bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Interrater Reliability of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) in Clinical Settings
Authors: Zander Eric , Willfors Charlotte , Berggren Steve , Coco Christina , Holm Anette , Jifält Ida , Kosieradzki Renata , Linder Jenny , Nordin Viviann , Olafsdottir Karin , Bölte Sven
Published: May 2017

Background: The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is considered a first choice assessment tool in autism spectrum disorder. Nevertheless, despite its wide use in psychiatric practice and recommendations by various clinical guidelines, its interrater reliability has predominantly been confirmed in research settings by specially trained, research reliability interviewers. The reliability of ADI-R assessments among clinicians has not yet been established. Therefore, this study examined the spontaneous interrater reliability of the ADI-R in a naturalistic clinical multicenter setting. Sampling and Methods: Ten video-recorded ADI-R administrations were rated by 5 different raters each from a pool of 11 raters affiliated to 8 different clinical sites. Results: The interrater reliability for the 12 diagnostic criteria operationalizing autism spectrum disorders according to DSM-IV/ICD-10 in the ADI-R algorithms ranged between G(q,k) (analogous to intraclass correlations) = 0.96 and 0.99 for reciprocal social interaction, 0.96 and 1.00 for communication, and 0.91 and 0.97 for repetitive and restricted behavior. Reliability of diagnostic classification was ĸCohen 0.83. Conclusions: The findings endorse the psychometric properties of ADI-R in terms of interrater reliability previously reported from research settings and support their generalization to common clinical settings. Limitations of this study include an unbalanced sample composition.
The Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome: An Update Based Upon a Personal Experience of 157 Cases
Authors: Picard Jean-Yves , Cate Richard L. , Racine Chrystèle , Josso Nathalie
Published: May 2017

Male sex differentiation is driven by 2 hormones, testosterone and anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), responsible for the regression of müllerian ducts in male fetuses. Mutations inactivating AMH or its receptor AMHRII lead to the persistent müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) in otherwise normally virilized 46,XY males. Our objective was to review the clinical, anatomical, and molecular features of PMDS based upon a review of the literature and upon 157 personal cases. Three clinical presentations exist: bilateral cryptorchidism, unilateral cryptorchidism with contralateral hernia, and transverse testicular ectopia. Abnormalities of male excretory ducts are frequent. Testicular malignant degeneration occurs in 33% of adults with the disorder, while cancer of müllerian derivatives is less frequent. Fertility is rare but possible if at least one testis is scrotal and its excretory ducts are intact. Eighty families with 64 different mutations of the AMH gene have been identified, mostly in exons 1, 2, and 5. AMHRII gene mutations representing 58 different alleles have been discovered in 75 families. The most common mutation, a 27-bp deletion in the kinase domain, was found in 30 patients of mostly Northern European origin. In 12% of cases, no mutation of AMH or AMHRII has been detected, suggesting a disruption of other pathways involved in müllerian regression.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of OxPAPC Involve Endothelial Cell–Mediated Generation of LXA4
Authors: Ke Yunbo , Zebda Noureddine , Oskolkova Olga , Afonyushkin Taras , Berdyshev Evgeny , Tian Yufeng , Meng Fanyong , Sarich Nicolene , Bochkov Valery N. , Wang Ji Ming , Birukova Anna A. , Birukov Konstantin G.
Published: May 2017

Rationale:

Oxidation of 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (OxPAPC) generates a group of bioactive oxidized phospholipid products with a broad range of biological activities. Barrier-enhancing and anti-inflammatory effects of OxPAPC on pulmonary endothelial cells are critical for prevention of acute lung injury caused by bacterial pathogens or excessive mechanical ventilation. Anti-inflammatory properties of OxPAPC are associated with its antagonistic effects on Toll-like receptors and suppression of RhoA GTPase signaling.

Objective:

Because OxPAPC exhibits long-lasting anti-inflammatory and lung-protective effects even after single administration in vivo, we tested the hypothesis that these effects may be mediated by additional mechanisms, such as OxPAPC-dependent production of anti-inflammatory and proresolving lipid mediator, lipoxin A4 (LXA4).

Methods and Results:

Mass spectrometry and ELISA assays detected significant accumulation of LXA4 in the lungs of OxPAPC-treated mice and in conditioned medium of OxPAPC-exposed pulmonary endothelial cells. Administration of LXA4 reproduced anti-inflammatory effect of OxPAPC against tumor necrosis factor-α in vitro and in the animal model of lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury. The potent barrier-protective and anti-inflammatory effects of OxPAPC against tumor necrosis factor-α and lipopolysaccharide challenge were suppressed in human pulmonary endothelial cells with small interfering RNA–induced knockdown of LXA4 formyl peptide receptor-2 (FPR2/ALX) and in mFPR2
−/−
(mouse formyl peptide receptor 2) mice lacking the mouse homolog of human FPR2/ALX.

