bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body Mass Index and Height From Infancy to Adulthood and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness at 60 to 64 Years in the 1946 British Birth Cohort Study
Authors: Johnson William , Kuh Diana , Tikhonoff Valerie , Charakida Marietta , Woodside John , Whincup Peter , Hughes Alun D. , Deanfield John E. , Hardy Rebecca
Published: January 2014

Objective—

Atherosclerosis begins early in life and obesity is a key determinant. We investigated the role of body mass index (BMI) and height from infancy to adulthood in presenting with high adulthood carotid intima-media thickness.

Approach and Results—

Odds ratios of BMI, and height
Z
scores at 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 15, and 20 years, and changes between 2 and 4, 4 and 7, 7 and 15, and 15 and 20 years, for carotid intima-media thickness at 60 to 64 years in the upper quartile were estimated for 604 men and 669 women. Confounding by early-life environments, mediating by body size and cardiometabolic measures at 60 to 64 years, and effect modification were investigated. In men, there was positive association of BMI at 4 years (odds ratio, 1.256; 95% confidence interval, 1.026–1.538) and 20 years (1.282; 1.022–1.609), negative association of height at 4 years (0.780; 0.631–0.964), and negative association of height growth between 2 and 4 years (0.698; 0.534–0.913) with high carotid intima-media thickness. The childhood estimates were robust, but the estimate for BMI at 20 years was attenuated by adjustment for BMI at 60 to 64 years. The protective influence of greater early childhood height was strongest in those with the lowest systolic blood pressure at 60 to 64 years. In women, there was no pattern of association and all confidence intervals crossed 1.

Conclusions—

Early childhood in men might be a sensitive developmental period for atherosclerosis, in which changes in BMI and height represent 2 distinct biological mechanisms. The maintenance of healthy weight in men from adolescence onward may be a useful strategy to avoid the atherosclerotic complications of adiposity tracking.
Interleukin 1 Receptor 1 and Interleukin 1β Regulate Megakaryocyte Maturation, Platelet Activation, and Transcript Profile During Inflammation in Mice and Humans
Authors: Beaulieu Lea M. , Lin Elaine , Mick Eric , Koupenova Milka , Weinberg Ellen O. , Kramer Carolyn D. , Genco Caroline A. , Tanriverdi Kahraman , Larson Martin G. , Benjamin Emelia J. , Freedman Jane E.
Published: January 2014

Objective—

Interleukin 1 Receptor 1 (IL1R1) and its ligand, IL1β, are upregulated in cardiovascular disease, obesity, and infection. Previously, we reported a higher level of IL1R1 transcripts in platelets from obese individuals of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), but its functional effect in platelets has never been described. Additionally, IL1β levels are increased in atherosclerotic plaques and in bacterial infections. The aim of this work is to determine whether IL1β, through IL1R1, can activate platelets and megakaryocytes to promote atherothrombosis.

Approach and Results—

We found that IL1β-related genes from platelets, as measured in 1819 FHS participants, were associated with increased body mass index, and a direct relationship was shown in wild-type mice fed a high-fat diet. Mechanistically, IL1β activated nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways in megakaryocytes. IL1β, through IL1R1, increased ploidy of megakaryocytes to 64+ N by 2-fold over control. IL1β increased agonist-induced platelet aggregation by 1.2-fold with thrombin and 4.2-fold with collagen. IL1β increased adhesion to both collagen and fibrinogen, and heterotypic aggregation by 1.9-fold over resting. High fat diet-enhanced platelet adhesion was absent in IL1R1
−/−
mice. Wild-type mice infected with
Porphyromonas gingivalis
had circulating heterotypic aggregates (1.5-fold more than control at 24 hours and 6.2-fold more at 6 weeks) that were absent in infected IL1R1
−/−
and IL1β
−/−
mice.

Conclusions—

In summary, IL1R1- and IL1β-related transcripts are elevated in the setting of obesity. IL1R1/IL1β augment both megakaryocyte and platelet functions, thereby promoting a prothrombotic environment during infection and obesity; potentially contributing to the development of atherothrombotic disease.
Association Between Arterial Calcifications and Nonlacunar and Lacunar Ischemic Strokes
Authors: van Dijk Anouk C. , Fonville Susanne , Zadi Taihra , van Hattem Antonius M.G. , Saiedie Ghesrouw , Koudstaal Peter J. , van der Lugt Aad
Published: January 2014

Background and Purpose—

Nonlacunar cerebral infarcts are presumed to be caused by thromboembolism from the heart or extracranial arteries, whereas lacunar infarcts are thought to be caused by small vessel disease. We investigated to what extent arterial calcifications differ between nonlacunar and lacunar ischemic strokes.

