bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CORRELATES OF CONDUCT PROBLEMS AND DEPRESSION COMORBIDITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Authors: Poirier Martine , Déry Michèle , Toupin Jean , Verlaan Pierrette , Lemelin Jean‐Pascal , Jagiellowicz Jadzia
Published: February 2015

There is limited empirical research on the correlates of conduct problems (CP) and depression comorbidity during childhood. This study investigated 479 elementary school children (48.2% girls). It compared children with comorbidity to children with CP only, depression only, and control children on individual, academic, social, and family characteristics. The study also analyzed gender differences in the associations between correlates and comorbidity. Multinomial logistic regression results revealed that children with CP and depression had higher levels of anxiety and more school difficulties than children with CP only, more social difficulties and more severe attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms than children with depression only, and more difficulties in all domains than control children. Girls with CP and depression presented a particularly negative profile, including lower school abilities than CP and control girls, and lower social skills and more severe ADHD symptoms than control girls.  Implications for evaluation and intervention planning are discussed.
Effect of transient blood glucose increases after oral glucose intake on the human urinary proteome
Authors: Li Menglin , Zhao Mindi , Gao Youhe
Published: February 2015

Purpose

Unlike blood, which has mechanisms to maintain homeostasis, urine is more likely to reflect changes in the body. However, the urinary proteome is affected by many factors such as diet, medication, daily activities. Transient increase of blood glucose frequently occurs after the consumption of food and may be an interfering factor in biomarker studies.

Experimental design

In this study, a transient increase of blood glucose level was achieved by performing an oral glucose tolerance test on nine healthy human volunteers. Urine samples before and after the test were collected and analyzed by LC‐MS/MS.

Results

According to quantification using Progenesis LC‐MS software, only the protein neutrophil defensin 1, which was reported to participate in reducing blood glucose levels, was increased in the urine after glucose intake; and almost all urinary proteins may not be affected.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Transient increase of blood glucose levels may not be a major interfering factor in biomarker studies, at least with current levels of identification and quantification.
Electrodeposition of cobalt–nickel material libraries
Authors: Grill Carina Daniela , Kollender Jan Philipp , Hassel Achim Walter
Published: February 2015

Cobalt–nickel material libraries were electrodeposited in two different types of modified Hull cells. Chloride and sulphate based electrolyte baths, the influence of the overall applied current density, cobalt concentration in the bath and addition of citrate as complexing agent were studied. The experiments suggested a higher cobalt content in the deposits for relatively low overall applied current densities and higher Co2+ concentrations in the electrolyte bath. For the vast majority of the cobalt–nickel material libraries, a transition from anomalous to normal co‐deposition behaviour was found as a result of the current density gradient establishing in the Hull cell during electroplating. Further examination was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing a changing surface morphology within a material library depending on the cobalt content and the current density. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) showed separate and mixed face‐centred cubic (fcc) and hexagonal close‐packed (hcp) crystallographic structures. Cobalt–nickel composition gradient obtained from two different Hull cell modifications including SEM micrographs of the material library deposited in the lying Hull cell.
Stability analysis and control for switched stochastic delayed systems
Authors: Chen Yun , Zheng Wei Xing
Published: February 2015

This paper investigates almost sure exponential stability and feedback stabilization for switched time‐delay systems with nonlinear stochastic perturbations. The main contributions of this paper are threefold: (i) based on the non‐convolution type multiple Lyapunov functionals and the mathematical induction approach, a mean‐square exponential stability condition for nonlinear stochastic switched systems is first established, such that the obtained average dwell time does not rely on any given decay rate; (ii) by using the method developed in part (i) and the stochastic analysis techniques and limit methods in probability, an almost sure exponential stability criterion for switched delayed systems with nonlinear stochastic uncertainties is presented, and then a state feedback controller for the systems under consideration is designed; and (iii) when certain assumptions are made on the nonlinear stochastic perturbations, the results in this paper are further improved by relaxing some conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by three illustrative examples. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparative evaluations on operation performances of differential protection criteria using different current expressions
Authors: Yang Dexian , Lin Xiangning , Sun Jinwen , Zhuo Yixin , Li Zhengtian , Li Xianshan
Published: February 2015

This paper aims at the appropriate applications of two important current differential protection criteria by quantitative analyses. Combining theoretical analysis with simulation tests, the overall performances of two typical percentage differential protection criteria are compared in terms of the operation sensitivity and security. First, with appropriate parameter settings, the comparative sensitivity analysis between the phase‐current‐based criterion and the superimposed‐component‐based criterion is done. Further, the security of these criteria is compared, and some disadvantages of the criterion based on phase current directly are reported. The performance of the criteria during the current transformer (CT) saturation when experiencing heavy external faults are studied, and some valuable findings are reported as well. With the conclusion drawn from this paper, the applications of both criteria can be arranged more reasonably. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A novel DWT method for ECG noise elimination
Authors: Shahbakhti Mohammad
Published: February 2015

