bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Docility and desert: Government discourses of compassion in Australia’s asylum seeker debate
Authors: Peterie Michelle
Published: February 2017

In the years since 2001, Australian governments on both sides of politics have at times appealed to compassion to justify their asylum seeker policies. This article takes these discourses of compassion – contradictory and cynical as they sometimes seem – and subjects them to careful and systematic analysis. It seeks to identify the underlying model of compassion that these government discourses employ, and to explain its significance. Ultimately it argues that the model of compassion that has been advanced by successive Australian governments deviates from traditional philosophical understandings of the concept. In reserving compassion for the weak and the passive, government discourses have allowed Australia to understand itself both as ‘good’ and as powerful. When privilege replaces solidarity as the basis for compassion, discourses of compassion – like the ‘hardline’ rhetoric that scholars have often prioritised in their analyses – speak to the fears and insecurities of the Australian people.
Thickness reconstruction of nuclear power plant pipes with flow-accelerated corrosion damage using laser ultrasonic wavenumber imaging
Authors: Truong Thanh Chung , Lee Jung-Ryul
Published: February 2017

The pipeline is an essential part of nuclear and other power plants. Designed to operate for decades, the pipeline is susceptible to multiple types of damage due to working in a high pressure, high temperature, and highly corrosive environment. Therefore, it requires regular inspection. The issue of many current nondestructive testing systems for pipelines is the use of a one-dimensional scan mechanism along the longitudinal direction of the pipe, which is incompatible with the two-dimensional curvature of elbow pipes, yet it is at these places in which the flow changes directions inside the elbow pipes that a common type of damage occurs: flow-accelerated corrosion damage. In this article, flow-accelerated corrosion damage is visualized using the Ultrasonic Wavenumber Imaging algorithm, which maps the dominant local spectroscopic wavenumber of the wavefield at a particular mode and a particular frequency. In previous studies, the mode and frequency were chosen empirically. In this article, a novel theoretical study is presented to optimize the two input parameters of Ultrasonic Wavenumber Imaging based on a sensitivity analysis of the spectroscopic wavenumber with respect to the change in thickness of the structural base. Additionally, an inverse method is proposed to estimate the thickness of the structure based on the Ultrasonic Wavenumber Imaging map.
Orchestrating the flow of human resources: Insights from Spanish soccer clubs
Authors: Fainshmidt Stav , Smith Adam , Guldiken Orhun
Published: February 2017

Although prior research recognizes the strategic importance of changes to the organization’s human resource base, there is little consensus regarding the influence of human resource flows on organizational performance. Employing a resource orchestration perspective, we emphasize the need by managers to “orchestrate” multiple, interrelated human resource flows; the role of the incumbent or newly appointed orchestrator in the decisions and outcomes associated with human resource flow strategies; and the importance of the performance of the current human resource base with which the flows interact. Utilizing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and longitudinal data from the Spanish premier soccer league, we identify five ways in which organizations are able to effectively configure human resource flows. We then elaborate theory on managerial decisions that allow human resource flows to work together depending upon the particular organizational conditions. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the performance outcomes of managerial resource flow decisions.
Emerson’s Newspaperman
Authors: Dowling David O.
Published: February 2017

This monograph examines New-York Tribune editor Horace Greeley’s support of radical intellectual culture throughout his influential journalistic career, from the antebellum era to the Gilded Age. His early interest in alternatives to the unregulated free market led him to charismatic figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson, who questioned the tenets of laissez-faire capitalism and lamented its impact on politics and culture. Emerson’s followers included Associationists, those who sought to place nature at the center of life as an agricultural resource and to return to humanistic values threatened by the Industrial Revolution. In the pages of the Tribune, Greeley leveraged Associationists’ attack on economic inequality to advance his crusade against unemployment and labor exploitation, including Southern slavery. Publicity campaigns on behalf of economic reform appeared during three key phases of his career. In his weekly New-Yorker, Greeley promoted Emerson and his followers including Associationist radicals during the antebellum period. During the Civil War, he provided a platform for the editorials of Karl Marx. During the Gilded Age, Greeley’s final attempt to realize his socialist utopian vision was the Union Colony, an ill-fated collectivist frontier establishment led by his Tribune agricultural editor Nathan Meeker. Greeley’s relationship with Emerson inspired his willingness to use the Tribune to publicize each era’s most controversial critics of capitalism. This research traces the socialist threads in the tapestry of press history and the promotional apparatus that brought radical intellectual culture into prominence in American life.
Quasi-static penetration behavior of plain woven kenaf/aramid reinforced polyvinyl butyral hybrid laminates
Authors: Salman Suhad D , Leman Z , Ishak MR , Sultan MTH , Cardona F
Published: February 2017

