bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Density Lipoprotein Subfractions and Cholesterol Efflux Capacities After Infusion of MDCO-216 (Apolipoprotein A-IMilano/Palmitoyl-Oleoyl-Phosphatidylcholine) in Healthy Volunteers and Stable Coronary Artery Disease Patients
Authors: Kempen Herman J. , Asztalos Bela F. , Moerland Matthijs , Jeyarajah Elias , Otvos James , Kallend David G. , Bellibas S. Eralp , Wijngaard Peter L.J.
Published: February 2016

Objective—

To determine effects of single ascending doses of MDCO-216 on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions in relation to changes in cholesterol efflux capacity in healthy volunteers and in patients with stable angina pectoris.

Approach and Results—

Doses of 5- (in volunteers only), 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-mg/kg MDCO-216 were infused during 2 hours, and plasma and serum were collected during 30 days. Plasma levels of HDL subfractions were assessed by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, immunoblotting, and image analysis. Lipoprotein particle concentrations and sizes were also assessed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (
1
H-NMR). There was a rapid dose-dependent increase of total apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in pre-β1, α-1, and α-2 HDL levels and decrease in α-3 and α-4 HDL. Using a selective antibody apoA-IMilano was detected in the large α-1 and α-2 HDL on all doses and at each time point. ApoA-IMilano was also detected at the α-4 position but only at high doses.
1
H-NMR analysis similarly showed a rapid and dose-dependent shift from small- to large-sized HDL particles. The increase of basal and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1–mediated efflux capacities reported previously correlated strongly and independently with the increase in pre-β1-HDL and α-1 HDL, but not with that in α-2 HDL.

Conclusions—

On infusion, MDCO-216 rapidly eliminates small HDL and leads to formation of α-1 and α-2 HDL containing both wild-type apoA-I and apoA-IMilano. In this process, endogenous apoA-I is liberated appearing as pre-β1-HDL. In addition to pre-β1-HDL, the newly formed α-1 HDL particle containing apoA-I Milano may have a direct effect on cholesterol efflux capacity.
GNB3 C825T Polymorphism and Myocardial Recovery in Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Sheppard Richard , Hsich Eileen , Damp Julie , Elkayam Uri , Kealey Angela , Ramani Gautam , Zucker Mark , Alexis Jeffrey D. , Horne Benjamin D. , Hanley-Yanez Karen , Pisarcik Jessica , Halder Indrani , Fett James D. , McNamara Dennis M.
Published: February 2016

Background—

Black women are at greater risk for peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). The guanine nucleotide–binding proteins β-3 subunit (GNB3) has a polymorphism C825T. The GNB3 TT genotype more prevalent in blacks is associated with poorer outcomes. We evaluated GNB3 genotype and myocardial recovery in PPCM.

Methods and Results—

A total of 97 women with PPCM were enrolled and genotyped for the GNB3 T/C polymorphism. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was assessed by echocardiography at entry, 6 and 12 months postpartum. LVEF over time in subjects with the GNB3 TT genotype was compared with those with the C allele overall and in black and white subsets. The cohort was 30% black, age 30+6, LVEF 0.34+0.10 at entry 31+25 days postpartum. The % GNB3 genotype for TT/CT/CC=23/41/36 and differed markedly by race (blacks=52/38/10 versus whites=10/44/46,
P
<0.001). In subjects with the TT genotype, LVEF at entry was lower (TT=0.31+0.09; CT+CC=0.35+0.09,
P
=0.054) and this difference increased at 6 (TT=0.45+0.15; CT+CC=0.53+0.08,
P
=0.002) and 12 months (TT=0.45+0.15; CT+CC=0.56+0.07,
P
<0.001.). The difference in LVEF at 12 months by genotype was most pronounced in blacks (12 months LVEF for GNB3 TT=0.39+0.16; versus CT+CC=0.53+0.09,
P
=0.02) but evident in whites (TT=0.50++0.11; CT+CC=0.56+0.06,
P
=0.04).

Conclusions—

The GNB3 TT genotype was associated with lower LVEF at 6 and 12 months in women with PPCM, and this was particularly evident in blacks. Racial differences in the prevalence and impact of GNB3 TT may contribute to poorer outcomes in black women with PPCM.
Drp1-Dependent Mitochondrial Autophagy Plays a Protective Role Against Pressure Overload–Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Heart Failure
Authors: Shirakabe Akihiro , Zhai Peiyong , Ikeda Yoshiyuki , Saito Toshiro , Maejima Yasuhiro , Hsu Chiao-Po , Nomura Masatoshi , Egashira Kensuke , Levine Beth , Sadoshima Junichi
Published: February 2016

Background—

Mitochondrial autophagy is an important mediator of mitochondrial quality control in cardiomyocytes. The occurrence of mitochondrial autophagy and its significance during cardiac hypertrophy are not well understood.

