bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Eastern European Transition
Authors: Mali Franc
Published: January 2017

University–industry–government relations are in a period of transition in Eastern and Central Europe. This transformation is a complex and multidimensional historical and social process. Eastern and Central European countries are being forced to make structural shifts not only in regard to the collapse of communist regimes, but also in relation to the worldwide changes in the production, dissemination and application of scientific knowledge. This article is concerned with the barriers which are preventing a more rapid transformation of the university research system in the region. Key problems include: a dramatic decline in the resources dedicated to R&D at the national level; rigid separation of the different components of the R&D system; the concentration of research outside the universities; and the influence of traditionalist lobby groups which do not understand the role of the modern university. There is also insufficient awareness among academics about issues relating to intellectual property, too much reliance in industry on the linear model of innovation, and an inadequate recognition among political decision makers that universities must now organize new forms of cooperation with industry, as well as with society in general. Against this background, the paper makes it clear that the institutional restructuring of academic research and its cooperation with industry in transitional post-communist countries is far from concluded.
From Regional Teacher Training College to Research University
Authors: Hölttä Seppo
Published: January 2017

The University of Joenssu is located in eastern Finland, in a province which faces significant development challenges. The paper traces the changing structure and role of the University since its foundation in 1969, focusing on the measures it has taken to increase collaboration with local industry and encourage entrepreneurial activity. At the heart of the University's strategy is the need to sustain academic excellence in research and teaching while fulfilling a vital role in the development of its local region.
Data mining: data analysis on a grand scale?
Authors: Smyth Padhraic
Published: January 2017

Modern data mining has evolved largely as a result of efforts by computer scientists to address the needs of `data owners' in extracting useful information from massive observational data sets. Because of this historical context, data mining to date has largely focused on computational and algorithmic issues rather than the more traditional statistical aspects of data analysis. This paper provides a brief review of the origins of data mining as well as discussing some of the primary themes in current research in data mining, including scalable algorithms for massive data sets, discovering novel patterns in data, and analysis of text, web, and related multimedia data sets.
Data mining in brain imaging
Authors: Megalooikonomou Vasileios , Ford James , Shen Li , Makedon Fillia , Saykin Andrew
Published: January 2017

Data mining in brain imaging is proving to be an effective methodology for disease prognosis and prevention. This, together with the rapid accumulation of massive heterogeneous data sets, motivates the need for efficient methods that filter, clarify, assess, correlate and cluster brain-related information. Here, we present data mining methods that have been or could be employed in the analysis of brain images. These methods address two types of brain imaging data: structural and functional. We introduce statistical methods that aid the discovery of interesting associations and patterns between brain images and other clinical data. We consider several applications of these methods, such as the analysis of task-activation, lesion-deficit, and structure morphological variability; the development of probabilistic atlases; and tumour analysis. We include examples of applications to real brain data. Several data mining issues, such as that of method validation or verification, are also discussed.
Modelling publication bias in meta-analysis: a review
Authors: Sutton Alexander J , Song Fujian , Gilbody Simon M , Abrams Keith R
Published: January 2017

Meta-analysis is now a widely used technique for summarizing evidence from multiple studies. Publication bias, the bias induced by the fact that research with statistically significant results is potentially more likely to be submitted and published than work with null or non-significant results, poses a thereat to the validity of such analyses. The implication of this is that combining only the identified published studies uncritically may lead to an incorrect, usually over optimistic, conclusion. How publication bias should be addressed when carrying out a meta-analysis is currently a hotly debated subject. While statistical methods to test for its presence are starting be used, they do not address the problem of how to proceed if publication bias is suspected. This paper provides a review of methods, which can be employed as a sensitivity analysis to assess the likely impact of publication bias on a meta-analysis. It is hoped that this will raise awareness of such methods, and promote their use and development, as well as provide an agenda for future research.
Measurement error correction using validation data: a review of methods and their applicability in case-control studies
Authors: Thürigen Dorothee , Spiegelman Donna , Blettner Maria , Heuer Carsten , Brenner Hermann
Published: January 2017

