bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Planning for cancer control programs: Leadership considerations
Authors: French John , Sutcliffe Simon B.
Published: December 2017

Cancer is a significant challenge globally. Reducing the impact of cancer requires a program and plans that address the main aspects of cancer from prevention through to end-of-life care. This article summarizes the requirements of a robust cancer control program and outlines the contextual and leadership considerations that are required to ensure that the planning and implementation of a control program can achieve improved cancer outcomes.
Comment les leaders en santé devraient-ils aborder les débats de fond controversés sur le plan moral?
Authors: Kekewich Michael , Landry Joshua , Roth Virginia
Published: December 2017

En raison de leurs compétences, de leur expérience et de leur influence sur les soins des patients, les leaders en santé occupent une place importante dans le système de santé. Ils doivent apporter une valeur ajoutée à leurs parties prenantes, laquelle se rattache à des objectifs moraux fondamentaux pour la prestation des soins. Dans certains cas, les leaders peuvent déterminer qu’une décision, une politique ou une directive politico-médicale entrave ces objectifs moraux. Dans de telles situations, ils peuvent soit s’y opposer expressément, soit exprimer leurs positions morales tout en en assurant la mise en œuvre. Les auteurs présentent plusieurs exemples contemporains de débats de ce type et d’expériences de leaders en santé. Ils passent ensuite en revue les parties pertinentes du Code de déontologie du Collège canadien des leaders en santé pour en extraire des directives déjà établies. Ils concluent qu’il faudra fouiller la question pour définir le rôle des leaders dans de telles situations, de même que les limites de la résistance.
Factors That Influence Campus Dwelling University Students’ Facility to Practice Healthy Living Guidelines
Authors: Walsh Audrey , Taylor Claudette , Brennick Debbie
Published: December 2017

Background

Young adult university students living on campus are at an increased risk of developing lifestyle habits that encourage unintentional weight gain.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify the individual and contextual factors that influence campus dwelling university students’ facility to practice healthy living guidelines that reduce their risk of unintentional weight gain. Lifestyle practices included nutrition, physical activity, and sleep.

Methods

For seven days, 48 campus dwelling students recorded their activities and reflected on how closely they were able to follow recommended healthy living guidelines. Recorded data were supplemented by follow-up focus groups. All data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Students described multiple factors and conditions that influenced their facility to practice healthy living guidelines for nutrition, activity, and sleep. Many students’ lifestyle practices put them at an increased risk of unintentional weight gain.

Conclusions

The campus environment challenges student’s facility to practice healthy living guidelines. Nurses can intervene to build individual student capacity and to advocate for environmental polices that increase students’ facility to choose lifestyle practices that promote health, lessen their risk of unintentional weight gain, and reduce their risk of developing chronic illness.
Effect of changes in the surface chemistry and topography of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) on the in vitro attachment of human corneal epithelial cells
Authors: Santander-Borrego Miriem , Chirila Traian V , Shadforth Audra MA , Whittaker Andrew K , Blakey Idriss
Published: December 2017

The effects on cell adhesion induced by changes in the topography and chemistry of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel surfaces were investigated in vitro using the human corneal epithelial cell line, HCE-T. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) surfaces with a lotus-leaf-like topography and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) surfaces with a flat topography, but functionalized with the cell-adhesive peptide sequence Arg–Gly–Asp, both enhanced attachment of HCE-T cells as compared to flat, non-functionalized poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) surfaces. However, the simultaneous existence on the same poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) surface of Arg–Gly–Asp motifs and of lotus-leaf-like topographical patterns led to an apparently antagonistic effect reflected in reduced cell attachment. The study provided additional evidence of the complexity of the cell–biomaterial interactions.
Emerging Adult Sons and Their Fathers: Race and the Construction of Masculinity
Authors: Ide Michael Enku , Harrington Blair , Wiggins Yolanda , Whitworth Tanya Rouleau , Gerstel Naomi
Published: December 2017

Challenging the public dichotomy characterizing fathers as “involved” or “absentee,” we investigate racial variation in college men’s perceptions of their paternal relationships and the gendered constructions these promote. The analysis draws on intensive interviews (n = 76) with Asian American, Black, and white sons from one university and survey data (n = 1,576) from 24 institutions. In both data sets, Asian Americans and Blacks describe greater paternal distance than do whites. This conceals variations in sons’ understanding of fathers. Asian Americans often criticize their fathers’ distance, disidentifying with the near-exclusive focus on breadwinning they describe among fathers. In contrast, Blacks and whites normalize and identify with their dads. Blacks emphasize the “laid-back,” “cool” masculinity their dads impart, while whites often emphasize the independent masculinity based on mentorship and friendship their dads offer. Recasting sociological theories, we argue these differences emanate from divergent structural contexts, but more importantly, cultural conceptions of fatherhood, race, and gender as well as public discussions that valorize white models of fatherhood.
Freedom of Speech: USA vs Germany and Europe
Authors: Nieuwenhuis Aernout
Published: December 2017

