bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The African Charter for Popular Participation in Development and Transformation: A Critical Review
Authors: Kufuor Kofi Oteng
Published: December 2017

This article analyses the provisions of the African Charter for Popular Participation. It notes the importance of the Charter's main provisions and underscores the point that some of these provisions are rather innovative. The article points out that this has been made possible by the participation of a large number of non-State actors in the drafting of the Charter. It suggests, however, that some provisions of the Charter should be revised in order to strengthen it and reinforce the claim of Africa's citizens to participate in decision-making.
A New Beginning: Introducing the South African Constitution and Bill of Rights
Authors: Malherbe Rassie
Published: December 2017

Few would argue that the democratisation of South Africa is one of the most fascinating examples of constitutional engineering during the latter half of the 20th century. This article recounts the negotiating process leading up to the adoption of the Constitution of 1996, and highlights the main features of the Constitution. The features discussed are majority government, the principle of constitutional supremacy, the content and application of the Bill of Rights – with some emphasis on its impact so far on social change –, the role of the independent judiciary, the principle of co-operative government which governs the relationship between the three spheres of government, and the ways in which the diversity prevalent in the South African society has been accommodated. Some comments are also made on the necessity for the creation of a human rights culture to support the new Constitution. The article concludes with the remark that, although serious obstacles remain, a solid start has been made on the road to a constitutional democracy with justice for all.
Cultural Relativism and Human Rights: Reconsidering the Africanist Discourse
Authors: Ibhawoh Bonny
Published: December 2017

Discussions about cultural relativism and the cross-cultural legitimacy of human rights have been central to contemporary human rights discourse. Much of this discussion has focussed on non-Western societies where scholars have advanced, from a variety of standpoints, arguments for and against the cultural relativism of human rights. Arguments for ‘Asian Values’ and lately, ‘African values’ in the construction of human rights have defined this debate. This paper reviews some of the major arguments and trends in the Africanist discourse on the cultural relativism of human rights. It argues the need to go beyond the polarities that have characterised the debate. It argues that while an Afrocentric conception of human rights is a valid worldview, it need not become the basis for the abrogation of the emerging Universal human rights regime. Rather, it should provide the philosophical foundation for the legitimisation of Universal human rights in the African context and inform the cross-fertilisation of ideas between Africa and the rest of the world.
The New Basic Laws on Human Rights: A Mini-Revolution in Israeli Constitutional Law?
Authors: Kretzmer David
Published: December 2017

In 1992 the Israeli Knesset enacted the Basic Law: Freedom of Occupation and the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Freedom. These basic laws, as chapters in Israel's emerging formal Constitution, have opened the way for judicial review of parliamentary legislation that violates human rights. Opposition from some political quarters prevented inclusion in the basic laws of some rights protected under modern constitutions and human rights treaties. However, the rights protected include ‘human dignity’, a term that can be broadened by judicial interpretation so as to include violations of rights not specifically mentioned in the basic laws. The basic laws lay down a balancing test for deciding whether restrictions on protected rights are legitimate. All restrictions must be prescribed by a law that befits Israel as a Jewish and democratic State, that was enacted for a worthy purpose and that meets the proportionality test.
Economic Inequality, Human Rights, and Labour Markets
Authors: Rasmussen Jens Lehrmann
Published: December 2017

The purpose of the article is to analyse relations between human rights and economic inequality. Further, the role played by markets in these relations is examined. The importance of choice of dimension in which to measure inequality, such as consumption or hourly wages, is outlined. It is argued that the important thing in a human rights context is inequality of opportunity, not inequality of outcome. An analysis of reasons for making inequality a social concern, and of reasons for accepting inequality under certain circumstances, is attempted. By means of this, a hierarchy of reasons for inequality is suggested, where inequality is considered least morally acceptable, if it is founded on discrimination, more morally acceptable if it is founded on differences in methods of acquisition, and most acceptable if it is founded on differences in effort and talents. Important effects of factor market interactions on such types of inequality are examined. It is suggested that market forces tend to reduce discrimination. Inequality due to differences in method of acquisition is likely to be enhanced by market forces, possibly beyond the point generally acceptable by moral standards. The same is possible concerning inequality due to differences in effort and talents. Further, it is indicated that market forces cannot prevent poverty and may enhance it. If market forces are unable to generate an acceptable distribution, redistribution will be called for. It is suggested in this article that in a democracy the extent of redistribution is likely to be determined by the preferences of the median voters.
Reconstructing Sovereignty: A Human Rights Perspective
Authors: Mills Kurt
Published: December 2017

