bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Rights and Protection against Eviction in Anti-social Behaviour Cases in the Netherlands and Germany
Authors: Vols Michel , Kiehl Marvin , Sidoli del Ceno Julian
Published: May 2015

The European Court of Human Rights requires that any person at the risk of losing their home should be able to have the proportionality of the eviction determined by an independent tribunal in the light of the relevant principles under Article 8 echr. Consequently, member states of the Council of Europe are obliged to implement a minimum level of protection against the loss of the home. This paper analyses how the requirements are implemented in Dutch and German tenancy law with a focus on eviction cases concerning anti-social behaviour. With the help of a comparative analysis several methods of implementing the European requirements are identified. The Netherlands and Germany seem to comply technically with the requirements because of national built-in proportionality checks. However, it is questionable whether the European requirements really improve the position of tenants or whether they should be characterised primarily as a procedural hurdle that courts have to meet.
Comparative Law in the Global Context
Authors: Infantino Marta
Published: May 2015

This paper aims to explore what role comparative law can play in the study of global human rights indicators. Global human rights indicators are created within institutional frameworks, and used for purposes that diverge significantly from one another. Indicators differ in their internal structures, in the networks of the actors making them, and in the uses to which they lend themselves. The potential of comparative law with regard to these indicators goes beyond the mere caution against the risks of misinterpretation of legal cultures confronted with the international human rights discourse. Comparative law lenses help, among other things, to see through the macrocosm of global indicators, highlighting patterns of convergence and divergence that are relevant to global governance and might otherwise go under-appreciated.
The Impact of Public Law Norms on Private Law Relationships
Authors: Krahé Justin Friedrich
Published: May 2015

This article examines the doctrinal foundation and potential for harmonisation of horizontal effect in German and English law against the common legal background of the echr and eu law. It compares direct horizontal effect with two models of indirect horizontal effect, based either on objective constitutional values (indirect Model A), or subjective public law rights (indirect Model B). It is contended that indirect horizontal effect based on subjective public law rights, particularly those corresponding to the state’s obligation to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, provides a coherent and predictable solution to most problems arising in horizontal effect cases.
Raised a Teenage Kataphatic
Authors: Baker Samuel E.
Published: May 2015

The framework for this study comes from the historical and contextual theory ofapophaticandkataphaticspiritual typologies within the “Circle of Sensibility” espoused by spiritual type theorists. This study analyses seven years of collected data, comparing spiritual type similarities and differences of late adolescent students at a private Christian university in the United States. A major premise of the study underscores the influence catechetical models have on faith development during mid-to-late adolescence. A subsidiary objective of the study measured participants’ perceptions of the importance and frequency of practice of twelve spiritual disciplines. The results of the study confirm outcomes in all four major spiritual type categories within the Circle of Sensibility. Based on the findings, the author offers several recommendations for research in utilising spiritual type theory for understanding catechetical models within youth ministry praxis.
The Kids are Alright
Authors: Wright Almeda M.
Published: May 2015

Discussions of adolescence and youth spirituality often focus primarily on the problems that need to be fixed in youth or their context. This essay draws upon positive youth development theory, which asserts that youth are much more than problems or at-risk. It affirms that all youth have resources that can be developed and contributions to make to their communities. This essay reviews the pervasiveness of problem-based approaches in the larger society and contemporary research on the religious lives of youth. It also calls theologians and youth workers to contribute to the shifting perspective of youth by re-imaging youth spiritual maturity as more than “adult like” and to offer a theology of adolescence which explicitly affirms youth engagement as partners with God, right now.
Caprella suprapiscis sp. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae)
from the Pacific coast of Mexico
Authors: GALVÁN-VILLA CRISTIAN M. , AYÓN-PARENTE MANUEL
Published: May 2015

A new species of caprellid, Caprella suprapiscis sp. nov., is described based on several specimens collected from Bahía Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico. All specimens were found in association with the scorpionfish Scorpaena mystes. Caprellids are set on the dorsal surface of fishes. The species is distinguished by head with a short dorsal projection, eyes distinctive, body slender and smooth, peduncular articles of antenna 1 not setose, antenna 2 with swimming setae, gnathopod 2 with three ventral projections in males. The species is close to C. californica, C. mercedesae, and C. scaura for a sharp spine on the forehead but can be distinguished by gnathopod 2 finely setose, and basis of gnathopod 2 shorter.
Radar-Derived Statistics of Convective Storms in Southeast Queensland
Authors: Peter Justin R. , Manton Michael J. , Potts Rodney J. , May Peter T. , Collis Scott M. , Wilson Louise
Published: May 2015

