bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating an accessible web interface for older adults – the impact of mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
Authors: Haesner Marten , Steinert Anika , O'Sullivan Julie Lorraine , Steinhagen-Thiessen Elisabeth
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– Cognitive changes occur with age and cognitive limitations can negatively influence computer use. Human-interaction studies show that especially older adults benefit considerably from using web platforms. The purpose of this paper is to measure the possible impact of cognitive impairment in web usability and to analyse the differences between older adults with and without cognitive impairment.

Design/methodology/approach

– In the presented pilot study, 50 older adults tested a web-based interface on a PC and tablet computer that was designed based on a styleguide for this specific user group. In two sessions participants had to conduct six tasks. In a third session older adults were left unsupervised in the laboratory where they were confronted with unexpected events triggered by a principal investigator.

Findings

– The performance results differed significantly between the two groups. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) needed more time and were more likely to make mistakes when using a web platform. After analysing error data, it became apparent that errors made by older adults with MCI occurred due to a lack of orientation in websites.

Originality/value

– Little is known about web performance of older adults with cognitive impairment. The authors present valid data of this interesting target group and reveal their specific problems when handling a new online platform. The importance of a flat website hierarchy can be essential in developing senior friendly web pages. The authors also highlight methodological issues and illustrate the importance of qualitative information of the usability data, e.g. the different types of problems or errors.
Stock characteristics, trading behavior, and psychological pitfalls
Authors: Chang Chih-Hsiang , Huang Hsu-Huei , Chang Ying-Chih , Lin Tsai-Yin
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how stock characteristics influence investor trading behavior and psychological pitfalls.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study employs the methods of Solt and Statman (1989) and Kumar (2009) to examine investor trading activities.

Findings

– Good companies do not usually have good stocks, while lottery-type stocks show better price performance than other stocks. Due to the representativeness and affect heuristics, the stocks of good companies are frequently transacted, while the low-priced stocks are infrequently transacted. Moreover, investors may display the gambler’s fallacy in the trade of stocks of good companies and the overconfidence and self-attribution bias in the trade of lottery-type stocks.

Research limitations/implications

– Investors trading lottery-type stocks demonstrate greater maturity than those that trade stocks of good companies; however, psychological pitfalls still dominate investor trading behavior.

Practical implications

– The representativeness heuristic of “stocks of good companies are good stocks” results in the inclusion of stocks of good companies in a portfolio and poorer price performance, whereas the inclusion of lottery-type stocks in a portfolio brings higher returns within a short period of time.

Originality/value

– Compared to earlier studies that focussed on the price performance of stocks of good companies and investor trading behavior in relation to lottery-type stocks, this study aims to investigate the influence of stock characteristics on price performance, trading activities, and psychological pitfalls.
Compliance of psychotropic drug prescription with clinical practice guidelines in older inpatients
Authors: Etchepare Fanny , Pambrun Elodie , Bégaud Bernard , Verdoux Hélène , Tournier Marie
Published: November 2015

Several practice guidelines were published by French regulatory agencies between 2006 and 2009 to improve psychotropic drug use in older patients. The objectives of the study were to assess compliance with these guidelines in older patients hospitalized in psychiatric units and to identify characteristics associated with compliance. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 117 patients aged 65 years and older hospitalized in two psychiatric departments of a public hospital, at three dates randomly chosen between January and May 2014. Medical and sociodemographic characteristics were collected from electronic medical records. In all, 8% of psychotropic prescriptions were compliant with guidelines. A total of 98% of antidepressant prescriptions complied with guidelines for product selection (no tricyclics) and 72% for initial dosage (half of that recommended for younger adults). Regarding benzodiazepines, short half‐life drugs were chosen in 73% of treatments, low maintenance dosage was found in 64% of treatments, and a discontinuous administration rhythm was noted in 33% of treatments. Regarding antipsychotics, initial dosage was a quarter of the allowed initial dosage for younger adults in 39% of prescriptions and metabolic blood testing was performed in 17% of prescriptions. Neurological and cognitive tolerance was monitored in 41% and 61% of prescriptions, respectively. Few clinical factors were found to be associated with compliance or noncompliance with guidelines in older psychiatric inpatients. Practice guidelines on psychotropic drug prescription were partially respected in older inpatients. Practitioners should take into account the risks associated with non‐recommended patterns of psychotropic drug use in this vulnerable population.
A parallel hybrid metaheuristic for bicluster editing
Authors: de Sousa Filho Gilberto F. , Júnior Teobaldo L. Bulhões , Cabral Lucídio dos Anjos F. , Ochi Luiz Satoru , Protti Fábio
Published: November 2015

The bicluster editing problem (BEP) consists of editing (adding or removing) the edges of a bipartite graph G in order to transform it into a vertex‐disjoint union of complete bipartite subgraphs, in such a way that the sum of the weights of the edited edges is minimum. In this paper, we propose five parallel strategies for the implementation of a hybrid metaheuristic for the BEP, consisting of a GRASP with VNS as local search. Computational experiments show near‐linear speedups on Linux cluster with 64 processors and better solutions than those of the sequential approach.
Observation chart design features affect the detection of patient deterioration: a systematic experimental evaluation
Authors: Christofidis Melany J. , Hill Andrew , Horswill Mark S. , Watson Marcus O.
Published: November 2015

Aim

To systematically evaluate the impact of several design features on chart‐users’ detection of patient deterioration on observation charts with early‐warning scoring‐systems.

