bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in Resource Utilization Between Patients With Diabetes Receiving Glycemia‐Targeted Specialized Nutrition vs Standard Nutrition Formulas in U.S. Hospitals
Authors: Hamdy Osama , Ernst Frank R. , Baumer Dorothy , Mustad Vikkie , Partridge Jamie , Hegazi Refaat
Published: September 2014

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to compare patient outcomes and costs for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) receiving glycemia‐targeted specialized nutrition (GTSN) with similar patients receiving standard nutrition (STDN) formulas during acute care hospitalizations. Research Design and Methods: The study was designed as a retrospective analysis over a 10‐year period (2000–2009) of clinical and cost data from 125,000 hospital inpatient episodes in the Premier Research Database. Patients received either GTSN or STDN, by tube or orally, as a component of comprehensive care for hyperglycemia in patients with DM. To adjust for potential cohort imbalances, GTSN patients were matched with STDN patients on the basis of propensity scores, adjusting for many characteristics, including age, sex, race, All Patient Refined Diagnosis‐Related Group (APR‐DRG) illness severity, APR‐DRG mortality risk, and comorbidities. Results: Tube‐fed patients with DM who were provided GTSN had a 0.88‐day (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73–1.02) shorter length of hospital stay (LOS) on average compared with those patients provided STDN. Orally fed patients with DM who were provided GTSN had a 0.17‐day (95% CI, 0.14–0.21) shorter LOS than did those patients provided STDN. The shorter LOS associated with GTSN contributed to a cost savings of $2586 for tube‐fed patients and $1356 for orally fed patients. Conclusions: The use of GTSN feeding formulas for patients with DM in acute care hospital settings was associated with reduced LOS and inpatient hospital episode cost in comparison to STDN.
Evaluation of sternochondroplasty efficacy in treatment of pectus deformities
Authors: Bagheri Reza , Haghi Seyed Ziaollah , Nouri Dalouee Marzie , Ebrahimi Kolsoumeh , Rajabnejad Ata'ollah
Published: September 2014

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sternochondroplasty for repair of pectus deformities.

Methods

Thirty-three patients underwent repair of pectus deformity with a sternochondroplasty technique between 1989 and 2009. Studied variables were age, sex, symptoms, pulmonary function tests before and after surgery, Haller index, complications, recurrence, and cosmetic results.

Results

The median age at operation was 13.27 years. Twenty patients (13 male and 7 female) had pectus excavatum, and 13 (11 male and 2 female) had pectus carinatum. Congenital anomalies associated with pectus excavatum included a skeletal anomaly in 6 (30%) patients and a cardiac anomaly in 4 (20%); only 1 patient with pectus carinatum had cardiac anomaly. Inspiratory vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s were significantly different before and after surgery in patients with pectus excavatum, but there was no significant difference in functional residual capacity. Pulmonary function tests showed no significant differences before and after surgery in patients with pectus carinatum. Complications after surgery were seroma in 2 cases and 1 case each of pneumothorax and atelectasis. Recurrence was observed in 2 cases of pectus excavatum. The cosmetic result was excellent in 93.9% of cases. Hospital mortality was zero.

Conclusion

Sternochondroplasty is a desirable procedure for repairing pectus deformities. This procedure has minimal complications and the cosmetic and physiologic results are excellent.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus)
Authors: Landolfi J. A. , Terio K. A. , Miller M. , Junecko B. F. , Reinhart T.
Published: September 2014

Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is an important health concern for Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus), no studies have evaluated the associated local immune responses or histologic lesions. In primates including humans, latent tuberculosis is distinguished by well-organized granulomas with TH1 cytokine expression, whereas active disease is characterized by poorly organized inflammation and local imbalance in TH1/TH2 cytokines. This study examined archival, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lung samples from 5 tuberculosis-negative and 9 tuberculosis-positive Asian elephants. Lesions were assessed by light microscopy, and lymphoid infiltrates were characterized by CD3 and CD20 immunolabeling. Expression of TH1 (interferon [IFN]–γ, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]–α) and TH2 (interleukin [IL]–4, IL-10, transforming growth factor [TGF]-β) cytokines was determined using in situ hybridization. In 6 of 9 samples, inflammation was similar to the pattern of primate active disease with low to moderate numbers of lymphocytes, most of which were CD20 positive. In 1 sample, inflammation was most similar to latent tuberculosis in primates with numerous CD3-positive lymphocytes. Expression of IFN-γ was detected in 3 of 8 tuberculosis-positive samples. Expression of TNF-α was detected in 3 of 8 positive samples, including the one with latent morphology. Low-level expression of IL-4 was present in 4 of 8 positive samples. Only single positive samples displayed expression of IL-10 and TGF-β. Tuberculosis-negative samples generally lacked cytokine expression. Results showed heterogeneity in lesions of elephant tuberculosis similar to those of latent and active disease in primates, with variable expression of both TH1 and TH2 cytokines.
Constructing Dependency: The United States and the Problem of Foreign Oil
Authors: Herbstreuth Sebastian
Published: September 2014

