bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Appropriate and Appropriated Sites for Elephants: A Case Study of the Making of Museum Objects
Authors: Swinney Geoffrey N.
Published: March 2019

Through a case study of the museum career of a mounted specimen of African elephant, the nature of “museum objects” and sites in which they engage in the construction of meaning are examined. The paper tracks a series of representations through a museum and explores how this representative of the species was appropriated, rematerialized, represented and re-presented in a variety of media to convey new meanings. It analyzes the processes of translation and remediation involved in constructing and mobilizing different kinds of knowledge. The contingent nature of meanings created around the representation of the elephant in different sites and in different media is discussed in the context of recent discourse on materiality and material culture.
Family in the Arabian Peninsula
Authors: Wanucha Elizabeth
Published: March 2019

Though in many ways the demographics and other characteristics of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf follow the proscribed pathways to modernity, the Arab societies in the region have not completely abandoned their traditional characteristics in the wake of modernization and globalization forces. These societies have found a way to consolidate the external and internal pressures and exist somewhere on a four-way spectrum between “modern traditionalism” and “traditional modernism” on one axis, and between “global traditionalism” and “traditionalized globalization” on the other. The Arab societies of the Persian Gulf fit neither into the “cultural maintenance” nor “modernization” category, but exist and thrive in some space in between, making it an interesting area of study in need of more research.
Family Law in the GCC and the Best Interests of the Child
Authors: Möller Lena-Maria
Published: March 2019

This article considers the inclusion of the best interests of the child standard in the family law regimes of Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as its implications for our understanding of families in the Persian Gulf region. Specifically, the degree and ends to which the concept of the best interests of the child have been used in formulating the rules governing domestic child law generally, and parental care in particular, will be investigated. As the best interests of the child standard remains a vague and largely undefined legal concept in all three family codes, the analysis will not limit its focus on statutory approaches to reforming child law. More importantly, this article also considers legal practice in child law and the courts’ interpretation of the best interests of the child standard. In doing so, the article: (i.) discusses how the introduction of the best interests of the child standard has served to reform family law on its codification in Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE; and (ii.) explores what the interpretation of the concept of best interests of the child tells us about changing societal values, family structures, and present-day attitudes towards motherhood and fatherhood in the GCC. I argue that, although the best interests of the child standard has come to influence most aspects of child law in the three countries under review, its usage and meaning remains inconsistent. The concept serves multiple purposes in the area of parental care in particular. What is still missing in all three jurisdictions is a thoroughly grounded and all-encompassing framework to determine the best interests of the child standard and also an understanding of its overall function within family law.
Has ‘Strict Liability’ Given Way to a General ‘Duty to Compensate Harm’ in Czech Law?
Authors: Beran Karel , Elischer David
Published: March 2019

According to the new Civil Code, adopted in the Czech Republic in 2012 (“2012 Civil Code”), ‘strict liability’ (or ‘no-fault liability’) is no longer considered ‘liability’ in the traditional sense of the term. The declared concept of the Civil Code is based on the premise that the notion of ‘liability’ should be limited only to cases where a person can be held liable based on their culpability (fault). All other cases, denoted by the doctrine as the opposite to ‘fault-based liability’ (or more accurately, liability based on culpable conduct), that is, ‘no-fault’ or ‘strict’ liability, are – in actual fact – no longer conceived or designated by the Civil Code as ‘liability’ (in Czech: odpovědnost). They are rather constructed as a legal duty to compensate harm. This begs the question whether unlawfulness can be considered a prerequisite for the duty to compensate harm. The authors argue that the answer to this question depends on what the unlawfulness relates to – whether an unlawful act or an unlawful state of affairs. Their argument builds on the premise that unlawful acts are linked to an individual’s conduct, where both the reason and the will of the individual are present and, as a result, such unlawful acts are based on the individual’s culpability (fault). On the other hand, what is typical of an unlawful state of affairs is that the law has been violated, not because someone acted contrary to it, but rather because the rights of the aggrieved party were infringed. The authors conclude that an unlawful state of affairs is a general legal fact which covers all cases of ‘strict’ (or ‘no-fault’) liability and even a breach of contractual obligations. The authors develop their premise not only within Czech law, but also through comparison with other jurisdictions (France, Germany, and Austria), and analyze the potential of and limits to such approach.
Orientalism in the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Skeet Charlotte Helen
Published: March 2019

This article provides an anti-Orientalist critique of jurisprudence within the European Court of Human Rights. Discussion is located in the context of the longstanding debate over what it is to be “European” and an awareness of how these wider discourses shape rights adjudication at national and intra-national levels in Europe. Argument draws on literature from post-colonial theorists, cultural studies, and feminist legal theory which identify and discuss “Orientalist” discourses to analyse the production of legal knowledge and jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights. The article argues that Orientalist discourses affect the ways that the Court constructs and positions both the claimant and the respondent state in human rights claims. These constructions influence cases involving Muslim claimants and have a particularly negative impact on the outcome of claims by visibly-Muslim women. The final part of the article suggests ways that these negative discourses and constructions can be countered.
Decontextualizing Arabic Music in France and in the United States
Authors: Jaffré Maxime
Published: March 2019

