bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paris qiliangiana (Melanthiaceae), a new species from Hubei, China
Authors: YANG JUN , WANG YUE-HU , LI HENG
Published: November 2017

Paris Linnaeus (1753: 367) comprises 28 species of perennial herbs, mainly distributed in eastern Asia (Osaloo & Kawano 1999, Liang & Vitor 2000, Li et al. 2017, Ji et al. 2017, Wang et al. 2017). These species are also known as chong-lou in Chinese and are used as traditional medicines, the thick rhizome being used as analgesic, haemostatic, anticarcinogen, antineoplastic and anti-inflammatory (Wang et al. 2015, Li et al. 2015, 2017, Ji et al. 2017). This genus traditionally was placed in Liliaceae or Trilliaceae, which was divided into two genera based on floral merosity, namely Trilliun Linnaeus (1753: 340) and Paris (Li 1984; Zomlefer 1997; Li 1998). Paris was revised recently by molecular phylogenetic approaches and placed in Melanthiaceae (Ji et al. 2006, APG IV 2016, Kim et al. 2016).
An overlooked new species of Croton section Geiseleria (Euphorbiaceae) from the Brazilian Cerrado, with a key to the species of this section occurring in the state of Goiás and in the Distrito Federal
Authors: SODRÉ RODOLFO CARNEIRO , DA SILVA MARCOS JOSÉ
Published: November 2017

As currently circumscribed, Croton section Geiseleria comprises ca. 80 species and is one of the three largest American sections of the genus. During studies of this section in midwestern Brazil, we discovered several specimens in the highlands of the state of Goiás and Federal District that correspond to a new species. Croton ramosissimus is herein described and illustrated. The morphological affinities, preliminary conservation status, and period of flowering and fruiting of this species are also presented. The novel species is more morphologically similar to C. tamberlikii, and differs from it by having diffuse and densely ramified stems, leaves with prominent venation on the abaxial surface, minute bracts (up to 2.7 mm long), villous stamens, and oblongoid seeds without spots, among other characteristics. A key to identify 22 species of Croton section Geiseleria that occur in the state of Goiás and Federal District is also provided, with images for 20 of them.
Notes on the genus Epsilon de Saussure, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) with description of a new species
Authors: SELIS MARCO
Published: November 2017

The genus Epsilon de Saussure, 1855, is newly recorded from the Moluccas. New distributional records on Epsilon grandipunctatum Gusenleitner, 1996 are provided. Epsilon rufipes Selis, sp. nov. (Moluccas, Aru islands) is described and figured.
Monopelopia Fittkau, 1962 (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the Neotropical region: five new species, new records and updated keys
Authors: DANTAS GALILEU P. S. , HAMADA NEUSA
Published: November 2017

Five new species of Monopelopia from Brazil are described and illustrated, four of which are based on all life stages and one on adult male and pupa. The immature stages of Monopelopia edentata sp. nov. were collected in bromeliad phytotelmata, while the other species were collected associated with aquatic vegetation. New records for M. boliekae Beck & Beck and M. caraguata Mendes, Marcondes & Pinho are provided, as well as updated identification keys for males and immatures of the Nearctic and Neotropical Monopelopia species.
The Catocala naganoi species group (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), with a new species from Vietnam
Authors: KONS HUGO L. JR. , BORTH ROBERT J. , SALDAITIS AIDAS , DIDENKO SERGEI
Published: November 2017

The Asian Catocala naganoi species group is delimited and reviewed, with a diagnosis of the constituent species based on genitalic, wing pattern, and COI 5' mtDNA characters. The included species are Catocala naganoi Sugi, 1982, C. solntsevi Sviridov, 1997, C. naumanni Sviridov, 1996, and C. katsumii sp. n. which is described here as new.
New species and new records of Monohelea Kieffer from eastern Amazon, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)
Authors: FELIPPE-BAUER MARIA LUIZA , CARDOSO ERICK ARAGÃO , TRINDADE ROSIMEIRE LOPES DA
Published: November 2017

Seven new species of Monohelea Kieffer are described and illustrated and new records from M. affinis Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli, M. guaimiesi Lane & Wirth and M. maculipennis (Coquillett) are given based on specimens collected in Pará State, eastern Brazilian Amazon. The new species are compared with their similar congeners and the distributional records of both new and previously described species are presented in Figure 1. A key for identification of the Brazilian Amazonian species of Monohelea is also provided.
A new Palearctic species of the genus Gonempeda Alexander, 1924 (Diptera: Limoniidae)
Authors: PILIPENKO VALENTIN
Published: November 2017

A new species of Gonempeda from Caucasus is described and illustrated. Gonempeda flava (Schummel, 1829) is recorded from Russia for the first time. An identification key of all Palearctic Gonempeda is presented.
Impact of Two Types of El Niño on Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific: Sensitivity to Location and Intensity of Pacific Warming
Authors: Wu Liang , Zhang Hongjie , Chen Jau-Ming , Feng Tao
Published: November 2017

