bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nocturnal Hypoxemia Due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is an Independent Predictor of Poor Prognosis After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Xie Jiang , Sert Kuniyoshi Fatima H. , Covassin Naima , Singh Prachi , Gami Apoor S. , Wang Shihan , Chahal C. Anwar A. , Wei Yongxiang , Somers Virend K.
Published: July 2016

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (
OSA
) is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction (
MI
). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of
OSA
on prognosis after
MI
, and to determine which specific measures of
OSA
severity best predicted outcomes.

Methods and Results

We performed a prospective study, in which 112 patients without a prior diagnosis of sleep apnea underwent comprehensive polysomnography within a median of 7 days after
MI
. Patients were followed up at 6‐monthly intervals (±2 weeks) for a total of 48 months. Patients classified with central apnea (n=6) or those using continuous positive airway pressure (n=8) after polysomnography were excluded from analyses. The primary end point was major adverse cardiac events, including death from any cause, recurrent
MI
, unstable angina, heart failure, stroke, and significant arrhythmic events. Forty of 98 patients (41%) had
OSA
(apnea‐hypopnea index ≥15 events/h).
OSA
patients had higher major adverse cardiac event rates when compared to those without
OSA
(47.5% versus 24.1%; χ
2
=5.41,
P
=0.020). In a multivariate model that adjusted for clinically relevant variables including age, left ventricular ejection fraction, diabetes mellitus, oxygen desaturation index, and arousal index, significant hypoxemia, as defined by nocturnal nadir oxygen saturation ≤85%, was an independent risk factor for major adverse cardiac events (hazard ratio=6.05,
P
=0.004) in follow‐up 15 months after baseline.

Conclusions

Nocturnal hypoxemia in
OSA
is an important predictor of poor prognosis for patients after
MI
. These findings suggest that routine use of low‐cost nocturnal oximetry may be an economical and practical approach to stratify risk in post‐
MI
patients.
One Minute of Marijuana Secondhand Smoke Exposure Substantially Impairs Vascular Endothelial Function
Authors: Wang Xiaoyin , Derakhshandeh Ronak , Liu Jiangtao , Narayan Shilpa , Nabavizadeh Pooneh , Le Stephenie , Danforth Olivia M. , Pinnamaneni Kranthi , Rodriguez Hilda J. , Luu Emmy , Sievers Richard E. , Schick Suzaynn F. , Glantz Stanton A. , Springer Matthew L.
Published: July 2016

Background

Despite public awareness that tobacco secondhand smoke (SHS) is harmful, many people still assume that marijuana SHS is benign. Debates about whether smoke‐free laws should include marijuana are becoming increasingly widespread as marijuana is legalized and the cannabis industry grows. Lack of evidence for marijuana SHS causing acute cardiovascular harm is frequently mistaken for evidence that it is harmless, despite chemical and physical similarity between marijuana and tobacco smoke. We investigated whether brief exposure to marijuana SHS causes acute vascular endothelial dysfunction.

Methods and Results

We measured endothelial function as femoral artery flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) in rats before and after exposure to marijuana SHS at levels similar to real‐world tobacco SHS conditions. One minute of exposure to marijuana SHS impaired FMD to a comparable extent as impairment from equal concentrations of tobacco SHS, but recovery was considerably slower for marijuana. Exposure to marijuana SHS directly caused cannabinoid‐independent vasodilation that subsided within 25 minutes, whereas FMD remained impaired for at least 90 minutes. Impairment occurred even when marijuana lacked cannabinoids and rolling paper was omitted. Endothelium‐independent vasodilation by nitroglycerin administration was not impaired. FMD was not impaired by exposure to chamber air.

Conclusions

One minute of exposure to marijuana SHS substantially impairs endothelial function in rats for at least 90 minutes, considerably longer than comparable impairment by tobacco SHS. Impairment of FMD does not require cannabinoids, nicotine, or rolling paper smoke. Our findings in rats suggest that SHS can exert similar adverse cardiovascular effects regardless of whether it is from tobacco or marijuana.
Economic Mobility in a Colonial and Postcolonial Economy: Indonesia
Authors: van Leeuwen Bas , Földvári Peter
Published: July 2016

Despite a consensus about the main factors influencing economic mobility in Indonesia, such as labor-market opportunities and childhood circumstances, virtually nothing is known about how these factors increased economic standing in the colonial and postcolonial periods. The use of height data as a proxy for people’s economic situation, however, finds that whereas ethnicity was a strong predictor of economic status before Indonesia’s Independence, education assumed that role after 1946.
The Data Revolution in African Economic History
Authors: Fourie Johan
Published: July 2016

