bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preventive effects of multiple domain interventions on lifestyle and risk factor changes in stroke survivors: Evidence from a two-year randomized trial
Authors: Teuschl Yvonne , Matz Karl , Firlinger Bernadette , Dachenhausen Alexandra , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Brainin Michael ,   for the ASPIS Study Group
Published: March 2017

Background and aim

Behavioral and lifestyle interventions in stroke patients need to be intense enough to result in sustainable treatment differences among groups of a randomized trial. Therefore, we report the effects of multidomain interventions on lifestyle and laboratory parameters after 12 and 24 months from a trial that examined whether intensive risk factor management can prevent cognitive decline in ischemic stroke patients.

Methods

This prospective randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint trial recruited patients within three months after acute stroke in five Austrian neurological clinics during June 2010 and November 2012. One hundred and one patients were randomized into multidomain intervention and 101 into standard care. Lifestyle interventions were individualized to match predefined targets of regular physical activity, healthy diet, and adequate physiological risk factor control.

Results

A total of 167 participants (80 intervention, 87 control) completed the 12-month visit and 155 (76 intervention, 79 control) the 24-month visit. During the first 12 months, adherence to healthy lifestyle and adequately controlled physiological parameters (measured by summary scores) improved significantly in the intervention group compared to controls (p < 0.01). The consumption of reduced-fat milk (p = 0.031), reduced-fat spreads (p = 0.007), and fish (p = 0.021) increased in the intervention group from baseline to 12 months but not in controls. After 24 months, the group difference was significant for the lifestyle summary score but no longer for the combined laboratory lifestyle score.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that intensified individualized multidomain lifestyle interventions in stroke patients are effective in promoting healthy lifestyle in stroke care.
Does national expenditure on research and development influence stroke outcomes?
Authors: Kim Young Dae , Jung Yo Han , Norrving Bo , Ovbiagele Bruce , Saposnik Gustavo
Published: March 2017

Background

Expenditure on research and development is a macroeconomic indicator representative of national investment. International organizations use this indicator to compare international research and development activities.

Aim

We investigated whether differences in expenditures on research and development at the country level may influence the incidence of stroke and stroke mortality.

Methods

We compared stroke metrics with absolute amount of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) per-capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (aGERD) and relative amount of GERD as percent of gross domestic product (rGERD). Sources included official data from the UNESCO, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and population-based studies. We used correlation analysis and multivariable linear regression modeling.

Results

Overall, data on stroke mortality rate and GERD were available from 66 countries for two periods (2002 and 2008). Age-standardized stroke mortality rate was associated with aGERD (r = −0.708 in 2002 and r = −0.730 in 2008) or rGERD (r = −0.545 in 2002 and r = −0.657 in 2008) (all p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed a lower aGERD and rGERD were independently and inversely associated with higher stroke mortality (all p < 0.05). The estimated prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, or obesity was higher in countries with lower aGERD. The analysis of 27 population-based studies showed consistent inverse associations between aGERD or rGERD and incident risk of stroke and 30-day case fatality.

Conclusions

There is higher stroke mortality among countries with lower expenditures in research and development. While this study does not prove causality, it suggests a potential area to focus efforts to improve global stroke outcomes.
Coding of significant comorbidities and complications for stroke in rehabilitation
Authors: Murray Joanne , Pfeiffer Rhonda , Scholten Ingrid
Published: March 2017

Background:

Comorbidities and complications of stroke have implications for level of care and hospital resources. It is critical, therefore, that hospital morbidity data accurately reflect the prevalence of these additional diagnoses.

Objective:

This study aimed to measure and describe the concordance between stroke clinicians/researchers and medical record coders when recording stroke and related diagnoses.

Method:

Diagnoses recorded prospectively, according to defined criteria by a clinical research team, were compared with the coding of stroke comorbidities and complications as per the Australian Coding Standards (ACS) from the separations of 100 inpatients from three rehabilitation facilities in South Australia. Percentage agreement, kappa coefficient, sensitivity and specificity values were calculated.

Results:

Kappa coefficients for agreement of prospective diagnoses with coding ranged from 0.08 to 0.819. The diagnoses with the highest agreement were stroke, aspiration pneumonia (nil cases), aphasia and dysphagia. The diagnoses with the lowest agreement were apraxia, cognitive impairment, constipation and dehydration.

Conclusion:

Not all stroke comorbidities are represented accurately in hospital morbidity datasets. Education of stroke clinicians about the current ACS may clarify expectations about medical record documentation for coding purposes which in turn may result in more accurate morbidity data and therefore costings for the rehabilitation sector.
Subcutaneous dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens in Sri Lanka: A potential risk of transmitting human dirofilariasis
Authors: Gunathilaka Nayana , Siriwardana Shirom , Wijesooriya Lakmini , Gunaratne Gayana , Perera Nilanga
Published: March 2017

Objective:

Dirofilariasis is a parasitic infection caused by filarial nematodes belonging to the genus Dirofilaria. Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens has been widely reported from European countries. Sri Lanka is the most affected country in Asia with an infection rate of almost 60% in dog population. However, human infection of D. repens remains undiagnosed and many of the cases are not scientifically documented. Therefore, the objective of the present investigation is to document the presence of dirofilariasis infections in humans.

