bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Evolution of International Law and Courts
Authors: Alter Karen J.
Published: July 2016

The creation and increased usage of permanent international courts to deal with a broad range of issues is a relatively new phenomenon. The founding dates of international courts suggests that three critical junctures were important in the creation of the contemporary international courts: the Hague Peace conferences and with it the larger movement to regulate inter-state relations through international legal conventions (1899-1927), the post-World War II explosion of international institutions (1945–1952), and the end of the Cold War (1990–2005). Examining the effects of these junctures and gradual changes in the practice of international jurisprudence, this chapter argues that the best way to understand the creation, spread and increased use of ‘new style’ international courts is by paying close attention to the major changes brought about through long-lasting slow processes of international institutional evolution.
Causality and Time in Historical Institutionalism
Authors: Mahoney James , Mohamedali Khairunnisa , Nguyen Christoph
Published: July 2016

This chapter explores the dual concern with causality and time in historical-institutionalism using a graphical approach. Conceptualizing causes as filters, the chapter analyses three concepts that are central to this field: critical junctures, gradual change, and path dependence. The analysis makes explicit and formal the logic underlying studies that use these “causal-temporal” concepts. The chapter shows visually how causality and temporality are linked to one another in varying ways depending on the particular pattern of change. Through this unifying visual grammar, the chapter also outlines an approach that can accommodate and reconcile both models of critical junctures and gradual change. The chapter provides new tools for describing and understanding change in historical institutional analyses.
Power in Historical Institutionalism
Authors: Pierson Paul
Published: July 2016

A systematic analysis of political power relationships in a society must be attentive to processes unfolding over time, and must focus on the ways in which core institutional arrangements—including policy arrangements—advance the interests of particular political coalitions. These are central features of historical institutionalism that make the tradition well-positioned to enhance understandings of political power and offer a corrective to other prominent frameworks in Political Science that have pushed the issue of power to the margins.
Ideas and Historical Institutionalism
Authors: Blyth Mark , Helgadottir Oddny , Kring William
Published: July 2016

This chapter traces the evolution of the ideational research agenda in historical institutionalism. The relationship between ideas as an analytical concept and historical institutionalism as a body of work has varied over time. While there was an opening to ideas in historical institutionalism in the mid- to late 1990s, less attention was paid to ideas as core analytic variables in the decades that followed. The chapter points to the materialist ontology employed by the majority of historical institutionalist scholars, their engagement with rational choice scholars, and the work of ideational scholars themselves as the major sources behind an ‘unconscious uncoupling’ between ideationalists and materialists within historical institutionalism. Following a network analysis of citation patterns, the chapter suggests that a ‘conscious re-coupling’ of ideational and institutional research agendas holds great promise for future historical institutional work.
Issue Voting Structured by Left–Right Ideology
Authors: Oscarsson Henrik , Holmberg Sören
Published: July 2016

Swedish voters are highly ideologically motivated. In the party-centered system, parties’ policy positions and voters’ issue standpoints have always had a large explanatory power in models of voting behavior. In perhaps the most unidimensional political system in the world, the traditional left–right dimension has been structuring party competition and voting behavior at least since the 1880s. Although the left–right order is constantly challenged by new conflicting issue dimensions, such as immigration, green ideology, Christian values, and gender equality, left–right ideological predispositions are still overwhelmingly strong determinants of political change, such as government turnovers and voters’ party choice and party switching between elections.
Voter Turnout
Authors: Öhrvall Richard
Published: July 2016

For several decades, Sweden has had a relatively high voter turnout, both in relation to the first half of the twentieth century and in comparison with other countries. Still, even in this high-turnout context substantial differences in turnout can be found when comparing different population groups. Demographic characteristics and socioeconomic resources are related to the propensity to vote. A more general conclusion is that voter turnout is associated with a higher level of equality in participation. The increase in turnout in recent Swedish elections has led to a more equal participation, because this increase has been greater within groups where voting rates were lower to begin with.
Subnational Government in a Multilevel Perspective
Authors: Feltenius David
Published: July 2016

The aim of this chapter is to analyze subnational government in Sweden from a multilevel governance (MLG) perspective. This is done by considering subnational government in relation to (a) the welfare state and (b) the European Union (EU). Firstly, it is concluded that Sweden’s formal status as a member of the EU since 1995 has created an additional political level of importance to subnational government. Secondly, it is concluded that MLG is also relevant to consider in a national context. This is evident through negotiations between central and local government concerning welfare policy, such as health care and policy targeting the elderly.
Parliamentary Committees
Authors: Mattson Ingvar
Published: July 2016

