bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Profiling Adopter Categories of Internet Banking in India: An Empirical Study
Authors: Mann Bikram Jit Singh , Sahni Sunpreet Kaur
Published: January 2013

Internet Banking is an example of B2C business model, where transactions can be carried out without visiting the bank branch physically. The objective of the empirical study is to identify the dimensions and their impact on the adoption of Internet Banking on the various adopter categories. In order to get an insight of the different adopter segments, two important constructs such as customer perception constituting perceived ease of use and perceived security risk and perception towards demographic variables consisting of age, gender, education, income and occupation of the users are identified from the existing literature. The cluster analysis reveals that the clusters formed are innovators, early majority, late majority and laggards for adopting Internet Banking. Our study substantiates that only income as a variable acts as a roadblock in the adoption of Internet Banking services. The study will help Internet Banking marketing managers to design their strategies so as to encourage adoption and attract more customers.
Impact of Market Orientation on Business Performance: Role of Employee Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction
Authors: Jyoti Jeevan , Sharma Jyoti
Published: January 2013

Market orientation is a business perspective that makes the customer the focal point of a company’s total operation. Market-oriented firms seek to understand customers’ expressed and latent needs and develop superior solutions for those needs. It is an organizational culture that most effectively and efficiently creates the necessary behaviour for the creation of superior value for buyers and thus continuous superior performance for the business. The research idea stems from academic findings that market orientation not only affects the performance of the concern directly but also indirectly. The study is based on primary research. Data has been collected from top management executives, employees and customers of different automobile showrooms. The scales have been purified and validated with the help of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results of structure equation modelling (SEM) revealed a significant relationship between market orientation and business performance. The indirect effects of market orientation on business performance through employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction have been explored, which yielded significant results.
Basic Industries Limited*
Authors: Ghosh Somnath
Published: January 2013

Basic Industries Limited (BIL) illustrates the challenges and dilemmas mid-sized organizations face on the path to growth and expansion. The focus here is on upgrading the capabilities of home grown managers: from being just technically competent in developing new products and processes to developing the understanding and capabilities of devising structures, systems and processes necessary to take the organization to the big league. But where does one begin, and how is this to be done? If, at BIL, job classification is to be the starting point about which senior managers of BIL have little understanding, and yet the consultant wants them to do the task, what then could be the implications? How is the capacity building exercise likely to unfold; how is change likely to be triggered off?
Book Review: Jack T. Boorman and Andre Icard, Reform of the International Monetary System: The Palais Royal Initiative
Authors: Sircar Subhalakashmi
Published: January 2013

Jack T. Boorman and Andre Icard, Reform of the International Monetary System: The Palais Royal Initiative. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd, 2011, xxiii+358 pp., ₹ 1,350 [Hardback].
Book Review: Jeanette Brejning, Corporate Social Responsibility and the Welfare State: The Historical and Contemporary Role of CSR in the Mixed Economy of Welfare
Authors: Tapasvi S.K.
Published: January 2013

Jeanette Brejning, Corporate Social Responsibility and the Welfare State: The Historical and Contemporary Role of CSR in the Mixed Economy of Welfare, Surrey: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2012, xiii+193 pp., Price not mentioned [Hardback].
Book Review: Shil Niyogi, How Some Small Business Get their Ducks in a Row and Grow While Others Remain Undistinguished
Authors: Chikara M.S.
Published: January 2013

Shil Niyogi, How Some Small Business Get their Ducks in a Row and Grow While Others Remain Undistinguished. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd, 2012, xi+196 pp., ₹ 365 (Paperback).
Book Review: Mark Tully, Non Stop India
Authors: Jacob Wallace
Published: January 2013

Mark Tully, Non Stop India, New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2011, xxii + 257 pp., ₹ 499 [Hardback], ISBN: 9780670083893.
Book Review: Sridhar Varadharajan, The Telecom Revolution in India Technology, Regulation and Policy
Authors: Amin Bijal Zaveri
Published: January 2013

Sridhar Varadharajan, The Telecom Revolution in India Technology, Regulation and Policy. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2012, 352 pp. [Hardback].
Issues in Differential Response
Authors: Hughes Ronald C. , Rycus Judith S. , Saunders-Adams Stacey M. , Hughes Laura K. , Hughes Kelli N.
Published: January 2013

Differential response (DR), also referred to as alternative response (AR), family assessment response (FAR), or multiple track response, was developed to incorporate family-centered, strengths-based practices into child protective services (CPS), primarily by diverting lower risk families into an assessment track rather than requiring the traditional CPS investigation. Since the program’s inception, researchers have conducted several large evaluation studies of DR programs, and a large body of research and program literature has been published touting the success and benefits of DR. In response to significant concerns about the clarity and consistency of DR program models and the validity and generalizability of its associated research, the authors undertook a comprehensive, three-pronged evaluation to provide guidance in shaping the ongoing development of DR programs. This report summarizes the methodology, findings, conclusions, and recommendations from the review.
Stepping Aside From Myself
Authors: Burton Suzanne L. , Westvall Maria , Karlsson Samuel
Published: January 2013

