bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Common Model Inputs Used in CISNET Collaborative Breast Cancer Modeling
Authors: Mandelblatt Jeanne S. , Near Aimee M. , Miglioretti Diana L. , Munoz Diego , Sprague Brian L. , Trentham-Dietz Amy , Gangnon Ronald , Kurian Allison W. , Weedon-Fekjaer Harald , Cronin Kathleen A. , Plevritis Sylvia K.
Published: March 2018

Background. Since their inception in 2000, the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Network (CISNET) breast cancer models have collaborated to use a nationally representative core of common input parameters to represent key components of breast cancer control in each model. Employment of common inputs permits greater ability to compare model output than when each model begins with different input parameters. The use of common inputs also enhances inferences about the results, and provides a range of reasonable results based on variations in model structure, assumptions, and methods of use of the input values. The common input data are updated for each analysis to ensure that they reflect the most current practice and knowledge about breast cancer. The common core of parameters includes population rates of births and deaths; age- and cohort-specific temporal rates of breast cancer incidence in the absence of screening and treatment; effects of risk factors on incidence trends; dissemination of plain film and digital mammography; screening test performance characteristics; stage or size distribution of screen-, interval-, and clinically- detected tumors by age; the joint distribution of ER/HER2 by age and stage; survival in the absence of screening and treatment by stage and molecular subtype; age-, stage-, and molecular subtype-specific therapy; dissemination and effectiveness of therapies over time; and competing non-breast cancer mortality. Method and Results. In this paper, we summarize the methods and results for the common input values presently used in the CISNET breast cancer models, note assumptions made because of unobservable phenomena and/or unavailable data, and highlight plans for the development of future parameters. Conclusion. These data are intended to enhance the transparency of the breast CISNET models.
Simulating the Impact of Risk-Based Screening and Treatment on Breast Cancer Outcomes with MISCAN-Fadia
Authors: van den Broek Jeroen J. , van Ravesteyn Nicolien T. , Heijnsdijk Eveline A. , de Koning Harry J.
Published: March 2018

The MISCAN-Fadia microsimulation model uses continuous tumor growth to simulate the natural history of breast cancer and has been used extensively to estimate the impact of screening and adjuvant treatment on breast cancer incidence and mortality trends. The model simulates individual life histories from birth to death, with and without breast cancer, in the presence and in the absence of screening and treatment. Life histories are simulated according to discrete events such as birth, tumor inception, the tumor’s clinical diagnosis diameter in the absence of screening, and death from breast cancer or death from other causes. MISCAN-Fadia consists of 4 main components: demography, natural history of breast cancer, screening, and treatment. Screening impact on the natural history of breast cancer is assessed by simulating continuous tumor growth and the “fatal diameter” concept. This concept implies that tumors diagnosed at a size that is between the screen detection threshold and the fatal diameter are cured, while tumors diagnosed at a diameter larger than the fatal tumor diameter metastasize and lead to breast cancer death. MISCAN-Fadia has been extended by including a different natural history for molecular subtypes based on a tumor’s estrogen receptor (ER) status and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. In addition, personalized screening strategies that target women based on their risk such as breast density have been incorporated into the model. This personalized approach to screening will continue to develop in light of potential polygenic risk stratification possibilities and new screening modalities.
Contribution of Breast Cancer to Overall Mortality for US Women
Authors: Gangnon Ronald E. , Stout Natasha K. , Alagoz Oguzhan , Hampton John M. , Sprague Brian L. , Trentham-Dietz Amy
Published: March 2018

Objective. Breast cancer simulation models must take changing mortality rates into account to evaluate the potential impact of cancer control interventions. We estimated mortality rates due to breast cancer and all other causes combined to determine their impact on overall mortality by year, age, and birth cohort. Methods. Based on mortality rates from publicly available datasets, an age-period-cohort model was used to estimate the proportion of deaths due to breast cancer for US women aged 0 to 119 years, with birth years 1900 to 2000. Breast cancer mortality was calculated as all-cause mortality multiplied by the proportion of deaths due to breast cancer; other-cause mortality was the difference between all-cause and breast cancer mortality. Results. Breast cancer and other-cause mortality rates were higher for older ages and birth cohorts. The percent of deaths due to breast cancer increased across birth cohorts from 1900 to 1940 then decreased. Among 50-year-old women, in the 1920 birth cohort, 52 (9.9%) of 100,000 deaths (95% CI, 9.8% to 10.1%) were attributed to breast cancer whereas 476 of 100,000 were due to other causes; in the 1960 birth cohort, 22 (8.5%) of 100,000 deaths (95% CI, 8.3% to 8.7%) were attributed to breast cancer with 242 of 100,000 deaths due to other causes. The percentage of all deaths due to breast cancer was highest (4.1% to 12.9%) for women in their 40s and 50s for all birth cohorts. Conclusions. This study offers evidence that advances in breast cancer screening and treatment have reduced breast cancer mortality for women across the age spectrum, and provides estimates of age-, year- and birth cohort-specific competing mortality rates for simulation models. Other-cause mortality estimates are important in these models because most women die from causes other than breast cancer.
Introduction to the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) Breast Cancer Models
Authors: Alagoz Oguzhan , Berry Donald A. , de Koning Harry J. , Feuer Eric J. , Lee Sandra J. , Plevritis Sylvia K. , Schechter Clyde B. , Stout Natasha K. , Trentham-Dietz Amy , Mandelblatt Jeanne S.
Published: March 2018

The Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) Breast Cancer Working Group is a consortium of National Cancer Institute–sponsored investigators who use statistical and simulation modeling to evaluate the impact of cancer control interventions on long-term population-level breast cancer outcomes such as incidence and mortality and to determine the impact of different breast cancer control strategies. The CISNET breast cancer models have been continuously funded since 2000. The models have gone through several updates since their inception to reflect advances in the understanding of the molecular basis of breast cancer, changes in the prevalence of common risk factors, and improvements in therapy and early detection technology. This article provides an overview and history of the CISNET breast cancer models, provides an overview of the major changes in the model inputs over time, and presents examples for how CISNET breast cancer models have been used for policy evaluation.
A Molecular Subtype–Specific Stochastic Simulation Model of US Breast Cancer Incidence, Survival, and Mortality Trends from 1975 to 2010
Authors: Munoz Diego F. , Xu Cong , Plevritis Sylvia K.
Published: March 2018

We present a Monte Carlo simulation model that reproduces US invasive breast cancer incidence and mortality trends from 1975 to 2010 as a function of screening and adjuvant treatment. This model was developed for multiple purposes, including to quantify the impact of screening and adjuvant therapy on past and current trends, predict future trends, and evaluate potential outcomes under hypothetical screening and treatment interventions. The model first generates the life histories of individual breast cancer patients by determining the patient’s age, tumor size, estrogen receptor (ER) status, human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) status, SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) historic stage, detection mode at time of detection, preclinical tumor course, and death age and cause of death (breast cancer v. other causes). The model incorporates common inputs used by the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET), including the dissemination patterns for screening mammography, breast cancer survival in the absence of adjuvant therapy, dissemination and efficacy of treatment by ER and HER2 status, and death from causes other than breast cancer. In this article, predicted mortality outcomes are compared assuming proportional v. nonproportional hazards effects of treatment on breast cancer survival. We found that the proportional hazards treatment effects are sufficient for ER-negative disease. However, for ER-positive disease, the treatment effects appear to be higher during the early years following diagnosis and then diminish over time. Using nonproportional hazards effects for ER-positive cases, the predicted breast cancer mortality rates closely match the SEER mortality trends from 1975 to 2010, particularly after 1995. Our work indicates that population-level simulation modeling may have a broader role in assessing the time dependence of treatment effects.
The Dana-Farber CISNET Model for Breast Cancer Screening Strategies: An Update
Authors: Lee Sandra J. , Li Xiaoxue , Huang Hui , Zelen Marvin
Published: March 2018

Background. We present updated features to a model developed by Dana-Farber investigators within the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET). The initial model was developed to evaluate the impact of mammography screening strategies. Methods. This major update includes the incorporation of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) as part of the natural history of breast cancer. The updated model allows DCIS in the pre-clinical state to regress to undetectable early-stage DCIS, or to transition to invasive breast cancer, or to clinical DCIS. We summarize model assumptions for DCIS natural history and model parameters. Another new development is the derivation of analytical expressions for overdiagnosis. Overdiagnosis refers to mammographic identification of breast cancer that would never have resulted in disease symptoms in the patient’s remaining lifetime (i.e., lead time longer than residual survival time). This is an inevitable consequence of early detection. Our model uniquely assesses overdiagnosis using an analytical formulation. We derive the lead time distribution resulting from the early detection of invasive breast cancer and DCIS, and formulate the analytical expression for overdiagnosis. Results. This formulation was applied to assess overdiagnosis from mammography screening. Other model updates involve implementing common model input parameters with updated treatment dissemination and effectiveness, and improved mammography performance. Lastly, the model was expanded to incorporate subgroups by breast density and molecular subtypes. Conclusions. The incorporation of DCIS and subgroups and the derivation of an overdiagnosis estimation procedure improve the model for evaluating mammography screening programs.
Estimating Breast Cancer Survival by Molecular Subtype in the Absence of Screening and Adjuvant Treatment
Authors: Munoz Diego F. , Plevritis Sylvia K.
Published: March 2018

