bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of knowledge management on service innovation in academic libraries
Authors: Islam Md Anwarul , Agarwal Naresh Kumar , Ikeda Mitsuru
Published: June 2017

Effective management of all knowledge in an organization is a key criterion for innovation. Academic libraries are beginning to realize the importance of knowledge management in this regard. However, there are no quantitative studies studying knowledge management and service innovation in the context of libraries. Islam, Agarwal and Ikeda arrived at a framework for knowledge management for service innovation in academic libraries (KMSIL). Through a survey of 107 librarians from 39 countries, this study investigates the effect of knowledge management (and knowledge management cycle phases) on service innovation. The study found that knowledge capture/creation and knowledge application/use both significantly impact service innovation in academic libraries. The effect of knowledge/sharing and transfer on innovation was found to be insignificant. The study also demonstrated the relationship between the knowledge management phases. The findings support the KMSIL framework. They should help academic libraries in the process of service innovation by utilizing phases of the knowledge management cycle.
Defending the Victim of Sexual Harassment
Authors: Galdi Silvia , Maass Anne , Cadinu Mara
Published: June 2017

Objectifying media may promote sexual harassment, including harassment proclivity and harassment conduct. In the current study, we showed that objectifying media affected people’s intervention when they witnessed a harassment episode. After exposure to objectifying TV or to a control video, Italian participants ( N = 126) took part in what they believed to be an employment interview that occurred by computer chat between a male interviewer and a female job applicant; participants could intervene at any time in the conversation. Participants exposed to the objectifying TV (vs. control) video were less likely to intervene and took more time before intervening in the interview in which the interviewer engaged in harassing behavior. They also reported perceiving harassment at a later stage in the interview. We discuss the role of media in creating a normative context that condones harassing behavior, and we suggest potential training programs to increase bystanders’ intervention when sexual harassment occurs.
The ‘assolutamente improfanabile’ software
Authors: Poier Salvatore
Published: June 2017

In this essay, I intend to focus on De Certeau’s ideas of use as consumption, as well as his theory of play, and then to place them both in conversation with Agamben’s conception of the ‘ assolutamente improfanabile’ (hereafter ‘AI’) – the absolute impossibility of profaning. I intend to apply De Certeau’s and Agamben’s ideas to an exploration of some recent trends in the high tech market regarding the creation of goods (not commodities) to which the notion of ‘AI’ may be particularly salient. I hope to show, in contrast to Agamben’s overall deeply disillusioned analyses of late capitalism, that in such a market populated by various forms of ‘AI’ there are indeed new resources for resistance and nodes of creativity, as high tech consumers play with, and thus reconceptualize, both products and their use in terms helpfully articulated by De Certeau.
Beyond Heidegger
Authors: Cooper Andrew
Published: June 2017

Heidegger’s blatant anti-Semitism in the recently published volumes of the Black Notebooks has led several philosophers to question the future of Heidegger scholarship. In this article I suggest that the publication of the Notebooks indeed provides a deeper understanding of Heidegger’s entanglement with National Socialism. Yet rather than viewing this entanglement as cause to reject his work, I examine how it might help us to define philosophy’s role in the project of building a society in which Nazism is impossible. Through reference to Heidegger’s public voice during the years covered by the first three volumes of the Black Notebooks I identify a paradox in his thought: Heidegger powerfully diagnoses modernity’s penchant to encase the natural and social orders in a determinate ontology, and yet his diagnosis introduces a new kind of determination that actively sides with totalitarianism. By representing the political sphere as the site of ontological movement, Heidegger opens us to the fluidity of politics only to obfuscate the priority of action. Through attending to this paradox I argue that the way of thinking capable of responding to the problems of modern politics cannot be ontological but must be political – with others.
Influence of Chemotherapy Within 30 Days Before ICU Admission on Mortality in Critically Ill Medical Patients With Cancer
Authors: Calderón-Pelayo Ricardo , León Pilar , Monedero Pablo , Calderón-Breñosa Pilar , Vives Marc , Panadero Alfredo
Published: June 2017

Background:

The main objective was to determine whether the administration of chemotherapy (CT) during the month before intensive care unit (ICU) admission of medical patients with cancer influences the survival rate. The design was a single-institution observational cohort study in an ICU of a tertiary university hospital.

Methods:

Our cohort included 248 oncology patients admitted to the ICU from 2005 to 2014 due to nonsurgical problems. Seventy-six (30.6%) patients had received CT in the month before admission (CT group) and 172 did not receive CT (control group). The main outcome measures were ICU, hospital, 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortalities. We performed survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier estimator, comparing both groups using the log-rank test, and multivariate analysis using Cox regression adjusted for gender, age, maximum Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and delta maximum SOFA to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and their respective 95% confidence intervals. This association was also evaluated by a graphic representation of survival.