Methods—

We studied 820 consecutive patients with transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke in the anterior circulation who underwent multidetector computed tomography angiography and had no rare cause of stroke. The presence of likely cardioembolic pathogenesis was determined according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria. The remaining 708 patients were categorized as nonlacunar or lacunar strokes, either transient ischemic attacks or strokes, based on clinical symptoms corrected by brain imaging results. We measured volume of calcifications in the aortic arch, symptomatic extracranial and intracranial carotid artery using multidetector computed tomography angiography. The difference in calcifications between nonlacunar and lacunar strokes was assessed with a multivariable logistic regression analysis. We adjusted for degree of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis and cardiovascular risk factors.

Results—

We found an independent association between volume of aortic arch calcifications and nonlacunar ischemic strokes (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.11 [1.02–1.21]). No independent associations between extracranial and intracranial carotid artery calcifications and nonlacunar strokes were present.

Conclusions—

The only difference we found between nonlacunar and lacunar strokes was a higher calcification volume in the aortic arch in nonlacunar strokes. Our findings only partially confirm the notion of distinct etiologies and suggest that the potential role of other plaque components, plaque morphology, and aortic arch calcifications in ischemic stroke subtypes awaits further evaluation.
Facial Expressions and the Evolution of the Speech Rhythm
Authors: Ghazanfar Asif A. , Takahashi Daniel Y.
Published: January 2014

In primates, different vocalizations are produced, at least in part, by making different facial expressions. Not surprisingly, humans, apes, and monkeys all recognize the correspondence between vocalizations and the facial postures associated with them. However, one major dissimilarity between monkey vocalizations and human speech is that, in the latter, the acoustic output and associated movements of the mouth are both rhythmic (in the 3- to 8-Hz range) and tightly correlated, whereas monkey vocalizations have a similar acoustic rhythmicity but lack the concommitant rhythmic facial motion. This raises the question of how we evolved from a presumptive ancestral acoustic-only vocal rhythm to the one that is audiovisual with improved perceptual sensitivity. According to one hypothesis, this bisensory speech rhythm evolved through the rhythmic facial expressions of ancestral primates. If this hypothesis has any validity, we expect that the extant nonhuman primates produce at least some facial expressions with a speech-like rhythm in the 3- to 8-Hz frequency range. Lip smacking, an affiliative signal observed in many genera of primates, satisfies this criterion. We review a series of studies using developmental, x-ray cineradiographic, EMG, and perceptual approaches with macaque monkeys producing lip smacks to further investigate this hypothesis. We then explore its putative neural basis and remark on important differences between lip smacking and speech production. Overall, the data support the hypothesis that lip smacking may have been an ancestral expression that was linked to vocal output to produce the original rhythmic audiovisual speech-like utterances in the human lineage.
Recognizing an Object from the Sum of Its Parts: An Intracranial Study on Alpha Rhythms
Authors: Bertrand Josie-Anne , Tremblay Julie , Lassonde Maryse , Vannasing Phetsamone , Nguyen Dang Khoa , Robert Manon , Bouthillier Alain , Lepore Franco
Published: January 2014

Little is known about the relation of alpha rhythms and object recognition. Alpha has been generally proposed to be associated with attention and memory and to be particularly important for the mediation of long-distance communication between neuronal populations. However, how these apply to object recognition is still unclear. This study aimed at describing the spatiotemporal dynamics of alpha rhythms while recognizing fragmented images of objects presented for the first time and presented again 24 hr later. Intracranial electroencephalography was performed in six epileptic patients undergoing presurgical evaluation. Time–frequency analysis revealed a strong alpha activity, mainly of the evoked type, propagating from posterior cerebral areas to anterior regions, which was similar whether the objects were recognized or not. Phase coherence analysis, however, showed clear phase synchronization specific for the moment of recognition. Twenty-four hr later, frontal regions displayed stronger alpha activity and more distributed phase synchronization than when images were presented for the first time. In conclusion, alpha amplitude seems to be related to nonspecific mechanism. Phase coherence analysis suggests a communicational role of alpha activity in object recognition, which may be important for the comparison between bottom–up representations and memory templates.
Interdisciplinary Teaching of Visual Perception through Art and Science
Authors: Welch Leslie , Fasano Carl
Published: January 2014

This paper tells the tale of an adventure in teaching an interdisciplinary course about visual perception, combining visual art and vision science, called “Making Visual Illusions.” The authors co-taught a course that brought together the hands-on methods of the art studio and the science laboratory, using visual illusions as a theme to guide student explorations. One unexpected issue that arose was the time needed to discuss basic concepts and the connections between fields in order to communicate the deeper ideas the students needed to learn. This paper explores aspects of the course that worked well and makes suggestions for improvement.
Now I’m a Phase, Now I’m Not a Phase: On the Variability of Phases with Extraction and Ellipsis
Authors: Bošković Željko
Published: January 2014

