bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design for Usability of Complex Medical Devices: Leading a Technology-Push Innovation Towards User Acceptance
Authors: Benker Andreas
Published: April 2015

This study explores the applicability of usability design processes in the development of a complex medical device in order to enhance the marketability and user acceptance of such.

In healthcare, risk mitigation and prevention of potential use errors are the prevailing topics that need to be addressed throughout the development processes of medical devices. However, it is also acknowledged that medical device manufacturers ought to go beyond the mere functional and safety-related aspects of the device-to-be since potential customers also consult usability testing results before purchasing such systems. Yet, it remains unclear how and at what development stage manufacturers include the user perspective in their design iterations in order to enhance the system’s usability.

Through action research, this study investigates the approach towards product usability applied throughout the development process of a medical device manufacturer. Interdisciplinary usability workshops were conducted, involving designers and application specialists from within the company that represent future users of the device. These so-called user proxies are able to provide the input from a user perspective at several stages of the design process. It was found that device usability is considered as a crucial topic in order to detect and mitigate use errors as early as possible. Including user proxies in the development process is beneficial to receive feedback from internal professionals that come closest to future users of the system. However, it is challenging to translate user proxies’ insights directly into the development process due to the system’s complexity and technical constraints.

The study presents an outline of how to make the usability aspects fit into current development processes in order to increase user acceptance. It contributes to academia and practice alike as a starting point to further investigate how to integrate and standardize usability design processes throughout the development of medical devices.
The Strengths and Weaknesses of Celebrities as Branding and Creative Design Elements in Advertising
Authors: Tanaka Aoi , Nguyen Cathy , Romaniuk Jenni
Published: April 2015

Celebrities are one of the most commonly used elements in advertising, as both design elements to signal the brand and as creative devices to attract attention and increase the consumers’ positive attitude to the advertisement. This raises two issues. The first is that despite the cost, as celebrities can be very expensive, prior literature has provided mixed results regarding celebrity contribution to effective advertising. The second is the possibility of conflicting objectives, in that a celebrity that is a powerful enough creative device to lift the cut through of the advertising may distract rather than build attention to the brand. Therefore, an advertisement gains on one dimension of advertising effectiveness but loses on another.

This multi-country study examines the strengths and weaknesses of celebrities as design elements in advertising, using advertisement recall, likeability and correct branding as advertising effectiveness measures. This research shows that celebrities cannot be used as silver bullets to guarantee effective advertising. We find no support that celebrity advertisements systematically outperform non-celebrity advertisements on any of the three advertising effectiveness measures. Category-level analysis reveals that advertisements with celebrities both outperform and underperform advertisements without celebrities. Further analysis with a classification of celebrity professions shows the superiority of athlete celebrities against non-celebrity advertisements in advertisement likeability. This suggests that there are extraneous factors which impact on advertising effectiveness when celebrities are involved. Our testing of some possible extraneous factors did not reveal anything significant.
No direction home: ‘The Home of Metal’ and unreconstructed and unaccommodated man
Authors: Andrews Ben , Bennett Pete
Published: April 2015

While acknowledging the significant part played by ‘The Home of Metal’ conference, exhibition and archive in the development of Metal Music Studies, this article is intent on interrogating the notion that metal can be so easily accommodated. It argues that at the very heart of metal there is an impetus/attitude/energy that cannot be in this way contained, let alone domesticated. It does so by exploring the identity of a genre conceived in opposition to mainstream musical genres and the aesthetic merits of being ugly as a means of resistance not only to authority in general but also of the aesthetic per se.
El discurso abolicionista de la diáspora: el caso de Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda y su novela Sab (1841)
Authors: Pastor Brígida M.
Published: April 2015

En este estudio se pretende exponer como el progresismo de la escritora cubana, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda intentó encontrar un compromiso que camuflara cualquier idea transgresora. Por ello los mensajes contradictorios que emite la escritora en su primera novela Sab (1841) son reflejo de las, asimismo, contradicciones y dilemas de la autora que, perteneciente a una clase dominante, las experimenta de forma más compleja al escribir desde la diáspora. Aunque la analogía estratégica entre el tema de la esclavitud y de la mujer asoma en Sab como el principal leitmotiv de su obra, Gómez de Avellaneda deja patente su interés en defender la causa humanitaria de los esclavos. El alejamiento entre la temática de Sab y el resto de los textos abolicionistas contemporáneos revela los residuos de dominio cultural del reformismo criollo que debió conservar la autora cubana: blanqueamiento de la sociedad cubana y deshumanización del sujeto subalterno, el conflicto entre el ideario abolicionista y el interés económico de mantener la esclavitud, y la interconexión de género y raza que estratégicamente vincula la condición social femenina con la representación del «Otro,» en este caso el esclavo. Es evidente que la escritura de la diáspora, en el caso de Gómez de Avellaneda, conserva una «cubanidad» asimilada, según las expectativas del reformismo cubano de la época.
La raza y el racismo en la república imposible de Rafael Serra
Authors: Montero Oscar
Published: April 2015

