bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gene Expression Signatures Predictive of Bevacizumab/Erlotinib Therapeutic Benefit in Advanced Nonsquamous Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients (SAKK 19/05 trial)
Authors: Franzini Anca , Baty Florent , Macovei Ina I. , Dürr Oliver , Droege Cornelia , Betticher Daniel , Grigoriu Bogdan D. , Klingbiel Dirk , Zappa Francesco , Brutsche Martin H.
Published: April 2015

Purpose: We aimed to identify gene expression signatures associated with angiogenesis and hypoxia pathways with predictive value for treatment response to bevacizumab/erlotinib (BE) of nonsquamous advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Experimental Design: Whole-genome gene expression profiling was performed on 42 biopsy samples (from SAKK 19/05 trial) using Affymetrix exon arrays, and associations with the following endpoints: time-to-progression (TTP) under therapy, tumor-shrinkage (TS), and overall survival (OS) were investigated. Next, we performed gene set enrichment analyses using genes associated with the angiogenic process and hypoxia response to evaluate their predictive value for patients' outcome.

Results: Our analysis revealed that both the angiogenic and hypoxia response signatures were enriched within the genes predictive of BE response, TS, and OS. Higher gene expression levels (GEL) of the 10-gene angiogenesis-associated signature and lower levels of the 10-gene hypoxia response signature predicted improved TTP under BE, 7.1 months versus 2.1 months for low versus high-risk patients (P = 0.005), and median TTP 6.9 months versus 2.9 months (P = 0.016), respectively. The hypoxia response signature associated with higher TS at 12 weeks and improved OS (17.8 months vs. 9.9 months for low vs. high-risk patients, P = 0.001).

Conclusions: We were able to identify gene expression signatures derived from the angiogenesis and hypoxia response pathways with predictive value for clinical outcome in advanced nonsquamous NSCLC patients. This could lead to the identification of clinically relevant biomarkers, which will allow for selecting the subset of patients who benefit from the treatment and predict drug response. Clin Cancer Res; 21(23); 5253–63. ©2015 AACR.

See related commentary by Cascone and Heymach, p. 5188
Validation of the 2014 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines Risk Prediction Model for the Primary Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Vriesendorp Pieter A. , Schinkel Arend F.L. , Liebregts Max , Theuns Dominic A.M.J. , van Cleemput Johan , ten Cate Folkert J. , Willems Rik , Michels Michelle
Published: April 2015

Background—

The recently released 2014 European Society of Cardiology guidelines of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) use a new clinical risk prediction model for sudden cardiac death (SCD), based on the HCM Risk-SCD study. Our study is the first external and independent validation of this new risk prediction model.

Methods and Results—

The study population consisted of a consecutive cohort of 706 patients with HCM without prior SCD event, from 2 tertiary referral centers. The primary end point was a composite of SCD and appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy, identical to the HCM Risk-SCD end point. The 5-year SCD risk was calculated using the HCM Risk-SCD formula. Receiver operating characteristic curves and C-statistics were calculated for the 2014 European Society of Cardiology guidelines, and risk stratification methods of the 2003 American College of Cardiology/European Society of Cardiology guidelines and 2011 American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association guidelines. During follow-up of 7.7±5.3 years, SCD occurred in 42 (5.9%) of 706 patients (ages 49±16 years; 34% women). The C-statistic of the new model was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.57–0.82;
P
=0.008), which performed significantly better than the conventional risk factor models based on the 2003 guidelines (C-statistic of 0.55: 95% CI, 0.47–0.63;
P
=0.3), and 2011 guidelines (C-statistic of 0.60: 95% CI, 0.50–0.70;
P
=0.07).

Conclusions—

The HCM Risk-SCD model improves the risk stratification of patients with HCM for primary prevention of SCD, and calculating an individual risk estimate contributes to the clinical decision-making process. Improved risk stratification is important for the decision making before implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation for the primary prevention of SCD.
Underutilization of Radial Access in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Howe Michael J. , Seth Milan , Riba Arthur , Hanzel George , Zainea Mark , Gurm Hitinder S.
Published: April 2015

Background—

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and temporal trends in use of transradial access (TRA) for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The use of TRA has been associated with less bleeding and improved clinical outcomes in patients undergoing PCI for STEMI.

Methods and Results—

The frequency of TRA compared with transfemoral access for patients undergoing PCI for STEMI or other indications (non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and non–acute coronary syndrome) in The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium database between 2010 and 2013 was evaluated. Propensity matching was used to assess the relationship of TRA with in-hospital clinical end points of major bleeding, transfusion, and death. The TRA cohort of patients was stratified into deciles based on their predicted bleeding risk and compared with PCI indication. Of 122 728 PCI procedures, 17 912 (14.6%) were via TRA. Among patients with STEMI cases, 8.3% of the PCI cases were performed via TRA. The use of TRA increased over the study period although the growth was slower for STEMI than for other indications,
P
<0.001. The use of TRA for PCI in STEMI was associated with a lower rate of bleeding (11.7% versus 20.0%;
P
<0.001) and vascular complications (0.7% versus 2.6%;
P
=0.001), but no mortality difference (1.25% versus 2.33%;
P
=0.175). There was a strong negative association between the predicted risk of bleeding and the use of TRA (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

