bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Children's implicit understanding of the stress—illness link: Testing development of health cognitions
Authors: Cheetham Tara J. , Turner‐Cobb Julie M. , Gamble Tim
Published: December 2015

Objective

Innate knowledge and developmental stage theory have been used to explain children's understanding of concepts relating to health, illness, and stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the degree to which children demonstrate unconscious cognitive associations between the concepts of stress and illness.

Design

The study employed an experimental design using an age appropriate implicit association task.

Methods

Thirty‐two children (5–11 years of age) completed the Preschool Implicit Association Test (PSIAT), a computer‐based measure of reaction time to consistent (stress and illness) and inconsistent (stress and health) concept pairings.

Results

Whilst age group had a significant effect on reaction times (older children generally displaying faster reaction times than younger children), those as young as 5–6 years of age were able to demonstrate implicit associations between stress and illness using the PSIAT. There was also some indication that this association peaks at around 7–8 years of age.

Conclusions

Findings support a combination of developmental stage theory and the innate theory of children's understanding. Whilst sample size is small, this study is the first to apply the PSIAT to the context of implicit cognitive associations between stress and illness in children. Findings have potential implications for the delivery of interventions to facilitate health promotion and development of positive health behaviours in children and indicate that even children as young as 5–6 years have some ability to relate to the concept that stress may influence illness.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

The way in which children understand health and illness is commensurate with their developmental stage and experience of illness. Children also appear to have a degree of innate understanding of health and illness and their causes. Furthermore, recent work suggests children have some innate understanding and knowledge of the concept of stress.

What does this study add?

This is the first study to use an implicit association task to assess children's understanding of stress and illness.

Implicit stress–illness associations were seen in children as young as 5–6 years of age.

Whilst sample size was small, this proof‐of‐concept study bridges disciplines to further understanding of health.
Local governance and the local political career in Canada: A sample dataset
Authors: Lucas Jack
Published: December 2015

This research note introduces and describes a new dataset of political actors from the city of Kitchener, Ontario. The dataset is comprised of 348 complete political careers, across four local institutions, from 1912 to the present. This research note aims to show that large‐scale databases of local political actors can contribute to our understanding of (a) local political careers, (b) the dynamics of formal and informal local institutions, and (c) the nature and boundaries of local multilevel governance. This note concludes with some practical advice for those who wish to build similar datasets in other Canadian cities.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Substituted 4‐Anilinoquinazolines as Antitumor Agents
Authors: Cao Dong , Wang Xiaoyan , Lei Lei , Ma Liang , Yang Zhuang , Wang Fang , Chen Lijuan
Published: December 2015

Eleven novel 4‐anilinoquinazoline derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activity. Among them, compound 9a exhibited the best potency, with IC50 values of 25−682 nm against various types of cancer cell lines. In addition, 9a was confirmed that it could arrest the cell cycle at G2/M phase and trigger apoptosis. Indirect immunofluorescence staining revealed its antitubulin property. Importantly, 9a significantly inhibited tumor growths in SM‐7721 xenograft models (57.0% tumor mass change) without causing significant loss of body weight, suggesting that 9a is a promising new anticancer agent to be developed.
Vascular endothelial growth factor: A potential target of therapy in neuromyelitis optica?
Authors: Yamamura Takashi
Published: December 2015

An open study was conducted to evaluate the safety of bevacizumab, anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor antibody, in patients with neuromyelitis optica developing signs of relapse.
Motor training at 3 months affects object exploration 12 months later
Authors: Libertus Klaus , Joh Amy S. , Needham Amy Work
Published: December 2015

The development of new motor skills alters how infants interact with objects and people. Consequently, it has been suggested that motor skills may initiate a cascade of events influencing subsequent development. However, only correlational evidence for this assumption has been obtained thus far. The current study addressed this question experimentally by systematically varying reaching experiences in 40 three‐month‐old infants who were not reaching on their own yet and examining their object engagement in a longitudinal follow‐up assessment 12 months later. Results revealed increased object exploration and attention focusing skills in 15‐month‐old infants who experienced active reaching at 3 months of age compared to untrained infants or infants who only passively experienced reaching. Further, grasping activity after – but not before – reaching training predicted infants’ object exploration 12 months later. These findings provide evidence for the long‐term effects of reaching experiences and illustrate the cascading effects initiated by early motor skills.
Colour and emotion: children also associate red with negative valence
Authors: Gil Sandrine , Le Bigot Ludovic
Published: December 2015

The association of colour with emotion constitutes a growing field of research, as it can affect how humans process their environment. Although there has been increasing interest in the association of red with negative valence in adults, little is known about how it develops. We therefore tested the red–negative association in children for the first time. Children aged 5–10 years performed a face categorization task in the form of a card‐sorting task. They had to judge whether ambiguous faces shown against three different colour backgrounds (red, grey, green) seemed to ‘feel good’ or ‘feel bad’. Results of logistic mixed models showed that – as previously demonstrated in adults – children across the age range provided significantly more ‘feel bad’ responses when the faces were given a red background. This finding is discussed in relation to colour–emotion association theories.
Regulation of trunk neural crest delamination by δEF1 and Sip1 in the chicken embryo
Authors: Yasumi Takahiro , Inoue Masashi , Maruhashi Mitsuji , Kamachi Yusuke , Higashi Yujiro , Kondoh Hisato , Uchikawa Masanori
Published: December 2015

