bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D deficiency and related risk factors in patients with diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Xiao Xiaoyan , Wang Yajuan , Hou Yanlian , Han Feng , Ren Jianmin , Hu Zhao
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To investigate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels in patients with diabetic nephropathy, analyse the relationship between 25(OH)D and clinical indexes, and identify risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in diabetic nephropathy.

Methods

Patients with diabetic nephropathy were sequentially enrolled and grouped according to diabetic nephropathy stage. Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured. A control group of healthy subjects was used for comparison.

Results

Out of 240 patients with diabetic nephropathy and 60 healthy controls, 25(OH)D levels were lower in diabetic nephropathy patients than in controls, and showed a gradually decreasing trend with diabetic nephropathy stage. Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly correlated with age, sex, diabetes history, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, albumin excretion rate (AER), estimated glomerular filtration rate, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), haemoglobin, serum albumin, creatinine clearance rate, blood urea nitrogen and complicated diabetic retinopathy. Moreover, age, body mass index, AER, haemoglobin, and HbA1c were independent risk factors of 25(OH)D deficiency in diabetic nephropathy.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in patients with diabetic nephropathy and increases in severity with diabetic nephropathy progression. Age, obesity, glucose level and renal function largely affect 25(OH)D deficiency in diabetic nephropathy.
Effects of midazolam or tramadol premedication on early cognitive function in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): A randomized, controlled, double-blind study
Authors: Ulusoy Hulya , Coskun Ilker , Arslan Mehmet
Published: March 2016

Objectıve

To evaluate the sedative efficacy and effects on early period cognitive function of premedication in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

Methods

Forty patients (18–70 years; American Society of Anesthesiology risk category I–III) undergoing elective ERCP were randomized to receive oral premedication with 0.15 mg/kg midazolam or 1 mg/kg tramadol. Cognitive function was determined by mini-mental test (MMT). Target scores for effective sedation were determined as a Bispectral index score of 70–90 and modified Ramsay Sedation Scale score (mRSS) of 2–4.

Results

Global MMT score was not significantly different between treatment groups at 60 min post-ERCP. A significant deterioration in the MMT subcategory of recall was determined in with midazolam versus tramadol. Level of sedation (mRSS) was higher in with midazolam compared with tramadol reaching statistical significance at 30 min after drug administration.

Conclusıons

Although more effective sedation was obtained with midazolam in patients undergoing ERCP, there was a dysfunction in memory recall. It was concluded, however, that early cognitive functions were generally preserved with both drugs.
Multiple pulmonary metastases in recurrent intracranial meningioma: Case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Ming , Zhan Renya , Zhang Chong , Zhou Yongqing
Published: March 2016

Multiple pulmonary metastases from meningioma are rare. We report here a 59-year-old man with multiple pulmonary metastases from a recurrent intracranial meningioma. The primary intracranial tumour in the left occiput was totally excised in 2009. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of atypical meningioma and adjuvant radiotherapy was given to help prevent recurrence. However, recurrence occurred in the left occipital region in 2011 and the meningioma was re-excised in 2012. At the same time, multiple metastases in the right pulmonary lobe were found and excised 3 months after the second craniotomy. The patient has not developed any further recurrence or metastases to date. Neurosurgeons should be aware of the occurrence of pulmonary metastases in patients with intracranial meningioma; potential predictive factors include atypical meningioma, venous sinus invasion, recurrence or previous intracranial surgery, and loss of heterozygosity.
It’s better together: The psychological benefits of singing in a choir
Authors: Stewart Nick Alan Joseph , Lonsdale Adam Jonathan
Published: March 2016

Previous research has suggested that singing in a choir might be beneficial for an individual’s psychological well-being. However, it is unclear whether this effect is unique to choral singing, and little is known about the factors that could be responsible for it. To address this, the present study compared choral singing to two other relevant leisure activities, solo singing and playing a team sport, using measures of self-reported well-being, entitativity, need fulfilment and motivation. Questionnaire data from 375 participants indicated that choral singers and team sport players reported significantly higher psychological well-being than solo singers. Choral singers also reported that they considered their choirs to be a more coherent or ‘meaningful’ social group than team sport players considered their teams. Together these findings might be interpreted to suggest that membership of a group may be a more important influence on the psychological well-being experienced by choral singers than singing. These findings may have practical implications for the use of choral singing as an intervention for improving psychological well-being.
Assessing Hindu–Muslim Fertility Differentials in West Bengal
Authors: Haque Ismail , Patel Priyank Pravin
Published: March 2016

