bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Analysis of Accounting-Based Valuation Models
Authors: Ho Kung-Cheng , Lee Shih-Cheng , Lin Chien-Ting , Yu Min-Teh
Published: January 2016

We empirically compare the reliability of the dividend (DIV) model, the residual income valuation (CT, GLS) model, and the abnormal earnings growth (OJ) model. We find that valuation estimates from the OJ model are generally more reliable than those from the other three models, because the residual income valuation model anchored by book value gets off to a poor start when compared with the OJ model led by capitalized next-year earnings. We adopt a 34-year sample covering from 1985 to 2013 to compare the reliability of valuation estimates via their means of absolute pricing errors ( MAPE) and corresponding t statistics. We further use the switching regression of Barrios and Blanco to show that the average probability of OJ valuation estimates is greater in explaining stock prices than the DIV, CT, and GLS models. In addition, our finding that the OJ model yields more reliable estimates is robust to analysts-based and model-based earnings measures.
The Even–Odd Nature of Audit Committees and Corporate Earnings Quality
Authors: Gao Huasheng , Huang Jun
Published: January 2016

We apply voting theory to the context of audit committees and examine how the even–odd nature of audit committees is related to earnings quality. We hypothesize that an audit committee with an odd number of directors can improve the committee’s voting efficiency by better aggregating directors’ information and thus enhance the quality of committee decisions, as compared with an audit committee with an even number of directors. Supporting this implication, we find that an odd audit committee is associated with lower likelihood of financial restatements than an even audit committee, and that this relation is stronger when the committee members have more heterogeneous opinions, hold less equity ownership, are in a smaller audit committee, and face a more entrenched management.
Deservingness in the Danish context: Welfare chauvinism in times of crisis
Authors: Jørgensen Martin Bak , Thomsen Trine Lund
Published: January 2016

This article examines categories of deservingness in social policy. It argues that immigrant groups are positioned differently according to their status and perceived ‘value’ for society. On the one hand, most states need several types of migrant labour; on the other hand, they wish to limit other types of migrants. The balance between humanitarian obligations and this urge to control has led to the development of ambiguous policy designs. This tendency can also be found in Denmark. Public policies and the attribution of public goods and rights are increasingly developed within a hierarchical system of civic stratification that legitimises welfare chauvinism, rather than defending the universalist principle embedded in a universal/social-democratic welfare state model. The article investigates welfare chauvinism in relation to unemployment/social security benefits for labour migrants and refugees.
Intertextuality of Film Remakes of Devdas
Authors: Murthy C.S.H.N. , Meitei O.B.
Published: January 2016

The screen adaptation of the novella Devdas by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay is an important landmark in early Indian cinema. A prominent film, screened in four Indian languages (Bengali, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil), it seems to offer a novel vision of romantic love and romanticism. This article critiques the fanciful interpretations of the film provided by some postmodern academics in the field of comparative literature. It endeavours to place the film both as text and cinematic work into a broader perspective based on the study of intertextuality of three renditions: Raghavaiah’s Devdas (Telugu, 1953), Bimal Roy’s Devdas (Hindi, 1955) and Bhansali’s Devdas (Hindi, 2002). Grounded in cultural theory and Indian performative aesthetics coupled with moving image analysis, this study highlights the underlying, deep-rooted romanticism embedded in Indian philosophical and aesthetic traditions of devotion between atma (individual soul) and paramatma (absolute soul), personifying Paro/Chandramukhi as atma and Devdas as paramatma. This article, part of a larger project on de-Westernising media studies, makes a critical intervention in current South Asian Studies by aiming to provide a novel theoretical framework to which the philosophical and traditional tenets grounding the novella of Devdas can be anchored.
Entrepreneurship and Sociocultural Factors
Authors: Dutta Subrata
Published: January 2016

Sociocultural factors in relation to the concept of entrepreneurship have been neglected in theories of economic development. While the growth of entrepreneurship often involves social and cultural issues, mainstream economists seem averse to discuss this. The present article emphasises the need for interdisciplinary enquiry to better understand various kinds of South Asian entrepreneurial activity and success from ethnographic and psycho-sociocultural perspectives. Existing research confirms that several non-economic factors can be identified as highly relevant for entrepreneurship and economic success. The article analyses those findings, places them in a wider context and calls for further research.
Social Entrepreneurship as a Tool to Remedy Social Exclusion
Authors: Kummitha Rama Krishna Reddy
Published: January 2016

Inspired by the practice of social enterprises, this article aims to understand how work integration social enterprises (WISE) function in relation to labour market integration of socially excluded persons in India. While mainly examining how socially excluded persons benefit from such interventions, questions are asked about what motivates social enterprises to get involved and to what extent they benefit themselves. Built on case study research in India, this article identifies a potential win–win situation, as members of excluded communities are empowered through the work integration approach, but social enterprises also benefit by building trust and achieving a sustainable orientation.
Hindi, Urdu or Hindustani? Revisiting ‘National Language’ Debates through Radio Broadcasting in Late Colonial India
Authors: Nijhawan Shobna
Published: January 2016

