bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low‐current operation of novel Gd2O3‐based RRAM cells with large memory window
Authors: Chen Chao Yang , Goux Ludovic , Fantini Andrea , Redolfi Augusto , Groeseneken Guido , Jurczak Malgorzata
Published: September 2015

In this paper, we introduce rare‐earth hygroscopic oxide Gd2O3 as a novel switching material allowing extended reset operation as compared to standard state‐of‐the‐art oxide like (Hf,Al)O2. We prepared 5 nm‐thick oxide layers, as integrated between TiN and Hf electrodes in 1‐transistor/1‐resistor configuration. Using industry‐relevant programming current I ≤ 10 µA and pulse width ≤1 µs, 40 nm‐size TiN\Gd2O3\Hf cells allowed reaching a median memory window (MW) > × 70 while state‐of‐the‐art materials exhibited MW < × 10 in the same conditions. Based on the large MW, high write endurance properties (>106 cycles), and good retention of Gd2O3‐based cells (>5 days at 85 °C), verify algorithms allow reliable programming with low latency.
Effect of temperature on the luminescence and decay behavior of divalent europium in lithium barium borate
Authors: Meng Fangui , Zhang Jiyao , Yuan Guangming , Zhang Xinmin , Seo Hyo Jin
Published: September 2015

The optical properties of LiBaBO3 doped with Eu2+ are investigated in the temperature regime between 10 and 525 K for the first time. At room temperature (RT), a broad emission band peaking around 485 nm is observed. The emission is ascribed to the 4f65d1 → 4f7 transition on Eu2+. The excitation spectra consist of broad bands between 220 and 450 nm. The emission intensity shows no remarkable decline at lower temperatures; although it decreases drastically at higher temperatures. The Stokes shift is calculated to be 0.52 eV. The thermal activation of an electron from the Eu2+ excited state to the conduction band is responsible for the thermal quenching behavior in LiBaBO3:Eu system. The energy gap EA for the best fit of decay time is 0.38 eV.
Multi‐color monolithic III‐nitride light‐emitting diodes: Factors controlling emission spectra and efficiency
Authors: Karpov S. Yu. , Cherkashin N. A. , Lundin W. V. , Nikolaev A. E. , Sakharov A. V. , Sinitsin M. A. , Usov S. O. , Zavarin E. E. , Tsatsulnikov A. F.
Published: September 2015

InGaN‐based monolithic multi‐color light emitting diodes (LEDs) are studied both experimentally and theoretically with the focus on factors controlling their emission spectra and efficiency. A number of LEDs with different designs of spacers separating active regions providing blue and green light emission is examined. Unexpected behavior of the multi‐color LED efficiency is explained in terms of a simple balance model, assuming some degradation of materials quality of the green active region grown on top of the blue one. Electrical properties of spacers separating different active regions in the multi‐color LED structures are identified as the major factor controlling the contributions of these active regions to the total emission spectrum. Correlations between the type and level of the spacer doping and the emission spectrum are found by simulations. Alternative ways of the spectral control by using polarization doping in the graded‐composition InGaN and AlGaN alloys used as the spacers are suggested. Color characteristics of blue/green dual‐wavelength LEDs are also measured and discussed, regarding their possible applications.
Correlation operators based on an implicitly formulated diffusion equation solved with the Chebyshev iteration
Authors: Weaver A. T. , Tshimanga J. , Piacentini A.
Published: September 2015

Correlation operators are used in the formulation of background‐error covariance models in variational data assimilation (VDA) and for localizing low‐rank sample estimates of background‐error covariance matrices in ensemble VDA. This article describes new approaches for defining correlation operators based on diffusion operators. The starting point is a two‐dimensional (2D) implicitly formulated diffusion operator on the sphere, which has been shown in previous works to support symmetric and positive‐definite smoothing kernels that are closely related to those from the Matérn correlation family. Different methods are proposed for solving the 2D implicit diffusion problem and these are compared with respect to their efficiency, accuracy, memory cost, ease of implementation and parallelization properties on high‐performance computers. The methods described in this article are evaluated in a global ocean VDA system. An iterative algorithm based on the Chebyshev iteration, which uses a fixed number of iterations and pre‐computed eigenvalue bounds, is shown to be particularly promising. Techniques for improving the parallelization aspects of the algorithm further are discussed.
Performance of 4D‐Var NWP‐based nowcasting of precipitation at the Met Office for summer 2012
Authors: Ballard Susan P. , Li Zhihong , Simonin David , Caron Jean‐Francois
Published: September 2015

