bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Guide to Human Rights in the Contemporary World
Authors: Ward Veda E.
Published: January 2015

Cultural hegemony, a concept attributed to Antonio Gramsci, is commonly described by words that imply the superimposition of a dominant society that limits beliefs, explanations, perceptions, values and mores and suppresses alternative views. This article is an analysis of cultural hegemony from the standpoint of the multiplicity of factors that impact quality of life for human beings—health, head (higher education: e.g.; Bologna Project, assessment of learning, etc.), home (housing, multinational; Gittins, 2012), help, heroism (The decline of deterrence, The Economist 2014c), happiness and hope. The case is made that each of these has been reshaped by a variety of social, political, economic forces that are inconsistent with the persistence of a single, dominant society. A new model may emerge that offers a more fluid and flexible approach to social culture. More specifically this analysis delves into the rapid dissemination of influence through shared electronic media, the lack of support for traditional government to solve problems of any magnitude (e.g., the rise of crowd funding), and moderated definitions of success and happiness (Buettner 2010), as implied by work-life balance preferences expressed by the millennial generation, including sacrifice of individual recognition collaboration (open source), loss of privacy along with desire for equity and social justice. The alleged shrinking middle class has been responded to by mass education and a resurgence in industry often associated with natural resources, housing, infrastructure, construction and food—questionably sustainable. The analysis concludes with a set of implications for a future—who leads and who follows.
Orchidaceae from Viruá National Park, Roraima, Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Pessoa Edlley M. , DE BARROS FÁBIO , ALVES MARCCUS
Published: January 2015

Viruá National Park is located on the Guyana Shield, an area known for its high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Furthermore, the Brazilian portion of the Guyana Shield is very poorly known, so that floristic studies are needed to know the local distribution of the species. The aim of this study is to survey the species of Orchidaceae from Viruá National Park, Roraima State, Brazil. Orchidaceae are represented in the study area by 67 species and 45 genera. Epidendrum L. (9 spp.) and Catasetum Rich. ex Kunth (5 spp.) are the most diverse genera. These species comprise about 25% of the species and about 50% of the genera cited for the state of Roraima, northern Brazil, and include 19 new species records for the state. The dense forest (“terra-firme” and flooded forests) is more diverse (56 spp.) than the “campinarana” vegetation (13 spp.), and both share only a single species. Descriptions, illustrations, ecological comments, geographical distribution and an identification key are provided.
Three new species in Brazilian Erythroxylum (Erythroxylaceae)
Authors: Costa-Lima James Lucas , ALVES MARCCUS
Published: January 2015

Three new species of Erythroxylum (Erythroxylaceae) from the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil are described and illustrated: Erythroxylum stenopetalum from the states of Paraíba and Pernambuco, and E. rhodappendiculatum and E. tapacuranum from Pernambuco. Due to their restricted distribution, and in accordance with the IUCN criteria, the new species are provisionally considered as Critically Endangered (CR) or Data Deficient (DD).Geographical distribution, habitat, and comments on their morphological affinities are provided.
“She knows what I like”: Student-generated best-practice statements for encouraging recreational book reading in adolescents
Authors: Merga Margaret Kristin
Published: January 2015

The benefit of recreational book reading is well recognized, however the role of teachers in encouraging recreational reading beyond the primary school years of skill acquisition is not clearly defined. In 2012, the West Australian Study in Adolescent Book Reading was undertaken in 20 schools in Western Australia. As part of the study, students from selected classes in Year 8 and Year 10 reflected on the encouragement of recreational book reading given by their primary school and high school teachers in the past and at present. This provided a direct end-user perspective on perceived teacher attitudes and practices that supported adolescent recreational book reading. The information was analyzed to identify specific mechanisms of encouragement that students deemed effective. Findings indicated that best practice included exhibiting personal enjoyment of recreational book reading; demonstrating willingness to instigate and support student-centered discussion around books; possessing broad knowledge of both young adult texts and youth popular culture; effectively communicating expectations that students will read at school and at home; learning about the interests and aspirations of the students; and using in-class practices that encourage reading for pleasure, such as reading aloud to students and silent reading.
Intraclass Correlation Coefficients in Hierarchical Design Studies With Discrete Response Variables
Authors: Raykov Tenko , Marcoulides George A.
Published: January 2015

A latent variable modeling procedure that can be used to evaluate intraclass correlation coefficients in two-level settings with discrete response variables is discussed. The approach is readily applied when the purpose is to furnish confidence intervals at prespecified confidence levels for these coefficients in setups with binary or ordinal outcome measures and nesting of subjects within higher order units. The method can aid educational and behavioral researchers in their study of sources of observed outcome variability and model choice considerations in multilevel settings, and is illustrated with empirical survey data.
Best practices in the collection of conflict data
Authors: Salehyan Idean
Published: January 2015

