bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Type D Personality, Social Support, and Depression Among Ethnic Chinese Coronary Artery Disease Patients Undergoing a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Su Shu-Fen , He Chung-Ping
Published: May 2018

This study investigated the relationships between Type D personality, depression, and social support among ethnic Chinese coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. Type D personality is associated with CAD, and may increase patients’ depression and mortality rate. However, very few studies have explored the relationships between depression and social support among ethnic Chinese Type D CAD patients. A longitudinal, repeated-measures design was used; 105 Taiwanese CAD patients undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention were recruited between January and December 2015. A demographic questionnaire, Type D Scale, ENRICHD Social Support Inventory, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were completed by 102 participants (mean age = 64.42, SD = 13.67 years) at hospitalization, and at the second week and third month after discharge. Data were analyzed using t tests and a generalized estimating equation. Results indicated that 46.7% of participants who had Type D personality had lower social support and higher depression than did the remaining (non-Type D) participants. At two weeks after discharge, the improvement in social support was higher among Type D patients than non-Type D participants; the same was true for depression at two weeks and three months after discharge each. Type D Taiwanese CAD patients showed lower perceived social support and higher depression during hospitalization than did non-Type D participants. Furthermore, the more social support patients received at home, the lower was their depression. Health-care providers should provide continuous mental health care, conduct early screening of mental health issues, and ensure that patients receive sufficient social support to reduce depression.
Structure and properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)/poly(L-lactic acid) quasi core/sheath melt-electrospun microfibers
Authors: Xu Huaizhong , Bauer Benedict , Yamamoto Masaki , Yamane Hideki
Published: May 2018

A facile route was proposed to fabricate core–sheath microfibers, and the relationships among processing parameters, crystalline structures and the mechanical properties were investigated. The compression molded poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH)/poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) strip enhanced the spinnability of PHBH and the mechanical properties of PLLA as well. The core–sheath ratio of the fibers was determined by the prefab strip, while the PLLA sheath component did not completely cover the PHBH core component due to the weak interfacial tension between the melts of PHBH and PLLA. A rotational target was applied to collect aligned fibers, which were further drawn in a water bath. The tensile strength and the modulus of as-spun and drawn fibers increased with increasing the take-up velocities. When the take-up velocity was above 500 m/min, the jet became unstable and started to break up at the tip of the Taylor cone, decreasing the mechanical properties of the fibers. The drawing process facilitated the crystallization of PLLA and PHBH, and the tensile strength and the modulus increased linearly with the increasing the draw ratio. The crystal information displayed from wide-angle X-ray diffraction patterns and differential scanning calorimetry heating curves supported the results of the tensile tests.
Utility of the Posttraumatic Stress Scale–Self-report version in screening for posttraumatic stress disorder among persons seeking HIV testing
Authors: Kagee Ashraf , Bantjes Jason , Saal Wylene , Sefatsa Mpho
Published: May 2018

The literature on the utility of self-report instruments in determining caseness for posttraumatic stress disorder in South Africa is sparse. We administered the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Research Version and the Posttraumatic Stress Scale–Self-report version to a sample of 500 South African community members seeking HIV testing. Of our original sample of 500, 306 (61.2%) reported an index event for posttraumatic stress disorder and 25 (5.0%) met the criteria for this diagnosis. The Posttraumatic Stress Scale–Self-report displayed internal consistency of .95 as measured by Cronbach’s alpha. Using the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a gold standard, we conducted receiver operating curve analysis among the 306 participants who reported an index traumatic event to determine the extent to which the Posttraumatic Stress Scale–Self-report as a screening instrument successfully discriminated between participants who did and did not meet the diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. The Posttraumatic Stress Scale–Self-report yielded sensitivity of .76 and specificity of .78, with an area under the curve of .837. Positive and negative predictive values were .24 and .97, respectively. Our findings suggest that the Posttraumatic Stress Scale–Self-report may be effectively used to screen for posttraumatic stress disorder among community samples, including persons seeking HIV testing.
“Living in the Along”: Validating Experiences Among Urban Community College Students in a College Transition Program
Authors: Baber Lorenzo DuBois
Published: June 2018

Objective: Despite significant attention from federal and state policy makers, postsecondary completion rates in the United States remain stratified across race and socioeconomic background. This study examines a community-based college readiness program for underrepresented students from low-resource neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois. Method: This qualitative study utilized validation theory to consider the experiences of program participants. During the Summer of 2014, I collected data through six focus groups with participants who successfully completed the college readiness program between 2010 and 2014. Results: Aligning with phrases from Chicago poet and activist Gwendolyn Brooks, I describe major themes that reflect the validating experiences of program participants. Overall, participants indicate that program experiences affirmed existing motivations that drive postsecondary aspirations and persistence. Participants felt most when their existing strengths were consistently recognized as an important factor for college transitions. Contributions: Findings offers further evidence for the critical role of validation in supporting the postsecondary pursuits among students from underrepresented backgrounds. Participant insights also offer critical observations about unintended consequences when successful programs grow rapidly to satisfy external constituents.
“Fake News” and Emerging Online Media Ecosystem: An Integrated Intermedia Agenda-Setting Analysis of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election
Authors: Guo Lei , Vargo Chris
Published: June 2018

