bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of surfactant on regional lung function in an experimental model of respiratory distress syndrome in rabbit
Authors: Bayat Sam , Porra Liisa , Broche Ludovic , Albu Gergely , Malaspinas Iliona , Doras Camille , Strengell Satu , Peták Ferenc , Habre Walid
Published: May 2015

We assessed the changes in regional lung function following instillation of surfactant in a model of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) induced by whole lung lavage and mechanical ventilation in eight anaesthetized, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated New Zealand White rabbits. Regional specific ventilation (sV̇) was measured by K-edge subtraction synchrotron computed tomography during xenon washin. Lung regions were classified as poorly aerated (PA), normally aerated (NA), or hyperinflated (HI) based on regional density. A functional category was defined within each class based on sV̇ distribution (High, Normal, and Low). Airway resistance (Raw), respiratory tissue damping (G), and elastance (H) were measured by forced oscillation technique at low frequencies before and after whole lung saline lavage-induced (100 ml/kg) RDS, and 5 and 45 min after intratracheal instillation of beractant (75 mg/kg). Surfactant instillation improved Raw, G, and H ( P < 0.05 each), and gas exchange and decreased atelectasis ( P < 0.001). It also significantly improved lung aeration and ventilation in atelectatic lung regions. However, in regions that had remained normally aerated after lavage, it decreased regional aeration and increased sV̇ ( P < 0.001) and sV̇ heterogeneity. Although surfactant treatment improved both central airway and tissue mechanics and improved regional lung function of initially poorly aerated and atelectatic lung, it deteriorated regional lung function when local aeration was normal prior to administration. Local mechanical and functional heterogeneity can potentially contribute to the worsening of RDS and gas exchange. These data underscore the need for reassessing the benefits of routine prophylactic vs. continuous positive airway pressure and early “rescue” surfactant therapy in very immature infants.
Neurofeedback, Self-Regulation, and Brain Imaging: Clinical Science and Fad in the Service of Mental Disorders
Authors: Thibault Robert T. , Lifshitz Michael , Birbaumer Niels , Raz Amir
Published: May 2015

Neurofeedback draws on multiple techniques that propel both healthy and patient populations to self-regulate neural activity. Since the 1970s, numerous accounts have promoted electroencephalography-neurofeedback as a viable treatment for a host of mental disorders. Today, while the number of health care providers referring patients to neurofeedback practitioners increases steadily, substantial methodological and conceptual caveats continue to pervade empirical reports. And yet, nascent imaging technologies (e.g., real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging) and increasingly rigorous protocols are paving the road towards more effective applications and a better scientific understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Here, we outline common neurofeedback methods, illuminate the tenuous state of the evidence, and sketch out future directions to further unravel the potential merits of this contentious therapeutic prospect.
Are Group Psychotherapeutic Treatments Effective for Patients with Schizophrenia? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Orfanos Stavros , Banks Ciara , Priebe Stefan
Published: May 2015

Background: Different psychotherapeutic treatments for schizophrenia are delivered in groups. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these group therapies for people with schizophrenia across different treatments with varying therapeutic orientations. This review aimed to (1) estimate the effect of different group psychotherapeutic treatments for schizophrenia and (2) explore whether any overall ‘group effect' is moderated by treatment intensity, diagnostic homogeneity and therapeutic orientation. Methods: A systematic search of randomised controlled trials exploring the effectiveness of group psychotherapeutic treatments for people with schizophrenia was conducted. Random-effect meta-analyses on endpoint symptom scores compared group psychotherapeutic treatments with treatment as usual and active sham groups. Findings on social functioning were described narratively, and meta-regression analyses on group characteristics were carried out. Results: Thirty-four eligible trials were included. A weak-to-moderate significant between-group difference in favour of group psychotherapeutic treatments was found for negative symptom scores (standard mean difference = -0.37, 95% confidence interval -0.60, -0.14; p < 0.01, I2 = 59.8%) only when compared to treatment as usual and not to active sham groups. Improved social functioning was reported as a treatment outcome in the majority of studies compared to treatment as usual. The ‘group effect' on negative symptoms was positively related to ‘treatment intensity' (β = 0.32, standard error = 0.121; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Group psychotherapeutic treatments can improve negative symptoms and social functioning deficits in the treatment of schizophrenia. The effect occurs across different treatments and appears to be non-specific. Future research should identify the underlying mechanisms for the positive effect of participating in groups and explore how they can be maximised to increase the therapeutic benefit.
Establishment of an Effective Radioiodide Thyroid Ablation Protocol in Mice
Authors: Schmohl Kathrin A. , Müller Andrea M. , Schwenk Nathalie , Knoop Kerstin , Rijntjes Eddy , Köhrle Josef , Heuer Heike , Bartenstein Peter , Göke Burkhard , Nelson Peter J. , Spitzweg Christine
Published: May 2015

