bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Repellent Activities of Essential Oils of Some Plants Used Traditionally to Control the Brown Ear Tick,Rhipicephalus appendiculatus
Authors: Wanzala Wycliffe , Hassanali Ahmed , Mukabana Wolfgang Richard , Takken Willem
Published: February 2014

Essential oils of eight plants, selected after an ethnobotanical survey conducted in Bukusu community in Bungoma County, western Kenya (Tagetes minuta, Tithonia diversifolia, Juniperus procera, Solanecio mannii, Senna didymobotrya, Lantana camara, Securidaca longepedunculata, andHoslundia opposita), were initially screened (at two doses) for their repellence against brown ear tick,Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, using a dual-choice climbing assay. The oils ofT. minutaandT. diversifoliawere then selected for more detailed study. Dose-response evaluations of these oils showed thatT. minutaoil was more repellent (RD50= 0.0021 mg) than that ofT. diversifolia(RD50= 0.263 mg). Gas chromatography-linked mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analyses showed different compositions of the two oils.T. minutaoil is comprised mainly ofcis-ocimene (43.78%), dihydrotagetone (16.71%), piperitenone (10.15%),trans-tagetone (8.67%), 3,9-epoxy-p-mentha-1,8(10)diene (6.47%),β-ocimene (3.25%), andcis-tagetone (1.95%), whereasT. diversifoliaoil is comprised mainly ofα-pinene (63.64%),β-pinene (15.00%), isocaryophyllene (7.62%), nerolidol (3.70%), 1-tridecanol (1.75%), limonene (1.52%), and sabinene (1.00%). The results provide scientific rationale for traditional use of raw products of these plants in controlling livestock ticks by the Bukusu community and lay down some groundwork for exploiting partially refined products such as essential oils of these plants in protecting cattle against infestations withR. appendiculatus.
Vegetation Recovery in Response to the Exclusion of Grazing by Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) in Seminatural Grassland on Mt. Kushigata, Japan
Authors: Nagaike Takuo , Ohkubo Eiji , Hirose Kazuhiro
Published: February 2014

We examined the recovery of vegetation in seminatural grassland in central Japan after eliminating grazing by sika deer (Cervus nippon) by fencing. By 2012, after 5 years of fencing for exclusion of sika deer, the species composition of quadrats within the enclosure reverted to the original species composition in 1981, not browsed by sika deer. Conversely, outside the fence was different from the baseline quadrats in 1981. Iris sanguinea, a prominent flower in the area, recovered within the enclosure, while it continued to decrease with grazing outside the fence. Nevertheless, the I. sanguinea cover had not recovered to the 1981 levels in the enclosure. Fencing can effectively restore vegetation as the species composition within the enclosure gradually reverts to the original vegetation. Preventing grazing in intensively grazed seminatural grassland might lead to different successional pathways. Since I. sanguinea did not recover fully within the enclosure and the species composition differed slightly from the original vegetation, this suggests that the vegetation within the enclosure will change to an alternative state. Therefore, different management is needed to promote the correct succession pathways for ecological restoration, perhaps by enhancing the colonization of target species, to prevent restored sites from giving rise to alternative states.
The Role of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Predicting Prostate Cancer Risk and Therapeutic Decision Making
Authors: Van den Broeck Thomas , Joniau Steven , Clinckemalie Liesbeth , Helsen Christine , Prekovic Stefan , Spans Lien , Tosco Lorenzo , Van Poppel Hendrik , Claessens Frank
Published: February 2014

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a major health care problem because of its high prevalence, health-related costs, and mortality. Epidemiological studies have suggested an important role of genetics in PCa development. Because of this, an increasing number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) had been suggested to be implicated in the development and progression of PCa. While individual SNPs are only moderately associated with PCa risk, in combination, they have a stronger, dose-dependent association, currently explaining 30% of PCa familial risk. This review aims to give a brief overview of studies in which the possible role of genetic variants was investigated in clinical settings. We will highlight the major research questions in the translation of SNP identification into clinical practice.
An Application of the Cahn‐Hilliard Approach to Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics
Authors: Hirschler M. , Huber M. , Säckel W. , Kunz P. , Nieken U.
Published: February 2014

The development of a methodology for the simulation of structure forming
processes is highly desirable. The smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH)
approach provides a respective framework for modeling the self‐structuring
of complex geometries. In this paper, we describe a diffusion‐controlled
phase separation process based on the Cahn‐Hilliard approach using the
SPH method. As a novelty for SPH method, we derive an approximation
for a fourth‐order derivative and validate it. Since boundary conditions
strongly affect the solution of the phase separation model, we apply boundary
conditions at free surfaces and solid walls. The results are in good agreement
with the universal power law of coarsening and physical theory. It is possible
to combine the presented model with existing SPH models.
Perioperative and Intensive Care Management of Pediatric Tracheal Tear
Authors: Bhananker Sanjay M. , Ramaiah Ramesh
Published: February 2014

