bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causal effect estimation strategies in a longitudinal study with complex time-varying confounders: A tutorial
Authors: Mertens Bart JA , Datta S , Brand R , Peul W
Published: August 2014

The Dutch Sciatica Trial represents a longitudinal study with complex time-varying confounders as patients with poorer health conditions (e.g. more severe pain) are more likely to opt for surgery, which, in turn, may affect future outcomes (pain severity). A straightforward classical as-treated comparison at the end point would lead to biased estimation of the surgery effect. We present several strategies of causal treatment effect estimation that might be applicable for analyzing such data. These include an inverse probability of treatment weighted regression analysis, a marginal weighted analysis, an unweighted regression analysis, and several propensity score-based approaches. In addition, we demonstrate how to evaluate these approaches in a thorough simulation study where we generate various realistic complex confounding patterns akin to the sciatica study.
The evolution of models of psychodynamic psychotherapy
Authors: Penman John M
Published: August 2014

Objective:

The purpose of this article is to give an outline of the evolution of models of psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Conclusion:

Certain concepts about the nature of the relationship between patient and therapist during psychodynamic psychotherapy are crucial to therapeutic benefit. These are attachment, self object function, and the co-construction of an intersubjectivity. The quality of the everyday therapeutic relationship between patient and psychiatrist similarly depends on these concepts.
Antisocial behaviour and lying: A neuropsychiatric presentation of agenesis of the corpus callosum
Authors: Roxanas Milton G , Massey Jessica S , Chaganti Joga
Published: August 2014

Objective:

The purpose of this case study is to describe the case of a person with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC), intellectual disability and features of antisocial behaviour and lying.

Methods:

A 26-year-old woman with a mild intellectual disability who presented with antisocial behaviour and chronic lying was found to have ACC and associated cerebral abnormalities.

Results:

Psychiatric, radiological and neuropsychological assessment of this patient provided convergent evidence of the importance of the corpus callosum in enabling understanding of social situations and appropriate social behaviour, particularly via its connectivity with the frontal regions of the brain.

Conclusion:

Antisocial behaviour and lying may be more commonly associated with callosal dysgenesis than is currently realised.
Prevalence and nature of antipsychotic polypharmacy among inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders at an Australian mental health service
Authors: John Alexander P , Gee Trevor , Alexander Sweeka , Ramankutty Padmaja , Dragovic Milan
Published: August 2014

Objective:

Though antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) is widely utilised in many clinical settings for the treatment of people with schizophrenia, the extent of this practice varies considerably between different regions, countries and clinical settings. Studies from Australasia exploring the prevalence and factors associated with APP are sparse and have yielded inconsistent results.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic retrospective audit of the medical records of all admissions in 2010 in the adult wards of a metropolitan public mental health service in Western Australia, having a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We analysed the rates of APP use, and its association with selected demographic and clinical variables.

Results:

The prevalence of APP among our sample of 229 patients was high, at 43.2%. APP was associated with a longer hospital stay ( p = 0.033) and voluntary admission ( p = 0.027); but APP was not significantly related to: age, gender, diagnosis and treatment by different psychiatrists.

Conclusions:

Substantial difference exists between everyday clinical practice and recommendations of practice guidelines of schizophrenia, regarding the use of APP. Prospective studies from different settings exploring the relevant clinical, patient, prescriber and system-related issues are warranted, to comprehend the rationale behind high utilisation of APP in clinical practice.
Ghost Busting: re-introducing psychotherapy for the psychiatrist
Authors: Harari Edwin
Published: August 2014

Objective:

The purpose of this paper is to provide a clinically relevant historical and conceptual overview of psychotherapy as an introduction to a forthcoming series of papers on specific models of psychotherapy. The author offers a selective review of some key ideas in the history and practice of psychotherapy.

Conclusion:

The principles of psychotherapy should inform all psychiatric practice, including the doctor–patient relationship, multidisciplinary teams caring for patients with complex or ‘treatment resistant’ problems, and patients who are non-compliant with psychotropic medication.
Health workers’ views of a program to facilitate physical health care in mental health settings: implications for implementation and training
Authors: Baker Wendy , Harris Melanie , Battersby Malcolm
Published: August 2014

Objective:

Physical comorbidities shorten the lifespan of people with severe mental illness therefore mental health clinicians need to support service users in risk factor-related behaviour change. We investigated mental health care workers’ views of a physical health self-management support program in order to identify implementation requirements.

Method:

Qualitative interviews were conducted with workers who had differing levels of experience with a self-management support program. Themes were identified using interpretive descriptive analysis and then matched against domains used in implementation models to draw implications for successful practice change.

Results:

Three main themes emerged related to: (1) understandings of disease management within job roles; (2) requirements for putting self-management support into practice; and (3) challenges of coordination in disease management. Priority domains from implementation models were inner and outer health service settings.

