bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of the Madden–Julian Oscillation in Two Types of El Niño
Authors: Chen Xiong , Ling Jian , Li Chongyin
Published: December 2015

Evolution characteristics of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) during the eastern Pacific (EP) and central Pacific (CP) types of El Niño have been investigated. MJO activities are strengthened over the western Pacific during the predeveloping and developing phases of EP El Niño, but suppressed during the mature and decaying phases. In contrast, MJO activities do not show a clear relationship with CP El Niño before their occurrence over the western Pacific, but they increase over the central Pacific during the mature and decaying phases of CP El Niño. Lag correlation analyses further confirm that MJO activities over the western Pacific in boreal spring and early summer are closely related to EP El Niño up to 2–11 months later, but not for CP El Niño. EP El Niño tends to weaken the MJO and lead to a much shorter range of its eastward propagation. Anomalous descending motions over the Maritime Continent and western Pacific related to El Niño can suppress convection and moisture flux convergence there and weaken MJO activities over these regions during the mature phase of both types of El Niño. MJO activities over the western Pacific are much weaker in EP El Niño due to the stronger anomalous descending motions. Furthermore, the MJO propagates more continuously and farther eastward during CP El Niño because of robust moisture convergence over the central Pacific, which provides adequate moisture for the development of MJO convection.
Simulating the Role of Surface Forcing on Observed Multidecadal Upper-Ocean Salinity Changes
Authors: Lago Véronique , Wijffels Susan E. , Durack Paul J. , Church John A. , Bindoff Nathaniel L. , Marsland Simon J.
Published: December 2015

The ocean’s surface salinity field has changed over the observed record, driven by an intensification of the water cycle in response to global warming. However, the origin and causes of the coincident subsurface salinity changes are not fully understood. The relationship between imposed surface salinity and temperature changes and their corresponding subsurface changes is investigated using idealized ocean model experiments. The ocean’s surface has warmed by about 0.5°C (50 yr)−1 while the surface salinity pattern has amplified by about 8% per 50 years. The idealized experiments are constructed for a 50-yr period, allowing a qualitative comparison to the observed salinity and temperature changes previously reported. The comparison suggests that changes in both modeled surface salinity and temperature are required to replicate the three-dimensional pattern of observed salinity change. The results also show that the effects of surface changes in temperature and salinity act linearly on the changes in subsurface salinity. Surface salinity pattern amplification appears to be the leading driver of subsurface salinity change on depth surfaces; however, surface warming is also required to replicate the observed patterns of change on density surfaces. This is the result of isopycnal migration modified by the ocean surface warming, which produces significant salinity changes on density surfaces.
The Accumulation of (Dis)advantage
Authors: Cheng Siwei
Published: December 2015

A sizable literature examines whether and why marriage affects men’s and women’s wages. This study advances current research in two ways. First, whereas most prior studies treat the effect of marriage as time-invariant, I examine how the wage effect of marriage unfolds over the life course. Second, whereas prior work often focuses on the population-average effect of marriage or is limited to some particular gender or racial group, I examine the intersection of gender and race in the effect of marriage. Analyzing data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, I find that the marriage wage premium grows steadily and at a similar pace among white and black men. The marriage wage premium declines toward negative among white women, yet it grows steadily among black women. Furthermore, measured work experience explains a substantial amount of the wage premium among black men, yet it has little explanatory power among white men, pointing to the importance of unobserved factors in white men’s marriage premium. Changes in work experience negatively affect married white women’s wages, yet they positively affect married black women’s wages, pointing to the important differences between black and white families.
Design and evaluation of a remote PLC laboratory
Authors: Geaney Gerard , O’Mahony Tom
Published: December 2015

The design and evaluation of a remote laboratory for Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) education is presented. The primary objective of the presented remote PLC laboratory is to increase the availability of the physical laboratory. A secondary objective was to develop students’ competence in designing and developing PLC programs. This specific focus on developing design skills within the PLC programming context is the originality contributed by this article. To achieve this originality, a realistic context is provided by basing the laboratory on physical PLCs and their associated industrial programming environments. This context is supported by simulated processes. These processes provide multiple examples to develop design skills and also a media-rich platform which supports problem-solving skills. The laboratory is evaluated using a pre- and post-survey based on the Computer Laboratory Environment Inventory and the results benchmarked. The pre-survey clearly identifies laboratory availability as an issue while the post-survey reveals that the remote laboratory successfully addressed this issue. The post-survey also indicates that the remote laboratory had a positive impact on the overall learning environment. In particular, students perceived that the laboratory problems were more open-ended and less influenced by the instructor.
Tuskegee’s Talented Tenth: Reconciling a Legacy
Authors: Newkirk Pamela
Published: December 2015

