bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a 15-Item Scale to Measure Parental Perceptions of Their Neighborhood
Authors: Quigg Robin , Gray Andrew , Reeder Anthony Ivor , Holt Alec , Waters Debra L.
Published: July 2014

Socioecological theory suggests that there are a range of influences that affect the physical activity levels of children, including parents’ perceptions of the neighborhood. A questionnaire instrument to quantify parental neighborhood perceptions was developed for the Location of Children’s Activity in Their Environment study as a potential predictor of children’s physical activity. A literature review revealed a lack of appropriate instruments, many containing highly localized items. Following initial instrument development including pretesting, where items showed face and content validity, a two-phase pilot study was undertaken. Pilot testing investigated test–retest reliability (overall intraclass correlation coefficient = .75) and internal consistency (α = .62 and α = .73 for the two phases, respectively), finding that the instrument was acceptable overall although some changes in wording were made to specific items with low reliability and/or internal consistency. Using data from the first year of the Location of Children’s Activity in Their Environment study, the instrument showed acceptable internal consistency (overall α = .73) and predictive validity (associated with time living in residence and walking to school) to be used in future studies. The scale was not found to be associated with child physical activity, which may be due to activity displacement. Proposed subscales for the neighborhood infrastructure and social aspects were marginal for internal consistency and a safety subscale was not acceptable in this regard. Given the impact of parental perceptions of the neighborhood, and its potential modifiable nature, a measure of it should be included in studies looking at the intensity and location of children’s physical activity.
Does My Program Really Make a Difference? Program Evaluation Utilizing Aggregate Single-Subject Data
Authors: Burns Catherine E.
Published: July 2014

In the current climate of increasing fiscal and clinical accountability, information is required about overall program effectiveness using clinical data. These requests present a challenge for programs utilizing single-subject data due to the use of highly individualized behavior plans and behavioral monitoring. Subsequently, the diversity of the client-specific programming does not yield data that are easily aggregated to inform program evaluations for effectiveness. This issue was addressed in one New England community mental health center providing school-based treatment for youth with significant emotional and behavioral disorders. After developing a behavior categorization system, behavior analysts reported client-specific behavioral progress into a main database. Aggregate data were then analyzed to provide information about overall program effectiveness using two reporting measures. The utility of aggregated single-subject data to inform clinical practice, clients, and program stakeholders is discussed.
Towards an anthropology of action: From pastoral techniques to modes of action
Authors: Ferret Carole
Published: July 2014

This article starts from the hypothesis that societies are characterized by their propensity towards certain forms of action – forms that differ in their means, rather than their ends. It then proceeds to develop a theoretical framework for understanding the different dimensions or aspects of human action: manipulation/operation; passive/active/interventionist; endogenous/exogenous/participative; direct/indirect; positive/negative/contrary; internal/external; continuous/discontinuous. This framework is the product of extensive research on pastoral techniques among Siberian Yakuts, but can also be applied to actions carried out in other spheres that concern behaviour towards nature and towards other people. In so doing, the article strives to resolve certain key problems within the anthropology of action.
Threats to the scientific status of experimental consumer psychology
Authors: McQuarrie Edward F.
Published: July 2014

Multiple scandals involving falsified experimental data have shaken the discipline of social psychology, and by extension, the kinds of consumer and marketing research that rely on it. A methodology thought to have unassailable scientific credentials—the statistical analysis of controlled laboratory experiments—emerges as peculiarly vulnerable to falsity, for reasons that can be traced back to selective pressure during journal publication. This article argues that absent a fundamental change in publication criteria, false experimental findings are likely to multiply over time. Alternative solutions to the multiplication of false findings are evaluated, and a recommendation to abolish journal scarcity, and thereby relieve selective pressure, is offered as the solution best able to attack the problem at its root.
Print Knowledge of Preschool Children With Hearing Loss
Authors: Werfel Krystal L. , Lund Emily , Schuele C. Melanie
Published: July 2014

Measures of print knowledge were compared across preschoolers with hearing loss and normal hearing. Alphabet knowledge did not differ between groups, but preschoolers with hearing loss performed lower on measures of print concepts and concepts of written words than preschoolers with normal hearing. Further study is needed in this area.
Managing Medically Unexplained Symptoms in Primary Care
Authors: Hubley Sam , Uebelacker Lisa , Eaton Charles
Published: July 2014

Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are persistent physical symptoms in the absence of identifiable disease. MUS present a major challenge for primary care providers (PCPs) because complex symptom presentations, strained patient-physician relationships, and treatment-resistant symptoms can challenge a PCP’s sense of competency. This review is intended to help PCPs understand the burden and theoretical context of MUS and to provide concise recommendations for managing MUS within primary care settings. Based on a narrative review of the literature, these recommendations emphasize in particular the importance of co-creating plausible explanations for MUS, understanding the pitfalls of consultations involving MUS, and developing multimodal treatment plans.
Investigation of charge inversion in silicon nanochannels with molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Chen Min , Jiang Dawei , Jiang Kunpeng , Qiu Yinghua
Published: July 2014

