bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Career Preparation of High School Students: A Multi-Country Study
Authors: Xiao Jing Jian , Newman Barbara M. , Chu Bie-shuein
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with career preparation of high school students in four countries: China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States. The human bioecological theory was used as a framework to examine personal, process, and context factors associated with career preparation of the adolescents. Data were from a cross-national sample of more than 5,000 students in Grades 10 to 12. Results indicate that career planning and planning to attend a university after high school are distinct aspects of career preparation. Whereas process variables including interactions with parents about career planning and thinking about the future are related to the two aspects of career preparation across the four countries, other person and context predictors show country differences.
Measuring Destination Marketing
Authors: Choe Yeongbae , Stienmetz Jason L. , Fesenmaier Daniel R.
Published: March 2016

Conversion studies are a standard technique by which marketers evaluate advertisement effectiveness. A review of the tourism literature finds that advertising conversion studies use a number of metrics that have evolved to include most aspects of visitor decisions; however, this literature also indicates that there are few comparative studies focusing on the variability of response. The overall goal of this study is to identify and compare estimates of impact on visitor expenditures using four different approaches ranging from traditional advertising models (i.e., gross conversion rate and net conversion rate) to a more comprehensive facets-based destination advertisement response (DAR) model. The various models result in a huge range of impact estimates and it is concluded that the DAR model offers, both theoretically and practically, a powerful framework for evaluating advertising response in that it incorporates the possibility that destination advertising affects decisions related to a range of trip-related activities.
Predictive Strength of Self-Rated Health for Mortality Risk Among Older Adults in the United States: Does It Differ by Race and Ethnicity?
Authors: Woo Hyeyoung , Zajacova Anna
Published: March 2016

Self-rated health (SRH) is widely used to capture racial and ethnic disparities in health. It is therefore critical to understand whether individuals with different racial and ethnic backgrounds assess their SRH differently. Despite the high overall predictive validity of SRH for subsequent mortality, few studies paid attention to potential variations by race and ethnicity. This study examines racial and ethnic differences in the predictive validity of SRH for subsequent mortality risk among older adults (55–84) by estimating Cox Proportional Hazard models using data from the National Health Interview Surveys Linked Mortality Files (1989–2006; N = 289,432). Results indicate that SRH predicts mortality risk less well for non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics than non-Hispanic Whites. Three proposed mechanisms—socioeconomic status, immigration status, and cause of death—explain only a modest proportion of the variation. These results suggest that individuals from different racial and ethnic groups may evaluate their heath differently, and thus caution is necessary when using SRH to estimate racial and ethnic health disparities.
Neuronal pannexin-1 channels are not molecular routes of water influx during spreading depolarization-induced dendritic beading
Authors: Sword Jeremy , Croom Deborah , Wang Phil L , Thompson Roger J , Kirov Sergei A
Published: March 2016

Spreading depolarization-induced focal dendritic swelling (beading) is an early hallmark of neuronal cytotoxic edema. Pyramidal neurons lack membrane-bound aquaporins posing a question of how water enters neurons during spreading depolarization. Recently, we have identified chloride-coupled transport mechanisms that can, at least in part, participate in dendritic beading. Yet transporter-mediated ion and water fluxes could be paralleled by water entry through additional pathways such as large-pore pannexin-1 channels opened by spreading depolarization. Using real-time in vivo two-photon imaging in mice with pharmacological inhibition or conditional genetic deletion of pannexin-1, we showed that pannexin-1 channels are not required for spreading depolarization-induced focal dendritic swelling.
Musical Studies and the Vividness and Clarity of Auditory Imagery
Authors: Campos Alfredo , Fuentes Lara
Published: March 2016

Different studies have analyzed mental auditory imagery and mental imagery derived from the other senses. This study analyzed the relationship of musical training with auditory imagery vividness and mental imagery derived from the other senses. A group of 200 participants (100 music students and 100 Compulsory Secondary Education students) were administered the Betts’ Questionnaire upon Mental Imagery and the Clarity of Auditory Imagery Scale. Students of music obtained higher in cutaneous, kinesthetic, gustatory, visual, and auditory imagery vividness scores than students not studying music. Moreover, music students obtained higher clarity of auditory imagery scores than nonmusicians. The gender of participants did not influence reported auditory imagery vividness or the clarity of auditory imagery. No gender differences were observed in the other sensorial modalities, except for visual imagery vividness, in which women scored higher than men. The interaction between gender and music training was not significant. The results are discussed and new lines of research are proposed.
Existential Authenticity
Authors: Kunzendorf Robert G. , Doherty Kevin R. , Visconti Tristan P. , Giacalone Carissa M. , Vangapalli Rishi R.
Published: March 2016