Background

Research has shown that observation chart design affects the speed and accuracy with which abnormal observations are detected. However, little is known about the contribution of individual design features to these effects.

Design

A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 mixed factorial design, with data‐recording format (drawn dots vs. written numbers), scoring‐system integration (integrated colour‐based system vs. non‐integrated tabular system) and scoring‐row placement (grouped vs. separate) varied within‐participants and scores (present vs. absent) varied between‐participants by random assignment.

Methods

205 novice chart‐users, tested between March 2011–March 2014, completed 64 trials where they saw real patient data presented on an observation chart. Each participant saw eight cases (four containing abnormal observations) on each of eight designs (which represented a factorial combination of the within‐participants variables). On each trial, they assessed whether any of the observations were physiologically abnormal, or whether all observations were normal. Response times and error rates were recorded for each design.

Results

Participants responded faster (scores present and absent) and made fewer errors (scores absent) using drawn‐dot (vs. written‐number) observations and an integrated colour‐based (vs. non‐integrated tabular) scoring‐system. Participants responded faster using grouped (vs. separate) scoring‐rows when scores were absent, but separate scoring‐rows when scores were present.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that several individual design features can affect novice chart‐users’ ability to detect patient deterioration. More broadly, the study further demonstrates the need to evaluate chart designs empirically.
Odorous secretions in anurans: morphological and functional assessment of serous glands as a source of volatile compounds in the skin of the treefrog Hypsiboas pulchellus (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae)
Authors: Brunetti Andrés E. , Hermida Gladys N. , Iurman Mariana G. , Faivovich Julián
Published: November 2015

Serous (granular or venom) glands occur in the skin of almost all species of adult amphibians, and are thought to be the source of a great diversity of chemical compounds. Despite recent advances in their chemistry, odorous volatile substances are compounds that have received less attention, and until now no study has attempted to associate histological data with the presence of these molecules in amphibians, or in any other vertebrate. Given the recent identification of 40 different volatile compounds from the skin secretions of H. pulchellus (a treefrog species that releases a strong odour when handled), we examined the structure, ultrastructure, histochemistry, and distribution of skin glands of this species. Histological analysis from six body regions reveals the presence of two types of glands that differ in their distribution. Mucous glands are homogeneously distributed, whereas serous glands are more numerous in the scapular region. Ultrastructural results indicate that electron‐translucent vesicles observed within granules of serous glands are similar to those found in volatile‐producing glands from insects and also with lipid vesicles from different organisms. Association among lipids and volatiles is also evidenced from chemical results, which indicate that at least some of the volatile components in H. pulchellus probably originate within the metabolism of fatty acids or the mevalonate pathway. As odorous secretions are often considered to be secreted under stress situations, the release of glandular content was assessed after pharmacological treatments, epinephrine administrated in vivo and on skin explants, and through surface electrical stimulation. Serous glands responded to all treatments, generally through an obvious contraction of myoepithelial cells that surround their secretory portion. No response was observed in mucous glands. Considering these morpho‐functional results, along with previous identification of volatiles from H. pulchellus and H. riojanus after electrical stimulation, we suggest that the electron‐translucent inclusions found within the granules of serous glands likely are the store sites of volatile compounds and/or their precursors. Histochemical and glandular distribution analyses in five other species of frogs of the hylid tribe Cophomantini, revealed a high lipid content in all the species, whereas a heterogeneous distribution of serous glands is only observed in species of the H. pulchellus group. The distribution pattern of serous glands in members of this species group, and the odorous volatile secretions are probably related to defensive functions.
Predictors affecting breast self‐examination practice among undergraduate female students in Klang Valley, Malaysia
Authors: Akhtari‐Zavare Mehrnoosh , A. Lattif Latiffah , Juni Muhamad Hanafiah , Md Said Salmiah , Ismail Irmi Zarina
Published: November 2015

Aim

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, including Malaysia. In developing countries, predictors affecting breast self‐examination (BSE) practice are different. This cross‐sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of BSE practice and the predictors affecting BSE practice among undergraduate female students in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Material and Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted among 820 female undergraduate students to assess the BSE performance and related determinants of BSE practice in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Data were collected via a self‐administered structured questionnaire that was developed for this study.

Results

The mean age of the respondents was 21.7 ± 1.2 years old. Most of them were single (96.8%), Malay (91.9%) and 19.6% of the participants performed BSE regularly. Multivariate logistic regression modeling revealed that BSE performance was more likely among women who have checked their breast with a doctor (odds ratio = 2.04, P = 0.00), and women who have personal history of breast disease (odds ratio = 4.43, P = 0.03).

