bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying Predictors of Cumulative Healthcare Costs in Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Population‐Based Study
Authors: Bennell Maria C. , Qiu Feng , Micieli Andrew , Ko Dennis T. , Dorian Paul , Atzema Clare L. , Singh Sheldon M. , Wijeysundera Harindra C.
Published: April 2015

Background

Atrial fibrillation (
AF
) has substantial impacts on healthcare resource utilization. Our objective was to understand the pattern and predictors of cumulative healthcare costs in
AF
patients after incident diagnosis in an emergency department (
ED
).

Methods and Results

Patients discharged after a first presentation of
AF
to an
ED
in Ontario, Canada, were identified from April 1, 2005, through March 31, 2010. Per‐patient cumulative healthcare costs were determined until death or March 31, 2012. Join‐point analyses identified clinically relevant cost phases. Hierarchical generalized linear models with a logarithmic link and gamma distribution determined predictors of cost per phase. Our cohort was 17 980 patients. During a mean follow‐up of 3.9 years, 17.1% of patients died. Three distinct cost phases were identified: 2‐month post–index
ED
visit phase, 12‐month predeath phase, and a stable/chronic phase. The mean cost per patient in the first month post–index
ED
visit was $1876 (95%
CI
$1822 to $1931), $8050 (95%
CI
$7666 to $8434) in the month before death, and $640 (95%
CI
$624 to $655) per month for the stable/chronic phase. The main cost component in the post‐index phase was physician services (32% of all costs) and hospitalizations for the predeath phase (72% of all costs). The
CHA
2
DS
2
‐
VAS
c clinical risk score was a strong predictor of costs (rate ratio 1.91 and 5.08 for score of 7 versus score of 0 in predeath phase and postindex phase, respectively).

Conclusions

There are distinct phases of resource utilization in
AF
, with highest costs in the predeath phase.
Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter, Residential Proximity to Major Roads and Measures of Brain Structure
Authors: Wilker Elissa H. , Preis Sarah R. , Beiser Alexa S. , Wolf Philip A. , Au Rhoda , Kloog Itai , Li Wenyuan , Schwartz Joel , Koutrakis Petros , DeCarli Charles , Seshadri Sudha , Mittleman Murray A.
Published: April 2015

Background and Purpose—

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment, but whether it is related to structural changes in the brain is not clear. We examined the associations between residential long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and markers of brain aging using magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods—

Framingham Offspring Study participants who attended the seventh examination were at least 60 years old and free of dementia and stroke were included. We evaluated associations between exposures (fine particulate matter [PM
2.5
] and residential proximity to major roadways) and measures of total cerebral brain volume, hippocampal volume, white matter hyperintensity volume (log-transformed and extensive white matter hyperintensity volume for age), and covert brain infarcts. Models were adjusted for age, clinical covariates, indicators of socioeconomic position, and temporal trends.

Results—

A 2-μg/m
3
increase in PM
2.5
was associated with −0.32% (95% confidence interval, −0.59 to −0.05) smaller total cerebral brain volume and 1.46 (95% confidence interval, 1.10 to 1.94) higher odds of covert brain infarcts. Living further away from a major roadway was associated with 0.10 (95% confidence interval, 0.01 to 0.19) greater log-transformed white matter hyperintensity volume for an interquartile range difference in distance, but no clear pattern of association was observed for extensive white matter.

Conclusions—

Exposure to elevated levels of PM
2.5
was associated with smaller total cerebral brain volume, a marker of age-associated brain atrophy, and with higher odds of covert brain infarcts. These findings suggest that air pollution is associated with insidious effects on structural brain aging even in dementia- and stroke-free persons.
Patterns of Poststroke Brain Damage That Predict Speech Production Errors in Apraxia of Speech and Aphasia Dissociate
Authors: Basilakos Alexandra , Rorden Chris , Bonilha Leonardo , Moser Dana , Fridriksson Julius
Published: April 2015

Background and Purpose—

Acquired apraxia of speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder caused by brain damage. AOS often co-occurs with aphasia, a language disorder in which patients may also demonstrate speech production errors. The overlap of speech production deficits in both disorders has raised questions on whether AOS emerges from a unique pattern of brain damage or as a subelement of the aphasic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to determine whether speech production errors in AOS and aphasia are associated with distinctive patterns of brain injury.

Methods—

Forty-three patients with history of a single left-hemisphere stroke underwent comprehensive speech and language testing. The AOS Rating Scale was used to rate speech errors specific to AOS versus speech errors that can also be associated with both AOS and aphasia. Localized brain damage was identified using structural magnetic resonance imaging, and voxel-based lesion-impairment mapping was used to evaluate the relationship between speech errors specific to AOS, those that can occur in AOS or aphasia, and brain damage.

Results—

The pattern of brain damage associated with AOS was most strongly associated with damage to cortical motor regions, with additional involvement of somatosensory areas. Speech production deficits that could be attributed to AOS or aphasia were associated with damage to the temporal lobe and the inferior precentral frontal regions.

