bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel RB1-Loss Transcriptomic Signature Is Associated with Poor Clinical Outcomes across Cancer Types
Authors: Chen William S. , Alshalalfa Mohammed , Zhao Shuang G. , Liu Yang , Mahal Brandon A. , Quigley David A. , Wei Ting , Davicioni Elai , Rebbeck Timothy R. , Kantoff Philip W. , Maher Christopher A. , Knudsen Karen E. , Small Eric J. , Nguyen Paul L. , Feng Felix Y.
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

Rb-pathway disruption is of great clinical interest, as it has been shown to predict outcomes in multiple cancers. We sought to develop a transcriptomic signature for detecting biallelic RB1 loss (RBS) that could be used to assess the clinical implications of RB1 loss on a pan-cancer scale.

Experimental Design:

We utilized data from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (N = 995) to develop the first pan-cancer transcriptomic signature for predicting biallelic RB1 loss (RBS). Model accuracy was validated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Pan-Cancer dataset (N = 11,007). RBS was then used to assess the clinical relevance of biallelic RB1 loss in TCGA Pan-Cancer and in an additional metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) cohort.

Results:

RBS outperformed the leading existing signature for detecting RB1 biallelic loss across all cancer types in TCGA Pan-Cancer (AUC, 0.89 vs. 0.66). High RBS (RB1 biallelic loss) was associated with promoter hypermethylation (P = 0.008) and gene body hypomethylation (P = 0.002), suggesting RBS could detect epigenetic gene silencing. TCGA Pan-Cancer clinical analyses revealed that high RBS was associated with short progression-free (P < 0.00001), overall (P = 0.0004), and disease-specific (P < 0.00001) survival. On multivariable analyses, high RBS was predictive of shorter progression-free survival in TCGA Pan-Cancer (P = 0.03) and of shorter overall survival in mCRPC (P = 0.004) independently of the number of DNA alterations in RB1.

Conclusions:

Our study provides the first validated tool to assess RB1 biallelic loss across cancer types based on gene expression. RBS can be useful for analyzing datasets with or without DNA-sequencing results to investigate the emerging prognostic and treatment implications of Rb-pathway disruption.

See related commentary by Choudhury and Beltran, p. 4199
Laboratory animal welfare:
Authors: Massari Catia Helena de Almeida Lima , Martins Nadini Oliveira , Jozala Angela Faustino , Grotto Denise , Gerenutti Marli
Published: April 2019

Reproductive and developmental toxicology has focused on the need to approach the effects of organism exposure to various drugs during pregnancy after the mid-50’s, when the thalidomide tragedy stroke humanity. In recent decades, this area of study has developed a lot due to animal testing, raising awareness on the need to improve the quality of life of such animals. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate how the science of animal welfare can improve scientific research as a whole, including the reproductive and developmental toxicology fields, by emphasizing environmental enrichment in animal facilities. To do so, we conducted an integrative literature review on several quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches that are applicable to toxicology studies. Here, we present evidence that environmental enrichment improves animal welfare and prevents or reduces the negative effects of captive housing, which must be a principle of toxicological research for ethical, legal and scientific reasons.
lado de início da doença influencia a destreza manual de pacientes com doença de Parkinson
Authors: Lahr Juliana , Pereira Marcelo Pinto , Pelicioni Paulo Henrique Silva , Batistela Rosangela Alice , Gobbi Lilian Teresa Bucken
Published: April 2019

A doença de Parkinson (DP) é caracterizada pelo início assimétrico de sintomas motores e compromete a destreza manual. Espera-se que pacientes com o lado de início da doença preferido comprometido consigam manter bom desempenho com o lado mais afetado (LMA) no teste de destreza manual decorrente da experiência motora ao longo da vida. O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a interferência da coincidência entre o lado de início da doença e preferência manual no desempenho da destreza manual, LMA e lado menos afetado, em pacientes com DP. Os pacientes foram distribuídos conforme o lado de início: Grupo Coincidente (lado preferido acometido) e Grupo Não Coincidente (lado não preferido acometido). A destreza manual foi avaliada pelo teste Annett Pegboard adaptado. A análise estatística ANOVA de dois fatores (grupo x lado), medidas repetidas no último fator, revelou que o Grupo Não Coincidente dispendeu maior tempo para completar o teste com o LMA (p=0,001), enquanto, o Grupo Coincidente dispendeu o mesmo tempo com ambos os lados, indicando que pacientes nos estágios iniciais e com início da doença pelo lado preferido perdem a proficiência manual. Sugere-se que intervenções para melhorar as habilidades manuais sejam aplicadas desde o diagnóstico da doença, principalmente em pacientes com o lado preferido acometido.
Yield of Clinical Screening for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Child First-Degree Relatives
Authors: Norrish Gabrielle , Jager Joanna , Field Ella , Quinn Ellie , Fell Hannah , Lord Emma , Cicerchia Marcos N. , Ochoa Juan Pablo , Cervi Elena , Elliott Perry M. , Kaski Juan Pablo
Published: April 2019

Background:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heritable myocardial disease with age-related penetrance. Current guidelines recommend clinical screening of relatives beginning at 10 years of age, but the clinical value of this approach has not been systematically evaluated.

