bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Atypical Case of Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis Presenting as Hypovolemic Shock
Authors: Martillo Miguel , Abed Jean , Herman Michael , Abed Elie , Shi Wenjing , Munot Khushboo , Mankal Pavan Kumar , Gurunathan Rajan , Ionescu Gabriel , Kotler Donald P.
Published: May 2015

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is an uncommon condition characterized by focal or diffuse infiltration of eosinophils in the gastrointestinal tract in the absence of secondary causes. The pathogenesis of this condition is not well understood and its clinical presentation depends on the segment and layer of the gastrointestinal tract affected. The definition of eosinophilic gastroenteritis may be difficult, as the normal ranges of eosinophil numbers in normal and abnormal gastric and intestinal mucosa are not standardized. We present the case of a 59-year-old male who came to the hospital with hypovolemic shock and lethargy secondary to severe diarrhea. Laboratory analysis was significant for peripheral eosinophilia, and pathology from both the duodenum and colon showed marked eosinophilic infiltration.
Shaping the Reproductive System: Role of Semaphorins in Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Development and Function
Authors: Giacobini Paolo
Published: May 2015

The semaphorin proteins, which contribute to the morphogenesis and homeostasis of a wide range of systems, are among the best-studied families of guidance cues. Much recent research has focused on the role of semaphorins in the development and adult activity of hormone systems and, reciprocally, how circulating reproductive hormones regulate their expression and function. Specifically, several reports have focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of semaphorins on the migration, survival and structural and functional plasticity of neurons that secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), essential for the acquisition and maintenance of reproductive competence in mammals. Alterations in the development of this neuroendocrine system lead to anomalous or absent GnRH secretion, resulting in heterogeneous reproductive disorders such as congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) or other conditions characterized by infertility or subfertility. This review summarizes current knowledge of the role of semaphorins and their receptors on the development, differentiation and plasticity of the GnRH system. In addition, the involvement of genetic deficits in semaphorin signaling in some forms of CHH in humans is discussed.
Genetic Regulation of Puberty Timing in Humans
Authors: Day Felix R. , Perry John R.B. , Ong Ken K.
Published: May 2015

Understanding the regulation of puberty timing has relevance to developmental and human biology and to the pathogenesis of various diseases. Recent large-scale genome-wide association studies on puberty timing and adult height, body mass index (BMI) and central body shape provide evidence for shared biological mechanisms that regulate these traits. There is a substantial genetic overlap between age at menarche in women and BMI, with almost invariable directional consistency with the epidemiological associations between earlier menarche and higher BMI. By contrast, the genetic loci identified for age at menarche are largely distinct from those identified for central body shape, while alleles that confer earlier menarche can be associated with taller or shorter adult height. The findings of population-based studies on age at menarche show increasing relevance for other studies of rare monogenic disorders and enrich our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate the timing of puberty and reproductive function.
Predicting outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure receiving anticoagulation with warfarin
Authors: Ozonoff Al , Hylek Elaine M. , Berlowitz Dan R. , Ash Arlene S. , Miller Donald R. , Zhao Shibei , Reisman Joel I. , Jasuja Guneet K. , Rose Adam J. , Kim Eun-Jeong
Published: May 2015

Among patients receiving oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF) is associated with poor anticoagulation control. However, it is not known which patients with heart failure are at greatest risk of adverse outcomes. We evaluated 62,156 Veterans Health Administration (VA) patients receiving warfarin for AF between 10/1/06–9/30/08 using merged VA-Medicare dataset. We predicted time in therapeutic range (TTR) and rates of adverse events by categorising patients into those with 0, 1, 2, or 3+ of five putative markers of HF severity such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST)> 80 U/l, alkaline phosphatase> 150 U/l, serum sodium< 130 mEq/l, any receipt of metolazone, and any inpatient admission for HF exacerbation. These risk categories predicted TTR: patients without HF (referent) had a mean TTR of 65.0 %, while HF patients with 0, 1, 2, 3 or more markers had mean TTRs of 62.2 %, 57.2 %, 53.5 %, and 50.7 %, respectively (p< 0.001). These categories also discriminated for major haemorrhage well; compared to patients without HF, HF patients with increasing severity had hazard ratios of 1.84, 3.06, 3.52 and 5.14 respectively (p< 0.001). However, although patients with HF had an elevated hazard for bleeding compared to those without HF, these categories did not effectively discriminate risk of ischaemic stroke across HF. In conclusion, we developed a HF severity model using easily available clinical characteristics that performed well to risk-stratify patients with HF who are receiving anticoagulation for AF with regard to major haemorrhage.
Role of moesin in HMGB1-stimulated severe inflammatory responses
Authors: Han Min-Su , Lee You-Mie , Kim Shin-Woo , Kim Kyung-Min , Lee Taeho , Lee Wonhwa , Kwon Oh Kwang , Lee Sangkyu , Bae Jong-Sup
Published: May 2015

