bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review of the genus Termioptycha Meyrick, 1889 (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) from China, with descriptions of four new species
Authors: RONG HUA , WANG YIPING , LI HOUHUN
Published: October 2017

The genus Termioptycha Meyrick, 1889 from China is reviewed. Among the ten species studied, T. longiclavata sp. nov., T. longispina sp. nov., T. nigrimacularis sp. nov. and T. cornutitrifurca sp. nov. are described as new; T. conjuncta (Warren, 1896), comb. rev. is re-allocated in this genus from Salma Walker, 1863; and T. conjuncta and T. eucarta (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) are newly recorded in China. Photographs of adults and genitalia are provided. A key to the ten species in China based on male genitalia is provided.
A distinctive new species of biting midge in the subgenus Euprojoannisia Brèthes from Mexico with new records of Neotropical species of Forcipomyia Meigen (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)
Authors: HUERTA HERON , SPINELLI GUSTAVO R.
Published: October 2017

A new species of biting midge, Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) bibaana, is described and illustrated from an adult male collected in the state Oaxaca, Mexico. The first records of Forcipomyia (E.) mortuifolii Saunders, F. (Lasiohelea) cornuta Saunders and F. (L.) stylifer (Lutz) are provided from Mexico as well as the first record of F. (L.) anitae Huerta & Ibáñez-Bernal from Guatemala.
Improving the Quality of Heavy Precipitation Estimates from Satellite Passive Microwave Rainfall Retrievals
Authors: Petković Veljko , Kummerow Christian D. , Randel David L. , Pierce Jeffrey R. , Kodros John K.
Published: October 2017

Prominent achievements made in addressing global precipitation using satellite passive microwave retrievals are often overshadowed by their performance at finer spatial and temporal scales, where large variability in cloud morphology poses an obstacle for accurate precipitation measurements. This is especially true over land, with precipitation estimates being based on an observed mean relationship between high-frequency (e.g., 89 GHz) brightness temperature depression (i.e., the ice-scattering signature) and surface precipitation rate. This indirect relationship between the observed (brightness temperatures) and state (precipitation) vectors often leads to inaccurate estimates, with more pronounced biases (e.g., −30% over the United States) observed during extreme events. This study seeks to mitigate these errors by employing previously established relationships between cloud structures and large-scale environments such as CAPE, wind shear, humidity distribution, and aerosol concentrations to form a stronger relationship between precipitation and the scattering signal. The GPM passive microwave operational precipitation retrieval (GPROF) for the GMI sensor is modified to offer additional information on atmospheric conditions to its Bayesian-based algorithm. The modified algorithm is allowed to use the large-scale environment to filter out a priori states that do not match the general synoptic condition relevant to the observation and thus reduces the difference between the assumed and observed variability in the ice-to-rain ratio. Using the ground Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) network over the United States, the results demonstrate outstanding potential in improving the accuracy of heavy precipitation over land. It is found that individual synoptic parameters can remove 20%–30% of existing bias and up to 50% when combined, while preserving the overall performance of the algorithm.
Assessing the Effects of Langmuir Turbulence on the Entrainment Buoyancy Flux in the Ocean Surface Boundary Layer
Authors: Li Qing , Fox-Kemper Baylor
Published: October 2017

Large-eddy simulations (LESs) with various constant wind, wave, and surface destabilizing surface buoyancy flux forcing are conducted, with a focus on assessing the impact of Langmuir turbulence on the entrainment buoyancy flux at the base of the ocean surface boundary layer. An estimate of the entrainment buoyancy flux scaling is made to best fit the LES results. The presence of Stokes drift forcing and the resulting Langmuir turbulence enhances the entrainment rate significantly under weak surface destabilizing buoyancy flux conditions, that is, weakly convective turbulence. In contrast, Langmuir turbulence effects are moderate when convective turbulence is dominant and appear to be additive rather than multiplicative to the convection-induced mixing. The parameterized unresolved velocity scale in the K-profile parameterization (KPP) is modified to adhere to the new scaling law of the entrainment buoyancy flux and account for the effects of Langmuir turbulence. This modification is targeted on common situations in a climate model where either Langmuir turbulence or convection is important and may overestimate the entrainment when both are weak. Nevertheless, the modified KPP is tested in a global climate model and generally outperforms those tested in previous studies. Improvements in the simulated mixed layer depth are found, especially in the Southern Ocean in austral summer.
Prospective Validation of a Screening Biomarker Approach Combining Amino-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide With Galectin-3 Predicts Death and Cardiovascular Events in Asymptomatic Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Voroneanu Luminita , Siriopol Dimitrie , Apetrii Mugurel , Hogas Simona , Onofriescu Mihai , Nistor Ionut , Kanbay Mehmet , Dumea Raluca , Cusai Silvia , Cianga Petru , Constantinescu Daniela , Covic Adrian
Published: October 2017

