bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concept analysis of impressionability among adolescents and young adults
Authors: Gwon Seok Hyun , Jeong Suyong
Published: July 2018

Aim

To report a concept analysis of impressionability among adolescents and young adults.

Background

Adolescence and young adulthood are critical periods to establish health behaviour. Environmental determinants are associated with youth health risk behaviours. These populations are impressionable to a range of social and physical environmental factors.

Design

Concept analysis.

Methods

We selected 17 studies to review from Psych INFO, ERIC, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar as well as the University of Virginia library. We did not apply date limits. We included search terms: “adolescent”; “youth”; “young adult”; “impressionability”; and “impressionable.”

Results

The defining attributes of impressionability among youths were a state where: (a) one is able to be susceptible to external stimuli; (b) one is incapable of reasonable judgement; and (c) one has a changeability to accept or modify one's attitude and behaviour. We identified antecedents, consequences, and cases of impressionability.
Design of fuzzy iterative learning fault‐tolerant control for batch processes with time‐varying delays
Authors: Wang Limin , Li Bingyun , Yu Jingxian , Zhang Ridong , Gao Furong
Published: July 2018

In this paper, a new two‐dimensional (2D) fuzzy composite iterative learning fault‐tolerant control strategy using a 2D Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy model is proposed for batch processes with time delay and actuator faults. Firstly, based on the local‐sector nonlinearity method, a 2D Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy model representing the nonlinear batch process with actuator faults is constructed with a series of linear models and nonlinear membership functions. Then, a 2D fuzzy feedback control–based iterative learning fault‐tolerant control strategy is proposed under the constructed model. Using the 2D Lyapunov stability theory, sufficient conditions for system asymptotic stability are given. The fault‐tolerant control law is then designed, guaranteeing system asymptotic stability along time and batches even if the system fails. Finally, the traditional control algorithm, the pure iterative learning control algorithm, and the feedback control–based iterative learning control algorithm proposed in this paper are compared on the level control of the three‐tank system, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Management of Pediatric Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis, Part II: A Focus on Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Current and Emerging Therapies
Authors: DeRonde Kailynn J. , Girotto Jennifer E. , Nicolau David P.
Published: July 2018

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become the most prevalent cause of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO) in pediatric patients. This increase in MRSA is due to the rise in community‐acquired MRSA. Therefore, it is important that clinicians are aware of the various and upcoming therapies that cover this bacterium. A literature search of the Medline database was performed from creation through January 2018. Articles chosen for the review emphasize well‐established MRSA treatment options for pediatric AHO, newer therapies on the horizon, and important pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic concepts for treatment. Traditional therapies, including vancomycin and clindamycin, remain effective for the treatment of pediatric AHO. When these agents cannot be used, evidence in AHO has been growing for daptomycin, linezolid, and ceftaroline. Further initial pediatric data with the long‐acting lipoglycopeptides show promise and in the future may provide a role in AHO treatment in children.
Photosynthetic response to increased irradiance correlates to variation in transcriptional response of lipid‐remodeling and heat‐shock genes
Authors: van Rooijen Roxanne , Harbinson Jeremy , Aarts Mark G. M.
Published: July 2018

Plants have evolved several mechanisms for sensing increased irradiance, involving signal perception by photoreceptors (cryptochromes), and subsequent biochemical (reactive oxygen species, ROS) and metabolic clues to transmit the signals. This results in the increased expression of heat‐shock response genes and of the transcription factor LONG HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5, mediated by the cryptochrome photoreceptor 1, CRY1). Here, we show the existence of another response pathway in Arabidopsis. This pathway evokes the SPX1‐mediated expression activation of the transcription factor PHR1 and leads to the expression of several galactolipid biosynthesis genes. Gene expression analysis of accessions Col‐0, Ga‐0, and Ts‐1, showed activated expression of the SPX1/PHR1‐mediated gene expression activation pathway acting on galactolipids biosynthesis genes in both Ga‐0 and Col‐0, but not in Ts‐1. The activation of the SPX1/PHR1‐mediated response pathway can be associated with lower photosynthesis efficiency in Ts‐1, compared to Col‐0 and Ga‐0. Besides the accession‐associated activation of the SPX1/PHR1‐mediated response pathway, comparing gene expression in the accessions showed stronger activation of several heat responsive genes in Ga‐0, and the opposite in Ts‐1, when compared to Col‐0, in line with the differences in their efficiency of photosynthesis. We conclude that natural variation in activation of both heat responsive genes and of galactolipids biosynthesis genes contribute to the variation in photosynthesis efficiency in response to irradiance increase.
Effect of charged and ortho substituents on 17O NMR chemical shifts of substituted phenyl tosylates in DMSO
Authors: Nummert Vilve , Piirsalu Mare , Toom Lauri , Kesvatera Tõnu , Leito Ivo , Koppel Ilmar A.
Published: July 2018