An electrocardiogram (ECG) often contains various types of noises and artifacts that might lead to wrong analysis. Recently, many techniques based on discrete wavelet transform (DWT) for ECG noise elimination have been proposed. Determination of the number of decomposition levels, which could vary with the sampling rate (frequency sampling), is one of the main issues in DWT. This letter presents an automatic index, called mean power frequency (MPF) and is independent of the sampling rate, for stopping decomposing process when it achieves the optimum number of decomposition levels. The effectiveness of this scheme is expressed by the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), mean square error (MSE), and correlation coefficient (CC) between the pure and corrected ECG. The results indicate that the applied method can remove Gaussian noise efficiently. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Variable importance in regression models
Authors: Grömping Ulrike
Published: February 2015

Regression analysis is one of the most‐used statistical methods. Often part of the research question is the identification of the most important regressors or an importance ranking of the regressors. Most regression models are not specifically suited for answering the variable importance question, so that many different proposals have been made. This article reviews in detail the various variable importance metrics for the linear model, particularly emphasizing variance decomposition metrics. All linear model metrics are illustrated by an example analysis. For nonlinear parametric models, several principles from linear models have been adapted, and machine‐learning methods have their own set of variable importance methods. These are also briefly covered. Although there are many variable importance metrics, there is still no convincing theoretical basis for them, and they all have a heuristic touch. Nevertheless, some metrics are considered useful for a crude assessment in the absence of a good subject matter theory.WIREs Comput Stat2015, 7:137–152. doi: 10.1002/wics.1346

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Multivariate Analysis
Linear regression with an estimated regressor: applications to aggregate indicators of economic development
Authors: Meng Lingsheng , Wu Binzhen , Zhan Zhaoguo
Published: February 2015

This study examines the consequences of using an estimated aggregate measure as an explanatory variable in linear regression. We show that neglecting the seemingly small sampling error in the estimated regressor could severely contaminate the estimates. We propose a simple statistical framework to account for the error. In particular, we apply our analysis to two aggregate indicators of economic development, the Gini coefficient and sex ratio. Our findings suggest that the impact of the estimated regressor could be substantially underestimated, when the sampling error is not accounted for.
Training Laypersons and Hospital Personnel in Basic Resuscitation Techniques: an Approach to Impact the Global Trauma Burden in Mozambique
Authors: Merchant Amina , Outhay Malena , Gonzaléz‐Calvo Lazáro , Moon Troy D. , Sidat Mohsin , Taibo Catia Luciana Abdulfattáhe , McQueen Kelly
Published: February 2015

Introduction

Over half of prehospital deaths in low‐income countries are the result of airway compromise, respiratory failure, or uncontrolled hemorrhage; all three conditions can be addressed using simple first‐aid measures. For both hospital personnel and laypersons, a basic trauma resuscitation training in modified ABCD (airway, breathing, circulation, disability) techniques can be easily learned and applied to increase the number of first responders in Mozambique, a resource‐challenged country.

Methods

A trauma training session was administered to 100 people in Mozambique: half were hospital personnel from 7 district medical centers and the other half were selected laypersons. This session included a pre‐test, intervention, and post‐test to evaluate and demonstrate first response skills.

Results

Eighty‐eight people completed both the pre‐ and post‐tests. Following the education intervention, both groups demonstrated an improvement in test scores. Hospital personnel had a mean post‐test score of 60 % (SD = 17, N = 43) and community laypeople had a mean score of 51 % (SD = 16, N = 45). A t test for equal variances demonstrated significant difference between the post‐intervention scores for the two groups (p = 0.01). All 100 participants were able to open an airway, externally control hemorrhage, and transport a patient with appropriate precautions.

Conclusion

The trauma training session served as new information that improved knowledge as well as skills for both groups, and increased the number of capable responders in Mozambique. This study supports WHO recommendations to utilize the strengths of a developing nation—population—as the first step in establishing an organized trauma triage system.
Combined Extrahepatic Bile Duct Resection for Locally Advanced Gallbladder Carcinoma: Does It Work?
Authors: Igami Tsuyoshi , Ebata Tomoki , Yokoyama Yukihiro , Sugawara Gen , Mizuno Takashi , Yamaguchi Junpei , Shimoyama Yoshie , Nagino Masato
Published: February 2015

Background

Prophylactic combined extrahepatic bile duct resection remains controversial for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma without extrahepatic bile duct invasion. The aim of this study is to resolve this issue and establish an appropriate surgery for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma.

Methods

A total of 52 patients underwent surgical resection combined with extrahepatic bile duct resection for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma without extrahepatic bile duct invasion, and their medical records were retrospectively reviewed for microvessel invasion (MVI), including lymphatic, venous, and/or perineural invasions, around the extrahepatic bile duct.

Results

Of the 52 patients, 8 (15 %) had MVI around the extrahepatic bile duct. All of the 8 patients had Stage IV disease. According to a survival analysis of the 50 patients who tolerated surgery, MVIs around the extrahepatic bile duct and distant metastasis were identified as independent prognostic factors. Survival for patients with MVI around the extrahepatic bile duct was dismal, with a lack of 2‐year survivors.

