bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disentangling the Effects of Corporate Disclosure on the Cost of Equity Capital
Authors: Mangena Musa , Li Jing , Tauringana Venancio
Published: July 2014

In this article, we investigate whether intellectual capital (IC) and financial disclosures jointly affect the firm’s cost of equity capital. In contrast to prior research, we disaggregate disclosures into IC and financial disclosures and examine whether the two disclosure types are jointly related to the cost of equity capital. We also investigate whether IC and financial disclosures have an interaction effect on the cost of equity capital. Using data for a sample of 125 U.K. firms, we find a negative relationship between the cost of equity capital and IC disclosure. We find that the relationship between financial disclosure and the cost of equity capital is magnified when combined with IC disclosure. In addition, we find that IC and financial disclosures interact in shaping their effects on the cost of equity capital. Further analyses suggest that the effect of financial disclosure on the cost of equity capital is augmented for firms characterized by a medium level of IC disclosure. These results provide important insights into the relationship between disclosures and cost of equity capital and have policy and practical implications.
Not What You Expected to Hear
Authors: Livingston Beth A. , Schilpzand Pauline , Erez Amir
Published: July 2014

In this article we address the increasingly important yet understudied phenomenon of nonnative accentedness on decision making. In three experimental studies, we investigated whether messages about a company delivered in nonstandard-American-accented speech influenced choice. In Study 1, we found that individuals were more likely to choose a company or a product when a message was read in a standard American English accent than when the message was delivered with a Mandarin Chinese or a French accent. In Study 2, we found that expectations regarding company messages are violated when speakers have accents and that, in turn, expectation violations mediated the relationship between accent and choice. In Study 3, we replicated the findings of the effect of accent on choice using Indian and British accents. We also hypothesized and found support for a conditional indirect effects model such that implicit pro-American bias moderated the indirect relationship between accent and choice as mediated by expectation violations. Theoretical and practical implications of this topic of study are discussed.
Effective Citizen Participation in Environmental Issues
Authors: Kasymova Jyldyz , Gaynor Tia Sherèe
Published: July 2014

Citizen engagement in local decision-making processes is improving, especially with respect to environmental issues. This research evaluates environmental participation in three jurisdictions. We attempt to explain the success of participation by looking at the benefits of engagement. In all three cases, a significant degree of collaboration between local governments and not-for-profit organizations was present. Institutional commitment to engage the public was evident in the case of Newark, New Jersey, while Tonawanda, New York, delegated citizen engagement functions to the local environmental justice group. Even in less democratic regimes like Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, active environmental participation at local levels was found to be effective.
Juridification and politics
Authors: Loick Daniel
Published: July 2014

The article starts with the observation of an ambivalence inherent to the politics of juridification. On the one hand, some spheres of the life-world such as the family and the school are often places of exploitation, degradation and humiliation and therefore seem to require the implementation of legal protection for their members. At the same time, the demand for rights seems somehow to grasp too little, would be inadequate or even counterproductive. How can this ambivalence be politically dealt with? I first briefly reconstruct Jürgen Habermas' concept of juridification. I believe that Habermas works with an image of the family and the school as communicatively constituted and juristically uncompromised milieux, which proves to be highly questionable. In a second step I consider Axel Honneth's theory of the absolutization of legal freedom as offered in his recent work Freedom's Right. Honneth sidesteps several problematic implications of the Habermasian thesis of colonization, but still tends to underestimate the dominant patriarchal power relations in the spheres of the family and the school. Finally, I pursue Honneth's own suggestion that a new notion of politics is required for understanding contemporary struggles for recognition, which overcomes the statist tendencies of liberalism. I therefore propose to shift the perspective on the phenomenon of juridification, viewing it instead from the standpoint of the agents themselves, by turning to Wendy Brown's feminist theory on the paradoxes of rights.
Why do citizens want the UN to decide? Cosmopolitan ideas, particularism and global authority
Authors: Ecker-Ehrhardt Matthias
Published: July 2014

Why do citizens support or reject the idea of global authority? The article addresses this question by examining individual attitudes about UN authority in a comparative perspective. Using data from the fifth wave of the World Values Survey (2005–2007), the analysis shows that global public support for UN authority largely depends on a cosmopolitan understanding of global interdependence and moral universalism. However, the analysis of contextual variables also suggests that a “particularist” calculus of national costs and benefits explains citizens’ support for (and rejection of) UN authority to a significant extent. Most remarkably, citizens of powerful states favor UN authority much more than do those from weaker countries – a possible indication that UN authority is expected to further privilege the former to the disadvantage of the latter.
Evaluating the role of online data availability: The case of economic and institutional transparency in sixteen Latin American nations
Authors: Murillo Martin J.
Published: July 2014