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is a major cause of death in hemodialysis patients. Biomarkers used to identify high-risk asymptomatic patients would allow early evaluation of cardiac dysfunction and appropriate therapeutic intervention. Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) may serve this purpose. Plasma levels of NT-proBNP and Gal-3 were measured in 173 patients. Patients were prospectively followed for occurrences of major CV events or death. The association of NT-proBNP and Gal-3 with outcome was analyzed. The prognostic abilities for the combined outcome of Gal-3 and/or NT-proBNP were evaluated. During a median follow-up of 36 months, there were 47 incident outcomes (death and CV events). In the univariable Cox analysis, age, hypertension, albumin, phosphorus levels, and combined elevation of NT-proBNP with Gal-3 above the median (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.45-9.21) were associated with outcomes. In multivariable Cox analysis, both NT-proBNP and Gal-3 values above the median remained associated with outcomes (HR = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.30-8.56). In clinically asymptomatic dialysis patients, combined use of NT-proBNP and Gal-3 may improve risk stratification for death and CV events.
Neighborhood and Parental Influences on Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors in Young Low-Income Pediatric Patients
Authors: Showell Nakiya N. , Cole Katie Washington , Johnson Katherine , DeCamp Lisa Ross , Bair-Merritt Megan , Thornton Rachel L. J.
Published: October 2017

This study explores the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and caregiver preferences for establishing diet and physical activity behaviors among low-income African American and Hispanic young children (2-5 years). Primary caregivers of young children were recruited from 2 urban pediatric clinics to participate in focus groups (n = 33). Thematic analysis of transcripts identified 3 themes: neighborhood constraints on desired behaviors, caregivers’ strategies in response to neighborhoods, and caregivers’ sense of agency in the face of neighborhood constraints. This study elucidates the dynamic relationship between neighborhoods and caregiver preferences, their interrelated impacts on establishment of diet and physical activity behaviors among young children, and the important role of caregiver agency in establishing behaviors among young children. To effectively address obesity disparities among young children, primary care behavioral interventions must leverage and support such resilient caregiver responses to neighborhood constraints in order to optimally address racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in obesity among young children.
The Results of CODIS-Hit Investigations in a Sample of Cases With Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits
Authors: Wells William , Fansher Ashley K. , Campbell Bradley A.
Published: October 2017

The use of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence in criminal cases, especially exonerations, has received high levels of public and media attention. Studies show DNA evidence can have a significant effect on case outcomes, whereas other studies have found that police investigators rarely use DNA. Coupled with work in many cities to test large numbers of older sexual assault kits, Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) holds great promise for holding offenders accountable. Despite the potential value of DNA evidence, few studies have measured case processing after forensic matches have been made. This study examines investigation outcomes following DNA testing and forensic matches in a sample of previously untested sexual assault kits in the Houston Police Department. Of 104 CODIS-hit cases, one case resulted in new charges.
Tobacco-Smoke Incursions and Satisfaction Among Residents With Children in Multiunit Housing, United States, 2013
Authors: Wilson Karen M. , Torok Michelle R. , McMillen Robert C. , Klein Jonathan D. , Levy Douglas E. , Winickoff Jonathan P.
Published: October 2017

Objectives:

Residents of multiunit housing can be exposed to tobacco smoke even if they do not permit smoking in their homes. Although even low levels of tobacco smoke exposure can cause health problems for children and adults, some landlords are reluctant to ban smoking for fear of decreased occupancy rates or tenant satisfaction. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of tobacco smoke-free policies and tobacco-smoke incursions on housing satisfaction in multiunit housing residences with children.

Methods:

In 2013, 3696 randomly sampled US adult multiunit housing dwellers were invited to participate in a survey, and 3253 (88%) participated. Of these, 3128 responded to the question about having a child in the home, and 835 (27%) reported having a child in the home. We collected data on demographic characteristics, tobacco-smoke incursions, knowledge and attitudes about smoking policies, and housing satisfaction for this sample of 835 residents.

Results:

Of the 827 residents who responded to the question, 755 (91.3%) agreed that tenants have a right to live in a tobacco smoke-free building. Although 672 of 835 (80.5%) residents were not cigarette smokers, most lived where smoking was permitted in the units (n = 463, 56.9%) or on the property (n = 571, 70.5%). Of 580 non-cigarette smoking residents who lived where no one had smoked cigarettes in the home for the past 3 months, 144 (25.2%) reported a recent tobacco-smoke incursion. Of these 144 residents, 143 (99%) were bothered. Few (36/143, 25.2%) complained to the landlord. Reasons for not complaining were reluctance to upset neighbors or concern about retaliation. Tobacco-smoke incursions and housing/landlord satisfaction were inversely related ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

Multiunit housing residents living with children in the United States strongly support smoke-free multiunit housing.
Pedagogical Scholarship in Public Health: A Call for Cultivating Learning Communities to Support Evidence-Based Education
Authors: Merzel Cheryl , Halkitis Perry , Healton Cheryl
Published: October 2017

