bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison between Total Cloud Cover in Four Reanalysis Products and Cloud Measured by Visual Observations at U.S. Weather Stations
Authors: Free Melissa , Sun Bomin , Yoo Hye Lim
Published: January 2016

A homogeneity-adjusted dataset of total cloud cover from weather stations in the contiguous United States is compared with cloud cover in four state-of-the-art global reanalysis products: the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis from NCEP, the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications from NASA, ERA-Interim from ECMWF, and the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis Project from the Japan Meteorological Agency. The reanalysis products examined in this study generally show much lower cloud amount than visual weather station data, and this underestimation appears to be generally consistent with their overestimation of downward surface shortwave fluxes when compared with surface radiation data from the Surface Radiation Network. Nevertheless, the reanalysis products largely succeed in simulating the main aspects of interannual variability of cloudiness for large-scale means, as measured by correlations of 0.81–0.90 for U.S. mean time series. Trends in the reanalysis datasets for the U.S. mean for 1979–2009, ranging from −0.38% to −1.8% decade−1, are in the same direction as the trend in surface data (−0.50% decade−1), but further effort is needed to understand the discrepancies in their magnitudes.
Service use by Australian children for emotional and behavioural problems: Findings from the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Authors: Johnson Sarah E , Lawrence David , Hafekost Jennifer , Saw Suzy , Buckingham William J , Sawyer Michael , Ainley John , Zubrick Stephen R
Published: January 2016

Objective:

To identify the proportion of children and adolescents in Australia and the proportion of those with mental disorders who used services for emotional and behavioural problems, the type of services used and what characteristics were associated with service use.

Method:

During 2013–2014, a national face-to-face household survey of mental health and wellbeing (Young Minds Matter) was conducted, involving 6310 parents and carers of 4- to 17-year-olds (55% of eligible households) and self-report surveys from 2967 11- to 17-year-olds in these households (89% of eligible youth). The survey identified 12-month mental disorders based on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children–Version IV and asked about service use for emotional or behavioural problems in the previous 12 months.

Results:

Overall, 17.0% of all 4- to 17-year-olds used services for emotional or behavioural problems in the previous 12 months. Of those with mental disorders, 56.0% used services (48.9% of 4- to 11-year-olds; 65.1% of 12- to 17-year-olds). Service use was highest among 4- to 17-year-olds with major depressive disorder (79.6%) and lowest for those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (52.7%). Two-fifths (41.2%), 72.5% and 87.6% of those with mild, moderate and severe disorders used services. General practitioners, psychologists, paediatricians and counsellors/family therapists were the most commonly accessed health service providers. Two-fifths with mental disorders had attended school services. About 5% of adolescents reported use of online personal support or counselling for help with their problems. From multivariate models, service use was higher in sole carer families, but also among those living in the least socially and economically disadvantaged compared to the most disadvantaged areas.

Conclusion:

Rates of service use for mental disorders in Australia’s children and adolescents appear to have increased substantially. Health services and schools are the major providers of services for emotional and behavioural problems, but telephone counselling and online services have become well-established parts of the service environment.
Substance use outcomes following treatment: Findings from the Australian Patient Pathways Study
Authors: Manning Victoria , Garfield Joshua BB , Best David , Berends Lynda , Room Robin , Mugavin Janette , Larner Andrew , Lam Tina , Buykx Penny , Allsop Steve , Lubman Dan I
Published: January 2016

Background and Aims:

Our understanding of patient pathways through specialist Alcohol and Other Drug treatment and broader health/welfare systems in Australia remains limited. This study examines how treatment outcomes are influenced by continuity in specialist Alcohol and Other Drug treatment, engagement with community services and mutual aid, and explores differences between clients who present with a primary alcohol problem relative to those presenting with a primary drug issue.

Method:

In a prospective, multi-site treatment outcome study, 796 clients from 21 Alcohol and Other Drug services in Victoria and Western Australia completed a baseline interview between January 2012 and January 2013. A total of 555 (70%) completed a follow-up assessment of subsequent service use and Alcohol and Other Drug use outcomes 12-months later.

Results:

Just over half of the participants (52.0%) showed reliable reductions in use of, or abstinence from, their primary drug of concern. This was highest among clients with meth/amphetamine (66%) as their primary drug of concern and lowest among clients with alcohol as their primary drug of concern (47%), with 31% achieving abstinence from all drugs of concern. Continuity of specialist Alcohol and Other Drug care was associated with higher rates of abstinence than fragmented Alcohol and Other Drug care. Different predictors of treatment success emerged for clients with a primary drug problem as compared to those with a primary alcohol problem; mutual aid attendance (odds ratio = 2.5) and community service engagement (odds ratio = 2.0) for clients with alcohol as the primary drug of concern, and completion of the index treatment (odds ratio = 2.8) and continuity in Alcohol and Other Drug care (odds ratio = 1.8) when drugs were the primary drugs of concern.