The present study investigates the impact of various central Pacific (CP) and eastern Pacific (EP) warming on tropical cyclones (TCs) over the western North Pacific (WNP) for the period 1948–2015 based on observational and reanalysis data. Four distinctly different forms of tropical Pacific warming are identified to examine different impacts of locations and intensity of tropical Pacific warming on the WNP TCs. It is shown that WNP TC activity related to ENSO shows stronger sensitivity to the intensity of CP SST warming. The locations of TC genesis in an extreme EP El Niño featuring concurrent strong CP and EP warming (CEPW) display a notable southeastward shift that is generally similar to the CP El Niño featuring CP warming alone (CPW). These influences are clearly different from the effects of moderate EP El Niño associated with EP warming alone (EPW). The above influences of Pacific warming on TCs possibly occur via atmospheric circulation variability. Anomalous convection associated with CP SST warming drives anomalous low-level westerlies away from the equator as a result of a Gill-type Rossby wave response, leading to an enhanced broad-zone, eastward-extending monsoon trough (MT). An anomalous Walker circulation in response to EP SST warming drives an increase in anomalous equatorial westerlies over the WNP, leading to a narrow-zone, slightly equatorward shift of the eastward-extending MT. These changes in the MT coincide with a shift in large-scale environments and synoptic-scale perturbations, which favor TC genesis and development. In addition, during weaker EP SST warming (WEPW) with similar intensity to CPW, local SST forcing exhibits primary control on WNP TCs and atmospheric circulation.
Mobile Technology-Based Real-Time Teleotolaryngology Care Facilitated by a Nonotolaryngologist Physician in an Adult Population
Authors: Yulzari Raphael , Bretler Shlomi , Avraham Yaniv , Sharabi-Nov Adi , Even-Tov Ella , Gilbey Peter
Published: November 2017

Objectives:

Telehealth can improve access to specialist care. Very few reports of the use of smartphones for teleotolaryngology exist. The objective of this study is to evaluate the use of mobile teleotolaryngology facilitated by a nonotolaryngologist physician.

Methods:

A prospective study in adult patients attending a general otolaryngology outpatient clinic. The telehealth encounter with a remote otolaryngologist was facilitated by a final-year medical student simulating a general physician prior to the scheduled visit. The patient and the remote otolaryngologist rated their satisfaction with the encounter. The remote otolaryngologist formulated a diagnosis and rated the level of certainty of this diagnosis. Diagnoses from the telehealth encounter and the face-to-face encounter were compared.

Results:

Forty-eight patients with an average age of 42.5 years participated in this study. In 79.2% of the consultations, there was concordance between the diagnoses. The average patient and remote otolaryngologist satisfaction with the encounter was 9.5 ± 0.9 and 8.7 ± 1.3, respectively. Twenty-four of the 48 visits (50%) were defined as unnecessary. In the otology group, concordance rates and rates of preventable visits were highest.

Conclusions:

Synchronous telehealth consultations, facilitated by a general physician, can be an alternative to visiting a general otolaryngology clinic, especially for otologic patients.
Crossing team boundaries: A theoretical model of team boundary permeability and a discussion of why it matters
Authors: Dibble Rebekah , Gibson Cristina B
Published: November 2017

Given the context in which teams work today, many teams are necessarily dynamic and permeable; that is, workers must be able to move quickly and easily in and out of teams, across team boundaries. We develop a model of team boundary permeability that incorporates the features of the team that give rise to boundary permeability, the outcomes experienced by teams with permeable boundaries, and moderators that serve to enhance the benefits and mitigate the liabilities of boundary permeability. In doing so, we extend theory on the fluid nature of teams. We conclude with implications for theory, directions for future research and implications for practice.
Evaluating the Evidence for More Frequent Than Annual HIV Screening of Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States: Results From a Systematic Review and CDC Expert Consultation
Authors: DiNenno Elizabeth A. , Prejean Joseph , Delaney Kevin P. , Bowles Kristina , Martin Tricia , Tailor Amrita , Dumitru Gema , Mullins Mary M. , Hutchinson Angela , Lansky Amy
Published: November 2017

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended in 2006 that sexually active gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) be screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at least annually. A workgroup comprising CDC and external experts conducted a systematic review of the literature, including benefits, harms, acceptability, and feasibility of annual versus more frequent screening among MSM, to determine whether evidence was sufficient to change the current recommendation. Four consultations with managers of public and nonprofit HIV testing programs, clinics, and mathematical modeling experts were conducted to provide input on the programmatic and scientific evidence. Mathematical models predicted that more frequent than annual screening of MSM could prevent some new HIV infections and would be more cost-effective than annual screening, but this evidence was considered insufficient due to study design. Evidence supports CDC’s current recommendation that sexually active MSM be screened at least annually. However, some MSM might benefit from more frequent screening. Future research should evaluate which MSM subpopulations would benefit most from more frequent HIV screening.
Fabric texture representation using the stable learned discrete cosine transform dictionary
Authors: Wu Ying , Zhou Jian , Akankwasa Nicholus Tayari , Wang Kai , Wang Jun
Published: November 2017

