bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Examination of the Role of Local and Distant Knowledge Spillovers on the US Regional Knowledge Creation
Authors: Kang Dongwoo , Dall’erba Sandy
Published: February 2015

This article examines the role of academic and private R&D spending in the frame of a knowledge production function estimated across 3,109 US counties. We distinguish the role of local, face-to-face, knowledge spillovers that are determined by geographical proximity from distant spillovers captured by a matrix of patent creation–citation flows. The advantage of the latter matrix is its capacity to capture the direction of the spillovers. We control for the spatial heterogeneity between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties as well as between states. Our empirical results show that spillovers due to private knowledge contribute to higher returns in metropolitan counties than in nonmetropolitan regions. On the other hand, knowledge created in the academia leads to spillovers displaying spatially homogeneous returns. Our results imply that future innovation policies need to grasp more fully the role of distant knowledge spillovers, especially those generated in the academia, and recognize better the presence of heterogeneity in the sources and location of knowledge creation.
Validation of Single-Item Screening Measures for Provider Burnout in a Rural Health Care Network
Authors: Waddimba Anthony C. , Scribani Melissa , Nieves Melinda A. , Krupa Nicole , May John J. , Jenkins Paul
Published: February 2015

We validated three single-item measures for emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP) among rural physician/nonphysician practitioners. We linked cross-sectional survey data (on provider demographics, satisfaction, resilience, and burnout) with administrative information from an integrated health care network (1 academic medical center, 6 community hospitals, 31 clinics, and 19 school-based health centers) in an eight-county underserved area of upstate New York. In total, 308 physicians and advanced-practice clinicians completed a self-administered, multi-instrument questionnaire (65.1% response rate). Significant proportions of respondents reported high EE (36.1%) and DP (9.9%). In multivariable linear mixed models, scores on EE/DP subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory were regressed on each single-item measure. The Physician Work-Life Study’s single-item measure (classifying 32.8% of respondents as burning out/completely burned out) was correlated with EE and DP (Spearman’s ρ = .72 and .41, p < .0001; Kruskal-Wallis χ2 = 149.9 and 56.5, p < .0001, respectively). In multivariable models, it predicted high EE (but neither low EE nor low/high DP). EE/DP single items were correlated with parent subscales (Spearman’s ρ = .89 and .81, p < .0001; Kruskal-Wallis χ2 = 230.98 and 197.84, p < .0001, respectively). In multivariable models, the EE item predicted high/low EE, whereas the DP item predicted only low DP. Therefore, the three single-item measures tested varied in effectiveness as screeners for EE/DP dimensions of burnout.
Brokerage as Catalysis: How Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes Escalated Modernism
Authors: Sgourev Stoyan V.
Published: February 2015

The analysis elaborates and illustrates a proposition on brokerage that is implicit in existing research—that through self-assembling their ties, brokers may trigger chains of events with systemic consequences that they can only partly control or benefit from. By relaxing the assumption of strategic control, the analysis contributes to reducing the discrepancy between micro and macro levels of analysis. This approach is illustrated with the case of the Ballets Russes (1909–1929) and its founder Sergei Diaghilev, who revolutionized the arts in the early 20th century by aggregating developments in dance, music, design and literature. The role of a catalyst emerges in connecting artists on the supply side and in matching supply and demand for novelty. Catalysis was triggered by the interaction between identity and field-level fragmentation when the personal network of an unusually multifaceted broker became a platform for the interpenetration of heretofore disconnected social networks. However, in escalating Modernism Diaghilev’s brokerage contributed to the demise of the social world that generated the Ballets Russes.
The Impact of Family and Community on Children’s Understanding of Parental Role Negotiation
Authors: Sinno Stefanie M. , Schuette Christine Theimer , Hellriegel Christopher
Published: February 2015

This study investigates the influence of family context and community context on children’s social reasoning about parental negotiation of the gendered roles of breadwinner and caretaker. Participants included 272 seven- and ten-year-old children from traditional and nontraditional parental employment situations, who lived in either a U.S. east coast metropolitan area or in a military-minded community. Children provided judgments and justifications about a parent’s desire to switch roles, the other parent’s opposition, and the use of stereotypes to defend their opposition. Children’s judgments were affected by the gender of parent wanting a new role, age of child, and both personal contexts. The current study provides evidence that children, not just adults, are aware of, and can reason about, parental roles and that it is important to investigate community norms in addition to direct family contexts.
Pigment Deposition in the Rat Retina
Authors: Hojman Anne S. , Otzen Louise W. D. , Schrøder-Hansen Lise Maj , Wegener Karen M.
Published: February 2015