This study examined how fake news, misinformation, and satire, affected the emerging media ecosystem during the 2016 U.S. presidential election through an integrated intermedia agenda-setting analysis, which studies broad attributes and myopic stories and events. A computer-assisted content analysis of millions of news articles was conducted alongside a qualitative analysis of popular news headlines and articles. The results showed that websites that spread misinformation had a fairly close intermedia agenda-setting relationship with fact-based media in covering Trump, but not for the news about Clinton. Satire websites barely interacted with the agenda of other media outlets. Overall, it seemed that rather than playing a unique agenda-setting role in this emerging media landscape, fake news websites added some noise to an already sensationalized news environment.
Extraction, Revolution, Plurinationalism: Rethinking Extractivism from Bolivia
Authors: Marston Andrea , Kennemore Amy
Published: June 2018

With the ratification of its new constitution in 2009, Bolivia was transformed into a “plurinational state” associated with ecologically oriented values, yet resource extraction has expanded ever since. Fieldwork conducted in communities in highland Bolivia shows how resource extraction sustains and is sustained by “revolutionary narratives” in which the state—led by President Evo Morales—is configured as the protagonist of the plurinational era. Examination of the challenges presented by Bolivia’s indigenous communities and mining cooperatives to this revolutionary narrative during the 2014 adoption of new mining legislation suggests that shifting critical focus away from revolutionary change toward what David Scott calls the “politics of the present” might be a more fruitful way to think about the relationship between resource extraction and Bolivia’s plurinationalism.

Al ratificar su nueva constitución en 2009, Bolivia se transformó en un “estado plurinacional” asociado con valores ecológicos; sin embargo, la extracción de recursos se ha expandido desde entonces. Investigaciones llevado a cabo en comunidades de las tierras altas de Bolivia muestran cómo la extracción de recursos sostiene y se sustenta en las “narrativas revolucionarias” en las que el estado, encabezado por el presidente Evo Morales, se configura como el protagonista de la era plurinacional. Examinar como las comunidades indígenas y las cooperativas mineras de Bolivia cuestionaron esta narrativa revolucionaria durante la adopción de la nueva legislación minera en 2014 sugiere que virar el enfoque crítico desde el cambio revolucionario hacia lo que David Scott llama la “política del presente” podría ser una forma más fructífera pensar en la relación entre la extracción de recursos y el plurinacionalismo boliviano.
Practice What We Teach
Authors: Chew Stephen L. , Halonen Jane S. , McCarthy Maureen A. , Gurung Regan A. R. , Beers Melissa J. , McEntarffer Robert , Landrum R. Eric
Published: June 2018

In traditional research areas within psychology, effective researchers stay up-to-date with the latest advances and new methodologies within a specialty area. Failure to do so limits one’s effectiveness and potential impact on advancing that field of study. In our view, teachers of psychology possess the same responsibilities to stay current and incur the same risks if they fail to do so. Psychology educators should not only employ scientifically validated principles of learning and evidence-based pedagogies but should use the methods of psychological science to test the effectiveness of their teaching practices empirically. We articulate and document these complex issues in this manifesto and urge more psychology educators to become leaders in innovative and effective teaching by leveraging our disciplinary understanding of the fundamentals of teaching and learning. We provide pragmatic steps and resources to aid more faculty, especially early career instructors, in becoming scientist-educators.
An Evaluation of Interteaching in an Asynchronous Online Graduate-Level Behavior Analysis Course
Authors: Rieken Chrystal Jansz , Dotson Wesley H. , Carter Stacy L. , Griffith Annette K.
Published: June 2018

Interteaching (IT) has demonstrated more effective and durable learning than traditional lecture-style teaching. Whereas IT’s effectiveness has been established in traditional face-to-face courses, there is a need to extend the evaluation of IT to increasingly common course delivery modalities such as online courses. The purpose of the present study was to compare IT and traditional online course delivery across two sections of the same graduate-level course. IT was adapted by having students form pairs to video chat synchronously about comprehension questions, submit a teaching record, and then listen to the instructor’s recorded follow-up lecture to address the questions from the paired discussion. Results showed that students in the IT section performed better on average on quizzes and most assignments.
Keys to a Successful Job Talk
Authors: Boysen Guy A. , Jones Ciara , Kaltwasser Rachel , Thompson Emily
Published: May 2018