Rafael Serra, autodidacta, tabaquero, y periodista, compartió con José Martí el exilio en New York, donde con el apoyo del Maestro, fundó La Liga, centro docente y cultural, cuyo propósito principal era la educación de «hombres de color» cubanos y puertorriqueños. El tema central de la labor periodística de Serra, su misión más bien, fue la defensa de los derechos civiles, ignorados y constantemente amenazados, de los cubanos de origen africano. Montero analiza algunos textos de Serra para considerar su incapacidad para captar las contradicciones culturales entre la lucha necesaria contra el racismo y su identificación con las ideas centrales de la llamada civilización occidental. El propósito del trabajo es indagar en algunos de los textos de Serra sobre estas contradicciones, con el ánimo no solo de repasar lo consabido sobre el antirracismo de Serra, sino de actualizarlo, es decir, vincularlo a nuestros propios racismos, para sugerir tal vez las formas en que podrían combatirse hoy día.
Plácido y el romanticismo
Authors: Arias García Salvador
Published: April 2015

El artículo incide en la relación de la obra del poeta mulato Gabriel de la Concepción Valdés (1809-1844), conocido como Plácido, con el Romanticismo en la tradición cultural cubana. Del triunfo romántico en Matanzas hasta la Conspiración de la Escalera y el fusilamiento de Plácido en 1844, existe un trayecto que irá ganando profundidad y compromiso, en el cual literatura y vida no andarán por caminos diversos, como ponen de manifiesto las composiciones poéticas y dramáticas publicados por el poeta en periódicos como La Aurora de Matanzas analizados en este artículo.
El abolicionismo transnacional cubano: los relatos antiesclavistas de Félix Tanco y «el tiempo de la nación»
Authors: Méndez Rodenas Adriana
Published: April 2015

Momentos antes de que el cónsul británico Richard Madden partiera para Inglaterra en 1839, Domingo del Monte le entrega un portfolio de obras escritas por miembros de su tertulia en apoyo a la causa abolicionista. Este evento se va a convertir en uno de los capítulos más intrigantes de la historia literaria caribeña. Este ensayo examina el encuentro entre Del Monte y Madden a la luz del abolicionismo transnacional cubano. Después de trazar las redes entre la primera generación de escritores cubanos y los abolicionistas ingleses, y cómo éstas influyeron en su misión ideológica, se pasa a analizar los relatos antiesclavistas de Félix Tanco, y particularmente el titulado «“Un niño en La Habana”». Al trasladar el debate sobre la esclavitud a la esfera privada, Tanco dramatiza el impacto psicológico de la relación amo/esclavo. Al final, se considera cómo éstas y otras obras abolicionistas contribuyen al «tiempo de la nación» a mediados del siglo XIX cubano.
Misconceptions about family planning of women in Turkey
Authors: Bal Meltem Demirgöz , Aydın Özkan Semiha
Published: April 2015

Background: The objective of this study is to investigate the myths of women about contraceptive methods.

Method: This study was planned as a cross-sectional research. The study population consisted of 1335 women aged between 16 and 56 years, who attended to a family planning clinic of a state hospital in Karaman City in the southwest part of Turkey.

Findings: The mean age of women has been 32,79±8,8. While 6.2% (n=84) of the women used no contraceptive method, 70.4% (n=945) of them used an effective method and 23.4% (n=312) used a traditional method. The 40.2% of women have believed in that the oral contraceptive method caused weight gain, infertility, bleeding disorders, hirsutism, cancer, irritability, malformed baby and premature menopause.  The 24,2% of women have thought of that the intrauterine devices caused bleeding disorder, moving in the body, cancer, decreased sexual desire, genital infection and  infertility.

Conclusions: There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding contraception, and they can sometimes prevent a woman from making an informed choice.
Factors affecting trust in police in Turkey
Authors: Çakar Bekir
Published: April 2015

Law enforcement administrators generally evaluate their performance using statistics related to crime control. These statistics are important indicators for measuring performance, but it is also crucial to measure of public opinions toward the police. This study examines the determinants of public trust in the police. Using data from the European Social Survey (ESS) Round 4, for the analysis, a total sample of 2,416 persons is selected from respondents from Turkey. The study provides a snapshot of citizens’ perceptions toward law enforcement. Overall, the results of this study regarding the demographic variables, including age, gender, marital status, and education, were consistent with previous research and proved to be significantly related to trust in the police. Surprisingly, perceived victimization failed to show a significant relationship. However, important predictors included perceived fear of crime and trust in the political system, which had significant impacts on public trust in the police. Especially, fear of crime was a significant predictor of satisfaction with police. Effective crime control and lowering crime rates are considered the core functions of law enforcement by citizens. Therefore, perceived effectiveness in fighting crime can lower individual fear of crime and thus increase satisfaction with law enforcement.
On Conditioning of Constraints Arising from Variationally Consistent Discretization of Contact Problems and Duality Based Solvers
Authors: Vlach Oldřich , Dostál Zdeněk , Kozubek Tomáš
Published: April 2015