Public health education is experiencing record growth and transformation. The current emphasis on learning outcomes necessitates attention to creating and evaluating the best curricula and learning methods for helping public health students develop public health competencies. Schools and programs of public health would benefit from active engagement in pedagogical research and additional platforms to support dissemination and implementation of educational research findings. We reviewed current avenues for sharing public health educational research, curricula, and best teaching practices; we identified useful models from other health professions; and we offered suggestions for how the field of public health education can develop communities of learning devoted to supporting pedagogy. Our goal was to help advance an agenda of innovative evidence-based public health education, enabling schools and programs of public health to evaluate and measure success in meeting the current and future needs of the public health profession.
Hypersonic flow past nose cones of different geometries: a comparative study
Authors: Narayan Ashish , Narayanan S , Kumar Rakesh
Published: October 2017

The present work provides a detailed comparative study of the hypersonic flow past spherically blunted and parabolic nose cones at a Mach number of 5.8, numerically. The main focus of the paper is to determine the geometry and parameters of the nose cones that provide minimum aerodynamic drag and heating. Studies on spherically blunted and parabolic nose cones are performed for different fineness ratios at zero angle of attack. It is observed that for fineness ratio <1.2, blunted cones provide minimum drag, whereas at higher values of fineness ratios >1.2, parabolic nose cones provide superior drag reduction. Detailed comparison of the flow/shock features in the vicinity of the blunted and parabolic nose cones for different fineness ratios is also shown in order to determine its influence on aerodynamic drag. An empirical correlation developed for the total drag coefficient based on regression analysis for a parabolic nose cone reveals that it is mainly a function of the maximum pressure coefficient and fineness ratio. In general, the present study reveals that parabolic nose cones at higher fineness ratios are preferred over spherically blunted ones for achieving higher drag reductions and lower heating in hypervelocity vehicles.
Including Hard-to-Access Populations Using Mobile Phone Surveys and Participatory Indicators
Authors: Firchow Pamina , Mac Ginty Roger
Published: October 2017

One of the main obstacles for survey researchers—especially those conducting surveys in difficult contexts such as postconflict areas—is accessing respondents. In order to address this problem, this article draws on an ongoing research project to reflect on the utility of mobile phones to connect with hard-to-access populations in conflict affected, low-income countries. It considers the strengths and weaknesses of a number of different mobile phone survey modes. The article goes a step further and discusses how (potential) survey respondents can be included in the survey design process thereby increasing the relevance of the research to them and hopefully encouraging them to participate. We conclude by considering the issue of “good enough” methodologies, or the need to balance methodological rigor with an understanding of the exigencies of suboptimal research contexts.
Prosocial Television, Preschool Children’s Moral Judgments, and Moral Reasoning: The Role of Social Moral Intuitions and Perspective-Taking
Authors: Cingel Drew P. , Krcmar Marina
Published: October 2017

Children’s prosocial television shows include moral lessons in their narratives, but research suggests that children struggle to comprehend and transfer these lessons to other situations. The social intuitionist model of moral judgment, however, argues that dimensions of morality can be made more salient through environmental exposure. Using data collected from 101 parent-child dyads (children ages 4.5-6.5), we explore if children’s existing moral intuitions about fairness and care may be made salient following exposure to moral lessons in a children’s television show, and if parent presence and mediation aid this process. Results demonstrate that, compared with children in the control group, children who viewed the moral message either alone or with a parent experienced improvements in perspective-taking, which in turn influenced their moral judgments and moral reasoning. Thus, children’s morality can be positively influenced by prosocial television exposure via promoting perspective-taking, fairness, and care.
Reviewing Research on Mobile Learning in K–12 Educational Settings
Authors: Xie Jingrong , Basham James D. , Marino Matthew T. , Rice Mary F.
Published: October 2017

Mobile technologies have shown great potential in various educational settings. Moreover, there is an emerging research base demonstrating how students view and interact with mobile devices to learn. As more of these technologies enter inclusive educational settings, an understanding of the extant research base for mobile learning (M-learning) and students with various exceptionalities including disabilities is necessary for technology developers, researchers, educators, and school administrators to support student success. To this end, this study used a synthesis approach to reviewing the literature published on M-learning for students with and without disabilities in formal and informal K–12 educational settings. It provides a comprehensive mapping of 47 studies from 2007 to 2016. The current review revealed that (a) most studies focused on the effectiveness of M-learning on teaching and learning, (b) mixed methods and experimental studies were the most popular methodologies, and most importantly (c) research outcomes were generally positive about the potential of M-learning to support the needs of students with disabilities in inclusive settings. Limitations and implications for future research on M-learning are also discussed.
Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophies: A Review of Animal Models, Clinical End Points, and Biomarker Quantification
Authors: Wilson Kristin , Faelan Crystal , Patterson-Kane Janet C. , Rudmann Daniel G. , Moore Steven A. , Frank Diane , Charleston Jay , Tinsley Jon , Young G. David , Milici Anthony J.
Published: October 2017

