bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parasitic encounters in debt: The UK mainstream credit industry
Authors: Walker Carl , Hanna Paul , Cunningham Liz , Ambrose Peter
Published: March 2015

Part of making visible the complex of institutions and practices that create and make knowable experiences of debt-related distress is to focus on the classed nature of these experiences. Contemporary bureaucracies of debt and distress need to be understood as reproducing divisions of status, power, and access to resources. The imposition of precarious forms of wage labour for those trapped at the bottom of what is an increasingly polarizing class structure has been shaped by very specific sets of financial practices where a deregulated personal debt industry has integrated subordinate classes into a web of financial relations through private pensions, consumer credit, and mortgages. This article draws upon empirical research with a range of stakeholders in the UK mainstream credit industry. We contend that the institutional logics, discourses, myths, and operational processes of the variety of agencies and actors in the UK mainstream credit sector have, through the radical changes of financial liberalization, evolved into a functional industry. This industry serves to enable, support, and enact social relational and economic practices that can best be understood through the metaphor of parasitism. This paper explores the specific organizational and relational practices that allow the financial exploitation of a beleaguered precariat.
A new and robust control strategy for a class of nonlinear power systems: Adaptive general type-II fuzzy
Authors: Khooban Mohammad Hassan , Niknam Taher
Published: March 2015

In this article, a robust direct adaptive general type-2 fuzzy logic controller is introduced for a class of nonlinear power systems. The proposed controller uses the advantages of general type-2 fuzzy logic system in handling dynamic uncertainties to approximate unknown nonlinear actions. Implementing general type-2 fuzzy system is computationally costly; however, by using a recently introduced α-plane representation, general type-2 fuzzy logic system can be seen as a composition of several interval type-2 fuzzy logic systems with a corresponding level of α for each. Linguistic rules are directly incorporated into the controller. In addition, an [Formula: see text] compensator is corrupted to attenuate external disturbance and fuzzy approximation error. General type-2 fuzzy adaptation laws are also derived using Lyapunov approach. It is worth noting that mathematical analysis proves the stability of the closed-loop system. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed controller, the results are compared with those obtained by direct adaptive type-1 fuzzy logic controller, a direct adaptive interval type-2 fuzzy logic controller and adaptive proportional–integral–derivative, which are the latest researches in the problem in hand. The proposed controller is applied to a chaotic power system as a case study. Simulation reveals the effectiveness of the proposed controller in presence of dynamic uncertainties and external disturbances.
Active linear quadratic Gaussian control of the vibration of a flexible beam with a time-varying mass
Authors: Ma Chicheng , Zhang Xinong , Xie Shilin , Luo Yajun
Published: March 2015

A linear quadratic Gaussian method for active vibration control of a flexible beam with a time-varying mass is studied in this article. As the time-varying mass can change the resonance frequencies of system and induce instability of system, the vibration control of time-varying mass systems using piezoelectric actuators has been the subject of recent interest. The equation of motion of a beam with a time-varying concentrated mass is obtained by using admissible functions and the principle of separation of variables. Then, active control using piezoelectric actuators is simulated for the time-varying mass system. The linear quadratic Gaussian control strategy is employed for the suppression of transverse vibration of the beam with time-varying mass under different conditions. The numerical results show that the proposed scheme can attenuate the vibration of the variable mass system effectively in the interested frequency range. The control method can be used for the beam with constant mass or time-varying mass.
Virgin coconut oil supplementation ameliorates cyclophosphamide-induced systemic toxicity in mice
Authors: Nair SS , Manalil JJ , Ramavarma SK , Suseela IM , Thekkepatt A , Raghavamenon AC
Published: March 2015

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is an unrefined kernal oil, prepared from Cocos nucifera L., having substantial nutritional and medicinal value. Experimental studies have suggested its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory and hypolipidemic effects. The present study assesses its effect on formalin-induced chronic inflammation and cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced systemic toxicity in murine models. Oral administration of VCO effectively reduced formalin-induced paw oedema in mice with more or less similar efficacy as that of diclofenac. The CTX-induced hike in blood urea, creatinine, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and liver marker enzymes in mice was marginally decreased by VCO (8 g/kg body weight) ingestion orally. The liver and kidney catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, together with cellular glutathione and TBARS levels, were found to be improved in these animals. Overall the study reveals the protective efficacy of VCO against secondary toxicity induced by CTX possibly through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Monocyte CD64 expression as a novel biomarker for the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Kikuchi-Taura A , Yura A , Tsuji S , Ohshima S , Kitatoube A , Shimizu T , Nii T , Katayama M , Teshigawara S , Yoshimura M , Kudo-Tanaka E , Harada Y , Matsushita M , Hashimoto J , Saeki Y
Published: March 2015

Objective

Interferon alpha (IFN-α) is a key cytokine associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). IFN-α induces the expression of CD64 on monocytes (mCD64). Although enhanced mCD64 expression has been reported in patients with SLE, it has never been assessed quantitatively. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not mCD64 expression correlates with SLE disease activity.

