bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unique presentation of a primary pleomorphic sarcoma of the left atrium
Authors: Lake Alexis , Ashraf Omer , Maywald Rachel , Jalali Homayoun
Published: March 2014

This report describes an extremely rare cause of a common presentation. A 59-year-old man who presented with symptoms of progressive cardiac failure, was demonstrated to have a large left intraatrial mass on computed tomography pulmonary angiography and an echocardiogram. He proceeded to urgent surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. Histology of the resected mass diagnosed primary pleomorphic sarcoma of the left atrium. This exceedingly rare malignancy has a poor prognosis and often presents with nonspecific symptoms. Echocardiography remains vital in diagnosis, and treatment is primarily surgical excision, with some reports of adjuvant chemotherapy.
Um . . . Who Like Says You Know
Authors: Laserna Charlyn M. , Seih Yi-Tai , Pennebaker James W.
Published: March 2014

Filler words ( I mean, you know, like, uh, um) are commonly used in spoken conversation. The authors analyzed these five filler words from transcripts recorded by a device called the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR), which sampled participants’ language use in daily conversations over several days. By examining filler words from 263 transcriptions of natural language from five separate studies, the current research sought to clarify the psychometric properties of filler words. An exploratory factor analysis extracted two factors from the five filler words: filled pauses ( uh, um) and discourse markers ( I mean, you know, like). Overall, filled pauses were used at comparable rates across genders and ages. Discourse markers, however, were more common among women, younger participants, and more conscientious people. These findings suggest that filler word use can be considered a potential social and personality marker.
Individual Sensitivity to the Frequency of Socially Meaningful Linguistic Cues Affects Language Attitudes
Authors: Wagner Suzanne Evans , Hesson Ashley
Published: March 2014

In forming an impression of a speaker, listeners are attentive to the frequency of nonstandard language features, using it to calibrate their judgments. We show that the ability to track and socially evaluate nonstandard variant frequency is subject to individual differences. Listeners judged an aspiring newscaster on the standardness of her speech in a series of read-aloud passages that had been manipulated for proportional frequency of a nonstandard pronunciation. Judgments of conditions at the poles of the frequency continuum were predicted by listener sociodemographic factors. For conditions in the middle of the frequency continuum, listener judgments were predicted by Broader Autism Phenotype Questionnaire scores for communication skills. Language attitudes may therefore be affected by both social and cognitive listener attributes, where cognitive attributes are most relevant for ambiguous inputs.
Questioning the Assumptions of Deception Research
Authors: Van Swol Lyn M.
Published: March 2014

This article responds to Truth Default Theory (TDT) and Information Manipulation Theory II (IMT2). First, I discuss assumptions made by previous research on deception that TDT or IMT2 question. For example, TDT questions the assumption that nonverbal behaviors are important for detecting deception, and IMT2 questions the assumption that deception requires additional cognitive effort. Given TDT’s emphasis on context, I note that additional research is needed to identify antecedents of truth and lies. Furthermore, more research is needed to identify the characteristics of transparent liars. One suggestion is to integrate transparent liar research with IMT2’s proposition IM6. Further suggestions are offered about integrating research on prolific liars with IMT2 and integrating research on cognitive load and deception with IMT2.
Acute wiiitis representing as thrombosis of the inferior vena cava and left pelvic veins
Authors: Brodmann M , Gary T , Hafner F , Eller P , Deutschmann H , Pilger E , Seinost G
Published: March 2014

Deep venous thrombosis as a result of venous wall injury provoked by trauma is a common finding. It often occurs in patients with sportive overstraining, caused by over fatigue of the body structures. In 2007, the entity of “acute wiiitis” was first described in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine. Acute wiiitis sums up all affections, mainly skeletal and muscle affections, provoked by playing Nintendo Wii, a very common and loved video-game system. Deep venous thrombosis as a consequence of Nintendo Wii has not been described so far. We present a patient with a massive free floating thrombus of the left pelvic veins originating from the gluteal veins and reaching into the inferior vena cava after playing Nintendo Wii.
The inferior emissary vein: a reliable landmark for right adrenal vein sampling
Authors: Kohi Maureen P , Agarwal Vishal K , Naeger David M , Taylor Andrew G , Kolli K Pallav , Fidelman Nicholas , LaBerge Jeanne M , Kerlan Robert K
Published: March 2014

Background

Right adrenal vein (RAV) catheterization can be a very challenging step in adrenal venous sampling (AVS). Visualization of the inferior emissary vein (IEV) may be an indication of successful RAV catheterization.

Purpose

To compare the rate of successful RAV sampling in the presence of the IEV.

Material and Methods

Retrospective review of all consecutive patients with PA who underwent AVS between April 2009 and April 2012 was performed. A total of 30 patients were identified. Procedural images, cortisol, and aldosterone values obtained from sampling of the RAV and inferior vena cava (IVC) were reviewed. Cortisol measurements obtained from RAV samples were divided by measurements from the infra-renal IVC blood samples in order to calculate the selectivity index (SI). An SI >3 was considered indicative of technically successful RAV sampling.