The aim of this study is to examine the statistics of convective storms and their concomitant changes with thermodynamic variability. The thermodynamic variability is analyzed by performing a cluster analysis on variables derived from radiosonde releases at Brisbane Airport in Australia. Three objectively defined regimes are found: a dry, stable regime with mainly westerly surface winds, a moist northerly regime, and a moist trade wind regime. S-band radar data are analyzed and storms are identified using objective tracking software [Thunderstorm Identification, Tracking, Analysis, and Nowcasting (TITAN)]. Storm statistics are then investigated, stratified by the regime subperiods. Convective storms are found to form and maintain along elevated topography. Probability distributions of convective storm size and rain rate are found to follow lognormal distributions with differing mean and variance among the regimes. There was some evidence of trimodal storm-top heights, located at the trade inversion (1.5–2 km), freezing level (3.6–4 km), and near 6 km, but it was dependent on the presence of the trade inversion. On average, storm volume and height are smallest in the trade regime and rain rate is largest in the westerly regime. However, westerly regime storms occur less frequently and have shorter lifetimes, which were attributed to the enhanced stability and decreased humidity profiles. Furthermore, time series of diurnal rain rate exhibited early morning and midafternoon maxima for the northerly and trade regimes but were absent for the westerly regime. The observations indicate that westerly regime storms are primarily driven by large-scale forcing, whereas northerly and trade wind regime storms are more responsive to surface characteristics.
A Study of the Role of the Parameterization of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation for the Modeling of Microphysics and Precipitation of a Convective Cloud
Authors: Hiron T. , Flossmann A. I.
Published: May 2015

Even though ice formation mechanisms in clouds probably obey all the same thermodynamic principles, the associated mechanical and thermal energy transfers differ with respect to the exact pathway and the associated phases. Consequently, heterogeneous ice nucleation parameterizations play an important role in cloud modeling.

The 1.5D bin-resolved microphysics Detailed Scavenging Model (DESCAM) was used to assess the role of the parameterizations for different ice initiation processes. Homogeneous nucleation, deposition freezing, contact freezing, immersion freezing, and condensation freezing were treated explicitly, and their impacts alone and in competition with each other on cloud microphysics and precipitation were studied. The role of efficiently ice-nucleating bacteria on cloud evolution was addressed, as well as means to consider different chemical natures of ice nucleation particles.

For the conditions studied, it was found that deposition and contact freezing only played a negligible role with respect to the other ice-nucleating mechanisms. Homogeneous freezing and classical immersion freezing showed a similar behavior. Both freezing rates increase with increasing drop age (i.e., size). This suggests a possibility for regrouping processes in future parameterized cloud models. Condensation freezing parameterization, however, acts at much warmer temperatures in clouds and for much smaller drops. The associated release of latent heat at lower altitudes caused significantly different cloud dynamics with respect to homogeneous/immersion freezing. This suggests that, in future parameterized models, the condensation freezing process needs particular attention, as well as the fact that ice-forming nuclei (IN) are a subset of aerosol particles that are depleted and replenished like the rest of the population.
Suppurative Cervical Lymphadenitis in Infancy
Authors: Worley Mitchell L. , Seif Joseph M. , Whigham Amy S. , Mims James W. , Shetty Avinash K. , Evans Adele K.
Published: May 2015

Objective. To investigate the associations between patient age, sociological factors, and the microbiology of pediatric neck infections. Methods. Retrospective chart review of children up to 5 years old who underwent surgical management of suppurative cervical lymphadenitis. Results. A total of 76 individuals met inclusion criteria; 93% of culture-positive infections were caused by Staphylococcus aureus in infants, compared with 59% in children between 13 months and 5 years of age ( P = .002). Of the S aureus isolates, 51% were methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) and 49% were methicillin-sensitive S aureus. Methicillin resistance was associated with African American race ( P = .004); 67% of participants received empirical antibiotics prior to admission. Of these, 73% received antibiotics in the β-lactam class, and 25% received treatment with clindamycin. Conclusions. Incidence of MRSA is high in infants with cervical lymphadenitis who fail empirical antibiotic therapy and require surgical management. Empirical coverage for cervical lymphadenitis with β-lactam antibiotics may provide inadequate coverage for early infection in this population.
Analysis of learning improvement on changing lab course from single experiments to projects
Authors: Fuhrmann Thomas , Mandl Roland , Shamonin Mikhail
Published: May 2015

During recent years, there has been a trend to replace traditional lab courses by project-based learning activities. However, there is currently little scientific evidence for educational improvements through such changes. Some years ago, a lab course on electrical measurements in our bachelor “Electrical Engineering and Information Technology” was modified from single experiments to projects. This change led to a significant increase in the necessary manpower and lab costs. To justify these higher efforts, it is important to investigate if the learning success increased. We carried out the surveys and collected the statistical data from the students who attended this course. In order to see if the students appreciated this lab course and if there was an objective increase of the students’ knowledge, these results were evaluated. Evaluation of the grades in the lecture and lab courses shows that the increase of the students’ theoretical and practical knowledge is statistically significant.
Blood microsampling from the ear capillary in non-human primates
Authors: Lefevre Arthur , Ballesta Sébastien , Pozzobon Mathieu , Charieau Jean-Luc , Duperrier Sandra , Sirigu Angela , Duhamel Jean-René
Published: May 2015

