bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting MYCN-Driven Transcription By BET-Bromodomain Inhibition
Authors: Henssen Anton , Althoff Kristina , Odersky Andrea , Beckers Anneleen , Koche Richard , Speleman Frank , Schäfers Simon , Bell Emma , Nortmeyer Maike , Westermann Frank , De Preter Katleen , Florin Alexandra , Heukamp Lukas , Spruessel Annika , Astrahanseff Kathy , Lindner Sven , Sadowski Natalie , Schramm Alexander , Astorgues-Xerri Lucile , Riveiro Maria E. , Eggert Angelika , Cvitkovic Esteban , Schulte Johannes H.
Published: December 2015

Purpose: Targeting BET proteins was previously shown to have specific antitumoral efficacy against MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. We here assess the therapeutic efficacy of the BET inhibitor, OTX015, in preclinical neuroblastoma models and extend the knowledge on the role of BRD4 in MYCN-driven neuroblastoma.

Experimental Design: The efficacy of OTX015 was assessed in in vitro and in vivo models of human and murine MYCN-driven neuroblastoma. To study the effects of BET inhibition in the context of high MYCN levels, MYCN was ectopically expressed in human and murine cells. The effect of OTX015 on BRD4-regulated transcriptional pause release was analyzed using BRD4 and H3K27Ac chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with DNA sequencing (ChIP-Seq) and gene expression analysis in neuroblastoma cells treated with OTX015 compared with vehicle control.

Results: OTX015 showed therapeutic efficacy against preclinical MYCN-driven neuroblastoma models. Similar to previously described BET inhibitors, concurrent MYCN repression was observed in OTX015-treated samples. Ectopic MYCN expression, however, did not abrogate effects of OTX015, indicating that MYCN repression is not the only target of BET proteins in neuroblastoma. When MYCN was ectopically expressed, BET inhibition still disrupted MYCN target gene transcription without affecting MYCN expression. We found that BRD4 binds to super-enhancers and MYCN target genes, and that OTX015 specifically disrupts BRD4 binding and transcription of these genes.

Conclusions: We show that OTX015 is effective against mouse and human MYCN-driven tumor models and that BRD4 not only targets MYCN, but specifically occupies MYCN target gene enhancers as well as other genes associated with super-enhancers. Clin Cancer Res; 22(10); 2470–81. ©2015 AACR.
A Prospective Study on the Clinical and Microbiological Spectrum of Endophthalmitis in a Specific Region in Denmark
Authors: Solborg Bjerrum Søren , Hamoudi Hassan , Friis-Møller Alice , la Cour Morten
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To study the clinical and microbiological spectrum of endophthalmitis with emphasis on clinical features, visual outcomes and risks of surgical complications. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted between 2012 and 2013 in a specific region in Denmark. Patients were clinically examined before, during and after surgical intervention for endophthalmitis. Results: Fifty eyes with endophthalmitis were included. Endophthalmitis after cataract surgery (post-cataract), anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) intravitreal injections (post-injection) and cases of endogenous endophthalmitis were responsible for 40, 28 and 18% of all cases, respectively. There was no difference in the microbiological spectrum in post-cataract patients and post-injection patients, but patients with post-cataract endophthalmitis presented statistically significantly more frequently with hypopyon and fibrin in the anterior chamber. Between 20 and 25% of post-cataract and post-injection endophthalmitis patients developed a surgical complication after primary surgical intervention for endophthalmitis, and this was statistically significantly associated with a poor visual outcome. There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of surgical complications in phakic and pseudophakic eyes with post-injection endophthalmitis. Of the 8 patients with endogenous endophthalmitis, 67% developed a surgical complication, and these patients had a high mortality. The visual outcome in the most common types of endophthalmitis was good, with 60% of post-cataract patients achieving a visual outcome ≥0.5, and 64% of post-injection patients only had a mild vision loss (1-14 ETDRS letters) or even gained vision. Conclusions: The endophthalmitis cases had a broad clinical spectrum. Surprisingly, endogenous endophthalmitis accounted for almost one fifth of all cases. Patients with post-cataract endophthalmitis had a clinically different presentation than patients with post-injection endophthalmitis. In general, the bacteria were low-virulent and the visual outcomes good, but a substantial part of the patients developed a surgical complication which was associated with a poor visual outcome.
Altered Brain Structure-Function Relationships Underlie Executive Dysfunction in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
Authors: Jonas Rachel K. , Jalbrzikowski Maria , Montojo Caroline A. , Patel Arati , Kushan Leila , Chow Carolyn C. , Vesagas Therese , Bearden Carrie E.
Published: December 2015