Measurement error is a serious problem in the analysis of epidemiological data. In the past 20 years, a large number of methods for the correction of measurement error have been developed. While at the beginning mostly methods for cohort studies were considered, recently more attention has been paid to case-control studies. Although a variety of methods have been proposed, they are very rarely used in practice. To stimulate their use and further development, this article provides a comprehensive overview on methods developed for multivariable regression analysis of epidemiologic studies with validation data sets. The methods are systematically classified with respect to the underlying theory. An assessment of prerequisites, assumptions and performance of the available methods is given. Particular attention is paid to applicability to case-control studies and need for further research and development is pointed out.
Two-stage seamless transition design from open-label single-arm to randomized double-arm clinical trials
Authors: Shi Haolun , Yin Guosheng
Published: January 2017

Conventional phase II clinical trials use either a single- or multi-arm comparison scheme to examine the therapeutic effects of the experimental drug. Both single- and multi-arm evaluations have their own merits; for example, single-arm phase II trials are easy to conduct and often require a smaller sample size, while multiarm trials are randomized and typically lead to a more objective comparison. To bridge the single- and double-arm schemes in one trial, we propose a two-stage design, in which the first stage takes a single-arm comparison of the experimental drug with the standard response rate (no concurrent treatment) and the second stage imposes a two-arm comparison by adding an active control arm. The design is calibrated using a new concept, the detectable treatment difference, to balance the trade-offs between futility termination, power, and sample size. We conduct extensive simulation studies to examine the operating characteristics of the proposed method and provide an illustrative example of our design.
Automated linkage of patient records from disparate sources
Authors: Li Xiaochun , Xu Huiping , Shen Changyu , Grannis Shaun
Published: January 2017

We introduce an automated method of record linkage that has two key features, automated selection of match field interactions to include in the model for estimation and automated threshold determination for classifying record pairs to matches or non-matches. We applied our method to two real-world examples. The first example demonstrated results consistent with our earlier work: When data quality is adequate and the match field discriminating power is high, matching algorithms exhibit similar performance. The second example demonstrated that our method yields a lower false positive rate and higher positive predictive value than the Fellegi-Sunter model in the face of low data quality. When compared to the Fellegi-Sunter model, simulation studies suggest that our method exhibits better overall performance as indicated by higher area under the curve, and less biased estimates for both the match prevalence rate and the m- and u-probabilities over a range of data scenarios, especially when the match prevalence is extreme. Computationally, our method is as efficient as the Fellegi-Sunter model. We recommend this method in situations that an unsupervised linking algorithm is needed.
A method to account for covariate-specific treatment effects when estimating biomarker associations in the presence of endogenous medication use
Authors: Spieker Andrew J , Delaney Joseph AC , McClelland Robyn L
Published: January 2017

In the modern era, cardiovascular biomarkers are often measured in the presence of medication use, such that the observed biomarker value for the treated participants is different than their underlying natural history value. However, for certain predictors (e.g. age, gender, and genetic exposures) the observed biomarker value is not of primary interest. Rather, we are interested in estimating the association between these predictors and the natural history of the biomarker that would have occurred in the absence of treatment. Nonrandom medication use obscures our ability to estimate this association in cross-sectional observational data. Structural equation methodology (e.g. the treatment effects model), while historically used to estimate treatment effects, has been previously shown to be a reasonable way to correct endogeneity bias when estimating natural biomarker associations. However, the assumption that the effects of medication use on the biomarker are uniform across participants on medication is generally not thought to be reasonable. We derive an extension of the treatment effects model to accommodate effect modification. Based on several simulation studies and an application to data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we show that our extension substantially improves bias in estimating associations of interest, particularly when effect modifiers are associated with the biomarker or with medication use, without a meaningful cost of efficiency.
New expectation–maximization-type algorithms via stochastic representation for the analysis of truncated normal data with applications in biomedicine
Authors: Tian Guo-Liang , Ju Da , Chuen Yuen Kam , Zhang Chi
Published: January 2017

To analyze univariate truncated normal data, in this paper, we stochastically represent the normal random variable as a mixture of a truncated normal random variable and its complementary random variable. This stochastic representation is a new idea and it is the first time to appear in literature. According to this stochastic representation, we derive important distributional properties for the truncated normal distribution and develop two new expectation–maximization algorithms to calculate the maximum likelihood estimates of parameters of interest for Type I data (without and with covariates) and Type II/III data. Bootstrap confidence intervals of parameters for small sample sizes are provided. To evaluate the performance of the proposed methods for the truncated normal distribution, in simulation studies, we first focus on the comparison of estimation results between including the unobserved data counts and excluding the unobserved data counts, and we next investigate the impact of the number of unobserved data on the estimation results. The plasma ferritin concentration data collected by Australian Institute of Sport and the blood fat content data are used to illustrate the proposed methods and to compare the truncated normal distribution with the half normal, the folded normal, and the folded normal slash distributions based on Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion.
The Balance Super Learner: A robust adaptation of the Super Learner to improve estimation of the average treatment effect in the treated based on propensity score matching
Authors: Pirracchio Romain , Carone Marco
Published: January 2017

