bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Case of Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Gene-Related Oculorenal Syndrome: Granular Corneal Dystrophy Type II with a Unique Nephropathy
Authors: Iwafuchi Yoichi , Morioka Tetsuo , Oyama Yuko , Nozu Kandai , Iijima Kazumoto , Narita Ichiei
Published: September 2016

Many types of inherited renal diseases have ocular features that occasionally support a diagnosis. The following study describes an unusual example of a 40-year-old woman with granular corneal dystrophy type II complicated by renal involvement. These two conditions may coincidentally coexist; however, there are some reports that demonstrate an association between renal involvement and granular corneal dystrophy type II. Granular corneal dystrophy type II is caused by a mutation in the transforming growth factor-β-induced (TGFBI) gene. The patient was referred to us because of the presence of mild proteinuria without hematuria that was subsequently suggested to be granular corneal dystrophy type II. A kidney biopsy revealed various glomerular and tubular basement membrane changes and widening of the subendothelial space of the glomerular basement membrane by electron microscopy. However, next-generation sequencing revealed that she had no mutation in a gene that is known to be associated with monogenic kidney diseases. Conversely, real-time polymerase chain reaction, using a simple buccal swab, revealed TGFBI heteromutation (R124H). The TGFBI protein plays an important role in cell-collagen signaling interactions, including extracellular matrix proteins which compose the renal basement membrane. This mutation can present not only as corneal dystrophy but also as renal disease. TGFBI-related oculorenal syndrome may have been unrecognized. It is difficult to diagnose this condition without renal electron microscopic studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first detailed report of nephropathy associated with a TGFBI mutation.
Classification and Surgical Repair of Injuries Sustained During Transvenous Lead Extraction
Authors: Bashir Jamil , Fedoruk Lynn M. , Ofiesh John , Karim Shahzad S. , Tyers G. Frank O.
Published: September 2016

Background—

Injuries to cardiac and venous structures during pacemaker and defibrillator lead extraction are serious complications that have been studied poorly. The incidence of these injuries is unknown but likely underestimated. No systematic multicenter review of these injuries or their management has been undertaken.

Methods and Results—

We interrogated our mandatory administrative database for all excimer laser extractions that sustained a cardiac or venous injury in the province of British Columbia. Injuries were classified according to presentation and compared with respect to nature of injury, type of repair, utilization of cardiopulmonary bypass, and outcome. Of 1082 excimer laser extractions over 19 years, 33 sustained an injury (3.0%). The majority of injuries occurred in women (21/33; 63.6%), and median age of oldest lead extracted was 10.8 (7.5, 12.2) years. A type 1 presentation, defined as circulatory collapse, was found in 12/33 patients (36.4%). A type 2 presentation, defined as progressive hypotension responsive to treatment, was found in 20/33 patients (60.6%). Over half the patients had a moderate or large injury, and cardiopulmonary bypass was required in 13 patients with extensive injury. Despite the presence of devastating injuries, the immediate availability of aggressive salvage measures resulted in a survival of 87.9% of patients at 30 days.

Conclusions—

The immediate availability of a cardiovascular surgeon, perfusionist, and cardiopulmonary bypass pump facilitates lifesaving repair of injuries sustained during laser lead extraction. The size and complexity of injury correlates closely with the presentation, blood loss, and need for cardiopulmonary bypass to facilitate repair.
Prevalence and Electrocardiographic and Electrophysiological Characteristics of Idiopathic Ventricular Arrhythmias Originating From Intramural Foci in the Left Ventricular Outflow Tract
Authors: Yamada Takumi , Doppalapudi Harish , Maddox William R. , McElderry H. Thomas , Plumb Vance J. , Kay G. Neal
Published: September 2016

Backgrounds—

Idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) originating from the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) sometimes require catheter ablation from both the endocardial and epicardial sides for their elimination, suggesting the presence of intramural VA foci. This study investigated the prevalence and electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characteristics of these idiopathic intramural LVOT VAs when compared with the idiopathic endocardial and epicardial LVOT VAs.

Methods and Results—

We studied 82 consecutive VAs with origins in the aortomitral continuity (n=30), LV summit (n=34), and intramural site (n=18). The maximum deflection index (the time to the maximum deflection in the precordial leads/QRS duration) was the largest in LV summit VAs (0.52±0.07), smallest in aortomitral continuity VAs (0.45±0.06), and midrange in intramural VAs (0.49±0.05). The electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characteristics of the intramural LVOT VAs were similar to those of the aortomitral continuity VAs. The intramural LVOT VAs exhibited a significantly smaller R-wave amplitude ratio in leads III to II, and ratio of the Q-wave amplitude in leads aVL to aVR, and a significantly earlier and later local ventricular activation time relative to the QRS onset at the His bundle and successful ablation sites than the LV summit VAs, respectively.

