bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The contribution of postsynaptic folds to the safety factor for neuromuscular transmission in rat fast‐ and slow‐twitch muscles.
Authors: Wood S J , Slater C R
Published: December 2014

1. At the rat neuromuscular junction, the postsynaptic folds and the voltage‐gated sodium channels (VGSCs) within them are thought to amplify the effects of postsynaptic currents. In this study, the contribution of this effect to the safety factor for neuromuscular transmission, the ratio of the normal quantal content to the number of quanta required to reach threshold, has been estimated. 2. Normal quantal content was determined in isolated nerve‐muscle preparations of rat soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in which muscle action potentials were blocked by mu‐conotoxin. The quantal content estimated from voltage recordings was 61.8 and 79.4 in soleus and EDL, respectively, and from charge measurements derived from current recordings was 46.3 (soleus) and 65.1 (EDL). 3. The threshold for action potential generation in response to nerve stimulation was determined from endplate potentials (EPPs) and endplate currents (EPCs) in preparations partially blocked with d‐tubocurarine. The number of quanta required to reach threshold was estimated from voltage recordings to be 19.7 (soleus) and 23.2 (EDL) and from charge measurements derived from current recordings to be 13.3 (soleus) and 13.0 (EDL). 4. When intracellular electrodes were used to inject current into the muscle fibre, the total charge required to reach threshold was approximately twice that of the nerve‐evoked threshold EPC. 5. The safety factor for nerve‐evoked responses at the junction was 3.5 (soleus) and 5.0 (EDL). In the extrajunctional region the safety factor estimated from injected currents was 1.7 (soleus) and 2.5 (EDL). 6. It is concluded that the effect of the postsynaptic folds and the VGSCs within them is to double the safety factor. At normal frequencies of nerve impulse activity in vivo, this effect is likely to be crucial for ensuring effective neuromuscular transmission.
Disinhibition of rat hippocampal pyramidal cells by GABAergic afferents from the septum.
Authors: Tóth K , Freund T F , Miles R
Published: December 2014

1. Slices were prepared from rat forebrain to include both the septum and the hippocampus in order to examine the effects of septal stimulation on hippocampal inhibitory circuits. 2. Repetitive stimulation of septo‐hippocampal fibres caused a maintained decrease in the frequency of spontaneous IPSPs recorded from CA3 pyramidal cells in the presence of antagonists of excitatory amino acid receptors and of muscarine receptors. 3. In records made from pyramidal cells with CsCl‐filled electrodes, IPSPs were examined at potentials both more positive and more negative than their reversal potential. Single septal stimuli hyperpolarized pyramidal cells when IPSPs were depolarizing events and depolarized them when IPSPs were hyperpolarizing. The GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin abolished the effects of septal stimulation. 4. Activation of septal afferents initiated an IPSP in hippocampal inhibitory cells but not in pyramidal cells. Septal IPSPs had similar kinetics to those initiated by local hippocampal stimulation and could suppress inhibitory cell discharge. 5. In pyramidal cells recorded with potassium acetate‐filled electrodes, septal stimuli initiated a depolarization that increased with the driving force for Cl‐ and that could cause firing. 6. Rhythmic stimulation of septo‐hippocampal fibres at 5 Hz initiated, in the hippocampus, a maintained out‐of‐phase oscillation of pyramidal cell discharge and inhibitory cell firing, as detected by the occurrence of spontaneous IPSPs. 7. These results suggest that GABAergic septo‐hippocampal afferents selectively inhibit hippocampal inhibitory cells and so disinhibit pyramidal cells. This disinhibition could contribute to the transmission of the theta rhythm from the septum to the hippocampus.
Two K(+)‐selective conductances in single proximal tubule cells isolated from frog kidney are regulated by ATP.
Authors: Robson L , Hunter M
Published: December 2014

1. The whole‐cell and single channel patch clamp techniques were used to identify K(+)‐selective conductances in single proximal tubule cells isolated from frog kidney and to examine their ATP sensitivity. Whole‐cell currents were inhibited by the K+ channel inhibitors Ba2+ and quinidine in a dose‐dependent manner. Addition of Ba2+ alone, quinidine alone, or both inhibitors together revealed two separate conductances, one of which was blocked by both Ba2+ and quinidine (GBa)1, the other being sensitive to quinidine alone (Gquin). 2. With Na(+)‐containing Ringer solution in the bath and K(+)‐containing Ringer solution in the pipette, both currents were selective for K+ over Na+. The K+ : Na+ selectivity ratio of GBa was around 50:1, while that of Gquin was 4:1. In symmetrical KCl solutions GBa showed inward rectification, while Gquin demonstrated outward rectification. 3. In the absence of pipette ATP, both GBa and Gquin ran down over 10 min. However, when 2 mM ATP was included in the pipette GBa increased, while Gquin remained unchanged. 4. Single channel studies demonstrated that a basolateral K+ channel shared several of the characteristics of GBa. It was inhibited by both Ba2+ and quinidine, underwent run‐down in excised patches in the absence of ATP, and was activated by ATP. 5. We conclude that cells of the frog proximal tubule contain at least two distinct K(+)‐selective conductances, both of which are regulated by ATP, and which may be involved in pump‐leak coupling.
Simulation of Supercritical CO2 Flow Through Circular and Annular Orifice
Authors: Yuan Haomin , Edlebeck John , Wolf Mathew , Anderson Mark , Corradini Michael , Klein Sanford , Nellis Gregory
Published: December 2014

Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) is a promising working fluid for future high-efficiency power conversion cycles. In order to develop these cycles, it is necessary to understand supercritical and two-phase CO2 flow. This paper presents a methodology for the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation of sCO2 flowing through a restriction under a wide range of flow conditions. Under an accidental situation, such as a pipe break, the inventory of sCO2 leaks out through a small restriction. In this research, we use circular and annular orifices to mimic the behavior of restrictions. As the atmospheric pressure is much smaller than the operating pressure in the pipe, a two-phase choked flow will happen. Such behavior is considered in the simulation. The homogeneous equilibrium model (HEM) is employed to model the two-phase state. To correctly simulate the behavior of the power cycle under this accidental scenario, the inventory leakage rate should be calculated precisely. Therefore, at the current state, this study only focuses on the prediction of mass flow rate through orifices.
Fabrication of Inverted Trapezoidal Microstructures for Heat Transfer and Microfluidics Applications
Authors: Ems Henry , Ndao Sidy
Published: December 2014

In the present work, a novel fabrication technique of inverted trapezoidal microstructures on a silicon substrate is presented. The novel microstructures caused the inherently hydrophilic silicon surface to become hydrophobic without the use of coating or thin film deposition. The microstructures were fabricated on a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) wafer through steps of photolithography, dry/wet etching, and bounding. Starting with a (100) plane SOI wafer, squares were patterned into a nitrite etch mask. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) anisotropic wet etchant was then used to etch the wafer, as a result created pits with flat sloping {111}-oriented sidewalls and a flat (100)-oriented bottom of the silicon device layer (i.e., at SiO2 layer). To get the inverted trapezoids, wafer bonding was carried out after etching, and the handle wafer along with the SiO2 layer were completely etched to expose the small openings of the trapezoids.

SEM images were taken to investigate the surface and to measure the dimensions of the square openings from both sides before and after bonding. Contact angle measurements demonstrated the ability of the novel surfaces to form Cassie wetting states with a liquid droplet, sustaining large contact angles above 90 degrees, whereas bare silicon surfaces were measured to have contact angles of around 40 degrees. Shifts in contact angles were attributed to air entrapment.
In-Process Cleaning of a Micro Heat Exchanger With Ultrasound During the Continuous Crystallization of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles
Authors: Schoenitz Martin , Hohlen Annika , Augustin Wolfgang , Scholl Stephan
Published: December 2014

Process intensification by the application of microscale process engineering in reaction and heat transfer processes provides the opportunity of moving from batch to continuous manufacturing, mainly due to enhanced heat and mass transfer. These effects are primarily caused by the very high surface to volume ratio in microstructured devices. Further advantages, particularly suitable for sensitive products, are the low shear stress in the typically occurring laminar regime and the short residence time. The crystallization of drug carrying lipid nanoparticles (LNP) is a typical batch process for pharmaceutical products and is used here to demonstrate benefits, challenges and application possibilities of the conversion into a continuous microscale process. During the continuous crystallization of various LNP formulations in a micro-crystallizer, designed as a micro heat exchanger with square channels, several formulations led to fouling and blocking of small passages in the micro heat exchanger. To investigate the fouling behavior of different LNP formulations in detail, integral pressure drop measurements over the micro heat exchanger were performed. This contribution addresses the in-process cleaning of a micro heat exchanger for the continuous crystallization using ultrasound. Different ultrasound amplitudes and operation procedures were investigated. During processing the overall pressure drop was decreased significantly by induced ultrasound pulses. The investigations showed that in-process cleaning of a micro heat exchanger with ultrasound is possible for screening as well as for long term production of LNP. Also the product quality, given by the particle size and particle size distribution, is not affected by the ultrasound input.
Heat Conduction Simulation in Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes With Intertube Additional Atoms
Authors: Tan Peng , Feng Yanhui , Cui Liu , Zhang Xinxin
Published: December 2014

Heat conduction of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with intertube additional carbon atoms was investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. The interaction between carbon atoms was modeled using the Adaptive Intermolecular Reactive Empirical Bond Order (AIREBO) Potential. The related phonon density of states (DOS) was analyzed to help explain the heat conduction mechanism. It is indicated that intertube additional atoms of DWCNT will weaken the heat conduction along the axis. The addition of intertube atoms, which are covalently bonded to the inner and outer tubes, leads to localized structural deformation, which acting as a phonon barrier for ballistic heat transport. In addition, the intertube atoms become the new centers of phonon scattering and reduce VDOS. The deformation is the primary reason for the reduction of thermal conductivity. With the increasing number of additional atoms, the thermal conductivity of DWCNTs with atoms added at the same cross section drops sharply than that added along the tube axis, because the former addition causes more serious local deformation. Under the situation of addition at the cross section, if the number of intertube atoms is beyond a critical value, the distribution of these atoms seems to have little influences on the heat conduction in the tube.
Collaborative Self-Ethnography: Navigating Self-Reflexivity in a Sport Management Context
Authors: Kerwin Shannon , Hoeber Larena
Published: December 2014

