bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case of Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis in a Caucasian Male and Review of Literature
Authors: Thethi Tina K. , Parks Rosemarie , Katalenich Bonnie , Chhabra Pankdeep , McCaw Julie , Syu Stephanie , Nguyen Tuyen , Larrazolo Joshua , Munshi Kartik , Waddadar Jay , Nagireddy Prathima
Published: November 2014

Objective. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP), a known condition in Asian men, is becoming increasingly common in men from Western countries. Since suspicion for TPP as a differential in diagnosis is of utmost importance to avoid overcorrection of hypokalemia and other complications, we are reporting a case of TPP in a 25-year-old Caucasian male.Methods. The patient presented with intermittent lower extremity weakness after consumption of a large high-carbohydrate meal. Clinical examination revealed diffusely enlarged thyroid gland, no muscle power in lower extremities, tremors, and brisk deep tendon reflexes.Results. Clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with Graves’ disease and the patient had hypokalemia. The patient responded to potassium repletion and was treated with propylthiouracil and propranolol. After treatment with radioactive iodine, the patient developed postablative hypothyroidism for which he was treated with levothyroxine.Conclusion. Since this condition is overlooked by physicians in Western countries, we present a case of TPP in a Caucasian male thus showing the importance of consideration of TPP in Caucasians despite its rare occurrence and the need for prompt diagnosis to avoid the danger of hyperkalemia in management of the paralytic attack in TPP patients.
Assessment of Pig Production and Constraints in Mecha District, Amhara Region, Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Mekuriaw Yeshambel , Asmare Bimrew
Published: November 2014

The study was undertaken in Mecha District, Amhara National Regional State, Northwestern Ethiopia, in 2012/2013. The objectives of the study were to assess production purpose and management practices of pig and to identify constraints and generate baseline information for further research and development. From the district, 6 Kebeles (name of local administration in Ethiopia) were identified and from each Kebele 15 households were selected making the number of respondents 90. A pretested semistructured questionnaire was employed for collecting data through interview and face to face discussion with the pig owners including key informant group discussion and secondary sources. Multivisits to study sites were also made to observe the feeding, housing, and other pig management practices. The results indicated that the purpose of pig production is mainly targeted for additional income and profit for the household in which pigs are sold for external markets as pork is not consumed by local community. Results indicate that pig keepers were farmers or nonfarmers with small land holding and people engaged in other types of work. The major feed source for pig was grazing, followed by crop residue feeding and supplementing with household and agricultural by-products. Pigs are kept in house at least for the night, though the pig house was not separated by age or physiological stage. The most important constraints of pig production in the study area were feed shortage, poor access to veterinary services, and poor market linkage.
Seed Dispersal and Germination Traits of 70 Plant Species Inhabiting the Gurbantunggut Desert in Northwest China
Authors: Liu Huiliang , Zhang Daoyuan , Yang Xuejun , Huang Zhenying , Duan Shimin , Wang Xiyong
Published: November 2014

Seed dispersal and germination were examined for 70 species from the cold Gurbantunggut Desert in northwest China. Mean and range (3 orders of magnitude) of seed mass were smaller and narrower than those in other floras (5–8 orders of magnitude), which implies that selection favors relatively smaller seeds in this desert. We identified five dispersal syndromes (anemochory, zoochory, autochory, barochory, and ombrohydrochory), and anemochorous species were most abundant. Seed mass (F=3.50,P=0.01), seed size (F=8.31,P<0.01), and seed shape (F=2.62,P=0.04) differed significantly among the five dispersal syndromes and barochorous species were significantly smaller and rounder than the others. There were no significant correlations between seed mass (seed weight) (P=0.15), seed size (P=0.38), or seed shape (variance) (P=0.95) and germination percentage. However, germination percentages differed significantly among the dispersal syndromes (F=3.64,P=0.01) and seeds of ombrohydrochorous species had higher germination percentages than those of the other species. In the Gurbantunggut Desert, the percentage of species with seed dormancy was about 80%. In general, our studies suggest that adaptive strategies in seed dispersal and germination of plants in this area are closely related to the environment in which they live and that they are influenced by natural selection forces.
Primary Pneumatosis Intestinalis of Small Bowel: A Case of a Rare Disease
Authors: Berritto Daniela , Crincoli Raffaello , Iacobellis Francesca , Iasiello Francesca , Pizza Nunzia Luisa , Lassandro Francesco , Musto Lanfranco , Grassi Roberto
Published: November 2014

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a condition in which multiple gas-filled cysts are located in the bowel wall; it can represent a wide spectrum of diseases and a variety of underlying diagnoses. The present report describes the case of an 86-year-old man with symptomatic primary PI of small bowel treated with surgical approach after periodic episodes of cysts rupture and superimposed inflammation revealed on the basis of a clinical suspicion thanks to abdominal computed tomography. Moreover, after one year of followup, there has been no recurrence of digestive symptoms.
Gyejigachulbu‐Tang Relieves Oxaliplatin‐Induced Neuropathic Cold and Mechanical Hypersensitivity in Rats via the Suppression of Spinal Glial Activation
Authors: Ahn Byung-Soo , Kim Seong-Kyu , Kim Ha Neul , Lee Ji-Hye , Lee Ji-Hwan , Hwang Deog Sang , Bae Hyunsu , Min Byung-Il , Kim Sun Kwang
Published: November 2014

