bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of a Westernized Korean Folk Music Selection on Students’ Music Familiarity and Preference for Its Traditional Version
Authors: Kang Sangmi , Yoo Hyesoo
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this study was to reveal the effects of Westernized arrangements of traditional Korean folk music on music familiarity and preference. Two separate labs in one intact class were assigned to one of two treatment groups of either listening to traditional Korean folk songs ( n = 18) or listening to Western arrangements of the same Korean folk songs ( n = 22); a second intact class served as a control group with no listening ( n = 20). Before and after the listening treatment session, pre- and posttests were administered that included 12 music excerpts of current popular, Western classical, and traditional Korean music. Results showed that participants who listened to traditional folk songs demonstrated significant increases in both familiarity and preference ratings; however, those who listened to Westernized folk songs showed increases only in familiarity ratings but not preference ratings for the same Korean songs in traditional versions. An analysis of participants’ open-ended responses showed that affective–positive responses were used most frequently when explaining preference for traditional versions of Korean folk songs (28.1%) among the traditional Korean listening group; structural–negative reasons (47.8%) were the most frequent among the Westernized listening group.
The Influence of Video Reflection on Preservice Music Teachers’ Concerns in Peer- and Field-Teaching Settings
Authors: Powell Sean R.
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice music teacher concerns as stated in written reflections before and after video feedback. Nineteen preservice music teachers enrolled in instrumental methods courses wrote free-response reflections of peer- and field-teaching episodes. Statements were coded utilizing the Fuller and Bown teacher concerns framework. A total of 2,404 statements were coded into self, task, and student impact concern categories. In addition to coding the data using an a priori approach, I used an inductive process to examine the quality of participants’ reflective statements before and after video reflection. Video reflections included approximately 65% more statements than initial reflections. Qualitative content analysis revealed that participants’ reflections grew more detailed and specific as a result of video feedback. Many video reflections also included a second level of reflection. Participants focused in greater detail on their ability to communicate with students, detect errors in performance, and provide specific feedback related to the lesson objectives and responses from students. Participants made more critical comments about their physical appearance after video feedback, focusing on what they perceived as awkward physical traits or habits. Overall percentages of concerns in each category remained stable throughout.
Becoming a God hunter towards conversion in a Brooklyn tongue-speaking church
Authors: Marina Peter J
Published: December 2015

Based on over four years of ethnographic research in an Afro-Caribbean Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, this article focuses on the process of becoming a religious seeker, or what I call a God hunter, towards conversion to a Pentecostal tongue-speaking church. Becoming a God hunter requires knowing the causes that explain religious seekership, the invariable sequence of interrelated events that are part of the process. It also requires gaining insight into motives at each stage in the process where potential converts arrive at their final decision to search for a religious group. This requires moving beyond a single set of essential variables, like crisis, or providing normative explanations to the motivation to become a religious seeker. Rather, this work explains the series of steps in a sequence of events that have a long and complex story in which individuals arrive at a point of convergence and decide to embark on a religious search. This article challenges the concept of crisis, used in both old and new scholarly models, to explain why someone decides to become a religious seeker. Final attention is given to the relevancy of continued academic debates on whether active or passive forces drive these individual decisions towards seekership.
Migration intentions and their determinants: Comparison of college students in China and Japan
Authors: He Zhongyu , Zhai Guofang , Asami Yasushi , Tsuchida Shoji
Published: December 2015

Maintaining a young, well-educated labor force is an important strategy for regional economic development and social vitality. Based on a comparative study of China and Japan, this article aims to elicit 1) the factors that affect college students’ employment migration preference; and 2) the differences between migration preferences of students from the two countries and the possible explanations for such differences. With the use of survey data from approximately 2,000 college students in the two countries, this study identifies region of origin as a key determinant of employment migration choice in both countries. The region of origin functions as a critical point differentiating primary and secondary labor markets for individuals, whereas the first-tier region in each country is a popular work destination. A one-way bottom-up migration from lower-ranking to higher-ranking regions is revealed in our regional hierarchy model. Findings suggest that Chinese students were oriented to employment opportunities and economic well-being while Japanese students were more inclined to consider personal lifestyle and local amenities. The findings imply that reducing regional disparities in economic development and income levels in China and enhancing urban service facilities in Japan may encourage college graduates to remain in their home regions.
Measuring high level democratic principles using the V-Dem data
Authors: Coppedge Michael , Lindberg Staffan , Skaaning Svend-Erik , Teorell Jan
Published: December 2015

While the definition of extended conceptions of democracy has been widely discussed, the measurement of these constructs has not attracted similar attention. In this article we present new measures of polyarchy, liberal democracy, deliberative democracy, egalitarian democracy, and participatory democracy that cover most polities in the period 1900 to 2013. These indices are based on data from a large number of indicators collected through the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project. We present and discuss the theoretical considerations and the concrete formula underlying the aggregation of indicators and components into high level measures of democracy. In addition, we show how these measures reflect variations in quality of democracy, given the respective ideals, in 2012. In the conclusion scholars are encouraged to make use of the rich dataset made available by V-Dem.
Detecting Residual/Recurrent Head Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas Using PET or PET/CT
Authors: Cheung Phylannie K. F. , Chin Ronald Y. , Eslick Guy D.
Published: December 2015

Objective

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/computed tomography (CT) for detecting residual and/or recurrent local and regional disease and distant metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) following radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy.