The vertebrate Zfhx1 transcription factor family comprises δEF1 and Sip1, which bind to CACCT‐containing sequences and act as transcriptional repressors. It has been a longstanding question whether these transcription factors share the same regulatory functions in vivo. It has been shown that neural crest (NC) delamination depends on the Sip1 activity at the cranial level in mouse and chicken embryos, and it remained unclear how NC delamination is regulated at the trunk level. We observed that the expression of δEF1 and Sip1 overlaps in many tissues in chicken embryos, including NC cells at the trunk level. To clarify the above questions, we separately knocked down δEF1 and Sip1 or in combination in NC cells by electroporation of vectors expressing short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) against respective mRNAs on the dorsal side of neural tubes that generate NC cells. In all cases, the migrating NC cell population was significantly reduced, paralleled by the decreased expression of δEF1 or Sip1 targeted by shRNAs. Expression of Sox10, the major transcription factor that regulates NC development, was also decreased by the shRNAs against δEF1 or Sip1. We conclude that the trunk NC delamination is regulated by both δEF1 and Sip1 in an analogous manner, and that these transcription factors can share equivalent regulatory functions in embryonic tissues.
Development and comparison of trunk traps to monitor movement of Halyomorpha halys nymphs on host trees
Authors: Acebes‐Doria Angelita L. , Leskey Tracy C. , Bergh J. Christopher
Published: December 2015

Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) has recently become a major orchard pest in the Mid‐Atlantic, USA. Large H. halys populations can develop on wild tree hosts adjacent to orchards, posing an ongoing threat to fruit. Adults and nymphs feed on tree fruit, causing economic injury. Understanding the seasonal patterns of nymphal host use among trees at the orchard‐woodland interface may aid the development of integrated pest management strategies for this pest. In laboratory and field experiments, modified versions of published trap designs – ‘Circle’, ‘Hanula’, ‘M&M’ (after Moeed & Meads) traps – were compared for their effectiveness for capturing H. halys nymphs walking up and down tree trunks. In the laboratory, second instars were released at the top and bottom of ailanthus (tree of heaven), Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Simaroubaceae), logs and captures were recorded after 24 h. Circle and M&M traps, respectively, were most effective for capturing nymphs walking up and down. In the field, traps were deployed on ailanthus trees next to apple orchards and captures were recorded weekly from 24 July to 11 September 2013. As in the laboratory, Circle and M&M traps captured the greatest number of upward‐ and downward‐walking nymphs. Hanula traps were least effective in both experiments. In the field, 88% of total captures were of nymphs walking up trees. This was at least partially explained by behavioral assays in the laboratory demonstrating that nymphs exhibited negative gravitaxis and positive phototaxis. Stage‐specific trends in captures of instars walking up during field sampling were observed. These results suggest that trunk traps can be used to address important ecological questions about seasonal patterns of host use by H. halys nymphs.
Language Mediation in an L3 Classroom: The Role of Task Modalities and Task Types
Authors: Payant Caroline , Kim YouJin
Published: December 2015

Pedagogical tasks in language learning settings promote learner–learner interaction and provide second language (L2) learners with opportunities to process authentic input and produce output (Philp, Adams, & Iwashita, 2014). During these interactions, learners use their language repertoire to mediate their output (Swain & Lapkin, 2000). Although language mediation has been investigated in various L2 settings, few studies have explored the mediating functions of the languages of plurilingual learners from a sociocultural perspective. The current case study examined the specific mediating functions of language sources (i.e., first, second, and third language) in the oral and written modalities during different types of pedagogical tasks among four students learning French as a third language (L3) in Mexico. Data sources included interactional turns produced during task completion and one‐on‐one interviews. The findings indicated that task modalities and task types impact the specific mediating functions of the L1 and L3. In addition, the quantity of L1 mediation appeared to be impacted by the learners' linguistic proficiencies. Implications for foreign language pedagogy are presented.
Markers of metastatic carcinoma of breast origin
Authors: Gown Allen M , Fulton Regan S , Kandalaft Patricia L
Published: December 2015

This review summarizes the three major breast‐associated markers that can be of assistance in evaluating metastatic carcinomas for which a breast primary diagnosis is entertained. These markers include gross cystic disease fluid protein‐15 (GCDFP‐15), mammaglobin, and GATA3. The first two are cytoplasmic markers that show comparable sensitivities for breast cancer, although relatively few of the published studies have employed the same antibodies against the target molecule, making direct comparisons challenging. GATA3 is a nuclear transcription factor that shows superior sensitivity to GCDFP‐15 and mammaglobin. However, the specificity of GATA3 can pose challenges, inasmuch as carcinomas of the bladder and other sites can show significant levels of positivity. Determination of the optimal panel of antibodies employed in a given clinical setting will thus depend on the non‐breast tumours included in the differential diagnosis.
Schleiermacher's Repudiation of Dordrecht in his Essay ‘On the Doctrine of Election’
Authors: Thorsell Paul R.
Published: December 2015

