bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circulating Brain‐Derived Neurotrophic Factor Concentrations and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in the Community
Authors: Kaess Bernhard M. , Preis Sarah R. , Lieb Wolfgang , Beiser Alexa S. , Yang Qiong , Chen Tai C. , Hengstenberg Christian , Erdmann Jeanette , Schunkert Heribert , Seshadri Sudha , Vasan Ramachandran S. ,   CARDIoGRAM
Published: March 2015

Background

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (
BDNF
) is a pleiotropic peptide involved in maintaining endothelial integrity. It is unknown if circulating
BDNF
levels are associated with risk of cardiovascular disease (
CVD
).

Methods and Results

We prospectively investigated the association of circulating
BDNF
levels with cardiovascular events and mortality in 3687 participants (mean age 65 years, 2068 women) from the Framingham Heart Study (
FHS
). Using a common nonsynonomous single nucleotide polymorphism (
SNP
) in the

BDNF

gene (rs6265), we then performed a Mendelian randomization experiment in the CARDIoGRAM (Coronary ARtery DIsease Genome‐Wide Replication And Meta‐Analysis) consortium (>22 000 coronary artery disease [
CAD
] cases, >60 000 controls) to investigate whether
SNP
rs6265 was associated with
CAD
in CARDIoGRAM and, if so, whether the effect estimate differed from that predicted based on
FHS
data. On follow‐up (median 8.9 years), 467 individuals (261 women) in
FHS
experienced a
CVD
event, and 835 (430 women) died. In multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression, serum
BDNF
was associated inversely with
CVD
risk (hazard ratio [
HR
] per 1‐
SD
increase 0.88, 95%
CI
0.80 to 0.97,
P
=0.01) and with mortality (
HR
0.87, 95%
CI
0.80 to 0.93,
P
=0.0002).
SNP
rs6265 was associated with
BDNF
concentrations (0.772 ng/mL increase per minor allele copy) in
FHS
. In CARDIoGRAM,
SNP
rs6265 was associated with
CAD
(odds ratio 0.957, 95%
CI
0.923 to 0.992), a magnitude consistent with the predicted effect (
HR
per minor allele copy 0.99, 95%
CI
0.98 to 1.0;
P
=0.06 for difference between predicted and observed effect).

Conclusion

Higher serum
BDNF
is associated with a decreased risk of
CVD
and mortality. Mendelian randomization suggests a causal protective role of
BDNF
in the pathogenesis of
CVD
.
Effect of Prehospital Induction of Mild Hypothermia on 3‐Month Neurological Status and 1‐Year Survival Among Adults With Cardiac Arrest: Long‐Term Follow‐up of a Randomized, Clinical Trial
Authors: Maynard Charles , Longstreth W. T. , Nichol Graham , Hallstrom Al , Kudenchuk Peter J. , Rea Thomas , Copass Michael K. , Carlbom David , Deem Steven , Olsufka Michele , Cobb Leonard A. , Kim Francis
Published: March 2015

Background

Randomized trials of prehospital cooling after cardiac arrest have shown that neither prehospital cooling nor targeted temperature management differentially affected short‐term survival or neurological function. In this follow‐up study, we assess the association of prehospital hypothermia with neurological function at least 3 months after cardiac arrest and survival 1 year after cardiac arrest.

Methods and Results

There were 508 individuals who were discharged alive from hospitals in King County, Washington; 373 (73%) were interviewed by telephone 123±43 days after the initial event. Overall, 59% of the treatment group and 58% of the control group had Cerebral Performance Category (
CPC
) 1 or 2 (
P
=0.70), and 50% of the treatment group and 49% of the control group had slight disability or better by the Modified Rankin Scale (
MRS
; (
P
=0.35). One‐year survival was 87% in the treatment group and 84% in the control group (
P
=0.42). Of those with
CPC
1 at hospital discharge, 68% had
CPC
1 or 2 at follow‐up, and 59% had
MRS
of slight disability or better. Of 41 patients with
CPC
3 or 4 at discharge, only 12% had
CPC
2 at follow‐up, and just 5% had
MRS
of slight disability or better. One‐year survival was 92% for
CPC
1 at discharge, but only 40% for
CPC
4.

Conclusion

In addition to excellent survival, patients who had good neurological function at discharge continued to have good function at least 3 months after the event.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL: Clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00391469
Could a Virtual Human Be Used to Explore Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Patients?
Authors: Philip Pierre , Bioulac Stéphanie , Sauteraud Alain , Chaufton Cyril , Olive Jérôme
Published: March 2015

