bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling and Numerical Simulations of In-Air Reverberation Images for Fault Detection in Medical Ultrasonic Transducers: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Kochański W. , Boeff M. , Hashemiyan Z. , Staszewski W. J. , Verma P. K.
Published: March 2015

A simplified two-dimensional finite element model which simulates the in-air reverberation image produced by medical ultrasonic transducers has been developed. The model simulates a linear array consisting of 128 PZT-5A crystals, a tungsten-epoxy backing layer, an Araldite matching layer, and a Perspex lens layer. The thickness of the crystal layer is chosen to simulate pulses centered at 4 MHz. The model is used to investigate whether changes in the electromechanical properties of the individual transducer layers (backing layer, crystal layer, matching layer, and lens layer) have an effect on the simulated in-air reverberation image generated. Changes in the electromechanical properties are designed to simulate typical medical transducer faults such as crystal drop-out, lens delamination, and deterioration in piezoelectric efficiency. The simulations demonstrate that fault-related changes in transducer behaviour can be observed in the simulated in-air reverberation image pattern. This exploratory approach may help to provide insight into deterioration in transducer performance and help with early detection of faults.
A Generalization of the Fuglede-Putnam Theorem to Unbounded Operators
Authors: Paliogiannis Fotios C.
Published: March 2015

Let N,M be unbounded normal operators in a Hilbert space and let T be a closed operator whose domain D(T) contains the domain of N, and the domain D(T*) contains the domain of M. It is shown that if TN⊆MT, then TN*⊆M*T.
Self‐Consolidation Mechanism of Nanostructured Ti5Si3 Compact Induced by Electrical Discharge
Authors: Lee W. H. , Cheon Y. W. , Jo Y. H. , Seong J. G. , Jo Y. J. , Kim Y. H. , Noh M. S. , Jeong H. G. , Van Tyne C. J. , Chang S. Y.
Published: March 2015

Electrical discharge using a capacitance of 450 μF at 7.0 and 8.0 kJ input energies was applied to mechanical alloyed Ti5Si3 powder without applying any external pressure. A solid bulk of nanostructured Ti5Si3 with no compositional deviation was obtained in times as short as 159 μsec by the discharge. During an electrical discharge, the heat generated is the required parameter possibly to melt the Ti5Si3 particles and the pinch force can pressurize the melted powder without allowing the formation of pores. Followed rapid cooling preserved the nanostructure of consolidated Ti5Si3 compact. Three stepped processes during an electrical discharge for the formation of nanostructured Ti5Si3 compact are proposed: (a) a physical breakdown of the surface oxide of Ti5Si3 powder particles, (b) melting and condensation of Ti5Si3 powder by the heat and pinch pressure, respectively, and (c) rapid cooling for the preservation of nanostructure. Complete conversion yielding a single phase Ti5Si3 is primarily dominated by the solid‐liquid mechanism.
Limit Theorems for Local Cumulative Shock Models with Cluster Shock Structure
Authors: Bai Jianming , Chen Yun , Yuan Chun , Yin Xiaoling
Published: March 2015

This paper considers a more general shock model with insurance and financial risk background, in which the system is subject to two types of shocks called primary shocks and secondary shocks. Each primary shock causes a series of secondary shocks according to some cluster pattern. In reliability applications, a primary shock can represent an issue of insurance policies of an insurer company, and the secondary shocks then denote the relevant insurance claims generated by the policy. We focus on the local cumulative shock process where only a certain number of the most recent primary and secondary shocks are accumulated. This process is a very new topic in the available literature which is more flexible and realistic in modeling some more complex reliability situations such as bankrupt behavior of an insurance company. Based on the theory of infinite divisibility and stable distributions, we establish a central limit theorem for the local cumulative shock process and obtain the conditions for the process to converge to an infinitely divisible distribution or to anα-stable law. Also, by choosing the proper scale parameters, the process converges to a normal distribution.
A QCT-Based Nonsegmentation Finite Element Head Model for Studying Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Liang Zhaoyang , Luo Yunhua
Published: March 2015

In the existing finite element head models (FEHMs) that are constructed from medical images, head tissues are usually segmented into a number of components according to the interior anatomical structure of the head. Each component is represented by a homogenous material model. There are a number of disadvantages in the segmentation-based finite element head models. Therefore, we developed a nonsegmentation finite element head model with pointwise-heterogeneous material properties and corroborated it by available experiment data. From the obtained results, it was found that although intracranial pressures predicted by the existing (piecewise-homogeneous) and the proposed (pointwise-heterogeneous) FEHM are very similar to each other, strain/stress levels in the head tissues are very different. The maximum peak strains/stresses predicted by the proposed FEHM are much higher than those by the existing FEHM, indicating that piecewise-homogeneous FEHM may have underestimated the stress/strain level induced by impact and thus may be inaccurate in predicting traumatic brain injuries.
A 3-Month, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating the Ability of an Extra-Strength Marine Protein Supplement to Promote Hair Growth and Decrease Shedding in Women with Self-Perceived Thinning Hair
Authors: Ablon Glynis
Published: March 2015