One hundred three research participants completed questionnaires pertaining to four propensities for existential authenticity: the propensity to question the meaning of existence, the propensity to experience the meaninglessness of existence, the propensity to integrate meaninglessness into life, and the propensity to actualize self-created meaning. A factor analysis of scores on one questionnaire, the No Meaning Scale, and a factor analysis of scores on the other questionnaires plus factor scores on the No Meaning Scale revealed the same three factors: an “existential insignificance” factor, an “existential futility” factor, and an “existential absurdity” factor. The possibility that the four propensities and three factors reflect a trajectory for the development of existential authenticity is discussed.
University Policies and Programs for Crime Prevention and Awareness
Authors: Woodward Vanessa H. , Pelletier Dylan , Griffin O. Hayden , Harrington John R.
Published: March 2016

Crime on college campuses has increasingly become an area of public concern. While the Clery Act requires universities to disclose crime statistics and provide some methods of prevention, crimes on university campuses still appear to be a common problem. The purpose of this study was to examine how institutions were using the Internet to provide students with resources to promote crime prevention and awareness. Specifically, we assessed what online resources and programs institutions provided to students and then evaluated whether these resources met the general requirements of Clery. The accessibility of resources was also examined as well as how both accessibility and compliance with Clery varied across regions and student populations. The findings indicate that while most universities and colleges provide some methods of prevention or disclosure, few universities and colleges go beyond mere compliance by proactively attempting to prevent crime and/or educate their students about crime.
Code Switching and the Hispanic Consumer
Authors: Garcia Quintana Ashley E. , Nichols Cynthia A.
Published: March 2016

This study examines the influence of acculturation and language on the emotional response of three print advertisements (English, Spanish, Code Switched) through an experimental methodology founded on the Revised Hierarchical and the Conceptual Feature Models. The advertising treatments and surveys were administered to a convenience sample of 272 respondents in a large southwestern metropolitan area from five local Hispanic churches. The Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics was used to measure acculturation (Low, High, Bicultural). Emotional responses to the print advertisements were measured using the Emotional Quotient Scale and the condensed Reaction Profile. Results revealed some significant differences in advertising preferences. Results also suggested that a code-switched advertisement could be both culturally relevant and appropriate for reaching the majority of the Hispanic market. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Comparison of High-Dose Versus Standard Dose Oseltamivir in Critically Ill Patients With Influenza
Authors: Noel Zachary R. , Bastin Melissa L. Thompson , Montgomery Ashley A. , Flannery Alexander H.
Published: March 2016

Background:

Limited data support high-dose oseltamivir in critically ill patients with influenza. In several recent influenza seasons, there were oseltamivir drug shortages.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort analysis of 57 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with confirmed influenza. Patients receiving high-dose oseltamivir were compared to those receiving standard dosing.

Results:

When adjusted for clinically relevant predictors of disease severity, including age, duration of therapy, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and receipt of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, there was no difference in the duration of mechanical ventilation, oxygenation, ICU length of stay, or hospital length of stay between the high-dose and standard dose groups.

Conclusions:

As compared to the standard doses of oseltamivir, higher-dose (ie, double dose) oseltamivir was not associated with improvement in any clinical outcomes. Using higher doses empirically on all patients during influenza season may exacerbate local drug shortages.
Child Witnesses to Intimate Partner Violence: Their Descriptions of Talking to People About the Violence
Authors: Izaguirre Ainhoa , Cater Åsa
Published: March 2016

Witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) may have damaging effects on children’s well-being and development. How children understand IPV affects the risk of their developing negative outcomes. Talking with children about the violent episodes they have experienced can change their beliefs regarding their parents’ IPV, and therefore may also be a way to help them deal with these adverse experiences. The purpose of the current study was to use the children’s narratives to explore the relationship between how IPV was perceived by the children and their experience of talking about it. Interviews with 31 children between 9 and 13 years of age were analyzed using a thematic method. Two main groups of children were identified: children who described the violence as a horrifying experience and children who preferred not to think about the violence. The findings showed that children who described the violence as a horrifying experience perceived talking about the violence as a positive, yet sometimes distressing, experience that made a real difference in their lives; whereas, children who preferred not to think about the violence did not see much need to talk about it and benefit from talking about it. The study confirms previous research indicating that talking about IPV experiences sometimes leads to feelings of relief in children. Thereby, professionals play an important role by providing an appropriate setting to help children reduce their distressing feelings.
Baghdad’s thirdspace: Between liminality, anti-structures and territorial mappings
Authors: Murrani Sana
Published: March 2016

