bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Human Capital in Shaping Innovation Processes
Authors: Быкова  , Bykova Marina
Published: May 2015

The paper analyzes factors, responsible for shaping the organizational human

capital, and highlights the interrelation between these factors and tendencies,

affecting the key performance indicators of an organization. Specific features of

the human capital development are identified, and different views on the

“human capital” concept are considered. Further, the author analyzes the

interrelation between human capital and production level. The role of human

capital in the organizational development and in shaping its innovation

processes are also defined.
SMART Methodology As an Effective Tool to Manage a Company
Authors: Иванова  , Ivanova O.
Published: May 2015

The paper considers one of the most popular time management systems,

namely, the SMART methodology of correct goals setting at the levels of an

organization as a whole, a particular department and a particular employee.

SMART methodology helps to avoid frequent situations, when subordinates

misunderstand the goals, set for them by their managers. These methodology

will allow the leader to master one of the crucial skills of an effective manager —

to set up concrete goals and objectives for his people.
The evolution of Brazilian forest concessions
Authors: Azevedo-Ramos Claudia , Silva José Natalino Macedo , Merry Frank
Published: May 2015

In 2006 Brazil passed legislation allowing concessions for industrial timber harvest in public forests. This decision was part of a broader effort to control deforestation, which had spiked to its second highest level, of about 25,000 km2, in 2004. Specifically, concessions were implemented as a means to control a rampaging timber industry while providing a source of accessible timber for sustainable harvest. Timber concessions, however, are not without their critics worldwide. Here we review the process undertaken to address international concerns over concessions in the policy design, we discuss the process of implementation in Brazil from 2007 to 2014 and then attempt to provide insight into the challenges that lie ahead. Our findings suggest that even though Brazil’s policy designers had the full knowledge of the difficulties with timber concessions, and attempted to design a concession framework to address those concerns, deeper structural problems within the industry and within government itself have prevented the successful scaling up of the concession model. Key hurdles include: government overlap and duplication causing unbearable transaction costs and risks to investors; an industry ill prepared and unwilling to adapt to the stringent requirements set in the policy; and little success in curtailing illegal logging beyond concession borders. While concessions remain a potentially important tool for the management of public forests, additional resources and time will need to be invested to overcome these barriers.
Early lipoedema diagnosis and the RCGP e-learning course
Authors: Fetzer Amy , Fetzer Sharie
Published: May 2015

Frequently misdiagnosed as obesity, lipoedema is chronic condition involving an abnormal build-up of fat cells in the legs, thighs and buttocks that cannot be shifted by exercise or dieting. Estimated to affect up to 11% of the female population, the condition is widely unknown by health professionals. This means women typically wait for many years before diagnosis. This allows the condition to progress unchecked, resulting in unnecessary deterioration and the development of associated comorbidities, as well as significant pain and mental anguish. A free, 30-minute Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) e-learning course created in partnership with Lipoedema UK aims to rectify this situation by educating nurses, GPs and other health professionals on how to diagnose and manage lipoedema in primary care. This article aims to describe the condition of lipoedema, how to recognise/diagnose it, current treatment options and the findings of a 240-patient survey carried out by Lipoedema UK in 2013 that included documenting the difficulties for patients in obtaining a diagnosis as well as the mental and physical effects of the condition.
A tale of two systems: comparing healthcare in the UK and China
Authors: Megson Denis Yuen
Published: May 2015

This article aims to explore some of the issues in modern China and the impact they have on the health of the Chinese population. To understand the context, there will be a broad overview of the political structure of the country and its population. The areas to be discussed are: pollution; the infrastructure of the country; urbanisation/migration into towns and cities; and lifestyles. From the exploration of these four areas, some deductions can be made about the health needs of the Chinese people.

An overview of Chinese social policies on healthcare—as detailed in the 12th Five Year Plan ( KPMG China, 2011 )—will be given to highlight the area of services that are being developed. Lastly, there will be a comparison of the delivery of healthcare services in China and the UK.

Some of these insights are based on actual experiences of the Chinese healthcare system and its provisions by the author, who lived in China from August 2013 to the end of June 2014.
Does antenatal education prepare fathers for their role as birth partners and for parenthood?
Authors: Smyth Suzie , Spence Dale , Murray Karen
Published: May 2015

A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to explore fathers' opinions and views on antenatal education and its effectiveness in preparing them for their role as birth partners and for parenthood. The findings are categorised under four key themes: outnumbered, excluded, anxious and uncertain, and preparedness. While research suggests that most fathers want to support their partners and be involved in the pregnancy, labour and birth of their baby, they are less likely to attend antenatal classes than women. While fathers who attend antenatal education classes value them, their experiences are not always as positive or helpful in preparing them for their role as birth partners or in parenthood. It was highlighted that men are more likely to feel unprepared when complications at birth arise. A common finding was that men would welcome the opportunity to focus on their individual needs.
Ensuring practice is based on the best evidence: Masterclass on literature searching
Authors: Power Alison , Siddall Gillian
Published: May 2015