Asking how the nationalist intelligentsia and Hindi literati sought to interact with and shape the new medium of radio in a period of time that witnessed the establishment of All India Radio’s Lucknow station in 1938, this article embeds colonial discussions of radio broadcasting into the cultural, literary and linguistic debates over Hindi, Urdu and Hindustani. The vibrant debate on the standardisation of Hindi, set against the background of All India Radio policies, is discussed from the perspective of those literary actors and institutions that envisioned diverse oral forms of Hindi and Hindustani for the rural and urban population residing in the Hindi belt and the rest of India. In addition, the article compares the radio broadcasting language to other contributions published in Hindi to show how languages operated not only in parallel but also in intersecting literary spheres. The article shows that language debates over radio broadcasting functioned as a site to probe the flexibility of what was to be officially projected as the language of the nation-to-be.
Young Men, Education and Ethnicity in Contemporary Darjeeling
Authors: Scrase Timothy J. , Ganguly-Scrase Ruchira , Deuchar Andrew
Published: January 2016

Utilising qualitative research methods and drawing upon theories of social reproduction, this article examines how ethnicity intersects with students’ experiences of education in Darjeeling. The research explores how young men’s aspirations articulate their ethnic identity and their associated political demands. It shows how ethnicities are fostered within friendship groups on college campuses and also discusses young men’s criticisms of the Gorkhaland movement, offering a nuanced and textured account of ethnic struggles in this area. It is shown that young men draw upon education to develop ethnic identities that bridge caste divides and conceal class inequalities. The research sheds new light on how ethnicities are constructed amid the tensions of globalisation and regionalism, education and development.
Biopolitical Marketing and Social Media Brand Communities
Authors: Zwick Detlev , Bradshaw Alan
Published: January 2016

This article offers an analysis of marketing as an ideological set of practices that makes cultural interventions designed to infuse social relations with biopolitical injunctions. We examine a contemporary site of heightened attention within marketing: the rise of online communities and the attendant profession of social media marketing managers. We argue that social media marketers disavow a core problem; namely, that the object at stake, the customer community, barely exists. The community therefore functions ideologically. We describe the ideological gymnastics necessary for maintaining momentum behind a practice that barely exists and we ponder why such ideologies are necessary, and what they allow the marketer to do. Working with such concepts as ‘the wild’, ‘communicative capitalism’, and ‘biopolitical marketing’, we explore a genre of popular business literature that proselytizes for online customer communities and we reflect on the broader implications.
Exploring the disconnect in policy implementation: A case of enterprise policy in England
Authors: Arshed Norin , Mason Colin , Carter Sara
Published: January 2016

Previous studies have acknowledged the ineffectiveness of enterprise policy. However, the reasons for its ineffectiveness remain a matter for debate. This study examines the extent to which the ineffectiveness of enterprise policy can be attributed to the way it has been implemented. Interviews with central government policy-makers, Regional Development Agency staff and business development managers in local enterprise agencies during the Labour administration (2007–2010) revealed that the implementation process of enterprise policy initiatives is complex and confusing, with fragmented relationships between the actors involved. The abundance of enterprise policy initiatives being delivered at the time, the absence of clearly defined objectives, the limited emphasis on the delivery of business support and the lack of measurement and evaluation combined to create an unnecessarily complicated process of enterprise policy implementation which, in turn, reduced its effectiveness.
Linked-trip effects of ‘town-centre-first' era foodstore development: An assessment using difference-in-differences
Authors: Lambiri Dionysia , Faggian Alessandra , Wrigley Neil
Published: January 2016

High levels of out-of-centre foodstore developments in the 1980s and early 1990s significantly altered the commercial landscape of the UK, and were widely seen as threatening the vitality and viability of small and medium-sized centres. The progressive tightening of retail planning regulation in the decade that followed, and retailer adaptation to that tightening, resulted in the development of more flexible foodstore formats suited to in-centre or edge-of-centre sites, which worked ‘with the grain’ of the ‘town centre first’ approach to retail planning policy. Since then academic research has started to suggest a more positive role for such developments than hitherto, and to indicate that they can play an important role in anchoring small centres. The key mechanism underlining this potential positive role is that of linked trips, whereby the spatial externality generated by a foodstore development is transmitted to the existing retail structure of the centre in which development has occurred. Even though UK planning policy has consistently viewed the role of linked shopping trips as critical to town centre vitality, available evidence on this key issue remains remarkably scarce and dated in terms of the planning regulation context from which it was generated. This paper aims to fill that gap. We make use of a large and unique database on consumer shopping behaviour collected over the period August 2007–November 2009 in selected UK centres, and employ the difference-in-differences method to obtain insight into the hypothesised uplift in linked trip propensity which can be attributed to a foodstore development. Our results indicate that the development of new-generation foodstores in in-centre and edge-of-centre locations does indeed increase the propensity of shoppers to link their trips between foodstores and town centre shops/services. Controlling for shoppers’ individual characteristics, that increase is shown to be over seven percentage points. The exact numerical value is likely to be sample specific, and its typical range will only be established by replication. However, the importance of the finding is that using sophisticated but appropriate statistical methodology and a large sample of data from a transparently designed and rigorously conducted study, the development of ‘new-generation’ town-centre first foodstores is clearly associated with increased linked trip propensities. To our knowledge, this is the first time unambiguous evidence of the existence of this hypothesised ‘town centre first era’ linked-trip effect has been demonstrated.
Evaluation of French motorway network in relation to slime mould transport networks
Authors: Adamatzky Andrew , Allard Olivier , Jones Jeff , Armstrong Rachel
Published: January 2016