Consistency of the propensity score estimators rely on correct specification of the propensity score model. The propensity score is frequently estimated using a main effect logistic regression. It has recently been shown that the use of ensemble machine learning algorithms, such as the Super Learner, could improve covariate balance and reduce bias in a meaningful manner in the case of serious model misspecification for treatment assignment. However, the loss functions normally used by the Super Learner may not be appropriate for propensity score estimation since the goal in this problem is not to optimize propensity score prediction but rather to achieve the best possible balance in the covariate distribution between treatment groups. In a simulation study, we evaluated the benefit of a modification of the Super Learner by propensity score estimation geared toward achieving covariate balance between the treated and untreated after matching on the propensity score. Our simulation study included six different scenarios characterized by various degrees of deviation from the usual main term logistic model for the true propensity score and outcome as well as the presence (or not) of instrumental variables. Our results suggest that the use of this adapted Super Learner to estimate the propensity score can further improve the robustness of propensity score matching estimators.
A model-free test for detecting disease association signals with multiple genetic variants and covariates
Authors: Lee JY , Chen Chiu-Ying , Cheng KF
Published: January 2017

Discoveries and analyses of genetic variants at a gene or exome based on high-throughput sequencing technology are increasingly feasible. Although many well-known association tests have already been proposed in literature for testing whether a group of variants in a target region is associated with a disease of interest, however, the analytic challenges still remain profound. The power performance of these tests generally depends on the sample size, numbers of causal and neutral variants, variant frequency, effect size, and direction. Some of these factors are not easily controllable in practical applications. Further complications arise from missing genotype, population stratification or misspecification of the working model. Previous studies showed that many model-based tests might create false positive results or decrease power when there was population stratification effect or missing genotype and simple imputation was used. Here, we demonstrate by simulations that type I errors of the well-known model-based tests are often inflated as well, even the working model deviates slightly from the true model. We propose a model-free test and show this test to be almost uniformly most powerful among the competing tests under very general simulation conditions with covariates. This test does not require genotype data to be complete and hence difficult imputation can be avoided. We also discuss how to adjust for the effect of population stratification based on principal components, and use a Shanghai Breast Cancer Study to demonstrate application of the new test.
Should multiple imputation be the method of choice for handling missing data in randomized trials?
Authors: Sullivan Thomas R , White Ian R , Salter Amy B , Ryan Philip , Lee Katherine J
Published: January 2017

The use of multiple imputation has increased markedly in recent years, and journal reviewers may expect to see multiple imputation used to handle missing data. However in randomized trials, where treatment group is always observed and independent of baseline covariates, other approaches may be preferable. Using data simulation we evaluated multiple imputation, performed both overall and separately by randomized group, across a range of commonly encountered scenarios. We considered both missing outcome and missing baseline data, with missing outcome data induced under missing at random mechanisms. Provided the analysis model was correctly specified, multiple imputation produced unbiased treatment effect estimates, but alternative unbiased approaches were often more efficient. When the analysis model overlooked an interaction effect involving randomized group, multiple imputation produced biased estimates of the average treatment effect when applied to missing outcome data, unless imputation was performed separately by randomized group. Based on these results, we conclude that multiple imputation should not be seen as the only acceptable way to handle missing data in randomized trials. In settings where multiple imputation is adopted, we recommend that imputation is carried out separately by randomized group.
armDNA: A functional beta model for detecting age-related genomewide DNA methylation marks
Authors: Wang Chenyang , Shen Qi , Du Li , Xu Jinfeng , Zhang Hong
Published: January 2017