Results

RAV sampling was considered technically successful in 29 out of 30 cases (97%). In cases of successful RAV sampling (29 patients), the IEV was identified in 25 patients (86%). The IEV was visualized in isolation in 16 patients (64%), and in conjunction with visualization of the RAV or right adrenal gland stain in nine patients (36%). The IEV was not visualized in the one case of unsuccessful RAV sampling. Visualizing the IEV had a sensitivity of 86.2% for successful RAV sampling.

Conclusion

The IEV may serve as a reliable landmark for the RAV during RAV sampling.
Bosniak classification system: inter-observer and intra-observer agreement among experienced uroradiologists
Authors: Graumann Ole , Osther Susanne S , Karstoft Jens , Hørlyck Arne , Osther Palle JS
Published: March 2014

Background

The Bosniak classification is a diagnostic tool for the differentiation of cystic changes in the kidney. The process of categorizing renal cysts may be challenging, involving a series of decisions that may affect the final diagnosis and clinical outcome such as surgical management.

Purpose

To investigate the inter- and intra-observer agreement among experienced uroradiologists when categorizing complex renal cysts according to the Bosniak classification.

Material and Methods

The original categories of 100 cystic renal masses were chosen as “Gold Standard” (GS), established in consensus by two experienced uroradiologists. Three experienced uroradiological readers were blinded from the previous CT reports. Weighted κ was calculated to assess agreement, defined as: fair, 0.21–0.40; moderate, 0.41–0.60; good, 0.61–0.80; and very good, 0.81–1.00.

Results

For readers the distribution of correctly classified lesions were as follows: BI, 95–100%; BII, 59–93%; BIIF, 54–92%; BIII, 58–95%; and B IV, 77–100% for the first review. Weighted κ for inter-observer/intra-observer variation was for Reader A: 0.85/0.99, Reader B: 0.97/0.99, and Reader C: 0.98/0.99, ( P ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

According to the calculated weighted κ all readers performed “very good” for both inter-observer and intra-observer variation. Most variation was seen in cysts catagorized as Bosniak II, IIF, and III. These results show that radiologists who evaluate complex renal cysts routinely may apply the Bosniak classification reproducibly.
Optimal distinctiveness and adolescent music appreciation: Development of music- and image-related typicality scales
Authors: Cohrdes Caroline , Kopiez Reinhard
Published: March 2014

The present research examines adolescents’ appreciation of popular music and musicians against the background of the Optimal Distinctiveness Theory (ODT; Brewer, 1991). Within the framework of ODT, adolescents should favour music which maintains a balance between feelings of inclusion and distinctiveness (Abrams, 2009). Our research contributes to ODT by developing a diagnostic instrument, focusing on both the music and image, in order to measure objectively the degree of typicality. We hypothesized typicality is an essential factor which indicates an optimal level of distinctiveness of musical and personal style and thus predicts music appreciation in terms of a social identity. In the studies, adolescent participants evaluated different songs and images from actual popular music. Based on the methods of Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT), we identified 11 items to determine the typicality of music stimuli and 5 items to determine the typicality of musicians’ images. The results show that typicality is a reliable predictor of optimal distinctiveness and adolescent music appreciation ( p < .01). Finally, we discuss additional experimental use of these scales and implications for research in the context of adolescents’ musical identities.
Moonlight Detection by Drosophila’s Endogenous Clock Depends on Multiple Photopigments in the Compound Eyes
Authors: Schlichting Matthias , Grebler Rudi , Peschel Nicolai , Yoshii Taishi , Helfrich-Förster Charlotte
Published: March 2014

Many organisms change their activity on moonlit nights. Even the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster responds to moonlight with a shift of activity into the night, at least under laboratory conditions. The compound eyes have been shown to be essential for the perception of moonlight, but it is unknown which of the 5 rhodopsins in the eyes are responsible for the observed moonlight effects. Here, we show that the outer (R1-R6) and inner (R7 and R8) photoreceptor cells in a fly’s ommatidium interact in a complex manner to provoke the moonlight effects on locomotor activity. The shift of the evening activity peak into the night depends on several rhodopsins in the inner and outer photoreceptor cells. The increase in relative nocturnal activity in response to moonlight is mainly mediated by the rhodopsin 6–expressing inner photoreceptor cell R8 together with the rhodopsin 1–expressing outer receptor cells (R1-R6), whereas just rhodopsin 1 of R1 to R6 seems necessary for increasing nocturnal activity in response to increasing daylight intensity.
The Tau Mutation of Casein Kinase 1ϵ Sets the Period of the Mammalian Pacemaker via Regulation of Period1 or Period2 Clock Proteins
Authors: Maywood E.S. , Chesham J.E. , Smyllie N.J. , Hastings M.H.
Published: March 2014