France has developed a high quality motorway system that has been rapidly rationalised and matured in the late 20th century yet has been founded on ancient, Roman infrastructures. The development of the motorway system is thus an iterative method associated with hierarchical ‘top-down’ processes taking into consideration factors such as population density, network demand, location of natural resources, civil engineering challenges and population growth. At the opposite extreme to this approach is the development of transport networks within simple biological systems which are typically decentralised, dynamic and emerge from simple, local and ‘bottom-up’ interactions. We examine the notion, and to what extent, that the structure of a complex motorway network could be predicted by the transport network of the single-celled slime mould Physarum polycephalum. This comparison is explored through its ability to ‘deduce’ the French motorway network in a series of analogue and digital experiments. We compare Physarum network and motorway network topology in relation to proximity graphs and assess the trade-off between connectivity and minimal network length with a bottom-up model of a virtual plasmodium. We demonstrate that despite the apparent complexity of the challenge, Physarum can successfully apply its embodied intelligence to rationalise the motorway topology. We also demonstrate that such calculations prove challenging in the face of significant obstacles such as, mountainous terrain and may account for the missing route between Nice, Grenoble, Avignon and Lyon. Finally, we discuss the topological findings with respect to circle and spoke city planning infrastructures and certain species of web-building spiders.
One State’s Systems Change Efforts to Reduce Child Care Expulsion
Authors: Vinh Megan , Strain Phil , Davidon Sarah , Smith Barbara J.
Published: January 2016

This article describes the efforts funded by the state of Colorado to address unacceptably high rates of expulsion from child care. Based on the results of a 2006 survey, the state of Colorado launched two complementary policy initiatives in 2009 to impact expulsion rates and to improve the use of evidence-based practices related to challenging behavior. The primary policy initiative involved the funding of a center to develop model sites, a state-level planning team, ongoing practitioner training, and certification of coaches and trainers all built around the Pyramid Model. The secondary initiative involved expanding the number of early childhood mental health consultants and modifying their reimbursement/payment formula such that direct preventative work with adult providers, consistent with the Pyramid Model, was reimbursable. A follow-up survey in 2011 showed a dramatic reduction in expulsion rates and a corollary increase in providers’ teaching of prosocial skills to children with challenging behavior.
Pulse pressure-dependent cerebrovascular eNOS regulation in mice
Authors: Raignault Adeline , Bolduc Virginie , Lesage Frédéric , Thorin Eric
Published: January 2016

Arterial blood pressure is oscillatory; whether pulse pressure (PP) regulates cerebral artery myogenic tone (MT) and endothelial function is currently unknown. To test the impact of PP on MT and dilation to flow (FMD) or to acetylcholine (Ach), isolated pressurized mouse posterior cerebral arteries were subjected to either static pressure (SP) or a physiological PP (amplitude: 30 mm Hg; frequency: 550 bpm). Under PP, MT was significantly higher than in SP conditions ( p < 0.05) and was not affected by eNOS inhibition. In contrast, under SP, eNOS inhibition increased ( p < 0.05) MT to levels observed under PP, suggesting that PP may inhibit eNOS. At a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2, FMD was lower ( p < 0.05) under SP than PP. Under SP, eNOS-dependent [Formula: see text] production contributed to FMD, while under PP, eNOS-dependent NO was responsible for FMD, indicating that PP favours eNOS coupling. Differences in FMD between pressure conditions were abolished after NOX2 inhibition. In contrast to FMD, Ach-induced dilations were higher ( p < 0.05) under SP than PP. Reactive oxygen species scavenging reduced ( p < 0.05) Ach-dependent dilations under SP, but increased ( p < 0.05) them under PP; hence, under PP, Ach promotes ROS production and limits eNOS-derived NO activity. In conclusion, PP finely regulates eNOS, controlling cerebral artery reactivity.
Compartmentalised energy metabolism supporting glutamatergic neurotransmission in response to increased activity in the rat cerebral cortex: A 13C MRS study in vivo at 14.1 T
Authors: Sonnay Sarah , Duarte João MN , Just Nathalie , Gruetter Rolf
Published: January 2016