To obtain a stable fabric texture representation result and improve the computation speed, a novel method based on dictionary learning is presented. The dictionary is learned by the alternating least-squares method using discrete cosine transform (DCT) as the initiation dictionary. To test the effectiveness of the dictionary, we comprehensively investigated 42 diverse fault-free woven fabric samples, and three fabrics with defects. After the preprocessing procedure, the woven fabric samples were characterized by the learned dictionary. The experiments on 37 samples with different fabric densities demonstrated that the Peak Signal to Noise Ratio becomes larger while the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) diminishes as the weaving density increases. For defect fabric samples, the proposed algorithm can efficiently inspect the different types of fabric flaws. Results revealed that the learned dictionary is stable, highly efficient, and suitable for modeling fabric textures. In addition, the algorithm was validated by comparing it with the K-Singular Value Decomposition dictionary and the DCT dictionary. The learned dictionary presented strikingly better results in terms of calculation speed, consistent results, and RMSE. In general, the proposed method can be applied in studying the influence of fabric density on the representation of the fabric texture and detecting fabric flaws.
Teaching resident physicians the power of implicit bias and how it impacts patient care utilizing patients who have experienced incarceration as a model
Authors: Hofmeister Sabrina , Soprych Andrya
Published: November 2017

Over 2 million adults in the United States are incarcerated and over 650,000 return to the community each year. This disparate population is known to have an elevated burden of chronic disease and lower socioeconomic status. Medical residency training about care of incarcerated or previously incarcerated patients is significantly lacking in the United States. Curriculum can be developed and implemented in residency programs to help physicians learn how to work with this population, be sensitive to their unique needs, and achieve positive health outcomes. This article describes a method for “educating the educators” based on a workshop presented at a peer-reviewed national conference during the fall of 2016. Attendees participated in exercises addressing assumptions, expectations, bias, and worldview and increased their ability for self-reflection when interacting with patients who are or have experienced incarceration. In this session, strategies were identified that engaged the patient with the goal to aid in patient retention and compliance. Future steps include development of a formal curriculum for training in this area, incorporation into existing community medicine rotations or electives, and establishment of structured transition clinics where residents can be exposed to this population on a more regular basis and improve their overall health outcomes.
Psychoactive substance use in specialized psychiatric care patients
Authors: Karpov Boris , Joffe Grigori , Aaltonen Kari , Suvisaari Jaana , Baryshnikov Ilya , Koivisto Maaria , Melartin Tarja , Suominen Kirsi , Näätänen Petri , Heikkinen Martti , Oksanen Jorma , Isometsä Erkki
Published: November 2017

Objective

Life expectancy of psychiatric patients is markedly shorter compared to the general population, likely partly due to smoking or misuse of other substances. We investigated prevalence and correlates of substance use among psychiatric patients.

Methods

Within the Helsinki University Psychiatric Consortium Study, data were collected on substance use (alcohol, smoking, and illicit drugs) among patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 113), bipolar (n = 99), or depressive disorder (n = 188). Clinical diagnoses of substance use were recorded, and information on smoking, hazardous alcohol use, or misuse of other substances was obtained using questionnaires.

Results

One-fourth (27.7%) of the patients had clinical diagnoses of substance use disorders. In addition, in the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, 43.1% had hazardous alcohol use and 38.4% were daily smokers. All substance use was more common in men than in women. Bipolar patients had the highest prevalence of alcohol use disorders and hazardous use, whereas those with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were more often daily smokers. In regression analyses, self-reported alcohol consumption was associated with symptoms of anxiety and borderline personality disorder and low conscientiousness. No associations emerged for smoking.

Conclusions

The vast majority of psychiatric care patients have a diagnosed substance use disorder, hazardous alcohol use, or smoke daily, males more often than females. Bipolar patients have the highest rates of alcohol misuse, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder patients of smoking. Alcohol use may associate with symptoms of anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and low conscientiousness. Preventive and treatment efforts specifically targeted at harmful substance use among psychiatric patients are necessary.
Balint group leadership: Conceptual foundations and a framework for leadership development?
Authors: Elder Andrew
Published: November 2017

This article is based on a talk given at the International Balint Federation leadership congress in Warsaw (September 2016). It explores the conceptual foundations of Balint group leadership and starts by emphasizing the mutuality between psychoanalysts and medical practitioners working together. The parallel process between consulting room and group, and subsequently from group back to the consulting room, is delineated as the central construct in understanding the role of the leader. Having proposed a conceptual model for thinking about leadership interventions, the article discusses developments in some contemporary approaches to leadership: coleadership, the use of role play, psychodrama, pushback, and morale. It concludes by introducing Keats’ notion of negative capability as a way of thinking about creativity in Balint group leadership.
Received Wisdom: Stavenhagen’s “Erroneous Theses” and the Mexican Maquiladora Industry
Authors: Robles Robles María del Rosario Fátima
Published: November 2017

Rodolfo Stavenhagen’s “Seven Erroneous Theses about Latin America” has contributed to a social science–based understanding of the processes of development and underdevelopment in Latin America. Fifty years after its publication, its analysis applies to a form of industrialization that has emerged along the northern Mexican border. The received wisdom about the maquiladora export industry and the implementation of an export-oriented development model—that they should foster regional industrialization and dynamism and increase employment—has not been realized. Examination of this industry highlights the relations between national economic structures and transnational corporations that deepen and transform current modes of internal colonialism.