The use of radial access for PCI in STEMI is increasing but at a slower pace than for patients with other indications. TRA was associated with a reduction in bleeding and transfusion, but there is a strong negative correlation between the predicted risk of bleeding and actual use of TRA in STEMI.
Ischemia in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Is Associated With Leukoaraiosis and Hematoma Volume, Not Blood Pressure Reduction
Authors: Gioia Laura C. , Kate Mahesh , Choi Victor , Sivakumar Leka , Jeerakathil Thomas , Kosior Jayme , Emery Derek , Butcher Ken
Published: April 2015

Background and Purpose—

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesions have been identified both inside and outside the perihematoma region. We tested the hypotheses that larger hematoma volumes and blood pressure reduction are associated with DWI lesions.

Methods—

Hematoma and perihematoma edema volumes were measured using planimetric techniques in 117 intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients who underwent DWI. Perihematoma and remote DWI lesion volumes were measured using apparent diffusion coefficient thresholds for moderate (<730×10
−6
mm/s) and severe (<550×10
−6
mm/s) ischemia. Acute blood pressure change over the first 24 hours was calculated.

Results—

The median (interquartile range) time to magnetic resonance imaging was 2 (1–5) days. Median hematoma volume was 9.8 (2.6–23.0) mL, and median perihematoma edema volume was 7.0 (2.9–18.6) mL. A small portion of the perihematoma region contained tissue below the thresholds for moderate (8.0 [2.9–14.5]%) and severe ischemia (1.1 [0.3–3.5]%). Ischemic perihematoma tissue volumes were correlated with hematoma volumes (
R
=0.52,
P
<0.001), but not maximal systolic blood pressure drop at 24 hours (
R
=−0.09,
P
=0.38). Remote DWI lesions were found in 17 (14.5%) patients (mean volume=0.44±0.3 mL). Patients with remote DWI lesions had higher rates of antiplatelet use (
P
=0.01), prior ICH (
P
=0.03), lobar ICH (0.04), and larger leukoaraiosis volumes (
P
=0.02). Maximal systolic blood pressure drop at 24 hours was similar in patients with (−20.5 [−55, −10] mm Hg) and without remote DWI lesions (−27 [−46, −13] mm Hg,
P
=0.96).

Conclusions—

Small DWI lesions within and outside the perihematoma region are common in primary ICH. Perihematoma DWI lesions were independently associated with larger hematoma volumes. Remote DWI lesions may be an epiphenomenon associated with the underlying microvascular pathogenesis. These data do not support a hemodynamic mechanism of ischemic injury after primary ICH.
Clinical Predictors of Accurate Prehospital Stroke Recognition
Authors: Oostema J. Adam , Konen John , Chassee Todd , Nasiri Mojdeh , Reeves Mathew J.
Published: April 2015

Background and Purpose—

Prehospital activation of in-hospital stroke response hastens treatment but depends on accurate emergency medical services (EMS) stroke recognition. We sought to measure EMS stroke recognition accuracy and identify clinical factors associated with correct stroke identification.

Methods—

Using EMS and hospital records, we assembled a cohort of EMS-transported suspect, confirmed, or missed ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack cases. The sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) for EMS stroke recognition were calculated using the hospital discharge diagnosis as the gold standard. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the association between Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale use and EMS stroke recognition.

Results—

During a 12-month period, 441 EMS-transported patients were enrolled; of which, 371 (84.1%) were EMS-suspected strokes and 70 (15.9%) were EMS-missed strokes. Overall, 264 cases (59.9%) were confirmed as either ischemic stroke (n=186) or transient ischemic attack (n=78). The sensitivity of EMS stroke recognition was 73.5% (95% confidence interval, 67.7–78.7), and PPV was 52.3% (95% confidence interval, 47.1–57.5). Sensitivity (84.7% versus 30.9%;
P
<0.0001) and PPV (56.2% versus 30.4%;
P
=0.0004) were higher among cases with Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale documentation. In multivariate analysis, Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale documentation was independently associated with EMS sensitivity (odds ratio, 12.0; 95% confidence interval, 5.7–25.5) and PPV (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–4.7).

Conclusions—

EMS providers recognized 3 quarters of the patients with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack; however, half of EMS-suspected strokes were false positives. Documentation of a Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale was associated with higher EMS stroke recognition sensitivity and PPV.
Recovery to Preinterventional Functioning, Return-to-Work, and Life Satisfaction After Treatment of Unruptured Aneurysms
Authors: Backes Daan , Rinkel Gabriel J.E. , van der Schaaf Irene C. , Nij Bijvank Jenny A. , Verweij Bon H. , Visser-Meily Johanna M.A. , Post Marcel W. , Algra Ale , Vergouwen Mervyn D.I.
Published: April 2015

Background and Purpose—

The eventual goal of preventive treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms is to increase the number of life years with high life satisfaction. Insight in the time with reduced functioning, working capacity, and life satisfaction after aneurysm treatment is pivotal to balance the pros and cons of preventive aneurysm occlusion.