The balance between traditional conceptions of sovereignty and human rights is changing. This article argues that developments in the area of human rights and humanitarian assistance are forcing a reconceptualisation of the rights and duties inherent in claims to sovereign authority. Further, from a normative political theory perspective, this article maintains that by investigating the social purpose of the State, we can identify’ three essential building blocks of sovereignty – human rights, popular sovereignty, and self-determination. In addition, this same analysis leads to the conclusion that the international community has not only a right but a duty to ensure that human rights are protected. In other words, a reconceptualisation of the relationship between individuals, groups, the State, and the international community is put forth which is more ambiguous than traditional formulations.
Violation of Cultural Rights of Kurds in Turkey
Authors: Pierse Catherine
Published: December 2017

The Turkish Constitution and legal system are based on the overriding principle of ‘national unity’ and do not permit the recognition of minority rights. This in itself is not inconsistent with the European Convention which does not protect minority rights as such. Therefore, while certain restrictions on the private use of Kurdish language and other Kurdish cultural expressions may fall foul of the right to freedom of expression and the rights to non-discrimination guaranteed under the Convention, other Kurdish cultural demands, for example for Kurdish language education would arguably fall outside the protection of the Convention. That minorities may sometimes need positive State assistance in order to promote their own identity has been recognised in recent minority rights instruments that have been adopted, inter alia, by the Council of Europe. This might encourage the interpretation of certain provisions of the Convention as including some positive State obligations to ensure the rights of minorities to express their own identity in the same way as other Convention rights have been interpreted as requiring positive State action for their fulfilment.
The Role of Country Reports in the Inter-American System of Human Rights
Authors: Medina Cecilia
Published: December 2017

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, one of the organs of the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights, has a variety of powers with which it carries out its function. This article deals with one of these powers that results in the issuance by the Commission of reports containing an examination of the general situation of human rights in a country. The article gives a brief description of the Commission's various powers and describes the development, out of the Commission's practice, of the very important procedure to prepare and publish country reports. The remarkable flexibility of this procedure is examined in the light of the contents of many reports produced by the Commission, and particularly of the 1994 Report on El Salvador. The reaction of the OAS political organs to the country reports is also examined, as well as a modality of country reports incorporated in the Commission's Annual Reports, which purport to monitor in a shorter manner the situation of human rights in some countries.
Getting to Accountability: Business, Apartheid and Human Rights
Authors: Lyons Beth S.
Published: December 2017

The article examines the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa (TRC) 1 as a process for holding businesses accountable for human rights violations. The TRC convened special hearings in Johannesburg in November 1997 on the role of business under apartheid. Based on the evidence, white businesses should have applied for amnesty as perpetrators of human rights violations. But this did not happen. The article discusses the achievements and constraints of the business hearings, and examines some of the lessons which can be gleaned from the South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the continuing universal struggle to hold corporations responsible for human rights violations during authoritarian regimes.
The strange survival and apparent resurgence of sociobiology
Authors: Dennis Alex
Published: December 2017

A recent dispute between Richard Dawkins and Edward O. Wilson concerning fundamental concepts in sociobiology is examined. It is argued that sociobiology has not fared well since the 1970s, and that its survival as a ‘scientific’ perspective has been increasingly tenuous. This is, at least in part, because it has failed to move forward in the ways its developers anticipated, but also because it has not seen the developments in natural history, genomics and social science it was relying upon. It is argued that sociobiology has become a purely utilitarian perspective, a way of looking at things, reliant increasingly on studies of the behaviour of social insects for its scientific credentials. The dispute between Dawkins and Wilson is then reconsidered in this light, and it is argued that – regardless of which position prevails – sociobiology’s parlous state as a means of explaining action is now difficult to disguise.
Without Empire: The Invitation of Pacifism and the ‘End’ of History
Authors: Early Christian E.
Published: December 2017

This article argues that theological pacifism is best evaluated when situated in a network of practices, beliefs and biblical reading strategies that support a critique of Empire, and when mapped onto this world open up a space for living that is non-territorial and non-sacrificial, the grammar of which is governed by a political understanding of love.
Longitudinal automatic carrier landing system guidance law using model predictive control with an additional landing risk term
Authors: Wang Lipeng , Zhang Zhi , Zhu Qidan , Dong Ran
Published: December 2017