Friedrich Schleiermacher intended his essay ‘On the Doctrine of Election’ to defend the Augustinian/Calvinian logic of the Reformed doctrine of unconditional election. Counterintuitively he repudiated the Synod of Dordrecht which similarly defended unconditional election for reasons both political/ecclesiastical and theological. Politically he wanted to protect the newly united Reformed‐Lutheran Church in Prussia and the Synod had ended up dividing the Reformed churches over the doctrine of election. Theologically Schleiermacher sought a revised doctrine of election to eliminate any bifurcation between the blessed and the damned in God's decree and to elide completely the notion of eternal punishment in hell.
Association of the Glu504Lys polymorphism in the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene with endothelium‐dependent dilation disorder in Chinese Han patients with essential hypertension
Authors: Ma X. , Zheng S. , Shu Y. , Wang Y. , Chen X.
Published: December 2015

Background

In essential hypertension (EH), 30–50% of the variability in blood pressure is determined by genetic factors. The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene Glu504Lys polymorphism is associated with ‘alcohol flush’ and might be associated with EH.

Aims

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the Glu504Lys polymorphism in the ALDH2 gene with endothelium‐dependent dilation (EDD) disorder in Chinese Han patients with EH.

Methods

This case–control study enrolled 1210 patients with EH. The control group consisted of 1089 healthy subjects with normal blood pressure. Patients with EH were divided into normal brachial arterial flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) (EH1 group, n = 354) versus endothelial dysfunction (EH2 group, n = 856). ALDH2 gene Glu504Lys polymorphism was detected using a DNA microarray.

Results

The ALDH2 AA/AG genotypes and the A allele frequencies were significantly higher in the EH group compared with healthy controls (both P < 0.05) and significantly higher in the EH2 group compared with the EH1 group (79.8 vs 51.4%; 45.0 vs 29.1%, respectively; both P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the ALDH2 gene Glu504Lys polymorphism was independently associated with EH (dominant: odds ratio (OR) = 1.38; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.14–2.82; P = 0.01; additive: OR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.12–2.44; P = 0.02) as well as with EDD in patients with EH (dominant: OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.16–3.01, P = 0.02; additive: OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.10–2.87, P = 0.03).

Conclusion

The ALDH2 Glu504Lys polymorphism was associated with EDD disorders in Chinese Han patients with EH, providing further evidence that this mutation and ‘alcohol flush’ are not harmless in this Asian population.
Time to research Australian female physician‐researchers
Authors: Traill C. L. , Januszewski A. S. , Larkins R. G. , Keech A. C. , Jenkins A. J.
Published: December 2015

Background

Given the concerns that physician‐researchers are ‘at risk’, and ≈50% of Australian medical students are female, the evaluation of female physician‐researchers is important.

Aims

To compare over time (i) research‐related metrics of male and female physician‐researchers from Sydney Medical School; and (ii) National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Project grant leadership by gender.

Methods

The Sydney Medical School (SMS) PhD award lists from 1989 to 2012 were cross‐referenced with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency database, and registered medical practitioners were searched for in the Scopus database for publications and H‐indexes. The gender of medical‐practitioner Chief Investigator A (CIA) in Australia on funded NHMRC Project grants in 1990 to 2014 was also compared.

Results

Of the medical practitioners awarded University of Sydney PhD, females increased from 14 to 55% in 1989–1990 and 2009–2010 and decreased to 38% in 2011–2012 (overall increase, P = 0.047). PhD award timings relative to MBBS and clinical fellowship completions were similar for both genders (P > 0.05). Post‐PhD, as many women as men publish and have similar H‐indexes, but women publish fewer papers (0.7 vs 1.0 publications per year, P = 0.028). On medical practitioner‐led, funded NHMRC project grants between 1999 and 2014, female CIA increased from 7.5 to 19.5%, P < 0.0001. For the 17% of project grant applications funded to commence in 2014, 21% were medical practitioner‐led, of whom 19.5% were female.