The 17O nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts for 31 ortho‐substituted, para‐substituted, and meta‐substituted phenyl esters of 4‐methylbenzenesulfonic acid (phenyl tosylates, 4‐CH3‐C6H4SO2OC6H4‐X) with the neutral and charged substituents in phenoxy part were measured in DMSO‐d6 at 50°C. The chemical shifts, δ(17O), of the sulfonyl (SO2) and single‐bonded phenoxy (O─Ph) oxygens for para and meta derivatives in the case of neutral substituents showed a good correlation with the Taft σI and σ°R substituent constants. The influence of the ortho substituents on the δ(17O) chemical shifts of the sulfonyl oxygens and single‐bonded phenoxy oxygens was found to be described well with the Charton equation: δ(17O)ortho = δ(17O)H + ρI σI + ρRσ°R + δEBs when the data treatment was performed separately for electron‐donating +R substituents and electron‐withdrawing −R substituents. The substituent constants, σ°X±, for the charged substituents (4‐N+(CH3)3I−, 3‐N+(CH3)3I−, 2‐N+(CH3)3I−, 4‐COO−N+Bu4, 3‐COO−N+Bu4, 2‐COO−N+Bu4) calculated from the δ(17O) chemical shifts for phenyl tosylates in DMSO prove that in DMSO, the compounds involving charged substituents are predominantly in ion pair form and not dissociated into free ions. The same conclusion was drawn recently from the carbonyl IR stretching frequencies, νCO, and the carbonyl carbon 13C chemical shifts for substituted phenyl benzoates, C6H5CO2C6H4‐X, in DMSO. It was shown that for ion pairs of the charged substituents in DMSO and concentrated aqueous salt solution, the same substituent constant, σ°X±, could be used.
Undetectable prostate‐specific antigen after short‐course androgen deprivation therapy for biochemically recurrent patients correlates with metastasis‐free survival and prostate cancer‐specific survival
Authors: Lim Daniel M. , Gulati Roman , Aleshin‐Guendel Serge , Gawne Agnes , Wingate Jonathan T. , Cheng Heather H. , Etzioni Ruth , Yu Evan Y.
Published: July 2018

Background

Optimal utilization of novel therapies for advanced prostate cancer is challenging without a validated surrogate efficacy endpoint. Ongoing trials are using durable undetectable prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels as a marker of efficacy. The clinical relevance of prolonged undetectable PSA after a short course of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is uncertain.

Methods

The University of Washington Caisis database was queried for radical prostatectomy patients who received 6‐12 months of ADT after biochemical recurrence (BCR), defined as PSA ≥0.2 ng/mL and no radiographically detectable metastasis. Proportions of men with undetectable PSA 12 and 24 months after ending ADT were compared to a hypothesized 5% rate using exact binomial tests. Associations with patient and tumor characteristics were examined using logistic regression, and associations with risk of subsequent metastasis and death were evaluated by log‐rank tests.

Results

After ineligibility exclusions, 23/93 (25%; 95%CI 16‐35%; P < 0.001) and 14/93 (15%; 95%CI 9‐24%; P < 0.001) had undetectable PSA 12 and 24 months after ending ADT, respectively. Detectable PSA at 12 months was associated with increased risk of metastasis (P = 0.006), prostate cancer‐specific death (P = 0.028), and death from any cause (P = 0.065). Being 1 year older at diagnosis was associated with a 14% (95%CI 5‐24%; P = 0.006) decrease in the odds of having a detectable PSA after controlling for PSA at diagnosis, PSA doubling time, grade group, and time from initial therapy to BCR.

Conclusions

This single‐institution retrospective analysis shows that it is not uncommon to have undetectable PSA 12 or 24 months after a short course of ADT. No baseline prognostic characteristic other than age was associated with a durable (12 month) undetectable PSA. Because a durable undetectable PSA was associated with lower risks of metastasis and prostate cancer‐specific death, it may be a reasonable clinical trial endpoint.
The distribution of BCG prostatitis: A clue for pathogenetic processes?
Authors: Butel Ryan , Ball Richard
Published: July 2018

Background

We observed in cystoprostatectomy specimens that Bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) granulomatous prostatitis tended preferentially to affect the peripheral zone (PZ) and aimed to study the matter, postulating that assessment of its distribution might contribute to understanding pathogenetic processes.

Methods

Entire prostate glands from 27 men (47‐83 years; mean = 69 years), who had previously received intravesical BCG therapy for non‐muscle‐invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, were studied as whole‐mount sections to determine the anatomical distribution and histopathological characteristics of BCG prostatitis.

Results

Twenty‐two (81.5%) showed BCG‐type granulomatous inflammation. It often radiated from close to the prostatic urethra toward to the gland periphery as a wedge‐shaped area related to one or more duct systems. Twenty‐one of these prostate glands (95.5%) showed predominantly or exclusively PZ involvement. Eighteen (81.8%) involved only the PZ, while three cases (13.6%) also showed involvement of the transitional zone (TZ). One case (4.5%) involved only the TZ. No granulomas were seen in the central zone or anterior fibromuscular septum.

