bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enforcement Releases, Firm Characteristics, and Earnings Quality: Insights from Germany's Two‐tiered Enforcement System
Authors: Strohmenger Manuel
Published: August 2014

The implementation of a two‐tier external enforcement mechanism in Germany in 2004 permits the examination of the interrelationship of enforcement releases, firm characteristics, and earnings quality in a unique institutional framework. A total of 151 cases are examined where the announcement of errors in prior disclosed and audited financial statements was mandatorily ordered by the enforcement authority. Prior literature documents the correlation between underperformance in financial ratios and the probability of erroneous disclosure of financial statements. Evidence is provided of differences in characteristics between firms with enforcement releases and control firms as well as all German publicly listed firms. The research affirms the connection of financial ratios to earnings quality metrics. Overall, the results document the underperformance in important financial ratios as well as indicate an inferior earnings quality of firms subject to enforcement releases vis‐à‐vis the control groups. These results hold with regard to both different earnings quality specifications and different periods observed. This study adds to the earnings quality discussion and contributes to the development of a comprehensive picture of accounting quality in the unique institutional settings of Germany. The findings show that a conjoint two‐tier public and private enforcement system is effective and could be a model for consideration by other countries.
Studying Modern Nation‐State in a World‐Historical Perspective: The Instance of Iraq
Authors: Taşdemir Yaşin Zehra
Published: August 2014

By examining conceptual and historical approaches on modern state and state formation in the context of Iraq, this paper addresses four interrelated methodological aspects of studying state formation (1) to contest the simplicity of Eurocentric knowledge production in studying state formation especially in the periphery, (2) to bring capital and nation‐state into a relational analysis and to call for research on how they constitute each other historically and geographically, (3) to integrate methodologically local and world‐historical context in understanding the historical complexity of state formation, (4) to problematize the concepts of “capital relation” in order to recognize nature and transformation of nature in the study of state formation.
Long‐term exposure of human gingival fibroblasts to cigarette smoke condensate reduces cell growth by modulating Bax, caspase‐3 and p53 expression
Authors: Alamri A. , Semlali A. , Jacques É. , Alanazi M. , Zakrzewski A. , Chmielewski W. , Rouabhia M.
Published: August 2014

Background and Objective

Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of oral tissue damage leading to periodontal disease. Gingival fibroblasts, the predominant cell type inhabiting gingival connective tissue, play a critical role in remodeling and maintaining gingival structure. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of long‐term exposure to cigarette smoke on human gingival fibroblast survival/apoptosis and the molecular pathways involved in these cell responses.

Material and Methods

Human gingival fibroblasts were extracted from healthy non‐smokers and cultured in the presence of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC). At the end of each time point, cell growth was evaluated by means of MTT assay. Apoptotic and necrotic gene's expression was investigated by polymerase chain reaction array and by annexin V/propidium iodide staining and cell cycle assays. Western blot was used to investigate Bax and p53 proteins. These tests were supported by caspase 3 activity analyses.

Results

High levels of CSC decreased cell growth and deregulated cell cycle progression by increasing the G0/G1 and reducing the S and G2/M phases of the gingival fibroblasts. Polymerase chain reaction arrays revealed the activation of several apoptotic genes by CSC, including TNF receptors, caspases, Bax and p53. This was supported by increases in the Bax and p53 protein levels as well as by an elevated activity of caspase‐3 in the CSC‐exposed cells. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that both Bax and caspase‐3 displayed a cytosolic and mitochondrial distribution in the CSC‐exposed gingival fibroblasts, compared to controls. The damaging effect of CSC on gingival fibroblast growth was also supported by the decrease in interleukin 6 and 8 secretion by the gingival fibroblasts.

Conclusion

These results suggest that CSC may contribute to deregulating fibroblast functions. This can compromise fibroblast–epithelial cell interactions, which ultimately increases the risk of gingival tissue damage and the onset of periodontitis.
Statistics: general linear models (a flexible approach)
Authors: Scott M. , Flaherty D. , Currall J.
Published: August 2014

This article moves on to discuss a type of statistical testing different from those we have discussed previously, namely a General Linear Model. This system incorporates a number of other statistical models and is a powerful tool used widely in modern statistics.
Giant Seborrheic Keratoses on Penis
Authors: Part Martina , Švecová Danka , Brezová Daniela , Breza Ján
Published: August 2014

Introduction

Seborrheic keratoses are very common benign epidermal tumors. Despite the high frequency, the pathogenesis is still unknown. They are extremely rare in the genital area. The participation of human papilloma viruses (HPVs) in pathogenesis of seborrheic keratoses is being discussed.

Aims

The aims of this case report are to inform about extremely rare lesion in genital area in a young man and evaluate the association of HPVs in the development of seborrheic keratoses.

