bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward a Global Sociology of Religion
Authors: Parvez Z. Fareen
Published: July 2017

This article offers an example of a global approach to teaching the sociology of religion, a course that typically focuses on American religious phenomena. It builds on three interventions in the movement for a global sociology: connecting the local and global, moving beyond methodological nationalism, and developing an ethical orientation toward sociological questions. Such an approach encourages students to question taken-for-granted assumptions about religion and gain conceptual clarity. Specifically, the course goals are to challenge students’ preconceptions about the global South as well as the global North and complicate and historicize the definition of religion. I describe class content and activities on five major themes, each carefully connected to globalization: defining religion, orthodox women, secularism, conversions and revivals, and violence. Assessment of student learning includes a compilation of student responses to final exam questions and their own final statements of what they learned.
Verbal stigmatization from family: How does that affect Latino men who have sex with men?
Authors: Wang Liyuan
Published: July 2017

A secondary analysis investigated the influences of verbal stigmatization from family members on the psychological well-being of Latino homosexual males. A model was proposed to explain effects of being exposed to labeling stigma messages that supported both Stigma Communication Model and Revised Labelling Theory. Results showed exposure to verbal stigma messages, especially those with labeling and name calling, was associated with low self-esteem, perceived social support, and highly stigmatized beliefs. Such effects were also related to one’s emotion reactions, especially the feeling of shame, toward verbal stigmatization. Implications for interpersonally communicated stigma messages in general and further study directions were discussed.
Association of preoperative breast MRI features with locoregional recurrence after breast conservation therapy
Authors: Bae Min Sun , Chang Jung Min , Cho Nariya , Han Wonshik , Ryu Han Suk , Moon Woo Kyung
Published: July 2017

Background

Locoregional recurrence (LRR) following breast conservation therapy (BCT) is associated with an increased risk of distant metastasis and death in patients with breast cancer.

Purpose

To investigate whether preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features are associated with the risk of LRR in patients undergoing BCT.

Material and Methods

A total of 3781 women with primary invasive breast cancer underwent preoperative MRI and BCT between 2003 and 2013. Forty-eight patients who developed LRR comprised the LRR cohort and one-to-one matching (age, tumor stage, grade, and axillary nodal status) of each patient to a control participant was performed in patients who did not develop recurrence. Three readers independently reviewed MR images of the index cancer and the presence of multifocal disease was assessed. Χ2 analysis was used to compare imaging and clinical features between LRR and control cohorts, with multivariate logistic regression analysis used to identify independent features.

Results

Significant differences were found in the proportion of multifocal disease ( P = 0.001), background parenchymal enhancement level ( P = 0.007), and breast cancer molecular subtype ( P = 0.01) between LRR and control cohorts. Multivariate analysis showed that multifocal disease (odds ratio [OR] = 11.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4–102.5; P = 0.02) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive subtype (OR = 12.7; 95% CI = 1.3–127.6; P = 0.03) were both independently associated with LRR.

Conclusion

Multifocal disease on preoperative breast MRI may indicate an increased risk of LRR in patients treated with BCT.
Microbial Offense vs Host Defense: Who Controls the TB Granuloma?
Authors: Martinot Amanda J.
Published: July 2017

The granuloma is the hallmark of tuberculosis and simultaneously signifies acquisition of an infection and induction of a host immune response. But who benefits more from the development of the granuloma, the host or the pathogen? Is microbe or man dictating disease course and progression? Mycobacterial diseases affect humans and animals alike, and the concepts presented in this review reflect host-pathogen interactions that influence not only mycobacterial granulomas in humans and animals but also other infectious granulomatous diseases that are encountered in veterinary medicine. Current dogma supports that an organized granuloma is a mark of an adequate and “restrictive” host immune response. However, the formation of a granuloma also provides a niche for the maturation, growth, and persistence of numerous infectious agents, and these pathogens devote some portion of their genetic machinery to ensuring these structures’ form. An understanding of pathogens’ contributions to granuloma formation can aid the development of host-directed therapies and other antimicrobial and antiparasitic therapies that can tip this balance in favor of a restrictive host response and elimination—not just containment—of the infectious organism. This review discusses animal models that have aided our understanding of pathogens’ contribution to the host response and how mycobacterial virulence genes direct host pathology in ways that may aid disease transmission and/or persistence in the form of latent infection.
Some Thoughts on the “(Extra)Ordinary”
Authors: Nayar Jayan
Published: July 2017