Results:

The CT group presented an ICU mortality rate of 27.6% versus 25.5% in the control group. The multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, and delta maximum SOFA showed significant differences between the groups (HR: 2.12; P = .009). The hospital mortality rate was 55.3% in the CT group compared to 45.4% in the control group (adjusted HR: 1.81; P = .003). At 30 days, the mortality rate was 56.6% in the CT group compared to 46.5% in the control group (adjusted HR: 1.69; P = .008). Mortality at 90 days was 65.8% in the CT group versus 59.9% in the control group (adjusted HR: 1.47; P = .03). One-year mortality was also higher in the CT group (79% vs 72.7%, adjusted HR: 1.44; P = .02).

Conclusion:

The administration of CT in the month before ICU admission in patients with cancer was associated with higher mortality in the ICU, in the hospital, and 30 and 90 days after admission when adjusted for the increase in organ failure measured by delta maximum SOFA. We provide useful new information for decision-making about ICU management of patients with cancer.
Attitudes and Expectations in the Intergenerational Transmission of Breastfeeding: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Rodriguez Vazquez Rocío , Losa-Iglesias Marta Elena , Corral-Liria Inmaculada , Jiménez-Fernández Raquel , Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo Ricardo
Published: June 2017

Background:

The socially constructed meanings of breastfeeding that have been passed from generation to generation by grandmothers produce continuities and discontinuities in the practices of breastfeeding.

Research aim:

The aim of this study is to explore the objectives and positioning of women today with respect to their role as future grandmothers, based on their experiences with breastfeeding. That is, what role do future grandmothers wish to have in the lives of their breastfeeding daughters and grandchildren?

Methods:

A qualitative study with interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted based on the philosophy of Martin Heidegger, using a sample of unstructured interviews from 20 women in Madrid. The data were analyzed using the steps of interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results:

Among the women who desired to have a supportive role for their future breastfeeding daughters and daughters-in-law, three emergent themes were identified that aimed at being supportive but remaining flexible and respecting their autonomy: “I’ll give you what I didn’t have,” “the well-being of my daughter/daughter-in-law,” and “seeking professional help.” Two additional themes were identified that show the desire of these women to be present during this stage of family development and the lifecycle: “my role in the family” and “continuing to share.”

Conclusion:

Future grandmothers desire to be involved in their daughters and daughters-in-law breastfeeding experience through flexibility and support and with the use of specialized and personalized professional help. In addition, future grandmothers desire to be valued and included in the vital process of breastfeeding.
Heuristics for practitioners of policy design: Rules-of-thumb for structuring unstructured problems
Authors: Hoppe Robert
Published: June 2017

This article is an attempt to bridge the divide between academics and practitioners. Informed by both design theory and the reality of policy work, its focus is on ‘problems’. From a practitioners’ perspective, policy design is both an intellectual and political process, an inevitable oscillation between ‘puzzling’ and ‘powering’, in which ‘messy’ or unstructured problems are re-structured from problems as webs of ‘undesirable situations’ to problems as specific, time-and-space bound ‘opportunities for improvement’. This requires a questioning habitus in practitioners of policy design. Using a socio-cognitive theory of problem processing, this paper shows how policy design is an iterative process of problem sensing, problem categorization, problem decomposition and problem definition. For each of these stages, appropriate rules-of-thumb for questioning and answering can be suggested that induce thought habits and styles for responsive and solid policy designs.
Developing a model for analysis of the cooling loads of a hybrid electric vehicle by using co-simulations of verified submodels
Authors: Shojaei Sina , McGordon Andrew , Robinson Simon , Marco James , Jennings Paul
Published: June 2017

The requirement for including the air-conditioning and the battery-cooling loads within the energy efficiency analyses of a hybrid electric vehicle is widely recognized and has promoted system-level simulations and integrated modelling, escalating the challenge of balancing the accuracy and the speed of simulations. In this paper, a hybrid electric vehicle model is created through co-simulation of the passenger cabin, the air conditioning, the battery cooling, and the powertrai. Calibration and verification of the submodels help determine their accuracy in representing the target vehicle and achieve a balance between the model fidelity and the simulation speed. The result is a model which has a higher accuracy and a higher speed than those of similar models developed previously and which provides a reliable tool for a thorough investigation of the cooling loads for different ambient conditions and different duty cycles.
The effects of late intake valve closing and different cam profiles on the in-cylinder flow field and the combustion characteristics of a compression ignition engine
Authors: Kim Jaeheun , Park Stephen Sungsan , Bae Choongsik
Published: June 2017