Background. As molecular subtyping of breast cancer influences clinical management, the evaluation of screening and adjuvant treatment interventions at the population level needs to account for molecular subtyping. Performing such analyses are challenging because molecular subtype-specific, long-term outcomes are not readily accessible; these markers were not historically recorded in tumor registries. We present a modeling approach to estimate historical survival outcomes by estrogen receptor (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. Method. Our approach leverages a simulation model of breast cancer outcomes and integrates data from two sources: the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) databases and the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC). We not only produce ER- and HER2-specific estimates of breast cancer survival in the absence of screening and adjuvant treatment but we also estimate mean tumor volume doubling time (TVDT) and mean mammographic detection threshold by ER/HER2-status. Results. In general, we found that tumors with ER-negative and HER2-positive status are associated with more aggressive growth, have lower TVDTs, are harder to detect by mammography, and have worse survival outcomes in the absence of screening and adjuvant treatment. Our estimates have been used as inputs into model-based analyses that evaluate the effects of screening and adjuvant treatment interventions on population outcomes by ER and HER2 status developed by the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) Breast Cancer Working Group. In addition, our estimates enable a re-assessment of historical trends in breast cancer incidence and mortality in terms of contemporary molecular tumor characteristics. Conclusion. Our approach can be generalized beyond breast cancer and to more complex molecular profiles.
Drug therapy for adenomyosis: a prospective, nonrandomized, parallel-controlled study
Authors: Li Qing , Ding Yan , Zhang Xu-Yin , Feng Wei-Wei , Hua Ke-Qin
Published: March 2018

Objective

To provide novel insights into the clinical treatment of adenomyosis.

Methods

Two hundred patients with adenomyosis were enrolled in this prospective, nonrandomized, parallel-controlled study with a 1-year follow-up in our hospital. Group 1 was treated with 3.75 mg leuprorelin acetate (LA) (n = 40), Group 2 was treated with 1.88 mg LA (n = 40), Group 3 underwent Mirena implantation (n = 40), Group 4 underwent Mirena implantation after treatment with 3.75 mg LA (n = 40), Group 5 underwent Mirena implantation after treatment with 1.88 mg LA (n = 20), and Group 6 received San-Jie-Zhen-Tong capsules alone (n = 20). Uterine volume, pain, cancer antigen 125 level, ovary function, adverse effects, and Mirena expulsion were evaluated.

Results

The uterine volume and pain scores were lower in the groups treated with 1.88 than 3.75 mg LA, but the lower dose was associated with significantly fewer hot flashes and sweating. The 1-year Mirena expulsion rate was higher in Group 3 than in Groups 4 and 5 (10.00% vs. 3.33%, respectively). Costs were significantly higher in Groups 1 and 4 than in Groups 2 and 5.

Conclusion

Administration of 1.88 mg LA may be an alternative therapy for Asian patients with adenomyosis. The combination of LA and Mirena could enhance the therapeutic effect. Registration number: ChiCTR-IPR-15005971
Homeless in the homeland: Housing protests in Kazakhstan
Authors: Alexander Catherine
Published: March 2018

This article tracks housing protests in Kazakhstan’s former capital city, Almaty, from 1989 to 2016 for what they reveal about shifting ideas of rights and obligations between citizens and state. Three broad models of moral economies of housing emerge: the first, during the Soviet period, where equal access to housing was nominally in return for labour; the second, during the early Republican period when pro-Kazakh policies favoured previously marginalised ethnic Kazakhs, and, the third, in the period 2004 – 2008, when the country’s wealth increased, before the financial crash and the plunging value of the local currency. This last period was when a professional class was increasingly valorised by the government with housing support mechanisms created specifically for them. Protests in each period highlight the failures of each model to provide secure, adequate housing. A constant theme of ‘illegal legality’ and informal practices, variously construed by citizens as moral, pragmatic or immoral, have consistently undermined both the achievement of housing promises and the safety and security of housing. The article explores the paradox of why citizens continue to demand help and interventions from the state amidst such pervasive untrustworthiness.
Population geography II: The r/age of migration
Authors: Smith Darren P.
Published: March 2018

This second report focuses on the social impacts of migration in the context of the increasing politicization and contestation of migration. It is argued that the sub-discipline of population geography could engage in more effective ways with political debates on migration. A call is made for population geography to more readily provide robust evidence to shape debates, such as Brexit, and to inform the salience of ‘raging comments’ based on representations of migration as a harbinger of detrimental changes to local neighbourhoods. The discussion outlines scholarship from the UK and the USA that progresses knowledge of changing population compositions and migration, to illustrate some ways that population geography can make valuable interventions within political, policy, media and lay discourses of migration. The report concludes by highlighting some questions for population geography to reflect upon as a starting point for a more impactful sub-discipline.
Geographies of media and communication III: Academic communications and the digital communication environment
Authors: Adams Paul C.
Published: March 2018

