bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two-Dimensional Strain for the Assessment of Left Ventricular Function in Low Flow–Low Gradient Aortic Stenosis, Relationship to Hemodynamics, and Outcome
Authors: Bartko Philipp Emanuel , Heinze Georg , Graf Senta , Clavel Marie-Annick , Khorsand Aliasghar , Bergler-Klein Jutta , Burwash Ian Gordon , Dumesnil Jean Gaston , Sénéchal Mario , Baumgartner Helmut , Rosenhek Raphael , Pibarot Philippe , Mundigler Gerald
Published: December 2012

Background—

Decision making in patients with low flow–low gradient aortic stenosis mainly depends on the actual stenosis severity and left ventricular function, which is of prognostic importance. We used 2-dimensional strain parameters measured by speckle tracking at rest and during dobutamine stress echocardiography to document the extent of myocardial impairment, its relationship with hemodynamic variables, and its prognostic value.

Methods and Results—

In 47 patients with low flow–low gradient aortic stenosis, global peak systolic longitudinal strain (PLS) and peak systolic longitudinal strain rate (PLSR) were analyzed. PLS and PLSR at rest and peak stress were −7.56±2.34% and −7.41±2.89% (
P
=NS) and −0.38±0.12 s
−1
and −0.53±0.18 s
−1
(
P
<0.001), respectively. PLS and PLSR inversely correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction at rest (
r
s
=−0.52;
P
<0.0001 and −0.38;
P
=0.008) and peak stress (
r
s
=−0.39;
P
=0.007 and −0.45;
P
=0.002). The overall 2-year survival rate was 60%. Univariate predictors of survival were peak stress left ventricular ejection fraction (
P
=0.0026), peak stress PLS (
P
=0.0002), peak stress PLSR (
P
<0.0001), and N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (
P
<0.0001). Three hierarchically nested multivariable Cox regression models were constructed—model 1: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons score as an indicator of clinical risk (area under the receiver operating characteristic=0.59); model 2: model 1+N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide and peak stress left ventricular ejection fraction (area under the receiver operating characteristic=0.83; incremental
P
<0.0001); model 3: model 2+peak stress PLSR (area under the receiver operating characteristic=0.89; incremental
P
=0.035).

Conclusions—

In patients with low flow–low gradient aortic stenosis, 2-dimensional strain parameters are strong predictors of outcome. Peak stress PLSR may add incremental prognostic value beyond what is obtained from N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide and peak stress left ventricular ejection fraction. A larger study is needed to confirm these findings.
Incident Atrial Fibrillation and Risk of End-Stage Renal Disease in Adults With Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Bansal Nisha , Fan Dongjie , Hsu Chi-yuan , Ordonez Juan D. , Marcus Greg M. , Go Alan S.
Published: December 2012

Background—

Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the long-term impact of development of AF on the risk of adverse renal outcomes in patients with CKD is unknown. In this study, we determined the association between incident AF and risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among adults with CKD.

Methods and Results—

We studied adults with CKD (defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR <60 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation) enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Northern California who were identified between 2002 and 2010 and who did not have previous ESRD or previously documented AF. Incident AF was identified by using primary hospital discharge diagnoses or 2 or more outpatient visits for AF. Incident ESRD was ascertained from a comprehensive health plan registry for dialysis and renal transplant. Among 206 229 adults with CKD, 16 463 developed incident AF. During a mean follow-up of 5.1±2.5 years, there were 345 cases of ESRD that occurred after development of incident AF (74 per 1000 person-years) in comparison with 6505 cases of ESRD during periods without AF (64 per 1000 person-years,
P
<0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, incident AF was associated with a 67% increase in the rate of ESRD (hazard ratio, 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.46–1.91).

Conclusions—

Incident AF is independently associated with increased risk of developing ESRD in adults with CKD. Further study is needed to identify potentially modifiable pathways through which AF leads to a higher risk of progression to ESRD.
Clipeus Hesiodicus: Aeneid 8 and the Shield of Heracles
Authors: Heckenlively Timothy S.
Published: December 2012

Abstract

In this paper I argue that the ecphrasis ofAeneid8 contains an extensive pattern of allusion to the Ps.-HesiodicShield of Heracles.Other scholars have noted several of these references, but the frequency of such echoes and the scope of this subtext have, thus far, passed largely undetected. These recollections are not isolated nor are they merely learned allusions. Rather, they should be read in connection with the use of Herculean themes and imagery as a foil for Aeneas and, by extension, Augustus elsewhere in theAeneid. As such, they are a vital complement to the Iliadic motifs that are also present inAeneid8. The resulting synthesis captures the celebratory optimism of the early principate while simultaneously acknowledging the strife whence it was born.
Banqueting Gods in Valerius Flaccus Arg. 5.690-5
Authors: Martín Sandra Romano
Published: December 2012

