bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nesting of Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica (Horsfield, 1821) (Aves: Anseriformes: Anatidae) and broken-wing distraction display at Kamrup District, Assam, India
Authors: Ranade Sachin P. , Prakash Vibhu
Published: May 2016

We observed 13 nesting attempts of the Lesser Whistling-Duck during 2011–2014 at Rani, Kamrup District in Assam, India.  Failure in egg laying by the ducks and nest raiding by Grey Mongoose were recorded, while the breeding success was 38.5%.  For the first time we witnessed broken wing distraction display exhibited by this species as an anti-predator strategy, which we have recorded here.
Additional records of the highly threatened Ceropegia mahabalei Hemadri & Ansari (Asclepiadoideae: Apocynaceae) from Nashik District, Maharashtra, India
Authors: Pethe Jui , Tillu Amit
Published: May 2016

Ceropegia mahabalei Hemadri & Ansari is a herbaceous plant known from three locations in Pune, Satara and Thane District of Maharashtra.  This communication records a new location of this species from Nashik District which is the northeastern most record for this species.  The small existing population in this new location is threatened by cattle grazing, and trampling by tourists.
Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Ortega Francisco B. , Lavie Carl J. , Blair Steven N.
Published: May 2016

The prevalence of obesity has increased worldwide over the past few decades. In 2013, the prevalence of obesity exceeded the 50% of the adult population in some countries from Oceania, North Africa, and Middle East. Lower but still alarmingly high prevalence was observed in North America (≈30%) and in Western Europe (≈20%). These figures are of serious concern because of the strong link between obesity and disease. In the present review, we summarize the current evidence on the relationship of obesity with cardiovascular disease (CVD), discussing how both the degree and the duration of obesity affect CVD. Although in the general population, obesity and, especially, severe obesity are consistently and strongly related with higher risk of CVD incidence and mortality, the one-size-fits-all approach should not be used with obesity. There are relevant factors largely affecting the CVD prognosis of obese individuals. In this context, we thoroughly discuss important concepts such as the fat-but-fit paradigm, the metabolically healthy but obese (MHO) phenotype and the obesity paradox in patients with CVD. About the MHO phenotype and its CVD prognosis, available data have provided mixed findings, what could be partially because of the adjustment or not for key confounders such as cardiorespiratory fitness, and to the lack of consensus on the MHO definition. In the present review, we propose a scientifically based harmonized definition of MHO, which will hopefully contribute to more comparable data in the future and a better understanding on the MHO subgroup and its CVD prognosis.
Epigenetic Changes in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Keating Samuel T. , Plutzky Jorge , El-Osta Assam
Published: May 2016

Cardiovascular complications remain the leading causes of morbidity and premature mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. Studies in humans and preclinical models demonstrate lasting gene expression changes in the vasculopathies initiated by previous exposure to high glucose concentrations and the associated overproduction of reactive oxygen species. The molecular signatures of chromatin architectures that sensitize the genome to these and other cardiometabolic risk factors of the diabetic milieu are increasingly implicated in the biological memory underlying cardiovascular complications and now widely considered as promising therapeutic targets. Atherosclerosis is a complex heterocellular disease where the contributing cell types possess distinct epigenomes shaping diverse gene expression. Although the extent that pathological chromatin changes can be manipulated in human cardiovascular disease remains to be established, the clinical applicability of epigenetic interventions will be greatly advanced by a deeper understanding of the cell type–specific roles played by writers, erasers, and readers of chromatin modifications in the diabetic vasculature. This review details a current perspective of epigenetic mechanisms of macrovascular disease in diabetes mellitus and highlights recent key descriptions of chromatinized changes associated with persistent gene expression in endothelial, smooth muscle, and circulating immune cells relevant to atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges associated with pharmacological targeting of epigenetic networks to correct abnormal or deregulated gene expression as a strategy to alleviate the clinical burden of diabetic cardiovascular disease.
Lipid Use and Misuse by the Heart
Authors: Schulze P. Christian , Drosatos Konstantinos , Goldberg Ira J.
Published: May 2016

The heart utilizes large amounts of fatty acids as energy providing substrates. The physiological balance of lipid uptake and oxidation prevents accumulation of excess lipids. Several processes that affect cardiac function, including ischemia, obesity, diabetes mellitus, sepsis, and most forms of heart failure lead to altered fatty acid oxidation and often also to the accumulation of lipids. There is now mounting evidence associating certain species of these lipids with cardiac lipotoxicity and subsequent myocardial dysfunction. Experimental and clinical data are discussed and paths to reduction of toxic lipids as a means to improve cardiac function are suggested.
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Disorders in Diabetes
Authors: Shah Manasi S. , Brownlee Michael
Published: May 2016