Through molecular dynamics simulation, the ionic distributions in NaCl and CaCl2 solutions confined in 3-nm-high nanochannels were investigated. Different from the previous simulation model with artificial electrical neutrality, our model would reach equilibrium and electrical neutrality through ion exchange among the nanochannel region and the bulk sinks. It is observed that when the surface charge density is −0.101 C/m2, charge inversion occurs at 1.0 M concentration of CaCl2 solution, but not in NaCl solution due to the stronger correlation effect between Ca2+ ions near the charged surface, which is not considered in the mean field Poisson–Boltzmann equation. Our simulation results agree well with the experimental results by F.H.J. Van Der Heyden et al. In addition, with the increase in the surface charge density, the charge inversion can be induced in the monovalent solution and be strengthened in the divalent ionic solution.
‘A film that will rock you to your core’: Emotion and affect in Dear Zachary and the real crime documentary
Authors: Horeck Tanya
Published: July 2014

This essay explores the affective impact of contemporary real crime documentaries through an examination of Kurt Kuenne’s 2008 documentary Dear Zachary: a letter to a son about his father. In its dramatic use of home video footage in the context of crime reconstruction, Dear Zachary exemplifies the contemporary crime documentary and its mediated re-enactment of the past. Looking at the deployment of real crime images across different platforms, the author analyses how the crime documentary circulates as a cultural object, and explores how the emotional and affective attachments it solicits from viewers foregrounds the new contexts in which questions about judgement and the law, crime and ethics are being formed. Exploring its online reception on websites such as IMDB.com and Amazon, the essay considers how Dear Zachary calls upon the affective labour of spectators to reaffirm dominant social values regarding crime, victimhood and the family. Tracing the affectivity of the crime image as it is routed through the remediated home video footage in Dear Zachary and then, through the ‘extras’ on the DVD format, the essay suggests that the vehemence of the emotional response to Dear Zachary is ultimately not only about the horrible crimes it reveals but about the anxieties it raises regarding what is at stake in the public circulation of ‘private’ family images.
The role of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in schizophrenia: a critical appraisal
Authors: Brissos Sofia , Veguilla Miguel Ruiz , Taylor David , Balanzá-Martinez Vicent
Published: July 2014

Despite their widespread use, long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics (APs) are often regarded with some negativity because of the assumption of punishment, control and insufficient evolution towards psychosocial development of patients. However, LAI APs have proved effective in schizophrenia and other severe psychotic disorders because they assure stable blood levels, leading to a reduction of the risk of relapse. Therapeutic opportunities have also arisen after introduction of newer, second-generation LAI APs in recent years. Newer LAI APs are more readily dosed optimally, may be better tolerated and are better suited to integrated rehabilitation programmes. This review outlines the older and newer LAI APs available for the treatment of schizophrenia, with considerations of past and present pharmacological and therapeutic issues. Traditional, evidence-based approaches to systematic reviews and randomized clinical trials are of limited utility in this area so this paper’s blending of experimental trials with observational research is particularly appropriate and effective.
Reappraisal of the so‐called ‘villous tumours’ of the rectosigmoid, based on histological, immunohistochemical and genotypic features
Authors: Droy-Dupré Laure , Küry Sébastien , Coron Emmanuel , Bézieau Stéphane , Laboisse Christian L , Mosnier Jean-François
Published: July 2014

Background

Villous tumours of the rectosigmoid are historically defined as broad‐based lesions associated with secretory diarrhoea.

Objective

This study aimed to perform a reappraisal of these tumours, on the basis of newly introduced histological, immunohistochemical and molecular parameters.

Methods

For this study, 22 villous tumours, diagnosed by endoscopic criteria (19 Paris 0–IIa, three Paris 0–Is), were evaluated according to WHO classification. Microsatellite instability status, KRAS and BRAF mutations, MGMT status of villous tumours and associated invasive carcinoma were determined.

Results

The 22 villous tumours fell into four groups: 1) nine villous adenomas, 2) six tubulovillous adenomas, 3) three filiform traditional serrated adenomas, and 4) four traditional serrated adenomas with conventional dysplasia. Filiform serrated adenomas displayed a distinctive endoscopic protruding pattern (Paris 0‐Is). Villous adenomas were strongly associated with secretory diarrhoea. All the villous tumours were microsatellite stable. Five tumours exhibited MGMT abnormalities. KRAS mutations were frequent in villous adenomas, whereas BRAF mutations were essentially detected in serrated lesions. Invasive carcinomas (n  = 7) maintained the histopathological and molecular imprint of the prior villous tumour.

