bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Child L2 English acquisition of subject properties in an immersion bilingual context
Authors: Ballester Elizabet Pladevall
Published: May 2012

Although thoroughly analysed in adult second language acquisition (L2A), the acquisition of subject properties in child L2A has not received so much attention and the majority of studies deal with longitudinal data or only with a single subject property. This study contributes new cross-sectional data from 5-year-old Spanish children acquiring second language (L2) English in an immersion bilingual context with age of onset three and analyses the acquisition of all the subject properties traditionally associated as a cluster in comparison to a monolingual control group of the same age. The data were obtained by means of an orally elicited judgement/correction experimental task and enabled us to explore the children’s awareness of grammaticality contrasts in their L2, the influence of their L1 after two years of exposure and the extent to which the cluster of subject properties traditionally associated and studied together develop similarly in acquisitional terms. Results suggest that 5-year-old children show sensitivity to grammaticality contrasts in their L2 English and indicate that even after two years of exposure and although the age of onset of acquisition was only three, their L2 is influenced by their first language (L1) subject properties, although developmental effects also need to be taken into account when explaining the results.
Spatial patterns of labour market deprivation in Scotland: Concentration, isolation and persistence
Authors: Rae Alasdair
Published: May 2012

The measurement of deprivation at the small area level has been an important element of the evidence base for policy targeting and formulation in the United Kingdom over the past two decades. In Scotland, the Scottish Indices of Deprivation 2009 represent the most recent manifestation of this trend, and they tell a familiar story, particularly in relation to local labour market deprivation. This labour market dimension is an intriguing sub-plot, since regeneration and economic development policies very often have employment-related goals and target areas which are under-represented in terms of local labour market participation. However, despite numerous spatially targeted policy interventions, the policy challenge looms large and local labour market deprivation in Scotland is characterised by patterns of spatial concentration and isolation. This article therefore sheds more light on these phenomena at a time when proposed welfare reforms threaten to further exacerbate patterns of spatially concentrated deprivation in Scotland.
Extent of palliative care need in the acute hospital setting: A survey of two acute hospitals in the UK
Authors: Gardiner Clare , Gott Merryn , Ingleton Christine , Seymour Jane , Cobb Mark , Noble Bill , Bennett Mike , Ryan Tony
Published: May 2012

Background:

In common with international health policy, The End of Life Care Strategy for England has highlighted the delivery of high quality palliative care in the acute hospital setting as an area of priority.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to explore the extent of palliative care need in the acute hospital setting, and to explore agreement between different sources in the identification of patients with palliative care need.

Design:

A cross-sectional survey of palliative care need was undertaken in two UK acute hospitals. Hospital case notes were examined for evidence of palliative care need according to Gold Standards Framework (GSF) prognostic indicator criteria. Medical and nursing staff were asked to identify patients with palliative care needs. Patients (or consultees) completed assessments of palliative care need.

Participants:

Of a total in-patient population of 1359, complete datasets were collected for 514 patients/consultees.

Results:

36.0% of patients were identified as having palliative care needs according to GSF criteria. Medical staff identified 15.5% of patients as having palliative care needs, and nursing staff 17.4% of patients. Patient self-report data indicated that 83.2% of patients meeting GSF criteria had palliative care needs.

Conclusion:

The results reveal that according to the GSF prognostic guide, over a third of hospital in-patients meet the criteria for palliative care need. Consensus between medical staff, nursing staff and the GSF was poor regarding the identification of patients with palliative care needs. This has significant implications for patient care, and draws into question the utility of the GSF in the hospital setting.
How Well Do Commonly Used Data Presentation Formats Support Comparative Effectiveness Evaluations?
Authors: Dolan James G. , Qian Feng , Veazie Peter J.
Published: May 2012

Background. Good decisions depend on an accurate understanding of the comparative effectiveness of decision alternatives. The best way to convey data needed to support these comparisons is unknown. Objective. To determine how well 5 commonly used data presentation formats convey comparative effectiveness information. Methods. The study was an Internet survey using a factorial design. Participants consisted of 279 members of an online survey panel. Study participants compared outcomes associated with 3 hypothetical screening test options relative to 5 possible outcomes with probabilities ranging from 2 per 5000 (0.04%) to 500 per 1000 (50%). Data presentation formats included a table, a “magnified” bar chart, a risk scale, a frequency diagram, and an icon array. Outcomes included the number of correct ordinal judgments regarding the more likely of 2 outcomes, the ratio of perceived versus actual relative likelihoods of the paired outcomes, the intersubject consistency of responses, and perceived clarity. Results. The mean number of correct ordinal judgments was 12 of 15 (80%), with no differences among data formats. On average, there was a 3.3-fold difference between perceived and actual likelihood ratios (95% confidence interval = 3.0–3.6). Comparative judgments based on flowcharts, icon arrays, and tables were all significantly more accurate and consistent than those based on risk scales and bar charts ( P < 0.001). The most clearly perceived formats were the table and the flowchart. Low subjective numeracy was associated with less accurate and more variable data interpretations and lower perceived clarity for icon displays, bar charts, and flow diagrams. Conclusions. None of the data presentation formats studied can reliably provide patients, especially those with low subjective numeracy, with an accurate understanding of comparative effectiveness information.
Practices as Models: A Methodology with an Illustration Concerning Wampum Diplomacy
Authors: Andersen Morten Skumsrud , Neumann Iver B.
Published: May 2012