The main goal of our article is to encourage personal reflection within the field of sport management as a tool to strengthen methodological approaches in our research. We explore and discuss the utility of collaborative self-ethnography as one way to acknowledge personal identities through a reflexive account of our experiences as sport fans and sport researchers with this methodology. We draw on a previous study of our experiences as sport fans to illustrate techniques, downfalls, and benefits of studying one’s experiences in a collaborative methodological approach. We have two objectives: First, we hope to encourage sport management researchers to acknowledge and reflect on their personal identities related to sport, such as being a fan, coach, volunteer, or former participant, in their research. Second, we aim to demonstrate the utility of collaborative self-ethnography as one way to incorporate reflexivity in sport management research and theory development.
Mars methane detection and variability at Gale crater
Authors: Webster Christopher R. , Mahaffy Paul R. , Atreya Sushil K. , Flesch Gregory J. , Mischna Michael A. , Meslin Pierre-Yves , Farley Kenneth A. , Conrad Pamela G. , Christensen Lance E. , Pavlov Alexander A. , Martín-Torres Javier , Zorzano María-Paz , McConnochie Timothy H. , Owen Tobias , Eigenbrode Jennifer L. , Glavin Daniel P. , Steele Andrew , Malespin Charles A. , Archer P. Douglas , Sutter Brad , Coll Patrice , Freissinet Caroline , McKay Christopher P. , Moores John E. , Schwenzer Susanne P. , Bridges John C. , Navarro-Gonzalez Rafael , Gellert Ralf , Lemmon Mark T. ,   the MSL Science Team
Published: December 2014

Of water and methane on Mars

The Curiosity rover has been collecting data for the past 2 years, since its delivery to Mars (see the Perspective by Zahnle). Many studies now suggest that many millions of years ago, Mars was warmer and wetter than it is today. But those conditions required an atmosphere that seems to have vanished. Using the Curiosity rover, Mahaffy
et al.
measured the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen in clays that were formed 3.0 to 3.7 billion years ago. Hydrogen escapes more readily than deuterium, so this ratio offers a snapshot measure of the ancient atmosphere that can help constrain when and how it disappeared. Most methane on Earth has a biological origin, so planetary scientists have keenly pursued its detection in the martian atmosphere as well. Now, Webster
et al.
have precisely confirmed the presence of methane in the martian atmosphere with the instruments aboard the Curiosity rover at Gale crater.

Science
, this issue p.
412
, p.
415
; see also p.
370
Gut Microbiota as an Epigenetic Regulator: Pilot Study Based on Whole-Genome Methylation Analysis
Authors: Kumar Himanshu , Lund Riikka , Laiho Asta , Lundelin Krista , Ley Ruth E. , Isolauri Erika , Salminen Seppo
Published: December 2014

The core human gut microbiota contributes to the developmental origin of diseases by modifying metabolic pathways. To evaluate the predominant microbiota as an epigenetic modifier, we classified 8 pregnant women into two groups based on their dominant microbiota, i.e.,
Bacteroidetes
,
Firmicutes
, and
Proteobacteria
. Deep sequencing of DNA methylomes revealed a clear association between bacterial predominance and epigenetic profiles. The genes with differentially methylated promoters in the group in which
Firmicutes
was dominant were linked to risk of disease, predominantly to cardiovascular disease and specifically to lipid metabolism, obesity, and the inflammatory response. This is one of the first studies that highlights the association of the predominant bacterial phyla in the gut with methylation patterns. Further longitudinal and in-depth studies targeting individual microbial species or metabolites are recommended to give us a deeper insight into the molecular mechanism of such epigenetic modifications.

IMPORTANCE
Epigenetics encompasses genomic modifications that are due to environmental factors and do not affect the nucleotide sequence. The gut microbiota has an important role in human metabolism and could be a significant environmental factor affecting our epigenome. To investigate the association of gut microbiota with epigenetic changes, we assessed pregnant women and selected the participants based on their predominant gut microbiota for a study on their postpartum methylation profile. Intriguingly, we found that blood DNA methylation patterns were associated with gut microbiota profiles. The gut microbiota profiles, with either
Firmicutes
or
Bacteroidetes
as a dominant group, correlated with differential methylation status of gene promoters functionally associated with cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, differential methylation of gene promoters linked to lipid metabolism and obesity was observed. For the first time, we report here a position of the predominant gut microbiota in epigenetic profiling, suggesting one potential mechanism in obesity with comorbidities, if proven in further in-depth studies.
Flow diverter stent treatment for ruptured basilar trunk perforator aneurysms
Authors: Peschillo Simone , Caporlingua Alessandro , Cannizzaro Delia , Resta Mariachiara , Burdi Nicola , Valvassori Luca , Pero Guglielmo , Lanzino Giuseppe
Published: December 2014

Objective

Basilar trunk perforator (BTP) aneurysms are rare. Treatment options traditionally considered for these uncommon lesions have included direct surgery, endovascular therapy, or conservative management. Flow diverters represent a newer therapeutic option for BTP aneurysms but pitfalls and complications are unknown. We describe three patients with BTP aneurysms treated with flow diverter stents.

