bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing disaster preparedness of specialty nurses on a national scale
Authors: Mitchell Marion L. , McKinnon Loretta , Aitken Leanne M , Weber Sarah , Birgan Sean , Sykes Sharon
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The number of disasters has increased by 30 per cent worldwide in the past 30 years. Nurses constitute the largest clinical group within a hospital and their ability to respond to disasters is crucial to the provision of quality patient care. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a four-year disaster preparedness partnership between two tertiary hospitals from the perspective of executive staff, senior clinical managers and specialist nurses. The national disaster response centre was situated in one hospital and the other hospital was located 3,500 km away.

Design/methodology/approach

– The intervention involved selected nurses working at the partner hospital to enable familiarisation with policies, procedures and layout in the event of a request for back-up in the event of a national disaster. A mixed-methods design was used to elicit the strengths and limitations of the partnership. Surveys, in-depth interviews and focus groups were used.

Findings

– In total, 67 participants provided evaluations including ten executive staff, 17 clinical management nurses and 38 nurses from the disaster response team. Improvements in some aspects of communication were recommended. The successful recruitment of highly skilled and committed nurses was a strength. A disaster exercise resulted in 79 per cent of nurses, able and willing to go immediately to the partner hospital for up to 14 days.

Research limitations/implications

– During the four year partnership, no actual disaster occurred that required support. This limited the ability to fully trial the partnership in an authentic manner. The disaster exercise, although helpful in trialling the processes and assessing nurse availability, it has some limitations.

Originality/value

– This innovative partnership successfully prepared specialist nurses from geographically distant hospitals for a disaster response. This together with a willingness to be deployed enhanced Australia’s capacity in the event of a disaster.
The role of urban planning and design in responding to climate change: the Brisbane experience
Authors: Kozlowski Marek , Yusof Yusnani Mohd
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the responses from the urban planning and design professions in Brisbane to the impacts of climate change and the implications of the 2011 flood. In the past decade, the ramifications of climate change have already left a scar on some of the urban regions round the world. The Australian continent has been regarded as one of the most affected regions in terms of climate change implications. The 2011 Queensland floods of historic proportion, which came after a decade of extreme drought, raised many questions about the future development of cities. For the past decades, Queensland’s economy was largely based on property-led development. The flood plain land situated along Brisbane River has been developed and overburdened with building infrastructure contributing to the magnification of the flood events.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research methodology is based on identification of the problem and the major objective. To address the objective, this study concentrated mainly on the use of qualitative research methods. The major qualitative research methods include literature review, qualitative analysis and observations. Brisbane, the capital of the Australian state of Queensland, has been selected as the case study area.

Findings

– The paper revealed strong regional and city-wide planning directives addressing climate change which has not yet been fully been translated at the local-neighbourhood level.

Originality/value

– This paper provides a deep insight analysis and evaluation of the design and planning measures currently used to combat the impacts of climate change.
Antecedents of online purchasing behaviour in the tourism sector
Authors: Berbegal-Mirabent Jasmina , Mas-Machuca Marta , Marimon Frederic
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is twofold. First, it investigates antecedents of online purchasing behaviour, taking into account the relationships between the constructs of service quality, perceived value and loyalty. Second, the study analyses up to what point men’s and women’s behaviours are similar.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey was sent to the general public in Spain. Respondents were required to be consumers of online travel agencies. In total, 1,201 valid questionnaires were collected. No gender bias was detected in the sample. The data were analysed through Structural Equation Modelling to assess the proposed model. To determine non-invariant parameters across the two groups (men and women), a test for invariance was conducted.

Findings

– Both functional quality and hedonic quality are shown as antecedents for perceived value, and, in turn, perceived value impacts loyalty. The impact of loyalty on purchasing behaviour is significant, though weak. Gender differences are also examined and all parameters of the model are found to operate equivalently among men and women, indicating that both groups perform similarly.

Practical implications

– This paper highlights that the hedonic dimension of quality is important in adding value for customers. Accordingly, managers should reinforce this dimension and include it in their business strategy.

Originality/value

– Although the link between perceived quality and value-loyalty is well-established, there are still few studies that expand this link upstream or downstream. This paper analyses the next link in this chain.
Why should Indian businesses transition to Enterprise 2.0?
Authors: Wahi Ashok Kumar , Misra Rajnish Kumar , Shakeel Moonis
Published: January 2016

Purpose

This study aims at examining the factors governing business benefits of moving to Enterprise 2.0. Web 2.0 has been around for more than a decade, and has been exploited by a lot of business organizations for improving their operations and profitability. However, the success rate has not been uniform.

Design/methodology/approach

Is there a pattern behind this successful adoption has been a matter of curiosity for most top management personnel. This paper goes into analyzing what factors govern this movement from Enterprise 1.0 to Enterprise 2.0 and uses structured equation modeling to predict the possibilities.

Findings

It concludes by demonstrating that business benefits to the organization are significantly linked to the usage of Web 2.0 tools.

Research limitations/implications

The paper has been done in India, and the authors expect that similar studies around the world will result in similar results.