Incidental findings in the rat eye are not uncommon in acute and long-term toxicological studies. These findings can be associated with a number of causes unrelated to treatment with the test article, including congenital malformation, trauma, infection, metabolic disease, genetic predisposition, and age-related changes. The occurrence of pigment deposition in the retina of Wistar Hannover (Crl:WI (Han)) rats in a 4-week toxicity study is reported in this communication. The microscopic examination of the eyes in the 4-week toxicity study revealed focal yellow–brown pigment deposits in the retina, mainly located in the ganglion cell layer. The retinal pigment deposits were randomly distributed in the control and treated groups and were considered incidental. The deposits were clearly positive for ferric iron in the Perls’ stain but not for lipofuscin by the Schmorl's and Long Ziehl-Neelsen methods. The iron-containing pigment is likely to represent hemosiderin accumulation after retinal micro-hemorrhage or could be indicative of the normal intraretinal iron transport and turnover.
Analysis of Higher Education Policy Frameworks for Open and Distance Education in Pakistan
Authors: Ellahi Abida , Zaka Bilal
Published: February 2015

Background

The constant rise in demand for higher education has become the biggest challenge for educational planners. This high demand has paved a way for distance education across the globe.

Objectives

This article innovatively analyzes the policy documentation of a major distance education initiative in Pakistan for validity that will identify the utility of policy linkages.

Research Design

The study adopted a qualitative research design that consisted of two steps. In the first step, a content analysis of distance learning policy framework was made. For this purpose, two documents were accessed titled “Framework for Launching Distance Learning Programs in HEIs of Pakistan” and “Guideline on Quality of Distance Education for External Students at the HEIs of Pakistan.” In the second step, the policy guidelines mentioned in these two documents were evaluated at two levels. At the first level, the overall policy documents were assessed against a criterion proposed by Cheung, Mirzaei, and Leeder. At the second level, the proposed program of distance learning was assessed against a criterion set by Gellman-Danley and Fetzner and Berge.

Conclusion

The distance education program initiative in Pakistan is of promising nature which needs to be assessed regularly. This study has made an initial attempt to assess the policy document against a criterion identified from literature. The analysis shows that the current policy documents do offer some strengths at this initial level, however, they cannot be considered a comprehensive policy guide. The inclusion or correction of missing or vague areas identified in this study would make this policy guideline document a treasured tool for Higher Education Commission (HEC). For distance education policy makers, this distance education policy framework model recognizes several fundamental areas with which they should be concerned. The findings of this study in the light of two different policy framework measures highlight certain opportunities that can help strengthening the distance education policies. The criteria and findings are useful for the reviewers of policy proposals to identify the gaps where policy documents can be improved to bring the desired outcomes.
T1 Glottic Carcinoma
Authors: Misono Stephanie , Marmor Schelomo , Yueh Bevan , Virnig Beth A.
Published: February 2015

Objective

Recent large‐scale studies have observed differences in survival following treatment for early laryngeal carcinoma depending on treatment type but were not able to take sociodemographic, comorbidity, and facility data into account. The objective of this study was to determine whether survival differences across treatment types persist when these factors are included in the analysis.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort analysis.

Setting

Linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare data files.

Subjects and Methods

Medicare beneficiaries who were identified through the SEER registries (1991‐2009) as having T1 glottic squamous cell carcinoma (scca) and a known treatment type were included.

Results

A total of 2338 patients with incident T1 glottic scca were identified. Most were white and male. Treatment type was radiation only in 47%, local surgery and radiation in 39%, and local surgery only in 14%. Black race and increased comorbidities were associated with worse survival. When sociodemographics, comorbidities, and facility characteristics were taken into account, survival differences were observed across treatment types, with those receiving local surgery demonstrating better overall and cancer‐specific survival.

Conclusion

These results suggest that following treatment of T1 glottic scca, there may be survival differences across treatment types beyond those explained by sociodemographic, comorbidity, and facility characteristics.
Retroaortic right internal thoracic artery grafting of circumflex artery targets
Authors: Lev-Ran Oren , Matsa Menachem , Ishay Yaron , Shabtai Amir , Vodonos Alina , Sahar Gideon
Published: February 2015

Background

Retroaortic right internal thoracic artery grafting has failed to gain popularity. We aimed to delineate patient correlates of eligibility, distribution of targets, and effects of target remoteness on outcome and risk of retroaortic bleeding.

Methods

Data of 861 patients undergoing skeletonized bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting (2007–2012) were analyzed according to retroaortic ( n = 300) or T-graft configuration. Retroaortic graft subgroups were categorized according to proximal (first obtuse marginal, ramus) or distal (2nd, 3rd, or sequential 1st-2nd obtuse marginal) circumflex artery targets.