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are neuromuscular disorders that primarily affect boys due to an X-linked mutation in the DMD gene, resulting in reduced to near absence of dystrophin or expression of truncated forms of dystrophin. Some newer therapeutic interventions aim to increase sarcolemmal dystrophin expression, and accurate dystrophin quantification is critical for demonstrating pharmacodynamic relationships in preclinical studies and clinical trials. Current challenges with measuring dystrophin include the variation in protein expression within individual muscle fibers and across whole muscle samples, the presence of preexisting dystrophin-positive revertant fibers, and trace amounts of residual dystrophin. Immunofluorescence quantification of dystrophin can overcome many of these challenges, but manual quantification of protein expression may be complicated by variations in the collection of images, reproducible scoring of fluorescent intensity, and bias introduced by manual scoring of typically only a few high-power fields. This review highlights the pathology of DMD and BMD, discusses animal models of DMD and BMD, and describes dystrophin biomarker quantitation in DMD and BMD, with several image analysis approaches, including a new automated method that evaluates protein expression of individual muscle fibers.
Normokalemic nondepolarizing long-acting blood cardioplegia
Authors: Malhotra Amber , Wadhawa Vivek , Ramani Jaydip , Garg Pankaj , Sharma Pranav , Pandya Himani , Rodricks Dayesh , Tavar Reema
Published: October 2017

Objective

Blood cardioplegia, the gold-standard cardioprotective strategy, requires frequent dosing, resulting in hyperkalemia-induced myocardial edema. The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a long-acting blood-based cardioplegia with physiological potassium levels versus the well-established cold blood St. Thomas’ Hospital no. 1 cardioplegia solution in multivalve surgeries.

Methods

One hundred patients undergoing simultaneous elective aortic and mitral valve replacement ± tricuspid valve repair were randomized in two groups. In group 1, adenosine 12 mg was given via the aortic root after crossclamping, followed by a single dose of long-acting solution at 14℃ (30 mLċkg−1); in group 2, an initial 30 mLċkg−1of St. Thomas’ cardioplegia at 14℃ was administered, followed by 15 mLċkg−1every 20 min. Duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, inotropic score, arrhythmias, ventilation time, and the levels of interleukin-6, creatinine kinase-MB, and troponin I were compared.

Results

Mean cardiopulmonary bypass and crossclamp times were 134.04 ± 36.12 vs. 154.34 ± 34.26 ( p = 0.004) and 110.37 ± 24.80 vs. 132.48 ± 31.68 min ( p = 0.002), respectively, in the long-acting and St. Thomas’ groups. Cardiac index, creatinine kinase-MB and troponin I levels were comparable. Interleukin-6 levels post-bypass were 61.72 ± 15.33 and 75.44 ± 31.78 pgċmL−1( p = 0.007) in the long-acting and St. Thomas’ cardioplegia groups, respectively.

Conclusions

Single-dose long-acting cardioplegia gives a cardioprotective effect comparable to repeated doses of the well-established St. Thomas’ Hospital no. 1 cold blood cardioplegia.
“Should I stay or should I go?” Understanding the noninvolved partner’s decision-making process following infidelity
Authors: Shrout M. Rosie , Weigel Daniel J.
Published: October 2017

Two studies were conducted to test a conceptual model that expands upon the roles of attribution and forgiveness after a partner’s infidelity by integrating concepts from social network approval and attribution information selection (AIS) to examine how noninvolved partners in dating relationships decide to stay in or leave their relationships. Using a serial mediation model, we examined whether perceived social network approval was indirectly related to noninvolved partners’ relationship decisions sequentially through AIS, attributions, and forgiveness after a hypothetical infidelity (Study 1) and an actual infidelity (Study 2). In Study 1, 198 participants imagined their partners cheated on them and then were randomly assigned into one of two groups for a social network manipulation. In Study 2, 115 participants whose partners had recently engaged in infidelity reported on their experiences. Both studies supported the serial decision-making model, indicating that perceived social network approval, AIS, attributions, and forgiveness serially impact noninvolved partners’ relationship decisions following infidelity.
Underwater caves sonar data set
Authors: Mallios Angelos , Vidal Eduard , Campos Ricard , Carreras Marc
Published: October 2017

This paper describes a data set collected with an autonomous underwater vehicle testbed in the unstructured environment of an underwater cave complex. The vehicle is equipped with two mechanically scanned imaging sonar sensors to simultaneously map the caves horizontal and vertical surfaces, a Doppler velocity log, two inertial measurement units, a depth sensor, and a vertically mounted camera imaging the sea floor for ground truth validation at specific points. The testbed collected the data in July 2013, guided by a human diver, to sidestep autonomous navigation in a complex environment. For ease of use, the original robot operating system bag files are provided together with a version combining imagery and human-readable text files for processing on other environments.
Comparison of activated clotting times measured using the Hemochron Jr. Signature and Medtronic ACT Plus during cardiopulmonary bypass with acute normovolemic haemodilution
Authors: Lee Jung Min , Park Eun Young , Kim Kyung Mi , Won Jong Chan , Jung Tack Koon , Lee Soo Kyung
Published: October 2017

