bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resilience in psychology: A critical analysis of the concept
Authors: Schwarz Silke
Published: June 2018

Historically, psychiatry and clinical psychology focused on understanding how stressful life conditions led to psychiatric disorders. With the rise of positive psychology, the focus shifted to thriving through adversity and to concepts such as resilience. However, the number of mental disorders is still increasing. Due to a neoliberal Western decontextualizing stance in psychology, the concept of resilience is at risk of reproducing power imbalances and discrimination within our society. Resilience is analysed from a critical perspective, mostly with a Marxist point of view, including Foucauldian discursive approaches, as well as a biomedical critique of the current mental health system, to illustrate the shortcomings of Western psychologies. This article illustrates how a contextualized understanding of resilience that accounts for political, historical, and socioeconomic contexts at analytical levels besides the individual may overcome this ethnocentric and neoliberal bias.
Scholarly databases under scrutiny
Authors: Demir Selcuk Besir
Published: June 2018

The study aims to investigate whether indices (e.g. SSCI/ SCI/AHCI/ESCI, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, HW Wilson, ERIC) include potentially fake journals (PFJs) identified earlier in Beall’s list. Fourteen indices were examined to find out if PFJs are indexed by indices. The study also aims to provide detailed data regarding which of these indices include such PFJs along with information about the number of issues and articles published per year and publication fees charged by PFJs indexed by ordinary indices. The universe of the PFJs is composed of those listed in the Beall list ( n=2708), and the study aimed to reach all the universe instead of being content with a sample from it. The results of the study indicated that one PFJ was indexed by SCI and two were indexed by ESCI. In addition, it was found that 53 PFJs were indexed by SCOPUS, 12 by ERIC and six by MEDLİNE. It was revealed that PFJs indexed by indices have significantly higher numbers of articles published annually and charge significantly higher fees compared to PFJs that are not indexed in such indices.
Development of a Simple In Vitro Assay to Assess Digestion of the Extracellular Matrix of the Human Pancreas by Collagenase Enzyme Blends
Authors: Spiers Rebecca M. , Cross Sarah E. , Brown Helen L. , Bateman Paul A. , Vaughan Rebecca H. , Hughes Stephen J. , Johnson Paul R. V.
Published: June 2018

Despite huge advances in the field of islet transplantation over the last two decades, current islet isolation methods remain suboptimal, with transplantable yields obtained in less than half of all pancreases processed worldwide. Successful islet isolation is dependent on the ability of collagenase-based enzyme blends to digest extracellular matrix components at the islet–exocrine interface. The limited availability of donor pancreases hinders the use of full-scale islet isolations to characterize pancreas digestion by different enzyme components or blends, or allow the influence of inter-pancreatic variability between donors to be explored. We have developed a method that allows multiple enzyme components to be tested on any one pancreas. Biopsies of 0.5 cm3 were taken from seven standard (age ≥45) and eight young (age ≤35) pancreases. Serial cryosections were treated with Serva collagenase, neutral protease (NP), or the two enzymes together at clinically relevant concentrations. Following digestion, insulin and either collagen IV or laminin-α5 were detected by immunofluorescent labeling. Protein loss at the islet–exocrine interface was semi-quantified morphometrically, with reference to a control section. Differential digestion of the two proteins based on the enzyme components used was seen, with protein digestion significantly influenced by donor age. Treatment with collagenase and NP alone was significantly more effective at digesting collagen IV in the standard donor group, as was the NP mediated digestion of laminin-α5. Collagenase alone was not capable of significantly digesting laminin-α5 in either donor group. Combining the two enzymes ameliorated the age-related differences in the digestion of both proteins. No significant differences in protein loss were detected by the method when analyzed by two independent operators, demonstrating the reproducibility of the assay. The development of this simple yet reproducible assay has implications for both enzyme batch testing and identifying inter-donor digestion variability, while utilizing small amounts of both enzyme and human tissue.
Influence of Workforce Planning on Organizational Performance in the Manufacturing Industry of Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Obisi Chris , Samuel Remi , Ilesanmi Ayodeji
Published: June 2018

This study examines workforce planning on organizational performance in two private manufacturing companies at Apapa area of Lagos State. This study adopted a survey research design in which sample size determination table was used to choose 300 copies of the questionnaire administered, out of which 166 were recovered and used for data analysis, representing 55 per cent of the copies of the questionnaire recovered. The data collected were analysed through the descriptive and inferential method, and both Pearson’s moment correlation and regression analysis were used in testing the stated hypotheses. The findings show workforce planning has an influence on organizational performance. The study recommends that a there is a need for the government to have an economic blueprint that will help manufacturing sector to perform better than the contribution it is making now and also ensure that irrespective of the economic contraction or recession the manufacturing sector is facing, it should get a business direction right and avoid undesirable costs that are associated with high staff turnover, poor performance and dissatisfied workers.
Human Resource Practices as Predictors of Organizational Performance: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
Authors: Pattnaik Subash Chandra , Sahoo Rashmita
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this research article is to examine the relationship between human resource (HR) practices and organizational performance. Though this research theme has been extensively researched in Western countries, very limited research has been done in the prevailing HRM scenario obtained in developing economies, especially in India. Hence, this article attempts to study the relationship and fill this research gap. A two-stage structural equation modeling (SEM) has been used to study this relationship. In the first stage, the proposed measurement model is validated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and, in the second, the structural model examines the hypothesized relationship between the HR practices and organizational performance. It is found that the two are positively related. The findings of this study strengthen existing literature in the area and have important implications for managers engaged in HR functions.
An Analysis of the National Intended Geometry Curriculum
Authors: Jayathirtha Gayithri
Published: June 2018