This chapter describes the role of the Swedish parliament, and parliamentary committees in particular, in the policy-making process. The role depends on the parliamentary situation: whether there is a majority government or minority government in power. In essence, the chapter shows that Parliament mainly approves governmental bills and seldom initiates legislation. It is an arena for both political conflict and consensus. Political negotiations between governmental parties and opposition parties occur in which the opposition has influence on parliamentary decisions in the policy process. Due to increased conflict between the two blocs in Swedish politics, the importance of the committees as grounds for negotiating compromises has, however, decreased.
Interest Organizations in the Policy Process
Authors: Öberg PerOla
Published: July 2016

Early last century, a norm to integrate organized interests into the policy processes was established. Groups gained influence and the state could implement legitimate public policy. The balance between autonomy and institutional participation was evasive. Some argue that organizations were captured into powerlessness, others that special interests controlled policy processes. Now, the situation has changed. Institutional participation has decreased. Face-to-face meetings intending to solve common problems are being replaced by professional lobbying. A transparent corporatist system favoring certain interests has been replaced by less transparent pluralism. This chapter focuses on the establishment, function, and dismantlement of corporatism in the policy process.
Organizational Evolution and Dynamic Capabilities
Authors: Levinthal Daniel A. , Marino Alessandro
Published: July 2016

This article examines the importance of plasticity and diversity in organizational adaptation and with respect to dynamic capabilities. It begins by conceptualizing what elements comprise a dynamic capability within an evolving organization using the contrast between templates (genotypes) and realized practices (phenotypes). It then introduces a model of hierarchical learning inside organizations with the goal of elucidating the interrelationships underlying the adaptive properties of the internal ecology of organizational evolution. In particular, it compares higher-level selection/recombination mechanisms with lower-level learning capabilities. This article highlights the importance of recognizing the interplay among the mechanisms and forces at work in the evolutionary dynamics of organizations. It shows that processes of variation and selection can be a valuable substitute for the capacity to adapt individual behaviors and that plasticity of templates may mitigate the effective selection of more or less promising templates.
The Scepticism of Heinrich von Kleist
Authors: Mehigan Tim
Published: July 2016

This chapter presents a philosophical reading of the writer Heinrich von Kleist (1788–1811) and his oeuvre. Kleist’s connections with the movement of Romanticism only become properly evident when measured against the weight of philosophical problems Kleist felt to be pressing even before his career as a writer began. The most considerable of these was the problem of philosophical scepticism, a by-product of his early encounter with the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. The picture of Kleist presented here is one of an earnest mind in search of an answer to a problem that emerged in the philosophical discussion after Kant and, in one sense at least, has never left us.
Theatre, Drama, and Vision in the Romantic Age
Authors: Saglia Diego
Published: July 2016

Between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, European cultures saw drama and theatre as endowed with extraordinary relevance, celebrating their social and aesthetic functions, as well as those transitively metaphorical features for which this period coined the term ‘theatricality’. This neologism aptly conveys the pervasiveness of theatre and the theatrical in these decades and goes some way towards explaining why many Romantic manifestoes and diatribes were primarily concerned with the stage. Drama and theatre were crucial laboratories for the creation of new ways of seeing, forms and genres, notions of the body, and models of subjectivity. As forms of entertainment, metaphors, or hermeneutic tools, Romantic-period drama and theatre were visual vantage points for the examination of contemporary culture and history and their endless transformations. As such, they paved the way for subsequent dramatic and theatrical revolutions and for the conception of modernity emerging in the later nineteenth century.
Palmyrene
Authors: Cussini Eleonora
Published: July 2016

The rich epigraphic corpus from the Syrian caravan city of Palmyra (first century BCE–third century CE) is an invaluable source for the study of the complex and multifaceted local culture. In addition, Palmyrene epigraphic records come from other Near Eastern sites, for example Dura Europos, and have also been unearthed in Europe, in the UK and elsewhere. The inscriptions are mainly carved on stone and may be classified as honorific, dedicatory and funerary. Among significant documents is the Tariff, a long Greek and Palmyrene record of municipal levies on imported and exported goods. Although many inscriptions have a formulaic, somewhat fixed structure, they contain a lot of information and significant variations and are an invaluable source for the reconstruction of Palmyrene legal language, aspects of religion and culture, of the interaction of various ethnic components at Palmyra and for the study of Palmyrene Aramaic.
Mandaic Literature
Authors: Buckley Jorunn J.
Published: July 2016

Still extant, the Mandaeans are the longest-surviving Gnostic people from the era of late antiquity. Belonging to the rubric of Gnostic Baptists, the Mandaeans may have had a historical connection to John the Baptist before they emigrated to Iraq and Iran in the first century. In terms of sheer bulk, their enormous literary canon—which exists in a variety of forms, and in their own language, Mandaic—has no rival among Gnostic groups. This literature, including the Ginza (The Book of Adam), their holy book, is described, with an emphasis on the most prominent documents and with reference to the principal western scholars and translators of Mandaean texts.
Sylvia Townsend Warner
Authors: Ellmann Maud
Published: July 2016