Management of tracheal tears can prove to be challenging in the perioperative setting. This is a rare condition that can be life threatening. Here, we present a case of seven-year-old boy involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision. The child sustained multiple injuries including a near fatal head injury, multiple facial fractures, and a tracheal injury associated with pneumomediastinum. Due to the imminent threat of brainstem herniation while being imaged in the CT scanner, the patient underwent an emergent craniotomy to evacuate his evolving intracranial bleed. Imaging prior to the craniectomy suggested a possible tracheal injury, given the extensive pneumomediastinum. However, initial perioperative ventilation was without any difficulty. After stabilization of intracranial pressure (ICP) and hemodynamics, on hospital day 4, the patient returned to the operating room to diagnose and repair his tracheobronchial injury. This is a unique polytrauma case in which a tracheal tear was managed in the midst of other life-threatening injuries.
T Lymphocytes Restrain Spontaneous Metastases in Permanent Dormancy
Authors: Romero Irene , Garrido Cristina , Algarra Ignacio , Collado Antonia , Garrido Federico , Garcia-Lora Angel M.
Published: February 2014

Tumor dormancy is a clinical phenomenon related to immune equilibrium during cancer immunoediting. The mechanisms involved in dormant metastases are poorly understood due to the lack of preclinical models. Here, we present a nontransgenic mouse model in which spontaneous metastases remain in permanent immunomediated dormancy with no additional antitumor treatment. After the injection of a GR9-B11 mouse fibrosarcoma clone into syngeneic BALB/c mice, all animals remained free of spontaneous metastases at the experimental endpoints (3–8 months) but also as long as 24 months after tumor cell injection. Strikingly, when tumor-bearing mice were immunodepleted of T lymphocytes or asialo GM1-positive cells, the restraint on dormant disseminated metastatic cells was relieved and lung metastases progressed. Immunostimulation was documented at both local and systemic levels, with results supporting the evidence that the immune system was able to restrain spontaneous metastases in permanent dormancy. Notably, the GR9-B11 tumor clone did not express MHC class I molecules on the cell surface, yet all metastases in immunodepleted mice were MHC class I–positive. This model system may be valuable for more in-depth analyses of metastatic dormancy, offering new opportunities for immunotherapeutic management of metastatic disease. Cancer Res; 74(7); 1958–68. ©2014 AACR.
A Small-Molecule c-Rel Inhibitor Reduces Alloactivation of T Cells without Compromising Antitumor Activity
Authors: Shono Yusuke , Tuckett Andrea Z. , Ouk Samedy , Liou Hsiou-Chi , Altan-Bonnet Grégoire , Tsai Jennifer J. , Oyler Jennifer E. , Smith Odette M. , West Mallory L. , Singer Natalie V. , Doubrovina Ekaterina , Pankov Dmitry , Undhad Chandresh V. , Murphy George F. , Lezcano Cecilia , Liu Chen , O'Reilly Richard J. , van den Brink Marcel R.M. , Zakrzewski Johannes L.
Published: February 2014

Preventing unfavorable GVHD without inducing broad suppression of the immune system presents a major challenge of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We developed a novel strategy to ameliorate GVHD while preserving graft-versus-tumor (GVT) activity by small molecule–based inhibition of the NF-κB family member c-Rel. Underlying mechanisms included reduced alloactivation, defective gut homing, and impaired negative feedback on interleukin (IL)-2 production, resulting in optimal IL-2 levels, which, in the absence of competition by effector T cells, translated into expansion of regulatory T cells. c-Rel activity was dispensable for antigen-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) activation, allowing c-Rel–deficient T cells to display normal GVT activity. In addition, inhibition of c-Rel activity reduced alloactivation without compromising antigen-specific cytotoxicity of human T cells. Finally, we were able to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of systemic c-Rel inhibitor administration. Our findings validate c-Rel as a promising target for immunomodulatory therapy and demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of pharmaceutical inhibition of c-Rel activity.

Significance: Chemical inhibition of c-Rel diminishes alloactivation while preserving antigen-specific TCR activation, revealing the redundancy of c-Rel in T cell–mediated antitumor activity of both mouse and human T cells. Our study provides a highly innovative immunomodulatory approach that has true potential for drug development and clinical application with broad therapeutic implications, including allo-tolerance induction after allo-HSCT, as well as antitumor therapies. Cancer Discov; 4(5); 578–91. ©2014 AACR.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 495
Decreased Expression of Genes Associated with Memory and X-Linked Mental Retardation in Boys with Non-Syndromic Cryptorchidism and High Infertility Risk
Authors: Hadziselimovic F. , Hadziselimovic N.O. , Demougin P. , Oakeley E.J.
Published: February 2014