The Met Office has developed and demonstrated an hourly cycling 1.5 km resolution NWP‐based nowcast system (0–6 h forecasts) using four‐dimensional variational data assimilation (4D‐Var). This was known as the Nowcasting Demonstration Project (NDP), and was principally for prediction of convective storms for flood forecasting. The NDP was run in real time from March 2012 to April 2013 to cover the period of the London Olympics 2012. The system was run on a domain covering southern England and Wales nested in the UK variable resolution model (UKV). The UKV used a UK‐wide 1.5 km domain with 3 hourly cycling three‐dimensional variational data assimilation (3D‐Var) and produced 36 h forecasts every 6 h. The NDP 4D‐Var included standard observations, Doppler radar radial winds, humidity derived from a 3D cloud cover analysis and geostationary satellite upper‐tropospheric water vapour radiances not contaminated by cloud. This was used in combination with latent heat nudging of radar‐derived precipitation rates. Example case‐studies compare the NDP precipitation forecasts to both the operational extrapolation/merged nowcast system and the UKV forecasts. Objective comparison of fraction skill score for the period June to August 2012 shows that the NDP skill was greater than the latest UKV forecasts, available to forecasters at the same time as the NDP, for the whole 6 h forecast period. The skill of the NDP was greater than the operational extrapolation/merged nowcast beyond T + 2 h.
Practical Principles in Appointment Scheduling
Authors: Kuiper Alex , Mandjes Michel
Published: September 2015

Appointment schedules aim at achieving a proper balance between the conflicting interests of the service provider and her clients: a primary objective of the service provider is to fully utilize her available time, whereas clients want to avoid excessive waiting times. Setting up schedules that strike a good balance is severely complicated by the fact that the clients' service times are random. Because of the lack of explicit expressions, one has often set up schedules relying on simulation techniques. In this paper, we take a radically different approach: we use newly developed analytical techniques to numerically determine optimal schedules (i.e., schedules that optimize a given objective function that incorporates the interests of the service provider as well as the clients) and compare them with a number of easily evaluated heuristics; in our setup, it is throughout assumed that a given fraction of the clients does not show up. Our results are particularly useful in situations in which there is a significant variation in the service times, which is typically the case in various healthcare‐related settings. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure of random 312‐avoiding permutations
Authors: Madras Neal , Pehlivan Lerna
Published: September 2015

We evaluate the probabilities of various events under the uniform distribution on the set of 312‐avoiding permutations of . We derive exact formulas for the probability that the ith element of a random permutation is a specific value less than i, and for joint probabilities of two such events. In addition, we obtain asymptotic approximations to these probabilities for large N when the elements are not close to the boundaries or to each other. We also evaluate the probability that the graph of a random 312‐avoiding permutation has k specified decreasing points, and we show that for large N the points below the diagonal look like trajectories of a random walk. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 49, 599–631, 2016
The web browser factor in traffic analysis attacks
Authors: Zhioua Sami
Published: September 2015

Website fingerprinting is a known type of traffic analysis attacks that aims to identify which websites are visited in encrypted traffic traces. Recent work showed that some classifiers can successfully identify 90% of visited websites. Because web browsers use different rendering engines and networking application program interfaces (APIs), they tend to resist differently to website fingerprinting attacks. In this paper, we study to which extent popular web browsers can resist such attacks by analyzing the shape of their network traffic when fetching websites. To this end, five fine‐grained measures are used to point out very subtle differences in the network traffic of each web browser. Empirical analysis showed that, among six studied web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera, and Tor Browser), Opera and Safari offer the highest resistance to website fingerprinting. Because most of existing fingerprinting techniques have been evaluated using Firefox web browser, we expect the accuracy results of existing work to be reduced in case Opera or Safari browser is used. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The power prior: theory and applications
Authors: Ibrahim Joseph G. , Chen Ming‐Hui , Gwon Yeongjin , Chen Fang
Published: September 2015

Thepower priorhas been widely used in many applications covering a large number of disciplines. The power prior is intended to be an informative prior constructed from historical data. It has been used in clinical trials, genetics, health care, psychology, environmental health, engineering, economics, and business. It has also been applied for a wide variety of models and settings, both in the experimental design and analysis contexts. In this review article, we give an A‐to‐Z exposition of the power prior and its applications to date. We review its theoretical properties, variations in its formulation, statistical contexts for which it has been used, applications, and its advantages over other informative priors. We review models for which it has been used, including generalized linear models, survival models, and random effects models. Statistical areas where the power prior has been used include model selection, experimental design, hierarchical modeling, and conjugate priors. Frequentist properties of power priors in posterior inference are established, and a simulation study is conducted to further examine the empirical performance of the posterior estimates with power priors. Real data analyses are given illustrating the power prior as well as the use of the power prior in the Bayesian design of clinical trials. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A solution‐based stall delay model for horizontal‐axis wind turbines
Authors: Dowler Joshua Lyle , Schmitz Sven
Published: September 2015

This work proposes a new solution‐based stall delay model to predict rotational effects on horizontal‐axis wind turbines. In contrast to conventional stall delay models that correct sectional airfoil data prior to the solution to account for three‐dimensional and rotational effects, a novel approach is proposed that corrects sectional airfoil data during a blade element momentum solution algorithm by investigating solution‐dependent parameters such as the spanwise circulation distribution and the local flow velocity acting at a section of blade. An iterative process is employed that successively modifies sectional lift and drag data until the blade circulation distribution is converged. Results obtained with the solution‐based stall delay model show consistent good agreement with measured data along the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Phase VI and Model Experiments in Controlled Conditions rotor blades at low and high wind speeds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wind turbine fatigue damage evaluation based on a linear model and a spectral method
Authors: Tibaldi C. , Henriksen L. C. , Hansen M. H. , Bak C.
Published: September 2015

