bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation of three-dimensional airflow in a novel dual-feed rotor spinning box
Authors: Akankwasa Nicholus Tayari , Lin Huiting , Zhang Yuze , Wang Jun
Published: November 2016

In order to regulate turbulence strength and determine airflow characteristics in a new dual-feed rotor spinning unit, the internal flow field is investigated. A computational fluid dynamics technique is employed to numerically study the three-dimensional model of the internal airflow in the new design. The effects of air velocity variation on turbulence strength, negative pressure, Re, and wall pressure distribution are investigated based on simulation data and previous studies. The results show that the turbulence strength and Re increased with increase in inlet air velocity. Pressure profiles inside the rotor varied significantly with positive pressure observed at the channel exits. Minimal inlet velocity maintains the flow field in the rotor interior below 100 m/s, which gives the ideal turbulence required to minimize yarn quality deterioration. The dual-feed rotor spinning unit showed more orderly streamline patterns with fewer vortices compared to the conventional one. The numerical simulation can provide insights on airflow studies and some guidelines for future prototyping and experiments to further improve the new design.
Mandatory savings, credit access and home ownership: The case of the housing provident fund
Authors: Xu Yilan
Published: November 2016

Several Asian countries have established savings and loan programs called housing provident funds, which comprise of a voluntary or mandatory savings account and eligibility for discounted mortgage loans. This study evaluates the impact of a mandatory housing provident fund in China on home ownership using the China Health and Nutrition Survey from 1989 to 2009. The empirical results indicate that households enrolled in the program were more likely to own a home since the housing provident fund loans became available in 1998, and such difference was fully explained by the length of the enrolment history which was related to the housing provident fund loan benefits by program design. The success of the housing provident fund was in part attributable to its program designs that feature behavioural economics theories, such as automatic enrolment, mental accounting, and self-discipline. The empirical findings have implications for designing effective housing policies to promote home ownership.
Bringing “Internationalization at Home” Opportunities to Community Colleges: Design and Assessment of an Online Exchange Activity between U.S. and Japanese Students
Authors: Custer Lindsay , Tuominen Anne
Published: November 2016

Increasing college students’ exposure to global contexts and improving their intercultural competency remain challenging educational objectives, especially at the community college level. Fortunately, the recent shift in higher education from study abroad opportunities toward so-called “internationalization at home” initiatives, where students interact with people from cultures outside their own while remaining on their home campuses, offers new options. In this article, we describe a virtual exchange activity that we conducted between our sociology courses at a community college in the United States and two universities in Japan. We show through our assessment of the students’ experiences that a well-coordinated, carefully crafted, technology-enhanced internationalization at home activity has the potential to offer important global learning opportunities and intercultural competency development for sociology students who may otherwise lack the means to participate in study abroad.
Milgram’s Obedience Study
Authors: Griggs Richard A.
Published: November 2016

Given the many older criticisms of Milgram’s obedience study and the more damning recent criticisms based on analyses of materials available in the Milgram archives at Yale, this study has become a contentious classic. Yet, current social psychology textbooks present it as an uncontentious classic, with no coverage of the recent criticisms and little coverage of the older ones. Also, none of the texts present any coverage of the recent reinterpretation of the study’s findings in terms of engaged followership based on participants’ acceptance of the experimenter’s scientific goals. Hence, the present article provides sources for summaries of the criticisms and a summary of the reinterpretation and its supporting empirical research for teachers who want to incorporate coverage into their courses.
Multivariate Analysis of Factors Influencing Facial Nerve Outcome following Microsurgical Resection of Vestibular Schwannoma
Authors: Torres Renato , Nguyen Yann , Vanier Antoine , Smail Mustapha , Ferrary Evelyne , Sterkers Olivier , Kalamarides Michel , Bernardeschi Daniele
Published: November 2016

Objective

To assess through multivariate analysis the clinical pre‐ and intraoperative factors of facial nerve outcomes at day 8 and 1‐year recovery of facial palsy, as compared with day 8 status among patients who underwent total resection of unilateral vestibular schwannoma.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

This study included 229 patients with preoperative normal facial function and anatomic preservation of the facial nerve. Clinical, radiologic, and intraoperative factors were assessed according to facial nerve function at day 8 and 1 year.

Results

We observed that 74% and 84% of patients had good facial function (House‐Brackmann [HB] I‐II) at day 8 and 1 year, respectively. Of 60 patients, 26 (43%) who had impaired facial function (HB III‐VI) at day 8 recovered good facial function (HB I‐II) 1 year after surgery. A structured equation model showed that advanced tumor stage and strong facial nerve adhesion were independently associated with facial nerve conduction block at day 8. No predictive factor of impaired facial function recovery was seen at 1 year. In terms of the extracanalicular diameter of the tumor, the cutoff point to minimize the risk of impaired facial function was 16 mm.

