bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Role of Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio in Solid Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Templeton Arnoud J. , Ace Olga , McNamara Mairéad G. , Al-Mubarak Mustafa , Vera-Badillo Francisco E. , Hermanns Thomas , Šeruga Boštjan , Ocaña Alberto , Tannock Ian F. , Amir Eitan
Published: May 2014

Background: Inflammation influences cancer development and progression. An elevated platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), a marker of inflammation, has been linked to poor prognosis in several malignancies. Here, we quantify the prognostic impact of this biomarker.

Methods: A systematic review of databases was conducted to identify publications exploring the association of blood PLR and overall survival (OS) in solid tumors. Data were pooled in a meta-analysis. Pooled HRs for OS by disease group and by PLR cutoff groups were computed and weighted using generic inverse-variance and random-effect modeling.

Results: Twenty studies comprising 12,754 patients were assessed. Cutoffs for PLR defining risk groups ranged from 150 to 300 and were dichotomous (12 studies; group 1) or split into three groups (<150/150–300/>300, 8 studies; group 2). Higher PLR was associated with significantly worse OS in group 1 [HR = 1.87; 95% confidence interval (CI, 1.49–2.34); P < 0.001] and with a nonsignificant association in group 2 (HR per higher category = 1.21; 95%CI, 0.97–1.50; P = 0.10). The size of effect of PLR on OS was greater for metastatic disease (HR[group 1] = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.6–2.7; HR[group 2] = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1–2.4) than for early-stage disease (HR[group 1] = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0–2.2; HR[group 2] = 1.0; 95% CI, 0.8–1.3). A significant association was observed for colorectal, hepatocellular, gastroesophageal, ovarian, and pancreatic carcinoma in group 1 and for colorectal cancers in group 2.

Conclusion: A high PLR is associated with worse OS in various solid tumors. Further research of its regulation and relevance in daily practice is warranted.

Impact: PLR is a readily available and inexpensive biomarker with independent prognostic value in solid tumors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(7); 1204–12. ©2014 AACR.
Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase: Key Kinase for Stem Cell Phenotype in Glioma and Other Cancers
Authors: Ganguly Ranjit , Hong Christopher S. , Smith Luke G.F. , Kornblum Harley I. , Nakano Ichiro
Published: May 2014

Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is a member of the snf1/AMPK family of protein serine/threonine kinases that has recently gained significant attention in the stem cell and cancer biology field. Recent studies suggest that activation of this kinase is tightly associated with extended survival and accelerated proliferation of cancer stem cells (CSC) in various organs. Overexpression of MELK has been noted in various cancers, including colon, breast, ovaries, pancreas, prostate, and brain, making the inhibition of MELK an attractive therapeutic strategy for a variety of cancers. In the experimental cancer models, depletion of MELK by RNA interference or small molecule inhibitors induces apoptotic cell death of CSCs derived from glioblastoma multiforme and breast cancer, both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanism of action of MELK includes, yet may not be restricted to, direct binding and activation of the oncogenic transcription factors c-JUN and FOXM1 in cancer cells but not in the normal counterparts. Following these preclinical studies, the phase I clinical trial for advanced cancers with OTSSP167 started in 2013, as the first-in-class MELK inhibitor. This review summarizes the current molecular understanding of MELK and the recent preclinical studies about MELK as a cancer therapeutic target. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(6); 1393–8. ©2014 AACR.
A Retrospective Analysis of Tumor Volumetric Responses to Five-Fraction Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck (Glomus Tumors)
Authors: Chun Stephen G. , Nedzi Lucien A. , Choe Kevin S. , Abdulrahman Ramzi E. , Chen Susie A. , Yordy John S. , Timmerman Robert D. , Kutz Joe W. , Isaacson Brandon
Published: May 2014

Background: Skull base paragangliomas (SBP) are locally expansile tumors that can be treated with stereotactic radiotherapy with favorable results. This report describes the results of 31 patients with SBP treated with CyberKnife radiotherapy delivering a total dose of 25 Gray in five fractions. Methods: All patients treated with five-fraction CyberKnife radiotherapy at a single institution were identified between 2007 and 2013. Tumor volumetric analyses were performed to assess responses to radiotherapy. Results: Median follow-up was 24 months with a range of 4-78 months. Local control and overall survival were 100%. Of the 20 patients who presented with tinnitus, 12 reported improvement (60%), of whom 6 reported complete resolution. There was a 37.3% reduction in tumor volume among all patients (p = 0.16). On subset analysis of patients with ≥24 months of follow-up, tumor volume decreased 49% (p = 0.01). The rate of grade 1-2 toxicity was 19%, with no grade 3 or worse toxicity. Conclusion: A five-fraction CyberKnife-based stereotactic radiotherapy approach is safe and efficacious for the management for patients with SBP. Our findings suggest the potential use of this strategy as a definitive or salvage treatment option for SBP.
Familial Transmission of Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Zöller Bengt , Li Xinjun , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina
Published: May 2014

Background—

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) clusters in families, but the familial risk of VTE has not been determined among adoptees. The aim was to disentangle the contributions of genetic and environmental factors to the familial transmission of VTE.