Due to the high variance in available protocols on iodide-131 (131I) ablation in rodents, we set out to establish an effective method to generate a thyroid-ablated mouse model that allows the application of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) as a reporter gene without interference with thyroidal NIS. We tested a range of 131I doses with and without prestimulation of thyroidal radioiodide uptake by a low-iodine diet and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) application. Efficacy of induction of hypothyroidism was tested by measurement of serum T4 concentrations, pituitary TSHβ and liver deiodinase type 1 (DIO1) mRNA expression, body weight analysis, and 99mTc-pertechnetate scintigraphy. While 200 µCi (7.4 MBq) 131I alone was not sufficient to abolish thyroidal T4 production, 500 µCi (18.5 MBq) 131I combined with 1 week of a low-iodine diet decreased serum concentrations below the detection limit. However, the high 131I dose resulted in severe side effects. A combination of 1 week of a low-iodine diet followed by injection of bovine TSH before the application of 150 µCi (5.5 MBq) 131I decreased serum T4 concentrations below the detection limit and significantly increased pituitary TSHβ concentrations. The systemic effects of induced hypothyroidism were shown by growth arrest and a decrease in liver DIO1 expression below the detection limit. 99mTc-pertechnetate scintigraphy revealed absence of thyroidal 99mTc-pertechnetate uptake in ablated mice. In summary, we report a revised protocol for radioiodide ablation of the thyroid gland in the mouse to generate an in vivo model that allows the study of thyroid hormone action using NIS as a reporter gene.
ZIRK-Technique: Zero Ischemia Resection in the Kidney for High-Risk Renal Masses: Perioperative Outcome
Authors: Kriegmair Maximilian C. , Pfalzgraf Daniel , Häcker Axel , Michel Maurice Stephan
Published: May 2015

Objectives: This study evaluates the feasibility and safety of open-partial nephrectomies in the ZIRK-technique (Zero Ischemia Resection in the Kidney) for renal masses with high-risk anatomical features - objectified by the PADUA score. Methods: We identified 40 consecutive cases of partial nephrectomies performed without clamping of the renal artery in our department of urology. Retrospective analysis of the preoperative CT or MRI scans showed 27 cases with a PADUA score ≥8, of which 15 cases had a score ≥10. Cases were in particular assessed regarding operation time (ORT), estimated blood loss (EBL), surgical margins and postoperative complications using the Clavien classification. Results: The mean age of the study population was 67.6 years with an average BMI of 26.8 kg/m2. The mean ORT was 1:46 with an average EBL of 521 ml. Clavien grade II complications were observed seven times, while 3 patients had a grade IIIa complication. Despite complex and adverse location of the tumors, nephron-sparing surgery without ischemia could be performed with negative surgical margins for all cases. EBL, transfusion rate and complication were considerably more frequent in high-risk tumors. Conclusion: Highly complex renal tumors, PADUA ≥10, can be resected in ZIRK-technique with good operative outcome and a low complication rate.
Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy versus Escitalopram in Chronic Major Depression
Authors: Schramm Elisabeth , Zobel Ingo , Schoepf Dieter , Fangmeier Thomas , Schnell Knut , Walter Henrik , Drost Sarah , Schmidt Paul , Brakemeier Eva-Lotta , Berger Mathias , Normann Claus
Published: May 2015

Background: A specific psychotherapy for chronic depression, the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), was compared to escitalopram (ESC). Methods: Sixty patients with chronic major depression were randomized to ‘CBASP' (22 sessions) or ‘ESC plus clinical management' (ESC/CM) at two treatment sites. The primary outcome measure was the score on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) after 8 weeks of acute treatment assessed by blinded raters. In the case of nonimprovement (<20% reduction in the MADRS score), the other condition was augmented for the following 20 weeks of extended treatment. Secondary end points were, among others, depressive symptoms, remission (MADRS score of ≤9) and response rates (reduction of MADRS score of ≥50%) 28 weeks after randomization. Results: An intent-to-treat analysis revealed that clinician-rated depression scores decreased significantly after 8 and 28 weeks with no significant differences between the groups. The response rates after 28 weeks of treatment were high (CBASP: 68.4%, ESC/CM: 60.0%), and the remission rates were moderate (CBASP: 36.8%, ESC/CM: 50.0%) with neither group being superior. Nonimprovers to the initial treatment caught up with the initial improvers in terms of depression scores and response and remission rates by the end of the treatment after being augmented with the respective other condition. Conclusions: CBASP and ESC/CM appear to be equally effective treatment options for chronically depressed outpatients. For nonimprovers to the initial treatment, it is efficacious to augment with medication in the case of nonresponse to CBASP and vice versa.
Early Adolescent Emergence of Reversal Learning Impairments in Isolation-Reared Rats
Authors: Powell Susan B. , Khan Asma , Young Jared W. , Scott Christine N. , Buell Mahalah R. , Caldwell Sorana , Tsan Elisa , de Jong Loek A.W. , Acheson Dean T. , Lucero Jacinta , Geyer Mark A. , Behrens M. Margarita
Published: May 2015