Methods

The mCD64 expression levels were assessed quantitatively in 40 patients with active or inactive SLE by using flow cytometry. The mCD64 expression levels were subsequently compared with the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and levels of existing SLE activity biomarkers, such as anti-DNA antibody, complements, and so on.

Results

The mCD64 expression was significantly higher in active disease than in inactive disease SLE (median molecules/cell, interquartile range: 34,648, 8174–24,932 and 20,865, 6357–21,503, respectively; p < 0.001). The levels of mCD64 expression strongly correlated with SLEDAI ( r = 0.68, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The mCD64 expression is a simple and useful biomarker for evaluating disease activity in patients with SLE.
Setting Conditions for Productive Debriefing
Authors: Der Sahakian Guillaume , Alinier Guillaume , Savoldelli Georges , Oriot Denis , Jaffrelot Morgan , Lecomte François
Published: March 2015

Background. Debriefing is a fundamental step in simulation, particularly in the medical field. Simulation sometimes even serves as a pretext for debriefing. Most often, debriefing takes place easily, producing a qualitative feedback and an optimal learning transfer. But sometimes, the facilitator faces difficulties. An unproductive debriefing can be described as follows: the debriefing of a clinical simulation session is unproductive when facilitators or learners perceive the occurrence of an obstacle that has hindered the learning process.

Objectives & method. Considering the difficulties encountered in this type of debriefing, we believe it is necessary to investigate the topic in depth in order to bring out some theoretical principles. Based on a Nominal Group Technique involving the authors of this article, this project aimed at drawing up and proposing informed recommendations for ensuring productive debriefing in simulation-based education in healthcare.

Results. The authors make the following recommendations: Reflect on your own performances as an instructor (asking for feedback from the learners and peers, and being appropriately trained as an instructor who can facilitate learning) Establish simulation ground rules (preparing and briefing the learners before the simulation experience, controlling the timing of the simulation session and the quality of the scenarios) Manage unexpected events and intended learning objectives by using a confederate during scenarios. Respect the steps of the debriefing process and good practice recommendations regarding learning psychology. Maintain the balance between emotion and teaching by decontextualizing the experience from the participants during the debriefing. Manage the input from the peers during the debriefing so they do not antagonise the learning process.

Conclusion. Six key recommendations are proposed. They have been deemed as core skills required of every simulation facilitator to prepare for productive debriefing and so the set learning objectives of a simulation session can be achieved successfully.
The Emergence of Mixing Methods in the Field of Evaluation
Authors: Greene Jennifer C.
Published: March 2015

When and how did the contemporary practice of mixing methods in social inquiry get started? What events transpired to catalyze the explosive conceptual development and practical adoption of mixed methods social inquiry over recent decades? How has this development progressed? What “next steps” would be most constructive? These questions are engaged in this personally narrative account of the beginnings of the contemporary mixed methods phenomenon in the field of evaluation from the perspective of a methodologist who was there.
Republication of “Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education: Some Practical Considerations”
Authors: Cook Bryan G. , Tankersley Melody , Cook Lysandra , Landrum Timothy J.
Published: March 2015

A major tenet of both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act is the identification and use of evidence-based practices, or those instructional techniques shown by research as most likely to improve student outcomes meaningfully. However, much confusion exists regarding the meaning and potential applications of evidence-based practices in special education. Evidence-based practices are traditionally supported by the findings of multiple, high-quality, experimental research studies. Rather than changing the nature of teaching or limiting teachers to following prescribed methods, prioritizing evidence-based practices will allow teachers to maximize the impact of their instructional efforts.
Probabilistic failure analysis of laminated sandwich shells based on higher order zigzag theory
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Chakrabarti Anupam , Bhargava Pradeep , Chowdhury Rajib
Published: March 2015

The probabilistic failure analysis of laminated composite and sandwich shells is studied first time by using an efficient C0 2D finite element model based on higher order zigzag theory incorporating all three radii of curvatures. The proposed model satisfies transverse shear stress continuity at each layer interface besides higher order theory features, hence predicts better transverse shear stresses. The present 2D finite element model predicts failure loads close to 3D elasticity solutions. The model can not only analyze normal curvature shells like cylindrical but also cross curvature shells like hypar shells. Elastic moduli and ultimate strength values are considered as basic random variables. The present study is to find probability of failure of composite/sandwich hypar and cylindrical shells using Monte Carlo simulation and response surface method. The study reveals that Monte Carlo simulation takes 18,500 finite element simulations for one composite/sandwich shell problem whereas RSM takes only 168 finite element simulations to achieve the same accuracy.
Individualized femininity and feminist politics of choice
Authors: Budgeon Shelley
Published: March 2015

