bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The view from the bottom
Authors: Wilson Maya , Davis David R , Murdie Amanda
Published: March 2016

Networks of international nongovernmental organizations with missions concerning conflict resolution (CROs) conduct a number of innovative international programs designed to promote peace. Is this network of CROs effective? In this article, we argue that the CRO network can transmit information and promote norms of peace that help in reducing international conflict. Our theoretical argument builds on earlier work concerning international governmental organizations (IGOs) and peace and we examine whether and how the connections among states through CRO ties can lead to reductions in international conflict. We test the key empirical implication of our argument – concerning how the CRO network can foster peace – using new social network measures that focus on the actual network of citizens and elites connected internationally by CROs, rather than focusing on the size or presence of civil society within a state. We find considerable support for our central hypothesis that the network of international CROs is associated with peace. When a state is more embedded within the CRO network, international bellicosity from that state is diminished. This result holds at both the monadic and dyadic (non-directed and directed) levels of analysis. At the dyadic level, the CRO network works even when we account for the IGO network with a similar conflict resolution focus. At the dyadic level, we find that the greater the number of possible CRO informational channels between the states in the dyad, the less bellicosity within the dyad.
The importance of conflict characteristics for the diffusion of international mediation
Authors: Böhmelt Tobias
Published: March 2016

This article argues that similar conflict characteristics form links between crises, which signal the relevant actors – that is, the belligerents and the potential mediator(s) – that a comparable approach in terms of third-party mediation could be suitable across these disputes – even if the relevant parties are not the same. Specifically, demand (antagonists) and supply-side actors (mediators) are likely to employ the heuristic of learning from and emulating the mediation behavior in similar crises. The empirical analysis, using data from the International Crisis Behavior project, shows that comparable patterns in violence, arguably the most visible and salient conflict characteristic, are associated with mediation traveling across crises; other dispute characteristics incorporated into spatial lags are not, however. Hence, particularly as domestic/unit-level (monadic) influences are controlled for, the effect of common exposure is taken into account, and different estimation strategies are used, the results emphasize that there is a genuine diffusion process via common levels of violence in the context of international mediation.
Songwriting
Authors: Kratus John
Published: March 2016

Songwriting is a form of composition that relates directly to adolescents’ personal experience of music. This article provides a rationale for establishing courses in songwriting at the middle school and high school levels. Other topics in the article include curriculum development, instructional procedures, and assessment. The article ends with poignant quotations from students about the power of songwriting in their own lives.
Another Perspective
Authors: Jorgensen Estelle R.
Published: March 2016

The value of joy in music education through composing (interrelated with performing, improvising, and listening) is proposed. Two types of joy experienced by the composer are discussed: cognitive emotion, or emotion in response to thought; and emotional cognition, or thought centered on emotion. While the Western classical tradition can effectively bridge to other musical traditions when approached joyously and ecumenically in whatever musical traditions teachers and students are immersed, composing constitutes a powerful means of knowing joy and a metaphor for music education.
Creating Compositional Community in Your Classroom
Authors: Stringham David A.
Published: March 2016

In performance-focused ensemble classrooms, students and teachers often work toward convergent solutions (e.g., accurate notes and rhythms, agreeing on interpretation). Hierarchical structures may be in place in which it is considered inappropriate to question or disagree with an interpretation set forth by the leader. Teaching composition, in contrast, calls for both peers and teachers to stimulate divergent thinking that draws out a composer’s expressive intentions and compositional craftsmanship. This type of environment may be less familiar to those who have spent considerable time in performance-centered contexts. This article offers strategies for creating a supportive, safe, and collaborative community in which students and teachers share compositions, provide feedback, promote critical thinking, and encourage composers in developing and performing their work.
Creative Thinking in Music, Twenty-Five Years On
Authors: Webster Peter R.
Published: March 2016

Since the publication of the May 1990 Music Educators Journal Special Focus Issue on Creativity, the profession finds itself in a new and more challenging time. Our field is changing before our eyes as new ideas about the music we teach, the people who are taught, and the way music as art is delivered and consumed affect our pedagogy. In all of this, the dispositions behind the work written in 1990 remain fresh even today. This article revisits the content of the 1990 issue with an eye toward the writings from research and practice that have been done since then and that have extended and refined our understanding of this topic, particularly as it relates to composition in the schools. The conceptual frames of sociocultural approaches, constructivism, and model building are stressed, as are several new dimensions of curriculum that feature teaching practice and the study of product and process with new thinking about assessment and technology. The article asks us to consider changes in teacher education at the college level as well as in our pedagogies for K–12.
Composition in an Integrated Arts Program
Authors: Strand Katherine
Published: March 2016

