bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dental Status and Compression of Life Expectancy with Disability
Authors: Matsuyama Y. , Aida J. , Watt R.G. , Tsuboya T. , Koyama S. , Sato Y. , Kondo K. , Osaka K.
Published: June 2017

This study examined whether the number of teeth contributes to the compression of morbidity, measured as a shortening of life expectancy with disability, an extension of healthy life expectancy, and overall life expectancy. A prospective cohort study was conducted. A self-reported baseline survey was given to 126,438 community-dwelling older people aged ≥65 y in Japan in 2010, and 85,161 (67.4%) responded. The onset of functional disability and all-cause mortality were followed up for 1,374 d (follow-up rate = 96.1%). A sex-stratified illness-death model was applied to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for 3 health transitions (healthy to dead, healthy to disabled, and disabled to dead). Absolute differences in life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, and life expectancy with disability according to the number of teeth were also estimated. Age, denture use, socioeconomic status, health status, and health behavior were adjusted. Compared with the edentulous participants, participants with ≥20 teeth had lower risks of transitioning from healthy to dead (adjusted HR, 0.58 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.50–0.68] for men and 0.70 [95% CI, 0.57–0.85] for women) and from healthy to disabled (adjusted HR, 0.52 [95% CI, 0.44–0.61] for men and 0.58 [95% CI, 0.49–0.68] for women). They also transitioned from disabled to dead earlier (adjusted HR, 1.26 [95% CI, 0.99–1.60] for men and 2.42 [95% CI, 1.72–3.38] for women). Among the participants aged ≥85 y, those with ≥20 teeth had a longer life expectancy (men: +57 d; women: +15 d) and healthy life expectancy (men: +92 d; women: +70 d) and a shorter life expectancy with disability (men: –35 d; women: –55 d) compared with the edentulous participants. Similar associations were observed among the younger participants and those with 1 to 9 or 10 to 19 teeth. The presence of remaining teeth was associated with a significant compression of morbidity: older Japanese adults’ life expectancy with disability was compressed by 35 to 55 d within the follow-up of 1,374 d.
Activin and Bmp4 Signaling Converge on Wnt Activation during Odontogenesis
Authors: Kwon H.-J.E. , Jia S. , Lan Y. , Liu H. , Jiang R.
Published: June 2017

Previous studies show that both activin and Bmp4 act as crucial mesenchymal odontogenic signals during early tooth development. Remarkably, mice lacking activin-βA ( Inhba−/−) and mice with neural crest–specific inactivation of Bmp4 ( Bmp4ncko/ncko) both exhibit bud-stage developmental arrest of the mandibular molar tooth germs while their maxillary molar tooth germs completed morphogenesis. In this study, we found that, whereas expression of Inhba and Bmp4 in the developing tooth mesenchyme is independent of each other, Bmp4ncko/nckoInhba−/− compound mutant mice exhibit early developmental arrest of all tooth germs. Moreover, genetic inactivation of Osr2, a negative regulator of the odontogenic function of the Bmp4-Msx1 signaling pathway, rescues mandibular molar morphogenesis in Inhba−/− embryos. We recently reported that Osr2 and the Bmp4-Msx1 pathway control the bud-to-cap transition of tooth morphogenesis through antagonistic regulation of expression of secreted Wnt antagonists, including Dkk2 and Sfrp2, in the developing tooth mesenchyme. We show here that expression of Dkk2 messenger RNAs was significantly upregulated and expanded into the tooth bud mesenchyme in Inhba−/− embryos in comparison with wild-type littermates. Furthermore, in utero treatment with either lithium chloride, an agonist of canonical Wnt signaling, or the DKK inhibitor IIIC3a rescued mandibular molar tooth morphogenesis in Inhba−/− embryos. Together with our finding that the developing mandibular molar tooth bud mesenchyme expresses significantly higher levels of Dkk2 than the developing maxillary molar tooth mesenchyme, these data indicate that Bmp4 and activin signaling pathways converge on activation of the Wnt signaling pathway to promote tooth morphogenesis through the bud-to-cap transition and that the differential effects of loss of activin or Bmp4 signaling on maxillary and mandibular molar tooth morphogenesis are mainly due to the differential expression of Wnt antagonists, particularly Dkk2, in the maxillary and mandibular tooth mesenchyme.
Bacterial GtfB Augments Candida albicans Accumulation in Cross-Kingdom Biofilms
Authors: Ellepola K. , Liu Y. , Cao T. , Koo H. , Seneviratne C.J.
Published: June 2017

