bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of Cardiac Involvement Associated With Neuromuscular Diseases: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Feingold Brian , Mahle William T. , Auerbach Scott , Clemens Paula , Domenighetti Andrea A. , Jefferies John L. , Judge Daniel P. , Lal Ashwin K. , Markham Larry W. , Parks W. James , Tsuda Takeshi , Wang Paul J. , Yoo Shi-Joon
Published: August 2017

For many neuromuscular diseases (NMDs), cardiac disease represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The management of cardiac disease in NMDs is made challenging by the broad clinical heterogeneity that exists among many NMDs and by limited knowledge about disease-specific cardiovascular pathogenesis and course-modifying interventions. The overlay of compromise in peripheral muscle function and other organ systems, such as the lungs, also makes the simple application of endorsed adult or pediatric heart failure guidelines to the NMD population problematic. In this statement, we provide background on several NMDs in which there is cardiac involvement, highlighting unique features of NMD-associated myocardial disease that require clinicians to tailor their approach to prevention and treatment of heart failure. Undoubtedly, further investigations are required to best inform future guidelines on NMD-specific cardiovascular health risks, treatments, and outcomes.
Activation of γ2-AMPK Suppresses Ribosome Biogenesis and Protects Against Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Cao Yang , Bojjireddy Naveen , Kim Maengjo , Li Tao , Zhai Peiyong , Nagarajan Narayani , Sadoshima Junichi , Palmiter Richard D. , Tian Rong
Published: August 2017

Rationale:

AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) is a heterotrimeric protein that plays an important role in energy homeostasis and cardioprotection. Two isoforms of each subunit are expressed in the heart, but the isoform-specific function of AMPK remains unclear.

Objective:

We sought to determine the role of γ2-AMPK in cardiac stress response using bioengineered cell lines and mouse models containing either isoform of the γ-subunit in the heart.

Methods and Results:

We found that γ2 but not γ1 or γ3 subunit translocated into nucleus on AMPK activation. Nuclear accumulation of AMPK complexes containing γ2-subunit phosphorylated and inactivated RNA Pol I (polymerase I)–associated transcription factor TIF-IA at Ser-635, precluding the assembly of transcription initiation complexes for rDNA. The subsequent downregulation of pre-rRNA level led to attenuated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cell death. Deleting γ2-AMPK led to increases in pre-rRNA level, ER stress markers, and cell death during glucose deprivation, which could be rescued by inhibition of rRNA processing or ER stress. To study the function of γ2-AMPK in the heart, we generated a mouse model with cardiac-specific deletion of γ2-AMPK (cardiac knockout [cKO]). Although the total AMPK activity was unaltered in cKO hearts because of upregulation of γ1-AMPK, the lack of γ2-AMPK sensitizes the heart to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. The cKO failed to suppress pre-rRNA level during ischemia/reperfusion and showed a greater infarct size. Conversely, cardiac-specific overexpression of γ2-AMPK decreased ribosome biosynthesis and ER stress during ischemia/reperfusion insult, and the infarct size was reduced.

Conclusions:

The γ2-AMPK translocates into the nucleus to suppress pre-rRNA transcription and ribosome biosynthesis during stress, thus ameliorating ER stress and cell death. Increased γ2-AMPK activity is required to protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Our study reveals an isoform-specific function of γ2-AMPK in modulating ribosome biosynthesis, cell survival, and cardioprotection.
Association Between Acidosis Soon After Reperfusion and Contrast‐Induced Nephropathy in Patients With a First‐Time ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Gohbara Masaomi , Hayakawa Azusa , Akazawa Yusuke , Furihata Shuta , Kondo Ai , Fukushima Yusuke , Tomari Sakie , Endo Tsutomu , Kimura Kazuo , Tamura Kouichi
Published: August 2017

Background

Contrast‐induced nephropathy (
CIN
) is associated with poor outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction. However, the predictors of
CIN
have yet to be fully elucidated.

Methods and Results

The study included 273 consecutive patients with a first‐time
ST
‐segment elevation myocardial infarction who underwent reperfusion within 12 hours of symptom onset. The exclusion criteria were hemodialysis, mechanical ventilation, or previous coronary artery bypass grafting. All patients underwent arterial blood gas analysis soon after reperfusion.
CIN
was defined as an increase of 0.5 mg/dL in serum creatinine or a 25% increase from baseline between 48 and 72 hours after contrast medium exposure. Acidosis was defined as an arterial blood
pH
<7.35.
CIN
was observed in 35 patients (12.8%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis with forward stepwise algorithm revealed a significant association between
CIN
and the following: reperfusion time, the prevalence of hypertension, peak creatine kinase‐
MB
, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein on admission, and the incidence of acidosis (
P
<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the incidence of acidosis was associated with
CIN
when adjusted for age, male sex, body mass index, amount of contrast medium used, estimated glomerular filtration rate on admission, glucose level on admission, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein on admission, and left ventricular ejection fraction (
P
<0.05). Moreover, the incidence of acidosis was associated with
CIN
when adjusted for the Mehran
CIN
risk score (odds ratio: 2.229,
P
=0.049).

