bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WT1 Haploinsufficiency Supports Milder Renal Manifestation in Two Patients with Denys-Drash Syndrome
Authors: Guaragna Mara S. , Ribeiro de Andrade Juliana G. , de Freitas Carli Bárbara , Belangero Vera M.S. , Maciel-Guerra Andréa T. , Guerra-Júnior Gil , de Mello Maricilda P.
Published: January 2017

Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS) is characterized by nephropathy, genital abnormalities, and predisposition to Wilms' tumor. DDS patients usually present heterozygous de novo germline WT1 mutations. The WT1 gene comprises 10 exons encoding the N-terminal transactivation and the C-terminal DNA-binding regions. Two unrelated patients with genital ambiguity and Wilms' tumor were analyzed by sequencing of the WT1 gene, and 3 mutations in exon 1 were identified of which 2 are novel. Patient 1 carried a c.555delC mutation that causes a frameshift and a premature stop codon. Patient 2 carried both c.421A>C and c.424C>T aberrations that lead to the missense p.Lys141Gln and the nonsense p.Lys142* mutation, respectively. As both patients were heterozygous for the mutations, we tested their parents who did not carry any mutation. Therefore, the 3 WT1 mutations occurred de novo in both patients. Heterozygous mutations result in WT1 haploinsufficiency as they impair protein production. They are associated with a milder DDS phenotype as observed in the patients studied here.
Cardiovascular Events in Moderately to Severely Obese Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients on Positive Airway Pressure Therapy
Authors: Marotta Anna Maria , Borel Jean-Christian , Galerneau Louis M. , Tamisier Renaud , Bonsignore Maria R. , Pépin Jean Louis
Published: January 2017

Background: In moderately to severely obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the effects of long-term positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment on cardiovascular risk are poorly defined. Purpose: To assess the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) on the occurrence of cardiovascular events in obese OSA patients. Methods: We performed a noninterventional observational study in obese OSA patients recruited between 2007 and 2010 at the Sleep Center, University of Grenoble, treated with CPAP or NIV, and followed for 5.6 years by a single home care provider. Baseline clinical characteristics, blood chemistry, and respiratory and vascular function were assessed. Incident cardiovascular events were investigated by phone interviews. Results: A total of 103 patients (55 men, 48 women; age and body mass index [BMI] at diagnosis 54.1 ± 10.5 years and 40.3 ± 5.5, respectively [mean ± standard deviation]; CPAP: n = 75; NIV: n = 28) agreed to participate in the study. Grade I, II, and III obesity occurred in 17.5, 33.0, and 49.5% of the sample, respectively. In patients using PAP treatment (n = 69), the mean nightly use was 6.3 ± 2.4 h. Thirty-one patients stopped PAP treatment during follow-up. Three patients on NIV died. Nonfatal cardiovascular events (n = 27) occurred in 19 patients, who were older and showed higher number of comorbidities and triglyceride levels than patients without events. In the patients who interrupted treatment, the event rate was high and increased with the number of comorbidities, while BMI at baseline did not predict events. Conclusions: The study suggests that regular PAP treatment may be associated with protection against cardiovascular risk in obese OSA patients, especially in the presence of multiple comorbidities.
Rapid Decrease in Populations of Wild Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta) in Madagascar
Authors: LaFleur Marni , Clarke Tara A. , Reuter Kim , Schaeffer Toby
Published: January 2017

Lemurs are the most threatened group of mammals on earth. Lemur catta (ring-tailed lemur) represents one of the most iconic lemur species and faces numerous anthropogenic threats in the wild. In this study, we present population estimates from 32 sites across the range of L. catta, collected from primary and secondary data sources, to assess the number of ring-tailed lemurs left in the wild. We estimate that there are approximately 2,220 individual L. catta remaining in the 32 sites considered. We note local extinctions of populations of L. catta in at least 12 of the 32 sites examined, and that significantly more extinctions occurred in areas without some form of protection. This decrease in extant populations could represent a decrease of more than 95% of all ring-tailed lemurs in Madagascar since the year 2000. While these results should be considered preliminary, we stress the rapid decline of the species and note that habitat loss, bushmeat hunting and the illegal pet trade are driving populations to local extinction. Based on the data presented here, urgent and immediate funding and conservation action are crucial to ensure the viability of the remaining wild populations of ring-tailed lemurs.
Outcomes of low-molecular-weight heparin treatment for venous thromboembolism in patients with primary and metastatic brain tumours
Authors: Chai-Adisaksopha Chatree , Linkins Lori-Ann , ALKindi Said Y. , Cheah Matthew , Crowther Mark A. , Iorio Alfonso
Published: January 2017