Data Sources

A systematic review with no language restrictions was conducted using PREMEDLINE, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar.

Review Methods

Only prospective studies with histopathological and/or clinical follow‐up that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of PET and PET/CT in detecting residual and/or recurrent disease following radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy in patients with HNSCCs were included.

Results

Twenty‐seven studies were identified. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of PET and PET/CT for detecting residual or recurrent disease at the primary site was 86.2% and 82.3%, respectively. For residual and recurrent neck disease, the sensitivity and specificity were 72.3% and 88.3%, while for distant metastases, the values were 84.6% and 94.9%.

Conclusions

PET and PET/CT are highly accurate in detecting residual and/or recurrent HNSCC. PET/CT is more specific than PET alone. Specificity is also greater for scans performed more than 12 weeks after radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. The authors support the use of PET/CT after 12 weeks posttreatment for the assessment of residual or recurrent disease.
A constant-time SLAM back-end in the continuum between global mapping and submapping: application to visual stereo SLAM
Authors: Moreno Francisco-Angel , Blanco Jose-Luis , Gonzalez-Jimenez Javier
Published: December 2015

This work addresses the development and application of a novel approach, called sparser relative bundle adjustment (SRBA), which exploits the inherent flexibility of the relative bundle adjustment (RBA) framework to devise a continuum of strategies, ranging from RBA with linear graphs to classic bundle adjustment (BA) in global coordinates, where submapping with local maps emerges as a natural intermediate solution. This method leads to graphs that can be optimized in bounded time even at loop closures, regardless of the loop length. Furthermore, it is shown that the pattern in which relative coordinate variables are defined among keyframes has a significant impact on the graph optimization problem. By using the proposed scheme, optimization can be done more efficiently than in standard RBA, allowing the optimization of larger local maps for any given maximum computational cost. The main algorithms involved in the graph management, along with their complexity analyses, are presented to prove their bounded-time nature. One key advance of the present work is the demonstration that, under mild assumptions, the spanning trees for every single keyframe in the map can be incrementally built by a constant-time algorithm, even for arbitrary graph topologies. We validate our proposal within the scope of visual stereo simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) by developing a complete system that includes a front-end that seamlessly integrates several state-of-the-art computer vision techniques such as ORB features and bag-of-words, along with a decision scheme for keyframe insertion and a SRBA-based back-end that operates as graph optimizer. Finally, a set of experiments in both indoor and outdoor conditions is presented to test the capabilities of this approach. Open-source implementations of the SRBA back-end and the stereo front-end have been released online.
Sinomenine potentiates P815 cell degranulation via upregulation of Ca2+ mobilization through the Lyn/PLCγ/IP3R pathway
Authors: Wang Nan , Liu Rui , Liu Yanping , Zhang Ruirui , He Langchong
Published: December 2015

Mast cells are vital mediators of drug allergy and, therefore, studying the relationship between drug allergy and mast cells is essential. Sinomenine is the principal active component of Sinomenium acutum, which has anti-inﬂammatory and anti-immune effects, and is used to treat various rheumatoid diseases. However, allergic responses to sinomenine are frequently reported. Therefore, this study assessed the effects of sinomenine on mast cell activation to characterize its allergic effects and the underlying mechanisms. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot analyses, and degranulation assays were performed to measure pro-inﬂammatory and allergic mediators in P815 cells. The allergenic effects of sinomenine were also determined in mice by using active general anaphylaxis (ASA). The results indicated that sinomenine induced inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) production and the release of histamine, interleukin (IL)-6, and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ in P815 cells. Furthermore, sinomenine upregulated the phosphorylation of sarcoma (Src), phospholipase C (PLC)-γ1, and IP3 receptor (R). Therefore, sinomenine induced concentration-dependent mast cell activation directly in vitro. Furthermore, our in vivo data identified an appropriate intravenous dose that did not induce these allergic effects, thereby providing information for the potential safe clinical use of sinomenine.
Toward Indigenous Planning? First Nation Community Planning in Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Prusak S. Yvonne , Walker Ryan , Innes Robert
Published: December 2015

