bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Curious Case of Projected Twenty-First-Century Drying but Greening in the American West
Authors: Mankin Justin S. , Smerdon Jason E. , Cook Benjamin I. , Williams A. Park , Seager Richard
Published: July 2017

Climate models project significant twenty-first-century declines in water availability over the American West from anthropogenic warming. However, the physical mechanisms underpinning this response are poorly characterized, as are the uncertainties from vegetation’s modulation of evaporative losses. To understand the drivers and uncertainties of future hydroclimate in the American West, a 35-member single model ensemble is used to examine the response of summer soil moisture and runoff to anthropogenic forcing. Widespread dry season soil moisture declines occur across the region despite increases in total water-year precipitation and ubiquitous increases in plant water-use efficiency. These modeled soil moisture declines are initially forced by significant snowpack losses that directly diminish summer soil water, even in regions where water-year precipitation increases. When snowpack priming is coupled with a warming- and CO2-induced shift in phenology and increased primary production, widespread increases in leaf area further reduces summer soil moisture and runoff by outpacing decreased stomatal conductance from high CO2. The net effects lead to the co-occurrence of both a “greener” and “drier” future across the western United States. Because simulated vegetation exerts a large influence on predicted changes in water availability in the American West, these findings highlight the importance of reducing the substantial uncertainties in the ecological processes increasingly incorporated into numerical Earth system models.
Effects of Koshu Seamount on the Development of Baroclinic Instability Leading to the Kuroshio Large Meander
Authors: Tanaka Yuki , Hibiya Toshiyuki
Published: July 2017

The Kuroshio south of Japan shows bimodal path fluctuations between the large meander (LM) path and the nonlarge meander (NLM) path. The transition from the NLM path to the LM path is triggered by a small meander generated off southwestern Japan. The small meander first propagates eastward (downstream) along the Kuroshio and then rapidly amplifies over Koshu Seamount, located about 200 km south of Japan, leading to the formation of the LM path of the Kuroshio. Although Koshu Seamount is essential for the rapid amplification of the small meander, the underlying physical mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, the role of Koshu Seamount is revisited using a two-layer quasi-geostrophic model that takes into account the effects of bottom topography. Numerical experiments show that the transition from the NLM path to the LM path can be successfully reproduced only when bottom topography mimicking Koshu Seamount is incorporated. In this case, the upper-layer meander trough is rapidly amplified together with a lower-layer anticyclone by baroclinic instability during their passage over the northern slope of Koshu Seamount. A linear stability analysis shows that baroclinic instability over a seamount is caused by resonant coupling between the upper-layer Rossby wave in the eastward background flow and the lower-layer seamount-trapped wave during their eastward propagation over the northern slope of the seamount. The spatial scale and structure of this baroclinically unstable mode are close to those of the numerically reproduced small meander in its early amplification stage over the seamount.
Determination of Magnesium Oxide Content in Mineral Medicine Talcum Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Integrated with Support Vector Machine
Authors: Lei Mi , Chen Long , Huang Bisheng , Chen Keli
Published: July 2017

In this research paper, a fast, quantitative, analytical model for magnesium oxide (MgO) content in medicinal mineral talcum was explored based on near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. MgO content in each sample was determined by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) titration and taken as reference value of NIR spectroscopy, and then a variety of processing methods of spectra data were compared to establish a good NIR spectroscopy model. To start, 50 batches of talcum samples were categorized into training set and test set using the Kennard–Stone (K-S) algorithm. In a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model, both leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) and training set validation (TSV) were used to screen spectrum preprocessing methods from multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), and finally the standard normal variate transformation (SNV) was chosen as the optimal pretreatment method. The modeling spectrum bands and ranks were optimized using PLSR method, and the characteristic spectrum ranges were determined as 11995–10664, 7991–6661, and 4326–3999 cm−1, with four optimal ranks. In the support vector machine (SVM) model, the radical basis function (RBF) kernel function was used. Moreover, the full spectrum data of samples pretreated with SNV, the characteristic spectrum data screened using synergy interval partial least squares (SiPLS), and the scoring data of the first four ranks obtained by a partial least squares (PLS) dimension reduction of characteristic spectrum were taken as input variables of SVM, and the MgO content reference values of various sample were taken as output values. In addition, the SVM model internal parameters were optimized using the grid optimization method (GRID), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and genetic algorithm (GA) so that the optimal C and g-values were determined and the validation model was established. By comprehensively comparing the validation effects of different models, it can be concluded that the scoring data of the first four ranks obtained by PLS dimension reduction of characteristic spectrum were taken as input variables of SVM, and the PLS-SVM regression model established using GRID was the optimal NIR spectroscopy quantitative model of talc. This PLS-SVM regression model (rank = 4) measured that the MgO content of talcum was in the range of 17.42–33.22%, with root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) of 2.2127%, root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.6057%, and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 1.2901%. This model showed high accuracy and strong prediction capacity, which can be used for rapid prediction of MgO content in talcum.
High-Ability Students’ Perspectives on an Affective Curriculum in a Diverse, University-Based Summer Residential Enrichment Program
Authors: Jen Enyi , Gentry Marcia , Moon Sidney M.
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate how high-ability students experienced their participation in an affective curriculum through small-group discussions in a diverse, university-based, summer enrichment program for talented youth. The investigation included two closely related studies. The first study included 77 high-ability students from several cultures and economic backgrounds who participated in the 2014 summer program. The second was a retrospective study with 24 Native American students from Diné, Ojibwe, and Lakota tribes who had participated in the affective curriculum in 2013 to determine if their participation had any longer term effects on this subgroup. In general, the students from all backgrounds in both studies said the small-group discussions enriched their overall program experience. Twenty-two of the 24 Native American students from the three tribes who participated in the retrospective study reported that they believed they had changed their behaviors during the past year because of their participation in the small-group discussions the previous summer. The changes mentioned most by these students were exhibiting stronger self-confidence and being more open to people. The results of this study suggests that the affective intervention was regarded positively. It provided both short- and long-term benefits to the high-ability students who participated in the program.
Validation of fatigue damage model for composites made of various fiber types and configurations
Authors: Shahzad Asim , Nasir Sana Ullah
Published: July 2017