Owing to the high cost of synthetic aramid fibers and the necessity for environmentally friendly alternatives, a portion of aramid was replaced by plain woven kenaf fiber, with different lay arrangements and thicknesses. The obtained hybrid composites with aramid and kenaf fibers were used to produce prototypes of army helmet shells. A hybrid composite material was produced using a hot press technique and comprises 19 layers of plain woven kenaf and aramid of various configurations and alternation. The behavior of this composite material on a quasi-static penetration test was studied and was found positive in terms of maximum load carried, energy absorbed in impact, and damage mechanisms. Consequently, a helmet armour was developed that was less costly and more readily available and that which could also be produced by reducing the potential harmful effects of petroleum products, without compromising the ballistic-resistant capability of the material.
Reproducibility of a Noninvasive System for Eye Positioning and Monitoring in Stereotactic Radiotherapy of Ocular Melanoma
Authors: Iskanderani Omar , Béliveau-Nadeau Dominique , Doucet Robert , Coulombe Geneviève , Pascale Deborah , Roberge David
Published: February 2017

Purpose:

Our preferred treatment for juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma is stereotactic radiotherapy. We aim to describe our immobilization system and quantify its reproducibility.

Materials and Methods:

Patients were identified in our radiosurgery database. Patients were imaged at computed tomography simulator with an in-house system which allows visual monitoring of the eye as the patient fixates a small target. All patients were reimaged at least once prior to and/or during radiotherapy. The patients were treated on the CyberKnife system, 60 Gy in 10 daily fractions, using skull tracking in conjunction with our visual monitoring system. In order to quantify the reproducibility of the eye immobilization system, computed tomography scans were coregistered using rigid 6-dimensional skull registration. Using the coregistered scans, x, y, and z displacements of the lens/optic nerve insertion were measured. From these displacements, 3-dimensional vectors were calculated.

Results:

Thirty-four patients were treated from October 2010 to September 2015. Thirty-nine coregistrations were performed using 73 scans (2-3 scans per patient). The mean displacements of lens and optic nerve insertion were 0.1 and 0.0 mm. The median 3-dimensional displacements (absolute value) of lens and nerve insertion were 0.8 and 0.7 mm (standard deviation: 0.5 and 0.6 mm). Ninety-eight percent of 3-dimensional displacements were below 2 mm (maximum 2.4 mm). The calculated planning target volume (PTV) margins were 0.8, 1.4, and 1.5 mm in the anterior–posterior, craniocaudal, and right–left axes, respectively. Following this analysis, no further changes have been applied to our planning margin of 2 to 2.5 mm as it is also meant to account for uncertainties in magnetic resonance imaging to computed tomography registration, skull tracking, and also contouring variability.

Conclusion:

We have found our stereotactic eye immobilization system to be highly reproducible (<1 mm) and free of systematic error.
Techniques of Force and Pressure Measurement in the Small Joints of the Wrist
Authors: Schreck Michael J. , Kelly Meghan , Canham Colin D. , Elfar John C.
Published: February 2017

Background: The alteration of forces across joints can result in instability and subsequent disability. Previous methods of force measurements such as pressure-sensitive films, load cells, and pressure-sensing transducers have been utilized to estimate biomechanical forces across joints and more recent studies have utilized a nondestructive method that allows for assessment of joint forces under ligamentous restraints. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to explore the numerous biomechanical methods utilized to estimate intra-articular forces. Results: Methods of biomechanical force measurements in joints are reviewed. Conclusions: Methods such as pressure-sensitive films, load cells, and pressure-sensing transducers require significant intra-articular disruption and thus may result in inaccurate measurements, especially in small joints such as those within the wrist and hand. Non-destructive methods of joint force measurements either utilizing distraction-based joint reaction force methods or finite element analysis may offer a more accurate assessment; however, given their recent inception, further studies are needed to improve and validate their use.
Combining turning point detection and Dijkstra’s algorithm to search the shortest path
Authors: Wu Ter-Feng , Tsai Pu-Sheng , Hu Nien-Tsu , Chen Jen-Yang
Published: February 2017

In this study, image processing was combined with path-planning object-avoidance technology to determine the shortest path to the destination. The content of this article comprises two parts: in the first part, image processing was used to establish a model of obstacle distribution in the environment, and boundary sequence permutation method was used to conduct orderly arrangement of edge point coordinates of all objects, to determine linking relationship between each edge point, and to individually classify objects in the image. Then, turning point detection method was used to compare the angle size between vectors before and after each edge point and to determine vertex coordinates of polygonal obstacles. In the second part, a modified Dijkstra’s algorithm was used to turn vertices of convex-shaped obstacles into network nodes, to determine the shortest path by a cost function, and to find an obstacle avoidance path connecting the start and end points. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed architecture, an obstacle avoidance path simulation was made by the graphical user interface of the programming language MATLAB. The results show that the proposed method in path planning not only is feasible but can also obtain good results.
Analysis of logistic equation pertaining to a new fractional derivative with non-singular kernel
Authors: Kumar Devendra , Singh Jagdev , Al Qurashi Maysaa , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: February 2017