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the most common complications in patients with brain tumours. There is limited data available in the literature on VTE treatment in these patients. We conducted a matched retrospective cohort study of patients with primary or metastatic brain cancer who were diagnosed with cancer-associated VTE. Patients were selected after a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients who were diagnosed with cancer-associated VTE between January 2010 and January 2014 at the Juravinski Thrombosis Clinic, Hamilton, Canada. Controls were age- and gender-matched patients with cancer-associated VTE from the same cohort, but without known brain tumours. A total of 364 patients with cancer-associated VTE were included (182 with primary or metastatic brain tumours and 182 controls). The median follow-up duration was 6.7 (interquartile range 2.5–15.8) months. The incidence rate of recurrent VTE was 11.0 per 100 patient-years (95 % CI; 6.7–17.9) in patients with brain tumours and 13.5 per 100 patient-years (95 % CI; 9.3–19.7) in non-brain tumour group. The incidence of major bleeding was 8.6 per 100 (95 % CI; 4.8–14.7) patient-years in patients with brain tumours versus 5.0 per 100 patient-years (95 % CI; 2.8–9.2) in controls. Rate of intracranial bleeding was higher in brain tumour patients (4.4 % vs 0 %, p-value=0.004). In summary, rates of recurrent VTE and major bleeding were not significantly different in patients with cancer-associated VTE in the setting of primary or metastatic brain tumours compared those without known brain tumours. However, greater numbers of intracranial bleeds were observed in patients with brain tumours.
Susceptibility to chronic social stress increases plaque progression, vulnerability and platelet activation
Authors: Rodriguez David T. , Urooj Zafar M. , Christoffel Daniel , Vialou Vincent , Peña Catherine , Badimon Ana , Hodes Georgia , Mury Pauline , Rabkin Jacklyn , Alique Matilde , Villa Giulia , Argmann Carmen , Nestler Eric , Russo Scott , Giannarelli Chiara , Badimon Juan
Published: January 2017

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
Composite End Points in Clinical Trials of Heart Failure Therapy
Authors: Brown Paul M. , Ezekowitz Justin A.
Published: January 2017

Composite end points are popular outcomes in clinical trials of heart failure therapies. For example, a global rank composite is typically analyzed using a Mann–Whitney U test, and the results are summarized by the mean of ranks and a corresponding
P
value. The mean of ranks is uninformative, and a clinically meaningful estimate of the treatment effect is needed to communicate study results and facilitate an assessment of heterogeneity (the consistency of the effect across outcomes). The probability index is intuitive for clinicians, easy to calculate, and may be applied to various composites. We suggest a simple and familiar plot to assess heterogeneity across outcomes, which should be routine when analyzing composites. We think that the probability index provides an immediate and simple solution to an overt problem.
Hypertension Severity Is Associated With Impaired Cognitive Performance
Authors: Muela Henrique C.S. , Costa‐Hong Valeria A. , Yassuda Mônica S. , Moraes Natália C. , Memória Claudia M. , Machado Michel F. , Macedo Thiago A. , Shu Edson B.S. , Massaro Ayrton R. , Nitrini Ricardo , Mansur Alfredo J. , Bortolotto Luiz A.
Published: January 2017

Background

Most evidence of target‐organ damage in hypertension (
HTN
) is related to the kidneys and heart. Cerebrovascular and cognitive impairment are less well studied. Therefore, this study analyzed changes in cognitive function in patients with different stages of hypertension compared to nonhypertensive controls.

Methods and Results

In a cross‐sectional study, 221 (71 normotensive and 150 hypertensive) patients were compared. Patients with hypertension were divided into 2 stages according to blood pressure (
BP
) levels or medication use (
HTN
‐1:
BP,
140–159/90–99 or use of 1 or 2 antihypertensive drugs;
HTN
‐2:
BP,
≥160/100 or use of ≥3 drugs). Three groups were comparatively analyzed: normotension,
HTN
stage 1, and
HTN
stage 2. The Mini–Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and a validated comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests that assessed 6 main cognitive domains were used to determine cognitive function. Compared to the normotension and
HTN
stage‐1, the severe
HTN
group had worse cognitive performance based on Mini–Mental State Examination (26.8±2.1 vs 27.4±2.1 vs 28.0±2.0;
P
=0.004) or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (23.4±3.7 vs 24.9±2.8 vs 25.5±3.2;
P
<0.001). On the neuropsychological tests, patients with hypertension had worse performance in language, processing speed, visuospatial abilities, and memory. Age, hypertension stage, and educational level were the best predictors of cognitive impairment in patients with hypertension in different cognitive domains.

Conclusions

Cognitive impairment was more frequent in patients with hypertension, and this was related to hypertension severity.
Introduction: Neutrality and Nonalignment in World Politics during the Cold War
Authors: Fischer Thomas , Aunesluoma Juhana , Makko Aryo
Published: January 2017

Over the past two decades, research on Cold War neutrality has advanced rapidly. With the declassification of important archival collections, the image of the four European “classic” neutrals—Austria, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland—has changed considerably. New facets have emerged in the understanding of how neutrality functioned as a part of the Cold War international system. In particular, the importance and connections of neutrality's domestic political and ideational dimensions in foreign policymaking has been stressed in the latest research on Cold War neutrality.
Design Hypotheses Behave Like Skeptical Hypotheses
Authors: van Woudenberg René , de Ridder Jeroen
Published: January 2017