Blood sampling from awake non-human primates (NHPs) is classically performed under constraint in the cephalic or saphenous vein. It is a challenging, potentially harmful and stressful procedure which may lead to biased results and raises ethical concerns. Laboratory NHPs undergo a head-restrained procedure allowing for a safer procedure of collecting blood from their ears. Using regular capillary blood collection devices 500 µL of blood can be easily withdrawn per puncture point, which is sufficient for performing most of the usual modern biological assays. This procedure has been validated by measuring total proteins, cortisol and vasopressin concentrations from concomitant blood samples taken from the saphenous vein and the ear capillary vessels of macaques ( n = 16). We observed strong correlations between the blood concentrations of total proteins, cortisol and vasopressin ( r = 0.72, r = 0.63, r = 0.83, respectively; all P values <0.01) taken from the saphenous vein and from the ear capillary. There were no significant differences between blood concentrations taken from the saphenous vein and the ear capillary. Our alternative to the classical blood collection procedure is harmless and can be routinely performed, which can therefore improve scientific results while increasing animal welfare in accordance with the 3R (replacement, reduction and refinement) principles.
Agent-based simulations of financial markets: zero- and positive-intelligence models
Authors: Thompson James R , Wilson James R
Published: May 2015

To analyze the impact of intelligent traders with differing fundamental motivations on agent-based simulations of financial markets, we construct both zero-intelligence and positive-intelligence models of those markets using the MASON agent-based modeling framework. We exploit our software implementation of multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) to analyze the price paths generated by both simulation models as well as the price paths of selected stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange. We study the changes in the models’ macrolevel price paths when altering some of the microlevel agent behaviors; and we compare and contrast the multifractal properties of the zero- and positive-intelligence price paths with those properties of the selected real price paths. For the positive-intelligence and real price paths, we generally observed long-range dependence in the small-magnitude fluctuations and short-range dependence in the large-magnitude fluctuations. On the other hand, the zero-intelligence price paths failed to exhibit the multifractal properties seen in the selected real price paths.
Exploring Ethnic Inequalities in Admission to Russell Group Universities
Authors: Boliver Vikki
Published: May 2015

This article analyses national university applications and admissions data to explore why ethnic minority applicants to Russell Group universities are less likely to receive offers of admission than comparably qualified white applicants. Contrary to received opinion, the greater tendency of ethnic minorities to choose highly numerically competitive degree subjects only partially accounts for their lower offer rates from Russell Group universities relative to white applicants with the same grades and ‘facilitating subjects’ at A-level. Moreover, ethnic inequalities in the chances of receiving an admissions offer from a Russell Group university are found to be greater in relation to courses where ethnic minorities make up a larger percentage of applicants. This latter finding raises the possibility that some admissions selectors at some Russell Group universities may be unfairly rejecting a proportion of their ethnic minority applicants in an attempt to achieve a more ethnically representative student body.
Historic Urbanization Process in Spain (1746–2013)
Authors: Cardesín Díaz José María , Araujo Jesús Mirás
Published: May 2015

The aim of the article is to examine the process of urbanization in Spain in the long term. Given the delay in the consolidation of Spanish urban history, the contribution of related disciplines, such as art history and urban planning, geography, and economics is also assessed. Careful attention is paid to the identification of continuities and breaks, as well as to the contextualization of the changes in the cities in relation to their role in the national and international context. The article is divided into four parts. First, an introduction to the evolution of urban history in Spain is provided. Subsequent sections analyze the urban process in three stages: the enlightenment reforms and the end of colonial empire (1746–1833), the end of the Ancient Regime and the new capitalist development (1833–1936), and the transition from dictatorship to the integration into the European Union.
Over Our Dead Bodies: The Fight over Cemetery Construction in Nineteenth-Century London
Authors: Scholz Maximilian
Published: May 2015

Historians portray London’s “Magnificent Seven” suburban cemeteries as the first fruits of the urban health reforms inspired by Edwin Chadwick and George Walker. But all seven cemeteries opened before Chadwick and Walker’s work began. What’s more, the city’s new cemeteries were met with a chorus of protests. Why was this? I remove London’s cemeteries from the narrative of health reforms in which they have been anachronistically placed and study them in their own time. It turns out that financial designs prompted their construction, designs that involved a number of previously unexplored, deleterious consequences. These consequences, which historians have overlooked, were recognized immediately by Londoners of the time. Church revenues waned, public parks were enclosed and developed, and the socio-spatial division between the rich west and the poor east widened. Londoners fought hard against the very same cemeteries that recent historians have anointed as the solution to the city’s health problems.
Equine Genital Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhu K. W. , Affolter V. K. , Gaynor A. M. , Dela Cruz F. N. , Pesavento P. A.
Published: May 2015