Conclusions

The incidence of acidosis soon after reperfusion was associated with
CIN
in patients with a first‐time
ST
‐segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Leveraging TSP Solver Complementarity through Machine Learning
Authors: Kerschke Pascal , Kotthoff Lars , Bossek Jakob , Hoos Holger H. , Trautmann Heike
Published: August 2017

The Travelling Salesperson Problem (TSP) is one of the best-studied NP-hard problems. Over the years, many different solution approaches and solvers have been developed. For the first time, we directly compare five state-of-the-art inexact solvers—namely, LKH, EAX, restart variants of those, and MAOS—on a large set of well-known benchmark instances and demonstrate complementary performance, in that different instances may be solved most effectively by different algorithms. We leverage this complementarity to build an algorithm selector, which selects the best TSP solver on a per-instance basis and thus achieves significantly improved performance compared to the single best solver, representing an advance in the state of the art in solving the Euclidean TSP. Our in-depth analysis of the selectors provides insight into what drives this performance improvement.
Is the Study of Religions in the Eastern Europe still behind the Iron Curtain? Response to Gregory Alles, Barbara Krawcowicz and Stefan Ragaz
Authors: Bubík Tomáš
Published: August 2017

The text is a response to the review articles of Gregory Alles, Barbara Krawcowicz and Stefan Ragaz reviewing the book Studying Religions with the Iron Curtain Closed and Open: The Academic Study of Religion in Eastern Europe (Brill 2015). It discusses the book’s title, the relationship of religious studies to theology, and the relationship of current religious studies to scientific atheism.
The Paradoxes of Codifying Islamic Criminal Law in the Maldives
Authors: Siddiqui Sohaira Z.M.
Published: August 2017

Utilizing the codification of Islamic Criminal law in the Maldives, this article argues that the process of codifying Islamic law often ignores classical conceptualizations of Islamic criminal law and judicial procedures established as preventative measures against the widespread implementation of Islamic criminal punishments (ḥudūd). Instead of recognizing the legal nuance in classical debates, reliance is placed on a narrow body of texts, and extracted rules are reformed for easy implementation and compliance with modern human rights standards. By ignoring classical discussions of Islamic criminal law, and adopting a singular conception of codification, a paradox emerges wherein the resulting criminal code is less punitive, but more enforceable than its classical counterpart. A second paradox is that on one hand religious legitimacy and moral credibility is desired through the implementation of an Islamic penal code, but on the other, controversial criminalized actions are assumed to be non-prosecutable.
Transforming Power Sharing: From Corporate to Hybrid Consociation in Postwar Lebanon
Authors: Salloukh Bassel F. , Verheij Renko A.
Published: August 2017

Lebanon’s corporate consociation is in institutional crisis. Given domestic constraints, however, a shift from corporate to liberal consociation is not an option. The alternative is to introduce institutional reforms that move power sharing in the direction of hybrid consociation. A substantial measure of state decentralization and pr voting in the context of a new mmp or PR electoral law are two such reforms that if applied synergistically may help stabilize the political system without changing the predetermined sectarian quota institutionalized in the Ta’if Accord or undermine the Muslim elite’s political economic prerogatives; increase the peacebuilding and statebuilding effectiveness of power sharing institutions; and incorporate into the political system excluded anti-sectarian groups. These changes may imbue the postwar political economic order with a measure of representation, accountability, and stability. A hybrid consociation arrangement is also a necessary but insufficient condition for the possibility of a gradual shift to centripetal power sharing ones.
Instantaneous Linkages between Clouds and Large-Scale Meteorology over the Southern Ocean in Observations and a Climate Model
Authors: Wall Casey J. , Hartmann Dennis L. , Ma Po-Lun
Published: August 2017

Instantaneous, coincident, footprint-level satellite observations of cloud properties and radiation taken during austral summer over the Southern Ocean are used to study relationships between clouds and large-scale meteorology. Cloud properties are very sensitive to the strength of vertical motion in the midtroposphere, and low-cloud properties are sensitive to estimated inversion strength, low-level temperature advection, and sea surface temperature. These relationships are quantified. An index for the meteorological anomalies associated with midlatitude cyclones is presented, and it is used to reveal the sensitivity of clouds to the meteorology within the warm and cold sectors of cyclones.