Conclusions:

This is the first demonstration that inflammation- and injury-associated phospholipid oxidation triggers production of anti-inflammatory and proresolution molecules, such as LXA4. This lipid mediator switch represents a novel mechanism of OxPAPC-assisted recovery of inflamed lung endothelium.
Prognostic Value of Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase‐Associated Lipocalin on the First Day of Admission for Adverse Events in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Authors: Nakada Yasuki , Kawakami Rika , Matsui Masaru , Ueda Tomoya , Nakano Tomoya , Takitsume Akihiro , Nakagawa Hitoshi , Nishida Taku , Onoue Kenji , Soeda Tsunenari , Okayama Satoshi , Watanabe Makoto , Kawata Hiroyuki , Okura Hiroyuki , Saito Yoshihiko
Published: May 2017

Background

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (U‐
NGAL
) is an early predictor of acute kidney injury and adverse events in various diseases; however, in acute decompensated heart failure patients, its significance remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of U‐
NGAL
on the first day of admission for the occurrence of acute kidney injury and long‐term outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure patients.

Methods and Results

We studied 260 acute decompensated heart failure patients admitted to our department between 2011 and 2014 by measuring U‐
NGAL
in 24‐hour urine samples collected on the first day of admission. Primary end points were all‐cause death, cardiovascular death, and heart failure admission. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their median U‐
NGAL
levels (32.5 μg/gCr). The high‐U‐
NGAL
group had a significantly higher occurrence of acute kidney injury during hospitalization than the low‐U‐
NGAL
group (
P
=0.0012). Kaplan‐Meier analysis revealed that the high‐U‐
NGAL
group exhibited a worse prognosis than the low‐U‐
NGAL
group in all‐cause death (hazard ratio 2.07; 95%
CI
1.38‐3.12,
P
=0.0004), cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 2.29; 95%
CI
1.28‐4.24,
P
=0.0052), and heart failure admission (hazard ratio 1.77; 95%
CI
1.13‐2.77,
P
=0.0119). The addition of U‐
NGAL
to the estimated glomerular filtration rate significantly improved the predictive accuracy of all‐cause mortality (
P
=0.0083).

Conclusions

In acute decompensated heart failure patients, an elevated U‐
NGAL
level on the first day of admission was related to the development of clinical acute kidney injury and independently associated with poor prognosis.
Cigarette Smoking‐Associated Alterations in Serotonin/Adrenalin Signaling Pathways of Platelets
Authors: Lowery Curtis Lee , Elliott Clay , Cooper Anthonya , Hadden Coedy , Sonon Roberto N. , Azadi Parastoo , Williams D. Keith , Marsh James D. , Woulfe Donna S. , Kilic Fusun
Published: May 2017

Background

Cigarette smoking plays a major role in cardiovascular diseases. The acute effects of cigarette smoking produce central nervous system–mediated activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The overactive sympathetic nervous system stimulates the secretion of serotonin (5‐
HT
) and catecholamine into blood at supraphysiological levels. The correlation between these pathological conditions induced by smoking and the increased risk of thrombosis has not been thoroughly investigated. The goal of our study was to explore cigarette smoking–associated changes in platelet biology mediated by elevated 5‐
HT
and catecholamine levels in blood plasma.

Methods and Results

Using blood samples collected from healthy nonsmokers and smokers (15 minutes after smoking), we determined that cigarette smoking increased the plasma 5‐
HT
/catecholamine concentration by several fold and the percent aggregation of platelets 2‐fold. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis of proteins eluted from platelet plasma membranes of smokers and nonsmokers demonstrated that
GTP
ase‐activating proteins and proteins participating in the actin cytoskeletal network were differentially and significantly elevated in smokers' platelet membranes compared with those of nonsmokers. Interestingly, Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization–mass spectrometry analyses of the glycans eluted from platelet plasma membranes of the smokers demonstrated that the level and structures of glycans are different from the nonsmokers' platelet surface glycans. Pharmacological blockade of 5‐
HT
or catecholamine receptors counteracted the 5‐
HT
/catecholamine‐mediated aggregation and altered the level and composition of glycan on platelet surfaces.

Conclusions

Based on our findings, we propose that smoking‐associated 5‐
HT
/catecholamine signaling accelerates the trafficking dynamics of platelets, and this remodels the surface proteins and glycans and predisposes platelets to hyperactive levels. Smokers' platelets also had correspondingly higher resting concentrations of intracellular calcium and transglutaminase activity. These findings suggest a link among smoking, platelet 5‐
HT
, catecholamine signaling, and their downstream effectors—including phospholipase C and inositol‐1,4,5‐triphosphate pathways—resulting in an increased tonic level of platelet activation in smokers.
Midlife and Late‐Life Vascular Risk Factors and White Matter Microstructural Integrity: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study
Authors: Power Melinda C. , Tingle Jonathan V. , Reid Robert I. , Huang Juebin , Sharrett A. Richey , Coresh Josef , Griswold Michael , Kantarci Kejal , Jack Clifford R. , Knopman David , Gottesman Rebecca F. , Mosley Thomas H.
Published: May 2017

Background

Diffusion tensor imaging measures of white matter (
WM
) microstructural integrity appear to provide earlier indication of WM injury than WM hyperintensities; however, risk factors for poor WM microstructural integrity have not been established. Our study quantifies the association between vascular risk factors in midlife and late life with measures of late‐life WM microstructural integrity.