DNA methylation has been shown to play an important role in many complex diseases. The rapid development of high-throughput DNA methylation scan technologies provides great opportunities for genomewide DNA methylation-disease association studies. As methylation is a dynamic process involving time, it is quite plausible that age contributes to its variation to a large extent. Therefore, in analyzing genomewide DNA methylation data, it is important to identify age-related DNA methylation marks and delineate their functional relationship. This helps us to better understand the underlying biological mechanism and facilitate early diagnosis and prognosis analysis of complex diseases. We develop a functional beta model for analyzing DNA methylation data and detecting age-related DNA methylation marks on the whole genome by naturally taking sampling scheme into account and accommodating flexible age-methylation dynamics. We focus on DNA methylation data obtained through the widely used bisulfite conversion technique and propose to use a beta model to relate the DNA methylation level to the age. Adjusting for certain confounders, the functional age effect is left completely unspecified, offering great flexibility and allowing extra data dynamics. An efficient algorithm is developed for estimating unknown parameters, and the Wald test is used to detect age-related DNA methylation marks. Simulation studies and several real data applications were provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.
Detecting and correcting for publication bias in meta-analysis – A truncated normal distribution approach
Authors: Zhu Qiaohao , Carriere KC
Published: January 2017

Publication bias can significantly limit the validity of meta-analysis when trying to draw conclusion about a research question from independent studies. Most research on detection and correction for publication bias in meta-analysis focus mainly on funnel plot-based methodologies or selection models. In this paper, we formulate publication bias as a truncated distribution problem, and propose new parametric solutions. We develop methodologies of estimating the underlying overall effect size and the severity of publication bias. We distinguish the two major situations, in which publication bias may be induced by: (1) small effect size or (2) large p-value. We consider both fixed and random effects models, and derive estimators for the overall mean and the truncation proportion. These estimators will be obtained using maximum likelihood estimation and method of moments under fixed- and random-effects models, respectively. We carried out extensive simulation studies to evaluate the performance of our methodology, and to compare with the non-parametric Trim and Fill method based on funnel plot. We find that our methods based on truncated normal distribution perform consistently well, both in detecting and correcting publication bias under various situations.
Adapting censored regression methods to adjust for the limit of detection in the calibration of diagnostic rules for clinical mass spectrometry proteomic data
Authors: Kakourou Alexia , Vach Werner , Mertens Bart
Published: January 2017

In this paper, we consider the problem of calibrating diagnostic rules based on high-resolution mass spectrometry data subject to the limit of detection. The limit of detection is related to the limitation of instruments in measuring low-concentration proteins. As a consequence, peak intensities below the limit of detection are often reported as missing during the quantification step of proteomic analysis. We propose the use of censored data methodology to handle spectral measurements within the presence of limit of detection, recognizing that those have been left-censored for low-abundance proteins. We replace the set of incomplete spectral measurements with estimates of the expected intensity and use those as input to a prediction model. To correct for lack of information and measurement uncertainty, we combine this approach with borrowing of information through the addition of an individual-specific random effect formulation. We present different modalities of using the above formulation for prediction purposes and show how it may also allow for variable selection. We evaluate the proposed methods by comparing their predictive performance with the one achieved using the complete information as well as alternative methods to deal with the limit of detection.
The Importance of Needs Assessment in Planning Health Promoting Schools Initiatives: Comparison of Youth Risk Behaviours of Two Districts in Hong Kong
Authors: Lee A , Wong Ws
Published: January 2017

A needs assessment is recommended to be carried out before planning resource allocation in a community as it could help to identify the needs of the people. This study illustrated the importance of needs assessment in planning health promoting school initiatives by comparing the results of youth risk behaviours surveys conducted at two districts of Hong Kong, namely Tsuen Wan and North District. The findings indicated that the two districts should prioritize their resources in respect to their urgent needs. A higher proportion of students from Tsuen Wan participated in vigorous exercise regularly in comparison to students from North District. Students from North District consumed more vegetable per week and exhibited less depressive symptoms than students from Tsuen Wan. The availability of data on youth risk behaviours of the two districts would provide information for strategic planning and direct decision-making in youth health programmes.
What are the Needs of Students? An Experience from a District Based Health Promoting Schools Project in Hong Kong
Authors: Lee A , Siu DCH , Au SKL , Chen RCI , Cheng KW , Yau FT , Tong LCT , Chan S.Y. , Tsang WW , Ho M
Published: January 2017

