bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breast Cancer beyond the Age of Mutation
Authors: LaBarge Mark A. , Mora-Blanco E. Lorena , Samson Susan , Miyano Masaru
Published: November 2015

Age is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer, but the reasons underlying this association are unclear. While there is undeniably a genetic component to all cancers, the accumulation of mutations with age is insufficient to explain the age-dependent increase in breast cancer incidence. In this viewpoint, we propose a multilevel framework to better understand the respective roles played by somatic mutation, microenvironment, and epigenetics making women more susceptible to breast cancer with age. The process of aging is associated with gradual breast tissue changes that not only corrupt the tumor-suppressive activity of normal tissue but also impose age-specific epigenetic changes that alter gene expression, thus reinforcing cellular phenotypes that are associated with a continuum of age-related tissue microenvironments. The evidence discussed here suggests that while the riddle of whether epigenetics drives microenvironmental changes, or whether changes in the microenvironment alter heritable cellular memory has not been solved, a path has been cleared enabling functional analysis leading to the prediction of key nodes in the network that link the microenvironment with the epigenome. The hypothesis that the accumulation of somatic mutations with age drives the age-related increase in breast cancer incidence, if correct, has a somewhat nihilistic conclusion, namely that cancers will be impossible to avoid. Alternatively, if microenvironment-driven epigenetic changes are the key to explaining susceptibility to age-related breast cancers, then there is hope that primary prevention is possible because epigenomes are relatively malleable.
Effect of Smoking on Blood Pressure and Resting Heart Rate
Authors: Linneberg Allan , Jacobsen Rikke K. , Skaaby Tea , Taylor Amy E. , Fluharty Meg E. , Jeppesen Jørgen L. , Bjorngaard Johan H. , Åsvold Bjørn O. , Gabrielsen Maiken E. , Campbell Archie , Marioni Riccardo E. , Kumari Meena , Marques-Vidal Pedro , Kaakinen Marika , Cavadino Alana , Postmus Iris , Ahluwalia Tarunveer S. , Wannamethee S. Goya , Lahti Jari , Räikkönen Katri , Palotie Aarno , Wong Andrew , Dalgård Christine , Ford Ian , Ben-Shlomo Yoav , Christiansen Lene , Kyvik Kirsten O. , Kuh Diana , Eriksson Johan G. , Whincup Peter H. , Mbarek Hamdi , de Geus Eco J.C. , Vink Jacqueline M. , Boomsma Dorret I. , Smith George Davey , Lawlor Debbie A. , Kisialiou Aliaksei , McConnachie Alex , Padmanabhan Sandosh , Jukema J. Wouter , Power Chris , Hyppönen Elina , Preisig Martin , Waeber Gerard , Vollenweider Peter , Korhonen Tellervo , Laatikainen Tiina , Salomaa Veikko , Kaprio Jaakko , Kivimaki Mika , Smith Blair H. , Hayward Caroline , Sørensen Thorkild I.A. , Thuesen Betina H. , Sattar Naveed , Morris Richard W. , Romundstad Pål R. , Munafò Marcus R. , Jarvelin Marjo-Riitta , Husemoen Lise Lotte N.
Published: November 2015

Background—

Smoking is an important cardiovascular disease risk factor, but the mechanisms linking smoking to blood pressure are poorly understood.

Methods and Results—

Data on 141 317 participants (62 666 never, 40 669 former, 37 982 current smokers) from 23 population-based studies were included in observational and Mendelian randomization meta-analyses of the associations of smoking status and smoking heaviness with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, and resting heart rate. For the Mendelian randomization analyses, a genetic variant rs16969968/rs1051730 was used as a proxy for smoking heaviness in current smokers. In observational analyses, current as compared with never smoking was associated with lower systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure and lower hypertension risk, but with higher resting heart rate. In observational analyses among current smokers, 1 cigarette/day higher level of smoking heaviness was associated with higher (0.21 bpm; 95% confidence interval 0.19; 0.24) resting heart rate and slightly higher diastolic blood pressure (0.05 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval 0.02; 0.08) and systolic blood pressure (0.08 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval 0.03; 0.13). However, in Mendelian randomization analyses among current smokers, although each smoking increasing allele of rs16969968/rs1051730 was associated with higher resting heart rate (0.36 bpm/allele; 95% confidence interval 0.18; 0.54), there was no strong association with diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, or hypertension. This would suggest a 7 bpm higher heart rate in those who smoke 20 cigarettes/day.