Conclusion

At day 8 after vestibular schwannoma resection, facial function was impaired in the case of large tumors or strong facial nerve adhesion to the tumor. After 1 year, less than half of the patients recovered good facial function, and no predictive factor was found to be associated with this possible recovery.
Mitochondria‐Targeted Antioxidant Mitoquinone Reduces Cisplatin‐Induced Ototoxicity in Guinea Pigs
Authors: Tate Alan D. , Antonelli Patrick J. , Hannabass Kyle R. , Dirain Carolyn O.
Published: November 2016

Objective

To determine if mitoquinone (MitoQ) attenuates cisplatin‐induced hearing loss in guinea pigs.

Study Design

Prospective and controlled animal study.

Setting

Academic, tertiary medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Guinea pigs were injected subcutaneously with either 5 mg/kg MitoQ (n = 9) or normal saline (control, n = 9) for 7 days and 1 hour before receiving a single dose of 10 mg/kg cisplatin. Auditory brainstem response thresholds were measured before MitoQ or saline administration and 3 to 4 days after cisplatin administration.

Results

Auditory brainstem response threshold shifts after cisplatin treatment were smaller by 28 to 47 dB in guinea pigs injected with MitoQ compared with those in the control group at all tested frequencies (4, 8, 16, and 24 kHz, P =. 0002 to. 04). Scanning electron microscopy of cochlear hair cells showed less outer hair cell loss and damage in the MitoQ group.

Conclusion

MitoQ reduced cisplatin‐induced hearing loss in guinea pigs. MitoQ appears worthy of further investigation as a means of preventing cisplatin ototoxicity in humans.
The scaling of income distribution in Australia: Possible relationships between urban allometry, city size, and economic inequality
Authors: Sarkar Somwrita , Phibbs Peter , Simpson Roderick , Wasnik Sachin
Published: November 2016

Developing a scientific understanding of cities in a fast urbanizing world is essential for planning sustainable urban systems. Recently, it was shown that income and wealth creation follow increasing returns, scaling superlinearly with city size. We study scaling of per capita incomes for separate census defined income categories against population size for the whole of Australia. Across several urban area definitions, we find that lowest incomes grow just linearly or sublinearly (β = 0.94 to 1.00), whereas highest incomes grow superlinearly (β = 1.00 to 1.21), with total income just superlinear (β = 1.03 to 1.05). These findings show that as long as total or aggregate income scaling is considered, the earlier finding is supported: the bigger the city, the richer the city, although the scaling exponents for Australia are lower than those previously reported for other countries. But, we find an emergent scaling behavior with regard to variation in income distribution that sheds light on socio-economic inequality: the larger the population size and densities of a city, while lower incomes grow proportionately or less than proportionately, higher incomes grow more quickly, suggesting a disproportionate agglomeration of incomes in the highest income categories in big cities. Because there are many more people on lower incomes that scale sublinearly as compared to the highest that scale superlinearly, these findings suggest an empirical observation on inequality: the larger the population, the greater the income agglomeration in the highest income categories. The implications of these findings are qualitatively discussed for various income categories, with respect to living costs and access to opportunities and services that big cities provide.
Differential effects of the MEK inhibitor SL327 on the acquisition and expression of ethanol-elicited conditioned place preference and aversion in mice
Authors: Rosas Michela , Porru Simona , Longoni Rosanna , Spina Liliana , Peana Alessandra T. , Collu Maria , Acquas Elio
Published: November 2016

The involvement of mitogen-activating extracellular kinase (MEK) in place conditioning may vary depending on the motivational sign (positive or negative) and nature (pharmacological or nociceptive) of the unconditioned stimulus (US) and on the phase (acquisition or expression) of the learning process. This study investigated the role of MEK on the acquisition and expression of ethanol-elicited (given 2 g/kg) backward (preference, CPP) and forward (aversion, CPA) place conditioning. The MEK inhibitor SL327 (50 mg/kg for CPP, and 50 and 100 mg/kg for CPA) was administered to CD-1 mice 60 minutes before an ethanol dose (acquisition) or 60 minutes before the post-conditioning tests (expression). Ethanol significantly elicited CPP and CPA; SL327 (50 mg/kg) significantly blocked the acquisition of ethanol-elicited CPP, but not that of CPA. Moreover, SL327 (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly reduced the expression of ethanol-elicited CPP, but not that of CPA. Finally, SL327 also prevented ethanol-elicited (given 2 g/kg) increases of phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (pERK)-positive neurons in the nucleus accumbens and other nuclei of the extended amygdala. Overall, these results confirmed the differential involvement of MEK in the acquisition and expression of drug-elicited place conditioning and suggested its differential involvement in distinct behavioral outcomes, depending on the motivational sign of the (same) US and on the significance of the experimental phase of the learning process.
Does pain sensitivity change by migraine phase? A blinded longitudinal study
Authors: Uglem Martin , Omland Petter Moe , Nilsen Kristian Bernhard , Tronvik Erling , Stovner Lars Jacob , Hagen Knut , Linde Mattias , Sand Trond
Published: November 2016

Objective

Studies suggest that pain thresholds may be altered before and during migraine headaches, but it is still debated if a central or peripheral dysfunction is responsible for the onset of pain in migraine. The present blinded longitudinal study explores alterations in thermal pain thresholds and suprathreshold heat pain scores before, during, and after headache.

