bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Research: Both Are Needed, Neither Is Perfect
Authors: Szajewska Hania
Published: April 2018

Currently, it is impossible to think of modern healthcare that ignores evidence-based medicine (EBM), a concept which relies on 3 pillars: individual clinical expertise, the values and desires of the patient, and the best available research. However, EBM is not perfect. Clinical research is also far from being perfect. This article provides an overview of the basic principles, opportunities, and controversies offered by EBM. It also summarizes current discussions on clinical research. Potential solutions to the problems of EBM and clinical research are discussed as well. If there were specific issues related to pediatric nutrition, an attempt was made to discuss the basic principles and limitations in this context. However, the conclusions are applicable to EBM and clinical research in general. In the future, considering that new ways of obtaining health data will continue to emerge, the world of EBM and clinical research is likely to change. The ultimate goal, however, will remain the same: improving health outcomes for patients.
Nutrition for the Next Generation: Older Children and Adolescents
Authors: Das Jai K. , Lassi Zohra S. , Hoodbhoy Zahra  , Salam Rehana A.
Published: April 2018

This paper reviews information on why the nutrition of older children (5–9 years) and adolescents (10–19 years) is important and the consequences that it can have over generations. Developing countries still face a high burden of undernutrition and anemia, while the burden of overweight and obesity is on the rise in both developing and developed countries. There are evidence-based interventions which can improve the nutritional status and these include interventions for a balanced and diverse diet and micronutrient supplementation, especially iron and multiple micronutrient supplementation where there is sufficient evidence to reduce anemia. There is mixed evidence for the effective strategies to prevent and control obesity and a dearth of evidence from developing countries. Adolescent pregnancy also poses greater challenges to the health of mother and child, and advocacy should be rampant to delay the age of marriage and pregnancy. Interventions targeted to improving the nutritional status among “pregnant adolescents” have shown improvement in birth weight and a reduction in low birth weight and preterm delivery. Traditional platforms including school-based and community-based approaches offer a mixed picture of effectiveness, but emerging avenues of mHealth and social media could also be channelized to reach this population. The population of this age group is on the rise globally, and failure to invest in improving the nutrition of older children and adolescents will further increase the number of dependents in coming generations and negatively influence the health of future generations and progress of nations.
Hematological parameters of the blood count in a healthy population of pregnant women in the Northwest of Morocco (Tetouan-M'diq-Fnideq provinces)
Authors: Bakrim Saad , Motiaa Youssef , Ouarour Ali , Masrar Azlarab
Published: April 2018

Introduction: numerous biological parameters are physiologically modified during normal pregnancy, in particular hematology. The knowledge of these modifications of the maternal body by biologists and clinicians allows the screening of possible anomalies. In Morocco, the reference values of the complete blood count test for pregnant woman are missing, as are those specific to different trimesters of pregnancy. The aim of this study is to look for the reference values for healthy pregnant women of the Northwest region of Morocco, to compare them to those of non-pregnant women (control) and to those of the literature. Methods: blood samples were taken voluntarily from 3898 healthy pregnant women from 18 to 46 years old who presented themselves at the center of health Kalaa and at the service of gynecology obstetrics of the Provincial Hospital Center of M'diq (Morocco), for prenatal care. To establish the reference intervals of the CBC for non-pregnant women, a control group was constituted by 7035 healthy women from 18 to 50 years old selected according to the Moroccan law of blood donation. The CBC was measured on a Sysmex KX21N® analyzer. For each sample a systematic blood smear was done to determine the leukocyte differential. Results: a statistically significant difference between the pregnant women and control group was noted (p < 0.05) for all the hematological parameters: red blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, leukocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets and mean platelet volume. So, the comparison of the averages established between the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy showed the existence of a significant variation with regard to all the parameters of the CBC test looked for (p < 0.001). Conclusion: the present study provides additional baseline data for basic hematological parameters in healthy pregnant Moroccan women and concluded that pregnancy in women has the tendency to alter some hematological indices. For these reasons, there is an interest to take these modifications into account for optimal maternal and fetal medical care.
Simultaneously Measured Interarm Blood Pressure Difference and Stroke
Authors: Tomiyama Hirofumi , Ohkuma Toshiaki , Ninomiya Toshiharu , Mastumoto Chisa , Kario Kazuomi , Hoshide Satoshi , Kita Yoshikuni , Inoguchi Toyoshi , Maeda Yasutaka , Kohara Katsuhiko , Tabara Yasuharu , Nakamura Motoyuki , Ohkubo Takayoshi , Watada Hirotaka , Munakata Masanori , Ohishi Mitsuru , Ito Norihisa , Nakamura Michinari , Shoji Tetsuo , Vlachopoulos Charalambos , Yamashina Akira ,   on behalf of the collaborative group for J-BAVEL-IAD (Japan Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies to Examine the Significance of Inter-Arm Blood Pressure Difference)*
Published: April 2018