This paper used a model predictive control with an additional term to develop a modified longitudinal guidance law to reduce landing risk in an automatic carrier landing system. The landing risk model was established by using a longitudinal trajectory and touchdown point predictive principle. A traditional MPC was then involved in designing a modified automatic carrier landing system guidance law for the proposed model. The nonlinear landing mathematic model of an F/A-18 carrier-based aircraft was initially established. Considering the processed procedure in the model predictive control algorithm, the corresponding linear landing model was derived on the basis of the equilibrium states of the F/A-18. Second, landing trajectory in the longitudinal plane was analysed so that the predictive principle of the trajectory trend was reasonably addressed. Depending on the experimental sample data of a pilot model, some linear imitating envelopes are transformed from the corresponding nonlinear trajectory clusters. Furthermore, a touchdown point prediction model was further established based on the predicted trajectory and touchdown point. Third, the traditional model predictive control was introduced to integrate the landing risk term in the performance cost function to develop a novel modified algorithm that not only guides the aircraft to automatically approach and land on the carrier, but also eliminates landing risk during the final carrier approach. Linear matrix inequalities were imported to substitute algebraic inequalities derived from this new algorithm to increase calculating speed. A simulation mission was conducted on a semi-physical platform and compared with the traditional model predictive control without the additional term. The theoretical results validated the correctness and robustness of the modified algorithm and its capability to eliminate landing risk during terminal carrier approach.
Perceived Average Orientation Reflects Effective Gist of the Surface
Authors: Cha Oakyoon , Chong Sang Chul
Published: December 2017

The human ability to represent ensemble visual information, such as average orientation and size, has been suggested as the foundation of gist perception. To effectively summarize different groups of objects into the gist of a scene, observers should form ensembles separately for different groups, even when objects have similar visual features across groups. We hypothesized that the visual system utilizes perceptual groups characterized by spatial configuration and represents separate ensembles for different groups. Therefore, participants could not integrate ensembles of different perceptual groups on a task basis. We asked participants to determine the average orientation of visual elements comprising a surface with a contour situated inside. Although participants were asked to estimate the average orientation of all the elements, they ignored orientation signals embedded in the contour. This constraint may help the visual system to keep the visual features of occluding objects separate from those of the occluded objects.
A two-stage approach for estimating the parameters of an age-group epidemic model from incidence data
Authors: Yaari Rami , Dattner Itai , Huppert Amit
Published: December 2017

Age-dependent dynamics is an important characteristic of many infectious diseases. Age-group epidemic models describe the infection dynamics in different age-groups by allowing to set distinct parameter values for each. However, such models are highly nonlinear and may have a large number of unknown parameters. Thus, parameter estimation of age-group models, while becoming a fundamental issue for both the scientific study and policy making in infectious diseases, is not a trivial task in practice. In this paper, we examine the estimation of the so-called next-generation matrix using incidence data of a single entire outbreak, and extend the approach to deal with recurring outbreaks. Unlike previous studies, we do not assume any constraints regarding the structure of the matrix. A novel two-stage approach is developed, which allows for efficient parameter estimation from both statistical and computational perspectives. Simulation studies corroborate the ability to estimate accurately the parameters of the model for several realistic scenarios. The model and estimation method are applied to real data of influenza-like-illness in Israel. The parameter estimates of the key relevant epidemiological parameters and the recovered structure of the estimated next-generation matrix are in line with results obtained in previous studies.
Service evaluation: A grey area of research?
Authors: Chen Lu-Yen A , Fawcett Tonks N
Published: December 2017

The National Health Service in the United Kingdom categorises research and research-like activities in five ways, such as ‘service evaluation’, ‘clinical audit’, ‘surveillance’, ‘usual practice’ and ‘research’. Only activities classified as ‘research’ require review by the Research Ethics Committees. It is argued, in this position paper, that the current governance of research and research-like activities does not provide sufficient ethical oversight for projects classified as ‘service evaluation’. The distinction between the categories of ‘research’ and ‘service evaluation’ can be a grey area. A considerable percentage of studies are considered as non-research and therefore not eligible to be reviewed by the Research Ethics Committee, which scrutinises research proposals rigorously to ensure they conform to established ethical standards, protecting research participants from harm, preserving their rights and providing reassurance to the public. This article explores the ethical discomfort potentially inherent in the activity currently labelled as ‘service evaluation’.
Book Review: Bridgland Fred, The War for Africa: Twelve Months That Transformed a Continent
Authors: Mahlakeng Mahlakeng Khosi
Published: December 2017

Bridgland Fred, The War for Africa: Twelve Months That Transformed a Continent, Casemate Publishers, Pennsylvania, USA, 2017 New Edition, 360 pp., US $ 24.50 (Hardback), ISBN: 9781612004921.
Book Review: Hermann Giliomee, Hermann Giliomee Historian: An Autobiography
Authors: Saunders Chris
Published: December 2017