Abstract

This work offers a new comment and interpretation of Valerius FlaccusArg.5.690-5, a passage where the poet describes a banquet of the gods on Olympus with music and dancing. Two elements of the scene have been put under consideration: the Greek and Latin sources for the traditional scene of the dance of the gods (especially in the context of Olympic councils), examined in such a way as to argue that the scene described is unusual within the extant Latin epic tradition; and the traditional content of Apollo’s song, the Gigantomachy. By mentioning the Gigantomachy theme in other parts of the poem, Valerius links this passage with the poem’s overarching theme of the imposition of order according to a divine plan.
Virtual Swimming — Breaststroke Body Movements Facilitate Vection
Authors: Seno Takeharu , Funatsu Fumiya , Palmisano Stephen
Published: December 2012

Visually induced illusory self-motion (vection) was facilitated by active breaststroke arm and body movements. Optic flow was generated by having the standing observer make these arm movements, which were detected by Kinect and incorporated into the display. When generated, this optic flow was either expanding (i.e. congruent with the observer’s head motion) or contracting (i.e. incongruent with his/her head motion). Optic flow generated during these active movement conditions was also later played back to the observer during passive viewing conditions. On each of these trials, we recorded vection strength (latency, duration and magnitude). We found that: (i) both congruent and incongruent breaststroke movements increased vection (i.e. compared to passive viewing conditions); and (ii) congruent breaststroke movements increased vection more than incongruent ones. We name the enhancement provided by this type of active movement ‘virtual swimming’. This demonstration shows that even unusual body movements can function as a self-motion signal.
Motivation for Open Collaboration
Authors: Budhathoki Nama R. , Haythornthwaite Caroline
Published: December 2012

This article presents an examination of motivational factors relating to contribution to the wiki OpenStreetMap, a site for voluntary geographic information. Based on a wide literature review of motivation, open source, volunteerism, and serious leisure, a questionnaire was created and completed by 444 OpenStreetMap contributors. Results of judgments of the motivational importance of 39 reasons for contribution are presented and considered in relation to models of contributory behavior for crowd- and community-based online collaborations. Positive and important motivators were found that accorded with ideas of the “personal but shared need” associated with contribution to open-source projects, co-orientation to open-source and geographic knowledge, and attention to participation in and by the community. Differences in motivation between serious and casual mappers showed that serious mappers were more oriented to community, learning, local knowledge, and career motivations (although the latter motivation is low in general), and casual mappers were more oriented to general principles of free availability of mapping data.
The Rise and Decline of an Open Collaboration System
Authors: Halfaker Aaron , Geiger R. Stuart , Morgan Jonathan T. , Riedl John
Published: December 2012

Open collaboration systems, such as Wikipedia, need to maintain a pool of volunteer contributors to remain relevant. Wikipedia was created through a tremendous number of contributions by millions of contributors. However, recent research has shown that the number of active contributors in Wikipedia has been declining steadily for years and suggests that a sharp decline in the retention of newcomers is the cause. This article presents data that show how several changes the Wikipedia community made to manage quality and consistency in the face of a massive growth in participation have ironically crippled the very growth they were designed to manage. Specifically, the restrictiveness of the encyclopedia’s primary quality control mechanism and the algorithmic tools used to reject contributions are implicated as key causes of decreased newcomer retention. Furthermore, the community’s formal mechanisms for norm articulation are shown to have calcified against changes—especially changes proposed by newer editors.
Leading Voices in the Denier Choir
Authors: Elsasser Shaun W. , Dunlap Riley E.
Published: December 2012

The conservative “echo chamber” is a crucial element of the climate change denial machine. Although social scientists have begun to examine the role of conservative media in the denial campaign, this article reports the first examination of conservative newspaper columnists. Syndicated columnists are very influential because they reach a large audience. We analyze 203 opinion editorials (“op-eds”) written by 80 different columnists published from 2007 to 2010, a period that saw a number of crucial events and policy proposals regarding climate change. We focus on the key topics the columnists address and the skeptical arguments they employ. The overall results reveal a highly dismissive view of climate change and critical stance toward climate science among these influential conservative pundits. They play a crucial role in amplifying the denial machine’s messages to a broad segment of the American public.
Families’ Experiences in Different Homeless and Highly Mobile Settings
Authors: Miller Peter M.
Published: December 2012

Family homelessness has been on the rise throughout the United States in recent years. As a result, more schools and communities than ever are challenged to serve students whose lives are touched by instability, uncertainty, and crisis. To date, there has been little inquiry into how families’ particular places of homelessness might shape school and community action. Accordingly, this mixed-methods study examined how their experiences in different settings were associated with their social network-related aspirations and outcomes. With insights from social network theory, the findings suggested that although most families opted to double up with others before entering residential shelters or agencies, there were few positive social and educational opportunities in these places. Families’ networks were more heterogeneous and resource-rich in long-term residential agencies. Given the considerable variance in families’ experiences with homelessness and residential instability, it is suggested that schools and community agencies develop differentiated models of practice that address students’ place-specific needs.
Fostering Resilience Among Youth in Inner City Community Arts Centers
Authors: Rhodes Alison M. , Schechter Rachel
Published: December 2012

