bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of Cyberstalking: Impact of Perpetrator Gender and Cyberstalker/Victim Relationship
Authors: Ahlgrim Billea , Terrance Cheryl
Published: June 2018

Cyberstalking is a relatively new phenomenon with limited empirical research. Consequently, despite the seriousness of the crime, prevalence rates are unreliable and estimates suffer from vast variation. Cyberstalking is likely to be underreported due to limited community understanding of what behaviors constitute cyberstalking. There are many factors unique to cyberstalking which may impact the extent to which the crime is reported, and the extent to which the perpetrator or victim is held responsible. The current study aimed to examine the impact of perpetrator gender, and the relationship between the perpetrator and victim (ex-intimate vs. stranger) on perceptions of cyberstalking. Participants read one of four scenarios, designed for this study, which varied in victim gender and cyberstalker–victim relationship. Perpetrator gender impacted perceptions of the scenario, such that the male perpetrator was viewed as more dangerous. Scenarios with a male perpetrator were perceived as more consistent with cyberstalking and the behavior as illegal in nature. Victim gender was found to impact the amount of blame a victim receives, such that the female victim was attributed less blame than the male victim. Meanwhile, the male victim was blamed more for the occurrence of the cyberstalking behavior, and their claims as a victim were taken less seriously and perceived as less legitimate. Finally, participant gender was found to impact perceptions toward the cyberstalking scenarios.
Hyperinflation of Vasopressors (Vasopressin, Norepinephrine, Ephedrine, etc)
Authors: Quan Ashley Thompson , Li Fanny
Published: June 2018

Purpose:

Hyperinflation refers to the increasing cost of drugs which occurs due to continued drug shortages and rebranding. Hyperinflation has significant implications in increasing overall healthcare costs with reduced reimbursement, increased patient acuity, and an aging population, but published strategies to reduce costs and minimize waste are limited.

Objective:

To describe the hyperinflation and cost mitigation strategies of three vasopressor medications, vasopressin, epinephrine, and ephedrine.

Conclusion:

The steep increase in medications is expected to continue, and mitigation strategies to reduce waste and select the most cost effective therapy to offset the price increase is crucial for healthcare systems.
The Impact of Top Leaders’ Personalities: The Processes Through Which Organizations Become Reflections of Their Leaders
Authors: Oreg Shaul , Berson Yair
Published: June 2018

The fascination with leaders and their impacts can be traced to ancient times and continues to this day. Organizations are often viewed as reflections of their leaders’ personalities, yet empirical evidence for this assumption has begun to amass only recently. In this article, we review this literature and trace findings about leaders’ personality traits, values, and motives and about the mechanisms through which these are manifested in their organizations. We specifically elaborate on research linking senior leaders’ values to organizational outcomes (e.g., financial performance, schoolchildren’s values) and demonstrate the mediating role of the organizational culture and climate.
Stories and the Promotion of Social Cognition
Authors: Mar Raymond A.
Published: June 2018

Engaging with fictional stories and the characters within them might help us better understand our real-world peers. Because stories are about characters and their interactions, understanding stories might help us to exercise our social cognitive abilities. Correlational studies with children and adults, experimental research, and neuropsychological investigations have all helped develop our understanding of how stories relate to social cognition. However, there remain a number of limitations to the current evidence, some puzzling results, and several unanswered questions that should inspire future research. This review traces multiple lines of evidence tying stories to social cognition and raises numerous critical questions for the field.
The Dynamics of Ethiopia-Sudan Relations Over the Hydro-politics of Nile
Authors: Beyene Embiale , Khan Aslam , Ali Mohammed Seid
Published: June 2018

In this study, the previous as well as current dynamics of Ethio-Sudan relation, conflict or cooperation over the hydro-politics of the Nile had been critically assessed. To this effect, using case study research design, relevant theories of hydro-politics had been employed. The finding reveals that the implementation of hegemonic paradigm by Egypt influenced Ethiopia and the Sudan to pursue competing foreign policy orientations and practices over the utilisation and development of the Nile water resources. The contradiction between previous Egypt–Sudan agreements and the New Cooperative Framework Agreement among other riparian countries headed by Ethiopia has also remained to be a challenge to Ethio-Sudan relations over the issue. However, enabling practical lessons that Sudan has got from various hydro-projects of Ethiopia over the Nile River in the recent past, has recently been creating an opportunity for an improving Ethio-Sudan bilateral relation over the Nile question. Therefore, unlike various forms of Ethio-Sudan diplomatic rifts over the utilisation and management of the Nile water resource in the past, the cumulative effect of critical analysis of current developments indicates the recognition of cooperation over conflict between the two neighbours.
Economic Community of West African States’ Protocol on Free Movement and the Challenges of Human Trafficking in West Africa
Authors: Sowale Adetayo Olamide
Published: June 2018