An elevated odds ratio for low IQ has been found for cryptorchid boys. Furthermore, poor school performance has been observed in cryptorchid boys with impaired mini-puberty. Gene expression analysis, qPCR and immunohistology were performed on testicular biopsies from 7 boys who underwent orchiopexy and had testicular histology typical of a high risk of infertility (HIR). The results were compared with 12 biopsies from cryptorchid boys with a low risk for developing infertility. The following genes associated with mental retardation were identically expressed: GDI1, OPHN1, PAK3, ARHGEF6, IL1RAPL, ACSL4, MECP2, RPS6KA3, ARX, and ATRX. However, boys in the HIR group had low or no expression of EGR4, FMR2 (AFF2) and VCX3A. In conclusion, impaired expression of genes known to encode proteins involved in signaling pathways that regulate cytoskeletal organization, synaptic vesicle transport and the establishment of connections between neuronal cells may contribute to reduced intellectual and cognitive functioning in infertile cryptorchid males.
Community Engagement in US Biobanking: Multiplicity of Meaning and Method
Authors: Haldeman K.M. , Cadigan R.J. , Davis A. , Goldenberg A. , Henderson G.E. , Lassiter D. , Reavely E.
Published: February 2014

Background/Aims: Efforts to improve individual and population health increasingly rely on large-scale collections of human biological specimens and associated data. Such collections or ‘biobanks' are hailed as valuable resources for facilitating translational biomedical research. However, biobanks also raise important ethical considerations, such as whether, how and why biobanks might engage with those who contributed specimens. This paper examines perceptions and practices of community engagement (CE) among individuals who operate 6 diverse biobanks in the US. Methods: Twenty-four people from a diverse group of 6 biobanks were interviewed in-person or via telephone from March to July 2011. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed for common themes. Results: Emergent themes include how biobank personnel understand ‘community' and CE as it pertains to biobank operations, information regarding the diversity of practices of CE, and the reasons why biobanks conduct CE. Conclusion: Despite recommendations from federal agencies to conduct CE, the interpretation of CE varies widely among biobank employees, ultimately affecting how CE is practiced and what goals are achieved.
T-Cell–Mediated Inflammatory Activity in the Stellate Ganglia of Patients With Ion-Channel Disease and Severe Ventricular Arrhythmias
Authors: Rizzo Stefania , Basso Cristina , Troost Dirk , Aronica Eleonora , Frigo Anna Chiara , Driessen Antoine H.G. , Thiene Gaetano , Wilde Arthur A.M. , van der Wal Allard C.
Published: February 2014

Background—

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) are electric diseases characterized by catecholamine-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Unbalanced autonomic innervation of the heart may trigger arrhythmic events and stellectomy is a treatment option for patients who are resistant to pharmacological drugs. We analyzed left stellectomy specimens of LQTS and CPVT patients for signs of inflammatory activity.

Methods and Results—

Stellate ganglia were retrieved from 12 consecutive patients (8F; 4 mol/L; mean age, 23.4±17 years) with either LQTS (n=8) or CPVT (n=4) and serious arrhythmias. Control stellate ganglia were obtained from 10 accidently deceased patients (6F; 4 mol/L; mean age, 35±17.6 years). Sections were immunostained with antibodies against T cells (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, Granzyme B), CD68 (macrophages), and HLA-DR (human leukocyte antigen-DR) antigens (activation marker). Immunopositive cells were quantified as cells/mm
2
. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription PCR were performed to screen for herpes virus DNA. Stellate ganglia of all 12 LQTS/CPVT patients revealed mild but distinct inflammatory infiltrates composed of T lymphocytes and macrophages, which were diffusely spread, but also clustered in small foci opposed to ganglion cells, interpreted as T-cell–mediated ganglionitis. Morphometric analysis showed that CD3+ and CD8+ T cells/mm
2
were significantly higher in the ganglia of LQTS/CPVT cases than in healthy controls (
P
=0.0018 and
P
=0.0009, respectively). Molecular analyses were negative for neurotropic viruses.

Conclusions—

T-cell–mediated cytotoxicity toward ganglion cells may boost adrenergic activity as to trigger or enhance electric instability in LQTS/CPVT patients who are already genetically predisposed to arrhythmias.
Late Adverse Events After Implantation of Sirolimus-Eluting Stent and Bare-Metal Stent
Authors: Natsuaki Masahiro , Morimoto Takeshi , Furukawa Yutaka , Nakagawa Yoshihisa , Kadota Kazushige , Yamaji Kyohei , Ando Kenji , Shizuta Satoshi , Shiomi Hiroki , Tada Tomohisa , Tazaki Junichi , Kato Yoshihiro , Hayano Mamoru , Abe Mitsuru , Tamura Takashi , Shirotani Manabu , Miki Shinji , Matsuda Mitsuo , Takahashi Mamoru , Ishii Katsuhisa , Tanaka Masaru , Aoyama Takeshi , Doi Osamu , Hattori Ryuichi , Kato Masayuki , Suwa Satoru , Takizawa Akinori , Takatsu Yoshiki , Shinoda Eiji , Eizawa Hiroshi , Takeda Teruki , Lee Jong-Dae , Inoko Moriaki , Ogawa Hisao , Hamasaki Shuichi , Horie Minoru , Nohara Ryuji , Kambara Hirofumi , Fujiwara Hisayoshi , Mitsudo Kazuaki , Nobuyoshi Masakiyo , Kita Toru , Kimura Takeshi
Published: February 2014

Background—

Late adverse events such as very late stent thrombosis (VLST) or late target-lesion revascularization (TLR) after first-generation sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) implantation have not been yet fully characterized at long term in comparison with those after bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation.