We conducted individual participant data meta-analysis to examine the validity of interarm blood pressure difference in simultaneous measurement as a marker to identify subjects with ankle-brachial pressure index <0.90 and to predict future cardiovascular events. We collected individual participant data on 13 317 Japanese subjects from 10 cohorts (general population-based cohorts, cohorts of patients with past history of cardiovascular events, and those with cardiovascular risk factors). Binary logistic regression analysis with adjustments identified interarm blood pressure difference >5 mm Hg as being associated with a significant odds ratio for the presence of ankle-brachial pressure index <0.90 (odds ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.60–3.03;
P
<0.01). Among 11 726 subjects without a past history of cardiovascular disease, 249 developed stroke during the average follow-up period of 7.4 years. Interarm blood pressure difference >15 mm Hg was associated with a significant Cox stratified adjusted hazard ratio for subsequent stroke (hazard ratio, 2.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.27–4.60;
P
<0.01). Therefore, interarm blood pressure differences, measured simultaneously in both arms, may be associated with vascular damage in the systemic arterial tree. These differences may be useful for identifying subjects with an ankle-brachial pressure index of <0.90 in the overall study population, and also a reliable predictor of future stroke in subjects without a past history of cardiovascular disease. These findings support the recommendation to measure blood pressure in both arms at the first visit.
Crisis and Cultural Change: The Countries with Adjustment Programmes in the European Union
Authors: Casanova José Luís
Published: April 2018

After the financial crisis in 2008 significant changes occurred in the European Union, particularly in the countries that had adjustment programmes. According to empirical work by Hofstede, Inglehart and Schwartz it’s predictable that societal changes have a cultural impact. Data from European Social Survey since 2002 show that changes in political orientations are bigger than in Human Values, and deepen after 2008. Changes on countries that had adjustment programmes diverge significantly from those in the rest of the Eurozone, mainly on political orientations. Bigger challenges to theeucome from the extensive fall on trust in politics, the European Parliament and satisfaction with democracy, the rise of the values of Tradition and Security, and the decrease of Self-direction. This evolving cultural conservatism associated with continued degradation of democracy is nurturing nationalism and authoritarianism.
What Values and Traits Do Parents Teach to Their Children? New Data from 54 Countries
Authors: Minkov Michael , Dutt Pinaki , Schachner Michael , Jandosova Janar , Khassenbekov Yerlan , Morales Oswaldo , Sanchez Carlos Javier , Mudd Ben
Published: April 2018

There are few large-scale studies that compare how parents socialize children across the globe and the implications of the different types of socialization. To fill this gap, the authors used data from a new study across 52,300 probabilistically selected respondents from 54 countries. They were asked what advice they would give to their children to instill desirable values and traits in them. Aggregated to the national level, the responses yield two main dimensions of national culture. The first (collectivism-individualism) captures differences approximately along the South-North geographic axis of the Earth and is strongly correlated with differences in economic and gender inequality. The second (monumentalism-flexibility) captures cultural differences approximately on the West-East geographic axis of the world and is strongly associated with national differences in educational achievement. Thus, some of the most important national differences worldwide are strongly related to cultural differences in parental ideologies for the socialization of their children, suggesting that culture has objective societal outcomes.
Sufficiency of Omani Laws to Suppress Cybercrimes in Light of the un Comprehensive Study on Cybercrimes
Authors: Billah Muhammad Masum
Published: April 2018

To address the problem of cybercrimes and related issues, Oman has adopted two new pieces of legislation, the Electronic Transactions Law (etl) and the Cybercrime Law. Of the two, the etl, enacted in 2008, is the older one. It addresses only some cybercrimes, in particular, the ‘target cybercrimes’ in its last chapter. In 2011, Oman enacted the Cybercrime Law to specifically address cases of cybercrime. The law covers almost every type of target cybercrime and some tool cybercrimes. This article analyses the concept of cybercrime and whether Omani law addresses all such crimes. In evaluating the Omani cybercrime laws and the challenges cybercrime brings, the article uses the United Nation’s Comprehensive Study on Cybercrime (2013) as the standard of reference for comparison.
Sustainable Financing and Enhancing the Role of Islamic Banks in Malaysia
Authors: Kunhibava Sherin , Ling Sarah Tan Yen , Ruslan Md Khalil
Published: April 2018

Although the banking sector does not directly affect the environment, it can pursue environmentally friendly practices and reduce waste. Moreover, it can promote environmentally sustainable investments and encourage businesses to adopt similar practices. Because Islam encourages preservation and prohibits harm to the earth, Islamic banks are expected to follow such practices in pursuit of Sharīʿah compliance. In Malaysia, Islamic banks have already embarked on this path, mainly by practising conservation in operational matters; however, other areas of sustainable financing have been less enthusiastically pursued. This study recommends a three-level approach: (1) at the banking level, more proactive steps should be taken, e.g. greening operations, introducing environmentally friendly products and services, complying with environmental regulations, creating awareness and training stakeholders; (2) at the national level, the Central Bank should introduce appropriate policies and guidelines; and (3) at an international level, voluntary principles should be adopted to ensure compliance with global initiatives.
Environmental Risk Assessment of gmo – Notes on a Draft Commission Directive to Adapt Directive 2001/18/ec
Authors: Willand Achim , Buchholz Georg
Published: April 2018