Methods:

Anonymized clinical data were collected from children referred for family screening between 1994 and 2017 after diagnosis of HCM in a first-degree relative.

Results:

Of 1198 consecutive children (≤18 years of age) from 594 families who underwent serial evaluation (median, 3.5 years; interquartile range, 1.2–7), 32 individuals met diagnostic criteria at baseline (median maximal left ventricular wall thickness, 13 mm; interquartile range, 8-21 mm), and 25 additional patients developed HCM during follow-up. Median age at diagnosis was 10 years (interquartile range, 4–13 years); 44 (72%) were ≤12 years of age. Median age of affected patients at the last follow-up was 14 years (interquartile range, 9.5–18.2 years). A family history of childhood HCM was more common in those patients diagnosed with HCM (n=32 [56%] versus n=257 [23%];
P
<0.001). Eighteen patients (32%) were started on medication for symptoms; 2 (4%) underwent a septal myectomy; 14 (25%) received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator; 1 underwent cardiac transplantation; 2 had a resuscitated cardiac arrest; and 1 died after a cerebrovascular accident.

Conclusions:

Almost 5% of first-degree child relatives undergoing screening meet diagnostic criteria for HCM at first or subsequent evaluations, with the majority presenting as preadolescents; a diagnosis in a child first-degree relative is made in 8% of families screened. The phenotype of familial HCM in childhood is varied and includes severe disease, suggesting that clinical screening should begin at a younger age.
Individual and Neighborhood Deprivation and Carotid Stiffness
Authors: Climie Rachel E. , Boutouyrie Pierre , Perier Marie-Cecile , Guibout Catherine , van Sloten Thomas T. , Thomas Frederique , Danchin Nicolas , Sharman James E. , Laurent Stephane , Jouven Xavier , Empana Jean-Philippe
Published: April 2019

Large artery stiffness is an index of vascular aging associated with cardiovascular mortality. Whereas traditional risk factors for arterial stiffness are known, the contribution of socioeconomic factors is less reported. We sought to determine the relationship between arterial stiffness and socioeconomic deprivation (at the individual and neighborhood levels) in healthy males and females. In 7803 adults, carotid stiffness was determined by high-precision carotid echo-tracking. Individual deprivation data included education, living alone, occupation, and Evaluation of the Deprivation and Inequalities of Health in Healthcare Centers score. Neighborhood deprivation was determined from commune level data (smallest administrative subdivision) available from French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (2011) using principal component analysis. The separate and combined associations between individual and neighborhood deprivation (main exposures) and carotid stiffness (outcome) were quantified using linear and multilevel model adjusted for traditional risk factors. Analyses were conducted separately in males and females. Individual deprivation (lower education and occupation in males and living alone and higher Evaluation of the Deprivation and Inequalities of Health in Healthcare Centers in both populations) was adversely related to carotid stiffness, independently of potential confounders (
P
<0.05). Neighborhood deprivation was adversely related to carotid stiffness in males (
P
<0.05), but not in females. Socioeconomic deprivation, both at individual and, to a lesser extent, neighborhood level are associated with carotid stiffness in males. Only individual deprivation is associated with carotid stiffness in females.
Nighttime Blood Pressure Measured by Home Blood Pressure Monitoring as an Independent Predictor of Cardiovascular Events in General Practice
Authors: Kario Kazuomi , Kanegae Hiroshi , Tomitani Naoko , Okawara Yukie , Fujiwara Takeshi , Yano Yuichiro , Hoshide Satoshi ,   on behalf of the J-HOP Study Group
Published: April 2019

We developed an innovative automated home blood pressure (BP) monitoring method that measures BP while asleep repeatedly over several days. Our aim was to assess the predictive ability of nighttime BP obtained using the home BP device for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general practice patients. We used data from the nationwide practice-based J-HOP (Japan Morning Surge–Home Blood Pressure) Nocturnal BP Study, which recruited 2545 Japanese with a history of or risk factors for CVD (mean age 63 years; antihypertensive medication use 83%). The associations between nighttime home BPs (measured at 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00
am
using validated, automatic, and oscillometric home BP devices) and incident CVD, including coronary disease and stroke events, were assessed with Cox proportional hazards models. The mean±SD office, morning home, and nighttime home systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP were 140±15/82±10, 137±15/79±10, and 121±15/70±9 mm Hg, respectively. During a follow-up of 7.1±3.8 years (18,116 person-years), 152 CVD events occurred. A 10-mm Hg increase of nighttime home SBP was associated with an increased risk of CVD events (hazard ratios [95% CIs]: 1.201 [1.046–1.378]), after adjustments for covariates including office and morning home SBPs. The model fit assessed by the change in Goodness-of-Fit was improved when we added nighttime home SBP into the base models including office and morning home SBPs (Δ6.838 [5.6%];
P
=0.009). This is among the first and largest nationwide practice-based study demonstrating that nighttime SBP obtained using a home device is a predictor of incident CVD events, independent of in-office and morning in-home SBP measurement.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.umin.ac.jp/icdr/index.html
. Unique identifier: UMIN000000894.
The Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2): General Overview
Authors: Shaw William J. , Berg Larry K. , Cline Joel , Draxl Caroline , Djalalova Irina , Grimit Eric P. , Lundquist Julie K. , Marquis Melinda , McCaa Jim , Olson Joseph B. , Sivaraman Chitra , Sharp Justin , Wilczak James M.
Published: April 2019