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a neurogenetic disorder associated with elevated rates of developmental neuropsychiatric disorders and impaired executive function (EF). Disrupted brain structure-function relationships may underlie EF deficits in 22q11DS. We administered the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) to assess real-world EF in patients with 22q11DS and matched controls (n = 86; age 6-17 years), along with cognitive measures that tap behavioral regulation and metacognition aspects of EF. Using FreeSurfer's whole-brain vertex cortical thickness pipeline, we investigated brain structure-EF relationships in patients with 22q11DS and controls. Behaviorally, patients with 22q11DS were impaired on multiple EF measures. Right orbitofrontal cortical thickness showed a differential relationship between real-world EF in patients with 22q11DS and controls. We also observed a group difference in the relationship between behavioral regulation and metacognition measures with thickness of ventral and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, respectively. Our findings suggest that executive dysfunction characteristic of 22q11DS is underscored by altered prefrontal cortical structure.
A New Scoring System Using Preoperative Factors and Contour Mapping for Predicting Postoperative Complications of Laparoscopic Gastrectomy
Authors: Ohkura Yu , Shinohara Hisashi , Shindoh Junichi , Haruta Shusuke , Ueno Masaki , Sakai Yoshiharu , Udagawa Harushi
Published: December 2015

Background: Surgical risk assessment is becoming more important in the field of laparoscopic gastrectomy given the increasing complexity and technical demands of oncological procedures undertaken. However, no validated method for preoperative risk (PR) assessment has been reported. Methods: Two-hundred fourteen patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy between October 2011 and August 2014 were reviewed. Independent risk factors were examined by multivariate analysis and a PR score model was established. Results: Thirty-six (16.8%) patients experienced postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis revealed that age ≥75 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥2, severe pulmonary disease, Brinkman index ≥600, history of upper abdominal surgery and body mass index (BMI) were independent factors. Among these, BMI was strongly correlated with postoperative morbidity rate (r = 0.960). To permit risk prediction using BMI and the remaining 5 factors, a new PR score was established using 5 categorical variables. The new score was significantly correlated with the postoperative complication rate (r = 0.948), and its predictive value was superior to conventional risk scores such as E-PASS and POSSUM. A contour map was then created using BMI and this new PR score to more accurately stratify patients according to surgical risk prior to laparoscopic gastrectomy. Conclusions: A 2-dimensional risk estimation model was created to better estimate surgical risk and is a promising new tool for adequate surgical management.
A Systematic Review of the Application And Correlates of YFAS-Diagnosed ‘Food Addiction' in Humans: Are Eating-Related ‘Addictions' a Cause for Concern or Empty Concepts?
Authors: Long Cecilia G. , Blundell John E. , Finlayson Graham
Published: December 2015

The proposition of so-called ‘food addiction' (FA) in the scientific literature has stimulated a recent surge in research and debate. The concept of FA is controversial, and opinion is divided. Many of the findings depend upon the use of a single instrument called the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). This review systematically examined FA, as defined by the YFAS, reported in 40 experimental human studies published in or after 2009. The results indicated that much of the literature makes the supposition that food addiction is an accepted neurobiological disease, consistent with substance use disorders; an interpretation based on very limited data. This raises the question as to whether those individuals who meet the YFAS criteria for diagnosis are truly ‘addicted' to food or if they experience significant impairment to their psychological wellbeing and quality of life as would be expected in clinically recognised addictive disorders. At the present time, little research has investigated the extent to which a psychometric self-assessment of FA symptomatology can elucidate a harmful relationship with target foods in the diet. A positive YFAS diagnosis is usually positively associated with BMI and strongly linked with the presence of binge eating, but certain exceptions within the literature were revealed. Further clarification is required as to whether so-called FA is sufficiently different to existing conditions and traits to warrant classification as a distinctive disease phenotype rather than an expression of strong habits and preferences.
The impact of statin therapy on plasma levels of von Willebrand factor antigen
Authors: Sahebkar Amirhossein , Serban Corina , Ursoniu Sorin , Mikhailidis Dimitri P. , Undas Anetta , Lip Gregory Y. H. , Bittner Vera , Ray Kausik K. , Watts Gerald F. , Hovingh G. Kees , Rysz Jacek , Kastelein John J. P. , Banach Maciej ,   Lipid and Blood Pressure Meta-analysis Collaboration (LBPMC) Group
Published: December 2015