This third report on geographies of media and communication explores the risks associated with scholarly communications in the digital communication environment. It offers a critical interpretation of changes affecting publishing, teaching and professional development. Each of these facets of academic communications is changing in ways that produce and exacerbate risks. While acknowledging that the digital communication environment also presents opportunities for critical pedagogy, creativity, transparency, flexibility and the promotion of scholarly credibility, the report focuses on risks. These include overarching risks such as exploitation and marginalization which are evident regardless of whether one considers publication, teaching or professional development. It also introduces risks that are distinct to particular areas of scholarly activity within the digital communication environment, such as impoverishment in the case of publication, deskilling in the case of teaching, or harassment in the case of professional development.
Biomechanical Evaluation of the Medial Stabilizers of the Patella
Authors: LaPrade Matthew D. , Kallenbach Samantha L. , Aman Zachary S. , Moatshe Gilbert , Storaci Hunter W. , Turnbull Travis Lee , Arendt Elizabeth A. , Chahla Jorge , LaPrade Robert F.
Published: March 2018

Background:

Quantification of the biomechanical properties of each individual medial patellar ligament will facilitate an understanding of injury patterns and enhance anatomic reconstruction techniques by improving the selection of grafts possessing appropriate biomechanical properties for each ligament.

Purpose:

To determine the ultimate failure load, stiffness, and mechanism of failure of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), medial patellotibial ligament (MPTL), and medial patellomeniscal ligament (MPML) to assist with selection of graft tissue for anatomic reconstructions.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Twenty-two nonpaired, fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were dissected free of all soft tissue structures except for the MPFL, MPTL, and MPML. Two specimens were ultimately excluded because their medial structure fibers were lacerated during dissection. The patella was obliquely cut to test the MPFL and the MPTL-MPML complex separately. To ensure that the common patellar insertion of the MPTL and MPML was not compromised during testing, only one each of the MPML and MPTL were tested per specimen (n = 10 each). Specimens were secured in a dynamic tensile testing machine, and the ultimate load, stiffness, and mechanism of failure of each ligament (MPFL = 20, MPML = 10, and MPTL = 10) were recorded.

Results:

The mean ± SD ultimate load of the MPFL (178 ± 46 N) was not significantly greater than that of the MPTL (147 ± 80 N; P = .706) but was significantly greater than that of the MPML (105 ± 62 N; P = .001). The mean ultimate load of the MPTL was not significantly different from that of the MPML ( P = .210). Of the 20 MPFLs tested, 16 failed by midsubstance rupture and 4 by bony avulsion on the femur. Of the 10 MPTLs tested, 9 failed by midsubstance rupture and 1 by bony avulsion on the patella. Finally, of the 10 MPMLs tested, all 10 failed by midsubstance rupture. No significant difference was found in mean stiffness between the MPFL (23 ± 6 N/mm2) and the MPTL (31 ± 21 N/mm2; P = .169), but a significant difference was found between the MPFL and the MPML (14 ± 8 N/mm2; P = .003) and between the MPTL and MPML ( P = .028).

Conclusion:

The MPFL and MPTL had comparable ultimate loads and stiffness, while the MPML had lower failure loads and stiffness. Midsubstance failure was the most common type of failure; therefore, reconstruction grafts should meet or exceed the values reported herein.

Clinical Relevance:

For an anatomic medial-sided knee reconstruction, the individual biomechanical contributions of the medial patellar ligamentous structures (MPFL, MPTL, and MPML) need to be characterized to facilitate an optimal reconstruction design.
Reporting of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Preparation Protocols and Composition: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Orthopaedic Literature
Authors: Robinson Patrick G. , Murray Iain R. , West Christopher C. , Goudie Ewan B. , Yong Li Y. , White Timothy O. , LaPrade Robert F.
Published: March 2018

Background:

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are increasingly being used in the treatment of a wide variety of sports-related conditions. Despite this enthusiasm, the biological properties of MSCs and their effects on musculoskeletal tissue healing remain poorly understood. MSC-based strategies encompass cell populations with heterogeneous phenotypes isolated from multiple tissues and using different methods. Therefore, comprehensive reporting of the source, preparation methods, and characteristics of MSC strategies is essential to enable interpretation of results.

Purpose:

To perform a systematic review of levels of reporting of key variables in MSC preparation and composition for clinical studies evaluating MSC-based therapies in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Methods:

A systematic review of the clinical orthopaedic and sports medicine literature from 2002 to 2017 was performed. The following inclusion criteria were used: human clinical trials, published in the English language, involving the administration of MSC-based therapies for orthopaedic or sports medicine applications. In vitro or ex vivo studies, editorials, letters to the editor, and studies relating to cosmetic, neurological, or dental applications were excluded.

Results:

Of the 1259 studies identified on the initial search, 36 studies were found to satisfy the inclusion criteria for analysis on comprehensive review. Fifty-seven percent of studies evaluated bone marrow–derived MSCs, 41% evaluated adipose-derived MSCs, and 2% evaluated synovium-derived MSCs. Considerable deficiencies in the reporting of key variables, including the details of stem cell processing, culture conditions, and the characteristics of cell populations delivered, were noted. Overall, studies reported only 52% (range, 30%-80%) of variables that may critically influence outcome. No study provided adequate information relating to all of these variables.