Methods

We measured pain thresholds to cold and heat, and pain scores to 30 seconds of suprathreshold heat four times in 49 migraineurs and once in 31 controls. Sessions in migraineurs were categorized by migraine diaries as interictal, preictal (≤one day before attack), ictal or postictal (≤one day after attack).

Results

Trigeminal cold pain thresholds were decreased ( p = 0.014) and pain scores increased ( p = 0.031) in the ictal compared to the interictal phase. Initial pain scores were decreased ( p < 0.029), and the temporal profile showed less adaptation ( p < 0.020) in the preictal compared to the interictal phase. Hand cold pain thresholds were decreased in interictal migraineurs compared to controls ( p < 0.019).

Conclusion

Preictal heat hypoalgesia and reduced adaptation was followed by ictal trigeminal cold suballodynia and heat hyperalgesia. Our results support that cyclic alterations of pain perception occur late in the prodromal phase before headache. Further longitudinal investigation of how pain physiology changes within the migraine cycle is important to gain a more complete understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms behind the migraine attack.
Liberty and the individual: the colony asylum in Scotland and England
Authors: Allmond Gillian
Published: November 2016

This paper analyses the buildings, spaces and interiors of Bangour Village public asylum for the insane, near Edinburgh, and compares these with an English asylum, Whalley, near Preston, of similar early-twentieth-century date. The village asylum, which developed from a European tradition of rendering the poor productive through ‘colonisation’, was more enthusiastically and completely adopted in Scotland than in England, perhaps due to differences in asylum culture within the two jurisdictions. ‘Liberty’ and ‘individuality’, in particular, were highly valued within Scottish asylum discourses, arguably shaping material provision for the insane poor from the scale of the buildings to the quality of the furnishings. The English example shows, by contrast, a greater concern with security and hygiene. These two differing interpretations show a degree of flexibility within the internationalized asylum model which is seldom recognized in the literature.
Burden of Disease Attributable to Smoking in Korea
Authors: Zahra Aqeela , Cheong Hae-Kwan , Park Jae-Hyun
Published: November 2016

Smoking is one of the major health threats and is highly prevalent in Korea. This study quantifies the burden of disease (BOD) resulting from smoking by using the most reliable national statistics of Korea. We followed Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2013 methodology for estimating BOD attributable to smoking. Population attributable fraction was calculated for all diseases and multiplied by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to obtain BOD by each disease. Total burden of smoking in Korea was 1 368 072 DALYs (38 per 1000); 68% of the disease burden was in males and 32% in females. The highest percentage of burden was a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in both genders. BOD was highest in the 70- to 74-year-old age group. Smoking burden is substantial in Korea, especially among the elderly population. Tailored health plans for each gender and age should be formulated, and smoking-related burden should be continuously monitored to evaluate the extent of hazard and create priority settings.
Radiation Doses and Associated Risk From the Fukushima Nuclear Accident
Authors: Ishikawa Tetsuo
Published: November 2016

The magnitude of dose due to the Fukushima Daiichi Accident was estimated by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 2013 report published in April 2014. Following this, the UNSCEAR white paper, which comprises a digest of new information for the 2013 Fukushima report, was published in October 2015. Another comprehensive report on radiation dose due to the accident is the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on the Fukushima Daiichi Accident published in August 2015. Although the UNSCEAR and IAEA publications well summarize doses received by residents, they review only literature published before the end of December 2014 and the end of March 2015, respectively. However, some studies on dose estimation have been published since then. In addition, the UNSCEAR 2013 report states it was likely that some overestimation had been introduced generally by the methodology used by the Committee. For example, effects of decontamination were not considered in the lifetime external dose estimated. Decontamination is in progress for most living areas in Fukushima Prefecture, which could reduce long-term external dose to residents. This article mainly reviews recent English language articles that may add new information to the UNSCEAR and IAEA publications. Generally, recent articles suggest lower doses than those presented by the UNSCEAR 2013 report.
Schools
Authors: Rose India D. , Friedman Daniela B.
Published: November 2016

