bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pomona Large Vessel Occlusion Screening Tool for Prehospital and Emergency Room Settings
Authors: Panichpisal Kessarin , Nugent Kenneth , Singh Maharaj , Rovin Richard , Babygirija Reji , Moradiya Yogesh , Tse-Chang Karen , Jones Kimberly A. , Woolfolk Katrina J. , Keasler Debbie , Desai Bhupat , Sakdanaraseth Parinda , Sakdanaraseth Paphavee , Moalem Alimohammad , Janjua Nazli
Published: February 2018

Background: Early identification of patients with acute ischemic strokes due to large vessel occlusions (LVO) is critical. We propose a simple risk score model to predict LVO. Method: The proposed scale (Pomona Scale) ranges from 0 to 3 and includes 3 items: gaze deviation, expressive aphasia, and neglect. We reviewed a cohort of all acute stroke activation patients between February 2014 and January 2016. The predictive performance of the Pomona Scale was determined and compared with several National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) cutoffs (≥4, ≥6, ≥8, and ≥10), the Los Angeles Motor Scale (LAMS), the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Severity (CPSS) scale, the Vision Aphasia and Neglect Scale (VAN), and the Prehospital Acute Stroke Severity Scale (PASS). Results: LVO was detected in 94 of 776 acute stroke activations (12%). A Pomona Scale ≥2 had comparable accuracy to predict LVO as the VAN and CPSS scales and higher accuracy than Pomona Scale ≥1, LAMS, PASS, and NIHSS. A Pomona Scale ≥2 had an accuracy (area under the curve) of 0.79, a sensitivity of 0.86, a specificity of 0.70, a positive predictive value of 0.71, and a negative predictive value of 0.97 for the detection of LVO. We also found that the presence of either neglect or gaze deviation alone had comparable accuracy of 0.79 as Pomona Scale ≥2 to detect LVO. Conclusion: The Pomona Scale is a simple and accurate scale to predict LVO. In addition, the presence of either gaze deviation or neglect also suggests the possibility of LVO.
Mannose-Binding Lectin2 Gene Polymorphism and IgG4 in Membranous Nephropathy
Authors: Costa Denise Maria do Nascimento , Valente Lucila Maria , Vajgel Fernandes Gisele , Sandrin-Garcia Paula , da Cruz Heidi Lacerda Alves , Crovella Sergio , Cavalcante Antônio Henrique Santana , Cavalcante Maria Alina Gomes de Mattos , de Oliveira Camila Barbosa Lyra , de Vasconcelos Carolina de Andrade Jordão , Sarinho Emanuel Sávio Cavalcante
Published: February 2018

Background: Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) has been linked to the lectin pathway, IgG4 and genetic susceptibility. We investigated the frequency of mannose-binding lectin2 (MBL2) gene polymorphisms and the serum ratio of IgG4 in patients with membranous nephropathy (MN). Methods: Polymorphisms in the exon 1 of the MBL2 gene (codons 52, 54, and 57) and single base polymorphisms at positions –550 (HL) and –221 (XY) in the promoter region were evaluated in 60 patients compared to a control group (CG) of 101 blood donors. It established the frequency of polymorphisms and the serum ratio of IgG4 comparing 2 etiologies of MN: idiopathic (35 patients) and secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (25 patients). Results: Patients with MN had a 2.54-fold higher probability (95% CI 1.51–4.31) of carrying the O alelle, exon 1 variant, and 11.16-fold higher probability (95% CI 4.77–28.41) of having A/O genotype when compared to CG. The frequency of polymorphisms in the promoter region was similar between the groups. Combined genotypes generally related to the defective production of MBL (YA/O, XA/O and O/O) were more frequent in patients with MN (OR 7.11; 95% CI 2.69–21.27), when compared to controls. The median of serum ratio IgG4 was 5% for idiopathic MN and 3% for lupus MN patients (p = 0.016). Conclusions: Our data suggests that MBL2 polymorphisms may be associated with the activation of the lectin pathway by IgG4 subclass antibodies in MN.
Positive Iron Balance in Chronic Kidney Disease: How Much is Too Much and How to Tell?
Authors: Wish Jay B. , Aronoff George R. , Bacon Bruce R. , Brugnara Carlo , Eckardt Kai-Uwe , Ganz Tomas , Macdougall Iain C. , Núñez Julio , Perahia Adam J. , Wood John C.
Published: February 2018

Background: Regulation of body iron occurs at cellular, tissue, and systemic levels. In healthy individuals, iron absorption and losses are minimal, creating a virtually closed system. In the setting of chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis (HD), increased iron losses, reduced iron absorption, and limited iron availability lead to iron deficiency. Intravenous (IV) iron therapy is frequently prescribed to replace lost iron, but determining an individual’s iron balance and stores can be challenging and imprecise, contributing to uncertainty about the long-term safety of IV iron therapy. Summary: Patients on HD receiving judicious doses of IV iron are likely to be in a state of positive iron balance, yet this does not appear to confer an overt risk for clinically relevant iron toxicity. The concomitant use of iron with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, the use of maintenance iron dosing regimens, and the reticuloendothelial distribution of hepatic iron deposition likely minimize the potential for iron toxicity in patients on HD. Key Messages: Because no single diagnostic test can, at present, accurately assess iron status and risk for toxicity, clinicians need to take an integrative approach to avoid iron doses that impose excessive exposure while ensuring sufficient replenishment of iron stores capable of overcoming hepcidin blockade and allowing for effective erythropoiesis.
Innate Immunity of the Lung: From Basic Mechanisms to Translational Medicine
Authors: Hartl Dominik , Tirouvanziam Rabindra , Laval Julie , Greene Catherine M. , Habiel David , Sharma Lokesh , Yildirim Ali Önder , Dela Cruz Charles S. , Hogaboam Cory M.
Published: February 2018