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is the principal circadian pacemaker in mammals, coordinating daily metabolic and physiological rhythms with the cycle of sleep and wakefulness. SCN neurons define circadian time via an auto-regulatory feedback loop in which the activation of Period ( Per) and Cryptochrome genes is periodically suppressed by their own protein products. Casein kinase 1 (CK1) enzymes have a critical role in circadian pacemaking because they phosphorylate PER proteins and thereby direct their proteasomal degradation. In human pedigrees, individual mutations in either hCK1 or hPER2 lead to advanced sleep phase disorders, whereas in rodents, the Tau mutation of CK1 epsilon (CK1ϵ Tau) accelerates rest-activity cycles and shortens the period of the SCN molecular pacemaker. Biochemical analyses of recombinant PER proteins in cultured cells and endogenous proteins in peripheral tissues have identified PER1 and PER2, but not PER3, as direct substrates of CK1ϵ. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine the relative contributions of endogenous PER proteins to the period-accelerating effects of CK1ϵ Tau, both in vivo and in vitro. CK1ϵ Tau mice were mated onto Per1-, Per2-, and Per1- Per2 ( Per1/2) double-null backgrounds, in all cases carrying the Per1-luciferase bioluminescent circadian reporter gene. Mice lacking both PER1 and PER2 were behaviorally arrhythmic, confirming the inadequacy of PER3 as a circadian factor. Individual loss of either PER1 or PER2 had no significant effect on the circadian period or quality of wheel-running behavior, and CK1ϵ Tau accelerated behavioral rhythms in both Per1- and Per2-null mice. CK1ϵ Tau also accelerated in vitro molecular pacemaking in SCN lacking either PER1 or PER2, with a greater effect in PER2-dependent (i.e., Per1-null) SCN than in PER1-dependent slices. In double-null slices, some SCN were arrhythmic, whereas others exhibited transient rhythms, which trended nonsignificantly toward a shorter period. Both short-period and long-period rhythms could be identified in individual SCN neurons imaged by charge-coupled device camera. CK1ϵ Tau had no effect, however, on SCN-level or individual neuronal rhythms in the absence of PER1 and PER2. Thus, the CK1ϵ Tau allele has divergent actions, acting via both endogenous PER1 and PER2, but not PER3 protein, to mediate its circadian actions in vivo. Moreover, PER-independent cellular oscillations may contribute to pacemaking, but they are unstable and imprecise, and are not affected by the Tau mutation.
Effects of Caffeine on Skin and Core Temperatures, Alertness, and Recovery Sleep During Circadian Misalignment
Authors: McHill Andrew W. , Smith Benjamin J. , Wright Kenneth P.
Published: March 2014

Caffeine promotes wakefulness during night shift work, although it also disturbs subsequent daytime sleep. Increased alertness by caffeine is associated with a higher core body temperature (CBT). A lower CBT and a narrow distal-to-proximal skin temperature gradient (DPG) have been reported to be associated with improved sleep, yet whether caffeine influences the DPG is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that the use caffeine during nighttime total sleep deprivation would reduce the DPG, increase CBT and alertness, and disturb subsequent daytime recovery sleep. We also expected that a greater widening of the DPG prior to sleep would be associated with a greater degree of sleep disturbance. Thirty healthy adults (9 females) aged 21.6 ± 3.5 years participated in a double-blind, 28-h modified constant routine protocol. At 23 h of wakefulness, participants in the treatment condition ( n = 10) were given 2.9 mg/kg caffeine, equivalent to ~200 mg (or 2 espressos) for a 70-kg adult, 5 h before a daytime recovery sleep episode. Throughout the protocol, core and skin body temperatures, DPG, sleep architecture, and subjective alertness and mood were measured. Prior to sleep, caffeine significantly widened the DPG and increased CBT, alertness, and clear-headedness ( p < 0.05). Caffeine also disturbed daytime recovery sleep ( p < 0.05). Increased CBT and a wider DPG prior to sleep were associated with a longer latency to sleep, and a wider DPG was associated with disturbed recovery sleep (i.e., increased wakefulness after sleep onset, increased stage 1 sleep, decreased sleep efficiency, and decreased slow wave sleep) ( p < 0.05). A widening of the DPG following nighttime caffeine may represent a component of the integrated physiological response by which caffeine improves alertness and disturbs subsequent daytime recovery sleep. Furthermore, our findings highlight that sleep disturbances associated with caffeine consumed near the circadian trough of alertness are still present when daytime recovery sleep occurs 5 h or approximately 1 half-life later.
High-Dose Glucocorticoid Therapy in the Management of Seizures in Neonatal Incontinentia Pigmenti
Authors: Wolf David S. , Golden W. Christopher , Hoover-Fong Julie , Applegate Carolyn , Cohen Bernard A. , Germain-Lee Emily L. , Goldberg Morton F. , Crawford Thomas O. , Gauda Estelle B.
Published: March 2014