We adopt the principal-agent framework and the asymmetry of information between the principal and the agent in order to approach two subjects of much attention and expectations: i) the formal online release of governmental data as a means of furnishing information, and ii) its contribution to government economic and institutional transparency. We identify important characteristics of transparency as instruments to lessen the information asymmetry in relevant areas (or subjects) where corruption and inefficiency are generally present in political institutions. We focus on the central governments of sixteen Latin American nations. We determine that, while there exists a moderate release of data relevant to areas where corruption generally takes place, its contribution to providing meaningful information to the citizenry is minimal. Our findings also show the importance of policy that explicitly mandates that data corresponding to specific areas where corruption and inefficiency take place be shared over the Internet; adequate levels of national online technical sophistication are not sufficient. We conclude that modern information technologies, as tools to contributing to government transparency and lessen knowledge divides in the evaluated areas, are not meeting expectations. Our framework and findings seek to utilize political science theories to contribute to an early understanding of the role of modern data-oriented technologies in government transparency, and highlight the positive and negative effects that these can have in the betterment of governance and the consolidation of democracy.
Developing a new librarian
Authors: de Jager Karin , Nassimbeni Mary , Crowster Nikki
Published: July 2014

This is a report and evaluation of a project specifically intended to enhance mid-career librarians’ understanding of the research process, to encourage their willingness and ability to support research in their own libraries and to motivate them to participate in the knowledge production enterprise in their own institutions. Outcomes of the project were viewed through the lens of change theory to see whether any demonstrable changes had been effected. The programme was conducted with 25 participants in July 2012 and focused on the research landscape and scholarly communication in South Africa, and on an understanding of the challenges inherent in the world of the researcher. The skills sets required of research librarians were identified, and opportunities were provided for participants to participate in some of them. Participants’ feedback was requested after each presentation and an online exit survey was completed in participants own time shortly after the programme. Further evaluations were conducted six and 15 months after the intervention and the results are discussed. From the findings it was possible to conclude that a project such as this could produce some evidence of actual knowledge production as well as enhance collaboration between librarians and researchers.

Note: An earlier, shorter report of this project reflecting the first phase of the study was presented at the 34th Annual IATUL (International Association of Technological University Libraries) Conference in Cape Town in 2013.
Can the Alexander Technique improve balance and mobility in older adults with visual impairments? A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gleeson Michael , Sherrington Catherine , Lo Serigne , Keay Lisa
Published: July 2014

Objective:

To investigate the impact of Alexander Technique lessons on balance and mobility in older adults with visual impairments.

Design:

Randomized assessor blinded controlled trial with intervention and usual care control groups.

Setting:

Participants’ homes.

Subjects:

A total of 120 community-dwellers aged 50+ with visual impairments.

Intervention:

Twelve weeks of Alexander lessons and usual care.

Main outcome measures:

Short Physical Performance Battery items were primary outcomes at 3 months and secondary outcomes at 12 months. Additional secondary outcomes were postural sway, maximal balance range and falls over 12 months.

Results:

Between-group differences in primary outcomes were not significant. The intervention group reduced postural sway on a firm surface with eyes open at 3 months after adjusting for baseline values (–29.59 mm, 95%CI −49.52 to −9.67, P < 0.01). Planned sub-group analyses indicated a greater intervention effect among past multiple-fallers (2+) than non-multiple fallers for gait speed ( P = 0.02) and step length ( P < 0.01) at 3 months and chair stand at 12 months ( P < 0.01). There was a non-significant reduction in falls rate (IRR = 0.64, 95%CI 0.34 to 1.15, P = 0.13) and injurious falls (IRR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.30, P = 0.20) in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Conclusion:

The intervention did not have a significant impact on the primary outcomes but benefits for the intervention group in postural sway, trends towards fewer falls and injurious falls and improved mobility among past multiple-fallers suggest further investigation of the Alexander Technique is warranted.
Does the speed of the treadmill influence the training effect in people learning to walk after stroke? A double-blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lee In-Hee
Published: July 2014

Objective:

To compare the effectiveness of high-speed treadmill training and progressive treadmill training for stroke patients.

Design:

A double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Inpatient rehabilitation hospital.

Participants:

A total of 61 ambulatory stroke patients.

Interventions:

Patients in both groups underwent treadmill training for 30 minutes with conventional intervention. The progressive training group ( n = 31) was trained to walk on a treadmill with a stepwise increase of speed over the treatment period. The high-speed training group ( n = 30) trained to begin at 1.2–1.3 m/s, which is faster than the mean speed of stroke patients. All participants underwent 20 training sessions for five weeks.

Main measures:

Timed up-and-go test, 10-m walk test, 6-minute walk test, and both step lengths and cadence.