Methods and Results—

The Swedish Multi-Generation Register was used to follow all Swedish-born adoptees born from 1932 to 2004 (n=80,214) between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 2010, for VTE. The risk of VTE was estimated in adoptees with ≥1 biological parent with VTE compared with adoptees without a biological parent with VTE. The risk of VTE was also estimated in adoptees with ≥1 adoptive parent with VTE compared with adoptees without an adoptive parent with VTE. Adoptees with ≥1 biological parent with VTE (n=137) were more likely to have VTE than adoptees without a biological parent with VTE (standardized incidence ratio) 1.51 (95% confidence interval, 1.27–1.79). The standardized incidence ratio for VTE was highest for adoptees with a biological parent diagnosed with VTE before the age of 50 years (standardized incidence ratio=2.03, 1.24–3.14). In contrast, adoptees with ≥1 adoptive parent with VTE (n=156) were not at increased risk of VTE (standardized incidence ratio=1.07, 0.91–1.25).

Conclusions—

These novel findings suggest that genetic factors make a stronger contribution to the familial transmission of VTE from parents to offspring than family environmental factors.
Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Variants in Casein Kinase II (
CSNK2A2
) to be Associated With Leukocyte Telomere Length in a Punjabi Sikh Diabetic Cohort
Authors: Saxena Richa , Bjonnes Andrew , Prescott Jennifer , Dib Patrick , Natt Praveen , Lane Jacqueline , Lerner Megan , Cooper Jackie A. , Ye Yuanqing , Li Ka Wah , Maubaret Cécilia G. , Codd Veryan , Brackett Daniel , Mirabello Lisa , Kraft Peter , Dinney Colin P. , Stowell Donald , Peyton Marvin , Ralhan Sarju , Wander Gurpreet S. , Mehra Narinder K. , Salpea Klelia D. , Gu Jian , Wu Xifeng , Mangino Massimo , Hunter David J. , De Vivo Immaculata , Humphries Steve E. , Samani Nilesh J. , Spector Tim D. , Savage Sharon A. , Sanghera Dharambir K.
Published: May 2014

Background—

Telomere length is a heritable trait, and short telomere length has been associated with multiple chronic diseases. We investigated the relationship of relative leukocyte telomere length with cardiometabolic risk and performed the first genome-wide association study and meta-analysis to identify variants influencing relative telomere length in a population of Sikhs from South Asia.

Methods and Results—

Our results revealed a significant independent association of shorter relative telomere length with type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart disease. Our discovery genome-wide association study (n=1616) was followed by stage 1 replication of 25 top signals (
P
<10
–6
) in an additional Sikhs (n=2397). On combined discovery and stage 1 meta-analysis (n= 4013), we identified a novel relative telomere length locus at chromosome 16q21 represented by an intronic variant (rs74019828) in the
CSNK2A2
gene (β=−0.38;
P
=4.5×10
−8
). We further tested 3 top variants by genotyping in UK cardiovascular disease (UKCVD) (whites n=2952) for stage 2. Next, we performed in silico replication of 139 top signals (
P
<10
–5
) in UK Twin, Nurses Heart Study, Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, and MD Anderson Cancer Controls (n=10 033) and joint meta-analysis (n=16 998). The observed signal in
CSNK2A2
was confined to South Asians and could not be replicated in whites because of significant difference in allele frequencies (
P
<0.001). CSNK2A2 phosphorylates telomeric repeat binding factor 1 and plays an important role for regulation of telomere length homoeostasis.

Conclusions—

By identification of a novel signal in telomere pathway genes, our study provides new molecular insight into the underlying mechanism that may regulate telomere length and its association with human aging and cardiometabolic pathophysiology.
The Education of Amour-Propre
Authors: Landrum Ty
Published: May 2014

In the First Discourse, Rousseau complains that modern morals encourage us to think of ourselves in an impersonal and hygienic manner, and to present ourselves in public space as dimensionless members of society. Submission to modern morals encourages conformism, Rousseau argues, and conformism precludes us from having selves of the sort upon which moral freedom depends. In this paper, I argue that Rousseau’s vision of the redemptive promise of amour-propre should be understood in light of his concern to reverse the existential catastrophe of conformism and to precipitate a social climate more hospitable to self-creation. This concern informs the moral purpose of Rousseau’s austerely republican societies, and it determines the role of amour-propre in animating the best citizens. Recent interpretive trends give too little scope to the indicated concern. In consequence, they obscure one of the richest dimensions of Rousseau’s social theory.
Eucharistic Ecclesiology and Excommunication
Authors: Long David P.
Published: May 2014