Practical implications

Results of this paper emphasize the strong correlation between the use of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 tools with business benefits obtained in terms of improved productivity of resources used and a higher level of information quality leading to better decision-making. Thus, transition to the Enterprise 2.0 state should be strived by all business organizations.

Originality/value

This is an original work of the authors.
Personal factors supporting intercultural communication in e-learning of information sciences
Authors: Uukkivi Anne
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the personal factors for both the students and the lecturers that support intercultural communication in library and information science (LIS) e-learning. Research was conducted to explore the factors supporting intercultural communication in LIS e-learning.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using case study, the opinion of students of two LIS curricula about the factors that support intercultural communication in e-learning has been determined. The data have been collected using e-interviews and document analysis. Document analysis and constant comparative analysis method were used for analysing collected data.

Findings

– Intercultural communication in the e-learning of LIS curriculum was supported by pedagogical, personal, cultural and technological factors. In this paper, the personal factors are emphasised. These factors are the supporting characteristics of the students and lecturers, their motivation, similarities between co-students and the competence of the students.

Practical implications

– Results of the research project are necessary to improve the curricula and to plan and conduct learning process. The results explain possibilities for supporting the students in international e-learning.

Originality/value

– The results of the present study concerning the personal factors and their respective support differed – when compared to previous studies – in the following aspects: LIS students brought forward the characteristics that support intercultural communication in e-learning, were willing to gain extra knowledge and skills and considered information literacy and knowledge about written communication important but, at the same time, less-often mentioned the problems emerging from lags.
Thermal tablet for the blind
Authors: Kos Andrzej , Boron Krzysztof , Brzozowski Ireneusz
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims present a thermal touch screen for the blind – a thermal tablet. A blind person using the device can imagine simple graphics or characters by touching flat thermal screen, which consists of reversible heat points, either warm or cold in different time. For the purpose, a thermal touch screen has been designed, fabricated and tested with a help of the blind.

Design/methodology/approach

– The screen contains 294 Peltier modules working as reversible small heat sources that keep pre-set different temperature. The tablet can easily present thermal images and characters generated directly by an interfaced PC. Design methodology is based on own authors’ patent.

Findings

– This paper presents original design and construction stages, as well as tests and usefulness of the device. The tests were carried out with participation of blind students who suggested how to tune the final parameters of the device in such a way that presentation and recognition of thermal information is easy and quick.

Originality/value

– The thermal tablet consists of original hardware and software. Both of them collaborate each other and make the tablet useful for the blind. It has been proved by series of tests.
Thermal resistance of high power LED influenced by ZnO thickness and surface roughness parameter
Authors: Subramani Shanmugan , Devarajan Mutharasu
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this research is to study the effect of thickness and surface properties of ZnO solid thin film for heat dissipation application in LED. Heat dissipation in electronic packaging can be improved by applying a thermally conductive interface material (TIM) and hence the junction temperature will be maintained. ZnO is one of the oxide materials and used as a filler to increase the thermal conductivity of thermal paste. The thickness of these paste-type material cannot be controlled which restricts the heat flow from the LED junction to ambient. The controlled thickness is only possible by using a solid thin-film interface material.

Design/methodology/approach

– Radio Frequency (RF)-sputtered ZnO thin film on Cu substrates were used as a heat sink for high-power LED and the thermal performance of various ZnO thin film thickness on changing total thermal resistance (R
th-tot) and rise in junction temperature were tested. Thermal transient analysis was used to study the performance of the given LED. The influence of surface roughness profile was also tested on the LED performance.

Findings

– The junction temperature was high (6.35°C) for 200 nm thickness of ZnO thin film boundary condition when compared with bare Cu substrates. Consecutively, low R
th-tot values were noticed with the same boundary condition. The 600 nm thickness of ZnO thin film exhibited high R
th-tot and interface resistance than the other thicknesses. Bond Line Thickness of the interface material was influenced on the interface thermal resistance which was decreased with increased BLT. Surface roughness parameter showed an immense effect on thermal transport, and hence, low R
th (47.6 K/W) value was noticed with low film roughness (7 nm) as compared with bare Cu substrate (50.8 K/W) where the surface roughness was 20.5 nm.

Originality/value

– Instead of using thermal paste, solid thin film ZnO is used as TIM and coated Cu substrates were used as a heat sink. The thickness can be controlled, and it is a new approach for reducing the BLT between the metal core printed circuit board and heat sink.
Biggest opportunity of our age
Authors: King David
Published: January 2016

The importance of the agreement reached at the Paris climate Conference of Parties (COP21) last month cannot be overstated. It is a major step toward preventing some of the worst risks that climate change presents to the global economy and security. Now is the time to seize the opportunity that this moment represents. We must transform world economies away from fossil fuels toward a more sustainable low-carbon future.
Spontaneous pulmonary haemorrhage into an existing emphysematous bulla
Authors: Withey Samuel , Tamimi Asad
Published: January 2016