On the basis of a number of cases where the status of X with respect to phasehood changes depending on the syntactic context in which X occurs, I argue for a contextual approach to phasehood whereby the highest phrase in the extended projection of all lexical categories—N, P, A, and V (passive and active)—functions as a phase. The relevant arguments concern extraction and ellipsis. I argue that ellipsis is phase-constrained: only phases and complements of phase heads can in principle undergo ellipsis. I show that Ā-extraction out of an ellipsis site is possible only if the ellipsis site corresponds to a phasal complement. I also provide evidence for the existence of several AspectPs, all of which have morphological manifestations, in the VP domain of English and show that they crucially affect the phasehood of this domain. The article provides a uniform account of a number of superficially different constructions involving extraction and ellipsis from Serbo-Croatian, Japanese, Turkish, and English.
Chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera and Ischnocera) from wild birds in southern Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species
Authors: NAJER TOMAS , SYCHRA OLDRICH , KOUNEK FILIP , PAPOUSEK IVO , HUNG NGUYEN MANH
Published: January 2014

A total of 239 individuals of 50 bird species were examined for chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) in southern Vietnam. Fifty-six birds of 20 species were parasitised by 15 species of lice belonging to 10 genera from two suborders, Amblycera: Menacanthus, Meromenopon, Myrsidea, and Ischnocera: Alcedoecus, Brueelia, Cuculicola, Meropoecus, Penenirmus, Philopteroides and Philopterus. Thirteen louse samples from Passeriformes were identified to genus only because they contain inadequate material. A total of 29 host-louse associations were found, of which nine are new, including: (1) two new species of the genus Brueelia, which are described and named in this paper: Brueelia binhchauensis from Megalaima lineata (Vieillot, 1816) (Piciformes: Megalaimidae), and Brueelia malacocincla from Malacocincla abbotti Blyth, 1845 (Passeriformes: Pellorneidae); (2) first records of lice from Cyornis hainanus (Ogilvie-Grant, 1900); and (3) the first record of Myrsidea claytoni Hellenthal & Price, 2003 from Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos (Gmelin, 1788) (Passeriformes: Eurylaimidae), here regarded as a case of natural host-switching. A portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene for some species of chewing lice was sequenced in order to assess their genetic divergences.
Sexual morphs and biology of Aphis verbasci Schrank (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: KANTURSKI MARIUSZ , WIECZOREK KARINA , JUNKIERT ŁUKASZ
Published: January 2014

The oviparous female and wingless male of Aphis verbasci from Poland and the United Kingdom are described and illustrated in detail for the first time, with notes on biology, distribution and host plants.
Did Climate Change–Induced Rainfall Trends Contribute to the Australian Millennium Drought?
Authors: Cai Wenju , Purich Ariaan , Cowan Tim , van Rensch Peter , Weller Evan
Published: January 2014

The Australian decade-long “Millennium Drought” broke in the summer of 2010/11 and was considered the most severe drought since instrumental records began in the 1900s. A crucial question is whether climate change played a role in inducing the rainfall deficit. The climate modes in question include the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD), affecting southern Australia in winter and spring; the southern annular mode (SAM) with an opposing influence on southern Australia in winter to that in spring; and El Niño–Southern Oscillation, affecting northern and eastern Australia in most seasons and southeastern Australia in spring through its coherence with the IOD. Furthermore, the poleward edge of the Southern Hemisphere Hadley cell, which indicates the position of the subtropical dry zone, has possible implications for recent rainfall declines in autumn. Using observations and simulations from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), it is shown that the drought over southwest Western Australia is partly attributable to a long-term upward SAM trend, which contributed to half of the winter rainfall reduction in this region. For southeast Australia, models simulate weak trends in the pertinent climate modes. In particular, they severely underestimate the observed poleward expansion of the subtropical dry zone and associated impacts. Thus, although climate models generally suggest that Australia’s Millennium Drought was mostly due to multidecadal variability, some late-twentieth-century changes in climate modes that influence regional rainfall are partially attributable to anthropogenic greenhouse warming.
Combined Effect of Rotation and Topography on Shoaling Oceanic Internal Solitary Waves
Authors: Grimshaw Roger , Guo Chuncheng , Helfrich Karl , Vlasenko Vasiliy
Published: January 2014

Internal solitary waves commonly observed in the coastal ocean are often modeled by a nonlinear evolution equation of the Korteweg–de Vries type. Because these waves often propagate for long distances over several inertial periods, the effect of Earth’s background rotation is potentially significant. The relevant extension of the Kortweg–de Vries is then the Ostrovsky equation, which for internal waves does not support a steady solitary wave solution. Recent studies using a combination of asymptotic theory, numerical simulations, and laboratory experiments have shown that the long time effect of rotation is the destruction of the initial internal solitary wave by the radiation of small-amplitude inertia–gravity waves, and the eventual emergence of a coherent, steadily propagating, nonlinear wave packet. However, in the ocean, internal solitary waves are often propagating over variable topography, and this alone can cause quite dramatic deformation and transformation of an internal solitary wave. Hence, the combined effects of background rotation and variable topography are examined. Then the Ostrovsky equation is replaced by a variable coefficient Ostrovsky equation whose coefficients depend explicitly on the spatial coordinate. Some numerical simulations of this equation, together with analogous simulations using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model (MITgcm), for a certain cross section of the South China Sea are presented. These demonstrate that the combined effect of shoaling and rotation is to induce a secondary trailing wave packet, induced by enhanced radiation from the leading wave.
The Effect of Adding Ezetimibe to Rosuvastatin on Renal Function in Patients Undergoing Elective Vascular Surgery
Authors: Kouvelos George N. , Arnaoutoglou Eleni M. , Milionis Haralampos J. , Raikou Vaia D. , Papa Nektario , Matsagkas Miltiadis I.
Published: January 2014