In 2015 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a 4-yr study, the Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2), to improve the representation of boundary layer physics and related processes in mesoscale models for better treatment of scales applicable to wind and wind power forecasts. This goal challenges numerical weather prediction (NWP) models in complex terrain in large part because of inherent assumptions underlying their boundary layer parameterizations. The WFIP2 effort involved the wind industry, universities, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the DOE’s national laboratories in an integrated observational and modeling study. Observations spanned 18 months to assure a full annual cycle of continuously recorded observations from remote sensing and in situ measurement systems. The study area comprised the Columbia basin of eastern Washington and Oregon, containing more than 6 GW of installed wind capacity. Nests of observational systems captured important atmospheric scales from mesoscale to NWP subgrid scale. Model improvements targeted NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model to facilitate transfer of improvements to National Weather Service (NWS) operational forecast models, and these modifications have already yielded quantitative improvements for the short-term operational forecasts. This paper describes the general WFIP2 scope and objectives, the particular scientific challenges of improving wind forecasts in complex terrain, early successes of the project, and an integrated approach to archiving observations and model output. It provides an introduction for a set of more detailedBAMSpapers addressing WFIP2 observational science, modeling challenges and solutions, incorporation of forecasting uncertainty into decision support tools for the wind industry, and advances in coupling improved mesoscale models to microscale models that can represent interactions between wind plants and the atmosphere.
Parameter Sweep Experiments on a Spectrum of Cyclones with Diabatic and Baroclinic Processes
Authors: Yanase Wataru , Niino Hiroshi
Published: April 2019

A wide range of environments that prevail over the globe generate various types of cyclones such as tropical, extratropical, and hybrid cyclones. In this paper, idealized numerical experiments are used to explore a spectrum of cyclones ranging from the diabatic type to the baroclinic type in a parameter space consisting of three environmental factors: temperature, vertical shear, and planetary vorticity. The experiments reproduce not only typical dynamics of tropical and extratropical cyclones but also their modified dynamics, which are consistent with theoretical studies; tropical cyclones are suppressed by vertical shear, while extratropical cyclones are intensified by condensational heating. The experiments also reproduce hybrid cyclones in environments with high temperature and large baroclinicity. The hybrid cyclones show multiscale dynamics in which synoptic-scale baroclinic systems spawn smaller-scale tropical cyclone–like convective cores. The spectrum of cyclones is found to be nonmonotonic in the parameter space because of a two-sided effect of the vertical shear: moderate shear weakens a tropical cyclone by tilting the small-scale vortex to the downshear, while strong shear develops a large-scale vortex of an extratropical cyclone or a hybrid cyclone through warm-air advection from the south. The indices based on the energetics and the symmetric and asymmetric structures overview the different types of cyclones in the parameter space. These parameter sweep experiments provide useful information on what environment is favorable for cyclones, particularly for intermediate environments where cyclone mechanisms are yet to be fully defined.
Entrainment and Mixing in Stratocumulus: Effects of a New Explicit Subgrid-Scale Scheme for Large-Eddy Simulations with Particle-Based Microphysics
Authors: Hoffmann Fabian , Feingold Graham
Published: April 2019

The entrainment and mixing of free-tropospheric air is an essential component of the observed microphysical structure of stratocumulus clouds. Since the relevant scales involved in this process are usually smaller than the grid spacing of typical large-eddy simulations (LESs), their correct representation is difficult. To adequately accommodate these small-scale processes, we apply a recently developed approach that explicitly simulates LES subgrid-scale (SGS) turbulence fluctuation of supersaturation using the one-dimensional linear eddy model. As a result of reduced numerical diffusion and the ability to explicitly represent the SGS distribution of liquid water and supersaturation, entrainment rates tend to be lower in the new approach compared to simulations without it. Furthermore, cloud holes comprising free-tropospheric air with negligible liquid water are shown to persist longer in the stratocumulus deck. Their mixing with the cloud is shown to be more sensitive to the microphysical composition of the cloud as a result of the explicitly resolved inhomogeneous mixing, which is also confirmed analytically. Moreover, inhomogeneous mixing is shown to decrease the droplet concentration and to increase droplet growth significantly, in contrast to previous studies. All in all, the simulations presented can be seen as a first step to bridge the gap between ultra-high-resolution direct numerical simulation and LES, allowing an appropriate representation of small-scale mixing processes, together with the large-scale dynamics of a stratocumulus system.
The Variation of the Intensity, Height, and Size of Precipitation Systems with El Niño–Southern Oscillation in the Tropics and Subtropics
Authors: Liu Nana , Liu Chuntao , Lavigne Thomas
Published: April 2019

