bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Potential of sGC Modulators for the Treatment of Age-Related Fibrosis: A Mini-Review
Authors: Sandner Peter , Berger Peter , Zenzmaier Christoph
Published: October 2016

Fibrotic diseases cause high rates of morbidity and mortality, and their incidence increases with age. Despite intense research and development efforts, effective and well-tolerated antifibrotic treatments are scarce. Transforming growth factor-β signaling, which is widely considered the most important profibrotic factor, causes a pro-oxidant shift in redox homeostasis and a concomitant decrease in nitric oxide (NO) signaling. The NO/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling cascade plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cell and organ function in whole-body hemostasis. Increases in NO/cGMP can lead to relaxation of smooth muscle cells triggering vasorelaxation. In addition, there is consistent evidence from preclinical in vitro and in vivo models that increased cGMP also exerts antifibrotic effects. However, most of these findings are descriptive and the molecular pathways are still being investigated. Furthermore, in a variety of fibrotic diseases and also during the natural course of aging, NO/cGMP production is low, and current treatment approaches to increase cGMP levels might not be sufficient. The introduction of compounds that specifically target and stimulate soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), the so called sGC stimulators and sGC activators, might be able to overcome these limitations and could be ideal tools for investigating antifibrotic mechanisms in vitro and in vivo as they may provide effective treatment strategies for fibrotic diseases. These drugs increase cGMP independently from NO via direct modulation of sGC activity, and have synergistic and additive effects to endogenous NO. This review article describes the NO/cGMP signaling pathway and its involvement in fibrotic remodeling. The classes of sGC modulator drugs and their mode of action are described. Finally, the preclinical in vitro and in vivo findings and antifibrotic effects of cGMP elevation via sGC modulation are reviewed. sGC stimulators and activators significantly attenuate tissue fibrosis in a variety of internal organs and in the skin. Moreover, these compounds seem to have multiple intervention sites and may reduce extracellular matrix formation, fibroblast proliferation, and myofibroblast activation. Thus, sGC stimulators and sGC activators may offer an efficacious and tolerable therapy for fibrotic diseases, and clinical trials are currently underway to assess the potential benefit for patients with systemic sclerosis.
Reduced Frontal Activations at High Working Memory Load in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Yeung Michael K. , Sze Sophia L. , Woo Jean , Kwok Timothy , Shum David H.K. , Yu Ruby , Chan Agnes S.
Published: October 2016

Background: Some functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have reported altered activations in the frontal cortex during working memory (WM) performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but the findings have been mixed. The objective of the present study was to utilize near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), an alternative imaging technique, to examine neural processing during WM performance in individuals with MCI. Methods: Twenty-six older adults with MCI (7 males; mean age 69.15 years) were compared with 26 age-, gender-, handedness-, and education-matched older adults with normal cognition (NC; 7 males; mean age 68.87 years). All of the participants undertook an n-back task with a low (i.e., 0-back) and a high (i.e., 2-back) WM load condition while their prefrontal dynamics were recorded by a 16-channel NIRS system. Results: Although behavioral results showed that the two groups had comparable task performance, neuroimaging results showed that the MCI group, unlike the NC group, did not exhibit significantly increased frontal activations bilaterally when WM load increased. Compared to the NC group, the MCI group had similar frontal activations at low load (p > 0.05 on all channels) but reduced activations at high load (p < 0.05 on 4 channels), thus failing to demonstrate WM-related frontal activations (p < 0.05 on 9 channels). In addition, we found a positive correlation between the left WM-related frontal activations and WM ability primarily in the NC group (rs = 0.42, p = 0.035), suggesting a relationship between frontal hypoactivation and WM difficulties. Conclusion: The present findings suggest the presence of frontal dysfunction that is dependent on WM load in individuals with MCI.
Prognostic Significance of HER-2 and p53 Expression in Gallbladder Carcinoma in North Indian Patients
Authors: Singh Anjali , Mishra Pramod K. , Saluja Sundeep Singh , Talikoti Majid A. , Kirtani Pawan , Najmi Abul Kalam
Published: October 2016