Results

LOESS curve analyses revealed that taller patients had a higher likelihood of retroaortic grafting. The distribution of 337 retroaortic graft targets (300 patients) was first obtuse marginal in 74.5%, 2nd marginal in 12.4%, ramus in 11.2%, 3rd marginal in 1.9% and sequential 1st-2nd marginal in 12.3%. The success rate in reaching proximal and distal circumflex artery targets was 97% and 30%, respectively, 5-year survival (92.2%) and freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (85.8%) were comparable between proximal and distal retroaortic graft subgroups. Distal circumflex artery targets had no effect on the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. The incidence of retroaortic bleeding from skeletonized retroaortic grafts was 0.6%.

Conclusions

Taller patients have a greater likelihood of qualifying for retroaortic grafting. This technique is highly reproducible for proximal but not distal circumflex artery targets. Distal circumflex artery targets are not independent correlates of early or late adverse outcomes. The risk of retroaortic bleeding is low despite retroaortic right internal thoracic artery skeletonization.
Surgical intervention without lung resection for Pryce type I sequestration
Authors: Kawaguchi Takeshi , Tojo Takashi , Yasukawa Motoaki , Watanabe Takashi , Kawai Norikazu , Taniguchi Shigeki
Published: February 2015

Anomalous systemic arterial supply to normal basal segments of the lower lobe is a rare congenital anomaly. Resection of the affected lung with ligation of the anomalous artery is commonly performed in these patients. We report a case of this anomaly treated surgically with interruption of the anomalous artery after placing a Hem-o-Lok vascular clip. Interruption of the anomalous artery using this vascular clip was easy and safe, and the thoracoscopic approach was minimally invasive. The patient’s recovery was uneventful and he was doing well without recurrence 4 years after the operation.
From Charity to Justice: Revisited
Authors: Thacker Justin
Published: February 2015

At least since the 1990s, some theologians and development practitioners have been calling for greater attention to be paid to issues of structural injustice in respect of the global poor. With an increasing number of voices critiquing current models of aid and development, the imperative to pay greater attention to such advocacy or justice based initiatives is even more relevant. In this article, I explore why evangelicals in particular have been reticent about such moves from ‘charity to justice’ and I make a series of biblical, theological and sociological arguments as to why we should do so.
From Missionary Incarnate to Incarnational Guest: A Critical Reflection on Incarnation as a Model for Missionary Presence
Authors: van den Toren-Lekkerkerker Berdine , van den Toren Benno
Published: February 2015

In the post-colonial era, the incarnation has become an important model for cross-cultural missionary presence. Though this model improves on Eurocentric and colonial models, it is deficient because it is unrealistic, potentially paternalistic, inappropriate in the light of globalization and post-modern understandings of culture, and because it doesn’t sufficiently respect the particularity of the incarnation of Christ. This article proposes an alternative model of the role of the cross-cultural missionary as a guest and argues that it is more appropriate on precisely these counts.
Interpersonal surveillance over social network sites
Authors: Tokunaga Robert S.
Published: February 2015

Surveillance has long been used as a way to guard against dangers lurking in one’s immediate environment. Humans have carried over this evolutionarily adaptive solution to the maintenance of their interpersonal relationships. The landscape of relational surveillance has dramatically changed with the inception of Internet platforms, such as social networking sites. The goal of this investigation is to understand the motives of online surveillance in romantic relationships. Patterns of negative relational maintenance behaviors and the investment model were used to predict relational determinants of surveillance over social networking sites. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to collect data from college student and nonstudent adult populations. The results find that indicators of low-quality relationships, such as low satisfaction, are associated with online surveillance. Interpersonal surveillance over social networking sites is in turn related to larger amounts of time spent on romantic partners’ profile pages.
Factors affecting e-commerce adoption among SMEs in Ghana
Authors: Awiagah Raphael , Kang Juyoung , Lim Jay Ick
Published: February 2015

Electronic commerce (e-commerce) is widening the concept of business from a simple transactional approach to a broader and more complex concept of inter-firm co-operation. Amidst market globalization, growing interpenetration of national economies and the increased interdependence of national economies, e-commerce adoption remains a vital yet complex and elusive phenomenon, with very little known about its determinants. This study identifies the major determining factors in Ghanaian small and medium sized enterprises’ (SMEs) e-commerce adoption, offers practical implications, and indicates the actions required. This research integrates technological, organizational, and environmental determinisms with social constructivism to build a practical framework for understanding e-commerce adoption among SMEs in Ghana. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis. The results indicate that government support has the greatest direct impact on intentions to use e-commerce. Managerial support and the influence of enabling and regulatory conditions also play a vital role in stimulating SME e-commerce adoption in Ghana. The results also show that Ghanaian SMEs tend to imitate successful first-movers to avoid the risks that attend e-commerce technology.
Transapical perfusion for peri-arrest salvage during transcutaneous aortic valve implantation
Authors: Göbölös L , Tsang GM , Curzen N , Calver AL , Ohri SK
Published: February 2015

