bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Culture in salutogenesis: the scholarship of Aaron Antonovsky
Authors: Benz Carina , Bull Torill , Mittelmark Maurice , Vaandrager Lenneke
Published: May 2014

Aaron Antonovsky wrote extensively, although disjointedly, about the roles of culture in salutogenesis. This paper provides a synopsis of his work in this arena. A literature review identified those of his English language writings in which culture was a subject, and relevant text segments were analysed using an inductive followed by a deductive method. Using thematic network analysis, text segments were sorted inductively by open coding and then analysed. This was followed by deductive text segment coding guided by the constructs of the salutogenic model of health. The analysis revealed that Antonovsky had an expansive interest in the roles of culture in salutogenesis. His writings included attention to the role of culture in: (a) shaping life situations; (b) giving rise to stressors and resources; (c) contributing to life experiences of predictability, load balance and meaningful roles; (d) facilitating the development of the sense of coherence and (e) shaping perceptions of health and well-being. Antonovsky’s writings about culture were sometimes conjectural, as well as being obviously influenced by his life experience in the USA and then in Israel, and by the spirit of the times in which he lived. However, he also drew extensively on his own and others’ empiricism, leading him to view culture as an integral aspect of the salutogenic model of health. The present analysis provides salutogenesis scholars with a roadmap of Antonovsky’s reflections, ponderings and conclusions about culture in the context of salutogenesis. It provides assistance in the form of an overview of Antonovsky’s treatment of culture in the context of salutogenesis.
Life Span Exercise Among Elite Intercollegiate Student Athletes
Authors: Sorenson Shawn C. , Romano Russell , Azen Stanley P. , Schroeder E. Todd , Salem George J.
Published: May 2014

Background:

Despite prominent public attention, data on life span health and exercise outcomes among elite, competitive athletes are sparse and do not reflect the diversity of modern athletes.

Hypothesis:

Life span exercise behavior differs between National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student athletes and a nonathlete control group. Sustained exercise is associated with improved cardiopulmonary health outcomes.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional, descriptive epidemiology study.

Level of Evidence:

Level 3.

Methods:

A total of 496 students and alumni (age range, 17-84 year) at a large, NCAA Division I university, including student athletes and an age- and sex-matched nonathlete control group, completed anonymous, self-report health and exercise questionnaires. Age-stratified, cross-sectional analysis evaluated previous week’s total exercise volume (ExVol), self-rated exercise importance (ExImp), and compliance with American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) exercise guidelines for healthy adults. The association of ACSM guideline compliance with lifetime cardiopulmonary health outcomes was also assessed.

Results:

Current student athletes reported significantly greater ExVol ( P < 0.001. Cohen d = 0.99, probability of clinically important difference [pCID] >99.5%), ExImp ( P < 0.001, d = 1.96, pCID = 96%), and likelihood of compliance with ACSM guidelines (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI] = 30.6, 11.0-84.6) compared with nonathletes. No significant differences were found between alumni student athletes and nonathletes. Alumni student athletes demonstrated substantially lower ExVol ( P < 0.001, d = –0.94, pCID >99.5%) and guideline compliance (OR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.05-0.19) compared with current student athletes, whereas nonathletes had similar exercise behavior across the life span. Among alumni, ACSM guideline compliance was associated with significant attenuation of cardiopulmonary health concerns ( P = 0.02, d = –0.50, pCID = 14%) independent of intercollegiate athletic participation.

Conclusion:

Although current NCAA Division I student athletes demonstrated significant, clinically important differences in exercise behavior compared with nonathletes, no group differences were evident later in life. Irrespective of collegiate athletic status, healthy exercise behavior among alumni was associated with cardiopulmonary health benefits.

Clinical Relevance:

To realize life span health benefits, it is imperative that student athletes maintain consistent patterns of healthy exercise beyond retirement from competitive sports.
Looking Forward
Authors: Khan Shahrukh Rafi
Published: May 2014

The Kyoto multilateral negotiations provide a template for global negotiation. What is at stake is the survival of humanity and major global economic restructuring is needed for that. The Kyoto targets were not nearly ambitious enough, and without restructuring national economies, most forecasts suggest the world will be doing too little and too late. Current generations should make possible “looking backward” with pride in humanity’s collective contributions. This essay contributes to a needed debate.
Long-term post-marketing surveillance of mizoribine for the treatment of lupus nephritis: Safety and efficacy during a 3-year follow-up
Authors: Yagi Nobuyuki , Okada Kenya , Sudo Yohei , Itoh Hiromichi , Yoshida Hisao , Kuroda Tatsuhiko
Published: May 2014

Objective:

To determine the safety and efficacy of long-term use of mizoribine by undertaking a 3-year post-marketing surveillance study.

Methods:

Subjects were all lupus nephritis patients newly treated with mizoribine between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2005 at contracted study sites.