Method:

A 1 year and 10 months old boy from Ragama, Gampaha District, Western Province of Sri Lanka, was presented to a private hospital with a painless, non-pruritic and ill-defined subcutaneous nodule on his right hypochondrial region of the anterior abdominal wall for 1 week. On examination, there was a non-tender swelling measuring 2 cm × 2 cm in the anterior abdominal wall, with surrounding mild redness. The patient was referred for ultrasound confirmation.

Results:

The ultrasound scan revealed a hypoechoic nodular lesion measuring 11 mm × 6 mm in the anterior abdominal wall. Parasitological examination on the excised nodule confirmed the presence of D. repens measuring 10.5 cm in length having characteristic cuticle with longitudinal ridges.

Conclusion:

It is essential to record the human infections and increase the awareness about this infection, diagnostic tests and vector controlling measures, in order to reduce the disease prevalence through suppressing vector densities, proper diagnosis and patient care.
The dark side of the pressure exerted by loyalty programs on consumers: Practical and ethical issues
Authors: Pez Virginie , Butori Raphaëlle , Mimouni-Chaabane Aïda
Published: March 2017

Despite its virtuous effect on consumption level and frequency of purchase, the pressure that loyalty programs exert on consumers can also be detrimental to their psychological well-being. Through three studies ( N = 461), we show that perceived pressure increases feelings of regret and discomfort in the relationship, and decreases consumer well-being. The perceived value of the program positively moderates these effects. We also evaluate the impact of three program characteristics likely to generate pressure: the points expiration deadline, the points threshold to obtain the benefit, and possible demotion to a lower status. Only demotion to a lower status appears to exert significant pressure. Our findings highlight the trade-off that managers need to find between the quantitative performance of their loyalty programs and their impact on customers’ well-being.
John Baptist de la Salle and interior prayer: Humility as an antidote to curiositas in the hospitable classroom
Authors: Stratman Jacob
Published: March 2017

This article explores a relationship which is related to recognition, hospitality, and the classroom, but does not get a lot of attention: the relationship between the teacher and the subject of study. How does the teacher’s stance towards knowledge affect relationships between students, the relationship between the student and the teacher, and the relationship between the student and the content? In what ways can the recognition of ones’ own finitude invite students into a hospitable (i.e. humble) relationship with each other and with the subject of study? My argument is that through interior prayer, as a way to prepare for hospitality in the classroom, a pedagogical posture of humility may aid in resisting a tendency to seek dominance over the subject of study and control over the learning environment in order to begin to welcome the contributions of the stranger (ideas or students) into the classroom.
Access to Law and Justice Perceived by Foreign and Roma Prisoners
Authors: Gomes Sílvia
Published: March 2017

Several studies have promoted discussion on the conditions surrounding access to law and justice in contemporary societies. With the knowledge that different social groups have different perceptions of litigation and different levels of tolerance regarding “unjust” situations, this article gives voice to particular vulnerable social groups and focuses on some of the mechanisms reproducing social inequalities in the access to law and justice. Based on the qualitative thematic content analysis of 68 foreign and Roma prisoners’ interviews in Portuguese prisons, we present and discuss the main difficulties and obstacles these individuals experienced during their trajectories within the criminal justice system as well as the perceptions they have about justice. Through the discussion of foreign and Roma prisoners’ experiences and perceptions of the criminal justice system, it is considered that not only class but also nationality and ethnicity are important variables for the understanding and co-explanation of the law and justice system, which affects both the access to the various stages of the justice process and the general views on justice.
Anterior Superior Iliac Spine to the Tibial Tuberosity Length
Authors: Mahapatro Samarendra , Mohanty Satish , Panigrahi Sandeep Kumar , Ray Rajib Kumar , Saraswat Shruti
Published: March 2017

Orogastric tube (OGT) procedures are done in 20% of newborn unit cases. This study was contemplated to work out a formula to predict OGT length in terms of femur length in neonates and its agreement to existing standards. In this observational study, OGT length was estimated using NEMU (nose-ear-mid umbilicus) in 53 consecutive newborns. Their anterior superior iliac spine to tibial tuberosity length (AS-TT) was measured and equated using linear regression analysis in Stata. We further verified the accuracy of the new formula and comparison of time taken by both the methods. Strong positive correlation was seen between OGT and AS-TT ( r = .88). OGT length was 10.14 + 0.88 AS-TT, which can be used in neonatal intensive care unit newborns with greater accuracy and with lesser time than the classical method. Strong agreement levels were seen. AS-TT closely relates to the femur length and can be chosen as a guide as it is faster when compared to other methods.
Risk Factors for Death in Bangladeshi Children Under 5 Years of Age Hospitalized for Diarrhea and Severe Respiratory Distress in an Urban Critical Care Ward
Authors: Alam Tahmina , Ahmed Tahmeed , Sarmin Monira , Shahrin Lubaba , Afroze Farzana , Sharifuzzaman  , Akhter Shamima , Shahunja K. M. , Shahid Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayeem Bin , Bardhan Pradip Kumar , Chisti Mohammod Jobayer
Published: March 2017