Background/Objective: Proto-oncogenes (HER-2) and tumor suppressor genes (p53) are commonly deregulated in gallbladder cancer (GBC). Available literature discloses skewed data from endemic Asian countries, especially north India. This study evaluates the prognostic significance of HER-2 and p53 in GBC patients from two major hospitals. Methods: Sixty resectable tumor and control specimens were prospectively collected from December 2012 to January 2016. Immunohistochemical staining was done using monoclonal antibodies to semiquantitatively evaluate HER-2 and p53 protein expression. The criterion for HER-2 positivity was set at >30% tumor cells showing complete, membranous staining while p53 positivity was established at <50% tumor cells showing complete nuclear staining. Clinicopathological correlations were drawn with major clinical outcomes. Results: It was observed that 36.67% (22/60) tumor cases and 5% (3/60) control cases showed strong HER-2 overexpression significantly correlating with sex, T-stage, nodal spread and distant metastasis (p < 0.05), while 33.3% (20/60) positivity was observed for p53 in tumor cases and 1.7% (1/60) in control cases. Multivariate analysis showed HER-2 (p = 0.04; hazard ratio: 2.36; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-5.33) and p53 (p = 0.03; hazard ratio: 5.63; 95% confidence interval: 1.21-26.26) expression to be independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: Our study thus suggests the plausible role of HER-2 and p53 expression in worse prognosis of GBC in a north Indian population.
Characteristics and Predictors of Early and Delayed Responders to Ranibizumab Treatment in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Retrospective Analysis from the ANCHOR, MARINA, HARBOR, and CATT Trials
Authors: Gale Richard , Korobelnik Jean-Francois , Yang Yit , Wong Tien Y.
Published: October 2016

Purpose: This retrospective review examined visual acuity (VA) in subjects with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and identified early and delayed response to ranibizumab. Procedures: MARINA, ANCHOR, HARBOR, and CATT published data were examined for response with monthly versus individualized dosing and predictors of early versus delayed response. Results: Data were available for 1,631 subjects; 18-29% were early gainers and 15-16% were delayed gainers. Of the early gainers, 72-83% maintained their best-corrected VA gain at month 12 with monthly or individualized dosing. Delayed gainers in HARBOR almost reached the same level of response as early gainers by 12 months who were able to maintain their response. The main predictor of response was baseline VA. Conclusion: There are two distinct types of ranibizumab response; some responded by month 3, while others took up to 12 months. In delayed responders, this may have implications for switching or not switching therapies.
Arizona Child Acoustic Database Repository
Authors: Bunton Kate , Story Brad H.
Published: October 2016

Objective: The goal of the Arizona Child Acoustic Database project was to obtain a large set of acoustic recordings, primarily vowels, collected from a cohort of children over a critical period of growth and development. Method: Data was recorded longitudinally from 63 children between the ages of 2;0 and 7;0 at 3-month intervals. The protocol included individual American English vowels and diphthongs, nonsense multi-vowel transitions, word level multi-vowel sequences (e.g., Hawaii), single-syllable words targeting each American English vowel, short sentences, and conversation. Results: Acoustic files are available for download through the University of Arizona Library Repository for use in future research projects. Conclusion: Longitudinal recordings may be of interest because they allow tracking of acoustic characteristics produced by an individual child during a period of rapid growth and speech development.
Circulating Progenitor Cells Affect Thrombosis of Dialysis Arteriovenous Fistulas
Authors: Chen Tsung-Yan , Lin Ting-Tse , Hsieh Mu-Yang , Lin Lin , Yang Chung-Wei , Chuang Shao-Yuan , Huang Po-Hsun , Wu Chih-Cheng
Published: October 2016

Background: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) thrombosis is a relevant cause of morbidity in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has been identified as a surrogate marker for vascular repair and health. Deficiency of EPCs has been demonstrated in dialysis patients to be associated with vascular events. Nonetheless, their role in thrombosis of AVFs remains unknown. Methods: From January 2010 to May 2013, 147 HD patients with dysfunctional AVFs were enrolled. Surface makers including CD34, KDR and CD133 were used in combination to determine the number of circulating EPCs. All participants were prospectively followed at 6-month interval until December 2015. The primary outcome was thrombosis of dialysis AVFs. Results: The median follow-up was 47 months, within which 42 patients experienced at least one episode of AVF thrombosis. Patients with AVF thrombosis had lower CD34+KDR+ cell counts compared with patients without thrombosis (median 5 vs. 13 per 150,000 mononuclear cells, p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated an inverse relationship between CD34+KDR+ cell count tertiles and thrombosis-free patency (59, 69 and 86% for low, middle and high tertiles; p = 0.02). Using Cox regression analysis, AVF thrombosis was predicted by baseline CD34+KDR+ cell counts (hazards ratio (HR) 0.963, 95% CI 0.928-1.000, p = 0.05) and tertiles (high vs. low, HR 3.266, 95% CI 1.380-7.728, p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, only CD34+KDR+ cell tertiles, C-reactive protein and lesion length remained independent predictors for thrombosis. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated an independently reverse association between circulating EPCs and thrombosis of dialysis AVFs. Further studies are warranted to ascertain whether EPCs serve as a marker or a therapeutic target for AVF thrombosis.
Diversity and seasonality of polypore fungi in the moist deciduous forests of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India
Authors: Iqbal A. Muhammed , Vidyasagaran Kattany , Ganesh P. Narayan
Published: October 2016

