bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical theory and the work–family articulation
Authors: Ba’ Stefano
Published: February 2017

We are living in an era characterised by the repercussions of recession and austerity, and the fields of work and family are directly affected by historical changes, making the need for reformulating concepts used in the sociology of work and family quite apparent. In order to do so, this article proposes an approach inspired by Open Marxism and critical theory that will assess the contribution of specialised literature in the work–family articulation to advance original analyses and investigate relevant issues around social reproduction under capitalism. The tension between capitalism and contemporary forms of family will be framed through the concept of the dual nature of labour and family life, insofar as they entail both sensuous and abstract forms of human involvement – most notably abstract labour. Issues around the emotional patterns of family life and the mediation that families operate between ‘home’ and ‘work’ spheres will take centre stage. One of the main points is that the development of labour as abstract labour under capitalism marginalises family forms in terms of the mediation between the private and the public spheres, because it relies on a more direct social integration (or ‘synthesis’) of its subjects. However, members of families, as active subjects, create social forms and resist disruptions caused by socio-economic changes. In that sense, ‘subjectivity’ is thought to be a key concept to avoid thinking work and family as reified structures.
On the peculiarity of class reproduction in the society of exchange and the popular subject of rising inequality in the United States
Authors: Ivanova Maria N
Published: February 2017

Capitalism as a mode of production and a form of social organization differs from all hitherto existing society in that it does not rely on the preservation of traditional hierarchies or on direct coercion to secure its reproduction. Capitalist society coheres on the basis of exchange which establishes a network of interdependent relations between individuals. Drawing on the work of Alfred Sohn-Rethel, this article engages with the apparent paradox of how the reproduction of class society takes the form of spontaneous exchange transactions between autonomous individuals. The article explores the argument that the conceptual basis of cognition is historically and socially conditioned, and highlights the unique identity between the structure of exchange and the conceptual mode of thinking. Finally, the article demonstrates how the hidden character of social domination and ‘the secret identity’ of commodity form and thought form serve to systematically obscure the true origins and nature of fundamental social problems. The case in point is the popular topic of rising inequality in the United States, a direct outcome of the reproduction of class relations, the underlying cause of which – the deepening division of intellectual and manual labor – is either conveniently ignored or, worse still, glorified.
High reliability in healthcare: creating the culture and mindset for patient safety
Authors: Cochrane Bonnie S. , Hagins Mitch , Picciano Gino , King John A. , Marshall David A. , Nelson Brian , Deao Craig
Published: February 2017

Occurrences of patient harm in healthcare represent a significant burden, with serious implications for patients and families and for the capacity of health systems to manage patient access, flow, and wait times. Interest in the science of high reliability, developed originally in industries such as commercial airlines that have demonstrated exceptional safety records, is an emerging trend in healthcare with the potential to help organizations and systems achieve the ultimate goal of zero patient harm. This article argues that zero patient harm is a fundamental imperative, and that high-reliability science can help to accelerate and sustain progress toward this vital goal. Although the practices used in other industries are not readily transferable to healthcare, and no single proven model for High Reliability Organizations in healthcare is yet available, leading organizations are beginning to demonstrate effective healthcare-specific strategies. Experience from Studer Group’s international network of partner organizations is used to illustrate and understand these early efforts. Studer Group’s Evidence-Based LeadershipSM framework is applied in diverse healthcare settings to provide a foundation of culture transformation and change management to support high reliability. It offers an approach and resources for moving forward toward the goal of zero patient harm, with concurrent benefits related to the efficient use of our valuable healthcare resources.
Trade union involvement in work–family life balance: lessons from France
Authors: Brochard Delphine , Letablier Marie-Thérèse
Published: February 2017

This article explores the challenges faced by union involvement in work–family life balance. It draws on the French case, where the state’s explicit call for firms to address the work–family life balance issue, notably through mandatory collective bargaining, has provided opportunities for union mobilization. Findings from qualitative research conducted at branch and company levels show that this public strategy has failed to stimulate innovation in related union policy and practices, even within a relatively feminized and partnership-oriented confederation. The reasons for this failure are discussed using a theoretical framework combining opportunity structure, and voice and choice issues. The article concludes that union underinvestment in work–family life balance results from a lack of effectiveness of the opportunity structure, but also, more specifically, from voice and choice factors which lead union representatives to downplay the issues at stake in this new bargaining agenda.
Numerical investigation of tip clearance size effect on the performance and tip leakage flow in a dual-stage counter-rotating axial compressor
Authors: Mao Xiaochen , Liu Bo
Published: February 2017