If, at the turn of the twentieth century, one wished to study the group that WEB Du Bois referred to as Black America’s “Talented Tenth,” Tuskegee Institute’s campus could have served as an ideal laboratory. Still, a century after Booker T. Washington’s death, scholars remain hard-pressed to reconcile the portrait of Tuskegee primarily as a producer of a submissive black laboring class with the school’s illustrious faculty and the progressive black movements, institutions and leaders in education, politics, architecture, medicine and other professions it spawned across the African Diaspora.
Impact of Intensive Summer Reading Intervention for Children With Reading Disabilities and Difficulties in Early Elementary School
Authors: Christodoulou Joanna A. , Cyr Abigail , Murtagh Jack , Chang Patricia , Lin Jiayi , Guarino Anthony J. , Hook Pamela , Gabrieli John D. E.
Published: December 2015

Efficacy of an intensive reading intervention implemented during the nonacademic summer was evaluated in children with reading disabilities or difficulties (RD). Students (ages 6–9) were randomly assigned to receive Lindamood-Bell’s Seeing Stars program ( n = 23) as an intervention or to a waiting-list control group ( n = 24). Analysis of pre- and posttesting revealed significant interactions in favor of the intervention group for untimed word and pseudoword reading, timed pseudoword reading, oral reading fluency, and symbol imagery. The interactions mostly reflected (a) significant declines in the nonintervention group from pre- to posttesting, and (2) no decline in the intervention group. The current study offers direct evidence for widening differences in reading abilities between students with RD who do and do not receive intensive summer reading instruction. Intervention implications for RD children are discussed, especially in relation to the relevance of summer intervention to prevent further decline in struggling early readers.
Examining the Work Ethic of Correctional Officers Using a Short Form of the Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile
Authors: Gorman C. Allen , Meriac John P.
Published: December 2015

The work ethic construct has seen increased research attention in recent years and has been applied to a host of different settings. In this study, the work ethic of correctional officers (COs) was examined. Compared with other occupational samples, COs generally endorsed higher levels of work ethic across several of the dimensions. Also, we found that the measurement properties of the Multidimensional Work Ethic Scale–Short Form (MWEP-SF) were comparable to those presented in previous studies. Implications for future research and the relevance of work ethic in a corrections context are discussed. In addition, study limitations and future directions are addressed.
The Use of a Nonprobability Internet Panel to Monitor Sexual and Reproductive Health in the General Population
Authors: Legleye Stéphane , Charrance Géraldine , Razafindratsima Nicolas , Bajos Nathalie , Bohet Aline , Moreau Caroline ,   the FECOND research Team
Published: December 2015

Background:

Reliability of nonprobability online volunteer panels for epidemiological purposes has rarely been studied.

Objectives:

To assess the quality of a questionnaire on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) administered in a nonprobability Web panel and in a random telephone survey ( n = 8,992; n = 8,437, age 16–49 years). Especially, we were interested in the possible difference in the association of sociodemographic variables and some outcome variables in the two surveys that are in the reliability of analytical epidemiological studies conducted in such panels.

Methods:

Interventions to increase response rate were used in both surveys (four e-mail reminders, high number of call attempts and callbacks to refusals). Both were calibrated on the census population. Sociodemographic composition, effects of reminders, and prevalence were compared to their telephone counterpart. In addition, the associations of sociodemographic and sexual behaviors were compared in the two samples in multivariate logistic regressions.

Results:

The online survey had a lower response rate (20.0 percent vs. 44.8 percent) and a more distorted sociodemographic structure although the reminders improved the representativeness as did the analogous interventions on the telephone survey. Prevalences of SRH variables were similar for the common behaviors but higher online for the stigmatized behaviors, depending on gender. Overall, 29 percent of the 63 interactions studied were significant for males and 11 percent for women, although opposite effects of sociodemographic variables were rare (5 percent of the 171 tested for each gender).

Conclusion:

Nonprobability online panels are to be used with caution to monitor SRH and conduct analytical epidemiological studies, especially among men.
Blended Learning as a Potentially Winning Combination of Face-to-face and Online Learning
Authors: Auster Carol J.
Published: December 2015

Blended learning, in the form of screencasts to be viewed online outside of class, was incorporated into three sections of an introductory sociology course in a liberal arts college setting. The screencasts were used to introduce concepts and theories to provide more time for discussion in class and more opportunity for students to review concepts and theories outside of class. Students’ use and their perceptions of the impact of the screencasts were assessed with an in-class survey instrument in addition to a web-based college-administered survey. Although it was not possible to measure the impact of blended learning on students’ academic performance and learning outcomes in this exploratory study, student responses indicated high use of the screencasts as well as the perception that the screencasts were helpful, contributed positively to performance on exams, and also led to more positive feelings about the course more generally. Overall, this provides an optimistic initial appraisal of the prospects for blended learning.
Bargain Purchase Gains in the Acquisitions of Failed Banks
Authors: Dunn Kimberly , Kohlbeck Mark , Smith Thomas
Published: December 2015