The article discusses the scope of the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified organisms (gmo). As environmental risks of the combination of gmo and herbicide application are not assessed on a case-by-case basis in the authorisation procedure of a plant protection product, the environmental risk assessment of gmo has to take account of the risks arising from herbicides against which the gm plants are engineered to be tolerant. As regards the scope of the environmental risk assessment of gmos, the Commission now moves in legislative ‘grey areas’. In 2017 the Commission has drafted a Directive to adapt the Annexes to Directive 2001/18/ec. Concerning the scope of the environmental risk assessment, the authors wish to highlight that the Commission is not empowered to answer questions of interpretation – be it even by a recital – as they do not fall within the scope of its regulatory powers (here: technical adaptations).
The Human Right to Water in Latin America
Authors: Berti Suman Anna
Published: April 2018

This monograph investigates the development of the right to water (RtW) and of water law in the Latin American context. Specifically, it examines the significance of Latin American (la) constitutional evolution, doctrine, and jurisprudential contribution in stimulating the social, political, and economic debate on the RtW, regionally and worldwide. Firstly, an overview on the RtW inlaconstitutions is provided and the impact of the findings is highlighted. The mainlawater management systems are then reviewed with an acknowledgment that an analysis of the RtW has to take account of its application in specific contexts. The intrinsic connection between the RtW and the role of the private sector is examined through specific insights into the highly privatized Chilean water services. Lessons learnt from thelaexperience are outlined in the conclusion and their relevance for the global debate on the RtW is illustrated.
Division of the genera Sparna Thomson, 1864 and Carterica Pascoe, 1858 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Colobotheini) with description of six new genera and eight new species
Authors: SANTOS-SILVA ANTONIO , GALILEO MARIA HELENA M. , MCCLARIN JIM
Published: April 2018

Sparna Thomson, 1864 and Carterica Pascoe, 1858 are divided into seven genera: Sparna, Carterica, Francisparna gen. nov., Batesparna gen. nov., Allocarterica gen. nov., Piriana gen. nov., Miguellus gen. nov., and Confluentia gen. nov. From the species currently placed in Sparna, only S. lycoides Thomson, 1864 is maintained in the genus, and only Carterica mucronata (Olivier, 1795) is considered a true Carterica. Sparna bosqi Gilmour, 1954 is revalidated and included in a new genus. The following new species are described: Sparna tavakiliani, from Colombia; Piriana birai, and P. nearnsi, from Brazil (Pará); P. consimilis, from Ecuador; P. svachai, from Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul); Confluentia nigra, from Colombia; and C. flavomaculata, from Peru. Miguellus monnei, sp. nov., gen. nov. is described from Ecuador. Keys to species of Piriana and Confluentia are provided, as well as a key to the genera from the division of Sparna and Carterica, including Miguellus.
The scorpionflies (Mecoptera) from Lagodekhi Reserve, with some distributional and seasonal activity data
Authors: DVORAK LIBOR , JAPOSHVILI GEORGE
Published: April 2018

We studied scorpionflies of Lagodekhi Reserve for the first time. Three species were recorded from the area, Panorpa similis Esben-Petersen, P. connexa McLachlan, and P. arcuata (Navás). Seasonal activity is also studied
Review of the Helochares (Hydrobaticus) MacLeay of the New World (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Acidocerinae)
Authors: SHORT ANDREW EDWARD Z. , GIRÓN JENNIFER C.
Published: April 2018

New World species assigned to the Helochares subgenus Hydrobaticus MacLeay are reviewed based on adult morphology and DNA sequence data. Nine species are recognized, including five here described as new: Helochares (Hydrobaticus) laevis n. sp. (Mexico), H. (Hydrobaticus) nexus n. sp. (Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela), H. (Hydrobaticus) politus n. sp. (Guatemala), H. (Hydrobaticus) trujillo n. sp. (Venezuela), and H. (Hydrobaticus) zamora n. sp. (Ecuador). New records are provided for the three previously described species: Helochares (Hydrobaticus) championi Sharp, 1882 (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua), H. (Hydrobaticus) maculicollis Mulsant, 1844 (United States), and H. (Hydrobaticus) normatus (LeConte, 1861) (United States to Costa Rica). A ninth species, known only from five poorly preserved female specimens from Peru, is left undescribed until additional material can be found. Most species are known to exhibit some parental care, with the egg case being attached to the abdomen of and carried by the female. Intraspecific genetic distances within several species are very high, in some cases more than 8% in the mitochondrial gene COI, suggesting there may be additional cryptic species remaining to be identified. All taxa are illustrated and a key to species is provided.
Resolution of the types and type localities of some early nominal species of the Australian myobatrachid frog genus Pseudophryne Fitzinger, 1843
Authors: SHEA GLENN M. , ROWLEY JODI J.L.
Published: April 2018