Religion, class–caste factors, and sociocultural norms influence fertility rates, largely determining reproductive behavior. Hindu–Muslim fertility differentials in West Bengal, India, are examined through characteristics and interaction hypotheses tests using National Family Health Survey-3 data. Results reveal most Hindu women have at least two births while Muslim women are likely to have at least four births, before avoiding subsequent births. Multiple classification analysis implies prevalent socioeconomic characteristics cause this fertility differential. Fertility differences are also noticed between lesser- and better-educated women groups, implying a strong religion–women education level interaction effect. The same holds true for the religion–son preference interaction effect as well.
Effect of Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Method on Patellofemoral Contact Pressures and Kinematics
Authors: Stephen Joanna M. , Kittl Christoph , Williams Andy , Zaffagnini Stefano , Marcheggiani Muccioli Giulio Maria , Fink Christian , Amis Andrew A.
Published: March 2016

Background:

There remains a lack of evidence regarding the optimal method when reconstructing the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) and whether some graft constructs can be more forgiving to surgical errors, such as overtensioning or tunnel malpositioning, than others.

Hypothesis:

The null hypothesis was that there would not be a significant difference between reconstruction methods (eg, graft type and fixation) in the adverse biomechanical effects (eg, patellar maltracking or elevated articular contact pressure) resulting from surgical errors such as tunnel malpositioning or graft overtensioning.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Nine fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were placed on a customized testing rig, where the femur was fixed but the tibia could be moved freely from 0° to 90° of flexion. Individual quadriceps heads and the iliotibial tract were separated and loaded to 205 N of tension using a weighted pulley system. Patellofemoral contact pressures and patellar tracking were measured at 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion using pressure-sensitive film inserted between the patella and trochlea, in conjunction with an optical tracking system. The MPFL was transected and then reconstructed in a randomized order using a (1) double-strand gracilis tendon, (2) quadriceps tendon, and (3) tensor fasciae latae allograft. Pressure maps and tracking measurements were recorded for each reconstruction method in 2 N and 10 N of tension and with the graft positioned in the anatomic, proximal, and distal femoral tunnel positions. Statistical analysis was undertaken using repeated-measures analyses of variance, Bonferroni post hoc analyses, and paired t tests.

Results:

Anatomically placed grafts during MPFL reconstruction tensioned to 2 N resulted in the restoration of intact medial joint contact pressures and patellar tracking for all 3 graft types investigated ( P > .050). However, femoral tunnels positioned proximal or distal to the anatomic origin resulted in significant increases in the mean medial joint contact pressure, medial patellar tilt, and medial patellar translation during knee flexion or extension, respectively ( P < .050), regardless of graft type, as did tensioning to 10 N.

Conclusion:

The importance of the surgical technique, specifically correct femoral tunnel positioning and graft tensioning, in restoring normal patellofemoral joint (PFJ) kinematics and articular cartilage contact stresses is evident, and the type of MPFL graft appeared less important.

Clinical Relevance:

The correct femoral tunnel position and graft tension for restoring normal PFJ kinematics and articular cartilage contact stresses appear to be more important than graft selection during MPFL reconstruction. These findings emphasize the importance of the surgical technique when undertaking this procedure.
Toward a Scalable and Sustainable Intervention for Complementary Food Safety
Authors: Rahman Musarrat J. , Nizame Fosiul A. , Nuruzzaman Mohammad , Akand Farhana , Islam Mohammad Aminul , Parvez Sarker Masud , Stewart Christine P. , Unicomb Leanne , Luby Stephen P. , Winch Peter J.
Published: March 2016

Background:

Contaminated complementary foods are associated with diarrhea and malnutrition among children aged 6 to 24 months. However, existing complementary food safety intervention models are likely not scalable and sustainable.

Objective:

To understand current behaviors, motivations for these behaviors, and the potential barriers to behavior change and to identify one or two simple actions that can address one or few food contamination pathways and have potential to be sustainably delivered to a larger population.

Methods:

Data were collected from 2 rural sites in Bangladesh through semistructured observations (12), video observations (12), in-depth interviews (18), and focus group discussions (3).

Results:

Although mothers report preparing dedicated foods for children, observations show that these are not separate from family foods. Children are regularly fed store-bought foods that are perceived to be bad for children. Mothers explained that long storage durations, summer temperatures, flies, animals, uncovered food, and unclean utensils are threats to food safety. Covering foods, storing foods on elevated surfaces, and reheating foods before consumption are methods believed to keep food safe. Locally made cabinet-like hardware is perceived to be acceptable solution to address reported food safety threats.