Objective

This study compared the activated clotting time (ACT) measured using the Hemochron Jr. Signature (HACT) with the ACT measured using the Medtronic ACT Plus (MACT) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with acute normovolemic haemodilution (ANH) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods

The ACT was checked at baseline with both devices after inducing anaesthesia, and 400 to 800 mL of whole blood was withdrawn to induce moderate ANH. Before initiating CPB, a 300-IU/kg bolus dose of heparin was administered to maintain the HACT at >400 s; protamine was later given to reverse the anticoagulation. The ACT was checked using both devices at baseline, during heparinisation, and after protamine administration.

Results

In total, 106 pairs of samples from 29 patients were analysed. The ACT showed a good correlation between the two devices (r = 0.956). However, Bland–Altman analysis showed that the MACT was higher, particularly at baseline and during heparinisation. Multiple regression analysis showed that the blood glucose concentration significantly influenced the differences between the two ACT devices.

Conclusions

The HACT was lower than the MACT during CPB with ANH in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Clinicians should be cautious when using each ACT device within generally accepted reference ACT values.
The influence of the raceway thickness on the dynamic performances of a roller bearing
Authors: Liu Jing , Wu Hao , Shao Yimin
Published: October 2017

Dynamic performances of roller bearings are greatly affected by their geometries. A clear understanding of the influences of the bearing geometries on the dynamic performances is very helpful for vibration control of the machinery system. A dynamic finite element model of a roller bearing is presented. The influence of the raceway thickness of the outer race on the component stress, contact forces, and vibrations of the roller bearing is studied, which has not yet been investigated in previous work. All components of the roller bearing are modeled as elastic bodies. The waveforms of the contact force and the acceleration of the bearings considering different thickness percentages are compared, as well as the acceleration statistics and component stresses. The simulation results show that the raceway thickness of the outer race has a great influence on the stress, the contact force, and the vibrations of the bearing. It seems that an outer race with a suitable raceway thickness can be useful for decreasing the contact force and vibrations of the roller bearings. The presented results can give some guidance for the roller bearing design and geometry optimization.
When Prison Is the Classroom: Collaborative Learning about Urban Inequality
Authors: Steil Justin , Mehta Aditi
Published: October 2017

This article analyzes the pedagogy of an urban sociology course taught in prison, with both outside and imprisoned students. The course examined the production of knowledge used in the field of planning and sought to facilitate the coproduction of new insights about urban inequality. Participant observation, focus groups, and students’ written reflections reveal that, in comparison to traditional classroom settings, students explored with greater complexity their embodiment of multiple social identities, wrestled more deeply with the structural embeddedness of individual agency, and situated their personal experiences in a broader theoretical narrative about urban inequality. Building trust in the face of significant power disparities within the classroom was essential to learning. The findings highlight the importance of new locations of learning that enable classrooms to become contact zones, pushing students to collaboratively reimagine justice in the city with those outside the traditional classroom.
Multidisciplinary Responses to the Sexual Victimization of Children: Use of Control Phone Calls
Authors: Canavan J. William , Borowski Christine , Essex Stacy , Perkowski Stefan
Published: October 2017

This descriptive study addresses the question of the value of one-party consent phone calls regarding the sexual victimization of children. The authors reviewed 4 years of experience with children between the ages of 3 and 18 years selected for the control phone calls after a forensic interview by the New York State Police forensic interviewer. The forensic interviewer identified appropriate cases for control phone calls considering New York State law, the child’s capacity to make the call, the presence of another person to make the call and a supportive residence. The control phone call process has been extremely effective forensically. Offenders choose to avoid trial by taking a plea bargain thereby dramatically speeding up the criminal judicial and family court processes. An additional outcome of the control phone call is the alleged offender’s own words saved the child from the trauma of testifying in court. The control phone call reduced the need for children to repeat their stories to various interviewers. A successful control phone call gives the child a sense of vindication. This technique is the only technique that preserves the actual communication pattern between the alleged victim and the alleged offender. This can be of great value to the mental health professionals working with both the child and the alleged offender. Cautions must be considered regarding potential serious adverse effects on the child. The multidisciplinary team members must work together in the control phone call. The descriptive nature of this study did not allow the authors adequate demographic data, a subject that should be addressed in future prospective study.
Comparison of Micro-Computed Tomography and Digital Intraoral Radiography to Determine the Accuracy of Digital Radiographic Measurements of Mandibular Molar Teeth in Dogs
Authors: Marron Louise , Rawlinson Jennifer , McGilvray Kirk , Prytherch Ben
Published: October 2017

Introduction:

The purpose of this study was to compare root and root canal width measurements between digital intraoral radiography (IOR) and micro-computed tomography (μCT). The accuracy of IOR measurements of canine mandibular molars was scrutinized to assess feasibility of developing a model to estimate animal age based on dentinal thickness.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty-nine canine mandibular first molars were imaged using μCT and IOR. For each tooth, the root and root canal width of the mesial and distal roots were measured by a single observer at 3 marked sites on μCT and IOR. Two different software programs were used to measure the radiographs. The radiograph measurements were compared to each other and to the μCT measurements. The μCT images were considered the anatomic reference standard for structural representation.

