bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Criminal Thinking as a Predictor of Prison Misconduct and Mediator of the Static Risk–Infractions Relationship
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: May 2015

The General Criminal Thinking (GCT) score of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) was found to successfully predict institutional adjustment in 2,487 male medium security federal inmates after controlling for eight static risk factors (age, race, confining offense, sentence, gang affiliation, mental health history, substance abuse history, criminal history). Causal mediation analysis was also performed and showed that the GCT score partially mediated the relationship between static risk and total infractions. These results suggest that the GCT score may have a role in internal classification and in clarifying the relationship between static risk factors and prison misconduct.
Anti-windup design and l2-gain analysis for a class of discrete-time impulsive switched systems with actuator saturation
Authors: Huang Shipei , Li Xia , Xiang Zhengrong
Published: May 2015

This paper investigates the problems of anti-windup design and l2-gain analysis for a class of discrete-time impulsive switched systems with actuator saturation. Supposing that a set of linear dynamic output controllers have been designed to stabilize such a system without considering its input saturation, we design anti-windup compensation gains to guarantee the stability of the closed-loop system in the presence of saturation. l2-gain performance analysis is also developed. Finally, two examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results.
The Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Promotora-Led Diabetes Prevention Program (PL-DPP) in Latinas
Authors: O’Brien Matthew J. , Perez Alberly , Alos Victor A. , Whitaker Robert C. , Ciolino Jody D. , Mohr David C. , Ackermann Ronald T.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this pilot study is to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a Promotora-Led Diabetes Prevention Program (PL-DPP) in Hispanic women (Latinas).

Methods

Twenty Latina adults with prediabetes were enrolled in this single-arm pilot trial of PL-DPP. Participants underwent a year-long lifestyle intervention consisting of 24 sessions divided into 14 weekly core sessions and 10 post-core sessions offered either biweekly or monthly. Each session was led by a promotora in Spanish. The primary outcome was weight change over the 12-month study period.

Results

The study participants were socioeconomically challenged, middle-aged Latinas with limited access to health care. Eighteen participants (90%) completed at least 12 sessions, and 1 was lost to follow-up. Overall, participants reported high levels of satisfaction with PL-DPP. At 12 months, the participants achieved a mean weight loss of 10.8 pounds, which corresponded to 5.6% of initial body weight. Significant pre-post reductions in waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and insulin levels were also observed. Modest reductions in A1C and fasting plasma glucose were not significant.

Conclusions

The PL-DPP demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness in a high-risk population of Latinas. Future research examining this intervention in a randomized clinical trial should explore factors impacting its effects using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Between Marx and Polanyi: New labour mobilisations in the Italian crisis
Authors: Caruso Loris
Published: May 2015

The current scenario in western countries is characterised by a crisis over the last thirty years of class conflict; by the mainly negative consequences of globalisation and of the transformations by production processes of the mobilising strength of work; by the cancellation of the relationship between labour and political representation; by the difficulties of traditional trade unionism; and by the emergence of the social movement unionism (SMU) paradigm. In this article, these phenomena are analysed from the point of view of the workers’ struggles against the closure of factories. The analysis concerns the mobilisation factors on which the struggle rests; the presence or absence, in the representations of workers, of references to class conflict; the major proximity of these mobilisations to the paradigm of traditional syndicalism or to the SMU paradigm; and the prevalence within them of the Marxist or the Polanyian root of conflict. This analysis is mainly based on an empirical study carried out in an engineering company in the province of Milan, Italy.
Teacher Well-Being
Authors: Collie Rebecca J. , Shapka Jennifer D. , Perry Nancy E. , Martin Andrew J.
Published: May 2015

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Teacher Well-Being Scale, which assesses three factors of teachers’ work-related well-being: workload, organizational, and student interaction well-being. With a sample of Canadian teachers, results confirmed the reliability, approximate normality, and factor structure of the scale; provided support for a higher order factor of teacher well-being; showed the instrument functioned similarly across different sociodemographic subgroups; and demonstrated the well-being factors were related as expected with external constructs of teacher stress, job satisfaction, and general well-being. Combined, these analyses provide support for the use of the instrument as an assessment of teacher well-being and evidence of the importance of teacher well-being for other teacher outcomes. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Complexities of Negotiating Power When Re-Constructing Stories About Lone Mothers
Authors: Gustafson Diana L. , Swan Tracy , Gillingham Brenda , Parsons Janice E.
Published: May 2015

Building social inclusion was the primary theoretical and practice goal of a group of researcher/academics who partnered with lone mother research assistants in participatory action research. One outcome was the creation of a video recording that was based on a day in the life of a lone mother receiving income support. The work of creating and sharing the video recording became the lightning rod that focused the partners’ attention on the complexities of negotiating power in the well-intentioned but problematic struggle to reconstruct stories about lone mothers. The distinct voices of individual authors are honored in this shared story about our journey.
Disclosure of Spousal Violence
Authors: Al-Modallal Hanan
Published: May 2015