Conclusions

Our observations imply the microanatomical arrangement of prostatic ducts is a factor in the pathogenesis of BCG prostatitis. PZ ducts enter the urethra at less obtuse angles than those from other zones and are likely to be more prone to urine reflux and damage from suspended BCG. We speculate that prostatic duct microanatomy could also play a role in the pathogenesis of other prostatic diseases, including conventional prostatitis and adenocarcinoma.
Context and Implications Document for: Reading Recovery's unrecovered learners: Characteristics and issues
Authors: Chapman James W. , Tunmer William E.
Published: July 2018

This guide accompanies the following article: Chapman, J. W. & Tunmer, W. E. (2018) Reading Recovery's unrecovered learners: Characteristics and issues, Review of Education, https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3121
Weak BeiDou signal acquisition in the presence of sign transition over multiple periods
Authors: Wu Falin , Fu Yong , Jan Tahir , Liang Yuan
Published: July 2018

To improve the acquisition sensitivity of weak BeiDou signal, multiple periods accumulation is applied. However, as the Neumann‐Hoffman code is modulated onto the BeiDou MEO/IGSO signal, the sign transition may occur in even 1‐ms interval. This paper proposes a modified multiblock zero padding method to solve the sign transition problem for weak BeiDou signal acquisition. The proposed modified multiblock zero padding method applies differentially coherent accumulation to detect the weak signal. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, the Monte Carlo simulation experiments are conducted. Simulation experiments have demonstrated the validity and availability of the proposed method, which can achieve weak signal acquisition under the BeiDou‐challenged environment.
Der verschwundene Ingenieur
Authors: Trautz Martin
Published: July 2018

Herrn Dr.‐Ing. Dr.‐Ing. E.h. Karl‐Eugen Kurrer anlässlich seines Eintritts in den Ruhestand gewidmet

Im letzten Jahr lag die Einweihung der Müngstener Brücke, der höchsten und zugleich weit gespanntesten Brücke aus Stahlfachwerk in Deutschland, im Städtedreieck Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal 120 Jahre zurück. Mit einer Bogenspannweite von 170 m und einer Konstruktion, die den großen Bogenbrücken der Firma Eiffel in Portugal, der Maria Pia‐Brücke und die Dom Luís I‐Brücke über den Duoro, und in Frankreich, dem Garabit‐Viadukt über die Truyère ähnelt, sollte die Müngstener Brücke ein Symbol für die technologische und wirtschaftliche Kraft des wieder gegründeten Deutschen Reiches sein. In diesem Kontext ist sie aktuell auch Teil eines Konvolutes hochrepräsentativer europäischer Stahlbrückenkonstruktionen des 19. Jahrhunderts, die als erhaltenswerte technische Denkmäler dem UNESCO‐Weltkulturerbe zugeführt werden sollen. Der frühere Name „Kaiser‐Wilhelm‐Brücke” unterstreicht die Ambitionen, mit denen man dieses Projekt verfolgte und dabei neueste Technologien zur Anwendung brachte. Ein Projekt, das zugleich und von Beginn an von Legenden umrankt war. Eine davon berichtet von einem Ingenieur, der sich im Zuge der Fertigstellung und Inbetriebnahme der Brücke den Freitod gegeben haben soll, weil er infolge eines Fehlers in der Berechnung ein Bauwerksversagen befürchtete. Neu erschlossene historische Quellen nennen tatsächlich Namen von einem in diesem Kontext bisher unbekannten Ingenieur, der außer dem bekannten Protagonisten Anton von Rieppel (1852–1926) an der Planung und am Bau der Müngstener Brücke aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach auch federführend tätig war, aber aus unbekannten Gründen bis zum heutigen Tage verschwiegen wird. Die Tatsache, dass diese Person kein „Nobody” in den damaligen Fachkreisen war, sondern zu den erfahrensten Brückenbauingenieuren jener Zeit zählte, deutet auf außergewöhnliche Umstände hin, die dazu geführt hatten, das Andenken dieser verdienstvollen Persönlichkeit auszulöschen.
Zum Alterungsverhalten von ETFE‐Konstruktionen in der Architektur
Authors: Maywald Carl , Mißfeld Michael
Published: July 2018

Das Alterungsverhalten von ETFE‐Folien in Gebäudeanwendungen wurde sowohl unter dem Gesichtspunkt der chemischen Struktur als auch hinsichtlich möglicher Änderungen der mechanischen Eigenschaften untersucht. Die vergleichende Untersuchung von neuen und gealterten Folien mit Hilfe der Raman‐Spektroskopie zeigte keine Änderungen der chemischen Struktur. Auch unter Einsatz einer speziellen statistischen Methode konnte kein Unterschied zwischen alten und neuen ETFE‐Folien festgestellt werden.

Der durch einen Hagelschaden bedingte Austausch des ersten jemals gebauten ETFE‐Foliendaches ermöglichte erstmals die vergleichende Untersuchung des Einflusses von natürlichen Umwelteinflüssen einschließlich mechanischer Belastungen an ETFE‐Folienproben mit Folien aus dem Archiv bzw. mit neuen Folien aus aktueller Produktion. Mono‐Axial‐Tests zeigten für ETFE‐Folien aus realen Projekten eine signifikant erhöhte Steifigkeit bei 10 % Dehnung. Um dieses für Bauprodukte ungewöhnliche Alterungsverhalten zu verstehen, wurde ein Verfahren entwickelt, mit welchem unter Einsatz von zyklischen bi‐axialen Belastungen das Alterungsverhalten von ETFE‐Folien simuliert werden kann. Diese Methode wurde sowohl auf Proben aus realen Projekten wie auch auf neue Folienproben aus laufender aktueller Produktion angewendet.
Synthesis and Properties of [Ba(CHZ)(BT)(H2O)2]n as a New Energetic Coordination Compound
Authors: Wang Yanping , Chen Sitong , Zhang Weijing , Zhang Tonglai
Published: July 2018