Empirical model for predicting fatigue damage behavior of composite materials developed recently has been applied to composite materials made of different fibers in various configurations: carbon and glass fiber noncrimp fabric reinforced epoxy composites, chopped strand mat glass fiber-reinforced polyester composites, randomly oriented nonwoven hemp fiber-reinforced polyester composites, and glass/hemp fiber-reinforced polyester hybrid composites. The fatigue properties were evaluated in tension–tension mode at stress ratio R = 0.1 and frequency of 1 Hz. The experimental fatigue data were used to determine the material parameters required for the model. It has been found that the model accurately predicts the degradation of fatigue life of composites with an increase in number of fatigue cycles. The scope of applicability of this model has thus been broadened by using the fatigue data of natural fiber and noncrimp fabric composites.
Integration of Refugees and Support for the Ethos of Conflict
Authors: Hall Jonathan
Published: July 2017

Following forced expulsion and campaigns of ethnic cleansing, substantial portions of national communities affected by conflict no longer live within the boundaries of the state. Nevertheless, existing wartime and postwar public opinion research is largely confined to countries directly affected by conflict. As a result, current research may overlook important war-affected populations and processes shaping their opinions. I address this problem by examining the question: does incorporation in settlement countries reduce support for conflict ideology? Examining this question requires new microdata. I examine the results of a large-scale survey of ex-Yugoslavs in Sweden. The findings suggest that incorporation undermines support for conflict ideology by increasing the socioeconomic security and social identity complexity of migrants. This has important implications for multiculturalism policies in the context of the current global migration crisis.
PAR-1 and PAR-2 Expression Is Enhanced in Inflamed Odontoblast Cells
Authors: Alvarez M.M.P. , Moura G.E. , Machado M.F.M. , Viana G.M. , de Souza Costa C.A. , Tjäderhane L. , Nader H.B. , Tersariol I.L.S. , Nascimento F.D.
Published: July 2017

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are G protein–coupled receptors, which are activated by proteolytical cleavage of the amino-terminus and act as sensors for extracellular proteases. We hypothesized that PAR-1 and PAR-2 can be modulated by inflammatory stimulus in human dental pulp cells. PAR-1 and PAR-2 gene expression in human pulp tissue and MDPC-23 cells were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Monoclonal PAR-1 and PAR-2 antibodies were used to investigate the cellular expression of these receptors using Western blot, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy in MDPC-23 cells. Immunofluorescence assays of human intact and carious teeth were performed to assess the presence of PAR-1 and PAR-2 in the dentin-pulp complex. The results show for the first time that human odontoblasts and MDPC-23 cells constitutively express PAR-1 and PAR-2. PAR-2 activation increased significantly the messenger RNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)–2, MMP-9, MMP-13, and MMP-14 in MDPC-23 cells ( P < 0.05), while the expression of these enzymes decreased significantly in the PAR-1 agonist group ( P < 0.05). The high-performance liquid chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of MMP-13 activity cleaving PAR-1 at specific, noncanonical site TLDPRS42↓F43LL in human dental pulp tissues. Also, we detected a presence of a trypsin-like activity cleaving PAR-2 at canonical site SKGR20↓S21LIGRL in pulp tissues. Confocal microscopy analysis of human dentin-pulp complex showed intense positive staining of PAR-1 and PAR-2 in the odontoblast processes in dentinal tubules of carious teeth compared to intact ones. The present results support the hypothesis of activation of the upregulated PAR-1 and PAR-2 by endogenous proteases abundant during the inflammatory response in dentin-pulp complex.
Systemic Inflammation after Third Molar Removal: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Graziani F. , D’Aiuto F. , Gennai S. , Petrini M. , Nisi M. , Cirigliano N. , Landini L. , Bruno R.M. , Taddei S. , Ghiadoni L.
Published: July 2017