The everyday meaning of ‘practice’ is something like concrete ‘doings’ or ‘what is being done’ in a social setting. Its everyday counter-concept is theory. Intuitively, this may lead us to think of practices as what is really going on in the world, as opposed to theories or models. This commonsensical meaning of practices reinforces the separation between theory and empirical reality. We argue that such an understanding has informed much of the ongoing ‘practice turn’ in International Relations. We also argue that this is not necessarily an efficient way of conceptualising ‘practices’, because practices might end up being too general a concept to be analytically useful. To counter this, we argue, one must be explicit about practices at the level of models, that is, in fictional representations of the world. This can help in studying them as endogenous phenomena, and not only as the practical counterpart of some other phenomena, or emanating from unspoken theoretical assumptions of, for example, conscious rule-following behaviour, interests, identities, structures and so on. As an illustration of what a model of practice might look like, we include a case study of Iroquois diplomacy as practice. Using a model, without relying on unstated assumptions exogenous to it, we represent this particular case through assuming that both the agents and their social environments emerge through practices.
The ‘Practice Turn’, Phronesis and Classical Realism: Towards a Phronetic International Political Theory?
Authors: Brown Chris
Published: May 2012

The ‘practice turn’ in International Relations seems on the face of it to be a very promising development; generally associated with Bourdieu and Foucault, it can also be seen as linked to the Aristotelian notion of phronesis (prudence or practical wisdom) and to the classical realist virtue of ‘prudence’ ( prudentia). There are family resemblances here, but also differences; for Aristotle and the realists, practical wisdom is associated more with the intellect, while the ‘practice turn’ places great emphasis on the role of habitual behaviour. Writers as diverse as Flyvbjerg and Macintyre have argued for a ‘phronetic social science’ as an alternative to neo-positivist conceptions of the role of the conduct of social enquiry – but the classical realists could argue that they have already provided a ‘phronetic international relations theory’ . Still, the implications of Aristotle’s comment that ‘prudent young people do not seem to be found’ need to be confronted. Is ‘practical wisdom’ something that can be achieved by study, or is it only achievable in the context of the kind of lived experience that few students of International Relations or International Political theory of whatever age can actually claim?
Neoliberalism and Ethnic Conflict
Authors: Prasch Robert E.
Published: May 2012

In 1989 it was triumphantly announced that the world had arrived at the “End of History” with neoliberal economics and political democracy the clear victors. This paper revisits and reconsiders this famous assertion through an examination of several perspectives on the relationship between neoliberal economic policies and ethnic conflict. It concludes that these phenomena may be causally related, with the former contributing materially to the latter.

JEL Codes: N40, O10, P16
Homo Economicus and the Economics of Property Rights
Authors: Milonakis Dimitris , Meramveliotakis Giorgos
Published: May 2012

This article challenges some fundamental propositions of property rights theory by revealing the inability of new institutional economics to fully grasp the notion of property, as reflected in its narrow and problematic definition of property rights. The concept of property relations is proposed as better suited to capture the social and institutional aspects of property. By reconsidering the case of the Montagnais, originally used by Alchian and Demsetz for illustrative purposes, and drawing on the works of Polanyi and McManus, we show that the historical explanation of the emergence of (private) property rights provided by Alchian and Demsetz is flawed.

JEL Codes: D02, D23, P14
Les concepts souffrent-ils de négligence bénigne en sciences sociales? Eléments d’analyse conceptuelle et examen exploratoire de la littérature francophone à caractère méthodologique
Authors: Daigneault Pierre-Marc , Jacob Steve
Published: May 2012

Concepts are essential to any scientific endeavour aimed at ‘discovering’ the nature of ‘reality’. Yet, concepts and their analysis have received scant attention from scholars as objects worth studying and teaching in and of themselves, especially in comparison to data collection and analysis techniques. When scholars venture into analyzing concepts, they generally proceed informally, thereby raising serious concerns in terms of the validity of their findings. Conceptual analysis seems to be unrecognized and even unappreciated. This article aims to mitigate this problem. We first offer a few basic principles of conceptual analysis drawn from North American political science. After examining the nature of concepts and their importance to science, the work of Giovanni Sartori is used to establish a few rules and principles to follow when performing conceptual work. Using a sample of francophone methodological literature, we then conduct a plausibility probe of the hypothesis according to which conceptual analysis suffers from ‘benign neglect’. Based on this empirical test, we conclude that while many books explicitly deal with conceptual analysis, very few do so systematically.
A theoretical investigation of initiation of travelling combustion fronts in fuel beds from embedded hotspots
Authors: Staggs John EJ
Published: May 2012