We compared the effects of lipid lowering with rosuvastatin (RSV) monotherapy versus intensified treatment by combining RSV with ezetimibe (EZT) on kidney function in patients undergoing vascular surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to either 10 mg/d RSV (n = 136) or RSV 10 mg/d plus EZT 10 mg/d (RSV/EZT, n = 126). At 12 months, a similar decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was noted. Patients who achieved a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of <100 mg/dL had less eGFR decrease than those patients having an LDL-C limit of more than 100 mg/dL. There were no significant changes in the urinary total protein to creatinine ratio in either group. Significant microalbuminuria was evident in both the groups. Patients undergoing vascular surgery show deterioration in their renal function during the first year, despite statin therapy. Intensified lipid-lowering therapy by adding EZT does not appear to have any renoprotective effect.
Defining older adults’ perceived causes of hypertension in the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire
Authors: Duwe Elise AG , Koerner Kari M , Madison Anna M , Falk Nikki A , Insel Kathleen C , Morrow Daniel G
Published: January 2014

Objectives:

This study sought to make the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) to be more informative about illness representation among older adults with hypertension. The authors developed categories for coding the open-ended question regarding cause of illness in the BIPQ – a pervasive quantitative measure for illness representation.

Methods:

Using inductive thematic analysis, the authors described categories which emerged from analysing the open-ended question of the BIPQ applied to patients with hypertension. Then using deductive thematic analysis, we applied known categories in the literature to causes for hypertension elicited by the BIPQ. Our categories are: behavioural, natural, physical, psychosocial, supernatural, and other.

Results:

We established inter-coder reliability by applying the coding scheme to a sample of suburban central Illinois ( n=197) and urban Tucson, Arizona ( n=299) older adults with hypertension (initial kappa=0.61, revised kappa after decision rules=0.987). To demonstrate the utility of the coding scheme we found that both Illinois and Arizona nonwhite patients differ from white patients in how they understand the cause of their hypertension.

Conclusion:

A more complete illness representation can now be quantified and statistically analysed through the BIPQ using the categories we revised for cause of hypertension. Assessment of causal beliefs through the BIPQ and the authors’ coding scheme may enable tailored and efficient patient education, resulting in more effective provider–patient relationships.
Mother–Child Relations in Adulthood
Authors: Rooyackers Ilse N. , de Valk Helga A. G. , Merz Eva-Maria
Published: January 2014

Based on the Model of Family Change, the authors examined how mother–child relations among non-Western immigrants and natives were characterized by patterns of solidarity. Latent Class Analysis was applied to data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (2004) on the practical and emotional support that Dutch, Turkish, Moroccan, Surinamese, and Antillean adult children gave and received from their mother ( N = 1,267). A similar five-class typology in all origin groups revealed three types of full-interdependence (“reciprocal,” “upward,” and “downward”), emotional-interdependent, and independent mother–child relationship. Whereas full-interdependence prevailed among immigrants, Dutch were more characterized by downward-interdependence and emotional-interdependence. Irrespective of the child’s origin, independent relationships were uncommon. The results evidence the importance of emotional intergenerational ties in adulthood across families of different origins.
The limits of equality bargaining in the USA
Authors: Berg Peter , Piszczek Matthew M
Published: January 2014

Gender equality bargaining in the US is poorly understood and lacks analysis. Using existing theories of collective bargaining and gender equality bargaining, we examine the state and process of gender equality bargaining in the US as well as the contextual factors that facilitate or inhibit its development. Based on interviews with national labor union leaders, we find that the practice of gender equality bargaining among US unions is relatively narrow, largely because of the unique inhibitive characteristics of the US environment. Key factors making gender equality bargaining difficult include a lack of public policy support and decentralized bargaining structures. We also find that while most national unions have made an effort to put female leaders in positions of power, this is not necessarily mirrored at the local level. Our analysis also includes a discussion of union strategies for overcoming inhibitive contextual factors and taking maximum advantage of facilitative contextual factors.
The Practical Turn in Teacher Education
Authors: Janssen Fred , Westbroek Hanna , Doyle Walter
Published: January 2014