The objective of present study was to understand the diversity, distribution and seasonality of polypore fungi in the moist deciduous forests of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary in three different seasons.  Results obtained showed that density and frequency of occurrence have been varied significantly during different seasons and the community structure and species composition during monsoon and post monsoon seasons were distinct from pre-monsoon season.  Fomitopsis feei with higher abundance values dominated the moist deciduous forests during monsoon season (17.72) and post-monsoon season (13.79).  During pre-monsoon season, Daedalea flavida was the dominant species with abundance value of 10.93.  The above fungi were predominant during all the seasons due to their high ecological amplitude.  Fungal diversity analysis showed that species richness was higher during monsoon season and revealed the influence of seasonal variation on fungal diversity.  The high species similarity was observed between monsoon and post monsoon season compared to pre-monsoon and monsoon.
Orchid Flora of Laos: findings from a survey of limestone karst vegetation in Vang Vieng, Vientiane Province, Laos
Authors: Sahani Pankaj Kumar , Gale Stephan W. , Schuiteman André , Bouamanivong Somsanith , Fischer Gunter A.
Published: October 2016

A major project to study the phytodiversity of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot was initiated by Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong, in 2011, with the aim of surveying primary forest fragments and identifying conservation priorities within this expansive but highly threatened ecoregion. The Vang Vieng area of Vientiane Province, northern Laos, was chosen as a focus for a pilot expedition, since it features an extensive karst landscape that has barely been explored. Together with officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Lao PDR, surveys of three sites were conducted in April 2012, at the end of the dry northeast monsoon season. A total of 283 herbarium specimens were collected. These collections comprised nearly 180 specimens from the family Orchidaceae, of which approximately 136 were unique taxa. At least one of these is a species new to science and a further nine represent new distributional records for Laos. A list of the species encountered during the study is presented and the significance of the findings is discussed. Major threats to the natural environment in northern Laos are highlighted.
Sucrose Nonfermenting-Related Kinase Enzyme–Mediated Rho-Associated Kinase Signaling is Responsible for Cardiac Function
Authors: Cossette Stephanie M. , Bhute Vijesh J. , Bao Xiaoping , Harmann Leanne M. , Horswill Mark A. , Sinha Indranil , Gastonguay Adam , Pooya Shabnam , Bordas Michelle , Kumar Suresh N. , Mirza Shama P. , Palecek Sean P. , Strande Jennifer L. , Ramchandran Ramani
Published: October 2016

Background—

Cardiac metabolism is critical for the functioning of the heart, and disturbance in this homeostasis is likely to influence cardiac disorders or cardiomyopathy. Our laboratory has previously shown that SNRK (sucrose nonfermenting related kinase) enzyme, which belongs to the AMPK (adenosine monophosphate–activated kinase) family, was essential for cardiac metabolism in mammals.
Snrk
global homozygous knockout (KO) mice die at postnatal day 0, and conditional deletion of
Snrk
in cardiomyocytes (
Snrk
cmcKO) leads to cardiac failure and death by 8 to 10 months.

Methods and Results—

We performed additional cardiac functional studies using echocardiography and identified further cardiac functional deficits in
Snrk
cmcKO mice. Nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics analysis identified key metabolic pathway deficits in
SNRK
knockdown cardiomyocytes in vitro. Specifically, metabolites involved in lipid metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation are altered, and perturbations in these pathways can result in cardiac function deficits and heart failure. A phosphopeptide-based proteomic screen identified ROCK (Rho-associated kinase) as a putative substrate for SNRK, and mass spec-based fragment analysis confirmed key amino acid residues on ROCK that are phosphorylated by SNRK. Western blot analysis on heart lysates from
Snrk
cmcKO adult mice and
SNRK
knockdown cardiomyocytes showed increased ROCK activity. In addition, in vivo inhibition of ROCK partially rescued the in vivo
Snrk
cmcKO cardiac function deficits.

Conclusions—

Collectively, our data suggest that SNRK in cardiomyocytes is responsible for maintaining cardiac metabolic homeostasis, which is mediated in part by ROCK, and alteration of this homeostasis influences cardiac function in the adult heart.
Guideline-Appropriate Care and In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure in Teaching and Nonteaching Hospitals
Authors: Patel Dhavalkumar B. , Shah Rachit M. , Bhatt Deepak L. , Liang Li , Schulte Phillip J. , DeVore Adam D. , Hernandez Adrian F. , Heidenreich Paul A. , Yancy Clyde W. , Fonarow Gregg C.
Published: October 2016

Background—

Despite increasing awareness regarding evidence-based guidelines, considerable gaps exist for heart failure (HF) quality of care at teaching hospitals (TH) and nonteaching hospitals (NTH). We analyzed data from Get With The Guidelines (GWTG)-HF to compare the rates and trends of guideline-recommended care at TH and NTH for patients with HF.