“Indigenous planning” is an emergent paradigm to reclaim historic, contemporary, and future-oriented planning approaches of Indigenous communities across western settler states. This article examines a community planning pilot project in eleven First Nation reserves in Saskatchewan, Canada. Qualitative analysis of interviews undertaken with thirty-six participants found that the pilot project cultivated the terrain for advancing Indigenous planning by First Nations, but also reproduced settler planning processes, authority, and control. Results point to the value of visioning Indigenous futures, Indigenous leadership and authority, and the need for institutional development.
StatRec - Performance, Validation and Preservability of a Static Risk Prediction Instrument
Authors: Tollenaar Nikolaj , Wartna B. S. J. , Van der Heijden P. G. M. , Bogaerts Stefan
Published: December 2015

StatRec is a prediction instrument for recidivism making use of only a limited number of static factors. In this paper, we discuss and update the StatRec scale for four-year reconviction and evaluate its predictive performance over several dimensions: time, region and non-random subsamples. Additionally, using criminal file data we investigate to what extend adding dynamic factors improves the predictive performance. The predictive performance of the scale proves to be relatively stable over time and comparable to the England and Wales’ OGRS-scales. The precision of the estimated probabilities is the only indicator that decreases slightly as time passes. Though the scale does not make use of dynamic and situational factors related to the risk of re-offending, criminal file analyses show that adding these enhance the predictive power only slightly. The scale could play a role in the validation of more specified dynamic risk instruments.
A Semi-Empirical Determination of Perceived Liveability
Authors: Namazi-Rad Mohammad-Reza , Perez Pascal , Berryman Matthew , Wickramasuriya Rohan
Published: December 2015

Liveability is a concept closely related to the notion of well-being and refers to the environmental conditions that contribute to the quality of life, alongside individual features. Subjective and objective measurements of liveability are both of considerable practical and theoretical importance. A survey is conducted in this paper by which individuals tend to shape their preferences according to six factors describing various aspects of living conditions: (1) home, (2) neighbourhood, (3) transport, (4) entertainment, (5) services and (6) work. The survey data helps us to work out some indicators representing the perceived liveability in the targeted areas. A linear mixed model is used to explore possible relationships between objective factors and perceived liveability. A model-based estimate of liveability index can be then calculated for each non-sampled individual based on his/her socio-demographic characteristics and area of living.
Multivariate Entropy Analysis of Network Data
Authors: Frank Ove , Shafie Termeh
Published: December 2015

Multigraphs with numerical or qualitative attributes defined on vertices and edges can benefit from systematic methods based on multivariate entropies for describing and analysing the interdependencies that are present between vertex and edge attributes. This is here illustrated by application of these tools to a subset of data on the social relations among Renaissance Florentine families collected by John Padgett. Using multivariate entropies we show how it is possible to systematically check for tendencies in data that can be described as independencies or conditional independencies, or as dependencies allowing certain combinations of variables to predict other variables. We also show how different structural models can be tested by divergence measures obtained from the multivariate entropies.
A Random-Effects Pattern-Mixture Model with Application to Comorbidity
Authors: Liew Hui-Peng
Published: December 2015

This study aims to better understand the contribution of potential non-ignorable nonresponse associated with attrition and wave-nonresponse in race/ethnicity disparities in health trajectories. The empirical work of this study is based on the 1992-2010 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Both growth curve models (direct likelihood maximization and pattern mixture) have very similar results, but the standard errors tended to be slightly underestimated in the former. Results from the growth curve models suggest that with age, racial/ethnic disparities in health decrease for low educated individuals, persist for those with at least a high school education and for Hispanic elderly with a highs school or GED education, and increase among the lower educated. The study concludes that any possible non-ignorable differences between models are not large enough to affect inferences drawn from the data analysis.
Grounded Theology: Adopting and Adapting Qualitative Research Methods for Feminist Theological Enquiry
Authors: Barnsley Jennie
Published: December 2015

In feminist theology, the category of experience is given paramount importance. Here I examine this category and, specifically, what constitutes legitimate experience for theological reflection. Contending that both mainstream and feminist theologies dismiss too readily the individual’s quotidian experiences as a resource for exploring the Holy, I detail a methodological approach that combines the qualitative research practice of grounded theory with a Quaker practice of silent waiting, by giving prayerful attention to one-to-one interviews. I call this approach Grounded Theology. I then describe the application of Grounded Theology to the study of quotidian experiences from interview data gathered for the purpose of theological reflection.
Catholic Mothers and Daughters: Becoming Women
Authors: Keary Anne
Published: December 2015