Activation of spinal glial cells plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. An administration of oxaliplatin, an important anticancer drug, often induces acute neuropathic cold hypersensitivity and/or mechanical hypersensitivity in patients. Gyejigachulbu‐tang (GBT), a herbal formula comprising Cinnamomi Cortex, Paeoniae Radix, Atractylodis Lanceae Rhizoma, Zizyphi Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma, and Aconiti Tuber, has been used in East Asia to treat various pain symptoms, especially in cold patients. This study investigated whether and how GBT alleviates oxaliplatin‐induced cold and mechanical hypersensitivity in rats. The behavioral signs of cold and mechanical hypersensitivity were evaluated by a tail immersion test in cold water (4°C) and a von Frey hair test, respectively. The significant cold and mechanical hypersensitivity were observed 3 days after an oxaliplatin injection (6 mg/kg, i.p.). Daily oral administration of GBT (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg) for 5 days markedly attenuated cold and mechanical hypersensitivity. Immunoreactivities of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, astrocyte marker) and OX‐42 (microglia marker) in the spinal dorsal horn were significantly increased by an oxaliplatin injection, which were restored by GBT administration. These results indicate that GBT relieves oxaliplatin‐induced cold and mechanical hypersensitivity in rats possibly through the suppression of spinal glial activation.
Downlink Traffic Scheduling with Contact Durations Awareness for Vehicular Infrastructures
Authors: Yan Zhongjiang , Li Bo
Published: November 2014

The vehicular infrastructures or roadside units (RSUs) in vehicular delay tolerant networks (VDTNs) can be used as the gateways of the distributed sensor networks. The different classes of service (CoS) support are desired when more than one type of the sensed data are collected by the RSUs. In this paper, the CoS support traffic scheduling problem for the RSU in VDTNs is considered. By exploring the contact information between the vehicles and the RSU, the CoS traffic scheduling problem is formulated as a maximum weighted triple matching problem, where the traffic scheduling strategy is a timeslot-vehicle-traffic matched pair. A flow network based method is proposed to optimally solve the maximum weighted triple matching problem. Both the offline version and the online version of the traffic scheduling algorithm are developed. Extensive simulations are conducted and the simulation results show the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed flow network based algorithms.
The Frequency of Anti-Aquaporin-4 Ig G Antibody in Neuromyelitis Optica and Its Spectrum Disorders at a Single Tertiary Referral Center in Malaysia
Authors: Viswanathan Shanthi , Arip Masita , Mustafa Norhazlin , Dhaliwal Jasbir S. , Rose Norzainie , Muda Sobri , Puvanarajah Santhi Datuk , Rafia Mohammad Hanip , Wing Loong Mark Cheong
Published: November 2014

Background. In the past the occurrence of neuromyelitis optica in Malaysia was thought to be uncommon and the frequency of anti-aquaporin-4 Ig G antibody was unknown.Objective. To evaluate the frequency of anti-aquaporin-4 Ig G antibody (Anti-AQP4 antibody) amongst patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and its spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and the differences between the seropositive and seronegative groups.Methods. Retrospectively, 96 patients with NMO/high risk syndromes for NMOSD (HRS-NMOSD) were identified out of 266 patients with idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease from a single center hospital based registry. Anti-AQP4 seropositivity was found in 38/48 (79.2%) with NMO, 12/21 (57.1%) with brain involvement at high risk for NMOSD, 12/15 (80%) with transverse myelitis (i.e., 11/15 with relapsing transverse myelitis and one with monophasic transverse myelitis), and 3/7 (42.8%) with relapsing optic neuritis. Sixty-five out of 96 patients, that is, 67.7%, with NMO/HRS for NMOSD were seropositive. Seropositivity was significantly associated with female gender, a higher number of mean relapses, that is, 5.15 ± 4.42 versus 2.10 ± 1.68, longer length of spinal cord lesions, that is, 6.6 ± 4.9 versus 2.9 ± 2.5, vertebral bodies, higher EDSS, 4.5 ± 2.4 versus 2.4 ± 2.6, presence of paroxysmal tonic spasms, and blindness (unilateral/bilateral);P<0.001. Longitudinally extensive cord lesions (contiguous or linear), presence of lesions in the cervical and thoracic regions, and involvement of the central gray matter or holocord regions on axial scans, were also significantly associated with seropositivity;P<0.001.Conclusion. NMO and HRS for NMOSD are present in larger numbers than previously thought in Malaysia. More than 2/3rds are seropositive. Seropositive and seronegative NMO/NMOSD have differences that are useful in clinical practice.
Pneumatic Displacement with Perfluoropropane Gas and Intravitreal Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Subretinal Subfoveal Hemorrhage after Focal Laser Photocoagulation in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy
Authors: Al Rubaie Khalid , Espinoza Juan V. , Lasave Andres F. , Savino-Zari Dario , Arevalo Fernando A. , Arevalo J. Fernando
Published: November 2014