A 16-yr (1998–2013) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Feature (PF) database is used to examine the impacts of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the characteristics of precipitation systems in the tropics and subtropics. Noticeable differences in the fractions of deep systems (20-dBZ radar echo tops greater than 10 km) and mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) (an area greater than 2000 km2) between different phases of ENSO are found over specific regions, including the central Pacific (CPACI), the western Maritime Continent (WMC), the eastern Maritime Continent (EMC), Gulf of Mexico (GM), Argentina (ARGEN), and Australia (AUS). The coefficients of determination R2 between the multivariate ENSO index (MEI) and the population fractions of deep convection and MCSs are analyzed seasonally over these regions. The responses from these precipitation systems to ENSO are found to be more pronounced in the winter half-year than in the summer half-year. An increase of rainfall during El Niño periods over the CPACI, GM, and ARGEN is found to be associated with more precipitation events and a higher fraction of intense, deep, and large precipitation systems. AUS has fewer precipitation events and a higher fraction of shallow and small precipitation systems during El Niño conditions. Both EMC and WMC have a higher fraction of MCSs during La Niña than El Niño conditions. The EMC observes a higher fraction of deep convection during La Niña conditions. However, the WMC has a higher fraction of deep convection during El Niño conditions, possibly related to the effect of the Indian Ocean dipole.
Nonuniform Contribution of Internal Variability to Recent Arctic Sea Ice Loss
Authors: England Mark , Jahn Alexandra , Polvani Lorenzo
Published: April 2019

Over the last half century, the Arctic sea ice cover has declined dramatically. Current estimates suggest that, for the Arctic as a whole, nearly one-half of the observed loss of summer sea ice cover is not due to anthropogenic forcing but rather is due to internal variability. Using the 40 members of the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble (CESM-LE), our analysis provides the first regional assessment of the role of internal variability on the observed sea ice loss. The CESM-LE is one of the best available models for such an analysis, because it performs better than other CMIP5 models for many metrics of importance. Our study reveals that the local contribution of internal variability has a large range and strongly depends on the month and region in question. We find that the pattern of internal variability is highly nonuniform over the Arctic, with internal variability accounting for less than 10% of late summer (August–September) East Siberian Sea sea ice loss but more than 60% of the Kara Sea sea ice loss. In contrast, spring (April–May) sea ice loss, notably in the Barents Sea, has so far been dominated by internal variability.
The Role of Horizontal Divergence in Submesoscale Frontogenesis
Authors: Barkan Roy , Molemaker M. Jeroen , Srinivasan Kaushik , McWilliams James C. , D’Asaro Eric A.
Published: April 2019

Oceanic surface submesoscale currents are characterized by anisotropic fronts and filaments with widths from 100 m to a few kilometers; an O(1) Rossby number; and large magnitudes of lateral buoyancy and velocity gradients, cyclonic vorticity, and convergence. We derive an asymptotic model of submeoscale frontogenesis—the rate of sharpening of submesoscale gradients—and show that in contrast with “classical” deformation frontogenesis, the near-surface convergent motions, which are associated with the ageostrophic secondary circulation, determine the gradient sharpening rates. Analytical solutions for the inviscid Lagrangian evolution of the gradient fields in the proposed asymptotic regime are provided, and emphasize the importance of ageostrophic motions in governing frontal evolution. These analytical solutions are further used to derive a scaling relation for the vertical buoyancy fluxes that accompany the gradient sharpening process. Realistic numerical simulations and drifter observations in the northern Gulf of Mexico during winter confirm the applicability of the asymptotic model to strong frontogenesis. Careful analysis of the numerical simulations and field measurements demonstrates that a subtle balance between boundary layer turbulence, pressure, and Coriolis effects (e.g., turbulent thermal wind; Gula et al. 2014) leads to the generation of the surface convergent motions that drive frontogenesis in this region. Because the asymptotic model makes no assumptions about the physical mechanisms that initiate the convergent frontogenetic motions, it is generic for submesoscale frontogenesis of O(1) Rossby number flows.
Resonance Scattering Detection Using the CSU–CHILL Dual-Wavelength, Dual-Polarization Radar
Authors: Junyent Francesc , Chandrasekar V. , Kennedy P.
Published: April 2019

The CSU–CHILL radar is a dual-wavelength, dual-polarization weather radar system operating at S and X band with coaxial beams. This radar system offers a unique environment to develop and/or validate algorithms that cut across its wavelengths and polarizations. This paper presents a method to retrieve resonance scattering regions from the difference in intrinsic reflectivities after attenuation correction, which is performed using measured reflectivity fields only. The algorithm to retrieve these regions dominated by non-Rayleigh scattering is applied to different storm events, and the obtained data field capturing the difference in S- and X-band reflectivities due to resonance effects (which we will call Mie signal for convenience) is compared to the collocated dual-polarization fields. The obtained Mie signal is also compared to hail reports. In both cases, the retrieved Mie signal is found to be consistent with the rest of the dual-polarization data fields, and in some situations, it is shown to bring information not directly discernible from the usual dual-polarization radar variables.
A New Radar Scan Mode to Increase Clear-Air Velocity Data Coverage and Usability for Wind Analysis
Authors: Xu Qin , Nai Kang , Melnikov Valery
Published: April 2019