Excessive daytime somnolence (EDS) is defined as the inability to stay awake in daily life activities. Several scales have been used to diagnose excessive daytime sleepiness, the most widely used being the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Sleep disorders and EDS are very common in the general population. It is therefore important to be able to screen patients for this symptom in order to obtain an accurate diagnosis of sleep disorders. Embodied Conversational Agents (ECA) have been used in the field of affective computing and human interactions but up to now no software has been specifically designed to investigate sleep disorders. We created an ECA able to conduct an interview based on the ESS and compared it to an interview conducted by a sleep specialist. We recruited 32 consecutive patients and a group of 30 healthy volunteers free of any sleep complaints. The ESS is a self-administered questionnaire that asks the subject to rate (with a pen and paper paradigm) his or her probability of falling asleep. For the purpose of our study, the ECA or real-doctor questionnaire was modified as follows: Instead of the “I” formulate, questions were asked as “Do you.” Our software is based on a common 3D game engine and several commercial software libraries. It can run on standard and affordable hardware products. The sensitivity and specificity of the interview conducted by the ECA were measured. The best results (sensibility and specificity >98%) were obtained to discriminate the sleepiest patients (ESS ≥16) but very good scores (sensibility and specificity >80%) were also obtained for alert subjects (ESS<8). ESS scores obtained in the interview conducted by the physician were significantly correlated with ESS scores obtained in the interview the ECA conducted. Most of the subjects had a positive perception of the virtual physician and considered the interview with the ECA as a good experience. Sixty-five percent of the participants felt that the virtual doctor could significantly help real physicians. Our results show that a virtual physician can conduct a very simple interview to evaluate EDS with very similar results to those obtained by a questionnaire administered by a real physician. The expected massive increase in sleep complaints in the near future likely means that more and more physicians will be looking for computerized systems to help them to diagnose their patients.
Collaborative Networked Virtual Surgical Simulators (CNVSS) Implementing Hybrid Client–Server Architecture: Factors Affecting Collaborative Performance
Authors: Diaz Christian , Trefftz Helmuth , Quintero Lucia , Acosta Diego A. , Srivastava Sakti
Published: March 2015

Currently, surgical skills teaching in medical schools and hospitals is changing, requiring the development of new tools to focus on (i) the importance of the mentor’s role, (ii) teamwork skills training, and (iii) remote training support. Collaborative Networked Virtual Surgical Simulators (CNVSS) allow collaborative training of surgical procedures where remotely located users with different surgical roles can take part in the training session. To provide successful training involving good collaborative performance, CNVSS should guarantee synchronicity in time of the surgical scene viewed by each user and a quick response time which are affected by factors such as users’ machine capabilities and network conditions. To the best of our knowledge, the impact of these factors on the performance of CNVSS implementing hybrid client–server architecture has not been evaluated. In this paper the development of a CNVSS implementing a hybrid client–server architecture and two statistical designs of experiments (DOE) is described by using (i) a fractional factorial DOE and (ii) a central composite DOE, to determine the most influential factors and how these factors affect the collaboration in a CNVSS. From the results obtained, it was concluded that packet loss, bandwidth, and delay have a larger effect on the consistency of the shared virtual environment, whereas bandwidth, server machine capabilities, and delay and interaction between factors bandwidth and packet loss have a larger effect on the time difference and number of errors of the collaborative task.
Relating Language to Other Cognitive Systems: An Overview
Authors: Talmy Leonard
Published: March 2015

This article proposes how language relates structurally and evolutionarily to cognition. It heuristically divides cognition into cognitive systems and the organizing factors that structure them. The general finding is that cognitive systems share these structural properties to different degrees. This is termed the “overlapping systems model of cognitive organization”. The specific finding is that the cognitive system of language shares many structural properties with the cognitive systems of visual perception, of somatosensory perception and motor control, and of understanding, but shares few structural properties with those of affect and of culture.
The Neotropical genus Ginungagapus gen. nov. (Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae, Moncini): phylogenetic position and taxonomic review
Authors: CARNEIRO EDUARDO , MIELKE OLAF H. H. , CASAGRANDE M. M.
Published: March 2015

A taxonomic and phylogenetic study based on morphological characters revealed the type species of the genus Lucida Evans, 1955, Lucida lucia (Capronnier, 1874) to be paraphyletic to other species of the genus. As a result, a new genus, Ginungagapus gen. nov., is erected including four species previously placed in Lucida: Ginungagapus schmithi (Bell, 1930) comb. nov., Ginungagapus bocus (Bell, 1947) comb. nov., Ginungagapus ranesus (Schaus, 1902) comb. nov., and Ginungagapus rogan (Evans, 1955) comb. nov.; and four new species are added: Ginungagapus awarreni, sp. nov., Ginungagapus tangerinii, sp. nov., Ginungagapus fiedleri, sp. nov. and Ginungagapus brasilia, sp. nov. The new genus is taxonomically revised, genitalia are illustrated, except of the female of G. rogan (Evans, 1955) and of the male of G. brasilia, sp. nov., which are still unknown. An identification key is provided.
Description of two new species and a new combination for the leafhopper genus Reticuluma (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Penthimiini) from China
Authors: FU XIAO , ZHANG YALIN
Published: March 2015

Two new species of Reticuluma from China, R. dactyla Fu & Zhang sp. nov. and R. eurya sp. nov., are described and illustrated. A new combination, R. testacea (Kuoh) n. comb. is transferred from the genus Penthimia.
New species and additional records of Amaurodera Fauvel in southern China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae)
Authors: YAN ZHU-QI , LI Li-Zhen
Published: March 2015