Method and Results—

Baseline patient characteristics, performance measures, and in-hospital outcomes were compared between 197 187 HF patients admitted to TH and 106 924 patients admitted to NTH between 2005 and 2014. Patients treated in TH were younger and were more likely to be black and uninsured. Defect-free care (defined as 100% compliance with performance measures) was similar in both group of hospitals (crude rates: 88% at TH versus 86% at NTH, adjusted odds ratio 0.99, 95% confidence interval 0.73–1.34) as were individual performance measures: discharge instruction, documentation of ejection fraction, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor antagonists, use of β-blocker, and smoking cessation counseling. During the study period, there was improvement in adherence with performance measures over time, with no significant difference at TH (adjusted odds ratio 1.20, 95% confidence interval 1.11–1.30;
P
<0.01) and NTH (adjusted odds ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 1.02–1.17;
P
=0.01; interaction
P
value 0.07).

Conclusions—

Data from the GWTG-HF program suggest that there was improving and comparable adherence with HF performance measures and use of guideline-recommended therapies irrespective of hospital teaching status.
Child Rights, Classroom and School Management: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Urinboyev, Per Wickenberg and Ulf L Rustamjon
Published: October 2016

This paper provides a systematic review of scholarly literature concerning the enforcement of children’s rights in the classroom context and school management. The literature review is based on a systematic review methodology the authors developed drawing on the methods and guidelines used in the medical sciences over the last 15 years. Forty-two articles published between 1990 and 2014 were selected and analysed. The paper presents both a descriptive analysis and a thematic analysis in order to provide the state-of-art of international literature on child rights, classroom and school management. The descriptive analysis highlights the main characteristics of the articles included, such as type of study and methods used, classification of literature based on the geographical and thematic focus, article citation frequency, and chronological development of the subject in question. The thematic analysis synthesises the main findings extracted from the literature and highlights the main trends and gaps in research.
Children’s Rights in the European Court of Human Rights – An Emerging Power Structure
Authors: Jacobsen Anette Faye
Published: October 2016

Legal research has shown mixed results regarding the application of a child-centred approach in judgments from the European Court of Human Rights. With an interdisciplinary perspective, however, a number of remarkable features become visible.

This article explores case law from the European system with a blended methodology. First, a quantitative assessment of the Court’s judgments over the last decade reveals, surprisingly, that the child’s best interests doctrine has become widely used only recently, despite the principle being invoked as early as 1988. Secondly, an in-depth discourse analysis of selected landmark cases shows how the child-centred approach, in certain types of case, has gained status as the paramount consideration to the extent that it may sideline competing principles in the balancing exercise of adjudication. In the conclusion, the two types of enquiries, the statistical and the qualitative scrutiny of judgments, are combined to offer an assessment of the power of children’s rights alongside other interests in the European human rights machinery.
The Prevention of Child Statelessness at Birth: The uncrc Committee’s Role and Potential
Authors: Stein Jill
Published: October 2016

This article focuses on the role and potential of the un Committee on the Rights of the Child with regard to the prevention of statelessness at birth by looking to what extent this topic has been addressed and how this can be improved. It discusses what obligations follow from the Convention on the Rights of the Child (crc) with regard to the prevention of statelessness, such as the right to acquire a nationality and birth registration (article 7, crc). In addition, its monitoring framework is assessed, inter alia, by analysing 419 Concluding Observations of the crc Committee. On the basis of identified gaps, it provides several recommendations, including a designed new general comment.
Perceptual Systems, an Inexhaustible Reservoir of Information and the Importance of Art
Authors: Mann Sargy
Published: October 2016

There is my developing experience as a painter going blind which is unusual and interesting and as you know I am interested in that. But I am equally interested, possibly more interested in a conception of what figurative art can be as a way of mining new experience and in some sense or other recording it so it’s communicable. Now essentially all my drafts [of this paper] are trying to put those two together and it seems at first like a paradox, but it’s a paradox that I think I can perfectly resolve… and it’s what I want to do… the third element which is very hard to separate from the other two, is the perceptual learning applied to the perceptual systems, made possible through consciousness… That does require an analysis to do with things to do with the anatomy of the eye and the brain, which most people haven’t got a clue about but which is absolutely crucial.
Freshwater Boundaries Revisited
Authors: Querol María
Published: October 2016

Although boundaries, including freshwater ones, are generally set by treaties concluded by the states concerned, interpretation of such agreements by the different states has varied, resulting in a number of disputes before international tribunals. The aim of this monograph is to describe and analyze the different methods applied in the delimitation of international rivers and lakes and the recent developments in this field. The monograph reassesses these diverse methods of boundary delimitation in view of the latest and abundant jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice and the tribunals under the aegis of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the subject. The monograph also focuses on the influence of human considerations in the field under study and the legal consequences ensuing therefrom, in addition to drawing some conclusions regarding freshwater boundaries.
Aspidistra averyanovii and A. parviflora (Asparagaceae), two new species Central Vietnam
Authors: LÝ NGỌC-SÂM , TILLICH HANS- JUERGEN
Published: October 2016