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are at disproportionate risk for HIV. Schools play an integral role in educating young people about sexual health in addition to providing sexual health services. This qualitative study examined SGM youths’ perception of school sexual health education and services. A total of 42 self-identified African American SGM males participated in focus groups or in an in-depth interview. Qualitative findings revealed that schools are missing the opportunity to educate SGM youth about sexual health. Youth participants noted several barriers to accessing sexual health education and services at schools including limited, targeted health information and school nurses not being knowledgeable of health issues that impact SGM youth. Participants noted that school sexual health services are not adequately marketed to students and sometimes do not include testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Suggestions for future research and implications for school nurses and sexual health services are discussed.
Measurement of Childhood Serious Emotional Disturbance: State of the Science and Issues for Consideration
Authors: Ringeisen Heather , Stambaugh Leyla , Bose Jonaki , Casanueva Cecilia , Hedden Sarra , Avenevoli Shelli , Blau Gary , Canino Glorisa , Carter Alice , Colpe Lisa , Copeland William E. , Fisher Prudence W. , Kaufman Joan , Merikangas Kathleen , Narrow William , Stroul Beth , West Jerry
Published: November 2016

Surveys suggest that between 4.3% and 11.5% of children living in the United States have a serious emotional disturbance (SED). SED is defined in the Federal Register, and federal block grants are allocated to states based on the prevalence of SED. Accurate measurement of SED is critical, yet surveys have used different methodologies and instrumentation to obtain prevalence estimates. Two expert panels were convened by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the fall of 2014 to discuss the current state of the field in operationalizing and measuring SED. The aims of this article are to (a) provide an update on SED prevalence rates from survey research, (b) summarize key discussion points that emerged during the SAMHSA expert panel meetings, and (c) make specific recommendations for next steps in measuring the prevalence of SED. Issues addressed in this article are important not only for federal allocation of service dollars to meet the needs of children with SED, but also for broader mental health surveillance efforts within the context of large national research surveys.
Kaizo Mario Maker
Authors: Newman James
Published: November 2016

Released in late 2015 for the Wii U console, Super Mario Maker (SMM) is an extension of Nintendo’s two-dimensional (2-D) ‘Super Mario’ series that offers the ability to create new stages using a suite of level design tools. However, despite initial appearances, I argue that SMM is not a Super Mario level maker, per se. The game creates a complex web of relations between professional and amateur design that simultaneously venerates Nintendo’s designers and provides a platform for the creation of designs informed by an ethos standing in opposition to the principles it espouses. On one hand, appropriating the products and modalities of ROM hacking allows Nintendo to demonstrate its awareness of its games as they are played and played with while simultaneously neutralizing the practice of ROM hacking which it codifies as an ‘illegal’ act of software piracy. Most interestingly, however, is how Nintendo balances the celebration and reinforcement of its core design principles of player advocacy, inclusivity and accessibility alongside the altogether more ruthless, even openly hostile, designs evident in the genre of ROM hacks known as ‘Kaizo’ designs. That Nintendo explicitly showcases such levels in its promotional materials for SMM seems, prima facie, utterly at odds with its game design principles and the celebratory nature of the SMM package. However, following Wilson and Sicart’s (2010) work on ‘Abusive Game Design’, I suggest that SMM operates as a ‘dialogical’ platform. By foregrounding the level creators’ identities and their status as amateur designers, SMM allows and encourages the production of ‘unfair’ level designs, while simultaneously sanctifying Nintendo’s authorial principles and the underlying player-centric design ethos of the Super Mario canon. As such, in addition to operating as a totemic object celebrating Super Mario’s 30-year anniversary, SMM can be read as part of Nintendo’s project to reclaim Mario as an object of design.
Money matters? Journalists’ perception of the effects of a weak market orientation
Authors: Ferrucci Patrick
Published: November 2016

Prior research examines the effects of a strong market orientation on a news organization, looking at both content and journalists’ perceptions. But recent technology allows for more weakly market-oriented newsrooms, an under-researched area of inquiry. This study, utilizing long-form interviews with 23 journalists at digital news organizations with weak market orientations, examines journalist perceptions of market orientation. The data show that journalists perceive positive effects of this orientation on their organization through more time for stories, more ability to engage with the audience and more overall autonomy. However, the journalists believe negative effects include a lack of innovation, an unstable funding structure, and a lack of perceived credibility from the audience. These results are discussed through the lens of market theory for news.
Marriage migration and integration: Interrogating assumptions in academic and policy debates
Authors: Charsley Katharine , Bolognani Marta , Spencer Sarah
Published: November 2016

In both policy and academic debates in Britain, as elsewhere in Europe, concern is increasingly expressed over the implications of spousal immigration for ‘integration’. Continued practices of ‘homeland’ transnational marriage within some ethnic minority communities, in particular, are presented as problematic, and new immigration restrictions likely to particularly affect such groups are justified on the grounds of promoting integration. The evidence base to underpin this concern is, however, surprisingly limited and analysis is based on differing and often partial conceptualisations of integration. Through an examination of the evidence in recent studies, we interrogate the impact which spousal immigration can have within differing domains of integration. Exposing the complex processes at play we demonstrate the need for future research to deploy a nuanced, more comprehensive concept of integration if it is to avoid simplistic assertions that these forms of marriage migration have a single, direct impact on integration processes.
Contrast between Spain and the Netherlands in the hidden obstacles to re-entry into the labour market due to a criminal record
Authors: Kurtovic Elina , Rovira Marti
Published: November 2016