The clinical correlations linking diabetes mellitus with accelerated atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, and increased post-myocardial infarction fatality rates are increasingly understood in mechanistic terms. The multiple mechanisms discussed in this review seem to share a common element: prolonged increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in diabetic cardiovascular cells. Intracellular hyperglycemia causes excessive ROS production. This activates nuclear poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, which inhibits GAPDH, shunting early glycolytic intermediates into pathogenic signaling pathways. ROS and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase also reduce sirtuin, PGC-1α, and AMP-activated protein kinase activity. These changes cause decreased mitochondrial biogenesis, increased ROS production, and disturbed circadian clock synchronization of glucose and lipid metabolism. Excessive ROS production also facilitates nuclear transport of proatherogenic transcription factors, increases transcription of the neutrophil enzyme initiating NETosis, peptidylarginine deiminase 4, and activates the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing 3 inflammasome. Insulin resistance causes excessive cardiomyocyte ROS production by increasing fatty acid flux and oxidation. This stimulates overexpression of the nuclear receptor PPARα and nuclear translocation of forkhead box O 1, which cause cardiomyopathy. ROS also shift the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission in favor of increased fission, reducing the metabolic capacity and efficiency of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and ATP synthesis. Mitochondrial oxidative stress also plays a central role in angiotensin II–induced gap junction remodeling and arrhythmogenesis. ROS contribute to sudden death in diabetics after myocardial infarction by increasing post-translational protein modifications, which cause increased ryanodine receptor phosphorylation and downregulation of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca
++
-ATPase transcription. Increased ROS also depress autonomic ganglion synaptic transmission by oxidizing the nAch receptor α3 subunit, potentially contributing to the increased risk of fatal cardiac arrhythmias associated with diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy.
Cigarette Smoking and Chronic Kidney Disease in African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Hall Michael E. , Wang Wei , Okhomina Victoria , Agarwal Mohit , Hall John E. , Dreisbach Albert W. , Juncos Luis A. , Winniford Michael D. , Payne Thomas J. , Robertson Rose M. , Bhatnagar Aruni , Young Bessie A.
Published: May 2016

Background

Controversy exists regarding the association of cigarette smoking and renal dysfunction, particularly among African Americans, who are disproportionately affected by chronic kidney disease; therefore, we evaluated the relationship between cigarette smoking and rapid renal function (
RRF
) decline in the Jackson Heart Study.

Methods and Results

Rates of
RRF
decline were determined among 3648 African American participants enrolled at baseline in the Jackson Heart Study.
RRF
decline was defined as an absolute decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate of 30% from visit 1 to visit 3. There were 422 current, 659 past, and 2567 never smokers identified at visit 1. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, physical activity, education, alcohol consumption, and prevalent cardiovascular disease, current smokers demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of
RRF
decline compared with never smokers (incidence rate ratio 1.83, 95%
CI
1.31–2.56). Current smokers using 1 to 19 and ≥20 cigarettes daily had an increased incidence of
RRF
decline (incidence rate ratios of 1.75 [95%
CI
1.18–2.59] and 1.97 [95%
CI
1.17–3.31], respectively). There was a significant, progressive reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate from visit 1 to visit 3 in current and past smokers compared with never smokers. Finally, current smokers had a 1.38‐fold increase in C‐reactive protein compared with never smokers, after controlling for covariates.

Conclusions

In a large African American cohort, current cigarette smoking was independently associated with
RRF
decline in a dose‐dependent manner. There was also evidence of increased inflammation (C‐reactive protein) in current smokers, suggesting a potential mechanism for these relationships.
The Bauhaus in Brazil: Pedagogy and Practice
Authors: Nelson Adele
Published: May 2016

This article analyzes the rhetorical and discursive resonance of the claims by artists and art professionals in Brazil in the 1950s of a connection to the Bauhaus. I examine the curricula of two new art schools established in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, emphasizing the role of central figures, including Mário Pedrosa, and the works by artists trained at the schools, and study paintings by Lygia Clark that in part elicited Alfred H. Barr, Jr. in 1957 to dismiss Brazilian contemporary art as “Bauhaus exercises.” Rather than a case of imitation, as Barr suggested, Brazilian actors transformed Bauhaus ideas, mediated by Cold War re-interpretations of the German school and its approaches to artistic education, to articulate tactics of citation and adaptation and to assert a non-derivative, radical conception of modernism.
Agonistic support towards victims buffers aggression in geladas (Theropithecus gelada)
Authors: Pallante Virginia , Stanyon Roscoe , Palagi Elisabetta
Published: May 2016

Agonistic support occurs when a bystander intervenes in an ongoing conflict. The consequences of agonistic support may differ when provided to victims or aggressors. Supporting victims may not only protect them, but also limit the escalation of aggression among group members. Our results onTheropithecus geladashowed that support was preferentially directed towards victims and high-ranking individuals provided the highest levels of support. Whereas the support towards the aggressor had no effect in reducing its renewed aggression, it increased the frequency of subsequent conflicts among fellows. The support towards victims significantly reduced subsequent aggression both towards the victim and among other group members. The support was biased towards victims who were unrelated and shared weak bonds with the aggressors. In conclusion, victim support may be a social tool, which intervenes when other mechanisms are less likely to occur such as the case when the opponents are not kin or friends.
From Body Image to Emotional Bodily Experience in Eating Disorders
Authors: Gaete María Isabel , Fuchs Thomas
Published: May 2016