It is often claimed that, as a result of scientific progress, we now know that the natural world displays no design. Although we have no interest in defending design hypotheses, we will argue that establishing claims to the effect that we know the denials of design hypotheses is more difficult than it seems. We do so by issuing two skeptical challenges to design-deniers. The first challenge draws inspiration from radical skepticism and shows how design claims are at least as compelling as radical skeptical scenarios in undermining knowledge claims, and in fact probably more so. The second challenge takes its cue from skeptical theism and shows how we are typically not in an epistemic position to rule out design.
Ptiliidae of the Maritime Provinces of Canada (Coleoptera): new records and bionomic notes
Authors: MAJKA CHRISTOPHER G. , SÖRENSSON MIKAEL
Published: January 2017

The Ptiliidae of the Maritime Provinces of Canada is surveyed. Twenty-nine new provincial records from the Maritime Provinces of Canada are reported including the first records of the family from Prince Edward Island. Fourteen species are recorded for the first time for the Maritime Provinces as a whole. Acrotrichis josephi (Matthews) is recorded for the first time in eastern North America and Acrotrichis haldemani (LeConte) is recorded for the first time in Canada. The genus Pteryx is reported for the first time in Canada. At least 29 species of Ptiliidae are now known to occur in the region. The fauna is briefly discussed in terms of its overall composition, introduced species, and species associated with particular habitats. Saproxylic species found in mature forests are discussed and attention is drawn to their possible relationship to undisturbed forest conditions and the scarcity of old-growth habitats in the region.
Taxonomic status of the bees from French Guiana described by Jules Dominique (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Megachilidae, Halictidae)
Authors: RASMUSSEN CLAUS , MAHÉ GILLES , HINOJOSA-DÍAZ ISMAEL ALEJANDRO
Published: January 2017

In March 1898 Abbé Jules Dominique (1838–1902; Bureau, 1903; Fig. 1) published an account of the bees collected by Constant Bar (1817–1884; Oberthür, 1888) and his family in French Guiana (Dominique, 1898). Jean M. Pérez (1833– 1914) had identified both the new and known species reported by Dominique and provided Dominique with manuscript names for the new species. While Pérez never published any of the proposed new species (Anonymous, 1917), Dominique in his account of the collection included both the manuscript names and a brief description in his own words for several of these species. Michener (1987) pointed out the taxonomic implications of this publication, in particular the potential instability to nomenclature when rediscovering names which have not been used for more than a century. While Michener considered several of Dominique’s new names valid, Moure (1967) had incorrectly regarded all of Dominique’s species of Euglossa and Eulaema as nomina nuda.
Utility of Satellite Remote Sensing for Land–Atmosphere Coupling and Drought Metrics
Authors: Roundy Joshua K. , Santanello Joseph A.
Published: January 2017

Feedbacks between the land and the atmosphere can play an important role in the water cycle, and a number of studies have quantified land–atmosphere (LA) interactions and feedbacks through observations and prediction models. Because of the complex nature of LA interactions, the observed variables are not always available at the needed temporal and spatial scales. This work derives the Coupling Drought Index (CDI) solely from satellite data and evaluates the input variables and the resultant CDI against in situ data and reanalysis products. NASA’s Aqua satellite and retrievals of soil moisture and lower-tropospheric temperature and humidity properties are used as input. Overall, the Aqua-based CDI and its inputs perform well at a point, spatially, and in time (trends) compared to in situ and reanalysis products. In addition, this work represents the first time that in situ observations were utilized for the coupling classification and CDI. The combination of in situ and satellite remote sensing CDI is unique and provides an observational tool for evaluating models at local and large scales. Overall, results indicate that there is sufficient information in the signal from simultaneous measurements of the land and atmosphere from satellite remote sensing to provide useful information for applications of drought monitoring and coupling metrics.
“Incest—See under Oedipus Complex”: The History of an Error in Psychoanalysis
Authors: Simon Bennett
Published: January 2017

This paper is intended as a contribution to the understanding of errors in our field. The title refers to the index entries “incest” in several classic psychoanalytic texts. In a way that is analogous to the defenses utilized by survivors of incest, psychoanalysis has both known and not known, avowed and disavowed, the traumatic impact of actual incest. It is argued that psychoanalysis erred in (a) focusing too heavily on the implications of incest for the Oedipus complex instead of its implications for every stage of development, and (b) missing out on the full and detailed description of the clinical pictures of incest victims and of treatment issues, including transference and countertransference. The author presents an overview of the history prompted by Masson's original attack on Freud for abandoning the “seduction hypothesis.” Topics covered are: Freud's early papers, the Freud-Ferenczi controversy (1932), and the state of psychoanalytic awareness in the 1960's of the importance of actual incest. Certain features of our field make it all too likely that new errors can be generated that may similarly lake decades to recognize and undo. These include the politics of our discipline, and negative attitudes toward systematic gathering and assessment of evidence.
Connectivity and Condensation in Dreaming
Authors: Palombo Stanley R.
Published: January 2017

Converging developments in the cognitive- and neurosciences have brought Freud's hope of a bridge between psychoanalysis and psychophysiology nearer to hand. This paper concerns the relation between dream construction and memory in terms of these new developments.