The socio-historical events and libertarian cultural movements of the 1960s and 1970s shaped the Catholic mother-daughter relationship for the women in this feminist genealogical study. This study is based on interviews with 36 Anglo-Australian Catholic women – 13 sets of mothers and daughters – as well as dialogue between my mother and myself about family photographs. Women’s stories of secondary school days tell of the formation of lady-like identities circumscribed through uniform regulations, the cult of the Virgin Mary and ceremonies of everyday Catholic school life. The abject maternal body resurfaces in adolescence with the flow of menstrual blood, and the heralding sexuality of young women is circumscribed through patriarchal institutions such as Catholicism. Amid their silenced and contested dialogue, although years apart, the stories between mothers and daughters in this study drew parallels.
The role of elites in the co-evolution of international financial markets and financial centres: The case of Luxembourg
Authors: Dörry Sabine
Published: December 2015

This article investigates the co-evolution of Luxembourg’s financial centre with influential developments on a macro scale since the late 1950s and employs insights from the evolutionary approaches of regional path creation and dependence. Framing the narrative from a historical perspective, this case study illustrates how a unique conjuncture of local conditions and intentional decision making by a small group of influential individuals in Luxembourg embraced and exploited the new opportunities of the internationalizing financial markets, thus forming the birth of Luxembourg’s financial economy. The article argues that only the role of the elite during this time makes the creation of Luxembourg’s financial centre plausible, whilst Luxembourg’s continuing financial path has been accompanied by a changing composition of previously local and often individualistic elite. The changing conditions of globalization have brought a new type of elite to the fore, in particular the organized power of large banks, which continue to reshape Luxembourg’s institutional environment in different ways. The fundamental shift in power between Luxembourg’s financial and political interest groups has also spawned increasingly complex interlinkages between institutional architectures across different geographical scales. By strengthening the conceptualization of the particular role of agency, this article adds knowledge to the prevailing concepts of (regional) path dependence in general and to the contingent development in financial centres in particular.
Redefining pollution and action: The matter of plastics
Authors: Liboiron Max
Published: December 2015

Using plastic pollution as a case study, this article shows how the material characteristics of objects – their density, their size, and the strength of their molecular bonds, among other traits – are central to their agency. The author argues that it is crucial to attend to the physical characteristics of matter if we, as researchers, are going to describe problems and contribute to solutions for ‘bad actors’ like pollutants. Plastics and their chemicals are challenging regulatory models of pollution, research methods, and modes of action because of their ubiquity, longevity, and scale of production. This article investigates how scientists researching plastic pollution are attempting to create a new model – or models – of pollution that account for the unpredictable and complex materialities of 21st-century pollutants, and how the Anthropocene has come to be a shorthand for our material understandings of moral transgressions, cherished boundaries, and good citizenship.
Geographic profiling survey
Authors: Emeno Karla , Bennell Craig , Snook Brent , Taylor Paul J
Published: December 2015

Geographic profiling (GP) is an investigative technique that involves predicting a serial offender’s home location (or some other anchor point) based on where he or she committed a crime. Although the use of GP in police investigations appears to be on the rise, little is known about the procedure and how it is used. To examine these issues, a survey was distributed internationally to police professionals who have contributed GP advice to police investigations. The survey consisted of questions designed to assess: (a) how geographic profiles are constructed, (b) the perceived usefulness and accuracy of GP, (c) whether core GP conditions are examined before profiles are constructed, and (d) the types of cases in which GP is used. The results suggest that geographic profiles are commonly used in operational settings for a wide range of crime types. This appears to be true even when GP conditions are violated. In addition, general perceptions of GP accuracy and usefulness appear to be high, but this is particularly true for respondents who use computerized GP systems (compared with spatial distribution strategies, such as centroids, or educated guesses). Computerized GP systems are also the most commonly used GP approach among our respondents, especially for those who have received formal training in GP. Although preliminary in nature, the results from this study help enhance understanding of how GP is used in police investigations around the world, and under what conditions. The survey also provides directions for future research.
Social memory and battle names: Exploring links between travel, memory and the media
Authors: Winter Caroline
Published: December 2015

The profile of five battles fought by Australians in the Great War (1914–1918) was traced over the past century using the frequency by which they were cited in the popular media. The pattern of these frequencies appeared to remain much the same from 1915 until the 1990s with battles involving very large numbers of casualties at Pozières and Passchendaele having a higher media frequency than smaller battles at Fromelles and Villers-Bretonneux. Gallipoli's status as Australia's best known battlefield has been consistent from 1915 until the present day. Over the past decade however, the media frequencies suggest that there has been a re-prioritization in the importance of these five battles. The discovery of lost graves at Fromelles and the introduction of a Dawn Service at Villers-Bretonneux has elevated the importance of these two sites, with the result that tourist visitation to them has also increased.
Vibration analysis of thin circular plates with multiple openings by the assumed mode method
Authors: Senjanović Ivo , Hadžić Neven , Vladimir Nikola
Published: December 2015