Conclusions—

Intramural sites account for a significant proportion of LVOT VAs. The electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characteristics of the idiopathic intramural LVOT VAs were midrange between those of the idiopathic endocardial and epicardial LVOT VAs, and more similar to those of the idiopathic endocardial LVOT VAs than those of the idiopathic epicardial LVOT VAs.
Left Atrial and Left Atrial Appendage 4D Blood Flow Dynamics in Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Markl Michael , Lee Daniel C. , Furiasse Nicholas , Carr Maria , Foucar Charles , Ng Jason , Carr James , Goldberger Jeffrey J.
Published: September 2016

Background—

Atrial 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging was used for the characterization of left atrial (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA) flow dynamics in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods and Results—

4D flow magnetic resonance imaging measured in vivo 3D blood flow velocities in 60 AF patients and 15 controls. Anatomic maps of LA and LAA stasis and velocity were calculated to quantify atrial peak velocity, mean velocity, and stasis (velocities <0.1 m/s). In a substudy with 30 AF patients, 4D flow metrics were compared with Doppler transesophageal echocardiography. For all 15 controls, LAA mean and peak velocities were consistently lower (by 21%/12%;
P
<0.001) while LAA stasis was higher (by 58%;
P
<0.001) compared with the LA. In contrast, lower LAA velocity and increased LAA stasis were only found in a fraction (38 of 60) of AF patients. In AF patients, increased CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score was associated with significantly (
P
<0.043) reduced LA velocities and elevated stasis. There was a heterogeneous expression of atrial flow dynamics, and 25% to 68% of AF patients demonstrated flow in the normal range: 25%/68% for LA/LAA stasis and 38%/60% for LA/LAA peak velocities. Transesophageal echocardiography velocities modestly but significantly (
P
<0.05) correlated with 4D flow–based LA velocities (
r
=0.41) and stasis (
r
=−0.39).

Conclusions—

AF resulted in overall impaired but individually variable flow dynamics in both the LA and LAA. AF patients demonstrated atrial flow in the normal range, despite elevated CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score.
Abnormal Central Pulsatile Hemodynamics in Adolescents With Obesity
Authors: Pierce Gary L. , Pajaniappan Mohanasundari , DiPietro Amy , Darracott-Woei-A-Sack Kathryn , Kapuku Gaston K.
Published: September 2016

We hypothesized that increased aortic forward pressure wave amplitude (Pf), which is determined by characteristic impedance (Zc) in the proximal aorta, is the primary hemodynamic determinant of obesity-associated higher left ventricular (LV) mass in adolescents. Aortic pulsatile hemodynamics were measured noninvasively in 60 healthy adolescents (age 14–19 years; 42% male; 50% black) by sequential recordings of pulse waveforms via tonometry, brachial blood pressure, and pulsed Doppler and diameter of the LV outflow tract using 2-dimensional echocardiography. Adolescents who were overweight/obese (n=23; age 16.0±0.3 years; body mass index ≥85th percentile) had higher LV mass index, brachial and carotid systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure, normalized Zc and Pf compared with adolescents with healthy weight (n=37; 16.7±0.3 years; body mass index <85th percentile, all
P
<0.01). In contrast, there was no difference in mean or diastolic blood pressure, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, carotid augmentation index, or aortic backward wave amplitude (all
P
>0.05). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis that included age, sex, race, normalized Zc, and brachial systolic blood pressure revealed that body mass index (B±SE; 0.49±0.20,
P
=0.02,
R
2
=0.26), aortic Pf (0.22±0.07;
P
<0.02,
R
2
change=0.11), and cardiac output (2.82±1.02,
P
<0.01;
R
2
change=0.08) were significant correlates of LV mass index (total
R
2
=0.44,
P
<0.01). These findings suggest that higher aortic Pf is a major hemodynamic determinant of increased LV mass in adolescents with elevated adiposity. Improper matching between aortic diameter and pulsatile flow during early systole potentially contributes to the early development of LV hypertrophy in childhood obesity.
Protein Carbonylation of an Amino Acid Residue of the Na/K‐ATPase α1 Subunit Determines Na/K‐ATPase Signaling and Sodium Transport in Renal Proximal Tubular Cells
Authors: Yan Yanling , Shapiro Anna P. , Mopidevi Brahma R. , Chaudhry Muhammad A. , Maxwell Kyle , Haller Steven T. , Drummond Christopher A. , Kennedy David J. , Tian Jiang , Malhotra Deepak , Xie Zi‐jian , Shapiro Joseph I. , Liu Jiang
Published: September 2016

Background

We have demonstrated that cardiotonic steroids, such as ouabain, signaling through the Na/K‐
ATP
ase, regulate sodium reabsorption in the renal proximal tubule. By direct carbonylation modification of the Pro222 residue in the actuator (A) domain of pig Na/K‐
ATP
ase α1 subunit, reactive oxygen species are required for ouabain‐stimulated Na/K‐
ATP
ase/c‐Src signaling and subsequent regulation of active transepithelial
22
Na
+
transport. In the present study we sought to determine the functional role of Pro222 carbonylation in Na/K‐
ATP
ase signaling and sodium handling.