Increased plasma levels of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) are associated with high risk of coronary artery disease. The effect of statin therapy on vWF:Ag levels remains uncertain. Therefore the aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of statin therapy on vWF:Ag Levels. A systematic multiple-database search was carried out to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of statins on plasma vWF:Ag levels. Random-effect meta-analysis of 21 treatment arms revealed a significant decrease in plasma vWF:Ag levels following statin therapy (SMD: −0.54, 95 %CI: −0.87, −0.21, p=0.001). In subgroup analyses, the greatest effect was observed with simvastatin (SMD: −1.54, 95 %CI: −2.92, −0.17, p=0.028) and pravastatin (SMD: −0.61, 95 %CI: −1.18, −0.04, p=0.035), but not with fluvastatin (SMD: −0.34, 95 %CI: −0.69, 0.02, p=0.065), atorvastatin (SMD: −0.23, 95 %CI: −0.57, 0.11, p=0.179) and rosuvastatin (SMD: −0.20, 95 %CI: −0.71, 0.30, p=0.431). The lowering effect of statins on plasma vWF:Ag levels was greater in the subset of studies lasting ≥ 12 weeks (SMD: −0.70, 95 %CI: −1.19, −0.22, p=0.005) compared with that of studies lasting > 12 weeks (SMD: −0.34, 95 %CI: −0.67, 0.003, p=0.052). Finally, low-intensity statin therapy was not associated with a significant reduction in vWF:Ag levels (SMD: −0.28, 95 %CI: −0.82, 0.27, p=0.320), but a significant effect was observed in high-intensity statin trials (SMD: −0.66, 95 %CI: −1.07, −0.24, p=0.002). This meta-analysis of available RCTs demonstrates a significant reduction in plasma vWF:Ag levels following statin therapy.

Note: The review process for this manuscript was fully handled by Christian Weber, Editor in Chief.
Increased inhibitor incidence in severe haemophilia A since 1990 attributable to more low titre inhibitors
Authors: Fischer Kathelijn , Petrini Pia , Ljung Rolf , Rafowicz Anne , Carcao Manuel , Auerswald Günter , Kurnik Karin , Kenet Gili , Santagostino Elena , Berg H. Marijke van den , Hashemi S. Mojtaba ,   for the PedNet Study group
Published: December 2015

Many studies have reported an increased incidence of inhibitors in previously untreated patients (PUPs) with severe haemophilia A after the introduction of recombinant products. It was the objective of this study to investigate whether the inhibitor incidence has increased between 1990 and 2009 in an unselected cohort of PUPs with severe haemophilia A (FVIII < 1 %). Patients were consecutively recruited from 31 haemophilia treatment centres in 16 countries and followed until 50 exposure days or until inhibitor development. Inhibitor development was studied in five-year birth cohorts comparing cumulative incidences. Furthermore the risk for inhibitor development per five-year birth cohort was studied using multivariable Cox regression, adjusting for potential genetic and treatment-related confounders. A total of 926 PUPs were included with a total cumulative inhibitor incidence of 27.5 %. The inhibitor incidence increased from 19.5 % in 1990-1994 (lowest) to 30.9 % in 2000-2004 (highest; p-value 0.011). Low titre inhibitor incidence increased from 3.1 % in 1990-1994 to 10.5 % in 2005-2009 (p-value 0.009). High titre inhibitor incidences remained stable over time. After 2000, risk of all inhibitor development was increased with adjusted hazard ratios 1.96 (95 % CI 1.06-2.83) in 2000-2004 and 2.34 (1.42-4.92) in 2005-2009. Screening for inhibitors was intensified over this 20-year study period from a median of 1.9 to 2.9 tests/year before 2000 to 2.7 to 4.3 tests/ year after 2000. In conclusion, the cumulative inhibitor incidence has significantly increased between 1990 and 2009. The high titre inhibitor incidence has remained stable.
Assortative mating in a fiddler crab
Authors: Clark H.L. , Backwell P.R.Y.
Published: December 2015

Non-random mating, particularly positive size-assortative mating, is common and can have major evolutionary consequences. The causes of size-assortative mating, however, are rarely examined. Here we explore the possibility of sexual selection, mate availability and mating constraints causing the strong correlation between male and female sizes in the fiddler crabUca mjoebergi. We show that the full size range of males is available to females throughout the mating period, so mate availability is unlikely to cause size-assortative mating in this species. We also show that mechanical constraints do not prevent females from entering the burrows or mating with the full size range of males. We suggest that the strong size assortative mating that we observed throughout the mating cycle is driven by sexual selection. Both males and females prefer large partners. The benefit to mating with large partners needs further investigation.
The Interfamilial Principle and the Harvest Festival
Authors: Cherkassky Lisa
Published: December 2015

It is widely accepted that younger children can act as saviour siblings by donating cord blood or bone marrow to their gravely-ill brothers or sisters. However, it is under dispute whether these procedures are in the best interests of the child. This article suggests that parents may be relying on a thinly-veiled interfamilial approach, where the wider benefit to the whole family is used to justify the procedure to the Human Tissue Authority in the United Kingdom. This article suggests that the merging of familial interests to validate a non-therapeutic bone marrow harvest on a child forces altruism in a patient too young to understand, rendering the harvests unlawful under current law.
Did Shah ʿAbbās I Have a Mediterranean Policy?
Authors: Cutillas Jose
Published: December 2015