In order to enhance the thermal stability of the barium salt of 5,5′‐bistetrazole (H2BT), carbohydrazide (CHZ) was used to build [Ba(CHZ)(BT)(H2O)2]n as a new energetic coordination compound by using a simple aqueous solution method. It was characterized by FT‐IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The crystal belongs to the monoclinic P21/c space group [a = 8.6827(18) Å, b = 17.945(4) Å, c = 7.2525 Å, β = 94.395(2)°, V = 1126.7(4) Å3, and ρ = 2.356 g·cm–3]. The BaII cation is ten‐coordinated with one BT2–, two shared carbohydrazides, and four shared water molecules. The thermal stabilities were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravity analysis (TGA). The dehyration temperature (Tdehydro) is at 187 °C, whereas the decomposition temperature (Td) is 432 °C. Non‐isothermal reaction kinetics parameters were calculated by Kissinger's method and Ozawa's method to work out EK = 155.2 kJ·mol–1, lgAK = 9.25, and EO = 158.8 kJ·mol–1. The values of thermodynamic parameters, the peak temperature (while β → 0) (Tp0 = 674.85 K), the critical temperature of thermal explosion (Tb = 700.5 K), the free energy of activation (ΔG≠ = 194.6 kJ·mol–1), the entropy of activation (ΔS≠ = –66.7 J·mol–1), and the enthalpy of activation (ΔH≠ = 149.6 kJ·mol–1) were obtained. Additionally, the enthalpy of formation was calculated with density functional theory (DFT), obtaining ΔfH°298 ≈ 1962.6 kJ·mol–1. Finally, the sensitivities toward impact and friction were assessed according to relevant methods. The result indicates the compound as an insensitive energetic material.
New 2p‐3d‐4f Chain Compounds [LnZn(hfac)5(NIT‐Pyrim)2] constructed from Pyrimidine based Nitronyl Nitroxides
Authors: Xie Jing , Li Cun , Sun Guifang , Yang Meng , Li Li‐Cun
Published: July 2018

The 1:1:2 mixture of Ln(hfac)3, Zn(hfac)2, and NIT‐Pyrim (hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate, NIT‐Pyrim = 2‐pyrimidine‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethylimidazoline‐1‐oxyl‐3‐oxide) afforded a series of 2p‐3d‐4f magnetic chains [Ln(hfac)3Zn(hfac)2(NIT‐Pyrim)2] [LnIII = Gd (1), Ho (2), Yb (3)], in which Zn(hfac)2 and Ln(hfac)3 units are bridged by pyrimidine substituted nitronyl nitroxides through their NO moieties and pyrimidine nitrogen atoms. These complexes represent the first examples of 2p‐3d‐4f complexes with ZnII ions. Magnetic studies show that there exist ferromagnetic exchange couplings between the coordinated NO groups of radical ligands and the GdIII ions.
De Sitter holography and entanglement entropy
Authors: Dong Xi , Silverstein Eva , Torroba Gonzalo
Published: July 2018

Abstract

We propose a new example of entanglement knitting spacetime together, satisfying a series of checks of the corresponding von Neumann and Renyi entropies. The conjectured dual of de Sitter in d + 1 dimensions involves two coupled CFT sectors constrained by residual d-dimensional gravity. In the d = 2 case, the gravitational constraints and the CFT spectrum are relatively tractable. We identify a finite portion of each CFT Hilbert space relevant for de Sitter. Its maximum energy level coincides with the transition to the universal Cardy behavior for theories with a large central charge and a sparse light spectrum, derived by Hartman, Keller, and Stoica. Significant interactions between the two CFTs, derived previously for other reasons, suggest a maximally mixed state upon tracing out one of the two sectors; we derive this by determining the holographic Renyi entropies. The resulting entanglement entropy matches the Gibbons-Hawking formula for de Sitter entropy, including the numerical coefficient. Finally, we interpret the Gibbons-Hawking horizon entropy in terms of the Ryu-Takayanagi entropy, and explore the time evolution of the entanglement entropy.
LHC phenomenology of dark matter with a color-octet partner
Authors: Davoli Alessandro , De Simone Andrea , Jacques Thomas , Morandini Alessandro
Published: July 2018

Abstract

Colored dark sectors where the dark matter particle is accompanied by colored partners have recently attracted theoretical and phenomenological interest. We explore the possibility that the dark sector consists of the dark matter particle and a color-octet partner, where the interaction with the Standard Model is governed by an effective operator involving gluons. The resulting interactions resemble the color analogues of electric and magnetic dipole moments. Although many phenomenological features of this kind of model only depend on the group representation of the partner under SU(3)
c
, we point out that interesting collider signatures such as R-hadrons are indeed controlled by the interaction operator between the dark and visible sector. We perform a study of the current constraints and future reach of LHC searches, where the complementarity between different possible signals is highlighted and exploited.
Holographic pump probe spectroscopy
Authors: Bagrov A. , Craps B. , Galli F. , Keränen V. , Keski-Vakkuri E. , Zaanen J.
Published: July 2018

