authors: Hayakawa Itaru , Miyama Sahoko , Inoue Nobuaki , Sakakibara Hiroshi , Hataya Hiroshi , Terakawa Toshiro
Published: June 2016

Pediatric convulsive status epilepticus with fever is common in the emergency setting but leads to severe neurological sequelae in some patients. To explore the epidemiology of convulsive status epilepticus with fever, a retrospective cohort covering all convulsive status epilepticus cases with fever seen in the emergency department of a tertiary care children’s hospital were consecutively collected. Of the 381 consecutive cases gathered, 81.6% were due to prolonged febrile seizure, 6.6% to encephalopathy/encephalitis, 0.8% to meningitis, and 7.6% to epilepsy. In addition, seizures were significantly longer in encephalopathy/encephalitis cases than in prolonged febrile seizure cases (log rank test, P < .001). These results provide for the first time the pretest probability of final diagnoses in children with convulsive status epilepticus with fever in the emergency setting, and will help optimize the management of pediatric patients presenting to the emergency department with convulsive status epilepticus with fever.
Mechanical Ventilation Outcomes in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension in the United States: A National Retrospective Cohort Analysis
Authors: Rush Barret , Biagioni Bradly J. , Berger Landon , McDermid Robert
Published: June 2016

Objective:

The outcome of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who undergo mechanical ventilation is not well known.

Methods:

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 2006 to 2012 was used to isolate patients with a diagnosis of PAH who also underwent invasive (MV) and noninvasive (NIMV) mechanical ventilation. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality.

Results:

The hospital records of 55 208 382 patients were studied, and there were 21 070 patients with PAH, of whom 1646 (7.8%) received MV and 834 (4.0%) received NIMV. Those receiving MV had higher mortality (39.1% vs 12.6%, P < .001) and longer hospital stays (11.9 days, interquartile range [IQR] 6.1-22.2 vs 6.7 days, IQR 3.4-11.9, P < .001) than those undergoing NIMV. Of the patients treated with MV, 4.4% also used home oxygen therapy and had similar overall mortality to those who did not use home oxygen (35.3% vs 39.1%, P = .46). Similarly, there was no relationship between home oxygen use and mortality in patients treated with NIMV (10.6% vs 12.6%, P = .48). Notably, more patients treated with NIMV used home oxygen than those treated with MV (14.4% vs 4.4%, P < .001).

Conclusion:

Patients with PAH who undergo invasive mechanical ventilation have an in-hospital mortality of 39.1%. Future work may help identify the types of patients who benefit most from advanced respiratory support in a critical care setting.
Nanoassemblies constructed from bimodal mesoporous silica nanoparticles and surface-coated multilayer pH-responsive polymer for controlled delivery of ibuprofen
Authors: Guo Yueyue , Sun Jihong , Bai Shiyang , Jin Xiaoqi
Published: June 2016

The pH-sensitive poly(D-A) grafted amine-functionalized bimodal mesoporous silica (D-A/BMMs) was prepared by a facile method used as a drug delivery vehicle. They exhibited superior properties such as good dispersion in aqueous medium, high drug loading efficiency, improved stability and high drug release rates. Meanwhile, its structural features and performances in a controlled delivery of ibuprofen (IBU) were systematically investigated by using XRD, N2 adsorption and desorption, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, elemental analysis and TG techniques. The results demonstrated that the obtained nanocomposite presented a flexible control over drug release by controlling the grafting amount of D-A onto the mesopores surface of aminated BMMs. The cumulative percent release of IBU from D-A/BMMs was found to be much higher at pH 7.4 than at pH 2.0. The release rate was very slow in an acidic medium but became faster in a neutral medium, owing to hydrogen bonding in an acidic medium and electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged carboxyl groups in an alkaline medium.
Gender and Conflict Resolution Strategies in Spanish Teen Couples: Their Relationship With Jealousy and Emotional Dependency
Authors: Perles Fabiola , San Martín Jesús , Canto Jesús M.
Published: June 2016

