bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid differentially regulate the skeletal muscle secretome of obese Zucker rats
Authors: Rajna Alex , Gibling Heather , Sarr Ousseynou , Matravadia Sarthak , Holloway Graham P. , Mutch David M.
Published: May 2018

Evidence shows that proteins secreted from skeletal muscle influence a broad range of metabolic signaling pathways. We previously reported that essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) improved whole-body glucose homeostasis in obese Zucker rats; however, the mechanisms underlying these benefits remain enigmatic. While PUFA and obesity influence skeletal muscle function, their effects on the secretome are unknown. The aim of this work was to determine if improvements in whole-body glucose homeostasis in obese Zucker rats fed diets supplemented with either linoleic acid (LA) or alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) for 12 wk are related to changes in the skeletal muscle secretome. Secreted proteins were identified with a predictive bioinformatic analysis of microarray gene expression from red tibialis anterior skeletal muscle. Approximately 130 genes were differentially expressed (false discovery rate = 0.05) in obese rats compared with lean controls. The expression of 15 genes encoding secreted proteins was differentially regulated in obese controls, obese LA-supplemented, and obese ALA-supplemented rats compared with lean controls. Five secreted proteins ( Col3a1, Col15a1, Pdgfd, Lyz2, and Angptl4) were differentially regulated by LA and ALA. Most notably, ALA supplementation reduced Angptl4 gene expression compared with obese control and obese-LA supplemented rats and reduced circulating ANGPTL4 serum concentrations. ALA also influenced Angptl4 gene expression and ANGPTL4 secretion from differentiated rat L6 myotubes. Altogether, the present data indicate that obesity has a greater global impact on skeletal muscle gene expression than either essential PUFA; however, LA and ALA may exert their metabolic benefits in part by regulating the skeletal muscle secretome.
Fetal Biometry and Doppler Study for the Assessment of Perinatal Outcome in Stage I Late-Onset Fetal Growth Restriction
Authors: Villalaín Cecilia , Herraiz Ignacio , Quezada María Soledad , Gómez-Arriaga Paula Isabel , Gómez-Montes Enery , Galindo Alberto
Published: May 2018

Objective: To compare perinatal outcomes on fetuses classified as stage I late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) depending on the estimated fetal weight (EFW) centile category and the fetal and maternal Doppler study. Material and Methods: Retrospective cohort study on 131 cases of stage I late-onset FGR (diagnosis ≥32+0 weeks), defined as: EFW < 3rd centile and normal Doppler (G1) or EFW < 10th centile and mean uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) > 95th centile (G2) or EFW < 10th centile and mild fetal Doppler alteration: umbilical artery PI > 95th centile, middle cerebral artery PI < 5th centile, or cerebroplacental ratio < 5th centile (G3). All groups were compared to their perinatal results. Results: There were 37, 30, and 64 cases in G1, G2, and G3, respectively. G1 and G2 showed lower percentages of cesarean section when compared with G3 (18.4, 22.5, and 45.3% (p < 0.01), respectively), being attributable to an excess of cesarean sections for non-reassuring fetal status. These differences remained when definitive birth weight centile was above that considered to define FGR, being 5.9, 12.5, and 41.8% (p < 0.01), respectively. Discussion: In stage I late-onset FGR fetuses, abnormal fetal Doppler is associated with a poorer tolerance to vaginal delivery, even when the birth weight is > 10th centile.
Intake of Carbohydrate to Fiber Ratio Is a Useful Marker for Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hashimoto Yoshitaka , Tanaka Muhei , Miki Akane , Kobayashi Yukiko , Wada Sayori , Kuwahata Masashi , Kido Yasuhiro , Yamazaki Masahiro , Fukui Michiaki
Published: May 2018

Background/Aims: The effect of low carbohydrate diet on human health is still controversial. Whole grain, which is carbohydrate rich in fiber, has protective effects on human health. Thus, we assumed that intake of carbohydrate to fiber ratio has an important role in human health. Methods: This is a post-hoc analysis of a cross-sectional study of 164 patients with type 2 diabetes. Habitual food and nutrient intake were assessed and estimated by a self-administered diet history questionnaire. Intake of carbohydrate to fiber ratio was defined as carbohydrate (g)/fiber intake (g). Logistic regression analyses were performed to reveal the association between intake of carbohydrate to fiber ratio and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Results: Intake of carbohydrate to fiber ratio has closely associated with metabolic parameters, including triglycerides (r = 0.21, p = 0.007) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = –0.23, p = 0.003). Intake of carbohydrate to fiber ratio was associated with MetS (OR 1.06 [95% CI 1.00–1.13], p = 0.047) after adjusting for covariates, whereas carbohydrate intake (1.00 [0.99–1.01], p = 0.752) or carbohydrate energy/total energy (1.00 [0.94–1.07], p = 0.962) was not associated with MetS. Conclusions: Intake of carbohydrate to fiber ratio was associated with MetS, whereas carbohydrate intake was not.
Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance of Cancer Stem Cell Markers in Ovarian Cancer Patients: Evidence from 52 Studies
Authors: Tao Yifeng , Li Hui , Huang Rongyong , Mo Dan , Zeng Tian , Fang Min , Li Meiqin
Published: May 2018