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to infection causes systemic inflammation. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), as a late mediator of sepsis, enhances hyper-permeability, and it is therefore a therapeutic target. Despite extensive research into the underlying mechanisms of sepsis, the target molecules controlling vascular leakage remain largely unknown. Moesin is a cytoskeletal protein involved in cytoskeletal changes and para-cellular gap formation. The objectives of this study were to determine the roles of moesin in HMGB1-mediated vascular hyperpermeability and inflammatory responses and to investigate the mechanisms of action underlying these responses. Using siRNA knockdown of moesin expression in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), moesin was found to be required in HMGB1-induced F-actin rearrangement, hyperpermeability, and inflammatory responses. The mechanisms involved in moesin phosphorylation were analysed by blocking the binding of the HMGB1 receptor (RAGE) and inhibiting the Rho and MAPK pathways. HMGB1-treated HUVECs exhibited an increase in Thr558 phosphorylation of moesin. Circulating levels of moesin were measured in patients admitted to the intensive care unit with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock; these patients showed significantly higher levels of moesin than healthy controls, which was strongly correlated with disease severity. High blood moesin levels were also observed in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis in mice. Administration of blocking moesin antibodies attenuated CLP-induced septic death. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the HMGB1-RAGE-moesin axis can elicit severe inflammatory responses, suggesting it to be a potential target for the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for sepsis.
Systemic Right Ventricular Fibrosis Detected by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Is Associated With Clinical Outcome, Mainly New-Onset Atrial Arrhythmia, in Patients After Atrial Redirection Surgery for Transposition of the Great Arteries
Authors: Rydman Riikka , Gatzoulis Michael A. , Ho Siew Yen , Ernst Sabine , Swan Lorna , Li Wei , Wong Tom , Sheppard Mary , McCarthy Karen P. , Roughton Michael , Kilner Philip J. , Pennell Dudley J. , Babu-Narayan Sonya V.
Published: May 2015

Background—

We hypothesized that fibrosis detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance predicts outcomes in patients with transposition of the great arteries post atrial redirection surgery. These patients have a systemic right ventricle (RV) and are at risk of arrhythmia, premature RV failure, and sudden death.

Methods and Results—

Fifty-five patients (aged 27±7 years) underwent LGE cardiovascular magnetic resonance and were followed for a median 7.8 (interquartile range, 3.8–9.6) years in a prospective single-center cohort study. RV LGE was present in 31 (56%) patients. The prespecified composite clinical end point comprised new-onset sustained tachyarrhythmia (atrial/ventricular) or decompensated heart failure admission/transplantation/death. Univariate predictors of the composite end point (n=22 patients; 19 atrial/2 ventricular tachyarrhythmia, 1 death) included RV LGE presence and extent, RV volumes/mass/ejection fraction, right atrial area, peak V
o
2
, and age at repair. In bivariate analysis, RV LGE presence was independently associated with the composite end point (hazard ratio, 4.95 [95% confidence interval, 1.60–15.28];
P
=0.005), and only percent predicted peak V
o
2
remained significantly associated with cardiac events after controlling for RV LGE (hazard ratio, 0.80 [95% confidence interval, 0.68–0.95];
P
=0.009/5%). In 8 of 9 patients with >1 event, atrial tachyarrhythmia, itself a known risk factor for mortality, occurred first. There was agreement between location and extent of RV LGE at in vivo cardiovascular magnetic resonance and histologically documented focal RV fibrosis in an explanted heart. There was RV LGE progression in a different case restudied for clinical indications.

Conclusions—

Systemic RV LGE is strongly associated with adverse clinical outcome especially arrhythmia in transposition of the great arteries, thus LGE cardiovascular magnetic resonance should be incorporated in risk stratification of these patients.
Early Detection of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity and Improvement With Heart Failure Therapy
Authors: Cardinale Daniela , Colombo Alessandro , Bacchiani Giulia , Tedeschi Ines , Meroni Carlo A. , Veglia Fabrizio , Civelli Maurizio , Lamantia Giuseppina , Colombo Nicola , Curigliano Giuseppe , Fiorentini Cesare , Cipolla Carlo M.
Published: May 2015

Background—

Three types of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicities are currently recognized: acute, early-onset chronic, and late-onset chronic. However, data supporting this classification are lacking. We prospectively evaluated incidence, time of occurrence, clinical correlates, and response to heart failure therapy of cardiotoxicity.

Methods and Results—

We assessed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), at baseline, every 3 months during chemotherapy and for the following year, every 6 months over the following 4 years, and yearly afterward in a heterogeneous cohort of 2625 patients receiving anthracycline-containing therapy. In case of cardiotoxicity (LVEF decrease >10 absolute points, and <50%), heart failure therapy was initiated. Recovery from cardiotoxicity was defined as partial (LVEF increase >5 absolute points and >50%) or full (LVEF increase to the baseline value). The median follow-up was 5.2 (quartile 1 to quartile 3, 2.6–8.0) years. The overall incidence of cardiotoxicity was 9% (n=226). The median time elapsed between the end of chemotherapy and cardiotoxicity development was 3.5 (quartile 1 to quartile 3, 3–6) months. In 98% of cases (n=221), cardiotoxicity occurred within the first year. Twenty-five (11%) patients had full recovery, and 160 (71%) patients had partial recovery. At multivariable analysis, end-chemotherapy LVEF (hazard ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.33–1.42 for each percent unit decrement) and cumulative doxorubicin dose (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.15 for each 50 mg/m
2
increment) were independent correlates of cardiotoxicity.