Third molar extraction is one of the most frequent interventions in dentistry. Nevertheless, there is scarce evidence on the host response of individuals with impacted or semi-impacted third molars and the possible effects of surgical removal. A case-control study of 40 patients was designed to evaluate 1) the differences in biomarkers of systemic inflammation, vascular function, and metabolism (high-sensitive C-reactive protein, lipids, fibrinogen, oxidative stress, and endothelial function analysis) and 2) the acute and short-term effects of surgical removal in patients with bilateral impacted or semi-impacted third molars compared to controls with no third molars. Patients undergoing third molar extraction exhibited greater levels of systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and triglycerides than controls. Raised white blood cell counts as well as peaks of serum levels of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen were noticed in the first postoperative week. Three months after the extraction, all markers returned to baseline values. Malondialdehyde, an indicator of oxidative stress indicator, was significantly reduced after third molar removal. Semi-impacted or impacted third molars are associated with higher systemic inflammation, and their removal may represent a useful human model to study acute inflammation and determine beneficial systemic effects ( ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03048175).
Examining Predictive Validity of Oral Reading Fluency Slope in Upper Elementary Grades Using Quantile Regression
Authors: Cho Eunsoo , Capin Philip , Roberts Greg , Vaughn Sharon
Published: July 2017

Within multitiered instructional delivery models, progress monitoring is a key mechanism for determining whether a child demonstrates an adequate response to instruction. One measure commonly used to monitor the reading progress of students is oral reading fluency (ORF). This study examined the extent to which ORF slope predicts reading comprehension outcomes for fifth-grade struggling readers ( n = 102) participating in an intensive reading intervention. Quantile regression models showed that ORF slope significantly predicted performance on a sentence-level fluency and comprehension assessment, regardless of the students’ reading skills, controlling for initial ORF performance. However, ORF slope was differentially predictive of a passage-level comprehension assessment based on students’ reading skills when controlling for initial ORF status. Results showed that ORF explained unique variance for struggling readers whose posttest performance was at the upper quantiles at the end of the reading intervention, but slope was not a significant predictor of passage-level comprehension for students whose reading problems were the most difficult to remediate.
Local anaesthetic refinement of pentobarbital euthanasia reduces abdominal writhing without affecting immunohistochemical endpoints in rats
Authors: Khoo Shaun Y-S , Lay Belinda P P , Joya Josephine , McNally Gavan P
Published: July 2017

Sodium pentobarbital is a commonly used agent for euthanizing laboratory rats, however its high pH can cause abdominal discomfort after intraperitoneal injection. Previous studies suggest that the addition of a local anaesthetic may alleviate this discomfort, but the practice has not been widely adopted. We examined the effect of combining lidocaine with pentobarbital on abdominal writhing, defecation, ultrasonic vocalizations, the rat grimace scale and immunohistochemical staining for c-Fos in the nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala of the brain. We also compared the amount of abdominal writhing following intraperitoneal administration of pentobarbital–lidocaine with that of pentobarbital–bupivacaine. Our results show that lidocaine reduces abdominal writhing and defecation without affecting immunohistochemistry for c-Fos or latency to loss of posture. However, scores on the rat grimace scale were low in both situations and almost no ultrasonic vocalizations were recorded. Additionally, we found that the amount of abdominal writhing was not significantly different when bupivacaine was used rather than lidocaine. Our results suggest that pentobarbital-induced euthanasia can be refined with the addition of lidocaine or other local anaesthetics.
Monetary Policy Normals, Future and Past
Authors: Sinclair Peter , Allen William A.
Published: July 2017

The paper looks at the ‘new normal’ in so many of the world's central banks, and specifically the UK. It examines the position of the monetary policy framework, instrument settings, the underlying models, unconventional policy measures, real interest rates, and the interface with macroprudential policy. It explores both the advantages and challenges involved in any move to return towards pre-crisis arrangements, and offers suggestions for possible ways in which current policy dilemmas might be resolved.
Impact of temperature and relative humidity on the near infrared spectroscopy measurements of cotton fiber micronaire
Authors: Zumba Jimmy , Rodgers James , Indest Matthew
Published: July 2017