Circular plates with openings are used in many engineering structures, especially as swash bulkheads in cargo tanks of liquefied gas carriers. In this article, an approximate procedure is worked out for the vibration analysis of circular plates with different boundary conditions and a different number and size of openings with an arbitrary arrangement within the plate area. The assumed mode method, recently used in the vibration analysis of rectangular plates, is applied in this case. Following the basic idea, the effect of the openings is accounted for by subtracting the potential and kinetic energy of the cut-out plate parts corresponding to the total plate energies without openings. The procedure is illustrated with numerical examples related to the vibration analysis of annular plates and circular plates with openings. The results are evaluated through their comparison with an analytical and finite element method solution.
Sequential ship traffic scheduling model for restricted two-way waterway transportation
Authors: Zhang Jinfen , Santos Tiago A , Guedes Soares C. , Yan Xinping
Published: December 2015

A good ship traffic scheduling mode can enhance traffic efficiency to a large degree, especially in restricted waterways such as approach channel of ports and straits. A ship scheduling model for restricted two-way waterways is proposed in this article. The assumption is made in the model that two-way transportation is not allowed for cases in which there is at least one large ship. Based on this assumption, a mathematical model is proposed to minimize the weighted average of the mean and the maximum waiting time given several safety restrictions. A sequential scheduling algorithm is proposed to solve such problem, in which the ships are divided into rounds. The ships in each round are scheduled simultaneously to enhance traffic efficiency by the trade-off between the priorities of small and large ships. Experiments are carried out by comparing sequential scheduling method with first-come-first-serve model. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm can reduce ships’ waiting time, whereas a lot of ships need to wait for long time with first come first serve. The distinctions are more evident with a higher proportion of large ships, and the proposed algorithm can keep ships’ waiting time to an acceptable level.
The impact of an end-of-life healthcare ethics educational intervention
Authors: Molloy Claire , McCarthy Joan , Tyrrell Mark
Published: December 2015

Background

The impact of healthcare ethics educational interventions on participants’ ethical development is rarely reported on and assessed; even less attention is paid to educational interventions that focus on end-of-life ethical issues.

Aim

To evaluate the impact of the Ethical Framework for End-of-Life Care Study Sessions Programme ( EOLCSS) on the moral development of healthcare staff who are delivering end-of-life care.

Methods

The EOLCSS was delivered to 20 multi-disciplinary health care staff in Ireland in May 2013. Effect on moral reasoning was measured pre and post education using the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2). Inferential statistics were used to examine the relationships between change in DIT2 scores and demographic variables.

Results

Participants experienced moral reasoning development following receipt of EOLCSS. Age and previous ethics education contributed to the observed changes in moral reasoning.

Conclusions

Receipt of the EOLCSS may contribute to moral reasoning development in practicing healthcare professionals.
School leaders’ engagement with the concept of evidence-based practice as a management tool for school improvement
Authors: Sheard Mary K. , Sharples Jonathan
Published: December 2015

Strategies that encourage direct linkage and exchange between researchers and practitioners are more likely to support changes in educational practice informed by research evidence. Nevertheless, significant challenges remain in linking effectiveness education research to real-world practice: addressing the knowing–doing gap. The paper describes and evaluates an enquiry with a small network of three primary schools to demonstrate a ‘proof-of-concept’ for evidence-informed practice. The enquiry evaluated the effectiveness of a five-stage process of engagement with proven programmes and practices as a management tool for school leaders to address their schools’ improvement agendas. The paper reports on the change process in each school over a one year period and the enablers and constraints associated with the concept of evidence-based practice as a driver for change in teaching and learning. The paper discusses the contribution the enquiry makes to a theory of learning where practitioners and researchers are equal partners in the learning process, and the relevance of this to managing school improvement through research use.
Cardiac ACE2/angiotensin 1–7/Mas receptor axis is activated in thyroid hormone-induced cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Diniz Gabriela P. , Senger Nathalia , Carneiro-Ramos Marcela S. , Santos Robson A. S. , Barreto-Chaves Maria Luiza M.
Published: December 2015

Objectives:

Thyroid hormone (TH) promotes marked effects on the cardiovascular system, including the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Some studies have demonstrated that the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) is a key mediator of the cardiac growth in response to elevated TH levels. Although some of the main RAS components are changed in cardiac tissue on hyperthyroid state, the potential modulation of the counter regulatory components of the RAS, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme type 2 (ACE2), angiotensin 1–7 (Ang 1–7) levels and Mas receptor induced by hyperthyroidism is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hyperthyroidism on cardiac Ang 1–7, ACE2 and Mas receptor levels.