Streptococcus mutans is a biofilm-forming oral pathogen commonly associated with dental caries. Clinical studies have shown that S. mutans is often detected with Candida albicans in early childhood caries. Although the C. albicans presence has been shown to enhance bacterial accumulation in biofilms, the influence of S. mutans on fungal biology in this mixed-species relationship remains largely uncharacterized. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how the presence of S. mutans influences C. albicans biofilm development and coexistence. Using a newly established haploid biofilm model of C. albicans, we found that S. mutans augmented haploid C. albicans accumulation in mixed-species biofilms. Similarly, diploid C. albicans also showed enhanced biofilm formation in the presence of S. mutans. Surprisingly, the presence of S. mutans restored the biofilm-forming ability of C. albicans bcr1Δ mutant and bcr1Δ/Δ mutant, which is known to be severely defective in biofilm formation when grown as single species. Moreover, C. albicans hyphal growth factor HWP1 as well as ALS1 and ALS3, which are also involved in fungal biofilm formation, were upregulated in the presence of S. mutans. Subsequently, we found that S. mutans–derived glucosyltransferase B (GtfB) itself can promote C. albicans biofilm development. Interestingly, GtfB was able to increase the expression of HWP1, ALS1, and ALS3 genes in the C. albicans diploid wild-type SC5314 and bcr1Δ/Δ, leading to enhanced fungal biofilms. Hence, the present study demonstrates that a bacterial exoenzyme (GtfB) augments the C. albicans counterpart in mixed-species biofilms through a BCR1-independent mechanism. This novel finding may explain the mutualistic role of S. mutans and C. albicans in cariogenic biofilms.
Usefulness of Gas Chromatography/Negative Ion Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Detection of an Organophosphate Pesticide in a Victim
Authors: Hattori H. , Suzuki O. , Asano M.
Published: June 2017

A case is described of a 51-year old male found dead outdoors with froth around his mouth. The presence of aromatic smelling stomach contents suggested the presence of a toxic chemical. The blood, urine and stomach contents, after extraction with organic solvents, were subject to analysis by gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS) in the positive electron impact (EI) mode. The mass spectra showed peaks at m/z 320, 274 and 246. Negative chemical ionization (CI)/GC/MS was also carried out. The negative CI mass spectra of the chemical showed a large anion at m/z 157, which strongly suggested a dimethylphosphorodithioate group of an organophosphate. Therefore, we looked for a dimethylphosphorodiothioate commercially obtainable in Japan, which had a molecular weight of 320 or more. We finally identified the chemical in question as phenthoate (PAP). The present report demonstrates that GC/MS using negative CI in combination with positive EI is extremely useful in the identification of unknown compounds and in this case enabled the identification of the organophosphate pesticide (PAP). The high sensitivity of detection of organophosphates by negative CI/GC/MS was also demonstrated.
Capturing Likeness in Eyewitness Composites: The Police Artist and His Rivals
Authors: Davies Graham
Published: June 2017

In recent years considerable experimental research has been conducted into police composite systems like Photofit and Identikit. By contrast, the techniques and effectiveness of the police artist have been neglected. The existing literature on the police sketch artist is surveyed to demonstrate differing procedures and attitudes toward the creation of a likeness. A distinction is drawn between the North American method, where the artist interacts directly with the witness in drawing a face, and the traditional British method where the artist works indirectly from descriptions provided for him by the police. An experiment is described which compared the effectiveness of the British technique to that of Photofit and line transcriptions of Photofits. Sets of composites of both good and poor quality were included in the comparison. Good quality Photofits proved superior to either artist's impressions or line transcriptions, though there was no difference for poor quality Photofits. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are discussed and some conclusions drawn regarding the new generation of composite procedures.
Fatal Case Due to Atonic Haemorrhage with Giant Placenta following Concealed Delivery
Authors: Suzuki T. , Ikeda N. , Umetsu K. , Kashirmura S.
Published: June 2017

A case is described in which a 31-year-old woman died suddenly of an atonic haemorrhage following a concealed delivery. Necropsy revealed an extraordinarily large placenta which weighed 2500 g and this condition caused fatal post-partum haemorrhage due to uterine atony.
Sex Differences in Eyewitness Reports of Criminal Assaults
Authors: Macleod Malcolm D. , Shepherd John W.
Published: June 2017

This study examines the controversy regarding the presence of sex differences in eyewitness behaviour using data derived from 379 statements concerning 135 cases of real-life assaults. Two questions are considered: (1) is the presence of a sex difference dependent on the level of violence witnessed? And (2) is the presence of a sex difference dependent on the specific type of information reported? The results indicate that sex differences in eyewitnessing can be dependent upon both of these factors but that their effects appear to be more subtle than had been anticipated. The findings are discussed in the light of existing research, and recommendations for future research are considered.
Developing High-Functioning Teams: Factors Associated With Operating as a “Real Team” and Implications for Patient-Centered Medical Home Development
Authors: Stout Somava , Zallman Leah , Arsenault Lisa , Sayah Assaad , Hacker Karen
Published: June 2017