In this essay, I question the philosophical appropriation of the “street”; much recent critical theory fixes on the “events” of the street as portending ruptural becomings—into being—of the new in the world. I argue that such readings of the “extraordinary” are founded upon a heroic ontologic–epistemology of “abandonment–resurrection” that defines colonial–modern Eurocentric philosophy. Against this preoccupation with the extraordinary, I present a view that reads in the events of the street the ordinariness of the perceived extraordinary and the extraordinariness of the (often invisible) ordinary decoloniality of the everyday as the site of already being otherwise.
How guilt/shame proneness and coping styles are related to music performance anxiety and stress symptoms by gender
Authors: Coşkun-Şentürk Gülce , Çırakoğlu Okan Cem
Published: July 2017

In the present study, the predictive values of gender, coping strategies, and guilt/shame orientation were examined in relation to music performance anxiety (MPA) and stress symptoms among university-level Turkish music students. The sample consisted of 399 participants (244 females and 155 males) who were being trained in various instruments. Independent t-test analyses revealed that females had higher scores than males on MPA, stress, helpless and submissive coping strategies, guilt, and shame orientation. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that gender, solo concert experience, helpless and self-confident coping, and shame orientation significantly predicted MPA scores. A similar analysis revealed that gender, helpless and socially supported coping, and shame significantly predicted stress scores. Since gender was a significant predictor in the preliminary regression analyses, gender-based regression analyses were performed. These analyses indicated that, for females, solo concert experience, helpless approach, and shame predicted MPA; and helpless approach and shame orientation predicted stress scores. On the other hand, for males, solo concert experience and the helpless approach appeared as the significant predictors of MPA; and only helpless approach predicted stress scores. Findings are discussed in the light of current literature and cultural characteristics.
Unacknowledged Rape and Re-Victimization Risk
Authors: Littleton Heather , Grills Amie , Layh Marlee , Rudolph Kelly
Published: July 2017

The majority of college women who experience rape do not conceptualize their experience as a victimization, that is, they are unacknowledged victims. There is some initial evidence that unacknowledged victims are at elevated re-victimization risk relative to acknowledged victims. In the current study, we sought to identify mediators of the association between acknowledgment of rape and re-victimization in a sample of 319 college rape victims; 187 (58.6%) participants completed a 2-month follow-up study. We examined regular drinking, number of sexual partners, and continuing a relationship with the assailant as potential mediators of the relation between acknowledgment and re-victimization. At follow-up, unacknowledged victims reported higher rates of new attempted (16.2%) and completed rape (11.9%), relative to acknowledged victims (attempted: 7.9%; completed: 3.0%). Number of sexual partners mediated the relation between acknowledgment and attempted rape. Both number of partners and regular drinking mediated the relation between acknowledgment and completed rape. Thus, not acknowledging rape may be associated with re-victimization in part because unacknowledged victims may be more likely to engage in behaviors that increase vulnerability. We believe there is a need for longitudinal, theoretically grounded research examining risky behaviors, victimization, and acknowledgment status over time to delineate the relations among these variables. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ' s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/page/pwq/suppl/index
Pectoralis Major Repair: A Biomechanical Analysis of Modern Repair Configurations Versus Traditional Repair Configuration
Authors: Edgar Cory M. , Singh Hardeep , Obopilwe Elifho , Voss Andreas , Divenere Jessica , Tassavor Michael , Comer Brendan , Sanchez George , Mazzocca Augustus D. , Provencher Matthew T.
Published: July 2017

Background:

Pectoralis major (PM) ruptures are increasingly common, and a variety of surgical techniques have been described. However, tested techniques have demonstrated diminished strength with inadequate restoration of the footprint and suture failure at relatively low loads.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to biomechanically compare PM transosseous suture repair (current gold standard) to modern PM repair techniques that use larger caliber sutures, suture tape, and unicortical button fixation (UBF). The null hypothesis was that there would be no mechanical difference between repair techniques and no difference in the amount of footprint restoration.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Twenty-four fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders controlled for age and bone mineral density were randomized equally to 4 groups: (1) UBF, suture tape; (2) UBF, No. 5 suture, suture tape; (3) bone trough with No. 2 suture; and (4) native PM tendon group; all groups were tested to failure. The specimens were tested under cycling loads (10 N to 125 N) with a final load-to-failure test at 1 mm/s. Failure modes were classified by location and cause of rupture based on optical markers, while tendon footprint length was measured to determine amount of footprint restoration.

Results:

For fixation strength, the mean peak load was significantly greater in the native tendon (1816 ± 706 N) versus UBF/No. 5 suture/suture tape (794 ± 168 N), UBF/suture tape (502 ± 201 N), and bone trough (492 ± 151 N) ( P < .001 for all). UBF/No. 5 suture/suture tape featured the lowest displacement superiorly (1.09 ± 0.47 mm) and inferiorly (1.14 ± 0.39 mm) with a significant difference compared with bone trough. With regard to tendon footprint reapproximation, cortical button fixation best approximated native tendon footprint length versus bone trough.

