bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics Leading Teachers to Nominate Secondary Students as Gifted in Spain
Authors: Hernández-Torrano Daniel , Prieto María Dolores , Ferrándiz Carmen , Bermejo Rosario , Sáinz Marta
Published: May 2013

What are the characteristics leading teachers to nominate gifted students in Spain? To answer this question, several demographic (i.e., gender, grade) and psychological (i.e., multiple intelligences, emotional intelligence, intellectual aptitude, and divergent thinking) characteristics of 563 secondary students nominated as gifted by their teachers were analyzed. Results showed a general gifted profile of the nominated students defined by higher scores in their naturalist and social intelligences, stress management, and verbal, mechanical, and spatial reasoning. Additional analysis indicated that students’ gender and grade also influenced teachers’ nominations of gifted students. Based on the associations among the demographic and psychological characteristics included in this study, nominated students could be classified in five specific gifted profiles, namely, moderately gifted students, social-emotionally gifted students, artistically gifted students, intellectually gifted students, and generally gifted students. Discussion of the limitations of the study, directions for future research, and educational implications of the study are provided.
The ethics of conscious capitalism: Wicked problems in leading change and changing leaders
Authors: Fyke Jeremy P , Buzzanell Patrice M
Published: May 2013

Given corporate scandals, organizational crises, and accounting irregularities (e.g. Citigroup, BP oil spill, Enron, Arthur Andersen), leadership ethics has grown in relevance. The current study takes a discursive approach to engage in a multimethod case study of a consulting and leadership development firm that takes Conscious Capitalism as the impetus for, and target of, leader development. Using constructivist grounded theory and critical discourse analysis, we reveal themes and ‘best practices’ voiced by consultants and clients for cultivating mindfulness and developing ethical leaders, as well as micro- and macro-level paradoxes, tensions, and challenges: structuring-releasing; expanding-contracting; opening up-closing; and collaborating-competing. Our critical approach contributes (a) a critique of Conscious Capitalism as a Discourse that appears to offer hope for business ethics and societal transformation and (b) a critique of ethical leadership development through embedded power relations and the complex discursive processes within and driven by leadership development and ethics at the intersection of various d/Discourses. This research helps explain some of the challenges involved in developing ethical leaders. We reveal that although Conscious Capitalism appears to offer solutions to many of today’s social problems, including leadership ethics, developing ethical leaders ironically leads to problems that are ‘wicked.’
Spontaneous remission in a case of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis
Authors: Williams G , Sarkar B , Neilly JB , McKay GA
Published: May 2013

A 54-year-old lady being investigated at the medical clinic for back pain and weight loss, was diagnosed with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis on the basis of CT imaging, biopsy findings and absence of known secondary causes. After lengthy discussions with the patient during several clinic visits she declined the use of corticosteroid treatment due to concerns for the potential side effects. Serial monitoring of inflammatory markers and interval imaging suggested a spontaneous remission in the inflammatory process. We describe the case and discuss the management of retroperitoneal fibrosis.
There are calls for a national screening programme for prostate cancer: what is the evidence to justify such a national screening programme?
Authors: Green A , Tait C , Aboumarzouk O , Somani BK , Cohen NP
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Prostate cancer is the commonest cancer in men and a major health issue worldwide. Screening for early disease has been available for many years, but there is still no national screening programme established in the United Kingdom.

Objective

To assess the latest evidence regarding prostate cancer screening and whether it meets the necessary requirements to be established as a national programme for all men.

Methods

Electronic databases and library catalogues were searched electronically and manual retrieval was performed. Only primary research results were used for the analysis.

Results

In recent years, several important randomised controlled trials have produced varied outcomes. In Europe the largest study thus far concluded that screening reduced prostate cancer mortality by 20%. On the contrary, a large American trial found no reduction in mortality after 7–10 years follow-up. Most studies comment on the adverse effects of screening – principally those of overdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment.

Discussion

Further information about the natural history of prostate cancer and accuracy of screening is needed before a screening programme can be truly justified. In the interim, doctors and patients should discuss the risks, benefits and sequelae of taking part in voluntary screening for prostate cancer.
Monitoring and adverse events in relation to ACE inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker initiation in people with diabetes in general practice: a population database study
Authors: Mathieson L , Severn A , Guthrie B
Published: May 2013

Background and aim

To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ACEI/ARB) initiation in people with diabetes is monitored as recommended by recent guidelines and the incidence of associated adverse renal events.

Design

Retrospective population database analysis of 4056 people in Tayside, Scotland with type 2 diabetes prescribed an ACEI/ARB between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2009.

Method

Measurement of urea and electrolytes (U&Es) before and after ACEI/ARB initiation and renal adverse events; defined as a ≥30% rise in serum creatinine and post-initiation potassium of ≥5.6 mmol/L. Associations of adverse events with patient demographics or co-prescription of drugs with known renal effects were examined.