A key cotton fiber property is micronaire. Micronaire can impact the fiber’s quality, textile processing efficiency, and fabric dye consistency. Fiber micronaire is normally measured in a laboratory under tight standard temperature and relative humidity (RH) environmental conditions (21 ± 1℃, 65 ± 2% RH). Near infrared (NIR) measurements have been performed both inside and outside of the laboratory, but measurements outside the laboratory have at times demonstrated reduced predictive capability, possibly due to the lack of standard environmental conditions. A program was implemented to determine the impact of non-standard conditions of temperature T and relative humidity RH on NIR micronaire results for bench-top and portable NIR instruments. Non-standard T and RH resulted in varying fiber moisture, which impacted the NIR spectral response. The NIR micronaire results were impacted by the non-standard conditioning for all instruments, with the lower wavelength region (∼910–1680 nm) portable instrument impacted the most. The impacts and deviations were greater at high temperature/RH compared to low temperature/RH conditioning. These results provide a rationale for the deviations observed previously in NIR micronaire results for outside the laboratory micronaire measurements with portable NIR units.
WHY ARE THERE NO UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES?: A Historical Institutionalist Comparison with Canada
Authors: Béland Daniel , Waddan Alex
Published: July 2017

Much has been written about “American exceptionalism” in social policy, but one aspect has received relatively little attention thus far: the absence of universal public social programs where entitlements to benefits and services are derived from citizenship or residency. This absence is especially striking because other liberal welfare regimes such as Canada and the United Kingdom have long developed such programs. Focusing on policy design and using Canada as a contrasting case, this article explains why there are no universal social programs in the United States, a country where the dichotomy between social assistance and social insurance dominates. The empirical analysis focuses on three policy areas: health, pensions, and family benefits. Stressing the impact of institutional factors on policy design, the article adopts a historical institutionalist approach and shows that the explanation for the absence of universal social programs varies from one policy area to the next.
THE LAST GREAT DEBATE: Congressional Veterans and the First Persian Gulf War
Authors: Sjursen Danny
Published: July 2017

Most U.S. scholarship on the political history of the First Persian Gulf War covers the general debate between the branches of government or among the international community. Several works address the length and quality of the legislature’s deliberation. The few studies examining veteran’s demographics in Congress mostly do so from a macro perspective. None meaningfully scrutinize the personal military service of individual congressmen or how the sheer quantity of veterans in the 102nd Congress influenced the debate. Correcting this oversight, this article shows how politically influential the personal experiences of so many legislators actually were. I argue that the quantity of veterans in the 101st and 102nd U.S. Congresses demonstrably influenced the character and quality of the debate preceding the war in two ways. First, veterans rendered arguments in the context of military experiences and reached conclusions from a veteran’s as much as a legislator’s perspective. Second, their common wartime participation generated a collegial atmosphere of mutual respect and serious deliberation largely free from normal partisan pressure—which stands in stark contrast to contemporary congressional gridlock. In doing so, I show that permeating this discourse and the emotional, yet civil, debate was a powerful source of historical memory.
REFLECTIONS ON GLOBAL JUSTICE AND AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM: The United States as a Model for the World?
Authors: Lagon Mark P.
Published: July 2017

American exceptionalism is a double-edged sword, often taking the form of a cultural predisposition to promote universal values to the world, but also taking a form of exempting the United States from scrutiny regarding living by those values itself. As 46.1 percent of the American public voted for the latter version of American exceptionalism in 2016, this essay examines several areas of that self-exemption, including treaties the United States fails to sign or ratify, trade policies, trafficking in persons policy, torture in counterterrorism policy, targeting Muslims indiscriminately in drone strikes and screening refugees, transparency lacking in campaign finance, trust in institutions, and the style of populism emergent in the 2016 election. There are prospects for renewal when such a gap emerges between ideas and institutions, based on earlier cycles in American history. U.S. legitimacy as a powerful catalyst for a world order favoring human dignity depends on being an exemplar.
Predictors of Intention to Travel to Cuba across Three Time Horizons: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Jordan Evan J. , Bynum Boley B. , Knollenberg Whitney , Kline Carol
Published: July 2017

As the relationship between Cuba and the United States evolves, many Americans are entertaining the idea of travel to Cuba. This study used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine predictors of US residents’ intentions to travel to Cuba across three time horizons: 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. TPB constructs were administered to a cross-sectional panel of US residents. Results varied by time horizon, with US residents’ negative attitudes toward Cuba having a positive and significant influence on their intention to visit Cuba within one year. This finding suggests that some US residents match Plog’s Allocentric profile of tourists and that the current “rough edges” of Cuba are what attract them to travel in the short rather than long term. Findings from this study provide baseline data that is valuable for Cuban and American tourism organizations, should the US market become more accessible.
A psychosocial typology of the unemployed in South Africa
Authors: van der Vaart Leoni , De Witte Hans , Van den Broeck Anja , Rothmann Sebastiaan
Published: July 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were different types of unemployed people in South Africa. A psychosocial typology, developed in Europe, identified five types of unemployed people based on their attitudes, behaviour, and experiences. To determine whether the same types could be found in South Africa, we studied a convenience sample of 381 unemployed individuals residing in the Potchefstroom area in the North West province in South Africa. Latent class analysis indicated that only four types of unemployed could be identified in this study: optimists, the desperate, the discouraged, and the adapted. Significant associations were found among these types and background characteristics, mostly in line with previous research. The results may be utilised to design interventions tailored to the different types of unemployed people.
It Is Just a “Battery”
Authors: Turkmendag Ilke
Published: July 2017