Conclusions—

AOS likely occurs in conjunction with aphasia because of the proximity of the brain areas supporting speech and language, but the neurobiological substrate for each disorder differs.
Bio-management of tomato wilt complex caused by Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici
Authors: Munawar Maria , Khan Sajid Aleem , Javed Nazir , Ul Haq Imran , Gondal Amjad Shahzad
Published: April 2015

The potential of biocontrol agentsPurpureocillium lilacinum(Paecilomyceslilacinus) andTrichodermaharzianumwas evaluated against tomato wilt complex, caused by a combination ofMeloidogyne incognitaandFusarium oxysporumf. sp.lycopersici, under both laboratory and field conditions. Biocontrol agents at spore concentration of 1 × 106spores ml−1were applied alone and in combined treatments. The results of combined application revealed maximum mortality and inhibition of hatching ofM. incognitaunderin vitroconditions. Combined application of both antagonistic fungi was found to be more effective in mycelial inhibition ofFusarium oxysporumf. sp.lycopersici. In glasshouse trials, application ofT. harzianumpromoted overall plant growth, followed by combined application ofP. lilacinumandT. harzianum; nematode development parameters and fungus damage were significantly reduced. Under field conditions, the combined application ofP. lilacinumandT. harzianumincreased the number of leaves, shoot length, shoot weight and root length, and decreased root weight, with minimum number of females and egg masses ofM. incognitaper root system and mycelia inhibition ofF. oxysporum.
Introduction: Cross-Confessional Diplomacy and Diplomatic Intermediaries in the Early Modern Mediterranean
Authors: van Gelder Maartje , Krstić Tijana
Published: April 2015

This special issue, an exercise in integrated Mediterranean history through the lens of diplomacy, demonstrates that diplomatic genres and practices associated with a European political and cultural tradition, on the one hand, or an Islamic tradition, on the other, were not produced in isolation but attained meaning through the process of mediation and negotiation among intermediaries of different confessional and social backgrounds. Building on the “new diplomatic history,” the essays focus on non-elite (e.g. Christian slaves, renegades, Jewish doctors, Moriscos) and less commonly studied (mid- and high-ranking Muslim officials) intermediaries in Mediterranean cross-confessional diplomacy. The issue argues that the early modern period witnessed a relative balance of power among Muslim- and Christian-ruled polities: negotiations entailed not only principles of reciprocity, parity, and commensurability, but these were actually enforceable in practice. This challenges the notion of European diplomatic supremacy, prompting scholars to fundamentally rethink the narrative about the origins of early modern diplomacy.
The Republic’s Renegades: Dutch Converts to Islam in Seventeenth-Century Diplomatic Relations with North Africa
Authors: van Gelder Maartje
Published: April 2015

This article explores the ways in which Dutch converts to Islam acted as informants, intermediaries and at times even informal diplomats for the Dutch Republic, a newcomer to Mediterranean trade and diplomacy. It asks how these renegades, who often occupied high ranks in the North African corsairing fleets and local positions of power, facilitated and shaped Dutch-North African relations. The article explores the renegades’ diplomatic services, follows them as they (re)establish contact with the Dutch Republic, and analyzes how they fashioned themselves as cross-confessional mediators. Far from being marginal figures caught in the dichotomy of a Christian past and a Muslim present, Dutch renegades operated as part of a continuum that encompassed both the Islamic Mediterranean and the Dutch Republic.
Fetva Diplomacy: The Ottoman Şeyhülislam as Trans-Imperial Intermediary
Authors: White Joshua M.
Published: April 2015

This article explores the role of the şeyhülislam, the mufti of Istanbul and the head of the Ottoman religious-legal hierarchy, as a diplomatic intermediary and introduces the concept of “fetva diplomacy.” Anyone of any confession could request a fetva (Arabic: fatwa), a non-binding legal opinion, from the şeyhülislam. From the late sixteenth century, this openness to all comers led foreign powers’ representatives to cultivate close ties with the şeyhülislam, often seeking his intercession and his fetvas to support their interests. Examining the diplomatic aftermath of a 1624 corsair raid on Venetian territories, this essay shows how fetva diplomacy worked in practice and how the legitimacy and religious bona fides of the şeyhülislam were harnessed to give Islamic legal sanction to pragmatic political and diplomatic decisions.
The Genus Anthoceros (Anthocerotaceae, Anthocerotophyta) in Central Mexico
Authors: Ibarra-Morales Ariadna , Muñíz María Eugenia , Valencia Susana
Published: April 2015

The anatomy and morphology of six species of Anthoceros found in central Mexico are described. Anthoceros hispidus is reported new to Mexico. A key to the species of the genus in the region is provided.
Galatella malacitana (Asteraceae): a new species from the peridotitic mountains of southern Spain
Authors: Blanca Gabriel , Gavira Óscar , Suárez-Santiago Víctor N.
Published: April 2015