Quality data is at the heart of all empirical research. Data collection on contentious politics, including civil war, terrorism, and protest has proceeded at a rapid pace over the last several years. This special section develops a set of best practices and offers advice to those involved in collecting conflict data as well as those who are regular users of such data. In this introduction, the process of data collection is considered, including source selection, information extraction or ‘coding’, and data sharing. A set of six rules is offered, which will hopefully guide others as they compile quantitative data on conflict processes.
Rickshaw scarf strangulation
Authors: Sharma Amit
Published: January 2015

This is a rare case report of delayed onset of symptoms and survival from accidental strangulation by a scarf causing “Isadora Duncan syndrome”. In 1929, the dancer Isadora Duncan died from strangulation and carotid artery insult when her billowing scarf caught in the wheels of a motor vehicle in which she was travelling. Cycle-propelled rickshaws are popular for short taxi journeys in many south Asian countries, particularly India. The case is presented of a woman who sustained accidental strangulation with a scarf in the same way as Isadora Duncan. The patient was successfully resuscitated and recovered with no neurological deficit. It is believed that this is the first recorded case of such delayed onset of symptoms and third recorded survival from this condition.
Is Twitter an Alternative Medium? Comparing Gulf Coast Twitter and Newspaper Coverage of the 2010 BP Oil Spill
Authors: Watson Brendan R.
Published: January 2015

This study compares Gulf Coast journalists and Twitter users’ coverage of the BP oil spill. In addition to examining authors’ attitudes toward and coverage of the BP oil spill, the study examines community-level variables that shaped attitudes and coverage. The community structure literature has suggested that news media in smaller, more homogeneous communities, which are economically dependent on a polluting industry (as are many communities along the Gulf Coast), are more reticent to be critical in their coverage of pollution. Scholars have suggested, though, that the Internet transcends local geography and that the Internet is more open to alternative perspectives. This study suggests, though, that while the distribution of online content may make local geography less relevant, its production is still rooted in local communities. As a result, Tweets about the oil spill were shaped by many of the same social and economic forces that shaped journalists’ coverage.
Traumatic cardiac arrest
Authors: Smith Jason E , Rickard Annette , Wise David
Published: January 2015

Traumatic cardiac arrest is known to have a poor outcome, and some authors have stated that attempted resuscitation from traumatic cardiac arrest is futile. However, advances in damage control resuscitation and understanding of the differences in pathophysiology of traumatic cardiac arrest compared to medical cardiac arrest have led to unexpected survivors. Recently published data have suggested that outcome from traumatic cardiac arrest is no worse than that for medical causes of cardiac arrest, and in some groups may be better. This review highlights key areas of difference between traumatic cardiac arrest and medical cardiac arrest, and outlines a strategy for the management of patients in traumatic cardiac arrest. Standard Advanced Life Support algorithms should not be used for patients in traumatic cardiac arrest.
“Our Aim Is to Link Humanity to the Divine”
Authors: Pandya Samta
Published: January 2015

This article is based on the fieldwork with Sri Aurobindo Society (SAS), a faith-based organization headquartered in Pondicherry, India. SAS is based on the ideals of Sri Aurobindo and his spiritual consort Mirra Alfassa, the Mother. I have focused on the social philosophy and social service of SAS, particularly one of its rural development projects, Sri Aurobindo Rural and Village Action and Movement (SARVAM). I have reviewed the organizational literature, had discussions with sadhaks, the members of the order, and interviewed 396 project beneficiaries. The social philosophy of SAS focuses on transcendence and divinity of human beings. Its social and rural development projects endeavor to translate this philosophy into action. For the beneficiaries, SARVAM fulfills their material and spiritual needs, gives them a feeling of being anchored by SAS, and is thus different from other rural development projects. SAS as a faith-based organization demonstrates how faith shapes civic culture and creates a sociopolitical capital and commitment to the wider community.
Rethinking Inequality in a Cross-national Comparison - Methodological Matters in an Entropic Perspective
Authors: Poli Stefano
Published: January 2015

Contemporary inequality is progressively shifting to a “classless” form of discrimination (Pakulsky and Waters, 1996; Wright, 2007), not only deriving from individual and collective differences in economic dimension, but more and more relying on multiple, hybrid and cross-cutting generators (social networks, education, gender, age, ethnicity), rather than on traditional class stratification structures. However, the social system still produces structural effects reflecting typical class advantages or disadvantages between individuals (Sørensen, 1996). Exploring such complexity, this article focuses both on methodological matters regarding the exploration of contemporary inequality and provides a cross-national comparison on such topics through the application of the Theil index as an entropic measure of inequality.
Changing Uniforms
Authors: Shernock Stanley
Published: January 2015