Equus caballus papillomavirus 2 (EcPV2) has been proposed as an etiologic agent for genital squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the most common malignant tumor of the horse penis. EcPV2 is commonly detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on normal horse genitalia; therefore, unraveling the virus’ role in oncogenic transformation requires other methods of detection. In this study, a highly sensitive multiple-probe chromogenic in situ hybridization (ISH) technique was designed to recognize the E6/E7 oncogenes of EcPV2. ISH demonstrated abundant virus within 6 of 13 penile and preputial SCCs, whereas evidence of solar damage was found in 6 cases that were negative for EcPV2 by ISH. The ISH technique is valuable for studies of pathogenesis, since it demonstrates for the first time that the vast majority of neoplastic cells contain virus. Moreover, hybridization was present in all metastases examined, implying stability of E6/E7 expression in these clonal populations of neoplastic cells. This study contributes to the accumulating evidence for a causal role of EcPV2 in a subset of genital SCCs in horses.
Se considérer comme un client fidèle affecte-t-il l’évaluation des bénéfices reçus ?
Authors: de Kerviler Gwarlann , Butori Raphaëlle
Published: May 2015

Cette recherche propose 1) d’approfondir la notion de fidélité perçue envers une marque en la distinguant de la fidélité mesurée par l’entreprise, et 2) d’étudier la façon dont la fidélité perçue influence l’évaluation des traitements préférentiels accordés par les entreprises. Deux études (qualitative puis quantitative) identifient d’abord les quatre caractéristiques prototypiques du client fidèle qui déterminent la fidélité perçue : continuité de la relation, exclusivité envers la marque, confiance et recherche d’informations. Prenant appui sur la théorie de la justice, une troisième étude (quantitative) teste ensuite l’effet de deux bénéfices d’intensités différentes sur la légitimité perçue et la satisfaction à l’égard du traitement préférentiel. Les résultats indiquent que le fait d’être trop récompensé au regard de sa fidélité perçue suscite un sentiment d’iniquité qui génère une insatisfaction immédiate. Par contre, ne pas être suffisamment récompensé à un instant t ne génère pas nécessairement d’insatisfaction à cet instant donné, les consommateurs ayant l’habitude de recevoir des récompenses étalées dans le temps.
Dating Violence in Mexican College Students
Authors: Lazarevich Irina , Irigoyen-Camacho María Esther , Velázquez-Alva María del Consuelo , Salinas-Avila Jaqueline
Published: May 2015

Dating violence represents an important health problem among adolescents and young adults, not only because of its high prevalence but also because of its negative consequences for individual and social development. Educational programs aimed at the prevention and reduction of aggression are indispensable; therefore, the aims of this study were to assess perception and attitudes toward dating violence, and to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational workshop among college students. A total of 212 students from a public university in Mexico City participated in the study. The participants were distributed into two groups: the intervention group (IG; which received a workshop on dating violence) and the control group (CG; which did not participate in the workshop). A self-reported questionnaire was applied to assess students’ perception and attitudes toward violence. Means and standard deviations were calculated. In both groups, the comparison between pre- and post-evaluation scores was carried out using the test for matched pairs. The MANOVA test was performed for repeated measurements. The participants of the workshop showed positive changes in perception and attitudes toward dating violence, p < .0001; these changes were not observed in the CG, p = .98. Women in the IG showed a higher improvement than men, p = .04. Findings highlight the importance of creating long-term health promotion programs to improve human relationships, particularly in such important areas as dating violence.
A Legal and Policy Argument for Bail Denial and Preventative Treatment for Batterers in the United States
Authors: Beichner Dawn , Ogle Robbin , Garner Anne , Anderson Daniel
Published: May 2015

Historically, battering has been a culturally and legally acceptable form of social control within the United States. This article provides an examination of how this legacy of social acceptance has influenced the development of laws and social policies related to battering. We provide a critique of our current approach to battering and our historical reliance on private or social helping agencies intended to hide and protect victims. We call for a transformation of our current policies that provides for the removal of the batterer—not the victim and her children—from the family home through a process of bail denial and preventative detention.
Application of a model based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and finite element simulation for predicting the probability of osteoporotic hip fractures to a sample of people over 60 years
Authors: López Enrique , Casajús José A , Ibarz Elena , Gómez-Cabello Alba , Ara Ignacio , Vicente-Rodríguez Germán , Mateo Jesús , Herrera Antonio , Gracia Luis
Published: May 2015