Cognitive impairments appear early in the progression of schizophrenia, often preceding the symptoms of psychosis. Thus, the systems subserving these functions may be more vulnerable to, and mechanistically linked with, the initial pathology. Understanding the trajectory of behavioral and anatomical abnormalities relevant to the schizophrenia prodrome and their sensitivity to interventions in relevant models will be critical to identifying early therapeutic strategies. Isolation rearing of rats is an environmental perturbation that deprives rodents of social contact from weaning through adulthood and produces behavioral and neuronal abnormalities that mirror some pathophysiology associated with schizophrenia, e.g. frontal cortex abnormalities and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle deficits. Previously, we showed that PPI deficits in isolation-reared rats emerge in mid-adolescence (4 weeks after weaning; approx. postnatal day 52) but are not present when tested at 2 weeks after weaning (approx. postnatal day 38). Because cognitive deficits are reported during early adolescence, are relevant to the prodrome, and are linked to functional outcome, we examined the putative time course of reversal learning deficits in isolation-reared rats. Separate groups of male Sprague Dawley rats were tested in a two-choice discrimination task at 2 and 8 weeks after weaning, on postnatal day 38 and 80, respectively. The isolation-reared rats displayed impaired reversal learning at both time points. Isolation rearing was also associated with deficits in PPI at 4 and 10 weeks after weaning. The reversal learning deficits in the isolated rats were accompanied by reductions in parvalbumin immunoreactivity, a marker for specific subpopulations of GABAergic neurons, in the hippocampus. Hence, isolation rearing of rats may offer a unique model to examine the ontogeny of behavioral and neurobiological alterations that may be relevant to preclinical models of prodromal psychosis.
Leukoaraiosis Burden Significantly Modulates the Association Between Infarct Volume and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Helenius Johanna , Henninger Nils
Published: May 2015

Background and Purpose—

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) provides a reliable, quantitative measure of ischemic stroke severity and is predicted by the infarct size. We sought to determine whether leukoaraiosis severity affects the association between infarct size and NIHSS.

Methods—

NIHSS and diffusion-weighted imaging–defined infarct volumes from 312 prospectively enrolled patients with supratentorial, ischemic strokes were analyzed. Leukoaraiosis severity was graded according to the Fazekas scale and conceptually defined as absent (0; n=44), mild (1–2; n=106), moderate (3–4; n=105), and severe (5–6; n=57). ANCOVA was used to describe the effect of leukoaraiosis on the association between infarct volume and NIHSS. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to assess whether the association of leukoaraiosis and infarct volume on NIHSS was independent of other clinically relevant covariates.

Results—

Overall, there was a significant correlation between the infarct volume and NIHSS (
r
=0.591;
P
<0.001). This correlation significantly attenuated with increasing leukoaraiosis severity from
r
=0.786 (
P
<0.001; absent leukoaraiosis) to
r
=0.498 (
P
<0.001; severe leukoaraiosis) and as shown by ANCOVA (
P
<0.001). Leukoaraiosis (coefficient, 0.107; 95% confidence interval, 0.036–0.179; P=0.016) and infarct volume (coefficient, 0.360; 95% confidence interval, 0.305–0.416;
P
<0.001) were independently associated with a greater NIHSS deficit in the fully adjusted multivariable model.

Conclusions—

Leukoaraiosis significantly modulates the association between infarct volume and NIHSS. The clinical implications of these findings need further exploration in prospective studies but may be relevant to mitigate outcome differences in patients with stroke by aiding treatment decisions that rely on the NIHSS.
Evidence That Ly6C
hi
Monocytes Are Protective in Acute Ischemic Stroke by Promoting M2 Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Chu Hannah X. , Broughton Brad R.S. , Ah Kim Hyun , Lee Seyoung , Drummond Grant R. , Sobey Christopher G.
Published: May 2015

Background and Purpose—

Ly6C
hi
monocytes are generally thought to exert a proinflammatory role in acute tissue injury, although their impact after injuries to the central nervous system is poorly defined. CC chemokine receptor 2 is expressed on Ly6C
hi
monocytes and plays an essential role in their extravasation and transmigration into the brain after cerebral ischemia. We used a selective CC chemokine receptor 2 antagonist, INCB3344, to assess the effect of Ly6C
hi
monocytes recruited into the brain early after ischemic stroke.

Methods—

Male C57Bl/6J mice underwent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 1 hour followed by 23 hours of reperfusion. Mice were administered either vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide/carboxymethylcellulose) or INCB3344 (10, 30 or 100 mg/kg IP) 1 hour before ischemia and at 2 and 6 hours after ischemia. At 24 hours, we assessed functional outcomes, infarct volume, and quantified the immune cells in blood and brain by flow cytometry or immunofluorescence. Gene expression of selected inflammatory markers was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results—

Ly6C
hi
monocytes were increased 3-fold in the blood and 10-fold in the brain after stroke, and these increases were selectively prevented by INCB3344 in a dose-dependent manner. Mice treated with INCB3344 exhibited markedly worse functional outcomes and larger infarct volumes, in association with reduced M2 polarization and increased peroxynitrite production in macrophages, compared with vehicle-treated mice.