Women’s right to exercise choice has been one of feminism’s central political claims. Where second wave feminism focused on the constraints women faced in making free choices, choice feminism more recently reorients feminist politics with a call for recognition of the choices women are actually making. From this perspective the role of feminism is to validate women’s choices without passing judgement. This article analyses this shift in orientation by locating women’s choices within a late modern gender order in which the ideal of choice has increasingly been associated with a new form of femininity characterized as self-determining, individuated and ‘empowered’. Instead of offering an effective analysis of the changing social conditions within which the relationship between feminism, femininity and individual choice has become increasingly complicated, choice feminism directs criticism at feminist perspectives characterized as overly prescriptive. This critique fails to appreciate how feminist ideals have been recuperated in the service of late capitalism and neoliberal forms of governance. By failing to engage critically with processes currently impacting on the social organization of gender choice feminism aids in the constitution of an individuated neoliberal feminist subject which performs cultural work vital to the reproduction of neoliberal governmentality.
Effect of bilingualism on anticipatory oculomotor control
Authors: Singh Jay Prakash , Mishra Ramesh Kumar
Published: March 2015

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:

In this study we examined whether highly proficient bilinguals with superior proficiency in L2 have higher anticipatory control in the oculomotor domain compared to low proficiency bilinguals.

Design/methodology/approach:

We examined this in a task that had no conflict and did not require inhibitory control for target discrimination. Participants were instructed to programme a saccade towards a target only when the colour of the starting circle changed from one colour to another. Therefore to be fast, as well as accurate, participants should have prepared saccades in anticipation of this task. The task was simple enough to extract anticipatory behaviour in the oculomotor domain.

Data and analysis:

Thirty high proficiency and thirty low proficiency Hindi–English bilinguals participated in this study. We calculated saccade latency and also the number of anticipatory saccades in an eye-tracking study. Apart from this we did regression analysis to examine if language proficiency predicted anticipatory control.

Findings/conclusions:

Highly proficient bilinguals were overall faster compared to the less proficient bilinguals. Additionally, highly proficient bilinguals also made a greater number of anticipatory saccades than the low proficiency group. L2 proficiency also significantly correlated with saccade latency as well as with the number of anticipatory saccades. These results thus demonstrate that higher proficiency in language use leads to better anticipatory control in the oculomotor domain.

Originality:

This is the first study that shows the effect of language proficiency on anticipatory control in the oculomotor domain.

Significance/implications:

The results have significance for theories related to bilingualism and its effects on action control.
A new multibody system approach for tire modeling using ANCF finite elements
Authors: Patel Mohil , Orzechowski Grzegorz , Tian Qiang , Shabana Ahmed A
Published: March 2015

This paper introduces a new computational multibody system framework for developing accurate tire models using the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). Absolute nodal coordinate formulation finite elements are used to create the geometry and perform the finite element/multibody system analysis of the tires. The computational procedure used in this study allows for modeling composite tires and for using a continuum-based air pressure and contact tire force models. The absolute nodal coordinate formulation tire mesh, which allows for high spinning speed, has a constant inertia matrix and zero Coriolis and centrifugal forces. The concept of the absolute nodal coordinate formulation reference node, introduced recently, is used to develop linear connectivity conditions between the tire tread and rim, thereby allowing for imposing these linear conditions at a preprocessing stage. Using this approach, the dependent variables are eliminated at a preprocessing stage before the start of the simulation. The reference node, which is not associated with a particular finite element, is used to define the inertia of the rigid rims. The inertia coefficients associated with the rim reference nodes are first developed in terms of the absolute nodal coordinate formulation position and gradient coordinates. The rigidity of each rim is enforced during the dynamic analysis using six nonlinear algebraic constraint equations that are combined with the dynamic differential equations of motion using the technique of Lagrange multipliers. It is shown in this investigation that the concept of the absolute nodal coordinate formulation reference node can be used to develop a complete vehicle model using one absolute nodal coordinate formulation mesh in which the redundant variables are systematically eliminated at a preprocessing stage, and consequently, the number of differential and algebraic equations that need to be solved is significantly reduced. The use of the new approach proposed in this paper is demonstrated using a vehicle model described by one absolute nodal coordinate formulation mesh.
Caring multiculturalism: Power and transformation in diverse societies
Authors: Scuzzarello Sarah
Published: March 2015