The respiratory tract is faced daily with 10,000 L of inhaled air. While the majority of air contains harmless environmental components, the pulmonary immune system also has to cope with harmful microbial or sterile threats and react rapidly to protect the host at this intimate barrier zone. The airways are endowed with a broad armamentarium of cellular and humoral host defense mechanisms, most of which belong to the innate arm of the immune system. The complex interplay between resident and infiltrating immune cells and secreted innate immune proteins shapes the outcome of host-pathogen, host-allergen, and host-particle interactions within the mucosal airway compartment. Here, we summarize and discuss recent findings on pulmonary innate immunity and highlight key pathways relevant for biomarker and therapeutic targeting strategies for acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory tract.
Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 Activation-Induced Increase in Glycine-Activated Current in Mouse Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons
Authors: Qi Mengwen , Wu Chunfeng , Wang Zhouqing , Zhou Li , Men Chen , Du Yimei , Huang Songming , Chen Lei , Chen Ling
Published: February 2018

Background/Aims: Glycine plays an important role in regulating hippocampal inhibitory/ excitatory neurotransmission through activating glycine receptors (GlyRs) and acting as a co-agonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate-type glutamate receptors. Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is reported to inhibit hippocampal A-type γ-aminobutyric acid receptor, a ligand-gated chloride ion channel. GlyRs are also ligand-gated chloride ion channels and this paper aimed to explore whether activation of TRPV4 could modulate GlyRs. Methods: Whole-cell patch clamp recording was employed to record glycine-activated current (IGly) and Western blot was conducted to assess GlyRs subunits protein expression. Results: Application of TRPV4 agonist (GSK1016790A or 5,6-EET) increased IGly in mouse hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. This action was blocked by specific antagonists of TRPV4 (RN-1734 or HC-067047) and GlyR (strychnine), indicating that activation of TRPV4 increases strychnine-sensitive GlyR function in mouse hippocampal pyramidal neurons. GSK1016790A-induced increase in IGly was significantly attenuated by protein kinase C (PKC) (BIM II or D-sphingosine) or calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) (KN-62 or KN-93) antagonists but was unaffected by protein kinase A or protein tyrosine kinase antagonists. Finally, hippocampal protein levels of GlyR α1 α2, α3 and β subunits were not changed by treatment with GSK1016790A for 30 min or 1 h, but GlyR α2, α3 and β subunits protein levels increased in mice that were intracerebroventricularly (icv.) injected with GSK1016790A for 5 d. Conclusion: Activation of TRPV4 increases GlyR function and expression, and PKC and CaMKII signaling pathways are involved in TRPV4 activation-induced increase in IGly. This study indicates that GlyRs may be effective targets for TRPV4-induced modulation of hippocampal inhibitory neurotransmission.
Co-Upregulation of 14-3-3ζ and P-Akt is Associated with Oncogenesis and Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Tang Yufu , Wang Ruoyu , Zhang Yibing , Lin Shenhui , Qiao Na , Sun Zhongyi , Cheng Shuqun , Zhou Wenping
Published: February 2018

Background/Aims: 14-3-3ζ is involved in the regulation of PI3K/Akt pathway which is closely associated with carcinogenesis. However, the clinical significance of combined detection of 14-3-3ζ and p-Akt in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Methods: Two-hundred pairs of HCC and adjacent liver specimens were subjected to tissue microarray. The association of 14-3-3ζ and p-Akt levels with the postoperative survival and recurrence in HCC patients was analyzed with univariate and multivariate methods. Moreover, the effects of 14-3-3ζ overexpression on the growth of HCC and the expressions of p-Akt and HIF-1α were assessed in a xenograft mouse model. Results: Elevated levels of 14-3-3ζ and p-Akt were detected in HCC and a positive correlation between the levels of 14-3-3ζ and p-Akt was verified. HCC patients with satellite nodules, microvascular invasion, portal vein tumor thrombosis, poor tumor differentiation and an advanced tumor stage tended to have higher levels of 14-3-3ζ and p-Akt. In addition, the postoperative 3-, 5-, and 7-year overall survival rates in HCC patients with 14-3-3ζhigh and p-Akthigh were significantly lower compared with those with 14-3-3ζlow and p-Aktlow, and the cumulative recurrence rate in HCC patients with 14-3-3ζhigh and p-Akthigh was significantly higher than that in those with 14-3-3ζlow and p-Aktlow. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis indicated that concomitant upregulation of 14-3-3ζ and p-Akt was an independent factor that predicted poor survival and high recurrence in HCC patients. Furthermore, animal experiment showed that overexpression of 14-3-3ζ accelerated the growth of HCC xenograft tumors and induced the expressions of p-Akt and HIF-1α in vivo. Conclusion: Co-upregulation of 14-3-3ζ and p-Akt predicts poor prognosis in patients with HCC, and 14-3-3ζ-induced activation of the Akt signaling pathway contributes to HCC progression.
Mutual Relationship between Tau and Central Insulin Signalling: Consequences for AD and Tauopathies?
Authors: Gratuze Maud , Joly-Amado Aurélie , Vieau Didier , Buée Luc , Blum David
Published: February 2018