Growing up in an inner city environment can inhibit healthy development and have detrimental consequences for children and adolescents such as increased risks for many social and psychological problems. This article explores the role of community arts centers in fostering resilience among youth living in the inner city. A review of the literature of risk factors associated with growing up in an inner city environment provides a rationale for the need for interventions that promote resilience by creating a refuge from the surrounding poverty and violence, and which strengthen youth’s personal and social resources. We examine the case of the Artists Collective, an inner city community arts center in Hartford, Connecticut, and propose that there are three components of community arts centers that contribute to youths’ resilience. First, features of the physical space promote resilience. Second, they are a place where prosocial relationships and social capital contributing to resilient functioning can be formed. Finally, we hypothesize that learning about and participating in the arts fosters resilience through the development of person-level protective factors such as self-efficacy, improved emotional regulation, social skills, coping skills, and ethnic pride.
Differences in Perceptions of the Home Food and Physical Activity Environment Among Adult Dyads
Authors: Alcantara Iris C. , Haardörfer Regine , Glanz Karen , Hotz James , Kegler Michelle C.
Published: December 2012

Research has shown that microenvironments such as homes and neighborhoods are associated with dietary and physical activity behaviors. This study examines self-reports of home and neighborhood environments of adult dyads living in the same household ( n = 83 dyads) and explores correlates of discrepant perceptions. Food and exercise equipment in the home and access to neighborhood recreational facilities were assessed. Agreement between pairs varied across measures, with dyads having less disagreement in reporting their physical activity environment compared with their food environment. Discrepancy indices were .20 for exercise equipment, .29 for neighborhood facilities, .25 for fruits, .26 for drinks, and .28 for vegetables and snacks/other foods. Differences in education, food shopping behavior, fat intake, BMI, and physical activity were associated with discordance in reporting among dyads. Results suggest that co-dwelling adults perceive their home and neighborhood environments differently. This has implications for how microenvironments are measured and how data are interpreted.
Electric field assembled anisotropic alumina composite for thermal dissipation applications
Authors: Yoo Myong Jae , Seo Dong Seok , Kim Seong Hwan , Lee Woo Sung , Seong Tae-Geun , Kweon Sang-Hyo , Jeong Byoung-Jik , Jeong Young Hun , Nahm Sahn
Published: December 2012

A composite material with anisotropic microstructure was fabricated by DC electric field. Alumina was used as filler for thermal conductivity and polysiloxane resin was used as matrix. According to the alumina morphology and loading amount, various anisotropic microstructures were assembled. The thermal properties of the composite material were investigated parallel to the direction of the applied electric field accordingly. For plate-like alumina with 20 vol% loading, a thermal conductivity of 0.44 W/mK was achieved. With spherically shaped alumina, with an equal loading of 20 vol%, a higher thermal conductivity of 0.46 W/mK was achieved. The increase in the thermal conductivity of the fabricated alumina composites with anisotropic microstructure was attributed to increased filler-to-filler connectivity.
Intersubjectivity and the Knowing of Inner Experience
Authors: Bradfield Bruce
Published: December 2012

This article demonstrates the synthesis of phenomenological hermeneutics and psychoanalytic case study research and proposes such a methodology as well suited for a study exploring unconscious/representational processes and internal representations of self and other. This is considered in relation to the dialectic of the dual position of psychoanalytic psychotherapist and qualitative researcher. The article emphasizes what I suggest are evident and helpful parallels between the investigative/research process and the psychoanalytic disposition, in terms of the relationship between these two. The role of the body as intersubjectively present is considered, attending to the embodied qualities of the investigative process. Crucial ethical concerns are raised through the consideration of this dialectic, which are discussed in the final part of the article. The ethical issues raised relate specifically to research into experiences of suffering, bearing in mind the condition of psychological safety which the researcher needs to cultivate.
Advocating Student-Within-Environment
Authors: Lemberger Matthew E. , Hutchison Brian
Published: December 2012

The authors present an overview of a therapeutic perspective for school therapists (counselors, psychologists, social workers) based on humanistic and social justice principles called Advocating Student-within-Environment (ASE). An ASE-influenced school therapist is directed by the assumption that the student has to be a participant in any social change that is proffered on that student’s behalf. To operate on this assumption, an ASE school therapist is concerned with maximizing student agency by supporting the development of the student’s regulatory and connectedness skills, while advocating for that student with stakeholders and through relevant social structures. In this article, the philosophic bases will be introduced, in addition to recommendations for incorporating this approach into practice in schools.
Maslow’s Intellectual Betrayal of Ruth Benedict?
Authors: Smith Rene Anne , Feigenbaum Kenneth D.
Published: December 2012