The article examines the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) protocol on free movement and the challenges of human trafficking in West Africa. It investigates the implication of ECOWAS protocol on free movement on human trafficking in West Africa. The data used for the study were obtained through secondary sources. The finding shows that protocol on the free movement of a person is a precursor for increase in human trafficking in West Africa due to border porosity. Based on the findings, it was suggested that the ECOWAS intensify more efforts with its member states to solve their economic problems as the vulnerability of human trafficking is from the low-performing economies in West Africa. In addition, it was also suggested that the ECOWAS should step up effort to bring to account the perpetrators of human trafficking.
Book review: Henning Melber (ed.), The Rise of Africa’s Middle Class: Myths, Realities and Critical Engagements
Authors: Manuel Sandra
Published: June 2018

Henning Melber (ed.), The Rise of Africa’s Middle Class: Myths, Realities and Critical Engagements. London: Zed Books, 2016, pp. 219, $34 (paper), ISBN 978-1-78360-713-6
Marginalised, patronised and instrumentalised: Polish female fans in the ultras’ narratives
Authors: Antonowicz Dominik , Jakubowska Honorata , Kossakowski Radosław
Published: June 2018

Since the 1990s there has been a growing number of female supporters following football clubs and there is little doubt that they have recently become an important part of the audience for both football authorities and clubs. The process of football’s feminisation is neither simple nor is it taking place in a social vacuum, and female fans are encountering well-institutionalised football fandom culture, which is deeply entrenched in stadium rituals. This paper offers an empirical study of roles assigned to women in football fandom culture and the way in which this has been done in order reproduce a “traditional” social order on the Polish football stands. In doing so, it examines the grass-roots ultras’ magazine To My Kibice (We are the fans) that belongs to an increasingly popular type of fan magazine, which was developed from popular homemade football fanzines in the 1980s. The analyses provide evidence that female supporters are either marginalised (not being counted as regular fans), patronised or instrumentalised by their male peers. These strategies are visible both in language and in the social contexts in which women on the stands are described.
Labour, self-entrepreneurship in Brazil and paradoxes of social freedom
Authors: Rosenfield Cinara L
Published: June 2018

In this article we shall explore, in the context of flexible capitalism, emerging forms of social insertion generated by work outside the realms of wage labour, in particular, so-called ‘self-entrepreneurship’ ( autoempreendedorismo). We shall argue that this phenomenon is related to the increase in contract-based employment, which amounts to a new employment regime. Self-management ( autogestão de si) is both a promising pathway to social insertion through work, and a way of internalising certain values. This article presents an empirical portrait of the current state of self-entrepreneurship in Brazil, followed by reflections on Axel Honneth’s notion of social freedom in light of the realities of labour in self-entrepreneurship. The experience of being self-employed and managing oneself entails a paradox: more individual freedom, but a weakening of collective bonds and cooperative support systems.
A case of nontyphoidal Salmonella gastroenteritis complicated with acute acalculous cholecystitis
Authors: Li Chun Kit , Wong Oi Fung , Ko Shing , Ma Hing Man , Lit Chau Hung Albert
Published: June 2018

Background: Acute acalculous cholecystitis is an acute inflammation of the gall bladder in the absence of gallstones and is known to occur in those critically ill patients, including those after major surgery, patients with trauma or burn, and patients with sepsis and various infectious diseases. Salmonella infection is one of the commonest food‐borne illnesses. Although cholecystitis is a well‐reported complication of typhoidal Salmonella infection, it is rarely reported in nontyphoidal Salmonella infection. Case Presentation: We report a case of nontyphoidal Salmonella infection complicated by acute acalculous cholecystitis. Prompt diagnosis was made and the patient was recovered after percutaneous cholecystostomy. Conclusion: Acute acalculous cholecystitis is a rare, but potentially lethal, complication of Salmonella infection. The clinical presentation is often subtle; therefore, a high degree of suspicion should be maintained in managing patients with Salmonella infection and ongoing sepsis.
Implementation and Impact of a Hospital-Wide Instrument Set Review: Early Experiences at a Multisite Tertiary Care Academic Institution
Authors: Yoon Seungwon , Zygourakis Corinna C. , Seaman Joshua , Zhu Min , Ahmed A. Karim , Kliot Tamara , Antrum Sheila , Goldberg Andrew N.
Published: June 2018