Results

Overall, 89% of initiations were with an ACE inhibitor. A total of 18.84% (CI 95% 18.82–18.86) of patients initiating ACE inhibitor or ARB had U&Es measured in the 90 days before initiation and within 5–14 days after initiation. Only 1.7% of patients had an adverse renal event. Patients prescribed with an ARB were less likely to be monitored than those prescribed with an ACE inhibitor, but no less likely to suffer harm.

Conclusions

Current clinical practice of biochemical monitoring of ACE inhibitor/ARB is poor, but adverse events are rare. Further studies with serial U&Es are needed to establish the critical time window for adverse renal events and evaluate whether intensive biochemical monitoring recommended is required in low-risk groups.
Radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteoma: outcomes from the West of Scotland
Authors: Crane EOT , Ritchie D , Jane MJ , Mahendra A
Published: May 2013

Background

Osteoid osteoma is a classically described benign bone tumour. Traditionally, the surgical treatment of choice was excision, but this can have significant morbidity. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has grown in popularity as an alternative treatment. This study reports the outcomes using this technique in our regional bone tumour unit.

Methods

Between May 2003 and October 2007, 14 patients underwent CT-guided RFA. All patients were subsequently offered follow-up in the out-patient clinic. Outcomes were taken from the Scottish Bone Tumour Registry database.

Results

Eleven patients (78.6%) had complete resolution of symptoms after one RFA. Three (21.4%) cases were unsuccessful but one of these was due to technical failure. All three of the above patients had complete relief of symptoms after one further RFA. One (7.1%) patient initially had complete relief of symptoms, but suffered recurrence after 9 months. This patient also had a second curative treatment.

Conclusion

Percutaneous RFA for osteoid osteoma is an attractive treatment due to its efficacy and low morbidity. Our results showed a primary success rate of 78.6%, a secondary success rate of 100% (after one additional procedure). Our results add to the growing literature supporting RFA as the preferred treatment for osteoid osteoma.
Oral fluid testing as an alternative to urine testing for drugs of abuse in inpatient forensic settings: giving patients choice
Authors: MacCall CA , Ritchie G , Sood M
Published: May 2013

Background and aims

The abuse of illicit substances is very common amongst forensic psychiatry populations and is known to be one of the most potent risk factors for interpersonal violence. Forensic psychiatry units hence strive to keep themselves as free as possible from illicit substances and in Scotland drugs of abuse have traditionally been screened for by means of urine testing. The aim of this study is to examine patients’ preferences for drug testing methods and to compare the acceptability of urine testing versus oral fluid testing (OFT) within a secure hospital setting.

Methods

Patients in three continuing care wards at the State Hospital, Carstairs were offered the choice of either urine or oral fluid testing. We developed protocols and recording forms and trained staff in the administration of the OFT. We recorded the sampling time for OFT and urine, and the views of patients and staff on the testing procedures over a six month period.

Results

Sixty-two samples were taken, with 53 (85%) opting for OFT and nine (15%) opting for urine sampling. The average time taken for OFT was 13 minutes, while the average time taken for urine sampling was 33 minutes. The majority of patients and staff rated oral fluid and urine testing as comfortable and easy. Patients recorded comments on 46 (87%) of OFT samples, only two of which were negative. In general they preferred the OFT because it was quicker and easier and they commented on it being more dignified and private. Patients recorded comments on five (55%) of urine samples, with one of the primary reasons for opting for urine sampling appearing to be a reluctance to try new things, though a few said they did not want to have anything in their mouths. Staff returned comments on 24 (45%) of OFT samples and one (11%) of urine samples. Comments on the OFT were overwhelmingly positive and pointed out the relative speed and ease of this sampling method.

Conclusions

We concluded that the pilot study was successful. OFT was found to be generally preferred by patients and staff. Although there was an additional financial cost, this was considered to be outweighed by the significant benefits arising from offering patients choice, the preservation of patient dignity and staff time savings. The option of OFT has now been extended to all patients within the State Hospital. Practitioners will wish to consider the value of OFT in forensic psychiatry inpatient settings given the benefits identified within this study.
Evaluation of the utility of hospital databases to provide data in assessing the quality of strabismus surgery
Authors: Heng SJ , Low L , MacKinnon JR , Lavy T , Dutton GN
Published: May 2013

Aims and background

Rates of re-operation, which may be related to an unsatisfactory surgical outcome, can provide a long-term index of the quality of strabismus surgery. This study aims to evaluate the utility of the Scottish Morbidity Records (SMR1) in determining nature and rates of re-operation for strabismus at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC), Glasgow.

Methods

SMR1 data on strabismus surgery performed on children aged between 0 and 17 years at the RHSC, Glasgow, between January 2000 and March 2009 were analysed.