Conclusions

Since 1989, more female medical practitioners are completing SMS PhD at similar times in their careers to males. However, relative to their male peers, they publish less. Fewer female than male medical practitioner‐researchers hold NHMRC Project Grant CIA status nationally, although the rates are increasing. In addressing physician‐researcher workforce issues, including retention, attention should be given to factors impacting females
Role of Kir2.1 in human monocyte‐derived foam cell maturation
Authors: Zhang Wei , Lei Xin‐Jun , Wang Yi‐Fan , Wang Dong‐Qi , Yuan Zu‐Yi
Published: December 2015

The role of K+ channels in macrophage immunomodulation has been well‐established. However, it remains unclear whether K+ channels are involved in the lipid uptake of macrophages. The expression and function of the inward rectifier potassium channel (Kir2.1, KCNJ2) in Human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (THP‐1) cells and human monocytes derived macrophages (HMDMs) were investigated using RT‐PCR and western blotting, and patch clamp technique. The expression of scavenger receptors in THP‐1–derived macrophages was detected using western blotting. Expressions of Kir2.1 mRNA and protein in HMDMs were significantly decreased by 60% (P < 0.05) and 90% (P < 0.001) on macrophage maturation, but overexpressed by approximately 1.3 (P > 0.05) and 3.8 times (P = 0.001) after foam cell formation respectively. Concurrently, the Kir2.1 peak current density in HMDMs, mature macrophages and foam cells, measured at −150 mV, were −22.61 ± 2.1 pA/pF, −7.88 ± 0.60 pA/pF and −13.39 ± 0.80 pA/pF respectively (P < 0.05). In association with an up‐regulation of Kir2.1 in foam cells, the SR‐A protein level was significantly increased by over 1.5 times compared with macrophages (P < 0.05). THP‐1 cells contained much less lipids upon Kir2.1 knockdown and cholesterol ester/total cholesterol ratio was 29.46 ± 2.01% (P < 0.05), and the SR‐BI protein level was increased by over 6.2 times, compared to that of macrophages (P < 0.001). Kir2.1 may participate in macrophage maturation and differentiation, and play a key role in lipid uptake and foam cell formation through modulating the expression of scavenger receptors.
Commentary: Does helping mothers with ADHD in multiplex families help children? Reflections on Jans et al. (2015)
Authors: Stein Mark A.
Published: December 2015

Reflecting on the accompanying article by Jans et al., we draw the following thoughts. Future research on multiplex ADHD families is needed to elucidate mechanisms, timing, and a sequencing of interventions, preferably in treatment naïve participants. Furthermore, in addition to symptom measures, it is likely that multi‐informant measures of functional impairments such as parenting and parent‐child observations may help elucidate the complex mechanisms linking maternal and child ADHD, and eventually lead to more targeted, efficient, and feasible prevention and intervention strategies.
Maintenance of remission following successful treatment of papulopustular rosacea with ivermectin 1% cream vs. metronidazole 0.75% cream: 36‐week extension of the ATTRACT randomized study
Authors: Taieb A. , Khemis A. , Ruzicka T. , Barańska‐Rybak W. , Berth‐Jones J. , Schauber J. , Briantais P. , Jacovella J. , Passeron T. ,   the Ivermectin Phase III Study Group
Published: December 2015

Background

There are a limited number of approved treatments for papulopustular rosacea (PPR) and remission is difficult to maintain after successful treatment.

Objectives

To investigate remission over a 36‐week extension period in patients with moderate to severe PPR successfully treated with 16 weeks’ treatment with ivermectin 1% cream once daily (QD) or metronidazole 0.75% cream twice daily (BID) in a randomized, parallel‐group Phase III study.

Methods

Treatment was discontinued in patients initially successfully treated [Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score of 0 or 1] with ivermectin 1% cream QD (n = 399) or metronidazole 0.75% cream BID (n = 365; Part A) and patients were followed every 4 weeks for up to 36 weeks (Part B). Treatment with the same study treatment as used in Part A was only re‐initiated if patients relapsed (IGA ≥ 2). Efficacy assessments were: time to first relapse; relapse rate; and number of days free of treatment. Safety assessments included incidence of adverse events and local cutaneous signs and symptoms.

Results

The median time to first relapse was significantly longer (115 days vs. 85 days) and relapse rates at the end of the study period significantly lower (62.7% vs. 68.4%) for patients initially successfully treated with ivermectin 1% compared with metronidazole 0.75%; Kaplan–Meier plot demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the two arms (P = 0.0365). The median number of days free of treatment was higher for ivermectin compared with metronidazole (196 days vs. 169.5 days; P = 0.026). The percentage of patients who experienced a related adverse event was equally low in both groups.

Conclusion

The results of this relapse study showed that an initial successful treatment with ivermectin 1% cream QD significantly extended remission of rosacea compared with initial treatment with metronidazole 0.75% cream BID following treatment cessation.
Development and Evaluation of Apple Peel‐ and Carboxymethylcellulose‐Based Biodegradable Films with Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties
Authors: Lee Sang Eun , Han Jung H. , Han Jaejoon
Published: December 2015

Antioxidant and antimicrobial biopolymer films were developed by combining apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) peel (AP) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) with 1% apple peel extract and (+)‐tartaric acid. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of AP were found to be 24.94 mg gallic acid and 8.85 mg catechin equivalents/g dried weight, respectively. 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl/2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) scavenging activity were found be 9.86 mg ascorbic acid and 26.30 mg Trolox equivalents/g dried weight, respectively, demonstrating the strong antioxidant activity of AP. Tartaric acid showed great inhibitory effects against the four bacteria. The addition of the antioxidant/microbial agents to the developed films resulted in biodegradable films with great antioxidant activity and antimicrobial effects. CMC/AP films showed a more efficient release rate of antioxidant compounds and stronger antimicrobial capacity than the CMC‐only films. Results showed that the developed films efficiently inhibited microbial growth on chicken breast meat. These results suggest the potential applicability of the biopolymer films as an eco‐friendly and antioxidant/antimicrobial packaging material for the food industry.