This paper traces the various steps of the redefinition process implemented by Arab musicians performing in France and in the United States. The assembling of Arabic music groups outside their institutional and national borders reveals new patterns and raises several questions: (1) While most Arabic countries do not share the same institutional music traditions, or the same repertoires (Arab-Andalusian vs. maqamat), how can Arabic musicians from different countries assemble outside their institutional and national borders? (2) How can we understand the heterogeneity of repertoires (scholarly and popular) when the musicians come from different traditions and institutions? Can musicians pursue the legacy—and legitimacy—of classical repertoires or do they necessarily have to embrace Arabic pop culture? Finally, (3) while they were part of the elite in their home countries, how are Arab musicians considered outside their musical institutions, in their new countries such as France and the United States? Have they remained elite musicians in the eyes of their new audiences? Or have they simply become ‘popular’ musicians, regardless of the repertoire they play?
Music, Politics and ‘Organic Artists’ during the Arab Spring
Authors: Boubia Amina
Published: March 2019

Music and politics have long been related. In the Middle East, the Arab Spring has shed new light on how artists can become involved as legitimate public figures taking part in crucial political developments. By looking at Tunisia and Morocco, where constitutional reforms took place with different outcomes in that context, I explore the extent to which the Tunisian and Moroccan music scenes contributed to the uprisings. On a theoretical level, I add to the theories of collective action and social movements by drawing on a re-interpretation of Albert Hirschman’s typology, and define an original concept inspired by Antonio Gramsci’s work, namely that of the ‘organic artist’. Relying on song-text and video-clip analysis, in this paper I examine the artists’ (re)actions to unfolding events, (re)actions which illustrate the challenges they faced. Hence, the fact that the music scenes in both Tunisia and Morocco strongly backed the uprisings reflects only part of the reality.
Noise Pollution in Europe: Unpacking a Worryingly “Quiet” Regulatory and Policy Issue
Authors: Pouikli Kleoniki
Published: March 2019

Noise constitutes an unwanted by-product of the use of transport infrastructure and various other social and economic activities, especially in dense urbanized territories, affecting citizens’ health, sleep regime, social behavior and psychological comfort as well as the environment. The Directive 2002/49/ec on the assessment and management of environmental noise (end) sets the legislative background for the prevention of environmental noise and the reduction of its harmful effects on humans putting Member States (ms) in the driving-seat when shaping and implementing noise rules. However, although it was the first comprehensive effort aspiring to carve out a coherent eu-wide noise policy, its fragmented and problematic implementation raises crucial questions about its effectiveness. To this end, except from the end enforcement at national level, emphasis will be given to the noise protective regime emerging from echr and the ECtHR case law as well as to the most recent developments in the field, such as the “smart city” mechanisms for improving acoustic well-being in urban living spaces and the Dutch concept of “environmental distribution policy”.
Dendrochronological analysis and growth patterns of Polylepis reticulata (Rosaceae) in the Ecuadorian Andes
Authors: Alvites C. , Battipaglia G. , Santopuoli G. , Hampel H. , Vázquez R.F. , Matteucci G. , Tognetti R.
Published: March 2019

Relict tree species in the Andean mountains are important sources of information about climate variability and climate change. This study deals with dendroclimatology and growth patterns in Polylepis reticulata Hieron., growing at high elevation (mean of 4000 m a.s.l.) in three sites of the Ecuadorian Andes. The aims of the research were: (i) characterizing tree-ring boundaries; (ii) describing tree-ring patterns of the study sites; (iii) investigating the relationships between climate and radial tree growth; and (iv) determining the spatial correlation between seasonal climatic factors and tree-ring width of P. reticulata. Tree rings were characterized by semi-ring porosity and slight differences in fibre wall thickness between latewood and subsequent earlywood. In all sampling sites, tree rings in heartwood were more clearly visible than in sapwood. Tree-ring width was more related to temperature than to precipitation, with growth being also affected by site conditions and stand structure, as well as other local factors. No significant relationships were found between tree-ring chronologies of P. reticulata and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Vapour Pressure Deficit indices. The study highlights that there is not a clear driving climate factor for radial growth of P. reticulata. Additional research is needed to study growth dynamics of this species and the impacts of local environmental variables.
Representation of Mongols in the Fleur des histoires de la terre d’Orient Illuminated for the Cabrera-Cruïlles Family
Authors: Brigante Brunilde
Published: March 2019

