bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Denosumab and Teriparatide Transitions on Bone Microarchitecture and Estimated Strength: the DATA-Switch HR-pQCT study
Authors: Tsai Joy N , Nishiyama Kyle K , Lin David , Yuan Amy , Lee Hang , Bouxsein Mary L , Leder Benjamin Z
Published: June 2017

In postmenopausal osteoporosis, switching from teriparatide to denosumab results in continued bone mineral density (BMD) gains whereas switching from denosumab to teriparatide results in BMD loss. To assess the effects of these transitions on bone microarchitecture and strength, we performed high-resolution peripheral QCT (HR-pQCT) at the distal tibia and radius in postmenopausal osteoporotic women who received 24 months of teriparatide 20 μg daily followed by 24 months of denosumab 60 mg every 6 months, 24 months of denosumab followed by 24 months of teriparatide, or 24 months of both medications followed by 24 months of denosumab. The 77 women who completed at least one post-switch visit are included in this analysis. Tibial cortical volumetric BMD (vBMD) increased between months 24 and 48 in the teriparatide-to-denosumab (net 48-month change –0.8% ± 2.4%) and combination-to-denosumab groups (net 48-month changes +2.4% ± 4.1%) but decreased in the denosumab-to-teriparatide group (net 48-month change –3.4% ± 3.2%, p < 0.001 for all between-group comparisons). Changes in total vBMD, cortical thickness, and estimated stiffness (by micro–finite element analysis [µFEA]) followed a similar pattern, as did changes at the radius. Conversely, tibial cortical porosity remained stable between months 24 and 48 in the teriparatide-to-denosumab and combination-to-denosumab groups (net 48-month changes +7.2% ± 14.8% and –3.4% ± 12.1%, respectively) but increased in the denosumab-to-teriparatide group (net 48-month change +16.2% ± 11.5%, p < 0.05 versus other groups). Trabecular vBMD changes did not differ among groups. Together, these findings demonstrate that in women treated with denosumab, switching to teriparatide is associated with a reduction in total and cortical vBMD, cortical thickness, and estimated strength, whereas switching to denosumab from teriparatide or combination therapy results in improvements in these parameters with the greatest improvements observed in women treated with combined therapy followed by denosumab. These findings strongly suggest that the use of teriparatide after denosumab should be avoided and that the use of combined teriparatide/denosumab followed by denosumab alone may be a useful treatment strategy in those with severe osteoporosis. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of the Novel CRTH2 Antagonist BI 1021958 at Single Oral Doses in Healthy Men and Multiple Oral Doses in Men and Women With Well‐Controlled Asthma
Authors: Fowler Andy , Koenen Rüdiger , Hilbert James , Blatchford Jon , Kappeler Dominik , Benediktus Ewald , Wood Chester , Gupta Abhya
Published: June 2017

BI 1021958, a novel antagonist of the chemoattractant‐receptor‐homologous molecule (CRTH2), targets airway inflammation in asthma by inhibiting prostaglandin binding to CRTH2 receptors. Two phase 1 studies assessed BI 1021958 safety/tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) following single doses in healthy men and multiple doses in men/women with well‐controlled asthma. Studies 1 had 2 parts: a placebo‐controlled, fixed‐sequence, single‐blind, single‐rising‐dose part (n = 56) and a randomized, 2‐way crossover, open‐label, repeated‐dose part studying the food effect on PK/PD (n = 12). Study 2 was a placebo‐controlled, single‐center, double‐blind multiple‐rising‐dose study (n = 84). Primary end points were safety/tolerability and PK/PD (both studies); secondary end points were eosinophil shape change (ESC; study 1) and dose proportionality/linearity following first dose and at steady state (study 2). BI 1021958 was adequately tolerated in both studies; adverse events were infrequent, generally mild to moderate, and occurred similarly in treatment groups. Maximum measured concentration (Cmax) was achieved in ≤2.5 hours in study 1 and ≤2.0 hours in study 2. BI 1021958 exposure increased proportionally with dose. In study 1, following a single 60‐mg dose, AUC parameters and Cmax were 20% and 15% lower, respectively, after a high‐fat meal compared with the fasted state. After ≥60‐mg single doses (study 1) and >40‐mg multiple doses (study 2), >95% ESC inhibition was observed for ≥24 hours. PK/PD was similar in healthy subjects and subjects with well‐controlled asthma. Data support further investigation of CRTH2 antagonists for the treatment of asthma.
Pedicle screw augmentation with bone cement enforced Vicryl mesh
Authors: Schmid Samuel L. , Bachmann Elias , Fischer Michael , Meyer Dominik C. , Gerber Christoph A. , Snedeker Jess G. , Farshad Mazda
Published: June 2017