Wind turbine multidisciplinary design optimization is currently the focus of several investigations because it has showed potential in reducing the cost of energy. This design approach requires fast methods to evaluate wind turbine loads with a sufficiently high level of fidelity. This paper presents a method to estimate wind turbine fatigue damage suited for optimization design applications. The method utilizes a high‐order linear wind turbine model. The model comprehends a detailed description of the wind turbine and the controller. The fatigue is computed with a spectral method applied to power spectral densities of wind turbine sensor responses to turbulent wind. In this paper, the model is validated both in time domain and frequency domain with a nonlinear aeroservoelastic model. The approach is compared quantitatively against fatigue damage obtained from the power spectra of time series evaluated with nonlinear aeroservoelastic simulations and qualitatively against rainflow counting. Results are presented for three cases: load evaluation at normal operation in the full wind speed range, load change evaluation due to two different controller tunings at normal operation at three different wind speeds above rated and load dependency on the number of turbulence seeds used for their evaluation. For the full‐range normal operation, the maximum difference between the two frequency domain‐based estimates of the tower base lateral fatigue moments is 36%, whereas the differences for the other sensors are less than 15%. For the load variation evaluation, the maximum difference of the tower base longitudinal bending moment variation is 22%. Such large difference occurs only when the change in controller tuning has a low effect on the loads. Furthermore, results show that loads evaluated with the presented method are less dependent on the turbulent wind realization; therefore, less turbulence seeds are required compared with time‐domain simulations to remove the dependency on the wind realization used to estimate loads. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reaction of Iron‐ and Tungsten Carbonyls with a Zwitterionic Fulvalene
Authors: Schmid Dominic , Seyboldt Alexander , Kunz Doris
Published: September 2015

The highly dipolar fulvalene 1 reacts with pentacarbonyl iron(0) and hexacarbonyl tungsten(0) complexes under irradiation with UV light. The cyclopentadienyl complexes 2 and 3 formed are analysed by means of NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as X‐ray analysis. They are the first zwitterionic carbonyl complexes of fulvenes or fulvalenes. In the case of iron, the dinuclear complex 2 consisting of a dicarbonyliron(+I)‐tetracarbonylferrat(–I) moiety is formed, whereas in the case of tungsten, the mononuclear tricarbonyl tungsten(0) complex 3 is obtained.
Minimally Invasive Versus Open Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis of Short‐Term Outcomes and Completeness of Resection
Authors: Straatman Jennifer , van der Wielen Nicole , Cuesta Miguel A. , de Lange – de Klerk Elly S. M. , Jansma Elise P. , van der Peet Donald L.
Published: September 2015

Minimally invasive surgical techniques for gastric cancer are gaining more acceptance worldwide as an alternative to open resection. In order to assess the role of minimally invasive and open techniques in total gastrectomy for cancer, a systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed. Articles comparing minimally invasive versus open total gastrectomy were reviewed, collected from the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Two different authors (JS and NW) independently selected and assessed the articles. Outcomes regarding operative results, postoperative recovery, morbidity, mortality, and oncological outcomes were analyzed. Statistical analysis portrayed the weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95 % confidence interval and odds ratio (OR). Out of 1242 papers, 12 studies were selected, including a total of 1360 patients, of which 592 underwent minimally invasive total gastrectomy (MITG). Compared to open total gastrectomy (OTG), MITG showed a longer operation time (WMD: 48.06 min, P < 0.00001), less operative blood loss (WMD: −160.70 mL, P < 0.00001), faster postoperative recovery, measured as shorter time to first flatus (WMD −1.05 days, P < 0.00001), shorter length of hospital stay (WMD: −2.43 days, P = 0.0002), less postoperative complications (OR 0.66, P = 0.02), similar mortality rates (OR 0.60, P = 0.52), and similar rates in lymph node yield (WMD −2.30, P = 0.06). Minimally invasive total gastrectomy showed faster postoperative recovery and less postoperative complications, whereas completeness of the resection was similar in both groups. Duration of surgery was longer in the minimally invasive group. Only comparative non‐randomized studies were available, further emphasizing the need for a prospective randomized trial comparing MITG and OTG.
Production of C4 and C5 branched-chain alcohols by engineered Escherichia. coli
Authors: Chen Xiaoyan , Xu Jingliang , Yang Liu , Yuan Zhenhong , Xiao Shiyuan , Zhang Yu , Liang Cuiyi , He Minchao , Guo Ying
Published: September 2015

