bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social phobia among long-term internally displaced persons: An epidemiological study of adults in two internally displaced person settlements in Sudan
Authors: Salah Tarig Taha Mohamed , Ayazi Touraj , Lien Lars , Eide Arne , Hauff Edvard
Published: December 2014

Background:

Despite the high worldwide prevalence and association with other mental disorders and disability, only few studies are available on social phobia in low-income countries.

Aims:

This study aims to assess the prevalence, socio-demographic correlates and comorbidity of social phobia and its association with disability among long-term internally displaced persons (IDPs) in one urban and one rural area in Central Sudan.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was implemented in two IDP areas in Central Sudan. Data were collected during face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires to assess socio-demographic factors and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to determine psychiatric diagnoses. A total of 1,876 adults were enrolled from both study areas.

Results:

The overall lifetime prevalence of social phobia was 14.2%, with higher rates among IDPs in the rural area and among those who were less educated. Social phobia was associated with other mental disorders in both study areas. Disability and prolonged displacement increased the risk of having social phobia in the rural area.

Conclusion:

Further work needs to be done to improve our understanding and to establish proper interventions in dealing with social phobia, other common mental disorders and disability among long-term IDPs in these impoverished areas.
Debunking the Zimbabwean Myth of Jikinya Dance in Ndhlala’s Jikinya and Zimunya’s “Jikinya” (Dancer) and “Jikinya” (An African Passion)
Authors: Gonye Jairos , Manase Irikidzayi
Published: December 2014

This article analyzes representations of the Zimbabwean jikinya dance myth by Geoffrey Ndhlala in the novel Jikinya and Musaemura Zimunya in the poetry anthology Kingfisher, Jikinya and other poems. It examines the different social and historical settings considered in Ndhlala’s Jikinya (pre-colonial Zimbabwe) and Zimunya’s “Jikinya” (Dancer) and “Jikinya” (An African Passion) (the colonial period of the 1970s Zimbabwean anti-colonial war), and discusses how both texts attempt at describing the aesthetics of the jikinya dance and reinterpret Zimbabwe’s pre-colonial and colonial culture and politics. Of significance, however, is that, being aware of the fact that the nature and significance of dance representations in these texts has received less attention, we analyze the way both writers handle Zimbabwean jikinya in colonial contexts. As a result, we argue in this article that although both authors struggle to portray a clear picture of what the dance really is to the reader, they are able to portray the significance of the jikinya myth and dance in the construction of the nation’s memories and the mapping of the ongoing social experiences and political contestations encountered during Zimbabwe’s colonial history.
Black Marriage Through the Prism of Gender, Race, and Class
Authors: Johnson Kecia R. , Loscocco Karyn
Published: December 2014

Marriage continues to be a major life goal in the United States. The grim news about the state of Black heterosexual marriage can be found in headlines that bemoan the lack of marriageable Black men, and statistical studies that routinely show Black marriages are difficult to maintain. We argue that the stresses on Black marriages are best understood by looking at them through a prism that highlights the intersection of gender and race. We show that the role of Black wife is particularly challenging. When people reason from an unquestioned White model of marriage and relationships, they often suggest that there is something pathological about the marital patterns of Blacks. Yet using the race/gender prism, we construct an argument that these patterns are pioneering and call into question the logic of the White middle-class model of intimate relationships between women and men.
Buying Influence? Assessing the Political Effects of China’s International Trade
Authors: Kastner Scott L.
Published: December 2014

It is widely believed that China’s growing links to the global economy are translating into increased Chinese political influence abroad. This article explores this possibility quantitatively by examining whether increased trade with China correlates with an increased willingness by countries to accommodate Chinese interests. I use newly collected data that capture cross-national variation in the willingness of individual countries to support Chinese government positions relating to Taiwan and Tibet, and China’s status as a market economy. I find that increased trade dependence on China is correlated with an increased likelihood of taking an accommodating stance on the economic issue (market economy status). But the evidence linking trade to an accommodating stance on the political issues is more ambiguous.
The Positivist Study of Gender and International Relations
Authors: Reiter Dan
Published: December 2014

Up until about 2000, most of the work on gender and international relations (IR) was nonpositivist in nature. Since 2000, there has been a burst of positivist gender/IR scholarship, much of it quantitative. This work has addressed several important areas in IR, including terrorism, interstate war, human rights, civil war, violence against civilians, public opinion, international norms, globalization, and others. Much of this work has developed new data, advanced theory, and employed rigorous empirical methods. This article surveys this positivist scholarship. It discusses how positivist and nonpositivist gender/IR work complement each other. This article makes recommendations about directions for future scholarship on gender and IR.
Mucosal Microbiome in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis
Authors: Hijazi K. , Lowe T. , Meharg C. , Berry S.H. , Foley J. , Hold G.L.
Published: December 2014