Objective. To report the visual and anatomic outcomes of pneumatic displacement with perfluoropropane (C3F8) gas and intravitreal tissue plasminogen activator (IVTPA) for subretinal subfoveal hemorrhage after focal laser photocoagulation in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).Method. Interventional, retrospective case report of one eye (one patient). Outcome measures included visual acuity (VA), central macular thickness (CMT), and size of the lesion at two weeks of followup. Fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherent tomography (OCT) were used to measure anatomic outcomes.Results. A 35-year-old man with history of chronic CSCR received focal laser photocoagulation in the right eye two days before presentation. At initial examination, VA was 20/200 (ETDRS chart), CMT was 398 μ, and a subretinal subfoveal hemorrhage was seen. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) at a dose of 25 µg/0.1 mL was injected intravitreally before intravitreal C3F8 injection, and prone positioning was indicated postoperatively. At 24 hours, the hemorrhage had been displaced inferiorly and VA improved to 20/100. Two weeks later, VA improved to 20/80, CMT decreased to 225 μ, and the hemorrhage decreased without foveal involvement.Conclusions. The technique seems safe and effective in treating visually significant subretinal subfoveal hemorrhage.
Corrosion Effects on the Strength Properties of Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete Containing Slag and Corrosion Inhibitor
Authors: Anandan Sivakumar , Vallarasu Manoharan Sounthararajan , Sengottian Thirumurugan
Published: November 2014

Corrosion in steel can be detrimental in any steel rebar reinforced concrete as well as in the case of steel fibre reinforced concrete. The process of corrosion occurring in steel fibre incorporated concrete subjected to corrosive environment was systematically evaluated in this study. Concrete specimens were prepared with steel fibre inclusions at 1.5%Vf(volume fraction) of concrete and were added in slag based concrete (containing manufactured sand) and replaced with cement at 20%, 40%, and 60% of total binder. Accelerated corrosion studies were carried out using alternate wetting and drying cycle accompanied with initial stress at 40% and 60% of ultimate stress. Concrete specimens were then immersed in chloride-free water and sodium chloride solution (3.5%) after subjecting to initial stress. The alternate wetting and drying process of different concrete mixes was continued for longer exposure (6 months). Later, the strength degradation during the accelerated corrosion process was then assessed in compressive and flexural tests. Test results indicated that the strength degradation was marginal in the case of steel fibre reinforced concrete containing higher slag content and for the concretes containing corrosion inhibitors. The maximum strength reduction was noticed in the case of plain concrete containing steel fibres and, with the slag addition, a considerable reduction in corrosion potential was noticed. Also, with the increase in slag replacement up to 60%, a significant increase in strength was noticed in flexural test. Experimental test results also showed that the corrosion process in steel fibre reinforced concrete can be controlled with the incorporation of corrosion inhibitors in cementitious system.
Event-Triggered Control for Multiagent Systems with the Problem of Packet Losses and Communication Delays When Using the Second-Order Neighbors’ Information
Authors: Yan Chuan , Yu Mei , Xie Guangming , Liu Yu
Published: November 2014

This paper mainly investigates the event-triggered control for discrete-time multiagent systems with the problem of packet losses and communication delays when both the first-order and the second-order neighbors’ information are used. Event-triggered control laws are adopted so as to reduce the frequency of individual actuation updating under the sampled-data framework for discrete-time agent dynamics. The communication graph is undirected and the loss of data across each communication link occurs at certain probability, which is governed by a Bernoulli process. It is found that the distributed consensus speeds up by using the second-order neighbors’ information when packet losses and communication delays occur. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Nek2 Is a Novel Regulator of B Cell Development and Immunological Response
Authors: Gu Zhimin , Zhou Wen , Huang Junwei , Yang Ye , Wendlandt Erik , Xu Hongwei , He Xiao , Tricot Guido , Zhan Fenghuang
Published: November 2014

The serine/threonine kinase Nek2 is commonly found upregulated in a wide variety of neoplasms including diffuse large B cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma. High expression of Nek2 is implicated in the induction of chromosomal instability, promotion of cell proliferation, and drug resistance in tumor cells as well as a marker for poor clinical outcomes. Despite its well recorded involvement in chromosomal instability and neoplastic growth, little is known about the involvement of Nek2 in B cell development. Here we report the development of a transgenic mouse line with conditional expression of Nek2 in the B cell lineage and the effects it has on the development of B cells. Interestingly, we found that the overexpression of Nek2 does not induce spontaneous tumor formation within the transgenic mice up to 24 months after induction. Instead, overexpression of Nek2 in the B cell lineage affects the development of B cells by increasing the proportion of immature B cells in the bone marrow and decreasing B-1 B cells in peritoneal cavity. Furthermore, Nek2 transgenic mice develop spontaneous germinal centers and exhibit an enhanced T cell dependent immune response. Altogether, our data demonstrates a novel role for Nek2 in regulating B cell development and the immune response.
Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Dementia in Greece
Authors: Jelastopulu Eleni , Giourou Evangelia , Argyropoulos Konstantinos , Kariori Eleftheria , Moratis Eleftherios , Mestousi Angeliki , Kyriopoulos John
Published: November 2014

