bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in sugar nucleotide pyrophosphorylases and starch during growth in cultures of Polytoma uvella and Polytomella papillota
Authors: Mangat B. S. , Pelekis M. L.
Published: June 2017

Changes in starch, UDPG pyrophosphorylase, and ADPG pyrophosphorylase were followed during growth in cultures of two heterotrophic algae, Polytoma uvella and Polytomella papillata. There was a steady increase in the activities of the two sugar nucleotide pyrophosphorylases. The enzyme activities reached a maximum before starch production levelled off. At all stages of growth, UDPG pyrophosphorylase activity was much higher than ADPG pyrophosphorylase activity, in both algal cultures. Changes in UDPG and ADPG in cultures of Polytomella papillata showed correlation with changes in UDPG and ADPG pyrophosphorylase activities. Results suggest that the two pyrophosphorylases provide some of the starch precursor molecules.
Improved carbon dioxide storage over clay-supported perhydroxylated glucodendrimer
Authors: Nousir Saadia , Yemelong Gerlainde , Bouguedoura Sameh , Chabre Yoann M. , Shiao Tze Chieh , Roy René , Azzouz Abdelkrim
Published: June 2017

Low-cost biosourced hybrid microporous adsorbents with improved affinity towards carbon dioxyde (CO2) were prepared through the incorporation of various amounts of glucosylated dendrimer into bentonite- and montmorillonite-rich composite materials. Characterization by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, surface specific and pore size analyses (BET and BJH), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed changes in the interlayer spacing and textural structure of the materials. Thermal programmed desorption measurements (TPD) showed significant improvements of the retention capacity of CO2 (CRC) and water (WRC). This was explained in terms of enhancement of both surface basicity and hydrophilic character due to the incorporation of terminal polyhydroxyl groups. The CRC was found to vary according to the previous saturation time with CO2 and the carrier gas throughput. CO2 was totally released upon temperature not exceeding 80 °C or even at room temperature upon strong carrier gas stream, thus providing evidence that CO2 capture involves almost exclusively physical interaction with the OH groups of the dendrimer. This result opens promising prospects for the reversible capture of carbon dioxide with easy release without thermal regeneration, more particularly when extending this concept to biosourced dendrimers.
Genetic Variation and Its Reflection on Posttranslational Modifications in Frequency Clock and Mating Type a-1 Proteins inSordaria fimicola
Authors: Arif Rabia , Akram Faiza , Jamil Tazeen , Mukhtar Hamid , Lee Siu Fai , Saleem Muhammad
Published: June 2017

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) occur in all essential proteins taking command of their functions. There are many domains inside proteins where modifications take place on side-chains of amino acids through various enzymes to generate different species of proteins. In this manuscript we have, for the first time, predicted posttranslational modifications of frequency clock and mating type a-1 proteins inSordaria fimicolacollected from different sites to see the effect of environment on proteins or various amino acids pickings and their ultimate impact on consensus sequences present in mating type proteins using bioinformatics tools. Furthermore, we have also measured and walked through genomic DNA of variousSordariastrains to determine genetic diversity by genotyping the short sequence repeats (SSRs) of wild strains ofS. fimicolacollected from contrasting environments of two opposing slopes (harsh and xeric south facing slope and mild north facing slope) of Evolution Canyon (EC), Israel. Based on the whole genome sequence ofS. macrospora, we targeted 20 genomic regions inS. fimicolawhich contain short sequence repeats (SSRs). Our data revealed genetic variations in strains from south facing slope and these findings assist in the hypothesis that genetic variations caused by stressful environments lead to evolution.
A Concise Presentation of Doubly Fed Induction Generator Wind Energy Conversion Systems Challenges and Solutions
Authors: Mwaniki Julius , Lin Hui , Dai Zhiyong
Published: June 2017

There is increased worldwide wind power generation, a large percentage of which is grid connected. The doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind energy conversion system (WECS) has many merits and, as a result, large numbers have been installed to date. The DFIG WECS operation, under both steady state and fault conditions, is of great interest since it impacts on grid performance. This review paper presents a condensed look at the various applied solutions to the challenges of the DFIG WECS including maximum power point tracking, common mode voltages, subsynchronous resonance, losses, modulation, power quality, and faults both internal and from the grid. It also looks at approaches used to meet the increasingly stringent grid codes requirements for the DFIG WECS to not only ride through faults but also provide voltage support. These are aspects of the DFIG WECS that are critical for system operators and prospective investors and can also serve as an introduction for new entrants into this area of study.
Composites of Heavy Rain Producing Elevated Thunderstorms in the Central United States
Authors: McCoy Laurel P. , Market Patrick S. , Gravelle Chad M. , Graves Charles E. , Fox Neil I. , Rochette Scott M. , Kastman Joshua , Svoma Bohumil
Published: June 2017