Material of the lomechusine genus Amaurodera Fauvel from southern China is studied. In total, four species are recognized, among which one is described here as new: Amaurodera darenae sp. nov., and new records for three previously described are provided. All of these species are illustrated.
A new littoral interstitial species of the genus Isotomodes (Collembola, Isotomidae) from Italy
Authors: FANCIULLI PIETRO PAOLO , DALLAI ROMANO , MENEGUZ MARCO
Published: March 2015

The genus Isotomodes Linnaniemi, 1907 can be easily recognized among Isotomidae because of its remarkable morphology and chaetotaxy of the last abdominal segments (Gama, 1963; Potapov, 2001); it comprises 34 worldwide species (Bellinger et al. 2014, Potapov 2001, Arbea 2006, Abrantes & Mendonça 2007, Thibaud 2008) mainly distributed in Europe (especially in Mediterranean region) and America, and only a few from est Asia and Oceania (Bellinger et al. 2014). The genus Isotomodes appears well represented in interstitial sandy habitat, especially in supralittoral and inland biotopes, as reported by Thibaud & Christian (1997) and Thibaud (2007). The littoral fauna of Collembola along the Italian peninsula has been poorly studied (Dallai et al. 2010), so we decided to fill this gap beginning with a collecting design along the Thirrenian coast of Tuscany. As preliminary result, herein we describe a new species of Isotomodes that had been collected in the sand dune in front of the Regional Park of S. Rossore (Tuscany).
Revision of Emmenomma Simon (Amaurobiidae, Macrobuninae)
Authors: ALMEIDA-SILVA LINA M. , GRISWOLD CHARLES E. , BRESCOVIT ANTONIO D.
Published: March 2015

The genus Emmenomma is revised and now includes three species from Southern Chile, Argentina and Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). The type species Emmenomma oculatum is redescribed and considered a senior synonym of E. beauchenicum. Emmenomma oculatum obscurum is removed from synonymy with E. oculatum, raised to the species level and redescribed; the male of this species remains unknown. A new species, Emmenomma joshuabelli sp. nov. is described. The presence of a grate shaped tapetum outside the Lycosoidea clade is described. Detailed images are provided for all known species.
Synopsis of the hymenopteran fauna of Lord Howe Island with a preliminary checklist of species
Authors: JENNINGS JOHN T. , AUSTIN ANDREW D.
Published: March 2015

Lord Howe Island is an eroded remnant of a shield volcano approximately 600 km northeast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It has fascinated biologists for more than a century because of its unique and iconic fauna and flora, and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982. Although the terrestrial invertebrate fauna is reasonably well known for many groups, most Hymenoptera, apart from ants, have received scant attention. Here we use material collected from a recent intensive invertebrate survey, in conjunction with the published literature, to provide an overview of the Hymenoptera known from the island that can act as a basis for future taxonomic and biodiversity research. In doing so, we record 318 species from 31 hymenopteran families from the Island, and assess the proportion that are flightless and likely to be endemic to the island.
A new species of Zeanichnus Jałoszyński in New Zealand (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)
Authors: JAŁOSZYŃSKI PAWEŁ , KOŁODZIEJCZYK NATALIA
Published: March 2015

A new species of the cyrtoscydmine genus Zeanichnus Jałoszyński, Z. aupourianus sp. n. is described. This third representative of Zeanichnus is known to occur in the northernmost tip of North Island, New Zealand. Comparative notes on diagnostic characters are given, and the male copulatory organ of the new species is illustrated.
Chicago’s Heat Island and Climate Change: Bridging the Scales via Dynamical Downscaling
Authors: Conry Patrick , Sharma Ashish , Potosnak Mark J. , Leo Laura S. , Bensman Edward , Hellmann Jessica J. , Fernando Harindra J. S.
Published: March 2015

The interaction of global climate change and urban heat islands (UHI) is expected to have far-reaching impacts on the sustainability of the world’s rapidly growing urban population centers. Given that a wide range of spatiotemporal scales contributed by meteorological forcing and complex surface heterogeneity complicates UHI, a multimodel nested approach is used in this paper to study climate-change impacts on the Chicago, Illinois, UHI, covering a range of relevant scales. One-way dynamical downscaling is used with a model chain consisting of global climate (Community Atmosphere Model), regional climate (Weather Research and Forecasting Model), and microscale (“ENVI-met”) models. Nested mesoscale and microscale models are evaluated against the present-day observations (including a dedicated urban miniature field study), and the results favorably demonstrate the fidelity of the downscaling techniques that were used. A simple building-energy model is developed and used in conjunction with microscale-model output to calculate future energy demands for a building, and a substantial increase (as much as 26% during daytime) is noted for future (~2080) climate. Although winds and lake-breeze circulation for future climate are favorable for reducing energy usage by 7%, the benefits are outweighed by such factors as exacerbated UHI and air temperature. An adverse change in human-comfort indicators is also noted in the future climate, with 92% of the population experiencing thermal discomfort. The model chain that was used has general applicability for evaluating climate-change impacts on city centers and, hence, for urban-sustainability studies.
Unconscious Fantasy as a Special Class of Mental Representation
Authors: Erreich Anne
Published: March 2015