The observed relationships between clouds and meteorology are compared to those in the Community Atmosphere Model, version 5 (CAM5), using satellite simulators. Low clouds simulated by CAM5 are too few, are too bright, and contain too much ice. In the cold sector of cyclones, the low clouds are also too sensitive to variations in the meteorology. When CAM5 is coupled with an updated boundary layer parameterization known as Cloud Layers Unified by Binormals (CLUBB), bias in the ice content of low clouds is dramatically reduced. More generally, this study demonstrates that examining the instantaneous time scale is a powerful approach to understanding the physical processes that control clouds and how they are represented in climate models. Such an evaluation goes beyond the cloud climatology and exposes model bias under various meteorological conditions.
Comparison of Probabilistic Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts from Two Postprocessing Mechanisms
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wu Limin , Scheuerer Michael , Schaake John , Kongoli Cezar
Published: August 2017

This article compares the skill of medium-range probabilistic quantitative precipitation forecasts (PQPFs) generated via two postprocessing mechanisms: 1) the mixed-type meta-Gaussian distribution (MMGD) model and 2) the censored shifted Gamma distribution (CSGD) model. MMGD derives the PQPF by conditioning on the mean of raw ensemble forecasts. CSGD, on the other hand, is a regression-based mechanism that estimates PQPF from a prescribed distribution by adjusting the climatological distribution according to the mean, spread, and probability of precipitation (POP) of raw ensemble forecasts. Each mechanism is applied to the reforecast of the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) to yield a postprocessed PQPF over lead times between 24 and 72 h. The outcome of an evaluation experiment over the mid-Atlantic region of the United States indicates that the CSGD approach broadly outperforms the MMGD in terms of both the ensemble mean and the reliability of distribution, although the performance gap tends to be narrow, and at times mixed, at higher precipitation thresholds (>5 mm). Analysis of a rare storm event demonstrates the superior reliability and sharpness of the CSGD PQPF and underscores the issue of overforecasting by the MMGD PQPF. This work suggests that the CSGD’s incorporation of ensemble spread and POP does help enhance its skill, particularly for light forecast amounts, but CSGD’s model structure and its use of optimization in parameter estimation likely play a more determining role in its outperformance.
ICD-11 and DSM-5 personality trait domains capture categorical personality disorders: Finding a common ground
Authors: Bach Bo , Sellbom Martin , Skjernov Mathias , Simonsen Erik
Published: August 2017

Objective:

The five personality disorder trait domains in the proposed International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition are comparable in terms of Negative Affectivity, Detachment, Antagonism/Dissociality and Disinhibition. However, the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition model includes a separate domain of Anankastia, whereas the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition model includes an additional domain of Psychoticism. This study examined associations of International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition trait domains, simultaneously, with categorical personality disorders.

Method:

Psychiatric outpatients ( N = 226) were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders Interview and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5. International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition trait domain scores were obtained using pertinent scoring algorithms for the Personality Inventory for DSM-5. Associations between categorical personality disorders and trait domains were examined using correlation and multiple regression analyses.

Results:

Both the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition domain models showed relevant continuity with categorical personality disorders and captured a substantial amount of their information. As expected, the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition model was superior in capturing obsessive–compulsive personality disorder, whereas the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition model was superior in capturing schizotypal personality disorder.

Conclusion:

These preliminary findings suggest that little information is ‘lost’ in a transition to trait domain models and potentially adds to narrowing the gap between Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition and the proposed International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition model. Accordingly, the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition domain models may be used to delineate one another as well as features of familiar categorical personality disorder types. A preliminary category-to-domain ‘cross walk’ is provided in the article.
A twenty-first century foreign policy for Canada in the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: Ahmad Aisha
Published: August 2017

The security crises facing the Middle East and North Africa are among the most complex and volatile in the world today. These protracted conflicts are shaped by a range of catalysts, including state failure, environmental stress, entrenched criminal war economies, ethnic and tribal hostilities, and ideological extremism. Not only are these highly fragmented conflicts, but the multiple actors in each of these theatres also have transnational linkages that trigger contagion effects across state borders. To understand these new twenty-first century security crises, scholars and policy practitioners alike require modern analytical tools. Gone are the days when Canadian foreign policy experts could rely on classic state-based models to explain and predict global violence. To address these contemporary challenges, Canada must adopt a forward-looking approach to the Middle East and North Africa, which does not shy away from the compound and multidimensional challenges that these complex environments present.
Toughening mechanism of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer laminates containing inkjet-printed poly(methyl methacrylate) microphases
Authors: Zhang Yi , Stringer Jonathan , Hodzic Alma , Smith Patrick J
Published: August 2017