Dependence on foreign oil has long been considered a national security issue in the United States. Yet imports from some countries, such as Canada, are seen as a benign form of economic interdependence that yields gains from trade for both parties. Literature on energy interdependence usually conceives of dependency as an objective material condition whose political implications can be accessed through sober cost/benefit analysis. By contrast, this article argues that dependency is best seen as a discourse and that assessments of the costs and benefits of dependency are shaped by cultural constructions of geography. A critical constructivist approach to interdependence is developed to make this case. US dependence on Middle Eastern oil serves as an example to illustrate the argument. It is argued that American representations of the Arab world as America’s principal cultural Other have precluded a liberal reading of US–Middle Eastern energy interdependence.
International Relations as a Social Science
Authors: Neumann Iver B.
Published: September 2014

In this written version of his inaugural lecture for the Montague Burton chair in IR at the LSE, Iver Neumann takes stock of International Relations understood as a social science. Having paid homage to predecessors, in the first part of the lecture, he detects and regrets a certain unwillingness within the discipline to address the full universe of pertinent cases. Inspecting the toolbox of the discipline, he finds things to be satisfactory where data collection, theory and meta-theory are concerned, but traces a glaring lack of attention to data collection method among qualitative (as opposed to quantitative) scholars. In the lecture’s second part, Neumann draws on Marcel Mauss’s idea that human agency draws on a constellation of social, psychological and physiological sources and on Emile Durkheim’s insistence that a social science has to privilege social sources of agency, without neglecting sources of other kinds. A nutshell review of relevant trends within psychology and evolutionary biology highlights work that competes with the discipline’s own. While insisting, with Durkheim, on the need to privilege social causes, Neumann calls for more work that explores the possible compatibility of new findings within these non-social disciplines and International Relations.
The Religious Challenge to Securitisation Theory
Authors: Sheikh Mona Kanwal
Published: September 2014

This article deals with the definition of the religion sector of securitisation theory, and seeks to strengthen the contribution of securitisation theory to the study of religious violence and doctrinal conflicts. It is argued that the original elaboration of the security sector leans too heavily on a West-centric notion of religion as apolitical and of faith as a distinction between the sacred and the profane. These leanings limit the theory’s global applicability, consequently leading to a challengeable formula for the desecuritisation of conflicts with religious dimensions. Two alternative ways of integrating religion within a securitisation framework are suggested, one of which is based on a multidimensional concept of religion that embraces the different dimensions of religion defended by religio-political actors around the world. The second way focuses on doctrines in order to embrace equally the securitisation of doctrines conventionally designated as secular. It is also maintained that convincing reasons exist for treating religion/doctrine as a separate sector, despite the fact that religion appears to have cross-sectoral relevance. A religion/doctrine sector has strong defining characteristics that, in addition to the referent object(s), also include the criteria for survival and successful securitisation, the narrative structure of religious/doctrinal securitisations and the proclivity of religion/doctrine towards macrosecuritisation.
The Continuing Failure of International Relations and the Challenges of Disciplinary Boundaries
Authors: Baron Ilan Zvi
Published: September 2014

This article is concerned with addressing the following hypothesis, originally presented in Millennium in 2001: International Relations theory does not influence other academic fields to the extent that it suggests that it should. This claim is re-examined in light of the growth of IR over the past decade. Using a variety of evidence, including a close examination of the Social Sciences Citation Index, I conclude that IR (still) does not have much influence outside of the IR academic community. I also argue that while it is not reasonable to expect scholars who write on global politics but belong in other academic fields or disciplines to turn to IR, the way that IR defines itself suggests that they should. Consequently, it follows that IR needs to be doing more in order to make our work of greater relevance to, at minimum, those fields of scholarship that IR borrows from. I suggest that the reason why IR has continued to have little influence in other fields is because of the way IR sets itself up as a subject concerned with an anarchical order made up of sovereign states.
Understanding migraine using dynamic network biomarkers
Authors: Dahlem Markus A , Kurths Jürgen , Ferrari Michel D , Aihara Kazuyuki , Scheffer Marten , May Arne
Published: September 2014

Background

Mathematical modeling approaches are becoming ever more established in clinical neuroscience. They provide insight that is key to understanding complex interactions of network phenomena, in general, and interactions within the migraine-generator network, in particular.

Purpose

In this study, two recent modeling studies on migraine are set in the context of premonitory symptoms that are easy to confuse for trigger factors. This causality confusion is explained, if migraine attacks are initiated by a transition caused by a tipping point.