Preservice music teachers enter the profession with firmly held beliefs of what music education entails. With an increasingly diverse population of students in PreK–12 education in the United States and Sweden, a collaborative, intercultural immersion course was designed to challenge preservice music teachers’ beliefs. Twelve music education majors participated in the intercultural course. Data consisted of focus group discussions. With Bildung as a theoretical framework, the following five themes emerged: Beyond Tourism, Democracy and Classroom Management, Shared Experiences, Something to Bring Back, and Old Meets New. The intercultural immersion course provided a scaffold for the participants to consider what and why they teach the content that they do and the ramifications of making such decisions on their potential teaching practices of PreK–12 music students.
On the Convergence Between PSY-5 Domains and PID-5 Domains and Facets
Authors: Anderson Jaime L. , Sellbom Martin , Bagby R. Michael , Quilty Lena C. , Veltri Carlo O. C. , Markon Kristian E. , Krueger Robert F.
Published: January 2013

The DSM-5 Personality and Personality Disorders workgroup and their consultants have developed the 220-item, self-report Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5) for direct assessment of the proposed personality trait system for DSM-5; however, most practicing clinical psychologists will likely continue to rely on separate omnibus measures to index symptoms and traits associated with psychopathology. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) is one such measure and assesses the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) domains, which are conceptual cognates of the DSM-5 trait domains. The current study examined the associations between the MMPI-2-RF PSY-5 scales and the DSM-5 trait domains and facets indexed by the PID-5. A clear pattern of convergence was found indicating that each of the PSY-5 scales was most highly correlated with its conceptually expected PID-5 counterpart ( rs = .44-.67; Mdn r = .53) and facet correlations generally showed the same pattern. Similarly, when each of the PSY-5 scales was regressed onto the PID-5 domains, the conceptually expected pattern of associations emerged even more clearly. Finally, a joint exploratory factor analysis with the PSY-5 and PID-5 trait facet scales indicated a five-factor solution that clearly resembled both of the PSY-5/ DSM-5 trait domains. These results show clear evidence that the MMPI-2-RF has utility in the assessment of dimensional personality traits proposed for the upcoming DSM-5.
Mechanical Thrombectomy for Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis
Authors: Haghighi Afshin Borhani , Mahmoodi Mojtaba , Edgell Randall C. , Cruz-Flores Salvador , Ghanaati Hosein , Jamshidi Mohammad , Zaidat Osama O.
Published: January 2013

Background:

Endovascular treatment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) includes pharmacological and mechanical thrombolysis.

Methods:

The authors searched the English literature on CVST from 1990 to 2012 for all case reports or case series of mechanical thrombectomy.

Results:

A total of 64 patients were treated in all published studies. The techniques for mechanical thrombectomy included rheolytic thrombectomy with an AngioJet device (46.9%), clot retraction with the Penumbra system (4.7%), clot retraction with a Fogarty catheter (1.6%), clot retraction with a microsnare (3.1%), balloon venoplasty without stenting (18.7%), balloon venoplasty with stenting (4.7%), and an amalgam of techniques (18.7%). Nine (16.1%) patients died. At the most recent follow-up, 40 (62.5%) patients had no disability or minor disability and 7 (10.9%) patients had major disability.

Conclusion:

Randomized multiinstitutional clinical trials with larger number of participants are needed to sufficiently compare the effect of intrasinus thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy to standard-of-care anticoagulation therapy.
Access to Holiday in Hematological Patients Managed in a Home Care Program
Authors: Tendas Andrea , Cupelli Luca , Trawinska Malgorzata Monika , Palombi Massimiliano , Giovannini Marco , Scaramucci Laura , Brunetti Gregorio , Cartoni Claudio , Perrotti Alessio , de Fabritiis Paolo , Niscola Pasquale
Published: January 2013

Home care–managed patients face several barriers making access to holiday difficult. During the trimester from June 15 to September 15, 2012, 54 hematological patients were attended by home care service; of these, only 6 (11%) have moved away from home to reach a holiday destination; advanced or terminal disease and high transfusion rate (>3 units/month) seems to negatively affect patients’ access to holiday in our series. Larger studies should be designed to definitely clarify the main barriers to transfer, enabling physicians to plan interventions aimed to bypass these obstacles.
Extracranial expansion of a feline meningioma
Authors: Karli Philemon , Gorgas Daniela , Oevermann Anna , Forterre Franck
Published: January 2013

Meningioma is the most frequently observed primary brain tumour in cats. Usually, it is associated with an intracranial expansion with consequent brain compression, oedema and brain herniation. Typical features of feline intracranial meningiomas are hyperostosis of the adjacent bone and intratumoral mineralisation. We describe a 13-year-old male neutered cat with a 1-year history of behavioural change. At clinical and neurological examination the cat showed signs consistent with right-sided forebrain lesion. Magnetic resonance images showed a right-sided extra-axial contrast enhancing mass in the region of the frontotemporal lobe. The overlying bone of the calvarium showed a marked defect with extracranial expansion of the tissue. Surgery was performed and the tumour could be exposed by a right-sided temporal approach. After extension of the bony defect the mass could be removed properly. The cat recovered well from surgery and a 12-month follow-up showed no persistent neurological deficits. Histopathological assessment of the tumour revealed a transitional grade 1 meningioma. Despite osteolysis and extracranial expansion of the tumour differentials should include menigioma in feline intracranial neoplasms.
Vitamin D intoxication caused by ingestion of commercial cat food in three kittens
Authors: Wehner Astrid , Katzenberger Julia , Groth Anna , Dorsch Roswitha , Koelle Petra , Hartmann Katrin , Weber Karin
Published: January 2013