Most academic attention regarding military influence on policing has focused on critiques of the military model of policing and police militarization and has neglected to examine the relationship between the two institutions and the transferability of attributes and skills from the military to police. Military service itself, when examined, has been treated as an undifferentiated concept that has not distinguished the effects of organizational structure, leadership, and myriad roles and experiences on policing. This study, using data from a survey of law enforcement officers throughout a New England state, compares and analyzes how law enforcement officers and supervisors with and without military background and with and without deployment experience differ in their perspectives regarding both the positive as well as negative aspects of combat deployment on policing. As such, it has significant implications for both the reintegration and recruitment of combat-deployed veterans into police organizations.
Dynamic behaviors of flexible fluid containers with fuel consumption
Authors: MA Chicheng , Zhang Xinong , Luo Yajun , Zhang Shuai
Published: January 2015

This study focuses on the dynamic characteristics of the containers with fuel consumption. With fuel consumption, the fuel container system vibrates with decreasing mass, which is a typical variable mass system. In order to investigate the influences of the time-varying liquid on vibration of the containers, this fluid–structure coupling system with time-varying mass is modeled combining finite element method, used to model the structure, and virtual mass method representing the fluid. The dynamic responses and time–frequency analysis of the time-varying mass system are presented based on the numerical simulations. From the results, it is shown that decrease of the mass results in increase of the vibration frequencies of the system and induces an additional negative damping. The additional negative damping is proportional to the rate of mass change and causes the vibration to decay slowly. The results also suggest that the time–frequency analysis possess appealing advantages in processing nonstationary signals and thus are able to provide reliable time–frequency domain information for time-varying mass systems.
Cytomegalovirus in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus: prevalence and clinical manifestations
Authors: Rozenblyum E V , Levy D M , Allen U , Harvey E , Hebert D , Silverman E D
Published: January 2015

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a beta-herpesvirus and antibodies to this virus are common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, few studies have examined the relationship between CMV infection and SLE.

Objectives

Our objectives were: 1) to determine the prevalence of CMV infection at the time of SLE diagnosis, and 2) to determine the risk factors for CMV infection.

Methods

A database review of 670 patients with pediatric SLE (pSLE) seen over a 20-year period identified seven patients with a CMV infection detected at the time of diagnosis of SLE. CMV was diagnosed by serology, urine and bronchoalveolar lavage. Clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, virology studies and treatments were reviewed.

Results

CMV infection was detected in seven patients at the time of SLE diagnosis (1.04% of total cohort): six were female: mean age was 13 years. Predominant features included non-Caucasian ethnicity ( p < 0.01 as compared to total SLE cohort), persistent fevers on prednisone in seven and nephrotic syndrome in four. Laboratory findings included: anemia in seven, lymphopenia in five, elevated liver enzymes in four, with anti-dsDNA and anti-RNP antibodies present in six and five, respectively. Six patients received ganciclovir and CMV hyperimmune globulin (Cytogam®) with the continuation of prednisone during CMV treatment. Six of seven fully recovered without sequelae (one without treatment) but one patient died with active CMV infection.

Conclusions

There were 1.04% of patients with pSLE who developed CMV infection. All were of non-Caucasian ethnicity. Persistent fever despite prednisone, with concomitant anemia, may be additional clues to CMV infection in pSLE. We suggest all patients have routine testing for CMV immunity at initial presentation of pSLE.
Coercion in nursing homes
Authors: Gjerberg Elisabeth , Lillemoen Lillian , Pedersen Reidar , Førde Reidun
Published: January 2015

Background:

Studies have demonstrated the extensive use of coercion in Norwegian nursing homes, which represents ethical, professional as well as legal challenges to the staff. We have, however, limited knowledge of the experiences and views of nursing home patients and their relatives.

Objectives:

The aim of this study is to explore the perspectives of nursing home patients and next of kin on the use of coercion; are there situations where the use of coercion can be defended, and if so, under which circumstances?

Methods:

The data are based on individual interviews with 35 patients living in six nursing homes and seven focus group interviews with 60 relatives.

Ethical considerations:

Participation was based on written informed consent, and the study was approved by the Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics.

Results:

More than half of the patients and the majority of the relatives accepted the use of coercion, trusting the staff to act in the patient’s best interest. However, the acceptance of coercion is strongly related to the patients’ lack of understanding, to prevent health risks and to preserve the patient’s dignity.