Methods

We used histopathological examination to establish the correct diagnosis, which revealed signs of seborrheic keratosis. The real-time polymerase chain reaction method confirmed low-risk HPV 6 from the lesions.

Main Outcome Measures

HPVs may play a role in pathogenesis of seborrheic keratoses.

Results

The patient was successfully treated with shave excision under spinal anesthesia. Six-month follow-up was without any recurrence. We suggest that HPVs can be considered as etiologic factor in creation of seborrheic keratosis.

Conclusions

Seborrheic keratoses are very common on sun-exposed skin, but they are rare in the genital area, such as on the shaft of penis. This localization may lead to misdiagnosis. Seborrheic keratoses in genital area might negatively influence the sexual life of the patient. Containing HPV 6 low-risk virus, they never lead to malignant transformation.
The Effects of Arts Integration on Long‐Term Retention of Academic Content
Authors: Hardiman Mariale , Rinne Luke , Yarmolinskaya Julia
Published: August 2014

Previous correlational and quasi‐experimental studies of arts integration—the pedagogical practice of “teaching through the arts”—suggest its value for enhancing cognitive, academic, and social skills. This study reports the results of a small, preliminary classroom‐based experiment that tested effects of arts integration on long‐term retention of content. We designed matched arts‐integrated (AI) and conventional science units in astronomy and ecology. Four randomized groups of 5th graders in one school completed one unit in the treatment (AI) condition and the other in the control (conventional) condition. To control for teacher effects, four teachers taught the same subject to different groups in each condition. We administered curriculum‐based assessments before, immediately after, and 2 months after each unit to measure initial learning and retention. Results showed no differences in initial learning, but significantly better retention in the AI condition. Increases in retention were greatest for students at the lowest levels of reading achievement.
Childhood maltreatment and the risk of pre‐pregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain
Authors: Diesel Jill C. , Bodnar Lisa M. , Day Nancy L. , Larkby Cynthia A.
Published: August 2014

The objective of this study was to estimate whether maternal history of childhood maltreatment was associated with pre‐pregnancy obesity or excessive gestational weight gain. Pregnant women (n = 472) reported pre‐pregnancy weight and height and gestational weight gain and were followed up to 16 years post‐partum when they reported maltreatment on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). CTQ score ranged from no maltreatment (25) to severe maltreatment (125). Prenatal mental health modified the association between CTQ score and maternal weight (P < 0.15), and thus stratified models are presented. After adjusting for race, prenatal tobacco, marijuana and alcohol use, a one standard deviation (1 SD) increase in CTQ score was associated with a 45% increase in the risk of pre‐pregnancy obesity among the 141 women with elevated anxiety (≥75th percentile on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory) [relative risk, RR (95% confidence interval, CI): 1.45 (1.12, 1.88)], but was not associated among less anxious (<75th percentile) women [RR (95% CI): 1.10 (0.81, 1.51)]. Risk of excessive gestational weight gain was higher [adjusted RR (95% CI): 1.21 (1.07, 1.37)] with every 1 SD increase in CTQ score for anxious women. No association was observed for less anxious women [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.89 (0.78, 1.02)]. Prenatal depression similarly modified the association between maltreatment and weight gain. Factors such as psychological status and traumatic experiences in early childhood may contribute to pre‐pregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain.
Shame if you do – shame if you don't: women's experiences of infant feeding
Authors: Thomson Gill , Ebisch‐Burton Katherine , Flacking Renee
Published: August 2014

Emotions such as guilt and blame are frequently reported by non‐breastfeeding mothers, and fear and humiliation are experienced by breastfeeding mothers when feeding in a public context. In this paper, we present new insights into how shame‐related affects, cognitions and actions are evident within breastfeedingandnon‐breastfeeding women's narratives of their experiences. As part of an evaluation study of the implementation of theUNICEF UK BabyFriendlyInitiative Community Award within two primary (community based) care trusts inNorthWestEngland, 63 women with varied infant feeding experiences took part in either a focus group or an individual semi‐structured interview to explore their experiences, opinions and perceptions of infant feeding. Using a framework analysis approach and drawing onLazare's categories of shame, we consider how the nature of the event (infant feeding) and the vulnerability of the individual (mother) interact in the social context to create shame responses in some breastfeeding and non‐breastfeeding mothers. Three key themes illustrate how shame is experienced and internalised through ‘exposure of women's bodies and infant feeding methods’, ‘undermining and insufficient support’ and ‘perceptions of inadequate mothering’. The findings of this paper highlight how breastfeeding and non‐breastfeeding women may experience judgement and condemnation in interactions with health professionals as well as within community contexts, leading to feelings of failure, inadequacy and isolation. There is a need for strategies and support that address personal, cultural, ideological and structural constraints of infant feeding.
Prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis, compared to atopic dermatitis and normal controls – a prospective study
Authors: Leibovici Vera , Ramot Yuval , Siam Rula , Siam Ihab , Hadayer Noa , Strauss‐Liviatan Nurith , Hochberg Malka
Published: August 2014