The past two decades have witnessed tremendous growth in research on Safavid history. Recent developments regarding Safavid international relations have led to the conclusion that during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Iran’s contacts and links with Europe, including the countries located along the northern shores of the Mediterranean, reached an unprecedented level. However, there has been little or no discussion about a deliberate Safavid policy towards the Mediterranean. This paper offers a review of Spanish documents to show that Shah ʿAbbās i may have operated with a clear Mediterranean policy in mind.
On a Pachyderm’s Voyage from Tabriz to Aleppo: A Light Moment in Persianate “Elephant Diplomacy”
Authors: Posch Walter
Published: December 2015

Modern scholars tend to view Ottoman-Safavid relations from a sectarian angle as well as through a military lens. Such a narrow focus often comes at the expense of broader strategic and political considerations. The subject of this paper, the capture of an Indian elephant by Ottoman troops, its handover to the French embassy, and the ensuing diplomatic developments, may not be central to the campaign that the Ottomans launched against Iran in 1548-49, yet it offers unique insight into the relations between these powers. What is more, it sheds light on Safavid-Mughal and Ottoman-Mughal relations as well as on wider rivalries between European powers that were tangentially involved in this struggle, the Habsburgs, France, and Venice.
Spore morphology of Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) from China and its systematic significance
Authors: Zhou Xin-Mao , Jiang Li-Jü , Zhang Liang , Gao Xin-Fen , He Zhao-Rong , Zhang Li-Bing
Published: December 2015

Using light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), the megaspores and microspores of 77 samples representing ca. 70 species of Selaginella from China are observed. Combing previous studies, the spore morphology of nearly all documented Selaginella species from China were reviewed. Based on the morphological characteristics in megaspores and/or microspores, we divided the spores of Chinese species into 15 types and three types are further divided into various subtypes. Each type and subtype are described in detail and a key to the types and subtypes of spores is given. For the first time, the systematic significance of microspores of Selaginella are discussed, and the results indicate that microspores of Selaginella are significant in the systematics of Selaginella. Some important morphological characteristics in spores (e.g., color, micro-sculpture, size, etc.), often been neglected in previous studies, are introduced. Some spore-morphological synapomorphies of the clades and subclades, identified by recent molecular work (Zhou et al. 2015a), are well established. Using the spore morphology, the delimitation of some taxonomically difficult species in Selaginella is assessed.
Revisiting Place-Pitch Match in CI Recipients Using 3D Imaging Analysis
Authors: Devocht Elke M.J. , Dees Guido , Arts Remo A.G.J. , Smits Jeroen J. , George Erwin L.J. , van Hoof Marc , Stokroos Robert J.
Published: December 2015

Objective:

To improve the estimation of the perceived pitch in a single-sided deaf cochlear implant (CI) listener by using accurate 3-dimensional (3D) image analysis of the cochlear electrode positions together with the predicted tonotopical function for humans.

Methods:

An SSD CI user underwent a Cone-Beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan. Electrode contacts were marked in 3D space in relation to the nearest point on the cochlear lateral wall. Distance to the base of the lateral wall was calculated and plotted against the place-pitch function for humans. An adaptive procedure was used to elicit the perceived pitch of electrically evoked stimulation by matching it with a contralateral acoustic pitch.

Results:

The electrically evoked pitch percept matched well with the calculated frequency. The median mismatch in octaves was 0.12 for our method in comparison to 0.69 using the conventional Stenvers view.

Conclusion:

A method of improved image analysis is described that can be used to predict the pitch percept on corresponding cochlear electrode positions. This method shows the potential of 3D imaging in CI fitting optimization.
Suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury among lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual adults: Findings from an Australian national study
Authors: Swannell Sarah , Martin Graham , Page Andrew
Published: December 2015

Objectives:

This study investigated associations between sexual orientation and measures of suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury in Australian adults. Previous studies of sexual orientation and suicidality have been limited by unclear conceptualisations of suicidal intent, failure to differentiate between homosexuality and bisexuality, inattention to gender differences and use of convenience-based samples.

Methods:

A large ( N = 10,531) representative national sample of Australian adults was used to investigate associations between sexual orientation (heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual) and (1) suicidal ideation, (2) attempted suicide and (3) non-suicidal self-injury, for males and females separately, in a series of sequentially adjusted logistic regression models.

Results:

Sexual minority participants were at greater risk of suicidality and self-injury than heterosexuals, after adjusting for age and other covariates, with patterns of risk differing by sexual orientation and gender. Compared with their heterosexual counterparts, gay men, but not bisexual men, were more likely to report suicidal ideation (odds ratio = 3.05, 95% confidence interval = [1.65, 5.60]) and suicide attempts (odds ratio = 4.16, confidence interval = [2.18, 7.93]). Bisexual women, but not lesbian women, were more likely to report suicidal ideation (odds ratio = 4.40, confidence interval = [3.00, 6.37]) and suicide attempts (odds ratio = 4.46, confidence interval = [2.41, 8.24]). Neither bisexual nor gay men were more likely than heterosexual men to report self-injury. However, bisexual women, but not lesbian women, were more likely than heterosexual women to report self-injury (odds ratio = 19.59, confidence interval = [9.05, 42.40]). Overall, bisexual females were at greatest risk of suicidality and self-injury.