Conclusion:

Based on peak failure load, the UBF/No. 5 suture/suture tape construct demonstrated 61% greater construct strength than a traditional bone trough technique. Moreover, displacement after cyclic loading was by far smallest in the UBF/No. 5 suture/suture tape construct. Therefore, repair constructs with larger caliber suture and suture tape provide a measurable improvement in construct strength versus traditional PM repair techniques in a biomechanical model and may be advantageous for repair.

Clinical Relevance:

Cortical button fixation with larger caliber suture and suture tape allows for a significantly better PM repair than more traditional techniques at the time of surgery, which may ultimately result in improved clinical outcomes if implemented in surgical practice.
Women as Indirect Beneficiaries in Elite Conflict in Princely Mysore, 1860-1920
Authors: Rao Parimala V.
Published: July 2017

Women's education in Mysore was not a product of social reform movement as was the case in the Presidencies. Here it began as a conscious effort first by the British bureaucracy during the direct colonial rule and then by the Indian bureaucracy after the rendition. The elite conflict among the Madras Party consisting of officials from the Madras Presidency, the Mysore Party consisting of Tamil speaking Iyangars and the third group consisting of local Kannada speaking Mysorians for controlling the administration dominated the public space during this period. The debates regarding the regional and linguistic identity often centred on the issues related to women. This article deals with the identity conflict and their positive effect on the growth of women's education in princely Mysore during 1860–1920.
Keshub Chandra Sen's Bombay Visit (1864) and the Response of ‘Young Bombay’: Contours of Reform Movement in Western India
Authors: Ganachari Aravind
Published: July 2017

This article, for the first time, attempts to give details about Keshub Chandra Sen's visit to Bombay in March-April 1864 and his interactions with the ‘Young Bombay’ reformers and also the missionaries, as reflected in reports and letters that appeared in contemporary newspapers and other writings. It seeks to shed light on the differences in the method of reform as perceived by the Bombay reformers during the early days of renaissance movement vis-à-vis the Bengal reformers. The records also reveal the trials and tribulations these reformers had to undergo in the form of social ostracism on the one hand, and on the other the general ridicule faced by them for lassitude and lack of courage. The Bombay reformers declined to follow the radical approach suggested by Keshub Chandra, namely, to make a different sect of the reformers. Instead, they believed in moderation and cautious approach, and offered reasons for their preference for making reformism a general or social movement rather than an individual or a personal one. In their opinion, if that phase of Hindu religion—namely, the social conditions created by the medieval Maharashtrian saints—can be accepted as the base ground, and new improvements engrafted on it, without doubt, people would come in more readily with the change than in any other manner since the method would not spring any surprise or novelty. For them, the reforms ought to encompass all religions and, like the Brahmo Samaj, not confined to Hindu religion alone. The debate also unfolds how much before the establishment of Prarthana Samaj on 31 March 1867, the idea of a ‘Prayer Society’ was afoot in 1864 itself
Colonial Capital and National Retrieve: Profile of an Entrepreneur
Authors: Bhattacharya Jayati
Published: July 2017

The life and work of Nalini Ranjan Sarkar forms an interesting saga in the history of freedom movement of Bengal in the first half of the twentieth century. Starting from the provincial level, his activities in the economic and the political field soon spilled over to the events in the national mainstream movement with involvement in the Indian National Congress on the one hand, and active participation in the newly founded Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on the other. By establishing an Indian insurance company on a sound footing amongst the unequal competition with the foreign enterprises in a colonial setting, he may be credited with achieving a milestone in the sphere of nascent indigenous entrepreneurial adventures, something which a very few of the Bengalis could achieve. This article attempts' to study the dynamic display of the balancing act between Sarkar's economic and political activities as well as propagation of different social and educational issues, which has been, many a time, undermined and overshadowed with scepticism by his ambiguity and opportunistic approach.
Women's Struggle for the Vote: 1917-1937
Authors: Basu Aparna
Published: July 2017

This article explores the demand of the Indian women's movement in the period 1917–1937 for political representation for women. This campaign took place within the framework of the constitutional reforms of 1919 and 1935. The Women's Indian Association founded by Margaret Cousins and her colleagues in 1917 demanded women's franchise and eligibility to the legislature on the same basis as men. The WIA launched a vigorous campaign and was supported by the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms left the question of women's suffrage to be decided by the provincial legislatures. Madras was the first province to grant votes to women and between 1921 and 1930 one by one the provinces extended the franchise to women and allowed them to stand as legisalative candidates.

In the years 1928–1937, there were debates on the terms under which women's franchise should be expanded. The British Government supported reservation of seats for women, separate electorates and continued but expanded franchise qualifications. Most of the leaders of the women's movement opposed separate electorates and reservation of seats for women and demanded adult franchise.