Methods—

We sent a questionnaire on time-to-recovery to preintervention functioning and return-to-work and life satisfaction to patients treated for an unruptured aneurysm between 2000 and 2013. Changes in life satisfaction before treatment, during recovery, and at follow-up were assessed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Results—

The questionnaire was sent to 159 patients of whom 110 (69%) responded. The mean follow-up time after aneurysm treatment was 6 years (SD 4). Fifty-four patients had endovascular and 56 had microsurgical occlusion. Complete recovery to preintervention functioning was reported by 81% (95% confidence interval [CI], 74–88) of patients, with a median time-to-recovery of 3 months (range 0–48). Complete work recovery was reported by 78% (95% CI, 66–87) of patients. The proportion of patients with high life satisfaction reduced from 76% (95% CI, 67–84) before treatment to 52% (95% CI, 43–61) during the period of recovery (
P
<0.01) and restored largely at long-term follow-up (67% [95% CI, 59–76],
P
=0.08).

Conclusion—

Life satisfaction is significantly reduced during the period of recovery after treatment of unruptured aneurysms. In the long-term, ≈1 out of 5 patients reports incomplete recovery. These treatment effects should be kept in mind when considering preventive aneurysm treatment. Prospective studies are needed to better compare these losses in patients treated for unruptured aneurysms with those who had subarachnoid hemorrhage.
On Prosodic Vacuity and Verbal Resumption in Asante Twi
Authors: Kandybowicz Jason
Published: April 2015

I argue that verbal resumption (the occurrence of an additional default verbal element yε meaning ‘do’) in Asante Twi is prosodically conditioned. Following the MATCH theory of syntactic-prosodic constituency correspondence ( Selkirk 2011 ), I propose that phonosyntactic constituency matching requires, at the minimum, avoidance of phonetically empty transferred syntactic structures (i.e., prosodic vacuity). I show that Twi verbal resumption is highly constrained and occurs precisely in those contexts where a prosodically vacuous domain would otherwise be mapped from a fully evacuated syntactic Spell- Out domain. As a measure of last resort, a late default-form insertion of the verb root (the yε-form) occurs to evade prosodic vacuity and ensure a matching correspondence between syntactic and prosodic constituents at PF. Because an additional higher copy of the verb root (i.e., the lexical verb) survives as well, Twi verbal resumption represents an instance of multiple copy Spell-Out. The article thus bears on several issues concerning the syntax-phonology interface, among them the nature of prosodic mapping and the conditions regulating multiple copy realization.
On the Anaphoricity of Too
Authors: Ruys E. G.
Published: April 2015

Kripke (1990/2009) argues that the presupposition triggered by the additive particle too is anaphoric in nature, an influential thesis with important ramifications for the theory of presupposition. This article reexamines the empirical evidence and proposes an alternative explanation, leaving too with only its traditional existential presupposition.
Heterogeneous Time and Space: Han Shaogong’s Rethinking of Chinese Modernity
Authors: Wang Yanjie
Published: April 2015

This article is set against the post-Mao official discourse on modernity, in which the conceptualization of a homogeneous, progressive time dominates the public consciousness. The focus is on Han Shaogong, one of the most important writers and cultural theorists in contemporary China, and on how he imagines a heterogeneous spatiotemporality away from the centralized and teleological paradigm. Han’s emphasis on the heterogeneity of time and space puts the homogenized, Hegelian-Marxist, developmentalist logic at the core of China’s modernization project into question. The article begins by examining how the linear and evolutionary concept of time has determined the perception of history and reality in modern China. It then moves to an exegesis of Han’s famous literary treatise “The Roots of Literature,” illustrating how Han’s insistence on tracing multiplerootsrather than one singularRootchallenges the monocultural, essentialized notion of Chineseness that prevails hegemonically in the discussion of Chinese modernity. The last section analyzes Han’s “Homecoming,” a story centered on an educated youth’s compulsive return to the village where he was rusticated. Moving beyond the conventional interpretation of identity crisis, the present study illuminates a different sense of time toward which Han gestures—a multi-directional and displaced temporality, to which the unconscious and the repressed both claim access.
Revision of the Sundaland species of the genus Dysphaea Selys, 1853 using molecular and morphological methods, with notes on allied species (Odonata: Euphaeidae)
Authors: HÄMÄLÄINEN MATTI , DOW RORY A. , STOKVIS FRANK R.
Published: April 2015