Conclusion:

Conventional approaches that include teaching food safety and highlighting benefits such as reduced contamination may be a disincentive for rural mothers who need solutions for their physical environment. We propose extending existing beneficial behaviors by addressing local preferences of taste and convenience.
Le mur d’images en ligne: présentation et apports d’un protocole hybride
Authors: Ganassali Stéphane
Published: March 2016

Cet article présente le protocole du mur d’images en ligne (ou MIEL), afin d’évaluer – grâce à un exemple – ses apports méthodologiques et analyser son efficacité comme technique de recherche marketing. Nous exposons les fondements théoriques et épistémologiques de cette méthode mixte, puis les principes de sa mise au point et les possibilités d’analyse offertes. Nous montrons que ce dispositif hybride permet de mêler les intérêts d’un protocole interprétatif qui intègre images et textes, tout en générant – à grande échelle – des données riches et de bonne qualité, exploitables statistiquement. Il apparait que le MIEL est bien adapté à l’analyse des composantes expérientielles et émotionnelles de la consommation.
Sexual Assault Supportive Attitudes: Rape Myth Acceptance and Token Resistance in Greek and Non-Greek College Students From Two University Samples in the United States
Authors: Canan Sasha N. , Jozkowski Kristen N. , Crawford Brandon L.
Published: March 2016

Colleges are rape-prone cultures with high rates of sexual victimization. Fraternities’ and sororities’ relationships with sexual assault are consistent themes in literature focusing on sexual violence among college students. Previous research suggests that fraternity men are more likely to endorse rape-supportive attitudes compared with non-Greek men or sorority women. The present study examines rape-supportive attitudes as well as rape and sexual assault victimization in college students with a focus on gender and Greek-life (i.e., involvement in fraternities or sororities) status variables. College students ( N = 1,002) completed a survey including the Token Resistance to Sex Scale (TRSS), Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale–Short Form (IRMA-S), and items related to past experiences of nonconsensual sex. Two regression models tested predictors of token resistance and rape myth acceptance. Chi-square analyses tested between-group differences of experiencing rape and sexual assault. Gender ( p < .001), Greek status ( p < .001), and race/ethnicity ( p < .001) were predictors for TRSS scores. For IRMA scores, gender ( p < .001), Greek status ( p < .001), and race/ethnicity variables ( p < .001) were also significant. Interaction terms revealed that Greek men had higher token resistance and rape myth acceptance than any other group. Chi-square analyses indicate women more frequently report experiences of rape (χ2 = 25.57, df = 1, p < .001) and sexual assault (χ2 = 31.75, df = 1, p < .001). Men report high rates (40.8%) of experiencing sexual assault “because refusing was useless.” No differences of victimization rates were found between Greeks and non-Greeks. Gender and sexual scripting theory can help explain gender differences in attitudes and experiences. Greater endorsement of rape myth acceptance and token resistance by Greeks, who influence college party culture, could be contributing to a culture conducive to rape. Findings demonstrate a continued need for interventions focused on shifting sociocultural dynamics (e.g., traditional roles and sexual scripting) on college campuses.
Reducing Sedentary Behavior Versus Increasing Moderate-to-Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity in Older Adults
Authors: Barone Gibbs Bethany , Brach Jennifer S. , Byard Tom , Creasy Seth , Davis Kelliann K. , McCoy Stephanie , Peluso Anna , Rogers Renee J. , Rupp Kristie , Jakicic John M.
Published: March 2016

Objective: To compare the effects of behavioral interventions targeting decreased sedentary behavior versus increased moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in older adults. Method: Inactive older adults ( N = 38, 68 ± 7 years old, 71% female) were randomized to 12-week interventions targeting decreased sedentary behavior ( Sit Less) or increased MVPA ( Get Active). The SenseWear armband was used to objectively assess activity in real time. Assessments included a blinded armband, the Community Health Activites Model Program for Senior (CHAMPS) questionnaire, 400-meter walk, and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Results: Objectively measured MVPA increased in Get Active (75 ± 22 min/week, p < .001); self-reported MVPA increased in both groups ( p < .05). Sedentary behavior did not change in either group (all p > .05). Only the Sit Less group improved the SPPB score (0.5 ± 0.3, p = .046). Discussion: Targeting reduced sedentary behavior had a greater effect on physical function among inactive but high functioning older adults over 12 weeks. Future studies of longer duration and combining increased MVPA with reduced sedentary behavior are needed.
Task-Specific Fatigue Among Older Primary Care Patients
Authors: Romine Perrin E. , Kiely Dan K. , Holt Nicole , Percac-Lima Sanja , Leveille Suzanne , Bean Jonathan F.
Published: March 2016

Objective: Fatigue is a common condition contributing to disability among older patients. We studied self-reported task-specific fatigue and its relation with mobility task performance among community-dwelling primary care patients. Method: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline demographic and health data from a prospective cohort study of 430 primary care patients aged 65 years or older. Fatigue was measured using the Avlund Mobility–Tiredness Scale. Performance tasks included rising from a chair, walking 4 m, and climbing two flights of stairs. Results: Among demographic and health factors, pain was the only attribute consistently predictive of fatigue status. Self-reported chair rise fatigue and walking fatigue were associated with specific task performance. Stair climb fatigue was not associated with stair climb time. Discussion: Pain is strongly associated with fatigue while rising from a chair, walking indoors, and climbing stairs. This study supports the validity of self-reported chair rise fatigue and walking fatigue as individual test items.
The Brain’s Tendency to Bind Audiovisual Signals Is Stable but Not General
Authors: Odegaard Brian , Shams Ladan
Published: March 2016