The recent surge in computing power and access to data-processing software and online resources enables historians to capture historical statistics on a much larger scale than before. The data revolution—encompassing unprecedented advances in data transcription, augmentation, and collaboration—is especially valuable for studying the history of regions where written records are scarce, such as sub-Saharan Africa. The digitization of large numbers of colonial and postcolonial records offers much promise for a greater understanding of Africa’s economic past.
Protorhabditis hortulana sp. n. (Rhabditida, Protorhabditidae) from southern Iberian Peninsula, one of the smallest free-living soil nematodes known, with a compendium of the genus
Authors: ABOLAFIA JOAQUÍN , PEÑA-SANTIAGO REYES
Published: July 2016

A new species of the genus Protorhabditis is described from agricultural areas in the South East of the Iberian Peninsula. Protorhabditis hortulana sp. n. is distinguished by its very small body length (189–222 μm in females), lateral field with two longitudinal wings, lip region rounded with fused lips, stoma 10–13 μm long lacking glottoid apparatus, pharynx with distinctly swollen metacorpus, excretory pore and deirids at basal bulb level, female reproductive system outstretched and spermatheca with self-sperm, vulva slightly postequatorial (V=54–62), female tail conoid (14–19 μm, c= 11.7–17.6, c’= 1.6–2.4) with finely rounded tip, and males unknown. Description, measurements and illustrations, including SEM photographs are provided. A compendium of species of Protorhabditis is also given and illustrated.
Investigation of the Residual in Column-Integrated Atmospheric Energy Balance Using Cloud Objects
Authors: Kato Seiji , Xu Kuan-Man , Wong Takmeng , Loeb Norman G. , Rose Fred G. , Trenberth Kevin E. , Thorsen Tyler J.
Published: July 2016

Observationally based atmospheric energy balance is analyzed using Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES)-derived TOA and surface irradiance, Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP)-derived precipitation, dry static and kinetic energy tendency and divergence estimated from ERA-Interim, and surface sensible heat flux from SeaFlux. The residual tends to be negative over the tropics and positive over midlatitudes. A negative residual implies that the precipitation rate is too small, divergence is too large, or radiative cooling is too large. The residual of atmospheric energy is spatially and temporally correlated with cloud objects to identify cloud types associated with the residual. Spatially, shallow cumulus, cirrostratus, and deep convective cloud-object occurrence are positively correlated with the absolute value of the residual. The temporal correlation coefficient between the number of deep convective cloud objects and individual energy components, net atmospheric irradiance, precipitation rate, and the sum of dry static and kinetic energy divergence and their tendency over the western Pacific are 0.84, 0.95, and 0.93, respectively. However, when all energy components are added, the atmospheric energy residual over the tropical Pacific is temporally correlated well with the number of shallow cumulus cloud objects over tropical Pacific. Because shallow cumulus alters not enough atmospheric energy compared to the residual, this suggests the following: 1) if retrieval errors associated with deep convective clouds are causing the column-integrated atmospheric energy residual, the errors vary among individual deep convective clouds, and 2) it is possible that the residual is associated with processes in which shallow cumulus clouds affect deep convective clouds and hence atmospheric energy budget over the tropical western Pacific.
A Textual Processing Model of Risk Communication: Lessons from Typhoon Haiyan
Authors: Lejano Raul P. , Tan Joyce Melcar , Wilson A. Meriwether W.
Published: July 2016

As the world’s urban poor increase in numbers, they become acutely vulnerable to hazards from extreme weather events. On 8 November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan struck the province of Leyte, Philippines, with casualties numbering in the thousands, largely because of the ensuing storm surge that swept the coastal communities. This study investigates the role and dynamics of risk communication in these events, specifically examining the organizational processing of text within a complex institutional milieu. The authors show how the risk communication process failed to convey meaningful information about the predicted storm surge, transmitting and retransmitting the same routine text instead of communicating authentic messages in earnest. The key insight is that, rather than focus solely on the verbatim transmission of a scripted text, risk communication needs to employ various modes of translation and feedback signals across organizational and institutional boundaries. Adaptation will require overcoming organizational rigidities in order to craft proportionate responses to extreme weather events that may lie outside personal and institutional memory. Future work should build upon the textual processing approach to risk communication, expanding it into a comprehensive relational model of environmental cognition.
Taking Stock of SIM: Social Issues in Management Division of the Academy of Management
Authors: Waddock Sandra
Published: July 2016

This essay articulates two aspects of a changing Social Issues in Management (SIM) Division of the Academy of Management (AOM). First, the essay highlights the ways in which SIM’s central focus has shifted and changed over the years. Then, it briefly looks at the forces that are currently shaping SIM within AOM, particularly in spreading what used to be the central core of SIM throughout AOM, and discusses some of the implications of this shift. This devolution of content suggests the need for further change that paradoxically does two things seemingly at odds with each other: brings SIM back to its normative roots and begins to articulate the type of distinctive orientation to business operating within society that might continue to differentiate SIM from other divisions within AOM in the future.
Which Procedural Parts of the IEP Process Are the Most Judicially Vulnerable?
Authors: Zirkel Perry A. , Hetrick Allyse
Published: July 2016