Results:

Mizoribine was administered to 881 lupus nephritis patients in the safety analysis set consisting of 946 patients recruited from 281 contracted study sites after satisfying the eligibility criteria. There were 301 events of adverse drug reactions that were observed in 196 (20.7%) of the 946 subjects. There were 34 events of serious adverse drug reactions in 31 patients (3.2%). No deterioration in hematological and biochemical test values was observed, but immunological testing showed significant improvements in C3, CH50, and anti-DNA antibody titers. The negative rate of proteinuria also increased over time. The median steroid dosage was 15 mg/day at the commencement of treatment, but was reduced to 10 mg/day at 12 months and 8 mg/day at 36 months.

Conclusion:

The findings of the 3-year long-term drug use surveillance study indicated that mizoribine can be used over the long term with relatively few adverse drug reactions, suggesting its suitability for use in maintenance drug therapy.
Sensations Experienced and Patients’ Perceptions of Osteopathy in the Cranial Field Treatment
Authors: Mulcahy Jane , Vaughan Brett
Published: May 2014

Osteopathy in the cranial field is an approach used by manual and physical therapists. However, there is minimal information in the literature about patient experiences of this treatment. The present study was undertaken to explore patients’ experiences of osteopathy in the cranial field. Patients completed the Patient Perception Measure–Osteopathy in the Cranial Field and identified sensations they experienced during treatment. Additional measures of anxiety, depression, Satisfaction With Life, and Meaningfulness of Daily Activity were completed. The Patient Perception Measure–Osteopathy in the Cranial Field was internally consistent (Cronbach’s α = .85). The most frequently experienced sensations of osteopathy in the cranial field patients were “relaxed,” “releasing,” and “unwinding.” Satisfaction With Life and Meaningfulness of Daily Activity were positively associated with Patient Perception Measure–Osteopathy in the Cranial Field scores. Negative associations were observed between the Patient Perception Measure–Osteopathy in the Cranial Field and depression. Psychometric properties of the Patient Perception Measure–Osteopathy in the Cranial Field require further testing. The observed associations of Satisfaction With Life and depression with patients’ perceptions of osteopathy in the cranial field treatment needs to be tested in larger clinical manual therapy cohorts.
A Case for Theoretical Integration
Authors: Richards Jay A. , Johnson Martin P.
Published: May 2014

The present research investigated whether constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Extended Parallel Process Model can be integrated into a model that can better explain intentions to exercise than the TPB constructs alone. A total of 336 participants completed measures of constructs from both theories and past exercise behavior. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that attitudes, subjective norms, susceptibility, self-efficacy, and past behavior contributed unique variance to a model that predicted intentions to exercise. This model explained a greater proportion of the variance in exercise intentions than the TPB alone. Relationships between key variables of both models were also highlighted. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
An Examination of Learner Self-Direction in Relation to the Big Five and Narrow Personality Traits
Authors: Kirwan Jeral R. , Lounsbury John W. , Gibson Lucy W.
Published: May 2014

The present study addresses the relationship between learner self-direction and other personality traits of college students when the traits represented by the five-factor model of personality are differentiated from narrow personality traits. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used with a sample of 2,102 college students to examine the unique individual relationship between Big Five and narrow personality traits and learner self-direction. Analysis of the data revealed five significant part correlations between specific traits and learner self-direction. The part correlations for Work Drive (.310) and Openness (.207) were significantly higher than all other part correlations. Neither Conscientiousness nor Agreeableness had significant part correlations despite having significant zero-order correlations with learner self-direction. Extroversion did not have a significant zero-order correlation with learner self-direction but the part correlation was significant. Results were discussed in terms of the predictive relationship between personality variables and learner self-direction. Study implications, some limitations, and possible directions for future research were noted.
The Gap in Knowledge of Clinical Practice Guidelines by Mental Health Residents in Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Authors: Fabrissin Javier , Garay Cristian Javier , Keegan Eduardo , Sarudiansky Mercedes , Korman Guido Pablo
Published: May 2014

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate if the residents of psychiatry and clinical psychology from the city of Buenos Aires knew any of the existing mental health Clinical Practice and Treatment Guidelines (CPTGs). We asked residents their opinion about CPTGs and, also, if they followed their recommendations in clinical practice. We asked 59 mental health residents (28 physicians and 29 psychologists) with different years of clinical training to fill a questionnaire to know their opinion about CPTGs and also if they follow the CPTG recommendations in their clinical practice. We found that 79.31% of residents did not know any CPTG. Eighty percent of the residents who did know any CPTG have a positive opinion about CPTGs. Finally, the American Psychiatric Association Guidelines were the most known CPTGs. The authors emphasize the need for a clinical guidelines diffusion policy in Buenos Aires city and particularly as a clinical and training resource for mental health residents.
Brachial Neuritis With Phrenic Nerve Involvement in a Patient With a Possible Connective Tissue Disease
Authors: Subash Meera , Patel Gaurav , Welker John , Nugent Kenneth
Published: May 2014