Methods and Results—

Mice were subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and observed at multiple time points up to 30 days. Cardiac hypertrophy developed after 5 days, the ejection fraction was reduced after 14 days, and heart failure was observed 30 days after TAC. General autophagy was upregulated between 1 and 12 hours after TAC but was downregulated below physiological levels 5 days after TAC. Mitochondrial autophagy, evaluated by electron microscopy, mitochondrial content, and Keima with mitochondrial localization signal, was transiently activated at ≈3 to 7 days post-TAC, coinciding with mitochondrial translocation of Drp1. However, it was downregulated thereafter, followed by mitochondrial dysfunction. Haploinsufficiency of Drp1 abolished mitochondrial autophagy and exacerbated the development of both mitochondrial dysfunction and heart failure after TAC. Injection of Tat-Beclin 1, a potent inducer of autophagy, but not control peptide, on day 7 after TAC, partially rescued mitochondrial autophagy and attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction and heart failure induced by overload. Haploinsufficiency of either
drp1
or
beclin 1
prevented the rescue by Tat-Beclin 1, suggesting that its effect is mediated in part through autophagy, including mitochondrial autophagy.

Conclusions—

Mitochondrial autophagy is transiently activated and then downregulated in the mouse heart in response to pressure overload. Downregulation of mitochondrial autophagy plays an important role in mediating the development of mitochondrial dysfunction and heart failure, whereas restoration of mitochondrial autophagy attenuates dysfunction in the heart during pressure overload.
Multisensory Part-based Representations of Objects in Human Lateral Occipital Cortex
Authors: Erdogan Goker , Chen Quanjing , Garcea Frank E. , Mahon Bradford Z. , Jacobs Robert A.
Published: February 2016

The format of high-level object representations in temporal-occipital cortex is a fundamental and as yet unresolved issue. Here we use fMRI to show that human lateral occipital cortex (LOC) encodes novel 3-D objects in a multisensory and part-based format. We show that visual and haptic exploration of objects leads to similar patterns of neural activity in human LOC and that the shared variance between visually and haptically induced patterns of BOLD contrast in LOC reflects the part structure of the objects. We also show that linear classifiers trained on neural data from LOC on a subset of the objects successfully predict a novel object based on its component part structure. These data demonstrate a multisensory code for object representations in LOC that specifies the part structure of objects.
Growth and Decay of a Convective Boundary Layer over a Surface with a Constant Temperature
Authors: van Heerwaarden Chiel C. , Mellado Juan Pedro
Published: February 2016

The growth and decay of a convective boundary layer (CBL) over a surface with a constant surface temperature that develops into a linear stratification is studied, and a mathematical model for this system is derived. The study is based on direct numerical simulations with four different Reynolds numbers; the two simulations with the largest Reynolds numbers display Reynolds number similarity, suggesting that the results can be extrapolated to the atmosphere. Because of the interplay of the growing CBL and the gradually decreasing surface buoyancy flux, the system has a complex time evolution in which integrated kinetic energy, buoyancy flux, and dissipation peak and subsequently decay. The derived model provides characteristic scales for bulk properties of the CBL. Even though the system is unsteady, self-similar vertical profiles of buoyancy, buoyancy flux, and velocity variances are recovered. There are two important implications for atmospheric modeling. First, the magnitude of the surface buoyancy flux sets the time scale of the system; thus, over a rough surface the roughness length is a key variable. Therefore, the performance of the surface model is crucial in large-eddy simulations of convection over water surfaces. Second, during the phase in which kinetic energy decays, the integrated kinetic energy never follows a power law, because the buoyancy flux and dissipation balance until the kinetic energy has almost vanished. Therefore, the applicability of power-law decay models to the afternoon transition in the atmospheric boundary layer is questionable; the presented model provides a physically sound alternative.
Comparative Analysis of a Principal Component Analysis-Based and an Artificial Neural Network-Based Method for Baseline Removal
Authors: Carvajal Roberto C. , Arias Luis E. , Garces Hugo O. , Sbarbaro Daniel G.
Published: February 2016

This work presents a non-parametric method based on a principal component analysis (PCA) and a parametric one based on artificial neural networks (ANN) to remove continuous baseline features from spectra. The non-parametric method estimates the baseline based on a set of sampled basis vectors obtained from PCA applied over a previously composed continuous spectra learning matrix. The parametric method, however, uses an ANN to filter out the baseline. Previous studies have demonstrated that this method is one of the most effective for baseline removal. The evaluation of both methods was carried out by using a synthetic database designed for benchmarking baseline removal algorithms, containing 100 synthetic composed spectra at different signal-to-baseline ratio (SBR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and baseline slopes. In addition to deomonstrating the utility of the proposed methods and to compare them in a real application, a spectral data set measured from a flame radiation process was used. Several performance metrics such as correlation coefficient, chi-square value, and goodness-of-fit coefficient were calculated to quantify and compare both algorithms. Results demonstrate that the PCA-based method outperforms the one based on ANN both in terms of performance and simplicity.
Social capital and related socio-demographic variation in women of reproductive age: A population-based study
Authors: Baheiraei Azam , Bakouei Fatemeh , Mohammadi Eesa , Majdzadeh Reza , Hosseni Seyed Mostafa
Published: February 2016