Conclusion:

Clinicians working with sexual minority populations are encouraged to openly discuss suicidal and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours with their clients and may consider using therapeutic strategies to reduce internalised stigma and enhance personal and social resources.
Examining Administrators’ Instructional Feedback to High School Math and Science Teachers
Authors: Lochmiller Chad R.
Published: December 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore high school administrators’ instructional leadership in math and science. Specifically, the study explored the feedback administrators provided to math and science teachers as part of their instructional supervision. A central goal for this study was to determine how differences in these content areas influenced the feedback administrators provided to teachers. Research Method/Approach: The study was completed in five, comprehensive high schools located in the western United States. A multicase qualitative research design was used to complete this investigation. The study included more than 50 individual participants, including school administrators and classroom teachers. Findings: Three themes were produced from the analysis. First, the feedback administrators provided to teachers focused on pedagogy as opposed to their content understanding. Second, administrators provided feedback that was anchored within their past experience as teachers. This experience shaped how they viewed instruction in math and science. Third, administrators sought ways to make their feedback more meaningful and saw student assessment data as a useful strategy. Conclusions: School administrators’ feedback to classroom teachers about their instruction appears bound within distinct subject subcultures that stem from their past experience as classroom teachers. It is therefore incumbent on administrators to learn how to work across these cultures to support schoolwide instructional improvement. Administrators must recognize how their own position within a particular subject subculture influences the feedback they provide to classroom teachers.
District Leaders’ Framing of Educator Evaluation Policy
Authors: Woulfin Sarah L. , Donaldson Morgaen L. , Gonzales Richard
Published: December 2015

Purpose: Educator evaluation systems have recently undergone scrutiny and reform, and district and school leaders play a key role in interpreting and enacting these systems. This article uses framing theory to understand district leaders’ interpretation and advancement of a state’s new educator evaluation policy. Research Methods: The article draws on qualitative data from 14 Connecticut districts to highlight the relationship between state policy, district leadership, and the ideas about educator evaluation making their way into schools. We employed frame analysis to systematically analyze interview data from district leaders responsible for evaluation reform. Findings: District leaders’ frames addressed two distinct elements of the evaluation policy: accountability and development. Overall, district leaders tended to emphasize the accountability aspects of the state’s new evaluation system—SEED (System for Educator Evaluation and Development). Second, we find that district leaders’ frames predominately issued solutions and advice regarding the implementation of the evaluation policy. These leaders rarely enforced their framing of SEED. Finally, we present a vignette to highlight how one elementary school principal encountered frames within his district context and elected to respond to the ideas and rules of the new evaluation system. Implications for Research and Practice: This article’s findings encourage additional research on the role of district leaders in translating state policy into school-level change. This article also highlights the need for district-level actors to have a deep understanding of current policy as well as the skills to frame policy messages to diverse audiences.
The African Development Bank and infant mortality: A cross-national analysis of structural adjustment and investment lending from 1990 to 2006
Authors: Coburn Carolyn , Restivo Michael , Shandra John M
Published: December 2015

We conduct a cross-national analysis to examine the effects of different forms of African Development Bank (AfDB) on infant mortality. We analyze data on 31 countries from the period 1990–2006 using a two-way fixed effects regression model. The results of our analysis indicate that Sub-Saharan African nations receiving an AfDB structural adjustment loan are associated with increased infant mortality compared to nations that do not receive such a loan, consistent with existing literature drawn from dependency theory. We also evaluate a second hypothesis that AfDB investment loans in the health sector will be associated with decreased infant mortality, and the results of our analysis confirm this as well. We conclude by highlighting the contradictory effects of these two lending strategies on infant mortality and the theoretical implications that emerge.
Book Review: K. V. Thomas, Left-Wing Extremism and Human Rights: The Role of Civil Liberties Groups in Andhra Pradesh
Authors: Gurjar Vishesh Pratap , Kumar Arvind
Published: December 2015

K. V. Thomas, Left-Wing Extremism and Human Rights: The Role of Civil Liberties Groups in Andhra Pradesh, SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd, 2014, 308 pp., ₹ 995, ISBN 9788132111580 (hardcover).
Book Review: Subhadra Mitra Channa and Joan P. Mencher (eds), Life as a Dalit: Views from the Bottom on Caste in India
Authors: Sharma Aparajita
Published: December 2015

Subhadra Mitra Channa and Joan P. Mencher (eds), Life as a Dalit: Views from the Bottom on Caste in India, New Delhi, SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd, 2013, 492 pp., ₹ 1495, ISBN 9788132111238.
The transformative vision: Public witness and the poiesis of Christian social transformation
Authors: Fensham Charles J.
Published: December 2015