Previous research has pointed to the need to address the study of violence in teen couples. However, research has not delved into the study of the variables related to the different types of violence employed by boys and girls. The purpose of this study was to test whether gender, jealousy, and dependency predict specific strategies for conflict resolution (psychological aggression and mild physical aggression). Another objective of the study was to test gender differences in the conflict resolution strategies used by Spanish teen couples and to test the association between these variables and jealousy and emotional dependency. A sample of 296 adolescent high school students between 14 and 19 years of age of both genders from the south of Spain participated in this study. Hierarchical regression models were used to estimate the relationship between psychological aggression and mild physical aggression, and jealousy, and dependency. Results showed that jealousy correlated with psychological aggression and mild physical aggression in girls but not in boys. Psychological aggression and mild physical aggression were associated with dependency in boys. Girls scored higher in psychological aggression and jealousy than did boys. Finally, the interaction between jealousy and dependency predicted psychological aggression only in girls. These results highlight the need to address the role of the interaction between dependence and jealousy in the types of violence employed in teen dating. However, it is necessary to delve into the gender differences and similarities to develop appropriate prevention programs.
College Student Perceptions of Notification About Sex Offenders on Campus
Authors: Garland Brett , Calfano Brian , Wodahl Eric
Published: June 2016

Sexual victimization is a growing concern on college campuses. Although academic literature has examined the extent and perceived risk and fear of sexual assault at universities, studies focusing on college student attitudes about appropriate sex crime–related policies are severely limited. The Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act of 2000 requires post-secondary institutions to provide a statement giving the campus community guidance on how to access information about registered sex offenders. Colleges and universities are afforded wide discretion regarding whether to use more direct and involved methods for notifying faculty, staff, and students. The current study examines how college students attending a Midwestern university feel about various approaches to notification about sex offenders on campus. Results indicate that impressions of vulnerability are driving some of student opinion about notification, but that other considerations, such as character assessment, privacy concerns, and feelings of uneasiness, are possibly having an impact as well. The findings also strongly support that female student input should be factored heavily into campus sex offender notification strategies.
Moving National Breastfeeding Policies into Practice
Authors: Theurich Melissa Ann , McCool Megan Elizabeth
Published: June 2016

In 2011, the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding called on all health professional organizations, medical schools, and credentialing boards to establish and incorporate minimum lactation education and training requirements into their credentialing, licensing, and certification processes and to include breastfeeding education in undergraduate and graduate education and training programs. Given the commonalities between the fields of nutrition and breastfeeding, it has been proposed that nutrition professionals are an underutilized resource in the field of lactation management. Considering the lack of breastfeeding knowledge and skills among health professionals, nutrition professionals should be afforded opportunities to learn lactation management during their studies. The United States Breastfeeding Committee published Core Competencies in Breastfeeding Care and Services for All Health Professionals in 2010. However, professional nutrition and lactation credentialing boards should cooperate to integrate mandatory minimum standards of lactation education for nutrition professionals. Undergraduate and graduate programs in nutrition and dietetics should incorporate lactation content into their core curricula to comply with such standards. In addition, dietetics programs should offer optional clinical lactation experiences for students who aspire to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Race, Online Space and the Feminine: Unmapping ‘Black Girl Thinspiration’
Authors: Schott Nicole Danielle
Published: June 2016

A major component of the online pro-eating disorder culture (‘pro-ana’ and ‘pro-mia’) is what is referred to as ‘thinspiration’ or ‘thinspo’, which consists of images, slogans and videos aimed at inspiring the pursuit of extreme thinness. More recently, there is a specific kind of thinspiration, labeled online as ‘black girl thinspiration’, that seeks to inspire black women to reject fuller-figured body shapes as beautiful and responsible. Through the application of a spatial analysis, I contend that pro-eating disorder environments are spaces where women attempt to de-mark their racialized bodies through hard work, will-power and mastery over their desires. Theorizing from critical race and feminist postmodern perspectives, this article disrupts the white hegemony and privilege of the thin ideal. This disruption is achieved through unmapping how modern capitalism, sexism, and racism operate in unison to produce women who starve, purge, abuse laxatives and hate their bodies, while highlighting the tremendous violence embedded in these practices.
Characteristics of magnetorheological fluids under single and mixed modes
Authors: El Wahed Ali , Balkhoyor Loaie
Published: June 2016

Rheological properties of magnetorheological (MR) fluids can be changed by application of external magnetic fields. These dramatic and reversible field-induced rheological changes permit the construction of many novel electromechanical devices having potential utility in the automotive, aerospace, medical and other fields. Vibration control is regarded as one of the most successful engineering applications of magnetorheological devices, most of which have exploited the variable shear, flow or squeeze characteristics of magnetorheological fluids. These fluids may have even greater potential for applications in vibration control if utilised under a mixed-mode operation. This article presents results of an experimental investigation conducted using magnetorheological fluids operated under dynamic squeeze, shear-flow and mixed modes. A special magnetorheological fluid cell comprising a cylinder, which served as a reservoir for the fluid, and a piston was designed and tested under constant input displacement using a high-strength tensile machine for various magnetic field intensities. Under vertical piston motions, the magnetorheological fluid sandwiched between the parallel circular planes of the cell was subjected to compressive and tensile stresses, whereas the fluid contained within the annular gap was subjected to shear flow stresses. The magnetic field required to energise the fluid was provided by a pair of toroidally shaped coils, located symmetrically about the centerline of the piston and cylinder. This arrangement allows individual and simultaneous control of the fluid contained in the circular and cylindrical fluid gaps; consequently, the squeeze mode, shear-flow mode or mixed-mode operation of the fluid could be activated separately. The performance of these fluids was found to depend on the strain direction. Additionally, the level of transmitted force was found to improve significantly under mixed-mode operation of the fluid.
Optimization of composite patch repair for maximum stability of crack growth in an aluminum plate
Authors: Talebi B , Abedian A
Published: June 2016

