bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating the Counterfactual
Authors: Blumberg Linda J. , Garrett Bowen , Holahan John
Published: April 2016

Time lags in receiving data from long-standing, large federal surveys complicate real-time estimation of the coverage effects of full Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation. Fast-turnaround household surveys fill some of the void in data on recent changes to insurance coverage, but they lack the historical data that allow analysts to account for trends that predate the ACA, economic fluctuations, and earlier public program expansions when predicting how many people would be uninsured without comprehensive health care reform. Using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) from 2000 to 2012 and the Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS) data for 2013 and 2015, this article develops an approach to estimate the number of people who would be uninsured in the absence of the ACA and isolates the change in coverage as of March 2015 that can be attributed to the ACA. We produce counterfactual forecasts of the number of uninsured absent the ACA for 9 age-income groups and compare these estimates with 2015 estimates based on HRMS relative coverage changes applied to CPS-based population estimates. As of March 2015, we find the ACA has reduced the number of uninsured adults by 18.1 million compared with the number who would have been uninsured at that time had the law not been implemented. That decline represents a 46% reduction in the number of nonelderly adults without insurance. The approach developed here can be applied to other federal data and timely surveys to provide a range of estimates of the overall effects of reform.
Gastrointestinal bleeding in the tropics: Look for the hookworm
Authors: Sharma Vishal , Gunjan Deepak , Chhabra Puneet , Sharma Ravi , Rana Surinder Singh , Bhasin Deepak Kumar
Published: April 2016

Hookworms are recognised as a cause of iron-deficiency anaemia in endemic areas. They are, however, often not considered in the differential diagnosis of overt gastrointestinal bleeding. We report the endoscopic diagnosis of hookworms as the cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in three patients, two of whom had frank haemorrhage with one presenting in hypovolemic shock. Hookworm infestation is an important treatable cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in tropical countries.
Labor Union Membership and Life Satisfaction in the United States
Authors: Flavin Patrick , Shufeldt Gregory
Published: April 2016

While a voluminous literature examines the effects of organized labor on workers’ wage and benefit levels in the United States, there has been little investigation into whether membership in a labor union directly contributes to a higher quality of life. In this paper, we uncover evidence that union members are more satisfied with their lives than those who are not members and that the substantive effect of union membership on life satisfaction rivals other common predictors of quality of life. Moreover, we find that union membership boosts life satisfaction across demographic groups regardless if someone is rich or poor, male or female, or young or old. These results suggest that organized labor in the United States can have significant implications for the quality of life that citizens experience.
Questioning the Concept of Vegan Privilege
Authors: Greenebaum Jessica Beth
Published: April 2016

This article examines and analyzes the credibility and utility of the critique of veganism as a privileged lifestyle, both by those inside and by those outside the vegan community. Using the theory of intersectionality, I explain that the concept of vegan privilege is vague and lacks contextualization. I propose that veganism itself is not a privilege, but rather the ability to make food choices is ultimately the privilege. In addition, I argue that allegations of “vegan privilege” conceal and reinforce the cultural invisibility of speciesism and carnism. Although the ultimate mission of veganism is to eradicate animal exploitation, vegans must understand the animals are not the only ones that suffer. The structural and interactional process of “mindless eating” exploits both consumers and workers. I conclude by encouraging vegans and carnists alike to expand the circle of compassion and to understand the human costs of the capitalist industrial food complex.
Office for the Study of Aging at the University of South Carolina: Promoting Healthy Aging Through Program Development, Evaluation, Education/Training, and Research for South Carolina’s Older Adults
Authors: Guest M. Aaron , Miller Margaret C. , Smith Macie P. , Hyleman Brenda
Published: April 2016

The Office for the Study of Aging (OSA) at the University of South Carolina was established in 1988 in conjunction with the founding of the South Carolina Alzheimer’s Disease Registry. Over the last 25 years, the Office for the Study of Aging has furthered its purpose through the development of research and programs for all of South Carolina’s aging population. Examples include the Placemat Strength Training Program, the Dementia Dialogues education program, and the South Carolina Vulnerable Adult Guardian ad Litem program. The work of the office is sustained through a unique government–university–community partnership that supports innovative work and provides direct lines for dissemination, translation, and implementation of programs. The office’s efforts have resulted in two state laws involving aging and older adults as well as recognition through awards and publications. The Office provides a partnership model that offers a dissemination and translation pipeline for programs to be developed, piloted, revised, and enacted into policy.
Scaffolds based on hyaluronan and carbon nanotubes gels
Authors: Arnal-Pastor M , Tallà Ferrer C , Herrero Herrero M , Martínez-Gómez Aldaraví A , Monleón Pradas M , Vallés-Lluch A
Published: April 2016