Methods

All three patients had ruptured BTP aneurysms and, after loading doses of dual antiplatelet agents, underwent treatment with a flow diverter alone (two patients) or in combination with an intracranial stent (one patient).

Results

Complications directly (two thromboembolic events) or indirectly (one hemorrhage at the external ventricular drain site, probably facilitated by the dual antiplatelet therapy) occurred in all three patients and resulted in permanent morbidity in one case. Imaging follow-up confirmed obliteration in all three patients, and no episodes of rebleeding from the aneurysms were observed at follow-up.

Conclusions

Flow diverters are effective in obliterating BTP aneurysms. However, given the challenges and complications encountered, especially in patients with ruptured lesions, their use must be carefully weighed against other available therapeutic modalities, including observation.
A resolution of the integration region problem for the supermoduli space integral
Authors: Davis Simon
Published: December 2014

The integration region of the supermoduli space integral is defined in the super-Schottky group parametrization. The conditions on the super-period matrix elements are translated to relations on the parameters. An estimate of the superstring amplitude at arbitrary genus is sufficient for an evaluation of the cross-section to all orders in the expansion of the scattering matrix.
A New CCII Based Voltage-Mode Multifunctional Filter with Reduced Number of Active and Passive Elements
Authors: Yucel Firat , Yuce Erkan
Published: December 2014

In this paper, a new voltage-mode (VM) multifunctional filter comprising two second-generation current conveyors (CCIIs) is proposed. The proposed filter with one input and three outputs is also composed of three resistors and two grounded capacitors. The proposed filter has high input impedance; thus, it can be easily connected with other VM circuits. The proposed filter can simultaneously provide low-pass (LP), band-pass (BP) and high-pass (HP) responses. A number of time domain and frequency domain simulation results are included to confirm the claimed theory.
Humanoids can take Advantage of Crab-Walking Gaits
Authors: Spitz Jonathan , Sidorov Eric , Zacksenhouse Miriam
Published: December 2014

Recent advances in control of humanoid robots have resulted in bipedal gaits that are dynamically stable on moderately rough terrain but are still limited to a small range of slopes. Humanoid robots, like humans, can take advantage of quadruped gaits to greatly extend this range. Cleverly designed gaits can provide robustness to rough terrain without requiring extensive feedback. In this paper, we present a robust crab-walking framework that includes forward and backward crawling patterns, rotation patterns, and sit-down and recovery sequences. The latter are activated autonomously once the robot detects that it tipped over. The performance and robustness of each locomotion pattern are investigated over a wide range of slopes. Crab-walking is shown to be especially adept at crawling forward on steep downward slopes (up to -54°) and crawling backward on steep upward slopes (up to 18°). Finally, we demonstrate the framework's autonomous capabilities by crossing the rough terrain in DARPA's virtual robotics challenge.
Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transitioned Circulating Tumor Cells Capture for Detecting Tumor Progression
Authors: Satelli Arun , Mitra Abhisek , Brownlee Zachary , Xia Xueqing , Bellister Seth , Overman Michael J. , Kopetz Scott , Ellis Lee M. , Meng Qing H. , Li Shulin
Published: December 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to detect cell-surface vimentin (CSV) on the surface of epithelial–mesenchymal transitioned (EMT) circulating tumor cells (CTC) from blood of patients with epithelial cancers.

Experimental Design: In this study, 101 patients undergoing postsurgery adjuvant chemotherapy for metastatic colon cancer were recruited. EMT CTCs were detected from blood of patients using the 84-1 monoclonal antibody against CSV as a marker. EMT CTCs isolated were characterized further using EMT-specific markers, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and single-cell mutation analysis.

Results: Using the 84-1 antibody, we detected CSV exclusively on EMT CTCs from a variety of tumor types but not in the surrounding normal cells in the blood. The antibody exhibited very high specificity and sensitivity toward different epithelial cancer cells. With this antibody, we detected and enumerated EMT CTCs from patients. From our observations, we defined a cutoff of <5 or ≥5 EMT CTCs as the optimal threshold with respect to therapeutic response using ROC curves. Using this defined threshold, the presence of ≥5 EMT CTCs was associated with progressive disease, whereas patients with <5 EMT CTCs showed therapeutic response.

Conclusion: Taken together, the number of EMT CTCs detected correlated with the therapeutic outcome of the disease. These results establish CSV as a universal marker for EMT CTCs from a wide variety of tumor types and thus provide the foundation for emerging CTC detection technologies and for studying the molecular regulation of these EMT CTCs. Clin Cancer Res; 21(4); 899–906. ©2014 AACR.
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Middle and Large Colorectal Polyps with a Double-Loop Snare
Authors: Yoshida Naohisa , Saito Yutaka , Hirose Ryohei , Ogiso Kiyoshi , Inada Yutaka , Yagi Nobuaki , Naito Yuji , Otake Yosuke , Nakajima Takeshi , Matsuda Takahisa , Yanagisawa Akio , Itoh Yoshito
Published: December 2014

