bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D polymorphism and acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Deng Xingqi , Zhang Shaokun , Jin Kun , Li Lanyan , Gu Wei , Liu Mei , Zhou Ling
Published: April 2015

Background:

Some studies have assessed the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D polymorphism and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) risk. However, the results have been inconclusive and contradictory. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the association between ACE I/D polymorphism and ARDS risk.

Methods:

All relevant studies were searched using PubMed and EMBASE. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using random-effects models or fixed-effects models.

Results:

A total of 14 studies with 5218 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. We found that ACE I/D polymorphism significantly associated with an increased ARDS risk (OR=1.57; 95% CI 1.30–1.89; P<0.00001). In the subgroup analysis by race, Caucasians with ACE I/D polymorphism showed increased ARDS risk (OR=1.63; 95% CI 1.32–2.02; P<0.00001). However, Asians with this polymorphism did not show significantly increased ARDS risk (OR=1.31; 95% CI 0.90–1.90; P=0.95). In the subgroup analysis by age group, adults showed increased ARDS risk (OR=1.60; 95% CI 1.32–1.93; P<0.00001), while pediatric patients did not have increased ARDS risk (OR=1.15; 95% CI 0.57–2.30; P=0.70).

Conclusions:

This meta-analysis suggested that ACE I/D polymorphism might contribute to the susceptibility for ARDS.
Reacting to crises: The risk-averse nature of contemporary American public education
Authors: Moran Peter
Published: April 2015

Over the past several decades, numerous arguments have been made advancing the notion that the failings of the public education system in the United States have placed the nation’s national security or economic prosperity at risk. This article will examine some of these “crises” and explore how arguments claiming that the shortcomings of the educational system have placed the country at risk have been manipulated and revised to suit the temporal circumstances of the time. The article will also examine how federal education policy has been crafted to address risk and will argue that the most recent policy initiatives have created a risk-averse climate in public education. In particular, the implementation of policy measures has been characterized by a campaign to mitigate risk and bring uniformity and predictability to public education. In doing so, policymakers have arguably undermined some of the qualities that have made public education in the United States unique and exceptional.
Using video for microanalysis of teachers’ embodied pedagogical practices
Authors: Tobin Joseph , Hayashi Akiko
Published: April 2015

This paper briefly reviews theories of embodiment and then provides an example from our recent work on how we use video in our comparative studies of preschools to highlight embodied and implicit cultural pedagogies. The example we present focuses on how Japanese preschool teachers use the Japanese cultural practice of mimamoru (teaching by watching and waiting) as an embodied technique that combines gaze, location, posture, and touch. We demonstrate how a microanalysis of video footage, when used in conjunction with ethnographic interviews, can draw attention to culturally patterned embodied practices that may otherwise be difficult to perceive.
Luxe for Less
Authors: Yang Wan , Zhang Lu , Mattila Anna S.
Published: April 2015

As an emerging distribution channel, online discount websites are gaining popularity among luxury hotels. However, little guidance on the effectiveness of such price promotions in luxury hotels is provided in the extant literature. Building on the status consumption theories, we examine the joint effects of price promotions and need for status (NFS) on consumers’ attitudes toward the hotel as well as their intentions to return. Our results indicate that consumers who are high in NFS exhibit less favorable attitudes toward the luxury hotel and a lower likelihood to return on having learned that the hotel plans to implement price promotions through discount websites. On the contrary, customers who are low in NFS are unaffected by the presence of price promotions via discount websites. Therefore, luxury hotels that traditionally attract consumers high in NFS need to be aware that using price promotions via discount websites might have a detrimental effect on consumers’ perceptions of the hotel.
Nurses Identify Education and Communication Among Professionals as Essential in Serving ASD Children
Authors: McIntosh Constance E. , Thomas Cynthia M. , Brattain Chloe K.
Published: April 2015

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a broad term encompassing a group of neurodevelopmental disabilities. Children with ASD present behavioral, communication, and social behaviors. One in 68 individuals is diagnosed with autism. With ASD prevalence continuing to rise, it makes sense for school nurses to identify areas that may be helpful in serving this population. This school nurse focus group study shared specific areas that would benefit school nurses when working with children with autism. Two glaring trends surfaced from the focus group—continuing education needs and communication among all school professionals (i.e., teachers, special education services).
Reducing Subjective Ambivalence by Creating Doubt
Authors: DeMarree Kenneth G. , Briñol Pablo , Petty Richard E.
Published: April 2015

Ambivalence, the presence of positive and negative reactions toward an object, typically involves the subjective experience of conflict. We investigate the role that the perceived validity of each side of an ambivalent attitude plays in producing subjective ambivalence (SA). Consistent with the metacognitive model of attitudes, we demonstrated that SA is reduced when people doubt either the positive or the negative reactions. Thus, inducing doubt (in one side) can reduce SA. We further explored whether viewing both sides as invalid would lead to relatively low or to relatively high levels of SA. Consistent with the idea that equivalent perceived validity increases the difficulty of ambivalence reduction, when both sides were doubted, conflict was as high as when both sides were validated.
Translating, Reliability Testing, and Validating a Norwegian Questionnaire to Assess Adolescents’ Intentions to be Physically Active After High School Graduation
Authors: Erdvik Irina Burchard , Øverby Nina Cecilie , Haugen Tommy
Published: April 2015