With reference to social science research and the work of David Bosch and Max Stackhouse, this article argues that the energy for Christian communities to act in socially transformative ways is strengthened and enhanced by attending to poiesis. The concept poiesis is explored in the light of social science research on effective social movements and this is related to the Christian practice of liturgy. Liturgy is used as a broad heuristic concept that represents the creative and imaginative energy of Christian faith in its gathered communities, its telling of inspiring and transformative stories, and its engagement of its context with a vision for a better world. There is a need to enhance the hermeneutic cycle of “see–judge–act” with the inspiring vision of poiesis that will move Christian communities to action for social change.
Brief Introductory Psychology Textbooks: An Objective Analysis
Authors: Griggs Richard A. , Jackson Sherri L. , Napolitano Teresa J.
Published: December 2015

Given the rising cost of textbooks, the one-term nature of most introductory psychology courses, and the length of “regular“ introductory psychology textbooks, many psychology teachers may be interested in briefer, less expensive paperback introductory textbooks. We performed an objective analysis of these briefer textbooks. Our approach was similar to Weiten's (1988) analysis of regular introductory textbooks and to Webb's (1991) analysis of the three editions of the Boring, Langfeld, and Weld textbook. Overall data and the results for each text are provided, as well as a comparison with Weiten's data for regular texts. Prices are also briefly discussed. These data supplement Weiten's normative data.
Rethinking the Romance: Teaching the Content and Function of Gender Stereotypes in the Psychology of Women Course
Authors: Crawford Mary
Published: December 2015

To understand the content and function of gender stereotypes, students in a psychology of women course read a typical Harlequin-style romance novel of their choice. They write a paper analyzing its messages about femininity, masculinity, love, and relationships as well as addressing why women write and read these books. Later, students use their graded papers as resources for a class discussion. Student reaction to the assignment is positive.
“The Eye of the Beholder”: A Classroom Demonstration of Observer Bias
Authors: Goldstein Miriam D. , Hopkins J. Roy , Strube Michael J.
Published: December 2015

In a class demonstration of observer bias, students were led to believe that the response time of a subject's performance would decrease across three trials of a mirror-tracing task, due to alcohol consumption. The subject (a trained confederate who actually drank a nonalcoholic beverage) maintained consistent behavior and performance across trials. Students reported a trend that was consistent with the expectancy yet was not present in the behavior observed. The demonstration had a strong and memorable effect on students. We discuss the value of this classroom exercise for demonstrating observer bias.
Linking Dispositions and Social Behavior: Self-Monitoring and Advertising Preferences
Authors: Jones Melinda
Published: December 2015

To help students appreciate the impact of dispositions on social behavior, I demonstrate to them how a particular disposition (self-monitoring propensity) relates to interesting differences in consumer behavior. Specifically, this exercise illustrates that individuals high in self-monitoring tend to be more responsive to advertisements that appeal to the image of a product, whereas those low in self-monitoring tend to be more responsive to advertisements that make claims about the quality of a product. Students in a social psychology course evaluated the demonstration as interesting, informative, and effective.
Motivating Students to Read Journal Articles
Authors: Carkenord David M.
Published: December 2015

A technique is described that motivates students to complete assigned readings of journal articles. The technique requires students to write a summary and critique of each article on an 8 × 5 in. index card. Students completing the readings receive two types of tangible benefits: extra course credit and use of their notecards during subsequent tests. Objective assessment of the technique in two classes indicated that students turned in notecards for 73.7% of the readings, and only one student failed to submit any notecards. Students responded positively to the technique on an end-of-term survey.
Using an Everyday Memory Task to Introduce the Method and Results Sections of a Scientific Paper
Authors: Marmie William R.
Published: December 2015

A useful extension to Nickerson and Adams's (1979) task of remembering the features of a common U.S. penny is memorizing the features of a Mercury dime. After a minute of study, students recall more features of the dime than of the unstudied penny. This demonstration effectively illustrates the subjective nature of scientific judgments, the value of statistics in data management, arid part of the rationale for including a method and results section in a scientific paper. In addition, it exposes students to the principle of memory and attention that details of an object or event are difficult to remember unless they are intentionally studied.
Scientific Eminence, the History of Psychology, and Term Paper Topics: A Metascience Approach
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: December 2015

Teachers of courses in the history of psychology sometimes assign term papers requiring the treatment of a single major figure in the discipline. One instructive conceptual framework for writing such “great person” essays is to interpret a psychobgist's life and work according to the typical profile of an eminent scientist. This profile is provided by empirical research in the metasciences, especially the psychology of science. A sample handout suggests some of the questions that students can address when evaluating whether an eminent psychologist fits the generic pattern.
Theoretical and Applied Sources for Teachers of Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Hittner James B. , Carpenter Kenneth M.
Published: December 2015

