bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Keeping Great Teachers: A Case Study on the Impact and Implementation of a Pilot Teacher Evaluation System
Authors: Robertson-Kraft Claire , Zhang Rosaline S.
Published: March 2016

A growing body of research examines the impact of recent teacher evaluation systems; however, we have limited knowledge on how these systems influence teacher retention. This study uses a mixed-methods design to examine teacher retention patterns during the pilot year of an evaluation system in an urban school district in Texas. We used difference-in-differences analysis to examine the impact of the new system on school-level teacher turnover and administered a teacher survey ( N = 1,301) to investigate individual and school-level factors influencing retention. This quantitative analysis was supplemented with interview data from two case study schools. Results suggest that, overall, the new evaluation system did not have a significant effect on teacher retention, but there was significant variation at the individual and school level. This study has important implications for policymakers developing new evaluation systems and researchers interested in evaluating their impact on retention.
The Role of School Context in Implementing a Statewide Anti-Bullying Policy and Protecting Students
Authors: Hall William J. , Chapman Mimi V.
Published: March 2016

Bullying is a significant problem in U.S. schools. Policies have been developed to reduce bullying, yet policy implementation by educators is an essential yet difficult and complex process. Few studies have investigated factors that act as barriers to or facilitators of bullying policy implementation and teacher protection of students. This study examined the influence of school context on educators’ capacity to implement a statewide bullying law and protect students from bullying following the enactment of the policy. Data were collected from 505 educators in 324 schools. School administrators tended to rate fidelity of policy implementation and teacher protection of students higher than teachers, education support professionals, and student service professionals. Policy implementation fidelity scores were higher in high schools than elementary schools. School size and the prevalence of student suspensions were inversely related to implementation fidelity. Higher levels of teacher protection were reported in elementary schools.
Children’s rights and violence: A case analysis at a Swedish boarding school
Authors: Francia Guadalupe , Edling Silvia
Published: March 2016

Drawing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the article highlights various conceptions of violence at a Swedish boarding school and is based on a critical discourse analysis of different educational and media documents. The investigation indicates that ambitions to protect children from violence need to overcome the dichotomy of private and public in order to protect children affected by violence in the borderland between the private and public spheres.
On the Necessity of Distinguishing Between Unintentional and Intentional Mind Wandering
Authors: Seli Paul , Risko Evan F. , Smilek Daniel
Published: March 2016

In recent years, there has been an enormous increase in the number of studies examining mind wandering. Although participants’ reports of mind wandering are often assumed to largely reflect spontaneous, unintentional thoughts, many researchers’ conceptualizations of mind wandering have left open the possibility that at least some of these reports reflect deliberate, intentional thought. Critically, however, in most investigations on the topic, researchers have not separately assessed each type of mind wandering; instead, they have measured mind wandering as a unitary construct, thereby conflating intentional and unintentional types. We report the first compelling evidence that an experimental manipulation can have qualitatively different effects on intentional and unintentional types of mind wandering. This result provides clear evidence that researchers interested in understanding mind wandering need to consider the distinction between unintentional and intentional occurrences of this phenomenon.
Study duration for three-arm non-inferiority survival trials designed for accrual by cohorts
Authors: Wu Ying , Li Yiqun , Hou Yan , Li Kang , Zhou Xiaohua
Published: March 2016

Study planning is particularly complex for survival trials because it usually involves an accrual period and a continued observation period after accrual closure. The three-arm clinical trial design, which includes a test treatment, an active reference, and a placebo control, is the gold standard design for the assessment of non-inferiority. The existing statistical methods of calculating minimal sample size for non-inferiority trials with three-arm design and survival-type endpoints cannot take into consideration the accrual rate of patients to the trial, the length of accrual period, the length of continued observation period after accrual closure, and unbalanced allocation of the total sample size. The purpose of this paper is to develop a statistical method, which allows for all these sources of variability for planning non-inferiority trials with the gold standard design for censored, exponentially distributed time-to-event data. The proposed method is based on the assumption of exponentially distributed failure times and a non-inferiority test formulated in terms of the retention of effect hypotheses. It can be used to calculate the duration of accrual required to assure a desired power for non-inferiority trials with active and placebo control. We illustrate the use of the method by considering a randomized, active- and placebo-controlled trial in depression associated with Parkinson’s disease. We then explore the validity of the proposed method by simulation studies. An R-language program for the implementation of the proposed algorithm is provided as supplementary material.
Modelling the distribution of health-related quality of life of advanced melanoma patients in a longitudinal multi-centre clinical trial using M-quantile random effects regression
Authors: Borgoni Riccardo , Del Bianco Paola , Salvati Nicola , Schmid Timo , Tzavidis Nikos
Published: March 2016