The Nursing and Midwifery Council's revised Code became effective on 31 March 2015 ( NMC, 2015a ) and post-registration education and practice (Prep) will be replaced with revalidation in October 2015 ( NMC, 2015b ). The new standards and requirements aim to reassure the public that midwives are reflective, professional practitioners who provide high-quality care underpinned by best evidence ( NMC, 2015a ). The requirements of revalidation include increased continuing professional development (CPD) whereby midwives must provide written evidence of reflective practice and undertake at least 40 hours of work-related learning activities every 3 years ( NMC, 2014 ; NMC, 2015a ; 2015b ). With the new requirement for written evidence of reflection, this article will provide some useful hints and tips on where and how to search for relevant literature and meet the requirements of the Code and revalidation.
Contraception: Choices and contraindications
Authors: Perry Margaret
Published: May 2015

The article is an overview of the contraceptive methods available to women (excluding barrier methods), which provides information on the suitability, advantages, disadvantages and side-effects, and highlights cases in which a method is contraindicated for use in some women. Nurses should develop their knowledge of contraceptive methods and have confidence when advising women on their choices.
Aldosterone antagonists in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: O'Donovan Kate
Published: May 2015

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is associated with increased mortality, limited functional capacity and poor quality of life. The renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) is an essential compensatory mechanism that attempts to maintain organ perfusion. The secretion of aldosterone, which increases preload through the prevention of the loss of sodium and water from the kidney, is integral to the RAAS. Aldosterone antagonists inhibit the action of aldosterone, decrease the preload and reduce the workload of a failing left ventricle. Findings from randomized controlled trials demonstrate a mortality benefit in addition to improvements in functional capacity. Although the benefit of aldosterone inhibition is evident, adverse effects, such as hyperkalaemia and renal dysfunction, are associated with this therapy. Regular patient follow-up is essential for the prevention, early detection and prompt treatment of adverse effects, drug interactions and clinical deterioration.
Adsorption of Organic Compounds Found in Human Sebum on Latvian Illitic, Kaolinitic, and Chloritic Phyllosilicates
Authors: Pura Agnese , Dusenkova Inga , Malers Juris
Published: May 2015

Clays are used widely as facial masks to remove excess sebum, an oily substance released onto the skin. Smectite, illite, kaolinite, and in some cases, chlorite, are the dominant phyllosilicates in most commonly used clay facial masks. To date, the adsorption of human sebum has been proved only on smectite clays; in the present study the adsorption of two organic compounds found in human sebum by illitic, kaolinitic, and chloritic phyllosilicates was investigated. Illitic clays are often used in cosmetic clay masks, but usually contain some fine-grained non-clay minerals. The presence of carbonate, for example, can cause skin irritation because of its alkaline nature, and iron oxides and hydroxides reduce the adsorption properties of clays. The influence of the removal of these compounds on the adsorption properties of illitic clays was also investigated. The amounts of both compounds adsorbed were established by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. All samples were characterized by mineralogical composition, particlesize distribution, specific surface area, and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Oleic acid and squalene were adsorbed on all clay samples, but illitic and chloritic phyllosilicates showed the greatest adsorption capacity. After purification, the sizes of the particles decreased and the CEC values increased. Nevertheless, the dissolution of carbonates essentially had no influence on the adsorption properties, whereas the removal of iron oxides and hydroxides increased significantly the amounts adsorbed of both oleic acid and squalene.
Recalibration of Blood Analytes over 25 Years in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study: Impact of Recalibration on Chronic Kidney Disease Prevalence and Incidence
Authors: Parrinello Christina M , Grams Morgan E , Couper David , Ballantyne Christie M , Hoogeveen Ron C , Eckfeldt John H , Selvin Elizabeth , Coresh Josef
Published: May 2015

BACKGROUND

Equivalence of laboratory tests over time is important for longitudinal studies. Even a small systematic difference (bias) can result in substantial misclassification.

METHODS

We selected 200 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study participants attending all 5 study visits over 25 years. Eight analytes were remeasured in 2011–2013 from stored blood samples from multiple visits: creatinine, uric acid, glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Original values were recalibrated to remeasured values with Deming regression. Differences >10% were considered to reflect substantial bias, and correction equations were applied to affected analytes in the total study population. We examined trends in chronic kidney disease (CKD) pre- and postrecalibration.

RESULTS

Repeat measures were highly correlated with original values [Pearson r > 0.85 after removing outliers (median 4.5% of paired measurements)], but 2 of 8 analytes (creatinine and uric acid) had differences >10%. Original values of creatinine and uric acid were recalibrated to current values with correction equations. CKD prevalence differed substantially after recalibration of creatinine (visits 1, 2, 4, and 5 prerecalibration: 21.7%, 36.1%, 3.5%, and 29.4%, respectively; postrecalibration: 1.3%, 2.2%, 6.4%, and 29.4%). For HDL cholesterol, the current direct enzymatic method differed substantially from magnesium dextran precipitation used during visits 1–4.