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder mainly characterized by cognitive deficits and neuropathological changes such as Tau lesions and amyloid plaques, but also associated with non-cognitive symptomatology. Metabolic and neuroendocrine abnormalities, such as alterations in body weight, brain insulin impairments, and lower brain glucose metabolism, which often precede clinical diagnosis, have been extensively reported in AD patients. However, the origin of these symptoms and their relation to pathology and cognitive impairments remain misunderstood. Insulin is a hormone involved in the control of energy homeostasis both peripherally and centrally, and insulin-resistant state has been linked to increased risk of dementia. It is now well established that insulin resistance can exacerbate Tau lesions, mainly by disrupting the balance between Tau kinases and phosphatases. On the other hand, the emerging literature indicates that Tau protein can also modulate insulin signalling in the brain, thus creating a detrimental vicious circle. The following review will highlight our current understanding of the role of insulin in the brain and its relation to Tau protein in the context of AD and tauopathies. Considering that insulin signalling is prone to be pharmacologically targeted at multiple levels, it constitutes an appealing approach to improve both insulin brain sensitivity and mitigate brain pathology with expected positive outcome in terms of cognition.
Diakone in Rom? Das Zeugnis des Hirten des Hermas
Authors: Grundeken Mark
Published: February 2018

This article challenges the common opinion that the Shepherd of Hermas gives evidence for the office of deacon in the early Christian communities in Rome (Vis. 3.5.1; Sim. 9.15.4; 9.26.2). It suggests that the mention of the διάκονοι within the context of Hermas’ call to µετάνοια as “admirable” respectively “despicable” believers makes it difficult to decide whether these examples are existing or imaginary figures. Moreover, it notes that the διάκονοι, unlike the presiding presbyters (Vis. 2.2.6-7; 2.4.2-3; 3.9.7), are not associated with the ἐκκλησία in Rome and not directly addressed. The article is meant to be a prelude to new enquiries into the development of offices in the early church.
The Concept of Religion in Modern China: A Grassroots Perspective
Authors: Colijn Bram
Published: February 2018

Modern Chinese history offers scholars plenty of reasons to abandon the state-imposed neologism of ‘religion’. For its popularization in the late 19th century marked the start of multiple cycles of violence against ‘superstition’, its ideological twin. To the contrary, this article explores how ‘religion’ (zongjiao) is deployed by ordinary people in contemporary Southern Fujian. Through three case studies I demonstrate that ‘religion’ has become part of the ways ordinary people in contemporary Southern Fujian harmonize their conflicting ritual practices and ideas about the world. A more narrow and exclusive deployment of ‘religion’ by scholars, followed by policy makers, may augment the realms of ‘culture’ and ‘superstition’, the latter of which has in particular been subject to coercive action in China. Being aware of the nefarious consequences of deploying ‘religion’ outside the Western world since the 19th century, scholars today have a responsibility to premeditate the outcome of narrowing down the range of practices, architecture, clergy, communities, and objects currently associated with ‘religion’.
A new genus and species of Anacolini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae) from Bolivia
Authors: SANTOS-SILVA ANTONIO , GALILEO MARIA HELENA M.
Published: February 2018

Nocalusa prodigiosa, new genus and new species of Anacolini, is described from Bolivia. A key to genera of American Anacolini based only on females is provided.
A new species of the endemic Australian genus Hyptiogaster Kieffer Hymenoptera: Gasteruptiidae)
Authors: PARSLOW BEN A. , JENNINGS JOHN T.
Published: February 2018

Hyptiogaster arafura sp. nov. is described from Arafura Swamp, Northern Territory, Australia, as the eleventh species of Hyptiogaster Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Gasteruptiidae). A revised diagnosis of Hyptiogaster is given based on the new species.
Annotated catalog of the northwest Caucasian Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha (Heteroptera)
Authors: SHAPOVALOV MAKSIM I. , SAPRYKIN MAKSIM A. , PROKIN ALEXANDR A.
Published: February 2018