Practical Applications

Development of such films has broad potential applications in the food industry. Antioxidant power of the films can effectively prevent oxidation of food product, and antimicrobial activity of the films can inhibit growth of the foodborne pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, application of the AP‐CMC films can ensure food safety and quality and extend shelf life of food product.
Degradation of Histamine in Salted Fish Product by Halotolerant Bacillus Polymyxa
Authors: Kung Hsien‐Feng , Lee Yi‐Chen , Tseng Ya‐Leng , Huang Ya‐Ling , Chen Tai‐Yuan , Tsai Yung‐Hsiang
Published: December 2015

Bacillus polymyxa D05‐1 isolated from salted fish product which possess histamine degrading activity was added to the salted fish products and held at 30C for 6 weeks in this study. Aerobic plate counts (APCs) in low spiked samples (4.0 log CFU/g) were remained constant during storage time, whereas, those of control samples gradually increased during first 3 weeks of storage and thereafter remained constant. However, the aerobic plate counts (APCs) of high spiked samples (6.0 log CFU/g) rapidly decreased to 4.0 log CFU/g at first week of storage, and thereafter increased slightly. The both spiked samples had considerably lower levels of total volatile basic nitrogen (P < 0.05) than control samples at each sampling time except for second week storage. In general, histamine contents in the both spiked samples markedly decreased during 6 weeks storage, whereas those of control samples increased with increased storage time. After 6 weeks storage, the histamine contents in high and low spiked samples were reduced for 45.8% and 36.0%, respectively, as compared with control samples. These results indicated that B. polymyxa D05‐1 could be utilized in salted fish fermentation to reduce histamine levels in fermented products.

Practical Applications

This study shows that Bacillus polymyxa D05‐1 can be used as an additive to degrade histamine for salted fish product. In addition, B. polymyxa D05‐1 could retard the increase of total volatile basic nitrogen in salted fish product. Therefore, this is an alternative method for the control of histamine in salted and fermented seafood.
Kiyoteru Tokuyasu: a pioneer of cryo‐ultramicrotomy
Authors: GRIFFITHS GARETH , SLOT JAN‐WILLEM , WEBSTER PAUL
Published: December 2015

In July 2015 Professor K.T. Tokuyasu passed away in San Diego giving us the opportunity to reflect on the contribution this electron microscopist made to the field of immunocytochemistry. His work provided a sensitive, minimally invasive approach to producing thin sections of biological material for labeling with antibodies. His approach has been applied to a wide range of biological applications and provided important information on cellular processes.
Longitudinal Investigation of Vocational Engagement
Authors: Spreat Scott , Conroy James William
Published: December 2015

The vocational engagement of 216 individuals with an intellectual disability was followed over a 15‐year period. Engagement was operationally defined as activity in five simple categories: competitive, supported, or sheltered employment, plus prevocational and nonvocational daytime activities. Authors sought a long‐term view of trends in vocational and nonvocational engagement among all people who were receiving residential and day supports in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and for whom data collection visits had been conducted during the entire 15‐year period. This was intended to assess what progress toward eventual employment has been made over the past two decades, and this information was aimed toward policy initiatives related to Employment First models. Authors selected all people for whom on‐site quality‐of‐life data were collected continuously from 1994 to 2009. Their primary types of daytime activities were reported, and the number of hours in each type were submitted to analysis. The overall amount of vocational, prevocational, and nonvocational activities changed sharply during the 15‐year period. Vocational and prevocational activity declined, while nonvocational engagement more than doubled, both in numbers of people and hours. During the same time period, the number of employed individuals consistently declined, as did the total number of hours worked. The decline was primarily evident in segregated forms of vocational activity, such as sheltered workshops and prevocational activities. There was no collateral increase in the use of more integrated forms of employment. Age did not appear to be a factor in this decline. The current emphasis on Employment First models would seem to be justified in view of this sample's longitudinal engagement outcomes. However, this analysis was done in only one state, and results must be compared and contrasted to those in other states.
End‐of‐Life Decision‐Making for People With Intellectual Disability From the Perspective of Nurses
Authors: Wagemans A. M. A. , van Schrojenstein Lantman‐de Valk H. M. J. , Proot I. M. , Metsemakers J. , Tuffrey‐Wijne I. , Curfs L. M. G.
Published: December 2015