Results:

The data collected demonstrated IOR bias and variability throughout all measurement sites, with some sites being more affected than others. Neither IOR system produced unbiased measurements that closely reflected the μCT measurements consistently. The overall lack of agreement between measurements demonstrated the difficulties in developing a standardized protocol for measuring root and root canal width for the first molar teeth in dogs.

Conclusion:

Developing a protocol to accurately measure and compare μCT and IOR measurements is challenging. Designing a measurement system that would allow for universal application to age dogs would require continued research utilizing a standardized approach to overcome the limitations identified in this article.
Improved clutch slip control for automated transmissions
Authors: Liu Fengyu , Chen Li , Li Dongxu , Yin Chengliang
Published: October 2017

Clutch slip control of the inertia phase during the clutch-to-clutch shift process is the key to ensure good drive quality in automated transmissions. Addressing the problem of unpleasant driveline jerk and clutch overwear, a novel control scheme consisting of a linear quadratic controller and two compensators is proposed. The compensators are designed to deal with the challenges involving the disturbances and discontinuity in the drivetrain torque during the inertia phase. Compared to the conventional proportional–integral–derivative and classical linear quadratic approaches, the proposed control scheme demonstrates a significant better shift performance in terms of the slipping tracking error and jerk level during shift. The influences of various reference inputs and disturbances are investigated, where the proposed control scheme shows advantages. The proposed control scheme can be adaptable to various engine torque and vehicle load torque with improved control robustness.
Solving a multi-objective train makeup model with locomotive limitation by using a firefly algorithm: A case study
Authors: Alikhani-Kooshkak Reza , Tavakkoli-Moghaddam Reza , Jamili Amin , Ebrahimnejad Sadoullah
Published: October 2017

A train makeup problem specifies the frequency of freight trains and allocates the shipment to trains based on the desired shipment-to-train allocation scheme. In this study, a multi-objective model is presented for train makeup, taking into account the locomotive limitations on a railway network. The objective functions include maximization of the total profit and the customers' satisfaction level as well as minimization of the total number of shunting operations in yards, the unused capacity of trains, the total lost demand, the transfer time of trains and the total fuel consumed. The main constraints of the model are the establishment of flow balance for each yard and each demand, the upper and lower limits of the train length, and the upper limit of the following: train makeup in each yard, shunting operations in each yard, capacity of each train and locomotive utilization in each period. Goal programming and Lp metric methods are used for the multi-objective problem considered. For solving this problem, a hybrid firefly algorithm is also proposed. A number of test problems based on the simulation are generated and solved by using the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, a real-time case study based on the Iranian Railway Network is used. The results show the potential of the presented model and the efficiency of the hybrid algorithm, which can be used for real-time railway problems.
Benchmarking support vector regression against partial least squares regression and artificial neural network: Effect of sample size on model performance
Authors: Tange Rikke Ingemann , Rasmussen Morten Arendt , Taira Eizo , Bro Rasmus
Published: October 2017

It has become easy to obtain multivariate chemical data of high dimensions. However, it may be expensive or time consuming to obtain a large number of samples or to acquire reference measures, so the number of samples available for multivariate calibration modelling may be limited. If data contains nonlinear relationships, nonlinear methods are required for the calibration task. The combination of limited amounts of data of high dimensions and highly flexible nonlinear methods may result in overfitted models which in turn perform badly on new data. Therefore, for real world applications, it is desirable to understand how the sample size affects model prediction performance. For this purpose, we compared partial least squares regression, artificial neural network, and support vector regression applied to three real world nonlinear datasets of which two were of high dimensions. We evaluated the effect of calibration sample size (i) on test set performance, including variation in test set performance due to sampling variation and (ii) tested if the cross-validated performance was adequate for assessing the predictive ability. We demonstrated the applicability of artificial neural network and support vector regression for real world data of limited size and showed that support vector regression had advantages over artificial neural network: (i) fewer calibration samples were required to obtain a desired model performance, (ii) support vector regression was less sensitive to sampling variation for small sample sets and (iii) cross-validation was an approximately unbiased option for evaluating the true support vector regression model performance even for small sample sets.
British Government Maritime Evacuations in the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939
Authors: Anderson Peter
Published: October 2017