Methods and Results

Stable pig α1 knockdown
LLC
‐
PK
1‐originated
PY
‐17 cells were rescued by expressing wild‐type rat α1 and rat α1 with a single mutation of Pro224 (corresponding to pig Pro222) to Ala. This mutation does not affect ouabain‐induced inhibition of Na/K‐
ATP
ase activity, but abolishes the effects of ouabain on Na/K‐
ATP
ase/c‐Src signaling, protein carbonylation, Na/K‐
ATP
ase endocytosis, and active transepithelial
22
Na
+
transport.

Conclusions

Direct carbonylation modification of Pro224 in the rat α1 subunit determines ouabain‐mediated Na/K‐
ATP
ase signal transduction and subsequent regulation of renal proximal tubule sodium transport.
The Body in Qumran Literature: Flesh and Spirit, Purity and Impurity in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Authors: Frisch Alexandria , Schiffman Lawrence H.
Published: September 2016

This article examines the concept of the body within a wide range of Qumran literature. In a comparison with the biblical tradition, which does not evince a consistent and systematic idea of the body, this article demonstrates that the sectarians developed their own somatic model. The sectarian model, as revealed through a close reading of such texts as Hodayot, 1QS, 1QSa, CD and 1QM, is one that repeatedly emphasized the body as a corporate entity comprised jointly of flesh and spirit. This article then reexamines the same Qumran texts to show that this concept of the body explains the extreme focus on purity at Qumran, particularly the sectarian conflation of moral and ritual purification. A final comparison with Philo, who espoused a dualistic model of the body, underscores just how truly unique the sectarian view of the body and purity was among early Jews.
4QInstruction’s Mystery and Mastery of Wisdom
Authors: Hankins Davis
Published: September 2016

To paraphrase Victor Shklovsky, the idea that 4QInstruction presents a combination of distinct apocalyptic and sapiential components has survived the downfall of the theory that supports it. Scholars increasingly describe wisdom and apocalypticism as coexistent, mutually influencing currents of thought within a broader Hellenistic environment. Nevertheless, characterizations of their co-presence in texts like 4QInstruction tend to rely upon more simple, typological notions. This paper explores how the relationships of similarity and difference among various texts alter significantly when we discard such typologies and instead adopt a more complex, structural approach to the logic underlying their discursive components. I discuss several texts from Proverbs, Job, Daniel, and Ben Sira, but I focus on 4QInstruction, which I argue presents apocalyptic-infused teachings within a framework that is congruent with—even more logically rigorous than—traditional wisdom. However, amidst Second Temple Judaism’s heightened concerns with knowledge, this logical advance accompanies dangerous sociopolitical consequences.
Heavenly Choirs In Earthy Spaces: The Significance Of Corporate Spiritual Singing In Early Pentecostal Experience
Authors: Alexander Kimberly Ervin
Published: September 2016

The phenomenon known as the heavenly choir was a common feature of early Pentecostal worship and revival, rivaled only by speaking in tongues. Participation in the heavenly choir was transformative of both singer and hearer, producing a desire for a fuller experience of God. The experience of participation in the communion of singers transformed the marginalized into prophetic leaders, their earthy meeting places became sanctuaries of ‘heaven below’. This transformation was subversive in that dominant cultural constructs based on race, gender, class, ethnicity, and age were weakened if not toppled. Interpretation of this phenomenon by participants involved an approach to Scripture more dynamic than the later biblicism, interpreters finding resonance with the worship scenes in the book of Revelation rather than dependence upon a one-to-one correspondence of events in the Acts narrative or discourse by Paul, subverting later doctrinal construction beholden to Evangelical schemes.
A Taxonomic Revision of Mezoneuron (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae: Caesalpinieae)
Authors: CLARK RUTH P.
Published: September 2016

Mezoneuron is a genus of 24 species that has often formerly been understood to belong within Caesalpinia s.l., but which on the basis of recent molecular evidence, along with a number of other segregates, is now considered a distinct genus. Mezoneuron is broadly distributed, with its centre of diversity in South East Asia, but with species also in Africa, Australasia, and Hawaii. This is the first study to conduct a complete revision of the genus across its geographical range. A key to the species is provided, along with full species descriptions, distribution maps, preliminary conservation assessments, and selected illustrations. This study examines the morphological evidence supporting the generic status of the group, particularly of the fruit type, which has traditionally been considered its defining feature.
Evidence for Gap Flows in the Birch Creek Valley, Idaho
Authors: Finn D. , Reese B. , Butler B. , Wagenbrenner N. , Clawson K. L. , Rich J. , Russell E. , Gao Z. , Liu H.
Published: September 2016