To provide a missing piece to the legal foundation of professional development and practice for the individualized education program (IEP) process, the authors report the results of a comprehensive systematic analysis of court decisions specific to IEP-related procedural violations after the 2004 amendments of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Research questions focused on the frequency and outcomes of alleged procedural violations in the following categories: (a) IEP components, (b) IEP team, (c) parent participation, and (d) IEP development. Procedural violations in the parent participation category were the most frequently adjudicated; the outcomes ratio in court averaged approximately 3:1 in favor of school districts for cases across all four categories. Implications for practice include reconsideration of current policies and practices to whatever extent that they were based on case law rather than proactive priorities, per the lack of differentiation in prevailing publications and presentations in special education.
Are Voluntary Agreements Better? Evidence from Baseball Arbitration
Authors: Budd John W. , Sojourner Aaron , Jung Jaewoo
Published: July 2016

This study empirically examines the widespread belief that voluntarily negotiated agreements produce better long-run relationships than do third-party imposed resolutions, such as arbitrator decisions or court judgments. Major League Baseball provides a compelling setting for these analyses because individual performance is well measured, there is the possibility of relationship breakdown, and both voluntary and arbitrator-imposed resolutions routinely occur. Two key outcomes are analyzed: post-resolution player performance and the durability of the club–player relationship. Multivariate analyses of 1,424 salary renegotiations fail to find significant differences in subsequent player performance, but voluntary resolutions are associated with more durable post-resolution club–player relationships.
Turbulent but I must endure in silence: Female breadwinners and survival in Southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Akanle Olayinka , Adesina Jimi O , Nwaobiala Uzoamaka R
Published: July 2016

As Africa’s urban systems change and transform with more women becoming educated and getting work outside the home and more men are confronting unemployment and retrenchment, an emerging phenomenon has surfaced challenging common gender identities and roles in the context of families. Current livelihood realities reconstruct and renegotiate how household needs are met and who meets these needs, consequently questioning traditional patriarchal dictates. Increasing numbers of women in Africa’s urban centres play breadwinning roles and become lifelines for their families. Unfortunately, research and literature say little about the experiences of these women as they navigate unusual social spaces. This article investigates the challenges that breadwinning women face and how they cope with these challenges in a Nigerian megacity. Data were gathered through In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with 20 female breadwinning families and the theoretical framework adopted is a triangulation of modernisation and patriarchy theories. Data analysis was done through content analysis and presented as ethnographic narratives and summaries. Important findings were made and presented in this article.
Why class inequality breeds coups but not civil wars
Authors: Houle Christian
Published: July 2016

Does class inequality increase the risk of civil war? I posit that inequality between social classes affects civil wars through two pathways: (1) it heightens the risk of political violence by fueling distributive conflicts; and (2) it reduces structural coup-proofing, which, in turn, increases the capacity of the military to fight insurgents. Combining these effects implies that the net effect of class inequality on civil war is ambiguous. Although class inequality increases the propensity for violence, in unequal countries political violence rarely takes the form of wars because such countries have strong militaries. Class inequality, however, breeds other forms of political violence. In particular, it increases the likelihood of military coups. The two effects of class inequality reinforce each other in the case of coups: inequality simultaneously stirs distributional conflicts and increases the capacity of the military to mount coups by reducing coup-proofing. Using data on 128 developing countries between 1960 and 2008, I find that while class inequality fosters coups, it has no discernible effect on civil wars. I also provide evidence consistent with my causal mechanisms: (1) inequality creates greater threat to the rulers by fueling political instability; (2) inequality reduces structural coup-proofing; and (3) structural coup-proofing increases the likelihood of civil war.
Fatal anaphylaxis from hymenoptera stings
Authors: Kanchan Tanuj , Atreya Alok , Shekhawat Raghvendra Singh
Published: July 2016

Venomous insect stings are a cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The sting reactions are unpredictable and vary among individuals. A case of fatal insect sting in an elderly female is presented to discuss the associated challenges during necropsy.
Social innovation, reciprocity and contentious politics: Facing the socio-urban crisis in Ciutat Meridiana, Barcelona
Authors: Blanco Ismael , León Margarita
Published: July 2016

Taking one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Barcelona as a paradigmatic case, the aim of this paper is to explore the ways in which contestation organised by sublocal grassroots movements in the context of the current urban crisis operates, both in terms of content and form of protest. Our thesis is that resident mobilisation in the neighbourhood of Ciutat Meridiana is expressive of a new cycle of (urban) social mobilisations in Spanish cities. In such mobilisations, more or less spontaneous initiatives which emerged to counteract the effects of the crisis at the community level are simultaneously serving as platforms for reciprocity and political contestation. Establishing a dialogue with the literature on social innovation, in this paper we claim that these micro-local urban practices are linked to broader social movements and thus play a fundamental role in the political empowerment of citizens living in highly segregated and vulnerable urban areas.
MIMIC Methods for Detecting DIF Among Multiple Groups
Authors: Chun Seokjoon , Stark Stephen , Kim Eun Sook , Chernyshenko Oleksandr S.
Published: July 2016