Geometrical concepts play a crucial role in developing spatial thinking and reasoning. Further, curricular materials play a key role in shaping student-learning experiences in the classroom. The organisation of the content of textbooks plays a decisive role in how and when students are introduced to concepts, especially given the ‘textbook-centric’ teaching practices observed in the Indian classroom. I thus analysed the geometry curriculum from grades one through eight through the lens of the five-level hierarchical van Hiele model of geometrical thinking.1 I organized the analysis to highlight conceptual details at two levels—across a chapter in a particular grade level and across chapters in all the eight grade levels. The analysis has illuminated the affordances of curricular materials to constantly connect students to multiple levels of geometric reasoning, but at the same time it points to the need for reorganizing the curriculum to enable students to systematically progress from visual-based to deduction-based reasoning. The analysis also calls for redesigning certain conceptual representations to promote relational geometrical understanding among students.
Returning the ‘social’ to social entrepreneurship: Future possibilities of critically exploring sport for development and peace and social entrepreneurship
Authors: McSweeney Mitchell J
Published: June 2018

Social entrepreneurship is a nascent concept within academia that is increasing in scholarly attention and practice, especially within the study of sport. A recent article has reviewed the concept of social entrepreneurship (SE) and sport and offered suggestions for future studies. Building on this article, I suggest that there is a need for critical, sociological explorations of sport and SE, most especially for scholars within the field of sport for development and peace (SDP). In this article, a review of SE and sport is briefly provided, as well as a presentation of recent critical perspectives on SE. Drawing attention to the connections between SDP and critical studies of SE, I suggest that there is an opportunity for sociologists of SDP to further understand the complex relations and neoliberal power structures involved in SDP social change, sustainability, innovation, and donor-recipient relations that would contribute significant insights for the future of the field.
The media and democracy in the digital era: is this what we had in mind?
Authors: Turner Graeme
Published: June 2018

In the mass media era, the role of the media was universally regarded as fundamental to the proper functioning of the democratic state: the media’s capacity to provide information freely to all citizens ensured they had equal access to the democratic process. There were many, though, who registered concern at the top-down, government-led and highly concentrated structures of power embedded here; it was easy to demonstrate how the flow of information could be manipulated and the power of the media abused. Consequently, the arrival of the digital era seemed to radically modify that power relation for the better. The initial enthusiasm, though, has been challenged by what, a decade or two later, we have ended up with: a digital landscape that does indeed offer unprecedented access to information, in ways that have been transformative – but that is also awash with socially regressive content: fake news, hate speech revenge porn and so on. In this article, I want to discuss some aspects of what we have got from the digital era so far, with a particular focus on the changing relationship between the media and democracy – and within that, the role of news, information and the practice of journalism.
Numerical study of a hydrodynamic journal bearing with herringbone grooves for oil leakage reduction
Authors: Wang Chin-Cheng , He Chieh-Lin
Published: June 2018

Hydrodynamic journal bearings and herringbone-grooved journal bearings were numerically analyzed using finite volume-based computational fluid dynamics software. Navier–Stokes equations were solved to describe pressure and velocity distributions in three dimensions. Values of the Sommerfeld number were calculated as a benchmark case for a hydrodynamic journal bearing. The predicted values of the Sommerfeld number are comparable to theoretical results from engineering tribology literature. For a hydrodynamic journal bearing, it is found that there is a positive correlation between the maximum pressure and the eccentricity ratio. For a hydrodynamic herringbone-grooved journal bearing, the peak pressures are found to occur at the tips of the grooves. It is further found that a herringbone-grooved design can reduce average axial velocity at the outlet by 84%, compared to a hydrodynamic journal bearing without eccentricity. This design could also address the oil leakage issue occurring often in hydrodynamic bearings. These findings may be useful for oil leakage reduction in a hydrodynamic herringbone-grooved journal bearing design.
Examining the effectiveness of the Cultural Formulation Interview with young children: A clinical illustration
Authors: La Roche Martin J. , Bloom Jill Betz
Published: June 2018