A catalog of aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera of the northwest Caucasus is provided based on literature reports and field collections. Representatives of 50 species of the infraorders Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha are listed and are distributed in 11 families, including Aphelocheiridae (1 genus, 1 species), Corixidae (6 genera, 23 species), Gerridae (3 genera, 9 species), Hebridae (1 genus, 2 species), Hydrometridae (1 genus, 2 species), Mesoveliidae (1 genus, 1 species), Naucoridae (1 genus, 1 species), Nepidae (2 genera, 3 species), Notonectidae (2 genera, 4 species), Pleidae (1 genus, 1 species) and Veliidae (2 genera, 3 species). Five species listed for the fauna of the northwest Caucasus are doubtful. Types of ranges of all species are given. Zoogeography of the regional fauna is discussed.
Corrections and emendations to the description of Deltamys araucaria Quintela et al., 2017 (Rodentia, Cricetidae)
Authors: PARDIÑAS ULYSES F. J.
Published: February 2018

A new species was recently described to the akodontine genus Deltamys Thomas, 1917, based on animals collected in Araucaria forest, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Quintela et al. (2017) described Deltamys araucaria on the basis of the integration of morphological, chromosomal, and molecular characters analysis. Here I correct and/or emend critical aspects of this paper, including the type locality, diagnostic characters, and the appropriate recognition of earlier literature on this same taxon. My aim in this note is not to criticize this important new contribution but to facilitate future communication among researchers.
Survey of Graduate Degree Procedures in Atmospheric Sciences
Authors: Stull Roland , Businger Steven
Published: February 2018

To document the inner workings of graduate degree programs, the authors surveyed the 67 American and Canadian universities that grant Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and/or Master of Science (M.S.) degrees in the atmospheric sciences and related fields. Topics included (a) admission standards such as graduate record exam scores and grade point averages; (b) start-up issues such as course requirements and computer programming skills; (c) M.S. attributes such as thesis length, years until graduation, and thesis versus nonthesis options; (d) Ph.D. procedures such as exam sequences and timing, thesis page length, workplace ethics and teamwork, and development of teaching skills; and (e) employment after graduation. This information could aid university departments in their future program planning.
Mid-Atlantic AERAs Conduct Third Annual Regional Hazardous Weather Conference
Authors: Smith D. R. , Rosenthal M. A. , Mulvany J. P. , Sanford W. , Krayer W. R. , Smith B. L. , Palko B. S. , Matkins J. J. , Koester G. J. , Lees R. L. , McKinstry P. A.
Published: February 2018

For the third consecutive year mid-Atlantic Atmospheric Education Resource Agents (AERAs) conducted a regional workshop for educators on hazardous weather. This workshop attracted teachers from New York to Georgia for sessions by Project ATMOSPHERE AERAs, meteorologists from the National Weather Service, universities, the media, and private industry, who addressed a variety of topics pertaining to the impact of severe weather. As has been the case with the previous workshops, this event represents a partnership of individuals from schools, government agencies, and the private sector that enhances science education and increases public awareness of hazardous weather conditions.
The Occurrence and Properties of Long-Lived Liquid-Bearing Clouds over the Greenland Ice Sheet and Their Relationship to the North Atlantic Oscillation
Authors: Edwards-Opperman Jonathan , Cavallo Steven , Turner David
Published: February 2018

Stratiform liquid-bearing clouds (LBCs), defined herein as either pure liquid or mixed-phase clouds, have a large impact on the surface radiation budget across the Arctic. LBCs lasting at least 6 h are observed at Summit, Greenland, year-round with a maximum in occurrence during summer. Mean cloud-base height is below 1 km for 85% of LBC cases identified, 59% have mean liquid water path (LWP) values between 10 and 40 g m−2, and most produce sporadic light ice-phase precipitation. During their occurrence, the atmosphere above the ice sheet is anomalously warm and moist, with southerly winds observed over much of the ice sheet, including at Summit. LBCs that occur when the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is in the negative phase correspond to strong ridging centered over the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS), allowing for southwesterly flow over the GIS toward Summit. During the positive phase of the NAO, the occurrence of LBCs corresponds to a cyclone located off the southeastern coast of the ice sheet, which leads to easterly-to-southeasterly flow toward Summit. Furthermore, air parcels at Summit frequently originate from below the elevation of Summit, indicating that orographic lift along the ice sheet is a factor in the occurrence of LBCs at Summit. LBCs are more frequently observed during the negative NAO, and both the LWP and precipitation rate are larger in LBCs occurring during this phase. Mean LWP in LBCs occurring during the negative NAO is 15 g m−2 larger than in LBCs occurring during the positive phase.
Downslope Windstorms of San Diego County. Part II: Physics Ensemble Analyses and Gust Forecasting
Authors: Cao Yang , Fovell Robert G.
Published: February 2018

The “Santa Ana” winds of Southern California represent a high-impact weather event because their dry, fast winds can significantly elevate the wildfire threat. This high-resolution numerical study of six events of moderate or greater strength employs physics parameterization and stochastic perturbation ensembles to determine the optimal model configuration for predicting winds in San Diego County, with verification performed against observations from the San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) mesonet. Results demonstrate model physics can have a material effect on the strength, location, and timing of the winds, with the land surface model playing an outsized role via its specification of surface roughness lengths. Even when bias in the network-averaged sustained wind forecasts is minimized, systematic biases remain in that many stations are consistently over- or underforecasted. The argument is made that this is an “unavoidable” error that represents localized anemometer exposure issues revealed through the station gust factor. A very simple gust parameterization is proposed for the mesonet based on the discovery that the network-averaged gust factor is independent of weather conditions and results in unbiased forecasts of gusts at individual stations and the mesonet as a whole. Combined with atmospheric humidity and fuel moisture information, gust forecasts can help in the assessment of wildfire risks.
Nuove visioni drammaturgiche e sociali nel teatro e nella letteratura di Giuseppe Patroni Griffi
Authors: d'Amora Mariano
Published: February 2018