Conclusion:

This is the first multi-site Australian study to include treatment outcomes for alcohol and cannabis users, who represent 70% of treatment seekers in Alcohol and Other Drug services. Results suggest a substantial proportion of clients respond positively to treatment, but that clients with alcohol as their primary drug problem may require different treatment pathways, compared to those with illicit drug issues, to maximise outcomes.
Making the absent subject present in organizational research
Authors: Driver Michaela
Published: January 2016

This study explores how researchers engage with research subjects. Specifically, it examines the struggle to account for the lived experience of subjects under study while producing knowledge about and for them. Drawing on psychoanalytic, specifically Lacanian, theorizing, the study suggests that such struggles are even more complex when real subjects are absent and impossible to account for. It advances the idea that by articulating the research subject through four different discourses, researchers may take different positions toward this absence. In the first, researchers produce research subjects and put them to work. In the second, subjects are subsumed through systematic knowledge production. In the third, the subject serves the production of knowledge as a function of the split subject’s enjoyment. In the fourth discourse the researcher becomes the object of desire so as to empower subjects in their becoming. It is suggested that each discourse allows researchers to take a different stance toward their research subjects. While discourses one and two are quite commonly adopted, discourses three and four may be alternatives for reflection that facilitate the creative expression of subjectivity, ethical choice and transformational, frame-breaking textual practices. Implications of this perspective for organizational research are discussed.
Dual Labor Markets at Work
Authors: Hirsch Boris
Published: January 2016

Fitting duration models on an inflow sample of jobs in Germany starting in 2002 to 2010, the author investigates the impact of employers’ use of temporary agency work on regular workers’ job stability. In line with dual labor market theory, the author finds that nontemporary jobs are significantly more stable when employers use temporary agency workers. The rise in job stability stems mainly from reduced transitions into nonemployment, suggesting that nontemporary workers are safeguarded against involuntary job losses. The findings are robust to controlling for unobserved permanent employer characteristics and changes in the observational window that comprises the labor market disruption of the Great Recession.
Cellular Automata approach for parallel machine scheduling problem
Authors: Kucharska Edyta , Grobler-Dębska Katarzyna , Rączka Krzysztof , Dutkiewicz Lidia
Published: January 2016

The aim of the paper is to present a new approach based on the Cellular Automata technique for a specific class of scheduling problems with parallel machines (in which some important parameter values cannot be determined a priori). The problem domain is represented by an asynchronous non-homogeneous cellular automaton. In addition, the division of the method into three levels is introduced. Inseparable use of simulation, optimization and result levels, is proposed. To illustrate our proposition, the optimization problem of drilling tunnels in a given area is considered. A number of simulation experiments were performed involving different instances of the problem and the results are presented and discussed in the paper.
Validation of the Revised Brief Diabetes Knowledge Test (DKT2)
Authors: Fitzgerald James T. , Funnell Martha M. , Anderson Robert M. , Nwankwo Robin , Stansfield R. Brent , Piatt Grecthen A.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the revised Diabetes Knowledge Test (DKT2). The original test was updated to reflect current diabetes care and education guidelines. The test has 2 components: a 14-item general test and a 9-item insulin use subscale.

Methods

Two samples were used to evaluate the DKT2. The first came from an online survey company (Qualtrics, LCC) (n = 101) and the second from University of Michigan’s (UofM) Diabetes Registry (n = 89). Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was used to calculate reliability. To examine validity, comparisons by type of diabetes, insulin use and oral medication use, and educational level were completed. Correlations between diabetes duration and both the general test and insulin subscale were calculated for the UofM sample.

Results

The two samples differed demographically. While the reliabilities between the samples were disparate, when combined, the coefficient alphas demonstrated reliability for both the general test (.77) and the insulin use subscale (.84). The validation comparisons proved to be similar; different results occurred between samples but when combined demonstrated validity.

Conclusions

The reliability and validity tests were inconsistent by sample. The different results can, in part, be attributed to the demographic differences between the 2 samples. With the exception of age, the samples differed in every other measured variable. However, when the samples were combined, the analyses supported the reliability and validity of the Diabetes Knowledge Test 2. The DKT2 is a quick and low-cost method of assessing general knowledge of diabetes and diabetes self-care.
Estimating the Probability of Traditional Copying, Conditional on Answer-Copying Statistics
Authors: Allen Jeff , Ghattas Andrew
Published: January 2016

Statistics for detecting copying on multiple-choice tests produce p values measuring the probability of a value at least as large as that observed, under the null hypothesis of no copying. The posterior probability of copying is arguably more relevant than the p value, but cannot be derived from Bayes’ theorem unless the population probability of copying and probability distribution of the answer-copying statistic under copying are known. In this article, the authors develop an estimator for the posterior probability of copying that is based on estimable quantities and can be used with any answer-copying statistic. The performance of the estimator is evaluated via simulation, and the authors demonstrate how to apply the formula using actual data. Potential uses, generalizability to other types of cheating, and limitations of the approach are discussed.
Accuracy of physician prognosis in heart failure and lung cancer: Comparison between physician estimates and model predicted survival
Authors: Warraich Haider Javed , Allen Larry A , Mukamal Kenneth J , Ship Amy , Kociol Robb D
Published: January 2016

Background:

Anticipating adverse outcomes guides decisions but can be particularly challenging in heart failure.