After years of extensive research, the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) was released in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Similar to its predecessor, the Outline of the Cultural Formulation (OCF), the CFI aims to refine the psychiatric assessment process by systematically examining cultural factors. However, in contrast to the OCF which employs open-ended questions, the CFI uses a semi-structured interview format. Unfortunately, children and adolescents have only been included in a handful of OCF and CFI studies, which raises questions about their applicability with youth, particularly young children (11 years or younger). In this article, we start examining the usefulness of the CFI with young children and propose recommendations to enhance its benefits by suggesting the development of a supplementary module specifically designed for young children. These ideas are illustrated with the assessment of a 6-year-old boy of Somali descent.
Member States’ social security agreements with India
Authors: Melin Pauline
Published: June 2018

In a 2012 Communication, the European Commission described the current approach to social security coordination with third countries as ‘patchy’. The European Commission proposed to address that patchiness by developing a common EU approach to social security coordination with third countries whereby the Member States would cooperate more with each other when concluding bilateral agreements with third countries. This article aims to explore the policy agenda of the European Commission in that field by conducting a comparative legal analysis of the Member States’ bilateral agreements with India. The idea behind the comparative legal analysis is to determine whether (1) there are common grounds between the Member States’ approaches, and (2) based on these common grounds, it is possible to suggest a common EU approach. India is taken as a third-country case study due to its labour migration and investment potential for the European Union. In addition, there are currently 12 Member State bilateral agreements with India and no instrument at the EU level on social security coordination with India. Therefore, there is a potential need for a common EU approach to social security coordination with India. Based on the comparative legal analysis of the Member States’ bilateral agreements with India, this article ends by outlining the content of a potential future common EU approach.
National approaches of EU Member States in concluding bilateral social security agreements with third countries
Authors: Pennings Frans
Published: June 2018

This article describes the history of policies for making bilateral agreements by the Netherlands, a country with considerable migration to and from over time and one of the founding states of the EEC. For this reason, the characteristics of the agreements made and the main developments over time can provide a mirror for discussion of the bilateral agreements of other Member States. The development of the reasons of making bilateral agreements are described and this makes it possible to distinguish several generations of agreements. It is contended that this is useful in describing the agreements made by other countries.
Employment and social security rights of third-country nationals under the EU labour migration directives*
Authors: Verschueren Herwig
Published: June 2018

This article explores the employment and social security rights of third-country nationals guaranteed by a number of EU Directives which are specifically meant to promote and regulate labour migration to the EU. Some were agreed with a view to making the EU more attractive for labour migration from outside the EU. Others were meant to (partially) harmonise rights and/or procedures in order to create a level playing field between the Member States. More specifically, it examines the relevant provisions in the Blue Card Directive 2009/50, the Employers’ Sanctions Directive 2009/52, the Single Permit Directive 2011/98, the Seasonal Workers Directive 2014/36, the Intra-corporate Transferees Directive 2014/66 and the Students and Researchers Directive 2016/801. The article emphasises that this set of EU labour migration Directives are the result of a sector-by-sector approach. The EU failed to adopt an overall and common EU labour migration policy and corresponding legal instruments. Even with regard to entitlement to equal treatment in terms of employment and social security rights, these EU instruments lack a common approach and give the Member States room to provide for exceptions. In addition, these Directives do not contain any provisions regarding the aggregation of periods of insurance, employment or residence. As a result, they offer additional protection for the social security rights of migrant persons, but they need to be complemented by other instruments such as multilateral or bilateral agreements with third countries, or even human rights instruments.
Ethnic inequalities in child and adolescent health in the Scandinavian welfare states: The role of parental socioeconomic status – a systematic review
Authors: Mock-Muñoz de Luna Claire J. , Vitus Kathrine , Torslev Mette K. , Krasnik Allan , Jervelund Signe S.
Published: June 2018

Aims: Adult non-Western immigrants in Scandinavia tend to be worse off in terms of health than native-born populations, which cannot be fully ascribed to their often lower socioeconomic status (SES). This review examines if differences in health status are also present between non-Western immigrant and majority children in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and if SES explains the differences. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, relevant Scandinavian peer-reviewed quantitative publications since 1990 were identified through a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and SveMed. Of 1197 identified publications, 27 remained relevant after applying inclusion criteria: 3 Danish, 6 Norwegian and 18 Swedish studies. Results: Non-western immigrant children had overall poorer outcomes compared with ethnic majority children in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in health issues covered by the included studies: diabetes, obesity, oral and mental health, and well-being. However, in diabetes, obesity and mental health, non-Western immigrant children from certain countries and regions, and descendants of non-Western immigrants had similar/more favourable outcomes than majority children. In mental health and well-being, ethnic inequalities were strongly associated with SES, while for diabetes, obesity and oral health, differences remained significant after adjusting for SES. Conclusions: Overall poorer health outcomes in non-Western immigrant compared with majority children in Scandinavia cannot be fully explained by SES. Evidence points to additional mechanisms at individual, household, societal or policy levels, including reasons for migration, culture and societal discrimination. Finally, methodological issues may influence study outcomes, e.g. heterogeneity of populations studied and socioeconomic variables included.
Living together: Sympathy and the practice of politics
Authors: Hankins Joseph
Published: June 2018