Children with diarrhea hospitalized for respiratory distress often have fatal outcome in resource-limited settings, although data are lacking on risk factors for death in such children. We sought to evaluate clinical predictors for death in such children. In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled under-5 children with diarrhea admitted with severe respiratory distress to the intensive care unit of Dhaka Hospital of International Centre for Diarhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, from September 2014 through September 2015. We compared clinical and laboratory characteristics between study children those who died (n = 29) and those who survived (n = 62). In logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for potential confounders, the independent predictors for death in children hospitalized for diarrhea and severe respiratory distress were severe sepsis and hypoglycemia ( P < .05 for all). Thus, recognition of these simple parameters may help clinicians identify children with diarrhea at risk of deaths in order to initiate prompt management for the better outcome, especially in resource-poor settings.
The Nutrient Density of Snacks
Authors: Hess Julie , Rao Goutham , Slavin Joanne
Published: March 2017

Background: Although Americans receive almost a quarter of their daily energy from snacks, snacking remains a poorly defined and understood eating occasion. However, there is little dietary guidance about choosing snacks. Families, clinicians, and researchers need a comprehensive approach to assessing their nutritional value. Objective: To quantify and compare the nutrient density of commonly consumed snacks by their overall nutrient profiles using the Nutrient-Rich Foods (NRF) Index 10.3. Methods: NRF Index scores were calculated for the top 3 selling products (based on 2014 market research data) in different snack categories. These NRF scores were averaged to provide an overall nutrient-density score for each category. Results: Based on NRF scores, yogurt (55.3), milk (52.5), and fruit (30.1) emerged as the most nutrient-dense snacks. Ice cream (−4.4), pies and cakes (−11.1), and carbonated soft drinks (−17.2) emerged as the most nutrient-poor snacks. Conclusions: The NRF Index is a useful tool for assessing the overall nutritional value of snacks based on nutrients to limit and nutrients to encourage.
Medical management of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Pepke-Zaba Joanna , Ghofrani Hossein-Ardeschir , Hoeper Marius M.
Published: March 2017

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from incomplete resolution of acute pulmonary emboli, organised into fibrotic material that obstructs large pulmonary arteries, and distal small-vessel arteriopathy. Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the treatment of choice for eligible patients with CTEPH; in expert centres, PEA has low in-hospital mortality rates and excellent long-term survival. Supportive medical therapy consists of lifelong anticoagulation plus diuretics and oxygen, as needed.

An important recent advance in medical therapy for CTEPH is the arrival of medical therapies for patients with inoperable disease or persistent/recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA. The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is licensed for the treatment of CTEPH in patients with inoperable disease or with recurrent/persistent pulmonary hypertension after PEA. Clinical trials of this agent have shown improvements in patients' haemodynamics and exercise capacity. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists and prostanoids have been used in the treatment of CTEPH, but evidence of benefit is limited. Challenges in the future development of medical therapy for CTEPH include better understanding of the underlying pathology, end-points to monitor the condition's progress, and the optimisation of pulmonary arterial hypertension therapies in relation to diverse patient characteristics and emerging options such as balloon pulmonary angioplasty.
24h-gene variation effect of combined bevacizumab/erlotinib in advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer using exon array blood profiling
Authors: Baty Florent , Joerger Markus , Früh Martin , Klingbiel Dirk , Zappa Francesco , Brutsche Martin
Published: March 2017

Background

The SAKK 19/05 trial investigated the safety and efficacy of the combined targeted therapy bevacizumab and erlotinib (BE) in unselected patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although activating EGFR mutations were the strongest predictors of the response to BE, some patients not harboring driver mutations could benefit from the combined therapy. The identification of predictive biomarkers before or short after initiation of therapy is therefore paramount for proper patient selection, especially among EGFR wild-types. The first aim of this study was to investigate the early change in blood gene expression in unselected patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC treated by BE. The second aim was to assess the predictive value of blood gene expression levels at baseline and 24h after BE therapy.

Methods

Blood samples from 43 advanced non-squamous NSCLC patients taken at baseline and 24h after initiation of therapy were profiled using Affymetrix’ exon arrays. The 24h gene dysregulation was investigated in the light of gene functional annotations using gene set enrichment analysis. The predictive value of blood gene expression levels was assessed and validated using an independent dataset.

Results

Significant gene dysregulations associated with the 24h-effect of BE were detected from blood-based whole-genome profiling. BE had a direct effect on “Pathways in cancer”, by significantly down-regulating genes involved in cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, MAPK signaling pathway and mTOR signaling pathway. These pathways contribute to phenomena of evasion of apoptosis, proliferation and sustained angiogenesis. Other signaling pathways specifically reflecting the mechanisms of action of erlotinib and the anti-angiogenesis effect of bevacizumab were activated. The magnitude of change of the most dysregulated genes at 24h did not have a predictive value regarding the patients’ response to BE. However, predictive markers were identified from the gene expression levels at 24h regarding time to progression under BE.