Health-related quality of life assessment is important in the clinical evaluation of patients with metastatic disease that may offer useful information in understanding the clinical effectiveness of a treatment. To assess if a set of explicative variables impacts on the health-related quality of life, regression models are routinely adopted. However, the interest of researchers may be focussed on modelling other parts (e.g. quantiles) of this conditional distribution. In this paper, we present an approach based on quantile and M-quantile regression to achieve this goal. We applied the methodologies to a prospective, randomized, multi-centre clinical trial. In order to take into account the hierarchical nature of the data we extended the M-quantile regression model to a three-level random effects specification and estimated it by maximum likelihood.
Methods for meta-analysis of pharmacodynamic dose–response data with application to multi-arm studies of alogliptin
Authors: Langford Oliver , Aronson Jeffrey K , van Valkenhoef Gert , Stevens Richard J
Published: March 2016

Standard methods for meta-analysis of dose–response data in epidemiology assume a model with a single scalar parameter, such as log-linear relationships between exposure and outcome; such models are implicitly unbounded. In contrast, in pharmacology, multi-parameter models, such as the widely used Emax model, are used to describe relationships that are bounded above and below. We propose methods for estimating the parameters of a dose–response model by meta-analysis of summary data from the results of randomized controlled trials of a drug, in which each trial uses multiple doses of the drug of interest (possibly including dose 0 or placebo). We assume that, for each randomized arm of each trial, the mean and standard error of a continuous response measure and the corresponding allocated dose are available. We consider weighted least squares fitting of the model to the mean and dose pairs from all arms of all studies, and a two-stage procedure in which scalar inverse-variance meta-analysis is performed at each dose, and the dose–response model is fitted to the results by weighted least squares. We then compare these with two further methods inspired by network meta-analysis that fit the model to the contrasts between doses. We illustrate the methods by estimating the parameters of the Emax model to a collection of multi-arm, multiple-dose, randomized controlled trials of alogliptin, a drug for the management of diabetes mellitus, and further examine the properties of the four methods with sensitivity analyses and a simulation study. We find that all four methods produce broadly comparable point estimates for the parameters of most interest, but a single-stage method based on contrasts between doses produces the most appropriate confidence intervals. Although simpler methods may have pragmatic advantages, such as the use of standard software for scalar meta-analysis, more sophisticated methods are nevertheless preferable for their advantages in estimation.
The impact of ethical climate types on nurses’ behaviors in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Dinc M Sait , Huric Alma
Published: March 2016

Background:

The performance of nurses has become vital in hospitals. Some studies have suggested that nurses’ perceptions of the ethical climate in their hospitals are related to higher job satisfaction and organizational commitment and in turn lessen the issue of nursing shortage.

Hypothesis:

(1) The ethical climate types “caring,” “independent,” “law and code,” and “rules” have a significant positive impact on overall job satisfaction. (2) The ethical climate types and overall job satisfaction have significant positive influences on normative and affective and significant negative influences on continuance commitment.

Research design:

The study uses path analysis to understand which types of ethical climate impact overall job satisfaction. It also tries to find the effect of different types of ethical climate and overall job satisfaction on the components of organizational commitment. The relationships between variables were evaluated using factor analysis, reliability, descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression in this study.

Participants and research context:

A total of 171 useful questionnaires were collected from nurses working in public and private hospitals in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ethical considerations:

Formal research approval was obtained from the administration of each study hospital. Questionnaires with a cover letter were mailed to the hospitals that agreed to participate in the study. In the cover letter, the researchers explained the study purpose, encouraged nurses’ voluntary participation, and guaranteed the anonymity of participants.

Findings:

In the first path analyses, “rules” and “caring” climates significantly and positively affected overall job satisfaction. In the second one, while overall job satisfaction and “rules” climate significantly influenced normative commitment, “caring” climate and overall job satisfaction significantly affected affective commitment.

Discussion:

The findings of the study have been convenient with the literature.

Conclusion:

Public and private hospitals can enhance overall job satisfaction and organizational commitment by altering the ethical climate of organizations. Hospital administrations should nurture caring and rule types of ethical climate which influence overall satisfaction. By this way, they could reduce nursing shortage.
Random vibration energy harvesting on thin plates using multiple piezopatches
Authors: Aridogan Ugur , Basdogan Ipek , Erturk Alper
Published: March 2016

