bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Generalizability of a Large Streamlined Cardiovascular Trial
Authors: Yeh Robert W. , Czarny Matthew J. , Normand Sharon-Lise T. , Kereiakes Dean J. , Holmes David R. , Brindis Ralph G. , Weaver W. Douglas , Rumsfeld John S. , Roe Matthew T. , Kim Sunghee , Driscoll-Shempp Priscilla , Mauri Laura
Published: November 2014

Background—

The Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Study is large streamlined clinical trial designed to evaluate antiplatelet treatment strategies in a broadly inclusive population of subjects treated with coronary stents. Whether large streamlined trials can successfully include a representative group of study sites and patients has not been formally assessed.

Methods and Results—

Within the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry, we compared characteristics and outcomes of hospitals participating versus not participating in the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Study. We also compared clinical and procedural characteristics of trial subjects undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents to contemporaneous patients within the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry. Standardized differences between groups were estimated. Between September 2009 and July 2011, 1.1 million PCIs were performed among 1276 hospitals, of which 309 (24.2%) participated in the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Study. Participating hospitals were larger (468 versus 311 beds), more frequently located in urban settings (61.2% versus 42.6%), and had higher annual PCI volumes (858 versus 378) compared with nonparticipating hospitals, although hospital case mix and procedural outcomes were similar. Compared with CathPCI patients, trial patients undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stents were similar with respect to race, sex, and rates of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and smoking, although they had lower rates of prior cardiovascular disease.

Conclusions—

Within the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Study, clinical trial sites had similar patient case mix and clinical outcomes as nonparticipating sites. Although trial participants were representative of PCI patients with respect to race, sex and most comorbidities, they had a lower prevalence of chronic cardiovascular disease compared with registry patients. Although a streamlined cardiovascular clinical trial may successfully involve a large number of hospitals and rapidly enroll a diverse population of patients, differences between eligible patients and those actually enrolled remained.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00977938.
Global Coronary Flow Reserve Is Associated With Adverse Cardiovascular Events Independently of Luminal Angiographic Severity and Modifies the Effect of Early Revascularization
Authors: Taqueti Viviany R. , Hachamovitch Rory , Murthy Venkatesh L. , Naya Masanao , Foster Courtney R. , Hainer Jon , Dorbala Sharmila , Blankstein Ron , Di Carli Marcelo F.
Published: November 2014

Background—

Coronary flow reserve (CFR), an integrated measure of focal, diffuse, and small-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD), identifies patients at risk for cardiac death. We sought to determine the association between CFR, angiographic CAD, and cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods and Results—

Consecutive patients (n=329) referred for invasive coronary angiography after stress testing with myocardial perfusion positron emission tomography were followed (median 3.1 years) for cardiovascular death and heart failure admission. The extent and severity of angiographic disease were estimated with the use of the CAD prognostic index, and CFR was measured noninvasively by positron emission tomography. A modest inverse correlation was seen between CFR and CAD prognostic index (
r
=−0.26;
P
<0.0001). After adjustment for clinical risk score, ejection fraction, global ischemia, and early revascularization, CFR and CAD prognostic index were independently associated with events (hazard ratio for unit decrease in CFR, 2.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.20–3.40;
P
=0.008; hazard ratio for 10-U increase in CAD prognostic index, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.34;
P
=0.032). Subjects with low CFR experienced rates of events similar to those of subjects with high angiographic scores, and those with low CFR or high CAD prognostic index showed the highest risk of events (
P
=0.001). There was a significant interaction (
P
=0.039) between CFR and early revascularization by coronary artery bypass grafting, such that patients with low CFR who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, but not percutaneous coronary intervention, experienced event rates comparable to those with preserved CFR, independently of revascularization.

Conclusions—

CFR was associated with outcomes independently of angiographic CAD and modified the effect of early revascularization. Diffuse atherosclerosis and associated microvascular dysfunction may contribute to the pathophysiology of cardiovascular death and heart failure, and impact the outcomes of revascularization.
The Radiant Desire of Jomama Jones
Authors: Jones Daniel Alexander , Glassman Matthew
Published: November 2014

Radiate, featuring the alter ego Jomama Jones, reveals a link to the tradition of radical love at the heart of black and queer theatre, and explores the many facets of desire.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies of Human Time Perception: A Primer
Authors: Wiener Martin
Published: November 2014

The study of the neural basis of time perception has seen a resurgence of interest within the past decade. A variety of these studies have included the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive technique for stimulating discrete regions of the surface of the brain. Here, the results of these studies are reviewed and their conclusions are interpreted within a context-dependent framework. However, the use of TMS as an investigatory technique has much unexplored potential that may be particularly beneficial to the study of time perception. As such, considerations are made regarding the design of TMS studies of time perception and future directions are outlined that may be utilized to further elucidate the neural basis of timing in the human brain.
The Varieties of Presence: Hierarchical Levels of Temporal Integration
Authors: Montemayor Carlos , Wittmann Marc
Published: November 2014