Conclusion:

All existing clinical studies evaluating MSCs for orthopaedic or sports medicine applications are limited by inadequate reporting of both preparation protocols and composition. Deficient reporting of the variables that may critically influence outcome precludes interpretation, prevents others from reproducing experimental conditions, and makes comparisons across studies difficult. We encourage the adoption of emerging minimum reporting standards for clinical studies evaluating the use of MSCs in orthopaedics.
Gender Differences in the Association Between Alcohol Use and Sedentary Behavior Among Adults
Authors: Agrawal Pooja , Mercer Andrew , Hassanali Jamila , Carmack Chakema , Doss Darleesa , Murillo Rosenda
Published: March 2018

Purpose:

We examined differences in the association between alcohol use and sedentary behavior by gender among adults.

Design:

Cross-sectional study that employs a complex, multistage stratified probability cluster sample design.

Setting:

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007 to 2014.

Participants:

NHANES participants aged ≥20 years and identifying as Hispanic, white, or black (N = 18 441).

Measures:

Demographic characteristics, sedentary behavior, and alcohol consumption. Sedentary behavior was measured based on the number of minutes of sedentary activity per week. Alcohol consumption in the last year was measured based on responses to items assessing whether the participant consumes alcoholic beverages and the number of alcoholic beverages consumed on average.

Analysis:

Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to estimate associations of alcohol use with categories of sedentary behavior by gender.

Results:

Compared to women who reported not consuming alcohol, women who were heavy drinkers were significantly more likely to engage in high sedentary activity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-1.87), relative to low levels of sedentary activity. Similarly, women who were binge drinkers were more likely to engage in moderate levels of sedentary activity (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.05-1.85). There were no significant associations between alcohol use and sedentary activity among men.

Conclusion:

Findings suggest that alcohol consumption should be considered in health promotion efforts targeting sedentary behavior among women.
Nonsingular adaptive-gain super-twisting guidance with an impact angle constraint
Authors: Li Guofei , Wu Yunjie
Published: March 2018

In this study, a nonsingular adaptive-gain super-twisting (AGSTW) guidance law is proposed to intercept a target with an impact angle constraint. The stability and convergence characteristic of the AGSTW guidance law are analyzed. The control chattering in system could be mitigated in the presence of uncertainty with unknown boundary. To validate the superiority of the proposed strategy, simulation comparisons with a conventional super-twisting and a sliding mode guidance law are carried out. The results indicate that the proposed AGSTW guidance law could make a missile intercept the target with more favorable miss distance and angle tracking error. The requirement of intercepting different targets could be met in a more satisfactory manner.
Hormone-Diversity Fit: Collective Testosterone Moderates the Effect of Diversity on Group Performance
Authors: Akinola Modupe , Page-Gould Elizabeth , Mehta Pranjal H. , Liu Zaijia
Published: March 2018

Prior research has found inconsistent effects of diversity on group performance. The present research identifies hormonal factors as a critical moderator of the diversity-performance connection. Integrating the diversity, status, and hormone literatures, we predicted that groups collectively low in testosterone, which orients individuals less toward status competitions and more toward cooperation, would excel with greater group diversity. In contrast, groups collectively high in testosterone, which is associated with a heightened status drive, would be derailed by diversity. Analysis of 74 randomly assigned groups engaged in a group decision-making exercise provided support for these hypotheses. The findings suggest that diversity is beneficial for performance, but only if group-level testosterone is low; diversity has a negative effect on performance if group-level testosterone is high. Too much collective testosterone maximizes the pains and minimizes the gains from diversity.
Model-based fault detection and diagnosis of complex chemical processes: A case study of the Tennessee Eastman process
Authors: Tidriri Khaoula , Chatti Nizar , Verron Sylvain , Tiplica Teodor
Published: March 2018

Fault detection and diagnosis for industrial systems has been an important field of research during the past years. Among these systems, the Tennessee Eastman process is extensively used as a realistic benchmark to test and compare different fault detection and diagnosis strategies. In this context, data-driven approach has been widely applied for fault detection and diagnosis of the Tennessee Eastman process, by exploiting the massive amount of available measurement data. However, only few published works had attempted to deal with the dynamic behavior of the whole system including the mixing zone, circulating pumps, the reactor, the separator, the stripper, and so on, because of the difficulty of modeling physical phenomena that may occur in such complex system. In this article, an accurate model of the Tennessee Eastman process, properly tailored for fault detection and diagnosis purposes, is provided. This model shows better fault detection and diagnosis performances than all the others proposed in the literature and gives better or comparable results with the data-driven approaches. This work uses the bond graph methodology to systematically develop computational and graphical model. This methodology provides a physical understanding of the system and a description of its dynamic behavior. The bond graph model is then used for monitoring purposes by generating formal fault indicators, called residuals, and algorithms for fault detection and diagnosis. Hence, abnormal situations are detected by supervising the residuals’ evolution and faults are isolated using the nature of the violated residuals. Therefore, the dynamic model of the Tennessee Eastman process can now be used as a basis to achieve accurately different analysis through the causal and structural features of the bond graph tool.
Once again: Plural nationality
Authors: d’Oliveira Hans Ulrich Jessurun
Published: March 2018