Variationally consistent approximation
of the non-penetration conditions and friction laws was introduced by Wohlmuth [Acta Numer. 20 (2011) 569–734] as a powerful tool
for the effective discretization of contact problems. This approach is especially useful when the potential contact interface is large and curved or when non-matching
grids are applied. The point of this note is to give bounds on the singular values of the constraint matrices arising from the variationally consistent approximation
and to indicate their application in the analysis of the scalable duality based domain decomposition algorithms for the solution of multi-body contact problems
[Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 247–248 (2012), 37–50.].
The theoretical results are illustrated by numerical experiments.
Arsenic Immobilization by Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron / Immobilizacja Arsenu Przez Nanożelazo Na Zerowym Stopniu Utlenienia
Authors: Rodová Alena , Filip Jan , Černík Miroslav
Published: April 2015

Contaminated mine water from the Kank site (Czech Republic) containing arsenic at a concentration of approximately 85 mg/dm3 was tested in a reaction with elemental iron nanoparticles. In a reductive environment there was a reduction of As to the more soluble and toxic form of As(III) depending on the pH of the solution. Oxidation of elemental iron creates oxyhydroxides which incorporate As into their structure in the form of mixed complexes and thereby remove and bind dissolved As from the solution. The addition of 0.5 g/dm3 nZVI to the contaminated water leads to a significant decrease in ORP and concentrations of As to around the detection limit. The pH of the solution is not significantly affected by the addition of nZVI. The main competing anion for co-precipitation is represented by phosphates whose concentration after the addition of nZVI was reduced to 6.5% of the original value. The resulting precipitates were analyzed by XPS, XRF, XRD, SEM-EDX and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The presence of jarosite, Schwertmannite and also arsenic probably in the form of skorodite was confirmed
Incompressible SPH Model for Simulating Violent Free-Surface Fluid Flows
Authors: Staroszczyk Ryszard
Published: April 2015

In this paper the problem of transient gravitational wave propagation in a viscous incompressible fluid is considered, with a focus on flows with fast-moving free surfaces. The governing equations of the problem are solved by the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method (SPH). In order to impose the incompressibility constraint on the fluid motion, the so-called projection method is applied in which the discrete SPH equations are integrated in time by using a fractional-step technique. Numerical performance of the proposed model has been assessed by comparing its results with experimental data and with results obtained by a standard (weakly compressible) version of the SPH approach. For this purpose, a plane dam-break flow problem is simulated, in order to investigate the formation and propagation of a wave generated by a sudden collapse of a water column initially contained in a rectangular tank, as well as the impact of such a wave on a rigid vertical wall. The results of simulations show the evolution of the free surface of water, the variation of velocity and pressure fields in the fluid, and the time history of pressures exerted by an impacting wave on a wall.
Comparison of Average Energy Slope Estimation Formulas for One-dimensional Steady Gradually Varied Flow
Authors: Artichowicz Wojciech , Mikos-Studnicka Patrycja
Published: April 2015

To find the steady flow water surface profile, it is possible to use Bernoulli’s equation, which is a discrete form of the differential energy equation. Such an approach requires the average energy slope between cross-sections to be estimated. In the literature, many methods are proposed for estimating the average energy slope in this case, such as the arithmetic mean, resulting in the standard step method, the harmonic mean and the geometric mean. Also hydraulic averaging by means of conveyance is commonly used. In this study, water surface profiles numerically computed using different formulas for expressing the average slope were compared with exact analytical solutions of the differential energy equation. Maximum relative and mean square errors between numerical and analytical solutions were used as measures of the quality of numerical models. Experiments showed that all methods gave solutions useful for practical engineering purposes. For every method, the numerical solution was very close to the analytical one. However, from the numerical viewpoint, the differences between the methods were significant, as the errors differed up to two orders of magnitude.
Impact of Urbanization on Stormwater Runoff from a Small Urban Catchment: Gdańsk Małomiejska Basin Case Study
Authors: Olechnowicz Borys , Weinerowska-Bords Katarzyna
Published: April 2015

This paper deals with the impact of different forms of urbanization on the basin outflow. The influence of changes in land cover/use, drainage system development, reservoirs, and alternative ways of stormwater management (green roofs, permeable pavements) on basin runoff was presented in the case of a small urban basin in Gdansk (Poland). Seven variants of area development (in the period of 2000-2012) - three historical and four hypothetical - were analyzed. In each case, runoff calculations for three rainfall scenarios were carried out by means of the Hydrologic Modeling System designed by Hydrologic Engineering Center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (HEC-HMS). The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Curve Number (CN) method was used for calculations of effective rainfall, the kinematic wave model for those of overland flow, and the Muskingum-Cunge model for those of channel routing. The calculations indicated that urban development had resulted in increased peak discharge and runoff volume and in decreased peak time. On the other hand, a significant reduction in peak values was observed for a relatively small decrease in the normal storage level (NSL) in reservoirs or when green roofs on commercial centers were present. The study confirmed a significant increase in runoff as a result of urbanization and a considerable runoff reduction by simple alternative ways of stormwater management.
Experimental Verification of Storm Sewer Transient Flow Simulation
Authors: Szydłowski Michał
Published: April 2015