The types and type localities of Bombinator australis Gray, 1835, Pseudophryne bibronii Günther, 1859, and Phryniscus albifrons Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854, are defined. The nominal type locality for B. australis, Swan River, is considered to be in error. The source of the specimen, Joseph Wright, owned property in the Swan River colony in Western Australia, but later resided in Sydney, the latter locality within the known range of the species. We designate a specimen in the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris as lectotype of Pseudophryne bibronii, restricting the type locality of both species to Parramatta, near Sydney, based on the published statements of the collector, François Péron. The holotype of Phryniscus albifrons, a species defined by a painting of a specimen, was likely to have been collected by Jules Verreaux, but the only extant Pseudophryne obtained from Verreaux does not match the type illustration. Verreaux is renowned for the numerous errors in the localities associated with his specimens, and the locality for this specimen, Moreton Bay, Queensland, is likely to be another such error. Resolution of these issues facilitates ongoing taxonomic work on the genus using genetic and morphological data.
A review of Paul Lassenius Kramp’s hydrozoan types (taxonomic status, location and condition of the material) and a biography of the Danish zoologist
Authors: GRAVILI CINZIA , PAVESI LAURA , BOERO FERDINANDO , TENDAL OLE S.
Published: April 2018

During his scientific career, largely from 1910–1970, the Danish cnidarian specialist P.L. Kramp authored 94 scientific papers, and more than 30 other kinds of publications, such as reports and popular articles. Kramp was affiliated with the marine department of the Zoological Museum of the University of Copenhagen (now: The Natural History Museum of Denmark, NHMD), an institution intensely involved at the time in expeditions, in the assembling and maintenance of collections, and in the revision of a wide range of animal groups. Kramp took part in several expeditions in different parts of the world. He had opportunities to receive training in sampling and preservation techniques, to perform observations on living or at least freshly preserved material, and to collect specimens. Kramp dedicated most of his long career to studying the taxonomy of medusae, with some attention also to their polyp stages, describing 101 nominal hydrozoan taxa, including one order, four families and fifteen genera. Sixty-five of these taxa (one order, three families, twelve genera, 48 species and one subspecies) are still accepted in the original nominal form. Kramp raised the international reputation of his museum and his scientific results are still appreciated today.
Morphological comparison of Astropecten cingulatus and a new species of Astropecten (Paxillosida, Astropectinidae) from the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: LAWRENCE JOHN M. , COBB JANESSA C. , HERRERA JOAN C. , DURÁN-GONZÁLEZ ALICIA , SOLÍS-MARÍN FRANCISCO ALONSO
Published: April 2018

Astropecten cingulatus is a conspicuous species, which displays a large superomarginal plate series on the abactinal surface. Herein we describe a new species from off the Texas coast that shows the superficial appearance of A. cingulatus, including these large superomarginal plates, but with armature differing from that of typological A. cingulatus. This species shows the actinal surface of the inferomarginal plates without the squamules present on A. cingulatus. In addition, the adambulacral plates possessed but a single central large spine surrounded by a circle of spines rather than spine rows. The abactinal paxillar region was also very narrow. Statistical analysis of these and other morphological characters showed the specimens differed significantly from those of A. cingulatus. The regression of the slope of R:SM# vs. R was significant but the intercept was not. Therefore the two species are indistinguishable at small sizes based on R:SM. Compared to known Atlantic Astropecten spp. these observed characters warrant the description of a new species, Astropecten karankawai, for the specimens from off the coasts of Texas and Mexico.
Another new species of Phyllodytes (Anura: Hylidae) from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil
Authors: ORRICO VICTOR G. D. , DIAS IURI R. , MARCIANO-JR. EUVALDO
Published: April 2018

A new species of the genus Phyllodytes is described from the State of Bahia, in the Atlantic Rain Forest of Northeastern Brazil. Phyllodytes praeceptor sp. nov. can be differentiated from other species of Phyllodytes by its medium size (SVL 20.7–25.8 mm in males); odontoids moderately developed; vocal sac externally visible; eyes large and prominent; dorsum homogenously cream, except for a few scattered spots and blotches; venter areolate with two parallel, paramedial lines of larger tubercles; few tubercles in the ventral surface of thighs, the largest being the medial one; a large tubercle on the skin around the tibio-tarsal articulation; nuptial pad rounded and moderately expanded.
Future Projections of Antarctic Ice Shelf Melting Based on CMIP5 Scenarios
Authors: Naughten Kaitlin A. , Meissner Katrin J. , Galton-Fenzi Benjamin K. , England Matthew H. , Timmermann Ralph , Hellmer Hartmut H.
Published: April 2018