What place is there for sympathy in politics or politics in sympathy? This essay takes inspiration from the Japanese formulation of multiculturalism ( tabunka-kyōsei or “the living together of multiple cultures”) to explore the sympathetic politics of living together. Following a group of Japanese activists on a solidarity trip to Chennai, India, the essay builds a definition of politics—the creation of venues, scenes, and opportunities in which we might practice ourselves as we want to become—that relies on the cultivation of fellow feeling. Rooted in the history and contemporary practice of Japanese activist trips to India, this essay specifies a definition of politics and sympathetic engagement that complicates recent discussions of humanitarianism and politics that tend to place these two efforts in opposition against each other.
Inhibition of renin-angiotensin axis reduces the risk of thrombus formation in the left atrial appendage in patients with hypertension complicated by atrial fibrillation
Authors: Suo Ya , Zhang Zhiwei , Fu Huaying , Zhang Yue , Yuan Meng , Wang Yuanyuan , Goudis Christos A , Tse Gary , Liu Tong , Li Guangping
Published: June 2018

Aims:

We examined whether the use of a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) inhibitor plays a role in protecting against left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) in patients with hypertension complicated by atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods:

Two observational studies were conducted on patients with diagnoses of hypertension and AF, who were categorized into RAS inhibitor user or nonuser groups. Demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, echocardiographic parameters and hemostatic markers were examined and the occurrence of LAAT during follow-up were recorded.

Results:

In the first study ( n = 131), LA peak systolic strain and LAA emptying flow velocity (LAA eV) were significantly increased in patients on RAS inhibitors compared with the nonuser group ( p < 0.05). Lower D-dimer and fibrinogen levels were observed in patients on RAS inhibitors ( p < 0.05). In the second study ( n = 99), 25.9% ( n = 11) of patients on RAS inhibitors developed LAAT, compared with 46.7% ( n = 21) in the nonuser group ( p < 0.05). After controlling for risk factors related to LAAT, use of RAS inhibitors remained associated with a significantly lower risk of developing LAAT (HR, 0.406; 95% CI, 0.191–0.862; p = 0.019).

Conclusions:

RAS inhibitors use was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of LAAT in patients with hypertension and AF.
A pilot investigation into the effects of acute normobaric hypoxia, high altitude exposure and exercise on serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, aldosterone and cortisol
Authors: Cooke Mark , Cruttenden Richard , Mellor Adrian , Lumb Andrew , Pattman Stewart , Burnett Anne , Boot Chris , Burnip Louise , Boos Christopher , O’Hara John , Woods David
Published: June 2018

Introduction:

Aldosterone decreases at high altitude (HA) but the effect of hypoxia on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a key step in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, is unclear.

Methods:

We investigated the effects of exercise and acute normobaric hypoxia (NH, ~11.0% FiO2) on nine participants and six controls undertaking the same exercise at sea level (SL). NH exposure lasted 5 hours with 90 minutes of submaximal treadmill walking. Blood samples for aldosterone, ACE and cortisol were taken throughout exposure and at rest during a trek to HA (5140 m) in eight separate participants.

Results:

There was no difference in cortisol or aldosterone between groups pre-exercise. Aldosterone rose with exercise to a greater extent at SL than in NH (post-exercise: 700 ± 325 versus 335 ± 238 pmol/L, mean ± SD, p = 0.044). Conversely, cortisol rose to a greater extent in NH (post-exercise: 734 ± 165 versus 344 ± 159 nmol/L, mean ± SD, p = 0.001). There were no differences in ACE activity. During the trek to HA, resting aldosterone and cortisol reduced with no change in ACE.

Conclusions:

Acute NH subdues the exercise-associated rise in aldosteroe but stimulates cortisol, whereas prolonged exposure at HA reduces both resting aldosterone and cortisol. As ACE activity was unchanged in both environments, this is not the mechanism underlying the fall in aldosterone.
Renal Function Salvage After Delayed Endovascular Revascularization of Acute Renal Artery Occlusion in Patients With Fenestrated-Branched Endovascular Aneurysm Repair or Visceral Debranching
Authors: Heidemann Franziska , Kölbel Tilo , Debus E. Sebastian , Diener Holger , Carpenter Sebastian W. , Rohlffs Fiona , Tsilimparis Nikolaos
Published: June 2018

