bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consequences of Expected and Observed Victim Resistance for Offender Violence during Robbery Events
Authors: Lindegaard Marie Rosenkrantz , Bernasco Wim , Jacques Scott
Published: August 2014

Objectives:

Drawing on the rational choice perspective, this study aims at explaining why some robberies take place with physical force while others occur only with threat. The focus is how expected and observed victim resistance impact physical force by robbers.

Methods:

We draw on quantitative and qualitative data obtained from 104 robbers who described 143 robbery events. Based on the coding of behavioral sequences between offenders and victims, we distinguish between the use of physical force at the onset from the use of physical force during the progression of the event.

Results:

At the onset of robberies, physical force of offenders is influenced by whether they judge the victim to be street credible. During the progression of robberies, offenders are more likely to use physical force against a resistant than against a compliant victim.

Conclusions:

At the onset of the robbery, offender violence is related to expected victim resistance; during the progression, it is related to observed victim resistance. Future research should focus on behavioral sequences within robbery events including the meaning of victim characteristics and victim behavior in different phases of the event.
Using Admission Assessments to Predict Final Grades in a College Music Program
Authors: Lehmann Andreas C.
Published: August 2014

Entrance examinations and auditions are common admission procedures for college music programs, yet few researchers have attempted to look at the long-term predictive validity of such selection processes. In this study, archival data from 93 student records of a German music academy were used to predict development of musicianship skills over the course of a 4-year program. Audition grades for the principal instrument, aural skills, and basic knowledge of music theory were correlated with similar data available for the final exams. Final high school grades also were available. Results indicated moderate correlations between entrance and final grades for aural skills ( r = .69) and music theory (.45). Piano majors did better at aural skills and music theory than other candidates. A positive influence of keyboard proficiency also was found for the nonpiano majors. The correlation between initial and final grade on the principal instrument was dependent on the instrument category: piano (.64), followed by voice (.55), winds (.24), and strings (.05). Stronger academic performance prior to college was associated with superior performance in academic subjects in college, whereas no influence was found for academic strength on students’ principal instrument performance.
Household training vs. mass campaigns: a better method of health communication for preventing malaria
Authors: Chourasia Mehul Kumar , Abraham Vinod J , John Jacob
Published: August 2014

Malaria is endemic in several states of India with high tribal population. Effective use of long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLITNs) can reduce the burden of malaria in these settings. This study assessed the knowledge and behaviour regarding malaria in a tribal population and compared two health education strategies for enhancing effective utilisation of bed nets. A community-based intervention study was carried out among 218 households in two villages. One community received household level training on effective utilisation of LLITNs while the others received training in a mass campaign and outcomes were measured after 2 months. The study showed that the proportion utilising LLITNs was significantly higher among those receiving household level training as compared to those who received the mass campaign. Household level training appears to be a more effective form of health education for improving knowledge and promoting use of LLITNs in these isolated community groups.
On the performance of observer-based explicit model predictive control
Authors: Bayat Farhad
Published: August 2014

This paper addresses the performance recovery of explicit model predictive control (eMPC) when states of the system are not available via measurement. It is shown that the performance of the closed-loop system under the eMPC controller can be degraded when using a state observer instead of measurement. To moderate this degradation, an optimization-based approach is proposed that enables the designer to systematically design an optimal observer. It is proved that the proposed approach leads to the maximum achievable performance (in some sense) when compared to the desired performance (i.e. when states are available via measurement). Simulation results illustrate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed approach compared to a set of observers designed using a robust pole-placement approach.
Artificial bee colony-based predictive control for non-linear systems
Authors: Sahed Oussama Ait , Kara Kamel , Benyoucef Abousoufyane
Published: August 2014

In this paper, a new approach for the implementation of non-linear predictive control is proposed using fuzzy modelling and the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm. The main difficulty relevant to the implementation of non-linear predictive control techniques is obtaining, in real time, accurate solutions to the optimization problem. The aim of this work is to derive a simple and efficient algorithm that can solve the non-linear optimization problem with minimal computational time; this allows the real-time feasibility of the control algorithm to be ensured. Indeed, to deal with the problem of slow and premature convergence of the ABC algorithm, a new enhanced version of this algorithm is proposed. In this version, to improve the convergence speed, the initial population is generated using a chaotic map and a modified update equation is used. Furthermore, to avoid the premature convergence of the ABC algorithm, a new expression for the limit parameter, which allows an increase in the exploratory capabilities of the algorithm, is proposed. The modified ABC algorithm allows accurate solutions for the optimization problem of non-linear predictive control with low computational burden to be obtained. First, a statistical analysis of the convergence of the ABC improved version, using some well-known benchmark functions, is presented and compared with that of other ABC algorithm versions. Then, to assess the efficiency and the performance of the proposed control algorithm, control of a continuous stirred tank rector model is considered. To demonstrate further the effectiveness of the proposed controller, a comparative study, using several meta-heuristic algorithms, is carried out.
A new kind of radio: FM broadcasting in India
Authors: Sen Biswarup
Published: August 2014