This article reviews some important recent contributions to the belated recovery of the work of English novelist and poet Sylvia Townsend Warner. Described by Eleanor Perényi as “feminist, Marxist, historical novelist, social comedian, teller of fairy tales,” Warner has received scant critical attention, in stark contrast to her remarkable productivity. Warner published thirty-six books during her lifetime, in addition to four posthumous collections of poems and short stories; at least 154 short stories published in theNew Yorker; her diary, published by Chatto and Windus in 1994; several volumes of correspondence; a revised and expanded edition of her poems; her translation of Marcel Proust’s critical writings inBy Way of Sainte-Beuve; and a volume of previously uncollected writings,With the Hunted, which includes many short pieces previously published in theJournal of the Sylvia Townsend Warner Society. The present article looks at key critical responses to Warner’s work by such writers as Jan Montefiore, Jane Marcus, Gillian Beer, Jean-Jacques Lecercle, and Mary Jacobs.
Eighteenth-Century Minds
Authors: Bullard Paddy
Published: July 2016

During the last decade of the seventeenth century John Locke established himself as a new kind of natural historian of the human mind—describing its powers, classifying its ideas, and tracing the evolution of its faculties. The century that followed saw a flowering of psychological thinking, marked by a rapid distribution of theories from the realm of philosophy across the realm of literature. This chapter finds the traces of that intellectual movement in the work of three literary authors: Laurence Sterne, Samuel Richardson, and Edmund Burke. It finds that Sterne and Burke were less original than Richardson in their speculations, belonging squarely to the Lockeian associationist tradition, but that their sense of cognition as an embodied, distributed process (as opposed to Richardson’s more abstracted idea of the mind’s functions) offers scope to align them with certain aspects of modern cognitive neurology.
Women
Authors: Dodge Mary
Published: July 2016

Women appear as white-collar offenders with far less frequency than do men, despite a contemporary workplace that offers more opportunities for female crime. High-level corporate positions for women that are conducive to elite deviance, however, remain relatively rare. Research on whether women are committing more white-collar crimes is inconclusive. On the victimization side of the equation, evidence is less equivocal. Both women and men are victimized by white-collar crime, but the nature of victimization is gendered. For some types of fraud, particularly reproductive medicine, women are more likely to be targets for illegal or unethical behavior. Occupational segregation increases the relative victimization risks for men and women in unique ways. This essay provides an in-depth exploration of female offending and victimization in occupational and corporate crime.
Social Concern and Crime
Authors: Chouhy Cecilia , Agnew Robert , Cullen Francis T.
Published: July 2016

Social concern theory (SCT) states that individuals are naturally inclined to show concern for the welfare of others, desire close ties to others, follow certain moral intuitions, and conform to the behavior and views of others. SCT describes the implications of these inclinations for crime. This essay begins by discussing the conceptions of human nature in different crime theories. It then describes the propositions of SCT, with the major proposition being that individuals high in the elements of social concern are generally less likely to engage in crime. It next reviews the limited research on this proposition, followed by a discussion of the policy implications of SCT and directions for further research.
Sentencing Policies and Practices in Minnesota
Authors: Frase Richard S.
Published: July 2016

This essay evaluates the origins, purposes, operation, and evolution of Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines system, implemented in 1980. Topics examined include key guidelines provisions, related statutes, charging and sentencing practices, departure rates, interpretive case law, and correctional populations. The essay concludes that the goals of this pioneering sentencing reform have largely been achieved: punishments have become more uniform and proportionate; policy formulation is more comprehensive and informed by data; sentencing has been coordinated with available correctional resources to avoid prison overcrowding and set priorities in the use of prison beds; there is a greater degree of “truth in sentencing;” prison sentences are used relatively sparingly; and the guidelines remain fairly simple to understand and apply. Minnesota has also achieved a sustainable balance between conflicting sentencing purposes, between uniformity versus flexibility, and in the powers of the sentencing commission, the legislature, courts, and practitioners to control sentencing policy and case outcomes.
The Ptolemies
Authors: Pfeiffer Stefan
Published: July 2016

This article explores the character(s) of Ptolemaic kingship in Egypt. A special focus is placed on the legitimation of kingship and the different forms of (self-) representation of the king. After remarks on the king’s court and principles of state organization, the concept of the Hellenistic basileus is explained by using Ptolemy III as a model of the Ptolemaic king. This is followed by a discussion of the Egyptian side of Ptolemaic kingship, which also can best be explained by the representation of Ptolemy III. In the last section of this essay the question of mixed forms of Ptolemaic representation and self-conception is discussed.
Current Questions and New Directions in Archaeological Obsidian Studies
Authors: Dillian Carolyn
Published: July 2016