Conclusions—

This Mendelian randomization meta-analysis supports a causal association of smoking heaviness with higher level of resting heart rate, but not with blood pressure. These findings suggest that part of the cardiovascular risk of smoking may operate through increasing resting heart rate.
The diatom genus Gomphonema Ehrenberg in Lake Baikal. II. Revision of taxa from Gomphonema acuminatum and Gomphonema truncatum-capitatum complexes
Authors: Kulikovskiy Maxim Sergeevich , Kociolek John Patrick , Solak Cuneyt Nadir , Kuznetsova Irina
Published: November 2015

We document the diversity of diatom taxa from the G. acuminatum and truncatum-capitatum species complexes in Lake Baikal using light and scanning electron microscopy. This investigation revealed four species new to Science, namely G. pseudacuminatum sp. nov., G. microlaticollum sp. nov., G. paracapitatum sp. nov., and G. microcapitatum sp. nov. In addition, we consider seven previously described species that are part of these ‘typical Gomphonema’ complexes. Some of the taxa treated here were previously observed from other regions, especially from Mongolia. These data show a wide distribution of species from these complexes in waterbodies of Central Asia, and confirm the presence of some cosmopolitan taxa within Lake Baikal.
The Pauline Sense of the Expression “Now the Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17a)
Authors: Serrano Andrés García
Published: November 2015

Because most scholars have limited themselves exclusively to the identification of the Lord in 2 Cor. 3:17a, “Now the Lord is the Spirit”, their studies have failed to understand the relationship between that Lord and the Spirit. This short study explicates the relationship that Paul establishes between the meaning signified by the nouns “Lord” and “Spirit.” In particular, it will address the issue of how the Lord and the Spirit are interrelated by contextualizing the statement in the Pauline Corpus, and will expound upon the dynamic relationship that Paul proclaims in this controversial verse.
TraSe: Real-time two-dimensional ball tracking and control system
Authors: Mednis M , Vilums S , Stalidzans E
Published: November 2015

A low-cost real-time two-dimensional PC-based ball tracking and control laboratory system is developed to teach real-time control system development with a real physical system instead of computer simulation. The system can be used for a single-student or a two-student competition for the best control algorithm. Training can be given on pattern recognition, modelling, stepper motor control, control strategies and other aspects.
The state and the reconstruction of civil society
Authors: Brandsen Taco , Trommel Willem , Verschuere Bram
Published: November 2015

The current relationship between the state and civil society in Europe is a curious and historically unique one. This is no longer a situation in which participation and association prepare citizens for the offices of the state; rather, it is the state urging a sometimes-reluctant citizenry to engage actively in civil society. This phenomenon stems from a combination of changes in prevailing governance paradigms and of the more general process of social liquefaction. In the article, we analyse these two intertwining trends and discuss the new type of relationship between the state and civil society that may be emerging.

Points for practitioners

The article puts the current vogue for renewed state–civil society relationships in a larger context. It shows that, however commendable many initiatives may be, there is the risk that the desire on the part of governments for their citizens to participate and self-organize may lead the state to take over such initiatives, leading to a manufactured civil society that has little to do with spontaneous citizen initiatives. Another possible consequence is that truly spontaneous citizen initiatives will shun collaboration with the state and focus only inwards, to the detriment of broader public values. Therefore, in this area, the state must strike a delicate balance between encouragement and restraint.
The Global Emergence of Social Protection
Authors: Schmitt Carina , Lierse Hanna , Obinger Herbert , Seelkopf Laura
Published: November 2015

Comparative welfare state research is directed mainly toward the development of welfare states in advanced democracies, although the majority of people live outside the OECD and often face graver social risks arising from poverty and starvation. To secure a minimum standard of living, nearly all countries have introduced social programs to protect their citizens. Yet the timing of when governments take on the responsibility of providing social protection varies decisively across the world. Using data for 177 territories and independent states over the period from 1820 to 2013, we illustrate how social security legislation has emerged throughout the world. Although we find that the patterns and pathways vary strongly between different regions, the evidence shows that the proliferation of social protection is a transnational event: regional diffusion and membership in the International Labour Organization matter irrespective of the regional and temporal context.
Explaining the “Return of the State” in Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Carnes Matthew , Mares Isabela
Published: November 2015

In recent decades, developing and middle-income countries around the globe have adopted path-breaking reforms to their social protection systems. Latin America has been a pioneer region, expanding the state’s commitment on behalf of low-income citizens in key policy areas in many countries. This paper undertakes two tasks. First, it documents the surprising extension of noncontributory social protection policies across many Latin American countries, highlighting how tax-financed programs have come to play a central role in a variety of settings. Second, it examines citizen-level preferences that support this trend, arguing that employment vulnerability and threats to income continuity play a decisive role in shaping demand for public, rather than private, social protection. Survey data on labor-market risks and social policy preferences from eighteen countries corroborate these claims. Our findings suggest that other countries undergoing labor-market strains may experience similar demands for a “return of the state” as a guarantor of social protection in the coming years.
Right business, right consumption: Controlling commodification and guiding consumption in a Tibetan Buddhist organisation in Scotland
Authors: McKenzie John S
Published: November 2015