Conclusion

We need to characterize the involved neuronal and autonomic subnetworks and their connections during all parts of the migraine cycle if we are ever to understand migraine. We predict that mathematical models have the potential to dismantle large and correlated fluctuations in such subnetworks as a dynamic network biomarker of migraine.
Lateralized nociceptive blink reflex habituation deficit in episodic cluster headache: Correlations with clinical features
Authors: Coppola Gianluca , Di Lorenzo Cherubino , Bracaglia Martina , Di Lenola Davide , Parisi Vincenzo , Perrotta Armando , Serrao Mariano , Pierelli Francesco
Published: September 2014

Background

We previously observed impaired habituation mechanisms of the conventional blink reflex (BR) in patients with episodic cluster headache (ECH) during the bout, studying only the affected side. Here, we have studied the nociceptive-specific BR (nBR) both on the affected and non-affected sides, and in relation to clinical features.

Participants and methods

We recorded nBR in 18 ECH patients during the bout, and in 18 healthy volunteers (HVs). We compared pain threshold, area, and habituation of the nBR, recorded both for the affected and non-affected sides.

Results

In patients, the pain threshold on the affected side was lower than that of the non-affected side ( p = 0.009), and lower than in HVs ( p = 0.038). Reflex area was decreased on both sides ( p < 0.05) compared with HVs, whereas habituation was significantly impaired only on the affected side ( p = 0.025 vs. HVs; p = 0.003 vs. non-affected). The habituation slope was positively correlated with the number of days since the onset of the bout and the daily attack frequency.

Conclusions

Our data reflect lateralized pathological variations in craniofacial nociception in ECH patients over the course of the cluster period. We hypothesized that this is due to malfunctioning of mechanisms that regulate hypothalamic activity and descending aminergic controls.
Placement Practices of the Kingston (Ontario) Orphans’ Home, 1857–1876
Authors: Neff Charlotte
Published: September 2014

From mid-century until 1893, children’s homes like the Kingston Orphans’ Home were the primary providers of care and protection to destitute and neglected children in Ontario. About one-third of the children admitted were returned to family, but more than half were placed in private homes when discharged. Establishing good placement procedures was therefore a priority and a primary motivation for the founding of the Home. One hundred thirty-five children placed by the Home from 1857 to 1876 are tracked in order to assess these placement practices and the Home’s effectiveness as a child protection agency.
Altered Tibiofemoral Kinematics in the Affected Knee and Compensatory Changes in the Contralateral Knee After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Hofbauer Marcus , Thorhauer Eric D. , Abebe Ermias , Bey Michael , Tashman Scott
Published: September 2014

Background:

Previous studies of knee kinematics after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have generally employed low-effort tasks and typically not assessed changes in kinematics over time.

Hypotheses:

(1) During single-legged hop landing, ACL-reconstructed limbs will have altered kinematics compared with contralateral (ACL-intact) limbs 5 months after surgery. (2) Kinematic differences between limbs will decrease over time because of changes in both ACL-reconstructed and ACL-intact limbs.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

In vivo kinematics of ACL-reconstructed and contralateral ACL-intact knees were evaluated for 14 subjects during single-legged forward-hop landings at 5 and 12 months after surgery on the basis of dynamic stereo x-ray imaging. Differences between limbs and changes over time were assessed via repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results:

Five months after surgery, ACL-reconstructed knees landed significantly less flexed compared with contralateral ACL-intact knees (20.9° vs 28.4°, respectively; P < .05). The ACL-reconstructed knees were significantly more externally rotated (12.2° vs 6.5°; P < .05) and medially translated (3.8 vs 2.3 mm; P < .009) compared with ACL-intact knees. Anterior-posterior translation was similar between limbs. From 5 to 12 months, knee flexion at landing increased in ACL-reconstructed knees (mean change, +3.4°; P < .05) and decreased in contralateral knees (mean change, –3.3°; P < .05). External tibial rotation also significantly decreased in ACL-reconstructed knees (–2.2°; P < .05) and increased in contralateral knees (+1.1°; P = .117) over time. Medial tibial translation decreased slightly over time only in ACL-reconstructed knees (–0.3 mm).

Conclusion:

Five months after ACL reconstruction, landing kinematics differed between ACL-reconstructed and contralateral ACL-intact knees during a dynamic high-loading activity. These differences decreased over time, owing to changes in both the ACL-reconstructed and contralateral ACL-intact limbs.

Clinical Relevance:

This study identified kinematic changes over time in both the ACL-injured and contralateral ACL-intact knees after ACL reconstruction. These kinematic adaptations could have important implications for postoperative care, including evaluating the optimal timing of return to sports and the development of bilateral neuromuscular rehabilitation programs that may improve patient outcomes and reduce reinjuries in both the short and long terms.
A novel route for injection moulding of long carbon fibre-reinforced LLDPE
Authors: Varga Cs , Bartha L
Published: September 2014