El “Siete tesis equivocadas sobre América Latina” de Rodolfo Stavenhagen contribuye a la comprensión desde las ciencias sociales de los procesos de desarrollo y subdesarrollo en América Latina. Cincuenta años después de su aparición, su análisis aplica a una forma de industrialización que surge en la frontera norte del país. El planteamiento que como “verdad adquirida” se expresa acerca de la industria maquiladora de exportación y del modelo de desarrollo orientado a la exportación—en el que supuestamente tendríamos como ventaja subyacente la industrialización de las regiones, incremento del empleo y un mayor dinamismo regional—no ha sucedido. El estudio de esta industria revela las relaciones entre estructuras económicas nacionales y empresas trasnacionales que agudizan y dan nuevas formas al colonialismo interno.
Self-Injurious Behavior in Children With Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Behavioral Intervention Literature
Authors: Erturk Buket , Machalicek Wendy , Drew Christine
Published: November 2017

We reviewed single-case research studies examining the effects of behavioral interventions for self-injurious behavior (SIB) in young children with autism and developmental disabilities. Systematic searches of electronic databases, journals, and reference lists identified 46 studies (66 participants younger than the age of 12) meeting inclusion criteria. Studies were examined based on (a) participant demographics, (b) topography and function of SIB, (c) type of functional behavior assessment (FBA), (d) intervention procedures and outcomes, and (e) experimental design and measurement. Intervention strategies were categorized as antecedent manipulations, teaching behavior, consequence-based procedures, and/or extinction procedures. Positive outcomes were reported for 78% of participants in the reviewed studies and 88% of the participants were diagnosed with autism. Results suggest the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to decrease SIB for young children with disabilities; however, the frequent use of packaged interventions without component analysis limits the conclusiveness of any treatment recommendation. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Lesion Segmentation in Automated 3D Breast Ultrasound: Volumetric Analysis
Authors: Agarwal Richa , Diaz Oliver , Lladó Xavier , Gubern-Mérida Albert , Vilanova Joan C. , Martí Robert
Published: November 2017

Mammography is the gold standard screening technique in breast cancer, but it has some limitations for women with dense breasts. In such cases, sonography is usually recommended as an additional imaging technique. A traditional sonogram produces a two-dimensional (2D) visualization of the breast and is highly operator dependent. Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) has also been proposed to produce a full 3D scan of the breast automatically with reduced operator dependency, facilitating double reading and comparison with past exams. When using ABUS, lesion segmentation and tracking changes over time are challenging tasks, as the three-dimensional (3D) nature of the images makes the analysis difficult and tedious for radiologists. The goal of this work is to develop a semi-automatic framework for breast lesion segmentation in ABUS volumes which is based on the Watershed algorithm. The effect of different de-noising methods on segmentation is studied showing a significant impact ([Formula: see text]) on the performance using a dataset of 28 temporal pairs resulting in a total of 56 ABUS volumes. The volumetric analysis is also used to evaluate the performance of the developed framework. A mean Dice Similarity Coefficient of [Formula: see text] with a mean False Positive ratio [Formula: see text] has been obtained. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the segmented volumes and the corresponding ground truth volumes is [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]). Similar analysis, performed on 28 temporal (prior and current) pairs, resulted in a good correlation coefficient [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) for prior and [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) for current cases. The developed framework showed prospects to help radiologists to perform an assessment of ABUS lesion volumes, as well as to quantify volumetric changes during lesions diagnosis and follow-up.
No evidence for an acute placebo effect on emotional processing in healthy volunteers
Authors: Huneke Nathan TM , Walsh Annabel EL , Brown Randi , Browning Michael , Harmer Catherine J
Published: November 2017

Placebo-controlled trials are the gold standard measure of efficacy in the development of new treatments for depression. However, the large placebo effects associated with standard measures of subjective symptoms reduce the sensitivity of such trials to detect antidepressant effects. There is a need to develop novel efficacy markers that are resistant to placebo effects. Measures of emotional processing, known to be sensitive to antidepressant treatment, may be such a marker, although the effect of an acute placebo treatment on these measures remains unclear. We assessed the influence of placebo on a validated battery of emotional processing tasks, the Emotional Test Battery (ETB), in healthy participants. Participants were informed they might receive the antidepressant drug bupropion, placebo or no treatment, with placebo effect being estimated as the difference between the placebo and no treatment groups. We found no significant difference between these groups on measures of emotional processing. There was also no effect of subjective treatment expectancy on performance in the tasks. This suggests that the ETB might be a useful tool for Phase I trials assessing novel antidepressant agents against placebo.
Save or Sack the City: The Fate of Jonah's Nineveh from a Spatial Perspective
Authors: Vermeulen Karolien
Published: November 2017