We describe software and present theoretical and applied sources for teaching a graduate course in structural equation modeling. We recommend Linear Structural Relations (LISREL; Jöreskog & Sörbom, 1989) as the primary structural equation modeling software because it is the most generally applicable and widely available of the appropriate software packages, and it is fully supported by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, 1988). We also suggest relevant background readings, recommend principal textbook sources and review articles, and advocate reading empirical journal articles to accompany the core texts. These sources are offered as part of a comprehensive teaching approach designed to impart an appreciation for and working knowledge of LISREL-based structural equation modeling.
The Master's Thesis in Applied Psychology Training
Authors: Shultz Kenneth S. , Kottke Janet L.
Published: December 2015

Many master's programs in industrial and organizational psychology do not require a thesis. We argue that the master's thesis serves several critical pedagogical purposes and is more relevant to applied psychology than many students and faculty realize. Suggestions are made on how to tie the thesis to several critical competencies required of psychologists in applied industrial settings.
Classroom Uses of a Demonstration of the Incidental-Learning Paradigm
Authors: Bender Timothy A. , Shoptaugh Carol F.
Published: December 2015

An incidental-learning demonstration was used as a within-group demonstration for a course in Memory and Cognition and as a between-groups laboratory experiment in an Experimental Psychology course. In Memory and Cognition, the goals were to introduce the incidental-learning paradigm and use it as a basis for the discussion of levels of processing theory and elaboration. In the Experimental Psychology course, this paradigm was used to expose students to analysis of variance, deception, and individually computer-administered experiments. Both designs and procedures produced significant results consistent with previous research, met various course objectives, and generated discussion.
Producing Mentors in Psychology
Authors: Willis Frank N. , Diebold Charles T.
Published: December 2015

This study was designed to identify doctoral programs in psychology that produced the most mentors and to assess the quality of these programs as rated in past research. Mentor was defined as dissertation supervisor. Samples of doctoral recipients were selected from the 1970, 1980, and 1989–1991 Dissertation Abstracts International. We selected every 10th entry for a total of 875 recipients, for whom 851 dissertation supervisors were identified. The programs producing the supervisors and the supervisors’ years of graduation were also identified. The 25 programs producing the most supervisors accounted for almost 60% of the recipients. These programs tended to be among the oldest in American psychology and among the programs rated highest in quality in studies reported over many years and using various measures of quality. The proportion of women among mentors increased but not as rapidly as the proportion of women among doctoral recipients.
Psychology's Surge in Undergraduate Majors
Authors: Mcdonald David G.
Published: December 2015

This is a report on the surge of undergraduate psychology majors since the early 1980s. The number of psychology faculty has remained relatively constant in the last decade, but the number of bachelor's degrees awarded in psychology has increased by 59% since 1985 almost entirely due to an increase in the number awarded to women, which has increased by 80%. Results of a survey indicate that psychology departments have dealt with increasing enrollments by some combination of (a) new admissions requirements, such as completion of required premajor courses; (b) more rigorous requirements for graduation; and (c) limiting advanced courses only to majors. Causes and long-range implications for academic psychology are discussed.
Teaching on the Edge: The Psychology of Sexual Orientation
Authors: Bohan Janis S.
Published: December 2015

The American Psychological Association has charged its members with taking an active role in reducing the stigma attached to lesbian, gay, and bisexual identity in our society. One means of fulfilling this charge is for psychologists to undertake educational activities that present lesbian, gay, and bisexual experience in a thoughtful, scholarly, and informative manner. This article describes the development and conduct of a course titled The Psychology of Sexual Orientation, whose intent is to provide just such a substantive look at the psychological experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Elements of the course may also be incorporated into other courses, such as social psychology, the psychology of women, the psychology of gender, or courses focusing on diversity.
Effects of Writing Summaries as a Generative Learning Activity during Note Taking
Authors: Davis Martha , Hult Richard E.
Published: December 2015

Two experimental conditions of note taking in lecture sections of Introductory Psychology were compared for their relative effectiveness as generative-learning activities. The summary group students took notes during a 21-min lecture and wrote three lecture summaries during 4-min pauses. The pause group students took notes during lecture but only reviewed their notes during the pauses. The control group students took notes without pauses. Immediately following the lecture, students took a posttest, 12 days later they responded to a free-recall question and took another posttest. Although the pause and control groups did not differ on any measure, the summary group scored significantly higher than the control group on the free-recall question and 12-day posttest, suggesting that summary writing during lecture results in more durable learning.
Review of the Graphic Brain: Neurophysiology
Authors: Davis Stephen F. , Kring Jason P.
Published: December 2015

This article reviews The Graphic Brain: Neurophysiology (Teyler, 1992), a computer program designed to introduce neurophysiology to medical students and beginning graduate and advanced undergraduate students in various fields. Users choose among 19 self-contained teaching modules that utilize text and visual representations to present various structures and concepts encountered in the study of neurophysiology. We offer general comments and suggestions for improvement and a discussion of this program's utility for students in psychology.
What Monkeys Can Do
Authors: Washburn David A.
Published: December 2015