Previous studies have shown a surprising amount of between-subjects variability in the strength of interactions between sensory modalities. For the same set of stimuli, some subjects exhibit strong interactions, whereas others exhibit weak interactions. To date, little is known about what underlies this variability. Sensory integration in the brain could be governed by a global mechanism or by task-specific mechanisms that could be either stable or variable across time. We used a rigorous quantitative tool (Bayesian causal inference) to investigate whether integration (i.e., binding) tendencies generalize across tasks and are stable across time. We report for the first time that individuals’ binding tendencies are stable across time but are task-specific. These results provide evidence against the hypothesis that sensory integration is governed by a single, global parameter in the brain.
Electrifying news! Journalists, audiences, and the culture of timeliness in the United States, 1840--1920
Authors: Kielbowicz Richard B
Published: March 2016

The telegraph literally and figuratively electrified news by transforming reporting into a process that delivered impulses of information whose timeliness often riveted and sometimes excited newspaper audiences. The now-familiar daily news cycle—scheduled reports of recent news punctuated by even more timely breaking news—originated with telegraphic journalism. Daily papers began presenting themselves as the public’s portal to an electrified national and international newsgathering network. Looking beyond the role of telegraph firms and wire services, this study explores how the culture of journalistic timeliness was cultivated in organizational, occupational, and public settings. Organizationally, telegraph-enabled timeliness altered every stage of the news-production process, from reporter-source interactions to the delivery of stories to readers. The press reified timeliness internally through organizational rewards and occupational discourses, and externally by projecting its institutional values through marketing and the metatexts that accompanied stories. For the audience, daily papers conveyed the temporal rhythms of a networked industrial society. Audiences valued some timely news as data inputs that enhanced opportunities to participate in distant affairs or influence outcomes, though for economic intelligence private channels almost always outstripped newspapers’ public delivery of the same information. But even electrified news valued mostly for its storytelling made events common to many people simultaneously in a manner that encouraged the construction of meaning by scattered audiences. In those situations, timeliness often meant that news circulated fast enough for reactions around the nation to become part of the story itself.
Challenges to Using the Regression Discontinuity Design in Educational Evaluations
Authors: Louie Josephine , Rhoads Christopher , Mark June
Published: March 2016

Interest in the regression discontinuity (RD) design as an alternative to randomized control trials (RCTs) has grown in recent years. There is little practical guidance, however, on conditions that would lead to a successful RD evaluation or the utility of studies with underpowered RD designs. This article describes the use of RD design to evaluate the impact of a supplemental algebra-readiness curriculum, Transition to Algebra, on students’ mathematics outcomes. Lessons learned highlight the need for evaluators to understand important data requirements for strong RD evaluation studies, the need to collaborate with informed and committed partners to ensure successful RD design implementation, the value of embedding an RCT within an RD design whenever possible, and the need for caution when contemplating an RD design with a small sample. Underpowered RD studies—unlike underpowered RCTs—may not produce useful evaluation results, particularly if other RD data requirements are not met.
Experimental study on grinding wheel radial wear in surface grinding of steel CrV12 using a zonal centrifugal coolant provision system
Authors: Sieniawski Jarosław , Nadolny Krzysztof
Published: March 2016

The tribology of the grinding process can be considered in the context of a tribosystem, in which the main structural elements (grinding wheel, workpiece, grinding fluid, and environment) are interrelated and interdependent. One of the most important factors influencing the contact conditions of these listed elements of the grinding process tribosystem are the proper selection of grinding fluids and anti-adhesive substances, as well as careful consideration of how they are applied. This article describes a new zonal centrifugal coolant provision system as well as the results of experimental studies conducted into its use. The aim of these experiments was to determine the impact of the system of grinding fluids provision on grinding wheel radial wear in the surface grinding process of steel CrV12. Reference methods within the described studies consisted of dry grinding and grinding using the flood method, among others. The obtained results of the experiment revealed that the use of a zonal centrifugal coolant provision system enabled the acquisition of a similar radial wear rate of the grinding wheel at 90% reduction of grinding fluids flow rate, compared with flooding method. It was also demonstrated that in the most favorable conditions, it is even possible to significantly reduce the intensity of the radial wheel wear, compared with the conventional method.
Prurience, punishment and the image: Reading ‘law-and-order pornography’
Authors: Dymock Alex
Published: March 2016