The paper focuses mainly on laboratory investigations of transient and transcritical flow in a single pipe of a sewer system. The aim of this paper is to present a comparison between pressure values calculated by an improved McCormack scheme and those measured at the hydraulic laboratory of the Gdańsk University of Technology, which were observed inside a pipe in an experiment for water flow with pressurization. The analysis proves that the numerical approach applied to flow simulation is a sufficiently accurate and reliable technique for predicting the basic parameters of storm sewer flow
Helminths of Liophis miliaris (Squamata, Dipsadidae): a list of species and new records
Authors: Mati V. L. T. , Pinto H. A. , Melo A. L.
Published: April 2015

In order to have better knowledge of the parasites of the common water snake Liophis miliaris (Linnaeus, 1758), a checklist of its helminths was produced based on a review of the literature and new records of worms identified during the course of a parasitological survey combining data from stool analysis (n = 22) and necropsies (n = 8) of specimens of this snake from Muriaé, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thirty-one helminth species (two acanthocephalans, one cestode, 11 nematodes and 17 trematodes) were so far reported in L. miliaris in the Neotropical region, already including the records in the present study of Acanthorhabdias acanthorhabdias Pereira, 1927, Paracapillaria (Ophidiocapillaria) cesarpintoi (Freitas & Lent, 1934) and Strongyloides ophidiae Pereira, 1929. Taxonomic comments on these nematode species are given, and areas of occurrence of A. acanthorhabdias and P. cesarpintoi are expanded in southeastern Brazil. In addition, factors related to parasite richness of L. miliaris, which is likely related to its aquatic habits, are discussed.
Antimicrobial activity of Ficus sycomorus L. (Moraceae) leaf and stem-bark extracts against multidrug resistant human pathogens
Authors: Saleh Basel , Hammoud Razan , Al-Mariri Ayman
Published: April 2015

The present work was conducted to investigate antibacterial activity of methanol and acetone in leaf (LE) and stem-bark (SBE) of Ficus sycomorus L. crude extracts against sensitive and resistant species of Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii pathogens. Antimicrobial activity expressed by disc-diffusion method (zone of inhibitions - ZIs), minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were measured as reported for many investigations. Similar study with 6 commercial antibiotics as a reference drug was undertaken. Based upon the estimated ZIs, MIC and MBC values, acetone LE exhibited higher antimicrobial activity than that of methanol one. Otherwise, standard antibiotics have lower effectiveness (ZIs, MICs and MBC) on all tested bacteria as compared to the SBE and LE. The highest antibacterial activity was recorded in sensitive A. baumannii isolate with MICs 2.5, 4.9 mg/ml and MBC 3.8, 9.7 mg/ml for acetone LE and SBE, respectively. Our data indicated that the lowest antibiotics antibacterial activity was recorded for resistant A. baumannii pathogen. It was lower than those of the both plant fractions extracts.
Adaptation, the Paramount Communication Strategy
Authors: Bastin Georges L.
Published: April 2015

In Translation Studies as well as in any other discipline dealing with human communication, we can assume without any doubts that adaptation is the most efficient communicational strategy. Although it is a tactical tool used to solve isolated communicational problems or conflicts, it is far and foremost a strategy with a long term general purpose closely related to a communicational and even a lifelong project.

This paper will examine the implications of adaption as tactical and strategic ways of solving cultural dissimilarities from the translation studies perspective. Such reflection will be illustrated with examples taken from the so-called field of pragmatic translation activity but also from translation history. Particularly, we will look at what was at stake when Spanish missionaries translated religious texts while serving their purpose of evangelization. This will lead us to envisage the product of such adaptations as syncretism, métissage or hybridity. Those different concepts, while not contradictory, have distinct ideological and political implications when it comes to the interpretation of colonial history.

This paper will also deal with the concepts of intertextuality and intermediality as ideal environments for adaptation. We will show that adaptation in translation studies is at the crossroads of various disciplines that it can enrich.
A Glance through the VPN Looking Glass: IPv6 Leakage and DNS Hijacking in Commercial VPN clients
Authors: Perta Vasile C. , Barbera Marco V. , Tyson Gareth , Haddadi Hamed , Mei Alessandro
Published: April 2015