This article offers an alternative approach to multicultural theories, called ‘caring multiculturalism’. It argues that, despite good intentions, multicultural theory reproduces rhetoric that constructs groups as substantive entities, which leaves little room to accommodate changing power relations. Caring multiculturalism, drawing on caring ethics, feminist critiques of multiculturalism and discursive social psychology, advocates instead the contextualisation of groups’ claims to diversity and of governments’ practices of multiculturalism. As a framework rooted in discursive psychology, caring multiculturalism sees individual and collective identities as relational, negotiated and political, and therefore non-totalising and changeable. As a feminist approach to multiculturalism, it analyses and attempts to change gendered power asymmetries embedded in intra- and intergroup relations by advocating an attentive and responsive approach to the needs and claims of minority groups and of the individuals within them. The article outlines the main tenets of caring multiculturalism with illustrations from multicultural practices in three European municipalities.
Atmospheres of progress in a data-based school
Authors: Finn Matt
Published: March 2015

In this article, I seek to extend the geographies of education, youth and young people by offering an account of the significant shifts taking place in contemporary English state education around the production and use of data. I present material from pupils, for whom the changes are putatively made, whose voices are absent in existing educational and sociological literature on data in schools. I do this through an exploration of one specific feature of school datascapes: the use of data to create and maintain a sense of ‘progress’. This is not progress solely as developmental fact, logic, ideology or discourse but as felt. This article draws attention to profound changes to cultures of education that are evinced in relation to contemporary proliferations of data, contributes to theorisations of affective atmospheres in geography and how they come to be known (as a question of both experience and method), and it advances a novel theorisation of progress ‘after the affective turn’.
The fate of public scholarship in the global university: The Australian experience
Authors: Watts Rob , Buckeridge John
Published: March 2015

This paper explores the proposition that modern universities have been changed radically by globalization not least of which has been the erosion of ‘public scholarship’. The paper argues that whatever the kind or scale of changes which have occurred in the past few decades, ‘globalization’ does not provide an explanation of what has happened. Rather far-reaching changes have been made driven by human capital theory and the practices of the New Public Management. Have these changes spelled the end of public scholarship? The paper proposes that in Australia at least public scholarship played little if any part in the actual work practices or culture of Australian academics in the recent past. Whatever the apparent value of the idea of the university as ‘critic and conscience and critic of society’, the absence of any sustained intellectual or practical resistance to changes introduced into modern Australian universities (like ‘student-centred learning’) since the 1990s points to a significant and long-term absence of a vibrant culture of public scholarship.
Trade Exposure and the Polarization of Government Spending in the American States
Authors: Krueger Brian S. , Xu Ping
Published: March 2015

Studies of economic globalization and government spending often view the United States as an outlier case. Surprisingly, ours is the first empirical study to take advantage of the variation in U.S. states’ exposure to global markets, ideological orientations of the governments, and the relative size of the public sector, to assess the role of trade exposure on government spending in the American states. Using state-level data from the past three decades, we use error correction models (ECMs) to test three competing globalization theories. We find that the effect of trade exposure on government spending varies across states. Our results suggest that when conservatives control state governments, high levels of trade exposure negatively relate to changes in public expenditures such as welfare and infrastructure. With liberal governments in power, trade exposure does not accelerate state spending growth in welfare and infrastructure, which diverges from the pattern found in European social democracies.
Canadian Men’s Self-Management of Chronic Diseases: A Literature Analysis of Strategies for Dealing With Risks and Promoting Wellness
Authors: Zanchetta Margareth S. , Maheu Christine , Kolisnyk Olesya , Mohamed Mohamed , Guruge Sepali , Kinslikh Diana , Christopher Joneet J. , Stevenson Melissa , SanJose CaroLine , Sizto Terry , Byam Aaron
Published: March 2015

This article reviews the qualitative research on men’s self-management of mental and physical chronic diseases, with emphasis on strategies for dealing with risks and promoting wellness. Using Bardin’s method of document analysis, it was focused on the findings of Canadian qualitative studies published in French or English from 2005 to 2011. Boltanski’s theory on social uses of the body inspired the analysis. Living with a chronic disease threatens men’s sense of masculinity and self-image, as well as their perceived ability to fulfill expected social roles. Social images of men’s bodies influence how men express their emotions, attributes, and attitudes, or acknowledge the need for and seek social affirmation. Self-management has been documented in Canadian qualitative literature as a complex phenomenon influenced by the social environment, personal capacities, feelings, perceptions, and potentials. The extent of how all these features interact within the scope of men’s mental and physical health and illness experiences was partially revealed in this study. The findings underscore the social invisibility of men’s bodies, especially those of men facing social inequities. Attending to principles of social justice can ensure that future research on men’s health will amplify the range of men’s voices and allow them to be heard. Recommendations address also the international scientific community interested in advancing men’s health research, especially in those countries that lack a national men’s health policy.
Implementation of a condition monitoring system on an electric arc furnace through a risk-based methodology
Authors: Colace Cristian , Fumagalli Luca , Pala Simone , Macchi Marco , Matarazzo Nelson R , Rondi Maurizio
Published: March 2015