A new species of the genus Galatella is described, illustrated, and compared with the other three Iberian taxa of the genus, G. aragonensis, G. linosyris, and G. sedifolia subsp. sedifolia, and the two morphologically most similar taxa, G. sedifolia subsp. biflora and G. regelii. The new species occurs on peridotitic soils, forming part of the open shrublands in the province of Málaga (southern Spain). In addition, a distribution map, illustrations, and a description of the habitat of the new species are presented. We also propose to use the presence or absence of hairs on the outer surface of the corolla as a diagnostic character in Galatella.
Nomenclatural and Taxonomic Notes on Eriocaulaceae from the Atlantic Forest, Brazil
Authors: Trovó Marcelo , Echternacht Livia , Costa Fabiane , Giuliett Ana , Sano Paulo
Published: April 2015

The diversity of Eriocaulaceae in the Neotropics is primarily concentrated in the Espinhaço Range in Brazil and in the Tepuis of Venezuela. Species richness outside of these areas, however, is significant but poorly known. Based on improved taxonomic knowledge about Eriocaulaceae in the Atlantic Forest domain in Brazil, we propose nomenclatural and taxonomic changes, and provide an identification key and an annotated list of the species of the core Serra da Mantiqueira. A total of 24 species were found, one described quite recently and two still known only from the type specimens. Lectotypes for the following names are designated: Eriocaulon majusculum, Paepalanthus exiguus, P. jordanensis, P. manicatus, and Syngonanthus caulescens.
Peperomia (Piperaceae) novelties from Veracruz State, Mexico
Authors: Mathieu Guido , Vergara-Rodriguez Daniela , Krömer Thorsten , Karger Dirk Nikolaus
Published: April 2015

The preparation of a taxonomic treatment of the genus Peperomia (Piperaceae) for the ‘Flora of Veracruz’, revealed that three species remained without being described. This finding is a result of the review and study of botanical collections in several Mexican and foreign herbaria, as well as of field work in order to collect living and fertile material, which allowed us to describe and illustrate the species as new to science. Two of these, P. chazaroi and P. vazquezii, appear to be endemic to Veracruz, whereas P. parastriata was also found in the neighboring states Chiapas and Oaxaca. The treatment includes assessments of conservation status considering IUCN Red List criteria.
Association of immature stages of some caddisfly species from northwestern Argentina with description of a new species of Helicopsyche (Trichoptera: Helicopsychidae)
Authors: MARTÍN PAOLA A. RUEDA , MIRANDA ÁGUEDA VERÓNICA ISA
Published: April 2015

The adult, larva, and pupa of Helicopsyche obscura sp. nov. from northwestern Argentina are described and illustrated. Descriptions and illustrations of adults and associated pupae and larvae of Helicopsyche turbida Navás and Leptonema boliviense boliviense Mosely are included. The associations of immature stages were made using the metamorphotype method. Helicopsyche turbida is newly recorded from Tucumán province. The adult males of H. obscura sp. nov. and H. turbida have similar structure in the genital segments, however, the most clear differences are in the general color and size of the adult, and in the color, size, and morphology of the metanota in the larval stages as well as the shapes of mandibles, hook plates, and terminal segments of the pupal stages. The larva and pupa of L. boliviense boliviense are compared with those of L. columbianum and other previously described species, providing differences in color, chaetotaxy, and morphology.
Morphological and morphometric comparison of the first zoeal stage of the mangrove crabs of the genus Aratus H. Milne Edwards, 1853 (Decapoda: Sesarmidae)
Authors: REBOLLEDO ADRIANA P. , WEHRTMANN INGO S. , CUESTA JOSE A.
Published: April 2015

The mangrove crab Aratus pisonii (H. Mile Edwards, 1837) was considered to have an amphi-American distribution but a recent genetic study revealed that the Eastern Tropical Pacific populations represent a new species, A. pacificus (Thiercelin & Schubart, 2014). These sister species separated by the Central American Isthmus have developed under different environmental conditions that may influence their larval development. A comparison of morphological and morphometric features (length and width of cephalothorax and length of rostral and dorsal spine, antenna, antennule, telson, and furcae) of recently-hatched larvae of A. pacificus (Pacific coast) and A. pisonii (Caribbean coast) from Costa Rica revealed that the setation pattern of the antennules differed between the species and the analyzed morphometric features were larger in A. pisonii larvae. Difference in size may be a response to different environmental conditions, as the lower primary production in coastal Caribbean waters, which may have forced females of A. pisonii to allocate more energy into the offspring, resulting in larger zoeal size. A greater endogenous reserve may allow the larvae to reduce the duration of the planktonic phase and increase the size at metamorphosis, thus enhancing their survival chances during the planktonic phase. These data regarding morphological and morphometric differences in recently-hatched larvae of the Pacific and Caribbean species support the conclusion that specimens of Aratus from both coasts of Costa Rica represent indeed different species.
Collembola of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) with descriptions of five endemic cave-restricted species
Authors: BERNARD ERNEST C. , SOTO-ADAMES FELIPE N. , WYNNE J. JUDSON
Published: April 2015