Two siblings, a 6-month-old sexually intact male weighing 2.5 kg (cat 1) and a sexually intact female (cat 2) British Shorthair cat weighing 2.3 kg, were examined because of a 3-week history of polyuria, lethargy and laboured breathing. One year previously, another sibling (cat 3) had been presented because of similar, yet more severe, clinical signs at the age of 5 months. Physical examination revealed lethargy, dehydration and polypnoea with slightly increased inspiratory effort. Diagnostic investigation revealed severe hypercalcaemia (cats 1–3), renal azotaemia (cats 1 and 3) and a radiologically generalised miliary interstitial pattern of the lungs (cats 1–3) attributable to hypervitaminosis D caused by ingestion of commercial cat food. Cat 3 was euthanased. Cats 1 and 2 were treated with isotonic saline solution (180 ml/kg IV daily), sucralfate (30 mg/kg PO q12h), terbutaline (only cat 1: 0.1 mg/kg SC q4h), furosemide (1.5 mg/kg IV q8h) and tapering doses of prednisolone. Cat 2 was normal on day 14. Cat 1 had stable renal disease and was followed up to day 672. The radiological generalised military interstitial pattern of the lungs had improved markedly. Excessive cholecalciferol-containing commercially available cat food poses a great hazard to cats. Supportive treatment may result in long-term survival and improvement of radiological pulmonary abnormalities.
The rigor of management education and the relevance of human resource development: Natural partners or uneasy bedfellows in management practice?
Authors: Sambrook Sally , Willmott Hugh
Published: January 2013

Management learning has traditionally straddled the parallel universes of human resource development and management education, between which there has been little dialogue or research. The article explores their relationship both conceptually and through a pedagogic example. It is noted how key elements of learning in organizations, such as training and development, have co-evolved with changes in management practice. Here, we consider the contribution of what has come to be termed ‘human resource development’ to shaping management, including its influence upon the education of managers. We illustrate this issue by reflecting upon the delivery of a human resource development–inflected core module on a Master of Business Administration programme in a UK Business School. Difficulties encountered by students in grasping the relevance and value of this module are seen to parallel difficulties in formulating human resource development in a manner that does not reduce it to a set of tools and techniques used to identify and manage aspects of the ‘human resource’ targeted for ‘development’. By exploring management education and human resource development, we assess whether they are natural partners or uneasy bedfellows in the contemporary development of managerial practice.
The becoming of business bodies: Gender, appearance, and leadership development
Authors: Kelan Elisabeth K
Published: January 2013

The article uses media images of businesswomen to explore how Master of Business Administration students position themselves in relation to the businesswomen. Following feminist media studies, the article argues that subjects are “becoming” through media images. In order to explore subject formation processes through images, a business school setting, as a place that develops future leaders and that is dominated by men and masculinity, was chosen. The analysis of the interviews indicates that Master of Business Administration students position themselves in relation to the images of businesswomen by commenting on the appropriateness of dress based on the industry and by discussing that being sexually attractive is deemed unprofessional for women. While the subject positions that the Master of Business Administration students occupied were rather normative in nature, the article argues that images can be used as a helpful tool to allow reflection on normativity in relation to gender in leadership development. It is thereby possible to think about a displacement of norms by facilitating the use of alternative subject positions.
Japanese parents’ perception of disclosing the diagnosis of cancer to their children
Authors: Watanabe Akiko , Nunes Terezinha , Abreu Guida de
Published: January 2013

In Japan, the practice of disclosing the diagnosis of cancer to young people varies between hospitals. Some hospitals respect parent’s wishes and do not to tell young people about their diagnoses whereas others encourage parents to adopt their policy of informing patients. Unfortunately, there is no research about parents’ adjustment to either course of action. This study examines parents’ perspectives regarding this decision. Parents (55) and grand-parents (3) were interviewed about their experience of sharing or not sharing the diagnosis with their children. Analysis of the interviews reveals a complex picture in which parents struggle to balance their emotions, their representation of ‘cancer as death’, their views of their children’s level of understanding as well as the positive and negative effects of disclosure on their children. We suggest that knowledge of parents’ perspectives can be useful to health professionals who support parents living with this dilemma.
A qualitative exploration of whether lesbian and bisexual women are ‘protected’ from sociocultural pressure to be thin
Authors: Huxley Caroline J , Clarke Victoria , Halliwell Emma
Published: January 2013

