bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential Item Functioning Detection Across Two Methods of Defining Group Comparisons
Authors: Sari Halil Ibrahim , Huggins Anne Corinne
Published: September 2014

This study compares two methods of defining groups for the detection of differential item functioning (DIF): (a) pairwise comparisons and (b) composite group comparisons. We aim to emphasize and empirically support the notion that the choice of pairwise versus composite group definitions in DIF is a reflection of how one defines fairness in DIF studies. In this study, a simulation was conducted based on data from a 60-item ACT Mathematics test (ACT; Hanson & Béguin). The unsigned area measure method (Raju) was used as the DIF detection method. An application to operational data was also completed in the study, as well as a comparison of observed Type I error rates and false discovery rates across the two methods of defining groups. Results indicate that the amount of flagged DIF or interpretations about DIF in all conditions were not the same across the two methods, and there may be some benefits to using composite group approaches. The results are discussed in connection to differing definitions of fairness. Recommendations for practice are made.
HIV/AIDS knowledge, perception of knowledge and sources of information among university students in USA, Turkey, South Africa and Nigeria
Authors: Abiona Titilayo , Balogun Joseph , Yohannes Eden , Adefuye Adedeji , Yakut Yavuz , Amosun Seyi , Frantz Jose
Published: September 2014

Objective:

To examine HIV/AIDS knowledge, perceptions of knowledge and sources of HIV information among university students in four countries with different HIV prevalence rates.

Methods:

A survey was completed by 2,570 randomly selected university students from the USA, Turkey, South Africa and Nigeria. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between accurate HIV/AIDS knowledge, demographic characteristics and frequency of exposure to information sources.

Results:

Compared to US students, the HIV/AIDS knowledge of Turkish students was more likely to be inaccurate and the knowledge of South African and Nigerian students was more likely to be accurate. South African students were the most exposed to HIV/AIDS information and Turkish students were the least exposed ( p < .001). Men were more likely to demonstrate accurate HIV knowledge than women. A higher percentage of students from South Africa and Nigeria (countries with high HIV prevalence) incorrectly perceived themselves as being very knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS. Marital status, year of university education and type of study (part time or full time) were associated with level of knowledge. Frequency of exposure to HIV/AIDS information was not associated with knowledge.

Conclusion:

More students in countries with higher HIV prevalence had accurate HIV/AIDS knowledge and poorer perception of their level of knowledge than students in countries with low prevalence. Governments in the countries studied should ensure that young people receive accurate HIV/AIDS information, with special attention paid to educating young women.
Experimental characterization and modeling of GF/PP commingled yarns tensile behavior
Authors: Rocher Jean-Emile , Allaoui Samir , Hivet Gilles , Gillibert Jean , Blond Eric
Published: September 2014

Three-dimensional (3D) fabrics of commingled yarns offer the possibility of a low-cost and fast manufacturing of complex-shaped composite parts. Textile-reinforcement behavior during the forming process is very important since the appearance of defects (for example wrinkles, yarn misalignment or breakage) can significantly affect the mechanical properties of the final part. Experimental characterization of the mechanical behavior of textile-reinforcements is expensive, time consuming, and a large scattering of results is often observed. To overcome this, meso-scale modeling is an interesting method to study and understand the textile behavior at the unit cell level. To perform realistic simulations, an accurate modeling and, therefore, knowledge of the yarn mechanical behavior are needed. In this paper, a simple protocol is proposed and validated in order to investigate the tensile behavior of commingled polypropylene/glass yarns. Influence of specimen length and strain rate are highlighted. A comparison of tensile behavior of yarns before and after weaving is carried out in order to evaluate the weaving damage effect. Finally, a model describing the commingled yarn behavior is proposed. The parameters of the model are defined. Their dependency to strain rate, specimen length, and weaving damage are highlighted.
The Myth of ‘Christian Rome’ and the Institute of Roman Studies: An Attempted Synthesis of Fascism and Catholicism
Authors: Aramini Donatello
Published: September 2014

The article offers a close reading of the numerous initiatives promoted by the Institute of Roman Studies, an institution operating in synergy with the political culture and imperial ambitions of the fascist regime by supporting and influencing its rhetoric of romanità and use of symbols and myths of the ‘Third Rome’. Namely, the article shows that during the 1930s some Italian intellectuals and the high ranks of the Vatican tried to find a synthesis between fascist and Catholic ideologies by means of the glorification of the myth of ‘Christian Rome’. The article shows that many Italian intellectuals thought there was a chance of finding a synthesis between the sacralization of politics and the politicization of religion through the myth of Rome. This chance became a mission with the rapprochement to Nazi Germany, with fascism clearly taking shape as a political religion, and during the Second World War. Despite its final failure, this ‘conciliatory’ attempt shows the complex and various relationships during the fascism between the processes of sacralization of politics and politicization of religion. Finally, the article could be a point of reflection on the various facets about the process of nationalization of Italians widespread during the fascist regime.
The ‘Jewish Question’ and the ‘Italian Peril’: Vichy, Italy, and the Jews of Tunisia, 1940–2
Authors: Peterson Terrence
Published: September 2014