This article examines possibilities for addressing the need to relate learning in music to learning in other disciplines through developing a third space where students are invited to bring their own knowledge, imagination, and ideas to a music curriculum. The article explores the connections between third-space learning, composing, and arts integration by examining two arts integration models: a Reggio Emilia approach and Shared Learning curricular model as described by Robin Fogarty. The article will provide examples that demonstrate that composing is integral to third-space learning.
A Multidimensional Scaling Study of Native and Non-Native Listeners' Perception of Second Language Speech
Authors: Foote Jennifer A. , Trofimovich Pavel
Published: March 2016

Second language speech learning is predicated on learners’ ability to notice differences between their own language output and that of their interlocutors. Because many learners interact primarily with other second language users, it is crucial to understand which dimensions underlie the perception of second language speech by learners, compared to native speakers. For this study, 15 non-native and 10 native English speakers rated 30-s language audio-recordings from controlled reading and interview tasks for dissimilarity, using all pairwise combinations of recordings. PROXSCAL multidimensional scaling analyses revealed fluency and aspects of speakers’ pronunciation as components underlying listener judgments but showed little agreement across listeners. Results contribute to an understanding of why second language speech learning is difficult and provide implications for language training.
A Comparative Study of the Therapeutic Education System for Incarcerated Substance-Abusing Offenders
Authors: Chaple Michael , Sacks Stanley , McKendrick Karen , Marsch Lisa A. , Belenko Steven , Leukefeld Carl , Prendergast Michael , French Michael
Published: March 2016

Although many efficacious and cost-effective treatments have been established, very few substance-abusing offenders receive such treatment while incarcerated. This study compares the effectiveness of a computerized intervention, the Therapeutic Education System (TES), with Standard Care on measures of crime (including re-incarceration), drug use, and HIV risk behavior post prison release. Results show that TES and standard treatment were equally effective in reducing criminality, relapse to drug use, and HIV risk behavior. In prisons, where a majority of substance-using offenders do not receive treatment, identifying an equally effective high-volume alternative such as TES can greatly expand access to quality psychosocial interventions.
Unpacking in-service EFL Teachers’ Critical Incidents: The Case of Iran
Authors: Atai Mahmood Reza , Nejadghanbar Hassan
Published: March 2016

Despite the importance of reflection on critical incidents (CIs), there are only a few studies in ELT literature addressing English language teachers’ CIs (Farrell, 2008). Accordingly, this study was conducted to explore and discuss how six in-service EFL teachers reflected on and reported their CIs. In so doing, the participant teachers reflected retrospectively and introspectively on their CIs for 12 sessions. They put their CIs in a blog each session in order to share them with their colleagues. After the treatment, the three stages of grounded theory were employed in order to analyse the CIs. The results, revealing six categories and 12 subcategories, shed light on the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of teachers’ reflections on their CIs. Results may have implications for teacher education and can add to the existing literature on unpacking teachers’ CIs.
Teacher Identity in Language Teaching: Integrating Personal, Contextual, and Professional Factors
Authors: Pennington Martha C. , Richards Jack C.
Published: March 2016

This article reviews notions of identity and teacher identity, how these relate to the specific characteristics of language teaching, and how teacher identity can evolve or be developed through experience and teacher education. The notion of teacher identity highlights the individual characteristics of the teacher and how these are integrated with the possibilities and potentials provided in the institutional identity of teacher and the content and methods of a specific field, as these are realized in specific contexts of teaching. The elements of a teacher identity in language teaching are derived from a review of literature on identity and described in terms of the foundational and advanced competences required for language teaching, as illustrated by excerpts from teacher narratives. The discussion concludes with recommendations for teacher education and professional development with a focus on identity.
The Big Questions of Chinese Public Management Research
Authors: Mingus Matthew S. , Jing Zhu
Published: March 2016

In 1995, Robert Behn introduced American public administration to the need for common “big questions” to become a significant academic discipline, similar to the physical sciences. Chinese civil service laws were just being promulgated then, and so the discussion that ensued in Public Administration Review and elsewhere was not particularly salient for China. The largely U.S. literature did not take an international or comparative turn, yet it later became an active conversation in the Chinese literature, which is struggling to deal with its own identity crisis and the value of its research. Developing the big questions of Chinese public management research is extremely relevant in today’s environment because China is the world’s second largest economy, and their civil service has had significant time to mature. Chinese researchers have recently called for the development of domestically embedded (i.e., Sinicized) big questions. This article discusses the relevance of Behn’s questions on micromanagement, motivation, and measurement in the Chinese context and proposes alternate wordings of Behn’s questions to make them meaningful within the Chinese cultural and institutional context (while avoiding suggestions of replacing the basic Chinese political structure). Our hope is this discussion will spark a lively debate among the relevant Chinese research community.
Metabolist Utopias and Their Global Influence
Authors: Lin Zhongjie
Published: March 2016