The Sundaland species of the genus Dysphaea were studied using molecular and morphological methods. Four species are recognized: D. dimidiata Selys, D. lugens Selys, D. ulu spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Borneo, Sarawak, Miri division, Upper Baram, Sungai Pejelai, Ulu Moh, 24 viii 2014; deposited in RMNH) and D. vanida spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Thailand, Ranong province, Khlong Nakha, Khlong Bang Man, 12–13 v 1999; deposited in RMNH). The four species are described and illustrated for both sexes, with keys provided. The type specimens of the four Dysphaea taxa named by E. de Selys Longchamps, i.e. dimidiata, limbata, semilimbata and lugens, were studied and their taxonomic status is discussed. Lectotypes are designated for D. dimidiata and D. limbata. D. dimidiata is recorded from Palawan (the Philippines) for the first time. A molecular analysis using three markers (COI, 16S and 28S) is presented. This includes specimens of three Sundaland species of the genus (D. lugens missing) and two congeners from other regions (D. basi-tincta and D. gloriosa). Notes and photographs of the male holotype of D. walli Fraser (from Maymyo, Burma) are provided.
Discovery of second new species of the genus Spiniphilus Lin & Bi, and female of Heterophilus scabricollis Pu with its biological notes (Coleoptera: Vesperidae: Philinae: Philini)
Authors: BI WENXUAN , LIN MEIYING
Published: April 2015

A new philine species of the genus Spiniphilus Lin & Bi, 2011, S. xiaodongi sp. nov. is described from Yunnan, China. The female of Heterophilus scabricollis Pu, 1988 is described for the first time with its biological and ecological data.
Dynamics and Predictability of Hurricane Nadine (2012) Evaluated through Convection-Permitting Ensemble Analysis and Forecasts
Authors: Munsell Erin B. , Sippel Jason A. , Braun Scott A. , Weng Yonghui , Zhang Fuqing
Published: April 2015

The governing dynamics and uncertainties of an ensemble simulation of Hurricane Nadine (2012) are assessed through the use of a regional-scale convection-permitting analysis and forecast system based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model and an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). For this case, the data that are utilized were collected during the 2012 phase of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) experiment. The majority of the tracks of this ensemble were successful, correctly predicting Nadine’s turn toward the southwest ahead of an approaching midlatitude trough, though 10 members forecasted Nadine to be carried eastward by the trough. Ensemble composite and sensitivity analyses reveal the track divergence to be caused by differences in the environmental steering flow that resulted from uncertainties associated with the position and subsequent strength of a midlatitude trough.

Despite the general success of the ensemble track forecasts, the intensity forecasts indicated that Nadine would strengthen, which did not happen. A sensitivity experiment performed with the inclusion of sea surface temperature (SST) updates significantly reduced the intensity errors associated with the simulation. This weakening occurred as a result of cooling of the SST field in the vicinity of Nadine, which led to weaker surface sensible and latent heat fluxes at the air–sea interface. A comparison of environmental variables, including relative humidity, temperature, and shear yielded no obvious differences between the WRF-EnKF simulations and the HS3 observations. However, an initial intensity bias in which the WRF-EnKF vortices are stronger than the observed vortex appears to be the most likely cause of the final intensity errors.
(Un)Tangled
Authors: Pollock Timothy G. , Lee Peggy M. , Jin Kyuho , Lashley Kisha
Published: April 2015

We explore the relationship between status and reputation, examining how its dynamics change over time as these two intangible assets coevolve and how reputation and status are influenced by participation in highly visible events. Using a sample of more than 400 newly founded venture capital (VC) firms, we find that reputation and status positively influence each other but that reputation has a greater effect on status, particularly when firms are older. We also find that the effect of past status on current status weakens as VC firms age, but the relationship between past and current reputation remains consistent with age. Furthermore, our findings show that participating in big hits—blockbuster initial public offerings—has a positive relationship with status when firms are young and a positive relationship with reputation when firms are older, and it helps low-status and low-reputation firms more than it helps high-status and high-reputation firms. This study helps differentiate status and reputation, shows how they coevolve, and provides insight into how new firms build these important intangible assets.
Collective Labor Rights and Income Inequality
Authors: Kerrissey Jasmine
Published: April 2015

This article examines the relationship between income inequality and collective labor rights, conceptualized as workers’ legal and practical ability to engage in collective activity. Although worker organization is central to explaining income inequality in industrialized democracies, worldwide comparative studies have neglected the role of class-based actors. I argue that the repression of labor rights reduces the capacity of worker organizations to effectively challenge income inequality through market and political processes in capitalist societies. Labor rights, however, are unlikely to have uniform effects across regions. This study uses unbalanced panel data for 100 developed and less developed countries from 1985 through 2002. Random- and fixed-effects models find that strong labor rights are tightly linked to lower inequality across a large range of countries, including in the Global South. Interactions between regions and labor rights suggest that the broader context in which class-based actors are embedded shapes worker organizations’ ability to reduce inequality. During the period of this study, labor rights were particularly important for mitigating inequality in the West but less so in Eastern Europe.
Association of Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio With Inflammation and Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Akboga Mehmet Kadri , Canpolat Ugur , Yayla Cagri , Ozcan Firat , Ozeke Ozcan , Topaloglu Serkan , Aras Dursun
Published: April 2015

The platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has recently emerged as a potential inflammatory biomarker. Hence, we assessed the relationship between PLR and the extent/severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) using the Gensini score in association with the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with stable CAD. Angiographic data of 1646 patients were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Patients were categorized according to Gensini scores as no CAD (control), mild, and severe CAD groups. The PLR in the control group was significantly lower than those of mild and severe CAD groups. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, PLR was found to be an independent predictor of the presence of severe CAD (odds ratio: 1.043 [1.036-1.049], P < .001). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between PLR and the severity of CAD ( r = .370, P < .001) and CRP levels ( r = .312, P < .001). In conclusion, PLR was independently and positively associated with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. These results suggest that PLR is an easily available and cheap inflammatory indicator that can be used in predicting the severity of CAD.
Trusting a Virtual Driver That Looks, Acts, and Thinks Like You
Authors: Verberne Frank M. F. , Ham Jaap , Midden Cees J. H.
Published: April 2015

Objective:

We examined whether participants would trust an agent that was similar to them more than an agent that was dissimilar to them.