A district based needs assessment was conducted over the past year to understand the health problems and the health education needs of the students in Tai Po district, Hong Kong. 6,879 primary one to primary six students from eighteen primary schools, participating in a district based Health Promoting Schools Project in Hong Kong, were invited to complete a self-administrated questionnaire which was partly adapted from the Centre for Diseases and Control (CDC)'s Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance Survey. The results presented a holistic picture of the health and needs of primary students with respect to their general health status, mental health, body weight and dietary behaviour, exercise, preventive health care, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, school environment and school health education. It provides baseline information for the project to prioritize the problems and strategically plan health promotion programmes with reference to the concept of Health Promoting Schools by the World Health Organization.
Parent Training: Experience of the New Territories West School Health Promotion Project of Hong Kong
Authors: Lee A , Li SW , Au BMY , Yuen WK , Ho M , Loong MC , Ng FYH , Suen YP , Ho CML , (Hons) Cml Ho, Bsocsc
Published: January 2017

Parents’ participation in school life is an important element of a health-promoting school. To maximize the potential of parents as partners in health education and take on a leading role in promoting health in the school, family and community, a parental health education programme using the empowerment model had been launched in partnership between academic and health sectors. A total of 28 parents selected from eight schools in the New Territories West region of Hong Kong participated in the programme. Evaluation of the programme revealed that the programme had matched well with the expectation of most participants. All respondents had reported an increase in health awareness and knowledge, and confidence to promote health concepts in familiar environments, such as the home and school. They also showed interest to participate in further training in health related issues. Parental health education is recommended to enhance active involvement for building a greater sense of belonging and to put through individual empowerment to community empowerment. Parental involvement in school health promotion would be an effective way to facilitate the paradigm shift.
To be a Responsible Adolescent: A Key Strategy to Enhance Students’ Awareness of Self-Care and their Health Behaviours
Authors: Ip Tha , Yeung Wyy
Published: January 2017

This article presents unique teacher's experience in developing and implementing a highly acclaimed pioneer comprehensive health-promoting programme at a secondary school in Hong Kong. The authors explain why a systematic school health education is needed from both personal and public health perspectives. A five-year programme known as ‘Be responsible’ had been introduced at St. Catharine's School for Girls since 1999 with an objective of guiding students to assume responsibility'for their health. Through interactive activities, students had learnt and acquired the knowledge, skills and attitude that would empower them to enjoy an all-rounded development and life-long well-being. The Programme adopted a ‘bottom-up’ model that extended its benefits beyond the classrooms. Health education follows the modern education theory of holistic development and is the foundation of a quality education system. Teachers should therefore be committed to the cause and role of promoting health at school and work in partnership with the health professionals.
The Health Promoting School and Social Justice in a Global Environment
Authors: Parsons C
Published: January 2017

Globalisation is present whether recognised in SARS, global terrorism, finance or youth music. With the growth of the health promoting school movement in this context and the increased numbers of countries and schools involved, eight themes are proposed as critical to how the Health Promotion School move forward. They are concerned with: the diverse origins and alliances of forces in the movement; holistic and ecological approach; its status as a global movement; the tension between and empowerment or compliances model; evidence-based and values-based approches; the radical vision; social capital and social inclusion; and sustainability. Reaching the level of acceptance the Health Promotion School has acheived may lead to settling into comfortable official recognition - and assured funding - and losing its militancy. Can the Health Promotion School challenge health inequalities on a national and international scale and can it be a force fo social inclusion?
Service-Learning and Natural Resource Leadership
Authors: Newman Peter , Bruyere Brett L. , Beh Adam
Published: January 2017

This paper reports on a study conducted in a service-learning protected-areas management class at Colorado State University, Warner College of Natural Resources. The research questions addressed for this paper were “What are the leadership skills needed in today's culture of protected-area management?” and “Can service-learning nurture such leadership characteristics for protected area management undergraduate students?” The researchers investigated and identified the characteristics of effective leadership in the context of natural resource management through a literature review and a brief student survey and, secondly, determined how a service-learning component of a protected-area management course could prepare university students for their future leadership responsibilities. The study identifies indicators of good leadership and suggests that service and reflection serve as a way to learn essential qualities of leadership.
Integrating Persons with Impairments and Disabilities into Standard Outdoor Adventure Education Programs
Authors: Dillenschneider Cindy
Published: January 2017

By understanding processes that create inclusive environments and methods for accommodating individual difference, outdoor adventure educators can successfully integrate students with impairments and disabilities into standard programs. This article offers a paradigm shift away from viewing disability as the primary identity of persons with impairments and disabilities toward understanding impairment and disability as a small part of the experience of individual difference. The author provides some historical background to the topic, offers suggestions about how to accommodate for specific differences, identifies principles of inclusion, and specifies criteria for implementing inclusive practices in outdoor adventure education.
From Data to Information: Management Tools for Home Health Care Clinical Directors
Authors: Tidd Charles W.
Published: January 2017