Conclusion

The rectosigmoid villous tumours are histologically and molecularly heterogeneous, including serrated neoplasias. Endoscopic and clinical findings are predictive of the histopathological diagnosis of some of these distinct entities.
Capability of mechanical alloying and SPS technique to develop nanostructured high Cr, Al alloyed ODS steels
Authors: García-Rodríguez N. , Campos M. , Torralba J. M. , Berger M. H. , Bienvenu Y.
Published: July 2014

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) Fe alloys were produced by mechanical alloying (MA) with the aim of developing a nanostructured powder. The milled powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Two prealloyed high chromium stainless steels (Fe–14Cr–5Al–3W) and (Fe–20Cr–5Al+3W) with additions of Y2O3 and Ti powders are densified to evaluate the influence of the powder composition on mechanical properties. The microstructure was characterised by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) was used to analyse grain orientation, grain boundary geometries and distribution grain size. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) were used to observe the nanostructure of ODS alloys and especially to observe and analyse the nanoprecipitates. Vickers microhardness and tensile tests ( in situ and ex situ) have been performed on the ODS alloys developed in this work.
Critical Assessment 6: Magnesium sheet alloys: Viable alternatives to steels?
Authors: Kim N. J.
Published: July 2014

Increasing global demands for energy conservation and environmental protection have prompted automotive manufactures to develop lightweight automobiles. As the lightest of structural alloys, Mg alloys offer significant potential for weight reduction, but have yet to see significant application in automobiles, particularly in sheet form. The current technical issues preventing the widespread application of Mg sheet alloys in automobiles (cost, mechanical properties and formability, joining, corrosion resistance) are assessed and future research needs to develop viable Mg sheet alloys for these applications are identified.
Clinical effect of driver mutations of JAK2, CALR, or MPL in primary myelofibrosis
Authors: Rumi Elisa , Pietra Daniela , Pascutto Cristiana , Guglielmelli Paola , Martínez-Trillos Alejandra , Casetti Ilaria , Colomer Dolors , Pieri Lisa , Pratcorona Marta , Rotunno Giada , Sant’Antonio Emanuela , Bellini Marta , Cavalloni Chiara , Mannarelli Carmela , Milanesi Chiara , Boveri Emanuela , Ferretti Virginia , Astori Cesare , Rosti Vittorio , Cervantes Francisco , Barosi Giovanni , Vannucchi Alessandro M. , Cazzola Mario
Published: July 2014

Key Points

Patients with PMF may carry JAK2 (V617F), a CALR exon 9 indel, an MPL exon 10 mutation, or none of these genetic lesions. The genetic subtypes of PMF differ substantially as regards clinical course, disease progression, and overall survival.
Differential effects of selective frankincense (Ru Xiang) essential oil versus non-selective sandalwood (Tan Xiang) essential oil on cultured bladder cancer cells: a microarray and bioinformatics study
Authors: Dozmorov Mikhail G , Yang Qing , Wu Weijuan , Wren Jonathan , Suhail Mahmoud M , Woolley Cole L , Young D Gary , Fung Kar-Ming , Lin Hsueh-Kung
Published: July 2014

Background

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii, known as Ru Xiang in Chinese) and sandalwood (Santalum album, known as Tan Xiang in Chinese) are cancer preventive and therapeutic agents in Chinese medicine. Their biologically active ingredients are usually extracted from frankincense by hydrodistillation and sandalwood by distillation. This study aims to investigate the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities of frankincense and sandalwood essential oils in cultured human bladder cancer cells.

Methods

The effects of frankincense (1,400–600 dilutions) (v/v) and sandalwood (16,000–7,000 dilutions) (v/v) essential oils on cell viability were studied in established human bladder cancer J82 cells and immortalized normal human bladder urothelial UROtsa cells using a colorimetric XTT cell viability assay. Genes that responded to essential oil treatments in human bladder cancer J82 cells were identified using the Illumina Expression BeadChip platform and analyzed for enriched functions and pathways. The chemical compositions of the essential oils were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.

Results

Human bladder cancer J82 cells were more sensitive to the pro-apoptotic effects of frankincense essential oil than the immortalized normal bladder UROtsa cells. In contrast, sandalwood essential oil exhibited a similar potency in suppressing the viability of both J82 and UROtsa cells. Although frankincense and sandalwood essential oils activated common pathways such as inflammatory interleukins (IL-6 signaling), each essential oil had a unique molecular action on the bladder cancer cells. Heat shock proteins and histone core proteins were activated by frankincense essential oil, whereas negative regulation of protein kinase activity and G protein-coupled receptors were activated by sandalwood essential oil treatment.

Conclusion

The effects of frankincense and sandalwood essential oils on J82 cells and UROtsa cells involved different mechanisms leading to cancer cell death. While frankincense essential oil elicited selective cancer cell death via NRF-2-mediated oxidative stress, sandalwood essential oil induced non-selective cell death via DNA damage and cell cycle arrest.
The Negative Influences of Exam-Oriented Education on Chinese High School Students: Backwash from Classroom to Child
Authors: Kirkpatrick Robert , Zang Yuebing
Published: July 2014