This paper is a critical analysis and overview of body image conceptualization and its scope and limits within the field of eating disorders (eds) up to the present day. In addition, a concept ofemotional bodily experienceis advanced in an attempt to shift towards a more comprehensive and multidimensional perspective for thelived bodyof these patients. It mainly considers contributions from phenomenology, embodiment theories and a review of the empirical findings that shed light on the emotional bodily experience in eating disorders. It proposes an ‘embodied defense’ that leads patients to experiencing their own bodies as objects. This proposal highlights the need for new psychotherapeutic tools in the treatment ofeds that take into account the bodily resonance of emotions and their use for improving adaptive responses to the environment: it calls for helping patients to recover the subjective experience of their bodies.
Une grammaire du mandarin
Authors: Paris Marie-Claude
Published: May 2016

Review article on Grammar of Mandarin. John Benjamins. Amsterdam/Philadelphia, 2015, written by Jeroen Wiedenhof.
Colloquium 1 How Good is that Thing Called Love? The Volatility of erōs in Plato’s Symposium
Authors: Politis Vasilis
Published: May 2016

I argue that the speech of Socrates-Diotima in Plato’s Symposium is in major part addressed to the questions, ‘How good is erōs?’ and ‘Is erōs a good thing or not?’; erōs being characterized as, precisely, the state of the human soul which is the desire for beauty and beautiful things. I conclude that, according to Plato, erōs is not, by itself, good-directed, or, by itself, bad-directed. Rather, erōs is capable of going either way, and which way it will actually go will depend on what relation it enters into with a distinct state of the human soul, namely, sophia. I arrive at this conclusion through an analysis of Diotima’s account of erōs as situated between (μεταξύ) and mid-way between (ἐν μέσῳ) goodness and badness. I argue that, when spelled out, this account defends two striking claims. First, erōs does not, by itself and intrinsically, have the power to direct itself towards things that are actually good. Secondly, erōs is a non-rational (ἄλογον) state of the soul, in that it does not, by itself and intrinsically, have the power to give reasons; and it is set against sophia, the state of the soul which is intrinsically rational.
Present status of the genus Taxilejeunea [Lejeuneaceae: Marchantiophyta] in India
Authors: Singh Sushil Kumar , Pócs Tamás
Published: May 2016

The genus Taxilejeunea (Spruce 1884: 212) Stephani (1889: 262) was originally described as Lejeunea subgenus Taxilejeunea Spruce (1884: 212). Spruce (1884) included 15 species in this subgenus, including the type species Lejeunea pterigonia (Lehm. & Lindenb.) Montagne (1840: 337) [basionym Jungermannia pterigonia Lehm. & Lindenb. in Lehmann (1834: 44)]. Schiffner (1893), when treating the genus Taxilejeunea, included five species namely, Taxilejeunea sulphurea (Lehm. & Lindenb. in Lehmann 1833: 14) Stephani (1890b: 142), T. pterigonia (Lehm. & Lindenb.) Stephani (1890b: 142), T. tenera (Swartz 1788: 143) Stephani (1890a: 98), T. affinis (Lindenb. & Gottsche in Gottsche et al. 1847: 748) Stephani (1890b: 141) and T. lumbricoides (Nees 1830: 40) Stephani (1890b: 141). Since then, many species have been added to the genus (Stephani 1912-1917, 1917-1924, Stotler & Crandall-Stotler 1977, Yano 1984, Fulford & Sharp 1990), especially from South America. All together 218 species names in Taxilejeunea are listed in Index Hepaticarum (Geissler & Bischler 1990, see also Reiner-Drehwald 2005). No detailed account is available on the genus except by Eifrig (1936) who provided a treatment of 26 species from Indomalesia. Recent molecular studies have proved that Taxilejeunea is not a good genus and is nested in Lejeunea (Wilson et al. 2007, Dong et al. 2013, Gradstein 2013, Heinrichs et al. 2013). Earlier, Mizutani (e.g. 1970) showed that various Asian species of Taxilejeunea should be returned to Lejeunea. A review of the species reported or described as Taxilejeunea is very necessary. Söderstöm et al. (2015) gave an account of the validation dates of generic names published by Spruce (1884) as subgenera and revised the publication dates of all species names.  In the present paper, we deal only with the Taxilejeunea species recorded from India.
New genera, new species and redescriptions of Australian jumping spiders
(Araneae: Salticidae)
Authors: RICHARDSON BARRY J.
Published: May 2016