Methods and Results—

Among 13 058 consecutive patients undergoing first percutaneous coronary intervention in the Coronary REvascularization Demonstrating Outcome study-Kyoto registry Cohort-2, 5078 patients were treated with SES only, and 5392 patients were treated with BMS only. During 7-year follow-up, VLST and late TLR beyond 1 year after SES implantation occurred constantly and without attenuation at 0.24% per year and at 2.0% per year, respectively. Cumulative 7-year incidence of VLST was significantly higher in the SES group than that in the BMS group (1.43% versus 0.68%,
P
<0.0001). However, there was no excess of all-cause death beyond 1 year in the SES group as compared with that in the BMS group (20.8% versus 19.6%,
P
=0.91). Cumulative incidences of late TLR (both overall and clinically driven) were also significantly higher in the SES group than in the BMS group (12.0% versus 4.1%,
P
<0.0001 and 8.5% versus 2.6%,
P
<0.0001, respectively), leading to late catch-up of the SES group to the BMS group regarding TLR through the entire 7-year follow-up (18.8% versus 25.2%, and 10.6% versus 10.2%, respectively). Clinical presentation as acute coronary syndrome was more common at the time of late SES TLR compared with early SES TLR (21.2% and 10.0%).

Conclusions—

Late catch-up phenomenon regarding stent thrombosis and TLR was significantly more pronounced with SES than that with BMS. This limitation should remain the target for improvements of DES technology.
Calendars Beyond Borders: Exchange of Calendrical Knowledge Between Jews and Christians in Medieval Europe (12th-15th Century)
Authors: Nothaft C. Philipp E. , Isserles Justine
Published: February 2014

Abstract

During the Middle Ages, calendars played a significant role in both the Jewish and Christian communities as a means of reckoning time and structuring religious worship. Although calendars spawned a rich and extensive literature in both medieval Latin and Hebrew, it remains a little-known fact that Jews and Christians studied not only their own calendrical traditions, but also those of their respective rival group: Jewish scribes incorporated Christian material into Hebrew calendrical manuscripts, while some Christian scholars even dedicated entire treatises to the calendar used by Jews. The present article will examine these sources from a comparative perspective and use them to shed new light on the intellectual exchange that took place between Jews and Christians during the twelfth to fifteenth centuries. Particular attention will be paid to the role of oral vs. written transmission in the transfer of calendrical knowledge from one context to another.
Implementation of the Cross-border Care Directive in EU Member States: Luxembourg
Authors: Schwebag Mike
Published: February 2014

Abstract

The Cross-border Care Directive sets up basic patient rights in case of cross-border healthcare. These rights concern both the country of affiliation and the country of treatment of the patient. The article briefly describes the state of the transposition in Luxembourg, with a focus on the draft act on patients’ rights and obligations. This new act on patient rights and obligations will apply without distinction to domestic and cross-border patients, thus transposing most of Luxembourg’s obligations as a country of treatment of a cross-border patient.
Religious Authority and Constitutional Order: A case study of the Conciliation and Arbitration Boards (CABs) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Community
Authors: Jamal Arif A.
Published: February 2014

This paper discusses the interpretation of the Constitution of the Shia Imami Ismailis via the constitutionally established institutions of the Conciliation and Arbitration Boards (CABs). It views the Constitution as a variety of non-scriptural “religious text” and discusses the social and historical context of the community, the Constitution and the CABs. The paper argues that the structure and operation of the CABs are designed to balance diverse local and contextual factors within the tradition and doctrine of singular Imamat authority and that, in so doing, the interpretational system of the CABs demonstrates how religious texts may be understood in ways that accommodate plurality and community engagement while still preserving hierarchy and authority.
Angle-Based Drawing Accuracy Analysis and Mental Models of Three-Dimensional Space
Authors: Carson Linda , Quehl Nadine , Aliev Inara , Danckert James
Published: February 2014

Drawing from a still-life is a complex visuomotor task. Nevertheless, experts depict three-dimensional subjects convincingly with two-dimensional images. Studies of drawing have historically relied on human critics’ judgement of the drawings, the professional reputations and self-reported experience of the drawers. To extend that work, we developed an objective measurement of the accuracy of a perspective drawing, based on a comparison of the drawing with a ground truth photograph of the subject taken from the same viewpoint. If we measure the angles at intersecting edges in the drawings we can calculate both local errors and each person’s mean percentage magnitude error across angles in the still life. This gives a continuous objective measure of drawing accuracy that correlates well with years of art experience. Drawing expertise may depend to some extent on more accurate internal models of 3D space. To explore this possibility we had adults with a range of drawing experience draw a still life. Participants also made perceptual judgements of still lifes, both from direct observation and from an imagined side view. A conventional mental rotation task failed to differentiate drawing expertise. However, those who drew angles more accurately were also significantly better judges of slant, i.e., the pitch of edges in the still life. Those with the most drawing experience were significantly better judges of spatial extent, i.e., which landmarks were leftmost, rightmost, nearest, farthest etc. The ability to visualize in three dimensions the orientation and relationships of components of a still life predicts drawing accuracy and expertise.
Object Domains and the Experience of Beauty
Authors: Marković Slobodan
Published: February 2014

