bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of evidence‐based therapy for the secondary prevention of acute coronary syndromes in Malaysian practice
Authors: Kassab Yaman Walid , Hassan Yahaya , Aziz Noorizan Abd , Akram Hadeer , Ismail Omar
Published: July 2012

Rationale

Despite the availability of various prevention guidelines on acute coronary syndrome (ACS), secondary prevention practice utilizing aspirin, beta‐blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and statins still can be sub‐optimal.

Aims and objectives

To review and document the utilization of pharmacotherapy for the secondary prevention of ACS in patients discharged from a Malaysian hospital.

Methods

A retrospective cross‐sectional study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Penang, Malaysia. Patients with a primary diagnosis of ACS were identified from medical records over a 4‐month period. A range of clinical data was extracted from medical records, including medical history, clinical presentation and pharmacotherapy both on admission and at discharge. This audit focused on the use of four guideline‐recommended therapies: aspirin±clopidogrel, beta‐blockers, statins and angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

Results

Data pertaining to a total of 380 ACS patients was extracted and reviewed, the mean age of the study population was 57.49 years and 73.9% of population was males. Patients with unstable angina accounted for 56.6% of the admissions whereas 23.4% and 20% of the patients were admitted for ST‐elevation myocardial infarction and non‐ST‐segment elevation infarct respectively. 95.7% of the patients received antiplatelets comprising of at least aspirin, and 82% received aspirin plus clopidogrel. Furthermore, 80.3% of the patients received a beta‐blocker at discharge, 95% a statin and 69.7% received either an ACEI or ARB. Compared with patients who presented with myocardial infarction (with or without ST‐segment elevation), those presenting with unstable angina were less likely to receive the combination of aspirin plus clopidogrel or an ACEI/ARB at discharge. Patients over 65 years of age were also less likely to receive a beta‐blocker at discharge, compared with younger patients.

Conclusions

There is a good adherence to evidence‐based guidelines for the secondary prevention of ACS in this local setting. However, there is some potential underutilization in the older population and patients presenting with unstable angina.
Overlap between functional GI disorders and other functional syndromes: what are the underlying mechanisms?
Authors: Kim S. E. , Chang L.
Published: August 2012

Abstract  Background  Irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal (GI) and non‐GI disorders such as functional dyspepsia, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint disorder, interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome are known as functional pain syndromes. They commonly coexist within the same individual. The pathophysiologic mechanisms of these disorders are not well understood, but it has been hypothesized that they share a common pathogenesis.

Purpose  The objective of this review is to discuss the proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms, which have been similarly studied in these conditions. These mechanisms include enhanced pain perception, altered regional brain activation, infectious etiologies, dysregulations in immune and neuroendocrine function, and genetic susceptibility. Studies suggest that these functional disorders are multifactorial, but factors which increase the vulnerability of developing these conditions are shared.
Effects of altered α‐ and β‐branch carotenoid biosynthesis on photoprotection and whole‐plant acclimation of Arabidopsis to photo‐oxidative stress
Authors: CALIANDRO ROSANNA , NAGEL KERSTIN A. , KASTENHOLZ BERND , BASSI ROBERTO , LI ZHIRONG , NIYOGI KRISHNA K. , POGSON BARRY J. , SCHURR ULRICH , MATSUBARA SHIZUE
Published: August 2012

Functions of α‐ and β‐branch carotenoids in whole‐plant acclimation to photo‐oxidative stress were studied in Arabidopsis thaliana wild‐type (wt) and carotenoid mutants, lutein deficient (lut2, lut5), non‐photochemical quenching1 (npq1) and suppressor of zeaxanthin‐less1 (szl1) npq1 double mutant. Photo‐oxidative stress was applied by exposing plants to sunflecks. The sunflecks caused reduction of chlorophyll content in all plants, but more severely in those having high α‐ to β‐branch carotenoid composition (α/β‐ratio) (lut5, szl1npq1). While this did not alter carotenoid composition in wt or lut2, which accumulates only β‐branch carotenoids, increased xanthophyll levels were found in the mutants with high α/β‐ratios (lut5, szl1npq1) or without xanthophyll‐cycle operation (npq1, szl1npq1). The PsbS protein content increased in all sunfleck plants but lut2. These changes were accompanied by no change (npq1, szl1npq1) or enhanced capacity (wt, lut5) of NPQ. Leaf mass per area increased in lut2, but decreased in wt and lut5 that showed increased NPQ. The sunflecks decelerated primary root growth in wt and npq1 having normal α/β‐ratios, but suppressed lateral root formation in lut5 and szl1npq1 having high α/β‐ratios. The results highlight the importance of proper regulation of the α‐ and β‐branch carotenoid pathways for whole‐plant acclimation, not only leaf photoprotection, under photo‐oxidative stress.
Histopathological assessment of wheat seedling tissues infected by Fusarium pseudograminearum
Authors: Knight N. L. , Sutherland M. W.
Published: August 2012