Effective for years beginning on or after December 15, 2008, bargain purchase gains (BPGs) are recorded within income from continuing operations when the fair value of the net assets acquired exceeds the acquisition cost. Although the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) argues that the BPG treatment more faithfully represents the economics of the transaction, they also acknowledge that it creates an opportunity for inappropriate gain recognition. We examine management opportunism and investor valuations regarding the recognition of a BPG using a sample of 142 acquirers that made Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-assisted bank acquisitions in 2009 and 2010. We find that acquirer banks with relatively strong incentives to boost earnings are more likely to record a BPG, suggesting that firms use the BPG treatment opportunistically. Despite this finding, we observe that the market values the BPGs, albeit with less persistence than the other major components of operating income, and reacts positively to acquisition announcements with BPGs. We explore these seemingly contradictory findings further and find that more suspicious BPGs receive lower valuation multiples. Overall, we provide evidence consistent with managers opportunistically exercising discretion within acquisition accounting and the market differentially pricing BPGs based on underlying incentives to boost earnings.
Managing challenging residents
Authors: Bettles Sophie , Rich Brian , Bourne Rebekah
Published: December 2015

An increasing challenge of working within Approved Premises is the complex nature of offenders presenting with personality disordered traits. This article outlines how our team of probation and mental health staff utilised training from the Knowledge and Understanding Framework (KUF) to adapt current practice in understanding and managing such complex cases. Some case examples are provided to add context and recommendations have been made for future practice, based on reflection.
Theoretical and methodological issues in relationship research
Authors: Galovan Adam M. , Holmes Erin Kramer , Proulx Christine M.
Published: December 2015

Family and relationship researchers ask research questions at the dyadic- or family level, yet analyses are often conducted at the individual level. We review theoretical perspectives relative to studying families and dyads and note how they are connected with dyadic analysis techniques. We note differences in theoretical assumptions underlying the actor–partner interdependence model, the common fate model (CFM), and hybrid models that combine features of both and distinguish between the types of questions each addresses. Using third grade, sixth grade, and age 15 data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study of Early Child Care and Youth Development ( N = 732), we illustrate the value of using CFM and hybrid models to explore how family chaos is associated with couple conflict resolution and child behavior problems. Dyadic- and family-level analyses may offer additional insight into family functioning, and we provide recommendations for the use of CFM in furthering this line of inquiry.
Rehabilitation – a new approach. Part four: a new paradigm, and its implications
Authors: Wade Derick
Published: December 2015

This editorial proposes changes in healthcare services that should greatly improve the health status of all patients with disability. The main premises are that: rehabilitation usually involves many actions delivered by many people from different organisations over a prolonged period; specific rehabilitation actions cover a wide range of professional activities, with face to face therapy only being one; and the primary patient activity that improves function is practice of personally relevant activities in a safe environment. This editorial argues that: rehabilitation should occur at all times and in all settings, in parallel with medical care in order to maximise recovery and to avoid loss of fitness, skills and confidence associated with rest and being cared for; hospitals and other healthcare settings should adapt the environment to encourage practice of activities at all times; and that measuring rehabilitation, whether in research or for re-imbursement, should not simply consider face-to-face ‘therapy time’ but must include: all the other important activities undertaken by the team; ‘structures’ such as the appropriateness of the environment; and a process measure of the time spent by patients undertaking activities.
Institutional Predictors of the Adoption of Employee Social Media Policies
Authors: El Ouirdi Asma , El Ouirdi Mariam , Segers Jesse , Pais Ivana
Published: December 2015

The importance of employee social media policies is recognized in today’s increasingly connected organizations. Yet these policies are adopted at varying rates in different sectors and geographical regions. In the present study, an institutional approach was employed to investigate the predictors of the adoption of employee social media policies by organizations. Six predictors were examined, namely, organizational size, industry, and the national culture dimensions of power distance, individualism, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance. Results of a logistic regression analysis of 558 online survey responses from human resource professionals worldwide showed that all six predictors were associated with the adoption of employee social media policies. These findings have implications for multinational companies, as well as for policy makers in the legal, human resources, information technologies, and public relations departments who are the primary parties involved in establishing employee social media policies. Study limitations are presented and future research avenues are suggested.
The pluralization of the international: Resistance and alter-standardization in regenerative stem cell medicine
Authors: Rosemann Achim , Chaisinthop Nattaka
Published: December 2015