Interviews for faculty positions in psychology often include a teaching demonstration or research talk, but there is little empirical data about what makes these job talks successful. Psychology faculty ( N = 303) described the job talks required at 4-year institutions and the attributes of a successful job talk. For both teaching demonstrations and research talks, being accurate and knowledgeable was of highest importance, but being practiced, open, and engaging were also important. However, significant differences between institutions showed that baccalaureate institutions emphasize teaching skills during job talks and doctoral institutions emphasize research skills. The results confirm that a polished job talk is crucial, but they also illustrate that successful job talks must fit the teaching and research mission of the institution.
Is Kidney Stiffness Measured Using Elastography Influenced Mainly by Vascular Factors in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease?
Authors: Bob Flaviu , Grosu Iulia , Sporea Ioan , Timar Romulus , Lighezan Daniel , Popescu Alina , Sirli Roxana , Buzas Roxana , Petrica Ligia , Munteanu Mircea , Schiller Adalbert
Published: May 2018

Studies published so far using ultrasound-based elastography in the kidneys, lack to prove a clear relationship between kidney shear wave speed (KSWS) and renal disease progression. Taking into account that the kidney is a highly vascularized organ, the present study aims to find a relationship between KSWS and vascular factors (blood pressure [BP], arterial stiffness). Our study included 38 diabetic kidney disease patients (mean age 56.52 ± 16.12 years, 19 female, 19 male). KSWS, an indicator of renal stiffness, was measured using point Shear Wave Elastography (pSWE; Siemens Acuson S2000). In every patient, we recorded BP, and we measured aortic augmentation index (AAI) and brachial pulse wave velocity (PWV), using oscillometry. We found statistically significant indirect correlations of KSWS with indicators of arterial stiffness, such as PWV ( r = –.41, p = .036), and AAI ( r = –.37, p = .031). We found also an indirect correlation of KSWS with diastolic BP ( r = –.65, p = .02) and systolic BP ( r = –.54, p = .008). We found no correlation of KSWS with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, stage of diabetic retinopathy, or glycated hemoglobin. Our study shows that high BP and the progression of arteriosclerosis (high PWV and AAI), leads to a decrease of renal stiffness. Thus, it seems that KSWS is influenced by renal blood flow, rather than other factors, such as albuminuria or chronic kidney disease stage.
Resilience in British social policy: Depoliticising risk and regulating deviance
Authors: Amery Fran
Published: June 2018

Over the past decade, resilience has emerged as a key priority linking disparate areas of British policy. Yet research to date has focused heavily on resilience as a dimension of international development and security agendas. This article maps the movement of resilience into British social policy. It finds that, as in other areas of policy, resilience in social policy functions to depoliticise, placing the structural determinants of gender, racial, and other inequalities beyond the reach of policymakers. Yet, in a departure from academic accounts of resilience, in social policy, resilience appears to play another role: that of regulating social deviance.
Critical performativity and the small firm: Challenges and prospects
Authors: Edwards Paul
Published: May 2018

The idea of engaging directly with management practice while retaining a strongly critical social science stance has become popular under the banner of critical performativity. This idea has yet to be applied to small firms, and it also needs specification: as usually stated, it lacks grounds within science to define with whom to engage and with what goals. In total, three themes are addressed: the nature of a ‘radical pluralist’ view of engagement, the distinct challenges in a small firm context and a set of three illustrations of possible lines of engagement. Engagement is both desirable and feasible, though large challenges remain, notably the demands of small-firm owners and the requirements of close engagement over a period of time.
Engaged scholarship: Questioning relevance and impact in contemporary entrepreneurship/small and medium-sized enterprise research
Authors: Trehan Kiran , Higgins David , Jones Ossie
Published: May 2018

The aim of this Special Issue is to make a significant contribution to understanding the theory and practice of engaged scholarship; by engaged scholarship we mean ‘collaborative form of inquiry in which academics and practitioners leverage their different perspectives and competencies to coproduce knowledge about a complex problem or phenomenon that exists under conditions of uncertainty found in the world’. Such a definition draws attention towards the co-constructed nature of knowledge which has relevance by creating space for interaction between the academic and practitioner, creating the opportunity for knowledge and understanding to be co-created and enacted into practice. This space facilitates the ability to question one another and gain mutual understanding by directly bringing together methods of inquiry and practice.
Cardiovascular computed tomography versus transoesophageal echocardiography after cryptogenic ischaemic stroke – a pilot study of 12 patients
Authors: Resen Mette Sørensen , Poulsen Mai Bang , Overgaard Karsten , Rasmussen Rune Skovgaard , Soja Anne Merete Boas , Nilsson Brian , Kristensen Mariana Obreja , Kruuse Christina , Ulriksen Peter Sommer
Published: May 2018

Objective

Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is the gold standard for the detection of cardiac emboli sources in ischaemic stroke patients, but new computed tomography (CT) scanners are able to visualize the heart. This pilot study aimed to compare findings on TEE with combined cardiovascular scan and cerebral CT angiography in cryptogenic ischaemic stroke patients.