Higher alcohols, longer chain alcohols, contain more than 3 carbon atoms, showed close energy advantages as gasoline, and were considered as the next generation substitution for chemical fuels. Higher alcohol biosynthesis by native microorganisms mainly needs gene expression of heterologous keto acid decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenases. In the present study, branched-chain α-keto acid decarboxylase gene from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis CICC 6246 (Kivd) and alcohol dehydrogenases gene from Zymomonas mobilis CICC 41465 (AdhB) were transformed into Escherichia coli for higher alcohol production. SDS-PAGE results showed these two proteins were expressed in the recombinant strains. The resulting strain was incubated in LB medium at 37 °C in Erlenmeyer flasks and much more 3-methyl-1-butanol (104 mg/L) than isobutanol (24 mg/L) was produced. However, in 5 g/L glucose-containing medium, the production of two alcohols was similar, 156 and 161 mg/L for C4 (isobutanol) and C5 (3-methyl-1-butanol) alcohol, respectively. Effects of fermentation factors including temperature, glucose content, and α-keto acid on alcohol production were also investigated. The increase of glucose content and the adding of α-keto acids facilitated the production of C4 and C5 alcohols. The enzyme activities of pure Kivd on α-ketoisovalerate and α-ketoisocaproate were 26.77 and 21.24 μmol min−1 mg−1, respectively. Due to its ability on decarboxylation of α-ketoisovalerate and α-ketoisocaproate, the recombinant E. coli strain showed potential application on isoamyl alcohol and isobutanol production.
The lifetime risk of pneumonia in patients with neuromuscular scoliosis at a mean age of 21 years: The role of spinal deformity surgery
Authors: Keskinen Heli , Lukkarinen Heikki , Korhonen Katariina , Jalanko Tuomas , Koivusalo Antti , Helenius Ilkka
Published: September 2015

Background

Patients with neuromuscular disorders often have an increased risk of pneumonia and decreased lung function, which may further be compromised by scoliosis. Scoliosis surgery may improve pulmonary function in otherwise healthy patients, but no study has evaluated its effect on the risk of pneumonia in patients with neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS).

Methods

The patient charts of 42 patients (mean age 14.6 years) who had undergone surgery for severe NMS (mean scoliosis 86°) were retrospectively reviewed from birth to a mean of 6.1 years (range 2.8–9.5) after scoliosis surgery. The main outcome was radiographically confirmed pneumonia as a primary cause for hospitalization. We excluded postoperative (3 months) pneumonia from the analyses.

Results

The lifetime annual incidence of pneumonia was 8.0/100 before and 13.4/100 after scoliosis surgery ( p > 0.10). The mean number of hospital days per year due to pneumonia were 0.59 (SD 2.3) before scoliosis surgery and 2.24 (SD 6.9) after surgery ( p > 0.10). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that lifetime risk factors for pneumonia were epilepsy (RR 15.2, 95 % CI 1.3–176.8, p = 0.027), non-cerebral palsy (CP) etiology (RR = 10.2, 95 % CI 3.2–32.7, p < 0.001) and major scoliosis (main curve >70°; RR = 11.3, 95 % CI 1.8–70.7, p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Epilepsy, non-CP etiology and major scoliosis are significant risk factors for pneumonia in patients with NMS. Scoliosis surgery does not decrease the incidence of pneumonia in patients with severe NMS.

Level of Evidence

Retrospective comparative study, Level III.
Using our agrobiodiversity: plant-based solutions to feed the world
Authors: Jacobsen Sven-Erik , Sørensen Marten , Pedersen Søren Marcus , Weiner Jacob
Published: September 2015

The growing global demand for food poses a serious challenge to mankind: How can we provide an increasing world population with an adequate, reliable and nutritious food supply? We argue that this can best be achieved through the utilization of biodiversity and the inclusion of marginal arable lands for agricultural production, while maintaining a broad gene pool to secure the potential for future plant production and supporting rural agricultural communities. We present several specific examples of how an emphasis on agricultural biodiversity can provide the basis for a nutritional, reliable, culinary and sustainable food production, and analyse the advantages, limitations and risks of an increased focus on agrobiodiversity. We conclude that the potential for approaches based on the preservation and development of existing agrobiodiversity has not been given sufficient attention in the current scientific and political debates concerning the best strategy to keep pace with global population growth and increasing demand for food. An emphasis on agrobiodiversity is the basis for the most appropriate strategies if the goal is to feed the world in the twenty-first century.
The Impact of item flaws, testing at low cognitive level, and low distractor functioning on multiple-choice question quality
Authors: Ali Syed Haris , Ruit Kenneth G.
Published: September 2015

Background This study investigated the impact of addressing item writing flaws, testing at low cognitive level and non-functioning distractors (< 5 % selection frequency) in multiple-choice assessment in preclinical medical education.

Method Multiple-choice questions with too high or too low difficulty (difficulty index < 0.4 or > 0.8) and insufficient discriminatory ability (point-biserial correlation < 0.2) on previous administration were identified. Items in Experimental Subgroup A underwent removal of item writing flaws along with enhancement of tested cognitive level (21 multiple-choice questions), while Experimental Subgroup B underwent replacement or removal of non-functioning distractors (11 multiple-choice questions). A control group of items (Group C) did not undergo any intervention (23 multiple-choice questions).

Result Post-intervention, the average number of functioning distractors (≥ 5 % selection frequency) per multiple-choice question increased from 0.67 to 0.81 in Subgroup A and from 0.91 to 1.09 in Subgroup B; a statistically significant increase in the number of multiple-choice questions with sufficient point-biserial correlation was also noted. No significant changes were noted in psychometric characteristics of the control group of items.