Results

In total, 1376 strabismus procedures were carried out on 1274 individuals. The median time between first and subsequent procedures was 19 months; the commonest reasons being under-correction or recurrence. The Kaplan–Meier rate of undergoing re-operation was 7.4% after 9 years with a 95% confidence interval of 5.4–9.9%.

Conclusions

The SMR1 is a useful source of hospital-based and population data. With supplementation from parallel databases, routine administrative databases like the SMR1 can provide better quality data to inform practice.
Cracking the code: the accuracy of coding shoulder procedures and the repercussions
Authors: Clement ND , Murray IR , Nie YX , McBirnie JM
Published: May 2013

Background

Coding of patients' diagnosis and surgical procedures is subject to error levels of up to 40% with consequences on distribution of resources and financial recompense. Our aim was to explore and address reasons behind coding errors of shoulder diagnosis and surgical procedures and to evaluate a potential solution.

Methods

A retrospective review of 100 patients who had undergone surgery was carried out. Coding errors were identified and the reasons explored. A coding proforma was designed to address these errors and was prospectively evaluated for 100 patients. The financial implications were also considered.

Results

Retrospective analysis revealed the correct primary diagnosis was assigned in 54 patients (54%) had an entirely correct diagnosis, and only 7 (7%) patients had a correct procedure code assigned. Coders identified indistinct clinical notes and poor clarity of procedure codes as reasons for errors. The proforma was significantly more likely to assign the correct diagnosis (odds ratio 18.2, p < 0.0001) and the correct procedure code (odds ratio 310.0, p < 0.0001). Using the proforma resulted in a £28,562 increase in revenue for the 100 patients evaluated relative to the income generated from the coding department.

Conclusion

High error levels for coding are due to misinterpretation of notes and ambiguity of procedure codes. This can be addressed by allowing surgeons to assign the diagnosis and procedure using a simplified list that is passed directly to coding.
Early experience of a CT coronary angiography service in a Scottish regional centre
Authors: Rose N , Ragupathy S , Turpie D , Atherton I , Leslie SJ , Miller JH
Published: May 2013

Background

CT coronary angiography (CTCA) is an emerging diagnostic tool in the assessment of patients with suspected coronary artery disease. It has several advantages over conventional coronary angiography (CCA); however, its use is not yet widespread in large teaching centres.

Aims

To determine what proportion of patients who have CTCA, do not require subsequent CCA.

Methods

A prospective analysis of all patients referred for CTCA from the start of the service in January 2008 to April 2010.

Results

CTCA provided definitive diagnostic images in 85% of patients. Overall only 12% ( n = 33) of patients had subsequent CCA. The proportion of patients who subsequently had CCA reduced with time reflecting increasing confidence with the clinical service.

Conclusions

A CTCA service can be successfully established out with a large teaching centre hospital. Close working between cardiologists and radiologists leads to increased confidence in the service and obviates the need for CCA in a large proportion of patients.
Bilateral endogenous Serratia marcescens endophthalmitis secondary to endocarditis following cardiac surgery
Authors: Lyall DAM , Gregory ME , McDonnell J , De Villiers F , Tejwani D
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Endogenous endophthalmitis is a sight-threatening condition caused by microorganisms crossing the blood–ocular barrier and inducing profound intraocular inflammation.

Case report

A 65-year-old female experienced bilateral loss of vision after developing infective endocarditis as a complication of combined Bentall procedure and coronary artery bypass grafting. She was diagnosed with bilateral endogenous endophthalmitis secondary to Serratia marcescens. Despite aggressive treatment with intravitreal injections of antibiotics and steroids, intensive topical and systemic antibiotic therapy, there was permanent loss of sight in both eyes.

Conclusion

The case highlights the importance of early recognition of the symptoms and signs of endogenous endophthalmitis in any patient with systemic infection by all clinicians and the necessity of prompt ophthalmological referral if a useful level of vision is to be preserved.
Two rare cases of retinal vasculitis following vaccination
Authors: Kwok T , Al-Bermani A
Published: May 2013

We write to report two rare cases of retinal vasculitis following administration of vaccinations. Both patients received recent vaccinations (within 4 weeks and 2 months respectively) and presented with unilateral visual loss due to retinal arteriolar vasculitis. Investigations did not reveal any other causes of vasculitis. The first patient's ocular inflammation settled following periocular steroid injection, whereas the second patient required the additional use of oral corticosteroid. Both patients had improved vision following treatment. Vaccinations can cause an autoimmune reaction. Systemic vasculitis has previously been described, whereas ocular vasculitic involvement is also possible but extremely rare. When seeing a patient with visual loss due to retinal vasculitis of unknown aetiology, a history of any recent vaccinations should be elicited.
Acute distal radial epiphyseal osteomyelitis: a case report
Authors: Allan C , Huntley JS
Published: May 2013