A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis presented dyspnoeic with productive cough and large-volume haemoptysis, 1 month after coronary stenting and commencement of clopidogrel. A chest radiograph showed a well-circumscribed opacity in the left lower zone with surrounding consolidation, where previously an emphysematous bulla had been. A CT scan of the thorax confirmed a 14 cm bulla in the left lower lobe, which was 70% filled with blood with associated surrounding consolidation. A diagnosis of pulmonary haemorrhage into an existing emphysematous bulla with co-existing infective exacerbation of COPD was performed. Owing to his significant comorbidities, the patient was managed conservatively, returning to baseline over several days. He had two further admissions due to pulmonary infection over 2 months, where the haematoma was nominally smaller, and died during the second of these.
Association betweenAPOEpolymorphism and metabolic syndrome in Uyghur ethnic men
Authors: Sun YuPing , Wei Rong , Yan DanDan , Xu FeiLi , Zhang XiaoJin , Zhang Bei , Yimiti Delixiati , LI Hui , Sun HongYan , Hu Cheng , Luo Li , Yao Hua
Published: January 2016

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Uyghur ethnic men in Xinjiang, China.

Participants

A total of 482 patients with MetS and 510 healthy sex-matched and age-matched controls were recruited from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The participants were subjected to routine physical and blood biochemical tests, andAPOEgenotyping was performed.

Results

TheAPOE ε3/3was the predominant type, with a frequency of 71.8%, whileε2/2was less common thanε4/4in Uyghur males. The frequencies of theAPOE2, E3andE4alleles in Uyghur males were 8.5%, 80.0% and 11.5%, respectively. However, the distribution ofAPOEgenotypes was significantly different between the MetS and control groups (p<0.001). In the MetS group, the frequencies of theε2 andε4 alleles and the frequencies of theε2/2,ε2/3 and ε2/4genotypes were significantly lower than those of the control group. Those individuals without theε2 andε4 alleles had higher MetS prevalence than the other gene carriers, and the ORs of these individuals developing MetS were 1.5 and 1.27 compared to the gene carriers. Triglyceride, serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were lower and serum high-density lipoprotein was higher in theε2 carriers than theε3 carriers, and the prevalence of MetS, central obesity, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia was lower in theAPOE2 group than in theAPOE4 group. The risks of these individuals withε4 allele carriers getting these changes were 1.327, 1.780, 1.888, 1.428 and 2.571 times greater than those of ε2 allele carriers.

Conclusions

APOE4 is associated with many individual components of MetS, whereasAPOE2 was associated with a reduced risk of MetS at the univariate level in Uyghur ethnic men.
Elastic wave band gaps tuned by configuring radii of rods in two-dimensional phononic crystals with a hybrid square-like lattice
Authors: Liu Rongqiang , Zhao Haojiang , Zhang Yingying , Guo Honghwei , Deng Zongquan
Published: January 2016

The plane wave expansion (PWE) method is used to calculate the band gaps of two-dimensional (2D) phononic crystals (PCs) with a hybrid square-like (HSL) lattice. Band structures of both XY-mode and Z-mode are calculated. Numerical results show that the band gaps between any two bands could be maximized by altering the radius ratio of the inclusions at different positions. By comparing with square lattice and bathroom lattice, the HSL lattice is more efficient in creating larger gaps.
Vibration of a Rectangular Plate Carrying a Massive Machine with Elastic Supports
Authors: Wang Lingzhi , Yan Zhitao , Li Zhengliang , Yan Zhimiao
Published: January 2016

In engineering practice, a massive machine may be placed on a plate supported by beams considered as elastic boundary conditions. The vibration of the plate due to the periodic excitation of the massive machine will cause noises or damages to the building in which the machine is housed. An analytical approach for the vibration analysis of a rectangular plate carrying a massive machine with uniform elastic supports is presented. The machine is simplified as a distributed mass. The transverse plate displacement is determined by the superposition of a two-dimensional (2D) Fourier cosine series and several supplementary functions. All the unknown Fourier coefficients are calculated directly from the Rayleigh–Ritz formulation. To validate the present approach, several numerical examples with classical boundary conditions are presented. The results reveal good agreement between the analytical results and those based on the finite element analysis (ANSYS). The effects of the plate size, location of the machine, and support stiffness on the modal, and transient response of the plate are investigated. From the results it is found that the transient displacement amplitude of the plate decreases almost linearly as the thickness increases, it increases nonlinearly along with the increase in the support stiffness, and that the optimal position for deploying the transformer is the center of the plate.
Generalized Archimedean Intuitionistic Fuzzy Averaging Aggregation Operators and their Application to Multicriteria Decision-Making
Authors: Tan Chunqiao , Chen Xiaohong
Published: January 2016