Conclusions—

Our data suggest that Ly6C
hi
monocytes exert an acute protective effect after ischemic stroke to limit brain injury and functional deficit that involves promotion of M2 macrophage polarization.
The Fight over the Forest
Authors: Bettinger Keith Andrew
Published: May 2015

Since the fall of the authoritarian Suharto regime in Indonesia, the role of local communities in managing forest resources has been the subject of intense debate. Though the State has long asserted its authority over the country’s forest estate, local communities contend that they are the rightful owners of millions of hectares of forests, which they say has been true for centuries according to the customary rules of use, or adat. This article describes the evolution of the concept of adat beginning in the colonial era and continuing through to the present day, describing how adat has been manipulated by centralizing forces to facilitate central government control over natural resources. This discussion takes place in the context of Kerinci Seblat National Park, a large protected area on the island of Sumatra, and describes the various systems of adat found in the communities surrounding the park. The article describes how these systems have been affected by various centralizing regimes, as well as how the central government has attempted to impose resource management policies and priorities on local communities. The interaction between the central government and adat communities has in many cases led to increased environmental degradation.
A Comparative Approach to Kievan Rus’
Authors: Halperin Charles J.
Published: May 2015

Christian Raffensperger’s excellent monograph Reimagining Europe: Kievan Rus’ and the Medieval World raises stimulating questions about the place of Kievan Rus’ in comparative history, questions that are more important than whether one agrees with his answers. Although Raffensperger defines his study chronologically, thematically and regionally, he draws a holistic conclusion that Kievan Rus’ was “part and parcel” of Europe. Such a conclusion runs the risk of reifying “Europe,” which is not and cannot be defined, and “Kievan Rus’,” which was heterogenous and evolved in ways which affect the elements of comparison Raffensperger explored. In additional other aspects of comparison between parts of Kievan Rus’ and different countries in “Europe” such as early medieval political structures could profitably be compared in greater depth.
Reimagining Kievan Rus’ in Unimagined Europe
Authors: Kovalev Roman K.
Published: May 2015

Russia’s place in Europe is an old question, one that is answered differently depending on its eras of history, the generations of scholars who study this issue, and their backgrounds. How the Kievan Rus’ period of Russian history may “fit” into medieval European history is perhaps not as well studied as are other epochs, although Soviet historiography is quite strong, as it nearly always attempted to situate Rus’ into “Feudal Europe.” Marxist historians had no doubts that Kievan Rus’ was European, as were West European medieval cartographers and geographers. Reasons for why, when, how, and where Russia came to be written out of medieval Europe, which has been generally understood as the Latin West, are still not clear. Recent scholarship has argued for the need to reevaluate the entire antiquated notion of “medieval Europe” being only the Latin West and include into it the “Other Europe,” or the Eastern-rite states that occupied the other half of the Continent. The new book by Christian Raffensperger attempts to find ways to situate Rus’ into “Europe” through reimagining its place in it. However, because the author does not reimagine “Europe,” he squeezes Rus’ into the Latin West, which compromises the former’s uniqueness as it also writes the rest of the Eastern-rite European states out of medieval Europe.
Reimagining Europe: Discussing Rus’ in a Wider Context
Authors: Raffensperger Christian A.
Published: May 2015

Reimagining Europe has generated a great deal of discussion among historians for its portrayal of the medieval kingdom of Rus' as part of the larger medieval European world. In this article, the author, Christian Raffensperger, responds to some of that discussion as a way to contextualize Reimagining Europe in the scholarship as a whole, as well as in regard to the particular comments offered as a part of this forum.
The North China/Northeastern Asia Severe Summer Drought in 2014
Authors: Wang Huijun , He Shengping
Published: May 2015

In summer 2014, north China and large areas of northeastern Asia (NCNEA) suffered from the most severe drought of the past 60 years. This study indicates that the East Asian summer precipitation in 2014 exhibited a tripole anomaly, with severe negative anomalies in NCNEA, strong positive anomalies in south China, South Korea, and Japan, and intense negative anomalies in the western North Pacific. Along with the severe tripole precipitation anomalies, there were strong intensities of the Silk Road pattern, the Pacific–Japan pattern, and the Eurasian teleconnection pattern, which were responsible for the strong precipitation anomaly in 2014 through changes to the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and the East Asian trough. Further analysis indicates that the sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Pacific was nearly the warmest in the past 60 years and, together with the strong SST warming in the warm pool region, thus caused the strong Pacific–Japan teleconnection pattern, southward positioning of the WPSH, and weakened East Asian summer monsoon. Additionally, the summertime sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean was anomalous, resulting in high SST in the Laptev–Kara Sea and, hence, triggering a strong Eurasian teleconnection pattern and contributing to the severe drought of NCNEA. Furthermore, the intense warming over the European Continent and Caspian Sea favored the Silk Road pattern, also contributing to the southward positioning of the WPSH and the NCNEA drought. The NCNEA severe drought was therefore the joint result of Pacific SST anomalies, Arctic sea ice anomalies, and warming over the European Continent and Caspian Sea.
Developmental typologies of serious mental illness and violence: Evidence from a forensic psychiatric setting
Authors: Simpson Alexander I , Grimbos Teresa , Chan Christine , Penney Stephanie R
Published: May 2015

Objective:

To identify subgroups of forensic psychiatric patients based on the age onset of serious mental illness and offending and assess the external validity of the subgroups with theoretically based sociodemographic, clinical, legal and risk-related variables.