We propose a hierarchical, three-level analysis of the present, in terms of simultaneity of events, experienced presence, and an extended mental presence containing the narrative self. The literature on the philosophy, psychology and neuroscience of time consciousness does not precisely distinguish these varieties of presence: first, a functional moment of perception in the range of milliseconds defines what is simultaneous and successive. Below a certain threshold events are processed as co-temporal. Secondly, the experienced moment of two to three seconds is related to a temporal-processing mechanism enabling conscious experience of the present moment. Thirdly, the continuity of experience is formed by working memory in the range of multiple seconds leading to the sense of mental presence over time, generating a temporal platform for the narrative self. These varieties of presence help solve puzzles pertaining to duration and simultaneity.
Sawflies of the genus Emphytopsis (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) associated with Stewartia (Theaceae) in Japan
Authors: Shinohara Akihiko , Saito Takeshi , Ibuki Shin-ichi , Ibuki Shin-ichi , Hara Hideho
Published: November 2014

Japanese species of the sawfly genus Emphytopsis Wei & Nie, 1998, are reviewed and the following four species are recognized and keyed: E. flatoserrula Wei, 2011, from Kyushu, E. nigromaculata (Takeuchi, 1952) from Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, E. shinoharai Wei & Niu, 2011, from Honshu and Shikoku, and E. vernalis Shinohara, n. sp., from Honshu and Kyushu. Stewartia pseudocamellia Maxim. (Theaceae) is recorded as a host plant for E. nigromaculata and E. vernalis and the larvae of these two species are briefly described. The life history of these two species is discussed based on field observations and rearing records.
A new species of the genus Bathylagichthys (Pisces, Bathylagidae) from New Zealand
Authors: GON OFER , STEWART ANDREW L.
Published: November 2014

Bathylagichthys kobylianskyi n. sp. is described from specimens collected during fisheries surveys of the Exclusive Economic Zone of New Zealand. It was previously misidentified as B. problematicus, from which it differs in having fewer vertebrae (43–45 versus 49–51) and more gill rakers (usually 27–31 versus 25–28). Bathylagichthys kobylianskyi n. sp. is closely related to B. greyae of the Atlantic Ocean as both have two branchiostegal rays and a short supraorbital. The latter species differs from B. kobylianskyi n. sp. in having a more slender body, fewer gill rakers and modally higher number of vertebrae and anal-fin rays.
Thestral incognitus, a new genus and species of Pentatomidae from Chile (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Carpocorini)
Authors: FAÚNDEZ EDUARDO I. , RIDER DAVID A.
Published: November 2014

Thestral incognitus, new genus and species of Pentatomidae (Pentatominae: Carpocorini) is described from central Chile. The relationships among this new genus and other South American genera are discussed.  Also, similarities are noted between Thestral and the Australian genus Poecilotoma. Poecilotoma is tentatively placed in the Carpocorini. A key to aid in the recognition of the genera of Chilean Carpocorini is provided.
A Further Study of ENSO Rectification: Results from an OGCM with a Seasonal Cycle*
Authors: Hua Lijuan , Yu Yongqiang , Sun De-Zheng
Published: November 2014

The potential role that rectification of ENSO plays as a viable mechanism to generate climate anomalies on the decadal and longer time scales demands a thorough study of this process. In this paper, rectification of ENSO was studied using an ocean GCM that has a realistic seasonal cycle. In addition to conducting a pair of forced ocean GCM experiments with and without ENSO fluctuations, as done in a previous study, a forced experiment was also conducted with the sign of wind anomalies reversed, with the goal of clarifying the role of the asymmetry in the wind forcing and more generally to better understand the nonlinear dynamics responsible for the rectification. It is found that the rectification effect of ENSO is to cool the western Pacific warm pool and warm the eastern equatorial Pacific. Further, it is found that when the sign of the wind stress anomalies is reversed the impact of the rectification on the mean state remains almost unchanged. This lack of change is further explained by noting that the upper-ocean temperature and velocity anomalies (T′, u′, υ′, and w′) are found to respond to the wind stress anomalies linearly, except for the strongest El Niño years. Thus, the correlation between T′ and (u′, υ′, w′) [and thus the nonlinear dynamical heating (NDH)] remains the same when the sign of the wind stress anomalies is reversed. Indeed, the spatial patterns of NDH in all four seasons are found to resemble the rectified effect of ENSO in the mean temperature field in the respective seasons, indicating the critical role of NDH in the rectification.
“World Theory”
Authors: Labov Jessie
Published: November 2014

This short essay proposes that East European literary and cultural studies attempt to broaden the theoretical and methodological scope of its practices, in order to reach audiences outside of our home disciplines which are both conceptually and institutionally threatened. Several examples of new directions in the field are discussed in order to illustrate possibly productive modes of inquiry. The term “World Theory” is not intended to be a long-lasting one; rather, an analogy to the turn in literary studies that led to World Literature breaking canonical boundaries and offering many new objects of analysis. This route is of course only one of many useful approaches to the future of East European Literary Studies, but it is a necessary one if we are to play a key role in related disciplines, and not just be subsumed by them.
“The End of the Story?”
Authors: Grudzińska-Gross Irena
Published: November 2014