Histopathological assessment of infection by the crown rot pathogen Fusarium pseudograminearum in wheat seedling tissues was performed using fluorescence microscopy. The coleoptiles and leaf sheaths of four host cultivars of differing susceptibility were examined. Leaf sheaths were most frequently penetrated via stomata, indicated by initial lesions forming at the guard cells. Internally, cell wall penetration was facilitated by penetration structures which appeared as hyphal swellings or septate foot‐shaped appressoria. Colonization of leaf sheaths resulted in the re‐emergence of hyphae from stomata on both surfaces of the sheath. These hyphae are hypothesized to have two major roles; first as exploratory hyphae for colonization of new tissues, and secondly as sites of profuse conidial production. The formation of conidia on the leaf sheath surface was only recorded on the most susceptible bread wheat genotype. No other major differences in host–pathogen interactions were observed among these cultivars. Almost all cell types in the leaf sheath tissues were extensively colonized, except for the vascular bundles and silica cells. This investigation provides the first comprehensive assessment of F. pseudograminearum infection structures and growth patterns during the infection of wheat seedlings.
Trends in the uptake of voluntary counselling and testing for HIV in rural Tanzania in the context of the scale up of antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Isingo Raphael , Wringe Alison , Todd Jim , Urassa Mark , Mbata Doris , Maiseli Griter , Manyalla Rose , Changalucha John , Mngara Julius , Mwinuka Ester , Zaba Basia
Published: July 2012

Objectives  To describe trends in voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) use and to assess whether high‐risk and infected individuals are receiving counselling and learning their HIV status in rural Tanzania.

Methods  During two rounds of linked serological surveys (2003–2004 and 2006–2007) with anonymous HIV testing among adults, VCT was offered to all participants. The crude and adjusted odds ratios for completing VCT in each survey were calculated to compare uptake by demographic, behavioural and clinical characteristics, stratified by sex. Repeat testing patterns were also investigated.

Results  The proportion of participants completing VCT increased from 10% in 2003–2004 to 17% in 2006–2007, and among HIV‐infected persons from 14% to 25%. A higher proportion of men than women completed VCT in both rounds, but the difference declined over time. Socio‐demographic and behavioural factors associated with VCT completion were similar across rounds, including higher adjusted odds of VCT with increasing numbers of sexual partners in the past 12 months. The proportion having ever‐completed VCT reached 26% among 2006–2007 attendees, with repeat testing rates highest among those aged 35–44 years. Among 3923 participants attending both rounds, VCT completion in 2006–2007 was 17% among 3702 who were HIV negative in both rounds, 19% among 124 who were HIV infected in both rounds and 22% among 96 who seroconverted between rounds.

Conclusion  VCT services are attracting HIV‐infected and high‐risk individuals. However, 2 years after the introduction of antiretroviral therapy, the overall uptake remains low. Intensive mobilisation efforts are needed to achieve regular and universal VCT use.
Epidemiology of human furuncular myiasis of Cordylobia anthropophaga (Grunberg) in Nigeria
Authors: Ogbalu Ogugua K. , Achufusi Ted George Ody , Orlu Eme E.
Published: August 2012

Two hundred people were randomly selected for myiasis infection in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, except in some states where we did not get the stipulated number (200) to sample. In each of the six states sampled within the Niger Delta in 2009, 88% of 200 patients examined in Rivers State had the Cordylobia infection followed by Cross Rivers State (> 86%), Bayelsa (> 84%) while Edo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states showed higher than 82% infection in that order. Our findings showed that women, children, and infants are commonly affected by furuncular myiasis irrespective of skin color, age, blood group, race, sex, genotype, etc. Infection due to C. anthropophaga occurs throughout the year; the rate of infection is higher during the rainy season (when humidity is normally higher) than the dry seasons. Most cases of human myiasis are not reported but treated locally. The Niger Delta populace (especially the areas sampled) consists of people with diverse occupations; some are fishermen, traders, farmers, and refuse disposers. They move from one place to another predisposed to myiasis‐causing agents due to the types of work they do. Two major categories of people based on skin color (i.e., white and black skinned) are recognized for this research. People with albinism are also part of the colored African group, however, according to the data, there does not seem to be any difference between them and others. Cordylobia infection is a neglected disease of the Niger Delta region. Therefore, there was the need to know the spread and factors that promote spreading as well as populations of the myiasis‐causing agent in the Niger Delta. The data presented here provides good travel information to the Niger Delta region as well as other parts of Nigeria. Human furuncular myiasis affects neonates ranging from 3 to 11 days old, children, and adults in Nigeria. C. anthropophaga maggots penetrate all types of skin; people with albinism, white skin, and black skin. Some of the factors that affect the distribution include unhygienic situations, high humidity, poverty, and use of soiled clothes. Details of our findings are presented.
Molecular ABO phenotyping in cynomolgus macaques using real‐time quantitative PCR
Authors: Premasuthan A. , Ng J. , Kanthaswamy S. , Trask J. S. , Houghton P. , Farkas T. , Sestak K. , Smith D. G.
Published: August 2012