The practice of excommunication is first described in the New Testament as the conscious decision by the faithful community to exclude one of its own from the celebration of the Eucharist. It is a decision rooted in medicinal hopefulness, where the community excludes an offender from active participation in its sacramental life while always maintaining the bonds of charity and fellowship. The understanding of excommunication now seems to be shifting away from its communitarian roots, as seen in the writings of Paul, Ignatius of Antioch, and Cyprian of Carthage, towards a post-Vatican II ecclesiology that appears to emphasize the individual’s judgment of their own worthiness to receive communion. By investigating the developments in the understanding of excommunication in three stages: the Patristic era, the Scholastic period and the contemporary Catholic Church, it can be illustrated that the concepts of internal worthiness of reception of communion and external excommunication are in fact not as disparate as originally believed.
The Church of the Poor
Authors: Ilo Stan Chu
Published: May 2014

This article takes Pope Francis’ call for ‘a poor church’ in Evangelii Gaudium as a starting point for an ecclesiology of vulnerable mission for the church. Drawing from biblical, patristic, and theological sources, the article proposes two theses on the church of the poor, and links these theses with a new model of a vulnerable mission which reflects a humble, servant church which embodies in her teachings and in her inner life and external activities the priorities and practices of Christ in walking with the poor. The paper uses a biblical analysis of the first proclamation of the Lord in the Synoptic Gospels to show that an ecclesiology of vulnerable mission is a way of being church which can help transform the social context. It advances some theological steps which the theologian and the faith communities can take in becoming actively and prophetically involved in co-operating with God in bringing about in particular and group histories the eschatological fruits of God’s kingdom.
Clement of Llanthony’s Gospel Harmony and Augustine’s De Consensu Evangelistarum
Authors: Smith Paul
Published: May 2014

Clement of Llanthony’s twelfth-century Latin gospel harmony is an important British witness to the tradition of producing a continuous narrative from the four gospels that is almost as old as the gospels themselves. Close analysis of the text reveals that Clement’s harmony has no demonstrable links with the Tatianic Diatessaron tradition exemplified in the Codex Fuldensis but, rather, is possibly the earliest attempt to construct a life of Christ from Augustine’s treatise De Consensu Evangelistarum, which was written to prove the ‘harmony’ of the gospel accounts as a defence against those who pointed out their apparent contradictions.
ظهور شعار بني نصر على مقابض الأبواب بمسجد أحمد سالم الشهير بالصيني بالإسكندرية (The Appearance of Nasrid Motto on the Doorknobs of Ahmad Salem’s Mosque, Known as Elsainy in Alexandria)
Authors: عاصم عبد الكريم إسلام
Published: May 2014

The unique appearance of Nasrid motto “La ghalib ila Allah” (there is no victor other than god) on the doorknobs in Ahmad Salem Mosque, which was built in 1930, by Italian architects and designers, reflects the influence of the Andalusian art on the Islamic buildings. Many reasons could explain this influence, as the historical and religious relationship between Andalusia and Alexandria, by a lot of immigrants who came to the city and became the most famous Imams in the city. Moreover, the Italian architects and designers who were managing the largest part of the construction business in Alexandria, in the first decade of twentieth century, their studies of the Islamic Art in their country before they move to Egypt, concentrated on the Andalusian art, due to that their work in the Islamic religious buildings was influenced by the Andalusian art. Through a concentrated study in the meaning of the motto, and relating it to the conditions of constructing Ahmad Salem Mosque, and taking into consideration the remaining inscriptions in the Mosque, it becomes clear that one of the main reasons of inscribing the Nasrid motto was a reflection of Ahmad Salem‘s status after building the Mosque, showing and telling everyone that God helps everyone with good intent, and He helped me in constructing this Mosque. This means that this motto was not just copied words and art from Alhambra Palace, in Turkey; but it was selected intentionally by the owner and the designer of the Mosque.

(Please note that this article is in Arabic)
Solar Cooking in the Sahel
Authors: Newton Beth , Cowie Sophie , Rijks Derk , Banks Jamie , Brindley Helen , Marsham John H.
Published: May 2014

Solar cookers have the potential to help many of the world's poorest people, but the availability of sunshine is critical, with clouds or heavy atmospheric dust loads preventing cooking. Using wood for cooking leads to deforestation and air pollution that can cause or exacerbate health problems. For many poor people, obtaining wood is either time-consuming or expensive. Where conflicts have led to displaced people, wood shortages can become acute, leading to often violent clashes between locals and refugees. For many refugee women, this makes collecting wood a high-risk activity.

For eight years, Agrometeorological Applications Associates and TchadSolaire (AAA/TS) have been training refugees to manufacture and use solar cookers in northeastern Chad, where there are more than 240,000 refugees. Solar cookers are cheap and simple to make. They are clean and safe, greatly reduce the need for wood, reduce conf licts, reduce the time girls spend collecting wood (thus favoring education), and allow pasteurization of water. Around 140,000 people in the area are now eating solar-cooked food.