Conclusion

The findings showed a low BSE practice rate among young Malaysian women. Hence, the community's breast health awareness is needed to improve breast cancer prevention among young Malaysian women.
Association of interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist VNTR polymorphism and risk of pre‐eclampsia in southeast Iranian population
Authors: Salimi Saeedeh , Mohammadoo‐Khorasani Milad , Mousavi Mahdieh , Yaghmaei Minoo , Mokhtari Mojgan , Farajian‐Mashhadi Farzaneh
Published: November 2015

Aim

Pre‐eclampsia (PE) is an obstetric disorder that may result in maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. Growing evidence indicates that cytokines, such as interleukins, are involved in the pathogenesis of this complication. Hence the current study aimed to assess the possible association between interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1Ra) VNTR polymorphism, and PE susceptibility in southeast Iranian women.

Material and Methods

The IL‐Ra VNTR polymorphism was evaluated in 192 PE women and 186 age‐matched normotensive pregnant women by the polymerase chain reaction method.

Results

The frequency of the A2 allele and the A2A2 genotype of IL‐Ra VNTR polymorphism was significantly lower in PE patients compared to controls: therefore, A2 allele may play a protective role in PE development (odds ratio = 0.13 95% CI, [0.04–0.03]; P < 0.0001). In addition, there was no relation between the IL‐Ra VNTR polymorphism and severity of the disease.

Conclusion

The A2 allele of the IL‐Ra VNTR polymorphism could be a protective factor for PE susceptibility.
Associations between the codon 72 polymorphism of the TP53 gene and the risk of recurrent implantation failure
Authors: Feng Yi , Wu Yuan‐Yuan , Lin Xiao‐Juan , Yang Lu , Luo Zhi‐Juan , Zhou Ying‐Hui , Chen Jing , Li Ning , Lin Zhong , Zhao Xia
Published: November 2015

Aim

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is the most common cause of unsuccessful pregnancy after assisted reproductive techniques. The tumor protein P53 (TP53) codon 72 polymorphism (G‐C transversion) has been explored in susceptibility to RIF, but inconclusive results have been reported. The aim of this article is to estimate the associations between the TP53 codon 72 polymorphism and the risk of RIF.

Materials and Methods

A comprehensive search for relevant articles was conducted. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CC + GC versus GG, CC versus GC + GG, CC versus GG, GC versus GG genotypes, and C versus G allele, were estimated. Publication bias was explored. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.2 and Stata 11.0 software.

Results

A total of five case‐control studies in five articles with 417 RIF cases and 325 controls were included. An overall random effect OR of 1.20 (95% CI, 0.66–2.19; P = 0.55) in the dominant model (CC + GC vs GG) was found. The results suggested that a lack of increased or decreased risks were found in individuals who carried the CC homozygote and heterozygote GC, in comparison with the homozygote GG. However, in subgroup analysis by ethnicity, a significantly increased risk was observed among Latin Americans in the dominant model (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.04–2.33; P = 0.03).

Conclusions

This meta‐analysis shows that the TP53 codon 72 polymorphism is not associated with RIF risk in the overall population; however, associations were found in the Latin American population.
Groups in Context: An Ontology of a Muslim Headscarf in a Nazareth Catholic School and a Sephardic Ultra-Orthodox Student in Immanuel
Authors: Karayanni Michael
Published: November 2015

Two separate Israeli Supreme Court cases permitted a Christian school in Nazareth to exclude a Muslim student who insisted on coming to school with her headscarf, and denied an Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox school in Immanuel permission to exclude Sephardic students. Intriguingly, the Israeli Supreme Court reached these apparently contradictory holdings using the same liberal ideals of equality and commonality. The article analyzes both holdings to show that the Court's resolutions cannot stand on their own terms. To reconcile these outcomes, we must locate the groups involved within the religious and ethnic power structure in Israel and determine the legal and social significance of defining the group as a minority or a majority. In general, we should be more tolerant of exclusionary measures practiced by a minority than those practiced by the majority. Ultimately, a constitutional evaluation committed to basic individual freedoms cannot refer to the individual without her or his group.
Grounding Causal Closure
Authors: Tiehen Justin
Published: November 2015

What does it mean to say that mind‐body dualism is causally problematic in a way that other mind‐body theories, such as the psychophysical type identity theory, are not? After considering and rejecting various proposals, I advance my own, which focuses on what grounds the causal closure of the physical realm. A metametaphysical implication of my proposal is that philosophers working without the notion of grounding in their toolkit are metaphysically impoverished. They cannot do justice to the thought, encountered in every introductory class in the philosophy of mind, that dualism has a special problem accounting for mental causation.
Concomitant nodal involvement by Langerhans cell histiocytosis and Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: Geurten Claire , Thiry Albert , Jamblin Paul , Demarche Martine , Hoyoux Claire
Published: November 2015

A 10‐year‐old girl with a family history of Hodgkin's lymphoma presented with a 2 month history of cervical lymphadenopathy and weight loss. Biopsy indicated concomitant nodal involvement by Langerhans cell histiocytosis and Hodgkin's lymphoma. Such an association is rare, especially so in children, but is not an isolated phenomenon, thereby prompting the question of whether Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a reactive or a neoplastic process.
What Goes into a Medal: Women's Inclusion and Success at the Olympic Games*
Authors: Noland Marcus , Stahler Kevin
Published: November 2015

Objective

This article examines determinants of women's participation and performance in the Olympics.