Background/Aims: Relevant markers of cancer stem cells (CSCs) may serve as commonly used biomarkers of ovarian cancer (OC). However, their actual clinicopathological and prognostic significance remains inconclusive. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively evaluate the association between the expression of CSC-relevant markers (ALDH1, CD117, CD133, and CD44) and OC. Methods: We used an odds ratio (OR) and a hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) to estimate the effects by analyzing 52 studies from a literature search. Heterogeneity and sensitivity were evaluated, as well. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger tests. Results: ALDH1 expression was statistically associated with FIGO stage (OR=1.872, 95%CI=1.14-3.076, P=0.013) and lymph invasion (OR=2.78, 95%CI=1.08-7.152, P=0.034). CD117 expression was significantly associated with FIGO stage (OR=2.01, 95%CI=1.35-2.98, P=0.001). CD133 expression was correlated with FIGO stage (OR=3.410, 95%CI=2.196-5.294, P< 0.001) and differentiation grade (OR=2.672, 95%CI=1.354-5.272, P=0.005). CD44s was related to chemotherapy resistance (OR=3.218, 95%CI=1.148-9.016, P=0.026). Furthermore, overexpression of ALDH1 (HR=1.494, 95%CI=1.207-1.849, P< 0.001), CD117 (HR=1.395, 95%CI=1.025-1.898, P=0.034) or CD44s (HR=1.725, 95%CI=1.135-2.623, P=0.011) was associated with poor OS. Further, overexpression of both ALDH1 (HR=1.524, 95%CI=1.158-2.007, P=0.003) and CD44s (HR=2.12, 95%CI=1.692-2.657, P< 0.001) was correlated with worse DFS. Conclusion: CSC markers are useful predictive or prognostic biomarkers for OC in clinical assessments. Combined detection of CSC marker expression may be a powerful tool for prognostic predictions in clinical practice for patients with OC.
Características das mulheres que não consultam com médico: estudo de base populacional
Authors: Dias-da-Costa Juvenal Soares , Koltermann Annie Pozeczek , Cappellesso Bruna , Lisowski Josiele Flores , Bernardelli Maiton , Xavier Paula Brustolin , DonattiI Talita , Morimoto Tissiani , Bairros Fernanda Souza de , Olinto Maria Teresa Anselmo
Published: May 2018

OBJETIVO: Analisar a prevalência de não consultar com médico no período de um ano. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de base populacional, incluindo mulheres de 20 a 60 anos, residentes na zona urbana de São Leopoldo, RS, em 2015. A associação entre as variáveis e o desfecho foi avaliada por meio das razões de prevalência e dos intervalos de 95% de confiança (IC95%). A análise ajustada foi realizada por meio da regressão de Poisson com variância robusta. RESULTADOS: Entre as 1.127 mulheres participantes do estudo, 954 (84,6%; IC95% 82,5–86,7) referiram consultar com médico no ano anterior à entrevista, 173 (15,4%; IC95% 13,2–17,5) não consultaram. As mulheres inseridas nas classes econômicas D e E, com menor idade, e fumantes apresentaram maiores prevalências de não consulta médica. As participantes com hipertensão arterial tiveram maior prevalência de consultas. CONCLUSÕES: Não houve a esperada evolução no sistema local de saúde, apesar do surgimento das políticas implantadas nesse período. É necessário provimento da atenção para os indivíduos em condições socioeconômicas menos favorecidas e para as mulheres mais jovens.
Cerebral Protection During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Testa Luca , Latib Azeem , Casenghi Matteo , Gorla Riccardo , Colombo Antonio , Bedogni Francesco
Published: May 2018

Background

The use of embolic protection devices (
EPD
) may theoretically reduce the occurrence of cerebral embolic lesions during transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Available evidence from single studies is inconclusive. The aim of the present meta‐analysis was to assess the safety and efficacy profile of current
EPD
.

Methods and Results

Major medical databases were searched up to December 2017 for studies that evaluated patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation with or without
EPD
. End points of interest were 30‐day mortality, 30‐day stroke, the total number of new lesions, the ischemic volume per lesion, and the total volume of lesions. Eight studies involving 1285 patients were included. The
EPD
delivery success rate was reported in all studies and was achieved in 94.5% of patients. The use of
EPD
was not associated with significant differences in terms of 30‐day mortality (odds ratio 0.43 [0.18–1.05],
P
=0.3) but it was associated with a lower rate of 30‐day stroke (odds ratio 0.55 [0.31–0.98],
P
=0.04). No differences were detected with respect to the number of new lesions (standardized mean difference −0.19 [−0.71 to 0.34],
P
=0.49). The use of
EPD
was associated with a significantly smaller ischemic volume per lesion (standardized mean difference, −0.52 [−0.85 to −0.20],
P
=0.002) and smaller total volume of lesions (standardized mean difference, −0.23 [−0.42 to −0.03],
P
=0.02).