Methods

This pilot study enrolled patients with cryptogenic ischaemic stroke who underwent a combined cardiovascular and cerebral CT angiography scan and a TEE examination, which were interpreted in a blinded manner.

Results

Twelve patients with cryptogenic ischaemic stroke were included (mean age 56 years). Of these, 10 patients underwent both a combined cardiovascular and cerebral CT angiography and a TEE examination. All cardiovascular CT scans were readable at sinus rhythm. None of the simultaneous cerebral angiograms were compromised. Thrombi were not detected in any patients. Patent foramen ovale was visualized in five patients by TEE, while cardiovascular CT only identified three. Cardiovascular CT revealed in addition an X-ray negative pulmonary metastasis in one patient, aortic coarctation in another and significant coronary stenosis in four patients.

Conclusion

The sensitivity for detecting patent foramen ovale was considerably lower for cardiovascular CT than for TEE, however the cardiovascular CT revealed several other very important clinical findings.
Calcium silicate as a graft material for bone fractures: a systematic review
Authors: Sanmartin de Almeida Marcelo , Fernandes Gustavo Vicentis de Oliveira , de Oliveira Aline Muniz , Granjeiro José Mauro
Published: May 2018

Objective

The goal of this review was to determine whether calcium silicate (wollastonite) as a bone graft material is a viable alternative to autogenous bone or whether the evidence base for its use is weak.

Methods

In this systematic review, electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed and BVS) were searched for relevant articles in indexed journals. Articles published in a 10-year period were identified (n = 48). After initial selection, 17 articles were assessed for eligibility; subsequently, seven articles were excluded and 10 articles were included.

Results

Among the studies included, 20% emphasized the importance of randomization, which adds reliability to the study, minimizing the risk of bias. High variability was observed in the material used, such as additives, amounts, dosage, and chemical alterations, rendering direct comparison among these studies impossible. The experimental periods varied considerably; one of the studies did not include statistical analysis, weakening the evaluation. Nonetheless, the true potential of wollastonite as a graft material conducive to new bone formation was reported in all studies.

Conclusion

The results support the use of wollastonite as a bone graft material. The initial research question was answered despite the significant variability observed among these preclinical studies, which hindered the precision of this analysis.
Impact of tip–apex distance and femoral head lag screw position on treatment outcomes of unstable intertrochanteric fractures using cephalomedullary nails
Authors: Lee Cheng-Hung , Su Kuo-Chih , Chen Kun-Hui , Pan Chien-Chou , Wu Yun-Che
Published: May 2018

Background

Cephalomedullary nails are frequently used in unstable intertrochanteric fractures. The implant position is an important factor for surgical success. Thus, in the present study, finite element analysis methods were used to investigate the biomechanical behavior of five different cephalomedullary nail positions in unstable intertrochanteric fractures.

Methods

Five different cephalomedullary nail implant positions were investigated. The observed indicators were the maximum displacement of the lag screw, the stress on the intertrochanteric fracture with involvement of the posteromedial cortex, and the tip–apex distance.

Results

The smallest lag screw displacement was achieved when the implant was closer to the inferior femoral head. Lower stress was placed on the posteromedial cortex when the implant was positioned closer to the inferior femoral head. However, the tip–apex distance increased when the lag screw was positioned more inferiorly.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that positioning the lag screw closer to the inferior aspect of the femoral head can reduce stress on the posteromedial cortex and deformation of the implant in unstable intertrochanteric fractures. These findings provide a biomechanical basis for selection of the cephalomedullary nail implantation site.

Level of evidence

III.
The experience of older adults with anxiety and depression living in the community: Aging, occupation and mental wellbeing
Authors: Mulholland Fiona , Jackson Jeanne
Published: May 2018

Introduction

As life expectancy grows so does the need for mental health services for older people. Occupational science and therapy literature demonstrates how occupation supports older adults' wellbeing, but there has been little research into the relationship between occupation and health for those with anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to understand the occupational experience of Irish older adults with anxiety and depression so as to inform therapeutic programmes.

Method

A qualitative research design with a phenomenological framework was adopted. A total of five community-dwelling people with diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression were purposively selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

The themes which emerged – ‘Occupation as a marker for wellness’ and ‘Sustaining a sense of occupational identity’ – support existing literature and reveal new information about interactions between occupational identity crisis and mental health. Personally meaningful occupation which connects a person to their life worlds and sense of self has the potential to consolidate recovery from anxiety and depression.