Based on a validation of the numerical methods with an experiment, numerical simulations are carried out to study the effect of tip clearance size on the performance and tip leakage flow in a dual-stage counter-rotating axial compressor. The predicted results showed that the variation of the tip clearance size in rotor2 has a more significant impact on the overall performance and stall margin of the compressor. In addition, the impact of the tip clearance size effect is mainly on the rotor with the tip clearance size variation. The variation of the tip clearance size in rotor2 almost has no influence on the performance of rotor1, while the performance of rotor2 is increased about 1.37% at near-stall point when the tip clearance size of rotor1 is increased to 1.0 mm from 0.5 mm. At peak efficiency condition, the tip clearance size variation in rotor1 has remarkable influence on the tip leakage vortex intensity, onset point and trajectory in rotor1, but has little influence on those in rotor2. However, the tip clearance size variation in rotor2 has remarkable effect on those in both rotors. Different tip clearance size combination schemes can impact the stall-free characteristic in the counter-rotating axial compressor.
Mortality among people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment in Bali, Indonesia: incidence and predictors
Authors: Utami Sri , Sawitri Anak Agung Sagung , Wulandari Luh Putu Lila , Artawan Eka Putra I wayan Gede , Astuti Putu Ayu Swandewi , Wirawan Dewa Nyoman , Causer Louise , Mathers Bradley
Published: February 2017

Indonesia has the third highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) and the greatest increase in proportion of AIDS-related mortality in the Asia Pacific region between 2005 and 2013. Longitudinal mortality data among PLWH in Indonesia are limited. We conducted a retrospective cohort study from medical records of antiretroviral treatment (ART) recipients attending Badung General Hospital (BGH) and Bali Medica Clinic (BMC) between 2006 and 2014. We explored incidence of mortality by Kaplan–Meier analysis and identified predictors using a Cox proportional hazard model. In total, 575 patients were included in the analysis; the majority were male. The overall mortality rate was 10% per year. Multivariate analysis suggested that being male (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 2.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34–5.59), having a lower education (aHR: 2.17; 95%CI: 1.31–3.61), having heterosexual (aHR: 7.40; 95% CI: 2.61–21.00) or injecting drug use (aHR: 13.20; 95% CI: 3.17–55.00) as the likely transmission risk category, starting treatment with low CD4 cell counts (aHR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.16–8.69), and not having a treatment supervisor (aHR: 4.02; 95% CI: 2.44–6.65) were independent predictors of mortality. The mortality was high, particularly in the first three months after initiating ART. These findings highlight the need to encourage HIV testing and early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Applying aspects of BMCs targeted HIV services model in more generalised services such as BGH may be beneficial. Providing adherence support as part of ART services is key to promoting adherence to ART.
Amoebic gill disease outbreak in marine fish cultured in Korea
Authors: Kim Wi-Sik , Kong Kyoung-Hui , Kim Jong-Oh , Jung Sung-Ju , Kim Jeong-Ho , Oh Myung-Joo
Published: February 2017

In 2015, 6.7–60% mortality was observed in black seabream ( Acanthopagrus schlegelii), rock bream ( Oplegnathus fasciatus), and gray mullet ( Mugil cephalus) farmed in the southern coast of Korea. On examination, numerous amoebae were found on the gills of these 3 fish species with detection rate of 100%. Some rock bream and gray mullet were coinfected with bacteria ( Pseudomonas anguilliseptica, Vibrio tapetis, or Vibrio anguillarum). Histologic examination revealed extensive hyperplastic epithelium and lamellar fusion in the gills. Numerous amoebae were seen between gill filaments. The amoebae collected from the 3 fish species had specific 630 bp of a partial 18S rRNA gene fragment for Neoparamoeba perurans. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial 18S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences revealed that these Korean amoeba isolates belonged to the N. perurans group. Based on our results, black seabream, rock bream, and gray mullet were added as new hosts for N. perurans.
Put Truth Back Into Budgeting: Take the Transportation Trust Funds Off Budget
Authors: Shuster Bud
Published: February 2017

In 1968, President Johnson placed the Highway Trust Fund within a general unified budget. Today four trust funds—Highway, Aviation, Inland Waterways, and Harbor Maintenance—are shown as part of the General Fund, and today their combined balances have risen to nearly $31 billion. Why are these funds used for offsetting deficit spending instead of improving infrastructure as promised? Congressman Bud Sinister introduced H.R. 842—the Truth in Budgeting Act—in February 1995 with a simple purpose. It would take all four trust funds out of the General Fund budget. With over 200 cosponsors, H.R. 842 was passed by the house 284–143. Yet some members of Congress oppose this effort because they believe off-budget trust funds will eliminate their oversight off these programs. Quite the contrary, Congress and the executive branch would retain all their controls on trust fund expenditures. Another controversy concerns whether off budget funds will lessen the control of overall spending. Yet, if Congress is to be accountable to the contributors of these funds, they will expend the funds for the intended infrastructure needs, restoring the public's faith in their government and ensuring the integrity of these self financed programs.
Reflections on the Life and Legacy of Donald C. Stone
Authors: Rosen Howard , Weizer Winifred J.
Published: February 2017