The demand of the women's movement for equal political rights and women's active participation in the freedom struggle led the Indian National Congress at its Karachi session in 1931 to pledge gender equality before the law and universal adult franchise. This pledge was honoured in the Constitution of free India.

The article also examines the 33 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and in municipal corporations and how far it has empowewred women.
Axis Satellite Armies of World War II: A Case Study of the Azad Hind Fauj, 1942–45
Authors: Roy Kaushik
Published: July 2017

During the Second World War, Japan and Germany raised several auxiliary armies in South East Asia and Europe. One such Japanese sponsored army was the Indian National Army (INA). The historiography of the Second World War gives marginal importance to the INA because of its low combat effectiveness. Neither the mainstream historiography of modern India nor the literature on decolonization did attach much importance to the INA. In contrast, a minority group (mostly ex-INA personnel, including some historians) overemphasizes the INA's contribution to India's struggle for independence. However, it would be interesting to analyse how the Japanese and some Indian nationalist leaders attempted to structure an army out of the British controlled Sepoy Army. Much light could be thrown on this complex interaction by studying the managerial format of the INA. Moreover, the INA also influenced the genesis of post-1947 Indian Army. This article places the INA as an institution at the centre stage. It tries to figure out who joined the INA and why and the nature of interaction between the human materials of the INA and its command structure. The focus is on the social base of the INA and its managerial infrastructure. Recruitment techniques and disciplinary mechanism of the INA are highlighted. Instead of focussing merely on Subhas Chandra Bose, the functions of the middle and low ranking officers are emphasized. The INA utilized the social and cultural ethos of pre-colonial India and also the organizing principles of the Western armies. This blend of pre-British Indian martial traditions with the institutions of professional militaries of the West, in the context of alliance with the Axis powers, had its own contradictions. Though this contradiction made the INA an ineffective combat organization, it had a multiplier effect on the process of erosion of the Raj's legitimacy. The strength of this essay lies in utilizing untapped sources like The Oracle, Fauji Akhbar, the INA files in the National Archives and oral interview transcripts of the leading figures.
Foundation and Historical Evolution of Indian Constitutionalism
Authors: Singh M.P. , Bhatia Ravi P.
Published: July 2017

Indian constitutionalism is embedded in the culture, geography, history, sociology, and politics of the country. The Western Modernity and Indian Tradition have uniquely fused to engender this construct that has gone into the mixed cultural and socio-economic formations and political ideological spectrum that is contemporary India. Its constitutional foundations and democratic developmental state as well as strategies of development have been predicated on a middle path between bourgeois democratic rights, socialistically inspired economic rights and ecologically sustainable capitalist development. It is a measure of the resilience of our constitutionalism that it has made possible the transitions from a predominantly parliamentary regime driven by the prime ministerial executive to divided coalition/minority governments with widest possible federal power-sharing under a judiciary-driven political system. It appears to be a far cry from the Westminster-inspired parliamentary-federalism in the White Commonwealth and is somewhat reminiscent of the US American constitutionalism premised on separation of powers and checks and balances.

Our constitution is based on the ideals of liberalism, welfare state, parliamentary federal government with a strong Centre, electoral and multi-party democracy. These ideals are enshrined in our Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy. The constitution also delineates the separation of powers of the Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary. Constitutional values have been fortified by parliamentary amendments as well as by judicial interpretations and path breaking decisions on important issues like ‘basic structure of the constitution’ and powers of the Parliament to enact laws amending the constitution. However, this over-determinative federalizing effect on parliamentary component of government is aggravated due to party system decay, fragmentation, and regionalization. Collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the Parliament and individual accountability of ministers to the Prime Minister has become fragmented and transferred to the powerful chief ministers causing distortions. Party system reforms are imperative to reinvent authentic parliamentary-federal governance consistent with our constitution. It is also notable that a successful transition from state-led strategy of economic development to one with a gradually expanding role of the market forces—national and multinational—has also been made. Radical democratic decentralization of political power is making slow headway through constitutional amendments and grassroots and social movements.
The Expression of LEC/CCL16, a Powerful Inflammatory Chemokine, is Upregulated in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Pannellini T. , Iezzi M. , Di Carlo E. , Eleuterio E. , Coletti A. , Modesti A. , Rosini S. , Neri M. , Musiani P.
Published: July 2017