Conclusion:

While staff training is required, practice change for care which takes account of both mental and physical health also requires changes in organisational frameworks.
Meet Dr Jekyll: a case of a psychiatrist with dissociative identity disorder
Authors: Suetani Shuichi , Markwick Elizabeth
Published: August 2014

Objective:

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a controversial psychiatric diagnosis. This case review presents a retired psychiatrist with a history of DID.

Conclusions:

This case is used to illustrate current thinking about the characteristics and aetiology of DID. It also argues for the importance of being aware of both our personal and professional biases in our own clinical practice.
Problematizing “Play-for-Health” Discourses Through Children’s Photo-Elicited Narratives
Authors: Alexander Stephanie A. , Frohlich Katherine L. , Fusco Caroline
Published: August 2014

There are growing concerns in many industrialized Western societies about declining opportunities for children to play, and fears that this will have adverse health consequences for them. Informed by anti-obesity efforts, public health institutions have recently begun to advance active forms of play as a way of improving children’s physical health; however, promoting play for physical health might reshape meanings of play for children. We conducted photography and interview sessions with 25 Canadian children aged 7 to 11 years to examine their representations of play. Our findings suggest that for children, (a) play is an end in itself, (b) play involves but is more than active play, (c) there is ambivalence about scheduled play, and (d) risk is considered a pleasurable component of play. These findings point to a dissonance between children’s play promoted for physical health and the meaning of play for children as emotionally contingent, intrinsically motivated, and purposeless.
Psychiatrists’ Challenges in Considering Disclosure of Schizophrenia Diagnosis in Israel
Authors: Moran Galia S. , Oz Galit , Karnieli-Miller Orit
Published: August 2014

Doctors’ clear disclosure of diagnoses to patients is fundamental to patient autonomy and patient-centered approaches in health care. Although diagnosis disclosure is common in general health, it is less so in psychiatry. The aim of this study was to explore psychiatrists’ experiences of schizophrenia diagnosis disclosure to patients and/or family members. We conducted in-depth interviews with 14 psychiatrists from hospital and community settings in Israel and used a phenomenological framework to analyze the interviews. Overall, psychiatrists experienced disclosure as problematic, unproductive, and harmful. We identified 10 themes of psychiatrist experiences and concerns conceptualized under three domains: (a) characteristics of schizophrenia, (b) the doctor–patient/family relationship, and (c) psychiatrists’ difficulties with the disclosure task. We discuss the results suggesting a multilayered model of medical, relational, social, and personal disclosure challenges. We suggest that a constructive schizophrenia diagnosis disclosure needs to take into account psychiatrist- and patient-related factors and specify possible directions.
Understanding the Life Experiences of Older Adults in Korea Following a Suicide Attempt
Authors: Kim Yujin
Published: August 2014

The purpose of this article is to describe life experiences following suicide attempts from the perspective of older Korean adults. Both field notes and in-depth interviews with 35 elderly Koreans who had attempted suicide were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. With an underlying theme of “life with no way out for those who believe they do not even have any luck in dying,” I classified the experiences of participants in the wake of a failed suicide attempt into four categories: (a) facing additional hardships including deteriorating physical health, (b) having more sadness and loneliness than before the suicide attempt, (c) deepening dependency on tranquilizers, and (d) seesawing between despair and faint hope. Based on these research findings, I make four recommendations regarding secondary preventive interventions for elderly suicide attempters.
Communal Normalization in an Online Self-Help Group for Adolescents With a Mentally Ill Parent
Authors: Trondsen Marianne V. , Tjora Aksel
Published: August 2014

Although implications of parental mental illness are well documented, most children of mentally ill parents are left to manage their family situation with limited information and support. We explored the role of a Norwegian online self-help group for adolescents (aged 15 to 18) with a mentally ill parent. Through in-depth interviews with 13 participants, we found that the online self-help group provided “communal normalization” by which participants, through communication in the forum, made sense of everyday experiences and emotions arising from having a mentally ill parent. We identified three main aspects of this process—recognizability, openness, and agency—all of which were important for the adolescents’ efforts to obtain support, to be supportive, and to handle everyday life situations better. Communal normalization might provide resources for significantly improving the participants’ life situations, and could demonstrate similar potential for users in other situations characterized by stigma, loneliness, silence, and health worries.
Female Sex Workers and Their Gatekeepers in China
Authors: Hong Yan , Zhang Chen , Li Xiaoming , Zhou Yuejiao , Guo Weigui
Published: August 2014