In this paper, the configuration parameters of pre-designed composite patch repair are optimized with the aim of achieving the highest level of stability of crack growth in aluminum in the presence of some constraints such as weight, load sustainability, shear stress in the adhesive layer and maximum stress in the patch. For this purpose, the patch is modeled in full scale by ABAQUS, a commercial finite element code. The crack growth process is simulated with the extended finite element method under uniaxial tensile loading, and the Cohesive Zone Model is used to model the progressive damage in the adhesive of the composite patch repair. Also, sensitivity analysis is performed on the configuration parameters and it is shown that three parameters, i.e. width, stiffness ratio, and height of the patch are more important. Nonlinear fracture mechanics concepts have been used in calculating the stability of crack in the cracked aluminum plate. The results show that optimization based on the method proposed in this paper causes the stability of crack growth to increase by 21% while the patch weight is reduced by 52%.
Volume–area scaling parameterisation of Norwegian ice caps: A comparison of different approaches
Authors: Laumann Tron , Nesje Atle
Published: June 2016

Over the recent decades, glaciers have in general continued to lose mass, causing surface lowering, volume reduction and frontal retreat, thus contributing to global sea-level rise. When making assessments of present and future sea-level change and management of water resources in glaciated catchments, precise estimates of glacier volume are important. The glacier volume cannot be measured on every single glacier. Therefore, the global glacier volume must be estimated from models or scaling approaches. Volume–area scaling is mostly applied for estimating volumes of glaciers and ice caps on a regional and global scale by using a statistical–theoretical relationship between glacier volume ( V) and area ( A) ( V =  cAγ) (for explanation of the parameters c and γ, see Eq. 1). In this paper, a two-dimensional (2D) glacier model has been applied on four Norwegian ice caps (Hardangerjøkulen, Nordre Folgefonna, Spørteggbreen and Vestre Svartisen) in order to obtain values for the volume–area relationship on ice caps. The curve obtained for valley glaciers gives the best fit to the smallest plateau glaciers when c = 0.027 km3−2 γ and γ = 1.375, and a slightly poorer fit when the glacier increases in size. For ice caps, c = 0.056 km3−2 γ and γ = 1.25 fit reasonably well for the largest, but yield less fit to the smaller.
Taking Situations Seriously
Authors: Funder David C.
Published: June 2016

After years of neglect, situations are beginning to be taken seriously in psychological research. Two recent steps include the development of a theoretical framework, the Situation Construal Model (SCM), and an assessment tool, the Riverside Situational Q-sort (RSQ). The SCM describes behavior not only as a function of direct effects of personality and situations but also as a function of construal—how the individual perceives and responds to each situation he or she confronts. The RSQ assesses situations in terms of 89 descriptive phrases that can be rated by observers or participants; the consensus of socially competent observers represents the “objective” nature of a situation. The SCM provides a basis for an ongoing program of research using the RSQ to examine topics including the consistency of behavior, person-environment congruence, consequences of situational construal in social and medical contexts, classification of situations based on evolutionary theory, and the comparison of situational experience across cultures. Promising directions for future research include applications to educational, medical, and industrial settings. Taking situations seriously opens the door to many potential theoretical advances and practical applications.
Psychological Training for Entrepreneurs to Take Action
Authors: Frese Michael , Gielnik Michael M. , Mensmann Mona
Published: June 2016