Abstract

We study the non-linear response of a 2+1 dimensional holographic model with weak momentum relaxation and finite charge density to an oscillatory electric field pump pulse. Following the time evolution of one point functions after the pumping has ended, we find that deviations from thermality are well captured within the linear response theory. For electric pulses with a negligible zero frequency component the response approaches the instantaneously thermalizing form typical of holographic Vaidya models. We link this to the suppression of the amplitude of the quasinormal mode that governs the approach to equilibrium. In the large frequency limit, we are also able to show analytically that the holographic geometry takes the Vaidya form. A simple toy model captures these features of our holographic setup. Computing the out-of-equilibrium probe optical conductivity after the pump pulse, we similarly find that for high-frequency pulses the optical conductivity reaches its final equilibrium value effectively instantaneously. Pulses with significant DC components show exponential relaxation governed by twice the frequency of the vector quasinormal mode that governs the approach to equilibrium for the background solution. We explain this numerical factor in terms of a simple symmetry argument.
Why is chlorophyll b only used in light-harvesting systems?
Authors: Kume Atsushi , Akitsu Tomoko , Nasahara Kenlo Nishida
Published: July 2018

Chlorophylls (Chl) are important pigments in plants that are used to absorb photons and release electrons. There are several types of Chls but terrestrial plants only possess two of these: Chls a and b. The two pigments form light-harvesting Chl a/b-binding protein complexes (LHC), which absorb most of the light. The peak wavelengths of the absorption spectra of Chls a and b differ by c. 20 nm, and the ratio between them (the a/b ratio) is an important determinant of the light absorption efficiency of photosynthesis (i.e., the antenna size). Here, we investigated why Chl b is used in LHCs rather than other light-absorbing pigments that can be used for photosynthesis by considering the solar radiation spectrum under field conditions. We found that direct and diffuse solar radiation (PARdir and PARdiff, respectively) have different spectral distributions, showing maximum spectral photon flux densities (SPFD) at c. 680 and 460 nm, respectively, during the daytime. The spectral absorbance spectra of Chls a and b functioned complementary to each other, and the absorbance peaks of Chl b were nested within those of Chl a. The absorption peak in the short wavelength region of Chl b in the proteinaceous environment occurred at c. 460 nm, making it suitable for absorbing the PARdiff, but not suitable for avoiding the high spectral irradiance (SIR) waveband of PARdir. In contrast, Chl a effectively avoided the high SPFD and/or high SIR waveband. The absorption spectra of photosynthetic complexes were negatively correlated with SPFD spectra, but LHCs with low a/b ratios were more positively correlated with SIR spectra. These findings indicate that the spectra of the photosynthetic pigments and constructed photosystems and antenna proteins significantly align with the terrestrial solar spectra to allow the safe and efficient use of solar radiation.
Different trends in phylogenetic and functional structure of plant communities along an elevation gradient
Authors: Kitagawa Ryo , Koide Dai , Mori Akira S.
Published: July 2018

The study of diversity gradients due to elevation dates back to the foundation of biogeography and ecology. Although elevation‐driven patterns of plant diversity have been reported for centuries, uncertainty still exists about the assembly rules that drive these patterns. In this study, we revealed the causal factor of community assemblies for the diversity of tree and herb species along an elevation. To this end, we applied an integrated method using both functional traits and phylogeny, called the mean pairwise functional‐phylogenetic distance, to understand the assembly rules for woody and herbaceous species communities along an elevation gradient. At higher elevation sites, woody and herbaceous communities were comprised of species having similar traits. The phylogenetic trends for woody species were consistent with the functional trends; closely related species co‐occurred more frequently than expected at higher elevations. Phylogenetic trends for herb species were opposite to the functional trends; species with similar traits but having a random phylogenetic distribution co‐occurred at higher elevations. We suggest that the community assembly rules for woody and herb species vary with elevation; and functional constraints due to environmental filtering at higher elevation act as assembly rules along gradients in both woody and herbaceous communities, even though their phylogenetic backgrounds differ.
An empirical examination of surgeon experience, surgeon rating, and costs in perioperative services
Authors: Venkataraman Sriram , Fredendall Lawrence D. , Taaffe Kevin M. , Huynh Nathan , Ritchie Gilbert
Published: July 2018

We examine how physicians affect the flow of patients through Perioperative Services (POS) on the day of surgery by studying the effects of surgeon experience and surgeon quality (measured by Healthgrades rating) on patients' flow. We control for the work environment created by the POS manager's resource allocation decision, which determines the utilization levels of the three POS departments: Pre‐operative (PreOp), Operating Room (OR), and Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Using patient level data from a large teaching hospital, we find that POS managers in all three departments view overtime costs as more important than idle time costs, which implies that they keep capacity slack available for patient care in each department. Further, our findings suggest that highly experienced surgeons take ownership of their patients' experience in the POS and that their patients spend less time in PreOp and the OR. We argue that not only do more experienced surgeons perform surgical procedures more efficiently, but they also coordinate better with PreOp to reduce patient waiting time there. We find that a surgeon's rating has no direct effect on a patient's actual surgery time in the OR, but that the effect of surgeon experience on actual surgery time is higher, in magnitude, for a lower‐rated surgeon than for a higher‐rated surgeon. Finally, we conduct a counterfactual analysis and find that highly experienced surgeons reduce the total length of a patient's stay in the POS.
Patient perspectives of the experience of a computerized cognitive assessment in a clinical setting
Authors: Robillard Julie M. , Lai Jen‐Ai , Wu Julia M. , Feng Tanya L. , Hayden Sherri
Published: July 2018

Introduction

Computerized assessments are becoming widely accepted in the clinical setting and as a potential outcome measure in clinical trials. To gain patient perspectives of this experience, the aim of the present study was to investigate patient attitudes and perceptions of the Cognigram [Cogstate], a computerized cognitive assessment.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 19 older adults undergoing a computerized cognitive assessment at the University of British Columbia Hospital Clinic for Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key themes and relationships within the data.