Heterosexual women in Western cultures are known to experience body image concerns, dieting and disordered eating as a result of intense social pressures to be thin. However, it is theorised that lesbian and bisexual women belong to a subculture that is ‘protective’ of such demands. Fifteen non-heterosexual women were interviewed about their experiences of social pressure. Thematic analysis of their accounts suggests that such theorising may be inaccurate, because these lesbian and bisexual women did not feel ‘protected’ from social pressures and experienced body dissatisfaction. While they might attempt to resist thin idealisation, resistance is not centred around their sexuality.
Integration of sexual trauma in a religious narrative: Transformation, resolution and growth among contemplative nuns
Authors: Durà-Vilà Glòria , Littlewood Roland , Leavey Gerard
Published: January 2013

The psychological consequences of sexual abuse are generally serious and enduring, particularly when the perpetrator is known and trusted by the survivor. This paper explores the experiences of five contemplative nuns who were sexually abused by priests and the spiritual journeys that followed. In the context of an ethnographic study of contemplative practice, participant observation and in-depth interviews were used to examine the ways that the nuns sought to make sense of their experiences through a long process of solitary introspection. The pursuit of meaning was shaped by religious beliefs relating to forgiveness, sacrifice, and salvation. Thus, trauma was transformed into a symbolic religious narrative that shaped their sense of identity. They were able to restructure core beliefs and to manage their current relationships with priests more securely. They described regaining their spiritual well-being in ways that suggest a form of posttraumatic spiritual growth. We conclude by discussing the findings in the light of the existing literature on the interaction of trauma and spirituality.
Enhancing moral virtues: Increased perceived outgroup morality as a mediator of intergroup contact effects
Authors: Brambilla Marco , Hewstone Miles , Colucci Francesco Paolo
Published: January 2013

Research has shown that intergroup contact is one of the most powerful approaches for improving outgroup attitudes. Further, it has been revealed that contact exerts its effects on prejudice reduction mostly by inducing positive affective processes. The present study ( N = 146) investigated whether stereotype content enhancement along the core dimensions of competence, sociability, and morality might represent a basic cognitive mechanism driving the contact effects. Results showed that face-to-face encounters with immigrants increased their perceived competence, sociability, and morality. However, only increased perceived outgroup morality mediated the effect of contact on outgroup responses. Our findings extend prior research on the mediators of intergroup contact, showing the key role of perceived morality in driving the contact effects. The importance of these findings for improving intergroup relations is discussed.
Disgust facilitates outgroup dehumanization
Authors: Buckels Erin E. , Trapnell Paul D.
Published: January 2013

Outgroup dehumanization figures centrally in historical intergroup violence, yet little is known about the factors that promote dehumanized perceptions of others. Drawing on research highlighting the importance of disgust-relevant social categorizations and disgust sensitivity to outgroup dehumanization, the authors hypothesized that feelings of disgust causally facilitate dehumanized social cognition. To test this hypothesis, participants ( N = 94) were randomly assigned to receive inductions of disgusted, sad, or neutral emotions. We then assessed their implicit associations between animals and an arbitrary outgroup created with a minimal-groups procedure. Results showed that although all participants demonstrated dehumanizing biases, disgusted participants showed the strongest associations between the outgroup and animals (and the ingroup with humanity). Participants in the sad and neutral groups did not differ. Disgust thus appears to have the unique capacity to foster the social-cognitive dehumanization of outgroup members.
Design and simulation of electronic ballast performance for high pressure sodium street lighting
Authors: Omar MH , Rahman HA , Majid MS , Rosmin N , Hassan MY , Omar WZ Wan
Published: January 2013

A novel method of reducing the energy consumption of street lighting using electronic ballasts was simulated on 277 units of 250 W high pressure sodium (HPS) street lights for a month. The design of the electronic ballast is detailed. A control system was utilised to dim the lights at hours of reduced traffic. The energy consumption was compared to that of the conventional system. The electronic ballast operates at a higher frequency and corrects any power distortion in the supply. Together with the light dimming capability, the electronic ballast increased the efficiency of the lighting system resulting in a monthly saving of 10.7 MWh, giving a monthly equivalent carbon dioxide reduction of 6.1 tonnes. In Malaysia, this would translate to a monthly cost saving of 37.7%.
From “All of Me” to “All of You”
Authors: McRae Chris
Published: January 2013

In this essay, I argue for a hearing of and listening for Benjamin’s concept of aura as an attributed and aural quality that is situated in the various intertwining contexts of performers, performances, and audience members. As an example, I consider specifically how the music performance of trumpet player Miles Davis comes to life for me in the spaces and the gaps that surround the various contextual clues I gather. This essay offers an example and reading of aura that can be extended to the criticism and understanding of music performances as events that happen in and beyond context.
Assessing reliability within error rate and time constraint for a stochastic node-imperfect computer network
Authors: Lin Yi-Kuei , Huang Cheng-Fu
Published: January 2013