Aggregation operators play a key role in multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM). Extensions of aggregation operators to intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) usually involve replacing the standard arithmetic operations with those defined over the membership and nonmembership of IFS, which is essentially a pair of special Archimedean triangular norm (t-norm) and triangular conorm (t-conorm), called probabilistic sum t-conorm and product t-norm, on the membership and nonmembership of IFS, respectively. In this paper, we first introduce some operations on IFSs by means of Archimedean t-norm and t-conorm. Then some generalized Archimedean intuitionistic fuzzy aggregation operators are proposed, such as generalized Archimedean intuitionistic fuzzy weighted averaging operator, generalized Archimedean intuitionistic fuzzy ordered weighted averaging (GAIFOWA) operator, and generalized Archimedean intuitionistic fuzzy hybird averaging operator. Some desirable properties of these operators are investigated. The relations between these operators and the existing intuitionistic fuzzy aggregation operators are discussed. Finally, applying these proposed operators, we develop an approach for multi-criteria decision-making with intuitionistic fuzzy information, an illustrative example is used to verify the developed approach and to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness.
Glucose delays the insulin-induced increase in thyroid hormone-mediated signaling in adipose of prolong-fasted elephant seal pups
Authors: Martinez Bridget , Soñanez-Organis José G. , Viscarra Jose A. , Jaques John T. , MacKenzie Duncan S. , Crocker Daniel E. , Ortiz Rudy M.
Published: January 2016

Prolonged food deprivation in mammals typically reduces glucose, insulin, and thyroid hormone (TH) concentrations, as well as tissue deiodinase (DI) content and activity, which, collectively, suppress metabolism. However, in elephant seal pups, prolonged fasting does not suppress TH levels; it is associated with upregulation of adipose TH-mediated cellular mechanisms and adipose-specific insulin resistance. The functional relevance of this apparent paradox and the effects of glucose and insulin on TH-mediated signaling in an insulin-resistant tissue are not well defined. To address our hypothesis that insulin increases adipose TH signaling in pups during extended fasting, we assessed the changes in TH-associated genes in response to an insulin infusion in early- and late-fasted pups. In late fasting, insulin increased DI1, DI2, and THrβ-1 mRNA expression by 566%, 44%, and 267% at 60 min postinfusion, respectively, with levels decreasing by 120 min. Additionally, we performed a glucose challenge in late-fasted pups to differentiate between insulin- and glucose-mediated effects on TH signaling. In contrast to the insulin-induced effects, glucose infusion did not increase the expressions of DI1, DI2, and THrβ-1 until 120 min, suggesting that glucose delays the onset of the insulin-induced effects. The data also suggest that fasting duration increases the sensitivity of adipose TH-mediated mechanisms to insulin, some of which may be mediated by increased glucose. These responses appear to be unique among mammals and to have evolved in elephant seals to facilitate their adaptation to tolerate an extreme physiological condition.
Muc1 enhances the β-catenin protective pathway during ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Al-bataineh Mohammad M. , Kinlough Carol L. , Poland Paul A. , Pastor-Soler Núria M. , Sutton Timothy A. , Mang Henry E. , Bastacky Sheldon I. , Gendler Sandra J. , Madsen Cathy S. , Singh Sucha , Monga Satdarshan P. , Hughey Rebecca P.
Published: January 2016

The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 and β-catenin protective pathways represent the two most significant cellular responses that are activated in response to acute kidney injury. We previously reported that murine mucin (Muc)1 protects kidney function and morphology in a mouse model of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) by stabilizing HIF-1α, enhancing HIF-1 downstream signaling, and thereby preventing metabolic stress (Pastor-Soler et al. Muc1 is protective during kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 308: F1452–F1462, 2015). We asked if Muc1 regulates the β-catenin protective pathway during IRI as 1) β-catenin nuclear targeting is MUC1 dependent in cultured human cells, 2) β-catenin is found in coimmunoprecipitates with human MUC1 in extracts of both cultured cells and tissues, and 3) MUC1 prevents β-catenin phosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3β and thereby β-catenin degradation. Using the same mouse model of IRI, we found that levels of active GSK3β were significantly lower in kidneys of control mice compared with Muc1 knockout (KO) mice. Consequently, β-catenin was significantly upregulated at 24 and 72 h of recovery and appeared in the nuclear fraction at 72 h in control mouse kidneys. Both β-catenin induction and nuclear targeting were absent in Muc1 KO mice. We also found downstream induction of β-catenin prosurvival factors (activated Akt, survivin, transcription factor T cell factor 4 (TCF4), and its downstream target cyclin D1) and repression of proapoptotic factors (p53, active Bax, and cleaved caspase-3) in control mouse kidneys that were absent or aberrant in kidneys of Muc1 KO mice. Altogether, the data clearly indicate that Muc1 protection during acute kidney injury proceeds by enhancing both the HIF-1 and β-catenin protective pathways.
The Chloride Anion Acts as a Second Messenger in Mammalian Cells - Modifying the Expression of Specific Genes
Authors: Valdivieso Ángel G. , Clauzure Mariángeles , Massip-Copiz Macarena , Santa-Coloma Tomás A.
Published: January 2016