This essay describes the various problems China faces on account of its exam-centric education system and pedagogy. Along with interviews and focus groups, this study draws on survey responses from 43 Chinese high school students enrolled in the Yunnan Province's No. 10 school. Moreover, this essay explores the policy arguments and key assumptions underlying this pedagogical approach as well as the negative influences exam-oriented education systems have on Chinese students, who view education as nothing more than merely passing examinations. This particular approach, at its worst, can stifle a student's imagination, creativity, and sense of self, qualities crucial for a child's ultimate success in and out of the classroom. The study suggests moderate pressure to excel in school, when paired with deemphasizing high-stakes testing, better motivates students and improves student success and psychological health, both in terms of academic success and also a productive adulthood.
Prolonged continuous intravenous infusion of the dipeptide L-alanine- L-glutamine significantly increases plasma glutamine and alanine without elevating brain glutamate in patients with severe traumatic brain injury
Authors: Nägeli Mirjam , Fasshauer Mario , Sommerfeld Jutta , Fendel Angela , Brandi Giovanna , Stover John F
Published: July 2014

Introduction

Low plasma glutamine levels are associated with worse clinical outcome. Intravenous glutamine infusion dose- dependently increases plasma glutamine levels, thereby correcting hypoglutaminemia. Glutamine may be transformed to glutamate which might limit its application at a higher dose in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). To date, the optimal glutamine dose required to normalize plasma glutamine levels without increasing plasma and cerebral glutamate has not yet been defined.

Methods

Changes in plasma and cerebral glutamine, alanine, and glutamate as well as indirect signs of metabolic impairment reflected by increased intracranial pressure (ICP), lactate, lactate-to-pyruvate ratio, electroencephalogram (EEG) activity were determined before, during, and after continuous intravenous infusion of 0.75 g L-alanine-L-glutamine which was given either for 24 hours (group 1, n = 6) or 5 days (group 2, n = 6) in addition to regular enteral nutrition. Lab values including nitrogen balance, urea and ammonia were determined daily.

Results

Continuous L-alanine-L-glutamine infusion significantly increased plasma and cerebral glutamine as well as alanine levels, being mostly sustained during the 5 day infusion phase (plasma glutamine: from 295 ± 62 to 500 ± 145 μmol/ l; brain glutamine: from 183 ± 188 to 549 ± 120 μmol/ l; plasma alanine: from 327 ± 91 to 622 ± 182 μmol/ l; brain alanine: from 48 ± 55 to 89 ± 129 μmol/ l; p < 0.05, ANOVA, post hoc Dunn’s test).

Plasma glutamate remained unchanged and cerebral glutamate was decreased without any signs of cerebral impairment. Urea and ammonia were significantly increased within normal limits without signs of organ dysfunction (urea: from 2.7 ± 1.6 to 5.5 ± 1.5 mmol/ l; ammonia: from 12 ± 6.3 to 26 ± 8.3 μmol/ l; p < 0.05, ANOVA, post hoc Dunn’s test).

Conclusions

High dose L-alanine-L-glutamine infusion (0.75 g/ kg/ d up to 5 days) increased plasma and brain glutamine and alanine levels. This was not associated with elevated glutamate or signs of potential glutamate-mediated cerebral injury. The increased nitrogen load should be considered in patients with renal and hepatic dysfunction.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02130674. Registered 5 April 2014
Glutamine – from conditionally essential to totally dispensable?
Authors: Wernerman Jan
Published: July 2014

Recently a large multicentre randomised controlled trial in critically ill patients reported harm to the patients given supplementary glutamine. In the original publication, no explanation was offered for why this result was obtained; a large number of studies have reported beneficial effects or no effect, but never before reported harm. These results have been commented upon in a number of communications. Now some of the authors of the multicentre randomised controlled trial present a review and meta-analysis of glutamine supplementation, and the discrepancy of results is suggested to relate to intravenous administration to patients of supplementary glutamine via parenteral nutrition or a combination of enteral and parenteral nutrition in contrast to enteral administration of supplementation or a combination of enteral and parenteral supplementation. To explain results by epidemiological means only, by combining results into a meta-analysis, is perhaps not the best way to explain mechanisms behind results. Meta-analyses are primarily hypothesis generating. Launching treatment without a solid mechanistic explanation is always risky. Glutamine supplementation of the critically ill comes into that category. Now we will all have to do our homework and try to understand whether supplementation or omission of glutamine for patients fed parenterally is a good idea or not.
Tranexamic acid in pediatric trauma: why not?
Authors: Beno Suzanne , Ackery Alun D , Callum Jeannie , Rizoli Sandro
Published: July 2014

Trauma is a leading cause of death in pediatrics. Currently, no medical treatment exists to reduce mortality in the setting of pediatric trauma; however, this evidence does exist in adults. Bleeding and coagulopathy after trauma increases mortality in both adults and children. Clinical research has demonstrated a reduction in mortality with early use of tranexamic acid in adult trauma patients in both civilian and military settings. Tranexamic acid used in the perioperative setting safely reduces transfusion requirements in children. This article compares the hematologic response to trauma between children and adults, and explores the potential use of tranexamic acid in pediatric hemorrhagic trauma.
Isoxazole Platform for Polyketide Assembly: Cycloaddition of Stable Benzonitrile Oxides to Stable ortho-Quinone Monoacetals and Dehydrogenation
Authors: Takikawa Hiroshi , Hashimoto Yoshimitsu , Suzuki Keisuke
Published: July 2014

