bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Agonist Pioglitazone on Peripheral Vessel Function and Clinical Parameters in Nondiabetic Patients: A Double-Center, Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
Authors: Christoph Marian , Herold Joerg , Berg-Holldack Anna , Rauwolf Thomas , Ziemssen Tjalf , Schmeisser Alexander , Weinert Sönke , Ebner Bernd , Ibrahim Karim , Strasser Ruth H. , Braun-Dullaeus Ruediger C.
Published: May 2015

Objective: Despite the advanced therapy with statins, antithrombotics, and antihypertensive agents, the medical treatment of atherosclerotic disease is less than optimal. Therefore, additional therapeutic antiatherosclerotic options are desirable. This pilot study was performed to assess the potential antiatherogenic effect of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist pioglitazone in nondiabetic patients. Methods: A total of 54 nondiabetic patients were observed in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were randomized to pioglitazone or placebo. The following efficacy parameters were determined by serial analyses: artery pulse wave analysis and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), static and dynamic retinal vessel function, and the common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). The main secondary endpoint was the change in different biochemical markers. Results: After 9 months, no relevant differences could be determined in the two treatment groups in PWV (pioglitazone 14.3 ± 4.4 m/s vs. placebo 14.2 ± 4.2 m/s), retinal arterial diameter (pioglitazone 112.1 ± 23.3 µm vs. placebo 117.9 ± 21.5 µm) or IMT (pioglitazone 0.85 ± 0.30 mm vs. placebo 0.79 ± 0.15 mm). Additionally, there were no differences in the change in biochemical markers like cholesteryl ester transfer protein, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein or white blood cell count. Conclusions: Treatment with a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist in nondiabetic patients did not improve the function of large and small peripheral vessels (PPP Trial, clinicaltrialsregister.eu: 2006-000186-11).
Cardiac Rehabilitation after an Acute Coronary Syndrome: The Impact in Elderly Patients
Authors: Rodrigues Patrícia , Santos Mário , Sousa Maria João , Brochado Bruno , Anjo Diana , Barreira Ana , Preza-Fernandes José , Palma Paulo , Viamonte Sofia , Torres Severo
Published: May 2015

Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to decrease mortality and morbidity, improve the control of risk factors and the quality of life of patients with coronary artery disease. However, the elderly are underrepresented in most studies and in real-life CR programs. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of CR after an acute coronary syndrome in the elderly population. Methods: A cutoff of 65 years was used to dichotomize age. Our main focus was on the effects of ambulatory supervised exercise training on several surrogate markers, namely total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, probrain natriuretic peptide, International Physical Activity Questionnaire score, maximal exercise capacity, chronotropic response index and heart rate recovery. We evaluated those variables at the beginning and at the end of phase II of the CR program (after 3 months) and repeated the treadmill test at 12 months. Results: A total of 548 patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome were enrolled; 37% were 65 years old or older. Both age groups had a statistically significant improvement in all the evaluated parameters. Interestingly, at 12 months both groups maintained the improvement in functional capacity seen immediately after 3 months. Conclusions: The benefits of CR in terms of functional capacity, metabolic profile and other prognostic parameters were significant in both younger and older patients. Therefore, all eligible patients should be referred to CR programs, irrespective of age.
Hypertension Suppression, Not a Cumulative Thrust of Quantitative Trait Loci, Predisposes Blood Pressure Homeostasis to Normotension
Authors: Crespo Kimberley , Ménard Annie , Deng Alan Y.
Published: May 2015

Background—

Genetics of high blood pressure (BP) has revealed causes of hypertension. The cause of normotension, however, is poorly understood. Inbred Lewis rats sustain normotension despite a genetic push in altering BP. It was unknown whether this rigid resistance to BP changes is because of an insufficient hypertensive impact from limited alleles of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) or because of an existence of a master control superseding the combined strength of hypertensive QTL alleles.

Methods and Results—

Currently, BP-elevating QTL alleles from hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats (DSS) replaced those of Lewis on chromosomes 7, 8, 10, and 17 on the Lewis background. These hypertensive QTL alleles were then merged to systematically achieve multiple combinations. Results showed that there was no quantitative correlation between BP variations and the number of hypertensive QTL alleles, and that BP was only slightly elevated from a combined force of normotensive alleles from 7 QTLs. Thus, a genetic factor aside from the known QTLs seemed to be at play in preserving normotension and act as a hypertension suppressor. A follow-up study using consecutive backcrosses from Dahl salt-sensitive rats and Lewis identified a chromosome segment where a hypertension suppressor might reside.