In order to maintain the stability of a computer network, the assessment of system reliability is an important issue for the supervisor. A computer network can be modeled as a network topology with edges and nodes, in which each edge denotes a transmission line such as coaxial cables or fiber cables, and each node denotes a transmission station such as router or switch. For a real-life computer network, the capacity of each component (edge or node) should be stochastic owing to complete failure, partial failure, etc. Hence, the computer network with imperfect components is also stochastic and is named a stochastic node-imperfect computer network. Different from the quickest path problem considering deterministic capacity, this article concentrates on a stochastic node-imperfect computer network to evaluate the probability that d units of data can be transmitted within tolerable error rate and time constraint. Such a probability, called system reliability, is a performance indicator to provide to managers for further improvement. An efficient algorithm in terms of the approach of minimal paths to evaluate the system reliability is proposed.
Presa della parola: A review and discussion of oral history and the Italian 1968
Authors: Bonomo Bruno
Published: January 2013

Among the common definitions of 1968, the most telling is that of a collective presa della parola (the capture of speech, or the act of starting to speak). Students, workers, women and ‘ordinary’ people began to speak out and speak for themselves, refusing the established systems of representation and delegation in the name of participation and direct democracy. In Italy, the development of oral history owed much to the participatory and democratising ethos of 1968, and oral history has long been viewed as a methodology enabling a collective presa della parola. Exploring the body of historical works on the Italian 1968, this article looks at the contribution oral history has made to a better understanding of the student revolt and the social movements in the late 1960s and 1970s. Attention is directed to the diversity of ways in which oral sources are used in historical research, to their potential and limits for studying past events, experience, subjectivity and memory, and to some key theoretical and methodological issues raised by their use.
Making sense of East Germany’s 1968: Multiple trajectories and contrasting memories
Authors: von der Goltz Anna
Published: January 2013

This article investigates contrasting memories of East Germany’s 1968 based on a sample of six life story interviews. Given the iconic events of West Germany’s 1968, there has been a growing interest in the events happened on the other side of the Iron Curtain. In unified Germany, however, commemorations of 1968 in the German Democratic Republic have focused on a particular type of 68er biography: those who broke with the regime as a result of the Warsaw Pact’s invasion of Czechoslovakia on 21 August 1968 and chose to pursue various forms of opposition in its wake. This article lends more nuance to the subject by examining three individuals who chose this path alongside three others who followed a different trajectory. The crushing of the Prague Spring and their own imprisonment for protesting against it led the latter to shun open opposition in favour of pursuing change from within official structures. By highlighting the plurality of East German experiences and memories of this period, this article seeks to make a contribution both to the study of the international 1968 and to the thriving scholarship on how the East German past is remembered in united Germany.
Cognitive realism and memory in Proust’s madeleine episode
Authors: Troscianko Emily T
Published: January 2013

The famous ‘madeleine episode’ of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time is investigated with reference to cognitive realism in the evocation of memory, by asking how this literary memory experience compares with the conceptualization of memory in current cognitive science. Furthermore, what does close reading of the episode informed by current scientific findings and debates on memory and agency tell us about Proust’s categorization of this memory event as involuntary memory, and his presentation of voluntary and involuntary memory as a distinct opposition? I show that the madeleine episode (1) corresponds partly to cognitive realities as documented by recent science and partly to prevalent expectations about cognition or its narration, and (2) undermines the neat voluntary/involuntary distinction it initially seems to illustrate. I suggest how these qualities may affect readers’ responses to Proust’s famously evocative object.
Flexor tendon excursion and load during passive and active simulated motion: a cadaver study
Authors: Sapienza A. , Yoon H. K. , Karia R. , Lee S. K.
Published: January 2013

The aim of this study was to quantify the amount of tendon excursion and load experienced during simulated active and passive rehabilitation exercises. Six cadaver specimens were utilized to examine tendon excursion and load. Lateral fluoroscopic images were used to measure the excursions of metal markers placed in the flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus tendons of the index, middle, and ring fingers. Measurements were performed during ten different passive and active simulated motions. Mean tendon forces were higher in all active versus passive movements. Blocking movements placed the highest loads on the flexor tendons. Active motion resulted in higher tendon excursion than did passive motion. Simulated hook position resulted in the highest total tendon excursion and the highest inter-tendinous excursion. This knowledge may help optimize the management of the post-operative exercise therapy regimen.
Complex regional pain syndrome: observations on diagnosis, treatment and definition of a new subgroup
Authors: Żyluk A. , Puchalski P.
Published: January 2013

Several definitions and sets of diagnostic criteria of complex regional pain syndrome have been proposed, but to date none has been accepted completely. This article presents a specific subtype of the disease, called ‘chronic, refractory complex regional pain syndrome’ which is extremely severe, disabling and resistant to treatment. It also emphasizes difficulties with diagnosing complex regional pain syndrome because of its variable clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria being insufficiently precise. The necessity to distinguish between criteria for clinical use and for scientific purposes is suggested with a proposal of practical guideline for diagnosing acute complex regional pain syndrome. A review of treatments for complex regional pain syndrome is presented, with opinion on their effectiveness: good in an early stage, less well in chronic and generally poor in the chronic, refractory subtype.
The incidence of ulnocarpal complaints after distal radial fracture in relation to the fracture of the ulnar styloid
Authors: Krämer S. , Meyer H. , O’Loughlin P. F. , Vaske B. , Krettek C. , Gaulke R.
Published: January 2013