The effects of the late-intake-valve-closing strategy and the different types of cam profile were observed in a single-cylinder compression ignition research engine. Experiments were carried out with two engine loads in naturally aspirated conditions. The late-intake-valve-closing strategy exhibited an improvement in the conventional trade-off between the nitrogen oxide emissions and the smoke emissions, as stated in other relevant work. However, it was found to be effective only for the premise that a sufficiently high mass of oxygen is trapped inside the cylinder, which ensured that the smoke emissions did not deteriorate with exhaust gas recirculation. This improvement in the trade-off decreased when the global air excess ratio inside the cylinder reached close to unity. The major disadvantages of the late-intake-valve-closing strategy included deterioration in the indicated mean effective pressure and the reduced mass of oxygen trapped inside the cylinder. The decrease in the indicated mean effective pressure was attributed to the reduction in the effective compression ratio followed by the reduction in the thermal efficiency in terms of the thermodynamics. The volumetric efficiency decreased owing to the backflow of the in-cylinder charge into the intake manifold. This implied that intake boosting was necessary not only to recover the efficiency to the original level but also to extend the engine load with a sufficient amount of air. The manipulation of cam profiles yielded further improvement in the trade-off relationship between the nitrogen oxide emissions and the smoke emissions. The flow field measurements obtained using particle image velocimetry and direct imaging of the combustion of the fuel spray demonstrated that the asymmetric cam profile effectively increased the swirl ratio inside the cylinder. Further improvement in the trade-off relationship between the nitrogen oxide emissions and the smoke emissions was realized because of this increased swirl intensity, which provided a better environment for air utilization. The smoke emissions were suppressed without a significant increase in the nitrogen oxide emissions.
Syphilis gastritis: a case report
Authors: Lai Kuan , Pinto-Sander Nicolas , Richardson Daniel , Wei Shanshan , Zeng Kang
Published: June 2017

Awareness of the spectrum of clinical manifestations of syphilis, especially uncommon changes, is essential for diagnosis and effective management of patients. A 48-year-old Han businessman presented to the ear, nose and throat surgeons with an eight-week history of epigastric pain, a four-week history of a widespread non-itchy rash including the scrotal skin and a one-week history of tinnitus and dizziness. On examination, he was afebrile with widespread lymphadenopathy and a maculopapular rash affecting his trunk and scrotum. His abdomen was soft but tender in the epigastrium. The Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay result was positive, and the rapid plasma reagin was 1:2. Gastroscopy showed ulcers in the gastric antrum and pylorus. Histopathological examination of gastric mucosa lesions showed a large amount of lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate detected in the lamina propria of the gastric mucosa. The T. pallidum Liferiver real time polymerase chain reaction kit assay performed on specimens from skin lesions and gastric mucosal tissue were positive. The patient was treated with intravenous sodium penicillin followed by intramuscular benzathine penicillin. On the fourth day of the treatment, the rash, epigastric pain and lymphadenopathy subsided. Two weeks after treatment, the tinnitus alleviated and vertigo disappeared.
Should Governments Invest More in Nudging?
Authors: Benartzi Shlomo , Beshears John , Milkman Katherine L. , Sunstein Cass R. , Thaler Richard H. , Shankar Maya , Tucker-Ray Will , Congdon William J. , Galing Steven
Published: June 2017

Governments are increasingly adopting behavioral science techniques for changing individual behavior in pursuit of policy objectives. The types of “nudge” interventions that governments are now adopting alter people’s decisions without coercion or significant changes to economic incentives. We calculated ratios of impact to cost for nudge interventions and for traditional policy tools, such as tax incentives and other financial inducements, and we found that nudge interventions often compare favorably with traditional interventions. We conclude that nudging is a valuable approach that should be used more often in conjunction with traditional policies, but more calculations are needed to determine the relative effectiveness of nudging.
High-resolution melting analysis of gyrA codon 84 and grlA codon 80 mutations conferring resistance to fluoroquinolones in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates from canine clinical samples
Authors: Loiacono Monica , Martino Piera A. , Albonico Francesca , Dell’Orco Francesca , Ferretti Manuela , Zanzani Sergio , Mortarino Michele
Published: June 2017

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an opportunistic pathogen of dogs and cats. A high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) protocol was designed and tested on 42 clinical isolates with known fluoroquinolone (FQ) susceptibility and gyrA codon 84 and grlA codon 80 mutation status. The HRMA approach was able to discriminate between FQ-sensitive and FQ-resistant strains and confirmed previous reports that the main mutation site associated with FQ resistance in S. pseudintermedius is located at position 251 (Ser84Leu) of gyrA. Routine, HRMA-based FQ susceptibility profiles may be a valuable tool to guide therapy. The FQ resistance-predictive power of the assay should be tested in a significantly larger number of isolates.
Detection of canine adenovirus 1 in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Germany with a TaqMan real-time PCR assay
Authors: Hechinger Silke , Scheffold Svenja , Hamann Hans-Peter , Zschöck Michael
Published: June 2017