This article revisits the fate of Nineveh in Jonah 3, drawing on a cognitive-stylistic analysis of the spatial conceptualization of the city. Building upon previous research that acknowledges a destructive aspect of the book of Jonah, the analysis of space builders (such as directional and locational prepositions, motion verbs, but also keywords and stylistic devices) shows that the city is neither saved nor destroyed by God, but brought down by itself (or rather its people). The foregrounded Nineveh of the first lines of Jonah 3 turns into a Nineveh that functions as Ground. This stylistic overturning, in line with the prophecy in Jonah 3.4, fits the enemy city into a spatial framework controlled by God.
Abraham's Burial (Genesis 25.9): An Idyllic Burial or a Dispute over Inheritance?
Authors: Kozlova Ekaterina E.
Published: November 2017

Abraham's burial in Genesis 25 is traditionally viewed as a scene of reconciliation between Isaac and Ishmael. Both ancient ( Jub. 22; 23; Gen. Rab. 62.3, 5) and modern exegetes understand that Genesis 25 records the acts of the father and the sons as exemplary for the generations to come: Abraham declares his will concerning his legacy before he dies, and Isaac and Ishmael, ‘show proper filial piety…in joining together to bury their father’. Reading Abraham's story as a whole, this article argues that Ishmael's appearance in Gen. 25.9 cannot be viewed as heralding the arrival of long-awaited harmony in the pious household. Since ancient Israel and cognate cultures recognized the obligation of burying one's deceased parents as legal expectations of an heir, the deposition of Abraham in the grave by Isaac and Ishmael can be understood as a dispute over inheritance.
The Development of Jubilees 1 in the Late Second Temple Period
Authors: Monger Matthew P.
Published: November 2017

This article argues that there are matenal and literary reasons to view Jub. 1.15b-25 as a redactional addition to the text of Jubilees 1. The matenal arguments build upon a new matenal reconstruction of the 4Q216, which suggests that there was not space in the manuscript for this section of text. With this in mind, literary arguments for viewing this section as an addition are explored, and the late Second Temple period context of the addition of this text is made clear through connections with literature only known through the Dead Sea Scrolls. There are important implications of this analysis for the understanding of the composition and literary growth of Jubilees—which must have been subjugated to some degree of redaction.
Sample size requirements for learning to classify with high-dimensional biomarker panels
Authors: McKeigue Paul
Published: November 2017

A common problem in biomedical research is to calculate the sample size required to learn a classifier using a (possibly high-dimensional) panel of biomarkers. This paper describes a simple method based on a Gaussian approximation for calculating the predictive performance of the learned classifier given the size of the biomarker panel, the size of the training sample, and the optimal predictive performance (expressed as C-statistic [Formula: see text]) of the biomarker panel that could be obtained if a training sample of unlimited size were available. Under the assumption that the biomarker effect sizes have the same correlation structure as the biomarkers, the required sample size does not depend upon these correlations, but only upon [Formula: see text] and upon the sparsity of the distribution of effect sizes, defined by the proportion of biomarkers that have nonzero effects. To learn a classifier that extracts 80% of the predictive information, the required case sample size varies from about 0.1 cases per variable for a panel with [Formula: see text] and a sparse distribution of effect sizes (such that 1% of biomarkers have nonzero effect sizes) to nine cases per variable for a panel with [Formula: see text] and a diffuse distribution of effect sizes.
Futility for subgroup analyses in the adaptive signature design
Authors: Callegaro Andrea
Published: November 2017

Subgroup analyses in clinical trials are becoming increasingly important. In cancer research, more and more targeted therapies are explored from which probably only a portion of the whole population will benefit. An adaptive design for subgroup selection with identification of a subgroup, the adaptive signature design, was proposed in the literature. Unfortunately, measuring and validating the variables defining the subgroup (i.e. biomarkers) can be extremely expensive. For this reason, we propose an extension of this design where subgroup analysis is not performed when the overall results suggest that it is unlikely to achieve statistical significance in the subgroup. Avoiding measuring and validating expensive biomarkers in this case can save resources that could be used on more promising research.
Effects of Innovation Investment on Profitability and Moderating Role of Corporate Governance: Empirical Study of Indian Listed Firms
Authors: Busru Showkat Ahmad , Shanmugasundaram G.
Published: November 2017