The neural network architecture of memory structures in the brain is described and illustrated with simple examples. We see how a network is connected and how connection weights vary with experience. The distributed representation stored by the network and its crucial properties for mental functioning are discussed.

These concepts are used to explain how particular memories of past events are selected for inclusion in the dream. The properties of the neural network suggest that images of distinct past events are conflated at times during the selection process. The appearance of these conflated images may complicate the matching of day residues with representations of past events in the dream itself.

Some likely implications for psychoanalytic theory are explored.
The Changing Impact of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Clinical Practice
Authors: Akst Lee M. , Haque Omar J. , Clarke John O. , Hillel Alexander T. , Best Simon R.A. , Altman Kenneth W.
Published: January 2017

Objectives:

The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) database was utilized to understand evolving national trends in diagnosis and management of reflux.

Methods:

The NAMCS database was queried for visits related to gastroesophageal reflux diagnosis and management. Analysis performed for time periods 1998-2001, 2002-2005, and 2006-2009 was weighted to provide national estimates of care. Results were compared to previously reported time periods from 1990 to 2001 to evaluate patterns in overall visits, age and ethnicity of patients, provider type, and prescriptions provided.

Results:

The number of ambulatory visits for reflux increased from 8 684 000 in 1998-2001 to 15 750 000 in 2006-2009. Visits increased across each time period for internal medicine, family, and gastroenterology physicians. Among otolaryngologists, absolute visits increased from 1998-2001 to 2002-2005 but decreased in 2006-2009; difference between these time periods did not reach statistical significance. From 1998-2001 to 2006-2009, reflux medication use increased 233%, with continuing trends toward increased proton pump inhibitor use.

Conclusions:

Reflux visits have increased across all demographic subgroups studied. Knowledge of these trends may inform further paradigm shifts in diagnosis and management of reflux.
Muscle-Nerve-Muscle Grafting for Facial Reanimation in Rats
Authors: Charous Steven J. , Hotaling Jeffery M. , Burgess Bridget D. , Sappington Joshua M. , Park James , Turek Grant , Foecking Eileen M.
Published: January 2017

Objective:

Facial paralysis is a devastating condition leaving patients with a myriad of aesthetic and functional consequences. Muscle-nerve-muscle (MNM) neurotization is a reinnervation technique that involves implanting an autogenous nerve graft as a conduit between an innervated “donor” muscle and a denervated “recipient” muscle. We investigated the use of MNM reinnervation, alone or in combination with electrical stimulation (ES) and testosterone propionate (TP) in comparison to nerve reanastomosis (RE), on functional recovery following rat facial nerve injury.

Methods:

Thirty-one male, Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to groups: no graft (control), MNM grafting alone (MNM), MNM grafting with ES and TP (MNM+ES+TP), or RE. Harvested right facial nerve branches were used as the MNM graft. Functional recovery was assessed by behavioral observations and electromyographic recordings.

Results:

The MNM grafting improved muscle tone and vibrissae movement. The ES+TP treatment further enhanced muscle tone as well as reduced recovery time for coordinated movement in a manner that is comparable to those of RE. Electromyographic recordings demonstrated electrical conductance across all MNM grafts.

Conclusion:

These data have important implications for patients with unilateral paralysis from facial or laryngeal nerve injury, particularly those who are not candidates for nerve reanastomosis.
Vascular Dizziness and Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography
Authors: Rock Erwin H.
Published: January 2017

Dizziness as defined herein will include an illusion of motion caused by various degrees of ischemia to the vestibular pathway or its interconnecting pathways. “Syndrome,” such as the lateral medullary syndrome, denotes a macroinfarct, while a microinfarct or an area of incomplete infarct (where there may develop an incomplete degeneration of the neural tissue secondary to the arteriolar microatheromatous stenosis) may cause only one neurologic deficit, such as dizziness per se as the only symptom. However, the latter may presage a larger and more debilitating neurologic deficit. The transcranial Doppler, used to track sequentially the larger basal arteries of the brain, specifically the vertebrobasilar arterial system, is an addition to noninvasive diagnostic methods of separating vascular problems from other causes of dizziness.
Measuring the Effects of Schooling
Authors: Hattie John
Published: January 2017

A simple model to measure the effects of innovation and schooling is proposed. Using a synthesis of 134 meta-analyses, it is demonstrated that educational innovations can be expected to change average achievement outcomes by .4 standard deviations and affective outcomes by .2 standard deviations. The implications of this model are discussed and the major critical determinants of effective education relate to factors under the control of teachers and students rather than to home, curricula or administrative effects.
How Shall I Write This Language?
Authors: Smalley William A.
Published: January 2017

In this article the author attempts to deal with the principles involved in developing a writing system adapted in a practical way to the orthography tradition of the area where it is to be used. This tradition may be exemplified in the national language, a colonial language, or the language of a group whose culture carries prestige, and toward which people of other groups aspire. That such adaptation must be made in many parts of the world is becoming ever more clear. The mechanics of the adaptation, however, is not always clearly understood.
Our Own Tongue Wherein We Were Born
Authors: Pike Kenneth L.
Published: January 2017

