bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a continuum model for ferrogels
Authors: Attaran Abdolhamid , Brummund Jörg , Wallmersperger Thomas
Published: November 2016

A systematic development of a continuum model is presented, which is capable of describing the magneto-mechanical behavior of magnetic polymer gels commonly referred to as “ferrogels”. In the present research, ferrogels are treated as multicomponent, multiphase materials. They consist of a polymer network (P), fixed magnetic particles (f), mobile magnetic particles (m), and liquid (L). By considering ferrogels as multicomponent materials, interaction among constituents of ferrogels can be captured. This helps in understanding the process occurring inside ferrogels under the influence of external stimuli, such as magnetic fields. In our modeling approach, the field equations of ferrogels are derived within the framework of the theory of mixtures. The basic equations include Maxwell’s equations, balance of mass, linear momentum, angular momentum, energy, and entropy. In the framework of the theory of mixtures, balance relations are first presented at the constituent level also referred to as partial balance relations. By summing partial balance relations over all constituents and imposing the restrictions of theory of mixtures, balance relations of mixture (for the ferrogel) are obtained. In the current work the specific magnetization (magnetization per density) is considered as an evolving variable. It is demonstrated that balance of angular momentum is satisfied using the evolution equation of specific magnetization and constitutive laws. In the process of modeling, a suitable free energy function is introduced and thermodynamically consistent constitutive laws are formulated. Introducing certain assumptions, a reduced model of the ferrogel, a coupled magneto-mechanical formulation, is subsequently presented. The reduced model consists only of a polymer network (P) and fixed magnetic particles (f). It is concluded that the reduced model compares well to the existing ones in the literature. The magneto-mechanical problem based on the reduced model is solved in 2D using the finite element method. The only unknowns for the finite element method implementation are mechanical displacement and magnetic potential. Deformation of a ferrogel in a magnetic field is subsequently investigated. Elongation and contraction of a ferrogel are observed when a magnetic field is applied in the x- and y-directions, respectively. The numerical results were compared with existing experimental work in the literature. A good qualitative agreement was found between numerical and experimental results.
An analytical three-dimensional solution for free vibration of a magneto-electro-elastic plate considering the nonlocal effect
Authors: Waksmanski Natalie , Pan Ernian
Published: November 2016

An exact closed-form solution for the three-dimensional free vibrational response of a simply-supported and multilayered magneto-electro-elastic plate considering the nonlocal effect is presented. The solution is derived using the pseudo-Stroh formulation and propagator matrix method. Various numerical examples are presented for a homogeneous elastic plate, piezoelectric plate, magnetostrictive plate, and sandwich plates made of piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials. The natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes of the multilayered plates show the influence of stacking sequence and the important role that the nonlocal effect plays in dynamic analysis of nanostructures. This exact solution is useful for it provides benchmark results to assess the accuracy of nonlocal thin plate models and finite element formulations.
“I Just Felt Like I Was in a Cage”
Authors: Holmes Lucy
Published: November 2016

“It's not waiting to be found, not missing, not lost or anything like that—just not wanting to be found for a while” [Formerly missing woman]. When an adult goes missing, there is often an underlying reason; save for a small number of misunderstandings, missing incidents tend to be indicative of difficulties in the missing person's life. Mental health is inextricably linked with missing; as many as 80% of missing people are thought to have a mental health issue (Holmes, 2014b). Using data collected by the Economic and Social Research Council-funded Geographies of Missing People project, this article explores this link, through secondary analysis of interviews with returned missing adults and with police officers, to shine a light on the key themes that emerged. Furthermore, the article argues that the response to returning missing adults in the United Kingdom is inadequate, meaning that potentially vulnerable adults are left without the assessment and support they need to maintain their mental well-being and to prevent future missing incidents. This article contributes to existing knowledge about the links between mental health and missing and makes a number of suggestions for improvements in cross-sector policy and practice.
Evolution of deep-bed filtration of engine exhaust particulates with trapped mass
Authors: Viswanathan Sandeep , Rothamer David A , Foster David E , Fansler Todd D , Zelenyuk Alla , Stewart Mark L , Bell David M
Published: November 2016

Size-resolved particle mass and number concentrations were obtained from different operating conditions using a spark-ignition direct-injection engine and a heavy-duty diesel engine. Particle mass versus mobility diameter results obtained for the engines showed weak dependence on the operating condition. The particle mass–mobility data enabled the use of an integrated particle size distribution method to estimate the particulate matter mass concentration in the exhaust stream. Average mass concentrations determined with the integrated particle size distribution method were [Formula: see text] of the gravimetric measurements performed using Teflon filters. Despite the relatively low elemental carbon fraction (∼0.4 to 0.7), the integrated particle size distribution mass for stoichiometric spark-ignition direct-injection exhaust was 83% ± 38 % of the gravimetric measurement. Exhaust from the spark-ignition direct-injection engine was also used to perform wall-scale filtration experiments on identical cordierite filter samples with properties representative of diesel particulate filters. The filters were sequentially loaded with particulate matter from four spark-ignition direct-injection engine operating conditions, in order of increasing particulate matter mass concentration. Simultaneous particle size distribution measurements upstream and downstream of the filter sample were used to evaluate filter performance evolution and the instantaneous trapped mass within the filter for two different filter face velocities. The filtration experiments focused on the filter wall loading stage where the estimated trapped mass was < 0.3 g/m2. The evolution of filtration performance at a fixed filtration velocity was found to only be sensitive to the trapped mass, despite using particulate matter from different operating conditions. Higher filtration velocity resulted in a more rapid shift of the most penetrating particle size toward smaller mobility diameters.
“The Birth Control Divide”
Authors: Garner Ana C. , Michel Angela R.
Published: November 2016