Conclusions

MVI around the extrahepatic bile duct is a sign of extremely locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma; therefore, prophylactic combined bile duct resection has no survival impact for patients without extrahepatic bile duct invasion.
Thyroid Nodules with Repeat Nondiagnostic Cytologic Results: The Role of Clinical and Ultrasonographic Findings
Authors: Woo Seung Hoon , Kim Kyung Hee , Kim Rock Bum
Published: February 2015

Objectives

Ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) is the most valuable procedure in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. One possible result of FNA of thyroid nodules, however, is “nondiagnostic” cytology. In these cases, consensus guidelines suggest repeating FNA with ultrasound guidance, but the results obtained may continue to be nondiagnostic. These results cause confusion due to the fact that there exist conflicting potential treatment modalities, such as performing diagnostic surgery or recommending follow‐up. Hence, the present study aimed to establish a protocol for performing diagnostic operations for thyroid nodules with repeat nondiagnostic cytology.

Materials and methods

This study was performed on patients who underwent ultrasound‐guided FNA and molecular testing for BRAF gene mutation. Out of 1,203 patients, 84 had nondiagnostic cytology and were BRAF negative, and ultrasound‐guided FNA was repeated on these patients. Out of this group, 54 patients once again had nondiagnostic cytology, and 51 of these underwent diagnostic surgery. We analyzed the characteristics and ultrasonographic findings of the group of patients with repeat nondiagnostic cytology.

Results

On the initial ultrasound‐guided FNA, the percentage of patients with nondiagnostic cytology was 6.98 %, and on repeat ultrasound‐guided FNA, the percentage of patients with nondiagnostic cytology was 67.5 %. The majority of these patients underwent diagnostic surgery, and 36 (70.6 %) patients were diagnosed as having a malignant thyroid nodule, while15 (29.4 %) patients were diagnosed with a benign nodule. Univariate analysis showed a significant difference in the size of the nodule, hypoechogenicity, and microcalcification in the ultrasonography findings. Multivariate analysis revealed only hypoechogenicity as a factor that showed a significant difference (p value 0.017, 95 % confidence interval 1.494‐62.426).The diagnostic accuracy of the ultrasonography was 76.5 %.

Conclusions

Hypoechogenicity on ultrasonography represents an excellent parameter for the selection of those who should be referred for diagnostic operation among patients with thyroid nodules and repeat nondiagnostic cytology.
Options on fibroid morcellation: a literature review
Authors: Brölmann Hans , Tanos Vasilios , Grimbizis Grigoris , Ind Thomas , Philips Kevin , van den Bosch Thierry , Sawalhe Samir , van den Haak Lukas , Jansen Frank-Willem , Pijnenborg Johanna , Taran Florin-Andrei , Brucker Sara , Wattiez Arnaud , Campo Rudi , O’Donovan Peter , de Wilde Rudy Leon ,   On behalf of the European Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) steering committee on fibroid morcellation
Published: February 2015

In laparoscopy, specimens have to be removed from the abdominal cavity. If the trocar opening or the vaginal outlet is insufficient to pass the specimen, the specimen needs to be reduced. The power morcellator is an instrument with a fast rotating cylindrical knife which aims to divide the tissue into smaller pieces or fragments. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release in April 2014 that discouraged the use of these power morcellators. This article has the objective to review the literature related to complications by power morcellation of uterine fibroids in laparoscopy and offer recommendations to laparoscopic surgeons in gynaecology. This project was initiated by the executive board of the European Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy. A steering committee on fibroid morcellation was installed and experienced ESGE members requested to chair an action group to address distinct clinical questions. Clinical questions were formulated with regards to the sarcoma risk in presumed uterine fibroids, diagnosis of sarcoma, complications of morcellation and future research. A literature review on the different subjects was conducted, systematic if appropriate and feasible. It was concluded that the true prevalence of uterine sarcoma in presumed fibroids is not known given the wide range of prevalences (0.45–0.014 %) from meta-analyses mainly based on retrospective trials. Age and certain imaging characteristics such as ‘lacunes’ suggesting necrosis and increased central vascularisation of the tumour are associated with a higher risk of uterine sarcoma, although the risks remain low. There is not enough evidence to estimate this risk in individual patients. Complications of morcellation are rare. Reported are direct morcellation injuries to vessels and bowel, the development of so-called parasitic fibroids requiring reintervention and the spread of sarcoma cells in the abdominal cavity, which may possibly or even likely upstaging the disease. Momentarily in-bag morcellation is investigated as it may possibly prevent morcellation complications. Because of lack of evidence, this literature review cannot give strong recommendations but offers only options which are condensed in a flow chart. Prospective data collection may clarify the issue on sarcoma risk in presumed fibroids and technology to extract tissue laparoscopically from the abdominal cavity should be perfected.
Bone demineralisation in a large cohort of Wilson disease patients
Authors: Weiss Karl Heinz , Van de Moortele Mart , Gotthardt Daniel Nils , Pfeiffenberger Jan , Seeßle Jessica , Ullrich Elena , Gielen Evelien , Borghs Herman , Adriaens Els , Stremmel Wolfgang , Meersseman Wouter , Boonen Steven , Cassiman David
Published: February 2015

Aims and background

We compared the bone mineral density (BMD) of adult Wilson disease (WD) patients (n = 148), with an age‐ and gender‐matched healthy control population (n = 148). Within the WD cohort, correlations of BMD with WD disease parameters, lab results, type of treatment and known osteoporosis risk factors were analysed.