Introduction to the selection of the papers presented at a two-day workshop “The End of the Story?” Problems and Perspectives of East European Literary Studies,” held at Princeton University on 8–9 February 2013.
The Limits of State Sovereignty : Darfur Crisis and the United Nations
Authors: Ojo Olusola , Folarin Sheriff
Published: November 2014

The genocide in Darfur, Sudan has left over 300,000 dead, thus bringing the death toll in the entire Sudanese conflicts from 1956 to almost 2 million people and the number of displaced persons to over 2 million. The exacerbation of the crisis is traceable to the government's complicity exemplified by its standing order to the United Nations to stay off and evacuate its monitors in what it considered an entirely Sudanese affair that could be resolved without external interference. However, considering the limits of state sovereignty in the modern international system, where membership of the UN, the existence of the Geneva Convention on the Laws of War, Humanitarian Law and other subsisting legal frameworks on war crimes erode absolute sovereignty, the Sudanese government cannot hide under the non-interference in the internal affairs of states clause to prevent the international community from intervention in Darfur. This probably explains the recent approval by the Government of Sudan to finally allow UN-AU troops to jointly restore security, bowing to intense international pressure to do so.
How Much Can a Smart Parking System Save You?
Authors: Surpris Glenn , Liu Dahai , Vincenzi Dennis
Published: November 2014

We conducted this study to investigate the effect of smart parking systems on parking search times in large parking lots. Smart parking systems are systems that provide real-time parking spot availability information to drivers. We used discrete event simulation to model a university parking lot and estimate how much time could be saved without physically implementing a system for experimentation. We found that smart parking systems can reduce search times by an average of 11 s. This shows potential for a multi-lot smart parking system that might save a larger amount of time and reduce harmful vehicle emissions.
Is Global Warming a Challenge to Human Factors/Ergonomics?
Authors: Nickerson Raymond S.
Published: November 2014

Global warming has not been a major focus of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E), but interest in the problem and in the question of what HF/E professionals might have to contribute to its solution or to the mitigation of undesirable effects appears to be growing. Here I note three ways in which HF/E science is well positioned to contribute: promotion of a systems-approach perspective, development of effective tools for dealing with the problem, and performance of focused behavioral research.
Analytic Review as a Solution to the Misreporting of Statistical Results in Psychological Science
Authors: Sakaluk John , Williams Alexander , Biernat Monica
Published: November 2014

In this article, we propose analytic review (AR) as a solution to the problem of misreporting statistical results in psychological science. AR requires authors submitting manuscripts for publication to also submit the data file and syntax used during analyses. Regular reviewers or statistical experts then review reported analyses in order to verify that the analyses reported were actually conducted and that the statistical values are accurately reported. We begin by describing the problem of misreporting in psychology and introduce the basic AR process. We then highlight both primary and secondary benefits of adopting AR and describe different permutations of the AR system, each of which has its own strengths and limitations. We conclude by attempting to dispel three anticipated concerns about AR: that it will increase the workload placed on scholars, that it will infringe on the traditional peer-review process, and that it will hurt the image of the discipline of psychology. Although implementing AR will add one more step to the bureaucratic publication process, we believe it can be implemented in an efficient manner that would greatly assist in decreasing the frequency and impact of misreporting while also providing secondary benefits in other domains of scientific integrity.
Beyond Power Calculations
Authors: Gelman Andrew , Carlin John
Published: November 2014

Statistical power analysis provides the conventional approach to assess error rates when designing a research study. However, power analysis is flawed in that a narrow emphasis on statistical significance is placed as the primary focus of study design. In noisy, small-sample settings, statistically significant results can often be misleading. To help researchers address this problem in the context of their own studies, we recommend design calculations in which (a) the probability of an estimate being in the wrong direction ( Type S [ sign] error) and (b) the factor by which the magnitude of an effect might be overestimated ( Type M [ magnitude] error or exaggeration ratio) are estimated. We illustrate with examples from recent published research and discuss the largest challenge in a design calculation: coming up with reasonable estimates of plausible effect sizes based on external information.
A theoretical approach to optimal association control in vehicular Wi-Fi networks
Authors: Hwang Jaeryong , Choi Jaehyuk , Yoo Joon , Kim Chong-kwon
Published: November 2014