A field study was conducted of flows in the Birch Creek Valley in eastern Idaho. There is a distinct topographic constriction in the Birch Creek Valley that creates two subbasins: an upper and lower valley. The data were classified into one of three groups based on synoptic influence (weak/absent, high wind speeds, and other evidence of synoptic influence). Gap flows commonly developed downwind of the constriction in association with the weak/absent group but also occurred in association with the two synoptic groups suggesting the potential for more diverse origins. In general, the frequency and strength of gap flows appeared to be linked to the development of the requisite thermal regime and minimization of any synoptically driven southerly winds that would suppress outflows. Gap flows were characterized by high wind speeds with jetlike vertical profiles along the axis of the lower valley. For all three groups the morning transition in the upper valley and western sidewall usually proceeded slightly ahead of the lower valley, consistent with the principles of the topographic amplification factor. The persistence of southerly winds in the lower valley past evening transition inhibited the development of gap flows, promoted strong nighttime inversions, and delayed the onset of morning transition relative to the upper valley. Nocturnal temperature inversions in the lower valley were largely eliminated with the onset of strong gap flows resulting in earlier morning transitions there. The form for a method of predicting gap flow wind speeds is proposed.
Quantitative Raman Spectroscopy when the Signal-to-Noise is Below the Limit of Quantitation due to Fluorescence Interference: Advantages of a Moving Window Sequentially Shifted Excitation Approach
Authors: Marshall Sarah , Cooper John B.
Published: September 2016

Raman spectroscopy is a useful analytical tool. However, its application is often limited because shot noise from fluorescence obscures the Raman signal. In such cases, quantitative analysis is not possible when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) drops below two. A method is described for performing quantitative Raman spectroscopy that not only removes fluorescence backgrounds, but also results in a significant improvement in the SNR. The Raman data is extracted using a moving window sequentially shifted excitation algorithm. To demonstrate the capabilities of the method, a binary mixture of two analytes at varying concentrations is quantified in the presence of a highly fluorescent dye. Linear calibration plots were constructed and validated for the binary model using individual Raman peaks with SNR ranging from 0.073–12.6; r2 values are greater than 0.96 in all cases, with all but the weakest peaks yielding values greater than 0.997. The presented method demonstrates a universal and autonomous approach for the quantitative analysis of highly fluorescent samples via Raman spectroscopy. The lower limit on the SNR ratio for quantitative Raman analysis with the described method is 0.1. In order to assess the effectiveness of the presented method, the entire set of experiments was also processed using the more common shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) approach. The advantages of the proposed method over SERDS are demonstrated for both the detection limit and the SNR of the processed spectra.
Interpréter Paul au pluriel
Authors: Charles Ronald
Published: September 2016

The aim of this article is to show the advantage of submitting one biblical text to a variety of methodological approaches that will allow a reader to have a fuller understanding of the text. This article proposes to read a particular Pauline text (1 Corinthians 5:1–5) by using different methodological approaches that have been adopted and developed in biblical studies (the historical-critical approach, the “social-scientific” approach, the feminist and postcolonial studies approaches) to illustrate the benefit of using a multiplicity of exegetical tools in the hermeneutical tasks, instead of adopting just one.
Are There Racial Disparities in Family-Reported Experiences of Care in Inpatient Pediatrics?
Authors: Nagarajan Neeraja , Rahman Sydur , Boss Emily F.
Published: September 2016

Despite increased emphasis on patient satisfaction as a quality measure in health care, little is known about the influence of race in parent-reported experience of care in pediatrics. This study evaluates the association of race with patient satisfaction scores in an inpatient pediatric tertiary care hospital in one year. Risk-adjusted multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of minority race with the likelihood to provide a top-box (=5) satisfaction score for 38 individual questions across 8 domains. Of the 904 participants, 269 (29.8%) identified as belonging to a minority race. Parents of minority children reported 30% to 50% lower satisfaction across questions related to well-established themes of interpersonal communication and cultural competency. Overall, minorities also reported lower satisfaction for the domain of nursing care (odds ratio 0.7, P = .016). These findings suggest a need for training and interventions to improve communication and mitigate disparities in how minority patients and their families perceive pediatric care.
Harbours of crisis and consent: The technopolitics of coastal infrastructure in colonial Cyprus, 1895–1908
Authors: Karas Serkan , Arapostathis Stathis
Published: September 2016

By the late 1800s British colonial rule in Cyprus was experiencing both a socio-economic and a legitimacy crisis. Britain’s development projects were intended to quell the crisis and consolidate colonial authority. Famagusta Harbour construction was an integral part of that programme, but it antagonised wealthy and influential Cypriots in Larnaca. They believed that such infrastructure would undermine the importance of Larnaca harbour and threaten their commercial and political interests. Their protests threatened the colonial administration with a new crisis that was averted by the integration of Larnaca’s Harbour into British plans. The colonial regime had to negotiate and co-operate with local networks of power in order to realise its development programme: harbour development was no mere rational engineering exercise.
Reproductive Endocrinology and Musth Indicators in a Captive Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
Authors: Duer Connie , Tomasi Tom , Abramson Charles I.
Published: September 2016