This article aims at analysing the differences between European countries in the obstacles ex-offenders face due to having a criminal record. First, a comparative analytical framework is introduced that takes into account all the different elements that can lead to exclusion from the labour market by the dissemination of criminal record information. This model brings together social norms (macro level), social actors (meso level) and individual choices (micro level) in the same framework. Secondly, this model is used to compare the different impact of having a criminal record in Spain and the Netherlands. This comparison highlights three important findings: (1) the difference between norms of transparency/privacy and inclusive/exclusive ideals, (2) the significant role of social control agents, such as probation agencies and the ex-offenders’ social network, in shaping the opportunities that they have, and (3) self-exclusion seems to be a key mechanism for understanding unsuccessful re-entry into the labour market.
Precuneus Structure Changes in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Haussmann Robert , Werner Annett , Gruschwitz Antonia , Osterrath Antje , Lange Jan , Donix Katharina L. , Linn Jennifer , Donix Markus
Published: November 2016

Patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Due to their prominent memory impairment, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) often focuses on the hippocampal region. However, recent positron-emission tomography data suggest that within a network of frontal and temporal changes, patients with aMCI show metabolic alterations in the precuneus, a key region for higher cognitive functions. Using high-resolution MRI and whole-brain cortical thickness analyses in 28 patients with aMCI and 25 healthy individuals, we wanted to investigate whether structural changes in the precuneus would be associated with cortical thickness reductions in frontal and temporal brain regions in patients with aMCI. In contrast to healthy people, patients with aMCI showed an association of cortical thinning in the precuneus with predominantly left-hemispheric thickness reductions in medial temporal and frontal cortices. Our data highlight structural neuronal network characteristics among patients with aMCI.
Error calibration of pitching mechanism motion based on improved ant colony algorithm
Authors: Guo Zonghuan , Xie Zhijiang , Song Daiping
Published: November 2016

A method for calibrating the motion error of the pitching mechanism based on an improved ant colony algorithm is proposed in this article. First, the error model for the pitching mechanism is built based on the three main error sources that affect the accuracy of the pitching mechanism, and the influence of these three error sources on the pitch motion accuracy is analyzed using the control variable method. Second, a mathematical model for the calibration of the pitch mechanism motion error is established, which transforms the error calibration problem into an optimization problem with multiple objective functions, and the error is then analyzed using an improved ant colony algorithm model. Compared with traditional numerical methods and ant colony optimization, it is proven that the algorithm has strong global optimization ability and can effectively avoid the impact of the initial value error source on the calculation results, and the accuracy can reach a level of 10−5 mm. Finally, the simulation results show that the proposed method is efficient and practical.
Fatigue life analysis based on six sigma robust optimization for pantograph collector head support
Authors: Li Yonghua , Hu Mingguang , Wang Feng
Published: November 2016

In this article, a new fatigue life analysis method based on six sigma robust optimization is proposed, which considers the random effects of material properties, external loads, and dimensions on the fatigue life of a pantograph collector head support. Some main random factors are identified through fatigue reliability sensitivity analysis, which are used as input variables during fatigue life analysis. The six sigma optimization model is derived using the second-order response surface method. The response surface is fitted by the Monte Carlo method, the samples are obtained by the Latin hypercube sampling technique, and the proposed model is optimized using the interior point algorithm. Through the optimization, the collector head support weight is reduced, the mean and the standard deviation of fatigue life have been decreased, and the effect of design parameter variation on the fatigue life is reduced greatly. The robustness of fatigue life prediction of collector head support is improved. The proposed method may be extended to fatigue life analysis of other components of electric multiple units.
A question of scandal? The police and the phone-hacking business
Authors: Mawby Rob C
Published: November 2016

Scandals have featured consistently in the development and operation of public policing in England and Wales. However, criminologists have rarely explored scandal as a concept or its attempted management by criminal justice organizations. This article contributes to the filling of this gap with the intention of initiating debate on the utility of scandal as a conceptual tool for the analysis of policing and criminal justice. It identifies the core components of a scandal using an analytical framework informed by scandal research undertaken across disciplinary areas. Taking a case study approach, this framework is applied to the Leveson Inquiry which explored a combination of potentially scandalous episodes within the overarching scandal of phone-hacking. The article concludes that phone-hacking was a scandal at macro and micro levels under this framework yet damage to the reputation of the police was mitigated through active impression management and enduring characteristics of the police image.
Shale gas debate in Europe: Pro-and-con dialectics and argumentative polylogues
Authors: Lewiński Marcin
Published: November 2016