A child developed acute epiphyseal osteomyelitis of the distal radius following a fall. Despite a delay in diagnosis the patient was successfully treated by surgery and antibiotics. Magnetic resonance imaging was the key to the diagnosis and surgical planning.
Karl Koenig: the Austrian refugee doctor who founded a worldwide movement in Scotland
Authors: Jackson R
Published: May 2013

In this paper, the circumstances which led to the creation of the Camphill Movement in Scotland are described. Attention is drawn to the rejection by Dr Karl Koenig – co-founder of the Movement – of too narrow an approach to the treatment of children and adults with intellectual disabilities and his advocacy of a holistic approach. Koenig was one of the first medical practitioners in Britain to proclaim and demonstrate that all children with an intellectual disability, regardless of the severity of that disability, have a potential that can be unlocked and developed. There are now over 100 Camphill communities in more than 20 countries making it one of the largest independent providers of services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in the world.
Unravelling Dili: The Crisis of City and State in Timor-Leste
Authors: Moxham Ben , Carapic Jovana
Published: May 2013

Timor-Leste’s celebrated journey to statehood violently unravelled in 2006. Why did the young state stumble so badly, given the overwhelming national consensus for independence and firm international support for reconstruction? This article argues that the city is central to state-making by mediating between forces of external and internal integration to build prosperity, citizenship and security, particularly in the context of fragile states. While external integration denotes the opening up of the state to the international community and its market, internal integration is about embedding economic, political and security aspects of state-making. The case of Timor-Leste illustrates these processes and how the urban crisis of 2006–07 occurred when the two forms of integration undermined, rather than reinforced, each other.
Gulu in War … and Peace? The Town as Camp in Northern Uganda
Authors: Branch Adam
Published: May 2013

This paper begins by exploring the unique place of Gulu Town within the 20-year civil war in northern Uganda (1986–2006). It describes the conditions faced by the large internally displaced population of Gulu during the war and explains why the town has remained relatively stable despite the massive influx it experienced of uprooted rural Acholi. The paper explores the social changes that have occurred among the displaced population within Gulu’s tenuous urban environment, focusing on the breakdown of male, lineage-based authority and on the impact of town life on women and ex-rebels. Finally, the paper charts the changes in displacement patterns that have occurred in Gulu since the end of the war as a new landless and marginalised population seek haven in town and as social conditions and tensions, instead of improving, worsen with peace.
Informality and Political Violence in Karachi
Authors: Gazdar Haris , Mallah Hussain Bux
Published: May 2013

This paper proposes an understanding of political violence in a major metropolis through the lens of informality in urban planning and land use. Political conflict in Karachi has been examined largely from the lens of ethnic identity. Here it is shown, using census data, how urban planning was implicated in the evolution of the city’s ethnic demography. Election results at the polling station level further confirm the importance of territory in Karachi’s violent political divisions. The literature on informal economic governance, and its insights on non-state contract enforcement and dispute resolution, is used to interpret case studies of three unplanned neighbourhoods. Various migrant cohorts had distinct experiences regarding informal economic governance and the politics of regularisation. These differences gave rise to two alternate modes of informal economic governance, which not only sustained violent political divisions, but also denied coercive monopoly to formal institutions of the state.
The Importance of Political Coalitions in the Successful Reduction of Violence in Colombian Cities
Authors: Gutiérrez Francisco , Pinto María , Arenas Juan Carlos , Guzmán Tania , Gutiérrez María
Published: May 2013

This paper focuses on the evolution of violence trends in the three biggest Colombian cities, Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. Two of those cities, Bogotá and Medellín, were able to cut dramatically their homicide rates, while Cali did not. The taming of violence in Bogotá and Medellín challenges structural explanations of urban violence in Latin America, which suggest that the effects of neoliberalism, juxtaposed to already very high levels of inequality and social exclusion, should “overwhelm” municipal administrations. The systematic comparison of Bogotá and Medellín, on the one hand, and Cali, on the other, suggests that any explanation of urban violence reduction should take into account political dimensions, including in particular city-level coalition building.
Gun Focus Effect Revisited II
Authors: Yegiyan Narine S.
Published: May 2013

Studies have consistently found that arousal is associated with enhanced recognition and recall. In these studies, the influence of participant sex was unexamined. However, motivational theories of emotion predict evolutionarily bound emotional experiences with specific mediated content which vary between men and women. This study draws upon motivational theories of emotion and recent evidence from neuroimaging research to examine comprehensive effects of message arousal and emotional tone on memory for message detail as a function of sex. Female participants showed an advantage in processing peripheral detail when information was positive and when questions about details were in a verbal cued recall format. Male participants were immune to memory narrowing for highly arousing negative content when questions about details were posed in a visual recognition task format.
The Association Between Violence Exposure and Aggression and Anxiety
Authors: Goodearl Anna Ward , Salzinger Suzanne , Rosario Margaret
Published: May 2013