Innovation investment decisions are always riskier business decisions, especially when it is a question of spending on research and development, but it is a vital area of decision-making which enhances growth and sustainability. First, we attempted to investigate the bidirectional causality between R&D and profitability measured in terms of NP (net profit), ROA and ROE through Granger causality test from a sample of 255 sample Indian listed firms for a period of eight years ranging from 2008 to 2015, while finding unidirectional causality only between R&D expenditure and profitability, we moved for analysing the magnitude of relationship through multiple regression model which revealed that R&D expenditure negatively affects the profitability but affects the profitability of subsequent years positively while taking lags. Further, moderating regressions equation was employed to assess the moderating role of corporate governance variables such as board size, board independence, family ownership, foreign and institutional ownership with controlling effects of size, market capital and liquidity position. The results revealed that all moderating variables except board size affect the slope of regression positively, but technically only family ownership moderates the relationship between R&D expenditure and profitability as there is significant change in f-value while moderation effect of family ownership is taken into consideration. Only board size affects negatively the relationship questioning the role of internal board and their interest in innovation for maximising personal benefits on the expense of risk-bearing shareholders and stakeholders. Our results were in conformity with some prior studies but have also shown contradiction with results of developed estates regarding role of board for balancing the agency theory conflicts, hence creating room for Indian corporate culture with a full-fledged system which can strike a balance between interest of agents and principals with protection to minority shareholders and overall stakeholders.
Corporate Social Responsibility in India: A Journey from Corporate Philanthropy to Governance Mandate
Authors: Pillai K. R.
Published: November 2017

Business is obligatory to society as it flourishes in the very social eco-system. Socially responsible, ethically upright and environmentally sustainable business solutions will endure spatially and temporally. The governmental initiatives to put corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the core business agenda acknowledge the policy engagement in promoting socially responsible business in a country. The present article is the outcome of a country-specific study examining the CSR mandates in a historical perspective in India in general and the domain of Companies Act 2013 in particular. The approach of the study is desk research. The study has observed that the recent mandate of India in this regard is to align the CSR engagements with corporate performance through a process of internalisation and institutionalisation.
Global Perspectives: Making the Shift from Multiculturalism to Culturally Responsive Teaching
Authors: Walter Jennifer S.
Published: November 2017

In the early part of the 1970s, multicultural music education began in earnest and was focused primarily on the curriculum used for music: textbooks, method books, and repertoire. At the turn of the 21th century, however, culturally responsive teaching emerged as the predominant pedagogy for relating to students. It was considered a student-centered approach to learning, and to date, culturally responsive teaching has been gaining momentum in education and in music education. Simultaneously, there have been discussions in music education surrounding equity and access to music for all. These discussions have resulted in more urgency to include all students in general music through the completion of high school. Culturally responsive teaching, therefore, is poised to become an important approach to equity and access to music for all. What follows is a brief history of the movement and how culturally responsive teaching can become an integral part of all teachers’ approaches to music.
The Value of Rehabilitation Medicine for Patients Receiving Palliative Care
Authors: Wittry Sarah A. , Lam Ny-Ying , McNalley Thomas
Published: November 2017

Background:

Rehabilitation medicine is a multidisciplinary field aimed at improving patients’ quality of life by improving function. Patients receiving palliative care frequently share common symptoms including fatigue, decreased functional independence, mood disorders, pain, and breathlessness. Many rehabilitation interventions can improve these symptoms.

Objective:

To evaluate the scope and effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions and exercise programs in improving quality of life and distressing symptoms in patients receiving palliative care.

Methods:

We conducted a literature review of cancer rehabilitation topics and techniques specifically applied to patients with life-limiting conditions. Exercise and other rehabilitation interventions were analyzed for their effects on common symptoms and disabilities experienced by this patient population.

Conclusion:

Current available literature supports the use of exercise programs and rehabilitation interventions to improve fatigue, mood, functional independence, breathlessness, and pain. Rehabilitation and palliative care practitioners share many goals in their approach to patient care and augment one another well. Palliative care providers should consider referral to physiatry (physical medicine and rehabilitation) to help optimize patients’ quality of life.
Emerging Patterns of Morbidity and Hospitalization— A Comparison of Kerala and Bihar
Authors: Sinimole K. R.
Published: November 2017

Health status of the population is one of the significant indicators of social and economic well-being. Government of India has tried to ensure the highest possible health status of India’s population and access to quality health care through a number of policy documents. Improved overall health status and socioeconomic pressures have resulted in changes in the demographic profile. The type of health-care service requirement has changed due to the rise of lifestyle-related diseases and communicable diseases. It is also crucially relevant that maternal and infant mortality continue to remain unacceptably high in several parts of the country. States like Kerala have performed well and “Kerala Model Health System” is often viewed as a rare combination of higher order human development and not so noticeable pattern of consistent exponential economic growth. However, the well-known “Kerala Model Health System” has been facing a crisis due to the demographic transition in Kerala and it is reflected in its patterns of morbidity and hospitalization. Bihar, on the other hand, has low longevity and performs poor in terms of medical and educational facilities, and it has the lowest rates of reported morbidity. At this context, this article tries to assess the socioeconomic determinants of morbidity and hospitalization in the states of Kerala and Bihar.
Effects of Support Interventions in Women Hospitalized With Preterm Labor
Authors: Kao Mei-Hua , Hsu Pi-Feng , Tien Sheng-Fang , Chen Chie-Pein
Published: November 2017