The objectives of this study were to identify reasons behind not disclosing spousal violence and examine relationships between these reasons and women’s demographic profile including the experience of spousal violence. Jordanian women ( N = 709) aged 16 to 66 years ( M = 32.6, SD = 8.7) attending health care centers were recruited. Results indicated that women’s intentions to maintain the family unit and use of patience with abuser represented the top two reasons for not disclosing violence. Non-significant relationships were, generally, identified between not disclosing spousal violence and women’s demographic profile. Women’s justification of spousal violence and witnessing parental violence were the proposed reasons for women’s lack of disclosure of violence. Implications for this study include health professionals’ use of evidence-based knowledge and skills to deal with victims of violence. Researchers’ roles include creating physical and emotional environment that urges disclosure of violence. Furthermore, they can contribute with health professionals in the implementation of health education programs directing victims and perpetrators in the places where they can be located. Proper collaboration between health professionals, researchers, and policy makers may significantly limit suffering of victims of violence.
Teacher Self-Efficacy, Professional Commitment, and High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation Policy in Louisiana
Authors: Ford Timothy G. , Van Sickle Mary Elizabeth , Clark Lynn V. , Fazio-Brunson Michelle , Schween Dorothy C.
Published: May 2015

Currently, a significant number of states are in the process of implementing a high-stakes teacher evaluation (HSTE) system. In many ways, Louisiana’s teacher evaluation system, Compass, is typical of the models that many states have adopted. This article reports the experiences of 37 elementary teachers from five districts across Louisiana after their first 2 years under this system. It is through the multiple lenses of teacher support, autonomy, self-efficacy, and satisfaction that we sought to understand how Compass has shaped teachers’ motivation for improvement as well as their continued commitment to the teaching profession. Analysis of longitudinal interview data reveals a widespread lack of support for change in the form of self-efficacy building experiences—particularly vicarious experiences—for teachers. As a result, many teachers experienced, by the second year, significant negative arousal events and profound losses of satisfaction and commitment to the profession—this despite most being rated as “highly effective.”
Bispectrum-based sEMG multi-domain joint feature extraction for upper limb motion classification
Authors: Chen Yanzhao , Zhou Yiqi , Cheng Xiangli , Fan Xiaohua , Zhang Yuwei
Published: May 2015

sEMG based motion pattern recognition is the focus in the rehabilitation medical engineering area. In order to get more information to characterize the sEMG signal of different upper limb motions, the signal data acquisition program is designed and the non-Gaussian characteristic of the sEMG signal is analyzed, the result shows that the sEMG signal collected is non-Gaussian signal. Bispectrum as a third-order statistics contains non-Gaussian information and the integral of bispectrum slice is extracted as feature. After that, the PCA method is adopted to reduce the bispectrum feature dimension. Then, the integral of bispectrum slice after PCA and the integral value of sEMG are combined as a multi-domain joint feature called BisIE. Finally, the experiment is executed to validate the effectiveness of the feature extraction method proposed by the SVM classifier compared with power spectrum-based multi-domain joint feature MMIE. The average classification accuracy of BisIE is about 97% and that of MMIE is about 93%. Besides, for the same subject, the classification accuracy of BisIE is higher than that of MMIE. The result shows that the proposed feature BisIE is effective in promoting sEMG-based upper limb motion recognition accuracy.
Characterizing the nonlinear behavior of a pseudoelastic oscillator via the wavelet transform
Authors: Piccirillo Vinicius , Balthazar José M , Tusset Angelo M , Bernardini Davide , Rega Giuseppe
Published: May 2015

The nonlinear dynamics of a shape memory oscillator (SMO) subjected to an ideal or nonideal excitation is studied. The restoring force of the oscillator is provided by a shape memory device (SMD), described by a thermomechanical model capable of reproducing the hysteretic behavior via the evolution of a suitable internal variable. Due to nonlinearities in the model, the SMO can exhibit periodic or non-periodic behaviors. The effects of the external sources on the response of SMO are studied through the scalogram analysis of continuous wavelet transform by using a new measure, called the Scale index (Benitez R, Bolos VJ and Ramirez ME. A wavelet-based tool for studying non-periodicity. Comput Math Appl 2010; 60: 634–641). Numerical results show that the Scale index can successfully detect the behavior of the system when the signal is periodic or nonperiodic, and distinguish between them in a way consistent with the indications provided by the alternative 0-1 test.
Mycobacterium avium complex-associated cholecystitis in AIDS patient: a case description and review of literature
Authors: El Chaer Firas , Harris Nadine , El Sahly Hana , Hemmige Vagish , Martinez Blanco Elvia , Woc-Colburn Laila
Published: May 2015