An oral marine protein supplement (MPS) is designed to promote hair growth in women with temporary thinning hair (Viviscal Extra Strength; Lifes2good, Inc., Chicago, IL). This double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed the ability of MPS to promote terminal hair growth in adult women with self-perceived thinning hair associated with poor diet, stress, hormonal influences, or abnormal menstrual cycles. Adult women with thinning hair were randomized to receive MPS (N=30) or placebo (N=30) twice daily for 90 days. Digital images were obtained from a 4 cm2area scalp target area. Each subject’s hair was washed and shed hairs were collected and counted. After 90 days, these measures were repeated and subjects completed Quality of Life and Self-Assessment Questionnaires. MPS-treated subjects achieved a significant increase in the number of terminal hairs within the target area (P<0.0001) which was significantly greater than placebo (P<0.0001). MPS use also resulted in significantly less hair shedding (P=0.002) and higher total Self-Assessment (P=0.006) and Quality of Life Questionnaires scores (P=0.035). There were no reported adverse events. MPS promotes hair growth and decreases hair loss in women suffering from temporary thinning hair. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02297360.
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis in X-Linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease with Central Nervous System Involvement
Authors: Koutsis Georgios , Karadima Georgia , Floroskoufi Paraskewi , Raftopoulou Maria , Panas Marios
Published: March 2015

We report a patient with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTX), carrying a GJB1 mutation affecting connexin-32 (c.191G>A, p. Cys64Tyr) which was recently reported by our group. This is the third case report of a patient with CMTX developing MS, but it is unique in the fact that other family members carrying the same mutation were found to have asymptomatic central nervous system (CNS) involvement (diffuse white matter hyperintensity on brain MRI and extensor plantars). Although this may be a chance association, the increasing number of cases with CMTX and MS, especially with mutations involving the CNS, may imply some causative effect and provide insights into MS pathogenesis.
Inversion Study of Vertical Eddy Viscosity Coefficient Based on an Internal Tidal Model with the Adjoint Method
Authors: Jin Guangzhen , Liu Qiang , Lv Xianqing
Published: March 2015

Based on an isopycnic-coordinate internal tidal model with the adjoint method, the inversion of spatially varying vertical eddy viscosity coefficient (VEVC) is studied in two groups of numerical experiments. In Group One, the influences of independent point schemes (IPSs) exerting on parameter inversion are discussed. Results demonstrate that the VEVCs can be inverted successfully with IPSs and the model has the best performance with the optimal IPSs. Using the optimal IPSs obtained in Group One, the inversions of VEVCs on two different Gaussian bottom topographies are carried out in Group Two. In addition, performances of two optimization methods of which one is the limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (L-BFGS) method and the other is a simplified gradient descent method (GDM-S) are also investigated. Results of the experiments indicate that this adjoint model is capable to invert the VEVC with spatially distribution, no matter which optimization method is taken. The L-BFGS method has a better performance in terms of the convergence rate and the inversion results. In general, the L-BFGS method is a more effective and efficient optimization method than the GDM-S.
Adolescent and Early Adulthood Dietary Carbohydrate Quantity and Quality in Relation to Breast Cancer Risk
Authors: Farvid Maryam S. , Eliassen A. Heather , Cho Eunyoung , Chen Wendy Y. , Willett Walter C.
Published: March 2015

Background: We investigated quantity and quality of dietary carbohydrate as well as insulin load and insulin index during adolescence and also early adulthood in relation to risk of breast cancer in the Nurses' Health Study II.

Methods: During 20 years of follow-up of 90,534 premenopausal women who completed a diet questionnaire in 1991, 2,833 invasive breast cancer cases were documented. In 1998, 44,263 of these women also completed a questionnaire about their diet during high school; among these women, we documented 1,118 cases of breast cancer. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for breast cancer across categories of dietary carbohydrate, glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL), as well as insulin load and insulin index scores.

Results: Adolescent or early adult intakes of GI or GL were not associated with risk of breast cancer. Comparing women in the highest versus lowest quintile, the multivariable-adjusted RRs were 1.14 (0.95–1.38) for adolescent GI scores and 1.03 (0.91–1.16) for early adulthood GI scores. We also did not observe associations with insulin index and insulin load scores in adolescence or early adulthood and breast cancer risk.

Conclusions: We found that diets high in GI, GL, insulin index, and insulin load during adolescence or early adulthood were not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in this cohort study.