Conclusions

The use of
EPD
is not associated with a reduced rate of mortality and new ischemic cerebral lesions. The use of
EPD
during transcatheter aortic valve implantation seems to be associated with a lower 30‐day stroke rate, although this result is driven by a single nonrandomized study. The use of
EPD
is associated with a smaller volume of ischemic lesions, and smaller total volume of ischemic lesions.
Association Between Amplitude of Seasonal Variation in Self‐Measured Home Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Outcomes: HOMED‐BP (Hypertension Objective Treatment Based on Measurement By Electrical Devices of Blood Pressure) Study
Authors: Hanazawa Tomohiro , Asayama Kei , Watabe Daisuke , Tanabe Ayumi , Satoh Michihiro , Inoue Ryusuke , Hara Azusa , Obara Taku , Kikuya Masahiro , Nomura Kyoko , Metoki Hirohito , Imai Yutaka , Ohkubo Takayoshi ,   the HOMED‐BP (Hypertension Objective Treatment Based on Measurement by Electrical Devices of Blood Pressure) Investigators
Published: May 2018

Background

The clinical significance of long‐term seasonal variations in self‐measured home blood pressure (
BP
) has not been elucidated for the cardiovascular disease prevention.

Methods and Results

Eligible 2787 patients were classified into 4 groups according to the magnitude of their seasonal variation in home
BP
, defined as an average of all increases in home
BP
from summer (July–August) to winter (January–February) combined with all decreases from winter to summer throughout the follow‐up period, namely inverse‐ (systolic/diastolic, <0/<0 mm Hg), small‐ (0–4.8/0–2.4 mm Hg), middle‐ (4.8–9.1/2.4–4.5 mm Hg), or large‐ (≥9.1/≥4.5 mm Hg) variation groups. The overall cardiovascular risks illustrated U‐shaped relationships across the groups, and hazard ratios for all cardiovascular outcomes compared with the small‐variation group were 3.07 (
P
=0.004) and 2.02 (
P
=0.041) in the inverse‐variation group and large‐variation group, respectively, based on systolic
BP
, and results were confirmatory for major adverse cardiovascular events. Furthermore, when the summer‐winter home
BP
difference was evaluated among patients who experienced titration and tapering of antihypertensive drugs depending on the season, the difference was significantly smaller in the early (September–November) than in the late (December–February) titration group (3.9/1.2 mm Hg versus 7.3/3.1 mm Hg,
P
<0.001) as well as in the early (March–May) than in the late (June–August) tapering group (4.4/2.1 mm Hg versus 7.1/3.4 mm Hg,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

The small‐to‐middle seasonal variation in home
BP
(0–9.1/0–4.5 mm Hg), which may be partially attributed to earlier adjustment of antihypertensive medication, were associated with better cardiovascular outcomes.
Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics in Couples: A Community‐Based Study
Authors: Erqou Sebhat , Ajala Oluremi , Bambs Claudia E. , Althouse Andrew D. , Sharbaugh Michael S. , Magnani Jared , Aiyer Aryan , Reis Steven E.
Published: May 2018

Background

Determination of the correlation of ideal cardiovascular health variables among spousal or cohabitating partners may guide the development of couple‐based interventions to reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

Method and Results

We used data from the Heart
SCORE
(Heart Strategies Concentrating on Risk Evaluation) study. Ideal cardiovascular health, defined by the American Heart Association, comprises nonsmoking, body mass index <25 kg/m
2
, physical activity at goal, diet consistent with guidelines, untreated total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, untreated blood pressure <120/80 mm Hg, and untreated fasting glucose <100 mg/dL. McNemar test and logistic regression were used to assess concordance patterns in these variables among partners (ie, concordance in achieving ideal factor status, concordance in not achieving ideal factor status, or discordance—only one partner achieving ideal factor status). Overall, there was a low prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health among the 231 couples studied (median age 61 years, 78% white). The highest concordances in achieving ideal factor status were for nonsmoking (26.1%), ideal fruit and vegetable consumption (23.9%), and ideal fasting blood glucose (35.6%). The strongest odds of intracouple concordance were for smoking (odds ratio, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.9–6.5), fruit and vegetable consumption (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.5–9.3) and blood pressure (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–7.9). A participant had 3‐fold higher odds of attaining ≥3 ideal cardiovascular health variables if he or she had a partner who attained ≥3 components (odds ratio 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.6–5.6).

Conclusions

Intracouple concordance of ideal cardiovascular health variables supports the development and testing of couple‐based interventions to promote cardiovascular health. Fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking may be particularly good intervention targets.
Why America's Grand Strategy Has Not Changed: Power, Habit, and the U.S. Foreign Policy Establishment
Authors: Porter Patrick
Published: May 2018