Conclusions—

Most cardiotoxicity after anthracycline-containing therapy occurs within the first year and is associated with anthracycline dose and LVEF at the end of treatment. Early detection and prompt therapy of cardiotoxicity appear crucial for substantial recovery of cardiac function.
Minimal Conditions for Protocell Stationary Growth
Authors: Bigan Erwan , Steyaert Jean-Marc , Douady Stéphane
Published: May 2015

We show that self-replication of a chemical system encapsulated within a membrane growing from within is possible without any explicit feature such as autocatalysis or metabolic closure, and without the need for their emergence through complexity. We use a protocell model relying upon random conservative chemical reaction networks with arbitrary stoichiometry, and we investigate the protocell's capability for self-replication, for various numbers of reactions in the network. We elucidate the underlying mechanisms in terms of simple minimal conditions pertaining only to the topology of the embedded chemical reaction network. A necessary condition is that each moiety must be fed, and a sufficient condition is that each siphon is fed. Although these minimal conditions are purely topological, by further endowing conservative chemical reaction networks with thermodynamically consistent kinetics, we show that the growth rate tends to increase on increasing the Gibbs energy per unit molecular weight of the nutrient and on decreasing that of the membrane precursor.
Toward Large-Scale Continuous EDA: A Random Matrix Theory Perspective
Authors: Kabán A. , Bootkrajang J. , Durrant R. J.
Published: May 2015

Estimations of distribution algorithms (EDAs) are a major branch of evolutionary algorithms (EA) with some unique advantages in principle. They are able to take advantage of correlation structure to drive the search more efficiently, and they are able to provide insights about the structure of the search space. However, model building in high dimensions is extremely challenging, and as a result existing EDAs may become less attractive in large-scale problems because of the associated large computational requirements. Large-scale continuous global optimisation is key to many modern-day real-world problems. Scaling up EAs to large-scale problems has become one of the biggest challenges of the field. This paper pins down some fundamental roots of the problem and makes a start at developing a new and generic framework to yield effective and efficient EDA-type algorithms for large-scale continuous global optimisation problems. Our concept is to introduce an ensemble of random projections to low dimensions of the set of fittest search points as a basis for developing a new and generic divide-and-conquer methodology. Our ideas are rooted in the theory of random projections developed in theoretical computer science, and in developing and analysing our framework we exploit some recent results in nonasymptotic random matrix theory.
Hybrid Evolutionary Approaches to Maximum Lifetime Routing and Energy Efficiency in Sensor Mesh Networks
Authors: Rahat Alma A. M. , Everson Richard M. , Fieldsend Jonathan E.
Published: May 2015

Mesh network topologies are becoming increasingly popular in battery-powered wireless sensor networks, primarily because of the extension of network range. However, multihop mesh networks suffer from higher energy costs, and the routing strategy employed directly affects the lifetime of nodes with limited energy resources. Hence when planning routes there are trade-offs to be considered between individual and system-wide battery lifetimes. We present a multiobjective routing optimisation approach using hybrid evolutionary algorithms to approximate the optimal trade-off between the minimum lifetime and the average lifetime of nodes in the network. In order to accomplish this combinatorial optimisation rapidly, our approach prunes the search space using k-shortest path pruning and a graph reduction method that finds candidate routes promoting long minimum lifetimes. When arbitrarily many routes from a node to the base station are permitted, optimal routes may be found as the solution to a well-known linear program. We present an evolutionary algorithm that finds good routes when each node is allowed only a small number of paths to the base station. On a real network deployed in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, these solutions, using only three paths per node, are able to achieve minimum lifetimes of over 99% of the optimum linear program solution’s time to first sensor battery failure.
Sybil Ludington, the Female Paul Revere: The Making of a Revolutionary War Heroine
Authors: Hunt Paula D.
Published: May 2015

Sybil Ludington, “the female Paul Revere,” has proven to be a remarkably protean figure in the memory of and contestation over the American Revolution. Her place in history has shifted in response to changing currents in culture and politics, demonstrating the ways in which the past is made and remade to satisfy contemporary audiences.
William Larned, Overseer of the Poor: Power and Precariousness in the Early Republic
Authors: Loiacono Gabriel
Published: May 2015

He was a loving father who struggled financially. Yet, he also held immense power over the lives of his fellow townspeople in Providence, Rhode Island. Not rich, not poor, but middling, William Larned supported his family as an overseer of the poor. This is his story.
Merluccius tasmanicus Matallanas & Lloris 2006 is a junior synonym of M. australis (Hutton 1872) (Gadiformes: Merluciidae) based on morphological and molecular data
Authors: ANTONI MARIANA Y. DELI , DELPIANI SERGIO M. , STEWART ANDREW L. , GONZÁLEZ-CASTRO MARIANO , ASTARLOA JUAN M. DÍAZ DE
Published: May 2015