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common disease affecting oral mucosae. Etiology is unknown, but several factors have been implicated, all of which influence the composition of microbiota residing on oral mucosae, which in turn modulates immunity and thereby affects disease progression. Although no individual pathogens have been conclusively shown to be causative agents of RAS, imbalanced composition of the oral microbiota may play a key role. In this study, we sought to determine composition profiles of bacterial microbiota in the oral mucosa associated with RAS. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we characterized the most abundant bacterial populations residing on healthy and ulcerated mucosae in patients with RAS (recruited using highly stringent criteria) and no associated medical conditions; we also compared these to the bacterial microbiota of healthy controls (HCs). Phylum-level diversity comparisons revealed decreased Firmicutes and increased Proteobacteria in ulcerated sites, as compared with healthy sites in RAS patients, and no differences between RAS patients with healthy sites and HCs. Genus-level analysis demonstrated higher abundance of total Bacteroidales in RAS patients with healthy sites over HCs. Porphyromonadaceae comprising species associated with periodontal disease and Veillonellaceae predominated in ulcerated sites over HCs, while no quantitative differences of these families were observed between healthy sites in RAS patients and HCs. Streptococcaceae comprising species associated with oral health predominated in HCs over ulcerated sites but not in HCs over healthy sites in RAS patients. This study demonstrates that mucosal microbiome changes in patients with idiopathic RAS—namely, increased Bacteroidales species in mucosae of RAS patients not affected by active ulceration. While these changes suggest a microbial role in initiation of RAS, this study does not provide data on causality. Within this limitation, the study contributes to the understanding of the potential role of mucosal microbiome changes in oral mucosal disease.
The Roles of Perceived Travel Benefits, Importance, and Constraints in Predicting Travel Behavior
Authors: Chen Chun-Chu , Petrick James F.
Published: December 2014

Previous studies have demonstrated the experiential, health, and relaxation benefits of leisure travel. Building on the model of attitude importance, this research further examined how Americans perceive travel benefits and how their perceptions influence their travel behavior. The results showed that the three factors of travel benefits—experiential, health, and relaxation benefits, had positive effects on frequency of travel through perceived importance of traveling. These findings suggest that the tourism industry can encourage the public to purchase more tourism services by showing them tourism provides benefits beyond satisfaction and enjoyment. However, it was also found that perceived travel constraints had negative effects on travel behavior through perceived travel benefits and importance of traveling, which suggests that it is crucial for employers to understand the benefits of travel and encourage their employees to use their vacation days.
Causes of Effects and Effects of Causes
Authors: Pearl Judea
Published: December 2014

This article summarizes a conceptual framework and simple mathematical methods of estimating the probability that one event was a necessary cause of another, as interpreted by lawmakers. We show that the fusion of observational and experimental data can yield informative bounds that, under certain circumstances, meet legal criteria of causation. We further investigate the circumstances under which such bounds can emerge, and the philosophical dilemma associated with determining individual cases from statistical data.
Unusual presentation of Enterobius vermicularis in conjunctival sac
Authors: Mallick Sanjay Kumar , Sengupta Ranadeep , Banerjee Arup Kumar
Published: December 2014

We report an unusual case of extraintestinal infection with adult Enterobius vermicularis worms in the conjunctival sac of a two-and-a-half year old boy from Alipurduar, West Bengal, India. Only two other similar cases have been reported in the English literature, one from Assam, India in 1976, and the other from Illinois and California in 2011.
Bilateral eyelid ecchymosis and subconjunctival haemorrhage manifesting as presenting feature in a case of dengue haemorrhagic fever
Authors: Jain Sparshi , Goswami Anup , Singh Nidhi , Kaur Savleen
Published: December 2014

We report a case of bilateral eyelid ecchymosis and subconjunctival haemorrhage, a rare presenting feature of dengue haemorrhagic fever. A 17-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with complaints of redness in both eyes and vomiting. He had bilateral eyelid ecchymosis with subconjunctival haemorrhage. Complete blood count revealed a significantly reduced platelet count of 11000/µL suggestive of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF). Ocular manifestations were followed by other systemic haemorrhagic manifestations of dengue later on which violates the usual sequence of events of dengue fever. Bilateral eyelid ecchymosis is a rare clinical manifestation and a rare presenting feature of dengue fever and one has to keep high index of suspicion for presence of dengue whenever a case of fever presents with lid ecchymosis/haemorrhage.
Penetrating keratoplasty restoring vision in an unusual case of corneal opacity following exposure to Euphorbia latex
Authors: Dutta Jayanta , Choudhury Somnath , Lahiri Kapildeb , Savale Smruti , Banerjee Monideepa , Datta Himadri
Published: December 2014