The purpose of the present study was to specify whether the structure of the experience of beauty is domain-specific or domain-general. Five basic descriptors of the experience of beauty were specified: two central descriptors, Beauty and Attractiveness, and three descriptors that represented different 16 aspects of Beauty: Pleasure (hedonic aspect), Harmony (perceptual aspect), and Interestingness (motivational aspect). Four groups of 25 participants rated different sets of visual stimuli on the five bipolar seven-step scales: Beautiful–Ugly, Attractive–Repulsive, Pleasant–Unpleasant, Harmonious–Disharmonious and Interesting–Boring. In preliminary studies four sets of stimuli were extracted: (1) environmental scenes, (2) human faces and bodies, (3) abstract forms and (4) artworks. Correlations between descriptors, and multiple regression analyses revealed that, in all of the categories of objects, attractiveness was consistently closer to pleasure than harmony and interestingness. The relationships between the other descriptors were category-specific: beauty was closer to pleasure in cases of environmental objects and artworks and it was closer to harmony in the case of human faces and bodies and abstract forms. These results suggest that the structure of the experience of beauty is partially general to all categories of objects and partially domain-specific.
Polygon-Based Drawing Accuracy Analysis and Positive/Negative Space
Authors: Carson Linda , Millard Matthew , Quehl Nadine , Danckert James
Published: February 2014

The study of drawing generally depends on ratings by human critics and self-reported expertise of the drawers. To complement those approaches, we developed an objective continuous performance-based measure of drawing accuracy. This measure represents drawings as sets of landmark points and analyses features of particular research interest by comparing polygons of those features’ landmark points with their counterpart polygons in a veridical image. This approach produces local accuracy measures (for each polygon), a global accuracy measure (the mean across several polygons), and four distinct properties of a polygon for analysis: its size, its position, its orientation and the proportionality of its shape. We briefly describe the method and its potential research applications in drawing education and visual perception, then apply it to a specific research question: Are we more accurate when drawing in the so-called ‘positive space’ (or figure)? In a polygon-based accuracy analysis of 34 representational drawings, expert drawers outperformed less experienced participants on overall accuracy and every dimension of polygon error. Comparing polygons in the positive and negative space revealed an apparent trade-off on the different dimensions of polygon error. People were more accurate at proportionality and position in the positive space than in the negative space, but more accurate at orientation in the negative space. The contribution is the use of an objective, performance-based analysis of geometric deformations to study the accuracy of drawings at different levels of organization, here, in the positive and negative space.
Spirituality in bedlam: Exploring professional conversations on acute psychiatric units
Authors: Suto Melinda J. , Smith Sharon
Published: February 2014

Background.

The inclusion of spiritual conversations in occupational therapy is congruent with the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement, which identifies spirituality as the core of every human being. Research indicates that spirituality can be a resource for mental health recovery.

Purpose.

This manuscript reports on Part 2 of a research study that explored the experience of spiritual conversations for patients (Part 1) and mental health professionals (Part 2) on acute psychiatric units.

Method.

Eight acute-based mental health professionals (MHPs)/participants, representing a variety of disciplines, participated in a focus group or individual interview. Community-based participatory research, appreciative inquiry, and interpretive description provided methodological and analytic guidance.

Findings.

MHP/participants described challenges in setting boundaries related to spirituality conversations and discerning spiritual experience from psychosis. MHPs/participants emphasized the importance in providing an empathetic presence while also engaging in spiritual networking.

Implications.

Therapists can incorporate spiritual conversations with patients in acute psychiatric settings by taking specific actions to enhance their openness and engaging in spiritual networking.
Optimizing participation of children with autism spectrum disorder experiencing sensory challenges: A clinical reasoning framework
Authors: Ashburner Jill K. , Rodger Sylvia A. , Ziviani Jenny M. , Hinder Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2014

Background.

Remedial sensory interventions currently lack supportive evidence and can be challenging to implement for families and clinicians. It may be timely to shift the focus to optimizing participation of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) through accommodation and self-regulation of their sensory differences.

Purpose.

A framework to guide practitioners in selecting strategies is proposed based on clinical reasoning considerations, including (a) research evidence, (b) client- and family-centredness, (c) practice contexts, (d) occupation-centredness, and (e) risks.

Key issues.