Donald C. Stone, the founder of the American Public Works Association, died in 1995 at the age of 92. Professor Stone's life was a deliberate mix of public administration theory and public service practice. He is best known for his contributions to the implementation of the Marshall Plan, the organization of the executive office of the President of the United States, and the establishment of action-oriented professional associations serving a global society. This article is a reflection on the life and times of Donald Stone. It is also a call for historians to critically assess the impact of Stone and his colleagues on public works and public administration history, theory, and practice.
Local Infrastructure: Intergovernmental Grants and Urban Needs
Authors: Pagano Michael A.
Published: February 2017

In the 20 years since “obsolete” infrastructure was discovered as a public policy problem by the academic and policy communities (see Peterson, 1978), federal and state infrastructure programs have been proposed, debated, and, in many cases, implemented—but frequently they have not. Yet, as much as policy makers would like to learn from these programs or be informed by theories about grant designs, the literature and evaluations on these infrastructure programs do not speak with one voice; conflicting conclusions and policy recommendations abound. The purpose of this article is to sketch out some elements of an infrastructure grants research agenda that are in need of clarification, specification, and rethinking. In particular, this article examines reasons for infrastructure's relative invisibility in municipal budgeting, the design and intended effects of infrastructure grants policy by federal and state governments, and future issues surrounding infrastructure.
The Viability of Incineration as a Disposal Option: The Evolution of a Niche Technology, 1885–1995
Authors: Melosi Martin V.
Published: February 2017

Incineration has too often been perceived as a potential disposal panacea rather than one of several disposal options that meet varying criteria. Rather than trying to explain its advantages and disadvantages vis-à-vis other methods, we should first attempt to determine under what circumstances incineration best serves what disposal needs. The historical trend lines from 1885—when incinerators first appeared—to the present suggest that, in practice, incineration has been most notably a niche technology. To measure its success or failure in terms of aggregate numbers in the total pool of disposal options is to insufficiently understand its function over time, as part of a more complex system of solid waste disposal affected by several variables, including economic, environmental, and regulatory externalities.
Privatization, Participation, and the Planning Process: A Case Study of Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure
Authors: Montgomery William , Nunn Samuel
Published: February 2017

Two broad models of planning inform public administrators and planners. One is a public management model in which involvement in decision making is on a “need-to-know ” basis, and public participation and input are viewed as forces to be overcome. It echoes the private sector practice of flexible specialization in that it relies on quick decision making and noninclusive planning to reduce intraorganizational conflict. The other is a participatory planning model that invites many stakeholders to discuss and debate aspects of pending decisions. Emphasis is frequently placed on stakeholder concerns and equity issues. Current efforts to restructure local government service delivery through privatization and contracting-out potentially privilege the public management model over the participatory model. The City of Indianapolis recently contracted its wastewater treatment operations and management to a private consortium using the public management model. This article links several recent and unintended outcomes in the Indianapolis case to the planning model used.
Patterns and Policy Choices in Infrastructure History: The United States, France, and Great Britain
Authors: Jacobson Charles D. , Tarr Joel A.
Published: February 2017

The United States, England, and France have used a variety of forms to deliver urban services and infrastructures over time. Historically, government has been the dominant factor in the delivery of infrastructures for which no user fee is charged, whereas a variety of forms have been followed when there are user fees. This article examines changing forms of service delivery systems in the areas of water supply, mass transportation, and electrical supply in the three nations. Alterations in the form of delivery have been shaped by institutional and cultural factors and unique national styles. All three nations have moved in the direction of privatization of service delivery, but their experience shows that although privatization can reduce government's role in areas where it is poorly suited, proper oversight and maintenance of competition are vital functions.
An Overview of Private-Sector Financing of Urban Infrastructure Services: A Developing Countries Perspective
Authors: Dowall David E.
Published: February 2017

Although most private-sector financing activity takes place in developed countries, attention is quickly shifting to less developed countries, where enormous infrastructure deficiencies, rapid urbanization, and limited public-sector resources are forcing governments to consider alternatives to the traditional public provision of infrastructure services. This article provides an overview of the principal methods used by central and local governments to foster the private provision and financing of urban infrastructure services. The techniques include land privatization; development exactions; special assessment and benefit assessment districts; certificates of participation; private contracting of services; leases and concessions; build, operate, and transfer (BOT) projects; public-private partnerships; the privatization of services; commercial bank financing; infrastructure funds; and private bond financing. Each section describes the technique, provides examples of where it is used, and discusses key implementation issues.
So is There an Infrastructure Crisis or What?
Authors: Everett Carol T.
Published: February 2017