Among the many exotic populations represented in the richly illuminated manuscript of the Fleur des histoires de la terre d’Orient (BnF, n.a.f. 886) the Mongols have clearly been highlighted by the artist who carried out the illustrative cycle. This matches the views expressed in the text by its author, Hayton of Korykos, who stressed the strategic importance of an alliance between Mongols and Christians against the Mameluks of Egypt, who were holding the possession of the Holy Land. In this manuscript, illuminated in Catalonia for a member of the Cabrera-Cruilles families, exoticism is conveyed through the representation of arms and dresses. It is interesting to notice that the Mongols are the only population who is represented with unmistakable distinctive features: the conical hat, and the arch and arrows. In addition to indications based on the miniatures’ style, the iconographic analysis of the armours allows to suggest that the manuscript was produced during the first half of 14th century.
An illustrated catalogue of the Neotropical Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) with new data on primary types
Authors: DE PRINS JURATE , ARÉVALO-MALDONADO HELBER ADRIÁN , DAVIS DONALD R. , LANDRY BERNARD , VARGAS HÉCTOR A. , DAVIS MIGNON M. , BRITO ROSÂNGELA , FOCHEZATO JÚLIA , OHSHIMA ISSEI , MOREIRA GILSON RUDINEI PIRES
Published: March 2019

Gracillariidae leaf miners include 1987 species of poorly studied micromoths for which the majority of the diversity has been described from temperate regions. The Neotropics harbors one of the richest faunas of Gracillariidae, but the rate of taxon descriptions has been slow because of limited sampling and taxonomic activity. In this illustrated catalogue, we provide, for the first time, 476 high resolution illustrations for the 201 species of named gracillariids occurring in the region and revise their classification, newly considering the family-group names Oecophyllembiini stat. nov., Marmarini stat. nov., and Parornichini stat. nov. as tribes of Phyllocnistinae, in the first two cases and Gracillariinae in the last case respectively. Two species, Sauterina hexameris (Meyrick, 1921) comb. nov. and S. phiaropis (Meyrick, 1921) comb. nov., are transferred to Sauterina from Gracillaria. By making taxonomic, distributional, molecular and biological data available in a concise form, we aim to facilitate taxonomic work on Neotropical gracillariids, and in turn to enhance studies in general on poorly studied organisms such as parasitoids from this biogeographical region.
Linking Anomalous Moisture Transport And Drought Episodes in the IPCC Reference Regions
Authors: Drumond Anita , Stojanovic Milica , Nieto Raquel , Vicente-Serrano Sergio Martin , Gimeno Luis
Published: March 2019

Droughts are complex and may be triggered by different mechanisms, such as atmospheric circulation, moisture transport, and thermodynamic processes. Significant research has been completed to characterize precipitation in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reference regions (RRs), but a systematic analysis of atmospheric transport linked to drought episodes is still missing. This article describes a catalog in which the drought episodes over the RRs are identified during 1980–2015, and the role of the moisture transport anomalies from the respective major climatological moisture sources during the most severe meteorological drought episode registered for each RR is analyzed. For each of the 27 RRs defined in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, drought episodes were identified at 1-, 6-, and 12-month time scales through the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). SPEI values were computed using time series of the monthly precipitation and atmospheric evaporative demand (AED) averaged over each RR. The approach, which was applied to both identify the major climatological moisture sources and sinks for each RR and to investigate anomalies in moisture transport during the episode, is based on the Lagrangian flexible particle dispersion model (FLEXPART), integrated with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim) data. For each RR, the following components were analyzed: a) moisture uptake over sources, b) moisture supply from the sources into the RR, and c) moisture supply from the RR into its sink. Although performed for just one case, this analysis illustrates how the moisture transport may impact the RR during extreme conditions. The results are organized in a web page available to the scientific community and stakeholders.
Subseasonal Variations of Stable Isotopes in Tropical Andean Precipitation
Authors: Guy Heather , Seimon Anton , Perry L. Baker , Konecky Bronwen L. , Rado Maxwell , Andrade Marcos , Potocki Mariusz , Mayewski Paul A.
Published: March 2019

The tropical Andes of southern Peru and northern Bolivia have several major mountain summits suitable for ice core paleoclimatic investigations. However, incomplete understanding of the controls on the isotopic (δD, δ18O) composition of precipitation and a paucity of field observations in this region continue to limit ice-core-based paleoclimate reconstructions. This study examines four years of daily observations of δD and δ18O in precipitation from a citizen scientist network on the northeastern margin of the Altiplano, to identify controls on the subseasonal spatiotemporal variability in δ18O during the wet season (November–April). These data provide new insights into modern δ18O variability at high spatial and temporal scales. We identify a regionally coherent subseasonal signal in precipitation δ18O featuring alternating periods of high and low δ18O of 9–27-day duration. This signal reflects variability in precipitation delivery driven by synoptic conditions and closely relates to variations in the strength of the South American low-level jet and moisture availability over the study area. The annual layer of snowpack on the Quelccaya Ice Cap observed in the subsequent dry season retains this subseasonal signal, allowing the development of a snow-pit age model based on precipitation δ18O measurements, and demonstrating how synoptic variability is transmitted from the atmosphere to mountaintop snowpacks along the Altiplano’s eastern margin. This result improves our understanding of the hydrometeorological processes governing δ18O and δD in tropical Andean precipitation and has implications for improving paleoclimate reconstructions from tropical Andean ice cores and other paleoclimate records.
How Mobile Home Residents Understand and Respond to Tornado Warnings
Authors: Liu Brooke Fisher , Egnoto Michael , Lim JungKyu Rhys
Published: March 2019