We developed a real-time (rt)PCR assay based on TaqMan probe technology for the specific detection of canine adenovirus 1 (CAdV-1). The assay is able to detect three 50% tissue culture infectious dose/mL in CAdV-1–containing cell culture supernatant. Viral genomes were not amplified of canine adenovirus 2 or of several bovine, porcine, and avian adenoviruses. In silico analysis provided no indication of amplification of other heterologous genomes. The sensitivity of the real-time assay exceeded that of a conventional gel-based CAdV-1 PCR by a factor of 100. Following the integration of the novel PCR into the Hessian wildlife-monitoring program, CAdV-1 DNA was detected in none of the tested raccoons ( n = 48) but in 11 of 97 foxes.
Cracks with interfacial bonds in perforated heat-releasing nuclear fuel
Authors: Mirsalimov Vagif M
Published: June 2017

We consider a fracture mechanics problem for heat-releasing isotropic material weakened by a doubly periodic system of identical cylindrical channels of circular cross section. It is considered that as the intensity of heat release increases in the material, its elastic properties become temperature dependent and failure of the material occurs. It is accepted that rectilinear cracks with bonds between the faces at the end zones originate from the surface of holes. The condition of limit equilibrium of a crack with end zone is formulated with regard to criterion of ultimate stretching of material’s bonds.
Development of product platforms: Theory and methodology
Authors: Johannesson Hans , Landahl Jonas , Levandowski Christoffer , Raudberget Dag
Published: June 2017

There is a trend toward increased customization of goods to satisfy a wide range of customers using product platforms. However, there is an erroneous notion that product platforms can only be used to provide economic viability in production thanks to the reuse of physical components among a family of products. Yet, this is a limited perception of the potential of a product platform. In this article, an object-oriented approach to support the development of product platforms is proposed to increase efficiency through reuse and flexibility of designs among a family of products. Two modes of the platform development process are addressed: platform preparation and platform execution. Platform preparation prescribes the methods needed to model platform objects, using enhanced function-means models and set-based concurrent engineering processes. During the platform execution process, sets of design alternatives can be configured concurrently throughout the conceptual, system, and detailed phases of the platform development. Three cases illustrate how the same approach may be used in different design scenarios: design space exploration and extension, supply-chain collaboration, and configure-to-order. The approach supports system architects and design engineers in making design decisions that propel the platform development work by enabling analysis in stages where designs are immature and evaluating the goodness of the alternatives early. Ultimately, product platforms can be efficiently developed for modularity and scalability to find feasible product variants and meet the needs of a multitude of customers.
Xanthomatous Posttraumatic Fibro-Osseous Lesion of the Rib: A Rare and Underrecognized Entity. Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Nassereddine Hussein , Larousserie Frédérique , Campagna Raphaël , Castier Yves , Couvelard Anne , Choudat Laurence , Sannier Aurélie
Published: June 2017

Posttraumatic fibro-osseous lesion (PTFOL) is a rare lesion that typically affects the ribs and is probably a posttraumatic reactive process. Because PTFOL is often misdiagnosed as fibrous dysplasia, osteoid osteoma, benign fibrous histiocytoma or rib metastases, chest wall resection, leading to a significant morbidity, is the main treatment modality. We report the case of a 30-year-old male patient with no history of previous trauma presenting with chest pain. Computed tomography scan showed an eighth left rib well-defined ovoid and hypodense lesion with circumferential sclerotic margin and no cortical breakthrough. Posterolateral thoracotomy was performed and a histological diagnosis of xanthomatous posttraumatic fibro-osseous lesion of the rib was made. PTFOL is a benign lesion that should be recognized to avoid unnecessary surgical treatment and complications. We provide a summary of clinical, histopathological, and radiological aspects of PTFOL and discuss differential diagnoses.
Ethanol and the Developing Brain: Inhibition of Neuronal Activity and Neuroapoptosis
Authors: Lotfullina Nailya , Khazipov Roustem
Published: June 2017

Ethanol induces massive neuroapoptosis in the developing brain. One of the main hypotheses that has been put forward to explain the deleterious actions of ethanol in the immature brain involves an inhibition of neuronal activity. Here, we review recent evidence for this hypothesis obtained in the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus of neonatal rodents. In both structures, ethanol strongly inhibits brain activity. At the doses inducing massive neuroapoptosis, ethanol completely suppresses the early activity patterns of spindle-bursts and gamma oscillations in the neocortex and the early sharp-waves in the hippocampus. The inhibitory effects of ethanol decrease with age and in adult animals, ethanol only mildly depresses neuronal firing and induces delta-wave activity. Suppression of cortical activity in neonatal animals likely involves inhibition of the myoclonic twitches, an important physiological trigger for the early activity bursts, and inhibition of the thalamocortical and intracortical circuits through a potentiation of GABAergic transmission and an inhibition of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, that is in keeping with the neuroapoptotic effects of other agents acting on GABA and NMDA receptors. These findings provide support for the hypothesis that the ethanol-induced inhibition of cortical activity is an important pathophysiological mechanism underlying massive neuroapoptosis induced by ethanol in the developing brain.
Fear of the Fear of the Flu: Assumptions About Media Effects in the 2009 Pandemic
Authors: Bjørkdahl Kristian , Carlsen Benedicte
Published: June 2017