Plural nationality is as normal as single nationality, and it is accepted as inevitable by more and more states. It is the natural result of the existence of states and the vast and overlapping diversity of criteria for attribution of nationality. Von Savigny and Laurent wrestled in their time with similar problems as we witness nowadays, although new phenomena such as sexual equality and increased mobility create new urgencies. Brexit prods some states into embracing dual nationality. Some sensitive areas are explored, first of all antiterrorist measures in the field of nationality, where plural nationality is welcomed as it enables states to divest themselves of unwanted citizens. These policies are discriminatory and weaken the bond of nationality for monopatrides as well. Finally, George Scelle’s theory on dédoublement fonctionnel is used to explain that Member States attribute the nationality of the European Union, leading to Union citizenship, alongside the Union citizenship as based on the nationality of the Member States. This explains the differences between national citizenships and the more limited Union citizenship.
Deprivation of nationality under article 8 (3) of the 1961 Convention on the reduction of statelessness
Authors: Bücken Luca , de Groot René
Published: March 2018

In the international community, there is a continuing trend to deprive citizens of their nationality for certain undesirable behaviour. The 1961 Convention prohibits this practice in cases where the individual concerned would become stateless as a consequence. However, State Parties can reserve certain exceptions to this prohibition by filing a declaration under Article 8 (3) at the time of ratification. This article aims to conduct a thorough analysis and a critical reflection of the declarations of ratifying States of the 1961 Convention submitted under Article 8 (3) of the Convention. This approach includes a quantitative analysis of the submitted declarations against the background of recent geopolitical events, which will show an absolute, yet not a proportional rise, of declarations submitted under Article 8 (3). An analysis of the legality of the submitted declarations as well as a discussion of the corresponding national provisions will be conducted. Furthermore, an evaluation of the reaction of other Contracting States to the submitted declarations will demonstrate serious shortcomings in the due diligence of Contracting States, arguing that a double-standard is applied to declarations submitted under Article 8(3) by Western Contracting States in comparison to the treatment of Contracting States from the Islamic World.
“The sound of affect”: Age differences in perceiving valence and arousal in music and their relation to music characteristics and momentary mood
Authors: Cohrdes Caroline , Wrzus Cornelia , Wald-Fuhrmann Melanie , Riediger Michaela
Published: March 2018

Throughout life, music plays an important role in individuals’ everyday affective experiences. Previous findings suggest that preferences for, and perceptions of, music with distinct affective qualities might differ for individuals from different age groups. To date, however, evidence from age-comparative studies across adulthood is rare and little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to age differences in music perception. In an age-heterogeneous sample ranging from adolescence to old adulthood ( n = 50; 12–75 years), we investigated differences in affect perceptions of 147 sounds and 465 songs of various musical styles and dates of origin, as well as the respective roles of music characteristics and participants’ current mood. Results indicate significant age-differential perceptions of valence and arousal in music, but not in sounds. Moreover, several music characteristics and the participants’ current mood explained significant differences in the perception of affective qualities of music between listeners of different ages. These findings contribute to the understanding of age differences in affect perceptions in the auditory domain and the specificity of music, in particular. They also have implications for the use of music as experimental stimuli, which requires particular sensitivity to potential problems of age fairness and comparability.
Exploring Member-Leader Behaviors and Interaction in an Online Support Group
Authors: Paskewitz Emily A. , Beck Stephenson J.
Published: March 2018

Online support groups are a common way for people to receive social support. Utilizing online support sites allows members to connect with people in similar situations, without the need for geographic proximity. Many online groups rely on member-leaders, or individuals with personal experience, to lead groups. These member-leaders are often favored by members over professional leaders but often lack training in leadership. This project explored how member-leaders interact in an online support group. This article uses both interaction process analysis (IPA) and research on leader behaviors to understand how member-leaders communicate in online support groups. Results show that leaders primarily use task messages, with the majority of leader behaviors labeled as meaning attribution and use of self. Member-leaders primarily focused on perspective taking rather than discussion facilitation. An examination of the task and relational interaction profile in terms of leader behaviors is also explored.
The Novel Use of Life Grids in a Phenomenological Study of Family Carers of People With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities and Dysphagia
Authors: Crawford Hannah , Wilkinson Heather
Published: March 2018

Life grids have been used in qualitative studies for the last two decades. They provide an activity which researcher and participant can focus their attention on, help build rapport, and reduce the control the researcher may hold within a session. Here we describe the novel use of life grids at the end of a data collection phase. Used in this previously unreported way, life grids assisted the closure of the data collection phase by summarizing the data collection and marking departure from the field. Creation of a life grid produced a tangible outcome, evidencing the work undertaken within the data collection period. They served as a powerful member checking tool, allowing participants to make additions and corrections to the data. In this article, the use of life grids in this novel way is described and recommended by the authors.
Functional Complexity and Web Site Design
Authors: De Jong Menno D. T. , Wu Yuguang
Published: March 2018