In this article I scrutinise a crucial tension in understanding the debate over shale gas production in Europe. On the one hand, analyses predominantly grasp the debate in terms of pro-and-con dialectics, as if the pro-shale gas camp faced the anti-shale gas camp in a dyadic clash of opposing voices. On the other hand, it is commonly recognised that this debate is driven by multi-party and multi-position argumentative dynamics. In this broader context, I focus on one pivotal contribution to the debate – Gazprom’s press release from October 2013 outlining Russia’s energy giant’s strategy of dealing with unconventional gas production. I employ concepts and methods of argumentative discourse analysis to contend that an arguer to a multi-party debate – argumentative polylogue – faces a number of constraints and opportunities that cannot be adequately grasped in terms of dyadic pro-and-con dialectics. The analysis reveals how Gazprom needs to simultaneously design its discourse to address a number of other parties who might also disagree among themselves: from Greenpeace to European Union governments to shale gas companies. I show why and how a stakeholder analysis used in organisational communication might lead to a better understanding of this form of multi-party public argumentation.
Current best practice in rehabilitation in interstitial lung disease
Authors: Nakazawa Atsuhito , Cox Narelle S. , Holland Anne E.
Published: November 2016

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of chronic respiratory diseases characterized by dyspnoea on exertion and decline in health-related quality of life (HRQL). People with ILD experience significant exercise limitation with contributors that include ventilatory limitation, impaired gas exchange, decreased cardiac function and skeletal muscle dysfunction. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is well established in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a means to overcome exercise limitation and improve activity-related dyspnoea. There is increasing evidence for similar effects of PR in people with ILD. This review discusses the evidence for PR in ILD, outlines the essential components of PR in this population, and highlights special considerations for exercise training in people with ILD. Possible future directions for PR research in people with ILD are explored.
Political Contest and Oppositional Voices in Postconflict Democracy
Authors: Rice Charis , Somerville Ian
Published: November 2016

This article investigates how political institutions affect government–media relationships. Most studies of media-politics focus on majoritarian parliamentary or presidential systems and on how party systems affect journalism. This tends to neglect important issues that pertain in more constitutionally complex democracies, such as the consociational institutions in postconflict societies. Taking the Northern Irish context as a strategic case study, we analyze data from thirty-three semistructured interviews with the actors responsible for communicating political issues in Northern Ireland: political journalists and the two groups of government communicators, civil service Government Information Officers (GIOs) and Ministerial Special Advisers (SpAds). By examining their roles and relationships in this context, we demonstrate the importance of considering the institutional design of the democratic system itself when attempting to develop a more comprehensive and nuanced theory of media-politics. In Northern Ireland, the absence of an official political opposition in the legislature, together with the mandatory nature of the multiparty coalition, means that the media have come to be perceived by many political and media actors as the opposition. This in turn influences the interpersonal interactions between government and media, the way political actors try to “manage” the media, and the media’s approach to reporting government.
Mental Health Services in NCAA Division I Athletics: A Survey of Head ATCs
Authors: Sudano Laura E. , Miles Christopher M.
Published: November 2016

Background:

There is a growing awareness of the importance of mental health care in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes; however, there is a lack of literature on mental health resources in collegiate settings. Identifying current practices can set the stage to improve the delivery of care.

Hypothesis:

There is great variability in resources and current practices and no “standard of care” exists.

Study Design:

Observational, quantitative.

Level of Evidence:

Level 5.

Methods:

One hundred twenty-seven (36% response rate) head athletic trainers at Division I NCAA member colleges completed a web-based survey. Questions assessed several aspects of mental health clinicians, perception of care coordination, and screening.

Results:

Seventy-two percent of respondents noted that counseling took place in a counseling center, and 20.5% of respondents indicated that they had a mental health provider who worked in the athletic training room. Mental health clinician credentials included marriage and family therapist, psychologist, clinical social worker, and psychiatrist. The majority of athletic trainers (ATCs) noted that they are satisfied with the feedback from the mental health provider about the student-athletes’ mental health (57.3%) and believe that they would be able to provide better care to student-athletes if mental health services occurred onsite in the training room (46.4%). Fewer than half (43%) indicated that they use screening instruments to assess for mental health disorders.

Conclusion:

There is wide variability on how mental health services are provided to NCAA Division 1 student-athletes. Some mental health care providers are located offsite, while some provide care in the training room setting. Also, there are inconsistencies in the use of standardized screening tools for mental health evaluation. There is no standard collaborative or integrated care delivery model for student-athletes.