Physico-chemical and mechanical properties of hyaluronic acid/carbon nanotubes nanohybrids have been correlated with the proportion of inorganic nanophase and the preparation procedure. The mass fraction of -COOH functionalized carbon nanotubes was varied from 0 to 0.05. Hyaluronic acid was crosslinked with divinyl sulfone to improve its stability in aqueous media and allow its handling as a hydrogel. A series of samples was dried by lyophilization to obtain porous scaffolds whereas another was room-dried allowing the collapse of the hybrid structures. The porosity of the former, together with the tighter packing of hyaluronic acid chains, results in a lower water absorption and lower mechanical properties in the swollen state, because of the easier water diffusion. The presence of even a small amount of carbon nanotubes (mass fraction of 0.05) limits even more the swelling of the matrix, owing probably to hybrid interactions. These nanohybrids do not seem to degrade significantly during 14 days in water or enzymatic medium.
The Theological Virtue of Hope and the Art of Dying
Authors: Elliot David
Published: April 2016

This article discusses the nature of and challenges to the theological virtue of hope in the Ars moriendi or ‘art of dying’. It proposes a renewed ascesis of hope whose shared eschatological vision and set of practices help sustain from despair and prepare Christians for a hopeful and ‘good death’.
Earnings, productivity and inequality in Indonesia
Authors: Tadjoeddin Mohammad Zulfan
Published: April 2016

This article examines real wage-earning, productivity and earning inequality in Indonesia, focusing on differentials among provinces and economic sectors. The post-1997 Asian crisis and democratic Indonesia mimic the global trend of disconnection between wages and productivity: labour productivity continues to rise while real wage-earning stagnates or declines. This disconnection has three consequences. First, it affects income or earning distribution as confirmed by rising overall earnings inequality. Second, while it explains the conventional wisdom of an economy-wide negative relationship between real wages and employment, it is of concern that these two variables do not move in the same direction as the productivity improvements that have occurred in large and medium establishments in the manufacturing sector. Third, the disconnection between productivity and earnings growth opens a new discussion on the broader issue of quality of growth, as the data show that robust economic growth in the post-crisis Indonesia has not been accompanied by parallel improvements in the quality of employment.
NGOs as Bridging Organizations in Managing Nature Protection in Vietnam
Authors: KimDung Nguyen , Bush Simon R. , Mol Arthur P. J.
Published: April 2016

Comanagement in Vietnamese Special-Use Forests (SUFs) has been constrained by an administrative mode of state control. Consequently, SUF Management Boards have limited scope to engage local resource users in conservation and management. Concurrently, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have developed capacities as bridging organizations between SUF Management Boards, local communities, and the government by coordinating collaboration across levels, sectors, and knowledge systems. We analyze the extent bridging roles of NGOs can overcome the constraints of administrative comanagement by facilitating knowledge sharing, a common vision, conflict resolution, and local empowerment. Our analysis is based on a national survey of SUF managers and four in-depth case studies of NGO engagement in SUFs. The results indicate NGOs are only partly able to fulfill their bridging roles and thus overcoming the dominant mode of administrative comanagement in Vietnam. We conclude that the structural barriers of state engagement with NGOs demonstrate a need to better contextualize the form and function of bridging organizations in natural resource management.
Witches and bitches: Reality television, housewifization and the new hidden abode of production
Authors: Hearn Alison
Published: April 2016

The governance of affect by capital has seen its ideological legitimation and emblematic site of production in the mainstream television industry, specifically reality television programs, as they provide templates for affective self-presentation to the public at large. As even a cursory glance at most reality television production demonstrates, it is most often women’s bodies and self-concepts that bear the burden of signifying and legitimating the message of this new economic formation: ‘conform to our template, be seen, and build a reputation!’ This article will focus on the Real Housewives franchise, which along with its network Bravo is credited with saving the fortunes of NBC, as the paradigmatic example of these new narrative trends and business models. It will interrogate the historical resonances and discontinuities between the economy of affective visibility now apparent on reality television and its modes of production and the origins of the ‘real’ housewife in early capitalism. At this time, women’s skills, bodies and reproductive capacities were violently restructured; forbidden from earning a wage or having money, women’s work inside and outside the home was simultaneously appropriated and concealed. As reality television inaugurates new kinds of labor and value creation in the 21st century, it does so in ways that are deeply gendered or ‘housewifized’; reality television’s forms of hidden, precarious, and unregulated labour recall the appropriation and denigration of the value of women’s work by systems of capitalist expansion in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Toll-like receptor 9 regulates melanogenesis through NF-κB activation
Authors: Sun Lijun , Pan Shengjun , Yang Yuejin , Sun Jingying , Liang Daoyan , Wang Xin , Xie Xin , Hu Jun
Published: April 2016