Methods:

Hyperthyroidism was induced in Wistar rats by daily intraperitoneal injections of T4 for 14 days.

Results:

Although plasma Ang 1–7 levels were unchanged by hyperthyroidism, cardiac Ang 1–7 levels were increased in TH-induced cardiac hypertrophy. ACE2 enzymatic activity was significantly increased in hearts from hyperthyroid animals, which may be contributing to the higher Ang 1–7 levels observed in the T4 group. Furthermore, elevated cardiac levels of Ang 1–7 levels were accompanied by increased Mas receptor protein levels.

Conclusion:

The counter-regulatory components of the RAS are activated in hyperthyroidism and may be contributing to modulate the cardiac hypertrophy in response to TH.
Social and Affective Concerns High-Ability Adolescents Indicate They Would Like to Discuss With a Caring Adult
Authors: Jen Enyi , Wu Jiaxi , Gentry Marcia
Published: December 2015

This exploratory study investigated the social and affective concerns of 280 high-ability students in Grades 5 through 12 who participated in a summer residential program. Content analysis of responses from an open-ended survey indicated that high-ability adolescents expressed concerns regarding feelings and emotions, future aspirations, and relationships. How these social and affective concerns differed across gender, age, and among U.S. students, international students, and Native American subgroups were also investigated. Boys would like to discuss puberty and maturity more than girls; students in early adolescence cared about feelings, whereas those in late adolescence wanted to discuss future aspirations; Native American students had similar concerns to those of other students; however, Diné students were concerned about personal issues and bullying. These findings provide researchers and educators in the field of gifted education with new perspectives regarding social and affective concerns of high-ability students.
Cue Combination of Conflicting Color and Luminance Edges
Authors: Sharman Rebecca J , McGraw Paul V , Peirce Jonathan W
Published: December 2015

Abrupt changes in the color or luminance of a visual image potentially indicate object boundaries. Here, we consider how these cues to the visual “edge” location are combined when they conflict. We measured the extent to which localization of a compound edge can be predicted from a simple maximum likelihood estimation model using the reliability of chromatic (L−M) and luminance signals alone. Maximum likelihood estimation accurately predicted the pattern of results across a range of contrasts. Predictions consistently overestimated the relative influence of the luminance cue; although L−M is often considered a poor cue for localization, it was used more than expected. This need not indicate that the visual system is suboptimal but that its priors about which cue is more useful are not flat. This may be because, although strong changes in chromaticity typically represent object boundaries, changes in luminance can be caused by either a boundary or a shadow.
“What’s Your Taste in Music?” A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Various Soundscapes in Evoking Specific Tastes
Authors: Wang Qian (Janice) , Woods Andy T. , Spence Charles
Published: December 2015

We report on the results of two online experiments designed to compare different soundtracks that had been composed (by various researchers and sound designers) in order to evoke/match different basic tastes. In Experiment 1, 100 participants listened to samples from 24 soundtracks and chose the taste (sweet, sour, salty, or bitter) that best matched each sample. Overall, the sweet soundtracks most effectively evoked the taste intended by the composer (participants chose sweet 56.9% of the time for the sweet soundtracks), whereas the bitter soundtracks were the least effective (participants chose bitter 31.4% of the time for the bitter soundtracks), compared with chance (choosing any specific taste 25% of the time). In Experiment 2, 50 participants rated their emotional responses (in terms of pleasantness and arousal) to the same 24 soundtrack samples and also to imaginary sweet/sour/salty/bitter-tasting foods. Associations between soundtracks and tastes were partly mediated by pleasantness for the sweet and bitter tastes and partly by arousal for the sour tastes. These results demonstrate how emotion mediation may be an additional mechanism behind sound-taste correspondences.
The embrained body of a child: On neurodidactics and edusemiotic 21st century becoming machines
Authors: Beate Reinertsen Anne
Published: December 2015

This is a sciencepoetical essay combining neurodidactics as an interdisciplinary research field representing an interface between neuroscience, didactics, and educational sciences with the potentials in and with recent post-constructivist and/or post-humanism, compostist, and multiparadigmatic theories of embodiment and matter becomings. It is an attempt to think new about the nature–culture divide and learning. The idea and notion of the rhizome, and thus the idea of the rhizome-embrained body of a child, is followed through. I write along a neutral and panpsychist monist philosophy of mind un/conscious–attention–discovery sensation–thinking–learning continuum, hopefully contributing to research on conceptual change in children and ultimately the Neuron. I write. I thus Pessoa word and I try to Cixous forethink in and with words. They are (my) stimulating electric currents.
‘Let’s Get Them Involved’ . . . to Some Extent: Analyzing Online News Participation
Authors: Almgren Susanne M. , Olsson Tobias
Published: December 2015