Conclusions—

Our results provide the first evidence that normotension is not enacted via a numeric advantage of BP-lowering QTL alleles, and instead can be achieved by a particular genetic component actively suppressing hypertensive QTL alleles. The identification of this hypertension suppressor could result in formulating unique diagnostic and therapeutic targets, and above all, preventive measures against essential hypertension.
Deficiency of MMP17/MT4-MMP Proteolytic Activity Predisposes to Aortic Aneurysm in Mice
Authors: Martín-Alonso Mara , García-Redondo Ana B. , Guo Dongchuan , Camafeita Emilio , Martínez Fernando , Alfranca Arántzazu , Méndez-Barbero Nerea , Pollán Ángela , Sánchez-Camacho Cristina , Denhardt David T. , Seiki Motoharu , Vázquez Jesús , Salaices Mercedes , Redondo Juan Miguel , Milewicz Dianna , Arroyo Alicia G.
Published: May 2015

Rationale:

Aortic dissection or rupture resulting from aneurysm causes 1% to 2% of deaths in developed countries. These disorders are associated with mutations in genes that affect vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation and contractility or extracellular matrix composition and assembly. However, as many as 75% of patients with a family history of aortic aneurysms do not have an identified genetic syndrome.

Objective:

To determine the role of the protease MMP17/MT4-MMP in the arterial wall and its possible relevance in human aortic pathology.

Methods and Results:

Screening of patients with inherited thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections identified a missense mutation (R373H) in the
MMP17
gene that prevented the expression of the protease in human transfected cells. Using a loss-of-function genetic mouse model, we demonstrated that the lack of Mmp17 resulted in the presence of dysfunctional vascular smooth muscle cells and altered extracellular matrix in the vessel wall; and it led to increased susceptibility to angiotensin-II–induced thoracic aortic aneurysm. We also showed that Mmp17-mediated osteopontin cleavage regulated vascular smooth muscle cell maturation via c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling during aorta wall development. Some features of the arterial phenotype were prevented by re-expression of catalytically active Mmp17 or the N-terminal osteopontin fragment in Mmp17-null neonates.

Conclusions:

Mmp17 proteolytic activity regulates vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype in the arterial vessel wall, and its absence predisposes to thoracic aortic aneurysm in mice. The rescue of part of the vessel-wall phenotype by a lentiviral strategy opens avenues for therapeutic intervention in these life-threatening disorders.
Involvement of Bone Marrow Cells and Neuroinflammation in Hypertension
Authors: Santisteban Monica M. , Ahmari Niousha , Carvajal Jessica Marulanda , Zingler Michael B. , Qi Yanfei , Kim Seungbum , Joseph Jessica , Garcia-Pereira Fernando , Johnson Richard D. , Shenoy Vinayak , Raizada Mohan K. , Zubcevic Jasenka
Published: May 2015

Rationale:

Microglial activation in autonomic brain regions is a hallmark of neuroinflammation in neurogenic hypertension. Despite evidence that an impaired sympathetic nerve activity supplying the bone marrow (BM) increases inflammatory cells and decreases angiogenic cells, little is known about the reciprocal impact of BM-derived inflammatory cells on neuroinflammation in hypertension.

Objective:

To test the hypothesis that proinflammatory BM cells from hypertensive animals contribute to neuroinflammation and hypertension via a brain–BM interaction.

Methods and Results:

After BM ablation in spontaneously hypertensive rats, and reconstitution with normotensive Wistar Kyoto rat BM, the resultant chimeric spontaneously hypertensive rats displayed significant reduction in mean arterial pressure associated with attenuation of both central and peripheral inflammation. In contrast, an elevated mean arterial pressure along with increased central and peripheral inflammation was observed in chimeric Wistar-Kyoto rats reconstituted with spontaneously hypertensive rat BM. Oral treatment with minocycline, an inhibitor of microglial activation, attenuated hypertension in both the spontaneously hypertensive rats and the chronic angiotensin II–infused rats. This was accompanied by decreased sympathetic drive and inflammation. Furthermore, in chronic angiotensin II–infused rats, minocycline prevented extravasation of BM-derived cells to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, presumably via a mechanism of decreased C-C chemokine ligand 2 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Conclusions:

The BM contributes to hypertension by increasing peripheral inflammatory cells and their extravasation into the brain. Minocycline is an effective therapy to modify neurogenic components of hypertension. These observations support the hypothesis that BM-derived cells are involved in neuroinflammation, and targeting them may be an innovative strategy for neurogenic resistant hypertension therapy.
Change in Intra-Abdominal Fat Predicts the Risk of Hypertension in Japanese Americans
Authors: Sullivan Catherine A. , Kahn Steven E. , Fujimoto Wilfred Y. , Hayashi Tomoshige , Leonetti Donna L. , Boyko Edward J.
Published: May 2015