Toll-like receptors play essential roles in the modulation of melanogenesis, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hyper- or hypopigmentation-related diseases. However, little is currently known regarding the role of TLR9 in human melanocytes. TLR9 recognizes unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine motif-containing oligodeoxynucleotides, and cytosine-phosphate-guanine ODN2006 acts as an hTLR9 agonist. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of cytosine-phosphate-guanine ODN2006 on melanogenesis in the human melanocyte cells. MTT assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay indicated that ODN2006 stimulation (0, 1, 5, 10 µM) dose-dependently reduced cell viability and promoted the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 in PIG1 melanocytes. The mRNA and protein levels of PMEL and TYRosinase were elevated at 6 h, and then decreased 24 h later, but were significantly augmented 72 h later following ODN2006 stimulation; whereas, TLR9 expressions were time-dependently increased in PIG1 melanocytes. Moreover, ultraviolet B irradiation combined with ODN2006 stimulation induced much more significant enhancement of PMEL, TYRosinase, and TLR9 mRNA and protein after three days in PIG1 melanocytes, and the similar results were obtained using the primary human melanocytes. The expression of TLR9 protein was down-regulated by TLR9 siRNA transfection. ODN2006 had an additive effect on ultraviolet B-induced melanogenesis and PMEL expression, as well as NF-κB activation, which could be blocked by TLR9 knockdown, the NF-κB specific inhibitor PDTC, or the TBK1 inhibitor BX795. Collectively, we concluded that TLR9 regulates melanogenesis through NF-κB activation, suggesting that TLR9 may play a role in microbial-induced melanogenesis.
Surgical and Antimicrobial Management of a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Due to Q Fever: A Case Report and Brief Review
Authors: Robinson William P. , Schuksz Manuela
Published: April 2016

Coxiella burnetii, the etiologic agent of Q fever, has been associated with vascular infection and aneurysm formation. We report the case of a 36-year-old woman from Iraq who presented with long-standing malaise as well as vague chest and shoulder discomfort and was found to have a saccular aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta. Serology assays were positive for chronic C burnetii infection. She was treated with successful aneurysm resection and aortic replacement with a rifampin-impregnated Maquet Hemashield (TM) Dacron interposition graft interposition graft in addition to 18 months of doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine. The patient is without evidence of recurrent infection on follow-up at 3 years. To our knowledge, this is the first case of aortic aneurysm secondary to Q fever reported in the United States. We review the diagnosis, surgical management, antibiotic therapy, and surveillance of a thoracic aortic aneurysm secondary to Q fever.
Optimization design of a gating system for sand casting aluminium A356 using a Taguchi method and multi-objective culture-based QPSO algorithm
Authors: Chen Wen-Jong , Lin Cai-Xuan , Chen Yan-Ting , Lin Jia-Ru
Published: April 2016

This article combined Taguchi method and analysis of variance with the culture-based quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization to determine the optimal models of gating system for aluminium (Al) A356 sand casting part. First, the Taguchi method and analysis of variance were, respectively, applied to establish an L27(38) orthogonal array and determine significant process parameters, including riser diameter, pouring temperature, pouring speed, riser position and gating diameter. Subsequently, a response surface methodology was used to construct a second-order regression model, including filling time, solidification time and oxide ratio. Finally, the culture-based quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization was used to determine the multi-objective Pareto optimal solutions and identify corresponding process conditions. The results showed that the proposed method, compared with initial casting model, enabled reducing the filling time, solidification time and oxide ratio by 68.14%, 50.56% and 20.20%, respectively. A confirmation experiment was verified to be able to effectively reduce the defect of casting and improve the casting quality.
New design of process for cold forging to improve multi-stage gas fitting
Authors: Huang Han-Sung , Hsia Shao-Yi
Published: April 2016

This work develops a process that solves the problem of the formation of cracks inside forged gas fittings in the cold forging process that arises from poor forging process design. DEFORM-3D forming software was utilized, and macroscopic experiments with optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were conducted to investigate the processed structures and the distribution therein of metal flow lines, and to find the internal micro-cracks to determine whether the cold forging process is reasonable. Analytical results herein demonstrate that the stress and strain inside the gas fitting can be elucidated using metal forming software. Together with experimental results, they demonstrate that a concentration of stress damages the workpiece in the forming process. Moreover, as metal flow lines become narrower, the workpiece becomes more easily damaged. Consequently, the improved cold forging process that is described in this work should be utilized to reduce the occurrence of fine cracks and defects. Planning for proper die design and production, increasing the quality of products, and reducing the number of defective products promote industrial competitiveness.
Three-dimensional contact analysis of coupled surfaces by a novel contact transformation method based on localized Lagrange multipliers
Authors: Lin Yi-Tsung , Wu James Shih-Shyn , Lai Yuan-Lung
Published: April 2016

Instead of obsessively emphasizing to reduce the number of time increments and reshape the models, a novel surface contact transformation to increase efficiency is presented in this study. Wear on the bearing surfaces was investigated following the coupled regions from the pressure distribution, computed by means of three-dimensional finite element method models; an approximate analytical model and formulation in three-dimensional frictional contact problems based on modified localized Lagrange multiplier method have also been developed and discussed. Understanding wear behavior patterns in mechanical components is a significant task in engineering design. The proposed approach provides a complete and effective solution to the wear problem in a quasi-dynamic manner. However, expensive computing time is needed in the incremental procedures. In this article, an alternative and efficient finite element approach is introduced to reduce the computation costs of wear prediction. Through the successful verification of wear depth and volume loss of the pin-on-plate, block-on-ring, and metal-on-plastic artificial hip joint wear behaviors, the numerical calculations are shown to be both valid and feasible. Furthermore, the results also show that the central processing unit time required by the proposed method is nearly half that of the previous methods without loss of accuracy.
Factors contributing to the retention of Canadian amateur sport officials: Motivations, perceived organizational support, and resilience
Authors: Livingston Lori A , Forbes Susan L
Published: April 2016