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology and pathogenesis. The presence in the colonic mucosa of reactive cells expressing proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines is associated with high levels of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Our aim was to investigate the role of IL-10 and the β chemokine LEC/CCL16 selectively up-regulated by IL-10 in inflammatory cell recruitment and cytokine and chemokine production during UC. We studied histologically, immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally colonic biopsies from 20 active UC patients and 10 control specimens taken far from any macroscopically detectable lesion in age and sex-matched patients with noninflammatory bowel disease. In active UC, immature dendritic cells (DCs) in the LP are associated with IL-10 in the T cell rich area. Furthermore, most of the LP-infiltrating macrophages strongly expressed LEC/CCL16, a chemokine upregulated by IL-10. To evaluate if LEC/CCL16 plays a role in the inflammatory reaction present in UC, we performed morphological studies in mice injected s.c. with syngeneic tumor cells engineered to produce LEC/CCL16. We found that the LEC protein locally released by LEC-gene-transfected tumor cells is a potent proinflammatory chemokine that induces the recruitment of a reactive infiltrate, and an angiogenic process mirroring that in human UC. In conclusion our data indicate that: 1) LEC is endowed with a powerful inflammatory activity and 2) upregulated in active UC, when IL-10 expression is elevated in a T cell rich area, 3) this upregulation can be seen as a pro-inflammatory pathway triggered by IL-10 in UC.
Caspase-3 is Dually Regulated by Apoptogenic Factors Mitochondrial Release and by SAPK/JNK Metabolic Pathway in Leukemic Cells Exposed to Etoposideionizing Radiation Combined Treatment
Authors: Di Pietro R. , Centurione L. , Sabatini N. , Bosco D. , Sancilio S. , Garaci F. , Rana R. , Cataldi A.
Published: July 2017

Ionizing radiation induces a series of multiple intracellular events which can lead to activation of caspases, cytoplasmic proteases involved in the occurrence of apoptosis. The response of leukemic cells to ionizing radiation is amplified when they have been pre-treated with the anticancer drug etoposide, therefore the aim of this work has been to establish the lowest etoposide concentration combined with the lowest ionizing radiation dose to obtain the best antineoplastic response. Two leukemic cell lines, HL-60 and Jurkat, employed in this study, demonstrated different sensitivities to ionizing radiation and to etoposide treatment, with Jurkat T cells requiring a higher dose (1 μM) to display cell cycle perturbation and apoptotic DNA damage similar to those seen in HL-60. We hypothesize that this kind of response could be mediated by mitochondrial release of apoptogenic factors and by SAPK/JNK metabolic pathway activation, both leading to caspase-3 cleavage. All in all these results provide insight into the sensitivity or resistance of leukemic cells to antineoplastic agents and identify molecular targets for rational therapeutic intervention strategies.
Do Tryptase, ECP and Specific IgE Measurement by Nasal Incubation Increase the Specific Nasal Provocation Test Sensitivity?
Authors: Bellussi L. , Marcucci F. , Sensi L.G. , Passali G.C. , Lauriello M. , Passali F.M. , Giannuzzi A.L. , Passali D.
Published: July 2017

The specific Nasal Provocation Test (sNPT) is a third level diagnostic tool. Fitted to reproduce natural exposure condition to pick the responsible allergen for nasal symptoms out, it is applied when prick test and RAST responses are doubtful. SNPT results have been evaluated measuring nasal resistance (anterior rhinomanometry) and nasal symptoms (clinical score), reaching 50% of sensitivity. This study focused on the determination of allergic response markers, triggered by nasal challenge: tryptase levels in the nose, specific IgE and ECP (Eosinophil Cationic Protein). The aim was to increase sNPT sensitivity. Twenty patients suffering from allergic rhinitis and 16 age-matched-nonallergic subjects were enrolled in the study. Tryptase, specific IgE and ECP were determined in nasal mucosa applying a new method, based on in situ incubation, before and after sNPT. The latter was performed following a standardized method. Tryptase levels increased in 13 patients (65%), were unchanged in four patients (20%), and slightly decreased in three patients (15%). The increase recorded was significant in mite allergic patients (p=0.005), but not significant (p> 0.05) in pollen allergic patients. ECP values increased in 13 patients (65%), were unchanged in two patients (10%), and highly decreased in five patients (25%). ECP increase was not significant (p> 0.05). Specific IgE levels increased in seven patients (35%), were unchanged in 11 patients (55%) and decreased in two patients (10%). The IgE increase was significant in pollen-allergic patients (p<0.05), while it was not significant in mite-allergic patients (p>0.05). Tryptase, ECP, and specific IgE were not detected in the control group. The data obtained showed a positive sNPT response in 12 patients (60%). Comparing our results with those derived from classical-parameter employment, we gathered an improvement of 10%. On the basis of the usual parameters, in fact, we recorded 50% positivity, while the use of mediators provided an additional 10% improvement in sNPT sensitivity: taking together the usual parameters and nasal allergic mediators values, we reached an sNPT over-all sensitivity of 85%.
Chlamydia Pneumoniae Infection in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Clinical and Serological 1-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Romano S. , Fratini S. , Di Pietro M. , Schiavoni G. , Nicoletti M. , Chiarotti F. , Del Piano M. , Penco M. , Sessa R.
Published: July 2017