Team-based care is a foundation of health care redesign models like the patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Yet few practices rigorously examine how the implementation of PCMH relates to teamwork. We identified factors associated with the perception of a practice operating as a real team. An online workforce survey was conducted with all staff of 12 primary care sites of Cambridge Health Alliance at different stages of PCMH transformation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with teamwork perceptions were conducted. In multivariate models, having effective leadership was the main factor associated with practice teamwork perceptions (odds ratio [OR], 10.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.39-20.43); in addition, practicing at a site in an intermediate stage of PCMH transformation was also associated with enhanced team perceptions (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.28-4.64). In a model excluding effective leadership, respondents at sites in an intermediate stage of PCMH transformation (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4) and who had higher care team behaviors (such as huddles and weekly meetings; OR, 3.41; 95% CI, 1.30-8.92), higher care team perceptions (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.15-6.11), and higher job satisfaction (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.02-3.92) had higher practice teamwork perceptions. This study highlights the strong association between effective leadership, care team behaviors and perceptions, and job satisfaction with perceptions that practices operate as real teams. Although we cannot infer causality with these cross-sectional data, this study raises the possibility that providing attention to these factors may be important in augmenting practice teamwork perceptions.
Corporate Sustainability Performance and Financial Performance: Empirical Evidence from Japan and India
Authors: Laskar Najul , Chakraborty Tapan Kumar , Maji Santi Gopal
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to explore the disclosure of corporate sustainability (CS) practices and to examine the association between sustainability performance and financial performance in Asian context considering firms from India and Japan.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study is based on secondary data collected from annual reports and CS reports of 28 and 35 listed non-financial firms from India and Japan from 2009 to 2014. Content analysis (binary coding system) is employed to calculate the sustainability disclosure score based on Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) framework. Market-to-book ratio is used to measure the financial performance. These scores are further used to examine the impact of CS performance on financial performance employing both the panel data model and logit regression model.

Findings

The study finds that the average level of disclosure is more in case of Japanese firm as compared to Indian firms. Using both the regression model, the study finds the influence of CS performance on financial performance is positive and significant for both the nations. However, the influence of CS performance is more in case of Japan than that of India. Moreover, the study also reveals that environmental factor is more dominating in influencing the financial performance in Japan. Whereas, in India, it is the social factor that dominates the financial performance.

Originality/value

It is the first comprehensive study in Asia analyzing the CS practices using both the panel data regression model and logit regression model.
Improving retrieval of structured and unstructured information
Authors: Engel Jonathan
Published: June 2017

Every day, information users struggle to find relevant documents and data needed to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently. This paper presents a strategic, practical approach to information architecture, focusing on developing and adding metadata to improve information retrieval. The review starts with a discussion of common information management problems and potential business benefits, and addresses the need for overarching principles and policies to be aligned with a comprehensive enterprise architecture. Next, the paper outlines a solution based on combining elements of information architecture – the hierarchy of a taxonomy, the synonyms from a thesaurus and the relationships in an ontology. It discusses how this hybrid structure can improve content classification, user navigation and enterprise search. The final sections will explain how taxonomy-generated rules can improve content classification and search, and present the results of a recent Proof of Concept (PoC) for automated content classification. The article also includes two sidebars – one offering taxonomy best practice guidelines and the other exploring an advanced classification weighting to improve search precision.
An initial psychometric evaluation of the German PROMIS v1.2 Physical Function item bank in patients with a wide range of health conditions
Authors: Liegl Gregor , Rose Matthias , Correia Helena , Fischer H Felix , Kanlidere Sibel , Mierke Annett , Obbarius Alexander , Nolte Sandra
Published: June 2017

Objectives:

To translate the PROMIS Physical Function (PF) item bank version 1.2 into German and to investigate psychometric properties of resulting full bank and seven derived short forms.

Design:

Cross-sectional psychometric study.

Setting:

Inpatient and outpatient clinics of the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.

Subjects:

A total of 10 adult patients with various chronic diseases participated in cognitive debriefing interviews. The final item bank was administered to n = 266 adult patients with a broad range of medical conditions.

Interventions:

Patient-reported outcome assessment as part of routine care.

Main measures:

PROMIS v1.2 PF bank; MOS SF-36 PF scale (PF-10).

Results:

Cross-cultural adaptation of the item bank followed established guidelines. For the final German translation, the corrected item-total correlations ranged from 0.44 to 0.84. Cronbach’s alpha was high for each PROMIS PF short form ( α = 0.88–0.96). The full PROMIS PF bank and most short forms correlated highly with the SF-36 PF-10 ( r = 0.85–0.90), with the exception of PROMIS Upper Extremity ( r = 0.64). PROMIS Upper Extremity showed ceiling effects and lower agreement with the full bank than other short forms. Unidimensionality was supported for all PROMIS PF measures using traditional factor analysis and nonparametric item response theory.