In 2001, India’s first private FM station – Radio City, Bangalore – came on air, ending an era of state broadcasting that began in 1930. In the past decade, FM radio has enjoyed spectacular success: over 200 stations are now in operation, and the FM industry has seen spectacular growth in listenership and revenues. FM’s impact goes beyond economics; it is now a cultural signifier synonymous with modernity – as the ‘tagline’ for a popular FM network puts it ‘Radio Mirchi – it’s hot!’

FM, I argue in this article, represents a new kind of radio. The shift from state-controlled, nationwide AM transmission to corporate-owned local FM broadcasting signals a profound change in the very philosophy of radio in India. This article offers a brief account of the history of Indian radio and analyzes the social and economic factors that necessitated a change in modes of broadcasting. It also brings its claims into focus through using a case study that looks at the business structure, programming policies, and audience management strategies of one very popular FM station – Radio Mirchi, Kolkata – in order to demonstrate how these newly shaped practices are reinventing the role of radio in contemporary India.
A study on LIWC categories for opinion mining in Spanish reviews
Authors: del Pilar Salas-Zárate María , López-López Estanislao , Valencia-García Rafael , Aussenac-Gilles Nathalie , Almela Ángela , Alor-Hernández Giner
Published: August 2014

With the exponential growth of social media, that is, blogs and social networks, organizations and individual persons are increasingly using the number of reviews of these media for decision-making about a product or service. Opinion mining detects whether the emotions of an opinion expressed by a user on Web platforms in natural language are positive or negative. This paper presents extensive experiments to study the effectiveness of the classification of Spanish opinions in five categories: highly positive, highly negative, positive, negative and neutral, using the combination of the psychological and linguistic features of LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count). LIWC is a text analysis software that enables the extraction of different psychological and linguistic features from natural language text. For this study, two corpora have been used, one about movies and one about technological products. Furthermore, we conducted a comparative assessment of the performance of various classification techniques, J48, SMO and BayesNet, using precision, recall and F-measure metrics. The findings revealed that the positive and negative categories provide better results than the other categories. Finally, experiments on both corpora indicated that SMO produces better results than BayesNet and J48 algorithms, obtaining an F-measure of 90.4 and 87.2% in each domain.
The Promise of Intercultural Mission
Authors: Corrie John
Published: August 2014

‘Intercultural Theology’ began in the 1970’s as a way of expressing theological mutuality and equality between cultures. Since then, the word ‘intercultural’ has gained currency in a number of fields, secular and religious. This article explores the possibilities of speaking of mission as ‘intercultural’ rather than ‘cross-cultural’ as a way of expressing the cultural engagement that is more appropriate to a postmodern world. The inadequacies of the cross-cultural approach, with its roots in modernity, are examined in the light of the complexity and diversity of cultural identities today. Intercultural mission in contrast is relational, mutual, dialogical, open-ended, and creates space within which God’s missio dei can be experienced. Two examples are offered of intercultural mission in practice. It is suggested that this resonates with Bosch’s proposal for a new paradigm for mission in a postmodern context.
Caste-Sensitive Church Planting: Revisiting the Homogeneous Unit Principle
Authors: Pickett Mark
Published: August 2014

In this article, I survey past discussions of the Homogeneous Unit Principle, hear from its proponents and detractors, and consider the Hindu caste system, both in its traditional form and as it is experienced in contemporary South Asia. Simplistic interpretations of the caste system are rejected in favour of an understanding of caste that is more in keeping with the ethnographic realities. Caste identity is distinguished from caste prejudice which leads me to suggest that blanket condemnation of caste consciousness among Christ-followers is both unjustified and unhelpful.
The Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self– Efficacy (MS-FSE) scale: initial validation
Authors: Thomas Sarah , Kersten Paula , Thomas Peter W
Published: August 2014

Objective:

To examine the validity and sensitivity to change of the Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale.

Design:

A validation study nested within a randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Community setting.

Participants:

Adults with a clinically definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and significant fatigue taking part in a randomized controlled trial evaluating a group-based fatigue management programme (FACETS) for people with multiple sclerosis ( N=164).

Main measures:

The 9-item Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale was completed at baseline, 1-, 4- and 12 months post intervention. Validity, internal consistency and sensitivity to change were examined using classical test theory and Rasch analysis.