Why has U.S. grand strategy persisted since the end of the Cold War? Despite shocks such as the 2008 global financial crisis and the costs of the war in Iraq—circumstances that ought to have stimulated at least a revision—the United States remains committed to a grand strategy of “primacy.” It strives for military preponderance, dominance in key regions, the containment and reassurance of allies, nuclear counterproliferation, and the economic “Open Door.” The habitual ideas of the U.S. foreign policy establishment, or the “Blob,” make U.S. grand strategy hard to change. The United States' military and economic capabilities enable the U.S. government to pursue primacy, but the embedded assumptions of the Blob make primacy the seemingly natural choice. Thanks to the Blob's constraining power, alternative grand strategies based on restraint and retrenchment are hardly entertained, and debate is narrowed mostly into questions of execution and implementation. Two cases—the presidency of Bill Clinton and the first year of the presidency of Donald Trump—demonstrate this argument. In each case, candidates promising change were elected in fluid conditions that we would expect to stimulate a reevaluation of the United States' commitments. In each case, the Blob asserted itself successfully, at least on the grand strategic fundamentals. Change in grand strategy is possible, but it would require shocks large enough to shake the assumptions of the status quo and a president willing to be an agent of change and prepared to absorb the political costs of overhauling Washington's traditional design.
Do U.S. Drone Strikes Cause Blowback? Evidence from Pakistan and Beyond
Authors: Shah Aqil
Published: May 2018

Many analysts argue that U.S. drone strikes generate blowback: by killing innocent civilians, such strikes radicalize Muslim populations at the local, national, and even transnational levels. This claim, however, is based primarily on anecdotal evidence, unreliable media reports, and advocacy-driven research by human rights groups. Interview and survey data from Pakistan, where, since 2004, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has launched more than 430 drone strikes, show little or no evidence that drone strikes have a significant impact on militant Islamist recruitment either locally or nationally. Rather, the data reveal the importance of factors such as political and economic grievances, the Pakistani state's selective counterterrorism policies, its indiscriminate repression of the local population, and forced recruitment of youth by militant groups. Similarly, trial testimony and accounts of terrorists convicted in the United States, as well as the social science scholarship on Muslim radicalization in the United States and Europe, provide scant evidence that drone strikes are the main cause of militant Islamism. Instead, factors that matter include a transnational Islamic identity's appeal to young immigrants with conflicted identities, state immigration and integration policies that marginalize Muslim communities, the influence of peers and social networks, and online exposure to violent jihadist ideologies within the overall context of U.S. military interventions in Muslim countries.
Active Denial: Redesigning Japan's Response to China's Military
Challenge
Authors: Heginbotham Eric , Samuels Richard J.
Published: May 2018

The growth of Chinese military power poses significant challenges to Japan. China's military spending, which was half that of Japan's in 1996, is now three and a half times as large. Japan has taken a range of measures to buttress its military forces and loosen the restrictions on their operations, but much remains to be done. Most important, Tokyo needs to reexamine its strategy to maximize Japan's deterrent leverage. Of the three general approaches to conventional deterrence—punishment, forward defense, and denial—Japan's best option is to shift to a denial strategy. Such a strategy, built around a resilient force that can survive attack and attrite an encroaching adversary, can make the risks to a potential attacker unacceptably high. In Japan's case, such a strategy would leverage the inherent dangers that Beijing would face in contemplating a prolonged war against Japan and its U.S. ally. The strategy, updated to reflect the imperatives of air and maritime warfare in the precision strike era, would require a high level of dispersion and mobility and might therefore be labeled “active denial.” Adopting an active denial strategy would buttress Japan's defense and deterrent capability while reducing first-strike incentives and improving crisis stability.
Le mariage à Lifou, une création missionnaire ?
Authors: Nicolas Hélène
Published: May 2018

Cet article souhaite montrer à quel point les rituels de mariage dits « coutumiers » et les normes de la relation conjugale à Lifou, île de la Kanaky-Nouvelle-Calédonie, ont été modifiés voire instaurés par les missionnaires protestants et catholiques, arrivés respectivement en 1842 et 1858. La réforme du mariage, centrale dans l’ œuvre missionnaire en pays kanak, a été impulsée à Lifou par l’ évangéliste polynésien Fao, et poursuivie par les missionnaires de la London Missionary Society et de la Société de Marie. Ils ont ainsi contribué à changer radicalement les rituels matrimoniaux et la « vie de foyer », les bases du mariage actuel ayant été littéralement inventées au XIXème siècle.
Social Media and Televangelists: Examining Facebook and Twitter Content
Authors: Haigh Michel M. , Brubaker Pamela Jo
Published: May 2018

A content analysis was conducted of televangelists’ Facebook and Twitter pages. Tweets and Facebook posts were coded for a period of two weeks. The posts/tweets were coded for a variety of categories including: dialogic features, content of the post, and theme. Televangelists tweet more often than they post to Facebook. Findings indicate most televangelists included links to their websites, an email address, links to other forms of social media, phone numbers, and additional content about their organizations. Only a third of the posts/tweets included a reference to the Lord/Jesus/Holy Spirit, and less than 90 percent of posts included specific scripture or Bible verses. Televangelists post different types of content on Facebook compared to Twitter. For example, it is more common for Christian leaders to include the terms Lord/God/Jesus in a tweet than a Facebook post. Tweets are more likely to contain an uplifting or inspirational message, promote an offer for a book/dvd produced by the televangelist, and include a stock photo with a message than Facebook posts.
A new species of the genus Mesambria Stål, 1878 with notes on the tribe Mesambriini (Orthoptera: Acrididae, Catantopinae)
Authors: STOROZHENKO SERGEY YU.
Published: May 2018