Purpose: To analyze the renal function and outcome after delayed (>6 hours) endovascular revascularization of acute renal artery occlusion (RAO) in patients with fenestrated-branched endovascular aneurysm repairs (EVARs) or open visceral debranching. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted involving 7 patients (mean age 61 years, range 49–72; 5 women) with 9 RAOs treated with endovascular revascularization between December 2014 and March 2017. Three patients had a solitary kidney with chronic renal insufficiency; 1 patient had bilateral occlusions as the acute event. Initial aortic surgery included 5 branched and 1 fenestrated EVAR as well as 1 open visceral debranching operation. Revascularization of the RAO was performed using aspiration thrombectomy, local lysis therapy, and stent-graft relining. The median time between initial aortic surgery and RAO was 10 months (range 0.5–17). Results: Median renal ischemic time to revascularization was 24 hours (range 7–168). Technical success was 100%, with 1 procedure-related access complication. Temporary dialysis dependency occurred in 4 patients. Mean in-hospital stay was 17 days (range 7–32) with 1 postoperative death at day 10 due to cardiac arrest of unknown cause. Mean follow-up was 10.3 months (range 1.5–27) in 5 of 6 discharged patients. During follow-up, 1 reintervention for recurrent occlusion was performed. At follow-up imaging, all renal arteries were patent. No permanent dialysis dependency occurred. Conclusion: Renal function can be salvaged by delayed revascularization for RAO with prolonged renal ischemia. The endovascular approach with aspiration thrombectomy, local lysis, and stent-graft relining is a feasible technique for revascularization after RAO in patients with fenestrated-branched EVAR or open visceral debranching.
Direction-Specific Instability Poststroke Is Associated With Deficient Motor Modules for Balance Control
Authors: de Kam Digna , Geurts Alexander C. , Weerdesteyn Vivian , Torres-Oviedo Gelsy
Published: June 2018

Defective muscle coordination for balance recovery may contribute to stroke survivors’ propensity for falling. Thus, we investigated deficits in muscle coordination for postural control and their association to body sway following balance perturbations in people with stroke. Specifically, we compared the automatic postural responses of 8 leg and trunk muscles recorded bilaterally in unimpaired individuals and those with mild to moderate impairments after unilateral supratentorial lesions (>6 months). These responses were elicited by unexpected floor translations in 12 directions. We extracted motor modules (ie, muscle synergies) for each leg using nonnegative matrix factorization. We also determined the magnitude of perturbation-induced body sway using a single-link inverted pendulum model. Whereas the number of motor modules for balance was not affected by stroke, those formed by muscles with long latency responses were replaced by atypically structured paretic motor modules (atypical muscle groupings), which hints at direct cerebral involvement in long-latency feedback responses. Other paretic motor modules had intact structure but were poorly recruited, which is indicative of indirect cerebral control of balance. Importantly, these paretic deficits were strongly associated with postural instability in the preferred activation direction of the impaired motor modules. Finally, these deficiencies were heterogeneously distributed across stroke survivors with lesions in distinct locations, suggesting that different cerebral substrates may contribute to balance control. In conclusion, muscle coordination deficits in the paretic limb of stroke survivors result in direction-specific postural instability, which highlights the importance of targeted interventions to address patient-specific balance impairments.
Received signal strength–based target localization under spatially correlated shadowing via convex optimization relaxation
Authors: Chang Shengming , Li Youming , Wang Hui , Wang Gang
Published: June 2018

Received signal strength–based target localization methods normally employ radio propagation path loss model, in which the log-normal shadowing noise is generally assumed to follow a zero-mean Gaussian distribution and is uncorrelated. In this article, however, we represent the simplified additive noise by the spatially correlated log-normal shadowing noise. We propose a new convex localization estimator in wireless sensor networks by using received signal strength measurements under spatially correlated shadowing environment. First, we derive a new non-convex estimator based on weighted least squares criterion. Second, by using the equivalence of norm, the derived estimator can be reformulated as its equivalent form which has no logarithm in the objective function. Then, the new estimator is relaxed by applying efficient convex relaxation that is based on second-order cone programming and semi-definite programming technique. Finally, the convex optimization problem can be efficiently solved by a standard interior-point method, thus to obtain the globally optimal solution. Simulation results show that the proposed estimator solves the localization problem efficiently and is close to Cramer–Rao lower bound compared with the state-of-the-art approach under correlated shadowing environment.
A novel method of adaptive weighted K-nearest neighbor fingerprint indoor positioning considering user’s orientation
Authors: Bi Jingxue , Wang Yunjia , Li Xin , Cao Hongji , Qi Hongxia , Wang Yongkang
Published: June 2018

There are many factors affecting Wi-Fi signal in indoor environment, among which the human body has an important impact. And, its characteristic is related to the user’s orientation. To eliminate positioning errors caused by user’s human body and improve positioning accuracy, this study puts forward an adaptive weighted K-nearest neighbor fingerprint positioning method considering the user’s orientation. First, the orientation fingerprint database model is proposed, which includes the position, orientation, and the sequence of mean received signal strength indicator at each reference point. Second, the fuzzy c-means algorithm is used to cluster orientation fingerprint database taking the hybrid distance of the signal domain and position domain as the clustering feature. Finally, the proposed adaptive algorithm is developed to select K-reference points by matching operation, to remove the reference points with larger signal-domain distances, minimum and maximum coordinate values, and calculate the weighted mean coordinates of the remaining reference points for positioning results. The experimental results show that the average error decreases by 0.7 m, and the root mean square error decreases to about 1.3 m by the proposed technique. And, we conclude that the proposed adaptive weighted K-nearest neighbor fingerprint positioning method can improve positioning accuracy.
Therapeutic potential of Pak1 inhibition for pain associated with cutaneous burn injury
Authors: Guo Yiqun , Benson Curtis , Hill Myriam , Henry Stefanie , Effraim Philip , Waxman Stephen G , Dib-Hajj Sulayman , Tan Andrew M
Published: June 2018