Results:

Item 3 was unanswered by 6% of respondents as they did not know any other people with multiple sclerosis; remaining analyses were carried out with this item deleted. All response choices were utilised, no floor or ceiling effects were evident and there were few missing responses. Cronbach’s alphas were high (baseline, 0.89; follow-up 1, 0.93; follow-up 2, 0.94; follow-up 3, 0.90). The Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale (8-item) demonstrated good sensitivity to change following attendance of the FACETS programme (within participant effect sizes 0.66 and 0.69 and 0.54 at 1, 4, and 12 months follow-up). Principal Components Analysis yielded one component. In the Rasch analysis two items with disordered thresholds were rescored. Item 8 displayed differential item functioning by disability and was combined into a testlet with item 4, resulting in a unidimensional scale. The sample was well targeted to the scale.

Conclusion:

At a scale level the Multiple Sclerosis-Fatigue Self-Efficacy scale is internally valid and has good sensitivity to change.
The association between attributions of responsibility for motor vehicle accidents and patient satisfaction: a study within a no-fault injury compensation system
Authors: Thompson Jason , Berk Michael , O’Donnell Meaghan , Stafford Lesley , Nordfjaern Trond
Published: August 2014

Objective:

This study set out to test the relationship between attributions of responsibility for motor vehicle accidents and satisfaction with personal injury compensation systems.

Design:

The study analysed survey data from 1394 people injured in a motor vehicle accident who were compensated under a no-fault personal injury compensation system. Patients’ ratings of satisfaction with the compensation system across five domains (resolves your issues, keeps you up-to-date, treats you as an individual, cares about you, and overall satisfaction) were analysed alongside patient attributions of responsibility for their accident (not responsible, partly responsible, totally responsible). Postaccident physical and mental health status, age, gender, and duration of compensation claim were controlled for in the analysis.

Results:

A multivariate analysis of covariance indicated attributions of responsibility for accidents were significantly associated with levels of patient satisfaction across all five domains under study ( F (10, 2084) = 3.7, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.02). Despite access to virtually indistinguishable services, patients who attributed responsibility for their accidents to others were significantly less satisfied with the injury compensation system than those who attributed responsibility to themselves.

Conclusions:

Satisfaction with no-fault motor vehicle injury compensation services are associated with patients’ attributions of responsibility for their accident. Compensation systems and other rehabilitation services monitoring patient satisfaction should adjust for attributions of responsibility when assessing levels of patient satisfaction between time periods, services, or injured populations. Differences in levels of patient satisfaction observed between compensation or rehabilitation populations may reflect differences in attributions of responsibility for accidents rather than objective service quality.
Evaluation of measurement equivalence of the Family Satisfaction with the End-of-Life Care in an ethnically diverse cohort: Tests of differential item functioning
Authors: Teresi Jeanne A , Ocepek-Welikson Katja , Ramirez Mildred , Kleinman Marjorie , Ornstein Katherine , Siu Albert
Published: August 2014

Background:

The Family Satisfaction with End-of-Life Care is an internationally used measure of satisfaction with cancer care. However, the Family Satisfaction with End-of-Life Care has not been studied for equivalence of item endorsement across different socio-demographic groups using differential item functioning.

Aims:

The aims of this secondary data analysis were (1) to examine potential differential item functioning in the family satisfaction item set with respect to type of caregiver, race, and patient age, gender, and education and (2) to provide parameters and documentation of differential item functioning for an item bank.

Design:

A mixed qualitative and quantitative analysis was conducted. A priori hypotheses regarding potential group differences in item response were established. Item response theory and Wald tests were used for the analyses of differential item functioning, accompanied by magnitude and impact measures.

Results:

Very little significant differential item functioning was observed for patient’s age and gender. For race, 13 items showed differential item functioning after multiple comparison adjustment, 10 with non-uniform differential item functioning. No items evidenced differential item functioning of high magnitude, and the impact was negligible. For education, 5 items evidenced uniform differential item functioning after adjustment, none of high magnitude. Differential item functioning impact was trivial. One item evidenced differential item functioning for the caregiver relationship variable.

Conclusion:

Differential item functioning was observed primarily for race and education. No differential item functioning of high magnitude was observed for any item, and the overall impact of differential item functioning was negligible. One item, satisfaction with “the patient’s pain relief,” might be singled out for further study, given that this item was both hypothesized and observed to show differential item functioning for race and education.
The Origin and Role of Autophagy in the Formation of Cytoplasmic Granules in Canine Lingual Granular Cell Tumors
Authors: Suzuki S. , Uchida K. , Harada T. , Nibe K. , Yamashita M. , Ono K. , Nakayama H.
Published: August 2014