An 80-year-old man developed severe haemodynamic instability during a transapical aortic valve implantation. He was not suitable for a conventional surgical approach due to comorbidities and patent aortocoronary bypass grafts also limited further stabilizing actions. As a bail-out procedure, we demonstrate the feasibility of transapical arterial cannulation by crossing a newly implanted TAVI valve in order to establish an emergency bypass circuit
Place imprinting and the arts: A case study of the Amber Collective
Authors: Hollands Robert , Vail John
Published: February 2015

Drawing on an empirical case study from the North East of England, the Amber Film and Photography Collective, we develop the idea of ‘place imprinting’ to advance our understanding of the complex relationship between art and locality. In doing so, we emphasise the need to draw together three elements of place: geographical location, material form, and place as meanings and values, to develop the idea of ‘place imprinting’ which is meant to encompass both the geographic and social effects of place (‘place-doing’), and how it is made and re-made (‘place-making’). The way in which these processes apply particularly to the arts is also explored by looking at the literature on artistic clustering, how place works to shape artistic identities and networks, and how artists have transformed the urban fabric. In the empirical section of the paper, we utilise ideas central to place imprinting to frame the case study of the Amber Collective, with an emphasis firstly on factors explaining their relocation to the North East, and secondly on the way in which place impacted on their early organisation, artistic practices and social networks.
Resilience in the city-core and its hinterland: The case of Copenhagen
Authors: Monsson Christian Kjær
Published: February 2015

This paper analyses relations between the urban city-core of Copenhagen and its peri-urban hinterland in the period after the recession of 2009. The paper demonstrates that there are differences within the functional city-region in resilience and the ability to create new growth paths, and that this ability is dependent on changing relationships between the city and the hinterland. The city-core has been able to sustain its development path, partly, by pushing the recessionary shock to the peri-urban hinterland. Yet, the major development problem for the peri-urban hinterland of Copenhagen is its inability to produce substantial new high-skill employment.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for lung cancer patients and their partners: Results of a mixed methods pilot study
Authors: van den Hurk Desiree G. M. , Schellekens Melanie P. J. , Molema Johan , Speckens Anne E. M. , van der Drift Miep A.
Published: February 2015

Background:

Lung cancer patients and partners show high rates of impaired quality of life and heightened distress levels. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction has proven to be effective in reducing psychological distress in cancer patients. However, studies barely included lung cancer patients.

Aim:

We examined whether Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction might be a feasible and effective intervention for patients with lung cancer and partners.

Design:

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a training in which mindfulness practices are combined with psycho-education to help participants cope with distress. In this mixed methods pilot study, questionnaires on psychological distress and quality of life were administered before, directly after and 3 months after the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training, in combination with semi-structured interviews.

Setting/participants:

Patients with lung cancer and partners were recruited at one tertiary care academic medical centre. A total of 19 lung cancer patients and 16 partners participated in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training.

Results:

Most patients were diagnosed with advanced stage lung cancer. Vast majority completed the training. Those receiving anti-cancer treatment did not miss more sessions than patients who were not currently treated. Patients and partners felt positive about participating in a peer group and with their partner. Among participants no significant changes were found in psychological distress. Caregiver burden in partners decreased significantly after following Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. The qualitative analysis showed that the training seemed to instigate a process of change in participants.

Conclusion:

The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training seemed to be feasible for patients with lung cancer and their partners. A randomized controlled trial is needed to examine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in reducing psychological distress in lung cancer patients and partners.
Therapeutic futility in cancer patients at the time of palliative care transition: An analysis with a modified version of the Medication Appropriateness Index
Authors: Domingues Duarte , Carneiro Rui , Costa Isabel , Monteiro Carolina , Shvetz Yulyia , Barbosa Ana C , Azevedo Pedro
Published: February 2015

Background:

Palliative Care professionals are often confronted with therapeutic futility, consisting in inappropriate strategies that do not add any advantage to the patient and may actually increase adverse events. Scientific literature concerning this issue is lacking. This article is one of the first to study therapeutic futility specifically at the time of transition to the palliative care setting.

Aim:

To study the phenomenon of pharmacologic therapeutic futility at the time of transition of a cancer patient to palliative care.

Design:

The pharmacological prescriptions at the time of the first appointment at an oncological palliative care unit during a time period of 2 months were prospectively collected and characterized using the Medication Appropriateness Index.

Participants:

The sample comprised 71 patients with a mean age of 68.2 years.

Results:

The most common pharmacological groups were analgesics ( n = 121; 19.2%), psychoactive drugs ( n = 89; 14.1%), and antihypertensives ( n = 51; 8.1%). A total of 61 patients (85.9%) consumed 5 drugs or more at the time of the first appointment. The mean number of daily medications decreased significantly after the palliative care team intervention, from 7.15 to 5.73 ( p < 0.05). The principal causes of inappropriateness were absence of indication for the drug (23.0% “inappropriate”), the drugs’ adverse interactions (11.1%), and inadequate dosage (9.9%). After the first consultation in the palliative care setting, 28.2% of the drugs were suspended.