This article aims to expand interpretations of the representational and spectatorial politics of images by investigating what Wacquant has termed ‘law-and-order pornographies’. By this, he refers to images of crime and punishment accorded signifiers of the pornographic and the prurient in order to describe the fusion of the erotic and the punitive. The first part of the article brings into conversation the fields of porn studies and visual criminology. It examines more closely what is at stake in imbuing crime images with the grammar of the pornographic. The second part of the article argues that the application of the pornographic to images of law and order has been refracted back onto the sphere of adult entertainment, in particular, the phenomenon of ‘revenge pornography’.
Experimental investigation on the seismic anchorage behavior of headed bars based on full-size specimens of exterior and interior beam–column joints
Authors: Chiu Chien-Kuo , Chi Kai-Ning , Lin Ker-Chun
Published: March 2016

The design of headed bars in interior and exterior beam–column joints to ensure satisfactory seismic anchorage performance has recently become a very important issue. This work investigates the seismic anchorage behavior of headed bars using 12 groups of full-size specimens of exterior and interior beam–column joints and suggests design requirements for headed bars in such joints. On the basis of the experimental investigation, this work comprehended the seismic anchorage behavior of headed bars using full-size specimens of exterior and interior beam–column joints and suggested design requirements for headed bars in such joints. Additionally, the application of headed bars with spliced and butted types on interior beam–column joints is also proved in this work. Therefore, based on the experimental results, the minimal required net spacing of headed bars can be set at 2.2 db, instead of 4.0 db, for seismic designs, and the minimal required anchorage length in ACI 318-11 for non-seismic design members can be used in seismic members.
Analysis of thermal behavior on concrete box-girder arch bridges under convection and solar radiation
Authors: Wang Yongbao , Zhan Yulin , Zhao Renda
Published: March 2016

The two-dimensional finite element method can be used to calculate the thermal field distribution of prestressed concrete bridge girders. However, this method is not appropriate for the concrete box-girder arch bridges, because they have different azimuth and dip angles at the top and bottom flanges along arch axis. Thus, an experimental and analytical study was conducted on a concrete box-girder arch bridge located in Guizhou, China, to investigate the thermal behavior under convection and the solar radiations. To determine the vertical temperature gradients, a two-dimensional plane finite element model was used to calculate the thermal field based on meteorological parameter methods. In addition, the three-dimensional beam finite element model was proposed to study the thermal stress and displacement of arch bridges using the vertical temperature gradients. Finally, the thermal behavior of the concrete box-girder arch bridges determined by the two-dimensional plane and three-dimensional beam finite element model was verified by three-dimensional solid finite element model.
Basic human values and white-collar crime: Findings from Europe
Authors: Goossen Mikael , Johansson Sevä Ingemar , Larsson Daniel
Published: March 2016

The aim of this article is to investigate the relationship between values and white-collar crime. The analyses draw on pooled survey data covering 14 European countries. The value constructs are derived on the basis of the theory of basic human values and seven value constructs are tested in relation to three types of white-collar crime: tax evasion, insurance fraud and bribery. The results show that a majority of the value constructs are statistically significantly related to white-collar crime in the expected direction. The relationships between values and white-collar crime are particularly clear-cut regarding tax evasion and insurance fraud but more mixed regarding bribery. The value constructs ‘universalism/benevolence’, ‘power/achievement’ and ‘stimulation’ yield consistent results across all three crime types. ‘Universalism/benevolence’ levels are negatively associated, while ‘power/achievement’ and ‘stimulation’ levels are positively associated, with odds of having committed white-collar crime. The results suggest that values are relevant predictors when trying to account for variation in white-collar offending.
Good Kids, Mad Cities
Authors: Love Bettina L.
Published: March 2016

The author draws from the works of Kevin Quashie and Kendrick Lamar to analyze the ways in which Black bodies in Hip Hop culture can represent resistance while being quiet, still, or building on existential consciousness from their interior. As many youth of color are good kids in mad cities, the article focuses on the question, “What does it mean for a generation of youth who are coming of age under the loud publicness of Hip Hop, racism, state violence, and domestic terrorism to know that resistance also can be found in the act of stillness?”
Historic Preservation in an Economic Void
Authors: Campo Daniel
Published: March 2016

This article explores experimental historic preservation practices at Silo City, a cultural campus “built” around three vacant grain elevators in Buffalo, New York. Amid the not-fully-deindustrialized landscape that Reyner Banham famously called a “Concrete Atlantis,” these practices operate outside traditional adaptive reuse markets, without significant public funding, and exploit historic industrial sites in their “as is” condition. This article argues that these practices have the potential to redefine preservation as an accessible and enjoyable practice rather than a means to a historically rigorous restoration or expansive local development stimulus; and are well suited for hard-to-preserve industrial sites in declining cities.
A Critical Evaluation of the Methodological Obstacles to Translating Cell-Based Research Into an Effective Treatment for People With Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Polgar Stephen , Karimi Leila , Buultjens Melissa , Morris Meg E.
Published: March 2016