Methods

The authors analyze total and sport‐specific data on female Olympic athletic participation and medaling at the Summer Games between 1960 and 2012, controlling for a number of country‐level socioeconomic variables.

Results

Olympic outcomes are generated by a complex process involving the socioeconomic status of women and, more weakly, societal attitudes. Medal performance is affected by large‐scale boycotts. But the historical record for women's medal achievement is utterly distorted by the doping program in the former East Germany. At its peak, the program was responsible for 17 percent of the medals awarded to women, equivalent to the medal hauls of the Soviet or American team in 1972.

Conclusion

Heightened success and performance for women at the Olympics is a reflection of environments more conductive to women's general success in education, the labor force, and society.
The Role of Religion in Environmental Attitudes
Authors: Arbuckle Matthew B. , Konisky David M.
Published: November 2015

Objective

This article examines the role of religion in public attitudes about the environment. While some have found that various aspects of theology and religious practices are responsible for lower levels of concern about the environment, the overall evidence is inconclusive, largely because the typical sample size is insufficient to gain insight into differences between religious traditions.

Methods

We use ordered logistic regression to analyze data from the 2010 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, a large survey that allows us to unpack the relationships among religious affiliation, religiosity, and environmental attitudes.

Results

Our results show that members of Judeo‐Christian traditions are less concerned about environmental protection than their nonreligious peers, and that religiosity somewhat intensifies these relationships for evangelical Protestants, Catholics, and mainline Protestants.

Conclusion

While the results generally support traditional arguments that religion depresses concern about the environment, they also reveal considerable variation across and within religious traditions.
Practicing statistics by creating exercises for fellow students
Authors: Bebermeier Sarah , Reiss Katharina
Published: November 2015

This article outlines the execution of a workshop in which students were encouraged to actively review the course contents on descriptive statistics by creating exercises for their fellow students. In a first‐year statistics course in psychology, 39 out of 155 students participated in the workshop. In a subsequent evaluation, the workshop was assessed as useful and appropriate to encourage students to practice statistics and to become prepared for the exam.
Highly efficient initiation carrier injection for nonthermal atmospheric plasma generation
Authors: Kim Youngmin , Park Jaeyeong
Published: November 2015

The dependence of the breakdown voltage on an initiation carrier is experimentally characterized. Micromachined electrodes integrated on a substrate offer independently controlled initiation carrier injections by generating an afterglow prior to a primary discharge. Quantitative correlation study reveals that as the number of injected initiation carriers increases, the breakdown voltage linearly reduces to as low as the discharge sustaining voltage. Injection efficiency of the afterglow can be further improved by optimizing an electrode configuration, thereby demonstrating scalable nonthermal atmospheric plasmas at only half of the breakdown voltage for a conventional two electrode discharge.
Simulation study on defect annihilation dynamics in directed self-assembly lithography
Authors: Kodera Katsuyoshi , Kanai Hideki , Sato Hironobu , Seino Yuriko , Kobayashi Katsutoshi , Kasahara Yusuke , Kubota Hitoshi , Kihara Naoko , Kawamonzen Yoshiaki , Minegishi Shinya , Miyagi Ken , Shiraishi Masayuki , Tobana Toshikatsu , Nomura Satoshi , Azuma Tsukasa
Published: November 2015

The authors have investigated the defect annihilation dynamics of the grid defects, which are one of the characteristic pattern defects in directed self-assembly lithography, using a simulation method based on self-consistent field theory (SCFT) and dissipative particle dynamics (DPD). First, the mesoscopic morphologies of metastable grid defects using SCFT were calculated. Then, the SCFT simulation result was transformed into the particle representation using the node density biased Monte Carlo method. Next the authors monitored the chronological change of the conformation of the diblock copolymer (BCP) chains during the defect annihilation process using DPD. By DPD simulation, the characteristic changes of the chain conformations of BCP immediately above the bottom neutral layer have been observed. Polymer chains immediately above the bottom were found to be (1) partially vertical to the bottom in the initial defective state conditions, (2) randomly oriented in the intermediate transient state, and (3) parallel to the bottom in the equilibrium lamellar state.
Sex Differences in Participation, Performance, and Age of Ultramarathon Runners
Authors: Senefeld Jonathon , Smith Carolyn , Hunter Sandra K.
Published: November 2015