Il napoletano Giuseppe Patroni Griffi s’impone in Italia nel secondo Novecento per la poliedricità espressiva che, fin dagli esordi, caratterizza il suo operato. Radio, letteratura, cinema, teatro, televisione sono gli ambiti nei quali egli opera lasciando, puntualmente, chiara impronta del suo estro. In questo saggio ci soffermeremo su larga parte della sua produzione letteraria e teatrale.
Tra sangue e corpo: Modernità “solida” e “liquida” nella Napoli industriale di Tre operai e in quella criminale di Gomorra
Authors: Forlino Daniele
Published: February 2018

Il primo romanzo di Carlo Bernari, Tre operai (1934), presenta numerosi punti di contatto con Gomorra (2006), il primo libro di Roberto Saviano. Entrambi i testi restituiscono al lettore due rappresentazioni di una “terza Napoli” definita come corpo allegorico di una società che viene iniziata all'industrialismo e che passa nel secondo caso agli ultimissimi stadi di un sistema socioeconomico post-capitalistico, tracciando quel fondamentale passaggio da una modernità “solida” a una “liquida” avvenuto durante lo scorso secolo ed evidenziato dal famoso studio di Zygmunt Bauman, Modernità Liquida. In questo saggio si ripercorrono queste rappresentazioni della società contemporanea offerte dai due autori campani, sottolineandone i messaggi testimoniali ed il loro valore che ha spesso rischiato di essere confuso e imprigionato in un ambito prettamente regionalistico.
How do callings relate to job performance? The role of organizational commitment and ideological contract fulfillment
Authors: Kim Sung Soo , Shin Donghoon , Vough Heather C , Hewlin Patricia Faison , Vandenberghe Christian
Published: February 2018

Do individuals with callings perform better than those without? Why or why not? There are not clear answers to these questions in the literature. Using a social exchange framework, we posit an intervening process between callings and job performance, focusing on the role of organizational commitment and ideological contract fulfillment – the degree to which organizations live up to their ideological promises. Specifically, individuals with callings will be more committed to their organization, and this commitment, in turn, leads to job performance. Further, this relationship of calling to job performance through commitment will be attenuated when employees perceive under-fulfillment of ideological contract. We found support for these hypotheses across three studies that utilized self- or supervisor-rated performance data from a non-profit organization and multiple for-profit organizations. Interestingly, while the relationship between commitment and performance did depend on fulfillment of the ideological psychological contract, contrary to our prediction, the calling-commitment relationship was not attenuated by under-fulfillment of ideological contract. Our findings deepen our understanding of the organizational implications of callings from a social exchange-based perspective. This study further informs practitioners as to hiring and motivating individuals with a calling.
The Relationship of Pitch Sight-Singing Skills With Tonal Discrimination, Language Reading Skills, and Academic Ability in Children
Authors: Reifinger James L.
Published: February 2018

This study investigated correlates that might explain variance in beginning sight-singing achievement, including tonal discrimination, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and academic ability. Both curriculum-based and standardized tests were used, including the Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation, Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. Sight-singing ability of second-grade students ( N = 170) was individually assessed for pitch accuracy only using four-note tonal patterns following a 16-week instructional period and again 8 weeks later following a period of no practice. A factor analysis explained 62% of the variance across 13 variables, revealing correlated factors of Music Ability, Reading Ability, and Academic Ability. Regression analyses with individual variables as predictors indicated that significant variance in sight-singing achievement beyond that explained by pitch matching ability could be explained by reading comprehension ability. Similar results were found with both sight-singing tests. Findings are discussed in relation to Patel’s shared syntactic integration resource hypothesis and the need to advocate for music education programs.
The Structure of Subjective Well-Being and Its Relation to Objective Well-Being Indicators: Evidence from EU-SILC for Serbia
Authors: Vladisavljević Marko , Mentus Vladimir
Published: February 2018

In this article, we examine the structure of the subjective well-being and its relation to objective well-being indicators using the data from the European Union’s Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) from Serbia. This is one of the first papers to analyze a new module on subjective well-being from EU-SILC micro-dataset (with over 20,000 respondents). We investigate the factor structure of the items and the differences in the association of subjective well-being dimensions with objective indicators of well-being within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Better Life Initiative framework. Three factors emerge from the principal components analysis: general life satisfaction, affective well-being, and satisfaction with the local environment. The analysis further reveals that life satisfaction is more related to the material living conditions, such as income, unemployment, and housing conditions, while affective well-being is more related to non-material indicators of well-being such as perceived health, personal security, and social connections. On the other hand, positive and negative affect within the affective well-being are not clearly separable, nor is the eudaimonic indicator from either life satisfaction or affective well-being.
Making Sense of College Readiness in a Low-Performing Urban High School: Perspectives of High-Achieving First Generation Youth
Authors: Duncheon Julia C.
Published: February 2018