Even in the best situations, the artificial social constructs of captivity alter natural elephant behavior and unfortunately create distress. Asian elephants are powerful and intelligent animals that require consideration for their well-being and prudent management. The males present particular difficulties due to a temporary state of heightened aggressive behavior unique to male elephants called “musth.” When he is in this state, the danger the elephant poses to other animals and the people around him is considerable. In addition to antagonistic behavior, musth is also characterized by temporal gland secretion and urine dribbling. In previous studies, musth has been attributed to elevated testosterone levels. This study attempted to enhance the knowledge base concerning these phenomena by examining hormone concentrations ( n = 357) in Onyx, a male Asian elephant housed at Dickerson Park Zoo, with intermittent access to females ( n = 1–5) over a 12-year period. Behavior and signs of musth also were recorded daily by elephant department staff. Musth indicators (temporal gland secretion, aggression, urine dribbling) increased with musth but not prior to it. We confirmed that temporal gland secretion was a better indicator of behavioral musth than urine dribbling. Hormones concentrations increased as musth approached, and presumably initiated musth indicators, but variability was high. Therefore, these hormones cannot be used to predict the onset of musth in this individual. Rather, the free/total testosterone ratio was a good indication of the 60-day pre-musth period. In addition, testosterone production and musth indicators increased in intensity when a young bull at the zoo started entering musth.
Chemistry and industrial and environmental governance in France, 1770–1830
Authors: Le Roux Thomas
Published: September 2016

This article examines how chemists contributed to the technological reorganization in France at the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth century, how they justified using potentially harmful or polluting processes by stating that this would contribute to national prosperity, and how the idea of improvement helped to legally and rhetorically build a production regime that disqualified traditional precautionary attitudes to certain artisanal and industrial processes. This resulted in the establishment of a new environmental governance regime devoted to the advancement of chemistry and of industrial production. While this shift was clearly perceptible from the 1770s with the first regulatory exceptions for strategic products, the 1810 decree, which was imagined, designed, and implemented by chemists, perpetuated chemistry’s role as an environmental regulator.
Community violence exposure, family management practices, and substance use in youth: a cross-cultural study
Authors: Kliewer Wendy , Pillay Basil J , Borre Alicia , Zaharakis Nikola , Drazdowski Tess , Jäggi Lena
Published: September 2016

Associations between community violence exposure, family management practices, and substance use were compared in a sample of early adolescents in low-income communities from the United States ( N = 151; M age = 12.71 years, standard deviation = 0.65; 50.3% female) and South Africa ( N = 175; M age = 12.55 years, standard deviation = 0.85; 64.6% female) using home interviews with youth and their maternal caregivers. Past year victimization was associated with recent youth substance use. The moderating role of family management practices varied by type of practice (e.g., parental knowledge, control, solicitation, or child disclosure), reporter, and country. High parental knowledge reported by caregiver was protective against substance use only for South African youth. In youth reports, parental knowledge was protective across the United States and South Africa. Youth reports of their disclosure to parents were negatively associated with substance use in the United States but not South Africa. These data highlight the importance of considering both ecological context and reporter in the links between violence exposure, parenting, and substance use in youth.
Denmark’s Master of Public Governance program
Authors: Greve Carsten , Pedersen Anne Reff
Published: September 2016

This paper focuses on Denmark’s Master of Public Governance and its assessments and lessons learned. Denmark is seen to have an efficient economy and public sector, a digitalized public service delivery system, and an advanced work–life balance. The Danish government invested substantial resources into developing a Master of Public Governance program – a flexible and modular program for public managers to take over a period of up to six years. The paper focuses on the Copenhagen version of the Master of Public Governance program. More than 1000 public managers from central, regional and local government are now active in pursuing an executive public management education through this program. The development, structure, content and the innovative teaching ideas are presented. The available data, including an official evaluation of the MPG program, is used to assess the program and present some lessons learned. The program has achieved its goals as public managers express satisfaction with the content and the flexible structure of the program, which suited more governance-oriented public managers with a need for strategic-thinking public managers, and has provided them with an opportunity to try out innovative teaching ideas. Lessons learned include the necessity of securing back-up from the government for a program of this considerable size, offering a flexible array of accessible and up-to-date courses and ensuring collaboration between universities offering the program.
How Culture Affects Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Bending the Rules in the Context of Informal Payments for Health Care: The Israeli Case
Authors: Cohen Nissim
Published: September 2016

What is the role of culture in street-level bureaucrats’ bending the rules and accepting informal payments for health care? The literature on street-level bureaucrats stresses the importance of both individual and organizational factors in understanding how they use their discretion but usually neglects the importance of the culture in determining how far they are willing to go in exercising this discretion. Using data from 102 in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses in Israel, and by linking the literature about street-level bureaucrats to that of the research on informal payments for health care, we demonstrate that the culture plays a key role in decisions about accepting such payments. According to our findings, such payments are a phenomenon rooted in the culture and range from the extreme case of bribery to the fuzzier area of making exceptions for favored and sympathetic clients.
Use of Indentures by the Kingston (Ontario) Orphans’ Home 1876–1894
Authors: Neff Charlotte
Published: September 2016