Conclusion

The study contributes to knowledge on how occupation supports an older person's wellbeing and identity in the face of life changes, and has implications for occupational therapists working with older adults.
The relationship between time spent in volunteering activities and quality of life in adults over the age of 50 years: A systematic review
Authors: Milbourn Benjamin , Saraswati Jaya , Buchanan Angus
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Increased attention has focused on the importance of time spent by ageing adults in volunteering. The aim of this systematic review was to analyse literature exploring the relationship between time spent volunteering and quality of life for adults over the age of 50 years.

Method

Electronic searches of nine databases located relevant articles involving adults over the age of 50 in volunteering activities that included psychological, physical and social quality of life domains. The quality of the selected articles was assessed and data extracted using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Results

Of the 65 articles retrieved, 22 were reviewed and eight included in the final review. Studies included one randomised controlled trial, one cross-sectional and six longitudinal studies. Levels of time spent volunteering by participants within the studies varied considerably. Articles retrieved reported positive quality of life outcomes including increases in life satisfaction, self-esteem and social support and a slowed functional decline.

Conclusion

Volunteering is identified as an important occupation for adults over the age of 50, although the relationship between time spent volunteering and the impact on quality of life outcomes is still not fully understood. Future research is required to better understand the impact of time spent volunteering on quality of life.
A note in defence of Bang and Korst’s Sound Toll Tables
Authors: Kumar Manish
Published: May 2018

This research note presents a defence of the Sound Toll Tables (STT) published by Nina Ellinger Bang and Knud Korst. It is argued that the nature of the information available in the STT with respect to Baltic timber products has been misunderstood by historians. It is shown that it is possible to study the export of individual timber products from the Baltic from 1669 to 1783 on the basis of the STT. The note also demonstrates that the STT can be employed to examine individual ships and their cargoes in a very limited number of cases.
Long-Term Housing and Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Hetling Andrea , Dunford Amy , Lin Sarah , Michaelis Emily
Published: May 2018

For survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), safe, affordable, long-term housing is a critical aspect of establishing a life free from abuse. New permanent housing models for IPV survivors, which are emerging across the United States, are designed to meet the basic need of shelter and must at the same time be focused on meeting the needs of survivors of IPV. Using an in-depth qualitative case study of a new supportive housing program serving 10 IPV survivors and their children, our research project examines how housing helps residents heal from trauma. We use constructivist grounded theory and a feminist perspective to give voice to the women and construct an in-depth understanding of their perspectives. Data collection spanned 7 months and included two rounds of individual interviews and four focus groups. Data analysis utilized open-ended coding and constant comparison to inform theories on trauma and trauma-informed care. Our findings indicate that safe, affordable housing is related to the ability of IPV survivors to recover from past trauma. Based on our findings, theories and practice frameworks should consider housing stability as an integral component in the healing process. We also discuss policy and practice implications to incorporate trauma-informed practices in housing models.
How Community and Peer Perceptions Promote College Students’ Pro-Social Bystander Actions to Prevent Sexual Violence
Authors: Banyard Victoria L. , Rizzo Andrew J. , Bencosme Yamilex , Cares Alison C. , Moynihan Mary M.
Published: June 2018

The prevalence of sexual violence crimes on U.S. college campuses is prompting institutions of higher education to increasingly invest in centers to support survivors and programs to prevent the violence before it happens. Understanding bystanders to sexual violence and what may motivate them to step in and help is a promising prevention strategy. The purpose of this study was to understand how potential active bystanders’ (first-year college students) perceptions of community (including a sense of one’s influence in the community and positive peer norms for helping) and individual beliefs about self (including sense of responsibility and self-efficacy) affect their self-reports of performing bystander behavior to address sexual violence risks. Participants were 948 students at two different universities (one a rural, primarily residential campus and the other an urban, mostly commuter campus) in the northeastern United States. Regression and path analysis quantitative results suggest that individual-level characteristics may mediate some of the impact that community-level norms and perceptions have on bystander outcomes, explaining some of the mixed findings in previous research. Prevention strategies should work to change community norms and perceptions of mattering and perceptions of community influence in addition to the more traditional focus on individual-level violence specific attitudes.
National Institutes of Health Funding for Tobacco Control: 2006 and 2016
Authors: Merianos Ashley L. , Gordon Judith S. , Wood Kelsi J. , Mahabee-Gittens E. Melinda
Published: May 2018

Purpose:

The study objective was to describe and compare changes in newly funded National Institutes of Health (NIH) tobacco-related awards between fiscal year (FY) 2006 and FY2016.

Design:

Secondary analysis of NIH data.

Setting:

National Institutes of Health Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool database was used.

Subjects:

National Institutes of Health tobacco-related awards newly funded during FY2006 and FY2016.

Measures:

Search terms included tobacco, smoking, nicotine, secondhand smoke, and e-cigarettes. Grants and funding amounts were retrieved.

Analysis:

We calculated frequency distributions to determine the number and percentage of total NIH grants funded overall and by specific institute, and inflation-adjusted total and median funding amounts. We computed percentage differences in number of new grants, funding amounts, and percentage of funding allocated overall, and by institute.