Introduction. Dementia’s prevalence increases due to population aging. The purpose of this study was to determine the demographic profile of Greek patients with dementia and the differences in management between the urban and rural population. Methods. A cross sectional study was carried out including 161 randomly selected specialists from different regions in Greece who filled in a structured questionnaire relating to patients with dementia, regarding various sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Results. A total of 4580 patients (52% males) with dementia were recorded. Mean age was 73.6 years and 31% lived in rural areas. The Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was used in 87% of cases. In the urban areas the diagnosis of dementia was made in an earlier stage of the disease in comparison to the rural areas (P=0.013). Higher comorbidity and a higher percentage of low education were evident in rural residents (P<0.001), while higher medication usage was observed in urban patients (P=0.04). Conclusions. The results implicate the need for improvement in health care delivery in Greek rural areas and health care professionals’ training to achieve a proper treatment of dementias and increase the quality of life among the elderly habitants of remote areas.
Analysis and Optimization of the Fan-Pad Evaporative Cooling System for Greenhouse Based on CFD
Authors: Chen Jiaoliao , Cai Yanwen , Xu Fang , Hu Haigen , Ai Qinglin
Published: November 2014

A CFD model was presented to simulate the distribution of air velocity and temperature in a greenhouse adopting the fan-pad cooling system in summer. The Boussinesq hypothesis was applied for the simulation of gravitation; the k-ε turbulent model and discrete ordinates model were selected to predict the distribution of air velocity and temperature inside greenhouse using the commercial software Fluent. The differences between simulated and measured air temperature varied from 0.9 to 4°C and the differences of air velocity were less than 0.15 m/s, which proved that the CFD method can estimate the distribution of air velocity and temperature in the greenhouse rationally and effectively. The validated CFD model was then used to evaluate the cooling effect and design the installment of fan and pad in terms of the crop size. The results implied that Case 3 and Case 5 should be chosen when the height of crop canopy varies from 2 m to 3 m. When it varies from 1 m to 2 m, all the cases can be effective except Case 1. When the canopy height is below 1 m, all the cases can be selected. This paper suggested that the CFD model can be used as an optimal tool for fan-pad evaporative cooling system in the greenhouse.
A Comprehensive Review on the Role of Various Materials in the Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells with a Special Focus on the Association of Heat Shock Proteins and Nanoparticles
Authors: Patil Supriya , Paul Subhankar
Published: November 2014

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have important roles in the area of regenerative medicine and clinical applications due to their pluripotent nature. Osteogenic differentiation of MSCs has been studied extensively using various stimulants to develop models of bone repair. There are several factors that enhance the differentiation of MSCs into bone tissues. This review focuses on the effects of various inducers on the osteoblast differentiation of MSCs at different stages of cellular development. We discuss the various growth factors, hormones, vitamins, cytokines, chemical stimulants, and mechanical forces applied in bioreactors that play an essential role in the proliferation, differentiation, and matrix mineralization of stem cells during osteogenesis. Various nanoparticles have also been used recently for the same purpose and the results are promising. Moreover, we review the role of various stresses, including thermal stress, and the subsequent involvement of heat shock proteins as inducers of the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. We also report how various proteasome inhibitors have been shown to induce proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in a number of cases. In this communication, the role of peptide-based scaffolds in osteoblast proliferation and differentiation is also reviewed. Based on the reviewed information, this article proposes novel possibilities for the enhancement of proliferation, differentiation, and migration of osteoblasts from MSCs.
Social Neuroscience and Theory of Mind
Authors: Westby Carol E.
Published: November 2014

Background: The role of theory of mind (ToM) in autism spectrum disorders and other communication impairments has been an active area of research in the last 30 years. Advances in neuroimaging in the last 10 years have led to the rise of the field of social neuroscience, which has markedly increased the understanding of the neurophysiological/neuroanatomical and neurochemical nature of ToM functioning and deficits in typically developing individuals and in children and adults with a variety of social and communication impairments. Objective: The goal of this paper is to (a) describe the current concepts of ToM based on neuroscience research, and (b) present a framework for the dimensions of ToM that have been identified, which can be used to guide assessment and intervention for persons with deficits in ToM that affect social interactions. Summary: This article presents neuroscience research that has documented the neurophysiological/neuroanatomical bases for cognitive and affective ToM and interpersonal and intrapersonal ToM as well as neurochemical and epigenetic influences on ToM. This information provides an important framework for assessing ToM deficits in persons with social and communication impairments and developing interventions that target the specific dimensions of ToM deficits.
Judging Emotions in Lexical-Prosodic Congruent and Incongruent Speech Stimuli by Adolescents in the Autism Spectrum
Authors: Segal Osnat , Kaplan Dafna , Patael Smadar , Kishon-Rabin Liat
Published: November 2014