Two new species of Aspidistra, A. averyanovii and A. parviflora from Central Vietnam, Quảng Ngãi Province, are described, including assessment of conservation status and comparison to most similar congeners.
Typification of the Linnaean name Coreopsis alba, basionym of Bidens alba (Asteraceae)
Authors: FERRER-GALLEGO P. PABLO
Published: October 2016

An illustration from Hermann’s Paradisus batavus (1698) is designated as the lectotype of the Linnaean name Coreopsis alba, basionym of the current name Bidens alba (L.) DC. (Asteraceae). An epitype is designated to make the taxonomic identity of the lectotype unambiguous.
Contributions of Moist Convection and Internal Gravity Waves to Building the Atmospheric −5/3 Kinetic Energy Spectra
Authors: Sun Y. Qiang , Rotunno Richard , Zhang Fuqing
Published: October 2016

With high-resolution mesoscale model simulations, the authors have confirmed a recent study demonstrating that convective systems, triggered in a horizontally homogeneous environment, are able to generate a background mesoscale kinetic energy spectrum with a slope close to −5/3, which is the observed value for the kinetic energy spectrum at mesoscales. This shallow slope can be identified at almost all height levels from the lower troposphere to the lower stratosphere in the simulations, implying a strong connection between different vertical levels. The present study also computes the spectral kinetic energy budget for these simulations to further analyze the processes associated with the creation of the spectrum. The buoyancy production generated by moist convection, while mainly injecting energy in the upper troposphere at small scales, could also contribute at larger scales, possibly as a result of the organization of convective cells into mesoscale convective systems. This latter injected energy is then transported by energy fluxes (due to gravity waves and/or convection) both upward and downward. Nonlinear interactions, associated with the velocity advection term, finally help build the approximate −5/3 slope through upscale and/or downscale propagation at all levels.
Eikonal Calculations for Energy Transfer in the Deep-Ocean Internal Wave Field near Mixing Hotspots
Authors: Ijichi Takashi , Hibiya Toshiyuki
Published: October 2016

In the proximity of mixing hotspots in the deep ocean, the observed internal wave spectra are usually distorted from the Garrett–Munk (GM) spectrum and are characterized by the high energy level E as well as a shear–strain ratio Rω quite different from that of the GM spectrum. On the basis of the eikonal theoretical model, Ijichi and Hibiya (IH) recently proposed the revised finescale parameterization of turbulent dissipation rates in the distorted internal wave field, although the vertical velocity associated with background internal waves and the strict WKB scale separation, for example, were not taken into account. To see the effects of such simplifying assumptions on the revised parameterization, this study carries out a series of eikonal calculations for energy transfer through various internal wave spectra distorted from the GM. Although the background vertical velocity and the strict WKB scale separation somewhat affect the calculated energy transfer rates, their parameter dependence is confirmed as expected; the calculated energy transfer rates ε follow the basic scaling ε ∝ E2N2f with the local buoyancy frequency N and the local inertial frequency f and exhibit strong Rω dependence quite similar to that predicted by IH.
Preventing Catastrophic Filter Divergence Using Adaptive Additive Inflation for Baroclinic Turbulence
Authors: Lee Yoonsang , Majda Andrew J. , Qi Di
Published: October 2016

Ensemble-based filtering or data assimilation methods have proved to be indispensable tools in atmosphere and ocean science as they allow computationally cheap, low-dimensional ensemble state approximation for extremely high-dimensional turbulent dynamical systems. For sparse, accurate, and infrequent observations, which are typical in data assimilation of geophysical systems, ensemble filtering methods can suffer from catastrophic filter divergence, which frequently drives the filter predictions to machine infinity. A two-layer quasigeostrophic equation, which is a classical idealized model for geophysical turbulence, is used to demonstrate catastrophic filter divergence. The mathematical theory of adaptive covariance inflation by Tong et al. and covariance localization are investigated to stabilize the ensemble methods and prevent catastrophic filter divergence. Two forecast models—a coarse-grained ocean code, which ignores the small-scale parameterization, and stochastic superparameterization (SP), which is a seamless multiscale method developed for large-scale models without scale gap between the resolved and unresolved scales—are applied to generate large-scale forecasts with a coarse spatial resolution compared to the full resolution . The methods are tested in various dynamical regimes in ocean with jets and vorticities, and catastrophic filter divergence is documented for the standard filter without inflation. Using the two forecast models, various kinds of covariance inflation with or without localization are compared. It shows that proper adaptive additive inflation can effectively stabilize the ensemble methods without catastrophic filter divergence in all regimes. Furthermore, stochastic SP achieves accurate filtering skill with localization while the ocean code performs poorly even with localization.
A Statistical Perspective on Wind Profiles and Vertical Wind Shear in Tropical Cyclone Environments of the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Finocchio Peter M. , Majumdar Sharanya J.
Published: October 2016