Conclusion:

The majority of nursing home patients and relatives accepted the use of coercion in specific situations, while at the same time they emphasised the need to try alternative strategies first. There is still a need for good qualitative research on the use of coercion in nursing homes, especially with a closer focus on the perspectives and experiences of nursing home patients.
The IT industry, employment and informality in India: Challenging the conventional narrative
Authors: Barnes Tom
Published: January 2015

The IT industry has been portrayed as instrumental to India’s transition to a high-growth economy. But critics argue that it has delivered few benefits to the wider population. In this context, industry advocates have drawn attention to the direct and indirect impact of IT on output and employment. This article critically explores these claims by locating them in the conventional (neoliberal) narrative of India’s recent economic development. It finds that industry claims are exaggerated and that IT industry demand is often linked to the creation of employment in industries dominated by informal employment arrangements. The prevalence of informal employment highlights problems of low pay and poor or hazardous working conditions. The IT industry’s rise to prominence has traversed a deeply ingrained process of labour market informalisation. In exaggerating the employment-generating capacity of the IT industry, its supporters have largely ignored problems relating to the quality of employment.
A case report of three patients with metastatic gastric cancer on hemodialysis who were treated with cisplatin–fluorouracil regimen
Authors: Tanriverdi Ozgur , Ogunc Handan
Published: January 2015

Gastric carcinoma is the first cause of death worldwide. In previous studies that included best supportive care and chemotherapy comparison, chemotherapy survival time was four to five months more than best supportive care. This time was reported as seven to nine months in cisplatin and fluorouracil therapy. We aimed to call attention to non-progression survival time which was being longer with cisplatin and fluorouracil therapy in three metastatic gastric carcinoma patients who were on hemodialysis due to chronic renal impairment related to diabetic nephropathy. We determined that this regimen was well tolerated with hemodialysis, and the median time to progression was eight months (range 7–10). This time was similar to the time results of previous studies. In our hypothesis, hemodialysis may increase the time to progression significantly and we aimed to discuss the hypothetical relation between dialysis membrane and circulating tumor cells.
Sadism and Violent Reoffending in Sexual Offenders
Authors: Eher Reinhard , Schilling Frank , Hansmann Brigitte , Pumberger Tanja , Nitschke Joachim , Habermeyer Elmar , Mokros Andreas
Published: January 2015

A diagnosis of sadism in sexual offenders is commonly regarded as indicative of high risk for violent reoffending. The purpose of the current two studies was to evaluate whether sadism is indeed associated with higher rates of violent (including sexual) reoffending. In Study 1 (meta-analysis), the rate of violent and sexual recidivism was assessed across seven samples of male sex offenders (total N = 2,169) as a function of diagnoses of sexual sadism. In Study 2 ( N = 768) the outcome (violent recidivism yes/no) was regressed on sadism, along with behavioral indicators of sexually sadistic offending, and scores from violence risk assessment instruments. In Study 1 (meta-analysis), the overall risk of sadists compared with nonsadists with respect to violent (including sexual contact) reoffending was slightly elevated (by a factor of 1.18), yet not significantly increased. Similarly, the risk of sexual reoffending among sadists was slightly, but not significantly, higher than among nonsadists (factor 1.38). According to Study 2, only a measure of sadistic behavior, not the clinical diagnosis, was associated with violent reoffending. This association, however, was not present once age and customary risk assessment instruments for violence risk were included in the regression. A clinical diagnosis of sexual sadism and behavioral measures of sadism are related to the risk of violent reoffending in sexual offenders. These associations, however, are weak and do not hold once variables relevant for the prediction of violence are controlled for. At the individual level, the risk for future violence in sadists can therefore be adequately described by customary risk assessment instruments.
Deficiency of BPOZ2 Decreases Liver Fibrosis After Chronic Carbon Tetrachloride Administration in Mice
Authors: Zhang Feng , Dang Suying , Shu Runzhe , Xiang Yougui , Kuang Ying , Fei Jian , Wang Zhugang
Published: January 2015

Bood POZ containing gene type 2 (BPOZ2), a Broad-Complex, Tramtrack, and Bric a brac domain containing protein, is an adaptor protein for the E3 ubiquitin ligase scaffold protein CUL3. It plays an important role in acute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and regeneration in mice. In this study, we investigated the role of BPOZ2 in the process of liver fibrosis induced by chronic CCl4 treatment. The results indicate that BPOZ2 deficiency decreases sustained activation of hepatic stellate cells, attenuates collagen αI(I) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloprotease 1 expression, and decreases liver fibrosis after repeated CCl4 administration. These findings suggest BPOZ2 as a new therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver disease.
The Problematic Support Scale: A validation among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Mazzoni Davide , Cicognani Elvira
Published: January 2015