Wedged in-between the dense urban grain of Baghdad, blast walls of t-shaped concrete have littered the streets and neighbourhoods since 2003, after the US led invasion. The idiosyncrasy of these walls lies in their exaggerated spatial liminality. They appear, change location and disappear overnight, and on a daily basis, leaving Iraqis to navigate through labyrinths of in-between spaces. This article critically reveals the new social and power structures that have emerged in the context of the city in response to the condition resulting from this unique urban intervention. This uncanny spatial and social condition of permanent liminality will be analysed through Victor Turner’s critical theories of liminality and anti-structure coupled with Edward Soja’s theory of Thirdspace, interpreting, through a series of territorial mappings, a complex liminal condition in a contested and disrupted city.
Neo-villeiny and the service sector: the case of hyper flexible and precarious work in fitness centres
Authors: Harvey Geraint , Rhodes Carl , Vachhani Sheena J , Williams Karen
Published: March 2016

This article presents data from a comprehensive study of hyper flexible and precarious work in the service sector. A series of interviews were conducted with self-employed personal trainers along with more than 200 hours of participant observation within fitness centres in the UK. Analysis of the data reveals a new form of hyper flexible and precarious work that is labelled neo-villeiny in this article. Neo-villeiny is characterized by four features: bondage to the organization; payment of rent to the organization; no guarantee of any income; and extensive unpaid and speculative work that is highly beneficial to the organization. The neo-villeiny of the self-employed personal trainer offers the fitness centre all of the benefits associated with hyper flexible work, but also mitigates the detrimental outcomes associated with precarious work. The article considers the potential for adoption of this new form of hyper flexible and precarious work across the broader service sector.
The effect of train composition on the running safety of low-flatcar wagons in braking and curving manoeuvres
Authors: Di Gialleonardo Egidio , Cazzulani Gabriele , Melzi Stefano , Braghin Francesco
Published: March 2016

Low-flatcar wagons represent a good alternative to freight truck transportation. In fact, the whole truck can be easily loaded on these wagons. However, due to the railway vehicle gauge, these vehicles present a particular design with an important impact on the dynamics of the trainset and on its derailment risk. The present work aims at analysing the dynamic behaviour of the trainset and the influence of the freight train composition on the derailment risk. Numerical simulations have been performed to identify the most critical conditions. Then, an experimental campaign has been carried out to evaluate the derailment risk associated to these conditions.
Syphilis incidence among men who have sex with men in China: results from a meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Guohong , Cao Ya , Yao Yuan , Li Ming , Tang Weiming , Li Jianjun , Babu Giridhara R , Jia Yue , Huan Xiping , Xu Genxing , Yang Haitao , Fu Gengfeng , Li Lei
Published: March 2016

The recent upsurge of syphilis infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) is one of the major challenges facing China. However, the overall burden is still not clear. This study aims to summarize the incidence of syphilis among MSM in China by using meta-analysis. We comprehensively searched PubMed-MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chinese Wanfang databases. Articles published between December 2009 and March 2015 that met the inclusion criteria were considerably involved in this meta-analysis. Two reviewers performed a quality assessment of the studies and extracted data for estimating the overall syphilis incidence. STATA 12.0 was used to summarize the overall incidence of syphilis. In all, 14 studies from 13 papers were included in this study. Follow-up duration of these studies ranged from six to 36 months, while drop-out rates ranged from 11.9% to 83.6%. The individual incidence rates of the included studies varied from 3.1/100 person-years (95% CI, 0.8–5.3/100 person-years) to 38.5/100 person-years (95% CI, 28.9–48.1/100 person-years), with a pooled incidence of 9.6/100 person-years (95% CI, 7.0–12.2/100 person-years). The subgroup meta-analysis revealed that incidence estimates were 38.5/100 person-years (95% CI, 28.9–48.1/100 person-years), 12.1/100 person-years (95% CI, 7.0–17.2/100 person-years), 11.2/100 person-years (95% CI, 0.7–23.1/100 person-years), 8.9/100 person-years (95% CI, 6.5–11.2/100 person-years), 5.7/100 person-years (95% CI, 3.4–8.0/100 person-years) and 3.1/100 person-years (95% CI, 0.8–5.3/100 person-years) in Northeast, North, Southwest, East, South and Northwest China, respectively. Syphilis incidence among Chinese MSM is high, and this may increase the spread of other sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus. It is essential to integrate syphilis control programs with HIV control programs. This can be achieved by establishing public health response systems to monitor and control the epidemic of syphilis and HIV together in China.
Missing value imputation for physical activity data measured by accelerometer
Authors: Ae Lee Jung , Gill Jeff
Published: March 2016

An accelerometer, a wearable motion sensor on the hip or wrist, is becoming a popular tool in clinical and epidemiological studies for measuring the physical activity. Such data provide a series of activity counts at every minute or even more often and displays a person’s activity pattern throughout a day. Unfortunately, the collected data can include irregular missing intervals because of noncompliance of participants and therefore make the statistical analysis more challenging. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel imputation method to handle the multivariate count data, motivated by the accelerometer data structure. We specify the predictive distribution of the missing data with a mixture of zero-inflated Poisson and Log-normal distribution, which is shown to be effective to deal with the minute-by-minute autocorrelation as well as under- and over-dispersion of count data. The imputation is performed at the minute level and follows the principles of multiple imputation using a fully conditional specification with the chained algorithm. To facilitate the practical use of this method, we provide an R package accelmissing. Our method is demonstrated using 2003−2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.
Detecting influential observations in a model-based cluster analysis
Authors: Bruckers Liesbeth , Molenberghs Geert , Verbeke Geert , Geys Helena
Published: March 2016