A number of Australian species have been placed in the wrong, often non-Australian, genera. Some of these problems have been corrected here, by transfer or establishment of new genera. Several new species discovered during the course of the work are also described. Marptusa jovialis L. Koch, 1879 and Marptusa bracteata L. Koch, 1879 are transferred to Apricia gen. nov. Apricia longipalpis sp. nov. is also described from Australia. The study of the Australian species presently included in Trite Simon 1885 showed that this genus does not occur in mainland Australia. Hence, Marptusa vulpecula Thorell, 1881 is transferred to Capeyorkia gen. nov., while Marptusa longula Thorell, 1881 is transferred to Evarcha Simon, 1902. The only previously described ‘Australian’ species to remain in Trite is Trite concinna Rainbow, 1920, from Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island in the Pacific, while Trite grayi sp. nov., also from Lord Howe Island, is described here. Trite concinna Rainbow 1920 is redescribed. Most specimens previous listed as this species from Lord Howe Island (including most of the syntype series) belong in Ancepitilobus howensis gen. nov. et sp. nov. Clynotis severus (L. Koch, 1879) is the solitary species that remains in Clynotis Simon, 1901, with the remainder of the mainland species being transferred to Pungalina Richardson, 2013: P. albobarbata (L. Koch, 1879) comb. nov., P. semiatra (L. Koch, 1879) comb. nov. and P. semiferruginea (L. Koch, 1879) comb. nov. Pungalina plurilineata sp. nov. and Pungalina waldockae sp. nov. are also described from Australia. Clynotis gratiosa from Lord Howe Island is formally transferred to Tara Peckham & Peckham, 1886, as suggested previously. Tara gratiosa (Rainbow, 1920) is redescribed. Finally, three names, Gangus longulus Simon, 1902, Trite ornata Rainbow, 1915 and Plexippus albopilosus Keyserling, 1883, are considered species inquirendae, due to the state or loss of type material.
Geraldocossus gen. nov. (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Mount Cameroon (West Africa)
Authors: YAKOVLEV ROMAN V. , SÁFIÁN SZABOLCS
Published: May 2016

The cossid or the Carpenter Moths (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) include about 1000 species worldwide (van Nieukerken et al., 2011), of which 750 species belong to five subfamilies that occur in the Old World (Yakovlev 2011). The Cossidae are still relatively poorly known from vast areas of the African continent, despite recent reports on the fauna of Malawi (Yakovlev & Murphey 2014), Zimbabwe (Yakovlev & Lenz 2014), and Zambia (Yakovlev 2014). The first results of an ongoing revision of the South African Cossidae have also been published (Mey 2015).
Factors Associated With Ulcer Healing and Quality of Life in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcer
Authors: Spanos Konstantinos , Saleptsis Vasileios , Athanasoulas Athanasios , Karathanos Christos , Bargiota Alexandra , Chan Philip , Giannoukas Athanasios D.
Published: May 2016

A prospective nonrandomized cohort study on consecutive diabetic patients with foot ulcer was undertaken to assess the factors associated with the healing process or limb salvage and evaluate the impact of their treatment on their quality of life. Quality of life was evaluated using Diabetic Foot Ulcer Scale–Short Form (DFS-SF) questionnaire before and after treatment. A total of 103 diabetic patients with ulcer (mean age 69.7 ± 9.6 years, 77% male) were treated and followed up for 12 months. Ulcer healing, minor amputation, and major amputation rates were 41%, 41%, and 18%, respectively, while the mortality rate was 18%. Ulcer healing was associated with University of Texas wound grade 1 and the Study of Infections in Diabetic feet comparing Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Ertapenem versus Piperacillin/Tazobactam trial’s diabetic foot infection wound score. Limb loss was associated with nonpalpable popliteal artery, longer in-hospital stay, and delay until referral. Quality of life was improved in all domains of DFS-SF ( P < .0001) throughout the cohort of our patients regardless of their outcome, and no outcome (healing, minor amputation, or major amputation) was superior to other. Significant improvement was observed in all domains of hygiene self-management after consultation during the follow-up period.
Pulse Wave Velocity in Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Iwazu Yoshitaka , Minami Takaomi , Kotani Kazuhiko
Published: May 2016

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute childhood febrile disease of unknown etiology. It exhibits not only coronary artery aneurysms in some cases but also systemic vasculitis. Whether KD is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis remains debatable. The measurement of pulse wave velocity (PWV) is useful as a simple, noninvasive measurement of arterial stiffness, an atherosclerotic manifestation. We herein present a systematic review of clinical studies that focused on PWV in patients with KD. A PubMed-based search identified 8 eligible studies published until June 2015. The PWV of patients with KD, regardless of antecedent coronary artery lesions, was high relative to controls, even though their blood pressure appeared to be similar. Although definitive conclusions cannot be made with the limited information, patients with KD may be at risk of systemic atherosclerosis in association with arterial stiffness. Further research, including longitudinal and outcome studies, is needed to determine the clinical significance of a potential increase in PWV in patients with KD.
Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program in myotonic dystrophy: New opportunities for occupational therapists
Authors: Raymond Kateri , Levasseur Mélanie , Chouinard Maud-Christine , Mathieu Jean , Gagnon Cynthia
Published: May 2016

Background.