Impact: Diets with a high glucose or insulin response in adolescence or early adulthood were not significant predictors of breast cancer incidence. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(7); 1111–20. ©2015 AACR.
Biologic Activity of Autologous, Granulocyte–Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Secreting Alveolar Soft-Part Sarcoma and Clear Cell Sarcoma Vaccines
Authors: Goldberg John M. , Fisher David E. , Demetri George D. , Neuberg Donna , Allsop Stephen A. , Fonseca Catia , Nakazaki Yukoh , Nemer David , Raut Chandrajit P. , George Suzanne , Morgan Jeffrey A. , Wagner Andrew J. , Freeman Gordon J. , Ritz Jerome , Lezcano Cecilia , Mihm Martin , Canning Christine , Hodi F. Stephen , Dranoff Glenn
Published: March 2015

Purpose: Alveolar soft-part sarcoma (ASPS) and clear cell sarcoma (CCS) are rare mesenchymal malignancies driven by chromosomal translocations that activate members of the microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF) family. However, in contrast to malignant melanoma, little is known about their immunogenicity. To learn more about the host response to ASPS and CCS, we conducted a phase I clinical trial of vaccination with irradiated, autologous sarcoma cells engineered by adenoviral-mediated gene transfer to secrete granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

Experimental Design: Metastatic tumors from ASPS and CCS patients were resected, processed to single-cell suspensions, transduced with a replication-defective adenoviral vector encoding GM-CSF, and irradiated. Immunizations were administered subcutaneously and intradermally weekly three times and then every other week.

Results: Vaccines were successfully manufactured for 11 of the 12 enrolled patients. Eleven subjects received from three to 13 immunizations. Toxicities were restricted to grade 1–2 skin reactions at inoculation sites. Vaccination elicited local dendritic cell infiltrates and stimulated T cell–mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions to irradiated, autologous tumor cells. Antibody responses to tissue-type plasminogen activator (tTPA) and angiopoietins-1/2 were detected. Tumor biopsies showed programmed death-1 (PD-1)–positive CD8+ T cells in association with PD ligand-1 (PD-L1)–expressing sarcoma cells. No tumor regressions were observed.

Conclusions: Vaccination with irradiated, GM-CSF–secreting autologous sarcoma cell vaccines is feasible, safe, and biologically active. Concurrent targeting of angiogenic cytokines and antagonism of the PD-1–negative regulatory pathway might intensify immune-mediated tumor destruction. Clin Cancer Res; 21(14); 3178–86. ©2015 AACR.
Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Physician/Pharmacist Collaborative Model to Improve Blood Pressure Control
Authors: Carter Barry L. , Coffey Christopher S. , Ardery Gail , Uribe Liz , Ecklund Dixie , James Paul , Egan Brent , Weg Mark Vander , Chrischilles Elizabeth , Vaughn Thomas
Published: March 2015

Background—

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a physician/pharmacist collaborative model would be implemented as determined by improved blood pressure (BP) control in primary care medical offices with diverse geographic and patient characteristics and whether long-term BP control could be sustained.

Methods and Results—

Prospective, cluster-randomized trial of 32 primary care offices stratified and randomized to control, 9-month intervention (brief), and 24-month intervention (sustained). We enrolled 625 subjects with uncontrolled hypertension; 54% from racial/ethnic minority groups and 50% with diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease. The primary outcome of BP control at 9 months was 43% in intervention offices (n=401) compared with 34% in the control group (n=224; adjusted odds ratio, 1.57 [95% confidence interval, 0.99–2.50];
P
=0.059). The adjusted difference in mean systolic/diastolic BP between the intervention and control groups for all subjects at 9 months was −6.1/−2.9 mm Hg (
P
=0.002 and
P
=0.005, respectively), and it was −6.4/−2.9 mm Hg (
P
=0.009 and
P
=0.044, respectively) in subjects from racial or ethnic minorities. BP control and mean BP were significantly improved in subjects from racial minorities in intervention offices at 18 and 24 months (
P
=0.048 to
P
<0.001) compared with the control group.

Conclusions—

Although the results of the primary outcome (BP control) were negative, the key secondary end point (mean BP) was significantly improved in the intervention group. Thus, the findings for secondary end points suggest that team-based care using clinical pharmacists was implemented in diverse primary care offices and BP was reduced in subjects from racial minority groups.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00935077.
‘What is Language but a Sound We Christen?’ Poetic Retellings as an Improper Surprise for Biblical Reception History
Authors: Tongue Samuel
Published: March 2015

Although overtly poetic interaction with biblical material has often been deemed beyond the pale in critical biblical scholarship, much work in reception history now positions such literature as part of the afterlife of a biblical text. While this is a welcome turn, this article argues that acts of poetic biblical retelling and recycling are more disruptive, troubling the ways in which critical scholarship operates. Utilising Timothy Beal’s thinking around the ‘cultural history of scripture’ and analysing Roland Boer’s sceptical attitude toward reception-historical practices, the first section teases out the nuances of how certain modes of biblical interpretation are deemed primary (and thus more legitimate) and others secondary (and thus anachronistic). 