Methods

Hip and lumbar spine absolute BMD and T‐score were measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Osteoporosis and osteopenia were defined as a T‐score ≤ −2.5, and between −1 and −2.5, respectively.

Results

There were significantly more subjects with abnormal T‐scores in the WD population (58.8 %) than in the control population (45.3 %) (χ2 = 6.65, df = 2, p = 0.036), as there were 50.0 % osteopenic and 8.8 % osteoporotic WD patients, vs. 41.2 % and 4.1 %, respectively, in the controls. Especially L2‐L4 spine BMD measurements (BMD and T‐scores) differed significantly between the WD population and matched controls. L2‐L4 spine BMD for WD patients was on average 0.054 g/cm2 (5.1 %) lower than in matched normal controls (0.995 ± 0.156 vs 1.050 ± 0.135; p = 0.002). We found no significant correlation between BMD values and any of the WD disease parameters (e.g. the severity of liver disease), lab results, type of treatment or known osteoporosis risk factors. Duration of D‐penicillamine treatment was negatively correlated with femoral BMD value, but in a clinically irrelevant manner, compared to age and gender. Importantly, BMD remained significantly lower in WD patients (n = 89) vs. controls after excluding WD patients with cirrhosis (p = 0.009).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that WD is intrinsically associated with bone demineralisation.
Association of L‐FABP T94A and MTP I128T Polymorphisms with Hyperlipidemia in Chinese Subjects
Authors: Tian Yingying , Li Hui , Wang Shanbo , Yan Jin , Chen Zhiheng , Li Zhenyu , Feng Han , Zhou Honghao , Ouyang Dongsheng
Published: February 2015

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between the L‐FABP T94A and MTP I128T polymorphisms and hyperlipidemia in Chinese subjects. We recruited 390 volunteers: 201 hyperlipidemic and 189 healthy volunteers. The L‐FABP T94A and MTP I128T polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP). Anthropometry, lipid profile, and liver function of the subjects were determined. We observed that male carriers of the L‐FABP A94 allele had significantly higher body weight (P = 0.012), higher body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.014), and higher plasma triacylglycerol levels (TAG) (P = 0.033) and lower ratios of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) to total cholesterol (TC) (P = 0.008) than T94 homozygotes. The MTP T128 allele was associated with significantly lower serum TC (P < 0.001) and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) (P < 0.001) levels in males. There was a direct correlation between the MTP T128 allele and a decreased risk of hyperlipidemia after adjusting for body mass index (OR = 0.327, 95 % CI: 0.178–0.600, P < 0.001). In conclusion, both the MTP I128T and the L‐FABP T94A polymorphisms can affect serum lipid levels in the Chinese population. The MTP T128 allele offers protection against hyperlipidemia in the Chinese population.
Lutein Prevents High Fat Diet‐Induced Atherosclerosis in ApoE‐Deficient Mice by Inhibiting NADPH Oxidase and Increasing PPAR Expression
Authors: Han Hao , Cui Wei , Wang Linzhi , Xiong Yufang , Liu Liegang , Sun Xiufa , Hao Liping
Published: February 2015

Epidemiological and experimental studies provide supportive evidence that lutein, a major carotenoid, may act as a chemopreventive agent against atherosclerosis, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lutein on the alleviation of atherosclerosis and its molecular mechanisms involved in oxidative stress and lipid metabolism. Male apolipoprotein E knockout mice (n = 55) were fed either a normal chow diet or a high fat diet (HFD) supplemented with or without lutein for 24 weeks. The results showed that a HFD induced atherosclerosis formation, lipid metabolism disorders and oxidative stress, but noticeable improvements were observed in the lutein treated group. Additionally, lutein supplementation reversed the decreased protein expression of aortic heme oxygenase‐1 and increased the mRNA and protein expressions of aortic nicotinamide‐adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase stimulated by a HFD. Furthermore, the decreased mRNA and protein expression levels of hepatic peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, acyl CoA oxidase 1, low density lipoprotein receptors and scavenger receptor class B type I observed in mice with atherosclerosis were markedly enhanced after treatment with lutein. Taken together, these data add new evidence supporting the anti‐atherogenic properties of lutein and describing its mechanisms of action in atherosclerosis prevention, including oxidative stress and lipid metabolism improvements.
Panner's disease: Literature review and treatment recommendations
Authors: Claessen Femke M. A. P. , Louwerens Jan K. G. , Doornberg Job N. , van Dijk C. Niek , Eygendaal Denise , van den Bekerom Michel P. J.
Published: February 2015

Purpose

To determine the most up-to-date theory on the aetiology of Panner's disease, to form a consensus on the assessment of radiographs and to evaluate clinical outcome in order to summarise the best available evidence for diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

A review of studies to date on Panner's disease. Studies were eligible if: (1) the study provided criteria for defining Panner's disease in order to eliminate confounding data on other radiographic entities that were mistakenly grouped and presented as Panner's disease; (2) original data of at least one patient was presented; (3) manuscripts were written in English, German or Dutch; and (4) a full-text article was available. Animal studies, reviews and expert opinions were not included. Because the majority of the studies were case reports, we did not use an overall scoring system to evaluate methodological quality.