It has previously been demonstrated that inkjet-printed thermoplastic microphases are capable of producing a significant increase in mode I interlaminar fracture toughness ( G Ic) in carbon fibre-reinforced polymer with no significant reduction in other mechanical properties or increase in parasitic weight. In this work, the evolution of the microphase structure during processing and how this is influenced by the chosen printing parameters were investigated. Samples were prepared that enabled monitoring of the microphases during all steps of fabrication, with the thermoplastic polymer found to form a discrete spherical shape due to surface energy minimisation. Based upon the morphology and properties of the thermoplastic microphases, it was hypothesised that the increased toughness was due to a combination of crack deflection and plastic deformation of the microphases. Samples were produced for the double cantilever beam fracture toughness testing using the same printing conditions, and both G Ic values and scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface supported the proposed hypothesis. The feasibility of selective toughening is also demonstrated, which presents potential to tailor the mechanical properties of the carbon fibre-reinforced polymer spatially.
The Use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Oncology Settings: A Narrative Review
Authors: Fashler Samantha R. , Weinrib Aliza Z. , Azam Muhammad Abid , Katz Joel
Published: August 2017

Various psychotherapeutic approaches have been developed to address the psychosocial stressors and distress associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment. One such approach, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), may be particularly well suited to people with cancer as it offers a model of healthy adaptation to difficult circumstances. This paper provides a description and theoretical rationale for using ACT in psychosocial oncology care that emphasizes emotional distress and cancer-related pain and provides a narrative review of the current state of evidence for this setting. Six studies met eligibility criteria for inclusion in the review. The research designs included one case study, three pre-post cohort studies, and two randomized controlled trials. Cancer diagnoses of patients included breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, and mixed cancer populations at various stages of disease progression or recovery. ACT interventions demonstrated significant improvements in symptoms including quality of life and psychological flexibility as well as reductions in symptoms including distress, emotional disturbances, physical pain, and traumatic responses. Overall, although there is limited published research currently available, there is some evidence to support ACT as an effective psychotherapeutic approach for cancer patients. Further research is needed for different cancer populations across the illness trajectory. Barriers to implementation are discussed.
Platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome in the elderly: A difficult-to-make diagnosis of intracardiac right-to-left shunt
Authors: Zardi Enrico M , Spoto Silvia , Locorriere Luciana , Cacioli Giulio , Mazzaroppi Silvia , Zobel Bruno B , Di Sciascio Germano , Costantino Sebastiano
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a combination of positional dyspnoea and hypoxemia; it is caused by several cardiac, pulmonary and hepatic diseases.

Case presentation

In this study, we describe a 77-year-old female affected by unexplained dizziness and hypoxia that exacerbated in upright position. After diagnosing platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome and excluding all possible causes (liver cirrhosis, acute and chronic pulmonary diseases and arteriovenous malformations), the origin of the syndrome was individuated in the presence of a patent foramen ovale with right-to-left shunt. Endovascular patent foramen ovale closure permitted the resolution of symptoms and disappearance of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome.

Conclusion

Although patent foramen ovale may be present since birth without giving clinical signs, it may represent a common enough cause of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome and other vascular complications in the elderly.
Statin usage, vascular diagnosis and vascular risk factors in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Cheng Kelvin KW , Swallow Diane MA , Grosset Katherine A , Grosset Donald G
Published: August 2017

Background and aims

Vascular disease is a common comorbidity in Parkinson’s disease patients. Statins are potentially neuroprotective for Parkinson’s disease through non-vascular mechanisms. We investigated prevailing statin use in a Parkinson’s disease cohort.

Methods and results

Data on diagnostic indication for statins, anti-Parkinson therapy, vascular risk factors, and statin prescription, were obtained from electronic medical record review for consecutive Parkinson’s disease patients. The ASsessing cardiac risk using Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network system was used to calculate future cardiovascular risk and identify those warranting statin use. Of 441 patients included, 59.9% were male, with a mean age of 68.9 years (standard deviation 10.3). One hundred and seventy-four (39.5%) patients had at least one diagnostic indication for statin use, of whom 136 (78.2%) were prescribed a statin. In the 267 (60.5%) cases without a diagnostic indication, 54 (20.2%) were excluded owing to age limitations defined in ASsessing cardiac risk using Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Of the remaining 213, 62 (29.1%) had an ASsessing cardiac risk using Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network score in the recommended range for statin therapy, of whom 15 (24.1%) were prescribed statins.