AIDS-related cholangiopathy was common in patients with AIDS prior to the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common opportunistic bacterial infection seen in AIDS patients and one of many opportunistic pathogens implicated in AIDS cholangiopathy. We describe a case of acute cholecystitis secondary to MAC in a patient with likely AIDS cholangiopathy. The patient, a 37-year-old Hispanic woman with CD4+ cell count of 10 cells/mm3 who was previously diagnosed with disseminated MAC, presented with a eight days of diffuse abdominal pain and anorexia. Radiologic imaging suggested acute cholecystitis, so the patient underwent open cholecystectomy. Pathology staining of the gall bladder wall revealed acid-fast bacilli consistent with MAC. The patient had been receiving appropriate therapy as an outpatient for MAC with presumed reliable adherence, but we suggest her burden of disease was high due to her severe immunosuppressive state. A thorough review of the literature showed that there are many infectious and non-infectious aetiologies for AIDS-associated cholangiopathy. Acute cholecystitis can develop in the setting of AIDS cholangiopathy, potentially secondary to the opportunistic infection that initially caused the cholangiopathy. MAC-related gallbladder disease needs to be considered in patients with advanced AIDS who present with evidence of acute cholecystitis.
Functional traits as a new approach for interpreting testate amoeba palaeo-records in peatlands and assessing the causes and consequences of past changes in species composition
Authors: Fournier Bertrand , Lara Enrique , Jassey Vincent EJ , Mitchell Edward AD
Published: May 2015

Subfossil remains of various groups of organisms preserved in peat and sediment archives are commonly used to infer past environmental changes using transfer functions based on species composition. However, the changes in community structure can also be explored using the functional trait approach. Investigation of functional traits in palaeoecological records can inform about the mechanisms through which abiotic variables such as temperature or moisture impact communities. Moreover, changes in functional traits provide information about changes in ecosystem functioning and can potentially lead to the reconstruction of past processes at the ecosystem scale. Here, we use five key functional traits of arcellinid testate amoebae (TAs), a group of protozoa that are key actors in the microbial foodwebs in peatlands. We apply this approach to the subfossil TA Holocene record of four geographically independent peatlands from Alaska, Switzerland, Poland and Russia. We found that species with larger shells were frequently eliminated from the communities most likely as a result of a switch towards drier conditions. However, when conditions were wetter, species with large shells and species with small shells could coexist because they differed in their trophic niche (i.e. preys). Our results show direct but site-specific links between TA trait data and the depth to water table and pH data inferred from TA species composition. This suggests that past environmental changes influenced both species composition and community function in these ecosystems. Overall, this study demonstrates that species- and trait-based approaches yield complementary information on past environmental changes. For instance, while taxonomic approaches reveal the changes in community composition over time, investigation of traits informs both on the causes and the consequences of these changes on ecosystem functioning.
‘Real people in real places’: Conceptualizing power for emancipatory security through Tahrir
Authors: Bilgic Ali
Published: May 2015

The objective of emancipatory security theory is to examine the insecurities of individuals and social groups that stem from oppressive power processes, relations, and structures. However, the image of power in emancipatory security studies does not correspond to such a normative and analytical motivation. This renders the theory susceptible to substantial criticism on the grounds of inadequate analysis of resisting individuals as agents of security in their own localities. To address this issue, the present article conceptualizes ‘emancipatory power’. In this exercise, Hannah Arendt’s understanding of power, enriched by Judith Butler’s concept of performativity and feminist insights, will be used as the theoretical foundation to tailor collective power based on trust in a ‘moment’ of emancipation. Collective power will be illustrated by references to the protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square in 2011.
Governing the Israeli–Palestinian peace process: The European Union Partnership for Peace
Authors: İşleyen Beste
Published: May 2015

This study applies a governmentality approach to analyse the European Union’s civil society promotion in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process through the EU’s Partnership for Peace instrument. Contrary to a widespread conviction in earlier academic research, it argues that the EU engagement with the Israeli–Palestinian conflict has political substance, and the Partnership for Peace provides a good illustration of this. The governmentality perspective highlights the power of the technical in guiding civil society towards particular visions, activities and goals. It brings to light a set of supposedly neutral definitions and technical instruments related to project applications and project selection that sort out, promote and link together civil society action in a way that manages and reinforces the existing dynamics of the peace process. The technical brings with it a particular idea of civil society, which is encouraged to assume functions that focus on the management of the outcomes of the conflict rather than striving for a transformative vision of peace based on political deliberation and fundamental change. The use of the governmentality approach not only aims to provide a better understanding of the nature of the Partnership for Peace programme, but also contributes to debates over the theoretical merits of governmentality by applying the approach to peace and conflict research.
Validation of the Immunization Data Reported under Health Management Information System by the Primary Health Centres of Rural Vadodara
Authors: Patel S.V. , Bakshi H.N. , Mazumdar V.S. , Kotecha P.V.
Published: May 2015

To study the immunization data reported by the primary health centre/sub-centre (PHC/SC) and validate them at the village level, and to also assess the quality of care during immunization.