Conclusions

The 24h-effect of the combined targeted therapy BE could be accurately monitored in advanced non-squamous NSCLC blood samples using whole-genome exon arrays. Putative predictive markers at 24h could reflect patients’ response to BE after adjusting for their mutational status.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00354549
Electrical properties and its correlation to the petrology of the Upper Yangtze organic shales
Authors: He Lanfang , Chen Ling , Wang Xuben , Wang Zhengjiang , Zhang Bing , Xu Ligui , Liu Xuejun , Li Weili , Chen Rujun
Published: March 2017

Shale gas is a particularly important research target on Chinese energy resources, especially in the Upper Yangtze region. Complex topography and geologic conditions challenge seismic exploration of shale gas in this area, and ground-based electromagnetic (EM) methods are used to aid recognition of the best reservoirs. However, the electrical properties of organic shale (EPOS) and its correlation to shale-gas petrology remain poorly understood. We studied EPOS and their correlation to shale petrology by measuring and analyzing the petrochemical features and complex impedance of rock samples from the Silurian Longmaxi and Cambrian Niutitang Formations in the Upper Yangtze, southwest China. Our study indicates that the organic shale in the Upper Yangtze features low resistivity and high polarizability in terms of a high negative phase, but no obvious low resistivity is observed among shaly sandstone and shales with lower and higher total organic carbon. Pyrite and quartz contents in the organic shale dominantly contribute to the EPOS with different mechanisms. Our result indicates that the EPOS bear relations to the petrology parameters of organic shale, which is essential for shale-gas evaluation and exploration. The correlation between EPOS and the shale-gas petrology promoted a new way for shale-gas exploration with complex geology, topography, and surface conditions in China, especially in the Upper Yangtze region, by using the ground-based EM method to evaluate the parameters of shale gas and to aid to delimit the productive reservoirs (“sweet spots”).
Geographic Dispersion of Economic Shocks: Evidence from the Fracking Revolution
Authors: Feyrer James , Mansur Erin T. , Sacerdote Bruce
Published: March 2017

We track the geographic and temporal propagation of local economic shocks from new oil and gas production generated by hydrofracturing. Each million dollars of new production produces $80,000 in wage income and $132,000 in royalty and business income within a county. Within 100 miles, one million dollars of new production generates $257,000 in wages and $286,000 in royalty and business income. Roughly two-thirds of the wage income increase persists for two years. Assuming no general equilibrium effects, new extraction increased aggregate US employment by as many as 640,000, and decreased the unemployment rate by 0.43 during the Great Recession. (JEL D86, L14, L81, L82)
How blockchain-timestamped protocols could improve the trustworthiness of medical science
Authors: Irving Greg , Holden John
Published: March 2017

Trust in scientific research is diminished by evidence that data are being manipulated. Outcome switching, data dredging and selective publication are some of the problems that undermine the integrity of published research. Methods for using blockchain to provide proof of pre-specified endpoints in clinical trial protocols were first reported by Carlisle. We wished to empirically test such an approach using a clinical trial protocol where outcome switching has previously been reported. Here we confirm the use of blockchain as a low cost, independently verifiable method to audit and confirm the reliability of scientific studies.
Knowing and interpreting prekindergarten policy: A Bakhtinian analysis
Authors: Wilinski Bethany
Published: March 2017

Many state-funded prekindergarten (preK) programs are implemented through school-community partnerships, which has been promoted as a way to increase preK access, to meet the needs of families, and to ensure program quality (Schumacher, Ewen, Hart, & Lombardi, 2005). In spite of the potential benefits of such partnerships, there are also challenges to bringing together the K-12 and ECE systems (McCabe & Sipple, 2011). In this paper I use Bakhtin’s (1981) notions of authoritative and internally persuasive discourse to analyze the discourse that staff members at a Lakeville, Wisconsin, ECE partner site used to situate their approach to assessment in opposition to state and district assessment policy. ECE partner site staff drew on their institution’s long history and strong sense of best practice in early education to characterize required preK assessments as unnecessary, too aligned with the elementary grades, and a duplication of other approaches to assessment that they valued. Yet, even as they resisted the assessments, ECE partners’ internally persuasive discourse shifted slightly over time; staff members conceded that some aspects of the assessment policy had a positive effect on their program. This discursive analysis provides insight into some of the challenges associated with bringing together the ECE and K-12 systems. It points to the need for policy to address the particular challenges faced by ECE partners as they encounter new mandates in public preK and for the need to ensure that partnerships are characterized by mutual understanding.
Making and becoming the Undocumented and the Illegal: Discourses of immigration and American higher education policy
Authors: Gildersleeve Ryan Evely
Published: March 2017

This paper discursively analyzes the public conversation around immigration as it intra-sects with state and federal policy, particularly in relation to higher education. I take in-state resident tuition policy as a departure point for an interpretive effort to explain how “undocumented” and “illegal” subject positions are produced through intra-secting policy texts, popular journalism, and presidential campaigns. I illustrate how the ethics produced through this policy regime act pedagogically, mediating understandings of students becoming reified into “undocumented” and/or “illegal” identities. I pay special attention to the discursive productions made available from policy texts, both state-based (e.g., CA Dream Act) and federal (e.g., DACA), highlighting the use of discourse analysis in the interrogation of social policy.
Competing and contested discourses of citizenship and civic praxis
Authors: Koyama Jill
Published: March 2017