Aim:

We sought to assess the accuracy and comfort of physicians in predicting prognosis in heart failure.

Design:

Cross-sectional survey

Participants/setting:

Faculty and trainees in internal medicine, cardiology, and oncology estimated survival for three standardized patients: (1) 59-year-old patient with stage IV lung cancer; (2) 79-year-old woman with New York Heart Association class 4 heart failure symptoms and preserved ejection fraction; and (3) 40-year-old man with New York Heart Association class 3 heart failure symptoms and reduced ejection fraction of 20%. Survival predictions were derived from surveillance, epidemiology, and end results-Medicare database and the Seattle Heart Failure Model. Accuracy was defined as <2-fold difference between the clinician and model estimate.

Results:

Totally, 79% (338/427) of participants responded. Physicians were more accurate in survival estimates for lung cancer than heart failure (74% vs 48%, respectively; p < 0.001). Cardiologists were more accurate in predicting survival in heart failure symptoms and reduced ejection fraction compared to generalists (67% vs 45%; p = 0.005) and oncologists (39%; p = 0.041) but no different at predicting heart failure symptoms and preserved ejection fraction. Cardiologists predicted longer survival in heart failure compared to others ( p < 0.05). Physicians felt more uncomfortable discussing palliative care with heart failure patients compared to lung cancer.

Conclusions:

Less than half of physicians accurately estimate survival in heart failure. Cardiologists were more accurate than other specialties for heart failure symptoms and reduced ejection fraction but no different for heart failure symptoms and preserved ejection fraction.
Genetic polymorphisms associated with heart failure: A literature review
Authors: Guo Mengqi , Guo Guanlun , Ji Xiaoping
Published: January 2016

Objective

To review possible associations reported between genetic variants and the risk, therapeutic response and prognosis of heart failure.

Methods

Electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI) were systematically searched for relevant papers, published between January 1995 and February 2015.

Results

Eighty-two articles covering 29 genes and 39 polymorphisms were identified.

Conclusion

Genetic association studies of heart failure have been highly controversial. There may be interaction or synergism of several genetic variants that together result in the ultimate pathological phenotype for heart failure.
Residence-Based Fear of Crime: A Routine Activities Approach
Authors: Lai Yung-Lien , Ren Ling , Greenleaf Richard
Published: January 2016

Most fear-of-crime research uses resident’s neighborhood as a key reference location to measure fear, yet the location effects of one’s own dwelling unit on crime-specific fear has not been explicitly studied theoretically in the literature. Drawing upon routine activities theory, this study undertakes an investigation into the levels and determinants of residence-based fear of crime across three racial/ethnic groups—Whites, African Americans, and non-White Hispanics. Data used in the analyses were collected from a random-sample telephone survey of 1,239 respondents in Houston, Texas. The results derived from factor analyses revealed that residents do distinguish between fear in the neighborhood and fear at home. Proximity to motivated offenders measured by perception of crime was found to be the most salient predictor of fear, followed by the measures of target vulnerability and capable guardianship. In addition, residence-based fear varies significantly across racial/ethnic groups. The significance of these findings and the policy implications are highlighted.
Collaborative Leadership and Organizational Performance: Assessing the Structural Relation in a Public Service Agency
Authors: Hsieh Jun Yi , Liou Kuotsai Tom
Published: January 2016

Collaborative leadership has been widely discussed in the theory of public-sector leadership and public collaborative governance studies. Based on the survey data of a public service agency in Taipei City Government, Taiwan, this study used path analysis to test the effect of four dimensions of collaborative leadership on the perceived organizational performance, and applied multidimensional scaling (MDS) method to estimate the dimensions of collaborative leadership and their structural relations. Findings of the empirical analyses support our hypotheses about the dimensions and influence of collaborative leadership and contribute to the theories of public-sector leadership. Public employees’ collaborative leadership skills facilitate their acceptance of organizational rules and their perceived organizational performance. Implications of these findings are presented in the discussion and conclusion.
Hydrophilic surface modification of acrylate-based biomaterials
Authors: Arnal-Pastor M , Comín-Cebrián S , Martínez-Ramos C , Monleón Pradas M , Vallés-Lluch A
Published: January 2016

Acrylic polymers have proved to be excellent with regard to cell adhesion, colonization and survival, in vitro and in vivo. Highly ordered and regular pore structures thereof can be produced with the help of polyamide templates, which are removed with nitric acid. This treatment converts a fraction of the ethyl acrylate side groups into acrylic acid, turning poly(ethyl acrylate) scaffolds into a more hydrophilic and pH-sensitive substrate, while its good biological performance remains intact. To quantify the extent of such a modification, and be able to characterize the degree of hydrophilicity of poly(ethyl acrylate), poly(ethyl acrylate) was treated with acid for different times (four, nine and 17 days), and compared with poly(acrylic acid) and a 90/10%wt. EA/AAc copolymer (P(EA-co-AAc)). The biological performance was also assessed for samples immersed in acid up to four days and the copolymer, and it was found that the incorporation of acidic units on the material surface was not prejudicial for cells. This surface modification of 3D porous hydrophobic scaffolds makes easier the wetting with culture medium and aqueous solutions in general, and thus represents an advantage in the manageability of the scaffolds.
ECoaching Across Routines to Enhance Teachers’ Use of Modeling
Authors: Coogle Christan Grygas , Rahn Naomi L. , Ottley Jennifer Riggie , Storie Sloan
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of eCoaching on two special education teachers’ use of modeling strategies across child-led, teacher-led, and mealtime routines. A multiple-probe, single-case design was used to determine the effects of eCoaching on teachers’ use of three modeling strategies. Each of the three strategies was a method to model language for children, and they were randomized to three different routines. Results suggest that eCoaching increased teachers’ use of modeling strategies and that eCoaching is a socially valid intervention. Considerations for practice and future research are discussed.
Experimental investigation on ignition enhancement of partially covered cavities in a supersonic flow
Authors: Cai Zun , Sun Ming-Bo , Wang Hong-Bo , Wang Zhen-Guo
Published: January 2016