Incontinentia pigmenti is an X-linked dominant disorder resulting from a mutation of IKBKG. This disorder has a classic dermatologic presentation, but neurologic involvement, with seizures and cortical infarction, can arise shortly after birth. There are no specific therapies available for the manifestations of incontinentia pigmenti. Here, we describe the clinical, electrographic, and neuroradiologic effect of systemic glucocorticoid therapy in a neonate with incontinentia pigmenti manifesting an epileptic encephalopathy. Treatment with dexamethasone led to a dramatic reduction in seizure activity and improvement in bullous lesions. A novel mutation in IKBKG is also reported.
Evaluation of polycaprolactone matrices for the intravaginal delivery of metronidazole in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis
Authors: Pathak Meenakshi , Turner Mark , Palmer Cheryn , Coombes Allan GA
Published: March 2014

Microporous, poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) matrices loaded with the antibacterial, metronidazole were produced by rapidly cooling suspensions of drug powder in PCL solutions in acetone. Drug incorporation in the matrices increased from 2.0% to 10.6% w/w on raising the drug loading of the PCL solution from 5% to 20% w/w measured with respect to the PCL content. Drug loading efficiencies of 40–53% were obtained. Rapid ‘burst release’ of 35–55% of the metronidazole content was recorded over 24 h when matrices were immersed in simulated vaginal fluid (SVF), due to the presence of large amounts of drug on matrix surface as revealed by Raman microscopy. Gradual release of around 80% of the drug content occurred over the following 12 days. Metronidazole released from PCL matrices in SVF retained antimicrobial activity against Gardnerella vaginalis in vitro at levels up to 97% compared to the free drug. Basic modelling predicted that the concentrations of metronidazole released into vaginal fluid in vivo from a PCL matrix in the form of an intravaginal ring would exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration of metronidazole against G. vaginalis. These findings recommend further investigation of PCL matrices as intravaginal devices for controlled delivery of metronidazole in the treatment and prevention of bacterial vaginosis.
Institutional Reforms and Moravian Identity in the Czech Republic
Authors: Murphy Roger
Published: March 2014

In the first federal and national elections after the collapse of communism in Czechoslovakia, supporters for Moravian autonomy achieved significant levels of representation and obtained nearly a quarter of the vote in Moravia itself. This movement was short-lived. The Czech Republic would not become a federal state and the Moravian movement disintegrated. Scholars have suggested that the Moravian movement was a temporary phenomenon linked to the collapse of communism. It is argued in this article that the economic, historical and cultural bases for a Moravian movement pre-date the post-communist euphoria. Instead, the decline of the movement can be attributed in part to governmental decisions motivated by a fear of further state disintegration after the creation of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Institutional changes with the creation of the Senate and the Kraj have been explained by party politics and by Czech–EU relations. In this article, it is argued that these reforms were also motivated by a desire to weaken Moravian identity. The Moravian autonomy movement has collapsed but economic, historical, and cultural distinctions remain. Furthermore, despite these reforms, there are differences in the electoral behavior of Moravians and Bohemian that could serve as the potential base for future regional mobilization.
Health and Grandparent–Grandchild Well-Being
Authors: Hayslip Bert , Blumenthal Heidemarie , Garner Ashley
Published: March 2014

Objective: Comparatively little longitudinal data exist focusing on grandparent caregiving, to say nothing of health’s impact over time on grandparent and grandchild well-being. Accordingly, the present study explored relationships among grandparent caregiver physical health, well-being, and adjustment, as well as with grandchild well-being across a 1-year period. Method: Participants were 79 grandparents who had full-time responsibility for their grandchildren. Measures of grandparent physical health, well-being, and grandchild well-being were completed across two assessments, 1 year apart. Results: Cross-lagged analyses exploring potential causality over time suggested that with one exception, the relationships between health and well-being appeared to be bidirectional. Discussion: In general, these longitudinal data indicate that better perceived health may provide an adaptive advantage for both grandparent caregivers and their grandchildren, yet also underscore to the potentially causal role that proactivity in the face of adversity plays in the maintenance and improvement of grandparent caregiver health over time.
Effects of Cognitive Speed of Processing Training Among Older Adults With Heart Failure
Authors: Ellis Michelle L. , Edwards Jerri D. , Peterson Lindsay , Roker Rosalyn , Athilingam Ponrathi
Published: March 2014

Objective: Cognitive deficits pose serious problems for older adults with heart failure (HF). Cognitive speed of processing training improves cognition among older adults but has not been examined among older adults with HF. Method: Data from the ACTIVE study were used to examine the effects of cognitive speed of processing training on cognitive and functional performance among older adults with HF. Results: Of the 54 participants included in the analyses, 23 who were randomized to cognitive training performed significantly better on a composite of everyday speed of processing from pre- to post-training compared with 31 participants who were randomized to the control group, F(1, 51) = 28.67, p ≤ .001, [Formula: see text] = .360. Discussion: Results indicate that speed of processing training may improve everyday cognitive performance among older adults with HF. Future studies should investigate the longitudinal effects of cognitive training with HF patients.
Thermal investigation of Cu–water nanofluid between two vertical planes
Authors: Mohammadian E , Ghasemi SE , Poorgashti H , Hosseini M , Ganji DD
Published: March 2014