The critical initial conditions for establishing a self-propagating reaction front in a moderately exothermic fuel bed are investigated using numerical techniques. The progenitor is a spherical hot ball of specified radius and initial temperature embedded in the fuel bed (as opposed to a constant power or constant temperature hotspot investigated in other contributions). As the ball cools, heat is transferred to the fuel bed, and if this occurs at a sufficiently great rate, a steadily propagating travelling wave will be established that will eventually consume the entire bed. However, there are well-defined sets of initial conditions for which the travelling wave stalls, resulting in partial consumption of the fuel. Understanding and predicting this behaviour is important in fire-safety applications involving transport or storage of moderately reactive substances such as organic powders (flour, custard powder and so on) or materials such as fertilizers or weedkillers. The approach also has relevance in the spread of wild fires through fuel beds such as dry grass or leaves.
Neonates With Seizures
Authors: Painter Michael J. , Sun Qing , Scher Mark S. , Janosky Janine , Alvin John
Published: May 2012

Animal and human studies indicate that neonatal seizures are detrimental to the developing nervous system. This study addressed whether parameters of seizure severity and treatment were predictive of outcome and influenced the incidence of epilepsy. The outcome of babies with neonatal seizures was assessed based on follow-up examination, record review, and school performance. Epilepsy was assessed relative to developmental outcome and imaging abnormalities. There was no association between response to therapy and outcome. Neonates with mild or moderate seizure severity and decreasing severity over time, prior to anticonvulsant treatment, were more likely to have normal or moderately abnormal development than a severe outcome or death. Babies who had the highest seizure severity following treatment were more likely to have adverse outcomes. Those with normal imaging studies were more likely to have better outcome than those with diffuse severe abnormalities. Children with epilepsy were more likely to have abnormal development and imaging.
Seizures as the Clinical Presenting Symptom in Children with Brain Tumors
Authors: Fattal-Valevski Aviva , Nissan Noam , Kramer Uri , Constantini Shlomi
Published: May 2012

This study summarizes our clinical and surgical experience with pediatric brain tumors that were initially presented with seizures. The records of 367 consecutive children, treated for brain tumors between the years 1996 and 2007, were retrospectively analyzed, focusing on the clinical manifestations, diagnostic gap, and postoperative seizure follow-up that lasted at least 2 years. Seizures, mainly focal, were the clinical manifestation of brain tumor in 57 of 367 children. Normal neurologic examination and electroencephalography (EEG) were in 77.8% and 37.5%, respectively. Diagnostic gap correlated with low-grade and temporal lobe tumors. Postoperative follow-up revealed freedom of seizure in 77.6%. Favorable seizure outcome correlated with low preoperative seizures frequency, preoperative response to antiepileptic drugs, and hemispheric tumor location. We conclude that response to antiepileptic drugs, generalized seizures, normal EEG, and normal neurologic examination should not exclude tumor etiology. Moreover, broader indications for imaging should be employed while evaluating a child with a seizure.
Barriers, Facilitators, and Recommendations Related to Implementing the Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI)
Authors: Semenic Sonia , Childerhose Janet E. , Lauzière Julie , Groleau Danielle
Published: May 2012

Despite growing evidence for the positive impact of the Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) on breastfeeding outcomes, few studies have investigated the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of Baby-Friendly practices that can be used to improve uptake of the BFI at the local or country levels. This integrative review aimed to identify and synthesize information on the barriers, facilitators, and recommendations related to the BFI from the international, peer-reviewed literature. Thirteen databases were searched using the keywords Baby Friendly, Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, BFI, BFHI, Ten Steps, implementation, adoption, barriers, facilitators, and their combinations. A total of 45 English-language articles from 16 different countries met the inclusion criteria for the review. Data analysis was guided by Cooper’s five stages of integrative research review. Using a multiple intervention program framework, findings were categorized into sociopolitical, organizational-level, and individual-level barriers and facilitators to implementing the BFI, as well as intra-, inter-, and extraorganizational recommendations for strengthening BFI implementation. A wide variety of obstacles and potential solutions to BFI implementation were identified. Findings suggest some priority issues to address when pursuing Baby-Friendly designation, including the endorsements of both local administrators and governmental policy makers, effective leadership of the practice change process, health care worker training, the marketing influence of formula companies, and integrating hospital and community health services. Framing the BFI as a complex, multilevel, evidence-based change process and using context-focused research implementation models to guide BFI implementation efforts may help identify effective strategies for promoting wider adoption of the BFI in health services.
Study on PS/TiO2 nanocomposite particles
Authors: Yan Jiujuan , Yu Qian Qian , Wu Shishan , Shen Jian
Published: May 2012