In this article, we present a qualitative study of the Norwegian print news coverage of the 2009 pandemic. In initial research, we found fear to be a notable aspect of the coverage. In studying a relevant subsample in-depth, we discovered that, although there was no sound basis on which to make conclusions about what effects the coverage was having on the public, various actors—including media themselves—came on the mediated scene to express fears that it would create fear and panic. We argue that the mediation of the pandemic can hence be seen as a peculiar case of the “third person effect,” that is, the phenomenon that people tend to believe that other people are more severely influenced by the mass media than what they believe themselves to be. This, we suggest, has some implications for how we think about communication in future pandemics and other crises.
Achieving and Sustaining Evidence-Informed Policy Making: Effective Communication and Collaboration Can Go a Long Way
Authors: Warira Diana , Mueni Eunice , Gay Elizabeth , Lee Marlene
Published: June 2017

Increasingly, decision makers are recognizing the value of evidence in formulating sound and sustainable policies. More researchers have also become concerned with ensuring that their evidence reaches policy makers. It is emerging that researchers and policy makers do not speak to each other as much as they should. This commentary shares examples of how population researchers and communications experts have collaborated to overcome the research-to-policy gap and to connect policy makers with research evidence.
Scientific Publication for Nonnative English Speakers: A Retrospective of a Workshop in Brazil
Authors: Fradkin Chris
Published: June 2017

While English is the language of science, for many scientists it is a foreign language. Such is the case in South America, where Portuguese and Spanish are spoken. In this commentary, the author shares the experience of presenting a workshop on “English-Language Publication for Nonnative English Speakers,” at a scientific conference in Brazil. Issues of translation and “lost science” are addressed. For the author, this experience raised awareness of the challenges nonnative English scholars have in disseminating their science to an English-language market. Recommendations are offered, with the hopes of building bridges to connect the lingua franca and the non–English-speaking worlds.
Rape Aggression Defense: Unique Self-Efficacy Benefits for Survivors of Sexual Trauma
Authors: Pinciotti Caitlin M. , Orcutt Holly K.
Published: June 2017

Self-defense training is consistently linked to psychological benefits for survivors of sexual trauma, yet little is known about how training may uniquely benefit survivors compared with their nonsurvivor peers enrolled in the same course. Path analysis was used to examine how history of sexual trauma impacts pre- and post-training scores on three domains of self-efficacy using a national sample of Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) participants. All participants reported significant increases in self-efficacy domains, and sexual trauma history significantly predicted pre-training interpersonal self-efficacy and post-training self-defense self-efficacy, suggesting that self-defense training confers benefits for survivors above and beyond benefits for other participants.
Evaluation of a Web-Based Training in Smoking Cessation Counseling Targeting U.S. Eye-Care Professionals
Authors: Asfar Taghrid , Lee David J. , Lam Byron L. , Murchison Ann P. , Mayro Eileen L. , Owsley Cynthia , McGwin Gerald , Gower Emily W. , Friedman David S. , Saaddine Jinan
Published: June 2017

Background. Smoking causes blindness-related diseases. Eye-care providers are uniquely positioned to help their patients quit smoking. Aims. Using a pre-/postevaluation design, this study evaluated a web-based training in smoking cessation counseling targeting eye-care providers. Method. The training was developed based on the 3A1R protocol: “Ask about smoking, Advise to quit, Assess willingness to quit, and Refer to tobacco quitlines,” and made available in the form of a web-based video presentation. Providers ( n = 654) at four academic centers were invited to participate. Participants completed pretraining, posttraining, and 3-month follow-up surveys. Main outcomes were self-reported improvement in their motivation, confidence, and counseling practices at 3-month follow-up. Generalized linear mixed models for two time-points (pretraining and 3-month) were conducted for these outcomes. Results. A total of 113 providers (54.0% males) participated in the study (17.7% response rate). At the 3-month evaluation, 9.8% of participants reported improvement in their motivation. With respect to the 3A1R, 8% reported improvement in their confidence for Ask, 15.5% for Advise, 28.6% for Assess, and 37.8% for Refer. Similarly, 25.5% reported improvement in their practices for Ask, 25.5% for Advise, 37.2% for Assess, and 39.4% for Refer to tobacco quitlines ( p < .001 for all except for Refer confidence p = .05). Discussion. Although participation rate was low, the program effectively improved providers’ smoking cessation counseling practices. Conclusions. Including training in smoking cessation counseling in ophthalmology curriculums, and integrating the 3A1R protocol into the electronic medical records systems in eye-care settings, might promote smoking cessation practices in these settings.
Why Do Promising Therapies Stall in Development and How Can We Move Them Forward?
Authors: Wegner Craig D. , Goodwin Andrew , Cook Jon C. , Allamneni Krishna , Sohn Jane , McVean Maralee
Published: June 2017