Eight species of Collembola are reported from recent collections made in caves on the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Five of these species are new to science and apparently endemic to the island: Coecobrya aitorererere n. sp., Cyphoderus manuneru n. sp., Entomobrya manuhoko n. sp., Pseudosinella hahoteana n. sp. and Seira manukio n. sp. The Hawaiian species Lepidocyrtus olena Christiansen & Bellinger and the cosmopolitan species Folsomia candida Willem also were collected from one or more caves. Coecobrya kennethi Jordana & Baquero, recently described from Rapa Nui and identified as endemic, was collected in sympatric association with C. aitorererere n.sp. With the exception of F. candida, all species are endemic to Rapa Nui or greater Polynesia and appear to be restricted to the cave environment on Rapa Nui. A key is provided to separate Collembola species reported from Rapa Nui. We provide recommendations to aid in the conservation and management of these new Collembola, as well as the other presumed cave-restricted arthropods.
Three new species of genus Sinophorus Förster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) parasitizing twig and defoliating Lepidoptera
Authors: SHENG MAO-LING , LI TAO , CAO JIANG-FENG
Published: April 2015

Three new wasp species are described from the subfamily Campopleginae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Sinophorus bazariae Sheng, sp. n., reared from Bazaria turensis Ragonot (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) in Dulan County, Qinghai Province, China, S. nigrus Sheng, sp. n., reared from Epinotia rubiginosana rubiginosana (Herrich-Schäffer) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) in Weichang, Hebei Province, and S. zeirapherae Sheng, sp. n., reared from Zeiraphera grisecana (Hübner) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) in Liupanshan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. A key to the species of Chinese Sinophorus is provided.
A Statistical Analysis of the Effects of Vertical Wind Shear on Tropical Cyclone Intensity Change over the Western North Pacific
Authors: Wang Yuqing , Rao Yunjie , Tan Zhe-Min , Schönemann Daria
Published: April 2015

The effect of vertical wind shear (VWS) between different pressure levels on TC intensity change is statistically analyzed based on the best track data of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the western North Pacific (WNP) from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the ECMWF interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim) data during 1981–2013. Results show that the commonly used VWS measure between 200 and 850 hPa is less representative of the attenuating deep-layer shear effect than that between 300 and 1000 hPa. Moreover, the authors find that the low-level shear between 850 (or 700) and 1000 hPa is more negatively correlated with TC intensity change than any deep-layer shear during the active typhoon season, whereas deep-layer shear turns out to be more influential than low-level shear during the remaining less active seasons. Further analysis covering all seasons exhibits that a TC has a better chance to intensify than to decay when the deep-layer shear is lower than 7–9 m s−1 and the low-level shear is below 2.5 m s−1. The probability for TCs to intensify and undergo rapid intensification (RI) increases with decreasing VWS and increasing sea surface temperature (SST). TCs moving at slow translational speeds (less than 3 m s−1) intensify under relatively weaker VWS than TCs moving at intermediate translational speeds (3–8 m s−1). The probability of RI becomes lower than that of rapid decaying (RD) when the translational speed is larger than 8 m s−1. Most TCs tend to decay when the translational speed is larger than 12 m s−1 regardless of the shear condition.
Smell of the Soil
Authors: Balatchandirane G.
Published: April 2015

For long, the study of Japanese economic history of the prewar period has been colored by the dominant view of the modernisation economists who clearly held an anti-Marxist or a non-Marxist approach. One casualty of this approach has been the neglect of the rich micro level studies and data that are available on this period in the Japanese language. The standard view of agricultural development in Japan tends to ignore or gloss over the various struggles and difficulties the poor peasant went through. This article highlights the availability of diaries and other records left by the poor or the tenant farmers of the Meiji and Taisho periods. It shows how a study of these, along with the macro picture presented by the modernisation economists, completes the canvas and brings one closer to the realities of the prewar period. It raises questions about the image of a smooth and painless transition to modernisation that has been holding centre stage in the discourse about Japan for so long.
Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with pulmonary embolism in surgical patients – a case series
Authors: Swol J , Buchwald D , Strauch J , Schildhauer TA
Published: April 2015

Background:

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) devices maintain the circulation and oxygenation of organs during acute right ventricular failure and cardiogenic shock, bypassing the lungs. A pulmonary embolism can cause this life-threatening condition. ECLS is a considerably less invasive treatment than surgical embolectomy. Whether to bridge embolectomy or for a therapeutic purpose, ECLS is used almost exclusively following failure of all other therapeutic options.

Methods:

From January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2014, five patients in cardiac arrest and with diagnosed pulmonary embolism (PE) were cannulated with the ECLS system.

Results:

PE was diagnosed using computer tomography scanning or echocardiography. Cardiac arrest was witnessed in the hospital in all cases and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was initiated immediately. Cannulation of the femoral vein and femoral artery was always performed under CPR conditions. Right heart failure regressed during the ECLS therapy, usually under a blood flow of 4-5 L/min after 48 hours. Three patients were weaned from ECLS and one patient became an organ donor. Finally, two of the five PE patients treated with ECLS were discharged from inpatient treatment without neurological dysfunction. The duration of ECLS therapy depends on the patient’s condition. Irreversible damage to the organs after hypoxemia limits ECLS treatment and leads to futile multiorgan failure. Hemorrhages after thrombolysis and cerebral dysfunction were further complications.