Results:

There were significant improvements in the results of the timed up-and-go test (−1.96 vs. −5.02 seconds), 10-m walk test (0.30 vs. 0.47 m/s), 6-minute walk test (38.35 vs. 64.40 m), and in the step length of the affected side (0.14 vs. 0.19 m) and the unaffected side (0.10 vs. 0.12 m) in the high-speed training group compared with those in the progressive training group ( p < 0.05). Step width was not changed in either group ( p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

These results suggest that high-speed training is an effective method for improving the walking ability of stroke patients.
Effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in improving emotional and functional status in hearing or visually impaired older adults: a systematic review with meta-analyses
Authors: Roets-Merken Lieve M , Draskovic Irena , Zuidema Sytse U , van Erp Willemijn S , Graff Maud JL , Kempen Gertrudis IJM , Vernooij-Dassen Myrra JFJ
Published: July 2014

Objective:

To assess the effectiveness of non-equipment based rehabilitation interventions for older adults with an age-related hearing or visual impairment.

Data sources:

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

Review methods:

Two authors independently assessed trial eligibility, extracted data and assessed methodological quality. Controlled studies with more than 80% of participants aged ≥ 55 years and with rehabilitation interventions either separately or in combination with technical device provision were included. Meta-analyses were undertaken for the primary outcomes: emotional status, functional status, self-efficacy and social participation. All studies were categorized into 3 subgroups of intervention approaches (cognitive restructuring, education, and problem-solving), and subgroup analysis was performed.

Results:

Fourteen studies were identified: six on hearing impairment and eight on visual impairment, involving 1622 sensory impaired participants (mean age 70). Methodological quality of the studies was modest. Eight studies offered data for meta-analysis. No significant effects in favour of interventions on either emotional or functional status, self-efficacy, or social participation were found. In the subgroup analysis, only the problem-solving approach showed a positive effect on emotional status.

Conclusions:

This review found no effects of non-equipment based rehabilitation interventions on emotional and functional status, self-efficacy, and social participation. However, subgroup analysis showed problem-solving as a potential effective approach for positively affecting emotional status.
The African Aesthetic Experience: Current Situation and Philosophical View
Authors: Lalèyê Issiaka Prosper L.
Published: July 2014

Thanks to the current communication and information technologies, it is now possible to create a virtual space where a sincere dialogue could take place between African and non-African philosophers. All of them were educated to free thinking and to respecting the freedom of their interlocutors. This is the way how they will be able to build not only a philosophia africana but also the African philosophy.
Temporal Management of the Writing Process
Authors: Beauvais Lucie , Favart Monik , Passerault Jean-Michel , Beauvais Caroline
Published: July 2014

We investigated changes across grades in the cognitive demands associated with the organizing subprocess of writing. A total of 85 fifth (age M = 10.8), 88 seventh (age M = 12.9), and 79 ninth (age M = 14.6) graders composed either a procedural text or an expository description on a digital tablet, on the basis of a “scrambled ideas” paradigm. The demands of organizing were measured in terms of time management (the time spent pausing and transcribing during text production). Our results suggest a developmental change in the on-line management of the organizing subprocess. Findings indicate that only pupils from ninth grade onward adapt their writing behavior to match the task demands. Results are discussed in light of Berninger and Swanson’s developmental model of writing.
The Creative Class and Economic Development
Authors: Florida Richard
Published: July 2014

The Rise of the Creative Class, which was originally published in 2002, has generated widespread conversation and debate and has had a considerable impact on economic development policy and practice. This essay briefly recaps the key tenants of the creative class theory of economic development, discusses the key issues in the debate over it, and assesses its impacts on economic development policy.
Comparing Print Coverage and Tweets in Elections
Authors: Murthy Dhiraj , Petto Laura R.
Published: July 2014

Social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, have become more ubiquitous. They have had an increasing role in social movements, elections, and everyday life around the world. Social science is well positioned to explore the power and influence of social media economically, politically, and socially. This article is particularly interested in evaluating whether the sentiment of traditional print media coverage during elections has any relationship to the frequency of election-related tweets. Though television is perhaps more influential in terms of political news, social media is often used to retweet or comment on articles from print journalism. Also, though we increasingly consume news from social media, we often do not think of how opinions are converging or diverging during major events. This article specifically explores the case of the 2011–2012 U.S. Republican primaries. Ninety-nine randomly selected articles from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post covering Republican primary debates were hand coded for sentiment and compared with the frequency and sentiment of candidate-related geolocated tweets from urban American users. We also explored briefly whether there is any relationship between print media and tweet sentiment. Overall, the newspapers sampled as a whole had a weak relationship to tweet frequency and sentiment. Though journalists have a large presence on Twitter, the medium is clearly not a facsimile of print media and other opinions, values, and sentiments may have a stronger influence within the medium. This study is significant both in its mixed methods approach and in its finding that traditional print media coverage is not generally related to the frequency or sentiment of election-related tweets despite Twitter’s role as a key space for news production and consumption.
On Mules and Bodies: Black Captivities in the Brazilian Racial Democracy
Authors: Alves Jaime Amparo
Published: July 2014