Using long-term records of direct sunshine from routine surface measurements and aerosol retrievals from SEVIRI on board Meteosat, we present a climatology of conditions suitable for solar cooking in North Africa and West Africa. Solar cookers could be widely used, on an average of about 90% of days in some locations, with large seasonal and spatial variations from changing solar elevations, dustiness, and cloudiness. The climatology will facilitate the future distribution of solar cookers by organizations such as AAA/TS, who work using high-tech information to improve the lives of millions utilizing simple technologies.
Clinical Excellence in Pediatrics
Authors: Mote Phillip C. , Solomon Barry S. , Wright Scott M. , Crocetti Michael
Published: May 2014

The 7 core domains of clinical excellence in academic medicine, as defined by the Miller-Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence at Johns Hopkins, are applicable to the field of pediatrics. The authors use published case reports and teaching models from the pediatric literature to illustrate how thoughtful clinicians have realized distinction in each of the 7 clinical excellence domains, recognizing excellent pediatric patient care serves to strengthen all 3 arms of the tripartite academic mission. Clinicians who feel valued by their institution may be more likely to remain in an academic clinical setting, where they promote the health and well-being of their patients, provide support to families and caregivers, serve as role models for pediatric trainees, and integrate research into their practice with the overall aim of improving patient outcomes.
Quasi-static and dynamic compressive properties of ceramic microballoon filled syntactic foam
Authors: Ahmadi H , Liaghat GH , Shokrieh MM , Hadavinia H , Ordys A , Aboutorabi A
Published: May 2014

The compressive behaviour of epoxy based syntactic foams filled by ceramic microballoons is experimentally investigated in this study. Nine different types of syntactic foams are fabricated with three different microballoon sizes and three different microballoon fractions. All of the syntactic foam specimens are tested at various strain rates from quasi-static to high strain rates. Analysis of the results is carried out on the effect of the volume fraction, microballoon size and strain rate on the compressive behaviour of syntactic foams. Also, scanning electron microscopy is used to understand the fracture mechanisms of tested specimens. The results show that as the microballoon volume fraction increases the compressive strength, compressive modulus, failure strain and plateau stress decreases for all types of syntactic foams at all strain rates. Although, this decrease is slight for 20% and 40% volume fraction, it is considerable for 60% microballoon volume fraction syntactic foam. The results indicate that reducing the microballoon size or increasing the strain rate of testing would enhance the compressive strength.
Modeling the elastic modulus of exfoliated graphite platelets filled vinyl ester: analytical predictions with consideration of filler percolation
Authors: Almagableh Ahmad , Mantena Raju , Alostaz Ahmed , Rababah Mahmoud , Aljarrah Mohammad , Awad Ahmed S
Published: May 2014

Mechanical response of nano-based composites is generally influenced by interaction of filler and matrix at interface. Increasing filler-loading within the composite may cause spatial limitation toward best dispersion of filler, and since synthesizing a totally agglomerated-free nanocomposite is difficult, filler and matrix interaction needs to be perfectly modeled. A micromechanical model is developed in this study based on the common Halpin–Tsai theory to predict the elastic stiffness of vinyl ester/exfoliated graphite platelet nanocomposites. The model considers near-rational ideal (uniformly dispersed) mixed with clustered filler-network to simulate filler-distribution conditions. A filler-dispersion level based on the filler concentration has been proposed mathematically in this study. Predictions of the proposed model considering filler morphology were compared with the predictions of the Halpin–Tsai model and the experimentally obtained results as well. The proposed model shows better accuracy in terms of stiffness over predictions of the Halpin–Tsai model and appears in a very good agreement with the experimental results obtained for vinyl ester nanocomposites.
The Mortality Penalty of Incarceration
Authors: Pridemore William Alex
Published: May 2014

There is a growing body of research on the effects of incarceration on health, though there are few studies in the sociological literature of the association between incarceration and premature mortality. This study examined the risk of male premature mortality associated with incarceration. Data came from the Izhevsk (Russia) Family Study, a large-scale population-based case-control design. Cases ( n = 1,750) were male deaths aged 25 to 54 in Izhevsk between October 2003 and October 2005. Controls ( n = 1,750) were selected at random from a city population register. The key independent variable was lifetime prevalence of incarceration. I used logistic regression to estimate mortality odds ratios, controlling for age, hazardous drinking, smoking status, marital status, and education. Seventeen percent of cases and 5 percent of controls had been incarcerated. Men who had been incarcerated were more than twice as likely as those who had not to experience premature mortality (odds ratio = 2.2, 95 percent confidence interval: 1.6–3.0). Relative to cases with no prior incarceration, cases who had been incarcerated were more likely to die from infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, non–alcohol-related accidental poisonings, and homicide. Taken together with other recent research, these results from a rigorous case-control design reveal not only that incarceration has durable effects on illness, but that its consequences extend to a greater risk of early death. I draw on the sociology of health literature on exposure, stress, and social integration to speculate about the reasons for this mortality penalty of incarceration.
Increasing Inferential Leverage in the Comparative Method
Authors: Glynn Adam N. , Ichino Nahomi
Published: May 2014