The scope of our work has been the development of a new type of coupling agent by which processing of long carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites by conventional injection moulding can be possible. The experimental additive was expected to hinder fibre breakage and to simultaneously improve the mechanical properties of the composites. Resistance of LLDPE reinforced with 1–10 wt% long carbon fibres against tensile, flexure and impact stresses has been investigated. Tensile strength of carbon fibre/LLDPE composites has increased by 10–30%; flexure strength has gained 15–90% related to the neat polymer depending on the fibre concentration. The effect of a blowing agent on the mechanical properties has also been investigated. At least 20% higher yield strength has been measured for the foamed sample with 5% carbon fibre related to the nonfoamed one with the same fibre content. The higher the fibre content was, the higher the improvements in the mechanical properties became. Fibre–matrix interaction has been studied on scanning electron microscopy graphs where a well-connected polymer layer has been observed to the fibre surface.
Effect of monocrotophos, an organophosphorus insecticide, on the striatal dopaminergic system in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Ali Shaheen Jafri , Rajini Padmanabhan Sharda
Published: September 2014

Our earlier study had shown that low concentrations of monocrotophos (MCP) elicited dopaminergic features of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In the present study, the effect of low doses of MCP on the striatal dopaminergic neurons was investigated using the mouse model system. MCP was initially screened for its ability to cause any neurobehavioral deficits and alterations in the dopaminergic system in Swiss albino mice, aged 8 weeks and weighing 25–30 g, with repeated doses at 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)/day for 7 days and 30 days. Mice were treated with four intraperitoneal injections for every 2 h with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) at the dosage of 14 mg/kg b.w. MCP was administered to these mice at the above-mentioned doses for 7 days. Mice administered with MCP alone revealed a significant ( p < 0.05) reduction in the dopamine (DA) content at both 7 and 30 days and showed a significant ( p < 0.05) increase in neurobehavioral deficits. Interestingly, when MCP was administered for 7 days to MPTP-treated mice, further significant decrease in both DA content and increase in neurobehavioral deficits were apparent. The extent of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation were markedly increased, while the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione levels were significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) in the treated mice as compared to the control. Significant histopathological alterations and a marked reduction in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase positive cells were evident in striatum of mice treated with higher doses of MCP. These changes were comparable to that seen in mice treated with MPTP and post-administered lower doses of MCP. Our findings suggest that MCP per se has the propensity to induce pathological changes in the dopaminergic neurons as well as augment the degeneration in a compromised nigrostriatal system such as that in PD.
Millisecond Flashes of Light Phase Delay the Human Circadian Clock during Sleep
Authors: Zeitzer Jamie M. , Fisicaro Ryan A. , Ruby Norman F. , Heller H. Craig
Published: September 2014

The human circadian timing system is most sensitive to the phase-shifting effects of light during the biological nighttime, a time at which humans are most typically asleep. The overlap of sleep with peak sensitivity to the phase-shifting effects of light minimizes the effectiveness of using light as a countermeasure to circadian misalignment in humans. Most current light exposure treatments for such misalignment are mostly ineffective due to poor compliance and secondary changes that cause sleep deprivation. Using a 16-day, parallel group design, we examined whether a novel sequence of light flashes delivered during sleep could evoke phase changes in the circadian system without disrupting sleep. Healthy volunteers participated in a 2-week circadian stabilization protocol followed by a 2-night laboratory stay. During the laboratory session, they were exposed during sleep to either darkness ( n = 7) or a sequence of 2-msec light flashes given every 30 sec ( n = 6) from hours 2 to 3 after habitual bedtime. Changes in circadian timing (phase) and micro- and macroarchitecture of sleep were assessed. Subjects exposed to the flash sequence during sleep exhibited a delay in the timing of their circadian salivary melatonin rhythm compared with the control dark condition ( p < 0.05). Confirmation that the flashes penetrated the eyelids is presented by the occurrence of an evoked response in the EEG. Despite the robust effect on circadian timing, there were no large changes in either the amount or spectral content of sleep ( p values > 0.30) during the flash stimulus. Exposing sleeping individuals to 0.24 sec of light spread over an hour shifted the timing of the circadian clock and did so without major alterations to sleep itself. While a greater number of matched subjects and more research will be necessary to ascertain whether these light flashes affect sleep, our data suggest that this type of passive phototherapy might be developed as a useful treatment for circadian misalignment in humans.
Sydenham Chorea and PANDAS in South Africa
Authors: Walker Kathleen G. , de Vries Petrus J. , Stein Dan J. , Wilmshurst Jo M.
Published: September 2014

In South Africa, and worldwide, rheumatic fever represents a public health problem. Improved diagnosis and management of Sydenham chorea, a major manifestation of acute rheumatic fever is key to prevention of rheumatic heart disease. This article reviews Sydenham chorea from its original description to current opinions. Recommendations are founded on expert opinion as class 1 data is lacking. This South African perspective is relevant to resource-poor settings globally insofar as it provides diagnosis and management recommendations for primary- and secondary-level healthcare professionals who care for patients in such environments. Four basic tenets of care are recommended, namely, elimination of the streptococcal infection, symptomatic treatment, immunological treatment, and nonpharmacologic interventions. A user-friendly outcome measurement tool, viable for use in low-resource settings is presented. Introduction of this tool may lead to increased awareness of the neuropsychiatric manifestations of poststreptococcal movement disorders in Africa, where reports are limited.
HIV testing rates, prevalence, and knowledge among outpatients in Durban, South Africa: Time trends over four years
Authors: Ramirez-Avila Lynn , Regan Susan , Chetty Senica , Giddy Janet , Ross Douglas , Katz Jeffrey N , Freedberg Kenneth A , Losina Elena , Walensky Rochelle P , Bassett Ingrid V
Published: September 2014

