bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Moroccan species of Chyromyidae (Diptera) with descriptions of five new species of Aphaniosoma Becker
Authors: EBEJER MARTIN J.
Published: December 2016

Nineteen species of Chyromyidae from Morocco are listed with data and compared to the fauna of the other North African countries bordering the Mediterranean. Five new species of Aphaniosoma, A. gatti, A. nigripes, A. nitidum, A. soror and A. zizense spp. n. are described and their relationships discussed and 11 species are recorded from Morocco for the first time.
A review of the genus Orionis Shaw (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) and first records of the genus from South America and the Oriental Region
Authors: BORTONI MARCO AURÉLIO , SHIMBORI EDUARDO MITIO , SHAW SCOTT RICHARD , SOUZA-GESSNER CAROLINA DA SILVA , PENTEADO-DIAS ANGÉLICA MARIA
Published: December 2016

Orionis is a small Neotropical euphorine genus, currently in the tribe Perilitini. Although the biology of the genus is unknown, Orionis eximius (Muesebeck) was described from a single female specimen reared from a cocoon associated with Lantana camara. Here, we present a taxonomic revision of Orionis and the first records of the genus from South America and Thailand, with descriptions of three new species: O. brasiliensis sp. nov., O. ecuadoriensis sp. nov. and O. orientalis sp. nov. We also report the first record of O. eximius from South America (Ecuador). A revised key for the described species is presented.
A new species of the genus Rhinoleucophenga (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and redescription of five species from Neotropical region
Authors: POPPE JEAN LUCAS , VALENTE VERA LÚCIA DA SILVA , DOS SANTOS JOÃO PEDRO JUNGES , GOTTSCHALK MARCO SILVA
Published: December 2016

The genus Rhinoleucophenga Hendel comprises 29 nominal species with New World distribution. In the present study five species are redescribed: R. angustifrons Malogolowkin; R. lopesi Malogolowkin; R. matogrossensis Malogolowkin; R. nigrescens Malogolowkin and Rhinoleucophenga personata Malogolowkin. R. capixabensis Culik & Ventura is proposed as a new junior synonymy of R. lopesi. Other species, R. jacareacanga sp. nov., is described from the specimens deposited at CEIOC/Fiocruz. The description of new species and review of some former descriptions of Rhinoleucophenga is indispensable since the distribution records of some species are doubtful.
A new species of Physomerus Burmeister (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Coreinae), with a key to the species of India
Authors: MUKHERJEE PARAMITA , HASSAN M. E. , BISWAS B.
Published: December 2016

A new species from India, Physomerus centralis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae) is described and illustrated with both male and female genitalia. Morphological measurements and their ratios were taken as additional diagnostic characters. A key to the Indian species of the genus Physomerus Burmeister is provided.
Using conceptual depth criteria: addressing the challenge of reaching saturation in qualitative research
Authors: Nelson James
Published: December 2016

Saturation remains a problematic concept within the field of qualitative research, particularly with regard to issues of definition and process. This article sets out some of the common problems with saturation and, with reference to one research study, assesses the value of adopting a range of ‘conceptual depth criteria’ to address problems of definition and process when seeking to establish saturation within a grounded theory approach. It is suggested that the criteria can act as a test to measure the progress of the theoretical sampling and thus ascertain the readiness of the research for the final analytical stages and theory building. Moreover, the application of ‘conceptual depth criteria’ provides the researcher with an evaluative framework and a tool for producing a structured evidence base to substantiate choices made during the theoretical sampling process.
In utero cytomegalovirus infection and development of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Francis Stephen Starko , Wallace Amelia D. , Wendt George A. , Li Linlin , Liu Fenyong , Riley Lee W. , Kogan Scott , Walsh Kyle M. , de Smith Adam J. , Dahl Gary V. , Ma Xiaomei , Delwart Eric , Metayer Catherine , Wiemels Joseph L.
Published: December 2016

Key Points

CMV is prevalent in pretreatment bone marrow from childhood ALL and not in acute myeloid leukemia. In utero infection with CMV is a risk factor for ALL (OR = 3.71, P = .0016) and is more pronounced in Hispanics (OR = 5.90, P = .006).
The societal costs of dementia in Sweden 2012 – relevance and methodological challenges in valuing informal care
Authors: Wimo Anders , Jönsson Linus , Fratiglioni Laura , Sandman Per Olof , Gustavsson Anders , Sköldunger Anders , Johansson Lennarth
Published: December 2016

Background

In this study, we sought to estimate the societal cost of illness in dementia in Sweden in 2012 using different costing approaches to highlight methodological issues.

Methods

We conducted a prevalence-based cost-of-illness study with a societal perspective.

Results

The societal costs of dementia in Sweden in 2012 were SEK 62.9 billion (approximately €7.2 billion, approximately US$9.0 billion) or SEK 398,000 per person with dementia (approximately €45,000, approximately US$57,000). By far the most important cost item is the cost of institutional care: about 60% of the costs. In the sensitivity analysis, different quantification and costing approaches for informal care resulted in a great variation in the total societal cost, ranging from SEK 60 billion (€6.8 billion, US$8.6 billion) to SEK 124 billion (€14.1 billion, US$17.8 billion).