This study aimed to test the reliability and validity of a Norwegian measure of adolescents’ intentions to be physically active after graduation (the Intention to be Physically Active After Graduation [IPAG] Questionnaire). The development of IPAG involved a translation and back-translation procedure and a test–retest study, performed on 105 adolescents ( M age = 17.1, SD = 0.6) from three different high schools in Kristiansand, Norway. The four IPAG items loaded on one single factor, demonstrating acceptable factor loadings (.68-.90) and acceptable Cronbach’s alpha values (.84 and .84) in both the test and retest assessment. IPAG correlated positively with a measure of attitudes toward physical activity (.61-.71) and a measure of participants’ intentions to be physically active next month (.77-.82), supporting both construct validity and criterion-related validity of the IPAG-Questionnaire. Acceptable reliability and validity of IPAG was found, which supports the use of this instrument in future research.
Disability Group Identification and Disability-Rights Advocacy
Authors: Nario-Redmond Michelle R. , Oleson Kathryn C.
Published: April 2015

Following social identity theory, the present investigation examines the political benefits of self-identification as a member of the disability community for disability-rights advocacy across college ( n = 204), community ( N = 93), and international ( N = 268) samples of adults with disabilities. Consistent with predictions, emerging adults (EAs) with disabilities ( n = 204) demonstrated more political conviction and were twice as likely to be involved in disability-rights advocacy as nondisabled peers ( n = 1,111). Studies 2 and 3 revealed that disability identification predicted disability-rights advocacy, preferences for affiliation with other disabled people, and stronger perceptions of solidarity, personal, and group discrimination. Age-group moderated effects in Study 2 such that EAs least identified as disabled reported the lowest levels of solidarity and the least awareness of discrimination. Implications of social identification for the political involvements of stigmatized groups are discussed along with complexities related to age, impairment visibility, and duration of disability.
Pakistan: National Security Dilemmas and Transition to Democracy
Authors: Yamin Saira
Published: April 2015

Empirical evidence supports the notion that emergent and hybrid democratic regimes are often unstable and conflict-ridden. While these are important findings, the implication that instability is induced by democratic transitions provides a partial understanding of the dynamic. Pakistan’s recent return to a democratic system of government provides an opportunity to test this thesis and draw inferences about prospects for democratic consolidation. Using Pakistan as a case study, the research raises three important considerations towards a more comprehensive analysis of the dynamic of instability in democratic transitions. First, it emphasizes that a developing transitioning state is sometimes afflicted with protracted conflict conditions; hence the transition process per se may not have a direct or significant causal relationship with pervasive instability. Arguably, in the Pakistani context, conflict, chaos and instability are more a manifestation of pre-existing conflict conditions, more so than symptoms of democratization. Second, in considering the impact of the transition once it sets in motion, it appears to be an exacerbating dynamic, compounding the conditions of unabated conflict through social, political and economic tensions inherent in systemic change. In light of the above, a third consideration pertaining to the low capacity of transitioning systems to mitigate conflict is brought to the fore. This is significant as institutions are often weak and poorly equipped with conflict-resolution mechanisms and processes.
India’s Needs and Naval Capabilities: A Symbiotic Relationship
Authors: Singh Baljit , Verma Neetika
Published: April 2015

The change in India’s strategy of economic development since 1991 has made the Indian Ocean critically significant in its strategic thinking, demanding attention beyond its elementary maritime security needs. Accordingly, India changed its security strategy to realize the goal of high economic growth through the medium of sea that required the augmentation of its naval capabilities. This article argues that the improvement in India’s naval capabilities has been driven by its maritime security, developmental and power-projection needs—as they share a symbiotic relationship. The improvement in India’s naval capabilities has added to its national power and enhanced its profile as a sea-faring nation and thereby strengthened its position in the international community. Notwithstanding that, further improvements—both qualitative and quantitative—are required to realize its strategic and economic goals and power projection aspirations.
China Eyes ASEAN: Evolving Multilateralism
Authors: Chan Gerald
Published: April 2015

What are the Chinese views on Asian multilateralism? To answer this question, this article uses a fresh perspective—social evolution—to look at China’s engagement with ASEAN. It aims to identify the mechanisms of change that trigger the major shifts in the bilateral relationship between China and ASEAN. It examines the nature of these mechanisms of change, traces their origins and assesses their impact. The article argues in favour of adopting a social evolutionary approach to study the China–ASEAN relationship along with the existing theoretical approaches of realism, liberalism and constructivism. Hopefully the article helps to shed some light on the puzzling dilemma of multilateralism versus bilateralism that China faces in dealing with ASEAN over trade and investments, political balancing and territorial disputes.
The biology and management of systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma
Authors: Hapgood Greg , Savage Kerry J.
Published: April 2015

Systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an aggressive CD30+ non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase–positive (ALK+) ALCL is associated with the NPM-ALK t(2;5) translocation, which is highly correlated with the identification of the ALK protein by immunohistochemistry. ALK+ ALCL typically occurs in younger patients and has a more favorable prognosis with 5-year survival rates of 70% to 90% in comparison with 40% to 60% for ALK-negative (ALK−) ALCL. Studies support young age as a strong component of the favorable prognosis of ALK+ ALCL. Until recently, no recurrent translocations were identified in ALK− ALCL. However, emerging data now highlight that ALK− ALCL is genetically and clinically heterogeneous with a subset having either a DUSP22 translocation and a survival rate similar to ALK+ ALCL or a less common P63 translocation, the latter associated with an aggressive course. Anthracycline-based regimens such as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) remain the standard first-line treatment choice for systemic ALCL, but in many patients with ALK− ALCL, it is ineffective, and thus it is often followed by consolidative autologous stem cell transplantation. However, selection of appropriate patients for intensified therapy remains challenging, particularly in light of genetic and clinical heterogeneity in addition to the emergence of new, effective therapies. The antibody drug conjugate brentuximab vedotin is associated with a high response rate (86%) and durable remissions in relapsed/refractory ALCL and is under investigation in the first-line setting. In the future, combining clinical and genetic biomarkers may aid in risk stratification and help guide initial patient management.
Novel thin-GaN LED structure adopted micro abraded surface to compare with conventional vertical LEDs in ultraviolet light
Authors: Chiang Yen Chih , Lin Chien Chung , Kuo Hao Chung
Published: April 2015

In this study, novel thin-GaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (NTG-LEDs) were fabricated using wafer bonding, laser lift-off, dry etching, textured surface, and interconnection techniques. Placing PN electrodes on the same side minimized the absorption caused by electrodes in conventional vertical injection light-emitting diodes (V-LEDs) and the current spreading was improved. The light output power (700 mA) of the NTG-LEDs was enhanced by 18.3% compared with that of the V-LEDs, and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the NTG-LEDs was also relatively enhanced by 20.0% compared with that of a reference device. When the current operations were 1,500 mA, the enhancements of the light output power and EQE were 27.4% and 27.2%, respectively. Additionally, the efficiency droop was improved by more than 15% at the same current level.
The dynamics of monocytes and microglia in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Thériault Peter , ElAli Ayman , Rivest Serge
Published: April 2015

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting older people worldwide. It is a progressive disorder mainly characterized by the presence of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles within the brain parenchyma. It is now well accepted that neuroinflammation constitutes an important feature in AD, wherein the exact role of innate immunity remains unclear. Although innate immune cells are at the forefront to protect the brain in the presence of toxic molecules including Aβ, this natural defense mechanism seems insufficient in AD patients. Monocytes are a key component of the innate immune system and they play multiple roles, such as the removal of debris and dead cells via phagocytosis. These cells respond quickly and mobilize toward the inflamed site, where they proliferate and differentiate into macrophages in response to inflammatory signals. Many studies have underlined the ability of circulating and infiltrating monocytes to clear vascular Aβ microaggregates and parenchymal Aβ deposits respectively, which are very important features of AD. On the other hand, microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain and they play multiple physiological roles, including maintenance of the brain’s microenvironment homeostasis. In the injured brain, activated microglia migrate to the inflamed site, where they remove neurotoxic elements by phagocytosis. However, aged resident microglia are less efficient than their circulating sister immune cells in eliminating Aβ deposits from the brain parenchyma, thus underlining the importance to further investigate the functions of these innate immune cells in AD. The present review summarizes current knowledge on the role of monocytes and microglia in AD and how these cells can be mobilized to prevent and treat the disease.
Effect of the curing process on the transverse tensile strength of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix lamina using micromechanics computations
Authors: D’Mello Royan J , Maiarù Marianna , Waas Anthony M
Published: April 2015

The effect of the curing process on the mechanical response of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites is studied using a computational model. Computations are performed using the finite element (FE) method at the microscale where representative volume elements (RVEs) are analyzed with periodic boundary conditions (PBCs). The commercially available finite element (FE) package ABAQUS is used as the solver, supplemented by user-written subroutines. The transition from a continuum to damage/failure is effected by using the Bažant-Oh crack band model, which preserves mesh objectivity. Results are presented for a hexagonally packed RVE whose matrix portion is first subjected to curing and subsequently to mechanical loading. The effect of the fiber packing randomness on the microstructure is analyzed by considering multi-fiber RVEs where fiber volume fraction is held constant but with random packing of fibers. The possibility of failure is accommodated throughout the analysis—failure can take place during the curing process prior to the application of in-service mechanical loads. The analysis shows the differences in both the cured RVE strength and stiffness, when cure-induced damage has and has not been taken into account.
Circadian Control of the Female Reproductive Axis Through Gated Responsiveness of the RFRP-3 System to VIP Signaling
Authors: Russo Kimberly A. , La Janet L. , Stephens Shannon B. Z. , Poling Matthew C. , Padgaonkar Namita A. , Jennings Kimberly J. , Piekarski David J. , Kauffman Alexander S. , Kriegsfeld Lance J.
Published: April 2015