A multidisciplinary team of nurses, sterile processing technicians, and surgeons reviewed 609 otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (OHNS) surgical instrument sets at the study institution’s 3 hospitals. Implementation of the 4-phase instrument review resulted in decreased OHNS surgical instrument set types from 261 to 234 sets, and a decreased number of instruments in these sets from 18 952 to 17 084. The instrument set review resulted in an estimated savings of $35 665 in sterile processing costs for the OHNS department. Instrument review applied to all 10 surgical specialties at the institution would result in an estimated annual savings of $425 378. Through effective leadership, multidisciplinary participation of all key stakeholders, and a systematic approach, this study demonstrates that a hospital-wide quality improvement intervention for instrument set optimization can be successfully performed in a large, multisite tertiary care academic hospital.
“We Are More Than Crime Fighters”: Social Media Images of Police Departments
Authors: Hu Xiaochen , Rodgers Kourtnie , Lovrich Nicholas P.
Published: June 2018

Currently, about 96% of U.S. police departments have adopted social media, nearly 94% of which have implemented Facebook. Unfortunately, researchers have not paid much attention to police use of social media. The study serving as the basis for this article entails a careful analysis of 14 of the most popular police Facebook pages and analyzes posts during a 1-year period. The study documents 5 major themes and 24 noteworthy subthemes, and then applies a two-step cluster analysis to identify four principal types of police Facebook social images: crime fighter, traditional cop, public relations facilitator, and mixer. The well-established diffusion of innovations literature is employed to provide justification for the timeliness of the study, and the work of Rogers and subsequent scholars building upon it serves as the principal theoretical framework for this study. Public policy implications for policing are discussed, along with appropriate directions for further research.
Indigenous people and Information and Communication Technologies: the strengths and weaknesses of official data in Argentina
Authors: Ivana Mihal , Marina Matarrese
Published: June 2018

This article adopts an anthropological perspective to critically retrieve hard data produced by state-run bodies regarding the intersections between indigenous peoples and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Argentina. Specifically, this analysis means to contextualize and discuss statistical sources that provide data about ICTs and indigenous peoples. By drawing from these sources, this article seeks to explore the interconnections between ICTs and an overlooked ethnic minority like indigenous peoples, reflecting on how we might approach the assembly and interpretation of data from an ethnographic standpoint.
Fit “N” Cool Kids: The Effects of Character Modeling and Goal Setting on Children’s Physical Activity and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
Authors: Larson Jessyka N , Brusseau Timothy A , Wengreen Heidi , Fairclough Stuart J , Newton Maria M , Hannon James C
Published: June 2018

Efforts to decrease the risk of overweight and obesity should focus on children’s physical activity (PA) and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. Within school-based interventions, there is insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of the use of character modeling and goal setting to determine changes in step counts, MVPA, and FV consumption. Study participants were 187 students in grades 4 and 5 from 2 Title 1 elementary schools in the Southwest United States. The intervention was a quasi-experimental character modeling and goal setting program. New Lifestyles NL-1000 activity monitors were used to assess number of steps taken and MVPA by the participants. Fruit and vegetable consumption was measured by direct observation. School day steps, MVPA, and FV consumption were recorded at baseline, intervention, and during a 10-week follow-up. There were not differences between groups at baseline. Steps and MVPA were statistically significantly ( P < .05; Δ = ~2500 steps and ~5 minutes of MVPA) greater in the intervention compared with the control group over time. Fruit and vegetable consumption was not significantly ( P = .308) greater in the intervention compared with the control group over time. Students in the intervention school were significantly more active than students in the control school during the intervention phase and at follow-up. The findings reported here would suggest that character modeling and goal setting can increase PA among elementary aged children but did not increase FV consumption.
Getting lost to find direction: Grounded theorizing and consciousness-raising in management education
Authors: Auger Pascale , Mirvis Philip , Woodman Richard
Published: June 2018

The design of an implemented, innovative management course for French Master’s of Science students revolves around a field assignment in which they must visit and study an unfamiliar organization, diagnose what is going on, and apply their critical thinking to the situation to identify its causes, consequences, and implications for management action. This report makes the case for a pedagogic experience that uses grounded theorizing to raise consciousness among management education students. Such theorizing has a unique impact on students’ ability to become conscious in their thinking and helps them discover new avenues of thought, entailing notions of understanding people as they work in their context, making sense of complexity, engaging in critical introspection, and accepting personal revelation. The authors conclude by noting the teaching implications of this course and its potential impact for research in pedagogic innovation.
The body in the library: An investigative celebration of deviation, hesitation, and lack of closure
Authors: Kociatkiewicz Jerzy , Kostera Monika
Published: June 2018

The unexpected, if still clichéd, discovery of a body in the library introduces Agatha Christie’s plot starring the genius amateur detective, elderly Miss Marple. We will use the same situation as the starting point of our article and investigation, promising both the unmasking of the culprit and the departure from the currently standard form of an academic text. In a self-consciously rambling and digressive text, we will touch on various issues relevant to writing what we consider good social science, and the difficulties in doing so. Firmly reaffirming the need for writing organization studies and social science in the narrative mode, we trace what we see as the decline in quality and joyousness of contemporary management journal articles, and attempt to demonstrate, both through narrative means and by more traditional academic reasoning, how and why it is important to embrace variety in the ways knowledge in the social sciences is constructed and communicated.
No food for thought: Food insecurity is related to poor mental health and lower academic performance among students in California’s public university system
Authors: Martinez Suzanna M , Frongillo Edward A , Leung Cindy , Ritchie Lorrene
Published: June 2018