Policy efforts to enhance postsecondary access and completion often emphasize the construct of college readiness (CR). While most research has focused on defining and measuring CR, less has examined the perspectives of first generation students and the urban high school contexts in which many prepare for college. This study utilizes data from an ethnography of college preparation in a low-performing urban high school. Drawing on sensemaking theory, I explore how high-achieving college-bound seniors make sense of CR and what factors shape their sensemaking. Findings offer insight into how CR discourses manifest at the local level to shape opportunity for urban youth.
Comparing the Value of Nonprofit Hospitals’ Tax Exemption to Their Community Benefits
Authors: Herring Bradley , Gaskin Darrell , Zare Hossein , Anderson Gerard
Published: February 2018

The tax-exempt status of nonprofit hospitals has received increased attention from policymakers interested in examining the value they provide instead of paying taxes. We use 2012 data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 990, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Cost Reports, and American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Annual Survey to compare the value of community benefits with the tax exemption. We contrast nonprofit’s total community benefits to what for-profits provide and distinguish between charity and other community benefits. We find that the value of the tax exemption averages 5.9% of total expenses, while total community benefits average 7.6% of expenses, incremental nonprofit community benefits beyond those provided by for-profits average 5.7% of expenses, and incremental charity alone average 1.7% of expenses. The incremental community benefit exceeds the tax exemption for only 62% of nonprofits. Policymakers should be aware that the tax exemption is a rather blunt instrument, with many nonprofits benefiting greatly from it while providing relatively few community benefits.
Factors Influencing the Total Inpatient Pharmacy Cost at a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Aljunid Syed Mohamed , Ali Jadoo Saad Ahmed
Published: February 2018

The steady growth of pharmaceutical expenditures is a major concern for health policy makers and health care managers in Malaysia. Our study examined the factors affecting the total inpatient pharmacy cost (TINPC) at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). In this retrospective study, we used 2011 administration electronic prescriptions records and casemix databases at UKMMC to examine the impact of sociodemographic, diagnostic, and drug variables on the TINPC. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of the factors associated with TINPC were conducted. The mean inpatient pharmacy cost per patient was USD 102.07 (SD = 24.76). In the multivariate analysis, length of stay (LOS; B = 0.349, P < .0005) and severity level III ( B = 0.253, P < .0005) were the primary factors affecting the TINPC. For each day increase in the LOS and each increase of a case of severity level III, there was an increase of approximately USD 11.97 and USD 171.53 in the TINPC per year, respectively. Moreover, the number of prescribed items of drugs and supplies was positively associated with the TINPC ( B = 0.081, P < .0005). Gender appears to have affected the TINPC; male patients seem to be associated with a higher TINPC than females (mean = 139.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 112.97-166.13, P < .001). Surgical procedures were associated with higher cost than medical cases (mean = 87.93, 95% CI: 61.00-114.85, P < .001). Malay (MYR 242.02, SD = 65.37) and Chinese (MYR 214.66, SD = 27.99) ethnicities contributed to a lower TINPC compared with Indian (MYR 613.93, SD = 98.41) and other ethnicities (MYR 578.47, SD = 144.51). A longer hospitalization period accompanied by major complications and comorbidities had the greatest influence on the TINPC.
Oil Spaces: The Global Petroleumscape in the Rotterdam/The Hague Area
Authors: Hein Carola
Published: February 2018

Corporate and public actors have built the physical and financial flows of petroleum into the very landscape. This article identifies different layers of those flows— physical, represented, and everyday practices—that combine into a palimpsestic global petroleumscape. It posits that these layers historically became essential parts of modern society and of citizens’ everyday lives. Resulting path dependencies and an energy culture help maintain the buildings and urban forms needed for physical and financial oil flows and celebrate oil as a heroic cultural agent, in a feedback loop that leads societies to consume more oil. Following a general analysis, the article uses the Rotterdam/The Hague area, part of the North West European petroleum hub, as a case study of this feedback loop. Only in appreciating the power and extent of oil can we engage with the complex emerging challenges of sustainable design, policy making, heritage, and future built environments beyond oil.
Computational fluid dynamics evaluation of the furniture arrangement for ventilation efficiency
Authors: Hormigos-Jimenez Susana , Padilla-Marcos Miguel Ángel , Meiss Alberto , Gonzalez-Lezcano Roberto Alonso , Feijó-Muñoz Jesús
Published: February 2018

People spend most of their time indoors; therefore, maintaining a good indoor air quality and meeting the requirements of comfort and energy efficiency are essential. One of the most widespread strategies to achieve this objective is improving ventilation efficiency; therefore, the main aim of this study was to show an optimization of the ventilation efficiency, in a specific room, considering 47 variations (case studies) in the furniture arrangement. For this purpose, a numerical analysis using computational fluid dynamics techniques, validated by the tracer gas decay technique, was used to assess the distribution of the age of air within the space. The concept of “age of air” was implemented in the computational fluid dynamics code through user-defined functions, using the steady-state method based on the resolution of a transport equation for an additional scalar. Variations up to 5.75% in the ventilation efficiency between the cases studied have been achieved. It is concluded that an improvement up to 1.65% can be obtained when the elements of the study are introduced in a way that facilitates the air movement towards the exhaust; therefore, improvement of the ventilation efficiency through specific furniture distributions is possible, although not significant, according to the outcomes.
Ad hominem argumentation in politics
Authors: Borovali Murat
Published: February 2018