In December 1876, the Kingston Orphans’ Home adopted an indenture form to be used for children placed out in private homes. From December 12, 1876, to May 31, 1894, 140 children were placed on their first discharge from the Home, but only 77 were apparently indentured. The background and experiences of the two groups and of children placed by the Home from 1857 to 1876, as recorded in the Home’s records and in Census, birth, marriage, and death records, are compared to determine the indentures’ effectiveness in achieving better placements and greater stability for the children.
Enhanced mechanical and thermal properties of CTAB-functionalized graphene oxide–polyphenylene sulfide composites
Authors: Liu Qi , Luo Wei , Chen Yang , Zou Huawei , Liang Mei
Published: September 2016

Polymer nanocomposites based on polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and graphene oxide (GO) modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were prepared. The properties of CTAB-modified graphene oxide (CGO) were investigated by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Results indicated that the ordered structure of GO was impaired by the introduction of CTAB and increased interlayer distance was found for CGO due to the intercalation of CTAB. Mechanical tests revealed that the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of 0.1 wt% CGO/PPS composite were 45.4% and 171.8%, respectively, higher than that of pure PPS matrix, which could be attributed to the entanglement of polymer chains between CTAB and PPS polymer chains. Dynamic mechanical analysis indicated that the glass transition temperature ( Tg) of PPS matrix was enhanced due to the addition of CGO and the Tg of 0.5 wt% CGO/PPS composite increased about 10°C higher than pure PPS. In addition, the thermal stability of PPS had significant improvement according to the results of thermogravimetric analysis. The residual mass of 0.5 wt% CGO/PPS composite at 800°C was 1.22 times higher than that of pure PPS.
Hazard Ratio and Repeat Injury for Dementia in Patients With and Without a History of Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Chu Shu-Fen , Chiu Wen-Ta , Lin Hui-Wen , Chiang Yung-Hsiao , Liou Tsan-Hon
Published: September 2016

The impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the pathogenic hazard ratio (HR) for dementia patients is still controversial. Some studies have supported the association between TBI and dementia, especially for Alzheimer’s disease, and our study determined that the HR of dementia patients with and without a history of TBI or repeated TBI (RTBI). We determined the HR for dementia patients with a diagnosis of TBI (n = 12931) and a comparative cohort with age- and gender-matched controls (n = 51724) during 2004-2005, using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. The adjusted HR (HR = 3.21) for dementia patients with TBI showed that they were more likely to develop dementia than the comparison cohort. The HR for dementia patients with RTBI was increased to 3.62. The results of this large-scale study suggested that TBI increases dementia risk. Future studies using animal models and epidemiological databases could elucidate medical and biological mechanisms linking TBI and the development of dementia.
Theorizing the Value of English Proficiency in Cross-Cultural Rhetorics of Health and Medicine
Authors: Koerber Amy , Graham Hilary
Published: September 2016

This study reports the results of 12 recent interviews with nonnative-English-speaking (NNES) authors who have conducted research and written articles on health and medical subjects. Analyzing the interview transcripts through the theoretical lens of Pierre Bourdieu’s forms of capital, this study expands on previous research by offering a more precise and theoretically grounded understanding of how NNES authors perceive the value of English proficiency in relation to their success as scientific researchers. This theorization of the varying ways in which authors perceive the value of English proficiency affords new perspectives on the inequities that NNES authors encounter in the global publishing economy and their rhetorical strategies for overcoming these inequities. The study concludes by reflecting on theoretical and practical implications for researchers, teachers, and other stakeholders in the global publishing industry.
Women’s Representation in the Highest Court
Authors: Valdini Melody E. , Shortell Christopher
Published: September 2016

The presence of women justices in the highest constitutional courts varies significantly across countries, yet there is little existing research that engages this substantial cross-national variation. Using an original data set of women’s representation in the constitutional courts in fifty democracies combined with qualitative case studies, we assess the effect of the selection mechanism on this variation and find that the existence of a “sheltered” versus “exposed” selection mechanism is a critical determinant of women’s presence. That is, when the selectors are sheltered from electoral accountability, they are less likely to select women as judges because they do not benefit from credit claiming. When the selectors are exposed and can claim credit, however, the unique traits and visibility of the highest court generate an incentive to appoint women.
Singular asymptotic expansion of the elastic solution along an edge around which material properties depend on the angular coordinate
Authors: Omer Netta , Yosibash Zohar
Published: September 2016

The solution to the elasticity problem in three-dimensional polyhedral domains in the vicinity of an edge around which the material properties depend on the angular angle is addressed. This asymptotic solution involves a family of eigenpairs and their shadows which are being computed by means of p-finite element methods. In particular the examples we give explicitly provide the asymptotic solution for cracks and V-notch edges and explore the eigenvalues as a function of the change in material properties in the angular direction. We demonstrate that the singular exponents may change considerably by changing the material properties variation in the angular direction. These eigenpairs are necessary to allow the extraction of the edge stress intensity functions.
Wages, Informality, and Net Fiscal Benefit in a Federation
Authors: Politi Ricardo , Mattos Enlinson
Published: September 2016