Conclusion Correction of item flaws, removal or replacement of non-functioning distractors, and enhancement of tested cognitive level positively impact the discriminatory ability of multiple-choice questions. This helps prevent construct-irrelevant variance from affecting the evidence of validity of scores obtained in multiple-choice questions.
Interleukin‐23p19 expression in patients with ulcerative colitis and its relation to disease severity
Authors: El‐Bassat Hanan , AboAli Lobna , El Yamany Sahar , Al Shenawy Hanan , Al Din Rasha A. , Taha Atef
Published: September 2015

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the mucosal expression of interleukin (IL)‐23p19 has a role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis, and to determine its relation to disease severity.

Methods

This study was performed on 50 patients with ulcerative colitis and 10 normal individuals as the controls. They were divided into Group I (27 patients with mild to moderate disease), Group II (23 patients with severe disease), and Group III (10 normal individuals). All patients and the controls were subjected to histopathological study, IL‐23p19 immunohistochemical staining, IL‐23R expression by flow cytometry, and serum IL‐23 by enzyme‐linked immunoassay.

Results

There was a significant increase in IL‐23p19 gene expression and IL‐23R level in patients with ulcerative colitis, compared to the controls. A significant positive correlation was detected between increased expression of the IL‐23p19 gene, IL‐23R, high serum IL‐23, and the severity of the disease.

Conclusion

Increased expression of the IL‐23p19 gene has a role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Targeted therapy directed against IL‐23p19 may be effective in its treatment. Increased expression of the IL‐23p19 gene and IL‐23R with high serum IL‐23 is correlated positively with disease severity.
A novel method to analyze 5‐hydroxymethylcytosine in CpG sequences using maintenance DNA methyltransferase, DNMT1
Authors: Takahashi Saori , Suetake Isao , Engelhardt Jan , Tajima Shoji
Published: September 2015

Hydroxymethylcytosine has been shown to be involved in DNA demethylation and gene expression. Although methods to determine the position of hydroxymethylcytosine at single‐base resolution have been reported, these methods involve some difficulties. Here, we report a simple method to analyze hydroxymethylcytosine in the CpG sequence utilizing the maintenance DNA methylation activity of DNMT1, which selectively methylates hemi‐methylated but not hemi‐hydroxymethylated CpG sequences. The method enables monitoring of the dynamics of the hydroxymethylation state of a specific genome site.
Biomarkers for Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Chen Weiqian , Cao Heng , Lin Jin , Olsen Nancy , Zheng Song Guo
Published: September 2015

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disease with exocrine gland dysfunction and multi-organ involvement. Recent progress in understanding the pathogenesis of pSS offers an opportunity to find new biomarkers for the diagnosis and assessment of disease activity. Screening noninvasive biomarkers from the saliva and tears has significant potential. The need for specific and sensitive biomarker candidates in pSS is significant. This review aims to summarize recent advances in the identification of biomarkers of Sjögren syndrome, trying to identify reliable, sensitive, and specific biomarkers that can be used to guide treatment decisions.
Risk of postpartum hemorrhage among Native American women
Authors: Chalouhi Salam E. , Tarutis Jodi , Barros Guilherme , Starke Robert M. , Mozurkewich Ellen L.
Published: September 2015

Objective

To assess whether Native American women have an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) after vaginal delivery.

Methods

In a retrospective study, medical charts were reviewed for patients who delivered vaginally at Rehoboth McKinley Hospital in Gallup, NM, USA, between June 1, 2009, and June 30, 2012. Ethnic origin had been determined by self‐report. PPH was defined as a visually estimated blood loss of more than 500 mL. Multivariable logistic analysis was undertaken to identify factors independently associated with PPH.

Results

Among 1062 eligible patients, 751 (70.7%) were Native American and 311 (29.3%) were non‐native (white, African American, or Hispanic). A significantly higher proportion of Native Americans than non‐native women developed PPH (87 [11.6%] vs 22 [7.0%]; P = 0.02). In multivariable analysis, Native American ethnic origin was an independent predictor of PPH (odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.1–3.0; P = 0.02). In a comparison with white women only, PPH was significantly more frequent among Native American women (87/751 [11.6%] vs 13/194 [6.7%]; P = 0.01).

Conclusion

Native American women have a higher risk of PPH after vaginal delivery than do non‐native women.
Multidimensional associations of pain and anxiety before and after colposcopy
Authors: Handelzalts Jonathan E. , Krissi Haim , Levy Sigal , Broitman Maayan , Binyamin Liat , Peled Yoav
Published: September 2015

Objective

To assess the effect of pre‐procedural variables on post‐procedural outcomes following colposcopy.

Methods

A prospective study was conducted at Concord Women's Health Center in Israel between March 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014. Women waiting for colposcopy were approached and asked to complete questionnaires about anxiety, information‐seeking patterns, fear associated with the examination, and demographics. After the procedure, participants answered questions about pain and state anxiety. The physician performing the procedure assessed the participant's levels of distress. A path analysis model was constructed.