Methods and Results

We used data from 1851 participants in
ARIC
(Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study) who completed 3‐T magnetic resonance imaging, including diffusion tensor imaging, as part of the ARIC Neurocognitive Study (ARIC‐NCS). We quantified the association among lipids, glucose, and blood pressure from the baseline
ARIC
visit (1987–1989, ages 44–65, midlife) and visit 5 of
ARIC
(2011–2013, ages 67–90, late life, concurrent with ARIC‐NCS) with regional and overall WM mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy obtained at ARIC visit 5 for
ARIC
participants. We also considered whether these associations were independent of or modified by WM hyperintensity volumes. We found that elevated blood pressure in midlife and late life and elevated glucose in midlife, but not late life, were associated with worse late‐life WM microstructural integrity. These associations were independent of the degree of WM hyperintensity, and the association between glucose and WM microstructural integrity appeared stronger for those with the least
WM
hyperintensity. There was little support for an adverse association between lipids and WM microstructural integrity.

Conclusions

Hypertension in both midlife and late life and elevated glucose in midlife are related to worse WM microstructural integrity in late life.
Effects of Sodium‐Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors on 24‐Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Baker William L. , Buckley Leo F. , Kelly Michael S. , Bucheit John D. , Parod Eric D. , Brown Roy , Carbone Salvatore , Abbate Antonio , Dixon Dave L.
Published: May 2017

Background

Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel class of antihyperglycemic agents that improve glycemic control by increasing glycosuria. Additional benefits beyond glucose lowering include significant improvements in seated clinic blood pressure (BP), partly attributed to their diuretic‐like actions. Less known are the effects of this class on 24‐hour ambulatory BP, which is a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than seated clinic BP.

Methods and Results

We performed a meta‐analysis of randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trials to investigate the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on 24‐hour ambulatory BP. We searched all studies published before August 17, 2016, which reported 24‐hour ambulatory BP data. Mean differences in 24‐hour BP, daytime BP, and nighttime BP were calculated by a random‐effects model. SGLT2 inhibitors significantly reduce 24‐hour ambulatory systolic and diastolic BP by −3.76 mm Hg (95% CI, −4.23 to −2.34; I
2
=0.99) and −1.83 mm Hg (95% CI, −2.35 to −1.31; I
2
=0.76), respectively. Significant reductions in daytime and nighttime systolic and diastolic BP were also found. No association between baseline BP or change in body weight were observed.

Conclusions

This meta‐analysis shows that the reduction in 24‐hour ambulatory BP observed with SGLT2 inhibitors is a class effect. The diurnal effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on 24‐hour ambulatory BP may contribute to their favorable effects on cardiovascular outcomes.
Theology at Thresholds: Learning from a Practice ‘In Transition’
Authors: Muers Rachel , Grant Rhiannon
Published: May 2017

Recent developments in contemporary theology and theological ethics have directed academic attention to the interrelationships of theological claims, on the one hand, and core community-forming practices, on the other. This article considers the value for theology of attending to practice at the boundaries, the margins, or, as we prefer to express it, the threshold of a community’s institutional or liturgical life. We argue that marginal or threshold practices can offer insights into processes of theological change – and into the mediation between, and reciprocal influence of, ‘church’ and ‘world’. Our discussion focuses on an example from contemporary British Quakerism. ‘Threshing meetings’ are occasions at which an issue can be ‘threshed out’ as part of a collective process of decision-making. Drawing on a 2015 small-scale study (using a survey and focus group) of British Quaker attitudes to and experiences of threshing meetings, set in the wider context of Quaker tradition, we interpret these meetings as a space for working through – in context and over time – tensions within Quaker theology, practice and self-understandings, particularly those that emerge within, and in relation to, core practices of Quaker decision-making.
Dichanthelium multiglandulosum (Paniceae, Panicoideae, Poaceae) a new species from Jalisco, Mexico and the reestablishment of Panicum transiens as Dichanthelium transiens
Authors: SÁNCHEZ-KEN J. GABRIEL
Published: May 2017

A new species, Dichanthelium multiglandulosum, from northwestern Jalisco, Mexico, is described and illustrated. Panicum transiens, an incorrectly synonymized name lost in history, is here proposed as D. transiens, with the rarely used name D. macrospermum treated as its synonym. Relationships of both species are discussed, and both are classified within Dichanthelium section Macrocarpa. A key and a table of differences and similarities among the new species and related species are provided.
Four new Myrtaceae from Amazonian Brazil
Authors: SOBRAL MARCOS , DUARTE DE SOUZA MARIA ANÁLIA
Published: May 2017