The milky sap of the Euphorbia plant is highly toxic and causes inflammation to the skin and eyes. Damage to the eye ranges from superficial epithelial defects, keratoconjunctivitis, mild to moderate corneal edema, anterior uveitis, Descemet membrane folds, raised intraocular pressure and rarely corneal opacity in severe untreated cases. Here we report a case of visual restoration by optical penetrating keratoplasty in a patient with severe corneal opacity following exposure to Euphorbia latex.
Study of acute febrile illness: A 10-year descriptive study and a proposed algorithm from a tertiary care referral hospital in rural Kerala in southern India
Authors: Ittyachen Abraham M , Ramachandran Reshmi
Published: December 2014

Acute febrile illness (AFI), the initial diagnosis of whose cause is often presumptive, can sometimes be a challenge for the treating physician. To address this issue we carried out a hospital- based descriptive study. More than half (51.5%) of the patients were presumed to have viral fever. Most of the patients (60%) were in the productive phase of life (age range, 18–45 years). The outcome was worst among those aged over 65 years. A definite seasonal trend was observed with a peak in incidence with the arrival of the monsoon in Kerala. Public awareness regarding fevers in the pre-monsoon season should be heightened. Special care should be given to the elderly as they are often the most vulnerable. The use of the proposed locally based algorithm may avoid unnecessary investigations and treatment.
Liberals Think More Analytically (More “WEIRD”) Than Conservatives
Authors: Talhelm Thomas , Haidt Jonathan , Oishi Shigehiro , Zhang Xuemin , Miao Felicity F. , Chen Shimin
Published: December 2014

Henrich, Heine, and Norenzayan summarized cultural differences in psychology and argued that people from one particular culture are outliers: people from societies that are Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD). This study shows that liberals think WEIRDer than conservatives. In five studies with more than 5,000 participants, we found that liberals think more analytically (an element of WEIRD thought) than moderates and conservatives. Study 3 replicates this finding in the very different political culture of China, although it held only for people in more modernized urban centers. These results suggest that liberals and conservatives in the same country think as if they were from different cultures. Studies 4 to 5 show that briefly training people to think analytically causes them to form more liberal opinions, whereas training them to think holistically causes shifts to more conservative opinions.
Gender and Clarity of Evaluation among Academic Scientists in Research Universities
Authors: Fox Mary Frank
Published: December 2014

This article addresses a telling issue in academic science: the clarity of criteria for tenure and promotion reported by women and men faculty in scientific fields. Data from faculty surveyed in nine US research universities point to ways that formal and informal organizational indicators predict the clarity of evaluation reported by women and men. Unexpected patterns occur by gender. Among men, both formal and informal organizational indicators, as well as field, predict their reported clarity of evaluation. Among women, however, only informal organizational indicators, namely, frequency of speaking with faculty about research and departmental climate, are significant predictors. Further, overall, informal indicators are stronger predictors of clarity than are formal indicators, and some field differences occur. These findings have implications for national and regional science policies and for the practices and policies of universities.
Restricted Access
Authors: Grigorovich Alisa
Published: December 2014

This article reports on the findings of a study that explored older lesbian and bisexual women’s access to publicly funded home care in Ontario. Recent health reforms have increasingly shifted the bulk of care of individuals from health care institutions to private homes and communities. Although these reforms have had consequences for all individuals, they may be particularly problematic for this population of older adults who face added health risks and barriers. Sixteen women participated in a qualitative case study with semistructured interviews. Iterative thematic analysis was used to analyze the data along with the use of a feminist political economy framework. The analysis shows that older lesbian and bisexual women experience barriers to accessing needed care and lack additional supports with which to supplement publicly funded home care. This study deepens existing knowledge by demonstrating how chronic illness and sexual minority status can further exacerbate the consequences of rationing public care.
Political liberalism for post-Islamist, Muslim-majority societies
Authors: Badamchi Meysam
Published: December 2014

This article tries to develop a moderate reading of political liberalism applicable to post-Islamist, Muslim-majority societies. Contrary to the strong reading, which considers political liberalism as limited in its scope to those societies that already have a strong liberal tradition, I argue that Rawls’ project does have something to offer to reasonable post-Islamist, Muslim individuals. In part I of the article the idea of a post-Islamist, Muslim-majority society is conceptualized and explained. Part II focuses on the Rawlsian ideas of justification, demonstrating that the conceptions of justification available in political liberalism, i.e. political constructivism, wide reflective equilibrium and a wide view of public reasoning with its ideas of declaration and conjecture, can justify the political conception of justice for reasonable individuals living in any society, including post-Islamist ones. Focusing on Rawls’ notions of stability in part III, I argue that the idea of overlapping consensus should not be considered as the only account of stability offered by political liberalism. Put another way, notwithstanding the strong reading of political liberalism in real western and post-Islamist democracies, liberal stability is always a mixture of overlapping consensus and modus vivendi.
Justifications of freedom of speech
Authors: Badamchi Devrim Kabasakal
Published: December 2014