For more than 140 years, religious, medical, legislative, and legal institutions have contested the issue of contraception. In this conversation, predominantly male voices have attached reproductive rights to tangential moral and political matters, revealing an ongoing, systematic attempt to regulate human bodies, especially those of women. This analysis of 1873-2013 press coverage of contraception in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune shows a division between institutional ideology and real-life experience; women’s reproductive rights are negotiable. Although journalists often reported that contraception was a factor in the everyday life of women and men, press accounts also showed religious, medical, legislative, and legal institutions debating whether it should be. Contraception originally was predominately viewed as a practice of prostitutes (despite evidence to the contrary) but became a part of everyday life. The battle has slowly evolved into one about the Affordable Care Act, religious freedom, morality, and employer rights. What did not significantly change over the 140-year period are larger cultural and ideological structures; these continue to be dominated by men, who retain power over women’s bodies.
Pittsburgh response to endovascular therapy score as a pre-treatment prognostic tool: External validation in Trevo2
Authors: Ali Raza Syed , Xiang Bin , Jovin Tudor G , Liebeskind David S , Shields Ryan , Nogueira Raul G , Rangaraju Srikant
Published: November 2016

Background

Optimal patient selection is needed to maximize the therapeutic benefit of endovascular therapy for large vessel occlusion stroke.

Aims

To validate the Pittsburgh response to endovascular therapy (PRE) score in a randomized controlled trial (Trevo2) comparing stent retriever (Trevo) to the Merci device.

Methods

Trevo2 participants with internal carotid, M1 and M2 middle cerebral artery occlusions with prospectively collected baseline stroke severity (NIHSS), degree of hypodensity (CT ASPECTS), and three-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were included. Multivariable regression was used to confirm association between PRE score variables (age, NIHSS, and ASPECTS), medical comorbidities, randomization arm, and reperfusion status (mTICI2B/3) with good outcome (three-month modified Rankin Scale 0–2). Predictive power (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) for good outcome of pre-treatment prognostic scores (PRE, THRIVE, HIAT2) was compared. Rates of good outcome were compared between successfully reperfused (mTICI2B/3) and non-reperfused (mTICI0-2A) patients across previously identified PRE score risk groups.

Results

Age, NIHSS, ASPECTS, reperfusion status, and randomization arm were independent predictors of good outcome. PRE score had moderate predictive power (AUC = 0.75) for good outcome and was comparable to other pre-treatment scores. Reperfusion resulted in maximal treatment benefit in patients with PRE score 0–24 (60% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.002) but not in those with PRE ≥50 (11.8% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.49).

Conclusion

The PRE score is a validated predictor of functional outcome and a tool for patient selection for endovascular therapy in anterior large vessel occlusion stroke. Our finding of limited benefit of reperfusion in patients with PRE score ≥50 needs to be prospectively validated.
The postmodern aesthetic of Chinese online comment cultures
Authors: Xu Yizhou
Published: November 2016

The traditional configuration of content on top and comments on the bottom on most websites often dismiss comments as of secondary importance to content. This article looks at how comment culture(s) in China operate outside of the top-bottom dichotomy where comments are increasingly supplanting content as the main form of consumable media. Through case studies of two types of Chinese comment cultures— gailou culture and danmu culture—I explore how user-generated comments can work to subvert established hierarchies in a highly visible and public manner. I invoke traditional Chinese aesthetic perspectives to visualize the multiple layers of interactions that enable the reconfiguration of the temporal/spatial order contesting the unitary narrative. In doing so, I seek to shed light on not only these distinct modes of commenting practices but also the creation of a new aesthetic of consumption that is inseparable from the formation of the Chinese postmodern subjectivity.
The application of Integra in a challenging context
Authors: Nicoli Fabio , Rampinelli Ivonne , Godwin Yvette
Published: November 2016

Integra dermal regeneration template is commonly used in the developed world. This case history documents the application of Integra for the first time in Gaza, Palestine. This single case history illustrates how a tried and tested technique can be imported to a more challenging environment. The emphasis in this case history is not to recount a well-known technique of Integra application but to outline how the environment has to be prepared and the surgeon adapt to minimise risk and maximise the chances of success. This first application of Integra in Gaza illustrates the importance of starting with simple cases when a technique is being piloted in an austere environment. Patient selection, local theatre set up, staff and surgical technique, as well as patient follow-up facilities, all need consideration before doing the first trial of even this most established of products in a new environment.
Differential Gene Dosage Effects of Diabetes-Associated Gene GLIS3 in Pancreatic β Cell Differentiation and Function
Authors: Yang Yisheng , Bush Sean P. , Wen Xianjie , Cao Wei , Chan Lawrence
Published: November 2016