(As the result of a number of inquiries, the editors of The Bible Translator have asked Dr. Kenneth L. Pike to describe in some detail the principles and methods which are being employed by the Wycliffe Bible Translators in their rapidly growing work in so many parts of the world-Ed)
La droite catholique au Québec : essai de typologie
Authors: Vaillancourt Jean-Guy , Geoffroy Martin
Published: January 2017

L'article tente de typologiser divers groupes de droite dans le catholicisme québécois contemporain. Si l'on examine l'ensemble de ces groupes, on peut d'abord distinguer les conservateurs des intégristes (ou traditionalistes). Une autre typologie est basée sur les intérêts principaux des groupes (communautés, groupes de piété, ordres chevaleresques, groupes centrés sur la famille et l'école). L'article centre l'attention sur les diverses communautés intégristes. Ces dernières peuvent se subdiviser en quatre sous-types : les non-schismatiques d'origine québécoise (e.g., les Bérets Blancs) les non-schismatiques d'origine étrangère (e.g., Contre-Réforme catholique de l'Abbé de Nantes), les schismatiques d'origine étrangère (e.g., les disciples de Mgr Lefebvre) et les schismatiques québécois (e.g., les Apôtres de l'Amour Infini).
Notes sur la recomposition du champ religieux
Authors: Lemieux Raymond
Published: January 2017

À quelles conditions peut-on parler d'une recomposition du champ religieux dans le monde contemporain et quelle est la pertinence d'un tel discours, alors que la plupart des lectures de la modernité proposent plutôt de conclure à son éclatement, sinon à son effritement irrémédiable? Après avoir éliminé ce que ne peut pas être la recomposition du champ religieux et montré les apories des discours dominants à l'égard des phénomènes religieux, tant sur le plan épistémologique sur le plan empirique, l'auteur propose de conjuguer trois regards propres aux sciences contemporaines de la religion. Il questionne alors leur approche des traditions, des religions minoritaires (ou alternatives) et enfin de la religiosité pragmatique du monde séculier lui-même pour y discerner les fonctions instituantes du croire, aujourd'hui comme hier.
Le Zen et l'art de la pédagogie électronique
Authors: Boisvert Mathieu
Published: January 2017

Cet article présente les résultats d'un projet réalisé dans le cadre d'un séminaire de formation pédagogique offert par l'American Academy of Religion et le Lilly Foundation. Ce projet avait pour fin d'intégrer l'usage de l'Internet (plus particulièrement d'un group de discussions éléctroniques) afin de stimuler les échanges entre les étudiants et étudiantes et de les inciter à préparer à fond la matière prévue pour la semaine. En outre, ce projet leur a permis de se familiariser avec l'Internet, ou outil de recherche qui pourrait fort bien s'avérer indispensable pour leur recherche. Cet article consiste essentiellement à résumer les méthodes pédagogiques employées, leurs avantages et désavantages, ainsi que les réactions des étudiants et étudiantes face à une telle approche.
Whence the Rabbis? From coherent description to fragmented reconstructions
Authors: Lightstone Jack N.
Published: January 2017

Much of the contemporary scholarship on the origins of the earliest rabbinic movement and of its literature is hampered by a problematic circularity: conceptual and methodological constructs closely derived from what the ancient evidence itself says about the origins of Rabbinism and its documents become the basis for analyses of the very same evidence. Appropriately constructed theoretical approaches and related methodologies should provide the basis for elucidating more than one body of evidence, or they have no elucidating power at all. However, since any theoretical construct will highlight some aspects of the phenomenon under study at the expense of others, the use of any one approach will necessarily provide an incomplete account of the community studied. With these limitations in mind, this article elaborates a socio-rhetorical approach to the study of the Mishnah, the earliest extant document of the nascent rabbinic guild, in an effort to elucidate the character and origins of the early rabbinic guild. The article views the literary traits of Mishnah as a socially legitimated and authoritative rhetoric, reflecting and modelling a guild expertise core to the social formation of the early rabbinic guild. In broaching the question of whence such guild expertise in second- and early third-century Judea and Galilee, the work suggests that the immediate institutional origins are in the bureaucracy of the national and cultic administration of the Jerusalem Temple and of its High Priesthood, institutions eliminated by the Romans in 70 C.E.
Premises, Promises, and Problems of Comparative Foreign Policy
Authors: Faurby Ib
Published: January 2017

What is comparative foreign policy? This article outlines the background for the advent of comparative foreign policy as a subfield within the field of international relations. It describes the main approaches represented. In particular, the problems relating to the development of frameworks for empirical research and the application of comparative method to the study of foreign policy are discussed. It is claimed that of the three levels: theory, method, and research technique, theory is weak and methods not sufficiently considered. It is further argued that there is a need for closer interaction between theoretical and empirical work and for the development of an explicit comparative methodology to serve as the link between theory and the application of research techniques to empirical data.
How Robust Is the Moderating Effect of Extremist Beliefs on the Relationship Between Self-Control and Violent Extremism?
Authors: Pauwels Lieven J. R. , Svensson Robert
Published: January 2017