Commercial Virtual Private Network (VPN) services have become a popular and convenient technology for users seeking privacy and anonymity. They have been applied to a wide range of use cases, with commercial providers often making bold claims regarding their ability to fulfil each of these needs, e.g., censorship circumvention, anonymity and protection from monitoring and tracking. However, as of yet, the claims made by these providers have not received a sufficiently detailed scrutiny. This paper thus investigates the claims of privacy and anonymity in commercial VPN services. We analyse 14 of the most popular ones, inspecting their internals and their infrastructures. Despite being a known issue, our experimental study reveals that the majority of VPN services suffer from IPv6 traffic leakage. The work is extended by developing more sophisticated DNS hijacking attacks that allow all traffic to be transparently captured.We conclude discussing a range of best practices and countermeasures that can address these vulnerabilities
Resources and adaptation following involuntary resettlement in the Bytom-Karb community
Authors: Pietkiewicz Igor , Wójcik Małgorzata , Popiołek Katarzyna , Bańka Augustyn
Published: April 2015

Studies show that involuntary displacement often creates various threats for the community and individuals. To reduce these risks, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Health Impact Assessment, and Social Assessment are recommended. Whereas assessments focus mostly on the community level and studies describe cases of large population displacements, there is a lack of empirical evidence about how individuals cope with involuntary displacement and what factors contribute or hinder their successful adaptation in the target location. This study uses semi-structured interviews with 21 people about their experience of resettlement due to a mine collapse in Bytom, Poland, that led to involuntary displacement of 560 people. Data was analyzed according to the constructivist grounded theory principles. Results show that this case illustrates a mixture of post-disaster and development-induced displacement. Various factors and resources that affected coping strategies were analyzed, including: material and legal status, health and age, communication skills, and relocation experience. Our findings suggest that, when circumstances allow, an individual resources assessment should also be conducted to counteract impoverishment and further marginalization of the disprivileged and vulnerable individuals.
Does experiencing poverty and lower economic status make us less pro-ecological?
Authors: Hełka Anna , Amin Maria , Fober Alicja , Jonak Justyna , Krzemińska Sabina , Neska Katarzyna
Published: April 2015

The main aim of this study was to examine whether the economic status (current and in childhood) determined pro-ecological attitudes and behaviour. The survey involved 207 adults with different economic status. Both economic status in childhood and the present were taken into consideration. Analysis of the results indicated that people raised in families with low and medium material status have not only more eco-friendly attitudes but also have a greater tendency towards various ‘green’ behaviours. The differences among people with different current material status concerning their eco-friendly attitudes and behaviours are not so obvious. The most wealthy seem to have a less pro-ecological attitude, but on the other hand they are ready to put more money towards ecologically-friendly household expenses.
Psychosocial characteristics of men and women as perpetrators of domestic violence
Authors: Rode Danuta , Rode Magdalena , Januszek Maciej
Published: April 2015

The presented study aims to compare men and women (N = 227), perpetrators of domestic violence in terms of psychosocial characteristics, present conditions of socialization in which the perpetrator grew and the motives for committing violent act against partners. The population of violence offenders under study and its sub-groups (women and men) did not differ from the norm group in terms of personality traits and temperament. The differences were noticed only in two KSP scales: secure style and avoidance style. The comparison of women and men revealed differences, in three variables: openness for experience, emotional intelligence and avoidance-ambivalence style. Moreover, study showed that despite the good relationship between the subjects’ parents, some perpetrators suffered violence from the loved ones. It should be noted that women were more affected by physical and psychological aggression in childhood. Analysis of motives to commit acts of violence indicated that they are associated with three factors: advantage over your partner, influence and control.
From Polyanna syndrome to Eeyore’s Corner? Hope and pain in patients with chronic low back pain
Authors: Wojtyna Ewa , Palt Łukasz , Popiołek Katarzyna
Published: April 2015

Chronic low back pain affects 50-80% of the population, while its consequences may impair the functioning of patients suffering from it, in many spheres of life . Hope is a factor which may influence coping with pain as well as cognitive reflection of pain experience. The aim of the study has been to check: 1) whether dependencies exist between hope-trait and hope-state and the perception of pain; 2) whether experiencing pain at the time of filling questionnaires matters for the assessment of the level of hope; 3) whether there is interaction between hope, the pain experienced at the moment of investigation, and memory of the intensity of previously experienced pain. 150 patients participated in the study, they all reported aggravation of the chronic low back pain syndrome. The study was a cross-sectional study, based on questionnaires. On the third day of treatment the subjects were given the following questionnaires: Trait Hope Scale, State Hope Scale, and Numerical Rating Scale of Pain to fill. Poor correlation was demonstrated to exist between hope-state and hope-pathways on the one hand, and the intensity of minimum pain level experienced during the first three days of treatment. It has been noted that the presence of pain at the time of filling questionnaires results in reducing the hope-state, but only in those persons, who had experienced severe pain previously. On the other hand, in case of patients who had experienced slight pain previously, the pain present when filling in the questionnaires is conducive to enhanced hope-state. The results of the study confirm the complex character of relations between hope and pain.
I am so glad that we parted! Am I? On attitude representation, counterfactual thinking, and experienced regret
Authors: Grabowski Adam , Broemer Philip
Published: April 2015