The high intraspecific variation among and the conservative external morphology of Merluccius spp. have resulted in serious identification difficulties. Four hundred and twenty fresh and preserved specimens of Merluccius were analyzed, including the type series of Merluccius australis, M. tasmanicus and M. hubbsi; specimens of M. hubbsi from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, and individuals of M. australis from Argentina and New Zealand were examined. The nomenclatural status of the type specimens of M. australis is discussed and the designation of a lectotype and a paralectotype is proposed. The comparative study of morphology, meristic, traditional and landmark-based morphometry, both external and internal, and through DNA-based Barcoding molecular tools demonstrates that Merluccius tasmanicus is a junior synonym of Merluccius australis. Meristic and morphometric characters of types of M. tasmanicus completely overlap those of M. australis, whereas M. hubbsi show fewer scales along the lateral line, total vertebrae, second dorsal and anal-fin rays. A trend of a longer snout and wider head in M. australis and M. tasmanicus, and larger eyes and longer pelvic fins, in M. hubbsi was observed. While discriminant characters were found in the internal elements (hyomandibula, urohyal and sagitta otolith) between M. hubbsi and M. australis, none were observed between M. australis and those reported for M. tasmanicus. DNA barcoding analyses found no evidence of the existence of other species of Merluccius besides M. hubbsi and M. australis.
The water mite genus Procorticacarus K.O. Viets in Australasia (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae)
Authors: SMIT HARRY
Published: May 2015

The following new species are described: Procorticacarus curtipalpis, P. kosciuszko, P. nasutus, P. neocaledonicus, P. neoprasadi, P. paulaae, P. quadriscutatus, P. queenslandicus, P. septentrionalis and P. wenlockensis. The male of Procorticacarus australicus is described for the first time. Many new records are reported for Australia, with the first records of the genus from South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Moreover, the genus is for the first time reported from New Caledonia. A key is given for all Australian species of the genus.
Tachornithoglyphus gen. nov.—a new genus of nidicolous Pyroglyphidae (Acariformes: Astigmata)
Authors: KLIMOV PAVEL B , BOCHKOV ANDRE V , OCONNOR BARRY M.
Published: May 2015

Tachornithoglyphus gen. nov. (Acariformes: Pyroglyphidae) is established for Tachornithoglyphus tachornis (Cruz, Cuervo and Dusbabek, 1984), comb. nov. (transferred from Guatemalichus), collected from nests of the Antillean palm swift, Tachornis phoenicobia (Apodiformes: Apodidae) in Cuba. The new genus differs from the other four genera of the subfamily Guatemalichinae, Guatemalichus Fain and Wharton, 1970, Pottocola Fain, 1971, Fainoglyphus Atyeo and Gaud, 1977, and Capitonocoptes Fain and Gaud, 1984, mainly by having the length of solenidion σ1 of genu I less than one-third that of the segment (vs. solenidion σ1I at least half as long as genu I), by the absence of famulus ε on tarsus I (vs. present), and by coxal apodemes Ia separated from each other and contiguous to the lateral parts of the epigynal arch (vs. posterior tips of apodemes Ia fused to each other and with the median part of the epigynal arch, or separated and contiguous to or fused with the median part of the epigynal arch). A detailed redescription of adults and tritonymphs of T. tachornis is provided.
A review of the genus Palaeagrotis with description of a new species from South Mongolia (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)
Authors: VOLYNKIN ANTON V. , GYULAI PÉTER , BEHOUNEK GOTTFRIED
Published: May 2015

A small Central Asian Noctuidae genus Palaeagrotis Hampson, 1907 is revised. One new species, P. adrienneae Volynkin, Gyulai & Behounek, sp. n. is described from South Mongolia. The lectotypes of Hadena inops Lederer, 1853 and Heterographa sibirica Staudinger, 1896 are designated. The adults, and the male and female genitalia are illustrated.
Promoting Teacher Quality and Continuity: Tackling the Disadvantages of Remote Indigenous Schools in the Northern Territory
Authors: Brasche Inga , Harrington Ingrid
Published: May 2015

The complexity associated with reducing inequality in Indigenous education incorporates a multitude of causal factors. Issues associated with education delivery and outcomes in remote Indigenous communities are endemic nationally, yet the communities of the Northern Territory are uniquely disadvantaged due to their geographical and cultural isolation. By looking at the factors affecting the quality and continuity of teachers in remote Indigenous communities, as well as the need for institutional collaboration, targeted recruitment strategies and a reorientation of expectations, this article will consider one strategy developed in order to recruit and retain effective teachers in these communities.
‘I'm Telling You … The Language Barrier is the Most, the Biggest Challenge’: Barriers to Education among Karen Refugee Women in Australia
Authors: Watkins Paula G. , Razee Husna , Richters Juliet
Published: May 2015