A statistical analysis of tropical cyclone (TC) environmental wind profiles is conducted in order to better understand how vertical wind shear influences TC intensity change. The wind profiles are computed from global atmospheric reanalyses around the best track locations of 7554 TC cases in the Northern Hemisphere tropics. Mean wind profiles within each basin exhibit significant differences in the magnitude and direction of vertical wind shear. Comparisons between TC environments and randomly selected “non-TC” environments highlight the synoptic regimes that support TCs in each basin, which are often characterized by weaker deep-layer shear. Because weaker deep-layer shear may not be the only aspect of the environmental flow that makes a TC environment more favorable for TCs, two new parameters are developed to describe the height and depth of vertical shear. Distributions of these parameters indicate that, in both TC and non-TC environments, vertical shear most frequently occurs in shallow layers and in the upper troposphere. Linear correlations between each shear parameter and TC intensity change show that shallow, upper-level shear is slightly more favorable for TC intensification. But these relationships vary by basin and neither parameter independently explains more than 5% of the variance in TC intensity change between 12 and 120 h. As such, the shear height and depth parameters in this study do not appear to be viable predictors for statistical intensity prediction, though similar measures of midtropospheric vertical wind shear may be more important in particularly challenging intensity forecasts.
Radiological and NRT-Ratio–Based Estimation of Slim Straight Cochlear Implant Electrode Positions
Authors: Mittmann Philipp , Todt Ingo , Ernst Arneborg , Rademacher Grit , Mutze Sven , Göricke Sophia , Schlamann Marc , Lang Stephan , Arweiler-Harbeck Diana , Christov Florian
Published: October 2016

Objectives:

An intraoperative neural response telemetry-ratio (NRT-ratio) was established, which can provide information about the intraoperative intracochlear electrode array position for perimodiolar electrodes.

Methods:

In a retrospective controlled study in 2 tertiary referral centers, the electrophysiological data sets of 50 patients with measured intraoperative auto-NRTs and postoperative radiological examinations were evaluated. All patients were implanted with Nucleus slim straight electrodes. The NRT-ratio was calculated by dividing the average auto-NRT data from electrodes 16 to 18 with the average from electrodes 5 to 7. Using a flat panel tomography system or a computed tomography, the position of the electrode array was certified radiological.

Results:

Radiologically, 2 out of 50 patients were identified with an electrode translocated from the scala tympani into the scala vestibuli. The radiologically estimated electrodes indicating a scalar change showed a regular NRT-ratio but nonspecific NRT-level changes at the localization of translocation.
Existence of a squamous cell carcinoma antigen-immunoglobulin complex causes a deviation between squamous cell carcinoma antigen concentrations determined using two different immunoassays: first report of squamous cell carcinoma antigen coupling with immunoglobulin A
Authors: Mori Eriko , Kurano Makoto , Tobita Akiko , Shimosaka Hironori , Yatomi Yutaka
Published: October 2016

Background

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen is used as a tumour marker and is routinely measured in clinical laboratories. We validated two different immunoassays and found three cases in which the squamous cell carcinoma antigen concentrations deviated greatly between the two immunoassays. Here, we aimed to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these deviations.

Methods

The squamous cell carcinoma antigen concentrations were determined using the ARCHITECT SCC (CLIA method) and the ST AIA-PACK SCC (FEIA method). We performed polyethylene glycol precipitation and size exclusion chromatography to assess the molecular weight and spike recovery and absorption tests to examine the presence of an autoantibody.

Results

Both methods exhibited good performances for the measurement of squamous cell carcinoma antigen, although a correlation test showed large differences in the squamous cell carcinoma antigen concentrations measured using the two methods in three cases. The results of polyethylene glycol treatment and size exclusion chromatography indicated the existence of a large molecular weight squamous cell carcinoma antigen in these three cases. The spike recovery tests suggested the possible presence of an autoantibody against squamous cell carcinoma antigen. Moreover, the absorption test revealed that large squamous cell carcinoma antigen complexes were formed by the association of squamous cell carcinoma antigen with IgG in two cases and with both IgG and IgA in one case.

Conclusions

This study describes the existence of large molecular weight squamous cell carcinoma antigen that has complexed with immunoglobulin in the serum samples. The reason for the deviations between the two immunoassays might be due to differences of their reactivities against the squamous cell carcinoma antigen immune complexes with their autoantibody. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the coupling of squamous cell carcinoma antigen with IgA.
Examining Specific Deterrence Effects on DWI Among Serious Offenders
Authors: Bouffard Jeff A. , Niebuhr Nicole , Exum M. Lyn
Published: October 2016