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are histologically characterized by polygonal neoplastic cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasmic granules. In humans, these cells are considered to be derived from Schwann cells, and the cytoplasmic granules are assumed to be autophagosomes or autophagolysosomes. However, the origin and nature of the cytoplasmic granules in canine GCTs have not been well characterized. The present study examined 9 canine lingual GCTs using immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and cell culture and xenotransplantation experiments. In some cases, the tumor cells expressed S100, CD133, and desmin. The cytoplasmic granules were positive for LC3, p62, NBR1, and ubiquitin. TEM revealed autophagosome-like structures in the cytoplasm of the granule-containing cells. The cultured GCT cells were round to spindle shaped and expressed S100, nestin, Melan-A, CD133, LC3, p62, NBR1, and ubiquitin, suggesting that they were of neural crest origin, redifferentiated into melanocytes, and exhibited upregulated autophagy. The xenotransplanted tumors consisted of spindle to polygonal cells. Only a few cells contained cytoplasmic granules, and some had melanin pigments in their cytoplasm. The xenotransplanted cells expressed S100, nestin, Melan-A, and CD133. P62 and ubiquitin were detected, regardless of the presence or absence of cytoplasmic granules, while LC3 and NBR1 were detected only in the neoplastic cells containing cytoplasmic granules. These findings suggest that some xenotransplanted cells redifferentiated into melanocytes and that autophagy was upregulated in the cytoplasmic granule-containing cells. In conclusion, canine lingual GCTs originate from the neural crest and develop cytoplasmic granules via autophagy. In addition, the microenvironment of GCT cells affects their morphology.
Frontiers in Nonclinical Drug Development
Authors: Ryan A. M.
Published: August 2014

Biopharmaceuticals, produced by recombinant DNA technology, are generally more complicated to produce than small molecule drugs. As patents around the development and manufacturing of these biopharmaceuticals expire, biosimilars are being developed as comparable and more affordable alternatives to improve patient access and market competition. This commentary explains what a biosimilar is; it compares and contrasts biosimilar production with that of small molecule, generic, and other biological drugs; and it describes basic principles of the nonclinical development program for monoclonal antibody biosimilars.
Diagnostic Exercise
Authors: Faller K. , Leach J. , Gutierrez-Quintana R. , Finck M. , Hammond G. , Penderis J. , Marchesi F.
Published: August 2014

A 4-year old spayed male domestic shorthair cat was presented with a history of circling and behavioral changes. Neurologic examination showed mild proprioceptive deficits. The lesion was localized in the forebrain, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of a large midline intracranial mass extending from the frontal lobe to the tentorial region of the brain. Euthanasia was elected due to poor prognosis. Histopathologic evaluation confirmed the presence of a mass composed by sheets and aggregates of large round/polygonal cells and multinucleate cells associated with deposits of cholesterol clefts, scattered hemorrhages and hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Immunohistochemistry showed that the round/polygonal cells and multinucleate cells were strongly positive for major histocompatibility complex class II antigen, variably positive for CD18, and occasionally positive for S100. Subsets of spindle cells showing variable expression of vimentin, S100, and neuron-specific enolase were also present. The final diagnosis was cholesterol granuloma. Differential diagnosis with meningioma is discussed.
Vegetal fibre composites for semi-structural applications in the medical environment
Authors: Moothoo J , Ouagne P , Allaoui S , Soulat D
Published: August 2014

The mechanical behaviour of flax/polylactic acid (flax/PLA) and flax/polypropylene (flax/PP) bio-composites exposed to a medical environment (disinfectant and cleaning treatments) is studied for a use as a semi-structural part. Immersion tests in the different cleaning products were performed for both bio-composites in order to measure the absorption kinetic and monitor the evolution of the mechanical properties in the severe conditions. Pseudo-Fickian and Fickian behaviour were used to describe the absorption of the bio-composites. The absorption of the cleaning product results in a major loss of the mechanical properties. It was found that Terralin® is the most aggressive cleaning product followed by Surfanios® and water. However, coating the surfaces of these bio-composites could be a practical solution for increasing their durability in wet environments by reducing the sorption kinetics. The use of environmental friendly coatings such as layers of PLA should be favoured in an eco-design approach. In order to quantify in terms of absorption, the cleaning operation used in the medical environment and cleaning cycles were reproduced during a week. It was shown that the weight gained by the bio-composite during one cleaning cycle is very low, 1.98% of the initial mass in the worst case. Moreover, it was also shown that the initial weight is recovered before each cleaning cycle. Therefore, the saturated state is never reached in service condition, and only a low reduction of the mechanical properties (−5.3% and −7.6% of the tensile strength and modulus, respectively) has been observed. This shows that the flax/PLA and flax/PP bio-composites submitted to disinfectant and cleaning cycles can be used in a medical environment. Based on these conditions, a dimensioning strategy has been proposed for the parts submitted to the periodic cleaning treatments.
Landfill restoration and biodiversity: A case of study in Northern Italy
Authors: Camerini Giuseppe , Groppali Riccardo
Published: August 2014

Landfilling is a worldwide common waste treatment method. Final recovery usually consists of capping the area with top soil on which vegetation can grow. Depending on the suitability of the recovery pattern, landfill sites can work as potential reserve of semi-natural habitats. A recovery pattern applied to land reclamation of two hazardous waste landfills sited in Northern Italy (Po floodplain) was studied to assess the results in terms of biodiversity. These landfills lie within a landscape dominated by intensive agriculture. After final sealing, both landfills were covered by soil on which a meadow was sown and a hedgerow was planted around the borders. One of the compared areas was not provided with a pond and the hedgerow was incomplete.