This study examined how peer relationships contribute to young adolescents’ adaptation in the face of exposure to community and family violence. It tested hypotheses about peers’ role in processes relating exposure to behavioral and psychological outcomes, specifically, aggression and anxiety. Data were collected from 667 middle school students, followed from sixth grade to eighth grade, in a high crime urban school district, and from their parents and classmates. Friends’ antisocial behavior mediated the relationship between violence exposure and later aggressive behavior. A bias toward hostile attribution contributed to, but did not alone explain, the relationship. Friends’ prosocial behavior failed to moderate the association between exposure and later aggressive behavior. Social acceptance moderated the relationship between exposure and later anxiety when exposure was low, but not when it was high. Peer intimacy/closeness, while demonstrating a direct, inverse effect on anxiety, failed to moderate the association between violence exposure and anxiety.
Genomic articulations of indigeneity
Authors: TallBear Kim
Published: May 2013

Indigenous peoples’ and genome scientists’ respective definitions and practices of making ‘indigeneity’ illustrate their competing notions of identity, origins, and futures. This article explores these genomic and indigenous ‘articulations’ of indigeneity, both their similarities and profound differences. Scientists who study ancient global human migrations and human genome diversity draw on an understanding of ‘indigeneity’ that appears to overlap with, but fundamentally contradicts, the use of this concept by the global indigenous movement. Genomic articulations privilege genetic ancestry as defining indigenous ‘populations’. In contrast, indigenous articulations of indigeneity emphasize political status and biological and cultural kinship constituted in dynamic, long-standing relations with each other and with living landscapes. To demonstrate how differences in definitions matter, I draw examples from several scientific and indigenous projects that entangle DNA knowledge with judgments about indigenous identities, and I note resulting policy implications. I first examine two key narratives of indigeneity and race that underlie the genomic articulation of indigeneity: ‘indigenous peoples are vanishing’ and ‘we are all related/all African’. I then explore two cases where genomic and indigenous articulations clash and overlap – the ‘Kennewick Man’ case and the use of DNA testing for tribal enrollment. Yet genomic articulations, with their greater truth-governing power, may inadvertently reconfigure indigeneity in ways that can undermine tribal and First Nations’ self-determination and the global indigenous anticolonial movement. Indeed, some indigenous peoples have recently adopted genomic articulations of identity, perhaps to their own detriment.
The making and unmaking of an unknown soldier
Authors: Wagner Sarah
Published: May 2013

For 18 years, from 1984 to 1998, the Vietnam crypt of the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery housed the remains of a soldier whose anonymity helped shoulder a nation’s grief and fuel its memory. They were those of First Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie, an Air Force pilot shot down over hostile territory in southern Vietnam in 1972. On 14 May 1998, Blassie’s then-unrecognized remains became the only set at the memorial to be disinterred and identified – an act that signaled an important shift in forensic practice and the state’s means of commemorating its missing and unknown members of the military. Tracing the story of the Vietnam Unknown’s (de)identification, this article examines the gradual though foundational reframing of the connection between national memory and identity expressed through care for those who ‘made the ultimate sacrifice’. Whereas memorials of the past, such as the Tomb of the Unknowns, emphasized collective or anonymous groupings of war dead in articulating national identity, the changing technology of identification, particularly brought about by advances in DNA testing, has enabled individuated memorializing. Naming each dead soldier, returning each set of remains to surviving families, no matter how partial or delayed, personalizes the ideals of sacrifice and honor embodied in the fallen soldier and invites localized, communal remembrance. The shifts in technology and memory that have rewritten the story of the Vietnam Unknown not only altered modes of national commemoration, but also lay bare the connections between how war itself is waged, death justified, and a nation defined through its care for war dead.
Straight from the source: Accounting for scientific success
Authors: Leahey Erin , Cain Cindy L
Published: May 2013

How do highly cited scientists account for their success? A number of approaches have been used to explain scientific success, but none incorporates scientists’ own understandings, which are critical to a complete, process-oriented explanation. We remedy this oversight by incorporating scientists’ own descriptions of the value of their work, as reflected in essays written by authors of highly cited articles (‘Citation Classics’). As cultural objects, these essays reveal not only factors perceived to be associated with success but also reflect narrative conventions, and thereby elucidate the culture surrounding success. We enlist Charles Ragin’s Qualitative Comparative Analysis to analyze how factors mentioned in these accounts work in conjunction. Our results show that three ingredients – relationships, usefulness to others, and overcoming challenges – are found in a large majority of scientific success stories.
Conservatism, disclosure and the cost of equity capital
Authors: Artiach Tracy C , Clarkson Peter M
Published: May 2013