Monodisperse polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles with a size of 190 nm were first synthesized by emulsion polymerization. Then PS/titanium dioxide (TiO2; core/shell) nanocomposite particles were prepared by coating TiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of the PS nanoparticles using aqua ammonia/triethanolamine as the positive/negative catalyst pair. Roughness degree of the surface of the shell of the PS/TiO2 nanocomposite particles increased with increasing amounts of aqua ammonia or triethanolamine. Morphology of the surface of the TiO2 shell can be regulated by changing the amounts of aqua ammonia and triethanolamine synchronously. The PS/TiO2 nanocomposite particles obtained at 2.00 g/0.10 g, 3.00 g/0.20 g and 5.00g/0.40 g of aqua ammonia/triethanolamine showed good morphology of the surface of the TiO2 shell. Roughness on the surface of the TiO2 shell was remarkably heightened when the reaction temperature of the hydrolysis and condensation process was increased from 50°C to 70°C.
Solid upper stage design process using finite burn maneuvers for low Earth orbit–geosynchronous Earth orbit transfer phase
Authors: Motlagh Javad Amiri , Novinzadeh Alireza Basohbat
Published: May 2012

This article proposes a new approach in designing a two-stage solid propulsion transfer vehicle. The upper stage’s function is to deliver satellites or cargoes to the final orbit in space to accomplish the mission of transfer. The upper stage comprises a two-stage solid propulsion system. The disciplines of propulsion, mass properties and trajectory are integrated based on finite burn assumption to produce a high integrity model of the entire vehicle. Propulsion is designed in such a way so as to deliver optimum burn time, thrust magnitude history and thrust direction history. Fuel mass is the impetus driver on performance and weight, and so considered as core of design process. Therefore, we want to minimize gross mass through optimization of fuel consumption. In this article, sizing the vehicle uses a unique finite burn assumption. The novel approach considered here, produced satisfactory results for test case. This method provides designers with an efficient and powerful approach in space systems designing.
Measuring functional outcome after total hip replacement with subject-specific hip joint loading
Authors: Weber Tim , Dendorfer Sebastian , Dullien Silvia , Grifka Joachim , Verkerke Gijsbertus Jacob , Renkawitz Tobias
Published: May 2012

Total hip replacement is an often-performed orthopedic surgical procedure; the amount of procedures undertaken will increase since our life expectancy is growing. In order to optimize function, hip biomechanics should be restored to as near normal as possible. The goal of this pilot study was to determine whether or not it is feasible to compute the vectorial hip reaction force pathways on the head of the prosthesis and the force angles relative to the cup of the prosthesis that occur during gait in total hip replacement patients, serving as an objective measurement of the functional outcome following hip replacement.

A three-dimensional gait analysis, measuring ground reaction forces and kinematics, was performed. The data retrieved from the gait analysis was used as the input for the musculoskeletal model to compute vectorial joint reaction forces for data processing. To evaluate the position and orientation of the joint reaction forces, the force path, as well as the force angles for the operated and non-operated joint, has been calculated during the stance phase of the specific leg.

The force path for subject 2 on the non-operated side is only located in the posterior-lateral quarter, as is the force path for subject 1. In contrast to this subject, the force path for subject 2 at the operated hip joint can be found only within the anterior quarter of the head of the implant, where it is nearly equally distributed in the medio-lateral half of the prosthesis head. The force-inclination angles on the cup of subject 1, with respect to the plane of the socket face, indicates that the force vector is mainly positioned in the same quadrant when compared with subject 2 (in a cup-fixed coordinate system). The force-anteversion angle behaves similarly to the force-inclination angle, even when the effects are not as pronounced.

The proposed methods in this article are aiming to define two functional outcomes of total hip replacement that are related to wear and rim loading. It is accepted that wear is not only a function of time, but a function of use. Owing to the methods listed in this article, we are able to determine a) the applied force and b) the sliding distance (force pathway) in a subject-specific manner. The computed hip-reaction force angles and the distance to the rim cup are a measurement for cup or rim loading, and occurs in the so-called safe-zones. This method may well give us insight into the biomechanical situation during gait, after receiving total hip replacement, that we need to fully understand the mechanisms acting on a hip joint and to prove a possible increase of functional outcome after receiving total hip replacement.
Trauma and Sex Surveys Meet Minimal Risk Standards
Authors: Yeater Elizabeth , Miller Geoffrey , Rinehart Jenny , Nason Erica
Published: May 2012