Ignition enhancement characteristics of partially covered cavity in an ethylene-fueled scramjet combustor were investigated experimentally under the inflow conditions of Ma = 2.1, stagnation pressure P0 = 0.7 MPa, and stagnation temperature T0 = 846 K. It is concluded that under the influence of the baffle, the covered region will become a region with sufficient fuel during the stable combustion process and wall-pressure distribution will be increased due to this restricted region. Comparing with the uncovered cavity under the same equivalence ratio, partially covered cavity is more suitable for the formation and propagation of flame kernel, and ignition in the scramjet combustor could be intensified due to this cavity configuration.
Experiments in engagement: Designing public engagement with science and technology for capacity building
Authors: Selin Cynthia , Rawlings Kelly Campbell , de Ridder-Vignone Kathryn , Sadowski Jathan , Altamirano Allende Carlo , Gano Gretchen , Davies Sarah R. , Guston David H.
Published: January 2016

Public engagement with science and technology is now widely used in science policy and communication. Touted as a means of enhancing democratic discussion of science and technology, analysis of public engagement with science and technology has shown that it is often weakly tied to scientific governance. In this article, we suggest that the notion of capacity building might be a way of reframing the democratic potential of public engagement with science and technology activities. Drawing on literatures from public policy and administration, we outline how public engagement with science and technology might build citizen capacity, before using the notion of capacity building to develop five principles for the design of public engagement with science and technology. We demonstrate the use of these principles through a discussion of the development and realization of the pilot for a large-scale public engagement with science and technology activity, the Futurescape City Tours, which was carried out in Arizona in 2012.
‘Valhalla rising’: Gender, embodiment and experience in military memoirs
Authors: Dyvik Synne L
Published: January 2016

Recent contributions within international relations place embodiment, experience and emotion at the centre of their analysis of war. Recognizing that war should be ‘studied up from people and not down from places that sweep blood, tears and laughter away’ (Sylvester, 2012: 484), I extend this aim to analyse embodiment and experience through Norwegian military memoirs from Afghanistan. These are relevant empirically not necessarily because they contest political aims or offer policy recommendations, but because of how these embodied narratives, influenced by particular gendered conceptions of ‘warrior masculinity’ and Viking mythology, can trouble Norwegian public narratives. Through focusing on how memoirs construct the sensory experience of combat, I argue that these enable us to push conceptual understandings of embodiment and experience. Memoirs show how war is experienced as an assemblage of pleasure and pain, and how this is caught up in complex blurrings of individual and collective militarized bodies. Analysing how the pain and pleasure of war is made sense of through and between bodies allows us to advance the usage of embodiment as a concept in international relations, in turn leaving the discipline better equipped to understand war’s complex embodied assemblages.
Selection and use of a multi-criteria decision aiding method in the context of conceptual design with imprecise information: Application to a solar collector development
Authors: El Amine Mehdi , Pailhès Jérôme , Perry Nicolas
Published: January 2016

Making decisions on a sound basis in early phases is one of the most difficult challenges in the product development process, especially when dealing with immature concepts. Moreover, life-cycle cost can be influenced up to 70% by decisions taken during the conceptual design phases. The need for reliable multi-criteria decision aiding methods is thus greater in these phases. Various multi-criteria decision aiding methods are proposed and used in the literature. The main criticism of these methods is that they usually produce contradictory results for the same problem. In this work, seven widely used multi-criteria decision aiding methods (weighed sum, weighted product, Kim and Lin, compromise programming, TOPSIS, quadratic mean and ELECTRE I) are analysed. This analysis was based on a real industrial case to develop a solar collector. The proposed multi-criteria decision aiding methods were compared in terms of three criteria deemed relevant in the relevant context: (1) adaptation of the type of results the multi-criteria decision aiding method is expected to bring, (2) correct handling of input information and (3) adaptation of the degree of compensation. Based on these criteria, it was proven that weighted product is the most appropriate multi-criteria decision aiding method in our case. In addition, it has been demonstrated that sensitivity analysis can improve the benefit of using the multi-criteria decision aiding method chosen when dealing with imprecise information due to immaturity of concepts.
Second Metatarsal Transfer Lesions Due to First Metatarsal Shortening After Distal Chevron Metatarsal Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus
Authors: Ahn Jiyong , Lee Ho Seong , Seo Jeong Ho , Kim Ju Yeong
Published: January 2016

Background:

The first metatarsal bone can shorten after a distal chevron metatarsal osteotomy (DCMO). This shortening can result in a postoperative second metatarsal transfer lesion. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of second metatarsal transfer lesions after DCMO.