A two-step preparation of highly functionalized polycyclic isoxazoles is described via regioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of ortho-disubstituted benzonitrile oxides to ortho-quinone monoacetals and dehydrogenation by NiO2.
The Impact of Attending a School with High-Achieving Peers: Evidence from the New York City Exam Schools
Authors: Dobbie Will , Fryer Roland G.
Published: July 2014

This paper uses data from three prominent exam high schools in New York City to estimate the impact of attending a school with high-achieving peers on college enrollment and graduation. Our identification strategy exploits sharp discontinuities in the admissions process. Applicants just eligible for an exam school have peers that score 0.17 to 0.36 standard deviations higher on eighth grade state tests and that are 6.4 to 9.5 percentage points less likely to be black or Hispanic. However, exposure to these higher-achieving and more homogeneous peers has little impact on college enrollment, college graduation, or college quality. (JEL H75, I21, J15)
Cryogenic Hydrogen Adsorption onto H-, Li-, Na-Exchanged Zeolites with Various Si/Al Ratios
Authors: Kubo Masaru , Kamimura Yoshihiro , Itabashi Keiji , Okubo Tatsuya
Published: July 2014

We investigated the hydrogen-adsorption properties of four zeolites (FAU-, MFI-, *BEA- and MOR-type zeolites) with various Si/Al ratios and charge cations (H+ Li+ or Na+), focusing particularly on the measurements of isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst). The profiles of Qst describe the heterogeneity of the zeolite surface. Zeolites with narrower pore channel (2.6 ∞ 5.7 Å) exhibit higher initial Qst values than zeolites with wide pore channel (7.4 ∞ 7.4 Å), because of the strong dispersion interaction between hydrogen molecules and the surface of the pore channel. Li-exchanged zeolites exhibit high initial Qst values; however, the 6-membered ring zeolite frameworks adsorb less hydrogen at 77 K and 0.1 MPa than Na-exchanged zeolites, because Li cations, unlike larger Na cations, can penetrate the ring, and thus become less accessible to hydrogen molecules. The enhancement of hydrogen uptake for Li-exchanged zeolites correlates with the amount of Li+.
Experimental Study on Seismic Behavior of 460MPa High Strength Steel Box-Section Columns
Authors: Shi Gang , Wang Jiaojiao , Bai Yu , Shi Yongjiu
Published: July 2014

In order to study the seismic behavior of 460MPa high strength steel (HSS) box-section columns, five specimens with equal-width box-section were examined under constant axial load and cyclic horizontal load simultaneously. The axial load ratio and width-to-thickness ratio were designed as major parameters in this investigation. Failure mode, hysteretic curve, energy dissipation capacity and ductility were analyzed and compared. The experimental results showed that local buckling initiated at flange and followed by web. Under the same axial load ratio, as width-to-thickness ratio increased, local buckling occurred at a lower displacement level and the displacement levels at both peak load and failure load decreased. On the other hand, with the increase of width-to-thickness ratio, the range of local buckling wave became smaller, and the position of buckling center became closer to fixed end. It is also evidenced that the full extent of hysteric curve, energy dissipation capacity, ductility of specimens and ultimate story drift angle decreased with the increase of width-to-thickness ratio and axial-load ratio. According to the experimental results and comparative study, limiting values of width-to-thickness ratio for flange plate of Q460 box-section may be suggested as 25 for applications with large inelastic deformation (i.e. large earthquake action) and 32 for applications with limited inelastic deformation (i.e. moderate earthquake action) in the case that axial-load ratios are no more than 0.2.
A Review of Computational Modelling of Flow Boiling in Microchannels
Authors: Guo Z. , Fletcher D.F. , Haynes B.S.
Published: July 2014

Flow boiling in microchannels has received enormous interest in academic research over the past few decades because of its importance in the thermal management of micro-structured devices. A vast number of experimental and theoretical studies have been reported and an increasing number of computational studies of microchannel flow boiling have been performed in the past few years. This article provides a review of the previous studies of flow boiling in microchannels, with a focus on the computational work. We present the governing equations, boundary conditions, numerical methods and the mathematical treatment of phase change used. Some important numerical studies are reviewed in detail and their strengths and weaknesses are presented. Finally, a summary of the current status of modelling in this area is provided.
A Hybrid Approach for the Semantic Annotation of Spatially Oriented Images
Authors: Manuel Adeline , De Luca Livio , Véron Philippe
Published: July 2014

Thanks to recent developments, actual information technologies offer tools for the access to information about cultural heritage buildings. These tools are aimed to help experts to enrich and share information about historic monuments. This article describes a hybrid process for the semantic annotation of a set of spatially-oriented images (whose positions and orientations in space are automatically estimated). First of all, a large set of images is processed with an automated image based reconstruction method so as to generate 3D information (specifically 3D coordinates). This 3D information is then used in an automated transfer process of annotations through the set of images. At last, new images can be oriented within the set of already-oriented and already-annotated images. Then, annotations can be precisely projected on newly-oriented images. As a consequence, this process provides a simple way to establish a continuity of information inside a set of images.
MiR-103a-3p targets the 5′ UTR of GPRC5A in pancreatic cells
Authors: Zhou Honglei , Rigoutsos Isidore
Published: July 2014