Hermann Giliomee, Hermann Giliomee Historian: An Autobiography, Tafelberg, Cape Town, 2016, 344 pp., ₹340 (Paperback), ISBN: 97806 24066804.
Gastropericardial fistula: A rare etiology of chest pain
Authors: Ghalem Amine , Berrajaa Mehdi , Ahsayan Kamal , Aabdi Mohammed , Boutahar Imane , Skiker Imane , Housni Brahim , Ismaili Nabila , Ouafi Noha El
Published: December 2017

Gastropericardial fistula is an abnormal communication between the stomach and the pericardium. It is a rare, life-threatening condition that has numerous etiologies. We report the case of a 53-year-old male patient, with a history of wedge resection for gastrointestinal stromal tumor, who presented to the emergency department for epigastric and chest pain along with lethargy leading to the uncommon diagnosis of gastropericardial fistula with pneumopericardium. Through this case, we would like to draw clinicians’ attention to gastropericardial fistula as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting for epigastric and/or chest pain with a history of esophagogastric surgery, emphasizing on the key role of computed tomography in this regard, and underscore the management basics of this unusual condition.
Infantil delirium induced by cycloplegic eye drops
Authors: Turan Caner , Keskin Gulsum , Gunes Sebla , Yurtseven Ali , Saz Eylem Ulas
Published: December 2017

Cyclopentolate 1% and tropicamide 1% eye drops are considered to be safe in the pediatric population for the fundus examination and treatment of ocular diseases. Although adverse reactions rarely occur, some of them can be life-threatening such as seizure, delirium, coma, arrhythmia, acute life-threatening event, and death. Here we report 15 months old boy who developed delirium after administration of ocular cyclopentolate 1% drops in both eyes during a routine examination for retinopathy of prematurity. Cyclopentolate is a parasympatholytic drug with actions similar to atropine. With ophthalmic administration of cyclopentolate, severe central nervous system effects and systemic reactions may occur. In order to minimize absorption following instill one or two drops of 1% solution, applying pressure to nasolacrimal sac for 2 to 3 min should be considered. In mild to moderate toxicity, benzodiazepines may be used to control central nervous system findings secondary to anticholinergic effects.
Significance of blood pH value and automated external defibrillator shock in determining the outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients
Authors: Tsai Li-Heng , Chen Chen-Bin , Liu Peng-Huei , Chaou Chung-Hsien , Huang Chien-Hsiung , Kuo Chan-Wei , Lin Chi-Chun , Wang Kuo-Cheng , Weng Yi-Ming , Chien Cheng-Yu
Published: December 2017

Background:

The prognosis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is generally poor. It is known that the survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients depends on treatments delivered in a very short time frame. Identifying outcome-associated factors may provide valuable information for decision-making in clinical practices.

Aim:

The objective of the present study was to assess the associations between various factors (e.g. serum biomarker levels and prehospital factors) and outcomes in adult, non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.

Methods:

Data from 386 consecutive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients treated from January 2012 to December 2015 at Taoyuan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taiwan, ROC) were collected. While performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the emergency room, the levels of creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, sodium, potassium, troponin-I, hydrogen bicarbonate and haemoglobin were determined, blood pH and pCO2 were measured and the white blood cell count was calculated. The response time and scene time interval were also recorded.

Results:

Here we found that out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with blood pH values of <7.34 had a lower chance of survival to 24 h (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.77), survival to discharge (OR = 7.06) and a good neurological outcome (OR = 64.59). Moreover, patients without an automated external defibrillator shock had a lower chance of being discharged (OR = 4.27) and enjoying good neurological outcomes (OR = 25.09).

Conclusion:

Our data suggest that the blood pH and an automated external defibrillator shockable rhythm are two easily measurable factors strongly associated with the outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.
Partial-Interval Estimation of Count: Uncorrected and Poisson-Corrected Error Levels
Authors: Yoder Paul J. , Ledford Jennifer R. , Harbison Amy L. , Tapp Jon T.
Published: December 2017

A simulation study that used 3,000 computer-generated event streams with known behavior rates, interval durations, and session durations was conducted to test whether the main and interaction effects of true rate and interval duration affect the error level of uncorrected and Poisson-transformed (i.e., corrected) count as estimated by partial-interval recording. For both count estimates, shorter intervals and lower true rates resulted in less error than longer intervals and higher rates. For all conditions tested, Poisson-corrected estimates were more accurate than uncorrected estimates. Therefore, using Poisson-corrected estimates and short intervals are recommended when partial-interval recording is used to estimate counts. Generality of results might be restricted to events that are about 1-s long. A URL was provided to aid in the computation of corrected counts.
Bug-in-Ear eCoaching: Impacts on Novice Early Childhood Special Education Teachers
Authors: Grygas Coogle Christan , Ottley Jennifer R. , Rahn Naomi L. , Storie Sloan
Published: December 2017