Mutations of GLI-similar 3 (GLIS3) underlie a neonatal diabetes syndrome. Genome-wide association studies revealed that GLIS3 variants are associated with both common type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Global Glis3-deficient (Glis3−/−) mice die of severe diabetes shortly after birth. GLIS3 controls islet differentiation by transactivating neurogenin 3 (Ngn3). To unravel the function of Glis3 in adults, we generated inducible global Glis3-deficient mice (Glis3fl/fl/RosaCreERT2). Tamoxifen (TAM)-treated Glis3fl/fl/RosaCreERT2 mice developed severe diabetes, which was reproduced in TAM-treated β cell–specific Glis3fl/fl/Pdx1CreERT mice, but not in TAM-treated Glis3fl/fl/MipCreERT mice. Furthermore, we generated constitutive β cell– or pancreas-specific Glis3-deficient mice using either RipCre (Glis3fl/fl/RipCre) or Pdx1Cre (Glis3fl/fl/Pdx1Cre) coexpressing mice. We observed that, remarkably, neither type of β cell– or pancreas-specific Glis3-deficient mice phenocopied the lethal neonatal diabetes observed in Glis3−/− mice. All Glis3fl/fl/RipCre mice survived to adulthood with normal glucose tolerance. Thirty percent of Glis3fl/fl/Pdx1Cre mice developed severe diabetes at 3 to 4 weeks of age, whereas 55% of them developed mild diabetes with age. In contrast to the >90% reduction of Ngn3 and near-total absence of insulin (Ins) in the embryonic pancreas of Glis3−/− mice, we found only 75%–80% reduction of Ngn3 and Ins messenger RNA or protein expression in the fetal pancreas of Glis3fl/fl/Pdx1Cre mice. The expression levels of Ngn3 and Ins correlated negatively with the extent of Cre-mediated Glis3 deletion. These mouse models are powerful tools to decipher Glis3 gene dosage effects and the role of GLIS3 mutations/variants in a spectrum of β cell dysfunction in people.
Interaction of Isoflurane, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and β-Amyloid on Long-term Potentiation in Rat Hippocampal Slices
Authors: Zhou Ran , Bickler Philip
Published: November 2016

BACKGROUND:

The relationship between inhalational anesthetics such as isoflurane and cognitive impairment in the elderly is controversial. Both β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), associated with Alzheimer disease, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a proinflammatory stress-related peptide, impair the synaptic function. We hypothesized that transient exposure to isoflurane and these peptides would impair synaptic function, manifest as a depression of long-term potentiation (LTP) and paired pulse facilitation (PPF), in the rat hippocampus.

METHODS:

Hippocampal slices were prepared from 3- to 4-week-old male Wistar rats. Preliminary experiments identified minimal concentrations of Aβ1–42 peptide and TNF-α that produced statistically detectable suppressing effects on LTP (600 nM Aβ1–42 and 5 ng/mL TNF-α). These concentrations of peptides were applied to slices alone, with 1.5% isoflurane, or in combination for 1 hour and then washed out. Measurements of LTP (field excitatory postsynaptic potentials [fEPSPs]) from neurons in the CA1 area by stimulation of the Schaffer-Collateral pathway were made after high-frequency stimulation (100 Hz, 1 second). Analysis of variance with correction for multiple comparisons was used to compare LTP under steady-state conditions and averaged for the 40- to 60-minute period after LTP induction.

RESULTS:

EPSP amplitude after LTP induction was 155% ± 9% of baseline and was not affected by isoflurane exposure and washout (150% ± 4% of baseline, P = .47). Both Aβ1–42 and TNF-α reduced LTP by approximately 15% compared with control (129% ± 7% and 131% ± 11% of baseline respectively, means ± SD, both P < .001). When Aβ1–42 was combined with isoflurane, LTP was not impaired (151% ± 9% of control, P = .85), but isoflurane had no effect on LTP depression caused by TNF-α or a combination of Aβ and TNF-α.