Composite analyses of the atmosphere over the central United States during elevated thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall are presented. Composites were created for five National Weather Service County Warning Areas (CWAs) in the region. Events studied occurred during the warm season (April–September) during 1979–2012. These CWAs encompass the region determined previously to experience the greatest frequency of elevated thunderstorms in the United States. Composited events produced rainfall of >50 mm 24 hr−1 within the selected CWA. Composites were generated for the 0–3 hr period prior to the heaviest rainfall, 6–9 hours prior to it, and 12–15 hours prior to it. This paper focuses on the Pleasant Hill, Missouri (EAX) composites, as all CWA results were similar; also these analyses focus on the period 0–3 hours prior to event occurrence. These findings corroborate the findings of previous authors. What is offered here that is unique is (1) a measure of the interquartile range within the composite mean fields, allowing for discrimination between variable fields that provided a strong reliable signal, from those that may appear strong but possess large variability, and (2) composite soundings of two subclasses of elevated thunderstorms. Also, a null case (one that fits the composite but failed to produce significant rainfall) is also examined for comparison.
The Effect of Small Sample Size on Measurement Equivalence of Psychometric Questionnaires in MIMIC Model: A Simulation Study
Authors: Jamali Jamshid , Ayatollahi Seyyed Mohammad Taghi , Jafari Peyman
Published: June 2017

Evaluating measurement equivalence (also known as differential item functioning (DIF)) is an important part of the process of validating psychometric questionnaires. This study aimed at evaluating the multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model for DIF detection when latent construct distribution is nonnormal and the focal group sample size is small. In this simulation-based study, Type I error rates and power of MIMIC model for detecting uniform-DIF were investigated under different combinations of reference to focal group sample size ratio, magnitude of the uniform-DIF effect, scale length, the number of response categories, and latent trait distribution. Moderate and high skewness in the latent trait distribution led to a decrease of 0.33% and 0.47% power of MIMIC model for detecting uniform-DIF, respectively. The findings indicated that, by increasing the scale length, the number of response categories and magnitude DIF improved the power of MIMIC model, by 3.47%, 4.83%, and 20.35%, respectively; it also decreased Type I error of MIMIC approach by 2.81%, 5.66%, and 0.04%, respectively. This study revealed that power of MIMIC model was at an acceptable level when latent trait distributions were skewed. However, empirical Type I error rate was slightly greater than nominal significance level. Consequently, the MIMIC was recommended for detection of uniform-DIF when latent construct distribution is nonnormal and the focal group sample size is small.
Ketamine Use for Successful Resolution of Post-ERCP Acute Pancreatitis Abdominal Pain
Authors: Agerwala Suneel M. , Sundarapandiyan Divya , Weber Garret
Published: June 2017

We report a case in which a patient with intractable pain secondary to post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) acute pancreatitis is successfully treated with a subanesthetic ketamine infusion. Shortly after ERCP, the patient reported severe stabbing epigastric pain. She exhibited voluntary guarding and tenderness without distension. Amylase and lipase levels were elevated. Pain persisted for hours despite hydromorphone PCA, hydromorphone boluses, fentanyl boluses, and postprocedure anxiolytics. Pain management was consulted and a ketamine infusion was trialed, leading to a dramatic reduction in pain. This case suggests that ketamine may be a promising option in treating intractable pain associated with ERCP acute pancreatitis.
Posttraumatic Progressive Vertebral Hemangioma Induced by a Fracture
Authors: Kilic Kaya , Unal Emre , Toktas Zafer Orkun , Aker Fugen Vardar , Akakın Akın , Kilic Türker
Published: June 2017

The authors present an extremely rare case of an aggressive and progressive vertebral capillary hemangioma of the lumbar spine secondary to a trauma. A 40-year-old man who complained of back and leg pain due to a hemangioma of L1 that had begun a year after the fracture of the same vertebra was subsequently operated on. Due to the profuse bleeding, only a subtotal removal was possible. Histopathological diagnosis of the lesion revealed a capillary hemangioma. Postoperative control MRI taken at eight months showed that the lesion and destruction of the L1 vertebra were progressive. A second embolization procedure was performed and this time the hemangioma was totally removed via an anterior approach and corpectomy. Fusion was achieved by Th12-L2 graft and plaque. In the fourteenth year of follow-up, he was symptom-free and radiologically clear of this lesion. We propose that progressive hemangioma is extremely rare and that its cure is possible by total surgical removal of the lesion. This case is the second extradural capillary hemangioma secondary to spinal trauma ever to have been documented in English literature. The emergence of a hemangioma in a fractured vertebra suggests that its pathogenesis can be related to the deviation of the angiogenetic pathways from the normal healing process.
Vaccination with High-Affinity Epitopes Impairs Antitumor Efficacy by Increasing PD-1 Expression on CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Zahm Christopher D. , Colluru Viswa T. , McNeel Douglas G.
Published: June 2017