Historically, global consumer culture has been portrayed as a threat to traditional and authentic religions. However, in more recent times, several studies have begun to identify that religious organisations and their participants can resist the corrosive effects that adaptation to consumer culture can have on their organisations and practices. Nevertheless, how this is to be achieved remains under-explained, and the purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the branches of the Tibetan Buddhist organisation Rokpa International in Scotland has managed its adaptation to consumer culture through controlling commodification and guiding the consumption of practitioners. It is also demonstrated that this controlled adaptation to consumerism allows both individual participants and the organisation to further religious goals in line with Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.
Islamic schools in the United States and England: Implications for integration and social cohesion
Authors: Hussain Serena , Read Jen’nan Ghazal
Published: November 2015

Debates over faith-based schools have resurfaced in recent years, due largely to an increase in Islamic schools in the West and concerns regarding their role vis-a-vis social cohesion. Such debates typically occur in the public and political realms, with less academic attention to the issue. This study addresses this gap by focusing on Islamic schools in the US and England. The article draws on extensive qualitative data collected over 20 months at three Islamic schools to understand the experiences of Muslim students and their families. Contrary to popular perceptions, the findings suggest that Islamic schools can facilitate the participation of Muslims in mainstream institutions by equipping them with the cultural capital needed to navigate in non-Muslim arenas. Paradoxically, the findings also indicate that attending Islamic schools does not necessarily translate into greater levels of religiosity among Muslim youth; in some cases it even turned them away from the religion.
On the Hidden Thought Experiments of Economic Theory
Authors: Thoma Johanna
Published: November 2015

Most papers in theoretical economics contain thought experiments. They take the form of more informal bits of reasoning that precede the presentation of the formal, mathematical models these papers are known for. These thought experiments differ from the formal models in various ways. In particular, they do not invoke the same idealized assumptions about the rationality, knowledge, and preferences of agents. The presence of thought experiments in papers that present formal models, and the fact that they differ from the formal models in this way, is often ignored in debates on what, if anything, we can learn from formal models in theoretical economics. I show that paying due attention to thought experiments in theoretical economics has serious implications for this debate. Differences between thought experiments and formal models are especially problematic for Robert Sugden’s “credible worlds” account.
Life and Death of Singles in Dutch Cities, 1850-1940
Authors: Kok Jan , Mandemakers Kees
Published: November 2015

Our study entails a quantitative analysis of the life courses of permanent celibates in Dutch cities. We make use of a large database with randomly selected life courses (Historical Sample of the Netherlands), which covers the entire country in the second half of the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. The database allows us to look at the family backgrounds, households, and mortality of urban singles. Singles were characterized by a prolonged stay in the parental house, which was related to the survival of both parents. Becoming single was more likely in Roman Catholic and elite families. In cities, skewed marriage markets contributed to women remaining unmarried. However, the well-known concentration of lifelong spinsters in cities was mainly caused by the clustering of social groups in which female celibacy was more common than in others, as well as by sex-specific migration to cities. Although they lived with their parents well past adolescence, in later life, urban celibate men and women did not depend on family. Women lived in a same-sex household more often than men. In old age, most celibates lived by themselves, but their “solitude” did not necessarily imply they were doing worse than others; at least, it was not reflected in higher mortality rates.
Anxiety Sensitivity and Smoking Behavior Among Trauma-Exposed Daily Smokers
Authors: Bakhshaie Jafar , Zvolensky Michael J. , Salazar Adriana , Vujanovic Anka A. , Schmidt Norman B.
Published: November 2015

Anxiety sensitivity (AS), defined as the extent to which individuals believe that anxiety-related sensations have harmful consequences, is associated with smoking processes and poorer clinical outcomes among trauma-exposed smokers. Yet the specific mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Smoking-specific avoidance and inflexibility is a construct implicated in multiple manifestations of mood regulation that may underlie smoking behavior. The current study examined the explanatory role of smoking-specific avoidance and inflexibility in terms of the relation between AS and indices of smoking behavior among trauma-exposed smokers. The sample consisted of 217 treatment-seeking adult smokers (44% female; M age = 37.8; SD = 13.2; age range: 18-65 years), who were exposed to at least one lifetime Criterion A trauma event ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR] Criterion A for trauma exposure). Bootstrap analysis (5,000 re-samples) revealed that AS was indirectly related to the (a) number of cigarettes smoked per day, (b) number of years being a daily smoker, (c) number of failed quit attempts, and (d) heaviness of smoking index among trauma-exposed smokers through its relation with smoking-specific avoidance and inflexibility. These findings provide initial evidence suggesting that smoking-specific avoidance and inflexibility may be an important construct in better understanding AS–smoking relations among trauma-exposed smokers. Future work is needed to explore the extent to which smoking-specific avoidance and inflexibility account for relations between AS and other smoking processes (e.g., withdrawal, cessation outcome) in the context of trauma and smoking comorbidity.
Using Single-Case Experiments to Support Evidence-Based Decisions
Authors: Lanovaz Marc J. , Rapp John T.
Published: November 2015