Macaques are commonly used in biomedical research as animal models of human disease. The ABO phenotype of donors and recipients plays an important role in the success of transplantation and stem cell research of both human and macaque tissue. Traditional serological methods for ABO phenotyping can be time consuming, provide ambiguous results and/or require tissue that is unavailable or unsuitable. We developed a novel method to detect the A, B, and AB phenotypes of macaques using real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. This method enables the simple and rapid screening of these phenotypes in macaques without the need for fresh blood or saliva. This study reports the distribution of the A, B, and AB phenotypes of captive cynomolgus macaques that, while regionally variable, closely resembles that of rhesus macaques. Blood group B, as in rhesus macaques, predominates in cynomolgus macaques and its frequency distribution leads to a probability of major incompatibility of 41%. No silencing mutations have been identified in exon 6 or 7 in macaques that could be responsible for the O phenotype, that, although rare, have been reported. The excess homozygosity of rhesus and cynomolgus macaque genotypes in this study, that assumes the absence of the O allele, suggests the possibility of some mechanism preventing the expression of the A and B transferases.
A novel HLA‐A31 allele, A*31:22, was identified by sequence‐based typing
Authors: Zhang W. ‐W. , Li X. ‐F. , Zhang X. , Li J. ‐P. , Li Z. ‐Q.
Published: August 2012

The human leukocyte antigen HLA‐A*31:22 allele shows a single nucleotide change at position 245 (A > C) of exon 2 from the closest matching allele HLA‐A*31:01:02.
Social support and social strain in inter‐episode bipolar disorder
Authors: Eidelman Polina , Gershon Anda , Kaplan Katherine , McGlinchey Eleanor , Harvey Allison G
Published: August 2012

Eidelman P, Gershon A, Kaplan K, McGlinchey E, Harvey AG. Social support and social strain in inter‐episode bipolar disorder.  Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 628–640. © 2012 The Authors.  Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Objectives:  This study focused on social support and social strain and their cross‐sectional associations with instabilities in sleep and social rhythms in inter‐episode bipolar disorder (BD).

Methods:  Thirty‐five adults diagnosed with inter‐episode BD type I and 38 healthy controls completed measures of perceived social support and social strain. Group differences in support and strain were examined. Within the BD group, instabilities in sleep and social rhythms were assessed with 28 days of daily diary and actigraphy. Correlation and regression analyses were used to examine cross‐sectional and prospective associations between social support, social strain, instabilities in sleep and social rhythms, and mood symptoms.

Results:  The BD group reported lower social support and higher social strain than the control group. Additionally, social strain was positively correlated with manic and depressive symptoms in the BD group. Furthermore, there was a cross‐sectional association between social support and more stable sleep on actigraphy in the BD group, although social support did not predict future sleep instability.

Conclusions:  These results indicate that inter‐episode BD is associated with deficient social support and elevated social strain compared to controls, and that this may be due to persistent inter‐episode mood symptoms. Social strain may be particularly important given its association with manic and depressive symptoms. The results also raise the possibility that sleep instability is related to poor social support in BD.
Lanthanum salts improve bone formation in a small animal model of post‐menopausal osteoporosis
Authors: von Rosenberg S. J. , Wehr U. A.
Published: July 2012

Two different lanthanum salts, lanthanum carbonate (LaCO3) and Lancer®, a lanthanide citrate mixture, were tested for their effects on bone metabolism in a small animal model for post‐menopausal osteoporosis. Forty female outbred Wistar Han rats, sham‐operated (SHAM, positive control, n = 10) or ovariectomized (OVX, n = 30) at 4 months of age, were allotted into following groups (n = 10/group): (i) SHAM, (ii) OVX control (negative control), (iii) OVX + LaCO3 (1.74 g/kg feed) and (iv) OVX + Lancer® (8 g/kg feed). Effects on bone were investigated by bone markers [osteocalcin (Oc) in serum and excretion of pyridinoline (PYD) in urine] and by physical parameters of bone structure and bone composition (bone mass, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium content in bone crude ash). Bone micro‐architecture and bone mineral density were evaluated by peripheral quantitative computed tomography and micro‐computed tomography (μCT). The animal model could be validated by differences between OVX control and SHAM. Body mass and feed intake were the same among the four groups. Oc was clearly increased in the two experimental groups (p < 0.001) vs. SHAM and OVX control. Bone mass and calcium content in bone ash were significantly higher than in OVX control. The Ca/P ratio in bone ash of the two lanthanide groups did not differ from SHAM. Bone‐protecting effects of lanthanides were clearly demonstrated by an increased trabecular density which is the region of interest for osteoporotic bone loss. A 3D imaging of bone micro‐architecture by μCT visualized descriptively the positive effects of lanthanides on bone formation. The results of this study demonstrate an improvement of bone formation and bone‐protecting effects of lanthanides in the OVX rat. Thus, lanthanum salts suggest a prevention of post‐menopausal bone loss and may be of benefit in experimental osteopenia following ovariectomy.
Simultaneous Detection of Four Banana Viruses by Multiplex PCR
Authors: Liu Fuxiu , Feng Lixia , Chen Xiu , Han Yuchun , Li Weidong , Xu Wei , Cai Bo , Lin Mingguang
Published: August 2012

Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV) and Banana streak virus (BSV) are four viruses known to infect banana corp. On the basis of the establishment of the optimal PCR and reverse transcription (RT)‐PCR for the detection of a single virus, a quadruplex RT‐PCR method that employed virus‐specific primers was developed for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of all the four viruses in banana. Several sets of primers for each target virus were evaluated for their sensitivity and specificity by simplex and quadruplex RT‐PCR. The assay was then validated using banana samples infected with one or more viruses collected from fields and tissue‐culture banana industries in Hainan Island.
A Chinese version of the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q‐sort scale for measuring patients' perception on nurses' caring behaviours: Reliability and validity assessment
Authors: Chen Shu‐Yu , Yen Wen‐Jiuan , Lin Yen‐Ju , Lee Chiu‐Hsiang , Lu Ying‐Chi
Published: July 2012

A reliable and valid instrument for understanding patients' perceptions of nurses' caring behaviour as well as assessing the quality of nursing care is necessary. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a Chinese version of the Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q‐sort (CARE‐Q) Scale for the measurement of patients' perceptions of nurses' caring behaviours. The study sample comprised 250 patients from a medical centre in central Taiwan. Content validity, construct validity, internal consistency and stability reliability were assessed. The Content Validity Index of the Chinese version of CARE‐Q was 0.90. Cronbach's alpha indicated good internal consistency reliability. Stability reliabilities for the six subscales ranged from 0.83 to 0.92. The results reveal that the Chinese version of the CARE‐Q scale for the measurement of patients' perceptions on nurses' caring behaviours indicates high reliability (internal consistency and stability) and good content validity.
The effect of the one‐to‐one interaction process with group supportive psychotherapy on the levels of hope, anxiety and self‐care practice for patients that have experienced organ loss: An alternative nursing care model
Authors: Ruchiwit Manyat
Published: July 2012

This quasi‐experimental research examined the effect of the one‐to‐one interaction process with group supportive psychotherapy on the levels of hope, anxiety and self‐care practice for patients that have experienced organ loss. Eighty patients from the hospital units were selected by matched pairs and paired according to gender, interval of age, type and time length of organ loss. Simple‐random sampling was used to allocate each subject in the experimental and control groups, which consisted of 40 pairs. Questionnaires included hope, anxiety and self‐care practice assessments. The experimental treatments consisted of the one‐to‐one interaction process with group psychotherapy. The results showed that the patients that received treatments in the experimental group had higher mean scores regarding the differences in levels of hope, anxiety and self‐care practice than those in the control group. This integrative approach is an alternative method for giving patients self‐confidence in their self‐care practice, in maintaining hope and in reducing anxiety. The method assisted patients in understanding their own problems and corrective actions so that they could be accepted by others by exchanging their feelings, thoughts, opinions and experiences through confrontation and self‐exploration both individually and in group.
A person‐centred lifestyle change intervention model: Working with older people experiencing chronic illness
Authors: Glass Nel , Moss Cheryle , Ogle K Robyn
Published: July 2012

A person‐centred health promotion model of care to improve self‐care and lifestyle changes for older people with chronic illnesses is conceptualized in this paper. The model supports effective interpersonal communication with nurses and health‐care consumers and is developed to concept stage. Older people with chronic illnesses who experience stress, anxiety or social isolation are more likely to be admitted and re‐admitted to acute hospitals. Interventions to decrease the risk factors are frequently unsuccessful in this patient group. Programmes, led by nurses, aimed at reducing stress, anxiety and social isolation while supporting older people postdischarge from hospital might be successful. The model integrates research from synthesized case studies and a critical literature review. The practices of interrelating four key elements—‘construct’, ‘context’, ‘process’ and ‘outcome'—are proposed for nurses to assist patients advancing self‐care and lifestyle change. The model is designed for implementation in outpatient, clinic or community settings.
Brains and bravery: Little evidence of a relationship between brain size and flightiness in shorebirds
Authors: GUAY P.‐J. , WESTON M. A. , SYMONDS M. R. E. , GLOVER H. K.
Published: August 2012

The ability of birds to perceive, assess and appropriately respond to the presence of relatively novel threats is important to their survival. We hypothesized that the cognitive capacity of birds will influence their ability for accurate response to novelty. We used brain volume as a surrogate for cognitive capacity and postulated that larger brained birds would moderate their responses when presented with a benign, frequently occurring stimulus, such as a person, because they would habituate more readily. We conducted phylogenetic generalized least square regression to investigate the relationship between brain volume and flight initiation distance (FID; the distance to which a bird can be approached before initiating escape behaviour), while controlling for confounding factors including body size (body mass and wing length) and migration status. We compared seven different models using combinations of these parameters using Akaike's information criterion to determine the best approximating model(s) explaining FID. The two best‐supported models included only wing length and only body mass with Akaike weights of 0.396 and 0.311 respectively. No model including brain volume had an Akaike weight greater than 0.083 and brain volume was poorly correlated with FID in models after controlling for body mass. Thus, brain volume does not appear to strongly relate to bravery among these shorebirds.
Ovarian pregnancy resulting from cryopreserved blastocyst transfer
Authors: Kashima Katsunori , Yahata Tetsuro , Yamaguchi Masayuki , Fujita Kazuyuki , Tanaka Kenichi
Published: July 2012