The aim of the study was to develop and to assess the psychometric properties of the Problematic Support Scale, among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. An online questionnaire was filled in by 344 systemic lupus erythematosus patients with a mean age of 39.66 years. Explorative factor analysis, later validated by confirmative factor analysis, showed the emergence of a two-factor structure in types of support provided: denying/uninformed support and oppressive support. Denying/uninformed support includes offers of support that neglect the disease manifestations and consequences. Oppressive support describes social support offers which are perceived as excessive and oppressive. Results confirm previous qualitative evidence and demonstrate good reliability and concurrent validity of the Problematic Support Scale. Theoretical and methodological implications for the study of social support are discussed.
The admissibility of an extra-curial admission by an accused as hearsay evidence against a co-accused in South Africa
Authors: Mujuzi Jamil Ddamulira
Published: January 2015

In S v Ndhlovu & others the Supreme Court of Appeal invoked s. 3(1)(c) of the Law of Evidence Amendment Act to hold that an extra-curial admission by one accused was admissible against a co-accused as hearsay evidence even if it is disavowed by its maker. The rationale behind this reasoning was that the probative value of an extra-curial admission depends on the credibility of its maker at the time of making it and not at the time he appears in court. Recently, in Litako and others v S the same court reconsidered the principle in S v Ndhlovu & others and held that an extra-curial admission by an accused is inadmissible against a co-accused. The purposes of this note are: to highlight the decision in S v Ndhlovu & others and in Litako and others v S; and to highlight the contributions that Litako and others v S has made to the South African law of evidence.
Microbial contamination in the indoor environment of tanneries in Leon, Mexico
Authors: Castellanos-Arévalo Andrea Paola , Camarena-Pozos David Alfonso , Castellanos-Arévalo Diana Carolina , Rangel-Córdova Agustín Alexander , Peña-Cabriales Juan José , Arévalo-Rivas Bertha , de Peña Doralinda Guzmán , Maldonado-Vega María
Published: January 2015

Manufacturing environment in tanning industry has been associated with human diseases caused by biological agents. This paper reports the microbiological contamination of the indoor environment at a group of tanneries in León, Guanajuato, México. The microorganisms present in the indoor environment of the tannery industry has been quantified and identified. The bacteria and fungi concentration in almost all cases exceeded the acceptable levels as dictated by Swedish standard and the limit values proposed by the American Industrial Hygiene Association. The indoor/outdoor ratio was determined, revealing poor air quality at the studied sites. This study has illustrated the presence of pathogens, hazardous to humans in indoor environments of tanneries. The identified bacteria by sequencing of 16S rDNA gene, belonged to families: Bacillaceae, Corynebacteriaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Moraxellaceae, Nocardiopsaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Staphylococcaceae. Some of which can be categorized as pathogens such as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei, Pantoea agglomerans, Pseudomonas putida and Staphylococcus gallinarum. In addition, Fungi genuses identified by microscopy were Aspergillus and Penicillium. The yeasts presumptively identified by ChromAgar medium were Candida krusei and Candida glabrata. Some of these identified microorganisms have been correlated with adverse human health effects, especially in individuals with immunocompromised system.
Climate change: A threat to the economic growth of Pakistan
Authors: Akram Naeem , Hamid Abdul
Published: January 2015

Pakistan is recognized as a country with low income along with poor human development indicators. Although its contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is miniscule in comparison with other countries (it contributes only about 0.8 per cent of the total GHG emissions), it is one of the major victims of the adverse effects of climate change. The present study is an attempt to explore the impacts of climate change on the economic growth of Pakistan by conducting a national level analysis for the period 1973–2011. It has been found that temperature (proxy for climate change) has a negative and significant relationship with GDP, as well as with productivity in the agricultural, manufacturing and services sectors. The severity of these negative effects is higher for the Agriculture sector as compared to manufacturing and services.
A thermodynamic comparison of external and internal exhaust gas dilution for high-efficiency internal combustion engines
Authors: Caton Jerald A
Published: January 2015

The use of exhaust gases for creating dilute mixtures for internal combustion engines has been shown to play an important role for the development of high-efficiency engines. These exhaust gases may be recirculated with external piping, or they may be retained in the cylinder by altering the valve timings. A thermodynamic cycle simulation was used to determine the thermodynamic advantages and disadvantages of external and internal methods of providing the exhaust gases for an automotive engine at constant load and speed. For the external exhaust gas recirculation, four (4) levels of cooling were examined, and for the internal exhaust gas recirculation, the use of negative valve overlap and delayed exhaust valve closing were assessed. A measure of the total amount of recirculated and retained exhaust gases is the burned gas percentage. In general, the thermal efficiencies decreased for most of these methods as the burned gas percentage increased. These decreases were due to increased cylinder heat transfer (in spite of the decreases in the gas temperatures) which was due to increases in the convective heat transfer coefficient. For the highly cooled external exhaust gas recirculation configuration, a slight increase in the thermal efficiencies was obtained, but this level of cooling might not be practical.
Persuasive narratives: evaluative images in picture books and animated movies
Authors: Unsworth Len
Published: January 2015

