bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Calcium Deficiency in Bangladesh
Authors: Bromage Sabri , Ahmed Tahmeed , Fawzi Wafaie W.
Published: June 2016

Background:

Bangladesh incurs among the highest prevalence of stunting and micronutrient deficiencies in the world, despite efforts against diarrheal disease, respiratory infections, and protein-energy malnutrition which have led to substantial and continuous reductions in child mortality over the past 35 years. Although programs have generally paid more attention to other micronutrients, the local importance of calcium to health has been less recognized.

Objective:

To synthesize available information on calcium deficiency in Bangladesh in order to inform the design of an effective national calcium program.

Methods:

We searched 3 online databases and a multitude of survey reports to conduct a narrative review of calcium epidemiology in Bangladesh, including population intake, determinants and consequences of deficiency, and tested interventions, with particular reference to young children and women of childbearing age. This was supplemented with secondary analysis of a national household survey in order to map the relative extent of calcium adequacy among different demographics.

Results:

Intake of calcium is low in the general population of Bangladesh, with potentially serious and persistent effects on public health. These effects are especially pertinent to young children and reproductive-age women, by virtue of increased physiologic needs, disproportionately poor access to dietary calcium sources, and a confluence of other local determinants of calcium status in these groups.

Conclusion:

A tablet supplementation program for pregnant women is an appealing approach for the reduction in preeclampsia and preterm birth. Further research is warranted to address the comparative benefit of different promising approaches in children for the prevention of rickets.
Laissez-Colbert
Authors: Randolph Gregory M.
Published: June 2016

The Colbert Report combines comedic entertainment and current events, two pedagogical sources that have the potential to increase student interest in classes and improve student learning. This article offers suggestions on the use of segments from The Colbert Report to teach introductory macroeconomics. Segments are included that relate to comparative advantage, supply and demand, externalities, GDP, unemployment, classical versus Keynesian theory and the Great Depression, fiscal policy and economic stimulus packages, monetary policy and the Federal Reserve, money, taxes, and foreign aid. Guidance is provided regarding the use of the clips in an introductory macroeconomics class.
Why Worry about Evolution? Boundaries, Practices, and Moral Salience in Sunni and Evangelical High Schools
Authors: Guhin Jeffrey
Published: June 2016

Previous work on conservative Protestant creationism fails to account for other creationists who are much less morally invested in opposition to evolution, raising the sociological question: What causes issues’ moral salience? Through ethnographic fieldwork in four creationist high schools in the New York City area (two Sunni Muslim and two conservative Protestant), I argue that evolution is more important to the Christian schools because it is dissonant with their key practices and boundaries. The theory of evolution is salient for American Evangelicals because it is dissonant with reading the Bible literally, which is both their key practice and key boundary. For American Muslims, the key practice is prayer, and the key boundary is gender performance, neither of which is dissonant with evolution. These cases provide evidence for a theory of moral salience that is more cultural and micro-level than the typical political and macro-level studies of issues’ political salience.
Comparative Effects of Computer-Based Concept Maps, Refutational Texts, and Expository Texts on Science Learning
Authors: Adesope Olusola O. , Cavagnetto Andy , Hunsu Nathaniel J. , Anguiano Carlos , Lloyd Joshua
Published: June 2016

This study used a between-subjects experimental design to examine the effects of three different computer-based instructional strategies (concept map, refutation text, and expository scientific text) on science learning. Concept maps are node-link diagrams that show concepts as nodes and relationships among the concepts as labeled links. Refutational texts are designed specifically to elicit common misconceptions that learners typically hold about a particular topic, directly refute the misconceptions, and present scientific explanations as compelling alternatives. Expository scientific texts consist of texts that are written specifically to present correct scientific information. Sixty-seven participants were randomly assigned to study one of three computer-based presentations on climate change. The dependent measures were tests of free recall and transfer. The concept map group significantly outperformed the refutational and scientific text groups on both free recall and transfer tests. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
Introducing a Continuous Measure of Future Self-Continuity
Authors: Kamphorst Bart A. , Nauts Sanne , Blouin-Hudon Eve-Marie
Published: June 2016