The role of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in pathogenesis and prognostic stratification of patients with acute coronary syndromes is still unclear. However, a limitation of many studies is the evaluation of the long-term prognostic role of a sample obtained during the acute phase, whereas the assessment of the temporal trend of antibody titers could be more useful. One-hundred and fourteen consecutive patients with acute coronary syndromes (71 with acute myocardial infarction and 43 with unstable angina) were studied. Blood samples were obtained immediately after hospital admission and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the acute event. The microimmunofluorescence test was used to detect C. pneumoniae specific antibodies. The incidence of new coronary events (death, myocardial infarction, recurrent angina) was recorded during the 1-year follow-up period. No significant difference was found between patients with (n = 35) or without (n = 79) new coronary events (N.C.E.) regarding baseline and serial values of C. pneumoniae antibodies. The rate of high titers at any time of follow-up was also similar in the two groups: IgG ≥1:512 were present in 52%, 64%, 55% and 32% of N.C.E.+ patients, and in 48%, 54%, 52% and 36% of N.C.E.- patients at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months respectively; IgA ≥ 1:256 were present in 26%, 23%, 30% and 23% of N.C.E.+ patients and in 20%, 30%, 25% and 19% of N.C.E.- patients at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months respectively. Our data indicate that elevated titers of C. pneumoniae antibodies, even with a serial 1-year evaluation, are not a predictor of future coronary events in patients with acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina.
Forty years of methylphenidate treatment in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Conners C. K.
Published: July 2017

This paper reviews approximately 40 years of stimulant drug treatment of children with behavior and learning problems. These patients generally fall under the rubric of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with core symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention being the most studied and most robust of the targets for stimulant treatment. In addition, the drug effects on other targets, such as cognitive and academic function, are included. The largest selection of studies involves methylphenidate. Both qualitative studies and meta-analytic studies from major reviews are examined. Variations in the methodology of the reviews are described and some of the discrepancies in interpretation examined.

Despite wide variations in subject selection, types of trials, degree of methodological rigor, and the decade in which the studies took place, the evidence is remarkably consistent. The overall results suggest significant clinical impact upon the core features of ADHD. More studies of long-term effects and special populations such as older adolescents and adults will be necessary, though existing evidence strongly supports similar findings as for the younger patients with a diagnosis of ADHD.
Longer term effects of stimulant treatments for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Jensen P.
Published: July 2017

Of pharmacological options available for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), stimulant medications are the most studied, the most commonly used, the most effective, and the first-line choice for treatment. Evidence of the short-term efficacy of methylphenidate (MPH) and other stimulants as well as behavioral treatments in the management of symptoms of ADHD is abundant. This paper reviews therapeutic trials with a duration or follow-up period of 12 months or more and evaluates the longer term outcomes of available treatments for ADHD. The trials were reported by lalongo et al. (1993), Horn et al. (1991), Schachar, Tannock, Cunningham, and Corkum (1997), Gillberg et al. (1997), Hechtman and Abikoff (1995), and the National Institute of Mental Health (MTA Cooperative Group, 1999a, 1999b).
The use of a laboratory school protocol to evaluate concepts about efficacy and side effects of new formulations of stimulant medications
Authors: Swanson J. M. , Lerner M. , Wigal T. , Steinhoff K. , Greenhill L. , Posner K. , Freid J. , Wigal S.
Published: July 2017

Recently, new long-acting formulations of racemic methylphenidate (MPH: Ritalin® LA, Metadate® CD and Concerta®) and amphetamine (AMP: Adderall XR®) were developed and are now approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition, dexmethylphenidate (Focalin ™), the pharmacologically active d-threo enantiomer of MPH, also was approved by the FDA. In the initial phases of development, prototypes of these five new formulations were evaluated using the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Laboratory School Protocol (LSP), in which surrogate measures of efficacy are collected in highly controlled settings rather than clinical measures of effectiveness in the less-controlled, natural environments of home or school. The LSP studies were followed by large effectiveness and safety studies required for gaining FDA approval. These initial efficacy and side effect studies in the LSP provided missing information about the basic pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of MPH and AMP and produced some new discoveries (i.e., acute tolerance) that were used to help design the final products.