In Japanese Americans, intra-abdominal fat area measured by computed tomography is positively associated with the prevalence and incidence of hypertension. Evidence in other populations suggests that other fat areas may be protective. We sought to determine whether a change in specific fat depots predicts the development of hypertension. We prospectively followed up 286 subjects (mean age, 49.5 years; 50.4% men) from the Japanese American Community Diabetes Study for 10 years. At baseline, subjects did not have hypertension (defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg) and were not taking blood pressure or glucose-lowering medications. Mid-thigh subcutaneous fat area, abdominal subcutaneous fat area, and intra-abdominal fat area were directly measured by computed tomography at baseline and 5 years. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds of incident hypertension over 10 years in relation to a 5-year change in fat area. The relative odds of developing hypertension for a 5-year increase in intra-abdominal fat was 1.74 (95% confidence interval, 1.28–2.37), after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, baseline intra-abdominal fat, alcohol use, smoking status, and weekly exercise energy expenditure. This relationship remained significant when adjusted for baseline fasting insulin and 2-hour glucose levels or for diabetes mellitus and pre–diabetes mellitus classification. There were no significant associations between baseline and change in thigh or abdominal subcutaneous fat areas and incident hypertension. In conclusion, in this cohort of Japanese Americans, the risk of developing hypertension is related to the accumulation of intra-abdominal fat rather than the accrual of subcutaneous fat in either the thigh or the abdominal areas.
Youth Ministry Creating Ecclesial Space
Authors: Scanlan Mark
Published: May 2015

By outlining the origins of ‘Urban Saints’ youth ministry and through comparing this with the emerging ecclesiology of ‘New Contextual Churches’ this paper proposes that work with young people creates space into which the church can grow. The potential of a pilgrim ecclesiology is noted as way of moving towards an ecclesiological framework for this. Finally, through reflection on data from extended case studies of two current Urban Saints groups, the way in which youth ministry is still moving into new space is demonstrated. The paper concludes by suggesting that creating ecclesial space is one way of understanding the relationship between youth ministry and the church.
Youth Ministry: About Youth?
Authors: van Dijk-Groeneboer Monique C.H.
Published: May 2015

Values, religion and institutional commitment of young people are changing in a secularised country such as the Netherlands. Different types of young people can be defined, based on their ways of belonging and on their measure of belief, i.e.: to what extent are they connected to a religious institute and to what extent are they actively involved with religion in forming their identity? Youth ministry can be geared towards different types of youth, when realising that not only the ‘Fortissimos’ are to be inspired. This article presents conducted research on the values and religion of young people, as well as an example of youth ministry in the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands.
Dynamic Linkage between Cold Air Outbreaks and Intensity Variations of the Meridional Mass Circulation
Authors: Yu Yueyue , Ren Rongcai , Cai Ming
Published: May 2015

This study investigates the dynamical linkage between the meridional mass circulation and cold air outbreaks using the ERA-Interim data covering the period 1979–2011. It is found that the onset date of continental-scale cold air outbreaks coincides well with the peak time of stronger meridional mass circulation events, when the net mass transport across 60°N in the warm or cold air branch exceeds ~88 × 109 kg s−1. During weaker mass circulation events when the net mass transport across 60°N is below ~71.6 × 109 kg s−1, most areas of the midlatitudes are generally in mild conditions except the northern part of western Europe. Composite patterns of circulation anomalies during stronger mass circulation events greatly resemble that of the winter mean, with the two main routes of anomalous cold air outbreaks being along the climatological routes of polar cold air: namely, via East Asia and North America. The Siberian high shifts westward during stronger mass circulation events, opening up a third route of cold air outbreaks through eastern Europe, where lies the poleward warm air route in the winter-mean condition. The strengthening of the Icelandic low and Azores high during stronger mass circulation events acts to close off the climatological-mean cold air route via western Europe; this is responsible for the comparatively normal temperature there. The composite pattern for weaker mass circulation events is generally reversed, where the weakening of the Icelandic low and Azores high, corresponding to the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), leads to the reopening and strengthening of the equatorward cold air route through western Europe, which is responsible for the cold anomalies there.
Decadal Characterization of Indo-Pacific Ocean Subsurface Temperature Modes in SODA Reanalysis
Authors: Vargas-Hernández J. Mauro , Wijffels Susan E. , Meyers Gary , Belo do Couto André , Holbrook Neil J.
Published: May 2015

Studies of decadal-to-multidecadal ocean subsurface temperature variability are fundamental to improving the understanding of low-frequency climate signals. The present study uses the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) version 2.2.4 product for the period 1950–2007 to identify decadal modes of variability that characterize the upper Indo-Pacific Ocean temperature structure (5–466-m depth). An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the 10-yr low-pass filtered temperature field applied across four depths shows that the dominant mode is characterized by a long-term temperature trend, with warming at the surface and cooling at the thermocline depth connecting the tropical western Pacific with the southern Indian Ocean via the Indonesian Seas. EOF analysis of the detrended 10-yr filtered temperature data and correlation analyses of the EOF time series with established large-scale climate indices identified the interdecadal Pacific oscillation as EOF1, the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation as EOF2, and the decadal component of El Niño Modoki as EOF3 (respectively, modes 2, 3, and 4 of the nondetrended data). EOF2 identifies the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation when the analysis is applied to sea surface temperature anomalies only, suggesting that the surface is forced dominantly by fluxes associated with global-scale weather patterns, while the subsurface is dominantly forced by internal dynamics of the Pacific Ocean. This paper demonstrates that the decadal-to-interdecadal temperature variability in SODA has a pronounced vertical extension through the upper ocean. The upper thermocline accounts for most of the variance in the analysis. These results reinforce the importance of examining the subsurface ocean in climate dynamics studies that seek to understand the ocean’s role.
Detection of the Presence of Tornadoes at the Center of Mesocyclones Using Simulated Doppler Velocity Measurements
Authors: Brown Rodger A. , Wood Vincent T.
Published: May 2015