A simulation study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) methods for multi-group uniform and non-uniform differential item functioning (DIF) detection. DIF was simulated to originate from one or more sources involving combinations of two background variables, gender and ethnicity. Three implementations of MIMIC DIF methods were compared: constrained baseline, free baseline, and a new sequential-free baseline. When the MIMIC assumption of equal factor variance across comparison groups was satisfied, the sequential-free baseline method provided excellent Type I error and power, with results similar to an idealized free baseline method that used a designated DIF-free anchor, and results much better than a constrained baseline method, which used all items other than the studied item as an anchor. However, when the equal factor variance assumption was violated, all methods showed inflated Type I error. Finally, despite the efficacy of the two free baseline methods for detecting DIF, identifying the source(s) of DIF was problematic, especially when background variables interacted.
Application of psychoacoustics for gear fault diagnosis using artificial neural network
Authors: Kane PV , Andhare AB
Published: July 2016

Identification of correct working of gearbox is a very important function during end of line inspection in the assembly line while manufacturing the gearbox. Such inspection is performed by an operator by listening to the sound of gearbox while running it on a test bench. Based on the sound emitted by the gearbox combined with experience and judgment of the operator, the gearbox is passed or rejected for fitting inside the vehicle. This paper makes an attempt to use artificial intelligence techniques to identify gearbox condition in the above environment by using psychoacoustic features to replace human hearing. Experiments are carried out on a gearbox test rig and sound data are acquired for good and faulty gear conditions. Psychoacoustic features and statistical indices are extracted from the data and these are then used as input to an artificial neural network. The artificial neural network output is the condition of gearbox. Performances of psychoacoustic and statistical indices are then compared. It is found that psychoacoustic features are able to predict gearbox condition with an accuracy of 99% and 98% for good and faulty conditions, respectively, whereas the statistical features are able to do the same with 97% and 98% accuracy. Therefore, it is concluded that psychoacoustic features have the potential to be used for the end of line inspection of gearbox in manufacturing environment and the process of inspection can be made objective by eliminating operator’s ability and judgment.
Early Viscosupplementation After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Di Martino Alessandro , Tentoni Francesco , Di Matteo Berardo , Cavicchioli Alessia , Lo Presti Mirco , Filardo Giuseppe , Zaffagnini Stefano , Marcacci Maurilio , Kon Elizaveta
Published: July 2016

Background:

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been widely used to treat osteoarthritis given its biological and mechanical properties. Because HA is an “intra-articular” treatment approach that affects the joints, it could be used in the management of acute conditions, such as during the early postsurgical phase, to reduce inflammatory stress and improve articular function.

Purpose:

The aim of the present double-blind, randomized controlled trial was to evaluate pain control and functional recovery provided by a single injection of HA performed the day after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

The study enrolled 60 patients affected by primary, chronic, and symptomatic ACL tear requiring surgical reconstruction. All patients were treated with the same reconstructive technique and rehabilitation protocol. Exclusion criteria were (1) concurrent articular lesion requiring surgical treatment, (2) axial malalignment in the index limb, and (3) functional limitation or pain in the contralateral knee. The day after the procedure, the patients were randomized to receive a single injection of 3 mL HA or 3 mL saline solution after surgical drains were removed. All patients were evaluated at baseline and at 15, 30, 60, and 180 days and 12 months after surgery by use of the following tools: Short Form–36 Health Survey (SF-36), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, VAS for general health status, and Tegner score. At each follow-up evaluation, the transpatellar circumference and active and passive range of motion (ROM) of both knees were recorded.

Results:

No severe adverse events were documented after early viscosupplementation. A significant improvement was documented in both treatment groups. Significant differences were documented in the transpatellar circumference at 60 days and in active ROM at 30 days postoperatively; patients who received HA had better values compared with the placebo group ( P = .022 and .027, respectively). No statistically relevant intergroup differences were found in the clinical scores.

Conclusion:

The study documented no adverse events and had some positive findings in terms of active ROM recovery and transpatellar circumference reduction. However, the early postoperative application of viscosupplementation did not lead to significant improvement in clinical scores after ACL reconstruction.

Registration:

NCT02630407 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier),
Analysis of the Current Indications for Microfracture of Chondral Lesions in the Hip Joint
Authors: Trask Darrin J. , Keene James S.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Data on the efficacy of microfracture for treatment of chondral defects in the hip are currently limited, and the recommended criteria for its use (minimal osteoarthritis; a focal, contained lesion <4 cm2 in size) have been taken from those that were established for the knee.