Conclusion:

The German PROMIS PF bank was found to be conceptually equivalent to the English version and fulfilled the psychometric requirements for use of short forms in clinical practice. Future studies should pay particular attention to samples with upper extremity functional limitations to further investigate the dimensional structure of PF as conceptualized according to PROMIS.
Modified structural network backbone in the contralesional hemisphere chronically after stroke in rat brain
Authors: Sinke Michel RT , Otte Willem M , van Meer Maurits PA , van der Toorn Annette , Dijkhuizen Rick M
Published: June 2017

Functional outcome after stroke depends on the local site of ischemic injury and on remote effects within connected networks, frequently extending into the contralesional hemisphere. However, the pattern of large-scale contralesional network remodeling remains largely unresolved. In this study, we applied diffusion-based tractography and graph-based network analysis to measure structural connectivity in the contralesional hemisphere chronically after experimental stroke in rats. We used the minimum spanning tree method, which accounts for variations in network density, for unbiased characterization of network backbones that form the strongest connections in a network. Ultrahigh-resolution diffusion MRI scans of eight post-mortem rat brains collected 70 days after right-sided stroke were compared against scans from 10 control brains. Structural network backbones of the left (contralesional) hemisphere, derived from 42 atlas-based anatomical regions, were found to be relatively stable across stroke and control animals. However, several sensorimotor regions showed increased connection strength after stroke. Sensorimotor function correlated with specific contralesional sensorimotor network backbone measures of global integration and efficiency. Our findings point toward post-stroke adaptive reorganization of the contralesional sensorimotor network with recruitment of distinct sensorimotor regions, possibly through strengthening of connections, which may contribute to functional recovery.
Anti-TNF-α effects on anemia in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Corrado Addolorata , Di Bello Valeria , d’Onofrio Francesca , Maruotti Nicola , Cantatore Francesco Paolo
Published: June 2017

A key role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is played by inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which are also involved in inducing inflammatory anemia. We have followed 67 RA patients and 64 PsA patients for 1 year to evaluate the effects of TNF-α inhibitors on disease activity and on inflammatory anemia. Patients were divided into three different treatment groups, according to a randomized assignment to receive therapy with etanercept, adalimumab, or infliximab. Treatment with anti-TNF-α resulted in a significant reduction in disease activity score-28 (DAS28) values both in RA and PsA patients, already from the third month of treatment ( P = 0.01). In both populations, there was an increase in hemoglobin (HB) levels already after 3 months of treatment ( P = 0.001), and HB levels were inversely proportional to the disease activity, regardless of the type of medication used. The increased HB values and the reduction of DAS28 values during the observation period suggest the existence of a negative correlation between them both in RA and PsA, regardless of the type of anti-TNF-α used. Our data suggest a pleiotropic action of anti-TNF-α, such as the well-known action on the activity of the disease, and the improvement in inflammatory anemia.
Spiritual Care in the Intensive Care Unit: A Narrative Review
Authors: Ho Jim Q. , Nguyen Christopher D. , Lopes Richard , Ezeji-Okoye Stephen C. , Kuschner Ware G.
Published: June 2017

Spiritual care is an important component of high-quality health care, especially for critically ill patients and their families. Despite evidence of benefits from spiritual care, physicians and other health-care providers commonly fail to assess and address their patients’ spiritual care needs in the intensive care unit (ICU). In addition, it is common that spiritual care resources that can improve both patient outcomes and family member experiences are underutilized. In this review, we provide an overview of spiritual care and its role in the ICU. We review evidence demonstrating the benefits of, and persistent unmet needs for, spiritual care services, as well as the current state of spiritual care delivery in the ICU setting. Furthermore, we outline tools and strategies intensivists and other critical care medicine health-care professionals can employ to support the spiritual well-being of patients and families, with a special focus on chaplaincy services.
Neighborhoods and Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: The Direct and Interactive Effects of Social Ties and Collective Efficacy
Authors: Wright Emily M. , Skubak Tillyer Marie
Published: June 2017

This study examines the impact of several indicators of neighborhood social ties (e.g., residents’ interactions with each other; residents’ ability to recognize outsiders) on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women as well as whether neighborhood collective efficacy’s impact on IPV is contingent upon such ties. This study used data from 4,151 women (46% Latina, 33% African American, 17% Caucasian, on average 32 years old) in 80 neighborhoods from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. We estimated a series of random effects hierarchical Bernoulli models to assess the main and interactive effects of neighborhood social ties and collective efficacy on minor and severe forms of IPV against women. Results indicate that certain neighborhood social ties are associated with higher rates of minor forms of IPV against women (but not severe forms of IPV), and collective efficacy does not appear to influence IPV against women, regardless of the level of individual or neighborhood social ties. Unlike street crime, collective efficacy does not significantly reduce IPV against women, even in neighborhoods with strong social ties that may facilitate awareness of the violence. In fact, perpetrators of minor IPV may enjoy some protective benefit in communities with social ties that make neighbors hesitant to intervene in what some might perceive as “private matters.”
Does Gender Matter in Explaining Delinquency and Suicidal Thoughts? An Examination of General Strain Theory in South Korean Youths
Authors: Yun Minwoo , Kim Eunyoung
Published: June 2017