In this work, we aim to analyze the logistic equation with a new derivative of fractional order termed in Caputo–Fabrizio sense. The logistic equation describes the population growth of species. The existence of the solution is shown with the help of the fixed-point theory. A deep analysis of the existence and uniqueness of the solution is discussed. The numerical simulation is conducted with the help of the iterative technique. Some numerical simulations are also given graphically to observe the effects of the fractional order derivative on the growth of population.
Variable-capacity matching of continuously variable-capacity double-impeller torque converter applied to a loader
Authors: Ma Wen-Xing , Xu Wen , Cai Wei , You Li-peng
Published: February 2017

Variable-capacity matching of continuously variable-capacity double-impeller torque converter applied to a loader was studied in the article. Static variable-capacity matching of continuously variable-capacity double-impeller torque converter was performed under the two-impeller state and slipping state. Dynamic variable-capacity matching based on the V-shaped operating cycle was simulated in order to reflect the matching performance of the double-impeller torque converter more intuitively. The working speed of double-impeller torque converter together with engine was analyzed when the loader shoveled different materials, and the power performance and fuel economy of the whole machine were calculated. The continuously variable-capacity double-impeller torque converter applied to a loader could not only meet the requirements of matching different loader working conditions but also enhances the power performance and fuel economy of the whole machine in running condition compared with the original torque converter.
Hydraulic systems control based on the characteristics of major-motion mechanism for an open-die forging manipulator
Authors: Hou Jiaoyi , Zhang Zengmeng , Zhou Hua , Ning Dayong , Gong Yongjun
Published: February 2017

In the open-die forging process, the forging manipulator must cooperate closely with the forging press. Terrible working conditions of open-die forging have resulted in significant demand on the hydraulic control systems of the forging manipulator. This article analyzes the characteristics of major-motion hydraulic systems with the aim of proposing a novel hybrid serial–parallel heavy-duty forging manipulator. Kinematic and dynamic models of the major-motion mechanism are developed to investigate the control and comply with performance of hydraulic lifting, pitching, and buffering systems. Simulation shows that the three hydraulic systems are coupled in the position and posture control of the clamp. A separate posture control method based on the characteristic of the major-motion mechanism is designed for the hydraulic systems, and the position tracking performance of the hydraulic systems is studied in a stretching process of a plat-tool.
Building trust and diversity in patient-centered oncology clinical trials: An integrated model
Authors: Hurd Thelma C , Kaplan Charles D , Cook Elise D , Chilton Janice A , Lytton Jay S , Hawk Ernest T , Jones Lovell A
Published: February 2017

Background/aims:

Trust is the cornerstone of clinical trial recruitment and retention. Efforts to decrease barriers and increase clinical trial participation among diverse populations have yielded modest results. There is an urgent need to better understand the complex interactions between trust and clinical trial participation. The process of trust-building has been a focus of intense research in the business community. Yet, little has been published about trust in oncology clinical trials or the process of building trust in clinical trials. Both clinical trials and business share common dimensions. Business strategies for building trust may be transferable to the clinical trial setting. This study was conducted to understand and utilize contemporary thinking about building trust to develop an Integrated Model of Trust that incorporates both clinical and business perspectives.

Methods:

A key word–directed literature search of the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, and Google Search databases for entries dated between 1 January 1985 and 1 September 2015 was conducted to obtain information from which to develop an Integrated Model of Trust.

Results:

Successful trial participation requires both participants and clinical trial team members to build distinctly different types of interpersonal trust to effect recruitment and retention. They are built under conditions of significant emotional stress and time constraints among people who do not know each other and have never worked together before. Swift Trust and Traditional Trust are sequentially built during the clinical trial process. Swift trust operates during the recruitment and very early active treatment phases of the clinical trial process. Traditional trust is built over time and operates during the active treatment and surveillance stages of clinical trials. The Psychological Contract frames the participants’ and clinical trial team members’ interpersonal trust relationship. The “terms” of interpersonal trust are negotiated through the psychological contract. Contract renegotiation occurs in response to cyclical changes within the trust relationship throughout trial participation.

Conclusion:

The Integrated Model of Trust offers a novel framework to interrogate the process by which diverse populations and clinical trial teams build trust. To our knowledge, this is the first model of trust-building in clinical trials that frames trust development through integrated clinical and business perspectives. By focusing on the process, rather than outcomes of trust-building diverse trial participants, clinical trials teams, participants, and cancer centers may be able to better understand, measure, and manage their trust relationships in real time. Ultimately, this may foster increased recruitment and retention of diverse populations to clinical trials.
Results of 115 Rubis II reverse thumb carpometacarpal joint prostheses with a mean follow-up of 10 years
Authors: Dehl M. , Chelli M. , Lippmann S. , Benaissa S. , Rotari V. , Moughabghab M.
Published: February 2017

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and radiological results of the Rubis II thumb carpometacarpal joint reverse prosthesis, at a mean follow-up of 10 years.

Between 1997 and 2008, 253 prostheses were implanted in 199 patients; 115 were reviewed. The survival after a mean of 10 years was 89%. At the last follow-up, 70% of prostheses were painless; the others reported moderate or intermittent pain. The satisfaction rate was 98%. The mean opposition was 9 on the Kapandji scale; the mean QuickDASH score was 30. Wrist, key and tip pinch strengths were comparable with the non-operated side. Of the 115 implants, one was radiologically loose (1%) and 15 had suffered dislocations (13%), 12 of which were caused by an injury. Eleven thumbs had revision surgery.