This article aims to develop a ground for freedom of speech that combines two justifications – democratic participation and autonomy. First, it is argued that consequentialist justifications, such as discovery of truth and personal development, are far from providing a strong justification for free speech due to their reliance on uncertain empirical validation. Second, it is claimed that a stronger and better ground for free speech can be constructed by articulating two non-consequentialist justifications for free speech – democratic participation and autonomy. This articulation, which I call the double-grounded non-consequentialist justification for free speech, considers autonomy and democratic participation as complementary principles. In this sense, a double-grounded justification engages justification as autonomy and democratic participation in a dialogue in order to provide remedies for the specific weaknesses of these two positions.
Two concepts of pluralism
Authors: Jahanbegloo Ramin
Published: December 2014

This article argues that Mohandas K. Gandhi and Isaiah Berlin remain the two main thinkers of pluralism in the 20th century. Though the two never met and despite their essential differences, the two political thinkers can be read as complementary in order to hold on to the idea of a common human horizon. As such, Gandhi’s transformative conception of pluralism, exemplified by his universal method of transforming liberal citizenship into a civic friendship, offers definitely a way to enlarge the Berlinian concept of value pluralism as an alternative of moral monism. Consequently, the reading of Gandhi could complete Isaiah Berlin’s idea of value pluralism by adding an effective exercise of plurality through his antagonism to monism as a tradition of thought that does not possess the resources to change and the potential for the moral and spiritual growth of humanity. As a result, this article suggests that it is worth trying to strike a balance between the Gandhian and Berlinian concepts of pluralism in order to be able to differentiate pluralism and relativism and to search for a core of shared or universal values which allows us to reach an agreement on at least some moral issues in today’s world.
Changes in Ethnic Self-Identification and Heritage Language Preference in Adolescence
Authors: Geerlings Jolien , Verkuyten Maykel , Thijs Jochem
Published: December 2014

This study analyses data of the U.S. Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study and focuses on the relations and changes in ethnic self-identification and preferred language use from early to late adolescence. The findings show that over time (pan-)ethnic self-identification increased and preference to use the heritage language decreased from early to late adolescence. These results were found to be influence by period effects. Furthermore, self-identification and language use predicted each other over time. However, there were differences between adolescents from Spanish speaking (Latin American) immigrant families and adolescents from non-Spanish speaking (Asian) immigrant families. Ethnic self-identification and heritage language preference was stronger in the Asian subsample. In addition, ethnic self-identification is found to influence preferred language use for the Spanish speaking group, while language preference predicted ethnic self-identification over time among Asian adolescents.
The use of eye tracking in research on video-based second language (L2) listening assessment: A comparison of context videos and content videos
Authors: Suvorov Ruslan
Published: December 2014

Investigating how visuals affect test takers’ performance on video-based L2 listening tests has been the focus of many recent studies. While most existing research has been based on test scores and self-reported verbal data, few studies have examined test takers’ viewing behavior (Ockey, 2007; Wagner, 2007, 2010a). To address this gap, in the present study I employ eye-tracking technology to record the eye movements of 33 test takers during the Video-based Academic Listening Test (VALT). Specifically, I aim to explore test takers’ oculomotor engagement with two types of videos – context videos and content videos – from the VALT, and the relationship between the test takers’ viewing behavior and test performance. Eye-tracking measures comprising fixation rate, dwell rate, and the total dwell time for context and content videos were compared using paired-samples t-tests. Additionally, each measure was correlated with test scores for items associated with each video type. Results revealed statistically significant differences between fixation rates and between total dwell time values, but no difference between the dwell rates for context and content videos. No statistically significant relationship was found between the three eye-tracking measures and the test scores. Directions for future research on video-based L2 listening assessment are discussed.
Evaluation of core vocabulary therapy for deaf children: Four treatment case studies
Authors: Herman Rosalind , Ford Katie , Thomas Jane , Oyebade Natalie , Bennett Danita , Dodd Barbara
Published: December 2014