A healthy and robust public political culture is generally regarded as being of utmost necessity for the maintenance of a stable democratic environment. Especially when a country is facing significant challenges and is in the process of devising and implementing radical reforms, the presence of satisfactory collective deliberation can ensure durability and stability. This article will focus on one type of argumentation that stands in the way of such healthy deliberation. It will explore the various forms that ad hominem arguments take and consider the harmful consequences of their wide prominence in the political culture of the country.
Assessment of Nonresearch Industry Payments to Otolaryngologists in 2014 and 2015
Authors: Pathak Neil , Fujiwara Rance J. T. , Mehra Saral
Published: February 2018

Objective

To characterize, describe, and compare nonresearch industry payments made to otolaryngologists in 2014 and 2015. Additionally, to describe industry payment variation within otolaryngology and among other surgical specialties.

Study Design

Retrospective cross‐sectional database analysis.

Setting

Open Payments Database.

Subjects and Methods

Nonresearch payments made to US otolaryngologists were characterized and compared by payment amount, nature of payment, sponsor, and census region between 2014 and 2015. Payments in otolaryngology were compared with those in other surgical specialties.

Results

From 2014 to 2015, there was an increase in the number of compensated otolaryngologists (7903 vs 7946) and in the mean payment per compensated otolaryngologist ($1096 vs $1242), as well as a decrease in the median payment per compensated otolaryngologist ($169 vs $165, P =. 274). Approximately 90% of total payments made in both years were attributed to food and beverage. Northeast census region otolaryngologists received the highest median payment in 2014 and 2015. Compared with other surgical specialists, otolaryngologists received the lowest mean payment in 2014 and 2015 and the second‐lowest and lowest median payment in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Conclusion

The increase in the mean payment and number of compensated otolaryngologists can be explained by normal annual variation, stronger industry‐otolaryngologist relationships, or improved reporting; additional years of data and improved public awareness of the Sunshine Act will facilitate determining long‐term trends. The large change in disparity between the mean and median from 2014 to 2015 suggests greater payment variation. Otolaryngologists continue to demonstrate limited industry ties when compared with other surgical specialists.
Thinking the Commons through Ostrom and Butler: Boundedness and Vulnerability
Authors: Velicu Irina , García-López Gustavo
Published: February 2018

In this paper we propose an ‘undisciplinary’ meeting between Elinor Ostrom and Judith Butler, with the intent to broaden the theory of the commons by discussing it as a relational politics. We use Butler’s theory of power to problematize existing visions of commons, shifting from Ostrom’s ‘bounded rationality’ to Butler’s concepts of ‘bounded selves’ and mutual vulnerability. To be bounded – as opposed to autonomous being – implies being an (ambiguous) effect of socio-power relations and norms that are often beyond control. Thus, to be a collective of bounded selves implies being mutually vulnerable in power relations which are enabling, albeit injurious. A politics of commoning is not a mere technical management of resources (in space) but a struggle to perform common livable relations (in time). We argue that the multiple exposures which produce us are also the conditions of possibility for more just and equalitarian ‘re-commoning’ of democracies around the world.
Testing integrated models of relationship satisfaction among married Chinese couples using the actor–partner interdependence model
Authors: Liu Juhong , Jackson Todd
Published: February 2018

Enduring dynamics including attachment styles and changes in the nature of interactions during the course of marriage such as increased disillusionment and mounting conflict have been implicated in separate accounts of relationship dissatisfaction and dissolution. However, the viability of integrated accounts is not well understood, especially in collectivist, non-Western contexts. Toward elucidating this issue, we examined links between attachment style, facets of disillusionment versus emergent distress model features, and relationship satisfaction in married, mainland Chinese couples. Both partners in 404 heterosexual couples completed self-report measures of relationship satisfaction, attachment style, key features of the disillusionment perspective (passionate love, relationship aggrandizement, disillusionment), and emergent distress account (problems in conflict management). Dyadic and structural aspects of mediation were tested using the actor–partner interdependence model. Within each gender, associations between elevations in avoidant attachment and reduced relationship satisfaction were mediated by participant and partner experiences of disillusionment on one hand and conflict management difficulties on the other hand. Acceptable fits were observed for final attachment–disillusionment and attachment–emergent distress models. Together, the results suggested increases in relationship disillusionment and conflict are plausible pathways by which high levels of avoidant attachment increase risk for losses of relationship satisfaction within married Chinese couples.
Promoting activity, independence and stability in early dementia and mild cognitive impairment (PrAISED): development of an intervention for people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia
Authors: Booth Vicky , Harwood Rowan H , Hood-Moore Victoria , Bramley Trevor , Hancox Jennie E , Robertson Kate , Hall Judith , Van Der Wardt Veronika , Logan Pip A
Published: February 2018

This series of articles for rehabilitation in practice aims to cover a knowledge element of the rehabilitation medicine curriculum. Nevertheless, they are intended to be of interest to a multidisciplinary audience. The competency addressed in this article is an understanding of how to develop an intervention for people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia to promote their independence, stability, and physical activity.