Functional complexity is a widespread and underresearched phenomenon in Web sites. This article explores a specific case of functional complexity by analyzing the content of UNESCO World Heritage Web sites, which have to meet demands from both World Heritage and tourism perspectives. Based on a functional analysis, a content checklist was developed and used to evaluate a sample of 30 World Heritage Web sites. The results show that World Heritage Web sites generally fall short in all content categories. A cluster analysis reveals three types of World Heritage Web sites based on their emphasis on World Heritage content versus tourism content: (a) less well-developed Web sites (no emphasis), (b) Web sites of World Heritage Sites with touristic possibilities (emphasis on World Heritage), and (c) Web sites of touristic attractions with outstanding cultural or natural value (emphasis on tourism). In all, the findings show that functional complexity poses serious threats to the exhaustiveness of a Web site’s information and that evaluation approaches based on functional analysis can be useful in detecting blindspots in the content provided.
Use of Bauru Yardstick in Patients With Complete Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate at an Indian Center
Authors: Batra Puneet , Annavarapv Gopala Krishna , Chopra Ashish , Srivastava Amit , Sadhu Partha , Mevda Keyur
Published: March 2018

Objective:

To evaluate dental arch relationship in treated bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) cases at an Indian cleft center using the Bauru yardstick.

Patients and methods:

Digital photographs of the dental cast of 50 consecutively treated patients (28 males and 22 females) with nonsyndromic BCLP at an Indian cleft center were rated by 2 examiners as per the Bauru yardstick for the 12-year-old age group. The average age group was 12 ± 0.62 years. All cases were treated with same surgical protocol.

Results:

The inter-examiner agreement between the 3 examiners was found to be very high, with weighted kappa values ranging from 0.894 to 0.951. The intraexaminer agreement between the 2 examinations for all the examiners was also found to be very high, with weighted kappa values ranging from 0.894 to 0.931. Seventy-eight percent of patients were rated with a Bauru yardstick score of 1+2. In addition, 10% of patients were rated with a score of 3, 8% as 4, and 4% as 5. The overall Bauru yardstick score for the center was 2.36.

Conclusion:

The protocol followed for the repair of BCLP cases by the center was found to be a good regimen in regard to the Bauru yardstick score.
Clinical Significance of the Levator Veli Palatini Muscle in Velocardiofacial Syndrome Patients
Authors: Myung Yujin , Ahn Taeseon , Kim Baek-kyu , Jeong Jae Hoon , Baek Rong-Min
Published: March 2018

Background:

Anatomical variation and deficits of velocardiofacial syndrome patients are related to unsatisfactory treatment results in surgical correction of speech abnormalities. The main purpose of the article is to investigate the clinical significance of thinned levator veli palatini muscle in VCFS patients.

Methods:

The authors reviewed medical records of all children with velocardiofacial syndrome who received pharyngeal flap surgery between March 2007 and September 2015. Data including thickness of levator veli palatini in magnetic resonance examination; preoperative velopharyngeal gap size from nasoendoscopy; and preoperative and postoperative speech outcomes were collected.

Results:

Total of 36 velocardiofacial syndrome patients with preoperative objective data and postoperative speech outcomes were identified. Preoperative velopharyngeal gap showed significant correlation with thickness of levator veli palatini (correlation coefficient: 0.297/0.397, P = .02/.03) and gap size showed correlation with postoperative speech improvement (0.347/0.413, P = .04/.02). However, muscle thickness showed no correlation with speech outcomes (0.046/0.037, P = .77/.86).

Conclusion:

Thinned levator veli palatini muscle in velocardiofacial syndrome patients are related to widened velopharyngeal gap and production of hypernasal speech, and can give negative impact on postoperative surgical outcome of pharyngeal flap surgery.
Young Person and Parent Perspectives on the Impact of Cleft Lip and/or Palate Within an Educational Setting
Authors: Stock Nicola Marie , Ridley Matthew
Published: March 2018

Background:

During the school years, a cleft of the lip and/or palate (CL/P) may pose a risk to educational achievement. To further understand this multifaceted association, and to offer suggestions as to how young people’s educational experiences might be improved, qualitative investigation is warranted.

Design:

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with young people born with CL/P (n = 10; aged 10-16 years) and their parents (n = 10). The resulting data were subjected to inductive thematic analysis.

Results:

Negative social interactions, cleft-related treatment, the presence of an additional condition, and a lack of appropriate support from teachers was found to influence young people’s educational experience. Methods for promoting diversity, support from clinical teams, facilitation of positive school transitions, implementation of training for teachers, and a holistic approach to the measurement of “success” were suggested by participants as potential ways of improving this experience.