This article examines factors influencing English language education, participation and achievement among Karen refugee women in Australia. Data were drawn from ethnographic observations and interviews with 67 participants between 2009 and 2011, collected as part of a larger qualitative study exploring the well-being of Karen refugee women in Sydney. Participants unanimously described difficulty with English language proficiency and communication as the ‘number one’ problem affecting their well-being. Gendered, cultural and socio-political factors act as barriers to education. We argue that greater sensitivity to refugees' backgrounds, culture and gender is necessary in education. Research is needed into the combined relationships between culture and gender across pre-displacement, displacement and resettlement and the impact of these factors on post-immigration educational opportunities. Training is needed to sensitise educators to the complex issues of refugee resettlement. The paper concludes with recommendations for service provision and policy.
The Influence of Ability Beliefs and Motivational Orientation on the Self-Efficacy of High School Science Students in Thailand
Authors: Lerdpornkulrat Thanita , Koul Ravinder , Sujivorakul Chuchai
Published: May 2015

This study investigated the influence of entity beliefs, gender stereotypes and motivational goals on participants' self-efficacy in biology and physics and their career aspirations. Participants ( n = 2638, males 46% and females 54%) were students enrolled in Years 10–12 of the academic science-maths stream in Thailand. Entity beliefs were endorsed significantly more by males than by females, while gender stereotypes were endorsed significantly more by females than by males. Entity beliefs were found to be significantly and positively associated with performance avoidance goals towards science. Multiple regression analysis found a negative influence of performance avoidance goals and a positive influence of mastery goals on males' and females' self-efficacy in physics and biology and their career aspirations. The stereotype ‘males are better in physics’ had a positive influence on the measure of self-efficacy of males in physics studies and a negative influence on the self-efficacy of females. The stereotype ‘females are better in biology’ had no influence on the measure of self-efficacy in biology studies for either males or females. Our results support a view of subject-specific inquiry as more revealing than global inquiry for the investigation of gender differences in achievement-related beliefs.
Telling Tales Out of School: Exploring Why Former Teachers are Not Returning to the Classroom
Authors: Buchanan John
Published: May 2015

Teacher attrition is a cost to the community and, often, to the teachers concerned. One ready potential source of teachers is those having left the profession, particularly recently, and who may be willing to return. For this article, 22 former teachers were interviewed about their journey into and out of teaching. Understanding what made teachers leave may inform us on what it might take to get them back. This paper reports on these former teachers' professional intentions in light of their changing constructs of teaching through time, comparing, where possible, their former and current constructs of teaching and of their teacher-selves. The study constitutes a series of ‘before and after’ pictures, providing stark contrast at times. The findings generate theory on factors leading to these changes. One emerging inference is that the teaching profession fails to apply some of its corporate pedagogical knowledge to its own newcomers.
There is an Appetite for Religious Studies: Religious Education in the Public Domain
Authors: Dixon Cynthia K.
Published: May 2015

Arriving in Western Australia in the early 1970s interest in Religious Education and Christian family nurture ensured that Cynthia Dixon would soon meet Brian Hill, and their families develop friendships. Mutual interest in the ministries of Scripture Union. The Churches Commission on Education, the development of curriculum in Religious Studies and, latterly, the development of a Values Framework have led to joint membership of numerous committees. “As two rather isolated voices in our respective universities,” Cynthia comments. “I always found Brian a constant support and inspiration, willing to offer his expertise to course development.” Brian's willingness to supervise Cynthia's doctoral study in the 1980s was a privilege for her, too.
De-Schooling Christianity in the New Millennium
Authors: Harkness Allan
Published: May 2015

Brian Hill's perspectives on education in the specific context of Christian faith communities had celled with Allan's developing awareness for a number of years. Hence when the opportunity for doctoral studies arose in the. mid 1990s, Allan promptly requested Brian's supervision — supervision which, melding scholarly perception and insight with un in variably gentle manner, was to prove invaluable, for an apprehensive mature-age student. This personal friendship, broadened to include Brian and Allan's wider families, has continued (despite Allan's hunch that it was Brian's suggestion which led to his appointment as editor of this journal!).
Brian V. Hill: A Prophet in Education
Authors: Andersen William E.
Published: May 2015

Bill Andersen met Brian Hill at the first Scripture Union beach mission held in Western Australia in January. 1954. When Brian arrived in Sydney in 1961 to assume the position of travelling secretary for the Inter School Christian Fellowship, Bill worked closely with him and Margaret Heideman (later to marry Brian). Bill compared notes with Brian on the latter's M.A. thesis; and they were linked later by editorial efforts for this journal. They have also been examiners for some of their respective students' theses.
The Influence of Christianity and Gender on School Leadership Practices in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Kelep-Malpo Kapa
Published: May 2015

Schools were introduced to the Pacific Island cultures during the colonial period. While many schools have reinvigorated traditional cultural patterns since independence, they remain subject to international influences and are in a state of constant change. School principals are influential figures in the school community and society. Although schools in Papua New Guinea are governed by school boards, it is the principal who manages the school. As a result, the principal's beliefs about how the school should be governed carry more weight than teachers and other stakeholders. This paper reports on a recent study of male and female school principals in the PNG school system. A majority said their leadership performance was greatly influenced by their Christian beliefs and practice which has been accepted as part and parcel of the PNG macro culture. Religion has clearly had a powerful post-colonial impact.
Applying an Action Research Approach to Improving the Quality of Christian Education—One School's Experience
Authors: Collier John , Dowson Martin
Published: May 2015