Antitumor vaccines encoding self-antigens generally have low immunogenicity in clinical trials. Several approaches are aimed at improving vaccine immunogenicity, including efforts to alter encoded epitopes. Immunization with epitopes altered for increased affinity for the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) or T-cell receptor (TCR) elicits greater numbers of CD8 T cells but inferior antitumor responses. Our previous results suggested that programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) increased on antigen-specific CD8 T cells and tumor cells, respectively, after high-affinity vaccination. In this report, we use two murine models to investigate whether the dose, MHC affinity, or TCR affinity of an epitope affected the antitumor response via the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. T cells activated with high-affinity epitopes resulted in prolonged APC:T-cell contact time that led to elevated, persistent PD-1 expression, and expression of other checkpoint molecules, in vitro and in vivo. Immunization with high-affinity epitopes also decreased antitumor efficacy in the absence of PD-1 blockade. Thus, APC:T-cell contact time can be altered by epitope affinity and lead to therapeutically relevant changes in vaccine efficacy mediated by changes in PD-1 expression. These findings have implications for the use of agents targeting PD-1 expression or function whenever high-affinity CD8 T cells are elicited or supplied by means of vaccination or adoptive transfer. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(8); 630–41. ©2017 AACR.
Septoplasty: Scepter Balloon Angioplasty for Vasospasm after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Gross Bradley A. , Tonetti Daniel A. , Weiner Gregory M. , Panczykowski David M. , Ares William J. , Kenmuir Cynthia L. , Jadhav Ashutosh P. , Jovin Tudor G. , Jankowitz Brian T.
Published: June 2017

Introduction: Balloon angioplasty can be a requisite approach for the treatment of symptomatic and/or severe vasospasm. Dual-lumen microcatheter balloons have multiple potential advantages for this indication including accommodating a 0.014-inch wire and the potential to deliver superselective vasodilators directly via the microcatheter prior to angioplasty. Methods: The authors reviewed a 3-year institutional experience with the Scepter XC balloon (Microvention, Tustin, CA, USA) in the treatment of postaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage vasospasm, focusing on treatment methods, angiographic, and clinical results. Results: Sixty-four vessels were treated in 18 patients. Fifteen cases were performed under intravenous (i.v.) conscious sedation (83%). The mean pretreatment stenosis was 59% (range 40-80), and the mean post-treatment stenosis was 12% (range 0-40). Five vessels in 3 patients were subsequently retreated via angioplasty for recurrent vasospasm (8%). There were no complications related to the passage of the balloon microcatheter or inflation of the balloon such as dissection or vessel rupture. Of 14 patients with delayed cerebral ischemia, 7 had complete symptomatic resolution after treatment, and 3 had significant symptomatic improvement. Four patients did not improve after treatment though 3 already had confirmed infarcts on imaging prior to angiography. Conclusion: The Scepter XC is a safe and effective balloon microcatheter for angioplasty of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage, allowing for superselective delivery of a vasodilator. Its ease of deliverability and visibility often allows for the performance of the procedure under i.v. conscious sedation.
Make Do and Mend: Exploring Gene Regulation and CRISPR through a FEAT (Future Emerging Art and Technology) Residency with the MRG-Grammar Project
Authors: Dumitriu Anna , Goldberg Sarah
Published: June 2017

This article documents the artistic research the author undertook for FEAT (Future Emerging Art and Technology) residency. It describes her collaboration with the MRG-Grammar consortium and the creation of an artwork that involved editing the genome of a bacterium using CRISPR to reflect on issues related to antimicrobial resistance, biohacking and control. The article explores the author’s methodology and describes the benefits of long-term embedded residencies to create artworks that are deeply engaged with emerging technologies with a view to enable the public to access the concepts and implications of cutting-edge technologies and scientific research through an artistic lens.
Simulated Despondency for Robots in Distress
Authors: Isley Vicky , Smith Paul
Published: June 2017

It is widely accepted that increased human interaction with natural systems is responsible for complex environmental issues, with most current thinking centered on the provision of advanced technological solutions. One response emerging from current bioinspired robotics research proposes artificial neural networks (ANNs) enhanced with artificial hormones for increased performance and efficiency. Here the authors discuss their artistic project concept, developed in collaboration with a bioinspired artificial life lab, considering the affordance of emotional robotics to develop despondency in the field.
Trust Me, I’m an Artist: Building Opportunities for Art and Science Collaboration through an Understanding of Ethics
Authors: Dumitriu Anna
Published: June 2017