Even though the issue of infrastructure investment is on the political back burner right now, a steady stream of reports continues to appear on the topic. This article reviews three of the latest offerings: one by the U.S. Congress, the second by a national economic policy think tank, and the third by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The author contends that, although the three reports take different approaches to the study, all three of the worldviews presented are important to understanding the full complexity of the infrastructure investment question and need to be carried forward in an effort to achieve a consensus on a national infrastructure investment strategy.
The Nine-Hole Peg Test as a manual dexterity performance measure for multiple sclerosis
Authors: Feys Peter , Lamers Ilse , Francis Gordon , Benedict Ralph , Phillips Glenn , LaRocca Nicholas , Hudson Lynn D , Rudick Richard ,   Multiple Sclerosis Outcome Assessments Consortium
Published: February 2017

Impaired manual dexterity is a frequently reported disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and is increasingly prevalent with worsening disease. While various tests and patient-reported outcome measures are available, the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) is considered as a gold standard measure of manual dexterity and most frequently used in MS research and clinical practice. The MS Outcome Assessments Consortium (MSOAC) includes representatives from advocacy organizations, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), academic institutions, and industry partners along with persons living with MS. Among the MSOAC goals are acceptance and qualification by regulators of performance outcomes that are highly reliable and valid, practical, cost-effective, and meaningful to persons with MS. A critical step for these neuroperformance metrics is elucidation of clinically relevant benchmarks, well-defined degrees of disability, and gradients of change that are deemed clinically meaningful. This article addresses the NHPT, the proposed MSOAC measure for upper extremity function. We find that the NHPT is reliable within and between test sessions, discriminates between healthy subjects and MS patients with different levels of upper limb impairment, and shows high convergent validity with other manual dexterity as well as more comprehensive upper limb measures. Ecological validity is established by its relation to perceived upper limb use in daily life and perceived difficulty in performing activities of daily living. The NHPT is responsive to deterioration in longitudinal studies, and research suggests that a 20% change in test score is commonly used to define clinically meaningful worsening, a definition that needs further validation in all stages of the disease.
The indivisibility of land and mind: Indigenous knowledge and collaborative archaeology within Apache contexts
Authors: Laluk Nicholas C
Published: February 2017

Contemporary understandings of Apache history and culture have largely resulted from anthropological work by non-Apache researchers. Most of this work has exhibited a limited appreciation of Apache ontologies that provide better understandings of Apache past and present . The goal of this article is to utilize the Apache concept of Ni and Apache interpretations of the Chiricahua mountainscape to demonstrate how Apache communities retain significant and powerful links to the Chiricahua Mountains. It also provides a discussion of the dilemma of utilizing Western theory in collaborative projects with Apache communities and the need to focus more on tribally derived knowledge. Such knowledge can provide unique glimpses into the Apache past and associations to their former homelands that are crucial for contemporary collaborative archaeological–anthropological research projects involving Apache cultural experts and their ancestral homelands.
Push-Up Technique and Anatomical Deployment With the Endurant Stent-Graft System for Severely Angulated Aneurysm Necks
Authors: Dohi Shizuyuki , Yokoyama Yasutaka , Yamamoto Taira , Kuwaki Kenji , Hariya Akifusa , Kajimoto Kan , Yamaoka Hironobu , Shimada Akie , Tsuruta Ryo , Amano Atsushi
Published: February 2017

Purpose: To describe a technique suitable for treating severely angulated (>75°) necks during endovascular aneurysm repair using the Endurant stent-graft. Technique: In the push-up technique, the suprarenal stent is released early to fix the proximal stent-graft in place so that each stent in the neck can be deployed individually without displacing the device upward. It is important to push the delivery system up after each stent deployment to allow the fabric between the stents to fold up circumferentially. By doing so, there is minimal upward force applied to the suprarenal stent. Because the stents expand along the angulated neck while catching blood flow, this anatomical deployment is feasible, with hardly any change to the proximal neck shape after stent-graft implantation. Conclusion: The push-up technique and anatomical deployment with the Endurant stent-graft system are effective and safe methods for treating aneurysms with severely angulated necks.
Conditioned effects of ethanol on the immune system
Authors: Gano Anny , Pautassi Ricardo Marcos , Doremus-Fitzwater Tamara L , Deak Terrence
Published: February 2017