As such, the second section introduces poetic retellings of biblical material that foreground how poetry is a literary space where knowledge is articulated in particularly performative idioms. Reading poems from Kei Miller and Michael Symmons Roberts that appropriate biblical material, this analysis demonstrates that the poetic retelling of biblical material is an act of writing that refuses secondary status and cannot be simplistically yoked to traditional modes of exegesis. In this way, poetry problematizes the originary-secondary binary in reception-historical interpretation and, at the same time, recasts historical-critical exegesis as another form of ‘supplemental’ writing. This opens up the discipline to rethink some of its most protected interpretative paradigms and engage more fully with other forms of biblical ‘supplement’ across the disciplines.
Morphology and morphometry of Lycaenid eggs (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Authors: MUNGUIRA MIGUEL L. , MARTÍN JOSÉ , GARCÍA-BARROS ENRIQUE , SHAHBAZIAN GAYANEH , CANCELA JUAN PABLO
Published: March 2015

A morphological study with the use of scanning electron microscope of 67 species of Iberian Lycaenidae is presented. The study covers all the genera present in the area and shows an extraordinary variation in chorionic characters that allows egg diagnosis for most species. A morphometric study showed that the eggs from the sample have sizes that are correlated with adult size, but some species showed larger egg size than expected. Species hibernating at the egg stage proved to have on average larger sizes than those overwintering at other stages, probably because this trait might be favourable to endure the adverse conditions taking place during the winter. A cladistic analysis was performed using morphologic and morphometric characters from the egg with the result of poor discriminant power. However, some formal taxonomic groups such as the genera Lycaena and Satyrium were supported by our analysis due to specific apomorphic characters.
A new species, Simulium (Nevermannia) berchtesgadense (Diptera: Simuliidae), and its chromosomes, from the Alps of southeastern Germany
Authors: SEITZ Gunther , ADLER PETER H. , FORSTER MIRA
Published: March 2015

Simulium (Nevermannia) berchtesgadense nov. spec. is described from the Alps of southeastern Germany. The morphology and diagnostic characters for all life stages except the egg are given, and the polytene chromosomes are compared with those of other members of the Simulium (Nevermannia) vernum group. The species is chromosomally similar to Simulium (Nevermannia) cryophilum cytoform 'A' but differs morphologically in each life stage. Bionomic information and the associated simuliid fauna are presented.
Changes in Moisture Flux over the Tibetan Plateau during 1979–2011: Insights from a High-Resolution Simulation
Authors: Gao Yanhong , Leung L. Ruby , Zhang Yongxin , Cuo Lan
Published: March 2015

Net precipitation [precipitation minus evapotranspiration (P − E)] changes between 1979 and 2011 from a high-resolution regional climate simulation and its reanalysis forcing are analyzed over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and compared to the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) product. The high-resolution simulation better resolves precipitation changes than its coarse-resolution forcing, which contributes dominantly to the improved P − E change in the regional simulation compared to the global reanalysis. Hence, the former may provide better insights about the drivers of P − E changes. The mechanism behind the P − E changes is explored by decomposing the column integrated moisture flux convergence into thermodynamic, dynamic, and transient eddy components. High-resolution climate simulation improves the spatial pattern of P − E changes over the best available global reanalysis. High-resolution climate simulation also facilitates new and substantial findings regarding the role of thermodynamics and transient eddies in P − E changes reflected in observed changes in major river basins fed by runoff from the TP. The analysis reveals the contrasting convergence/divergence changes between the northwestern and southeastern TP and feedback through latent heat release as an important mechanism leading to the mean P − E changes in the TP.
A New Statistical Model for Predicting Seasonal North Atlantic Hurricane Activity
Authors: Davis Kyle , Zeng Xubin , Ritchie Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2015

Statistical, dynamical, and statistical–dynamical hybrid models have been developed in past decades for the seasonal prediction of North Atlantic hurricane numbers. These models’ prediction skills show considerable decadal variability, with particularly poor performance in the past few years. Here, environmental factors that affect hurricane activities are reevaluated to develop a new statistical model for seasonal prediction by 1 June of each year. The predictors include the April–May multivariate ENSO index (MEI) conditioned upon the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) index, the power of the average zonal pseudo–wind stress across the North Atlantic in May, and the average March–May tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature. When compared to the actual number of hurricanes each year from 1950 to 2013, this model has a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.91 with a correlation coefficient of 0.71. It shows a 39% improvement in RMSE over a no-skill metric (based on the 5-yr running mean of seasonal hurricane counts) for the period 2001–13. It also outperforms three statistical–dynamical hybrid models [CPC, Colorado State University (CSU), and Tropical Storm Risk (TSR)] by more than 25% for the same period. Furthermore, two approaches are developed to provide the uncertainty ranges around the predicted (deterministic) hurricane number per season that better encompass the range of uncertainty than does the standard method of adding/subtracting a standard deviation of the errors.
Co-creating Relationship Repair
Authors: Petriglieri Jennifer Louise
Published: March 2015