Background/Aims: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, encoding a cAMP-activated chloride (Cl-) channel. We have previously demonstrated that the expression of several genes can be modulated by the CFTR activity; among them, SRC, MTND4, CISD1, and IL1B. However, the CFTR signalling mechanism involved in the expression of CFTR-dependent genes is unknown. The aim of this work was to determine if intracellular chloride (Cl-)i might function as a second messenger modulating the expression of specific genes. Methods: Differential display (DD) was applied to IB3-1 cells (CF cells), cultured under conditions that produce different intracellular Cl- concentrations ([Cl-]i), to analyse their expression profile. Results: Several differentially expressed gene products were observed by using DD, suggesting the presence of chloride-dependent gene expression. Two cDNA fragments, derived from differentially expressed mRNAs and showing opposed response to Cl-‚ were isolated, cloned, sequenced and its Cl- dependency validated by reverse transcription quantitative-PCR (RT-qPCR). We identified the gene RPS27, which encodes the multifunctional ribosomal protein RPS27, also known as metallopanstimulin-1 (MPS-1), and the gene GLRX5, encoding glutaredoxin-related protein 5, as chloride-dependent genes. RPS27 was negatively regulated with increased [Cl-]i, approximately from 25-75 mM Cl- (EC50 = 46 ± 7 mM), and positively regulated from 75-125 mM Cl- (EC50 = 110 ± 11 mM) (biphasic response). In contrast, GLRX5 was positively modulated by [Cl-]i, showing a typical sigmoidal dose-response curve from 0-50 mM Cl-, reaching a plateau after 50 mM Cl- (EC50 ∼ 34 mM). Conclusion: The results suggest the existence of chloride-dependent genes. The Cl- anion, therefore, might act as a second messenger for channels or receptors able to modulate the intracellular Cl- concentration, regulating in turn the expression of specific genes.
Myeloid Sarcoma in an Eyelid That Developed during Chemotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Kang Hyera , Takahashi Yasuhiro , Takahashi Emiko , Kakizaki Hirohiko
Published: January 2016

An 80-year-old female presented with a mass in the left upper eyelid margin that had developed during chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia. The mass was elastic, hard, and pinkish, with a relatively smooth surface but without madarosis. The histopathological findings corresponded to a myeloid sarcoma. No blast cells were shown in the peripheral blood at the time of biopsy, and she subsequently underwent an azacitidine injection regimen. The size of the eyelid tumor decreased 3 months after the biopsy, when the course of azacitidine injections was completed. However, acute myeloid leukemia recurred, and the patient died 5 months after her first examination.
Struggles in the Countryside
Authors: Tinsman Heidi
Published: January 2016

This essay looks at rising conflicts between women and men that accompanied Chile's tumultuous and extensive agrarian reform between 1964 and 1973. It goes on to examine rural women's proletarianization as fruit workers under military dictatorship. The essay argues that during the agrarian reform peasant women supported the overall goals of redistributing land and improving rural wages, but their expectations were often bitterly disappointed by the agrarian reform's focus on empowering men. Ironically, it was during military rule that women's roles as breadwinners and their involvement in the resurgent labor movement enabled greater gender parity in rural families.
Macrobius's Foreskin
Authors: Strouse A. W.
Published: January 2016

Christian writers have often conceptualized reading and writing in terms of uncircumcision. This study begins to uncover that long-standing literary-theoretical tradition. It describes how early Christian theologians, following Saint Paul, discussed allegory with metaphors of preputiotomy, and it considers how late antique authors inflected these formulations with anatomical understandings of the prepuce. Augustine provides a remarkable example of the foreskin as both a subject of anatomical study and as a mystical heuristic for allegorical-visionary experience; and Macrobius's Commentary on the Dream of Scipio echoes anatomical writings on the prepuce in order to amplify the patristic figure into a fuller conceit. These examples lay the groundwork for imagining a poetics of the prepuce.
“O Multiplied Misery!”: The Disordered Medical Narrative of John Donne's Devotions
Authors: Tabak Jessica
Published: January 2016

John Donne composed his Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1624) to share a revelatory experience of illness with readers. Yet, in the book's final chapter, Donne himself indicates that bodily pain is nearly incommunicable. This raises a question: How can Donne hope to share his illness with readers when he believes its physical symptoms resist communication? This essay argues that Donne bypasses this impasse by formally recreating one of his illness's contemplative symptoms: the vexed temporal disorder caused by interpreting one's world from within a sick body. Because this symptom arises from Donne's inability to order the events of his illness, he is able to recreate it within readers by likewise disordering the Devotions' narrative. By sharing this contemplative “torment” with readers, the Devotions democratizes Donne's difficult path toward spiritual revelation. In doing so, it demonstrates that narrative form can bridge the communication gap between the suffering writer and his readers.
Esfera pública y redes sociales en Internet: ¿Qué es lo nuevo en Facebook?
Authors: Raimondo Anselmino Natalia , Reviglio María Cecilia , Diviani Ricardo
Published: January 2016