During the Second World War, the Vichy government published many of the same antisemitic laws in Tunisia as it did in the metropole. But in Tunisia, the ‘Jewish Question’ also became a question of maintaining control over the French Empire. Vichy racial legislation aimed at the Protectorate’s multinational Jewish population did not only reflect the state’s antisemitic policies; rather, these laws were inextricably bound up in France’s colonial rivalry with Italy. In a colony where French political and economic hegemony had been only tenuously secured in the preceding decades through strategic naturalization, Vichy racial laws presented French authorities with a radically new avenue to consolidate power in the Protectorate; however, they also threatened to upend Tunisia’s economy and provoke Italian intervention. This article explores how the frequently-delayed and often partial application of Vichy anti-Jewish laws in Tunisia resulted from the difficulties of reconciling the aims of economic aryanization with the exigencies of protecting French rule against the pretensions of Fascist Italy.
Caries Management Strategies for Primary Molars
Authors: Santamaria R.M. , Innes N.P.T. , Machiulskiene V. , Evans D.J.P. , Splieth C.H.
Published: September 2014

Minimal invasive approaches to managing caries, such as partial caries removal techniques, are showing increasing evidence of improved outcomes over the conventional complete caries removal. There is also increasing interest in techniques where no caries is removed. We present the 1-yr results of clinical efficacy for 3 caries management options for occlusoproximal cavitated lesions in primary molars: conventional restorations (CR; complete caries removal and compomer restoration), Hall technique (HT; no caries removal, sealing in with stainless steel crowns), and nonrestorative caries treatment (NRCT; no caries removal, opening up the cavity, teaching brushing and fluoride application). In sum, 169 children (3-8 yr old; mean, 5.56 ± 1.45 yr) were enrolled in this secondary care–based, 3-arm, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial. Treatments were carried out by specialist pediatric dentists or postgraduate trainees. One lesion per child received CR, HT, or NRCT. Outcome measures were clinical failure rates, grouped as minor failure (restoration loss/need for replacement, reversible pulpitis, caries progression, etc.) and major failure (irreversible pulpitis, abscess, etc.). There were 148 children (87.6%) with a minimum follow-up of 11 mo (mean, 12.23 ± 0.98 mo). Twenty teeth were recorded as having at least 1 minor failure: NRCT, n = 8 (5%); CR, n = 11 (7%); HT, n = 1 (1%) ( p = .002, 95% CI = 0.001 to 0.003). Only the comparison between NRCT and CR showed no significant difference ( p = .79, 95% CI = 0.78 to 0.80). Nine (6%) experienced at least 1 major failure: NRCT, n = 4 (2%); CR, n = 5 (3%); HT, n = 0 (0%) ( p = .002, 95% CI = 0.001 to 0.003). Individual comparison of NRCT and CR showed no statistically significant difference in major failures ( p = .75, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.76). Success and failure rates were not significantly affected by pediatric dentists’ level of experience ( p = .13, 95% CI = 0.12 to 0.14). The HT was significantly more successful clinically than NRCT and CR after 1 yr, while pairwise analyses showed comparable results for treatment success between NRCT and CR (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01797458).
A Reappraisal of the 4/3/2 Activity
Authors: Boers Frank
Published: September 2014

In the 4/3/2 activity learners deliver the same talk three times under increasing time pressure. The activity is intended first and foremost to foster fluency, but accuracy and complexity have also been said to benefit from this activity. The present study investigates whether immediate repetition of monologues under increasing time pressure really brings about linguistic improvements beyond fluency. Ten adult ESL learners delivered two talks three times, one talk with and the other without increasing time pressure. Fluency improved under both task conditions, but the potential of task repetition to bring about improvements in accuracy appeared to be compromised by the increasing time pressure. A strikingly high amount of verbatim duplication of word strings from the participants’ first version of their monologues in subsequent versions helps to account for the fluency gains and also for the lack of improvement in other linguistic aspects.
Simulation optimization using genetic algorithms with optimal computing budget allocation
Authors: Xiao Hui , Lee Loo Hay
Published: September 2014

A method is proposed to improve the efficiency of simulation optimization by integrating the notion of optimal computing budget allocation into the genetic algorithm, which is a global optimization search method that iteratively generates new solutions using elite candidate solutions. When applying genetic algorithms in a stochastic setting, each solution must be simulated a large number of times. Hence, the computing budget allocation can make a significant difference to the performance of the genetic algorithm. An easily implementable closed-form computing budget allocation rule of ranking the best m solutions out of total k solutions is proposed. The proposed budget allocation rule can perform better than the existing asymptotically optimal allocation rule for ranking the best m solutions. By integrating the proposed budget allocation rule, the search efficiency of genetic algorithms has significantly improved, as shown in the numerical examples.
A novel technique for direct measurements of contact resistance between interlaced conductive yarns in a plain weave
Authors: Gunnarsson Emanuel , Karlsteen Magnus , Berglin Lena , Stray Jonas
Published: September 2014

Contact resistance between interlaced conductive yarns will under certain circumstances constitute a problem for sensor applications and electrical routing in interactive textile structures. This type of resistance could alter the effective area of the sensor and introduce hot-spots in the routing.