Conclusions:

The findings of this study point to a need for a range of school-focused interventions, as well as the inclusion of a number of potentially impactful variables within future quantitative research.
In Utero Glossoptosis in Fetuses With Robin Sequence
Authors: Resnick Cory M. , Kooiman Tessa D. , Calabrese Carly E. , Didier Ryne , Padwa Bonnie L. , Estroff Judy A. , Koudstaal Maarten J.
Published: March 2018

Objective:

Glossoptosis causes airway obstruction in patients with Robin sequence (RS), but little is known about the in-utero tongue. The purpose of this study was to assess shape and position of the fetal tongue on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine if this is predictive of postnatal RS.

Design:

Retrospective case-control study including fetuses with prenatal MRIs performed from 2002 to 2017. Inclusion criteria were (1) prenatal MRI of adequate quality, (2) live born and evaluated postnatally for craniofacial findings. Subjects were divided into groups based on postnatal findings: (1) RS, (2) micrognathia without RS, and (3) a gestational-age-matched control group with normal craniofacial morphology. Outcome variables were based on the prenatal MRI and included fetal tongue height, length, and width, tongue shape index (TSI, ratio of height to length), and observation of tongue touching the posterior pharyngeal wall.

Results:

A total of 116 subjects with mean gestational age at MRI of 25.6 ± 5.1 weeks were included: RS, n = 27 (23%); micrognathia, n = 35 (30%); control, n = 54 (47%). Tongue length was significantly shorter ( P = .009) and TSI was significantly larger in the RS group ( P < .0001). The tongue touched the posterior pharyngeal wall in 5 (19%) of the RS group and in no subjects in the other groups ( P < .0001).

Conclusion:

In utero tongue shape and position were significantly different in fetuses with postnatal RS compared to those with isolated micrognathia and controls. Prenatal MRI tongue characteristics may be predictors for postnatal RS.
Surgical Care for School-Aged Youth With Cleft
Authors: Ruff Ryan Richard , Crerand Canice E. , Sischo Lacey , Peshansky Alexandre , Sarwer David B. , Kirschner Richard E. , Broder Hillary L.
Published: March 2018

Objective:

To explore factors related to completion of surgery recommendations among children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) or cleft palate only (CPO).

Design:

Multicenter prospective longitudinal cohort study (2009-2015).

Setting:

Six cleft centers in the United States.

Patients/Participants:

A diverse sample of 1186 youth aged 7.5 to 18.5 years with CLP or CPO and a caregiver.

Results:

Data were collected from child–caregiver dyads at baseline and up to 3 follow-up visits. Of the 765 surgeries recommended during the study period, 83 were postponed and 597 were completed; this represents a completion rate of 78%. There were multiple reasons identified by patients for why the remaining 85 recommended surgeries were not completed. Children with nonprivate insurance were more likely to postpone recommended surgeries. Hispanic/Latino and Asian children had fewer surgeries compared to whites/Caucasians. Greater severity in rated speech differences was associated with more surgeries. Among participants who had completed all recommended surgeries, providers rated over 86% as having normal or mildly different facial appearance and 83% as having a normal or mild speech intelligibility rating. Similarly, caregivers rated 80% of facial appearance and 78% of speech positively. Approximately 25% of children had an additional surgical recommendation at the end of the study.

Conclusions:

The majority of surgical recommendations were completed with positive outcomes in facial appearance and speech intelligibility by provider and caregiver ratings. Several factors contributed to surgical recommendations not being completed and the results underscore the importance of examining socioeconomic and demographic disparities in surgical care.
Benign Fibromyxoid Lesion of the Breast: A Distinct Entity From Benign Spindle Cell Tumors of the Mammary Stroma?
Authors: Schwartz Christopher J. , Schandl Cynthia A. , Morse Jennifer , Ralston Jonathan , Rapkiewicz Amy , Darvishian Farbod
Published: March 2018

Myxoid lesions of the breast can be diagnostically challenging entities. We report 4 cases of CD34+ fibromyxoid lesion that have been previously diagnosed as “benign myxoid lesion,” “nodular mucinosis,” or “mammary myofibroblastoma, myxoid type” on the basis of CD34-positivity. The lesions were microscopically well circumscribed and composed of a paucicellular spindle cell proliferation in a background of myxoid stroma. No epithelial component was identified. The spindle cells showed immunohistochemical reactivity for CD34 and smooth muscle actin. Based on morphologic and immunohistochemical similarities between these cases and myxoid myofibroblastoma, we compared 4 myxoid lesions with cases of typical myofibroblastoma, utilizing retinoblastoma (Rb) antibody and fluorescent in situ hybridization for 13q14 gene rearrangement (encoding the Rb gene). The myxoid lesions showed retention of Rb protein by immunohistochemistry, whereas Rb expression was lost in cases of myofibroblastoma. We identified loss of 13q14 in 3 of 4 cases of myofibroblastoma. Notably, 13q14 gene rearrangement was not observed in any of the myxoid lesions. Our data show that there is at least a subset of CD34+ fibromyxoid lesions that, despite overlapping morphologic and immunohistochemical phenotype and proposed common histogenesis with myofibroblastomas, is genetically distinct from the latter based on Rb analysis.