Conclusions

The societal costs of dementia are very high. The cost per person with dementia has decreased somewhat, mainly because of de-institutionalisation. The majority of the costs occur in the social care sector, but the costing of informal care is crucial for the cost estimates.
Virtual reality compared within vivoexposure in the treatment of social anxiety disorder: A three-arm randomised controlled trial
Authors: Bouchard Stéphane , Dumoulin Stéphanie , Robillard Geneviève , Guitard Tanya , Klinger Évelyne , Forget Hélène , Loranger Claudie , Roucaut François Xavier
Published: December 2016

Background

People with social anxiety disorder (SAD) fear social interactions and may be reluctant to seek treatments involving exposure to social situations. Social exposure conducted in virtual reality (VR), embedded in individual cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT), could be an answer.

Aims

To show that conducting VR exposure in CBT for SAD is effective and is more practical for therapists than conducting exposurein vivo.

Method

Participants were randomly assigned to either VR exposure (n= 17),in vivoexposure (n= 22) or waiting list (n= 20). Participants in the active arms received individual CBT for 14 weekly sessions and outcome was assessed with questionnaires and a behaviour avoidance test. (Trial registration number ISRCTN99747069.)

Results

Improvements were found on the primary (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale) and all five secondary outcome measures in both CBT groups compared with the waiting list. Conducting exposure in VR was more effective at post-treatment thanin vivoon the primary outcome measure and on one secondary measure. Improvements were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. VR was significantly more practical for therapists thanin vivoexposure.

Conclusions

Using VR can be advantageous over standard CBT as a potential solution for treatment avoidance and as an efficient, cost-effective and practical medium of exposure.
Psychosis in autism: Comparison of the features of both conditions in a dually affected cohort
Authors: Larson Felicity V. , Wagner Adam P. , Jones Peter B. , Tantam Digby , Lai Meng-Chuan , Baron-Cohen Simon , Holland Anthony J.
Published: December 2016

Background

There is limited information on the presentation and characteristics of psychotic illness experienced by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Aims

To describe autistic and psychotic phenomenology in a group of individuals with comorbid ASD and psychosis (ASD–P) and compare this group with populations affected by either, alone.

Method

We studied 116 individuals with ASD–P. We compared features of their ASD with people with ASD and no comorbid psychosis (ASD–NP), and clinical characteristics of psychosis in ASD–P with people with psychosis only.

Results

Individuals with ASD–P had more diagnoses of atypical psychosis and fewer of schizophrenia compared with individuals with psychosis only. People with ASD–P had fewer stereotyped interests/behaviours compared with those with ASD–NP.

Conclusions

Our data show there may be a specific subtype of ASD linked to comorbid psychosis. The results support findings that psychosis in people with ASD is often atypical, particularly regarding affective disturbance.
Naturalist Smellscapes and Environmental Justice
Authors: Hsu Hsuan L.
Published: December 2016

This essay considers naturalist and neonaturalist deployments of smell as a means of mapping uneven and potentially toxic atmospheres in the contexts of Progressive Era urbanization and twentieth-century environmental “slow violence.” After showing how the description of noxious “smellscapes” structures Norris’s Vandover and the Brute (1914), I move on to consider the use of smell in key scenes in the writings of Ann Petry and Helena Viramontes. While environmental justice novels extend Norris’s interest in connections between smell, health, and stratified air, they also explore how these issues intersect with racially uneven geographies in the twentieth century.
Defective adgra2 (gpr124) splicing and function in zebrafish ouchless mutants
Authors: Bostaille Naguissa , Gauquier Anne , Stainier Didier Y. R. , Raible David W. , Vanhollebeke Benoit
Published: December 2016

A hitherto unidentified N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced mutation affects dorsal root ganglia (DRG) formation in ouchless mutant zebrafish larvae. In contrast to previous findings assigning the ouchless phenotypes to downregulated sorbs3 transcript levels, this work re-attributes the phenotypes to an essential splice site mutation affecting adgra2 (gpr124) splicing and function. Accordingly, ouchless mutants fail to complement previously characterized adgra2 mutants and exhibit highly penetrant cerebrovascular defects. The aberrantly spliced adgra2 transcript found in ouchless mutants encodes a receptor lacking a single leucine-rich repeat (LRR) within its N-terminus.
Known Unknowns: A Critical Determinant of Confidence and Calibration
Authors: Walters Daniel J. , Fernbach Philip M. , Fox Craig R. , Sloman Steven A.
Published: December 2016

We propose that an important determinant of judged confidence is the evaluation of evidence that is unknown or missing, and overconfidence is often driven by the neglect of unknowns. We contrast this account with prior research suggesting that overconfidence is due to biased processing of known evidence in favor of a focal hypothesis. In Study 1, we asked participants to list their thoughts as they answered two-alternative forced-choice trivia questions and judged the probability that their answers were correct. Participants who thought more about unknowns were less overconfident. In Studies 2 and 3, we asked participants to list unknowns before assessing their confidence. “Considering the unknowns” reduced overconfidence substantially and was more effective than the classic “consider the alternative” debiasing technique. Moreover, considering the unknowns selectively reduced confidence in domains where participants were overconfident but did not affect confidence in domains where participants were well-calibrated or underconfident.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2016.2580 .