The final once-a-day formulations used different drug delivery systems to achieve long-acting efficacy (Ritalin® LA, Metadate® CD, Concerta®, Adderall XR®). All four drug delivery systems were based on two processes: first, a bolus delivery (BD) process to achieve rapid onset of efficacy (mg), and second, a controlled delivery (CD) process to achieve rates of delivery (mg/hr) or a delayed bolus (mg) to maintain efficacy. A theoretical approach was used to compare and contrast the new once-a day formulations of MPH by selecting total daily doses (mg/d) that would equate drug delivery by the first process (mg of the Initial bolus) and the second process (mg/hr over specified time period). In addition to efficacy, applications of the LSP to measure common side effects related to eating and sleeping were described and discussed.
Methylphenidate in treatment of adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Biederman J. , Spencer T.
Published: July 2017

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can persist into adulthood with a continuation of the pattern of childhood psychopathology, cognition and functioning. Adult comorbidities include substance use disorders, antisocial personality disorder, anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that as in children, methylphenidate treatment for adults can lead to a robust, dose-dependent improvement in ADHD symptoms. Future research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of long-term treatment with methylphenidate (MPH).
Non-stimulant treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Spencer T. , Biederman J.
Published: July 2017

A variety of compounds with a common noradrenergic/dopaminergic activity have shown documented anti-Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) activity. There is a substantial body of literature documenting the efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants on ADHD in over 1,000 subjects. There is an equally large database on the efficacy of the specific norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, atomoxetine, of greater than 2,000 individuals. In addition, the atypical antidepressant bupropion also has been documented to be effective in the treatment of ADHD in controlled clinical trials.

Despite wide use, the scientific base supporting the efficacy of alpha-2, noradrenergic agonists is somewhat limited. Several lines of evidence provide preliminary support for the potential benefits of cholinergic cognitive enhancing drugs, such as anticholinesterase inhibitors (tacrine, donepezil) as well as novel nicotinic analogues (ABT-418). Despite these promising results, more research is needed on alternative pharmacological treatments for the treatment of ADHD.
The Effects of Attitudinal, Normative, and Control Beliefs on M-Learning Adoption Among the Students of Higher Education in Pakistan
Authors: Raza Syed Ali , Umer Amna , Qazi Wasim , Makhdoom Murk
Published: July 2017

This study intends to analyze the influence of behavioral and psychosocial factors of higher education students of Karachi on acceptance of m-learning as a mode of getting education. The Theory of Planned Behavior and Technology Acceptance Model have provided the basic frameworks to formulate the hypotheses for this study. The analyses of the study reveal that attitudinal beliefs and subjective norms have significant and positive impact on m-learning. Additionally, control influences on Perceived Behavioral Control also make significant contributions in the adoption of m-learning methodologies. Collectively, all of these factors converge to form greater intent of the students to assimilate this new learning environment. It was also found that the characteristics and features of the mobile gadgets such as greater familiarity of the students with them, handiness and ease of use, influences them to utilize these devices in completing their academic tasks, hence, influencing their intention toward the adoption of m-learning. Also seamless learning experience, students get through m-learning, reduces their mental resistance toward it and encourages them to adopt it. Information pertaining to the defined criteria was gathered through a specimen of 300 questionnaire responses and was then analyzed using the reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and partial least square-structural equation modeling to assess the influence of these factors on m-learning adoption.
Operant conditioning: a tool for special physical educators in the 1980s
Authors: Dunn John M. , French Ron
Published: July 2017

Our youth now love luxury, have bad manners, and contempt for authority. They show disrespect for elders and they love to chatter instead of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their household. They no. longer rise when elders enter the room, they contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble their food, and terrorize their teachers.
The Chicago Institute for the Study of Learning Disabilities
Authors: Bryan Tanis , Pearl Ruth , Donahue Mavis , Bryan James , Pflaum Susanna
Published: July 2017

Research at the Chicago institute focused on the social competence of LD children. Studies included investigations of LD children's communicative competence (e.g., adapting one's style to listeners, conversational skills), reading abilities (oral reading and comprehension), causal attributions of success and failure, and the immediate impression LD children make on naive observers.
Toward the Development of an Intervention Model for Learning Disabled Adolescents: The University of Kansas Institute
Authors: Schumaker Jean B. , Deshler Donald D. , Alley Gordon R. , Warner Michael M.
Published: July 2017

At the Kansas institute, research was concentrated on the problems of LD adolescents. Epidemiological studies revealed the unique characteristics of LD in students of high school age. A curriculum comprised of strategy training, social skills, modified materials and instructional procedures was developed. Instructional, motivational, and evaluation components of the curriculum were described.
Generalizations from Five Years of Research on Assessment and Decision Making: The University of Minnesota Institute
Authors: Ysseldyke James E. , Thurlow Martha , Graden Janet , Wesson Caren , Algozzine Bob , Deno Stanley
Published: July 2017

The major purpose of the Minnesota institute was to study the assessment of LD children. Included in the scope of the research were investigations of the characteristics of children referred for psychoeducational evaluation, characteristics of those found eligible for placement in special education, methods of planning instructional interventions, evaluations of the extent to which children profited from instruction, and evaluations of the effectiveness of specific instructional programs.
A Lesson from Gestalt Psychology
Authors: Keogh Barbara K.
Published: July 2017