Racist utterances are treated differently in American law on the one hand and in German or European law on the other hand. This difference in approach leads to problems when it comes to assessing restrictions on free speech that are intended to combat discrimination. These different approaches also tend to clash in cyberspace, the virtual world without borders. This article discusses in depth the difference between the American and the German or European approach. It analyses the relationship between free speech and democracy and examines the importance of the grounds for restrictions which may apply in the case of a ban on racist utterances.
Dealing with a Legacy of Mass Atrocity: Truth Commissions in Uganda and Chile
Authors: Quinn Joanna R.
Published: December 2017

After a period of mass atrocity committed at the hands of the State, societies are left trying to find a way to deal with what has taken place. Many States have attempted to utilise a form of the truth commission as an instrument of social learning and political change. Acknowledgement is central to this process. Such commissions in both Uganda and Chile were tempered with societal realities and met with varying degrees of success.
Part A: Articles: International Criminal Courts: A Political View
Authors: Forsythe David P.
Published: December 2017

This article addresses international criminal courts in the 1990s, against the background of a growth in third-party adjudication in international relations as a whole. Given lack of knowledge about the final evolution of three courts reviewed, the author is cautious in assessing whether the condition of international relations allows for successful criminal courts that achieve more good than bad. The UN ad hoc court for former Yugoslavia faced difficult obstacles during 1993–1996. The author believes Western parties were correct in not pressing for trials of certain political leaders, although the context could change. He is sceptical that the UN ad hoc court for Rwanda can break the cycle of ethnic violence in the Great Lakes region of Africa. He does not believe major military powers will actively support a UN standing criminal court, even should the General Assembly vote it into being. In conclusion, the author believes that States will continue to make inconsistent choices about what human rights policies, including support for criminal courts, should be pursued in different contexts. International relations, or even the community of liberal democracies, is not yet characterised by a situation in which systematic concern for individual responsibility under the rule of law trumps other policy considerations.
Complexities in Human Rights Protection: Actors and Rights Involved in the Ogoni Conflict in Nigeria
Authors: Skogly Sigrun I.
Published: December 2017

The execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other environmental and human rights activists in Nigeria in November 1995, represented flagrant violations of human rights. What was exceptional about this case was that the uprising, which ultimately lead to the executions, was not primarily aimed at the Government, but rather at one of the large transnational corporations, Shell Oil. The article analyses the composition of the actors and the various human rights involved in this conflict. It argues that the complexity of the conflict is shown through the wide variety of environmental NGOs, human rights NGOs, international business and organisations that were implicated in it. The article points to the interrelatedness of various human rights - and the interlinkedness to environmental issues, claiming that environmental organisations were forced’ to use rights language, while human rights organisations needed to address environmental issues. And ultimately, the business actor has publicly stated intent to observe a human rights accountability.
Gross Violations of Human Rights: Invoking the European Convention on Human Rights in the Case of Turkey
Authors: Reidy Aisling , Hampson Françoise , Boyle Kevin
Published: December 2017

Situations of gross violation of human rights require a larger response than is possible through the invocation of complaints mechanisms in international human rights treaties. Nevertheless such international legal procedures can have an influence through the impartial establishment of disputed facts and international accountability. The European Convention on Human Rights has been invoked against Turkey by a large number of citizens of Kurdish origin claiming to be victims of practices of violation by the security forces in the emergency region of the South East. The experience of these cases before the Commission and Court to date demonstrates the hurdles that an individual complainant faces in seeking to prove alleged patterns of gross violation. These cases which have involved a major role for the Commission in fact-finding have also produced a new emphasis on the importance of the right to a domestic remedy as part of a State's commitments under the Convention. Alter the coming into force of Protocol 11 the new Court may well be faced with new situations of violent conflict or of minority tensions which may necessitate radical changes to its powers, procedures and practice.
The European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy and Human Rights
Authors: Fouwels Martine
Published: December 2017

The dispute between the European Union (EU) Member States which broke out over the EU resolution on human rights abuses in China during the 1997 session of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Geneva focused attention on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The present article offers a comprehensive review of the functioning of this institution in the field of the promotion and protection of human rights since the coming into force of the Treaty on European Union in November 1993. 1
The Amnesty Adventure; Amnesty International's Police Group in the Netherlands
Authors: Van Reenen Piet
Published: December 2017

The Dutch section of Amnesty International has a group of police officers working for human rights. This group, the professional group of police, is one of the various professional groups that AI has. As a police group it is unique in the world. In this article, the history and the activities of the group are described and the success-factors indicated. An attempt is made to answer the question why such a group could develop in the Netherlands and why efforts to do so elsewhere have mainly failed.
The Margin of Appreciation Doctrine in the Jurisprudence of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
Authors: Arai Yutaka
Published: December 2017