Achieving sufficient mechanical purchase of pedicle screws in osteoporotic or previously instrumented bone is technically and biologically challenging. Techniques using different kinds of pedicle screws or methods of cement augmentation have been used to address this challenge, but are associated with difficult revisions and complications. The purpose of this biomechanical trial was to investigate the use of biocompatible textile materials in combination with bone cement to augment pullout strength of pedicle screws while reducing the risk of cement extrusion. Pedicle screws (6/40 mm) were either augmented with standard bone‐cement (Palacos LV + G) in one group (BC, n = 13) or with bone‐cement enforced by Vicryl mesh in another group (BCVM, n = 13) in osteoporosis‐like saw bone blocks. Pullout testing was subsequently performed. In a second experimental phase, similar experiments were performed using human cadaveric lumbar vertebrae (n = 10). In osteoporosis‐like saw bone blocks, a mean screw pullout force of 350 N (±125) was significantly higher with the Bone cement (BC) compared to bone‐cement enforced by Vicryl mesh (BCVM) technique with 240 N (±64) (p = 0.030). In human cadaveric lumbar vertebrae the mean screw pullout force was 784 ± 366 N with BC and not statistically different to BCVM with 757 ± 303 N (p = 0.836). Importantly, cement extrusion was only observed in the BC group (40%) and never with the BCVM technique. In vitro textile reinforcement of bone cement for pedicle screw augmentation successfully reduced cement extrusion compared to conventionally delivered bone cement. The mechanical strength of textile delivered cement constructs was more reproducible than standard cementing. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:212–216, 2018.
Bench‐to‐bedside: Bridge‐enhanced anterior cruciate ligament repair
Authors: Perrone Gabriel S. , Proffen Benedikt L. , Kiapour Ata M. , Sieker Jakob T. , Fleming Braden C. , Murray Martha M.
Published: June 2017

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are one of the most well‐known orthopaedic injuries and are treated with one of the most common orthopaedic procedures performed in the United States. This surgical procedure, ACL reconstruction, is successful at restoring the gross stability of the knee. However, the outcomes of ACL reconstruction can be limited by short and long‐term complications, including muscle weakness, graft rupture, and premature osteoarthritis. Thus, new methods of treating this injury are being explored. This review details the pathway of how a tissue engineering strategy can be used to improve the healing of the ACL in preclinical studies and then translated to patients in an FDA‐approved clinical study. This review paper will outline the clinical importance of ACL injuries, history of primary repair, the pathology behind failure of the ACL to heal, pre‐clinical studies, the FDA approval process for a high risk medical device, and the preliminary results from a first‐in‐human study. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2606–2612, 2017.
Extranodal extension of lymph node metastasis as a prognostic indicator of recurrence and survival in papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Roh Jong‐Lyel , Park Jun Woo , Jeong Junhyeop , Gong Gyungyup , Cho Kyung‐Ja , Choi Seung‐Ho , Nam Soon Yuhl , Kim Sang Yoon
Published: June 2017

Background and Objectives

Stratification of extranodal extension (ENE) extent has the potential to improve the accuracy of risk estimations in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study examined the prognostic importance of nodal factors, including ENE, in PTC patients.

Methods

This study enrolled 2071 consecutive patients with treatment‐naïve PTC who underwent thyroidectomy between 2006 and 2010. Microscopic/macroscopic ENE was determined by pathological and operative findings. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the relationship of factors with recurrence and survival in all study patients and in the node‐positive subset.

Results

Of 2071 patients, 975 (47.1%) had positive lymph nodes, and 271 (13.1%) and 70 (3.4%) had microscopic and macroscopic ENE, respectively. During a median follow‐up of 96 months, 114 (5.5%) patients had post‐treatment recurrence. Multivariate analyses showed that, in all patients, the number of positive nodes, lymph node ratio, ENE status, and ATA risk group were independent variables affecting recurrence (P < 0.05). T4 and macroscopic ENE were independent variables associated with shorter overall survival (P < 0.05). Macroscopic ENE was significantly associated with macroscopic extrathyroidal extension.

Conclusion

Macroscopic ENE has a significant adverse impact on recurrence and survival after treatment for PTC. ENE is considered a high risk factor for recurrence.
Otolaryngology practice patterns in pediatric tonsillectomy: The impact of the codeine boxed warning
Authors: Goldman Julie L. , Ziegler Craig , Burckardt Elizabeth M.
Published: June 2017

Objectives/Hypothesis

To determine if otolaryngologists at a single children's hospital were adherent to the boxed warning for codeine use in post‐tonsillectomy patients and the implications for practice patterns.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Methods

Charts from all patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy at a single children's hospital from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2015 were analyzed and stratified according to date (pre– or post–boxed warning) and practitioner type (academic otolaryngologists [AO] vs. nonacademic otolaryngologists [NAO]). Demographic data, surgical technique, method of removal, narcotic prescriptions (dosage and drug), and complications were recorded. Fisher exact test was used to determine the level of significance in prescription rates pre‐ and postwarning. SPSS version 22 was used for statistical analysis, with P < .05 indicating statistical significance.

Results

There were 2,749 children undergoing adenotonsillectomy during the study period, with 1,239 AOs and 1,510 NAOs. There was a distinct downward trend in codeine prescriptions before and after the warning, with the AO group reaching zero sooner than the NAO group. There was a 5% decrease in discharge narcotic prescriptions given postwarning (P < .001), but no significant difference in postoperative emergency department visits or pain‐related complications when comparing the two time periods.