Chronic disease self-management is a priority in health care. Personal and environmental barriers for populations with neuromuscular disorders might diminish the efficacy of self-management programs, although they have been shown to be an effective intervention in many populations. Owing to their occupational expertise, occupational therapists might optimize self-management program interventions.

Purpose.

This study aimed to adapt the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) for people with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and assess its acceptability and feasibility in this population.

Method.

Using an adapted version of the Stanford CDSMP, a descriptive pilot study was conducted with 10 participants (five adults with DM1 and their caregivers). A semi-structured interview and questionnaires were used.

Findings.

The Stanford CDSMP is acceptable and feasible for individuals with DM1. However, improvements are required, such as the involvement of occupational therapists to help foster concrete utilization of self-management strategies into day-to-day tasks using their expertise in enabling occupation.

Implications.

Although adaptations are needed, the Stanford CDSMP remains a relevant intervention with populations requiring the application of self-management strategies.
Wellness and academic outcomes among disadvantaged students in South Africa: An exploratory study
Authors: Morris-Paxton Angela A , Van Lingen Johanna M , Elkonin Diane
Published: May 2016

Objective:

The aim of this study was to measure possible impacts of a salutogenic lifestyle education programme on wellness and academic outcomes in a group of socioeconomically disadvantaged students in the first year of higher education.

Setting:

University in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Methods:

A mixed-methods approach was utilised to assess the relationship between wellness and academic outcomes. Data were gathered using the Wellness Questionnaire for Higher Education, a semi-structured researcher-generated questionnaire and transcripts of academic results. Data were analysed using SPSSv20 and NVIVOv8.

Results:

Findings revealed that all students showed modest improvements in overall wellness scores. A correlation was found between student wellness and academic success ( r = .362, p = .049), which was stronger for students who gained the highest marks ( r = .610, p = .004) and who made two to three lifestyle changes.

Conclusion:

A holistic, salutogenic, wellness education programme shows potential to increase student wellness, which may then translate into student academic success.
Tribute to an Astronomer: The Work of Max Ernst on Wilhelm Tempel
Authors: Nazé Yaël
Published: May 2016

In 1964–1974, the German artist Max Ernst created, with the help of two friends, a series of works (books, movie, and paintings) related to the astronomer Wilhelm Tempel. Mixing actual texts by Tempel and artistic features, this series pays homage to the astronomer by recalling his life and discoveries. Moreover, the core of the project, the book Maximiliana or the Illegal Practice of Astronomy, actually depicts the way science works, making this work of art a most original tribute to a scientist.
Relative Salience of Speech Rhythm and Speech Rate on Perceived Foreign Accent in a Second Language
Authors: Polyanskaya Leona , Ordin Mikhail , Busa Maria Grazia
Published: May 2016

We investigated the independent contribution of speech rate and speech rhythm to perceived foreign accent. To address this issue we used a resynthesis technique that allows neutralizing segmental and tonal idiosyncrasies between identical sentences produced by French learners of English at different proficiency levels and maintaining the idiosyncrasies pertaining to prosodic timing patterns. We created stimuli that (1) preserved the idiosyncrasies in speech rhythm while controlling for the differences in speech rate between the utterances; (2) preserved the idiosyncrasies in speech rate while controlling for the differences in speech rhythm between the utterances; and (3) preserved the idiosyncrasies both in speech rate and speech rhythm. All the stimuli were created in intoned (with imposed intonational contour) and flat (with monotonized, constant F0) conditions. The original and the resynthesized sentences were rated by native speakers of English for degree of foreign accent. We found that both speech rate and speech rhythm influence the degree of perceived foreign accent, but the effect of speech rhythm is larger than that of speech rate. We also found that intonation enhances the perception of fine differences in rhythmic patterns but reduces the perceptual salience of fine differences in speech rate.
Voluntary Attentional Orienting in Schoolchildren
Authors: Commodari Elena
Published: May 2016

Voluntary attentional orienting is the foundation of the capacity to highlight relevant stimuli and suppress competing distractions. It plays a role in the scholastic skills. This study investigated the changes in the orienting skills in 630 schoolchildren (age range: 5.7–10.2 years old), who attended the first ( N = 205, M = 6.1, SD = 0.4), third (212 children, M = 8.2, SD = 0.6), and fifth grade (213 children, M = 10, SD = 0.4) of four primary schools in Italy. Simple attentional orienting, choice attentional orienting on written stimuli, double attentional orienting (auditory and visual), and re-orienting were investigated. The tasks required pressing a key in response to some target stimuli. The stimuli were digits, images of objects, written words, letters, geometric forms, and auditory verbal stimuli. Results showed that attentional orienting improved with age. The children's performances depended on the type of stimuli and activities required for the task. The accuracy of re-orienting with written verbal stimuli did not improve during primary school. With increasing age, children became faster but not more able to focus on written verbal stimuli when shifting of attention was required.
The theology of John A. Mackay as Praeparatio liberationis1
Authors: Koll Karla Ann
Published: May 2016