This article discusses the current status of archaeological obsidian studies, including techniques used in characterization and sourcing studies, obsidian hydration, and regional syntheses. It begins with an overview of obsidian and the unique formation processes that create it before turning to a discussion of the significance of characterization and sourcing techniques for understanding prehistoric obsidian trade and exchange. It then considers the problematic aspects of the term “sourcing,” despite its ubiquitous use in archaeology and archaeometry, along with the use of X-ray fluorescence in the chemical characterization of obsidian. It also explores obsidian hydration dating methods and equations, factors that can affect the date assignments for hydration specimens, and the various uses of obsidian in prehistoric times. Finally, it addresses some important questions relating to obsidian research and suggests new directions in the field.
Buddhist Studies beyond the Nation-State
Authors: Payne Richard K.
Published: July 2016

This essay examines a variety of dysfunctional consequences of employing modern nation-states as the default organizing category for Buddhist studies regardless of the period being studied. Two of these consequences are directly related to one another: conflating contemporary nation-states with religious cultures, and equating religious and ethnic identities. Additionally, the organizing category tends to privilege some particular tradition as representative of or the essence of Buddhism in a specific nation-state, marking that tradition as uniquely authoritative. More broadly, research is constrained within the boundaries of nation-states, and the continuity of Buddhist traditions that cross nation-state boundaries is obscured. At the same time artificial continuities are retrospectively imposed, and the tradition comes to be defined by forms located at the center of political power. The work of four contemporary scholars is discussed as exemplifying the arguments for and value of moving away from nation-state categories. Consideration is given to the formative role of the training of missionaries and other agents of empire in the institutionalization of nation-state categories.
Climate Diplomacy
Authors: Light Andrew
Published: July 2016

This chapter explores the ethical dimensions of diplomatic efforts to form a global agreement on climate change. It offers a brief historical background on the core multilateral climate negotiation body, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and highlights some contentious moral elements of these negotiations. In particular, it explores the complex ways in which the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” (CBDR) has driven debates on how burdens for mitigation, adaptation, and finance should be distributed between developed and developing countries. It then considers the transformation in these climate negotiations since 2009, including the move toward a bottom-up architecture as part from the Copenhagen Accord to the Paris Agreement. Finally, it assesses the current state of climate diplomacy in relation to broader diplomatic priorities, arguing that climate diplomacy must be elevated alongside other top-tier foreign policy issues today in order to eventually achieve some level of climate stability.
Prevention of Depression
Authors: Brunwasser Steven M. , Garber Judy
Published: July 2016

Unipolar depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, making the development of efficacious and scalable prevention models a public health priority. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the current state of the evidence for psychosocial preventive interventions targeting unipolar depression across different life stages and contexts. The review focuses on trials whose primary objective was to prevent the initial onset of a depressive disorder (primary prevention), not on trials focused on preventing relapse or recurrence of depressive episodes. We divide the literature by age of participants: youths (0–18 years) and adults (18 and older). The adult prevention literature is further divided into several contextual categories: prevention in the general adult population, prevention in low-income samples, prevention in college students, prevention of perinatal depression, and prevention of depression in advanced age. We also highlight important limitations and future directions and make recommendations for advancing the field.
Uncomplicated Depression as Normal Sadness
Authors: Wakefield Jerome C. , Horwitz Allan V. , Lorenzo-Luaces Lorenzo
Published: July 2016

About half of all individuals meet the criteria for DSM-defined major depressive disorder (MDD) by the age of 30. These and other considerations suggest that MDD criteria are too inclusive and apply to individuals who are not ill but are experiencing normal sadness. This chapter reviews a research program that attempts to address this issue by examining “uncomplicated depression,” a subcategory of MDD that is hypothesized to consist of false positive diagnoses in which normal sadness is misdiagnosed as MDD. Data on uncomplicated depression suggest that many individuals who currently meet the DSM criteria for MDD are at no greater risk for subsequent depressive episodes, attempting suicide, or development of generalized anxiety disorder than members of the general population. These data suggest that uncomplicated depression is normal sadness, not major depression, and should not be diagnosed as disordered. They thus indicate that current DSM criteria for MDD are overly inclusive.
Conscientious Objection in Reproductive Health
Authors: Antommaria Armand H. Matheny
Published: July 2016