Finite mixture models have been used to model population heterogeneity and to relax distributional assumptions. These models are also convenient tools for clustering and classification of complex data such as, for example, repeated-measurements data. The performance of model-based clustering algorithms is sensitive to influential and outlying observations. Methods for identifying outliers in a finite mixture model have been described in the literature. Approaches to identify influential observations are less common. In this paper, we apply local-influence diagnostics to a finite mixture model with known number of components. The methodology is illustrated on real-life data.
Experimental and mathematical analysis of wear generation at bottom plate of mine excavator bucket
Authors: Sarkar Mayukh , Mukherjee PS , Ghosh Subrata Kumar
Published: March 2016

Mine excavator buckets are made of austenitic manganese steel and subjected to wear while excavating ore, minerals and hard soil etc. Wear bars are used to reduce the wear in original bucket plate. A mathematical model based on several processes and design parameters has been developed to analyze the mechanism of wear generation of the bottom plate in the excavator bucket. An experimental setup has also been developed to study the wear in the excavator bucket. Different angular orientations of wear bars have been used to find out the minimum volume of wear on the bottom plate. It has been found that the wear bar with 90° orientation causes least wear. It has also been observed that the mathematical model has a good agreement with the experimental results.
An identity-based motivational model of the effects of perceived discrimination on health-related behaviors
Authors: Smart Richman Laura , Blodorn Alison , Major Brenda
Published: March 2016

Perceived discrimination is associated with increased engagement in unhealthy behaviors. We propose an identity-based pathway to explain this link. Drawing on an identity-based motivation model of health behaviors (Oyserman, Fryberg, & Yoder, 2007), we propose that perceptions of discrimination lead individuals to engage in ingroup-prototypical behaviors in the service of validating their identity and creating a sense of ingroup belonging. To the extent that people perceive unhealthy behaviors as ingroup-prototypical, perceived discrimination may thus increase motivation to engage in unhealthy behaviors. We describe our theoretical model and two studies that demonstrate initial support for some paths in this model. In Study 1, African American participants who reflected on racial discrimination were more likely to endorse unhealthy ingroup-prototypical behavior as self-characteristic than those who reflected on a neutral event. In Study 2, among African American participants who perceived unhealthy behaviors to be ingroup-prototypical, discrimination predicted greater endorsement of unhealthy behaviors as self-characteristic as compared to a control condition. These effects held both with and without controlling for body mass index (BMI) and income. Broader implications of this model for how discrimination adversely affects health-related decisions are discussed.
Ghosts and habitus: The lasting hegemony in Israeli theatre
Authors: Gamliel Tova
Published: March 2016

The article asks why the Israeli theatre’s ‘voicing hegemony’ practices endure despite a critical public debate that favors cultural pluralism. Ethnographies at two central repertory theatres elicit the meanings of the theatre’s ‘back-to-the past’ institutional habitus, as revealed in observations and in-depth interviews with actors, and disclose artistic dispositions that bolster veteran actors’ stature in the theatre and Israeli art generally. Analysis of the findings links professional capital with the twilight of an artist’s theatrical career. One conclusion connects the theatrical habitus with justification of Israel’s Zionist ideology. Theoretically, the article illuminates the historical component of the Bourdieuian concept of habitus. The duplication of this component in the back-to-the-past habitus inheres to mythification processes and makes the theatrical habitus relatively resilient to social changes.
Practice-based qualitative research: Participant experiences of walk-in counselling and traditional counselling
Authors: Cait Cheryl-Anne , Skop Michelle , Booton Jocelyn , Stalker Carol A , Horton Susan , Riemer Manuel
Published: March 2016

Walk-in single session counselling is becoming a more widely used model for delivering mental health services across Ontario. This paper reports findings from the qualitative phase of a mixed method study, exploring the experiences of those attending walk-in counselling model compared to the traditional service delivery model employing a wait list. We used a comparative case study design for the qualitative phase. Findings reveal that participant outcomes of the walk-in counselling model are influenced by accessibility, how a participant makes sense of the service and the degree to which a participant is motivated and able to engage in counselling. Walk-in counselling supports the mental health system by reducing wait lists associated with traditional service delivery models and meeting the needs many people identify for immediate consultation. Other participants still perceive themselves as requiring ongoing counselling over time and involving in-depth exploration. This research supports health systems providing access to both models.
Reconciling Legal-Institutional and Behavioral Perspectives on Voter Turnout: Theory and Evidence from Pennsylvania, 1876–1948
Authors: Neiheisel Jacob R.
Published: March 2016