Vibrational energy harvesting using piezoelectric cantilever beams has received significant attention over the past decade. When compared to piezoelectric cantilever-based harvesters, piezopatch energy harvesters integrated on plate-like thin structures can be a more efficient and compact option to supply electrical power for wireless structural health and condition monitoring systems. In this article, electroelastic modeling, analytical and numerical solutions, and experimental validations of piezopatch-based energy harvesting from stationary random vibrations of thin plates are presented. Electroelastic models for the series and parallel connected multiple piezopatches are given based on a distributed-parameter modeling approach for a thin host plate excited by a transverse point force. The analytical and numerical solutions for the mean power output and the mean-square shunted vibration response are then derived. The experimental measurements are carried out by employing a fully clamped thin plate with three piezopatches connected in series. It is shown that the analytical and numerical model predictions for the mean power output and the mean-square velocity response are in very good agreement with the experimental measurements. The electroelastic modeling framework and solution methods presented in this work can be used for design, performance analysis, and optimization of piezoelectric energy harvesting from stationary random vibration of thin plates.
An improved stiffness assessment of cracked steel beam and thick tube with a transverse crack
Authors: Dougdag Mourad , Mohammed Ouali , Nacim Mellel
Published: March 2016

For rotating machines maintenance and industrial inspection, cracking phenomena are unpredictable events, since the occurrence of a crack and its growth are unavoidable during the system time-life.

Current models for cracks behaviour in shafts or tubes were developed thanks to beams theory and finite element method. Even though the beam models are simplified, they provide acceptable results for most cases encountered in practice. The modelling of cracked beams and tubes is based on the addition of a local flexibility due to the crack to the intact structure. However, when the crack depth exceeds the beam’s radius, the models results diverge from experimental observations; in general, the models give a higher global rigidity and do not perform a complete assessment of the local flexibility of the tube. This is true in the particular case of thick tubes. As a result, the lifetime is underestimated.

Therefore, an investigation overview of the models behaviour origins demonstrates that the rigidity’s rise was unrealistic. The investigation shows that the generic models underestimate the effect of the section’s geometry change in stiffness’s computation, during the crack depth growing process.

The present paper proposes a new approach to improve these models’ accuracy. Therefore, some modification to the models has been performed in order to correct the beam’s model and to complete the assessment of the local flexibility calculations of the tube. Those modifications have been tested within the two beam models. The assessment of the updated models has shown good agreement for the stiffness even when the crack depth exceeded the beam’s radius.
A thermodynamically consistent continuum damage model taking into account the ideas of CL Chow
Authors: Brünig Michael
Published: March 2016

This paper deals with a thermodynamically consistent framework to model inelastic deformation behavior and evolution of anisotropic damage in ductile metals. The theory is based on the introduction of Helmholtz free energy functions formulated with respect to damaged and fictitious undamaged configurations. Plastic behavior is modeled with a yield condition and a flow rule. In a similar way, damage behavior is characterized by a damage condition and a damage rule, both depending on stress state to take into account different damage and failure mechanisms. The emphasis is on contributions of CL Chow in the field of damage mechanics, demonstrating their remarkable influence on the proposed phenomenological model.
Preferential Trade Agreements, Income Inequality, and Authoritarian Survival
Authors: Chang Eric C. C. , Wu Wen-Chin
Published: March 2016

This paper investigates the political and economic consequences of signing preferential trade agreements (PTAs) in authoritarian countries. Based on the Heckscher –Ohlin model of international trade and theories of inequality and regime transition, this paper argues that dictators sign PTAs as a means of consolidating their authoritarian rule. Specifically, PTAs help dictators reduce economic inequality by enriching poor laborers and thereby attenuating the threat of regime collapse. We support our theory with the data from seventy-odd authoritarian regimes from 1960 to 2006, and contribute to ongoing debates about the effects of both income inequality and economic globalization on autocratic resilience.
Strategy Textbooks and the Environment Construct
Authors: Barter Nick
Published: March 2016

A central claim within the sustainable development literature is that realizing sustainable outcomes requires a move away from a conceptualization of the environment as a separate, bounded, independently given entity. In this article, the conceptualization of the environment within best-selling strategy textbooks in the United Kingdom and Australia in 2011 is reviewed. The article focuses on strategy textbooks as it is argued that corporate strategists are key actors in the realization of sustainable outcomes, and that the constructs those individuals may learn from texts are potentially key to the realization of sustainable outcomes. The findings show that the constructs in the textbooks offer a sclerotic, dehumanized view of the environment that is partitioned into external and internal categories by an organizational boundary—a limitation, it is argued, that will not foster sustainable outcomes.
Psoronychomycosis
Authors: Vender Reid , Vender Ronald
Published: March 2016