Female sex workers (FSWs) play a key role in HIV/AIDS transmission and their gatekeepers play a crucial role in shaping their behaviors. Limited studies are available on the relationship between FSWs and gatekeepers. In the current study we used an ethnographic approach to examine the dynamic and multidimensional relationship of FSWs and their gatekeepers from the perspectives of both parties. We recruited 38 FSWs and 16 gatekeepers from different types of commercial sex venues in Guangxi, China, and conducted in-depth individual interviews. Our data suggest that FSWs and gatekeepers maintain an interdependent and reciprocal relationship during their business practice, but gatekeepers exert significant influence and control over FSWs. Designing culturally appropriate HIV/STI-prevention programs requires us to take advantage of the unique and crucial roles of gatekeepers. We conclude with a call for structural interventions to protect FSWs’ occupational health and safety.
Maternal Well-Being
Authors: Didericksen Katharine Wickel , Edwards Anne E. , Wetchler Joseph L. , Walker Jane A.
Published: August 2014

Extensive research has been done on new mothers and their well-being post-pregnancy. Particularly, couples’ relationship satisfaction has been shown to diminish as new mothers adjust to their new role (Lawrence, Rothman, Cobb, Rothman, & Bradbury, 2008). The purpose of this study is to look at potential factors play into this possible drop in satisfaction, in an effort to better understand this transition. Study participants included 101 first-time mothers in long-term relationships, with babies between 6 and 12 months old. Through a series of regression analyses, the researchers found that higher levels of differentiation were significantly associated with higher levels of perceived pregnancy health and higher levels of relationship satisfaction. Further, higher levels of perceived pregnancy health are associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction, and levels of family coping act as a moderator between these two variables. The relational therapeutic implications of these findings are also discussed.
Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Parentification, and Psychological Functioning
Authors: Hooper Lisa M. , Tomek Sara , Bond Justin M. , Reif Meagan S.
Published: August 2014

Childhood parentification has been reported to have enduring effects on psychological, relational, and physical functioning across the life span. Few studies have examined the implications of race/ethnicity and gender on the levels of parentification. We examined racial/ethnic and gender differences in 977 American college students (81% female, 5% Latino/Latina American, 10% Black American, and 85% White American) who reported a history of childhood parentification. We also examined the extent to which current level of functioning (as indicated by self-rated depressive symptoms, well-being, and posttraumatic growth) is associated with parentification in the current nationwide sample (mean age = 21.39, SD = 5.84). Overall, we found differences in parentification scores based on race/ethnicity and gender. Males had significantly higher levels of parentification than females; this finding was consistent across all racial/ethnic groups. White Americans reported lower levels of parentification compared to Black Americans and Latino/Latina Americans, who shared similar parentification levels. Both gender and race/ethnicity affected some—but not all—of the significant relations among study variables as well. Latino/Latina Americans appeared to receive positive psychological benefit from parentification, while this was not true of Black Americans and White Americans. Future researchers and family counselors should develop research studies and pose clinical questions that account for cultural differences in the assessment and treatment of parentification and its possible wide-ranging aftereffects. The results of the current study suggest that both the benefits and detriments associated with parentification should be considered equally in practice and research.
Clear Cell Sarcoma–Like Tumor of the Gastrointestinal Tract
Authors: Yegen Gülçin , Güllüoğlu Mine , Mete Özgür , Önder Semen , Kapran Yersu
Published: August 2014

Clear cell sarcoma is a rare tumor classically associated with tendons and aponeuroses of lower extremities of young adults and has a distinctive histopathologic and molecular profile. It has been rarely described in other locations other than soft tissues, including the gastrointestinal tract. Herein we report a case of clear cell sarcoma of gastrointestinal tract arising in the ileum, which is rich in osteoclast-like giant cells with a review of the literature.
N-Acetylcysteine Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis in Rats via Nitric Oxide
Authors: Shimada Kana , Uzui Hiroyasu , Ueda Takanori , Lee Jong-Dae , Kishimoto Chiharu
Published: August 2014

Background:

Oxidative stress may play an important role in the development of myocarditis. We investigated the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a potent antioxidant, on experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) in rats.

Methods and Results:

A rat model of porcine myosin-induced EAM was used. After the immunization with myosin, NAC (20 mg/kg/d) or saline was injected intraperitoneally on days 1 to 21. Additional myosin-immunized rats treated with NAC were orally given 25 mg/kg/d of NG-nitro-l-arginine methylester (l-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, and NG-nitro-d-arginine methylester (d-NAME), an inactive enantiomer. The NAC treatment improved cardiac pathology associated with reduced superoxide production. In the EAM rats treated with NAC associated with oral l-NAME, but not with oral d-NAME, the severity of myocarditis was not reduced. Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 was reduced by NAC treatment. Myocardial c-kit+ cells were demonstrated only in the NAC-treated group. Hemodynamic study showed that the increased left ventricular mass produced by myocardial inflammation tended to be reduced by NAC treatment.