Results

The analysis resulted in three categories: attitudes toward computers in healthcare, the cognitive assessment process, and evaluation of the computerized assessment experience. The results show shared views on the need for balance between human and computer intervention, as well as room for improvement in test design and utility.

Discussion

Careful design and user‐testing should be made a priority in the development of computerized assessment interfaces, as well as reevaluating the cognitive assessment process to minimize patient anxiety and discomfort. Future research should move toward continuous data capture within clinical trials and ensuring instruments of high reliability to reduce variance.
Pointwise equidistribution and translates of measures on homogeneous spaces
Authors: KHALIL OSAMA
Published: July 2018

Let$(X,\mathfrak{B},\unicode[STIX]{x1D707})$be a Borel probability space. Let$T_{n}:X\rightarrow X$be a sequence of continuous transformations on$X$. Let$\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}$be a probability measure on$X$such that$(1/N)\sum _{n=1}^{N}(T_{n})_{\ast }\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}\rightarrow \unicode[STIX]{x1D707}$in the weak-$\ast$topology. Under general conditions, we show that for$\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}$almost every$x\in X$, the measures$(1/N)\sum _{n=1}^{N}\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}_{T_{n}x}$become equidistributed towards$\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}$if$N$is restricted to a set of full upper density. We present applications of these results to translates of closed orbits of Lie groups on homogeneous spaces. As a corollary, we prove equidistribution of exponentially sparse orbits of the horocycle flow on quotients of$\text{SL}(2,\mathbb{R})$, starting from every point in almost every direction.
Realizing uniformly recurrent subgroups
Authors: MATTE BON NICOLÁS , TSANKOV TODOR
Published: July 2018

We show that every uniformly recurrent subgroup of a locally compact group is the family of stabilizers of a minimal action on a compact space. More generally, every closed invariant subset of the Chabauty space is the family of stabilizers of an action on a compact space on which the stabilizer map is continuous everywhere. This answers a question of Glasner and Weiss. We also introduce the notion of a universal minimal flow relative to a uniformly recurrent subgroup and prove its existence and uniqueness.
Putting Politics in the Lab: A Review of Lab Experiments in Political Science
Authors: Bol Damien
Published: July 2018

Experiments are now common in political science. They are an excellent methodological tool to estimate the causal effect of a treatment on an outcome. In this article, I review the use of lab experiments in political science. After a brief report on their popularity and advantages, I distinguish two ideal-types (economics-based and psychology-based) and outline the main lines of division between them. In the final section, I discuss the main challenges that lab experimentalists are facing today.
Confined inclined thermal convection in low-Prandtl-number fluids
Authors: Zwirner Lukas , Shishkina Olga
Published: July 2018

Any tilt of a Rayleigh–Bénard convection cell against gravity changes the global flow structure inside the cell, which leads to a change of the heat and momentum transport. Especially sensitive to the inclination angle is the heat transport in low-Prandtl-number fluids and confined geometries. The purpose of the present work is to investigate the global flow structure and its influence on the global heat transport in inclined convection in a cylindrical container of diameter-to-height aspect ratio $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}=1/5$. The study is based on direct numerical simulations where two different Prandtl numbers $Pr=0.1$ and 1.0 are considered, while the Rayleigh number, $Ra$, ranges from $10^{6}$ to $10^{9}$. For each combination of $Ra$ and $Pr$, the inclination angle is varied between 0 and $\unicode[STIX]{x03C0}/2$. An optimal inclination angle of the convection cell, which provides the maximal global heat transport, is determined. For inclined convection we observe the formation of two system-sized plume columns, a hot and a cold one, that impinge on the opposite boundary layers. These are related to a strong increase in the heat transport.
Perceived Discrimination and Political Behavior
Authors: Oskooii Kassra A.R.
Published: July 2018

Can different experiences with discrimination produce divergent political behaviors? Does it make a difference whether individuals are discriminated against by their peers or community members in the course of everyday life as opposed to political actors or institutions tasked with upholding democratic norms of equality and fairness? Crossing disciplinary boundaries, this study proposes a new theoretical perspective regarding the relationship between discrimination and political behavior. Specifically, it distinguishes between societal (interpersonal) and political (systematic) discrimination when examining the behaviors of racial and ethnic minorities in Great Britain. The results illustrate that although experiences of political discrimination may motivate individuals to take part in mainstream politics for substantive or expressive purposes, the same conclusion cannot necessarily be drawn for those who experience societal rejection. The principal aim of this study is to further highlight the complex and multidimensional nature of discrimination, and to encourage further analyses of how different types of discrimination may impact the civic and political behaviors of minority groups.
Comparison between the feeding habits of spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) and their potential prey in the southern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Serrano-Flores F. , Pérez-Jiménez J.C. , Méndez-Loeza I. , Bassos-Hull K. , Ajemian M.J.
Published: July 2018