Conclusions

Codeine use for management of pediatric post‐tonsillectomy pain was essentially zero after issuance of the boxed warning. Total narcotic use decreased significantly without increase in pain‐ or medication‐related complications. Future research should focus on identifying markers of increased susceptibility to adverse medication events and determining the safest options for pain management.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 128:264–268, 2018
Laser Ablation for Advanced Surface Treatments
Authors: Van de Wall David
Published: June 2017

Laser ablation is gaining popularity for medical device applications that require stripping of coatings on cylindrical components like hypotubes and guide wires. It is also being widely used for advanced surface treatments, including discoloration or foaming of plastics and darkening or annealing of metal parts. Offering a repeatable non‐contact process, laser ablation is a clean, low dust (or no‐dust) way to selectively remove wire layers or areas. It is also a fully automated process, with a very high yield compared to other methods.
Light Designers
Authors: Kaliudis Athanassios
Published: June 2017

Tucked away behind the glass facade of Trumpf headquarters is a brain‐storming room used by an additive manufacturing team. This is where they craft strategies and opportunities to make this promising technology more productive and to extend its appeal to a broader user base. Although additive manufacturing is a hot topic and a popular choice for small‐batch production and prototyping, a lot must happen before additive manufacturing can compete with more established metal‐processing technologies in small and medium‐sized enterprises. The process must become more robust, reproducible and economical.
Micronutrients and mangroves: Experimental evidence for copper limitation
Authors: Alongi Daniel M.
Published: June 2017

Testing the availability and requirements of micronutrients during early mangrove growth is essential for understanding their recruitment success across intertidal gradients. Recent research has highlighted the role of dissolved iron in mangrove growth, but the role of other trace metals (Cu, Zn, Mo) in supporting and possibly limiting tree growth is unknown. In outdoor experiments, dissolved copper, supplied at a rate mimicking those in natural forests, limited early growth of five species of mangroves. Rates of stem extension and biomass increase from seedling to sapling stage of Rhizophora apiculata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Avicennia marina, and Ceriops tagal increased linearly with increasing rates of Cu supply (0.0 μmol m−2 d−1, 0.005 μmol m−2 d−1, 0.01 μmol m−2 d−1, 0.02 μmol m−2 d−1, and 0.05 μmol m−2 d−1); early growth of Xylocarpus moluccensis best‐fit Gaussian curves with maximal growth at a Cu supply rate of 0.02 μmol m−2 d−1 with toxicity evident at the highest Cu supply rate. Most copper was stored in roots and leaves. Zinc and molybdenum were not limiting for growth of any of the five species, but X. moluccensis growth declined with increasing Mo supply, suggesting lower tolerance and greater toxicity. Differences in such requirements among species, especially during early establishment, may be a key driver in fostering changing patterns in species composition among forests.
System reliability analysis of slopes using multilayer perceptron and radial basis function networks
Authors: Kang Fei , Li Junjie , Xu Qing
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a system reliability analysis method for soil slopes on the basis of artificial neural networks with computer experiments. Two types of artificial neural networks, multilayer perceptrop (MLP) and radial basis function networks (RBFNs), are tested on the studied problems. Computer experiments are adopted to generate samples for constructing the response surfaces. On the basis of the samples, MLP and RBFN are used for establishing the response surface to approximate the limit state function, and Monte Carlo simulation is performed via the MLP and RBFN response surfaces to estimate the system failure probability of slopes. Experimental results on 3 examples show the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Talking to the media: Interviews, part 3
Authors: Talarico Donna
Published: June 2017

My husband — an adult learner working toward his professional communications degree — is taking a Newswriting 101–style class this term. His first assignment was to interview three left‐handed people about a life‐expectancy study that revealed southpaws don't live as long as their right‐handed counterparts.
Disulfide bonds and disorder in granulin‐3: An unusual handshake between structural stability and plasticity
Authors: Ghag Gaurav , Holler Christopher J. , Taylor Georgia , Kukar Thomas L. , Uversky Vladimir N. , Rangachari Vijayaraghavan
Published: June 2017

Granulins (GRNs) are a family of small (∼6 kDa) proteins generated by the proteolytic processing of their precursor, progranulin (PGRN), in many cell types. Both PGRN and GRNs are implicated in a plethora of biological functions, often in opposing roles to each other. Lately, GRNs have generated significant attention due to their implicated roles in neurodegenerative disorders. Despite their physiological and pathological significance, the structure‐function relationships of GRNs are poorly defined. GRNs contain 12 conserved cysteines forming six intramolecular disulfide bonds, making them rather exceptional, even among a few proteins with high disulfide bond density. Solution NMR investigations in the past have revealed a unique structure containing putative interdigitated disulfide bonds for several GRNs, but GRN‐3 was unsolvable due to its heterogeneity and disorder. In our previous report, we showed that abrogation of disulfide bonds in GRN‐3 renders the protein completely disordered (Ghag et al., Prot Eng Des Sel 2016). In this study, we report the cellular expression and biophysical analysis of fully oxidized, native GRN‐3. Our results indicate that both E. coli and human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells do not exclusively make GRN‐3 with homogenous disulfide bonds, likely due to the high cysteine density within the protein. Biophysical analysis suggests that GRN‐3 structure is dominated by irregular loops held together only by disulfide bonds, which induced remarkable thermal stability to the protein despite the lack of regular secondary structure. This unusual handshake between disulfide bonds and disorder within GRN‐3 could suggest a unique adaptation of intrinsically disordered proteins towards structural stability.
Psychosocial Crisis Management: The Unexplored Intersection of Crisis Leadership and Psychosocial Support
Authors: Dückers Michel L. A. , Yzermans C. Joris , Jong Wouter , Boin Arjen
Published: June 2017