By using long pulses with extended dwell time, radar sensitivity is enhanced such that more clear-air returns are usable. This enhanced capability can increase clear-air data coverage and provide additional information for radar wind analysis and data assimilation. To explore this potential capability and related benefits, a new scan mode with long pulses and low antenna rotation rate is derived from the existing clear-air scan mode and applied to the named KOUN S-band test bed radar at NSSL. Velocities collected using this newly modified scan mode are significantly enhanced in data coverage compared to those collected with the unmodified scan mode from the nearby test bed radar (named KCRI). However, transmitter duty cycle limits the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) to 455 Hz for the long pulses, which reduces the Nyquist velocity to 12.53 m s−1 for the new scan mode. Such a small Nyquist interval leads to significantly worse problems with aliased velocities. A recently developed dealiasing algorithm is modified by using external reference velocities from KCRI to overcome increased difficulties in dealiasing, making the velocities from KOUN useful over increased range and area. This implies that similar increases in velocity data coverage can be achieved without using external reference velocities if the newly modified scan is paired with an unmodified scan into dual-PRF scans. This dual-PRF approach is proposed for future development.
Decomposition of the Multimodal Multidirectional M2 Internal Tide Field
Authors: Zhao Zhongxiang , Wang Jinbo , Menemenlis Dimitris , Fu Lee-Lueng , Chen Shuiming , Qiu Bo
Published: April 2019

The M2 internal tide field contains waves of various baroclinic modes and various horizontal propagation directions. This paper presents a technique for decomposing the sea surface height (SSH) field of the multimodal multidirectional internal tide. The technique consists of two steps: first, different baroclinic modes are decomposed by two-dimensional (2D) spatial filtering, utilizing their different horizontal wavelengths; second, multidirectional waves in each mode are decomposed by 2D plane wave analysis. The decomposition technique is demonstrated using the M2 internal tide field simulated by the MITgcm. This paper focuses on a region lying off the U.S. West Coast ranging 20°–50°N, 220°–245°E. The lowest three baroclinic modes are separately resolved from the internal tide field; each mode is further decomposed into five waves of arbitrary propagation directions in the horizontal. The decomposed fields yield unprecedented details on the internal tide’s generation and propagation, which cannot be observed in the harmonically fitted field. The results reveal that the mode-1 M2 internal tide in the study region is dominantly from the Hawaiian Ridge to the west but also generated locally at the Mendocino Ridge and continental slope. The mode-2 and mode-3 M2 internal tides are generated at isolated seamounts, as well as at the Mendocino Ridge and continental slope. The Mendocino Ridge radiates both southbound and northbound M2 internal tides for all three modes. Their propagation distances decrease with increasing mode number: mode-1 waves can travel over 2000 km, while mode-3 waves can only be tracked for 300 km. The decomposition technique may be extended to other tidal constituents and to the global ocean.
Long-Term Voice and Swallowing Outcomes for Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Following Primary or Adjuvant Chemoradiation
Authors: Soldatova Liuba , Mirza Natasha
Published: April 2019

Objective:

Chemoradiation (CRT) for nonlaryngeal head and neck cancer (HNC) can lead to voice and swallowing dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to examine voice and swallowing from the patient’s perspective at least 5 years after treatment.

Design:

Patient survey.

Methods:

Twenty-eight patients treated with primary or adjuvant CRT at least 5 years ago (mean = 10.7 years, SD = 5.5, range, 5-28) completed a survey created based on previously validated questionnaires (the Patient Perception of Swallowing Function Questionnaire, PPSFQ; the Eating Assessment Tool, EAT-10; the Voice Handicap Index, VHI-10; the Voice Related Quality of Life, V-RQOL).

Results:

Patients reported some voice and swallowing dysfunction (39% of V-RQOL scores in categories of fair, poor, or worst possible and 32% of VHI-10 scores ≥20 or greater than 50% of the maximum; 39% of PPSFQ scores greater than 50% of the maximum and 32% of EAT-10 scores ≥20 or 50% of the maximum). There was a correlation between V-RQOL and VHI-10 scores (Pearson product moment correlation coefficient r = .96, calculated probability value p = 0), PPSFQ and EAT-10 scores (r = 0.87, p = 0.8 × 10−8), as well as between V-RQOL and PPSFQ/EAT-10 scores (r = .94, p = 0), VHI-10 and PPSFQ/EAT-10 scores (r = .97, p = 0).

Conclusions:

Perceived voice and swallowing dysfunction following CRT for nonlaryngeal HNC can persist or worsen beyond 5 years.
Physiological Factors Which Influence Cognitive Performance in Military Personnel
Authors: Martin Kristy , Périard Julien , Rattray Ben , Pyne David B.
Published: April 2019

Objective:

To identify and detail physiological factors that influence cognition in military personnel.