There are many reasons that molecules fail to progress to market and various principles of risk–benefit decisions that can help drive the molecule through development. This symposium included discussions on global strategies involved in pushing promising molecules to market, what to do when a molecule stalls in its progress to market, and options for rescuing the molecule and pushing it forward again. Innovative partnerships that bring stalled drugs back into clinical development were also addressed. A regulatory perspective on common reasons for a molecule to fail in its forward progress was presented. In addition, situations arise when a third-party advisory committee can provide input to help overcome issues identified by a regulatory agency. Using examples from the private and public domain, presentations centered on how to repurpose a molecule and when more science is needed.
Assessment of Dithiocarbamate Residues on Tomatoes Conventionally Grown in Uganda and the Effect of Simple Washing to Reduce Exposure Risk to Consumers
Authors: Atuhaire Aggrey , Kaye Emmanuel , Mutambuze Innocent Louis , Matthews Graham , Friedrich Theodor , Jørs Erik
Published: June 2017

Pesticide misuse by farmers poses health risks to consumers. This study assessed the level of dithiocarbamate residues in tomatoes acquired from 20 farmers and 25 market vendors in Wakiso District, how simple washing affects these residues, and the potential chronic health risk for Ugandans eating such tomatoes. Results revealed that mancozeb was the only reported dithiocarbamate, and 47.4% and 14% of farm and market samples, respectively, had dithiocarbamate residues exceeding the Codex alimentarius maximum residue limit of 2 mgCS2/kg. Mixing concentration had a positive significant effect on dithiocarbamate residue levels ( P = 0.004). Washing reduced dithiocarbamate residues by a factor of 0.3. Dietary risk assessment revealed no chronic health risk to both children and general population when a national daily per capita consumption of 1.0 g is considered. This study recommends comprehensive research into Uganda’s food production and consumption patterns and establishment of a national pesticide residue surveillance program.
Characteristics of Pesticide Poisoning in Rural and Urban Settings in Uganda
Authors: Pedersen Bastian , Ssemugabo Charles , Nabankema Victoria , Jørs Erik
Published: June 2017

Pesticide poisoning is a significant burden on health care systems in many low-income countries. This study evaluates cases of registered pesticide poisonings treated in selected rural (N = 101) and urban (N = 212) health facilities in Uganda from January 2010 to August 2016. In the urban setting, pesticides were the most prevalent single poison responsible for intoxications (N = 212 [28.8%]). Self-harm constituted a significantly higher proportion of the total number of poisonings in urban (63.3%) compared with rural areas (25.6%) where unintentional poisonings prevailed. Men were older than women and represented a majority of around 60% of the cases in both the urban and rural settings. Unintentional cases were almost the only ones seen below the age of 10, whereas self-harm dominated among adolescents and young persons from 10 to 29 years of age. Organophosphorus insecticides accounted for 73.0% of the poisonings. Urban hospitals provided a more intensive treatment and had registered fever complications than rural health care settings. To minimize self-harm with pesticides, a restriction of pesticide availability as shown to be effective in other low-income countries is recommended. Training of health care workers in proper diagnosis and treatment of poisonings and improved equipment in the health care settings should be strengthened.
Kaposi Sarcoma Associated With Iatrogenic Immunosuppression: A Rare Complication of Bullous Pemphigoid Treatment
Authors: Tremblay Catherine , Friedmann Dominique
Published: June 2017

Background:

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune bullous disease requiring immunosuppressive therapy. Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is an angioproliferative tumor associated with the opportunistic viral infection human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8). It is a well-known condition associated with longstanding human immunodeficiency virus infection, but it may also occur in the context of iatrogenic immunosuppression.

Objective:

Although a rare complication, all dermatologists dealing with immunosuppressors must be aware and have a high index of suspicion when a patient presents with rapidly progressive violaceous papules.

Methods and Results:

We describe an Italian male patient treated for bullous pemphigoid with topical and systemic corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) who developed multifocal cutaneous KS after a few months of therapy.