There are discrepancies in the literature regarding the prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis. The aim of this investigation was to conduct a cross‐sectional study of the prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis compared to atopic dermatitis patients and normal controls. We enrolled 232 psoriatic patients, 190 atopic dermatitis patients and 202 normal controls, between the years 2010 and 2013. The prevalence of tinea pedis was 13.8% in psoriasis patients, not significantly different from that in atopic dermatitis patients 8.4% (P = 0.092)), but significantly higher than in normal controls 7.4% (P = 0.043). Both gender and age affected the prevalence of tinea pedis in psoriasis and normal controls, while only age affected the prevalence of tinea pedis in atopic dermatitis. Regarding gender, there was higher prevalence of tinea pedis in men: 19.1% (P = 0.019) in psoriasis and 12.1% (P = 0.013) in normal controls. Age affected the prevalence of tinea pedis in normal controls (P < 0.001), psoriasis patients (P = 0.001) and atopic dermatitis patients (P = 0.001), with higher prevalence with increasing age. Trichophyton rubrum was the most common species in psoriasis (71.9%), atopic dermatitis (75.0%) and normal controls (73.3%). Our study found a relatively high prevalence of tinea pedis among psoriasis patients.
Cryptococcosis‐related deaths and associated medical conditions in the United States, 2000–2010
Authors: Barragan Noel C. , Sorvillo Frank , Kuo Tony
Published: August 2014

Cryptococcosis is an invasive mycotic infection primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals. The objective of this study was to describe cryptococcosis mortality and associated medical conditions in the US for the period 2000–2010. Cryptococcosis‐related deaths were identified from the national multiple‐cause‐of‐death dataset. Mortality trends and comparison analyses were performed on overall cases of cryptococcosis and by subset [i.e. clinical manifestations of disease and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status]. A matched case–control analysis was also conducted to describe the associations between this disease and comorbid medical conditions. A total of 3210 cryptococcosis‐related deaths were identified. Cerebral cryptococcosis was the most commonly reported clinical manifestation of the disease. Approximately one‐fifth of the decedents (n = 616) had a co‐diagnosis of HIV. Mortality rates were highest among men, blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans and older adults. Poisson regression analysis indicated a 6.52% annual decrease in mortality rates for the study period. HIV (MOR = 35.55, 95% CI 27.95–45.22) and leukaemia (MOR = 16.10, 95% CI 11.24–23.06) were highly associated with cryptococcosis‐related deaths. Cryptococcosis mortality declined significantly during 2000–2010. However, the disease continues to cause appreciable mortality in the US. With the majority of decedents having no HIV co‐diagnosis, there is still much to be learned about the epidemiology of this mycosis.
Prayerful Dispossession and the Grammar of Thinking Theologically: Sarah Coakley and Gillian Rose
Authors: Kirkland Scott A.
Published: August 2014

Gillian Rose's re-thinking of Hegel in the wake of twentieth century ‘right’ and ‘left’ wing Hegelianisms has offered occasion for a recovery of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit as more than simply the narration of the way consciousness absorbs its objects, as textbook accounts often suggest. Rose's suggestion is that Hegel offers a program of radical criticism that destabilises the modern ego in speculative thought itself. Sarah Coakley's recent first volume, of a proposed four, of her systematic theology triangulating Trinity, prayer and dispossessive spiritual practices provides a fruitful dialogue partner for Rose's project in that Coakley offers a mode of thinking about prayer deeply attentive to the shape of spiritual discipline and it's relation to theological grammar. This paper contests that it is precisely in the non-objectivity of divine being, as thought by Rose and Coakley, that we find resources for conceptualising thinking itself as a dispossessive spiritual act. The theological and the spiritual (theory and praxis) cannot, therefore, be partitioned out without violence being done to the act of thinking itself.
Do mixotrophs grow as photoheterotrophs? Photophysiological acclimation of the chrysophyte Ochromonas danica after feeding
Authors: Wilken Susanne , Schuurmans J. Merijn , Matthijs Hans C. P.
Published: August 2014

Mixotrophy is increasingly recognized as an important and widespread nutritional strategy in various taxonomic groups ranging from protists to higher plants. We hypothesize that the availability of alternative carbon and energy sources during mixotrophy allows a switch to photoheterotrophic growth, where the photosynthetic apparatus mainly provides energy but not fixed carbon.

Because such a change in the function of the photosynthetic machinery is probably reflected in its composition, we compared the photosynthetic machinery in Ochromonas danica during autotrophic and mixotrophic growth.