This paper presents a technique for measuring contact resistances on fabric samples. The samples used are unit cells of plain weave, that is, two conductive (silver-coated) yarns in the warp direction and two in the weft direction. The numerical values for the contact resistance are of the order of Rc ≈ 0.3 Ω. A resistor network made of through-hole film resistors with known values is used for evaluation of the method. The results show that the technique provides values typically within ±1% error compared with the known resistor values. Thus, the method can be used in order to calculate the contact resistances of a woven conductive textile.
Effect of processing variables on the thermal and physical properties of poly(L-lactide) spun bond fabrics
Authors: Puchalski Michał , Sulak Konrad , Chrzanowski Michał , Sztajnowski Sławomir , Krucińska Izabella
Published: September 2014

In this paper, the influence of the take-up velocity ( Vt–u) of fibers on the molecular ordering and ά – α form transition of polylactide (PLA) non-woven fabrics during their manufacturing by spun-bonding is described. Non-woven samples were studied by wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In addition, the physical and mechanical properties of the non-woven fabrics were determined. The results are discussed in terms of the structural changes of the PLA and the meso-phase content during the spun-bonded non-woven fabric forming process. This technological process includes preliminary molecular ordering of the PLA fibers in a downstream spinning block and crystallization on a calender system at a temperature higher than the glass transition. The molecular ordering of the investigated PLA fabric samples under different technological conditions was observed as follows: creation of the meso-phase and a disorder-to-order phase transition (ά to α form) during heating to approximately 110℃ and an increase in the degree of crystallinity for take-up velocities higher than 1400 m/min. The structural changes of the PLA explain the observed changes in the physical and mechanical properties of the non-woven fabrics obtained under different technological conditions.
A flame-retardant copper-clad laminate composite made of (metallocenebased cyclic olefin copolymer/glass)/ cresol-novolak epoxy with low dielectricity
Authors: Rwei Syang-Peng , Lin Yung-Tan , Yeh Shu-Kai
Published: September 2014

A CNE (cresol-novolak epoxy) composite of CCL (copper-clad laminate), comprising glass fabrics and mCOC (metallocenebased cyclic olefin copolymer) fabrics with various laminated structures, was fabricated and its dielectricity at high frequency was examined. The dielectric constant, D k, at 5 GHz of a conventional glass/CNE composite is 4.0, whereas that of a seven alternately layered mCOC/glass/CNE composite with an externally facing mCOC layer is 2.3. In the same manner, the former has a loss tangent, D f, of 0.035, whereas the latter has a loss tangent, D f, of 0.007. In addition, the decrease of D f with increasing mCOC content is not linear but logarithmical. The T g (glass transition temperature) and scanning electron microscope results reveal the good compatibility of the mCOC and CNE at the interface between them. An optimal compression process, which involved a pressure of 20 kg/cm2 at 185℃ for 120 min, was followed by setting at 120℃ for 30 min, to relax the residual stress that built up inside the mCOC prepregs, with the purpose of fabricating a mCOC/glass/CNE CCL without any tilt angle. The worsening of the flame retardancy that is caused by replacing some of the nonflammable glass layers with organic mCOC layers can be overcome by blending more 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide dicyandiamide hardener into the CNE matrix. The highest flame-retardant standard, of grade UL 94 V0, can be achieved with a phosphorus content of the glass/CNE and glass/mCOC/CNE CCLs of 8000 and 12,500 ppm, respectively. Briefly, a flame-retardant mCOC/glass/CNE composite of CCL operated at high frequency is successfully produced.
Numerical analysis of deformation behavior of a 3D textile structure with negative Poisson’s ratio under compression
Authors: Ge Zhaoyang , Hu Hong , Liu Yanping
Published: September 2014

A numerical analysis using the finite element (FE) method was conducted to investigate the deformation behavior of a novel three-dimensional (3D) textile structure made by a special arrangement of the weft and warp yarns in a 3D orthogonal structure to achieve negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR). The minimum number of unit cells required for the FE analysis was first determined by comparing the calculating results of Poisson’s ratio values based on the FE models built with fixed structural parameters and yarn properties. Then Poisson’s ratio values of the 3D textile structure with different structural parameters and yarn properties under compression were calculated using the FE models built with the determined unit cells. The calculating results show that the 3D structure can achieve NPR in one direction if the weft and warp yarns used have different bending stiffness and radii. This numerical analysis can provide useful information for the design and fabrication of this kind of 3D textile structure, which has high potential applications in composite reinforcement and other technical areas.
A Motivational Intervention for African American Boys Labeled as Aggressive
Authors: Graham Sandra , Taylor April , Hudley Cynthia
Published: September 2014