Conclusion:

To our knowledge, KS onset associated with MMF and corticosteroids intake for BP treatment has not been reported previously. KS associated with iatrogenic immunosuppression can have an aggressive course, and it must be promptly recognised since cessation of immunosuppression therapy can lead to complete resolution. Immune restoration is the key to control this viral infection.
Asserting Journalistic Autonomy in the ‘Post-truth’ Era of ‘Alternative Facts’: Lessons from Reporting on the Orations of a Populist Leader
Authors: Romano Angela
Published: June 2017

A current challenge for journalists is how to report on post-truth political discourse in an era when the statements of populist leaders are increasingly characterized by emotionalism, out-of-context use of verifiable facts, euphemisms and double speak. A case study of the much-reported maiden speech by populist leader Pauline Hanson to the Australian Senate in 2016 is used to identify trends and patterns in stories that resulted from her oration. The case study findings were used to distil nine recommendations for journalists about how to research and report on statements by high-profile political and opinion leaders who peddle suspected alternative facts and post-truth logic. The findings indicate a need for journalists to reassert their autonomy over storytelling agendas through decoding post-truth discourse to identify underlying news issues, then applying rigour in certain fundamentals of fact checking, information sourcing, framing and backgrounding of stories. The case study findings have international relevance because the politics and media-management strategies of Hanson and her One Nation party replicate those of populist opinion leaders in the United States, United Kingdom and many other countries.
Who controls sport news? Media relations and information subsidies in Australian sport media
Authors: Sherwood Merryn , Nicholson Matthew
Published: June 2017

Anecdotal evidence suggests that sport organisations in Australia have taken significant control of the news agenda through the employment of media-relations managers, who deliver regular, routinised information subsidies – such as media releases and media conferences. This article explored the impact of these subsidies on the news through a survey (n = 123) and interviews (n = 37) with media-relations staff employed in Australian sport organisations. It found that the scheduling of media conferences and the selection of sources to appear at these conferences is highly strategic and routinised within professional sport organisations, with little apparent input from sport journalists. This has the potential to lead to further criticisms of sport journalism, which has long been labelled the ‘toy department’ of the newsroom.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and its promotion and protection of the right to freedom from discrimination
Authors: Mujuzi Jamil Ddamulira
Published: June 2017

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Commission, was established by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Charter, with the mandate to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa. The right to freedom from discrimination is one of the rights provided for in the African Charter. In this article, the author examines the individual communications, state party reports, concluding observations of the African Commission on state party reports and the resolutions passed by the African Commission to highlight the ways in which the African Commission has promoted and protected the right to freedom from discrimination.
The ironic gay spectator: The impacts of centring western subjects in international LGBT rights campaigns
Authors: Ní Mhaoileoin Niamh
Published: June 2017

With the theory of ‘ironic spectatorship’ (2013), Chouliaraki contends that the experience of the self, rather than the suffering of the other, is at the heart of solidarity campaigns today. Through that lens, this article critiques the centring of the western gay subject in international queer advocacy, using the vilification of Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law as a case study. Through analysis of Stephen Fry’s documentary Out There, and a variety of human rights literature, I conclude that this tendency, as well as being ethically violent, tangibly undermines efforts to achieve queer empowerment.
Linguistic and reading comprehension in simultaneous dual language instruction: Evidence against unitary constructs
Authors: Savage Robert , Pace Adriana
Published: June 2017

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions:

This paper describes a study investigating the relationships between reading and listening comprehension in a simultaneous dual language instruction context. We explored whether listening and reading comprehension are unitary constructs across the first language (L1) and the second language (L2).

Design/Methodology/Approach:

Listening comprehension and reading comprehension measures were administered twice over a school year in English and French.

Data and Analysis:

Stepwise regression analyses were undertaken with 206 typical children in grade 4 classrooms in French Immersion programs.

Findings/Conclusions:

Analyses showed listening comprehension in the L1 and listening comprehension in the L2 both independently predicted reading comprehension concurrently. Reading comprehension in the L1 and reading comprehension in the L2 both predicted reading comprehension in the L1 and L2 longitudinally and symmetrically within, as well as across, home language groups.

Originality and Significance/Implications:

Findings suggest that listening comprehension and reading comprehension are not unitary constructs and possibly suggest synergistic recruitment of distinct L1 and L2 listening comprehension and reading comprehension resources in dual language comprehension, as suggested by the Development Interdependence Hypothesis. Both dual language policy and school-based practices might be enhanced through collaborative planning and activities that support this natural interdependence of component reading processes across languages, while also being aware that language comprehension abilities may not be at comparable levels across L1s and L2s by grade 4 in immersion contexts.
Aesthetic perception of a small office with different daylighting systems
Authors: Moscoso Claudia , Matusiak Barbara
Published: June 2017