Mobile home residents experience higher fatality rates from tornadoes than “fixed home” residents. Yet, research on how mobile home residents understand and respond to tornado warnings is lacking. Such research can help meteorologists and their partners better communicate tornado risk. We conducted four surveys with residents of the southeastern United States. This region has the highest concentration of tornado fatalities and killer tornadoes, in part because of the high density of mobile homes. Findings reveal that today’s tornado warning system inadequately prepares mobile home residents to respond safely to tornadoes. The study offers recommendations for how to improve tornado communication for mobile and fixed home residents.
The Characteristics Among Maltreatment, Special Education Service Delivery, and Personnel Preparation
Authors: Miller Deserai , Santos Rosa Milagros
Published: March 2019

Children are experiencing abuse and neglect at alarming rates, and reported cases of maltreatment are increasing every year. Furthermore, children are 4 times more likely to receive special education services if they have experienced abuse and neglect. Multiple calls for action to better support children with special needs who have experienced maltreatment have been developed; however, we must understand what the research says related to the preparation of special education providers to carry out these recommendations. In this literature review, we focused on three areas related to maltreatment: (a) reported and assessed knowledge base of school-based professionals, (b) attitudes and training beliefs of school-based professionals, and (c) access to training opportunities. The findings suggest practitioners feel unprepared, there are limited and insufficient opportunities for preparation, and researchers need to consider different methodology when studying this topic. Practice and research implications are discussed.
Whatever Happened to Councillors? Problematising the Deficiency Narrative in English Local Politics
Authors: Barnett Neil John , Griggs Steven , Howarth David
Published: March 2019

Calls for councillors to change are nothing new, even from staunch defenders of local democracy. But one critical question has been sidestepped: Why have councillors been persistently constructed as a ‘problem’ for local government? This article draws upon Foucault to detect the emergence and sedimentation of an overriding problematisation of councillors. Our genealogical analysis of a range of public commissions and inquiries, policy documents and academic discourses reveals a ‘deficiency narrative’, forged during the managerialist turn in the 1960s and subsequently reframed in the 1990s and 2000s through the lens of community leadership. We show that the exclusions and methodological limits of this imaginary blinker studies of councillors, leaving an unhelpfully normative stance within local government studies. Such deficits also lead to a ‘smoothing out’ of the complexity of local politics, downplay local dynamics and political work, and miss important insights into the practices of local democracy.
Humble Coaches and Their Influence on Players and Teams: The Mediating Role of Affect-Based (but Not Cognition-Based) Trust
Authors: Huynh Ho Phi , Johnson Clint E. , Wehe Hillary
Published: March 2019

Humility is a desirable quality for leaders across different domains, but not much is known about humility in sports coaches. This study integrated positive and organizational psychology to define humility as it pertains to sports coaches and examined humble coaches’ influence on player development and team climate. Additionally, trust was examined as a mediator between coaches’ humility and the two outcomes. Participants ( N = 184; Mage = 23.44, SDage = 8.69; 73.4% women) rated their coaches’ humility and reflected on the coaches’ influence and their team climate. Results indicated that affect-based, but not cognition-based, trust mediated the relationship between humility and coaches’ influence on players and team climate. Theoretical and practical implications for sports coaches are discussed.
Visual impairment and some of ocular problem in nursing home residents
Authors: Yekta Reyhaneh , Hashemi Hassan , Pakzad Reza , Jafari Asieh , Yekta Abbasali , Heravian Javad , Ostadimoghaddam Hadi , Valadkhan Mehrnaz , Khabazkhoob Mehdi
Published: March 2019