Information-sharing with families and coaching constitute the basis for intervention. Specific strategies are identified where sensory aversions or seeking behaviours, challenges with modulation of arousal, or sensory-related behaviours interfere with participation. Self-regulatory strategies are advocated. The application of universal design principles to shared environments is also recommended.

Implications.

The implications of this framework for future research, education, and practice are discussed. The clinical utility of the framework now needs to be tested.
Belonging, occupation, and human well-being: An exploration
Authors: Hammell Karen R. Whalley
Published: February 2014

Background.

Researchers identify the importance of belonging to human well-being and provide evidence-based support for occupation as a medium for expressing and achieving a sense of belonging and connectedness.

Purpose.

The purpose of this article is to highlight the imperative for occupational therapy theory and practice to address occupations concerned with belonging needs.

Key issues.

Dominant occupational therapy models emphasise doing self-care, productive, and leisure occupations, thereby ignoring occupations undertaken to contribute to the well-being of others, occupations that foster connections to nature and ancestors, collaborative occupations, and those valued for their social context and potential to strengthen social roles.

Implications.

Belonging, connectedness, and interdependence are positively correlated with human well-being, are prioritized by the majority of the world’s people, and inform the meanings attributed to and derived from the occupations of culturally diverse people. If occupational therapy is to address meaningful occupations, attention should be paid to occupations concerned with belonging, connecting, and contributing to others.
The emerging role of occupational therapy in primary care
Authors: Donnelly Catherine A. , Brenchley Christie L. , Crawford Candace N. , Letts Lori J.
Published: February 2014

Background.

Few studies have examined the role of occupational therapy working in a primary care setting.

Purpose.

The objective of the study was to describe the emerging role of occupational therapy in Family Health Teams, a model of interprofessional primary care.

Method.

A multiple case study design was used to provide in-depth description of the occupational therapy role. Data collection included interviews, document analyses, and questionnaires. Each case was first analyzed individually, followed by cross-case analyses to determine common themes.

Findings.

The role of occupational therapy in Family Health Teams epitomizes that of a generalist, whose overarching focus is on function. Occupational therapists are working across the life span with a wide range of client populations. Older adults and individuals with complex chronic conditions are two prominent areas of occupational therapy focus.

Implications.

Understanding the impact of health conditions on daily function and enabling participation in activities are unique and important contributions of occupational therapy.
Control Order and Visuomotor Strategy Development for Joystick-Steered Underground Shuttle Cars
Authors: Cloete Steven , Zupanc Christine , Burgess-Limerick Robin , Wallis Guy
Published: February 2014

Objective:

In this simulator-based study, we aimed to quantify performance differences between joystick steering systems using first-order and second-order control, which are used in underground coal mining shuttle cars. In addition, we conducted an exploratory analysis of how users of the more difficult, second-order system changed their behavior over time.

Background:

Evidence from the visuomotor control literature suggests that higher-order control devices are not intuitive, which could pose a significant risk to underground mine personnel, equipment, and infrastructure.

Method:

Thirty-six naive participants were randomly assigned to first- and second-order conditions and completed three experimental trials comprising sequences of 90° turns in a virtual underground mine environment, with velocity held constant at 9 km/h−1. Performance measures were lateral deviation, steering angle variability, high-frequency steering content, joystick activity, and cumulative time in collision with the virtual mine wall.

Results:

The second-order control group exhibited significantly poorer performance for all outcome measures. In addition, a series of correlation analyses revealed that changes in strategy were evident in the second-order group but not the first-order group.

Conclusion:

Results were consistent with previous literature indicating poorer performance with higher-order control devices and caution against the adoption of the second-order joystick system for underground shuttle cars.

Application:

Low-cost, portable simulation platforms may provide an effective basis for operator training and recruitment.
The Effect of Mild Motion Sickness and Sopite Syndrome on Multitasking Cognitive Performance
Authors: Matsangas Panagiotis , McCauley Michael E. , Becker William
Published: February 2014

Objective:

In this study, we investigated the effects of mild motion sickness and sopite syndrome on multitasking cognitive performance.

Background:

Despite knowledge on general motion sickness, little is known about the effect of motion sickness and sopite syndrome on multitasking cognitive performance. Specifically, there is a gap in existing knowledge in the gray area of mild motion sickness.

Method:

Fifty-one healthy individuals performed a multitasking battery. Three independent groups of participants were exposed to two experimental sessions. Two groups received motion only in the first or the second session, whereas the control group did not receive motion. Measurements of motion sickness, sopite syndrome, alertness, and performance were collected during the experiment.

Results:

Only during the second session, motion sickness and sopite syndrome had a significant negative association with cognitive performance. Significant performance differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic participants in the second session were identified in composite (9.43%), memory (31.7%), and arithmetic (14.7%) task scores. The results suggest that performance retention between sessions was not affected by mild motion sickness.