In this paper, I utilize complementary features of critical discourse analysis (CDA) and Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to trace and investigate issues of power, materiality, and reproduction embedded within notions of citizenship and civic engagement. I interrogate the often narrow and conservative political and public discourses in Arizona, as well as the xenophobic-driven civics education policy. To these, I juxtapose the enactment of citizenship by youth who use, produce, and share language materials and counter authoritative citizenship and civic discourses, especially, but not exclusively, in online contexts.  I explore the questions: In what ways are discourses of civic engagement and citizenship assembled, interpreted, understood, enacted, and contested in Arizona? What are the relationships between the civics education policy, discursive enactments of citizenship, and the youth of Mexican descent’s online civic practices? I draw on a mixture of textual (language materials) and discursive (events, acts, and practices) data collected in Arizona to argue that youth are doing critical, yet unrecognized and undervalued, forms of civic engagement online, which could be incorporated in the formal civics education curriculum.
Salesperson Solution Involvement and Sales Performance: The Contingent Role of Supplier Firm and Customer–Supplier Relationship Characteristics
Authors: Panagopoulos Nikolaos G. , Rapp Adam A. , Ogilvie Jessica L.
Published: March 2017

Salespeople play a crucial role in their firms’ efforts to provide customer solutions. However, little research has examined how salesperson involvement in customer solutions can be conceptualized, whether it pays off, and what boundary conditions might heighten its performance effects. This study addresses these gaps and offers a conceptualization of salesperson solution involvement by focusing on the set of salesperson-related activities that enact the four relational processes inherent in customer solutions. The authors collect a unique data set that includes a wide range of firms, industries, and countries, as well as the perspectives of both salespeople and customers, across five studies. Results validate the stability of the conceptualization across contexts. They also reveal that salesperson solution involvement is systematically related to increases in both subjective and objective, time-lagged measures of sales performance. Finally, results show that the performance effects of salesperson solution involvement are amplified under higher levels of firm's product portfolio scope, sales unit cross-functional cooperation, and customer–supplier relationship tie strength. Surprisingly, customer adaptiveness is not found to moderate the performance effects of salesperson solution involvement.
The influence of implant body and thread design of mini dental implants on the loading of surrounding bone: a finite element analysis
Authors: Toth Arpad , Hasan Istabrak , Bourauel Christoph , Mundt Torsten , Biffar Reiner , Heinemann Friedhelm
Published: March 2017

Mini dental implants (MDI) were once thought of as transitional implants for treatment in selected clinical situations. Their reduced diameter makes them a very attractive option for patients with poor tolerance to maxillary and mandibular prostheses. Using the method of finite element analysis, a series of different designed MDI prototypes have been investigated. The prototypes differed in the geometry of implant body and/or design of implant head. The load transfer of the implant prototypes to the idealised alveolar bone has been regarded and the prototypes have been compared to each other and to a number of standard commercial implants. The prototype models have been virtually placed in the idealised bone with a cortical thickness of 1.5 mm and loaded laterally 30° from the implant's long axis. The condition of immediate loading was assumed for the numerical analyses through defining a contact interface between the implant and bone bed. The numerical analysis in this study showed that the design of the investigated prototype MDI of group 3 (mini-ball head) is the most advantageous design.
Coalescence and contraction of V-to-Vinf sequences in American English – Evidence from spoken language
Authors: Lorenz David , Tizón-Couto David
Published: March 2017

This paper addresses the issue of coalescence of frequent collocations and its consequences for their realization and mental representation. The items examined are ‘semi-modal’ instantiations of the type V-to-Vinf, namely have to, used to, trying to and need to, in American English. We explore and compare their realization variants in speech, considering the effects of speech-internal and extra-linguistic factors (speech rate, stress accent, phonological context, speech situation, age of the speaker), as well as possible effects of analogy with established contractions like gonna, wanna. Our findings show a high degree of coalescence in the items under study, but no clear pattern of contraction. The propensity for contraction in analogy to gonna/wanna is strongly affected by phonological properties – it is inhibited by the presence of a fricative in have/used to. Moreover, the most frequent reduced realizations are conservative in terms of transparency and still allow morphological parsing of the structure. More radical contractions are restricted to rapid and informal speech, and less entrenched as variants. This shows the limitations of reduction as a frequency effect in light of the balance between articulatory ease and explicitness in speaker–hearer interaction. Even in highly frequent and strongly coalesced items, reduction (articulatory ease) is restricted by a tendency to retain cues to morphological structure (explicitness). Finally, we propose a network of pronunciation variants that includes representation strengths as well as analogy relations across constructional types.
Private Governance and the Pricing of Political Enterprises
Authors: Furton Glenn L. , Salter Alexander William
Published: March 2017

Austrian economists are perhaps most well-known for developing the theory of the
On the Yang-Baxter-like matrix equation for rank-two matrices
Authors: Zhou Duanmei , Chen Guoliang , Ding Jiu
Published: March 2017

Let A = PQT, where P and Q are two n × 2 complex matrices of full column rank such that QTP is singular. We solve the quadratic matrix equation AXA = XAX. Together with a previous paper devoted to the case that QTP is nonsingular, we have completely solved the matrix equation with any given matrix A of rank-two.
Are There Scattered Objects?
Authors: Biro John
Published: March 2017