Institutional review boards assume that questionnaires asking about “sensitive” topics (e.g., trauma and sex) pose more risk to respondents than seemingly innocuous measures (e.g., cognitive tests). We tested this assumption by asking 504 undergraduates to answer either surveys on trauma and sex or measures of cognitive ability, such as tests of vocabulary and abstract reasoning. Participants rated their positive and negative emotional reactions and the perceived benefits and mental costs of participating; they also compared their study-related distress with the distress arising from normal life stressors. Participants who completed trauma and sex surveys, relative to participants who completed cognitive measures, rated the study as resulting in higher positive affect and as having greater perceived benefits and fewer mental costs. Although participants who completed trauma and sex surveys reported slightly higher levels of negative emotion than did participants who completed cognitive measures, averages were very low for both groups, and outliers were rare. All participants rated each normal life stressor as more distressing than participating in the study. These results suggest that trauma and sex surveys pose minimal risk.
Antibodies against domain I of β2-glycoprotein I: the one and only?
Authors: Pelkmans L , de Laat B
Published: May 2012

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is diagnosed by the occurrence of thrombosis and/or specific pregnancy morbidity. However, the diagnosis of APS is not easy and is hampered by several problems including high prevalence of clinical symptoms and high variability between different assays resulting in a high false-positive rate. Currently APS can be diagnosed for example by detecting anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies by ELISA. It has been reported that β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) changes its conformation from a native to an active form and thereby it opens up enabling antibodies to bind a specific epitope. We amongst others have shown that epitope glycine40-arginine43 of domain I of β2GPI is predominantly responsible for binding thrombosis related antibodies. Antibodies with affinity towards other epitopes have not been associated with thrombosis. Despite these results the question remains whether these domain I antibodies are the only antibodies of importance for the detection of APS.
Standardization of lupus anticoagulant. The Lupus Anticoagulant Sensitivity Index (LASI)
Authors: Tripodi A , Chantarangkul V , Pengo V
Published: May 2012

Results for lupus anticoagulant (LA) are expressed as ratio of patient-to-normal clotting times (LA-ratio) according to the equation LA-ratio = (PatientClotting time/NormalClotting time). However, numerical results vary according to the method used for testing, thus making difficult the between-method and between-laboratory comparison of results. The hypothesis that the standardization model currently employed for the international normalized ratio for patients on warfarin is valid also for LA standardization has been taken into consideration. The model calls for the determination of a LA-sensitivity index (LASI) for each commercial method for LA detection against a common standard method. The LASI is then used to convert the LA-ratio into a scale called standardized LA-ratio (SLA-ratio) according to the equation SLA-ratio = (LA-ratio)LASI. The model proved effective in minimizing the between-method variability of results for LA detection. If implemented it could be a valuable tool to improve the comparability of results obtained in different laboratories, to quantify the LA potency and thus pave the way to the organization of collaborative clinical trials aimed at assessing whether the potency of LA is a risk factor for clinical events.
Pathophysiology of thrombotic APS: where do we stand?
Authors: de Groot PG , Urbanus RT , Derksen RHWM
Published: May 2012

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is diagnosed when patients with thrombotic complications or foetal losses have elevated levels of antiphospholipid antibodies in their plasmas. The term APS is confusing, because the pathogenic auto-antibodies are not directed against phospholipids but towards a plasma protein, β2-glycoprotein I. For many years the reason why auto-antibodies against β2-glycoprotein I were pro-thrombotic was unclear, because man and mice deficient in β2-glycoprotein I do not express a clear phenotype. Animal models in which passive transfer of patient antibodies into mice resulted in an increased thrombotic response have provided novel insights in the importance of this protein in the pathology of APS.
Avidity of anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Čučnik S , Kveder T , Artenjak A , Gallova Z Ulcova , Swadzba J , Musial J , Iwaniec T , Stojanovich L , Alessandri C , Valesini G , Avčin T , Tervaert JW Cohen , Rozman B , Božič B
Published: May 2012

Antibodies against β2-glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) are one of the hallmarks of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). However, they are heterogenic regarding their epitope specificity, pathogenic mechanisms and their avidity. In the current study we present some outstanding issues about avidity of anti-β2GPI antibodies. Our results confirmed that high avidity anti-β2GPI are associated with thrombosis and APS, while in low avidity anti-β2GPI group non-APS (predominantly systemic lupus erythematosus) patients prevailed.
Autoantibodies against galectin-2 peptides as biomarkers for the antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Janko C , André S , Munoz LE , Briand JP , Schorn C , Winkler S , Schiller M , Andreoli L , Manfredi AA , Isenberg DA , Schett G , Gabius HJ , Muller S , Herrmann M
Published: May 2012

Autoantibodies against opsonins of dying and dead cells mediate Fcγ receptor-dependent phagocytosis of autologous apoptotic and necrotic cells and hereby tend to elicit inflammation instead of silent clearance. We analysed sera of patients with chronic autoimmune diseases for the occurrence of IgG autoantibodies recognizing galectins. These pluripotent effectors can also bind to apoptotic or necrotic cells. Patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS; n = 104) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; n = 62) were examined, healthy donors ( n = 31) served as controls. Selected peptides of galectin (Gal)-2 were employed for peptide-based ELISAs. Levels of anti-Gal-2PEP-IgG were significantly increased in SLE and APS when compared with controls. In addition, patients with APS showed significantly higher levels of anti-Gal-2PEP-IgG compared with patients with SLE. Anti-Gal-2PEP-IgG may, therefore, be considered novel biomarkers for APS.
Antiphospholipid syndrome in northwest Italy (APS Piedmont Cohort): demographic features, risk factors, clinical and laboratory profile
Authors: Bertero MT , Bazzan M , Carignola R , Montaruli B , Silvestro E , Sciascia S , Vaccarino A , Baldovino S , Roccatello D
Published: May 2012