Through a qualitative study of BP executives during and after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil rig explosion and spill, I examine whether and how the relationship between an organization and its members can be repaired once damaged. I found that the incident destabilized executives’ organizational identification, leading them to doubt the alignment between their own identity and BP’s, and generated feelings of ambivalence toward the organization and their role in it. This marked the onset of a process through which members reassessed their identification, leading them either to reidentify and repair their relationship with BP or to deidentify and sever that relationship. Executives resolved their ambivalence and strongly reidentified only when they had organizationally sanctioned opportunities, through working on BPs’ response to the incident, to enact the identity attributes of technical excellence and environmental consciousness that were threatened by the Gulf events, suggesting that full relationship repair requires active co-creation by the member and the organization. Absent co-created repair, social information that supported or undermined executives’ identification with BP was key to resolving ambivalence and destabilized identification. Building on these findings, I develop a model of repairing damaged relationships after a transgression, with the concepts of destabilized identification and co-created repair, and the mechanism of ambivalence resolution at its center.
Leading Organizations Through the Stages of Grief
Authors: Friedrich Elmar , Wüstenhagen Rolf
Published: March 2015

This conceptual article theorizes about the effect of emotions of individual organizational leaders during a period of sustainability-related upheaval within an industry. To illustrate the effect of emotions, it proposes to draw on the model of five stages of grief by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a conceptual framework describing terminally ill patients’ responses to their impending death. The authors adapt Kübler-Ross’s taxonomy and use anecdotal evidence from grieving top managers of energy companies in response to the nuclear phase-out in Germany. The article conceptualizes the influence of emotions in the decision-making process of key agents in response to institutional pressures in their field. The article suggests that focusing on emotional influences will add an important dimension to the analysis of sustainability strategies, and discuss implications for further research at an individual and organizational level.
An evaluation of the impact of the key information summary on GPs and out-of-hours clinicians in NHS Scotland
Authors: Craig Joyce , Morris Libby , Cameron Jonathan , Setters Jo , Varley Danielle , Lay Anna , Thompson Ian
Published: March 2015

Background and aims

Key information summary is one of the first national shared electronic patient records enabling GPs to share clinical information with unscheduled care providers, including out-of-hours. Implemented during 2013, over 90,000 patient records have been created. This evaluation identified the impact of key information summary on healthcare services.

Methods

Evidence was collected using online questionnaires and structured telephone interviews. Opinions providing a numerical estimate of value were analysed using statistical methods, while qualitative responses were synthesised using thematic analysis.

Results

The vast majority of respondents from 441 GP practices and 33 out-of-hours clinicians show that key information summary enhances patient safety, improves clinical management, reduces hospital admissions, empowers clinicians, aids communication across services and enables decisions to be responsive to patients’ wishes.

Conclusions

Patients willingly consent to share data with unscheduled care clinicians. Patients benefitting include those with palliative, complex or multiple conditions, at high risk of using emergency services. Out-of-hours clinicians would welcome more key information summaries, all well-completed and including social care information. Improvements include software enhancements and wider sharing of information with all unscheduled care services.
Quad Charts in the Classroom to Reinforce Technical Communication Fundamentals
Authors: Ford Julie Dyke , Wei Tie
Published: March 2015

Quad charts are a genre frequently used in scientific and technical environments, yet little prior work has evaluated their potential for reinforcing technical communication fundamentals. This article provides background information about quad charts and notes the benefits of implementing quad charts in the classroom. In particular, introducing engineering students to this genre appeals to their tendency to outline information and incorporate visuals in the planning stages of the composing process. The authors share their approach for integrating quad charts within a collaborative project in a fluid dynamics course and note the ways in which the genre facilitated effective project planning and communication within student teams.
Metabolic Syndrome Increases the Risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Taiwan
Authors: Chien Chen‐Yu , Tai Shu‐Yu , Wang Ling‐Feng , Hsi Edward , Chang Ning‐Chia , Wu Ming‐Tsang , Ho Kuen‐Yao
Published: March 2015

Objective

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss has been reported to be associated with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in previous studies. The aim of this study was to examine whether metabolic syndrome increases the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in Taiwan.

Study Design

A case‐control study.

Setting

Tertiary university hospital.

Subjects and Methods

We retrospectively investigated 181 cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and 181 controls from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, in southern Taiwan from 2010 to 2012, comparing their clinical variables. We analyzed the relationship between metabolic syndrome and sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III with Asian modifications. The demographic and clinical characteristics, audiometry results, and outcome were reviewed.

Results

Subjects with metabolic syndrome had a 3.54‐fold increased risk (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.00‐6.43, P <. 01) of having sudden sensorineural hearing loss compared with those without metabolic syndrome, after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. With increases in the number of metabolic syndrome components, the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss increased (P for trend <.01). Vertigo was associated with a poor outcome (P =. 02; 95% CI = 1.13~5.13, adjusted odds ratio = 2.39). The hearing loss pattern may influence the outcome of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (P <. 01).