The margin of appreciation is a measure of discretion allowed to the Member States in the manner that they implement the standards of the European Convention on Human Rights, taking into account their national particular circumstances. Both the European Commission and Court of Human Rights are entrusted with the balancing between the Europe-wide ‘uniform’ approach on one hand and the need to defer to the national sovereignty and to various local values deriving from cultural, religious, and socioeconomic diversity on the other. By analysing the interplay between strictness of scrutiny and the width of the margin of appreciation in the case-law of Article 8, the author attempts to identify the underlying policy grounds for the margin of appreciation under Article 8. He argues that there are certain policies which affect the judicial self-restraint and those which uphold the active review in the jurisprudence of Article 8.
A New Frontier: The Early Experience and Future of International Human Rights Field Operations
Authors: Martin Ian
Published: December 2017

In this article the practice of international human rights field operations established in a number of countries, by the UN, by the UN jointly with a regional organisation, or by a regional organisation alone are discussed. By looking at the early operations, the difficulties experienced and their positive contributions, suggestions are made for improved and more effective arrangements in order to carry on this work according to the highest possible standards.
The Muslim World Half a Century after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Progress and Obstacles
Authors: Monshipouri Mahmood
Published: December 2017

Fifty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the Muslim world shows signs of divergence from and convergence toward that declaration. There obviously exist some fundamental disagreements between the Muslim world and the West regarding the separation of religion from politics. Other differences centre particularly on the nature of universality of human rights, women's rights, and the rights of minorities. Islamists are faced with two options: either (1) reconcile the sources of cardinal Islamic truth with those of an emerging transnational society, or (2) re-establish the practical relevance of authentic Islamic ideas to international normative standards. The contemporary discourse on human rights has pressured Muslim theological thinkers into committing to the modern notions of popular sovereignty and political democracy. Meanwhile Muslim reformists continue to explore common grounds with the West so as to promote principles as well as practices that are consonant with modern human rights standards. The task of Muslim reformists is fraught with difficulties and their effectiveness is hard to gauge; nonetheless, their calls for democratisation, the expansion of civil society, and the protection and promotion of individual rights are gaining a wider popular appeal.
Migrant Workers in Israel: Towards Proposing a Framework of Enforceable Customary International Human Rights
Authors: Hammer Leonard M.
Published: December 2017

Upholding the human rights of migrant workers raises a host of legal problems for a State that desires cheap foreign labour. Israel has reaped the benefits of such labour without incurring any significant responsibility to these exploited workers. Yet, their growing presence in Israel is beginning to raise legal and social concerns given the small size of the State and its rising unemployment. Similar to other States with migrant workers, attempting to carve out legal protections for migrant workers in Israel proves quite difficult in the absence of any formal legislation. This article begins to identify various legal sources that can serve as a framework for explicating the emerging customary human rights of migrant workers. Such customary human rights can be derived from unincorporated treaties and conventions and from the domestic laws and judicial decisions of the State.
Moral Arguments for Cultural Relativism
Authors: Tilley John J.
Published: December 2017

In this article I discuss the ethical theory of cultural relativism. In particular, I refute six arguments for that theory, each of which is ‘moral’ in this sense: it aims to associate a vice (or a negative trait) with nonrelativism or a virtue (or a positive trait) with relativism. Along the way I discuss some empirical research which may seem, but in fact fails, to establish a link between moral relativism and tolerance.
Serious or Massive Violations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights: A Comparison with the Inter-American and European Mechanisms
Authors: Murray Rachel
Published: December 2017

Fifty years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the world is still witnessing violations of human rights, occurring not always as an isolated incident in relation to a particular victim, but very often as part of a general situation of oppression in a specific country. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights 1 is unusual when compared with the other two regional mechanisms, in providing expressly for a mechanism to deal with ‘a series of serious or massive violations’ of rights, but not, at first glance, a procedure for violations which do not fall within this category. The aim of this article is to consider what is meant by ‘serious or massive violations’, how the African Commission has interpreted this provision and whether assistance can be gained from the jurisprudence on similar matters of the Inter-American and European organs. The article will also consider the procedures adopted by the African Commission in dealing with such violations and examine the extent to which they have been successful, comparing them with the methods adopted by the other regional bodies.
Ideas of Human Rights in Antiquity
Authors: Gillespie Alexander
Published: December 2017

Debates about what we currently consider to be human rights have their origins in the beginnings of Western philosophy. At this point thousands of years ago, questions and answers were raised which may have direct relevance to some of the discussions which currently surround this area.
Collective Rights in the Liberal State
Authors: Edwards John
Published: December 2017