This study was to examine the effects of support interventions on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in women hospitalized with preterm labor. A randomized, single-blind experimental design was used. Participants were recruited from maternity wards of one medical center in Taiwan. The control group ( n = 103) received routine nursing care, and intervention group ( n = 140) received interventional support during hospitalization. The Beck Anxiety Inventory, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire were used at admission and 2 weeks of hospitalization. For the control group, anxiety and depression scores increased significantly and quality of life decreased 2 weeks after hospitalization. Participants who received 2 weeks of support intervention had significantly lower anxiety and depression scores than controls. Thus, clinical nurses can offer support interventions to improve anxiety and depression for women with preterm labor during hospitalization.
Validating Online Measures of Cognitive Ability in Genes for Good, a Genetic Study of Health and Behavior
Authors: Liu MengZhen , Rea-Sandin Gianna , Foerster Johanna , Fritsche Lars , Brieger Katharine , Clark Christopher , Li Kevin , Pandit Anita , Zajac Gregory , Abecasis Gonçalo R. , Vrieze Scott
Published: November 2017

Genetic association studies routinely require many thousands of participants to achieve sufficient power, yet accumulation of large well-assessed samples is costly. We describe here an effort to efficiently measure cognitive ability and personality in an online genetic study, Genes for Good. We report on the first 21,550 participants with relevant phenotypic data, 7,458 of whom have been genotyped genome-wide. Measures of crystallized and fluid intelligence reflected a two-dimensional latent ability space, with items demonstrating adequate item-level characteristics. The Big Five Inventory questionnaire revealed the expected five-factor model of personality. Cognitive measures predicted educational attainment over and above personality characteristics, as expected. We found that a genome-wide polygenic score of educational attainment predicted educational level, accounting for 4%, 4%, and 2.7% of the variance in educational attainment, verbal reasoning, and spatial reasoning, respectively. In summary, the online cognitive measures in Genes for Good appear to perform adequately and demonstrate expected associations with personality, education, and an education-based polygenic score. Results indicate that online cognitive assessment is one avenue to accumulate large samples of individuals for genetic research of cognitive ability.
Memory as Insight: Navigating the Complexities of Generational Mother–Daughter Relationships
Authors: deAnda Carly , Geist-Martin Patricia
Published: November 2017

Our memories very rarely represent factual events, but rather they are tethered to our personal goals and how we see ourselves. Autobiographical memories are a specific type of memory that come at us in an instant with no warning of their arrival or clue as to their purpose. This autoethnographic research offers layered emotional understandings of memories—of what we may have resisted in our moms, what they may have resisted in their moms, and the new meanings of resistances that lead us to see both our mothers and our daughters outside the confines of their singular roles.
Oral Health of Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chau Yvonne C. Y. , Peng Si-Min , McGrath Colman P. J. , Yiu Cynthia K. Y.
Published: November 2017

Objective: This systematic review investigated the oral health of children with ADHD. Method: A structured search strategy was performed on five electronic databases: SCOPUS, Web of Science, COCHRANE, PubMed, and PsychInfo. Studies were included in the review if they reported clinical oral health outcomes on a population diagnosed with ADHD under the age of 18 years old. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed on pooled prevalence and mean/median values for caries, trauma, periodontal problems, and tooth wear. Results: Twenty-seven effective articles were reviewed by two calibrated assessors. Meta-analysis of the results found higher mean number of decayed surfaces, plaque index, and trauma prevalence among children with ADHD. Conclusion: Children with ADHD show increased risk for caries and traumatic dental injuries, and may have poorer oral hygiene compared with children without ADHD. More awareness among clinicians would promote better caries- and trauma-preventive advice and management.
Organizational Decline and Fiscal Distress in Municipal Police Agencies
Authors: Giblin Matthew J. , Nowacki Jeffrey S.
Published: November 2017

In late 2007, the United States entered one of the most significant recessions in recent memory. While the consequences to individuals have been well documented, less attention has been paid to the effects on state-sponsored organizations such as police agencies. The current study examines fiscal distress (e.g., layoffs, hiring freezes) in a sample of large municipal law enforcement agencies. According to a framework proposed by Levine, departments should be most vulnerable to fiscal distress when the jurisdiction experiences economic shocks (environmental entropy), the demand for police services declines (problem depletion), the political system becomes less supportive of police agencies (political vulnerability), and the organization becomes more structurally complex (organizational atrophy). Structural equation modeling results suggest that fiscal distress is driven by the local economic context, changing crime rates, and organizational size. This research has implications for helping organizations address future economic declines.
A narrow view: The conceptualization of sexual problems in human sexuality textbooks
Authors: Stelzl Monika , Stairs Brittany , Anstey Hannah
Published: November 2017