The present research note studies the interaction between the ability to exercise self-control and extremist moral beliefs with regard to the explanation of violent extremism. Although some evidence exists for the interaction between moral beliefs and self-control in the explanation of adolescent offending, no previous study has studied this interaction effect in a survey of young adults and with regard to politically or religiously motivated violence. This study therefore extends the existing literature by testing a key proposition of Situational Action Theory. We use a large-scale web survey of young adults in Belgium. The results support the hypothesis that the effect of the ability to exercise self-control is conditional upon one’s extremist beliefs. The results are stable across extremism-specific measures of extremist beliefs.
A Critique of Standard Reference Works in Human Factors
Authors: Lovinger David N. , Baker Charles A.
Published: January 2017

This study employed the questionnaire technique to survey members of the Human Factors Society with regard to the adequacy of the reference works in that field of engineering. The responses indicated marked preferences for certain reference works, the preferences being partially correlated with the educational backgrounds of the responders. Suggestions for the improvement of handbooks and for the coverage of new areas were also solicited and analyzed, but were found to be not related to educational background. Some possible directions for the improvement of reference works are discussed.
Toward an Ideal Guide for Display Designers
Authors: Devoe Donald B.
Published: January 2017

A Utopian ideal has been proposed in the form of an integrated guide to the design of displays for complex systems. This ideal guide would combine the latest knowledge in the form of principles, methods, human performance data and hardware performance data in such a way that a user could enter the guide from a problem in any phase of display development and obtain the best guidance possible. A closer, more realistic look at the problems involved has suggested that the state of the art today would permit a giant step toward the ideal and that, given proper support (which is feasible though unlikely), a guide could be produced and maintained that would be significantly closer to the ideal than are today's references.
Some Ideas about the Future of Human Factors Reference Works
Authors: Sinaiko H. Wallace
Published: January 2017

A number of current and future trends in human factors documentation arc reviewed. Selected activities and programs are suggested relevant to the improvement of future products and services.
Education systems, school segregation, and second-generation immigrants’ educational success: Evidence from a country-fixed effects approach using three waves of PISA
Authors: Teltemann Janna , Schunck Reinhard
Published: January 2017

Many countries are increasingly being challenged to integrate their growing immigrant populations. A major key to successful integration is the educational attainment of immigrant offspring. According to the results of comparative studies, second-generation immigrant students often lag behind their non-immigrant counterparts even though the host countries perform very differently with respect to the education of immigrant offspring. This study investigates how the interplay between the degrees of stratification and standardization in education systems and the degree of ethnic school segregation affects the performance gap between non-immigrant and second-generation immigrant students in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Based on data from three waves of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study (2003, 2006, and 2009), this article presents a country fixed effects approach to analyzing repeated cross-sectional data by investigating how changes in education policies and institutional contexts are associated with non-immigrant–immigrant reading performance gap. Between-school stratification was associated with lower performance of second-generation immigrants relative to native students, particularly when paired with ethnic school segregation, whereas within-school stratification (ability grouping) was associated with higher relative performance of the immigrant students. In addition, the non-native students benefited from less standardization of educational input, because performance gaps were smaller when a country’s educational resources were distributed unequally.
The Seeking Of Noetic Goals Revisited Among Spanish Young People
Authors: García-Alandete Joaquín , Rubio-Belmonte César , Soucase Lozano Beatriz
Published: January 2017

This study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Seeking O f Noetic Goals (SONG) scale and analyzed the correlations with the Purpose in Life (PIL) scale and the gender-related differences. A cross-sectional method design was used. Participants were 349 Spanish undergraduates (225 women, 64.5%, and 124 men, 35.5%), with ages ranging between 18 and 26 years, M = 20.85, SD = 2.16. Spanish versions of both the SONG and PIL were used. A two-factor model (Need for Meaning and Expectations) with eight items (SONG-8), which showed a good fit and internal consistency, as well as a negative correlation with the PIL, was obtained. Men had higher scores than women on the scale and in both factors, and differences were significant for the total score of the SONG-8. A valid, robust, and parsimonious model for the SONG was obtained. The SONG and the PIL are complementary scales.
History of Deliberate Self Harm May Predict Methods of Fatal Self Harm in the Elderly
Authors: Salib Emad , Tadros George , Cawley Sheila
Published: January 2017

In this study we examined the association between methods of Deliberate Self Harm (DSH) by the elderly and their subsequent methods of Fatal Self Harm (FSH). Data was collected from the files of inquests into suicide by the elderly in Birmingham and Cheshire Coroner's Courts. All the subjects were above the age of 60, had history of deliberate self harm before the final act of fatal self harm and attracted either suicide or open verdict returned by the Coroners over a period of four years 1995–1998. We compared the methods of Deliberate Self Harm (DSH) to the methods of Fatal Self Harm (FSH) used by all the included elderly.

18 per cent of elderly victims of FSH had a previous history of DSH and in 35 per cent of the sample, the last known attempt of DSH occurred more than one year prior to the FSH. The majority of the methods that had been used in elderly DSH were used again in their final act of FSH. Nearly two thirds of all the elderly who died of an overdose had attempted suicide earlier by an overdose and one in five of those who died by hanging or drowning used the same method in an unsuccessful attempt of FSH within 12 months.