Using an ecological systems perspective, the purpose of this investigation was to understand what motivates individuals to enter into and remain active in officiating, their resilience, and their perceptions of the support they receive from their sport organizations in Canada. A sample of 1073 (806 males, 267 females) active officials from 37 different sports provided individual responses to a demographic questionnaire, the Sport Motivation Scale, the 8-Item Survey of Perceived Organizational Support, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and by responding to a series of open-ended questions. Independent four-way (i.e. age, sex, sport category, setting) analysis of variance procedures revealed a number of significant differences, with younger officials (i.e. 15 years or less) more extrinsically motivated than their older counterparts (F(10,832) = 3.19, p < 0.0001), males displaying higher levels of intrinsic motivation to experience excitement in the role than females (F(1832) = 5.69, p < 0.02), and females demonstrating higher and lower levels of amotivation (F(2832) = 3.16, p < 0.04) in comparison to males in urban and rural settings, respectively. The officials in this study were highly resilient, with only 7.8% of the sample yielding resilience scores below the population norm. Younger officials (i.e. under 20 years) demonstrated higher levels of perceived organizational support than those in older age groups (F(10,831) = 1.99, p < 0.03), while females displayed significantly lower mean perceived organizational support scores in urban environments and higher mean perceived organizational support scores in rural settings than males (F(2831) = 4.53, p < 0.01). The results provide a baseline against which future studies of sports officials may be compared.
Videoconferencing for Teens With Diabetes
Authors: Duke Danny C. , Wagner David V. , Ulrich Jenae , Freeman Kurt A. , Harris Michael A.
Published: April 2016

Background:

Adolescence is a developmental period associated with increased difficulty managing diabetes. During adolescence family functioning, including miscarried helping, family conflict, and acceptance of illness, is an important predictor of adherence to treatment recommendations. Multiple barriers exist to receiving behavioral health interventions to address suboptimal adherence. We hypothesized that behavioral family systems therapy–diabetes (BFST-D) delivered via telehealth would yield changes in family functioning that were not significantly different than changes in clinic-based treatment. Furthermore, that BFST-D would significantly improve overall family functioning.

Methods:

Ninety adolescent participants and their parents were randomized to receive BFST-D via telehealth or traditional (Clinic) treatment conditions. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to assess changes in mean scores across pre, post, and follow-up assessments. Mediation analyses were conducted using methods outlined by Sobel and were confirmed by bootstrapping.

Results:

Changes in miscarried helping, family conflict and adjustment to illness were not significantly different across groups. Overall, clinically significant improvements were identified in youth- and parent-reported miscarried helping, family conflict, and acceptance of illness. Reductions in family conflict mediated the relationship between changes in miscarried helping and acceptance of illness. In addition, improvements in family functioning were associated with changes in adherence and glycemic control.

Conclusions:

Results provide strong support for BFST-D (and similar interventions) delivered via telehealth as yielding outcomes no different than clinic-based treatment. In addition, further support was provided for the effectiveness of BFST-D.
Management of diabetes in Morocco: results of the International Diabetes Management Practices Study (IDMPS) – wave 5
Authors: Chadli Asmae , El Aziz Siham , El Ansari Nawal , Ajdi Farida , Seqat Mehdi , Latrech Hanane , Belmejdoub Ghizlaine
Published: April 2016

Objectives:

The International Diabetes Mellitus Practice Study (IDMPS) is a 5-year survey documenting changes in diabetes treatment practices in developing countries. The primary objective of this survey was to assess the therapeutic management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in real-life medical practice. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the clinical management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to assess the proportion of all diabetic patients failing to reach the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) <7% target.

Methods:

Data were analysed for 738 patients (240 with T1DM and 498 with T2DM) included in wave 5 of the IDMPS in Morocco in 2011.

Results:

Nearly two-thirds (61%) of T2DM patients were treated with oral glucose-lowering drugs (OGLDs) alone, 13.1% were treated with insulin alone and 23.3% were treated with OGLDs plus insulin. Insulin use was less frequent, was initiated later and involved a greater use of premixes versus basal/prandial schedules compared to other populations evaluated in the IDMPS. The majority (92.5%) of T1DM patients were treated with insulin alone and the remainder received insulin plus an OGLD. Insulin protocols included basal + prandial dosing (37.5%) and premix preparations (41.3%). The recommended target of HbA1c <7% was achieved by only 22.2% of T1DM patients and 26.8% of T2DM patients. More macrovascular but fewer microvascular complications were reported in T2DM compared to T1DM patients. Late complications increased with disease duration so that 20 years after diagnosis, 75.7% of T2DM patients were found to have at least one late complication.