The HIV public health messages in South Africa have increased. Our objective was to evaluate changes over time in HIV testing behaviour, prevalence and knowledge. We prospectively enrolled adults (≥18 years) prior to HIV testing at one urban and one peri-urban outpatient department in Durban, South Africa. A baseline questionnaire administered before testing included the number of prior HIV tests and four knowledge items. We used test results to estimate previously undiagnosed HIV prevalence among those tested. We assessed linear trends over enrollment. From November 2006 to August 2010, 5229 subjects enrolled and 4877 (93%) were HIV tested and had results available. Subjects reporting prior testing over time increased, from 13% in study year 1 to 42% in year 4 (linear trend p < 0.001). The HIV prevalence among those tested declined steadily and significantly over time, from 64% of enrollees in study year 1 to 39% in the final year (linear trend p < 0.001). The percentage of subjects who recognised that medicine can help people with HIV live longer increased from 80% in study year 1 to 96% in study year 4. Rates of HIV testing have increased and prevalence among those tested has decreased in outpatients in Durban, South Africa.
Liquidity Measures and Cost of Trading in an Illiquid Market
Authors: Armitage Seth , Brzeszczyński Janusz , Serdyuk Anna
Published: September 2014

We provide the first in-depth study of trading on the Ukrainian stock exchange, using trade-by-trade data. Although Ukraine has some large listed companies, the market is quite illiquid. We study the efficiency of five liquidity measures in the market. The proportion of no-trading days is the most reliable of the five, while turnover, which is widely used in the literature, is a poor measure. On trading cost, trades in all size categories are executed within the quoted spread, as in other dealership markets, with medium-sized trades being the cheapest. The cost of sales is higher than the cost of purchases under all market conditions.

JEL Classification: G15, C51
Investor Behaviour and Herding: Evidence from the National Stock Exchange in India
Authors: Poshakwale Sunil , Mandal Anandadeep
Published: September 2014

The article examines the presence of herd behaviour in the emerging Indian stock market. Using daily data of S&P CNX Nifty 50 index of the National Stock Exchange over 1997–2012 and by employing Kalman filter, we investigate for the presence of herding. The article finds that the investors in the Indian market show significant herding behaviour. The presence of herding is robust after accounting for time-varying state variables that capture market volatility and market direction. Herding shows significant movements and persistence in both bull and bear markets and it seems to increase in bear market conditions.

JEL Classification: C02, C21, G11, G14
Serological diagnosis of Besnoitia bennetti infection in donkeys (Equus asinus)
Authors: Ness SallyAnne L. , Schares Gereon , Peters-Kennedy Jeanine , Mittel Linda D. , Dubey Jitender P. , Bowman Dwight D. , Mohammed Hussni O. , Divers Thomas J.
Published: September 2014

Besnoitiosis is an emerging infectious disease of donkeys ( Equus asinus) in the United States for which there are currently no serologic methods of diagnosis. A study was performed to evaluate physical examination findings and 3 serologic assays for the detection of Besnoitia bennetti infection in donkeys. A prospective study of 416 donkeys from 6 privately owned herds across 5 U.S. states (New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Oregon, and Washington) was performed. Donkeys were examined for clinical lesions suggestive of besnoitiosis and evaluated for antibodies against B. bennetti using a fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and 2 immunoblot assays specific for bradyzoite and tachyzoite antigens, respectively. Donkeys were confirmed to be infected with B. bennetti by histology (cases; n = 32) and were compared to those with no clinical signs of besnoitiosis (controls; n = 384). Identifying clinical lesions in 2 or more locations correctly identified infected donkeys 83% of the time. Donkeys with besnoitiosis had significantly higher FAT titers ( P < 0.001) and numbers of bradyzoite ( P < 0.001) and tachyzoite ( P < 0.001) immunoblot bands than control donkeys. The sensitivity and specificity of the serologic assays for detecting besnoitiosis was 88% and 96% for FAT, 81% and 91% for bradyzoite immunoblot, and 91% and 92% for tachyzoite immunoblot, respectively. Fluorescent antibody and immunoblot assays are effective at identifying donkeys with besnoitiosis and provide a more efficient and less invasive diagnostic alternative to histology.
From Simulation to Imitation
Authors: de Castell Suzanne , Jenson Jennifer , Thumlert Kurt
Published: September 2014

Background

We contend that a conceptual conflation of simulation and imitation persists at the heart of claims for the power of game-based simulations for learning. Recent changes in controller-technologies and gaming systems, we argue, make this conflation of concepts more readily apparent, and its significant educational implications more evident.