Foundational studies in political science endeavored to explain the dynamics of voter turnout in America over time. Two theories, one focused on legal-institutional factors and the other on behavioral elements such as party mobilization strategies, were born from the need to account for temporal fluctuations in aggregate voter turnout. A comprehensive test of these competing theories has been hindered by the fact that reliable measures of the behavioral factors driving turnout have proven elusive. In this article, I develop and test an interactive theory of voter turnout that focuses on the impact of legal-institutional barriers to the franchise conditional on party organizational strength and mobilization efforts. To this end, I use data on the circulation of party-sponsored newspapers, coupled with information on the spread of voter registration requirements, to capture the effects of both behavioral and legal-institutional factors in Pennsylvania between 1876 and 1948. My results offer modest empirical support for an interactive theory of aggregate voter turnout. In isolation, however, the effects of behavioral factors are quite limited. On the contrary, legal-institutional variables exert a sizable impact on voter turnout in the state. Contrary to other recent work on the subject, careful analysis of the Pennsylvania case therefore provides a great deal of evidence in favor of legal-institutional accounts of the changes in aggregate voter turnout that were witnessed at the beginning of the twentieth century while demonstrating that behavioral factors, such as the decline of the partisan press, served to enhance the deleterious effects of legal reforms on turnout.
Tong Luo Jiu Nao, a Chinese Medicine Formula, Reduces Inflammatory Stress in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Gao Ai-She , Du Huan , Gao Qing , Wang Yi-Jing , Wang Xie-Yan , Liu Jian-Wei , Lu Bin
Published: March 2016

Aim:

The aim of this study is to extend the molecular mechanism of Tong Luo Jiu Nao (TLJN) for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is a modern Chinese formula that has been used to treat AD.

Methods:

The senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 strain (SAMP8) is one of the most appropriate models to study the mechanism that underlies AD. The levels of plasma amyloid β (Aβ) and the Aβ deposits were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry. Immunoblotting was used to observe the effect of TLJN on inflammatory mediator expression in an senescence-accelerated mouse model of AD.

Results:

Our data showed that the TLJN-treated groups exhibited a reduction in plasma Aβ levels and reduced Aβ expression. Moreover, TLJN effectively attenuated Aβ-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinases and blocked changes in inflammatory mediator expression.

Conclusion:

These data suggest that TLJN might have protective effects and could potentially act to attenuate inflammatory stress in the pathogenesis of AD.
Application of a Hybrid Vascular Graft for Rapid Endoluminal Branch Anastomoses During Open Aortic Reconstruction
Authors: Sivaraman Srikant , Harris Donald , Bhardwaj Abhishek , Steiner Gregory , Magarakis Michael , Sarkar Rajabrata , Crawford Robert , Toursavadkohi Shahab
Published: March 2016

The treatment of thoracoabdominal aneurysms and juxtarenal aortic aneurysms remains technically challenging, with outcomes primarily dictated by aortic cross-clamp and end-organ ischemia during branch reconstruction. This has remained a challenge for the surgeon regardless of an elective setting or an emergent operation. Here we describe the application of a novel hybrid graft technique for aortic branch reconstruction using rapid, endoluminal anastomoses during open aortic reconstruction.
Gender-Related Differences in Heart Rate Variability of Epileptic Patients
Authors: Behbahani Soroor , Jafarnia Dabanloo Nader , Motie Nasrabadi Ali , Dourado Antonio
Published: March 2016

Recently, heart rate variability (HRV) analysis has been used as an indicator of epileptic seizures. As women have a lower sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy risk and greater longevity than men, the authors postulated that there are significant gender-related differences in heart rate dynamics of epileptic patients. The authors analyzed HRV during 5-minute segments of continuous electrocardiogram recording of age-matched populations. The middle-aged epileptic patients included males ( n = 12) and females ( n = 12), ranging from 41 to 65 years of age. Relatively high- (0.15 Hz-0.40 Hz) and low-frequency (0.01 Hz-0.15 Hz) components of HRV were computed using spectral analysis. Poincaré parameters of each heart rate time series were considered as nonlinear features. The mean heart rate markedly differed between gender groups including both right- and left-sided seizures. High-frequency heart rate power and the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio increased in the pre-ictal phase of both male and female groups ( p < .01), but men showed more increase especially in right-sided seizures. The standard deviation ratio, SD2/ SD1, of pre-ictal phase was greater in males than females ( p < .01). High-frequency spectral power and parasympathetic activity were higher in the female group with both right- and left-sided seizures. Men showed a sudden increase in sympathetic activity in the pre-ictal phase, which might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in comparison to women. These complementary findings indicate the need to account for gender, as well as localization in HRV analysis.
Radial forces of stents used in thoracic endovascular aortic repair and bare self-expanding nitinol stents measured ex vivo – Rapid rescue for obstruction of the innominate artery using bare self-expanding nitinol stents
Authors: Matsumoto Takuya , Inoue Kentaro , Tanaka Shinichi , Aoyagi Yukihiko , Matsubara Yutaka , Matsuda Daisuke , Yoshiya Keiji , Yoshiga Ryosuke , Ohkusa Tomoko , Maehara Yoshihiko
Published: March 2016