This study evaluated whether core vocabulary intervention (CVT) improved single word speech accuracy, consistency and intelligibility in four 9−11-year-old children with profound sensori-neural deafness fitted with cochlear implants and/or digital hearing aids. Their speech was characterized by inconsistent production of different error forms for the same lexical item. The children received twice weekly therapy sessions for eight weeks. Fifty target words were drilled and changes in production assessed for accuracy and consistency. Generalization of consistency and accuracy was assessed on non-targeted words. There were four assessment points: six weeks pre-therapy; immediately before therapy; immediately following therapy and six weeks post-therapy. In addition, 10 unfamiliar listeners judged the intelligibility of audio recordings of the children’s speech before and after therapy. The children’s consistency and accuracy of single word production improved following CVT. Consistency generalized to untreated words. Sentence intelligibility ratings improved and more target words were identified after therapy. These case studies suggest that CVT merits further investigation as an effective intervention approach for deaf children, enhancing consistency, accuracy and intelligibility of speech.
Development of a rehabilitation goal menu for inpatients with neurological disorders: application in a Saudi Arabian context
Authors: Al-Haidary Hisham , Qannam Hazem , Lam Tania
Published: December 2014

Objective:

To develop a rehabilitation goal menu based on understanding the specific goals that are important to neurological inpatients and that fall within commonly identified rehabilitation domains.

Design:

Qualitative methods (semi-structured interview, focus groups) to develop a goal menu followed by cross-sectional study to measure participants’ goal rankings.

Setting:

Rehabilitation hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Subjects:

A total of 130 participants with neurological injury.

Main measures:

Participant rankings of rehabilitation goals and self-reported level of difficulty in areas such as mobility, self-care, accessibility, productivity, and leisure.

Results:

A 10-item goal menu was developed based on initial focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and literature review. The overall highest ranked rehabilitation goal was Functional Mobility/Locomotion, followed by Self-Care and Religious/Life Philosophy. Self-reported level of difficulty with mobility was strongly associated with the ranking of Functional Mobility/Locomotion as a rehabilitation goal. However, there was little correspondence between reported difficulty and priority ranking of self-care. Subsequent factor analysis of detailed goal items suggest that the goal menu could be reduced to seven items.

Conclusions:

This study provided an understanding of which rehabilitation goals are important to Saudi clients with neurological disorders that could be used to facilitate their contribution to the goal-setting process.
Fall risk and incidence reduction in high risk individuals with multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized control trial
Authors: Sosnoff Jacob J , Moon Yaejin , Wajda Douglas A , Finlayson Marcia L , McAuley Edward , Peterson Elizabeth W , Morrison Steve , Motl Robert W
Published: December 2014

Objective:

To determine the feasibility of three fall prevention programs delivered over 12 weeks among individuals with multiple sclerosis: (A) a home-based exercise program targeting physiological risk factors; (B) an educational program targeting behavioral risk factors; and (C) a combined exercise-and-education program targeting both factors.

Design:

Randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Home-based training with assessments at research laboratory.

Participants:

A total of 103 individuals inquired about the investigation. After screening, 37 individuals with multiple sclerosis who had fallen in the last year and ranged in age from 45–75 years volunteered for the investigation. A total of 34 participants completed postassessment following the 12-week intervention.

Intervention:

Participants were randomly assigned into one of four conditions: (1) wait-list control ( n = 9); (2) home-based exercise ( n = 11); (3) education ( n = 9); or (4) a combined exercise and education ( n = 8) group.

Measures:

Before and after the 12-week interventions, participants underwent a fall risk assessment as determined by the physiological profile assessment and provided information on their fall prevention behaviors as indexed by the Falls Prevention Strategy Survey. Participants completed falls diaries during the three-months postintervention.

Results:

A total of 34 participants completed postintervention testing. Procedures and processes were found to be feasible. Overall, fall risk scores were lower in the exercise groups (1.15 SD 1.31) compared with the non-exercise groups (2.04 SD 1.04) following the intervention ( p < 0.01). There was no group difference in fall prevention behaviors ( p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

Further examination of home-based exercise/education programs for reducing falls in individuals with multiple sclerosis is warranted. A total of 108 participants would be needed in a larger randomized controlled trial. ClinicalTrials.org #NCT01956227
Observations of Student Behavior in Nonclassroom Settings
Authors: Cash Anne H. , Bradshaw Catherine P. , Leaf Philip J.
Published: December 2014