For practitioners, the use of single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) in the research literature raises an important question: How many single-case experiments are enough to have sufficient confidence that an intervention will be effective with an individual from a given population? Although standards have been proposed to address this question, current guidelines do not appear to be strongly grounded in theory or empirical research. The purpose of our article is to address this issue by presenting guidelines to facilitate evidence-based decisions by adopting a simple statistical approach to quantify the support for interventions that have been validated using SCEDs. Specifically, we propose the use of success rates as a supplement to support evidence-based decisions. The proposed methodology allows practitioners to aggregate the results from single-case experiments to estimate the probability that a given intervention will produce a successful outcome. We also discuss considerations and limitations associated with this approach.
Values, Inter-Attitudinal Structure, and Attitude Change
Authors: Blankenship Kevin L. , Wegener Duane T. , Murray Renee A.
Published: November 2015

Accessibility is one of the most basic structural properties of an attitude and an important factor to consider in attitude strength. Despite its importance, relatively little work has examined the role of attitude accessibility in an inter-attitudinal context, particularly as it relates to the strength of related attitudes in the network. The present research examines accessibility as a property of one attitude (toward an abstract goal or end-state, that is, a value) that might influence the strength of a different but related attitude (toward a social policy conceptually related to the value). In Study 1, a highly accessible evaluative component of a value increased resistance to change of attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a social policy related to that value. Similarly, a manipulation of value accessibility (Studies 2 and 3) led to increased resistance of attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a social policy related to that value. Implications for the role of accessibility in inter-attitudinal strength are discussed.
Reevaluation and Classification of Duodenal Lesions in B6C3F1 Mice and F344 Rats from 4 Studies of Hexavalent Chromium in Drinking Water
Authors: Cullen John M. , Ward Jerrold M. , Thompson Chad M.
Published: November 2015

Thirteen-week and 2-year drinking water studies conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) reported that hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) induced diffuse epithelial hyperplasia in the duodenum of B6C3F1 mice but not F344 rats. In the 2-year study, Cr(VI) exposure was additionally associated with duodenal adenomas and carcinomas in mice only. Subsequent 13-week Cr(VI) studies conducted by another group demonstrated non-neoplastic duodenal lesions in B6C3F1 mice similar to those of the NTP study as well as mild duodenal hyperplasia in F344 rats. Because intestinal lesions in mice are the basis for proposed safety standards for Cr(VI), and the histopathology data are relevant to the mode of action, consistency (an important Hill criterion for causality) was assessed across the aforementioned studies. Two veterinary pathologists applied uniform diagnostic criteria to the duodenal lesions in rats and mice from the 4 repeated-dose studies. Comparable non-neoplastic intestinal lesions were evident in mice and rats from all 4 studies; however, the incidence and severity of intestinal lesions were greater in mice than rats. These findings demonstrate consistency across studies and species and highlight the importance of standardized nomenclature for intestinal pathology. The differences in the severity of non-neoplastic lesions also likely contribute to the differential tumor response.
Recognizing and developing spiritual abilities through real-life problem solving
Authors: Maker CJ
Published: November 2015

In this article, the author describes a different theory of multiple abilities, the Prism Model, developed with Usanee Anuruthwong from Thailand, and further evolved with Belle Wallace from the UK and Leonie Kronborg from Australia. Using this model, insights gained will be shared that have been gained from working with children and adults from different cultures, especially the Diné people in northern Arizona, USA, and my journey toward development of my spiritual awareness and abilities. These insights will help readers find their own ways to recognize and develop these abilities in their students. Our current work with the Real Engagement in Active Problem Solving model will illustrate practical ways educators can develop spiritual abilities in classroom contexts while teaching the required academic content.
What are the views of hospital-based generalist palliative care professionals on what facilitates or hinders collaboration with in-patient specialist palliative care teams? A systematically constructed narrative synthesis
Authors: Firn Janice , Preston Nancy , Walshe Catherine
Published: November 2015

Background:

Hospital-based specialist palliative care services are common, yet existing evidence of inpatient generalist providers’ perceptions of collaborating with hospital-based specialist palliative care teams has never been systematically assessed.

Aim:

To assess the existing evidence of inpatient generalist palliative care providers’ perceptions of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with hospital-based specialist palliative care teams.

Design:

Narrative literature synthesis with systematically constructed search.