Background. Brachial neuritis (BN) is a rare inflammatory condition of peripheral nerves, usually involving the cervicobrachial plexus. These patients present with sudden onset of shoulder and arm pain that evolves into muscle weakness and atrophy.. Case Report. A 33-year-old woman presented with a 1-month history of diffuse pain in her thorax. She had no trauma or inciting incident prior to the onset of this pain and was initially treated for muscle spasms. The patient was seen in the emergency room multiple times and was treated with several courses of antibiotics for pneumonia on the basis of clinical symptoms and abnormal x-rays. The pleuritic chest pain persisted for at least 4 months, and the patient was eventually admitted for worsening pain and dyspnea. On physical examination, crackles were heard at both lung bases, and chest inspection revealed increased expansion in the upper thorax but poor expansion of the lower thorax and mild paradoxical respiration. “Sniff” test revealed no motion of the left hemidiaphragm and reduced motion on the right hemidiaphragm. Her computed tomography scan revealed bilateral atelectasis, more severe at the left base. She reported no symptoms involving her joints or skin or abdomen. Her presentation and clinical course are best explained by BN with a bilateral diaphragmatic weakness. However, she had a positive ANA, RF, anti-RNP antibody, and anti SS-A. Conclusion. Patients with BN can present with diffuse thoracic pain, pleuritic chest pain, and diaphragmatic weakness. Our patient may represent a case of connective tissue disease presenting with brachial plexus neuritis.
Serum activin A and B, and follistatin in critically ill patients with influenza A(H1N1) infection
Authors: Linko Rita , Hedger Mark P , Pettilä Ville , Ruokonen Esko , Ala-Kokko Tero , Ludlow Helen , de Kretser David M
Published: May 2014

Background

Activin A and its binding protein follistatin (FS) are increased in inflammatory disorders and sepsis. Overexpression of activin A in the lung causes similar histopathological changes as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS and severe respiratory failure are complications of influenza A(H1N1) infection. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), which in experimental studies increases after activin A release, is known to be related to the severity of H1N1 infection. Our aim was to evaluate the levels of activin A, activin B, FS, IL-6 and IL-10 and their association with the severity of respiratory failure in critically ill H1N1 patients.

Methods

A substudy of a prospective, observational cohort of H1N1 patients in Finnish intensive care units (ICU). Clinical information was recorded during ICU treatment, and serum activin A, activin B, FS, IL-6 and IL-10 were measured at admission to ICU and on days 2 and 7.

Results

Blood samples from 29 patients were analysed. At the time of admission to intensive care unit, elevated serum levels above the normal range for respective age group and sex were observed in 44% for activin A, 57% for activin B, and 39% for FS. In 13 of the 29 patients, serial samples at all time points were available and in these the highest activin A, activin B and FS were above the normal range in 85%, 100% and 46% of the patients, respectively. No difference in baseline or highest activin A or activin B was found in patients with or without acute lung injury (ALI) or ARDS (P > 0.05 for all). Peak levels of IL-6 were significantly elevated in ALI/ARDS patients. Peak activin A and activin A/FS were associated with ventilatory support free-days, severity of acute illness and length of ICU stay (P < 0.05 for all).

Conclusions

Higher than normal values of these proteins were common in patients with H1N1 infection but we found no association with the severity of their respiratory failure.
Evaluation of the normal-to-diseased apparent diffusion coefficient ratio as an indicator of prostate cancer aggressiveness
Authors: Lebovici Andrei , Sfrangeu Silviu A , Feier Diana , Caraiani Cosmin , Lucan Ciprian , Suciu Mihai , Elec Florin , Iacob Gheorghita , Buruian Mircea
Published: May 2014

Background

We tested the feasibility of a simple method for assessment of prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to calculate apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) ratios between prostate cancer and healthy prostatic tissue.

Methods

The requirement for institutional review board approval was waived. A set of 20 standardized core transperineal saturation biopsy specimens served as the reference standard for placement of regions of interest on ADC maps in tumorous and normal prostatic tissue of 22 men with PCa (median Gleason score: 7; range, 6–9). A total of 128 positive sectors were included for evaluation. Two diagnostic ratios were computed between tumor ADCs and normal sector ADCs: the ADC peripheral ratio (the ratio between tumor ADC and normal peripheral zone tissue, ADC-PR), and the ADC central ratio (the ratio between tumor ADC and normal central zone tissue, ADC-CR). The performance of the two ratios in detecting high-risk tumor foci (Gleason 8 and 9) was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results

Both ADC ratios presented significantly lower values in high-risk tumors (0.48 ± 0.13 for ADC-CR and 0.40 ± 0.09 for ADC-PR) compared with low-risk tumors (0.66 ± 0.17 for ADC-CR and 0.54 ± 0.09 for ADC-PR) (p < 0.001) and had better diagnostic performance (ADC-CR AUC = 0.77, sensitivity = 82.2%, specificity = 66.7% and ADC-PR AUC = 0.90, sensitivity = 93.7%, specificity = 80%) than stand-alone tumor ADCs (AUC of 0.75, sensitivity = 72.7%, specificity = 70.6%) for identifying high-risk lesions.