CONCLUSIONS

Analytes remeasured in samples stored for approximately 25 years were highly correlated with original values, but 2 of the 8 analytes showed substantial bias at multiple visits. Laboratory recalibration improved reproducibility of test results across visits and resulted in substantial differences in CKD prevalence. We demonstrate the importance of consistent recalibration of laboratory assays in a cohort study.
Zwischen Leinwand und Bühne
Authors: Steltz Christian
Published: May 2015

Das Gegenwartsdrama gehört zu jenen Textgattungen, die im Deutschunterricht so gut wie keine Beachtung finden - obwohl eine Beschäftigung mit dem Drama der Gegenwart zur allseits geforderten Medienkompetenzvermittlung beitragen könnte. Christian Steltz stellt sich dieser literaturdidaktischen Aufgabe und arbeitet zugleich die Konkurrenzsituation von Theater und Film, die das Gegenwartsdrama entscheidend prägt, an charakteristischen Beispielen heraus. So werden theatrale Filme (»Dogville«, »Kill Bill«), filmische Theaterstücke (von Düffel, Gieselmann) sowie innovativ-theatrale Texte (Staffels »Werther in New York«, Polleschs »Heidi Hoh arbeitet hier nicht mehr«) aus der Perspektive der Intermedialität diskutiert.
Die poetische Erkundung der wirklichen Welt
Authors: Kohlross Christian
Published: May 2015

Dieses Buch erzählt die Geschichte eines ästhetischen Konkurrenzunternehmens zur Philosophie. In der Zeit um 1800 begann man darüber nachzudenken, wie man mit poetischen Mitteln ein Alternativprogramm zur Erkenntnistheorie entwickeln kann, und schuf etwas Neues - eine eigene poetische Disziplin: die Literarische Epistemologie. In ihrem Namen begegneten Autoren wie Herder, Schiller, Kleist u.a. dem bis heute gegen die Literatur erhobenen Generalverdacht, die in ihr gestaltete wirkliche Welt sei im Grunde vor allem eines, nämlich ausgedacht - eben eine Kopfgeburt. Autoren wie Kafka, Borges, Brecht und Tabori konnten später zeigen, wie man die Zäsur zwischen Erkennen und Handeln auf poetischem Wege überwinden kann.
Gentrification in Prenzlauer Berg?
Authors: Dörfler Thomas
Published: May 2015

Kein Soziotop hat sich seit dem Mauerfall so radikal verändert wie der Berliner Stadtteil Prenzlauer Berg. Früher ein Hort der DDR-Avantgarde, haben seit 1989 viele Studierende und später Yuppies, Bobos und Lohas den Charme des Viertels für sich entdeckt - ein Verdrängungsprozess, der nicht ohne Konflikte verlief. Thomas Dörfler erforscht den sozialräumlichen Wandel des Ostberliner Innenstadtbezirks seit den späten 1980er Jahren und richtet seine Perspektive auf die alltagsweltlichen Raumpraktiken früherer und heutiger Bewohner_innen. Er zeigt, dass dieser Wandel mit dem klassischen Raumverständnis der Stadtforschung nicht adäquat analysiert werden kann, und stellt das Konzept des relationalen Milieuraums vor. Ein innovativer Beitrag zur Gentrification-Forschung, der raum- und milieutheoretische Perspektiven miteinander verknüpft.
Diagrammatik
Authors: Bauer Matthias , Ernst Christoph
Published: May 2015

Die Erforschung der epistemologischen Potenziale diagrammatischer Zeichen stellt eine Schlüsselaufgabe der gegenwärtigen Kultur-, Bild- und Medienwissenschaften dar und prägt die Grundlagendebatten entscheidend mit. Dieses Buch bietet die erste systematische Einführung in das Forschungsfeld der Diagrammatik. Im Rückgriff auf die pragmatisch fundierte Semiotik von Charles S. Peirce werden die historischen Hintergründe und philosophischen Voraussetzungen der allgemeinen Theorie der Diagrammatik aufgearbeitet und ihre Anwendungshorizonte in den Kultur- und Medienwissenschaften vorgestellt.
Das Subjekt der Beratung
Authors: Traue Boris
Published: May 2015

Beratung ist zum festen Bestandteil von Bildung, Arbeitswelt, Wohlfahrtsstaat und persönlichen Beziehungen geworden. Mit ihrer Aufforderung zu umfassender Eigenaktivität soll Beratung freie, kompetente und imaginative Subjekte hervorbringen. Boris Traue führt Therapiestrategien wie das Coaching auf Wissensformen und Psycho-Techniken des 18. Jahrhunderts zurück und zeigt, dass sie ihre Aktualität im gegenwärtigen Feld der Beratung durch die Verknüpfung mit einer kybernetischen Anthropologie und mit digitalisierten Praktiken erhalten. Die Studie entwirft damit zugleich eine Genealogie des modernen Individuums.
Globalisierung der Immobilienwirtschaft
Authors: Scharmanski André
Published: May 2015