Method:

The age onset of serious mental illness and criminal contact was ascertained for a sample of 232 patients. A range of sociodemographic, clinical, legal and risk-related variables were coded to assess whether age onset subgroups differed in a manner consistent with the literature on typologies of mentally ill offenders.

Results:

One-quarter of the sample was classified as early starters (patients whose first offense occurred before becoming mentally ill), while two-thirds were late starters (where first offense occurred following illness onset). A small percentage (8%) of patients were deemed late late starters, defined as late starters who had experienced 10+ years of illness and were >37 years upon first arrest. A larger proportion of early starters had a substance use disorder, antisocial personality disorder and a greater number of static/historical risk factors for violence. Early starters were younger upon first arrest and had more previous criminal contacts compared to late starters and late late starters. Mental illness was found to start later in life for late late starters; this group was also more likely to have been married and to have a spouse as victim in the index offense.

Conclusion:

We found support for distinct subgroups of mentally ill offenders based on the age onset of illness and criminal contact. Compared to late starters, offenses committed by early starters may be motivated more frequently by antisocial lifestyle and attitudes, as well as more instrumental behaviors related to substance abuse. In addition, late late starters may represent a distinct third subgroup within late starters, characterized by relatively higher levels of functioning and social stability; future work should replicate. Findings suggest different rehabilitation needs of the subgroups.
Educators' experiences of working in Intensive English Language Programs: The strengths and challenges of specialised English language classrooms for students with migrant and refugee backgrounds
Authors: Due Clemence , Riggs Damien W , Mandara Mia
Published: May 2015

In this article, educators' experiences of working in diverse classrooms designed to provide English language education as part of Intensive English Language Programs (IELPs) in South Australia are considered. To this end, responses to qualitative interviews with 14 educators working in three schools are examined using Braun and Clarke's method of qualitative thematic analysis. Results indicate that the model of education provided within IELPs is seen by teachers as the best approach to educating young refugees and migrants in Australia.
Color-Blind Leadership
Authors: Davis Bradley W. , Gooden Mark A. , Micheaux Donna J.
Published: May 2015

Purpose: Working from the driving research question— is the explicit consideration of race present in the ISLLC and ELCC standards?—this article explores the implications of a school leadership landscape reliant on a collection of color-blind leadership standards to guide the preparation and practice of school leaders. In doing so, we analyze the language of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and the Educational Leaders Constituent Council (ELCC) standards and their accompanying reports using a critical race theory framework. Research Methods: In our analysis of the ISLLC and ELCC standards, we performed a multistep review of these standards’ leadership domains and their components. Our hybrid methodology employs empirical and theoretical elements of content and textual analysis. Drawing on the tenets of critical race theory, we provide an analysis of the extent to which the standards’ language address, or fail to address, issues of race, racism, and culture. Findings: The words race, ethnicity, and color do not appear in either the primary or substandards of the ISLLC and ELCC standards. Despite this fact, the bibliography for the ELCC standards includes works that boldly discuss issues of race and racism in education. Additionally, three key findings emerged from the textual analysis: (1) a conflation of culture, climate, and school culture; (2) a sidestepping of race and race language; and (3) an underdeveloped conceptualization of social justice. Implications for Research and Practice: We present our case citing the importance of a color-conscious educational leadership paradigm supported by inclusive leadership standards. We conclude with proposals for the improvement of leadership policy and preparation program standards.
How Different Operationalizations of Recidivism Impact Conclusions of Effectiveness of Parole Supervision
Authors: Ostermann Michael , Salerno Laura M. , Hyatt Jordan M.
Published: May 2015

Objectives:

Recidivism reduction is the primary goal of many correctional programs, and “recidivism” is the most prevalent outcome measure in related program evaluation research. Many different operationalizations of recidivism are used without a clear delineation of how these variations may impact conclusions. This study explores how the definitions of recidivism may impact research findings and resultant policy recommendations regarding the efficacy of parole.

Methods:

Data from prisoners released in 2008 ( n = 12,132) to parole or unconditional release are analyzed according to 10 different operationalizations of recidivism. We compare recidivism rates, time to failure, and hazard rates between groups through the presentation of descriptive statistics and the use of multivariate Cox proportional hazards survival models.

Results:

Our findings indicate that parole supervision could be deemed either effective or ineffective depending on which definition of recidivism is employed. These findings are largely driven by whether technical parole violations are included into more traditional criminal outcome measures, such as rearrests, reconvictions, or reincarcerations for new crimes, and if court processing times are factored into measures of time to failure.