Introduction:

Older adults with dementia are at a high risk of falls. Standard interventions have not been shown to be effective in this patient population potentially due to poor consideration of dementia-specific risk factors. An intervention is required that addresses the particular needs of older people with dementia in a community setting.

Methods:

We followed guidelines for the development of an intervention, which recommend a structured approach considering theory, evidence and practical issues. The process used 15 information sources. Data from literature reviews, clinician workshops, expert opinion meetings, patient-relative interviews, focus groups with people with dementia and clinicians, a cross-sectional survey of risk factors, a pre-post intervention study and case studies were included. Data were synthesized using triangulation to produce an intervention suitable for feasibility testing. Practical consideration of how an intervention could be delivered and implemented were considered from the outset.

Results:

Elements of the intervention included individually tailored, dementia-appropriate, balance, strength and dual-task exercises, functional training, and activities aimed at improving environmental access, delivered using a motivational approach to support adherence and long-term continuation of activity. We focussed on promoting safe activity rather than risk or prevention of falls.

Conclusion:

We used a systematic process to develop a dementia-specific intervention to promote activity and independence while reducing falls risk in older adults with mild dementia.
Return of the Frontier
Authors: Barua Taz
Published: February 2018

The colony in British India had at one time designed an inner line to distinguish two separate systems of administration for the frontier areas and the nonfrontier areas of colonial Northeast India. Constructing the frontiers as areas of strife and conflict and from which the nonfrontiers always needed to be secured, the British in creating the line made an instrument of policing the frontiers that has not only persisted but transgressed the colonial administrative structure into the postcolonial era. Although it was designed really for the protection of the nonfrontier areas of Assam from the raiding of the hill tribes of the frontier, in implementation the line prohibited non-natives of the frontiers from adopting interest in land or products of land located behind it. Contemporary movements demanding an inner line in three states of Northeast India have gone back to the idea of a line that divides the territory into two nonhomogenous areas, disallowing non-natives within the inner line from an extended involvement in the areas outside of the line, thus, refrontierizing themselves and giving them the peculiar characteristics of the frontier, wanting to lend themselves an exterior identity that is distinct from the identity of the regular nonfrontier territory in India.
Testing of diagnosis criteria of tension-type headache: A multicenter clinical study
Authors: Kong Xueying , Chen Jinjin , Jiang Huahua , Li Qin , Lv Yuhua , Huang Yuanyuan , Wu Jin , Zhang Lili , Tang Mingshan , Jiang Xiaojing , Chen Lifen , Chen Min , Zhou Zhiqiang , Xiong Lianqiang , Liu Jing , Zhou Hongmei , Wang Ruodan , Xue Wei , Lu Ganzhen , Zhou Jiying
Published: February 2018

Objective

Tension-type headache is *These authors contributed equally to this work. usually manifested as head pain without associated symptoms, and the validation of diagnostic criteria presented are lacking and highly required in the International Classification of Headache Disorders. The aim of the present study was to explore the diagnosis criteria of tension-type headache in a multicenter-based sample from Chongqing, China.

Methods

Clinical characteristics and demographics were systematically and prospectively collected between March 2014 and December 2015 from 15 participating hospitals in Chongqing, using a semi-structured face-to-face interview. All patients were asked to complete a headache diary for at least 4 weeks.

Results

Out of 1832 patients with headache, 150 patients (97 female/53 male, 44.56 ± 11.9 years old) were diagnosed with tension-type headache based on the standard International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition beta version, and interestingly, 114 (76%) patients were diagnosed with tension-type headache based on the alternative criteria. One patient was excluded because only two of the four characteristics were fulfilled. Thirty-five (23.3%) patients did not meet the alternative criteria because of associated symptoms, including mild nausea (n = 6), photophobia (n = 1), and phonophobia (n = 28). All patients with TTH had mild or moderate headaches, 98.0% of patients suffered from non-pulsating headaches, 99.3% of patients said their headaches were not aggravated by routine physical activity, and 77.3% of patients had bilateral headache.

Conclusions

Non-pulsating headaches and headaches that are not aggravated by routine physical activity may represent core criteria for screening patients with tension-type headache. Nausea might not be an exclusion feature for diagnosis of TTH, but an important criterion for screening. Further studies are needed.
Masculinity, Care and Stay-Behind Fathers: A Postsocialist Perspective
Authors: Lutz Helma
Published: February 2018

Over the last two decades many studies have focused on female migrants’ transnational care practices, while those of stay-behind fathers have hardly been investigated. This chapter deals with masculinity, childcare and fatherhood of stay-behind male partners of female migrants from former socialist countries in Europe. A discussion of the particularities of gender regimes in socialist and postsocialist Europe will be followed by a presentation of three case studies on fatherhood and lone parenting. The article concludes with a discussion of “mothering fathers’” predicaments in a postsocialist situation.