Conclusion:

Treatment with NAC ameliorated myocardial injury via NO system in a rat model of myocarditis.
Mechanics of materially uniform thin films
Authors: Steigmann David J
Published: August 2014

A pure-bending model for thin films, accurate to leading order in film thickness, is rigorously established on the basis of the three-dimensional theory of materially uniform elastic bodies. A model accounting for both stretching and bending is also proposed. This incorporates a natural extension of Koiter’s theory. We show that the classical Kirchhoff–Love hypothesis, to the effect that material lines normal to the film remain so in the course of deformation, is not generally valid.
Radiative transfer and flux theory
Authors: Segev Reuven , Goddard Joe
Published: August 2014

The fundamental phenomenological equations of radiative transfer, e.g., Lambert’s cosine rule and the radiant transport equation, are derived from an analysis based on the Cauchy flux theory of continuum mechanics. For the classical case, where the radiance is distributed regularly over the unit sphere, it is shown that Lambert’s rule follows from a balance law for the transfer of radiative power in each direction u on the sphere, together with the appropriate Cauchy postulates and the additional assumption that the corresponding flux vector field ju be parallel to u. The standard radiant transport equation follows from the additional assumption that radiant flux is given as the advection of radiant energy density. A theory is also presented for the singular limit of isolated rays, where the distribution of radiance on the sphere reduces to a Borel measure.
The Transformation of North American Railroading
Authors: Plant Jeremy F.
Published: August 2014

U.S. railroads are experiencing a period of almost unprecedented prosperity and success. Both privately owned freight railroads and publicly operated passenger rail systems are experiencing growth, yet the public’s perception of the role of rail in the nation’s transportation system remains rooted in past. This article examines the nature of the perception problem and suggests a number of steps to be taken to more fully engage the public on the importance of rail transport. These recommendations range from better communications with the public regarding rail operations to the creation of public/private partnerships and enhanced public investment in rail infrastructure and security measures.
Using Teacher-Implemented Playground Interventions to Increase Engagement, Social Behaviors, and Physical Activity for Young Children With Autism
Authors: Ledford Jennifer R. , Lane Justin D. , Shepley Collin , Kroll Sarah M.
Published: August 2014

Children with autism have deficits in social communication and may engage in less moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than children without disabilities. In this study, a classroom teacher implemented two interventions in the context of an alternating treatments design. Physical activity, engagement, and social behaviors were monitored for two young children with autism spectrum disorders. Data show that engagement and social behaviors increased during a structured choice (SC) intervention condition. MVPA was variable within and across conditions, but appropriate physical activity (e.g., physical activity that was associated with engagement) was highest during the SC condition. A final condition during which the teacher prompted movement showed minimally higher physical activity with sustained social and engagement behaviors.
Assessments of feline plasma biochemistry reference intervals for three in-house analysers and a commercial laboratory analyser
Authors: Baral Randolph M , Dhand Navneet K , Krockenberger Mark B , Govendir Merran
Published: August 2014

For each species, the manufacturers of in-house analysers (and commercial laboratories) provide standard reference intervals (RIs) that do not account for any differences such as geographical population differences and do not overtly state the potential for variation between results obtained from serum or plasma. Additionally, biases have been demonstrated for in-house analysers which result in different RIs for each different type of analyser. The objective of this study was to calculate RIs (with 90% confidence intervals [CIs]) for 13 biochemistry analytes when tested on three commonly used in-house veterinary analysers, as well as a commercial laboratory analyser. The calculated RIs were then compared with those provided by the in-house analyser manufacturers and the commercial laboratory. Plasma samples were collected from 53 clinically normal cats. After centrifugation, plasma was divided into four aliquots; one aliquot was sent to the commercial laboratory and the remaining three were tested using the in-house biochemistry analysers. The distribution of results was used to choose the appropriate statistical technique for each analyte from each analyser to calculate RIs. Provided reference limits were deemed appropriate if they fell within the 90% CIs of the calculated reference limits. Transference validation was performed on provided and calculated RIs. Twenty-nine of a possible 102 provided reference limits (28%) were within the calculated 90% CIs. To ensure proper interpretation of laboratory results, practitioners should determine RIs for their practice populations and/or use reference change values when assessing their patients’ clinical chemistry results.
Associations between ‘valentine’ heart shape, atrial enlargement and cardiomyopathy in cats
Authors: Winter Matthew D , Giglio Robson F , Berry Clifford R , Reese David J , Maisenbacher Herbert W , Hernandez Jorge A
Published: August 2014