This study confirms that the good clinical results of the Rubis II prosthesis are maintained in the medium and long term, and represents a useful alternative to trapeziectomy for selected patients.

Level of evidence: IV
The many faces of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Unruly behaviour in secondary school and diagnostic solutions
Authors: Odenbring Ylva , Johansson Thomas , Hunehäll Berndtsson Kristina
Published: February 2017

In society today, there is a tendency towards over-diagnosing. This tendency in society at large seems to reflect the normalization of a diagnostic culture. Some researchers have claimed that this normalization could be defined as the ‘medicalization of childhood’. There would seem to be a need for a sociocultural analysis of this phenomenon in schools – and it is in relation to this background that the present study hopes to generate new knowledge for the research field. This article explores how professionals in student welfare teams relate to and use neuropsychiatric diagnoses. The study draws on interviews with key officials working in student welfare teams in three urban secondary schools in southern Sweden. The main aim has been to investigate how the school officials talk about diagnoses such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, and what kind of explanatory value is awarded to these diagnoses. The results indicate that the professional culture in schools plays a key role in how diagnoses are integrated or not integrated into the schools’ work with students’ behavioural problems. The results also show that the narratives about diagnoses were framed by ideas related to the students’ social-class background and gender.
Planning for a Violent Intruder Event: The School Nurse’s Role
Authors: Selekman Janice , Melvin Joseph
Published: February 2017

School shootings occur too frequently and often with devastating results. The key to prevention and mitigation of these events is to have a plan that is simple, up-to-date, disseminated, and practiced. This article discusses the steps that school nurses can take to work with school administration to prepare themselves, their staff, and their students.
Who is the Usual Suspect? Evidence of a Selection Bias Toward Faces That Make Direct Eye Contact in a Lineup Task
Authors: Taubert Jessica , van Golde Celine , Verstraten Frans A. J.
Published: February 2017

The speed and ease with which we recognize the faces of our friends and family members belies the difficulty we have recognizing less familiar individuals. Nonetheless, overconfidence in our ability to recognize faces has carried over into various aspects of our legal system; for instance, eyewitness identification serves a critical role in criminal proceedings. For this reason, understanding the perceptual and psychological processes that underlie false identification is of the utmost importance. Gaze direction is a salient social signal and direct eye contact, in particular, is thought to capture attention. Here, we tested the hypothesis that differences in gaze direction may influence difficult decisions in a lineup context. In a series of experiments, we show that when a group of faces differed in their gaze direction, the faces that were making eye contact with the participants were more likely to be misidentified. Interestingly, this bias disappeared when the faces are presented with their eyes closed. These findings open a critical conversation between social neuroscience and forensic psychology, and imply that direct eye contact may (wrongly) increase the perceived familiarity of a face.
A rare case of unilateral postaxial duplicated foot in a developmentally normal child
Authors: Sahdi Haniza , Hoong Chan Wai , Rasit Ahmad Hata , Arianto Fredy , Siong Lau Kiew , Abdullah Nur Alyana Benjamin
Published: February 2017

Diplopodia, being a rare congenital disorder, is infrequently discussed in published texts. Most reported cases have accounted the involvement of duplicated preaxial digits with other associated organ system and physical deformities. Here, we present an unusual case of isolated diplopodia involving postaxial toes in a child with no other organ and physical abnormalities. Radiological studies revealed a set of 10-digit-duplicated foot over the lateral aspect of the native foot, complete with phalanges and its corresponding metatarsals as well as tarsals, supplied by an anomalous posterior branch of the popliteal artery. Definitive surgery was performed just before the child was learning to walk.
Vascular occlusion following application of subcutaneous anterior pelvic fixation (INFIX) technique
Authors: Smith Adam , Malek IA , Lewis James , Mohanty K
Published: February 2017

We report a case of bilateral external iliac artery compression after application of subcutaneous anterior pelvic fixation (INFIX) technique in a 51-year-old male with an unstable pelvic fracture sustained following a motor vehicle accident. This has not been previously reported in the literature. The management of this complication is discussed in detail, along with key precautions and technical steps to consider while utilizing the ‘INFIX’ technique for pelvic fractures.
A muscle sparing posterior approach to the elbow joint for total elbow arthroplasty
Authors: Sreenivasan Ravi , Singh Pritish , Thomas Simon , Jain Anuj , Singh Harjoban , Agarwal Shekhar
Published: February 2017

We describe a muscle sparing approach in which the triceps is elevated without injuring the muscle or disturbing its insertion. The entire extensor mechanism is preserved in continuity, thus preventing any extensor weakness. This can be used preferentially in cases of non-union intraarticular distal humerus fractures planned for Total Elbow Arthroplasty.
Modified Immersive Situated Service Learning
Authors: Jones Natasha N.
Published: February 2017