Two hundred distal radial fractures, with a mean follow up of 20 months (range 6–49), were divided into three groups according to the presence and healing status of an ulnar styloid fracture. The patients underwent both clinical and radiological examination and completed two different questionnaires. One hundred and one, of 200 distal radial fractures, were associated with an ulnar styloid fracture. Forty-six of these developed an ulnar styloid nonunion. The authors encountered significantly higher pain scores (ulnar sided pain p = 0.012), a higher rate of DRUJ instability ( p = 0.032), a greater loss of motion and grip strength ( p = 0.001), and a poorer clinical outcome in cases with an ulnar styloid fracture, but no differences were apparent when those with healed ulnar styloid fractures or ulnar styloid nonunions were compared ( p > 0.05). The investigators propose that the incidence of ulnocarpal complaints following distal radial fracture depends on the presence but not the healing status of an ulnar styloid fracture.
A comparison of outcomes of carpal tunnel release in diabetic and non-diabetic patients
Authors: Zyluk A. , Puchalski P.
Published: January 2013

The coexistence of diabetes might complicate the diagnosis and operative outcomes of carpal tunnel syndrome. We retrospectively compared the results of carpal tunnel release in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. The group included 386 patients, 322 female (83%) and 64 male (17%) with a mean age of 57 years. A total of 41 patients (11%) were diabetic, whereas 345 (89%) did not have diabetes. Patients were followed-up at six months, by assessments that included Levine scores, filament tests, grip and pinch strength. No significant differences in any of the measured variables were found at the six-month assessment. The results of the study show that carpal tunnel release in diabetic and non-diabetic patients are similarly beneficial.
Shoulder Instability in Professional Football Players
Authors: LeClere Lance E. , Asnis Peter D. , Griffith Matthew H. , Granito David , Berkson Eric M. , Gill Thomas J.
Published: January 2013

Background:

Shoulder instability is a common problem in American football players entering the National Football League (NFL). Treatment options include nonoperative and surgical stabilization.

Purpose:

This study evaluated how the method of treatment of pre-NFL shoulder instability affects the rate of recurrence and the time elapsed until recurrence in players on 1 NFL team.

Design:

Retrospective cohort.

Methods:

Medical records from 1980 to 2008 for 1 NFL team were reviewed. There were 328 players included in the study who started their career on the team and remained on the team for at least 2 years (mean, 3.9 years; range, 2-14 years). The history of instability prior to entering the NFL and the method of treatment were collected. Data on the occurrence of instability while in the NFL were recorded to determine the rate and timing of recurrence.

Results:

Thirty-one players (9.5%) had a history of instability prior to entering the NFL. Of the 297 players with no history of instability, 39 (13.1%) had a primary event at a mean of 18.4 ± 22.2 months (range, 0-102 months) after joining the team. In the group of players with prior instability treated with surgical stabilization, there was no statistical difference in the rate of recurrence (10.5%) or the timing to the instability episode (mean, 26 months) compared with players with no history of instability. Twelve players had shoulder instability treated nonoperatively prior to the NFL. Five of these players (41.7%) had recurrent instability at a mean of 4.4 ± 7.0 months (range, 0-16 months). The patients treated nonoperatively had a significantly higher rate of recurrence ( P = 0.02) and an earlier time of recurrence ( P = 0.04). The rate of contralateral instability was 25.8%, occurring at a mean of 8.6 months.

Conclusion:

Recurrent shoulder instability is more common in NFL players with a history of nonoperative treatment. Surgical stabilization appears to restore the rate and timing of instability to that of players with no prior history of instability.
Vicissitudes of Desire
Authors: Loersch Chris , Durso Geoffrey R. O. , Petty Richard E.
Published: January 2013

Recent research on subliminal persuasion has documented effects primarily when people have a preexisting need related to the target of influence. Based on the situated inference model of priming effects (Loersch & Payne, 2011), we propose a novel matching mechanism and describe how it expands the circumstances under which subliminal primes can produce persuasive effects, doing so without a consideration of preexisting need states. In two studies, we alter the desirability of various products by selecting subliminal primes that address the basic questions participants consider while judging product desirability. Subliminal persuasion depends on the precise match between the subliminal primes and the question under consideration. These results are evident when the question participants consider varies naturally due to the type of product that is judged, and when the core question is directly manipulated by altering the aspect of a product on which participants focus.
HIV stroke risk: evidence and implications
Authors: Singer Elyse J. , Valdes-Sueiras Miguel , Commins Deborah L. , Yong William , Carlson Margrit
Published: January 2013

An estimated 34 million men, women, and children are infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Current technology cannot eradicate HIV-1, and most patients with HIV-1-infection (HIV+) will require lifelong treatment with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Stroke was recognized as a complication of HIV-1 infection since the early days of the epidemic. Potential causes of stroke in HIV-1 include opportunistic infections, tumors, atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, autoimmunity, coagulopathies, cardiovascular disease, and direct HIV-1 infection of the arterial wall. Ischemic stroke has emerged as a particularly significant neurological complication of HIV-1 and its treatment due to the aging of the HIV+ population, chronic HIV-1 infection, inflammation, and prolonged exposure to cART. New prevention and treatment strategies tailored to the needs of the HIV+ population are needed to address this issue.
Rifaximin in irritable bowel syndrome: rationale, evidence and clinical use
Authors: Saadi Mohammed , McCallum Richard W.
Published: January 2013