Compared with autotrophic growth, the total pigmentation of O. danica was reduced during mixotrophic growth. Furthermore, the photosystem I (PSI):PSII ratio increased, and the cellular content of Rubisco decreased not only absolutely, but also relative to the content of PSII.

The changing composition of the photosynthetic apparatus indicates a shift in its function from providing both carbon and energy during photoautotrophy to mainly providing energy during mixotrophy. This preference for photoheterotrophic growth has interesting implications for the contribution of mixotrophic species to carbon cycling in diverse ecosystems.
β‐Glucosidase BGLU42 is a MYB72‐dependent key regulator of rhizobacteria‐induced systemic resistance and modulates iron deficiency responses in Arabidopsis roots
Authors: Zamioudis Christos , Hanson Johannes , Pieterse Corné M. J.
Published: August 2014

Selected soil‐borne rhizobacteria can trigger an induced systemic resistance (ISR) that is effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the root‐specific transcription factor MYB72 is required for the onset of ISR, but is also associated with plant survival under conditions of iron deficiency. Here, we investigated the role of MYB72 in both processes.

To identify MYB72 target genes, we analyzed the root transcriptomes of wild‐type Col‐0, mutant myb72 and complemented 35S:FLAG‐MYB72/myb72 plants in response to ISR‐inducing Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS417.

Five WCS417‐inducible genes were misregulated in myb72 and complemented in 35S:FLAG‐MYB72/myb72. Amongst these, we uncovered β‐glucosidase BGLU42 as a novel component of the ISR signaling pathway. Overexpression of BGLU42 resulted in constitutive disease resistance, whereas the bglu42 mutant was defective in ISR. Furthermore, we found 195 genes to be constitutively upregulated in MYB72‐overexpressing roots in the absence of WCS417. Many of these encode enzymes involved in the production of iron‐mobilizing phenolic metabolites under conditions of iron deficiency. We provide evidence that BGLU42 is required for their release into the rhizosphere.

Together, this work highlights a thus far unidentified link between the ability of beneficial rhizobacteria to stimulate systemic immunity and mechanisms induced by iron deficiency in host plants.
Contending with uncertainty in conservation management decisions
Authors: McCarthy Michael A.
Published: August 2014

Efficient conservation management is particularly important because current spending is estimated to be insufficient to conserve the world's biodiversity. However, efficient management is confounded by uncertainty that pervades conservation management decisions. Uncertainties exist in objectives, dynamics of systems, the set of management options available, the influence of these management options, and the constraints on these options. Probabilistic and nonprobabilistic quantitative methods can help contend with these uncertainties. The vast majority of these account for known epistemic uncertainties, with methods optimizing the expected performance or finding solutions that achieve minimum performance requirements. Ignorance and indeterminacy continue to confound environmental management problems. While quantitative methods to account for uncertainty must aid decisions if the underlying models are sufficient approximations of reality, whether such models are sufficiently accurate has not yet been examined.
Ecological filtering or random extinction? Beta‐diversity patterns and the importance of niche‐based and neutral processes following habitat loss
Authors: Püttker Thomas , de Arruda Bueno Adriana , Prado Paulo I. , Pardini Renata
Published: August 2014

Although both niche‐based and neutral processes are involved in community assembly, most models on the effects of habitat loss are stochastic, assuming neutral communities mainly affected by ecological drift and random extinction. Given that habitat loss is considered the most important driver of the current biodiversity crisis, unraveling the processes underlying the effects of habitat loss is critical from both a theoretical and an applied perspective. Here we unveil the importance of niche‐based and neutral processes to species extinction and community assembly across a gradient of habitat loss, challenging the predictions of neutral models. We draw on a large dataset containing the distribution of 3653 individuals of 42 species, representing 35% of the small mammal species of the Atlantic Forest hotspot, obtained in 68 sites across three continuously‐forested landscapes and three adjacent 10 000‐ha fragmented landscapes differing in the amount of remaining forest (50%, 30% and 10%). By applying a null‐model approach, we investigated β‐diversity patterns by detecting deviations of observed community similarity from the similarity between randomly assembled communities. Species extinction following habitat loss was decidedly non‐random, in contrast to the notion that fragmented communities are mainly driven by ecological drift. Instead, habitat loss led to a strong biotic homogenization. Moreover, species composition changed abruptly at the same level of landscape‐scale habitat loss that has already been associated with a drastic decline in species richness. Habitat loss, as other anthropogenic disturbances, can thus be seen as a strong ecological filter that increases (rather than decreases) the importance of deterministic processes in community assembly. As such, critical advances for the development of conservation science lie on the incorporation of the relevant niche traits associated with extinction proneness into models of habitat loss. The results also underscore the fundamental importance of pro‐active measures to prevent human‐modified landscapes surpassing critical ecological thresholds.
Population of origin and environment interact to determine oomycete infections in spotted salamander populations
Authors: Urban Mark C. , Lewis Louise A. , Fučíková Karolina , Cordone Alexis
Published: August 2014