The recent ubiquitous deployment of Wi-Fi access points (APs) has offered vehicles to use the high-speed and low-cost Internet service via the roadside APs. However, the high mobility of vehicles and the limited coverage of APs render some challenges. First, it results in frequent handoffs, thus leading to long delay and low service availability. Second, the available AP sets and their channel quality change dynamically, making the AP selection problem even harder. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop an efficient association control mechanism that provides efficient vehicular Wi-Fi access. In this paper, we present a theoretical framework to formulate the optimal association problem through non-linear integer programming, whose objective function is to maximize the throughput or to minimize the handoff overhead. We show that this problem holds the totally unimodular (TU) property and is thus solvable in polynomial time. Then, we study the optimality of association control by comparing existing online algorithms through real trace-based simulations. The results show that there exists a large performance gap between the performance of existing online algorithms and the optimal one. We also observe that the association control algorithm can be further improved if it has access to future knowledge. Particularly, the offline optimal with future AP information improves the performance of the local optimal by up to 10%.
Inferring disease transmission networks at a metapopulation level
Authors: Yang Xiaofei , Liu Jiming , Zhou Xiao-Nong , Cheung William KW
Published: November 2014

Background

To investigate transmission patterns of an infectious disease, e.g., malaria, it is desirable to use the observed surveillance data to discover the underlying (often hidden) disease transmission networks. Previous studies have provided methods for inferring information diffusion networks in which each node corresponds to an individual person. However, in the case of disease transmission, to effectively propose and implement intervention strategies, it is more realistic and reasonable for policy makers to study the diffusion patterns at a metapopulation level when the disease transmission is affected by mobile population, that is, to consider disease transmission networks in which nodes represent subpopulations, and links indicate their interrelationships.

Results

A network inference method called NetEpi (Network Epidemic) is developed and evaluated using both synthetic and real-world datasets. The experimental results show that NetEpi can not only recover most of the ground-truth disease transmission networks using only surveillance data, but also find a malaria transmission network based on a real-world dataset. The inferred malaria network can characterize the real-world observations to a certain extent. In addition, it also discloses some hidden phenomenon.

Conclusions

This research addresses the problem of inferring disease transmission networks at a metapopulation level. Such networks can be useful in several ways: (i) to investigate hidden impact factors that influence epidemic dynamics, (ii) to reveal possible sources of epidemic outbreaks, and (iii) to practically develop and/or improve strategies for controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
Genome-wide RIP-Chip analysis of translational repressor-bound mRNAs in the Plasmodium gametocyte
Authors: Guerreiro Ana , Deligianni Elena , Santos Jorge M , Silva Patricia AGC , Louis Christos , Pain Arnab , Janse Chris J , Franke-Fayard Blandine , Carret Celine K , Siden-Kiamos Inga , Mair Gunnar R
Published: November 2014

Background

Following fertilization, the early proteomes of metazoans are defined by the translation of stored but repressed transcripts; further embryonic development relies on de novo transcription of the zygotic genome. During sexual development of Plasmodium berghei, a rodent model for human malaria species including P. falciparum, the stability of repressed mRNAs requires the translational repressors DOZI and CITH. When these repressors are absent, Plasmodium zygote development and transmission to the mosquito vector is halted, as hundreds of transcripts become destabilized. However, which mRNAs are direct targets of these RNA binding proteins, and thus subject to translational repression, is unknown.

Results

We identify the maternal mRNA contribution to post-fertilization development of P. berghei using RNA immunoprecipitation and microarray analysis. We find that 731 mRNAs, approximately 50% of the transcriptome, are associated with DOZI and CITH, allowing zygote development to proceed in the absence of RNA polymerase II transcription. Using GFP-tagging, we validate the repression phenotype of selected genes and identify mRNAs relying on the 5' untranslated region for translational control. Gene deletion reveals a novel protein located in the ookinete crystalloid with an essential function for sporozoite development.

Conclusions

Our study details for the first time the P. berghei maternal repressome. This mRNA population provides the developing ookinete with coding potential for key molecules required for life-cycle progression, and that are likely to be critical for the transmission of the malaria parasite from the rodent and the human host to the mosquito vector.
17beta-estradiol promotes the odonto/osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from apical papilla via mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway
Authors: Li Yao , Yan Ming , Wang Zilu , Zheng Yangyu , Li Junjun , Ma Shu , Liu Genxia , Yu Jinhua
Published: November 2014

Introduction

Estrogen plays an important role in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, while stem cells from apical papilla (SCAP) can contribute to the formation of dentin/bone-like tissues. To date, the effects of estrogen on the differentiation of SCAP remain unclear.

Methods

SCAP was isolated and treated with 10-7 M 17beta-estradiol (E2). The odonto/osteogenic potency and the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway were subsequently investigated by using methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assay, and other methods.

Results

MTT and flow cytometry results demonstrated that E2 treatment had no effect on the proliferation of SCAP in vitro, while alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay and alizarin red staining showed that E2 can significantly promote ALP activity and mineralization ability in SCAP. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot assay revealed that the odonto/osteogenic markers (ALP, DMP1/DMP1, DSPP/DSP, RUNX2/RUNX2, OSX/OSX and OCN/OCN) were significantly upregulated in E2-treated SCAP. In addition, the expression of phosphor-p38 and phosphor-JNK in these stem cells was enhanced by E2 treatment, as was the expression of the nuclear downstream transcription factors including phosphor-Sp1, phosphor-Elk-1, phosphor-c-Jun and phosphor-c-Fos, indicating the activation of MAPK signaling pathway during the odonto/osteogenic differentiation of E2-treated SCAP. Conversely, the differentiation of E2-treated SCAP was inhibited in the presence of MAPK specific inhibitors.