Butterflies and birds were used as indicators, and their seasonal abundance was related to habitat structure and ecological factors. Meadows grown on both areas supported a rich butterfly population (30 species), including some species that are by now uncommon in the Po floodplain. In both areas butterfly abundance was affected by summer drought.

The birds’ community included 57 species; 16 Species of European Conservation Concern (SPECs) were observed. Each bird community was different in the compared study areas because of their different size and habitat structure. For example, landfill A, provided with a pond and a more complex structure of the hedgerow, supported a richer birds community (52 species versus 39).

Both restored landfills worked well as a stepping stone for migratory birds, but they were a reproductive habitat of poor quality.
Land suitability for waste disposal in metropolitan areas
Authors: Baiocchi Valerio , Lelo Keti , Polettini Alessandra , Pomi Raffaella
Published: August 2014

Site selection for waste disposal is a complex task that should meet the requirements of communities and stakeholders. In this article, three decision support methods (Boolean logic, index overlay and fuzzy gamma) are used to perform land suitability analysis for landfill siting. The study was carried out in one of the biggest metropolitan regions of Italy, with the objective of locating suitable areas for waste disposal. Physical and socio-economic information criteria for site selection were decided by a multidisciplinary group of experts, according to state-of-the-art guidelines, national legislation and local normative on waste management.

The geographic information systems (GIS) based models used in this study are easy to apply but require adequate selection of criteria and weights and a careful evaluation of the results. The methodology is arranged in three steps, reflecting the criteria defined by national legislation on waste management: definition of factors that exclude location of landfills or waste treatment plants; classification of the remaining areas in terms of suitability for landfilling; and evaluation of suitable sites in relation to preferential siting factors (such as the presence of quarries or dismissed plants).

The results showed that more than 80% of the provincial territory falls within constraint areas and the remaining territory is suitable for waste disposal for 0.72% or 1.93%, according to the model. The larger and most suitable sites are located in peripheral areas of the metropolitan system.

The proposed approach represents a low-cost and expeditious alternative to support the spatial decision-making process.
Self-Reported Reasons for Breastfeeding Cessation among Low-Income Women Enrolled in a Peer Counseling Breastfeeding Support Program
Authors: Rozga Mary R. , Kerver Jean M. , Olson Beth H.
Published: August 2014

Background:

Peer counseling programs have demonstrated efficacy in improving breastfeeding rates in the low-income population, but there is little research concerning why women enrolled in these programs ultimately discontinue breastfeeding.

Objective:

This study aimed to describe the self-reported reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding among women who are receiving peer counseling support by participant characteristics and timing of discontinuation.

Methods:

This study is a secondary analysis of data collected from 7942 participants who discontinued breastfeeding while enrolled in a peer counseling breastfeeding support program from 2005 to 2011. Reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding were assessed in relation to participant characteristics and weaning age using chi-square analyses and Kruskall-Wallis analyses of variance.

Results:

The most common reasons reported for discontinuing breastfeeding were mother’s preference (39%) and low milk supply (21%), although reasons differed by age of infant weaning ( P < .001). Among participants who discontinued the earliest, the most commonly cited reasons were breastfeeding challenges [median duration (interquartile range), 4.7 (2.0, 13.4) weeks], followed by low milk supply [8.9 (4.6, 19.1) weeks] and mother’s preference [12.9 (5.0, 25.7) weeks]. Women who were younger, were less educated, were non-Hispanic black, were unmarried, and had no prior breastfeeding experience were the most likely to discontinue breastfeeding due to mother’s preference.