During the summer of 1938, Abe Maslow was engaged in a field study of the Northern Blackfeet. He received a grant-in aid from the Social Science Research Council under the sponsorship of Ruth Benedict to study the “security needs” of the tribe. This project reflected Benedict’s long-term interest in her concept of synergic and nonsynergic societies, which culminated with her publication of Patterns of Culture in 1934. It was Benedict’s thesis that synergic societies, such as Zuni, had most of their psychological security needs met, whereas low synergic societies, such as the Dobu, did not. Initially, Maslow as a neophyte anthropologist employed a questionnaire to members of the Northern Blackfoot tribe to measure psychological security needs. Scholars have already postulated that this experience had lasting effects on Maslow’s later development of concepts such as “self-actualization and “peak experience.” However valid this is, the thesis of this article is that Maslow’s anthropological turn disappeared over time and his later work indicated that he did not understand the synergic collective anthropological approach of Benedict but rather misused the concept of synergy to promote a person-centered psychological reductionist position mostly devoid of its cultural context.
Place-making and Place Maintenance: Performativity, Place and Belonging among the Middle Classes
Authors: Benson Michaela , Jackson Emma
Published: December 2012

This article introduces performativity and processes of place-making into discussions about middle-class residents’ place attachments. It draws on interviews with middle-class residents in two different London neighbourhoods, Peckham (inner urban, socially mixed) and West Horsley and Effingham (commuter belt villages), to argue that (1) the practice of place is key to understanding middle-class claims to belonging; and (2) ways of ‘doing’ neighbourhood must be understood within the context of other circulating representations. While respondents in Peckham work with or against prevailing discourses about their neighbourhood as they perform place, in the commuter belt, residents strive to uphold the image of their village as the rural idyll, a classed and racialised vision. The contrast between the inner city and commuter belt reveals the different performative registers through which place is practised; while in Peckham middle-class residents invest in processes of place-making, respondents in the commuter belt engage instead in active processes of place maintenance.
Parenting Style Transitions and Delinquency
Authors: Schroeder Ryan D. , Mowen Thomas J.
Published: December 2012

Parenting style has been extensively analyzed as a contributor to juvenile delinquency in the criminological literature, but no research to date has assessed the prevalence of parenting style changes during adolescence or the influence of such parenting style changes on juvenile delinquency. Drawing from the life course theory, the results show that parenting style transitions are common across the first and third waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997. Furthermore, specific parenting style shifts are associated with changes in juvenile delinquency, most notably the shifts characterized by a decrease in responsiveness or an increase or decrease in demandingness. Last, changes in maternal attachment associated with parenting style changes partially mediate the effect of such transitions on delinquent outcomes.
Morphology, thermal and barrier properties of green nanocomposites based on TPS and cellulose nanocrystals
Authors: Kaushik Anupama , Kumra Jatinder
Published: December 2012

The overall objective of this study was to fabricate and characterize the properties of nanocrystalline cellulose/thermoplastic starch (TPS)-based nanocomposites. For the isolation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from cotton, it is subjected to alkaline treatment followed by acid hydrolysis. Then these CNCs were dispersed in TPS using a Fluko high-shear mixer in varying proportions, and the films were casted out of these nanocomposites using solvent casting technique. The CNCs were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. TEM images of cellulose crystals extracted from cotton linters confirmed its nanodimensions with a size of 20–50 nm. WAXD results showed 2 θ peaks at 14.8°, 16.7° and 22.5° characteristic of the cellulose type-I crystalline structure. The films were analyzed by WAXD, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and moisture barrier properties. There was an increase in the thermal stability with increase in the cellulose crystals percentage as depicted by the TGA. The water vapor diffusivity decreased from 7.73 × 10−5 to 2.04 × 10−6 mm2 s−1. The improvements in these properties may be attributed to the good interaction between CNC filler and TPS matrix because of similar polysaccharide structures of cellulose and starch.
Gifted Education in Ireland
Authors: O’Reilly Colm
Published: December 2012

This article will outline the current status of gifted education in Ireland. To fully understand the picture, one needs to look at the history of the Irish education system and how educational decisions are made in the country. Political climate is often an important factor in how people view special education programs and Ireland is no different in that regard. The article will also chart Ireland’s attempts to define giftedness and how recent research in the gifted field has furthered our understanding in this area and can be used to broaden the sphere of programming that exists in Ireland for high-ability students.
Racial Variations of Parity Status as a Predictor of Disability Onset Among Old-Old Women
Authors: Latham Kenzie , Holcomb Jeanne
Published: December 2012

This research investigates whether the capacity of parity status to predict disability onset varies by race among older women. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2008) were used, and a series of discrete-time event-history models were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. Disability onset was constructed from five common activities of daily living measures (i.e., difficulty dressing, bathing, eating, getting in/out of bed, and walking). The initial risk group was old-old women (i.e., born before 1925) without disability in 1998 ( N = 2,229). Nulliparous and high-parity Black women born before 1925 were more likely to develop disability onset compared with White women with the same parity status. The results suggest that parity status among Black older women may be a salient risk factor for disability onset.
Effects of 28 days of dairy or soy ingestion on skeletal markers of inflammation and proteolysis in post-menopausal women
Authors: Serra Monica C , Beavers Kristen M , Beavers Daniel P , Willoughby Darryn S
Published: December 2012