Many tissues exhibit metabolic compartmentation. In the brain, while there is no doubt on the importance of functional compartmentation between neurons and glial cells, there is still debate on the specific regulation of pathways of energy metabolism at different activity levels. Using 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in vivo, we determined fluxes of energy metabolism in the rat cortex under α-chloralose anaesthesia at rest and during electrical stimulation of the paws. Compared to resting metabolism, the stimulated rat cortex exhibited increased glutamate–glutamine cycle (+67 nmol/g/min, +95%, P < 0.001) and tricarboxylic (TCA) cycle rate in both neurons (+62 nmol/g/min, +12%, P < 0.001) and astrocytes (+68 nmol/g/min, +22%, P = 0.072). A minor, non-significant modification of the flux through pyruvate carboxylase was observed during stimulation (+5 nmol/g/min, +8%). Altogether, this increase in metabolism amounted to a 15% (67 nmol/g/min, P < 0.001) increase in CMRglc(ox), i.e. the oxidative fraction of the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose. In conclusion, stimulation of the glutamate–glutamine cycle under α-chloralose anaesthesia is associated to similar enhancement of neuronal and glial oxidative metabolism.
Cerebrospinal fluid high mobility group box 1 is associated with neuronal death in subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Wang Kuo-Chuan , Tang Sung-Chun , Lee Jing-Er , Li Yu-I , Huang Yi-Shuian , Yang Wei-Shiung , Jeng Jiann-Shing , Arumugam Thiruma V , Tu Yong-Kwang
Published: January 2016

We aim to determine the cerebrospinal fluid levels of high mobility group box 1 in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients and to investigate the involvement of the receptor for advanced glycation end products and high mobility group box 1 in the pathogenesis of post-subarachnoid hemorrhage neuronal death. The study included 40 patients (mean age, 59 ± 19 years) with Fisher's grade ≥ III aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebrospinal fluid was collected on the seventh day post-hemorrhage. Receptor for advanced glycation end products expression was examined in rat brain tissue following subarachnoid hemorrhage and in cultured neurons exposed to post-subarachnoid hemorrhage cerebrospinal fluid. Therapeutic effects of the recombinant soluble form of RAGE on subarachnoid hemorrhage models were also investigated. The results indicated that a higher level of cerebrospinal fluid high mobility group box 1 was independently associated with unfavorable outcome at three months post-subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR = 1.061, 95% CI: 1.005–1.121). Expression of RAGE increased in post-subarachnoid hemorrhage rat brain cells and in cultured neuron with stimulation of post-subarachnoid hemorrhage cerebrospinal fluid. Administration of recombinant soluble form of RAGE significantly reduced the number of positive TUNEL staining cells in subarachnoid hemorrhage rat and improved cell viability in post-subarachnoid hemorrhage cerebrospinal fluid-treated cultured neurons. Thus, the level of cerebrospinal fluid high mobility group box 1 can be a prognostic indicator for patients with Fisher's grade ≥ III aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and that treatment with soluble form of RAGE is a novel approach for subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Normalised time-to-peak-distribution curves correlate with cerebral white matter hyperintensities – Could this improve early diagnosis?
Authors: Nasel Christian , Boubela Roland , Kalcher Klaudius , Moser Ewald
Published: January 2016

Parameter-free assessment of the time-to-peak (TTP) histogram, termed ‘TTP-distribution curve’ (TDC), of dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI) was introduced as a robust method to evaluate cerebral perfusion. TDC-assessment works fully automatically without the need of an arterial input function, thereby providing full comparability between different measurements. In the investigated sample of 106 patients, a strong dependency of TDC on the hemodynamic state of cerebral microvessels and the arterio-venous bolus-transit time [Formula: see text] was demonstrated. Accordingly, TDC-derived [Formula: see text] was 3.3–3.7 s for control patients and 4.4 s for cerebral small vessel disease patients. Measurements of associated bolus spread velocities ν and accelerations [Formula: see text] additionally revealed a direct effect from spin–spin relaxation time T2-weighted white matter hyperintensity volume, considered to indicate microangiopathy in cerebral small vessel disease, on the TDC-measurements. This strongly supports the prevailing hypothesis that cerebral small vessel disease directly influences DSC-measurements, where the degree could be estimated from an analysis of TDC. While this may be used to correct DSC-parameters for undesirable effects from cerebral small vessel disease, it could also serve to potentially identify patients at risk for cerebral small vessel disease at an early stage, since a subset of patients without yet significant WHM-volume, but clearly altered hemodynamics in TDC-measurements, was identified in this study.
The blood–brain barrier after stroke: Structural studies and the role of transcytotic vesicles
Authors: Haley Michael J , Lawrence Catherine B
Published: January 2016