Ethical issues frequently arise in the production and exhibition of bioart, both as subject matter and as an issue in itself. This article explores how learning from the author’s experiences as lead project artist in the Creative Europe—funded Trust Me, I’m an Artist project, along with her work as a freelance artist, which is deeply embedded in laboratory settings around the world, can help build capacity and opportunities for artists and scientists to work together in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaborations to address the societal and cultural implications of emerging bioscientific and biomedical research areas, attitudes to patient care, and public engagement in contemporary scientific research.
The (Hegemonic?) Role of the English Language
Authors: Tomuschat Christian
Published: June 2017

Latin was the language mostly used by international lawyers in the early centuries of European history, later replaced by French. In the course of the 20th century, the monopoly of French was progressively eroded by English. At world level, English has become the primary instrument of communication, whose dominance is not confined to diplomatic intercourse, but has also intruded into academia. Numerous international law journals have switched to English at least as a supplementary language. This ascendance of English has the great advantage of ensuring easy communication among lawyers world-wide. Yet the concentration on English leads to neglect of writing in other languages, and accordingly, to an impoverishment of intellectual debate. The use of English, tends to degenerate into a tool of political hegemony. All international lawyers should make an effort to reach at least a passive knowledge of the traditional European languages in order to avoid a “déformation linguistique”.
Migrant Ill-treatment in Greek Law Enforcement—Are the Strasbourg Court Judgments the Tip of the Iceberg?
Authors: Sitaropoulos Nikolaos
Published: June 2017

Numerous instances of migrant ill-treatment, including torture, in Greek law enforcement have been recorded over a long period of time by international human rights monitoring organisations. The frequent reporting of such incidents though was not accompanied by any major judgments by the Strasbourg Court until Alsayed Allaham and Zontul in 2007 and 2012 respectively. The article provides an analysis of these first major judgments which usefully shed light on the underlying, long-standing systemic failures of the Greek law, as well as of the law enforcement and judicial authorities’ practice. It is argued that the above judgments are in fact only the tip of the iceberg. For this, the author looks into the process of supervision of these judgments’ execution by Greece, which is pending before the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, as well as into alarming reports issued notably by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the Greek Ombudsman. The article also highlights the question of racial violence that has not been tackled in the aforementioned judgments. However, the national Racist Violence Recording Network and the Greek Ombudsman have recorded numerous cases of racist violence by law enforcement officials targeting migrants and the ineffective response by the administrative and judicial authorities. The article concludes with certain recommendations in order to enhance Greek law and practice and eradicate impunity.
The Role of Forcings in the Twentieth-Century North Atlantic Multidecadal Variability: The 1940–75 North Atlantic Cooling Case Study
Authors: Bellucci A. , Mariotti A. , Gualdi S.
Published: June 2017

Results from a study inspecting the origins of multidecadal variability in the North Atlantic sea surface temperature (NASST) are presented. The authors target in particular the 1940–75 “warm-to-cold” transition, an event that is generally framed in the context of the longer-term Atlantic multidecadal variability (AMV) cycle, in turn associated with the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) internal variability. Here the authors examine the ability of uninitialized, historical integrations from the phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) archive to retrospectively reproduce this specific episode of twentieth-century climatic history, under a hierarchy of forcing conditions. For this purpose, both standard and so-called historical Misc CMIP5 simulations of the historical climate (combining selected natural and anthropogenic forcings) are exploited. Based on this multimodel analysis, evidence is found for a significant influence of anthropogenic agents on multidecadal sea surface temperature (SST) fluctuations across the Atlantic sector, suggesting that anthropogenic aerosols and greenhouse gases might have played a key role in the 1940–75 North Atlantic cooling. However, the diagnosed forced response in CMIP5 models appears to be affected by a large uncertainty, with only a limited subset of models displaying significant skill in reproducing the mid-twentieth-century NASST cooling. Such uncertainty originates from the existence of well-defined behavioral clusters within the analyzed CMIP5 ensembles, with the bulk of the models splitting into two main clusters. Such a strong polarization calls for some caution when using a multimodel ensemble mean in climate model analyses, as averaging across fairly distinct model populations may result, through mutual cancellation, in a rather artificial description of the actual multimodel ensemble behavior.

A potentially important role for both anthropogenic aerosols and greenhouse gases with regard to the observed North Atlantic multidecadal variability has clear implications for decadal predictability and predictions. The uncertainty associated with alternative aerosol and greenhouse gas emission scenarios should be duly accounted for in designing a common protocol for coordinated decadal forecast experiments.
Distributions of Tropical Precipitation Cluster Power and Their Changes under Global Warming. Part I: Observational Baseline and Comparison to a High-Resolution Atmospheric Model
Authors: Quinn Kevin M. , Neelin J. David
Published: June 2017