This article situates the past decade’s boom in Brazil’s prison population in the context of the country’s enduring system of racial domination. Prison demographics are analyzed in relation to the role that race and gender play in configuring both the ‘regime of legality’ and contemporary urban war against particular territories and bodies in Brazil. The article also pays close attention to gendered captivities of disenfranchised black women trapped as ‘mules’ in the underground drug economy. Ethnographic fieldwork in a São Paulo women’s prison provides the basis for a critique of the regime of punishment that structures black lives in the neoliberal city.
Health system reform and political participation on the Chinese Internet
Authors: Balla Steven J.
Published: July 2014

Authoritarian regimes, such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), seek to bolster legitimacy by facilitating communications between citizens and government officials. This article investigates the operation of online consultation, a process through which citizens offer feedback on draft laws and regulations. The article specifically examines the importance of demographic characteristics and subjective motivations in the expression of citizen sentiments in response to a proposed revision to China’s health system. By bringing together analysis of the content of citizen sentiment with a survey of participants, the article illuminates the determinants of the tone and substance of citizen feedback in health system reform. The primary finding is that participants who were internally efficacious and democratically oriented were, relative to respondents not possessing such traits, positive in tone and highly substantive in the submission of their comments concerning health system reform. This finding indicates that the health system reform commenting process offered citizens the opportunity to gain exposure to democratic principles and the process of articulating interests. More broadly, the analysis suggests the promise of online consultation in promoting citizen satisfaction with public policies, the legitimacy of the CCP, and, ultimately, stability in the Chinese political system.
Hackerspaces and the Internet of Things in China: How makers are reinventing industrial production, innovation, and the self
Authors: Lindtner Silvia
Published: July 2014

This article discusses the visions and practices of DIY (do-it-yourself) maker culture in China. It analyses how the ideals held by DIY makers, such as openness, peer production, and individual empowerment, are formulated in relation to China’s project of building a creative society and economy. To demonstrate, this article draws from long-term ethnographic research, including the setting up of China’s first hackerspace, the proliferation of making, and partnerships between makers and manufacturers. China’s makers are driven to reinvent what creativity, innovation, industrial production and citizenship mean today, simultaneously exploiting and challenging political rhetoric. By setting up hackerspaces, designing open technologies and starting up businesses, they craft alternative subject positions, for themselves and others. The contribution of this article is threefold. First, it fills a gap in current research by providing an account of a culture of technology production. Second, it proposes the analytical lens of ‘making subjectivities’ to open up the concept of the netizen, illustrating the importance for Chinese Internet research to consider not only technology use, but also the culture and materials of its production. Third, it demonstrates that maker culture is better understood as a parasitic culture rather than a counterculture, altering the system from within, contributing to our understanding of the relationship between technology use, production, society, activism and the state.
Political contestation in Chinese digital spaces: Deepening the critical inquiry
Authors: Yang Guobin
Published: July 2014

Although research on the Chinese Internet is thriving, our understanding of its multidimensional character, its diverse forms, actors, and dynamics remains limited. This is due to a tendency to focus on technology at the expense of meaning and people, as well as a bias towards sweeping and dichotomous analytical categories, such as state vs. netizens, politics vs. entertainment, and authoritarianism vs. democracy. One of the perniciously appealing ways of sensationalizing the Chinese Internet falls under this either/or dichotomy. The seven contributions in this special issue of China Information challenge such binaries, thus deepening the critical inquiry into the multiple dimensions of the Chinese Internet. The authors show a more complex and nuanced picture of actors and contestation in Chinese digital spaces, as well as the symbolic forms and consequences of these contestations, illuminating new meanings of the political and new dimensions of digital contestation, including race, class and their interactions with the nation. Together, these articles exemplify an analytical orientation that I refer to as ‘deep Internet studies’. They explore the Internet as a facet of a deep China by linking it to people’s practical, perceptual, and moral experiences as well as to the contexts of institutions, politics, and policies.
Voice, power and connectivity in China’s microblogosphere: Digital divides on SinaWeibo
Authors: Svensson Marina
Published: July 2014