“That there are scattered material objects seems … beyond reasonable doubt.” Many have agreed with this confident assertion by Richard Cartwright. I give reasons to doubt it. While there is an uninteresting sense in which there are scattered material objects, what makes Cartwright’s claim startling is that he makes it clear that by ‘a material object’ he means ‘a body.’ I argue that the every-day examples Cartwright gives – and similar ones offered by others who endorse his claim – are not both material objects in that sense and scattered. There are no scattered bodies.
A Bayesian semiparametric factor analysis model for subtype identification
Authors: Sun Jiehuan , Warren Joshua L. , Zhao Hongyu
Published: March 2017

Disease subtype identification (clustering) is an important problem in biomedical research. Gene expression profiles are commonly utilized to infer disease subtypes, which often lead to biologically meaningful insights into disease. Despite many successes, existing clustering methods may not perform well when genes are highly correlated and many uninformative genes are included for clustering due to the high dimensionality. In this article, we introduce a novel subtype identification method in the Bayesian setting based on gene expression profiles. This method, called BCSub, adopts an innovative semiparametric Bayesian factor analysis model to reduce the dimension of the data to a few factor scores for clustering. Specifically, the factor scores are assumed to follow the Dirichlet process mixture model in order to induce clustering. Through extensive simulation studies, we show that BCSub has improved performance over commonly used clustering methods. When applied to two gene expression datasets, our model is able to identify subtypes that are clinically more relevant than those identified from the existing methods.
Materialismo de adolescentes de uma cidade do sul do Brasil
Authors: Palhares Fernanda , Freitas Lia Beatriz De Luca
Published: March 2017

O materialismo tem ganhado destaque na sociedade moderna, e estudos indicam que a valorização excessiva dos bens materiais pode influenciar negativamente o desenvolvimento dos indivíduos. Investigaram-se os níveis de materialismo em uma amostra de 128 adolescentes entre 11 e 18 anos, de escolas públicas e privadas de Porto Alegre/RS. Utilizaram-se como instrumentos um Questionário Sociodemográfico e a Escala de Valores Materiais – forma reduzida. Os dados foram coletados nas escolas dos participantes. Os resultados sugerem grande variabilidade. Grupo etário, sexo e tipo de escola não apresentam correlação com os níveis de materialismo, enquanto que uso de internet aponta para correlação positiva significativa. Discutem-se esses resultados à luz da literatura, sugerem-se direções para futuras pesquisas e indica-se a adolescência como um momento propício do desenvolvimento humano para a realização de programas de intervenção que visem fomentar a reflexão dos jovens sobre os valores materiais.
A percepção de pessoas sem filhos sobre a função paterna de abertura ao mundo
Authors: Paraventi Larissa , Bittencourt Isabella Goulart , Schulz Mariajosé Louise Caro , De Souza Carolina Duarte , Bueno Rovana Kinas , Vieira Mauro Luís
Published: March 2017

A recente Teoria da Relação de Ativação afirma que a função paterna de abrir a criança ao mundo se relaciona com o desenvolvimento de sua autonomia. Investigou-se a percepção de 218 pessoas sem filhos, a maioria (63,8%) mulheres com média de idade de 21 anos, sobre a função paterna de abertura ao mundo para meninos e meninas por meio do Questionário de Abertura ao Mundo Adaptado para Pessoas Sem Filhos. Os dados, analisados por meio de testes estatísticos paramétricos, apontaram que na percepção dessa amostra o pai ativa mais meninos que meninas. Entretanto, quanto mais se percebeu que o pai ativa o menino, mais se considerou, com menor intensidade que o pai ativa a menina. Os participantes homens consideraram que o pai pune significativamente com mais frequência os meninos em comparação à percepção das participantes mulheres. Portanto, conclui-se que na percepção dos participantes o pai ativa meninos e meninas diferentemente.
Fish species (Osteichthyes: Actinopterygii) from two tributaries of the Rio do Peixe basin, Tupã municipality, São Paulo state, Brazil
Authors: Bifi Alessandro G, , Dias Angelica C. , Frota Augusto
Published: March 2017

The Rio Pitangueira and the Ribeirão Santa Terezinha are right margin affluents of the Rio do Peixe, upper Rio Paraná basin, São Paulo state, Brazil. Fourteen non-temporally standardized samplings were made at four sampling sites along the Rio Pitangueira and at one sampling site on Ribeirão Santa Terezinha using cast nets, trawl net, hand net, and fishing rod and hook. Thirty fish species were collected, belonging to five orders, 13 families, and 25 genera. Of these, one is probably new to science and one is a rare species.
Avifaunal inventory of Laysan Island, Hawaii, USA
Authors: Rutt Cameron L.
Published: March 2017

Here I present a 6-month bird inventory of Laysan (25.776° N, 171.733° W), a coral island in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Forty-four species belonging to 17 families were recorded, including six globally threatened species. Three species new to Laysan were found: Tringa brevipes, Tringa glareola, and Larus hyperboreus. This study expands upon previous ornithological coverage of the island, the majority of which has been partial, transitory, or historical.
Management of angular cheilitis in children
Authors: Fajriani Fajriani
Published: March 2017