Basal melting of Antarctic ice shelves is expected to increase during the twenty-first century as the ocean warms, which will have consequences for ice sheet stability and global sea level rise. Here we present future projections of Antarctic ice shelf melting using the Finite Element Sea Ice/Ice-Shelf Ocean Model (FESOM) forced with atmospheric output from models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). CMIP5 models are chosen based on their agreement with historical atmospheric reanalyses over the Southern Ocean; the best-performing models are ACCESS 1.0 and the CMIP5 multimodel mean. Their output is bias-corrected for the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. During the twenty-first-century simulations, total ice shelf basal mass loss increases by between 41% and 129%. Every sector of Antarctica shows increased basal melting in every scenario, with the largest increases occurring in the Amundsen Sea. The main mechanism driving this melting is an increase in warm Circumpolar Deep Water on the Antarctic continental shelf. A reduction in wintertime sea ice formation simulated during the twenty-first century stratifies the water column, allowing a warm bottom layer to develop and intrude into ice shelf cavities. This effect may be overestimated in the Amundsen Sea because of a cold bias in the present-day simulation. Other consequences of weakened sea ice formation include freshening of High Salinity Shelf Water and warming of Antarctic Bottom Water. Furthermore, freshening around the Antarctic coast in our simulations causes the Antarctic Circumpolar Current to weaken and the Antarctic Coastal Current to strengthen.
A Preliminary Examination of WRF Ensemble Prediction of Convective Mode Evolution
Authors: Carlberg Bradley R. , Gallus William A. , Franz Kristie J.
Published: April 2018

Accurately simulating convective mode evolution can assist forecasters in the severe weather warning process. A few prior studies have examined the skill of simulating convective modes using single, deterministic forecasts. The present study extends the earlier evaluations to a small, four-member ensemble, with each member incorporating varying initial and lateral boundary conditions, microphysics schemes, and planetary boundary layer schemes. Simulated convective modes from thirty-two 12-h simulations were categorized into nine classifications using a classification scheme developed from previous studies. Multiple methods were used to derive forecasts of these convective classifications, creating an hourly deterministic ensemble mode forecast and probabilistic forecasts for 1-, 6-, and 12-h periods. Forecasts were compared with observed radar reflectivity for verification. In general, hourly deterministic ensemble mode forecasts showed improvement over individual member forecasts. The small ensemble produced more skillful individual cellular convective mode forecasts than individual linear mode forecasts, with the least skill present for bow echoes and squall lines with trailing stratiform precipitation. In contrast, the ensemble was more skillful at forecasting the broader linear convective group than the broader cellular convective group. For a limited number of these cases, a test was performed using a larger 10-member ensemble run by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to examine what impacts the small ensemble size might have. The results did not differ substantially, suggesting the findings from the small ensemble can be generalized. Probabilistic forecasts for longer time periods were more skillful than shorter-term probabilistic forecasts.
Using Education Law as a Tool to Empower Social Justice Leaders to Promote LGBTQ Inclusion
Authors: Lewis Maria M. , Kern Sarah
Published: April 2018

Purpose: A significant and growing body of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) research examines the experiences of students, employees, and the substance of leadership training. This project aims to complement this work by taking a macro-level look at the broader legal and policy issues that may constrain or enhance a school district leader’s ability to promote LGBTQ inclusion. Through an examination LGBTQ issues, this article will explore the relationship between various sources of legal authority and the role of law in policy implementation. Method: This article employs legal research methodology to illuminate the breadth of the law affecting LGBTQ issues in schools. Findings: The impact of law on education policy and practice is far-reaching and complex. LGBTQ law is composed of many intersecting sources of legal authority. This article argues that legal literacy is more than a tool that can be used to avoid legal liability; it can be used as a proactive advocacy tool to promote social justice and LGBTQ inclusion. Implications: Educational leaders, researchers, and leadership preparation programs need to be aware of the ways in which the law can hinder or support social justice leadership. As such, this article includes implications for research, policy, practice, and leadership preparation.
Experimental Evidence on the Long-Term Effects of a Youth Training Program
Authors: Ibarrarán Pablo , Kluve Jochen , Ripani Laura , Rosas Shady David
Published: April 2018

Identifying the right human capital investments for disadvantaged youths is a key policy concern worldwide, yet almost no rigorous evidence on the long-run effects of these investments exists outside the United States. The authors present a large-scale randomized controlled trial of a youth training program, estimating effects six years after random assignment from a representative sample of more than 3,200 youths. The intervention is prototypical of training programs worldwide and is implemented at scale in the Dominican Republic. Empirical findings indicate, on the one hand, significant effects on formal employment, particularly for men, and on earnings for both men and women in Santo Domingo. On the other hand, no significant effects on overall average employment are evident.
Mapping the evolution of the central government apparatus in China
Authors: Ma Liang , Christensen Tom
Published: April 2018

The structure of political and administrative institutions is important for achieving public goals. It is not fixed, however, but may change as a result of environmental and cultural processes or because of changes in leadership. Structural changes in the central government apparatus feature prominently in the recent strand of reform and change literature, but we know little about structural changes in contexts other than Western democracies. In this article, we analyze the main types of and possible reasons for structural changes in the central government apparatus in China over the past 70 years. We find interesting patterns of structural change in line with administrative developments. Using the multiple perspectives of organization theory, these can be primarily explained by political cycles or action taken by the central leadership, but they have also been influenced by cultural elements, economic growth, and societal transformation.