Conclusion:

This article tried to evaluate the main causes of therapeutic futility at the palliative care transition. The principal causes of inappropriateness were absence of clinical indication, clinically significant drug–disease/comorbidity interactions, and incorrect dosage/posology.
Accounting for Heterogeneity in Relative Treatment Effects for Use in Cost-Effectiveness Models and Value-of-Information Analyses
Authors: Welton Nicky J. , Soares Marta O. , Palmer Stephen , Ades Anthony E. , Harrison David , Shankar-Hari Manu , Rowan Kathy M.
Published: February 2015

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) models are routinely used to inform health care policy. Key model inputs include relative effectiveness of competing treatments, typically informed by meta-analysis. Heterogeneity is ubiquitous in meta-analysis, and random effects models are usually used when there is variability in effects across studies. In the absence of observed treatment effect modifiers, various summaries from the random effects distribution (random effects mean, predictive distribution, random effects distribution, or study-specific estimate [shrunken or independent of other studies]) can be used depending on the relationship between the setting for the decision (population characteristics, treatment definitions, and other contextual factors) and the included studies. If covariates have been measured that could potentially explain the heterogeneity, then these can be included in a meta-regression model. We describe how covariates can be included in a network meta-analysis model and how the output from such an analysis can be used in a CEA model. We outline a model selection procedure to help choose between competing models and stress the importance of clinical input. We illustrate the approach with a health technology assessment of intravenous immunoglobulin for the management of adult patients with severe sepsis in an intensive care setting, which exemplifies how risk of bias information can be incorporated into CEA models. We show that the results of the CEA and value-of-information analyses are sensitive to the model and highlight the importance of sensitivity analyses when conducting CEA in the presence of heterogeneity. The methods presented extend naturally to heterogeneity in other model inputs, such as baseline risk.
Relationship between Physicians’ Uncertainty about Clinical Assessments and Patient-Centered Recommendations for Colorectal Cancer Screening in the Elderly
Authors: Dalton Alexandra F. , Golin Carol E. , Esserman Denise , Pignone Michael P. , Pathman Donald E. , Lewis Carmen L.
Published: February 2015

Objective. The goal of this study was to examine associations between physicians’ clinical assessments, their certainty in these assessments, and the likelihood of a patient-centered recommendation about colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the elderly. Methods. Two hundred seventy-six primary care physicians in the United States read 3 vignettes about an 80-year-old female patient and answered questions about her life expectancy, their confidence in their life expectancy estimate, the balance of benefits/downsides of CRC screening, their certainty in their benefit/downside assessment, and the best course of action regarding CRC screening. We used logistic regression to determine the relationship between these variables and patient-centered recommendations about CRC screening. Results. In bivariate analyses, physicians had higher odds of making a patient-centered recommendation about CRC screening when their clinical assessments did not lead to a clear screening recommendation or when they experienced uncertainty in their clinical assessments. However, in a multivariate regression model, only benefit/downside assessment and best course of action remained statistically significant predictors of a patient-centered recommendation. Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate that when the results of clinical assessments do not lead to obvious screening decisions or when physicians feel uncertain about their clinical assessments, they are more likely to make patient-centered recommendations. Existing uncertainty frameworks do not adequately describe the uncertainty associated with patient-centered recommendations found in this study. Adapting or modifying these frameworks to better reflect the constructs associated with uncertainty and the interactions between uncertainty and the complexity inherent in clinical decisions will facilitate a more complete understanding of how and when physicians choose to include patients in clinical decisions.
Association between TNFSF10 polymorphism and migraine susceptibility in a Chinese population
Authors: Jia Shasha , Dong Wanli , Zhou Xianju , Chen Zhiguo , Yun Wenwei
Published: February 2015

Objective

To investigate the correlation between migraine in a Chinese population and a 4 base pair (GAGT) insertion/deletion polymorphism (rs35975099) localized near the 3' end of the tumour necrosis factor superfamily 10 gene, TNFSF10.

Methods

Ethnically Han Chinese patients with migraine and healthy control subjects were recruited. TNFSF10 genotype and allele frequencies were determined via polymerase chain reaction and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Results

Rs35975099 was in Harvey–Weinberg equilibrium in patients with migraine ( n = 269) and control subjects ( n = 374). There were no significant relationships between allele or genotype frequency and migraine.

Conclusion

There was no functional significance of the TNFSF10 gene polymorphism rs35975099 in migraine pathogenesis.
The effect of thioctic acid on allodynia in a rat vincristine-induced neuropathy model
Authors: Kahng Jimin , Kim Tae kwan , Chung Eun Yong , Kim Yee Suk , Moon Jeong Yeon
Published: February 2015

Objective

To investigate the antiallodynic effects of thioctic acid in vincristine-induced neuropathy in rats.