Little is known about the involvement of nurses in the process of making end‐of‐life decisions for people with intellectual disability (ID). The aim of this study was to clarify this process from the perspective of nurses. This qualitative study involved nine semistructured interviews with nurses working in chronic care, conducted after the deaths of patients with ID in the Netherlands. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Grounded Theory procedures. The core characteristic of the position of the nurses and of the way they supported the patient was “Being at the center of communication.” Related categories of topics emerging from the interviews were “Having a complete picture of the patient,” “Balancing involvement and distance,” “Confidence in one's own opinion,” and “Knowledge about one's own responsibility,” all of which were focused on the patient. This focus on the patient with ID might explain why the nurses could make valuable contributions to such an important subject as end‐of‐life decisions. People with ID themselves were not involved in the decisions. The nurses were not always aware who was ultimately responsible for the end‐of‐life decisions. Nurses are in a unique position to support the process of end‐of‐life decision‐making. It is important to use their knowledge and give them a more prominent position in this decision‐making process. It should be clear to all involved who is ultimately responsible for making the end‐of‐life decisions.
Before the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015: juror punishment in nineteenth- and twentieth-century England
Authors: Crosby K.
Published: December 2015

The Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 has created several new offences regarding juror misconduct. While this legislation has been passed in response to jurors accessing improper ‘evidence’ online, it is wrong to treat juror misconduct as a new problem. The most famous case on this topic (Bushell's Case) did not completely prohibit juror punishment, but the rhetorical force of the decision was such that penal practices have until recently been overlooked in the academic literature. This paper argues that assessing the new offences is greatly helped by understanding how juror misconduct has been responded to in the past. Drawing on the language of Bushell's Case itself, as well as new archival research, it argues that previous practices of juror punishment have largely depended on whether particular instances of misconduct related to the juror's ‘ministerial’ or ‘judicial’ functions; and that ‘judicial’ offences (those relating to verdict formation) have been much less likely to be punished. Rather, such offences have tended to be managed away. If today's judges continue acting in this way, the new offences are unlikely to be resorted to very often, with the judiciary being much more likely to focus on techniques for avoiding misconduct in the first place.
When Language Experience Fails to Explain Word Reading Development: Early Cognitive and Linguistic Profiles of Young Foreign Language Learners
Authors: HU CHIEH–FANG , SCHUELE C. MELANIE
Published: December 2015

Although language experience is a key factor in successful foreign language (FL) learning, many FL learners fail to achieve performance levels that were predicted on the basis of their FL experience. This retrospective study investigated early cognitive and linguistic correlates of learning English as a foreign language (FL) in a group of Mandarin‐speaking elementary students who, at Grade 5, showed discrepancies between actual FL word reading attainment and attainment predicted on the basis of FL experience that had been available to them until Grade 3. Based on the residual score of regressing FL word reading against FL experience at one standard deviation below and above the mean, participants were grouped into overachievers, achievers performing at expected levels, and underachievers. The three cohorts were compared on learner characteristics, including lexical‐level (phonological processing and morphological awareness), text‐level (syntactic and contextual bootstrapping), and rote word learning abilities measured in Grade 3 and Grade 4. Compared with achievers performing to expectation, underachievers were characterized by poorer performance in lexical‐level abilities and rote word learning; overachievers were characterized by one superior lexical‐level ability (i.e., morphological awareness) and superior rote word learning. The three groups did not differ in either of the text‐level abilities. The results suggest that FL learning can be significantly constrained by limitations in lower level processing capacities in some learners despite adequate FL experience.
Validation of the Dutch version of the critical‐care pain observation tool
Authors: Stilma Willemke , Rijkenberg Saskia , Feijen Hilde M , Maaskant Jolanda M , Endeman Henrik
Published: December 2015

Background

Systematic assessment of pain is necessary for adequate treatment of pain. Patient self‐reported pain is a superior assessment but is of limited use for intubated patients in the intensive care unit. For these patients, the critical‐care pain observation tool (CPOT) has been developed.

Aim

To perform a validation of the Dutch CPOT.

Study design

Cross‐sectional observational study.

Methods

The Dutch translation of the CPOT was used. Clinimetric characteristics were analysed in a cross‐sectional design. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was tested by collecting CPOT scores in patients at rest and during turning. Inter‐rater reliability was tested by collecting CPOT scores simultaneously by two different nurses who were blinded to each other's scores. Criterion validity (area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity) of the Dutch CPOT (index test) was analysed using patient self‐reported pain (reference test).

Results

Cronbach's alpha was 0.56. During rest, the inter‐rater reliability was 0.38 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.20–0.53). During turning, the inter‐rater reliability was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.42–0.68; area under the curve = 0.65 [95% CI 0.57–0.73]). At a threshold CPOT score of 2, the sensitivity and specificity were 39% and 85%, respectively.

Conclusion

The Dutch CPOT is available for pain assessment in intubated patients unable to self‐report. Inter‐rater reliability is moderate. At the threshold, a CPOT score of 2, the sensitivity was 39% and the specificity of 85%.