This article presents the deployment of a condition monitoring system on an electric arc furnace in a steel-making company, ranging from the development of the system until its implementation and the results achieved by its use in the plant. A step-wise risk-based methodology is introduced and it is adopted to deploy the condition monitoring system. The electric arc furnace is a relevant asset for safety issues; due to the characteristics of the furnace – running continuously at high temperatures and in harsh environmental conditions – many components cannot be visually inspected; thus, a maintenance system, with real-time monitoring capabilities, represents a proper solution to keep under control the asset health state. Besides the monitoring activity, appropriate risk information must also be shown to maintenance personnel to effectively improve maintenance activity. In this concern, the condition monitoring system, herein presented, can be considered an E-maintenance tool, integrated within an existing information and communication technology infrastructure, and representing one practical application of E-maintenance concept within industry.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction—Not Exactly a One-Way Ticket Back to the Preinjury Level
Authors: Ardern Clare L.
Published: March 2015

Context:

A recently updated meta-analysis of return-to-sport rates after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction demonstrated that 65% of athletes returned to their preinjury level of sport after surgery. The aim of this clinical review was to explore contextual factors associated with returning or not returning to the preinjury level after ACL reconstruction.

Evidence Acquisition:

Data were obtained from peer-reviewed literature via a search of the electronic databases Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus from database inception to January 2015. The keywords anterior cruciate ligament and return to sport were used. Additional literature was identified via hand-searching of the reference lists of relevant articles and the ePublication lists of key scientific journals. Random effects meta-analyses were used to pool the results of modifiable contextual factors and to examine their association with returning or not returning to the preinjury level of sport after surgery.

Study Design:

Clinical review.

Level of Evidence:

Level 2.

Results:

Lower fear of reinjury (standardized mean difference, 0.7), greater psychological readiness to return to sport (standardized mean difference, 1.0), and a more positive subjective assessment of knee function (standardized mean difference, 0.9) favored return to the preinjury level after surgery.

Conclusion:

Returning or not returning to the preinjury level after ACL reconstruction is complex and multifactorial. Screening for potentially modifiable contextual factors, particularly psychological factors, early after ACL injury may help clinicians identify athletes who could be at risk of not returning to the preinjury level of sport and institute interventions that could improve returning to sport.
A Systematic Review of Failed Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Autograft Compared With Allograft in Young Patients
Authors: Wasserstein David , Sheth Ujash , Cabrera Alison , Spindler Kurt P.
Published: March 2015

Context:

The advantages of allograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), which include shorter surgical time, less postoperative pain, and no donor site morbidity, may be offset by a higher risk of failure. Previous systematic reviews have inconsistently shown a difference in failure prevalence by graft type; however, such reviews have never been stratified for younger or more active patients.

Objective:

To determine whether there is a different ACLR failure prevalence of autograft compared with allograft in young, active patients.

Data Sources:

EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane trials registry.

Study Selection:

Comparative studies of allograft versus autograft primary ACL reconstruction in patients <25 years of age or of high-activity level (military, Marx activity score >12 points, collegiate or semiprofessional athletes).

Study Design:

Systematic review with meta-analysis.

Level of Evidence:

Level 3.

Data Extraction:

Manual extraction of available data from eligible studies. Quantitative synthesis of failure prevalence and Lysholm score (outcomes in ≥3 studies) and I2 test for heterogeneity. Assessment of study quality using CLEAR NPT and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).

Results:

Seven studies met inclusion criteria (1 level 1; 2 level 2, 4 level 3), including 788 patients treated with autograft tissue and 228 with various allografts. The mean age across studies was 21.7 years (64% male), and follow-up ranged between 24 and 51 months. The pooled failure prevalence was 9.6% (76/788) for autografts and 25.0% (57/228) for allografts (relative risk, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.24-0.53; P < 0.00001; I2 = 16%). The number needed to benefit to prevent 1 failure by using autograft was 7 patients (95% CI, 5-10). No difference between hamstrings autograft and patella tendon autograft was noted. Lysholm score was reported in 3 studies and did not differ between autograft and allograft.