This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making.
Identity in Charitable Giving
Authors: Kessler Judd B. , Milkman Katherine L.
Published: December 2016

How does priming identity affect charitable giving? We show that individuals are more likely to donate when a facet of their identity associated with a norm of generosity is primed in an appeal. In large charitable giving field experiments run by the American Red Cross, appeals that prime an individual’s identity as a previous donor to the charity or as a member of a local community generate more donations. The primes are more effective when they highlight a facet of the potential donor’s identity that we hypothesize to be more relevant to his sense of self: priming identity as a previous donor is more effective for more regular donors and priming identity as a local community member is more effective for people in smaller communities. Together, these results elucidate the impact of identity on behavior and demonstrate how identity primes can be implemented in practice to encourage public good provision.

This paper was accepted by Uri Gneezy, behavioral economics.
Effectiveness of Reputation in Contracting for Customized Production: Evidence from Online Labor Markets
Authors: Lin Mingfeng , Liu Yong , Viswanathan Siva
Published: December 2016

This study examines the effects of reputation in the nascent but rapidly growing online labor markets. In these markets, contract winners (vendors) provide clients with customized products such as computer software, business plans, and artistic designs. The products are used primarily for business purposes and require time for production after project-specific contracts are awarded. These characteristics render it unclear whether online reputation will have similar effects as in online retailing, where finished and standardized products are sold for consumption. We analyze field transaction data from a major online labor market. The analyses using matched contract samples and vendor panels consistently show that despite the governing power provided by contracts as well as the litigation and arbitration options, vendors’ online reputation can still be influential on clients. Vendors who have no reputation ratings are less likely to be chosen, and those with higher ratings are more likely to win subsequent bids. Importantly, however, such influences depend on the contract form that is used for a particular transaction—they are significant in output-based contracts but nonsignificant in input-based contracts. Besides extending the research on online reputation to the markets of customized production, this study shows contract form as an important boundary condition for the effectiveness of reputational information. It also provides direct managerial implications for electronic commerce in general and online labor markets in particular.

This paper was accepted by Pradeep Chintagunta, marketing.
Dynamic Pricing in Social Networks: The Word-of-Mouth Effect
Authors: Ajorlou Amir , Jadbabaie Ali , Kakhbod Ali
Published: December 2016

We study the problem of optimal dynamic pricing for a monopolist selling a product to consumers in a social network. In the proposed model, the only means of spread of information about the product is via word-of-mouth communication; consumers’ knowledge of the product is only through friends who already know about the product’s existence. Both buyers and nonbuyers contribute to information diffusion, while buyers are more likely to spread the news about the product. By analyzing the structure of the underlying endogenous dynamic process, we show that the optimal dynamic pricing policy for durable products with zero or negligible marginal cost drops the price to zero infinitely often. The firm uses free offers to attract low-valuation agents and to get them more engaged in the spread. As a result, the firm can reach potential high-valuation consumers in parts of the network that would otherwise remain untouched without the price drops. We provide evidence for this behavior from the smartphone app market, where price histories indicate frequent zero-price sales. Moreover, we show that despite dropping the price to zero infinitely often, the optimal price trajectory does not get trapped near zero. We demonstrate the validity of our results in the face of forward-looking consumers and homophily in word-of-mouth engagement. We further unravel the key role of the product type in the optimality of zero-price sales by showing that the price fluctuations disappear after a finite time for a nondurable product.

This paper was accepted by J. Miguel Villas-Boas, marketing.
Monitoring Prevalence, Treatment, and Control Of Metabolic Conditions In New York
City Adults Using 2013 Primary Care Electronic Health Records: A Surveillance Validation
Study
Authors: Thorpe Lorna E. , McVeigh Katharine H. , Perlman Sharon , Chan Pui Ying , Bartley Katherine , Schreibstein Lauren , Rodriguez-Lopez Jesica , Newton-Dame Remle
Published: December 2016