We report the experience from the Antiphospholipid Antibodies (aPL) Regional Consortium in northwest Italy, meant to support clinical research and foster collaboration among health professionals regarding the diagnosis and management of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients. This cohort-study (APS Piedmont Cohort) was designed to register the clinical characteristics at inception and associated immunological manifestations at diagnosis (if any) of patients who strictly fulfilled the current criteria for APS, all recruited at the Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta regions.

Clinical and laboratory data from 217 APS patients (171 with vascular events, 33 with pregnancy morbidity and 13 with both), from 16 centres within the geographical area were collected. Venous thrombosis was recorded in 45.6% of patients, arterial thrombosis in 35%, small-vessel thrombosis in 1.12% and mixed arterial and venous thrombosis in the remaining 19.4% of the cases. Pregnancy morbidity included 19 patients with unexplained fetal death beyond the 10th week of pregnancy, 17 with premature birth before the 34th week and 10 with three or more unexplained spontaneous abortions before the 10th week of gestation. This consortium represents an instrument by which to audit clinical practice, to provide counselling to local centres and to sustain future basic and clinical APS research.
‘By the Evidence of This City’: Enclosing Land and Memory in Fifteenth-century Coventry
Authors: Leech Donald
Published: May 2012

Enclosures of common lands were a contentious issue in fifteenth-century England receiving much opposition throughout society. Yet ultimately enclosing succeeded. In Coventry during the fifteenth century the disputes over enclosures were wedded to the process of cementing authority by the oligarchy over memory and record-keeping, as well as over the land. Once authority passed from custom to law as declared by the city council, control over the commons passed from the hands of the common craftsmen. The series of disputes over commons enclosures in Coventry between William Bristowe and the city leadership provide a detailed example of the process of enclosing authority over land and memory.
Development of a Bovine leukemia virus polymerase gene–based real-time polymerase chain reaction and comparison with an envelope gene–based assay
Authors: Heenemann Kristin , Lapp Stefanie , Teifke Jens P. , Fichtner Dieter , Mettenleiter Thomas C. , Vahlenkamp Thomas W.
Published: May 2012

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) causes a persistent infection with provirus formation in B-lymphocytes. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the conserved BLV polymerase (BLV pol) gene sequences was developed. Dually labeled probes were used to permit detection by the 5′ exonuclease assay. The assay was validated with 350 samples of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells including 144 samples from BLV-seropositive animals worldwide (South America, Europe, Middle East, Australia) representing 5 of the recently described 7 BLV envelope–based genotypes. The BLV pol real-time PCR proved to be highly specific and sensitive with the detection of up to 1 copy of an internal control plasmid. The 95% confidence intervals for assay sensitivity and specificity were ≥98.27% and ≥98.33%, respectively. Restriction fragment length polymorphism and phylogenetic BLV pol–based sequence analysis of the investigated samples were performed and compared with the previous described BLV env–based genotypes. Grouping of the sequences based on the pol gene yielded similar results as the env gene–based assay.
The Coming Crisis in Social Work
Authors: Longhofer Jeffrey , Floersch Jerry
Published: May 2012

In this essay, the authors consider the challenge made by two keynote speakers at recent social work research conferences, one in the United States and the other in Europe. Both spoke of a knowledge crisis in social work. Both John Brekke (Society for Social Work and Research) and Peter Sommerfeld (First Annual European Conference for Social Work Research) proposed some version of realism as a solution to the crisis. The authors will deepen the argument for realism, however, by discussing how a critical realist perspective allows us to rethink positivist and conventionalist assumptions about the fact/value relation. Using a critical realist philosophy of social science, the authors discuss how social work has taken up positivism and myriad forms of conventionalism and also identify how practical knowledge gradually loses its place and thus contribute to social work’s ongoing knowledge crisis. The authors then offer a way of thinking about practice. The authors will consider forms of practice knowledge and propose that social work has four kinds that unfold in essentially open systems: discursive, visual, embodied, and liquid systems, and that each of these have both tacit and explicit dimensions. These forms of practice, moreover, are inevitably situated in theory-to-practice gaps (the authors call them phenomenological practice gaps), which are the source of social work’s knowledge crisis. The authors conclude with a discussion of the role of reflexivity in a science of social work.
Visionary Ambiguity and Strategic Change
Authors: Gioia Dennis A. , Nag Rajiv , Corley Kevin G.
Published: May 2012