Seit Anfang des 21. Jahrhunderts ist das räumlich-maßstäbliche Gefüge der Immobilienwirtschaft erheblich in Bewegung geraten. Investitionen dehnen sich über immer größere räumliche Distanzen aus. Wie organisieren Investoren ihre grenzüberschreitenden Transaktionen in geographisch entfernten und intransparenten Immobilienmärkten? Welche raumspezifischen lokalen Auswirkungen sind zu beobachten? Bislang fehlt eine systematische Forschung hierzu. Diese Lücke füllt André Scharmanski, der mithilfe des relationalen Skalenkonzepts ein Analyseraster entwickelt, das die Akteure der Internationalisierung und deren Beziehungen auf multiplen räumlichen Maßstabsebenen in den Mittelpunkt der Betrachtung rückt.
Georg Simmel im Kino
Authors: Fritsch Daniel
Published: May 2015

Ging Georg Simmel ins Kino? Auf dem Weg zu einer kulturellen Institution bringt das Kino um 1907 einen individuellen Zuschauer hervor. Zur gleichen Zeit beschreibt Simmel Veränderungen des Sehens und die Individualisierung als Neuerungen der Epoche - ohne jedoch das neue Medium zu nennen. Die enge Verwandtschaft des frühen Films mit der jungen Wissenschaft Soziologie liegt in ihrer direkten Reaktion auf die Moderne. Dieses Buch verbindet Simmels kulturphilosophische Analysen von Mobilität, Großstadt und Abenteuer mit dem jähen Ende der Wanderkinos, frischen Texten aus Filmzeitschriften und genauen Filmanalysen zu einer innovativen Soziologie des frühen Films.
“Making the Difficult Choice”: Understanding Georgia’s Test-Based Grade Retention Policy in Reading
Authors: Huddleston Andrew Prescott
Published: May 2015

The author uses Bourdieu’s concepts of field, capital, and habitus to analyze how students, parents, teachers, and administrators are responding to Georgia’s test-based grade retention policy in reading at one Georgia elementary school. In this multiple case study, the author interviewed, observed, and collected documents regarding ten fifth graders, their parents, teachers, and administrators. Within the field of test-based retention, the students and parents brought cultural, social, and economic capital that received little value, and they readily accepted that the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) was trustworthy and retention was fair. However, believing that retaining students would ultimately reproduce the inequities the policy claimed to address, the teachers and administrators used an appeals procedure to ensure that retention was not based solely on test scores.
Knowledge on Climate Change and Energy Saving Renovations by Apartment Owners in Bulgaria and Latvia. A Qualitative Study
Authors: Bartiaux Françoise , Gosselain Véronique , Vassileva Dobrina , Stamova Grozdanka , Ozoliņa Līga , Gara Evita
Published: May 2015

Do apartment owners in Bulgaria and Latvia carry out energy-saving practices in their homes, and what are the justifications thereof? Do they relate these practices to climate change or to their environmental knowledge? These are the main questions investigated in this research. Data are drawn from a qualitative survey of dwellers’ renovation activities and the motivations thereof. Results indicate that the poor conditions of multi-apartment buildings and the feeling of being cold or uncomfortable are sufficient levers driving energy-related renovations in privately-owned apartments. Environmental concern is never expressed as a lever for undertaking renovation, either in Bulgaria or in Latvia and there exist some scepticism and misunderstanding concerning climate change.
The Response of the Hermeneutic Social Sciences to a ‘Post Carbon World’
Authors: Redclift Michael
Published: May 2015

Sociology has taken a ‘back seat’ in much of the debate, within policy and social science circles, about ‘post-carbon’ societies, in which our dependence on hydrocarbons is significantly reduced. The low profile of sociology does not reflect a lack of relevance, but rather an inability to follow up on the debates being generated in several congruent areas, including geography, international relations and particularly environmental economics. Sociology has much to contribute to the discussion of societal alternatives, not least in the work being undertaken on utopias and governance. It is suggested that sociologists can enhance the role of the social science disciplines, and that of sociology in particular, by re-engaging in the wider discussions, lending a hermeneutic understanding to the current policy debates about responding to climate change.
Perspectives of Social Entrepreneurship in Portugal: Comparison and Contrast with International Theoretical Approaches
Authors: Parente Cristina , Santos Mónica , Marcos Vanessa , Costa Daniel , Veloso Luísa
Published: May 2015

The aim of this article is to present and discuss the perspectives of social entrepreneurship conveyed by third sector organizations in Portugal in the context of the main international theoretical approaches. As part of a research project on social entrepreneurship in Portugal, the article analyses the content of 20 semi-structured interviews with key actors within the Portuguese third sector. It is assumed that the roles these actors play are a clear indicator of the importance their views can hold in defining the social entrepreneurship field in Portugal. This analysis enables us to conclude that heterogeneous views and blurred defined boundaries frame the debate on social entrepreneurship’s processes and definitions, with some actors even rejecting it in favour of other concepts such as “social economy” or “solidarity economy”. Nevertheless, the central issues that arose are associated with the individual qualities of the entrepreneur, as well as the sustainability of the initiatives.
Cosmopolitans, Spatial Mobility and the Alternative Geographies
Authors: Nowicka Magdalena
Published: May 2015