The total amount of precipitation integrated across a precipitation feature (contiguous precipitating grid cells exceeding a minimum rain rate) is a useful measure of the aggregate size of the disturbance, expressed as the rate of water mass lost or latent heat released (i.e., the power of the disturbance). The probability distribution of cluster power is examined over the tropics using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 satellite-retrieved rain rates and global climate model output. Observed distributions are scale-free from the smallest clusters up to a cutoff scale at high cluster power, after which the probability drops rapidly. After establishing an observational baseline, precipitation from the High Resolution Atmospheric Model (HiRAM) at two horizontal grid spacings (roughly 0.5° and 0.25°) is compared. When low rain rates are excluded by choosing a minimum rain-rate threshold in defining clusters, the model accurately reproduces observed cluster power statistics at both resolutions. Middle and end-of-century cluster power distributions are investigated in HiRAM in simulations with prescribed sea surface temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations from a “business as usual” global warming scenario. The probability of high cluster power events increases strongly by end of century, exceeding a factor of 10 for the highest power events for which statistics can be computed. Clausius–Clapeyron scaling accounts for only a fraction of the increased probability of high cluster power events.
Increased Aerodynamic Roughness Owing to Surfzone Foam
Authors: MacMahan Jamie
Published: June 2017

Drag coefficients Cd obtained through direct eddy covariance estimates of the wind stress were observed at four different sandy beaches with dissipative surfzones along the coastline of Monterey Bay, California. The measured surfzone Cd (~2 × 10−3) is twice as large as open-ocean estimates and consistent with recent estimates of Cd over the surfzone and shoaling region. Owing to the heterogeneous nature of the near shore consisting of nonbreaking shoaling waves and breaking surfzone waves, the surfzone wind stress source region is estimated from the footprint probability distribution derived for stable and unstable atmospheric conditions. An empirical model developed for estimating the Cd for open-ocean foam coverage dependent on wind speed is modified for foam coverage owing to depth-limited wave breaking within the surfzone. A modified empirical Cd model for surfzone foam predicts similar values as the measured Cd and provides an alternative mechanism to describe roughness.
What Have You Done for Me Lately? Educational Research and Urban Schools
Authors: Bennett Jacob S. , Cohen Benji
Published: June 2017

Educational scholars have argued that poverty can hamper student achievement. In this critical discussion paper, we provide a historiography of how urban poverty increased in America over the last 30 years of the 20th century. We contend that educators and educational researchers working in P-12 urban schools should understand how federal urban policies contributed to the academic opportunity gap. To show how these federal polices still affect urban youth today, we provide demographic, housing, and crime data from two school districts in Nashville, Tennessee. These data shed light on the adverse effects federal policies have had on urban districts when compared to their suburban counterparts. As such, we believe there is a need for a reconceptualization of the type of research conducted in P-12 urban schools. We end by providing recommendations for how this shift might occur.
How do primary healthcare and social services enable young people’s participation?
Authors: Rytkönen Minna Maarit , Kaunisto Merita Anneli , Pietilä Anna-Maija K
Published: June 2017

Background and purpose:

Participation is a crucial factor in primary healthcare and social services, enabling clients to maintain their own health and well-being. However, adolescents’ participation in service provision may be compromised because they are often not understood or heard as equal clients in encounters with primary services. The aim of this study was to describe 15- to 17-year-olds’ experiences of participation in primary healthcare and social services’ settings.

Methods:

Data were collected through group interviews ( N = 27) with 106 participants drawn from upper comprehensive schools, upper secondary schools and youth centres in the region of a city in northern Savonia, Finland. Data were analysed by qualitative content analysis, using typology technique.

Results:

Four levels of realisation of participation were identified (inviting, allowing, avoiding and excluding), each with distinctive sets of atmospheres, interactions and experiences of the service received. According to the interviewees, the atmosphere varied from caring to cold, interactions from empowering to discouraging and experience of services from meaningful to threatening.

Conclusion:

Young people’s participation in health services can be strengthened by creating a positive atmosphere, providing possibilities to be heard and ensuring that support corresponds with individual needs. The indications of aspects of atmosphere, interactions, and clients’ experience that promote or deter adolescents’ participation may assist efforts to improve health and social services by signposting ways to raise realization of participation to the ‘inviting’ level. Study findings are useful for evaluating, strengthening and raising awareness of the importance of participation in all aspects of health promotion (practice, management and education).
The Final Fight: An Analysis of Metaphors in Online Obituaries of Professional Athletes
Authors: Heynderickx Priscilla C. , Dieltjens Sylvain M. , Oosterhof Albert
Published: June 2017