Christian school habitually find difficulty in their presentation of their faith position to students. In their eagerness for students to embrace Christian faith, some teachers are inclined to adopt a methodology which is overly didactic and which creates boredom and resentment. This case study reports on an action research approach in one school. It examines how a change in teaching methodology has led to improved student attitudes to Christian faith. The data from the action research has been used to reposition the school's stance towards a more authentic pedagogy and less strident model. Initial evaluations have been encouraging.
Modern Christians in a Christianized Society
Authors: Fallding Harold
Published: May 2015

There have been “Christianized” societies where Christian faith and standards are seen as the authentic guides for life. “Confrontation” is the Christian's principle of action. This entails ‘flying one's colours' in all situations, and probably encountering suffering by proclaiming broad moral principles with universal applicability. There is the need to cultivate a six-fold work:

Feeding the flock and sending them out. Evangelizing. Pronouncing publicly on true moral standards. Supporting and challenging the governing authority. Pioneering social reform and relief, and Providing for sociability.

In addition, there is the need for church reorganization over time.
Toward a Theology of the Ministry of Presence in Chaplaincy
Authors: Holm Neil
Published: May 2015

This paper examines the role and relationships of Christian chaplains in non-church settings. Covington's and Smith's description of presence as exercised by nurses has been adapted to fit the work of chaplains in order to provide a working definition. Next, a transcendental understanding of presence is explored, beginning with a description of an encounter with the presence of God. Third, the biblical understandings of the presence of God are examined. Fourth, the author draws on philosophical theology to consider the extent to which chaplains, nurses, clients and patients who are not believers experience the presence of God in encounters that might otherwise be described in terms of a caring presence. Fifth, he considers the role that common grace plays in this ministry. The conclusion incorporates discussion of a future work that might be done in this area.
A Deweyan Reading of the Doctrine of Creation
Authors: Ghiloni Aaron J.
Published: May 2015

This article uses Deweyan pedagogy to reconstruct the Christian doctrine of creation. Two of Dewey's ideas about the starting point of education are employed. First, Dewey's doctrine of interest, especially as developed in ‘Interest in Relation to Training of the Will,’ is used to arbitrate theological debates over the priority given to the doctrines of redemption and creation. Second, Dewey's notion that education should commence with what is practical, with ‘active doing,’ is used to argue that creation should be understood as not only a divine act, but also as a human project.
The Legislators' Requirements Will Not Be Realised in the Value Basis of Finnish Basic Education — How Problematic is a Lack of Concept Definition? An Examination of the Value Basis of Finnish Basic Education
Authors: Jankko Tuire
Published: May 2015

The article examines from an administrative perspective the problems related to the definition of the value basis of basic education in Finland's increasingly multi-ideological society. The article relates to a doctoral study, ‘Definition of the objectives of basic education in the administrative process during the years 1993–2004. The value content and intelligibility of objectives’. The article focuses on the ‘non-confessionalism’ value concept in the value basis which fundamentally defines Finnish basic education and the problems related to its content and its implications for ideological schools and basic education in general. The important role of values education is to support pupils understanding their own values. The varying manifestations in the values basis of religious content in the educational legislation of different countries are also examined. The western countries presented as case examples have been chosen because of their Christian tradition and on the basis of their policy differences.
Developing a Biblical Studies Curriculum in a Christian School
Authors: Jackson David R.
Published: May 2015

This conference address reviews a range of assumptions, principles and variables that have proven critical in the development of a Biblical Studies Curriculum in a Christian school, and considers the options and implications of the choices that they present. These are considered within the framework of John Frame's three perspectives, offering a simple and practical scaffold for both the formation and evaluation of a Biblical Studies curriculum.
Emerging Trends in Curriculum: The Australian Experience
Authors: McGaw Barry
Published: May 2015

This article overviews the history and features of the development of an Australia-wide F-10 curriculum over the last two decades. The discussion is set in the context of international efforts to measure the quality of educational efforts, specifically through the PISA and IEA surveys. Special focus is given to how religious worldviews are dealt with in the Australian Curriculum.
Purse Strings and Subscriptions: Reflections on the Business Management of the Journal of Christian Education
Authors: Hukins Austin
Published: May 2015

In this article Austin Hukins, Journal of Christian Education Business Manager, leads the reader around the ‘backrooms’ of the publishing, subscription and promotion aspects of JCE through its history. He details the challenges faced sustaining the journal over the years, the close links between JCE and its sponsoring organisation Australian Teachers' Christian Fellowship (ATCF)/Australian Christian Forum on Education (ACFE), and the transition to the new International Journal of Christianity and Education.
Towards a Definition of the Term “Spiritual”
Authors: Fallding Harold
Published: May 2015

This article appeared in the very first issue of the Journal of Christian Education (vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 29–44) in June 1958. At that time, Prof. Harold Fallding, U.A., B.Sc. (Sydney), Dip.Ed.(Sydney), Ph.D. (A.N.U.), F.R.S.C., was the Senior Research Fellow (Rural Sociology) in the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Sydney, Australia. He subsequently held other academic positions in universities in Australia, U.S.A. and Canada; and he is presently Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Waterloo, Canada. He is an associate editor of this journal.