Occasionally, psoriatic nail changes are seen in psoriatic patients. The prevalence of psoriasis of the nails has been reported to range from 15% to 79%. Even with effective systemic treatment for psoriasis, the nails may not improve, and these nails are considered nonresponsive psoriatic nails. Psoriatic nails are rarely investigated, and it is assumed that the nail changes are simply attributed to psoriasis because of their clinical similarity. Even patients with nails unresponsive to systemic treatment, or psoriasis treated topically or with phototherapy, onychomycosis is often forgotten, and patients may be left with both onychomycosis and psoriasis or onychomycosis alone. A retrospective chart review of 361 patients was carried out. The investigators report the prevalence of psoriasis and onychomycosis as less than 1%. A new term, “psoronychomycosis,” is suggested to denote the rare combination of psoriasis and onychomycosis.
Acral Hemorrhagic Darier’s Disease
Authors: Vender Reid , Vender Ronald
Published: March 2016

Background:

Darier’s disease is an autosomal-dominant inherited disorder with pathogenic changes of keratinization with various forms of cutaneous phenotypes. Rare forms of Darier’s disease are uncommonly seen.

Methods:

The investigators report the case of a 65-year-old woman who presented with hemorrhagic vesicles on the dorsum of her hands. She had no history of any previous skin disorder. There was no family history of any skin disorder.

Results:

A biopsy supported a diagnosis of acral hemorrhagic Darier’s disease. The patient was treated with topical retinoids, and her condition improved.

Conclusion:

Acral hemorrhagic Darier’s disease is rarely reported in the literature.
An uncommon first manifestation of multiple sclerosis: Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy
Authors: Midaglia Luciana , Juega Mariño Jesús M , Sastre-Garriga Jaume , Rovira Alex , Vidal-Jordana Angela , López-Pérez María A , Marzo-Sola María E , Librada Escribano Fausto , Montalban Xavier
Published: March 2016

Background:

Clinically isolated syndromes affecting the brainstem may present with rare manifestations such as neurogenic pulmonary oedema (NPO).

Objectives:

We present the case of a 23 year-old man with NPO caused by Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) as a first manifestation of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods and Results:

A brain magnetic resonance imaging scan at admission showed multiple supra and infratentorial white matter inflammatory demyelinating lesions. This examination was repeated 2 and 4 weeks after symptoms onset and active lesions showing contrast uptake were identified, two of them involving the pons and the medulla oblongata, probably affecting the solitary tract nucleus. Cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands were detected. The patient was treated with a 3-day course of 1g intravenous methylprednisolone presenting a significant and progressive improvement. The proposed underlying physiopathology is an excessive secretion of catecholamines resulting in myocardial stunning and ventricular failure. Two months later he developed optic neuritis and disease-modifying treatment was initiated.

Conclusions:

Clinicians should consider a possible neurological origin of TTC, and according to the clinical characteristics of the patient, MS may be suspected.
Feed-forward active contour analysis for improved brachial artery reactivity testing
Authors: Pugliese Daniel N , Sehgal Chandra M , Sultan Laith R , Reamer Courtney B , Mohler Emile R
Published: March 2016

The object of this study was to utilize a novel feed-forward active contour (FFAC) algorithm to find a reproducible technique for analysis of brachial artery reactivity. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is an important marker of vascular endothelial function but has not been adopted for widespread clinical use given its technical limitations, including inter-observer variability and differences in technique across clinical sites. We developed a novel FFAC algorithm with the goal of validating a more reliable standard. Forty-six healthy volunteers underwent FMD measurement according to the standard technique. Ultrasound videos lasting 5–10 seconds each were obtained pre-cuff inflation and at minutes 1 through 5 post-cuff deflation in longitudinal and transverse views. Automated segmentation using the FFAC algorithm with initial boundary definition from three different observers was used to analyze the images to measure diameter/cross-sectional area over the cardiac cycle. The %FMD was calculated for average, minimum, and maximum diameters/areas. Using the FFAC algorithm, the population-specific coefficient of variation (CV) at end-diastole was 3.24% for transverse compared to 9.96% for longitudinal measurements; the subject-specific CV was 15.03% compared to 57.41%, respectively. For longitudinal measurements made via the conventional method, the population-specific CV was 4.77% and subject-specific CV was 117.79%. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for transverse measurements was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95–0.98) compared to 0.90 (95% CI: 0.84–0.94) for longitudinal measurements with FFAC and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.51–0.84) for conventional measurements. In conclusion, transverse views using the novel FFAC method provide less inter-observer variability than traditional longitudinal views. Improved reproducibility may allow adoption of FMD testing in a clinical setting. The FFAC algorithm is a robust technique that should be evaluated further for its ability to replace the more limited conventional technique for measurement of FMD.
Attachment in eating-disordered outpatients with and without borderline personality disorder
Authors: Pace Cecilia Serena , Guiducci Valentina , Cavanna Donatella
Published: March 2016