Conclusions:

Veno-arterial cannulation for ECLS can be feasibly achieved and should be established during active CPR for cardiac arrest. In the case of PE, the immediate diagnosis and rapid implantation of the system are decisive for therapeutic success.
The use of the 25 Sprotte needle markedly reduces post-dural puncture headache in routine neurological practice
Authors: Bertolotto Antonio , Malentacchi Maria , Capobianco Marco , di Sapio Alessia , Malucchi Simona , Motuzova Yana , Pulizzi Annalisa , Berchialla Paola , Sperli Francesca
Published: April 2015

Objectives

The objectives of this article are to test the feasibility of lumbar puncture (LP) using 25-gauge (G) needles in daily neurological practice and to compare the risk of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) with four types of needles.

Methods

In a prospective rater-blind study, pros and cons of four different LP needles, the 20G Quincke (20Q), 22G Sprotte (22S), 25G Whitacre (25W) and 25G Sprotte (25S), were evaluated in 394 LPs performed by seven neurologists. The neurologist performing the LP recorded the type and size of needle, intensity of pain, safety, time of the procedure and failure or success. Between five and 15 days later another neurologist, blind to the type of needle used, completed an ad-hoc questionnaire for PDPH.

Results

PDPH developed in 35.9% patients when using a 20Q needle, and in 12.9%, 6.8% and 1.6%, respectively, when using a 22S, 25W or 25S needle. The difference in incidence of PDPH following LP performed with the 20Q needle and the 25S or 22S was statistically significant ( p < 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively) and it approached significance when comparing the 25S and 25W ( p = 0.06). As 25W and 25S needles need CSF aspiration, LP requires more time and skill. Pain caused by LP was similar with the four needles.

Conclusion

The use of the 25S needle in diagnostic LP reduces the frequency and severity of PDPH.
Neonatal Body Composition
Authors: Rice Melissa S. , Valentine Christina J.
Published: April 2015

Neonatal nutrition adequacy is often determined by infant weight gain. The aim of this review is to summarize what is currently known about neonatal body composition and the use of body composition as a measure for adequate neonatal nutrition. Unlike traditional anthropometric measures of height and weight, body composition measurements account for fat vs nonfat mass gains. This provides a more accurate picture of neonatal composition of weight gain. Providing adequate neonatal nutrition in the form of quantity and composition can be a challenge, especially when considering the delicate balance of providing adequate nutrition to preterm infants for catch‐up growth. Monitoring weight gain as fat mass and nonfat mass while documenting dietary intake of fat, protein, and carbohydrate in formulas may help provide the medical community the tools to provide optimal nutrition for catch‐up growth and for improved neurodevelopmental outcomes. Tracking body composition in term and preterm infants may also provide critical future information concerning the nutritional state of infants who go on to develop future disease such as obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia as adolescents or adults.
Managed Morality
Authors: Bromley Patricia , Orchard Charlene D.
Published: April 2015

Calls for accountability in the nonprofit sector have never been stronger, and the rise of various forms of self-regulation represents a profound shift for nonprofits. Existing studies tend to focus on effective design and implementation of accountability policies, with an eye toward improving nonprofit efficiency and reducing instances of misconduct. Against this backdrop, we draw on sociological institutionalism to theorize an alternative view of one form of self-regulation, formal codes of conduct or ethical codes. In this view, formal policies, such as codes, are assumed to be adopted as a response to pressures in an organization’s institutional environment, beyond their purported instrumental value. Using a quantitative analysis of code adoption by 24 of 45 state nonprofit associations over the period 1994 to 2011, we provide evidence that codes arise due to general environmental conditions, particularly related to the influences of neoliberalism and professionalization, net of the functional demands of any particular context.
Research on suspension system with embedded-permanent-magnet magnetorheological damper based on V-model
Authors: Xiao Ping , Wang Qidong , Niu Limin , Gao Hong
Published: April 2015

In order to enhance performance of automotive suspension with embedded-permanent-magnet magnetorheological (MR) damper, V-model developing flow of electronic control unit was adopted to study control system of the suspension. First of all, rapid control prototyping (RCP) system of suspension with embedded-permanent-magnet MR damper was built up based on real-time simulation platform D2P; control algorithm of fruit fly optimization algorithm– proportional-integral-derivative was designed and experiments of RCP simulation were carried out. Moreover, model of suspension with embedded-permanent-magnet MR damper was built with the instruction of magnetic field composition theory. On these bases, hardware in the loop simulation (HILS) platform was built up and HILS experiments were carried out as well. Finally, bench tests were carried out, whose results, together with simulation results, indicated that the controlling system of suspension with embedded-permanent-magnets MR damper in the given research could enhance automobiles’ ride performance and the designed control strategy and algorithm were good.
The utility of population-based surveys to describe the continuum of HIV services for key and general populations
Authors: Hladik Wolfgang , Benech Irene , Bateganya Moses , Hakim Avi J
Published: April 2015