The remarkable scientific and technological advances in the field of cell research have not been translated into viable restorative therapies for brain disorders. In this article, we examine the best available evidence for the clinical efficacy of reconstructive intracerebral transplantation in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), with the aim of identifying methodological obstacles to the translation process. The major stumbling block is the fact that the potential contributions of people with neural grafts and the effects of the physical and social environment in which they recover have not been adequately investigated and applied to advancing the clinical stages of the research program. We suggest that the biopsychosocial model along with emerging evidence of targeted rehabilitation can provide a useful framework for conducting research and evaluation that will ensure the best possible outcomes following intracerebral transplantation for PD.
Analysis and design of permanent magnet biased magnetic bearing based on hybrid factor
Authors: Sun Jinji , Bai Guochang , Le Yun , Peng Cong
Published: March 2016

In this article, hybrid factor is proposed for hybrid magnetic bearing. The hybrid factor is defined as the ratio of the force produced by the permanent magnet and the forces produced by the permanent magnet and current in hybrid magnetic bearing. It is deduced from a certain radial hybrid magnetic bearing using its important parameters such as the current stiffness and displacement stiffness at first and then the dynamic model of magnetically suspended rotor system is established. The relationship between structural parameters and control system parameters is analyzed based on the hybrid factor. Some influencing factors of hybrid factor in hybrid magnetic bearing, such as the size of the permanent magnet, length of air gap, and area of the stator poles, are analyzed in this article. It can be concluded that larger hybrid factor can be caused by the smaller power loss according to the definition of hybrid factor mentioned above. Meanwhile, the hybrid factor has a maximum value, which is related to control system parameters such as proportional factor expect for structural parameters. Finally, the design steps of parameters of hybrid magnetic bearing can be concluded.
Urban interventionism as a challenge to aesthetic order: Towards an aesthetic criminology
Authors: Millie Andrew
Published: March 2016

This article is concerned with ideas of urban order and considers the scope for playing with people’s expectations of order. In particular, drawing on criminological, philosophical and urban studies literatures, the article explores the notion of aesthetic order. The power to dictate aesthetic order is highlighted. The example of urban interventionism is used to consider those that challenge an approved aesthetic order. Here the article draws on cultural criminology and visual criminology, with illustrations coming from research in Toronto, Canada. Influenced by Alison Young’s (2014a) conceptualisation of ‘cities within the city’, the article considers how different people using the same space have different or overlapping ways of understanding aesthetic order. Of relevance to criminology, it is contended that people or things that contravene an approved aesthetic order may face banishment and criminalisation. It is concluded that respect for such difference is required. An aesthetic criminology is suggested.
Bodily isomerism is an independent risk factor for pulmonary hypertension in adults with congenital heart disease
Authors: Loomba Rohit S. , Aggarwal Saurabh , Arora Rohit R. , Anderson Robert
Published: March 2016

Introduction:

Bodily isomerism, or heterotaxy is a unique entity on which there is mirror imagery in various organ systems, leading to a deviation from the normal lateral arrangements of the viscera. Adults with such isomerism and associated congenital malformations of the heart are now reaching adulthood and developing long-term complications. This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of pulmonary hypertension in adults with isomerism.

Methods:

The 2012 iteration of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample was utilized and patients were identified as having or not having bodily isomerism and having or not having pulmonary hypertension. Univariate analysis utilizing Chi-square tabulation was done to assess characteristics associated with pulmonary hypertension. Next, a multivariate analysis was done on all patients to identify predictors of pulmonary hypertension followed by a multivariate analysis of patients with only isomerism to identify predictors of pulmonary hypertension specific to this subset.

Results:

A total of 6,907,109 admissions were included in the analysis. Of these, 861 had isomerism (0.01%). Of those with isomerism, 5.6% were found to have pulmonary hypertension. When all patients were included in the multivariate analysis, isomerism was found to be an independent risk factor for pulmonary hypertension with an odds ratio of approximately 1.79. When only patients with isomerism were included in the multivariate analysis, advanced age, obesity, and history of anomalous pulmonary venous connection were independent risk factors of pulmonary hypertension.