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that regulate the expression of their targets in a sequence-dependent manner. For protein-coding transcripts, miRNAs regulate expression levels through binding sites in either the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) or the amino acid coding sequence (CDS) of the targeted messenger RNA (mRNA). Currently, for the 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) of mRNAs, very few naturally occurring examples exist whereby the targeting miRNA down-regulates the expression of the corresponding mRNA in a seed-dependent manner. Here we describe and characterize two miR-103a-3p target sites in the 5′ UTR of GPRC5A, a gene that acts as a tumor suppressor in some cancer contexts and as an ongocene in other cancer contexts. In particular, we show that the interaction of miR-103a-3p with each of these two 5′ UTR targets reduces the expression levels of both GPRC5A mRNA and GPRC5A protein in one normal epithelial and two pancreatic cancer cell lines. By ectopically expressing “sponges” that contain instances of the wild-type 5′ UTR targets we also show that we can reduce miR-103a-3p levels and increase GPRC5A mRNA and protein levels. These findings provide some first knowledge on the post-transcriptional regulation of this tumor suppressor/oncogene and present additional evidence for the participation of 5′ UTRs in miRNA driven post-transcriptional regulatory control.
Cyrface: An interface from Cytoscape to R that provides a user interface to R packages
Authors: Gonçalves Emanuel , Mirlach Franz , Saez-Rodriguez Julio
Published: July 2014

There is an increasing number of software packages to analyse biological experimental data in the R environment. In particular, Bioconductor, a repository of curated R packages, is one of the most comprehensive resources for bioinformatics and biostatistics. The use of these packages is increasing, but it requires a basic understanding of the R language, as well as the syntax of the specific package used. The availability of user graphical interfaces for these packages would decrease the learning curve and broaden their application.

Here, we present a Cytoscape app termed Cyrface that allows Cytoscape apps to connect to any function and package developed in R. Cyrface can be used to run R packages from within the Cytoscape environment making use of a graphical user interface. Moreover, it can link R packages with the capabilities of Cytoscape and its apps, in particular network visualization and analysis. Cyrface’s utility has been demonstrated for two Bioconductor packages (CellNOptR and DrugVsDisease), and here we further illustrate its usage by implementing a workflow of data analysis and visualization. Download links, installation instructions and user guides can be accessed from the Cyrface’s homepage (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/saezrodriguez/cyrface/) and from the Cytoscape app store (http://apps.cytoscape.org/apps/cyrface).
Assessing the Influence of Economic and Customer Experience Factors on Service Purchase Behaviors
Authors: Kumar V. , Umashankar Nita , Kim Kihyun Hannah , Bhagwat Yashoda
Published: July 2014

Past studies have overlooked the joint effects of economic and customer experience factors on service purchase behaviors. Furthermore, service firms tend to make substantial investments in enhancing customer experience, mitigating the negative effects of service failures through recovery efforts and increasing overall customer satisfaction. Yet, largely due to a paucity of data, we know little about how the state of the economy influences the way in which customers use past service experiences to make future purchase decisions. We hypothesize that the state of the economy moderates the effects of customer experience factors on customers’ service purchase behaviors. In addition, we examine how personal income influences the degree to which the aggregate economy influences service purchase decisions. We test the proposed model using panel survey and transaction data from an international airline carrier. Our findings demonstrate that, contrary to wisdom in the popular press, customer experience matters more when the economy is doing better, not worse. Furthermore, lower income consumers are more sensitive to changes in the economy than higher income consumers. We validate the hypothesized model using a controlled experiment and establish that aggregate measures of the economy can be used to predict individual perceptions and purchase intentions.
Knowing Your Place: Social Performance Feedback in Good Times and Bad Times
Authors: Moliterno Thomas P. , Beck Nikolaus , Beckman Christine M. , Meyer Mark
Published: July 2014

Performance comparisons—specifically, performance relative to aspirations—are central to the behavioral theory of the firm. Firms evaluate their performance in relation to their own prior performance (“historical comparison”) and the performance of other organizations (“social comparison”) and base subsequent organizational change on this performance feedback. Of the two, social performance comparison has received relatively little theoretical or empirical development. This paper seeks to fill that gap by extending the theoretical conceptualization and empirical specification of the socially derived performance targets against which organizations compare their performance. Drawing on insights from the social psychology literature, we argue first that organizational decision makers monitor two socially derived performance benchmarks: an upwardly focused “top performance threshold” marking the highest levels of performance in the reference group and a downwardly anchored “reference group threshold” marking the performance level below which organizations can not consider themselves members of the reference group. Building on these arguments, we also motivate a new, and more complete, way to conceptualize performance comparison. Integrating socially and historically derived sources of performance feedback, we propose the historically based social aspiration threshold (HiBSAT) as an additional aspiration point representing the socially derived performance threshold closest to the organization’s prior performance. In an empirical analysis of German soccer league (Bundesliga) clubs between 1992 and 2004, we find that organizations have both upward and downward socially derived performance targets and that performance relative to the HiBSAT is particularly salient in motivating organizational change.
Does paracetamol help or hinder healing in bacterial infections?
Authors: Nazarko Linda
Published: July 2014