The article was a revision of a paper presented to, and discussed with, members of the New South Wales Graduate Fellowship of the Inter Varsity Fellowship. The paper made a considerable impact on thinking at that time; and the enduring relevance of the exercise undertaken by Prof. Fallding in this article is reflected in the two contemporary publications reviewed in Round Table in this issue which ask how spiritual development can be effectively promoted within schools when definition of the terms “spiritual” and “spirituality” is often vague.
‘We Are with You, Vietnam’: Transnational Solidarities in Socialist Hungary, Poland and Yugoslavia
Authors: Mark James , Apor Péter , Vučetić Radina , Osęka Piotr
Published: May 2015

Global solidarity with anti-imperialist struggles – which state socialist regimes in eastern Europe sought to inculcate in their populations from the 1950s onwards – constitutes a little studied form of modern transnational political socialization. This article explores this theme by analysing how three socialist countries – Hungary, Poland and Yugoslavia – attempted to build mass solidarity with the Vietnamese in the 1960s and 1970s. First, the article examines the political uses of transnationalism for socialist regimes in the 1960s, as the struggle for socialism in the so-called ‘Third World’, and support for such struggles in the West, allowed the socialist East to construct powerful images of a world turning towards its own political and moral values. Second, it explores how socialist citizens themselves re-interpreted transnational solidarity for their own ends, turning its language into a criticism of foreign policy, or state socialism at home; or using the opportunities it provided to challenge the state’s right to control the public sphere. In doing so, the article suggests that we cannot understand such solidarity movements simply as top-down impositions from Moscow or national capitals; rather, they also reveal important aspects of state-society relations.
Purpose and Perceptions of Family Social Location Among Rural Youth
Authors: Shamah Devora , MacTavish Katherine A.
Published: May 2015

Purpose is a concept receiving increasing attention in the developmental sciences. Making sense of your place in the world and finding meaning—a process fundamental to purpose—support positive development in adolescence and beyond. Using traditional ethnographic strategies, this article examines the development of purpose among a small group of youth growing up in Wallowa County, Oregon. Specifically, we emphasize the differing ways that young people from high, average, and low purpose groups make sense of themselves and their experiences within the context of rural life. We find that how young people make sense of their family’s social location has critical implications for purpose development.
Scientific and Regulatory Policy Committee (SRPC) Points to Consider
Authors: Keane Kevin A. , Parker George A. , Regan Karen S. , Picut Catherine , Dixon Darlene , Creasy Dianne , Giri Dipak , Hukkanen Renee R.
Published: May 2015

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) is a multitiered approach to determine the potential for environmental chemicals to alter the endocrine system. The Pubertal Development and Thyroid Function in Intact Juvenile/Peripubertal Female and Male Rats (OPPTS 890.1450, 890.1500) are 2 of the 9 EDSP tier 1 test Guidelines, which assess upstream mechanistic pathways along with downstream morphological end points including histological evaluation of the kidneys, thyroid, and select male/female reproductive tissues (ovaries, uterus, testes, and epididymides). These assays are part of a battery of in vivo and in vitro screens used for initial detection of test article endocrine activity. In this Points to Consider article, we describe tissue processing, evaluation, and nomenclature to aid in standardization of assay results across laboratories. Pubertal assay end points addressed include organ weights, estrous cyclicity, clinical pathology, hormonal assays, and histological evaluation. Potential treatment-related findings that may indicate endocrine disruption are reviewed. Additional tissues that may be useful in assessment of endocrine disruption (vagina, mammary glands, and liver) are discussed. This Points to Consider article is intended to provide information for evaluating peripubertal tissues within the context of individual assay end points, the overall pubertal assay, and tier I assays of the EDSP program.
Fast mapping by bilingual children: Storybooks and cartoons
Authors: Van Horn Danielle , Kan Pui Fong
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the fast mapping skills in Spanish–English bilingual preschool children in two learning contexts: storybook reading and cartoon viewing. Eighteen typically developing Spanish–English bilingual preschool children completed a fast mapping task in Spanish (L1) and in English (L2). In 4 different sessions, each child was briefly exposed to 8 unfamiliar words in each language in two learning contexts: storybook and cartoon. Children’s receptive knowledge of the 8 target words in each language was assessed before and after the two learning contexts. Results showed that children learned unfamiliar words through a cartoon stimulus equally well as through storybook reading. The findings suggest that both storybook and cartoon learning contexts offer a medium to encourage bilingual children learning new words in L1 and in L2.
Adding value to information systems
Authors: Nabavi Majid , Jamali Hamid R
Published: May 2015