Conscientious objection in health care generally involves conflicts between health care providers asserting authority not to provide certain goods and services such as emergency contraception or abortion and patients seeking them. The conflict is may be exacerbated by objectors’ refusal to cooperate with others performing these actions. Equitable resolution of this conflict depends on the role responsibilities of health care providers and the availability of alternatives for patients. Protection of the integrity of providers should not substabtially limit patients’ access to needed goods and services, especially because of the power and knowledge differential between health care professionals and patients and the restrictions on patients obtaining goods and services through other means. Although professional obligations entail clear duties such as notification, informed consent, and emergency treatment, there is contining debate about obligations to refer and what constitutes discrimination. Organizations may make analogous claims regarding their integrity and similar systems should be developed to assure patient access.
Data and Doing: Using Wound Size to Evaluate Wound Care in Venous Ulcers
Authors: Bates-Jensen Barbara , Bohn Gregory A.
Published: July 2016

Measuring and monitoring wound progress by size are an important management tool. Wound progress and size can help assess effectiveness of therapy and predict healing, while preparing for application of advanced wound products and treatments. The authors outline methods of tracking wound size and predictors of healing in venous leg ulcers.
Effect of High- and Low-Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Angiogenesis and Myofibroblast Proliferation in Acute Excisional Wounds in Rat Skin
Authors: Machado Aline F. P. , Liebano Richard E. , Furtado Fabianne , Hochman Bernardo , Ferreira Lydia M.
Published: July 2016

OBJECTIVE:

This study evaluated the effects of high- (HF) and low-frequency (LF) transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on angiogenesis and myofibroblast proliferation in acute excisional wounds in rat skin.

DESIGN:

This was an experimental controlled and randomized study.

PARTICIPANTS:

An excisional wound was made on the back of 90 adult male EPM1-Wistar rats using an 8-mm punch.

INTERVENTIONS:

The animals were randomly assigned to the HF group (80 Hz), LF group (5 Hz), or control group. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (pulse duration, 200 microseconds; current amplitude, 15 mA) was delivered (session length, 60 minutes) on 3 consecutive days.

MEAN OUTCOME MEASURE:

Immunohistochemistry was performed on postoperative days 3, 7, and 14 for counting blood vessels and myofibroblasts.

MEAN OUTCOME RESULTS:

The LF group had significantly more blood vessels than the HF group on day 3 (P = .004). The HF group had significantly less blood vessels than did the control group on days 7 (P = .002) and 14 (P = .034) and less myofibroblasts than did both the LF and control groups on day 3 (P = .004) and less than did the control group on day 7 (P = .001).

CONCLUSION:

There seems to be a benefit to the use of LF transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the healing of acute excisional wounds, but further studies are warranted.
Urinary Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein 7 for Risk Stratification of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Sepsis
Authors: Honore Patrick M. , Nguyen H. Bryant , Gong Michelle , Chawla Lakhmir S. , Bagshaw Sean M. , Artigas Antonio , Shi Jing , Joannes-Boyau Olivier , Vincent Jean-Louis , Kellum John A.
Published: July 2016

Objectives:

To examine the performance of the urinary biomarker panel tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 in patients with sepsis at ICU admission. To investigate the effect of nonrenal organ dysfunction on tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 in this population.

Method:

In this ancillary analysis, we included patients with sepsis who were enrolled in either of two trials including 39 ICUs across Europe and North America. The primary endpoint was moderate-severe acute kidney injury (equivalent to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome stage 2–3) within 12 hours of enrollment. We assessed biomarker performance by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values at three cutoffs: 0.3, 1.0, and 2.0 (ng/mL)2/1,000. We also calculated nonrenal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores for each patient on enrollment and compared tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 results in patients with and without acute kidney injury and across nonrenal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores. Finally, we constructed a clinical model for acute kidney injury in this population and compared the performance of the model with and without tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7.

Results:

We included 232 patients in the analysis and 40 (17%) developed acute kidney injury. We observed significantly higher urine tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 in patients with acute kidney injury than without acute kidney injury in both patients with low and high nonrenal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (p < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95% CI) of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was 0.84 (0.73–0.92) and 0.85 (0.76–0.94), in low and high nonrenal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score subgroups. Performance of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 test was not modified by nonrenal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (p = 0.70). In multivariate analysis, the addition of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 significantly improved the performance of a clinical model for predicting acute kidney injury (p = 0.015).

Conclusion:

Urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 accurately predicts acute kidney injury in septic patients with or without other organ failures.
Impact of Weight Extremes on Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Ward Shan L. , Gildengorin Virginia , Valentine Stacey L. , Sapru Anil , Curley Martha A. Q. , Thomas Neal , Willson Douglas F. , Flori Heidi R.
Published: July 2016

Objectives:

To determine whether weight extremes impact clinical outcomes in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Design:

Post hoc analysis of a cohort created by combining five multicenter pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome studies.