Background: Aging is associated with increased local inflammation and resultant proteolysis in skeletal muscle. In animal models, soy supplementation is a beneficial countermeasure against muscle inflammation and proteolysis; however, the effect on aging humans is not clear. Methods: A single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial was conducted on 31 post-menopausal women. Volunteers were randomly assigned to consume three servings of soy ( n=16) or dairy ( n=15) milk each day for 28 days. The expression of inflammation-responsive (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and proteolytic (calpain 1, calpain 2, ubiquitin, E2, atrogin-1, muRF-1) genes in skeletal muscle was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction before and after supplementation, and then after a downhill run performed to elicit muscle damage. Results: While no group by time interactions were observed, significant main effects for time were observed for IL-1β, IL-6, calpain 2, and atrogin-1 mRNA post exercise. Further analysis revealed that, compared with post-supplementation values, calpain 2 and atrogin-1 mRNA significantly increased at 4 h post exercise ( p=0.01 and p<0.01, respectively), whereas IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA significantly decreased at 4 h post exercise (both p<0.01). Conclusions: Soy or dairy milk supplementation at the amount ingested for 28 days does not appear to preferentially inhibit the expression of inflammation-responsive and proteolytic genes that were assessed, and does not attenuate the eccentric exercise-induced up-regulation in the proteolytic genes.
Dietary intake of Sudanese women
Authors: Nyuar Kot B , Khalil AKH , Crawford Michael A
Published: December 2012

Objectives: To determine the daily intake of essential micro- and macronutrients in Sudanese women, with specific focus on dietary fat and essential fatty acids, and compare the dietary intakes of internally displaced women with those of the non-displaced population. Methods: Dietary intakes of displaced southern ( n=44) and non-displaced southern ( n=30) and northern ( n=39) Sudanese women were obtained by single 24-hour recall method, and daily nutrient intakes were calculated using ‘Foodbase’ nutritional software. The displaced women were recruited from Mayo and Soba Aradi camps, south of Khartoum city; and non-displaced southern and northern Sudanese women were recruited from antenatal clinics, universities, hospitals and the community in Khartoum city and Omdurman, Sudan. Results: Carbohydrates provided over 60% of dietary energy for all the Sudanese women groups. The displaced women had significantly lower intake of energy (1744 ± 344 kcal/d), starch ( p<0.001) and carbohydrates (312 ± 11 g/d, p<0.01) than both non-displaced southern (1972 ± 229 kcal/d energy, 358 ± 56 g/d carbohydrates) and northern Sudanese women (1988 ± 226 kcal/d energy, 357 ± 56g/d carbohydrates). Fat intake was also lower in the displaced group (34.1 ± 11.9 g/d) than in the non-displaced counterpart (38.5 ± 10.2 g/d) ( p<0.05), but was not significantly different from northern Sudanese women (37.6 ± 10.6, p>0.05). Intakes of iodine (33.60–56.96 µg/d), zinc (7.12–9.92 mg/d), retinol (226.1–349.7 µg/d), riboflavin (0.44–0.70 mg/d) and docosahexaenoic acid (11.70–33.49 mg/d) amongst Sudanese women were very low compared with recommendations. Conclusion: The Sudanese diet was less diverse and differences in energy and nutrients intakes between groups were due to the amounts of food consumed. This view is supported by a lack of significant differences when intakes were expressed as proportion of whole energy between all groups of women.
An Efficient Method for Computing Single-Parameter Partial Expected Value of Perfect Information
Authors: Strong Mark , Oakley Jeremy E.
Published: December 2012

The value of learning an uncertain input in a decision model can be quantified by its partial expected value of perfect information (EVPI). This is commonly estimated via a 2-level nested Monte Carlo procedure in which the parameter of interest is sampled in an outer loop, and then conditional on this sampled value, the remaining parameters are sampled in an inner loop. This 2-level method can be difficult to implement if the joint distribution of the inner-loop parameters conditional on the parameter of interest is not easy to sample from. We present a simple alternative 1-level method for calculating partial EVPI for a single parameter that avoids the need to sample directly from the potentially problematic conditional distributions. We derive the sampling distribution of our estimator and show in a case study that it is both statistically and computationally more efficient than the 2-level method.
Identification of a Multistate Continuous-Time Nonhomogeneous Markov Chain Model for Patients with Decreased Renal Function
Authors: Begun Alexander , Icks Andrea , Waldeyer Regina , Landwehr Sandra , Koch Michael , Giani Guido
Published: December 2012