Purpose:

To determine if the current microfracture (ie, knee) criteria are appropriate for chondral lesions in the hip.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Seventy patients who had hip arthroscopy and 2 years of follow-up after treatment of labral tears and cam and pincer bony deformities, as well as microfracture of full-thickness chondral defects, are the basis of this study. The size and location of the chondral defects were recorded on each patient’s “hip sheet” and operative note at the time of hip arthroscopy and were confirmed from intraoperative photographs. The chondral defects were debrided and microfractured regardless of their size. All hips were assessed with the 100-point modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) before arthroscopy and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. Patients who had a total hip arthroplasty or repeat arthroscopy during their 2-year follow-up period were assigned poor results.

Results:

The average age of the 70 patients was 41 years, and the average size of the lesions microfractured was 143 mm2. Outcomes, based on patients’ 2-year mHHS or being assigned a poor result for revision surgery, were as follows: 32 excellent, 11 good, 6 fair, and 21 poor; overall, 43 patients (61%) had good and excellent results, and 27 (39%) had fair and poor results. The revision surgery rate was 24%. Seven of the 70 patients had chondral lesions greater than the recommended size for microfracture in the hip (>400 mm) and ranged from 430 to 750 mm2. Their 2-year outcomes included 3 excellent, 1 good, 1 fair, and 1 poor result; the outcomes were the same as for the 8 patients with medium (200-400 mm2) and the 55 patients with smaller (<200 mm2) lesions ( P = .25). There also was no difference in the 2-year outcomes of the older patients (age ≥50 years; P = .91).

Conclusion:

Microfracture in the hip should not be limited to the criteria of knee lesions (<400 mm2) or to younger patients (age <50 years). However, the results also indicate that patients with full-thickness cartilage defects can anticipate a high rate of conversion to total hip arthroplasty within 2 years of their microfracture surgery and that only 60% of them will have good/excellent results over that time period.
Landfill mining: Developing a comprehensive assessment method
Authors: Hermann Robert , Wolfsberger Tanja , Pomberger Roland , Sarc Renato
Published: July 2016

In Austria, the first basic technological and economic examinations of mass-waste landfills with the purpose to recover secondary raw materials have been carried out by the ‘LAMIS – Landfill Mining Österreich’ pilot project. A main focus of its research, and the subject of this article, is the first conceptual design of a comprehensive assessment method for landfill mining plans, including not only monetary factors (like costs and proceeds) but also non-monetary ones, such as the concerns of adjoining owners or the environmental impact. Detailed reviews of references, the identification of influences and system boundaries to be included in planning landfill mining, several expert workshops and talks with landfill operators have been performed followed by a division of the whole assessment method into preliminary and main assessment. Preliminary assessment is carried out with a questionnaire to rate juridical feasibility, the risk and the expenditure of a landfill mining project. The results of this questionnaire are compiled in a portfolio chart that is used to recommend, or not, further assessment. If a detailed main assessment is recommended, defined economic criteria are rated by net present value calculations, while ecological and socio-economic criteria are examined in a utility analysis and then transferred into a utility-net present value chart. If this chart does not support making a definite statement on the feasibility of the project, the results must be further examined in a cost-effectiveness analysis. Here, the benefit of the particular landfill mining project per capital unit (utility-net present value ratio) is determined to make a final distinct statement on the general benefit of a landfill mining project.
Development of a Situational Judgment Test as a Predictor of College Student Performance
Authors: Matošková Jana , Kovářík Martin
Published: July 2016

It has been suggested that tacit knowledge may be a good predictor of performance in college. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which a situational judgment test developed to measure tacit knowledge correlates with predictors and indicators of college performance. This situational judgment test includes eight situations relevant to the life of college (undergraduate) students and is comprised of 211 behavioral strategies. Four hundred forty-eight college students participated in the study. The results of this study suggest that tacit knowledge has small, statistically nonsignificant correlations with cumulative grade point average (GPA), the percentage of the academic requirements passed on the first attempt, cognitive abilities, achievement motivation, and attention. However, tacit knowledge was found to correlate moderately with the personality factor of agreeableness. The findings do not support claims about the importance of tacit knowledge in academic settings and question what tacit knowledge really is and if it is a useful construct for performance prediction.
Seasonal Time Keeping in a Long-Distance Migrating Shorebird
Authors: Karagicheva Julia , Rakhimberdiev Eldar , Dekinga Anne , Brugge Maarten , Koolhaas Anita , ten Horn Job , Piersma Theunis
Published: July 2016