Liberal States face a dilemma when called upon to acknowledge a collective right to compensation for oppressive and unjust treatment on the part of minority ethnic groups within their populations. Whilst some collective rights can be accommodated within the values of liberalism, those claimed by groups that have no apparent moral standing in themselves (such as ethnic or racial groups) appear to conflict in particular with the liberal value of individualism. Attempts to resolve the dilemma create their own peculiar difficulties and this is nowhere more clearly manifest than in the practice of large scale compensatory policy such as affirmative action as used in the United States of America.
Flame retardancy and toughening properties of epoxy composites containing ammonium polyphosphate microcapsules and expanded graphite
Authors: He Da , Zhao Chunxia , Gou Haolan , Li Yuntao , Xiang Dong
Published: December 2017

Ammonium polyphosphate microcapsules (BM (polybenzoxazine modified) APP) were prepared through the in situ ring-opening polymerization of allyl group containing benzoxazine monomers on the surfaces of ammonium polyphosphate (APP), and they were significantly hydrophobic than the APP. A flame retardant system of epoxy (EP) resin was prepared with BMAPP and expanded graphite (EG). Flame retardancy, the thermal degradation behavior, a mechanical property of EP and EP/BMAPP/EG composites was investigated through limited oxygen index, vertical burning test, cone calorimetry (CONE), and the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The flame retardancy tests indicated that the EG could improve the thermal performance, promote the charring, and enhance the char quality of EP/BMAPP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed to analyze the morphology and composition of the char residue formed during CONE testing, and to understand the mechanism of char formation. The results of TG-FTIR confirmed the possible mechanism of flame retardancy of EP/BMAPP/EG in the gas phase during combustion. The EG content effects on Young’s modulus, the tensile strength, and the fracture toughness ( KIC) of the EP/BMAPP composites were also investigated. The KIC of the composites containing 1% of EG and 10% of BMAPP increased by approximately 76% and 153%, respectively, compared to the neat matrix and EP/BMAPP-10%. The SEM images of the fractured surface indicated that the enhanced toughness of EP/BMAPP/EG composites mainly attributed to the debonding of the BMAPP and the subsequent plastic void growth of the matrix, as well as the crack deflection effect of the BMAPP/EG.
Superior thermomechanical and wetting properties of ultrasonic dual mode mixing assisted epoxy-CNT nanocomposites
Authors: Goyat MS , Jaglan Vikram , Tomar Vikram , Louchaert Guillaume , Kumar Arun , Kumar Kaushal , Singla Amneesh , Gupta Rajeev , Bhan Uday , Rai Santosh Kumar , Sharma Sudesh
Published: December 2017

High-performance epoxy-carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites were prepared by simultaneous use of ultrasonication and mechanical stirring. The dynamic and static mechanical properties and wetting properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. The dynamic mechanical analysis presented significant enhancement in storage modulus (approximately 124%) and glass transition temperature (approximately 25.6%) of epoxy-CNT nanocomposite at an optimized concentration of the CNT (0.25 wt%) possibly due to the formation of a strong interface between the epoxy and CNT. The tensile test results showed the significant improvement in tensile strength (approximately 47%) and Young’s modulus (approximately 40%) of the epoxy-CNT (0.25 wt%) nanocomposite without significantly affecting its stiffness. The homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in the epoxy matrix resulted in the significant enhancement in the dynamic and static mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. The hydrophilic character of the neat epoxy was tuned to a highly hydrophobic one by incorporation of CNTs in it. A direct relation between the average roughness of the tensile fracture surfaces and the contact angle of the nanocomposites was identified with respect to the concentration of the CNTs. These high-performance highly hydrophobic nanocomposites have the great potential to be used as the structural and functional materials in humid environments.
Molecular dynamics simulation of machining properties of polycrystalline copper in electrical discharge machining
Authors: Yue Xiaoming , Yang Xiaodong
Published: December 2017

In electrical discharge machining, the rapid heating and quenching effects cause the formation of resolidified layers, heat-affected zones, and defects, which have a tremendous impact on the mechanical properties of materials. Thus, to analyze the formation and evolution process of defect structures, single discharges in polycrystalline copper were simulated. The research results show that after a discharge, a larger number of stacking faults and dislocations existed in polycrystalline copper, which were mainly concentrated under the discharge crater and bulge. In these defects, the bedded stacking faults played a dominant role. Additionally, the results indicate that under the same discharge conditions, the diameter of the discharge crater in polycrystalline copper was larger than that in monocrystalline copper, whereas their depths were almost the same, and the volumes of both the bulge and removal debris generated in polycrystalline copper were larger than those generated in monocrystalline copper.
Parametric identification study of an active engine mount: Combination of finite element analysis and experiment
Authors: Guo Rong , Wei Xiao-kang , Zhou Sheng-qi , Gao Jun
Published: December 2017