Data sources:

PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature and ProQuest Social Services databases were searched up to December 2014. Individual journal, citation and reference searching were also conducted. Papers with the views of generalist inpatient professional caregivers who utilised hospital-based specialist palliative care team services were included in the narrative synthesis. Hawker’s criteria were used to assess the quality of the included studies.

Results:

Studies included ( n = 23) represented a variety of inpatient generalist palliative care professionals’ experiences of collaborating with specialist palliative care. Effective collaboration is experienced by many generalist professionals. Five themes were identified as improving or decreasing effective collaboration: model of care (integrated vs linear), professional onus, expertise and trust, skill building versus deskilling and specialist palliative care operations. Collaboration is fostered when specialist palliative care teams practice proactive communication, role negotiation and shared problem-solving and recognise generalists’ expertise.

Conclusion:

Fuller integration of specialist palliative care services, timely sharing of information and mutual respect increase generalists’ perceptions of effective collaboration. Further research is needed regarding the experiences of non-physician and non-nursing professionals as their views were either not included or not explicitly reported.
Influence of literacy on representation of time in musical stimuli: An exploratory cross-cultural study in the UK, Japan, and Papua New Guinea
Authors: Athanasopoulos George , Tan Siu-Lan , Moran Nikki
Published: November 2015

Previous research has shown that literacy influences some dimensions of the visual (or graphic) representation of temporal events, and that concepts of time vary across cultures. The present exploratory study extends the scope of this research by examining representations of brief rhythmic sequences by individuals living in literate and nonliterate societies. A total of 122 participants were recruited at five sites: British musicians in the UK; Japanese musicians familiar and unfamiliar with English and Western Standard Notation (WSN) in Tokyo and Kyoto in Japan; language/WSN literate Papua New Guinean highlanders in Port Moresby; and nonliterate BenaBena tribe members in Papua New Guinea. In the first study, participants listened to brief rhythmic sequences and were asked to represent these graphically on paper in any manner of their choosing. In the second study, participants matched the auditory stimuli with pre-constructed sets of marks varying in directionality (i.e. the direction in which they should be read to correspond with the auditory events). The responses of literate participants generally reflected the directionality of their acquired writing systems, while responses of nonliterate participants conveyed no clear preference for directionality. In both studies, responses of literate and nonliterate groups in Papua New Guinea were distinct from each other.
Undervaluation and private equity takeovers
Authors: Rath Subhrendu , Rashid Mamunur
Published: November 2015

Undervaluation is often offered as an important consideration in private equity transactions. This study analyzes the importance of undervaluation, vis-à-vis information asymmetry, as a determining factor in ‘going-private’ transactions in Australia. Using a matched sample of firms from 1990 to 2012, we test a predictive choice model. The empirical results show that market undervaluation is a dominant factor in private equity takeovers. These results are robust to alternative measures of valuation, prevailing market conditions, money flows and subperiods.

JEL Classification: G11, G15
Impact of voluntary product recalls on utilitarian and hedonic attitudes: Is it the same for all brands?
Authors: Magno Francesca , Cassia Fabio , Ugolini Marta
Published: November 2015

The number of defective and unsafe products recalled from the market has increased dramatically in the last decade. While several studies have investigated consumer reaction to product recalls, the impact of such events on utilitarian versus hedonic attitudes towards the brand involved in the recall has not yet been assessed. Similarly, it is not clear whether brands with utilitarian positioning and brands with hedonic positioning are equally affected by recalls. Through an experiment based on a real-world stimulus from the laptop product category, this study shows that hedonic brands are more resistant to the negative effects of voluntary product recalls than are utilitarian brands. Furthermore, data show that brand familiarity mitigates the effect of the recall on utilitarian attitudes for both utilitarian and hedonic brands. Brand familiarity also positively moderates the impact of the recall on hedonic attitudes, but only for hedonic brands.
Objectification in Action
Authors: Garcia Randi L. , Earnshaw Valerie A. , Quinn Diane M.
Published: November 2015

Although the process of sexual objectification is theorized to occur within interpersonal interactions, we believe this is the first study to examine sexual objectification and self-objectification in actual (nonconfederate) interpersonal encounters. Men and women were brought into the laboratory and interacted in mixed-sex dyads. We used dyadic analysis to detect whether partners’ objectification of each other affected state self-objectification, and the resulting feelings of comfort and authenticity during the interaction. After the interaction, participants completed a cognitive performance task, a measure of career aspirations, and a measure of relationship agency. Results showed that for women only, being objectified by their male interaction partner was associated with an increase in state self-objectification, and state self-objectification led to perceptions that the interaction was less comfortable and less authentic. Furthermore, for women but not for men, having authentic interactions was found to relate positively to relationship agency, career aspirations, and cognitive performance. This research shows that self-objectification is not only a self-process but an interpersonal process heightened by the real-time sexual objectification of a male interaction partner. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available to PWQ subscribers on PWQ's website at http://pwq.sagepub.com/supplemental
Zombies, time machines and brains
Authors: Howson Teri
Published: November 2015