Results:

There was a 187% increase in the percentage of total NIH funding allocated to new tobacco-related awards from 0.09% in FY2006 to 0.25% in FY2016. Total number of awards increased by 67% in FY2016 (n = 144; $56 015 931) compared to FY2006 (n = 86; $22 076 987), and there was a 154% increase in inflation-adjusted total funding for tobacco control. The top funding institutes were National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Cancer Institute; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was third in FY2006; and National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in FY2016. Research grants were the most frequently funded. Smoking cessation was a common topic area and increased by 64%.

Conclusion:

NIH funding is critical for advancing the science of nicotine and tobacco research.
Selective Consent and Dissent: Professional Response to Reform in the Post-Crisis Greek NHS
Authors: Bolton Sharon C , Charalampopoulos Vasilis , Skountridaki Lila
Published: May 2018

Utilising the sociology of the professions as an analytical framework, the article explores the response of the Greek medical profession to state-imposed managerialism during times of economic recession and socio-political turbulence. It is argued that the case of southern welfare states, permeated by clientelism and corruption, underpins a distinct form of professional–state relations, currently missing from relevant theoretical discussions. Rich qualitative data collected from practising hospital doctors in Greece reveal a willingness to concede elements of clinical autonomy in exchange for the minimisation of the role of a corrupt state in the organisation of the Greek National Health Service.
Investigation on the uncertain factors of the elastic–plastic contact characteristics of the planetary roller screw mechanism
Authors: Yao Qin , Liu Yongshou , Zhang Mengchuang , Liu Geng , Ma Shangjun
Published: June 2018

The scatter of uncertain factors of the planetary roller screw mechanism, which originated from the manufacturing process, has a significant influence on its serving performance. However, this influence remains insufficiently studied. Further, the elastic–plastic contact analysis of the planetary roller screw mechanism with considering the uncertainties needs large numbers of repetitive calculations by traditional finite element method, which is labor intensive and often impractical. In this paper, an uncertain model of the planetary roller screw mechanism, including parameterization and finite element calculation, is established to conduct the elastic–plastic contact analysis automatically. Besides, the finite element method results can be also obtained automatically with the self-compiled flow program and the secondary development platform using the design of experiment method. Then, a mathematic model is applied to value the influence of the uncertain factors on the contact characteristics. The Pareto graphs are plotted to clearly show this sequence of the percent effects of all the uncertain factors. The present work, for the first time, developed an automatic modeling method for analyzing efficiently the uncertain factors of planetary roller screw mechanism, which is worthy in industrial application.
HIV infection, high-risk behaviors and substance use in homeless men sheltered in therapeutic communities in Central Brazil
Authors: Brunini Sandra M , Barros Cleiciane V de Lima , Guimarães Rafael Alves , Galdino Júnior Hélio , Rezza Giovanni , Santos Jordana RS , da Cunha Vanessa E , Sousa Johnatan M , Ferreira Priscilla M , Barros David A Costa
Published: June 2018

Homeless men present high vulnerability to HIV infection, mainly due to sexual risk behaviors and substance use. The objective was to estimate the prevalence of HIV infection, risk behaviors and substance use in homeless men. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 481 homeless men recruited in four therapeutic communities in the Goiás State, Central Brazil. All were interviewed about sociodemographic characteristics, substance use, and risk behaviors. Furthermore, all were tested for HIV. Poisson regression was used to verify factors associated with HIV infection. HIV prevalence was 1.24% (95.0% CI: 0.57 to 2.69%). Previous HIV testing (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR]: 10.0; 95.0% CI: 1.86–55.8) and years of education (APR: 0.76; 95.0% CI: 0.60–0.97) were factors associated with HIV infection. Participants had high rates of hazardous alcohol use and illicit drug use. The prevalence of HIV infection among homeless men was higher than that found in the Brazilian male population and we identified a high rate of risk behaviors for HIV among the homeless men investigated. Thus, it is necessary to expand HIV prevention measures in Brazil, such as health education, condom availability, regular HIV testing and increased testing coverage in this population, and treatment for alcohol and/or illicit drug dependence/abuse.
Henri Collomb and the emergence of a psychiatry open to otherness through interdisciplinary dialogue in post-independence Dakar
Authors: Collignon René
Published: June 2018

During decolonization, Henri Collomb was appointed to the first Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Dakar. Using a neuropsychiatric approach, he quickly made significant advances in the field, despite the colonial era’s poor legacy of assistance facilities for mentally ill people. Through alliances with professors and researchers from the university Departments of Psychology and Sociology, an original interdisciplinary dialogue was set up to build up a research team which would develop rich and varied activities in the fields of transcultural psychiatry, medical anthropology and psychoanalytic anthropology. The methodological and theoretical contributions of such an approach are well illustrated in the book Œdipe africain by M-C and E Ortigues and in the journal founded in 1965, Psychopathologie africaine.
“You don't belong anywhere, you're ‘in-between’”: Pious Muslim women's intersectional experiences and ideas about social change in contemporary Turkey
Authors: Okuyan Mukadder , Curtin Nicola
Published: May 2018