Spatial variation in disease risk in wild populations can depend both on environmental and genetic factors. Understanding the various contributions of each factor requires experimental manipulation of both the environment and genetic composition of populations under natural field conditions. We first examined natural patterns of oomycete composition and infection in the eggs of 13 populations of the spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum. We then performed a fully factorial field transplant of the eggs of six populations to separate the contributions from population of origin and the environment on oomycete resistance in spotted salamanders. Among wild ponds, we found strong variation in oomycete infections in spotted salamander populations and differences in the composition of oomycete communities. In transplant experiments, salamander populations differed in their resistance to oomycete infections via a significant interaction between population of origin and environment. However, not all populations were locally adapted to local conditions. One population was significantly adapted to its home environment, and another one was significantly maladapted. These population effects could originate from differential adaptation of salamander populations to local oomycete communities or environmental conditions that mediate resistance, local adaptation and maladaptation of oomycetes to hosts, or from maternal transmission. Accounting for both environment and population of origin will often be necessary to understand disease dynamics in wild populations.
A Systematic Review on the Affordability of a Healthful Diet for Families in the United States
Authors: Horning Melissa L. , Fulkerson Jayne A.
Published: August 2014

Objectives

As obesity rates remain alarmingly high, the importance of healthful diets is emphasized; however, affordability of such diets is disputed. Market basket surveys (MBSs) investigate the affordability of diets for families that meet minimum daily dietary requirements using actual food prices from grocery stores. This review paper describes the methods of MBSs, summarizes methodology, price and affordability findings, limitations, and suggests related policy and practice implications.

Design and Sample

This is a systematic review of 16 MBSs performed in the United States from 1985 to 2012. A comprehensive multidisciplinary database search strategy was used to identify articles meeting inclusion criteria.

Results

Results indicated MBS methodology varied across studies and price data indicated healthful diets for families are likely unaffordable when purchased from small‐ to medium‐sized stores and may be unaffordable in larger stores when compared to the Thrifty Food Plan.

Conclusions

Using a social ecological approach, public health nurses and all public health professionals are prime advocates for increased affordability of healthful foods. This study includes policy advocacy, particularly in support of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for low‐income families. Future research implications are provided, including methodological recommendations for consistency and quality of forthcoming MBS research.
Linking Genes and Political Orientations: Testing the Cognitive Ability as Mediator Hypothesis
Authors: Oskarsson Sven , Cesarini David , Dawes Christopher T. , Fowler James H. , Johannesson Magnus , Magnusson Patrik K. E. , Teorell Jan
Published: August 2014

Recent research has demonstrated that genetic differences explain a sizeable fraction of the variance in political orientations, but little is known about the pathways through which genes might affect political preferences. In this article, we use a uniquely assembled dataset of almost 1,000 Swedish male twin pairs containing detailed information on cognitive ability and political attitudes in order to further examine the genetic and environmental causes of political orientations. Our study makes three distinct contributions to our understanding of the etiology of political orientations: (1) we report heritability estimates across different dimensions of political ideology; (2) we show that cognitive ability and political orientations are related; and (3) we provide evidence consistent with the hypothesis that cognitive ability mediates part of the genetic influence on political orientations. These findings provide important clues about the nature of the complex pathways from molecular genetic variation to political orientations.
Repeating pulmonary rehabilitation: Prevalence, predictors and outcomes
Authors: Heng Hazel , Lee Annemarie L. , Holland Anne E.
Published: August 2014

Background and objective

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a cornerstone of care in chronic respiratory diseases; yet its benefits diminish over time. Repeating PR may be beneficial; however, little is known about the characteristics and outcomes of repeaters. This study aimed to establish the proportion of repeaters, identify characteristics that predict repetition and compare the magnitude of benefits achieved between initial and subsequent programmes.

Methods

Patients with stable chronic respiratory diseases who attended PR over a 9‐year period were included. Outcome measures included the 6‐min walk distance (6MWD) and the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire‐Self‐Reported (CRDQ‐SR). Independent predictors of repeating were identified.

Results

Of 296 patients, 59 (20%) repeated PR, most within 1–3 years. Following the initial programme, repeaters had significant decline in 6MWD (−96.1 ± 84.6 m; P < 0.001) and CRDQ‐SR scores (mean decline −3.6 points, range −0.1 to −7.9 points; P < 0.005). The improvement in 6MWD was less in the repeat programme compared with the first (38.4 ± 50.7 m vs 67 ± 40.4 m; P = 0.005), while the change in CRDQ‐SR was similar in all domains. A chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosis increased the odds of repeating PR (odds ratio (OR) 4.8; P = 0.005) while improved mastery in the initial programme reduced the odds (OR 0.9; P = 0.033).