An active engine mount (AEM) is an effective technology to improve a vehicle’s noise, vibration, and harshness performance. This paper mainly focuses on the combination experiment and finite element analysis (FEA) for parameter identification of AEMs. Notably, a novel test rig is designed to identify all specific parameters involved in the AEM. Firstly, the static and dynamic stiffness of the main rubber spring are calculated based on structure FEA method. The equivalent piston area and upper chamber volumetric stiffness are also estimated through fluid–structure interaction analysis. Inertia track parameters, involving inertia and linear and nonlinear resistance of the fluid, are identified by a simplified fluid model. These common hydraulic engine mount parameters are all experimentally validated through the original test rig. Besides, the particular components of the electromagnetic AEM, namely actuator parameters, are further estimated by experimental identification utilizing the experimental apparatus. The novel test bench, which exhibited high accuracy, good tightness, and strong versatility, not only simplifies the structure and process of identification plant for passive engine mount parameters, but accommodates the particular AEM ones. The combination method assimilates both the efficiency of FEA and the accuracy of experiment, facilitating the structure design and renovation of AEMs.
Effects of fuel temperature on injection performance of an EUP system
Authors: Liu Fushui , Hu Ruo , Li Yikai , Yang Ziming , Xu Hongming
Published: December 2017

The fuel temperature has a great influence on the characteristics of an electronic unit pump (EUP) system, especially on the injection performance. This paper studies the regularity of the high-pressure fuel supply system performance at different fuel temperatures. The injection quantity, the injection rate, the fuel pressure, and the needle lift were measured by the EUP system test bench. Investigation results showed that, with the increase of fuel temperature, the injection quantity and maximum injection rate decreased, the time of start injection was delayed, and the peak fuel pressure value decreased. For the needle valve, as the temperature was raised its closing time was advanced at low speed conditions but delayed at high speed conditions. In addition, the empirical equations for the fuel temperature effects on the circulating fuel injection quantity and peak pressure are proposed by the experimental test and simulation data. This study will help to further apply and study the engine, and provide a reference for engine fuel supply control system design.
Characteristics of liquid film on the tip surface of indium field-emission electric propulsion thrusters
Authors: Guo Dengshuai , Kang Xiaoming , Liu Xinyu , He Weiguo
Published: December 2017

The characteristics of the propellant film on the tip surface of the field-emission electric propulsion thruster have a close relationship with the work state of the thruster. In this paper, the distributions of both the liquid film thickness and the fluid velocity along the needle tip have been calculated by building the liquid mechanics equations and a cone coordinate system suitable for the tip. The results show that the film thickness is tens to hundreds of nanometers and the fluid velocity along the needle tip is from tens of µm/s to a few mm/s.
The social–political challenges behind the wish to die in older people who consider their lives to be completed and no longer worth living
Authors: van Wijngaarden Els , Goossensen Anne , Leget Carlo
Published: December 2017

In the Netherlands, physician-assisted dying has been legalized since 2002. Currently, an increasing number of Dutch citizens are in favour of a more relaxed interpretation of the law. Based on an ethos of self-determination and autonomy, there is a strong political lobby for the legal right to assisted dying when life is considered to be completed and no longer worth living. Building on previous empirical research, this article provides a critical ethical reflection upon this social issue. In the first part, we discuss the following question: what is the lived experience of older people who consider their lives to be completed and no longer worth living? We describe the reported loss of a sense of autonomy, dignity and independence in the lives of these older people. In the second part, from an ethics of care stance, we analyse the emerging social and political challenges behind the wish to die. Empirically grounded, the authors argue that the debate on ‘completed life in old age’ should primarily focus not on the question of whether or not to legitimize a self-directed death but on how to build an inclusive society where people may feel less unneeded, useless and marginalized.
The Evolutionary Mismatch Hypothesis: Implications for Psychological Science
Authors: Li Norman P. , van Vugt Mark , Colarelli Stephen M.
Published: December 2017

Human psychological mechanisms are adaptations that evolved to process environmental inputs, turning them into behavioral outputs that, on average, increase survival or reproductive prospects. Modern contexts, however, differ vastly from the environments that existed as human psychological mechanisms evolved. Many inputs now differ in quantity and intensity or no longer have the same fitness associations, thereby leading many mechanisms to produce maladaptive output. We present the precepts of this evolutionary mismatch process, highlight areas of mismatch, and consider implications for psychological science and policy.
Book Review: Stig Jarle Hansen (Ed.), Al-Shabaab in Somalia: The History and Ideology of a Militant Islamist Group
Authors: Samreen Sana
Published: December 2017

Stig Jarle Hansen (Ed.), Al-Shabaab in Somalia: The History and Ideology of a Militant Islamist Group, Oxford University Press, New York, 2013, 208 pp., $37.50, ISBN: 978-0-199-32787-4.
Book Review: John P Cann, AFRICA@WAR 27: Portuguese Commandoes: Feared Insurgent Hunters 1961–1974
Authors: Ellis Willem
Published: December 2017