Conclusion:

Peer counselors are in a unique position to offer breastfeeding education and encouragement and may be able to use evidence presented here to anticipate specified concerns either prenatally or postpartum, to prevent early breastfeeding discontinuation.
Bulwarks against Market Pressures
Authors: Child Curtis
Published: August 2014

How do members of fair trade businesses hold their profit-maximizing interests in check in order to make room for extra-financial ones? Answering this question is important because corporations are increasingly called upon to be responsible—even social-value producing—citizens, but scholars do not fully understand how they become so. Using data from the fair trade industry, this article demonstrates that market pressures can be buffered in part by a type of Weberian discipline that is motivated by the meanings that members of an organization attach to the social consequences of their work.
Producing gendered parenthood in child health clinics
Authors: Tiitinen Sanni , Ruusuvuori Johanna
Published: August 2014

This study examines whether and how equally shared parenting or gendered parenthood is produced in and through institutional interactions between professionals and parents in preventive child health clinics in Finland. The data consists of 17 video-recorded encounters in child health clinics between parents and public health nurses, and the method is conversation analysis. The analysis indicates that the primacy of mothers as parents is typically presupposed by participants when they discuss topics related to shared parenting. However, we also demonstrate that in many cases participants deviate from the presuppositions of gendered parenthood. We discuss our results with regard to questions of how institutional and cultural understandings of parenthood are co-constituted in talk-in-interaction, and how institutional interaction may provide an arena for negotiating these understandings.
The effect of music training on unimanual and bimanual responses
Authors: Chang Xin , Wang Pei , Zhang Qin , Feng Xiaying , Zhang Chenchen , Zhou Pei
Published: August 2014

Music cognition is closely related with some types of nonmusical cognition. Music training improves musical cognitive abilities, and also influences nonmusical abilities, especially motor skills. Through simple tapping tasks using visual stimuli, we explored whether music training had an effect on unimanual and bimanual responses and whether there were differences in bimanual synchrony between different types of musicians (pianists and singers) and non-musicians. The results showed that participants reacted more quickly in the unimanual condition than in the bimanual condition, and participants in the pianist group tapped more quickly than those in the non-musician group. Moreover, participants in musician groups had better bimanual synchrony compared with those in the non-musician groups.
Toward a Typology of Activities
Authors: Spinuzzi Clay
Published: August 2014

Professional writing scholars have often turned to activity theory (AT) as a rich framework for describing and theorizing human activity. But AT-based studies typically emphasize the uniqueness of activities rather than examining how certain types of activities share configurations. Consequently, these analyses often miss the chance to examine activities’ internal contradictions that are a result of interference between different configurations of activity. This article argues that a typology of activities can deepen our understanding of these internal contradictions. Drawing from a range of literature, it describes the general characteristics of different types of activities, providing examples from other AT-based studies. It concludes by discussing how this typology can help such studies to better analyze internal contradictions in activities.
Fatigue life analysis of internal circumferential crack of tubular structures
Authors: Yang Y , Lam CC , Kou KP
Published: August 2014

In this paper, the fatigue life of cracked tubular structures subjected to remote cyclic tensile stress is studied by using the fracture mechanics and Paris’ law. To evaluate the flooded member detection, a reassessed leak-before-break approach is implemented, in which a more realistic crack development, by taking the partly through thickness crack stage into consideration, has been investigated, and that has never been reported in literature for tubular member with internal crack. Parametric study demonstrates that the time available to detect the presence of the crack in its flooded life depends particularly on the rate of accumulation of fatigue damage and on the initial length of surface crack presented. The results of the analysis have been applied by a case study of a particular offshore structure and loading situation, obtained to support inspection intervals of three years for flooded member detection. By comparing the current results with the conventional leak-before-break procedure in flooded member detection, it is found that for the situation studied in this paper, the flooded life predicted from conventional leak-before-break method for the crack is always on the safe side. Therefore, it is too conservative for setting up the inspection interval for flooded member detection.
Aromatase Inhibitors in Breast Cancer Prevention
Authors: Olin Jacqueline L. , St. Pierre Melani
Published: August 2014

Objective: To review the literature evaluating the benefit and tolerability of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in breast cancer risk reduction. Data Source: A PubMed search (1966-July 2014) was conducted using the key terms breast cancer risk reduction, with anastrozole, exemestane, or letrozole, or aromatase inhibitors. Abstracts from recent breast cancer symposia were reviewed. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language articles were reviewed for inclusion. The references of articles were reviewed for additional studies. The review focused on AI trials in women without preexisting cancer; review articles, preclinical studies, and studies of AI use in early-stage cancer were excluded. Data Synthesis: Lifestyle modifications, surgery, and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are options for women at high risk for breast cancer compared with the general population. Statements published by various organizations help guide appropriate patient selection. Toxicities with SERMs, including increased risk for endometrial cancer, thromboembolic events, and cataracts, have limited their utility. AIs inhibit the endogenous production of estrogen and are mechanistically distinct from SERMs. Placebo-controlled trials with exemestane and anastrozole in postmenopausal women with breast cancer risk factors demonstrated at least 50% efficacy in invasive breast cancer reduction and were well tolerated. Vasomotor symptoms were experienced, but no differences in fractures or cardiovascular events were observed. Summary: Exemestane and anastrozole appear to offer benefit for postmenopausal woman at high risk for invasive breast cancer and are well tolerated. AIs offer an alternative for high-risk postmenopausal women desiring chemoprevention but with SERM contraindications. More trials are warranted to help further guide appropriate patient selection.
Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing in Older Patients Discharged From Acute Care Hospitals to Residential Aged Care Facilities
Authors: Poudel Arjun , Peel Nancye M. , Nissen Lisa , Mitchell Charles , Gray Len C. , Hubbard Ruth E.
Published: August 2014