Two studies examined how different linguistic forms affect the way in which people access memories of former close relationships that are irrevocably over. Remembering former relationships can activate either positive or negative attitudes. Whether people feel sorrow that bygones are in fact bygones depends on attitudinal valence, but also on the linguistic form in which people express their attitudes. More abstract linguistic forms prevent people from retrieving specific and detailed memories, and thus prompt them to generating more counterfactual thoughts and to experience stronger regret. In contrast, more concrete linguistic forms lead people to remember their personal past more vividly and accurately, and this subjective impression can forestall counterfactual thinking. Study 2 further shows that people are more prone to generate counterfactual thoughts when they focus on the final stage of their relationships rather than the beginning even when the valence of recalled attitudes and objective time are controlled.
Automatic effects of processing fluency in semantic coherence judgments and the role of transient and tonic affective states
Authors: Sweklej Joanna , Balas Robert , Pochwatko Grzegorz , Godlewska Małgorzata
Published: April 2015

Recent literature reported that judgments of semantic coherence are influenced by a positive affective response due to increased fluency of processing. The presented paper investigates whether fluency of processing can be modified by affective responses to the coherent stimuli as well as an automaticity of processes involved in semantic coherence judgments. The studies employed the dyads of triads task in which participants are shown two word triads and asked to solve a semantically coherent one or indicate which of the two is semantically coherent. Across two studies in a dualtask paradigm we show that a) attentional resources moderate insight into semantically coherent word triads, whereas b) judgments of semantic coherence judgments are independent of attentional resources. We discuss implications of our findings for how people might form intuitive judgments of semantic coherence.
Large Hail in Poland in 2012
Authors: Taszarek Mateusz , Suwała Katarzyna
Published: April 2015

This report analyses significant hailstorms that occurred in Poland during 2012. The number of reports, derived from the European Severe Weather Database with the hail diameter over or equal 2 cm, were analyzed with respect to their frequency in individual months, time of the day, intensity and spatial distribution. Analyzed cases were divided for hail with diameter less than 4 cm and greater or equal 4 cm. Accompanying conditions were examined by synoptic analysis charts derived from Deutscher Wetterdienst. The total number of 121 large hail cases gave 26 days with this phenomenon. The period of their occurrence extended from April to August reaching peak in July. Above 60% of all events were reported between 1500 and 1800 UTC. Most of them were associated with cold front and squall line features, usually with the south-western warm and moist air mass influx.
Intra-EU Direct Investment and Enlargement
Authors: Festa Andrea
Published: April 2015

This paper examines the determinants of the intra-EU direct investment (IDI) into the New Member States (NMS) using a panel dataset of bilateral capital flows for the period 1993-2013. It is found out by using a simple gravity model that EU membership is the most important determinant. Unlike previous studies including non-EU countries, the distance is insignificant, which is caused by proximity of these countries to one another. A separate analysis focused on subgroups of accession countries gives some evidence that even when size of their economy, distance, institutional quality and EU accession are taken into account, Central European countries receive more IDI than the Baltic and the Balkan states. On the contrary to that, the analysis restricted to the Balkan countries which have joined the EU shows the inexistence of a negative Balkans effect in attracting foreign investment. This finding is relevant because previous studies demonstrate a persistent negative Balkans effect for non-EU Balkan countries and suggests a crucial impact of the EU accession in determining the intra-EU capital flows.
Point-of-Care Child Psychiatry Expertise: The Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project
Authors: Van Cleave Jeanne , Le Thuy-Tien , Perrin James M.
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE:

Since 2005, after a pilot program, the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP) has provided point-of-care psychiatry expertise and referral assistance by telephone to primary care providers. We examined its adoption and use and the practice characteristics associated with different adoption timelines and use patterns.

METHODS:

We merged data on calls to MCPAP in 2005 to 2011 with practice data (enrollment year, panel size, regional team assignment). We categorized practices’ days from enrollment to first call (adoption) (0–100, 101–365, >365 days) and quartile of call frequency (use) (annual highest, middle, and lowest quartiles of number of calls per 1000 empanelled patients). We determined associations between adoption and use and practice characteristics using multivariate models.

RESULTS:

Among 285 practices, adoption and use varied: 55% called 0 to 100 days from enrollment and 16% called >365 days from enrollment. Practices in the highest quartile of use made a mean 15.5 calls/year per 1000 patients, whereas the lowest quartile made 0.4 calls/year per 1000 patients. Adoption within 100 days was associated with enrollment during or after 2007 (odds ratio [OR] 4.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.23–7.49) and assignment to the team at the pilot site (OR 4.42, 95% CI 2.16–9.04 for central Massachusetts). Highest-quartile use was associated with team assignment (OR 3.58, 95% CI 1.86–6.87 for central Massachusetts) and panel size (OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.03–0.31 for ≥10 000 vs <2000 patients).