Conclusions

The ADC ratio as an intrapatient-normalized diagnostic tool may be better in detecting high-grade lesions compared with analysis based on tumor ADCs alone, and may reduce the rate of biopsies.
Hydrocortisone concentration influences time to clinically significant healing of acute inflammation of the ocular surface and adnexa – results from a double-blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sergiyenko Nikolay , Sukhina Ludmila , Bezdetko Pavel , Kovalenko Yuriy , Nikitin Nikolai , Merzbacher Matthias , Groß Dorothea , Kohnen Ralf
Published: May 2014

Background

The efficacy of topical ophthalmic corticosteroids depends upon small modifications in preparations, such as drug concentration.

The aim of this study was to confirm that hydrocortisone acetate (HC-ac) ophthalmic ointments of 2.5% and 1% are more effective than a 0.5% eye ointment.

Methods

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical study, the change of signs and symptoms of acute inflammation of the ocular surface and adnexa was evaluated in 411 subjects.

Results

Median time to clinically relevant response as estimated by 50% reduction in clinical signs and symptoms (CSS) total score over the entire trial was similar for subjects treated with HC-ac 2.5% (73.5 h) and for subjects treated with HC-ac 1.0% (67.7 h) and was considerably and significantly longer for subjects treated with HC-ac 0.5% (111.8 h) [p < 0.001 for both dosages]. All trial medications were safe and well tolerated.

Conclusion

Hydrocortisone acetate 2.5% and Hydrocortisone acetate 1% eye ointments are efficacious and safe treatments for acute inflammations of the ocular surface or adnexa, and showed significantly better efficacy than a control group treated with Hydrocortisone acetate 0.5% therapy.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15464650.
A stakeholder analysis of the perceived outcomes of developing and implementing England’s obesity strategy 2008–2011
Authors: Hawkes Corinna , Ahern Amy L , Jebb Susan A
Published: May 2014

Background

International recommendations urge governments to implement population-based strategies to reduce the burden of obesity. This study assesses the development and implementation of the obesity strategy in England 2008–2011, Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives (HWHL). The aim was to identify if stakeholders perceived HWHL to have made any difference to the action to address obesity in England, with the ultimate objective of identifying insights that could inform the development and implementation of future obesity strategies in England and elsewhere.

Methods

Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and thematic framework analysis. 40 stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the obesity strategy were interviewed.

Results

Evidence from this study suggests that HWHL was perceived to have made a positive difference to efforts to address obesity in England. It was credited with creating political buy-in, engaging more stakeholders, stimulating and facilitating action, enhancing knowledge and changing attitudes. But it was reported to have failed to fully catalyse action across all government departments and sectors, or to develop adequate mechanisms for learning about the effectiveness of the different elements and actions in the Strategy. Key elements of the Strategy contributing towards to the perceived positive differences included its multi-faceted, inclusive nature; governance structures; monitoring programme to assess progress against national and local targets; child-focus; and funding. The development of the Strategy was said to be stimulated and aided by the prior synthesis of a critical mass of scientific evidence.

Conclusions

The English experience of HWHL lends support to the recommendations to develop population-based obesity strategies. It indicates that in order to stimulate comprehensive, inter-sectoral action, obesity strategies need to take a population-based, multi-faceted approach, be implemented through a clear governance structure, follow a systematic process of aligning goals, objectives and agendas between government departments and sectors with a stake in obesity, and have a clear system of reporting changes in obesity rates against a target. In order to design effective policies and to build the case for continued investment, obesity strategies also need to incorporate a national framework for learning and evaluation from the outset.
Effects of long-term low-level radiation exposure after the Chernobyl catastrophe on immunoglobulins in children residing in contaminated areas: prospective and cross-sectional studies
Authors: McMahon Daria M , Vdovenko Vitaliy Y , Karmaus Wilfried , Kondrashova Valentina , Svendsen Erik , Litvinetz Oksana M , Stepanova Yevgenia I
Published: May 2014

Background

After the Chernobyl nuclear incident in 1986, children in the Narodichesky region, located 80 km west of the Chernobyl Power Plant, were exposed to137Cesium (137Cs). Little is known about the effects of chronic low-level radiation on humoral immune responses in children residing in contaminated areas.

Methods

In four different approaches we investigated the effect of residential137Cs exposure on immunoglobulins A, G, M, and specific immunoglobulin E in children. In a dynamic cohort (1993–1998) we included 617 children providing 2,407 repeated measurements; 421 and 523 children in two cross-sectional samples (1997–1998 and 2008–2010, respectively); and 25 participants in a small longitudinal cohort (1997–2010). All medical exams, blood collections, and analyses were conducted by the same team. We used mixed linear models to analyze repeated measurements in cohorts and general linear regression models for cross-sectional studies.

Results

Residential soil contamination in 2008 was highly correlated with the individual body burden of137Cs. Serum IgG and IgM concentrations increased between 1993 and 1998. Children with higher137Cs soil exposure had lower serum IgG levels, which, however, increased in the small cohort assessed between 1997 and 2010. Children within the fourth quintile of137Cs soil exposure (266–310 kBq/m2) had higher IgM serum concentrations between 1993 and 1998 but these declined between 1997 and 2010. IgA remained stable with median137Cs exposures related to higher IgA levels, which was corroborated in the cross-sectional study of 2008–2010. Specific IgE against indoor allergens was detected less often in children with higher137Cs exposure.