Aim

This article examines the evolution in controller technologies of imitation that support players’ embodied competence, rather than players’ ability to simulate such competence. Digital gameplay undergoes an epistemological shift when player and game interactions are no longer restricted to simulations of actions on a screen, but instead support embodied imitation as a central element of gameplay. We interrogate the distinctive meanings and affordances of simulation and imitation and offer a critical conceptual strategy for refining, and indeed redefining, what counts as learning in and from digital games.

Method

We draw upon actor-network theory to identify what is educationally significant about the digitally mediated learning ecologies enabled by imitation-based gaming consoles and controllers. Actor-network theory helps us discern relations between human actors and technical artifacts, illuminating the complex inter-dependencies and inter-actions of the socio-technical support networks too long overlooked in androcentric theories of human action and cognitive psychology.

Conclusion

By articulating distinctions between simulation and imitation, we show how imitative practices afforded by mimetic game controllers and next-generation motion-capture technologies offer a different picture of learning through playing digital games, and suggest novel and productive avenues for research and educational practice.
Partisan vote buying and suspensions in the Postreform House
Authors: Moffett Kenneth W
Published: September 2014

In the US House, the Suspension of the Rules procedure provides a route by which vote buying may occur. To investigate the conditions under which partisan theories anticipate that this behavior is more likely to happen, I use a dataset of all bills on which a final passage vote was taken in the House between 1975 and 2010. The House is more likely to consider bills by suspension to provide side payments to three types of bill sponsors from the majority party: ideologically distant members of this group; members whose preferences are located within the first 30% of the space in the majority party blockout zone; and members whose preferences are located on the minority party side of the chamber median.
The use of demonstratives and context activation in Catalan parliamentary debate
Authors: Cuenca Maria-Josep
Published: September 2014

Context is crucial in analyzing parliamentary debate, a field which has recently attracted attention from various perspectives. However, not many contributions focus on specific linguistic markers that shape and are simultaneously influenced by the context of production. The present article aims to partially fill in this gap by analyzing the demonstratives used in parliamentary debates and highlighting how they contribute to activating different aspects of context. After summarizing the features of parliamentary debate as a genre and the importance and complexity of context considered as a subjective and dynamic mental construct, the pragmatic functions of demonstratives are presented and the most frequent uses occurring in two debates in the Catalan Parliament are illustrated, namely text deictic and discourse-context demonstratives. The analysis shows the discourse significance of the latter, which corresponds to noun phrases such as this Parliament, referring to the members of parliament as a body, or this statement, referring to the document under discussion. These uses of a proximal demonstrative pointing to the shared context of communication clearly differ from text deictics. They are similar to but also different from both situational demonstratives, which point to the perceived context, and recognitional demonstratives, which point to the shared knowledge between the participants, the penultimate. The overall analysis not only enriches the description of parliamentary debates, but it also contributes to a more complete description of the various uses of demonstratives and to a better understanding of the complexity and dynamicity of context in this genre.
Using Foucault to construct normative guidelines for an ethics of tourist–indigenous encounters
Authors: Liljeblad Jonathan
Published: September 2014

Tourism exploring indigenous cultures is supported by proponents as a way for historically marginalized indigenous people to use their culture as a revenue source, with the benefits of nurturing their culture while simultaneously generating income. Critics, however, charge that indigenous cultural tourism subjects indigenous people to non-indigenous demands and thus drives an exploitative process eroding indigenous culture. These arguments have a normative subtext involving both a descriptive issue in terms of identifying when a tourist–indigenous encounter is “appropriate” or “inappropriate” and a prescriptive issue in terms of what can be done to encourage tourist–indigenous encounters to be the former rather than the latter. This article is an attempt to address these normative issues using the theories of Michel Foucault to construct guidelines that help participants within tourist–indigenous encounters navigate the issues of indigenous cultural tourism.
A Chinese Medicine Formula Gegen Qinlian Decoction Suppresses Expansion of Human Renal Carcinoma With Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2
Authors: Wang Ning , Feng Yigang , Cheung Fan , Wang Xuanbin , Zhang Zhangjin , Feng Yibin
Published: September 2014