Conclusion:

While systematic reviews comparing allograft and autograft ACLR have been equivocal, this is the first review to examine young and active patients in whom allograft performs poorly.
Social Media for School Nurses
Authors: Wysocki Regina
Published: March 2015

People across the globe use social media to connect with one another, stay in touch with friends and family, and exchange information. Health care has embraced social media, and nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) and NASN have a presence in the social media landscape. The students in our schools today are digital natives who grew up with and are at home in the world of technology. With so many options in the digital world, the question is how can school nurses harness this technology to connect with their students and families? More importantly, how can school nurses use social media in a professional and responsible manner and help to enhance the profession of school nursing overall? This article will outline the planning and implementation of an ongoing social media campaign on wellness and healthy behaviors by one Texas suburban school district.
A Qualitative Analysis of the Leadership Style of a Vice-Chancellor in a Private University in Malaysia
Authors: Tan Mabel , Fatt Hee Tie , Yan Piaw Chua
Published: March 2015

This study used Bolman and Deal’s framework to examine the leadership frames of a vice-chancellor in a private university in Malaysia. Qualitative methods comprised interviews with the vice-chancellor and six of his staff reporting directly to him, document analysis, and observations. Atlas.ti was used to code the leadership frames. Content analysis revealed that the vice-chancellor exhibited three frames, showing a multi-frame leadership style. It reflects the vice-chancellor implements an effective leadership style and a high level of cognitive ability, which is important for the organizational effectiveness.
When Change Doesn’t Matter
Authors: Kramer Rory , Burke Ruth , Charles Camille Z.
Published: March 2015

Most theories of racial self-identity argue that a racially inconsistent identity indicates emotional distress and internal turmoil. However, empirical research on racial identity and consistency indicates that racial inconsistency is more common than previously believed, and some argue that it can be a positive adaptation for individuals. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, we explore the degree to which racial identity inconsistency is associated with emotional, social, and academic outcomes. We find that racial inconsistency is not associated with negative outcomes for individuals and, via access to white privilege, may be associated with benefits for some individuals. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for theories of racial identity.
The Rebirth of the U.S.-Mexico Border
Authors: Correa Jennifer G. , Thomas James M.
Published: March 2015

Law enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border region has significantly changed since the 1970s. Currently, Latinas/os make up more than half of the agents who patrol the southern border region. The Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley, in particular, has transformed from a predominantly Anglo police establishment to one with a heavy presence of Mexican American agents within local and federal agencies. Though responsible for managing the flows of bodies, narcotics, and would-be terrorists from illegally crossing into the United States, the institutional and social vestiges of this region’s racialized past continues to inform practices of agents in the field, including those of Mexican American descent. In this article, we draw from ethnographic fieldwork, participant observations, and in-depth qualitative interviews with enforcement agents situated in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley to investigate what we describe as a phenomenology of racial power among enforcement agents, or the tethering of power, subjectivity, and embodied racialized practices in their day-to-day lives.
MiR-181a: a potential biomarker of acute muscle wasting following elective high-risk cardiothoracic surgery
Authors: Bloch Susannah AA , Donaldson Anna VJ , Lewis Amy , Banya Winston AS , Polkey Michael I , Griffiths Mark JD , Kemp Paul R
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Acute muscle wasting in the critically ill is common and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although some aetiological factors are recognised and muscle wasting can be detected early with ultrasound, it not possible currently to predict in advance of muscle loss those who will develop muscle wasting. The ability to stratify the risk of muscle wasting associated with critical illness prior to it becoming clinically apparent would provide the opportunity to predict prognosis more accurately and to intervene at an early stage. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that modulate post-transcriptional regulation of translation, some are tissue specific and can be detected and quantified in plasma. We hypothesised that certain plasma microRNAs could be biomarkers of ICU acquired muscle weakness.

Methods

Plasma levels of selected microRNAs were measured in pre- and post-operative samples from a previously reported prospective observational study of 42 patients undergoing elective high-risk cardiothoracic surgery, 55% of whom developed muscle wasting.

Results

The rise in miR-181a was significantly higher on the second post-operative day in those who developed muscle wasting at 1 week compared to those who did not (p = 0.03). A rise in miR-181a of greater than 1.7 times baseline had 91% specificity and 56% sensitivity for subsequent muscle wasting. Other microRNAs did not show significant differences between the groups.

Conclusion

Plasma miR-181a deserves further investigation as a potential biomarker of muscle wasting. Additionally, since mir-181a is involved in both regulation of inflammation and muscle regeneration and differentiation; our observation therefore also suggests directions for future research.
Is the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia declining?
Authors: Langa Kenneth M
Published: March 2015

Background

The number of older adults with dementia will increase around the world in the decades ahead as populations age. Current estimates suggest that about 4.2 million adults in the US have dementia and that the attributable economic cost of their care is about $200 billion per year. The worldwide dementia prevalence is estimated at 44.3 million people and the total cost at $604 billion per year. It is expected that the worldwide prevalence will triple to 135.5 million by 2050. However, a number of recent population-based studies from countries around the world suggest that the age-specific risk of dementia may be declining, which could help moderate the expected increase in dementia cases that will accompany the growing number of older adults.