Conclusions:

The clinical burden of diabetes is high in Morocco and the majority of patients do not achieve the recommended glycaemia target, suggesting that there is a huge gap between evidence-based diabetic management and real-life practice. Better education of patients and improved compliance with international recommendations are necessary to deliver a better quality of diabetic care.
Seven years of follow up of trabecular bone score, bone mineral density, body composition and quality of life in adults with growth hormone deficiency treated with rhGH replacement in a single center
Authors: Allo Miguel Gonzalo , Serraclara Plá Alicia , Partida Muñoz Myriam Lorena , Martínez Díaz-Guerra Guillermo , Hawkins Federico
Published: April 2016

Background:

Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is characterized by impaired physical activity, diminished quality of life (QoL), weight and fat mass gain, decreased muscle mass and decreased bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of long-term treatment (7 years) with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on metabolic parameters, body composition (BC), BMD, bone microarchitecture and QoL.

Patients and Methods:

In this prospective study, BMD and BC were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Bone microarchitecture was assessed with the trabecular bone score (TBS). The QoL-AGHDA test was used to assess QoL.

Results:

A total of 18 AGHD patients (mean age, 37.39 ± 12.42) were included. Body weight and body mass index (BMI) showed a significant increase after 7 years ( p = 0.03 and p = 0.001, respectively). There was a significant tendency of body fat mass (BFM) ( p = 0.028) and lean body mass (LBM) ( p = 0.005) to increase during the 7 years of rhGH treatment. There was a significant increase in lumbar spine (LS) BMD ( p = 0.01). TBS showed a nonsignificant decrease after 7 years of treatment, with a change of -0.86% ± 1.95. QoL showed a large and significant improvement ( p = 0.02).

Conclusion:

Long-term rhGH treatment in AGHD patients induces a large and sustained improvement in QoL. Metabolic effects are variable with an increase in LBM as well as in BMI and BFM. There is a positive effect on BMD based on the increase in LS BMD, which stabilizes during long-term therapy and is not associated with a similar increase in bone microarchitecture.
Predictive Power of Parenting Styles on Children’s Social Skills
Authors: Bartholomeu Daniel , Montiel José Maria , Fiamenghi Geraldo A. , Machado Afonso Antonio
Published: April 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and children’s social skills, establishing significant correlations between those two constructs. A total of 202 children, 7 to 10 years old, male and female, attending second to fourth year of government schools in São Paulo, Brazil, were participants of this research. They collectively completed Children’s Social Skills Test (THAS-C) and Parental Styles Inventory (IEP). Results suggest that positive parental styles are predictors of altruism, while negative parental styles are predictors of assertiveness, conversation, and social confidence. Regarding general social skills, variables that offered the best probable model were positive monitoring, lax discipline, moral behavior, and physical abuse (the higher the general social skill, the lesser the abusive parenting styles). As a conclusion, it seems that different social skills are related to positive and negative parenting styles, reinforcing the idea of a social skill as an attribute of behavior.
Using the Delphi Technique to Identify Key Elements for Effective and Sustainable Visitor Use Planning Frameworks
Authors: Fefer Jessica P. , De-Urioste Stone Sandra , Daigle John , Silka Linda
Published: April 2016

Protected areas around the world receive nearly 800 billion visits/year, with international tourism continuing to increase. While protected areas provide necessary benefits to communities and visitors, the increased visitation may negatively impact the resource and the recreational experience, hence the need to manage visitor use in protected areas around the world. This research focused on obtaining information from experts to document their experiences utilizing one visitor use planning framework: Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP). Using the Delphi Technique, 31 experts from seven regions around the world were asked to identify elements necessary for effective visitor management, as well as elements that facilitated or limited success when using VERP. Elements were categorized and rated in terms of importance. Scoring of the final categories was analyzed using Wilcoxon and Median non-parametric statistical tests. Results suggest that planning challenges stem from limitations in organizational capacity to support a long-term, adaptive management process, inferring that VERP may be sufficiently developed, but implementation capacity may not. The results can be used to refine existing frameworks, and to aid in the development of new recreation frameworks.
The Comprehension of Metaphorical Expressions by Jordanian EFL Learners
Authors: Zibin Aseel
Published: April 2016

This study explores the ability of Jordanian learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) to comprehend metaphorical expressions in English and investigates whether the use of their first language (L1) conceptual and linguistic knowledge may facilitate the comprehension of these expressions. For this purpose, the study adopts a contrastive model developed by Charteris-Black, which consists of six types of metaphor to compare and contrast in both English and Arabic. On the basis of this model, the researcher designed a multiple-choice test to assess the participants’ recognition of English metaphorical expressions. The results reveal that the participants’ receptive knowledge of metaphors varied on the basis of the six types of metaphor. The study provides evidence of the possibility that EFL learners display general conceptualizing capacity regardless of their language, which hints, possibly, at the potential universality of conceptual metaphor. It also proposes some pedagogical implications that may assist EFL learners in acquiring metaphorical expressions in English.
V-Fuzzy metric space and related fixed point theorems
Authors: Gupta Vishal , Kanwar Ashima
Published: April 2016