Throughout most of the ovulatory cycle, estrogen negative feedback restrains the GnRH neuronal system. Just before ovulation, however, estrogen negative feedback is removed to permit stimulation of the preovulatory GnRH/LH surge (positive feedback) by the circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The mammalian ortholog of avian gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone, RFamide-related peptide 3 (RFRP-3), participates in the circadian-timed removal of estrogen negative feedback to permit the LH surge. The present study examined the specific neurochemical means by which the SCN controls RFRP-3 activity and explored whether the RFRP-3 system exhibits time-dependent responsiveness to SCN signaling to precisely time the LH surge. We found that RFRP-3 cells in female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) receive close appositions from SCN-derived vasopressin-ergic and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-ergic terminal fibers. Central VIP administration markedly suppressed RFRP-3 cellular activity in the evening, but not the morning, relative to saline controls, whereas vasopressin was without effect at either time point. Double-label in situ hybridization for Rfrp-3 and the VIP receptors VPAC1 and VPAC2 revealed that the majority of RFRP-3 cells do not coexpress either receptor in Syrian hamsters or mice, suggesting that SCN VIP-ergic signaling inhibits RFRP-3 cells indirectly. The timing of this VIP-mediated disinhibition is further coordinated via temporally gated responsiveness of RFRP-3 cells to circadian signaling. Together, these findings reveal a novel circadian hierarchy of control coordinating the preovulatory LH surge and ovulation.
Gastric Emptying Is More Rapid in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Impacts on Postprandial Glycemia
Authors: Perano Shiree J. , Rayner Chris K. , Kritas Stamatiki , Horowitz Michael , Donaghue Kim , Mpundu-Kaambwa Christine , Giles Lynne , Couper Jenny J.
Published: April 2015

Context:

Gastric emptying is a critical determinant of postprandial glycemic control in health and type 1 diabetes. There are few studies that assess the relationship between gastric emptying and postprandial glycaemia in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Objective:

The objectives of the study were to quantify gastric emptying in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and examine its relationship to postprandial glycaemia and autonomic function.

Design:

This was a case-control study. Gastric half-emptying time of a solid meal was measured by a 13C-octanoate breath test. Cardio-autonomic function was measured by heart rate variability. Chronic and postprandial gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated by questionnaire and visual analog scales. Blood glucose concentrations were monitored frequently during the study.

Setting:

The study was conducted at a tertiary pediatric hospital in South Australia.

Participants:

Thirty adolescents (aged 15 ± 2.5 y) with type 1 diabetes and age- and sex-matched controls (gastric emptying, n = 20; heart rate variability, n = 135) participated in the study.

Main Outcome:

Gastric half-emptying time was the main outcome in the study.

Results:

Gastric emptying was more rapid in subjects with type 1 diabetes than controls [median half emptying time 78 (interquartile range 61–99) vs 109 (interquartile range 71–124) min, P = .02]. The postprandial rise in blood glucose at 60 minutes was strongly related to gastric half-emptying time (R = −0.65, P = .0001). Gastric emptying was slower in subjects with fasting hyperglycemia but was not related to heart rate variability. Nausea, bloating, and anxiety were related to fasting glycemia (P = .03).

Conclusion:

Rapid gastric emptying is a major determinant of postprandial glycemia in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. This observation has significant implications for therapy.
Guest Editors' Introduction: Unpacking a Controversy: National Histories, Visual Cultures, and Digital Dissent
Authors: Wang Jing , Wong Winnie Won Yin
Published: April 2015

This special issue reflects upon the student protest and public controversy over the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Visualizing Cultures website in 2006 from multiple perspectives. Three sets of questions raised by the incident are addressed by contributors to the volume. The first entails questions over the changing narratives of nationalism and history in Sino-Japanese-US relations, and as taught to and contested by Chinese overseas students. The second revolves around the use and display of visual images in pedagogical, digital, and scholarly contexts, examining debates over authority and interpretation of propagandistic, racist, and violent visual imagery. The third stems from the promises of digital media and examines the challenges of public participation and dissent in the pedagogical sphere. In what ways should or could the norms of scholarship, pedagogy, and student interaction evolve in response to the digital turn, to the globalization of the student body, and to the appropriation of visual technology in the classroom?
The Misplaced “Apology”: Rethinking China's Internet Patriotism
Authors: Kui Zhou
Published: April 2015