Purpose

Our objective was to compare the radial forces of several stents ex vivo to identify stents suitable for rescue of the unexpected coverage of aortic arch branches in thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Methods

We measured the radial forces of two types of self-expanding bare nitinol stents (E-luminexx and Epic) used singly or as double-walled pairs, and of three endoprostheses used in thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR, Gore c-TAG, Relay, and Valiant) by compressing the stent using an MTS Instron universal testing machine (model #5582). We also examined the compressive effects of the TEVAR endoprostheses and the bare nitinol stents on each other.

Results

The radial force was greater in the center than at the edge of each stent. In all stents tested, the radial force decreased incrementally with increasing stent diameter. The radial force at the center was two times greater when using two stents than with a single stent. In the compression test, only E-luminexx used as a pair was not compressed after compressing a Relay endoprosthesis by 12 mm.

Conclusion

Two E-luminexx stents are appropriate to restore the blood flow if a TEVAR endoprosthesis covers the innominate artery following innominate–carotid–left subclavian arterial bypass.
Status epilepticus and anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis after resection of an ovarian teratoma
Authors: Jandu Amritpal S , Odor Peter M , Vidgeon Steven D
Published: March 2016

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis is a recently recognised autoimmune, paraneoplastic syndrome that typically presents with psychiatric disturbance, reduced conscious level and seizures. The disorder has been previously associated with ovarian teratomas. We present the case of a 35-year-old female, with a previous surgical history for resection of an ovarian teratoma, who later developed status epilepticus and anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis requiring intensive care management. Her presentation, treatment and early follow-up are described, alongside an overview of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis pathophysiology and intensive care management.
Direct and Conceptual Replications of Eskine (2013)
Authors: Moery Eileen , Calin-Jageman Robert J.
Published: March 2016

Is there a dark side to organic food? Eskine reported that participants exposed to organic food became much more morally judgmental and much less prosocial relative to participants exposed to neutral or comfort foods. This research sparked tremendous media interest, but was based on one experiment with a small sample size. We report three attempts to replicate Eskine using samples conferring high power, preregistered analysis plans, and original materials. Across two direct replications and an online conceptual replication, we found that organic food exposure has little to no effect on moral judgments ( d = 0.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] [−0.14, 0.26], N = 377) and prosocial behavior ( d = 0.03, 95% CI [−0.17, 0.23], N = 377). Mere exposure to organic food is probably not sufficient to substantially change moral behavior.
Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years
Authors: dos Santos Rafael G. , Osório Flávia L. , Crippa José Alexandre S. , Riba Jordi , Zuardi Antônio W. , Hallak Jaime E. C.
Published: March 2016

To date, pharmacological treatments for mood and anxiety disorders and for drug dependence show limited efficacy, leaving a large number of patients suffering severe and persistent symptoms. Preliminary studies in animals and humans suggest that ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) may have antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive properties. Thus, we conducted a systematic review of clinical trials published from 1990 until 2015, assessing these therapeutic properties. Electronic searches were performed using the PubMed, LILACS, and SciELO databases. Only clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals were included. Of these, 151 studies were identified, of which six met the established criteria. Reviewed studies suggest beneficial effects for treatment-resistant depression, anxiety and depression associated with life-threatening diseases, and tobacco and alcohol dependence. All drugs were well tolerated. In conclusion, ayahuasca, psilocybin and LSD may be useful pharmacological tools for the treatment of drug dependence, and anxiety and mood disorders, especially in treatment-resistant patients. These drugs may also be useful pharmacological tools to understand psychiatric disorders and to develop new therapeutic agents. However, all studies reviewed had small sample sizes, and half of them were open-label, proof-of-concept studies. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with more patients are needed to replicate these preliminary findings.
Atrial Rhabdomyoma Resection With Extracellular Matrix Reconstruction of the Right Atrial Free Wall in an Infant
Authors: Erhunmwunsee Loretta , Flanagan Ryan P. , Jaquiss Robert D. B. , Lodge Andrew J.
Published: March 2016