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess how adolescents with autism who vary in the severity of autistic characteristics judge the emotional state of the speaker when lexical and prosodic information is congruent or incongruent. Participants: Eighty participants, 24 autistic and 56 typically developing (TD) subjects participated: (a) 11 autistic adolescents between 9.5 and 16.83 years old, studying at general education settings (AA1), (b) 13 autistic adolescents between 15.91 and 20.33 years old, studying at a special school (AA2), and (c) 56 TD subjects between 6 and 29 years old. Listeners were required to judge the emotional meaning of words (sad/happy) in congruent conditions and incongruent conditions. Results: (a) All participants judged lexical and prosodic meaning separately with high accuracy, (b) all participants showed prolonged reaction times in the incongruent compared to the congruent condition, (c) AA1 relied on prosodic information in the incongruent condition similarly to TD 9-15 year olds and TD adults, (d) AA2 and TD 6-8 year olds did not rely on prosodic information in the incongruent condition, and (e) both education placements, the severity of autistic characteristics and nonverbal IQ contributed to prosodic judgment in the incongruent condition in autistic adolescents. Conclusions: The two groups of autistic adolescents processed both lexical and prosodic information in the incongruent condition. However, the severity of autistic characteristics influenced the preference for prosody.
Gradient Phonetic Implementation of Regressive Voicing Assimilation in Catalan Heterosyllabic Two- and Three-Consonant Clusters
Authors: Recasens Daniel
Published: November 2014

Electroglottographic data for word-final obstruents in C#C and CC#C sequences with a word-initial voiced consonant indicate that regressive voicing adaptation is a categorical and thus assimilatory process for most Catalan speakers. Word-final obstruents are planned as voiced since they exhibit full voicing or else an initial voicing period which is longer than the voicing lag associated with the vowel preceding the cluster. Segmental duration may also be used by speakers for realizing word-final obstruents as voiced in C#C but not in CC#C clusters. The phonetic implementation of voicing assimilation proceeds gradually: voicing for word-final obstruents differs considerably among speakers and is less for fricatives than for stops and whenever the word-initial consonant is an obstruent or an approximant than when it is a nasal, a lateral or an alveolar trill. The study also reveals that those C1 realizations which are less prone to acquire voicing show more token-totoken variability in voicing and segmental duration and therefore appear to be less tightly controlled by speakers. In conjunction with data from other studies, these Catalan data suggest that speakers and languages with prevoiced stops may differ with respect to the more or less gradient phonetic implementation of the regressive voicing assimilation process in heterosyllabic consonant clusters. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
A Genome-Wide Screen for Large-Effect Alloimmunization Susceptibility Loci among Red Blood Cell Transfusion Recipients with Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Hanchard Neil A. , Moulds Joann M. , Belmont John W. , Chen Alice
Published: November 2014

Background: A selective susceptibility of certain individuals to form multiple alloantibodies in response to red cell transfusion is well-recognized in clinical practice, and is a particular problem in persons with sickle cell disease (SCD). The reason for this differential susceptibility is unclear, but inter-individual genetic differences are likely to contribute. Methods: We conducted a pilot case-control genome-wide association study using ∼1,000,000 SNPs in 94 alloimmune responders (cases) and non-responders (controls) with SCD in order to identify loci of large effect size associated with alloimmunization. Results: No loci showed evidence of association at a genome-wide significance cut-off (p < 0.5 × 10-8). SNPs in the ARAP1/STARD10 region showed suggestive association (p < 1 × 10-6), but no association was observed at previously implicated loci TRIM21 or HLA. In analyses of the number of accumulated antibodies, a modest association was found with SNPs in the Toll-like receptor gene TLR10 (p < 1 × 10-4). Conclusions: Alloimmunization in persons with SCD is unlikely to be mediated by loci of very large effect size; however, larger and more comprehensive studies are required to fully evaluate loci with more moderate effects. This study provides a working approach to such future studies in SCD.
Prasugrel Plus Aspirin Beyond 12 Months Is Associated With Improved Outcomes After Taxus Liberté Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent Placement
Authors: Garratt Kirk N. , Weaver W. Douglas , Jenkins Ronald G. , Pow Thomas K. , Mauri Laura , Kereiakes Dean J. , Winters Kenneth J. , Christen Thomas , Allocco Dominic J. , Lee David P.
Published: November 2014

Background—

The TAXUS Liberté Post Approval Study (TL-PAS) contributed patients treated with TAXUS Liberté paclitaxel-eluting stent and prasugrel to the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Study (DAPT) that compared 12 and 30 months thienopyridine plus aspirin therapy after drug-eluting stents.