In this paper, the natural convection of a non-Newtonian Cu–water nanofluid between two infinite parallel vertical flat plates is investigated. The basic partial differential equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations which are solved analytically using homotopy perturbation method. The comparison between the results from homotopy perturbation and numerical methods are in good agreement which proves the capability of this method for solving this problem. The effects of the nanoparticle volume fraction, dimensionless non-Newtonian viscosity and Eckert number on flow and heat transfer characteristics are examined. The results show that as nanoparticle volume fraction increases, the momentum boundary layer thickness increases with the decrease in the thermal boundary layer thickness.
Design of liquid-propellant engine using collaborative optimization and evolutionary algorithms
Authors: Darabi Hossein , Roshanian Jafar , Zare Hadi
Published: March 2014

Multidisciplinary design optimization is one of the modern design methods. It was developed in several different structures and used to solve some of the theoretical and applied problems. Collaborative optimization is one of the structures of bi-level multidisciplinary design optimization. It comprises system level and discipline level, which is used to solve engineering complex problems. Collaborative optimization structure maximizes options of discrete disciplines and provides a mechanism for coordinating design problem at system level. The present research discusses capability of the collaborative optimization method to solve multidisciplinary problems aiming at reducing the weight of a liquid-propellant system. It is realized by implementing a propellant system design comprising an engine and consumption of fuel and oxidizer. To do this, we calculated engine parameters through response surface methodology. The calculation parameters were optimized by applying a response surface and an engine structure design in the collaborative optimization process at the same time in the form of combustion, geometry, and weight (structure) problems with the evolutionary algorithms. Finally, we compared the obtained results with the reference results and specified the optimization rate achieved for the values of variables. The values included pressure increase of combustion, specific impulse, engine mass reduction, rate of fuel and oxidizer consumption with fixed thrust, and burn time.
Physiological and Behavioral Responses Reveal 9-Month-Old Infants’ Sensitivity to Pleasant Touch
Authors: Fairhurst Merle T. , Löken Line , Grossmann Tobias
Published: March 2014

Caregiving touch has been shown to be essential for the growth and development of human infants. However, the physiological and behavioral mechanisms that underpin infants’ sensitivity to pleasant touch are still poorly understood. In human adults, a subclass of unmyelinated peripheral nerve fibers has been shown to respond preferentially to medium-velocity soft brushing. It has been theorized that this privileged pathway for pleasant touch is used for close affiliative interactions with conspecific individuals, especially between caregivers and infants. To test whether human infants are sensitive to pleasant touch, we examined arousal (heart rate) and attentional engagement (gaze shifts and duration of looks) to varying velocities of brushing (slow, medium, and fast) in 9-month-old infants. Our results provide physiological and behavioral evidence that sensitivity to pleasant touch emerges early in development and therefore plays an important role in regulating human social interactions.
Fluid dynamics of a gas turbine wheel-space with ingestion
Authors: Sangan Carl M , Lalwani Yogesh , Owen J Michael , Lock Gary D
Published: March 2014

This paper discusses the flow structure in typical rotor–stator systems with ingress and egress. Measurements of concentration, velocity and pressure were made using a rotating-disc rig which experimentally simulated hot gas ingestion into the wheel-space of an axial turbine stage. Externally-induced ingress through rim seals was generated from the non-axisymmetric pressures produced by the flow over the vanes and blades in the external annulus. Measurements were conducted using several single- and double-seal geometries and for a range of sealing flow rates and rotational speeds. The concentration measurements showed that the amount of ingress, which increased with decreasing sealing flow rate, depended on the seal geometry. The swirl velocity in the fluid core increased with decreasing sealing-flow rate, but outside the outer region in the wheel-space, it was largely unaffected by the seal geometry or by the amount of ingress. The radial distribution of static pressure, calculated from the measured swirl velocity in the core, was in good agreement with the pressures measured on the stator. The data for the double seals demonstrated that the ingested gas was predominately confined to the region between the seals near the periphery of the wheel-space; in the inner wheel-space, the effectiveness is shown to be significantly higher. The results are of direct relevance to the engine designer who uses complex rim seals often designed through computational fluid dynamics. The designer needs to know how much sealing air is required to prevent ingress, what is the effect of ingress on metal temperature and stresses, and how these factors are governed by the flow structure in the wheel-space.
Thinking postmodern and practising in the enlightenment: Managing uncertainty in the treatment of children and adolescents
Authors: Wren Bernadette
Published: March 2014