Conclusions

The ondonto/osteogenic differentiation of SCAP is enhanced by 10-7 M 17beta-estradiol via the activation of MAPK signaling pathway.
Quantifying Corrosion between Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) and Steel Caused by High Temperature Marine Environments
Authors: Borrie Daniel , Raman RK Singh , Zhao Xiao-Ling , Adnan Nawshad
Published: November 2014

Research into carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP)'s application to steel as a retrofitting technique has shown very promising results for improving mechanical properties. However, the limitation of these materials in a corrosion inducing environment has generally been overlooked. In this study, the interaction of CFRP and steel in extreme weather conditions and the material characteristics in causing localised corrosion (e.g. pitting) were investigated, with the primary aim of quantifying pit depth. Pits are known to initiate fatigue cracks in steels. Steel tiles placed in direct contact with different varieties of CFRP were exposed to 5% NaCl solutions at two temperatures for different durations. The specimens were microscopically examined to find the existence of pits, their depth and density. Steel with prior grinding suffered negligible pitting, whereas the sand-blasting created distinct isolated regions where pitting was more commonly witnessed. However, the most relevant observation was that even after 6 months of exposure to the aggressive NaCl environment, whatever pitting occurred, it was found not to be overly critical in reducing the mechanical strength of the CFRP/steel bonds.
Thermo-Mechanical Characterization of VGCF-Modified Adhesive for Bond between CFRP and Concrete Subjected to Combined Effect of Temperature and Humidity
Authors: Al-Safy R.A. , Al-Mahaidi R. , Simon G.P. , Habsuda J.
Published: November 2014

Adhesives are employed in external strengthening of concrete structures by Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP). Carbon-based composites are currently the most common type used to increase the strength of concrete members. The application of Carbon Fibre fabrics (CF fabric) to concrete members involves the use of a compatible bonding agent, and it is the modification of such bonding agents that is investigated in this paper. The investigation involves examining the effects of adding different concentrations of vapour-grown carbon nanofibres (VGCF) (0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 1.5 wt% and 2 wt%) on the thermal and mechanical properties of the bonding agent. The effect of modification on the glass transition temperature and heat flow of the modified adhesive was explored using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) technique. It was found that Tg reduces slightly or remains the same with the addition of VGCF to Part A of the adhesive and the highest reduction in Tg was found when Part A was reinforced with 2 wt % VGCF. Agglomaration of the fibres was observed when VGCF was introduced into MBrace® Saturant epoxy adhesive using the speed mixer and a random orientation for the fibres was noted within the epoxy matrix. Peeling-off of CF fabric was the common failure mode as the loaded CFRP/concrete system was subjected to the combined effect of temperature and humidity after short periods of exposure to such severe conditions.
Towards Realistic Simulations of Sound Radiation by Moving Sources in Outdoor Environments
Authors: Dragna Didier , Blanc-Benon Philippe
Published: November 2014

PACS numbers:43.28.Js, 43.28.En, 43.20.El

A time-domain solver of the linearized Euler equations is used to study outdoor propagation of acoustic waves generated by broadband moving sources. For that, high-order schemes, developed initially in the computational aeroacoustics community, are employed. A time-domain impedance boundary condition recently proposed in the literature is implemented to deal with reflexion of acoustic waves over the ground. In addition, curvilinear coordinates are used to account for topographic effects. First, test cases show that long range sound propagation and diffraction by obstacles in three-dimensional geometries are accurately determined. Simulation of the acoustic radiation by a broadband monopole source moving above a perfectly reflecting plane is then considered. Numerical results are satisfactorily compared to those obtained from an analytical solution. At last, the case of a broadband source moving above a non-flat terrain, with an inhomogeneous impedance ground, is investigated. The effects of a topography defect on the acoustic field are examined.
Enhanced Propagation of Aviation Noise in Complex Environments: A Hybrid Approach
Authors: Rosenbaum Joyce E. , Boeker Eric
Published: November 2014

Accurate prediction of sound levels around airports and below flight paths can help faithfully represent the impact of aviation noise on communities. However, for large scale assessments, as are often performed by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administrationis environmental models, the accuracy of a model must be weighed against its efficiency. The hybrid propagation model (HPM) is capable of predicting propagation through complex environments. It is a composite of three methods—the generalized terrain parabolic equation (GTPE), fast field program (FFP), and straight ray models—each utilized in a different region of elevation angles from the source. If propagation conditions do not warrant use of the full model, one of the component models with faster runtime can be chosen as a surrogate. Analyses of cases using different source heights and including uneven terrain, refractive atmosphere, and ground type transitions, indicate when a detailed propagation model is needed, or when a simpler model is sufficient.
Penalty-Regulated Dynamics and Robust Learning Procedures in Games
Authors: Coucheney Pierre , Gaujal Bruno , Mertikopoulos Panayotis
Published: November 2014