Conclusion

There is suboptimal implementation of statin therapy in Parkinson’s disease patients. Given the possible neuroprotective effects of statins in Parkinson’s disease in addition to reducing cardiovascular risk, reasons for suboptimal implementation warrant further investigation.
Tuberculosis in healthcare workers, Scotland
Authors: Pollock Kevin G , McDonald Eisin , Smith-Palmer Alison , Johnston Fiona , Ahmed Syed
Published: August 2017

In an attempt to explore healthcare worker acquisition of tuberculosis infection, we conducted population-based surveillance of all cases recorded as healthcare workers reported to Enhanced Surveillance of Mycobacterial Infection from 2000 to 2015. Over the study period, the mean incidence rate of tuberculosis among all healthcare workers was 15.4 per 100,000 healthcare workers. However, the incidence rate of tuberculosis amongst those healthcare workers born outside the UK was 164.8 per 100,000 compared with 5.0 per 100,000 UK-born healthcare workers. Fifty-seven per cent of all non-UK-born healthcare workers were diagnosed within five years of their arrival in the UK and would have been new entrants to the NHS. An effective new entrant occupational health screening programme for latent tuberculosis infection may have prevented some of these active cases of infection.
Associations Between Profiles of Communication About Aging and Quality of Life for Middle-Aged and Older American Adults
Authors: Gasiorek Jessica , Barile John P.
Published: August 2017

The association between how middle-aged and older adults talk about aging and their quality of life was examined using latent profile analysis and regression techniques. Two-hundred eight-six adults with an average age of 52.82 (range: 45–77) completed an online questionnaire, which assessed participants’ self-reported communication about aging, stress, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction with life. Controlling for social support and demographics, participants’ profile of communication about aging was found to predict satisfaction with life, stress, and mental health but not general or physical health.
Educating the Professional Military
Authors: Mukherjee Anit
Published: August 2017

This article analyzes the ways in which civil–military relations shape professional military education (PME). Its main argument is that military education benefits from a civil–military partnership. In doing so, the article examines the role of civil–military relations in shaping PME in India. While describing the evolution of military education in India, it analyzes its weaknesses and argues that this is primarily due to its model of civil–military relations, with a limited role for civilians. Theoretically, this argument challenges Samuel Huntington’s notion of “objective control”—which envisaged a strict separation between the civil and military domains. Conceptually, this article argues for a greater dialogue on military education among civilians, both policy makers and academics, and military officers and not to leave it to the military’s domain—as is currently the practice in most countries.
Using Peer-Mediated Literacy-Based Behavioral Interventions to Increase First Aid Safety Skills in Students With Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Kearney Kelly B. , Brady Michael P. , Hall Kalynn , Honsberger Toby
Published: August 2017

Many adolescents with developmental disabilities do not learn the safety skills needed to maintain physical well-being in domestic and community environments. Literacy-based behavioral interventions (LBBIs) that combine print, pictures, and behavioral rehearsal are effective for promoting acquisition and maintenance of self-care skills, but have not been investigated as safety skill intervention. Also, LBBIs have primarily been implemented by teachers and other professionals. In this study, a peer partner was taught to deliver an LBBI story to students so they would learn to perform a basic first aid routine: cleaning and dressing a wound. Results showed that students’ accuracy with the first aid routine increased after a peer delivered the LBBI instructional package, and maintained after the peer stopped delivering it. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the LBBI instructional package for teaching first aid safety skills, and extends previous research showing the efficacy of peers in delivering this intervention.
Rawls’s Wide Reflective Equilibrium as a Method for Engaged Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Authors: Doorn Neelke , Taebi Behnam
Published: August 2017

The introduction of new technologies in society is sometimes met with public resistance. Supported by public policy calls for “upstream engagement” and “responsible innovation,” recent years have seen a notable rise in attempts to attune research and innovation processes to societal needs, so that stakeholders’ concerns are taken into account in the design phase of technology. Both within the social sciences and in the ethics of technology, we see many interdisciplinary collaborations being initiated that aim to address tensions between various normative expectations about science and engineering and the actual outcomes. However, despite pleas to integrate social science research into the ethics of technology, effective normative models for assessing technologies are still scarce. Rawls’s wide reflective equilibrium (WRE) is often mentioned as a promising approach to integrate insights from the social sciences in the normative analysis of concrete cases, but an in-depth discussion of how this would work in practice is still lacking. In this article, we explore to what extent the WRE method can be used in the context of technology development. Using cases in engineering and technology development, we discuss three issues that are currently neglected in the applied ethics literature on WRE. The first issue concerns the operationalization of abstract background theories to moral principles. The second issue concerns the inclusiveness of the method and the demand for openness. The third issue is how to establish whether or not an equilibrium has been reached. These issues should be taken into account when applying the methods to real-world cases involving technological risks. Applying the WRE method in the context of engaged interdisciplinary collaboration requires sensitivity for issues of power and representativeness to properly deal with the dynamics between the technical and normative researchers involved as well as society at large.
Outreaching, Outsourcing, and Disembedding
Authors: Heidenreich Sara
Published: August 2017