Philosophers of mind and cognitive psychologists have proposed that “mind” consists of myriad mental representations, namely, conscious and unconscious representations of belief/desire intentions. It is argued here that unconscious fantasies constitute a subset of the domain of mental representations, those concerned with conflicting wishes, affects, and defensive maneuvers. This proposal anchors the unconscious fantasy construct in a model of mind that accords with contemporary academic views in cognitive and developmental psychology and philosophy of mind, thus allowing psychoanalysts to enter into dialogue with those disciplines. Given this formulation, unconscious fantasy might well serve as a theoretical construct that applies to a large group of theories that share certain criteria regarding mentation. An analyst would then be at liberty to commingle insights from a menu of different theories without committing metatheoretical malpractice, resulting in a principled version of theoretical pluralism. Published case material from Kleinian, close process monitoring, and self psychological perspectives demonstrates how this redefined unconscious fantasy construct can encompass two major types of interventions that analysts make: content and process interpretations.
Endoscopic Resection of Sinonasal Tract Schwannoma
Authors: Forer Boaz , Lin Leong Jern , Sethi Dharmbir Singh , Landsberg Roee
Published: March 2015

Background:

Sinonasal schwannoma (SNS) is a rare sinonasal tract tumor whose presentation is similar to that of other benign nasal tumors. Very few case series appear in the literature. This study aims to describe the presentation, treatment, and outcome of 10 SNS cases from 3 referral centers.

Methods:

All SNS cases were analyzed retrospectively. Patient demographics, tumor data, surgical procedures, and outcome were recorded.

Results:

Five males and 5 females (mean age, 49.1 ± 21.4 years) were included in the study. The tumor was on the left side in 9 patients and on the right side in 1. It originated in the middle turbinate in 4 cases, the ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses in 2 cases, and the nasal septum and infratemporal fossa in 1 case each. Tumor resection was done endoscopically in all cases, and there was no need for an external procedure, and 5 patients did not require a sinusotomy. All 10 patients remained disease-free after a mean follow-up of 65.3 months (range, 2-120 months).

Conclusion:

Safe and effective endoscopic resection of SNS is feasible. If the tumor is contained within the nasal cavity, simple tumor excision without sinusotomy can be enough to resect the tumor. In more extensive disease, a wider endoscopic approach may be needed, but an external approach was not necessary in this series.
Mitigating Environmental Risks in Microenterprises
Authors: Allet Marion
Published: March 2015

Recently, international funding agencies and practitioners in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have argued that microfinance institutions (MFIs) could promote the adoption of environmentally friendly business practices in microenterprises in developing countries. This article explores the potential and limitations of MFIs in promoting the spread of environmental risk management techniques and practices in microenterprises using a case study of an MFI-sponsored pilot program in this area in El Salvador. The author argues that caution should be exercised about the role that MFIs can play in relation to inducing change to the environmentally harmful practices of micro-entrepreneurs. In fact, this study reveals that the MFI had some difficulties in building internal skills and reconciling its environmental and performance objectives, limiting its ability to assist microenterprises in the area of environmental management. Furthermore, the pilot program, as it was designed, did not sufficiently take into account the psychological and financial barriers that constrain micro-entrepreneurs’ capacity to engage in any meaningful environmental behavior change. Finally, factors such as the lack of an adequate legal framework and local infrastructure also countered the effort of the MFI and limited the potential of microenterprises for effectively engaging in environmental risk management practices. The article concludes by outlining the implications of this analysis for future research, policy, and practice in this area.
The Role of SMEs in Global Production Networks
Authors: Egels-Zandén Niklas
Published: March 2015

Anti-sweatshop activists have turned global production networks (GPNs) into contested organizational fields. Although this contest has triggered the growth of an extensive literature on contested GPNs, the scholarly conversation is still limited in two important ways: First, it ignores or dismisses the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in GPNs and, second, it assumes that firms are driven solely by rational profit-maximizing motives. Based on a study of a Swedish SME’s payment of living wages at its Indian supplier, this article addresses these limitations by demonstrating how SMEs’ peculiarities allow them to assume a distinct role in contested GPNs. Furthermore, this article contributes to the scholarly conversation about living wages by providing a much-needed move beyond conceptual discussions into empirical studies of the underlying trade-offs of paying living wages.
Analytic solutions of electromagnetic fields in inhomogeneous media
Authors: Savić Slobodan V , Krneta Aleksandra , Stevanović Marija , Olćan Dragan I , Tasić Miodrag , Ilić Milan M , Tošić Dejan , Kolundžija Branko , Djordjević Antonije R
Published: March 2015

We present guidelines for teaching students how to analytically solve problems that involve inhomogeneous media in electrostatic fields, stationary current fields, and stationary magnetic fields. At the introductory level, the focus is on recognizing classes of problems that can be solved in closed form and applying simple rules, based on comparison with solutions in homogeneous media. At the intermediate level, the focus is on strict proofs based on vector calculus.
Leading to Effectiveness
Authors: Mühlberger Maximilian D. , Traut-Mattausch Eva
Published: March 2015