Discussion

At least nine recent population-based studies of dementia incidence or prevalence have shown a declining age-specific risk in the US, England, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. A number of factors, especially rising levels of education and more aggressive treatment of key cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, may be leading to improving ‘brain health’ and declining age-specific risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in countries around the world.

Multiple epidemiological studies from around the world suggest an optimistic trend of declining population dementia risk in high-income countries over the past 25 years. Rising levels of education and more widespread and successful treatment of key cardiovascular risk factors may be the driving factors accounting for this decline in dementia risk. Whether this optimistic trend will continue in the face of rising worldwide levels of obesity and diabetes and whether this trend is also occurring in low- and middle-income countries are key unanswered questions which will have enormous implications for the extent of the future worldwide impact of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia on patients, families, and societies in the decades ahead.
Political participation via the web: Structural and subjective contingencies
Authors: Dahlgren Peter
Published: March 2015

The article offers an overview of key contingencies that shape the use of the web for democratic participatory purposes. I begin by probing the notion of participation, suggesting that we need to be specific in what we mean by it and how different contexts accord it very different significance. From there I examine the main parameters of the web’s structural contingencies, taking up its political economy and technical architecture. These parameters are bound up with power relations, an important feature too often ignored, with the result that the web erroneously is seen as a neutral terrain of communication. Thereafter I turn to the web’s subjective contingencies, looking first at the relationship between subjectivity and discourse. The subjective contingencies – the ‘inner realities’ of political actors – derive in part from the web’s structural power relations, but cannot merely be reduced to them, since human agency can never fully be predetermined. Further, I take up the theme of reason and emotion, as well as the notion of affect. This latter term points to experiential reality beyond the immediately personal/private one. I conclude with some brief reflections on the relationship between offline and online forms of participation.
Characterization of an alkaline protease with high quality bating potential in leather processing from Bacillus licheniformis MZK05M9 mutant
Authors: Mamun Md. Arafat Al , Khan Md. Murad , Akand Md. Nahinur Rahmam , Khan Shakila Nargis , Hoq Md. Mozammel
Published: March 2015

An alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis MZK05M9 (BlM9), a mutant strain developed in our laboratory, has been partially purified and characterized for its robustness and eco-friendly application potential in processing of hides and skins for leather manufacturing and detergent industries. The enzyme was purified 2.70 fold with specific activity of 1624U/mg in comparison to crude enzyme extract by using ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis and Sephadex G-75 column chromatography. The molecular mass of the enzyme was 27.2 kDa as judged by SDSâ€“PAGE. The purified protease had a pH optimum of 8.5 and temperature optimum of 55Â°C. According to the inhibition profiles obtained with the various protease inhibitors, it was confirmed that the partially purified protease belongs to the serine protease type. The activity of partially purified enzyme was enhanced by calcium, magnesium, barium, potassium and manganese ions and strongly inhibited by mercury ion. In addition, the protease showed remarkable stability in the presence of 1% SDS; 1, 3 and 5% Triton X-100 and H2O2, which comprise the common bleach-based detergent formulation. The enzyme was found equally efficient to a commercial enzyme Oropon K (one of the commercial enzymes imported into Bangladesh for bating purpose) in bating of animal hide as proved by different comparative qualitative tests such as tensile strength, percent of elongation, stitch tears strength, water vapor permeability, grain crack strength and tongue tearÂ  strength tests. In addition, the stability profile (pH, temperature and surfactants) and blood stain removal data also revealed its suitability for application in detergent industry.
Dissociation between the Experience-Dependent Development of Hippocampal Theta Sequences and Single-Trial Phase Precession
Authors: Feng Ting , Silva Delia , Foster David J.
Published: March 2015