Several studies indicate that the immune system can be subjected to classical conditioning. Acute ethanol intoxication significantly modulates several pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. interleukins-1 and 6 [IL-1β and IL-6, respectively] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFα])) in several brain areas, including amygdala (AMG), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and hippocampus (HPC). It is unknown, however, whether cues associated with ethanol can elicit conditioned alterations in cytokine expression. The present study analyzed, in male Sprague-Dawley rats, whether ethanol-induced changes in the central cytokine response may be amenable to conditioning. In Experiments 1 and 2, the rats were given one or two pairings between a distinctive odor (conditional stimulus, CS) and the post-absorptive effects of a high (3.0 or 4.0 g/kg, Experiments 1 and 2, respectively) ethanol dose. Neither of these experiments revealed conditioning of IL-6, IL-1β, or TNFα, as measured via mRNA levels. Yet, re-exposure to the lemon-odor CS in Experiment 1 significantly increased C-Fos levels in the PVN. In Experiment 3, the rats were given four pairings between an odor CS and a moderate ethanol dose (2.0 g/kg), delivered intraperitoneally (i.p.) or intragastrically (i.g.). Re-exposure to the odor CS significantly increased IL-6 levels in HPC and AMG, an effect only evident in paired rats administered ethanol i.p. Overall, this study suggests that ethanol exposure can regulate the levels of IL-6 at HPC and AMG via classical conditioning mechanisms. These ethanol-induced, conditioned alterations in cytokine levels may ultimately affect the intake and motivational effects of ethanol.

Impact statement

This study examines, across three experiments, whether odor cues associated with ethanol exposure can condition changes in cytokine expression. The analysis of ethanol-induced conditioning of immune responses is a novel niche that can help understand the transition from social drinking to alcohol abuse and dependence. Ethanol-induced conditioning of the immune system could likely exacerbate neuroinflammation and drug-related toxicity, which in turn may facilitate further engagement in ethanol intake. The main new finding of the present study was that, after four pairings of ethanol’s unconditioned effects and a distinctive odor, the latter CS increased IL-6 levels in HPC and AMG. This suggests that ethanol’s effects upon IL-6 in HPC and AMG may come under conditioned control, particularly after repeated pairings between distinctive odor cues and ethanol’s effects. This article advances our knowledge of conditioned increases in cytokine responses, which should help understand the mechanisms underlying alcohol use, abuse, and relapse.
Electroencephalographic Correlates of Suicidal Ideation in the Theta Band
Authors: Lee Sang Min , Jang Kuk-In , Chae Jeong-Ho
Published: February 2017

Previous studies have indicated that the abnormalities of brain activity are associated with suicidal behavior. However, few studies have explored neurophysiologic biomarkers of suicidal ideation (SI) in healthy subjects. Here, we studied alterations of theta quantitative EEG (QEEG) in frontal regions associated with SI in young healthy subjects. Resting QEEG data were recorded from 90 young healthy subjects. The subjects were divided into two group based on Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI) scores: a high SSI group (n = 33) and a low SSI group (n = 57). Individual frontal electrodes (Fp1, Fp2, F7, F3, Fz, F4, F8) and central midline electrodes (FCz, Cz) were examined for absolute and relative power in the theta band. Clinical state and social support was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Functional Social Support Questionnaire. We found that theta absolute and relative power in all channels was positively correlated with SSI, except Fp1, F7 and F8. The high SSI group showed higher theta relative power at F3, Fz, FCz, and Cz than the low SSI group. Theta relative power in the fronto-central region was significantly increased in the high SSI group compared to that in the low SSI group. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that SSI score was the most powerful predictor of fronto-central theta power. The findings suggest that brain electrical activity at the fronto-central region may be associated with differences in SI in young healthy subjects. EEG activity in theta band has clinical potential as a biomarker for preventing suicide.
Catechin Treatment Ameliorates Diabetes and Its Complications in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Samarghandian Saeed , Azimi-Nezhad Mohsen , Farkhondeh Tahereh
Published: February 2017

Context:

Diabetes mellitus causes atherosclerosis and lipid abnormalities. Hypolipidemic and antioxidative properties of catechin (CTN) have been reported in several studies.

Objective:

This study assesses the possible protective effects of CTN against oxidative damage in the diabetic rats.

Materials and Methods:

The rats were divided into the control, untreated diabetic, and 3 CTN-treated diabetic groups (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg/d, intraperitoneal). The diabetic rats were induced by streptozotocin. Catechin was injected for 4 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, glucose, lipid profile, apoprotein A-I (apo A-I), apoprotein B (apo B), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and antioxidant enzymes including glutathione- S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were determined in serum. Statistical analyses were performed using the InStat 3.0 program.

Results:

Streptozotocin caused an elevation of glucose, MDA, triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apo B with reduction in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apo A-I, SOD, CAT, and GST in the serum ( P < .05). The findings showed that the significant elevation in the body weight, glucose, MDA, TG, TC, LDL-C, and apo B and reduction in HDL-C, apo A-I, SOD, CAT, and GST were ameliorated in the CTN-treated diabetic groups versus the untreated group, in a dose-dependent manner ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

The present investigation proposes that CTN may ameliorate diabetes and its complications by modification of oxidative stress.
Deep vision networks for real-time robotic grasp detection
Authors: Guo Di , Sun Fuchun , Kong Tao , Liu Huaping
Published: February 2017