A multiple-probe, single-case design was used to determine the effects of bug-in-ear eCoaching on teachers’ use of two targeted naturalistic communication strategies and focus children’s responses to these strategies. Results indicated that bug-in-ear eCoaching enhanced teachers’ use of communication strategies and the appropriate responses of children with communication difficulties. Moreover, novice teachers reported that bug-in-ear eCoaching was a socially valid intervention.
Political Skill and Manager Performance: Exponential and Asymptotic Relationships Due to Differing Levels of Enterprising Job Demands
Authors: Gansen-Ammann Dominic-Nicolas , Meurs James A. , Wihler Andreas , Blickle Gerhard
Published: December 2017

Political skill, a social competence that enables individuals to achieve goals due to their understanding of and influence upon others at work, can play an important role in manager performance. We argue that the political skill–manager performance relationship varies as a nonlinear function of differing levels of enterprising job demands (i.e., working with and through people). A large number of occupations have some enterprising features, but, across occupations, management roles typically contain even greater enterprising expectations. However, relatively few studies have examined the enterprising work context (e.g., enterprising demands) of managers. Specifically, under conditions of high enterprising job demands, we argue and find that, as political skill increases, there is an associated exponential increase in enterprising performance, with growth beyond the mean of political skill resulting in outsized performance gains. Whereas, under conditions of low (relative to other managers) enterprising job demands, political skill will have an asymptotic relationship with enterprising job performance, such that the positive relationship becomes weaker as political skill grows, with increases on political skill beyond the mean resulting in minimal performance improvements. Our hypotheses are generally supported, and these findings have important implications for managers, as the performance gains in managerial roles were shown to be a joint function of manager political skill and enterprising job demands.
Barriers and Benefits to the Use of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Routine Clinical Care: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Philpot Lindsey M. , Barnes Sunni A. , Brown Rachel M. , Austin Jessica A. , James Cameron S. , Stanford Richard H. , Ebbert Jon O.
Published: December 2017

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide information on how health care affects patient health and well-being and represent a patient-centered approach. Despite this potential, PROs are not widely used in clinical settings. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 3 stakeholder groups (patients, providers, and health care administrators) to determine the top 5 perceived barriers and benefits of PRO implementation. The Delphi technique was employed to obtain consensus and rank order responses. Patients perceived survey length to be important, whereas providers and administrators perceived time to collect data and patient health literacy, respectively, as the greatest barriers to PRO implementation. The greatest perceived benefits were the ability to track changes in clinical symptoms over time, improved quality of care, and better disease control among patients, providers, and administrators, respectively. These results may guide the development of novel frameworks for PRO implementation by addressing perceived barriers and building on the perceived benefits to encourage adoption of PROs.
Are We “Motorically” Wired to Others? High-Level Motor Computations and Their Role in Autism
Authors: Casartelli Luca , Federici Alessandra , Biffi Emilia , Molteni Massimo , Ronconi Luca
Published: December 2017

High-level motor computations reflect abstract components far apart from the mere motor performance. Neural correlates of these computations have been explored both in nonhuman and human primates, supporting the idea that our brain recruits complex nodes for motor representations. Of note, these computations have exciting implications for social cognition, and they also entail important challenges in the context of autism. Here, we focus on these challenges benefiting from recent studies addressing motor interference, motor resonance, and high-level motor planning. In addition, we suggest new ideas about how one maps and shares the (motor) space with others. Taken together, these issues inspire intriguing and fascinating questions about the social tendency of our high-level motor computations, and this tendency may indicate that we are “motorically” wired to others. Thus, after furnishing preliminary insights on putative neural nodes involved in these computations, we focus on how the hypothesized social nature of high-level motor computations may be anomalous or limited in autism, and why this represents a critical challenge for the future.
The Importance of Race in Home Mortgage Loan Approvals
Authors: Leven Charles L. , Sykuta Michael E.
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this research note is to document the importance of empirical specification in the analysis of the influence of race on home mortgage lending decisions. Using a variety of testing procedures and detailed lending decision data for a large midwestern lending institution, the authors show that dramatically different results may be obtained from slight changes in empirical specification. The case study presented here can serve as a prototype for the large number of such case studies needed to obtain convincing evidence on the question of where and how discrimination may, or may not, emerge as a marketwide phenomenon.
A semianalytical and finite-element solution to the unbonded contact between a frictionless layer and an FGM-coated half-plane
Authors: Yan Jie , Mi Changwen , Liu Zhixin
Published: December 2017