Introduction: Electronic health records (EHRs) can potentially extend chronic
disease surveillance, but few EHR-based initiatives tracking population-based metrics
have been validated for accuracy. We designed a new EHR-based population health
surveillance system for New York City (NYC) known as NYC Macroscope. This report is the
third in a 3-part series describing the development and validation of that system. The
first report describes governance and technical infrastructure underlying the NYC
Macroscope. The second report describes validation methods and presents validation
results for estimates of obesity, smoking, depression and influenza vaccination. In this
third paper we present validation findings for metabolic indicators (hypertension,
hyperlipidemia, diabetes).Methods: We compared EHR-based estimates to those from a gold
standard surveillance source – the 2013-2014 NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NYC HANES) – overall and stratified by sex and age group, using the two one-sided test
of equivalence and other validation criteria.Results: EHR-based hypertension prevalence
estimates were highly concordant with NYC HANES estimates. Diabetes prevalence estimates
were highly concordant when measuring diagnosed diabetes but less so when incorporating
laboratory results. Hypercholesterolemia prevalence estimates were less concordant
overall. Measures to assess treatment and control of the 3 metabolic conditions
performed poorly.Discussion: While indicator performance was variable, findings here
confirm that a carefully constructed EHR-based surveillance system can generate
prevalence estimates comparable to those from gold-standard examination surveys for
certain metabolic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.Conclusions: Standardized
EHR metrics have potential utility for surveillance at lower annual costs than surveys,
especially as representativeness of contributing clinical practices to EHR-based
surveillance systems increases.
Evaluating Sustainability of Buildings Using Multi-Attribute Decision Tools
Authors: Rajagopalan Neethi , Kelley Stephen S.
Published: December 2016

Developing tools and methodologies for the evaluation of sustainable buildings is essential to promote transparency in the building design community. Building sustainability includes attributes from the built, natural, and social systems and inherently requires a series of trade-offs. These complex and often competing priorities require consideration at each stage of a building's life cycle.

A total of 24 environmental, social, and economic indicators were developed and applied to three alternative building systems: cross-laminated timber (CLT), steel and glass, and reinforced concrete.

The goal of this study was to demonstrate the use of a multi-attribute decision support system (MADSS) that uses a series of indicators, assigns numerical values to these indicators, and then allows for systematic evaluation and ranking of alternatives. A case study approach was used to demonstrate the utility of the MADSS approach in identifying “hot spots” and trade-offs for the three building systems. Portland, Oregon, was selected as the location for the alternative buildings. The functional unit for this study was a mixed-use nine-story building with an area of 19,000 ft2. All processes from extraction of raw materials to end-of-life operations were considered in this study. The CLT building was found to have a higher rank compared with concrete and steel in all three attributes of environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

The results of this study are intended to serve as a demonstration of the MADSS tool for building systems and to identify hot spots in the various indicators utilized for sustainability evaluation. The ranking of environmental, social, and economic attributes of building materials on specific indicators will vary with the interests of stakeholders and the building's location, type, design, and other factors.
The Nicaragua Interoceanic Grand Canal in the Central American Regional Development Context: Considerations for the Debate
Authors: Márquez Domínguez Juan Antonio , Díaz-Diego Jose
Published: December 2016

In the regional context of Central America, the Nicaragua Interoceanic Grand Canal presupposes a great economic, technological and geopolitical challenge. However, beyond the economic expansion that the project, the merchant traffic, the new docks and surroundings imply, the Nicaraguan ruling class has not tackled the restructuring of the economic policy that will allow better use of the hypothetical GDP increase, especially for the affected communities and the most vulnerable groups of the country. To demonstrate the need for such changes, the article analyses the Nicaraguan Grand Canal Project in the context of the tumultuous political history of Central America and the current geopolitical unrest linked to global merchant traffic, identifying the main regional weaknesses of the Nicaraguan proposal, as well as the fundamental tasks that the country should address to transform the Canal into a regional development focus.
Banca privada y vivienda usada en la ciudad de Madrid
Authors: Jiménez Barrado Víctor , Sánchez Martín José Manuel
Published: December 2016

El número de viviendas usadas en poder de los bancos ha aumentado de forma notable en los últimos diez años como consecuencia de la crisis económica e hipotecaria. El considerable incremento del paquete de activos tóxicos inmobiliarios (más del 36% entre el año 2012 y 2015) procede, en buena medida, de los impagos a la banca por parte de las familias. La ciudad de Madrid es una de las poblaciones más afectadas por este fenómeno, en la que se acumulan los desahucios día tras día. El presente estudio cuantifica y analiza, a través de la información que facilitan las inmobiliarias de las cinco principales entidades bancarias del país, esta bolsa de viviendas de segunda mano en la capital española. La localización de las mismas dentro del núcleo urbano permite conocer el grado de afectación por distritos. Por otro lado, nos hemos servido de la base de datos socioeconómicos de la Administración Local para determinar la incidencia social del posicionamiento de la banca privada. El análisis espacial a través de Sistemas de Información Geográfica ha revelado comportamientos anómalos de la banca en relación al mercado de compra-venta de viviendas usadas en la ciudad de Madrid.
Propuesta de itinerario geoturístico urbano en Garachico (Tenerife, Canarias, España)
Authors: Dóniz-Páez Francisco Javier , Becerra-Ramírez Rafael , Carballo-Hernández Marta
Published: December 2016