John P Cann, AFRICA@WAR 27: Portuguese Commandoes: Feared Insurgent Hunters 1961–1974, Helion and Company, England, 2017, 64 pp., US $19.65, ISBN: 9781911096320.
International Reactions and Actions on Militancy and Insurgency in Nigeria Since 1999
Authors: Bolarinwa Joshua Olusegun
Published: December 2017

This article examines international reactions and actions on militancy and insurgency in Nigeria since 1999. It employs historical method of data collection and adopts descriptive and analytical approaches of analysis. It has utilised various sources, mainly secondary literature which include journal articles, books, newspaper reports, reports of international organisations and agencies. The article reveals the nature, trends and dynamics of insecurity in Nigeria; especially, the emergence and rise of militancy in the Niger Delta and Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east have not only affected the unity, territoriality, sovereignty, economy, political environment, government income and institutions, infrastructure and wanton deaths but also attracted international reactions and concerns from different quarters of the global community, especially Nigeria’s immediate neighbours which have affected her external image and international relations. The article concludes that, while her image has improved, Nigeria should continue to embrace progressive dialogue and improve on the multilateral collaborative counter-insurgency approach (i.e., The Joint Multinational Tasks Force involving Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria and Benin Republic) which has proved very efficient and effective since the advent of this present administration in May 2015.
Beyond E‐FAST scan in trauma: Diagnosing of traumatic diaphragmatic rupture with bedside ultrasound
Authors: Tjhia Jollis , Noor Julina Md
Published: December 2017

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is relatively rare, and even more difficult to diagnose. Physical examination often fails to identify this injury, and basic investigation like chest x‐ray can miss this half of the time. Although not part of standard FAST (focused assessment with sonography for trauma) ultrasound scan in trauma, bedside ultrasound has the potential to pick up this pathology. This case illustrates that ultrasound in trauma can go beyond standard E‐FAST (extended FAST) protocol.
Improvement of a cecal bascule by supportive care
Authors: Kim Yong In , Han Sang Kyoon , Min Mun Ki , Park Sung Wook , Yeom Seok Ran
Published: December 2017

A cecal bascule is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction, and the diagnosis is often challenging because the symptoms and signs are similar to those of small bowel obstruction. We, herein, present the case of an 82‐year‐old female who presented to our emergency department with lower abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed anterior medial folding of the cecum over the ascending colon with cecal dilatation, without bowel ischemia or perforation. A good outcome was obtained immediately after supportive care. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a cecal bascule that was improved by supportive care.
Intraventricular hemorrhage after acupuncture
Authors: Shin Myoung Cheol , Park Chan Woo , Cho Jun Hwi , Moon Joong Beom , Kim Ka Eul , Yang Go Eun , Lee Hui Young , Ohk Taek Geun
Published: December 2017

Acupuncture is a traditional treatment method that has been extensively used for centuries in a number of Asian countries for pain control as well as for treatment of various diseases. Acupuncture has been known to be a safe procedure with little side effects, but at times serious complications such as infection, pneumothorax, central or peripheral nerve injury and cardiac injury may occur. Cases of cerebral hemorrhage by acupuncture are rare with few being reported. A 32-year-old woman presented with a headache that occurred after acupuncture at posterior neck. We diagnosed her symptoms initially as peripheral nerve irritation by acupuncture and administered analgesic only. However, the final diagnosis was turned up to be intraventricular hemorrhage. The authors emphasize that acupuncturists and emergency physicians should know that acupuncture can lead to intracranial hemorrhage as a serious complication and this should be considered in all causes of headache for diagnosis without prejudice.
Fatal Purpureocillium lilacinum pneumonia in a green tree python
Authors: Meyer Jean , Loncaric Igor , Richter Barbara , Spergser Joachim
Published: December 2017

A 10-y-old female green tree python ( Morelia viridis) died of fungal pneumonia caused by Purpureocillium lilacinum, which was confirmed histologically and by PCR and subsequent DNA sequencing. The same fungal species was cultivated from a swab taken from the terrarium in which the snake was housed. Clinical and environmental P. lilacinum isolates were indistinguishable by the typing method applied, strongly suggesting clonal relatedness of both isolates. Because no other underlying predisposing respiratory infection could be detected by virus-specific PCR or histopathology, P. lilacinum was considered a primary pulmonary pathogen in this tree python.
Evaluation of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Mainland China: Findings Based on Student Diaries
Authors: Shek Daniel T. L. , Zhu Xiaoqin , Leung Janet T. Y. , Lee Tak Yan , Wu Florence K. Y.
Published: December 2017

Objectives:

Based on 859 student diaries, the present study evaluated a positive youth development program entitled “Tin Ka Ping (TKP) Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social programs (P.A.T.H.S.) ” project implemented in mainland China during the 2015–2016 academic year.