Online patriotism in China evolved into a broad sociopolitical phenomenon from 2003 to 2006. Although this was a period during which Sino-Japanese economic and financial relations deepened and diversified considerably, national sensitivities and historical memory remained at the forefront of the relationship. Several high-profile incidents spurred the emergence of anti-Japanese patriotism online in China, including the 2006 MIT controversy. This article examines the misplacement of context and the misinterpretation of “apology” (daoqian) in that controversy, which set forth different discussion agendas in the US and Chinese cyberspheres.
Reflexive Digitization and the Role of the University
Authors: Yang Guobin
Published: April 2015

The digital age opens up a new politics of visually representing the past. When entire archives and libraries can be easily digitized and made accessible to the public, what to digitize and how to do it should become matters of careful deliberation and critical reflection. Because once made publicly accessible, digital artifacts take on lives of their own beyond the control of their creators and curators. Just as the unknown and unanticipated consequences of modernization call for a reflexive modernity, so the same difficulties of anticipating the effects of digitization require reflexive digitization. The university plays an especially important role as an institutional anchor for practicing reflexive digitization.
Structural Isomerization and Cold Crystallization of Bis[1-(2-propyl)iminomethylnaphthalen-2-olato]nickel(II) by Thermal Analysis, X-ray Diffraction, and FT-IR
Authors: Iwase Katsunori , Yoshikawa Isao , Houjou Hirohiko , Yamamura Yasuhisa , Saito Kazuya
Published: April 2015

Two coordination isomers, i.e., square planar and pseudo-tetrahedral forms of the title compound, were crystallographically identified and discussed in relation to their thermal behavior revealed by XRD-DSC and FTIR-DSC. Upon the fusion, the coordination geometry partly changes, resulting in the liquid, which is an equilibrium mixture of molecules with the two coordination geometries. In this system, the mixed nature of liquid, in addition to molecular flexibility, is responsible for realization of large supercooling and glass transition, both of which enables the cold crystallization.
Dementia: breaking down mental barriers to physical activity
Authors: Mendes Aysha
Published: April 2015

Last month Aysha Mendes discussed creative ways that staff can help people with dementia reconnect with familiar personality characteristics, interests and emotions. This month she argues that regular physical engagement is just as important as regular mental stimulation
Private vs public cloud: protection is key
Authors: Blizzard Sonia
Published: April 2015

In this article Sonia Blizzard talks through some of the pros of the Private Cloud, as well as dispelling the myths around securing data online and what it means for the care homes industry
Safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults
Authors: Green Danielle
Published: April 2015

This unit assesses the learner's knowledge and understanding of protecting and safeguarding vulnerable adults. It measures the understanding of procedures, of working in partnership with other organisations, and in supporting individuals to manage their own risks
Indirect Estimation of Pediatric Between-Individual Biological Variation Data for 22 Common Serum Biochemistries
Authors: Loh Tze Ping , Metz Michael Patrick
Published: April 2015

Objectives:

Derivation of between-individual biological variation (CVg) data requires repeat sampling of the same subject, which is undesirable and challenging in children. We describe an indirect sampling (data mining) approach to obtain these data in children.

Methods:

Twenty-two serum biochemistry results from 6,989 children, who visited their primary care physician in Queensland, Australia, and were tested only twice within a year were included. The CVg and index of individuality of the boys and girls were estimated by year of age, according to the procedures recommended by Fraser and Harris.

Results:

The CVg was generally higher during the first year of life and declined to reach a constant level by age 4 to 6 years, except for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and phosphate. The CVg for these tended to increase after age 10 years. Most of the serum biochemistries examined in this study had indices of individuality 0.6 or less, except sodium, anion gap, bicarbonate, and chloride, which ranged from 0.6 to 1.4. The indices of individuality were very stable across all ages.

Conclusions:

These data are comparable to those reported by the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals study and the Ricos database for adults. This study reports the CVg trends and data for boys and girls by year of age, which have not been described previously.
Impact of a Prospective Review Program for Reference Laboratory Testing Requests
Authors: Greenblatt Matthew B. , Nowak Jonathan A. , Quade Cathleen C. , Tanasijevic Milenko , Lindeman Neal , Jarolim Petr
Published: April 2015

Objectives:

To control the cost of reference laboratory testing, to ensure that its usage is medically appropriate, and to review the contribution of reference testing to patient care at our institution.

Methods:

A multidisciplinary institutional committee was convened to manage the utilization of reference testing. A subset of tests was designated to be reviewed in real time by a team of clinical pathologists in consultation with clinical subject matter experts.

Results:

Twelve percent of testing requests, accounting for approximately 18% of send-out costs, were determined to be clinically unnecessary or would not produce actionable results at that point during that patient’s care and were therefore not performed. This intervention, combined with insourcing of frequently requested tests, resulted in a reduction in the costs of reference testing to less than half of that predicted by the rate of growth from 2005 to 2009. Molecular diagnostic tests displayed a higher cost per test than other forms of testing but had a similar degree of clinical impact.