A sample of 20 PHCs, 13 rural and 7 tribal, was selected using a stratified random sampling. For every PHC, two SCs and for every SC, one village were selected. Data on immunization were collected from the PHC/SC records and were validated by interviewing five beneficiaries from the village. The process evaluation of immunization session was done wherever possible to assess the quality of care. The district availability of vaccines was 77.0 per cent while the overall accessibility was 90 per cent. Following validation, the gap between reported and validated data was 15 per cent and 25 per cent of reported utilization and coverage, respectively. Process evaluation revealed that the process was followed correctly at 62 per cent as per the assessment score. Only a part of the gap could be accounted for by the reasons justified by the service providers. However, a substantial part of the gap may be chiefly due to over-reporting mainly to meet the dictated targets. Process evaluation revealed lacunae in safe injection practices.
Are Young Mothers in India Deprived of Maternal Health Care Services? A Comparative Study of Urban and Rural Areas
Authors: Kavitha N.
Published: May 2015

This article attempts to study the effect of age of women at birth on the use of maternal health care services separately for urban and rural areas using data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3, 2005–2006, India. The indicators of use of maternal health care services used in this study are use of antenatal care services recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) (includes three or more antenatal check-ups during the first trimester, two or more tetanus toxoid (TT) injections and taking 100 iron and folic acid tablets during pregnancy), place of delivery, assistance at delivery and use of postnatal care services. At first, the percentage of births that utilized various maternal health care services are discussed separately for urban and rural areas, followed by difference in utilization of maternal health care services between adolescent and adult mothers. Finally, logistic and multinomial regressions are used to examine the influence of age of women at birth on the use of maternal health care services for controlling for other factors. Multivariate results revealed that women who gave birth during adolescence are less likely to use antenatal, natal and postnatal care services in both urban and rural areas. Therefore, efforts should be made to educate parents and other family members on the consequences of early marriage and early pregnancy and also the importance of delaying marriage.
How Can We Identify the Elimination of Infectious Diseases? Experience From an Active Measles Laboratory Surveillance System in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Yang Tae Un , Kang Hae Ji , Eom Hye Eun , Park Young-Joon , Park Ok , Kim Su Jin , Nam Jeong-Gu , Kim Sung Soon , Jeong Eun Kyeong
Published: May 2015

Global efforts have markedly decreased the disease burden of vaccine-preventable diseases. Many countries have made considerable progress toward the elimination of measles. As elimination is approached, the very low incidence achieved by high vaccination coverage has underscored the need for a sensitive and timely surveillance system. In the Republic of Korea, an active laboratory surveillance system (ALSS) was implemented to supplement the existing passive surveillance system in 2006. The ALSS connects 5 major commercial laboratories and the national measles reference laboratory, where referred samples with positive or equivocal results are retested. Annually, from 2009 to 2013, 3714 suspected cases were detected through the ALSS, an expansion of 8- to 57-fold, compared with only the passive surveillance system. The ALSS, with its sensitivity and timeliness, is a reasonable strategy to supplement the existing measles surveillance system and to help identify the elimination of measles.
Cross-cultural comparisons of religion as “character”: Football and soccer in the United States and Germany
Authors: Butterworth Michael , Senkbeil Karsten
Published: May 2015

This study compares sports media coverage of American football (“football”) in the United States and association football (“soccer”) in Germany, with a specific focus on the portrayal of Christian athletes. Specifically, we contend that media coverage of Christian football players in the United States presupposes that religiosity necessarily equates with good character. Thus, American athletes are encouraged to make public declarations of faith and are accordingly viewed as better leaders on the field and better citizens off it. Meanwhile, media coverage of soccer players in Germany presupposes that religiosity is incidental to good character. Thus, German athletes are encouraged to keep their faith to themselves; for those who do make public declarations of faith, media coverage is skeptical, tending to view athletic success to be in spite of, rather than because of, Christian identification. This cross-cultural examination, then, has implications for public expressions of faith in sport, as well as media coverage of sport and religion.
Accumulating too much stuff: what is hoarding and what is not?
Authors: Snowdon John
Published: May 2015

Objective:

This paper considers the meaning of the terms hoarding, collecting and accumulation, with a focus on what is abnormal and what is not.