Relevance to clinical practice

The CPOT is easy to use for systematic assessment of pain. Additional information about the threshold is valuable for use in daily practice.
Morphological drivers of trophic cascades
Authors: Renneville Clémentine , Rouzic Arnaud Le , Baylac Michel , Millot Alexis , Loisel Stéphane , Edeline Eric
Published: December 2015

Worldwide, local anthropogenic extinctions have recently been reported to induce trophic cascades, defined as perturbations of top consumers that propagate along food chains down to primary producers. This focus on the effects of top‐consumer extinction (i.e. of species presence) ignores potential cascading effects of the rapid morphological changes that may precede extinction. Here, we show in an experimental, three‐level food chain including medaka fish, herbivorous zooplankton and unicellular algae that varying body length of a single fish from large (36.3 mm) to small (11.5 mm) induced a stronger trophic cascade than varying an average‐sized (23.8 mm) fish from being present to absent. The strength of fish predation on zooplankton scaled quasi linearly (not with a power exponent) with fish body length and associated gape width, suggesting that the resultant trophic cascade was morphology (not metabolism)‐dependent. The effect of fish body length was stronger on phyto‐ than on zooplankton, because large‐sized fish had the unique ability to suppress large‐sized herbivores, which in turn had high grazing capacities. Hence, our results show that consumer body size, by setting diet breadth, can both drive and magnify the strength of trophic cascades. In contrast, fish body shape had no significant effect on fish predatory performances when its allometric component (the effect of size on shape) was removed. In the wild, human‐induced body downsizing of top consumers is widespread, and mitigating the resultant perturbations to ecosystem function and services will require a paradigm shift from preserving species presence towards preserving species size structure.
Construction of chromosomal segment substitution lines and genetic dissection of introgressed segments associated with yield determination in the parents of a super‐hybrid rice
Authors: Liu Xi , Zhao Zhigang , Liu Linglong , Xiao Yinghui , Tian Yunlu , Liu Shi‐jia , Chen Liangming , Wang Yihua , Liu Yuqiang , Chen Saihua , Zhang Wenwei , Wang Chunming , Jiang Ling , Wan Jianmin
Published: December 2015

Heterosis is a phenomenon whereby hybrids of inbred lines produce favourable phenotypes that exceed those of their parents. Traits of interest are higher yield and stronger stress tolerance. The two‐line super‐hybrid rice ‘Liangyoupei9’ (LYP9) shows superiority to both its elite inbred line ‘93‐11’ and ‘Pei'ai64s’ (‘PA64s’) parents and conventional hybrids. However, the genetic basis of its hybrid vigour, especially yield determination, remains elusive. In the present study, a set of 156 chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) carrying overlapping segments from ‘PA64s’ in a genetic background of ‘93‐11’ were constructed and planted in six environments. Three major agronomic traits, viz. panicle length (PL), heading date (HD) and plant height (PH), and five yield‐related traits, viz. grain weight per panicle (GWP), number of grains per panicle (GPP), 1000‐grain weight (TGW), seed set (SS) and number of panicles of per plant (PPP), were evaluated over 3 years. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was conducted using a likelihood ratio test based on stepwise regression. Forty‐six putative QTL distributed on 11 chromosomes were detected in more than one year. Remarkably, GWP of four CSSLs carrying positive yield QTL outperformed the recurrent parent ‘93‐11’ by more than 15%, in at least two environments. These results indicate that CSSLs are effective in identifying yield‐associated traits, and lines harbouring such QTL will be rich in resources for future molecular breeding programmes.
Multi‐Methodological Research in Operations Management
Authors: Choi Tsan‐Ming , Cheng T. C. E. , Zhao Xiande
Published: December 2015

The major research methodologies deployed for operations management (OM) research include analytical modeling research (e.g., optimization, computational, and simulation models), quantitative empirical research (e.g., surveys, and event studies), and case study research. In recent years, there is an emerging trend toward employing a multi‐methodological approach (MMA) to address complex and intriguing OM issues. The MMA helps derive solid research results and boost the scientific merit of OM research. We examine this research trend and present some MMAs germane to the pursuit of rigorous and scientific OM research. We also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of such MMAs.
Optimal Policies for a Two‐Product Inventory System under a Flexible Substitution Scheme
Authors: Xu He , Yao David D. , Zheng Shaohui
Published: December 2015

We study a two‐product inventory model that allows substitution. Both products can be used to supply demand over a selling season of N periods, with a one‐time replenishment opportunity at the beginning of the season. A substitution could be offered even when the demanded product is available. The substitution rule is flexible in the sense that the seller can choose whether or not to offer substitution and at what price or discount level, and the customer may or may not accept the offer, with the acceptance probability being a decreasing function of the substitution price. The decisions are the replenishment quantities at the beginning of the season, and the dynamic substitution‐pricing policy in each period of the season. Using a stochastic dynamic programming approach, we present a complete solution to the problem. Furthermore, we show that the objective function is concave and submodular in the inventory levels—structural properties that facilitate the solution procedure and help identify threshold policies for the optimal substitution/pricing decisions. Finally, with a state transformation, we also show that the objective function is [Formula: see text]‐concave, which allows us to derive similar structural properties of the optimal policy for multiple‐season problems.
Duality Approaches to Economic Lot‐Sizing Games
Authors: Chen Xin , Zhang Jiawei
Published: December 2015