This study attempts to explore the potential extension of general strain theory (GST) by applying the hypotheses proposed by Broidy and Agnew to a sample of South Korean youths. Specifically, this study examines whether particular forms of strain and stressors have differential effects across genders on various deviant outcomes, delinquency, and suicidal thoughts. Multiple regression analyses using longitudinal data of 3,125 South Korean youths revealed mixed support for the GST proposition. Females experienced a higher level of both anger and depression than males. However, the experience of negative emotions is partly gendered in general. This study also found that different negative emotions and strain/stress factors are important and demonstrate gendered pathways in the case of delinquency. However, it also revealed that similar types of strains and stressors and negative emotions were significant and positive for suicidal thoughts for both males and females. Furthermore, a model examining the impacts of conditioning variables on suicidal thoughts highlighted that depression is particularly important in females. These findings indicate that various types of deviant outcomes and strain–stressors provide a fuller understanding of both similarities and differences by gender.
Speaking and Being Heard: How Nonprofit Advocacy Organizations Gain Attention on Social Media
Authors: Guo Chao , Saxton Gregory D.
Published: June 2017

The social media era ushers in an increasingly “noisy” information environment that renders it more difficult for nonprofit advocacy organizations to make their voices heard. How then can an organization gain attention on social media? We address this question by building and testing a model of the effectiveness of the Twitter use of advocacy organizations. Using number of retweets and number of favorites as proxies of attention, we test our hypotheses with a 12-month panel dataset that collapses by month and organization the 219,915 tweets sent by 145 organizations in 2013. We find that attention is strongly associated with the size of an organization’s network, its frequency of speech, and the number of conversations it joins. We also find a seemingly contradictory relationship between different measures of attention and an organization’s targeting and connecting strategy.
Representation, sophisticated voting, and the size of the gridlock region
Authors: Kang Myunghoon
Published: June 2017

We propose a formal model that investigates the institutional cause of the expansion of the gridlock region in a legislative body under supermajority rule. We show that the interaction between a legislative election and the supermajority rule in the legislative policy-making process causes an expansion of the size of the gridlock region under certain circumstances. More specifically, if the position of the status quo is neither too moderate nor too extreme, then certain voters will be incentivized to elect a more extreme representative than themselves, and this sophisticated voting results in the expansion of the size of the gridlock region. As a result, our model demonstrates that the expansion of the gridlock region is caused in part by sophisticated voting independent of the voters’ ideological distribution.
On the violation of hospitalized patients’ rights: A qualitative study
Authors: Khademi Mojgan , Mohammadi Eesa , Vanaki Zohreh
Published: June 2017

Background:

Nurses have always been known as an advocate for the rights of patients. The recognition of what is perceived as the violation of patients’ rights can help nurses to understand patients’ concerns and priorities. Thus, it helps nurses play their supportive roles more effectively.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to explore different dimensions of the violation of patients’ rights.

Research design:

Data were collected utilizing unstructured interviews and field notes. Data analysis was conducted using the qualitative content analysis approach. Prolonged engagement, maximum variation sampling, and member check were among the factors which enriched the research.

Participants and research context:

The sample consisted of 18 patients and 11 members of their families. They were purposively selected from two hospitals in Tehran during 2009–2012.

Ethical considerations:

The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the university and hospitals.

Finding:

The patients’ rights were violated in a variety of ways. There were three main dimensions to this issue: (a) care recession including deprivation of the caregiver’s presence and the delay/lack of needed responses; (b) receiving mechanical care including superficiality, lack of emotion, and failure to understand the situation; and (c) being disrespected including humility and aggression.

Conclusion:

The patients and their families consider any shortcomings in relation to the patient and the quality of care as the violation of the rights. The findings of the study imply sensitizing managers toward providing appropriate conditions as well as educating nurses to observe patients’ rights. It is suggested that the processes leading to the violation of patients’ rights be discovered and prevented in the future.
Semi-active adaptive optimal control of vehicle suspension with a magnetorheological damper based on policy iteration
Authors: Wang Xiaolong
Published: June 2017

This article attempts to clarify the question of what the essential difference between the optimal and “clipped-optimal” control is that the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman or Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs partial differential equation is linear or nonlinear. An adaptive optimal control based on policy iteration to the constrained semi-active vehicle suspension system with a magnetorheological damper is presented. The problem of improving the optimal performance of semi-active control suspension system is converted to L2-gain optimal control problem. A two-player policy iteration scheme is employed to solve the Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs equation by use of neural networks to approximate optimal policies and value functions in the admissible global region. Simulation results demonstrate that the adaptive optimal controlled semi-active vehicle suspension system outperforms greater than that of the clipped-LQR controlled.
A vibration amplitude model for the giant magnetostrictive ultrasonic processing system
Authors: Cai Wanchong , Zhang Jianfu , Yu Dingwen , Feng Pingfa , Wang Jianjian
Published: June 2017