Methods

Neuropathy was induced in Sprague–Dawley rats via vincristine intraperitoneal injection. After 15 days, rats were investigated for the presence of mechanical and cold allodynia, and those with allodynia received intraperitoneal injection with normal saline or 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg thioctic acid. Mechanical and cold allodynia were assessed before treatment and at 15, 30, 60, 90, 150 and 180 min after treatment.

Results

Mechanical and cold allodynia were reduced by thioctic acid injection. The duration of effect increased with thioctic acid dose.

Conclusion

Thioctic acid may be an effective treatment for vincristine-induced neuropathy.
Emphysematous Eosinophilic Lymphangitis in the Ruminal Submucosa of Cattle
Authors: Ohfuji S.
Published: February 2015

Twenty cattle (14 Holstein-Friesian, 3 Japanese Black, 3 Aberdeen Angus) ranging in age from 3 months to 8 years exhibited, at slaughter, emphysematous thickening of the ruminal submucosa owing to the appearance of numerous, contiguous, small gas bubbles. Microscopic changes in the ruminal submucosa consisted of (1) multiple cystic (emphysematous) lymphangiectasis that was frequently lined or occluded by granulomatous inflammatory infiltrates including macrophages, multinucleate giant cells, and eosinophils; (2) intralymphatic phagocytosis by macrophages and giant cells of eosinophils that showed positive labeling with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling assay; and (3) an inflammatory infiltrate extending from the area of lymphangitis into surrounding tissue, as well as edema, hemorrhage, fibrin exudation, fibroplasia, or capillary proliferation throughout the lesional submucosa. In addition, 15 (75%) of the cattle had globular leukocyte infiltrates in the mucosal epithelia of the rumen.
The Equine Movement Disorder “Shivers” Is Associated With Selective Cerebellar Purkinje Cell Axonal Degeneration
Authors: Valberg S. J. , Lewis S. S. , Shivers J. L. , Barnes N. E. , Konczak J. , Draper A. C. E. , Armién A. G.
Published: February 2015

“Shivers” is a progressive equine movement disorder of unknown etiology. Clinically, horses with shivers show difficulty walking backward, assume hyperflexed limb postures, and have hind limb tremors during backward movement that resembles shivering. At least initially, forward movements are normal. Given that neither the neurophysiologic nor the pathologic mechanisms of the disease is known, nor has a neuroanatomic locus been identified, we undertook a detailed neuroanatomic and neuropathologic analysis of the complete sensorimotor system in horses with shivers and clinically normal control horses. No abnormalities were identified in the examined hind limb and forelimb skeletal muscles nor the associated peripheral nerves. Eosinophilic segmented axonal spheroids were a common lesion. Calretinin-positive axonal spheroids were present in many regions of the central nervous system, particularly the nucleus cuneatus lateralis; however, their numbers did not differ significantly from those of control horses. When compared to controls, calretinin-negative, calbindin-positive, and glutamic acid decarboxylase–positive spheroids were increased 80-fold in Purkinje cell axons within the deep cerebellar nuclei of horses with shivers. Unusual lamellar or membranous structures resembling marked myelin decompaction were present between myelin sheaths of presumed Purkinje cell axons in the deep cerebellar nuclei of shivers but not control horses. The immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of the lesions combined with their functional neuroanatomic distribution indicate, for the first time, that shivers is characterized by end-terminal neuroaxonal degeneration in the deep cerebellar nuclei, which results in context-specific hypermetria and myoclonus.
The Politics of Portrayal in Violent Conflict
Authors: Gould Lauren M.
Published: February 2015

A global discourse on cosmopolitan humanism can become tragically disconnected from how it plays out locally. By analyzing Invisible Children’s Kony 2012 campaign, this article examines how and why the “new war” discourse presented in Kony 2012 does not correspond to how an array of local actors frame the violence that took place in Uganda. It also highlights how the Kony 2012 narrative and the interventions it advocates are translating into “perverse consequences”: a militarization of the central African region and a decline in awareness and in funding for more complex security issues on the ground. Finally, insight is provided into why the development of cosmopolitan norms and laws favors strong states and institutions, while civilians on the receiving end of “humanitarian interventions” lack the power to define what rights should be protected, by whom and how, and have no way of holding the intervening “humanitarian” actors accountable for their actions.
“Nothing Is Imposed in This Policy!”
Authors: Horký-Hlucháň Ondřej , Kratochvíl Petr
Published: February 2015