Conclusion

These results suggest that metabolic syndrome is an independent risk factor for sudden sensorineural hearing loss in Taiwan. Vertigo and total hearing loss were indicators of a poor outcome in sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Correlation of Hope and Self-Efficacy With Job Satisfaction, Job Stress, and Organizational Commitment for Correctional Officers in the Taiwan Prison System
Authors: Law Fang Mei , Guo Gwo Jen
Published: March 2015

The aim of this study was to explore the correlation of hope and self-efficacy with job satisfaction, job stress, and organizational commitment for correctional officers in the Taiwan prison system while controlling for the shared effects of the nature of the institution (i.e., for male or female inmates) and personal characteristics of the officers (i.e., gender, age, and years of work experience). Hope in the context of this study refers to a cognitive set and motivational state that involves reciprocal interaction between goal-directed energy (agency) and planned pathways to meet the goals (pathway). It is a personality trait of hopefulness, rather than having hope for the prisoners restructuring their future. Self-efficacy refers to the belief that individuals have regarding their ability to perform necessary tasks to achieve goals. Although they share similar constructs, hope theory places emphasis on cross-situational goal-directed thought, whereas the concept of self-efficacy focuses on situation-specific goals. The participants were 133 correctional personnel from two correctional institutions, one with male inmates and the other with female inmates, in central Taiwan. The results of ordinary least squares regression analysis indicated that hope had a significant positive association with job satisfaction and a significant negative association with job stress. Self-efficacy had a significant positive association with job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Finally, job satisfaction had a significant positive association with organizational commitment.
Longitudinal Influences of Social Network Characteristics on Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults
Authors: Rafnsson Snorri Bjorn , Shankar Aparna , Steptoe Andrew
Published: March 2015

Objective: To investigate the influence of social network characteristics on subjective well-being over 6 years in a population sample of older adults. Method: A total of 4,116 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Aging provided baseline data on social network characteristics and potential confounding factors, and complete follow-up data on 2 measures of subjective well-being. Results: Social network size and network contact frequency were positively and independently associated with future life satisfaction and quality of life after controlling for confounding factors, including demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and long-standing illness. In contrast, social network diversity was not independently related to future subjective well-being. Conclusion: Different aspects of people’s social networks may help sustain levels of subjective well-being in older age. The role of close relationships and frequent contact in later life may be particularly important. These results highlight the need for examining different aspects of social networks for promoting well-being of older people.
Association Between Lower Extremity Performance and Health-Related Quality of Life in Elderly Mexican Americans
Authors: Bindawas Saad M. , Al Snih Soham , Ottenbacher Allison J. , Graham James , Protas Elizabeth E. , Markides Kyriakos S. , Ottenbacher Kenneth J.
Published: March 2015

Objective:To examine the longitudinal association between levels of lower extremity performance (LEP) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older Mexican Americans aged 72 years or older participating in the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (2000-2006). Method: LEP was measured in 621 non-institutionalized participants with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Participants were divided into high (SPPB score 10-12), intermediate (SPPB score 7-9), and low (SPPB score 0-6) groups based on LEP. HRQoL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36), which includes a Physical Composite Scale (PCS) and a Mental Composite Scale (MCS). Results: Participants in the high LEP group had slower rates of decline in the PCS, and those in the intermediate LEP group had slower rates of decline in the MCS score over time. Discussion: Increased LEP was associated with slower rates of decline in physical and mental HRQoL in older Mexican Americans.
The fabrication and characterization of nanocomposites containing new poly(amide–imide) based on 4,4-methylenebis(3-chloro-2,6-diethyl trimellitimidobenzene) and carboxylic acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Abdolmaleki Amir , Mallakpour Shadpour , Rostami Maryam
Published: March 2015

In this article, a nanostructure poly(amide–imide) (PAI) was prepared from the polymerization of 4,4′-methylenebis(3-chloro-2,6-diethyl trimellitimidobenzene) with 3,5-diamino- N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzamide using tetra- n-butylammonium bromide as a green media and triphenylphosphite as a condensing agent. This methodology is safe and green since toxic and volatile organic solvents were eliminated. To obtain a homogeneous dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in the PAI matrix, carboxyl-modified MWCNT (CA-MWCNT) was used. The resulting nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis. TEM and FESEM results confirm good dispersion of CA-MWCNTs in the polymer matrix.
Rituximab therapy has a rapid and durable response for refractory cytopenia in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Olfat M , Silverman E D , Levy D M
Published: March 2015

Objectives

Autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) and hemolytic anemia (AIHA) are common in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) and may be refractory to conventional therapies. Our objectives were to: (a) examine our experience; (b) determine the rate and durability of response to rituximab; and (c) evaluate its safety in our cSLE population with refractory cytopenias.