Habitamos en sociedades altamente mediatizadas ya no sólo completamente atravesadas por la acción de los medios masivos de comunicación sino, también, por las nuevas tensiones que asume el proceso de mediatización a partir del desarrollo de las redes sociales en Internet. Al reconocer la naturaleza ambiental y constructiva de los medios masivos de comunicación es posible, también, considerar a la mediatización como modalidad nuclear de construcción de la esfera pública. En dicho contexto, este escrito inquiere sobre los modos en que el funcionamiento de Facebook y los discursos allí expuestos participan en la configuración de la esfera pública contemporánea, así como, además, sobre el grado de novedad que presenta dicha intervención respecto de la ejercida por los tradicionales medios masivos de comunicación. En función de articular las reflexiones expuestas con algunos de los ejes que ha asumido el debate teórico suscitado por el análisis que realizó Habermas sobre la génesis y las transformaciones estructurales de la vida pública, este texto se concentra en los siguientes tres aspectos:  la gestión de la visibilidad, de la puesta en público o publicación; el lugar que ocupan el diálogo, la deliberación y el disenso; la condición múltiple y móvil de la esfera pública actual.
Practical prospects for boosting hepatic production of the “pro-longevity” hormone FGF21
Authors: McCarty Mark F.
Published: January 2016

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), produced mainly in hepatocytes and adipocytes, promotes leanness, insulin sensitivity, and vascular health while down-regulating hepatic IGF-I production. Transgenic mice overexpressing FGF21 enjoy a marked increase in median and maximal longevity comparable to that evoked by calorie restriction – but without a reduction in food intake. Transcriptional factors which promote hepatic FGF21 expression include PPARα, ATF4, STAT5, and FXR; hence, fibrate drugs, elevated lipolysis, moderate-protein vegan diets, growth hormone, and bile acids may have potential to increase FGF21 synthesis. Sirt1 activity is required for optimal responsiveness of FGF21 to PPARα, and Sirt1 activators can boost FGF21 transcription. Conversely, histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) inhibits PPARα’s transcriptional impact on FGF21, and type 1 deacetylase inhibitors such as butyrate therefore increase FGF21 expression. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) increases hepatic expression of both PPARα and Sirt1; acarbose, which increases intestinal GLP-1 secretion, also increases FGF21 and lifespan in mice. Glucagon stimulates hepatic production of FGF21 by increasing the expression of the Nur77 transcription factor; increased glucagon secretion can be evoked by supplemental glycine administered during post-absorptive metabolism. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has also been reported recently to promote FGF21 transcription. Bilirubin is known to be an agonist for this receptor, and this may rationalize a recent report that heme oxygenase-1 induction in the liver boosts FGF21 expression. There is reason to suspect that phycocyanorubin, a bilirubin homolog that is a metabolite of the major phycobilin in spirulina, may share bilirubin’s agonist activity for AhR, and perhaps likewise promote FGF21 induction. In the future, regimens featuring a plant-based diet, nutraceuticals, and safe drugs may make it feasible to achieve physiologically significant increases in FGF21 that promote metabolic health, leanness, and longevity.
Landholding and Agriculture in Late Ramesside Theban Documents
Authors: Antoine Jean-Christophe
Published: January 2016

Agriculture and land management are recurring topics in the Late Ramesside Letters. Eight of them completed with P Turin Cat 2084 and P Berlin 8523 illustrate the agricultural methods used for farming cereals, fruits and vegetables in the late New Kingdom. They show that although necessitating extra work, artificial irrigation was frequent on small parcels located on ı͗db, nḫb or ꜤmꜤm types of land. The two traditional categories of landholding, institutional and private, are distinguished, but their management overlapped when the landholder was involved in both systems. People farming the land pertained to the Necropolis workers, the memorial temple of Ramesses III, the Necropolis scribes household, or were sharecropper peasants living in countryside villages. Landholders behave as managerial landlords while technical terms specify the juridical frame within which subaltern people farmed the land. The land was assigned (swḏ) to them and they were responsible for fulfilling the “mission of the fields” (sḥn Ꜣḥt) at the risk of having their right to till the land withdrawn (nḥm) if they failed.
Lowcountry Visions: Foodways and Race in Coastal South Carolina
Authors: Van Sant Levi
Published: January 2016

The coastal region surrounding Charleston, South Carolina—commonly referred to as the Lowcountry—is a place famous for its foodways. Lowcountry cuisine is often portrayed as convivial and celebrated as multicultural. This article argues, however, that much of the Lowcountry's food culture is marked by the region's history of racism. It is important not only to recognize this dominant tendency, but also to acknowledge attempts to challenge it. Thus, this article also highlights recent efforts to articulate an alternative vision of the region and its cuisine. By investigating what is at stake when regional cuisines are contested, I attempt to place the future of Lowcountry food on firmer footing.
Association of Obesity and Pediatric Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Halvorson Elizabeth E. , Ervin Sean E. , Russell Thomas B. , Skelton Joseph A. , Davis Stephen , Spangler John
Published: January 2016

BACKGROUND:

The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is increasing among pediatric patients in the United States. Previous studies on obesity as a risk factor have produced mixed results.