This study examined the relationships between food insecurity, mental health, and academic performance among college students in a California public university system ( N = 8705). Structural equation modeling was performed to examine a direct path from food insecurity to student grade point average and an indirect path through mental health, controlling for demographic characteristics. Food insecurity was related to lower student grade point average directly and indirectly through poor mental health. These findings support the need for future interventions and policy on the importance of providing students with the basic needs to succeed both academically and in the future.
The Complex Adaptive System Principles model for bilingualism: Language interactions within and across bilingual minds
Authors: Filipović Luna , Hawkins John A
Published: June 2018

Aims and objectives/purpose/research question:

We propose a model that captures general patterns in bilingual language processing, based on empirical evidence elicited in a variety of experimental studies. We begin by considering what linguistic outputs are logically possible when bilingual speakers communicate based on the typological features of two languages in the bilingual mind. Our aim is to explain why some outputs are more frequent or more likely than others in bilingual language use.

Design/methodology/approach:

Our empirically derived multi-factor model combines insights from various empirical studies of different bilingual populations and it includes a variety of methodologies and approaches, such as lexical categorisation, lexical priming, syntactic priming, event verbalisation and memory, historical language change, grammaticality judgments and observational reports.

Data and analysis:

We critically discuss both lexical and syntactic processing data, as well as data that reflect bilingual type differences and different communicative situations (i.e. who the bilingual speakers are talking to and for what purpose). Crucially, we explain when the relevant factors collaborate and when they compete.

Originality:

There are three main reasons why this paper can be deemed original: 1) it offers a unified model for understanding bilingual language processing that is not focused on a single factor or a single linguistic level, as has most often been the case in the past; 2) it brings together the study of bilingualism from both psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives and in a unifying fashion, which is rare in the literature; and 3) it creates a platform for testing numerous predictions that are not dependent on any one theory.

Significance/implications:

This new model opens up new avenues for research into bilingual language processing for all types of bilingual speakers and in different communicative situations. It captures and explains the variety of outputs in bilingual communication and enables us to make predictions about communicative outcomes.
Engaging with popular media through tourism: A brief introduction
Authors: McWha Madelene , Beeton Sue
Published: June 2018

Featuring research cases in Australia, China, Japan, Switzerland and the United States, from cosmopolitan New York to the American wilderness, this Special Issue reviews the ways in which popular media can be engaged through tourism across the globe. In this introduction, we set the scene for the six papers that follow, which collectively demonstrate the diversity of touristic, cultural and societal engagement with different forms of popular media through travel and tourism. The qualitative research papers present rich theoretical analysis and diverse and deliberate methodological approaches to critically examine a range of theoretical themes and constructs, including more amorphous concepts such as mediatised mobility, nationalism, gendered narratives and inter- and intra-personal authenticity, to more practical demonstrations of destination choice, contents tourism, placemaking and fandom. Each paper features a different popular media, including music, film, television series, animation, advertising and social media, and contributing authors critique the manifold uses of these mediums in tourism as well as their theoretical, managerial and operational implications. Also presented in this introduction is a brief explanation of the mentoring process in which some of the contributors participated to develop their scholarly practice and reflections with the support of a ‘critical reader’.
The Role of Clarity About Study Programme Contents and Interest in Student Evaluations of Teaching
Authors: Feistauer Daniela , Richter Tobias
Published: June 2018

Validity is an important issue when measuring teaching quality using student evaluations. This study examined the effects of psychology students’ subjective clarity about study contents and their prior interest in the subject as variables possibly biasing the evaluations of psychology courses. German students ( N = 292) evaluated lectures and seminars over five years with a standardized questionnaire, yielding 3,348 data points. In cross-classified multilevel models, we separated the total variance into the variance components of course, teacher, student, and the Teacher x Student interaction and found evidence for biasing effects with regard to the students’ clarity about study contents and prior subject interest. These effects were small overall and were stronger for lectures than for seminars. These results suggest that the validity of evaluations of teaching in psychology can be improved by creating realistic expectations of what psychology is about before students choose psychology as a study subject.
Modular Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for an Early Adolescent With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Comorbid Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Ordaz D. Luis , Lewin Adam B. , McBride Nicole M. , Storch Eric A.
Published: June 2018