The article explores the formation of an international politics of resistance and ‘alter-standardization’ in regenerative stem cell medicine. The absence of internationally harmonized regulatory frameworks in the clinical stem cell field and the presence of lucrative business opportunities have resulted in the formation of transnational networks adopting alternative research standards and practices. These oppose, as a universal global standard, strict evidence-based medicine clinical research protocols as defined by scientists and regulatory agencies in highly developed countries. The emergence of transnational spaces of alter-standardization is closely linked to scientific advances in rapidly developing countries such as China and India, but calls for more flexible regulatory frameworks, and the legitimization of experimental for-profit applications outside of evidence-based medical care, are emerging increasingly also within more stringently regulated countries, such as the United States and countries in the European Union. We can observe, then, a trend toward the pluralization of the standards, practices, and concepts in the stem cell field.
Midterm Outcomes of Reverse (Anteverting) Periacetabular Osteotomy in Patients With Hip Impingement Secondary to Acetabular Retroversion
Authors: Parry Joshua A. , Swann Russell P. , Erickson Jill A. , Peters Christopher L. , Trousdale Robert T. , Sierra Rafael J.
Published: December 2015

Background:

There is a paucity of data on the results of reverse (anteverting) periacetabular osteotomy (RPAO) for treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) secondary to acetabular retroversion.

Purpose:

To evaluate the midterm outcomes of RPAO for FAI secondary to acetabular retroversion in those with and without hip dysplasia.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective review identified RPAOs performed on patients with acetabular retroversion in isolation or in the setting of dysplasia (lateral center-edge angle [LCEA] ≤19°). Acetabular retroversion with FAI was diagnosed clinically and radiographically, with a positive crossover and posterior wall signs on pelvic radiographs. Twenty-three patients (30 hips) met the inclusion criteria; 20 hips with isolated retroversion and 10 hips with retroversion and hip dysplasia. The average age at the time of the procedure was 26 years (range, 13-45 years). The average length of follow-up was 5 years (range, 2-19 years). Harris Hip Score (HHS) and radiographs were evaluated preoperatively and at last follow-up.

Results:

The mean preoperative LCEA was 31° (range, 22°-49°) in the isolated retroversion group and 9° (range, –4° to 17°) in the dysplastic group. Postoperatively, the LCEA in the dysplastic group increased to 35° (range, 15°-46°) ( P = .0001). The crossover sign corrected in 55% (11/20) of the isolated retroversion group and 80% (8/10) of the dysplastic group. The acetabular index (mean ± SD) improved from 1.3 ± 0.3 to 1.7 ± 0.6 ( P = .0001), indicating improved anteversion. At the latest follow-up, the average HHS in the isolated retroversion group increased from 58 preoperatively (range, 23-77) to 93 (range, 68-100) ( P = .0001); the HHS in the dysplastic group improved from 49 (range, 20-74) to 92 (range, 77-100) ( P < .0001). Complication rates were similar in both groups. Excluding hardware removal, additional surgeries were performed in 13% (4/30).

Conclusion:

RPAO performed for FAI in the young patient with isolated acetabular retroversion or retroversion in the setting of dysplasia successfully improved clinical and radiographic results at mid- to long-term follow-up.
Distinct Firing Properties of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Expressing Neurons in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus
Authors: Hermanstyne Tracey O. , Simms Carrie L. , Carrasquillo Yarimar , Herzog Erik D. , Nerbonne Jeanne M.
Published: December 2015

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) regulates daily rhythms in physiology and behavior. Previous studies suggest a critical role for neurons expressing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in coordinating rhythmicity and synchronization in the SCN. Here we examined the firing properties of VIP-expressing SCN neurons in acute brain slices. Active and passive membrane properties were measured in VIP and in non-VIP neurons during the day and at night. Current-clamp recordings revealed that both VIP and non-VIP neurons were spontaneously active, with higher firing rates during the day than at night. Average firing frequencies, however, were higher in VIP neurons (3.1 ± 0.2 Hz, day and 2.4 ± 0.2 Hz, night) than in non-VIP neurons (1.8 ± 0.2 Hz, day and 0.9 ± 0.2 Hz, night), both day and night. The waveforms of individual action potentials in VIP and non-VIP neurons were also distinct. Action potential durations (APD50) were shorter in VIP neurons (3.6 ± 0.1 ms, day and 2.9 ± 0.1 ms, night) than in non-VIP neurons (4.4 ± 0.3 ms, day and 3.5 ± 0.2 ms, night) throughout the light-dark cycle. In addition, afterhyperpolarization (AHP) amplitudes were larger in VIP neurons (21 ± 0.8 mV, day and 24.9 ± 0.9 mV, night) than in non-VIP neurons (17.2 ± 1.1 mV, day and 20.5 ± 1.2 mV, night) during the day and at night. Furthermore, significant day/night differences were observed in APD50 and AHP amplitudes in both VIP and non-VIP SCN neurons, consistent with rhythmic changes in ionic conductances that contribute to shaping the firing properties of both cell types. The higher day and night firing rates of VIP neurons likely contribute to synchronizing electrical activity in the SCN.
Evaluation of the Charité Jet Lag Scale
Authors: Becker Tanja , Penzel Thomas , Fietze Ingo
Published: December 2015