Monitoring the cascade or continuum of HIV services – ranging from outreach services to anti-retroviral treatment – has become increasingly important as the focus in prevention moves toward biomedical interventions, in particular, ‘Treatment as Prevention.’ The HIV continuum typically utilises clinic-based care and treatment monitoring data and helps identify gaps and inform programme improvements. This paper discusses the merits of a population-based survey-informed continuum of services. Surveys provide individual-level, population-based data by sampling persons both in and outside the continuum, which facilitate the estimation of population fractions, such as the proportion of people living with HIV in care, as well as the examination of determinants for being in or outside the continuum. Survey-informed cascades of services may especially benefit key populations at increased risk for HIV infection for who social marginalisation, criminalisation, and stigma result in barriers to access and retention in services, a low social visibility, mobility, and outreach-based services can compromise clinic-based monitoring. Adding CD4+ T-cell count and viral load measurements to such surveys may provide population-level information on viral load suppression, stage of disease, treatment needs, and population-level transmission potential. While routine clinic-based reporting will remain the mainstay of monitoring, a survey-informed service cascade can address some of its limitations and offer additional insights.
Canadian Children’s Mental Health
Authors: Climie Emma A.
Published: April 2015

Given the increasing identification of children with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD), it is imperative that innovative ways of addressing these concerns are explored. Fewer than half of students identified with mental illness receive treatment, leaving a significant proportion of students to cope with mental illness without support. One option for increasing children’s access to mental health service looks at incorporating treatment programs into educational systems, thereby allowing more children to access a greater variety of service. However, it is necessary to ensure that school-based personnel have the required training and understanding of mental health issues so that children may be appropriately supported. As such, providing university-level training programs for teachers and school staff to better understand and identify mental health issues may be a key factor in supporting children with EBD.
Toward a Theory of Second-Order Corruption
Authors: Zyglidopoulos Stelios
Published: April 2015

In this article, I identify two kinds of corruption: first-order and second-order corruption. First-order corruption is the abuse of power by either individuals or groups for private gain given a system of existing rules or norms, whereas second-order corruption is the abuse of power by individuals or groups in that they change the existing rules or norms to benefit from them unfairly. I argue that second-order corruption has certain unique characteristics that make it harder to identify and more harmful for both the corporation and society in the long run, and conclude by suggesting some ways to deal with it.
The Effects of Melodramatic Animation in Crime-Related News
Authors: Cheng Benjamin Ka Lun , Lo Wai Han
Published: April 2015

An experiment with 187 college students as participants was conducted to investigate the effects of the use of melodramatic animation in crime-related news. The results of path analyses suggested that the viewers’ experience of presence was related to the intensity of negative perceptions of the suspect portrayed in crime news and their confidence in assessing the suspect as guilty. However, a diverse result was found for the influence of the use of melodramatic animation in the news on presence, with regard to different news categories. The practical and ethical issues regarding the use of this news format are discussed.
The Analysis of Multilevel Networks in Organizations
Authors: Zappa Paola , Lomi Alessandro
Published: April 2015

Studies of social networks in organizations confront analytical challenges posed by the multilevel effects of hierarchical relations between organizational subunits on the presence or absence of informal network relations among organizational members. Conventional multilevel models may be usefully adopted to control for generic forms of non-independence between tie variables defined at multiple levels of analysis. Such models, however, are unable to identify the specific multilevel dependence mechanisms generating the observed network data. This is the basic difference between multilevel analysis of networks and the analysis of multilevel networks. The aim of this article is to show how recently derived multilevel exponential random graph models (MERGMs) may be specified and estimated to address the problems posed by the analysis of multilevel networks in organizations. We illustrate our methodological proposal using data on hierarchical subordination and informal communication relations between top managers in a multiunit industrial group. We discuss the implications of our results in the broader context of current theories of organizations as connected multilevel systems.
Characterizing failure behaviors of debonded composite sandwich structures under compressive loading
Authors: Nieh Yi-Hsin , Lai Yen-Kun , Tsai Jia-Lin
Published: April 2015

This research investigated the failure behaviors of the composite sandwich structures with face sheet and core debond subjected to compressive loading. Experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to determine the effects of the face sheet thickness and debond length on the compressive strength and failure mechanisms of the composite sandwich structures. Experimental results revealed that sandwich structures with either thicker face sheets or a shorter debond length exhibited a higher buckling load and greater failure strength. Moreover, when the debond length was short, failure was primarily caused by global buckling; conversely, when the debond length was long, failure was caused by local buckling and crack extension from the debond edge. To characterize the failure mechanism, a nonlinear finite element simulation of sandwich specimens containing imperfections was conducted. The simulation revealed that, when the dominant failure mode was global buckling, failure occurred at the intermediate portion of the foam core and strength could be characterized using the maximum principal strain criterion. However, when the failure mode was local buckling, failure was initiated at the debond tip, and strength could be predicted using the damage zone method.
Investigation of dynamic properties of natural material-based sandwich composites: Experimental test and numerical simulation
Authors: Yaman Mustafa , Önal Tuğberk
Published: April 2015