This study aims at examining the attachment states of mind in 50 female outpatients with eating disorders compared with 50 matched control participants using the Adult Attachment Interview. Moreover, the differences in attachment states of mind among eating-disordered women with and without borderline personality disorders’ diagnosis were explored. The results showed an over-representation of insecure-dismissing and unresolved states of mind in clinical group compared to controls. Patients with both diagnosis showed higher scores on involving anger and unresolved loss compared with those with only eating disorder. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed.
Chronic pain in blunt chest wall trauma: A pilot study
Authors: Battle Ceri E , Young Katie , Evans Phillip A
Published: March 2016

Introduction

Blunt chest wall trauma is commonly recognised as a significant source of acute pain following injury but the longer term outcomes in this patient cohort are less well described. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the incidence of chronic pain in patients with isolated blunt chest wall trauma, with or without rib fractures.

Methods

A short survey was completed over the phone, or as a postal survey. The emergency department medical records and hospital database were used to obtain the demographic data, including patient age, pre-existing conditions, trauma sustained, hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, mechanical ventilation days and mortality. Patients’ demographics were analysed using descriptive statistics and Mann–Whitney U and Fisher’s exact tests for comparison of variables.

Results

A total of 100 patients were admitted to hospital with isolated blunt chest wall trauma in 2014, with 67 patients eligible for inclusion in the study; 40 patients responded to the survey (60% response rate). Chronic pain was reported in 14 (35%) patients with a median pain severity score of 6 out of 10 (IQR: 3–7). The only significant predictor of chronic pain was if the patient’s mechanism of injury was an assault.

Discussion

The results of this pilot study have demonstrated that a high percentage of isolated blunt chest wall trauma patients suffer chronic pain at six months or more post-injury. Assault was the only predictor of chronic pain. Further prospective studies are required to evaluate the long-term outcomes following blunt chest wall trauma.
The impact of a model-based clinical regional registry for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Zanetti Michele , Cartabia Massimo , Didoni Anna , Fortinguerra Filomena , Reale Laura , Mondini Matteo , Bonati Maurizio
Published: March 2016

This article describes the development and clinical impact of the Italian Regional ADHD Registry, aimed at collecting and monitoring diagnostic and therapeutic pathways of care for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder children and adolescents, launched by the Italian Lombardy Region in June 2011. In particular, the model-based software used to run the registry and manage clinical care data acquisition and monitoring, is described. This software was developed using the PROSAFE programme, which is already used for data collection in many Italian intensive care units, as a stand-alone interface case report form. The use of the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder regional registry led to an increase in the appropriateness of the clinical management of all patients included in the registry, proving to be an important instrument in ensuring an appropriate healthcare strategy for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Managing impressions online: Microblogs and the state media’s adaptation of online logics in China
Authors: Song Yunya , Chang Tsan-Kuo
Published: March 2016

This study tackled the remediated notion of consensus that the state-run media in China seek to reach with the online public through using Weibo – the Chinese equivalent of Twitter – as a platform for distribution and user interaction. The microblogs of three major state media outlets were sampled and the posts were categorized. All were found primarily to disseminate information and pronounce organizational opinions rather than promote their offline offerings. Against the backdrop of Goffman’s theory of region behavior, our analysis showed that the state media ritually embraced Weibo’s interactive technical features and selectively used netizens as information sources to distance themselves from their offline parents and to make audience visible on the front stage. Further analysis assessed whether these strategic efforts had been successful by examining how audience responsiveness correlates with a post’s content and format characteristics. Results suggested that audience participation does not necessarily translate into any gate-keeping power. The offline logic of Communist Party journalism appears to have been carried over to the new medium.
Multi-layered labor: Entrepreneurship and professional versatility in rock climbing
Authors: Dumont Guillaume
Published: March 2016

This article provides a detailed analysis of the labor of professional rock climbers. It focuses on a mode of multi-layered labor contrasting with the traditional allocation of tasks among workers, i.e. the division of labor. It is argued that, while multi-layered labor emerges in markets with low economic circulation and weak organization, it also reflects how professional versatility is at the heart of the mode of production of value in these labor markets. Indeed, producing value for climbing companies as a climber is anchored in a strong professional versatility. Based on multi-sites and digital fieldwork with professional rock climbers, media producers and the climbing industry, the argument is developed by drawing on an account of the journey of a professional climber. Ultimately, this article is an invitation to question the self-explanatory nature of professional categories to highlight the multiple facets of labor commonly hidden behind the term ‘professional’.
Positive processes of change among male and female clients treated for alcohol and/or drug problems
Authors: von Greiff Ninive , Skogens Lisa
Published: March 2016

In social work practice, the role of substance use is often encountered in the context of other social problems such as child abuse and domestic violence. This article compares descriptions of important factors for initiating and maintaining positive changes among male and female clients treated for alcohol and/or drug problems. The results have a bearing both on substance use treatment and on other areas in social work practice where these problems are encountered. Studies highlighting gender perspective indicate differences regarding experience of alcohol and drug problems and treatment. An advantage of the study is the qualitative analysis of a rather comprehensive material ( n = 90) enabling more general conclusions than in previous research with a limited number of clients.