This paper seeks to reframe the debates on cosmopolitanism and mobile cosmopolitan subjects by focusing its analysis on a multidimensional character of sociospatial relations. In particular, it critically engages with these works which too often see subjects as social categories and distinguish cosmopolitans from others, and which are silent about how people relate to space. The paper makes use of the study of mobile professionals working an international organization belonging to the United Nation family of organizations and argues that mobility in space creates a condition for emerging of sites of diversity and of new spatial imaginaries. It asks how these two aspects are related to each other. While the first aspect is addressed in the empirical studies, the paper makes a claim that cosmopolitanism is about challenging the latent spatial imaginaries and creating alternative geographies. Grounding this claim in empirical research, the paper complements the theoretical works on normative cosmopolitanism.
The Unbearable Likeness of Being a Tourist: Expats, Travel and Imaginaries in the Neo-colonial Orient
Authors: Norum Roger Edward
Published: May 2015

This paper considers the impact of shared imaginaries of mobility among so-called elite, mobile professionals — early-career expatriates living in Nepal for a period of one to three years. Based on 18 months of fieldwork among expatriates in Kathmandu, I explore the ways in which these actors construct, navigate and narrativise the boundaries between themselves and the many tourists who visit Nepal each year. While in some transnational contexts, these guests may seek to align themselves with other guests such as tourists and foreign residents as a means of asserting and expressing shared commonalities of transnationality and mobility, expatriates in Kathmandu are keen to highlight perceived distance between themselves and other guests as much as they are the perceived proximities between themselves and native Nepalis. In focusing on this former interaction, I show that tourist imaginaries become important means for expatriates to negotiate difference as they learn their new local identities in a context of spatial and temporal transience. Though the academic literatures of migration and tourism have developed more or less in isolation from one another, these two spheres of mobility are in fact very much interrelated. I suggest that anthropological research into the self-conceptions of mobile professionals take into consideration other non-local groups with whom they share local spaces, since these actors can be used instrumentally as a means of strengthening both group and individual identities. If anthropology engages effectively with the interactions between hosts and guests in colonial spaces, I argue that just as much can be gleaned by looking at engagements between guests and other guests. Through a consideration of these border zones of encounter, anthropologists can illustrate ethnographically how individual expatriate identities are negotiated within communities of elite, mobile professionals.
Lifestyle Migration in South Sinai, Egypt: Nationalisation, Privileged Citizenship and Indigenous Rights
Authors: Karkabi Nadeem
Published: May 2015

The South Sinai region in Egypt has been a politically disputed borderland. After three decades, it was transformed to a tourist area and, in recent years, seen the development of residential settlements as well. This paper will explore how European lifestyle migrants and indigenous Bedouins negotiate civil membership vis-à-vis the Egyptian state in the tourist coastal towns in the area. It will discuss the implementation of governmental policies to nationalise South Sinai, on the one hand, and the establishment of civic spaces operating on free global market basis in order to achieve financial development, on the other. The contradiction between these two processes created a situation where a group of foreign migrants was allowed privileged rights, whereas indigenous Bedouins were collectively marginalised. By relating to policies regarding property ownership and accommodation of lifestyle migration, I will discuss how the Egyptian government allowed not only individual inequality, but also a categorical difference, to prevail based on tribal affiliation and financial qualifications away from national belonging. The violation of the sensitive equilibrium operating within the frames of the modern nation-state, between the idea of national community with equal rights and that of free economic rights to individual property, has created a threat to the Egyptian state as a governing authority.
Naturally Occurring Interactions and Guidance Codifications in Healthcare Communication Analysis: the Case of Praising Obese Patients
Authors: Webb Helena
Published: May 2015

Studies of face-to-face communication illuminate the ways in which the conduct and outcome of healthcare encounters is contingent on the interactions that occur within them. Work in this field benefits from the increasing availability and acceptance of recording technologies for data collection, enabling the production of richly detailed investigations of real-time healthcare communication. At the same time the growing interest within healthcare professions in inter-personal communication has lead to codification of interactional practices in guidance and training documents. This article argues that the intersection of these two developments presents a significant opportunity for fruitful research: analyses of naturally occurring communication in consultations can take the interactional practices prescribed in guidance and training documents as a topic or starting point for investigation. The subsequent results enhance empirical and conceptual knowledge whilst also offering a commentary on the guidance prescriptions. To demonstrate this, the article reports on a conversation analytic investigation of compliments in specialist obesity consultations prompted by guidance recommending the praise of these patients ‘every opportunity’. The findings reveal that the actions of praise-giving and response are interactionally complex in this kind of setting and closely associated with certain institutional and normative dynamics, thereby the guidance is less straightforwardly positive than it at first appears. By advancing analytic understanding and offering practical implications this kind of approach makes a substantial contribution to the interpersonal level of healthcare communication analysis.
Prenatal Googling: Online Information Seeking by Israeli Women During Pregnancy
Authors: Lev Eimi
Published: May 2015