As a group, the five institutes have been highly productive of good quality research that is directly related to the work of teachers and clinicians. It is disappointing to note the lack of longitudinal studies, the low level of cooperation among institutes, the absence of consensus regarding definition and sampling, and the failure to test the replicability and generalizability of findings across the several institutes. Nevertheless, the institutes did yield useful information regarding the nature and complexity of LD, identify important variables in LD pupils’ academic and social success, devise and test effective interventions, and lay the groundwork for continuing study.
Contributions of the Institutes for Research on Learning Disabilities
Authors: Mckinney James D.
Published: July 2017

Each of the five institutes has made unique contributions to the understanding of LD. The report of the Minnesota institute, however, does not accurately reflect the state of the art in the field, and the work of this research group has potential for serious misinterpretation and misapplication. Unresolved issues include classification of children, the relationship of LD to mental retardation, and collaborative research among institutes.
Design of a School for IMonhandicapped and Handicapped Children in a Remote Area
Authors: Spaulding Arlene , Crittenden Edwin
Published: July 2017

The Hermon Hutchens School in Valdez, Alaska, was designed to accommodate handicapped and nonhandicapped students in one educational setting. Some of the problems encountered in the design process, community acceptance of the school, and special educational programming are presented. The adapted features of the school which attempt to meet the needs of the special population served also are discussed.
PUSH: A Design Collaborative Creating Novel Environments for Severely Handicapped Individuals
Authors: Sayre Thomas H. , Mckelvey James B.
Published: July 2017

The purpose and theoretical design basis of PUSH (Play Units for the Severely Handicapped) are described. The typical unit with accompanying peripheral equipment and their uses is explained. The PUSH concept has evolved into an architectural design process to fit the needs of institutionalized individuals.
Designing Environments for Handicapped Persons: The Evaluation of a Play Unit
Authors: Hursh Daniel E. , House Diane J.
Published: July 2017

The effects of the physical environment on the behavior of severely handicapped and institutionalized young men and women are discussed in the context of the evaluation of a play unit specifically designed for their living room. The Play Unit for the Severely Handicapped (PUSH) was evaluated by observing the residents’ behavior and making narrative recordings of that behavior of individuals during brief time samples. The effects of the PUSH were usually idiosyncratic and diverse. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for methodologies best suited to the evaluation of environmental design interventions for exceptional children.
Special Education Practitioners as Consumers and Producers of Research: A Hierarchy of Competencies
Authors: Lewis Rena B. , Blackhurst A. Edward
Published: July 2017

This article explores the ways in which research can be conceptualized as a competency area for special education practitioners. Research expertise can be divided into three levels: content, or knowledge of research findings; process, or knowledge of the ways in which research is conducted; and application, or skill in the implementation of research activities. Although professional preparation programs in special education typically address the content of research, emphasis must also be placed upon process and application if practitioners are to become intelligent consumers and producers of research. Generic competencies for research consumption and production are described, and recommendations are offered for the integration of these competencies into preparation programs for special education professionals.
Measurement in Educational Research
Authors: Miller Ted L. , Sternberg Les
Published: July 2017

Measurement is an essential element of education research. It is of extreme importance for determining the efficacy and legitimacy of educational practices that are now operationalized without benefit of professional consensus. Measures can be evaluated on the basis of multiple criteria; a discussion of the more important of these criteria is offered. Measures that prove viable are of special importance in three areas: the evaluation of students, communication among educators, and the investigation of hypotheses. Within the definition that is offered, measurement procedures may involve a variety of formats; these are briefly reviewed and evaluated.
Single-Subject Research: Basic Designs for Research in Special Education
Authors: Repp Alan C. , Brusca Rita M.
Published: July 2017

In recent years, single-subject research, in which the investigator is interested in analyzing the effects of independent variables on particular individuals, has developed as an alternative to group designs. Many of these designs have been developed by researchers working with special populations in which preservation of individual progress is imperative. In this paper, five designs are discussed: the ABAB, multiple baseline, multiple probe, changing criterion, and multi-element. Examples are provided for each and suggestions are made for their use.
Considerations for Evaluating Single-Subject Research
Authors: Deitz Diane E. D. , Cullinan Douglas , Epstein Michael H.
Published: July 2017

Single-subject research has provided an important technological base for the education and management of various handicapping conditions. To improve and extend the quality of services to the handicapped, practitioners in special education need to understand and interpret such research. Several considerations for evaluating single-subject research include the social validation of treatment goals and effects, the clarity and completeness of treatment descriptions, the generality of treatment results, and component analyses of treatment packages. The importance and evaluation of each of these considerations is discussed.