In this work, we examine the receding contact between a homogeneous elastic layer and a half-plane substrate reinforced by a functionally graded coating. The material properties of the coating are allowed to vary exponentially along its thickness. A distributed traction load applied over a finite segment of the layer surface presses the layer and the coated substrate against each other. It is further assumed that the receding contact between the layer and the coated substrate is frictionless. In the absence of body forces, Fourier integral transforms are used to convert the governing equations and boundary conditions of the plane receding contact problem into a singular integral equation with the contact pressure and contact size as unknowns. Gauss–Chebyshev quadrature is subsequently employed to discretize both the singular integral equation and the force equilibrium condition at the contact interface. An iterative algorithm based on the method of steepest descent has been proposed to numerically solve the system of algebraic equations, which is linear for the contact pressure but nonlinear for the contact size. Extensive case studies are performed with respect to the coating inhomogeneity parameter, geometric parameters, material properties, and the extent of the indentation load. As a result of the indentation, the elastic layer remains in contact with the coated substrate over only a finite interval. Exterior to this region, the layer and the coated substrate lose contact. Nonetheless, the receding contact size is always larger than that of the indentation traction. To validate the theoretical solution, we have also developed a finite-element model to solve the same receding contact problem. Numerical results of finite-element modeling and theoretical development are compared in detail for a number of parametric studies and are found to agree very well with each other.
Guest editors’ note
Authors: Dongarra Jack , Tourancheau Bernard
Published: December 2017

This special issue gathers selected papers of the Workshop on Clusters, Clouds and Data for Scientific Computing that was held at La Maison des Contes, Dareize-France, on October 3-6, 2016.
Inflammation-Generated Extracellular Matrix Fragments Drive Lung Metastasis
Authors: Bekaert Sandrine , Fillet Marianne , Detry Benoit , Pichavant Muriel , Marée Raphael , Noel Agnes , Rocks Natacha , Cataldo Didier
Published: December 2017

Mechanisms explaining the propensity of a primary tumor to metastasize to a specific site still need to be unveiled, and clinical studies support a link between chronic inflammation and cancer dissemination to specific tissues. Using different mouse models, we demonstrate the role of inflammation-generated extracellular matrix fragments ac-PGP ( N-acetyl-proline-glycine-proline) on tumor cells dissemination to lung parenchyma. In mice exposed to cigarette smoke or lipopolysaccharide, lung neutrophilic inflammation produces increased levels of MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase 9) that contributes to collagen breakdown and allows the release of ac-PGP tripeptides. By silencing CXCR2 gene expression in tumor cells, we show that these generated ac-PGP tripeptides exert a chemotactic activity on tumor cells in vivo by binding CXCR2.
Patients With Intermittent Claudication and Chronic Widespread Pain Improves in Health-Related Quality of Life After Invasive but Not After Noninvasive Treatment
Authors: Lindgren Hans IV , Pärsson Håkan , Gottsäter Anders , Bergman Stefan
Published: December 2017

Background:

Intermittent claudication (IC) is traditionally managed with risk factor modification, best medical treatment (BMT), and exercise training. Comorbidities such as diabetes and ischemic heart disease affect both results of invasive treatment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) negatively. It is unknown how chronic widespread pain (CWP) influences the results of invasive treatment. We evaluated the influence of CWP on HRQoL in patients undergoing invasive (open surgery or endovascular treatment) and noninvasive BMT of IC.

Methods:

A total of 242 patients with IC treated with invasive or noninvasive methods responded to the validated HRQoL questionnaires Short Form 36 Health Survey, EuroQoL 5-dimensions, and distribution of pain with the Epipain questionnaire at baseline and after 12 months.

Results:

Invasively treated patients without CWP improved in all primary outcome measures. Patients with CWP reported significant improvements in most of the HRQoL-related outcome measures after invasive treatment, but patients with CWP in the noninvasive treatment group did not improve in any HRQoL-related outcome measure.

Conclusions:

The presence of CWP not should be a cause to withhold invasive treatment in patients with IC.
A Case of Gastric Ulcer With Mucosal Bridge
Authors: Kitagawa Tomoyuki , Masaoka Ryo , Katayama Yasumi , Tamano Masaya
Published: December 2017

Endoscopic images of the mucosal bridge with gastric ulcer are unusual. The mucosal bridge is presumed to have changed to a special form based on repeated development of gastric ulcer. The clinical course of mucosal bridge is unclear.
The Home Observation Measure of the Environment is associated with symptoms of ADHD and oppositionality in a CAMHS sample
Authors: Lai Wai Wai , O’Mahony Michelle , Mulligan Aisling
Published: December 2017

Background:

Severe early deprivation has a causal role in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Adversity in the home is associated with increased ADHD and oppositional symptoms in children with ADHD. We aimed to replicate this in an independent clinic sample.