Points for practitioners

We document the key patterns of organizational restructuring in China’s central government from 1949 to 2016. Political cycles and economic reform and development are found to be the key drivers of structural evolution. The results show that the political will of top leaders plays a crucial role in navigating structural reforms, yet institutional reforms are still largely confined to rhetoric and symbolism without substantively transforming the landscape of government architecture. Sustained structural reforms are difficult to achieve successfully, which suggests that alternative avenues may be required to streamline administrative processes and improve interagency coordination.
“Ndom heaved”: Imagining Igbo women in the Ogu Umunwanyi (1929 Women’s War) in Echewa’s I Saw the Sky Catch Fire
Authors: Hodapp James
Published: April 2018

The power of women to carry out explicit acts of resistance against colonialism has traditionally been of great interest within African literary studies. It is surprising therefore that within the field representations of Ogu Umunwanyi (1929 Women’s War) in Nigeria, patronizingly referred to as “riots” in British colonial reports, have received scant attention. This article, in part, compensates for this oversight and asserts the value of one representation of the Ogu Umunwanyi: T. Obinkaram Echewa’s 1992 novel I Saw the Sky Catch Fire. This article argues that the novel mobilizes a particularly Igbo women’s solidarity, Ndom, to fill out traditional histories and ethnographies of the Ogu. Echewa “Igbofies” the war story at various textual levels to alienate Anglophone readers with seemingly untranslatable words, sayings, and concepts with the ultimate goal of communicating an Igbo women’s way of being in the world. Ndom in the novel problematizes conventional Western understandings of time, space, and gender to at once endear non-Igbo readers to a foreign culture while foregrounding the novel’s unwillingness to offer the concept as a totalizing project.
Color matters: They would choose if they could (see)!
Authors: Nitezki Tina , Schulz Nadja , Krämer Stephanie
Published: April 2018

Concerning standardization of laboratory animal husbandry, only exiguous changes of habitat can potentially influence animal physiology or results of behavioral tests. Routinely, mice chow is dyed when different types of diets are dispensed. Given the fact that the dye itself has no effects on food odor or flavor, we wanted to test the hypothesis that the color of chow has an impact on food uptake in mice.

Twelve-week-old male mice of different strains (C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, C3H/HeJ, BALB/cJ; n = 12/strain) were single-housed in PhenoMaster® cages. After acclimatization standard mice chow in different colors was administered. Food intake was monitored as a two-alternative choice test of different color combinations.

All animals had an average food intake of 3 g/d and no preferences were observed when a combination of identically colored food was offered. Preference tests yielded significant aversion to blue food and significant attraction to yellow and green food in C57BL/6 and DBA/2J mice. In C3H/HeJ and BALB/cJ mice no color-related pattern occurred.

Selected mice strains have known differences concerning functionality of their visual sense. C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice are considered to be normal sighted at testing age, BALB/c is representative for albino strains and C3H mice carry mutations resulting in retinal alterations. Results suggesting that normal-sighted mice would be selective concerning food color when given the choice. Nevertheless, this does not influence overall quantity of food intake when animals were provided solely with food colored with a single dye. Moreover, visually impaired mice showed no color-related food preferences.
Making Room for Second Language Phonotactics: Effects of L2 Learning and Environment on First Language Speech Perception
Authors: Carlson Matthew T.
Published: April 2018

Language-specific restrictions on sound sequences in words can lead to automatic perceptual repair of illicit sound sequences. As an example, no Spanish words begin with /s/-consonant sequences ([#sC]), and where necessary (e.g., foreign loanwords) [#sC] is repaired by inserting an initial [e], (e.g. foreign loanwords, cf., esnob, from English snob). As a result, Spanish speakers tend to perceive an illusory [e] before [#sC] sequences. Interestingly, this perceptual illusion is weaker in early Spanish–English bilinguals, whose other language, English, allows [#sC]. The present study explored whether this apparent influence of the English language on Spanish is restricted to early bilinguals, whose early language experience includes a mixture of both languages, or whether later learning of second language (L2) English can also induce a weakening of the first language (L1) perceptual illusion. Two groups of late Spanish–English bilinguals, immersed in Spanish or English, were tested on the same Spanish AX (same–different) discrimination task used in a study by Carlson et al., (2016) and their results compared with the Spanish monolinguals from Carlson et al.’s study. Like early bilinguals, late bilinguals exhibited a reduced impact of perceptual prothesis on discrimination accuracy. Additionally, late bilinguals, particularly in English immersion, were slowest when responding against the Spanish perceptual illusion. Robust L1 perceptual illusions thus appear to be malleable in the face of later L2 learning. It is argued that these results are consonant with the need for late bilinguals to navigate alternative, conflicting representations of the same acoustic material, even in unilingual L1 speech perception tasks.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: An Autoethnographic Journey on Doing Participatory Action Research as a Graduate Student
Authors: Lac Van T. , Fine Michelle
Published: April 2018