This study investigates the experiences and the related social change attitudes of pious Muslim women in Turkey. Twenty self-identified pious women living in Istanbul were interviewed about their experiences of disadvantage based on gender and religious identity, the position of women in religious teachings and practices, and attitudes towards the women's movement. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants expressed facing distinct forms of marginalization in secular and religious settings, leading to a state of “in-betweenness” characterized by a psychological distance from both communities. Participants' attitudes regarding social change, and how they voiced their critiques about women's issues, were also informed by the tensions between the two contexts. Findings suggest that this state of “in-betweenness” may decrease pious women's intentions to act and limit their potential for activism.
Finite-time non-fragile controller design for a class of switching linear parameter varying systems based on linear matrix inequalities
Authors: Ren Chengcheng , Li Longfang , He Shuping
Published: May 2018

The finite-time non-fragile controller design problem is studied for a class of switching linear parameter varying system in this article. We aim to design a suitable finite-time non-fragile controller such that the closed-loop switching linear parameter varying system is finite-time bounded. Based on the linear matrix inequalities and multiple Lyapunov functions methods, sufficient conditions on the existence of the finite-time non-fragile controller are proposed and proved. Considering the parameters dependence, we change the infinite linear matrix inequalities into finite linear matrix inequalities by using approximate basis functions and gridding techniques. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the design methods.
Revisiting the Phadia/EliA cut-off values for anticardiolipin and anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies: a systematic evaluation according to the guidelines
Authors: Bor M V , Jacobsen I-L Søtang , Gram J B , Sidelmann J J
Published: May 2018

Background

Phadia/EliA fluorescence enzyme immunoassays are widely used automated assays for anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-β2-glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) antibodies. To date, cut-off values for these assays have not been evaluated systematically and the evidence behind manufacturer’s recommended cut-off values is not clear.

Objective

To determine Phadia/EliA cut-off values for antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) according to the procedures suggested by guidelines.

Methods

A total of 266 blood donors (135 females and 131 males) were included. The pre-handling and analysis of the samples were performed according to the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) guideline for solid phase aPL assays. Cut-off values and corresponding 90% confidence intervals (CI) for each antibody were established and outliers were handled according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline for reference intervals. Samples from 377 consecutive patients, referred to our thrombophilia center with evidence of thrombosis or pregnancy morbidity were included for aPL testing.

Results

The in-house 99th (97.5th) percentile cut-off values were 11 (8.7), 12 (6.9) 8.5 (5.0) AU/mL for aβ2GPI IgG, IgM and IgA, and 21 (13) GPL-U/mL and 41 (25) MPL-U/mL for aCL IgG and IgM, respectively. The prevalence of positive results (%) defined by these cut-off values in patients with evidence of thrombosis or pregnancy morbidity was 9.5 (12.2), 1.6 (2.9), and 7.0 (9.9), and 0.8 (3.8) for aβ2GPI IgG, IgM, and aCL IgG and IgM respectively. The use of in-house 99th percentile cut-off values compared to the manufacturer suggested cut-off values resulted in 1 and 39 fewer samples for aβ2GPI and aCL to be classified as positive for aPL, respectively.

Conclusions

We present Phadia/EliA cut-off values with 90% CI for aPL determined systematically according to the ISTH and CLSI guidelines. These values are different from values previously determined, suggesting variation of aPLs in different populations. Our findings indicate the need for each laboratory to determine/validate assay specific cut-off values for aPL.
It’s time for a change: A Bourdieusian approach on social change
Authors: Schlerka Sebastian Matthias
Published: May 2018

Bourdieu’s praxeology is often received as a theory of static reproduction of social structure. In order to open a way for reading Bourdieu as a change theorist, I propose receiving his entire theory in a relational way. As a premise, I describe the experience of time as putting past, present, and future in relation. Then I move on to three different concepts of change. First, I describe social ageing as the change of dispositions that results of gathering experience. Second, I discuss intergenerational change, arguing that the passing on of dispositions in Bourdieu’s theory is not granted but the product of educational labor that never leads to perfect reproduction of habitus. Third, I show that struggle is the central category of change in Bourdieu. For modeling struggle, I propose the model of a series of events. Finally, I argue that Bourdieu was a change theorist who empirically discovered reproduction.
Difference in Serum Endostatin Levels in Diabetic Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia Treated by Autologous Cell Therapy or Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty
Authors: Nemcova Andrea , Jirkovska Alexandra , Dubsky Michal , Kolesar Libor , Bem Robert , Fejfarova Vladimira , Pysna Anna , Woskova Veronika , Skibova Jelena , Jude Edward B.
Published: June 2018