Observational methods are increasingly used to assess the impact of school-based interventions. Yet, few studies have used observations in nonclassroom settings, such as hallways or the cafeteria, or explored aspects of the school context that may be related to the observed behavior. The current study used a multilevel approach to examine associations between observed rule violations and contextual predictors, including characteristics of observations (e.g., location and number of students present) and schools (e.g., perceived management, discipline referrals). Analyses were conducted on data from 37 elementary schools. Within schools, rates of physical and verbal violations varied by location and significantly higher rates of rule violations were observed in areas with high student density. Between schools, only a negative association for observed verbal violations and staff perceptions of the status of nonclassroom management systems was significant. The significance and relevance of these findings for both educators and applied researchers are discussed.
MRI Volume and Signal Intensity of ACL Graft Predict Clinical, Functional, and Patient-Oriented Outcome Measures After ACL Reconstruction
Authors: Biercevicz Alison M. , Akelman Matthew R. , Fadale Paul D. , Hulstyn Michael J. , Shalvoy Robert M. , Badger Gary J. , Tung Glenn A. , Oksendahl Heidi L. , Fleming Braden C.
Published: December 2014

Background:

Clinical, functional, and patient-oriented outcomes are commonly used to evaluate the efficacy of treatments after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury; however, these evaluation techniques do not directly measure the biomechanical changes that occur with healing.

Purpose:

To determine if the magnetic resonance (MR) image–derived parameters of graft volume and signal intensity (SI), which have been used to predict the biomechanical (ie, structural) properties of the graft in animal models, correlate with commonly used clinical (anteroposterior [AP] knee laxity), functional (1-legged hop), and patient-oriented outcome measures (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS]) in patients 3 and 5 years after ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Based on a subset of participants enrolled in an ongoing ACL reconstruction clinical trial, AP knee laxity, 1-legged hop test, and KOOS were assessed at 3- and 5-year follow-up. Three-dimensional, T1-weighted MR images were collected at each visit. Both the volume and median SI of the healing graft were determined and used as predictors in a multiple regression linear model to predict the traditional outcome measures.

Results:

Graft volume combined with median SI in a multiple linear regression model predicted 1-legged hop test at both the 3- and 5-year follow-up visits ( R2 = 0.40, P = .008 and R2 = 0.62, P = .003, respectively). Similar results were found at the 5-year follow-up for the KOOS quality of life ( R2 = 0.49, P = .012), sport/function ( R2 = 0.37, P = .048), pain ( R2 = 0.46, P = .017), and symptoms ( R2 = 0.45, P = .021) subscores, although these variables were not significant at 3 years. The multiple linear regression model for AP knee laxity at 5-year follow-up approached significance ( R2 = 0.36, P = .088).

Conclusion:

The MR parameters (volume and median SI) used to predict ex vivo biomechanical properties of the graft in an animal model have the ability to predict clinical or in vivo outcome measures in patients at 3- and 5-year follow-up.

Clinical Relevance:

Results from this study may enhance clinical evaluation of graft health by relating the MR parameters of volume and median SI to traditional outcome measures and could potentially aid researchers in determining the appropriate timing for athletes to return to sport.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Function in Providing Rotational Stability Assessed by Medial and Lateral Tibiofemoral Compartment Translations and Subluxations
Authors: Noyes Frank R. , Jetter Andrew W. , Grood Edward S. , Harms Samuel P. , Gardner Eric J. , Levy Martin S.
Published: December 2014

Background:

Rotational knee stability provided by the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the pivot-shift phenomena involves analysis of more complex robotic testing profiles and resulting tibiofemoral compartment kinematics and subluxations.

Hypotheses:

Using anterior-posterior tibial forces along with internal and valgus tibial moments will produce a major anterior subluxation of both tibiofemoral compartments not obtained with internal and valgus moments alone. Increasing the internal torque in pivot-shift testing will constrain the anterior subluxations of the medial and central tibial compartments.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A 6 degrees of freedom robotic knee testing system applied anterior translation and rotational loading profiles in 10 cadaveric knees before and after ACL sectioning. Changes in knee motion limits were measured, and medial and lateral tibiofemoral compartment translations were determined by digitization of tibial plateau anatomic landmarks. Loading profiles simulated Lachman and tibial rotation tests as well as typical pivot-shift loading profiles from prior in vitro and in vivo studies.

Results:

After ACL sectioning, anterior tibial translation increased by 10.3 ± 3.7 mm at 25° of flexion ( P < .001). Internal tibial rotation increased by 1.6° ± 1.1° (5 N·m; P > .05). In pivot-shift tests (anterior translation, 100 N; internal rotation, 1 N·m; valgus, 7 N·m), the tibial rotation center shifted outside the medial tibial margin, with abnormal anterior translation of both compartments (medial, 12.9 ± 3.9 mm; lateral, 7.5 ± 3.7 mm; P < .001), with internal rotation decreasing by 4.1° ± 3.5° ( P < .05). A greater internal rotation torque (5 vs 1 N·m) in the pivot-shift test constrained and limited anterior tibial translation and prevented anterior subluxation of the medial compartment ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

Sectioning of the ACL produces major increases in tibiofemoral compartment translations and only small increases in internal tibial rotation. The simulation of the pivot shift requires a combined loading profile of anterior translation, internal rotation, and valgus, which produces the greatest anterior subluxation of the medial and lateral tibiofemoral compartments. This testing profile is recommended to be included along with other loading profiles for future ACL studies. The application of a high internal rotation torque in cadaveric pivot-shift tests constrains anterior tibial subluxation of the medial and center compartments and appears less ideal for analysis of ACL function and graft reconstructions.