Conclusions

One in five patients repeated PR, achieving clinically significant improvements in exercise tolerance and quality of life. Patients with small improvements in disease mastery after initial PR were more likely to repeat the programme and may benefit from earlier intervention or longer duration PR.
Is the incidence of malignancy increased in patients with sarcoidosis? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Ungprasert Patompong , Srivali Narat , Wijarnpreecha Karn , Thongprayoon Charat , Cheungpasitporn Wisit , Knight Eric L.
Published: August 2014

A possible causal relationship between sarcoidosis and malignancy has been the subject of debates for decades. To better understand this association, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies that reported relative risk, hazard ratio or standardized incidence ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) comparing the incidence of malignancy in patients with sarcoidosis versus non‐sarcoidosis participants. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% CI were calculated using a random‐effect, generic inverse variance methodology. Five studies were identified and included in our data analyses. The pooled RR of malignancy in patients with sarcoidosis was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.04–1.40). However, when we performed a sensitivity analysis that included only studies that compared the incidence of malignancy after the first year of the diagnosis of sarcoidosis with the incidence of malignancy after the first year of index date for non‐sarcoidosis controls, the pooled risk ratio decreased and did not reach statistical significance (RR 1.13, 95% CI: 0.97–1.32). Furthermore, analysis for publication bias has suggested that publication bias in favour of positive studies may be present. In conclusion, after accounting for possible detection bias and publication bias, there does not appear be a significant association between sarcoidosis and malignancy.
Media and Disasters: Demarcating an Emerging and Interdisciplinary Area of Research
Authors: Joye Stijn
Published: August 2014

This article provides an overview of the research and literature on media and disasters. Drawing on the central idea of a disaster as a social and media construction, I identify this young and rapidly emerging body of research as an inherent interdisciplinary area that has attracted the interest of many disciplines within social sciences. A first section of the article focuses on a characterization of (mediated) disasters and the question of academic relevance. Second, I adopt a historical perspective to reflect on issues of disciplinary concern, followed by an outline of the contemporary body of literature. In the final section, directions to advance future research on media and disasters are discussed.
The Role of Organized Labor in Civil Society
Authors: Brueggemann John
Published: August 2014

Organized labor has served as a valuable element of civil society. The focus of this inquiry is how the decline of organized labor contributes to the weakening of the civil sphere. I first assess how unions have historically contributed to the positive functions of civil society. I then review the various factors that have led to the deterioration of organized labor and comment on the current state of the labor movement. I conclude with a discussion of the implications in terms of civil society and market culture.
Green Consumption and Social Change: Debates over Responsibility, Private Action, and Access
Authors: Lorenzen Janet A.
Published: August 2014

Attempting to influence everyday consumer practices is an increasingly popular strategy used to address environmental problems and further social change. This article focuses on exploring the controversial topic of green consumption, a growing area of study that brings together multiple disciplines including environmental sociology and the sociology of consumers and consumption. The article begins with a summary of the literature on green consumption and is then organized around three debates over how green consumption contributes to, or fails to contribute to, social and environmental change. The first debate is over locating responsibility for carbon dioxide emissions, the main contributor to greenhouse gases and climate change. The second debate considers what average people are doing to help address environmental problems. The third debate is about access to green consumption. Should policies work to increase access to greener products and efficient technologies for everyone or does the question of access push aside questions of inequality (race, class, and gender) and sufficiency (how much is enough)? These debates, in different ways, attempt to address the broader question of how social change happens and what we should do to support it.
The contingency of ‘rights’: Locating a global discourse in Aboriginal Central Australia
Authors: Holcombe Sarah
Published: August 2014

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2007 and endorsed by the Australian Labor government two years later. This achievement is an essential element in the global politics of Indigenous recognition and includes unique rights, such as the right to a cultural collectivity and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, while reinforcing the right to self‐determination. Yet this new Indigenous rights regime is both underpinned and constrained by theUNhuman rights system, the implications of which include constraint within a secular neo‐imperialist liberal paradigm. However, this human rights paradigm can also offer generative potential to challenge existing relations of power. According to Kymlicka, theUN's system of human rights has, after all, been ‘one of the great moral achievements of the twentieth century’. How can these tensions between the aspirations to universal secularism and the right to culture, for instance, be accommodated within the Indigenous human rights discourse? And how does this new international legal and norm‐setting instrument speak to the glaring disjunct between declaration of rights and social fact in central Australia, the focus of this research? The move toward an anthropology of human rights looks squarely at this conundrum and attempts to locate spaces of continuity and co‐option or, conversely, subversion and rejection as local cultures of human rights are articulated.
Hematologic findings predictive of bone marrow disease in dogs with multicentric large‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Graff Emily C. , Spangler Elizabeth A. , Smith Annette , Denhere Melody , Brauss Minerva
Published: August 2014

Background

Evaluation of the bone marrow is needed for complete staging in dogs with multicentric large‐cell lymphoma, but is often omitted in clinical practice.