METHODS:

We completed a retrospective chart review of patients aged 2 to 18 years with VTE identified by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes and confirmed by imaging. Patients were admitted between January 2000 and September 2012. Control subjects were matched on age, gender, and the presence of a central venous catheter. Data were collected on weight, height, and risk factors, including bacteremia, ICU admission, immobilization, use of oral contraceptives, and malignancy. Underweight patients and those without documented height and weight data were excluded. Independent predictors of VTE risk were identified by using univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS:

We identified 88 patients plus 2 matched control subjects per case. The majority of cases were nonembolic events (77%) of the lower extremity (25%) or head and neck (22%) confirmed by ultrasound (43%) or computed tomography scan (41%). A statistically significant association was found between VTE and increased BMI z score (P = .002). In multivariate analysis, BMI z score (odds ratio [OR]: 3.1; P = .007), bacteremia (OR: 4.9; P = .02), ICU stay (OR: 2.5; P = .02), and use of oral contraceptives (OR: 17.4; P < .001) were significant predictors.

CONCLUSIONS:

In this single-institution study, the diagnosis of VTE was significantly associated with overweight and obesity. Further study is needed to fully define this association.
Parental Depression and Pancreatic Enzymes Adherence in Children With Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Barker David H. , Quittner Alexandra L.
Published: January 2016

BACKGROUND:

Treatment adherence in cystic fibrosis (CF) is often poor, however, less is known about adherence to pancreatic enzymes, a critical component of the CF treatment regimen. Parent caregivers often report elevations in depression, and parental depression may adversely affect children’s adherence.

METHODS:

This prospective study evaluated adherence to pancreatic enzymes in 83 patients (1–13 years) . Adherence was measured across 3 months with electronic pill-caps . Weight was measured at baseline and a 3-month follow-up. Parental depressive symptoms were evaluated by using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).

RESULTS:

Adherence to pancreatic enzymes was 49.4% ± 3.4%. Adherence was higher at school (94.4% ± 6.1%) than at home (42.3% ± 3.1%), and higher for toddlers (50.6% ± 5.2%) than for school-aged children (37.5% ± 3.7%). Parents reported high rates of depressive symptoms (30% in the clinical range, 18% with moderate symptoms). Children of parents with symptoms of depression versus those without were less adherent (34.8% ± 4.5% vs 48.5% ± 4.1%), and adherence to enzymes was significantly related to 3-month weight outcomes. Average gain in weight z scores across 3 months was 0.5 ± 0.2for children who were >50% adherent and –0.1 ± 6.1for children who were <33% adherent. Parental depression had a signifcant, indirect effect on weight via adherence (–0.005 ± 0.003 gain in weight z score per CES-D unit ).

CONCLUSIONS:

High rates of parental depressive symptoms, coupled with its negative effects on adherence, suggest that measuring and treating parental depression may improve children's adherence to therapy.
Consideraciones teóricas sobre el concepto de liderazgo y su aplicación en la investigación educativa
Authors: Navarro-Corona Claudia
Published: January 2016

El liderazgo ha sido estudiado por décadas desde diversas posturas y áreas del conocimiento; sin embargo, la abundancia de enfoques y publicaciones, lejos de contribuir a la discusión, ha dificultado los consensos. En medio de su indefinición, el término sigue adquiriendo relevancia en el campo de la investigación educativa. A partir de la revisión de 40 publicaciones, incluyendo cinco meta-análisis, el presente trabajo busca dar respuestas a las preguntas: ¿cómo se define el liderazgo?, ¿cómo se ha desarrollado el concepto en el campo educativo y en otros campos de conocimiento?, ¿qué aportes hace la bibliografía sobre el liderazgo que resulten relevantes para la definición del trabajo de los directores y directoras escolares y su estudio? El artículo reafirma las líneas de investigación a partir de las cuales se ha abordado el concepto y aporta una postura integradora de los tres enfoques principales desde los que se ha abordado el fenómeno en diversos campos del conocimiento. Se expone el liderazgo como una forma de ordenamiento social emergente de la coincidencia entre las características del líder y las necesidades de un grupo en una circunstancia específica y no solo como la consideración de cualidades individuales y del carisma del líder. Se concluye que el liderazgo representa una estructura frágil, vulnerable y corruptible cuando se desea establecerlo como orden permanente de funcionamiento. Se plantea que, en la medida en que se tenga claridad sobre el origen del liderazgo como fenómeno, podrán delimitarse las expectativas que se tienen sobre el desempeño de quienes ejercen las  direcciones escolares.
Efecto de una intervención educativa sobre valores antropométricos y hábitos de actividad física de familias costarricenses de la región central en el año 2012
Authors: Sánchez-Méndez Martha Isabel , Hernández-Elizondo Jessenia
Published: January 2016