Ovarian pregnancy very rarely occurs and its exact mechanism is unclear. Here, we report a case of ovarian pregnancy resulting from cryopreserved blastocyst transfer. The patient was a 34‐year‐old woman who had undergone bilateral ovarian cystectomy for endometriosis. Both fallopian tubes indicated normal findings on laparoscopic surgery, and we removed the gestational product of the right ovary. Pathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of right ovarian pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is one of the major complications of in vitro fertilization‐embryo transfer. Although ovarian pregnancy is an extremely rare occurrence, the possibility of developing this event after cryopreserved blastocyst transfer should be recognized.
Savior Siblings, Parenting and the Moral Valorization of Children
Authors: Strong Kimberly , Kerridge Ian , Little Miles
Published: July 2012

Philosophy has long been concerned with ‘moral status’. Discussions about the moral status of children, however, seem often to promote confusion rather than clarity. Using the creation of ‘savior siblings’ as an example, this paper provides a philosophical critique of the moral status of children and the moral relevance of parenting and the role that formative experience, regret and relational autonomy play in parental decisions. We suggest that parents make moral decisions that are guided by the moral significance they attach to children, to sick children and most importantly, to a specific sick child (theirs). This moral valorization is rarely made explicit and has generally been ignored by both philosophers and clinicians in previous critiques. Recognizing this, however, may transform not only the focus of bioethical discourse but also the policies and practices surrounding the care of children requiring bone marrow or cord blood transplantation by better understanding the values at stake behind parental decision making.
Growth in Externalizing and Internalizing Problems in Childhood: A Prospective Study of Psychopathology Across Three Generations
Authors: Capaldi Deborah M. , Pears Katherine C. , Kerr David C. R. , Owen Lee D. , Kim Hyoun K.
Published: August 2012

Three generations of participants were assessed over approximately 27 years, and intergenerational prediction models of growth in the third generation’s (G3) externalizing and internalizing problems across ages 3–9 years were examined. The sample included 103 fathers and mothers (G2), at least 1 parent (G1) for all of the G2 fathers (99 mothers, 72 fathers), and 185 G3 offspring (83 boys, 102 girls) of G2, with prospective data available on the G2 fathers beginning at age 9 years. Behavior of the G2 mother, along with father contact and mother age at birth were included in the models. Intergenerational associations in psychopathology were modest, and much of the transmission occurred via contextual risk within the family of procreation.
Opposition to Antiracism Laws Across Swiss Municipalities: A Multilevel Analysis
Authors: Sarrasin Oriane , Green Eva G. T. , Fasel Nicole , Christ Oliver , Staerklé Christian , Clémence Alain
Published: July 2012

Public opposition to antiracism laws—an expression of prejudice toward immigrants—is widespread in Switzerland as well as in other European countries. Using data from the European Social Survey 2002 (N = 1,711), the present study examined across Swiss municipalities individual and contextual predictors of opposition to such laws and of two well‐established antecedents of prejudice: perceived threat and intergroup contact. The study extends multilevel research on immigration attitudes by investigating the role of the ideological climate prevailing in municipalities (conservative vs. progressive), in addition to structural features of municipalities. Controlling for individual‐level determinants, stronger opposition to antiracism laws was found in more conservative municipalities, while the proportion of immigrants was positively related to intergroup contact. Furthermore, in conservative municipalities with a low proportion of immigrants, fewer intergroup contacts were reported. In line with prior research, intergroup contact decreased prejudiced policy stances through a reduction of perceived threat. Overall, this study highlights the need to include normative and ideological features of local contexts in the analysis of public reactions toward immigrants.
ASPIRing to Mitigate Climate Change: Superordinate Identity in Global Climate Negotiations
Authors: Batalha Luisa , Reynolds Katherine J.
Published: July 2012

The issues surrounding rising levels of atmospheric CO2 and climate change have become part of the collective conscious and the vernacular of world leaders, media, and the public alike. Despite the widespread concern and attention, attempts to achieve a global commitment to mitigate climate change are failing. In this article, we suggest that the Actualizing Social and Personal Identity Resources model (ASPIRe; Haslam, Eggins, & Reynolds, 2003), developed to help organizations become more sustainable and productive, can promote more efficient negotiations in matters of global environmental concern. Using this model as a framework, the dynamics of the United Nations (UN) meeting in Copenhagen are scrutinized along with suggestions for how to structure future negotiations. Building on an understanding of existing UN‐type committee structures, it is argued that as the interests of individual nations and those of like‐minded other nations (subgroup interests) become the real basis for decision making on the issue of climate change the more likely it is that a higher‐order superordinate identity will emerge, which promotes aligned action. To date, the psychological aspects of social and behavioral change have been neglected, which could be a factor in explaining the lack of coordinated action on climate change.
What Is and Is Not Ethnocentrism? A Conceptual Analysis and Political Implications
Authors: Bizumic Boris , Duckitt John
Published: July 2012