Results

Path analysis showed direct and indirect effects of both demographic and psychological variables on the main outcome measures. Physician's appraisal was related to fear, information seeking, state anxiety, and pain. Post‐procedural state anxiety was related to fear, trait anxiety, pre‐procedural state anxiety, past experience, pain, and information seeking. Pain was related to information seeking and age. Information seeking, pre‐procedural state anxiety, and subjective pain served as mediators for some of these relationships.

Conclusion

The effect of various psychological and demographic variables on psychological outcome variables following colposcopy should not be measured independently but rather as inter‐related variables.
Characteristics of HPV prevalence in Sichuan Province, China
Authors: Chen Zuyi , Wang Qingming , Ding Xianping , Li Qiongyao , Zhong Rong , Ren Huaying
Published: September 2015

Objective

To investigate the distribution of HPV subtypes and analyze variation in infection trends during a 6‐year period in Sichuan Province, China.

Methods

A cross‐sectional observational study was conducted at a center in Chengdu between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2014. Patients with at least one type of cervical disease confirmed by histology and cytology were eligible for inclusion. Cervical specimens were tested for the presence of high‐risk and low‐risk HPV subtypes by reverse membrane hybridization.

Results

Among 10 682 participants, 3370 women (31.5%) were infected with HPV. The most frequently detected high‐risk genotypes were HPV16 (n = 791; 27.1%), HPV58 (n = 476; 16.3%), HPV33 (n = 273; 9.4%), HPV52 (n = 244; 8.4%), and HPV18 (n = 201; 6.9%). The most frequently detected low‐risk genotype was HPV6 (n = 703; 40.8%). The detection rates of HPV33 (from 7.9% to 10.2%) and HPV58 (from 14.0% to 16.7%) increased over the 6‐year period, whereas those of HPV16 (from 32.3% to 24.9%) and HPV18 (from 10.0% to 6.2%) decreased. The prevalence of HPV infection was highest among women aged 21–25 years (χ2 = 191.189; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

HPV58 and HPV33 were the most prevalent subtypes in Sichuan. Changes in the prevalences of infection with different HPV subtypes have been identified.
RETRACTED: Comparison of the postoperative analgesic effects of paracetamol–codeine phosphate and naproxen sodium–codeine phosphate for lumbar disk surgery
Authors: Polat Reyhan , Peker Kevser , Gülöksüz Çiğdem Topçu , Ergil Julide , Akkaya Taylan
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study was to compared the efficacy of paracetamol–codeine phosphate and naproxen sodium–codeine phosphate on postoperative pain and tramadol consumption during the first 24 hours after a lumbar disk surgery. After Ethics Committee approval and informed consent had been obtained, 64 patients were allocated into three groups. Patients received oral paracetamol–codeine (300 mg + 30 mg; Group P), naproxen sodium–codeine (550 mg + 30 mg; Group N), or placebo tablets (Group C) 30 minutes prior to induction of anesthesia. Patient‐controlled analgesia was supplied postoperatively using tramadol. Pain intensity, tramadol consumption, and side effects were recorded every 1 hour, 2 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours after surgery. Whole study period pain intensity (visual analogue scale scores) was lower in Group P (p = 0.007) and Group N (p = 0.001), compared with Group C, however, there was no statistically significant difference between Group P and Group N regarding pain intensity (p > 0.05). Tramadol consumption was lower in Group P and Group N, compared with Group C (p < 0.001), and in turn the lowest incidence of tramadol consumption was detected in Group P compared with Group N (p < 0.001) and Group C (p < 0.001). Side effects were similar between the groups. Preemptive administration of paracetamol–codeine and naproxen sodium–codeine combination significantly reduced tramadol consumption and provided more effective analgesia compared with placebo. The paracetamol–codeine combination was superior to naproxen sodium–codeine with regard to tramadol consumption.
PRICE DISCRIMINATION AND PRICING-TO-MARKET BEHAVIOR OF BLACK SEA REGION WHEAT EXPORTERS
Authors: GAFAROVA GULMIRA , PEREKHOZHUK OLEKSANDR , GLAUBEN THOMAS
Published: September 2015

Substantial changes in the world wheat market have resulted in a shift in the market shares of the main wheat exporting countries. Since 2002, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine (KRU) have become important wheat exporters on the world market, and their pricing behavior has become a vital issue. By applying the pricing-to-market model to wheat exports, this study analyzes the price-discriminating behavior of KRU wheat exports from 1996 to 2012. The results demonstrate that KRU are able to exercise price discrimination in some importing countries, but in most they either face perfect competition or set common markups in imperfectly competitive markets.
HOW ACCURATE ARE FARMERS IN ASSESSING THE GAINS ASSOCIATED WITH QUALITY? THE CASE OF THE MEAT GOAT INDUSTRY
Authors: GILLESPIE JEFFREY , NYAUPANE NARAYAN , McMILLIN KENNETH
Published: September 2015