Background:

Trust is an important psychological factor determining the acceptance of smart systems. Because smart systems tend to be treated like humans, and similarity has been shown to increase trust in humans, we expected that similarity would increase trust in a virtual agent.

Methods:

In a driving simulator experiment, participants ( N = 111) were presented with a virtual agent that was either similar to them or not. This agent functioned as their virtual driver in a driving simulator, and trust in this agent was measured. Furthermore, we measured how trust changed with experience.

Results:

Prior to experiencing the agent, the similar agent was trusted more than the dissimilar agent. This effect was mediated by perceived similarity. After experiencing the agent, the similar agent was still trusted more than the dissimilar agent.

Conclusion:

Just as similarity between humans increases trust in another human, similarity also increases trust in a virtual agent. When such an agent is presented as a virtual driver in a self-driving car, it could possibly enhance the trust people have in such a car.

Application:

Displaying a virtual driver that is similar to the human driver might increase trust in a self-driving car.
Proposing a culture-centered approach to career scholarship: The example of subsistence careers in the US Arctic
Authors: Mitra Rahul
Published: April 2015

In this article, I draw from the culture-centered approach to explore contemporary negotiations of career and work, positing career as a form of cultural practice. Rooted in postcolonial theory and subaltern studies, the culture-centered approach examines the active accomplishment of culture through everyday communicative practices, amidst the structural conditions that frame lived experiences, and focusing specifically on marginalized groups. I first trace how culture is conceptualized in extant career studies, in the psychological, sociological and communicative streams. Identifying both key gaps and paradoxes in the literature, I outline the culture-centered approach, suggesting four key principles to reconceive career as cultural practice. Specifically: career draws on both structure and action; career agency is hybridized across individuals/collectives; career agency is layered and contested; and career is both discursive and material. The framework is illustrated using an example from an ongoing study on the negotiation of subsistence careers by Native Alaskans in the US Arctic.
A Conceptual Model of Spirituality in Music Education
Authors: van der Merwe Liesl , Habron John
Published: April 2015

This article aims to describe the phenomenon of spirituality in music education by means of a model derived from the academic literature on the topic. Given the centrality of lived experience within this literature, we adopted a hermeneutic phenomenological theoretical framework to describe the phenomenon. The NCT (noticing, collecting, and thinking) model was used for the qualitative document analysis. Atlas.ti 7, computer-aided qualitative data analysis software, was used to support and organize the inductive qualitative data analysis process. After data saturation, we used Van Manen’s lifeworld existentials (corporeality, relationality, spatiality, and temporality) to help organize the many quotes, codes, and categories that emerged from analyzing the literature. The model that results assigns codes to quotes and codes to categories, which in turn appear within one of these four lifeworlds. This article not only offers a working conceptual model of spirituality in music education but may also help to foster an awareness of spiritual experience in pedagogical contexts and thus contribute to what Van Manen calls “pedagogic thoughtfulness and tact.”
Effect of twist coefficient and thermal treatment temperature on elasticity and tensile strength of wrapped yarns
Authors: Lou Ching Wen , Hu Jin-Jia , Lu Po Ching , Lin Jia-Horng
Published: April 2015

Twisting is an important process in the manufacture yarns for textiles and has an influence on woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, and braided fabrics made with such yarns. This study aims to determine how twist coefficients and thermal treatment temperatures influence tensile strength, elongation, and elastic properties of the resulting wrapped yarns. Polyester (PET) yarns and spandex fibers were twisted into PET/PET wrapped yarns and PET/spandex wrapped yarns, and during the process the thermal treatment temperatures as well as twist coefficients controlled by rotor speed were changed. The results show that variations in twist coefficient do not influence the tensile strength and elongation of the PET/PET wrapped yarns. However, an increase in twist coefficient results in an increase in tensile strength and a decrease in elongation of PET/spandex wrapped yarns. The elongation of PET/spandex wrapped yarns thermally treated at 160℃ is lower than that of untreated PET/spandex wrapped yarns by 86%. In addition, the residual stress and permanent deformation of PET/spandex wrapped yarns both decrease as a result of the increasing thermal treatment temperature.
Characterization of optical properties of traditional Japanese fabrics
Authors: Awazitani Tomoko , Sukigara Sachiko
Published: April 2015