In this population-based cross-sectional study of women of reproductive age in Tehran, Iran, the social capital integrated questionnaire and socio-demographic questionnaire were used. The highest mean scores were related to social cohesion and inclusion dimension (55.72 ± 11.94) and the lowest mean scores to groups and networks dimension (31.78 ± 19.43). Stepwise multiple linear regressions showed the significant association between dimensions of social capital and certain socio-demographic variables, particularly family income. Policy makers should help low-income families by designing effective interventions for improving the status of social capital in this group, because it is considered one of the social determinants of health.
The Subject Effaced
Authors: Dunham Jarrod
Published: February 2016

Quentin Tarantino’s stated ambition for Django Unchained was to create a film that grapples with “America’s horrible past with slavery . . . but do them like spaghetti westerns.” This article considers the implications of those priorities—a serious treatment of slavery on one hand, and reference to genre tropes on the other. It concludes that, although the spaghetti Western may be particularly well suited to depict the nihilistic and dehumanizing violence that undoubtedly characterized chattel slavery, the genre’s resistance to the representation of human subjectivity mirrors the relative silence around the psychological dimension, not only of slavery, but also of continuing crisis of structural racism in the post–civil rights era. As such, through the specific narrative and aesthetic strategies he employs, Tarantino unwittingly undermines his own pretensions to social consciousness, producing instead a film that reflects and reproduces the ignorance, strategic silence, and White guilt surrounding America’s ongoing history of slavery and racism.
Are Suspects Who Resist Arrest Defiant, Desperate, or Disoriented?
Authors: Whichard Corey , Felson Richard B.
Published: February 2016

Objectives:

We examine three reasons why suspects resist arrest: (1) defiance of police authority by suspects from lower-status groups, (2) risky decisions resulting from aversion to sure losses, and (3) impairment due to mental illness and substance use.

Methods:

We use nationally representative survey data from about 17,000 state and federal inmates who were asked whether they resisted arrest when they committed the crime that led to their incarceration.

Results:

Suspects’ resistance is unrelated to their race/ethnicity, education, or unemployment. On the other hand, suspects are more resistant when they are carrying contraband (e.g., illegal weapons, drugs, stolen property) or are under community supervision (i.e., parolees, probationers, or escapees). Resistance is also positively related to mental illness, illicit drug use, and alcohol intoxication.

Conclusions:

Our results do not support the idea that resistance is an expression of defiance from lower-status suspects. They are consistent with prospect theory, which argues that decision makers become risk-seeking, when the alternative is to accept a sure loss. Our results suggest that resistant suspects are best understood as either desperate or disoriented decision makers.
Understanding the Mechanisms of Desistance at the Intersection of Race, Gender, and Neighborhood Context
Authors: Doherty Elaine Eggleston , Bersani Bianca E.
Published: February 2016

Objectives:

This study tests theorized mechanisms of desistance, and whether the process of desistance is conditioned by social structural position.

Methods:

We investigate how marriage promotes desistance from crime among urban African American males raised in the Woodlawn community, a disadvantaged neighborhood in Chicago. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we test the resiliency of the marriage effect by observing offending trajectories following marital dissolution; is the marriage effect conditional upon staying married, indicating situational effects? or does the effect persist when marriage is taken away, indicating enduring effects? Further, we test if the process of desistance is conditional upon contextual disadvantage.

Results:

While initial findings show an increase in violent and property offending upon divorce, further analysis shows evidence that this effect differs by neighborhood structural context; the increase in offending upon divorce is apparent only for African American men who experience continued disadvantage across the life course. Those who moved to relatively more advantaged areas by adulthood show no increase in offending upon marital dissolution.

Conclusions:

How marriage matters for desistance is partially influenced by social structural position; context matters. These findings invigorate criminological research on the mechanisms driving the marriage effect and provide insight into the interactive nature of person and context.
Reliability and Validity of The Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire in The Turkish Population
Authors: Atasavun Uysal Songül , Düger Tülin , Elbasan Bülent , Karabulut Erdem , Toylan İmran
Published: February 2016

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire (CP QOL). A total of 149 primary caregivers completed the final version of the CP QOL–Primary Caregivers and the Children Health Questionnaire (CHQ) for children 4–12 years old ( M age = 7.6 yr., SD = 2.5); 58 children with CP ages 9 to 12 years completed the CP QOL–Child and Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (Kid–KINDL) questionnaire. The Gross Motor Function Classification System was also used for the classification of the children with CP. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) ranged between .63 and .93 for primary caregivers and .61 to .92 for the children's self-reports. Intra-class correlation coefficients ranged between .88 and .97 for primary caregivers and .91 to .98 for children. It was concluded that the Turkish version of CP QOL questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing QOL in children with CP.
Association Between Executive Functions, Working Memory, and Manual Dexterity in Young and Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Rodríguez-Aranda Claudia , Mittner Matthias , Vasylenko Olena
Published: February 2016