This case report outlines the use of a modular cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) protocol used to treat “Larry,” a 12-year-old male, with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Larry participated in 16 weekly 90-min CBT sessions, following a protocol developed for youth with ASD and anxiety/OCD. Upon completion of the treatment, Larry was remitted of his OCD diagnosis (as defined by a subthreshold score of 3 on the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–4th ed. [ DSM-IV]–parent [ADIS]) and demonstrated marked improvements in his top presenting problems (washing hands immediately after touching something, checking tablet for smudges, and being around litter). This case report indicates useful adaptations to traditional CBT for OCD when working with youth with ASD.
Plantar Reconstruction Using a Dermal Substitute: Description of 2 Cases
Authors: Iglesias-Puzas Álvaro , González-Sixto Beatriz , Feal-Cortizas J. Carlos , Abalde-Pintos M. Teresa , Flórez Ángeles
Published: June 2018

Acral lentiginous melanoma is the most common subtype among melanomas on the foot. Reconstruction of a wide surgical defect once it is excised may result in a challenge that requires replacing the lost tissue with another tissue having similarly unique physical characteristics. Although reconstructive options such as skin grafts and either local or distant flaps offer adequate coverage, they often are subject of contraction, muscle atrophy, and contour abnormalities. Dermal substitutes provide support and structure and recreates the dermal layer to ensure a durable reconstruction. We report 2 cases of plantar melanoma in which adequate reconstruction was achieved using a dermal substitute.
Early Shortening of Wrist Flexor Muscles Coincides With Poor Recovery After Stroke
Authors: de Gooijer-van de Groep Karin L. , de Groot Jurriaan H. , van der Krogt Hanneke , de Vlugt Erwin , Arendzen J. Hans , Meskers Carel G. M.
Published: June 2018

Background. The mechanism and time course of increased wrist joint stiffness poststroke and clinically observed wrist flexion deformity is still not well understood. The components contributing to increased joint stiffness are of neural reflexive and peripheral tissue origin and quantified by reflexive torque and muscle slack length and stiffness coefficient parameters. Objective. To investigate the time course of the components contributing to wrist joint stiffness during the first 26 weeks poststroke in a group of patients, stratified by prognosis and functional recovery of the upper extremity. Methods. A total of 36 stroke patients were measured on 8 occasions within the first 26 weeks poststroke using ramp-and-hold rotations applied to the wrist joint by a robot manipulator. Neural reflexive and peripheral tissue components were estimated using an electromyography-driven antagonistic wrist model. Outcome was compared between groups cross-sectionally at 26 weeks poststroke and development over time was analyzed longitudinally. Results. At 26 weeks poststroke, patients with poor recovery (Action Research Arm Test [ARAT] ≤9 points) showed a higher predicted reflexive torque of the flexors ( P < .001) and reduced predicted slack length ( P < .001) indicating shortened muscles contributing to higher peripheral tissue stiffness ( P < .001), compared with patients with good recovery (ARAT ≥10 points). Significant differences in peripheral tissue stiffness between groups could be identified around weeks 4 and 5; for neural reflexive stiffness, this was the case around week 12. Conclusions. We found onset of peripheral tissue stiffness to precede neural reflexive stiffness. Temporal identification of components contributing to joint stiffness after stroke may prompt longitudinal interventional studies to further evaluate and eventually prevent these phenomena.
Storage reliability assessment for the stored equipment under periodical inspection
Authors: Liu Zheng , Liu Xin
Published: June 2018

Some equipment of special types can be stored for a very long time. During storage, the equipment can be affected by temperature, humidity, mechanical stress, and so on, and the study on their storage reliability is very significant. Many theories and methods are proposed for storage reliability assessment in the literature, but few are applied into practice or verified by the actual conditions of the engineering project. Besides, the performance degradation of the equipment with a long storage time is not evident, the performance degradation model is hard to build. Thus, in this article, a storage reliability assessment method under periodical inspection for the equipment with a long storage time is studied. In the method, the storage reliability curves of “repaired as good as new” and “degenerated after repaired” are constructed to describe the different states of the stored equipment after periodical inspection, the environmental factor is used to deal with the data coming from accelerated life tests, and the study is based on an engineering project, thus the effectiveness can be verified.
Song and Silence at the Gallows: Cultural Representations of Violence, Region, and Race in State v. McTaggart Slaves and State v. Frances Silver
Authors: Huff Jamie
Published: June 2018

This article analyzes cultural representations of two 19th century North Carolina cases, State v. McTaggart Slaves and State v. Frances Silver. Cultural memory of Silver thrives in Appalachian North Carolina, whereas McTaggart Slaves has been largely forgotten. Both cases involve women who faced execution for resistance to abuse, and who both lacked full personhood under the law. I argue that in both cases, cultural representations served to reinforce the legal power of white men over women in the home and justify legal punishment for their resistance. These representations also reflect and strengthen understandings of deviant whiteness in the Appalachian South.
Optimizing (neo)adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer
Authors: Basho Reva K. , McArthur Heather L.
Published: June 2018