Blood–brain barrier breakdown worsens ischaemic damage, but it is unclear how molecules breach the blood–brain barrier in vivo. Using the obese ob/ob mouse as a model of enhanced blood–brain barrier breakdown, we investigated how stroke-induced structural changes to the microvasculature related to blood–brain barrier permeability. Ob/ob mice underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion, followed by 4 or 24 h reperfusion. Blood–brain barrier integrity was assessed using IgG and horseradish peroxidase staining, and blood–brain barrier structure by two-dimensional and three-dimensional electron microscopy. At 4 and 24 h post-stroke, ob/ob mice had increased ischaemic damage and blood–brain barrier breakdown compared to ob/– controls, and vessels from both genotypes showed astrocyte end-foot swelling and increased endothelial vesicles. Ob/ob mice had significantly more endothelial vesicles at 4 h in the striatum, where blood–brain barrier breakdown was most severe. Both stroke and genotype had no effect on tight junction structure visualised by electron microscopy, or protein expression in isolated microvessels. Astrocyte swelling severity did not correlate with tissue outcome, being unaffected by genotype or reperfusion times. However, the rare instances of vessel lumen collapse were always associated with severe astrocyte swelling in two-dimensional and three-dimensional electron microscopy. Endothelial vesicles were therefore the best spatial and temporal indicators of blood–brain barrier breakdown after cerebral ischaemia.
Proactive Transparency in the United States and the Netherlands
Authors: (Erna) Ruijer H. J. M.
Published: January 2016

Transparency is an intrinsic value of democratic societies. Within the literature, there is an emphasis on access to information and the availability of information in relation to transparency. This study, however, takes a communicative approach to government transparency. It focuses not only on information access and sharing but also on how information is shared and to whom it is communicated. Within government agencies, government communication officials or public affairs officers are one of the central figures in information sharing with stakeholders and citizens. Yet, so far, little is known about how they perceive and implement transparency initiatives. This study aims to enhance our understanding of proactive government transparency and the value of communication by developing a model that explains the role of government communication officials in the implementation of transparency practices. The explanatory model is tested in two democratic countries: the United States and the Netherlands. An online survey shows that government communication officials in the United States and the Netherlands can enhance but also occasionally distort transparency. Furthermore, some differences were found between the countries: Americans are more involved in the proactive disclosure of information than Dutch government communicators.
Underwater soft-bodied pulsed-jet thrusters: Actuator modeling and performance profiling
Authors: Giorgio-Serchi Francesco , Arienti Andrea , Laschi Cecilia
Published: January 2016

A new kind of underwater vehicle is developed by taking inspiration from cephalopods. Its actuation routine is scrutinized via a suitable model. Similar to octopuses and squids, these vehicles consist of an elastic, hollow shell capable of undergoing sequential stages of ingestion and ejection of ambient fluid, which is driven by the recursive inflation and deflation of the shell. The shell actively collapses, and in this way it expels water through a funnel; then it passively returns to the inflated shape, drawing ambient fluid into the cavity. By doing so, a pulsed-jet propulsion routine is performed that enables the vehicle to propel itself in water. Due to their soft nature, the actuation of these vehicles is largely dependent on the subtle management of the elastic response of the shell throughout the propulsion routine. A kinematic model of the actuation mechanism, thoroughly corroborated by experimental validation, is devised which elucidates the relationship between the active (collapse) and passive (refill) stages of the actuation. Upon association with the dynamics of the vehicle, this model permits the derivation of the generic performance profiles of this new kind of vehicle. It is acknowledged that, for given design specifications, an optimal swimming speed exists in coincidence with the coordinated operation between the crank mechanism driving the shell contraction and the onset of elastic energy, which determines the speed of inflation of the shell. These results are invaluable in the definition of rigorous design criteria and derivation of ad-hoc control laws for a new breed of optimized soft-bodied, pulsed-jet, unmanned underwater vehicles.
Efficient collision checking in sampling-based motion planning via safety certificates
Authors: Bialkowski Joshua , Otte Michael , Karaman Sertac , Frazzoli Emilio
Published: January 2016

Collision checking is considered to be the most expensive computational bottleneck in sampling-based motion planning algorithms. We introduce a simple procedure that theoretically eliminates this bottleneck and significantly reduces collision-checking time in practice in several test scenarios. Whenever a point is collision checked in the normal (expensive) way, we store a lower bound on that point’s distance to the nearest obstacle. The latter is called a “safety certificate” and defines a region of the search space that is guaranteed to be collision-free. New points may forgo collision checking whenever they are located within a safety certificate of an old point. Testing the latter condition is accomplished during the nearest-neighbor search that is already part of most sampling-based motion planning algorithms. As more and more points are sampled, safety certificates asymptotically cover the search space and the amortized complexity of (normal, expensive) collision checking becomes negligible with respect to the overall runtime of sampling-based motion planning algorithms. Indeed, the expected fraction of points requiring a normal collision check approaches zero, in the limit, as the total number of points approaches infinity. A number of extensions to the basic idea are presented. Experiments with a number of proof-of-concept implementations demonstrate that using safety certificates can improve the performance of sampling-based motion planning algorithms in practice.
Using three-dimensional isotropic SPACE MRI to detect posterolateral corner injury of the knee
Authors: Ahn Su Joa , Jeong Yu Mi , Lee Beom Goo , Sim Jae Ang , Choi Hye-Young , Kim Jeong Ho , Lee Sheen-Woo
Published: January 2016

Background

Reliable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis is important in cases of posterolateral corner (PLC) injury due to the limitations of physical examination in patients with multi-ligament injury.