This article addresses the issue of who has a voice on microblogs in China and what having a voice in the age of social media actually means. In theory, microblogs have a low threshold and are easy to use, thus enabling more Chinese citizens to articulate their concerns as well as paving the way for interactivity among different groups of people. In reality, however, not all citizens are as likely to use microblogs or be heard through them. Although microblogging practices have spread from the technology-savvy early adopters to broader groups in society, one should not assume that microblogs have helped bridge the information gap among China’s ICT users, or empowered everybody in equal measure. This article discusses the demographics of microblog users, addressing diffusion patterns, number and range of followers, as well as topics discussed and how these are shaped by microbloggers of different socio-economic status. It makes use of and synthesizes existing surveys and previous studies in the field, while also building on this author’s qualitative and ethnographic research on journalists and migrant workers. The article also addresses the 2013 crackdown on opinion leaders on microblogs and its implications for public debates and connectivity on social media.
The effect of different forming parameters on the depth of bipolar-plate channels in static- and dynamic-load stamping
Authors: Kim Min June , Jin Chul Kyu , Kang Chung Gil
Published: July 2014

A titanium alloy is selected as an ideal material for a fuel-cell bipolar plate because it has a low density and, like aluminium, exhibits excellent corrosion resistance due to an insulating oxide film. Microchannelled bipolar plates are fabricated using a 25-ton material-testing machine by varying the parameters of the static and dynamic loads (type of load wave, punch load, number of cycles) and the die curvature in order to evaluate the formability. The bipolar plate formed by dynamic-load stamping (square wave of 0.5 Hz, 32 load cycles, punch load of 90 kN) with die curvature of 0.3 mm resulted in 13.0% deeper channels compared to static-load stamping of 90 kN. Moreover, in the case of 0.1 mm die curvature, the bipolar plate formed by square-wave dynamic-load stamping had 22.7% deeper channels, compared to static-load stamping. Dynamic-load stamping with die curvatures of 0.1 and 0.3 mm shows a channel depth of 0.251 and 0.353 mm, respectively. Compared to die curvature of 0.1 mm, 0.3 mm die curvature resulted in channels that are deeper by 28.9%.
Effect of inlet conditions on compressor intermediate duct
Authors: Gao Limin , Deng Xiaoming , Feng Xudong , Yang Zeyu
Published: July 2014

With further development of the turbofan aero-engine, the compressor intermediate duct can no longer be considered to merely perform the service function of transporting fluid from low-pressure component to high-pressure stage. Especially for the practical compressor intermediate duct with inclined uncambered struts, the high-curvature geometry, great internal pressure gradient, and strong three-dimensional effect make it extremely sensitive to the real inflow conditions, which would not be applicable to the previous research methods based on two-dimensional axisymmetric assumption. In this paper, numerical investigation was conducted about the influence of inflow conditions on a compact compressor intermediate duct with eight inclined struts and numerical approach was validated by comparison with experiment data and the computation accuracy of flow field details was studied by different grid settings. This study deeply explored the flow mechanism and aerodynamic performance about how the pre-swirl angle, inlet Mach number, and distorted total pressure effect of the compressor intermediate duct flow field. The results indicate: (1) for a compact compressor intermediate duct, the proper predication for the flow separation due to an aggressive geometry depends on the radial computing grid strongly, (2) the leeward side of the uncambered strut is extremely sensitive to the pre-swirl inflow, and the existence of backflow and exit non-uniformity is caused by the pre-swirl inflow, (3) the airflow adjacent to the casing wall is more sensitive to the inlet Mach number, whose increase will strengthen the exit non-uniformity and interaction between the strut wake and endwall boundary layer, and (4) the distorted inflow through compressor intermediate duct channel will be amplified because of the compact geometry.
Representing immigrants as illegals, threats and victims in Malaysia: Elite voices in the media
Authors: Don Zuraidah Mohd , Lee Charity
Published: July 2014

This article examines the way the voices of political elites are incorporated in news reporting to represent refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia as illegals, threats and victims, which reflect their ideological positioning. We also examine voices that foreground their plight and appeal for the relaxation of rules. Selected extracts are analysed to illustrate how these voices and authorial accounts are ordered in relation to each other to represent different perspectives for different purposes. To address the issue of how texts from the original are brought into the new context, we examine the relationship between the original text and the recontextualized part. Using tools from Van Leeuwen’s Social Actor Network model and Reisigl and Wodak’s discourse-historical approach, we analyse how the discursive strategies and different features of a text are used to construct particular meaning in the social world.
The effects of early life lead exposure on the expression of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-6, and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the hippocampus of mouse pups
Authors: Li N , Liu X , Zhang P , Qiao M , Li H , Li X , Zhang H , Yu Z
Published: July 2014