Methods and Results—

Outcomes for 2191 TL-PAS patients enrolled into DAPT were assessed. The DAPT coprimary composite end point (death, myocardial infarction [MI], or stroke) was lower with 30 compared with 12 months prasugrel treatment (3.7% versus 8.8%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.407;
P
<0.001). Rates of death and stroke were similar between groups, but MI was significantly reduced with prolonged prasugrel treatment (1.9% versus 7.1%; HR, 0.255;
P
<0.001). The DAPT coprimary end point, stent thrombosis, was also lower with longer therapy (0.2% versus 2.9%; HR, 0.063;
P
<0.001). MI related to stent thrombosis (0% versus 2.6%;
P
<0.001) and occurring spontaneously (1.9% versus 4.5%; HR, 0.407;
P
=0.007) were both reduced with prolonged prasugrel. MI rates increased within 90 days of prasugrel cessation after both 12 and 30 months treatment. Composite Global Utilization of Streptokinase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO) moderate or severe bleeds were modestly increased (2.4% versus 1.7%; HR, 1.438;
P
=0.234) but severe bleeds were not more frequent (0.3% versus 0.5%; HR, 0.549;
P
=0.471) in the prolonged treatment group.

Conclusions—

Prasugrel and aspirin continued for 30 months reduced ischemic events for the TAXUS Liberté paclitaxel-eluting stent patient subset from DAPT through reductions in MI and stent thrombosis. Withdrawal of prasugrel was followed by an increase in MI after both 12 and 30 months therapy. The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy with prasugrel after TAXUS Liberté paclitaxel-eluting stent remains unknown, but appears to be >30 months.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00997503.
Trends in Blood Pressure Among Adults With Hypertension
Authors: Yoon Sung Sug , Gu Qiuping , Nwankwo Tatiana , Wright Jacqueline D. , Hong Yuling , Burt Vicki
Published: November 2014

The aim of this study is to describe trends in the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension; mean blood pressure; and the classification of blood pressure among US adults 2003 to 2012. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2012, a total of 9255 adult participants aged ≥18 years were identified as having hypertension, defined as measured blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or taking prescription medication for hypertension. Awareness and treatment among hypertensive adults were ascertained via an interviewer administered questionnaire. Controlled hypertension among hypertensive adults was defined as systolic blood pressure <140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg. Blood pressure was categorized as optimal blood pressure, prehypertension, and stage I and stage II hypertension. Between 2003 and 2012, the percentage of adults with controlled hypertension increased (
P
-trend <0.01). Hypertensive adults with optimal blood pressure and with prehypertension increased from 13% to 19% and 27% to 33%, respectively (
P
-trend <0.01 for both groups). Among hypertensive adults who were taking antihypertensive medication, uncontrolled hypertension decreased from 38% to 30% (
P
-trend <0.01). Similarly, a decrease in mean systolic blood pressure was observed (
P
-trend <0.01); however, mean diastolic blood pressure remained unchanged. The trend in the control of blood pressure has improved among hypertensive adults resulting in a higher percentage with blood pressure at the optimal or prehypertension level and a lower percentage in stage I and stage II hypertension. Overall, mean systolic blood pressure decreased as did the prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension among the treated hypertensive population.
Temporal Perceptual Learning
Authors: Bueti Domenica , Buonomano Dean V.
Published: November 2014

Our interaction with the environment and each other is inherently time-varying in nature. It is thus not surprising that the nervous systems of animals have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to not only tell time, but to learn to discriminate and produce temporal patterns. Indeed some of the most sophisticated human behaviors, such as speech and music, would not exist if the human brain was unable to learn to discriminate and produce temporal patterns. Compared to the study of other forms of learning, such as visual perceptual learning, the study of the learning of interval and temporal pattern discrimination in the subsecond range is relatively recent. A growing number of studies over the past 15 years, however, have established that perceptual and motor timing undergo robust learning. One of the principles to have emerged from these studies is that temporal learning is generally specific to the trained interval, an observation that has important implications to the neural mechanisms underlying our ability to tell time.
Metacognitive Questionnaire on Time: Feeling of the Passage of Time
Authors: Lamotte M. , Chakroun N. , Droit-Volet S. , Izaute M.
Published: November 2014

The aim of our studies was to design a Metacognitive Questionnaire on Time (MQT) that assesses inter-individual variations in the awareness of factors affecting the experience of the passage of time. In the first study, 532 young adults were asked to reply to an initial questionnaire consisting of 106 questions relating to many different factors (e.g., psychostimulant, body temperature, age, attention) that could affect how time is perceived. Factorial analyses allowed us to extract two discriminant factors, one relating to attention and the other to emotion. The second study sought to validate the final 24-item questionnaire by gathering data from 212 university students. Confirmatory Factorial Analyses (AMOS) showed that the MQT has the same two-factor structure. The third study assessed the construct validity of the MQT by measuring the correlation between the MQT scores and the scores with other questionnaires measuring close or different constructs. In sum, these studies enabled us to develop an easy-to-use questionnaire whereby it is possible to distinguish between individuals according to their subjective feeling of the passage of time. In addition, the participants’ responses on the MQT showed that they were more aware of attention-related factors than of emotion-related factors that might produce time distortions, and that women were more aware of their own temporal distortions than men.
Interval Timing, Dopamine, and Motivation
Authors: Balcı Fuat
Published: November 2014