Conclusions:

Our results raise questions about the consistency of findings within the corrections literature. These conclusions, given the role that technical violations and court processing times can play, suggest a need for increased specificity when using recidivism as an outcome measure.
Neoliberalism, logistics and the treadmill of production in metropolitan waste management: A case of Turkish firms
Authors: Fu Albert
Published: May 2015

This paper examines the domestic growth and overseas expansion of Turkish firms as part of the treadmill of production. The treadmill of production is an environmental and political-economy approach to society’s insatiable hunger for material goods. In this approach, economic growth leads to withdrawals of natural resources, and the addition of waste to the environment that stresses both nature and society. Drawing on the treadmill of production approach, I argue that logistical service providers are a coping and modernisation mechanism for accelerated urban growth and economic expansion. This process is visible in the expansion of privatised waste management, and even more so in rapidly urbanising regions where growth and modernisation are of great importance to policy-makers. Owing to the importance of growth and expansion, logistics firms in newly industrialised countries, like their counterparts in the Global North, increasingly export logistical services overseas. This, in turn, accelerates the treadmill of production internationally. As such, this paper will also look at the expansion of Turkish firms into Pakistan.
The validity of the macroscopic appearance of lymph node biopsy in the diagnosis of tuberculosis
Authors: Houlden Christopher , Woodfield John
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is a common disease with profound morbidity, mortality and effects on global public health. The differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy is wide, particularly in areas where HIV is prevalent. Most hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa and across the developing world have limited, if any, histology facilities. This study will assess the validity of the assessment of the lymph nodes by their macroscopic appearance for the diagnosis of TB. Its sensitivity and specificity will be compared to full histological examination.

Method

This is a single-centre prospective study conducted in a remote rural district hospital in Zambia over a time period of 16 months. All patients with palpable lymphadenopathy where TB was considered in the differential diagnosis were included. The patients underwent an excision lymph node biopsy. The cut surface was judged by the operating surgeon as to the presence of caseation. The excised nodes were then sent for histological examination.

Results

In total, 59.8% of patients (64 of 107 patients) in this group had a final histological diagnosis of TB. This is equivalent to the TB disease prevalence in this group of patients that have palpable lymphadenopathy in this population. The diagnostic sensitivity based on macroscopic appearance of the lymph node was 81.25% (95% CI, 69.5–89.9%). The specificity was 97.67% (95% CI, 87.7–99.6%).

Conclusion

This study has shown that lymph node appearance is a useful diagnostic test even without laboratory histopathological facilities in the diagnosis of TB. This assessment of the macroscopic appearance is both sensitive and specific.
An alternative to India ink stain
Authors: Ibembe Isaac Nicholas , Wiggin Timothy Roger
Published: May 2015

Accessing India ink in rural Uganda is difficult and costly. An alternative stain was sought to assist in microbiological diagnoses of cryptococcal infections in immunosuppressed patients with meningitis. Mascara proved to be an excellent and cheap alternative.
The Open Public Value Account and Comprehensive Social Development: An Assessment of China and the United States
Authors: Wang Bing , Christensen Tom
Published: May 2015

Human society can be roughly divided into three spheres and each has different public values. While public values should be at the heart of public administration and social development, they are often significantly weakened by their philosophical ambiguity and immeasurability. This article seeks to clarify the nature of public values, how they are created, and how they can be measured. An open public value account is constructed as a policy tool for assessing as many public values as possible. It is used to examine the public values creation in China and the United States.
Cultural Branding, Geographic Source Indicators and Commodification
Authors: Hull Gordon
Published: May 2015

One strategy for indigenous producers competing with global capital is to obtain geographic source protection (a form of trademark) for products traditionally associated with a cultural grouping or region. The strategy is controversial, and this article adds an additional reason to be cautious about adopting it. Specifically, consumers increasingly consume brands not for the products they designate but for the affiliation with the brands themselves. Since the benefits of source protection depend upon a consumer's desire to have a product actually from that source community, if consumers care more about the brand designation than the actual source, then those benefits will be more difficult to realize. In such an environment there would be tremendous pressure both to produce products that conform to (often exoticized) western images of cultures and to create property rights in the culture itself, empowering elites to further marginalize and suppress dissenting views.
Effect of blood-sugar limitation on intensive care mortality: Intragroup evaluation
Authors: Nachtigall Irit , Tafelski Sascha , Tamarkin Andrey , Rothbart Andreas , Lange Martin , Wegener Felix , Balzer Felix , Burgos Jack Poul Luengas , Wernecke Klaus-Dieter , Spies Claudia
Published: May 2015

Objective

To evaluate the safety profile of blood sugar limits in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Methods

Adult patients with ICU stay >36 h, more than two blood sugar measurements and antibiotic therapy concordant with locally adapted guidelines were included. For analyses, one study cohort was defined in two ways: as a narrow group, euglycaemic patients’ blood sugar levels 80–150 mg/dl; as a moderate group, euglycaemic patients’ blood sugar levels 80–180 mg/dl. Dysglycaemia was defined as blood sugar levels <80 mg/dl for >5% of measurements, and >150 mg/dl or >180 mg/dl (narrow or moderate groups, respectively) for >10% of measurements. The primary endpoint was ICU mortality (euglycaemia versus dysglycaemia).