Purpose

To document the appearance of PLC of the knee on three-dimensional (3D) isotropic MR images, and to determine the significance of MRI findings in patients with confirmed posterolateral rotatory instability.

Material and Methods

Twenty-five patients that underwent surgery for posterolateral instability, and 25 individuals with normal MRI constituted the study cohort. The PLC appearances (popliteofibular, fabellofibular, arcuate ligaments, popliteomeniscal fascicle) were analyzed using 3D isotropic proton density sequence and routine two-dimensional (2D) MRI. In addition, the “fibular cap” sign was evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square and McNemar’s tests.

Results

Thickening of popliteofibular, fabellofibular, arcuate ligaments, and popliteomeniscal fascicle was significantly more frequent in the PLC injury group than in the control group ( P < 0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of 3D MRI for popliteofibular, fabellofibular, arcuate ligaments, and popliteomeniscal fascicle injury were 63/92%, 54/100%, 46/100%, and 58/92%, respectively. On comparing 3D and 2D images with respect to injury detectability (grade 3 or 4), both modalities visualized injuries, but 3D detected grade 3 or grade 1 rather than grade 4 or 0, respectively. The fibular cap sign was observed significantly more frequently in PLC group, with 58% sensitivity and 100% specificity, and was better observed by 3D than 2D ( P < 0.05).

Conclusion

3D MRI is a valid modality for detecting PLC abnormalities as it visualizes pathologies in each component and exhibits the positive fibular cap sign.
The Effects of Letter Design Features and Aging on Legibility
Authors: Ohyama Junji , Sagawa Ken
Published: January 2016

We examined how letter legibility is affected by letter design features (size, contrast, font-type, and complexity), and how this changes with age (by comparing younger [ N = 54] and older participants [ N = 54]). Types of letters in the study were Japanese characters, Latin alphabets, and digits. Participants verbally reported the letter presented on a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display in natural viewing conditions. The legible-contrast threshold was calculated as the contrast boundary of 50% correct answer. We found that letter complexity (i.e., number of strokes) did not affect legible contrast threshold, except for small (<0.35°) letters. Moreover, letter size even affected the threshold with a function similar but not identical to contrast sensitivity function. This supports the previous hypothesis proposed by Majaj et al. that optimal spatial frequency band exists for letter identification and shifts with its size. Another novel finding was the effect of aging on the legible-contrast threshold and how it related to other letter features. Constant aging effect on legible-contrast was found across letter sizes. Among older adults, the legible-contrast thresholds were 1.2 to 2 times those of younger adults. Moreover, the aging effects were greater for positive-contrast than for negative.
Evaluation of a national supported employment programme for people with psychiatric conditions
Authors: Tan Bhing-Leet , Li Zhongying , Tan Catherine Hui-Moi
Published: January 2016

Statement of context

Job Club is a National Mental Health Blueprint programme funded by the Ministry of Health in Singapore, to provide supported employment for people recovering from psychiatric conditions.

Critical reflection on practice

Professional staff such as occupational therapists were re-designated as vocational specialists in this programme. Between financial years 2009 and 2014, a total of 1449 job placements were carried out. Fifty-six per cent of all job placements lasted more than two months and 47% of them lasted more than three months. From 2012, the service was integrated with an existing occupational therapy psychiatric rehabilitation service, resulting in an improved job placement rate from 19% to 63%. Linear regression analyses found that only prior vocational training predicted job tenure.

Implications for practice

Overall, occupational therapists found that our training in activity analyses enabled us to conduct job task analyses, employer education as well as worksite support and modifications competently.
The journey of young people in an early psychosis program involved in participatory photography
Authors: Maniam Yogeswary , Kumaran Pushpa , Lee Yi Ping , Koh Jennifer , Subramaniam Mythily
Published: January 2016

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences and perceptions of young people in an early psychosis program towards participating in a 10-week photovoice and exhibition project and the themes that had emerged from their photographs.

Method

Photographs create meanings and participants are able to tell their stories in a meaningful way. Eleven clients who had gone through a prior 10-week photovoice project and exhibition consented to being interviewed for this study. Clients chose and brought to the interview photos of theirs that had been exhibited. Structured questions were asked to generate discussions.

Findings

Findings illustrated that participants were keen to educate the general public on mental health issues. They craved acceptance and were keen to make connections and build relationships. They were their own agents of change. Supportive networks create hope, which in turn helps people with mental health issues to reframe their outlook.