The dopamine clock hypothesis suggests that the dopamine level determines the speed of the hypothetical internal clock. However, dopaminergic function has also been implicated for motivation and thus the effect of dopaminergic manipulations on timing behavior might also be independently mediated by altered motivational state. Studies that investigated the effect of motivational manipulations on peak responding are reviewed in this paper. The majority of these studies show that a higher reward magnitude leads to a leftward shift, whereas reward devaluation leads to a rightward shift in the initiation of timed anticipatory behavior, typically in the absence of an effect on the timing of response termination. Similar behavioral effects are also present in a number of studies that investigated the effect of dopamine agonists and dopamine-related genetic factors on peak responding. These results can be readily accounted for by independent modulation of decision-thresholds for the initiation and termination of timed responding.
Motion and Lateral Organization in Monet’s Painting Impact Body Sway?
Authors: Kapoula Zoï , Gaertner Chrystal
Published: November 2014

This study examined the effects of pictorial motion cues and lateral organization in artworks on postural stability. Body sway of adults was measured as they viewed two paintings by Monet projected in their artist-created, original and reversed, mirror-image views. The paintings were comparable in terms of pictorial content, color, image size and overall structural organization but differed in the strength of depicted motion. The variance of speed of body sway (related to the energy needed to control posture), was always higher while viewing either painting (either orientation) than in a baseline condition (fixation of a cross). Differences in surface area per se of body sway and the variance of the speed of body sway measures were observed between the original and its lateral reversal orientations for one painting but not the other. Findings suggest that the mechanisms responsible for postural stability can be differentially sensitive to depicted motion cues and the lateral organization in paintings. These preliminary results are discussed in terms of offline embodied cognition.
Descriptions and key to the larvae of the Tasmanian endemic genus Hoplogonus Parry (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), and comparison with the sympatric Lissotes rudis Lea
Authors: RICHARDS KAREN , SPENCER CHRIS P.
Published: November 2014

The stag beetle (Coleoptera: Lucaindae) genus Hoplogonus Parry is endemic to northeastern Tasmania and contains three recognised species. Descriptions of the imagines have been published previously, but not the larvae. Descriptions of the larvae of the three Hoplogonus species and the sympatric Lissotes rudis Lea (also Lucanidae) are presented and discussed, and a key to aid identification of Hoplogonus larvae is included. The classification of Hoplogonus within the tribe Platycerini is proposed, alongside Lissotes.
One new species of the Genus Apotrechus (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae), with provided morphological photographs for five Chinese species
Authors: BIAN XUN , WANG SHUAI-YU , SHI FU-MING
Published: November 2014

One new species of the genus Apotrechus from China is described, i.e. Apotrechus trilobus Bian & Shi sp. nov.. Meanwhile, a key to the species and the morphological photographs for five Chinese known species are provided in this paper. All material is deposited in the Museum of Hebei University.
Carl Schorske in Prague
Authors: Ort Thomas
Published: November 2014

In this essay, I describe the ways I have used some of the classic methods and models of intellectual history not only to integrate East European literary figures into wider European cultural debates, but also to re-cast the East–West boundaries of those debates.
Problematic Analogies and Forgotten Details of 1989
Authors: Chirot Daniel
Published: November 2014

We are happy that communism ended mostly peacefully in East-Central Europe in 1989. That civil society channeled peaceful dissent in the northern part of this region was important. Nevertheless, it is wrong to minimize other factors. The action of the main leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States were equally or more crucial. Gorbachev’s unwillingness to sustain old Soviet interventionist policies and Reagan’s decision to treat Gorbachev with respect and agree to weapons reductions against the advice of many of his most hawkish advisors were necessary for this to come out well. But unfortunately, because the role of civil society was blown out of proportion, and also because the transition from communism went relatively smoothly, mistaken conclusions were drawn by American policy makers. They came to believe that civil society everywhere in the world was inclined to be democratic, peaceful, and pro-American. In fact, that has not been the case, and the kind of easy transition to free market democracy that marked much of East-Central Europe has not been replicated elsewhere, particularly not in the Middle East and Afghanistan. It might have been more appropriate to conclude from the events of 1989 that Yugoslavia, not Poland, was the case that most resembled the ethnically and religiously divided parts of the world, and to remember that even in Poland the homogeneity of the population was the result of brutal genocide, mass expulsions, and forced boundary changes that had taken place as a result of World War II.
Is Realism Passé? a Realist Rejoinder: The Case of Ethiopia/Eritrea
Authors: Sinha Anurag
Published: November 2014