Grasping has always been a great challenge for robots due to its lack of the ability to well understand the perceived sensing data. In this work, we propose an end-to-end deep vision network model to predict possible good grasps from real-world images in real time. In order to accelerate the speed of the grasp detection, reference rectangles are designed to suggest potential grasp locations and then refined to indicate robotic grasps in the image. With the proposed model, the graspable scores for each location in the image and the corresponding predicted grasp rectangles can be obtained in real time at a rate of 80 frames per second on a graphic processing unit. The model is evaluated on a real robot-collected data set and different reference rectangle settings are compared to yield the best detection performance. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach can assist the robot to learn the graspable part of the object from the image in a fast manner.
Can breast ultrasound reduce patient’s level of anxiety and pain?
Authors: Zarei Fariba , Pishdad Parisa , Hatami Mohammad , Zeinali-Rafsanjani Banafsheh
Published: February 2017

Background

Breast pain is one of the most common complaints of women attending a gynecology clinic and general practitioners. This pain can cause anxiety and, consequently, reduce the woman’s quality of life. The objective of this study was to assess the severity of pain and anxiety in patients with breast pain and normal examination, before and after breast sonography.

Materials and methods

Among the patients with breast pain and normal examination who came for breast sonography in three centers in Shiraz during 2011–2012, 51 patients agreed to cooperate in this project. These patients filled out the questionnaire for evaluation of pain and anxiety before and after breast sonography.

Results

Sonography findings indicated that 88% of patients have normal sonography without any finding. The average amounts of pain severity before and after sonography were 3.3 and 2.4, respectively ( p < 0.005). The average amounts of anxiety severity in patients before and after sonography were 51.9 and 37.9, respectively ( p < 0.005).

Conclusion

This study shows the severity of pain and anxiety after ultrasonography decreased significantly. It can be concluded that ultrasound findings, which reassure the patients that they do not have specific pathology, can reduce the pain and anxiety by its impact on psychological status of the patient.
A Review of Dynamic Datasets for Facial Expression Research
Authors: Krumhuber Eva G. , Skora Lina , Küster Dennis , Fou Linyun
Published: February 2017

Temporal dynamics have been increasingly recognized as an important component of facial expressions. With the need for appropriate stimuli in research and application, a range of databases of dynamic facial stimuli has been developed. The present article reviews the existing corpora and describes the key dimensions and properties of the available sets. This includes a discussion of conceptual features in terms of thematic issues in dataset construction as well as practical features which are of applied interest to stimulus usage. To identify the most influential sets, we further examine their citation rates and usage frequencies in existing studies. General limitations and implications for emotion research are noted and future directions for stimulus generation are outlined.
Methodological Issues Regarding Cross-Cultural Studies of Judgments of Facial Expressions
Authors: Matsumoto David , Hwang Hyisung C.
Published: February 2017

We discuss four methodological issues regarding cross-cultural judgment studies of facial expressions of emotion involving design, sampling, stimuli, and dependent variables. We use examples of relatively recent studies in this area to highlight and discuss these issues. We contend that careful consideration of these, and other, cross-cultural methodological issues can help researchers minimize methodological errors, and can guide the field to address new and different research questions that can continue to facilitate an evolution in the field’s thinking about the nature of culture, emotion, and facial expressions.
Brain and Emotion
Authors: Kagan Jerome
Published: February 2017

Progress in understanding the relation between brain profiles and emotions is being slowed by the belief in a collection of basic emotional states, with the names: fear, anger, joy, disgust, and sadness, that do not specify the species or age of the experiencing agent, the origin of the state, or the evidence used to infer it. This article evaluates critically the premise that decontextualized emotional words refer to natural kinds. It also suggests that investigators set aside the currently popular words and search for relations, in humans and animals, between patterns of measures to varied incentives presented in distinctive contexts.
Restoring Order
Authors: Szafran Robert F. , Cordova Wilma , Forbes William , Guidry Marc , Montoya James
Published: February 2017

Achieving proportionate minority representation in community surveys is often difficult. Such was the case in previous attempts to obtain a demographically representative sample of adults living in one southern city whose adult population of slightly more than 26,000 adults was majority white but with large numbers of black and Hispanic residents. Bringing together in a survey about community perceptions a combination of methods often used in health and marketing research and depending heavily on the cooperation of minority ministerial alliances and their member churches, the intended numbers of respondents in every one of 18 strata of a quota sample were exceeded—sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot. The original strata quotas were based on the known age, sex, and race/Hispanic status of the adult population. A simple weighting procedure easily adaptable to other community surveys was then used to restore population proportions to what had become a disproportionate sample. This research brief describes that weighting procedure along with the techniques employed to obtain respondents, the design of the quota sample, and a synopsis of the differences found, particularly by race/Hispanic status and by age, in both importance of and satisfaction with 20 different city characteristics.
Mitigating the Effects of Parental Incarceration through Social Intervention
Authors: Morris R. C.
Published: February 2017