This article provides home health care clinical directors with tools to discharge their responsibilities for data and information management and to lead their agencies to develop and maintain sound data and information. The article offers (1) a data and information model to provide a common framework; (2) a step-by-step method to analyze an agency's data and information systematically and rigorously; and (3) insight into nine critical success factors for converting data into information, with recommended management action for each.
Applying the Lessons of Quality Customer Service in Public Organizations
Authors: Leavitt William M.
Published: January 2017

This article is concerned with the development of productive, high-quality customer service operations. It focuses on key areas related to service quality in the public sector: customer service strategies, organizational structures, and organizational systems. The effect of organization vision and values on the development of customer service strategies is explored, and the use of a high-performance organization model is proposed. In terms of organization structure, this article focuses on the implications and effect of using work teams in customer service operations. The organization systems reviewed specifically involve the selection and hiring of customer service personnel as well as compensation plans for frontline employees. There are other important administrative systems, but these activities play key roles in the performance and productivity of public-sector customer service personnel.
A Case of Gender Discrimination? Benchmarking Gender Discrimination Policies in Public Works
Authors: McKnight-Compton Karen
Published: January 2017

In November 1996, California voters passed the controversial California Civil Rights Initiative (Proposition 209) to abolish race- and gender-preference programs by amending the state constitution. Although the constitutionality of this initiative is being debated in court and the final outcome is still to be decided, the potential impact of such legislation is widespread within the public works agency administration. Historically, public works agencies have developed and defined their workplace protection policies by referencing laws or regulations that were designed to protect employees. However, in the face of initiatives such as Proposition 209, this type of referencing may facilitate gender and/or racial discrimination. This article examines the implications of “incorporation by reference” and alternative methods of effective policy development.
Privatization of Wastewater Treatment Plants: Lessons from Changing Corporate Strategies
Authors: Clark Cal , Heilman John G. , Johnson Gerald W.
Published: January 2017

Burgeoning budgetary pressures have created considerable interest for the privatization of public services. Privatization is usually justified in terms of the cost effectiveness that laissez-faire economics impose on the private sector. Yet, this model has come under challenge in the corporate world because businesses often must pursue other goals than just cost minimization, such as product quality, flexibility of production, and long-term alliances with other corporations, including ostensible competitors. A similar situation exists concerning the privatization of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) during the 1980s. Rather than adhering to the laissez-faire model, WWTP privatization was much more concerned with quality, flexibility, and “public-private partnerships,” suggesting that a broader and more sophisticated view of privatization is needed.
Private Toll Roads; is the Glass One-Quarter Full or Three-Quarters Empty?
Authors: Giglio Joseph M.
Published: January 2017

Policy makers have been hearing a great deal about how privately financed and operated toll roads may be the best solution to the nation's chronic underinvestment in its highway system. This commentary provides some background about these examples of privatization and outlines the questions that policy makers should ask when they consider the latest private toll road proposal.
Large-Scale Customer Feedback on a State Highway Maintenance Program
Authors: Poister Theodore H. , Harris Richard H. , Robinson Joseph
Published: January 2017

Public works agencies are focusing increasingly on the concepts of quality and customer service in response to growing demands for accountability and improved performance. In an effort to gauge customers' satisfaction with the services they provide, state transportation departments are beginning to solicit feedback from their customers to complement more traditional performance measures. This article reports the findings of a large-scale survey of the principal customers of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's highway maintenance program. The sample size and the disproportionally stratified sampling strategy were aimed at providing reliable data for 67 individual county-level maintenance units. The results indicate widespread variation in motorists' ratings of road quality, which correlate moderately with more traditional engineering-oriented measures of road quality, but it is clear that they offer a different perspective on service quality, which transportation departments will have to learn more about if they are serious about improving customer satisfaction.
Sharing of Public Works Services by Small Towns
Authors: Sanchez Thomas W. , Borich Timothy O. , Mahayni Riad G.
Published: January 2017