There are described and illustrated four species of Myrtaceae from Amazonian Brazil: Eugenia altoalegre, from the state of Roraima, and Eugenia fortuita, Myrcia amanana and Plinia tapuruquarana, these three from the state of Amazonas. Eugenia altoalegre is related to E. tachirensis, being distinguished by its larger, acuminate blades and inflorescences with two or more flowers; Eugenia fortuita is related to E. spruceana, but has larger inflorescences and densely pilose flowers; Myrcia amanana is related to M. splendens, but has a greyish floccose indumentum, and Plinia tapuruquarana is related to P. pinnata, but has wider blades, thicker petioles and larger flowers. Additionally, conservation issues are discussed for each species.
A new species of the genus Burmagomphus Williamson (Odonata: Gomphidae) from Northern Thailand
Authors: MAKBUN NOPPADON
Published: May 2017

Burmagomphus chiangmaiensis sp. nov. (holotype: Ban Luang, Chom Thong, Chiang Mai province, Thailand, 890-900 m, 14 v 2012) is described and illustrated. It can be differentiated from its most similar congener, B. apricus from China, by shape of posterior hamulus, yellow trapezoid band on occiput, and larger size.
Reduced African Easterly Wave Activity with Quadrupled CO2 in the Superparameterized CESM
Authors: Hannah Walter M. , Aiyyer Anantha
Published: May 2017

African easterly wave (AEW) activity is examined in quadrupled CO2 experiments with the superparameterized CESM (SP-CESM). The variance of 2–10-day filtered precipitation increases with warming over the West African monsoon region, suggesting increased AEW activity. The perturbation enstrophy budget is used to investigate the dynamic signature of AEW activity. The northern wave track becomes more active associated with enhanced baroclinicity, consistent with previous studies. The southern track exhibits a surprising reduction of wave activity associated with less frequent occurrence of weak waves and a slight increase in the occurrence of strong waves. These changes are connected to changes in the profile of vortex stretching and tilting that can be understood as interconnected consequences of increased static stability from the lapse rate response, weak temperature gradient balance, and the fixed anvil temperature hypothesis.
Wind Tunnel Results for a Distributed Flush Airdata System
Authors: Laurence Roger J. , Argrow Brian M. , Frew Eric W.
Published: May 2017

The multihole probe (MHP) is an effective instrument for relative wind measurements from small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). Two common drawbacks for the integration of commercial MHP systems into low-cost sUAS are that 1) the MHP airdata system cost can be several times that of the sUAS airframe; and 2) when extended from the airframe, the pressure-measuring probe is often exposed to damage during normal operations. A flush airdata system (FADS) with static pressure sensing ports mounted flush with the airframe skin provides an alternative to the MHP system. This project implements a FADS with multiple static pressure sensors located at selected locations on the airframe. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are used to determine the airframe locations with the highest pressure change sensitivity to changes in the airframe angle of attack and sideslip angle. Wind tunnel test results are reported with nonlinear least squares and neural networks regression methods applied to the pressure measurements to estimate the instantaneous angle of attack and sideslip. Both methods achieved mean errors of less than . A direct comparison of the regression methods show that the neural network method provides a more accurate relative wind angle estimate than the nonlinear least squares method.
Differences in Young Children’s Peer Preference by Inhibitory Control and Emotion Regulation
Authors: Nakamichi Keito
Published: May 2017

This study investigated differences in young children’s peer preference by inhibitory control and emotion regulation. In Study 1, 66 preschoolers ( M = 5 years 11 months) were assessed for inhibitory control (IC), emotion regulation (ER), and peer preference. Stroop-like tasks (the black-white task and shine-rain task), the disappointing gift task, and a positive nomination measure were used as measures of IC, ER, and peer preference, respectively. The results of Study 1 showed that participants with high IC or high ER were popular with their peers in comparison to participants with low IC or low ER. Study 2 measured young children’s ( N = 43, M = 6 years 1 month) ER by comparing social judgment between a condition that induces negative emotion and a condition that does not. The results of Study 2 showed that participants with high IC or high ER (who could select appropriate behaviors, even when negative emotion was induced) had many mutual relations with friends compared to participants with low IC or low ER. These data indicate the role of inhibitory control and emotion regulation in young children’s peer preference.
Violence, Mysticism, and René Girard
Authors: Astell Ann
Published: May 2017