Objectives. Markov chain models are frequently used to study the clinical course of chronic diseases. The aim of this article is to adopt statistical methods to describe the time dynamics of chronically ill patients when 2 kinds of data sets—fully and partially observable data are available. Model. We propose a 6-state continuous-time Markov chain model for the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), where little is known about the transitions between the disease stages. States 1 to 3 of the model correspond to stages III to V of chronic kidney disease in the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) CKD classification. States 4 and 5 relate to dialysis and transplantation (renal replacement therapy), respectively. Death is the (absorbing) state 6. Methods and Data. The model can be investigated and identified using Kolmogorov’s forward equations and the methods of survival analysis. Age dependency, covariates in the form of the Cox regression, and unobservable risks of transition (frailties) can be included in the model. We applied our model to a data set consisting of all 2097 patients from all renal centers in a region in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) in 2005–2010. Results. We compared transitions and relative risks to the few data published and found them to be reasonable. For example, patients with diabetes had a significantly higher risk for disease progression compared with patients without diabetes. Conclusions. In summary, modeling may help to quantify disease progression and its predictors when only partially observable prospective data are available.
The Role of Value-of-Information Analysis in a Health Care Research Priority Setting
Authors: Corro Ramos Isaac , Rutten-van Mölken Maureen P. M. H. , Al Maiwenn J.
Published: December 2012

Background. The Dutch reimbursement procedure for expensive drugs requires the submission of a baseline cost-effectiveness (CE) analysis and a research plan for the period of temporary reimbursement to estimate the real-life cost-effectiveness after 4 years. The Dutch guidelines recommend a value-of-information analysis to identify the critical parameters to be studied in such an outcome study. Objectives. Identify situations where sensitivity analyses are sufficient to establish the need for additional data collection and priority setting. Methods. We used a hypothetical Markov model with 3 groups of parameters. We performed deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) and analyzed the expected value of partial perfect information (EVPPI), for different configurations of input parameters and a range of threshold incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (λ). We introduced a multivariate (deterministic) sensitivity analysis and a partial PSA. Results. Deterministic, partial PSA, and EVPPI analyses came to the same ranking of priorities for future research in most cases, irrespective of the place of the results on the CE plane. Rankings differed only when the statistical metrics that we calculated for each method were close together. Conclusions. When a clear ranking can be established, all methods lead to the same priority setting. If there is no clear ranking, we regard the parameters as equally important. Priority setting for future research depends on λ and the location of results on the CE plane. The EVPPI is needed to estimate the value of doing additional research, but to prioritize parameters for further research, extensive (partial probabilistic) sensitivity analyses and expected value of perfect information are often sufficient.
Women’s Bodies as Sites of Control
Authors: Gurrieri Lauren , Previte Josephine , Brace-Govan Jan
Published: December 2012

Responding to the call for critical examinations of the inadvertent effects of marketing (Dholakia 2012), this article offers an examination of the underexplored impacts of social marketing campaigns that derive from government-defined agendas of “healthism.” Specifically, we examine how efforts aimed at the management of women’s bodies can inadvertently render them sites of control. Drawing on embodiment theory, we consider how the neoliberal body project positions certain bodies as less acceptable, leaving women who engage in activities that run counter to prevailing health messages vulnerable to stigmatization and exclusion. Through three body control projects—breastfeeding, weight management, and physical activity—and a critical visual analysis of social marketing campaigns, we contend that the emerging field of critical social marketing must develop a broader social justice agenda along the lines of macromarketing. In doing so, consumers’ corporeal representations and lived experiences will be better addressed and improved evaluations of social marketing’s societal impacts can be developed.
Examining How Students With Diverse Abilities Use Diagrams to Solve Mathematics Word Problems
Authors: van Garderen Delinda , Scheuermann Amy , Jackson Christa
Published: December 2012

This study examined students’ understanding of diagrams and their use of diagrams as tools to solve mathematical word problems. Students with learning disabilities (LD), typically achieving students, and gifted students in Grades 4 through 7 ( N = 95) participated. Students were presented with novel mathematical word problem-solving tasks and interviewed for their understanding of diagrams for solving problems. Scoring rubrics were designed to assess for levels of problem-solving performance, evidence of diagram use, type of diagram generated, how the diagram was used to solve problems, their definition of a diagram, and their reason for why a diagram can be used to solve problems. Results indicated that students with LD typically generated diagrams of a poorer nature and used them in a less strategic manner than their peers. Concerns regarding the impact of content knowledge on the quality of diagram generation as well as implications regarding instruction to use diagrams to understand and solve problems are discussed.
Adolescent Work Quality
Authors: Rauscher Kimberly J. , Wegman David H. , Wooding John , Davis Letitia , Junkin Rozelinda
Published: December 2012