In recent years, the internet has become a popular medium for pregnant women seeking pregnancy-related information (Gao et al., 2012; Lagan, Sinclair & Kernohan, 2010; Romano, 2007; Song, West, Lundy & Smith-Dahmen, 2012). This study which utilized a qualitative approach explores Israeli women’s online information seeking during pregnancy. Israel is an especially interesting and important case study for exploring pregnancy-related internet use, because Israel has the highest rate of prenatal testing in the world (Lavi, 2010). The findings of this study indicated that the most prominent type of information sought by Israeli pregnant women online was focused on prenatal tests. The internet as a source of pregnancy-related information seems to function not just as a means to fulfill personal informational needs, but also to represent a broader social phenomenon of a highly medicalized pregnancy that seem to intensify uncertainty and therefore, to increase the need to rely on the internet during pregnancy.
The Ability of Narrative Communication to Address Health-related Social Norms
Authors: Moran Meghan Bridgid , Murphy Sheila T. , Frank Lauren B. , Baezconde-Garbanati Lourdes
Published: May 2015

Social norms are an important predictor of health behavior and have been targeted by a variety of health communication campaigns. However, these campaigns often encounter challenges related to the socially specific context in which norms exist: specifically, the extent to which the target population identifies with the specific reference group depicted and the extent to which the target population believes the campaign’s message. We argue that because of its capacity to effect identification among viewers, narrative communication is particularly appropriate for impacting social norms and, consequently, behavioral intention. This manuscript presents the results of a randomized trial testing the effectiveness of two films – one narrative, one non-narrative – in changing perceived social norms and behavioral intention regarding Pap testing to detect cervical cancer. Results of the study indicate that the narrative film was in fact more effective at producing positive changes in perceived norms and intention.
Analyzing Behavior Within Networks After Fragmentation. The Coagulant Agent Approach
Authors: Raț Tudor
Published: May 2015

This paper introduces a simple mathematical algorithm for identifying the nodes that will most likely act as re-coagulants once the ‘key-players’ are removed. By comparing the difference between in-degree and out-degree centrality scores (assuming that the relational data are directed) and comparing that value with the overall degree score, one can infer where a node sits on the ‘sink-source’ continuum. Furthermore, assuming that the nodes will not change their behavior patterns as a result of the prior ‘intervention’, this algorithm could indicate whether the nodes will act as relational ‘magnets’ (will attract new ties) or as ‘leeches’ (will seek to attach themselves to other nodes).
Deliberation within Sectors. Making the Case for Sector Mini-publics
Authors: Raisio Harri , Carson Lyn
Published: May 2015

In this paper it will be argued that a particular type of collaborative governance, sector mini-publics, has tremendous utility for policy formulation or evaluation. Sector mini-publics can be situated between traditional mini-publics and enclave deliberation, and should be evaluated using the same criteria applied to mini-publics in general, i.e. those that select from amongst the entire population. Inclusiveness, deliberation and influence are just as important as criteria for evaluation. Drawing on three examples of sector mini-publics, each involving a particular sector (young people, people with disabilities and the elderly), the authors build their argument that sector mini-publics have proven value, and should be encouraged, as well as subjected to further research.
Human Capital for a Planned Economy Relations of Correspondence and Unintended Consequences in the Higher Education of Communist Romania
Authors: Vlăsceanu Lazăr , Hâncean Marian-Gabriel
Published: May 2015

Our main purpose was to look into the correspondence relation between the macro-level normative planning within higher education (implemented by the Romanian communist state) and the de facto micro-level occupational mobility of higher education graduates. We unraveled a consistent lack of correspondence between higher education graduates’ flows and economic production, split on different areas (i.e. industry, agriculture, services). In this light, the production of services significantly increased during communism, given an insignificant oscillation in the number of specialists in services, and in spite of the state’s priority to support industrial production by sustaining large numbers of technical higher education graduates. Identifying time series data on education, population and economy, we explored trends from cross national (i.e. Romania in the context of the Eastern Communist Block) and cross topic (i.e. education, demography and economy) perspectives. We used regression equations to estimate linear trends, the Dickey-Fuller test for stationary checking, and the original stationary variable differencing for oscillation comparative purposes. Our main finding was that the inflation of technical higher education graduates, triggered by the Romanian communist state to support the industry, backfired an informal individual occupational mobility towards urban areas that offered jobs in the service sector.
Centrally Planned Allocation of Higher Education Graduates in Romania (1950-1970)
Authors: Cazan Marius
Published: May 2015

The centrally planned compulsory assignment (‘repartition’) of higher education graduates to various socialist enterprises and/or institutions was one of the novelties brought along by the communist system in Romania, closely following the Soviet model. The article focuses on the regulations aspects of how this system actually functioned in the 1950s and 1960s. It demonstrates that in the first stage, the system presented loopholes which allowed some of the graduates to avoid going to the socialist units to which they had been assigned, and the management of these units to refuse to accept graduates they did not really want. Therefore, even if the system was marred by many arbitrary decisions and by ideological considerations that often dwarfed meritocratic criteria, during the 1950s the system allowed for considerable individual bargaining and agency at the margin of official rules. Yet, gradually, the loopholes were closed with the help of targeted bureaucratic regulations, and while meritocratic criteria became increasingly important in the process of assigning higher education graduates to their future workplaces, the system became tighter and allowed for fewer opportunities to circumvent the official rules.
Job Assignment of Graduates of the University of Bucharest and Their Integration in the Labor System of the 1980s
Authors: Rotaru Mirela
Published: May 2015