Results

The study comprised 668 patients. When defined as a narrow group, ICU mortality was 3% (four of 135) euglycaemic versus 10% (54/533) dysglycaemic patients (odds ratio [OR] 3.692, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.313, 10.382). When defined as a moderate group, ICU mortality was 6% (21/351) euglycaemic versus 12% (37/317) dysglycaemic patients (OR 2.077, 95% CI 1.188, 3.630). Frequency of severe hypoglycaemia (blood sugar <40 mg/dl) was not different between the narrow and moderate euglycaemic ranges.

Conclusions

Euglycaemia was associated with lower ICU mortality than dysglycaemia, and incidence of hypoglycaemia was low overall in this study. Based on current published evidence, therapeutic targets should be defined according to individual patient characteristics.
Comparison of Graft Failure Rate Between Autografts Placed via an Anatomic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Technique
Authors: Gabler Conrad M. , Jacobs Cale A. , Howard Jennifer Sebert , Mattacola Carl G. , Johnson Darren L.
Published: May 2015

Background:

Recent data from the Danish anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) registry demonstrated increased reoperation rates for hamstring tendon autografts when an anatomic ACL reconstruction is performed. This is consistent with reports of greater time needed for hamstring tendon autografts to mature compared with other autografts.

Purpose:

To review the literature comparing graft failure rate between patellar and hamstring tendon autografts placed anatomically and to determine if there are differences in return to preinjury activity levels between autografts.

Study Design:

Systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Methods:

The PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL databases were used to identify studies published from January 1, 2000, through March 7, 2014. To compare postoperative outcomes between patellar tendon and hamstring tendon autografts, summary event rates for graft failure and return to preinjury activity level were calculated. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate a summary odds ratio (OR) for graft failure between autografts using the studies that directly compared the 2 autografts. Meta-regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of postoperative follow-up time on graft failure rate.

Results:

A total of 28 studies reported graft failures for patellar tendon (6 studies) and hamstring tendon (26 studies) autografts used with anatomic ACL reconstruction; 4 of the 28 were comparison studies. Graft failure rate was not significantly different between patellar tendon (7.0% [95% CI, 4.6%-10.5%]) and hamstring tendon autografts (3.9% [95% CI, 2.7%-5.6%]). The odds of graft failure were slightly higher for hamstring tendon autografts (OR, 1.21 [95% CI, 0.63-2.33]), but this difference was not significant ( P = .57). The rate of patients returning to preinjury activity levels was not significantly different between patellar (n = 1 study; 58.1% [95% CI, 40.4%-73.9%]) and hamstring tendon autografts (n = 5 studies; 75.6% [95% CI, 43.7%-92.5%]). Overall graft failure rate was positively associated with postoperative follow-up time, but this effect was only significant with hamstring tendon autografts ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

Differences in graft failure rate between patellar tendon and hamstring tendon autografts were not significant. Although follow-up time was only found to have a significant influence on hamstring tendon graft failure rates, this was likely due to the smaller sample of studies assessing patellar tendon graft failures. Differences in return to preinjury activity levels could not be determined due to the lack of studies assessing that outcome. Both patellar and hamstring tendon autografts demonstrate a low risk of failure and moderately high return to activity level after anatomic ACL reconstruction.
Capitalism and Forms of Capitalism
Authors: Kotz David M.
Published: May 2015

To understand a severe economic crisis such as that of 2008, it is not sufficient to analyze capitalism-in-general along with various economic policy decisions and contingent events. An adequate analysis requires taking account of the particular form of capitalism. This approach to crisis theory is illustrated by an examination of the roots of the economic crisis that broke out in 2008 in the United States.
Cyclic performance of reinforced concrete T-beams strengthened in shear with fiber-reinforced polymer composites: Sheets versus laminates
Authors: El-Saikaly Georges , Chaallal Omar
Published: May 2015

Much existing reinforced concrete (RC) civil infrastructure worldwide is in need of shear strengthening and rehabilitation. The use of externally bonded (EB) carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets and laminates to strengthen deficient RC beams in shear is now an acceptable and cost-effective practice, particularly under static loads. However, due to its complexity, the cyclic (fatigue) behavior and performance of shear-strengthened beams is not fully documented. Recently, use of CFRP continuous sheets wrapped over the shear length for fatigue upgrade has been studied. This technique may present drawbacks related to surface preparation and FRP debonding. Therefore, when possible, prefabricated CFRP L-shaped laminates can be a cost-effective alternative because they require less surface preparation and do not peel off easily. The objective of this paper was to present the results of an experimental investigation that compared cyclic (fatigue) and static (post-fatigue) behavior of two EB CFRP techniques (sheets vs. laminates) for shear retrofit of RC T-beams. In total, six laboratory tests on full-size 4520-mm-long beams were conducted. The specimens were subjected to fatigue loading of up to 6 million load cycles at a rate of 3 Hz. Specimens that sustained 6 million cycles were then tested monotonically up to failure. The variables examined in the paper were: (1) the EB CFRP strengthening scheme, and (2) the presence and ratio (spacing) of internal shear reinforcement. The test results confirmed the effectiveness of using EB CFRP shear-strengthening methods under cyclic loading. They also revealed that the fatigue performance of RC T-beams strengthened with L-shaped laminates is significantly superior in extending fatigue life compared to corresponding T-beams strengthened with U-wrapped sheets. This was quantified in terms of deflection response (47% increase due to fatigue loading for specimens with L-shaped laminates compared to 90% for specimens with U-wrapped sheets), and the level of increase in steel-stirrups strain range (9–42% vs. 62–114%) and in EB CFRP (36–97% vs. 58–163%).
Attention aux faux avis! Investigations expérimentales sur les indicateurs contextuels facilitant la détection des avis trompeurs par les internautes
Authors: Munzel Andreas
Published: May 2015