A neonate was diagnosed with a mediastinal mass after presenting with bradycardia. At surgery, she was found to have a 4-cm mass replacing most of the right atrial free wall. After tumor resection, the right atrium was reconstructed with an extracellular matrix biomaterial that supports native tissue regeneration. Her pathology revealed rhabdomyoma, which is rare in patients without tuberous sclerosis. The procedure was well tolerated but was complicated by narrowing of the superior vena cava that required dilation postoperatively.
Discontinuous Pulmonary Artery
Authors: Eltayeb Osama , Mongé Michael C. , Popescu Andrada R. , Sarwark Anne E. , Harris Tyler , Backer Carl L.
Published: March 2016

We describe the diagnosis and surgical repair of a five-month-old infant with a congenital discontinuous right pulmonary artery. Initial echocardiogram failed to show the right pulmonary artery and revealed systemic left pulmonary artery pressure based on the tricuspid regurgitation jet. Computed tomographic angiography confirmed the diagnosis of discontinuous right pulmonary artery. The right pulmonary artery appeared essentially normal in size, and there were no significant aortopulmonary collateral arteries. Using cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic transection, we created an anastomosis between the right and the main pulmonary arteries augmented anteriorly by a pericardial patch. Postoperative lung perfusion scan demonstrated balanced pulmonary blood flow to the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension resolved over three weeks in the postoperative period, an expected outcome in this age-group.
Pornographic Values
Authors: Jensen Robert
Published: March 2016

Although the radical feminist critique has been eclipsed by postmodern and liberal positions in the debate over pornography during the past two decades, that radical critique remains the best framework for understanding sexually explicit material. When combined with a critique of the assumptions and values of a hypermediated society, radical feminism helps sharpen our inquiry into what it means to be human at this point in history. The contemporary pornography industry is based on a patriarchal gender fundamentalism and pornographic/media fundamentalism that undermine our ability to achieve self-realization in stable, respectful communities. Public Health Significance Statement: The sexual exploitation of women in pornography and the hypermediated nature of life in the contemporary United States can undermine the ability of people, especially men, to build the relationships needed for stable, respectful human communities.
Beyond body size: muscle biochemistry and body shape explain ontogenetic variation of anti-predatory behaviour in the lizard Salvator merianae (Squamata: Teiidae)
Authors: de Barros Fábio Cury , de Carvalho José Eduardo , Abe Augusto Shinya , Kohlsdorf Tiana
Published: March 2016

Anti-predatory behaviour evolves under strong action of natural selection because the success of individuals avoiding predation essentially defines their fitness. Choice of anti-predatory strategies is defined by prey characteristics as well as environmental temperature. An additional dimension often relegated in this multilevel equation is the ontogenetic component. In tegus Salvator merianae, adults run away from predators at high temperatures but prefer fighting when it is cold, while juveniles exhibit the same flight strategy within a wide thermal range. Here we integrate physiology and morphology to understand ontogenetic variation in the temperature-dependent shift of anti-predatory behaviour in these lizards. We compiled data for body shape and size and quantified enzyme activities in hindlimb and head muscles, testing the hypothesis that morpho-physiological models explain ontogenetic variation in behavioural associations. Our prediction is that juveniles exhibit body shape and muscle biochemistry that enhance flight strategies. We identified biochemical differences between muscles residing mostly on the LDH: CS ratio, being hindlimb muscles more glycolytic than jaw musculature. Juveniles, which often use evasive strategies to avoid predation, have more glycolytic hindlimb muscles and are much smaller when compared to adults being 1-2 years old. Ontogenetic differences in body shape were identified but marginally contributed for behavioural variation between juvenile and adult tegus, and variation in anti-predatory behaviour in these lizards reside mainly on associations integrating body size and muscle biochemistry. Our results are discussed in the ecological context of predator avoidance by individuals differing in body size living at temperature-variable environments, where restrictions imposed by the cold seem compensated in specific phenotypes.
Phenotypic plasticity in threeDaphniagenotypes in response to predator kairomone: evidence for an involvement of chitin deacetylases
Authors: Christjani Mark , Fink Patrick , von Elert Eric
Published: March 2016

The genetic background of inducible morphological defences in Daphnia is still largely unknown. Dissolved infochemicals from the aquatic larvae of the phantom midge Chaoborus induce so called ‘neck-teeth’ in the first three postembryonic stages of Daphnia pulex. This defence has become a textbook example for inducible defences. In a target gene approach, by applying a gradient of three Daphnia genotypes which differed significantly in neck-teeth induction in response to equal amounts of kairomone, we report a high correlation of neck-teeth induction in D. pulex and relative gene expression of two chitin deacetylases. Further, previous studies suggested genes from both the juvenoid and the insulin hormone signalling pathways as well as several morphogenetic genes downstream to be responsible for the neck-teeth induction in D. pulex. However, these data on previously suggested genes reported were not supported by this study. None of the three D. pulex clones did show an upregulation of these previously proposed candidate genes tested in this study as a response to predator kairomone, which is interpreted as the result of refined methods used for both RNA sampling and kairomone enrichment, which yielded unambiguous results compared to earlier studies. The assessment of a clonal gradient of Daphnia in the presence and absence of infochemicals provides a promising approach to identify further genes being involved in the induction of morphological defences by correlating gene expression and morphology.
FEEDING EFFECT OF INULIN DERIVED FROM DAHLIA TUBER COMBINED WITH Lactobacillus sp. ON MEAT PROTEIN MASS OF CROSSBRED KAMPONG CHICKEN
Authors: Abdurrahman Z. H. , Pramono Y. B. , Suthama N.
Published: March 2016