In literature, obituaries from different cultures and languages have been studied on different levels and from different perspectives. One of the popular research topics is the use of metaphors, since metaphors help to cope with death, which in modern society is still a taboo. This article presents a bottom-up, primarily qualitative analysis of the metaphors in 150 obituaries of sportspeople, published in online versions of newspapers/magazines and on the Internet. As expected, the obituaries contain the traditional metaphors of death. Also more original, creative metaphors are introduced to describe death in a euphemistic way. Some of those have a link to sports but not systematically to the sport practiced by the deceased.
Distress Tolerance Treatment for Weight Concern in Smoking Cessation Among Women: The WE QUIT Pilot Study
Authors: Bloom Erika Litvin , Wing Rena R. , Kahler Christopher W. , Thompson J. Kevin , Meltzer Sari , Hecht Jacki , Minami Haruka , Price Lawrence H. , Brown Richard A.
Published: June 2017

Fear of gaining weight after quitting cigarette smoking is a major barrier to smoking cessation among women. Distress tolerance, which refers to one’s ability and willingness to tolerate physical and emotional discomfort, predicts successful behavior change. Novel interventions rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) have emerged that aim to increase distress tolerance and engagement in values-oriented behavior. In this study, we developed a 9-week, group-based distress tolerance intervention for weight concern in smoking cessation among women (DT-W). Using an iterative process, we piloted DT-W with two small groups ( n = 4 and n = 7) of female weight-concerned smokers. Results indicated that we successfully established the feasibility and acceptability of DT-W, which was well-attended and well-received. Biochemically verified 7-day point-prevalence abstinence rates at post-intervention, 1, 3, and 6 months were 64%, 36%, 27%, and 27%, respectively. We are now evaluating DT-W in a randomized controlled trial.
A Comparative Evaluation of Kernel Equating and Test Characteristic Curve Equating
Authors: De Ayala R. J. , Smith Bradley , Norman Dvorak Rebecca
Published: June 2017

This study compares the kernel equating (KE) and test characteristic curve (TCC) equating methods using the nonequivalent anchor test equating design. In this Monte Carlo study, four independent variables were examined: sample size, test length, average form discrimination, anchor test reliability, and the percentage of anchor items. For each condition, there were 100 replications. To assess the performance of TCC equating and KE, the differences between the examinee parametric true scores and the equated estimated expected true scores were examined. The equated scores were based on the average across replications for each condition. Generally speaking, both KE and TCC equating produced accurate results, although KE tended to perform better than TCC on the parametric true score scale across conditions. Past research and the current study’s results seem to indicate that KE should be strongly considered for most equating situations, particularly in light of its flexibility.
A Liability of Breadth? The Conflicting Influences of Experiential Breadth on Perceptions of Founding Teams
Authors: Mannor Michael J. , Matta Fadel K. , Block Emily S. , Steinbach Adam L. , Davis James H.
Published: June 2017

Although it is well established that top management team (TMT) experience is highly valued in new ventures, research has largely focused on the value of experience depth. However, founding teams often bring a myriad of different types of experience to their business. Less is understood about how these experiences are perceived by key stakeholders, and prior theory suggests that TMT breadth could be viewed as either an asset or a liability. Drawing from theory on cognitive categorization, we hypothesize that the perceived value of executive breadth depends on the context in which a venture is situated. We argue that the characteristics of the environment shape the degree to which experience breadth is valued, and we show that investors assess breadth positively in opportunistic environments but negatively in threatening environments. Contrary to previous research, we show that breadth can, at times, be viewed as a distinct liability for a new venture. In supplementary analyses, we also show that these effects are not contingent upon the depth of the founding team’s experience. Further, we find that founding team breadth does have significant influences on firm strategy, including the structural positioning of the firm in an industry’s value chain and the cultivation of diverse revenue streams, but that the effect of breadth on investor perceptions is not mediated through these differences in strategy.
“Pimping” in Pharmacy Education: A Survey and Comparison of Student and Faculty Views
Authors: Williams Eric A. , Miesner Andrew R. , Beckett Emily A. , Grady Sarah E.
Published: June 2017

Background:

“Pimping” is an informal teaching technique that is widely used in medical education. Pimping is characterized by questioning the learner with the intent of reinforcing clinical hierarchy. To date, there are no studies of the use of pimping in pharmacy education.

Objectives:

To describe the use of pimping as a teaching method in pharmacy education and to compare student and faculty perceptions of this technique.

Methods:

Faculty and fourth-year PharmD (P4) students from 2 colleges of pharmacy were invited to participate in a survey about experiences and perceptions of pimping. Faculty and P4 surveys each contained up to 17 items to assess personal experiences, utilization, perceived risks and benefits, and preferences regarding the role of the technique in pharmacy education.

Results:

The response rate was 49.5% (159 of 321). Of faculty, 74.1% reported they had been pimped in their training, but less than half (45.8%) use pimping themselves. Similarly, 73.7% of students reported that they had been pimped at some time in their pharmacy education. Students nearly equally viewed their experiences as positive (35.3%) versus negative (38.2%). Responses were similar between faculty and students recommending that the method should be avoided entirely ( P = .259), used sparingly ( P = .072), or used consistently ( P = .309). Perceived benefits and risks of pimping were similar between faculty and students, but there were many differences in rationales offered by faculty versus students’ perceived rationales.