For the purposes of estimation and control of the vibration amplitude in rotary ultrasonic machining, the relation between vibration amplitude and excitation signal was examined. The mechanical components outside the Terfenol-D were regarded as a single-degree-of-freedom mass spring damping system, and an equivalent mechanical model of the giant magnetostrictive ultrasonic processing system was addressed. After that, the vibration amplitude was modeled as a function of the frequency and amplitude of the excitation current by considering both magnetization and magnetostriction of Terfenol-D and ultimately achieved through parameter identification using the methods of impedance analysis and nonlinear least-squares fitting. In addition, the relation between resonant frequency of the giant magnetostrictive ultrasonic processing system and the magnitude of the excitation current was studied so that the vibration amplitude model was improved. Thus, the vibration amplitude of the giant magnetostrictive ultrasonic processing system excited by various electric signals with different frequencies and amplitudes can be calculated. As demonstrated by comparison with experimental results, the vibration amplitude model can accurately estimate the vibration amplitude of the giant magnetostrictive ultrasonic processing system. It indicates that the model is meaningful for the design and control of the giant magnetostrictive ultrasonic processing system.
Mack Center on Nonprofit and Public Sector Management in Human Service Organizations
Authors: Austin Michael J.
Published: June 2017

This invited set of reflections upon the research carried out under the auspices of a school of social work is part of a series featuring research centers. It reflects 25 years of scholarly work related to both public and nonprofit human service organizations at the only university-based research center in the United States devoted to research on the management of human service organizations. Organized in the predefined categories of center history, structure, past projects, and current projects, it features current and past research in the areas of welfare services, child welfare services, adult and aging services, organizational support for evidence-informed practice, sustainability of nonprofits, international human services, and practice research methodology. Dedicated to the principles of team science by including graduate students, postdoctorate fellows, and consulting researchers, the Mack Center features the processes of practice research in which practitioners play a major role in the research process.
Exploring Low Levels of Inter-Parental Agreement Over South African Fathers’ Parenting Practices
Authors: Mercer Gareth D. , Jewkes Rachel , Esser Monika , MacNab Ying C. , Patrick David M. , Buxton Jane A. , Bettinger Julie A.
Published: June 2017

High rates of residential separation of fathers and children in South Africa demand reliable methods of collecting data on the parenting practices of nonresident fathers. Using questionnaire data from matched mother–father pairs, we assessed the reliability of mother’s reports of father’s involvement in infant care as a proxy for father’s own reports. Agreement between parental reports was reasonable for father’s financial provisioning and time spent with the infant, but poor for father’s engagement in direct caregiving, decision-making responsibility, and assistance with household chores. Across a range of activities, fathers reported higher levels of involvement than were acknowledged by mothers. Disagreement over definitions of the underlying parenting practices being assessed and definitions of the response categories on the questionnaire appeared to contribute to low levels of overall agreement. Mother and father reports should not be treated interchangeably in research on father involvement. Ideally, future research will incorporate data from multiple observers.
Young Icelandic Men’s Perception of Masculinities
Authors: Jóhannsdóttir Ásta , Gíslason Ingólfur V.
Published: June 2017

Iceland enjoys an international reputation as one of the most gender equal countries in the world. This article analyses how young men in Reykjavík, the country’s capital, perceive masculinities as they orient themselves in surroundings where gender equality is regarded as a common goal and a behavioral norm. The analysis, based on qualitative interviews, shows that the men in the study are heavily influenced by gender equality discourse and welcome change and the ever narrowing gap between genders. At the same time, they express uncertainties as they describe both changes and stabilities in what is expected of them as men. There are clear indications that masculinity is more broadly defined than before, that nowadays more things are “permissible,” and yet despite this liberalization, certain homophobic attitudes still linger on.
A Computational Methodology to Overcome the Challenges Associated With the Search for Specific Enzyme Targets to Develop Drugs Against Leishmania major
Authors: Catharina Larissa , Lima Carlyle Ribeiro , Franca Alexander , Ramos Guimarães Ana Carolina , Alves-Ferreira Marcelo , Tuffery Pierre , Derreumaux Philippe , Carels Nicolas
Published: June 2017