Adolescent employment is commonly valued in the United States for its ability to promote youths’ positive psychosocial development. Empirical research, however, suggests the extent to which youth reap such benefits from work is largely a function of work’s quality. This study investigated adolescent work quality by examining the extent to which characteristics associated with positive or negative psychosocial outcomes are found in the jobs adolescents hold today. Our findings from surveys and interviews with working youth show that contemporary adolescent jobs provide at least moderate levels of the characteristics that promote positive psychosocial outcomes and some of those that promote negative outcomes. Adolescent jobs have the greatest capacity to encourage positive psychosocial development by providing opportunities for youth to be helpful and, to a lesser extent, to be around supportive others and to learn new things. Improvements in other areas of work quality are needed to maximize work’s potential to contribute positively to adolescent psychosocial development.
Perceived Mental Illness Stigma, Intimate Relationships, and Sexual Risk Behavior in Youth With Mental Illness
Authors: Elkington Katherine S. , Hackler Dusty , Walsh Tracy A. , Latack Jessica A. , McKinnon Karen , Borges Cristiane , Wright Eric R. , Wainberg Milton L.
Published: December 2012

The current study examines the role of mental illness–related stigma on romantic or sexual relationships and sexual behavior among youth with mental illness (MI), including youths’ experiences of stigma, the internalization of these experiences, and the behavior associated with managing stigma within romantic and sexual relationships. We conducted in-depth interviews with N = 20 youth with mental illness (MI) (55% male, 16-24 years, 75% Latino) from 4 psychiatric outpatient clinics in New York City. We conducted a thematic analysis to investigate shared experiences of MI stigma and its impact on youth’s sexual or romantic relationships and associated behaviors. Our analysis revealed four main themes: (1) societal perceptions of those with MI as partners (societal stigma); (2) individual experiences of stigma within relationships (individual level); (3) internalized stigma of self as a partner (social-psychological processes); and (4) managing a stigmatized identity, of which some of the behaviors directly placed them at increased risk for HIV. We found that just under half of the sample ( n = 9/20) endorsed all themes, including engaging in HIV/STI sexual risk behaviors as a method to manage a stigmatized identity, which suggests that MI stigma and sexual risk may be linked. We discuss differences by gender and diagnosis. Findings provide new information for providers and researchers to address on the role of stigma experiences in the romantic and sexual behavior of youth in psychiatric treatment. Implications for stigma and HIV/STI prevention interventions are discussed.
Childhood Rubella Encephalitis
Authors: Chaari Anis , Bahloul Mabrouk , Berrajah Lamia , Kahla Sahar Ben , Gharbi Nourhene , Karray Hela , Bouaziz Mounir
Published: December 2012

We to report clinical biological and radiologic features of rubella encephalitis in childhood and assess its prognostic impact. Our retrospective study was conducted in an intensive care unit of a university hospital in Sfax, Tunisia. Twenty-one children (age range, 1-15 years) were included. Median age was 9 years (lower and upper quartiles, 7-11 years). On admission, generalized maculopapular eruption was found in 17 cases (81%). Median Glasgow Coma Scale score was 7 (lower and upper quartiles, 7-8). Twenty patients (95.2%) experienced at least 1 episode of seizures. Sixteen patients (76.2%) developed a status epilepticus. The result for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detecting anti-rubella immunoglobulin (M) was positive in the serum and in the cerebrospinal fluid samples for all our patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was performed on admission for 3 patients (14.3%) and within a median of 4 days (lower and upper quartiles, 2-6 days) for 8 patients. The test was normal in 6 cases. Two deaths were recorded (9.5%). Survivors had no neurological sequelae 6 months after intensive care unit discharge.
Acute Cerebellar Ataxia Following Meningococcal Group C Conjugate Vaccination
Authors: Cutroneo Paola Maria , Italiano Domenico , Trifirò Gianluca , Tortorella Gaetano , Russo Alessandra , Isola Stefania , Caputi Achille Patrizio , Spina Edoardo
Published: December 2012

Acute cerebellar ataxia is the most common cause of childhood ataxia, usually resulting from infections or vaccinations. Cases of acute cerebellar ataxia have been reported as a consequence of several viral and bacterial infections as well as immunizing agents, such as varicella, influenza, hepatitis B, and diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccines. Although immunization with meningococcal group C conjugate vaccines has been associated with several neurological side effects, acute cerebellar ataxia has not been previously reported. The authors describe a case of a 12-year-old girl exhibiting acute cerebellar ataxia following meningococcal group C conjugate vaccination. In this patient, cerebellar symptoms started within 24 hours from the vaccination, and infective causes have been ruled out by serum and liquoral analyses. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were normal. Progressive clinical improvement was obtained after corticosteroid treatment. This case increases the small number of postvaccinal ataxias and contributes to further clarifying the complex pathogenesis of this disorder.
Evolution Patterns of Apparel Brands in Asian Countries
Authors: Jin Byoungho , Kandagal Parvathi M. , Jung Sojin
Published: December 2012