According to the official communist rhetoric, the assignment of higher education graduates to socialist enterprises and/or institutions was ‘an action with profound social-political meanings, which aims to ensure the production units and other areas which the specialists they need’. The closure of the top most populated 14 cities starting with 1981 combined with the economic crisis of the 1980s and with various measures of the regime perceived as absurd, and made the system more restrictive than ever before. This study focuses on the changes of the job supply for graduates of the University of Bucharest during the 1980s, and on the process of assigning graduates to their work-place.
An explanation of the pathophysiology of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in iron deficiency
Authors: Bakoyiannis Ioannis , Gkioka Eleana , Daskalopoulou Afrodite , Korou Laskarina-Maria , Perrea Despina , Pergialiotis Vasilios
Published: May 2015

Iron deficiency (ID) is a major public health problem worldwide among children aged 0–12 months. Several factors seem to contribute to the iron-deficient state in infancy, including insufficient antenatal and neonatal iron supplementation, exclusive breastfeeding, and early umbilical cord clamping after birth. The most concerning complications of ID, except for anemia, are related to altered long-term neurodevelopment. Clinical studies have shown a negative impact of ID anemia on fetal and neonatal behavior including impairments of motor maturity, autonomic response, memory/learning, and mood. ID-induced defects during infancy seem to persist later in life, even after ID treatment. The underlying mechanisms involve dysfunctional myelination, neurotransmission alterations, and altered synaptogenesis and/or dendritogenesis. The purpose of the present review is to summarize these mechanisms and to provide recommendations for future clinical research in the field.
Application of Miniature Small Punch Test Specimen in Determination of Tensile Properties
Authors: Kopriva R. , Brumovsky M. , Kytka M. , Lasan M. , Siegl J. , Matocha K.
Published: May 2015

Nuclear reactors and related components must comply with high standards of reliability and safety in order to operate. The contemporary practice of operating life extensions and reactor power upgrades constitutes new challenges in the process of ensuring safe long-term operation. The primary input data for safety analysis were obtained by means of in-service inspections and surveillance programs. The limitations of surveillance programs, necessitate the need to develop more progressive mechanical testing methods. This work focused on the use of small punch tests for the determination of tensile properties of VVER reactor type materials.
On the Threshold of Rhetoric
Authors: Pratt Jonathan
Published: May 2015

The Helen of Gorgias is designed to provoke the aspiring speaker to consider his relationship with society as a whole. The speech's extreme claims regarding the power of logos reflect simplistic ideas about speaker-audience relations current among Gorgias' target audience, ideas reflected in an interpretive stance towards model speeches that privileges method over truth. The Helen pretends to encourage this conception of logos and interpretive stance in order to expose the intense desire and naïve credulity that drive a coolly technical appraisal of model speeches. The Helen thus manifests, with a playfulness suited to its liminal position, a concern for the ethical and social formation of those who might accept the invitation to study logos.
Vestal Virgins and Their Families
Authors: Gallia Andrew B.
Published: May 2015

This article reexamines the evidence for the relationships between the Vestal virgins and their natal kin from the second century BC to the third century ad. It suggests that the bond between these priestesses and their families remained strong throughout this period and that, as a consequence, interpretations of the Vestals' position within Roman society that emphasize the severing of agnatic ties through their removal from patria potestas may be misguided. When placed in the broader social and legal context, the ritual “capture” of these priestesses is shown to be a necessary feature of their priestly identity, which only marked the Vestals as extraordinary because of the unique intersection of religious and gender categories that characterized their office. Finally, the implications of these findings for the interpretation of Vestal virginity are discussed.
Determining clinical and biological indicators for health outcomes in adult patients with childhood onset of congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Authors: Bachelot Anne , Golmard Jean Louis , Dulon Jérôme , Dahmoune Nora , Leban Monique , Bouvattier Claire , Cabrol Sylvie , Leger Juliane , Polak Michel , Touraine Philippe
Published: May 2015

Aim

Adverse outcomes in adult congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients are frequent. The determinants of them have not yet been established.

Objective

To establish the prevalence of adverse outcomes and to find determining factors for each of them.

Design, patients, and methods

Cross-sectional monocentric study of 104 patients with childhood onset of CAH (71 women, 33 men). Analysis established first the determinants of clinical, hormonal, genetic variables and second a composite criterion for some of the outcomes and determinants.