We delineate the underlying homogeneity assumption, procedural variants, and implications of the comparative method and distinguish this from Mill’s method of difference. We demonstrate that additional units can provide “placebo” tests for the comparative method even if the scope of inference is limited to the two units under comparison. Moreover, such tests may be available even when these units are the most similar pair of units on the control variables with differing values of the independent variable. Small- n analyses using this method should therefore, at a minimum, clearly define the dependent, independent, and control variables so they may be measured for additional units, and specify how the control variables are weighted in defining similarity between units. When these tasks are too difficult, process tracing of a single unit may be a more appropriate method. We illustrate these points with applications to two studies.
How can policy theory have an impact on policymaking? The role of theory-led academic–practitioner discussions
Authors: Cairney Paul
Published: May 2014

Policymakers and academics often hold different assumptions about the policymaking world based on their different experiences. Academics may enjoy enough distance from the policy process to develop a breadth of knowledge and produce generalisable conclusions across governments, while policymakers/ practitioners such as civil servants may develop in-depth expertise when developing policy for a number of years. In turn, both may learn from each other about how to understand the policymaking world. Academic–practitioner seminars and short training courses can help further that aim. Yet, there is a major barrier to such conversations: academics and practitioners may have their own language to understand policymaking, and a meaningful conversation may require considerable translation. The article explores this topic in four main ways. First, it considers the extent to which academic–practitioner discussions still use simple concepts, such as the policy cycle, rejected by policy scholars in favour of concepts explaining policymaking complexity. Second, it identifies a series of relatively simple key tenets, from policy theories designed to explain complexity, to explore the extent to which modern theories can provide straightforward insights to policy practitioners. Third, it considers how those insights, based largely on what governments do, can be used to recommend what they should do. Fourth, it considers how to engage directly with policymakers to encourage intelligent and reflexive policymaking.
Making Mountains of Morality From Molehills of Virtue
Authors: Effron Daniel A.
Published: May 2014

Seven studies demonstrate that threats to moral identity can increase how definitively people think they have previously proven their morality. When White participants were made to worry that their future behavior could seem racist, they overestimated how much a prior decision of theirs would convince an observer of their non-prejudiced character (Studies 1a-3). Ironically, such overestimation made participants appear more prejudiced to observers (Study 4). Studies 5 to 6 demonstrated a similar effect of threat in the domain of charitable giving—an effect driven by individuals for whom maintaining a moral identity is particularly important. Threatened participants only enhanced their beliefs that they had proven their morality when there was at least some supporting evidence, but these beliefs were insensitive to whether the evidence was weak or strong (Study 2). Discussion considers the role of motivated reasoning, and implications for ethical decision making and moral licensing.
Sustaining an Enterprise, Enacting SustainabiliTea
Authors: Loconto Allison
Published: May 2014

Standards that codify sustainability, such as Ethical Trade, Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance, have become a common means for value chain actors in the Global North to make statements about the values of their products and the practices of producers in the Global South. This case study of Tanzanian tea value chains takes a closer look at how sustainability, in the form of SustainabiliTea, is done by actors who did not participate in defining and standardizing the form of sustainability with which they are meant to comply. Based on data collected during a multisited ethnography, I explore the performative nature of sustainability standards. The analysis reveals sustainable projects, sustainable markets, sustainable farm management, and sustainable qualities. These multiple SustainabiliTeas work together to construct a single vision of SustainabiliTea, which is a means to sustain the enterprise. I argue that the use of standards to guide performances makes some technical and political stakes visible while rendering others invisible. By paying attention to the residual categories, the tensions between knowledge and materiality, and listening to those voices at the margins, we see what is at stake in the maintenance of SustainabiliTea: survival in the tea market.
A two-sided coin
Authors: Weigel Daniel J. , Davis Bret A. , Woodard Kristy C.
Published: May 2014

Four studies documented the pros and cons of people’s experiences of relational commitment. Study 1 used individual’s own words to develop an initial taxonomy of elements connected with commitment. Study 2 empirically refined that taxonomy, identifying three primary factors underlying perceptions of commitment—positive, negative, and constraint. Study 3 found evidence of convergent validity with various measures of relationship commitment and satisfaction. Finally, Study 4 demonstrated that the positive, negative, and constraint elements were differentially associated with ratings of positive and negative relationship quality. The findings provide an important and necessary step in efforts to create a better understanding of how individuals personally view and experience the contradictory nature of commitment in intimate relationships.
The significance of small differences: Cultural diversity and broadcasting in Ireland
Authors: Rogers Jim , O’Boyle Neil , Preston Paschal , Fehr Franziska
Published: May 2014