With the development of technology, the use of glass fibres and sandwich structures in a wide variety of engineering applications has had important growth in recent years because of their low self-weight and high strength when compared to conventional materials. Moreover, natural materials can be used as the core material in sandwich structures instead of conventional materials. Since synthetic materials cause a reduction of carbon release during material formation, these kinds of materials are renewable and recyclable. Therefore, in sandwich structures, renewability and recycling can be provided. In this study, dynamic properties of natural material-based sandwich composites were investigated experimentally and numerically. The effects of the thickness of the core and fibre orientation and number of layers on frequency and damping were analysed. It was observed that if the core thickness of the structure is properly optimised, this sandwich structure demonstrates better dynamic properties. Thus, sandwich materials from natural origin may offer more environmental friendly solutions compared to other materials.
Mediating climate politics
Authors: Dayrell Carmen , Urry John
Published: April 2015

This article examines the centrality of Brazil within the future of climate policy and politics. The state of the carbon sink of the Amazon rainforest has long been an iconic marker of the condition of the Earth. Brazil has been innovative in developing many non-carbon forms of energy generation and use and it has played a major role in international debates on global warming since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. We examine various ways in which climate change has come to be centrally important in Brazilian public opinion. Survey evidence shows that Brazilians are the most concerned about issues of climate change – with less climate change scepticism as compared with more ‘advanced’ societies. Through using techniques of corpus linguistics we examine how Brazilian media has engendered and stabilized such a high and striking level of climate change concern. We show that the media helped to fix a ‘climate change framing’ of recent often strange weather. The article analyses the newly constructed Brazilian Corpus on Climate Change, presenting data on a scale and reach that is unique in this area of research.
Development of biocomposites by a facile fiber spinning technique for nerve tissue engineering applications
Authors: Amalorpavamary L , Giri Dev VR
Published: April 2015

Nerve guides are the bridging devices used to bridge the proximal and the distal ends of the dissected peripheral nerves. Biocompatible nerve guides comprising polycaprolactone/polyvinyl pyrrolidone polymer were developed using centrifugal spinning technique. The developed nerve guides were loaded with triterpenoids isolated from Centella asiatica. Drug-releasing studies were carried out at various drug-loading percentages in the phosphate buffer releasing medium. The release studies confirm that the drug can be released into the medium to the extent of 50%. Cell culture studies also confirm that the triterpenoids-loaded nerve guides are biocompatible, provide an oriented substratum for cell adhesion and proliferation which is necessary for guided tissue regeneration.
Expression and promoter methylation status of hMLH1, MGMT, APC, and CDH1 genes in patients with colon adenocarcinoma
Authors: Michailidi Christina , Theocharis Stamatios , Tsourouflis Gerasimos , Pletsa Vasiliki , Kouraklis Gregorios , Patsouris Efstratios , Papavassiliou Athanasios G , Troungos Constantinos
Published: April 2015

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women worldwide. CRC development is the result of genetic and epigenetic alterations accumulation in the epithelial cells of colon mucosa. In the present study, DNA methylation, an epigenetic event, was evaluated in tumoral and matching normal epithelium in a cohort of 61 CRC patients. The results confirmed and expanded knowledge for the tumor suppressor genes hMLH1, MGMT, APC, and CDH1. Promoter methylation was observed for all the examined genes in different percentage. A total of 71% and 10% of the examined cases were found to be methylated in two or more and in all genes, respectively. mRNA and protein levels were also evaluated. Promoter methylation of hMLH1, MGMT, APC, and CDH1 genes was present at the early stages of tumor’s formation and it could also be detected in the normal mucosa. Correlations of the methylated genes with patient’s age and tumor’s clinicopathological characteristics were also observed. Our findings suggest that DNA methylation is a useful marker for tumor progression monitoring and that promoter methylation in certain genes is associated with more advanced tumor stage, poor differentiation, and metastasis.
Laboratory diagnosis of melioidosis: Past, present and future
Authors: Lau Susanna KP , Sridhar Siddharth , Ho Chi-Chun , Chow Wang-Ngai , Lee Kim-Chung , Lam Ching-Wan , Yuen Kwok-Yung , Woo Patrick CY
Published: April 2015