‘Valentine’ heart shape is a common qualifier used in veterinary radiology to describe a cardiac silhouette with focal enlargement at the level of the base of the heart in feline patients. Anecdotally, this sign has been thought to be related to biatrial enlargement and also to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, to our knowledge, there has been no study performed to assess the association between cardiac chamber enlargement and cardiac disease with the ‘valentine’-shaped heart. The aim of this study was to verify the association between the ‘valentine’ heart shape observed in ventrodorsal thoracic radiographs and the presence of singular or combined cardiac chamber enlargement, and also the presence and type of cardiomyopathy (CM) in cats. A search of the database of the Small Animal Veterinary Hospital of the University of Florida for cats with a radiology report of thoracic radiographs that contained the words ‘valentine’ and ‘biatrial’, and echocardiography performed within 1 week, was undertaken; 41 cases met the inclusion criteria. Eighty-two percent of the cats of the study sample had some form of CM. The ‘valentine’ heart shape was associated with biatrial enlargement in 41% of the patients in our study sample that had some form of CM and just 8% of cases diagnosed with HCM, suggesting that the ‘valentine’ heart shape has a low association with HCM or biatrial enlargement; however, it should be considered a sign of feline CM.
Revised McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis diagnostics in Central Russia: Sensitivity and specificity
Authors: Belova AN , Shalenkov IV , Shakurova DN , Boyko AN
Published: August 2014

Background:

The 2010 revised McDonald criteria were developed with data gathered from Caucasian European and North American populations, and their applicability has been questioned for the Russian population.

Objective:

The objective of this report is to compare the specificity, accuracy, sensitivity and predictive value of MRI criteria incorporated to the new (2010) and old (2005) McDonald criteria for early multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostics in the Nyzhnyi Novgorod (Russia) population.

Methods:

A total of 103 patients with symptoms suggestive of MS were recruited from 2008 to 2011 retrospectively. Patients were followed up until MS was confirmed or other proved diagnoses were determined. Their baseline and follow-up brain and spinal cord MRIs were retrospectively evaluated. Sixty-two patients (60%) converted to MS during the follow-up period (mean in 11±4.2 months).

Results:

In 41 cases (38%) diagnoses another than MS were established. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV and NPV of the revised MRI criteria were 74%, 93%, 82%, 94%, 70%, respectively.

Conclusions:

Despite the limitations of our study, we conclude that the ability of the revised MRI criteria for early MS diagnostics in the Russian population is approximately similar to that determined by the international panel in Europe.
Cingulum bundle alterations underlie subjective fatigue in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Pardini Matteo , Bonzano Laura , Bergamino Maurizio , Bommarito Giulia , Feraco Paola , Murugavel Abitha , Bove Marco , Brichetto Giampaolo , Uccelli Antonio , Mancardi Gianluigi , Roccatagliata Luca
Published: August 2014

Objective:

To evaluate the neural basis of subjective fatigue in subjects with multiple sclerosis (MS) using a connectionist framework.

Methods:

Seventy seven subjects with relapsing–remitting MS were recruited in the study and underwent subjective fatigue evaluations and a diffusion MRI scan. Firstly, local white matter Fractional Anisotropy values were correlated with subjective fatigue scores using a voxel-wise approach. The long-range loss of connectivity due to structural damage in the white matter voxels thus associated with subjective fatigue was then assessed using the Network Modification (NeMo) package.

Results:

A voxel-wise regression analysis with fatigue scores revealed a significant association between structural damage and fatigue levels in two discrete white matter clusters, both included in the left cingulate bundle. The connectivity analysis revealed that damage in these clusters was associated with loss of structural connectivity in the anterior and medial cingulate cortices, dorsolateral prefrontal areas and in the left caudate.

Discussion:

Our data point to the cingulum bundle and its projections as the key network involved in subjective fatigue perception in MS. More generally, these results suggest the potential of the connectionist framework to generate coherent models of the neural basis of complex symptomatology in MS.
A meta-analysis of the use of electronic reminders for patient adherence to medication in chronic disease care
Authors: Tao Da , Xie Leiyan , Wang Tieyan , Wang Tieshan
Published: August 2014

We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to January 2014 which evaluated the effects of electronic reminders on patient adherence to medication in chronic disease care. A random-effects model was used to pool the outcome data. Subgroup analyses were performed to examine a set of moderators. Data from 20 studies, representing 22 RCTs, were synthesized. Thirteen trials utilized short message service (SMS) reminders, three used pager reminders and six employed electronic alarm device-triggered reminders. The meta-analysis showed that the use of electronic reminders was associated with a significant, yet small, improvement in patient adherence to medication (pooled Cohen’s d=0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.18, 0.41). The effect was sensitive to sample size, type of disease and intervention duration. The frequency and type of electronic reminders appeared to have no moderating effect on medication adherence. The use of electronic reminders seems to be a simple and potentially effective way of improving patient adherence to chronic medication. Future research should concern the optimum strategies for the design and implementation of electronic reminders, with which the effectiveness of the reminders is likely to be augmented.
Optical investigation of fuel and in-cylinder air-swirl effects in a high-speed direct-injection engine
Authors: Hülser Thomas , Jakob Markus , Grünefeld Gerd , Adomeit Philipp , Pischinger Stefan , Klein Daniel
Published: August 2014