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of feeding Lactobacillus species (Lactobacillus sp.) and inulin derived from dahlia tuber powder on antioxidant activity, calcium mass, and protein mass of crossbred kampong chicken meat. A total of  168 birds of 21 days old crossbred kampong chickens were randomly allocated into 6 treatments with four replications per treatment. The present experiment was assigned in  a completely randomized design with 2 x 3 factorial scheme. The first factor was levels of dahlia tuber powder, namely 0.8% (A1) and 1.2% (A2), and the second factor was levels of Lactobacillus sp., namely none (B0), 1.2 mL (108 cfu/mL/B1) and 2.4 mL (108 cfu/mL/B2). The parameters measured were antioxidant activity, meat calcium and protein mass. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and followed by Duncan multiple range test (P
Identity in Discourse: The Translation of Article-Headlines in National Geographic
Authors: Antoniou Maria
Published: March 2016

Analysing a corpus of article-headlines selected from forty issues of National Geographic in its French electronic version contrasted to its Greek one, this paper examines the constrains (cognitive, cultural and social) observed in both versions in terms of characteristics of identity and of politeness. Findings demonstrate that cross-cultural differences emerge along with linguistics parameters and that translators attend target group’s enactment of pragmatic features. The degree of the enunciator’s involvement in his/her utterance varies in both versions, process that implies a differentiation in the preferences/characteristics of the specific audiences; characteristics to which both of the working languages seem to stay attached, reflecting a general attitude of each linguistic community.
Translation of Hyperbole and Understatement for Ideology Manipulation in the Press
Authors: Osękowska-Sandecka Jolanta
Published: March 2016

The article begins with the assumption that that translators use hyperbole and understatement to manipulate ideology. The explication of it is embedded in the pragma-linguistic framework and supported with the discussion of the role of context perceived as the three-dimensional understanding of text production. The focus of this paper is on the negative application of these two ideologically loaded language tools in the context of the press. Accordingly, press translators need to be aware of the negative application of hyperboles and understatements for ideology purposes in the source text in relation to the surrounding context (textual, institutional, and social) and, next, be able to translate them adequately to the needs of the target text ideology in the target context. The purpose of this article is to verify this assumption and gain insight into such operations. In order to investigate it, a sample of articles from the British quality press and their translations published in Polish newspapers is used. The results show that hyperboles and understatements, indeed, possess ideological potential that contributes to the projected textual ideology. They are manipulated in translation, however, not invariably through alterations of these two devices themselves. Sometimes the manipulation occurs through omission or manipulation of of of the context in which they are employed while the hyperbole and understatements are translated rather literally. Independently of what technical decision the translator makes in reference to the devices as such, it is invariably performed in relation to the ideological demands of the target text.
Conceptualizing Events in Ukraine: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Online News Reports
Authors: Šeškauskienė Inesa , Ostanina-Olszewska Julia Ostanina-Olszewska
Published: March 2016

The paper sets out to examine the metaphoricity of mediatized political discourse, particularly, news reports dealing with the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in its initial stage, from November 2013 to February 2014, as reflected in Lithuanian and Polish online press. The methodology of research relies on the principles of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Metaphor Identification Procedure (see Steen et al. 2010) and metaphorical patterns (Stefanowitsch 2004). Metaphorical expressions were identified in contexts surrounding three main content words identified with the AntConc (Anthony 2014) programme in Lithuanian and Polish corpus: Kyiv, Ukraine and Maidan. The results suggest that in the mediatized political discourse, these place-names are usually conceptualized as an animal or, more frequently, as a person, experiencing difficulties, suffering, feeling lost, angry, also ready to fight and able to make decisions and act independently. Another image is that of a traveller to Europe, an almost mythical destination, which is reflected in metaphorical expressions and the newly emerging compound Euromaidan. Another, slightly less numerously represented, tendency is concerned with Kyiv, Ukraine and Maidan conceptualized as objects and institutions. They include containers for (hot) fluid, a chiming bell, a toy, garbage, theatre, school, etc. Most metaphors employed in the texts are evaluative. Culture-specific features in conceptualizing events in Ukraine are mostly connected with some deeply entrenched images, like furrows and rural life in Lithuanian, and positing Poland as Ukraine’s ally and friend in Polish.