Conclusion

The results of this study are important and provide occupational therapists with another tool for intervention and advocacy. As both photovoice and occupational therapy focus on the process rather than the product, occupational therapists can utilize photography in groups creatively to generate more client- and peer-led discussions.
Dynamic modelling of a large-scale horizontal-axis wind turbine coupled to a hydraulic pump
Authors: Mifsud Michael D , Sant Tonio , Farrugia Robert N
Published: January 2016

The recent increase in demand for wind turbines has given rise to concerns about the availability of materials used in their construction. The combination of a wind turbine coupled to a hydraulic pump, instead of an electrical generator, offers an alternative application for this renewable energy technology. This article analyses the dynamic response of a wind/hydraulic system consisting of a wind turbine driving a swash-plate pump. This is done by means of mathematical models utilising MATLAB® and Simulink®. The operational aspects of the proposed wind/hydraulic pumping system are validated against the standard baseline 5-MW wind turbine model of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Control issues encountered in wind turbines and hydraulic systems are analysed, with the wind turbine control systems used to run electrical generators being adopted to control the pressure-controlled swash-plate pump. The pump lends itself to such applications as it can be controlled by varying the swash-plate angle, thus controlling the pump’s output power and torque. Methods for the generation of artificial wind data are also included, and a simple wind speed time series is developed. This time series is used to test the wind turbine hydraulic system under varying wind conditions using the concept of ‘control regions’. The models developed show the standard steady-state response of the wind turbine together with the dynamic behaviour of the wind turbine. Once the control parameters are established, the system also presents a wind turbine controller and analyses the behaviour of the system under typical and extreme wind conditions. This study concludes that such a system has significant potential to be technically achievable.
Effects of noise from wind turbines inside home
Authors: Iannace Gino
Published: January 2016

The inland areas of southern Italy were built with many wind farms which are often situated close to houses. This work reports the results of acoustic measurements made in a room inside a house located near a wind farm. The acoustic measurements were carried out during the autumn season; the values of LeqA and L95 have been measured for different wind speeds.
The utility of radioisotope cisternography in low CSF/volume syndromes compared to myelography
Authors: Monteith Teshamae S , Kralik Stephen F , Dillon William P , Hawkins Randall A , Goadsby Peter J
Published: January 2016

Objective

The objective of this report is to compare computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) myelography with radioisotope cisternography (RC) for detection of spinal cerebrospinal (CSF) leaks.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 12 spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) patients; CT and RC were performed simultaneously. Three patients had MR myelography.

Results

CT and/or MR myelography identified CSF leaks in four of 12 patients. RC detected spinal leaks in all three patients confirmed by CT myelography; RC identified the CSF leak location in two of three cases, and these were due to osteophytic spicules and/or discs. RC showed only enlarged perineural activity. Only intrathecal gadolinium MR myelography clearly identified a slow leak from a perineural cyst. In eight remaining cases, the leak site was unknown; however, two of these showed indirect signs of CSF leak on RC. CSF slow leaks from perineural cysts were the most common presumed etiology; and the cysts were best visualized on myelography.

Conclusion

RC is comparable to CT myelography but has spatial limitations and should be limited to atypical cases.
Does Superficial Medial Collateral Ligament Release in Open-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy for Varus Osteoarthritic Knees Increase Valgus Laxity?
Authors: Seo Seung-Suk , Kim Chang-Wan , Seo Jin-Hyuk , Kim Do-Hun , Lee Chang-Rack
Published: January 2016

Background:

Medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) requires the release of the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL). However, research on medial laxity among patients who undergo OWHTO is rare.

Purpose:

To evaluate the changes in medial laxity of the knee joint as related to the complete release of the sMCL through serial valgus stress radiographs in patients who underwent OWHTO.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 48 patients (54 knees) who received OWHTO and were followed for more than a year and for whom serial valgus stress radiography data were available were retrospectively reviewed. To assess the medial laxity of knee joint, medial joint space opening (MJO) was measured while valgus stress of 15 kgf was loaded on the knee joint. The MJO was measured before surgery, during surgery before release of the sMCL under anesthesia, after the release, and after fixing with a TomoFix plate following the opening of the osteotomy site, as well as 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Serially measured MJOs were analyzed to evaluate the changes of medial laxity.

Results:

The MJO significantly increased after the release of the sMCL (mean ± SD, 12.2 ± 1.2 mm) compared with before the release (9.0 ± 1.1 mm) ( P < .001). The MJO measured after fixing with the TomoFix plate following the opening of the osteotomy site (9.2 ± 1.2 mm) was significantly decreased compared with that measured after the release of the sMCL and was not significantly different from the MJO measured before release of the sMCL. No significant difference was observed among MJOs that were measured 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Comparison of MJOs before and after surgery also showed no significant differences.