Conclusions:

Hoarding is an adaptive behaviour. When hoarding is excessive and interferes with people’s lives, it is a disorder. A central feature of hoarding disorder is accumulation of items due to unwillingness to discard them. This must be distinguished from abnormal accumulation of material caused by poor motivation or unawareness concerning the need to discard.
Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate encephalitis – a case study of symptomatic progression
Authors: Bowes Emma , Levy Florence , Lawson John , Mandalis Anna , Mohan Adith , Shannon Weickert Cynthia
Published: May 2015

Objective:

To present the diagnosis course and sequelae of a case of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis, drawing attention to early psychiatric symptoms.

Method:

The literature on anti-NMDA encephalitis is reviewed and possible psychopathological mechanisms discussed.

Result:

New onset psychoses, presenting with the combination of hallucinations, dyskinesias and seizures and progressing to catatonia should be referred to neurology for consideration of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.

Conclusion:

Early diagnosis is important for a favourable prognosis.
Memory characteristics studies for large deflections in amorphous polymers: Experiments and numerical simulation
Authors: Sujithra R , Srinivasan MS , Arockiarajan A
Published: May 2015

In this work, the shape memory behaviour for large deflections in a ring-shaped epoxy-based shape memory polymer specimen is studied. A thermo-mechanical test setup was built to study the memory characteristics of ring shaped specimens with three different ratios of epoxy resin and hardener. Thermo-mechanical characterizations were also carried out to understand the material behaviour during shape fixing and recovery phases and also to obtain the material parameters for numerical simulations. Numerical simulations are carried out using a model proposed earlier by the authors based on the theory of multiple natural configurations and implemented using the VUMAT feature of ABAQUS commercial software. The simulation results for free shape recovery and constraint load recovery for large deflections confirm that the model performs well especially in relation to the memory dependent characteristics.
Impact of Family Functioning on Classroom Problem Behavior of Children With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Special Education
Authors: Stoutjesdijk Regina , Scholte Evert M. , Swaab Hanna
Published: May 2015

This study examined the relation between family functioning and classroom problem behavior of children with emotional and behavioral disorders receiving special educational support. To this end, the Teachers’ Report Form and the Family Questionnaire were completed for 84 children ( M age of 9.8 years) 2 times with a time lag of 11 months. Cross-lagged path analyses showed that internalizing and externalizing problem behavior in the classroom were stable over time, just as poor family functioning. Continuity of (a) poor communication, (b) discordant partner relationship, and (c) lack of social support were strongly associated with future total problem behavior in the classroom. Furthermore, parental responsiveness to a child’s needs was associated with lower future total problem behavior. A direct association was also found between externalizing behavior in the classroom and future poor family functioning. Implications of these findings for future research and practice are discussed.
Analysis of fractional models physical consistency
Authors: Sabatier Jocelyn , Farges Christophe
Published: May 2015

Recently, for fractional order model, a distinction has emerged between real state and pseudo state. Pseudo state is a vector of finite dimension but does not have the property of a state (it does not allow to determine future behavior of the system for instance). The real state is of infinite dimension as it is distributed, but is distributed on an infinite domain. A fractional model can thus be viewed as a doubly infinite model (distributed model on an infinite domain). It is shown in the paper, that this last feature induces the real state ability to store an infinite amount of energy using an electrical interpretation of fractional models. Thus, fractional models do not reflect the reality of macroscopic physical systems in terms of energy storage ability. As a consequence, even if fractional models permit to capture accurately the input-output dynamical behavior of many physical systems, such a property highlights a physical inconsistence of fractional models. They do not reflect the internal behavior of the modelled system. This analysis is made for explicit and implicit differentiation based fractional order models.
The politics of becoming different: Rethinking evolution through population genetics
Authors: Oikkonen Venla
Published: May 2015

Recent ‘new materialist’ readings of evolution by such feminists as Elizabeth Grosz, Claire Colebrook, Luciana Parisi, Susan Oyama and Myra Hird have provided important insights on the openness of evolutionary processes and the emergence of difference by focusing on evolution as a temporal dynamic. Building on Darwin's observations on geographical variation, this article highlights the importance of viewing evolution as not only temporal but also spatial. For this purpose, the article turns to population genetics and its practice of mapping the early human diaspora. The article identifies a spatiotemporal dynamic of evolutionary emergence that posits gender, sexuality and race as ontologically mutually constitutive, as well as shows that such ontology is inseparable from the techniques and technologies that study it. The article argues that this mutual embeddedness of ontology and epistemology provides a site where both the limits and potential of evolutionary emergence may be examined and negotiated.
Rules of the road: doing fieldwork and negotiating interactions with hesitant public figures
Authors: Anthony Amanda Koontz , Danaher William F
Published: May 2015