Simulations were conducted to investigate the detection of the Doppler velocity tornado signature (TS) and tornadic vortex signature (TVS) when a tornado is located at the center of the parent mesocyclone. Whether the signature is a TS or TVS depends on whether the tornado’s core diameter is greater than or less than the radar’s effective beamwidth, respectively. The investigation included three radar effective beamwidths, two mesocyclones, and six different-sized tornadoes, each of which had 10 different maximum tangential velocities assigned to it to represent a variety of strengths. The concentric tornadoes and mesocyclones were positioned 10–150 km from the radar. The results indicate that 1) azimuthal shear at the center of the mesocyclone increases as the associated tornado gains strength before a TS or TVS appears, 2) smaller tornadoes need to be much stronger than larger tornadoes at a given range for a signature to appear within the mesocyclone, and 3) when the tornado diameter is wider than about one-quarter of the mesocyclone diameter, the TS or TVS associated with a given mesocyclone appears when the tornado has attained about the same strength regardless of range.
Small-Fiber Neuropathy
Authors: Körei A. E. , Istenes I. , Papanas N. , Kempler P.
Published: May 2015

Damage of small nerve fibers may lead to a large variety of clinical symptoms. Small-fiber neuropathy underlies the symptoms of painful diabetic neuropathy, which may decrease quality of life. It also contributes to the poor prognosis of diabetic neuropathy because it plays a key role in the pathogenesis of foot ulceration and autonomic neuropathy. Impairment of small nerve fibers is considered the earliest alteration in the course of diabetic neuropathy. Therefore, assessment of functional and morphological abnormalities of small nerve fibers may enable timely diagnosis. The definition, symptoms, and clinical significance of small-fiber neuropathy are considered in the present review. An apparently more complex interaction between small-fiber impairment and microcirculation is extensively discussed. Diagnostic modalities include morphometric and functional methods. Corneal confocal microscopy and punch skin biopsy are considered gold standards, but noninvasive functional tests are also diagnostically useful. However, in routine clinical practice, small-fiber neuropathy is diagnosed by its typical clinical presentation. Finally, prompt treatment should be initiated following diagnosis.
An Anatomy of the Canonization of Asadian Genealogy
Authors: Laughlin Jack C. , Zathureczky Kornel
Published: May 2015

The critique of dominant discourses in the study of religion now stands at the forefront of discussions about theory and method. But we have come to a point where this challenge to orthodoxy “has assumed an increasingly rigid and canonical shape.” Ironically, this has resulted in the ossification of the object of critique, “the modern conception of religion.” The consequence has been multiple reiterations of the claim that there was no such thing as religion before moderns invented it, and the surveillance of scholarship of the ancient world to purge it of the use of religion as a descriptive category. Brent Nongbri’s Before Religion: A History of a Modern Concept is an example of this process and it is used in this article as a case study that examines the anatomy of the rise of a new normativity. The article challenges both Nongbri’s essentialized dichotomy between ancient and modern and his near canonization of recent theory (especially that of Asad) in the study of religion. Instead, it is proposed that fostering critical awareness within the discipline is achieved by moving beyond today’s deconstructivist trends.
A Majuscule Lectionary Manuscript of John’s Gospel at the University of Edinburgh
Authors: Cole Zachary J. , Hixson Elijah
Published: May 2015

This article publishes for the first time an 11th-century Greek lectionary manuscript housed at the University of Edinburgh Library. Written in archaic majuscule script and exquisite calligraphy, this manuscript is surely a treasure in the University’s possession even if it is not well known. Offered here is a physical description of the item, a transcription and English translation of its text, and a discussion of the manuscript’s significance as a millennium-old artifact of Christian worship.
Weeping, Warning, and Woe in Revelation 18: The Role of Lament in Establishing Collective Responsibility and Enabling Collective Repentance
Authors: Moloney Katherine
Published: May 2015