The Spanish Civil War represents the most important and brutal conflict between the two world wars. This brutality makes humanitarian efforts to alleviate suffering important, but we have much to learn about British government-backed maritime rescue efforts of adults at risk from violence behind the lines. This article provides a history of these efforts which corrects the neglect of the Francoist repression in the historiography of British diplomatic responses to the Civil War and questions the argument that UK front-line diplomats acted according to a sense of fair play. It also demonstrates the importance Francoist indifference to humanitarian initiatives.
Effect of low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles on prostate cancer hypoxia
Authors: Hou Rui , Xu Yanjun , Lu Qijie , Zhang Yang , Hu Bing
Published: October 2017

Angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor growth, invasiveness, and metastasis. It is well established that prostate cancer is exposed to fluctuating oxygen tensions and both acute and chronic hypoxia exist, and these conditions can upregulate angiogenesis-associated proteins such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A. Low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles can induce obvious microvessel damage in tumors, cause cell necrosis or apoptosis. However, there is no information about whether the blocking blood effect of low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles has an influence on hypoxia environment of prostate cancer. Therefore, we investigated the impact of different low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles radiation times on prostate tumors, observed the change in the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A protein levels, as well as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor volume. The results indicated that as the radiation was repeated four times on each treatment day, the effects of interruption were durable, the cell proliferation was inhibited, and apoptosis was promoted, and the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A expression levels were lower in the treatment group than in the control group. When the radiation was carried out once per treatment day, the hypoxia response was stimulated, the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A expression levels were higher compared with the control group, and cell proliferation was promoted. In addition, the tumor volume increased obviously in the hypoxia-stimulated group, whereas tumors grew slowly in the hypoxia-suppressed group. The results of this work demonstrated that under the same conditions, different radiation times of low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles affect the hypoxia response differently, and the effect at least partly stimulates or inhibits tumor growth.
Mania following antidepressant discontinuation in depression: two case reports
Authors: Kwok Cecilia Sze Nga , Lim Leslie Eng Choon
Published: October 2017

Objective:

Antidepressant-induced mania and an antidepressant discontinuation syndrome are well documented, whereas mania occurring after antidepressant cessation has been infrequently reported.

Method:

We describe antidepressant discontinuation-related mania in two Chinese patients, as well as a review of the literature on this phenomenon in unipolar depression.

Results:

A 72-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman had late-onset depression with vascular risk factors, but no personal or family history of mood disorders. Manic symptoms started after stopping escitalopram and venlafaxine during depressive relapse, and resolved with the initiation of olanzapine and valproate. In the literature, 29 episodes of antidepressant discontinuation-related mania were reported. Tricyclic antidepressants were most frequently implicated, followed by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. There was spontaneous resolution of manic symptoms in half of the cases.

Conclusion:

This is the first report of antidepressant discontinuation-related mania in an Asian population, in the setting of late-onset depression. This phenomenon is rare and is amenable to standard treatment.
Improving Safe Use of Medications During Pregnancy: The Roles of Patients, Physicians, and Pharmacists
Authors: Lynch Molly M. , Amoozegar Jacqueline B. , McClure Emily M. , Squiers Linda B. , Broussard Cheryl S. , Lind Jennifer N. , Polen Kara N. , Frey Meghan T. , Gilboa Suzanne M. , Biermann Janis
Published: October 2017

Our study sought to explore the actual and potential roles of patients, physicians, and pharmacists, as well as their shared challenges and opportunities, in improving the safety of medication use during pregnancy. We conducted virtual focus groups with 48 women and in-depth interviews with nine physicians and five pharmacists. Qualitative analysis revealed that all three groups of participants reported “playing it safe,” the need for an engaged patient making informed decisions, challenges surrounding communication about pregnancy status, and a lack of patient-centric resources. Patients, physicians, and pharmacists are highly motivated to protect developing babies from potential harms of medication use during pregnancy while maintaining the patient’s health. Strategic messaging could maximize the effectiveness of these interactions by helping physicians discuss the benefits and risks of medication use during pregnancy, pharmacists screen for pregnancy and counsel on medication safety, and patients using medications to share pregnancy intentions with their providers pre-pregnancy.
“Your Brain Matters”: Issues of Risk and Responsibility in Online Dementia Prevention Information
Authors: Lawless Michael , Augoustinos Martha , LeCouteur Amanda
Published: October 2017

The Internet has been argued to provide diverse sites for health communication and promotion, including issues that constitute major public health priorities such as the prevention of dementia. In this study, discursive psychology is used to examine how information about dementia risk prevention was presented on the websites of the most prominent English-language, nonprofit dementia organizations. We demonstrate how information about dementia risk and its prevention positions audiences as at-risk of developing dementia and constructs preventive behavior as a matter of individual responsibility. Websites represented participation in certain lifestyle practices as normative and emphasized audience members’ personal responsibility for managing dementia risk. It is argued that such representations promote a moral identity in regard to brain health in which an ethic of self-responsibility is central. The implications of such identity construction in a context of increasing prevalence of dementia diagnosis are discussed.
Long-Term Follow-up of Capsular Interposition Arthroplasty for Hallux Rigidus
Authors: Vulcano Ettore , Chang Andy L. , Solomon David , Myerson Mark
Published: October 2017

Background:

Capsular interposition arthroplasty is a joint- and motion-sparing procedure that has been shown as an effective alternative to fusion. This study aimed to evaluate patient function and satisfaction after long-term follow-up.