The sex difference in marathon running is increased with lower participation of women than men, but whether this occurs for ultramarathon running is not known. The study purpose was to determine whether the sex difference in performance widens among lower-placed runners and the association between the sex difference in running speed and participation rates. The top-10 ultramarathon running times, age at performance date, and the number of men and women finishers were analyzed from 20 races (45–160 km) in the US Track and Field Ultra Running Grand Prix. Men were faster than women for all events (18.7% ± 5.8%, P < .001). The sex difference in speed was the least for 100 km (14.9% ± 4.2%) and greatest for 45–50 km (19.3% ± 5.8%). The top-10 men were younger than the top-10 women (37.7 ± 3.2 and 39.0 ± 3.1 y, respectively, P < .001). The sex difference in speed increased with finishing place (1st place 15.6% ± 6.6% vs 10th 20.8% ± 5.6%, P < .001). Association analysis showed that the sex difference in speed was largest when there were fewer women than men finishers in a race; the strength of the association was greatest for the 80-km distance and least for the 160-km. Lower participation rates of women than men in the lower-distance ultramarathons and less depth among lower-placed women runners inflate the sex difference in ultramarathon performance.
Relative Rates of Amino Acid Import via the ABC Transporter GlnPQ Determine the Growth Performance of Lactococcus lactis
Authors: Fulyani Faizah , Schuurman-Wolters Gea K. , Slotboom Dirk-Jan , Poolman Bert
Published: November 2015

The GlnPQ transporter from
Lactococcus lactis
has the remarkable feature of having two substrate-binding domains (SBDs) fused to the N terminus of the transmembrane domain (TMD), and thus four SBDs are present in the homodimeric complex. Although X-ray structures and ligand binding data are available for both SBDs, little is known of how different amino acids compete with each other for transport via GlnPQ. Here we show GlnPQ has a broader substrate specificity than previously thought, with the ability to take up asparagine, glutamine, and glutamic acid, albeit via different routes and with different affinities. Asparagine and glutamine compete with each other at the level of binding to SBD1 and SBD2 (with differences in dissociation constant), but at the same time SBD1 and SBD2 compete with each other at the level of interaction with the translocator domain (with differences in affinity constant and rate of transport). Although glutamine transport via SBD1 is outcompeted by physiological concentrations of asparagine, SBD2 ensures high rates of import of the essential amino acid glutamine. Taken together, this study demonstrates that even in the presence of competing asparagine concentrations, GlnPQ has a high capacity to transport glutamine, which matches the high needs of the cell for glutamine and glutamate.

IMPORTANCE
GlnPQ is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter for glutamine, glutamic acid, and asparagine. The system is essential in various Gram-positive bacteria, including
L. lactis
and several pathogens. Here we show how the amino acids compete with each other for binding to the multiple SBDs of GlnPQ and how these SBDs compete with each other for substrate delivery to the transporter. Overall, our results show that GlnPQ has evolved to transport diverse substrates via different paths and to optimally acquire the abundant and essential amino acid glutamine.
Kaluza–Klein nature of entropy function
Authors: Salti Mustafa , Aydogdu Oktay , Yanar Hilmi
Published: November 2015

In the present study, we mainly investigate the nature of entropy function in non-flat Kaluza–Klein universe. We prove that the first and generalized second laws of gravitational thermodynamics are valid on the dynamical apparent horizon.
Properties of lead-free BZT–BCT ceramics synthesized using nanostructured ZnO as a sintering aid
Authors: Tuan Dang Anh , Tung Vo Thanh , Chuong Truong Van , Hong Le Van
Published: November 2015

This article studies the microstructure and piezoelectric properties of low sintering temperature lead-free ceramics [Formula: see text]-doped with ZnO nanoparticles (noted as 0.48BZT-y, y is content of ZnO in wt%, y =0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25). The obtained results of Raman scattering and dielectric measurements have confirmed that [Formula: see text] has occupied B site, to cause a deformation in the ABO3-type lattice of the 0.48BZT-y compounds. The 0.15 wt% ZnO-doped ceramic sintered at 1350[Formula: see text]C exhibited excellent piezoelectric parameters: [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The obtained results indicate that the high-quality lead-free BZT–BCT ceramic could be successfully synthesized at a low sintering temperature of 1350[Formula: see text]C by doping an appropriated amount of ZnO.
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AND RELATED BIOMECHANICS FOR YOUTH BASEBALL PITCHING
Authors: Damrow Derek , Liu Xue-Cheng , Fehr Shayne
Published: November 2015