Questions of norms, culture and ethnicity pose the principal challenge to realism in the present day, finding articulation in constructivism (which, in itself, is abroad category), the idea of the “security community”, and a growing pool of research on Third World internal wars. In the first section, we shall concentrate primarily on the ideas of Peter Katzenstein, Michael Barnett, Kaveji Holsti and Steven David to understand the charges leveled against realism, and to bring to light its many perceived inadequacies. The second section shall attempt to offer a defence of realism, positing answers to the questions and claims surveyed in the first section. We shall primarily explore the works of Kenneth Waltz, Michael Desch and Barry R. Posen in this section. The third and final section shall focus on a case study of the Ethiopia/Eritrea conflict, in trying to clinch the importance of realism as an explanatory theory of international relations (IR) — by laying out the narrative of the Eritrean secessionist movement and the puzzling balancing behaviour exhibited by the Ethiopian state, and consequently explaining the same in realist terms.
Can HF/E Professionals Contribute to Global Climate Change Solutions?
Authors: Drury Colin G.
Published: November 2014

This article provides an overview of possible beneficial interactions between the demands stemming from global climate change and the skill set of human factors/ergonomics professionals. Four levels of interaction are distinguished: enterprise level, consumer product level, individual level, and national/international advocacy.
Communicating a Model-Based Energy Performance Indicator
Authors: Hilliard Antony , Jamieson Greg A. , Jorjani David
Published: November 2014

Monitoring energy performance can help organizations make better efficiency investment and operational decisions. However, key energy performance indicators can be difficult to interpret because they blend effects of real system changes and statistical model behavior. We designed an explanatory energy model report for a commercial energy-monitoring product. The design was guided by a task analysis based on user observation, interviews, and designer participation. It was refined with usability heuristics, task walk-throughs, and tabletop discussions. Our collaborator is incorporating the design into its next product revision.
Environmental Control Issues in a New Energy-Efficient Building
Authors: Lee Michael P. , Carswell C. Melody , Seidelman Will , Sublette Michelle
Published: November 2014

The availability of adjustable lighting controls, with options other than “on” and “off,” have been associated with increased energy savings. In the present study, we describe the way customizable, networked lighting controls are actually used in a recently built research facility that received a formal designation for sustainable design (LEED Gold). In addition to usage patterns, we explored occupants’ knowledge of control operation as well as the expectancies of nonoccupants. We also identified a variety of features that, if redesigned in accordance with HF/E principles, might lead to reduced lighting usage.
You Cannot Step Into the Same River Twice
Authors: McShane Blakeley B. , Böckenholt Ulf
Published: November 2014

Statistical power depends on the size of the effect of interest. However, effect sizes are rarely fixed in psychological research: Study design choices, such as the operationalization of the dependent variable or the treatment manipulation, the social context, the subject pool, or the time of day, typically cause systematic variation in the effect size. Ignoring this between-study variation, as standard power formulae do, results in assessments of power that are too optimistic. Consequently, when researchers attempting replication set sample sizes using these formulae, their studies will be underpowered and will thus fail at a greater than expected rate. We illustrate this with both hypothetical examples and data on several well-studied phenomena in psychology. We provide formulae that account for between-study variation and suggest that researchers set sample sizes with respect to our generally more conservative formulae. Our formulae generalize to settings in which there are multiple effects of interest. We also introduce an easy-to-use website that implements our approach to setting sample sizes. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for quantifying between-study variation.
Deny, Distance, or Dismantle? How White Americans Manage a Privileged Identity
Authors: Knowles Eric D. , Lowery Brian S. , Chow Rosalind M. , Unzueta Miguel M.
Published: November 2014

Social scientists have traditionally argued that whiteness—the attribute of being recognized and treated as a White person in society—is powerful because it is invisible. On this view, members of the racially dominant group have the unique luxury of rarely noticing their race or the privileges it confers. This article challenges this “invisibility thesis,” arguing that Whites frequently regard themselves as racial actors. We further argue that whiteness defines a problematic social identity that confronts Whites with 2 psychological threats: the possibility that their accomplishments in life were not fully earned ( meritocratic threat) and the association with a group that benefits from unfair social advantages ( group-image threat). We theorize that Whites manage their racial identity to dispel these threats. According to our deny, distance, or dismantle (3D) model of White identity management, dominant-group members have three strategies at their disposal: deny the existence of privilege, distance their own self-concepts from the White category, or strive to dismantle systems of privilege. Whereas denial and distancing promote insensitivity and inaction with respect to racial inequality, dismantling reduces threat by relinquishing privileges. We suggest that interventions aimed at reducing inequality should attempt to leverage dismantling as a strategy of White identity management.
Stabilization of company’s income modeled by a system of discrete stochastic equations
Authors: Diblík Josef , Dzhalladova Irada , Růžičková Miroslava
Published: November 2014

The paper deals with a system of difference equations where the coefficients depend on Markov chains. The functional equations for a particular density and the moment equations for the system are derived and used in the investigation of mode stability of company’s income. An application of the results is illustrated by two models.