This study seeks insights into the economic consequences of accounting conservatism by examining the relation between conservatism and cost of equity capital. Appealing to the analytical and empirical literatures, we posit an inverse relation. Importantly, we also posit that the strength of the relation is conditional on the firm’s information environment, being the strongest for firms with high information asymmetry and the weakest (potentially negligible) for firms with low information asymmetry. Based on a sample of US-listed entities, we find, as predicted, an inverse relation between conservatism and the cost of equity capital, but further, that this relation is diminished for firms with low information asymmetry environments. This evidence indicates that there are economic benefits associated with the adoption of conservative reporting practices and leads us to conclude that conservatism has a positive role in accounting principles and practices, despite its increasing rejection by accounting standard setters.
Aesthetics and Bildung
Authors: von Bonsdorff Pauline
Published: May 2013

The article approaches the educational potential of aesthetics and the arts by reviving the notion of Bildung and suggesting an interpretation that emphasizes both its social character and the role of artworks and other aesthetic expressions. Bildung is a dialogic process where human relationships are crucial both for the exchange and the birth of insights. Artworks are described as images (Bilde), which act as intermediaries and points of reference in expressing, communicating and negotiating cultural values. In developing the argument, Immanuel Kant’s analysis of aesthetic judgment is read together with his ideas on enlightenment, highlighting the social and political character of judgment. Wilhelm von Humboldt’s discussion of the aesthetic and social dimensions of Bildung provides another starting point. Two examples of contemporary artistic processes are used to indicate the educational and political relevance of art in our time.
Comparison of potential protective effects of melatonin and propylthiouracil against lipid peroxidation caused by nitrobenzene in the thyroid gland
Authors: Zasada Krzysztof , Karbownik-Lewinska Malgorzata
Published: May 2013

Background:

Nitrobenzene is a carcinogen, which induces—among others—thyroid tumors. Melatonin is an effective antioxidant, whereas some antioxidative effects of propylthiouracil (PTU; an antithyroid medication used for the treatment of thyrotoxicosis) were also found. The aim of the study was to compare protective effects of melatonin and PTU against lipid peroxidation in homogenates of porcine thyroids, incubated in the presence of nitrobenzene.

Methods:

Homogenates of porcine thyroids were incubated for 30 min in the presence of nitrobenzene (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 mM). The level of lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde + 4-hydroxyalkenals) was measured spectrophotometrically. Nitrobenzene (7.5 and 10.0 mM) increased lipid peroxidation in the homogenates of porcine thyroids. Subsequently, homogenates of porcine thyroids were incubated for 30 min in the presence of nitrobenzene (7.5 mM) plus one of the antioxidants: melatonin (0.000001, 0.00001, 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mM) or PTU (0.01, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mM).

Results:

Lipid peroxidation caused by nitrobenzene was effectively prevented by melatonin, with the lowest effective concentration of 0.0001 mM, being only two orders of magnitude higher than physiological blood concentration in humans. At the same time, PTU revealed protective effects only in the highest used concentration (7.5 mM), which is practically never reached during pharmacological treatment in patients with thyrotoxicosis.

Conclusions:

Melatonin can serve as an effective agent in protection against nitrobenzene-induced lipid peroxidation in porcine thyroid.
Bullying Among Spanish Secondary Education Students
Authors: Carrera-Fernández María-Victoria , Lameiras-Fernández María , Rodríguez-Castro Yolanda , Vallejo-Medina Pablo
Published: May 2013

The aim of the present study was to assess the combined influence of gender stereotypes, sexism, and homophobia on attitudes toward bullying and bullying behavior. A total of 1,500 Spanish adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age (49.3% girls and 50.7% boys) completed a questionnaire that included measures of bullying, attitudes toward bullying, gender-stereotyped personality traits (instrumentality and expressiveness), hostile and benevolent sexism, and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. First, the findings demonstrated that boys scored significantly higher on all the variables assessed except on benevolent sexism. Two similar models were obtained for both sexes. Benevolent sexism and, in boys, more positive attitudes toward gay men predicted more negative attitudes toward bullying when mediated by more expressive gender traits. An inverse pattern was also observed: Hostile sexism predicted more favorable attitudes toward bullying when mediated by instrumental gender traits. Attitudes toward bullying were highly correlated with bullying behavior. The five-predictor variables (including attitudes toward bullying) explained 58% of the variance of bullying behavior in girls and 37% of such variance in boys.
Public Sentiment and Critical Framing in Social Media Content During the 2012 U.S. Presidential Campaign
Authors: Groshek Jacob , Al-Rawi Ahmed
Published: May 2013