Theta sequences are circuit-level activity patterns produced when groups of hippocampal place cells fire in sequences that reflect a compressed behavioral order of place fields within each theta cycle. The high temporal coordination between place cells exhibited in theta sequences is compatible with the induction of synaptic plasticity and has been proposed as one of the mechanisms underlying the encoding of episodic memory of recently acquired experience. Yet how theta sequences develop with experience has not been directly addressed. Here we simultaneously recorded large numbers of cells in the dorsal hippocampal CA1 area from rats exploring on a novel linear track. Although place cell firing activities accurately represented the animal's current location, distinct theta sequences were absent on the first lap but emerged immediately thereafter and remained stable once established. The absence of theta sequences on the first lap was not due to place field instability, decreased overall excitability of place cells, behavior variables, or the absence of individual neuronal phase precession. We observed strong single-lap phase precession in a significant percentage of place fields on the first lap and throughout the recording. Individual neuronal phase precession was stable from the first lap to subsequent laps but, across neurons, phase precession became more synchronized after experience, suggesting a novel mechanism for the generation of theta sequences. These results suggest that experience-independent temporal coding in individual neurons is combined with rapid plasticity of hippocampal neural networks during experience to acquire predictive representations of the immediate future.
Adding Words to the Brain's Visual Dictionary: Novel Word Learning Selectively Sharpens Orthographic Representations in the VWFA
Authors: Glezer Laurie S. , Kim Judy , Rule Josh , Jiang Xiong , Riesenhuber Maximilian
Published: March 2015

The nature of orthographic representations in the human brain is still subject of much debate. Recent reports have claimed that the visual word form area (VWFA) in left occipitotemporal cortex contains an orthographic lexicon based on neuronal representations highly selective for individual written real words (RWs). This theory predicts that learning novel words should selectively increase neural specificity for these words in the VWFA. We trained subjects to recognize novel pseudowords (PWs) and used fMRI rapid adaptation to compare neural selectivity with RWs, untrained PWs (UTPWs), and trained PWs (TPWs). Before training, PWs elicited broadly tuned responses, whereas responses to RWs indicated tight tuning. After training, TPW responses resembled those of RWs, whereas UTPWs continued to show broad tuning. This change in selectivity was specific to the VWFA. Therefore, word learning appears to selectively increase neuronal specificity for the new words in the VWFA, thereby adding these words to the brain's visual dictionary.
Characterizing KIF16B in Neurons Reveals a Novel Intramolecular “Stalk Inhibition” Mechanism That Regulates Its Capacity to Potentiate the Selective Somatodendritic Localization of Early Endosomes
Authors: Farkhondeh Atena , Niwa Shinsuke , Takei Yosuke , Hirokawa Nobutaka
Published: March 2015

An organelle's subcellular localization is closely related to its function. Early endosomes require localization to somatodendritic regions in neurons to enable neuronal morphogenesis, polarized sorting, and signal transduction. However, it is not known how the somatodendritic localization of early endosomes is achieved. Here, we show that the kinesin superfamily protein 16B (KIF16B) is essential for the correct localization of early endosomes in mouse hippocampal neurons. Loss of KIF16B induced the aggregation of early endosomes and perturbed the trafficking and functioning of receptors, including the AMPA and NGF receptors. This defect was rescued by KIF16B, emphasizing the critical functional role of the protein in early endosome and receptor transport. Interestingly, in neurons expressing a KIF16B deletion mutant lacking the second and third coiled-coils of the stalk domain, the early endosomes were mistransported to the axons. Additionally, the binding of the motor domain of KIF16B to microtubules was inhibited by the second and third coiled-coils (inhibitory domain) in an ATP-dependent manner. This suggests that the intramolecular binding we find between the inhibitory domain and motor domain of KIF16B may serve as a switch to control the binding of the motor to microtubules, thereby regulating KIF16B activity. We propose that this novel autoregulatory “stalk inhibition” mechanism underlies the ability of KIF16B to potentiate the selective somatodendritic localization of early endosomes.
Reward-Based Decision Signals in Parietal Cortex Are Partially Embodied
Authors: Kubanek Jan , Snyder Lawrence H.
Published: March 2015

Recordings in the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) reveal that parietal cortex encodes variables related to spatial decision-making, the selection of desirable targets in space. It has been unclear whether parietal cortex is involved in spatial decision-making in general, or whether specific parietal compartments subserve decisions made using specific actions. To test this, we engaged monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in a reward-based decision task in which they selected a target based on its desirability. The animals' choice behavior in this task followed the molar matching law, and in each trial was governed by the desirability of the choice targets. Critically, animals were instructed to make the choice using one of two actions: eye movements (saccades) and arm movements (reaches). We recorded the discharge activity of neurons in area LIP and the parietal reach region (PRR) of the parietal cortex. In line with previous studies, we found that both LIP and PRR encode a reward-based decision variable, the target desirability. Crucially, the target desirability was encoded in LIP at least twice as strongly when choices were made using saccades compared with reaches. In contrast, PRR encoded target desirability only for reaches and not for saccades. These data suggest that decisions can evolve in dedicated parietal circuits in the context of specific actions. This finding supports the hypothesis of an intentional representation of developing decisions in parietal cortex. Furthermore, the close link between the cognitive (decision-related) and bodily (action-related) processes presents a neural contribution to the theories of embodied cognition.