Blending the science of acknowledged mystics—Dostoevsky, Weil, Péguy, Pascal, Hölderlin, and Augustine—with the insights of social scientists over the course of a long and distinguished career, René Girard contributed to an understanding of the mysticism of social life through focusing attention principally on the ersatz mysticism of metaphysical desire and mob behavior, but also on the interdividual’s contrastive experience of Christ’s “innermost mediation” of grace for conversion and charitable work in the world.
Does Evolution Have a Purpose? The Theological Significance of William Stoeger’s Account of “Nested Directionality”
Authors: Pope Stephen J.
Published: May 2017

William Stoeger, SJ, a highly influential proponent of theistic evolution, maintained that scientific understanding of the three major phases of evolution—cosmic, prebiotic, and biotic—all indicate that the universe is marked by an intrinsic tendency to produce novel kinds of entities, greater and greater organized complexity, intensified interconnectedness between organisms and their environments, and an unimaginable proliferation of life forms. Stoeger’s account of this intrinsic directionality can be complemented by recent accounts of bio-cultural and social evolution. People of faith can affirm that the broad directionality of the universe, including its random events, provides the natural context within which God’s purposes are achieved.
An analysis of career maturity among Korean youths using latent growth modeling
Authors: Bae Sung-Man
Published: May 2017

This study examined the developmental trajectories of career maturity among Korean youths between late adolescence and mid-20s, and explored how career-counseling experiences, academic achievement, household income, parental involvement, and gender affected their career maturity. We used the 2,362 Youth Panel data collected between 2008–2014 by the Korea Employment Information Service. Career maturity increased linearly over time and decreased gradually after the fourth wave. Multivariate latent growth modeling revealed that a higher intercept of household income, academic achievement, and parental involvement were associated with a higher intercept of career maturity, whereas the effect of these variables on career maturity decreased over time. A higher intercept of career-counseling experiences was related to a higher intercept of career maturity. As the frequency of career-counseling experiences increased rapidly over time, so did career maturity. Career-counseling experiences and household income indirectly affected career maturity through the mediation of academic achievement. The female students’ level of career maturity was higher than that of the male students. However, this tendency decreased over time. This study’s results of the impact of career counseling on career maturity implies that schools should expand their career education and counseling programs.
The effects of R&D intensity and internationalization on the performance of non-high-tech SMEs
Authors: Booltink Lucas WA , Saka-Helmhout Ayse
Published: May 2017

Research and Development (R&D) investment is seen as a fundamental driver of high-tech small and medium-sized (SME) firm performance. However, the same driver may be constraining growth among non-high-tech SMEs as it increases the level of risk faced by such firms. We challenge this argument by examining the relationship between R&D intensity and performance among non-high-tech SMEs. While the size of R&D investments is, by definition, limited in the non-high-tech sector, our study shows that such investments are important for non-high-tech firms. There is, however, an inverted U-shaped relationship between R&D intensity and performance among non-high-tech SMEs. Furthermore, increased internationalization leads non-high-tech SMEs to exploit their R&D investment more effectively to enhance firm performance, provided that R&D investment levels exceed a critical threshold.
Frequency, contingency and online processing of multiword sequences: An eye-tracking study
Authors: Yi Wei , Lu Shiyi , Ma Guojie
Published: May 2017

Frequency and contingency are two primary statistical factors that drive the acquisition and processing of language. This study explores the role of phrasal frequency and contingency (the co-occurrence probability/statistical association of the constituent words in multiword sequences) during online processing of multiword sequences. Meanwhile, it also examines language users’ sensitivity to the two types of statistical information. Using the eye-tracking paradigm, native and advanced nonnative speakers of Chinese were instructed to read 80 disyllabic two-word Chinese adverbial sequences embedded in sentence contexts. Eye movements of the participants were recorded using both early and late measures. Mixed-effects modeling revealed that both phrasal frequency and contingency influenced the processing of the adverbial sequences; however, they were likely to function in different time windows. In addition, both native and nonnative speakers were sensitive to the phrasal frequency and contingency of the sequences, though their degrees of such sensitivity differed. Our findings suggest that adult language learners retain the statistical learning ability in second language acquisition and they may share a general statistical learning mechanism with native speakers when processing multiword sequences.
A Comparison of the Validity and Responsiveness of the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D for Measuring Health Spillovers: A Study of the Family Impact of Meningitis
Authors: Bhadhuri Arjun , Jowett Sue , Jolly Kate , Al-Janabi Hareth
Published: May 2017