English curricula are now requiring students in the middle years of schooling to explain how images influence the opinions communicated in multimodal paper and digital media texts. While such curricula address some aspects of visual semiosis, these do not include how images communicate ethical positions and judgements about propriety. This article explores the ways in which ethical and moral judgements are communicated in images in a selection of picture books and animated movies that challenge discourses that naturalize war and armed struggle as ways of addressing conflicts among communities and nations. A framework is proposed that distinguishes explicit visual inscription from a range of strategies for implicit invoking of judgement in images. The use of the distinctive affordances of picture books and animated movies in the different forms of invocation is discussed and implications for further research to inform multimodal discourse analysis and emerging multimodal literacy pedagogies are briefly noted.
Judging a book by its cover (and its background): effects of the metaphor intelligence is brightness on ratings of book images
Authors: Sullivan Karen
Published: January 2015

Visual metaphors have been the focus of experimental and corpus studies aiming to determine whether metaphors are conceptual or purely linguistic. However, in visual metaphor research, experimental and corpus approaches have each been directed at a distinct set of visual metaphors. Psychological experiments have focused on primary metaphors, whereas corpus studies have concentrated on non-primary metaphors. The current study suggests that when non-primary metaphors are examined experimentally, cognitive effects appear only when the metaphor is contextually relevant. intelligence is brightness, for example, is not relevant when the potential source of intelligence is inaccessible. In this study, images of open books with bright backgrounds are rated as more likely to represent works of genius than open books with darker backgrounds. When books are closed, their ‘genius’ is inaccessible and intelligence is brightness has no effect.
Doctoral research from a feminist perspective: Acknowledging, advancing and aligning women’s experience
Authors: Gray Mel , Agllias Kylie , Schubert Leanne , Boddy Jennifer
Published: January 2015

This paper discusses three feminist research principles through three doctoral studies and their accompanying supervision and support group: (i) capturing women’s experience; (ii) improving women’s lives; and (iii) equalising power. These guiding principles assisted in understanding the connections between feminist theory and the respective studies on: older people experiencing family estrangement (Kylie); a mentoring program with women from disadvantaged backgrounds (Jennifer); and arts-based intervention research to raise awareness of domestic violence in a disadvantaged community (Leanne). It discusses the way in which these guiding principles informed the studies and the supervision process from the students’ and supervisor’s perspective.
Competition and the Dynamics of Issue Convergence
Authors: Banda Kevin K.
Published: January 2015

Issue convergence theory suggests that candidates should respond to their opponents by discussing the same issues whereas issue divergence theory posits that candidates should instead ignore each other and discuss different issues. Recent studies tend to find evidence in favor of issue convergence, but these results may be inaccurate because the analyses that generated them tested dynamic campaign behavior using cross-sectional methods. Using a dynamic modeling strategy along with television advertising data drawn from 93 U.S. Senate campaigns in 44 states, 5 election years, and on 51 issues, I show that candidates increase the attention they devote to issues as their opponents’ emphasis of these same issues increases and that candidates do so to a greater extent in competitive than in noncompetitive elections. This analysis is the first to account for the dynamic nature of issue emphasis and provides support for issue convergence theory.
Too Disabled to Work
Authors: Cimera Robert Evert , Burgess Sloane , Novak Jeanne , Avellone Lauren
Published: January 2015

This study examined the rate at which applicants to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) were denied services because their disabilities were “too severe.” It found that, from 2002 to 2012, 1.7% of all VR applicants throughout the United States were denied services because of the nature of their impairments. In addition, over this period, the number of VR applicants who were denied gradually declined. However, individuals who had cognitive impairments made up a larger proportion of the denied group over time while individuals who had physical disabilities made up a smaller proportion. Finally, although rates varied widely among states, most states (i.e., 34) were decreasing the use of “too disabled” as a means of denying services.
The Maturing of Facilitated Communication
Authors: Cardinal Donald N. , Falvey Mary A.
Published: January 2015

Facilitated communication (FC) can be a successful means for people to learn to communicate effectively and independently. The preponderance of peer-reviewed articles supports FC as a useful tool for developing communication skills. While there has been a chasm of difference in qualitative versus quantitative studies on FC, researchers have produced a body of current literature confirming the method. Many people with significant intellectual disabilities, through the use of FC, have been able to demonstrate their ability to successfully communicate. We, as a profession, now need to respond with collaborative scholarship. In addition, revised position statements must be developed reflecting the past research findings and encouraging future research.
Standards of Proof
Authors: Singer George H. S. , Horner Robert H. , Dunlap Glen , Wang Mian
Published: January 2015