Conclusion:

Pimping is common in pharmacy education and its use is controversial. The perceived rationale for use of pimping differs, which may undermine student/faculty relationships.
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Beyond One Year in Patients After Stent Placement: A Review
Authors: Sumner Jacob D. , Zinser Brianna , Smith Andrew
Published: June 2017

Purpose:

To review the evidence on the safety and efficacy of the continued use of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) beyond 12 months after stent placement in patients following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event.

Recently, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) released a focused update on the duration of DAPT in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The update makes new recommendations about the duration of DAPT in light of recently performed studies investigating this topic. In regard to patients after an ACS event, the update states it is reasonable to continue DAPT beyond 1 year if these patients are not at a high risk of bleeding and had no overt bleeding while on DAPT. Several trials have been released which aim to provide information about the correct duration of DAPT after an ACS event.

Conclusion:

Recent trials have shown a benefit of prolonged (beyond 12 months) DAPT in preventing recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events in patients, mostly in patients who have had a previous myocardial infarction (MI). These benefits must be weighed with the elevated risks of bleeding.
Board of Pharmacy Practices Related to Medication Errors and Their Potential Impact on Patient Safety
Authors: Degnan Daniel D. , Hertig John B. , Peters Michael J. , Stevenson James G.
Published: June 2017

State boards of pharmacy are generally responsible for the governance of the practice of pharmacy. While the regulatory process and methods for accomplishing this task may vary by state, all boards of pharmacy must address medication errors committed by pharmacists. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) has recommended that state boards of pharmacy implement best practices and enforcement actions that are aimed to promote patient safety and reduce medication errors. The current study was designed to identify and compare current corrective action practices among boards of pharmacy in response to medication errors. An electronic survey regarding board policies and anticipated board actions in response to hypothetical medication error scenarios was sent to boards of pharmacy for completion. Approximately 45% of pharmacy boards responded. Survey responses demonstrated that corrective actions and consequences were levied against pharmacists inconsistently among state boards. Corrective action plans and process improvement components were lacking in a majority of state board of pharmacy practices. Medication safety education for pharmacists and for members on boards of pharmacy was insufficient in many states. Responses to hypothetical error scenarios indicated that most board actions are educational and punitive in nature, rather than focusing on systems improvement.
Differential effect of p38 and MK2 kinase inhibitors on the inflammatory and toxicity biomarkers in vitro
Authors: Singh RK , Diwan M , Dastidar SG , Najmi AK
Published: June 2017

Background:

Many inflammatory responses including chemotaxis, production of nitric oxide, and modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in immunological cells are mediated by p38MAPK. Due to its pivotal role, p38MAPK has been extensively explored as a molecular target for inhibition of chronic inflammation; however, it has not been successful so far due to serious toxicity issues. Among several downstream substrates of p38, mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) has been reported to be a direct and essential downstream component in regulation of innate immune and inflammatory responses. Thus, in this study, we aimed to understand relative molecular differences between p38 and MK2 kinase inhibition in terms of a comparative anti-inflammatory potential along with molecular regulation of toxicity biomarkers such as Phospho c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase (pJNK), caspase-3, and hepatic enzyme levels in relevant human cells in vitro.

Results:

Both p38 and MK2 inhibitors attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory biomarkers expression. In addition, both these kinase inhibitors inhibited release of Th1 and Th17 cytokines in phytohemagglutinin-induced cells with MK2 inhibitor showing a better potency for inhibition of Th1 cytokine release, interferon-γ. In the mechanistic differentiation studies, p38 inhibitors displayed an increase in pJNK and caspase-3 activity in U937 cells and elevation in aspartate transaminase enzyme in HepG2 cells, whereas MK2 inhibitor did not show such adverse toxic effects.

Conclusion:

Taken together, inhibition of MK2 kinase can be a relatively preferred strategy as an anti-inflammatory therapy over direct inhibition of p38 kinase in p38MAPK pathway.
“They don’t really care…”: Effects of music with prosocial content and corresponding media coverage on prosocial behavior
Authors: Ruth Nicolas
Published: June 2017