Melioidosis is an emerging, potentially fatal disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, which requires prolonged antibiotic treatment to prevent disease relapse. However, difficulties in laboratory diagnosis of melioidosis may delay treatment and affect disease outcomes. Isolation of B. pseudomallei from clinical specimens has been improved with the use of selective media. However, even with positive cultures, identification of B. pseudomallei can be difficult in clinical microbiology laboratories, especially in non-endemic areas where clinical suspicion is low. Commercial identification systems may fail to distinguish between B. pseudomallei and closely related species such as Burkholderia thailandensis. Genotypic identification of suspected isolates can be achieved by sequencing of gene targets such as groEL which offer higher discriminative power than 16S rRNA. Specific PCR-based identification of B. pseudomallei has also been developed using B. pseudomallei-specific gene targets such as Type III secretion system and Tat-domain protein. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, a revolutionary technique for pathogen identification, has been shown to be potentially useful for rapid identification of B. pseudomallei, although existing databases require optimization by adding reference spectra for B. pseudomallei. Despite these advances in bacterial identification, diagnostic problems encountered in culture-negative cases remain largely unresolved. Although various serological tests have been developed, they are generally unstandardized “in house” assays and have low sensitivities and specificities. Although specific PCR assays have been applied to direct clinical and environmental specimens, the sensitivities for diagnosis remain to be evaluated. Metabolomics is an uprising tool for studying infectious diseases and may offer a novel approach for exploring potential diagnostic biomarkers. The metabolomics profiles of B. pseudomallei culture supernatants can be potentially distinguished from those of related bacterial species including B. thailandensis . Further studies using bacterial cultures and direct patient samples are required to evaluate the potential of metabolomics for improving diagnosis of melioidosis.
Bovine macrophages sense Escherichia coli Shiga toxin 1
Authors: Menge Christian , Loos Daniela , Bridger Philip S , Barth Stefanie , Werling Dirk , Baljer Georg
Published: April 2015

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections in cattle are asymptomatic; however, Stx impairs the initiation of an adaptive immune response by targeting bovine peripheral and intraepithelial lymphocytes. As presumptive bovine mucosal macrophages (Mø) are also sensitive to Stx, STEC may even exert immune modulatory effects by acting on steps preceding lymphocyte activation at the Mø level. We therefore studied the expression of the Stx receptor (CD77), cellular phenotype and functions after incubation of primary bovine monocyte-derived Mø with purified Stx1. A significant portion of bovine Mø expressed CD77 on their surface, with the recombinant B-subunit of Stx1 binding to >50% of the cells. Stx1 down-regulated significantly surface expression of CD14, CD172a and co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 within 4 h of incubation, while MHC-II expression remained unaffected. Furthermore, incubation of Mø with Stx1 increased significantly numbers of transcripts for IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8 and GRO-α but not for IL-12, TGF-β, MCP-1 and RANTES. In the course of bovine STEC infections, Stx1 appears to induce in Mø a mixed response pattern reminiscent of regulatory Mø, which may amplify the direct suppressive effect of the toxin on lymphocytes.
Spilt Milk
Authors: Matani Sara , Pierce J. Rush
Published: April 2015

We report a case of bilateral chylothorax without evidence of chylous fistula in a 62-year-old man following total laryngectomy and bilateral selective neck dissection for laryngeal cancer. Chylous fistulae, a well-known complication of neck dissection, occurs following 1% to 2% of these surgeries. On rare occasions, the chyle leak may communicate with the pleural space, resulting in chylothorax. This is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. Bilateral chylothorax following neck dissection is even rarer, with less than 25 cases reported in the literature. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent complications. Physicians should have a high index of suspicion, especially when the postoperative effusions do not respond to diuretics. Though no evidence-based treatment guidelines exist, expert opinion recommends conservative management as first-line therapy. Our patient was effectively treated by conservative management. We postulate a mechanism whereby bilateral chylothorax occurred in our patient without a chylous fistula.
The association between time to antibiotics and relevant clinical outcomes in emergency department patients with various stages of sepsis: a prospective multi-center study
Authors: de Groot Bas , Ansems Annemieke , Gerling Daan H , Rijpsma Douwe , van Amstel Paul , Linzel Durk , Kostense Piet J , Jonker Marianne , de Jonge Evert
Published: April 2015

Introduction

In early sepsis stages, optimal treatment could contribute to prevention of progression to severe sepsis. Therefore, we investigated if there was an association between time to antibiotics and relevant clinical outcomes in hospitalized emergency department (ED) patients with mild to severe sepsis stages.

Methods

This is a prospective multicenter study in three Dutch EDs. Patients were stratified into three categories of illness severity, as assessed by the predisposition, infection, response, and organ failure (PIRO) score: PIRO score 1 to 7, 8 to 14 and >14 points, reflected low, intermediate, and high illness severity, respectively. Consecutive hospitalized ED patients with a suspected infection who were treated with intravenous antibiotics were eligible to participate in the study. The primary outcome measure was the number of surviving days outside the hospital at day 28 which was used as an inverse measure of hospital length of stay (LOS). The secondary outcome measure was 28-day mortality, taking into account the time to mortality.

Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the association between time to antibiotics and the primary and secondary outcome measures corrected for confounders, including appropriateness of antibiotics and initial ED resuscitation, in three categories of illness severity.

Results

Of the 1,168 included patients, 112 died (10%), while 85% and 95% received antibiotics within three and six hours, respectively. No association between time to antibiotics and surviving days outside the hospital or mortality was found. Only in PIRO group 1 to 7 was delayed administration of antibiotics (>3 hours) associated with an increase in surviving days outside the hospital at day 28 (hazard ratio: 1.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.05 to 2.02 after correction for potential confounders).

Conclusions

In ED patients with mild to severe sepsis who received antibiotics within six hours after ED presentation, a reduction in time to antibiotics was not found to be associated with an improvement in relevant clinical outcomes.