Conclusions

Our findings show radiation-related alterations of immunoglobulins which by themselves do not constitute adverse health effects. Further investigations are necessary to understand how these changes affect health status.
Pedestrian dead reckoning for MARG navigation using a smartphone
Authors: Tian Zengshan , Zhang Yuan , Zhou Mu , Liu Yu
Published: May 2014

The demand for navigating pedestrian by using a hand-held mobile device increased remarkably over the past few years, especially in GPS-denied scenario. We propose a new pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR)-based navigation algorithm by using magnetic, angular rate, and gravity (MARG) sensors which are equipped in existing commercial smartphone. Our proposed navigation algorithm consists of step detection, stride length estimation, and heading estimation. To eliminate the gauge step errors of the random bouncing motions, we designed a reliable algorithm for step detection. We developed a BP neural network-based stride length estimation algorithm to apply to different users. In response to the challenge of magnetic disturbance, a quaternion-based extended Kalman filter (EKF) is introduced to determine the user's heading direction for each step. The performance of our proposed pedestrian navigation algorithm is verified by using a smartphone in providing accurate, reliable, and continuous location tracking services.
Detection of ‘best’ positive end-expiratory pressure derived from electrical impedance tomography parameters during a decremental positive end-expiratory pressure trial
Authors: Blankman Paul , Hasan Djo , Erik Groot Jebbink , Gommers Diederik
Published: May 2014

Introduction

This study compares different parameters derived from electrical impedance tomography (EIT) data to define ‘best’ positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during a decremental PEEP trial in mechanically-ventilated patients. ‘Best’ PEEP is regarded as minimal lung collapse and overdistention in order to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury.

Methods

A decremental PEEP trial (from 15 to 0 cm H2O PEEP in 4 steps) was performed in 12 post-cardiac surgery patients on the ICU. At each PEEP step, EIT measurements were performed and from this data the following were calculated: tidal impedance variation (TIV), regional compliance, ventilation surface area (VSA), center of ventilation (COV), regional ventilation delay (RVD index), global inhomogeneity (GI index), and intratidal gas distribution. From the latter parameter we developed the ITV index as a new homogeneity parameter. The EIT parameters were compared with dynamic compliance and the PaO2/FiO2 ratio.

Results

Dynamic compliance and the PaO2/FiO2 ratio had the highest value at 10 and 15 cm H2O PEEP, respectively. TIV, regional compliance and VSA had a maximum value at 5 cm H2O PEEP for the non-dependent lung region and a maximal value at 15 cm H2O PEEP for the dependent lung region. GI index showed the lowest value at 10 cm H2O PEEP, whereas for COV and the RVD index this was at 15 cm H2O PEEP. The intratidal gas distribution showed an equal contribution of both lung regions at a specific PEEP level in each patient.

Conclusion

In post-cardiac surgery patients, the ITV index was comparable with dynamic compliance to indicate ‘best’ PEEP. The ITV index can visualize the PEEP level at which ventilation of the non-dependent region is diminished, indicating overdistention. Additional studies should test whether application of this specific PEEP level leads to better outcome and also confirm these results in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Winding Road to Modernization
Authors: Ozkan Fulya
Published: May 2014

Ozkan’s essay explores the Ottoman road reform of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the context of the reconstruction process of the Trabzon-Bayezid road in northeastern Anatolia. One of the goals of the road reform was to make provinces accessible to the capital city of Istanbul. The state also wanted to facilitate agriculture and commerce. Apart from these general concerns, many aspects of the Trabzon-Bayezid road project related to local needs and demands rather than the central government’s desire to modernize the country. These needs gave rise to both collaboration and tension among a variety of actors at local, provincial, and regional levels. These conflicts in turn gave birth to various struggles related to many political, economic, and social aspects of the road’s construction. These struggles sometimes lasted for decades and were eventually appeased through peaceful means while in other cases they ended up in violent rebellion. No matter what form they took, however, during this process Ottoman subjects gradually developed an understanding that acknowledged their rights as citizens of a modernizing state. Hence, road construction in the long run contributed to the political modernization of the empire and helped the locals actively contribute to the decision-making process. This observation in turn may enable scholars to develop a social perspective of the political processes within the empire that is usually regarded as an arena in which only the Western-educated elites of Istanbul were active.
RasGAP mediates neuronal survival inDrosophilathrough direct regulation of Rab5-dependent endocytosis
Authors: Rowshanravan Behzad , Woodcock Simon A. , Botella José A. , Kiermayer Claudia , Schneuwly Stephan , Hughes David A.
Published: May 2014