The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of the anti-angiogenic factor endostatin (S-endostatin) as a potential marker of vasculogenesis after autologous cell therapy (ACT) versus percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). A total of 25 diabetic patients with CLI treated in our foot clinic during the period 2008–2014 with ACT generating potential vasculogenesis were consecutively included in the study; 14 diabetic patients with CLI who underwent PTA during the same period were included in a control group in which no vasculogenesis had occurred. S-endostatin was measured before revascularization and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the procedure. The effect of ACT and PTA on tissue ischemia was confirmed by transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2) measurement at the same intervals. While S-endostatin levels increased significantly at 1 and 3 months after ACT (both P < 0.001), no significant change of S-endostatin after PTA was observed. Elevation of S-endostatin levels significantly correlated with an increase in TcPO2 at 1 month after ACT ( r = 0.557; P < 0.001). Our study showed that endostatin might be a potential marker of vasculogenesis because of its significant increase after ACT in diabetic patients with CLI in contrast to those undergoing PTA. This increase may be a sign of a protective feedback mechanism of this anti-angiogenic factor.
Productivity Changes of Pharmaceutical Industry in Bangladesh: Does Process Patent Matter?
Authors: Azad Md. Abul Kalam , Munisamy Susila , Teng Kwek Kian , Talib Muzalwana Binti Abdul , Saona Paolo
Published: June 2018

The large pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh have currently expertise in process patent activities rather than in product patent. Such industry condition can easily generate a high profile in production and sales. However, achieving sustainability in the long run using automation and purchase of the patent only seems unsuitable. In the last two decades, it is found that both the medium and big size companies have leaned on introducing automation in their existing product plants, improving them in nothing but production. The article measures technical efficiency using data envelopment analysis (DEA) over the period of 2009–2013. We use one output—annual sales—and three inputs, namely, (a) fixed asset, (b) raw material cost and (c) cost of salary to run Malmquist total factor productivity (TFP) index. The major contributor of TFP growth is found due to the technological positive growth with a value of 10.8 per cent annually. Moreover, all changes of technical efficiency, pure efficiency and scale efficiency have regressed with values of 5.5 per cent, 2.1 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively. Thus, the gains in productivity are entirely due to technological advancements and not for technical improvements. The main source of inefficiency in pharmaceutical industry is scale inefficiency rather than pure technical inefficiency. Limitations and policy implications are addressed.
Foreign Policy and the Granting of Asylum: The Case of Zimbabwean Asylum Seekers in the United States (2000–2016)
Authors: Ndawana Enock
Published: May 2018

The nexus between foreign policy and the granting of asylum exists, but scholars have not yet reached a consensus regarding the nature of the relationship. This study examines the role of foreign policy in the granting of asylum using the case of Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the United States (US). It found that although other factors matter, foreign policy was central to the outcomes of Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the US. It asserts that explaining the outcomes of Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the US needs to go beyond the role of foreign policy and be nuanced because the case study rejects a monolithic understanding.
Stewardship Theory of Corporate Governance and Value System: The Case of a Family-owned Business Group in India
Authors: Subramanian S.
Published: June 2018

Stewardship theory of corporate governance is a normative alternative to agency theory. This article argues that the stewardship behaviour of managers results in exemplary corporate governance practices when the espoused values of the firm are aligned with the enacted values. The case study method is used to prove this argument by studying corporate governance practices in a family-owned business group in India. The Murugappa Group is a 100-year-old family-owned business group, known for their ethical practices and currently managed by the fourth-generation family members, without undergoing any split. The espoused as well enacted values of the group are studied and corporate governance practices of the group firms analysed in this article. The article focuses on the governance structure of the group, its succession planning practices and the ownership structure. The analysis indicates that aligning the enacted values with the espoused value helped the group to adapt itself to the changing external economic environment and continue creating shareholder value, the essence of corporate governance.
New minimum healthy living budget standards for low-paid and unemployed Australians
Authors: Saunders Peter , Bedford Megan
Published: June 2018

A budget standard indicates how much a particular family living in a particular place at a particular time needs in order to achieve a particular standard of living. This article presents new estimates that build on the earlier budget standards produced by the Social Policy Research Centre in the 1990s. The new budgets incorporate increases in consumer prices and community standards and reflect changes in item availability, retail practices and shopping behaviour, as well as improved research methods, 20 years of use and experience, and new data. They are designed to achieve a minimum income for healthy living standard and apply to families with a breadwinner who is either in full-time work and receiving the minimum wage, or unemployed and receiving Newstart Allowance. The estimates suggest that although the minimum wage is adequate for single people, it is not adequate to meet the needs of many couple families with and without children, while Newstart Allowance does not provide an adequate safety net for the unemployed, whatever their family status.