Meat goat producers were queried to determine subjective estimates of premiums they would receive for slaughter kids of various selection classes. Market-based predicted premium estimates were obtained via regression using published U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service data. Subjective versus market-based predicted premium estimates were compared to determine producer accuracy in predicting premiums. Producers tended to overestimate quality premiums. Producers more accurate in their estimates tended to be larger-scale and older and to hold college degrees, sell more slaughter goats via auction, and manage their goats more intensively. Results contribute to the literature on producer accuracy in predicting prices.
Population genetic differentiation of the black locust gall midgeObolodiplosis robiniae(Haldeman) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae): a North American pest invading Asia
Authors: Shang X. , Yao Y. , Huai W. , Zhao W.
Published: September 2015

Obolodiplosis robiniaeis native to North America and is an important introduced insect pest that forms leaf margin roll galls on species of genusRobinia(Fabaceae) in China. It was first detected in China in 2004, but subsequently spread and provoked local outbreaks. An analysis of a 676-bp sequence of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I was conducted in 560 individuals from 28 populations, in order to (1) assess population genetic structuring and (2) explore possible explanations for the rapid spread and invasion success ofO. robiniae. Yet, only four haplotypes were identified and the nucleotide diversity was low (π = 0.00005) and among the 560 specimens studied, only ten showed haplotypic variation involving no more than three substitutions. The result showed a low degree of genetic diversity among populations of the successful invasive gall midge, which suggested that the pest experienced a severe genetic bottleneck and a loss of genetic diversity after its introduction. The successful establishment and spread ofO. robiniaein China is attributed to the wide distribution of its host plant, thus allowing ample opportunities for gene flow in the pest species, and to the advantageous life history characteristics ofO. robiniae.
Fed to Perfection: Mother's Milk, Roman Family Values, and the Transformation of the Soul in Gregory of Nyssa
Authors: Penniman John David
Published: September 2015

Prompted by Michel Foucault's observation that “salvation is first of all essentially subsistence,” this essay explores Gregory of Nyssa's discussion of Christian spiritual formation as a kind of salvific and transformative feeding of infants. This article argues that the prominent role of nourishment—and specifically breast milk—in Gregory's theory of progressive Christian perfection reflects broader Roman era family values concerning the power of breast feeding in the proper development of a child. With particular attention to Gregory's Encomium for Saint Basil, the Life of Moses, and his Homilies on the Song of Songs, this article demonstrates that references to the power of nourishment are no “mere metaphor” but rather represent an intensification of the prominent belief in antiquity that human nature can be altered according to the food a person eats. As such, Gregory employs the female body and its putatively maternal function as a regulatory symbol for Christian identity-formation. Mother's milk is thus offered as a mechanism for preserving and transmitting the ideal form of the Christian community that Gregory found embodied in the ambiguously gendered characters of the Song of Songs. True Christians, in Gregory's account, are identified by the milk on which they were fed and, in turn, the nurturing care they offer to others.
Christianity and Socialism in Italy in the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: Saresella Daniela
Published: September 2015

Though a Catholic country, Italy has been distinguished by the presence of a deeply-rooted Socialist Party. At the beginning of the twentieth century, encouraged by the economic and social changes taking place as well as by a new and growing awareness, a number of Catholics decided to open up to a dialogue with the socialist world. Some, such as Don Murri, identified Turati's party as a possible political interlocutor, in the conviction that the programmes of the democratic Catholics and those of the left had many elements in common. Others sensitive to modernist issues, particularly in intellectual circles, believed that Christianity at its origins and the early forms of socialism shared the same basic identity. Thus some scholars (including Father Ernesto Buonaiuti) chose to focus on the origins of the church, convinced that examples could be found there of how the world could be changed according to Christian ethics. The response of left-wing culture to these ideas was varied. Some, such as Camillo Prampolini, an exponent of “evangelical socialism,” appeared to be interested in a dialogue, like those socialists who were ready to accept idealist inspiration. The party leadership, instead, barred any suggestion of debate, convinced that Marxism was an alternative to Christianity.
Agency, the Idea of Agency, and the Problem of Mediation in America's God and Secularism in Antebellum America
Authors: Hazard Sonia
Published: September 2015

A common faith swept the country. According to Mark Noll's now-famous thesis, early republican and antebellum America was characterized by an ideological synthesis of evangelical religion, republican political theory, and common sense epistemology. Noll calls it “the Protestant consensus.” John Modern largely agrees. In Modern's telling, antebellum America was mired in the same entanglement of piety, politics, and epistemology. But in lieu of the civic language of consensus, Modern describes his formation as an “atmosphere,” a kind of conceptual cloud-hanging so thickly in the air that antebellum Americans inhaled it with every breath. This pervasive atmosphere is what Modern means by “the secular.”
Secularism, Synthesis, and Antebellum Evangelical Self-Understanding
Authors: Maskell Caleb J.D.
Published: September 2015

In Secularism In Antebellum America, John Modern extensively and directly engages with what he calls Mark Noll's “magisterial treatment of evangelicalism” in America's God. In light of this, I have been surprised at what a challenge it has been to bring these books into conversation with one another on the subject of evangelicals and evangelicalism. The central reason for the difficulty, I think, is that Modern's treatment of antebellum evangelical print culture—his chapter entitled “Evangelical Secularism and the Measure of Leviathan”—is not actually about evangelicals. It is about secularism. And that, in a nutshell, is Modern's point. Throughout his book, he works hard to bring what he sees as the background into the foreground, rendering the emergent atmosphere of secularism as the protagonist in his story of evangelical media practices.
America's God and the World: Questioning the Protestant Consensus
Authors: Kaloyanides Alexandra
Published: September 2015