Conclusion:

Complete release of the sMCL during OWHTO increases the MJO. However, the MJO decreased to the level before sMCL release after fixing with the TomoFix plate following the opening of the osteotomy site. Medial laxity induced by the complete release of the sMCL can be recovered by opening the osteotomy site.
Energy recovery from organic fractions of municipal solid waste: A case study of Hyderabad city, Pakistan
Authors: Safar Korai M , Bux Mahar R , Aslam Uqaili M , Ahmed Memon S , Ahmed Lashari I
Published: January 2016

Non-renewable energy sources have remained the choice of the world for centuries. Rapid growth in population and industrialisation have caused their shortage and environmental degradation by using them. Thus, at the present rate of consumption, they will not last very long. In this prospective, this study has been conducted. The estimation of energy in terms of biogas and heat from various organic fractions of municipal solid waste is presented and discussed. The results show that organic fractions of municipal solid waste possess methane potential in the range of 3%–22% and their heat capacity ranges from 3007 to 20,099 kJ kg−1. Also, theoretical biogas potential of different individual fruit as well as vegetable components and mixed food waste are analysed and estimated in the range of 608–1244 m3 t−1. Further, the share of bioenergy from municipal solid waste in the total primary energy supply in Pakistan has been estimated to be 1.82%. About 8.43% of present energy demand of the country could be met from municipal solid waste. The study leads us to the conclusion that the share of imported energy (i.e. 0.1% of total energy supply) and reduction in the amount of energy from fossil fuels can be achieved by adopting a waste-to-energy system in the country.
Majoring in Information Systems
Authors: Akbulut Asli Y.
Published: January 2016

The importance of role models on individuals’ academic and career development and success has been widely acknowledged in the literature. The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of role models on students’ decisions to major in information systems (IS). Utilizing a model derived from the social cognitive career theory, we examined how and why role models influence students’ interest in and choice of a major in the IS discipline. Our findings indicate that role models do not have a direct effect on students’ aspirations to major in IS. However, we found that the effects of role models on students’ academic choices are channeled indirectly through self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest factors. Association with role models increases students’ confidence in their abilities to perform well as an IS major and raises their expectancies about the valued rewards that will be received by majoring in IS. Role models also increase students’ interest in IS majors and careers, which in turn promotes students’ aspirations to pursue the IS major.
Waddling on the Dark Side
Authors: Rodríguez Airam , Chiaradia André , Wasiak Paula , Renwick Leanne , Dann Peter
Published: January 2016

Visible light on Earth largely comes from the sun, including light reflected from the moon. Predation risk is strongly determined by light conditions, and some animals are nocturnal to reduce predation. Artificial lights and its consequent light pollution may disrupt this natural behavior. Here, we used 13 years of attendance data to study the effects of sun, moon, and artificial light on the attendance pattern of a nocturnal seabird, the little penguin Eudyptula minor at Phillip Island, Australia. The little penguin is the smallest and the only penguin species whose activity on land is strictly nocturnal. Automated monitoring systems recorded individually marked penguins every time they arrived (after sunset) at or departed (before sunrise) from 2 colonies under different lighting conditions: natural night skylight and artificial lights (around 3 lux) used to enhance penguin viewing for ecotourism around sunset. Sunlight had a strong effect on attendance as penguins arrived on average around 81 min after sunset and departed around 92 min before sunrise. The effect of moonlight was also strong, varying according to moon phase. Fewer penguins came ashore during full moon nights. Moon phase effect was stronger on departure than arrival times. Thus, during nights between full moon and last quarter, arrival times (after sunset) were delayed, even though moonlight levels were low, while departure times (before sunrise) were earlier, coinciding with high moonlight levels. Cyclic patterns of moon effect were slightly out of phase but significantly between 2 colonies, which could be due to site-specific differences or presence/absence of artificial lights. Moonlight could be overridden by artificial light at our artificially lit colony, but the similar amplitude of attendance patterns between colonies suggests that artificial light did not mask the moonlight effect. Further research is indeed necessary to understand how seabirds respond to the increasing artificial night light levels.
Intrathecal Injections in Children With Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Authors: Haché Manon , Swoboda Kathryn J. , Sethna Navil , Farrow-Gillespie Alan , Khandji Alexander , Xia Shuting , Bishop Kathie M.
Published: January 2016

Nusinersen (ISIS-SMNRx or ISIS 396443) is an antisense oligonucleotide drug administered intrathecally to treat spinal muscular atrophy. We summarize lumbar puncture experience in children with spinal muscular atrophy during a phase 1 open-label study of nusinersen and its extension. During the studies, 73 lumbar punctures were performed in 28 patients 2 to 14 years of age with type 2/3 spinal muscular atrophy. No complications occurred in 50 (68%) lumbar punctures; in 23 (32%) procedures, adverse events were attributed to lumbar puncture. Most common adverse events were headache (n = 9), back pain (n = 9), and post–lumbar puncture syndrome (n = 8). In a subgroup analysis, adverse events were more frequent in older children, children with type 3 spinal muscular atrophy, and with a 21- or 22-gauge needle compared to a 24-gauge needle or smaller. Lumbar punctures were successfully performed in children with spinal muscular atrophy; lumbar puncture–related adverse event frequency was similar to that previously reported in children.