Setting:

Forty-three academic PICUs worldwide.

Patients:

A total of 711 subjects prospectively diagnosed with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Intervention:

Subjects more than 2 years were included and categorized by Center for Disease Control and Prevention body mass index z score criteria: underweight (< –1.89), normal weight (–1.89 to +1.04), overweight (+1.05 to +1.64), and obese (≥ +1.65). Subjects were stratified by direct versus indirect lung injury leading to pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. In survivors, secondary analyses included duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay.

Measurements and Main Results:

A total of 331 patients met inclusion criteria; 12% were underweight, 50% normal weight, 11% overweight, and 27% obese. Overall mortality was 20%. By multivariate analysis, body mass index category was independently associated with mortality (p = 0.004). When stratified by lung injury type, there was no mortality difference between body mass index groups with direct lung injury; however, in the indirect lung injury group, the odds of mortality in the obese were significantly lower than normal weight subjects (odds ratio, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.02–0.84). Survivors with direct lung injury had no difference in the duration of mechanical ventilation or ICU length of stay; however, those with indirect lung injury, the overweight required longer duration of mechanical ventilation than other groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

These data support the obesity paradox in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Obese children with indirect lung injury pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome have a lower risk of mortality. Importantly, among survivors, the overweight with indirect lung injury requires longer duration of mechanical ventilation. Our data require prospective validation to further elucidate the pathobiology of this phenomenon.
An Internationally Consented Standard for Nursing Process-Clinical Decision Support Systems in Electronic Health Records
Authors: Müller-Staub Maria , de Graaf-Waar Helen , Paans Wolter
Published: July 2016

Nurses are accountable to apply the nursing process, which is key for patient care: It is a problem-solving process providing the structure for care plans and documentation. The state-of-the art nursing process is based on classifications that contain standardized concepts, and therefore, it is named Advanced Nursing Process. It contains valid assessments, nursing diagnoses, interventions, and nursing-sensitive patient outcomes. Electronic decision support systems can assist nurses to apply the Advanced Nursing Process. However, nursing decision support systems are missing, and no “gold standard” is available. The study aim is to develop a valid Nursing Process-Clinical Decision Support System Standard to guide future developments of clinical decision support systems. In a multistep approach, a Nursing Process-Clinical Decision Support System Standard with 28 criteria was developed. After pilot testing (N = 29 nurses), the criteria were reduced to 25. The Nursing Process-Clinical Decision Support System Standard was then presented to eight internationally known experts, who performed qualitative interviews according to Mayring. Fourteen categories demonstrate expert consensus on the Nursing Process-Clinical Decision Support System Standard and its content validity. All experts agreed the Advanced Nursing Process should be the centerpiece for the Nursing Process-Clinical Decision Support System and should suggest research-based, predefined nursing diagnoses and correct linkages between diagnoses, evidence-based interventions, and patient outcomes.
Innovation in Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Grossman H. Barton , Lamm Donald L. , Kamat Ashish M. , Keefe Stephen , Taylor John A. , Ingersoll Molly A.
Published: July 2016

Bladder cancer is understudied despite its high prevalence and its remarkable response to immunotherapy. Indeed, funding for studies to explore mechanisms of tumor immunity and novel new therapeutics is disproportionately lower for bladder cancer in comparison with malignancies of the breast, prostate, or lung. However, the recent successes of checkpoint blockade therapy suggest that new therapeutic strategies are on the horizon for bladder cancer. Here, we give a perspective into the evolution of bladder cancer therapy, focusing on strategies to treat high-risk nonmuscle invasive disease, followed by a discussion of recent advances in the treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer and their potential applicability to lower stage disease. Finally, we explore immunotherapeutic strategies, which have been demonstrated to be successful in the treatment of other malignancies, for their potential to treat and cure patients with nonmuscle and muscle invasive bladder cancer.
The Impact of Pharmacokinetic Interactions With Eslicarbazepine Acetate Versus Oxcarbazepine and Carbamazepine in Clinical Practice
Authors: Johannessen Landmark Cecilie , Svendsen Torleiv , Dinarevic Jasmin , Kufaas Ruben F. , Reimers Arne , Brodtkorb Eylert , Baftiu Arton , Burns Margrete L. , Johannessen Svein I.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) is a new anti-epileptic drug (AED) chemically related to oxcarbazepine (OXC) and carbamazepine (CBZ) and is increasingly used in clinical practice. The purpose of the study was to investigate 2-way pharmacokinetic interactions between ESL and other AEDs as compared to OXC and CBZ.