A 12-week, 32-lesson afterschool intervention was conducted with third- to fifth-grade urban African American boys classified as aggressive. Grounded in attribution theory and organized around the construct of perceived responsibility in self and others, the intervention focused on increasing both social skills and academic motivation. Participants ( N = 64) were randomly assigned to an intervention or no-treatment control group. Boys in the intervention group showed an increase in social skills and academic motivation skills and were rated by their teachers as more cooperative and academically persistent. The implications of the findings for the design of interventions in urban schools are discussed.
Aspirational Model Teaching Criteria for Psychology
Authors: Richmond Aaron S. , Boysen Guy A. , Gurung Regan A. R. , Tazeau Yvette N. , Meyers Steven A. , Sciutto Mark J.
Published: September 2014

In 2011, the Society for the Teaching of Psychology commissioned a presidential task force to document teaching criteria for model psychology teachers in undergraduate education. The resulting list of criteria reflects activities related to face-to-face course interaction and online teaching, training, and education; course design; implementation of learning experiences; and the assessment process. Specifically, the model encompasses six broad areas, namely training, instructional methods, assessment process, syllabi, content, and student evaluations of teaching. As a developmental tool, the model can serve as a self-guided course for self-assessment of educational practices and can help identify areas of potential development. It can prompt reflection about teaching strengths and weaknesses. The model can also be useful as a guiding structure for tenure and promotion.
Academic Boot Camp for the Writing of Psychology Research Reports
Authors: Skues Jason L. , Wise Lisa
Published: September 2014

Herein, we describe the implementation of, and responses to, a structured writing workshop in the form of an academic boot camp. Participants were 42 undergraduate psychology students from a medium-sized Australian university who were completing their major assignment for the semester. A majority of the students expressed satisfaction with the boot camp program. The use of structured and specific prompts elicited appropriate content for the different sections of their psychology research report. They also appreciated the distraction-free environment created during through the boot camp protocols. These findings have implications for more effective instruction and skill development in the writing of psychology research reports.
Active Processing via Write-to-Learn Assignments
Authors: Gingerich Karla J. , Bugg Julie M. , Doe Sue R. , Rowland Christopher A. , Richards Tracy L. , Tompkins Sara Anne , McDaniel Mark A.
Published: September 2014

This study evaluated brief, in-class write-to-learn assignments as a tool for promoting learning and retention in large, introductory psychology courses. A within-subjects (student) design was used with assignment of concepts to write-to-learn and copy (control) conditions counterbalanced across sections for each instructor. Students performed better on exam questions that pertained to concepts they actively wrote about than those that pertained to conceptual information they copied from an instructor’s slide. On a retention test taken approximately 8.5 weeks after the course, students continued to perform better on write-to-learn concepts than on copied concepts. The findings suggest that write-to-learn assignments facilitate active processing of lecture material, which produces modest benefits for learning and retention of key, conceptual knowledge.
Interteaching and Lecture
Authors: Saville Bryan K. , Bureau Alex , Eckenrode Claire , Fullerton Alison , Herbert Reanna , Maley Michelle , Porter Allen , Zombakis Julie
Published: September 2014

Although a number of studies suggest that interteaching is an effective alternative to traditional teaching methods, no studies have systematically examined whether interteaching improves long-term memory. In this study, we assigned students to different teaching conditions—interteaching, lecture, or control—and then gave them a multiple-choice quiz immediately after exposure to the material and again after 1 week and 1 month. We found that students in the interteaching condition had significantly higher quiz scores than students in the lecture and control conditions after every session. Although additional research is necessary to determine whether our findings generalize to classroom settings and to different testing formats, these results suggest that interteaching may enhance long-term recognition memory better than lecture-based teaching methods.
A Self-Correcting Approach to Multiple-Choice Exams Improves Students’ Learning
Authors: Grühn Daniel , Cheng Yanhua
Published: September 2014

Montepare suggested the use of a self-correcting approach to multiple-choice tests: Students first take the exam as usual, but are allowed to hand in a self-corrected version afterwards. The idea of this approach is that the additional interaction with the material may foster further learning. To examine whether such an approach actually improves learning, we compared two large sections in psychology: one section used traditional exams and the other section used self-correcting midterm exams. Indeed, compared to the traditional approach, students using the self-correcting approach performed better on the final exam. Moreover, students who self-corrected more items performed better on the final exam above and beyond students’ original performance. As a tool to foster students’ engagement and learning, the self-correcting approach might be especially useful in large classroom settings.
Dressed to Present
Authors: Gurung Regan A. R. , Kempen Laura , Klemm Kayla , Senn Rebecca , Wysocki Rosie
Published: September 2014

This study investigates the effects of formality of dress on ratings of classroom presentations. Participants ( N = 65, 66% women) from a Midwestern university in the United States rated three female students giving a presentation designed for a health psychology class in one of four outfits: casual, party, business casual, or business formal. Participants rated the business formal–dressed presenters higher than both casual and party–dressed presenters on overall presentation quality but not higher than business casual–dressed participants. Our results provide strong empirical evidence that dressing formally not only influences presentation scores but also suggest that students do not completely recognize how clothing differs in appropriateness for presentations.
An Integrative Review of Self-efficacy Measurement Instruments in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Rasbach Lisa , Jenkins Carolyn , Laffel Lori
Published: September 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the extant literature on instruments used to measure self-efficacy in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and their caregivers and to critically evaluate these measurements.