Distinctions between traditional service learning and critical service learning with a social justice focus are important when structuring professional writing courses and defining course outcomes. This article presents a hybrid pedagogical approach for designing a critical service-learning course that integrates a social justice curriculum while focusing specifically on reflection, context, and positionality. Detailing the course design and sharing reflections from students and the instructor, the author argues that the modified immersive situated service-learning approach provides professional communication students the opportunity to become agents of change.
Designing the Free Drugs List in Nepal
Authors: Singh Devika , Luz Alia Cynthia Gonzales , Rattanavipapong Waranya , Teerawattananon Yot
Published: February 2017

As more countries provide free health care, pharmaceutical reimbursement lists are becoming a concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In 2007, Nepal decreed that health is a human right and began basic health coverage for a target group of the poor, destitute, elderly, and disabled. The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) also provided 40 drugs without cost to all citizens through the Free Drugs List (FDL) program. The FDL was later expanded from 40 to 70 drugs; however, the process of review and update remains unclear. To propose a mechanism for future development of the FDL, we conducted a document review and in-depth consultations with representatives from the MoHP and the World Health Organization Country Office during a workshop in Kathmandu. The FDL suffers from lack of an appropriate process, gaps between the listed drugs and Nepal’s burden of disease, and no consideration of the unit costs or cost-effectiveness of drugs included in the list. We propose a new drug selection process that is a variant of the health technology assessment process. This process can be applied not only in Nepal but also in other resource-limited countries that wish to ensure their citizens’ access to essential medicines through a pharmaceutical reimbursement list.
Regional policy mixes for enterprise and innovation: A fuzzy-set clustering approach
Authors: Caloffi Annalisa , Mariani Marco
Published: February 2017

The paper identifies different regional policy mixes, ranging from the more minimal to the more proactive or entrepreneurial and verifies their diffusion in the Italian regional enterprise and innovation policies. The empirical analysis is based on an original database containing every enterprise and innovation programme that has been implemented in Italy from 2007 to 2013, and is carried out by means of fuzzy-set clustering techniques. The results show the existence of remarkable heterogeneity, partly reflecting the well-known North-South divide, with some regions adopting minimal policy mixes and other regions adopting different types of proactive mixes.
Polycentric urban development in China: A multi-scale analysis
Authors: Liu Xingjian , Derudder Ben , Wang Mingshu
Published: February 2017

This article reports a multi-scale analysis of polycentric urban development in 22 Chinese city-regions. Using fine-grained population data, our analysis contrasts polycentric development patterns at multiple geographical scales. We present a typology of Chinese city-regions based on both (1) their inter-city polycentricity and (2) the intra-city polycentricity of the individual cities that comprise these urban regions. Overall, we find only limited levels of association between inter-city and intra-city polycentricity. The Pearl River and Yangtze River Deltas have high levels of inter-city and intra-city polycentricity. Most city-regions in Central and Western China are characterized by a primate urban system and low levels of inter-city polycentricity. We hypothesize the major economic, political, and geographical processes underlying observed patterns.
Understanding Sonography Clinical Decision-Making Learning Through Student Voices
Authors: Sim Jenny H. , Thoirs Kerry
Published: February 2017

Sonographers assume an important role in providing accurate diagnosis for prompt patient management. The manual task of scanning competency is driven by a high level of cognitive function in the form of clinical decision making (CDM). It is therefore critical that sonography students are grounded in the CDM fundamentals as part of their sonography education. The aim of this article is to seek better understanding of student views on CDM learning to inform educators of strategies to better support student learning. The first part of the article describes how CDM for sonography students is being developed at The University of Auckland. The second part of the article explores student perspectives of CDM learning and the application of CDM in the workplace. Using purposive sampling, five clinical supervisors and two students participated in semistructured interviews. Focus groups with students were conducted at the end of each semester, between July 2014 and June 2016. Thematic analysis was used to analyze and make sense of the data. Based on these qualitative findings, the authors make recommendations to advance CDM within the sonography curriculum.
Sonographic Evaluation of a Large Placental Chorangioma
Authors: Franceschina Kirstie M.
Published: February 2017

Placental chorangioma is a rare, benign tumor of the placenta. Chorangiomas are typically small, are asymptomatic, and pose no threat to pregnancy. However, in extreme cases, large placental chorangiomas can cause maternal and fetal complications associated with poor outcomes and fetal demise. Prenatal sonography is an accurate method for diagnosing these benign tumors based on grayscale imaging and color Doppler assessment of intratumoral vascularity. Early diagnosis is critical in predicting the potential for subsequent maternal and fetal complications, planning sonographic surveillance, treating maternal symptoms, and delivery planning. This case study discusses the diagnosis and management of a large placental chorangioma in an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy.
Moisturisers for the treatment of foot xerosis: a systematic review
Authors: Parker Justin , Scharfbillig Rolf , Jones Sara
Published: February 2017

Background

Xerosis, literally dryness of the skin, of the foot is a common condition encountered clinically, which can lead to discomfort and predisposition to infection. Currently, there are no evidence‐based recommendations on which moisturiser formulations best alleviate xerotic symptoms. The aim of this review was to guide clinical practice in the treatment of primary and diabetes related foot xerosis, by identifying from the existing literature the most effective ingredient or formulation of topical treatments for symptoms of primary foot xerosis in the general population.