Because of the complications in achieving the necessary long-term observations and experiments, the nature and adaptive value of seasonal time-keeping mechanisms in long-lived organisms remain understudied. Here we present the results of a 20-year-long study of the repeated seasonal changes in body mass, plumage state, and primary molt of 45 captive red knots Calidris canutus islandica, a High Arctic breeding shorebird that spends the nonbreeding season in temperate coastal areas. Birds kept outdoors and experiencing the natural photoperiod of the nonbreeding area maintained sequences of life-cycle stages, roughly following the timing in nature. For 6 to 8 years, 14 of these birds were exposed to unvarying ambient temperature (12 °C) and photoperiodic conditions (12:12 LD). Under these conditions, for at least 5 years they expressed free-running circannual cycles of body mass, plumage state, and wing molt. The circannual cycles of the free-running traits gradually became longer than 12 months, but at different rates. The prebreeding events (onset and offset of prealternate molt and the onset of spring body mass increase) occurred at the same time of the year as in the wild population for 1 or several cycles. As a result, after 4 years in 12:12 LD, the circannual cycles of prealternate plumage state had drifted less than the cycles of prebasic plumage state and wing molt. As the onset of body mass gain drifted less than the offset, the period of high body mass became longer under unvarying conditions. We see these differences between the prebreeding and postbreeding life-cycle stages as evidence for adaptive seasonal time keeping in red knots: the life-cycle stages linked to the initiation of reproduction rely mostly on endogenous oscillators, whereas the later stages rather respond to environmental conditions. Postbreeding stages are also prone to carryover effects from the earlier stages.
MARCO POLO – A new and simple tool for pollen-based stand-scale vegetation reconstruction
Authors: Mrotzek Almut , Couwenberg John , Theuerkauf Martin , Joosten Hans
Published: July 2016

Hitherto, the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) has been the only truly quantitative approach to stand-scale palynology. However, the LRA requires information on pollen productivity and dispersal, which is not always available. The alternative approach MARCO POLO (MAnipulating pollen sums to ReCOnstruct POllen of Local Origin) presented here is solely based on pollen values and does not rely on a pollen dispersal function. In a stepwise fashion, MARCO POLO removes those pollen types from the pollen sum whose values are significantly higher than in a neighbouring large basin. The resulting regional pollen sum is free of the disturbing factor of (extra-)local pollen. Based on this sum, comparison with the pollen record from the large basin allows calculating sharp (extra-)local signals. Treating the (extra-)local pollen portion with representation factors ( R-values) then produces a quantitative reconstruction of the stand-scale vegetation composition. We tested MARCO POLO and the LRA on a dataset of pollen surface samples and forest vegetation relevés from northern Central Europe. Both approaches reconstruct the presence or absence of taxa at the stand scale within a small margin of error. Where observed cover was ⩾2%, both models always reconstructed presence, where modelled cover was ⩾2% the taxon was always present. Overall, both approaches perform well in reconstructing the cover of taxa within a 100-m radius. In our tests, MARCO POLO is slightly better at reconstructing cover values for more taxa. Although some model parameters evidently need revision, the simple correlative approach of MARCO POLO appears to perform at least as well as the complex LRA model.
Human exposures to pentobarbital–phenytoin combination veterinary drugs
Authors: Forrester MB
Published: July 2016

A combination of pentobarbital and phenytoin is used as a veterinary euthanasia drug. Because of its lethal effect, this study described pentobarbital–phenytoin combination veterinary drug human exposures reported to Texas poison centers during 2000–2015. Of 66 exposures, 73% involved female and 27% male patients. The distribution by patient age was 3% 0–5 years, 5% 6–19 years, 91% 20+ years, and 2% unknown. The most common routes were ocular (41%), ingestion (32%), injection (23%), and dermal (18%). The exposure reasons were unintentional (77%) and intentional (23%). The exposure site was the workplace (52%), patient’s own residence (38%), health-care facility (2%), and other/unknown (9%). The management site was managed on site (48%), at/en route to health-care facility (45%), referred to health-care facility (5%), and other (2%). The medical outcomes were no effect (23%), minor effect (30%), moderate effect (8%), major effect (8%), not followed nontoxic (3%), not followed minimal effects (24%), unable to follow potentially toxic (2%), and unrelated (3%). The most common adverse effects were ocular irritation/pain (18%), drowsiness/lethargy (15%), and coma (9%). The most common treatments were dilution/irrigation (70%), intravenous fluids (21%), and oxygen (14%). This study found few pentobarbital–phenytoin combination veterinary drug exposures were reported to Texas poison centers during a 16-year period. Although meant to be administered intravenously, the most common exposure routes were ocular and ingestion. Many of the exposures appeared to be unintentional and occurred at the workplace.
The Use of Influence Tactics and Outcome Valence on Goal Commitment for Assigned Student Team Projects
Authors: Swaim James , Henley Amy
Published: July 2016

Project teams are a mainstay in both organizations and business schools. Despite their popularity, instructors and students often express dissatisfaction regarding assigned student team projects. In this article, we examine the effects of influence tactics available to instructors (collaborative assistance and rational persuasion) and individual student outcome valence on goal commitment for assigned team projects. Data were collected from upper-division students majoring in business administration at a large public university to examine the roles that instructors and students alike can play in increasing individual student commitment for assigned team projects. Results indicate that both instructor collaborative assistance and rational persuasion are related to individual student value placed on assigned team projects and also that this value affects overall project goal commitment. We suggest these results provide insights to assist instructors and students for increasing overall levels of student goal commitment in assigned team projects.
Evidence for the Use of Epoprostenol to Treat Raynaud’s Phenomenon With or Without Digital Ulcers
Authors: Cruz Joseph E. , Ward Ashley , Anthony Shannon , Chang Susanna , Bae Hyun (Billy) , Hermes-DeSantis Evelyn R.
Published: July 2016