Methods

An integrative review (2003-2013) was conducted searching PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and US National Library of Medicine PubMed service (PubMed) databases using key words diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and self-efficacy. The authors reviewed the resulting 294 references for inclusion criteria of (a) sample of youth with T1DM or sample of caregivers of youth with T1DM, (b) description of the self-efficacy instrument as primary research, and (c) the instrument measured self-efficacy specifically related to diabetes management. Forty-five articles out of the initial 294 met criteria.

Results

Of the 45 articles, 10 different self-efficacy instruments were identified. The primary theoretical framework used was Bandura’s social cognitive theory and model of self-efficacy. Most participants were white middle-class T1DM youth. Evaluations to assess validity often were not reported; however, a majority of studies reported high internal consistency of the instruments.

Conclusions

Sample homogeneity could limit the applicability of results to certain patient populations. Further psychometric analysis, including validity assessments, should be conducted in more diverse samples. Development of valid and reliable instruments for measuring self-efficacy that are sensitive to change across a wider caregiver base over time is necessary. While this review examined reliable and valid instruments used in research, future opportunities include evaluation of measuring self-efficacy in T1DM youth exposed to recent advances in diabetes management technologies.
A Novel Look at Long-run Convergence Dynamics in the United States
Authors: Gerolimetto Margherita , Magrini Stefano
Published: September 2014

When regional disparities follow a cyclical short-run pattern, convergence analysis results can be sizably distorted. To tackle this issue, we propose a method based on the extraction of the trend from regional income time series that eschews misleading results when the nature of the cyclical pattern changes over time. Using real per capita personal income data for forty-eight conterminous US states and the distribution dynamics approach, we identify the following three distinct consecutive phases: strong convergence (1930–1970), substantial persistence (1971–1980), and divergence (1981–2010).
Coterminous and Intersecting
Authors: Kutz-Flamenbaum Rachel V.
Published: September 2014

This article examines the relationship between the National Organization for Women (NOW) and CODEPINK, a women’s peace organization in 2004. NOW and CODEPINK both sought to mobilize women to protest the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and also to fight against the threats to women’s rights that emerged from the policies of policies of the George W. Bush’s presidential administration. Using content analysis of e-mails sent to supporters and survey data from individuals at protests, I find that despite their overlapping agendas, there were significant differences in the two organization’s framing and tactical repertoires. CODEPINK drew upon individualistic maternalist framing and had a broad tactical repertoire. CODEPINK was able to draw women into protest in a way that resonated with popular cultural norms and recent women’s mobilizations. By contrast, NOW drew upon libera l, rights-based feminist framing that focused on legislative change and drew upon a narrow range of movement tactics. The article argues that rather than creating divisions and undermining collaboration, this diversity in women’s movements helps to foster a symbiotic relationship that mobilized diverse women. Taking a long historical view, I argue that this symbiosis is fundamental for the longevity and continued vitality of the U.S. women’s movement.
Postnatal Development of the Testis in the Rat
Authors: Picut Catherine A. , Remick Amera K. , de Rijk Eveline P.C.T. , Simons Michelle L. , Stump Donald G. , Parker George A.
Published: September 2014

Histopathologic examination of the testis from juvenile rats is often necessary to characterize the safety of new drugs for pediatric use and is a required end point in male pubertal development and thyroid function assays. To aid in evaluation and interpretation of the immature testis, the characteristic histologic features of the developing rat testis throughout postnatal development are described and correlated with published neuroendocrine parameter changes. During the neonatal period (postnatal day [PND] 3–7), seminiferous tubules contained gonocytes and mitotically active immature Sertoli cells. Profound proliferation of spermatogonia and continued Sertoli cell proliferation occurred in the early infantile period (PND 8–14). The spermatogonia reached maximum density forming double-layered rosettes with Sertoli cells in the late infantile period (PND 15–20). Leptotene/zygotene spermatocytes appeared centrally as tubular lumina developed, and individual tubules segregated into stages. The juvenile period (PND 21–32) featured a dramatic increase in number and size of pachytene spermatocytes with the formation of round spermatids and loss of “infantile” rosette architecture. In the peri-pubertal period (PND 32–55), stage VII tubules containing step 19 spermatids were visible by PND 46. The presented baseline morphologic and endocrinologic information will help pathologists distinguish delayed development from xenobiotic effects, determine pathogenesis when confronted with nonspecific findings, and identify sensitive time points for targeted study design.
Novel Modified Surgical Treatment of Auricular Pseudocyst Using Plastic Sheet Compression
Authors: Shan Yamin , Xu Jing , Cai Changping , Wang Shili , Zhang Hao
Published: September 2014

Objective

To introduce a novel modified surgical procedure of excision of anterior cartilage of the pseudocyst along with plastic sheet compression for the treatment of auricular pseudocyst and ascertain the effect of the surgical modality of this disease.