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of maternal lead (Pb) exposure on the expression of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL 6, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in hippocampus of mice offspring. Pb exposure initiated from the beginning of gestation to weaning. Lead acetate (PbAc) administered in drinking solutions was dissolved in distilled deionized water at the concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1% groups ,respectively. On the postnatal day 21, the Pb levels in their blood and hippocampus were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The expression of IL 1β, IL 6, and GFAP in hippocampus was measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The Pb levels in blood and hippocampus of all Pb-exposed groups were significantly higher than that of the control group ( p < 0.05). The expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and GFAP was increased in Pb-exposed groups in comparison with the control group ( p < 0.05). The high expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and GFAP in the hippocampus of pups may contribute to the neurotoxicity associated with maternal Pb exposure.
EF24 and RAD001 potentiates the anticancer effect of platinum-based agents in human malignant pleural mesothelioma (MSTO-211H) cells and protects nonmalignant mesothelial (MET-5A) cells
Authors: Onen HI , Yilmaz A , Alp E , Celik A , Demiroz SM , Konac E , Kurul IC , Menevse ES
Published: July 2014

The most widespread neoplasm of the pleura is malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) with low prevalence rate. The mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathway, inhibited by RAD001, was shown to be deregulated in MPM development and considered a novel target for the MPM therapy. The EF24, a curcumin analog, also affects several signaling pathways and kills cancer cells as a single agent or in combination with classical drugs. We aimed to evaluate possible effects of RAD001, EF24, cisplatin, and oxaliplatin treatments on both malignant pleural mesothelioma (MSTO-211H) and nonmalignant mesothelial (Met-5A) cell lines. The effects of the agents on MSTO-211H and Met-5A cells were evaluated in terms of cell viability, cytotoxicity, DNA synthesis rate, quantitation of apoptotic DNA fragmentation, and cleaved caspase 3 levels. Moreover, quantitative messenger RNA (mRNA) analysis of apoptotic ( CASP9) and antiapoptotic ( BCL2L1 and BCL2) genes were also performed. We found that both EF24 and RAD001 alone treatments decreased only MSTO-211H cell viability, but cisplatin and oxaliplatin affected both cell lines. Pretreatment with EF24 or RAD001 followed by cisplatin increased the effects of cisplatin alone application. EF24 and RAD001 pretreatment decreased DNA fragmentation rate when compared with cisplatin alone treatment in Met-5A cells. Sequential treatments resulted in a significant increase of CASP9 mRNA expression in MSTO-211H cells but not in Met-5A cells. Our preliminary results suggest that pretreatment with EF24 or RAD001 may reduce cytotoxic effect of cisplatin on nonmalignant mesothelial cells and increase cell death response of MPM cells. Further analyses using animal models are needed to confirm these findings in vivo.
A Virtual Educational Exchange
Authors: Abrahamse Augusta , Johnson Mathew , Levinson Nanette , Medsker Larry , Pearce Joshua M. , Quiroga Carla , Scipione Ruth
Published: July 2014

Increasingly, international competence is considered an important skill to be acquired from an undergraduate education. Because international exchange presents a challenge to many students, there is a need to develop and implement alternative means for incorporating international and cross-cultural experiences into the undergraduate classroom. We report on the implementation of a semester-long, virtually shared course offering between a U.S. and a Bolivian university. As STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors tend to be under-represented in study-abroad programs, this class sought to provide a multidisciplinary experience that could be relevant to both hard and social science majors. Furthermore, the relevance and learning impact of this class was enhanced through the incorporation of a service-learning component in conjunction with a rural Bolivian partner organization. The results of this experience show that virtually shared classroom experiences can successfully facilitate international experiences for undergraduate students.
The arousing and cathartic effects of popular heartbreak songs as revealed in the physiological responses of listeners
Authors: Tsai Chen-Gia , Chen Rong-Shan , Tsai Tzung-Shian
Published: July 2014

Songs that convey sorrowful emotions enjoy widespread popularity. The expressions and effects of negative emotions vary considerably across cultures and musical forms. This study explores the physiological responses to five popular “heartbreak” songs, focusing on the relationships between the temporal dynamics of emotion and the verse-chorus form. Listeners’ skin conductance and finger temperature were used to infer levels of arousal and relaxation, and the analysis of these time-series data was guided by a priori knowledge of the musical form. We found that two particular time periods in these songs, the passage preceding the chorus and the entrance of the chorus, evoked significant skin conductance responses. Given that the chorus is usually the most favorite element of a popular song, these two responses may reflect the elevated arousal associated with the feelings of “wanting” and “liking”, respectively. Moreover, the average finger temperature exhibited a U-shaped curve across each song. The significant decreases of finger temperature within the first part of songs revealed an accumulation of negative emotions in listeners, whereas the significant increases of finger temperature within the second part may reflect a release, resolution, or regulation of negative emotions. Our findings shed new light on the rewarding nature of the chorus and the cathartic effects associated with the verse-chorus form of heartbreak songs.
New Pharmacological Therapies for Vasomotor Symptom Management
Authors: Carris Nicholas , Kutner Sara , Reilly-Rogers Shane
Published: July 2014