We decided to conduct a study to determine the prevalence of visual impairment, blindness, refractive errors, and other visual functions in nursing homes of Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 133 elderly persons were selected from seven nursing homes using proportional-to-size random sampling. A Snellen chart was used to measure visual acuity (VA). Refraction was measured in all participants using autorefractometry and retinoscopy. A cover test was applied to assess ocular deviation. Stereopsis, color vision, and contrast sensitivity were evaluated with distance glasses. The prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of visual impairment (VI) (<20/60), low vision (<20/60 to <20/400), and blindness (⩽20/400) was 41.88% (32.81–50.95), 32.48% (23.87–41.09), and 9.40% (4.03–14.77), respectively, based on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). The prevalence of myopia (spherical equivalent (SE) < −0.5 D), hyperopia (SE < 0.5 D), and astigmatism (cylindrical power < 0.5 D) was 53.50% (44.19–62.58), 36.84% (28.38–46.19), and 86.84% (79.17–91.97), respectively. VI and refractive errors had no association with age and sex ( p-value > .05 for all). The prevalence of other ocular diseases was as follows: cataract 66.06% (57.02–75.09), glaucoma 1.52% (1.85–5.40), one eyed caused by injury 6.10% (2.67–11.67), and corneal opacity 3.81% (1.25–8.68). The prevalence of VI was 4–20 times and the prevalence of cataract was 3–4 times higher in NHRs compared with community-dwelling older people, indicating the grave situation of vision in these people. It is necessary to conduct further studies to find the reasons behind this disparity and perform interventions, including periodic and screening examinations upon entry to nursing homes to decrease the burden of ocular diseases in NHRs.
Foley catheter-assisted six-step thrombectomy technique in the surgical management of renal cell carcinoma with Mayo level II to IV tumor thrombus
Authors: Liu Zhuo , Tang Shiying , Tian Xiaojun , Zhang Shudong , Wang Guoliang , Zhang Hongxian , Ma Lulin
Published: March 2019

Objective

To simplify Foley catheter-assisted thrombectomy to a six-step approach and determine the feasibility and results of this technique for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with a Mayo level II to IV tumor thrombus (TT).

Methods

The surgical records of patients with RCC with a Mayo level II to IV TT treated in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Fifteen patients who underwent radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy with a Foley catheter-assisted procedure were included. Epidemiological and clinicopathological features, operation-related variables, and outcomes were evaluated.

Results

The TTs in all 15 patients were successfully retracted by the Foley catheter. The mean operation time was 420.1 ± 108.9 minutes. The mean intraoperative blood loss and perioperative red blood cell transfusion volumes were 1846.7 ± 1467.8 and 1288.7 ± 1060.6 mL, respectively. Five patients had perioperative complications. The median follow-up time was 9 (range, 0–34) months, and four patients died of the disease.

Conclusions

Simplification of Foley catheter-assisted thrombectomy to a six-step approach results in the probability of avoiding thoracotomy or cardiopulmonary bypass to a certain degree and is associated with fewer complications, less blood loss, and less perioperative red blood cell transfusion. However, experienced surgeons and multidisciplinary cooperation are still needed.
Successful pregnancy with tripterygium glycoside-induced premature ovarian insufficiency: a case report
Authors: Yang Yuan , Ma Xiao-Ling , Zhang Xue-Hong
Published: March 2019

Premature ovarian insufficiency is characterized by reduced ovarian function in a young woman, resulting in an earlier menopause compared with women with normal ovarian function. It is a term that reflects the variable nature of the condition and is substantially less emotive than the formerly used ‘premature ovarian failure’, which suggested a single event in time. Tripterygium glycosides can damage ovarian function and cause infertility. This case report describes a 33-year-old female patient (gravida 0, parity 0) who presented with premature ovarian insufficiency after being treated with tripterygium glycosides for nephrotic syndrome. The woman received oestrogen-progestin replacement therapy (Femoston) and ovulation induction, which resulted in a successful pregnancy. The patient delivered a healthy baby girl. This case demonstrates that it is possible for a woman with tripterygium glycoside-induced premature ovarian insufficiency to become pregnant with the correct therapy.
Current understanding of cortical structure and function in migraine
Authors: Tolner Else A , Chen Shih-Pin , Eikermann-Haerter Katharina
Published: March 2019

Objective

To review and discuss the literature on the role of cortical structure and function in migraine.

Discussion

Structural and functional findings suggest that changes in cortical morphology and function contribute to migraine susceptibility by modulating dynamic interactions across cortical and subcortical networks. The involvement of the cortex in migraine is well established for the aura phase with the underlying phenomenon of cortical spreading depolarization, while increasing evidence suggests an important role for the cortex in perception of head pain and associated sensations. As part of trigeminovascular pain and sensory processing networks, cortical dysfunction is likely to also affect initiation of attacks.

Conclusion

Morphological and functional changes identified across cortical regions are likely to contribute to initiation, cyclic recurrence and chronification of migraine. Future studies are needed to address underlying mechanisms, including interactions between cortical and subcortical regions and effects of internal (e.g. genetics, gender) and external (e.g. sensory inputs, stress) modifying factors, as well as possible clinical and therapeutic implications.
Only 1 in 10 Patients Told to Lose Weight Seek Help From a Health Professional: A Nationally Representative Sample
Authors: de Heer Hendrik ‘Dirk’ , Kinslow Brian , Lane Taylor , Tuckman Ron , Warren Meghan
Published: March 2019

Purpose:

Receiving weight loss advice from a health-care provider has been associated with more weight loss efforts and greater odds of achieving weight loss. However, whether patients seek help from their provider or other health professional with weight loss after receiving advice from them to lose weight is largely unknown.

Design:

Cross-sectional data from the 2011 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Sample:

A total of 3862 overweight/obese adults.