Many federal initiatives now being considered are aimed at increasing the fiscal responsibilities of local and county governments in providing public works services. However, the feasibility of providing the necessary mix of public works in small towns is not easily accomplished, and there is a need to assess and evaluate the efficiency of the delivery of these services when they are offered. A method advocated to increase small town and rural county government efficiency in delivering such services is to share them with other towns, cities, and counties. A survey of Iowa communities was conducted to assess and analyze the extent of public works/services provision and sharing. The fundamental hypothesis is that the propensity to share services is a function of community size, which results in cost efficiencies in service provision. The results of the survey did not confirm this hypothesis. It may be that service sharing is more likely a function of organizational and institutional processes.
A Research Framework for Cost-Effective Highway Maintenance Planning
Authors: Wei Chien-Hung , Schonfeld Paul M.
Published: January 2017

In recent years, various highway agencies and researchers have worked to develop efficient methods for maintenance planning, without much success. A major reason is that they usually neglect user inconvenience and delay costs, which alone can greatly exceed the maintenance costs. It is known that different maintenance plans have very different effects on users and on highway performance. These interactions have not been intensively explored, and the existing analysis methods are not quite satisfactory. To remedy the existing deficiencies, the development of a realistic and efficient maintenance planning methodology is proposed. Specifically, the proposed approach incorporates several components already developed for selecting and scheduling interdependent projects in transportation networks; however, it organizes them in a more efficient way. The proposed maintenance planning methodology can overcome the main weaknesses of prevailing methods and help decision makers to greatly reduce user costs and improve the efficiency of highway maintenance operations.
Improving Implementation of Function-Based Interventions: Self-Monitoring, Data Collection, and Data Review
Authors: Pinkelman Sarah E. , Horner Robert H.
Published: January 2017

The success of function-based interventions depends not just on the quality of procedures but also on the extent to which procedures are implemented as planned. Too often in schools, effort is committed to functional assessment and behavior support plan design, only to be followed by weak implementation. This study used a multiple baseline across participants design to examine whether a functional relation exists between a treatment package consisting of (a) self-monitoring treatment fidelity, (b) collecting data on student behavior, (c) entering fidelity and student behavior data into an online data management application, and (d) reviewing those data weekly using graphs generated by the application. Results indicate improved treatment fidelity and student behavior were associated with the treatment package. Potential contributions are discussed in terms of establishing efficient systems for schools that provide the structure for effective implementation of function-based interventions.
Extensive white matter lesions after 2 years of fingolimod: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or MS relapse?
Authors: Boudot de la Motte Marine , Louapre Céline , Bertrand Anne , Reach Pauline , Lubetzki Catherine , Papeix Caroline , Maillart Elisabeth
Published: January 2017

Background:

Fingolimod is a widely used treatment for highly active relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis.

Objectives:

To describe the case of a 27-year-old patient treated for more than 2 years by Fingolimod, who presented hemiplegia and speech disturbances associated with extensive white matter lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods:

Case study.

Results:

Although initial presentation questioned the possibility of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, final diagnosis was multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse. Appropriate treatment resulted in clinical and radiological improvement.

Conclusion:

Severe MS relapses under Fingolimod have been reported, but late onset after treatment initiation and extensive subcortical topography is unusual and represents a diagnostic challenge.
It's complicated, isn't it: Citizenship and ethnic identity in a mobile world
Authors: Baldassar Loretta , Raffaetà Roberta
Published: January 2017

This article explores the experiences of second-generation migrants with a focus on Chinese in Prato (Italy), for whom the relationship between citizenship and identity is tightly linked. Most studies maintain that the link between citizenship and identity is instrumentalist or ambiguous. In contrast, we focus on the affective dimension of citizenship and identity. We argue that citizenship status functions as a key defining concept of identity in Italy, in contrast to countries like Australia, where the notion of ethnicity is more commonly evoked. Several factors have contributed to this situation: the strong essentialist conception of ius sanguinis in Italian citizenship law, the recent history of Italian immigration, the European politics of exclusion and the repudiation of the concept of ethnicity in Italian scholarship as well as popular and political discourse. We conclude that the emphasis on formal citizenship, and the relative absence of alternative identity concepts like ethnicity, limits the possibilities for expressions of mixity and hyphenated identities in contemporary Italian society.
Review: The potential benefits of aldosterone antagonism in Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Davies Justine , Struthers Allan
Published: January 2017

Interest in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) has increased since the development of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. It has been discovered that the potential uses of this class of treatment extend far beyond their initial developmental role as antihypertensives, and they are now used routinely in the treatment of heart failure, nephropathy, myocardial infarction and diabetes. However, there is more to RAAS blockade than just inhibition of angiotensin II, and inhibition of aldosterone is becoming recognised as an additional therapeutic manoeuvre in chronic heart failure.1