Starting from a heuristic learning scheme for strategic N-person games, we derive a new class of continuous-time learning dynamics consisting of a replicator-like drift adjusted by a penalty term that renders the boundary of the game’s strategy space repelling. These penalty-regulated dynamics are equivalent to players keeping an exponentially discounted aggregate of their ongoing payoffs and then using a smooth best response to pick an action based on these performance scores. Owing to this inherent duality, the proposed dynamics satisfy a variant of the folk theorem of evolutionary game theory and they converge to (arbitrarily precise) approximations of Nash equilibria in potential games. Motivated by applications to traffic engineering, we exploit this duality further to design a discrete-time, payoff-based learning algorithm that retains these convergence properties and only requires players to observe their in-game payoffs. Moreover, the algorithm remains robust in the presence of stochastic perturbations and observation errors, and it does not require any synchronization between players.
Joint Assignment, Scheduling, and Routing Models to Home Care Optimization: A Pattern-Based Approach
Authors: Cappanera Paola , Scutellà Maria Grazia
Published: November 2014

The design of efficient home care services is a quite recent and challenging field of study. We propose an integrated approach that jointly addresses: (i) the assignment of operators to patients so as to guarantee the compatibility between skills associated with operators and patient visits; (ii) the scheduling of the visits in a given planning horizon; and (iii) the determination of the operator tours in every day of the planning horizon. The main home care problem we investigate refers to providers dedicated to palliative care and terminal patients. In this context, balancing objective functions are particularly relevant. Therefore, two balancing functions are studied, i.e., maxmin, which maximizes the minimum operator utilization factor, and minmax, which minimizes the maximum operator utilization factor. In both cases, the concept of pattern is introduced as a key tool to jointly address assignment, scheduling, and routing decisions, where a pattern specifies a possible schedule for skilled visits. The approach we propose is, however, able to cope with peculiarities from other home care contexts. Model extensions to handle scenarios other than the palliative one are discussed in the paper.

Extensive computational results are reported both on palliative home care instances based on real data, and on two real-world data sets from the literature, related to contexts very different from the palliative one. For both data sets the proposed approach is able to find solutions of good quality. In the palliative context, the results show that the selection of the pattern generation policy is crucial to solve large instances efficiently. Furthermore, the maxmin criterion is able to return more balanced solutions; i.e., the difference between the maximum and the minimum operator utilization factors is very small. On the other hand, the minmax criterion is more suitable for minimizing the operating costs, since it computes solutions with smaller total traveled time.
Food regulation changes
Authors: Martland Rebecca
Published: November 2014

This month, food regulations are being introduced that affect childminders who offer meals and snacks to children in their care. Here we offer you a brief overview of the changes.
Mythical creatures – the unicorn
Authors: Garner Lynne
Published: November 2014

This is the first article in our series that will be examining mythical beasts, their history, their place in storytelling and activities that will help children bring them to life once more.
Health visiting students' experience of practice: A personal tutor's observations
Authors: Shaw-Flach Adelle
Published: November 2014

In her role as a personal tutor to health visiting students, Adelle Shaw-Flach identified key issues in the student experience in practice. In this article, she explores these issues in an attempt to stimulate debate around the subject of health visitor practice education.
Research roundup: November 2014
Authors: Condon Louise , Murray Joy , Seal Joanne
Published: November 2014

In this section, a range of brief synopses of recently published articles that may be of interest to health visitors is presented. The aim of this roundup is to provide an overview, rather than a detailed summary, of the research papers selected. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided.
Health visiting research: Taking action
Authors: Bailey Beverley
Published: November 2014

Action research uses a collaborative approach to find solutions to problems in practice. Bev Bailey argues that newly qualified and student health visitors should get involved.
Is some compression better than none?
Authors: Hampton Sylvie
Published: November 2014

Compression therapy is the undisputed optimum treatment and must be standard care for venous insufficiency ulcers
Financial abuse—or deserved thanks?
Authors: Oliver Jo
Published: November 2014

Care home residents often feel grateful to the employees who care for them, so what could be more natural than wanting to give or leave them a gift? But is it really that simple? And how do we safeguard against potential abuse? Jo Oliver investigates
Engaging Patients with Digital Tools: What We Think We Know
Authors: Fox Brent I. , Felkey Bill G.
Published: November 2014

Patients who are engaged in their own care have better outcomes and cost the health care system less money. Creating the environment that supports patient engagement has been a recent focus across the United States, and digital tools have been suggested as an important piece of patient engagement. We discuss what we think we know about digital engagement, and present data of what is actually occurring.
ABC and GA Optimized NN to Model Resin Bonded Mould/Core Sand System: A Soft Computing-based Approach
Authors: Vundavilli Pandu R. , Surekha B. , Parappagoudar Mahesh B.
Published: November 2014