A detailed history of DSH can improve the quality of risk assessment of self harm in the elderly. As more than one in three elderly victims of FSH attempted DSH more than a year prior to the final act, it is important when assessing an elderly DSH attempt that we obtain any previous case notes and question informants about the distant as well as the recent past.
Laryngeal Crepitus: An Aid to Diagnosis in Non-Fatal Strangulation
Authors: Hansen Steen Holger
Published: January 2017

Examination of victims exposed to strangulation is well known in clinical forensic medicine. Not all cases show the objective signs to be found at the examination, e.g. petechial haemorrhages in the eyes and face as well as bruises and abrasions on the neck. In cases without objective signs especially, examination of the laryngeal crepitus might be an aid to diagnosis in strangulation. Laryngeal crepitus is felt by the examiner when the larynx is moved from side to side with a slight posterior pressure. When absent, it is a clinical sign of a mass in the retrolaryngeal space or hypopharynx, probably due to a laryngeal trauma. This paper describes three cases of strangulation where the clinical examinations showed a temporary absence of laryngeal crepitus.
Section 136 Use in the London Borough of Haringey
Authors: Simmons Peter , Hoar Amanda
Published: January 2017

A retrospective one-year study of the use of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act was undertaken in Haringey between 1995 and 1996 to ascertain behaviours resulting in detention, and their admission rate. Data were extracted from police Section 136 forms, Emergency Assessment Centre records and patient notes.

Of 90 people assessed under Section 136, the majority were male and lived locally, with the largest ethnic group being Afro-Caribbean. Each category of presenting behaviour recorded by the police was a high predictor of admission, with an overall admission rate of 82%. Behavioural categories with an admission rate of less than 79% were threats or acts of deliberate self-harm and ‘confusion’ or disorientation (57% and 67% admission rates), which both warrant police referral for specialized assessment. The three most common presenting behaviours were violent threats/acts, abnormal form or stream of speech, and walking/lying/running in the road. The police did not appear to over use Section 136.

Section 136 data were incomplete, in keeping with previous studies. This should be rectified by the introduction of both a national data collection standard and a requirement for a defined local data collection point for all instances of Section 136.
Poisoning in Northern India: Changing Trends, Causes and Prevention Thereof
Authors: Sharma B R , Harish Dassari , Sharma Vivek , Vij Krishan
Published: January 2017

A twenty-one years retrospective study (1980–2000) of acute poisoning deaths carried out at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu and Govt. Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh — the two demographically different zones of Northern India. Union Territory of Chandigarh, which is the capital of Punjab and Haryana states, is one of the most developed parts of India, whereas Jammu primarily represents the rural India. The study is an attempt to analyze the various changing trends in acute poisoning in these zones with the aim that it will help immensely the health policy-makers to equip health care institutions accordingly.

The present study reveals a steep increase in the number of acute poisoning cases and a change in the trends of the most commonly used poisons with the passage of time. Males outnumbered females and youth formed the majority of fatalities. The main victims were unemployed youth and students, followed by agricultural and domestic workers. Despite India's predominantly rural character, the urban preponderance of deaths by poisoning may reflect the role of leading a more stressful life in urban areas.
Wrongful Birth Claim in Japan
Authors: Sakaihara Mitsuo
Published: January 2017

Wrongful birth claim is generally defined as a claim by the parents of a child born alive but with a disability that a doctor was negligent in permitting the pregnancy to continue to birth. There have been four cases relating to congenital rubella syndrome and one case relating to Down's syndrome held in Japan. The claims brought by the mothers were that, but for the negligence of the doctor in managing the pregnancy, the mother would have had a lawful abortion and the child would not have been born to suffer a disability. As we do not have the provision of foetal indication for abortion in Japan, wrongful birth claim by parents is founded upon a breach of doctors' duty in advising of the probability of a disabled child. We compare the lawful nature of wrongful birth claims in Japan with those in the United States and the United Kingdom.
A Study of Modern Methods of Grouping Dried Blood Stains
Authors: Nickolls L. C. , Pereira M.
Published: January 2017

This paper on the examination of blood stains describes a modification of the technique reported by Coombs and Dodd in volume I of this journal at p. 359. It confirms its value as a routine measure in cases where the quantity of blood is too small for complete grouping by the classical method. It is stated that it is superior for MN grouping and that promising results have been obtained with the D factor of the Rhesus complex.
Identification of the Pseudocholinesterase Type in Human Blood Spots
Authors: Lehmann H. , Davies Daphne
Published: January 2017

This is a test designed to identify different enzymes in blood spots, which may be up to several weeks or months old. The level is estimated by inhibiting the different enzymes by dibucaine and the percentage inhibition is known as the Dibucaine Number. The majority of the population have a DN of 80. 1 in 35 has a DN of 60 and less than 1 in 1,000 has a DN of 20.

Suxamethonium is a muscle relaxant widely used in anaesthesia. Its action is brief because it is quickly destroyed by a substance in the blood called pseudocholinesterase. Some people with prolonged paralysis have been shown to have very small amounts of pseudocholinesterase, and therefore when injected with suxamethonium the action of the latter is prolonged. The condition of low blood pseudocholinesterase can be inherited.