Background: The frequency of prescribing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older patients remains high despite evidence of adverse outcomes from their use. Little is known about whether admission to hospital has any effect on appropriateness of prescribing. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the prevalence and nature of PIMs and explore the association of risk factors for receiving a PIM. Methods: This was a prospective study of 206 patients discharged to residential aged care facilities from acute care. All patients were at least 70 years old and were admitted between July 2005 and May 2010; their admission and discharge medications were evaluated. Results: Mean patient age was 84.8 ± 6.7 years; the majority (57%) were older than 85 years, and mean (SD) Frailty Index was 0.42 (0.15). At least 1 PIM was identified in 112 (54.4%) patients on admission and 102 (49.5%) patients on discharge. Of all medications prescribed at admission (1728), 10.8% were PIMs, and at discharge, of 1759 medications, 9.6% were PIMs. Of the total 187 PIMs on admission, 56 (30%) were stopped and 131 were continued; 32 new PIMs were introduced. Of the potential risk factors considered, in-hospital cognitive decline and frailty status were the only significant predictors of PIMs. Conclusions: Although admission to hospital is an opportunity to review the indications for specific medications, a high prevalence of inappropriate drug use was observed. The only associations with PIM use were the frailty status and in-hospital cognitive decline. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate this association.
An investigation on the characteristics of a non-locally reacting acoustic liner
Authors: Lu Zhenbo , Jing Xiaodong , Sun Xiaofeng , Dai Xiwen
Published: August 2014

A finite element acoustic model was proposed for investigating the characteristic of a novel non-locally reacting acoustic liner. This non-locally reacting acoustic liner was based on the so-called multiple cavity resonance mechanism which could broaden the absorption bandwidth. The basic idea of it was that when the back cavity of the liner was partitioned into sub-volumes of different size, multiple resonances relating to different length were produced so that the attenuation peaks came closer and worked jointly to provide high attenuation over a broad frequency band. There were strong coupling effects of the resonances inside the back cavities and in the duct when the sound propagated in the duct installed this non-locally acoustic liner. The proposed finite element acoustic model could simulate the entire sound field both in the duct and inside the back non-uniform cavities of the liner including the strong coupling effects. The comparison between the numerical and the experimental results demonstrated that, the finite element acoustic model was an accurate, stable and rapid method for investigating the acoustic characteristic of this novel non-locally reacting acoustic liner. The numerical study was also targeted for developing an optimal non-locally acoustic liner for engineering applications.
Impact Evaluation of Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity Through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER) Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Knowlden Adam P. , Sharma Manoj , Cottrell Randall R. , Wilson Bradley R. A. , Johnson Marcus Lee
Published: August 2014

Background. The family and home environment is an influential antecedent of childhood obesity. The purpose of this study was to pilot test The Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER) intervention; a newly developed, theory-based, online program for prevention of childhood obesity. Method. The two-arm, parallel group, randomized, participant-blinded trial targeted mothers with children between 4 and 6 years of age. Measures were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks to evaluate programmatic effects on constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT) and obesity-related behaviors. Process evaluation transpired concurrently with each intervention session. Results. Fifty-seven participants were randomly assigned to receive either experimental EMPOWER ( n = 29) or active control Healthy Lifestyles ( n = 28) intervention. Significant main effects were identified for child physical activity, sugar-free beverage consumption, and screen time, indicating that both groups improved in these behaviors. A significant group-by-time interaction was detected for child fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption as well as the SCT construct of environment in the EMPOWER cohort. An increase of 1.613 cups of FVs (95% confidence interval = [0.698, 2.529]) was found in the experimental group, relative to the active control group. Change score analysis found changes in the home environment accounted for 31.4% of the change in child FV intake for the experimental group. Conclusions. Child physical activity, sugar-free beverage consumption, and screen time improved in both groups over the course of the trial. Only the theory-based intervention was efficacious in increasing child FV consumption. The EMPOWER program was robust for inducing change in the home environment leading to an increase in child FV intake (Cohen’s f = 0.160).
Retroperitoneal fibrosis
Authors: Tzou Martha , Gazeley David J , Mason Peter J
Published: August 2014