En los destinos maduros de sol y playa los nuevos productos y experiencias turísticas son una realidad actual y necesaria. El geoturismo urbano es un producto de turismo muy novedoso que consiste en explotar turísticamente el relieve presente dentro de las ciudades tanto en afloramientos naturales como en los diferentes elementos del patrimonio cultural tangible inmueble. El objetivo de este artículo es diseñar y proponer un itinerario de geoturismo urbano con base espacial por el casco histórico de Garachico (Tenerife, Canarias, España), asociado directa e indirectamente con la erupción volcánica de 1706 y que contribuya a diversificar su oferta turística polarizada en sus atractivos históricos. Para ello la metodología utilizada consistió en el inventario, caracterización y valoración del patrimonio geológico-geomorfológico presente en los diferentes geomorfositios y en el patrimonio cultural tangible inmueble del casco histórico de la ciudad. Se seleccionaron catorce recursos naturales y culturales vinculados con la geodiversidad de Garachico. En función de la variedad de recursos inventariados, de las posibilidades que ofrece y de su distribución geográfica, el itinerario propuesto en formato de ruta abierta recorre los catorce atractivos seleccionados a lo largo de unos 2 km de longitud y de tres horas de duración.
La influencia de los factores topoclimáticos en la organización geográfica de los sabinares de Anaga (Tenerife, Islas Canarias)
Authors: Luis González Manuel , Fernández-Pello Martín Laura , Quirantes González Francisco
Published: December 2016

Se estudian los efectos de los factores topoclimáticos sobre las dos muestras mejor conservadas de la vegetación termófila de la isla de Tenerife: el sabinar de Afur y el de la Punta de Anaga. El análisis se realiza a dos escalas espaciales: comarcal y local. La primera permite mostrar las diferencias entre los dos emplazamientos; mientras que a través de la segunda se ponen de manifiesto las variaciones internas en cada uno de ellos. Las variaciones locales de altitud y orientación dan lugar a cambios florísticos y fisionómicos que aparecen reflejados en los inventarios de campo realizados. Por la mayor diversidad de combinaciones de factores ambientales, en Afur se localiza la muestra de sabinar más rica y compleja. Los análisis a escala local demuestran que los contrastes de orientación pueden llegar a ser más importantes que los provocados por los gradientes climáticos verticales.
Real Time Analytics for Characterizing the Computer User's State
Authors: Carneiro Davide , Araújo Daniel , Pimenta André , Novais Paulo
Published: December 2016

In the last years, the amount of devices that can be connected to a network grew significantly allowing to, among other tasks, collect data about the environment or the people in it in a non-intrusive way. This generated nowadays well-known topics such as Big Data or the Internet of Things. This also opened the door to the development of novel and interesting applications. In this paper we propose a distributed system for acquiring data about the users of technological devices in a non-intrusive way. We describe how this data can be collected and transformed to produce meaningful interaction features, that reveal the state of the individuals. We analyse the requirements of such a system, namely in terms of storage and speed, and describe three prototypes currently being used in three different domains of application.
Relationships between Specified and Underspecified Quantification by the Theory of Acyclic Recursion
Authors: Loukanova Roussanka
Published: December 2016

The paper introduces a technique for representing quantifier relations that can have different scope order depending on context. The technique is demonstrated by classes of terms denoting relations, where each of the arguments of a relation term is bound by a different quantifier. We represent a formalization of linking quantifiers with the corresponding argument slots that they bind, across lambda-abstractions and reduction steps. The purpose of the technique is to represent underspecified order of quantification, in the absence of a context and corresponding information about the order. Furthermore, it is used to represent subclasses of larger classes of relations depending on order of quantification or specific relations.
Planning large systems with MDPs: case study of inland waterways supervision
Authors: Desquesnes Guillaume , Lozenguez Guillaume , Doniec Arnaud , Duviella Éric
Published: December 2016

Inland waterway management is likely to go through heavy changes due to an expected traffic increase in a context of climate change. Those changes will require an adaptive and resilient management of the water resource. The aim is to have an optimal plan for the distribution of the water resource on the whole inland waterway network, while taking into account the uncertainties arising from the operations of such a network. A representative model using Markov decision processes is proposed to model the dynamic and the uncertainties of the waterways. The proposed model is able to coordinate multiple entities over multiple time steps in order to prevent an overflow of a test network. However, this model suffers from a lack of scalability and is unable to represent real case applications. Advantages and limitations of several approaches of the literature to circumvent this limitation are discussed according to our case study.
Aspirin Resistance Predicts Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Pasala Tilak , Hoo Jennifer Soo , Lockhart Mary Kate , Waheed Rehan , Sengodan Prasanna , Alexander Jeffrey , Gandhi Sanjay
Published: December 2016

Antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and vascular death in patients who have symptomatic peripheral artery disease. However, a subset of patients who take aspirin continues to have recurrent cardiovascular events. There are few data on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with peripheral artery disease who manifest aspirin resistance.