The primary aim of this study is to investigate current issues of combustion in high-speed direct-injection diesel engines in detail by optical diagnostics. Both fuel and engine design are considered. Recently, measurements of engine-out emissions demonstrated that approximately soot-free combustion can be achieved using a newly designed two-component fuel named BLT. It was composed of 70% butyl levulinate and 30% n-tetradecane (by volume). In this work, the underlying mechanism is clarified by in-cylinder visualization of OH* radicals and soot. In particular, it turns out that in-cylinder soot formation is avoided almost completely, that is, the soot oxidation process is much less important. This is basically achieved by both the oxygen content (about 21%) and the low cetane number (approximately 33) of BLT. The latter leads to enhanced pre-mixing of fuel and air. Consequently, soot formation can be greatly reduced because it depends on the air–fuel ratio of the mixture shortly before high-temperature combustion. The influence of in-cylinder air swirl on combustion and soot formation is also studied for both BLT and conventional diesel fuel, respectively, using the same optical diagnostic. The measurements show that the combustion zone strongly depends on the local gas-flow velocity for diesel fuel. Soot formation decreases with increasing swirl because of enhanced air entrainment and pre-mixing of fuel and air. In addition, the results indicate that soot oxidation is improved under high-swirl conditions for diesel fuel. In contrast, the influence of swirl on the combustion of BLT is overall found to be weak, suggesting that swirl could be reduced in future high-speed direct-injection engines for BLT-like fuels.
Do second-generation Turkish migrants in Germany assimilate into the middle class?
Authors: Hartmann Jörg
Published: August 2014

The understanding of career paths of migrants is crucial for gaining deeper insights into assimilation processes. However, previous studies in Germany have paid little attention to middle-class assimilation and the career sequences of the second generation of migrants. This paper focuses on early employment career patterns of the children of guest workers, both men and women and especially those of Turkish origin, in comparison to native Germans. Using the German Socioeconomic Panel data set, I apply sequence analysis and regression analysis techniques to describe and assess differences in their success of middle-class assimilation in early employment careers. The findings are robust for two unique definitions of holding a middle-class position, and suggest that large differences exist between native-born Germans and second-generation Turks, and especially between second-generation Turkish women and native German women. The results for second-generation Turkish men indicate that their differences can be explained entirely by education. In the case of second-generation Turkish women, the causes for their disadvantage are more complex and include their lower education, language skills, and host-country-specific social capital as well as group-specific penalties for marriage and childbirth.
An empirical study of self-perceived employability: Improving the prospects for student employment success in an uncertain environment
Authors: Qenani Eivis , MacDougall Neal , Sexton Carol
Published: August 2014

Employability of graduates has taken more prominence in recent years due to the bleak economic situation, the impact of student debt, and an increasingly competitive global labor market. Given the substantial individual and public investment made in higher education, it is particularly important that graduates are employable upon graduation. The focus of this study is students’ self-awareness through a measure of their expectations of gaining employment. Through the use of regression analysis, we examine the relationship between students’ expectations of finding employment upon graduation and a series of related variables and identify those factors that serve as boosters to self-perceived employability. Findings point out to the increasingly important role university can play in developing and enhancing graduates’ employability.
New foundations: Pseudo-pacification and special liberty as potential cornerstones for a multi-level theory of homicide and serial murder
Authors: Hall Steve , Wilson David
Published: August 2014

Over the past 30 years the industrialized West has witnessed a move towards space, heterogeneity and subjectivity in the criminological study of violence and homicide. Although large-scale quantitative studies of the temporal and spatial distribution of homicide continue to provide a broad empirical context, aetiological explanations tend to be based on analyses of the heterogeneous psychological interactions and experiences of individual subjects at the micro-level. However, mid-range studies of the temporal and spatial distribution of perpetrators and victims of homicide between unrelated adults have provided a useful link between the micro- and macro-levels. Focusing primarily on British homicide and serial murder, this article attempts to strengthen this link by combining contemporary micro-analyses of the subjective motives of perpetrators with mid-range analyses of space, which can therefore be seen as part of the structural tradition of theorizing about homicide and serial murder. Placing these analyses in a broad underlying context constituted by major historical shifts in political economy and the cultural forms of ‘pseudo-pacification’ and ‘special liberty’ will lay the initial cornerstones for an integrated multi-level theory.
Patterns and theories of European homicide research
Authors: Kivivuori Janne , Suonpää Karoliina , Lehti Martti
Published: August 2014