This article presents a continuous measure of future self-continuity (FSC-C) designed for use in web-based surveys. It allows researchers to assess on a continuous scale the similarity or connectedness that participants feel in relation to their future selves. The measure has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, where participants can drag one circle over another circle to a certain degree of overlap to indicate closeness of the relation between their present self and their future selves. The measure is highly customizable and is therefore also attractive for researchers in other domains (e.g., to measure Inclusion of Other in the Self). In this regard, the measure is an alternative to that reported by Le, Moss, and Mashek in this journal. This article describes the motivation for the development of the measure as well as how it is constructed.
Robust finite-time line-of-sight angular rate estimation in missile guidance
Authors: He Shaoming , Wang Wei , Wang Jiang
Published: June 2016

This paper documents a robust finite-time line-of-sight angular rate estimation in missile guidance. Through geometric homogeneity and Lyapunov theories, it is shown that the observer estimation errors can converge into a bounded nonzero residual set in finite time and the upper bound can be lowered by parameter tunings. For estimation performance improvement, the sliding mode gains are also determined theoretically. With the help of these gains, it is proved that the observer estimation errors can converge to zero in finite time. Detailed simulation results with some comparisons are performed to validate the proposed formulation.
RBF neural network-based sliding mode vibration control of a flexible cantilever plate using laser displacement measurement
Authors: Qiu Zhi-Cheng , Zhang Si-Ma
Published: June 2016

This paper is concerned with active vibration control of a flexible piezoelectric cantilever plate using a nonlinear radial basis neural network sliding mode control (RBFNN-SMC) algorithm and laser displacement measurement. In order to decouple the low-frequency vibration signals of the bending and torsional modes on measurement, two laser displacement sensors are used. The decoupling method is provided. A hyperbolic tangent function is used instead of the sign function, and the chattering phenomenon is alleviated. Also, the RBFNN is utilized to adjust the switching control gain adaptively to balance the chattering phenomenon and the control effect. The controllers for bending and torsional modes are designed independently. Experimental setup of the flexible piezoelectric cantilever plate with two laser displacement sensors is constructed. Experiments on vibration measurement and control are conducted by using the decoupling method and the designed controller, compared with the classical proportional and derivative (PD) control algorithm. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can decouple the low-frequency bending and torsional vibration signals on measurement. Furthermore, the designed nonlinear RBFNN-SMC can suppress both the bending and torsional vibrations more quickly than the traditional linear PD controller, especially for the small amplitude residual vibration.
Subject vs. functional: Should subject librarians be replaced by functional specialists in academic libraries?
Authors: Hoodless Catherine , Pinfield Stephen
Published: June 2016

This paper focuses on the move by some academic libraries to replace subject-based organisational structures with new functional structures, introducing functional specialists instead of subject librarians. It reports 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior managers in UK libraries discussing their attitudes to this change. Key drivers for change included the desire to align the library more closely with institutional strategy and provide enhanced research support. However, there were also major concerns, particularly the loss of close relationships with academic departments. Little consensus emerged apart from agreement that this is a major current debate impacting significantly on the future positioning of libraries in their institutions.
SLE: the changing prognosis
Authors: Ugarte A , Ruiz-Irastorza G
Published: June 2016

Throughout the 20th century, a remarkable improvement in the prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been seen, mostly due to a better understanding of the disease and the advent of new therapies. However, a plateau seems to have been reached. Whilst outcomes related to active disease have greatly improved, damage accrual tends to be slowly increasing especially damage secondary to high-dose glucocorticoids, which could lead not only to increased morbidity but also to a worse long-term prognosis. Cardiovascular disease and infections still account for the majority of deaths yet both could potentially be improved, again, by the use of high-dose glucocorticoids. In addition, antimalarials have also demonstrated many beneficial effects on patients with lupus. Thus, the universal use of hydroxychloroquine, a more rational prescription of glucocorticoids and preventive strategies for cardiovascular disease can be used as measures with major impacts on the future prognosis of patients with SLE.
Drivers of Employee Engagement: The Role of Leadership Style
Authors: Popli Sapna , Rizvi Irfan A.
Published: June 2016