Patients with peripheral artery disease on long-term aspirin therapy (≥4 wk) were tested for aspirin responsiveness by means of the VerifyNow Aspirin Assay. The mean follow-up duration was 22.6 ± 8.3 months. The primary endpoint was a composite of death, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke. Secondary endpoints were the incidence of vascular interventions (surgical or percutaneous), or of amputation or gangrene caused by vascular disease.

Of the 120 patients enrolled in the study, 31 (25.8%) were aspirin-resistant and 89 (74.2%) were aspirin-responsive. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (32.3%) patients in the aspirin-resistant group and in 13 (14.6%) patients in the aspirin-responsive group (hazard ratio=2.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–5.66; P=0.03). There was no significant difference in the secondary outcome of revascularization or tissue loss. By multivariate analysis, aspirin resistance and history of chronic kidney disease were the only independent predictors of long-term adverse cardiovascular events.

Aspirin resistance is highly prevalent in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease and is an independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular risk. Whether intervening in these patients with additional antiplatelet therapies would improve outcomes needs to be explored.
Unrepaired Tetralogy of Fallot with Absent Pulmonary Valve in a Mildly Symptomatic 16-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Drogalis-Kim Diana E. , Reemtsen Brian L. , Reardon Leigh Christopher
Published: December 2016

Absent pulmonary valve is a rare and severe variant seen in only 3% to 6% of patients with tetralogy of Fallot. Fetuses with this combined condition who survive through birth typically need intervention in infancy or early childhood because of respiratory distress, heart failure, or failure to thrive. We describe the unusual case of a mildly symptomatic 16-year-old boy with these conditions who underwent successful primary repair. Our search of the medical literature yielded fewer than 5 cases of tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve (or variants with an absent left pulmonary artery) and survival without repair into later adolescence or adulthood.
Endovascular Treatment of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome via Balloon-in-Balloon Catheter Technique with a Palmaz Stent
Authors: Shatila Wassim , Almanfi Abdelkader , Massumi Mehran , Dougherty Kathryn G. , Parekh Dhaval R. , Strickman Neil E.
Published: December 2016

Superior vena cava syndrome is a well-known disease entity that carries substantial rates of morbidity and mortality. Although most cases of superior vena cava syndrome are secondary to a malignant process, additional causes (such as mediastinal fibrosis, pacemaker lead implantation, or central venous catheter placement) have been reported. Multiple treatment options include percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, stent implantation, thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, and venous grafting. We present a case of superior vena cava syndrome in a symptomatic 30-year-old woman who obtained complete relief of obstruction and marked symptomatic improvement through venoplasty and stenting, aided by our use of a balloon-in-balloon catheter system.
Comparative Efficacy of Nebivolol and Metoprolol to Prevent Tachycardia-Induced Cardiomyopathy in a Porcine Model
Authors: Nazeri Alireza , Elayda MacArthur A. , Segura Ana Maria , Stainback Raymond F. , Nathan Joanna , Lee Vei-Vei , Bove Christina , Sampaio Luiz , Grace Brian , Massumi Ali , Razavi Mehdi
Published: December 2016

Chronic tachycardia is a well-known cause of nonischemic cardiomyopathy. We hypothesized that nebivolol, a β-blocker with nitric oxide activity, would be superior to a pure β-blocker in preventing tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in a porcine model.

Fifteen healthy Yucatan pigs were randomly assigned to receive nebivolol, metoprolol, or placebo once a day. All pigs underwent dual-chamber pacemaker implantation. The medication was started the day after the pacemaker implantation. On day 7 after implantation, each pacemaker was set at atrioventricular pace (rate, 170 beats/min), and the pigs were observed for another 7 weeks. Transthoracic echocardiograms, serum catecholamine levels, and blood chemistry data were obtained at baseline and at the end of the study. At the end of week 8, the pigs were euthanized, and complete histopathologic studies were performed.

All the pigs developed left ventricular cardiomyopathy but remained hemodynamically stable and survived to the end of the study. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction decreased from baseline by 34%, 20%, and 20% in the nebivolol, metoprolol, and placebo groups, respectively. These changes did not differ significantly among the 3 groups (P =0.51). Histopathologic analysis revealed mild left ventricular perivascular fibrosis with cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in 14 of the 15 pigs.

Both nebivolol and metoprolol failed to prevent cardiomyopathy in our animal model of persistent tachycardia and a high catecholamine state.
Direct Measurement of Left Atrial Pressure during Routine Transradial Catheterization
Authors: Fa'ak Faisal , Shabaneh Bahaeddin , Younis George
Published: December 2016