This study addresses two central research questions: (1) are children with incarcerated parents (CIP) more deviant than nonimpacted peers and (2) is a regional mentoring social intervention program effective for CIP? Two sources of data were used, longitudinal data gathered from 173 children involved with a regional branch of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) and a sample of children from the Fragile Families (FF) and Child Wellbeing Study. Based on the BBBS data, results find that CIP were more deviant than nonimpacted peers. Unexpectedly, children involved with BBBS reported more deviance after a year of social intervention, compared with children from FF.
Cartilage Defect Treatment Using High-Density Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation
Authors: Lopez-Alcorocho Juan Manuel , Aboli Lucia , Guillen-Vicente Isabel , Rodriguez-Iñigo Elena , Guillen-Vicente Marta , Fernández-Jaén Tomás F. , Arauz Santiago , Abelow Steve , Guillen-García Pedro
Published: February 2017

Objective. The aim of this work was to study the short- and mid-term effectiveness and safety of high-density autologous chondrocyte implantation (HD-ACI) in the first 50 patients with knee cartilage damage treated in our unit. Design. Fifty consecutive patients with cartilage lesions (Outerbridge grade III-IV) in the knee treated with HD-ACI were included in this study. Chondrocytes were isolated from a nonbearing cartilage area biopsy and were cultured until 40 to 50 million cells were obtained. Five million chondrocytes per cm2 of a porcine collagen type I/III membrane were implanted covering the defect. Procedure effectiveness was assessed by evaluating pain, swelling, and range of mobility (flexion and extension) at 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective evaluation form was used to evaluate symptoms and functions of the knee. Results. The percentage of patients with pain and swelling decreased progressively in the following visits, with differences being statistically significant ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.040, respectively). IKDC scores improved progressively throughout the 24-month follow-up ( P < 0.001). Thus, the mean IKDC score improvement was 26.3 points (95% confidence interval [CI] = 18.2-34.4 points) at 12 months and 31.0 points (95% CI = 22.9-39 points) at 24 months. No significant differences were found when performing extension ( P = 0.112). Flexion significantly improved by 25.1° at 24-month follow-up ( P = 0.013). Conclusions. HD-ACI is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of cartilage defects, improving clinical and subjective perception of knee functionality. These preliminary results encourage future studies comparing this technique with traditional ACI.
Teaching Toward the Telos of Critical Thinking: Genre in Business Communication
Authors: Morrison Rebecca
Published: February 2017

The implementation of genre theory in the business communication classroom could lead to the cultivation of critical thinking skills in students. The lack of a common definition of critical thinking skills across academia and the workplace creates a difficult end goal to pursue; therefore, teachers should consider explicitly teaching to the outcome, or telos, of critical thinking through genre. This article examines a small corner of genre theory, identifies a genre theory framework for business communication, and discusses the implications of such a framework.
The Third Way: An End of Trafficking and Prostitution, A Beginning of Mutual Sexuality
Authors: Steinem Gloria
Published: February 2017

In this article, Steinem analyzes the possible outcomes of legalizing prostitution as a form of work, in which poor or migrant women may be asked to try out prostitution before being given dole or be told that their visa is dependent on remaining in prostitution. She suggests a third way which will decriminalise and protect vulnerable women; and end the impunity of male perpetrators by penalising the purchase of sex and having no punishment for the selling of sex.
Smiling Faces of Delhi
Authors: Captions David Goldman , Kaur Jasneet
Published: February 2017

This photo essay carries pictures of children, women and men from certain freed/denotified tribes (DNTs) living in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, trying to carve an existence for themselves. The idea is to capture the smiling faces of these children, women and men who are around us every single day, visible yet invisible.
Robust estimation of reservoir shaliness by iteratively reweighted factor analysis
Authors: Szabó Norbert Péter , Dobróka Mihály
Published: February 2017

We suggest a statistical method for the simultaneous processing of electric, nuclear, and sonic-logging data using a robust iteratively reweighted factor analysis (IRFA). After giving a first estimate by Jöreskog’s approximate method, we refine the factor loadings and factor scores jointly in an iterative procedure, during which the deviation between the measured and calculated data is weighted in proportion to its magnitude for giving an outlier-free solution. We show a strong nonlinear relation between the first factor and the shale volume of multimineral hydrocarbon formations. We test the noise rejection capability of the new statistical procedure by making synthetic modeling experiments. The IRFA of simulated well-logging data including a high amount of noise gives a well log of the shale volume purified of large errors. Case studies from Hungary and the USA show that the results of factor analysis are consistent with that of independent deterministic modeling and core data. The statistical workflow can be effectively used for the processing of not normally distributed and extremely noisy well-logging data sets to evaluate the shale content and derived petrophysical properties more accurately in reservoir rocks.
Relationship Between Central Obesity and Spread of Spinal Anesthesia in Female Patients
Authors: Chang Jee-Eun , Kim Hyerim , Ryu Jung-Hee , Lee Jung-Man , Hwang Jin-Young
Published: February 2017