Can ambiguous vision statements help to initiate strategic change? We draw on organizational and political concepts to make the case that ambiguity in the expression of future aspirations enables a sense of alignment between local and larger organizational goals that eases the political path to successful change. We also explore the paradox that, occasionally, the path out of ambiguity involves the initial injection of even more ambiguity into an already ambiguous situation. In addition, we demonstrate that consideration of a practical problem (how to effectively initiate strategic change) and a nonobvious recommendation (to employ an intentionally ambiguous vision) leads to a deeper exploration of key processes involved in the revision of personal and organizational knowledge.
Science Communication in a Café Scientifique for High School Teens
Authors: Mayhew Michael A. , Hall Michelle K.
Published: May 2012

The authors’ adaptation of the popular Café Scientifique model has proven to be effective for communicating science to a high school teen audience. Their process for achieving effective science communication between scientist-presenters and teens focuses on overcoming the “information deficit” mode of presentation that most scientists are trained for. Their coaching stresses that effective science communication requires engagement on a personal level that meets the audience where it is in terms of both prior knowledge and social context, while making connections to the teens’ daily lives. Scientist-presenters report strong satisfaction with the coaching process and the resulting quality of science communication.
Interrogating Researcher Participation in an Interview Study of Intercultural Contribution in the Workplace
Authors: Holliday Adrian
Published: May 2012

As part of a study of intercultural contribution to workplace practices, an interview with Sara, a long-term newcomer to Britain, reveals how her non-Western background has made her a more effective manager despite a sustained feeling of being “foreign.” However, much of what she says appears to be in response to considerable researcher suggestion that might invalidate the interview. Further analysis of the interview interaction is set within the context of the need to interrogate established scripts about culture, to uncover alternative, tacit understandings, to address creatively the subjectivities of the interview, and to “dig deep.” The analysis reveals that the researcher’s participation indeed contributes to “getting to the bottom of things” and is validated by there still being space for the autonomous emergence of the unexpected in Sara’s contribution, which goes beyond the agenda of the researcher.
Fiction and the Feminist Academic Novel
Authors: Leavy Patricia
Published: May 2012

This article reviews the use of fiction as a qualitative research method. The article focuses on the feminist academic novel as a means of representing qualitative research, raising feminist consciousness, accessing hard-to-get-at dimensions of social life, opening up a multiplicity of meanings, tapping into empathy and resonance as ways of knowing and reaching diverse audiences with feminist social research knowledge. The article centers on the construction of the two lead female characters in the feminist arts-based novel, Low-Fat Love.
Aseptic meningitis: A rare side effect of cetuximab therapy
Authors: Emani MK , Zaiden RA
Published: May 2012

Cetuximab, a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor, is indicated for the treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer and recurrent or metastatic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck after failure of platinum-based therapy. The commonly reported side effects of cetuximab are infusion-related reactions, skin rash, fatigue, malaise and nausea. We report a case of aseptic meningitis developing as a rare side effect in a patient of stage IVB squamous maxillary cancer treated with cetuximab. To our knowledge, there have been very few cases of cetuximab-induced aseptic meningitis reported in literature. Clinicians should recognize that self-limiting aseptic meningitis can occur with administration of cetuximab. Our case report may serve as an additional reference for clinicians encountered with aseptic meningitis in the setting of using cetuximab.
Methylphenidate in Children With ADHD With or Without Learning Disability
Authors: Williamson David , Murray Desiree W. , Damaraju C. V. , Ascher Steve , Starr H. Lynn
Published: May 2012

Objective: To explore treatment response to Osmotic Release Oral System® (OROS) methylphenidate in children with ADHD with and without comorbid learning disability (LD). Method: Data were analyzed from two 6-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover studies evaluating individually determined doses of OROS methylphenidate versus placebo in 135 children (ages 9 to 12 years) with ADHD with or without an LD in reading, math, or both. The sample was demographically diverse, with 31% females and more than 40% minority, predominantly African American and Hispanic. On two laboratory school days, participants received either OROS methylphenidate or placebo and were given a battery of cognitive and behavioral tests. Results: Treatment with OROS methylphenidate led to improvement in ADHD Rating Scale scores for participants with or without comorbid LD. Both groups performed better during treatment with OROS methylphenidate than placebo on measures of cognitive skills (i.e., Test of Variables of Attention, Finger Windows Backwards), academically related tasks (i.e., Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Test of Handwriting Skills–Revised, Permanent Product Math Test), and observed classroom behavior (i.e., Swanson, Kotkin, Alger, M-Flynn, and Pelham Scale). Conclusion: In children with ADHD with or without comorbid LD, behavior and performance improved during treatment with OROS methylphenidate.
Is the Diagnosis of ADHD Influenced by Time of Entry to School? An Examination of Clinical, Familial, and Functional Correlates in Children at Early and Late Entry Points
Authors: Biederman Joseph , Petty Carter R. , Fried Ronna , Woodworth K. Yvonne , Faraone Stephen V.
Published: May 2012