The article presents a quantitative look at the European homicide research published in selected main international journals in the field of social science criminology (SSC) since 2000. Building on our previous, mainly narrative work (Kivivuori et al., 2012), we use search string targeting article titles in selected SSC journals. The aim is to capture the basic features and patterns of homicide research conducted by scholars affiliated with European institutions and departments. Research activity is then examined in terms of its quantity, patterns and trends, with attention to theoretical approaches and emphases. Our analyses suggest that European homicide research is increasing, is relatively concentrated to specific countries with strong homicide research traditions, and shows a rising percentage of female scholars. In terms of method and substance, qualitative and mixed methods appear to be ascendant, and research increasingly focuses on sub-types of homicide rather than on homicide in general. The most frequent topic of special homicide research is intimate partner homicide, with genocide and homicide-suicide studies also drawing European attention. The theoretical traditions of SSC-based homicide research are nearly always acknowledged and often explicitly developed. Social control theory emerges as the most discussed and ascendant theory. In addition to narrative commentary of emerging themes, we describe the ‘uses of theory’ in European homicide research, and detect a fruitful tension between nomothetic and idiographic approaches.
Explaining variations in female homicide victimization rates across Europe
Authors: Stamatel Janet P
Published: August 2014

This study seeks to describe and explain female homicide victimization rates across Europe from 1985 to 2010. It examines whether cross-national differences in the levels of female homicides are due to the same factors that explain cross-national homicide variation more generally, whether they are the product of differences in gender dynamics across these countries, or whether they are reflections of regional differences capturing varying historical and cultural trajectories. Pooled time-series analysis of 33 countries over four time periods revealed that all three explanations are salient, although particular measures of each set of theories did not always perform as expected. The paper concludes that understanding macro-level variations in female homicide victimization requires multifaceted explanations that bridge criminological theories and that are also sensitive to socio-historical context.
The persistence of lifestyles: Rates and correlates of homicide in Western Europe from 1960 to 2010
Authors: Aebi Marcelo F , Linde Antonia
Published: August 2014

This article analyses rates and correlates of homicide in 15 West European countries from 1960 to 2010. The results show that the levels of homicide in 2010 and the trends in homicide from 1960 to 2010 are not related to any of the traditional demographic and socioeconomic predictors of crime. Homicide victimization rates show an increase from the mid-1960s until the early 1990s, and a decrease since then. Victims of both genders and all group ages follow the same trend, except in the case of infanticide, which decreased during the whole period. These results do not support the hypothesis of a homicide trend driven by the evolution of victimization of young men in public space. The authors propose an explanation based on a lifestyle approach.
Unsolved homicides in Switzerland: Patterns and explanations
Authors: Bänziger Matthias , Killias Martin
Published: August 2014

In Switzerland, the number of completed homicides has varied in the last 30 years between 46 and 110 cases per year. On average, 13 percent of the homicides have been unsolved. The Swiss Homicide Database, which covers more than 1300 completed homicide cases committed between 1980 and 2004, has been used to study their characteristics. The data show that unsolved murder cases occur more often in public than in private places and involve predominantly unmarried men under 40, of foreign nationality or of homosexual orientation. A logistic regression showed that the strongest predictors are the sexual tendency of the victim and the location of the event.
Revolutionizing Food and Space
Authors: Efird Rob , Allen Will
Published: August 2014

Anthropologist Rob Efird interview urban agriculture innovator Will Allen, who discusses his recent book The Good Food Revolution, the challenges and potential of intensive urban agriculture and the historical background of our broken food system.
Foodscape
Authors: MacKendrick Norah
Published: August 2014

Sociologist Norah MacKendrick examines the concept of a foodscape, from its origins in geography to its use and meaning in sociology.
The Joy of Cooking?
Authors: Bowen Sarah , Elliott Sinikka , Brenton Joslyn
Published: August 2014

Sociologists Sarah Bowen, Sinikka Elliott, and Joslyn Brenton offer a critique of the increasingly prevalent message that reforming the food system necessarily entails a return to the kitchen. They argue that time pressures, tradeoffs to save money, and the burden of pleasing others make it difficult for mothers to enact the idealized vision of home-cooked meals advocated by foodies and public health officials.
Inside the Extreme Sport of Competitive Eating
Authors: Parkhurst Ferguson Priscilla
Published: August 2014

Sociologist Priscilla Ferguson considers competitive eating as an expression of identifiably American connections between abundance and country. Overeating both honors country and transgresses social norms.
Small Food Co-ops in a Whole Foods® World
Authors: Haedicke Michael A.
Published: August 2014

Sociologist Michael A. Haedicke explores the world of organic foods co-ops and examines how these countercultural stores are defending their democratic ideals and practices in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Eating Military Base Stew
Authors: Cho Grace M.
Published: August 2014

Sociologist Grace M. Cho investigates the origins of a Korean dish called budae jjigae (“military base stew”) and reveals its layered meanings for Korean American diasporic identity.
A Feminist Guide to Cooking
Authors: Williams Stacy J.
Published: August 2014