The development of human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-directed therapy has resulted in significant improvement in outcomes for patients with early-stage HER2-overexpressing (HER2+) breast cancer. In recent years, newer HER2-directed agents and novel treatment strategies have been developed with ongoing improvements in overall outcomes. However, with the addition of newer agents, there is an increasing need to risk stratify patients to maximize efficacy and minimize toxicity of treatment. De-escalation of therapy with the potential to shorten the duration of adjuvant therapy and minimize chemotherapy administration in patients with favorable disease can be considered. On the other hand, escalation of therapy with the addition of novel HER2-directed agents and extended duration of therapy in patients at high risk of relapse can help improve long-term cure rates. Herein, we discuss recent developments in neoadjuvant and adjuvant strategies for the treatment of potentially curable HER2+ breast cancer.
Telecommunications networks
Authors: Gijrath Serge J.H.
Published: June 2018

This article assesses the innovation policy objectives underlying the proposed European Union (EU) Telecom Single Market regulation considering disruptive technological developments. The article explores the network operator’s dilemma how to deal with investments in a time where fundamental innovation comes from outside and the regulator’s dilemma how to improve the conditions for access to the operators’ networks and how to safeguard a level playing field. The EU measures with respect to two technological issues are discussed considering the EU’s policy objectives with respect to the deployment of 5G and the goal to ensure very high-speed broadband access in the EU. Thought is given to the effectiveness of imposing active and passive infrastructure arrangements. A mix of regulatory measures is considered in moving towards smarter electronic communications networks regulation.
Twitter Makes It Worse: Political Journalists, Gendered Echo Chambers, and the Amplification of Gender Bias
Authors: Usher Nikki , Holcomb Jesse , Littman Justin
Published: June 2018

Given both the historical legacy and the contemporary awareness about gender inequity in journalism and politics as well as the increasing importance of Twitter in political communication, this article considers whether the platform makes some of the existing gender bias against women in political journalism even worse. Using a framework that characterizes journalists’ Twitter behavior in terms of the dimensions of their peer-to-peer relationships and a comprehensive sample of permanently credentialed journalists for the U.S. Congress, substantial evidence of gender bias beyond existing inequities emerges. Most alarming is that male journalists amplify and engage male peers almost exclusively, while female journalists tend to engage most with each other. The significant support for claims of gender asymmetry as well as evidence of gender silos are findings that not only underscore the importance of further research but also suggest overarching consequences for the structure of contemporary political communication.
Vision-Driven Kinesthetic Illusion in Mirror Visual Feedback
Authors: Ishihara Yuki , Kodaka Kenri
Published: June 2018

In the paradigm of mirror visual feedback, it remains unclear how images of the mirrored hand directly affect the sense of motion of the hidden hand (kinesthetic illusion). To examine this question, we created an original mirror visual feedback setup using a horizontal mechanism of motion for the mirror and the hidden hand, each of which could independently be given a specific velocity. It should be noted that this setup can cause the hand viewed in the mirror to move without the involvement of the visible hand. In the experiment, the participants reported the felt direction of the hidden hand’s displacement (left/right) after 4 s dual movements with quasi-randomized velocities. It was found that the subjective direction of motion of the hidden hand was strongly biased toward the direction of the mirror. Further, anatomical congruency was found to affect kinesthetic illusion for cases where the mirror approaches the visible hand.
Releasing the tether: Weight normalization following corrective spinal fusion in cerebral palsy
Authors: DeFrancesco Christopher J , Miller Daniel J , Cahill Patrick J , Spiegel David A , Flynn John M , Baldwin Keith D
Published: June 2018

Purpose:

Feeding difficulties are common among patients with cerebral palsy (CP) and neuromuscular (NM) scoliosis. We theorize that posterior spinal fusion (PSF) reduces intra-abdominal pressure, resulting in improved feeding and subsequent weight gain. We hypothesized that, among nonambulatory patients with CP and NM scoliosis, we would observe significant gain in weight following PSF.

Methods:

Fifty subjects with nonambulatory CP who underwent PSF for NM scoliosis were included. Age and weight were recorded for the preoperative year; on the day of surgery; and at 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up. Weights were converted to weight percentiles using CP-specific growth charts. The weight percentile distributions were compared between time points using descriptive statistics as well as regression analysis.

Results:

The average change in weight from the day of surgery to 2-year follow-up was +3.4 percentiles. Patients who started out under the 50th percentile gained an average of 17.3 percentiles in the first year after PSF ( p = 0.009). Regression analysis showed that patients with baseline weight <50th percentile tended to gain in weight percentile over the first postoperative year ( β = 1.990, p = 0.001). No trend was present among this group prior to surgery ( p = 0.692) or during the second postoperative year ( p = 0.945). No trends were noted prior to or after surgery for patients with baseline weights ≥50th percentile. No significant association was observed between curve severity (measured by preoperative Cobb angle) and weight change.