CONCLUSIONS:

Brief exposure to isoflurane prevents rather than impairs the decrease in LTP caused by Aβ1–42 in rat hippocampus. In contrast, isoflurane had no effect on synaptic impairment caused by TNF-α or a combination of TNF-α and Aβ. Although this is an in vitro study and translation to clinical medicine requires additional work, the interactions of isoflurane, Aβ, and TNF-α revealed here could have implications for patients with Alzheimer disease or perioperative neuroinflammation.
From Conflict to Coordination: Perspectives on the Study of Executive-Legislative Relations
Authors: Cheibub Jose Antonio , Limongi Fernando
Published: November 2016

Until not very long ago, the literature on legislative-executive relations was bifurcated. It had evolved into two separate and independent bodies of work. One branch focused on parliamentary and the other on presidential systems, which were considered to represent two completely independent and alternative forms of government. Today a more integrated view of executive-legislative relations in democratic regimes exists. The emergence of this new perspective owes a great deal to the appearance of two seminal books, which, perhaps in a way unintended by the authors, questioned the premises upon which the bifurcated view of parliamentarism and presidentialism rested. Kaare Strom’s Minority Government and Majority Rule (1990) demolished on empirical and theoretical grounds the basic office-seeking assumption that informed studies of parliamentarism. John Huber’s Rationalizing Parliament (1996), in turn, questioned the appropriateness of the conflict model at the root of most thinking about executive-legislative relations in democracies. The specific contribution of each of these authors may be traced to studies of legislative politics that focused on the US congress. As a consequence of these shifts, legislative organization came to the forefront of analyses of executive-legislative relations. It is the characteristics of the legislative process that matters for understanding how a majority organizes itself across the two branches and becomes effective in the pursuit of its policy objectives. This is so regardless of the way the executive comes to and stays in power.
Tipos de Presidencialismo y Efectividad del Control Legislativo sobre el Presupuesto: Control Político y Control Técnico en Argentina, Brasil y México
Authors: Bonvecchi Alejandro
Published: November 2016

Este artículo se propone explicar la efectividad del control legislativo sobre el presupuesto en función de los incentivos que cada tipo de régimen político provee a los legisladores para controlar. Para ello, distingue dos tipos de control legislativo del presupuesto, el control técnico y el control político, y especifica los incentivos de los legisladores para realizar efectivamente cada tipo de control en distintos tipos de presidencialismo. Se argumenta que el presidencialismo de coalición recompensa en mayor medida el control técnico que el control político del presupuesto, mientras que el presidencialismo mayoritario premia el control político antes que el control técnico, y el presidencialismo pluralista recompensa alternativamente a ambos tipos de control según el tamaño de la coalición legislativa oficialista. Para corroborar estas hipótesis se investiga el control presupuestario en Argentina como caso de presidencialismo mayoritario, Brasil como caso de presidencialismo de coalición y México como caso de presidencialismo pluralista.
Sistemas Electorales y Composiciones Partidarias Bicamerales en Latinoamérica
Authors: Reynoso Diego
Published: November 2016

El artículo examina el impacto mecánico de las instituciones electorales sobre la representación legislativa en los congresos bicamerales latinoamericanos. Se realiza un análisis inter-cameral (longitudinal y transversal) que permite estimar el efecto individual de los sistemas electorales sobre los sistemas de partidos legislativos manteniendo constantes las características histórico-socio-estructurales de la unidad política, mediante un modelo de efectos fijos. Los resultados de este experimento natural indican que la presencia de sistemas electorales alternativos en cada cámara, tiende a producir composiciones partidarias distintas entre las cámaras. No obstante, la evidencia indica que los valores observados de fragmentación no se ajustan perfectamente a los valores esperados conforme a las instituciones electorales presentes. Se sugiere entonces que existen otros factores no institucionales intervinientes. Por ello, se concluye que el sistema electoral juega un papel central pero no excluyente en la conformación partidaria de las cámaras.
A Conexão Ministerial: governo de coalizão e viés partidário na alocação de emendas parlamentares ao orçamento (2004-2010)
Authors: Batista Mariana
Published: November 2016

Os ministros influenciam a alocação de recursos pelo Executivo Federal? O presente trabalho discute em que medida o poder dentro do Executivo é compartilhado entre o presidente e os partidos que formam a coalizão governativa, analisando a alocação de recursos pelo Executivo Federal. O foco específico está nas emendas parlamentares ao orçamento federal no período de 2004 a 2010. Busca-se identificar se o controle de ministérios pelos partidos da coalizão significa um canal privilegiado para os membros dos partidos da coalizão. A hipótese central é que ser membro do partido do ministro ao qual o recurso está vinculado aumenta a chance de liberação da emenda parlamentar. Os resultados indicam que parlamentares do mesmo partido do ministro são beneficiados na alocação de emendas. Contudo, o viés partidário não é extremo, de forma que o partido do presidente é igualmente beneficiado e os demais partidos da coalizão também recebem recursos, indicando a atuação de mecanismos de coordenação pela Presidência da República.
Who Distributes? Presidents, Congress, Governors, and the Politics of Distribution in Argentina and Brazil
Authors: Gonzalez Lucas , Mamone Miguel
Published: November 2016

What is the role of presidents in the politics of distribution in developing democracies? To what extent do other political actors, such as legislators and governors, influence federal distribution? This paper studies the main factors that affect distributive politics in Argentina and Brazil, two highly unequal presidential federations in Latin America. The focus is on funds with high redistributive impact and over which the central government has large discretion: those for public infrastructure. Using original data on federal infrastructure spending for the 24 provinces in Argentina and the 27 states in Brazil for the period 1999-2011, we show that the distribution of infrastructure funds is fundamentally determined by executive politics. Despite this, our empirical findings indicate there is large variation between the two cases in the relevance of the partisan links between presidents and governors and the influence of congress and its committees. Furthermore, we observe that elections are not relevant in explaining distribution in either of the two cases and that presidents are mostly motivated by political considerations and that programmatic factors, such as equity and efficiency criteria, play a secondary role, especially in Argentina. We discuss some possible reasons for these results and their implications for the broader comparative debate on distributive politics.
Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Bryophytes: 12
Authors: Klazenga Niels
Published: November 2016