The new species Mesambria intermedia Storozhenko, sp. nov. is described from Indonesia. Male genitalia of the type species of the genera Mesambria Stål, 1878 and Traulia Stål, 1873 are described and illustrated for the first time. The diagnosis of the tribe Mesambriini is given and the position of this tribe in the modern classification of grasshoppers is discussed. New synonymy is proposed: Mesambriini Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 = Trauliini Bolivar, 1917, syn. nov., = Ranacridinae Xia, 2006, syn. nov.
Taxonomic review of the leafhopper genus Aconurella Ribaut (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Chiasmini) from Pakistan with description of three new species
Authors: NAVEED HASSAN , ZHANG YALIN
Published: May 2018

The genus Aconurella Ribaut from Pakistan is reviewed with three new species, A. paraerebus sp. n., A. choui sp. n. and A. naranensis sp. n. described and illustrated in this paper. A key to Pakistani species of the genus is also given.
Review of the bamboo-feeding genus Agrica Strand (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae), with description of two new species from China
Authors: LUO QIANG , YANG LIN , CHEN XIANG-SHENG
Published: May 2018

The bamboo-feeding leafhopper genus Agrica Strand (Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) is reviewed. Two new species, A. bisubula sp. nov. and A. longispina sp. nov. from China (Guizhou), are described and illustrated. The male genitalia of A. arisana (Matsumura, 1914) are described for the first time. A key is provided to distinguish known species of the genus.
The Role of Individual Surface Flux Components in the Passive and Active Ocean Heat Uptake
Authors: Garuba Oluwayemi A. , Klinger Barry A.
Published: May 2018

Surface flux perturbations (heat, freshwater, and wind) due to an increase of atmospheric CO2 cause significant intermodel spread in ocean heat uptake; however, the mechanism underlying their impact is not very well understood. Here, we use ocean model experiments to isolate the impact of each perturbation on the ocean heat uptake components, focusing on surface heat flux anomalies caused directly by atmospheric CO2 increase (passive) and indirectly by ocean circulation change (active). Surface heat flux perturbations cause the passive heat uptake, while all the surface flux perturbations influence ocean heat uptake through the active component. While model results have implied that the active component increases ocean heat uptake because of the weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), we find that it depends more on the shallow circulation change patterns. Surface heat flux perturbation causes most of the AMOC weakening, yet it causes a net global active heat loss (12% of the total uptake), which occurs because the active heat loss in the tropical Pacific through the subtropical cell weakening is greater than the active heat gain in the subpolar Atlantic through AMOC weakening. Freshwater perturbation weakens the AMOC a little more, but increases the subpolar Atlantic heat uptake a great deal through a large weakening of the subpolar gyre, thereby causing a large global active heat gain (34% of the total uptake). Wind perturbation also causes an active heat loss largely through the poleward shift of the Southern Hemisphere subtropical cells.
The Influence of Aerosol Absorption on the Extratropical Circulation
Authors: Shen Zhaoyi , Ming Yi
Published: May 2018

This study examines how aerosol absorption affects the extratropical circulation by analyzing the response to a globally uniform increase in black carbon (BC) simulated with an atmospheric general circulation model forced by prescribed sea surface temperatures. The model includes aerosol direct and semidirect effects, but not indirect or cloud-absorption effects. BC-induced heating in the free troposphere stabilizes the midlatitude atmospheric column, which results in less energetic baroclinic eddies and thus reduced meridional energy transport at midlatitudes. Upper-tropospheric BC also decreases the meridional temperature gradient on the equatorward flank of the tropospheric jet and yields a weakening and poleward shift of the jet, while boundary layer BC has no significant influence on the large-scale circulation since most of the heating is diffused by turbulence in the boundary layer. The effectiveness of BC in altering circulation generally increases with height. Dry baroclinic eddy theories can explain most of the extratropical response to free-tropospheric BC. Specifically, the decrease in vertical eddy heat flux related to a more stable atmosphere is the main mechanism for reestablishing atmospheric energy balance in the presence of BC-induced heating. Similar temperature responses are found in a dry idealized model, which further confirms the dominant role of baroclinic eddies in driving the extratropical circulation changes. The strong atmospheric-only response to BC suggests that absorbing aerosols are capable of altering synoptic-scale weather patterns. Its height dependence highlights the importance of better constraining model-simulated aerosol vertical distributions with satellite and field measurements.
Social Media and Social Class
Authors: Yates Simeon , Lockley Eleanor
Published: May 2018