Clinical Relevance:

Opportunities exist for standardization through integrated care models and increased use of validated screening tools to deliver comprehensive care to student-athletes.
Fetal and adult progenitors give rise to unique populations of CD8+ T cells
Authors: Wang Jocelyn , Wissink Erin M. , Watson Neva B. , Smith Norah L. , Grimson Andrew , Rudd Brian D.
Published: November 2016

Key Points

Neonatal and adult CD8+ T cells adopt different fates after infection because they are derived from distinct progenitor cells. Lin28b may regulate the developmental switch from fetal to adult CD8+ T cells.
Testing, characterization and modelling of mechanical behaviour of poly (lactic-acid) and poly (butylene succinate) blends
Authors: Qiu T. Y. , Song M. , Zhao L. G.
Published: November 2016

Background

Significant amount of research, both experimental and numerical, has been conducted to study the mechanical behaviour of biodegradable polymer PL(L)A due to its wide range of applications. However, mechanical brittleness or poor elongation of PL(L)A has limited its applications considerably, particularly in the biomedical field. This study aims to study the potential in improving the ductility of PLA by blending with PBS in varied weight ratios.

Methods

The preparation of PLA and PBS blends, with various weight ratios, was achieved by melting and mixing technique at high temperature using HAAKE™ Rheomix OS Mixer. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was applied to investigate the melting behaviour, crystallization and miscibility of the blends. Small dog-bone specimens, produced by compression moulding, were used to test mechanical properties under uniaxial tension. Moreover, an advanced viscoplastic model with nonlinear hardening variables was applied to simulate rate-dependent plastic deformation of PLA/PBS blends, with model parameters calibrated simultaneously against the tensile test data.

Results

Optical Microscopy showed that PBS composition aid with the crystallization of PLA. The elongation of PLA/PBS blends increased with the increase of PBS content, but with a compromise of tensile modulus and strength. An increase of strain rate led to enhanced stress response, demonstrating the time-dependent deformation nature of the material. Model simulations of time-dependent plastic deformation for PLA/PBS blends compared well with experimental results.

Conclusions

The crystallinity of PLA/PBS blends increased with the addition of PBS content. The brittleness of pure PLA can be improved by blending with ductile PBS using mechanical mixing technique, but with a loss of stiffness and strength. The tensile tests at different strain rates confirmed the time-dependent plastic deformation nature of the blends, i.e., viscoplasticity, which can be simulated by the Chaboche viscoplastic model with nonlinear hardening variables.
Emerging biological roles of Cl− intracellular channel proteins
Authors: Argenzio Elisabetta , Moolenaar Wouter H.
Published: November 2016

Cl− intracellular channels (CLICs) are a family of six evolutionary conserved cytosolic proteins that exist in both soluble and membrane-associated forms; however, their functions have long been elusive. Soluble CLICs adopt a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fold, can induce ion currents in artificial membranes and show oxidoreductase activity in vitro, but there is no convincing evidence of CLICs having such activities in vivo. Recent studies have revealed a role for CLIC proteins in Rho-regulated cortical actin dynamics as well as vesicular trafficking and integrin recycling, the latter of which are under the control of Rab GTPases. In this Commentary, we discuss the emerging roles of CLIC proteins in these processes and the lessons learned from gene-targeting studies. We also highlight outstanding questions regarding the molecular function(s) of these important but still poorly understood proteins.
Heterogeneous ensembles for predicting survival of metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer patients
Authors: Pölsterl Sebastian , Gupta Pankaj , Wang Lichao , Conjeti Sailesh , Katouzian Amin , Navab Nassir
Published: November 2016

Ensemble methods have been successfully applied in a wide range of scenarios, including survival analysis. However, most ensemble models for survival analysis consist of models that all optimize the same loss function and do not fully utilize the diversity in available models. We propose heterogeneous survival ensembles that combine several survival models, each optimizing a different loss during training. We evaluated our proposed technique in the context of the Prostate Cancer DREAM Challenge, where the objective was to predict survival of patients with metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer from patient records of four phase III clinical trials. Results demonstrate that a diverse set of survival models were preferred over a single model and that our heterogeneous ensemble of survival models outperformed all competing methods with respect to predicting the exact time of death in the Prostate Cancer DREAM Challenge.
The first genome sequences of human bocaviruses from Vietnam
Authors: Thanh Tran Tan , Van Hoang Minh Tu , Hong Nguyen Thi Thu , Nhu Le Nguyen Truc , Anh Nguyen To , Tuan Ha Manh , Hien Ho Van , Tuong Nguyen Manh , Kien Trinh Trung , Khanh Truong Huu , Nhan Le Nguyen Thanh , Hung Nguyen Thanh , Chau Nguyen Van Vinh , Thwaites Guy E , van Doorn H. Rogier , Tan Le Van
Published: November 2016

As part of an ongoing effort to generate complete genome sequences of hand, foot and mouth disease-causing enteroviruses directly from clinical specimens, two complete coding sequences and two partial genomic sequences of human bocavirus 1 (n=3) and 2 (n=1) were co-amplified and sequenced, representing the first genome sequences of human bocaviruses from Vietnam. The sequences may aid future study aiming at understanding the evolution of the pathogen.
Equivariant Semidefinite Lifts of Regular Polygons
Authors: Fawzi Hamza , Saunderson James , Parrilo Pablo A.
Published: November 2016