Many students believe that nonhuman animals are either irreconcilably different from humans or are comparable to humans in almost every way. It is important to identify and challenge these fallacious biases, particularly for classes in which animal behavior is discussed. A computerized (MS-DOS) laboratory exercise addressed this and other course goals. Student evaluations indicated that the activity is useful for augmenting textbook information, challenging these misconceived notions, and spawning classroom discussion about the existence and meaning of important species similarities and differences.
Remembering Ulrich Beck
Authors: Lash Scott
Published: December 2015

This is a commemoration of Ulrich Beck, written originally just after his passing. It understands Beck in terms of Kant’s critiques. Here if, say, Latour incorporates the first critique of instrumentalism and Habermas the second critique of morality, then Ulrich points us to the third critique – hope.
Speculative Life: Art, Synthetic Biology and Blueprints for the Unknown
Authors: Johung Jennifer
Published: December 2015

Answering a call for a 2013 exhibition at Ars Electronica bridging art and synthetic biology, a group of artists and designers offer ‘Blueprints for the Unknown’. Their fictional scenarios offer possible futures already embedded in and ready to become our present. By imagining potential events and soon-to-be organisms and bodies, these blueprints perform the untenable relationship between predictable bioengineered living forms and the unpredictable contexts within which such life subsists over time. While synthetic biology focuses on the particularities of each micro-manipulation within a specific timeframe, art practices can speculate on the wider reverberations of modified life, making visible the vulnerable encounters and uneven exchanges across variable living forms and scales, from molecule to human, synthetic to organic. This paper explores the indeterminacies that arise as living forms become synthetically modified, reorganized and redirected at will.
Beyond Biodiversity and Species: Problematizing Extinction
Authors: Mitchell Audra
Published: December 2015

Scientific and public discourses on the current mass extinction event tend to focus their attention on the decline of ‘species’ and ‘biodiversity’. Drawing on insights from the humanities, this article contends that the processes of extinction also produce a diverse range of subjects. Each of these subjects, it argues, raises specific ethical challenges and creates opportunities for cosmopolitical transformation. To explore this argument, the article engages with several subjects of extinction: ‘species’ and ‘biodiversity’; ‘humanity’; ‘unloved’ subjects; and absent or non-relational subjects. In each case, it examines how attention to these subjects can highlight the exclusions and inequalities embedded in dominant discourses, and to identify possibilities for plural ethico-political responses to mass extinction.
Algorithms and the Practical World
Authors: Totaro Paolo , Ninno Domenico
Published: December 2015

This article is both a comment on Neyland’s ‘On organizing algorithms’ and a supplementary note to our ‘The concept of algorithm as an interpretative key of modern rationality’. In the first part we discuss the concepts of algorithm and recursive function from a different perspective from that of our previous article. Our cultural reference for these concepts is once again computability theory. We give additional arguments in support of the idea that a culture informed by an algorithmic logic has promoted modern rationality both in science and in society. We stress again the importance of distinguishing between algorithms applied to quantifiable entities such as space, time and value and those applied to ontological entities such as human actions. In the second case, the algorithm is applied outside its domain of definition and leads to social disaggregation.
South Africa’s small towns: A review on recent research
Authors: Hoogendoorn Gijsbert , Visser Gustav
Published: December 2015

This paper provides a review of recent themes in the investigation of small towns in South Africa. The paper is divided into two main sections of review and analysis. The first section furnishes an overview of the different types of research themes that have been engaged with. It is argued that a narrow set of issues, mainly concerning economic expansion and change have formed the key vantage point from which to view small town South Africa. The second section outlines a range of research questions that require also attention. It is argued that there is a need to more closely consider how small town knowledge production takes place and that research themes need to move beyond issues of economic development.
A Biopsychosocial Model of Dietary Restraint in Early Adolescent Boys
Authors: Mitchell Sara H. , Petrie Trent A. , Greenleaf Christy A. , Martin Scott B.
Published: December 2015

The current study replicated and extended previous research on disordered eating and dietary intent (i.e., self-reported restriction of caloric intake with the purpose of losing weight) in boys and men by examining the direct and indirect influence of sociocultural pressure, social body comparisons, internalization of societal appearance ideals, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, body composition, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) on dietary restraint. Participants were 681 boys ([Formula: see text]age = 12.49 years, SD = 0.99) from six middle schools located in the south central United States. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), 32% to 35% of the Dietary Restraint variance was explained across two independent samples. Pressures to lose weight and diet predicted all the psychosocial outcomes, whereas higher levels of (CRF) predicted higher levels of body satisfaction and self-esteem and lower body mass indices (BMIs), which predicted lower dietary restraint. The results from this study support a multifactorial approach to understanding boys’ dietary behaviors.