El estudio se propuso con los objetivos de: (1) determinar cambios en valores antropométricos de madres costarricenses y de hijos e hijas en edad preescolar, después de una intervención educativa con material multimedia y (2) determinar diferencias significativas en el gasto energético (GET) de  madres de familia al realizar actividad física cotidiana (AFC) y deportiva (AFD) luego del tratamiento. La intervención se aplicó por 8 semanas en 50 familias (madres e infantes preescolares) quienes completaron mediciones antropométricas; además, las madres reportaron sus hábitos de actividad física (AF). Se utilizó un diseño aleatorio de investigación con tres grupos de comparación, estadística de análisis de varianza. No se encontraron interacciones en ninguna de las variables analizadas. Únicamente se encontró diferencia significativa (p≤0.05) en el GET por AFC entre las madres que hacen y no hacen AFD. Las madres que hacen AFD obtuvieron un GET mayor al socializar y realizar tareas del hogar (p=0.038 y p=0.050; respectivamente). En general, las madres realizan 6.93 + 6.505 minutos diarios de AFD que correspondió a un GET de 0.14 + 0.249 METs. El GET por AFC de las madres fue de 39.29 METs diarios. La falta de tiempo y de compromiso fueron las principales limitaciones reportadas para realizar las AF durante el tratamiento. Será importante incluir, en las intervenciones, aspectos sobre modificación de conducta en la familia, específicamente, para crear la adherencia al ejercicio en los padres de familia.
Metamorfoses da Questão Geracional: O Problema da Incorporação dos Jovens na Dinâmica Social
Authors: Cardoso Adalberto
Published: January 2016

O artigo toma a teoria mannheimiana de gerações como fio condutor para propor uma interpretação sobre as metamorfoses da questão geracional no mundo desenvolvido, com o objetivo de pôr em perspectiva os padrões brasileiros de incorporação das novas gerações à vida coletiva. Procura-se contrapor um padrão eminentemente público (e republicano) de estruturação das oportunidades de vida das novas gerações, típico do mundo europeu, a outro, eminentemente privado (e mercantilizado), característico do Brasil, que estaria, porém, em processo de mudança nos últimos anos, ainda que muito lenta.
An impact assessment of the Child Growth, Development and Care Program in the Caribbean Region of Colombia
Authors: Padilla Alcides de J. , Trujillo Juan C.
Published: January 2016

Abstract This article aims to assess the impact of the Child Growth, Development and Care Program in the Caribbean region of Colombia by analyzing variables such as maternal childcare practices and indicators of the nutritional status and health of children under the age of five. To this end, the authors used the quasi-experimental technique Propensity Score Matching. Positive impacts included a decrease in acute diarrheal disease, and an increase in immunization and seeking treatment for acute respiratory infection or fever symptoms. However, the program had little influence on chronic and acute malnutrition in the region.
Pelvic floor muscle strength and sexual function in women
Authors: Sacomori Cinara , Virtuoso Janeisa Franck , Kruger Ana Paula , Cardoso Fernando Luiz
Published: January 2016

Abstract Introduction : Pelvic floor (PF) muscles react to sexual stimuli with increased local blood circulation and involuntary contractions during orgasm. The training of the PF musculature helps in the improvement of the female sexual function. Objective : To verify the association between PF muscle strength and sexual function in women, controlling age and parity. Method : Cross-sectional study based on associations. The study included women who attended a reference center in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, for a uterine cancer smear test. The Functional Evaluation of the Pelvic Floor and the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire were used. Statistical procedures included Mann-Whitney U tests, Spearman correlation and Poisson Regression Analysis, with p < .05. Results : The mean age of the women (n = 177) was 39.05 years (SD = 13.3). Regarding PF function, 53.7% of participants presented weak or not palpable PF muscle function. Women with "good" muscle function (able to maintain contraction under examiner's resistance) had significantly better indexes of sexual desire, excitement, lubrication and orgasm than women with weak/poor function. We identified that 52.5% of the women presented sexual dysfunction. Women with "poor" PF function and aged over 50 years had, respectively, 1.36 (CI95% 1.01 - 1.82) and 1.77 (CI95% 1.41 - 2.23) higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction than women with "good" PF function. Conclusions : Adult women with better PF muscle function also presented better sexual function.
A Two-Year Clinical Evaluation of Fluoride and Non-Fluoride Resin-Based Pit-and-Fissure Sealants
Authors: Kobayashi Tatiana Yuriko , Rios Daniela , Machado Maria Aparecida de Andrade Moreira , Oliveira Thais Marchini , Silva Salete Moura Bonifácio da
Published: January 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare for 24 months, the retention and surface characteristics of two pit-and-fissure sealants: Helioseal Clear and Helioseal F (Ivoclar Vivadent). The correlation between the different stages of eruption and sealant retention was also verified. Fifty children aged 6 to 8 years participated in the study, totalizing 153 teeth divided into two groups: HC (Helioseal Clear) and HF (Helioseal F). After 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, a clinical examination was performed by previously calibrated examiners. The surface characteristics and the retention of the sealants (modified RYGE & SNYDER criteria) were assessed. Analyzing the occlusal surface, HC exhibited a statistically significant higher retention at 12 (p=0.0345) and 24 months (p=0.0076). Concerning the surface characteristics, only the superficial discoloration of HC was smaller than HF, during the entire studied period. For all the other characteristics, the results of the Mann-Whitney test were highly significant at different periods (p=0.0000 to 0.0421). The frequency of air bubbles within the sealant surfaces, determined by Chi-square test, was significantly higher in HF (p=0.000:12 and 18 months to p=0.002: 6 and 24 months). HC sealant material exhibited the best performance regarding the retention and surface characteristics on the occlusal surface.