The aim of this work is the application of a mechanical predictive model to a sample of people over 60 years of age, in order to analyze the fracture probability related to age and sex. A total of 223 elderly people (63 men, aged 63–88, 72.32±6.10; 157 women, aged 61–89, 73.28±5.73) participated in the study. A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner was used to measure the bone mineral content and bone mineral density at total hip and femoral neck. The application of the predictive model also required a finite element simulation of the proximal femur, obtaining the mechanical damage and fracture probability maps corresponding to each sex and age groups analyzed. Statistical analysis shows higher values of bone mineral density, and consequently of Young’s modulus, for men than for women. In general, a decrease of BMD is observed since 65 years old. The maximum mechanical damage value is always located at the femoral neck. The results indicate that mechanical damage tends to increase with age. Coherently with mechanical damage, the maximum fracture probability value is always located at the femoral neck and tends to increase with age. The simulation model to determine the probability of fracture is more complete than the simple measurement of bone mineral density, because provides additional information about mechanical properties of bone, and allows for a prospective detection of fracture risk. The model may be used for risk evaluation in specific patients, if anatomical and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements are available, helping us to decide about preventive pharmacological treatment for hip fracture.
The Role of Gabapentin in the Management of Alcohol Withdrawal and Dependence
Authors: Leung Jonathan G. , Hall-Flavin Daniel , Nelson Sarah , Schmidt Kristen A. , Schak Kathryn M.
Published: May 2015

Objective: To review the literature evaluating gabapentin for alcohol withdrawal and dependence. Data Sources: A literature search of MEDLINE (1966 to end of March 2015) and PubMed was performed using the terms alcohol, gabapentin, withdrawal, and dependence. Additional references were identified from a review of literature citations. Study Selection and Data Extraction: English-language prospective studies evaluating gabapentin for alcohol withdrawal and dependence were evaluated. Data Synthesis: A total of 10 publications utilizing gabapentin in alcohol withdrawal (n = 5) and alcohol dependence (n = 5) were included in this review. Limited data suggest that gabapentin can provide benefit in managing mild alcohol withdrawal syndrome. There were 5 reported or suspected seizures in the withdrawal studies, suggesting that additional safety data are necessary before gabapentin monotherapy can be routinely considered. Sleep and mood/anxiety-related outcomes were positively influenced by gabapentin, which may result in long-term benefits if continued beyond the withdrawal period for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Studies evaluating gabapentin for alcohol dependence demonstrated dose-dependent benefits for complete abstinence, rates of no heavy drinking, and cravings. Gabapentin used to treat alcohol dependence was well tolerated with no severe adverse reactions reported in the extant literature. Conclusion: Gabapentin may have a role in the treatment of mild alcohol withdrawal, but future studies should focus on adequate dosing strategies. Gabapentin should be considered for the treatment of alcohol dependence when barriers prevent the use of traditional agents. Additional studies should be conducted to further validate findings from the research conducted to date, but the current literature is promising for gabapentin in the treatment of alcohol dependence.
Evaluation of Peripheral Neuropathy of Unknown Origin in an Outpatient Foot and Ankle Practice
Authors: Klein Sandra E. , Chu Jennifer , McCormick Jeremy J. , Johnson Jeffrey E.
Published: May 2015

Background:

The foot and ankle surgeon can see peripheral neuropathy in the treatment of foot and ankle conditions. The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate the demographics and presenting complaints of patients diagnosed with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy during an examination by a foot and ankle surgeon and (2) to identify the type and frequency of subsequent diagnosis of medical causes of neuropathy.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy in our practice between January 1997 and December 2008. Ninety-five patients were identified, and demographic data, presenting complaints, and medical comorbidities were extracted from the medical record. Examination findings of decreased sensation to Semmes Weinstein 5.07 monofilament testing were documented, and electromyogram and nerve conduction study results were reviewed when available. Laboratory values were noted, as were neurologic evaluations performed to diagnose medical conditions associated with peripheral neuropathy.

Results:

The most common presentation was foot pain, in 36 patients (38%). Ninety-one patients had Semmes Weinstein 5.07 monofilament testing, with loss of protective sensation reported in 75 of the 91 tested (82%). Only 30 of the 95 patients had electromyogram and nerve conduction study results available, with a test positive for peripheral neuropathy in 20 of the 30 tested. Thirty-two patients were evaluated by a neurologist. A specific cause was identified in 12 of the 32 seen by a neurologist. Of the total group of 95 patients, 31 patients (33%) were diagnosed with a condition that may be associated with peripheral neuropathy.