Methods

We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of cSLE patients with refractory AITP or AIHA treated with rituximab between 2003 and 2012. Outcomes included the time to complete clinical response, time to B-cell depletion, duration of response and time to flare. Adverse events were also analyzed.

Results

Twenty-four (6%) of 394 cSLE patients received rituximab for refractory cytopenia. The indication was AITP in 16 (67%), AIHA in five (21%) and both in three (13%) patients. The median (interquartile range (IQR)) time from cytopenia onset to rituximab therapy was 16 (7–27) months for AITP and 10 (2–29) months for AIHA. Complete response following the first course of rituximab occurred at a median (IQR) of 48 (14–103) days, only one patient failed to respond. Five (21%) patients had one or more flare episodes at 22 (15–27) months. Infusion reactions were rare and one infection with herpes zoster required hospitalization in the first 12 months. Three of four patients with low IgG levels prior to the first rituximab course developed persistent hypogammaglobulinemia, and three patients have required intravenous immunoglobulin replacement.

Conclusion

Rituximab appears to be a well-tolerated, safe and long-lasting therapy for cSLE patients with refractory AITP and/or AIHA. Caution should be exercised when considering rituximab for patients with preexisting hypogammaglobulinemia.
Assessing Vertical Development in Experiential Learning Curriculum
Authors: Spence Kirsty K. , McDonald Mark A.
Published: March 2015

For 30 years, management educators have supported competency-based management education (CBME). When applying CBME, educators stimulate students’ lateral development, known as the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge and competencies that deepen their current perceptions and task performance. We contend CBME is necessary but not sufficient to develop future leaders in an increasingly complex world. Concurrently, educators must design curricula to stimulate students’ vertical development, described as “how we learn to see the world through new eyes, how we change our interpretations of experience and how we transform our views of reality.” This study examines the impact of an 8-month internship course on students’ lateral and vertical development. The findings support our contention that experiential learning (EL) curricula developed with both lateral and vertical development components are powerful aids in preparing students to address complex work-related challenges.
Prevalence of JAK2V617F mutation in deep venous thrombosis patients and its clinical significance as a thrombophilic risk factor
Authors: Singh Neha , Sharma Amit , Sazawal Sudha , Ahuja Ankur , Upadhyay Ashish , Mahapatra Manoranjan , Saxena Renu
Published: March 2015

Venous thromboembolism is known to be a complex interaction of genetic and acquired factors leading to thrombosis. JAK2V617F mutation is believed to contribute to a thrombophilic phenotype, possibly through enhanced leukocyte–platelet interactions in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Several studies have focused on the importance of screening for JAK2V617F mutation in patients with splanchnic venous thrombosis (VT) for the detection of nonovert MPNs. The role of JAK2V617F mutation in VT outside the splanchnic region is still widely unsettled. The primary aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of JAK2V617F mutation in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT), its clinical significance as a prothrombotic risk factor, and its possible interactions with other genetic thrombophilic risk factors. A total of 148 patients with idiopathic, symptomatic DVT were evaluated. Median age of presentation was 32 years (range 15-71 years) with a sex ratio of 1.3:1. Overall, the most common genetic prothrombotic factor was factor V Leiden mutation, found in 10.8% (16 of 148) of patients who also showed strong association with increased risk of thrombosis (odds ratio 5.94, confidence interval 1.33-26.4, P = .019). Deficiencies in protein C, protein S, and antithrombin were seen in 8 (5.4%), 10 (6.7%), and 8 (5.4%) patients, respectively. It was observed that the frequency of JAK2V617F mutation was lower in Indian patients, and it also showed weaker association with risk of thrombosis, at least in cases of venous thrombosis outside the splanchnic region.
Granular micromechanics model for damage and plasticity of cementitious materials based upon thermomechanics
Authors: Misra Anil , Poorsolhjouy Payam
Published: March 2015

The mechanical behavior of monolithic cementitious materials is known to be significantly affected by their granular nature. This paper describes an approach to incorporate the effects of granularity for cementitious material based upon the granular micromechanics paradigm and thermomechanics. As a result, macro-scale constitutive equations that utilize grain-scale force–displacement relationships have been derived. In this derivation, the connections between grain-scale free energy and dissipation and the macro-scale behavior are established based upon the thermomechanics framework. Expression for Cauchy stress tensor is obtained in terms of the free energy of grain-pair interactions. In addition, the free energy and dissipation potential of grain-pair interactions are used to find a grain-scale Clausius–Duhem type inequality. Thus, inter-granular constitutive equations are obtained in the usual manner with the exception that these are based upon simple physically motivated free energy and dissipation functions formulated in terms of grain-pair interactions. The derived model is used to simulate a wide variety of experimental tests that have been reported in the literature to evaluate material response under multi-axial conditions. The results are analyzed with the aim to reveal the connections between grain-scale mechanisms and the macro-scale behavior.
Emotional Lability in Preschoolers With Symptoms of ADHD
Authors: Overgaard Kristin Romvig , Oerbeck Beate , Aase Heidi , Torgersen Svenn , Reichborn-Kjennerud Ted , Zeiner Pål
Published: March 2015