Conclusions:

This series is the first to document significant weight gain after PSF for NM scoliosis, supporting the theory that spinal correction improves digestive function.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic level II.
The New Jan-Dhan: Why Is a Makeover Necessary?
Authors: Titus Mathew
Published: June 2018

The Jan-Dhan programme has garnered consistent policy attention across two national governments. Started in February 2011, this programme has gone on to mobilise ₹ 81,203.59 crore (US$12.4 billion approximately) by May 2018 through 31.6 crore ( 316 million) savings accounts. These accounts, spread over thousands of branches and operating in diverse conditions, include banks from the public sector, private sector and rural sector (Regional Rural Banks). The central question this paper tries to address is how we can ensure sustained gains from the programme. This article recommends that a new version of the programme be launched. The justification for this new version arises from evidence of substantive difference among banks already in outreach, product success and service quality. Using available data, this paper identifies banks that have done better than others in mobilising deposits and opening of the accounts. The next phase, this article suggests must direct resources and policy attention to the successful banks and support them by policy and regulatory incentives.
Providing an Empirical Insight into Nigeria’s Non-acceleration Rate of Unemployment
Authors: Edeme Richardson Kojo
Published: June 2018

This study was necessary since inflation and unemployment are twin macroeconomic variables that exert influence on the policy decision of any economy. Using time series from 1972 to 2015, the ordinary least-squares method was employed to determine both the short-run and long-run Phillips curve to ascertain if it is evident in Nigeria. The non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment (NAIRU) was also estimated. The results establish the presence of a negative relationship of both inflation and unemployment in the short-run and long-run unemployment, though not significant. Since NAIRU is 11.63, the policy implication is that if the economy was to achieve full employment, an unemployment rate of 11.63 per cent is inevitable.
von Willebrand factor enhances microvesicle-induced vascular leakage and coagulopathy in mice with traumatic brain injury
Authors: Wu Yingang , Liu Wei , Zhou Yuan , Hilton Tristan , Zhao Zilong , Liu Wei , Wang Min , Yeon Jason , Houck Katie , Thiagarajan Perumal , Zhang Fangyi , Shi Fu-Dong , Wu Xiaoping , Li Min , Dong Jing-fei , Zhang Jianning
Published: June 2018

Key Points

Injured brain releases hyperadhesive and microvesicle-bound VWF that causes neurological dysfunction and a systemic hypercoagulable state. ADAMTS-13 protected the blood-brain barrier to prevent TBI-induced neurological dysfunction and systemic coagulopathy.
Associations between circulating full-length angiopoietin-like protein 8 levels and severity of coronary artery disease in Chinese non-diabetic patients: a case–control study
Authors: Jiao Xiaolu , He Jiqiang , Yang Yunyun , Yang Song , Li Juan , Qin Yanwen
Published: June 2018

Background

Angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8), which is a novel hormone produced in liver and adipose tissue, is involved in regulating lipid metabolism. Patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) have remarkably higher levels of ANGPTL8 than those with only diabetes. However, no studies have investigated the involvement of ANGPTL8 in CAD in Chinese non-diabetic individuals. Therefore, we investigated full-length circulating ANGPTL8 levels in patients with CAD and the association between ANGPT8 levels and severity of CAD in Chinese individuals without diabetes.

Methods

We performed a case–control study in 149 Chinese non-diabetic subjects, including 80 patients with CAD and 69 controls. The Gensini stenosis scoring system was used to assess the severity of CAD. Circulating full-length ANGPTL8 levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. The associations between circulating full-length ANGPTL8 levels and CAD were determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The association between ANGPTL8 levels and Gensini scores was determined by multivariate linear regression analysis.

Results

Circulating full-length ANGPTL8 levels were significantly higher in Chinese non-diabetic patients with CAD compared with controls (665.90 ± 243.49 vs 462.27 ± 151.85 pg/ml, P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that circulating full-length ANGPTL8 levels were an independent risk factor for CAD (odds ratio = 2.002/100 pg ANGPTL8, 95% CI 1.430–2.803, P < 0.001) and circulating ANGPTL8 levels were positively associated with the Gensini score (β = 5.701/100 pg ANGPTL8, 95% CI 1.306–10.096, P = 0.012).

Conclusions

This study shows that the circulating ANGPTL8 levels are significantly increased in patients with CAD compared with controls in Chinese non-diabetic individuals. Circulating full-length ANGPTL8 levels are an independent risk factor for CAD and they are positively associated with the severity of CAD.