This article addresses the child’s right to know their genetic origins in mitochondrial donation. It focuses on the UK’s public debate on mitochondrial replacement techniques and examines the claims-making activities that shaped the donor information regulations. During the public consultation, downplaying the significance of the mitochondria helped distinguish mitochondria donors from gamete donors and determine their relational status with the resulting child. As a result, according to the Mitochondrial Donation regulations, mitochondria donors, unlike gamete donors, will not be required to be identifiable to the resulting child. I argue that, in the UK, similar to donor conception, public understanding of mitochondrial donation is shaped by a “calculus of genes”: simplified accounts of how genes determine the resulting child’s characteristics and identity. While the donor conception regulations ascribe social meaning to the passage of genes, the mitochondria regulations strip the social meaning away from the donation based on the assumption that the genetic contribution made by the donor is quantitatively insignificant in influencing the identity of the resultant offspring. The nature of the genetic material itself should not be considered as a privileged standpoint from which to decide on social meaning of the donation or the rights attached to it.
Trust in Technicians in Paleontology Laboratories
Authors: Wylie Caitlin Donahue
Published: July 2017

New technologies can upset scientific workplaces’ established practices and social order. Scientists may therefore prefer preserving skilled manual work and the social status quo to revolutionary technological change. For example, digital imaging of rock-encased fossils is a valuable way for scientists to “see” a specimen without traditional rock removal. However, interviews in vertebrate paleontology laboratories reveal workers’ skepticism toward computed tomography (CT) imaging. Scientists criticize replacing physical fossils with digital images because, they say, images are more subjective than the “real thing.” I argue that these scientists are also implicitly supporting rock-removal technicians, who are skilled and trusted experts whose work would be made obsolete by widespread implementation of CT scanning. Scientists’ view of CT as a sometimes useful tool rather than a universal new approach to accessing fossils preserves the laboratory community’s social structure. Specifically, by privileging “real” specimens and trusted specimen-processing technicians over images and imaging experts, scientists preserve the lab community’s division of labor and skill, hierarchy between scientists and technicians, and these groups’ identity and mutual trust.
Gifted from the “Inside out”
Authors: Haberlin Steven , O’Grady Patty
Published: July 2017

In this pilot study, 24 gifted, elementary students in second to fifth grade enrolled in a large, diverse, urban public school were introduced to 10 mindfulness-based techniques that the students practiced in school. The students practiced the techniques for 10 weeks once per week for 30 minutes in the school’s media center under the guidance of the researchers and certified mindfulness instructors. Using qualitative data (interviews and observations), quantitative percentages of qualitative findings are reported. Results include increased enjoyment, calmness, heightened awareness, creativity, and minor discomfort and a gain in mindfulness competency. The need for further research and plans to proceed are discussed.
Rendering Afghanistan legible: Borders, frontiers and the ‘state’ of Afghanistan
Authors: Manchanda Nivi
Published: July 2017

The aim of this article is to show how the partial colonisation of Afghanistan and its ‘frontier status’ have generated discourses of state failure, which have led to the construal of Afghanistan as a zone of exception and of permanent crisis. The main argument is that colonial spatialisations have an enduring legacy that continues to structure the ways in which we experience and think about the Afghan state today. The construction of Afghanistan today as a ‘failed state’ has emerged through a historical (Anglophone) discourse that has relied heavily on the trope of the ‘frontier’ to make sense of the place between India and Central Asia. Thus, the ‘frontier’ has played a formative role in defining Afghanistan as a state and space and this plays out in how we interact – through representation, policies, and intervention – with the state in the global realm today. The import of this extends far and wide and has ramifications for our understanding of coloniality and liminality in contemporary international relations (IR), including scholarship on sovereignty statehood, and borders. It also has implications for a range of states and places that are considered ‘fragile’, ‘failing’, or ‘failed’.
Efficacy of parecoxib sodium on postoperative shivering: meta-analysis of clinical trials
Authors: Zhu Yu , Zhou Chengmao , Yang Yuting , Chen Yijian
Published: July 2017

Objective

To evaluate the effect of parecoxib on preventing postoperative shivering.

Methods

Main outcomes were the relative risk (odds ratio, OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) relative to the incidence of shivering.