Clinical Relevance:

Surgeons should be cautious in interpreting conclusions on ACL function and graft reconstructions without knowing the resulting tibiofemoral subluxations or loading conditions that may limit maximum anterior tibial femoral subluxations.
Modified Suture-Bridge Technique to Prevent a Marginal Dog-Ear Deformity Improves Structural Integrity After Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Ryu Keun Jung , Kim Bang Hyun , Lee Yohan , Lee Yoon Seok , Kim Jae Hwa
Published: December 2014

Background:

The arthroscopic suture-bridge technique has proved to provide biomechanically firm fixation of the torn rotator cuff to the tuberosity by increasing the footprint contact area and pressure. However, a marginal dog-ear deformity is encountered not infrequently when this technique is used, impeding full restoration of the torn cuff.

Purpose:

To evaluate the structural and functional outcomes of the use of a modified suture-bridge technique to prevent a marginal dog-ear deformity compared with a conventional suture-bridge method in rotator cuff repair.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence 2.

Methods:

A consecutive series of 71 patients aged 50 to 65 years who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for full-thickness medium-sized to massive tears was evaluated. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to repair technique: a conventional suture-bridge technique (34 patients; group A) versus a modified suture-bridge technique to prevent a marginal dog-ear deformity (37 patients; group B). Radiographic evaluations included postoperative cuff integrity using MRI. Functional evaluations included pre- and postoperative range of motion (ROM), pain visual analog scale (VAS), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale, the Constant score, and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. All patients were followed up clinically at a minimum of 1 year.

Result:

When the 2 surgical techniques were compared, postoperative structural integrity by Sugaya classification showed the distribution of types I:II:III:IV:V to be 4:20:2:4:4 in group A and 20:12:4:0:1 in group B. More subjects in group B had a favorable Sugaya type compared with group A ( P < .001). The postoperative healed:retear rate was 26:8 in group A and 36:1 in group B, with a significantly lower retear rate in group B ( P = .011). However, there were no significant differences in ROM and all functional outcome scores between the 2 groups postoperatively. When surgical techniques were compared across healed (n = 62) and retear (n = 9) groups, significantly fewer modified suture-bridge technique repairs were found in the retear group ( P = .03). There were significant differences between healed and retear groups in functional outcome scores, with worse results in the retear group.

Conclusion:

A modified suture-bridge technique to prevent a marginal dog-ear deformity provided better structural outcomes than a conventional suture-bridge technique for medium-sized to massive rotator cuff tears. This technique may ultimately provide better functional outcomes by decreasing the retear rate.
Effects of temperature and fiber volume fraction on mechanical properties of T300/QY8911-IV composites
Authors: Song Jian , Wen Weidong , Cui Haitao , Liu Haolong , Xu Ying
Published: December 2014

The response of QY8911-IV resin matrix and T300/QY8911 composite laminates at elevated temperatures was investigated systematically. The mechanical properties and failure mechanism in resin matrix and composites with various fiber volume fractions were also perceived. Based on the experimental results, the corresponding mechanical models were established to describe the relationships between mechanical properties and fiber volume fraction at different temperatures. Test results show that the longitudinal modulus and strength have a low relevance to temperature, whereas the transverse and in-plane shear properties decrease dramatically with the increase of temperature as the result of the softening of resin matrix. Additionally, the influence of temperature on the properties mentioned above is more obvious than that of fiber volume fraction. Finally, several new predictive models were proposed and proved to be satisfactorily acceptable.
Fabrication and electrical characterization of bamboo fiber-reinforced polypropylene composite
Authors: Latif Shamria Sabatina , Nahar Shamsun , Hasan Mahbub
Published: December 2014