Resin bonded sand system is an emerging area, and it can be used to produce dimensionally accurate castings with good surface finish. In the present paper, experimental investigations are carried out on the resin bonded cores, to develop a non-linear mathematical model, using the concept of design of experiments. Subsequently, an artificial neural network (ANN) with four neurons each on input and output layers has been used to model the resin bonded sand system. It is important to note that the process parameters, such as percentage of resin, percentage of hardener, number of strokes and curing time are considered as inputs and the mechanical properties of the core, namely compression strength, tensile strength, shear strength and permeability are treated as the outputs of the network. It is to be noted that the performance of developed ANN depends on several factors of the network, such as type of transfer functions, coefficients of transfer functions, number of neurons in the hidden layer and connecting weights between different layers. In the present study, two population based search and optimization algorithms, namely genetic algorithm (GA) and artificial bee colony (ABC) are used for optimizing the parameters of ANN. It has been observed that both GA and ABC trained neural networks (that is, GA-NN and ABC-NN) are found to have good agreement with the experimental data and can be used effectively to model the resin bonded core sand system.
Accipiter henstii (Schlegel, 1873) (Falconiformes: Accipitridae): new distribution record from southwest Madagascar
Authors: Gardner Charlie J. , Jasper Louise D.
Published: November 2014

The Near Threatened Henst’s goshawk Accipiter henstii is endemic to Madagascar and is widely distributed in the east, west and north of the country, but has been recorded only rarely from the subarid south and southwest where its occurrence remains unconfirmed across large areas. We present an observation of a breeding pair from Ranofoty in the Fiherenana River valley in southwest Madagascar, filling a gap in our knowledge of its distribution and adding to the avifauna of Ranobe-PK32 protected area.
New records of Catenicella de Blainville, 1830 (Catenicellidae: Cheilostomata: Ascophora) in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil
Authors: Ramalho Laís V. , Taylor Paul D. , Muricy Guilherme
Published: November 2014

Although there are six species of Catenicellidae recorded in Brazil, the three Catenicella species described here are the first mention of the genus in the state of Rio de Janeiro, enlarging their distribution along the Brazilian coast. Previously, C. contei was recorded in Pernambuco and São Paulo, while C. elegans was recorded in the states of Alagoas and São Paulo. The recent identification of these species in the state of Rio de Janeiro suggests two possibilities: it is difficult to find them due to small size and cryptic habitat, and/or they represent introduced species.
Occurrence of Phyllostomus elongatus (Geoffroy St.-Hilaire, 1810) (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) in the Cerrado of Tocantins and a compilation of its Brazilian distribution
Authors: Novaes Roberto Leonan Morim , Souza Renan De França , Felix Saulo , Jacob Gabriella , Sauwen Cristal , Avilla Leonardo Dos Santos
Published: November 2014

The lesser spear-nosed bat, Phyllostomus elongatus, is endemic of South America and in Brazil this species is recorded in Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, and Pantanal. Here, we present a new record for P. elongatus in the savanna of central Brazil, known as the Cerrado. In January 2012, five individuals of P. elongatus were captured and recorded in a limestone cave in the Aurora do Tocantins county, Tocantins State. Phyllostomus elongatus has already been registered in 32 locations and 14 Brazilian states, and their records appear to be associated with humid habitats and forested areas.
Checklist of the cicadas (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of Costa Rica including new records for fourteen species
Authors: Sanborn Allen F.
Published: November 2014

A current checklist of the Costa Rican cicada fauna is provided. The first Costa Rican records of Zammara calochroma Walker, 1858, Diceroprocta pusilla Davis, 1942, Diceroprocta ruatana (Distant, 1891), Ollanta modesta (Distant, 1881), Pacarina puella Davis, 1923, Pacarina schumanni Distant, 1905, Majeorona truncata Goding, 1925, Procollina medea (Stål, 1864), Carineta verna Distant, 1883, Carineta viridicollis (Germar, 1830), Herrera ancilla (Stål, 1864), Calyria cuna (Walker, 1850), Selymbria pluvialis Ramos & Wolda, 1985, and Conibosa occidentis (Walker, 1858) are provided. Diceroprocta digueti (Distant, 1906) and D. vitripennis (Say, 1830) are removed from the Costa Rican cicada fauna. The new records increase the known cicada diversity 45% bringing the total number of cicada species reported in Costa Rica to 45 species in 17 genera representing nine tribes and two subfamilies of the family Cicadidae.
Rotifers (Rotifera: Eurotatoria) from wetlands of Majuli – the largest river island, the Brahmaputra river basin of upper Assam, northeast India
Authors: Sharma B. K.
Published: November 2014