Critical thought on immersive theatres is gathering in pace with many arguments centred on explorations of audience/performer interaction and the unique relationship these theatres create. Within this paper I look beyond these debates in order to consider the implications of immersive theatres within contemporary culture, with the aim of furthering the ways in which immersive theatres are presently being framed and discussed. Theatre and science fiction have shared a somewhat limited relationship compared to their burgeoning usage within other forms of entertainment. This paper focuses on how the conceits of science fiction are being staged within this theatrical setting. Primary focus is given to Punchdrunk’s… and darkness descended (2011) and The Crash of the Elysium (2011–2012). This is considered alongside The Republic of the Imagination’s (TROTI) Cerebellium (2012–14), an original narrative created for the performance which has been subsequently developed over a three-year period to date. This discussion is presented and framed through my personal experience as both a performer in Cerebellium and (later) as audience member. The particular use of dystopian narratives and alternate worlds is given consideration, with reflection on the way these works destabilize and call into question the audience’s sense of self either through their ability to survive or understand their sense of self. By making evident the spectrum of practice, I endeavour to delve further into identifying and de-mystifying immersive theatres and their differences to conventional theatre.
Diversity in the Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector
Authors: Weisinger Judith Y. , Borges-Méndez Ramón , Milofsky Carl
Published: November 2015

In this introductory essay to the special issue of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly on diversity, we begin by reviewing management research on diversity in nonprofits. The preponderance of this research focuses on demographic representation. While more contemporary approaches emphasize inclusion in decision making, even this approach falls significantly short because group categorization and identity have become increasingly complex and fluid. We ultimately explore a values approach to diversity, where the fact that people are inherently diverse is recognized and valued in all organizational activities. The final section of this introduction reviews articles included in the special issue. We conclude that the diversity concept must move well beyond a managerial approach to include broader social theories, giving deep consideration to concepts of identity, power dynamics and hidden interest conflicts in diversity efforts, and the ways that societal diversity affects the dynamics of volunteering and the structuring of nonprofit organizations.
Determinants of rolling stock maintenance cost in metros
Authors: Brage-Ardao Ruben , Graham Daniel J , Anderson Richard J
Published: November 2015

This study examines the economies of scale and the determinants of rolling stock maintenance costs for 24 urban rail transit operators. The estimates reveal significant returns to scale in maintenance for both per car and per car kilometre. The econometric analysis also provides statistically significant cost elasticities for wages and staff hours, suggesting substitution effects between factors. Staff outsourcing is found to significantly decrease costs, whereas higher levels of fleet availability at the peak and rolling stock failures increase it. The effect of the age of rolling stock and the network is negligible on rolling stock maintenance costs; however, the analysis reveals a downward trend in rolling stock costs among the metros in the CoMET and Nova consortia.
East Asian summer monsoon precipitation variations in China over the last 9500 years: A comparison of pollen-based reconstructions and model simulations
Authors: Li Jianyong , Ilvonen Liisa , Xu Qinghai , Ni Jian , Jin Liya , Holmström Lasse , Zheng Zhuo , Lu Houyuan , Luo Yunli , Li Yuecong , Li Chunhai , Zhang Xiaojian , Seppä Heikki
Published: November 2015

To better understand the long-term changes of the East Asian summer monsoon precipitation ( Pjja), quantitative reconstructions and model simulations are needed. Here, we develop continental-scale pollen-based transfer functions for Pjja with weighted averaging–partial least squares (WA-PLS) regression and a Bayesian multinomial regression method. We apply these transfer functions to a set of fossil pollen data from monsoonal China for quantitatively reconstructing the Pjja changes over the last 9500 years. We compare the reconstructions with Pjja simulations from a coupled atmosphere–ocean–sea ice general circulation model (the Kiel Climate Model, KCM). The results of cross-validation tests for the transfer functions show that both the WA-PLS model ( r2 = 0.83, root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) = 112.11 mm) and the Bayesian model ( r2 = 0.86, RMSEP = 107.67 mm) exhibit good predictive performance. We stack all Pjja reconstructions from northern China to a summary curve. The stacked record reveals that Pjja increased since 9500 cal. yr BP, attained its highest level during the Holocene summer monsoon maximum (HSMM) at ~7000–4000 cal. yr BP and declined to present. The KCM output and the reconstructions differ in the early-Holocene (~9500–7000 cal. yr BP) where the model suggests higher Pjja than the reconstructions. Moreover, during the HSMM, the amplitude of the Pjja changes (~20–60 mm above present) in simulations is lower than the reconstructed changes (~70–110 mm above present). The rising (declining) Pjja patterns in reconstructions before (after) the HSMM are more pronounced and fluctuating than in simulations. Other palaeohydrological data such as lake-level reconstructions indicate substantial monsoon precipitation changes throughout the Holocene. Our results therefore show that the KCM underestimates the overall amplitude of the Holocene monsoon precipitation changes.
Low incomes, fast lives? Exploring everyday temporalities of Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong
Authors: Boersma Maren K
Published: November 2015