Aging is accompanied by declines in cognitive and sensorimotor functions. However, at present, the interrelation between attentional processes and dexterity in aging has not been thoroughly addressed. This study explored the relationship between executive function, working memory, and dexterity performance in 15 young and 15 healthy elderly, right-handed participants. A modified version of the Purdue Pegboard Test was used for dexterity assessment. Two subtasks were selected to calculate temporal and kinematic parameters of reaching, grasping, transport, and insertion of pegs. Evaluation of executive function and working memory was performed using neuropsychological tests. The relationship between dexterity and cognitive outcomes were also examined. Results showed that the prehensile movements involved in grasping and their speed significantly differed between groups and correlated with executive function in the young group. For elderly adults, variability of hand movements turned out to be associated with executive abilities.
Yoga
Authors: Kauffman Heather
Published: February 2016

Yoga has been demonstrated to modulate autonomic nervous system activity, decreasing anxiety and stress, and improving quality of life. This preliminary study sought to examine the use of yogic techniques on persons who stutter given the interaction between physiological arousal/anxiety and stuttering that current multifactorial models of stuttering propose. Four participants ( M = 52 yr, SD = 10; 2 female, 2 male), recruited from local stuttering support groups in the greater Philadelphia community volunteered to participate. Stuttering severity, anxiety, and experiences regarding stuttering and communication were measured at baseline, post intervention, and at 4 months follow-up. The participants attended group yoga sessions and engaged in home practice. Descriptive results revealed that participants showed improvements across outcome measures, with the most improvement related to anxiety. Participants also reported improvements in their perceptions about communication as per qualitative analysis of responses to the open-ended questionnaires. The results suggest the potential benefits of yoga for persons who stutter and warrants further study using an experimental design.
Relationship Between Training Volume and Ratings of Perceived Exertion in Swimmers
Authors: de Andrade Nogueira Francine Caetano , de Freitas Victor Hugo , Miloski Bernardo , de Oliveira Cordeiro André Henrique , Zacaron Werneck Francisco , Yuzo Nakamura Fábio , Gattás Bara-Filho Maurício
Published: February 2016

The markers of external training load (ETL), distance and intensity, do not take into account the athletes’ psychophysiological stress, i.e., internal training load (ITL). Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ETL and ITL using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and session-RPE in swimmers. Seventeen young swimmers (10 male, 15.8 ± 0.87 yr and 7 female, 15.1 ± 0.46 yr) belonging to one national level youth team took part in this study over 4 wk. The external training load was planned using swimming distance (in meters) at seven different training intensities. Swimmers’ RPE was assessed 30 min after each training session. Session-RPE was calculated by multiplying RPE by session duration (min). The relationship between the variables was analyzed with Pearson correlations and a multiple linear regression was performed to predict the session-RPE as a function of the independent variables (aerobic and anaerobic volume). The swimming distance at different intensities correlated strongly with RPE and very largely with session-RPE (.64, p < .05 and .71, p < .05, respectively). Regression analysis indicated that the aerobic and anaerobic volumes together explained more than 50% of the ITL variability. In conclusion, the swimming distance in each training session was significantly associated with RPE and session-RPE in swimmers. In other words, based on these results, the use of high-volume training at lower intensities affects the RPE and Session-RPE more than the anaerobic volume.
Animal-Assisted Interventions for Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Busch Caroline , Tucha Lara , Talarovicova Alzbeta , Fuermaier Anselm B. M. , Lewis-Evans Ben , Tucha Oliver
Published: February 2016

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders and is characterized by core symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Given the limitations of the existing treatment strategies, it seems necessary to consider the further exploration of alternative treatment approaches. In this review, the application and complementary use of animal-assisted interventions to the treatment of ADHD were discussed. Several mechanisms including calming, socializing, motivating, and cognitive effects of animal-assisted interventions were explored. Since studies directly investigating these effects on ADHD are scarce, so each of them were examined in terms of how it could benefit the treatment of ADHD. These effects can have a positive effect on several core symptoms of ADHD.
Nostalgia and Perceptions of Artwork
Authors: Specht Steven M. , Kreiger Tyson C.
Published: February 2016

A total of 179 participants completed the Nostalgia Proneness Scale, a measure of historical nostalgia, and the Nostalgia Inventory, a measure of personal nostalgia. Participants were also asked to indicate how much they “liked” four different artworks and to indicate how much the artworks “made them think.” The results indicated that respondents with higher historical nostalgia reported liking artwork that included human figures more than artwork with no such inclusion; and that they found these artworks more thought-provoking. These findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that nostalgia involves some component of social connectedness.
Psychometric Properties of the Revised and Abbreviated form of the Turkish Version of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale
Authors: Batmaz Sedat , Ozdel Kadir
Published: February 2016