This article is concerned with a comparative assessment of public service and commercial broadcast media in Ireland, specifically in relation to their respective capacities to reflect and promote migration-related diversity and migrant integration. The core material drawn upon in the article derives from the findings of a recent exploratory, pilot-level European research project (‘Media for Diversity and Migrant Integration’, MEDIVA) involving Ireland and five other partner-European Union member states which sought to identify and assess the form and extent of diversity management practices in the media at the different levels of journalistic production with special reference to Third Country Nationals or persons without European Union citizenship. In this article, we first consider how processes of cultural diversification in European countries are reflected in broadcasting policies, before fixing our focus on public service broadcasting in the ‘local’ context and the changing broadcasting landscape in Ireland. We then move to our empirical-level study which examines the MEDIVA findings regarding the roles and representations of Third Country Nationals in the context of RTE and TV3, comparatively. The performance of these broadcasters in this respect is assessed and examined in terms of programme production processes, recruitment practices, media training and content output. The transformations that Irish society have experienced in terms of the demographics of its population over the past two decades make Ireland a very interesting if not unique case study here. We then consider the extent to which the Irish setting resonates with the broader European context, and seek to identify specific points of correspondence and difference between the Irish broadcasting experience and that of the other countries participating in the MEDIVA project. While the nature of the differences in the approach of public service and commercial broadcasters to migrant diversity may prove to be relatively minor, they nevertheless demonstrate an interesting and significant divergence when considered from a range of perspectives.
The rise of the non-state ‘place-based’ economic development strategy
Authors: Harrison John
Published: May 2014

This article explores an alternative model of local and regional economic development, specifically the rise of the non-state ‘place-based’ economic development strategy. Illustrated through a case study of the Peel Group’s Atlantic Gateway Strategy in North West England, the article showcases the near-future potential for a growth in alternative place-based economic development strategies designed, orchestrated and implemented by non-state actors. In an era where both state and society find themselves increasingly reliant on non-state actors – in particular major private investment groups – to deliver the future jobs, growth and regeneration of major urban regions, this article highlights a series of important concerns that the rise of non-state spatial strategies pose for place-based economic development interventions.
Fatal Parastrongylus dujardini Infection in Captive Callitrichids
Authors: Graille M. , Ferté H. , Petit T. , Courtois F. Ollivet , Gauchot J.-Y. , Nougaillon J.-L. , Vitaud C. , Wardzynski C. , Lemberger K.
Published: May 2014

Intravascular nematodes were considered the cause of death of 14 captive callitrichids. All animals were captive born at zoos in France and died with little or no premonitory signs of disease. No consistent gross lesions were observed at necropsy, although in certain cases intracardiac adult parasites were noted. The most significant histologic findings were verminous pneumonia and pulmonary endarteritis. In all cases except one, intravascular adult nematodes were observed with eggs and larvae in the lungs. Adult nematodes were obtained from 8 animals and in all cases were identified as Parastrongylus dujardini. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of intravascular angiostrongylosis with primary cardiopulmonary location in callitrichids in France.
Aberrant Forms of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis as Spheroplasts and Filaments in Yersiniosis in Squirrel Monkeys
Authors: Nakamura S. , Hayashidani H. , Okabe N. , Une Y.
Published: May 2014

This report describes atypical cases of yersiniosis in squirrel monkeys in which aberrant forms of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis were seen. There were 2 outbreaks due to yersiniosis in squirrel monkeys in Japan. The monkeys had systemic necrotizing and hemorrhagic lesions with Gram-negative rod-shaped bacilli and microthromboembolism in the kidneys. Some lesions contained filaments, globular bodies, and other pleomorphic forms of bacteria. All forms were usually seen in the same lesions, and those with pleomorphic morphology appeared to be an intermediate form between the rod-shaped bacteria and the filaments or globular bodies. In addition, they had strong immunolabeling for Y. pseudotuberculosis, as did the rod-shaped bacteria. Therefore, the globular bodies, filaments, and others are strongly suspected to be shape-changed bacilli of Y. pseudotuberculosis. These morphologically altered bacteria could cause errors in diagnosis since they resemble fungi or protozoa, and special staining techniques, including immunohistochemistry, can be helpful in establishing the correct diagnosis.
Nonprofit–Public Collaborations
Authors: Cornforth Chris , Hayes John Paul , Vangen Siv
Published: May 2014

As many of the challenges facing society are too complex to be addressed by single organizations working alone, nonprofit organizations are increasingly working in collaboration with public authorities. The governance of nonprofit–public collaborations is important for their effectiveness, yet it remains poorly understood. Drawing on case study research, this article examines and develops an extant conceptual model developed by Takahashi and Smutny that seeks to explain the formation and demise of nonprofit collaborations in terms of “collaborative windows” and the inability to adapt initial governance structures. The research finds that while initial governance structures are an important constraint on development, they can be adapted and changed. It also suggests that the development of collaborations is not only influenced by changes in the collaborative window but also by how key actors in the collaboration respond to important internal tensions.
Polymer alloys of high-molecular-weight benzoxazine and epoxy resin
Authors: Uchida Shoya , Kawauchi Takehiro , Furukawa Nobuyuki , Takeichi Tsutomu
Published: May 2014