Conclusion:

Pulmonary hypertension is more common in those with isomerism, with isomerism being an independent risk factor for pulmonary hypertension. The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension is 5.6% in the setting of isomerism. Independent risk factors for pulmonary hypertension in patients with isomerism include age, obesity, and history of anomalous pulmonary venous connection.
Work–Family Balance Choices of Women Working in Kenyan Universities
Authors: Muasya Gladys
Published: March 2016

The proportion of women working in the formal sector in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased in recent years. The kinship networks are weakening, leading to a decline in the traditional forms of support for child care and housework. This study examined the work–family balance options of women working in Kenyan universities within the context of changing national domestic workers’ legislation. Data were collected by use of surveys in two universities. Results showed that as the cost of hiring domestic workers increased, women became indifferent in their choice between employing domestic workers and using daycare centers. Women with older children who employed day domestic workers were more likely to use daycare centers than women with younger children who employed live-in domestic workers. Women with young children in preschool and primary school found their universities less accommodating in helping them balance work and family demands. Employers perceived that the domestic workers’ legislation led to a drop in morale among domestic workers, and demands of pay raises as they became choosier and more inclined to search for better paying employers. It also resulted in a shift of work–family balance strategy for women who opted to hire domestic workers on an “as-needed” or “weekend basis.” Some women stopped hiring them altogether and instead started taking their young children to daycare centers. Cost and affordability determined the use of domestic workers. These women suggested that their employers should increase their job flexibility and put up subsidized daycare centers.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Kosovo Veterans
Authors: Shahini Mimoza , Shala Merita
Published: March 2016

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at veterans 8 years after war, to find out relation of PTSD with other demographic and health related variables and discover the impact of depression and trauma on PTSD on 687 veterans from six municipalities in Kosovo. Method: Participants were 687 war veterans selected from six regions of Kosovo during 2008. The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ-40), was administered to measure PTSD and Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25) for depression and anxiety. Pearson chi-square, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. Results: Results indicated that 11.2 % of veterans even 8 years after the war ended were suffering from PTSD. Six percent of veterans with PTSD did not seek medical help. They reported to have had emotional problems and physical problems, but they did not seek medical help. The findings suggest that self-medication may be one way of veterans dealing with PTSD symptoms. Veterans with PTSD symptoms were more concerned with “family issues” than those without PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: The study found that 8 years after the war the veterans of the war in Kosovo suffer PTSD symptoms and that a good number of them do not seek help for this problem. The establishment of adequate services by the state would transform these veterans’ dealing with PTSD not into a moral challenge but into a fundamental right to equal and high-quality services.
Media Images and Experiences of Being a Jew in the Swedish City of Malmö
Authors: Wigerfelt Anders , Wigerfelt Berit
Published: March 2016

A series of high-profile incidents in and after 2008 placed Malmö in southern Sweden on the national and international map as a place that was unsafe for people identified as Jews. The primary aim of this article is to explore and exemplify what it is like to live with Jewish identity in Malmö within a framework of how the media reports anti-Semitism and how this group copes with being the potential target of anti-Semitic harassment and hate crime. Based on interviews with people with Jewish identity in Malmö, we analyze and discuss their experiences using different themes, such as violent and everyday anti-Semitism, the local impact of the Israel–Palestine conflict, how media images affect their lives, and how exposure and vulnerability are dealt with. The findings are important in terms of both possible long-term measures against anti-Semitism and as immediate support for those targeted.
Decolonizing Science and Science Education in a Postcolonial Space (Trinidad, a Developing Caribbean Nation, Illustrates)
Authors: Boisselle Laila N.
Published: March 2016

The article addresses how remnant or transformed colonialist structures continue to shape science and science education, and how that impact might be mitigated within a postcolonial environment in favor of the development of the particular community being addressed. Though cognizant of, and resistant to, the ongoing colonial impact globally and nationally (and any attempts at subjugation, imperialism, and marginalization), this article is not about anticolonial science. Indeed, it is realized that the postcolonial state of science and science education is not simply defined, and may exist as a mix of the scientific practices of the colonizer and the colonized. The discussion occurs through a generic postcolonial lens and is organized into two main sections. First, the discussion of the postcolonial lens is eased through a consideration of globalization which is held here as the new colonialism. The article then uses this lens to interrogate conceptions of science and science education, and to suggest that the mainstream, standard account of what science is seems to represent a globalized- or arguably a Western, modern, secular-conception of science. This standard account of science can act as a gatekeeper to the indigenous ways of being, knowing, and doing of postcolonial populations. The article goes on to suggest that as a postcolonial response, decolonizing science and science education might be possible through practices that are primarily contextually respectful and responsive. That is, localization is suggested as one possible antidote to the deleterious effects of globalization. Trinidad, a postcolonial developing Caribbean nation, is used as illustration.
Practicum in Physical Education Teacher Education
Authors: Moen Kjersti Mordal , Standal Øyvind
Published: March 2016