Dysfunctional attitudes are considered to be important risk factors in the onset and maintenance of depression. Thus, a psychometrically reliable and valid measure is necessary for understanding depression. The Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) is widely used and has good psychometric properties, but there is no consensus about its factor structure. To examine its psychometric properties and factor structure, a total of 885 individuals consisting of patients with depression and healthy controls were evaluated. After the sample was randomly divided into two subsets, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Then the DAS was abbreviated according to the factor profiles and theoretical background. Analyses indicated two factors, named Perfectionism/Achievement and Need for Approval/Dependency for the revised DAS . Reliability analyses revealed a good internal consistency, and the concurrent validity indicated significant correlations with the Beck Depression Inventory and the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire.
Young Adults’ Pathways into Homeownership and the Negotiation of Intra-Family Support: A Home, the Ideal Gift
Authors: Druta Oana , Ronald Richard
Published: February 2016

Emerging affordability problems in British housing have accentuated the role of parental support in facilitating entry to homeownership, with financial transfers and in-kind support smoothening transitions for many. This article explores housing trajectories, focusing on how dependency and autonomy are negotiated within and across generations in relation to gifts, loans and in-kind transfers for home purchase. It draws on the experiences of a group of young adults aged 25–35 and those family members who supported them in acquiring a home. We consider the nature of support, and how those giving and receiving it understand this exchange. We show that gifting for homeownership is an ‘ideal gift’, allowing givers to exercise moral control over the receivers by supporting a normalized tenure choice. Managing relationships of indebtedness between kin presupposes negotiations in which the maintenance of autonomy is paramount. The article examines four types of negotiations and their impact on intergenerational relations.
Performance analysis of hybrid solid desiccant–vapor compression air conditioning system in hot and humid weather of India
Authors: Jani DB , Mishra Manish , Sahoo PK
Published: February 2016

The performance of hybrid solid desiccant–vapor compression air conditioning system is studied for the typical hot and humid climatic zone of North India (Roorkee). The system consists of a rotary desiccant dehumidifier coupled with heat recovery wheel and a conventional vapor compression air conditioning system. A FORTRAN program was developed to calculate different psychrometric properties like humidity ratio, dry-bulb temperature, wet-bulb temperature, relative humidity, specific heat, etc. at each state point of the system on the basis of ambient and desired inside room conditions, room cooling load, sensible heat factor, and required air flow rate. The overall system performance has been evaluated in terms of the coefficient of performance and the dehumidifier effectiveness. The influence of variation in ambient conditions on regeneration temperature of desiccants has also been discussed. The simulated results are validated using experimental measurements. The present system has ensured a reduction of 79.15% in processing air humidity ratio at an outlet of the desiccant dehumidifier as compared to the outdoor humidity ratio. The results show that the performance of the system is significantly affected by the variations in ambient temperature and humidity ratio.

Practical application: The proposed model of solid desiccant–VCR hybrid air conditioning system minimizes the energy usage in comfort cooling applications such as auditoriums, supermarket, hospitals, central library, offices, and lecture halls in hot and humid climate while maintaining an acceptable thermal comfort level and improving the performance. The proposed approach will give valuable insights to the researchers and building engineers to analyze the impacts of ambient conditions on the energy requirements and performance of solid desiccant cooling to ameliorate comfort, energy, and cost savings. Moreover, its potential contribution in environmental protection makes it more attractive at a time where depletion of energy resources and environmental degradation are of major concerns.
Spatial Externalities and Growth in a Mankiw-Romer-Weil World
Authors: Fischer Manfred M.
Published: February 2016

This article presents a theoretical growth model that accounts for technological interdependence among regions in a Mankiw-Romer-Weil world. The reasoning behind the theoretical work is that technological ideas cannot be fully appropriated by investors and these ideas may diffuse and increase the productivity of other firms. We link the diffusion of ideas to spatial proximity and allow ideas to flow to nearby regional economies. Through the magic of solving for the reduced form of the theoretical model and the magic of spatial autoregressive processes, the simple dependence on a small number of neighboring regions leads to a reduced form theoretical model and an associated empirical model where changes in a single region can potentially impact all other regions. This implies that conventional regression interpretations of the parameter estimates would be wrong. The proper way to interpret the model has to rely on matrices of partial derivatives of the dependent variable with respect to changes in the Mankiw-Romer-Weil variables, using scalar summary measures for reporting the estimates of the marginal impacts from the model. The summary impact measure estimates indicate that technological interdependence among the European regions works through physical rather than human capital externalities.
Can trust and social benefit really help? Empirical examination of purchase intentions for wearable devices
Authors: Liu Dawei , Guo Xiaohong
Published: February 2016