Methods:

A total of 247 sequential families with a child referred to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) were invited to participate; 100 families completed the study. The Home Observation Measure of the Environment (HOME) assessment was completed in the family home; parents completed the Conners’ Rating Scale.

Results:

A less supportive home was associated with more symptoms of inattention ( r = .33, p = .001), hyperactivity/impulsivity ( r = −.22, p = .028) and oppositionality ( r = −.48, significant at p < .000001).

Conclusion:

The HOME correlates with ADHD and oppositional symptom severity in a clinic sample; more research is required to ascertain whether this is a causal association and the direction of causation. If causal, then the modification of the home environment may be a treatment strategy for ADHD.
A review of adolescent autobiographical memory and the implications for assessment of unaccompanied minors’ refugee determinations
Authors: Given-Wilson Zoe , Hodes Matthew , Herlihy Jane
Published: December 2017

The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) is increasing, and unlike those who arrive with their parents, UASC are subject to interview to determine refugee status. The limited amount of objective evidence available in most asylum claims means that the UASC’s account of their experiences often becomes key in deciding whether or not the young person is granted protection. Research indicates that assumptions about human memory influence decision-makers’ views on asylum seekers’ accounts; however, these do not necessarily appear to fit with the published research on autobiographical memory and may lead to an unfair decision. Therefore, understanding the nature and limitations of autobiographical memory is key to a fair refugee determination process. A literature review of published research on autobiographical memory among adolescents was undertaken across four databases. In total, 45 papers were identified which were thematically organised into three areas: development of autobiographical memory, contextual influences and impact of psychopathology. From this review, conclusions are drawn about what can be reasonably expected of an adolescent’s autobiographical memory generally and more specifically when the unique characteristics of UASC are taken into account. We also discusss how commonly used credibility indicators in refugee status determinations for minors are problematic in light of this research. It is important that the psychological evidence on the nature of autobiographical memory in adolescents is considered in asylum processing of UASC.
Assessing knowledge and attitudes about mental illness in Ningxia, China
Authors: Chen Hanhui , Wang Zhizhong , Phillips Michael Robert
Published: December 2017

To assess the effectiveness of China's recent moves to increase community mental health literacy and decrease stigma, we developed the Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire (MHKQ) and the Mental Health Attitude Questionnaire (MHAQ). Preliminary versions were assessed in pilot studies and revised versions were included in an interviewer-administered community survey of a representative sample of 2425 adult residents of Ningxia Province and a re-test survey in 188 individuals. Internal consistency, factor structure and test-retest reliability were assessed for three measures: (a) the 25-item MHKQ (alpha = .71, 6 factors accounting for 51% of variance identified in exploratory factor analysis of one-half of the sample, and intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] for total score of .40); (b) the 14-item attitudinal subscale of MHAQ (alpha = .69, 3 factors accounting for 42% of variance, ICC = .47); and (c) the 7-item causal attribution subscale of MHAQ (alpha = .60, 3 factors accounting for 60% of variance, ICC = .26). Confirmatory factor analysis assessed fitness of modified models of the measures using chi-squared, comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA): (a) for the MHKQ, RMSEA = .037 (90% CFI = .033, .040), CFI = .86, TLI = .84, χ2 = 682.86 (df = 260); (b) for the attitudinal subscale of MHAQ, RMSEA = .045 (CI = .039, .052), CFI = .94, TLI = .92, χ2 = 226.67 ( df = 66); and (c) for the causal attribution subscale of MHAQ, RMSEA = .054 (.039, .069), CFI = .97, TLI = .94, χ2 = 49.13 ( df = 11). We conclude that the internal consistency and factor structure of the new measures are satisfactory, but further work is needed to improve the scales' stability and to assess the construct validity and responsiveness of the scales.
When gender, colonialism, and technology matter in a journalism startup
Authors: Young Mary Lynn , Callison Candis
Published: December 2017

This article is based on an ethnographic study of a women-led journalism startup, identified as a digital and data innovator in North America. Studies of journalism startups have generally focused on growth in the startup space and claims to technological innovation, finding a persistence of traditional norms and practices. Feminist media scholars have not tended to engage in this area of study, focusing more on newsroom sociology and media representations, despite a long history of feminist Science and Technology Studies critique of other technical professions such as engineering and computer science. This study adds to our understanding of journalism startups by situating this ethnography within feminist, postcolonial, and Science and Technology Studies approaches. Our findings suggest the persistence of professional, industry, and economic constraints mapped on to gender, gendered understandings of innovation, and technology in journalism – as well as possibilities to transform them. We argue that gender and colonialism matter in this startup in expected and unexpected ways, from understanding the enduring nature of unexamined power relations within journalism to contributing to re-articulations of important questions of epistemology, method, and moral stance in digital journalism.
Model-based control of diesel engines with multiple fuel injections
Authors: Yamasaki Yudai , Ikemura Ryosuke , Kaneko Shigehiko
Published: December 2017