Les individus se fient aux avis publiés sur Internet dans leur décision d’achat. Toutefois, la crédibilité des avis d’internautes est remise en cause suite à la croissance des pratiques frauduleuses des entreprises publiant de faux avis. Différents mécanismes qui aident les internautes à détecter les faux avis sont examinés dans trois études expérimentales. Les résultats confirment l’importance d’une activation d’un mode de protection ainsi que les effets de deux des mécanismes potentiels étudiés sur la crédibilité. Cette recherche contribue au champ des interactions en ligne par la mise en avant de l’importance des facteurs contextuels – plutôt que textuels – comme les certifications et la cohérence des avis émis dans le processus de détection des faux-avis par les internautes.
Do Patients Require Inpatient Admission to Receive Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)? A Survey of US-Based Prescribers
Authors: Joshi Charuta , Berg Anne T. , Wirrell Elaine
Published: May 2015

We aimed to determine variation in treatment of newly diagnosed infantile spasms, focusing on details of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) administration using a Redcap questionnaire sent to members of the Child Neurology Society. Two hundred fifty-seven members responded. Eighty-four percent prescribers used ACTH to treat infantile spasms. Seventy-six percent always admit patients. There is no difference between prescriber type (epileptologist or other) and prescriber location (state-funded or non-state-funded hospital) for decision to admit. Electroencephalographic (EEG) confirmation of spasms and education for injection were the commonest reasons to admit. Only 45% of prescribers accurately estimated the cost of ACTH. Participants in the hospital vial program were significantly more likely to always admit patients for ACTH than those who did not participate in such a program ( P = .02). Although having the hospital sample vial allows time to complete investigation of infantile spasms and eliminates delays in initiating ACTH, it adds significantly to the cost of therapy.
Constrained FBS knowledge cell model, representation, and applications for conceptual design
Authors: Ma Jin , Hu Jie , Feng Jin-Feng , Qi Jin , Peng Ying-Hong
Published: May 2015

Conceptual design plays a pivotal role in generating creative design solutions and, in most cases, reuse of existing design knowledge is necessary. However, lack of a consistent design knowledge representation model and neglect of an integrated approach to support various formats of design knowledge reuse constrain conceptual design from transforming design requirements into practical promising design solutions. In order to solve these problems, this paper presents a constrained function-behavior-structure knowledge cell (CFBS) model to provide conceptual design process with a consistent knowledge representation model. CFBS-based integrated approach for design knowledge reuse is proposed, which includes three-level CFBS retrieval process to obtain most relevant CFBS expressed in various types, three-stage design synthesis process to produce suggested design solutions, and evaluation process to select the most feasible design solutions. The effectiveness of the proposed design process was illustrated with conceptual design of the micro-feed drive module of insulin pump based on the CFBS library.
Nonlinear vibrations of fluid-filled functionally graded cylindrical shell considering a time-dependent lateral load and static preload
Authors: da Silva Frederico Martins Alves , Montes Roger Otávio Pires , Gonçalves Paulo Batista , Del Prado Zenón José Guzmán Nuñez
Published: May 2015

In the recent years, functionally gradient materials (FGMs) have gained considerable attention with possible applications in several engineering fields, especially in a high-temperature or hazardous environment. In this work, the nonlinear vibrations of a simply supported fluid-filled functionally graded cylindrical shell subjected to a lateral time-dependent load and axial static preload are analyzed. To model the shell, the Donnell nonlinear shell theory is used. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible, nonviscous, and irrotational. A new function to describe the variation in the volume fraction of the constituent material through the shell thickness is proposed, extending the concept of sandwich structures to a functionally graded material. Material properties are graded along the shell thickness according to the proposed volume fraction power law distribution. A consistent reduced order model derived from a perturbation technique is used to describe the displacements of the shell and, the Galerkin method is applied to derive a set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations of motion. Results show the influence of the variation of the two constituent materials along the shell thickness, internal fluid, static preload, and shell geometry on the natural frequencies, nonlinear frequency–amplitude relation, resonance curves, and bifurcation scenario of the FG cylindrical shell.