In this paper, I explore how postmodern ideas about gender may impact on clinicians working with gender variant children and adolescents. The postmodern turn has built on the feminist rejection of the idea of ‘essential’ gender, to further interrogate accepted conceptions of sex and gender and the stability of all identity categories. Some queer theorists have taken a further step, viewing all gender as fictional and artificial and celebrating the subversive potential of transgender identities. However, those working clinically with trans adolescents may experience a troubling tension between, on the one hand, a view of sex and gender categorisations as undecidable and fragmented (as postmodern theory suggests), and, on the other hand, the apparent need of many for a coherent and settled sense of self. In particular, how do we justify supporting trans youngsters to move towards treatment involving irreversible physical change, while ascribing to a highly tentative and provisional account of how we come to identify and live as gendered? I conclude that the meaning of trans rests on no demonstrable foundational truths but is constantly being shaped and re-shaped in our social world. Clinicians must be accountable in this process; far from succumbing to a paralysing relativism, the task for clinicians is to be highly attuned to our young clients’ complex narratives and to question our complex investments in the positions we adopt.
Chinese Students’ Choice of Transnational Higher Education in a Globalized Higher Education Market
Authors: Fang Wenhong , Wang Shen
Published: March 2014

This research studies Chinese students’ choice of transnational higher education in the context of the higher education market. Through a case study of the students in the transnational higher education programs of W University, the research finds that Chinese students’ choice of transnational higher education is a complicated decision-making that is influenced by push factors related to domestic higher education and overseas higher education, pull factors related to transnational higher education and student’s characteristics such as economic condition, academic aptitude, and future plans. Compared with domestic higher education and overseas higher education, transnational higher education is a second choice. It is being used by the majority of students as a tool to regain access to high-quality domestic higher education institutions and to gain access to overseas higher education. Currently, there exist information gaps between students and transnational higher education programs, which prevent students from making an informed decision when they choose a particular program.
What You Find Depends on Where You Look
Authors: Hibdon Julie , Groff Elizabeth R.
Published: March 2014

Geographically targeting law enforcement at drug hot spots is a common response to drug problems, but because they are generated with police data, they only reflect what the police already know about narcotics crime. In this study, we illustrate the importance of using multiple data sets to characterize the micro-spatial distribution of illicit drug events in Seattle, Washington, by examining and comparing the Seattle Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) calls and Seattle Police Department’s crime incidents in 2004. We find that both EMS calls and police incidents indicate illicit drug use is concentrated at a small number of street segments, yet their spatial patterning is different. Together, the two data sources identify new street segments as “hot places” of drug use suggesting that law enforcement agencies should incorporate EMS data to more accurately locate drug hot spots.
Role of Doxycycline in Clostridium difficile Infection Acquisition
Authors: Turner R. Brigg , Smith Carmen B. , Martello Jay L. , Slain Douglas
Published: March 2014

Objective:To evaluate and review the literature surrounding the potential protective benefit of tetracyclines, particularly doxycycline, in reducing Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) acquisition. Data Sources: MEDLINE/PubMed, Google Scholar, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched through January 2014 using the search terms doxycycline, tetracycline, and Clostridium difficile. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Relevant studies, case reports, and review articles were screened for inclusion. Bibliographies of articles were extensively reviewed for additional sources. Data Synthesis: Doxycycline is a second-generation tetracycline antibiotic indicated for use in a variety of clinical syndromes and has activity against aerobic Gram-positive and -negative, anaerobic, and atypical bacteria as well as protozoan parasites. Although not used therapeutically to treat CDI, doxycycline may prevent or attenuate the virulence factors of toxigenic C difficile. Current literature does not indicate an increased risk of development of CDI with doxycycline use. In 3 retrospective studies, the use of doxycycline was associated with a protective effect. Conclusions: Doxycycline has been shown to have potential protective effects against the development of CDI. Although further randomized placebo-controlled studies are needed, available data suggest that the use of doxycycline in place of alternative antimicrobials, when appropriate, may be a useful antimicrobial stewardship strategy aimed at reducing the incidence of CDI.
Parental Power–Prestige and the Effects of Paternal Versus Maternal Acceptance on the Psychological Adjustment of Chinese Adolescents
Authors: Li Xuan
Published: March 2014

This study examined the moderating influence of parental power and prestige on the relationship between parental acceptance and the psychological adjustment of Chinese adolescents. Data were collected from 335 urban Chinese adolescents (45% boys) ages 11 through 16 ( M = 13.57 years). The adolescents responded to questionnaires measuring their perceptions of parental power and prestige, parental acceptance–rejection, and their own psychological adjustment. Results suggest that both sons and daughters tended to perceive their parents to be loving (accepting), and they perceived their parents to be approximately equal in interpersonal power and prestige. In addition, both sons and daughters self-reported fair psychological adjustment. Both maternal and paternal acceptances—but not parental power or prestige—were significantly correlated with sons’ and daughters’ psychological adjustment. However, hierarchical regression analysis showed that only perceived maternal acceptance made a unique (independent) contribution to sons’ psychological adjustment, whereas both maternal and paternal acceptance made unique contributions to daughters’ adjustment. Finally, the relationship between perceived parental acceptance and adolescents’ psychological adjustment was not moderated by either parental power or prestige.
Effects of Perceived Parental Acceptance–Rejection and Interpersonal Power–Prestige on the Psychological Adjustment of Croatian Adolescents
Authors: Glavak-Tkalić Renata , Kukolja-Cicmanović Rebeka
Published: March 2014