In this article, we address negotiating interactions with hesitant participants who are public figures, yet do not traditionally fit within the category of the advantaged. We target new field researchers and rusty veterans by offering an applied approach to: (1) preparing for the field; (2) managing interactions with hesitant participants via finding common ground while drawing lines, connecting with key informants, and expanding on public information; and (3) working through failed interviews. We discuss the importance of power relationships, positionality, and ethical standards, particularly in relation to negotiating similarities and differences between researchers and participants.
A certain sense of fairness? Why fines were made affordable
Authors: Faraldo Cabana Patricia
Published: May 2015

One of the most influential considerations in the courts’ attitude towards penal fines is their affordability for low-income offenders. European literature devoted much energy to addressing the use of imprisonment as a substitute penalty in default of payment and the subsequent overcrowding of prisons with poor people who could not paid their fines. These two problems became central focuses in the European criminal systems during the 19th century. This paper aims to investigate more closely the reasons why these phenomena became such a focal issue and the measures taken to manage them. It does so by reviewing historical material from a variety of West European countries.
From Experiential Learning to Aesthetic Knowing
Authors: Sutherland Ian , Jelinek Jasna
Published: May 2015

The Problem

Following executive students in a series of choral conducting workshops, this article explores the growing practice of arts-based leadership development. Based in experiential learning, arts-based learning claims to have great potential in connecting intellect and emotions, to meaningfully challenge norms and assumptions, and to value the relational and subjective aspects of human experience. However, to date, there is a lack of empirical, participant-focused work exploring the “what” and “how” of arts-based leadership development as well as its impact on professional practice.

The Solution

Through observational and interview data gathered at a European business school, this research takes a grounded, participant-centered approach to exploring the experiences of participants in three choral conducting masterclasses. The findings support the effectiveness of arts-based methods for leadership development; potent learning emerges. Moreover, nuance is added to understandings of how and what learning takes place, describing a process of learning as sensemaking to aesthetic knowing. The development outcomes centered on relational dynamics of leadership and the aesthetics of power and responsibility, with longer-term data showing positive impact on the professional practice of participants.

The Stakeholders

This article speaks to HRD researchers, professionals, and development practitioners. Of interest for all three groups, the study overviews the growing trend of arts-based methods in leadership development while providing insights into how learning gets done,what is learned, and sheds light on longer-term impacts of this form of experiential learning.
Outcomes Following Limb Crossing in Endovascular Aneurysm Repairs
Authors: Dattani Nikesh , Wild John , Sidloff David , Fishwick Guy , Bown Matthew , Choke Edward , Sayers Robert
Published: May 2015

Background:

Crossing the limbs of the stent during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is often used to aid cannulation of the contralateral limb. This study assessed outcomes following the use of this technique.

Methods:

Retrospective review of crossed (n = 43) and uncrossed (n = 269) EVARs was performed at a tertiary vascular center over 5 years. Primary end points were graft limb occlusion (GLO), endoleak, and sac expansion rates. Indications for limb crossing were also assessed.

Results:

Two-year GLO ( P = .34) and type 1 endoleak ( P = .413) rates were similar between groups. Patients undergoing crossed EVAR experienced more type 2 endoleaks ( P = .002) at 24 months but no increase in sac expansion rates was observed ( P = .275). Thirty-day ( P = .57) and late ( P = .268) mortalities were similar between groups. The main indication for limb crossing was distal aortic angulation (48.8%).

Conclusions:

Crossed EVAR does not increase the risk of GLOs or clinically significant endoleaks. Further studies are needed to determine the effect on type 2 endoleak rates.
Thermal behavior of kiln cars while traveling through a tunnel kiln
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang Junfeng , Redemann Tino , Specht Eckehard
Published: May 2015

The kiln car is widely used as a kind of transport equipment in the current ceramic industry, and it is heated to the firing temperature and cooled down to the ambient temperature with products in the tunnel kiln. And the burning of the ceramics requires a lot of energy, and the efficiency is relatively low within 30% or even less. In addition, the mass ratio between car and ware can be more than 50%. So the energy loss of car also occupies a great part in total energy consumption. In this work, a mathematical model will be created to describe the temperature distribution inside the kiln car while it travels through the tunnel kiln. All the used parameters are from real ceramic industry. The operative process is assumed as a countercurrent heat exchanger. Both the convection and radiation are considered as boundary condition in the model. Furthermore, the thermal results of car and the specific energy consumption of car in the standard case will be demonstrated. Finally, the influences of different thermal physical parameters on the energy consumption of car will be investigated, and the possible optimization measures of car are proposed through comparing the different specific energy losses.
Overcoming the objectivity of the senses: Enhancing journalism practice through Eastern philosophies
Authors: Martinisi Alessandro , Lugo-Ocando Jairo
Published: May 2015