Objectives

The objective was to determine if routine peripheral blood findings, including microscopic evaluation of blood smears, can predict the presence of bone marrow involvement in dogs with lymphoma.

Methods

Hematologic data including evaluation of blood smears and bone marrow aspirates from 107 dogs newly diagnosed with large‐cell lymphoma were retrospectively evaluated. Neoplastic lymphocytes were identified based on cell size, nuclear size, chromatin pattern, and the presence of nucleoli. Positive specimens were defined as having ≥ 10% neoplastic lymphocytes. Two groups were established based on the presence or absence of lymphoma in the bone marrow. Variables (positive blood smear, HCT, platelet count, and total and differential WBC counts) were evaluated to determine if they were predictive of bone marrow involvement using univariate and multivariate logistic models.

Results

Thrombocytopenia and the presence of > 10% neoplastic lymphocytes on blood smears were identified as significant variables for predicting the presence of bone marrow involvement. When considered independently, either a positive blood smear or thrombocytopenia had low sensitivity (60%) and moderate specificity (89% and 87%, respectively). Sensitivity increased when these variables were evaluated together (80%).

Conclusions

In dogs with multicentric large‐cell lymphoma, thrombocytopenia or the presence of neoplastic lymphocytes in circulation is suggestive of bone marrow involvement, but not definitive. Normal peripheral blood findings do not exclude the possibility of lymphoma in the bone marrow.
Bilateral lens luxation and intracapsular lens extractions in a Matshchie's tree kangaroo
Authors: McLean Nancy Johnstone , Zimmerman Ralph
Published: August 2014

An adult, female, captive, Matshchie's tree kangaroo was diagnosed with an anterior lens luxation in the right eye and a lens subluxation in the left eye. Both eyes were treated surgically with intracapsular lens extractions. A 360° rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was diagnosed 6 months postoperatively in the left eye. Aphakic vision was maintained in the right eye 9 months postoperatively. Based on family history and the lack of antecedent ocular disease, the lens luxations were presumed to be inherited and veterinarians should be aware of this condition within the captive tree kangaroo population.
IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—URINARY BLADDER DUPLICATION IN A CAT
Authors: Cook Alysa B. , Langston Cathy E. , Fischetti Anthony J. , Donovan Taryn A.
Published: August 2014

A female kitten presented for chronic, intermittent, antibiotic‐responsive urinary incontinence and chronic kidney disease. Abdominal ultrasound identified bilateral pelvic/ureteral dilation and three closely apposed thin‐walled fluid‐filled structures in the caudal abdomen, extending toward the pelvic inlet. Excretory urography and negative contrast cystography identified contrast medium accumulation from the dilated ureters into two tubular soft tissue masses of the caudal abdomen, with subsequent gradual filling of a more cranially located urinary bladder. A retrograde vaginocystourethrogram identified a normal uterus, normal vagina, and a single urethra continuous with the cranially located urinary bladder. Antemortem diagnosis was suspicious for bilateral ectopic ureteroceles. Postmortem diagnosis, 35 months following initial presentation, determined the fluid‐filled masses to have abundant smooth muscle in the wall, including a muscularis mucosa connected by a common ostium, consistent with urinary bladder duplication. Urinary bladder duplication should be included as a differential diagnosis in cats with these clinical and imaging characteristics. In this case, differentiation of ectopic ureterocele from urinary bladder duplication required histological confirmation.
Raman Thermometry Based Thermal Conductivity Measurement of Bovine Cortical Bone as a Function of Compressive Stress
Authors: Zhang Yang , Gan Ming , Tomar Vikas
Published: August 2014

Biological materials such as bone have microstructure that incorporates a presence of a significant number of interfaces in a hierarchical manner that lead to a unique combination of properties such as toughness and hardness. However, studies regarding the influence of structural hierarchy in such materials on their physical properties such as thermal conductivity and its correlation with mechanical stress are limited. Such studies can point out important insights regarding the role of biological structural hierarchy in influencing multiphysical properties of materials. This work presents an analytic-experimental approach to establish stress–thermal conductivity correlation in bovine cortical bone as a function of nanomechanical compressive stress changes using Raman thermometry. Analyzes establish empirical relations between Raman shift and temperature as well as a relation between Raman shift and nanomechanical compressive stress. Analyzes verify earlier reported thermal conductivity results at 0% strain and at room temperature in the case of bovine cortical bone. In addition, measured trends and established thermal conductivity–stress relation indicates that the thermal conductivity values increase up to a threshold compressive stress value. On increasing stress beyond the threshold value, the thermal conductivity decreases as a function of increase in compressive strain. Interface reorganization versus interface related phonon wave blocking are the two competing mechanisms highlighted to affect such trend.
Enhanced Electrical and Thermal Interconnects by the Self-Assembly of Nanoparticle Necks Utilizing Capillary Bridging
Authors: Brunschwiler Thomas , Schlottig Gerd , Ni Songbo , Liu Yu , Goicochea Javier V. , Zürcher Jonas , Wolf Heiko
Published: August 2014