Measures:

Questionnaires asked whether participants received advice to lose weight, and whether they sought health professional’s assistance with weight management. The NHANES 2011 to 2012 was the most recent year both questions were asked.

Analysis:

Accounting for NHANES sampling and design, frequency distributions characterized demographics and proportions. Logistic regressions estimated odds of seeking weight loss help by demographics.

Results:

Of 3682 overweight/obese adults, 1908 were told they were overweight or recommended to lose weight. Of 1908 people, 68% reported weight loss efforts, but only health 10.9% sought a health professional’s help (dietician/nutritionist 4.7%, personal trainer 3.0%, doctor 2.8%). Females, people with health insurance and high health-care utilization had 1.5 to 3.5 times greater odds of seeking help; age, ethnicity, and income were not significantly associated with seeking help with weight management.

Conclusion:

In a nationally representative sample, only 10.9% of overweight/obese adults told to lose weight by a provider sought help from a health professional with weight loss. This underscores the opportunity for greater health professional involvement with weight management beyond giving recommendations.
Anticancer effect of metformin against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine-induced rat mammary carcinogenesis is through AMPK pathway and modulation of oxidative stress markers
Authors: El-Sisi AE , Sokar SS , El-Sayad ME , Moussa EA , Salim EI
Published: March 2019

Objectives:

Metformin, the type 2 anti-diabetes medication, showed antitumor activity both in vivo and in vitro. This study was carried out to investigate the mechanisms behind the metformin anticancer effect against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)-induced mammary carcinogenesis in female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Methods:

Rats received 10 doses of PhIP (75 mg/kg, p.o., days 1–5 and 8–12). Then, rats were treated with metformin for 26 weeks at a dose of 2 mg/ml in drinking water.

Key findings:

Metformin antitumor effect was mediated by increasing the adenosine monophosphate protein kinase (AMPK) activity, liver kinase B1, and decreasing the aromatase and insulin levels compared with the PhIP-administered group. Also, this treatment resulted in a significant decrease in mammary tissue oxidative stress markers and serum lipid profile. In parallel, mammary gland tumors found in PhIP+metformin group were all histologically benign included only (hyperplasia). However, most of the mammary gland tumors found in PhIP group were histologically malignant.

Conclusions:

These results showed that metformin antitumor effect was mediated through AMPK pathway, reducing oxidative stress and serum lipid levels. This study supports the potential benefit of using metformin as adjuvant therapy during breast cancer treatment.
Bond–Equity Yield Ratio Market Timing in Emerging Markets
Authors: Dimic Nebojsa , Orlov Vitaly , Äijö Janne
Published: March 2019

This article investigates the market timing ability of the bond–equity yield ratio (BEYR) from an international investor perspective. Consolidating data on emerging markets, we document no major international evidence that BEYR-based investing strategies, namely extreme values, thresholds and moving averages, provide higher risk-adjusted returns than benchmark buy-and-hold portfolios. However, we develop new augmented BEYR indicators by introducing the notion of US bonds as a safe investment relative to emerging market stocks and bonds. Dynamic strategies based on our augmented BEYR indicators produce significant gains in risk-adjusted returns compared with traditional BEYR and buy-and-hold benchmark strategies.

JEL Classifications: G11, G12, G15
Do New Brooms Sweep Clean? Evidence that New CEOs Take a ‘Big Bath’ in the Banking Industry
Authors: Shen Chung-Hua , Wang Chien-An
Published: March 2019

This study investigates whether significant changes exist in providing loan losses and loan charge-offs during turnovers of chief executive officers (CEOs). Providing loan losses is referred to as a ‘big bath in earnings’, and providing loan charge-offs is referred to as a ‘big bath in asset quality’. We classify CEO turnovers into three types, namely, forced and voluntary CEO turnovers in privately owned banks (POB), turnovers in government-owned banks (GOB) and turnovers as outcomes of mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Using findings based on the data of Taiwanese commercial banks, we demonstrate that the forcibly appointed CEOs exhibit big baths in earnings and asset quality, whereas the voluntarily appointed CEOs exhibit a big bath in earnings but not in asset quality. Compared with the CEO turnover in a POB, the appointed CEO in a GOB shows no big bath in either earnings or asset quality. Moreover, turnovers resulting from M&As do not induce big baths.

JEL Classification: C23, G21, G28, M41, M48
Utilization of Palliative Care for Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation During Hospitalization: A Population-Based National Study
Authors: Han Hedong , Liu Yuzhou , Qin Yuchen , Guo Wei , Ruan Yiming , Wu Cheng , Cao Yang , He Jia
Published: March 2019

Objective:

Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have substantial physical and psychological symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of palliative care (PC) in patients undergoing HSCT during hospitalization.

Methods:

The 2008-2014 National Inpatient Sample was queried for eligible participants. Demographics, hospital characteristics, comorbidities, posttransplantation complications, and inpatient procedures were compared between patients with and without PC. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify predictors associated with PC use.