Although numerous studies have shown that coaching works, the search for “active ingredients” of successful coaching is ongoing. We argue that the coach’s transactional and transformational leadership behavior contributes to coaching effectiveness. In an experimental study on reducing procrastination, participants ( N = 108) defined individual goals related to procrastination. They were then randomly assigned to a dyadic coaching session, a group coaching session, or a control group. Procrastination was reduced in all conditions, but participants in the two coaching conditions were better at attaining their individual goals. Furthermore, compared with participants who received group coaching, participants in the dyadic coaching had a higher increase in goal commitment and showed more goal reflection and higher intrinsic goal motivation. Mediation analyses further revealed that the differences between dyadic and group coaching were explained by the coach’s transformational and transactional leadership behavior.
The Working Alliance in Coaching
Authors: Gessnitzer Sina , Kauffeld Simone
Published: March 2015

The relationship between coach and client is an essential factor for coaching success. Although researchers have repeatedly called for an investigation of the actual interaction between coach and client to better understand their relationship, previous research has been based primarily on questionnaire data. We analyzed the working relationship of 31 videotaped coaching dyads by means of interaction analysis and questionnaires. We coded relationship-relevant behaviors initiated by the coach or the client, focusing on indicators of the working relationship such as (a) their agreement on goals and tasks and (b) appraisal and bonding. Results showed no correlation between behavioral and questionnaire data. As expected, client-initiated agreement on goals/tasks was positively related to coaching success. Surprisingly, coach-initiated agreement on goals/tasks had the opposite effect, whereas bonding behaviors did not influence coaching success. Results underscore the importance of an active client in the coaching process, and promote interaction analyses in coaching research.
Influence of yarn tension variations before the positive feed on the characteristics of knitted fabrics
Authors: de Vasconcelos Fernando Barros , Marcicano João Paulo Pereira , Sanches Regina Aparecida
Published: March 2015

In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the production of knitted fabrics with textured synthetic yarns in circular knitting machines. However, there are few studies for this type of yarn on the effects of variations in tension on circular knitting machines. In this work, we examine the variation in yarn tension before the positive feed and analyze its influence on the properties and quality of knitted fabrics produced with spun yarn and textured synthetic yarn. Knitted fabrics were produced with spun cotton yarn and textured microfiber nylon yarn (polyamide), which were analyzed with respect to loop length. The results demonstrate the importance of controlling the yarn feed tension when working with textured yarns, even with the use of a positive feed, in contrast to what occurs when spun yarn is used.
“A Town Should Be Built to Make the Whole Thing Work”
Authors: Ekman Peter
Published: March 2015

Patterson Colony, an agricultural town built out at the height of the City Beautiful era, exhibits that movement’s distinctive monumental geometries writ small, imitative of Washington, D.C., and jarringly unlike its grid-bound neighbors in California’s Central Valley. The story of Patterson’s street plan sheds light on an unfamiliar site and scale of comprehensive planning, and shows how the beautifiers’ rhetorics could be recoded and harnessed to a speculative real-estate venture. In Patterson we see these tropes—“order” in particular—taking on complex valences that are at once aesthetic and technical, revising any hard-and-fast distinction between City Beautiful and City Practical imaginaries. This history, finally, allows us to rethink how replicable urban forms travel, and to specify the meanings, uses, and predicates of self-appointed “model” towns—a designation that has been attached, sometimes incautiously, to countless episodes in the evolution of the American city and suburb.
Observer-based reset law design for uncertain systems by using model predictive strategy
Authors: Zhao Guanglei , Wang Jingcheng
Published: March 2015

In reset control systems, the reset law determines reset values at reset times. This paper considers the observer-based reset law design for uncertain systems with both nonlinear uncertainties and time-varying parameter uncertainties. A model predictive strategy is proposed to design the reset law by minimizing a quadratic performance index. The optimization problem is transformed into a linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) formulation, and the reset law is solved by using an LMI technique. The proposed approach is applied to a typical continuous stirred-tank reactor system to show the effectiveness of the obtained results.
Commit Sociology
Authors: Machum Susan , Clow Michael
Published: March 2015

This article elaborates how C. Wright Mills’ “sociological imagination” invites us to “commit sociology.” We argue critical thinking is the foundation of a liberal arts education, and its purpose is to have students recognize that the social world is constantly being constructed and reconstructed—how exactly depends upon the power dynamics embedded in the social, economic, and political institutions of any given time and place. Yet it is very challenging to achieve an awareness of the larger social processes in which our everyday actions are embedded or to recognize the role our everyday practices have in the maintenance or erosion of existing social injustices and inequalities. Moreover, political leaders feel threatened when their agendas, policies, and actions are questioned by the masses. Committing sociology— ipso facto being a successful liberal arts graduate engaged in public debates—threatens political leaders because it calls them to account for their ideologies and the impacts of their policies: a “crime” indeed.
Saying “I Don’t” to Matrimony: An Investigation of Why Long-Term Heterosexual Cohabitors Choose Not to Marry
Authors: Hatch Alison
Published: March 2015