Methods:

Sixty-four patients were treated with capsular interposition arthroplasty for hallux rigidus by the senior author performed between February 1998 and July 2011. Twenty-two patients could not be reached for follow-up and were thus excluded from the analysis. Therefore, 42 remaining patients were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), Foot Function Index (FFI), Short Form 12 (SF-12), and patient satisfaction scores. The mean follow-up was 11.3 (range, 4-16) years.

Results:

The mean VAS for pain was 7.9 preoperatively and 1.8 postoperatively ( P = .003). The mean preoperative SF-12 physical score was 42.0 vs 64.2 postoperatively ( P = .02). The mean preoperative SF-12 mental score was 50.7, while the postoperative SF-12 mental score was 54.6 ( P = .01). The total FFI score also significantly improved, with a preoperative value of 98.3 and a postoperative mean score of 49.6 ( P = .001). The mean patient satisfaction score was 7.4 of 10. Overall, 39 of 42 patients (92.9%) stated they would have the surgery again. Four of the 42 patients (9.5%) required conversion to hallux metatarsophalangeal fusion at a mean of 6.1 years after the index procedure secondary to pain, but no other complications were reported.

Conclusion:

Capsular interposition arthroplasty was a safe and effective treatment for severe hallux rigidus. These longer term results demonstrate a high level of patient satisfaction.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Long-term stability of ganciclovir in polypropylene containers at room temperature
Authors: Guichard Nicolas , Bonnabry Pascal , Rudaz Serge , Fleury-Souverain Sandrine
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Ganciclovir is increasingly provided by hospital pharmacy production unit in a ready-to-use form, in order to improve the safety of healthcare workers and the efficiency of the organisation. The objective of this study was to develop a stability-indicating method to assay ganciclovir and determine the stability of ganciclovir in syringes (5 mg/mL) and infusion bags (0.25 and 5 mg/mL) at two different temperatures.

Method

Ganciclovir solutions (0.25 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL) in 0.9% sodium chloride were prepared in 50 mL polypropylene syringes or 100 mL polypropylene infusion bags and stored at 2–8℃ and 23–27℃. The chemical stability was measured using a stability-indicating Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry method. Physical stability was assessed by visual inspection.

Results

No significant loss of ganciclovir under any of the tested conditions was observed in this study. All solutions remained clear through the study period.

Conclusion

All tested formulations remained stable for at least 185 days independently of container type, temperature or concentration studied.
A Signature of Attention-Elicited Electrocortical Activity Distinguishes Response From Non-Response to the Non-Stimulant Atomoxetine in Children and Adolescents With ADHD
Authors: Griffiths Kristi R. , Jurigova Barbora G. , Leikauf John E. , Palmer Donna , Clarke Simon D. , Tsang Tracey W. , Teber Erdahl T. , Kohn Michael R. , Williams Leanne M.
Published: October 2017

Objective: Atomoxetine has several characteristics that make it an attractive alternative to stimulants for treating ADHD, but there are currently no tests identifying individuals for whom the medication should be a first-line option. Method: Within the ADHD Controlled Trial Investigation Of a Non-stimulant (ACTION) study, we examined neuro-cortical activity in 52 youth with ADHD. Baseline event-related potentials (ERP) were compared between those who subsequently responded to 6 weeks of atomoxetine versus those who did not. Results: Responders were distinguished by significantly lower auditory oddball N2 amplitudes than both non-responders and typically developing controls, particularly in the right frontocentral region ( p = .002, Cohen’s d = 1.1). Leave-one-out cross validation determined that N2 amplitude in this region was able to accurately predict non-responders with a specificity of 80.8%. There were no P3 differences between responders and non-responders. Conclusion: The N2 amplitude is a biomarker that may have utility in predicting response to atomoxetine for youth with ADHD.
Bias, Randomization, and Ovarian Proteomic Data: A Reply to “Producers and Consumers”
Authors: Baggerly Keith A. , Coombes Kevin R. , Morris Jeffrey S.
Published: October 2017

Proteomic patterns derived from mass spectrometry have recently been put forth as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of cancer. This approach has generated much excitement, particularly as initial results reported on SELDI profiling of serum suggested that near perfect sensitivity and specificity could be achieved in diagnosing ovarian cancer. However, more recent reports have suggested that much of the observed structure could be due to the presence of experimental bias. A rebuttal to the findings of bias, subtitled “Producers and Consumers”, lists several objections. In this paper, we attempt to address these objections. While we continue to find evidence of experimental bias, we emphasize that the problems found are associated with experimental design and processing, and can be avoided in future studies.