The primary objective of this research article is to study the drivers of employee engagement especially the influence of leadership style. The article has used a multi-cross-sectional descriptive design. The empirical study is based on the data collected from 340 front-line employees from five organizations across the service sector in the Delhi—National Capital Region (NCR). The results from this study reveal significant relationships between leadership styles and employee engagement. A moderating influence of age and education was also found in the relationship between leadership styles and employee engagement. The study highlights the importance and the significant role of employee engagement and the role leadership styles play in developing a culture of engagement. Appropriate leadership styles and human resource (HR) practices that drive engagement need to be fostered in organizations to drive performance. The instruments used for the study are Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X Short Rater Form) for leadership style and E3 (Development Dimensions International [DDI]) to capture employee engagement.
Measuring Intellectual Capital and Its Impact on Financial Performance: Empirical Evidence from CNX Nifty Companies
Authors: Tandon Kamini , Purohit Harsh , Tandon Deepak
Published: June 2016

During the recent years, value of financial assets has grown exponentially when compared to physical assets indicating that intangibles are growing in importance in their contribution to economic growth. The evidence in support of this phenomenon can be found in the increasing gap between market and book valuation of firms. The present study attempts to measure the intellectual capital (IC) of publicly listed firms in India and empirically examine the relationship among IC, financial performance and market valuation of these firms. Value creation efficiency of the firms listed on CNX Nifty over the period ranging from 2004–2005 to 2013–2014 has been estimated using Pulic’s Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC). It was observed that firms operating in sectors such as financial services, mining and energy had the highest VAIC scores. Further, there was a positive association between VAIC and all the measures of financial performance—profitability, productivity and market valuations. Efficiency of physical capital employed had a significant positive relation with profitability, market valuation as well as productivity. Human capital efficiency was found to have a strong positive association with profitability, while structural capital efficiency did not have any significant impact on any of the measures of financial performance.
Framing Disability in the Indian News Media: A Political Economy Analysis of Representation
Authors: Bendukurthi Nookaraju , Raman Usha
Published: June 2016

This article argues that the amount and nature of disability representation in English and Telugu news media directly and indirectly serves neo-liberal objectives. Disability construction in the Indian print news media may be construed as a product of the political economy of representation. News articles present disabled people as having ‘use value’ in society, ready to be offered for ‘exchange value’ in the market. These insights are derived from a close reading of news articles using framing analysis, which allowed us to explore the underlying political economy of disability coverage in mainstream news. This article situates the symbiotic economic relations established through the media’s consciously placed disability representation within the existing discourses related to disability. It also attempts to reevaluate the available themes on disability and media representation with a view to uncovering the implied meanings of political economy recurrent in print news in India.
Journey and rest: Hebrews, pilgrimage, and the work of theological education
Authors: Winter Sean
Published: June 2016

This article explores the relationship between the motifs of ‘journey’ and ‘rest’ in Hebrews with a view to highlighting the importance and characteristic features of the text’s vision of theological education. The importance of παιδɛία in Hebrews is affirmed, and contrasted with the related but distinct perspective of the Gospel of Truth. The article concludes by highlighting five features of Hebrews that are suggestive of continuing priorities in the work of theological education today.
Elastoplastic damage micromechanics for continuous fiber-reinforced ductile matrix composites with progressive fiber breakage
Authors: Wu Y , Ju JW
Published: June 2016