Amid calls for more practice-based teacher education, this article presents a concrete illustration of a practice-based bridging strategy for preparing high school biology teachers to enact open-inquiry labs. Open-inquiry labs were considered a core practice frame that served as a context for identifying core practices and for giving coherence to separate components of the approach to labs. A bridging model was developed in which the teaching practices, understandings, and intentions of 31 biology student teachers were elicited with respect to their current lab segments, and these were compared with the concrete segments of the core practice frame. From this analysis, a progression was developed to support prospective teachers in moving from existing conceptions of appropriate practice to a realization of the new practice frame as a better way to achieve valued goals.
Participatory Budgeting as if Emancipation Mattered
Authors: Baiocchi Gianpaolo , Ganuza Ernesto
Published: January 2014

Participatory Budgeting has by now been widely discussed, often celebrated, and is now instituted in at least 1,500 cities worldwide. Some of its central features—its structure of open meetings, its yearly cycle, and its combination of deliberation and representation—are by now well known. In this article, however, we critically reflect on its global travel and argue for more careful consideration of some of its less well-known features, namely the coupling of the budgeting meetings with the exercise of power. We disaggregate PB into its communicative and empowerment dimensions and argue that its empowerment dimensions have usually not been part of its global expansion—and this is cause for concern from the point of view of emancipation. We thus discuss the specific institutional reforms associated with empowerment in the original version as well as its analytic dimensions. We also address some of the specific dangers of a communication-only version of PB as well as some suggestions for reintroducing empowerment.
The Mindful Way Through the Semester
Authors: Danitz Sara B. , Orsillo Susan M.
Published: January 2014

First-year students in higher education deal with an increasing number of mental health issues. Cost-effective and time-efficient programs that ease transitions and reduce risk of depression are needed. To date, programs informed by both cognitive-behavioral and acceptance-based-behavioral therapy (ABBT) approaches have produced some positive outcomes, but methodological limitations limit their utility. The aim of the present study was to address some of these limitations, by developing and preliminary testing the efficacy of a one-session ABBT intervention with first-year undergraduates and first-year law students. Ninety-eight first-year students were randomly assigned to receive either a single-session 90-min ABBT workshop within their first month of school or to a waitlist control condition. Students who received the intervention reported significantly less depression and more acceptance. Moreover, increase in acceptance over the course of the semester was associated with reductions in depression. Implications of these findings for future interventions are discussed.
Retrieving Autobiographical Memories Influences Judgments About Others
Authors: Woltin Karl-Andrew , Corneille Olivier , Yzerbyt Vincent Y.
Published: January 2014

This research investigates whether metacognitive experiences accompanying the retrieval of autobiographical memories influence judgments about others. Based on social projection research, we tested the hypothesis that ease-of-retrieval, affecting how the self is perceived, affects first impressions. In line with this prediction, Experiment 1 showed that participants asked to recall a few personal instances of assertive behavior (easy retrieval) judged an unknown person to be more assertive than participants recalling many instances (difficult retrieval). Experiment 2, targeting creativity, provided evidence for the retrieval-ease mechanism: The effect disappeared when ease-of-retrieval was discredited as informational source in a misattribution paradigm. Finally, Experiments 3 and 4 replicated this pattern for the same personality traits and demonstrated two boundary conditions: Participants’ ease of autobiographical recalls affected judgments of in- but not outgroup members (Experiment 3), and judgments of unknown others were affected after autobiographical recall but not after recalling behaviors of someone else (Experiment 4).
Motivation to Control Prejudice Predicts Categorization of Multiracials
Authors: Chen Jacqueline M. , Moons Wesley G. , Gaither Sarah E. , Hamilton David L. , Sherman Jeffrey W.
Published: January 2014

Multiracial individuals often do not easily fit into existing racial categories. Perceivers may adopt a novel racial category to categorize multiracial targets, but their willingness to do so may depend on their motivations. We investigated whether perceivers’ levels of internal motivation to control prejudice (IMS) and external motivation to control prejudice (EMS) predicted their likelihood of categorizing Black–White multiracial faces as Multiracial. Across four studies, IMS positively predicted perceivers’ categorizations of multiracial faces as Multiracial. The association between IMS and Multiracial categorizations was strongest when faces were most racially ambiguous. Explicit prejudice, implicit prejudice, and interracial contact were ruled out as explanations for the relationship between IMS and Multiracial categorizations. EMS may be negatively associated with the use of the Multiracial category. Therefore, perceivers’ motivations to control prejudice have important implications for racial categorization processes.
Children First? Changing Attitudes Toward the Primacy of Children in Five European Countries
Authors: Ivan Georgiana , Da Roit Barbara , Knijn Trudie
Published: January 2014