This study examined the ways in which the meaning of ‘sexual problems’ is constructed and defined in undergraduate human sexuality textbooks. Drawing on feminist and critical discourse frameworks, the dominant as well as the absent/marginalized discourses were identified using critical discourse analysis. Sexual difficulties were largely framed by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Thus, medical discourse was privileged. Alternative conceptualizations and frameworks, such as the New View of Women’s Sexual Problems, were included marginally and peripherally. We argue that current constructions of sexuality knowledge reinforce, rather than challenge, existing hegemonic discourses of sexuality.
I'm not joking! The strategic use of humour in stories of racism
Authors: Hylton Kevin
Published: November 2017

This study examines the use of humour by Black football coaches in England as a rhetorical device against racism. The paper draws on humour studies and critical race theory to illustrate signs of humour as defence. Research on humour has popularly explored the ambiguities and qualities of humour and, in particular, joke telling through its use as a foil to stem racial ills is less well understood. Where previous work has focused on explicit joke telling/banter in sport, this paper examines how techniques of humour are used in everyday racialised experiences. The use of techniques of humour enables feelings of subordination, and humiliation to be transposed into forms of resistance, while its physiological and psychological benefits can lead to inter-racial relief and catharsis. The paper concludes that techniques of humour remain underexplored as important tools of resistance to everyday racism.
Noncontact mobile sensing for absolute stress in rail using photoluminescence piezospectroscopy
Authors: Kim Namgyu , Yun Hae-Bum
Published: November 2017

A novel noncontact, mobile sensing technique to measure absolute stress in rail using photoluminescence piezospectroscopy is presented. Photoluminescence piezospectroscopy is a vibrational spectroscopy technique for chemical identification and stress measurement by focusing low-power laser on a substance surface. Thermite welding is a major welding method for continuous welded rail, which produces iron (Fe) and aluminum oxides (Al2O3) after aluminothermic reaction. Photoluminescence piezospectroscopy was used as a noncontact stress sensing method since photoluminescence piezospectroscopy has an excellent detectability for alpha-phase aluminum oxide (α-Al2O3). Using a portable photoluminescence piezospectroscopy system, a prominent α-Al2O3 signal was collected from the bare surface of thermite weld samples. A loading frame test was conducted to determine the piezospectroscopic coefficient of α-Al2O3 in thermite weld. A pulverization method is introduced to determine absolute stress from an existing rail sample. The experimental results show many advantages of this method over traditional methods to measure stress in rail as a mobile sensing method.
Molecular Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy of Melanoma Targeting the Melanocortin 1 Receptor
Authors: Zhang Chengcheng , Lin Kuo-Shyan , Bénard François
Published: November 2017

Melanoma is a deadly disease at late metastatic stage, and early diagnosis and accurate staging remain the key aspects for managing melanoma. The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1 R) is overexpressed in primary and metastatic melanomas, and its endogenous ligand, the α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (αMSH), has been extensively studied for the development of MC1 R-targeted molecular imaging and therapy of melanoma. Natural αMSH is not well suited for this purpose due to low stability in vivo. Unnatural amino acid substitutions substantially stabilized the peptide, while cyclization via lactam bridge and metal coordination further improved binding affinity and stability. In this study, we summarized the development and the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of the radiolabeled αMSH analogues, including 99mTc-, 111In-, 67 Ga-, or 125I-labeled αMSH analogues for imaging with single-photon emission computed tomography; 68Ga-, 64Cu-, or 18F-labeled αMSH analogues for imaging with positron emission tomography; and 188Re-, 177Lu-, 90Y-, or 212Pb-labeled αMSH analogues for radionuclide therapy. These radiolabeled αMSH analogues showed promising results with high tumor uptake and rapid normal tissue activity clearance in the preclinical model of B16F1 and B16F10 mouse melanomas. These results highlight the potential of using radiolabeled αMSH analogues in clinical applications for molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy of melanoma.
Endovascular Therapy of the Superficial Femoral Artery Via a Stand-Alone Transradial Access: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Hanna Elias B. , Ababneh Bashar A. , Amin Amit N.
Published: November 2017

Objective:

We describe our experience in transradial recanalization of the superficial femoral artery (SFA), and we provide a stepwise approach accounting for the patient’s height and optimizing the yield of currently available devices.

Methods and Results:

Fifteen patients with simple SFA disease, including 4 patients with total SFA occlusions <15 cm, were selected for stand-alone transradial recanalization. A 6F, 125-cm multipurpose guiding catheter was used to cannulate the limb of interest and support device delivery. The procedure was successful in all patients and consisted of balloon angioplasty (using 0.014″, 200-cm shaft monorail balloons) in all patients, and orbital atherectomy in 6 patients. We illustrate the steps and challenges of the transradial approach, namely the limited support in complex disease and the limited reach of current equipment.

Conclusion:

In patients with simple SFA disease, transradial recanalization appears feasible and safe but currently limited to balloon angioplasty ± orbital atherectomy. Proximal SFA stenting may be feasible in patients <160 cm in height.