Conceptual analysis has not been systematically implemented in psychology, and many concepts have often been defined in different and contradictory ways. This article focuses on a conceptual clarification of ethnocentrism. It points out the conceptual confusion surrounding the term, reviews numerous definitions and operationalizations, and attempts to clarify it. Ethnocentrism is reconceptualized as a strong sense of ethnic group self‐centeredness, which involves intergroup expressions of ethnic group preference, superiority, purity, and exploitativeness, and intragroup expressions of ethnic group cohesion and devotion. It is conceptually and empirically distinguished from other concepts, such as outgroup negativity and mere ingroup positivity. The article presents a theoretical framework and related empirical analyses supporting the usefulness of reconceptualized ethnocentrism. It also details important and unique implications of reconceptualized ethnocentrism for political phenomena. It is expected that reliance on the clarified reconceptualization should enable researchers to systematically study ethnocentrism, its origins, and consequences.
Presumptions in Legal Argumentation
Authors: MACAGNO FABRIZIO , WALTON DOUGLAS
Published: August 2012

In this paper a theoretical definition that helps to explain how the logical structure of legal presumptions is constructed by applying the Carneades model of argumentation developed in artificial intelligence. Using this model, it is shown how presumptions work as devices used in evidentiary reasoning in law in the event of a lack of evidence to assist a chain of reasoning to move forward to prove or disprove a claim. It is shown how presumptions work as practical devices that may be useful in cases in which there is insufficient evidence to prove the claim to an appropriate standard of proof.
Social and Justified Legal Normativity: Unlocking the Mystery of the Relationship
Authors: RODRIGUEZ‐BLANCO VERONICA
Published: August 2012

Can Hart's non‐cognitivism be reconciled with his rejection of the predictive and sanction‐based explanations of law? This paper analyses Hart's notion of the internal point of view and focuses on the notion of acceptance of a rule along the lines of a non‐cognitivist understanding of intentional actions. It is argued that a non‐cognitivist analysis of acceptance of rules is incomplete and parasitic on a more basic or primary model of acceptance that does not involve mental states. This basic or primary model of acceptance explains actions in terms of other actions and in terms of reasons for actions that are both presented as good‐making characteristics and transparent to the agent. If Hart's internal point of view is able to work as the key argument to reject predictive and sanction‐based explanations of law, it needs to make the outward approach of intentional action basic or primary rather than rely on an inward approach such as the one advanced by non‐cognitivism.
A note on mean testing for high dimensional multivariate data under non‐normality
Authors: Rauf Ahmad M. , von Rosen Dietrich , Singull Martin
Published: August 2012

A test statistic is considered for testing a hypothesis for the mean vector for multivariate data, when the dimension of the vector, p, may exceed the number of vectors, n, and the underlying distribution need not necessarily be normal. With n,p→∞, and under mild assumptions, but without assuming any relationship between n and p, the statistic is shown to asymptotically follow a chi‐square distribution. A by product of the paper is the approximate distribution of a quadratic form, based on the reformulation of the well‐known Box's approximation, under high‐dimensional set up. Using a classical limit theorem, the approximation is further extended to an asymptotic normal limit under the same high dimensional set up. The simulation results, generated under different parameter settings, are used to show the accuracy of the approximation for moderate n and large p.
Dictators as Founding Fathers? The Role of Constitutions Under Autocracy
Authors: Albertus Michael , Menaldo Victor
Published: August 2012

This article advances a theory of why autocratic coalitions adopt constitutions. We argue that autocratic rulers adopt constitutions in the nascent stages of an autocratic coalition taking power, when uncertainty about leader intentions is high. Constitutions can serve to consolidate a new distribution of power, allowing a launching organization (LO) to codify and defend their rights. Autocratic coalitions that adopt constitutions should therefore last longer in power than those that do not. Using new data compiled on constitutions created under autocracy in Latin America from 1950 to 2002, we show that autocratic coalitions who adopt and operate under constitutions extend their survival. This result holds after controlling for the presence of other autocratic institutions, country fixed effects, and after using an instrumental variables strategy to address reverse causation. A case study of Mexico details the mechanism by which this relationship between constitutions and stability occurs.
Minorities and Democratization
Authors: Epstein David , Leventoğlu Bahar , O'halloran Sharyn
Published: August 2012

We analyze the process of democratization in a polity with groups that are divided along ethnic as well as economic lines. We show that: (i) the presence of ethnic minorities, in general, makes peaceful democratic transitions less likely; (ii) minorities suffer from discriminatory policies less in democracies with intermediate levels of income inequality; and (iii) in new democracies with low levels of income inequality, politics is divided along ethnic lines, and at greater levels of inequality economic cleavages predominate.
Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates: Trafficking Victims?
Authors: Vlieger Antoinette
Published: July 2012