Despite the recent revival of interest in the work of Metabolism, Japan’s architectural avant-garde in the 1960s, the Metabolist discourse of the city and its impact on modern society has not been given its justice due to the stereotype of “megastructure” that has always been used to label the Metabolist concepts. Starting from an observation of the changing scholarly as well as professional concepts, this article reinterprets the history of Metabolism by focusing on a relationship between urbanism and utopianism, which underlies Metabolism’s legacy in contemporary architecture and city building. Moving away from the unitary historiography of megastructure, it examines the Metabolist city through its three important paradigms of urbanism: megastructure, group form, and the ruins. Each inspires a model for urban design and addresses urban growth and transformation from a particular perspective. Together, they provide a lens into the dynamics of contemporary metropolises in the world characterized by the pluralism in ideologies and visions. The influence of the Metabolist urban utopias is analyzed through study of Asian cities with their rapid pace of urbanization or reurbanization.
Time Horizon of Investments in the Resource Allocation Process
Authors: Reilly Greg , Souder David , Ranucci Rebecca
Published: March 2016

Corporate investment inherently relies on time horizon, as profits result from acquiring assets or developing capabilities that yield future benefits that exceed upfront costs. Despite the importance of time horizon to understanding resource allocation, knowledge about the subject has accumulated slowly. Our review therefore encompasses insights from several research streams that partially address the subject even though time horizon is not the central construct in any of them. We aim to clarify key constructs related to time horizon, organize prior research about the antecedents of time horizon, explain the implications of several theoretical traditions for time horizon, and detail the range of measures that have been used to capture time horizon empirically. By focusing narrowly on this topic but searching broadly for references, we provide integrative summaries of existing research and identify opportunities for new and unique research.
Late survival and heart failure after transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Authors: Johansson Malin , Nozohoor Shahab , Bjursten Henrik , Ragnarsson Sigurdur , Götberg Matthias , Kimblad Per Ola , Zindovic Igor , Sjögren Johan
Published: March 2016

Background

Short-term survival in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation is favorable. Our aim was to evaluate late survival and composite clinical endpoints specified by the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2, including rehospitalization for congestive heart failure.

Methods

Between January 2008 and April 2014, 166 consecutive patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis underwent 168 transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures at our facility. This cohort was compared with propensity score-matched aortic valve replacement patients. Event rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of outcome.

Results

Although 30-day mortality rates following both procedures were similar (4.2% and 4.8%; p = 0.81), significant differences were seen in corresponding rates of survival (51.7% ± 5.8% vs. 72.3% ± 4.3%; p < 0.001) and cumulative rehospitalization for congestive heart failure (41.3% ± 7.2% vs. 23% ± 4.3%; p = 0.006). New York Heart Association functional class IV preoperative status was an independent risk factor for rehospitalization due to congestive heart failure ( p = 0.015).

Conclusions

This study confirms the merit of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in high-risk patients with aortic stenosis, although late survival proved inferior to that of aortic valve replacement in propensity score-matched subjects. Early safety was excellent for both treatment groups, however, patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation had a higher incidence of rehospitalization for congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction during follow-up. Patients with severe congestive heart failure should be carefully monitored and aggressively treated to improve outcomes.
A Patient-Centered Approach to Informed Consent
Authors: Krishnamurti Tamar , Argo Nichole
Published: March 2016

Purpose. Traditional informed consent documents tend to be too lengthy and technical to facilitate proper patient engagement. Patient-centered, short informed consent content could be equally informative, while minimizing patient burden and producing greater patient engagement. This study aimed to develop and evaluate patient-centered, patient-designed paper and video informed consent formats. Methods. Two studies were conducted. In study 1, 118 self-identifying asthma patients recruited from a national, online pool completed survey tasks from their personal computers. Participants in study 1 were randomly assigned to examine sections of a standard informed consent document for an asthma trial and to select information they deemed critical to their decision making. In study 2, a sample of 83 self-identifying asthma patients completed experimental tasks in a university laboratory. Participants in study 2 were randomly assigned to a full informed consent document; a shortened, patient-designed informed consent document created from study 1; or a video with content matched to the shortened paper form. Results. Study 1 yielded a more readable, concise version of a standard informed consent document (5 v. 17 pages). This shortened, patient-designed form closely met normative criteria for good clinical practice. In study 2, participants who viewed either the shortened paper consent or video reported greater engagement than those viewing the standard paper consent, without lowered performance on any other decision-relevant variables (i.e., comprehension, judged risk/benefit, feelings of trust). The video consent format did not cause increased enrollment. Conclusions. Results suggest that providing concise informed consent content, systematically developed from patients’ self-reported information needs, may be more effective at engaging and informing clinical trial participants than the traditional consent approach, without detriment to trial comprehension, risk assessment, or enrollment.
Timed Petri nets for fluent turn-taking over multimodal interaction resources in human-robot collaboration
Authors: Chao Crystal , Thomaz Andrea
Published: March 2016