The development of social media applications, such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, has offered new participatory opportunities for everyday media users. This article contributes to research by looking into one specific aspect of the increasingly more participatory media ecology—the news comment feature. Drawing on a quantitative content analysis of 1,100 news pieces, as well as spaces for user comments, the article reveals both how this emerging public space is shaped by the media company and, later, appropriated by their participating users. Our analysis reveals, for instance, that the online newspaper prefers to allow users to comment on lightweight news such as sports and entertainment. The users, however, prefer to post comments on news covering changes in proximity space, politics, and health care, while also clearly ignoring the most available news pieces (sport and entertainment). In the concluding section, the discrepancy in preferences is discussed.
Bony Versus Soft Tissue Reconstruction for Anterior Shoulder Instability
Authors: McLaughlin Richard James , Miniaci Anthony , Jones Morgan H.
Published: December 2015

Background:

One complication of anteroinferior glenohumeral shoulder dislocation is a critical bone defect that requires surgical repair to prevent recurrent instability. However, controversy exists regarding the surgical management because both open and arthroscopic surgeries have respective advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, it is difficult to determine the patient’s preferred treatment, as factors that influence treatment choice include recurrence rates, morbidity of the procedures, and patient preferences.

Hypothesis:

Patients who have a higher probability of recurrent instability after arthroscopic surgery will select open surgery whereas patients with a lower probability of recurrent instability after arthroscopic surgery will favor arthroscopy.

Study Design:

Economic and decision analysis; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A decision tree was constructed to model each hypothetical outcome after open or arthroscopic surgery for glenohumeral instability in patients with bone defects. A literature review was performed to determine the probability of occurrence for each node while utility values for each outcome were obtained via patient-administered surveys given to 50 patients without prior history of shoulder injury or dislocation. Fold-back analysis was then performed to show the optimal treatment strategy. Finally, sensitivity analysis established the thresholds at which open treatment becomes the optimal treatment.

Results:

The ultimate expected value—the objective evaluation of all potential outcomes after choosing either open or arthroscopic surgery—was found to be greater for arthroscopic surgery than for open surgery (87.17 vs 81.64), indicating it to be the preferred treatment. Results of sensitivity analysis indicated that open surgery becomes the preferred treatment when probability of recurrence after arthroscopic treatment is ≥23.8%, although varying the utility, defined as an aggregate patient preference for a particular outcome, has no effect on the model. When the rate of no complication after open surgery is 97.6%, open surgery becomes the patient’s preferred treatment.

Conclusion:

Arthroscopic surgery is an acceptable treatment if recurrent instability occurs consistently at ≤23.8%. This has important implications given the technical difficulty of successfully performing arthroscopic fixation to resolve recurrent anteroinferior glenohumeral dislocations associated with critical osseous defects. However, due to a lack of clinical outcomes studies, more research is needed to better predict the optimal operative treatment.
Can Men Make Time for Family? Paid Work, Care Work, Work-family Reconciliation Policies, and Gender Equality
Authors: Maume David J.
Published: December 2015

This article reviews changes in the economy and demographic change in family life to argue that men (especially working-class men) will be increasingly compelled and able to do more family care work (childcare, eldercare, and self-care). Although there is evidence that a younger generation of fathers is more family centered than its predecessors, there is little evidence that the workplace has changed to better enable men to reconcile work and family responsibilities. Yet, across a range of states in the United States, elements of a Nordic-style package of work-family reconciliation policies—including paid family leave, eldercare, early childhood education, paid sick leave, and minimum wage increases—have been implemented, and these policy initiatives will likely continue (and expand) in the future. I conclude with a review of research on men’s uptake of work-family reconciliation policies, and offer some propositions (and call for further research) on how doing so would alter the pattern of gender inequality in family life and in the labor market.
Educating Critical Thinkers
Authors: Greene Jeffrey A. , Yu Seung B.
Published: December 2015

Proliferating information and viewpoints in the 21st century require an educated citizenry with the ability to think critically about complex, controversial issues. Critical thinking requires epistemic cognition: the ability to construct, evaluate, and use knowledge. Epistemic dispositions and beliefs predict many academic outcomes, as well as whether people use their epistemic cognition skills, for example, scrutinizing methods in science and evaluating sources in history. The evidence supporting the importance of epistemic cognition, inside and outside of the classroom, has led to a growing body of intervention research. However, more research can reveal how to best position teachers and students to develop and enact productive epistemic cognition. Promising directions for future research and policy include developing learning environments that promote students’ epistemic cognition and subsequent critical thinking, as well as incorporating this work into educator preparation programs.
Teacher–Student Interactions
Authors: Pianta Robert C.
Published: December 2015