Conclusions:

Formal prospective review of reference laboratory testing requests resulted in substantial cost containment and improved the efficiency of patient care.
Una revisión actualizada del concepto de eLearning. Décimo Aniversario
Authors: García-Peñalvo Francisco José , Seoane Pardo Antonio Miguel
Published: April 2015

Los continuos avances en el plano tecnológico provocan flujos de innovación-aceptaciónconsolidación- obsolescencia propios de las estrategias, ya sean ad hoc o planificadas, de gestión del conocimiento y de la tecnología de las corporaciones, y, a otra escala, de los propios individuos. Los procesos de enseñanza+aprendizaje no son, obviamente, ajenos a esta circunstancia. La irrupción de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación como herramienta educativa supone un punto de inflexión conceptual y metodológico en la forma en que las instituciones, educativas o no, afrontan los procesos educativos y la gestión del aprendizaje, especialmente en lo tocante al concepto de educación a distancia, que evoluciona, de una manera más o menos significativa, al adoptar Internet como medio,lo que da lugar al término eLearning. Pero desde las primeras experiencias eLearning – muy asentadas en el concepto de plataforma o Learning Management System–, hasta las más recientes, se han producido importantes cambios, de nuevo tanto en el plano tecnológico como metodológico, en los que, además de otros factores, destacan las influencias que los medios sociales producen en los hábitos diarios de los usuarios, de forma que se pone de manifiesto una mayor demanda de personalización del aprendizaje, una conectividad absoluta con otros pares, un acceso ilimitado a los recursos y fuentes de información, una flexibilidad total del modo, el lugar y el momento del acceso y una convivencia cada vez más natural y necesaria de los flujos formales e informales de aprendizaje. Con todo esto, las plataformas eLearning “tradicionales”, aunque gozan de un porcentaje altísimo de penetración y se encuentran sumamente consolidadas, requieren de una evolución y una mayor apertura para dar soporte a este rico abanico de posibilidades que demandan sus usuarios, dejando de ser el centro de atención tecnológica para pasar a ser un componente más en un complejo ecosistema digital orientado a la gestión del aprendizaje y del conocimiento, ya sea institucional o personal. Es, por tanto, necesario volver a hacer una revisión actualizada del concepto de eLearning y releer las definiciones que de este concepto se han aportado desde la experiencia y enfoque de nuestro grupo de investigación GRIAL (GRupo de investigación en InterAcción y eLearning), coincidiendo con el décimo aniversario del artículo “Estado actual de los sistemas e-learning”.
Artesanía digital y modernidad educativa
Authors: García Carrasco Joaquín , García Peñalvo Francisco José
Published: April 2015

La cultura, la artesanía, la actividad educativa, forman parte del fenotipo extendido de la especie humana. La estructura funcional de la actividad artesanal se aplica a trabajos mediados por herramientas materiales y a actividades mediadas por instrumentos simbólicos como el lenguaje. La actividad artesanal de la incorporación a la cultura, o a la educación, emplea de manera fundamental instrumentos simbólicos. Las grandes contingencias de cambio en la cultura –el lenguaje, la escritura, la digitalización de la información– constituyen hitos en la evolución del patrimonio cultural y de los de los procesos de incorporación cultural. Nuestro trabajo proporciona elementos para considerar que, sin duda, los cambios más aparentes en la Sociedad del Conocimiento son los cambios en las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación; pero no son menores los cambios en los propios contenidos culturales, que han alimentado el ecosistema tecnológico digital. De ahí que el proyecto institucional de incorporación cultural debe estructurarse de manera que paulatinamente haga inteligible la globalidad del cambio en el dominio vital humano. Que los cambios promovidos sean globales es una propiedad de su potencial de expansión, como caja de herramientas de la artesanía digital. Pero, en el fondo, se trata de una continuidad evolutiva revolucionaria de la condición artesanal humana, sigue siendo un proyecto artesano, implica un manejo suficiente de instrumentos materiales, de instrumentos simbólicos, y una capacidad analítica capaz de seleccionar componentes relevantes del desarrollo cultural; la propiedad de la relevancia está machihembrada con elementos relevantes del momento histórico cultural. Pero, sigue siendo la tarea humana por excelencia, el producto artesano esencial e imprescindible de la especie humana, el valor de significado. Incorporarse a la cultura implica un esclarecimiento de las propias necesidades culturales, implica un proceso de deliberación y de comprensión del valor de significado de las prácticas en la Sociedad del conocimiento; introducirse en el dominio del valor de significado en la Sociedad del Conocimiento es lo que mantiene su entraña como Sociedad Humana, como espacio social de humanización y de educación.
Mediamorfosis y desinformación en la infoesfera: Alfabetización mediática, digital e informacional ante los cambios de hábitos de consumo informativo
Authors: Aguaded Juan Ignacio , Romero-Rodríguez Luis M.
Published: April 2015