The article argues that postcolonial, postdevelopment, Balkanist and East–West slope theories, which reflect the asymmetric relations between “Europe” and its former colonies or other regions on the periphery of the continent, are most likely to give an accurate analysis of the mechanism of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). We offer a new conceptualization of the European Neighborhood and suggest that the European Union (EU) constructs its neighborhood as an ambiguous and transitional other while masking the asymmetric and dominant structure of the ENP through a liberal-democratic discourse. A critical discourse analysis of official documents and speeches confirms the ambiguity, transitiveness, and concealed dominance of the policy and the not-so-benign normative character of the EU. It also suggests that the neighborhood of Europe is not a fixed place and its continuous recreation helps the core of Europe to control the regions and make them comply with its normative as well as geographic expansion. In this respect, the ENP shows striking similarities with policies of colonialism and neocolonialism.
How do musicians evaluate their musical performances? The impact of positive and negative information from normative, ipsative, and expectation standards
Authors: Denton Ellen-ge , Chaplin William F.
Published: February 2015

The purpose of the research reported in this article was to test two hypotheses about how musicians evaluate their musical performances. The first hypothesis was that musicians’ self-evaluations would be more influenced by their expectations and their past performances than by comparisons to the performances of other musicians. The second hypothesis was that musicians would exhibit an ‘adaptive evaluational style’ by showing more sensitivity to positive feedback than to negative feedback. We used the Experimental Evaluational Styles Questionnaire (Goolsby & Chaplin, 1988) in a sample of 78 music performance students (43 men and 35 women) to test these hypotheses, and both were supported. These results represent one of the first examples where the dominant theory of evaluation in psychology, Festinger’s (1954) social comparison theory, did not have the greatest influence on people’s performance evaluations. However, we did find individual differences in the influence of the different evaluative standards. Understanding the causes and consequences of these individual differences should be a fruitful target for future research.
Violent Victimization in the Prison Context
Authors: Teasdale Brent , Daigle Leah E. , Hawk Shila R. , Daquin Jane C.
Published: February 2015

Currently there are few published, multilevel studies of physical assault victimization of prisoners. This study builds on the extant research by utilizing a nationally representative sample of correctional facilities ( n = 326) and inmates ( n = 17,640) to examine the impacts of a large set of theoretically and empirically derived individual- and contextual-level variables on prison victimization, including how the gendered context of prison impacts victimization. Results support the lifestyles/routine activities approach. Inmates who were charged with a violent offense, were previously victimized, were smaller in size, were not married, were without a work assignment, misbehaved, did not participate in programs, used alcohol or drugs, and those who had a depression or personality disorder were more likely to be victimized. In addition, the data suggest that 8% of the variance in victimization is due to the prison context. Prisons with high proportions of violent offenders, males, inmates from multiracial backgrounds, and inmates with major infractions had increased odds of victimization. Moreover, the sex-composition of the prison has significant main and interactive effects predicting victimization. Specifically, we find that the effects of being convicted of a drug crime, drug use, military service, major infractions, and diagnosed personality disorders are all gendered in their impacts on victimization.
Computational simulation of ratcheting in dented pipes due to monotonic and cyclic axial loading
Authors: Azadeh Mohamad , Taheri Farid
Published: February 2015

This article presents a computational simulation framework developed to capture the ratcheting response of dented straight pipes. The results are compared against the results obtained from our previously conducted experiments. Ratcheting occurs when a structure is subjected to a primary axial load along with a secondary cyclic load, provided that the applied loads are sufficiently large in magnitude to cause the material to yield. The dented pipes investigated in this study were initially subjected to a monotonic axial compression load, which caused the initiation of small amplitude wrinkles, and were subsequently subjected to an axial cyclic loading regime. A nonlinear finite element analysis, using a combined hardening model, was adopted to model the response of the material during the entire loading regime. The parameters required by the material model were obtained from cyclic tests conducted on representative coupon specimens. The results of the numerical simulations were compared to experimentally obtained data. The results demonstrated that the ratcheting response of dented pipes could be numerically simulated with a reasonable accuracy. The results also revealed that the surface imperfections exerted a very pronounced effect on the ratcheting response of the dented pipes. The computational model was also used to investigate the influence of some key parameters, such as the initial strain level, stress amplitude, mean stress, loading regime, and material hardening properties, on the resulting ratcheting.
Migraine affects white-matter tract integrity: A diffusion-tensor imaging study
Authors: Chong Catherine D , Schwedt Todd J
Published: February 2015

Background

Specific white-matter tract alterations in migraine remain to be elucidated. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), this study investigated whether the integrity of white-matter tracts that underlie regions of the “pain matrix” is altered in migraine and interrogated whether the number of years lived with migraine modifies fibertract structure.

Methods

Global probabilistic tractography was used to assess the anterior thalamic radiations, the corticospinal tracts and the inferior longitudinal fasciculi in 23 adults with migraine and 18 healthy controls.

Results

Migraine patients show greater mean diffusivity (MD) in the left and right anterior thalamic radiations, the left corticospinal tract, and the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus tract. Migraine patients also show greater radial diffusivity (RD) in the left anterior thalamic radiations, the left corticospinal tract as well as the left and right inferior longitudinal fasciculus tracts. No group fractional anisotropy (FA) differences were identified for any tracts. Migraineurs showed a positive correlation between years lived with migraine and MD in the right anterior thalamic radiations ( r = 0.517; p = 0.012) and the left corticospinal tract ( r = 0.468; p = 0.024).