Kalow and Genest (1957)1 discovered that the pseudocholinesterase deficiency is due to the replacement of the latter by a rare, but similar substance or enzyme of much lower efficiency. These two enzymes may be distinguished by observing their inhibition by a local anaesthetic dibucaine. Experiments show that the usual enzyme is inhibited by about 80 per cent. and the unusual enzyme by about 20 per cent. Mixtures of both enzymes show an intermediate degree of inhibition.

There are also other much rarer variants of the enzyme pseudocholinesterase. The two inherited genes responsible for the presence of pseudocholinesterase are the same in the majority of people, and the majority of people have the usual pseudocholinesterase in the blood. Rather less than 1 in 1,000 people has two unusual genes and these have the unusual pseudocholinesterase and about 1 in 35 has one gene for the usual cholinesterase and one for the unusual cholinesterase.

The measurement of the DN does not depend on the actual level of enzyme concentration, and can be obtained with very small amounts of serum, plasma or whole blood. Experiments have shown that pseudocholinesterase remains stable in the dried state for weeks or even years; e.g., a nine-month-old spot of blood was examined and found to come from a person having one gene for usual and one gene for unusual pseudocholinesterase. A fresh sample of blood was taken from the person from whom the original spot came and the results were confirmed.

It is suggested that the determination of the DN of a human blood spot which can be kept dry is practicable for a long period and may occasionally be found to be of some value in the forensic laboratory.
Responsibility for Crime
Authors: Scott P. D.
Published: January 2017

The intricacies of the law in its endeavours to protect children from themselves, from exploitation and neglect, and from its own ultimate rigours are described and criticised in the light of recent recommendations for reform. Scientists who study child development are found to be equally confused in considering the problem of criminal responsibility. Early and recent arguments for replacing the concept of responsibility by a prospective approach of “treatment-based-on-results” are reviewed. Finally the future role of prisons and hospitals in relation to the treatment of psychopaths is discussed.
Character and Personality in Relation to Criminal Responsibility
Authors: Hill Denis
Published: January 2017

The concept of responsibility is foreign to medical and psychiatric thinking, but must be faced by the expert witness. Temperament, personality and character are three discernibly different aspects of an individual. In understanding responsibility, character development is the most important. The major difficulties are in the case of psychopathic personality. The diagnosis, definition and causes of this are discussed, and consideration is given to the question of “irresistible impulse.”
The Use of Anti-Human Haemoglobin in Forensic Serology
Authors: Baxter S. J. , Rees B.
Published: January 2017

An assessment of a commercial anti-human haemoglobin reagent has been conducted under experimental conditions and in forensic casework examinations. The immunoglobulin preparation used was shown to react with human haemoglobin and baboon haemoglobin in similar fashion. The sensitivity of the reagent is adequate to establish the presence of human haemoglobin in human bloodstains. The use of anti-human haemoglobin reagents in medicolegal work is advocated.
Traumatic Rupture of the Thoracic Aorta and Inferior Vena Cava: An Unusual Cause of Death at the Place of Work
Authors: Anim J. T. , Laing W. N.
Published: January 2017

A case of rupture of both thoracic aorta and inferior vena cava and laceration of the lung with instantaneous death is reported. Because the accident occurred at the place of work and while using modern machinery, it highlights the need for, and use of, safety mechanisms on modern machinery. Regulations controlling the use of such machinery are provided in the Ghana Factories Woodworking Regulations 1959, s. 4 and 5, and these have obviously been disregarded in this particular case.
Asthma Deaths: A Review
Authors: Preston Hilary V. , Bowen D. A. L.
Published: January 2017

This paper describes a retrospective autopsy study of 285 asthma deaths in the coroner's jurisdiction in North and West London over a period of 30 years. The survey comprised 143 females and 122 males, with a strikingly large number of deaths occurring in the 1960–1970 era, covering the period that Isoprenaline inhalers were in common and widespread use. The study confirms a seasonal variation, in that deaths occurred more frequently in the third quarter of the year in both males and females, with a further increase in deaths in females in February and March. The age distribution shows that the majority of deaths occurred between 45 and 75 years of age, with a separate peak in males aged 25–29 years. The majority of deaths occurred at home.
A Female Bail Hostel
Authors: O'Connor Art
Published: January 2017

A female bail hostel is described, and referrals to the hostel and problems encountered over a one-year period are outlined. The role of the forensic psychiatrist in a bail hostel is illustrated. It is suggested that greater use should be made of bail and bail hostels especially for those temporarily homeless and provisions should be made for those with alcohol, drug or psychiatric problems.
Myocarditis as an Incidental Finding in Young Men Dying from Unnatural Causes
Authors: Claydon S. M.
Published: January 2017

Histological examination of the heart in a murder victim revealed florid myocarditis as an incidental finding. Subsequent examination of the heart in 27 further cases of unnatural death in young men aged 15–25 years revealed three more cases of myocarditis. In none of these four cases was the myocarditis thought to have caused or contributed to death.