We estimate the net fiscal benefit (NFB) and the fiscal effect of unconditional grants on wages for twenty-six Brazilian states in the period 2005 to 2009. In particular, we explore the analytical framework proposed in Albouy to investigate the efficiency and equity effects of unconditional intergovernmental grants in Brazil. This framework can be understood as a positive exercise to comprehend whether grants mitigate the NFB differences across localities and whether they promote equalization in certain criteria. We explore labor market characteristics such as minimum wage and informality to evaluate efficiency and equity in grant distribution. According to our estimates, workers moving to more productive areas would obtain, on average, Brazilian Reais (BRL$) 0.52 less per year in NFBs on their earnings. Results suggest that unconditional grant policy in Brazil is associated with inefficiency because higher-paying areas with larger shares of formal jobs in metropolitan regions are negative recipients of grants.
More on the Impact of Economic Freedom on the Black–White Income Gap
Authors: Hoover Gary A. , Compton Ryan A. , Giedeman Daniel C.
Published: September 2016

Using household-level data from 1980 to 2010, we examine whether economic freedom, as measured by the Economic Freedom of North America Index, has similar effects on white household income as it does on black household income. Our findings suggest that the positive effect of economic freedom found in most studies affects black households less than white households. Further, using the Oaxaca decomposition, our results show that economic freedom is an important factor explaining the gap between black and white household incomes.
Press regulation in an era of convergence
Authors: Katsirea Irini
Published: September 2016

While the transition of traditional newspapers and magazines to the online space is gathering pace, and the literature on multimedia journalism is proliferating, little attention has been paid to date to the implications of convergence for the press in regulatory terms. One such regulatory dilemma arises from the proliferation of video content on newspaper websites. It is this question and others at the conjuncture of press freedom and the dynamics unleashed by convergence that the papers in this special section seek to shed light upon.
The EU ‘open Internet access’ regulation and its impact on the digital press
Authors: Holznagel Bernd , Hartmann Sarah
Published: September 2016

The long-awaited European Union ‘open Internet access’ regulation only hesitantly embraces the fiercely contested principle of net neutrality (equal treatment of Internet traffic). The debate has so far focused on the providers of audiovisual content as the most data-intensive form of service, while overlooking other providers similarly dependent on the Internet as their channel of distribution. This article focuses on one such provider, the digital press, and assesses the impact of the regulation on its essential public watchdog function.
Media and the power of naming: An experimental study of racist, xenophobic and nationalist party labels
Authors: Friberg-Fernros Henrik , Demker Marie , Martinsson Johan
Published: September 2016

Racism has been widely discredited in past decades, and opinions that are perceived to be in conflict with the anti-racist norm are considered improper. Therefore, the anti-racist norm arguably represents an obstacle for anti-immigration parties. They must ensure that their criticism is not perceived as racism since that threatens to delegitimize the party and thereby undermine its possibilities for electoral success. The idea of the study is that the existence of the anti-racist norm make descriptions of these parties by the media decisive: the stronger connection to racism, the more severe the parties’ violation of the anti-racist norm is perceived by the public, which make voters less inclined to vote for them. This hypothesis is experimentally tested by labelling a fictive party differently and the result supports the basic idea of the study albeit the ‘racist’ label itself surprisingly does not decrease support more than the label of xenophobia.
Identification of Differentiation-Related Proteins in Gastric Adenocarcinoma Tissues by Proteomics
Authors: Zhou Xin , Yao Kun , Zhang Lang , Zhang Ying , Han Yin , Liu Hui-Ling , Liu Xiang-Wen , Su Gang , Yuan Wen-Zhen , Wei Xiao-Dong , Guan Quan-Lin , Zhu Bing-Dong
Published: September 2016

There is a significant correlation between the degree of tumor differentiation and the survival of patients with gastric cancers. In this report, we compared proteomic differences between poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma tissues and well-differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma tissues in order to identify differentiation-related proteins that may be closely correlated with differentiation of gastric cancer pathogenesis. We identified 7 proteins, of which calreticulin precursor, tapasinERP57 heterodimer, pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 isoform M2, class Pi glutathione S-transferase, and chain A crystal structure of human enolase 1 were upregulated in poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma compared with well-differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma, while myosin-11 isoform SM2A and actin alpha cardiac were downregulated. Two of them, pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 isoform M2 and enolase 1 are enzymes involved in glycolytic pathway. The upregulation of pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 isoform M2 and enolase 1 in poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma was confirmed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we observed 107 cases with gastric adenocarcinoma and found that the high expression of pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 isoform M2 and enolase 1 correlates with tumor size ( P = .0001 and P = .0017, respectively), depth of invasion ( P = .0024 and P = .0261, respectively), and poor prognosis of patients. In conclusion, with this proteomic analysis, pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 isoform M2 and enolase 1 were identified upregulated in poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma comparing with well-differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma. The expression level of pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 isoform M2 and enolase 1 was significantly correlated with overall survival. Some of them would be differentiation-related cancer biomarkers and are associated with tumor metastasis, invasion, and prognosis.
What Is It Like to Be a Player? The Qualia Revolution in Game Studies
Authors: Mosca Ivan
Published: September 2016