Background:

Maintenance of cognitive and task performance is important under several scenarios, none more so than in a military context. Personnel are prepared for and trained to tolerate many of the stressors they encounter; however, consideration of stressors typically extends only as far as the physical, psychological, and environmental requirements of a given task. While considering these factors certainly characterizes the broader picture, several physiological states and traits can influence cognition and thus, should also be considered.

Method:

A systematic review of the electronic databases Medline (PubMed), EMBASE (Scopus), PsycINFO, and Web of Science was conducted from inception up to January 2019. Eligibility criteria included current military personnel, an outcome of cognition, and the assessment of a physiological factor.

Results:

The search returned 60,564 records, of which 60 were included in the review. Eleven studies examined the impact of demographic factors on cognition, 16 examined fatigue, 10 investigated nutrition, and 24 the impact of biological factors on cognitive performance.

Conclusion:

Factors identified as having a positive impact on cognition include aerobic fitness, nutritional supplementation, and visual acuity. In contrast, factors identified as having a negative impact include fatigue arising from sustained operations, dehydration, undernutrition, and an exaggerated physiological stress response to a cognitive task or a stressor. A further subset of these factors was considered modifiable.

Application:

The modifiable factors identified provide avenues for training and preparation to enhance cognition in ways previously unconsidered.
Modeling and experimental studies of capacitive pressure sensors with microstructured dielectric layers
Authors: Zhou Yanmin , Yan Zhe , He Bin , Wang Zhipeng , Wang Yafei
Published: April 2019

Electronic skin (e-skin) has shown great application prospects in many fields due to its multiple advantages. Previous studies have illustrated that the structure with a dielectric layer sandwiched between two electrodes had good pressure-sensing abilities, and microstructures in the dielectric layer could improve the sensitivity. In this paper, we proposed mechanical models of e-skin sensing unit with different microstructures (flat, trapezoidal, half-cylinder, and pyramids) in the dielectric layer. Then, we performed finite element method simulations and experiments to validate the model. Finally, we demonstrated its application as the pressure-sensing unit for human hands, showing its great potentials in sensors of artificial prosthesis or soft robots in the future.
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Abortion, and Publication Bias in the New England Journal of Medicine
Authors: Baumgartner Fritz
Published: April 2019

Publication bias in medical journals depends on outside influences and the particular ideological bent of the editorial board. The New England Journal of Medicine ( NEJM) is a premier medical scientific publication having among the highest impact rankings of any research journal. The Vioxx question and industry ties it highlighted have led to legitimate questions of whether significant conflicts of interest have arisen within NEJM that compromise the free exchange of scientific information and ideas. Over the past two decades, several socially charged areas have been treated with considerable bias in the editorial policy of NEJM, including the issues of human embryonic stem cell research and abortion. From 2000 to 2017, NEJM published over twenty pieces favorable toward human embryonic stem cell research and over fifty pieces favorable to abortion, with virtually no publication of contrary opinion. An aggressive editorial defense of Planned Parenthood Federation most recently seems particularly striking. A secular journal which is meant to represent the entire spectrum of physician opinion in controversial issues has a practical, if not also an ethical, responsibility to provide an unbiased forum for intelligible discussion for evaluation of the merits of particular issues. To do otherwise is publication bias that suppresses legitimate contrary viewpoints having merit and validity.

Nontechnical Summary:

Publication bias in medical journals is detrimental to the free exchange of ideas regarding controversial issues. From 2000 to 2017, a premier publication, the New England Journal of Medicine ( NEJM), has shown considerable bias in only publishing articles and editorials highly favorable toward human embryonic stem cell research and abortion, without permitting valid discussion and publication of contrary opinion. The recent strong editorial defense by NEJM of Planned Parenthood Federation in their sale of aborted fetal body parts seems particularly striking and disproportionate. Publication bias suppresses legitimate contrary viewpoints with merit and validity, suppressing fair debate in controversial issues.
The mystery of economy: Exploring the threshold between theology and economics
Authors: di Somma Emilio
Published: April 2019

This article addresses the permanence of a “theological device” within the structures of economic thought. Using the work of Giorgio Agamben, this article describes how divine providence relates to the natural world; this analysis will in turn provide the basis for a reading of contemporary economics. Oikonomia, in early Christian use, becomes not only a metaphor for the divine household and God’s own life, but also begins to designate God’s influence both on the divine and the material spheres. Agamben interprets contemporary economics as the theoretical movement that pushes away the “transcendent” principle from the “immanent” principle, leaving the world devoid of any relation to God. This article engages Agamben’s insights in a discussion about the structures of such “providential order” inherent to economic thought, and the ways it can be described as a form of “theology,” alternative to the Christian worldview.
Payday lending and the case of Proverbs 22:7: Wisdom for the borrower and warning to the lender
Authors: Howell Eric
Published: April 2019