Objective: To review 2 recently approved therapies for vasomotor symptoms (VMSs) of menopause. Data Sources: PubMed searches (June 2003 to May 2014) were conducted using the keywords paroxetine vasomotor and bazedoxifene vasomotor. References from relevant articles were reviewed for pertinent citations that were not identified in the PubMed search. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Phase 3 clinical trials of recently approved hormonal and nonhormonal therapies for the treatment of VMSs of menopause were selected. Studies that evaluated the use of paroxetine mesylate or bazedoxifene (BZA)/conjugated estrogens (CEs) for VMSs were included. Data Synthesis: Four studies for BZA/CEs were identified. One published report of low-dose paroxetine mesylate was identified that was a combined analysis of 2 phase 3 studies. Both agents significantly decrease the incidence of hot flushes compared with placebo and are approved for the treatment of moderate to severe VMSs associated with menopause. BZA/CEs is only approved for women with an intact uterus. In all circumstances, the use of BZA/CEs should be limited to the shortest duration possible. Paroxetine mesylate was not studied head-to-head against hormone therapy, but the magnitude of its effect on VMSs is less than expected with hormone therapy. Conclusions: BZA/CEs is an effective hormonal therapy for treating VMSs in women with an intact uterus. Paroxetine mesylate is the first nonhormonal therapy that the FDA has approved for VMSs, making both viable options for the treatment of VMSs of menopause.
Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis and Endosomal Recycling in Central Nerve Terminals
Authors: Cousin Michael A.
Published: July 2014

Synaptic vesicle (SV) retrieval from the presynaptic plasma membrane occurs via a variety of different and complementary modes. The dominant retrieval mode during high-intensity stimulation is activity-dependent bulk endocytosis (ADBE). ADBE involves the generation of endosomes direct from the plasma membrane which then donate membrane and cargo to form SVs that replenish the reserve SV pool. Recent evidence has suggested that ADBE may involve an additional endosomal processing step to produce a mature, functional SV. This suggests that ADBE may utilize key molecules or indeed whole pathways from classical endocytic recycling routes that are ubiquitous across all cell types. This review will assess the current evidence for a contribution of endocytic recycling to the SV life cycle, with a particular focus on ADBE. In doing so it highlights points where both routes may either converge or exploit existing mechanisms to ensure efficient generation of SVs during high-intensity stimulation.
Examining the Role of Patient Experience Surveys in Measuring Health Care Quality
Authors: Anhang Price Rebecca , Elliott Marc N. , Zaslavsky Alan M. , Hays Ron D. , Lehrman William G. , Rybowski Lise , Edgman-Levitan Susan , Cleary Paul D.
Published: July 2014

Patient care experience surveys evaluate the degree to which care is patient-centered. This article reviews the literature on the association between patient experiences and other measures of health care quality. Research indicates that better patient care experiences are associated with higher levels of adherence to recommended prevention and treatment processes, better clinical outcomes, better patient safety within hospitals, and less health care utilization. Patient experience measures that are collected using psychometrically sound instruments, employing recommended sample sizes and adjustment procedures, and implemented according to standard protocols are intrinsically meaningful and are appropriate complements for clinical process and outcome measures in public reporting and pay-for-performance programs.
Cross-cultural perception of six commercial olive oils: A study with Spanish and US consumers
Authors: Vázquez-Araújo L , Adhikari K , Chambers E , Chambers DH , Carbonell-Barrachina AA
Published: July 2014

A cross-cultural study was conducted with Spanish and US consumers to gain an insight into the preferred characteristics of olive oils in both countries. Six commercial olive oils (four samples from Spain and two samples from the US) were analyzed by a highly trained panel (descriptive analysis) and also by two consumers’ groups (100 consumers from Spain and 100 from the US). Demographic, acceptability, and Just-About-Right data were collected to study the preferences of both groups, and the relationships with descriptive data were explored to determine the drivers of like/dislike. The Spanish extra virgin olive oils and the imported US extra virgin olive oil were characterized by having bitter, pungent, and more green notes, and were preferred by the Spanish consumers. The US consumers liked the bland Spanish refined olive oil, and the Californian olive oil that was characterized by fruity, floral, and sweet notes. The results showed that the Spanish consumers were more aware about olive oil quality in general than their US counterparts, maybe because of a higher usage of the product in Spain. The present study provides essential data which might help producers in designing and promoting olive oils matching US consumers’ requirements, an emerging market for this Mediterranean product.
Interpreting the Relationships Among Prosody, Automaticity, Accuracy, and Silent Reading Comprehension in Secondary Students
Authors: Paige David D. , Rasinski Timothy , Magpuri-Lavell Theresa , Smith Grant S.
Published: July 2014