This paper is a response to R. Jureidini's “Trafficking and contract migrant workers in the Middle East”, published in International Migration. Jureidini discusses the difficulty of establishing whether migrant domestic workers are victims of trafficking. He discusses the questions of (i) whether trafficking can be determined ex post or whether it must also be ex ante, and (ii) whether there must be a proven intent to engage in trafficking. On the basis of data concerning domestic workers in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, I argue that they often are victims of trafficking. In these two countries, forced confinement and exploitation do not concern individual cases, but standard labour conditions. Agents in the countries of origin regularly misinform or even deceive domestic workers, while agents in the countries of destination actively stimulate confinement and exploitation. Furthermore, the lack of prosecution of traffickers is not caused by legal obscurities, but by societal issues. The paper concludes with some policy suggestions to better address the issue of trafficking.
Liberalism and nationalism in Russia. Boris Chicherin as a modernist nationalist
Authors: Rabow‐Edling Susanna
Published: August 2012

This article investigates the link between nationalism and liberalism in Russia by looking at the way the leading spokesman of early Russian liberalism, Boris Chicherin, combined liberal ideas with notions of nation‐building and the idea of the nation as a modernising phenomenon. The article argues that the young Chicherin, at least in the formative years of the 1850s, had an instrumental approach to liberalism. Liberalism served a specific purpose – to integrate the people and shape a community of active citizens so that Russia could modernise. Chicherin was concerned with the formation of a modern nation‐state rather than the establishment of popular rule or political rights. In this sense, his thinking fits well into what, in the context of the Ottoman Empire, has been called modernist nationalism.
Genome resequencing reveals multiscale geographic structure and extensive linkage disequilibrium in the forest treePopulus trichocarpa
Authors: Slavov Gancho T. , DiFazio Stephen P. , Martin Joel , Schackwitz Wendy , Muchero Wellington , Rodgers‐Melnick Eli , Lipphardt Mindie F. , Pennacchio Christa P. , Hellsten Uffe , Pennacchio Len A. , Gunter Lee E. , Ranjan Priya , Vining Kelly , Pomraning Kyle R. , Wilhelm Larry J. , Pellegrini Matteo , Mockler Todd C. , Freitag Michael , Geraldes Armando , El‐Kassaby Yousry A. , Mansfield Shawn D. , Cronk Quentin C. B. , Douglas Carl J. , Strauss Steven H. , Rokhsar Dan , Tuskan Gerald A.
Published: August 2012

See also the Commentary by Lexer and Stölting
Factor structure of the Communicator Styles Measure (CSM) when used with undergraduate health science students
Authors: Brown Ted , Boyle Malcolm , Williams Brett , Molloy Andrew , McKenna Lisa , Palermo Claire , Molloy Liz
Published: July 2012

Scand J Caring Sci; 2013; 27; 363–372

Factor structure of the Communicator Styles Measure (CSM) when used with undergraduate health science students

Background: It is important for educators to consider the communication skills of students enrolled in health science programmes. To date, research into this area is limited, and having measures that are valid and reliable would assist educators and researchers to complete high‐quality investigations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure of Communicator Styles Measure.

Method: Data from the Communicator Styles Measure completed by 860 undergraduate health science students enrolled in eight different courses at an Australian university (response rate of 59%) were analysed using principal component analysis with varimax rotation and a cluster analysis using elementary linkage analysis. The Communicator Styles Measure is a self‐report scale consisting of 40 items designed to assess ten communication styles and one’s perception of his/her ability to communicate.

Results: Communicator Styles Measure items loaded onto five new viable factors labelled personable, energetic, confident, open and confronting. Six items of the original 40 from the Communicator Styles Measure did not load onto any factor and were therefore considered redundant.

Conclusion: The original factor structure proposed by the Communicator Styles Measure’s author was not supported, which calls into question its construct validity. However, the five new factors identified in this study may be useful for researchers and educators when assessing the communication skills of students and practitioners. Further investigation into the construct validity and reliability of the five new Communicator Styles Measure factors is recommended.
Parental interaction with infants treated with medical technology
Authors: Lantz Björn , Ottosson Cornelia
Published: August 2012

Background:  It is well established that parents must interact with their new‐born babies to facilitate attachment. However, very little is known about how parents perceive different types of medical technology products commonly used in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as barriers to their wish to interact with their infants.

Aim:  This study aims to examine to what extent the different medical technology products commonly used in the NICU are perceived by parents to be obstacles in their wish to interact with their babies.

Design and methods:  In 2010, a cross‐sectional survey, using a questionnaire specifically developed for this study, was conducted among the parents of children who were discharged from any of the five NICUs of the Västra Götaland region in Sweden. A consecutive sample of 248 parents participated, and multiple regressions and t‐tests were used to analyse the data.

Results:  The parents generally perceived the various medical technology products differently, according to the perceived level of obstruction. The variables of gender, age, educational level, origin, gestational age, previous experience of being a parent, and the offer of accommodation at the NICU were significantly associated with the perceived level of obstruction in the parents’ wish to interact with their baby while the baby was being treated with different medical technology products.