The payday lending industry has become a wildly successful business model by taking advantage of the poor who turn to short-term, high-interest loans when faced with financial crises. Christian-oriented calls for personal responsibility and wiser financial decision-making appeal to Prov 22:7, “The borrower is the slave of the lender,” as warning to would-be borrowers. The proverb certainly signals caution to borrowers as it is commonly appropriated, but it also functions, in its context in Proverbs 22 and in concert with the whole of biblical economic justice, as a warning to would-be lenders not to take advantage of the vulnerable.
The cost of cheap freedom and the liberation of discipleship
Authors: Rhodes Daniel P.
Published: April 2019

This article argues that the freedom of the market has in turn become a new form of captivity. Describing the freedom associated with market relations, as conceived by F. A. Hayek, as a negative and cheap form of freedom primarily exercised in a freedom from outside interference, I discuss the cost of fully embracing this kind of freedom to the common life of a society and its constituents, identifying its true price in pervasive fragmentation, animosity, and injustice. I will then contrast this view of freedom with the positive freedom of discipleship described as the new way of life (κοινωνíα) koinonia for God’s people in Acts 2. In conclusion, I argue that the liberation of discipleship can ultimately free us from the economic enslavement to which we have become so accustomed.
A Structural Change and Productivity Perspective of Tourism’s Contribution to Economic Growth: The Case of Zhangjiajie in China
Authors: Zuo Bing , Huang Songshan (Sam)
Published: April 2019

This study provides empirical evidence of how tourism triggers economic growth from a meso-level structural perspective. It introduces a novel shift-share approach in accordance with the Lewis hypothesis to analyze the spillover effect of tourism on economic restructuring and sectoral labor productivity. The study demonstrates a hump-shaped positive structural spillover effect exerted by tourism onto economic growth and identifies the emergence of a new tourism-related industrialization in the showcased destination, the Zhangjiajie city in China. The study captures the interactions between tourism and the other sectors of the economy and contributes to an in-depth understanding of tourism’s contribution to overall economy.
Grandparent Caregivers’ Resilience: Stress, Support, and Coping Predict Life Satisfaction
Authors: Mendoza Angela N. , Fruhauf Christine A. , MacPhee David
Published: April 2019

Objectives

Do support and coping strategies moderate the link between stress and life satisfaction among grandparent caregivers?

Background

Grandparents raising grandchildren often experience stress, which may compromise their subjective well-being. Thus, it is important to understand the role of support and coping as protective or promotive factors in relation to grandparent caregivers’ resilience (i.e., life satisfaction).

Methods

Grandparent caregivers ( N = 74) reported their daily hassles, life satisfaction, social support, and coping.

Results

These grandparent caregivers are a vulnerable population in terms of stress and limited social support and coping. Structural equation modeling supported direct, promotive effects of social support and coping on life satisfaction, but not moderation.

Conclusion

Despite high levels of stress, half of the grandparent caregivers were satisfied with their lives, which was explained by their social support and coping skills. Some grandparents who assume this role likely would benefit from interventions that promote social support and coping skills.
Predictive and Convergent Validity of the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument in a Sample of Male and Female Justice-Involved Youth
Authors: Scott Terri , Brown Shelley l. , Skilling Tracey A.
Published: April 2019

Sufficient evidence exists that gender should and does matter in offender management. This study examined the predictive validity of risk and strength factors extracted from the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument (YASI) and the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) in a sample of 254 justice-involved youth (148 males, 106 females) from Ontario, Canada. Overall, total risk scores from both measures predicted recidivism (area under receiver operator characteristic curve [AUCs] = .62-.70). Domain-level analyses illustrated that criminal attitudes and associates (scored as risks or protective/strengths) were among the strongest predictors of recidivism in both genders. The YASI demonstrated strong convergent validity with the YLS/CMI. The results support the YASI and the YLS/CMI as viable risk assessment measures for justice-involved male and female youth. Given that the YASI includes both gender neutral and gender responsive items, it may be a particularly good choice for use with justice-involved females.
Building impartial electoral management? Institutional design, independence and electoral integrity
Authors: van Ham Carolien , Garnett Holly Ann
Published: April 2019

Electoral integrity is a persistent concern in both established and transitional democracies. Independent Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) have been championed as a key institutional reform measure to strengthen electoral integrity and are now the most common model of electoral management worldwide. Yet, empirical research has found conflicting evidence on the link between formal EMB independence and electoral integrity. We argue that conflicting findings might be driven by the lack of detailed data on EMB institutional design, with most studies using rudimentary classifications of ‘independent’, ‘governmental’ and ‘mixed’ EMBs, without addressing specific dimensions of EMB formal independence such as appointment procedures, budgetary control and formal competences. In this paper we analyse new detailed data on EMB institutional design in 72 countries around the world, develop a more detailed typology of dimensions of de jure EMB independence, and demonstrate how de jure EMB independence affects de facto EMB independence and electoral integrity.
The Relationships Among Social Capital, HIV Self-Management, and Substance Use in Women
Authors: Webel Allison R. , Smith Carolyn , Perazzo Joseph , Phillips J. Craig , Al Battashi Hamed , Dawson-Rose Carol
Published: April 2019