The goal of this work is to develop computational models of social intelligence that enable robots to work side by side with humans, solving problems and achieving task goals through dialogue and collaborative manipulation. A defining problem of collaborative behavior in an embodied setting is the manner in which multiple agents make use of shared resources. In a situated dialogue, these resources include physical bottlenecks such as objects or spatial regions, and cognitive bottlenecks such as the speaking floor. For a robot to function as an effective collaborative partner with a human, it must be able to seize and yield such resources appropriately according to social expectations. We describe a general framework that uses timed Petri nets for the modeling and execution of robot speech, gaze, gesture, and manipulation for collaboration. The system dynamically monitors resource requirements and availability to control real-time turn-taking decisions over resources that are shared with humans, reasoning about different resource types independently. We evaluate our approach with an experiment in which our robot Simon performs a collaborative assembly task with 26 different human partners, showing that the multimodal reciprocal approach results in superior task performance, fluency, and balance of control.
CT-based measurement of the inner pelvic volume
Authors: Kaufmann David , Lauscher Johannes C , Gröne Jörn , zur Hausen Gerrit , Kreis Martin E , Hamm Bernd , Niehues Stefan M
Published: March 2016

Background

Surgery in the lesser pelvis is associated with a high complication rate as surgeons are spatially limited by solid anatomic structures and soft tissue borders. So far, only two-dimensional (2D) parameters have been used for risk stratification.

Purpose

To precisely measure the inner pelvic volume a computed tomography (CT)-based three-dimensional (3D) approach was established and compared to approximations by 2D parameter combinations.

Material and Methods

Thin-layered multi-slice CT datasets were used retrospectively for slice by slice depiction of the inner pelvic surface. The inner pelvic volume was then automatically compounded. Combinations of two to four 2D dimensions determined in 3D volume rendered reconstructions were correlated with the inner pelvic volume. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Chi square test were used for statistical calculations. Significance level was set at P < 0.05.

Results

In total 142 patients (91 men, 51 women) aged 64.8 ± 10.6 years at surgery were included in the study. Mean calculated pelvic volume was 1031.13 ± 180.06 cm3 (men, 996.57 ± 172.43 cm3; women, 1093.34 ± 178.39 cm3). Best approximations were obtained by combination of the 2D measurements transverse inlet and pelvic height for men (r = 0.799, P < 0.05) as well as transverse inlet, obstetric conjugate, interspinous distance and pelvic depth for women (r = 0.855, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

We describe a precise and reproducible CT-based method for pelvic volumetry. A less time consuming but still reliable approximation can be achieved by combination of two to four 2D dimensions.
Survivors and scientists: Hiroshima, Fukushima, and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 1975–2014
Authors: Lindee Susan
Published: March 2016

In this article, I reflect on the Radiation Effects Research Foundation and its ongoing studies of long-term radiation risk. Originally called the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (1947–1975), the Radiation Effects Research Foundation has carried out epidemiological research tracking the biomedical effects of radiation at Hiroshima and Nagasaki for almost 70 years. Radiation Effects Research Foundation scientists also played a key role in the assessment of populations exposed at Chernobyl and are now embarking on studies of workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. I examine the role of estimating dosimetry in post-disaster epidemiology, highlight how national identity and citizenship have mattered in radiation risk networks, and track how participants interpreted the relationships between nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. Industrial interests in Japan and the United States sought to draw a sharp line between the risks of nuclear war and the risks of nuclear power, but the work of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (which became the basis of worker protection standards for the industry) and the activism of atomic bomb survivors have drawn these two nuclear domains together. This is so particularly in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, Japan’s ‘third atomic bombing’. The Radiation Effects Research Foundation is therefore a critical node in a complex global network of scientific institutions that adjudicate radiation risk and proclaim when it is present and when absent. Its history, I suggest, can illuminate some properties of modern disasters and the many sciences that engage with them.
Finding out normal coordinates with the method of undetermined coefficients: An alternative starting point of solving a small oscillation problem with two degrees of freedom
Authors: Zhang Gengmin
Published: March 2016