Research indicates the continuance of a rising trend in cohabitation among heterosexual couples. Although most cohabitors eventually marry or break up, there is a subset of cohabitors that are consciously committed to remaining unmarried. Based on interviews with 45 committed unmarried heterosexual couples residing in the United States, this study investigates the reasons why some choose to abstain from legal marriage altogether. Participants indicate a variety of reasons for forgoing legal marriage, including political views, economic practicalities, divorce concerns, and a lack of rationales or incentives to marry. The reasons offered fit into two larger categories: unease about the meanings associated with marriage and concerns about what marriage does to the relationship. As a subset of cohabitors often overlooked in research, it is important to understand what motivates some into saying “I Don’t” to legal marriage.
An extended UTAUT model to explain the adoption of mobile banking
Authors: Bhatiasevi Veera
Published: March 2015

This research attempts to identify the factors leading to the adoption of mobile banking and the degree of influence of each one of the factors in Thailand. It proposes a comprehensive framework that extends the existing UTAUT model with important constructs such as perceived credibility, perceived cost, and perceived convenience. A three-pronged approach, consisting of an extensive review of the literature, expert interviews, and a field survey of mobile banking adoption is put forward. A field survey of respondents was undertaken with both convergent and discriminant validities being conducted. The results of the structural equation modeling show that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, perceived credibility, perceived convenience, and behavioral intention to use mobile banking posited a positive relationship. Contrary to previous studies, the hypotheses testing perceived that financial cost and facilitation conditions in the adoption of mobile banking were not supported. Discussions and conclusions including academic and practical implications are also presented.
Legislative policies for the dominant tasks of e-government push in the Chinese context
Authors: Fan Bo , Jiang Hongzhen
Published: March 2015

This study aims to analyze several legislation barriers and establish regulation policy for the task of e-government push in China. First, a stage model of e-government is proposed according to the previous models of e-government evolution. The five dimensions are: cataloging, transaction, vertical integration, horizontal integration, and e-democracy in the e-government development progress. Corresponding dominant tasks are developed for the dimensions based on literature review and interviews. Second, we test validity and reliability of the dominant tasks based on a national wide survey of 111 government CIOs, and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) results demonstrated that the constructs are good fit. Third, key legislative points are designed to match the dominant tasks based on the survey of a scholar panel specializing in administrative law. Therefore, a full perspective on legislative policies is provided to meet the needs of e-government development.
Lower-limb exoskeletons for individuals with chronic spinal cord injury: findings from a feasibility study
Authors: Benson Ian , Hart Kirsten , Tussler Dot , van Middendorp Joost J
Published: March 2015

Objective:

To assess the feasibility of conducting a well-powered trial evaluating the neurological and functional effects of using an exoskeleton in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury.

Design:

A longitudinal, prospective, self-controlled feasibility study.

Setting:

Specialist Spinal Cord Injuries Centre, UK; 8 months during 2013–2014.

Subjects:

Individuals with chronic motor complete or incomplete spinal cord injury.

Interventions:

Enrolled subjects were assigned to 20 exoskeleton (ReWalk™, Argo Medical Technologies Ltd, Yokneam Ilit, Israel) training sessions over a 10-week training period.

Main measures:

Feasibility measures, clinical and mobility outcome measures and measures appraising subjects’ disability and attitude towards assistive technology were assessed before, during and after the study. Descriptive statistics were applied.

Results:

Out of 60 candidates, ten (17%) were enrolled and five (8%) completed the training programme. Primary reasons for not enrolling were ineligibility ( n = 24, 40%) and limited interest to engage in a 10-week training programme ( n = 16, 27%). Five out of ten enrolled subjects experienced grade I/II skin aberrations. While walking speeds were higher and walking distances were longer in all exoskeleton users when compared with non-use, the exoskeleton did generally not meet subjects’ high expectations in terms of perceived benefits.

Conclusions:

The conduct of a controlled trial evaluating the benefits of using exoskeletons that require a lengthy user-commitment to training of individuals with chronic motor complete or incomplete spinal cord injury comes with considerable feasibility challenges. Vigilance is required for preventing and detecting medical complications in spinal cord injury exoskeleton users.
Child and Parent Report of Parenting as Predictors of Substance Use and Suspensions From School
Authors: Fleming Charles B. , Mason W. Alex , Thompson Ronald W. , Haggerty Kevin P. , Gross Thomas J.
Published: March 2015

This study examined how child and parent reports of parenting were related to early adolescent substance use and school suspensions. Data were from two time points 6 months apart on 321 families with an eighth-grade student attending one of five schools in the Pacific Northwest. Child- and parent-report measures of family management practices were moderately correlated ( r = .29). Child report, but not parent report, of more positive family management practices uniquely predicted a lower likelihood of adolescent substance use. Also, discrepancies between child and parent report of parenting predicted substance use, with child positive report of family management losing its protective association with adolescent substance use when parents had negative reports of their parenting. Parent report, but not child report, of better parenting predicted lower likelihood of suspensions, suggesting that the salience of child and parent report may depend on the type of behavioral outcome.
The value of serum mean platelet volume in testicular torsion
Authors: Cicek Tufan , Togan Turhan , Akbaba Kaan , Narci Huseyin , Aygun Cem
Published: March 2015

Objective

To compare the serum mean platelet volume (MPV) in patients with testicular torsion and healthy control subjects.