Conclusions:

Thirty-three percent of the patients presenting to our clinic and given a diagnosis of idiopathic peripheral neuropathy were ultimately diagnosed with a medical cause of neuropathy—most commonly, diabetes. For those patients with idiopathic neuropathy, a spectrum of disease was encountered, including pain, ulcer, infection, and Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
GPU-accelerated iterative solution of complex-entry systems issued from 3D edge-FEA of electromagnetics in the frequency domain
Authors: Camargos Ana Flávia P. , Silva Viviane C. , Guichon Jean-M. , Meunier Gérard
Published: May 2015

We present a performance analysis of a parallel implementation for both preconditioned conjugate gradient and preconditioned bi-conjugate gradient solvers running on graphic processing units (GPUs) with CUDA programming model. The solvers were mainly optimized for the solution of sparse systems of algebraic equations at complex entries, arising from the three-dimensional edge-finite element analysis of the electromagnetic phenomena involved in the open-bound earth diffusion of currents under time-harmonic excitation. We used a shifted incomplete Cholesky (IC) factorization as preconditioner. Results show a significant speedup by using either a single-GPU or a multi-GPU device, compared to a serial central processing unit (CPU) implementation, thereby allowing the simulations of large-scale problems in low-cost personal computers. Additional experiments of the optimized solvers show that its use can be extended successfully to other complex systems of equations arising in electrical engineering, such as those obtained in power–system analysis.
Predicting planned physical activity of individuals with arthritis: A self-regulatory perspective
Authors: Flora Parminder K , Brawley Lawrence R , Sessford James D , Cary Miranda A , Gyurcsik Nancy C
Published: May 2015

Few individuals with arthritis are sufficiently active. We surveyed a convenience sample of exercisers ( N = 134) to examine the utility of social cognitive theory variables, namely, self-regulatory efficacy, negative outcome expectations, and pain acceptance for predicting planned physical activity according to Weinstein’s two prediction suggestions. Logistic regression revealed, after controlling for pain intensity, self-regulatory efficacy, negative outcome expectations, and pain acceptance distinguished groups achieving/not achieving planned physical activity, p < 0.001 (28% variance). A second model adding past physical activity also predicted the groups, p < 0.001 (57% variance). This is one of the first arthritis studies examining planned physical activity relative to Weinstein’s recommendations.
Spanish grammatical gender: Its effects on categorization in native Hungarian speakers
Authors: Kurinski Elena , Jambor Emőke , Sera Maria D.
Published: May 2015

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions:

We asked whether the second-language (L2) learning effects on cognition are affected by properties of the native language (L1) by further examining the effects of grammatical gender on categorization in native speakers of Hungarian, which unlike previously-studied L1s, has no grammatical gender.

Design/Methodology/Approach:

Hungarian speakers taking an introductory Spanish course participated in two tasks repeatedly during two semesters. One task examined their acquisition of the target nouns and their grammatical gender. The other examined their categorization of pictured objects by using voice assignments.

Data and Analysis:

A group of 74 beginning Spanish learners participated. Data was analyzed with parametric statistical tests of significance. First we analyzed the results on the language task to examine progress on acquisition of grammatical gender. Then we analyzed the results on the categorization task to determine if learning grammatical gender affected it. Finally, we examined the relationship between knowledge of grammatical gender and categorization by analyzing the categorization performance after 30 weeks of instruction by those who showed high versus low knowledge of grammatical gender.

Findings/Conclusions:

Similarly to Kurinski and Sera (2011), we began observing changes in categorization after 10 weeks of instruction. Results provide additional evidence that learning a second language in adulthood influences categorization. Unlike previous findings, however, Hungarian learners were more successful at acquiring Spanish grammatical gender than the English speakers previously studied.

Originality:

Investigating the effects of grammatical gender on categorization in L2 learners whose native language is completely genderless offered a naturally occurring ‘manipulation’ of a relevant factor – the properties of L1 – critical to this line of research.

Significance/Implications:

The findings provide additional supporting evidence that human cognition can be influenced by learning a language in adulthood. Given that the language effects occurred earlier and were much stronger than those from previous work, we believe that properties of one’s native language may affect acquisition and subsequently the magnitude of language’s effect on cognition.
Drug-related causes of death: Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the deceased
Authors: Amundsen Ellen J.
Published: May 2015

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe subgroups of those who died from a drug-related cause of death employing demographic and socioeconomic data. Methods: A total of 1,628 persons with registered drug-related deaths in the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry between 2003 and 2009 were matched with research registers of data on demographic and socioeconomic factors during the five years prior to their deaths. Results: Three equal-sized clusters were identified: persons with very low socioeconomic status, disability pensioners and people on the edge of the workforce. Conclusions: Socioeconomic situation prior to drug-related deaths was more heterogeneous than expected. Greater knowledge about the members of the disability pensioner and the edge of the workforce clusters must be established in order to make prevention efforts towards these groups more precise and goal oriented.
Hazardous material photography: an interview with Paul Shambroom
Authors: Anaïs Seantel , Walters William
Published: May 2015

Paul Shambroom is a widely acclaimed photographer who explores themes of space, power, security, and democracy in the United States. This interview engages the photographer on a range of themes including his unique and extensive study of the United States’ nuclear weapons complex, his more recent work on emergency response, and the memorialization of military service and conflict. It also raises questions about his creative practice and his relationship to politics.
Imitation of the body/caudal fin undulatory swimming of a spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias): The kinematic equation
Authors: Ebrahimi Mohsen , Abbaspoor Madjid
Published: May 2015