The role of the individual scientist as a socialization agent (i.e., an actor who contributes to embedding technology into society) is increasingly emphasized in science policy. This article analyzes offshore wind scientists’ narratives about science–technology–society relations and their role in them. It particularly focuses on the nuanced and detailed reasons that scientists give for their level of engagement with society. The analysis is based on semistructured individual and focus group interviews with thirty-five scientists. It finds a diversity of narratives related to the questions of whether socialization of technology is needed and which approaches to socialization scientists should pursue. The six narratives identified are (1) upstream engagement, (2) design against resistance, (3) the outreaching scientist, (4) the difficulty of outreach, (5) the outsourcing scientist, and (6) disembedded development of technology. Despite the importance attributed to scientists for the socialization of science and technology, most interviewed scientists did not embrace their role as socialization agent. Based on the scientists’ narratives, this article argues that we should rethink both who should be responsible for socialization and what should be the object of sciences’ engagement with society.
Estimation of the Percentage of Newly Diagnosed HIV-Positive Persons Linked to HIV Medical Care in CDC-Funded HIV Testing Programs
Authors: Wang Guoshen , Pan Yi , Seth Puja , Song Ruiguang , Belcher Lisa
Published: August 2017

Missing data create challenges for determining progress made in linking HIV-positive persons to HIV medical care. Statistical methods are not used to address missing program data on linkage. In 2014, 61 health department jurisdictions were funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and submitted data on HIV testing, newly diagnosed HIV-positive persons, and linkage to HIV medical care. Missing or unusable data existed in our data set. A new approach using multiple imputation to address missing linkage data was proposed, and results were compared to the current approach that uses data with complete information. There were 12,472 newly diagnosed HIV-positive persons from CDC-funded HIV testing events in 2014. Using multiple imputation, 94.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): [93.7%, 94.6%]) of newly diagnosed persons were referred to HIV medical care, 88.6% (95% CI: [88.0%, 89.1%]) were linked to care within any time frame, and 83.6% (95% CI: [83.0%, 84.3%]) were linked to care within 90 days. Multiple imputation is recommended for addressing missing linkage data in future analyses when the missing percentage is high. The use of multiple imputation for missing values can result in a better understanding of how programs are performing on key HIV testing and HIV service delivery indicators.
Measuring Opportunities for Engaging in Meaningful Home-Based Activities in Housing Services for People With Psychiatric Disabilities: Development of the Perceived Meaning of Activity in Housing (PMA-H)
Authors: Eklund Mona , Brunt David
Published: August 2017

There is a scarcity of instruments for assessing opportunities for residents with psychiatric disabilities to engage in meaningful home-based activities. We thus developed the Perceived Meaning of Activity in Housing (PMA-H), containing four subscales (activity opportunities, social interaction, developing as a person, and organization and planning). The aim of the study was to investigate the content validity, utility, internal consistency and concurrent and criterion validity of the PMA-H, as well as possible floor and ceiling effects. One hundred and fifty-five residents in supported housing (SH) and 111 in ordinary housing with support (OHS) completed the PMA-H. The SH group also competed the Community-Oriented Programs Environment Scale (COPES). A majority of the participants found the content of the PMA-H relevant, easy to complete, and the time for completion as reasonable. Internal consistency varied between 0.85 and 0.92 for the subscales. Logical associations with COPES indicated construct validity. The subscales social interaction and developing as a person could discriminate between the SH and OHS groups, whereas activity opportunities could not. No floor or ceiling effects were found. This study indicated adequate initial psychometric properties of the PMA-H. It can thus be used in housing settings to assess the residents’ perceived opportunities for meaningful activity in the housing context.
Pensions planning in the UK: A gendered challenge
Authors: Foster Liam , Heneghan Martin
Published: August 2017

Gender differences in the accumulation of pension savings are well documented. Work in this field has concluded that while differing lifetime work profiles (and family history) explained much of the difference, other factors such as pension knowledge and confidence in decision-making, may also be significant. This research, commissioned by the Fawcett Society and funded by Scottish Widows, explores some of these factors through the use of 30 semi-structured interviews and a focus group with women (aged 24–39) about their attitudes and motivations towards pension saving. It concentrates on discussions around pension knowledge, advice and decision-making, and identifies challenges in relation to women’s pension knowledge and the use of male ‘role models’ in making decisions. The article then explores potential policy mechanisms to enhance women’s pension saving for retirement, including the manner in which information and advice is provided and strategies to improve confidence in pension decision-making.
Peer Victimization Predicts Sleep Problems in Early Adolescence
Authors: Tu Kelly M. , Spencer Clayton W. , El-Sheikh Mona , Erath Stephen A.
Published: August 2017