The following three names of bryophytes are recommended for conservation: Leptodontium proliferum against Tortula umbrosa, Vesicularia (Müll. Hal.) Müll. Hal. against Vesicularia P. Micheli ex Targ. Tozz. and Bryum pallescens against Hypnum boreale. The following two names are not recommended for conservation: Gertrudia validinervis against Barbula uncinicoma and Webera tenuifolia against Bryum humile.
Phylogenetic relationships of enigmatic Sphingiphila (Bignoniaceae) based on molecular and wood anatomical data
Authors: Pace Marcelo R. , Zuntini Alexandre R. , Lohmann Lúcia G. , Angyalossy Veronica
Published: November 2016

Sphingiphila is a monospecific genus, endemic to the Bolivian and Paraguayan Chaco, a semi‐arid lowland region. The circumscription of Sphingiphila has been controversial since the genus was first described. Sphingiphila tetramera is perhaps the most enigmatic taxon of Bignoniaceae due to the presence of very unusual morphological features, such as simple leaves, thorn‐tipped branches, and tetramerous, actinomorphic flowers, making its tribal placement within the family uncertain. Here we combined molecular and wood anatomical data to determine the placement of Sphingiphila within the family. The analyses of a large ndhF dataset, which included members of all Bignoniaceae tribes, placed Sphingiphila within Bignonieae. A second, smaller ndhF and pepC dataset, which included only members of tribe Bignonieae, placed the genus within Tanaecium. Unlike most macro‐morphological traits, Sphingiphila is not unusual within Bignoniaceae from a wood anatomical point of view. Sphingiphila shares the presence of narrow vessels and vasicentric to aliform confluent parenchyma with the rest of the family. In addition, Sphingiphila has several specific wood anatomical traits, such as vessels in a diagonal to tangential arrangement, small intervessel pits, and non‐storied heterocellular rays with occasional perforated ray cells. These features suggest that the genus is best placed either in Tecomeae s.str. or Bignonieae, with a better placement in Bignonieae due to its abundant parenchyma, despite lacking the cambial variant synapomorphic for this group. Sphingiphila and Tanaecium form a clade that is strongly supported by molecular characters, including two indels that are molecular synapomorphies of this clade. In addition, careful morphological inspections show that S. tetramera shares with Tanaecium the subulate, bromeliad‐like prophylls, the most evident synapomorphy of this genus apart from long, tubular, villose corollas, and a lepidote ovary. Given the molecular phylogenetic placement of S. tetramera and its macro‐morphological and wood anatomical similarities with Tanaecium, we propose the new combination Tanaecium tetramerum.
An Optimal Path Model for the Risk-Averse Traveler
Authors: Zhang Leilei , Homem-de-Mello Tito
Published: November 2016

In this paper we discuss stochastic optimal path problems where the goal is to find a path that has minimal expected cost and at the same time is less risky (in terms of travel time) than a given benchmark path. The model is suitable for a risk-averse traveler who prefers a path with a more guaranteed travel time to another path that could be faster but could also be slower. Such risk attitude is incorporated using the concept of second order stochastic dominance constraints. A recently developed theory for optimization problems with stochastic dominance constraints ensures that the resulting problem can be written as a large linear integer program with binary variables; for networks of realistic size, however, such a direct approach is not practical because of the size of the resulting optimization problem. Moreover, the solution returned by the model may contain cycles, which is clearly undesirable from a practical perspective.

A number of strategies are explored to solve the problem. First, we prove that cycles can be prevented by a simple modification of the model if the arc travel times are mutually independent. We then propose a sample average approximation approach to the problem using samples from the distribution of travel times. Because of the randomness resulting from sampling, it is important that statistical guarantees for the solution returned by the algorithm be given, and we provide heuristic procedures to deal with stochastic constraints. We also incorporate a branch-and-cut approach that exploits the structure of the problem to deal with the integrality constraints more efficiently.

We present some numerical experiments for a 1,522-arc system that corresponds to a large portion of the Chicago area network. The results show that our approach can solve the problem very effectively, producing solutions with statistical guarantees of optimality within a reasonable computational time.
Navigating the midwifery undergraduate programme: Is resilience the key?
Authors: Williams Jacqui
Published: November 2016

Background:

Student midwives face a number of challenges during their pre-registration programme, both academically and in clinical practice.

Aims:

This pilot study aimed to examine the role that resilience might play in supporting student midwives to continue on the midwifery undergraduate programme.