Traditional Japanese fabrics (Nishijin weave, Kyoto) make a striking visual impression that can be dramatically affected by the reflection of light from the surface of the fabric. The characterization method was developed by using a goniospectrophotometric system while the fabrics were rotated. After comparing the contrast values calculated under the various combination of illumination (θ i) and viewing angles (θ v), the optimum value for θ i/θ v was found to be 45/–70. Using these values, unique patterns of the CIELAB L* component were observed as functions of the sample rotation angle (θω). The shape of L* with respect to θω was found to be affected by the differences in constituent yarn color and weave structure. θω was found to be the most accurate parameter for determining the change in lightness from shiny to dull in the visual assessment.
rs2043211 polymorphism in CARD8 is not associated with Tourette syndrome in a family-based association study in the Chinese Han population
Authors: Yi Mingji , Shao Xiaohui , Ma Jianhua , Tian Bo , Zhang Ying , Liu Shiguo
Published: April 2015

Background

Previous studies showed that postinfectious autoimmunity and immune deficiency played an important role in the pathogenesis of Tourette syndrome. CARD8 can suppress activity of NF-ΚB activated by inflammatory mediators.

Objective

To study the association between the rs2043211 polymorphism in CARD8 and susceptibility to Tourette syndrome in Chinese Han population.

Methods

We recruited 279 patients diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and their parents for the study. Genotyping for CARD8 rs2043211 single-nucleotide polymorphism was performed using predesigned TaqMan single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assay. The genetic contribution of this single-nucleotide polymorphism was evaluated using transmission disequilibrium test and haplotype relative risk and the haplotype-based haplotype relative risk.

Results

The results of the allelic and genotypic distribution of rs2043211 polymorphism in CARD8 showed that both the Tourette syndrome patients group and the parents group are in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. No significant differences were observed in the mutant allele transmission (transmission disequilibrium test = 1.107, df = 1, p = 0.322). Results of haplotype relative risk analysis showed that no statistical significant difference was found in the genotypic frequency (AA/AT/TT) of Tourette syndrome patients passed from parents (haplotype relative risk = 1.152, χ2 = 0.494, p = 0.482, 95% CI = 0.777–1.708). Similarly, the analysis of haplotype-based haplotype relative risk was also not to support a statistically significant association in allelic frequency (A/T) of Tourette syndrome patients passed from parents (haplotype-based haplotype relative risk = 1.130, χ2 = 1.037, p = 0.308, 95% CI = 0.893–1.429).

Conclusion

Our results suggest CARD8 might not play a role in the pathogenesis of Tourette syndrome in Chinese Han population. However, the results still need to be tested in a larger sample and different populations.
Knowing More Than We Can Tell
Authors: Bollich Kathryn L. , Rogers Katherine H. , Vazire Simine
Published: April 2015

There is no question that biases exist in self-perceptions of personality. To what extent do people have insight into their positive and negative self-biases? In two samples (total N = 130), people with positive biases (i.e., self-perceptions that are more positive than a reputation-based criterion measure) accurately described themselves as positively biased, and people with negative biases accurately described themselves as negatively biased. Furthermore, people were able to distinguish which traits they were more or less biased about. These findings suggest that people may know more about themselves than they initially admit. Implications for the use of self-reports and the study of self-knowledge are discussed.
Comment Letter Frequency and CFO Turnover
Authors: Gietzmann Miles , Marra Antonio , Pettinicchio Angela
Published: April 2015

Earlier research on chief financial officer (CFO) turnover considered whether one of detailed regulatory findings, such as restatements, affected the likelihood of CFO turnover. However, since the passing of Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX), the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) has revised the regulatory approach it uses. It now investigates companies on a more frequent basis and using Comment Letters (CLs) regularly asks registrants to explain disclosure practice with a view to possibly requiring enhanced or revised disclosures. In this new proactive environment, some registrants may repeatedly receive CLs asking questions about multiple disclosure issues. This research uses a dynamic hazard model specification to investigate whether through time CFO turnover increases as the registrants accumulate more CLs. In addition to CL frequency, a measure of the severity of SEC CLs is introduced to see if it moderates the effect of frequency.
Does International Accounting Standard No. 27 Improve Investment Efficiency?
Authors: Hsu Audrey Wen-hsin , Jung Boochun , Pourjalali Hamid
Published: April 2015

We examine how the adoption of International Accounting Standard No. 27 (hereafter, IAS 27) consolidation rules affects firm-level investment efficiency. IAS 27, effective in Taiwan for fiscal years beginning after 2005, defines the “control” criteria for consolidated entities as majority control rights rather than majority financial ownership. IAS 27 discourages firms’ ability to manage earnings through the use of unconsolidated entities and reduces information asymmetry between managers and shareholders. Consistent with the standard’s intended objectives, we document that firms experience a significant increase in investment efficiency after adopting IAS 27. Firms subject to overinvestment (underinvestment) are more likely to reduce (increase) investment toward a more optimal level after IAS 27 adoption. We also find that foreign investors increase their shareholdings in Taiwanese firms after the adoption of IAS 27.
Parenteral Nutrition Utilization After Implementation of Multidisciplinary Nutrition Support Team Oversight
Authors: Parent Brodie , Shelton Marilyn , Nordlund Megan , Aarabi Shahram , O'Keefe Grant
Published: April 2015