Conclusion:

Multitasking cognitive performance declined even when motion sickness and soporific symptoms were mild. The results also show an order effect. We postulate that the differential effect of session on the association between symptomatology and multitasking performance may be related to the attentional resources allocated to performing the multiple tasks. Results suggest an inverse relationship between motion sickness effects on performance and the cognitive effort focused on performing a task.

Application:

Even mild motion sickness has potential implications for multitasking operational performance.
Eating practice models in Spain and the United Kingdom: A comparative time-use analysis
Authors: Díaz-Méndez Cecilia , García-Espejo Isabel
Published: February 2014

The time dedicated to eating is changing. Although a tendency towards the homogenization of eating habits has been confirmed, the scarcity of comparative studies means that it is impossible to know whether the variations are occurring equally or with the same intensity in all countries. In this study, time dedicated to eating and cooking in Spain and the United Kingdom is analysed. Questions are asked regarding the decline in eating at home and the fragmentation of meals. An analysis is made whether different social groups behave in a similar way with regard to the time spent eating and to what extent the changes affect some groups more than others, generating greater social differences. In order to do this, official Spanish and British time-use surveys are used, and the data from two different time periods are analysed using multivariate techniques. In both countries, signs of convergence are detected, although the speed of change is different. Despite the convergence, the results also show that the changes in eating habits are not linear and are affected by moments of intense social transformation. Phenomena such as the economic crisis in the case of Spain affect the society and impose specific eating habit trends, generating new forms of social differentiation.
Revisiting Economic Shocks and Coups
Authors: Kim Nam Kyu
Published: February 2014

This article revisits the oft-cited relationship between economic shocks and coups. According to conventional wisdom, economic recessions trigger coups. However, existing empirical studies have not consistently produced supporting evidence for that relationship. This article claims that this is partly because existing studies have not differentiated transitory from permanent shocks to the economy. Two different economic shocks could have different effects on coups. Moreover, existing studies have not sufficiently addressed measurement error in gross domestic product (GDP) data. To overcome these problems, I use exogenous rainfall and temperature variation to instrument for economic growth. Instrumental estimates demonstrate, consistently across four different GDP per capita growth measures, that a decrease in GDP per capita growth rates, induced by short-run weather shocks, significantly increases the probability of a coup attempt. Conversely, noninstrumental variable estimates vary according to different GDP measures, and are close to zero, consistent with previous findings.
Population Resettlement in War
Authors: Zhukov Yuri M.
Published: February 2014

Why do combatants intentionally uproot civilians? The forcible relocation of families and communities to concentration camps, “protected villages,” and other special settlements is a regular feature of irregular war, occurring in almost a third of all counterinsurgency campaigns since 1816. Despite the historical regularity of these practices, most research has focused on individual decisions to flee, rather than the brute-force resettlement of civilians by combatants. Using a dynamic model of popular support and new micro-level data from Soviet secret police archives, I show that civilian resettlement is not simply a by-product of war but is a rational response to informational asymmetry. Combatants who cannot identify and selectively punish their opponents face incentives to control the population rather than earn its support. For strong governments with limited coercive leverage, civilian resettlement offers a way to reduce rebel activity without having to win hearts and minds.
Working Memory in Children With Learning Disabilities in Reading Versus Spelling
Authors: Brandenburg Janin , Klesczewski Julia , Fischbach Anne , Schuchardt Kirsten , Büttner Gerhard , Hasselhorn Marcus
Published: February 2014

In transparent orthographies like German, isolated learning disabilities in either reading or spelling are common and occur as often as a combined reading and spelling disability. However, most issues surrounding the cognitive causes of these isolated or combined literacy difficulties are yet unresolved. Recently, working memory dysfunctions have been demonstrated to be promising in explaining the emergence of literacy difficulties. Thus, we applied a 2 (reading disability: yes vs. no) × 2 (spelling disability: yes vs. no) factorial design to examine distinct and overlapping working memory profiles associated with learning disabilities in reading versus spelling. Working memory was assessed in 204 third graders, and multivariate analyses of variance were conducted for each working memory component. Children with spelling disability suffered from more pronounced phonological loop impairments than those with reading disability. In contrast, domain-general central-executive dysfunctions were solely associated with reading disability, but not with spelling disability. Concerning the visuospatial sketchpad, no impairments were found. In sum, children with reading disability and those with spelling disability seem to be characterized by different working memory profiles. Thus, it is important to take both reading and spelling into account when investigating cognitive factors of literacy difficulties in transparent orthographies.
The effect of culling on health and physiology of mouse litters
Authors: Paigen Beverly , Marion Michael A , Stearns Timothy M , Harper James M , Svenson Karen L
Published: February 2014