The first German Charité Jet Lag Scale (CJS), based on the only validated English questionnaire, was introduced in a former study. In addition to providing further jet lag investigations, this second method-comparison study aims to evaluate the CJS. Consistent interviewing methods are essential for future research in identifying possible cross-cultural tendencies, advancing jet lag definition, and establishing potential alleviation methods. Jet lag in 17 German chorus members (5 male, 12 female, mean age 42.35 ± 13.06 years) was monitored on their 2½-week trip from Germany to Argentina and back by use of actigraphy, sleep diaries, and the CJS. Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson and Lin correlations, and Bland-Altman diagrams were applied to assess CJS reliability and validity between all measurement methods. CJS study analysis results reconfirmed the prevalence of jet lag at approximately 60%. Moreover, the study assessed high Cronbach’s alpha values and significant positive correlations for several corresponding and related sleep parameters and CJS items such as total sleep time (TST) and sleep onset latency (SOL). The confidence limits in the Bland-Altman diagrams remained within the limits of earlier studies (TST ± 1 h, SOL ± 30 min). Overall, jet lag measures in this study confirmed previous jet lag studies. Evidence indicates positive reliability and validity of the CJS, with lower specificity in some parameters. We conclude that the CJS is applicable for complex jet lag studies. The findings provide support for further development of the scale and its capability as a consistent jet lag interviewing method.
Redéfinir le leadership éthique dans le système de santé du XXIe siècle
Authors: Ho Anita , Pinney Stephen
Published: December 2015

Dans le milieu de la santé, le leadership éthique classique est axé sur la supervision de la relation entre le professionnel de la santé et le patient. Cependant, puisque la prestation des soins dépend désormais essentiellement d’une équipe et qu’elle est intégrée entre organisations de la santé, ces cadres éthiques doivent tenir compte de facteurs mésoscopiques et macroscopiques. En raison de ces enjeux plus vastes, les gestionnaires et les leaders administratifs doivent adopter des perspectives éthiques qui, loin de se limiter aux patients actuels et prospectifs, incluent également l’équipe, l’organisation et l’ensemble du système, où il est essentiel d’assurer un taux élevé de coordination et de surveillance. Les administrateurs ont une responsabilité éthique croissante, non seulement envers le déroulement de chaque rencontre de soins (microscopique), mais également envers l’organisation du système pour prodiguer et garantir des soins de qualité aux patients (mésoscopique) et les services aux populations qui leur demandent des soins lorsqu’elles en ont besoin (macroscopique).
Democratic Work at an Organization-Society Boundary
Authors: Novak David R.
Published: December 2015

Studies of constitution, particularly the Communication as Constitutive of Organization (CCO) perspective, currently lacks adequate consideration of how power manifests in ongoing, dynamic, material–symbolic co-constitution. This article aims to locate and understand power in the sociomaterial realities of work. I position democratic work practices as transcendent of symbolic-material dualisms and investigate those practices via a co-constitutive, integrated approach. This critical-interpretive analysis of boundary work illuminates the non-neutral constitutive properties of sociomateriality in action. Findings coalesce around three themes: (a) material objects and notions of success, (b) sites of participation, and (c) bodies and engaged citizenry. The materialities of homelessness, along with those of “non-homelessness,” co-constitute conditions that actively work to maintain homelessness’ existence and restrict the democratic possibilities of work. To understand the complex connections of materiality and symbols in constitutive entanglements, I propose communicative instantiation as a conceptual-practical site for investigations of constitution.
Impact of Tranexamic Acid in Total Knee and Total Hip Replacement
Authors: Boyle Jaclyn A. , Soric Mate M.
Published: December 2015

Objective:

To evaluate the net clinical benefit of tranexamic acid use in patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement.

Methods:

This is a retrospective study of patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement. The primary outcome was the net clinical benefit of tranexamic acid use. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, incidence of venous thromboembolism, change in hemoglobin, and number of units of blood transfused.

Results:

Four hundred and six patients were screened for inclusion and 327 patients met inclusion criteria; 174 patients received tranexamic acid versus 153 patients who received usual care. Tranexamic acid demonstrated a positive net clinical benefit versus usual care (40.8% vs 13.7%, P < .01) but did not affect length of stay (3.39 vs 3.37 days, respectively, P = .76). Venous thromboembolism was comparable between groups (2.3% vs 0.7%, P = .38). Average change in hemoglobin and need for transfusion were lower in the treatment group versus the usual care group, respectively (3.46 vs 4.26 mg/dL, P < .01).