This paper empirically examines the effects of critical determinants such as universal access, satisfaction, reputation, and familiarity on purchase intentions for wearable devices through a paradigm of trust and social benefit. Data was collected from an online survey. The formal questionnaire consisted of two sections. The first section measured respondent perceptions of each construct in the research model. The second section interpreted the basic personal data of respondents. The study results indicate that both trust and social benefit can positively influence purchase intention for wearable devices. Universal access and familiarity fail to influence trust directly but can influence purchase intention by way of social benefit, as expected. The research extends existing purchase intention literature for wearable devices by identifying the importance of universal access, context-awareness, reputation, and familiarity, and by probing the relationship of trust, social benefit, and purchase intention. The results suggest prescriptive strategies for sellers of wearable devices.
Value of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiobiopsy for pathologic diagnosis of obstructive jaundice: analysis of 826 cases
Authors: Li Zhen , Li Teng-Fei , Ren Jian-Zhuang , Li Wen-Cai , Ren Jing-Li , Shui Shao-Feng , Han Xin-Wei
Published: February 2016

Background

Obstructive jaundice (OJ) is insensitive to radiation and chemotherapy, and a pathologic diagnosis is difficult to make clinically. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiobiopsy (PTCB) is simple to perform and minimally invasive, and clinical practice has shown it to be an accurate and reliable new method for bile duct histopathologic diagnosis.

Purpose

To investigate the value of PTCB for pathologic diagnosis of causes of OJ.

Material and Methods

From April 2001 to December 2011, PTCB was performed in 826 consecutive patients. Data on pathologic diagnosis, true positive rate, and complications were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with negative pathologic findings were diagnosed using clinical, imaging, laboratory, and prognostic data. The feasibility and safety of PTCB for OJ were evaluated and true positive rates for biliary carcinoma and non-biliary carcinoma compared.

Results

PTCB was successful in all cases. Of 740 patients clinically diagnosed with malignant biliary stricture and 86 with benign biliary stricture, 727 received a positive pathologic diagnosis; in 99, the pathologic findings were considered false negative. The true positive rate for PTCB was 88.01% overall, differing significantly for biliary and non-biliary carcinoma ( χ2 = 12.87, P < 0.05). Malignancy accounted for 89.59% of OJ cases; well, moderately, and poorly differentiated carcinoma represented 57.88%, 19.97%, and 22.15%. Biliary adenocarcinoma was the predominant malignant pathologic type (96.41%). Transient bilemia, bile leakage, and temporary hemobilia occurred in 47, 11, and 28 cases, respectively, with no serious complications.

Conclusion

PTCB is safe, feasible, and simple, with a high true positive rate for definitive diagnosis of OJ causes. Well differentiated adenocarcinoma was the predominant pathologic type.
Spinal Cord Hamartomatous Myelodysplasia in 2 Horses With Clinical Neurologic Deficits
Authors: Taylor K. R. , MacKay R. J. , Nelson E. A. , Stieler A. L. , Roberts J. F. , Castleman W. L.
Published: February 2016

Two horses euthanized for neurologic deficits were diagnosed with hamartomatous myelodysplasia of the spinal cord. One was a 5-week-old Holsteiner colt exhibiting spasms of muscle rigidity in the extensor muscles of the limbs and epaxial muscles, and the other was a 3-year-old Thoroughbred colt exhibiting progressive ataxia and hypermetria in the pelvic limbs. Each had focal disorganization of the white and gray matter of the spinal cord forming a mass interspersed with neurons, glial cells, and disoriented axon bundles. In the Holsteiner colt, the mass was at the level of C5 and included islands of meningeal tissue contiguous with the leptomeninges. The mass occluded the central canal forming hydromyelia cranial to the occlusion. In the Thoroughbred colt, the mass was at the level of L1 on the dorsal periphery of the spinal cord and did not involve the central canal.
A Systematic Review of the Effect of Remittances on Diet and Nutrition
Authors: Thow Anne Marie , Fanzo Jessica , Negin Joel
Published: February 2016

Background:

Remittance income is rising rapidly in most low- and middle-income countries. Despite nutrition being a key policy priority for health and development, we know little about the effect of remittance income on diets and nutrition.

Objective:

To identify the effect of remittance income on nutrition.

Method:

Systematic review of English-language studies providing information on the impact of remittances on food consumption, food expenditure, or measures of nutritional status, using a narrative synthesis approach for analysis. We searched the English-language published and gray literature using key words “remittances,” “nutrition,” and “diets.”

Results:

This systematic review identified 20 studies that examined the effect of remittance income on food consumption, dietary intake, and nutritional status, 2 of which were qualitative studies. Overall, the quality of the studies was weak to moderate. These studies show that remittances can increase access to (purchased) food and may have a consumption smoothing effect, reducing households’ vulnerability and leading to improved food security and reductions in underweight. However, remittances appear to have little effect on markers of chronic undernourishment. The studies also suggest that the extra income from remittances may compound trends toward purchasing less healthy (nontraditional) foods that are associated with the nutrition transition.