By being embedded in everyday life, social networking sites (SNSs) have altered the way campaign politics are understood and engaged with by politicians and citizens alike. However, the actual content of social media has remained a vast but somewhat amorphous and understudied entity. The study reported here examines public sentiment as it was expressed in just over 1.42 million social media units on Facebook and Twitter to provide broad insights into dominant topics and themes that were prevalent in the 2012 U.S. election campaign online. Key findings include the fact that contrary to what one might expect, neither presidential candidate was framed in an overly critical manner in his opponent’s Facebook space nor on Twitter’s dedicated nonpartisan election page. Beyond this, similarities and divergences in sentiment across social media spaces are observed that allow for a better understanding of what is being communicated in political social media.
Live-Tweeting a Presidential Primary Debate
Authors: Hawthorne Joshua , Houston J. Brian , McKinney Mitchell S.
Published: May 2013

Twitter offers a function called live-tweeting that allows users to communicate about events with each other in real time. This study examines the use of live-tweeting during a 2012 Republican Primary Debate by examining the 181,780 tweets posted during the nationally televised debate. Live-tweeting offers users an opportunity to engage in public conversation about political events and thus potentially influence the framing of what occurred. Our study examines whether citizens utilize the opportunity to contribute to the political narrative or if elite users dominate political conversations through an analysis of tweets used by both groups. Findings show that there were very few differences between the elite and nonelite social media conversations and that elite users views were spread farther than nonelite views.
Preparation and characterization of novel optically active nanostructured poly(amide–imide)s-containing (l)-α-amino acid moieties and azobenzene side groups
Authors: Mallakpour Shadpour , Zarei Mohammad
Published: May 2013

A series of optically active poly(amide–imide)s (PAI)s-containing photochromic azobenzene moieties as side groups were synthesized. These chiral polymers were derived from monomers-based (l)-α-amino acids such as alanine, isoleucine, methionine, and phenylalanine. Azo-containing diamine 7 was synthesized from the reaction of 4-aminoazobenzene and 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride, followed by the reduction in dinitro with iron oxide hydroxide catalyst and hydrazine monohydrate. The novel PAIs were prepared by direct polycondensation under green medium. The synthesized PAIs, with inherent viscosities of 0.43–0.85 dL g−1, were obtained in high yields. The structures of them were confirmed by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques. The resulting PAIs were also characterized by x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. Morphology probes showed that these PAIs were nanostructured polymers and the particle size was around 40–90 nm.
Phenylphosphine oxide containing polyimide matrix resins for atomic oxygen-resistant fiber-reinforced composites
Authors: Liu Biao , Ji Mian , Liu Jingang , Fan Lin , Yang Shiyong
Published: May 2013

Phenylethynyl-endcapped imide oligomers with different calculated molecular weights (calcd number average molecular weight ([Formula: see text])) and phosphorous (P) contents (P loading) were synthesized by the reaction of diethyl ester of 4,4′-oxydiphthalic acid, monoethyl ester of 4-phenylethynyl phthalic acid, and the P-containing diamines including [2,5-bis(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl] diphenylphosphine oxide and di(3-aminophenyl)methylphosphine oxide via in situ polymerization of monomeric reactant method. The amide–ester solutions were impregnated with carbon fiber (Cf) and quartz fiber (Qf) cloth to give high quality prepregs that were then thermally cured to yield the Cf-reinforced polyimide (PI) composite (Cf/PI) and Qf-reinforced PI composite (Qf/PI), respectively. The Cf/PI composites showed high mechanical properties with a flexural strength of 1554 ± 93 MPa, a flexural modulus of 112 ± 3 GPa and an interlayer shear strength of 90 ± 5 MPa, respectively. The atomic oxygen (AO) resistances of the neat resins and composites were evaluated on a ground-based simulation facility. Experimental results indicated that the P structures offer PIs with 55–75% lower weight losses and a self-healing property. The fiber-reinforced composites showed further lower erosion rates than neat resins. In addition, the effects of calcd [Formula: see text] and P loadings on the melt processabilities of the B-staged imide oligomers and the AO resistance of the cured PIs were systematically investigated.
The coupling relationship among bottleneck shifting factors in job shop
Authors: Ling Lin , Liu Mingzhou , Tang Juan , Zhao Zhibiao , Ge Maogen
Published: May 2013

Aiming at the phenomenon of bottleneck shifting in job shop, this article presents the findings on the coupling relationship among the bottleneck shifting factors. We first defined the chain probability to show the relation that the change of one bottleneck shifting factor causes the changes of other factors in job shop. Then, we used three variables (time-capability, time-load, and quality-assurance) and the transaction probability to describe the changes of the factors. Considering the interaction among the bottleneck shifting factors, we established the independent contributions and comprehensive contributions, showing how the changes of various shifting factors may impact the bottleneck shifting phenomenon interactively. Finally, an instance of analysis of the coupling relation of several bottleneck shifting factors in some job shop is given to test the validity and rationality of the method established in this research.
Optimisation of dissimilar friction stir welding parameters with grey relational analysis
Authors: Kasman Şefika
Published: May 2013