The Western world stood aghast in the wake of the factory collapse in Bangladesh, which cost the lives of over a thousand garment workers. The serious and systematic human and labour rights abuses, which mar the clothing industry, present a challenge to the church—how are we to respond? Employing Revelation 18 as a typological framework, this paper examines the role of lament (vv. 1–8) in ascribing collective responsibility and advancing collective repentance. In so doing, it seeks to determine an appropriate biblical and theological response to social sin while offering practical ministry strategies to redress the exploitation of workers in the textile industry. The paper concludes by recognising that the prophetic announcement of woe and judgement (vv. 9–24) affirms Christ’s championing of restorative justice.
Helping the novel: Neoliberalism, self-help, and the narrating of the self in Mohsin Hamid’s How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
Authors: Poon Angelia
Published: May 2015

Self-help books sell the myth of self-determinism, empowerment and the eternal hope of reinvention, reasons no doubt for their enormous popularity. In this article, I examine Pakistani-born Mohsin Hamid’s latest novel, How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013) which, with its catchy, hyperbolic title signalling its masquerade as a self-help book, openly and ironically advertises itself as a satire. The object of the novel’s satire is the capitalist, neoliberal notion of the self that is predicated on an overweening sense of control and complete agency. Neoliberal subjectivity endorses the care and transformation of the self in order to take best advantage of a market economy, since the means to achieving material affluence is seen simply as a matter of individual choice and personal will. In the novel, Hamid brings into productive tension the conventions and assumptions of the self-help genre with those of the more traditional realist novel in order to interrogate not just the neoliberal self but the very ways in which the self is narrated and constructed. Engaging in particular with the affordances of technology in his novel as a thematic, Hamid appropriates the vantage points and perspectival positions made possible by modern technology to undermine the solipsistic self of the self-help book. He further exploits the narrative energies of the novel form to foreground a sense of historical contingency to lay bare various modes of self-constitution and self-narration. Through his use of metatextual narrative strategies, Hamid raises fundamental questions about the genre of the novel itself and the ways in which it is intimately invested in the insinuation of the development of a self. These questions, I argue, ultimately underline his affirmation of the novel’s important place and the ethical role it can play at this contemporary moment of late and global capitalism.
Damping properties and micro-morphology of textile waste rubber powder-AO 2246 composites
Authors: Sheng Jiang , Limei Ji
Published: May 2015

A series of TWRP-AO 2246 composites consisting of textile waste rubber powder (TWRP), 2, 2-methylene-bis-(4-methyl-6-tert-butyl-phenol) (AO 2246) was fabricated. The damping property of composites was tested by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMA); the morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); the composites’ structure was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was investigated. DMA results showed that TWRP-AO 2246 composites appeared in only one damping peak when AO 2246 content was less than 30%, and the tan δ peak value as well as its corresponding temperature increased gradually with increasing AO 2246 content. However, a novel damping peak appeared far away the glass-transition temperature peak of composite with 40% AO 2246 concentration, and a great damping platform was constructed between double peaks with a wide temperature range spanning more than 100℃, which is attributed to the dissociation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds in AO 2246 enriched phase and thus realized phase separation. Meanwhile, the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the composite was confirmed by FTIR. Thus, a new type of high performance damping composite with TWRP as a matrix was developed.
The Adolescent Female Changing Voice
Authors: Sweet Bridget
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the experience of female voice change from the perspective of female middle and high school choral students. The study was guided by two questions: How do adolescent female choir students experience voice change? What is the essence of the experience of voice change for middle school and high school females in choir? “Co-researchers” included two students in Grades 6 through 12 (14 students total) at the Durham School of the Arts in Durham, North Carolina; the female singers demonstrated a variety of voice change characteristics, from vocal breathiness to limited vocal range. Data collected in November, January, and April included written responses to an open set of questions that were discussed thoroughly during a corresponding interview. Analysis revealed three core themes: (a) Phonation Experiences, (b) Emotional Experiences, and (c) Contexts of Singing. The essence of the experience of female voice change was that vulnerability and fear of embarrassment determined all use of the females’ singing voices, resulting in risk assessment for each singing situation and setting.
The reporting of clinical signs in laboratory animals
Authors: Fentener van Vlissingen JM , Borrens M , Girod A , Lelovas P , Morrison F , Torres Y Saavedra
Published: May 2015

Observing and reporting clinical signs in laboratory animals is necessary for many reasons: the assessment of animal welfare, compliance with the principle of refinement (e.g. humane endpoints), regulatory compliance (e.g. reporting severity) and, importantly, as a scientific outcome, e.g. in animal models of disease or safety studies. Developments in the reporting of clinical signs will enhance the scientific value gained from animal experiments and further address the ethical cost. This paper discusses systematic approaches to the observation and reporting of clinical signs in animals (to be) used for research. Glossaries from public and corporate institutions have been consulted and a reference glossary has been set up, providing terminology to be tailored for institutional or project-specific use. The clinical examination of animals must be carried out by competent and specifically trained staff in a systematic way and repeated at adequate intervals and clinical observations must be registered effectively to allow this information to be used. The development of institutional or project-specific glossaries and the use of handwritten records or automated databases are discussed in detail. Among the users are animal care staff, veterinarians and researchers who will need to agree on a given set of clinical signs to be monitored routinely or as a scientific read-out and to train for the proper application. The paper introduces a long list of clinical signs with scientific terminology, descriptions and explanations as a reference glossary to be published and maintained online as a living document supported by the authors as an editorial committee.
Displaying Sara Baartman, the ‘Hottentot Venus’
Authors: Qureshi Sadiah
Published: May 2015