Large mouse litters are often culled based on the premise of better survival and growth for the remaining pups. To test whether the culling of litters does provide the benefits of improved survival and growth, mortality and growth were measured in 468 litters of C57BL/6J × 129S1/SvImJ F1 hybrid mice that were unculled or culled to four or six pups per litter. In addition, a limited number of weanlings were evaluated until three months of age for growth, health and physiological measurements. Most measurements did not differ among the cull groups. These included mortality, organ weights (adrenals, kidneys and testes), bone mineral density, percent fat, 12 of the 17 blood parameters, and three of the seven electrocardiographic (EKG) parameters. Several parameters, including five of the 17 blood parameters and four of the seven EKG parameters, showed statistical differences, but all values were physiologically normal. Unculled weanlings showed a reduced weight of 4%, but this weight difference disappeared by three months. These results suggest that mice in culled litters do not demonstrate improved health compared with those in unculled litters.
Low-velocity impact characterization of multistitched woven E-glass/polyester nano/micro composites
Authors: Bilisik Kadir , Yolacan Gaye
Published: February 2014

The low-velocity impact properties of the developed two-dimensional multistitched/micro/nano E-glass/polyester woven composites were studied. It was observed that material type (silicate or carbon or metal), material particle size (nano or micro), amount of materials (weight, %), stitching density (step/cm) and stitching type (hand or machine) influenced the damaged areas of composites. The unstitched/nano and unstitched/micro E-glass/polyester woven composites had small damaged areas in the front face but they had large damaged areas in the back face. The multistitched structure had also a small damaged area in the front face; however, it had a very small damaged area in the back face. The results indicated that the multistitching suppressed the impact energy relatively at a small area. Therefore, the two-dimensional multistitched and multistitched/nano E-glass/polyester woven composite structures showed a better damage resistance performance compared to those of the unstitched or unstitched/nano composites.
Authentic Concepts
Authors: Engeset Marit Gundersen , Elvekrok Ingunn
Published: February 2014

Increasingly, tourism businesses introduce authentic concepts to address tourists’ search for authentic and natural experiences. This research investigates how such concepts influence tourists’ experiences. A field experiment was carried out at four mountain lodges where two authentic concepts—a local meal concept and a storytelling concept—were offered to some tourists but not others. Results showed a significant moderator effect of each of the two authentic concepts on the relationship between attribute satisfaction and overall satisfaction; when tourists experienced the authentic concepts, the influence of food and service satisfaction on overall satisfaction became stronger. These results indicate that introducing authentic concepts may strengthen the importance weight tourists place on relevant aspects of experience during evaluation.
Assets Disparities among Social Groups: A Cross Sectional Analysis of Census 2011
Authors: Mistri Avijit , Das Bhaswati
Published: February 2014

Accepting the socio-economic backwardness of some castes and tribes, the Indian Constitution has made special provisions for their improvement. To address the issue of social inequality, several policies in the post-Independence period have caste-based orientation. But the results have been far from satisfactory. Backward communities suffer prejudice, poverty and severe material hardships even now. The present article highlights the inequality between Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribe (STs) and non-SC/STs with the help of asset possession approach of poverty measurement based on Census data of 2011. It reveals that overall assets possession status of Indian households has improved between Census 2001 and 2011. All states and Union Territories (UTs) have shown positive asset growth during the above-mentioned period. STs have registered growth during that period but it is still not adequate to redress the assets inequalities. SCs have made some progress but there are still giant strides to be made before inequalities are appropriately addressed. This article also tries to show regional disparities among the groups within a state/UT as well as disparities among the states/UTs along the individual group. The analysis has revealed that asset poor regions remained poor throughout the period under the article.
Engendering Labour Statistics: A Cross-country Comparison of Gender Differentiated Statistics
Authors: Samantroy Ellina , M.B. Dhanya
Published: February 2014

Women’s employment and effective labour market participation are important challenges before policy-makers to address various issues related to the overall socio-economic development of a country. The underestimation of women’s work in the national statistical system has been a debatable issue for a long time. In order to understand changes in women’s employment pattern, country-specific institutional structures and changes therein are likely to be crucial as institutional structures may encourage or discourage labour force participation and specific patterns of employment. The present article explores gender differentiated statistics in India and tries to draw a comparison with two countries, namely, Sweden and Bangladesh. The article also tries to address various issues like difference between male and female employment rates, labour force participation, etc., in these countries and also tries to locate gender statistics in surveys. Finally, the article explores certain policy concerns in terms of gender mainstreaming in surveys.
Socio-cultural Life of Trans-border Tribes: A Case Study of the Baites
Authors: Baite Chungkhosei
Published: February 2014

The purpose of the study is to understand the socio-cultural life and distinct identity of a small tribe—the Baites. Integration or assimilation has been observed among the tribal societies in the north-east India while inter-tribal conflicts and feuds too have intensified. However, smaller tribes have been found to especially resist assimilation from the larger community and have continued to preserve their primordial culture and maintained their distinctive identity. The Baites are among such trans-border tribes that have insisted on preserving their age-old socio-cultural practices and continued asserting their distinctive identity. Subsumed to be a branch of Chin-Kuki-Mizos, it may appear that the Baites are no different from these groups. Nevertheless, there are so many nuances in the Baites’ social and cultural life that distinguishes them from other groups. This article makes an effort to understand the Baites and what distinguishes them from other tribal groups in the region.