Background/Aims: This study aimed to analyze the endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) with a novel uniquely shaped, double-loop snare (Dualoop, Medico's Hirata Inc., Tokyo, Japan) for colorectal polyps. Methods: This was a clinical trial conducted in two referral centers, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and National Cancer Center Hospital in Japan. First, the firmness of various snares including ‘Dualoop' was experimentally analyzed with a pressure gauge. Five hundred and eighty nine consecutive polyps that underwent EMR with ‘Dualoop' were compared to 339 polyps with the standard round snare. Lesion characteristics, en bloc resection, and complications were analyzed. Results: ‘Dualoop' had the most firmness among the various snares. The average tumor size was 9.3 mm (5-30), and en bloc resection was achieved in 95.4%. The rate of en bloc resection for middle polyps 15-19 mm in diameter was significantly higher with the ‘Dualoop' than that with the round snare (97.9 vs. 80.0%, p < 0.05). The rate of en bloc resection was 64.7% for large polyps ≥20 mm in diameter using ‘Dualoop'. Higher age, larger tumor size, and superficial polyps were associated with the failure of en bloc resection. Conclusion: EMR with ‘Dualoop' was effective for resecting both middle and large polyps en-bloc.
Safety and Effect of Metoclopramide to Prevent Pneumonia in Patients With Stroke Fed via Nasogastric Tubes Trial
Authors: Warusevitane Anushka , Karunatilake Dumin , Sim Julius , Lally Frank , Roffe Christine
Published: December 2014

Background and Purpose—

Pneumonia is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with stroke fed via nasogastric tubes and may be because of vomiting and gastro-oesophageal regurgitation. The aim of the study was to assess whether regular treatment with metoclopramide, a D2-receptor antagonist with antiemetic and gastric prokinetic actions, could reduce the rate of aspiration and pneumonia.

Methods—

Patients with no signs of pneumonia within 7 days of stroke onset and 48 hours of insertion of a nasogastric tube were recruited into a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Participants received metoclopramide 10 mg or placebo 3× daily via the nasogastric tube for 21 days or until nasogastric feeds were discontinued. Clinical signs of pneumonia were recorded daily. Pneumonia was diagnosed if the patient had relevant clinical signs, high inflammatory markers, and new infiltrates on the chest radiograph.

Results—

Sixty patients (mean age, 78 years; 38 women; mean National Institutes for Health Stroke Scale score, 19.25) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio. There were significantly more episodes of pneumonia in the placebo group than in the metoclopramide group (rate ratio, 5.24;
P
<0.001). There were also significant differences in favor of metoclopramide in the rate of aspiration, oxygen saturation, highest inflammatory markers, and National Institutes for Health Stroke Scale. There was no significant difference in mortality between the groups.

Conclusions—

This study suggests that metoclopramide may reduce the rate of pneumonia and may improve other clinical outcomes in patients with subacute stroke fed via nasogastric tube. These findings need to be confirmed in larger randomized and blinded trials.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu
. EudraCT no: 2006-002570-22, URL:
http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN18034911/18034911
.
Beyond Nuremberg
Authors: Mamdani Mahmood
Published: December 2014

The contemporary human rights movement holds up Nuremberg as a template with which to define responsibility for mass violence. I argue that the negotiations that ended apartheid—the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA)—provide the raw material for a critique of the “lessons of Nuremberg.” Whereas Nuremberg shaped a notion of justice as criminal justice, CODESA calls on us to think of justice as primarily political. CODESA shed the zero-sum logic of criminal justice for the inclusive nature of political justice. If the former accents victims’ justice, the latter prioritizes survivors’ justice. If Nuremberg has been ideologized as a paradigm, the end of apartheid has been exceptionalized as an improbable outcome produced by the exceptional personality of Nelson Mandela. This essay argues for the core relevance of the South African transition for ending civil wars in the rest of Africa.
The Politics of Job Security Regulations in Western Europe
Authors: Emmenegger Patrick
Published: December 2014

This article analyzes business and union strategies in the reform of job security regulations. It argues that unions are the main political actors pushing for their expansion of regulations, but given employers’ opposition, unions are able to enforce better protection only in exceptional periods. Once the first restrictions are in place, employers use their power advantages at the workplace level to circumvent regulations, which unions combat by reducing the level of discretion awarded to employers in interpreting regulations. In recent decades, job security regulations have come under increasing pressure. Unions have reacted to this new situation by consenting to the continuous deregulation of temporary employment, while they fight any attempt at deregulating job security in open-ended contracts in order to protect their members’ interests and their institutional involvement in the administration of dismissals. The theoretical argument is supported by empirical evidence from four Western European countries since the postwar period.
The Power of Coalitions
Authors: Eaton Charlie , Weir Margaret
Published: December 2014

Between 1980 and 2010 California’s health care policy field shifted from a business-dominated, closed-door pattern of decision making to a more open political arena. Through this process, a wide-ranging and diversely resourced coalition advocating on behalf of beneficiaries became an accepted partner in policymaking. This article examines this transformation, considering its broader implications for the political dynamics of the public-private welfare state and the role of advocacy groups in defending beneficiary interests. We argue that multifaceted coalitions exploit three vulnerabilities of the public-private welfare state, which presents openings for advancing public priorities: 1) diverse and shifting interests, which allow advocates to build broad coalitions that include labor and some providers 2) service gaps that, when publicized, can generate public outrage; and 3) the hybrid institutional form of the public-private welfare state, which can connect service delivery organizations with a broader pro-public coalition.
Hyaluronidase in ophthalmic evisceration surgery
Authors: Gul Adem , Can Ertugrul , Niyaz Leyla , Yucel Ozlem Eski , Duran Mustafa , Ariturk Nursen
Published: December 2014

Background

To research the effectiveness of hyaluronidase in evisceration surgery.