We developed a feed-forward controller for a conventional diesel combustion engine with triple fuel injection and experimentally evaluated its performance. A combustion model that discretizes an engine cycle into a number of representative points to achieve a light calculation load is embedded into the controller; this model predicts the in-cylinder gas-pressure-peak timing with information about the operating condition obtained from the engine control unit. The controller calculates the optimal main-fuel-injection timing to control the in-cylinder gas-pressure peak using the prediction result as a controller with a single input and output. The controller’s performance was evaluated by experiments using a four-cylinder diesel engine under changing the target value of the in-cylinder gas-pressure-peak timing during a target-following test and the performance was also evaluated under changing the exhaust gas recirculation ratio at the constant target value of the in-cylinder gas-pressure-peak timing for the disturbance-response test. It was found that the controller could calculate the optimal main-injection timing over a cycle and maintain the targeted in-cylinder gas-pressure-peak timing even when the target value or exhaust gas recirculation changed. The combustion model was also shown to be fast enough at predicting diesel combustion for onboard control.
The collective method: collaborative social science research and scholarly accountability
Authors: Pardee Jessica W , Fothergill Alice , Weber Lynn , Peek Lori
Published: December 2017

This article conceptualizes the collective method to describe how 12 scholars worked collaboratively to study the effects of displacement following Hurricane Katrina. The collective method is defined as an integrated, reflexive process of research design and implementation in which a diverse group of scholars studying a common phenomenon-yet working on independent projects-engage in repeated theoretical and methodological discussions to improve (1) research transparency and accountability and (2) the rigor and efficacy of each member’s unique project. This process generates critical discussions over researchers’ and respondents’ positionality, the framework of intersectionality, and applied ethics. Informed by feminist theoretical and methodological considerations of reflexivity, insider-outsider positionality, power relations, and social justice, the collective method can enhance scholars’ standpoints regarding philosophical, ethical, and strategic issues that emerge in the research process.
Clinical Features of Kidney Transplant Recipients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Freitas Flávio Geraldo Rezende , Lombardi Fábio , Pacheco Eduardo Souza , Sandes-Freitas Tainá Veras de , Viana Laila Almeida , Junior Hélio Tedesco-Silva , Medina-Pestana José Osmar , Bafi Antônio Tonete , Machado Flavia Ribeiro
Published: December 2017

Introduction:

There is a paucity of data regarding the complications in kidney transplant patients who may require intensive care unit (ICU) management, despite being the most common solid organ transplant worldwide.

Objective:

To identify the main reasons for ICU admission and to determine the factors associated with hospital mortality in kidney transplant recipients.

Design:

This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted between September 2013 and June 2014, including all consecutive kidney transplant patients requiring ICU admission. We collected data on patient demographics, transplant characteristics, clinical data, and prognostic scores. The independent determinants of hospital mortality were identified by multiple logistic regression analysis. We also assessed the performance of Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores.

Results:

We analyzed data from 413 patients, the majority of whom were admitted late after renal transplantation (1169 days; 63-3003 days). The main reason for admission was sepsis (33.2%), followed by cardiovascular disease (16%). Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.09), SAPS 3 score (OR 1.04, CI, 1.01-1.08), the need for mechanical ventilation (OR 26.47, CI, 10.30-68.08), and vasopressor use (OR 3.34, CI, 1.37-8.13) were independently associated with hospital mortality. The performance of SAPS 3 and APACHE II scores was poor in this population and overestimated the mortality rates.

Conclusion:

Sepsis was the main reason for ICU admission in kidney transplant recipients, followed by cardiovascular disease. Age and disease severity were associated with hospital mortality.
Migration, Immigration, and the Political Geography of American Cities
Authors: Anastasopoulos L. Jason
Published: December 2017

How do migration and immigration shape the political geography of American cities? In this article, we propose a mechanism of partisan sorting and demographic change which is tested using the mass migration of African Americans from New Orleans to Houston, Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We argue that differences in residential choice preferences among partisans combined with demographic changes which increase diversity can induce sorting by triggering flight (migration) among ideological conservatives. Using Hurricane Katrina evacuee data from schools in Harris Country along with a variety of empirical tools, we find evidence suggesting that African American Hurricane Katrina migration led to Republican flight.