The article aims to explore the reasons why the discipline of game studies requires a shift toward player analysis. This can be done without leaving an object-oriented approach, thanks to the efforts of social ontology, a recent philosophical discipline that investigates social facts. The integration of social ontology into the research on games will be displayed through some mind experiments on the nature of the paradigmatic example of rules. The result of this integration leads to give up the reductionism shared by the majority of game scholars.
Successful Nerve Transfers for Traumatic Brachial Plexus Palsy in a Septuagenarian
Authors: Johnsen Parker H. , Wolfe Scott W.
Published: September 2016

Background: Conventional wisdom and the available literature demonstrate compromised outcomes following nerve reconstruction for traumatic brachial plexus palsy in the elderly. We present a 74-year-old male who was reconstructed with multiple nerve transfers for brachial plexus palsy after a ski accident. Methods: Triceps to axillary nerve transfer, spinal accessory to suprascapular nerve transfer, and ulnar to musculocutaneous nerve transfer were performed 16 weeks post injury. Results: At 11 years post-op, the patient could abduct to 65° and forward flex at M4 strength, limited only by painful glenohumeral arthritis. Elbow flexion was M5- at both the biceps and brachialis, and bulk and tone were nearly symmetrical with the opposite side. Eleven-year electrodiagnostic studies demonstrated reinnervation and improved motor unit recruitment all affected muscles. Conclusion: This case questions the widely held dogma that older patients who undergo brachial plexus reconstruction do poorly. Given the short reinnervation distance and optimal donor nerve health, nerve transfers may be an excellent option for healthy older patients with traumatic brachial plexus palsy.
A Clinical Study of the Modified Thread Carpal Tunnel Release
Authors: Guo Danqing , Guo Danzhu , Guo Joseph , Schmidt Steven C. , Lytie Rachel M.
Published: September 2016

Background: Previous studies have indicated that the thread carpal tunnel release (TCTR) is a safe and effective technique. Through a study on 11 cadaveric wrists, the TCTR procedure was modified and the needle control accuracy was improved to 0.15 to 0.2 mm, which is precise enough to preserve superficial palmar aponeurosis (SupPA), Berrettini branch, and common digital nerves. The aim of the present study was to verify the modified TCTR clinically. Methods: The modified TCTR was performed on 159 hands of 116 patients. The Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire was used for assessing the outcomes. Statistical analyses were used to compare the outcomes with the available data from the literature for the open and endoscopic techniques. Results: TCTR led to significant improvement in the short-term results, and the outcomes were better in long-term results compared with the open or endoscopic release. The SupPA, Berrettini branch, and common digital nerves were protected. There was no neurovascular complication for any case. Significant relief of symptoms was observed 3 to 5 hours post procedure. Most patients used their hands on the day of the procedure for simple daily activity. Patients reported their sleep quality was improved on the surgical day. Most patients with office jobs were able to return to work on postoperative day 1, and those with repetitive jobs returned to work in about 2 weeks. The statistical evidence proves that the modified TCTR procedure results in improved clinical outcomes as compared with open carpal tunnel release (CTR) and endoscopic CTR. Conclusions: The TCTR procedure has been shown to be a safe and effective technique for CTR. The modified TCTR procedure minimizes postoperative complications, such as pillar pain, scar tenderness, or functional weakness, by avoiding unnecessary injuries to the surrounding structures around the transverse carpal ligament during the procedure.
Exponential stability and L1-gain performance analysis for continuous-time delayed switched positive singular systems
Authors: Li Hao , Bai Peng , Li Shuo
Published: September 2016

The problem of exponential stability and L1-gain performance is solved for continuous-time delayed switched positive singular systems. First, a necessary and sufficient condition of positivity is established for the system via the singular value decomposition approach. Then, based on the co-positive Lyapunov function tool, we develop a sufficient condition for the switched positive singular system to be exponentially stable and meet a prescribed L1-gain performance. Based on this condition, the optimal system performance level can be determined by solving a convex optimization problem. All the obtained conditions are in linear programming form, which suggests a good scalability and applicability to high-dimensional systems. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the applicability of the obtained results.
Skin color model adaptation under varying lighting conditions
Authors: Ueng Shyh-Kuang , Chang Che-Yu
Published: September 2016

Skin region detection is crucial for face recognition, hand tracking, and motion detection. In the detection process, a skin color model is usually required to confine the distribution of skin colors. However, skin color models are sensitive to lighting conditions. Skin segmentation under varying lighting conditions produces poor results. This article presents a skin detection procedure for human–computer interaction sessions under varying lighting conditions. The proposed method requests a skin sample from the user to estimate the color temperature of the light source. Then, the color temperature is used to correct the skin sample. At the subsequent step, the mean of the corrected skin sample is utilized to adapt the skin color model. Finally, the adapted skin color model is employed to segment skin regions in the video stream. Tests using the proposed method and some adaptive skin detection algorithms have been conducted. Statistical data show that the proposed method is superior to color constancy methods and the Gaussian mixture model in skin region segmentation. The proposed method improves the true positive rate by more than 13% in segmenting skin regions of a database. Its true positive rate is 20% better if real-life images are used as test data.