Parties of Twelve and upwards, may be accommodated with a Private Exhibition of the HOTTENTOT, at No. 225 Piccadilly, between Seven and Eight o'Clock in the Evening, by giving notice to the Door-Keeper the Day previous. A woman will attend (if required).
The relationship between worldview, self-efficacy, psychological distress, and a health-promoting lifestyle among a South African undergraduate university sample
Authors: Fincham Susanna Magrieta , Roomaney Rizwana , Kagee Ashraf
Published: May 2015

This study examined the relationship between worldview, self-efficacy, psychological distress, and health-promoting lifestyle among an undergraduate South African student sample. We recruited a sample of 211 participants who responded to an online questionnaire consisting of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Inventory, the Organicism-Mechanism Lifestyle Profile, the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, and checklists on nutrition, exercise, and alcohol use self-efficacy, gender, and place of residence. The data were analysed using SPSS 18.0. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the linear combination of demographic variables, worldview, self-efficacy, and psychological distress significantly explained a health-promoting lifestyle. We also found that psychological distress and nutrition and exercise self-efficacy were significantly associated with a health-promoting lifestyle.
On process monitoring using location control charts under different loss functions
Authors: Riaz Muhammad , Ali Sajid
Published: May 2015

Process monitoring is essential and plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of the output. For this purpose, many statistical tools are used in practice and the control chart is one of the most popular choices. Bayesian and classical set-ups are two major and popular categories for defining the design structures of different types of control charts. This study planned to investigate the Bayesian control charts under different loss functions to ensure an efficient monitoring of process parameters for quality control. The performance measures used in this study are average run length (ARL), relative ARL (RARL), extra quadratic loss (EQL) and performance comparison index (PCI). It has been observed that the application of Bayesian structure of process monitoring needs careful consideration in terms of prior distribution, sampling and posterior (predictive) distributions, and the choice of loss functions, in order to obtain reliable outcomes.
Narrative coherence of Mandarin-speaking children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: An investigation into causal relations
Authors: Sah Wen-hui , Torng Pao-chuan
Published: May 2015

Previous research has shown that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had difficulty integrating narrative information coherently. The majority of these studies focused on people narrating in English; however, little is known about the narrative abilities of Mandarin-speaking individuals with ASD. This study investigates the ability of Mandarin-speaking children with ASD to achieve narrative coherence. The data consist of narratives from 18 children with high-functioning ASD ( Mage: 8.23) and 18 typically developing children ( Mage: 7.03), matched on language and cognitive abilities. The narratives were elicited using Frog, where are you? Narrative coherence was assessed in terms of causal statements and causal networks. The results reveal no group differences in basic narrative measures or in overtly marked causal statements. The two groups of children were equally sensitive to the relative causal importance of story events. However, the narratives of children with ASD were less causally connected and less coherent. These findings are discussed with regard to their relationship to pragmatic deficits and the cognitive preference of children with ASD.
Weighting Components of a Composite Score Using Naïve Expert Judgments About Their Relative Importance
Authors: Baldwin Peter
Published: May 2015

A common problem that arises in testing—as well as other contexts such as candidate selection—is how to combine various scores into a weighted composite that reflects expert judgments about each component’s relative importance. For experts to provide nominal weights explicitly, they must fully account for the variances of the components, the covariances among components, and the reliability of each component. This task can be challenging, and in many cases, experts may have greater success making simple judgments about component importance without regard for the variances, covariances, and reliabilities. In this article, it is shown how to estimate the requisite nominal weights when only these kinds of naïve judgments are available, and the analytical solution is demonstrated with a small simulation study. Results from the simulation suggest that the proposed estimators could yield more valid composite scores in practice.
Non-participation in digital media: toward a framework of mediated political action
Authors: Casemajor Nathalie , Couture Stéphane , Delfin Mauricio , Goerzen Matthew , Delfanti Alessandro
Published: May 2015

This article explores the notion of digital non-participation as a form of mediated political action rather than as mere passivity. We generally conceive of participation in a positive sense, as a means for empowerment and a condition for democracy. However, participation is not the only way to achieve political goals in the digital sphere and can be hampered by the ‘dark sides’ of participatory media, such as surveillance or disempowering forms of interaction. In fact, practices aimed at abandoning or blocking participatory platforms can be seen as politically significant and relevant. We propose here to conceptualize these activities by developing a framework that includes both participation and non-participation. Focusing on the political dimensions of digital practices, we draw four categories: active participation, passive participation, active non-participation, and passive non-participation. This is not intended as a conclusive classification, but rather as a conceptual tool to understand the relational nature of participation and non-participation through digital media. The evolution of the technologies and practices that compose the digital sphere forces us to reconsider the concept of political participation itself.
24-month-olds use conceptual similarity to solve new problems after a delay
Authors: Hayne Harlene , Gross Julien
Published: May 2015