Conclusion:  The primary implication for practice is that to facilitate attachment, nurses should involve different categories of parents in different ways in the care of their children, depending on the equipment being used in the treatment of the children. Thus, the individual care plan should explicitly include the details of the specific medical equipment, because although its use is medically beneficial for the child, it is associated with potential liabilities regarding parent–child interaction and, consequently, regarding parent–child attachment.
The psycho‐social dimension of pain and health‐related quality of life in the oldest old
Authors: Willman Anna , Petzäll Kerstin , Östberg Anna‐Lena , Hall‐Lord Marie Louise
Published: August 2012

Background:  Chronic pain has an impact on the physical and social functioning of older people which in turn may worsen their health‐related quality of life. Research with focus on prolonged extensive pain in the most elderly and how pain may interfere with their life situation is scarce.

Aims:  The aims were to describe and investigate pain from a multidimensional point of view (duration, location, psycho‐social) and health‐related quality of life as well as to compare sex and age groups in people aged 80 years and over.

Methods:  In this cross‐sectional study, a total of 225 of 282 people responded to a questionnaire consisting of two instruments and background questions. The psycho‐social dimension of pain was measured using the Multidimensional Pain Inventory–Swedish language version (MPI‐S) with five scales: Pain Severity, Interference, Life Control, Affective Distress and Social Support. Health‐related quality of life was measured using the Short Form Health Survey‐12 (SF‐12).

Results:  Median duration of pain was 9.0 years, and the mean number of pain locations was 2.04. The MPI‐S scale Interference with a negative orientation had the highest mean score, while the mean score for Social Support was the highest for the scales with a positive orientation. The duration of pain was significantly greater for women, and those aged 80–85 years had higher pain severity than those aged ≥86. Participants with a lower health‐related quality of life experienced significantly more severe pain, were more troubled with pain and had less control of their life.

Conclusions:  Older people with prolonged pain suffered from a low health‐related quality of life. Pain interfered with their lives and contributed to diminished control in their daily lives. Nurses are essential for the identification and prevention of pain and should be aware of how pain affects older people’s physical, mental and social health.
Age‐associated alterations in CD8α+ dendritic cells impair CD8 T‐cell expansion in response to an intracellular bacterium
Authors: Li Gang , Smithey Megan J. , Rudd Brian D. , Nikolich‐Žugich Janko
Published: August 2012

Age‐associated decline in immunity to infection has been documented across multiple pathogens, yet the relative contributions of the aged priming environment and of lymphocyte‐intrinsic defects remain unclear. To address the impact of the aging environment on T‐cell priming, adult naïve OT‐I TCR transgenic CD8 T cells, specific for the H‐2Kb‐restricted immunodominant OVA257‐264 epitope, were transferred into adult or old recipient mice infected with the recombinant intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes carrying the chicken ovalbumin protein (Lm‐OVA). We consistently found that adult OT‐I CD8 expansion was reduced in aged recipient mice, and this correlated with numeric, phenotypic, and functional defects selectively affecting CD8α+ dendritic cells (DC). Following Lm‐OVA infection, aged mice failed to accumulate CD8α+ DC in the spleen, and these cells expressed much lower levels of critical costimulatory molecules in the first three days following infection. Further, aged CD8α+ DC showed impaired uptake of the bacteria at very early time points following infection. Treatment of aged mice with Flt3 ligand (Flt3L) improved the number of DC present in the spleen prior to Lm‐OVA infection, and improved, but did not reconstitute, OT‐I expansion to Lm‐OVA infection. These results suggest that age‐associated changes in antigen uptake, pathogen sensing, and/or antigen presentation contribute to impaired adaptive immune responses to microbial pathogens with aging.
Application technique affects the potential of mineral concentrates from livestock manure to replace inorganic nitrogen fertilizer
Authors: Klop G. , Velthof G. L. , van Groenigen J. W.
Published: August 2012

It has been suggested that mineral concentrates (MCs) produced from livestock manure might partly replace inorganic N fertilizers, thereby further closing the nitrogen (N) cycle. Here, we quantified nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and N loss pathways associated with MCs, compared with inorganic fertilizer and manure. In a 26‐day greenhouse experiment with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), the effects of application technique (surface application vs. injection) and N source (control, two types of MC, three inorganic fertilizers or pig slurry) were compared. We measured yield, ammonia volatilization, nitrous oxide emission and denitrification. With surface application, NUE for MCs (38% for MC1 and 22% for MC2) was significantly lower than for calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN; 61%) and comparable with PS (25%). This was most likely due to higher ammonia emissions. After injection, the NUE of MC was comparable with that of CAN. Denitrification and N2O emission from surface‐applied MC were comparable with those from surface‐applied PS. After injection, MC behaved similarly to inorganic fertilizers. We conclude that MCs should be injected to maximize NUE and to fulfil their potential as inorganic fertilizer replacement. Significant NUE differences between MCs suggest the possibility for further optimization of the MC production process.