A small oscillation with s degrees of freedom can be decomposed into s independent oscillations with one degree of freedom with the aid of normal coordinates. In the mainstream solution strategy, the normal coordinates are usually found out after the motion of the system has already been worked out using Lagrange’s equations. In this article, the search for the normal coordinates is used as the starting point of solving the problems with s = 2. For this purpose, the coefficients in the linear transformation from a set of generalized coordinates to a set of normal coordinates are treated as undetermined coefficients. The equations these undetermined coefficients must satisfy are deduced and solved. In comparison with the mainstream method, the dependence of the generalized coordinates on the time can be worked out in a more straightforward manner using the method of undetermined coefficients in the s = 2 case. Especially, even when the two angular frequencies degenerate, the two worked-out eigenvectors are still automatically orthogonal to each other with respect to the inertia matrix.
Genetic epidemiology of migraine and depression
Authors: Yang Yuanhao , Ligthart Lannie , Terwindt Gisela M , Boomsma Dorret I , Rodriguez-Acevedo Astrid J , Nyholt Dale R
Published: March 2016

Background

Migraine and major depressive disorder (commonly referred to as depression) are both common disorders with a significant impact on society. Studies in both clinical and community-based settings have demonstrated a strong relationship between migraine and depression. In addition to complicating the diagnosis, depression that is comorbid with migraine may lower treatment adherence, increase risk of medication overuse and is associated with migraine chronification, thus leading to higher direct and indirect costs and poorer health-related outcomes with increased disability.

Aim

The aim of this review is to summarise the current knowledge on the genetic epidemiology of migraine and depression and the possible biological mechanisms underlying their comorbidity.

Methods

We present a narrative review reporting on the current literature.

Results and conclusions

Epidemiological findings indicate that there is a bidirectional relationship between migraine and depression, with one disorder increasing the risk for the other and vice versa, suggesting shared biological mechanisms. Twin and family studies indicate that this bidirectional relationship can be explained, at least partly, by shared underlying genetically determined disease mechanisms. Although no genes have been robustly associated with the aetiology of both migraine and depression, genes from serotonergic, dopaminergic and GABAergic systems together with variants in the MTHFR and BDNF genes remain strong candidates.
Autologous Bone Plug Supplemented With Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation in Osteochondral Defects of the Knee
Authors: Bhattacharjee Atanu , McCarthy Helen S. , Tins Bernhard , Roberts Sally , Kuiper J.H. , Harrison Paul E. , Richardson James B.
Published: March 2016

Background:

Structural and functional outcome of bone graft with first- or second-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) in treating cartilage and subchondral bone defect has not been reported previously.

Purpose:

To evaluate the outcome of simultaneous transplantation of an autologous bone plug with first- or second-generation ACI for restoration of concomitant subchondral bone and full-thickness cartilage defect in the femoral condyle of the knee.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Seventeen patients (mean ± SD age, 27 ± 7 years; range, 17-40 years)—12 with osteochondritis dissecans (International Cartilage Repair Society [ICRS] grades 3 and 4) and 5 with an isolated osteochondral defect (ICRS grade 4)—had the defect reconstructed with implantation of a unicortical autologous bone graft combined with ACI (the OsPlug technique). Functional outcome was assessed with Lysholm scores obtained preoperatively and at 1 and 5 years postoperatively. The repair site was evaluated with the Oswestry Arthroscopy Score (OAS), MOCART score (magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue), and ICRS II histology score. Formation of a subchondral lamina and lateral integration of the bone grafts were evaluated from magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Results:

The mean defect size was 4.5 ± 2.6 cm2 (range, 1-9 cm2), and the mean depth was 11.3 ± 5 mm (range, 5-18 mm). The preoperative Lysholm score improved from 45 (interquartile range [IQR], 24; range, 16-79) to 77 (IQR, 28; range, 41-100) at 1 year ( P = .001) and 70 (IQR, 35; range, 33-91) at 5 years ( P = .009). The mean OAS of the repair site was 6.2 (range, 0-9) at a mean of 1.3 years. The mean MOCART score was 61 ± 22 (range, 20-85) at 2.6 ± 1.8 years. Histology demonstrated generally good integration of the repair cartilage with the underlying bone. Poor lateral integration of the bone graft, as assessed on magnetic resonance imaging scan, and a low OAS were significantly associated with a poor Lysholm score and failure. A total of 3 patients had treatment failure, with 1 requiring total knee replacement at 5 years (Lysholm score of 33 at failure) and the other 2 requiring further surgical intervention because of persistent symptoms at 2 and 4 years, respectively (both had Lysholm score of 45 at failure). The Lysholm score in these patients before failure were still noted to be higher than at the preoperative level.