Background. The “health spillover” of patient illness on family members is important to capture in economic evaluation. This study compares the construct validity and responsiveness of 2 widely used health-related quality-of-life instruments, the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D, in capturing health spillover effects for family members with and without an informal care role (carers and noncarers). Methods. Construct validity and responsiveness were assessed using data from a 2012 UK survey of the family impact of meningitis-related sequelae. Construct validity was assessed by testing associations between family members’ health status and variables anticipated to be associated with spillover effects (patient health status and informal care). Responsiveness was assessed by testing associations between the longitudinal change in family members’ health status and longitudinal change in patient health and caring hours. Results. Among noncarers, both the EQ-5D-5L and the SF-6D exhibited construct validity with 10 of the 11 associations that were hypothesized being statistically significant on both measures. There was less clear evidence of responsiveness of the measures for noncarers. Among carers, the EQ-5D-5L exhibited greater construct validity, as well as responsiveness, with respect to spillovers from patient health. This was evidenced by the EQ-5D-5L detecting 9 significant associations compared with 4 on the SF-6D. However, the SF-6D exhibited greater construct validity with respect to spillovers generated from informal care provision (5 associations significant compared with 2 on the EQ-5D-5L). Conclusion. Both the EQ-5D-5L and the SF-6D exhibited a degree of validity that could justify their use as measures of health-related quality-of-life spillovers on family members in economic evaluation.
Difference in Generality Between Item Pairs Mediates Effect of Difference in Items’ Lengths on Inter-Item Correlation Size
Authors: Hamby Tyler
Published: May 2017

In this study, the author examined potential mediators of the negative relationship between the absolute difference in items’ lengths and their inter-item correlation size. Fifty-two randomly ordered items from five personality scales were administered to 622 university students, and 46 respondents from a survey website rated the items’ readability, clarity, and generality. Based on prior research, the author hypothesized that the difference in mean ratings of item pairs’ generality, but not readability or clarity, would mediate the negative relationship between the difference in the item pairs’ lengths and their inter-item correlation size. In pairs of items, difference in item length was negatively correlated with inter-item correlation size. However, only difference in ratings of generality, not readability or clarity, was associated with correlation size, and as predicted, it mediated the relationship between item length and correlation size. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Governing environmental conflicts in China: Lessons learned from the case of the Liulitun waste incineration power plant in Beijing
Authors: Li Yanwei
Published: May 2017

China’s growing number of environmental conflicts represents a significant challenge to local governments, who are charged with responding to, and resolving disputes. However, little is known about how these environmental conflicts are resolved. This article reports an in-depth case study concerning the construction of a waste incineration power plant in Liulitun, Beijing, which was strongly opposed by local residents. We argue that the Chinese state is responsive to the demands of citizens and continuously adjusts its strategies in resolving social conflicts. We first identify six different government strategies: go-alone, suppression, tension reduction, giving in, nonassisted negotiation, and mediation. Then, we distinguish six conditions that explain the application of government strategies: the nature of protests, the position of higher level governments, the stage of the project, the involvement of national mass media, the involvement of activists, and the occurrence of events. We find that local governments in Beijing changed their strategies from go-alone, to tension reduction, to giving in, and the six conditions identified are useful in explaining these changes.
Grocery Cooperatives as Governing Institutions in Neighborhood Commercial Corridors
Authors: Zitcer Andrew , Dilworth Richardson
Published: May 2017

We explore cooperatives’ potential to play governing roles in neighborhood commercial corridors (NCCs) by examining one grocery cooperative in Philadelphia that has had stores on three NCCs in the city. We distinguish between an anchor institution role, where one organization provides collective goods for the corridor, and governance, where multiple corridor stakeholders collectively provide goods. We conclude that a cooperative will more likely play a governance role if it enters an NCC at a point when there are no other potential corridor-governing organizations, and when the NCC itself is at an early stage of development or redevelopment. What this suggests more generally about NCCs is that the organizations present at their founding or at a critical juncture have a large impact on their future developmental trajectories. We argue further that a cooperative is more likely to play a governance role when it was created by neighborhood stakeholders and it thus reflects the distinct social norms of the neighborhood.
P3 Infrastructure Projects: A Recipe for Corruption or an Antidote?
Authors: Bildfell Connor
Published: May 2017

Public–private partnerships (P3s) have emerged as a leading means of structuring large, complex infrastructure projects in both developed and developing economies alike. However, P3s, due to their unique characteristics, can present opportunities for corruption. The purpose of this article is to promote the development of a nuanced and thorough understanding of P3 corruption risks such that those involved in developing, designing, and implementing P3s can more effectively harness the benefits of P3s while mitigating the corruption risks they introduce. This article also seeks to encourage further research into how infrastructure P3s can be better shaped to decrease the probability of corruption risks materializing. This article unpacks how and why P3s, as a distinct form of public procurement, are at once more and less susceptible to corruption as compared with traditional procurement methods and as such deserve special attention from an anticorruption perspective.
Numerical investigation on the dynamic response of foam-filled corrugated core sandwich panels subjected to air blast loading
Authors: Cheng Yuansheng , Zhou Tianyu , Wang Hao , Li Yong , Liu Jun , Zhang Pan
Published: May 2017