Many musicians deliver prosocial messages in their music and engage in charity events, but we know very little about how our reception of this music affects us. Following the General Learning Model by Buckley and Anderson, one possible explanation could be that the music affects us because we know about the engagement and the intentions of the musicians. In most cases this knowledge is received through media coverage. Two studies were conducted to investigate what influence media coverage about music with prosocial content has on participants’ appraisal of the music, and the effect of the music on participants. The first study ( N = 145) altered the valence of the media coverage about a semi-fictional music charity project in a 3 × 1 between-subjects design. The second study ( N = 157) used music by an unknown artist that had either prosocial or comparable neutral lyrics alongside positive or neutral media coverage about the artist in a 2 × 2 between-subjects design. Both studies tested the extent to which participants’ appraisal of the music they listened to, their empathy and associated prosocial behavior or prosocial behavioral intentions differed between experimental groups. Results of Study 1 indicate that media coverage influences our appraisal as negative media coverage of the charity project was found to negatively affect participants’ appraisal of that project and Study 2 yielded that neutral media coverage of the unknown artist led to the most positive appraisal of the artist’s music.
Meaningful Collaboration in the Inclusive Music Classroom: Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Darrow Alice-Ann
Published: June 2017

Most music educators have little experience or preparation in teaching students with severe intellectual disabilities. Increasing diversity in our schools will require music educators to teach students whose needs exceed those typically found in the music class or ensemble. Facilitating their inclusion in a music program can be immensely rewarding and yet often challenging. A faculty that is collaborative, and a student body that is supportive and receptive are the key characteristics of successful programs for students with severe disabilities. To be fully included, these students must also possess a sense of agency; that is, to feel in control of their music participation and believe in their capacity to make music. Their successful inclusion requires meaningful collaboration among numerous school entities.
Midlife Work and Psychological Well-Being
Authors: Kim Shin Ye , Fouad Nadya , Maeda Hotaka , Xie Hui , Nazan Nashriq
Published: June 2017

In the present study, we examined the centrality of work in midlife adults and how it relates to their psychological well-being. Using the psychology of working theory (PWT), we tested a portion of the outcome of PWT in a sample of 1,888 midlife adults, finding good overall model data fit. Of the three needs work provides, survival, relatedness, and self-determination were each found to explain unique predictive variance. This suggests that adults who are most psychologically healthy have their survival needs met through their work, feel connected with people at work, and meet their self-determination needs through the experience of being engaged in activities at work. Implications of these findings for future research and career counseling are considered.
Ethical spaces and places: Indigenous cultural safety in British Columbia health care
Authors: Greenwood Margo , Lindsay Nicole , King Jessie , Loewen David
Published: June 2017

This article discusses transformations underway within Indigenous health in northern British Columbia and Canada. We highlight two organizations that are working to create ethical space and cultural safety at the intersections of Indigenous knowledge about health and wellness, Western medicine, and healthcare services for Indigenous peoples in Canada. The article argues that the cultural, organizational, and systemic transformations necessary to address the deep and ongoing health inequities experienced by Indigenous populations should be rooted in Indigenous knowledges and should prioritize Indigenous voices, values, and concepts. Cultural safety, ethical space, and Two-Eyed Seeing are three examples of ideas anchored in Indigenous knowledges that speak to relationships at the interface of different systems of knowledge. We offer some examples of how a public health knowledge translation centre and a regional health service delivering organization are actualizing these concepts in their work nationally and regionally in northern British Columbia, Canada.
Fatigue failure of 45# steel in dry sliding against Kevlar/PTFE hybrid composite under elevated load
Authors: Fan Bingli , Yang Yulin , Yan Shicheng , Ma Jian , Gu Dapeng , Chen Jigang , Qi Xiaowen
Published: June 2017

Frictional failure is inevitable for friction pairs. A common sense about the frictional failure of steel-polymer composite friction pair is that the polymer composites are the primary failure part rather than the steel counterpart. However, an opposite case was newly found in the case of fabric self-lubricating liner (Kevlar/PTFE hybrid composite) spherical plain-bearing under elevated load: the steel counterbody suffered a fatigue failure before the fabric composite fails, which resulted in the final failure of the bearing. This paper investigated such fatigue failure of surface chrome plated 45# steel by systematically studying the wear characteristics of 45# steel and fabric composite, the stress distribution of the 45# steel and fatigue features within cross section of the 45# steel. Results showed that wear characteristics of both fabric composite and 45# steel exhibited regional characters. Failure mechanism of the 45# steel was found to be fatigue failure (mainly fatigue pitting), which was revealed by mathematical analysis of the stress distribution of the 45# steel and the fatigue cracks found within subsurface of the cross section of the 45# steel.
Cognitive behaviour therapy and objective assessments in chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: McPhee Graham
Published: June 2017

Most evaluations of cognitive behavioural therapy to treat people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis rely exclusively on subjective self-report outcomes to evaluate whether treatment is effective. Few studies have used measures appropriate to assessing whether cognitive behavioural therapy changes in more objective measures. A review of studies incorporating objective measures suggests that there is a lack of evidence that cognitive behavioural therapy produces any improvement in a patient’s physical capabilities or other objective measures such as return to work. Future studies of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis should include some objective assessments as primary outcomes. If this is to include activity monitors, we first need a sound baseline dataset.