In the southern Gulf of Mexico, the spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) is the second most frequently caught batoid in small-scale fisheries off Campeche. Ecological aspects of this ray are unknown in this region, hampering the understanding of the relationship between its distribution and prey availability in the fishing area. In order to study the feeding habits of this batoid and characterize its potential prey in the study area, stomachs and intestines of 154 specimens (68 females and 86 males) were analysed. The results indicated thatA. narinarinear Campeche is a specialist and selective predator that feeds mainly on gastropods (92.7% IRI), with no significant differences in the diet found between sexes, size groups, or between stomach and intestine contents. In addition, the results indicated that the most important prey species in the diet were among the most common benthic species in three of the four sampling transects positioned in or adjacent to fishing areas for rays. These most important prey species wereStrombus pugilis(53.33% IRI) andAmericoliva reticularis(25.6% IRI). Other prey species includedLobatus costatus(5.6% IRI) andPetrochirus diogenes(3.6% IRI). This study suggests that this widely distributed ray species feeds in Campeche's coastal waters and that the study of its potential prey increases the understanding of ecological aspects of the species, which emphasizes the added importance of monitoring fishery impacts on prey species (e.g. the conch fishery off Campeche) to help support integrated assessment and management of fisheries.
Inside the Asian Cold War Intrigues: Revisiting the Taiwan Strait crises
Authors: XIAO RUPING , LIN HSIAO-TING
Published: July 2018

This article revisits the issue of the offshore islands in the Taiwan Strait during the Cold War. Benefitting from archival materials only recently made available, specifically Chiang Kai-shek's personal diaries, CIA declassified materials, Taiwanese Foreign Ministry files, and rare publications from the Contemporary Taiwan Collection at the Library of the Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, this research examines the cloud of suspicion surrounding the secret contacts between Taipei and Beijing leading up to and during the 1958 offshore islands crisis, elucidating how such a political tête-à-tête, and the resultant tacit consensus over the status of the islands, gradually brought about an end to the conflict between Taiwan and Communist China. In hindsight, the crises over the offshore islands along China's southeast coast momentarily brought the United States closer to war with Communist China, while putting the relationship between Taipei and Washington to a serious test. The end result, however, was that, while these isles were technically embedded in the unfinished civil war between the Chinese Nationalists and Communists, they provided, ironically, an opportunity for secret communications and, ultimately, a kind of détente between the two supposedly deadly enemies across the Taiwan Strait. A close examination of the details of these crises, along with their attendant military, political, and diplomatic complexities, reveals an amazing amount of political intrigue at both the local and international levels that has not been fully realized until now.
Molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy cattle in Guangdong Province, South China
Authors: Liang Nan , Wu Yayun , Sun Mingfei , Chang Yankai , Lin Xuhui , Yu Linzeng , Hu Suhui , Zhang Xiangqian , Zheng Shuangjian , Cui Zhaohui , Zhang Longxian
Published: July 2018

To determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle in Guangdong Province, South China, 1440 fecal samples were collected from 10 farms and screened for Cryptosporidium with PCR. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 4.38% (63/1440), and the infection rates in preweaned calves, postweaned calves, heifers and adults were 6.4% (19/297), 6.19% (33/533), 1.48% (4/271) and 2.06% (7/339), respectively. Three Cryptosporidium species, Cryptosporidium andersoni (n = 33), Cryptosporidium bovis (n = 22) and Cryptosporidium ryanae (n = 8) were detected by DNA sequence analysis of the 63 positive samples, and C. andersoni was identified as the most common species on the dairy cattle farms. In preweaned calves, C. bovis was the most prevalent species (9/19, 47.4%). In contrast, C. andersoni was the predominant species (19/33, 57.6%) in postweaned calves and the only species found in heifers and adults. The zoonotic species Cryptosporidium parvum was not detected in this study. Twenty-four C. andersoni isolates were successfully classified into three multilocus sequence typing (MLST) subtypes. MLST subtype A4,A4,A4,A1 was the predominant subtype, and MLST subtype A2,A5,A2,A1, previously found in sheep, was detected in cattle for the first time. A linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the C. andersoni isolates had a clonal genetic population structure. However, further molecular studies are required to better understand the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium in Guangdong.
Co-circulation of Chikungunya and Dengue viruses in Dengue endemic region of New Delhi, India during 2016
Authors: Hisamuddin M. , Tazeen A. , Abdullah M. , Islamuddin M. , Parveen N. , Islam A. , Faizan M. I. , Hamza A. , Naqvi I. H. , Verma H. N. , Malik A. , Ahmed A. , Parveen S.
Published: July 2018

Co-circulation of Chikungunya and Dengue viral infections (CHIKV and DENV) have been reported mainly due to transmission by commonAedesvector. The purpose of the study was to identify and characterise the circulating strains of CHIKV and DENV in DENV endemic region of New Delhi during 2016. CHIKV and DENV were identified in the blood samples (n= 130) collected from suspected patients by RT-PCR. CHIKV was identified in 26 of 65 samples (40%). Similarly, DENV was detected in 48 of 120 samples (40%). Co-infection with both the viruses was identified in five (9%) of the samples. Interestingly, concurrent infection with DENV, CHIKV andPlasmodium vivaxwas detected in two samples. CHIKV strains (n= 11) belonged to the ECSA genotype whereas DENV-3 sequences (n= eight) clustered in Genotype III by phylogenetic analysis. Selection pressure of E1 protein of CHIKV and CprM protein of DENV-3 revealed purifying selection with four and two positive sites, respectively. Four amino acids of the CHIKV were positively selected and had high entropy suggesting probable variations. Co-circulation of both viruses in DENV endemic regions warrants effective monitoring of these emerging pathogens via comprehensive surveillance for implementation of effective control measures.
Post-Campylobacter Guillain Barré Syndrome in the USA: secondary analysis of surveillance data collected during the 2009–2010 novel Influenza A (H1N1) vaccination campaign
Authors: Halpin A. Laufer , Gu W. , Wise M.E. , Sejvar J. J. , Hoekstra R. M. , Mahon B. E.
Published: July 2018

Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS), which is triggered by autoantibodies produced in response to antigenic stimuli such as certain infections and vaccinations, is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis worldwide. Campylobacter, the most common bacterial enteric infection in the USA, is reported to be the most commonly diagnosed antecedent of GBS, yet little information is available about the risk of post-Campylobacter GBS. Data collected through active, population-based surveillance in the Emerging Infections Program during the 2009–2010 novel Influenza A (H1N1) vaccination campaign allowed us to compare confirmed and probable GBS cases to non-cases to determine whether antecedent Campylobacter infection (or a diarrhoeal illness consistent with campylobacteriosis) was more common among cases and to assess the risk of GBS following Campylobacter infection. We estimate that 8–12% of GBS cases in the USA are attributable to Campylobacter infection (or a diarrhoeal illness consistent with campylobacteriosis), with 434–650 cases of post-diarrhoeal GBS annually and about 49 cases of GBS per 100 000 Campylobacter infections. These results provide updated estimates for post-Campylobacter GBS incidence in the USA and highlight an important benefit of effective measures to prevent Campylobacter infections.
Improvement in rice seed storage longevity from high-temperature drying is a consistent positive function of harvest moisture content above a critical value
Authors: Whitehouse K.J. , Hay F.R. , Ellis R.H.
Published: July 2018

Drying reduces seed moisture content, which improves subsequent seed survival periods. Diverse maximum temperatures have been recommended to limit or avoid damage to seeds, but some high-temperature drying regimes may improve subsequent seed quality. Seeds from 20 different accessions of five rice (Oryza sativaL.) variety groups (aromatic, Aus, Indica, temperate Japonica, tropical Japonica) were harvested over several seasons at different stages of maturation and either dried throughout at 15°C/15% relative humidity (RH) or for different initial periods (continuous or intermittent) in different drying regimes at 45°C before final equilibrium drying at 15°C/15% RH. Subsequent seed longevity in hermetic storage at 45°C with 10.9% moisture content was determined. In no case did initial drying at 45°C provide poorer longevity than drying at 15°C/15% RH throughout. There was a split-line relation, which did not differ amongst investigations, between longevity after initial drying at 45°C relative to that at 15°C/15% RH throughout and harvest moisture content, with a break point at 16.5% (a seed moisture status of about –14 MPa). Below 16.5%, relative longevity did not differ with harvest moisture content with little or no advantage to longevity from drying at 45°C. Above 16.5%, relative longevity showed a positive relation with harvest moisture content, with substantial benefit from drying at 45°C to subsequent longevity of seeds harvested whilst still moist. Hence, there are temporal (immediatelyex plantacf. subsequent air-dried storage) and water status discontinuities (above cf. below 16.5%) in the effect of temperature on subsequent air-dried seed longevity.
FORUM: LAW, EMPIRE, AND GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL HISTORY: AN INTRODUCTION
Authors: BANERJEE MILINDA , VON LINGEN KERSTIN
Published: July 2018

In recent years, there has been a deepening convergence between scholarship on global intellectual history and on legal history. To take just one example, a recent book on international law, by Arnulf Becker Lorca (2014), carries “global intellectual history” in its subtitle—a stance related to the author's emphasis on the constitutive role in the field of non-European legal actors. A sustained reflection on the convergence between legal studies and global intellectual history, however, still remains a desideratum, at least in the sense that we do not yet have even a basic platform where scholars with different space/time and (trans-) cultural specialization come together to reflect on how studying legal concepts gains from global intellectual history. This forum, which results from a conference organized at Heidelberg University in 2016, attempts a preliminary intervention here. The introductory remarks are not meant to be conclusive; they invite responses.
The dilemma of knowledge use in political decision-making: National Guidelines in a Swedish priority-setting context
Authors: Sandberg Johanna , Persson Bo , Garpenby Peter
Published: July 2018

There is a growing recognition of the importance of evidence to support allocative policy decisions in health care. This study is based on interviews with politicians in four regional health authorities in Sweden. Drawing on theories of strategic use of knowledge, the article analyses how politicians perceive and make use of expert knowledge represented by the National Guidelines, embracing both a scientific and a political rationale. As health care is an organisation with a dual basis for legitimacy – at the same time a political and an action organisation – it affects knowledge use. We investigate how the context of health care priority setting influences the conditions for knowledge use among regional politicians. Our findings illustrate the dilemma of political decision-makers and how they prefer to use expert knowledge. The politicians use this policy instrument in a legitimising fashion, as it will fit into the current political debate on more equal care. As an instrument for resource allocation the politicians noted that ‘facts’ per se could not provide them with a sufficient basis for legitimising their governing of health care. The dualistic organisational context makes knowledge important as a political weapon in negotiations with the medical profession.