Background:This article explores the relationship between social class and social media use and draws on the work of Pierre Bourdieu in examining class in terms of social, economic, and cultural capital. The article starts from a prior finding that those who predominantly only use social media formed a higher proportion of Internet users from lower socioeconomic groups. Data: The article draws on data from two nationally representative U.K. surveys, the OfCom (Office of Communications) Media Literacy Survey ( n ≈ 1,800 per annum) and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Taking Part Survey ( n ≈ 10,000 per annum). Methods: Following Yates, Kirby, and Lockley, five types of Internet behavior and eight types of Internet user are identified utilizing principal components analysis and k-means clustering. These Internet user types are then examined against measures of social, economic, and cultural capital. Data on forms of cultural consumption and digital media use are examined using multiple correspondence analysis. Findings: The article concludes that forms of digital media use are in correspondence with other social, cultural, and economic aspects of social class status and contemporary social systems of distinction.
Racial Discrimination and Experience of New Possibilities Among Chinese International Students
Authors: Tsai Pei-Chun , Wei Meifen
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the coping strategies of internalization (e.g., attributing the causes or responsibility of racial discrimination events to oneself) and resistance (e.g., confronting others for their discriminatory behaviors) moderated the association between racial discrimination and experience of new possibilities for Chinese international students. Experience of new possibilities refers to the positive psychological changes associated with finding new opportunities after a traumatic, negative event such as racial discrimination. A total of 258 Chinese international students in the United States completed an online survey. Results indicated that an association between perceived racial discrimination and experience of new possibilities was significantly positive for female Chinese international students with a higher use of the internalization coping or a lower use of resistance coping. However, this association was significantly positive for male Chinese international students with a lower use of the internalization coping or a higher use of resistance coping.
Spirituality and Extreme States
Authors: Lukoff David
Published: May 2018

This article is a reflection on my journey to become a clinical psychologist following a psychotic episode in which I believed I was a reincarnation of Buddha and Christ with a mission to write a new “Holy Book.” But this 2-month episode also served as my spiritual awakening. It transformed me from being a secularist, totally unconcerned with issues pertaining to religion and spirituality, to becoming a spiritual seeker. In my career I have focused on spiritual emergencies and worked to get this concept into the mainstream through a DSM category.
In silico (computed) modelling of doses and dosing regimens associated with morphine levels above international legal driving limits
Authors: Boland Jason W , Johnson Miriam , Ferreira Diana , Berry David J
Published: May 2018

Background:

Morphine can cause central nervous system side effects which impair driving skills. The legal blood morphine concentration limit for driving is 20 µg/L in France/Poland/Netherlands and 80 µg/L in England/Wales. There is no guidance as to the morphine dose leading to this concentration.

Aim:

The in silico (computed) relationship of oral morphine dose and plasma concentration was modelled to provide dose estimates for a morphine plasma concentration above 20 and 80 µg/L in different patient groups.

Design:

A dose–concentration model for different genders, ages and oral morphine formulations, validated against clinical pharmacokinetic data, was generated using Simcyp®, a population-based pharmacokinetic simulator.

Setting/participants:

Healthy Northern European population parameters were used with age, gender and renal function being varied in the different simulation groups. In total, 36,000 simulated human subjects (100 per modelled group of different ages and gender) received repeated simulated morphine dosing with modified-release or immediate-release formulations.

Results:

Older age, women, modified-release formulation and worse renal function were associated with higher plasma concentrations. Across all groups, morphine doses below 20 mg/day were unlikely to result in a morphine plasma concentration above 20 µg/L; this was 80 mg/day with the 80 µg/L limit.

Conclusion:

This novel study provides predictions of the in silico (computed) dose–concentration relationship for international application. Individualised morphine prescribing decisions by clinicians must be informed by clinical judgement considering the individual patient’s level of impairment and insight irrespective of the blood morphine concentration as people who have impaired driving will be breaking the law. Taking into account expected morphine concentrations enables improved individualised decision making.
Algorithmic psychometrics and the scalable subject
Authors: Stark Luke
Published: May 2018

Recent public controversies, ranging from the 2014 Facebook ‘emotional contagion’ study to psychographic data profiling by Cambridge Analytica in the 2016 American presidential election, Brexit referendum and elsewhere, signal watershed moments in which the intersecting trajectories of psychology and computer science have become matters of public concern. The entangled history of these two fields grounds the application of applied psychological techniques to digital technologies, and an investment in applying calculability to human subjectivity. Today, a quantifiable psychological subject position has been translated, via ‘big data’ sets and algorithmic analysis, into a model subject amenable to classification through digital media platforms. I term this position the ‘scalable subject’, arguing it has been shaped and made legible by algorithmic psychometrics – a broad set of affordances in digital platforms shaped by psychology and the behavioral sciences. In describing the contours of this ‘scalable subject’, this paper highlights the urgent need for renewed attention from STS scholars on the psy sciences, and on a computational politics attentive to psychology, emotional expression, and sociality via digital media.
Cyclist Satisfaction Evaluation Model for Free-Floating Bike-Sharing System: A Case Study of Shanghai
Authors: Xin Feifei , Chen Yifan , Wang Xiaobo , Chen Xiaohong
Published: May 2018