Aim of Study. Gegen Qinlian decoction (GQLD) is an ancient Chinese medicine formula for treating diseases with inner heat. The aim of this study is to investigate the antitumor effect of GQLD in human renal carcinoma cell (RCC) and its possible mechanism. Method. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to identify and quantify active compounds in GQLD. Inhibition of tumor growth was determined by xenograft model. Cell viability on treatment with the decoction was determined by MTT assay; quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting were used to determine gene and protein expression; matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity was detected by gelatin zymography and in vitro enzymatic reaction assay. Results. Thirteen major peaks were detected in the decoction, 8 of which were identified as berberine, baicalin and baicalein, pueranin, daizidin, liquiritin, wogonoside, and wogonin. GQLD exhibited potent inhibition on xenografted expansion of RCC cells. Interestingly, GQLD treatment did not induce cell death to RCC cells, but blocked the neoangiogenesis in xenografted RCC tumor. Particularly, we found that GQLD significantly inhibited MMP-2 in RCC cells, which was involved as a critical factor in avascular growth of RCC. GQLD directly suppressed the enzyme activity of MMP-2. Radix Scutellariae was the major herbal component that contributed to the potent inhibition of MMP-2. Conclusion. The findings of this study provide experimental evidence of the inhibition of expansion and neoangiogenesis of renal carcinoma by Chinese medicine formula GQLD with involvement of MMP-2 suppression.
Resveratrol supplementation restores high-fat diet-induced insulin secretion dysfunction by increasing mitochondrial function in islet
Authors: Kong Wen , Chen Lu-lu , Zheng Juan , Zhang Hao-hao , Hu Xiang , Zeng Tian-shu , Hu Di
Published: September 2014

Resveratrol (RSV), a natural compound, is known for its effects on energy homeostasis. Here we investigated the effects of RSV and possible mechanism in insulin secretion of high-fat diet rats. Rats were randomly divided into three groups as follows: NC group (animals were fed ad libitum with normal chow for 8 weeks), HF group (animals were fed ad libitum with high-fat diet for 8 weeks), and HFR group (animals were treated with high-fat diet and administered with RSV for 8 weeks). Insulin secretion ability of rats was assessed by hyperglycemic clamp. Mitochondrial biogenesis genes, mitochondrial respiratory chain activities, reactive oxidative species (ROS), and several mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated in islet. We found that HF group rats clearly showed low insulin secretion and mitochondrial complex dysfunction. Expression of silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog- 1 (SIRT1) and related mitochondrial biogenesis were significantly decreased. However, RSV administration group (HFR) showed a marked potentiation of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. This effect was associated with elevated SIRT1 protein expression and antioxidant enzyme activities, resulting in increased mitochondrial respiratory chain activities and decreased ROS level. This study suggests that RSV may increase islet mitochondrial complex activities and antioxidant function to restore insulin secretion dysfunction induced by high-fat diet.
Adverse Events in Carotid Endarterectomy From a Medicolegal Perspective
Authors: Svider Peter F. , Vidal Gian-Paul , Zumba Osvaldo , Mauro Andrew C. , Haser Paul B. , Graham Alan , Rahimi Saum
Published: September 2014

Objectives:

Characterize factors raised in carotid endarterectomy litigation.

Methods:

Outcomes, alleged causes of malpractice, and other factors were evaluated.

Results:

Of the 37 verdicts and settlements, defendants were not liable in 25 (67.5%) cases. Frequently reported complications included stroke (51.3%) and hypoglossal nerve injury (27.0%), with other complications including airway compromise, vocal cord injury, and death. No cases reported myocardial infarction. Cerebral monitoring was mentioned in 2 cases, while inadequate informed consent, delayed diagnosis, and requirement of additional surgery were alleged in numerous instances. Settlements and jury awards averaged US$895 833 and US$1.53 million, respectively.

Conclusions:

Stroke and hypoglossal nerve injury are the most frequently litigated complications, and mean damages awarded were considerable. Knowledge of issues raised in our analysis may be included in a comprehensive consent process, potentially minimizing liability and improving patient safety.
Banishing the Control Homunculi in Studies of Action Control and Behavior Change
Authors: Verbruggen Frederick , McLaren Ian P. L. , Chambers Christopher D.
Published: September 2014

For centuries, human self-control has fascinated scientists and nonscientists alike. Current theories often attribute it to an executive control system. But even though executive control receives a great deal of attention across disciplines, most aspects of it are still poorly understood. Many theories rely on an ill-defined set of “homunculi” doing jobs like “response inhibition” or “updating” without explaining how they do so. Furthermore, it is not always appreciated that control takes place across different timescales. These two issues hamper major advances. Here we focus on the mechanistic basis for the executive control of actions. We propose that at the most basic level, action control depends on three cognitive processes: signal detection, action selection, and action execution. These processes are modulated via error-correction or outcome-evaluation mechanisms, preparation, and task rules maintained in working and long-term memory. We also consider how executive control of actions becomes automatized with practice and how people develop a control network. Finally, we discuss how the application of this unified framework in clinical domains can increase our understanding of control deficits and provide a theoretical basis for the development of novel behavioral change interventions.
A Sex-Positive Framework for Research on Adolescent Sexuality
Authors: Harden K. Paige
Published: September 2014