Fishes, with their efficient propulsive systems and wide variety of body shapes, inspire the design of marine robots. To imitate the kinematics of live species for the fish-like robots, some parameters would be extracted by observations from nature. In this article, a summary is presented over the important literature on the kinematics of the body/caudal swimming of fishes. Then, a detailed procedure to extract the kinematic parameters from live species is discussed. In addition, a procedure is presented to account for the length variations of the vertebral column of the live species during their swimming in the modeling of virtual fishes. Different polynomial and exponential amplitude envelope functions associated with single and multiple sinusoidal terms are also adopted to suggest a better kinematic equation for a body/caudal fin swimmer, spiny dogfish shark ( Squalus acanthias). A non-linear least-squares algorithm, Trust-Region, is used to fit surfaces on the experimental data. Results show that in general, the accuracy of the kinematic equation is more affected from the sinusoidal term than the amplitude envelope function. Moreover, evaluations offer the third- and fourth-order polynomial amplitude envelope functions with three sinusoidal terms as appropriate and optimal kinematic equations to model the kinematics of the spiny dogfish shark.
Fasting plasma triglyceride concentration: A possible approach to identify increased risk of statin-induced type 2 diabetes
Authors: Sung Ki-Chul , Reaven Gerald
Published: May 2015

Aim:

To evaluate the hypothesis that measurement of fasting plasma triglyceride concentration identifies individuals at enhanced risk of statin-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of data collected from routine health examinations in non-diabetic, East Asian individuals ( n = 5790) with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations of ⩾3.4 mmol/L. Subjects were stratified into those with or without a triglyceride concentration of ⩾1.7 mmol/L, and comparisons made of risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Results:

Approximately 40% of men and 20% of women with elevations of both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were more insulin resistant (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance), associated with higher plasma concentrations of HbA1c, glucose and insulin.

Conclusion:

Apparently, healthy, non-diabetic East Asian men and women with combined elevations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations are glucose intolerant and insulin resistant, and thereby at enhanced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Measurement of plasma triglyceride concentration can identify within a hypercholesterolemic population a subset of individuals at enhanced risk of statin-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Dark Agouti rat model of chemotherapy-induced mucositis: Establishment and current state of the art
Authors: Vanhoecke Barbara , Bateman Emma , Mayo Bronwen , Vanlancker Eline , Stringer Andrea , Thorpe Daniel , Keefe Dorothy
Published: May 2015

Mucositis is a major oncological problem. The entire gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract and also other mucosal surfaces can be affected in recipients of radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Major progress has been made in recent years in understanding the mechanisms of oral and small intestinal mucositis, which appears to be more prominent than colonic damage. This progress is largely due to the development of representative laboratory animal models of mucositis. This review focuses on the development and establishment of the Dark Agouti rat mammary adenocarcinoma model by the Mucositis Research Group of the University of Adelaide over the past 20 years to characterize the mechanisms underlying methotrexate-, 5-fluorouracil-, and irinotecan-induced mucositis. It also aims to summarize the results from studies using different animal model systems to identify new molecular and cellular markers of mucositis.
Bone marrow-derived fibrocytes contribute to liver fibrosis
Authors: Xu Jun , Kisseleva Tatiana
Published: May 2015

Chronic liver injury often leads to hepatic fibrosis, a condition associated with increased levels of circulating TGF-β1 and lipopolysaccharide, activation of myofibroblasts, and extensive deposition of extracellular matrix, mostly collagen Type I. Hepatic stellate cells are considered to be the major1but not the only source of myofibroblasts in the injured liver.2Hepatic myofibroblasts may also originate from portal fibroblasts, mesenchymal cells, and fibrocytes.3Since the discovery of fibrocytes in 1994 by Dr. Bucala and colleagues, this bone marrow (BM)-derived collagen Type I-producing CD45+cells remain the most fascinating cells of the hematopoietic system. Due to the ability to differentiate into collagen Type I producing cells/myofibroblasts, fibrocytes were implicated in the pathogenesis of liver, skin, lung, and kidney fibrosis. However, studies of different organs often contain controversial results on the number of fibrocytes recruited to the site of injury and their biological function. Furthermore, fibrocytes were implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis and were shown to possess antimicrobial activity. Finally, in response to specific stimuli, fibrocytes can give rise to fully differentiated macrophages, suggesting that in concurrence with the high plasticity of hematopoietic cells, fibrocytes exhibit progenitor properties. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the role of CD45+Collagen Type I+BM-derived cells in response to fibrogenic liver injury and septicemia and discuss the most recent evidence supporting the critical role of fibrocytes in the mediation of pro-fibrogenic and/or pro-inflammatory responses.
A Nested Analysis of Electoral Donations
Authors: Evertsson Nubia
Published: May 2015