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common functional bowel disease that affects up to 15% of the US population. The majority of patients with IBS have significant bloating and gas. Recent evidence is beginning to suggest that patients with IBS may have an alteration in the gastrointestinal flora. Specifically, findings suggest that patients with IBS have excessive bacteria in the small bowel, referred to as bacterial overgrowth. Therefore there may be benefits of antibiotic-based therapies for IBS. Rifaximin is a nonabsorbable antibiotic that demonstrates no clinically relevant bacterial resistance. Some studies have demonstrated the efficacy and durable improvement of IBS symptoms after treatment with rifaximin. In this review we explore the current data showing the association of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and IBS as well as review the available data on the clinical use of rifaximin in the treatment of SIBO in patients with IBS.
Pilot Community Health Worker Preparatory Course for AE-C Exam
Authors: Becker Ellen A. , Schwolsky-Fitch Elena , Mantle James
Published: January 2013

Background. Unfamiliar terminology and clinically focused content deters many community health workers (CHWs) from taking the certified asthma educator (AE-C) examination. Yet CHWs are sought after to join health teams to reduce asthma disparities. This study tested whether an 11-week preparation course that focused on test-taking strategies, clinical terminology, asthma management, and peer support could help CHWs become AE-Cs. Methods. Fourteen CHWs were recruited from a metropolitan area to participate in a free 11-week preparation course. A needs assessment identifying concerns CHWs had about the exam informed the course topics. The sessions covered asthma management topics and test-taking strategies. One hour focused on content and questions, the second hour involved practice in a computer lab answering multiple-choice questions. Payment for the examination fee was provided for CHWs attending 80% of the course sessions. Five CHWs were interviewed 6 months later. Results. A total of 11 CHWs attended 80% of the sessions. Seven CHWs took the exam, and 57% (4) passed on their first attempt. These data compare with the national pass rate (including licensed professionals) of 68%. No candidate with English as a second language (L2 learners) passed. Working in a hospital-based setting positively affected the pass rate. Postcourse interviews revealed that the exam content is essential for asthma educators, but community-based educators need additional support. Conclusions. A test preparation course that teaches test-taking strategies, provides computer-based test question practice, and fosters peer support can help CHWs become certified asthma educators. Course modification for L2 learners and those working outside of clinical settings are needed.
A Unique Case of Two Sources of Right Ventricle Enlargement in Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Bradley Elisa A. , Bachuwar Alok , Ludbrook Philip A.
Published: January 2013

The most common long-term sequelae of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are related to acquired late postsurgical pulmonary valve pathology. This is often in the form of pulmonic insufficiency (PI) ultimately leading to right ventricular (RV) enlargement and failure, which may necessitate pulmonary valve replacement. We present a case of severe PI in TOF with an incidental large circumflex to RV fistula and single-vessel coronary artery stenosis in a patient with an enlarged RV. The diagnostic dilemma was to determine whether the RV enlargement was caused by severe PI, shunting from the coronary fistula, or a combination of both.
Meerut Embroidery Cluster: A Case Study
Authors: Tyagi Ruchi
Published: January 2013

This study tries to integrate marketing, backward–forward linkages and agency support to handicraft cluster in Meerut. The cluster has a large artisan base and opportunities of large domestic market and export potential. However, it lacks transportation facility, an organized infrastructure, networking, production line approach and designer input. There is a need for technological upgradation. The case throws light on the development of embroidery, presenting a broad view of Indian embroidery history with its diversity and the turning point in embroidery with the advent of new technology. The case takes up for study Meerut embroidery cluster with objectives of identification of areas of intervention for inclusive growth by integrating marketing with product development and designing.
From Rags to Riches: Tapping the Social Capital within the Solid Waste Informal Sector
Authors: Prasad Sameer , Jain Ashish , Tata Jasmine , Parthan Shantha
Published: January 2013

Many large cities in the developing world cannot keep up with the vast quantities of solid waste being produced on a daily basis. Often, only 15 per cent of the waste is handled by municipal waste management systems; the rest is handled by the informal sector consisting of networks of rag-pickers who collect, sort, process and dispose of solid waste. These networks and waste streams hold not only economic but also environmental and social value. The current literature, however, has largely ignored this promising area of study, and provides limited direction in terms of the informal networks and their influence on economic, environmental and social outcomes. In this research, we use qualitative methodology and archival data to develop a typology connecting social capital to three value streams within this informal solid waste network. We find that the social capital of the rag-pickers provides superior economic, social and environmental yields. In addition, we discuss the role of NGOs in fostering social capital.
New microbiological strategies that enable the selective recovery and recycling of metals from acid mine drainage and mine process waters
Authors: Ňancucheo I. , Hedrich S. , Johnson D. B.
Published: January 2013