Evolution of apparel brands constitutes an important role in the process of apparel industry development in a nation. However, brand evolution patterns are not included in most existing models of industry development, and very limited information is available in the literature on brand evolution patterns. As an earliest attempt, and based on an extensive literature review, the authors analyzed the emergence timing and order of three types of apparel brands (international brand, national brand, and private brand) and the socio-economic background that is related to the emergence in Korea and India. By juxtaposing the emergence of the three types of apparel brands with the textiles and apparel industry development stages in each country, five propositions are suggested with each describing when and how each type of apparel brand emerged. Academic and practical implications are provided based on the findings.
Gender and Sentencing Outcomes in South Carolina
Authors: Koons-Witt Barbara A. , Sevigny Eric L. , Burrow John D. , Hester Rhys
Published: December 2012

Despite sentencing reforms over the last few decades, many states failed to introduce guidelines, including South Carolina. The present article uses data collected from the now disbanded South Carolina Sentencing Commission (1982 to 2003) in order to assess the influence of gender, age, race, and type of crime. We found that females were consistently sentenced more leniently than were similarly situated males. Interactions between gender and the other variables, however, failed to gain significance with the exception of gender and offense type for the sentence length decision. Interestingly, we found a significant interaction between gender and offense severity level for both sentencing outcomes and criminal history for the incarceration decision. We discuss the implications of these findings in the event that South Carolina would have adopted sentencing guidelines.
Alternative Historical Narrative
Authors: Wigura Karolina
Published: December 2012

“Polish Bishops’ Appeal to Their German Colleagues” of 18 November 1965 was one of the fifty-six letters written by the Polish Episcopate to episcopates all over the world on the occasion of the end of the Second Vatican Council. However, this one had a special character. In all letters, the brother bishops were first informed about one thousand years of Christianity in Poland, then an outline of the millennium history was given, emphasizing, if possible, common history. The Letter to the German Episcopate had a special significance symbolized by the famous words contained in it: “we grant forgiveness and we ask for forgiveness.” Twenty years after the end of the Second World War, in a communist Poland, where being anti-German (more precisely being anti-Western Germany) was an inherent feature of the official propaganda of the state, the Polish bishops undertook to write an alternative history of relations with the western neighbour.

The article examines the Appeal, presenting the background of creating the document, recalling its text and interpreting the text, using keys derived from contemporary philosophy of forgiveness, such as for example Paul Ricoeur’s and Józef Tischner’s, as well as historical documents such as letters written by the authors of the Appeal. Thanks to the alternative history described by the letter, the Appeal has served for years not only as the first step on the way to German–Polish reconciliation but also as the first political declaration using the word “forgiveness” after the Second World War.
Particle image velocimetry of the underfloor flow for generic high-speed train models in a water towing tank
Authors: Jönsson Mattias , Wagner Claus , Loose Sigfried
Published: December 2012

The underfloor flow field of three different 1:50 generic high-speed train models hauled through a water towing tank at a speed of 4 m/s (Reynolds number = 0.24 × 106) over smooth ground, rough ground, and ground with sleepers is measured by means of two-component particle image velocimetry. The reference train model, consisting of four cars, features inter-car gaps and two bogies per car. These features are removed and all gaps are closed to create the smooth train configuration whereas the rough train configuration has all the gaps but no bogies. The lowest underfloor flow velocities and velocity gradients at the ground are observed for the smooth train model on the ground with sleepers. Furthermore, the measurements reveal that any additional irregularity of the underbody leads to regions characterised by flow acceleration in the otherwise Couette-like flow and this increases the possibility of ballast flight. Therefore, it is concluded that a smooth underbody can lower the risk of ballast flight. The results obtained for the reference train model are compared with those of a full-scale measurement. It is shown that the results of the water towing tank experiments with the scaled train model reflect the main characteristics of the underfloor flow of the full-scale measurements.
Decision support system for diabetic retinopathy using discrete wavelet transform
Authors: K Noronha , UR Acharya , KP Nayak , S Kamath , SV Bhandary
Published: December 2012

Prolonged duration of the diabetes may affect the tiny blood vessels of the retina causing diabetic retinopathy. Routine eye screening of patients with diabetes helps to detect diabetic retinopathy at the early stage. It is very laborious and time-consuming for the doctors to go through many fundus images continuously. Therefore, decision support system for diabetic retinopathy detection can reduce the burden of the ophthalmologists. In this work, we have used discrete wavelet transform and support vector machine classifier for automated detection of normal and diabetic retinopathy classes. The wavelet-based decomposition was performed up to the second level, and eight energy features were extracted. Two energy features from the approximation coefficients of two levels and six energy values from the details in three orientations (horizontal, vertical and diagonal) were evaluated. These features were fed to the support vector machine classifier with various kernel functions (linear, radial basis function, polynomial of orders 2 and 3) to evaluate the highest classification accuracy. We obtained the highest average classification accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of more than 99% with support vector machine classifier (polynomial kernel of order 3) using three discrete wavelet transform features. We have also proposed an integrated index called Diabetic Retinopathy Risk Index using clinically significant wavelet energy features to identify normal and diabetic retinopathy classes using just one number. We believe that this (Diabetic Retinopathy Risk Index) can be used as an adjunct tool by the doctors during the eye screening to cross-check their diagnosis.