The lead author documents the promises and pitfalls of doing critical participatory action research (PAR) as a graduate student within traditional institutions. This autoethnographic essay captures the vulnerabilities of the first author as she reflects on the human work that draws her to PAR, details the tensions that surfaced in the daily practices of doing PAR with youth, and addresses unforeseen hurdles that emerged from the ethics review board and the university–school partnership. The piece concludes with an epilogue from Dr. Michelle Fine, a senior scholar in the field of critical PAR, as she responds to the concerns raised in this essay.
Rescuing Objectivity: A Contextualist Proposal
Authors: Wright Jack
Published: April 2018

Ascriptions of objectivity carry significant weight. But they can also cause confusion because wildly different ideas of what it means to be objective are common. Faced with this, some philosophers have argued that objectivity should be eliminated. I will argue, against one such position, that objectivity can be useful even though it is plural. I will then propose a contextualist approach for dealing with objectivity as a way of rescuing what is useful about objectivity while acknowledging its plurality.
Gender and Public Agency Hiring: An Exploratory Analysis of Recruitment Practices in Federal Law Enforcement
Authors: Yu Helen H.
Published: April 2018

Census data indicate that women are grossly underrepresented in federal law enforcement. As all agencies must compete to attract quality candidates to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, recruiting and hiring more women should be a priority for all agency leaders. This descriptive and exploratory analysis seeks to understand the recruitment process in federal law enforcement using both qualitative and quantitative data generated from surveys collected from 201 new federal law enforcement officers working in 32 federal law enforcement agencies. The study finds that although recruitment usually precedes hiring, federal law enforcement agencies do not appear to actively recruit their officers. The study further highlights proactive efforts to recruit more women into federal law enforcement.
The Effectiveness of Online Citizen Evaluation of Government Performance: A Study of the Perceptions of Local Bureaucrats in China
Authors: Yan Haina , Ting Yuan
Published: April 2018

Since the 1990s, more local governments across China have launched Internet-based citizen participation in government performance evaluation. However, we know little about how it is perceived by bureaucrats whose attitudes are critical in determining the outcome of this citizen participation. In this article, we present an analytical framework to identify major factors influencing bureaucratic perceptions of the effectiveness of online citizen participation. We use survey data collected from local government bureaucrats in Guangdong Province, China, to test our research hypotheses. The results suggest that the effectiveness of online civic participation is primarily a function of citizens’ capacity and motivation, inter-agency difference, and administrative burden. This article concludes with a discussion about how our study extends previous research on citizen participation and the implications for practitioners and future research.
The Diversity Challenge for High and Low Authoritarians: Multilevel and Longitudinal Effects Through Intergroup Contact and Threat
Authors: Van Assche Jasper , Asbrock Frank , Dhont Kristof , Roets Arne
Published: April 2018

The current studies integrate different frameworks on the positive and negative consequences of ethnic diversity for intergroup relations. Using a nationally stratified sample of Dutch majority members ( N = 680) from 50 cities in the Netherlands, Study 1 demonstrated that objective diversity was indirectly related to prejudice and to generalized, ingroup, and outgroup trust, through more positive and more negative contact. These indirect effects tended to be stronger for high versus low authoritarians. Furthermore, perceived diversity was indirectly related to less trust and greater prejudice, via more negative contact and threat. Again, these associations were more pronounced among high authoritarians. Study 2, using a representative sample of German majority members ( N = 412) nested within 237 districts, replicated the cross-sectional results regarding objective diversity and prejudice. In addition, longitudinal analyses indicated that objective diversity predicted more positive and more negative contact 2 years later, though only among moderate and high authoritarians.
Narcissism and Self- Versus Recipient-Oriented Imagery in Charitable Giving
Authors: Kang Esther , Lakshmanan Arun
Published: April 2018

Prior research documents extensively that high-narcissism individuals largely tend to be self-centered and often lack empathy. This research outlines the charitable appeal types that can activate empathic responses and other-centered behaviors from high-narcissism individuals. Across four studies, we show that donors who are higher in narcissism exhibit greater charitable intentions when appealed to via imagine-self charitable appeals (as opposed to imagine-recipient types of appeals). Imagine-self appeals enable high-narcissism donors to project themselves into the recipient’s situation and, in doing so, elicit greater empathy and, consequently, greater charity. This effect dissipates when projecting oneself is very difficult or impossible—such as with animal recipients or the other gender suffering a gender-specific ailment. We also explicate the underlying process role of self-focused imagination and empathy in heightening charitable outcomes from high-narcissism individuals.
Mind the Gap? Quantifying Interlinkages between Two Traditions in Migration Literature
Authors: Nestorowicz Joanna , Anacka Marta
Published: April 2018