Study Design

A retrospective study.

Setting

Medical college hospital.

Subjects and Methods

Eighty‐seven auricular pseudocyst patients were subjected to excision of the anterior cartilage of the pseudocyst followed by plastic sheet compression from July 2006 to September 2013. The effects of the operation were evaluated.

Results

Eighty patients were males and 7 were females. The median age was 52 years old. The lesions of 86 patients were unilateral and only 1 was bilateral. The clinical features presented a hemispheric painless swelling, which was seen on the ventral side of the auricle, usually the scaphoid and triangular fossa. The average major axis of the pseudocyst was 1.7 ± 0.6 cm. The patients underwent excision of anterior cartilage of the pseudocyst along with plastic sheet compression. The average follow‐up period was 51.9 ± 19.1 months. No recurrence was observed with this technique, and the appearance of the auricle was cosmetically acceptable.

Conclusions

Our novel modified surgical procedure of excision of anterior cartilage of pseudocyst along with plastic sheet compression is an effective surgical management for the auricular pseudocyst. The advantages of a simple technique, a short‐term therapeutic period, and no recurrence made the surgical procedure worth recommending as the definitive treatment of auricular pseudocysts.
Contrast-enhanced MRI of the temporomandibular joint: findings in children without juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors: Kottke Raimund , Saurenmann Rotraud K , Schneider Michel M , Müller Lukas , Grotzer Michael A , Kellenberger Christian J
Published: September 2014

Background

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is highly sensitive for assessing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), but only sparse data exist on normal TMJ appearance in children.

Purpose

To determine normal MRI appearance and enhancement pattern of pediatric TMJ as basis for diagnosing early arthritis.

Material and Methods

In 27 children (age range, 1.2–16.8 years) without TMJ pathology undergoing head MRI, fat-saturated T2-weighted (T2W) and postcontrast fat-saturated T1-weighted (T1W) images sagittally aligned to the 54 TMJs, besides standard T1W and T2W images, were assessed for bony and soft tissue signal intensity (SI), the amount of perceptible joint fluid, and contrast enhancement (CE).

Results

Bone marrow SI and CE of the mandible were consistent with varying degrees of residual red marrow in 96% of joints. The mandibular condyles were mostly isointense to the ramus, but in 9% showed mild edema-like bone marrow SI and CE. Small amounts of intraarticular fluid were detected in 31% on T2W images without fat saturation and in 83% on T2W images with fat saturation as fine lines in the upper or lower joint compartment or as small dots in an articular recess. Seventy-nine percent of all TMJs showed intense joint enhancement on early images restricted to areas of intraarticular fluid.

Conclusion

Small amounts of joint fluid with intense CE are a common MRI finding in TMJs of children without JIA and therefore should not be considered diagnostic for early arthritis.
Effect of ketamine versus alfentanil following midazolam in preventing emergence agitation in children after sevoflurane anaesthesia: A prospective randomized clinical trial
Authors: Bilgen Sevgi , Köner Özge , Karacay Safak , Sancar Nurcan Kizilcik , Kaspar Elif Cigdem , Sözübir Selami
Published: September 2014

Objective

To investigate the effect of intranasal ketamine versus alfentanil in addition to oral midazolam for the prevention of emergence agitation in children.

Methods

Children undergoing urological surgery with sevoflurane anaesthesia received oral midazolam 40 min before induction and were then randomly assigned to receive 2 mg/kg ketamine, 10 µg/kg alfentanil or 1 ml isotonic saline intranasally. Parental separation status and mask acceptance were assessed preoperatively. Emergence agitation was evaluated using a paediatric anaesthesia emergence delirium (PAED) score.

Results

Data from 78 children were evaluated in the study. There were no significant differences between the groups in demographic characteristics, recovery times or parental separation scores . Mask acceptance was significantly better in the ketamine group than in the saline group . The mean PAED score in the ketamine group was significantly better than in the other two groups, but was similar in the saline and alfentanil groups. The incidence of emergence agitation was 3.8%, 36.0% and 40.7% in the ketamine, alfentanil and saline groups, respectively.