Painful burn injuries are among the most debilitating form of trauma, globally ranking in the top 15 leading causes of chronic disease burden. Despite its prevalence, however, chronic pain after burn injury is under-studied. We previously demonstrated the contribution of the Rac1-signaling pathway in several models of neuropathic pain, including burn injury. However, Rac1 belongs to a class of GTPases with low therapeutic utility due to their complex intracellular dynamics. To further understand the mechanistic underpinnings of burn-induced neuropathic pain, we performed a longitudinal study to address the hypothesis that inhibition of the downstream effector of Rac1, Pak1, will improve pain outcome following a second-degree burn injury. Substantial evidence has identified Pak1 as promising a clinical target in cognitive dysfunction and is required for dendritic spine dysgenesis associated with many neurological diseases. In our burn injury model, mice exhibited significant tactile allodynia and heat hyperalgesia and dendritic spine dysgenesis in the dorsal horn. Activity-dependent expression of c-fos also increased in dorsal horn neurons, an indicator of elevated central nociceptive activity. To inhibit Pak1, we repurposed an FDA-approved inhibitor, romidepsin. Treatment with romidepsin decreased dendritic spine dysgenesis, reduced c-fos expression, and rescued pain thresholds. Drug discontinuation resulted in a relapse of cellular correlates of pain and in lower pain thresholds in behavioral tests. Taken together, our findings identify Pak1 signaling as a potential molecular target for therapeutic intervention in traumatic burn-induced neuropathic pain.
Auditory Distraction During Reading: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of a Continuing Controversy
Authors: Vasilev Martin R. , Kirkby Julie A. , Angele Bernhard
Published: June 2018

Everyday reading occurs in different settings, such as on the train to work, in a busy cafeteria, or at home while listening to music. In these situations, readers are exposed to external auditory stimulation from nearby noise, speech, or music that may distract them from their task and reduce their comprehension. Although many studies have investigated auditory-distraction effects during reading, the results have proved to be inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory. In addition, the broader theoretical implications of the findings have not always been explicitly considered. We report a Bayesian meta-analysis of 65 studies on auditory-distraction effects during reading and use metaregression models to test predictions derived from existing theories. The results showed that background noise, speech, and music all have a small but reliably detrimental effect on reading performance. The degree of disruption in reading comprehension did not generally differ between adults and children. Intelligible speech and lyrical music resulted in the biggest distraction. Although this last result is consistent with theories of semantic distraction, there was also reliable distraction by noise. It is argued that new theoretical models are needed that can account for distraction by both background speech and noise.
Developing Treatments for Antisocial Behavior Among Children: Controlled Trials and Uncontrolled Tribulations
Authors: Kazdin Alan E.
Published: June 2018

The article describes my research on the development and evaluation of psychosocial treatments for children who engage in extremes of antisocial behavior (e.g., aggression, property destruction, theft). I begin with my “story” of how the focus on interventions started as I worked in various settings (rehabilitation facilities, schools, hospitals, and outpatient clinical services) and with children, adolescents, and adults. The main stream of treatment research and findings with antisocial child behavior is highlighted along with tributaries that led naturally from the outcome research. Our trials are complemented by tribulations that apply to evidence-based psychosocial interventions more broadly. Most individuals in need of psychological services in the United States and worldwide receive no treatment. Much can be done right now with novel models of treatment delivery that draw on multiple disciplines (e.g., public health, business, entertainment, economics, robotics and artificial intelligence, and law and social policy). More research on interventions that do not or cannot reach most people in need is quite limited in value to me. Finally (and belatedly) my attention has turned to ways of exerting impact, and for that, evidence-based interventions are necessary but hardly sufficient.
Influence of improvement or worsening of glucose tolerance on risk of stroke in persons with impaired glucose tolerance
Authors: Shen Xiaoxia , Zhang Ping , Wang Jinping , An Yali , Gregg Edward W , Zhang Bo , Li Hui , Gong Qiuhong , Chen Yanyan , Shuai Ying , Engelgau Michael M , Hu Yinghua , Bennett Peter H , Li Guangwei
Published: June 2018

Background and aim

We sought to determine the effect of regression to normal glucose tolerance (NGT) or progression to diabetes in early years of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) on subsequent risk of stroke.

Methods

In 1986, 576 adults aged 25 years and older with impaired glucose tolerance in Da Qing, China, were randomly assigned by clinic to control, diet, exercise, or diet plus exercise intervention groups for a six-year period. Subsequently participants received medical care in their local clinics. We tracked participants for additional 17 years to ascertain stroke events and other outcomes.