Left atrial pressure indicates the left ventricular filling pressure in patients who have systolic or diastolic left ventricular dysfunction or valvular heart disease. The use of indirect surrogate methods to determine left atrial pressure has been essential in the modern evaluation and treatment of cardiovascular disease because of the difficulty and inherent risks associated with direct methods (typically the transseptal approach). One method that has been widely used to determine left atrial pressure indirectly is Swan-Ganz catheterization, in which a balloon-flotation technique is applied to measure pulmonary capillary wedge pressure; however, this approach has been associated with several limitations and potential risks. Measuring left ventricular end-diastolic pressure has also been widely used as a simple means to estimate filling pressures but remains a surrogate for the gold standard of directly measuring left atrial pressure. We describe a simple, low-risk method to directly measure left atrial pressure that involves the use of standard coronary catheterization techniques during a transradial procedure.
Ventricular Tachycardia in Fabry Disease Detected in a 50-Year-Old Woman during 14-Day Continuous Cardiac Monitoring
Authors: Silva-Gburek Jaime , Rochford Laura , Hopkin Robert , Jefferies John L.
Published: December 2016

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder. Female carriers were long thought to be asymptomatic; however, research has revealed the opposite. Cardiac conditions are the chief causes of death in women with Fabry disease. Although ventricular tachycardia has been reported in male patients with Fabry disease, it is not thought to be a frequent finding in females. We describe the case of a 50-year-old woman in whom we used 14-day continuous electrocardiographic monitoring to identify nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, after electrocardiograms and 24-hour Holter monitoring failed to detect the arrhythmia. A permanent implantable cardioverter-defibrillator relieved the patient's symptoms. We discuss why this case supports the need for more extensive electrophysiologic evaluation in women who have Fabry disease.
Late Cardiac Rupture after Amplatzer Septal Occluder Implantation
Authors: Arnaz Ahmet , Turkekul Yasemin , Yalcinbas Yusuf , Saygili Arda , Sarioglu Tayyar
Published: December 2016

Transcatheter device implantation has become an attractive alternative to surgery in the closure of atrial septal defects in selected patients. However, it can lead to early and late sequelae, some of them life threatening. For example, 79 days before her admission to our emergency department with sudden-onset respiratory distress and respiratory arrest (leading to cardiac tamponade and rupture), a 22-year-old woman had undergone percutaneous closure of an atrial septal defect. We describe the damage and its treatment.

Although the adverse effects of transcatheter device implantation are rare, physicians should know that these events can be life threatening. Further data are needed to prevent such sequelae and to design new devices. It is of utmost importance that patients and their family members be informed both of possible sequelae and of life-saving interventions to be administered at early diagnosis.
Das Ranking der Nachhaltigkeitsberichte von IÖW und future
Authors: Hoffmann Esther , Füning Harriet , Dietsche Christian
Published: December 2016

Bereits zum neunten Mal haben das Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung (IÖW) und die Unternehmensinitiative „future – verantwortung unternehmen“ die gesellschaftsbezogene Berichterstattung deutscher Unternehmen bewertet. Die besten Nachhaltigkeitsberichte wurden am 23. September 2016 ausgezeichnet.
Trends und Tendenzen im Umweltbewusstsein
Authors: Schipperges Michael , Gossen Maike , Holzhauer Brigitte , Scholl Gerd
Published: December 2016

Seit den Anfängen der Umweltbewusstseinsstudien hat sich die deutsche Gesellschaft gewandelt – und davon ist das Umweltbewusstsein nicht unbeeinflusst geblieben. Im Folgenden werden einige Thesen formuliert, die sich aus den Umweltbewusstseinsstudien ableiten lassen und die aktuelle soziologische Forschungen zum Alltagsbewusstsein und zu soziokulturellen Entwicklungen als Interpretationsrahmen einbeziehen.
Co-Benefits als interessenbezogene Zusatznutzen der Klimapolitik
Authors: Jänicke Martin , Helgenberger Sebastian
Published: December 2016

In der Klimapolitik rücken Zusatzeffekte möglicher Politikoptionen zunehmend in den Mittelpunkt des Interesses. Die systematische Evaluierung dieser Co-Benefits kann eine wichtige strategische Lücke schließen und neue strategische Koalitionen der Klimapolitik mit Wirtschafts- und Sozialressorts eröffnen.
The ınvestigation of problem solving skills of nursing students in terms of some variables
 Hemşirelik öğrencilerinin problem çözme becerilerinin bazı değişkenler açısından incelenmesi
Authors: Erol Funda , Tanrıkulu Fatma , Dikmen Yurdanur , Akduran Funda
Published: December 2016