Objective : Angular cheilitis is a type of oral soft tissue disease that can occur in children and adults, the condition is characterized by cracks and inflammation on both corners of the mouth. Although this disease can not cause severe disorder, it quite disturbs one's activity and physical appearance. Mild Angular cheilitis will recover itself over times. However severe conditions can cause pain and bleeding. This paper aims to inform colleagues about management of angular cheilitis in children.
Pemikiran Teologis Abû Ḥanîfah tentang Irjâ‘ dan Shafâ‘at
Authors: Aditoni Agus
Published: March 2017

This article deals with the theological thought of Abû Ḥanîfah on the concepts of irjâ‘ and shafâ‘ah. On the concept of irjâ‘, Abû Ḥanîfah fully returns the legitimacy of ‘Uthmân b. ‘Affân as the third caliph and the superiority of ‘Alî b. Abî Ṭâlib merely to the authority of Allah. This concept rejects the Khariji doctrine on the expulsion of the wrong doers (sinful people) from the Muslim community, a rejection which implies that ‘Uthmân is a legally accepted caliph. This concept also rejects the early Shî‘i doctrine on the superiority of ‘Alî, and ranks al-Khulafâ’ al-Râshidûn (the rightly guided caliphs) in accordance with their advantages and historical chronology. On the concept of shafâ‘ah, Abû Ḥanîfah believes it as something that will happen on the Day of Judgment. The followers of the Prophet Muhammad must fulfill twelve requirements if they wish to receive shafâ‘ah  from the Prophet. To Abû Ḥanîfah, the Prophet’s shafâ‘ah  is certain for every Muslim although he/she committed great sin during his/her life except shirk bi Allâh.
Pemikiran Fiqh Ahmad Zahro tentang Istinbâṭ Manhajî sebagai Metode Perumusan Hukum Islam
Authors: Qurotul Aini Siti Maryam
Published: March 2017

This article examines how Ahmad Zahro establishes the concept of practical use of istinbâṭ manhajî in the establishment of Islamic law. In this case, although Zahro claims himself as a follower of a particular school in the field of fiqh, he chooses to use the manhajî method, because this method is seen as being able to provide solutions to contemporary legal problems. The philoso-phical-juridical foundation built in his fiqh is maqâṣid al-sharî‘ah and al-maṣlaḥah al-mursalah while considering the level of legal sources as famous among mazhab scholars respectively; al-Qur’ân, al-Sunnah, qiyâs, al-istiḥlâṣ, al-‘urf, al-istisḥâb, etc., which are formulated as an operational instrument in istinbâṭ al-ḥukm. Among Indonesian Muslims, there are differences in approach to the use of istinbâṭ al-ḥukm; NU ulama use qawlî approach, while Muhammadiyah ulama frequently use manhajî approach. Therefore, Zahro specifically believes that what he initiates is an attempt to reconcile approaches of different schools of Muslim law by highlighting istinbâṭ manhajî as an option to establish an Islamic law.
APLIKASI PARADIGMA KONSTRUKTIVISTIK MODEL KOOPERATIF STAD UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KUALITAS PEMBELAJARAN PAI DI KELAS IV SD TARUNA SURABAYA
Authors: Alfiyah Hanik Yuni
Published: March 2017

Tulisan ini merupakan hasil penelitian tindakan kelas yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kualitas pembelajaran PAI siswa kelas IV SD Taruna Surabaya melalui aplikasi paradigm pembelajaran konstruktivis model kooperatif STAD. Subjek penelitian adalah siswa kelas IVB yang terdiri dari 42 siswa. Tahap-tahap penelitian meliputi perencanaan, tindakan, observasi, dan refleksi dalam dua siklus. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara, observasi, tes, catatan lapangan dan dokumentasi. Wawancara dilakukan untuk memperoleh informasi tentang pendapat guru dan siswa mengenai proses pembelajaran; observasi dilakukan untuk memperoleh data tentang aktivitas siswa dalam kerja kelompok; tes dilakukan untuk mengukur pemahaman konsep siswa terhadap materi yang yang telah dipelajari; catatan lapangan dilakukan untuk memberikan gambaran proses pembelajaran yang terjadi; dan dokumentsi digunakan untuk mengetahui data tentang pemahaman konsep siswa pada pra tindakan. Data kualitatif dianalisis secara deskriptif kualitatif melalui tahapan koleksi data, reduksi data, display dan konklusi. Data kuantitatif dianalisis secara deskriptif kuantitatif dengan penyajian tabel dan dideskripsikan serta diambil kesimpulan berdasarkan kriteria yang mengacu pada rumus yang dikembangkan oleh Saifuddin Azwar. Untuk menghindari subjektivitas dari observer, maka dilakukan trianggulasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kualitas pembelajaran PAI siswa kelas IV SD Taruna Surabaya meningkat melalui aplikasi paradigma pembelajaran konstruktivistik berupa pembelajaran kooperatif tipe STAD dengan langkah-langkah pembelajaran antara lain: 1) menyampaikan tujuan pembelajaran, 2) menyajikan informasi seputar skenario pembelajaran, 3) mengelompokkan siswa secara heterogen 4-5 siswa dalam kelompok, 4) membimbing siswa dalam kelompok, 5) melakukan evaluasi, dan 6) memberikan penghargaan kelompok.
INOVASI PEMBELAJARAN PAI BERBASIS MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
Authors: Nurhidayati Titin
Published: March 2017