Plankton samples collected from the floodplain lakes (beels) and small wetlands (dobas or dubies) of Majuli, the largest river island of the world and a unique fluvial landform of the Brahmaputra river basin of northeast India, reveal 131 Rotifera species belonging to 33 genera and 17 families. Two Australasian (Australian & Asian), four Oriental, six Palaeotropical and one Holarctic species are biogeographically interesting elements; one species is a new record to India while several species are of regional interest. The rotifer fauna is predominantly tropical indicating high richness of cosmopolitan species and important contribution of tropicopolitan and pantropical species. Lecanidae > Lepadellidae are the most diverse families; Lecane Nitzsch > Lepadella Bory de St. Vincent > Trichocerca Lamarck are species-rich genera. The rotifers communities are characterized by several small-sized littoral-periphytic taxa, paucity of the Brachionidae in general and rare occurrence of species of Brachionus Pallas, Keratella Bory de St. Vincent, Filinia Bory de St. Vincent, Asplanchna Gosse and Polyarthra Ehrenberg in particular.
Update on the distribution of Peropteryx leucoptera Peters, 1867 (Mammalia, Chiroptera, Emballonuridae): First record for the state of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil
Authors: Mikalauskas Jefferson S. , Da Rocha Patrício A. , Dias Daniela , Peracchi Adriano L.
Published: November 2014

Three female specimens of Peropteryx leucoptera were collected in the Refúgio da Vida Silvestre Mata do Junco, a fragment of Atlantic Forest located in the state of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. These specimens represent the first record of the species for Sergipe, increasing to 44 the number of bat species recorded in this state. A summary of locality records for P. leucoptera indicates a disjunct distributional pattern for this species, with the majority of the records concentrated in the northern South America and a separate population in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil.
Information on abundance and occurrence of two recently recorded species of ducks for Costa Rica
Authors: Sánchez Julio E. , Zook Jim R. , Carman Ernesto , Sandoval Luis
Published: November 2014

We present information about the relative abundance and occurrence of the Redhead (Aythya americana), and the Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) in Costa Rica. The observations were conducted during the winter seasons of 2010 to 2011, 2011 to 2012, and 2012 to 2013 at different wetlands across the country. These sightings represent the southernmost records for each species. What caused these birds to such southern latitudes is unknown, because the regular wintering areas of those species occur in northern Central America or Mexico.
Scinax garbei (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926) (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae): Distribution extension for Brazilian Amazonia and first record in the state of Amapá
Authors: Silva e Silva Yuri Breno , Costa-Campos Carlos Eduardo
Published: November 2014

The geographic distribution of Scinax garbei includes Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and Brazil (eastern and western regions). In this study, we present an extension of the geographic distribution in the Brazilian Amazonia and the first record of the species in the state of Amapá. The new record was obtained at Parque Natural Municipal do Cancão, in the municipality of Serra do Navio, state of Amapá, Brazil.
Duncan Heining, Trad Dads, Dirty Boppers and Free Fusioneers: British Jazz, 1960–1975. Sheffield: Equinox, 2012. 495 pp. ISBN 978-1-84553-405-9 (hbk) £29.99/ $45.00.
Authors: Sykes Tom
Published: November 2014

Book review.
K. Heather Pinson, The Jazz Image: Seeing Music Through Herman Leonard’s Photography. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 2010. 240 pp. ISBN 978- 1604734942 (hbk) £29.74.
Authors: McIntyre Paul
Published: November 2014

Book review.
The ‘grave disease’
Authors: Lawson-Peebles Robert
Published: November 2014

This essay is about the reaction of a group of interwar British writers to American popular music, to which (in the absence of more precise definitions) they give the terms ragtime and jazz. The group, mostly still well-known, includes John Buchan, Aldous Huxley, Eric Linklater, J. B. Priestley and Aelfrida Tillyard. Despite greatly differing political, social, racial and biological agendas, these writers depicted ragtime and jazz as symptoms of a mass produced, corrupt, sex-ridden culture that was contaminating an ageing European culture, fatally weakened by the First World War. The writers use language borrowed from pathology to suggest that such music attacks the moral as well as the physical constitution.
Jazz on the border
Authors: Southall Helen Vera
Published: November 2014

There was a high degree of overlap between western popular music and jazz in the mid-twentieth century. However, histories of jazz and histories of popular music are often puzzlingly separate, as if divided by strict borders. This article looks at some of the reasons for this (including those proposed by Frith (2007) and Bennett (2013). The importance of musical pathways and hidden histories (Becker 2002, 2004; Finnegan 2007; Nott 2002; Rogers 2013) in the context of local music scenes is considered. The importance of taking live music scenes and provincial areas into account when discussing genre histories is discussed, in the context of examples from an oral history study of dance-band musicians and promoters in the Chester (UK) area. These examples help to demonstrate that boundaries between jazz and popular music are frequently less abrupt in practice than they are in theory.
Editorial
Authors: Tackley Catherine , Whyton Tony
Published: November 2014

Editorial.