Objective: To review the evidence for using intravenous (IV) epoprostenol to treat Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). Data Sources: The databases MEDLINE (1946 to March 2016), PubMed, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched using the terms epoprostenol, Flolan, Raynaud’s disease, and CREST syndrome. Further literature sources were identified by reviewing article citations. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language, clinical trials and case series evaluating IV epoprostenol for the management or treatment of RP were included. Lower-quality evidence were incorporated due to limited information. Data Synthesis: Seven small uncontrolled studies/case series, 1 small placebo controlled study, and 1 larger randomized trial were identified and included. There was no consistent measurement of efficacy utilized, but improvements in hand temperature, RP attack duration and frequency were commonly associated with IV epoprostenol treatment (5 trials). There were conflicting data regarding effect sustainability, with 5 trials showing long-term effects and 3 showing immediate effects. Fewer ischemic ulcers developed during treatment with IV epoprostenol in 1 trial compared to conventional treatment. Ulcer healing ocurred in 2 trials. Common adverse effects included hypotension, headache, flushing, gastrointestinal symptoms, and jaw pain. Conclusions: Available evidence supports the use of IV epoprostenol for treatment of severe RP in patients refractory or intolerant to standard therapies. The dose, titration schedule, and duration of IV epoprostenol utilized in studies varied, but a conservative approach to initiation should be considered. Patients who do not respond to intermittent infusions and have severe digital ischemia may require more aggressive regimens.
Evaluation of a Potential Interaction Between New Regimens to Treat Hepatitis C and Warfarin
Authors: DeCarolis Douglas D. , Westanmo Anders D. , Chen Yi-Chie , Boese Amanda L. , Walquist Mary A. , Rector Thomas S.
Published: July 2016

Objective: New regimens to treat hepatitis C virus infection have expanded the eligible patient population to include more patients receiving concurrent warfarin. The primary objective of this study was to assess whether a drug interaction occurs when these regimens are added to warfarin therapy. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort design using a nationwide database of the Veterans Affairs Health System. Patients on warfarin therapy treated with sofosbuvir or ombitasvir, paritaprevir-ritonavir, and dasabuvir (OBV-PTV/r-DSV) from March 2014 through October 2015 were identified. The warfarin dose response was calculated using a warfarin sensitivity index (WSI) defined as the steady-state INR divided by the mean daily warfarin dose. The primary outcome was the change in WSI from hepatitis C treatment initiation to completion. Results: The final sample consisted of 271 patients. The WSI decreased 23% from a mean baseline value of 0.53 to 0.39 (decrease of 0.14; 95% CI = 0.11 to 0.16; P < 0.001). OBV-PTV/r-DSV produced a significantly greater decrease than any sofosbuvir regimen. Concurrent ribavirin accounted for an additional decrease in warfarin sensitivity of −0.09 (95% CI = −0.06 to −0.12; P < 0.001). The percentage of subtherapeutic INR results increased from 26% prior to hepatitis C treatment to 58% during treatment. Conclusions: Results indicate a clinically significant reduction in warfarin dose-response when hepatitis C treatment regimens were added to warfarin. They were most profound with OBV-PTV/r-DSV. Ribavirin was associated with an additive effect. Clinicians should be aware of this potential drug interaction to closely monitor and minimize subtherapeutic levels of anticoagulation.
Whitman’s Sympathies
Authors: Bennett Jane
Published: July 2016

This essay explores five figures of “sympathy” at work in Walt Whitman’s writings, with a focus on Leaves of Grass. Of particular note is the way Whitman presents sympathy as not only a moral sentiment but also a more-than-human natural force that draws bodies together. Sympathy was a key term in the lexicon of nineteenth-century American political debates, and we find in Whitman and others elements of a non-modern sense of sympathy as a vital or physical force operating below, through, and beyond human bodies.
Confirmation Wars, Legislative Time, and Collateral Damage
Authors: Madonna Anthony J. , Monogan James E. , Vining Richard L.
Published: July 2016

Presidents often see a Supreme Court nomination as an opportunity to leave a lasting mark on policy. Recent studies speculate that focusing on Supreme Court nominees affects presidential success beyond the confirmation process, but this has not been established systematically. We develop and test a hypothesis stating that presidents who get into a battle to promote a controversial Supreme Court nominee will see delays and failures in their efforts to promote their legislative agenda in the Senate and fill lower level judicial vacancies. We test our theory using data on presidential policy agenda items from 1967 to 2010 and lower level judicial nominations from 1977 to 2010. We find that increased efforts in promoting confirmation reduce the likelihood of timely Senate approval of important policy proposals and nominees to federal district courts.
Functional Interdependence Theory: An Evolutionary Account of Social Situations
Authors: Balliet Daniel , Tybur Joshua M. , Van Lange Paul A. M.
Published: July 2016