The GTPase Ras can either promote or inhibit cell survival. Inactivating mutations in RasGAP (vap), a Ras GTPase-activating protein, lead to age-related brain degeneration in Drosophila. Genetic interactions implicate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-Ras pathway in promoting neurodegeneration but the mechanism is not known. Here we show that the Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of RasGAP are essential for its neuroprotective function. By using affinity purification and mass spectrometry, we identify a complex containing RasGAP together with Sprint, a Ras effector and putative activator of the endocytic GTPase Rab5. Formation of the RasGAP-Sprint complex requires the SH2 domains of RasGAP and tyrosine phosphorylation of Sprint. RasGAP and Sprint co-localize with Rab5-positive early endosomes but not with Rab7-positive late endosomes. We demonstrate a key role for this interaction in neurodegeneration: mutation of Sprint (or Rab5) suppresses neuronal cell death caused by the loss of RasGAP. These results indicate that the long-term survival of adult neurons in Drosophila is critically dependent on the activities of two GTPases, Ras and Rab5, regulated by the interplay of RasGAP and Sprint.
A novel bidirectional positive feedback loop between Wnt/β-catenin and EGFR/ERK: role of context-specific signalling crosstalk in modulating epithelial tissue regeneration
Authors: Georgopoulos Nikolaos T , Kirkwood Lisa A , Southgate Jennifer
Published: May 2014

By operating as both a subunit of the cadherin complex and a key component of Wnt signalling, β-catenin constitutes the lynchpin between cell:cell contact and transcriptional regulation of proliferation to co-ordinate epithelial tissue homeostasis and regeneration. Integration of multiple growth-regulatory inputs with β-catenin signalling has been observed in cancer-derived cells, yet the existence of pathway cross-talk in normal cells is unknown. Using a highly-regenerative normal human epithelial culture system that displays contact-inhibition, we demonstrate that the RTK-driven MAPK and Wnt/β-catenin signalling axes form a bidirectional positive-feedback loop to drive cellular proliferation. We show that β-catenin both drives and is regulated by proliferative signalling cues and its down-regulation coincides with the switch from proliferation to contact-inhibited quiescence. We reveal a novel contextual interrelationship whereby positive and negative feedback between three major signalling pathways EGFR/ERK, PI3K/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin enable autocrine-regulated tissue homeostasis as an emergent property of physical interactions between cells. Our work has direct implications for normal epithelial tissue homeostasis and provides insight as to how dysregulation of these pathways may drive excessive and sustained cellular growth in disease.
Pupil dilation prediction of random events
Authors: Tressoldi Patrizio E , Martinelli Massimiliano , Semenzato Luca
Published: May 2014

We report the results of a conceptual replication of a study that reported that pupil dilation can predict potentially threatening random events above chance level. In this study, participants’ pupil dilation was used to predict the appearance of a threatening or a neutral stimulus, presented randomly in a double sequence of ten trials with replacement, i.e. replacing the chosen trial for the future extractions.

In the first experiment, with a sample of 100 participants, the average correct prediction was 55.9%, with a small difference between the two stimuli.

This effect was further tested in an exact pre-registered study where the average correct prediction was 58.7%. The reliability of these findings was checked utilizing both a frequentist and a Bayesian statistical parameters estimate approach.

These findings collectively support the hypothesis that pupil dilation can be used to anticipate random and therefore theoretically “unpredictable” events in an implicit unconscious way that is without a conscious awareness, and that this ability is another characteristic of the powerful anticipatory adaptive systems of our psychophysiological system.
THE EFFECT OF READING STRATEGIES ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE READING SKILLS OF STUDENTS
Authors: Rraku Vasilika
Published: May 2014

The purpose of this article is to emphasize the effect that the use of reading strategies can have on the improvement of foreign language reading skills. To indicate the effect of reading strategies on reading skills a study was carried out with university students, respectively eleven students of the second year and twelve students of the third year pursuing their English language studies at the University of Tirana. To this purpose, the students were introduced to different kinds of Reading texts and Close exercises in two different sessions. During the first session students were asked to do the exercises relying on their own knowledge about language and reading, and afterwards they were introduced to different kinds of reading strategies which they practiced for nearly a month. During the second session students were asked to do the new exercises based on the reading strategies they had learned. The results of the study pointed to a noticeable improvement of students’ reading skills once they had used reading strategies to do their exercises. As a conclusion, the article aims to point out that reading strategies are essential for the improvement of reading skills and they should be promoted in English language teaching.
The coverage of the Catalan conflict and nationalism in the Danish newspaper Politiken
Authors: Høeberg Helle Kettner
Published: May 2014

The aim of this article is to analyse the coverage of Catalan issues such as nationalism and secessionism and of the relationship and conflict between Catalonia and Spain in the Danish daily newspaper Politiken. The article focuses on what is published about Catalan identity, Catalan nationalism and its conflict with Spain, how it is published and, finally, why it is published in a Danish quality newspaper over a time period of five years (January 2008–December 2012). The analysis of the newspaper articles is complemented with in-depth interviews with four journalists at Politiken. The main conclusion of this research is that the contents relating to Catalan issues are dealt with in in-depth articles and reports providing context to their readers from a point of view neither predominantly Spanish nor Catalan.
Internet as a key tool for publics to communicate with organizations. The case of the Spanish energy sector
Authors: Oliveira Andrea , Capriotti Paul
Published: May 2014