Objective: The authors examined the proposed immaturity hypothesis, which suggests that younger children may have developmental immaturity and not ADHD, using data from a large, clinically referred population of individuals with and without ADHD. Method: The sample consisted of individuals with and without an ADHD diagnosis, ascertained from ongoing studies in our laboratory, born in August (Younger Cohort N = 562) and born in September (Older Cohort N = 529). The authors compared studywide diagnosis rates of ADHD, ADHD familiality patterns, ADHD symptoms, psychiatric comorbidity, and functional impairments between the two cohorts. Results: Studywide rates of ADHD diagnosis, ADHD-associated symptoms, ADHD-associated impairments, ADHD-associated comorbid disorders, and familiality were similar in the two age cohorts. Conclusion: Results showed that ADHD-associated familial, clinical, and functional correlates are similar irrespective of age at entry to school, indicating that when ADHD symptoms are present, a diagnosis of ADHD should be considered rather than attributing these symptoms to developmental immaturity.
ADHD Prevalence in Lebanese School-Age Population
Authors: Richa Sam , Rohayem Jihane , Chammai Rabih , Kazour Francois , Haddad Ramzi , Hleis Sani , Alameddine Abbas , Gerbaka Bernard
Published: May 2012

Objective: The authors conducted an epidemiological study in Lebanon to estimate ADHD prevalence in school-age population. Method: They selected 1,000 children aged between 6 and 10 years, admitted in several schools in Lebanon. In each district, they randomly chose five schools, and in each school two classes. From each class, 10 children were included randomly in the population of the study. For each child, an ADHD-Rating Scale–IV School version was filled by a main teacher. The Home version was filled by the child’s parents. Results: The prevalence of ADHD Inattentive subtype was 3 per 1,000, Hyperactive-Impulsive subtype 12 per 1,000, and ADHD Combined subtype 17 per 1,000. ADHD was significantly more prevalent in boys than in girls. Conclusion: This is the first epidemiological study to be conducted in Lebanon to estimate the prevalence of ADHD among children.
The Fiscal Impact of Population Aging in Germany
Authors: Kluge Fanny Annemarie
Published: May 2012

Previous studies have shown that population aging has severe consequences for public spending. However, in welfare states with a federal budget structure, population aging will affect the levels of government to differing degrees. This article focuses on the impact of population aging on the fiscal system of the Federal Republic of Germany. The analysis draws upon profiles for public transfer flows by single years of age to illustrate the impact of age structure changes on the cost and revenue structures at the different levels of government. The results show that Länder and local governments are likely to achieve cost reductions while the federal budget and social security will face higher expenditures because of the increasing number of elderly people. This study provides valuable information on the age utilization of public flows and on the need for restructuring the allocation rules for government revenues and expenditures across levels of government.
Severe hypoglycaemia in a cat with primary hypoadrenocorticism
Authors: Kasabalis Dimitris , Bodina Efi , Saridomichelakis Manolis N
Published: May 2012

This case report describes a 3-year-old, castrated male, mixed-breed cat with historical, clinical and laboratory findings compatible with primary hypoadrenocorticism, confirmed by adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test. Severe but asymptomatic hypoglycaemia was an unexpected biochemical finding and resolved after fludrocortisone acetate and prednisolone treatment. This case demonstrates that hypoadrenocorticism should be included in the differentials list of severe hypoglycaemia in cats.
Impact of Cystatin C and RIFLE on Renal Function Assessment After Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Magro Marcia Cristina da Silva , Vattimo Maria de Fatima Fernandes
Published: May 2012

The lack of a consensus classification system and of a specific, sensitive, and early-stage biomarker for kidney injury frequently results in late diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI). The aim of the present study was to characterize the discriminatory power of cystatin C and the RIFLE and Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria for the assessment of renal dysfunction after cardiac surgery. A longitudinal, quantitative study was conducted in intensive care units of the Heart Institute (São Paulo, Brazil) in which 121 patients were followed for the first 72 hr after cardiac surgery. Most of the patients were male (61.2%), and the mean age was 50 years. The most frequent surgeries were valve replacement (48.8%) and myocardial revascularization (43.8%). AKI was defined as an increase of at least 50%, 0.3 mg/dl or 0.5 mg/dl in baseline serum creatinine. The percentage of participants meeting each of these criteria was 13.2%, 28.1%, and 11.6%, respectively. A progressive increase in cystatin C levels was associated with a worsening of renal function, as classified by RIFLE and AKIN ( p < .05). Analysis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed the RIFLE and AKIN classification to have good discriminatory power for the assessment of renal function, with the performance of cystatin C being poorer (area under the curve: 0.804 and 0.794 vs. 0.719). However, combining cystatin C and RIFLE resulted in greater discriminatory power for detecting kidney injury in postoperative patients than any marker in isolation.