Results

Twenty-three articles reporting on Panner's disease were included. Most cases of Panner's disease were unilateral in distribution and occurred in boys during the first decade of life. In general, conservative treatment is advised for Panner's disease. Panner's disease is a self-limiting disease and the majority of patients heal without clinical impairment.

Conclusions

Based on the results of this review, Panner's disease should be treated conservatively. Uniform names and descriptions of signs on radiographs would help to make the correct diagnosis. Since Panner's disease is very rare, higher quality studies are not likely to be performed and, thus, this review provides the best level of evidence on the current knowledge about Panner's disease.
Spectral measure of the Thue–Morse sequence and the dynamical system and random walk related to it
Authors: PENG LI , KAMAE TETURO
Published: February 2015

Let $1,-1,-1,1,-1,1,1,-1,-1,1,1,\ldots$ be the $\{-1,1\}$-valued Thue–Morse sequence. Its correlation dimension is $D_{2}$, satisfying $$\begin{eqnarray}\mathop{\sum }_{k=0}^{K-1}|{\it\gamma}(k)|^{2}\asymp K^{1-D_{2}}\end{eqnarray}$$ in the sense that the ratio between the left- and right-hand sides is bounded away from 0 and $\infty$ as $K\rightarrow \infty$, where ${\it\gamma}$ is the correlation function; its value is known [Zaks, Pikovsky and Kurths. On the correlation dimension of the spectral measure for the Thue–Morse sequence. J. Stat. Phys.88(5/6) (1997), 1387–1392] to be $$\begin{eqnarray}D_{2}=1-\log \frac{1+\sqrt{17}}{4}\bigg/\log 2=0.64298\ldots .\end{eqnarray}$$ Under its spectral measure ${\it\mu}$ on $[0,1)$, consider the transformation $T$ with $Tx=2x$ ($\text{mod}~1$). It is shown to be of Kolmogorov type having entropy at least $D_{2}\log 2$. Moreover, a random walk is defined by $T^{-1}$ which has the transition probability $$\begin{eqnarray}P_{1}((1/2)x+(1/2)j\mid x)=(1/2)(1-\cos ({\it\pi}(x+j)))\quad (j=0,1).\end{eqnarray}$$ It is proved that this random walk is mixing and ${\it\mu}$ is the unique stationary measure. Moreover, $$\begin{eqnarray}\lim _{N\rightarrow \infty }\int P_{N}((x-{\it\varepsilon},x+{\it\varepsilon})|x)\,d{\it\mu}(x)\asymp {\it\varepsilon}^{D_{2}}\quad (\text{as}~{\it\varepsilon}\rightarrow 0),\end{eqnarray}$$ where $P_{N}(\cdot \mid \cdot )$ is the $N$-step transition probability.
Computability of the packing measure of totally disconnected self-similar sets
Authors: LLORENTE MARTA , MORÁN MANUEL
Published: February 2015

We present an algorithm to compute the exact value of the packing measure of self-similar sets satisfying the so called Strong Separation Condition (SSC) and prove its convergence to the value of the packing measure. We also test the algorithm with examples that show both the accuracy of the algorithm for the most regular cases and the possibility of using the additional information provided by it to obtain formulas for the packing measure of certain self-similar sets. For example, we are able to obtain a formula for the packing measure of any Sierpinski gasket with contraction factor in the interval $(0,\frac{1}{3}]$.
THE WEIGHT PART OF SERRE’S CONJECTURE FOR
Authors: GEE TOBY , LIU TONG , SAVITT DAVID
Published: February 2015

Let $p>2$ be prime. We use purely local methods to determine the possible reductions of certain two-dimensional crystalline representations, which we call pseudo-Barsotti–Tate representations, over arbitrary finite extensions of $\mathbb{Q}_{p}$. As a consequence, we establish (under the usual Taylor–Wiles hypothesis) the weight part of Serre’s conjecture for $\text{GL}(2)$ over arbitrary totally real fields.
Characterising the reproducibility and reliability of dietary patterns among Yup'ik Alaska Native people
Authors: Ryman Tove K. , Boyer Bert B. , Hopkins Scarlett , Philip Jacques , O'Brien Diane , Thummel Kenneth , Austin Melissa A.
Published: February 2015