This article explored the effects of perceived maternal and paternal acceptance, parental power, and parental prestige on adolescents’ psychological adjustment. The sample consisted of 269 high school students (48% boys) ages 15 through 19 years ( M = 15.75) from Zagreb, Croatia. The measures used were the child versions of the Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire for mothers and fathers, the youth version of the Parental Power–Prestige Questionnaire, and the child version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire. Perceived maternal and paternal acceptances were significantly correlated with youth’s psychological adjustment. Paternal acceptance, power, and prestige were positively intercorrelated among males. Maternal acceptance, power, and prestige were negatively intercorrelated among females. Neither power nor prestige was correlated with youth’s psychological adjustment. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both perceived maternal and paternal acceptance made significant independent contributions to the psychological adjustment of both males and females. Finally, parental power made an independent contribution to females’ (but not males’) psychological adjustment. Neither power nor prestige moderated the relation between perceived parental acceptance and youth’s psychological adjustment.
Perceived Parental Acceptance and Psychological Adjustment
Authors: Giotsa Artemis , Touloumakos Anna K.
Published: March 2014

A sample of 168 children ages 7 through 12 years ( M = 10.49 years) from Northern Greece (47.9% boys) was drawn to explore whether interpersonal power or prestige moderated relationships between paternal and/or maternal acceptances and children’s psychological adjustment. Child versions of the Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire (mother and father forms), the Personality Assessment Questionnaire, and the youth version of the Parental Power–Prestige Questionnaire were used. Both boys’ and girls’ psychological adjustment was significantly correlated with perceived paternal acceptance, but only girls’ adjustment was significantly correlated with maternal acceptance. In addition, girls’ perceptions of parental prestige were negatively correlated with paternal acceptance. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that boys’ adjustment was marginally predicted by their perception of paternal (but not maternal) acceptance, whereas girls’ adjustment was uniquely and significantly predicted by their perception of maternal (but not paternal) acceptance. Finally, parental prestige moderated the relationship between perceived maternal acceptance and both boys’ and girls’ psychological adjustment.
Relationships Between Parental Power, Prestige, and Acceptance, and the Psychological Adjustment of Young Adults in Poland
Authors: Filus Ania , Roszak Joanna
Published: March 2014

This article explored relationships between perceived maternal and paternal acceptance, parental power and prestige, and young adults’ psychological adjustment in Poland. The sample consisted of 200 college students (38% men) ages 20 through 22 ( M = 21.10). The measures used were the child versions of the Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire for mothers and fathers, the youth version of the Parental Power–Prestige Questionnaire, and the adult version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire. Results showed that maternal and paternal acceptance were significantly and positively correlated with offspring’s psychological adjustment. Furthermore, fathers’ high power and prestige were positively correlated with women’s psychological adjustment, whereas mothers’ high power was positively correlated with men’s adjustment. However, hierarchical regression analyses showed that only paternal (but not maternal) acceptance was a unique predictor of women’s psychological adjustment as well as of men’s adjustment. The regression analysis also suggests that the less power–prestige fathers had relative to mothers (beyond the point where both parents were perceived to be approximately equal in power and prestige), the better was men’s adjustment. No significant moderating effects were found.
Assessing the ACEJMC Professional Values and Competencies
Authors: Christ William G. , Henderson Jennifer J.
Published: March 2014

The accrediting body for media education, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), has established twelve professional values and competencies that all students must demonstrate before graduating from accredited journalism and mass communication programs. A close reading suggests that these twelve competencies actually embody more than thirty assessment requirements. Having such a large number of assessment requirements seems problematic for programs seeking accreditation. To remedy this problem, the authors suggest a tiered system of assessment where programs would assess “understanding” and “application” for the competencies most emphasized by their program and a less rigorous standard of “familiarity” or awareness for the remaining ones.
Why was there no religious war in premodern East Asia?
Authors: Kang David C.
Published: March 2014

In premodern East Asia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and China rarely experienced anything like the type of religious violence that existed for centuries in historical Europe, despite having vibrant religious traditions such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and numerous folk religions. How do we explain a region in which religion was generally not a part of the explanation for war and rebellion? A unique data set of over 950 entries of Chinese and Korean violence over a 473-year span allows granular measurement of religious violence. I argue that the inclusivist religions of historical East Asia did not easily lend themselves to appropriation by political leaders as a means of differentiating groups or justifying violence. Addressing the paucity of religious war in historical East Asia is theoretically important because it challenges a large body of scholarly literature that finds a universal causal relationship between religion and war that is empirically derived mainly from the experience of only Christianity and Islam. In contrast, it may be that certain types of religious traditions are less amenable to mass mobilization for violence. Moving beyond Christianity and Islam to include East Asian religious traditions promises both to address a potentially serious issue of selection bias and also to be a rich field for theorizing about the relationship between religion and war.
Validating a Livelihood Asset Scale in Lao PDR
Authors: Durham Jo , Fielding Angela , Hoy Damian , White Rob
Published: March 2014