Methods

This retrospective study compared clinical and demographic data from patients who underwent surgery for testicular torsion and healthy controls. Testicular torsion was diagnosed with a physical examination and Doppler ultrasonography. Age, leukocyte count, platelet count and MPV were recorded for all participants.

Results

A total of 50 patients with testicular torsion and 51 healthy control subjects were enrolled. There was no significant difference in age and platelet count between the two groups. Patients with testicular torsion had a significantly higher leukocyte count and MPV, compared with controls. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis performed for the prediction of testicular torsion, the best cut-off point for MPV was 7.7 fl (sensitivity 62%, specificity 96%), and the best cut-off point for leukocyte count was 9.5 × 109/l (sensitivity 58%, specificity 80%).

Conclusions

The MPV may be useful as an ancillary test for the diagnosis of testicular torsion. Further studies are needed in order to confirm these preliminary results.
Leptin levels and lipoprotein profiles in patients with cholelithiasis
Authors: Saraç Serdar , Atamer Aytaç , Atamer Yildiz , Can Ahmet Selçuk , Bilici Aslan , Taçyildiz İbrahim , Koçyiğit Yüksel , Yenice Necati
Published: March 2015

Objective

To determine the relationships between serum leptin and levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in patients with cholelithiasis.

Methods

Patients with ultrasound-confirmed cholelithiasis and controls frequency-matched for age, sex, body mass index, fasting blood glucose and haemoglobin A1c levels were recruited. Fasting blood samples from all study participants were assayed for glucose, haemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride. Serum Lp(a), ApoA-1 and ApoB levels were measured using nephelometric assays; serum leptin was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

A total of 90 patients with cholelithiasis and 50 controls were included in the study. Serum levels of leptin, Lp(a), total cholesterol, triglyceride and ApoB were significantly increased, and levels of ApoA-1 and HDL-C were significantly decreased, in patients with cholelithiasis compared with controls. Serum leptin in patients with cholelithiasis were significantly positively correlated with Lp(a) and ApoB and negatively correlated with ApoA-1.

Conclusions

Patients with cholelithiasis have higher leptin levels and an altered lipoprotein profile compared with controls, with increased leptin levels being associated with increased Lp(a) and ApoB levels, and decreased ApoA-1 levels, in those with cholelithiasis.
Lateral Trunk Lean in Pitchers Affects Both Ball Velocity and Upper Extremity Joint Moments
Authors: Solomito Matthew J. , Garibay Erin J. , Woods Jessica R. , Õunpuu Sylvia , Nissen Carl W.
Published: March 2015

Background:

The incidence of upper extremity injuries in baseball pitchers is increasing. Over the past decade there has been a great deal of research attempting to elucidate the cause of these injuries, focusing mainly on the mechanics of the pitching arm with no examination of other key segments, such as the trunk. This is surprising, as coaches will often comment on trunk position in an effort to improve pitching outcomes.

Purpose:

To determine the association between contralateral trunk lean and ball velocity and the moments about the elbow and glenohumeral joint.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 99 pitchers were recruited for this study and underwent a pitching analysis using 3-dimensional motion analysis techniques. A random intercept mixed-effects regression model was used to determine if statistically significant associations existed between contralateral trunk lean (away from the pitching arm side) and ball velocity, as well as the elbow varus moment and glenohumeral internal rotation moment.

Results:

The results demonstrated that the greatest contralateral trunk lean occurs around the time of the peak elbow varus moment. Statistically significant associations were found between contralateral trunk lean and increased ball velocity ( P = .003) indicating that for every 10° increase in contralateral lean, ball velocity increased 0.5 m/s. Results also indicated that for every 10° increase in contralateral lean, elbow varus moments increased by 3.7 N·m and glenohumeral internal rotation moments increased by 2.5 N·m ( P < .001 for both).

Conclusion:

Study findings indicate that the positioning of the trunk plays a substantial role in pitching performance and pitcher injury potential. This work helps to demonstrate the importance of proper trunk mechanics in pitching and highlights the need for future research to understand the contribution of the trunk to pitching mechanics.