Findings

Women more often than men stress poor mental health and their children as important for initiating change. When referring to partners, women report abusive rather than supportive partners while the opposite applies to men. For maintaining change, male clients more often stress changes in ways of thinking and feeling as important. Men also report becoming more sensitive while women get more active. This can be understood as transcending of gender with possibilities of a broader repertoire of how to act.

Applications

A challenge for practical treatment work is to create possibilities for clients to broaden their repertoire of ways of living and thinking about themselves, expressed by women as the importance of taking space and speaking up and by the men of showing emotion and listening more.
Toward building a conceptual framework on intermarriage
Authors: Osanami Törngren Sayaka , Irastorza Nahikari , Song Miri
Published: March 2016

Increasing migration worldwide and the cultural diversity generated as a consequence of international migration has facilitated the unions of people from different countries, religions, races, and ethnicities. Such unions are often celebrated as a sign of integration; however, at the same time as they challenge people's idea of us and them, intermarriages in fact still remain controversial, and even to some extent, taboo in many societies. Research and theorizing on intermarriage is conducted predominantly in the English-speaking North American and British contexts. This special issue includes empirical studies from not only the English-speaking countries such as the U.S., Canada, and the UK, but also from Japan, Sweden, Belgium, France, and Spain and demonstrate the increasingly diverse directions taken in the study of intermarriage in regards to the patterns, experiences, and social implications of intermarriages. Moreover, the articles address the assumed link between intermarriage and “integration.”
Incorporating exchange governance in service-dominant logic
Authors: Prior Daniel D.
Published: March 2016

An area that receives limited attention in service-dominant (SD) logic is exchange governance. Exchange governance provisions can determine how benefits and costs are created and distributed, hence their importance. Much of the rationale for this oversight arises due to the emphasis on “value” in SD logic. With this as a starting point, this commentary article offers three sets of suggestions to integrate exchange governance into SD logic research. First, the subjective, socially embedded nature of value necessitates a greater reliance on norms-based governance. Under SD logic, there is a need to govern for a wider variety of idiosyncratic interactions throughout a service ecosystem. This has a bearing on monitoring and control activities. Second, SD logic is virtually silent on resource ownership. Understanding the property rights associated with value-creating resources is likely to determine who creates and appropriates value. Third, value-in-use suggests that value does not occur at the point of exchange exclusively. Given this, there is a need to consider value at the point of exchange as well as during the course of usage. The commentary concludes with a brief research agenda.
The liminality of branding
Authors: Loacker Bernadette , Sullivan Katie Rose
Published: March 2016

This article explores how the occupation of branding and the work it encompasses are discursively constituted and ‘made up’. It starts with the premise that branding is a cultural intermediary occupation about whose norms and practices we cannot assume certainty, stability or homogeneity. The study illustrates how branding is comprised of multiple social and occupational discourses, namely, ‘creativity’, ‘discovery’, ‘business’ and ‘morality’. Rather than stand alone, these discourses dynamically interweave and intersect. Consequently, branding emerges as an occupation with distinct liminal conditions, being simultaneously about art, science, business and social relational work. Instead of moving towards stability, our findings suggest that branding is an intermediary occupation that sustains rather than discontinues liminality and that enduring liminality lends itself to the non-distinctiveness of the occupation. For branders, occupying a liminal occupational position implies various challenges but similarly scopes for flexibility and autonomy.
Career interview. Ann Hartman, a biography of ideas: Archiving intellectual history. Co-constructed with Catherine K Riessman and Karen M Staller
Authors: Riessman Catherine K , Staller Karen M
Published: March 2016

Ann Hartman is a major figure in the history of Social Work in the United States and, due to translations of her writings, a major contributor to direct practice elsewhere in the world. Dr Hartman was interviewed by Catherine Riessman as part of Qualitative Social Work's career interviews project. Looking at the interview, we decided—in the spirit of co-construction—to preserve in certain sections the conversational nature of the exchange but also to offer historical context and other commentary in order to give readers––who might be less familiar with Dr Hartman's life and times––additional information. Dr Hartman's commitment to social work practice has had a global impact. Her scholarship offered new tools to social work practitioners, in particular the eco-map. In addition, she provided strong moral authority and leadership for social workers in the academy by emphasizing epistemological diversity and taking a stand on politically controversial topics with forceful conviction.
The Political Economy of Program Design
Authors: Kasdin Stuart , Iorio Federica
Published: March 2016