In the context of social acceleration and the ‘high speed society’, scholars have been preoccupied with making claims and asking questions about ‘fast life’. However, this narrative is mainly constructed around groups that occupy structurally significant positions within the globalized economy. In response to this totalizing narrative of a ‘fast life’, this paper discusses the temporalities of everyday life of Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong. Drawing on qualitative data, it is evident that for this marginalized group time is constructed in a different manner as they engage in intimate relations with their employers. This not only impacts the temporal organization of activities in time and space, but also reveals distinct qualitative experiences that vary from the typical ‘fast life’ individuals.
Trade Credit, Bank Credit and Crisis: Some Empirical Evidence for India?
Authors: Ghosh Saibal
Published: November 2015

Employing data on an extended sample of manufacturing firms during 1993–2012, the article studies the inter-linkage between trade credit and bank credit and how it evolved during the crisis. Accordingly, we first discuss the relevance of a trade-credit channel in India and subsequently, explore the interplay between these two financing forms. The analysis provides some evidence in favour of a trade-credit channel in India. More importantly, the findings indicate that bank credit and trade credit are complementary, although there was a differential impact on accounts payable (demand) and accounts receivables (supply) during the crisis.

JEL Classification: G21, G32, P52
Stock Market Efficiency in Developing Economies
Authors: Mukherji Ronit
Published: November 2015

This article analyses the degree of stock market efficiency in three emerging economies— India, China and Brazil. It tests to see if US stock returns have an influence on endogenous stock returns, even after controlling for domestic macroeconomic variables. A country-specific vector auto-regression model is used to test the short-run effects and the fully modified ordinary least square procedure has been used to find the long-run relationship, thus checking for degree of efficiency in these stock markets. The results indicate that, despite controlling for key domestic stock return determinants, US stock returns have a significant positive relationship with the stock returns of all three countries.

JEL Classification: G15, C32, C34
Public Participation Organizations and Open Policy
Authors: Pallett Helen
Published: November 2015

This article builds on work in Science and Technology Studies and cognate disciplines concerning the institutionalization of public engagement and participation practices. It describes and analyses ethnographic qualitative research into one “organization of participation,” the UK government–funded Sciencewise program. Sciencewise’s interactions with broader political developments are explored, including the emergence of “open policy” as a key policy object in the UK context. The article considers what the new imaginary of openness means for institutionalized forms of public participation in science policymaking, asking whether this is illustrative of a “constitutional moment” in relations between society and science policymaking.
Collateral damage for ingroup members having outgroup friends: Effects of normative versus counternormative interactions with an outgroup
Authors: Eller Anja , Gomez Angel , Vázquez Alexandra , Fernández Saulo
Published: November 2015

When people are aware that an ingroup member has an outgroup friend, they tend to improve their intergroup attitudes, which is known as the extended contact hypothesis. Thus far, no research has tested how the perceived degree of normativity of the intergroup interaction affects the evaluation of the ingroup member through which extended contact is experienced. Results of three studies showed that when contact was normative (i.e., positive contact with a liked outgroup, or negative contact with a disliked outgroup), the ingroup member was evaluated positively, while when the contact was counternormative (i.e., negative contact with a liked outgroup or positive contact with a disliked outgroup) the ingroup member was evaluated negatively. This effect was mediated by perceived threat posed by the ingroup member who experiences the intergroup contact and perceived similarity of the participant with the ingroup member (Experiments 2–3). In summary, the perceived normativity of the extended contact affects the perception of the ingroup member who experiences the contact, turning him/her into a “white” or a “black” sheep in the eyes of the ingroup.
Human Resource Architectures for New Teachers in Flemish Primary Education
Authors: Vekeman Eva , Devos Geert , Valcke Martin
Published: November 2015