Results:

Among 21 458 patients undergoing HSCT during hospitalization, 278 (1.30%) received PC. The rate of PC use has significantly increased from 0.64% in 2008 to 1.95% in 2014. Patients receiving PC had more co-comorbidities, posttransplantation complications, inpatient procedures, and were more likely to carry a diagnosis of leukemia. In allogeneic HSCT, large bed size (odds ratio [OR] =2.80; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-6.70), stem cell source from cord blood (OR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.15-3.24), and graft-versus-host disease (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.36-3.06) were predictors of PC use. In a subset analysis of 783 patients who died during hospitalization, 166 (21.20%) received PC. Among the decedents, Hispanic race had lower odds of PC use (OR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.05-0.82) in allogeneic HSCT and women had higher odds of PC (OR = 2.70; 95% CI: 1.35-5.41) in autologous HSCT.

Conclusions:

The rate of PC use has significantly increased among patients undergoing HSCT during hospitalization from 2008 to 2014 but still remains very low. Further investigation is warranted to verify and better understand the barriers toward PC use for HSCT patients.
When Everyone Works Harder for Fewer Rewards, Is It Fair? Implications of “Organization-Wide Hardship” for Managing and Studying Organizational Fairness
Authors: Levi Ariel , Shapiro Debra L. , Fried Yitzhak , Markoczy Livia , Noghani Farzaneh
Published: March 2019

As organizations compete in an increasingly global and challenging environment, “working” often requires working harder for fewer rewards. In this article, we introduce the concept of “organization-wide hardship,” which refers to workforce-shared hardship that results from an organization’s pursuit of a strategy associated with its industry-positioning goals. We propose a model for predicting and explaining employees’ reactions to organization-wide hardship. Our analysis and model make several contributions to the justice literature. First, we highlight the importance of organization-wide hardship (associated with pay freezes or pay cuts, increased working hours, or reduced work–family balance) as a potential contributor to the experience of low fairness for all employees in the organization. Second, we argue that research on the effects of management accounts (explanations) for their decisions should be extended by considering the effects of accounts from nonmanagement sources. Third, we highlight the potentially paradoxical effects of providing external (rather than internal) accounts to employees as these likely heighten the hardship’s perceived fairness yet also heighten employees’ concern for their organization’s future and hence their intended or actual turnover. Fourth, our article’s theorizing adds a temporal (future-oriented) perspective to the largely past-oriented perspective of organizational justice–related theorizing and research. We discuss the implications of our model for organizations and leaders and scholars who aim to study employees’ reactions to organization-wide hardship.
Prevalence and Safety of Left-Footed Driving Following Right Foot Surgery Patients Including a Driving Simulation
Authors: McKissack Haley M. , Chodaba Yvonne E. , Bell Tyler R. , Lehtonen Eva J. , Araoye Ibukunoluwa B. , Shah Ashish B. , Stavrinos Despina , Johnson Michael D.
Published: March 2019

Background:

For many patients, returning to driving after right foot and ankle surgery is a concern, and it is not uncommon for patients to ask if driving may be performed with their left foot. A paucity of literature exists to guide physician recommendations for return to driving. The purpose of this study was to describe the driving habits of patients after right-sided foot surgery and assess the safety of left-footed driving using a driving simulator.

Methods:

Patients who underwent right foot or ankle operations between January 2015 and December 2015 were retrospectively identified. A survey assessing driving habits prior to surgery and during the recovery period was administered via a REDCap database through email or telephone. Additionally, simulated driving scenarios were conducted using a driving simulator in 20 volunteer subjects to compare characteristics of left- versus right-footed driving.

Results:

Thirty-six of 96 (37%) patients who responded to the survey reported driving with the left foot postoperatively. No trends were found associating left-footed driving prevalence and socioeconomic status. In driving simulations, patients exceeded the speed limit significantly more ( P < .001) and hit other vehicles more ( P < .026) when driving with the right foot than the left. The time to fully brake and fully release the throttle in response to vehicular hazards was significantly prolonged in left-footed driving compared with right ( P = .019 and P = .034, respectively).

Conclusion:

A significant proportion of right foot ankle surgery patients engaged in left-footed driving during postoperative recovery. Driving with both the right and left foot presents a risk of compromised safety. This study provides novel objective data regarding the potential risks of unipedal left-footed driving using a standard right-footed console, which indicates that driving with the left foot may prolong brake and throttle release times. Further studies are warranted for physicians to be able to appropriately advise patients about driving after foot and ankle surgery.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Assessing Flipped Versus Traditional Classrooms: Is Flipping Really Better?
Authors: Poniatowski Kelly
Published: March 2019

Using a quasi-experiment, this research looks at grades and student satisfaction over the course of six semesters in a college-level writing class. Three of the classes were taught traditionally, and the other three classes utilized the flipped classroom concept. All classes were taught by the same instructor. Using independent samples t tests, results indicate that students received higher grades and had more satisfaction in the traditional classroom.
Vlasov’s beam paradigm and multivector Grassmann statics
Authors: Epstein Marcelo , Segev Reuven
Published: March 2019