CONCLUSIONS:

Adoption and use of MCPAP varied widely. Timing of enrollment, assignment to the team from the program’s pilot site, and panel size were associated with patterns of adoption and use. Findings may help other programs design effective implementation strategies.
Shared Care: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Optimize Primary Care Management of Constipation
Authors: Mallon Daniel , Vernacchio Louis , Trudell Emily , Antonelli Richard , Nurko Samuel , Leichtner Alan M. , Lightdale Jenifer R.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND:

Pediatric constipation is commonly managed in the primary care setting, where there is much variability in management and specialty referral use. Shared Care is a collaborative quality improvement initiative between Boston Children’s Hospital and the Pediatric Physician’s Organization at Children’s (PPOC), through which subspecialists provide primary care providers with education, decision-support tools, pre-referral management recommendations, and access to advice. We investigated whether Shared Care reduces referrals and improves adherence to established clinical guidelines.

METHODS:

We reviewed the primary care management of patients 1 to 18 years old seen by a Boston Children’s Hospital gastroenterologist and diagnosed with constipation who were referred from PPOC practices in the 6 months before and after implementation of Shared Care. Charts were assessed for patient factors and key components of management. We also tracked referral rates for all PPOC patients for 29 months before implementation and 19 months after implementation.

RESULTS:

Fewer active patients in the sample were referred after implementation (61/27 365 [0.22%] vs 90/27 792 [0.36%], P = .003). The duration of pre-referral management increased, and the rate of fecal impaction decreased after implementation. No differences were observed in documentation of key management recommendations. Analysis of medical claims showed no statistically significant change in referrals.

CONCLUSIONS:

A multifaceted initiative to support primary care management of constipation can alter clinical care, but changes in referral behavior and pre-referral management may be difficult to detect and sustain. Future efforts may benefit from novel approaches to provider engagement and systems integration.
Effectiveness of Pediatric Pill Swallowing Interventions: A Systematic Review
Authors: Patel Amee , Jacobsen Laura , Jhaveri Ravi , Bradford Kathleen K.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Pediatric patients commonly have difficulty swallowing pills. Targeted interventions have shown to improve medication administration and treatment compliance. The objective was to evaluate studies performed on pill swallowing interventions in the pediatric population since 1987.

METHODS:

We performed a comprehensive PubMed search and a bibliography review to identify articles for our review. We selected articles published in English between December 1986 and December 2013 that included >10 participants aged 0 to 21 years with pill swallowing difficulties without a comorbid condition affecting their swallowing. Reviewers extracted the relevant information and rated the quality of each study as “poor,” “fair,” or “good” based on the sample size and study design.

RESULTS:

We identified 4 cohort studies and 1 case series that met our criteria. All 5 studies found their intervention to be successful in teaching children how to swallow pills. Interventions included behavioral therapies, flavored throat spray, verbal instructions, specialized pill cup, and head posture training. Quality ratings differed between the articles, with 3 articles rated as “fair,” 1 article as “good,” and 1 article as “poor.”

CONCLUSIONS:

Pill swallowing difficulties are a barrier that can be overcome with a variety of successful interventions. Addressing this problem and researching more effective ways of implementing these interventions can help improve medication administration and compliance in the pediatric population.
Intensity of Perinatal Care for Extremely Preterm Infants: Outcomes at 2.5 Years
Authors: Serenius Fredrik , Blennow Mats , Maršál Karel , Sjörs Gunnar , Källen Karin ,   for the EXPRESS Study Group
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE:

To examine the association between intensity of perinatal care and outcome at 2.5 years’ corrected age (CA) in extremely preterm (EPT) infants (<27 weeks) born in Sweden during 2004–2007.

METHODS:

A national prospective study in 844 fetuses who were alive at the mother’s admission for delivery: 707 were live born, 137 were stillborn. Infants were assigned a perinatal activity score on the basis of the intensity of care (rates of key perinatal interventions) in the infant’s region of birth. Scores were calculated separately for each gestational week (gestational age [GA]–specific scores) and for the aggregated cohort (aggregated activity scores). Primary outcomes were 1-year mortality and death or neurodevelopmental disability (NDI) at 2.5 years’ CA in fetuses who were alive at the mother’s admission.

RESULTS:

Each 5-point increment in GA-specific activity score reduced the stillbirth risk (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83–0.97) and the 1-year mortality risk (aOR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.78–0.91) in the primary population and the 1-year mortality risk in live-born infants (aOR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.79–0.93). In health care regions with higher aggregated activity scores, the risk of death or NDI at 2.5 years’ CA was reduced in the primary population (aOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50–0.96) and in live-born infants (aOR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.48–0.95). Risk reductions were confined to the 22- to 24-week group. There was no difference in NDI risk between survivors at 2.5 years’ CA.

CONCLUSIONS:

Proactive perinatal care decreased mortality without increasing the risk of NDI at 2.5 years’ CA in EPT infants. A proactive approach based on optimistic expectations of a favorable outcome is justified.
Bayley-III Cognitive and Language Scales in Preterm Children
Authors: Spencer-Smith Megan M. , Spittle Alicia J. , Lee Katherine J. , Doyle Lex W. , Anderson Peter J.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND:

This study aimed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III), Cognitive and Language scales at 24 months for predicting cognitive impairments in preterm children at 4 years.