Epidemiological research has documented the serious health issues that can affect the victims of disasters and major crises. Yet, the psychosocial dimension of crisis has received little attention in crisis management literature. This paper integrates psychosocial principles with a model of strategic crisis management. The resulting model of psychosocial crisis management (PCM) describes how the tasks of strategic crisis managers can be guided by psychosocial support principles. This PCM‐model helps public leaders, at society and local community level, to better understand typical psychosocial dynamics and obstacles as the crisis life cycle evolves. Although crisis management insights and psychosocial support principles stem from different disciplines and research traditions, integrating them helps to reduce foreseeable problems in the response and recovery phases.
A framework for maximum likelihood parameter identification applied on MAVs
Authors: Burri Michael , Bloesch Michael , Taylor Zachary , Siegwart Roland , Nieto Juan
Published: June 2017

With the growing availability of agile and powerful micro aerial vehicles (MAVs), accurate modeling is becoming more important. Especially for highly dynamic flights, model‐based estimation and control combined with a good simulation framework is key. While detailed models are available in the literature, measuring the model parameters can be a time‐consuming task and requires access to special equipment or facilities. In this paper, we propose a principled approach to accurately estimate physical parameters based on a maximum likelihood (ML) estimation scheme. Unlike many current methods, we make direct use of both raw inertial measurement unit measurements and the rotor speeds of the MAV. We also estimate the spatial‐temporal alignment to a modular pose sensor. The proposed ML‐based approach finds the parameters that best explain the sensor readings and also provides an estimate of their uncertainty. Although we derive the proposed method for use with an MAV, the approach is kept general and can be extended to other sensors or flying platforms. Extensive evaluation on simulated data and on real‐world experimental data demonstrates that the approach yields accurate estimates and exhibits a large region of convergence. Furthermore, we show that the estimation can be performed using only on‐board sensing, requiring no external infrastructure.
Random forest missing data algorithms
Authors: Tang Fei , Ishwaran Hemant
Published: June 2017

Random forest (RF) missing data algorithms are an attractive approach for imputing missing data. They have the desirable properties of being able to handle mixed types of missing data, they are adaptive to interactions and nonlinearity, and they have the potential to scale to big data settings. Currently there are many different RF imputation algorithms, but relatively little guidance about their efficacy. Using a large, diverse collection of data sets, imputation performance of various RF algorithms was assessed under different missing data mechanisms. Algorithms included proximity imputation, on the fly imputation, and imputation utilizing multivariate unsupervised and supervised splitting—the latter class representing a generalization of a new promising imputation algorithm called missForest. Our findings reveal RF imputation to be generally robust with performance improving with increasing correlation. Performance was good under moderate to high missingness, and even (in certain cases) when data was missing not at random.
Empowering Learners: A Win‐Win Solution for Students and Educators
Authors: K. Davies Diana , Gonzalez Suronda
Published: June 2017

This chapter describes the philosophical approach of the Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum movement, which advocates leveraging international students’ language and cultural knowledge to support their academic goals and sense of belonging on college and university campuses in the United States.
International Students at Community Colleges: Challenges and Opportunities for This Unique Segment of U.S Higher Education
Authors: Jennings Ross
Published: June 2017

In unprecedented numbers, American community colleges are seeking to boost their recruitment and retention of international students. This chapter uncovers the challenges and opportunities based on successful experiences in community college efforts.
Efficient abstraction algorithms for accelerating reconfiguration of VLSI arrays
Authors: Qian Junyan , Bai Zhangshun , Zhou Zhide , Zhao Lingzhong , Chang Liang
Published: June 2017

Employment of fault‐tolerant techniques is necessary for the operability and reliability of very large scale integration (VLSI) arrays. Moreover, fault tolerance must be obtained at high speed on real‐time embedded systems. In this paper, a novel abstract model, based on the abstraction technique, is proposed to accelerate the reconfiguration of degradable VLSI arrays with low fault density. Given an m × n physical array with faults, the proposed technique extracts some physical rows including faulty elements to construct an abstraction array, ignoring the physical rows without faults, such that the size of original physical array can be significantly reduced to speed up the reconfiguration of VLSI array. In addition, we conclusively demonstrate the preservation of properties between the abstract array and the physical array to guarantee that the proposed technique is correct. Experimental results show that for a 128 × 128 physical array with 0.1% faults, a 15 × 128 abstract array can be constructed and the compression is more than 88.20%. This abstraction technique is bound into a reconfiguration algorithm cited in this paper. Simulation results show that the running time can be improved by more than 66.79% for a 128 × 128 physical array with 0.1% faults. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
What do managers look for in candidates for international assignments?
Authors: Kandogan Yener
Published: June 2017