Results

At the end of 6-year intervention trial follow-up, 272 (50.2%) had progressed to diabetes, 169 (31.2%) regressed to normal glucose tolerance, and 101 (18.6%) remained impaired glucose tolerance. During the subsequent 17-year follow-up, 173 (31.9%) developed a stroke, 26.7% of normal glucose tolerances, 30.7% of impaired glucose tolerances, and 36.1% of those with diabetes. After controlling for age, sex, baseline blood pressure, smoking, total cholesterol, previous cardiovascular disease and intervention group, those who developed diabetes in the first six years had a higher incidence of stroke than those who reverted to normal glucose tolerance (HR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.01–2.19, p = 0.04), whereas for those who remained impaired glucose tolerance compared to those who regressed to normal glucose tolerance the HR was 1.25 (95% CI 0.80–1.93; p = 0.30). A 1-mmol/L increase in both fasting and 2-h post-load plasma glucose from entry to end of the six-year trial was significantly associated with a higher risk of development of stroke in the subsequent 17 years, respectively (HR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.03–1.11, p < 0.0001 for fasting glucose, HR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.09, p = 0.007 for 2-h post-load plasma glucose).

Conclusions

Among Chinese adults with impaired glucose tolerance, early progression to diabetes predicted a higher risk of stroke, compared those who regressed to normal glucose tolerance.
Revisiting the social organisation of national memory: A look at the calendars of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia
Authors: Andrejevs Dmitrijs
Published: June 2018

This article presents a study of the social organisation of the national memories of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia (the Baltic states). It draws inspiration from and expands the scope of the application of Eviatar Zerubavel’s largely unexplored methodological tools for the study of calendars. Accordingly, the purpose of this article is threefold. First, this article offers an application of the above tools to the case of the Baltic states. Second, by doing so, it provides an overview of comparative patterns within Baltic calendars. Third, it is argued that by exposing the social organisation of national memory, this approach offers insight into silences, providing an entry point for an engagement with amnesiology, as coined by Liedeke Plate.
Other Than the Sum: Hispanic and Middle Eastern Categorizations of Black–White Mixed-Race Faces
Authors: Nicolas Gandalf , Skinner Allison L. , Dickter Cheryl L.
Published: June 2018

The racial categorization literature, reliant on forced-choice tasks, suggests that mixed-race targets are often categorized using the parent faces that created the racially mixed stimuli (e.g., Black or White) or their combination (e.g., Black–White multiracial). In the current studies, we introduce a free-response task that allows for spontaneous categorizations of higher ecological validity. Our results suggest that, when allowed, observers often classify Black–White faces into alternative categories (i.e., responses that are neither the parent races nor their combination), such as Hispanic and Middle Eastern. Furthermore, we find that the stereotypes of the various categories that are mapped to racially mixed faces are distinct, underscoring the importance of understanding how mixed-race targets are spontaneously categorized. Our findings speak to the challenges associated with racial categorization in an increasingly racially diverse population, including discrepancies between target racial identities and their racial categorizations by observers as well as variable stereotype application to mixed-race targets.
Physiotherapy practice in pulmonary hypertension: physiotherapist and patient perspectives
Authors: Keen Carol , Fowler‐Davis Sally , McLean Sionnadh , Manson Jane
Published: June 2018

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life‐limiting disease affecting circulation to the lungs. The primary symptom of PH is breathlessness, yet research has shown that patients with PH can exercise safely and can benefit from exercise to improve exercise capacity and maintain quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the nature of physiotherapy delivered to patients with PH in the UK. This was a two‐phase sequential, exploratory, mixed‐methods study. Interviews were conducted with seven lead physiotherapists at specialist pulmonary hypertension centers and three patients. Survey data came from 63 physiotherapists caring for patients with PH in specialist and non‐specialist settings. The findings from the two phases were triangulated and analyzed. Findings showed that physiotherapists and patients see the benefit and potential of physical activity for patients with PH to maintain functional wellbeing. However, current physiotherapy provision focuses on acute inpatient care and planning for discharge and is not therefore aligned with research evidence and clinical guidelines. In the absence of inpatient rehabilitation facilities, physiotherapists will occasionally access existing community services, e.g. pulmonary rehabilitation; however, specialist knowledge of this rare condition can be lacking in local services. There is aspiration among physiotherapists and patients for a new approach which supports patients from diagnosis with PH to end of life. This includes promoting and delivering rehabilitation and exercise interventions to achieve better health outcomes, in line with patient needs. Treatment would be commissioned and delivered within existing national health systems with physiotherapists developing strategies for health improvement.
Information equality and democracy in the information age: Cross-national time-series analyses
Authors: Yoon Jong-Han
Published: June 2018