TASH’s historic commitment to advocacy and science has enabled it to be a trusted voice for people with severe disabilities and their families. We review recent developments in the controversy over facilitated communication (FC) in light of major contextual continuities and changes in the past two decades. A series of scholarly reviews of the literature on controlled experiments have established a preponderance of evidence that FC is not reliably an expression from the individual who receives facilitation. Evidence indicates that the facilitator is the usual source of the text. We discuss the standards of proof of efficacy that must apply before an intervention should be endorsed by a national organization that aims to have a major impact on policy and practices. The need for controlled experiments in evaluation interventions is discussed. The central concern in establishing efficacy of a practice is to rule out other plausible explanations for an outcome. The main concern in establishing effectiveness is replication under real-world conditions. The science-based practices movement has been taken up by most of the helping professions contributing to the education and support of people with severe disabilities. The movement aims to identify practices and catalog them in terms of the trustworthiness of the evidence supporting them. The movement has led to establishing standards for determining when an intervention can be said to be efficacious. We urge TASH to join this movement and, in light of a commitment to science-based practices, argue that it should withdraw its stated endorsement of FC, which is not supported by science-based research.
Geography, Race/Ethnicity, and Obesity Among Men in the United States
Authors: Kelley Elizabeth A. , Bowie Janice V. , Griffith Derek M. , Bruce Marino , Hill Sarah , Thorpe Roland J.
Published: January 2015

The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased significantly and is a particular concern for minority men. Studies focused at the community and national levels have reported that geography can play a substantial role in contributing to obesity, but little is known about how regional influences contribute to obesity among men. The objective of this study is to examine the association between geographic region and obesity among men in the United States and to determine if there are racial/ethnic differences in obesity within these geographic regions. Data from men, aged 18 years and older, from the National Health Interview Survey were combined for the years 2000 to 2010. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2. Logistic regression models were specified to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between geographic region and obesity and for race and obesity within geographic regions. Compared to men living in the Northeast, men living in the Midwest had significantly greater odds of being obese (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.02, 1.17]), and men living in the West had lower odds of being obese (OR = 0.82, 95% CI [0.76, 0.89]). Racial/ethnic differences were also observed within geographic region. Black men have greater odds of obesity than White men in the South, West, and Midwest. In the South and West, Hispanic men also have greater odds of obesity than White men. In all regions, Asian men have lower odds of obesity than White men.
Psychosocial experiences of chronic illness in individuals with an intellectual disability
Authors: Flynn Samantha , Hulbert-Williams Nicholas , Hulbert-Williams Lee , Bramwell Ros
Published: January 2015

Background:

Increased life expectancy has led to an increase in diagnoses of chronic illness in people with an intellectual disability; despite this increase, research about the psychological impact is rare. This review explored the psychosocial experiences of chronic illness in adults with an intellectual disability, revealing potential predictors and moderators of these experiences.

Methods:

Online databases were systematically searched to identify relevant literature, using predefined inclusion criteria. Of the 25,058 titles initially identified, 4 were included, that is, those collecting data on people with an intellectual disability and diagnosed with cancer ( n = 2), chronic pain ( n = 1) and diabetes ( n = 1).

Results:

Narrative synthesis of the data identified six themes, namely, (1) delayed diagnosis, (2) information, communication and understanding, (3) negative psychological consequences, (4) negative physical consequences, (5) social perception and (6) social support.

Conclusions:

There are unmet needs within this population, including a lack of assistance in understanding their illness. A substantial gap in the literature should be addressed through further empirical work.
A divided branch: Legislative chambers and the varied effects of party strength on policy outcomes in the American states
Authors: Thom Michael
Published: January 2015

State legislatures have received considerable attention as drivers of policy outcomes, but research designs typically paint this branch of government with broad strokes. Studies that investigate the influence of party control or party strength on public policy often fail to conceptualize the upper and lower legislative chambers as unique bodies. But policy enactments at the state level depend on two chambers that are not carbon copies of one another. Using pension funding, health care and immigration reform as illustrations, this study demonstrates that altering models to include party measurements for both chambers can lead to substantively different conclusions about the effect of partisanship on policy outcomes. Further differences arise when binary measures of majority control are used instead of continuous measures of party strength. If accurate inferences are to be drawn from empirical models, these findings suggest scholars must conceptualize legislative measurement with due care.
Individual Differences in Response to Prediction Bias Training
Authors: Collier Amanda , Siegle Greg J.
Published: January 2015