Conclusion:

There is an urgent need for further research on the effect of remittances on nutrition and diets, with remittance income forecast to rise rapidly into the future. Programs to ensure that those households receiving remittances move beyond just meeting sufficient calories and improve dietary quality could create nutritional benefits.
Urban Household Characteristics and Dietary Diversity
Authors: Codjoe Samuel Nii Ardey , Okutu David , Abu Mumuni
Published: February 2016

Background:

The world’s population is increasingly becoming urbanized. If the current urban growth rate is to continue, new and unprecedented challenges for food security will be inevitable. Dietary diversity has been used to ascertain food security status albeit at the multicountry and country levels. Thus, household-level studies in urban settings, particularly in sub-Sahara African, are few. Yet, it is imperative that assessments of food security are undertaken particularly in urban settings, due to the projected fast rate of urbanization and the challenges of attaining food security.

Objective:

To examine household characteristics and dietary diversity.

Methods:

The study uses data from 452 households from the second round of the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) EDULINK urban poverty and health study. Bivariate and multivariate analyses are undertaken.

Results:

Mean dietary diversity for all households is 6.8. Vegetables have the highest diversity, followed by cereal-based and grain products. Household characteristics that have statistically significant associations with dietary diversity include sex and level of education of household head, household wealth quintile, and source of food.

Conclusions:

There is high dietary diversity in the study communities of Accra but low consumption of foods rich in micronutrient, such as fruits and milk/dairy products. The study brings to fore issues related to resource-disadvantaged entities of the urban system, namely, females, poor households, and the non-educated who have food insecurity problems.
Racial Composition of Couples in Battered Spouse Syndrome Cases: A Look at Juror Perceptions and Decisions
Authors: Mossière Annik , Maeder Evelyn M. , Pica Emily
Published: February 2016

This study manipulated the race of the defendant (wife) and the victim (husband)—White/White, White/Black, Black/Black, and Black/White—in a murder case involving a history of intimate partner violence (IPV) to examine the potential prejudicial impact of race on juror decision-making. A total of 244 jury-eligible American community members read a trial transcript of a murder case in which the defendant claimed self-defense using evidence of battered spouse syndrome. Participants provided a verdict, responsibility attributions, and their perceptions of the scenario. Findings revealed that the Black defendant (wife) was more likely to be found not guilty by reason of self-defense, and female jurors were overall more likely to acquit the defendant (wife) than were men. These results contribute to the scarce literature on the influence of race on perceptions of legal proceedings involving IPV.
Firearm Violence and Effects on Concealed Gun Carrying: Large Debate and Small Effects
Authors: Carter Jeremy G. , Binder Michael
Published: February 2016

Research has yet to identify a predictive relationship between crime and the issuance of aggregated concealed gun permits. The present study examines if a macro-level relationship exists between both concealed carry firearm applications and permits and violent crime committed with a firearm. Florida county-level data for concealed carry applications and violent crime are combined with police employment, socioeconomic, political, and firearm subculture variables across two temporal periods using both county and year fixed effects models. Unstandardized negative binomial regressions are employed with multiple alternative model specifications and diagnostic tests. Findings indicate a positive association between crime, especially those committed with a firearm, and concealed carry applications and permits. The effect size of firearm violent crime on concealed carry applications and permits is minimal. There is a demonstrable link between firearm violence and concealed carry applications and permits issued, net all covariates. Findings should be tempered by the minimal effect sizes.
The Influence of Gender Ideology, Victim Resistance, and Spiking a Drink on Acquaintance Rape Attributions
Authors: Angelone D. J. , Mitchell Damon , Smith Danielle
Published: February 2016

The current study examined observer’s attributions about the victim and perpetrator of an alleged acquaintance rape. Participants included 504 college students from a public university in the northeastern United States who read a brief crime report and completed a series of questionnaires for course credit. While men tended to attribute more blame to the victim than women, gender ideology emerged as a stronger predictor of rape attributions, and some types of sexist beliefs were associated with greater victim blaming and others with less victim blaming. Endorsement of hostile sexism, rape myths, and heterosexual intimacy was generally associated with the attribution of greater victim culpability, as well as less perpetrator culpability, perpetrator criminality, and victim credibility. However, complementary gender differentiation was associated with greater perpetrator culpability and criminality, while protective paternalism was associated with greater victim credibility. Observers attributed lower victim culpability and greater perpetrator criminality when the victim’s drink was spiked, and attributed greater perpetrator culpability when the victim verbally resisted the perpetrator’s advances. Given the implications that observer attitudes can have on professional and personal support for survivors, as well as juror decision making, the ongoing examination of the complex interplay between the person and situational factors affecting attributions of rape is essential. Sexual assault prevention programs may also benefit from a psychoeducational component that targets reducing traditional gender ideology.
Apathy in Older Persons With Depression: Course and Predictors
Authors: Groeneweg-Koolhoven Isis , Comijs Hannie C. , Naarding Paul , de Waal Margot W. M. , van der Mast Roos C.
Published: February 2016

Objectives:

Apathy is a common behavioral syndrome, influencing different areas of daily functioning and often seen in depression. Little is known about the course of apathy in depression. In this study, we examine the course and predicting factors of apathy in older persons with depression.