This article attempts to broaden the theoretical boundaries of journalism studies by re-examining journalism practices in the context of divisions between Western and Eastern philosophies. It looks at journalistic techniques of truth-seeking with particular emphasis on i) the ability to pick up a ‘scoop’, that is an original story; ii) interviewing as an art of inquiry, and iii) the use of statistics in supporting evidence. By so doing, the authors want not only to problematise the debates between epistemology and ontology within the boundaries of journalism studies, but also see how Eastern philosophies can help to allocate this debate in a more globalised context that can overcome the limitations set by the Enlightenment as a political project.
Crime and Regret
Authors: Warr Mark
Published: May 2015

Recent developments in neuroscience and social science are illuminating the critical importance of regret in human choices, including criminal decision making. After differentiating regret from related emotions (e.g., disappointment, sadness, shame), I argue that regret can prompt desistance from crime and that regret avoidance is a powerful mechanism of conformity. I then turn to American and European penal history to demonstrate that the invention of the prison was premised on the notion that solitary confinement could inculcate regret in prisoners and thereby change them profoundly. The place of regret in both historical and emerging thinking about human choice underscores its importance for understanding the connections between emotions and criminality.
News attention to voter fraud in the 2008 and 2012 US elections
Authors: Fogarty Brian J , Curtis Jessica , Gouzien Patricia Frances , Kimball David C , Vorst Eric C
Published: May 2015

The nature and frequency of voter fraud figure prominently in many ongoing policy debates about election laws in the United States. Policy makers frequently cite allegations of voter fraud reported in the press during these debates. While recent studies find that voter fraud is a rare event, a substantial segment of the public believes that voter fraud is a rampant problem in the United States. It stands to reason that public beliefs are shaped by news coverage of voter fraud. However, there is very little extant academic research on how the news media, at any level, covers allegations or documented cases of voter fraud. This paper examines local newspaper attention to voter fraud in each of the 50 states during the 2008 and 2012 US elections. The results show that local coverage of voter fraud during the 2012 elections was greatest in presidential swing states and states that passed restrictive voting laws prior to the 2012 election. No evidence that newspaper attention is related to the rate of actual voter fraud cases in each state was found. The findings are consistent with other studies indicating that parties and campaigns sought to place voter fraud on the political agenda in strategically important states to motivate their voting base ahead of the election.
Effect of Ambient Temperature Variations on Positivity of Manual Fecal Immunochemical Tests
Authors: Daly Jeanette M. , Bay Camden P. , Xu Yinghui , Levy Barcey T.
Published: May 2015

Introduction: In the United States, many fecal occult blood tests are mailed by patients to a laboratory for analysis. Hemoglobin is not stable in feces and can be affected by the heat. Effects of season and ambient temperature on fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) have demonstrated a decrease in positivity rates during the hottest season. Objective: To investigate the potential effect of the average of 4-day ambient maximum temperature variations on the positivity of a single sample, one-time Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)–waived FIT. Setting: Midwestern tertiary care hospital. Methods: Individuals scheduled for a colonoscopy were invited to complete a qualitative FIT prior to their colonoscopy in 2010 and 2011. FITs were read as positive or negative. Results: Valid FITs were received from 1026 individuals over 25 months. The positivity rate was 10.9%. The mean 4-day average of daily maximum ambient temperatures was calculated including the day of receipt for each sample. Fahrenheit temperatures ranged from 16.0 to 96.8. Based on the odds ratio of 1.04 with a confidence interval of 0.94 to 1.14 for a 10°F increase in temperature, there was no statistically significant evidence of an effect of the preceding maximum average 4-day ambient temperature on FIT positivity. Conclusion: No evidence was found that ambient temperature had an effect on positivity rate over a 25-month period using 4 different qualitative FIT products. Further analysis on effect of ambient temperatures is warranted for the automated FITs and CLIA-waived FITs, including liquid-vial and dry-slide FITs. Primary care providers need to be aware of potential adverse effects of FITs.
A Critical Reappraisal of Eustathios Makrembolites’ Hysmine and Hysminias
Authors: Alexiou Margaret
Published: May 2015

Historians of literature have not been kind to the Byzantine learned romance, least of all to Eustathios Makrembolites’ Hysmine and Hysminias, written in the second half of the twelfth century. As early as 1670, P. D. Huet wrote: ‘… rien n’est plus froid, rien n’est plus plat, rien n’est plus ennuyeux: nulle bienseance, nulle vray-semblance, nulle conduite; c’est le travail d’un escolier, ou de quelque chetif sophiste, qui meritoit d’estre escolier toute sa vie’. Krumbacher calls it ‘ein in nervösen Windungen aufgeführter stilistischer Eiertanz’; and Rohde considers its only originality to be that it is ‘die echt byzantinische Verquickung von süsslicher Ziererei mit wahrhaft ungeschlachter Rohheit des Wesens, welche sie überall merken lassen’. As recently as 1967, B. Perry curtly dismisses all four Byzantine learned romances in one paragraph as ‘slavish imitations of Achilles Tatius and Heliodorus …written in the twelfth century by miserable pedants’
HeterozygousRTEL1mutations are associated with familial pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Kannengiesser Caroline , Borie Raphael , Ménard Christelle , Réocreux Marion , Nitschké Patrick , Gazal Steven , Mal Hervé , Taillé Camille , Cadranel Jacques , Nunes Hilario , Valeyre Dominique , Cordier Jean François , Callebaut Isabelle , Boileau Catherine , Cottin Vincent , Grandchamp Bernard , Revy Patrick , Crestani Bruno
Published: May 2015

Pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal disease with progressive loss of respiratory function. Defective telomere maintenance leading to telomere shortening is a cause of pulmonary fibrosis, as mutations in the telomerase component genesTERT(reverse transcriptase) andTERC(RNA component) are found in 15% of familial pulmonary fibrosis (FPF) cases. However, so far, about 85% of FPF remain genetically uncharacterised.

Here, in order to identify new genetic causes of FPF, we performed whole-exome sequencing, with a candidate-gene approach, of 47 affected subjects from 35 families with FPF withoutTERTandTERCmutations.

We identified heterozygous mutations in regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1 (RTEL1) in four families. RTEL1 is a DNA helicase with roles in DNA replication, genome stability, DNA repair and telomere maintenance. The heterozygousRTEL1mutations segregated as an autosomal dominant trait in FPF, and were predicted by structural analyses to severely affect the function and/or stability of RTEL1. In agreement with this,RTEL1-mutated patients exhibited short telomeres in comparison with age-matched controls.

Our results provide evidence that heterozygousRTEL1mutations are responsible for FPF and, thereby, extend the clinical spectrum of RTEL1 deficiency. Thus,RTEL1enlarges the number of telomere-associated genes implicated in FPF.
Short-chain fatty acids affect cystic fibrosis airway inflammation and bacterial growth
Authors: Ghorbani Peyman , Santhakumar Prisila , Hu Qingda , Djiadeu Pascal , Wolever Thomas M.S. , Palaniyar Nades , Grasemann Hartmut
Published: May 2015

The hypoxic environment of cystic fibrosis airways allows the persistence of facultative anaerobic bacteria, which can produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) through fermentation. However, the relevance of SCFAs in cystic fibrosis lung disease is unknown. We show that SCFAs are present in sputum samples from cystic fibrosis patients in millimolar concentrations (mean±sem1.99±0.36 mM).

SCFAs positively correlated with sputum neutrophil count and higher SCFAs were predictive for impaired nitric oxide production. We studied the effects of the SCFAs acetate, propionate and butyrate on airway inflammatory responses using epithelial cell lines and primary cell cultures. SCFAs in concentrations present in cystic fibrosis airways (0.5–2.5 mM) affected the release of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and interleukin (IL)-6. SCFAs also resulted in higher IL-8 release from stimulated cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) F508del-mutant compared to wild-type CFTR-corrected bronchial epithelial cells. At 25 mM propionate reduced IL-8 release in control but not primary cystic fibrosis epithelial cells. Low (0.5–2.5 mM) SCFA concentrations increased, while high (25–50 mM) concentrations decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. In addition, SCFAs affected the growth ofPseudomonas aeruginosain a concentration- and pH-dependent manner.

Thus, our data suggest that SCFAs contribute to cystic fibrosis-specific alterations of responses to airway infection and inflammation.
Combining bosentan and sildenafil in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients failing monotherapy: real-world insights
Authors: Dardi Fabio , Manes Alessandra , Palazzini Massimiliano , Bachetti Cristina , Mazzanti Gaia , Rinaldi Andrea , Albini Alessandra , Gotti Enrico , Monti Enrico , Bacchi Reggiani Maria Letizia , Galiè Nazzareno
Published: May 2015

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a severe disease with a complex pathogenesis, for which combination therapy is an attractive option.

This study aimed to assess the impact of sequential combination therapy on both short-term responses and long-term outcomes in a real-world setting.

Patients with idiopathic/heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension, or pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease or connective tissue disease and who were not meeting treatment goals on either first-line bosentan or sildenafil monotherapy, were given additional sildenafil or bosentan and assessed after 3–4 months. Double combination therapy significantly improved clinical and haemodynamic parameters, independent of aetiology or the order of drug administration. Significant improvements in functional class were observed in patients with idiopathic/heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension. The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival estimates were 91%, 69% and 59%, respectively. Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with connective tissue disease had significantly poorer survival rates compared to other aetiologies (p<0.003).

The favourable short-term haemodynamic results and good survival rates, observed in patients receiving both bosentan and sildenafil, supports the use of sequential combination therapy in patients failing on monotherapy in a real-world setting.