Conclusion:

Tranexamic acid demonstrated a significant benefit in decreasing change in hemoglobin as well as the need for blood transfusion with no increase in the risk of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement.
Representation
Authors: O’Donovan Oliver
Published: December 2015

Representation is an essential element of political authority, together with power and judgment, the latest to be acknowledged in the Christian West, coming to recognition in the Middle Ages with the expectation of a plurality of national identities. Its initial points of reference were theological, to Israel and to the dual office of Christ as priest and king, but in modern developments it has been understood especially in terms of legal forms. Government represents an existing political identity, bound up with a tradition of continuing practice and constituted by a ‘common good’ which brings together the various interests within a society. ‘Recognition’ of government involves knowing it in relation to ourselves, by affective cognition, an emphasis lost in modern theories. Success and failure in representation are on a relative scale of more or less. It depends on realistic and truthful popular self-understanding.
Concluding Comments and Continuing Conversations
Authors: Fadel Mohammad
Published: December 2015

These conversations between Muslim and Christian scholars produced a lively and informative introduction to the histories of Islamic and Christian theo-political thought. Much was learned over the course of meetings for this project, but future conversations, in order to better appreciate the breadth of theo-political thought in both traditions, will need to expand to include Muslim and Christian discursive traditions beyond the canonical authors explored thus far. Continued conversations should include contemporary expressions of theo-political thought in the Christian and Muslim traditions, alongside non-theists who have a good-faith commitment to including the religious, even if they reject theocentric politics.
Union responses to precarious workers: Italy and Spain compared
Authors: Pulignano Valeria , Ortíz Gervasi Luis , de Franceschi Fabio
Published: December 2015

Transformations of European labour markets and welfare systems have deepened the problem of precarious work, leading trade unions to develop strategies to represent and organize the workers affected. We focus on Italy and Spain, two of the countries with the most precarious labour markets in Europe, and address the specificity and variety of union responses. We relate these responses to the different institutional contexts, including employment and welfare regulation, and the power resources unions can draw upon.
Analysis of the knowledge backgrounds of library directors from top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
Authors: Minjie Yu , Youneng Pan , Nan Ding
Published: December 2015

The purpose of the study is to investigate the knowledge backgrounds of library directors from top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to provide support for director selection and training in Chinese university libraries. The study selected 19 library directors from top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The data were collected mainly from official homepages of the selected university libraries or library organizations in combination with some supplementary information from individual departments of targeted university libraries. Most library directors from top universities in mainland China and Taiwan were educated at the universities in which they currently work and lack management experience. Such directors tend to be well-known scholars from fields other than library and information science. In contrast, library directors from top universities in Hong Kong have more diverse professional backgrounds, including significant experience working overseas in library and information science. The administrators and hiring committees of Chinese universities should focus on selecting library directors with diverse and advanced qualifications, as well as developing relevant laws and regulations to ensure that the selection of these directors remains competitive on the world stage.

Although some studies of academic library directors have already been conducted, few studies have focused on Chinese library directors. This paper revealed the different models of knowledge backgrounds between directors of top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Estimating sample size in the presence of competing risks – Cause-specific hazard or cumulative incidence approach?
Authors: Tai BC , Chen ZJ , Machin D
Published: December 2015

In designing randomised clinical trials involving competing risks endpoints, it is important to consider competing events to ensure appropriate determination of sample size. We conduct a simulation study to compare sample sizes obtained from the cause-specific hazard and cumulative incidence (CMI) approaches, by first assuming exponential event times. As the proportional subdistribution hazard assumption does not hold for the CMI exponential (CMIExponential) model, we further investigate the impact of violation of such an assumption by comparing the results obtained from the CMI exponential model with those of a CMI model assuming a Gompertz distribution (CMIGompertz) where the proportional assumption is tenable. The simulation suggests that the CMIExponential approach requires a considerably larger sample size when treatment reduces the hazards of both the main event, A, and the competing risk, B. When treatment has a beneficial effect on A but no effect on B, the sample sizes required by both methods are largely similar, especially for large reduction in the main risk. If treatment has a protective effect on A but adversely affects B, then the sample size required by CMIExponential is notably smaller than cause-specific hazard for small to moderate reduction in the main risk. Further, a smaller sample size is required for CMIGompertz as compared with CMIExponential. The choice between a cause-specific hazard or CMI model in competing risks outcomes has implications on the study design. This should be made on the basis of the clinical question of interest and the validity of the associated model assumption.
Development and Validation of a Measure of Quality of Life for the Young Elderly in Sri Lanka
Authors: de Silva Sudirikku Hennadige Padmal , Jayasuriya Anura Rohan , Rajapaksa Lalini Chandika , de Silva Ambepitiyawaduge Pubudu , Barraclough Simon
Published: December 2015