Method:

Data of 266 older persons with depression participating in the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons, all aged at least 60 years with complete Apathy Scale scores at baseline and 2-year follow-up, were included in this study. Associations between several baseline variables and severity, incidence, and persistence of apathy were examined using regression analyses.

Results:

At 2-year follow-up, the severity of apathy was predicted by the severity of apathy at baseline, and incidence rate of apathy was 36%, with a lower baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score being an independent predictor. Older persons with incident apathy did not differ in remission rate of depression compared to those without apathy at follow-up. Persistence rate of apathy was 80% and was independently predicted by a higher baseline Apathy Scale score and, surprisingly, by less use of benzodiazepines. Persons with persistent apathy were less likely to recover from depression than those who remitted from apathy.

Conclusion:

Severity of apathy at baseline, but not depression, predicted apathy at follow-up. Incident apathy was predicted by poorer cognitive function, whereas severe apathy at baseline predicted its persistence. Remarkably, new apathy was not associated with worse outcome of depression whereas persistent apathy was.
Modification of pineapple leaf fiber surfaces with silane and isocyanate for reinforcing thermoplastic
Authors: Suwanruji Potjanart , Tuechart Thiranan , Smitthipong Wirasak , Chollakup Rungsima
Published: February 2016

Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) was treated by silane and isocyanate treatments at 0–20% prior to being used as reinforcement in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) composites. The reactive groups of silane and isocyanate on PALF surface were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron micrographs also showed the fiber surface coated with layers of treated chemicals as compared with the untreated one. These surface treatments reduced the water absorption of PALF. The physical properties of the PALF-reinforced composites were investigated. The resulting composites possessed higher tensile strength and lower crystallinity than the untreated composites. Silane treatment gave better PALF/LDPE composites in terms of composite strength as compared to isocyanate treatment. For treated PALF/PP composites, fiber pullout was reduced both silane and isocyanate treatments.
The Influence of Family of Origin Relationships on Career Thoughts
Authors: Lustig Daniel C. , Xu Yonghong Jade , Strauser David R.
Published: February 2016

Family of origin relationships are an important influence on career decision-making. The current study investigates the relationship between family cohesion, expressiveness and conflict and dysfunctional career thoughts. The Family Environment Scale - Form R (Moos & Moos, 2009) measured the family environment and the Career Thoughts Inventory (Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Reardon, & Saunders, 1996) measured dysfunctional career thoughts. Participants were undergraduate students at a large Southern University. The results found that higher levels of family conflict and lower levels of family expressiveness were associated with higher levels of decision-making confusion, commitment anxiety, and external conflict. Implications for career counselors are discussed.
A design method for selecting the physical parameters of a free piston Stirling engine
Authors: Jang Seon-Jun , Brennan Michael J , Dohnal Fadi , Lee Yoon-Pyo
Published: February 2016

A new design method for selecting the physical parameters of a free piston Stirling engine (FPSE) is presented. The dynamics of FPSE are described in the form of a transfer function including the inherent feedback mechanism. The simplified Nyquist stability criterion is used to derive the operation condition, where the indices of the magnitude amplification factor (MAF) and the operation limit factor (OLF) are introduced in terms of the physical parameters. Further, a measure for the efficiency of the engine is defined as the damping ratio of the power piston system (DRP). Parametric studies of these quantities are carried out as well as benchmarking against the design values of the standard RE-1000 engine. A design method is presented that defines the physical parameters of an FPSE which is working at a given operation frequency.
A Model of Security Selection and Portfolio Building through Z-scores
Authors: Roy Arup
Published: February 2016

The main objective of this article is to study a stock selection model and at the same time to construct a model portfolio based on an investment strategy based on Altman Z-score. The Z-score model not only helps investors to build portfolio by selecting securities but also facilitates to find the probability of finding another firm in the same industry with a higher or lower financial parameter with respect to the industry average. For this study, five sectors were arbitrarily selected, namely, banking, cement, information technology, engineering and pharmaceutical. To achieve the study objectives, 25 companies belonging to the above-mentioned industries were selected on the basis of fundamental analysis especially based on five factors, namely, price to equity ratio, price to book value ratio, debt to equity ratio, dividend yield percentage and dividend payout ratio. The study shows how a portfolio can be constructed keeping a particular investment strategy in mind. Here, the article focuses on how long-term returns may be achieved relying on value investing strategy. This study helps to understand different portfolio models that can be created for different objectives and investment strategies. An attempt is made to further this by providing a comprehensive stock-selection exercise to understand how to appropriately pick stocks and create a portfolio. To conclude with, the present study provides investors a way to dive deeper into security analysis, selection process and building portfolio with the help of the Z-score model.