This article reports the results of a nested analysis conducted to evaluate whether or not electoral donations are considered legal bribes. Introduced by Lieberman, nested analysis brings together the strengths of the regression analysis and the case study research by integrating large- N approaches (LNA) with small- N approaches (SNA). The nested analysis uses a sequential sampling model (QUANTITATIVE → QUALITATIVE) and a nested sampling design (case selection “on/off the line”). Here, Lieberman’s original model was extended to deal with an apparent paradox that emerged from the analysis. This inquiry included a cross-national examination among 78 countries, denoted as LNA, followed by an intranational analysis conducted in Colombia, where an SNA survey with 302 respondents and an SNA case study were carried out.
Teacher education, InExclusion, and the implicit ideology of Separate but Equal: An invitation to a dialogue
Authors: Lalvani Priya , Broderick Alicia A , Fine Michelle , Jacobowitz Tina , Michelli Nicholas
Published: May 2015

In this analytic essay, we initiate a dialogue about the place of disability in a multicultural education framework, and the role of inclusive education in a democracy. Problematizing the common omission of the topic of disability oppression from anti-oppression pedagogies and from social justice education generally, we invite teacher educators concerned with educational equity to position themselves on the persistent issue of the segregation of large numbers of students labeled with disabilities in schools, and to consider how we might engage in sustained dialogue toward pursuing an agenda that is opposed to the systematic deployment of educational segregation in all its forms. In addition to opening this broad conversation, we have specifically invited dialogic interchange with three of our teacher educator colleagues whose responses are embedded within this manuscript.
What is palliative care?
Authors: Vincent Cathrine
Published: May 2015

Palliative care is a core part of the role of a GP. It can and should begin as early as possible in a patient’s course of illness, but as GPs we may individually become involved at a variety of points without necessarily having had the opportunity to build a prior relationship with a patient. This can be challenging, particularly if seeing a patient for the first time when they are in the last days of life. This article aims to explore the different points at which palliative care may begin and summarise new guidance that may inform management.
Wellness Councils Build Capacity for School-Based Obesity Prevention in Harlem and Washington Heights, New York City
Authors: Prescott Melissa Pflugh , Berger-Jenkins Evelyn , Serzan Michael , Croswell Elizabeth , Meyer Dodi , McCord Mary
Published: May 2015

Schools experience barriers when implementing wellness policies, and there is a dearth of research detailing how district wellness policies are implemented at the school level. Wellness councils were established in 7 elementary schools in Harlem and Washington Heights, New York City (NYC), to help these schools implement the NYC district wellness policy. Data on 4 wellness council process indicators and wellness council self-evaluation scores were correlated with obesity prevention process outcomes using Kendall tau correlations. An average of 8.9 (standard deviation = 0.7) wellness council meetings were held per school throughout the 10-month academic year. The average attendance at each meeting ranged from 7.1 to 15.2 members. There was a positive relationship between wellness council attendance and the number of participant encounters at staff physical activity events ( r = .71, P = .02). Higher self-evaluation scores on staff wellness initiatives were associated with more student nutrition encounters ( r = .69, P = .04) and in-class student physical activity minutes ( r = .69, P = .04). The wellness councils served as a forum for regular interaction between health professionals and school staff and allowed for evidence-based interventions to be adapted to local school needs and culture. School staff engagement is important for successful obesity prevention initiatives and should be a goal of school-based wellness programs.
Just Tell Me What to Do
Authors: Chua Sook Ning
Published: May 2015

This article examines the impact of support and goal instrumentality on relationship quality. Goal instrumentality is a means by which people can outsource their self-regulatory efforts to close others, allowing close others to facilitate their goal progress. Two studies investigated the consequences of autonomous, directive, and controlling goal support from instrumental others on relationship quality. In Study 1, participants were asked to think of an instrumental other versus not and in Study 2, participants were followed over 3 months and changes in relationship closeness and commitment were assessed. In both studies, as expected, there was a main effect of autonomy support, and instrumentality moderated the effects of directive support. However, controlling support was unrelated to relationship quality. This article furthers current understanding of how goals shape people’s responses to the different types of support provided.
A Guide to Improving the Care of Patients with Fragility Fractures, Edition 2
Authors: Mears Simon C. , Kates Stephen L.
Published: May 2015

Over the past 4 decades, much has been learned about the pathophysiology and treatment of osteoporosis, the prevention of fragility fractures, and the perioperative management of patients who have these debilitating injuries. However, the volume of published literature on this topic is staggering and far too voluminous for any clinician to review and synthesize by him or herself. This manuscript thoroughly summarizes the latest research on fragility fractures and provides the reader with valuable strategies to optimize the prevention and management of these devastating injuries. The information contained in this article will prove invaluable to any health care provider or health system administrator who is involved in the prevention and management of fragility hip fractures. As providers begin to gain a better understanding of the principles espoused in this article, it is our hope that they will be able to use this information to optimize the care they provide for elderly patients who are at risk of or who have osteoporotic fractures.