Globalization of business highlights the need for individuals with the right skills and experiences for international assignments. Gender, age, ethnicity, family situation, professional qualifications, past international experiences, as well as psychological characteristics can be counted among the selection criteria of a candidate for such assignments. This current study examines the role of assignment context and selecting manager characteristics in the selection process. First, these candidate characteristics are considered together with features of the assignment such as duration, destination, and task performed to examine if their consistency are critical. Second, whether managers draw from their own past and consider their own family situation and international experiences, or select a candidate with same gender, age, or ethnicity is investigated. The findings suggest that without matching manager characteristics and assignment features, candidate characteristics are of little importance.
Conscious Connections: Phenomenology and Decoding the Disciplines
Authors: Currie Genevieve
Published: June 2017

This chapter describes how seven disciplinary bottlenecks from four diverse disciplines were analyzed using a phenomenological perspective and includes a discussion of embodied knowing and implications for educators.
Decoding the Disciplines as a Hermeneutic Practice
Authors: Yeo Michelle
Published: June 2017

This chapter argues that expert practice is an inquiry that surfaces a hermeneutic relationship between theory, practice, and the world, with implications for new lines of questioning in the Decoding interview.
Intuitions and Instincts: Considerations for Decoding Disciplinary Identities
Authors: MacDonald Ron
Published: June 2017

Deciphering teachers’ paths to their disciplinary professional identities can make important elements of their tacit knowledge explicit and available to their students.
Learning from Decoding across Disciplines and within Communities of Practice
Authors: Miller‐Young Janice , Boman Jennifer
Published: June 2017

This final chapter synthesizes the findings and implications derived from applying the Decoding the Disciplines model across disciplines and within communities of practice. We make practical suggestions for teachers and researchers who wish to apply and extend this work.
Myocardial strain assessment using velocity vector imaging in normally grown fetuses at term
Authors: Alsolai A. A. , Bligh L. N. , Greer R. M. , Gooi A. , Kumar S.
Published: June 2017

Objectives

To assess prospectively fetal myocardial deformation at term in normally grown fetuses using the velocity vector imaging (VVI) two‐dimensional speckle‐tracking technique, and to explore myocardial deformation changes over the last 4 weeks of pregnancy.

Methods

This was a prospective, observational cohort study of 276 women with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy who underwent fortnightly ultrasound from 36 weeks' gestation until delivery at the Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. Fetal myocardial deformation (assessed by global and segmental longitudinal systolic myocardial strain and strain rate of both right and left ventricles) was measured using VVI software.

Results

Mean global longitudinal left and right ventricular strain and strain rate values decreased between each time point. At 36, 38 and 40 weeks' gestation, left ventricular global strain (%) and strain rate (/s) decreased, respectively, as follows: –14.6 ± 3.8% and –1.2 ± 0.3/s at 36 weeks; –13.6 ± 3.3% and –1.1 ± 0.3/s at 38 weeks; and –12.3 ± 3.1% and –1.0 ± 0.3/s at 40 weeks. At 36, 38 and 40 weeks, mean right ventricular global strain (%) and mean strain rate (/s) decreased, respectively, as follows: –14.2 ± 3.4% and –1.2 ± 0.2/s at 36 weeks; –13.4 ± 3.0% and –1.1 ± 0.2/s at 38 weeks; and –12.8 ± 2.8% and –1.1 ± 0.2/s at 40 weeks.

Conclusions

Global ventricular strain values diminish with advancing gestational age. Myocardial deformation imaging is feasible in late gestation and may be useful as an adjunct for the assessment of fetal cardiac function close to birth. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Is climate change a new kind of problem? The role of theology and imagination in climate ethics
Authors: Clingerman Forrest , O'Brien Kevin J.
Published: June 2017

Some scholars and activists assume that climate change is entirely sui generis: a brand new kind of problem that calls for new kinds of thinking and activism. Others communicate the seriousness of climate change by arguing that it is prefigured by the biggest events in human history, such as the moral crime of slavery or the political challenge of World War II. While the choice between these two frames for climate change is often implicit, it shapes the research and arguments that follow. This can be illustrated by examining Christian theology and ethics: Those theologians who see climate change as sui generis tend to embrace the inevitability of apocalyptic change, increasing instability, and an Anthropocene age that calls for new kinds of religion and spirituality. Those who see climate change as prefigured, by contrast, tend to emphasize the continued relevance of established religious traditions, in particular their commitments to social justice and their opposition to destructive political and economic structures. The two approaches offer different frames for climate change and different theological imaginations of the problem. When the question of whether climate change is new and the imaginaries that question inspires are explicit, arguments in theology and ethics are clearer and more defined. Interdisciplinary connections then suggest that this exercise of exploring how climate change is framed, characterized, and imagined will be relevant to a wide range of scholars and activists. WIREs Clim Change 2017, 8:e480. doi: 10.1002/wcc.480