Parenting support is a new policy field, directed toward teaching parents how to assume their role. Its foundations are embedded in a child-centered social investment approach, which is becoming dominant in Western European welfare states. This article aims at exploring the extent to which ideas underlying these policies are coherent with individual attitudes toward children, parents, their relationship and their change over time. We analyze how these attitudes changed in five selected countries (France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Sweden), using data from all four waves of the European Values Study (1981, 1990, 1999, 2008). We also test what kind of values are behind these attitudes, employing logistic regression as method. Our main finding is that there has been a value shift in public sentiments regarding the primacy of children, which is no longer to be viewed as a traditional type of attitude.
A Theoretical Framework for a Virtual Diabetes Self-Management Community Intervention
Authors: Vorderstrasse Allison , Shaw Ryan J. , Blascovich Jim , Johnson Constance M.
Published: January 2014

Due to its high prevalence, chronic nature, potential complications, and self-management challenges for patients, diabetes presents significant health education and support issues. We developed and pilot-tested a virtual community for adults with type 2 diabetes to promote self-management education and provide social support. Although digital-based programs such as virtual environments can address significant barriers to reaching patients (i.e., child care, transportation, location), they must be strongly grounded in a theoretical basis to be well-developed and effective. In this article, we discuss how we synthesized behavioral and virtual environment theoretical frameworks to guide the development of SLIDES (Second Life Impacts Diabetes Education and Support).
Why hasn’t China’s high-profile health reform (2003–2012) delivered? An analysis of its neoliberal roots
Authors: Zhang Wei , Navarro Vicente
Published: January 2014

In March 2013, China’s so-called fourth generation of leadership stepped down. Upon taking office a decade ago, they launched a series of high-profile health reform programmes, which have often been touted as a prime example of their commitment to prioritizing social welfare. However, throughout their period in power the reform remained remarkably unsuccessful at delivering as promised. This paper explains the failure. Unlike most of the existing literature which hinges upon issues within the health sector, this paper places the country’s political economy at the centre of the analysis. In particular, it highlights the role of neoliberalism. It argues that rather than improving the population’s health, the primary purposes of the health reform were to, first, accommodate socio-political unrest that was caused by neoliberal policies implemented prior to the early 2000s, and, second, facilitate further neoliberal economic restructuring. Moreover, anti-welfare neoliberal tenets, which run counter to improving health outcomes, were deeply imbedded in the formulation of health reform policies.
The Coming of the Corporate Gift
Authors: Cross Jamie
Published: January 2014

Corporate gifts – from philanthropic donations to individual reward schemes – attract considerable attention from scholars for the kinds of moral, economic and political logics that motivate them. This article considers the gifts that transnational corporations give to producers and draws from Marilyn Strathern’s writings on exchange and personhood in order to reverse dominant analyses. Focused on the gifting of gold coins to industrial workers at a global manufacturing unit in India, it brings together field-based observations with a diverse field of literature on the gift in anthropology. Against an analysis that sees the corporate gift harnessed directly to a corporate bottom line, this article proposes an alternative accounting that uses Strathern’s notions of ‘elicitation’, ‘revelation’ and ‘detachment’ to explore the contours of knowledge, personhood and relationality in the transaction. If corporate gifts have powerful effects, the article argues, it is because they establish difference between the person of the giver and the person of the recipient and because they materialize actions, desires and capacities that accrue to and transform the recipients rather than simply because they are vessels for the interests of global capital. As social theory confronts the political economy of corporate giving, Strathern’s writings prompt provocative questions about agency and power that challenge the hegemonic status of the modern corporation.
Control or change? Developing dialogues between desistance research and public protection practices
Authors: Weaver Beth
Published: January 2014

This article aims to scope out some of the implications of desistance research for the community management of high risk offenders. Acknowledging the limited empirical research exploring this interface, this article outlines the evolving evidence base and what this tells us about the process of desistance and what supports it. The evidence as to whether ‘high risk offenders’ desist and what we know about this process is discussed prior to a consideration of the orientation of current practice approaches which can be located in the community/public protection model. Potential dialogues between desistance research and public protection practices are discussed to explore ensuing implications and opportunities for practice.
Out of the box: Microworld features in the landscape of information
Authors: James Roger
Published: January 2014

If my consulting work is an accurate barometer of technology trends then in 2014 we should see a rise of interest in using text analysis as an emerging trend for outcomes such as automated sentiment analysis. It is emergent in the transactional systems of the organization, such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management), but not yet in mainstream Information Management. This article discusses how this shift is inevitable as the balancing innovation for the dramatic improvements we have seen in delivery and infrastructure – connected by a well-established S-curve of progress. While we have focused on the efficiency of information delivery, our efforts have lagged progress on the effectiveness agenda in information use. Indeed in the move from paper we have lost any competitive edge. Technology to deliver facts has ‘levelled the playing field’ and removed the inherent institutional advantage over the selection of, and access to, information. Technology here, and in other areas, has changed the balance between delivery and use emphasizing delivery – everyone sharing the same facts – but has washed out narrative, annotation, selection and opinion. Technology can be employed to provide differentiation across the vast but inscrutable information sources available to every organization. Our challenge is, with technology, to establish the personalization agenda, and abilities, across the featureless landscape of external information resources.
London 2012: Missed out on Olympics contracts? A case study of ethnic minority organisations in East London
Authors: Calvo Sara
Published: January 2014