Bahasa Indonesia:

Teori Multiple Intelligences (MI) muncul sebagai bentuk krtitik terhadap teori Intellectual Quotient (IQ) yang membatasi kecerdasan hanya pada kecerdasan Logis-Matematis dan Linguistik saja. Sementara dalam teori MI terdapat Sembilan kecerdasan manusia yakni: (1) Kecerdasan Liguistic, (2) Kecerdasan Logis-Matematic, (3) Kecerdasan Visual-Spasial, (4) Kecerdasan Kinestetik, (5) Kecerdasan Musik, (6) Kecerdasan Interpersonal, (7) Kecerdasan Intrapersonal, (8) Kecerdasan Naturalis, (9) Kecerdasan Eksistensialis. Teori ini menyadari betul bahwa setiap anak yang lahir ke dunia memiliki keunikan tersendiri yang berhak mendapatkan pengakuan dan diapresiasi dalam kehidupan utamannya dalam pendidikan. Sebab pendidikan merupakan wadah bagi siswa untuk membentuk dan mengembangkan potensi untuk dapat menjalankan tugasnya sebagai khalifah di bumi dan membawa rahmat bagi seluruh alam ini. Pembelajaran berbasis MI merupakan suatu bentuk inovasi pembelajaran yang dapat menjadi pilihan bagi guru Pendidikan Agama Islam di Indonesia. Mengimplementasikan pembelajaran berbasis MI berarti menggunakan pendekatan interdisipliner dalam mengembangkan materi pembelajaran, menggunakan multimodel pembelajaran, dan penilaian autentik dalam evaluasi pembelajaran. Hal ini dimaksudkan untuk mewadahi keberagaman kecerdasan yang dimiliki oleh siswa.

English:

Multiple Intelligences (MI) emerged as a critical response to Intelligence Quotients (IQ) which limits the definition of intelligence in logical-mathematical and linguistic areas. The MI theory defines nine intelligence of human being such as (1) the linguistic, (2) the logical-mathematical, (3) the visual-spatial, (4) the kinesthetic, (5) the musical, (6) the interpersonal, (7) the intra-personal, (8) the natural, and (9) the existential. This theory recognizes the fact that every child has his/her own uniqueness and deserves appreciation in his/her education. This is important for the reason that education is a mode of developing students’ potentials in purpose of implementing their caliphate roles and bringing God’s mercy in the world. MI-based learning is an alternative in teaching Islamic education as a school subject in Indonesia. Implementing MI-based learning means implementing interdisciplinary approach in developing learning materials, making use multi-model of learning activities, and authentically assessed the learning itself. This purposes to accommodate the diversity of students’ intelligences.
Haematology and Clinical Biochemistry Findings Associated with Equine Diseases - a Review
Authors: AGINA Onyinyechukwu A.
Published: March 2017

The course and outcome of a disease process is dependent upon factors such as the disease-causing agent and its cell tropism, defense mechanisms of the host, genetic resistance of the species or breed affected, as well as the age, nutritional status and hormonal levels of the affected animal. When haematology, clinical biochemistry and cytology test results are combined with other laboratory procedures, complete physical examination and also with the history of the patient, a veterinarian is well armed to arrive at a definitive diagnosis, make a certain prognosis (good, poor or guarded) and can also make a concluding statement on the efficacy of the instituted therapy. In clinical biochemistry, demonstration of specific enzyme activity and concentration of analytes in serum/plasma facilitates the disease diagnosis. Also, evaluation of haematology, clinical biochemistry and diagnostic cytology tests can help establish the presence or absence of diseases of internal organs, and by serial performance of these tests, may help to determine whether a disease process remains static, progressive or regressive. This review therefore provides the haematological, serum biochemical and cytological characteristics of diseases caused by the main bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, helminths, arthropods, nutritional deficiencies, endocrine disturbances, neoplasm, allergy, toxins (phytoxins and zootoxins) and inorganic poisons in horses.
Economic mainstream and power: a profile analysis of Central Bank directors during PSDB and PT governments in Brazil
Authors: Codato Adriano , Cavalieri Marco , Perissinotto Renato , Dantas Eric Gil
Published: March 2017

Abstract: This paper analyses the professional and educational backgrounds of members of the Board of Directors of Central Bank of Brazil in the period between the beginning of the first Fernando Henrique’s term and the end of Dilma Rousseff’s first term. The paper puts forward two novelties. First, a database synthesizing the information from the curricula of the abovementioned individuals. Second, modern literature in the field of methodology of economics is used to categorize the educational backgrounds of those individuals with education in economics. Our general findings point to a differentiation between two types of members in the Board of Directors. The first type is the one generally recruited for the positions concerned with organizational issues within the Bank, and the second is usually the one that occupies posts directly related to the decision making of economic policies. However, we did not identify significant differences between the types of individuals chosen by PSDB and PT governments.