We present an approach for detecting enzymes that are specific of Leishmania major compared with Homo sapiens and provide targets that may assist research in drug development. This approach is based on traditional techniques of sequence homology comparison by similarity search and Markov modeling; it integrates the characterization of enzymatic functionality, secondary and tertiary protein structures, protein domain architecture, and metabolic environment. From 67 enzymes represented by 42 enzymatic activities classified by AnEnPi (Analogous Enzymes Pipeline) as specific for L major compared with H sapiens, only 40 (23 Enzyme Commission [EC] numbers) could actually be considered as strictly specific of L major and 27 enzymes (19 EC numbers) were disregarded for having ambiguous homologies or analogies with H sapiens. Among the 40 strictly specific enzymes, we identified sterol 24-C-methyltransferase, pyruvate phosphate dikinase, trypanothione synthetase, and RNA-editing ligase as 4 essential enzymes for L major that may serve as targets for drug development.
Perioperative Management of Neurological Conditions
Authors: Dhallu Manjeet Singh , Baiomi Ahmed , Biyyam Madhavi , Chilimuri Sridhar
Published: June 2017

Perioperative care of the patients with neurological diseases can be challenging. Most important consideration is the management and understanding of pathophysiology of these disorders and evaluation of new neurological changes that occur perioperatively. Perioperative generally refers to 3 phases of surgery: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. We have tried to address few commonly encountered neurological conditions in clinical practice, such as delirium, stroke, epilepsy, myasthenia gravis, and Parkinson disease. In this article, we emphasize on early diagnosis and management strategies of neurological disorders in the perioperative period to minimize morbidity and mortality of patients.
Oral Anaerobic Bacteria in the Etiology of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: Öğrendik Mesut
Published: June 2017

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is associated with periodontitis. Anti– Porphyromonas gingivalis and anti– Prevotella intermedia antibody titers were higher in patients with spondyloarthritis than in healthy people. Sulfasalazine is an effective antibiotic treatment for AS. Moxifloxacin and rifamycin were also found to be significantly effective. The etiology hypothesis suggests that oral anaerobic bacteria such as Porphyromonas spp and Prevotella spp contribute to the disease. These bacteria have been identified in AS, and we will discuss their pathogenic properties with respect to our knowledge of the disease. Periodontal pathogens are likely to be responsible for the development of AS in genetically susceptible individuals. This finding should guide the development of more comprehensive and efficacious treatment strategies for AS.
Cost-Utility of a Single-Injection Combined Corticosteroid-Hyaluronic Acid Formulation vs a 2-Injection Regimen of Sequential Corticosteroid and Hyaluronic Acid Injections
Authors: Belzile Etienne L , Deakon Robert T , Vannabouathong Christopher , Bhandari Mohit , Lamontagne Martin , McCormack Robert
Published: June 2017

Research has shown early and sustained relief with a combination therapy of a corticosteroid (CS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients. This can be administered via a single injection containing both products or as separate injections. The former may be more expensive when considering only product cost, but the latter incurs the additional costs and time of a second procedure. The purpose of this study was to compare the cost-utility of the single injection with the 2-injection regimen. The results of this analysis revealed that the single-injection formulation of a CS and HA may be cost-effective, assuming a willingness-to-pay of $50 000 per quality-adjusted life year gained, for symptomatic relief of OA symptoms. This treatment may also be more desirable to patients who find injections to be inconvenient or unpleasant.
Cardiac Rehabilitation for Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Practical Guide to Enhance Patient Outcomes Through Continuity of Care
Authors: Giuliano Catherine , Parmenter Belinda J , Baker Michael K , Mitchell Braden L , Williams Andrew D , Lyndon Katie , Mair Tarryn , Maiorana Andrew , Smart Neil A , Levinger Itamar
Published: June 2017

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of disease burden worldwide. Referral to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a class I recommendation for all patients with CAD based on findings that participation can reduce cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, as well as improve functional capacity and quality of life. However, programme uptake remains low, systematic progression through the traditional CR phases is often lacking, and communication between health care providers is frequently suboptimal, resulting in fragmented care. Only 30% to 50% of eligible patients are typically referred to outpatient CR and fewer still complete the programme. In contemporary models of CR, patients are no longer treated by a single practitioner, but rather by an array of health professionals, across multiples specialities and health care settings. The risk of fragmented care in CR may be great, and a concerted approach is required to achieve continuity and optimise patient outcomes. ‘Continuity of care’ has been described as the delivery of services in a coherent, logical, and timely fashion and which entails 3 specific domains: informational, management, and relational continuity. This is examined in the context of CR.
Constructing conflict and cooperation: The rhetoric of coalition bargaining
Authors: Atkins Judi
Published: June 2017

The central contention of this article is that coalition bargaining is permeated by the competing imperatives of unity and distinctiveness, and that rhetoric is key to managing these. Drawing on Kenneth Burke’s ‘new rhetoric’, the article distinguishes three forms of identification and division – ideological, instrumental and interpersonal – at work within coalition bargaining. This framework is applied to the negotiations on electoral reform that preceded the formation of the UK coalition government in 2010. The analysis reveals that, through the rhetoric of identification, senior Conservatives and Liberal Democrats discovered ideological common ground on the equalization of constituency boundaries, together with a shared interest in promising to hold a referendum on AV, and thus succeeded in reaching a mutually acceptable agreement on this contentious issue.
Specialists, party members, or national representatives: Patterns in co-sponsorship of amendments in the European Parliament
Authors: Baller Inger
Published: June 2017