Clinical Relevance:

Pitching coaches and trainers can use the results of this study to stress the importance of proper trunk mechanics in pitching. Specifically, improving core strength and trunk control in an effort to maintain a more upright posture through the pitching cycle can reduce upper extremity joint stresses.
Brain State Before Error Making in Young Patients With Mild Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Hakkarainen Elina , Pirilä Silja , Kaartinen Jukka , van der Meere Jaap J.
Published: March 2015

In the present experiment, children with mild spastic cerebral palsy and a control group carried out a memory recognition task. The key question was if errors of the patient group are foreshadowed by attention lapses, by weak motor preparation, or by both. Reaction times together with event-related potentials associated with motor preparation (frontal late contingent negative variation), attention (parietal P300), and response evaluation (parietal error-preceding positivity) were investigated in instances where 3 subsequent correct trials preceded an error. The findings indicated that error responses of the patient group are foreshadowed by weak motor preparation in correct trials directly preceding an error.
Resting State and Diffusion Neuroimaging Predictors of Clinical Improvements Following Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Manning Kathryn Y. , Fehlings Darcy , Mesterman Ronit , Gorter Jan Willem , Switzer Lauren , Campbell Craig , Menon Ravi S.
Published: March 2015

The aim was to identify neuroimaging predictors of clinical improvements following constraint-induced movement therapy. Resting state functional magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor imaging data was acquired in 7 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired at baseline and 1 month later following a 3-week constraint therapy regimen. A more negative baseline laterality index characterizing an atypical unilateral sensorimotor resting state network significantly correlated with an improvement in the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure score (r = –0.81, P = .03). A more unilateral network with decreased activity in the affected hemisphere was associated with greater improvements in clinical scores. Higher mean diffusivity in the posterior limb of the internal capsule of the affect tract correlated significantly with improvements in the Jebsen-Taylor score (r = –0.83, P = .02). Children with more compromised networks and tracts improved the most following constraint therapy.
At the systemic edge
Authors: Sassen Saskia
Published: March 2015

The point of inquiry in this book is the systemic edge. The key dynamic at this edge is expulsion from the diverse systems in play—economic, social, biospheric. The systemic edge is the point where a condition takes on a format so extreme that it cannot be easily captured by the standard measures of governments and experts and becomes invisible, ungraspable. In this regard, that edge also becomes invisible to standard ways of seeing and making meaning. Each major domain has its own distinctive systemic edge—thus this edge is constituted differently for the economy than it is for the biosphere or the social realm. This edge is foundationally different from the geographic border in the interstate system. The core hypothesis is that we are seeing a proliferation of systemic edges originating partly in the decaying western-style political economy of the 20th century, the escalation of environmental destruction, and the rise of complex forms of knowledge that far too often produce elementary brutalities. It is in the spaces of the expelled where we find the sharper version of what might be happening inside the system in far milder modes and hence easily overlooked as signaling systemic decay. In this regard, I conceive of the systemic edge as signaling the existence of conceptually subterranean trends—trends we cannot easily make visible through our current categories of meaning. From there, the importance of positioning my inquiry at the systemic edge, where a condition takes on its extreme form and in that process also escapes our conventional measures and representations.
Effect of swirling blood flow on vortex formation at post-stenosis
Authors: Ha Hojin , Choi Woorak , Park Hanwook , Lee Sang Joon
Published: March 2015

Various clinical observations reported that swirling blood flow is a normal physiological flow pattern in various vasculatures. The swirling flow has beneficial effects on blood circulation through the blood vessels. It enhances oxygen transfer and reduces low-density lipoprotein concentration in the blood vessel by enhancing cross-plane mixing of the blood. However, the fluid-dynamic roles of the swirling flow are not yet fully understood. In this study, inhibition of material deposition at the post-stenosis region by the swirling flow was observed. To reveal the underlying fluid-dynamic characteristics, pathline flow visualization and time-resolved particle image velocimetry measurements were conducted. Results showed that the swirling inlet flow increased the development of vortices at near wall region of the post-stenosis, which can suppress further development of stenosis by enhancing transport and mixing of the blood flow. The fluid-dynamic characteristics obtained in this study would be useful for improving hemodynamic characteristics of vascular grafts and stents in which the stenosis frequently occurred. Moreover, the time-resolved particle image velocimetry measurement technique and vortex identification method employed in this study would be useful for investigating the fluid-dynamic effects of the swirling flow on various vascular environments.
Achilles tendinitis in systemic lupus erythematosus: search for an associated inflammatory disease
Authors: Jarrot P A , Leone J , Brochot P , Pennaforte J L
Published: March 2015

Objectives

Except for traumatic and iatrogenic causes, Achilles tendinitis (AT) is mostly encountered in the context of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. This study aimed to describe AT in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Patients and methods

Among 158 SLE patients who fulfilled the SLE criteria of the ACR classification followed between 1980 and 2013, we selected those who experienced at least one episode of AT not caused by traumatic or toxicity factors.

Results

Eight patients (one male, seven females), median age 52 years (range: 35–68), presented with 11 episodes of AT within an average of 10.5 (0–21) years after SLE diagnosis. Clinical presentation of SLE was mainly cutaneous (eight of eight), and articular (seven of eight). Axial symptoms were reported in six patients, two of whom had HLA-B27-positive status, and fulfilled the Amor and European Spondylarthropathy Study Group criteria. Resolution of AT was good with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory topical or systemic drug therapies, which kept SLE quiescent and avoided any increase of specific treatment.

Conclusion

Although the association is rare, when AT occurs in SLE patients, physicians should look for associated spondylarthritis.