Conclusion:

The OsPlug technique shows significant improvement of functional outcome for up to 5 years in patients with high-grade osteochondritis dissecans or osteochondral defect. This is the first report describing association of bone graft integration with functional outcome after such a procedure. It also demonstrates histologic evidence of integration of the repair cartilage with the underlying bone graft.
Role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection
Authors: Dincel Gungor Cagdas , Atmaca Hasan Tarik
Published: March 2016

Oxidative stress (OS) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of common neurodegenerative diseases. We have previously shown that Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii) induces high nitric oxide (NO) production, glial activation, and apoptosis that altogether cause severe neuropathology in toxoplasma encephalitis (TE). The objective of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of OS and to identify a correlation between the causes of T. gondii induced neuropathology. Expression levels of glutathione reductase (GR), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), neuron specific enolase (NSE), and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were investigated. Results of the study revealed that the levels of GR ( P <0.005) and NSE ( P <0.001) expression in the brain tissue markedly increased while SOD1 activity decreased ( P <0.001) in the infected group compared to the non-infected group. In addition, intense staining for 8-OHdG ( P <0.05) was observed both in the nucleus and the cytoplasm of neurons and glial cells that underwent OS. These results were reasonable to suggest that T. gondii-mediated OS might play a pivotal role and a different type of role in the mechanism of neurodegeneration/neuropathology in the process of TE. The results also clearly indicated that increased levels of NO and apoptosis might contribute to OS-related pathogenesis of TE. As a result, OS and expression of NSE might give an idea of the disease progress and may have a critical diagnostic significance for patients with T. gondii infection.
Landfill site selection using geographic information system and analytical hierarchy process: A case study Al-Hillah Qadhaa, Babylon, Iraq
Authors: Chabuk Ali , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Hussain Hussain Musa , Knutsson Sven , Pusch Roland
Published: March 2016

Al-Hillah Qadhaa is located in the central part of Iraq. It covers an area of 908 km2 with a total population of 856,804 inhabitants. This Qadhaa is the capital of Babylon Governorate. Presently, no landfill site exists in that area based on scientific site selection criteria. For this reason, an attempt has been carried out to find the best locations for landfills. A total of 15 variables were considered in this process (groundwater depth, rivers, soil types, agricultural land use, land use, elevation, slope, gas pipelines, oil pipelines, power lines, roads, railways, urban centres, villages and archaeological sites) using a geographic information system. In addition, an analytical hierarchy process was used to identify the weight for each variable. Two suitable candidate landfill sites were determined that fulfil the requirements with an area of 9.153 km2 and 8.204 km2. These sites can accommodate solid waste till 2030.
Mycobacterium bovis Cerebellar Abscess Following Treatment With Bacillus Calmette-Guérin
Authors: Sheron Mollie W. , Holt Shannon L. , Ingram Christopher W.
Published: March 2016

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a live, attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis that is used to treat superficial bladder cancer. Although its use is typically associated with only mild, localized side effects, rare systemic complications can occur. Disseminated mycobacterium infections after BCG therapy have been reported in over 30 cases; however, central nervous system (CNS) infections do not commonly occur. We report a 74-year-old male who developed a M. bovis cerebellar abscess after receiving intravesical BCG infusion for bladder cancer for less than 1 year. This patient was successfully treated with antituberculosis therapy and corticosteroids. This patient case demonstrates that early-onset M bovis CNS infections can occur after BCG therapy. Patients presenting with altered mental status while on BCG therapy should be evaluated for disseminated infections.
Understanding the Subjective Experience of Medication Adherence for Older Urban African Americans With Type 2 Diabetes and a History of Illicit Drug Addiction
Authors: Wallace Brandy Harris , Reese Ashante M. , Chard Sarah , Roth Erin G. , Quinn Charlene , Eckert J. Kevin
Published: March 2016

Objective: African Americans experience high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Self-management strategies, such as medication adherence, are key to mitigating negative T2D outcomes. This article addresses a gap in the literature by examining the intersections of drug abuse histories and medication adherence among urban, older African Americans with T2D. Method: In-depth interview data were collected as part of a larger ethnographic study examining the subjective experience of T2D among urban older adults. Two representative focal cases were selected and thematic analysis performed to illustrate how former illicit drug addicts perceive prescription medication usage. Results: Narratives reveal that participants are displeased about having to take prescription drugs and are making lifestyle changes to reduce medication usage and maintain sobriety. Discussion: Previous drug abuse not only complicates medication adherence but is also a significant part of how older African Americans who are former drug users frame their understanding of T2D more broadly.
Weak impulsive signals detection based on step-varying asymmetric stochastic resonance
Authors: Zhang Haibin , Zheng Yuan , Kong Fanrang
Published: March 2016