Community nursing teams, alongside other primary care services and nurses in working in community hospitals, are caring for people who are older, sicker and require more complex care. The nurse's ability to use evidence to make informed judgements is vitally important to patient care. Nurses often give paracetamol that is prescribed on an ‘as required’ basis to patients with bacterial infections who are pyrexial. This practice is supported by guidelines from the National Insitute of Health and Care Excellence and the British National Formulary. This article reviews the evidence and suggests that the administration of paracetamol in people with pyrexia should be reconsidered and given on an individualised basis rather than as a routine.
The benefits of simplicity and the scourge of poverty
Authors: Duggan Jane , Roper Heydi
Published: July 2014

Poverty has major implications for the way in which the majority of the world's mothers give birth. Jane Duggan and Heydi Roper spent the last month of their 3-year preregistration course gaining experience in an Indian maternity hospital. This has broadened their midwifery experience and enabled them to throw light on Western practice. Their trip was funded by the Iolanthe Trust.
Combating crime in maternity units
Authors: Hayward Annabel
Published: July 2014

On UK maternity wards there are other worries aside from childbirth and caring for mothers and their babies: security is increasingly on the agenda. The prospect of baby abduction in particular looms ever large, fuelled by high profile and emotive incidents, despite it being an extremely rare occurrence — only five cases led to court appearances out of more than 4 million births since 1990 (National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts [NAHAT], 1995).
How would you like us to monitor your baby?
Authors: Rosser Jilly
Published: July 2014

Informed choice is one of the new buzz phrases — everybody seems to agree that it's ‘a good thing’. But it asks a lot of midwives; to find the time, and to keep sufficiently up-to-date in all areas of practice. The Informed Choice Initiative will help midwives as they help women to exercise informed choice.
The delivery room
Authors: Elliott Ruth
Published: July 2014

In the UK a hospital environment has become the norm for women in childbirth, despite evidence that it is not necessarily safer for all women. This article discusses the reasons why the hospital delivery room has evolved to be like it is today. The physiological and psychological effects of the room on the woman in labour are discussed along with the difficulty of measuring these.
Clinical risk management – a pragmatic approach
Authors: Dineen Maria
Published: July 2014

Proactive management of unexpected care outcomes is mooted to be the key to reducing the potential for litigation in the future. Nowhere is this more important than in the field of obstetrics where the cost of claims is disproportionate to the frequency. This article describes the process of implementing a proactive and practical risk management system in a maternity department.
Evaluating new maternity services: some pointers and pitfalls
Authors: Walsh Denis
Published: July 2014

There is an urgent need for credible and comprehensive evaluation of maternity services as many units launch new schemes of care in response to the principles outlined in Changing Child birth. Drawing on lessons from the Wistow Project, the author shares some dilemmas and some solutions in the planning of such an evaluation.
All together better
Authors: Buggins Elisabeth , Gready Meg , Fletcher Gillian , Draper Janet
Published: July 2014

This is the second in a series of articles looking at women's involvement in the planning and monitoring of maternity services. This article focuses on the value of effective maternity service liaison committees to purchasers, providers and users of the service.
The students have their say
Authors: Jackson Kate
Published: July 2014

Earlier this year I was invited to speak at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) student midwives annual conference. I was delighted to be asked and welcomed the opportunity to meet students from all over the UK and to hear about their experiences.
The Emperor's new clothes
Authors: Robinson Jean
Published: July 2014

‘The midwife should have been more proactive and insisted that the registrar attend the patient.’ It was yet another case where the doctor ordered a trial of Syntocinon without putting in an appearance. Next time that happens to you, quote the 1995 All Wales Perinatal Survey and Confidential Enquiry into Still births and Deaths in Infancy (University of Wales College of Medicine, 1996) and remind him that it is your neck on the block as well as his. Unfortunately, as we all know, the attendance of the registrar may simply bring the knee-jerk Syntocinon response anyway, rather than intelligent assessment. The tragic vignettes on pages 66-7 of the latest report from Wales should be photocopied and put up as a reminder in every maternity unit. As I know from the AIMS files, the scenarios described in Wales could come from any part of the UK.
Collaborating on Cochrane and disseminating the database
Authors: Alexander Jo , Gwyer Roisin , Pitman Barbara
Published: July 2014

Dissemination of research reports relevant to clinical practice can be a problem and the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database is potentially a key tool. This article discusses measures taken to introduce student midwives, qualified midwives and maternity service users to the database and stresses the importance of its ready availability.
Science for midwives
Authors: Mason John
Published: July 2014