The quality of a lit environment cannot be deduced solely from the quantity of light. Therefore, daylighting studies should not only be focused on the usage of lighting metrics but should also consider the aesthetic experience. This paper examines the influence of daylighting systems on the aesthetic perception of a small office. One single side lit office was equipped with four different daylighting systems (white blinds, high-reflecting blinds, hybrid light shelf and mirror light shelf) under two sky conditions (clear sky and overcast sky). In total, eight stimuli were captured and presented via stereoscopic images. Fifty participants evaluated the images using the semantic differential scale to rate nine architectural quality attributes. The results from MANOVA indicated that both the daylighting systems and the type of sky had an effect on the aesthetic attributes, and that the significant interaction effect suggested that the aesthetic perception of a daylighting system depends on the type of sky. Subsequent statistical findings showed that the high-reflecting blinds comprised the daylighting system that scored highest in nearly all attributes under both clear and overcast sky conditions.
Thermal comfort analysis of Indian subjects in multi-storeyed apartments: An adaptive approach in composite climate
Authors: Singh Shailza , Chani Prabhjot Singh
Published: June 2017

This paper investigated the effects of gender, age, seasonal differences and exposure of occupants to heat absorbed in the roof, on their thermal responses in naturally ventilated apartments. A simple linear regression was conducted to estimate the comfort temperatures and comfort range of the surveyed subjects. A year-round study, involving over 55 apartments and 71 subjects, had collated a data-set of 852 in total. The findings revealed that females are more sensitive to the environmental changes as compared to the male subjects, although both categories have shown a negligible difference in the neutral temperatures. Similarly, the elderly were found to have a narrow comfort range and high thermal sensitivity. The slope of the regression (indicating the thermal sensitivity) was observed to be higher in the summer (0.23/℃) and monsoon period (0.31/℃) and lower in the winter period (0.15/℃). The exposure to temperature near the roof was shown to have exhibited some significant impact on the thermal perception of occupants.
Development policy in social housing allocation: Fuel poverty potential risk index
Authors: Pérez-Fargallo Alexis , Rubio-Bellido Carlos , Pulido-Arcas Jesús A , Trebilcock Maureen
Published: June 2017

Fuel poverty is commonly associated with fuel price, energy consumption, income and building features to maintain comfortable conditions. Most studies are based on existing conditions with future macro level predictions. Therefore, there are a lack of micro scale policies and further in-depth research is needed based on the multivariable complexity of social justice. In this context, public housing policies have a challenge in order to meet not only the right to housing but also an affordable and comfortable use. The intention of this research is to develop an index to help the decision-making process in the early stages of social housing allocation. The analyses were based on the applicability of adaptive comfort, urban context and building features, considering energy use and the ability to pay utility bills. By means of these factors, the FP potential risk was set as crucial in public building sector decision-making and housing allocation. Methodologies based on dynamic simulations and current adaptive comfort standards were applied to social housing in the Central-South of Chile. Results reveal that within the urban context, energy consumption differs significantly due to boundary conditions, with fuel poverty potential risk index being an effective index to allocate appropriate housing for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable segments of society.
Family support and child protection approaches. Historicising perspectives on contemporary discourses of social work
Authors: Verhallen Tessa , Hall Christopher J , Slembrouck Stef
Published: June 2017

This paper examines the impact of two prevailing and seemingly opposed ideologies in child welfare in Western societies over the last century (‘family support’ and ‘child protection’) on social work practice. It scrutinises social work practice in two cases of Dutch-Curaçaoan single-mother families experiencing multiple problems. An ethnographic approach was chosen to study the two families in depth. It shows that, although the cases share many characteristics and circumstances, the social work outcomes diverge. This suggests there is a thin dividing line between support and protection. We argue that the interrelationships between the two base categories and social work practice can be better understood through a historicizing conceptualization of discourses. We suggest that an ethnographic enquiry is suitable for grasping the processual dimensions of social work practice with families as it leads to a more in-depth understanding of, paraphrasing Foucault: the historical interweaving of relations of discourse, of power, of everyday life and of truth.
The importance of critical judgment in uncertain disciplines: A comparative case study of undergraduate fine art visual practice
Authors: Belluigi Dina Zoe
Published: June 2017

Criticality is an important means to negotiate uncertainty, which has become a characteristic of teaching and learning conditions in postmodern times. This paper draws from an empirical comparative case study conducted in the uncertain discipline of fine art visual practice, where critical judgement and meta-cognition are important for professional contemporary art practice. Charting the curricula intended by staff and the culture experienced by students, the paper considers the relation between the espoused theory of criticality in two art schools and their theory-in-use within assessment structures and cultures. Emphasis is placed on the significance of such approaches to criticality for the student experience and their learning engagement. Emerging discourses of ‘subjectivity’ and a lack of development of student meta-cognition indicated that, at an undergraduate level of study, the curricula of these cases are unwittingly underpreparing their graduates for operating with agential criticality as they enter the uncertain context of contemporary art.