In information systems, data are processed in various stages, and at every stage value is added in order to make the data useful for end users. Experts from different fields can assist these value-adding processes in various ways. This article discusses a theoretical model for determination of value-added processes in information systems. In this model, vital elements of every information system, that is, its goals, users, services and data, form a three-dimensional space. Each of these dimensions and the possible processes to add value in each dimension are discussed.
Perspectives
Authors: White Martin
Published: May 2015

Perspectives aims to widen the horizons of Business Information Review readers and to remind them that relevant information is to be found in many journals outside those dealing with the practice of information services and information and knowledge management. This first column of 2015 ranges far and wide. It begins with articles dealing with the application of visual analytics (including explanations of story boarding and also two-dimensional graph layout techniques for information visualization). An article on communication audits provides a reminder on the value of social network analysis – another area where visualization can yield surprises. When information is not indexed, it becomes invisible. The performance of information extraction and indexing tools is therefore critical, and this selection of articles includes research examining tools for the extraction of content from PDFs and thesaurus tools for the Semantic Web. Transnational knowledge transfer and organizational ambidexterity complete the collection.
Calibrated automated thrombography for monitoring coagulation function in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage
Authors: Yu Yao , Wu Jun , Zhao Wei , Zhao Lei , Zhu Chunpeng , Gao Xuguang
Published: May 2015

Objective

To monitor coagulation function in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) using calibrated automated thrombography.

Methods

Patients admitted to hospital with ICH (confirmed within 18 h of symptom onset) were enrolled. Patient history and blood samples were obtained within 6 h of admission; further blood samples were collected on days 4, 8 and 15 (or on discharge between days 9–15: grouped with day 15 data). Blood samples were also collected from age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All samples underwent calibrated automated thrombography.

Results

At admission, thrombin lag time and time to peak was longer, and endogenous thrombin potential and peak height were lower, in patients with ICH ( n = 20) than in healthy controls ( n = 29). Lag time in patients with ICH gradually decreased, but remained significantly longer than in controls until day 8. Time to peak also gradually decreased, but remained longer in patients than in controls by day 15. Endogenous thrombin potential and peak height gradually increased in patients, but remained lower than in controls on day 15.

Conclusions

Patients with ICH have poorer coagulation function than healthy individuals, but this function gradually recovers during hospitalization.
Noninvasive evaluation of renal oxygenation in primary nephrotic syndrome with blood oxygen level dependent magnetic resonance imaging: Initial experience
Authors: Zhang Rui , Wang Yao , Chen Feng , Wang Qidong , Wang Zhaoming , Chen Yilun , Xiao Wenbo
Published: May 2015

Objectives

To use blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate renal oxygenation in patients with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS), and test the hypothesis that renal tissue oxygenation correlates with renal function, tubulointerstitial alterations and treatment response.

Methods

Patients with untreated first-onset PNS and healthy control subjects underwent BOLD MRI. Blood and urine samples were obtained on the day of MRI, and patients underwent renal biopsy the day after MRI. Renal tubulointerstitial damage scores (TIDS) were determined using Katafuchi criteria. All patients received corticosteroids within 7 days after MRI and were followed up for 12 months.

Results

Medullary R2* values were significantly lower in patients with PNS ( n = 20) than controls ( n = 18). Medullary R2* values were negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rates and positively correlated with TIDS in patients with PNS. There were no significant differences in medullary or cortical R2* values when patients were classified according to treatment response.

Conclusions

The medullary oxygen concentration was higher in patients with PNS than in control subjects. BOLD MRI was a useful noninvasive method for the evaluation of renal function and tubulointerstitial impairment.
Isokinetic Dynamometry in Healthy Versus Sarcopenic and Malnourished Elderly: Beyond Simple Measurements of Muscle Strength
Authors: Cramer Joel T. , Jenkins Nathaniel D. M. , Mustad Vikkie A. , Weir Joseph P.
Published: May 2015

This study quantified systematic and intraindividual variability among three repetitions of concentric isokinetic knee extension and flexion tests to determine velocity-related differences in peak torque (PT) and mean power (MP) in healthy elderly (HE) versus sarcopenic and malnourished elderly (SME). In total, 107 HE ( n = 54 men, n = 53 women) and 261 SME ( n = 101 men, n = 160 women) performed three maximal concentric isokinetic knee extension and flexion repetitions at 60°·s−1 and 180°·s−1. PT for Repetition 3 was lower than Repetitions 1 and 2, while MP for Repetition 1 was lower than Repetitions 2 and 3 in SME. Intraindividual variability among repetitions was correlated with strength, but not age, and was greater in SME, during knee flexion, and at 180°·s−1. Velocity-related decreases in PT from 60°·s−1 to 180°·s−1 were more pronounced in SME. In summary, (a) the repetition with the highest PT value may be the best indicator of maximal strength, while the average may indicate strength maintenance in SME; (b) intraindividual variability among repetitions reflects functional decrements from HE to SME; and (c) decreases in PT from 60°·s−1 to 180°·s−1 may reflect greater losses of fast-twitch (type II) fiber function.