Rotating machinery response is often characterized by the presence of periodic impulses modulated by high-frequency components. The fault information is often hidden in its envelope signal which is unilateral when demodulated. Conventional stochastic resonance with a symmetric potential cannot always contain the signal’s original features especially the asymmetry. In this article, a step-varying asymmetric stochastic resonance system for impulsive signal denoising and recovery as well as the rotating machine fault diagnosis is proposed to further improve the impulsive signal-to-noise ratio. In the method, the asymmetry of step-varying asymmetric stochastic resonance can match the unilateral impulsive signal well to generate an optimal dynamic system by selecting proper system parameters and degree of asymmetry. Systems with different simulated or experimental signals are also studied to verify its effectiveness and availability. Results indicate that the step-varying asymmetric stochastic resonance performs much better in detection of impulsive signal than the conventional stochastic resonance with merits of good frequency response, anti-noise capability, adaptability to asymmetric signal and original waveform preserving.
Fault diagnosis of gearbox based on local mean decomposition and discrete hidden Markov models
Authors: Cheng Gang , Li Hongyu , Hu Xiao , Chen Xihui , Liu Houguang
Published: March 2016

This paper proposes an intelligent diagnosis method for gearbox using local mean decomposition and discrete hidden Markov models, including local mean decomposition, the energy difference spectrum of singular value, multiscale sample entropy, and the discrete hidden Markov model. How to extract feature information effectively and identify the fault type is key to making a diagnosis in the presence of strong noise. Combined with the Kurtosis criterion and correlation coefficient, the product function that contains the main characteristic frequency is filtered out by local mean decomposition. Next, the filtered local mean decompositions are used to construct the Hankel matrix and complete singular value decomposition. The denoised and reconstructed signals are achieved by an energy difference spectrum of singular value. Furthermore, the feature information after denoising is extracted by multiscale sample entropy. After combining the discrete hidden Markov models, the mechanical condition is identified. Practical examples of diagnoses for four gear types used in the gearbox can accurately identify the gear types, and the recognition rates of the various types are above 92%. The experiments shown here verify the effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper.
A sampling-based probabilistic path planner for multirotor air vehicles in cluttered environments
Authors: Brown Andrew , Rogers Jonathan
Published: March 2016

Successful navigation of small, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in cluttered environments is a challenging task, especially in the presence of turbulent winds and state estimation uncertainty. This paper proposes a probabilistic path planner for UAVs operating in cluttered environments. Unlike previous sampling-based approaches which select robust paths from a set of trajectory candidates, the proposed algorithm seeks to modify an initial desired path so that it satisfies obstacle avoidance constraints. Given a desired path, Monte Carlo uncertainty propagation is performed and obstacle collision risks are quantified at discrete intervals along the trajectory. A numerical optimization algorithm is used to modify the flight path around obstacles and reduce probability of collision while maintaining as much of the originally desired path as possible. The proposed path planner is specifically designed to leverage embedded massively parallel computers for near real-time uncertainty propagation. Thus the planner can be run in real-time in a feedback manner, modifying the path appropriately as new measurements are obtained. Example results for a standard quadrotor show the ability of the path planning scheme to successfully generate trajectories in cluttered environments. Trade studies characterize algorithm performance as a function of obstacle density and collision risk acceptability.
Attention Alters Perceived Attractiveness
Authors: Störmer Viola S. , Alvarez George A.
Published: March 2016

Can attention alter the impression of a face? Previous studies showed that attention modulates the appearance of lower-level visual features. For instance, attention can make a simple stimulus appear to have higher contrast than it actually does. We tested whether attention can also alter the perception of a higher-order property—namely, facial attractiveness. We asked participants to judge the relative attractiveness of two faces after summoning their attention to one of the faces using a briefly presented visual cue. Across trials, participants judged the attended face to be more attractive than the same face when it was unattended. This effect was not due to decision or response biases, but rather was due to changes in perceptual processing of the faces. These results show that attention alters perceived facial attractiveness, and broadly demonstrate that attention can influence higher-level perception and may affect people’s initial impressions of one another.
Neurotoxicity and LSD treatment: a follow-up study of 151 patients in Denmark
Authors: Larsen Jens Knud
Published: March 2016

LSD was introduced in psychiatry in the 1950s. Between 1960 and 1973, nearly 400 patients were treated with LSD in Denmark. By 1964, one homicide, two suicides and four suicide attempts had been reported. In 1986 the Danish LSD Damages Law was passed after complaints by only one patient. According to the Law, all 154 applicants received financial compensation for LSD-inflicted harm. The Danish State Archives has preserved the case material of 151 of the 154 applicants. Most of the patients suffered from severe side effects of the LSD treatment many years afterwards. In particular, two-thirds of the patients had flashbacks. With the recent interest in LSD therapy, we should consider the neurotoxic potential of LSD.
Meanline design of a 250 kW radial inflow turbine stage using R245fa working fluid and waste heat from a refinery process
Authors: Jung Hyung-Chul , Krumdieck Susan
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this research is to develop a meanline simulation model that provides a good starting point for the detail design of radial inflow turbine stages and then demonstrate the application of the model to the design of a turbine stage. This study begins with a thermodynamic design of an organic Rankine cycle power plant with the working fluid R245fa utilizing waste heat from a refinery process. The thermodynamic cycle analysis gives the design point of a turbine expander suitable for generating a net power of 250 kWe in the power plant. Empirical data and correlations, based on the performance measurements of a large number of turbines, from literature provide a base to determine both geometric and aerodynamic parameters of rotor blades and nozzle vanes. The efficiency of the designed turbine stage is estimated by using flow loss models for the rotor. Preliminary blade stress and modal analysis is also carried out. The numerical model is validated by comparing simulation results with published data of a gas turbine. The designed radial inflow turbine has a rotor inlet diameter of 37.2 cm and a rotational speed of 7000 r/min with a total-to-static efficiency of 87.3% predicted.
Radiographic Severity of Arthritis Affects Functional Outcome in Total Ankle Replacement (TAR)
Authors: Chambers Simon , Ramaskandhan Jayasree , Siddique Malik
Published: March 2016