When programs are grants to states, federal funds will be used to meet both the national objectives and the local priorities of the state or local government recipients. This article examines the decision to design new federal programs as either a grant to states or as administered by federal agencies. We predict that Congress will choose either the states or the federal bureaucracy based on which agent is more likely to manage the program consistent with the preferences of the Congressional majority. We examine the political and economic conditions present in the year before Congress created a program. We find that Congress’s perception of a government agency’s partisan orientation matters: A perceived divergence in partisan orientation between the Congress and federal agency increases the likelihood of a grant design. In addition, we see evidence that a grant design is preferred when the president is not a co-partisan of Congress.
The Consideration of Socioeconomic Determinants in Prevention of Traditional Male Circumcision Deaths and Complications
Authors: Douglas Mbuyiselo , Hongoro Charles
Published: March 2016

The responsiveness to socioeconomic determinants is perceived as highly crucial in preventing the high mortality and morbidity rates of traditional male circumcision initiates in the Eastern Cape, a province in South Africa. The study sought to describe social determinants and explore economic determinants related to traditional circumcision of boys from 12 to 18 years of age in Libode rural communities in Eastern Cape Province. From the results of a descriptive cross-sectional survey ( n = 1,036), 956 (92.2%) boys preferred traditional male circumcision because of associated social determinants which included the variables for the attainment of social manhood values and benefits; 403 (38.9%) wanted to attain community respect; 347 (33.5%) wanted the accepted traditional male circumcision for hygienic purposes. The findings from the exploratory focus group discussions were revolving around variables associated with poverty, unemployment, and illegal actions to gain money. The three negative economic determinants were yielded as themes: (a) commercialization and profitmaking, (b) poverty and unemployment, (c) taking health risk for cheaper practices, and the last theme was the (d) actions suggested to prevent the problem. The study concluded with discussion and recommendations based on a developed strategic circumcision health promotion program which is considerate of socioeconomic determinants.
The Effect of Different Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Zorba Orhan Ünal , Uzun Hakkı , Akça Görkem , Yazar Selim
Published: March 2016

Because various criteria are used to define metabolic syndrome (MetS), this study examines the most relevant definition for patients with benign prostatic enlargement (BPE). Most studies regarding the link between MetS and BPE/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have used the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria for diagnosis, while a few have used criteria from the International Diabetes Federation and/or American Heart Association. Patients with LUTS due to BPE are classified as having MetS or not by the aforementioned three definitions. Prostate volume, International Prostate Symptom Score, storage and voiding subscores, maximum urinary flow rate, and the postvoid urine of patients with and without MetS were compared separately in the three different groups. Surgical and medical treatment prevalence was also compared between three groups. No matter which definition was used, the International Prostate Symptom Score, the storage and voiding symptom scores, prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen, and postvoid urine were significantly higher in the patients with MetS. The maximum urinary flow rate was similar between patients with and without MetS, according to all three different definitions. There was no significant difference in the aforementioned parameter between patients with MetS diagnosed with the three different definitions. Irrespective of which definition was used, the surgical treatment rate was not significantly different in patients diagnosed with than without MetS, or between the patients with MetS diagnosed with the three different definitions. The authors suggest that it does not matter which of the aforementioned three definitions is used during the evaluation of MetS in men with BPE/LUTS.
Infrared thermography as option for evaluating the treatment effect of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty by patients with peripheral arterial disease
Authors: Staffa Erik , Bernard Vladan , Kubicek Lubos , Vlachovsky Robert , Vlk Daniel , Mornstein Vojtech , Bourek Ales , Staffa Robert
Published: March 2016

Aim of this study was to evaluate the possible use of infrared thermography as a supplementary method to the ankle-brachial index used in assessing the treatment effect of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The study included 21 patients, mean age was 60.22 years. Healthy control group included 20 persons, mean age was 55.60 years. Patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (Fontaine stages I–III) were admitted for endovascular treatment by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Thermal images and ankle-brachial index values were obtained before and after treatment by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Median temperature change in the treated limb was 0.4℃, for non-treated limb was –0.5℃. The median value of ankle-brachial index in the treated limb increased by 0.17 from 0.81 after the procedure. The median value of ankle-brachial index in the non-treated limb decreased by 0.03 from the value of 1.01. Significant difference between treated limb and non-treated limb in change of ankle-brachial index was found with p value = .0035. The surface temperature obtained by the infrared thermography correlates with ankle-brachial index. We present data showing that the increase of ankle-brachial index is associated with increase of skin temperature in the case of limbs treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Our results also suggest potential of the use of infrared thermography for monitoring foot temperature as a means of early detection of onset of foot ischemic disorders.
The influence of gender on the incorporation of the Internet in Spanish schools’ educational programmes
Authors: Sánchez-Rivas Enrique , Sánchez-Rodríguez José , Ruiz-Palmero Julio
Published: March 2016