Sharing common production, resources, and services to reduce cost are important for not for profit operations due to limited and mission‐oriented budget and effective cost allocation mechanisms are essential for encouraging effective collaborations. In this study, we illustrate how rigorous methodologies can be developed to derive effective cost allocations to facilitate sustainable collaborations in not for profit operations by modeling the cost allocation problem arising from an economic lot‐sizing (ELS) setting as a cooperative game. Specifically, we consider the economic lot‐sizing (ELS) game with general concave ordering cost. In this cooperative game, multiple retailers form a coalition by placing joint orders to a single supplier in order to reduce ordering cost. When both the inventory holding cost and backlogging cost are linear functions, it can be shown that the core of this game is non‐empty. The main contribution of this study is to show that a core allocation can be computed in polynomial time under the assumption that all retailers have the same cost parameters. Our approach is based on linear programming (LP) duality. More specifically, we study an integer programming formulation for the ELS problem and show that its LP relaxation admits zero integrality gap, which makes it possible to analyze the ELS game by using LP duality. We show that there exists an optimal dual solution that defines an allocation in the core. An interesting feature of our approach is that it is not necessarily true that every optimal dual solution defines a core allocation. This is in contrast to the duality approach for other known cooperative games in the literature.
Small and Medium Enterprises collaborations with knowledge intensive services: an explorative analysis of the impact of innovation vouchers
Authors: Sala Alessandro , Landoni Paolo , Verganti Roberto
Published: December 2015

This study analyses the effects and dynamics behind a new type of innovation policy for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): innovation vouchers. This policy is aimed at encouraging SMEs to collaborate with universities and with organisations offering Knowledge Intensive Services. Despite its innovativeness and growing diffusion, the innovation voucher has received only limited attention in the literature. After reviewing the literature on R&D collaborations and innovation vouchers, the article conducts in‐depth analysis on two innovation voucher programs in the Lombardy region (Italy). The analysis is based on seven case studies of SMEs that have benefitted from this policy. The results highlight how innovation vouchers have influenced the development of innovation projects and technological collaboration in SMEs. The article concludes with discussion on the effectiveness of the voucher policy, its limitations and policy implications.
Co‐infection with Bovine Herpesvirus 4 and Histophilus somni Significantly Extends the Service Period in Dairy Cattle with Purulent Vaginal Discharge
Authors: Szenci O , Sassi G , Fodor L , Molnár L , Szelényi Z , Tibold J , Mádl I , Egyed L
Published: December 2015

Contents

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of Bovine Herpesvirus 4 (BoHV‐4) and Histophilus (H.) somni on fertility rate of cows in a Hungarian Holstein‐Friesian dairy herd with purulent vaginal discharge (PVD). Non‐pregnant cows (n = 188) with mature corpus luteum were treated with cloprostenol and 3 days later if they did not show oestrus, were examined by rectal palpation. Animals showing PVD (n = 60/31.9%/) and 14 controls with normal vaginal discharge (Score 0) were randomly selected and further examined by ultrasonography and blood samples were collected for detecting BoHV‐4 DNA and transcervical guarded swabs were collected from the uterus for bacteriological examination. Although the majority of the examined animals were infected with BoHV‐4 and H. somni including the control animals as well, in group of animals with PVD score 3, fewer animals became pregnant and the duration between the first treatment to pregnancy was significantly extended. Based on these clinical and comparative data, our results confirm that these two microorganisms together may impair important reproductive parameters which may cause large economic losses to dairy farms.
Teacher, Researcher and … Policy Actor? Social Work Academics’ Involvement in Social Policy
Authors: Weiss‐Gal Idit , Gal John , Schwartz‐Tayri Talia‐Meital
Published: December 2015

This cross‐sectional quantitative study expands the knowledge on the level of involvement of social work academics (SWAs) in social policy formulation processes, and the factors associated with this. SWAs are an interesting case for exploring the academia–policy nexus because they are affiliated with a profession in which the discourse regards social policy as a target of intervention. The study took place in Israel, where social work is strongly embedded in academia and enjoys relatively high professional status. The study drew upon a sample, which consisted of 57 per cent of all SWAs in Israel, and employed questionnaires developed specifically for the study. The findings show that the highest levels of involvement were in activities characterized by more active, public sphere routes of influence within the policy arena that were undertaken in conjunction with traditional social work partners. Social work scholars engaged in these activities more during the initial stages of the policy process. These forms of policy involvement reflect the dual impact of academia and the social work profession upon SWAs. Associated with level of involvement were individual factors, which included academic rank, perception of the social role of academia, perceived individual policy role, and perceived policy competencies. By contrast, factors linked to institutional support for policy engagement were not found to be associated with policy involvement.