Method:

Five second-year student midwives volunteered to take part in the pilot. All five students completed Wagnild's updated True Resilience Scale (TRS), and partipated in a focus group and a one-to-one interview.

Findings:

One participant scored ‘moderate’ on the TRS, three ‘moderately high’ and one ‘high’. Six main themes emerged from the focus group and interviews: defining and recognising resilience; building and developing resilience through reflection; developing resilience through positive and negative encounters on the midwifery programme; the relevance of significant others; transferable resilience; and different styles of resilience.

Conclusions:

The pilot offered insights into the significance of resilience and student midwives that will contribute to the main study. This initial study has generated some findings that are reflected in the broader resilience literature. The characteristics of resilience were articulated and the data contained examples of a range of challenges and the role resilience might play. This pilot is to be followed up by a study that will follow one cohort over the first 18 months of the midwifery programme to get a longitudinal view of the midwifery students' resilience.
The use of skin grafts in small animal reconstructive surgery
Authors: Aisa Josep , Vernon John
Published: November 2016

Skin grafting involves harvesting of a free segment of skin from a donor site and transplanting it to a distant recipient site, usually one outside the reach of skin flaps. It is most commonly used to cover large defects of the distal limb, where a limited amount of local skin is available for reconstruction. Less commonly it may be used to cover large defects on the trunk, for example caused by burns. Grafts are completely detached from any blood supply following harvesting, and must re-establish vascular connections with the recipient site in order to survive. Understanding the process of engraftment or graft ‘take’ is essential to minimise the risk of postoperative complications. This article will review the general principles of skin grafting, the most commonly performed techniques, and the steps required to minimise complications.
Survival following operative management of gastric linitis plastica compared with non-operative management
Authors: Thompson RJ , Ranaghan L , Kennedy R , Clements WDB , Carey PD , Kennedy JA
Published: November 2016

INTRODUCTION

Linitis plastica (LP) is a particular subtype of diffuse gastric cancer and is thought to have a very poor prognosis. The operative approach in patients with LP has historically been questioned because of the poor outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the current outcomes in LP patients who undergo radical resection.

METHODS

Patients with a new diagnosis of diffuse gastric adenocarcinoma between 2006 and 2010 were identified from a regional pathology database. LP was diagnosed based on histological, radiological and endoscopic findings. The patients’ health records were analysed retrospectively and mortality data obtained from a regional cancer registry. The primary outcome assessed was overall survival.

RESULTS

Overall, 273 patients with diffuse gastric cancer were identified; 54 of these were diagnosed with LP. In the LP cohort, 17 patients underwent resection compared with 95 of the 219 patients in the non-LP group. The median survival following resection in patients with LP was 16.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.3–25.1) while in LP patients who did not have surgery it was 3.6 months (95% CI: 2.2–4.9 months) (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in survival following resection between those with LP and those with non-LP diffuse gastric adenocarcinoma (median: 23.9 months, 95% CI: 15.8–32.1 months) (p=0.331).

CONCLUSIONS

Survival following resection in patients with LP is not significantly different to that in those with non-LP diffuse gastric cancer. A preoperative diagnosis of LP should not be a reason for denying radical treatment and such individuals should be managed in the same way as any other patient with diffuse gastric cancer.
Islamic Insurance: Evolution, Models and Issues
Authors: Atiquzzafar Khan
Published: November 2016

Insurance has become an important field to take practical steps in the light of theoretical debate generated by Muslim scholars for an alternative economic paradigm. Several Takāful companies are also operating all around the Muslim world. These companies have adopted diverse working models such as Mudārabah, Wakālah and Waqf-Wakālah – each having its strengths and shortcomings. Takāful however is an evolving field both in theory and practice; and the work is ongoing in both the dimensions. Maximum possible benefits with an all-important sense of satisfaction for the consumers, and sustainability and profitability for the company providing such services, need to be ensured through continuous research and development.
Afghanistan: Finding Peace Amidst Chaos
Authors: Syed Ibrahim Moiz
Published: November 2016

The stop-start Afghanistan peace process has suffred set-backs due to volatile conditions of the two major parties involved – the Kabul regime and the Taliban insurgency –particularly internal instability of both the actors. Kabul's tenuous hold on much of its territory and struggle to balance its survival and legitimacy; and Taliban's leadership struggles after the loss of its two leaders in a short period of time have ceated major challanges. The role of foreign militants and groups, especially those Afghan militants who have attached themselves to the self-styled Da'ish (ISIS) caliphate, is also instrumental. The challenges that Kabul government faces both in legitimacy and cohesion which largely stem from its reliance on foreign forces underlines the difficulties on the path to any meaningful settlement. Peace talks have been badly undermined by the attempts of the two groups to strengthen their bargaining position and the resultant bad faith in the relations.
Mediacentric spaces and physical spaces in minority language use: A case study on the Basque language press
Authors: Salces-Alcalde Gorka , Amezaga Josu
Published: November 2016