Background: Multidisciplinary nutrition teams can help guide the use of parenteral nutrition (PN), thereby reducing infectious risk, morbidity, and associated costs. Starting in 2007 at Harborview Medical Center, weekly multidisciplinary meetings were established to review all patients receiving PN. This study reports on observed changes in utilization from 2005–2010. Materials and Methods: All patients who received PN from 2005–2010 were followed prospectively. Clinical data and PN utilization data were recorded. Patients were grouped into cohorts based on exposure to weekly multidisciplinary nutrition team meetings (from 2005–2007 and from 2008–2010). Patients were also stratified by location, primary service, and ultimate disposition. Results: In total, 794 patients were included. After initiation of multidisciplinary nutrition meetings, the rate of patients who started PN decreased by 27% (relative risk [RR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63–0.84). A reduction in the number of patients receiving PN was observed in both the intensive care unit (ICU) and on the acute care floor (RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.53–0.77 and RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64–0.99, respectively). The rate of patients with short‐duration PN use (PN duration of <5 days) declined by 30% in the ICU (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.51–0.97) and by 27% on acute care floors (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.51–1.03). Conclusions: Weekly multidisciplinary review of patients receiving PN was associated with reductions in the number of patients started on PN, total days that patients received PN, and number of patients who had short‐duration (<5 days) PN use.
Sharing practice from around the globe: Feedback from the Best of Both Worlds Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development Conference 2014
Authors: Pitt Anna , Fox Lorna
Published: April 2015

The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) draws to a close in 2014, resulting in individuals and organisations reflecting on the evidence-based impact of Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programmes in the last decade, both nationally and internationally. In the UK, as we continue to define a curriculum for sustainability and an integrated agenda for outdoor learning, are there lessons we can learn from around the globe? In May 2014, the Best of Both Worlds Conference on Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development took place in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is where countries at various stages of ‘development’ and with vastly varying carbon footprints came together to discuss and share EE and ESD practice. In this paper we will feedback the learning from this conference and attempt to define a global picture, comparing and contrasting the story of EE and ESD, through presenting, and subsequently analysing, case studies from some of the participating countries.
A validation study of the Facial-Oral Tract Therapy Swallowing Assessment of Saliva
Authors: Mortensen Jesper , Jensen Ditte , Kjaersgaard Annette
Published: April 2015

Objective:

To investigate the validity and reliability of the Swallowing Assessment of Saliva in detection of aspiration risk.

Design:

Validation study.

Setting:

Inpatient neurorehabilitation centre.

Subjects:

Adult patients with acquired brain injury. A total of 43 patients for concurrent validity and 33 other patients for inter-rater reliability.

Interventions:

Concurrent validity was established with blinded Swallowing Assessment of Saliva and endoscopic evaluation within a 24-hour time interval. Inter-rater reliability was established with two blinded Swallowing Assessments of Saliva within a one-hour time interval.

Main measures:

The Swallowing Assessment of Saliva is a seven-item scale with a combination of swallowing and non-swallowing items. It is based on the Facial-Oral Tract Therapy approach.

Results:

The Swallowing Assessment of Saliva had a sensitivity of 91%, 95% confidence interval (CI) (59; 100), a specificity of 88% %, 95% CI (71; 97) and a kappa coefficient of 0.87 ±0.17 in detection of aspiration risk. Furthermore, analyses showed that experienced and inexperienced occupational therapists performed equally in detection of aspiration risk.

Conclusion:

The Swallowing Assessment of Saliva is a simple, sensitive and reliable assessment for detecting aspiration risk in patients with acquired brain injury.
Intimate insight: MDMA changes how people talk about significant others
Authors: Baggott Matthew J , Kirkpatrick Matthew G , Bedi Gillinder , de Wit Harriet
Published: April 2015

Rationale:

±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is widely believed to increase sociability. The drug alters speech production and fluency, and may influence speech content. Here, we investigated the effect of MDMA on speech content, which may reveal how this drug affects social interactions.

Method:

Thirty-five healthy volunteers with prior MDMA experience completed this two-session, within-subjects, double-blind study during which they received 1.5 mg/kg oral MDMA and placebo. Participants completed a five-minute standardized talking task during which they discussed a close personal relationship (e.g. a friend or family member) with a research assistant. The conversations were analyzed for selected content categories (e.g. words pertaining to affect, social interaction, and cognition), using both a standard dictionary method (Pennebaker’s Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count: LIWC) and a machine learning method using random forest classifiers.

Results:

Both analytic methods revealed that MDMA altered speech content relative to placebo. Using LIWC scores, the drug increased use of social and sexual words, consistent with reports that MDMA increases willingness to disclose. Using the machine learning algorithm, we found that MDMA increased use of social words and words relating to both positive and negative emotions.