Methods

A systematic review of published experimental trials was undertaken. Only studies pertaining to primary xerosis, classified within levels II – IV of the NHRMC hierarchy were reviewed. EMBASE, AMED, Cochrane, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Ageline and SCOPUS were searched using relevant search terms and keywords and pearling of reference lists was undertaken. Studies were evaluated for methodological quality using a critical appraisal tool. Individual active ingredients were identified from all studies, along with observed reported outcomes. A narrative synthesis was then conducted.

Results

A total of 22 experimental studies were included, from which 12 different active ingredients were identified. Study literature consisted of mainly comparative studies against other active interventions or controls, or pre‐post‐tests and was of a poor‐to‐moderate methodological quality as assessed by the Epidemiological Appraisal Instrument. Urea was the most researched active ingredient (14 studies), with ammonium lactate being next (7 studies).

Conclusions

No conclusive recommendations were possible due to wide variation in study quality, methodologies and outcome measures. A synthesis of available literature suggests that treatments containing urea as a primary active ingredient have been the most researched. The poor quality of literature generally, however, precludes recommendation of any active ingredient over another.
Volumetric fault image enhancement — Some applications
Authors: Chopra Satinder , Marfurt Kurt J.
Published: February 2017

The interpretation of faults on 3D seismic data is often aided by the use of geometric attributes such as coherence and curvature. Unfortunately, these same attributes also delineate stratigraphic boundaries (geologic signal) and apparent discontinuities due to cross-cutting seismic noise. Effective fault mapping thus requires enhancing piecewise continuous faults and suppressing stratabound edges and unconformities as well as seismic noise. To achieve this objective, we apply two passes of edge-preserving structure-oriented filtering followed by a recently developed fault enhancement algorithm based on a directional Laplacian of a Gaussian operator. We determine the effectiveness of this workflow on a 3D seismic volume from central British Columbia, Canada.
Simplified 3D protocol capable of generating early cortical neuroepithelium
Authors: Holmes Dwayne B. , Heine Vivi M.
Published: February 2017

Here we report a 3D cerebellar differentiation protocol with quick startup method, defined medium, and no special materials or handling requirements. Three fibroblast growth factors (FGF2, 4, and 8) were used for cerebellar patterning and smoothened agonist (SAG) for granule cell development. After 35 days, differentiation products exhibited similar structures and neuronal markers reported in prior “organoid” and “spheroid” protocols. This included cells positive for KIRREL2 (a marker of early cerebellar neuroepithelium) and ZIC1 (a marker for granule cells). Follow up tests indicated that addition of FGFs, if helpful, was not required to generate observed structures and cell types. This suggests that intrinsic production of patterning factors by aggregates themselves may be adequate for region-specific 3D modeling. This protocol may be used as a quick, easy, and cost-efficient method for 3D culture, whether to research development of the early cerebellar neuroepithelium, a base to generate mature cortical structures, or to optimize minimal factor protocols for other brain regions.
The Familial Dysautonomia disease gene,Ikbkap/Elp1, is required in the developing and adult central nervous system
Authors: Chaverra Marta , George Lynn , Mergy Marc , Waller Hannah , Kujawa Katharine , Murnion Connor , Sharples Ezekiel , Thorne Julian , Podgajny Nathaniel , Grindeland Andrea , Ueki Yumi , Eiger Steven , Cusick Cassie , Babcock A. Michael , Carlson George A. , Lefcort Frances
Published: February 2017

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSANs) are a genetically and clinically diverse group of disorders defined by peripheral nervous system (PNS) dysfunction. HSAN Type III, Familial Dysautonomia (FD), results from a single base mutation in the gene IKBKAP that encodes a scaffolding unit for a multi-subunit complex Elongator. Since mutations in other Elongator subunits (ELP2-4) are associated with central nervous system (CNS) disorders, the goal of this study was to investigate a potential CNS requirement for Ikbkap/Elp1. The sensory and autonomic pathophysiology of FD is fatal, with the majority of patients dying by age 40. While CNS signs and pathology have been noted in FD, the clinical and research focus has been on the sensory and autonomic dysfunction, and no genetic model studies have investigated the requirement for Ikbkap/Elp1 in the CNS. Here we report using a novel mouse line in which Ikbkap/Elp1 is deleted solely in the nervous system, that not only is Ikbkap/Elp1 widely expressed in the embryonic and adult CNS, but its deletion perturbs both the development of cortical neurons and their survival in adulthood. Primary cilia in embryonic cortical apical progenitors and motile cilia in adult ependymal cells are reduced in number and disorganized. Furthermore, we report that in the adult CNS, both autonomic and non-autonomic neuronal populations require Ikbkap for survival, including spinal motor and cortical neurons. In addition, the mice developed kyphoscoliosis, an FD hallmark, indicating its neuropathic etiology. Ultimately, these perturbations manifest in a developmental and progressive neurodegenerative condition that include impairments in learning and memory. Collectively, these data reveal an essential function for Ikbkap/Elp1 that extends beyond the PNS, to CNS development and function. With the identification of discrete CNS cell types and structures that depend on Ikbkap/Elp1, novel strategies to thwart the progressive demise of CNS neurons in FD can be developed.
The Aurora-A–Twist1 axis promotes highly aggressive phenotypes in pancreatic carcinoma
Authors: Wang Jing , Nikhil Kumar , Viccaro Keith , Chang Lei , Jacobsen Max , Sandusky George , Shah Kavita
Published: February 2017