FFQ data can be used to characterise dietary patterns for diet–disease association studies. In the present study, we evaluated three previously defined dietary patterns – ‘subsistence foods’, market-based ‘processed foods’ and ‘fruits and vegetables’ – among a sample of Yup'ik people from Southwest Alaska. We tested the reproducibility and reliability of the dietary patterns, as well as the associations of these patterns with dietary biomarkers and participant characteristics. We analysed data from adult study participants who completed at least one FFQ with the Center for Alaska Native Health Research 9/2009–5/2013. To test the reproducibility of the dietary patterns, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of a hypothesised model using eighteen food items to measure the dietary patterns (n 272). To test the reliability of the dietary patterns, we used the CFA to measure composite reliability (n 272) and intra-class correlation coefficients for test–retest reliability (n 113). Finally, to test the associations, we used linear regression (n 637). All factor loadings, except one, in CFA indicated acceptable correlations between foods and dietary patterns (r>0·40), and model-fit criteria were >0·90. Composite and test–retest reliability of the dietary patterns were, respectively, 0·56 and 0·34 for ‘subsistence foods’, 0·73 and 0·66 for ‘processed foods’, and 0·72 and 0·54 for ‘fruits and vegetables’. In the multi-predictor analysis, the dietary patterns were significantly associated with dietary biomarkers, community location, age, sex and self-reported lifestyle. This analysis confirmed the reproducibility and reliability of the dietary patterns in the present study population. These dietary patterns can be used for future research and development of dietary interventions in this underserved population.
Down-regulation of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) gene expression in the colon of piglets is linked to bacterial protein fermentation and pro-inflammatory cytokine-mediated signalling
Authors: Villodre Tudela Carmen , Boudry Christelle , Stumpff Friederike , Aschenbach Jörg R. , Vahjen Wilfried , Zentek Jürgen , Pieper Robert
Published: February 2015

The present study investigated the influence of bacterial metabolites on monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) expression in pigs usingin vivo,ex vivoandin vitroapproaches. Piglets (n24) were fed high-protein (26 %) or low-protein (18 %) diets with or without fermentable carbohydrates. Colonic digesta samples were analysed for a broad range of bacterial metabolites. The expression ofMCT1,TNF-α, interferon γ (IFN-γ) andIL-8was determined in colonic tissue. The expression ofMCT1was lower and ofTNF-αandIL-8was higher with high-protein diets (P< 0·05).MCT1expression was positively correlated withl-lactate, whereas negatively correlated with NH3and putrescine (P< 0·05). The expression ofIL-8andTNF-αwas negatively correlated withl-lactate and positively correlated with NH3and putrescine, whereas the expression ofIFN-γwas positively correlated with histamine and 4-ethylphenol (P< 0·05). Subsequently, porcine colonic tissue and Caco-2 cells were incubated with Na-butyrate, NH4Cl or TNF-α as selected bacterial metabolites or mediators of inflammation. ColonicMCT1expression was higher after incubation with Na-butyrate (P< 0·05) and lower after incubation with NH4Cl or TNF-α (P< 0·05). Incubation of Caco-2 cells with increasing concentrations of these metabolites confirmed the up-regulation ofMCT1expression by Na-butyrate (linear,P< 0·05) and down-regulation by TNF-α and NH4Cl (linear,P< 0·05). The high-protein diet decreased the expression ofMCT1in the colon of pigs, which appears to be linked to NH3- and TNF-α-mediated signalling.
The British Academy Brian Barry Prize Essay: Mandatory Citizenship for Immigrants
Authors: De Schutter Helder , Ypi Lea
Published: February 2015

Long-term immigrants often have the option but not the obligation to acquire citizenship in their state of residence. Contrary to the received wisdom, this article defends the idea of mandatory citizenship for immigrants. It suggests that the current asymmetry in the distribution of political obligations between native-born citizens and immigrants is unfair. It also argues that mandatory citizenship is required by the principle that those who persistently affect others should share a democratic setting. Finally, it claims that mandatory citizenship is more compatible with the ideal of democratic equality and more conducive to a stable society.
“Expansion in Progress”: Understanding Portfolio Adoption in the Canadian Provinces, 1982–2012
Authors: Lawlor Andrea , Lewis J.P.
Published: February 2015

While the act of adopting a new portfolio raises a number of interesting queries, little attention has been paid to portfolio adoption, what motivates and what conditions predicate it. The Canadian case provides an excellent laboratory to test some broadly held assumptions about portfolio adoption, particularly given the contrast of the ten provinces' unique political cultures with their shared jurisdictional roles. We illustrate our case using a dataset that contains information on 85 portfolio adoptions in the Canadian provinces since 1982. Findings suggest little by way of a clear set of partisan or institutional motivations for portfolio adoption, although there is some evidence that governments are more likely to adopt portfolios in the first 100 days of governing and they are more likely to do so when elected with larger caucuses, possibly because of the need to find larger roles for party loyalists.
Epistemic Contextualism, Unarticulated Constituents and Hidden Variables
Authors: MOGHADDAM AHMAD REZA HEMMATI
Published: February 2015

Epistemic contextualism was devised mainly to provide a solution to the problem of skepticism based on a thesis about the truth conditions of knowledge attributing sentences. In this paper, I’ll examine two possible semantic bases of epistemic contextualism i.e., (i) the epistemic standard is an unarticulated constituent, (ii) the epistemic standard is a hidden variable. After showing that the unarticulated constituent thesis is incompatible with epistemic contextualism, I’ll argue that the hidden variable account remains unconvincing. My aim in this paper is to show that questions remain that must be answered before epistemic contextualism can claim success in the project of resolving skepticism.
Divine Concessions in theTanhumaMidrashim
Authors: Weiss Dov
Published: February 2015