Conclusions:

These findings are consistent with reports that MDMA acutely alters speech content, specifically increasing emotional and social content during a brief semistructured dyadic interaction. Studying effects of psychoactive drugs on speech content may offer new insights into drug effects on mental states, and on emotional and psychosocial interaction.
Modafinil in the treatment of crack-cocaine dependence in the Netherlands: Results of an open-label randomised controlled feasibility trial
Authors: Nuijten Mascha , Blanken Peter , van den Brink Wim , Hendriks Vincent
Published: April 2015

Background

Crack-cocaine dependence is a serious disorder with no approved pharmacological treatment. Modafinil is a promising medication with increased cocaine abstinence and reduced craving in some previous studies. In the present study, we examined the acceptance, safety and potential benefits of modafinil as an add-on treatment to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in crack-cocaine dependent patients.

Methods

Sixty-five crack-cocaine dependent outpatients participated in an open-label, randomised feasibility trial. Patients were randomised to receive either 12-week individual CBT plus 400 mg/day modafinil or 12-week individual CBT only. The primary outcome measure was CBT treatment retention. Secondary outcomes included modafinil adherence, tolerability and safety, use of cocaine and other substances, cocaine craving, health, social functioning and patient satisfaction.

Results

Modafinil adherence was low, with only 10% treatment completers. Intent-to-treat analyses showed that modafinil did not improve CBT treatment retention or any of the secondary cocaine-related outcomes. Both groups showed similar, large reductions in cocaine use during the study treatment. Post hoc exploratory analyses within the CBT plus modafinil group showed significantly larger baseline to week 12 reductions in cocaine use days in high (⩾ 8 weeks) modafinil adherent patients.

Conclusions

Acceptance and benefits of modafinil were not demonstrated in the present study. Since reduction in cocaine use was observed in high modafinil adherent patients, further research in the treatment of cocaine dependence, in which modafinil adherence is optimised, is warranted.
Finding and identifying simple objects underwater with active electrosense
Authors: Bai Yang , Snyder James B. , Peshkin Michael , MacIver Malcolm A.
Published: April 2015

Active electrosense is used by some fish for the sensing of nearby objects by means of the perturbations the objects induce in a self-generated electric field. As with echolocation (sensing via perturbations of an emitted acoustic field) active electrosense is particularly useful in environments where darkness, clutter or turbidity makes vision ineffective. Work on engineered variants of active electrosense is motivated by the need for sensors in underwater systems that function well at short range and where vision-based approaches can be problematic, as well as to aid in understanding the computational principles of biological active electrosense. Prior work in robotic active electrosense has focused on tracking and localization of spherical objects. In this study, we present an algorithm for estimating the size, shape, orientation, and location of ellipsoidal objects, along with experimental results. The algorithm is implemented in a robotic active electrosense system whose basic approach is similar to biological active electrosense systems, including the use of movement as part of sensing. At a range up to ≈20 cm, or about half the length of the robot, the algorithm localizes spheroids that are one-tenth the length of the robot with accuracy of better than 1 cm for position and 5° in orientation. The algorithm estimates object size and length-to-width ratio with an accuracy of around 10%.
Building Location Models for Visual Place Recognition
Authors: Stumm Elena S. , Mei Christopher , Lacroix Simon
Published: April 2015

This paper deals with the task of appearance-based mapping and place recognition. Previously, the scope of a location generally varied between either using discrete poses or loosely defined sequences of poses, facing problems related to perceptual aliasing and path invariance respectively. Here, we present a unified framework for defining, modelling and recognizing places in a way which is directly related to the underlying structure of features in the environment. A covisibility map of the environment is incrementally maintained over time, where visual landmarks represent nodes in a graph which are connected if seen together. When queried, relevant places are retrieved as clusters from this map, and a novel probabilistic observation model is used to evaluate place recognition. Place retrieval is able to adapt to a given query and also inherently cope with trajectory variations, due to the use of the landmark covisibility structure. In addition, the chosen generative model is developed in a way which is robust to observation errors, mapping errors, perceptual aliasing, and parameter sensitivity. Validation is provided through a variety of tests using real-world datasets, which compare the behaviour of the proposed approach to other representative state-of-the-art methods (namely FAB-MAP and SeqSLAM).
Efficacy and Safety of Morniflumate for the Treatment of Symptoms Associated with Soft Tissue Inflammation
Authors: Cremonesi Giovanni , Cavalieri Luca
Published: April 2015

The effectiveness of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the management of pain in osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases is well documented. The role of NSAIDs is less clear in the treatment of conditions involving soft tissue inflammation, including the airways, ear–nose–throat (ENT) system and urogenital tract. These conditions are often treated inappropriately with antibiotics. Morniflumate, the ß-morpholinoethyl ester of niflumic acid, is a member of the fenamate family of NSAIDs indicated for the treatment of inflammatory conditions (with or without pain) affecting airways, the ENT system, urogenital tract and the osteoarticular system. Morniflumate has a 30-year history of clinical use, particularly for the treatment of pain associated with paediatric ENT infection. This article reviews evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of morniflumate. Based on available evidence and the favourable tolerability profile emerging from extensive clinical use, morniflumate appears to be a valid and well-tolerated alternative to other NSAIDs, or to antibiotics, for the treatment of pain and other symptoms of soft tissue inflammation.