In an era when the relationship between communications and physical spaces has been deeply modified, one must wonder about how these changes affect the dynamics of minority languages whose speakers are scattered throughout the territory of a hegemonic language. Joshua Fishman’s concept of ‘physical breathing space’ refers to the need of these languages to have a dense space available to them, where the language’s reproduction is in some way guaranteed. By analysing a case study on Basque language press, we will try to understand how mediacentric spaces can act as such breathing spaces. Choosing the printed press as our subject allows us to examine the correlation between the density of speakers and circulation of media. The analysis is completed with a set of in-depth interviews that illustrate some attitudes towards media in Basque among speakers in environments with a low density.
The impact of the Ebola Virus and rare diseases in the media and the perception of risk in Spain
Authors: Carretón Ballester Maria Carmen , López Villafranca Paloma
Published: November 2016

This study analysed the role played by the media in social perceptions about the risk of infection from rare diseases and Ebola. For this purpose, a content analysis was carried out on 479 news items on Ebola in 2014 and on 28 news items on rare diseases in 2013, all coming from the most widely circulated newspapers in Spain: El País and El Mundo. The findings enabled us to state that the media play an important role in the perception of social risk from both these issues (Ebola–Rare Diseases): on the one hand, because of intrinsic factors of the media themselves and journalistic routines and, on the other hand, because of the role played by politicians as an external factor. In addition, news about the spreading and the fatal consequences of Ebola lead to it being considered as a ‘terrible risk’ disease, whereas news about other rare diseases and the damage they can cause define them as of ‘unknown risk’.
How Nazi press instructions framed German perceptions of the Spanish Civil War
Authors: Wilke Jürgen
Published: November 2016

This article examines the measures taken by the German Nazi government to regulate and frame the coverage of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1039) in the German press. Primarily they did this through instructions issued at press conferences for the Berlin correspondents of the German newspapers. Although the journalists were forced to destroy their notes of these verbal instructions, some did not follow this command, preserving the written directives. In total, around 500 instructions reference the Spanish Civil War. In the beginning, the German press was asked to remain reluctant concerning the conflict; however, the Spanish Nationalists eventually overcame the Republicans. One of the permanent topics addressed by the Nazi propaganda ministry was foreign intervention in the Spanish Civil War. German intervention in the conflict was continually denied, particularly when German aircrafts bombarded the Basque town of Guernica on 26 April 1937, one of the most heinous war crimes prior to World War II. On the whole, the press instructions presented a distorted picture, full of deceit and hypocrisy. The brutal reality of war was omitted or completely glossed over in the German press.
Reviews
Authors: Araüna Núria , Cobo Jesús , de Vuyst Sara , Ruiz Alejandra Hernández , Oroz Elena , Russell Elizabeth
Published: November 2016

THE UNLEASHED SCANDAL: THE END OF CONTROL IN THE DIGITAL AGE, BERNHARD POERKSEN AND HANNE DETEL (2014) Exeter: Imprint Academic, 225 pp., ISBN: 9781845407193, p/bk, £14.95

DE LA NECROPOLÍTICA NEOLIBERAL A LA EMPATÍA RADICAL: VIOLENCIA DISCRETA, CUERPOS EXCLUIDOS Y REPOLITIZACIÓN, CLARA VALVERDE GEFAELL (2015) Barcelona: Editorial Icària, 144 pp., ISBN: 9788498886825, paperback, 13€

GENDER AND MEDIA: REPRESENTING, PRODUCING, CONSUMING, TONNY KRIJNEN AND SOFIE VAN BAUWEL (2015) London and New York: Routledge, 208 pp., ISBN: 9780415695404, p/bk, £24.99

MUJERES EN MEDIO(S): PROPUESTAS PARA ANALIZAR LA COMUNICACIÓN MASIVA CON PERSPECTIVA DE GÉNERO, ASUNCIÓN BERNÁRDEZ RODAL (2015) Madrid: Editorial Fundamentos, 280 pp., ISBN: 9788424513115, p/bk, 20€

DIRECTORAS DE CINE EN ESPAÑA Y AMÉRICA LATINA: NUEVAS VOCES Y MIRADAS, PIETSIE FEENSTRA, ESTHER GIMENO UGALDE AND KATHRIN SARTINGEN (EDS) (2014) Frankfurt and Main: Peter Lang, 458 pp., ISBN: 9783631628591, h/bk, $97.95

CATARACT, JOHN BERGER (2011) London: Notting Hill Editions, 65 pp., ISBN: 9781907903328, h/bk, $22.00
It takes more than a village!: Transnational travels of Spanish anarchism in Argentina and Cuba
Authors: Ackelsberg Martha A.
Published: November 2016

Spanish anarchists travelled to and from both Argentina and Cuba in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, bringing with them not only ideology, but press, pamphlets and organizing strategies. Spanish immigrants and visitors played important roles in the development of the labour movement and anarchist women’s movement in each country. It is true that the movement in Spain was unique, in the sense that it attained a massive following and played a prominent role in a profound social revolution. But it is also the case that ideas and practices from Spain found fertile ground and exercised a deep influence on labour movements in Cuba and Argentina. And the experiences of Spanish exiles in Argentina and Cuba, in turn, influenced the movements in Spain. The ‘travels’ of Spanish anarchism suggest that anarchist internationalism was a transnational reality, one critical to the development of movements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Anarquismo Nietzscheano y El Periódico Anticristo
Authors: Andújar Francisco José Fernández
Published: November 2016