The ANSYS/Autodyn software was employed to investigate the dynamic responses of foam-filled corrugated core sandwich panels under air blast loading. The panels were assembled from metallic face sheets and corrugated webs, and PVC foam inserts with different filling strategies. To calibrate the proposed numerical model, the simulation results were compared with experimental data reported previously. The response of the panels was also compared with that of the empty (unfilled) sandwich panels. Numerical results show that the fluid–structure interaction effect was dominated by front face regardless of the foam fillers. Foam filling would reduce the level of deformation/failure of front face, but did not always decrease the one of back face. It is found that the blast performance in terms of the plastic deflections of the face sheets can be sorted as the following sequence: fully filled hybrid panel, front side filled hybrid panel, back side filled hybrid panel, and the empty sandwich panel. Investigation into energy absorption characteristic revealed that the front face and core web provided the most contribution on total energy absorption. A reverse order of panels was obtained when the maximization of total energy dissipation was used as the criteria of blast performance.
Coming to terms with Communist propaganda: Post-communism, memory and generation
Authors: Szostak Sylwia , Mihelj Sabina
Published: May 2017

This article has two main aims. First, it seeks to contribute to existing research on the mediation of post-communist memory by considering the Polish case and specifically by focusing on audience memories of an iconic television series produced in communist Poland, Four Tankmen and a Dog (TVP, 1966–1970), set during World War II. Second, the article pays particular attention to the generational stratification of audience memories, and thereby makes a contribution to recent literature that examines the links between generation and mediated remembering. The analysis draws on life-course interviews with viewers of two different generations, conducted in Poland in 2014. The results indicate that the ways in which Polish audiences remember communist-era programming, and specifically the extent to which they perceive such programming as propaganda, vary significantly with generation. We argue that these differences stem from generationally specific experiences in the past, which gave rise to distinct modes of engaging with the communist era and its heritage.
Memory, post-socialism and the media: Nostalgia and beyond
Authors: Mihelj Sabina
Published: May 2017

While research on the mediation of post-socialist memory has gained momentum in recent years, the field remains fragmented and limited to small-scale case studies, with little attempt to develop a more general reflection on the nature of the processes investigated. Engagement with the wider literature on the mediatisation of memory has been limited as well, with research typically applying established conceptual frameworks rather than using post-socialist materials to generate new theoretical insights. Given the state of the field, this article has a double aim. First, it offers a critical review of the main trends in existing research, focussing on four key issues: the fascination with nostalgic modes of remembering, the dominance of national frames of analysis, the lack of research on the mediation of personal and vernacular remembering, and the privileging of descriptive over explanatory modes of analysis. Second, this article outlines a new agenda for the field and proposes three main research trajectories. The first pays attention to how mediated memories at local and national levels interact with transnational processes of remembering the Cold War, the second focusses on the intersections between personal and public modes of mediated remembering, and the last moves the discussion from description to explanation, using comparative approaches to advance explanations of different modes of mediated post-socialist memories.
What is so special about online (as compared to offline) hate speech?
Authors: Brown Alexander
Published: May 2017

There is a growing body of literature on whether or not online hate speech, or cyberhate, might be special compared to offline hate speech. This article aims to both critique and augment that literature by emphasising a distinctive feature of the Internet and of cyberhate that, unlike other features, such as ease of access, size of audience, and anonymity, is often overlooked: namely, instantaneousness. This article also asks whether there is anything special about online (as compared to offline) hate speech that might warrant governments and intergovernmental organisations contracting out, so to speak, the responsibility for tackling online hate speech to the very Internet companies which provide the websites and services that hate speakers utilise.
Hydro-aerodynamic mathematical model and multi-objective optimization of wing-in-ground effect craft in take-off
Authors: Tavakoli Dakhrabadi Mohammad , Seif Mohammad Saeed
Published: May 2017

Hydro-aerodynamic mathematical model and multi-objective optimization of a popular wing-in-ground effect craft are presented in this research using a hydro-aerodynamic practical method and the genetic algorithm. The primary components of the wing-in-ground effect craft configuration include a compound wing, catamaran hull form and a power-augmented ram platform. The hydro-aerodynamic practical method with low computational time and high accuracy is performed by coupling hydrodynamic and aerodynamic considerations using the potential flow theory in ground effect and the semi-empirical equations proposed for high-speed marine vehicles. The trade-off between hydrodynamic and aerodynamic characteristics makes it difficult to simultaneously satisfy the design requirements of high hydro-aerodynamic performance. In this article, three goals—reduced hump resistance, increased compound wing lift-to-drag ratio and reduced take-off speed—are selected as the objective functions. The longitudinal position of center of gravity, position of outer wing with respect to main wing, power augmented ram platform angle to horizontal and flap angle are also adopted as design variables. Static height stability and the location of the center of gravity with respect to the aerodynamics centers are considered as constraints for the stable flight in ground effect. The optimal solutions of the multi-objective optimization were not unique, rather a set of non-dominated optima, called the Pareto sets, are obtained. As a result of the multi-objective optimization, 25 Pareto individuals are obtained that the naval architects can use in designing wing-in-ground crafts.
Users’ experiences of lighting controls: A case-study
Authors: van Someren KL , Beaman C Philip , Shao L
Published: May 2017