Ever since Leopold Zunz inaugurated the critical study of rabbinic literature in 1818, scholars of the school of midrash known asTanhuma-Yelammedenu(TY) have given priority to analyzing questions of textual history, dating, aesthetics, form-critical issues, and the literary qualities of these texts. This scholarship has focused on questions of form rather than content; for the most part, the distinctive ideas of these texts, their values and theologies, have yet to be explored. In an article devoted to form-literary issues in aggadah, Yonah Fraenkel argues that “indeed there were also changes in the [Tanhuma's] ideas, like their ethical and social values and their overall world view . . . these types of issues need further research.” Unfortunately, very few scholars have responded to Fraenkel's call. In fact, two excellent scholarly works on rabbinic thought have ignored the content of theTYaltogether: neither David Kraemer'sResponses to Suffering in Classical Rabbinic Literaturenor Ishay Rosen-Zvi's recent work,Demonic Desires, engageTYtexts. While Kraemer and Rosen-Zvi extensively discuss sixth- and seventh-century Babylonian texts, such as the Babylonian Talmud, they do not do the same with sixth- and seventh-century Palestinian texts, such as manyTYtexts. These two important studies exemplify how, in a more general sense, late Palestinian midrashim have been conspicuously neglected by scholars of rabbinic literature working on content-based projects.
Dialect of the Tribe: Modes of Communication and the Epiphanic Role of Nonhuman Imagery in T. S. Eliot'sFour Quartets*
Authors: Penny William Kevin
Published: February 2015

In T. S. Eliot'sFour Quartetsan attempt is made to investigate—often in a discursive manner—notions of time, language, and the divine. Yet the poet is hindered by certain limitations: words—as a primary vehicle of expression—collapse under the pressure, frequently sabotaging attempts at true articulation as detailed in the poem's opening quartet,Burnt Norton: “Words strain, / Crack and sometimes break, under the burden, / Under the tension. . .” (V: 149–51). Consequently, the medium of language itself frames an apparent contradiction throughout theQuartets: how a contrived system can represent notions intrinsically elusive and ephemeral. This conundrum inculcates all four of the poems, making them in some ways the ironic frame of their own reference. Despite this inherent dilemma, Eliot recognized that harnessing certain imagery—both animate and inanimate—and exploiting it for its numinous qualities was indispensable to achieving his aesthetic and thematic aims. Such imagery included elements taken from the natural world which pointed beyond their own outward forms to some ideal form that lay behind them. It was an approach motivated in part by what Frye describes as the poet's concern with Heracliteanlogos zynos—or a “common logos”—and had as its aim the participation of man in the divine. To achieve such ends, Eliot relied on bird calls, echoes, bones, bells, and other seemingly prosaic phenomena and transformed them into conduits by which revelations might occur. That is, certain central images the poet adopts inFour Quartets—though not endowed with the capacity for human language—are nevertheless engendered with communicativeness of a uniquely numinous kind. Aligned with this notion was Eliot's belief that the way to commune with the past and with the divine was through ritual; by employing common natural objects and investing each with sacramental significance, the poet was able to evoke a temporal link with the ineffable world. It was also a means of reconciling what he perceived as the disjuncture with conventional language. By grounding the effort in an approach reminiscent of sacred Christian ritual and aesthetically portraying a new mode of communication consistent with transformative ceremony, Eliot aimed at the restoration of a past community of values. This highly distinct mode of communing came to represent its own unique type oflangue, carrying forward thematic concerns while at the same time detailing a stylistic approach to poetic composition not prevalent in Eliot's earlier work.
Who has been hiding in your tonsillectomy tray? Eponymous instruments in tonsillectomy surgery
Authors: Lamprell L , Ahluwalia S
Published: February 2015

Background:

Surgeons regularly use eponymous instruments when performing tonsillectomies, yet the stories behind each are not commonly known.

Method and results:

This paper presents the instruments within the tonsillectomy tray, providing a brief biography of their respective surgeon namesakes. The list captures over two centuries of surgical history, and spans the disciplines of ENT, general surgery, gynaecology, anaesthetics and paediatric surgery.

Conclusion:

This is the first publication to undertake a historical study of the ensemble of surgeon inventors responsible for the instruments in the tonsillectomy tray as it is today. In furthering knowledge of our forbearer surgeon inventors, who have shaped the tonsillectomy procedure as it is safely performed today, we enrich our understanding of the history of our profession and build appreciation for the instruments employed daily. We may even be inspired to continue the tradition of evolving the craft.
Factors affecting myringoplasty success
Authors: Carr S D , Strachan D R , Raine C H
Published: February 2015

Objective:

To identify factors that significantly influence myringoplasty success.

Methods:

A retrospective study was performed of all adults and children who underwent myringoplasty from January 2005 to January 2010 in a teaching hospital. Outcome measures were tympanic membrane perforation closure and air–bone gap closure to within 20 dB HL. The factors assessed were the surgeon grade, pre-operative condition of the ipsilateral and contralateral middle ears, perforation site, perforation size, graft material, and whether simultaneous cortical mastoidectomy was performed. Factors with statistically significant effects were determined by logistic regression analysis.

Results:

In the adult group, the perforation site significantly influenced tympanic membrane closure (p = 0.016): anterior (p = 0.008) and subtotal (p = 0.017) sites had the greatest influence. None of the factors proved to have a significant influence on tympanic membrane closure in the paediatric group.