Methods:

Anonymous data regarding age, gender, use of AEDs, daily doses and serum concentration measurements of ESL, OXC, CBZ and lamotrigine (LTG) and other AEDs were retrieved from 2 therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) databases in Norway. Drugs were categorized according to their known potential for interactions. Concentration/dose (C/D) ratios were calculated.

Results:

Data from 1100 patients were available. The C/D ratios of ESL and OXC were unchanged in combination with enzyme-inducing AEDs or valproate (VPA). The C/D ratio of CBZ decreased by 40% and 22% in combination with other enzyme-inducing AEDs or VPA, respectively, pointing to an increased clearance. ESL demonstrated no significant enzyme-inducing effect on LTG metabolism although there was a 20% and 34% decrease in the C/D ratio of LTG in combination with OXC and CBZ, respectively.

Conclusions:

Possible pharmacokinetic interactions have been studied for ESL as compared to OXC and CBZ. The pharmacokinetics of ESL is not affected by enzyme-inducing AEDs or VPA and does not affect the metabolism of LTG in contrast to OXC and CBZ. The study demonstrates the value of using TDM databases to explore the potential for pharmacokinetic interactions of new AEDs.
Ultrafast Online SPE-MS/MS Method for Quantification of 3 Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Human Plasma
Authors: Vrobel Ivo , Janečková Hana , Faber Edgar , Bouchalová Kateřina , Mičová Kateřina , Friedecký David , Adam Tomáš
Published: July 2016

Background:

With an increasing number of cancer patients receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), therapeutic drug monitoring of these molecules is becoming more widespread today. It is mainly based on liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods with typical run times of several minutes. In an online solid phase extraction-MS/MS (SPE-MS/MS) system, the chromatography column is replaced with a reusable solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge and the analysis time is shortened to less than half a minute. The aim of this study was to develop such a method and test the performance of this high-throughput system in the analysis of imatinib (IMA), nilotinib (NIL), and lapatinib (LAP) in human plasma.

Methods:

Samples were prepared by simple protein precipitation with methanol containing deuterated internal standards. After centrifugation, the supernatant was diluted 10 fold with a mixture of methanol and water (1:1). A C4 cartridge was used for SPE and the analytes were eluted by acetonitrile. All the analytes were measured within a wide calibration range (50–5000 ng/mL for nilotinib and imatinib, 100–10,000 ng/mL for lapatinib). The method was compared with the LC-MS/MS method by the analysis of 176 clinical samples.

Results:

Intraday and interday inaccuracies within 15% and a coefficient of variation less than 15% were achieved for all the TKIs that were measured. Even though the matrix effects were higher in comparison with LC-MS/MS methods, their effect on the performance of the method was eliminated by the usage of deuterated internal standards. The total run time of the new method was 29 seconds for one analysis and the results were fully comparable with LC-MS/MS.

Conclusions:

Routine clinical practice requiring high-throughput methods for therapeutic drug monitoring of TKIs may benefit from the online SPE-MS/MS method that provides fast, low-cost analysis, and results that are comparable with conventional methods.
MODIFICATION OF ADJUSTABLE MACULAR BUCKLING WITH 29-G CHANDELIER LIGHT FOR OPTIMAL POSITIONING IN HIGHLY MYOPIC EYES WITH MACULAR HOLE
Authors: Forlini Matteo , Szkaradek Małgorzata , Rejdak Robert , Bratu Adriana , Rossini Paolo , D'Eliseo Domenico , Forlini Cesare , Cavallini Gian Maria
Published: July 2016

Purpose:

To evaluate the efficacy of the modification of Adjustable Macular Buckling device in the treatment of myopic macular hole retinal detachment with posterior staphyloma.

Methods:

Four consecutive patients suffering from myopic macular detachment with macular hole were treated using the macular buckling procedure. An Adjustable Macular Buckling device was used in all four cases and was modified using a 29-gauge optical fiber to illuminate its macular plate.

Results:

Optical coherence tomography showed successful retinal reattachment and closure of the macular hole after the buckling procedure. The macular plate of the buckling device was properly positioned in all four patients. No complications were observed.

Conclusion:

The modification of the macular buckling device improves the accuracy of its positioning by illuminating its macular plate.
Caruncular and Pericaruncular Sebaceous Gland Hyperplasia: A Report of 2 Cases and Literature Review
Authors: Ogawa Mamoru , Shinzawa Megumi , Dogru Murat , Miyauchi Jun , Tanaka Yoichi , Ogawa Yoko , Obata Hiroto , Tsubota Kazuo , Shimazaki Jun
Published: July 2016

Purpose:

To report the clinical and histopathological features of two patients with caruncular and pericaruncular sebaceous gland hyperplasia (SGH) with a literature review.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective pathology database search of 1195 ophthalmic specimens receiving the clinical diagnosis of SGH for caruncular/pericaruncular lesions during 2004 to 2014 at Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa General Hospital. Paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. A retrospective patient record and literature review was also performed.