The paper concerns our sustained efforts for introduction of V-fuzzy metric spaces and to study their basic topological properties. As an application of this concept, we prove coupled common fixed point theorems for mixed weakly monotone maps in partially ordered V-fuzzy metric spaces. An example quoted in this paper also corroborates fully the main result. Also, here we introduce the concept of a symmetric V-fuzzy metric space. Under the influence of symmetry property of V-fuzzy metric spaces, its conversion materializes to the main result from V-fuzzy metric spaces to fuzzy metric spaces.
Non contiguous-finished genome sequence and description of Microbacterium gorillae sp. nov.
Authors: Hadjadj Linda , Rathored Jaishriram , Keita Mamadou Bhoye , Michelle Caroline , Levasseur Anthony , Raoult Didier , Fournier Pierre-Edouard , Rolain Jean-Marc , Bittar Fadi
Published: April 2016

Strain G3T (CSUR P207 = DSM 26203) was isolated from the fecal sample of a wild gorilla (Gorilla gorilla subsp gorilla) from Cameroon. It is a Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic short rod. This strain exhibits a 16S rRNA sequence similarity of 98.2 % with Microbacterium thalassium, the closest validly published Microbacterium species and member of the family Microbacteriaceae. Moreover, it shows a low MALDI-TOF-MS score (1.1 to 1.3) that does not allow any identification. Thus, it is likely that this strain represents a new species. Here we describe the phenotypic features of this organism, the complete genome sequence and annotation. The 3,692,770 bp long genome (one chromosome but no plasmid) contains 3,505 protein-coding and 61 RNA genes, including 4 rRNA genes. In addition, digital DNA-DNA hybridization values for the genome of the strain G3T against the closest Microbacterium genomes range between 19.7 to 20.5, once again confirming its new status as a new species. On the basis of these polyphasic data, consisting of phenotypic and genomic analyses, we propose the creation of Microbacterium gorillae sp. nov. that contains the strain G3T.
Cancer Pain Management Insights and Reality in Southeast Asia: Expert Perspectives From Six Countries
Authors: Javier Francis O. , Irawan Cosphiadi , Mansor Marzida Binti , Sriraj Wimonrat , Tan Kian Hian , Thinh Dang Huy Quoc
Published: April 2016

This expert opinion report examines the current realities of the cancer pain management landscape and the various factors that hinder optimal pain control in six countries in Southeast Asia, describes ongoing efforts to advance patient care, and discusses approaches for improving cancer pain management. Information was gathered from leading experts in the field of cancer pain management in each country through an initial meeting and subsequent e-mail discussions. Overall, there are vast disparities in cancer pain management practices and access to opioids in the Southeast Asian countries. The experts considered cancer pain as being generally undermanaged. Access to opioids is inadequate in most countries, and opioid use for analgesia remains inadequate in the region. Several system-, physician-, and patient-related barriers to adequate pain relief were identified, including widespread over-regulation of opioid use, shortage of trained health care workers, inadequacies in pain assessment and knowledge about managing pain, and widespread resistance among patients and physicians toward opioid treatment. According to the experts, many of the ongoing initiatives in the Southeast Asian countries are related to educating patients and physicians on cancer pain management and opioid use. Efforts to improve opioid availability and reduce regulatory barriers in the region are limited, and much work is still needed to improve the status of cancer pain management in the region. Enacting necessary change will require recognition of the unique needs and resources of each country and collaboration across interdisciplinary professional teams to improve cancer pain care in this region.
Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia Treatment at the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence in Rwanda
Authors: Nzayisenga Ignace , Segal Roanne , Pritchett Natalie , Xu Mary J. , Park Paul H. , Mpanumusingo Edgie V. , Umuhizi Denis G. , Goldstein Donald P. , Berkowitz Ross S. , Hategekimana Vedaste , Muhayimana Clemence , Rubagumya Fidel , Fadelu Temidayo , Tapela Neo , Mpunga Tharcisse , Ghebre Rahel G.
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is a highly treatable disease, most often affecting young women of childbearing age. This study reviewed patients managed for GTN at the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence (BCCOE) in Rwanda to determine initial program outcomes.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective medical record review was performed for 35 patients with GTN assessed or treated between May 1, 2012, and November 30, 2014. Stage, risk score, and low or high GTN risk category were based on International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging and the WHO scoring system and determined by beta human chorionic gonadotropin level, chest x-ray, and ultrasound per protocol guidelines for resource-limited settings. Pathology reports and computed tomography scans were assessed when possible. Treatment was based on a predetermined protocol stratified by risk status.