Since inhibition of the RAAS at the level of ACE is now seen to be an important therapy in diabetes; 2 the purpose of this article is to explore the potential benefits of additional aldosterone inhibition in Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The Three Waves of Party System Institutionalisation Studies: A Multi- or Uni-Dimensional Concept?
Authors: Casal Bértoa Fernando
Published: January 2017

Since Mainwaring and Scully’s resurrection of the concept in 1995, party system institutionalisation has become something of a buzzword to which many refer without a proper definition. Indeed, most scholars simply assume that its meaning is clear and unproblematic, focusing all subsequent efforts on developing operational indicators, but without really concerning themselves with its conceptual refinement. However, an in-depth literature review of all major works dealing with the concept reveals that in reality there is very little agreement on what party system institutionalisation actually is or how it should be measured. In fact, since Huntington introduced the notion of institutionalisation some 50 years ago, party system institutionalisation has been characterised as a multi-dimensional (mostly four, but also three and two) as well as a uni-dimensional (around stability) concept. Now that half a century has passed, the time has come to look back and, with the benefit of hindsight, take stock of the way party system institutionalisation has been conceptualised and operationalised, trying to distinguish both commonalities and discordances, while looking at what still needs to be done. In order to do so, we will distinguish three different (both discrete and thematic) waves of party system institutionalisation studies.
Perceptions of secondary school principals on management of cultural diversity in Spain. The challenge of educational leadership
Authors: Gómez-Hurtado Inmaculada , González-Falcón Inmaculada , Coronel José M
Published: January 2017

The aim of this article is to examine how school principals perceive cultural diversity and management. To this end, qualitative research was carried out for one semester in four secondary schools in Andalusia (Spain). Through interviews and discussion groups, triangulated with other qualitative research techniques, we explored the mindset and attitudes that the principals of these schools have towards cultural diversity and the importance of leadership in managing it positively, as well as the actions they take in this area. The outcomes highlight a negative conception of diversity (identified as a source of problems) and the predominance of a management model based on assimilation and compensation. In general, the principals do not perceive it to be their responsibility as educational leaders and practise a fundamentally bureaucratic leadership focused on management of immigrant pupils rather than their social and academic integration. The findings highlight the need to implement an educational leadership that promotes the development of an inclusive professional culture, the creation of collaboration networks and the celebration of difference.
The Mental Health of the Older Homeless Population: Provider-Perceived Issues Related to Service Provision
Authors: Watson Dennis P.
Published: January 2017

In this article I discuss providers of homeless services' perceptions of the mental health needs of individuals who are homeless and aged 50 to 64 as they relate to service provision.1 To accomplish this task, I analyzed fifty-six interviews conducted with providers of homeless services in the city of Chicago. These interviews were completed as part of a larger study conducted in collaboration with the coordinating body of the local homeless service system in an effort to better understand the unique issues affecting the older homeless population and to develop appropriate policy and programmatic responses to these issues. Issues providers most readily point to are important to understand when developing policy and programming because they are likely to represent problems providers most frequently encounter or that providers find to be the most difficult to resolve in their daily work. Qualitative analysis of interviews pointed to six recognizable issues providers were concerned with regarding this older homeless population and mental health, including: (1) specific mental health problems, (2) specific mental health subpopulations, (3) substance use/abuse, (4) therapeutic needs, (5) medication management, and (6) outreach and active engagement. Based on this analysis, policy and programmatic suggestions for the homeless service system are discussed.
Looking for a “Better” Job: Job Characteristics and On-the-Job Search among the Employed in the Metropolitan Labor Market
Authors: Kim Chigon
Published: January 2017

As the gap between “good” and “bad” jobs widens, the opportunity for upward mobility from entry-level to well-paying career jobs declines. On-the-job search is particularly important as a mobility strategy to those with undesirable jobs. This paper examines the effects of low pay, lack of fringe benefits, and other job-related attributes on the likelihood of job search among the employed in the metropolitan labor market. The data come from the 1997–1999 Current Population Survey Contingent Work Supplements. Findings from logistic regression analyses suggest that undesirable job characteristics, rather than expected wage gain, are the major factors motivating on-the-job search. These characteristics include nonstandard, nonunionized, low-skilled, and low paying jobs, and lack of fringe benefits. Jobs with low wages and few benefits are typically associated with nonstandard, nonunionized, and low-skilled work. This paper concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of these findings for workforce development and career advancement.