Although identified as a critical component of proficient reading in the primary grades, reading fluency (word recognition accuracy, automaticity, and prosody) is often viewed as less important beyond the early stages of reading acquisition. In the present study, 108 ninth-grade students were assessed to explore the relationships among word recognition accuracy, automaticity, prosody, and vocabulary with silent reading comprehension. Results found large correlations among the variables while regression analysis revealed that accuracy, prosody, and vocabulary explained from 50.1% to 52.7% of the variance in silent reading comprehension. Of note were the findings that word recognition automaticity did not contribute to silent reading comprehension although prosody was found to act as a partial mediator between automaticity and comprehension. Accuracy, automaticity, and prosody were found to form a highly reliable scale reflecting oral reading fluency. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence suggesting that secondary students exhibiting appropriate prosody experience advantages in comprehension processing. The tandem theory of reading is introduced to explain the relationship between automaticity and comprehension.
Scaffolding Versus Routine Support for Latina/o Youth in an Urban School
Authors: Athanases Steven Z. , de Oliveira Luciana C.
Published: July 2014

Scaffolding is widely referenced in educational literature and practice, in literacy education in particular, but often in reductive ways. Scaffolding is key for diverse youth in high-need settings, but few studies examine complexities and tensions of scaffolding in practice. This study asked how, if at all, teachers at a California high school with a mission to prepare urban, low-income, mostly Latina/o youth for academics and college admission enacted scaffolding to help students, many of them English learners, achieve academic goals. Drawing upon school and classroom data collected over a year and a half, including videorecorded observations, interviews, and student work samples, the study used observation instruments and qualitative analyses to answer questions using two teacher cases.

Considering scaffolding for whom, teachers supported students they hoped to see achieve but whom they felt needed many supports, given histories of low test scores and some academic failure. In scaffolding for what purpose(s), much attention was devoted to scaffolding basic and intermediate levels of literacy activity, with less evidence of scaffolding disciplinary literacy and higher-order thinking. For scaffolding how, planned scaffolds of sequenced activities dominated, with promising examples of interactional scaffolds. One teacher case illustrates routine support, while the second illustrates scaffolding aligned with core elements of contingency, fading, and transfer of responsibility and with use of sociocultural dimensions of learning. The study highlights promise and tensions in scaffolding learning for Latino/a students in one urban public high school, with implications for teaching youth of color in low-income settings, teaching English learners, and preparing teachers for this work.
Neighborhood Characteristics and ADHD
Authors: Razani Nooshin , Hilton Joan F. , Halpern-Felsher Bonnie L. , Okumura Megumi J. , Morrell Holly E. , Yen Irene H.
Published: July 2014

Objective: We examined the association of neighborhood social and physical characteristics with ADHD, accounting for individual and family factors. Method: The 2007 National Survey of Child Health, a nationally representative data set, was used ( N = 64,076). Three neighborhood scales were generated: social support, amenities, and disorder. Logistic and ordinal logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association of these scales with ADHD diagnosis and severity while adjusting for individual and family characteristics. Results: Eight percent had a child with ADHD: 47% described as mild, 40% moderate, and 13% severe. In adjusted models, lower neighborhood support was associated with increased ADHD diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66 [1.05, 2.63]) and severity (OR = 3.74 [1.71, 8.15]); neighborhood amenities or disorder were not significantly associated. Poor parental mental health was associated with ADHD prevalence and severity. Conclusion: Neighborhood social support is a potential area of intervention for children with ADHD and their caregivers. Research challenges and opportunities are discussed.
Fatigue and Physical Activity After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Crane Patricia B. , Abel Willie M. , McCoy Thomas P.
Published: July 2014

Background:

Fatigue is prevalent after myocardial infarction (MI) and is a barrier to physical activity (PA). Because PA is an important health behavior in preventing or delaying recurrent MIs, examining the influence of biophysical markers and fatigue on PA is important as a prerequisite to developing effective interventions.

Objective:

This study compared PA in 34 men and 38 women, aged 65 and older, 6–8 months post MI, and examined the influence of biophysiological measures and fatigue on PA in this sample.

Methods:

Using a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design, adults completed a demographic form that included documentation of blood pressure, heart rate, height and weight; the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale (RPFS), and the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Adults, and blood collection for measurement of hemoglobin (Hgb), interleukin-6, and B-natriuretic peptide.

Results:

There were no differences in frequency of PA between older men and older women; however, men reported a higher intensity of PA ( p = .011). When controlling for sex, age, and biophysiological measures, the RPFS significantly explained 16% of the variance in the frequency of PA ( p = .03), with no individual subscale serving as a significant predictor. The RPFS behavior/severity subscale explained 31% of the variance in energy expended on all PA ( p < .001) and 40% of the variance in energy expended on moderate-intensity PA ( p < .001).

Conclusion:

The older adults participating in this study did not participate in the recommended levels of PA, and fatigue significantly influenced PA post MI.