Central obesity may be related to the spread of spinal anesthesia in female patients. Fifty-seven female patients undergoing spinal anesthesia were allocated to either the central obesity or noncentral obesity group. After induction of spinal anesthesia, maximal sensory blockade (primary outcome), time for maximal sensory block, maximum motor block, time to maximum motor block, time to L2 regression, and time to Bromage scale 0 were evaluated. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that maximal sensory blockade was related to central obesity (P = .004). Central obesity is related to a more extensive spread of spinal anesthesia in female patients.
Moving towardprem Nagar: An Intimate Genealogy of the “City of Love” And the Lyrical Worlds of Hindustani Film Songs
Authors: Sunya Samhita
Published: February 2017

By charting a genealogy of prem nagar in this article, from its literary antecedents through its cinematic iterations, the author shows that the referent for prem nagar in film songs is derived from a generalized experience of transit to and within the modern-industrial city on the one hand, and from the anticipations of romantic love in urban spaces, on the other; and, that the experience of popular cinema becomes inextricable from both. In other words, as Hindustani film songs incorporated the premodern, pastoral literary trope of prem nagar, this trope—the city of love—became reconfigured as an epithet for the romantic pleasure spaces of motion pictures and the milieu of urban life in which cinema was embedded. Those in search of the contemporary city of love (and the author will show that the prem nagar enters cinema as an ephemeral, miragelike destination for seekers who remain in perpetual transit) emerge as a collective of cinephiles, who are willfully entranced by the repetitious, rapturous songs—the seductive pleasures and utopian dreams—of Hindi popular cinema.
Attenuation of N-glycosylation causes polarity and adhesion defects in the C. elegans embryo
Authors: Stevens Julia , Spang Anne
Published: February 2017

The Caenorhabditis elegans early embryo is highly polarized, requiring sequestration of cytoplasmic polarity factors at the plasma membrane. This compartmentalization aids asymmetric distribution of lipids and proteins, which is partially responsible for the fates of the daughter cells. Since most plasma membrane proteins are glycosylated, we determined the effect of attenuation of N-glycosylation on cell polarity. While polarity establishment was not perturbed, the size difference between the two cells formed in first cell division (AB and P1) was more variable in embryos with reduced N-glycosylation than in the mock-treated embryos. In addition, among other deficiencies, we observed spindle orientation defects in two-cell embryos. Moreover, cell–cell adhesion was specifically lost at the two-cell stage when N-glycosylation was reduced. This loss-of-adhesion phenotype was rescued by interfering with polarity establishment, indicating that polarity establishment enforces plasma membrane compartmentalization. Consistent with this idea, the decreased plasma membrane levels of the adhesion proteins E-cadherin and MAGI-1 in ribo-1(RNAi) embryos were restored in the absence of functional PAR-2. Our data suggest a general role for N-glycosylation in plasma membrane compartmentalization and cell polarity.
Dynamic changes in cardiac mitochondrial metabolism during warm acclimation in rainbow trout
Authors: Pichaud Nicolas , Ekström Andreas , Hellgren Kim , Sandblom Erik
Published: February 2017

Although the mitochondrial metabolism responses to warm acclimation have been widely studied in fish, the time course of this process is less understood. Here, we characterise changes of rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) cardiac mitochondrial metabolism during acute warming from 10 to 16°C, and during the subsequent warm acclimation for 39 days (D). We repeatedly measured mitochondrial O2 consumption in cardiac permeabilized fibers and functional integrity of mitochondria (i.e. mitochondrial coupling and cytochrome c effect) at two assay temperatures (10 and 16°C), as well as citrate synthase (CS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities at room temperature. LDH and CS activities significantly increased between D0 (10°C acclimated fish) and D1 (acute warming to 16°C), while mitochondrial O2 consumption measured at respective in vivo temperatures did not change. Enzymatic activities and mitochondrial O2 consumption rates significantly decreased by D2, and remained stable during warm acclimation (D2-39). The decrease in rates of O2 between D0 and D1 coincided with an increased cytochrome c effect and a decreased mitochondrial coupling, suggesting a structural/functional impairment of mitochondria during acute warming. We suggest that after two days of warm acclimation, a new homeostasis is reached, which may involve removal of dysfunctional mitochondria. Interestingly, from D2 onward, there was a lack of differences in mitochondrial O2 consumption rates between the assay temperatures, suggesting that warm acclimation reduces the acute thermal sensitivity of mitochondria. This study provides significant knowledge on the thermal sensitivity of cardiac mitochondria that is essential to delineate the contribution of cellular processes to warm acclimation.