Conclusion

Results indicate that white-matter integrity is altered in migraine and that longer migraine history is positively correlated with greater alterations in tract integrity.
Socioeconomic and Cultural Differentials of Contraceptive Usage in West Bengal
Authors: Haque Ismail , Patel Priyank Pravin
Published: February 2015

Contraception, the prevention of pregnancy through temporary or permanent means, can act as an effective instrument for achieving population stabilization in any region. This study deals with the socioeconomic and cultural differentials influencing contraceptive use among presently married women aged between 20 and 49 years currently in the state of West Bengal, India, as discerned from National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3 (2005–2006) data. To examine the above, simple percentage distribution, cross tabulation, and binary logistic regression analysis have been employed to the available NFHS-3 data for select socioeconomic and cultural variables. The fundamental findings of the current study were that among the various socioeconomic and cultural factors, the most important ones that persuaded contraceptive use and choices among women were their number of living children, wealth index, media exposure, and degree of women empowerment. Results from the logistic regression analysis further reveals that the influence of women’s educational level on contraceptive use remains highly significant even after factoring in other socioeconomic and cultural variables.
A Barbarian’s House by the River Tamsui
Authors: Alsford Niki
Published: February 2015

The story of “the barbarian’s house” is important for the documentation of local social history from the final years of Qing rule over Taiwan. By analyzing the house’s occupants, this article provides a platform from which to make sense of the interconnected histories of people and the landscape in which they lived. This overlooked aspect of Taiwan history offers a framework for micro-historical analysis that not only covers a broad thematic element of historical studies but also uses a global approach to the understanding of regional history.
English e-learning in the virtual classroom and the factors that influence ESL (English as a Second Language): Taiwanese citizens’ acceptance and use of the Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment
Authors: Tan Paul Juinn Bing
Published: February 2015

Currently, the speed of knowledge innovation is accelerating with the prevalence of online learning, which penetrates the limits of both time and space. To date, studies examining English e-learning websites have rarely been conducted from the point of view of both the technology acceptance model (TAM) and information technology. In this research, we use the TAM as our basic theory to research the use of English e-learning websites. We find that (1) most English learners think that using the Internet to learn English is more convenient than using traditional methods; and (2) that most adult English learners think that using the Internet to learn English is more helpful than using traditional methods.
Differences in Public Perceptions and Leaders’ Perceptions on Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Development
Authors: Crowe Jessica , Silva Tony , Ceresola Ryan G. , Buday Amanda , Leonard Charles
Published: February 2015

New technologies and rising energy prices have resulted in many energy companies investing significant amounts of capital in rural America. Much of the recent focus of energy companies has been on the development of shale oil and natural gas. We examine the differences in levels of support and opposition to shale oil and gas development, building on the literatures of the growth-machine coalition, polluter-industrial complex, and environmental justice. Specifically, we examine different frames of shale development held by government leaders and the public who reside above the New Albany shale play in Southern Illinois and Northwest Kentucky. Using a combination of interview, survey, and participant observation data, we find that government officials emphasize economic growth and many support shale development. While most government leaders claimed that there was not a major division in their communities about shale development, we found the public to be split, with a large countercoalition to shale development in existence.
Design and fabrication of multi-walled hollow nanofibers by triaxial electrospinning as reinforcing agents in nanocomposites
Authors: Zanjani Jamal Seyyed Monfared , Saner Okan Burcu , Menceloglu Yusuf Ziya , Yildiz Mehmet
Published: February 2015

Multi-walled triaxial hollow fibers with two different outer wall materials are fabricated by core-sheath electrospinning process and integrated into epoxy matrix with or without primary glass fiber reinforcement to produce composites with enhanced mechanical properties. The morphologies of multi-walled hollow fibers are tailored by controlling the materials and processing parameters such as polymer and solvent types. The triaxial hollow fiber fabrication is achieved through using a nozzle containing concentric tubes, which allows for the transport of different fluids to the tip of the nozzle under the applied high voltage. In comparison to uniaxial electrospun fibers, the hollowness of electrospun fibers enables one to manufacture new reinforcing agents that can improve the specific strength of composites. It is shown that the mechanical properties of epoxy matrix composite incorporated with electrospun fibers as primary fiber reinforcement can be significantly tailored by properly selecting the wall materials, diameters, and the amount of electrospun fibers. We have also presented that triaxial electrospun hollow fibers as co-reinforcement in the glass fiber-laminated epoxy matrix composites enhance the flexural modulus by 6.5%, flexural strength by 14%, the onset of first layer of glass fabric failure strain by 12.5%, and final failure strain by 20%.