The aim of this paper is to elucidate how occupants perceive their lit environments in a university setting and how they interact with lighting controls using qualitative methods. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with academic teaching and research staff. Thematic analysis identified four main themes: control and choice, connection with the outdoors, concentration and comfort. Participants were largely able to control and adapt their lighting using small power lighting in office spaces and they perceived this as beneficial to comfort and concentration. Participants expressed frustration with the light switches in classrooms, and a lack of consistency in lighting controls across the university buildings was particularly notable. Installers should consider how piecemeal upgrades on large estates affect the perception of buildings where occupiers face multiple control systems. The management of the lighting in classroom spaces including the type and location of blinds, lack of regular window cleaning in some buildings and difficulty in minimising light on projection screens in upgraded classrooms were cited as areas for improvement. Wider implications for lighting control and management highlighted by this study include most notably that a lack of end users consultation has serious consequences on their perception of lighting upgrades and their willingness to employ ‘workarounds.’
Global and Domestic Networks Advancing Prospects for Institutional and Social Change: The Collective Action Response to Violence Against Journalists
Authors: Relly Jeannine E. , González de Bustamante Celeste
Published: May 2017

Violence against journalists has emerged as a global human rights issue as the number of those killed in the profession has steadily risen in the new millennium. This research utilized a collective action framework, applying an adapted qualitative network model to examine organizational mobilization, transnational and domestic engagement, normative appeals, information dissemination, lobbying, and prospects for institutional and societal change. Through the Mexico case model application, the study found that instrumental change occurred through adoption of legal and policy institutions. Future research should expand upon social change measurements utilized in this study. We conclude the model can be adapted and utilized in other country cases or in cross-national research.
Challenges in Providing Timely Physiotherapy and Opportunities to Influence Outcomes for Potential Lung Donors
Authors: Raios Cassandra , Keating Jenny L. , Stitt Nicola , Opdam Helen I. , Skinner Elizabeth H.
Published: May 2017

Context:

There is a critical shortage of donor lungs however, considerable ethical considerations are associated with the conduct of research to optimize care of the potential organ donor.

Objective:

To investigate pathways of consent, respiratory care by physiotherapists and donation rates to contextualize future research on physiotherapy effects on donor lung suitability for procurement.

Design:

Retrospective audit.

Setting:

Australian tertiary hospital.

Patients:

Potential organ donors (defined as patients who may have been eligible to donate organs for transplantation via either brain death or circulatory death) 75 years or younger presenting to the emergency department or the intensive care unit (ICU) between September 2011 and December 2012.

Main Outcome Measures:

Donation rates, timing of organ procurement from initial hospital presentation, number of persons designated to make health-care decisions approached for and consenting to donation and clinical research, and number of patients assessed and/or treated by physiotherapists.

Results:

Records of 65 potentially eligible donors were analyzed. Eighteen (28%) of the 65 became donors. Organ procurement occurred at a median of 48 hours (interquartile range: 34-72 hours) after ICU admission. All decision-makers approached regarding participation in clinical research (4 [6%] of the 65) consented. Physiotherapists assessed 48 (74%) of the 65 patients at least once and provided 28 respiratory treatments to 18 (28%) of the 65 patients, including lung hyperinflation and positioning. Limitations were the retrospective, single-center design and the “potential organ donor” definition.

Conclusion:

Organ procurement occurs early. There is potential for early intervention to improve lung donor rates. Randomized controlled trials investigating protocolized respiratory packages of care may increase the potential donor pool and transplantation rates.
Treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome: Platelet-Rich Plasma or Exercise Therapy? A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Nejati Parisa , Ghahremaninia Armita , Naderi Farrokh , Gharibzadeh Safoora , Mazaherinezhad Ali
Published: May 2017

Background:

Subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS) is the most common disorder of the shoulder. The evidence for the effectiveness of treatment options is inconclusive and limited. Therefore, there is a need for more evidence in this regard, particularly for long-term outcomes.

Hypothesis:

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) would be an effective method in treating subacromial impingement.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

This was a single-blinded randomized clinical trial with 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up. Sixty-two patients were randomly placed into 2 groups, receiving either PRP or exercise therapy. The outcome parameters were pain, shoulder range of motion (ROM), muscle force, functionality, and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Results:

Both treatment options significantly reduced pain and increased shoulder ROM compared with baseline measurements. Both treatments also significantly improved functionality. However, the treatment choices were not significantly effective in improving muscle force. Trend analysis revealed that in the first and third months, exercise therapy was superior to PRP in pain, shoulder flexion and abduction, and functionality. However, in the sixth month, only shoulder abduction and total Western Ontario Rotator Cuff score were significantly different between the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

Both PRP injection and exercise therapy were effective in reducing pain and disability in patients with SAIS, with exercise therapy proving more effective.