We uncovered a crucial role for the Aurora kinase A (AURKA)–Twist1 axis in promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. Twist1 is the first EMT-specific target of AURKA that was identified using an innovative screen. AURKA phosphorylates Twist1 at three sites, which results in its multifaceted regulation – AURKA inhibits its ubiquitylation, increases its transcriptional activity and favors its homodimerization. Twist1 reciprocates and prevents AURKA degradation, thereby triggering a feedback loop. Ablation of either AURKA or Twist1 completely inhibits EMT, highlighting both proteins as central players in EMT progression. Phosphorylation-dead Twist1 serves as a dominant-negative and fully reverses the EMT phenotype induced by Twist1, underscoring the crucial role of AURKA-mediated phosphorylation in mediating Twist1-induced malignancy. Likewise, Twist1-overexpressing BxPC3 cells formed large tumors in vivo, whereas expression of phosphorylation-dead Twist1 fully abrogated this effect. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis of pancreatic cancer specimens revealed a 3-fold higher level of Twist1 compared to that seen in healthy normal tissues. This is the first study that links Twist1 in a feedback loop with its activating kinase, which indicates that concurrent inhibition of AURKA and Twist1 will be synergistic in inhibiting pancreatic tumorigenesis and metastasis.
Various Imaging Manifestations of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Authors: Raman Rajesh , Devaramane Radhika , Jagadish Geetha Mukunda , Chowdaiah Sanjana
Published: February 2017

Background: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), also called the acute hypertensive encephalopathy and reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS), is a neurotoxic syndrome of cerebral vasoregulation classically characterized by bilaterally symmetrical parietooccipital edema. However, the imaging findings are variable and may occur in other locations such as the frontal lobes, thalami, basal ganglia and brainstem. Most commonly, PRES presents with hyperintense signals on T2 and FLAIR sequences. Restricted diffusion and hemorrhage are rare. This study presents the typical and atypical manifestations of PRES on 3T MR images.

Material/Methods: It is a retrospective study analyzing a radiology report database and MR images of 92 patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of PRES. The brain MRI images of these patients were evaluated. The regions involved and the signal intensity of the affected areas on T1, T2, FLAIR and DW sequences were recorded. The location of the abnormal signal intensity as well as the presence or absence of atypical features such as diffusion restriction and hemorrhage were also recorded.

Results: The most commonly affected region was the parieto-occipital lobes (100%), however, other atypical regions involved were the frontal lobes (30.4%), temporal lobes (8.69%), basal ganglia (22%), cerebellum(17.39%), brainstem(9%) and thalamus(4%). Some of the cases showed restricted diffusion (43%) and hemorrhage (9%).

Conclusions: The involvement of the parieto-occipital, frontal and temporal lobes is common in PRES. Occasionally, there may be an involvement of the basal ganglia, cerebellum and brainstem, with or without hemorrhage and restricted diffusion. Radiologists should be aware of the typical and atypical imaging manifestations of PRES in order to make an accurate diagnosis.
Personal and Family Sources of Parents’ Socialization Values: A Multilevel Study
Authors: Barni Daniela , Ranieri Sonia , Donato Silvia , Tagliabue Semira , Scabini Eugenia
Published: February 2017

Este estudio se centró en los valores de socialización de los padres, es decir los valores que los padres quieren que sus hijos adopten, y sus fuentes. En una muestra de 325 familias italianas con un hijo adolescente (14-18 años), se compararon los valores de socialización entre los padres y las madres, y se evaluaron los valores personales de los padres y el clima de valores familiares como antecedentes de los valores que los padres quisieran que sus hijos adquirieran. Para cada familia se tuvieron en cuenta a ambos padres y al adolescente, y se les pidió que completaran individualmente el Portrait Values Questionnaire. Los resultados de la Anova han revelado una diferencia significativa entre los valores de socialización de los padres y los de las madres: los padres consideran más importantes que las madres los valores de apertura al cambio y los del autocrecimiento en la educación de sus hijos. Utilizando un análisis multinivel, al incluirse tanto padres como madres dentro del contexto familiar, hemos encontrado relaciones significativas entre todos los valores personales de los padres y sus valores de socialización, por un lado, y entre el clima de valores familiares y algunos de los valores de socialización de los padres, por el otro. Contrariamente, la interacción entre los valores personales de los padres y el clima de valores familiares no contribuye en predecir los valores que los padres quieren que sus hijos adopten. Se discuten las implicaciones de esta investigación y sus posibles desarrollos
A criação e gestão de miniempresas na sala de aula: opiniões dos alunos e professores participantes do Programa Empreender na Escola
Authors: Imaginário Susana , Cristo Eurídice , Neves de Jesus Saúl , Morais Fátima
Published: February 2017