The Internet has become one of the key digital media in recent decades, and that has generated significant changes in communication between organizations and publics. The different digital tools favour greater communicative interaction between them. The aim of this article is to assess the level of use of digital platforms by public companies in the energy sector in Spain, compared with the use of traditional means. The results indicate that publics make uneven use of digital tools to communicate with the organizations. Moreover, publics are increasingly using these digital tools at the expense of conventional tools to communicate with companies.
Filling the voids of memory: Alzheimer’s disease and recent history in Nedar and Bucarest, la memòria perduda
Authors: López Sonia García
Published: May 2014

After the Franco dictatorship, the politics of the past in Spain became a problematic issue. The work of mourning those defeated during the Spanish Civil War had to be postponed during Francoism and recovered during the transition to democracy, a process marked by intense public debates on the history and memory of the Spanish Civil War. During the course of the last decade, the grandchildren of the combatants started to literally unearth the dead and tried to recover their memory. The Catalan documentaries made in 2008, Nedar (Carla Subirana) and Bucarest, la memòria perduda (Albert Solé), give Alzheimer’s disease a key role in the storytelling of the recent past. This article deals with the representation of that disease, understood as a metaphor for the forgetting of history, and the historical and theoretical implications derived from the use of fiction and archival images as means of filling the voids of memory.
Minority language media studies beyond eurocentrism: Cormack’s seven conditions revisited
Authors: Uribe-Jongbloed Enrique
Published: May 2014

In an article that would later be considered the first step towards the development of the Minority Language Media (MLM) area of studies, Cormack provided a set of interlocking variables that he considered should be taken into account to assess the chances for success of MLM development. Since Cormack’s original remit was exclusive to Western Europe, and the area of studies of MLM has developed further worldwide, it becomes important to address whether those seven factors apply equally to other cases. This article tests those variables beyond the European context to assess the theoretical construct. It presents a comparison of the development of MLM outlets in Wales, a European case, and Colombia, an example of a non-European case, based on existing literature. Finally, the article proposes changes in two of the conditions and recommends a more open approach to assessing the conditions, in order for the theoretical construct to be applied elsewhere.
Collective identity, transmediality and glocalization: A reading of Jisàs de Netzerit, by Pau Riba
Authors: Picornell Mercè
Published: May 2014

This article examines the redefinition of the cultural references included in the Catalan cultural repertoire, a repertoire conditioned by the main processes of mixture that affect contemporary cultures: transmedia exchange and glocalization. These processes are exemplified in a Pau Riba Christmas performance titled Jisàs de Netzerit o el capítol zero de la Guerra de les Galàxies, a quite unclassifiable show that combines traditional, biblical and consumer cultural references to generate a critical allegory about contemporary Catalan society. The article analyses the uses of parody and hybridization in Riba’s show to discuss how cultural communities survive only if they are capable of finding strategies for the plural reconstruction of what is recognized as cultural heritage.
Building Spanish and Catalan identity in the debate on banning bullfighting
Authors: Perales Cristina , Thouverez Ludivine
Published: May 2014

Catalonia’s ban on bullfighting, which was passed by the Parliament in July 2010, caused a political and media commotion. This study analyses the arguments provided by the Spanish press with the aim of verifying how the media is involved in the conflict, accentuating the distance between advocates and abolitionists of the bullfighting tradition. The research compared editorials and opinion articles in Catalan and Spanish leading newspapers, taking a discursive approach. The authors defend that the comment columns did not add new perspectives to stories compared with the opinions offered by the editorials of the newspapers and that these displayed the bullfighting debate as a pretext for reaffirming their position with regard to identity. After conducting a discursive analysis, the authors state that the media is understood to be a political player whose actions influence the evolution of the conflict. This can be done by means of the (de)legitimization of both, the discursively implied participants and their actions. The discursive approach will be followed in order to uncover how ideological beliefs are spread and how the selected newspapers help to construct identity.
New fictional constructions of masculinity in love relationships: A case study of the Catalan TV series Porca Misèria
Authors: Aran-Ramspott Sue , Medina-Bravo Pilar , Rodrigo-Alsina Miquel , Munté Ramos Rosa-Auria
Published: May 2014

Our research utilizes a gender studies perspective in the context of television fiction research to investigate the models of the forms of masculinity and relationships that arise through the analysis of the Catalan TV series Porca Misèria/Pig Misery (Joan 2004). The methodology followed is to carry out a quantitative and qualitative textual film analysis of the male characters based on a scale, in order to evaluate the components of the love relationships. The conclusion that emerges provides four different modes of masculinity (dialogic, narcissistic, caring and Don Juan masculinity) and, accordingly, four different styles of heterosexual love relationships: ‘bonding love’; ‘inclusive love’; ‘caring love’ and ‘Donjuanesque love’. This constitutes a further step towards the future portrayal of men in TV series that manages to steer clear of clichéd representations and is more in tune with the new social realities of masculinity.
Procedimentos de autoria na produção de textos escritos
Authors: Fortunato Márcia Vescovi
Published: May 2014