Social interactions are characterized by distinct forms of interdependence, each of which has unique effects on how behavior unfolds within the interaction. Despite this, little is known about the psychological mechanisms that allow people to detect and respond to the nature of interdependence in any given interaction. We propose that interdependence theory provides clues regarding the structure of interdependence in the human ancestral past. In turn, evolutionary psychology offers a framework for understanding the types of information processing mechanisms that could have been shaped under these recurring conditions. We synthesize and extend these two perspectives to introduce a new theory: functional interdependence theory (FIT). FIT can generate testable hypotheses about the function and structure of the psychological mechanisms for inferring interdependence. This new perspective offers insight into how people initiate and maintain cooperative relationships, select social partners and allies, and identify opportunities to signal social motives.
An nth-order shear deformation theory for static analysis of functionally graded sandwich plates
Authors: Xiang Song , Liu Yuan-Qiang
Published: July 2016

This paper focuses for the first time on the static analysis of sandwich plates with functionally graded faces and homogeneous core by an nth-order shear deformation theory and meshless global collocation method. The meshless global collocation method approximates the solutions of governing differential equations based on the nth-order shear deformation theory using all nodes in the problem domain. The deflection and stress of a simply supported sandwich plates under sinusoidal load are calculated to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the present theory.
‘It could redefine public service broadcasting in the digital age’
Authors: Ramsey Phil
Published: July 2016

In November 2015, the BBC Trust gave its final approval for BBC Three to cease broadcasting on television in the United Kingdom and become an online-only entity. The decision is a landmark moment in the history of BBC Television and has significant implications for BBC planning in relation to the continued transition from broadcast television to streaming and download services. In this article, the original proposals for moving BBC Three online are assessed and discussed within the wider context of current BBC policy. It is argued that the rationale used for moving BBC Three online is based on arguments that vary in the extent to which they are backed by evidence. It is also argued that the plans have significant regulatory implications for the future of BBC Television and for the television licence fee in the United Kingdom.
A small-scale randomised controlled trial of home telemonitoring in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Shany Tal , Hession Michael , Pryce David , Roberts Mary , Basilakis Jim , Redmond Stephen , Lovell Nigel , Schreier Guenter
Published: July 2016

Introduction

This was a pilot study to examine the effects of home telemonitoring (TM) of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

A randomised controlled 12-month trial of 42 patients with severe COPD was conducted. Home TM of oximetry, temperature, pulse, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, spirometry, and weight with telephone support and home visits was tested against a control group receiving only identical telephone support and home visits.

Results

The results suggest that TM had a reduction in COPD-related admissions, emergency department presentations, and hospital bed days. TM also seemed to increase the interval between COPD-related exacerbations requiring a hospital visit and prolonged the time to the first admission. The interval between hospital visits was significantly different between the study arms, while the other findings did not reach significance and only suggest a trend. There was a reduction in hospital admission costs. TM was adopted well by most patients and eventually, also by the nursing staff, though it did not seem to change patients’ psychological well-being.

Discussion

Ability to draw firm conclusions is limited due to the small sample size. However the trends of reducing hospital visits warrant a larger study of a similar design. When designing such a trial, one should consider the potential impact of the high quality of care already made available to this patient cohort.
Distress and quality of life in an ethnically diverse sample awaiting breast cancer surgery
Authors: Rebholz Whitney N , Cash Elizabeth , Zimmaro Lauren A , Bayley-Veloso René , Phillips Kala , Siwik Chelsea , Chagpar Anees B , Dhabhar Firdaus S , Spiegel David , Bell Brittany Saltsman , Sephton Sandra E
Published: July 2016

Poor breast cancer–related quality of life is associated with flattened cortisol rhythms and inflammation in breast cancer survivors and women with advanced disease. We explored the associations of cancer-specific distress (Impact of Events Scale), mood (Profile of Mood States), activity/sleep (wake after sleep onset, 24-hour autocorrelation coefficient) and cortisol (diurnal slope) circadian rhythms, and inflammation (interleukin-6) with quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast) among patients awaiting breast cancer surgery ( N = 57). Models were adjusted for differences in age and cancer stage. Distress and mood disturbance were significantly correlated with lower quality of life. Ethnic differences in the relationship between distress and mood disturbance with global quality of life and subscales of quality of life were observed. Actigraphic measures showed that in comparison with non-Hispanic patients, African Americans had significantly poorer activity/sleep (wake after sleep onset, 24-hour autocorrelation coefficient). Circadian disruption and inflammation were not associated with quality of life. Physiological dysregulation and associated comorbidities may take time to develop over the course of disease and treatment.