The objective of this research is to characterize the bamboo fiber extracted from bamboo culms and to use these fibers as reinforcement in polypropylene-based composites. In the experiment, the fiber was characterized using wet chemical analysis, scanning electron microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Chemical analysis showed that bamboo fiber had high amount of holocellulose containing alpha cellulose with compact sclerenchyma sheath. Bamboo fiber showed significant wave length at 3420 cm−1 for –OH stretching, 2921 cm−1 for –CH stretching, and 896 cm−1 for 1,4-β linkage for cellulose units in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum. This paper also illustrates the electrical properties of the fabricated composite that consist of bamboo fiber-reinforced polypropylene. At constant temperature (about 30℃), frequency dependence of capacitance, resistivity, and dielectric constant was observed. There were approximately 19.35%, 90.38%, and 66.67% decrease in capacitance, resistance, and dielectric constant, respectively, over a range of frequency from 1 kHz to 10 kHz. This research is focused to use the polymeric composite as an insulating material while observing its electrical properties.
“Girls Have More of an Educational Brain”
Authors: Jethwani Monique M.
Published: December 2014

Although Black boys throughout the African diaspora are dropping out of high school in alarming rates, little is known about how educational identity and attainment is shaped by the intersection of race and gender in the high school environment. Utilizing an ecological and intersectionality theoretical lens, this study draws on data gleaned from semistructured interviews with Black male and female adolescents in their first year at a public high school in Bermuda ( N = 35, mean age = 14.3). Findings indicated that the girls committed twice as many disciplinary infractions as the boys. However, girls’ disciplinary problems were less likely to interfere with their academic performance because they were perceived, by both boys and girls, to be more educationally focused, better behaved, and they were more likely to seek out social-emotional support when needed. This study contributes to our understanding of the higher drop-out rates among men of African descent and points to the important role that gender stereotypes and school-based adults play in determining educational identity and attainment.
The Influence of Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Problems on the Effectiveness of Juvenile Drug Courts
Authors: Manchak Sarah M. , Sullivan Carrie Coen , Schweitzer Myrinda , Sullivan Christopher J.
Published: December 2014

The effectiveness of juvenile drug courts is mixed, and several factors could account for these findings. The present study examines whether and why youth with co-occurring mental health problems may have worse outcomes in juvenile drug court than youth who only have issues with substance use. In a sample of youth in juvenile drug court, 328 youth with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders were compared with 336 youth with only substance use disorders. Youth with co-occurring mental health problems had significantly worse criminal justice outcomes than youth without mental health problems. These outcomes were explained, in part, by more frequent violations of the drug court requirements, and in particular, violations surrounding treatment noncompliance. Results suggest that juvenile drug courts—as they currently operate—may be unsuccessfully managing youth who present with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
A Category Mistake in Piketty
Authors: Smith Tony
Published: December 2014

Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century briefly discusses regional inequality on the level of the world market, while devoting great attention to inequality within national economies. Piketty insightfully criticizes the standard treatment of these themes in mainstream economics. His own account, however, uncritically repeats a category mistake Marx diagnosed in the political economy of his day, the attempt to comprehend historically specific social tendencies in terms of transhistorical principles.
The Importance of Pharmacist Providing Patient Education in Oncology
Authors: Avery Mia , Williams Felecia
Published: December 2014

The world’s increasing diversity requires health care professionals to adjust delivery methods of teaching to accommodate different cultural values and beliefs. The ability to communicate effectively across languages and various cultural practices directly affects patient education outcomes. Pharmacist should be aware of varying modalities and considerations when counseling a patient diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. In more recent years, the medical profession has seen an increase in patient outcomes due to using the multidisciplinary team approach and has benefited by implementing Medication Therapy Management (MTM) programs at various institutions. For the clinical pharmacist, this would mean documentation for these services should be precise and accurate based on the specific patients needs. There are several factors involved in the care and therapy of the patient with cancer. Clinical oncology pharmacist should be aware of the ever-changing role in oncology and be able to implement new practices at their facility for better patient outcomes.
Affirmative action(ing)s and postneoliberal movement in South America and Ecuador
Authors: Walsh Catherine E
Published: December 2014

In South America, a region with one of the highest levels of racial and income inequality in the world, race-based affirmative action is newly visible and forcefully emergent. This text explores affirmative action’s manifestation, conceptualization, and expression most especially in the region’s progressive states, in governments that purport to break with neoliberalism and construct different social, political, and economic orders. Its concern is, on the one hand, with new constitutions, legislation, and public policy that address centuries of invisibility, negation, and socioeconomic, racial-ethnic, and political exclusion and, on the other, with the plurality in which affirmation action is being postured and conceived beyond the policy realm, including as “acts” and “actions” of cultural and decolonial affirmation. Ecuador serves as the case example. The article asks, what kind of affirmative action(s), conceived by whom, and for what, and with what political, social, cultural, and civilizational project and life vision? And it queries about what it might mean to think affirmative action as affirming interventions and decolonial “actionings”—engendered not just from “above” but also from “below”—as component parts of a social political project of intervention, decolonization, transformation, and of construction toward horizons of co-existence, humanity, life, and civilization otherwise.