Since research shows that the quality of a school’s teaching force is related to its personnel practices, there is a growing interest in human resource management (HRM) in education. Existing research has generated insights into the differences, constraints and effects of single and isolated HR practices. Yet, little research is available examining bundles of HR practices (that is, HR architecture) from a principal’s perspective. This article investigates how and why HR architectures for new teachers are configured by principals by looking at the ways principals make sense of hiring, induction and tenure practices. The analysis is based on semi-structured interviews with 54 primary school principals in Flanders (Belgium). After coding the interview transcripts using descriptive categories, the transcripts were coded based on principal’s strategic orientation and human resource orientation. Looking at the differences and commonalities in these orientations, four HR architectures were identified: an administrative, a developmental, a strategic and a strategic-developmental HR architecture. These architectures showed that only a minority of principals configure bundles of HR practices for new teachers strategically. Moreover, they point to a disharmony in principals’ beliefs regarding how new teachers should be managed. Differences between these four HR architectures can be found in the extent to which principals perceive and cope with external challenges. Suggestions for further research, limitations and implications of this study are discussed.
Political leadership, peacemaking, and post-conflict reconciliation: Xanana Gusmão and East Timor
Authors: Lieberfeld Daniel
Published: November 2015

How and to what extent can individual leaders affect policy making during and after violent political conflicts? Why are some motivated to prioritize settlement and reconciliation? The article addresses these questions through a case study of Xanana Gusmão, who led the 24-year struggle against Indonesian military occupation in East Timor and became president. It assesses Gusmão’s influence on conflict and post-conflict policy takes a trait-based approach to understanding the motivations and capabilities of Gusmão and other “reconciliation-oriented leaders.”
Compost and Legionella longbeachae: an emerging infection?
Authors: Currie Sandra L , Beattie Tara K
Published: November 2015

Human disease caused by Legionella species is dominated by Legionella pneumophila, the main causative agent in cases of Legionnaires’ disease. However, other species are known to cause infection, for example, Legionella longbeachae causes an equivalent number of cases of disease as L. pneumophila in Australia and New Zealand. Infection with L. longbeachae is commonly associated with exposure to composts and potting soils, and cases of infection with this organism have been increasing in Europe over the past ten years. The increase in incidence may be linked to factors such as increased awareness of clinical presentation, or due to changing formulation of growing media, although it should be noted that the presence of Legionella species in growing media does not correlate with the number of cases currently seen. This is likely due to the variables associated with infection, for example, host factors such as smoking or underlying health conditions, or difference in growing media storage or climate, especially warm humid conditions, which may affect survival and growth of these organisms in the growing media environment. There are numerous unknowns in this area and collaboration between growing media manufacturers and researchers, as well as more awareness among diagnosing clinicians, laboratory staff and the general public is necessary to reduce risk. More research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn: L. pneumophila research currently dominates the field and it is likely that the overreliance on diagnostic techniques such as the urinary antigen test, which is specific for L. pneumophila Sg 1, is detrimental to the diagnosis of L. longbeachae infection.
Practice Benefits Locomotors
Authors: Lo Destro Calogero , Chernikova Marina , Pierro Antonio , Kruglanski Arie W. , Higgins E. Tory
Published: November 2015

Locomotion is the self-regulatory aspect concerned with movement from state to state, whereas assessment is the self-regulatory aspect concerned with critical evaluation of options. Successful goal pursuit usually requires that both locomotion and assessment work together; however, there may be situations in which such complementarity is unnecessary for optimal performance. In this article, we aim to shed light on the circumstances in which locomotion and assessment complementarity are necessary for adequate performance. In a two-part study, we find that high locomotion alone is sufficient to ensure optimal performance on simple tasks. On complex tasks, however, both high locomotion and high assessment are necessary for optimal performance. We also find that after individuals have had practice on a task, high locomotors are again the best performers, regardless of whether the task is simple or complex. These findings have implications for work performance and goal pursuit more generally.
Stress and multiple sclerosis: A systematic review considering potential moderating and mediating factors and methods of assessing stress
Authors: Briones-Buixassa Laia , Milà Raimon , Mª Aragonès Josep , Bufill Enric , Olaya Beatriz , Arrufat Francesc Xavier
Published: November 2015

Research about the effects of stress on multiple sclerosis has yielded contradictory results. This study aims to systematically review the evidence focusing on two possible causes: the role of stress assessment and potential moderating and mediating factors. The Web of Knowledge (MEDLINE and Web of Science), Scopus, and PsycINFO databases were searched for relevant articles published from 1900 through December 2014 using the terms “stress*” AND “multiple sclerosis.” Twenty-three articles were included. Studies focused on the effect of stress on multiple sclerosis onset ( n = 9) were mostly retrospective, and semi-structured interviews and scales yielded the most consistent associations. Studies focused on multiple sclerosis progression ( n = 14) were mostly prospective, and self-reported diaries yielded the most consistent results. The most important modifying factors were stressor duration, severity, and frequency; cardiovascular reactivity and heart rate; and social support and escitalopram intake. Future studies should consider the use of prospective design with self-reported evaluations and the study of moderators and mediators related to amount of stress and autonomic nervous system reactivity to determine the effects of stress on multiple sclerosis.