This article is categorized under:

Trans‐Disciplinary Perspectives > Humanities and the Creative Arts
Image‐based computational fluid dynamics in the lung: virtual reality or new clinical practice?
Authors: Burrowes Kelly S. , De Backer Jan , Kumar Haribalan
Published: June 2017

The development and implementation of personalized medicine is paramount to improving the efficiency and efficacy of patient care. In the respiratory system, function is largely dictated by the choreographed movement of air and blood to the gas exchange surface. The passage of air begins in the upper airways, either via the mouth or nose, and terminates at the alveolar interface, while blood flows from the heart to the alveoli and back again. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a well‐established tool for predicting fluid flows and pressure distributions within complex systems. Traditionally CFD has been used to aid in the effective or improved design of a system or device; however, it has become increasingly exploited in biological and medical‐based applications further broadening the scope of this computational technique. In this review, we discuss the advancement in application of CFD to the respiratory system and the contributions CFD is currently making toward improving precision medicine. The key areas CFD has been applied to in the pulmonary system are in predicting fluid transport and aerosol distribution within the airways. Here we focus our discussion on fluid flows and in particular on image‐based clinically focused CFD in the ventilatory system. We discuss studies spanning from the paranasal sinuses through the conducting airways down to the level of the alveolar airways. The combination of imaging and CFD is enabling improved device design in aerosol transport, improved biomarkers of lung function in clinical trials, and improved predictions and assessment of surgical interventions in the nasal sinuses. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2017, 9:e1392. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1392

This article is categorized under:

Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods

Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Mechanistic Models

Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Organ, Tissue, and Physiological Models
Properties of Ideal Point Classification Models for Bivariate Binary Data
Authors: Worku Hailemichael M. , de Rooij Mark
Published: June 2017

The ideal point classification (IPC) model was originally proposed for analysing multinomial data in the presence of predictors. In this paper, we studied properties of the IPC model for analysing bivariate binary data with a specific focus on three quantities: (1) the marginal probabilities; (2) the association structure between the two binary responses; and (3) the joint probabilities. We found that the IPC model with a specific class point configuration represents either the marginal probabilities or the association structure. However, the IPC model is not able to represent both quantities at the same time. We then derived a new parametrization of the model, the bivariate IPC (BIPC) model, which is able to represent both the marginal probabilities and the association structure. Like the standard IPC model, the results of the BIPC model can be displayed in a biplot, from which the effects of predictors on the binary responses and on their association can be read. We will illustrate our findings with a psychological example relating personality traits to depression and anxiety disorders.
Brief report: Trait emotional intelligence, peer nominations, and scholastic achievement in adolescence
Authors: Mancini Giacomo , Andrei Federica , Mazzoni Elvis , Biolcati Roberta , Baldaro Bruno , Trombini Elena
Published: June 2017

Current research on trait EI in adolescents suggests that the construct impacts on several important domains of youths' psychological functioning, including school adjustment and achievement. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of trait EI and of its subcomponents, on adolescent's academic achievement. Data were collected from 321 Italian adolescents (162 female; Mage = 15.5, SD = 1.86; aged 13–18 years) recruited from secondary schools. The effects of perceived and actual peer nominations, gender, personality dimensions, and non‐verbal cognitive abilities were also controlled. Results highlight that trait EI as assessed by means of the TEIQue impacts Italian but not math's grades, while trait EI's factors predicted both academic subjects, with significant contributions of Self‐Control and Sociability. Limitations and implications are discussed.
Gimbaled-thruster based nonlinear attitude control of a small spacecraft during thrusting manoeuvre
Authors: Fani Saberi Farhad , Kabganian Mansour , Kouhi Hamed , Shahravi Morteza
Published: June 2017

In this paper, a novel thrusting manoeuvre control scheme is proposed for a small spacecraft which is based only on the gimbaled thrust vector control (TVC) system. The spacecraft structure is composed of a body and a gimbaled thruster where common attitude control systems such as reaction control system (RCS) and spin stabilisation are not employed. A nonlinear two-body model is considered for the characterisation of the gimbaled-nozzle spacecraft where the gimbal actuator provides the only active control input. The spacecraft attitude is affected by a large exogenous disturbance torque which is generated by a thrust vector misalignment from the centre of mass (CM). To achieve some performance goals in the both transient and steady-state modes, a new control scheme is derived based on the combination of two linear and nonlinear controllers. The proposed method ensures the attitude and thrust vector stability during an impulsive orbital manoeuvre while eliminating and rejecting an exogenous disturbance torque. The numerical simulations illustrate the applicability of this method for using in a small spacecraft and its efficiency in sustained operation.
Utilizing a Pediatric Disaster Coalition Model to Increase Pediatric Critical Care Surge Capacity in New York City
Authors: Frogel Michael , Flamm Avram , Sagy Mayer , Uraneck Katharine , Conway Edward , Ushay Michael , Greenwald Bruce M. , Pierre Louisdon , Shah Vikas , Gaffoor Mohamed , Cooper Arthur , Foltin George
Published: June 2017