Method:

To understand the perceived effectiveness of the students, the study analyzed quantitative as well as qualitative data derived from the student diaries.

Results:

The students held very positive views toward the program and the implementers. The narratives of the students also showed that they perceived improvement in the intrapersonal, interpersonal, familial, and societal domains after joining the program.

Conclusion:

In conjunction with the subjective outcome evaluation findings, the present findings suggest that the “TKP P.A.T.H.S.” project is able to promote holistic development of secondary school students in mainland China.
Experiences of Female and Male Medical Students With Death, Dying, and Palliative Care: One Size Does Not Fit All
Authors: Hoffman Leslie A. , Mehta Rakesh , Vu T. Robert , Frankel Richard M.
Published: December 2017

Background:

Medical students learn about death, dying, and palliative care (DDPC) through formal curricular offerings and informal clinical experiences; however, the lessons learned in the clinic may be at odds with the formal curriculum. Reflective writing is a means for students to “bracket” their DDPC experiences and reconcile conflicts between the formal and informal curriculum.

Objectives:

The aim of this study is to compare the level of reflection demonstrated in medical students’ narratives on DDPC with other experiences and to examine the domains of professionalism that students perceive to be prevalent in their DDPC experiences.

Methods:

Third-year medical students submitted professionalism narratives during their internal medicine clerkship. We identified a subset of narratives related to DDPC (n = 388) and randomly selected control narratives (n = 153). We assessed the level of reflection demonstrated in the narratives using a validated rubric and analyzed the professionalism domains that students identified as relevant to their experience.

Results:

There was no difference in reflective level between DDPC and control narratives. Within the DDPC group, female students demonstrated higher reflection (2.24 ± 0.71) than male students (2.01 ± 0.77; P < .001). Caring, compassion and communication, and honor and integrity were prominent among DDPC narratives. More females identified caring, compassion, and communication as relevant to their DDPC experiences, whereas more males identified altruism.

Conclusion:

Males and females have different perceptions of DDPC experiences, and female students appear to be more deeply impacted. These findings can help clinical faculty engage students more effectively with this challenging topic.
What Is Measured in Bereavement Treatment for Children and Adolescents? A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: de López Kristine Jensen , Søndergaard Knudsen Hanne , Hansen Tia G. B.
Published: December 2017

Objective

Childhood bereavement from parental death can be a significant stressor. Treatment studies vary largely on how the effect of the grief treatment is measured. This sytematic review evaluates whether controlled bereavement intervention studies focus on symptomatalogy or grief as outcome measure and also summarizes the effect of grief treatment.

Method

For inclusion in the review, studies must report on children or adolesecents who experienced the death of a parent or sibling, must have a control group and must report results of a grief treatment.

Results

Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and reported in total on 30 different outcome measures. Only two studies measured grief as a separate outcome and both showed promising results for the treatment of grief with bereaved children.

Conclusions

Systematic use of validated measures of prolonged grief in treatment studies is needed. Implications of the findings and recommendations for future studies are discussed in the perspective of complicated grief becoming part of the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Grief interventions for parentally bereaved youth is promising but lack consistent use of reliable grief measures for solid documentation of the effect. The specific role of parenting and culture for the outcome of the intervention should be investigated in more detail.
Damage interaction and angle effects on the erosion behavior of soda-lime-silica glass
Authors: Jiang Q , Ismail J , Zaïri F , Qu Z , Naït-Abdelaziz M , Azari Z , Liu X
Published: December 2017

The present contribution aims to examine the erosion behavior of soda-lime-silica glass in connection with damage interaction and angle effects. Experimental observations are reported on glass plates subjected to sandblasting process using alumina abrasive particles for different sandblasting durations and impact angles. The damage and erosion mechanisms are computed through a numerical model of the sandblasted glass plate. The glass internal stiffness degradation due to impact process is accounted for by an anisotropic stress-based continuum damage mechanics model. The glass erosion is simulated by means of a vanishing element technique using the critical values of damage components as failure criterion. A parametric numerical study is carried out to bring insights into damage interaction and angle effects on the material loss.
Vancomycin Dosing in Obese Patients: Special Considerations and Novel Dosing Strategies
Authors: Durand Cheryl , Bylo Mary , Howard Brian , Belliveau Paul
Published: December 2017