An estimated 3 million youth participate in youth baseball. The purpose of this review is to highlight musculoskeletal development and specific throwing-related injuries in youth baseball players, as well as the current knowledge of pitching biomechanics, which are closely intertwined with the both arm development and injuries. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to highlight musculoskeletal development, throwing-related injuries and pitching mechanics. Results: Youth athletes are actively going through skeletal maturation which includes the formation of new bone at the epiphyseal plate, increasing muscle mass and/or strength, and morphological changes in tendons and ligaments. These processes setup youth pitchers to sustain throwing injuries at their shoulder and elbow in ways that differ from their adult counterparts. Faulty pitching biomechanics may also cause throwing injuries. Deviation from proper mechanics at any point can cause injuries in the shoulder and elbow. Conclusion: Many musculoskeletal changes occur during the development of a youth baseball player. Some of these changes are beneficial for improving throwing performance, but also predispose the athlete to injury. Improper biomechanics may be related to the throwing-related injuries that are seen in youth baseball players.
Bayesian Operational Modal Analysis of a Pedestrian Bridge Using a Field Test with Multiple Setups
Authors: Ni Yan-Chun , Zhang Feng-Liang
Published: November 2015

An ambient vibration test was conducted for the pedestrian bridge that links the City University (CityU) of Hong Kong and the adjacent subway station. In this test, 100 locations forming a net of measurement were selected. Due to the limited number of sensors available, 10 setups were designed to cover all the degrees of freedom (dofs) of interest. A recently developed Bayesian method incorporating multiple setups was used to analyze the collected data. Besides the most probable values (MPVs) of modal parameters, the associated posterior uncertainty was also calculated analytically without resorting to the finite difference method. Six modes were identified, including some local modes of specified spans and global modes, and compared with those identified in a previous study. The difficulty encountered in the field test is discussed, along with some interesting features. Practical interpretation of the statistics of modal parameters calculated from frequentist and Bayesian context is also discussed. After the field test, a lift was installed between the ground and the bridge deck, which changed the modal properties of the original structure. This study provides a baseline of the dynamic characteristics of the original structure for future safety assessment.
Anemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Barbieri Jéssica , Fontela Paula Caitano , Winkelmann Eliane Roseli , Zimmermann Carine Eloise Prestes , Sandri Yana Picinin , Mallet Emanelle Kerber Viera , Frizzo Matias Nunes
Published: November 2015

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of anemia in DM2 patients and its correlation with demographic and lifestyle and laboratory variables. This is a descriptive and analytical study of the type of case studies in the urban area of the Ijuí city, registered in programs of the Family Health Strategy, with a total sample of 146 patients with DM2. A semistructured questionnaire with sociodemographic and clinical variables and performed biochemical test was applied. Of the DM2 patients studied, 50 patients had anemia, and it was found that the body mass items and hypertension and hematological variables are significantly associated with anemia of chronic disease. So, the prevalence of anemia is high in patients with DM2. The set of observed changes characterizes the anemia of chronic disease, which affects quality of life of diabetic patients and is associated with disease progression, development, and comorbidities that contribute significantly to increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to Pressure Palsies Masked by Previous Gunshots and Tuberculosis
Authors: Gencik Martin , Finsterer Josef
Published: November 2015

Objectives.Although hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) presents with a distinct phenotype on history, clinical exam, and nerve conduction studies, it may be masked if diagnostic work-up suggests other causes.Case Report.In a 37-year-old male with pseudoradicular lumbar pain, neurological exam revealed sore neck muscles, peripheral facial nerve palsy, right anacusis and left hypoacusis, hemihypesthesia of the right face, mild distal quadriparesis, diffuse wasting, and generally reduced tendon reflexes. He had a history of skull fracture due to a gunshot behind the right ear and tuberculosis for which he had received adequate treatment for 3 years; MRI revealed a disc prolapse at C6/7 and Th11/12. Nerve conduction studies were indicative of demyelinating polyneuropathy with conduction blocks. Despite elevated antinuclear antibodies and elevated CSF-protein, HNPP was diagnosed genetically after having excluded vasculitis, CIDP, radiculopathy, and the side effects of antituberculous treatment.Conclusions.HNPP may manifest with mild, painless, distal quadriparesis. The diagnosis of HNPP may be blurred by a history of tuberculosis, tuberculostatic treatment, hepatitis, and the presence of elevated CSF-protein.
Meningococcemia Presenting as a Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Lachant Daniel , Trawick David
Published: November 2015

Neisseria meningitidisis an encapsulated gram negative diplococcus that colonizes the nasopharynx and is transmitted by aerosol or secretions with the majority of cases occurring in infants and adolescents. Meningococcemia carries a high mortality which is in part due to myocarditis. Early recognition and prompt use of antibiotics improve morbidity and mortality. We report a 55-year-old male presenting to the emergency department with chest pain, shortness of breath, and electrocardiogram changes suggestive of ST elevation MI who developed cardiogenic shock and multisystem organ failure fromN. meningitidis. We present this case to highlight the unique presentation of meningococcemia, the association with myocardial dysfunction, and the importance of early recognition and prompt use of antibiotics.
A Hidden Pitfall for REDD: Analysis of Power Relation in Participatory Forest Management on Whether It Is an Obstacle or a Reliever on REDD Pathway
Authors: Makatta Angelingis Akwilini , Maganga Faustin Peter , Majule Amos Enock
Published: November 2015