Methods:

This study involved 185 feet (138 patients), with hallux valgus (HV) deformity, treated with DCMO with Akin osteotomy. The mean patient age was 51.7 years (range, 21 to 74). Patients were followed for an average of 28 months, between June 2004 and June 2010. We measured the length of first metatarsal relative to second metatarsal preoperatively and postoperatively, using Morton’s and Hardy-Clapham’s methods. A second metatarsal transfer lesion was defined as a newly developed lesion, including metatarsalgia, a painful callosity, or a painless callosity, which was not present prior to the DCMO. The relation of the shortened first metatarsal after DCMO with the occurrence of second metatarsal transfer lesion was evaluated.

Results:

Second metatarsal transfer lesions (painless callosity) developed in 5 feet (2.7%) of 185 feet. Twenty-four preoperative second metatarsal lesions were improved postoperatively. The median shortening of the first metatarsal bone after DCMO was 0.6 mm according to Morton’s method (range, –6.4 to 6.4), and 1.9 according to Hardy-Clapham’s method (range, –5.8 to 5.8). According to the extent of first metatarsal shortening after DCMO by Hardy-Clapham’s method and Morton’s method, there was no significant difference of the occurrence of second transfer metatarsal lesions ( P = .259 and P = .176, respectively).

Conclusions:

In our study, second metatarsal transfer lesions developed in 2.7% of feet after DCMO. The occurrence of second metatarsal transfer lesions did not appear to be correlated with the degree of first metatarsal shortening in cases with less than 5.8 mm shortening.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Designing an Impact Fee Program to Meet Rational Nexus Principle and Reduce Vertical Inequity
Authors: Mathur Shishir
Published: January 2016

This article reviews three impact fee programs spread across three continents (North America, Australia, and Asia) in a search for those impact fee design features that meet the nexus and rough proportionality principles and promote vertical equity. To meet the nexus and rough proportionality principles, we assert that the impact fee should vary by use, intensity of use, and type of infrastructure or service funded by the fee, and that the fee should be based on clearly articulated service standards. Finally, specific policies that may be used to increase vertical equity include (a) allowing developers to pay the fee in installments and/or at a later stage of project development, (b) granting impact fee waivers for affordable housing, and (c) exempting smaller properties from paying the fee.
Agglomeration, Tax Differentials, and the Mobility of Professional Athletes
Authors: Driessen Grant A. , Sheffrin Steven M.
Published: January 2016

Interstate mobility may limit states’ ability to choose their desired tax policies. The forces of agglomeration, however, may allow states more leeway in setting tax rates. Moreover, mobility and agglomeration effects are not uniform for all individuals within a state and may vary significantly across different groups. We explore this heterogeneity by examining the residential location decisions of professional racecar drivers and golfers, which have similar industry characteristics but different levels of agglomeration. Consistent with our theory, we show that tax preferences are a powerful determinant of golfer residential patterns, while agglomeration mitigates much of this effect among racecar drivers. These findings highlight the need to better understand how competition and agglomeration interact when formulating tax policy.
Non-ocular melanomas in cats: a retrospective study of 30 cases
Authors: Chamel Gabriel , Abadie Jérôme , Albaric Olivier , Labrut Sophie , Ponce Frédérique , Ibisch Catherine
Published: January 2016

Objectives

The aim of the study was to describe the clinical outcome of 30 cats with non-ocular melanomas and to evaluate the association between clinical or pathological parameters and overall survival time.

Methods

The database of the animal histopathological laboratory of the National Veterinary School of Nantes (Oniris, Nantes, France) was retrospectively searched to identify cases of feline non-ocular melanomas between December 2009 and April 2014. For each case, clinical data, including signalment, location of the primary tumour, staging, treatment and outcome, were collected from the medical records or via interviews with referring veterinarians. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation included mitotic index, cytonuclear atypias, junctional activity, Melan A and S100 immunostaining, and surgical margins. Univariate analysis to test the prognostic value of the different variables was performed by the Kaplan–Meier product limit method using the log-rank test of significance.

Results

Thirty cats were included in the study. Eleven had a cutaneous non-auricular melanoma, six had a tumour located on the pinna and 13 had a tumour in the oral cavity. Cats with auricular melanomas were significantly younger than cats with tumours in other locations. Location and presence of clinical signs were not of prognostic significance, but the achromic phenotype was significantly associated with a poorer prognosis. Twenty cats were treated with surgery and survived significantly longer than cats that received only medical treatment or that did not receive any treatment. According to our data, mitotic index, cytonuclear atypias, junctional activity, Melan A or S100 expression, and surgical margins were not associated with survival.