En 1906 apareció en La Línea (Cádiz) un periódico anarquista de filosofía e inspiración nietzscheana titulado El Anticristo, del que solo conservamos dos números, que se anuncia con una periodicidad quincenal. Para su contextualización, expondremos la filosofía de Nietzsche en relación al anarquismo, la opinión de este autor respecto a los anarquistas, y cómo el movimiento libertario asume partes del pensamiento y personalidad del filósofo alemán. Como referencia del anarquismo nietzscheano español, analizaremos el contenido de este periódico, la gran influencia que tuvo, los temas de sus artículos. Finalmente, se señalará la ascendencia de esta publicación y en general del nietzscheanismo anarquista español en posteriores y distintos pensadores del movimiento libertario ibérico.
Party system (de-)institutionalization and the economic crisis: Insights from the Italian case
Authors: Lisi Marco
Published: November 2016

This article examines party system change in Italy after the emergence of the economic crisis, focusing on the radical shift experienced with the 2013 general elections. By considering several indicators such as party system fragmentation, electoral volatility, issues of competition and patterns of government, this study provides a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the main dimensions of change and continuity experienced by the Italian party system over the last decades. The article argues that the economic crisis was only partially responsible for the instability of the party system, while long-term factors of erosion were crucial to foster party system change. In particular, the crisis of party organizations contributed to the success of new actors, the regeneration of party leadership and the emergence of new patterns of government. The Italian case thus offers interesting insights on the concept of party system deinstitutionalization and on the interaction between institutional change, party strategies and electoral dynamics.
Book Review
Authors: Rezola Maria Inácia
Published: November 2016

FAREWELL TO EMPIRE: HISTORY, MEMORY AND DECOLONIZATION, M. MACHAQUEIRO, P. A. OLIVEIRA AND F. ROSAS (2015)

O Adeus ao Império: 40 Anos de Descolonização Portuguesa/Farewell to Empire: 40 Years of Portuguese Decolonization, Lisbon: Nova Vega. ISBN: 9789897500404, 260 pp., €21.20 (p/bk)
Managing college radio: Understanding American college stations through their management practices
Authors: Raymond Ronald K.
Published: November 2016

Effectively managing any media organization is a difficult task. College radio stations face challenges both common and unique to their professional counterparts, and are often led by students with little or no previous management experience. This study examined management practices of student-led FM college radio broadcast stations in the United States and provides a contemporary review of the programming, practices and challenges associated with today’s campus stations. Results indicated that college stations today function at a great variety of levels, from subsistence to abundance. The importance of student management teams was recognized, with primary concerns surrounding funding and lack of support from various constituencies. Concluding comments from leaders of student-led stations around the United States addressed numerous areas of concern and cited several benefits of college radio, both for students interested in media careers and for those simply looking to improve their speaking, writing and leadership skills.
Redefining radio: Implications for journalism education in an era of digital audio storytelling
Authors: Wake Alexandra , Bahfen Nasya
Published: November 2016

This article seeks to map the current position of audio within journalism curriculums at Australian and New Zealand universities, in the context of a so-called renaissance in podcasting helping to lift the profile of audio among educators and industry. Internet radio and podcasting have grown exponentially since 2004, with the worldwide monthly audience for podcasts estimated at more than 35 million listeners (Markman and Sawyer 2014). Podcasts are offered by traditional broadcast organisations, online newspapers, and non-media organisations or individuals. Yet while digital content production may have changed the competitive industry in which journalism graduates seek employment, journalism education has yet to react to that change in a comprehensive manner (Carey 2000; Hirst and Treadwell 2011). There is an acknowledged lack of research on long-form audio journalism (McHugh 2014; Panda 2014) but there is also little recent research on how journalism programs in universities are meeting this new audio demand.
Art of the incarcerated: Art-making in the Japanese American Internment Camps
Authors: Wenger Gina Mumma
Published: November 2016

Researching histories of art education involves investigating a complex combination of documents, people, places and objects. Slowly, through time, histories evolve and the authors who document the narrative change. In this paper I strive to connect two significant material culture collections. One was gathered by an art teacher, Jamie Vogel, and created by high-school students during their incarceration in World War II Japanese American Internment Camps at Rohwer, Arkansas. The other comes from the recent debate over a collection of objects on the auction block from the Rago Arts and Auction Center. The items to be auctioned included several hundred donated examples of arts and crafts by Japanese and Korean American internees during World War II. They were donated to Allen Eaton and published in the 1952 book, Beauty Behind Barbed Wire: The Arts of the Japanese in Our War Relocation Camps. The stories, including the documentation surrounding these objects of material culture, enable conversations. Through the reflections of the collectors and those who contributed to them, we gain a broader understanding of the value of art-making and a critical view of dominant historical narratives.