Women living with HIV (WLHIV) face unique challenges to successfully self-manage HIV including substance use and limited social capital. We conducted a 6-month mixed-methods study to describe how social capital influences HIV self-management and substance use among WLHIV. Participants completed a self-report survey and in-depth interview at baseline, and 3 and 6 months. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to examine quantitative relationships. Qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative description. Current substance users reported lower social capital compared with past substance users (2.63 vs. 2.80; p = .34). Over time, substance use and social capital were associated with HIV self-management (Wald χ2 = 28.43; p < .001). Qualitative data suggest that HIV self-management is influenced by overlapping experiences with social capital, including influential trust, community, and value of self can be complicated by ongoing substance use. Social capital can facilitate improved HIV self-management; however, substance use and trauma can weaken this relationship.
Self-Management Interventions for Psychological Distress in Adult Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Goldberg Jessica I. , Schulman-Green Dena , Hernandez Marisol , Nelson Judith E. , Capezuti Elizabeth
Published: April 2019

Psychological distress is prevalent among cancer patients, who may be vulnerable to distress at times of transition, such as a change in symptom experience, employment, or goal of treatment. Independently, both psychological distress and transitions impair patients’ quality of life, and together their adverse impact may be intensified. Self-management allows patients to engage in tasks that influence the disease experience and can include strategies to help mitigate distress associated with transitions. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine research on the relationship between self-management interventions and distress in adult cancer patients receiving active tumor-directed therapy. From a search of seven electronic databases, 5,156 articles were identified; however, nine studies met inclusion criteria. Our review suggested that self-management interventions may help address psychological distress in patients receiving cancer treatment but that the current evidence is not robust enough to support a definitive conclusion.
Effect of adding interferential current stimulation to exercise on outcomes in primary care patients with chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Albornoz-Cabello Manuel , Pérez-Mármol José Manuel , Barrios Quinta Cristo Jesus , Matarán-Peñarrocha Guillermo A , Castro-Sánchez Adelaida María , de la Cruz Olivares Blanca
Published: April 2019

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of adding interferential current stimulation to exercise on pain, disability, psychological status and range of motion in patients with neck pain.

Design:

A single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Primary care physiotherapy units.

Subjects:

A total of 84 patients diagnosed with non-specific mechanical neck pain. This sample was divided into two groups randomly: experimental ( n = 42) versus control group ( n = 42).

Interventions:

Patients in both groups had a supervised therapeutic exercise programme, with the experimental group having additional interferential current stimulation treatment.

Main measures:

The main measures used were intensity of neck pain according to the Visual Analogue Scale; the degree of disability according to the Neck Disability Index and the CORE Outcome Measure; anxiety and depression levels according to the Goldberg scale; apprehension as measured by the Personal Psychological Apprehension scale; and the range of motion of the cervical spine. The sample was evaluated at baseline and posttreatment (10 sessions/two weeks).

Results:

Statistically significant differences between groups at posttreatment were observed for Visual Analogue Scale (2.73 ± 1.24 vs 4.99 ± 1.56), Neck Disability Index scores (10.60 ± 4.77 vs 18.45 ± 9.04), CORE Outcome Measure scores (19.18 ± 9.99 vs 35.12 ± 13.36), Goldberg total score (6.17 ± 4.27 vs 7.90 ± 4.87), Goldberg Anxiety subscale, Personal Psychological Apprehension Scale scores (28.17 ± 9.61 vs 26.29 ± 11.14) and active and passive right rotation.

Conclusions:

Adding interferential current stimulation to exercise resulted in better immediate outcome across a range of measures.
Aberrant functional connectivity density in patients with treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder: a pilot study
Authors: Shan Pei Wei , Liu Wei , Liu Caixing , Han Yunyi , Wang Lina , Chen Qinggang , Tian Hongjun , Sun Xiuhai , Luan Shuxin , Lin Xiaodong , Jiang Deguo , Zhuo Chuanjun
Published: April 2019

Objective

Functional connectivity (FC) is altered in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Most previous studies have focused on the strength of FC in patients with OCD; few have examined the number of functional connections in these patients. The number of functional connections is an important index for assessing aberrant FC. In the present study, we used FC density (FCD) mapping to explore alterations in the number of functional connections in patients with treatment-refractory OCD (TROCD) using the FCD index.

Methods

Twenty patients with TROCD and 20 patients with OCD in clinical remission were enrolled in the study. Global FCD (gFCD) was adopted to compare the differences between the two groups of patients.

Results

The gFCD in the left middle temporal gyrus was lower in the patients with TROCD than in those with remitted OCD, suggesting that decreased information processing ability may play a significant role in TROCD.

Conclusion

The left middle temporal gyrus is a key component of the emotional processing circuit and attentional processing circuit. Decreased information processing ability in this brain region may play a significant role in TROCD; however, further well-designed follow-up studies are needed to support this hypothesis.