An increasingly robust science of classroom processes identifies teacher–student interactions as a key asset for improving student learning and development. Observational methods to assess interactions are proving useful in both research and application, used as the basis for professional development models, specifically coaching, that improve both interactions and student learning, as shown in experimental trials. Existing research shows promise for conceptualizing, measuring, and improving teachers’ interactions with students, but a number of gaps remain. The science needs to be extended, with more replication across grades and contexts. Also, the science needs to link to contemporary work in developmental neuroscience and physiology. Investments in that scientific work will pay off in future years; however, enough is known currently to take policy action, at state and federal levels, pertaining to teacher performance assessment, accountability, and teacher preparation.
Undergraduate STEM Achievement and Retention
Authors: Cromley Jennifer G. , Perez Tony , Kaplan Avi
Published: December 2015

Student cognition and motivation, as well as institutional policies, determine student course grades and retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Regarding cognition, study skills relate to course grades, and grades relate to retention in STEM. Several aspects of motivation are related to both grades and retention in STEM: self-efficacy (self-confidence for completing assignments), continuing interest in learning more about the subject, and effort control (remaining focused on classes and studying). Students’ cognition and motivation are interdependent, and, furthermore, they play out in the context of multiple institutional policies, such as academic support centers, career counseling, financial aid policies, forced curving of course grades, course timing, and course registration policies. All of these interdependent factors can improve with targeted programs that complement each other. Some challenges for reform include instructor resistance to changing teaching and a lack of coordination, or even competing emphases, among university policies and resources, such as course scheduling, academic support, advising, career counseling, and financial aid.
Inhibitory effects of metformin at low concentration on epithelial–mesenchymal transition of CD44+CD117+ ovarian cancer stem cells
Authors: Zhang Rongrong , Zhang Ping , Wang Hong , Hou Dongming , Li Wentao , Xiao Guishan , Li Chenwei
Published: December 2015

Background

Although metformin, a first-line drug for treating diabetes, may play an important role in inhibition of epithelial ovarian cancer cell growth and cancer stem cells (CSCs), metformin at low dose showed less effect on the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the effect of metformin at low dose on ovarian CSCs in order to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying.

Methods

The inhibitory effects of metformin at los dose on proliferation and population of ovarian cancer cells including SKOV3 and A2780 were assessed by cell proliferation assay and flow cytometry. Quantitative real-time PCR assay on expression of Bcl-2, Survivin and Bax was performed to determine the effect of metformin at low dose on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells and CSCs. Tumor sphere formation assay was also performed to evaluate the effect of metformin on spheres forming ability of CSCs. The therapeutic efficacy and the anti-CSC effects of metformin at low dose were investigated by using both SKOV3 cells and primary tumor xenografts. In addition, the CSC frequency and EMT in tumor xenograft models were also assessed by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR.

Results

Metformin at low dose did not affect the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. However, it inhibited population of CD44+CD117+selectively, neither CD133+nor ALDH+cells. It suppressed expression of snail2, twist and vimentin significantly in cancer cells and CD44+CD117+CSCsin vitro. Low dose of metformin reduced survivin expression in CSCs. Low concentrations of metformin inhibited the secondary and the tertiary tumor sphere formation, decreased SKOV3 and primary ovarian tumor xenograft growth, enhanced the anticancer effect of cisplatin, and lowered the proportion of CD44+CD117+CSCs in the xenograft tissue. Metformin was also associated with a reduction of snail2, twist, and vimentin in CD44+CD117+ovarian CSCsin vivo.

Conclusions

Our results implicate that metformin at low dose inhibits selectively CD44+CD117+ovarian CSCs through inhibition of EMT and potentiates the effect of cisplatin.
CyAnimator: Simple Animations of Cytoscape Networks
Authors: Morris John H. , Vijay Dhameliya , Federowicz Steven , Pico Alexander R. , Ferrin Thomas E.
Published: December 2015

CyAnimator (http://apps.cytoscape.org/apps/cyanimator) is a Cytoscape app that provides a tool for simple animations of Cytoscape networks. The tool allows you to take a series of snapshots (CyAnimator calls them frames) of Cytoscape networks. For example, the first frame might be of a network shown from a ”zoomed out” viewpoint and the second frame might focus on a specific group of nodes. Once these two frames are captured by the tool, it can animate between them by interpolating the changes in location, zoom, node color, node size, edge thickness, presence or absence of annotations, etc. The animations may be saved as a series of individual frames, animated GIFs, or H.264/MP4 movies.

CyAnimator is available from within the Cytoscape App Manager or from the Cytoscape app store.