In this experiment, we used the deferred imitation paradigm to assess 24-month-olds’ ability to use conceptual similarity to solve new problems after a delay. Infants in the experimental condition participated in four sessions that were each separated by 24 h. In Session 1, the experimenter modeled three target actions using one set of stimuli and in Session 2, infants were tested with a novel set of stimuli that could be used to perform the same target actions. To emphasize the functional similarity of the two sets of stimuli, the experimenter provided the same unique verbal label for them during the demonstration (Session 1) and the test (Session 2). In Session 3, the experimenter modeled three new target actions with another new set of stimuli, and in Session 4, infants were tested with a novel set of stimuli that could be used to perform these same target actions. No verbal cues were provided during Sessions 3 and 4. Infants in the experimental condition exhibited excellent imitation during Session 4 even though they were tested with completely different stimuli in the absence of verbal cues. The performance of the control groups illustrated that imitation in Session 4 was not based on prior successful imitation alone or on exposure to multiple stimuli across successive sessions. Instead, we conclude that infants used the conceptual relation between the imitation problems as a basis of knowledge transfer.
Organizational Support Factors and Work–Family Outcomes: Exploring Gender Differences
Authors: Clark Malissa A. , Rudolph Cort W. , Zhdanova Ludmila , Michel Jesse S. , Baltes Boris B.
Published: May 2015

The present study examines the relationship between a variety of organizational support factors and work–family outcomes, as well as gender differences in these relationships. A random sample of 229 working adults completed phone surveys, and multiple regression analysis was used to test the proposed relationships. Results showed that certain types of support may differentially benefit women and men, highlighting the value of having a supervisor and organization supportive of work–family balance. For example, having a supportive work–family supervisor was related to lower negative work–family spillover and intent to quit for women, and higher job satisfaction for men. Telecommuting use, on the other hand, was more beneficial for men than women in our sample. Given these findings, organizations should be aware that certain forms of support—particularly supervisor work–family support—may benefit men and women through different mechanisms.
Are music students fit to play? A case study of health awareness and injury attitudes amongst tertiary student cellists
Authors: Rickert Dale L. L. , Barrett Margaret S. , Ackermann Bronwen J.
Published: May 2015

Injury risks associated with musical performance continue to be a serious problem for professional and student musicians. Much research has focused on the incidence and severity of these problems yet less information is available on the potential influence of health awareness and attitudes to injuries in these populations. This study aimed to investigate health awareness and attitudes to injury amongst Australian music students. Using a qualitative case study methodology, in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 11 student cellists. Further interviews were undertaken with 10 orchestral cellists and five orchestral management staff as a means of triangulating student data. All data were analysed using a “themes-based” analysis of narrative approach. Findings indicated that in comparison to professional cellists students demonstrated poor health awareness and behaviours such as playing through pain and inaction in response to injury. Analysis of the combined interview data (student, professional and management) suggest that there is poor health awareness and knowledge of injury prevention strategies at all levels of education and training. All three participant groups felt that changes needed to be made to current music education practices and that health education should be integrated into core curriculum.
Epilogue
Authors: Gasiorek Jessica
Published: May 2015

Using a language and social psychological approach, the articles in this special issue explore complex health communication issues from a variety of perspectives. Despite their considerable diversity, however, all these articles highlight the importance of two constructs that are often underappreciated in health communication research: identity and context. Across a range of domains, these studies consistently show how identity concerns can influence interaction, and how communication and language use can both shape and be shaped by context. If we want to successfully address the challenges we face in health care today, we need to look beyond individual actors and messages, and consider the environmental, social, and relational contexts in which they are situated, and the associated identities at play. These two themes, highlighted in these articles, point the way forward for health communication research.
The predictors of economic sophistication: Media, interpersonal communication and negative economic experiences
Authors: Kalogeropoulos Antonis , Albæk Erik , de Vreese Claes H , Van Dalen Arjen
Published: May 2015

In analogy to political sophistication, it is imperative that citizens have a certain level of economic sophistication, especially in times of heated debates about the economy. This study examines the impact of different influences (media, interpersonal communication and personal experiences) on learning effects about the economy. We conducted a national two-wave panel survey and a media content analysis in Denmark. Media effects were examined through integrating the results of the content analysis (in which articles were coded for the presence of the economic consequences frame) with the panel survey. Results showed that exposure to economic consequences frames in the media and interpersonal communication about the economy had a significant positive influence on learning about the economy. Having negative experiences with the economy exerts significant negative influence on learning. Interestingly, extensive interpersonal communication and negative experiences with the economy dampen media effects on learning about the economy. The study contributes to the literature on the cognitive effects of media and of interpersonal communication, as well as in media dependency theory.
Exploring the Divides Among Students, Educators, and Practitioners in the Use of Digital Media as a Pedagogical Tool
Authors: Duffy Katherine , Ney Jillian
Published: May 2015