Power relation among stakeholders is a key concept in collaborative approaches. This study aims to examine the reality of the acclaimed power sharing in Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and implication of existing power relation to the national REDD+ programme in Tanzania. The study involved a review of PFM policy and legal supporting documents; meta-analysis of previous studies done at two sites known to have succeeded in PFM; and empirical study at Kolo-Hills forests. Methods used include the meta-analysis of existing literature; Household Questionnaire Survey; Focused Group Discussion; and key person unstructured interviews. Results revealed that a large part of the PFM processes involved power struggle instead of power sharing. REDD+ pilot was perceived to have succeeded in improving PFM only in villages where the majority of the community about 70% experienced higher levels of inclusiveness and power balance with other PFM stakeholders in PFM processes. Power imbalance and power struggle were also noted in the REDD+ project adoption processes. Thus power relations exercised under PFM fall under potential obstacle rather than a reliever to the REDD+ programme. The study recommends reviewing of PFM legal frameworks to strengthen community empowerment for effectiveness of REDD+ on PFM platform.
Primary Acquired Melanosis: Clinical, Histopathologic and Optical Coherence Tomographic Correlation
Authors: Alzahrani Yahya A. , Kumar Smita , Abdul Aziz Hassan , Plesec Thomas , Singh Arun D.
Published: November 2015

Aim: To assess the use of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) as an adjuvant diagnostic tool in primary acquired melanosis (PAM) by correlating clinical, histopathologic and anterior segment OCT findings. Methods: Twenty-four patients (24 eyes) with PAM of the conjunctiva, cornea or both were imaged with an anterior segment OCT device (RTVue, model-RT100; Optovue Inc., Fremont, Calif., USA). Results: Histopathologic diagnosis following excisional or incisional biopsy was confirmed in 13 out of 24 patients (54.6%). OCT images showed a characteristic uniformly thick basal epithelial hyperreflective band (about 20 μm thick) and normal thickness of the overlying epithelial layer in all patients (100%). The hyperreflective band on OCT correlated with the basal epithelial melanocytic pigmentation noted on histopathologic examination but did not vary in thickness between cases with or without atypia. Conclusions: The characteristic basal epithelial hyperreflective band with normal overlying epithelium in the absence of cysts observed in all cases by anterior segment OCT correlated with clinical and histopathologic features of conjunctival and corneal PAM. Anterior segment OCT may be helpful as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for PAM. Improvement in resolution is necessary to detect melanocytic hyperplasia and aytpia suggestive of malignant potential.
Does Terminating the Avoidance of Cow's Milk Lead to Growth in Height?
Authors: Yanagida Noriyuki , Minoura Takanori , Kitaoka Setsuko
Published: November 2015

Background: Cow's milk allergy is known to result in decreased body height; accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate whether termination of milk avoidance leads to an increase in body height. Methods: Between 2010 and 2011, 253 children with food allergies who were ≥2 years of age visited our outpatient department; 195 had height data available from approximately 1 year after their initial food allergy diagnosis and were included in the study. The height standard deviation scores (HtSDs) were calculated using data from the 2000 Japanese National Physical Growth Survey Report for Infants and Children, and changes in height were then retrospectively evaluated using clinical records. Results: The mean age of the 195 patients was 5.8 ± 3.0 years. The mean HtSDs increased significantly from -0.19 ± 0.99 at diagnosis to -0.12 ± 1.02 (p = 0.025) 1 year later for all children. The HtSDs of 110 cases had increased, but the HtSDs of 85 cases had decreased 1 year after the initial diagnosis. The only significant factor related to increased HtSD was tolerated milk allergy 1 year after the initial diagnosis (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Terminating the avoidance of cow's milk might lead to growth in height, although a prospective study with a larger sample size is needed to confirm these results.
The Flotilla Case before the icc: The Need to Do Justice While Keeping Heaven Intact
Authors: Knoops Geert-Jan Alexander , Zwart Tom
Published: November 2015

This article analyses the decision of the icc Pre-Trial Chamber of 16 July 2015 in which it requested the Prosecutor to reconsider its decision not to initiate an investigation into the situation of the registered vessels of the Union of the Comoros, Greece and Cambodia. In 2010, the Israeli Defense Forces (idf) had intercepted a humanitarian aid flotilla that was trying to breach one of its naval blockades. The Prosecutor deemed the case of insufficient gravity to initiate an investigation. By requesting the Prosecutor to reconsider its decision, the Pre-Trial Chamber created a precedent vis-à-vis the boundaries of prosecutorial discretion. This article addresses the test of Article 53(1) icc Statute and inquires whether the Pre-Trial Chamber applied a correct standard of review. Whilst concluding that the Chamber erred in this standard, the authors introduce a standard of review that anticipates the interrelationship between prosecutorial discretion and judicial review.
Evolution, Revolution or New Culture? The Changing Anatomy of International Criminal Justice (and Some of Its Curiosities)
Authors: Stahn Carsten
Published: November 2015