This work presents enhanced composite joints that support both electrical and thermal transport in electronic packages. The joints are sequentially formed by applying a nanoparticle suspension, evaporating a solvent, self-assembling of nanoparticles by capillary bridging, and the formation of so called “necks” between micrometer-sized features. This sequence is used to either form low temperature electrical joints under copper pillars or enhanced percolating thermal underfills (ePTU) with areal contacts between filler particles of the composite. The report discusses processing aspects of the capillary bridges evolution and of uniform neck formation, it discusses strategies to achieve mechanically stable necks, and it compares the performance of the achieved joints against state-of-the-art solutions. The capillary bridge evolution during liquid evaporation was investigated in copper pillar arrays and random particle beds. The vapor–liquid interface first penetrates locations of low pillar or particle density resulting in a dendritic fluid network. Once the network breaks up, individual necks form. For aqueous nanosuspensions, highly uniform necks with high yield were obtained by evaporation at 60 °C. Isothermal conditions were preferred to yield equal neck counts at the cavity's top and bottom surfaces. Mechanically stable silver necks required an annealing at only 150 °C, dielectric necks an annealing at 140 °C with a bimodal approach. Therein polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles occupy interstitial positions in densly packed alumina necks, then melt and adhere to the alumina. The electrical necks showed a shear strength of 16 MPa, equivalent to silver joints used in power electronic packages. The thermal necks yielded a thermal conductivity of up to 3.8 W/mK, five-fold higher than commercially available capillary thermal underfills.
Dynamic Modeling of a Belt Driven Electromechanical XY Plotter Cutter
Authors: Prisco Joseph V. , Voglewede Philip A.
Published: August 2014

Current industrial XY plotter cutters that use a belt driven gantry for the X motion and media feed for the Y motion do not perform adequately in high precision applications. Mathematical models for these plotter cutters are not publicly available and thus the parameters critical to cut quality are not well understood. This paper develops a simple dynamic, electromechanical model for the gantry arm and media feed using first principles and a nonlinear friction model. A rectangle, star, and oval are simulated using both a detuned and tuned controller and compared to experimental results. The effectiveness of the model is demonstrated with good agreement between theoretical and experimental results for both controllers.
Formability Evaluation of Microchannels of Aluminum Bipolar Plate Stamped Under Pulsating Load
Authors: Koo J. Y. , Kim H. H. , Jeon Y. P. , Kang C. G.
Published: August 2014

The weight of a bipolar plate is one of the most crucial properties from the viewpoint of improving the power density of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack. Aluminum alloys have good material characteristics such as low electrical resistivity, high thermal conductivity, and low density. Furthermore, they are less expensive and easily machinable compared to graphite when used for fabricating bipolar plates. In this study, the use of AA5052 for fabricating a bipolar plate was investigated. The results of the feasibility experiments conducted to develop fuel cells with AA5052 bipolar plates having multiple microchannels were presented. The formability of microchannels under various types of pulsating loads was estimated for different punch loads and die radii using 0.3 mm thick AA5052 sheets. For a 0.1 mm die radius, the optimum formability was obtained for five cycles of sine wave dynamic loading with a maximum load of 90 kN. The experimental results demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed technique for fabricating bipolar plates.
Experimental and Analytical Study of Water-Driven Debris Impact Forces on Structures1
Authors: Riggs H. R. , Cox D. T. , Naito C. J. , Kobayashi M. H. , Piran Aghl P. , Ko H. T.-S. , Khowitar E.
Published: August 2014

Water-driven debris generated during tsunamis and hurricanes can impose substantial impact forces on structures that are often not designed for such loads. This paper presents the design and results of an experimental and analytical program to quantify these potential impact forces. Two types of prototypical debris are considered: a wood log and a shipping container. Full-scale impact tests at Lehigh University (LU) were carried out with a wooden utility pole and a shipping container. The tests were carried out in-air. The purpose of these tests was to provide baseline, full-scale results. Because of size limitations, a 1:5 scale shipping container model was used for in-water tests in the Oregon State University (OSU) large wave flume. These tests were used to quantify the effect of the fluid on the impact forces. Results from both experimental programs are presented and compared with analytical predictions. The predictions are found to be in sufficient agreement such that they can be used for design. A fundamental finding is that the impact forces are dominated by the structural impact, with a secondary effect provided by the fluid. Both forces are quantified in the paper.