An elastoplastic damage micromechanical framework considering evolutionary fiber breakage is proposed to predict the overall material behaviors of continuous fiber-reinforced composites with ductile matrix under external loading. In the present work, we assume that the overall nonlinear behavior of a composite is primarily attributed to the plastic deformation in the matrix as well as the damage evolution due to fiber breakage. The effective elastoplastic deformations are governed by means of the effective yield surface derived from a representative microstructure with elastic fibers embedded in an elastoplastic matrix material. The matrix behaves elastically or plastically depending on the local stress, and the effective elastoplastic deformation obeys the associative plastic flow rule and isotropic hardening law. In addition, taking advantage of the eigenstrain due to fiber breakage together with a Weibull statistic model, the evolutionary fiber breakage mechanism is effectively predicted. Finally, the overall elastoplastic stress–strain responses are reached under the framework of micromechanics and damage mechanics. Comparisons between the proposed theoretical predictions and experimental data are performed to illustrate the capability of the proposed framework. In particular, the proposed model is employed to investigate the overall uniaxial and axisymmetric elastoplastic stress–strain responses of the continuous fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites. Studies of the initial yield surfaces at various damage levels are conducted as well.
Efficacy of High-Intensity Atorvastatin for Asian Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Liu Zhi , Joerg Herrmann , Hao Hengjian , Xu Ji , Hu Shaodong , Li Boyu , Sang Cheng , Xia Jinggang , Chu Yanyan , Xu Dong
Published: June 2016

Background: Statins have proven cardioprotective effects, but higher doses are accompanied by various concerns and may not lead to superior clinical outcomes in Chinese/Asian populations. Objective: We designed a trial to test the efficacy of high-intensity statin therapy for the reduction of periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI) and 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs, including cardiovascular death, spontaneous MI, unplanned revascularization) in an Asian population. Methods: A total of 798 Chinese patients with stable angina or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were randomized to high-intensity atorvastatin (80 mg/d before percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] and 40 mg/d thereafter for 1 year, n = 400) or moderate-intensity atorvastatin (20 mg/d for 1 year, n = 398). The primary end point was 1-year incidence of MACEs. Result: In patients with stable angina, 1-year MACE rates were not significantly different between moderate- and high-intensity groups (7.6% vs 5.7%, P = 0.53). In contrast, in patients with ACS, the 1-year MACE rate was significantly higher in the moderate- than in the high-intensity atorvastatin group (16.8% vs 10.1%, P = 0.021; adjusted hazard ratio = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.08 to 2.77, P = 0.021). Conclusions: Whereas stable angina patients derive similar benefit from moderate- and high-intensity atorvastatin therapy over the duration of 1 year after PCI, high-intensity statin therapy is superior in ACS patients.
Visualization of Grossly Undetectable Breast Tumors by Refixation in Lymph Node Revealing Solution
Authors: Bubis Golan , Rath-Wolfson Lea , Schwartz Ariel , Girich Sasha , Koren Rumelia
Published: June 2016

Introduction. Breast lesions might be missed by the traditional method of inspection, palpation, and sectioning of the specimen. Lymph node revealing solution (LNRS) was first introduced by us as a fixative that enhances the retrieval of lymph nodes in breast carcinoma and other malignancies. This is a preliminary report of our experience with the use of LNRS in order to visualize malignant breast tumors that were not detected by the traditional method. Material and Methods. Eight post–chemoradiation-treated tumors, 6 relumpectomy specimens, and 1 post mammotome lumpectomy with no grossly detectable residual tumor and 2 mastectomy specimens with multifocal tumors which were missed by the first inspection were postfixed in LNRS for 24 hours and sectioned. Results. In some of the cases, small tumors up to 0.5 cm were visualized as white gray lesions. Carcinoma has been confirmed by histopathologic examination and the final diagnosis had to be changed. Conclusion. Postfixation in LNRS enhances the visualization of grossly undetectable breast lesions and it is worthwhile to use it in problematic cases in order to arrive at a more accurate diagnosis.
The Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Stalking Risk Profile
Authors: McEwan Troy E. , Shea Daniel E. , Daffern Michael , MacKenzie Rachel D. , Ogloff James R. P. , Mullen Paul E.
Published: June 2016