Like many historians, I am working on a ghost story. This one begins in 1813, the beginning of the American Baptist mission to Burma. Like those told by John Modern and Mark Noll, this story is contoured by war—the American Civil War and a series of Anglo-Burmese Wars waged between 1824 and 1885. Its specters appear in missionary letters and diaries, newspapers reports, illustrated travelogues, and concurrently produced Burmese royal chronicles and ritual networks. As I chase these ghosts, I am continually haunted by a bellow I hear coming from historians who have reclaimed evangelicalism as the determining subject of American religious history.
Did Someone Say “Evangelical Surge”?
Authors: Modern John Lardas
Published: September 2015

Let me start by thanking Professor Mark Noll, and while the topic of non-human agents is in the air, I would like to declare my thanks to America's God for inciting me and inspiring me to narrate my own version of events. Talk about objective conditions! I would also like to thank Sonia Hazard, Dana Logan, Caleb Maskell, and Alex Kaloyanides for their meticulous attention to America's God and Secularism in Antebellum America and their place within larger debates. There is an incredible rush that happens—excitement mixed with dread—in those moments that you realize that somebody else might know your book better than you do.
THE ARISTOPHANIC SLAPSTICK (NUB. 537-44)
Authors: Griffith R. Drew
Published: September 2015

Revising Clouds for publication some five years after its third-place showing in the City Dionysia of 423 b.c., Aristophanes retooled the first parabasis (lines 510–626) to praise the play's propriety, omitting as it did distasteful matter and gratuitous buffoonery, which—along with the judges’ crassness—accounted, he says, for its failure.
Understanding Chieftainship in Botswana: The Status and Powers of Chiefs in Present Day Botswana
Authors: Ifezue Godsglory O
Published: September 2015

This article seeks to provide a critical analysis and understanding of the institution of chieftainship in Botswana. It looks at the institution of chieftainship starting from before colonization, right through colonization to the present day, post-colonization. It will be observed that interference with the institution started from colonization and continues to the present day. Consequently, this article weaves a discussion of the justification for such interference through an analysis of the status and powers of chiefs during colonization and their status post-colonization. The chiefs’ reaction to the encroachment is also covered, for the chiefs were not simply passive and co-operative while their powers were being taken away.
Evaluating the outcomes of temporal bone resection in metastatic cutaneous head and neck malignancies: 13-year review
Authors: O'Connor A , Behan L , Toner M , Kinsella J , Beausang E , Timon C
Published: September 2015

Objective:

To evaluate the survival outcomes of patients who underwent lateral temporal bone resection as treatment for metastatic skin cancers.

Methods:

A single-institute, retrospective chart review was carried out on patients who underwent lateral temporal bone resection between January 2000 and December 2012. Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were calculated.

Results:

Forty-seven patients underwent temporal bone resection for primary (n= 21) or recurrent (n= 26) malignancies. The majority of patients (95.4 per cent) had advanced disease (stage III or IV). Average patient follow-up duration was 45 months. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 40 per cent and 23 per cent respectively. The five-year disease-free survival rate was 28 per cent.

Conclusion:

Aggressive initial surgical resection is warranted in the treatment of these tumours.
Psychotic experiences and hyper-theory-of-mind in preadolescence – a birth cohort study
Authors: Clemmensen L. , van Os J. , Drukker M. , Munkholm A. , Rimvall M. K. , Væver M. , Rask C. U. , Bartels-Velthuis A. A. , Skovgaard A. M. , Jeppesen P.
Published: September 2015

Background.

Knowledge on the risk mechanisms of psychotic experiences (PE) is still limited. The aim of this population-based study was to explore developmental markers of PE with a particular focus on the specificity of hyper-theory-of-mind (HyperToM) as correlate of PE as opposed to correlate of any mental disorder.

Method.

We assessed 1630 children from the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 regarding PE and HyperToM at the follow-up at 11–12 years. Mental disorders were diagnosed by clinical ratings based on standardized parent-, teacher- and self-reported psychopathology. Logistic regression analyses were performed to test the correlates of PE and HyperToM, and the specificity of correlates of PE v. correlates of any Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) mental disorder.

Results.

Univariate analyses showed the following correlates of PE: familial psychiatric liability; parental mental illness during early child development; change in family composition; low family income; regulatory problems in infancy; onset of puberty; bullying; concurrent mental disorder; and HyperToM. When estimating the adjusted effects, only low family income, concurrent mental disorder, bullying and HyperToM remained significantly associated with PE. Further analyses of the specificity of these correlates with regard to outcome revealed that HyperToM was the only variable specifically associated with PE without concurrent mental disorder. Finally, HyperToM did not share any of the investigated precursors with PE.

Conclusions.

HyperToM may have a specific role in the risk trajectories of PE, being specifically associated with PE in preadolescent children, independently of other family and child risk factors associated with PE and overall psychopathology at this age.