Deterrence research supports the idea that punishment curbs offending; however, results for the specific deterrent effects of drunk driving are more nuanced. This research is often limited in its use of non-offender samples, its failure to examine links between past sanctions and subsequent risk perceptions, and in its use of aggregate-level data, thereby precluding any exploration of individuals’ perceived sanction risks. The current study examines the relationship between 824 felony inmates’ experiences with formal legal sanctions for drunk driving and their risk perceptions for driving drunk as well as their hypothetical intentions to drive drunk. Results generally fail to support deterrence theory’s propositions, and instead uncover some positive punishment effects (higher drunk driving intentions among those sanctioned previously) net of important theoretical controls. Implications for subsequent research and policy making are presented.
Gifted Ethnic Minority Students and Academic Achievement
Authors: Henfield Malik S. , Woo Hongryun , Bang Na Mi
Published: October 2016

We conducted a meta-analysis exploring ethnic minority students enrolled in gifted/advanced programs with an emphasis on their academic achievement outcomes. A comprehensive search based on the Transparent Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis checklist, was performed to retrieve articles within a 30-year time period (1983-2014), which resulted in 13 articles that were included in this meta-analysis. We analyzed the data using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis and presented the findings with descriptive information about gifted programs and statistical information, including effect size of each gifted program and overall effect size. Statistically significant positive overall intervention effect sizes were found; however, descriptive data revealed issues with the current state of research on gifted ethnic minority students.
Searching and dealing, confirmation and feeling – Participants’ approaches to learning in a health education setting
Authors: Førland Georg , Silèn Charlotte , Eriksson Monica , Ringsberg Karin C
Published: October 2016

Objective:

Health care is far from reaching the goal of people being part of their own care, and research is lacking on how to understand their perspective. This study explores people’s intentions with the act of learning before attending a health education programme at a Learning and Mastery Centre (LMC) in Norway. The aim of this study was to understand participants’ learning strategies for learning about their own health care in a health education setting.

Methods:

Data were collected through five group interviews and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results:

Findings revealed that participants’ intentions of how and what to learn were influenced by their life experiences and interactions with the health care system. Three main categories of experience emerged: (1) sharing experiences, (2) second opinion and (3) capturing the news, brought together under the comprehensive theme: searching and dealing, confirmation and feeling, which reflects the underlying meaning of the categories.

Conclusion:

Results encourage us to see learning as an active construction process underpinned by health literacy, including both people’s competencies and the health care system. If LMCs and similar health education initiatives are to make an important contribution to improving people’s health literacy, significant attention should be given in the planning and implementation of initiatives.
Thermoviscoelastic behavior of a short fiber-reinforced polymer hollow cylinder accounting for porosity
Authors: Dai Hong-Liang , Dai Ting , Luo Wei-Feng
Published: October 2016

In this paper, thermoviscoelastic behavior of a hollow cylinder made of short fiber-reinforced polymer considering porosity is investigated by an analytical method. Material properties, except the Poisson’s ratio and coefficient of thermal expansion, are assumed to be changed with the volume of constituents and porosity. Utilizing the finite Hankle integral transform and Laplace transform, analytical solutions for thermoviscoelastic behaviors of short fiber-reinforced polymer hollow cylinders under thermal and mechanical loads are obtained. Numerical examples show the influences of thermal load, mechanical load, and material porosity on the thermoviscoelastic behaviors of short fiber-reinforced polymer cylindrical structures.
“Something You Can Look Back On”: Teacher Candidates, Rap Music, and P-12 Social Studies
Authors: Kumar Tracey
Published: October 2016

Although several studies highlight the integration of hip-hop-based education (HHBE) into teacher education workshops and coursework, little is known about the use of HHBE by the teachers and teacher candidates who take part in these learning experiences. Toward such a contribution, this study examines how teacher candidates proposed to integrate rap into lesson plans designed for middle and high school social studies classes in an urban intensive setting. The findings indicate that the teacher candidates’ proposed uses of rap not only privilege their own preferences and experiences but also position rap as subordinate to traditional classroom-based texts.
Feminist challenges to sociology in India
Authors: Patel Sujata
Published: October 2016

This article suggests that paradigmatic changes took place in sociological traditions in India from the late 1970s to the 1990s in a manner similar to the catalytic changes occurring in the same period in different sociological traditions across the globe. In the case of sociology in India, it was feminist questionings of the systems of family, caste, religion and other tradition–modern dualities that introduced key re-conceptualisations. The article suggests that feminist studies posed theoretical and methodological challenges at four levels: first, these theories have argued that institutional and non-institutional forms of power flow through all forms of economic, social and cultural relationships; second, given that in India these inequities were organised during the colonial period, they assert that a historical and an interdisciplinary approach is imperative for the study of the ‘social’; third, these positions outlined a theory of intersection that explored the way economic and cultural inequalities and exclusions were organically connected; and lastly, they suggest a need to complicate the concepts of agency and experience, given that actors/agents can, and do, represent both dominant and subaltern positions in their life cycles. The article contends that the feminist interrogations unsettled the received sociological paradigm on sociology of India in significant ways, creating new possibilities for more eclectic and parallel paradigms to emerge.
Debt-Slavery Passages in the Tanakh as a Lens for Reading Joseph's Enslavement of the Egyptians in Genesis 47:13–26: Explorations in Canonical Hermeneutics
Authors: Fuller David J.
Published: October 2016