This article reveals the results of a research study that was carried out in Spain in 2012 with the purpose of discovering the influence of the gender variable on the incorporation of the Internet in the educational programmes of primary and secondary public education centres. By using a multiple case study carried out in situ, the research team has gathered information from the teaching staff entrusted with the process of incorporating the Internet into the educational programme at each school. It has also studied the way in which the use of the Internet in the classroom is specified. These sources have been subjected to triangulation techniques in order to increase the reliability of the results, which has enabled us to define the extent to which the gender of those running the educational implementation of the Internet in Spanish centres is influential. The results show that there are no significant differences between men and women as regards the introduction of the Internet into the educational programmes at the centres used in this study.
Treatment of symptomatic non-unions of the base of the ulnar styloid with plate osteosynthesis
Authors: Nunez F. A. , Luo T. D. , Nunez F. A.
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this prospective case series was to assess the efficacy of plate osteosynthesis using a low profile distal ulna plate for the management of persistently symptomatic non-unions of the base of the ulnar styloid. Six consecutive patients underwent resection of the non-union and plate osteosynthesis with a 2.0 mm distal ulna hook plate. Post-operative measurements of mean pain scores, QuickDASH scores, grip strength, and range of motion parameters showed significant improvements compared with the pre-operative values. No complications were reported at a mean follow-up of 25 months. The present study presents an alternative method for treating symptomatic ulnar styloid non-unions that provides stable fixation with low risk of implant removal.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic IV
Low-dose polymyxin: an option for therapy of Gram-negative sepsis
Authors: Harm Stephan , Gabor Franz , Hartmann Jens
Published: March 2016

Endotoxins are the major components of the outer membrane of most Gram-negative bacteria and are one of the main targets in inflammatory diseases. The presence of endotoxins in blood can provoke septic shock in case of pronounced immune response. Here we show in vitro inactivation of endotoxins by polymyxin B (PMB). The inflammatory activity of the LPS–PMB complex in blood was examined in vitro in freshly drawn blood samples. Plasma protein binding of PMB was determined by ultracentrifugation using membranes with different molecular cut-offs, and PMB clearance during dialysis was calculated after in vitro experiments using the AV1000S filter. The formed LPS–PMB complex has lower inflammatory activity in blood, which results in highly reduced cytokine secretion. According to in vitro measurements, the appropriate plasma level of PMB for LPS inactivation is between 100 and 200 ng/ml. Furthermore, the combination of cytokine removal by adsorbent treatment with LPS inactivation by PMB dosage leads to strong suppression of inflammatory effects in blood in an in vitro model. Inactivation of endotoxins by low-dose intravenous PMB infusion or infusion into the extracorporeal circuit during blood purification can be applied to overcome the urgent need for endotoxin elimination not only in treatment of sepsis, but also in liver failure.
Effect of Glucosamine Sulfate on Osteoarthritis in the Cruciate-Deficient Canine Model of Osteoarthritis
Authors: Wenz Wolfram , Hornung Christian , Cramer Christopher , Schroeder Malte , Hoffmann Michael
Published: March 2016

Objective

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of musculoskeletal pain and disability worldwide. The investigation of disease-modifying treatment options for OA has become an important aspect of orthopedic care. To assess the effect of intra-articular and oral glucosamine sulfate (GS) versus placebo on osteoarthritis in a canine model.

Materials

In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study, OA was induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) according to the Pond-Nuki model in 32 canines. All canines were allocated into 4 treatment subgroups with treatment administered for 8 weeks: GS (400 mg) intra-articular, placebo intra-articular, GS (200 mg/kg body weight) oral, and placebo oral. The contralateral nonoperated stifle (knee) served as control. After 8 weeks, the medial and lateral femoral condyles, the medial and lateral tibial plateau and patella were histologically examined and anatomic changes quantified by light microscopy using the modified Mankin score.

Results

After 8 weeks, mean Mankin score values significantly ( P < 0.002) decreased in the intra-articular GS group (8.1; range 7.9-8.8) compared with the intra-articular placebo group (13.9; range 11.6-15.9) and again significantly ( P < 0.002) in the oral GS group (12.1; range 9.9-12.7) compared with the oral placebo group (15.1; range 12.5-17.0). Mean Mankin score values were significantly ( P < 0.002) lower in the intra-articular GS group compared with the oral GS group.

Conclusion

Both, intra-articular and oral administered GS significantly reduced histological signs of OA in the Pond-Nuki model, with the intra-articular application being more effective compared to oral administration.