El Programa Empreender na Escola (Programa Emprender en la Escuela) es un programa de educación que busca la promoción del desarrollo de competencias en el área del emprendimiento a través de la creación y gestión, por parte de los alumnos, de microempresas de “importación/exportación” que funcionan en alianzas comerciales, intercambiando productos entre sí que serán posteriormente comercializados en la comunidad local. Realizado en el ámbito del Programa Estratégico de la “Red de Ciudades y Centros Urbanos para la Competitividad y la Innovación del Corredor Azul”, fue implementado en 12 escuelas de 7 municipios de la región de Alentejo, en Portugal, involucrando 281 alumnos y 27 profesores de primaria y bachillerato, organizados en 18 “empresas” y 9 alianzas comerciales. Recurriendo a una muestra aleatoria de alumnos y profesores participantes, buscamos conocer su opinión sobre el desarrollo del proyecto y sobre su participación a través de un cuestionario desarrollado para tal efecto. Los resultados demostraron que el establecimiento de relaciones interpersonales es un aspecto muy importante para los participantes y que debe ser mantenido y fomentado en programas de este género. Además, debe existir también una reducción de carga burocrática para que al final del primer trimestre las microempresas ya estén en condiciones de comercializar los productos “importados” de la “empresa” aliada.
Rapid Naming: The Importance of Different Reading and Spelling Dimensions
Authors: P. Albuquerque Cristina
Published: February 2017

Esta investigación amplía la evidencia empírica relativa a la influencia de la nominación rápida en el aprendizaje de la lectura y escritura del portugués europeo en niños de tercero y cuarto de primaria. En la lectura, tiene en cuenta distintas dimensiones (precisión y fluidez) y materiales (palabras, pseudopalabras y texto) y controla la influencia de la consciencia fonológica. En la escritura, tiene en cuenta la precisión y la fluidez en la codificación de palabras y pseudopalabras y controla la influencia de la consciencia fonológica y de la fluidez caligráfica. En la lectura, tests RAN (uno de colores y uno de dígitos) y un test RAS (formas y colores) explicaban porcentajes más elevados de varianza en la fluidez que en la precisión. Lo principal ha sido registrado en la fluidez en la lectura de un texto por el test RAN de dígitos. En la escritura, la nominación rápida predice un pequeño, más significativo, porcentaje de fluidez en la escritura de palabras.
Control inhibitorio y monitorización en población infantil con TDAH
Authors: Ramos Carlos , Pérez-Salas Claudia
Published: February 2017

El trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH) ha sido asociado a déficits de las funciones ejecutivas, sin embargo, aún no existe claridad respecto a cuál es el perfil cognitivo en el subtipo combinado (TDAH-C). Los objetivos de este estudio fueron comparar el control inhibitorio y la monitorización de estudiantes con y sin TDAH-C, y analizar la correlación entre tareas experimentales y escalas comportamentales de evaluación de las funciones ejecutivas mencionadas. El estudio tuvo 68 participantes, quienes conformaron un grupo experimental de 34 estudiantes con TDAH-C y un grupo control de 34 estudiantes con desarrollo típico. Los instrumentos de medición fueron las escalas comportamentales BRIEF, BIS 11-c y ADHD Rating Scale IV, y los experimentos Go/No-Go, Simon y Stroop Victoria. Se encontró que el grupo experimental con TDAH presenta déficits en las funciones ejecutivas evaluadas, y que las escalas comportamentales y los experimentos evalúan diferentes niveles del funcionamiento ejecutivo.
Intrauterine device uptake among women seeking family planning services in Nairobi County, Kenya
Authors: Mbuthia Florence W. , Okumbe Gaundencia M. , Monda Jonathan , Ng'ang'a Paul M.
Published: February 2017

Aims:

The main objective of this study was to determine the uptake of the intrauterine device (IUD) among women seeking family planning (FP) services at Level 4 public hospitals in Nairobi County.

Methods:

This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study that used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used to collect data. Sample size was 380 women with 100% response rate.

Findings:

The uptake of IUD was 7.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.6–13.2%). The uptake increased with age, with those aged above 30 years using the device more compared with those aged below 30 years. Drivers of IUD uptake included: parity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=8.545 CI: 4.399–16.599%,P<0.001), awareness of IUD provision in the facility (aOR=1.824, P=0.038) and a favourable perception of IUD (aOR=5.816, P<0.001). The qualitative data from the focus group discussion included common myths such as: ‘IUD might travel to other body organs’ and ‘it spreads infection in the body’.

Conclusion:

Uptake is low in the two hospitals and more awareness should be created on IUD availability. Uptake should be encouraged among young women and those of lower parity.