Conclusions and relevance

We show for the first time, in a large series, that the auricular form of melanoma affected significantly younger cats than other extraocular forms. Most feline non-ocular melanomas are malignant and achromic tumours are associated with a poorer prognosis. According to this study, surgery should be considered as a priority.
Clinical 3-tesla FLAIR* MRI improves diagnostic accuracy in multiple sclerosis
Authors: George Ilena C , Sati Pascal , Absinta Martina , Cortese Irene CM , Sweeney Elizabeth M , Shea Colin D , Reich Daniel S
Published: January 2016

Objective:

To evaluate clinical fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)* 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is sensitive to perivenular inflammatory demyelinating lesions, in diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS).

Background:

Central veins may be a distinguishing feature of MS lesions. FLAIR*, a combined contrast derived from clinical MRI scans, has not been studied as a clinical tool for diagnosing MS.

Methods:

Two experienced MS neurologists evaluated 87 scan pairs (T2-FLAIR/FLAIR*), separately and side-by-side, from 68 MS cases, 8 healthy volunteers, and 11 individuals with other neurological diseases. Raters judged cases based on experience, published criteria, and a visual assessment of the “40% rule,” whereby MS is favored if >40% of lesions demonstrate a central vein. Diagnostic accuracy was determined with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and inter-rater reliability was assessed with Cohen’s kappa (κ).

Results:

Diagnostic accuracy was high: rater 1, AUC 0.94 (95% confidence interval: 0.89, 0.97) for T2-FLAIR, 0.95 (0.92, 0.98) for FLAIR*; rater 2, 0.94 (0.90, 0.98) and 0.90 (0.85, 0.95). AUC improved when images were considered together: rater 1, 0.99 (0.98, 1.00); rater 2, 0.98 (0.96, 0.99). Inter-rater agreement was substantial for T2-FLAIR (κ = 0.68) and FLAIR* (κ = 0.74), despite low agreement on the 40% rule (κ = 0.47) ([Formula: see text] in all cases).

Conclusions:

Joint clinical evaluation of T2-FLAIR and FLAIR* images modestly improves diagnostic accuracy for MS and does not require counting lesions with central veins.
Research participation registers can increase opportunities for patients and the public to participate in health services research
Authors: Leach Verity , Redwood Sabi , Lasseter Gemma , Walther Axel , Reid Colette , Blazeby Jane , Martin Richard , Donovan Jenny
Published: January 2016

Members of the public and patients repeatedly indicate their willingness to take part in research, but current United Kingdom research governance involves complex rules about gaining consent. Research participation registers that seek consent from participants to be approached about future studies have several potential benefits, including: increased research participation across clinical and healthy populations; simplified recruitment to health care research; support for people’s autonomy in decision making; and improved efficiency and generalizability of research. These potential benefits have to be balanced against ethical and governance considerations. With appropriate processes in place, seeking prospective consent from patients and members of the public to be approached about future studies could potentially increase public participation in health research without compromising informed consent and other ethical principles.
Journalism and formation of argument
Authors: Gajevic Slavko
Published: January 2016

This article is an attempt to offer a model for the analysis of a journalistic argument. The model of analysis applied in this research is the result of a combination of two theoretical models: Van Dijk’s model of editorials and the model of argument developed by Toulmin. Although the article – conceptualized as a comparative media study – tested the offered model of analysis on newspaper editorials, the model is designed as a master template, flexible enough to accommodate requirements for the analysis of a journalistic argument delivered via different media platforms. The proposed model of analysis is applied to editorials on the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s published by two newspapers, the American The New York Times and the Serbian Politika. The results of the analysis will contribute to a better understanding of how journalists conceptualize justice in times of conflicts and the role a journalistic argument plays in the wider public debate on armed conflicts.
A study of brand prestige in the casino industry: The moderating role of customer involvement
Authors: Han Heesup , Lee JungHoon (Jay) , Hwang Jinsoo
Published: January 2016

This study explored the important role of brand prestige in the casino industry. More specifically, based on a literature review, it was proposed that (1) brand prestige positively affects three outcome variables: social value, customer satisfaction, and revisit intentions; (2) social value has a positive influence on customer satisfaction and revisit intentions; and (3) customer involvement plays a moderating role in this process. Based on the proposed hypotheses, a conceptual model was developed and tested using empirical data from 236 casino customers who had played casino games in the United States. Data analysis results showed that brand prestige is an important determinant of social value and customer satisfaction, both of which bear a significant impact on revisit intentions. Lastly, customer involvement plays an important moderating role in the relationship between brand prestige and customer satisfaction. The possible interpretations and managerial implications of these findings are provided in the last section of the article.
A Meta-Analysis of Total Arch Replacement With Frozen Elephant Trunk in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection
Authors: Takagi Hisato , Umemoto Takuya ,   for the ALICE Group
Published: January 2016

Objectives:

To assess the safety and efficacy, we performed a meta-analysis of total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk in exclusive acute type A (neither chronic nor type B) aortic dissection.

Methods:

Databases including MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through March 2015 using Web-based search engines (PubMed and OVID). Eligible studies were case series of frozen elephant trunk enrolling patients with acute type A (neither chronic nor type B) aortic dissection reporting at least early (in-hospital or 30-day) all-cause mortality. Study-specific estimates were combined in both fixed- and random-effect models.