This study examined the prospective association between peer victimization and subjective sleep quality among typically developing early adolescents. At Time 1 (T1), participants included 123 youth (50% boys; [Formula: see text] age = 12.03 years; 58.5% European American, 35% African American), along with one parent and teacher. Youth, parents, and teachers reported on youth’s experiences of peer victimization at T1. Youth reported on sleep quality at T1 and T2 (10 months later). Results from regression analyses revealed that youth-reported, but not parent- or teacher-reported, peer victimization predicted poorer sleep quality over time. Findings provide evidence that experiences of peer victimization can have a negative impact on youth’s sleep quality over time.
Effects of glucose control on arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension: An observational study
Authors: Chang Sangah , Kim Jihyun , Sohn Taeseo , Son Hyunshik , Lee Jungmin
Published: August 2017

Objective

We evaluated the association of glucose control with changes in arterial stiffness, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress markers.

Methods

Sixty-four patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] ≥ 9%) and hypertension were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups based on their post-treatment HbA1c level: HbA1c ≤ 7% (well-controlled group, n = 28) and HbA1c > 7% (uncontrolled group, n = 36). The pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress were measured and analyzed.

Results

The patients’ mean baseline HbA1c level was 11.7%. There were no differences in any baseline parameters between the two groups except the duration of diabetes. The mean HbA1c level was significantly lower at 12 weeks in the well-controlled than uncontrolled group (6.1% vs. 9.0%, respectively), but there were no significant differences in the pulse wave velocity (0.33 ± 0.95 vs. 0.36 ± 1.44 m/s), aortic augmentation index (5.1 ± 8.3 vs. 0.7 ± 11.6), or markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.

Conclusions

Short-term glycemic control did not influence the arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
Material politics of images: Visualising future transport infrastructures
Authors: Bissell David , Fuller Gillian
Published: August 2017

Cities around the world are suffering from mobility infrastructure crises. Governments are responding to these crises through different ‘fixes’. Mobilities researchers have analysed these fixes in terms of who they privilege and who they neglect. Yet little has been said about the actual materials that are used to garner support for these fixes, with analysis often focusing on the symbolic rhetoric of talk and text. This article develops geographical thought about the material agency of images by reflecting on four types of image-object used by WestConnex, a private motorway that is the proposed ‘fix’ to Sydney’s drivetime crisis. It does this to speculate on how different forms of geovisualisation might gain their authority through the material agencies of the images themselves, rather than just being the passive representations of a supposedly dominant power. In doing so, this article develops geographical understandings of the multiple ways that images participate in the production of future infrastructures.
Childhood Trauma, Trait Anxiety, and Anxious Attachment as Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence in College Students
Authors: McClure Margaret M. , Parmenter Megan
Published: August 2017

The current study investigates the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV), childhood trauma, trait anxiety, depression, and anxious attachment in college students. Ninety-three male and 161 female undergraduate students at Fairfield University, ranging in age from 17 to 23, with a mean age of 18.8 years, participated. Participants completed five self-report inventories: The Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (CADRI), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS). IPV perpetration in college dating relationships was related to childhood emotional and physical abuse, emotional and physical neglect, and trait anxiety. IPV victimization in college dating relationships was related to childhood emotional and physical abuse, childhood emotional and physical neglect, and an anxious attachment style. IPV perpetration and victimization were also significantly correlated with one another. Subscale analyses suggest that childhood emotional abuse was related to being both the perpetrator and victim of verbal or emotional abuse in dating relationships. Childhood physical abuse, physical neglect, and emotional abuse were related to both perpetration and victimization of physical IPV. Threatening behavior perpetration in dating relationships was related to childhood emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, and physical neglect; however, being the victim of threatening behavior was only related to childhood emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect, not childhood physical abuse. These results support the relationship between childhood trauma and dating violence in college students. They also support a role for anxiety in IPV, although trait anxiety was related to perpetration and an anxious attachment style was correlated with IPV victimization. In addition, they suggest that different experiences of childhood trauma may relate to different aspects of IPV in college dating relationships.
Controlling Behaviors and Intimate Partner Violence Among Women in Spain: An Examination of Individual, Partner, and Relationship Risk Factors for Physical and Psychological Abuse
Authors: Aizpurua Eva , Copp Jennifer , Ricarte Jorge J. , Vázquez David
Published: August 2017