Results

Fourteen trials with 1,175 patients were analyzed. The pooled evidence suggested that parecoxib sodium, given before anesthesia or postoperatively (only 4 cases), had the potential to prevent postoperative shivering (OR = 0.21, 95% CI, 0.16, 0.29). Compared with the placebo, parecoxib sodium significantly lowered the incidence of postoperative shivering as follows: mild shivering [OR = 0.51, 95% CI (0.35, 0.74)]; moderate shivering [OR = 0.28, 95% CI (0.18, 0.45)]; severe shivering [OR = 0.18, 95% CI (0.10, 0.33)]. Compared with placebo, there was no significant association of parecoxib sodium with restlessness [OR = 0.95, 95% CI (0.59, 1.52)] or nausea/vomiting [OR = 0.24, 95% CI (0.09, 0.66)]. In addition, pethidine rescue was used significantly more often in the control group than in the parecoxib sodium group [OR = 0.22, 95% CI (0.09, 0.53)].

Conclusions

Parecoxib sodium may be an effective strategy for preventing postoperative shivering.
A picture-based carbohydrate-counting resource for Somalis
Authors: Sunni Muna , Brunzell Carol , Kyllo Jennifer , Purcell Loren , Plager Phillip , Moran Antoinette
Published: July 2017

Objective

Carbohydrate counting is essential for effective management of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Somali diet-specific carbohydrate-counting references are lacking, creating an additional barrier to effective diabetes control. We developed a picture-based carbohydrate-counting resource for Somalis with T1D.

Methods

Traditional Somali foods were selected using a variety of methods. Serving sizes and carbohydrate calculations were tabulated using the United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Carbohydrate contents of home-prepared foods were calculated by measuring the total yield and total carbohydrates of ingredients in the recipe divided by the number of servings to be consumed. When available, recipes were used for food preparation and analysis for more accurate carbohydrate estimation.

Results

Photographs of prepared Somali foods were compiled into a PDF file. While introductions are written in text, the resource is primarily picture-based to bypass limited literacy. The resource is shared free of charge via the following link: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0300060517718732 . The link will be updated annually with new information.

Conclusion

There is a necessity to tailor educational materials to address the needs of Somalis with diabetes. We have created a picture-based nutrition resource for carbohydrate counting of traditional Somali foods and have made this freely available to individuals worldwide.
Clinical profile of unclassifiable interstitial lung disease: Comparison with chronic fibrosing idiopathic interstitial pneumonias
Authors: Traila Daniel , Oancea Cristian , Tudorache Emanuela , Mladinescu Ovidiu Fira , Timar Bogdan , Tudorache Voicu
Published: July 2017

Objective

Unclassifiable interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common problem in clinical practice. These patients pose a distinct challenge with regard to appropriate evaluation and management. We investigated the clinical features and prognosis of unclassifiable ILD and compared its clinical profile with that of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP).

Methods

Patients with IPF (n = 40), NSIP (n = 14), and unclassifiable ILD (n = 27) were selected from an ongoing database. Baseline clinical features, pulmonary function, and the extent of fibrosis on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were evaluated. Mortality was estimated based on the ILD–Gender, Age, Physiology (ILD-GAP) index and composite physiologic index (CPI).

Results

IPF was associated with the worst survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.361 compared with NSIP), followed by unclassifiable cases (HR = 1.251 compared with NSIP). Increasing mortality was significantly impacted by age (HR = 1.04 per 1-year increase), lower carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung (HR = 0.97), HRCT interstitial score (HR = 1.119 per 1-point increase), ILD-GAP score (HR = 1.570 per 1-point increase), and CPI (HR = 1.039 per 1-point increase).

Conclusions

Patients with unclassifiable ILD had an intermediate prognosis between that of IPF and NSIP. Patients at high risk of mortality can be identified using baseline clinical, physiological, and radiological features.
Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology with poor ovarian response. A prospective case-control study
Authors: Al-Turki Haifa A.
Published: July 2017

Objective

The effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation in Saudi Arabian women with poor ovarian response (POR) is presently unknown. The present study aimed to assess the benefits of DHEA supplementation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Methods

This was a prospective case-control study involving 62 women who were diagnosed with POR and underwent IVF/ICSI between January 2012 and June 2016. The positive influence of DHEA in 34 women, compared with 28 women without supplementation, was defined as improvements in the number of oocytes retrieved, the fertilization rate, the number of grade I embryos generated and the pregnancy rate.

Results

Both groups were evenly matched for age, body mass index and laboratory test parameters. There were statistically significant differences between the groups with and without DHEA supplementation for oocyte yield (6.35 ± 2.41 versus 3.98 ± 3.2), Grade I embryos generated (55% versus 30%), positive pregnancy rate (21/34 versus 10/28), and live birth rate (18/34 versus 4/28).