Results

Of the 35 patients (mean age, 32 years), 26 (74%) had high-risk and nine (26%) had low-risk disease. Nineteen patients (54%) had undergone dilation and curettage and 11 (31%) had undergone hysterectomy before evaluation at BCCOE. Pathology reports were available in 48% of the molar pregnancy surgical cases. Systemic chemotherapy was initiated in 30 of the initial 35 patients: 13 (43%) received single-agent oral methotrexate, 15 (50%) received EMACO (etoposide, methotrexate, dactinomycin, cyclophosphamide, and vincristine), and two (7%) received alternate regimens. Of the 13 patients initiating methotrexate, three had their treatment intensified to EMACO. Four patients experienced treatment delays because of medication stockouts. At a median follow-up of 7.8 months, the survival probability for low-risk patients was 1.00; for high-risk patients, it was 0.63.

Conclusion

This experience demonstrates the feasibility of GTN treatment in rural, resource-limited settings. GTN is a curable disease and can be treated following the BCCOE model of cancer care.
Optogenetic activation reveals distinct roles of PIP3 and Akt in adipocyte insulin action
Authors: Xu Yingke , Nan Di , Fan Jiannan , Bogan Jonathan S. , Toomre Derek
Published: April 2016

Glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4; also known as SLC2A4) resides on intracellular vesicles in muscle and adipose cells, and translocates to the plasma membrane in response to insulin. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)–Akt signaling pathway plays a major role in GLUT4 translocation; however, a challenge has been to unravel the potentially distinct contributions of PI3K and Akt (of which there are three isoforms, Akt1–Akt3) to overall insulin action. Here, we describe new optogenetic tools based on CRY2 and the N-terminus of CIB1 (CIBN). We used these ‘Opto’ modules to activate PI3K and Akt selectively in time and space in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We validated these tools using biochemical assays and performed live-cell kinetic analyses of IRAP–pHluorin translocation (IRAP is also known as LNPEP and acts as a surrogate marker for GLUT4 here). Strikingly, Opto-PIP3 largely mimicked the maximal effects of insulin stimulation, whereas Opto-Akt only partially triggered translocation. Conversely, drug-mediated inhibition of Akt only partially dampened the translocation response of Opto-PIP3. In spatial optogenetic studies, focal targeting of Akt to a region of the cell marked the sites where IRAP–pHluorin vesicles fused, supporting the idea that local Akt-mediated signaling regulates exocytosis. Taken together, these results indicate that PI3K and Akt play distinct roles, and that PI3K stimulates Akt-independent pathways that are important for GLUT4 translocation.
Bok is a genuine multi-BH-domain protein that triggers apoptosis in the absence of Bax and Bak
Authors: Einsele-Scholz Stephanie , Malmsheimer Silke , Bertram Katrin , Stehle Daniel , Johänning Janina , Manz Marianne , Daniel Peter T. , Gillissen Bernhard F. , Schulze-Osthoff Klaus , Essmann Frank
Published: April 2016

The pro-apoptotic multidomain Bcl-2 proteins Bax and Bak (also known as BAK1) are considered the gatekeepers of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis by triggering the mitochondrial release of cytochrome c. The role of the third Bax- and Bak-homologous multidomain protein Bok, however, is still unresolved. As cells doubly deficient for Bax and Bak are largely resistant to various apoptotic stimuli, it has been proposed that Bok is either dispensable for apoptosis or that its role is dependent on Bax and Bak. Here, we demonstrate, in several cell systems, that Bok efficiently induces cytochrome c release and apoptosis even in the complete absence of both Bak and Bax. Moreover, modulation of endogenous Bok levels affects the apoptosis response. By RNA interference and targeted deletion of the Bok gene, we demonstrate that Bok can significantly influence the apoptotic response to chemotherapeutic drugs in ovarian carcinoma cells. Hence, our results not only establish Bok as a Bak- and Bax-independent apoptosis inducer, but also suggest a potential impact of Bok expression in ovarian cancer therapy.
Impacts of the economic crisis on access to healthcare services in Greece with a focus on the vulnerable groups of the population1
Authors: Economou Charalampos , Kaitelidou Daphne , Katsikas Dimitris , Siskou Olga , Zafiropoulou Maria
Published: April 2016

In 2010, the Greek economy entered a deep, structural and multi-faceted crisis, the main futures of which are a large fiscal deficit and huge public debt. The negative effects can also be observed at the societal level, as all social indicators have deteriorated. The present paper discusses the impact of economic crisis on access to healthcare services especially for the vulnerable groups. Uninsured, unemployed, older people, migrants, children and those suffering from chronic disease and mental disorders are among the groups most affected by the crisis in Greece. High costs, low proximity and long waiting lists are among the main barriers in accessing health care services.
Η συμβολή των μεταναστών στην ελληνική οικονομία: Mετά-ανάλυση των εμπειρικών ευρημάτων
Authors: Μητράκος Θεόδωρος
Published: April 2016