Conclusions

The addition of intranasal ketamine to oral midazolam significantly improved the quality of induction and reduced sevoflurane-induced emergence agitation, in children undergoing urological surgery.
Effects of Parent–Child Relationships on Inmate Behavior
Authors: Benning Carin L. , Lahm Karen F.
Published: September 2014

There is very little current information on the nature and extent of contacts between inmate parents and their children. To fill in this gap, it was the purpose of this study to determine how parental contacts with children, in the form of visits, mail, and telephone calls, affected inmate behavior behind bars. A subsample of more than 6,000 inmate parents from a larger sample of state prison inmates in the United States was analyzed. Results showed that inmates who got visits, both males and females, and mail (female inmates only) were more likely to be written up and/or found guilty of rule violations. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
‘Off-Centering’ in The Satanic Verses and the Book of Ezekiel: Postcolonial Response to Alienation
Authors: Joo Samantha
Published: September 2014

Most, if not all, commentaries and articles on the book of Ezekiel address the issue of the prophet's mental stability. They have attributed his erratic behavior either to actual religious experience, an array of psychological illnesses, or disorders resulting from traumatic experiences. Rather than read his behavior as factual, his characterization in the book may have been part of a literary device to embody the feelings of disjuncture arising from the exilic conditions. Like the novel The Satanic Verses, in which Salman Rushdie fuses elements of fantasy with realism to provide the migrant's ‘off-centering’ perspective, the depiction of Ezekiel's schizophrenic-like experiences may also mirror the feeling of alienation from the Babylonian exile. Just as Rushdie uses Gibreel Farishta's dream sequences to help his character struggle to find his childhood faith, his lost homeland, the author of the book of Ezekiel uses the vision-sequences to help Ezekiel grapple with the loss of the physical Jerusalem. Consequently, by means of attacking the validity of reality while asserting the certainty of the fantastic, both authors attempt to provide an alternative version of history, undercutting the authoritative explanation of the historical events; in the case of Rushdie, Margaret Thatcher's UK immigrant policy, and the author of Ezekiel, the Babylonian interpretation of Marduk's superiority.
Unravelling interactions between salt marsh evolution and sedimentary processes in the Wadden Sea (southeastern North Sea)
Authors: Schuerch Mark , Dolch Tobias , Reise Karsten , Vafeidis Athanasios T.
Published: September 2014

Salt marshes in the Wadden Sea constitute about 20% of all salt marshes along European coasts. They are of immense importance for coastal protection reasons and as habitat for coastal plant, bird, and invertebrate species. The Wadden Sea is a coastal sedimentary ecosystem in the southeastern North Sea. Besides salt marshes, it is composed of tidal flats, high sands, and sandy shoals, dissected by (sub)tidal channels and located behind barrier islands. Accelerated global sea-level rise (SLR) and changes in storm climate have been identified as possible threats for the persistence of the Wadden Sea ecosystem including its salt marshes. Moreover, it is known that the amount and composition of the sediment available for salt marshes are the most important parameters influencing their ability to adapt to current and future SLR. Assessing these parameters requires a thorough understanding of the sedimentary system of the salt marshes and the adjacent tidal basins. In the present review, we investigate and unravel the interactions of sedimentary processes in the Wadden Sea with the processes taking place on the salt marshes. We identify the most crucial processes and interactions influencing the morphological development of salt marshes in the Wadden Sea. A conceptual model is proposed, intended as a framework for improved understanding of salt marsh development and for incorporation into new salt marsh models. The proposed model may also be applicable to regions other than the Wadden Sea.
Features of Digital African American Language in a Social Network Site
Authors: Cunningham Jennifer M.
Published: September 2014

This study examines a social network site (SNS) where specific interlocutors communicate by combining aspects of academic American English (AE), digital language (DL), and African American Language (AAL)—creating a digital form of AAL or digital AAL (DAAL). This article describes the features of DAAL in the discursive, online context of MySpace, by analyzing a corpus of DAAL comments (1,494 instances). The use of SNSs affords a space where AAL exists in written form, serving the function of approximating spoken AAL. More interesting, however, is the function that DAAL serves as a text that is visually distinct from AE, emphasizing the orthographic freedom of DAAL on SNSs. By examining how DL and AAL exist and combine in an SNS environment, this research found DAAL to be a robust form of written communication.
Impact of tannery effluents on the aquatic environment of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Asaduzzaman Mohammad , Hasan Imtiaj , Rajia Sultana , Khan Nazneen , Kabir Kazi Ahmed
Published: September 2014

This study presents an overview of the existence and effects of six heavy metals, chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al), in tannery effluents released to the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The pollutants were found in three different sources, such as effluents from tanneries, contaminated river water and three species of fish—climbing perch ( Anabas testudineus), spotted snakehead ( Channa punctata), and Black tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus) caught from the river. Tannery effluents, water, and fish samples were collected from three different factories, five sample stations, and three different harvesting points, respectively. Effluents from all three factories contained significant amounts of heavy metals, especially Cr (374.19 ppm in average), whereas lesser amounts were found in the tissues of the three fish species studied. The trends in tissue elemental concentrations of fish were Cr > Pb > Al > Hg > Mn > Cd. In most cases (Cr, Cd, Mn, and Al), heavy metal concentrations were found to be greater in climbing perch than in Black tilapia and spotted snakehead. Although the river water contained high concentrations of harmful heavy metals, the fish species under study had concentrations well below the permissible Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization levels for those metals and seemed to be safe for human consumption.
Thymoquinone supplementation ameliorates lead-induced testis function impairment in adult rats
Authors: Mabrouk Aymen , Ben Cheikh Hassen
Published: September 2014