Methods

A total of 34 patients were studied as three groups: conventional surgery group ( n = 13); isotonic fluid group ( n = 8); and hyaluronidase group ( n = 13). Hyaluronidase and isotonic fluid were introduced into the uveo-scleral space. Intraocular content was removed, if possible by a one-scoop method, with the aid of a spoon.

Results

Removing all the intraocular content as a one-scoop method was achieved in 10 of 13 (77%) in the hyaluronidase group and four of eight (50%) in the isotonic fluid group. The one-scoop method was not possible in any case without the introduction of fluid. The mean durations for the evisceration procedure were 32, 36.6 and 40.5 min in the three groups, respectively ( P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Using hyaluronidase in evisceration surgery greatly facilitates and speeds up the removal of all the intraocular content in ophthalmic evisceration surgery.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Increases Risk of Criminal Recidivism Among Justice-Involved Persons With Mental Disorders
Authors: Sadeh Naomi , McNiel Dale E.
Published: December 2014

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a potentially important, yet understudied, mental disorder to consider in models of criminal recidivism. The present study sought to address this gap in the literature with a large-scale secondary analysis of observational data from a sample of justice-involved persons with mental disorders. Administrative data were reviewed for 771 adult jail detainees with mental disorders. Hierarchical logistic regression models showed that PTSD was associated with a greater likelihood of general (arrest for any new charge) and serious (arrest for a new felony charge) recidivism during the year following the index arrest, after controlling for risk conferred by a recent history of arrest, demographic characteristics, and other mental disorders. Furthermore, risk of rearrest for new charges was comparable for PTSD and substance use disorders. Findings show that PTSD increases risk of both general and serious recidivism and suggest it should be considered in interventions to reduce justice-system involvement.
The Influence of Exploration on External Corporate Venturing Activity
Authors: Titus Varkey , House Jenny M. , Covin Jeffrey G.
Published: December 2014

We utilize the exploration/exploitation framework to examine how a firm’s engagement in exploration influences its portfolio of external corporate venturing (ECV) activities. Three forms of equity-based ECV are considered: corporate venture capital investments, joint ventures, and acquisitions. The organizational learning literature is used to investigate how a firm’s engagement in exploration influences its usage of acquisitions relative to its overall portfolio of ECV activities. The investing firm’s industry technological dynamism is posited as a moderator of the relationship between exploration and the relative usage of acquisitions. Utilizing a sample of 1,326 firm-year observations between 1996 and 2008, we find that exploration is positively related to the relative usage of acquisitions, though this relationship is moderated by the investing firm’s industry technological dynamism.
Associations between private speech, behavioral self-regulation, and cognitive abilities
Authors: Aro Tuija , Poikkeus Anna-Maija , Laakso Marja-Leena , Tolvanen Asko , Ahonen Timo
Published: December 2014

We examined the associations between 5-year-old children’s private speech, behavioural self-regulation, and cognitive abilities. Behavioural self-regulation was assessed using parental and preschool teacher questionnaires. Cognitive abilities (i.e., language, inhibition, planning and fluency, and memory) were assessed with neurocognitive tests, and the effectiveness of private speech (i.e., whether the child performs better when using speech than when not using speech) with the Hammer Task. About 43% of the children used private speech spontaneously, and about 76% performed better on the Hammer Task when they used speech. Associations between behavioural self-regulation and speech effectiveness were few, but all cognitive scores were significantly associated with the speech effectiveness score, i.e., the poorer the child’s neurocognitive test performance was, the more he/she benefited from using speech. The findings lend support to the relevance of children’s cognitive abilities when seeking understanding on the development, use, and effectiveness of private speech.
“First do no harm.” A systematic review of the prevalence and management of antipsychotic adverse effects
Authors: Young Su Ling , Taylor Mark , Lawrie Stephen M
Published: December 2014

Aims:

We aim to identify the prevalence and management strategies of nine clinically important categories of antipsychotic adverse effects, namely: extrapyramidal symptoms; sedation; weight gain; type II diabetes; hyperprolactinaemia; metabolic syndrome, dyslipidaemia; sexual dysfunction; and cardiovascular effects.

Background:

Antipsychotic drugs are widely prescribed for schizophrenia and other mental disorders. The adverse effects of antipsychotics are common, with a potential negative impact on adherence and engagement. Despite this, the scientific study of the prevalence or management of adverse antipsychotic effects is a neglected area.

Method:

A systematic review was undertaken using pre-defined search criteria and three databases, with hand searching of citations and references. Inclusion was agreed on by two independent researchers after review of abstracts or full text. Quality analysis of included studies was conducted using pre-agreed criteria.