Conclusion

DHEA supplementation in women with POR had a positive effect on hormonal profiles, the quality of the endometrium, the number of oocytes retrieved, the quality of embryos, and the pregnancy and live birth rates.
Double-plating fixation of comminuted femoral shaft fractures with concomitant thoracic trauma
Authors: Cheng Tao , Xia Ronggang , Yan Xiaoyu , Luo Congfeng
Published: July 2017

Objective

This study was performed to evaluate the clinical outcomes in adult polytraumatized patients with thoracic injury and femoral shaft fractures treated with double-plating fixation.

Methods

From November 2010 to October 2014, 15 polytraumatized patients with femoral shaft fractures were enrolled in this retrospective study. Radiographic findings and functional outcomes were assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

Results

Fourteen (93%) of the 15 femoral shaft fractures achieved bony union, with a mean time to union of 9.2 months. The mean Nonarthritic Hip Score and Lysholm Knee Score was 89.4 and 87.2 points, respectively. The range of motion of the knee joint was comparable between the injured and uninjured legs (116° and 121°, respectively).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that lower limb function returns to normal after orthogonal double-plating fixation, which is an alternative technique to intramedullary nailing for femoral diaphyseal fractures in patients with severe chest injury.
Human Perception of Animacy in Light of the Uncanny Valley Phenomenon
Authors: Wang Shensheng , Rochat Philippe
Published: July 2017

The uncanny valley hypothesis by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori posits a nonlinear relation between human replicas’ human likeness and the emotional responses they elicit. In three studies, we corroborated the uncanny valley hypothesis, using the uncanny phenomenon as a vehicle to shed a new light on human animacy perception. In Study 1, 62 participants rated emotional responses and human likeness of 89 artificial and human faces. In Study 2, another 62 participants conducted a visual looming task with the same 89 faces allowing for the measurement of perceived threat. Results support the uncanny valley hypothesis, suggesting that the uncanny feeling may serve a function to wary humans of the potential danger of entities crossing the animate–inanimate boundary. In Study 3, 36 participants sorted faces as either real or unreal as quickly as possible in a reaction time sorting task allowing for the measurement of categorical uncertainty associated with animacy perception. Faces associated with longer sorting reaction times were also those associated with the highest ratings of negative emotions, suggesting that categorical uncertainty in animacy detection is related to the uncanny feeling. Results are discussed in light of human animacy perception and new directions for future research are suggested.
Pregnancy outcome after anti-migraine triptan use: A prospective observational cohort study
Authors: Spielmann Kevin , Kayser Angela , Beck Evelin , Meister Reinhard , Schaefer Christof
Published: July 2017

Objective

The objective of our study is to assess the impact of triptan exposure on pregnancy outcome.

Methods

We performed a prospective observational cohort study with 432 pregnant women exposed to triptans and enrolled by the German Embryotox system. Pregnancy outcomes were compared with a migraine and a non-migraine comparison cohort. Primary objectives were major birth defects and spontaneous abortion; secondary endpoints were preterm delivery, birth weight, pregnancy complications and the rate of electively terminated pregnancies.

Results

Compared to a non-migraine cohort the rates of major birth defects (ORadj 0.84; 95% CI 0.4–1.9), spontaneous abortions (ORadj 1.20; 95% CI 0.9–1.7), preterm delivery (ORadj 1.01; 95% CI 0.7–1.5), and preeclampsia (ORadj 1.33; 95% CI 0.7–2.5) were not increased in triptan-exposed pregnancies.

Conclusions

Our findings support the evidence that triptans are not major teratogens. When compellingly needed during pregnancy, sumatriptan as the best studied triptan appears an acceptable treatment option. A detailed fetal ultrasound should be offered in cases of first trimester exposure to less well-studied triptans. Trial registration number in German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00007660
Factors Influencing the Prevalence of Stunting Among Children Aged Below Five Years in Bangladesh
Authors: Sarma Haribondhu , Khan Jahidur Rahman , Asaduzzaman Mohammad , Uddin Fakhar , Tarannum Sayeeda , Hasan Md. Mehedi , Rahman Ahmed Shafiqur , Ahmed Tahmeed
Published: July 2017

Background:

Poor nutrition during childhood impedes physical and mental development of children, which propagate the vicious cycle of intergenerational under nutrition. This paper is aimed at understanding the determinants of stunting among children aged 0 to 59 months in Bangladesh.

Methods:

The study used Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011 data and a multistage stratified cluster-sampling design. Anthropometric data (for height and weight) were collected and analysis was limited to 7647 children. Multiple binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of stunting with potential socioeconomic and demographic factors.