Objective: To review the literature regarding vancomycin pharmacokinetics in obese patients and strategies used to improve dosing in this population. Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE (1974 to November 2017), and Google Scholar searches were conducted using the search terms vancomycin, obese, obesity, pharmacokinetics, strategy, and dosing. Additional articles were selected from reference lists of selected studies. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Included articles were those published in English with a primary focus on vancomycin pharmacokinetic parameters in obese patients and practical vancomycin dosing strategies, clinical experiences, or challenges of dosing vancomycin in this population. Data Synthesis: Volume of distribution and clearance are the pharmacokinetic parameters that most often affect vancomycin dosing in obese patients; both are increased in this population. Challenges with dosing in obese patients include inconsistent and inadequate dosing, observations that the obese population may not be homogeneous, and reports of an increased likelihood of supratherapeutic trough concentrations. Investigators have revised and developed dosing and monitoring protocols to address these challenges. These approaches improved target trough attainment to varying degrees. Conclusions: Some of the vancomycin dosing approaches provided promising results in obese patients, but there were notable differences in methods used to develop these approaches, and sample sizes were small. Although some approaches can be considered for validation in individual institutions, further research is warranted. This may include validating approaches in larger populations with narrower obesity severity ranges, investigating target attainment in indication-specific target ranges, and evaluating the impact of different dosing weights and methods of creatinine clearance calculation.
Assessment of Risk Factors Associated With Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries and Impact on Health Care Utilization and Cost Outcomes in US Hospitals
Authors: Dreyfus Jill , Gayle Julie , Trueman Paul , Delhougne Gary , Siddiqui Aamir
Published: December 2017

Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) are a societal burden and considered potentially preventable. Data on risk factors and HAPI burden are important for effective prevention initiatives. This study of the 2009-2014 US Premier Healthcare Database identified HAPI risk factors and compared outcomes after matching HAPI to non-HAPI patients. The cumulative incidence of HAPI was 0.28% (47 365 HAPI among 16 967 687 total adult inpatients). Among the matched sample of 110 808 patients (27 702 HAPI), the strongest risk factors for HAPI were prior PI (odds ratio [OR] = 12.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 11.93-13.15), prior diabetic foot ulcer (OR = 3.43, 95% CI = 3.20-3.68), and malnutrition (OR = 3.11, 95% CI = 3.02-3.20). HAPI patients had longer adjusted length of stay (3.7 days, P < .0001), higher total hospitalization cost ($8014, P < .0001), and greater odds of readmissions through 180 days (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.55-1.65). This study demonstrates how big data may help quantify HAPI burden and improve internal hospital processes by identifying high-risk patients and informing best practices for prevention.
Clinical and Sociocultural Factors Associated With Failure to Escalate Care of Deteriorating Patients
Authors: Elmufdi Firas S. , Burton Susan L. , Sahni Nishant , Weinert Craig R.
Published: December 2017

In-hospital medical emergencies occur frequently. Understanding how clinicians respond to deteriorating patients outside the intensive care unit (ICU) could improve “rescue” interventions and rapid response programs. This was a qualitative study with interviews with 40 clinicians caring for patients who had a “Code Blue” activation or an unplanned ICU admission at teaching hospitals over 7 months. Four study physicians independently analyzed interview transcripts; refined themes were linked to the transcript using text analysis software. Nine themes were found to be associated with clinicians’ management of deteriorating patients. Multiple human biases influence daily care for deteriorating hospitalized patients. A novel finding is that “moral distress” affects escalation behavior for patients with poor prognosis. Most themes indicate that ward culture influences clinicians to wait until the last minute to escalate care despite being worried about the patients’ condition.
Agent-based approach to continuous process control for enabling parallelization of engineering cycles
Authors: Polaków Grzegorz , Czeczot Jacek , Laszczyk Piotr
Published: December 2017

Modern manufacturing and production systems have growing demands in energy and cost savings, which can be ensured using more advanced control algorithms at the regulatory-level industrial control loops. However, developing such algorithms requires case-dependent approach that involves complex mathematics and expertise in various fields of technology and engineering. Gathering all the needed experts to conduct the control system engineering cycle is nearly impossible for organizational and economic reasons. Thus, in this work, it is proposed to employ an agent-based approach, which is substantially different than the conventional engineering cycles for developing the static control system. The idea is to split the entire control design procedure into smaller tasks of developing the modules (i.e. agents), which encapsulate the expert knowledge (e.g. on sensor failure detection, input signal modelling and estimation). It enables clear division of the competences between the experts and allows for dynamic inclusion of the expert knowledge into the newly designed or already existing system. Therefore, the expertise may be distributed both in location and in time, which stands in contradiction to the static approach based on sequential engineering cycles.
The Implications of Apportionment on Quality Candidate Emergence and Electoral Competition
Authors: Geras Matthew J.
Published: December 2017

The U.S. apportions congressional districts both across states and within states based upon population. Scholars have long focused on the electoral implications of redistricting within states, but there has been less consideration of the electoral implications of apportionment across states. In this paper, I analyze congressional elections from 2002 to 2014 and theorize that the limited number of political opportunities in states with few congressional districts will lead to higher levels of quality candidate emergence and electoral competition in these states. I find support for this theory; specifically, as the number of political opportunities in a state increases, the number of quality candidates running for office decreases.