Mixed method designs are often used in scale development to generate potential items and enhance face validity. Less frequently, mixed method designs are used to examine other aspects of validity. As part of a larger evaluation in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, we developed a scale to assess household self-reported changes in access to livelihood assets following a mine action program. In this article, we detail the process of assessing measurement validity using mixed methods. The qualitative method of evaluation was based on an analysis of in-depth interviews with key informants. The quantitative evaluation relied on data collected from the scale administration ( N = 271) evaluated using Rasch measurement. The article offers an example to researchers interested in using mixed methods to assess validity in measurement development. It contributes to the growing literature on using mixed method designs to evaluate the properties of scales and to the methodological work on the measurement of access to livelihood assets.
Stress effects on electronic properties of GaAs thin film
Authors: Tang Jin-Long , Hu Yuan , Wen Cai , Xie Ying-ying , Xiong Jie
Published: March 2014

We have calculated the density of the quantum state in the conduction band ( NC) for series stress addition to GaAs thin film along [100], [010] and [001] direction. We present here the results of our investigation of the electronic parameter affected by the stress. Within the range of 0.02–0.2 GPa, we find that the value of NC decreases about 1.0 × 1021 cm–3 from the free status of films. The results reveal that the stresses on GaAs film are extremely important and impact its electronic properties.
Serum myeloid-related protein 8/14 complex is associated with microalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Schmaderer Christoph , Kemmner Stephan , Burkhardt Klaus , Heemann Uwe , Baumann Marcus
Published: March 2014

Objectives:

Microalbuminuria (MA) is associated independently with cardiovascular risk and progression of renal disease in patients with diabetes and the normal population. MA is an accepted factor for microvascular defects, in particular in patients with diabetes, and is associated with inflammation. Activated transmigrating macrophages are key cells in these inflammatory processes. Based on the theory that myeloid-related protein 8/14 complex (MRP8/14) is secreted by transmigrating macrophages, we hypothesized that MA was accompanied by elevated MRP8/14 and investigated whether MA predicts MRP8/14 in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:

A total of 86 men with type 2 diabetes were grouped according to urinary albumin excretion in normoalbuminuria and MA. Serum MRP8/14 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Established cardiovascular risk factors were quantified in both groups and compared with urinary albumin excretion.

Results:

Albuminuria (mg/day) was positively associated with MRP8/14 ( r = 0.34) and systemic blood pressure ( r = 0.33). Patients with type 2 diabetes and MA demonstrated significantly higher MRP8/14 levels than patients with normoalbuminuria [median (interquartile range), 1.24 (0.97–2.28) µg/ml versus 0.97 (0.67–1.35) µg/ml, p < 0.05]. Serum creatinine levels, systolic blood pressure (SBP), very low density lipoprotein levels and the incidence of hypertension and coronary artery disease were significantly higher in the group with MA. Both groups did not differ significantly in other cardiovascular risk factors. MA was an independent predictor of serum MRP8/14 levels ( β = 0.454) as well as SBP ( β = 0.625) and haemoglobin A1c ( β = 0.322).

Conclusion:

Our data demonstrate that albumin excretion is associated with the process of macrophage activation determined by MRP8/14 levels. These data not only suggest tissue inflammation as a factor for elevated cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes, they further point to a role of macrophage activation in this process.
Acute red eye
Authors: Peet Danielle
Published: March 2014

Patients with an acute red eye commonly present to general practice. In most cases the diagnosis is benign and self-limiting but care should be taken to adequately assess and appropriately manage sight-threatening conditions. This article aims to outline the current guidelines and evidence for the assessment and management of acute red eye.
Innovations in the management of Wilms’ tumor
Authors: Gleason Joseph M. , Lorenzo Armando J. , Bowlin Paul R. , Koyle Martin A.
Published: March 2014

Advances in the management of Wilms’ tumor have been dramatic over the past half century, not in small part due to the institution of multimodal therapy and the formation of collaborative study groups. While different opinions exist in the management of Wilms’ tumors depending on where one lives and practices, survival rates have surpassed 90% across the board in Western societies. With more children surviving into adulthood, the concerns about morbidity have reached the forefront and now represent as much a consideration as oncologic outcomes these days. Innovations in treatment are on the horizon in the form of potential tumor markers, molecular biological means of testing for chemotherapeutic responsiveness, and advances in the delivery of chemotherapy for recurrent or recalcitrant tumors. Other technological innovations are being applied to childhood renal tumors, such as minimally invasive and nephron-sparing approaches. Risk stratification also allows for children to forego potentially unnecessary treatments and their associated morbidities. Wilms’ tumor stands as a great example of the gains that can be made through protocol-driven therapy with strenuous outcomes analyses. These gains continue to spark interest in minimization of morbidity, while avoiding any compromise in oncologic efficacy. While excitement and innovation are important in the advancement of treatment delivery, we must continue to temper this enthusiasm and carefully evaluate options in order to continue to provide the highest standard of care in the management of this now highly curable disease.