Sri Lanka has one of the fastest aging populations in the world. Measurement of quality of life (QoL) in the elderly needs instruments developed that encompass the sociocultural settings. An instrument was developed to measure QoL in the young elderly in Sri Lanka (QLI-YES), using accepted methods to generate and reduce items. The measure was validated using a community sample. Construct, criterion and predictive validity and reliability were tested. A first-order model of 24 items with 6 domains was found to have good fit indices (CMIN/df = 1.567, RMR = 0.05, CFI = 0.95, and RMSEA = 0.053). Both criterion and predictive validity were demonstrated. Good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.93) was shown. The development of the QLI-YES using a societal perspective relevant to the social and cultural beliefs has resulted in a robust and valid instrument to measure QoL for the young elderly in Sri Lanka.
The exploitation of dynamic entrepreneurial capabilities by South African security firms
Authors: Ojiako Udechukwu , Marshall Alasdair , Maguire Stuart , Chipulu Maxwell
Published: December 2015

This multi-case study examines how three security firms in South Africa, at different stages in their evolutionary lifecycle, exploit entrepreneurial behavioural capabilities to innovate with technology-mediated services. The Dynamic Entrepreneurial Capabilities conceptual framework, a hybrid organiza0tional capability framework for analysing impacts of complex and discontinuous technology innovation on organizations, is used. Its emphasis on insight and heuristics was found to be highly appropriate for understanding the behavioural reality of the case organizations’ orientations pro and contra entrepreneurial activity.
Global Learning Through Difference
Authors: Kahn Hilary E. , Agnew Melanie
Published: December 2015

By clarifying what global learning is and how it is essential to higher education, this article considers what global learning provides for teaching, learning, and internationalization in higher education. It demonstrates how the global nature of knowledge and learning in the 21st century requires a re-definition of classrooms and learning environments that recognizes how knowledge production today is a collective, global, and diverse process. The article suggests a number of foundational principles for global learning, including relational approaches, reflection, contextualized knowledge, perspective shifting, disorientation, responsibility, and an ability to navigate the general and the particular. It concludes by revealing how a global learning framework has benefits beyond teaching and learning and how it can contribute to the deliberate internationalization of higher education.
From WWII to the World Wide Web
Authors: Brady Patrick Q. , Randa Ryan , Reyns Bradford W.
Published: December 2015

From online banking to social networking sites, the advent of the Internet has revolutionized the manner in which society carries out their online routine activities. Although the Internet continues to be an invaluable resource, it also provides a unique medium for offenders to engage in crime and delinquency. Although criminologists have begun to explore the application of traditional theories into virtual environments, less is known about trends in the application and growth of cybercrime at the macro-level. Expanding on the core elements of Cohen and Felson’s seminal work, we hypothesize that increases in rates of cybercrime are the result of technological social changes occurring post-commercialization of the Internet. A variety of data are presented to substantiate our hypothesis, along with a discussion of an online household activity ratio that holds promise in explaining trends in financial cybercrime victimization.
Facilitation of Adult Development
Authors: Boydell Tom
Published: December 2015

Taking an autobiographical approach, I tell the story of my experiences facilitating adult development, in a polytechnic and as a management consultant. I relate these to a developmental framework of Modes of Being and Learning that I created and elaborated with colleagues. I connect this picture with a number of related models, theories, practices, and strategies that can be used in the classroom and at work in organizations and communities.
Vehicle axle identification using wavelet analysis of bridge global responses
Authors: Yu Yang , Cai CS , Deng Lu
Published: December 2015

Bridge weigh-in-motion (BWIM) technique uses an instrumented bridge as a weighing scale to estimate vehicle weights. Traditional BWIM systems use axle detectors placed on the road surface to identify vehicle axles. However, the axle detectors have poor durability due to the direct exposure to the traffic. To resolve this issue, a free-of-axle-detector (FAD) algorithm, which eliminates the use of axle detectors, was proposed. As a further improvement to simplify the BWIM systems, the concept of nothing-on-road (NOR) BWIM was recently introduced. The axle identification method proposed in this paper is an attempt to achieve the NOR BWIM, i.e., using bridge global responses to identify vehicle axles. Wavelet analysis is applied to extract the axle information from the global responses. This allows the BWIM technique to be achieved with only weighing sensors. Numerical simulations are conducted using three-dimensional vehicle and bridge models and the effect of several parameters, including sampling frequency, road surface condition and measurement noise on the identification accuracy is investigated. The results demonstrate that the proposed identification method using wavelet analysis can accurately identify vehicle axles, except for cases where the road surface condition is rough or measurement noises exceed certain levels.
Teaching Qualitative Research as Transgressive Practices
Authors: Hsiung Ping-Chun
Published: December 2015