Digital technologies pervade the higher education landscape as a way to build student engagement and enhance student learning and teaching. In practice, however, the ways in which these tools are implemented in marketing education appear to be ad hoc, rather than using a systematic approach to build engagement and provide students with the skill sets needed for 21st-century employment (including meta-skills, e.g., communication skills, critical thinking, technical skills in analytics, and understanding of connected consumer behavior). The research to date has built on the educator–student dyad. This article argues that an industry practitioner perspective also adds insight into how digital technology can rationally and purposefully be integrated into the marketing classroom. Using exploratory depth interviews with undergraduate students, educators, and industry practitioners, this article seeks to explore the emerging pedagogical challenges of representing these tripartite views in marketing module development and to provide recommendations for higher education institutions as to how best to do so.
Sarcocystis fayeri–Induced Granulomatous and Eosinophilic Myositis in 2 Related Horses
Authors: Herd H. R. , Sula M. M. , Starkey L. A. , Panciera R. J. , Johnson E. M. , Snider T. A. , Holbrook T. C.
Published: May 2015

This report describes 2 genetically related paint mares, case Nos. 1 and 2, presented to the Oklahoma State University Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for chronic weight loss and abnormal gait, respectively. Notable findings in both cases included marked persistent eosinophilia and multiple intramuscular lateral thoracic masses. Histologic examination of masses revealed eosinophilic, centrally necrotic granulomas and marked eosinophilic myositis. Granulomas in case No. 1 also contained intralesional Sarcocystis sp material, and adjacent muscle fibers contained intact protozoal cysts. Case No. 1 developed severe refractory muscle pain and recurrent esophageal dysphagia. At necropsy, disseminated, grossly visible granulomas were present throughout all examined striated muscles. Nested polymerase chain reaction of the 18S rRNA gene revealed >99% homology with Sarcocystis fayeri. Sarcocystis spp are apicomplexan protozoa that infect striated muscle of many omnivorous species, typically without inciting clinical disease. Sarcocystosis should be considered a rare cause of granulomatous eosinophilic myositis and choke in horses.
Residence Patterns and Demographic Constraints
Authors: Szołtysek Mikołaj
Published: May 2015

This article provides an account of how demographic conditions have shaped co-coresidence patterns in historic Eastern Europe. Census microdata from eighteenth-century Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine are confronted with the computer microsimulation of kin sets to show how the combined effects of fertility, marriage, and mortality influenced the availability of kin for coresidence. The enactment of demographic constraints on residential chances is illustrated by exploring two issues central to historical demographic interest: leaving home and intergenerational coresidence. This article closes with an agenda for comparative studies of historical household systems that takes demographic constraints on coresidence more seriously into account.
Altered activities of kininase II, an angiotensin converting enzyme, prekallikrein, and nitric oxide in Kuwaiti patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Sharma JN , Al-Shoumer KAS , Matar KM , Madathil NV , Al-Moalem AMK
Published: May 2015

The current investigation was conducted to examine kininase II or angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), plasma prekallikrein (PK), and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in healthy Kuwaiti subjects and newly diagnosed Kuwaiti type 2 diabetic patients before and after treatment for 6 weeks with metformin hydrochloride 500 mg twice daily after meal. With the consent of volunteers, blood and urine samples were collected after an overnight fasting. Samples were collected from the diabetic patients before and after treatment for 6 weeks. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was carried out on the aliquoted samples to measure the concentration of kininase II. NO was detected via colorimetry. Plasma Kininase II or ACE levels were significantly ( P <0.01) increased by 18% in untreated diabetics when compared with healthy volunteers. However, after treatment there was a significant decrease of 20% in their ACE levels. Plasma prekallikrein levels were raised significantly ( P <0.01) by 28% in diabetic patients in contrast with the control subjects and the levels were significantly reduced ( P <0.0001) by 44% after treatment with metformin hydrochloride. NO levels were found to be significantly decreased in plasma by 56% and in urine by 62% in untreated diabetic patients as compared with the healthy subjects. However, when the treated diabetic patients were compared with untreated diabetics, there was an increase of 50% in plasma and 37% in urine samples. The high levels of kininase II, prekallikrein, and reduced NO may be partly responsible for the induction of renal, cardiac, and hypertensive complications associated with type 2 diabetes. Reduced NO level is an indication of endothelial dysfunction resulting in increased blood pressure. Oral anti-diabetic treatment is associated with protective effects through the reduction of kininase II (ACE), prekallikrein, and elevation of NO levels.