Sociologist Stacy J. Williams examines cookbooks and articles about cooking written by second-wave feminists. She explains how these activists brought their political ideas to the kitchen and suggested cooking in ways that could work toward greater gender equality.
Food Insecurity in Rural America
Authors: Piontak Joy Rayanne , Schulman Michael D.
Published: August 2014

Sociologists Joy Rayanne Piontak and Michael D. Schulman explore spatial inequalities in food insecurity in the United States, specifically the problems of hunger and food access in non-metropolitan and rural localities.
Eating, Then and Now
Authors: Ore Tracy
Published: August 2014

Sociologist Tracy E. Ore explores how transformations in American social practices of work and life changed and were changed by what and how people ate at the turn of the century, and how these trends continue today. She reviews Buying into Fari Trade and Repast.
Big Business in the School Cafeteria
Authors: Ken Ivy
Published: August 2014

Sociologist Ivy Ken questions the activities of two non-profit organizations that broker agreements with food companies to provide healthier products for schools.
Parenting Needs of Urban, African American Fathers
Authors: Smith Tyler K. , Tandon S. Darius , Bair-Merritt Megan H. , Hanson Janice L.
Published: August 2014

Fathers play a critical role in children’s development; similarly, fatherhood positively affects men’s health. Among the larger population of fathers relatively little is known about the parenting knowledge of urban, African American fathers. Focusing on urban, African American fathers, the objectives of this study were to (1) understand the primary sources from which fathers learn about parenting, (2) determine where and how fathers prefer to receive future parenting education, and (3) explore the information perceived as most valuable to fathers and how this compares with the recommended anticipatory guidance ( Bright Futures-based) delivered during well visits. Five focus groups, with a total of 21 participants, were conducted with urban fathers at a community-based organization. Study eligibility included being more than18 years old, English speaking, and having at least one child 0 to 5 years old. During the focus groups, fathers were asked where they received parenting information, how and where they preferred to receive parenting information, and what they thought about Bright Futures parenting guidelines. Fathers most commonly described receiving parenting information from their own relatives rather than from their child’s health care provider. Most fathers preferred to learn parenting from a person rather than a technology-based source and expressed interest in learning more about parenting at community-based locations. Although fathers viewed health care providers’ role as primarily teaching about physical health, they valued Bright Futures anticipatory guidance about parenting. Fathers valued learning about child rearing, health, and development. Augmenting physician counseling about Bright Futures with community-based parenting education may be beneficial for fathers.
Prevalence of Cannabis Lifetime Use in Iranian High School and College Students
Authors: Nazarzadeh Milad , Bidel Zeinab , Mosavi Jarahi Alireza , Esmaeelpour Keihan , Menati Walieh , Shakeri Ali Asghar , Menati Rostam , Kikhavani Sattar , Saki Kourosh
Published: August 2014

Cannabis is the most widely used substance in the world. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cannabis lifetime use (CLU) in high school and college students of Iran and also to determine factors related to changes in prevalence. A systematic review of literature on cannabis use in Iran was conducted according to MOOSE guideline. Domestic scientific databases, PubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar, relevant reference lists, and relevant journals were searched up to April, 2014. Prevalences were calculated using the variance stabilizing double arcsine transformation and confidence intervals (CIs) estimated using the Wilson method. Heterogeneity was assessed by Cochran’s Q statistic and I2 index and causes of heterogeneity were evaluated using meta-regression model. In electronic database search, 4,000 citations were retrieved, producing a total of 33 studies. CLU was reported with a random effects pooled prevalence of 4.0% (95% CI = 3.0% to 5.0%). In subgroups of high school and college students, prevalences were 5.0% (95% CI = 3.0% to −7.0%) and 2.0% (95% CI = 2.0% to −3.0%), respectively. Meta-regression model indicated that prevalence is higher in college students (β = 0.089, p < .001), male gender (β = 0.017, p < .001), and is lower in studies with sampling versus census studies (β = −0.096, p < .001). This study reported that prevalence of CLU in Iranian students are lower than industrialized countries. In addition, gender, level of education, and methods of sampling are highly associated with changes in the prevalence of CLU across provinces.
A Mixed Methods Study of Some of the Factors Associated With Successful School Strategies for Native Hawaiian Students in the State of Hawai’i
Authors: Coryn Chris L. S. , Schröter Daniela C. , McCowen Robert H.
Published: August 2014

A concurrent mixed methods design, giving equal priority to both quantitative and qualitative methods, was used to investigate some of the factors that influence academic achievement of Native Hawaiian students in public schools in the state of Hawai’i. School-level instructional strategies, curricula, policies, and other variables that distinguish more successful schools from less successful schools were a primary focus of the study. Successful schools are those having collaborative school governance structures, linking decision structures to data, having a well-established and dedicated teaching force, having focused learning communities, having engaged leaders, share accountability for their students’ learning, are committed to continuous learning, and that provide effective supplementary and after-school programming.