“Gap,” “split,” and “divide” are just a few among many words used in publicizing the divergence of literature on internal and international migration. In this paper, we empirically test what has so far been just a conjecture. Using Web of Science data and bibliometric techniques, we, first, provide quantitative measures of the size of the proclaimed gap. Second, we inquire into the existing conceptual overlap between the two strands of academic literature. Third, we search for channels through which research on internal and international migration can potentially blend into becoming a single, more holistic area of study.
Use of a tracheal dilator for percutaneous insertion of 27F and 31F Avalon© dual-lumen cannulae for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adults
Authors: Cavayas Yiorgos Alexandros , Sampson Caroline , Yusuff Hakeem , Porter Richard , Dashey Susan , Harvey Chris
Published: April 2018

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can be performed either by two cannulae or by a single dual-lumen cannula. The dual-lumen cannulation configuration offers multiple advantages: it avoids the femoral site which may be at greater risk of infection, it improves patient mobility, eases prone positioning and greatly reduces recirculation. The Avalon was the first commercially available dual-lumen cannula for adults. It has gained much popularity, but, for more than a year now, the adult vascular access kit with the 30Fr dilator has been discontinued in the United Kingdom. In this article, we share our experience with an alternative insertion method, using a percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy kit. This off-label use of the tracheostomy dilator appears to be safe. It may allow the continuing use of Avalon dual-lumen cannulae while waiting for a more permanent solution to be provided by the manufacturer.
Impact of hypertension on early outcomes and long-term survival of patients undergoing aortic repair with Stanford A dissection
Authors: Merkle Julia , Sabashnikov Anton , Deppe Antje-Christin , Zeriouh Mohamed , Eghbalzadeh Kaveh , Weber Carolyn , Rahmanian Parwis , Kuhn Elmar , Madershahian Navid , Kroener Axel , Choi Yeong-Hoon , Kuhn-Régnier Ferdinand , Liakopoulos Oliver , Wahlers Thorsten
Published: April 2018

Introduction:

Stanford A acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening emergency, typically occurring in hypertensive patients, requiring immediate surgical repair. The aim of this study was to evaluate early outcomes and long-term survival of hypertensive patients in comparison to normotensive patients suffering from Stanford A AAD.

Methods:

In our center, 240 patients with Stanford A AAD underwent aortic surgical repair from January 2006 to April 2015. After statistical and logistic regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival estimation was performed, with up to 9-year follow-up.

Results:

The proportion of hypertensive patients suffering from Stanford A AAD was 75.4% (n=181). There were only few statistically significant differences in terms of basic demographics, comorbidities, preoperative baseline and clinical characteristics of hypertensive patients in comparison to normotensive patients. Hypertensive patients were significantly older (p=0.008), more frequently received hemi-arch repair (p=0.028) and selective brain perfusion (p=0.001). Our study showed similar statistical results in terms of 30-day mortality (p=0.196), long-term overall cumulative survival of patients (Log-Rank p=0.506) and survival of patients free from cerebrovascular events (Log-Rank p=0.186). Furthermore, subgroup analysis for long-term survival in terms of men (Log-Rank p=0.853), women (Log-Rank p=0.227), patients under and above 65 years of age (Log-Rank p=0.188 and Log-Rank p=0.602, respectively) and patients undergoing one of the three types of aortic repair surgery showed similar results for normotensive and hypertensive patient groups. Subgroup analysis for long-term survival of patients free from cerebrovascular events for women, patients under 65 years of age and patients undergoing aortic arch repair showed significant differences between the two groups in favor of hypertensive patients.

Conclusions:

Hypertensive patients suffering from Stanford A AAD were older, more frequently received hemi-arch replacement and were not associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality and poorer long-term survival compared to normotensive patients.
Perceptions of fall circumstances, injuries and recovery techniques among power wheelchair users: a qualitative study
Authors: Rice Laura A , Sung JongHun , Peters Joseph , Bartlo Wendy D , Sosnoff Jacob J
Published: April 2018

Objective:

To understand the circumstances surrounding the worst fall experienced by power wheelchair users in the past year and to examine injuries sustained and recovery methods.

Design:

A qualitative study using a semi-structured interview.

Setting:

Community.

Participants:

A self-selected volunteer sample of 19 power wheelchair users who utilize their device for at least 75% of mobility. The most common disability represented was cerebral palsy ( n = 8). The mean (SD) age of participants was 41.9 (7.6) years, who lived with their disability for a mean (SD) of 20.5 (8.62) years and used their current device for a mean (SD) of 3.9 (1.9) years.

Intervention:

None.

Main outcome measures:

A semi-structured interview examined the circumstances surrounding the worst fall experienced in the past year, injuries sustained and recovery techniques used.

Results:

Upon examination of the circumstances of the worst fall, four main themes emerged: (1) action-related fall contributors, (2) location of falls, (3) fall attributions and (4) time of fall. Each fall described was found to involve multiple factors. As a result of the fall, participants also reported the occurrence of physical injuries and a fear of falling. Physical injuries ranged from skin abrasion and bruises to fractures and head injuries. Participants also reported that fear of falling diminished their desire to participation in activities they enjoyed doing. Finally, most participants reported the need for physical assistance to recover from a fall.

Conclusion:

Participant descriptions provide an in-depth description of the circumstances and aftermath of falls experienced by power wheelchair users.