This study synthesizes the findings of the empirical literature available by means of meta-analyses of the impact of immigration on the Greek economy in order to detect whether consensus conclusions are emerging and whether differences in results across studies can be explained. For this purpose, the study recodes the contribution of migrants to the Greek economy and the labour market resulting from the available studies as benefiting or harming the Greek economy and native born, and estimates alternative probit and order probit models to assess the relationship between this observed impact and key study characteristics such as methodology, period of investigation, survey design, publication year etc. Even if the sample of studies available to generate comparable effect sizes remains severely limited by the heterogeneity in different approaches, the study shows that the contribution of immigrants in terms of economic growth, wages and employment is clearly positive, although rather relatively small.
Best practices in liaising between the police and social services in confronting incidents of domestic violence
Authors: Chatzifotiou Sevaste , Fotou Eleni , Moisides Ignatios
Published: April 2016

The police are often the first port of call for victims of domestic abuse who decide to officially report the violence they are subjected to. In Greece, however, the role of the police in confronting such incidents is not fully appreciated by the public. This leads to a lower number of reported cases than anticipated. This paper aims to demonstrate the role of police officers in confronting incidents of domestic violence, in particular with respect to the training and efficiency displayed in practice. As victims of domestic violence frequently require the assistance of social services, effective liaising between victims and the police is necessary for an effective response in such cases. The present study demonstrates how existing channels of liaising between the police and social services in the prefecture of Kavala in Northern Greece may provide us with a model of best practice.
Spatial cohesion in Greece: the impact of GDP revision in the measurement of spatial inequalities in Greece and policy dimensions
Authors: Papadaskalopoulos Athanasios , Christofakis Manolis
Published: April 2016

The paper provides a systematic comparative
exploration of the measurement of spatial inequalities
in Greece, at regional and prefectural
level, before and after the last GDP revision.
The aim is to determine the rate and the content
of change in spatial inequalities - towards
either an increase or decline - after the revision,
so as to evaluate the new situation and
set regional policy in its proper dimensions.
The analysis is based on the examination of
GDP data (total and per capita) for the years
2003 and 2001, before and after the revision,
as well as on population derived from the last
Census (2001). The paper uses statistical methods
of regional analysis for the exploration of
spatial inequalities. The main conclusion is
that the spatial disparities have been affected
from the revision in a remarkable degree and
therefore the regional policy must be suitably
adapted in the new conditions.
Άτυπη οικιακή εργασία και μετανάστευση: ευκαιρία προς μία διαφορετική θεώρηση της αγοράς εργασίας
Authors: Μαρούκης Θάνος
Published: April 2016

This paper intends to show, that the current
marginalization of domestic labour runs in the
detriment of both the workers and the needs
of the labour market. It is strongly contested
whether domestic labour in its current form
can meet the demands of a fl exible and
economic and social environment. At the
core of discussions on new, fl exible forms
of organization of labour one usually fi nds
economic sectors involving high skills and
added value. However, the diffusion of fl exible
employment schemes is related not only with
more high skill jobs in the labour market
but also with the creation of infrastructures
and niches able to support them. In this
context, a pathway towards the viability of
the marginalized niche of domestic labour
is discussed. Key position in this venture
is that the devaluation of domestic labour
is the product of a social – and therefore
manageable and reversible – process.
Η προνοιακή περιθωριοποίηση των μεταναστευτικών πληθυσμών από τους μηχανισμούς κοινωνικής προστασίας
Authors: Σκαμνάκης Χριστόφορος
Published: April 2016

The development of new bureaucratic ethos
in social services seems that has additional
effects on deregulation of welfare state and
on deconstruction of its mechanisms. The
already polarized welfare state is intensifi ed
and gradually become mechanism of welfare
marginalization, especially for vulnerable
groups as migrants. The study of the way
that front-line offi cers in social services
implement their duties is an analytical
instrument of signifi cant importance in
the area of welfare state’s analysis. The
accent of research interest in micro-level
analysis is vitally in order to conduct to
reliable conclusions about front-line offi cers’
everyday practices and reveal the context
of the new bureaucratic ethos as starting
point of welfare marginalization. The latter
broaden the polarization of the Greek welfare
regime.
Les choix managériaux de gestion des ressources humaines «âgées». Une approche comparative
Authors: Xyraphis Apostolos
Published: April 2016

Managerial choices and ageing of human
recourses. A comparative approach.
When talking about retaining or retiring “elder”
human resources in firms, from the viewpoint
of business the choice of the theoretical
interpretation seems sensible as it involves
numerous parameters that are closely related
to transfer of knowledge, optimal utilization
of abilities and performance criterion, all of
them representing important ingredients of a
potential competitive advantage. Hence, from
an epistemological point of view, the choice
of an explanatory theory is also sensible, as the
author is quite convinced that the divisions in
the scientific-research community and consequently
narrow-mindedness of academic approaches
impede a productive understanding
of relations1 and the managerial engineering
of choices. Thus the article deals with the way
managerial choices are made on a number of
institutional arrangements that occur upon
several internal and external factors such as
regulations, laws, collective agreements, flexibility
and mobility arrangements, ergonomics
and individual career planning, at the firm
level within specific geographical boundaries,
affecting both “aged” workers and the firm.
James Mahoney and Kathleen Thelen, Explaining institutional change: Ambiguity, agency and power, Cambridge University Press 2010, 254 p.p.
Authors: Roumpakis Antonis
Published: April 2016

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