Although London’s golden summer of sport is now over, the question arises, what has been the legacy of the 2012 Games for ethnic minority organisations? The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were seen as an opportunity; a potential catalyst for the regeneration of East London, creating valuable jobs and business opportunities for the local community. One of the proposed benefits of the 2012 Games was the chance for local ethnic minority groups to participate in the preparation and delivery of the Games; however, little is known about the extent to which such groups were involved. This paper addresses the knowledge gap in the literature through the analysis of secondary sources. The sources shed light on the availability of Games-related contract opportunities to ethnic minority businesses and social enterprises. This is followed by an in-depth analysis of the ethnic minority third sector based upon a telephone survey and semi-structured interviews with leaders of ethnic minority social enterprises. Findings show that very few ethnic minority organisations in the East London Olympic boroughs won 2012 Games contracts; furthermore, the paper identifies a number of important issues relating to their participation in the Games.
Group memory rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis: a feasibility randomized controlled trial
Authors: Carr Sara E , das Nair Roshan , Schwartz Annette F , Lincoln Nadina B
Published: January 2014

Objective:

To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a group memory rehabilitation programme combining compensation and restitution strategies.

Design:

Randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Community.

Participants:

People with multiple sclerosis who reported memory difficulties were recruited.

Interventions:

A group memory rehabilitation programme, comprising ten 1.5-hour sessions, was compared with a waiting list control.

Main measures:

The primary outcome was the Everyday Memory Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included the General Health Questionnaire 28 and MS Impact Scale administered four and eight months after randomization. In addition, those in the intervention group gave feedback about the intervention.

Results:

Forty-eight participants were recruited. They were aged 34–72 years (mean 54.3, SD 11.0) and 33 (69%) were women. There were no significant differences between the two groups on the Everyday Memory Questionnaire or MS Impact Scale ( P > 0.05) at four or eight months after randomization. However, the intervention group reported significantly better mood than controls on the GHQ-28 at eight months ( P = 0.04). Participants showed minimal benefit from the memory rehabilitation programme on quantitative measures but the intervention was well received, as indicated by positive feedback at the end of the intervention.

Conclusions:

There was no significant effect of the intervention on memory but there was a significant effect on mood. The results suggest a larger scale study is justified.
The Restore4Stroke self-management intervention ‘Plan ahead!’: rationale and description of the treatment protocol based on proactive action planning
Authors: Tielemans Nienke S , Schepers Vera PM , Visser-Meily Johanna MA , van Erp Jos , Eijkenaar Mariette , van Heugten Caroline M
Published: January 2014

Objective:

To describe the rationale behind and description of a group-based self-management intervention developed for stroke patients and their partners.

Rationale:

Based on the assumption that proactive coping strategies are beneficial for the re-uptake of daily life by stroke patients and partners, we developed a new stroke-specific, group-based self-management intervention based on proactive action planning. A first concept of the treatment protocol was developed based on the proactive coping theory, the Health Action Process Approach model, existing interventions and expert consultations. Further adjustments were based on two pilot studies, including addition of solution-based therapeutic techniques.

Description of the intervention:

‘Plan ahead!’ is a 10-week group-based self-management intervention, consisting of six 2-hour sessions in the first six weeks and a 2-hour booster session in the 10th week. It is offered in an outpatient setting by two rehabilitation professionals with experience in group counselling and working with stroke patients. It is provided to groups of four stroke patients living at home (stroke ≥2 months ago) and their partners. The main features are (1) proactive action planning as the main constituent, (2) stroke-specific elements and (3) considering partners as full participants.

Discussion:

This stroke-specific intervention is expected to increase the use of proactive action planning and thus improve the participation of stroke patients and their partners. It is innovative in its aim to change behaviour patterns of participants directly, teaching participants a general action planning strategy and considering partners as full participants with their own goals and opportunities.
The use of antipsychotics in preschoolers: A veto or a sensible last option?
Authors: Memarzia Jessica , Tracy Derek , Giaroli Giovanni
Published: January 2014

Recent reports have illustrated a dramatic rise in the use of antipsychotics in preschool children, medications originally designed and licensed for the treatment of adult psychotic disorders. Within this context, the current usage and the associated diagnoses are reviewed and compared with official guidelines and licensing for such use, highlighting a controversial challenge for clinicians. A review of the evidence base of the relative efficacy of such medications for a range of disorders is given. Associated safety and side effects are discussed, with compelling evidence for increased adverse events associated with use of antipsychotics in preschoolers, and neurodevelopmental hypotheses are used to guide predictions of long-term risk. An apparent gap in the literature and evidence base supporting such use and elucidating the risks and benefits leaves a challenge for clinicians and researchers and hinders the development of appropriate guidelines. Pragmatism in clinical practice, mindful of the limited evidence base that does exist and the propensity for harm, is necessary; far more research is required in this important area.
A Parsimonious Instrument for Predicting Students’ Intent to Pursue a Sales Career
Authors: Peltier James W. , Cummins Shannon , Pomirleanu Nadia , Cross James , Simon Rob
Published: January 2014