Conclusion:

There was a significant association between perforation site and tympanic membrane perforation closure in adults. Anterior and subtotal perforations had a significantly reduced closure rate.
A triadic perspective on elder neglect within the home care arrangement
Authors: AYALON LIAT
Published: February 2015

The present study evaluates a conceptual model of elder neglect within the home care arrangement that takes into consideration the older adult, his or her family members, and the home care worker. Data from 223 complete care-giving units, which consist of an older adult, a family member and a home care worker, were analysed using structural equation modelling. Overall, 31.5 per cent of the older adults, 18 per cent of the care workers and 32.3 per cent of the family members reported at least one type of elder neglect. The proposed model showed a reasonable fit to the data. There was an inverse effect from type of home care to family member's burden and elder neglect, with live-in (around the clock) care being associated with lower levels of family member burden and elder neglect compared with live-out Israeli home care (provided for several hours per week). The amount of informal assistance provided by family members was inversely related to the amount of burden reported by home care workers, with greater informal assistance being associated with lower levels of worker burden. The findings call for the important role of formal home care by demonstrating a potentially protective effect for live-in migrant home care. The study also emphasises the shared burden between formal and informal sources of care.
Unsettling Blanket Man: The ‘Ecological Māori’ as a Pākeha Play-Thing
Authors: HYLAND NICOLA
Published: February 2015

Draped in a tatty woollenkorowai(cloak), Ben Hana, aka ‘Blanket Man’, was an iconic, polarizing and mythical presence on the streets of central Wellington, New Zealand, until his death in January 2012. A critical character in contemporary urban folklore, Blanket Man captivated public attention as ‘Brother’, the leader of a band of fellow street-dwellers, a troubled anti-hero transformed into celebrity by the trend-setting hoi polloi as evidence of the capital's underlying quirk. This essay explores the unsettling representation of the puppet ‘The Blanket Man’ in the theatre productionThe Road That Wasn't There(2013) by the collective Trick of the Light. As a brave tribute or cross-cultural opportunism, the reanimation of the now ‘absent’ Brother as a performing object provokes questions about the representation of ‘real’ indigeneity – exploring notions of authenticity, exploitation and tokenism.
Queer Practice as Research: A Fabulously Messy Business
Authors: CAMPBELL ALYSON , FARRIER STEPHEN
Published: February 2015

This short piece highlights a current spurt in queer researcher–practitioners doing practice as research (PaR) in higher education and explores potential reasons why PaR is so vital, appealing, useful and strategic for queer research. As a starting point, we offer the idea of messiness and messing things up as a way of describing the methods of PaR. Queer mess is to do with asserting the value and pleasure of formations of knowledge that sit outside long-standing institutional hierarchies of research. The latter places what Robin Nelson calls ‘hard knowledge’ above tacit, quotidian, haptic and embodied knowledge. The methodological and philosophical impulses of PaR make space for a range of research methods inherently bound up with the researcher as an individual and the materiality of lived experience within research. Yet, in our experience, although each PaR project is individual, PaR projects follow certain shared modes evolving largely from embodied and heuristic research methods adapted from social sciences, such as (auto)ethnography, participant observation, phenomenology and action research. PaR methodology in theatre and performance is composed of a bricolage of these openly embodied methods, which makes PaR, as an embodied resistance to sanitary boundaries, somewhat queer in academic terms already. It is unsurprising, then, that PaR is so attractive to queer practitioner–researchers bent on queering normative hierarchies of knowledge.
Post-lesbian? Gendering Queer Performance Research
Authors: MULLAN SARAH
Published: February 2015

‘Queer’ and ‘lesbian’ are terms that offer valuable interventions in the field of theatre and performance studies. Current scholarship largely does not account for an amalgamation of these two positions, but, as some female performers, such as Rosana Cade, are aligning their work with both terms, there is a need for a more nuanced discourse that accounts for an engagement with the histories ascribed to ‘queer’ and ‘lesbian’ in performance and what these terms offer. My doctoral research seeks to investigate whether the term ‘post-lesbian’ is beneficial for analysing contemporary practice that draws from both positions.
Scholar Dong and Madam Li Step Out: Are There National Audiences for Chinese Traditional Regional Theatre?
Authors: STENBERG JOSH , JINGJING ZHANG
Published: February 2015

Increasingly, the administration of Mainland Chinese performing troupes, including xiqu, is focusing on audiences. Xiqu troupes are undergoing systemic reform (tizhi gaige), during which troupes are increasingly expected to adopt a commercial model (zhuanqi gaizhi). This requires a paying audience. Yet for decades, urban establishment xiqu troupes, as state entities, depended on governmental support and approval, not on self-selecting audiences or independent criticism. One new national initiative, intended to identify and protect core repertoire and broaden audiences nationwide, has been the Grand Prize for Outstanding Repertory Piece (youxiu baoliu jumu dajiang). Drawing on field research conducted during the tour of such a work, this study suggests that there is an institutional will to change performance models, as well as a paying audience for xiqu, even outside their immediate cultural areas. The emergence of a small, traditional-minded, highbrow, affluent, national theatre-going audience is noteworthy; what scope of performances it might sustain without government support is open to debate.