In this article, I propose a sex-positive framework for research on adolescent sexuality in which I consider consensual sexual activities in adolescence as developmentally normative and potentially healthy. The sex-positive framework is contrasted with the predominant “risk” perspective that presumes that abstinence from sexual activity is the ideal behavioral outcome for teenagers. Evidence from longitudinal and behavioral genetic studies indicates that engaging in sexual intercourse in adolescence does not typically cause worse psychological functioning. The relationship context of sexual experience may be a critical moderator of its psychological impact. Moreover, cross-cultural data on adolescents’ contraception usage, unintended pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections suggest that, despite the unacceptably high rate of negative health consequences among U.S. teenagers, adolescents can have the developmental capacity to regulate the health risks inherent in sexual activity. Understanding adolescent sexuality can be fostered by considering sexual well-being, a multidimensional construct that incorporates an adolescent’s sexual self-efficacy, sexual self-esteem, feelings of sexual pleasure and satisfaction, and freedom from pain and negative affect regarding sexuality. New research is necessary to understand the development of adolescent sexual well-being, including its normative age trends, its reciprocal links with sexual behavior, and its impact on psychological and physical health.
The Mad-Genius Paradox
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: September 2014

The persistent mad-genius controversy concerns whether creativity and psychopathology are positively or negatively correlated. Remarkably, the answer can be “both”! The debate has unfortunately overlooked the fact that the creativity-psychopathology correlation can be expressed as two independent propositions: (a) Among all creative individuals, the most creative are at higher risk for mental illness than are the less creative and (b) among all people, creative individuals exhibit better mental health than do noncreative individuals. In both propositions, creativity is defined by the production of one or more creative products that contribute to an established domain of achievement. Yet when the typical cross-sectional distribution of creative productivity is taken into account, these two statements can both be true. This potential compatibility is here christened the mad-genius paradox. This paradox can follow logically from the assumption that the distribution of creative productivity is approximated by an inverse power function called Lotka’s law. Even if psychopathology is specified to correlate positively with creative productivity, creators as a whole can still display appreciably less psychopathology than do people in the general population because the creative geniuses who are most at risk represent an extremely tiny proportion of those contributing to the domain. The hypothesized paradox has important scientific ramifications.
The Origins of Neuroticism
Authors: Barlow David H. , Ellard Kristen K. , Sauer-Zavala Shannon , Bullis Jacqueline R. , Carl Jenna R.
Published: September 2014

In this article, we provide a fresh perspective on the developmental origins of neuroticism—a dimension of temperament marked by elevated stress reactivity resulting in the frequent experience of negative emotions. This negative affectivity is accompanied by a pervasive perception that the world is a dangerous and threatening place, along with beliefs about one’s inability to manage or cope with challenging events. Historically, neuroticism has been viewed as a stable, genetically based trait. However, recent understanding of ongoing gene–environment interactions that occur throughout the life span suggests there may be a more complex and dynamic etiology. Thus, the purpose of this article is to offer a theory for understanding the development of neuroticism that integrates genetic, neurobiological, and environmental contributions to this trait. Given the strong correlation between neuroticism and the development of negative health outcomes—most notably, the full range of anxiety and mood disorders—an enhanced understanding of how neuroticism originates has implications for the treatment and prevention of a broad range of pathologies and, perhaps, even for the prevention of neuroticism itself.
Turning the Lens of Science on Itself
Authors: Schooler Jonathan W.
Published: September 2014

This issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science reports an unprecedented replication effort entailing numerous independent laboratories conducting two versions of the verbal overshadowing paradigm (Schooler & Engstler-Schooler, 1990) using different timing intervals. The results (Alogna et al., 2014, this issue) provide unequivocal support for the existence of verbal overshadowing—the finding that describing a previously seen face can impair its subsequent recognition—while simultaneously revealing a number of factors that may have contributed to challenges in replicating verbal overshadowing in the past. In this commentary, I review my participation in this process and consider the implications of the results of this replication effort for verbal overshadowing, the decline effect, and the general goal of metascience: turning the lens of science onto itself.
Sustained expression of lipocalin-2 during polymicrobial sepsis
Authors: Vazquez Daniel E , Niño Diego F , De Maio Antonio , Cauvi David M
Published: September 2014

Sepsis is a major healthcare problem and a leading cause of death worldwide. There is no dependable diagnosis, and treatment for this condition remains mainly supportive. The etiology of sepsis is related to an overwhelming inflammatory response. In this regard, the antimicrobial protein lipocalin-2 (Lcn2) has been associated with several inflammatory conditions, but its contribution to polymicrobial sepsis is unclear. Polymicrobial sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and Lcn2 mRNA levels and protein expression were measured in liver and lung tissues. We observed that Lcn2 expression was robustly induced in liver and lung of C57BL/6 J (B6) mice, and remained elevated during the stage of innate immune dysfunction observed in sepsis. This response was different in A/J mice, suggesting a contribution of the genetic background, probably due to differences in IL-10 expression between these two mouse strains. Indeed, IL-10 was found to regulate Lcn2 expression in both primary and J774A.1 macrophages. Thus, Lcn2 expression is highly regulated during CLP-induced sepsis, suggesting that this antimicrobial protein could have a role as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of sepsis.