The theory of thin-walled beams proposed in 1940 by Vlasov is shown to emerge naturally within the framework of multivector statics. This circumstance is used as the basis for possible extensions of the theory to media with complex microstructures.
Protective Factors and Biological Sex Differentiate Profiles of Teen Substance Users in Myanmar
Authors: Kliewer Wendy , Wan Nanda Myo Aung , Parham Brittani , Ring Zau
Published: March 2019

Background. Reports on worldwide drug use include some information on risk factors, but virtually no information on protective factors, which are an important component of prevention programs. Aims. This study investigated protective factors and biological sex differences associated with patterns of substance use among adolescents in Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia. Method. Myanmar high school students ( N = 1,918; Mage = 15.35, SD = 1.07, range = 14-18; 56% female) completed a version of the Communities That Care survey validated for use in this population. Results. Latent class analysis revealed “Low Users” (38%), “Normative Users” (47%), and “Poly Drug Users” (15%) classes for males, and “Low Users” (80%), “Glue/Over-the-Counter Medication Users” (14%), and “High Users” (6%) classes for females. Univariate analyses indicated that belief in the moral order and positive family attachment differentiated profiles for both males and females; opportunities for prosocial family involvement, prosocial peer behavior, and opportunities to talk with teachers were additionally significant for males only. Logistic regression analysis comparing males in the “Low Users” and “Normative Users” classes indicated that opportunities for prosocial family involvement was protective after accounting for significant demographic and risk factors. In contrast, analyses comparing other classes of males or females found that once significant demographic and risk factors were controlled, protective factors did not discriminate classes. Conclusions. These data suggest that sex-specific prevention and intervention strategies may be more successful than universal approaches, and that attention to both risk and protective factors in prevention programming is warranted.
Efficacy of ankle-foot orthoses on walking ability in peripheral artery disease
Authors: Mays Ryan J , Mays Ashley A , Mizner Ryan L
Published: March 2019

Calf claudication is a significant cause of walking limitation for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) are leg devices that can reduce the physical demands on the calf muscles during ambulation. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of AFO on walking ability in patients with PAD. This was an open-label, interventional trial including 15 patients with calf claudication who were fit with AFO. Patients completed graded treadmill testing, followed by 12 weeks of unstructured community-based walking using the AFO ad libitum. Comparison of peak walking time (PWT) at baseline versus 12 weeks was the primary outcome. A secondary outcome was claudication onset time (COT) assessed during graded treadmill tests. Change in walking ability of AFO group patients was also compared to outcomes from a historical PAD control group ( n = 10) who received upfront advice to walk at home. Patients in the AFO group significantly improved their walking ability from baseline to 12 weeks (mean ± SD) (PWT: 7.8 ± 5.1 to 9.3 ± 5.4 min, p = 0.049; COT: 3.0 ± 2.3 to 4.8 ± 2.7 min, p = 0.01). Change in PWT for AFO group patients when tested without using the devices was not significantly greater compared to historical controls (+1.4 ± 2.4 vs +0.1 ± 2.6 min, p = 0.16) but it was for COT (+1.8 ± 2.5 vs −0.6 ± 2.2 min, p = 0.02). This study found that AFO used during community-based walking improved the primary outcome of PWT in patients with PAD. Further, using AFO delayed claudication onset, indicating patients may be able to increase their walking activity. Large-scale, randomized controlled trials are needed to further explore the use of AFO for PAD. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02280200.
Masculinities, practices and meanings: A critical analysis of recent literature on the use of performance- and image-enhancing drugs among men
Authors: Moore David , Hart Aaron , Fraser Suzanne , Seear Kate
Published: March 2019

The use of performance- and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDs) has been a topic of considerable research interest since the 1980s, with the vast majority of PIED consumers being men. In this article, our departure point is a 2005 article by Helen Keane, in which she critically analyses ‘the discursive constitution of male steroid users’ as psychologically disordered subjects. We extend Keane’s insightful feminist analysis by examining the constitution of masculinity in post-2005 social science research on PIEDs. We ask (1) to what extent do the discursive trends identified by Keane persist in the more recent literature on PIED use among men? (2) how have her insights been taken up in the post-2005 literature, and (3) to what extent does this work attend to the specificity and varied meanings of steroid practices? We argue that men who use PIEDs continue to be pathologised as insecure, inadequate and vulnerable, and marked by ‘obsession’, ‘compensatory behaviours’ and crisis. In some of the analysed texts, the male steroid user becomes doubly disordered as both insecure in his masculine body and at risk of drug dependence. Of the articles that engage with Keane’s work, only two recognise the value of her insights. The others misinterpret or apply Keane’s argument in inconsistent or incoherent ways. Finally, in some of the post-2005 texts, we begin to see attention to the wide variety of practices and meanings encompassed by the term ‘PIED use’ although much remains to be learned.