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare disease that is marked by systemic inflammation and the development of a periaortic fibroinflammatory mass. The fibroinflammatory infiltration can encase the abdominal aorta, ureters, and other abdominal organs. The clinical presentation often includes constitutional symptoms, abdominal pain, and signs of renal insufficiency or renal failure related to ureteral obstruction. Less frequently, RPF may present with vascular complications, such as venous thrombosis or claudication. The idiopathic form of RPF is most common but secondary forms have been described and are associated with malignancy and a variety of different medications. The pathophysiology is uncertain, but RPF has been linked with periaortitis and IgG4-related disease. Treatment centers on the relief of symptoms and complications associated with mass effects. Corticosteroids and other immunosuppressant therapies can improve constitutional symptoms, reduce infiltrate mass, and achieve disease remission, but a chronic relapsing course is not uncommon.
Effect of perceived social support and dispositional optimism on the depression of burn patients
Authors: He Fei , Zhou Qin , Zhao Zhijing , Zhang Yuan , Guan Hao
Published: August 2014

Burn wounds have a significant impact on the mental health of patients. This study aimed to investigate the impact of perceived social support and dispositional optimism on depression of burn patients. A total of 246 burn patients accomplished the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Revised Life Orientation Test, and Depression Scale. The results revealed that both perceived social support and optimism were significantly correlated with depression. Structural equation modeling indicated that optimism partially mediated the relationship between perceived social support and depression. Implications for prevention of depression in burn patients were discussed.
Assessment of Risk in Chronic Airways Disease Evaluation (ARCADE)
Authors: Gale Nichola S , Albarrati Ali M , Munnery Margaret M , Munnery Iain C , Irfan Mujammil , Bolton Charlotte E , Rambaran Curtis N , Singer Ruth M Tal , Cockcroft John R , Shale Dennis J
Published: August 2014

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multisystem disease. Established comorbidities include cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, loss of muscle mass and function, depression, and impaired quality of life. The natural history is not well understood. The Assessment of Risk in Chronic Airways Disease Evaluation (ARCADE) is a longitudinal study of comorbidities in COPD. The primary aims are to delineate the progression and interrelationships of cardiovascular disease and associated comorbidities. Each year ARCADE aims to recruit 250 patients diagnosed with COPD and 50 comparators (free from respiratory disease). Assessments include spirometry, body composition, blood pressure, aortic stiffness (pulse wave velocity (PWV)), noninvasive measures of cardiac output, systemic inflammatory mediators, blood and urine biochemistry, and physical and health outcomes. These will be repeated at 2 and 5 years. In the first year of recruitment, 350 patients and 100 comparators were recruited. The reproducibility of aortic PWV, cardiac output, stroke volume, and cardiac index was evaluated and accepted in 30 patients free from overt cardiovascular disease. The preliminary data from ARCADE have demonstrated acceptable reproducibility of hemodynamic outcome measures. Further longitudinal data collection will increase knowledge of the progression and interactions between cardiovascular risk factors and other comorbidities in COPD.
Mindfulness for the Self-Management of Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression in Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Eyles Caroline , Leydon Geraldine M. , Hoffman Caroline J. , Copson Ellen R. , Prescott Philip , Chorozoglou Maria , Lewith George
Published: August 2014

The impact of living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is considerable and psychosocial support can be beneficial. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can help self-management of anxiety, depression, quality of life (QoL), and fatigue and has been evaluated in early-stage breast cancer but not MBC. This study investigated the acceptability and feasibility of providing MBSR for women with MBC and of introducing MBSR into a National Health Service (NHS) setting. A mixed methods convergent design was used. Eligible women with MBC, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 0 to 2, stable disease, and life expectancy of at least 6 months were invited to attend (by their oncologist) an 8-week MBSR course. Qualitative interviews with patients, a focus group, and interview with NHS staff were held to explore acceptability and feasibility of MBSR. Questionnaires at baseline, during (weeks 4, 8), and after (weeks 16, 24) the course measured fatigue, anxiety and depression, mindfulness, disease-specific QoL, and generic preference based QoL. Of 100 women approached, 20 joined the study. One woman dropped out prior to the intervention due to illness progression. Nineteen women took part in 3 MBSR courses. Recruitment to 2 of the 3 courses was slow. Commitment to 8 weeks was a reason for non-participation, and proved challenging to participants during the course. Participants found the course acceptable and reported many cumulative and ongoing benefits. These included feeling less reactive to emotional distress and more accepting of the disruption to life that occurs with living with MBC. There was high attendance, completion of course sessions, adherence to home practice, excellent follow-up rates, and high questionnaire return rates. MBSR was acceptable to MBC patients, who perceived benefits such as improved anxiety and QoL; but the MBSR course requires a considerable time commitment. There is scope to tailor the intervention so that it is less intensive.