O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever os procedimentos de autoria em uso durante o processo de produção de textos, a partir do momento em que se apresenta ao escritor uma demanda pela produção de um texto escrito. Para a realização desse propósito, este trabalho fundamentou-se no modelo de processo cognitivo de produção de textos formulado por Linda Flower e John R. Hayes e na concepção de autoria proposta por Mikhail Bakhtin. Trata-se de uma investigação de cunho bibliográfico, que descreve procedimentos de autoria no plano teórico, com o propósito de fundamentar e gerar novas pesquisas para o aprofundamento de questões relacionadas ao tema.
Redigindo textos, assimilando a palavra do outro
Authors: Nóbrega Maria José
Published: May 2014

Sustentando a tese de que a autoria possa emergir de atividades que envolvam a paráfrase e, portanto, relativizando a ideia de uma autoria absoluta, porque o sujeito ao escrever opera com as restrições impostas pelos gêneros, o objetivo do artigo é demonstrar as possibilidades do trabalho com categorias didáticas para a produção de textos: transcrição, reprodução, decalque e autoria, como instrumentos para permitir que osalunos possam, efetivamente, se inscrever na cultura letrada.
Educação: um direito prioritário
Authors: Dias Marília Costa
Published: May 2014

O tema educação para todos vem sendo discutido nas duas últimas décadas com muita intensidade, e são muitos os esforços, tanto no Brasil como no mundo, no sentido de garantir o direito de todos a um processo de escolarização com qualidade. Esse artigo é resultado de um estudo bibliográfico sobre o direito à educação, como direito humano prioritário, tendo como foco o direito à educação para as pessoas com deficiência. Primeiramente, são apresentadas algumas contribuições sobre os direitos humanos como base da discussão sobre o direito à educação. Em seguida, o texto aborda como esse direito é expresso na legislação brasileira enos documentos internacionais, e coloca em discussão alguns aspectos relacionados à exigibilidade do mesmo.
Fundamentos teóricos para a formação de professores: a prática reflexiva
Authors: Jalbut Magdalena Viggiani
Published: May 2014

Este artigo traz reflexões sobre a formação do professor como prático reflexivo, tendo como referência teórica a concepção da racionalidade prática de Schön (2000; 1995; 1983), com contribuições acerca do ofício docente de Zeichner (1993), Pérez Gómez (1995), Claxton (2005), Canário (2003), Nóvoa (1995) e Giroux (1997). Fazendo contraposição ao modelo da racionalidade técnica, aponta o ensino das artes, que considera oaprender fazendo, como modelo de racionalidade prática no qual alunos e professores têm a oportunidade de refletir criticamente sobre a sua atuação.
Tem gente nova na escola: os benefícios do Pibid para o espaço escolar
Authors: Rosa Kaciana Silveira , Mattos Laércio
Published: May 2014

O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar a repercussão do Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência (Pibid), e relata os benefícios que as escolas parceiras do programa vêm alcançando por meio da interação entre alunos bolsistas do Pibid e professores da Educação Básica. Com essa proposta, nossa pesquisa, predominantemente de cunho qualitativo, consistiu na análise e interpretação dos dados coletados com alunas bolsistas e supervisores do Pibid, por meio do estudo de três categorias analíticas: mudanças nos professores da escola; mudanças nos alunos da escola; e mudanças na escola de uma forma geral. Essa investigação nos permitiu constatar que o Pibid constituiu uma forma de proporcionar aos alunos da licenciatura uma oportunidade de vivenciar a prática docente em um formato diferente dos estágios supervisionados, além de contribuir para que as escolas parceiras busquem uma prática em constante processo de reflexão e transformação que enriqueça a aprendizagem dos seus alunos. Entende-se, por fim, que o Pibid é um espaço de convivência, socialização de experiências e construção da identidade docente tanto para os alunos bolsistas, quanto para os professores da Educação Básica.
Métodos e procedimentos utilizados na educação especial na perspectiva da educação inclusiva
Authors: Santos Ariane Martins , Rodrigues Maria Do Rosário de Fátima
Published: May 2014

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi conhecer os métodos e procedimentos utilizados na educação especial na perspectiva da educação inclusiva. Trata-se de um estudo de caso. Participaram oito professoras e um aluno com deficiência visual de uma classe do 7º ano do ensino fundamental de uma instituição de ensino regular privada. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com os professores e o aluno participante, além de uma observação de cada disciplina. Os resultados evidenciaram a insuficiência de métodos e de procedimentos eficazes na inclusão desse aluno. Os profissionais da educação dessa instituição não se mostraram conhecedores dos recursos que podem utilizar para desenvolver um trabalho com os alunos com necessidades educativas especiais. Pôde-se perceber que o processo de inclusão se encontra ambivalente, pois é exposto e discutido na organização escolar, mas os indivíduos que fazem parte dessa instituição não a praticam por falta de conhecimento e insegurança.