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to a broad range of negative consequences. Thus, early detection and prevention of behaviors associated with IPV is necessary to combat this global public health problem. Controlling behaviors (CBs) within the intimate context, including acts to constrain free mobility or access to friends and relatives, have been characterized as a moderate form of violence and may be an indicator of more severe IPV. Previous research in this field, however, has been primarily conducted in the United States. Accordingly, we lack knowledge of similar findings in other countries to draw more general conclusions about observed associations between these variables, and to identify underlying mechanisms. The current study analyzes the role of control within the Spanish context by examining its correlates, as well as the role and impact of CBs on psychological and physical violence. To achieve these objectives, we use data from the Spanish sample of the Violence Against Women Survey carried out by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights ( N = 1,520 adult women). The results indicated that young women, women with a previous history of physical/sexual abuse during childhood, and women who have resided in Spain for fewer years are at greater risk of experiencing control within the context of an ongoing relationship. Partner risk factors included frequent episodes of drunkenness and general violence (i.e., violence outside of the home). In addition, control was more frequently reported among couples where the man was older than the woman. As hypothesized, women who reported CB by their partners were more likely to experience psychological and physical violence. These findings emphasize the importance of preventing CBs to avert the most severe forms of violence, and provides relevant information about the groups that could most benefit from these efforts.
Understanding Gender Differences in Rape Victim Blaming: The Power of Social Influence and Just World Beliefs
Authors: Pinciotti Caitlin M. , Orcutt Holly K.
Published: August 2017

Victims of sexual violence are frequently blamed by friends, family, or legal personnel in the aftermath of an attack, with men attributing greater blame on average than women. Victims’ experiences of being blamed may generate a vicious cycle in which they are more likely to be blamed in the future. Moreover, just world beliefs (JWB) have been studied extensively as an underlying cognitive mechanism that predicts greater blame. Studies examining the influence of social support on blame have yet to examine the unique role of JWB on these attributions. The current study examined blame attribution of a fictional rape victim who received either positive, negative, or neutral support from friends and family in a sample of 383 undergraduate men and women. Individually, social support and JWB were both significant predictors of blame, and women were more influenced by social support than men; specifically, gender was a more salient predictor of blame toward the positively supported victim, suggesting that positive support received by friends and family may evoke a domino effect of support from other women. Conditional effects revealed that JWB were most influential on blame when responding to the positively supported victim. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Mediating Factors Explaining the Association Between Sexual Minority Status and Dating Violence
Authors: Martin-Storey Alexa , Fromme Kim
Published: August 2017

Dating violence presents a serious threat for individual health and well-being. A growing body of literature suggests that starting in adolescence, individuals with sexual minority identities (e.g., individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual) may be at an increased risk for dating violence compared with heterosexuals. Research has not, however, identified the mechanisms that explain this vulnerability. Using a diverse sample of young adults ( n = 2,474), the current study explored how minority stress theory, revictimization theory, sex of sexual partners, and risky sexual behavior explained differences in dating violence between sexual minority and heterosexual young adults. Initial analyses suggested higher rates of dating violence among individuals who identified as bisexual, and individuals who identified as gay or lesbian when compared with heterosexuals, and further found that these associations failed to differ across gender. When mediating and control variables were included in the analyses, however, the association between both sexual minority identities and higher levels of dating violence became nonsignificant. Of particular interest was the role of discrimination, which mediated the association between bisexual identity and dating violence. Other factors, including sex and number of sexual partners, alcohol use, and childhood maltreatment, were associated with higher rates of dating violence but did not significantly explain vulnerability among sexual minority individuals compared with their heterosexual peers. These findings suggest the importance of minority stress theory in explaining vulnerability to dating violence victimization among bisexuals in particular, and generally support the importance of sexual-minority specific variables in understanding risk for dating violence within this vulnerable population.
Structural bionic design for a machine tool column based on leaf veins
Authors: Gao Hanjun , Sun Jianfei , Chen Wuyi , Zhang Yidu , Wu Qiong
Published: August 2017

Some biological structures, such as leaf veins, bamboo and animal bones, have excellent mechanical properties after millions of years evolution. By studying the distribution characteristics of biological structures, the performances of mechanical components can be improved using structural bionic design method. In this paper, the internal stiffening ribs of a machine tool column are rearranged based on the structure of leaf veins, and a bionic column is designed. Static and modal analysis of the conventional and bionic column is conducted to investigate the static and dynamic performances by finite element method. Then, static loading experiment and modal test are carried out for further verification. The simulation results have good agreement with the experiment results. Compared with the conventional column, the maximum deformation of the bionic column in experiment is reduced by 24.69%, and the first six-order natural frequencies of bionic column are increased by 48.39%, 12.98%, 10.70%, 5.11%, 3.07%, and 8.44%, respectively.