Desde la reflexión teórica, este trabajo evidencia que el ecosistema comunicacional y digital actual es endógeno y sistémicamente desinformativo, pues se ha convertido paulatinamente en un escenario sobresaturador e infoxicador, atravesado por una dinámica de mediamorfosis, en la que los medios tradicionales buscan competir por la preferencia de la audiencia frente al abanico de propuestas digitales en razón de su subsistencia económica, generalmente intentando difundir contenidos pseudoinformativos de gran valor límbico, pero carente de utilidad en el proceso de toma de decisiones. Así, el presente artículo busca analizar la precitada problemática a través de la revisión de distintas contribuciones académicas multidisciplinares para posteriormente referir aquellas que desde el seno de las teorías de la alfabetización mediática, digital e informacional contribuyen con recomendaciones y estratagemas pragmáticas para hacerle frente a la situación. El trabajo se centra en la sociedad mediático-digital en un contexto de convergencia de medios y múltiples pantallas, esbozando los cambios sociales en el que están insertas actualmente las audiencias. Como resultado se obtuvo que es necesario adaptar una “infodieta” o ecología de medios desde la perspectiva del usuario, alternando momentos de desconexión, sin abandonar los esfuerzos que desde la Educomunicación y la política de comunicación pudieran coadyuvar en la transformación social, con el fin de promover contenidos educativos, culturales e informativos de calidad desde una óptica de pluralismo, participación ciudadana.
On the solution of fuzzy dual linear systems of equation
Authors: Kiasari S. M. Khorasani , Ramhormozi L. Abdollahzadeh
Published: April 2015

In this paper the exact, multiple and approximation solutions of Dual fuzzy linear systems of equations(DFLSE) with triangular variable are investigated based on a 1-level expansion. To this end, 1-level of DFLSE are solved for calculating the cores of fuzzy solution and then its spreads are obtained by solving an optimization problem with a special objective function. Finally, the existence of solution of DFLSE is proved in details and some numerical examples are solved to illustrate the accuracy and capability of the method
Evaluating nursing students clinic stress, and coping with stress during the clinic first day of the Woman Health and Diseases Nursing clinical course
Authors: Coşkuner Potur Dilek , Çitak Bilgin Nevin , Kömürcü Nuran
Published: April 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the clinical stress levels, stress sources and coping strategies of Turkish male and female nursing students attending the Woman’s Health and Disease Nursing clinical course on the first day.

Method and material: This cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2010 at a public university located in Istanbul. The study group included 98 nursing students. Data were collected from the nursing students in the study group using a self-report questionnaire, clinical stress questionnaire and Carver Coping scale. The data were analyses using percentages, chi-square analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test and Cronbach's alpha coefficients

Results: Approximately half of the male students (47.6%) reported that they experienced stress since the patient group consisted of females and the majority of male students (76.2%) stated that they were subject to gender discrimination at the clinic and there was a significant difference between the male and female students. The male and female nursing students’ stress levels and Carver Coping scale total score of  on the first day of the Woman’s Health and Disease nursing clinical course was similar (p>0.05). 

Conclusions:  Male students experience stress because the patient group consisted of women, the majority of male students reported that they were subject to gender discrimination and gender discrimination was a source of stress for them. Female and male nursing students experienced stress in the first day of the clinical course of the Woman's Health and Diseases Nursing course, and that the stressors and coping strategies were similar across genders. In the clinical training for the Woman's Health and Diseases Nursing course lectures should be aware of possible stressors and, if necessary, should help students in positive coping.
A Turkish adaptation of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
Authors: Eldeleklioğlu Jale , Eroğlu Yüksel
Published: April 2015

This study aimed to adapt the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire into Turkish and investigate its validity and reliability. The Turkish version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire was administered to 442 university students. Firstly, language equivalence of the Turkish version the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire was investigated and findings indicated that the Turkish translation of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire is equivalent to the original form. Confirmatory factor analyses successfully revealed the two-factor (reappraisal and suppression) structure of the Turkish version the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire. Further, based on the two-factor model, results from multi-group analysis indicated that the Turkish version of the Emotional Regulation Questtionnaire has the property of strict factorial invariance across gender, including equal factor loadings, equal item intercepts, and equal item uniqueness (error variances and covariances). The internal consistencies were .78 for the reappraisal and .73 for the suppression subscales. Test-retest reliabilities were .74 for the reappraisal and .72 for the suppression subscales. Overall, the Turkish version of the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire has adequate psychometric properties and can be used to examine emotion regulation among Turkish university students. 
Von der Sinntheorie zur Ontologie. Zum Verständnis des Spätwerks Paul Tillichs
Authors: Dienstbeck Stefan
Published: April 2015