This article proposes that independent midwifery cannot be defended against the combined forces of biomedical control and freemarket managerialism. The adoption of a specialized public health perspective would provide an effective professional alternative to a reliance on para-obstetric skills.
It's only words
Authors: Jackson Kate
Published: July 2014

When my grandmother was dying in a care of the elderly ward some years ago I found the experience overwhelmingly depressing and stressful. Yet in the midst of such sadness I had a conversation with an elderly, confused and dying woman, the impact of which has never left me.
Confidentiality and the midwife
Authors: Robinson Jean
Published: July 2014

Complaints about breach of confidentiality are uncommon, but I see more such complaints about midwives than I do about doctors, nurses or other NHS staff. Admittedly the numbers are small — AIMS gets about four a year — but they are worrying. Confidentiality problems often emerge when women are telling us about other problems with their care. I suspect that those who have complaints about confidentiality alone seldom bother to pursue them.
Safer out of the water? The politics of pool use
Authors: Robinson Jean
Published: July 2014

It was one of those gentle, academic parties — nothing too strenuous or wild. Plenty of sparkling wine and a tolerable noise level, so real conversation was actually possible.
Needs must: publication and the midwife
Authors: Mander Rosemary
Published: July 2014

There are obvious benefits to all concerned when a midwife is able to publish. There may also be certain burdens; one of these is the imbalance in the power relationship between the publisher and the author. This article considers the ways in which midwives may best take advantage of the publishing opportunities which present themselves.
Gene therapy
Authors: Mennie Moira E , Brock David JH
Published: July 2014

With trials of gene therapy underway, midwives caring for couples at risk of having a child with a serious genetic disorder may find themselves faced with questions on gene therapy, while lacking the appropriate knowledge needed to give in-depth answers. This article provides the answers to some of the key questions.
Mentorship in the neonatal unit
Authors: Aspinall Linda , Siddiqui Jeanne
Published: July 2014

Student experience in the neonatal unit may be a stressful time. Effective mentorship will enhance learning and afford a valuable experience to both the mentor and the student. This article, which was written as an assignment as part of a BSc (Hons) Professional Studies in Neonatal Care course, examines the role of facilitation, which for many is the most rewarding aspect of the student/mentor relationship.
Caring for the lesbian client: homophobia and midwifery
Authors: Wilton Tamsin
Published: July 2014

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has revealed the extent to which a deeply ingrained homophobia permeates the health and caring professions. Midwifery is no exception, and prejudice may compromise the service which lesbian clients receive. Yet AIDS has also stimulated efforts to combat homophobia, and lesbian and gay community networks may offer additional support in developing truly egalitarian midwifery practice.
A delicate concern: caring for neonatal skin
Authors: Michie Maureen M
Published: July 2014

The principal goals in caring for the skin of the newborn are to maintain skin integrity and to promote and monitor its normal and optimal functioning in the interest of the baby's general well-being. This article is concerned with the provision of skin care for the normal infant born at term.
An early pregnancy assessment unit
Authors: O'Brien Nina
Published: July 2014

Midwifery care is generally very limited in early pregnancy, which can be a worrying, uncertain and unstable time for potential parents. An early pregnancy assessment unit provides a special place for the midwife to give support, understanding and advice for women with possible problems.
Minding our own business
Authors: Clarke Rachel
Published: July 2014

We are only 6 years away from celebrating the centenary of the 1902 Midwives Act. Before we become involved in these celebrations, it is worth taking time to consider just what we think midwifery is all about — or what it should be about. This article seeks to open discussion on the function of midwifery and asks: what is its core purpose?
Birth center midwifery in Michigan USA
Authors: Wickham Sara
Published: July 2014

This article describes the nature of and some of the issues surrounding the midwifery care offered by an American birth center. It is written by a British midwife working in the USA and discusses the process of care and the benefits of the system for both women and midwives.
Family planning considerations in a multiracial society
Authors: Schott Judith , Henley Alix
Published: July 2014

When making choices about contraception, people are influenced by many factors including cultural norms and religious beliefs. Awareness of the variety of possible religious and cultural attitudes to family planning and specific contraceptive methods is helpful. However it is important not to make any assumptions about what an individual will decide. The way services are organized and offered will also influence people's ability to benefit from them.
Labour and birth in water: national variations in practice
Authors: Marchant Sally , Alderdice Fiona , Ashurst Hazel , Hughes Pam , Berridge Georgina , Renfrew Mary , Garcia Jo
Published: July 2014

This article describes the practices reported by midwives when assisting women who labour and/or give birth in water. The variations in these practices and the evidence which might underpin current clinical guidelines are discussed.
Midwifery education: Part 11 Anglia and Oxford
Authors: Hopkinson Nina
Published: July 2014

The Anglia and Oxford Region consists of the previous Oxford Region covering Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire and the previous Anglia Region, covering Norfolk and Cambridge. The combined regions cover a large geographical area from Berkshire in the south to Northampton in the north, Oxford in the west to Norfolk in the east.