Results:

In total, 53 studies met inclusion criteria, revealing the following: (1) antipsychotic polypharmacy was associated with increased frequency of adverse effects, and (2) a longer duration of treatment is associated with greater severity (e.g. higher BMI); (3) clozapine was more strongly associated with metabolic disturbance than other antipsychotics in three studies and olanzapine was associated with the most weight gain in three studies; (4) hyperprolactinaemia was more common in women than men, but 50% men noted sexual dysfunction versus 25–50% in women; (5) despite clinical guideline recommendations there is a low rate of baseline testing for lipids and glucose; and (6) seven studies described adverse effect management strategies, but only two examined their efficacy – one found a significant reduction in weight with non-pharmacological group therapy and the other found a significant reduction in dyslipidaemia with statins.

Conclusions:

Antipsychotic adverse effects are diverse and frequently experienced, but are not often systematically assessed. There is a need for further scientific study concerning the management of these side effects.
Learning to soar: Resource-constrained exploration in reinforcement learning
Authors: Chung Jen Jen , Lawrance Nicholas R.J. , Sukkarieh Salah
Published: December 2014

This paper examines temporal difference reinforcement learning with adaptive and directed exploration for resource-limited missions. The scenario considered is that of an unpowered aerial glider learning to perform energy-gaining flight trajectories in a thermal updraft. The presented algorithm, eGP-SARSA( λ), uses a Gaussian process regression model to estimate the value function in a reinforcement learning framework. The Gaussian process also provides a variance on these estimates that is used to measure the contribution of future observations to the Gaussian process value function model in terms of information gain. To avoid myopic exploration we developed a resource-weighted objective function that combines an estimate of the future information gain using an action rollout with the estimated value function to generate directed explorative action sequences. A number of modifications and computational speed-ups to the algorithm are presented along with a standard GP-SARSA( λ) implementation with [Formula: see text]-greedy exploration to compare the respective learning performances. The results show that under this objective function, the learning agent is able to continue exploring for better state-action trajectories when platform energy is high and follow conservative energy-gaining trajectories when platform energy is low.
What Comes Before Report Writing? Attending to Clinical Reasoning and Thinking Errors in School Psychology
Authors: Wilcox Gabrielle , Schroeder Meadow
Published: December 2014

Psychoeducational assessment involves collecting, organizing, and interpreting a large amount of data from various sources. Drawing upon psychological and medical literature, we review two main approaches to clinical reasoning (deductive and inductive) and how they synergistically guide diagnostic decision-making. In addition, we discuss how the use of both mental shortcuts (i.e., heuristics) and cognitive biases, which we collectively refer to as thinking errors, can lead to errors in judgment when analyzing data. In particular, we highlight where and how common thinking errors may interfere with school psychologists’ reasoning throughout the assessment process. Last, we make suggestions on how to reduce errors in judgment and improve clinical reasoning skills by focusing on training, supported clinical practice, and personal strategies.
Governing bodies that consider joining or creating federations
Authors: Howarth Eleanor
Published: December 2014

This article reports the findings of a research study exploring what motivates governing bodies to consider joining or creating a federation, their experiences of the process and the barriers faced. The research methodology involved semi-structured telephone interviews, face-to-face interviews and analysis of relevant documentation. The varied circumstances of participating schools revealed a wide range of drivers for considering federation, which were commonly underpinned by school improvement, professional leadership and pooling resources. Although governors’ experiences of the process of becoming a federation were largely positive, the study identified a number of common barriers. The study concludes that, despite the benefits of federation, unlike multi-academy trusts its relatively low profile in current education policy has created a barrier for governing bodies. It is recommended that the government provides the same level of guidance and support for schools considering federation as they do for those considering academization.
Ethos and vision realization in sponsored academy schools
Authors: Gibson Mark T
Published: December 2014

This article investigates the realization of ethos and vision in the early stages of sponsored academy schools in England. It is a qualitative nested case study of ten academies. Nineteen key actors were interviewed, including principals and sponsor representatives. The nests were organized by sponsor type. Key themes are discussed within the context of the literature. There were common themes across all of the academies and some that were exclusive to individual cases. The conclusions drawn show that the leaders of these schools were initiating several actions simultaneously in order to develop their academies’ ethos and vision. The ethos and vision realization in sponsored academy schools is more complex than other examples in the literature owing to a greater number of actors and the urgency for change. In particular, the role of the sponsor is greater than much of the literature suggests.
Feeling Disrespected
Authors: Hawkins Kim
Published: December 2014

In this article, a comprehensive exploration of the literature on feeling disrespected is presented. Literature is reviewed from philosophy, sociology, psychology, education, business, and nursing. Four over-arching themes concerning feeling disrespected are identified.
Topology face–based change propagation analysis in aircraft-assembly tooling design
Authors: Yin Leilei , Tang Dunbing , Kang Yuyun , Leng Sheng
Published: December 2014