Results:

Database search disclosed 2 male patients with SGH of 1195 specimens (0.15%). Pathological specimens revealed neither any cellular/nuclear atypia nor any mitotic figures and invasive features. No recurrences were observed in these 2 cases 12 to 18 months after excision.

Conclusions:

Caruncle and pericaruncular SGH is an uncommon lesion which needs careful histopathological evaluation for differentiation especially from caruncular neoplasias.
Undifferentiated Nonrhabdomyosarcoma Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Orbit
Authors: Adesina Ore-ofe O. , Zaugg Brian E. , Dries David C. , Palmer Cheryl A. , Patel Bhupendra C. K.
Published: July 2016

A 6-month-old boy presented with recurrent, poorly differentiated orbital sarcoma diagnosed as nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma, as pathologic and immunohistochemical evaluation was inconsistent with rhabdomyosarcoma or other specific sarcoma subtypes. He responded favorably to a treatment regimen for poorly differentiated sarcomas.
Ethmoid Silent Sinus Syndrome Following Orbital Trauma
Authors: Brown Sebastian J. , McNab Alan A.
Published: July 2016

A 55-year-old man presented with progressive “enophthalmos” of his ocular prosthesis, 12 years after secondary orbital implant placement following evisceration of a severe traumatic globe rupture. The medial orbital wall was found to be displaced inwards, associated with ethmoid sinus opacification, and consistent with post traumatic silent sinus syndrome affecting the ethmoid paranasal sinuses. The authors present the clinical and radiological findings, review the literature on silent sinus syndrome of nonmaxillary sinuses, and discuss the possible mechanisms for his presentation.
The Feasibility of Using Facebook, Craigslist, and Other Online Strategies to Recruit Young African American Women for a Web-Based Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Change Intervention
Authors: Staffileno Beth A. , Zschunke Jessica , Weber Mallery , Gross Lauren E. , Fogg Louis , Tangney Christy C.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Reports describing successful recruiting of minority participants are available; however, they focus largely on traditional strategies. Internet and mobile devices are widely used, providing alternative approaches, yet less information is available describing the success of these approaches.

Objective:

This article (1) evaluates the feasibility of using online advertising as a recruiting modality for a healthy lifestyle behavior change intervention targeting young African American women and (2) describes lessons learned to better inform researchers for future directions.

Methods:

African American women, aged 18 to 45 years, with untreated prehypertension and Internet access were eligible for a 12-week randomized study providing physical activity or nutrition behavior change education delivered via online modules. Traditional strategies included flyers, tabletop cards, blood pressure screenings, health fairs, and clinics. Online-related strategies included posting ads on Facebook, Craigslist, and on the university Web site, intranet, and “on-hold” telephone line. Descriptive statistics were used to identify frequency of recruitment strategies. χ
2 Analysis was used to assess differences between enrolled and nonenrolled inquiries.

Results:

Among all 176 inquiries, the most frequented strategies were the university Web site (44%), blood pressure screenings (15%), Facebook/Craigslist (13%), and clinics (12%). Enrollment rates differed across recruitment strategies (χ
2
P = .046). The 3 highest enrollment rates were (1) employee in-services (100%), (2) flyers/tabletop cards (31.6%), and (3) word of mouth/physician referral (25%).

Conclusion:

Online-related strategies are convenient and have great potential for reaching large numbers of people. However, the actual rate of participants successfully enrolled online was proportionally smaller when compared with traditional recruiting strategies.
Connecting Hispanic Women in Baltimore to the Mercy Medical Center Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners/Forensic Nurse Examiners Program: A Preliminary Assessment of Service Utilization and Community Awareness
Authors: Adams Margaret , Fitzgerald Sheila , Holbrook Debra
Published: July 2016

Sexual violence and gender-based violence represent a major public health problem causing significant negative mental, physical, and social outcomes for victims. The rapidly growing population of Hispanic women in Baltimore are both more vulnerable to sexual assault and less able to access postassault services. In an effort to assess service utilization and community awareness of the Mercy Medical Center Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners/Forensic Nurse Examiners Program, we conducted a retrospective chart review of 2,322 women who were seen by the program between 2010 and 2013 and found that only 2.5% of the women were identified as Hispanic, about half of what Baltimore City demographic data would predict. This exploratory pilot project, augmented by key informant interviews, reveals that Hispanic women are underutilizing sexual assault services. Multiple barriers exist for Hispanic women in obtaining victim services, including lack of awareness within the community that the services exist, cultural factors, language barriers, lack of awareness of legal rights, and a fear of deportation.