Results

BMI was above 25 kg/m2 in 44% of the cohort, adrenal hyperplasia and/or nodules were present in 45% of the patients, and irregular menstrual cycles and hyperandrogenism were found in 50 and 35% of the women respectively. In univariate analysis, the determinants of these outcomes were all linked to disease control, especially 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) and androstenedione concentrations. Low weight was a determinant of abnormal bone mineral density (BMD) (60% of the cohort). Multivariate analysis confirmed these data. A classic form (CF) of CAH was a determinant of testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs) (36% of the men). Total cumulative glucocorticoid dose was a determinant of BMI and TART, whereas fludrocortisone dose was a determinant of TART (P=0.03). In men, the composite criterion was associated with androstenedione concentration and CF. In women, the composite criterion was associated with total testosterone concentration.

Conclusion

The present study confirms the high prevalence of adverse outcomes in CAH patients. These are, most often, related to disease control. The impaired health status of adults with CAH could therefore be improved through the modification of treatment.
Circulating IGF1 and IGFBP3 in relation to the development of β-cell autoimmunity in young children
Authors: Peet Aleksandr , Hämäläinen Anu-Maaria , Kool Pille , Ilonen Jorma , Knip Mikael , Tillmann Vallo , _ _
Published: May 2015

Objective

This study aimed at investigating the role of IGF1 and IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) in the development of β-cell autoimmunity.

Methods

Five hundred and sixty-three subjects with HLA-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D) were monitored for signs of seroconversion to positivity for insulin and/or GAD, IA2, and zinc transporter 8 autoantibodies by the age of 3 years. In 40 subjects who developed at least one autoantibody, IGF1 and IGFBP3 plasma concentrations were measured and compared with 80 control subjects who remained negative for autoantibodies, and were matched for age, sex, country of origin, and HLA genotype. The increments of IGF1, IGFBP3, and IGF1/IGFBP3 molar ratio before and after seroconverison were compared with corresponding time intervals in controls.

Results

The IGF1 concentrations at the age of 12 months and the IGF1/IGFBP3 ratio at the age of 24 months were lower in the autoantibody-positive children (P<0.05). The increase in circulating IGFBP3 was significantly higher in the autoantibody-positive children before seroconversion than in the corresponding time intervals in controls (0.43 mg/l; 95% CI 0.29–0.56 vs 0.22 mg/l; 95% CI 0.10–0.34 mg/l;P<0.01). Children carrying the high-risk HLA genotype had lower plasma IGF1 and IGFBP3 concentrations at the age of 24 months than those with low-risk genotypes (P<0.05 and < 0.01 respectively).

Conclusions

Circulating IGF1 and IGFBP3 appear to have a role in early development of β-cell autoimmunity. The decreased IGF1 concentrations in children with the high-risk HLA genotype may contribute to the reduced growth previously described in such children.
Autophagy in endocrine tumors
Authors: Weckman Andrea , Rotondo Fabio , Di Ieva Antonio , Syro Luis V , Butz Henriett , Cusimano Michael D , Kovacs Kalman
Published: May 2015

Autophagy is an important intracellular process involving the degradation of cytoplasmic components. It is involved in both physiological and pathological conditions, including cancer. The role of autophagy in cancer is described as a ‘double-edged sword,’ a term that reflects its known participation in tumor suppression, tumor survival and tumor cell proliferation. Available research regarding autophagy in endocrine cancer supports this concept. Autophagy shows promise as a novel therapeutic target in different types of endocrine cancer, inhibiting or increasing treatment efficacy in a context- and cell-type-dependent manner. At present, however, there is very little research concerning autophagy in endocrine tumors. No research was reported connecting autophagy to some of the tumors of the endocrine glands such as the pancreas and ovary. This review aims to elucidate the roles of autophagy in different types of endocrine cancer and highlight the need for increased research in the field.
Fine Mapping Causal Variants with an Approximate Bayesian Method Using Marginal Test Statistics
Authors: Chen Wenan , Larrabee Beth R , Ovsyannikova Inna G , Kennedy Richard B , Haralambieva Iana H , Poland Gregory A , Schaid Daniel J
Published: May 2015

Two recently developed fine-mapping methods, CAVIAR and PAINTOR, demonstrate better performance over other fine-mapping methods. They also have the advantage of using only the marginal test statistics and the correlation among SNPs. Both methods leverage the fact that the marginal test statistics asymptotically follow a multivariate normal distribution and are likelihood based. However, their relationship with Bayesian fine mapping, such as BIMBAM, is not clear. In this study, we first show that CAVIAR and BIMBAM are actually approximately equivalent to each other. This leads to a fine-mapping method using marginal test statistics in the Bayesian framework, which we call CAVIAR Bayes factor (CAVIARBF). Another advantage of the Bayesian framework is that it can answer both association and fine-mapping questions. We also used simulations to compare CAVIARBF with other methods under different numbers of causal variants. The results showed that both CAVIARBF and BIMBAM have better performance than PAINTOR and other methods. Compared to BIMBAM, CAVIARBF has the advantage of using only marginal test statistics and takes about one-quarter to one-fifth of the running time. We applied different methods on two independent cohorts of the same phenotype. Results showed that CAVIARBF, BIMBAM, and PAINTOR selected the same top 3 SNPs; however, CAVIARBF and BIMBAM had better consistency in selecting the top 10 ranked SNPs between the two cohorts. Software is available at https://bitbucket.org/Wenan/caviarbf.