The national curricula for physical education teacher education (PETE) in Norway require that practicum is carried out in a partnership between student teachers, cooperating teachers, and teacher educators. The aim of this article is to get insights into how cooperating teachers and teacher educators express and understand their educational partnership and mutual contribution to the practicum in PETE. Focus group interviews with cooperating teachers and physical education teacher educators (teacher educators) were analyzed by drawing on sensitizing concepts from figurational sociology. As such, the study has intended to identify networks between the two groups, as well as the interdependent nature, and consequent power relations in the partnership. The research may shed light on understanding why it seems difficult to reach the aim in the national curriculum of a mutual partnership of the two groups in practicum.
Daily Enema Regimen Is Superior to Traditional Therapies for Nonneurogenic Pediatric Overactive Bladder
Authors: Hodges Steve J. , Colaco Marc
Published: March 2016

Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of daily enemas for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) in children. This study was a prospective, controlled trial of 60 children with nonneurogenic OAB. The control patients (40) were treated with standard therapies, including timed voiding, constipation treatment with osmotic laxatives, anticholinergics, and biofeedback physical therapy, whereas the treatment patients (20) received only daily enemas and osmotic laxatives. On assessment of improvement of OAB symptoms, only 30% of the traditionally treated patients’ parents reported resolution of symptoms at 3 months, whereas 85% of enema patients did. At the onset of the study, the average pediatric voiding dysfunction score of all patients was 14, whereas on follow-up, the average scores for traditionally treated patients and enema-treated patients were 12 and 4, respectively. This study demonstrated that daily enema therapy is superior to traditional methods for the treatment of OAB.
Extended-Interval Aminoglycoside Use in Cystic Fibrosis Exacerbation in Children and Young Adults
Authors: Safi Khalid H. , Damiani Justina M. , Sturza Julie , Nasr Samya Z.
Published: March 2016

This is a prospective quality improvement project for patients with cystic fibrosis who are 5 years of age and older who were admitted for intravenous antibiotic administration as part of treatment of cystic fibrosis exacerbation. The goal of this project was to compare the pharmacokinetics of once-daily versus thrice-daily aminoglycoside use when treating cystic fibrosis exacerbation in different age groups. Of the total of 119 patient encounters, 82.4% were started on once-daily dosing, and the remainder were started on thrice-daily dosing. Patients with pharmacokinetics allowing the continuation of once-daily dosing differed from patients who required a switch to thrice-daily dosing in terms of baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced expiratory flow from 25% to 75% of vital capacity, age, and body mass index (BMI) but were similar in BMI percentiles. The once-daily dosing group had higher mean 18-hour level, higher mean half-life, higher mean area under the curve, and lower mean elimination constant. This study showed that aminoglycoside clearance is higher in younger children.
Sputum Induction in Children Is Feasible and Useful in a Bustling General Hospital Practice
Authors: Bart Ingeborg Y. , Mourits Mariëlle , van Gent René , van Leuken Maarten H. , Hilbink Mirrian , Warris Adilia , Wever Peter C. , de Vries Esther
Published: March 2016

We prospectively studied the feasibility and effectiveness of sputum induction in obtaining good quality sputum and its subsequent bacterial yield in children with clinically suspected acute lower-respiratory-tract infection (aLRTI). Good quality sputum was collected in 89/98 (91%) patients. Sputum cultures revealed ≥1 bacterial pathogens in 22 cases (25%). Adverse events were infrequent and mild (6%). Sputum induction is feasible in young children and leads to an increased number of etiological diagnoses of aLRTI.
TrkA mediates retrograde semaphorin 3A signaling through plexin A4 to regulate dendritic branching
Authors: Yamashita Naoya , Yamane Masayuki , Suto Fumikazu , Goshima Yoshio
Published: March 2016

Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), a secretory semaphorin, exerts various biological actions through a complex between neuropilin-1 and plexin-As (PlexAs). Sema3A induces retrograde signaling, which is involved in regulating dendritic localization of GluA2 (also known as GRIA2), an AMPA receptor subunit. Here, we investigated a possible interaction between retrograde signaling pathways for Sema3A and nerve growth factor (NGF). Sema3A induces colocalization of PlexA4 (also known as PLXNA4) signals with those of tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA, also known as NTRK1) in growth cones, and these colocalized signals were then observed along the axons. The time-lapse imaging of PlexA4 and several TrkA mutants showed that the kinase and dynein-binding activity of TrkA were required for Sema3A-induced retrograde transport of the PlexA4–TrkA complex along the axons. The inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)–Akt signal, a downstream signaling pathway of TrkA, in the distal axon suppressed Sema3A-induced dendritic localization of GluA2. The knockdown of TrkA suppressed Sema3A-induced dendritic localization of GluA2 and that suppressed Sema3A-regulated dendritic branching both in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that by interacting with PlexA4, TrkA plays a crucial role in redirecting local Sema3A signaling to retrograde axonal transport, thereby regulating dendritic GluA2 localization and patterning.