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine occurrence of emotional lability (EL) in preschoolers with ADHD symptoms versus controls. Method: The study was part of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. In the present study, 495 preschoolers were clinically examined. Symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) were measured with the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment Interview. An EL measure was obtained from the Emotional Control subscale of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function–Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), which parents and teachers completed. Results: EL was significantly more frequent in the ADHD group compared with controls (25% vs. 7%, p < .001). By parent report, EL correlated significantly with ADHD-, anxiety-, and ODD symptoms. By teacher report, EL was significantly correlated only with hyperactivity-impulsivity. Conclusion: EL appears identifiable in young preschoolers and was particularly associated with ODD in children with ADHD symptoms.
European economic constitution and the transformation of democracy: On class and the state of law
Authors: Bonefeld Werner
Published: March 2015

In the context of contemporary analyses of the Europe Union as a post-democratic form of economic governance, this article explores the (ordo)liberal character of monetary union as a regime of imposed liberty. The argument holds that rather than forcing the member states into retreat, the economic constitution of Europe strengthens their liberal foundation, securing their utility as the organised force of a mode of social reproduction founded on free labour. It develops the character of the liberal state as the political form of a free market economy with reference to Adam Smith’s classical political economy and the German ordoliberal tradition, which calls for a rule-based system of federated forms of economic governance to secure a free labour economy in conditions of mass democratic aspirations for a freedom from want. It explores the rationale of the ordoliberal distinction between the liberal character and the democratic character of the state and, in this context, assesses the meaning of liberal democracy in a post-democratic Eurozone.
Predictors of adherence in a prevention program for patients with metabolic syndrome
Authors: Susin Nathália , de Melo Boff Raquel , Ludwig Martha Walig Brusius , Feoli Ana Maria Pandolfo , da Silva Andreia Gustavo , Macagnan Fabricio Elder , da Silva Oliveira Margareth
Published: March 2015

The study objectives were (1) comparison of baseline characteristics between individuals with metabolic syndrome, adhering/not adhering to a primary prevention program modificação do estilo de vida e risco cardiovascular; and (2) determination of risk factors for program adherence. The sample included 127 participants with mean age (±standard deviation) of 49.58 (±7.77) years, participating in the modificação do estilo de vida e risco cardiovascular between 2010 and 2012. Results show that program adherence predictors were age (odds ratio: 1.134, 95% confidence interval: 1.106–1.833); practicing physical exercise (odds ratio: 1.322, 95% confidence interval: 1.115–7.589); self-efficacy for regular eating habits (odds ratio: 2.044, 95% confidence interval: 1.184–3.377); low binge eating scores (odds ratio: 1.922, 95% confidence interval: 1.118–3.974); and low isolation and depression scores (odds ratio: 0.721, 95% confidence interval: 0.322–0.917).
Cultural sustainability of African Canadian heritage: Engaging students in learning, the past, the present and the future
Authors: Finlayson Maureen
Published: March 2015

The focus of this research is cultural sustainability of African Canadian heritage. Research literature informs us that engaging youth in educational programmes at the local level is fundamental to sustainability discussions. Furthermore, students must be actively engaged in their African Canadian past, present and future education. However, there has been a lack of curricula and resources of African Canadian heritage in programmes, resulting in African Canadian students being unaware of the history, culture and positive contributions of their leaders to society. Educators of African heritage in Nova Scotia have developed African Canadian Studies 11. The interview data from African Canadian educators and students reveal the process for the development and implementation of this curriculum, the challenges that African Canadian educators face and the ways in which students become actively engaged in learning. The author suggests that this research has implications for cultural sustainability at the local and community level.
The Effect of a Personalized Dementia Care Intervention for Caregivers From Australian Minority Groups
Authors: Xiao Lily Dongxia , De Bellis Anita , Kyriazopoulos Helena , Draper Brian , Ullah Shahid
Published: March 2015

Most caregiver interventions in a multicultural society are designed to target caregivers from the mainstream culture and exclude those who are unable to speak English. This study addressed the gap by testing the hypothesis that personalized caregiver support provided by a team led by a care coordinator of the person with dementia would improve competence for caregivers from minority groups in managing dementia. A randomised controlled trial was utilised to test the hypothesis. Sixty-one family caregivers from 10 minority groups completed the trial. Outcome variables were measured prior to the intervention, at 6 and 12 months after the commencement of trial. A linear mixed effect model was used to estimate the effectiveness of the intervention. The intervention group showed a significant increase in the caregivers’ sense of competence and mental components of quality of life. There were no significant differences in the caregivers’ physical components of quality of life.