Students’ desire and intention to pursue a career in sales continue to lag behind industry demand for sales professionals. This article develops and validates a reliable and parsimonious scale for measuring and predicting student intention to pursue a selling career. The instrument advances previous scales in three ways. The instrument is generalizable across academic settings and is shown to be sensitive to differences across varied course coverage and learning activities. The instrument is parsimonious and offers a high reliability coefficient. Finally, the instrument is validated both before and after exposure to a sales module, thus capturing perceptual and attitudinal changes as students become more familiar with this career option.
Megaesophagus in a Line of Transgenic Rats
Authors: Pang J. , Borjeson T. M. , Muthupalani S. , Ducore R. M. , Carr C. A. , Feng Y. , Sullivan M. P. , Cristofaro V. , Luo J. , Lindstrom J. M. , Fox J. G.
Published: January 2014

Megaesophagus is defined as the abnormal enlargement or dilatation of the esophagus, characterized by a lack of normal contraction of the esophageal walls. This is called achalasia when associated with reduced or no relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). To date, there are few naturally occurring models for this disease. A colony of transgenic (Pvrl3-Cre) rats presented with megaesophagus at 3 to 4 months of age; further breeding studies revealed a prevalence of 90% of transgene-positive animals having megaesophagus. Affected rats could be maintained on a total liquid diet long term and were shown to display the classic features of dilated esophagus, closed lower esophageal sphincter, and abnormal contractions on contrast radiography and fluoroscopy. Histologically, the findings of muscle degeneration, inflammation, and a reduced number of myenteric ganglia in the esophagus combined with ultrastructural lesions of muscle fiber disarray and mitochondrial changes in the striated muscle of these animals closely mimic that seen in the human condition. Muscle contractile studies looking at the response of the lower esophageal sphincter and fundus to electrical field stimulation, sodium nitroprusside, and L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester also demonstrate the similarity between megaesophagus in the transgenic rats and patients with achalasia. No primary cause for megaesophagus was found, but the close parallel to the human form of the disease, as well as ease of care and manipulation of these rats, makes this a suitable model to better understand the etiology of achalasia as well as study new management and treatment options for this incurable condition.
Necrotizing Hepatitis in a Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia)
Authors: Himmel L. , O’Connor M. , Premanandan C.
Published: January 2014

An adult male domestic pigeon ( Columba livia) was presented for necropsy following natural death after a period of chronic weight loss and severe intestinal ascariasis. Histopathologic examination of the liver found moderate to marked, multifocal necrotizing hepatitis with large, basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. Transmission electron microscopy of affected hepatocytes demonstrated numerous intra- and perinuclear icosahedral virions arranged in a lattice structure, consistent with adenoviral infection.
Geographies of finance II
Authors: Christophers Brett
Published: January 2014

The global financial and more widely economic crisis which began in 2007–2008 has been a crisis indelibly of political economy. This fact has led scholars of finance ‘back’ to political economy, where geographers’ interest in finance first materialized in the 1980s. In this light, this article reviews recent work on the geographical political economy of the crisis, highlighting such work’s main themes, contributions and lacunae. It shows that this work has been powerfully influenced by developments in geographical political economy, and by the latter’s engagement with alternative intellectual traditions, over the past three decades. But it argues also that the attempt to theorize and document the place of finance within geographical political economy remains very much an ongoing project.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide and migraine with aura: A systematic review
Authors: Hansen Jakob M , Ashina Messoud
Published: January 2014

Background

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a key molecule in migraine pathophysiology. Most studies have focused on CGRP in relation to migraine without aura (MO). About one-third of migraine patients have attacks with aura (MA), and this is a systematic review of the current literature on CGRP and MA.

Methods

We performed a systematic literature search on MEDLINE for reports of CGRP and MA, covering basic science, animal and human studies as well as randomized clinical trials.

Results

The literature search identified 594 citations, of which 38 contained relevant, original data. Plasma levels of CGRP in MA patients are comparable to MO, but CGRP levels varied among studies. A number of animal studies, including knock-ins of familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) genes, have examined the relationship between CGRP and cortical spreading depression. In patients, CGRP does not trigger migraine in FHM, but is a robust trigger of migraine-like headache both in MA and MO patients. The treatment effect of CGRP antagonists are well proven in the treatment of migraine, but no studies have studied the effect specifically in MA patients.

Conclusion

This systematic review indicates that the role of CGRP in MA is less studied than in MO. Further studies of the importance of CGRP for auras and migraine are needed.