This study tests Simpson’s theory that information equality promotes democracy. While Simpson (1997) argues that information equality is one of the most crucial conditions for democratization, information equality is poorly measured. It only uses a single indicator, literacy rate, and does not reflect the mode of information distribution. Therefore, this study attempts to test Simpson’s theory with new measurements which reflect the theory more appropriately for the information age – the number of internet users and the percentage of the labor force that has received a secondary education. Using cross-national time-series analysis on 177 countries from 1990 to 2013, this study found that Simpson’s theory is not supported with sufficient empirical evidence. Contrary to the expectation, both the number of internet users and the labor force that has received a secondary education are not significantly associated with the level of democracy.
The Liberal Democratic Party: Its adaptability and predominance in Japanese politics for 60 years
Authors: Umeda Michio
Published: June 2018

This article discusses the origin and continuity of the predominance of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japanese politics since the party’s formation in 1955. The LDP experienced two crises in its history, the first owing to the transformation of Japanese society by rapid economic development during the 1960–1970s, and the second due to the electoral reform in 1994 and the challenge from the Democratic Party of Japan thereafter. I argue that the LDP’s continuous success is attributable to its adaptability to new environments: the party overcame the first crisis by shifting the policy focus, reorganizing its support base and the party organization to achieve intraparty consensus. It coped with the second crisis by forming a coalition with the Clean Government Party and reforming the party’s presidential election and the ministerial post-allocation system. The article concludes with a summary and a brief discussion regarding the future of the LDP.
Description of Baseline Characteristics of Pediatric Allergic Asthma Patients Including those Initiated on Omalizumab
Authors: Kavati Abhishek , Pilon Dominic , Ortiz Benjamin , Paknis Brandee , Vegesna Ashok , Schiffman Bradd , Zhdanava Maryia , Lefebvre Patrick , Stone Brian
Published: June 2018

Background

Indication of omalizumab in the United States was recently extended to include pediatric (6–11 years) uncontrolled moderate-to-severe allergic asthma patients.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe baseline characteristics of this population from a real-world dataset.

Methods

Allergic asthma patients and uncontrolled moderate-to-severe allergic asthma patients, aged 6–11 years, were identified in the Allergy Partners Network Electronic Medical Records (2007–2016). The index date for allergic asthma patients was the latest between the second asthma-related visit and the allergic status confirmation. Uncontrolled moderate-to-severe allergic asthma patients were stratified into omalizumab-exposed (index date) or omalizumab-unexposed (index date randomly generated) groups. Characteristics were evaluated during the 12-month preindex period.

Results

A total of 5806 allergic asthma, 37 omalizumab-exposed, and 2620 omalizumab-unexposed patients were selected (mean age approximately 9 years). Allergic asthma and omalizumab-unexposed patients were predominantly white (70.2% and 61.2%) whereas the majority of omalizumab-exposed were African Americans (62.2%). Mean immunoglobulin E was 782.0 IU/ml in allergic asthma patients (available in 2.2%), 1134.4 IU/ml in omalizumab-exposed (available in 100.0%), and 746.1 IU/ml in omalizumab-unexposed (available in 3.1%). Allergic asthma patients were less severe than omalizumab-exposed and omalizumab-unexposed based on the forced expiratory volume in 1 s as a percentage of predicted value (FEV1% predicted) and the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT). FEV1% predicted was below normal (<80%) in 42.4% of omalizumab-exposed and 39.1% of omalizumab-unexposed patients, also 63.6% of omalizumab-exposed and 46.7% of omalizumab-unexposed had uncontrolled asthma (C-ACT score <20). In African American omalizumab-exposed patients, FEV1% predicted was below normal in 47.6% and 55.0% had uncontrolled asthma.

Conclusions

In a real-world setting, pediatric patients with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe allergic asthma have a significant disease burden as shown by high rates of poor lung function, disease control, and symptoms. Currently available treatments could help improve disease management in this population.
Sinonasal epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma: Report of a novel subsite and review of the literature
Authors: Schuman Theodore A. , Kimple Adam J. , Edgerly Claire H. , Ebert Charles S. , Zanation Adam M. , Thorp Brian D.
Published: June 2018

Background

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is a rare tumor of the major and minor salivary glands. Sinonasal EMC is extremely uncommon and hitherto not described within the frontal or ethmoid sinuses.

Objective

To present a novel sinonasal subsite and review the literature regarding sinonasal EMC.

Methods

A case of frontoethmoidal EMC was presented. A medical literature data base was queried from January 1, 1950, to August 8, 2017, for all reports of sinonasal EMC.

Results

A 69-year-old man underwent combined open and endoscopic craniofacial resection of a right frontoethmoidal EMC, a previously undescribed primary location for this tumor. A comprehensive review of the literature revealed 13 additional cases of sinonasal EMC.

Conclusion

EMC is an uncommon neoplasm typically found in the major salivary glands; occurrence in the nose or paranasal sinuses is extremely rare. EMC often follows an indolent clinical course, although, in a minority of cases, particularly in large tumors with nuclear atypia, more aggressive behavior may be observed.