In qualitative research (QR), teaching is essential to the production and reproduction of knowledge both substantively and institutionally. Despite this, teaching QR has not received much scholarly attention. This Special Issue will address this problem by conceptualizing the teaching of QR as involving a set of transgressive practices that sustain and realize critical perspectives and practices in QR. It emphasizes that the teaching of QR is context specific and that what and how to teach need to be interrogated. The Special Issue includes two clusters of articles: (a) four full-length articles contributed by qualitative practitioners from the geopolitical South, aboriginal scholars within the Western core, and scholars in “scientific” fields in the core. It also includes (b) five shorter articles that address key concepts and/or principles of QR. As a catalyst, the Special Issue facilitates discussion and disrupts existing domination along the core–periphery, Aboriginal–non-Aboriginal, and science–social sciences divides.
Autoethnography Below the Equator
Authors: Brilhante Aline Veras Morais , Moreira Claudio , Catrib Ana Maria Fontenelle
Published: December 2015

In this performance autoethnography, we the authors are inspired by the triple autoethnographic work of Bryant K. Alexander, Hari S. Kumar, and Claudio Moreira. From different moments in their professional careers, they come together to write their biographies into history, creating stories that at the same time resist and demand to be told. Our goal is to write our life into legitimation of a theoretical framework—performance autoethnography—that is not yet accepted in Brazilian academy.
Personality and Perpetration
Authors: Mouilso Emily R. , Calhoun Karen S.
Published: December 2015

Theory and research suggest that narcissism plays an important role in perpetration of sexual aggression. As narcissism is a multidimensional construct, our objective was to clarify the relation between perpetration and three aspects of narcissism. College men ( N = 234) completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) subscale of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders–II (SCID-N) Personality Questionnaire, and Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale (HSNS). Perpetrators had higher scores on NPD traits, which were also associated with frequent perpetration. HSNS scores were only associated with perpetration via alcohol and/or drugs. Only the maladaptive facets of NPI narcissism correlated with perpetration. Narcissism seems to have been understudied in nonincarcerated perpetrators.
Continuity in Visiting Nurse Personnel Has Important Implications for the Patient Experience
Authors: Russell David , Bowles Kathryn H.
Published: December 2015

Continuity in health care personnel is an important component of high-quality care delivery. This study examines the extent to which continuity in nursing personnel is associated with Home Health Care Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey patient experience ratings. We examined the survey responses and administrative records of 7,196 patients served by a large home health agency between 2009 and 2014. Multivariate models were used to estimate associations between nursing continuity, measured with the Bice-Boxerman index, and five domains of patient experience ratings. Results indicated that patients’ overall ratings of care, willingness to recommend the agency to family/friends, perceived care coordination, and levels of communication with providers were positively associated with nursing continuity. No relationship was observed between continuity in nursing personnel and patients’ perceptions of safety, comfort, and education.
Managing Patients With Psoriasis in the Busy Clinic
Authors: Armstrong April W. , Aldredge Lakshi , Yamauchi Paul S.
Published: December 2015

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease with significant comorbidities, whose management can be challenging given the variety of treatment options. It is critical for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, general practitioners, and dermatology trainees to have useful information about the treatment and monitoring of patients with psoriasis. Although certain aspects of care apply to all patients, each therapeutic agent has its own nuances in terms of assessments, dosing, and monitoring. The most appropriate treatment is based not only on disease severity but also on comorbid conditions and concomitant medications. These practitioners are vital in facilitating patient care by thorough understanding of systemic agents, selection criteria, dosing, and recommended monitoring. This article provides high-yield practical pearls on managing patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. It includes case-based discussions illustrating considerations for special populations, such as pregnant women, children, and patients with comorbidities (eg, human immunodeficiency virus infection, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and history of malignancy).
Primary Subcutaneous Hydatid Cyst of the Thigh
Authors: Rodrigues Gabriel , Prabhu Raghunath
Published: December 2015

Background:

Hydatid disease, or echinococcosis, affects several organs in the body and can pose a major diagnostic dilemma. Musculoskeletal involvement occurs only in 1% to 6% of patients. Clinically, the condition mimics a soft tissue tumor, and a preoperative diagnosis (blood and radiology) is necessary to avoid biopsy, management, and recurrence. In endemic areas, a differential diagnosis of hydatid disease should be considered for every soft cystic mass in any anatomic location.

Methods:

The investigators report a rare case of primary subcutaneous hydatid cyst of the thigh, which was an incidental clinical and radiologic finding that led to a diagnostic dilemma in a 62-year-old woman with diabetes admitted for management of a nonhealing foot ulcer.

Results:

The patient underwent successful complete surgical excision with pre- and postoperative antihelminthic pharmacotherapy, and at the end of 2-year follow-up, there has been no local recurrence or systemic disease.