Tabling committee amendments is an important way for Members of the European Parliament to influence legislation, build coalitions, and give signals to constituents. This article questions to what extent these coalitions follow party lines, national lines, or the logic of informational specialisation. Expectations are linked to the theories of legislative organisation and tested using exponential random graph models of the co-sponsorship patterns during the seventh legislature of the European Parliament. The results indicate that representing the same member state, sharing committee membership, and being affiliated to the same European Parliament Party Group all contribute to the formation of recurring co-sponsorship ties. Furthermore, this study indicates that especially the European United Left–Nordic Green Left has strong within-party co-sponsorship bonds and that Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe adopts a pivotal link between left and right in cross-party co-sponsorship.
Imprisoning ‘Those’ Kids: Neoliberal Logics and the Disciplinary Alternative School
Authors: Selman Kaitlyn J.
Published: June 2017

Despite a perceived retrenchment of exclusionary school punishment, the disciplinary alternative school has emerged as a space in which to enforce upon marginalized students the logics of neoliberal carcerality. This article draws on the code of conduct handbooks of 15 Texas Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs to illustrate how this space seeks to reaffirm social and economic marginality for certain youth. Specific processes in the alternative school prepare youth for a life of imprisonment, often characterized by criminal justice system involvement, but also precarious (un)employment. As such, this article situates the disciplinary alternative school as one of many ‘alternatives’ to carcerality through which the carceral state maintains its power.
Private schooling and productivity in educational justice
Authors: Espindola Juan
Published: June 2017

This article examines the debate between equity theorists (Adam Swift and Harry Brighouse) and adequacy theorists (Elizabeth Anderson and Debra Satz) over elite private schooling and productivity. It challenges the view, presupposed but never defended by adequacy theorists, that private schools can be justified on social productivity grounds, that is, on account of their ability to increase social wealth and thus benefit the least well-off. The article also argues against what it calls the sufficientarian productivity advantage. Contrary to what adequacy theorists claim, the equity approach does not neglect productivity considerations and, conversely, the adequacy approach exaggerates the extent to which it successfully accommodates the interest in productivity within its account of educational justice.
Sensitive Detection of Immunoglobulin G Stability Using in Real-Time Isothermal Differential Scanning Fluorimetry: Determinants of Protein Stability for Antibody-Based Therapeutics
Authors: Moggridge Jason , Biggar Kyle , Dawson Neal , Storey Kenneth B.
Published: June 2017

Protein instability is a major obstacle in the production and delivery of monoclonal antibody–based therapies for cancer. This study presents real-time isothermal differential scanning fluorimetry as an emerging method to evaluate the stability of human immunoglobulin G protein with high sensitivity. The stability of polyclonal human immunoglobulin G against urea-induced denaturation was assessed following: (1) oxidation by the free-radical generator 2,2-Azobis[2-amidinopropane]dihydrochloride and (2) in selected storage buffers. Significant differences in immunoglobulin G stability were detected by real-time isothermal differential scanning fluorimetry when the immunoglobulin G was stored in 1,4-Piperazinediethanesulfonic acid buffer compared to phosphate-buffered saline, with half-maximal rate of denaturation occurring at a higher urea concentration in 1,4-Piperazinediethanesulfonic acid than phosphate-buffered saline ( Knd;PIPES = 3.56 ± 0.09 M, Knd;PBS = 2.94 ± 0.08 M; P < .01), but differential scanning fluorimetry did not detect differences in unfolding temperature ( Tm;PIPES = 70.5 ± 0.3°C, Tm;PBS = 69.7 ± 0.2°C). The effects of 2,2-Azobis[2-amidinopropane]dihydrochloride-induced oxidation on immunoglobulin G stability were analyzed by real-time isothermal differential scanning fluorimetry; the oxidized protein showed greater sensitivity to urea ( Knd;CNTRL = 3.96 ± 0.19 M, Knd;AAPH = 3.49 ± 0.07 M; P < .05). Similarly, differential scanning fluorimetry indicated greater thermal sensitivity of oxidized immunoglobulin G ( Tm;CNTRL = 70.5 ± 0.3°C, Tm;AAPH = 62.9 ± 0.1°C; P < .001). However, a third method for assessing protein stability, pulse proteolysis, proved to be substantially less sensitive and did not detect significant effects of 2,2-Azobis[2-amidinopropane]dihydrochloride on the half-maximal concentration of urea needed to denature immunoglobulin G ( Cm;CNTRL= 6.8 ± 0.1 M; Cm;AAPH = 6.4 ± 0.7 M). Overall these results demonstrate the merit of using real-time isothermal differential scanning fluorimetry as a rapid and sensitive technique for the evaluation of protein stability in solution using a quantitative real-time thermocycler.