Significant dispute exists over the ethicality of Joseph's enslavement of the Egyptians in Genesis 47:13–26. Some read this action as malicious and oppressive, while others believe it shows wise administrative skills. While this question could be approached from many angles, one area of contention that has received surprisingly little attention is the various portrayals of and perspectives on the use of debt-slavery in the rest of the Old Testament. For this material to be utilized, a relevant methodological approach is the canonical approach of Brevard Childs, which views the canon as the ultimate horizon of meaning of an individual passage, and seeks to perform exegesis by using relevant canonical materials as an interpretive lens. The present study seeks to demonstrate that when Joseph's enslavement of the Egyptians is compared with other materials offering explicit evaluations of slavery, his employment of slavery proper is nonobjectionable, but his practices in the area of resource distribution are less than ideal.
Are All Manikins Created Equal? A Pilot Study of Simulator Upper Airway Anatomic Fidelity
Authors: Woo Jennifer A. , Malekzadeh Sonya , Malloy Kelly M. , Deutsch Ellen S.
Published: October 2016

This study evaluates the anatomic fidelity of several commercially available pediatric and adult manikins, including airway task trainers, which could be used in aerodigestive procedure training. Twenty‐three experienced otolaryngologists assessed the aerodigestive anatomy of 5 adult and 5 pediatric manikins in a passive state, using rigid and flexible endoscopy. Anatomic fidelity was rated on a 5‐point scale for the following: nasal cavity, nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, trachea, esophagus, and neck. Mean scores and standard deviations were tabulated for each manikin at each anatomic site. Ratings by survey participants demonstrated variation in the anatomic fidelity of the aerodigestive tract in a range of manikins. Radar chart display of the results allows comparison of manikin fidelity by anatomic site. Differences in scores may allow instructors to select manikins with the best anatomic fidelity for specific educational purposes, and they may contribute to recommendations to improve future manikin design.
The Value of Tumor Diameter in Predicting Prognosis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated with Intensity‐Modulated Radiotherapy
Authors: Niu Zhi‐Jie , Li Tao , Liang Zhong‐Guo , Chen Xiao‐Qian , Zhao Wei , Zhu Xiao‐Dong
Published: October 2016

Objective

The tumor, node, and metastasis staging system of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has limitations in predicting prognosis. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of tumor diameter for patients with NPC who were treated with intensity‐modulated radiotherapy.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.

Subjects and Methods

The cases of 137 NPC patients treated with intensity‐modulated radiotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Tumor diameter was measured on pretreatment magnetic resonance images. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to find the optimal cutoff value of tumor diameter and to examine the predictive ability of tumor diameter combined with T classification.

Results

The mean tumor diameter increased with the advancing of T classification. The 5‐year cumulative survival rates for patients with a tumor diameter <43 mm vs ≥43 mm were 88.4% vs 61.8% (P <. 001), respectively. In multivariate analysis, tumor diameter was an independent prognostic factor for 5‐year cumulative survival. For patients with T3 + T4, the 5‐year cumulative survival rate was higher in the group with a tumor diameter <43 mm vs ≥43 mm (86.2% vs 60.2%, P =. 022). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 70.3% for tumor diameter combined with T classification, superior to T classification (area under the curve = 66.2%).

Conclusion

Tumor diameter may be related to the extent of tumor invasion and can provide important information on prognosis. The incorporation of 43 mm as a cutoff value of tumor diameter may help to refine the predictive power of the current staging system for NPC.
Readability Trends of Online Information by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation
Authors: Wong Kevin , Levi Jessica R.
Published: October 2016

Objective

Previous studies have shown that patient education materials published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation may be too difficult for the average reader to understand. The purpose of this study was to determine if current educational materials show improvements in readability.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional analysis.

Setting

The Patient Health Information section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation website.

Subjects and Methods

All patient education articles were extracted in plain text. Webpage navigation, references, author information, appointment information, acknowledgments, and disclaimers were removed. Follow‐up editing was also performed to remove paragraph breaks, colons, semicolons, numbers, percentages, and bullets. Readability grade was calculated with the Flesch‐Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning‐Fog Index, Coleman‐Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. Intra‐ and interobserver reliability were assessed.

Results

A total of 126 articles from 7 topics were analyzed. Readability levels across all 6 tools showed that the difficulty of patient education materials exceeded the abilities of an average American. As compared with previous studies, current educational materials by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation have shown a decrease in difficulty. Intra‐ and interobserver reliability were both excellent, with intraclass coefficients of 0.99 and 0.96, respectively.

Conclusion

Improvements in readability is an encouraging finding and one that is consistent with recent trends toward improved health literacy. Nevertheless, online patient educational material is still too difficult for the average reader. Revisions may be necessary for current materials to benefit a larger readership.