This article explores the way in which the theology of John A. Mackay prepared the way for the development of liberation theology as well as its reception among some sectors of Latin American Protestantism. Mackay’s formulation of the theological task as taking place on the road rather than on the balcony taught Latin American Protestants to think about God and the cause of God’s reign from within their own contexts. Mackay also insisted that theological reflection must be preceded by a commitment to work for justice. Mackay expected Christians, both Protestants and Catholics, to be involved in the revolutionary movements that he believed would shape the future of Latin America. Mackay called on the church to move to the margins of society, just as liberation theology would do later. Thus we see in Mackay’s writings a foreshadowing of both the content and method of Latin American liberation theology.
Toward a dialogical church: Asian bishops and Asian Catholic women
Authors: Nguyen Thao
Published: May 2016

This article focuses on an emerging ecclesiology in the Roman Catholic Church in Asia, as presented by its Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC). The central theological reflection of the FABC with regard to women’s status during the last several decades offers a new way of being church in which women are able to participate in leadership roles. The article also discusses the Asian bishops’ recognition of women’s exclusion as a crisis in church structure. This recognition was located in a struggle for new transformation in the church with a hope that the church will become the witness to the good news in which women’s dignity and roles deserve to be recognized and promoted. Significantly, ecumenism among Asian women has motivated Catholic women to engage in ecclesial and theological reflections from Asian women’s perspectives. Ecumenical activities have also helped Catholic women raise their stronger voices within the male-dominated structure of the Roman Catholic Church. Parallel to the bishops’ efforts, therefore, women’s rising voices awakened the Asian bishops’ awareness of women’s potential, viewing the inclusion of women in the church’s structure as an imperative.
The ordination of women: Biblical perspectives
Authors: Duff Nancy J.
Published: May 2016

This essay focuses on one aspect of the debate regarding the ordination of women by analyzing and challenging interpretations and translations of specific biblical passages that have often been used to argue against the ordination of women. It provides reflections on only one aspect of a much broader discussion that even members of denominations that have long ordained women should not ignore.
A failure of theological imagination: Beginning to deal with the legacy of Princeton Seminary on matters of slavery and race
Authors: Mikoski Gordon S.
Published: May 2016

Princeton Theological Seminary has an ambiguous legacy around issues of slavery and race. From its founding in 1812 through at least the period of Reconstruction, the seminary’s faculty espoused African colonization as the only viable response to the problems caused by slavery in the United States. In their enthusiastic support for the colonization effort, the seminary’s faculty manifested a profound failure of theological imagination in that their efforts along these lines were premised upon an inability to conceive of a society in which Black and White could live together as equals before God. This article signals the beginning of an effort by current faculty to research the history of the seminary’s ambiguous legacy around matters or slavery and race with an eye toward developing a constructive way forward in the present and for the future.
Negotiating the educational spaces of urban multiculture: Skills, competencies and college life
Authors: Bennett Katy , Cochrane Allan , Mohan Giles , Neal Sarah
Published: May 2016

This paper contributes to research on urban multiculture and debates as to how people routinely live and experience ethnic diversity in their everyday lives. This research takes an ‘unpanicked’ approach to multiculture that sits differently to, although not unaffected by, multiculturalism as policy objective and those debates around multiculturalism that variously celebrate cultural difference or construct it through crisis talk. Critical to this paper are the routine phenomenologies of multiculture and the everyday practices, competencies and skills of young people attending college. Because of their diverse intakes and the openness of young people to difference, colleges are key sites within which urban multiculture is experienced and through which it is defined. Based on participant observation, repeat in-depth discussion groups and interviews, the focus of this paper is young adults attending post-16 colleges and schools in three ethnically diverse urban locations. Colleges and schools are urban spaces that mediate sociality and student experience but are also woven into the wider urban setting in which they are placed. The paper explores the skills and competencies that young adults develop to negotiate college and we particularly focus on their use of jokes and the exercise of restraint to get along with others.
Using Online Threaded Discussions: Best Practices for the Digital Learner
Authors: Rizopoulos Lisa Anne , McCarthy Peter
Published: May 2016

Online dialogic communities have become a ubiquitous tool that transforms student learning and course delivery. Threaded Discussions extend classroom learning by providing an asynchronous method of communication for the exchange of meaningful ideas that promote critical thinking and develop thoughtful reflective learning. Threaded Discussions transcend the physical boundaries of the classroom and capitalize on distance learning opportunities. The benefits and limitations for implementing Threaded Discussions across the content areas, along with effective strategies and practical examples, will be explored.
Maturity-related Variability of the Thymus in Cynomolgus Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Snyder Paul W. , Everds Nancy E. , Craven W. A. , Werner Jonathan , Tannehill-Gregg Sarah H. , Guzman Roberto E.
Published: May 2016