Results:

The prevalence of stunting has been found to be about 41% among children aged less than 60 months and higher in rural setting than in urban areas (43% vs 36%). Adjusted model revealed that several factors were influencing stunting. The children living in moderately food-insecure households had higher odds of becoming stunted (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.54, P = .01) compared to the children living in food-secure households. The derived ORs of stunting for children delivered at institutions facilitated particularly by public (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67-0.96; P = .02) or private (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67-0.97; P = .02) sectors were less than for children delivered at home. Similarly, wealth index, exposure of mother to the mass media, age of child, size of child at birth, and parents’ education were significantly associated with stunting.

Conclusions:

Moreover, the demographic characteristics and other indicators appeared to have significant influence in the prevalence of stunting. Public health programs are needed to avert the risk factors of stunting among children in Bangladesh.
Continuous permeability measurement during unidirectional vacuum infusion processing
Authors: Hoagland David , George Andrew
Published: July 2017

Flow simulation for liquid composite molding is often performed to assist in process optimization and requires the permeability of the reinforcement to be characterized. For infusion under a flexible membrane, such as vacuum infusion, or for simulation of a part with non-uniform thickness, one must test the permeability at various levels of compaction. This process is time consuming and often relies on interpolation or extrapolation around a few experimental permeability measurements. To accelerate the process of permeability characterization, a small number of methodologies have been previously presented in the literature, in which the permeability may be tested at multiple fiber volume contents in a single test. Some of the methods even measure the permeability over a continuous range of thicknesses, thus requiring no later interpolation of permeability values. A novel method is presented here for the rapid measurement of permeability over a continuous range of fiber volume content, in a single unidirectional vacuum infusion flow experiment. The thickness gradient across the vacuum bag, as well as the fluid pressure at several locations in the mold were concurrently measured to calculate the fabric compressibility. An analytical flow model, which accounts for the compressibility, is then used by iterating the fitting constant in a permeability model until the predicted flow front progression matches empirical measurement. The method is demonstrated here for two reinforcement materials: (1) a fiberglass unbalanced weave and (2) a carbon biax non-crimped fabric. The standard deviation across the multiple experiments for each material and flow orientation ranged from 12.8% to 29.7%. Validation of these results was performed by comparing the resulting permeability with multiple non-continuous permeability measurement methods.
Children’s Perceptions of and Engagement in Urban Resilience in the United States and Mexico
Authors: Derr Victoria , Corona Yolanda , Gülgönen Tuline
Published: July 2017

Resilience planning is increasingly employed as a means for cities to anticipate and plan for environmental and social challenges. Children’s perspectives are underrepresented in this domain. Through drawings, murals, photographs, videos, and dialogues, children shared their perspectives on resilience in two disparate cities—Boulder, Colorado, USA, and Mexico City, Mexico. Elements that support and negate resilience were consistent between cities. However, the negative aspects of physical and social safety were more acutely felt in Mexico City. While children were clear about what composes a resilient city, integration of these ideas into resilience planning was more challenging, especially in Mexico City.
How can the skills of Early Years leaders support other leaders in a primary school setting?
Authors: Mistry Malini , Sood Krishan
Published: July 2017

This study investigated the leadership skills Early Years leaders demonstrated through their daily practice of teaching, assessing and teamwork within their setting. It explored how revealing the potential of Early Years leaders could have a positive impact on the leadership practice of other leaders in the same setting to improve pupil outcomes. A qualitative approach using interviews with Early Years leaders in 20 primary settings from the East Midlands and Bedfordshire areas was undertaken by two academics from two different UK based universities. Ethical guidelines ensuring anonymity and trustworthiness were followed. Using verbatim comments, data were analysed in themes against contemporary Early Years literature. Findings showed the skills of Early Years leaders could support pedagogy and practice but some of these skills were not utilized beyond this age phase. Our conclusion suggested that Early Years leaders had a range of leadership skills which were deemed specialist as they were unique to the success of the age phase, but needed to be exposed beyond Early Years for wider success and impact.
Impact of maintenance conditions of vehicle components on the vehicle–track interaction loads
Authors: Kuka Naim , Verardi Riccardo , Ariaudo Caterina , Pombo João
Published: July 2017

To improve the efficiency and competitiveness of railway transport, passenger and freight trains should travel faster and have increased payload, without losing the necessary levels of running safety and ride comfort, as well as assuring low aggressiveness on track and minimising the life cycle costs. Hence, the manufacturer’s challenge consists of improving the dynamic performance of the railway vehicles and reducing the loads on the track as well as on the rolling stock components. These objectives can be achieved through optimizing the design of the vehicle, while taking into consideration that the characteristics of the vehicle and of the track may change over time and space, and that they depend on the maintenance conditions of the vehicle and of the infrastructure. This work proposes a computational methodology to study how the varying vehicle component characteristics, on normal and degraded conditions, impact on the vehicle/track interaction loads and on the track damage. The purpose of this study is to trace a path towards a realistic definition of a load mission profile for the structural fatigue dimensioning of the vehicle components. The assessment criteria and the evaluated quantities are defined according to the EN14363 regulation.