Novel polymer alloys were prepared by curing the mixture of a high-molecular-weight benzoxazine (B-oda) that was synthesized from 4,4′-oxydianiline (oda), bisphenol-A, and formaldehyde and a typical epoxy resin prepolymer, epoxy-terminated copolymer of bisphenol-A and epichlorohydrin, up to 240°C. It was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetric and infrared (IR) investigations that the novel alloys had ether linkages that was formed by the reaction between the phenolic hydroxyl groups formed from the thermal ring-opening polymerization of B-oda and the epoxy groups of the epoxy resin. The properties of the alloy films were compared with polybenzoxazine (PB-oda), the pristine polybenzoxazine obtained by curing B-oda without the epoxy resin. The alloy films were more flexible and were found to have higher glass transition temperatures ( Tgs) from the dynamic mechanical analyses. From the IR analyses of the films, the polymer alloys were found to have higher amount of intermolecular hydrogen bonding compared with the pristine PB-oda. It was suggested that this increase of the hydrogen bonding was the cause of the higher Tgs of the polymer alloys.
Levator ani deformation during the second stage of labour
Authors: Berardi Mario , Martinez-Romero Oscar , Elías-Zúñiga Alex , Rodríguez Mauricio , Ceretti Elisabetta , Fiorentino Antonio , Donzella Giorgio , Avanzini Andrea
Published: May 2014

A very important medical problem for females is urinary incontinence, sometimes associated with faecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. One of the most common reasons these issues are increasing is clearly the muscle damage during childbirth. This article focusses on understanding the complex behaviour of the levator ani muscles involved in the second stage of labour. A geometrical model obtained from a 23-year-old nulliparous woman was used to simulate childbirth. Several assumptions were introduced in order to simplify the problem without significantly affecting the global response of the system. An anisotropic hyperelastic model was used to characterize the material behaviour; the muscle fibres were assumed to be mostly orientated circumferentially. In addition, particular attention was also put to the boundary conditions of the model. The introduction of the constraints imposed by the coccyx bone in the central area of the levator ani group represents one the most important improvement compared to previous computational models. The maximum deformation and stress were found in the pubococcygeus muscle of the levator ani group. A stretch value close to 2.2 was determined by considering different material parameters. The results seem convincing with respect to medical observation and previous analysis. However, there are still some limitations concerning the material definition and the geometry and trajectory of the head that can be further improved.
Effect of impeller blade trimming on the performance of a 5.5:1 pressure ratio centrifugal compressor
Authors: Swain Daniel , Engeda Abraham
Published: May 2014

Centrifugal compressor blade trimming can be used for the purpose of changing the performance characteristics of an impeller or allowing a single impeller design to be used for a range of operating conditions. There are different methods of impeller blade trimming that may be employed to change the impeller flow rate, the pressure ratio, or both. In this study, computational fluid dynamics is used to model the effects of two different methods of blade trimming on a single centrifugal compressor design. Impeller performance characteristics and analysis of the flow field are presented for a series of trims. Trimming the passage area from inlet to outlet along the meridional length reduced the flow rate of the impeller and narrowed the effective operating range. The head coefficient and efficiency relative to the choked flow coefficient remained unchanged as the passage area is reduced; however, the flow rate is reduced by a greater amount than the inlet area is reduced. Trimming the impeller blades by shifting the shroud profile in the axial direction caused the head coefficient to be reduced while maintaining a constant flow coefficient. This method of trimming is limited by choking in the radial portion of the passage, and the head coefficient for the impeller studied was able to be reduced by up to 15% before further trimming limited the choked flow rate.
Effects of Leukoreduction and Premedication With Acetaminophen and Diphenhydramine in Minimizing Febrile Nonhemolytic Transfusion Reactions and Allergic Transfusion Reactions During and After Blood Product Administration
Authors: Duran Joana , Siddique Sulman , Cleary Myra
Published: May 2014

Transfusion-related reactions cause unwanted interruptions in blood-product administration and potential complications for patients. The most common reactions are febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs) and allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs). The presence of leukocytes in blood products has been associated with these reactions, and efficacy of leukoreduction in minimizing FNHTRs and ATRs has recently been investigated. In addition, premedication with acetaminophen and diphenhydramine is the most widely used practice in minimizing FNHTRs and ATRs, yet the benefit of this is not supported by research. The aim of this systematic literature review was to evaluate the potential benefits of both of these interventions in minimizing FNHTRs and ATRs and provide recommendations for practice. We found moderate quality evidence with strong recommendations for the practice of leukoreduction in minimizing FNHTRs but not ATRs. We did not find evidence to support the use of premedications in minimizing transfusion-related reactions, and we question the need for this practice in settings where leukoreduction is used.
Improving Maternity Care in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Foster Jennifer , Gossett Sarah , Burgos Rosa , Cáceres Ramona , Tejada Carmen , Dominguez García Luis , Ambrosio Rosario Angel , Almonte Asela , Perez Lydia J.
Published: May 2014