Results:

Fifteen studies enrolling 1279 patients were identified and included. Pooled analyses demonstrated the cardiopulmonary bypass time of 207.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 186.1-228.1) minutes, aortic cross-clamp time of 123.3 (95% CI, 113.1-133.5) minutes, selective antegrade cerebral perfusion time of 49.3 (95% CI, 37.6-61.0) minutes, hypothermic circulatory arrest time of 39.0 (95% CI, 30.7-47.2) minutes, early mortality of 9.2% (95% CI, 7.7-11.0%), stroke of 4.8% (95% CI, 2.5-9.0%), spinal cord injury of 3.5% (95% CI, 1.9-6.6%), mid- to long-term (≥1-year) overall mortality of 13.0% (95% CI, 10.4-16.0%), reintervention of 9.6% (95% CI, 5.6-15.8%), and false lumen thrombosis of 96.8% (95% CI, 90.7-98.9%).

Conclusions:

Total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk provides a safe alternative to that with conventional elephant trunk in patients with acute type A aortic dissection, with acceptable early mortality and morbidity. The rates of mid- to long-term reintervention and false lumen non-thrombosis may be lower in patients undergoing the frozen than conventional elephant trunk procedure.
Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis treatment with Aperius™ PerCLID™ system and Falena® interspinous spacers: 1-year follow-up of clinical outcome and quality of life
Authors: Masala Salvatore , Marcia Stefano , Taglieri Amedeo , Chiaravalloti Antonio , Calabria Eros , Raguso Mario , Piras Emanuele , Simonetti Giovanni
Published: January 2016

Purpose

Evaluation of the efficacy of the Falena® and Aperius™ PerCLID™ interspinous devices in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic intermittent claudication refractory to conservative treatment.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from 24 patients (20 male and 4 female patients; 61 ± 7 years old), treated with an implantation of the AperiusTM PerCLID™ system, and from 35 patients (29 male and 6 female patients; 65 ± 9 years old) treated with the Falena® interspinous device. Patient pain intensity was evaluated by a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS), with a score (ranging from 0 = no pain to 10 = unbearable pain) that was collected before the procedure, at baseline; and at months 1, 6 and 12 after the interventional procedure. The assessment of quality of life (QOL) impairment was evaluated by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaire, which was administered beforehand at baseline; and at months 1, 6 and 12 after the interventional procedure. The vertebral canal area was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans before the treatment and at the one-year follow-up.

Results

All patients completed the study with no complications. Both the Falena group and Aperius group of surgery patients showed a statistically significant reduction of their VAS and ODI scores at the 6- and 12-month follow-up ( p < 0.0001). A statistically significant increase in the vertebral canal area was observed both in the group that received Falena ( p < 0.0001) and in the group that received Aperius ( p = 0.0003). At the 1-year follow-up, we observed that there was a higher increase of vertebral canal area in those patients whom were treated with the Falena device ( p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The implantation of Falena® and Aperius™ PerCLID™ interspinous devices is an effective and safe procedure, in the medium term.
Best proximity results for Suzuki and convex type contractions
Authors: Hussain Nawab , Hezarjaribi Masoomeh , Kutbi MA , Salimi Peyman
Published: January 2016

The aim of the paper is to introduce new Suzuki and convex type contractions and prove new best proximity results for these contractions in the setting of a metric space. As applications, we deduce similar results for such type of contractions in partially ordered metric spaces and derive new Suzuki type fixed point results. An illustrative example is provided here to highlight our findings.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Di-µ-oxalato Tetracopper(II) Complex with Tetranucleating Macrocyclic Ligand
Authors: Miyazato Yuji , Asato Eiji , Ohba Masaaki , Wada Tohru
Published: January 2016

A tetracopper(II) complex containing two oxalate anions in the metal-based host cavity, [Cu4(Lpy)(µ-ox)2](PF6)2·2(2-PrOH), where ox2−: oxalato (C2O42−), was prepared by reacting H2Lpy, a phenol-based tetranucleating macrocyclic ligand with four pyridylmethyl pendant arms, Cu(ClO4)2·6H2O, and sodium oxalate (1:4:2 stoichiometry, respectively) in methanol, followed by exchange of the counteranion with excess of NH4PF6. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of 1 revealed that two {Cu(II)Cu(II)} units, bridged by a phenolato group of Lpy2−, were connected by two oxalato anions, to construct a rectangular “{CuCu}(µ-ox)2{CuCu}” tetranuclear framework. This rectangular framework was maintained in DMF solution. The magnetic measurement of 1 in the 2–300 K range revealed antiferromagnetic behavior. The antiferromagnetic interaction in this complex occurs between the Cu(II) centers bridged by an oxalate (J = −140 cm−1).
The role of emotional interpretants in Peirce’s theory of belief and doubt
Authors: Chevalier Jean-Marie
Published: January 2016