Terminal body weights (TBWs), thymus weight parameters, and thymus morphology were retrospectively evaluated in 453 cynomolgus monkeys assigned to control groups on nonclinical toxicity studies. Morphology of bone, ovary, and testis/epididymis were used to determine maturity status of individual animals. There was no correlation between TBW and thymus weight (absolute and/or relative to TBW or brain weight). Thymus weight parameters and grades of decreased lymphocytes in the thymus were highly variable in immature animals compared to mature animals. There was also high (up to 11-fold) variability of thymus weight parameters within a given control group on the same study (generally 3 or 4 animals per sex). Several parameters evaluated had more pronounced age-related changes in males when compared to females. Our results demonstrate the inherent variability of thymus weight parameters and morphologic observations for cynomolgus monkeys on toxicology studies. Changes in thymus parameters in cynomolgus monkeys are unreliable indicators of immunomodulation or immunotoxicity in the absence of other relevant findings. Therefore, the thymus parameters commonly evaluated in preclinical safety assessments should not be the primary data set used to determine the presence of a direct test article–related effect on the immune system.
Consumer Response to Brand Placement in Movies: Investigating the Brand-Event Fit
Authors: Nagar Komal
Published: May 2016

Executive Summary

Movies offer the perfect media site for placement of brands as part of the emerging marketing strategy. Although attempts to analyse brand placements have been made in the past, the same needs more attention in the Indian context. Given the exposure of Indian audiences to both national and international entertainment industry, it is only reasonable to expect the entertainment event context to have an impact on consumers’ evaluation of the brands placed in each context.

The present research attempts to extend the applicability of the idea of fit, which was till now largely confined to sponsorship and subjects it to the exploration of finding a fit between brands and specific events, in particular, movies. Because the link between country of origin of the entertainment event (national/international) and brand, placement is a relevant area of speculation, the present research aims to study this relationship within the national/international context. Results of an experimental study among 120 respondents are as follows: Brands placed in a national event will create more positive brand evaluations in terms of positive attitude towards the placed brand and intention to purchase than brands that are placed in an international event. When the presence of a brand is consistent with the context in which it is placed, it would evoke more positive attitudes and behaviour than an incongruent placement. Evaluation of results further reveals that although a brand that fits well with the context in which it is placed generates a positive evaluation of the placed brand, the condition of a brand-event misfit in a Hollywood context will create more negative evaluations among the Indian audiences than if such a disconnect appeared in a Hindi film. In other words, a brand may have more to lose in case of a misfit with the international entertainment event than with a national entertainment event.

Based on the findings of the present study, it is suggested that multinational brands must look at the Indian movies as a suitable medium for reaching out to the prospective buyers as Indians have become consumers of global brands and thus pose to be a huge market for global brands.
Barriers and perceptions regarding code status discussion with families of critically ill patients in a tertiary care hospital of a developing country: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Syed Ahsan A , Almas Aysha , Naeem Quratulain , Malik Umer F , Muhammad Tariq
Published: May 2016

Background:

In Asian societies including Pakistan, a complex background of illiteracy, different familial dynamics, lack of patient’s autonomy, religious beliefs, and financial constraints give new dimensions to code status discussion. Barriers faced by physicians during code status discussion in these societies are largely unknown.

Aim:

To determine the barriers and perceptions in discussion of code status by physicians.

Design:

Questionnaire-based cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants:

This study was conducted in the Department of Medicine of The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 134 physicians who had discussed at least five code statuses in their lifetime were included.

Results:

A total of 77 (57.4%) physicians responded. Family-related barriers were found to be the most common barriers. They include family denial (74.0%), level of education of family (66.2%), and conflict between individual family members (66.2%). Regarding personal barriers, lack of knowledge regarding prognosis (44.1%), personal discomfort in discussing death (29.8%), and fear of legal consequences (28.5%) were the top most barriers. In hospital-related barriers, time constraint (57.1%), lack of hospital administration support (48.0%), and suboptimal nursing care after do not resuscitate (48.0%) were the most frequent. There were significant differences among opinions of trainees when compared to those of attending physicians.