Trial registration This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR-COC-17010792)
Colourants made from aphids and ivy gum
Authors: Ali Nabil
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine whether workable flesh-toned paints can be made from colourants from aphid insects and ivy gum using medieval gum and scale insect recipes. The processes of extracting pigment from the lesser-known ivy, wormwood and the giant willow aphids were explored, whilst paint binder and colourant was obtained from ivy plant gum. This work follows on experiences applying past practices derived from painters’ to illuminators’ technical manuals using similar processes once used for making colourants from historical scale insects, such as kermes and cochineal. The experimental reconstructions created by using selected locally sourced aphid insects and ivy gum, indicate that an aphid-stain and dye-based colourant which was fixed to calcium carbonate can form a successful paint source.
Multivariate stochastic seismic inversion with adaptive sampling
Authors: Hadavand Siri Maryam , Deutsch Clayton V.
Published: June 2018

We have developed a fully coupled categorical-multivariate continuous stochastic inversion with a combined petro-elastic model and convolution. The new multivariate stochastic seismic inversion approach simulates multiple reservoir properties simultaneously and conditions them to the well and seismic data at the same time through the close integration of multivariate geostatistical modeling and stochastic inversion. This approach combines a trace-by-trace (column-wise) adaptive sampling algorithm with multivariate geostatistical techniques to select reservoir properties that match the seismic data. The adaptive sampling method uses an acceptance-rejection approach to condition geostatistical models to the well and seismic data. The adaptive sampling algorithm defines a practical stopping criteria based on the inherent uncertainty due to modeling assumptions and the size of the uncertainty space. This technique samples the realizations inside the space of uncertainty; the number of realizations attempted increases with the size of the space of uncertainty. Characterizing multiple reservoir properties simultaneously through the close integration of seismic inversion and multivariate geostatistical techniques leads to improved high-resolution reservoir property models that reproduce the original seismic data. A case study is considered to compare the proposed stochastic inversion approach with the conventional methods. The case study represents multivariate stochastic inversion provides high-resolution facies and reservoir physical properties simultaneously that reproduce the original seismic data within quality of data better than the other approaches.
Experimental investigation of the effects of clay content and compaction stress on the elastic properties and anisotropy of dry and saturated synthetic shale
Authors: Gong Fei , Di Bangrang , Wei Jianxin , Ding Pinbo , Li He , Li Dingyuan
Published: June 2018

Anisotropy in shales is an important issue in exploration and reservoir geophysics, and it has been proven extremely difficult to correlate anisotropy in natural shale by means of a single variable (in this case, clay content or compaction stress) because of the influence of multiple factors, such as water content, total organic carbon content, and complex mineral compositions. Thus, we used quartz, kaolinite, calcite, and kerogen extract as the primary materials to construct two sets of synthetic shale samples, each with a different clay content by weight and a different compaction stress. Ultrasonic experiments were conducted to investigate the anisotropy of velocity and mechanical properties in dry and saturated samples of our synthetic shales. The results reveal that the velocities decrease with clay content by weight and increase with compaction stress and that these changes are significant at low compaction stress. The velocity anisotropy of the samples increases with clay content and compaction stress due to the increasing alignment of the clay platelets. S-wave anisotropy is more sensitive to the clay content or compaction stress than P-wave anisotropy. The dynamic Young’s modulus [Formula: see text] of the samples decreases with clay content and increases with compaction stress, whereas Poisson’s ratio [Formula: see text] increases with clay content and decreases with compaction stress. Young’s modulus perpendicular to the symmetry axis is always larger than that parallel to the symmetry axis, but Poisson’s ratio perpendicular to the symmetry axis may be larger or smaller than that parallel to the symmetry axis, which indicates that mechanical properties have obvious anisotropic behavior. The elastic properties and anisotropy are also affected by fluids; the values of elastic and mechanical anisotropy parameters in saturated samples are significantly lower than those in dry samples.
Common mental disorders and risk factors in rural India: baseline data from the SMART mental health project
Authors: Kallakuri Sudha , Devarapalli Siddhardha , Tripathi Anadya Prakash , Patel Anushka , Maulik Pallab K
Published: June 2018

Background

About 10% Indians suffer from stress, depression or substance use disorders. Few receive care for these problems, especially in rural areas.

Aims

As part of a broader initiative to deliver technology-enabled mental health services for rural communities (adults ≥18 years), information was collected about the prevalence of depression, anxiety and suicide risk.

Method

The study was conducted in 12 villages in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, respectively. Additionally, data were collected about sociodemographic factors and stressful events, among others.

Results

Anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation affected 10.8, 14.4 and 3.5% of participants, respectively (N = 22 377). These were more common among women, and among those who were aged 30–59 years, uneducated, or divorced/ separated/ widowed. Stress due to financial loss was significant.

Conclusions

The study identified a significant number of people at risk of depression, anxiety and suicide, and needing care.

Declaration of interest

None.