The free-floating bike-sharing system (FFBS) is an innovative public bicycle service, which is widely popular throughout China. In comparison to traditional station-based system, FFBS allows cyclists to park the bicycles in any non-motorized parking area so that the convenience can be improved greatly. Moreover, smart devices inside the free-floating bicycle can provide real-time tracking information which offers convenience for intelligent management. This study adopts the structural equation model to measure what factors influence people’s willingness to use the system and how the indicators inside the system interact with each other. Unlike the long-standing use of maximum likelihood estimation method, an approach of partial least squares estimation is used in this paper to remove the restriction of multivariate normal distribution. Based on the questionnaire carried out in 32 locations in Shanghai, a conceptual framework cyclist satisfaction index model is established, which includes three levels with 50 indicators. Then, to analyze the different perception among different kinds of cyclists, the study divides them into two groups: commuters and non-commuters. The parameter calibration for commuters and non-commuters are calculated separately. Finally, by virtue of importance-performance analysis (IPA) matrices, the problems in the existing service system are identified. The results demonstrate five aspects including riding environment, riding safety, government intervention, laws and staff service need urgent improvement. According to these findings, innovative countermeasures such as monitoring platform and electronic fences are under construction to prompt the use of FFBS.
Readiness to Change as a Predictor of Treatment Engagement and Outcome for Partner Violent Men
Authors: Maldonado Ana I. , Murphy Christopher M.
Published: May 2018

Resistance to change has been long recognized as a barrier to successful intervention for partner violent individuals. Using archival data from a community-based intimate partner violence (IPV) intervention program, the current study investigated readiness to change as a predictor of treatment engagement and outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for IPV, and examined whether court referral status, antisocial personality characteristics, and borderline personality characteristics moderate these associations. During program intake, male IPV perpetrators ( N = 195) provided structured interview data on demographics and referral source, and self-report data on readiness to change, borderline personality traits, and antisocial personality traits. During group CBT, participants and their therapists completed measures of the working alliance, and the therapists completed ratings of compliance with behavior change homework assignments. Criminal recidivism data were gathered from public records for 2 years after scheduled completion of treatment. Readiness to change significantly predicted client ratings of the working alliance, but not therapist ratings of the working alliance, CBT homework compliance, or criminal recidivism. Court referral status moderated predictive associations between readiness to change and working alliance ratings, and borderline and antisocial characteristics moderated predictive associations between readiness to change and working alliance as well as criminal recidivism. Interestingly, readiness to change is a stronger predictor of positive treatment response for court- versus self-referred individuals and for those with either very low or very high levels of borderline and antisocial characteristics. Hence, strategies to enhance motivation to change may be particularly be important for IPV perpetrators with these characteristics.
Pharmacists’ Perceptions of Feasibility and Development of a Weight Management Program for Implementation in Community Pharmacies
Authors: Rong Yiran , Ward Lori M. , Haines Seena , Rosenthal Meagen
Published: May 2018

Background:

Community pharmacists-directed weight management programs have demonstrated positive impacts.

Objective:

To explore the feasibility of developing a community pharmacy-based weight management program by examining pharmacists’ perceptions of the implementation of such a program in their practice setting.

Methods:

This study employed a cross-sectional online survey design. The respondents were registered community pharmacists in the southeastern United States. The survey contained 5 sections including demographics and questions gauging pharmacists interest in the proposed program. Survey findingswere examined using descriptive statistics, and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results:

A total of 426 surveys were completed and returned. Over half (53.3%) of the respondents obtained a BSc in Pharmacy. Several respondents were already providing prescription (44.1%) or over-the-counter (OTC) product (30.4%) recommendations to patients interested in weight management. Approximately 35% of respondents were at least somewhat interested in starting a weight management program. Pharmacists self-identifying as practicing in chain pharmacy or rural settings or as being staff pharmacists were less in favor of implementing a program than the other groups.

Conclusions:

Community pharmacists’ respondents appeared interested in implementing a weight management program. The information gathered herein will be used to design a weight management program specifically for community pharmacies.
Zombies vs. Anxiety: An Augmentation Study of Prescribed Video Game Play Compared to Medication in Reducing Anxiety Symptoms
Authors: Fish Matthew T. , Russoniello Carmen V. , O’Brien Kevin
Published: May 2018

Objective. Anxiety is a typical reaction to stress and when uncontrolled, clinical anxiety disorders may develop. Traditional anxiety interventions have established efficacy; however, they are often costly and stigmatizing. This study examined prescribed casual video game (CVG) play added to an SSRI prescription in reducing symptoms of anxiety compared to a two-medication treatment group.

Materials and methods. We used data from a larger study examining depression and CVGs. The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomology screened participants for depression using a score of ≥ 5 (mild depression). Participants chose to participate in the alternative (n = 30) or traditional (n = 24) group. Alternative group participants were prescribed CVG play four times per week for 30-45 minutes over a one-month period. Traditional intervention group participants were prescribed a second medication. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to test hypotheses.

Results. Repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated a significant decrease in state anxiety scores after the one-month prescription and a medium to large effect for the alternative group. Trait anxiety results did not demonstrate significance; however, the group had a medium effect size.