METHODS:

Children born <30 weeks’ gestation completed the Bayley-III at 24 months and the Differential Ability Scale, Second Edition (DAS-II), at 4 years to assess cognitive functioning. Test norms and local term-born reference data were used to classify delay on the Bayley-III Cognitive and Language scales. Impairment on the DAS-II Global Conceptual Ability, Verbal, and Nonverbal Reasoning indices was classified relative to test norms. Scores < −1 SD relative to the mean were classified as mild/moderate delay or impairment, and scores < −2 SDs were classified as moderate delay or impairment.

RESULTS:

A total of 105 children completed the Bayley-III and DAS-II. The sensitivity of mild/moderate cognitive delay on the Bayley-III for predicting impairment on DAS-II indices ranged from 29.4% to 38.5% and specificity ranged from 92.3% to 95.5%. The sensitivity of mild/moderate language delay on the Bayley-III for predicting impairment on DAS-II indices ranged from 40% to 46.7% and specificity ranged from 81.1% to 85.7%. The use of local reference data at 24 months to classify delay increased sensitivity but reduced specificity. Receiver operating curve analysis identified optimum cut-point scores for the Bayley-III that were more consistent with using local reference data than Bayley-III normative data.

CONCLUSIONS:

In our cohort of very preterm children, delay on the Bayley-III Cognitive and Language scales was not strongly predictive of future impairments. More children destined for later cognitive impairment were identified by using cut-points based on local reference data than Bayley-III norms.
Cost-Effectiveness of Treatment of Acute Otorrhea in Children With Tympanostomy Tubes
Authors: van Dongen Thijs M.A. , Schilder Anne G.M. , Venekamp Roderick P. , Ardine de Wit G. , van der Heijden Geert J.M.G.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND:

Acute otorrhea is a common problem in children with tympanostomy tubes. We recently demonstrated that treatment with antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops is clinically superior to oral antibiotics and initial observation. The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of these three common treatment strategies for this condition.

METHODS:

We performed an open-label pragmatic trial in which 230 children with acute uncomplicated tympanostomy-tube otorrhea were randomly allocated to receive 1 of 3 treatments: hydrocortisone-bacitracin-colistin eardrops, oral amoxicillin-clavulanate suspension, and initial observation (no assigned medication prescription to fill). Parents kept a daily diary capturing ear-related symptoms, health care resource use, and non–health care costs for 6 months. At 2 weeks and 6 months, the study doctor visited the children at home performing otoscopy. Using a societal perspective, treatment failure (otoscopic presence of otorrhea at 2 weeks) and number of days with otorrhea as reported in the daily diary were balanced against the costs.

RESULTS:

Antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops were clinically superior to oral antibiotics and initial observation both at 2 weeks and 6 months. At 2 weeks, mean total cost per patient was US$42.43 for antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops, US$70.60 for oral antibiotics, and US$82.03 for initial observation. At 6 months, mean total cost per patient was US$368.20, US$420.73, and US$640.44, respectively. Because of the dominance of eardrops, calculating incremental cost-effectiveness ratios was redundant.

CONCLUSIONS:

Antibiotic-glucocorticoid eardrops are clinically superior and cost less than oral antibiotics and initial observation in children with tympanostomy tubes who develop otorrhea.
Production and characterization of Al-Cu and Al-Ni nanoparticles
Authors: Vorozhtsov Alexander , Lerner Marat , Radkevich Nikolay , Bondarchuk Sergey , Wen Dongsheng
Published: April 2015

The present work deals with the production and characterization of metal and bimetallic nanopowders.

The electric explosion wire method for production of metal nanopowders is presented. The method enables to produce both metal and bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNP) with controlled content of metals within one particle. An alternative method to obtain bimetallic nanoparticles is also suggested using a spontaneous electrochemical process from salt solutions. BMNP for both Al-Cu and Al-Ni have been prepared and studied.

The oxidation, ignition and thermal reactivity of the BMNP of Al-Cu and Al-Ni in a simultaneous thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments have been carried out. The microstructure has been characterized with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The phase compositions of the reaction products have been investigated with X-ray diffraction.

By comparing the peak temperature of the first exothermic reaction in DSC and the phase transition temperatures in the respective binary systems, it has been found that for Al-Cu BMNP the melting of an alloy played a pivotal role for the early ignition reaction. The comparison of the reactivity of BMNP with that of aluminum nanoparticles has shown a greater reactivity of BMNP Al-Cu and Al-Ni.
Converging on Culture
Authors: Weber Eric
Published: April 2015

In this essay, I review the writings of three philosophers whose work converges on the insight that we must attend to and reconstruct culture for the sake of justice. John Rawls, John Dewey, and Richard Rorty help show some of the ways in which culture can enable or undermine the pursuit of justice. They also offer resources for identifying tools for addressing the cultural challenges impeding justice. I reveal insights and challenges in Rawls’s philosophy as well as tools and solutions for building on and addressing them in Dewey’s and Rorty’s philosophy.