A mass casualty event can result in an overwhelming number of critically injured pediatric victims that exceeds the available capacity of pediatric critical care (PCC) units, both locally and regionally. To address these gaps, the New York City (NYC) Pediatric Disaster Coalition (PDC) was established. The PDC includes experts in emergency preparedness, critical care, surgery, and emergency medicine from 18 of 25 major NYC PCC-capable hospitals. A PCC surge committee created recommendations for making additional PCC beds available with an emphasis on space, staff, stuff (equipment), and systems. The PDC assisted 15 hospitals in creating PCC surge plans by utilizing template plans and site visits. These plans created an additional 153 potential PCC surge beds. Seven hospitals tested their plans through drills. The purpose of this article was to demonstrate the need for planning for disasters involving children and to provide a stepwise, replicable model for establishing a PDC, with one of its primary goals focused on facilitating PCC surge planning. The process we describe for developing a PDC can be replicated to communities of any size, setting, or location. We offer our model as an example for other cities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:473–478)
Assessment of Healthcare Worker Protocol Deviations and Self-Contamination During Personal Protective Equipment Donning and Doffing
Authors: Kwon Jennie H. , Burnham Carey-Ann D. , Reske Kimberly A. , Liang Stephen Y. , Hink Tiffany , Wallace Meghan A. , Shupe Angela , Seiler Sondra , Cass Candice , Fraser Victoria J. , Dubberke Erik R.
Published: June 2017

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate healthcare worker (HCW) risk of self-contamination when donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) using fluorescence and MS2 bacteriophage.

DESIGN

Prospective pilot study.

SETTING

Tertiary-care hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 36 HCWs were included in this study: 18 donned/doffed contact precaution (CP) PPE and 18 donned/doffed Ebola virus disease (EVD) PPE.

INTERVENTIONS

HCWs donned PPE according to standard protocols. Fluorescent liquid and MS2 bacteriophage were applied to HCWs. HCWs then doffed their PPE. After doffing, HCWs were scanned for fluorescence and swabbed for MS2. MS2 detection was performed using reverse transcriptase PCR. The donning and doffing processes were videotaped, and protocol deviations were recorded.

RESULTS

Overall, 27% of EVD PPE HCWs and 50% of CP PPE HCWs made ≥1 protocol deviation while donning, and 100% of EVD PPE HCWs and 67% of CP PPE HCWs made ≥1 protocol deviation while doffing (P=.02). The median number of doffing protocol deviations among EVD PPE HCWs was 4, versus 1 among CP PPE HCWs. Also, 15 EVD PPE protocol deviations were committed by doffing assistants and/or trained observers. Fluorescence was detected on 8 EVD PPE HCWs (44%) and 5 CP PPE HCWs (28%), most commonly on hands. MS2 was recovered from 2 EVD PPE HCWs (11%) and 3 CP PPE HCWs (17%).

CONCLUSIONS

Protocol deviations were common during both EVD and CP PPE doffing, and some deviations during EVD PPE doffing were committed by the HCW doffing assistant and/or the trained observer. Self-contamination was common. PPE donning/doffing are complex and deserve additional study.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1077–1083
Holocene environments of central Iturup Island, southern Kuril archipelago, Russian Far East
Authors: Lozhkin Anatoly , Minyuk Pavel , Cherepanova Marina , Anderson Patricia , Finney Bruce
Published: June 2017

Two lake records document Holocene changes in sea level, vegetation, and climate on the Okhotsk and Pacific sides of central Iturup Island, southern Kuril Islands. The sediment cores originated within tidal flats that subsequently developed into a marine strait which crosscut the island as sea levels rose during the early Holocene. Brackish lagoons and eventually freshwater lakes formed by ~7100 cal yr BP associated with warmer than present conditions. Past vegetation changes indicate a clear Holocene thermal maximum recorded on the Pacific coast but a less distinct optimum on the western shores (~7200–6100 cal yr BP). A gradual cooling toward modern levels occurred ~6100–3500 cal yr BP. Four prominent layers of coarse sediment found in mid- to late Holocene lake deposits may correspond to intervals of climate cooling/dune formation previously documented in coastal sections. Although chronological limitations question the synchronicity of these events across the south Russian Far East, it seems probable that they have a regional signature. However, the mechanisms responsible for Holocene climatic changes are likely the result of complex interactions of hemispheric-scale atmospheric patterns, marine characteristics, and regional feedbacks rather than simply fluctuations in sea levels as suggested in the current interpretative model.
Dietary calcium intake and rate of bone loss in men
Authors: Bristow Sarah M. , Gamble Gregory D. , Horne Anne M. , Reid Ian R.
Published: June 2017