Given a polytope P ⊂ ℝn, we say that P has a positive semidefinite lift (psd lift) of size d if one can express P as the projection of an affine slice of the d × d positive semidefinite cone. Such a representation allows us to solve linear optimization problems over P using a semidefinite program of size d and can be useful in practice when d is much smaller than the number of facets of P. If a polytope P has symmetry, we can consider equivariant psd lifts, i.e., those psd lifts that respect the symmetries of P. One of the simplest families of polytopes with interesting symmetries is regular polygons in the plane. In this paper, we give tight lower and upper bounds on the size of equivariant psd lifts for regular polygons. We give an explicit construction of an equivariant psd lift of the regular 2n-gon of size 2n − 1, and we prove that our construction is essentially optimal by proving a lower bound on the size of any equivariant psd lift of the regular N-gon that is logarithmic in N. Our construction is exponentially smaller than the (equivariant) psd lift obtained from the Lasserre/sum-of-squares hierarchy, and it also gives the first example of a polytope with an exponential gap between equivariant psd lifts and equivariant linear programming lifts.
Caring begins in the classroom
Authors: Ridley Caroine
Published: November 2016

Not everyone can, or should, be a health visitor—but many mature, intelligent, motivated and resilient students can enter the profession and work effectively soon after qualifying, says Caroline Ridley.
Research roundup: November 2016
Authors: Lally Sheila , Brook Judy , Murray Joy
Published: November 2016

In this section, a range of brief synopses of recently published articles that may be of interest to health visitors is presented. The aim of this roundup is to provide an overview, rather than a detailed summary, of the research papers selected. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided.
Minor injuries and ailments. 11: Contagious rashes
Authors: Tinsley Elizabeth
Published: November 2016

It is normal for babies to develop rashes from as early as a few days old, as they have sensitive skin and are learning to adapt to a different environment. Most rashes are harmless and go away on their own ( NHS Choices, 2016a ), but some can be signs of serious illness and require referral for specialist advice. This article will focus on managing and treating contagious skin rashes in children at home; when parents should be advised to attend A&E B and when to call an ambulance.
Is diazepam or lorazepam the most effective benzodiazepine for use in paramedic management of convulsive seizures in adults?
Authors: Matthew Gridley , Perry Matt
Published: November 2016

Diazepam, a drug from the benzodiazepine family, has been used for the acute management of status epilepticus outside of hospital since its introduction in 1963 ( Roche, 2007 ). Although known to be an effective treatment for the termination and subsequent prophylaxis of seizures ( Dreifuss et al, 1998 ), there have been a number of developments in benzodiazepine production since its emergence, leading to the discovery of alternative agents.

The Human Medicines Regulations (2012) provides registered paramedics with legal exemption in relation to the administration of diazepam, but does not allow for the autonomous use of any other benzodiazepine medications. Therefore, unless patient specific or patient group directions exist, diazepam remains the only benzodiazepine generally available to ambulance clinicians despite the presence of alternatives that may be more effective. This article compares and contrasts the available literature regarding the qualities of diazepam with those of lorazepam in the setting of managing convulsive status epilepticus.

The authors found that lorazepam is often reported to be more effective in terminating seizures than diazepam. Lorazepam may offer a more effective, safer and cheaper treatment option for the management of seizures in the pre-hospital environment.
Bake a beautiful batch!
Authors: Chapman Ailsa
Published: November 2016

Ailsa Chapman suggests a healthy, cheese muffin recipe, that will satisfy children's desire to have a bake off.
GCSE requirements fuel growing recruitment crisis
Authors: Tanuku Purnima
Published: November 2016

As the workforce continues to shrink, The National Day Nurseries Association's latest statistics underline the need for a Government u-turn on A to C grades. A new strategy is urgently required, says its chief executive, Purnima Tanuku.
Best bear of all
Authors: Williams Brenda
Published: November 2016

What makes a teddy special? Invite children to bring their own teddy bears into the setting and use Brenda Williams' original poem My Old Bear to develop language and listening skills through poetry.
Vertical epistemic communities in multilevel governance
Authors: Mavrot Céline , Sager Fritz
Published: November 2016

Literature defines epistemic communities as knowledge-based networks whose purpose is to influence policy. While previous studies often focused on the horizontal functioning of epistemic communities, we expand the debate by integrating the vertical dimension as an additional governing structure. We argue that vertical epistemic communities take advantage of multiple-scale systems to generate coherent strategies which enable them to influence policymaking. Through the case of Swiss smoking prevention policy, we study how vertical epistemic communities in federalist systems can lead to policy harmonisation between member states. They do so by shifting the decision-making process away from the political towards expert arenas.