Das theologisch-religionsphilosophische Werk Paul Tillichs stellt einen der größten und gegenwartsrelevantesten Systementwürfe im 20. Jahrhundert dar. Gerade mit den neu- und teilweise erstmals entdeckten und edierten frühen Schriften Tillichs verbindet sich die Frage nach der Konsistenz des Tillich’schen Lebenswerks. Insbesondere die in Deutschland angefertigten Beiträge Tillichs gelten in der heutigen Forschung als dem Spätwerk qualitativ überlegen. Doch ist das Spätwerk Tillichs tatsächlich so aporiebehaftet, wie an mancher Stelle gelesen werden kann? Lässt sich Tillichs spätes und bekanntestes Werk auch anders interpretieren? Der Beitrag versucht die Konsistenz der Tillich’schen Theologie unter Zuhilfenahme einer Gesamtdeutung des Oeuvres Tillichs anzudenken.
Zur möglichen Herkunft von zwei erhalten gebliebenen Manuskripten Salomon Maimons: Taalumot Chochma und Cheshek Shlomo
Authors: Brylla Dorota
Published: April 2015

The article – referring to the unveiling (September 2013) of the reconstructed, and the only worldwide, memorial of the 18
In-line optical monitoring of oxygen saturation and hematocrit for cardiopulmonary bypass: Adjustment-free and bloodless calibration
Authors: Netz Uwe J. , Friebel Moritz , Helfmann Jürgen
Published: April 2015

Background and objective:

This article describes a new sensor for monitoring oxygen saturation (sO

Materials and methods:

The optical sensor presented here uses near-infrared spatially resolved reflectance spectroscopy. The primary calibration model for a master sensor is derived from the measurement of circulating human blood from a number of different patients with references taken from standard laboratory analysis of blood parameters. Transfer of the calibration model from the master sensor to new sensors is performed by measurement of an optical standard made of artificial material with defined and controlled optical properties.

Results:

The predicted values of sO

Conclusion:

A new sensor with high degree of accuracy for sO
Preparation, purification and primary bioevaluation of radioiodinated ofloxacin: an imaging agent
Authors: Kandil Shaban , Seddik Usama , El-Tabl Abdou , Hussien Hiba , Shaltot Mohamed
Published: April 2015

The broad-spectrum antibiotic agents have been demonstrated as
promising diagnostic tools for early detection of infectious
lesions. We set out ofloxacin (Oflo), a second-generation
fluoroquinolone, for the radioiodination process. In particular, this
was carried out with 125I via an electrophilic
substitution reaction. The radiochemical yield was influenced by
different factors; drug concentration, different oxidizing agents,
e.g. chloramine-T, iodogen and n-bromosuccinimide, pH of medium,
reaction time, temperature and different organic media. These
parameters were studied to optimize the best conditions for labeling
with ofloxacin. We found that radiolabeling in ethanol medium showed
a 70% radiochemical yield of 125I-ofloxacin. The
radioiodination was determined by means of TLC and HPLC. The cold
labeled Oflo (127I-Oflo) was prepared and controlled by
HPLC. The cold labeled Oflo was also confirmed by NMR and MS
techniques. Furthermore, biodistribution studies for labeled
125I-Oflo were examined in two independent groups
(3 mice in each one); control and E. Coli-injected
(inflamed). The radiotracer showed a good localization in muscle of
thigh for inflamed group as compared to control. In conclusion,
ofloxacine might be a promising target as an anti-inflammatory imaging
agent.
Role of Toll-like receptor/MYD88 signaling in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Xiang Wang , Chao Zhang-Yong , Feng Du-Yi
Published: April 2015

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important innate immune proteins, and the activation of the TLRs results in the activation of intracellular signaling pathways, leading to the expression of proinflammatory cytokines that are essential to the identification and clearance of invading pathogens. TLR signaling occurs through adaptor proteins, most commonly myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (
Spinal cord injury: overview of experimental approaches used to restore locomotor activity
Authors: Fakhoury Marc
Published: April 2015

Spinal cord injury affects more than 2.5 million people worldwide and can lead to paraplegia and quadriplegia. Anatomical discontinuity in the spinal cord results in disruption of the impulse conduction that causes temporary or permanent changes in the cord’s normal functions. Although axonal regeneration is limited, damage to the spinal cord is often accompanied by spontaneous plasticity and axon regeneration that help improve sensory and motor skills. The recovery process depends mainly on synaptic plasticity in the preexisting circuits and on the formation of new pathways through collateral sprouting into neighboring denervated territories. However, spontaneous recovery after spinal cord injury can go on for several years, and the degree of recovery is very limited. Therefore, the development of new approaches that could accelerate the gain of motor function is of high priority to patients with damaged spinal cord. Although there are no fully restorative treatments for spinal injury, various rehabilitative approaches have been tested in animal models and have reached clinical trials. In this paper, a closer look will be given at the potential therapies that could facilitate axonal regeneration and improve locomotor recovery after injury to the spinal cord. This article highlights the application of several interventions including locomotor training, molecular and cellular treatments, and spinal cord stimulation in the field of rehabilitation research. Studies investigating therapeutic approaches in both animal models and individuals with injured spinal cords will be presented.