A high Ca intake has been recommended for osteoporosis prevention; however, little research has examined the relationship between dietary Ca and bone health in men. We examined associations between dietary Ca intake, bone mineral density (BMD) and change in BMD at the total body, hip and spine over 2 years in a cohort of men (mean age 57 years, BMI 26 kg/m2) from a trial. Data from the total cohort (n323) were used in the analysis of Ca intake and BMD at baseline, and data from the placebo group (n99) were used in the longitudinal analysis of Ca intake and change in BMD. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and the markers of bone turnover serum total alkaline phosphatase activity, serum C-telopeptide and serum procollagen type-1 N-terminal propeptide were measured in a subset of participants at baseline (n150), and associations with dietary Ca at baseline were examined. Mean Ca intake was 870 mg/d. Baseline BMD was not related to dietary Ca intake at any site, before or after adjustment for covariables. Similarly, bone loss over 2 years was not related to Ca intake at any site, before or after adjustment. Dietary Ca intake was inversely correlated with PTH at baseline (r−0·19,P=0·02), but was not associated with the markers of bone turnover. BMD and rates of bone loss were unrelated to Ca intake in these men. This suggests that strategies to increase Ca intake are unlikely to impact on the prevalence of and morbidity from male osteoporosis.
FIELD EVALUATION OF SOIL AND WHEAT RESPONSES TO COMBINED APPLICATION OF HARDWOOD BIOCHAR AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN ACIDIC SANDY LOAM SOIL
Authors: SARMA BANASHREE , GOGOI NIRMALI , BHARALI MADHURI , MALI PRIYANKA
Published: June 2017

Biochar application appears to be a promising method to improve soil physicochemical and biological properties by increasing soil carbon. Along with the influence of hardwood biochar on wheat growth, yield and soil quality for a period of two years, this study also evaluates the major soil parameters to be taken as minimum data set while assessing the impact of hardwood biochar in an acidic sandy loam soil. Five fertilizer treatments combining inorganic fertilizers and biochar were applied: unfertilized control (T1); 100% NPK (T2); 5 Mg ha−1biochar (T3); 100% NPK + 5 Mg ha−1biochar (T4); and 50% N + 100% PK + 5 Mg ha−1biochar (T5). Biochar application (T3 vs. T1; T4 and T5 vs. T2) significantly increased leaf chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, leaf N concentration and above and below-ground biomass, with improved wheat yield and grain quality (total grain protein and carbohydrate). Soil pH, water-holding capacity, available nutrients (N, P and K), organic carbon and its fractions also enhanced in biochar applied plots with reduced bulk density. Increased activities of soil enzymes urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein di-acetate and arylsulphatase were recorded in biochar treatment along with significant increase in N recovery index (22%) and agronomic efficiency (40%). Multivariate analysis identified activity of phosphatase, pH and humic acid to fulvic acid ratio as the indicators to explain the total variance from biochar addition in acidic sandy loam soil under wheat cultivation. Soil quality index showed a significant improvement when biochar was added with reduced N doses (T5). This study confirms the efficacy of biochar as a soil conditioner when applied with reduced N fertilizer and would be a sustainable option to improve wheat production and soil quality in acidic sandy loam soils of northeast India.
In situ and in vitro estimation of mineral release from common feedstuffs fed to cattle
Authors: ZANETTI D. , MENEZES A. C. B. , SILVA F. A. S. , COSTA E SILVA L. F. , ROTTA P. P. , DETMANN E. , ENGLE T. E. , VALADARES FILHO S. C.
Published: June 2017

The objective of the current study was to quantify the dry matter (DM) digestibility, and total ash (TA) and mineral release from 12 concentrate and 12 forage feedstuffs commonly fed to cattle using in situ and in vitro methods. Concentrate and forage feedstuffs were incubated in the rumen of ruminally cannulated beef bulls at eight different time points. Two different trials were conducted for concentrates and forages, with maximum incubation time of 72 and 120 h, respectively. The residue from samples incubated for 24 h were treated with pepsin and hydrochloric acid to simulate abomasum digestion in vitro. The initial and residual samples after in situ and in vitro incubations were measured. An asymptotic model was adopted for estimating solubility of minerals, disappearance rate of DM, and TA. Correlations between feedstuff contents and mineral release were evaluated. Residual samples from rumen fermentation after 24 h were incubated in simulated abomasal conditions and mineral release was measured. Cluster analysis was performed to group feedstuffs in relation to TA release. Large variability was observed between concentrate and forage feedstuffs for all constituents analysed. Large variability was observed for the effective ruminal degradation of TA and individual mineral release. When feedstuffs were clustered according to the immediately soluble fraction (‘a’), the insoluble by potentially releasable fraction (‘b’) and the release rate of ‘b’ (‘kd’,/h) estimates of TA ruminal release, four groups were identified. From group ‘1’ to group ‘4’, an increase in the soluble fraction and a reduction in both moderate releasable fraction and release rate was observed. Neutral detergent fibre content had a negative correlation with mineral release in the rumen, while mineral content had a positive correlation. These results demonstrate that mineral solubilization in the digestive tract is not the limiting factor for mineral absorption from the feedstuffs tested.