Conclusion. Clinicians should consider these non-stigmatizing and low-cost CVGs as a feasible intervention for patients who wish not to take additional medication.
Effectiveness of Nurse-Led Case Management in Cancer Care: Systematic Review
Authors: Joo Jee Young , Liu Megan F.
Published: May 2018

Cancer survivors need accountable, patient-centered and lifelong care. Case management has been shown effective at providing quality care and at reducing both hospital access and health care costs. However, how effective case management in cancer care is to date unclear. This systematic review examines recent evidence of the effectiveness of nurse-led case management in adults with cancer. The Cochrane processes and PRISMA statements guided this systematic review. The methodological risk of bias was assessed. From four electronic databases, nine experimental studies published from 2008 to 2017 were retrieved. Synthesized results show positive case management effectively improved patients’ quality of life and significantly reduced hospital readmission rates. However, there were mixed results of health care costs and other hospital access outcomes. There is some evidence that nurse-led case management is effective in cancer care. Further research applying rigorous design to large populations of cancer patients is recommended.
An evaluation of proximal femur bone density in young, active patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty at one year postoperatively
Authors: Nam Denis , Salih Rondek , Barrack Robert L , Nunley Ryan M
Published: May 2018

Background:

Prior investigations have shown a decrease in periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) of the calcar following total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of this investigation was to study proximal femur BMD in a cohort of young, active patients following THA at 1 year postoperatively using a recently introduced stem design.

Methods:

This was a prospective, IRB-approved investigation of patients with an age <65 years, BMI <35 kg/m2, and presymptomatic UCLA score of >6 undergoing a primary THA for a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. All patients received a titanium, proximally coated, tapered cementless femoral stem (ACCOLADE II, Stryker Inc, Mahwah, NJ, USA). Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans were performed at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Bone density was analyzed for 7 traditional Gruen zones with BMD ratios calculated for change in BMD compared with the baseline.

Results:

31 patients (mean age of 52.6 + 6.5 years, BMI of 27.9 + 3.9 kg/m2, and UCLA activity score of 7.3 + 1.9) were included. The mean BMD ratio decreased at the 6 months and 1 year interval in zones 1 and 2. However, the mean BMD ratio was maintained in Gruen zones 3 thru 7 with zone 7 (medial calcar) demonstrating 100% maintenance of the baseline BMD at 1 year.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates the maintenance of medial calcar bone density at 1 year postoperatively in young, active patients undergoing THA. Further longitudinal analysis of this stem design is necessary to elucidate the significance of this finding.
The academic book and its digital dilemmas
Authors: Spence Paul
Published: May 2018

The future of the academic book has been under debate for many years now, with academic institutional dynamics boosting output, while actual demand has moved in the opposite direction, leading to a reduced market which has felt like it is in crisis for some time. While journals have experienced widespread migration to digital, scholarly monographs in print form have been resilient and digital alternatives have faced significant problems of acceptance, particularly in the arts and humanities. Focusing in particular on the arts and humanities, this article asks how, and under what conditions, the digitally mediated long-form academic publication might hold a viable future. It examines digital disruption and innovation within humanities publishing, contrasts different models and outlines some of the key challenges facing scholarly publishing in the humanities. This article examines how non-traditional entities, such as digital humanities research projects, have performed digital publishing roles and reviews possible implications for scholarly book publishing’s relationship to the wider research process. It concludes by looking at how digital or hybrid long-form publications might become more firmly established within the scholarly publishing landscape.
Populism as a pathological form of politics of recognition
Authors: Hirvonen Onni , Pennanen Joonas
Published: May 2018

This article combines the neo-Hegelian theory of recognition with an analysis of social pathologies to show how the populist formulations of political goals in struggles for recognition are – despite their potential positive motivating force – socially pathological. The concept of recognition, combined with the idea of social pathologies, can thus be used to introduce normative considerations into the populism analysis. In this article it is argued that, although populism is useful in the sense that it aims to ameliorate real experienced lack of recognition through fostering political movements, it is also harmful. The simplified populist representations of collective identities are often guilty of essentializing and reifying identities. Furthermore, populist identities are also harmful for the populists themselves as the simplified view is applied also to oneself. This article claims that these dynamics can be understood as an obstruction of discursive identity-formation. From the perspective developed, populism leads to the lack of genuine mutual recognition between those who struggle to get their identities affirmed.
‘Baba, Take Us to Museum’: An Afghan refugee family’s engagement in language and literacy at the children’s museum
Authors: Sadiq Assadullah
Published: May 2018

Although there is a growing body of literature which focuses on museums’ role in supporting children’s literacy, there is also a need for studies to show ways in which museums can support refugee families’ literacy practices. In light of this gap, this qualitative study explores the role of a children’s museum in the literacy practices of a recent refugee Afghan-American family. Data consisted of interviews with the parents and children, conducted using Skype, over a period of two months. A media capture functionality method was used to receive photos from the family using a smartphone. In addition, the family sent audio-recorded interactions during activities that took place at the children’s museum. The recordings were sent through Whatsapp, a smartphone application that lets users’ text, send images, audio record and make calls for free. The findings demonstrated that the children’s museum played an important role in the Manzoor family’s literacy practices. The exhibits at the museum offered the family a site of multi-modalities, where images, sounds and words together contributed to meaning-making. Moreover, the museum provided the family with important resources, such as books and pamphlets on registering for schools. Lastly, the children’s museum provided a supportive environment for the Manzoor family to learn English and meaningfully engage with print literacy.