Background:

It has been previously demonstrated that radiographic severity of arthritis predicts outcome following knee replacement. In certain circumstances, patients may undergo arthroplasty without severe radiographic disease. An example may be the patient with significant chondral damage unsuccessfully treated with arthroscopy. This patient may proceed to joint replacement when their radiographs would not normally merit such intervention. We investigated whether these findings were also applicable to total ankle replacements (TARs).

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed a single-surgeon, single-implant series of 178 TARs in 170 patients. Of them, 124 patients who took part in the hospital joint registry with a minimum 2-year follow-up were included for this study. The radiographic severity of arthritis was graded using the Kellgren-Lawrence classification. Preoperative weight-bearing radiographs were reviewed for severity of arthritis by 2 blinded observers: the first author and an independent colleague from the radiology department. Patients were grouped into 4 subgroups based on degree of severity of radiographic grading for arthritis—A, B, C, and D (for grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 grades, respectively). Data collected included Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS; pain, function, and stiffness), MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores, and patient satisfaction scores collected prospectively and at 1 and 2 years postoperation.

Results:

Groups were similar in terms of demographic data ( P > .1) and preoperative FAOS scores ( P > .89) for pain, function and stiffness. Group D had the biggest improvement in all domains of FAOS. This reached significance in each domain when compared to group C. No significant differences were demonstrated in SF-36 scores. Overall, 91.1% of patients in group D were satisfied at 2 years, compared with 50.0% of patients in groups A, B, and C ( P < .001). In addition, 93.9% of patients in group D felt that their quality of life had been improved by the surgery, compared to 47% of patients with groups A, B, and C ( P < .001). Further, 77.3% of patients from group D said they would have the operation again, vs only 52.2% of patients with grade III or less ( P = .014). Patients who were “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” postoperatively had an average Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade of 3.9 preoperatively. In contrast the “very dissatisfied” and “somewhat dissatisfied” patients had an average KL grade of 2.9 ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

Although this study does not explain all of the dissatisfaction in TAR, radiologic severity is an important factor that surgeons must consider when planning how best to treat their patients. There may be a different pathophysiology in this patient group that is not well served by arthroplasty.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative series.
Amygdala Abnormalities in Adults With ADHD
Authors: Tajima-Pozo Kazuhiro , Yus Miguel , Ruiz-Manrique Gonzalo , Lewczuk Adrian , Arrazola Juan , Montañes-Rada Francisco
Published: March 2016

Objective: The suggested neurobiological bases of ADHD focus on the amygdala as a center of emotions processing. Therefore, we hypothesize that patients with ADHD will show an irregular pattern of emotional-related activity of the amygdala region as well as some structural abnormalities. Method: Nine adult patients with ADHD and nine group-matched healthy volunteers were studied using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Morphometric measurements were obtained manually, and they were later processed and compared. Absolute volumes of several structures and nuclei were calculated with FSL-FIRST. For the functional magnetic resonance examination, a set of two paradigms was prepared, using a block design, incorporating images of the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). The patients were unmedicated at the time of the MRI scan. Results: Negative correlation was found between the right amygdala volume and Barrat’s impulsivity scores ( r = −.756, p = .018). The age of patients did not turn out to be a significant factor. No significantly higher activation areas were found in patients with unpleasant content images. For the left amygdala, an Region Of Interest (ROI)-based analysis showed moderately higher level of activation in the patients than in the controls with pleasant content images. Conclusion: Patients with ADHD tend to have smaller amygdala volumes. ADHD patients presented less activation in the area of the left frontal pole than the controls. There was no amygdala activation stated when presenting the pleasant images. Whereas bigger activation of the left amygdala was found in patients while presenting them unpleasant images. These results might suggest that lower emotional processing and less control of impulsivity is associated with dysfunctional amygdala in ADHD patients.