Approaches currently used for remediating acid mine drainage (chiefly active chemical treatment and passive bioremediation systems) have a number of major detractions, including their failure to recover potentially valuable metals from these waters. Bioremediation strategies that utilize reactor-housed microorganisms can circumvent this problem, but have tended not to be widely used due to their relatively high costs. We have devised innovative approaches for remediating mine waters that use acidophilic bacteria to remove metals either as oxidized or reduced phases, using modular bioreactors that are designed to operate at minimal cost and to generate products that have commercial value. A composite system is described that combines microbial oxidation of ferrous iron with abiotic precipitation of ferric iron as schwertmannite, a mineral that has commercial value as an absorbent of arsenate and other environmental pollutants, and as a pigment. Sulfidogenic bioreactors maintained at acidic pH values are used to selectively precipitate metal sulfides, such as CuS. Tests with synthetic mine drainage containing mixtures of soluble metals confirmed that these systems can generate relatively pure mineral deposits from complex acid waters. The units are designed to be configured differently, according to the nature of the mine water requiring treatment.
Whiteite-(CaMnMn), CaMnMn2Al2[PO4]4(OH)2·8H2O, a new mineral from the Hagendorf-Süd granitic pegmatite, Germany
Authors: Yakovenchuk V. N. , Keck E. , Krivovichev S. V. , Pakhomovsky Y. A. , Selivanova E. A. , Mikhailova J. A. , Chernyatieva A. P. , Yu. Ivanyuk G.
Published: January 2013

Whiteite-(CaMnMn), CaMnMn2Al2[PO4]4(OH)2·8H2O, is a new hydrous phosphate of Ca, Mn and Al, which is closely related to both jahnsite-(CaMnMn) and the minerals of the whiteite group. It is monoclinic, P2/a, with a = 15.02(2), b = 6.95(1), c =10.13(3) Å, β = 111.6(1)°, V = 983.3(6) Å3, Z = 2 (from powder diffraction data) or a = 15.020(5), b = 6.959(2), c = 10.237(3) Å, β = 111.740(4)°, V = 984.3(5) Å3, Z = 2 (from single-crystal diffraction data). The mineral was found in the Hagendorf Süd granitic pegmatite (Germany) as small (up to 0.5 mm in size) crystals elongated on a and tabular on {010}. The crystals are either simply or polysynthetically twinned on {001}. They crystallize on the walls of voids within altered zwieselite crystals or form coronas (up to 1 mm in diameter) around cubic crystals of uraninite. The mineral is transparent, colourless to pale yellow (depending on Al–Fe3+ substitution), with a vitreous lustre and a white streak. The cleavage is perfect on {001}, the fracture is stepped and the Mohs hardness is 3½. In transmitted light, the mineral is colourless; dispersion was not observed. Whiteite-(CaMnMn) is biaxial (+), α = 1.589(2), β = 1.592(2), γ = 1.601(2) (589 nm), 2Vmeas = 60(10)°, 2Vcalc = 60.3°. The optical orientation is X = b, Z^a = 5°. The calculated and measured densities are Dcalc = 2.768 and Dmeas = 2.70(3) g cm–3, respectively. The mean chemical composition determined by electron microprobe is Na2O 0.53, MgO 0.88, Al2O3 11.66, P2O5 34.58, CaO 4.29, MnO 17.32, FeO 8.32, ZnO 2.60 wt.%, with H2O 19.50 wt.% (determined by the Penfield method), giving a total of 99.68 wt.%. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of four phosphorus atoms per formula unit, with ferric iron calculated to maintain charge balance, is (Ca0.63Zn0.26Na0.14)Σ1.03(Mn0.60Fe0.402+)Σ1.00(Mn1.40Fe0.372+Mg0.18Fe0.063+)Σ2.01(Al1.88Fe0.123+)Σ2.00[PO4]4(OH)2·7.89H2O. The simplified formula is CaMnMn2Al2[PO4]4(OH)2·8H2O. The mineral is easily soluble in 10% HCl at room temperature. The strongest X-ray powder-diffraction lines [listed as d in Å (I) (hkl)] are as follows: 9.443(65)(001), 5.596(25)(011), 4.929(80)(210), 4.719(47)(002), 3.494(46)(400), 2.7958(100)(022). The crystal structure of whiteite-(CaMnMn) was refined for a single crystal twinned on (001) to R1 = 0.068 on the basis of 5702 unique observed reflections. It is similar to the structures of other members of the whiteite group. The mineral is named for the chemical composition, in accordance with whiteite-group nomenclature.
Glucocorticoid receptor translational isoforms underlie maturational stage-specific glucocorticoid sensitivities of dendritic cells in mice and humans
Authors: Cao Yun , Bender Ingrid K. , Konstantinidis Athanasios K. , Shin Soon Cheon , Jewell Christine M. , Cidlowski John A. , Schleimer Robert P. , Lu Nick Z.
Published: January 2013

Key Points

Mature, but not immature, dendritic cells are sensitive to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. Mature, but not immature, dendritic cells express proapoptotic glucocorticoid receptor translational isoforms.