Aim: This research was conducted in order to determine the problem solving skills of nursing students and some variables that are thought to affect these skills.Method: Sample of the study consisted of 463 students who agreed to take part in the study, from Sakarya University Health Sciences Faculty Nursing Department, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th years (participation rate 53%).  The data were collected by the Personal Information Form and the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI). Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t test and one-way variance test (ANOVA) were used in the analysis of the data.Results: Students who participated in the study were found to be 83.6% were female, 32.4% were at 1st grade, 81.2% had a nuclear family. The average PSI score of the students was found to be 97.33±14.76, problem solving reliability subscale score average was found to be 32.22±7.87, personal control subscale score average was found to be 19.39±3.20, and convergence/avoidance subscale score average was found to be 49.61±7.76. It has been stated that senior students who has got fragmented families, supportive and reassuring parental manners and who perceive the level of in come as bad, have better problem solving skills.Conclusion: According to the results of the research, it was determined that problem solving skills of nursing students were moderate. ÖzetAmaç: Bu araştırma, hemşirelik öğrencilerinin problem çözme becerilerini ve bu becerileri etkileyebilecek bazı değişkenlerin belirlenmesi amacıyla planlanmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırmanın örneklemini, Sakarya Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Hemşirelik Bölümü I., II., III. ve IV. Sınıftaöğrenim gören ve çalışmaya katılmayı kabul eden 463 öğrenci oluşturmuştur (katılım oranı %53). Veriler “Kişisel Bilgi Formu” ile “Problem Çözme Envanteri (PÇE)” kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde sayı, yüzde, ortalama, standart sapma, bağımsız gruplarda t testi ve tekyönlü varyans testi (ANOVA) kullanılmıştır.Bulgular: Öğrencilerin %83.6’sının bayan olduğu, %32.4’ü I. sınıfta öğrenim gördüğü ve %81.2’sinin çekirdek aileye sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Öğrencilerin PÇE toplam puan ortalaması 97.33±14.76,  problem çözme yeteneğine güven alt boyut puan ortalaması 32.22±7.87, kişisel kontrol alt boyut puan ortalaması 19.39±3.20, yakınlaşma/kaçınma alt boyut puan ortalaması ise 49.61±7.76 olarak saptanmıştır. Son sınıfta öğrenim gören, parçalanmış aileye sahip, destekleyici ve güven verici ebeveyn tutumu olan, gelir düzeyini kötü algılayan öğrencilerin problem çözme becerilerinin daha iyi olduğu belirlenmiştir.Sonuç: Sonuç olarak, hemşirelik öğrencilerin problem çözme becerilerinin orta düzeyde olduğu saptanmıştır.
The Effects of Advertised Quality Emphasis and Objective Quality on Sales
Authors: Kopalle Praveen K. , Fisher Robert J. , Sud Bharat L. , Antia Kersi D.
Published: December 2016

Given that consumers value quality, and advertising content informs consumers’ beliefs about quality, it is not surprising that high-quality brands emphasize quality in their advertising content. What is less obvious is whether firms with lower-quality brands should also follow suit and emphasize quality in their advertising to signal a higher quality. We examine this issue and study the effectiveness of quality-based advertising messages. Our field study relates brands’ monthly sales to their advertised quality claims across 1,876 print ads in national magazines and Consumer Reports–based product quality ratings over more than two decades. Contrary to the generally held yet erroneous belief in the efficacy of low-quality products emphasizing quality in their advertising, we demonstrate that (1) it is not beneficial for a low-quality firm to emphasize quality in its advertising, and (2) it is effective for a high-quality firm to do so. An analysis of parameter values from a published category-agnostic simulation and an experiment that examines consumers’ responses to quality claims in a second product category yields convergent insights.
Differential Encoding of Time by Prefrontal and Striatal Network Dynamics
Authors: Bakhurin Konstantin I. , Goudar Vishwa , Shobe Justin L. , Claar Leslie D. , Buonomano Dean V. , Masmanidis Sotiris C.
Published: December 2016

Telling time is fundamental to many forms of learning and behavior, including the anticipation of rewarding events. Although the neural mechanisms underlying timing remain unknown, computational models have proposed that the brain represents time in the dynamics of neural networks. Consistent with this hypothesis, changing patterns of neural activity dynamically in a number of brain areas—including the striatum and cortex—has been shown to encode elapsed time. To date, however, no studies have explicitly quantified and contrasted how well different areas encode time by recording large numbers of units simultaneously from more than one area. Here, we performed large-scale extracellular recordings in the striatum and orbitofrontal cortex of mice that learned the temporal relationship between a stimulus and a reward and reported their response with anticipatory licking. We used a machine-learning algorithm to quantify how well populations of neurons encoded elapsed time from stimulus onset. Both the striatal and cortical networks encoded time, but the striatal network outperformed the orbitofrontal cortex, a finding replicated both in simultaneously and nonsimultaneously recorded corticostriatal datasets. The striatal network was also more reliable in predicting when the animals would lick up to ∼1 s before the actual lick occurred. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that temporal information is encoded in a widely distributed manner throughout multiple brain areas, but that the striatum may have a privileged role in timing because it has a more accurate “clock” as it integrates information across multiple cortical areas.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe neural representation of time is thought to be distributed across multiple functionally specialized brain structures, including the striatum and cortex. However, until now, the neural code for time has not been compared quantitatively between these areas. Here, we performed large-scale recordings in the striatum and orbitofrontal cortex of mice trained on a stimulus–reward association task involving a delay period and used a machine-learning algorithm to quantify how well populations of simultaneously recorded neurons encoded elapsed time from stimulus onset. We found that, although both areas encoded time, the striatum consistently outperformed the orbitofrontal cortex. These results suggest that the striatum may refine the code for time by integrating information from multiple inputs.