Conclusion:

Family-related barriers are the most frequent roadblocks in the end-of-life care discussions for physicians in Pakistan. Strengthening communication skills of physicians and family education are the potential strategies to improve end-of-life care. Large multi-center studies are needed to better understand the barriers of code status discussion in developing countries.
Prediction error, ketamine and psychosis: An updated model
Authors: Corlett Philip R , Honey Garry D , Fletcher Paul C
Published: May 2016

In 2007, we proposed an explanation of delusion formation as aberrant prediction error-driven associative learning. Further, we argued that the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine provided a good model for this process. Subsequently, we validated the model in patients with psychosis, relating aberrant prediction error signals to delusion severity. During the ensuing period, we have developed these ideas, drawing on the simple principle that brains build a model of the world and refine it by minimising prediction errors, as well as using it to guide perceptual inferences. While previously we focused on the prediction error signal per se, an updated view takes into account its precision, as well as the precision of prior expectations. With this expanded perspective, we see several possible routes to psychotic symptoms – which may explain the heterogeneity of psychotic illness, as well as the fact that other drugs, with different pharmacological actions, can produce psychotomimetic effects. In this article, we review the basic principles of this model and highlight specific ways in which prediction errors can be perturbed, in particular considering the reliability and uncertainty of predictions. The expanded model explains hallucinations as perturbations of the uncertainty mediated balance between expectation and prediction error. Here, expectations dominate and create perceptions by suppressing or ignoring actual inputs. Negative symptoms may arise due to poor reliability of predictions in service of action. By mapping from biology to belief and perception, the account proffers new explanations of psychosis. However, challenges remain. We attempt to address some of these concerns and suggest future directions, incorporating other symptoms into the model, building towards better understanding of psychosis.
Aromatase inhibitors and anti-synthetase syndrome
Authors: Mascella Fabio , Gianni Lorenzo , Affatato Alessandra , Fantini Manuela
Published: May 2016

Adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal women with endocrine-responsive breast cancer (BC) is actually centered on the use of anti-aromatase inhibitors (AI). Several reports, however, are emerging in literature associating the use of this drugs to rheumatic disorders. This case report describes the first case of anti-synthetase syndrome diagnosis after treatment with anti-estrogen agents in a patient with pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis.
Perceived Quality of Educational Technology Matters
Authors: Petko Dominik , Cantieni Andrea , Prasse Doreen
Published: May 2016

In large-scale international assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), or the Progress in International Reading Study (PISA), research has struggled to find positive associations between the frequency of educational technology use in schools and student achievement. While computer use at home showed a tendency for positive correlations with test scores, computer use in schools did not. Following a different approach, the study reanalyzes PISA 2012 data by combining frequency of use and positive perceptions with regard to educational technology as predictors for student test scores. When controlling for influential sociodemographic factors, results indicate that positive attitudes toward educational technology are associated with higher test scores in the large majority of countries. As positive attitudes are likely to be a result of positive experiences, it seems reasonable to conclude that it might be quality instead of quantity of educational technology use that matters.
The Effectiveness of Digital Badges on Student Online Contributions
Authors: Chou Chientzu Candace , He Shi-Jen
Published: May 2016

Digital badges have been increasingly used to encourage users to achieve specific goals in learning. Recent studies have shown that badges can be effective to incentivize learners to complete specific tasks or increase learning participation in online learning environments. This study utilized a mixed research method to examine the impact of a badge system on class participation and interaction for both online and face-to-face classes in a graduate program for teacher education. Badges were issued for students who contributed to quality class discussion and peer project comments in courses with two different pedagogical orientations: read-write-reflect-comment and activity-based design. Quantitative data collected from students enrolled in courses with and without a badge system implemented and qualitative data collected from students enrolled only in courses with a badge system implemented were analyzed. The findings indicate that badges are effective in enhancing student interaction but not student participation. Compared with activity-based courses, badges could better enhance student interaction in traditional online courses that utilized read-write-reflect-comment model. Badges showed no significant effect on learner interaction in activity-based courses that were already highly interactive.
Low-Regrets Incrementalism
Authors: Butler William H. , Deyle Robert E. , Mutnansky Cassidy
Published: May 2016

Sea level rise is one of the climate change effects most amenable to adaptation planning as the impacts are familiar and the nature of the phenomenon is unambiguous. Yet, significant uncertainties remain. Using a normative framework of adaptive management and natural hazards planning, we examine how coastal communities in Florida are planning in the face of accelerating sea level rise through analysis of planning documents and interviews with planners. We clarify that communities are taking a low-regrets incremental approach with increasingly progressive measures motivated by confidence in planning intelligence and direct experience with impacts attributable to sea level rise.
Effects of subchronic extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field exposure on biochemical parameters in rats
Authors: Luo Xue , Ma Lingjuan , Gao Peng , Zhang Yanwen
Published: May 2016

The objective of the present study was to systematically determine the effects of 50 Hertz (Hz) magnetic fields (MFs) on biochemical parameters in rats. Sixty-four adult (5 weeks old, 140–165 g) male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, 20 µTesla (µT), 100 µT, and 500 µT 50 Hz MF ( n = 16 in each group). The rats in the MF groups were exposed for 2 h daily for up to 4 weeks. Under these experimental conditions, body weight, organ coefficients, biochemical parameters (blood lipids, myocardial enzymes, liver function, and renal function) were measured. We found that 50 Hz MFs had no significant effects on growth or on the majority of blood biochemical parameters, with the exception of creatinine and cholesterol. However, the changes in creatinine and cholesterol were relatively small and unlikely to be clinically relevant.