The theory of emotional interpretant is mentioned only a few times in Peirce’s works. My hypothesis is that if Peirce did not develop this concept through and through, and reflected on it only very late in his writings, it is because it had been implicit in almost all his previous epistemological and semiotic works. The qualitative nature which defines belief and doubt makes the whole theory of inquiry rely on feelings, and is a consistent part of the characterization of beliefs as dispositions. In spite of this, objectivity is still preserved.Includes: Comment. Emotion and belief by Henrik Rydenfelt (pp. 496–500).
SATISFAÇÃO NO TRABALHO DOS GESTORES ESCOLARES
Authors: Pinto Vera Regina Ramos , Mariano Sandra R. H.
Published: January 2016

Este artigo apresenta a percepção de um grupo de gestores escolares sobre sua satisfação no trabalho. Foi realizada uma survey e selecionada uma amostra não probabilística composta por 105 gestores de escolas da Rede SESI/SENAI nacional e 46 gestores de escolas da rede pública do estado do Rio de Janeiro. Conclui-se que as variáveis que contribuem para o alto nível de satisfação com o trabalho percebido na Rede SESI/SENAI são: conhecimento do que fazer para atingir os objetivos da instituição; os impactos causados pelo trabalho do gestor na obtenção destes objetivos; e o prazer que o trabalho proporciona. Na Rede Pública, além do conhecimento dos impactos causados pelo trabalho no alcance dos objetivos da organização, observou-se também que o orgulho de trabalhar nas melhores escolas; o clima de camaradagem e o trabalho e equipe contribuem para aumentar os níveis de satisfação.
ADOÇÃO DE PRÁTICAS DE SUSTENTABILIDADE COMO VANTAGEM COMPETITIVA: EVIDÊNCIAS EMPÍRICAS
Authors: Gomes Frederico Pessanha , Ubiratã Tortato Ubiratã
Published: January 2016

Este artigo investiga se as práticas de sustentabilidade empresarial trazem vantagem competitiva às empresas que o compõe. Para tanto, buscou-se verificar se o retorno do Índice de Sustentabilidade Empresarial (ISE) é semelhante a outros índices de ações da Bovespa. Para tanto, buscou-se fundamentação teórica na teoria dos shareholders ou teoria da maximização da riqueza dos acionistas e na teoria dos stakeholders ou teoria dos grupos de interesse. Foram realizados testes estatísticos que comparam o retorno médio do ISE com o retorno médio do Índice Bovespa (IBOV) e do Índice de Ações com Governança Corporativa Diferenciada (IGC). Os resultados obtidos levam a conclusão que apesar do ISE possuir uma carteira teórica diferenciada, propiciando um ambiente de investimento compatível com as demandas de desenvolvimento sustentável da sociedade contemporânea, o seu retorno é semelhante (não é significativamente diferente) aos índices de ações convencionais.
CASO PARA ENSINO: ESTUDOS SOBRE O COMPORTAMENTO DO CONSUMIDOR
Authors: Moura Luiz Rodrigo Cunha , Veiga Ricardo Teixeira , Cunha Nina Rosa Silveira , Moura Luiz Eduardo Leite de
Published: January 2016

O gestor do Pet Shop Amigo dos Animais, está interessado em conhecer o comportamento dos seus clientes. Os alunos através deste estudo de caso – que também pode ser estendido para toda a cadeia produtiva para animais de estimação tornando-se um caso de ensino -, terão o objetivo principal de analisar os diversos fatores que influenciam o comportamento dos consumidores, relacionando conceitos do Comportamento do Consumidor e do Marketing. Este caso apresenta uma descrição de produtos e serviços desenvolvidos especialmente para esse mercado, bem como o comportamento dos seus donos como consumidores, incluindo dados e informações financeiras e mercadológicas. A relevância desse tipo de trabalho para os alunos é a exigência da construção da argumentação, da síntese e de um diagnóstico, a partir de perguntas que envolvem a associação entre aspectos teóricos vistos em sala de aula com uma situação que ocorre atualmente no Brasil.
Metodologias intervencionistas: contribuição teórico-metodológica vigotskyanas para aprendizagem organizacional
Authors: Cassandre Marcio Pascoal , Querol Marco Antonio Pereira
Published: January 2016

Esta revisão teórica introduz o conceito e os princípios das Metodologias Intervencionistas e apresenta três propostas metodológicas de pesquisa para a Aprendizagem Organizacional no Brasil. As propostas são: Clínica da Atividade, Quinta Dimensão e Laboratório de Mudança, herdeiras dos pressupostos vigotyskianos da Teoria da Mediação Cultural e a Estimulação Dupla. Sob o eixo teórico intervencionista, analisou-se a harmonia de três propostas com esses princípios, oferecendo subsídios dessas potenciais abordagens teórico-metológicas para o estudo da aprendizagem e do desenvolvimento organizacional, de forma que possam inspirar  outras análises do fenômeno, ofereçam subsídios para expandir o conceito e preencham a lacuna metodológica explicitada pelos autores da Aprendizagem Organizacional, provocando novas  discussões metodológicas para as  pesquisas nos Estudos Organizacionais. As propostas possuem em seu escopo uma composição teórico-metodológica capaz de pensar a organização como um fenômeno histórico, complexo, concreto, em movimento e dialético, rompendo-se, assim, com leituras formais, prescritivas e abstratas das organizações.