This article presents an approach related to the dissimilar friction stir welding of AA6082 and AA7075. The effects of tool type, tool rotational speed and welding speed on the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and percentage of elongation were investigated using grey relational analysis and then the optimal combination was determined. The results of a series of analyses revealed that the tool type 4, a tool rotational speed of 1000 rpm/min and a welding speed of 100 mm/min correspond to the optimal condition. Except for tool rotational speed, the other factors are significant at 95% and affect the grey relational grade value with a percentage contribution sorted in descending order as welding speed (48.7%), tool type (27.48%) and tool rotational speed (15.13%). A confirmation experiment was carried out to verify the optimised parameters. The result indicated that an improvement was achieved in ultimate tensile strength and percentage of elongation.
A method for generating trochoidal tool paths for 2½D pocket milling process planning with multiple tools
Authors: Ferreira Joao CE , Ochoa David M
Published: May 2013

When used in pocket roughing, both the direction-parallel and the contour-parallel tool path strategies usually create critical cutting regions in corners and narrow slots, which can be problematic to machine. The utilization of a trochoidal tool path has been proposed recently in order to avoid these problems. In this work, a method for generating trochoidal tool paths for 2½D pocket milling using a medial axis transform is proposed. In order to achieve this goal, first the pocket and islands are represented as polygons, and the medial axis transform is calculated as a series of points. The points are then sorted and grouped by an algorithm that generates the trochoidal path whenever the desired radial depth of cut is attained. In the proposed method, machining time is reduced through a pixel-based simulation, adjusting the tool path to the remaining material. The tool path generation method allows the control of the maximum radial depth of cut, avoiding the momentary increments in radial depth of cut, since those increments are problematic when machining hard materials or when high speed machining. Also, a cutting tool selection and area segmentation method using different tool sizes are used.
Comparison of chemical vapor deposition diamond-, diamond-like carbon- and TiAlN-coated microdrills in graphite machining
Authors: Lei Xuelin , Wang Liang , Shen Bin , Sun Fanghong , Zhang Zhiming
Published: May 2013

In this study, continuous microcrystalline diamond layer with grain size of 0.8–2 µm, nanocrystalline diamond layer with grain size less than 100 nm, diamond-like carbon layer with no apparent grains and TiAlN layer with small particles on the top surface are successfully deposited on cemented tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) samples and microdrills. Diamond peak of microcrystalline diamond film is quite definite in the Raman spectrum, while that of nanocrystalline diamond and diamond-like carbon coating is not so apparent. The roughness of microcrystalline diamond, nanocrystalline diamond, diamond-like carbon coating and TiAlN coatings is about 215.83, 144.4, 23.63 and 168.17 nm, respectively. Nanocrystalline diamond film exhibits lowest adhesive strength between substrate, while diamond-like carbon exhibits highest adhesive strength between substrate. Tribotests show stable friction coefficients of microcrystalline diamond, nanocrystalline diamond, diamond-like carbon and TiAlN coatings as about 0.28, 0.08, 0.08 and 0.4, respectively, while their wear rates against Si3N4 balls are 4.9E−7, 7.0E−7, 7.7E−7 and 2.9E−6 mm3 N−1 m−1, respectively. Microdrilling experiments show that the tool life of microcrystalline diamond–coated microdrill is as about 1.5, 2, 6 and 9 times more than that of nanocrystalline diamond-, diamond-like carbon-, TiAlN-coated and uncoated microdrills, respectively. The main wear types of these microdrills are flank wear, chipping and coating delamination. The results show that the microcrystalline diamond film is more suitable to be deposited on microdrills than the other three coatings to enhance cutting performance of microdrills in dry machining of graphite.
The prediction of process-induced deformation in a thermoplastic composite in support of manufacturing simulation
Authors: Han Peidong , Butterfield Joe , Buchanan Saul , McCool Rauri , Jiang Zhenyu , Price Mark , Murphy Adrian
Published: May 2013

Digital manufacturing techniques can simulate complex assembly sequences using computer-aided design–based, ‘as-designed’ part forms, and their utility has been proven across several manufacturing sectors including the ship building, automotive and aerospace industries. However, the reality of working with actual parts and composite components, in particular, is that geometric variability arising from part forming or processing conditions can cause problems during assembly as the ‘as-manufactured’ form differs from the geometry used for any simulated build validation. In this work, a simulation strategy is presented for the study of the process-induced deformation behaviour of a 90°, V-shaped angle. Test samples were thermoformed using pre-consolidated carbon fibre–reinforced polyphenylene sulphide, and the processing conditions were re-created in a virtual environment using the finite element method to determine finished component angles. A procedure was then developed for transferring predicted part forms from the finite element outputs to a digital manufacturing platform for the purpose of virtual assembly validation using more realistic part geometry. Ultimately, the outcomes from this work can be used to inform process condition choices, material configuration and tool design, so that the dimensional gap between ‘as-designed’ and ‘as-manufactured’ part forms can be reduced in the virtual environment.