Entrepreneurship is one of the most effective means to alleviate poverty in developing countries. Effective entrepreneurship requires psychological approaches—in particular, active (i.e., agentic) approaches. We introduce an action-regulation training approach, focusing on self-regulation and active behavior in entrepreneurship as a bottom-up solution for poverty reduction. We present two different training interventions. The first focuses on enhancing personal initiative in entrepreneurs from developing countries. The second aims at boosting startup rates in these countries by enhancing participants’ entrepreneurial skills and motivation. We describe underlying theoretical assumptions, structures, and effects of both training interventions and discuss evaluation studies with randomized pretest-posttest control-group designs showing that action-regulation training is a successful means to promote entrepreneurship in developing countries.
Varieties of Attention
Authors: Besner Derek , Risko Evan F. , Stolz Jennifer A. , White Darcy , Reynolds Michael , O’Malley Shannon , Robidoux Serje
Published: June 2016

The standard view in cognition is that the identification of visually presented words, up to and including semantic activation, is automatic in various senses. The perspective favored here is that various kinds of attention are intimately involved in the identification of words. Some forms of attention are necessary, whereas others (i.e., executive attention) are recruited to optimize performance. We briefly review results from a variety of literatures that (a) support the latter perspective and (b) are difficult to reconcile with an automatic-processing account.
How Does the Brain Keep Information “in Mind”?
Authors: Postle Bradley R.
Published: June 2016

For decades, theoreticians and experimentalists have worked under the assumption that the short-term retention of information depends on elevated activity in the neural elements that represent this information. This was reinforced by the observation of elevated activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during the performance of working memory tasks. Increasingly, however, researchers are realizing that the face-value interpretation of regional patterns of elevated activity, including in the PFC, is constrained, a priori, to the principle that brain functions (like working memory) are organized in a modular manner. This is at odds with our current understanding of the brain as a highly distributed, dynamical system capable of multiplexed processing. An alternative empirical approach, the application of multivariate pattern analysis to neural data sets, has led to two important developments in our conceptualization of working memory. First, it has shown that sustained delay-period activity in the PFC (and elsewhere) often does not correspond to the active retention, per se, of information. Second, it has provided strong empirical evidence for two mechanisms that may underlie our ability to keep in mind small amounts of information with which we can guide our behavior: sensorimotor recruitment, and the temporary activation of long-term memory representations.
Bayesian Benefits for the Pragmatic Researcher
Authors: Wagenmakers Eric-Jan , Morey Richard D. , Lee Michael D.
Published: June 2016

The practical advantages of Bayesian inference are demonstrated here through two concrete examples. In the first example, we wish to learn about a criminal’s IQ: a problem of parameter estimation. In the second example, we wish to quantify and track support in favor of the null hypothesis that Adam Sandler movies are profitable regardless of their quality: a problem of hypothesis testing. The Bayesian approach unifies both problems within a coherent predictive framework, in which parameters and models that predict the data successfully receive a boost in plausibility, whereas parameters and models that predict poorly suffer a decline. Our examples demonstrate how Bayesian analyses can be more informative, more elegant, and more flexible than the orthodox methodology that remains dominant within the field of psychology.
Mind Over Memory
Authors: Morcom Alexa M.
Published: June 2016

A decline in recollection is a hallmark of even healthy aging and is associated with wider impairments in mental control. Older adults have difficulty internally directing thought and action in line with their goals, and often rely more on external cues. To assess the impact this has on memory, emerging brain-imaging and behavioral approaches investigate the operation and effectiveness of goal-directed control before information is retrieved. Current data point to effects of aging at more than one stage in this process, particularly in the face of competing goals. These effects may reflect wider changes in the proactive, self-initiated regulation of thought and action. Understanding them is essential for establishing whether internal “self-cuing” of memory can be improved, and whether—and when—it is best to use environmental support from external cues to maximize memory performance.
Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: A Study of Indian Listed Firms
Authors: Roy Amitava
Published: June 2016

The focus of corporate governance (CG) systems is the agency problem, and it refers to the set of mechanisms that influences managerial decisions when there is a separation of ownership and control. Better CG may or may not be related to higher organizational performance. In this article, we propose to study whether firm level good CG lead to better firm performance and higher value creation in the form of share price returns. We use a panel of 58 top Indian listed companies in terms of market capitalization—BSE 100 and NSE 100—over the five-year period from 2007–2008 to 2011–2012 for our analysis. Our measurement analysis starts with a broad sample of 25 structural indicators of CG relating to directors, boards committees, audit considerations, ownership and capital structure characteristics, and our defined set of control variables. We have used two measures of firm performance, Market to Book Value Ratio (MTBVR) and Return on Equity (ROE). We used principal component analysis to identify the underlying dimensions of CG and determined which indicators are associated with each factor. We regressed MTBVR and ROE against the factor scores generated. MTBVR resulted in an R-square of 34.9 per cent and has a strong association with five factors. ROE resulted in an R-square of 48.6 per cent and was significantly influenced by the five factors.