Depressed and dysphoric individuals predict negative outcomes more often than healthy individuals, and more frequently than positive outcomes. However, it is unclear if there is a causal relationship between negative emotional processing biases and depressive symptoms. We examined whether prediction-targeted neurocognitive training changed symptoms, behavior, and physiological reactivity to positive or negative feedback in euthymic and dysphoric undergraduates. Participants were randomized to a positive training intervention or neutral training. Among participants who received the positive training, pupillary reactivity to negative feedback predicted decreased symptoms and decreased after each session. Neither effect was present in the neutral training group. Both groups were more likely than controls to predict positive outcomes after training. Data suggested that change in a physiological mechanism indexing emotional reactivity and change in depressive symptoms during a targeted intervention may be related, and that it is possible, using psychophysiology, to predict which individuals will respond to neurocognitive intervention.
Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation in Major Depression
Authors: Joormann Jutta , Waugh Christian E. , Gotlib Ian H.
Published: January 2015

Interpreting ambiguous stimuli in a negative manner is a core bias associated with depression. Investigators have used cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) to demonstrate that it is possible to experimentally induce and modify these biases. In this study, we extend previous research by examining whether CBM-I affects not only interpretation but also memory and physiological stress response in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder. We found that CBM-I was effective in inducing an interpretive bias. Participants also exhibited memory biases that corresponded to their training condition and demonstrated differential physiological responding in a stress task. These results suggest that interpretation biases in depression can be modified and that this training can lead to corresponding changes in memory and to decreases in stress reactivity. Findings from this study highlight the importance of examining the relations among different cognitive biases in major depressive disorder and the possibility of modifying cognitive biases.
The Effect of Bedside Ultrasound on Diagnosis and Management of Patients Presenting to a Sports Medicine Clinic With Undifferentiated Shoulder Pain
Authors: Goodman Mark Q. , Schmitt Robert E. , Petron David , Gee Christopher , Mallin Michael
Published: January 2015

The objective of this study was to determine if point-of-care sonography of the shoulder would change diagnosis or management in patients presenting to a sports medicine clinic with shoulder pain. We performed an observational, nonrandomized, nonblinded study of provider behavior when evaluating patients presenting to a sports medicine clinic with shoulder pain. The provider completed a questionnaire regarding the most likely diagnosis and management plan after he or she had performed a physical examination and radiograph(s). Following the physical examination and radiograph(s), a bedside ultrasonographic examination (BUS) was done and the provider completed a second questionnaire regarding the findings on sonography and revisions, if any, to the diagnosis and management plan. Data were collected on 42 patient encounters. BUS led to a change in diagnosis in 53% of cases. BUS led to a change in management plan in 60.4% of patients. BUS increased provider confidence in the diagnosis from 3.7 ± 0.19 (95% confidence interval [CI]) to 4.5 ± 0.21 (95% CI) on a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 being least confident and 5 being most confident. The addition of bedside sonography to the physical examination and radiographic studies of patients with undifferentiated shoulder pain resulted in a significant number of changes to the diagnosis and management plan as well as significantly increased diagnostic confidence.
AAV liver expression of FIX-Padua prevents and eradicates FIX inhibitor without increasing thrombogenicity in hemophilia B dogs and mice
Authors: Crudele Julie M. , Finn Jonathan D. , Siner Joshua I. , Martin Nicholas B. , Niemeyer Glenn P. , Zhou Shangzhen , Mingozzi Federico , Lothrop Clinton D. , Arruda Valder R.
Published: January 2015

Key Points

Liver-restricted expression of FIX-Padua induces immune tolerance to the transgene in hemophilia B inhibitor dog models. Long-term toxicity studies show no increased risk of thrombogenicity of FIX-Padua in mice and dogs.
Current and potential geographical distribution of Platymeris biguttatus (Linnaeus, 1767) with description of nymphs
Authors: Chłond Dominik , Bugaj-Nawrocka Agnieszka , Junkiert Łukasz
Published: January 2015

Background

The description ofPlatymeris biguttatus(Linnaeus 1767) nymphal instars as well as the prediction of the potentially suitable ecological niche was the main goal of this study. Our research was based on 258 specimens ofP. biguttatusspecies of museum collections. A set of 23 environmental predictor variables covering Africa was used at ecological niche modeling - a method performed using the Maxent software to prepare potential distribution maps for this species.

Results

The results suggested the most suitable areas seen as potentially suitable ecological niche forP. biguttatusin Africa. A jackknife test showed that temperature seasonality and percentage of tree cover were among the most important environmental variables affecting the distribution of the species. The analysis of climate preferences shows that most of the potentially suitable niches for this species were located in the area of tropical savanna climate, with a small participation of tree vegetation.

Conclusions

P. biguttatuswas only known to be widely distributed in the tropical part of continental Africa. Thanks to the ecological niche modeling methods and the museum data on the occurrence of the species, we introduced new information about potentially suitable ecological niches and the possible range of distribution.