Assembly tooling design is implemented according to the constraints of geometric information and technical requirements of aircraft. Changes in aircraft parts will cause changes in assembly tooling parts. Using topology faces as basic processing units and focusing on the constraint relationships between topology faces, this article presents a method for change propagation analysis from aircraft to assembly tooling, which assists designers to detect changes efficiently and assess the change influence qualitatively in a uniform way. First, change vector representing the change state of the original parts’ topology faces and relation matrix recording the relationships between the topology faces are introduced. Then, based on the change vectors and relation matrices, an algorithm is developed to obtain the overall geometrical change propagations from aircraft parts to assembly tooling parts. Meanwhile, a concept of change influence index is presented to evaluate the change qualitatively. Finally, a computer-aided system is developed and the proposed change propagation analysis method is demonstrated by applying it to an aircraft-assembly tooling.
Similarities and differences between pediatric and adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Tarr T , Dérfalvi B , Győri N , Szántó A , Siminszky Z , Malik A , Szabó A J , Szegedi G , Zeher M
Published: December 2014

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease with highest prevalence among women of childbearing age. However, children younger than 16 years also can develop SLE (childhood-onset lupus/juvenile-type SLE). The aim of our study was to compare the clinical course of adult and pediatric-onset SLE. Data from 342 adult patients followed at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, and 79 children documented in the Hungarian National Pediatric SLE registry were analyzed using hospital medical records. Organ manifestations, laboratory parameters, and immunoserological characteristics were reviewed and the results were evaluated using SPSS for Windows software.

Gender distribution was not significantly different between groups with disease starting in childhood vs adulthood. The prevalence of the following manifestations was significantly higher for pediatric than for adult-onset disease including: lupus nephritis (43% pediatric vs 26.4% for adult-onset), hematological disorders (57% vs 36.4%), photosensitivity (20% vs 9%), butterfly rash (61% vs 35.5%) and mucosal ulceration (11.4% vs 4%). For adult-onset SLE, neurological symptoms (30% vs 6%) and polyarthritis (86% vs 68%) occurred significantly more frequently than in children. Anti-SSA, anti-SSB and antiphospholipid antibodies were detected at significantly higher levels in adult-onset patients compared to those in pediatrics. Children were more commonly given high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment (6.3% vs 0.6%) and mycophenolate mofetil (15.2% vs 5.3%) than adults.

These results suggest that pediatric and adult-onset SLE differ in multiple aspects, and it is important to recognize these differences for optimal treatment and prognosis of these patients.
Analysis of disease activity and response to treatment in a large Spanish cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Pego-Reigosa J M , Rúa-Figueroa Í , López-Longo F J , Galindo-Izquierdo M , Calvo-Alén J , Olivé-Marqués A , del Campo V , García-Yébenes M J , Loza-Santamaría E , Blanco R , Melero-González R , Vela-Casasempere P , Otón-Sánchez T , Tomero-Muriel E , Uriarte-Isacelaya E , Fito-Manteca M C , Freire-González M , Narváez J , Fernández-Nebro A , Zea-Mendoza A , Carlos Rosas J
Published: December 2014

Objectives

The objectives of this paper are to study the impact of disease activity in a large cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and estimate the rate of response to therapies.

Methods

We conducted a nationwide, retrospective, multicenter, cross-sectional cohort study of 3658 SLE patients. Data on demographics, disease characteristics: activity (SELENA-SLEDAI), damage, severity, hospitalizations and therapies were collected. Factors associated with refractory disease were identified by logistic regression.

Results

A total of 3658 patients (90% female; median SLE duration (interquartile range): 10.4 years (5.3–17.1)) were included. At the time of their last evaluation, 14.7% of the patients had moderate-severe SLE (SELENA-SLEDAI score ≥6). There were 1954 (53.4%) patients who were hospitalized for activity at least once over the course of the disease. At some stage, 84.6% and 78.8% of the patients received glucocorticoids and antimalarials, respectively, and 51.3% of the patients received at least one immunosuppressant. Owing to either toxicity or ineffectiveness, cyclophosphamide was withdrawn in 21.5% of the cases, mycophenolate mofetil in 24.9%, azathioprine in 40.2% and methotrexate in 46.8%. At some stage, 7.3% of the patients received at least one biologic. A total of 898 (24.5%) patients had refractory SLE at some stage. Renal, neuropsychiatric, vasculitic, hematological and musculoskeletal involvement, a younger age at diagnosis and male gender were associated with refractory disease.

Conclusions

A significant percentage of patients have moderately-to-severely active SLE at some stage. Disease activity has a big impact in terms of need for treatment and cause of hospitalization. The effectiveness of the standard therapies for reducing disease activity is clearly insufficient. Some clinical features are associated with refractory SLE.
Embodiment in Children’s Choice
Authors: Rivière James
Published: December 2014

In the traditional framework of cognitive psychology, the brain—viewed as a device for manipulating arbitrary symbols—remains the organ of decision making. However, the dimension of embodiment should not be ignored in investigations of decision-making processes in tasks involving a motor response. Experimental research in developmental psychology has shown that perceptual-motor constraints affect the explicit choices infants and toddlers make in some tasks. In these situations, the ability to make action choices that were previously thought to be highly abstract now appears to be attributable to an embodied-cognition approach. These developments concerning embodiment in children’s choice, and their implication for our understanding of human voluntary action, form the subject of this article.