This article is a report of the process and results of a feasibility pilot study to improve the quality of maternity care in a sample of 31 women and their newborns delivering in a public, tertiary hospital in the Dominican Republic. The pilot study was the first “action step” taken as a result of a formative, community-based participatory research (CBPR) study conducted between 2008 and 2010 by an interdisciplinary, international partnership of U.S. academic researchers, Dominican medical/nursing personnel, and Dominican community health workers. Health personnel and community health workers separately identified indicators most important to measure quality of antepartum maternity care: laboratory and diagnostic studies and respectful, interpersonal communication. At the midpoint and the completion of data collection, the CBPR team evaluated the change in quality indicators to assess improvement in care. The pilot study supports the idea that joint engagement of community health workers, health personnel, and academic researchers with data creation and patient monitoring is motivating for all to continue to improve services in the cultural context of the Dominican Republic
A Mixed Methods Study of Health Care Experience Among Asian Indians in the Southeastern United States
Authors: De Gagne Jennie C. , Oh Jina , So Aeyoung , Haidermota Murtaza , Lee Shih-Yu
Published: May 2014

Purpose: The study explored health care experiences among Asian Indian immigrants living in the Southeastern United States. Design and Method: A concurrent triangulation mixed methods design was used with a purposive sample of 125 Asian Indian immigrants aged between 40 and 64 years in the survey and 10 participants in the focus group. Results: The majority of the participants had health insurance and higher socioeconomic status. They had a moderate level of knowledge on the U.S. health care system and health insurance while presenting moderate satisfaction with the system. Barriers to health care services and needs in the health care system were identified from both quantitative and qualitative data. Some of the barriers were high costs, dissatisfaction with services, and inconvenience in accessing services. Participants called for self-management and community-based health programs as well as culturally tailored health care services. Discussion and Conclusion: Findings congruent with prior studies further support the importance of comprehending Asian Indians’ unique cultural background and experiences in the health care system. This study can be the foundation for culturally competent care to advance the body of transcultural nursing knowledge. Implications for Practice: Culturally congruent community-based health care programs are needed to provide better care for the ethnic minority to maintain and promote their health status.
The Faces of Hunger
Authors: Spies Tracy G. , Morgan Joseph John , Matsuura Miki
Published: May 2014

The relationship between students’ living in poverty and academic underachievement challenges schools across the nation. Poverty is particularly prevalent among children with disabilities. One detrimental condition of poverty that directly affects student development and academic achievement is food insecurity and hunger. With the increasing number of children identified as living in food-insecure households, it is inevitable that at some point, a teacher will work with a child suffering from hunger. With this article, the authors hope to assist educators in understanding poverty and its relationship to childhood hunger. Tips for identifying the signs and symptoms of hunger are shared. School- and classroom-level recommendations are made to aid in alleviating hunger in school-age children.
The Case for Performance Management In Public Works and Infrastructure
Authors: Yusuf Juita-Elena (Wie) , Leavitt William M.
Published: May 2014

This article serves as the introduction for the four articles in this symposium issue on performance measurement and management for public works and public infrastructure. The effective management of performance in public works organizations has received an inadequate amount of study in the academic literature and it is hoped that this symposium will provide the impetus for more research on the important of performance measurement and management in public works organizations. The complexity of and challenges to performance measurement and management in public works organizations, themes that cut across all the symposium articles, are outlined and discussed in this introduction article.
Television as a travel purchasing medium
Authors: Hu Hsin-Hui “Sunny” , Chen Po-Tsang , King Brian
Published: May 2014

Drawing upon a survey of Taiwanese consumers, this article investigates how the richness of information available through television (TV) travel products and the presence of an ‘information transportation’ effect influences perceived risk and purchasing intentions. The results suggest that information transportation is negatively related to perceived risk, whilst information richness influences purchase intention of TV travel product. It was also found that the less risk consumers perceived, the more purchase intention they showed for the intangible nature of tourism products. This study serves as a starting point to understand consumers’ purchase intentions for travel products in non-store retailing and would provide suggestions for travel operators to attract consumers effectively and increase their purchase intentions.
Contextually appropriate emotional word use predicts adaptive health behavior: Emotion context sensitivity and treatment adherence
Authors: Harvey Meredith M , Coifman Karin G , Ross Gail , Kleinert Dorothy , Giardina Patricia
Published: May 2014

Emotion context sensitivity is the ability to respond emotionally in a manner that is functionally appropriate for the context in which the emotion arises. This study examined the relationship between emotion context sensitivity and treatment adherence in adults with the chronic illness Thalassemia. Emotional responses were measured by examining the frequency of positive and negative emotional words used to answer two interview questions that created two different emotional contexts. Consistent with previous research on adaptive and contextually appropriate emotions, negative emotion words were related to adherence in the context of the disease itself, while positive emotion words were related to adherence in the context of coping.
The future of European democracy
Authors: Outhwaite William
Published: May 2014

Given that we have democracy of a kind in most of Europe, and that there seems a reasonable prospect of its survival in, and extension to the rest of, the sub-continent, this article asks whether and to what extent we also need European-level democratic politics and how we might hope to achieve this, against the background of the current crisis. This article examines the ‘democratic deficit’ in the EU and the tensions between its formal decision-making structures and the growth of what has been called ‘executive federalism’, and also between collective planning and deregulation.