This study was realized to investigate the possible beneficial effect of thymoquinone (TQ), the major active component of volatile oil of Nigella sativa seeds, against lead (Pb)-induced inhibition of rat testicular functions. Adult rats were randomized into four groups: a control group receiving no treatment; a Pb group exposed to 2000 parts per million (ppm) of Pb acetate in drinking water; a Pb-TQ group co-treated with Pb (as in Pb group) plus TQ (5 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)/day, per orally (p.o.)); and a TQ group receiving TQ (5 mg/kg b.w./day, p.o.). All treatments were for 5 weeks. No significant differences were observed for the body weight gain or for relative testes weight among the four groups of animals. Testicular Pb content significantly increased in metal-intoxicated rats compared with that in control rats. TQ supplementation had no effect on this testicular Pb accumulation. Interestingly, when coadministrated with Pb, TQ significantly improved the low plasma testosterone level and the decreased epididymal sperm count caused by Pb. In conclusion, the results suggest, for the first time, that TQ protects against Pb-induced impairment of testicular steroidogenic and spermatogenic functions. This study will open new perspectives for the clinical use of TQ in Pb intoxication.
Le role du genre sur la fréquence de shopping en groupe des adolescents : entre besoin d’individualisation et besoin d’assimilation
Authors: Gentina Elodie , Chandon Jean-Louis
Published: September 2014

Peu de travaux ont étudié les mécanismes identitaires sous-jacents au shopping en groupe durant l’adolescence. Une étude quantitative ( Ntotal = 614) souligne que la fréquence de shopping en groupe répond à une dualité propre à l’adolescence : le besoin d’individualisation (i.e., l’autonomie vis-à-vis de la mère) et le besoin d’assimilation sociale (i.e., la sensibilité aux influences normative et informative des pairs). Nos résultats montrent que ces deux mécanismes sont modérés par le genre : l’autonomie vis-à-vis de la mère est une variable clé du shopping en groupe chez les garçons alors que la sensibilité aux influences normative et informative des pairs est une variable clé chez les filles.
Low Vitamin B12 in Patients on Admission to an Amputation Rehabilitation Unit
Authors: Earl Eric , Wong Renee , Payne Michael W. C.
Published: September 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of low vitamin B12 (VB12) in patients on admission to an amputation rehabilitation unit and identify specific populations at risk. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for 127 participants comprising patients with major lower limb amputations admitted to a regional amputation rehabilitation program between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012. Electronic medical records were reviewed for demographic data, amputation data, medication history, serum VB12 levels, and other related blood work. A literature‐based cutoff of VB12 <260 pmol/L was used as the criterion for low VB12. Results: The prevalence of low VB12 was 59.8%. Patients aged ≥55 years were found to have an increased prevalence of low VB12 (P = .05). Serum VB12 levels were significantly lower among patients aged ≥55 years (P < .05) and among patients with a mean corpuscular volume >97 fL (P < .01). No other differences in prevalence were determined among different demographics, etiologies, or comorbidities. Conclusions: Patients with an amputation have a high prevalence of low VB12 levels compared with the general population. Low VB12 status may impact rehabilitation outcomes through anemia, cognitive decline, and neuropathy. No reliable indicators for which patients should be screened were found, and therefore, a universal approach to screening and treatment is needed.
The Future of Reward Management
Authors: Brown Duncan
Published: September 2014

The author argues that the terminology and concept of “total rewards” is become increasingly meaningless and outdated in our postrecessionary economy of austerity and inequality. Its generic and unthinking application in uniform flexible benefits packages risks isolating the rewards profession into an administrative backwater. Instead he argues for a new approach that he provocatively titles “smart rewards,” following recent thinking and writing in economic and foreign policy on both sides of the Atlantic. He discerns four components of this emerging reward management approach: a simpler and clearer focus on a few core values and principles, a stronger basis in evidence and measurement, more emphasis on employee engagement through rewards and improved and more open communications and line management of reward. Brown concludes that adapting and tailoring this type of approach is much more likely to create the genuinely business-enhancing and employee-engaging reward practices in our contemporary context that reward professionals and their policies aspire to.
Simulating the Effects of the Tax Credit Program of the Michigan Economic Growth Authority on Job Creation and Fiscal Benefits
Authors: Bartik Timothy J. , Erickcek George
Published: September 2014

This article simulates job and fiscal impacts of the Michigan Economic Growth Authority’s tax credit program for job creation, commonly called “MEGA.” Under plausible assumptions about how such credits affect business location decisions, the net costs per job created of the MEGA program are simulated to be of modest size. The job creation impacts of MEGA are simulated to be considerably larger than devoting similar dollar resources to general business tax cuts. The simulation methodology developed here is applicable to incentives in other states.