The history of international criminal justice bears synergies with classical drama. This contribution investigates the changing anatomy of international criminal justice. It argues that international criminal justice navigates between salvation and apology. It first examines some of the inherent features and cultures that characterize international criminal justice. It then draws on the concept of ‘culture shock’ to explain some of the current dilemmas. It argues that critique is one of the inherent symptoms of an extending ‘accountability culture’.
Signs of Skepticism in Early Abbasid Literature: The Case of al-Jāḥiẓ (d. 255/869)
Authors: Heck Paul L.
Published: November 2015

The well-known littérateur, al-Jāḥiẓ, was heavily invested in the theological controversies of his time. A chief object of dispute was anthropomorphism (tashbīh). For al-Jāḥiẓ, who had great confidence in the mind to discover all truths and also in the language of the Arabs to express these truths with clarity, anthropomorphist belief amounted to muddled thinking. In his view, the partisans of anthropomorphism simply did not understand how to interpret the language of scripture, nor did they grasp the rational criteria on the basis of which claims to knowledge could be satisfactorily made. Al-Jāḥiẓ attacked anthropomorphist belief (and related topics) in varied theological treatises, but he also took on anthropomorphism in some of his literary treatises, notablyThe Superiority of the Belly to the BackandThe Book of Squaring and Circling. These two literary treatises not only bear the marks of theological controversy, they are also “teaching” tools indicating that al-Jāḥiẓ deployed a skeptical strategy in quasi-satirical form as a way to inculcate in the partisans of anthropomorphism doubts about their own beliefs.
Reinvestigation of the type material for Odontidium hyemale (Roth) Kützing and related species, with description of four new species in the genus Odontidium (Fragilariaceae, Bacillariophyta)
Authors: Jüttner Ingrid , Williams David M. , Levkov Zlatko , Falasco Elisa , Battegazzore Maurizio , Cantonati Marco , Van de Vijver Bart , Angele Catalena , Ector Luc
Published: November 2015

The type materials of Odontidium hyemale, Odontidium anomalum var. longissimum (longissima), Diatoma hiemale var. maxima (maximum), Odontidium anomalum, and additional materials from the Faroe Islands, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Macedonia were studied in LM and SEM. The nomenclature of these taxa is explained and original drawings presented. In addition, two new species, Odontidium rostratum and Odontidium apiculatum are described from Macedonia and Italy. The history and taxonomic changes of Odontidium are presented and its separation from Diatoma at the genus level explained in more detail.
Aichryson santamariensis (Crassulaceae): a new species endemic to Santa Maria in the Azores
Authors: Moura Mónica , Carine Mark , Menezes de Sequeira Miguel
Published: November 2015

A new species of Aichryson, A. santamariensis, is described. The species is endemic to the island of Santa Maria in the Azores. Analysis of molecular (ITS and trnL-F) and morphological data support the segregation of this new species from A. villosum with which it was formerly considered conspecific. Aichryson santamariensis differs from A. villosum by characters including indumentum, leaf shape, seed shape and its generally smaller size.
Two new species of the genus Cordilura Fallén, 1810 (Diptera, Scathophagidae) from the Russian Far East
Authors: OZEROV A.L. , KRIVOSHEINA M.G.
Published: November 2015

Cordilura Fallén, 1810 is one of the largest genera within the family Scathophagidae. According to new species descriptions and recent catalogues (e.g. Šifner, 2008), the genus currently comprises 86 species in the World distributed primarily in the Holarctic Region: 50 species are known in Palaearctic and 43 in Nearctic, with 7 species with a Holarctic distribution; and other 2 species are recorded in Oriental Region (Ozerov & Krivosheina, 2012a; 2013). In Russia, 33 species are known, 25 of them in the Russian Far East (Ozerov & Krivosheina, 2014).
Dark Warming
Authors: Burt Melissa A. , Randall David A. , Branson Mark D.
Published: November 2015

As the Arctic sea ice thins and ultimately disappears in a warming climate, its insulating power decreases. This causes the surface air temperature to approach the temperature of the relatively warm ocean water below the ice. The resulting increases in air temperature, water vapor, and cloudiness lead to an increase in the surface downwelling longwave radiation (DLR), which enables a further thinning of the ice. This positive ice–insulation feedback operates mainly in the autumn and winter. A climate change simulation with the Community Earth System Model shows that, averaged over the year, the increase in Arctic DLR is 3 times stronger than the increase in Arctic absorbed solar radiation at the surface. The warming of the surface air over the Arctic Ocean during fall and winter creates a strong thermal contrast with the colder surrounding continents. Sea level pressure falls over the Arctic Ocean, and the high-latitude circulation reorganizes into a shallow “winter monsoon.” The resulting increase in surface wind speed promotes stronger surface evaporation and higher humidity over portions of the Arctic Ocean, thus reinforcing the ice–insulation feedback.