This study assessed the reliability and validity of the Stalking Risk Profile (SRP), a structured measure for assessing stalking risks. The SRP was administered at the point of assessment or retrospectively from file review for 241 adult stalkers (91% male) referred to a community-based forensic mental health service. Interrater reliability was high for stalker type, and moderate-to-substantial for risk judgments and domain scores. Evidence for predictive validity and discrimination between stalking recidivists and nonrecidivists for risk judgments depended on follow-up duration. Discrimination was moderate (area under the curve = 0.66-0.68) and positive and negative predictive values good over the full follow-up period ( Mdn = 170.43 weeks). At 6 months, discrimination was better than chance only for judgments related to stalking of new victims (area under the curve = 0.75); however, high-risk stalkers still reoffended against their original victim(s) 2 to 4 times as often as low-risk stalkers. Implications for the clinical utility and refinement of the SRP are discussed.
The Basal Ganglia in Action
Authors: Yin Henry H.
Published: June 2016

The basal ganglia (BG) are the major subcortical nuclei in the brain. Disorders implicating the BG are characterized by diverse symptoms, but it remains unclear what these symptoms have in common or how they can be explained by changes in the BG circuits. This review summarizes recent findings that not only question traditional assumptions about the role of the BG in movement but also elucidate general computations performed by these circuits. To explain these findings, a new conceptual framework is introduced for understanding the role of the BG in behavior. According to this framework, the cortico-BG networks implement transition control in an extended hierarchy of closed loop negative feedback control systems. The transition control model provides a solution to the posture/movement problem, by postulating that BG outputs send descending signals to alter the reference states of downstream position control systems for orientation and body configuration. It also explains major neurological symptoms associated with BG pathology as a result of changes in system parameters such as multiplicative gain and damping.
Integrated Case Management: Does It Reduce Health Service Disparities Across African American and White Medicaid Beneficiaries?
Authors: Bazzoli Gloria J. , Carcaise-Edinboro Patricia , Sabik Lindsay M. , Chandan Priya , Harpe Spencer
Published: June 2016

Evidence of persistent racial and ethnic disparities in health service use is substantial. Even among Medicaid beneficiaries, minority individuals may have lower use of specific health services relative to Whites due to varying degrees of trust in the health system, beliefs about the usefulness of medical treatment, provider stereotyping, or geographic service availability. Prior research demonstrated that a Florida Medicaid disease management program led to reductions in service disparities between Whites and African Americans. We study a Medicaid Integrated Case Management program implemented in Virginia, which shares disease management program objectives but can be applied to a broader range of patients. Two versions of the program are assessed, the latter of which incorporated more patient-focused and targeted approaches in identifying client needs and structuring patient interaction. Both versions of the program were associated with reductions in disparities, especially for physician services and when more targeted, patient-centered approaches were adopted.
Evolution of ramucirumab in the treatment of cancer – A review of literature
Authors: Vennepureddy A , Singh P , Rastogi R , Atallah JP , Terjanian T
Published: June 2016

Ramucirumab is a recombinant human monoclonal antibody and is used in the treatment of advanced malignancies. Its mechanism of action is by inhibiting angiogenesis in tumor cells by targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it initially in 2014 for the treatment of advanced gastric or gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma and metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma. It was approved by FDA in 2015 for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. This manuscript consolidates pre-clinical trials to phase I, II, and III trial data indicating the effects of ramucirumab on different cancer types, which led to its approval. By comparing these clinical trials alongside each other, we can more easily examine the studies that have already been completed, along with currently ongoing studies and potential further areas of interest for this newly approved treatment. This approach makes it convenient to compare dosages, overall survival, adverse events, as well as possible routes for combination therapy with ramucirumab. By compiling results for various oncological malignancies, we can differentiate between treatments that are effective and have the highest incidence of stable disease, and those that do not seem promising. Ramucirumab has been effective in the treatment of various carcinomas and this article outlines other tumors in which this treatment option may be successful.
Intravenous Administration of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Aggravates High-Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Sprague Dawley Rats
Authors: Xu Yu-Ying , Ge Juan , Zhang Mo-Han , Sun Wen-Jie , Zhang Jun , Yu Pei-Lin , Zheng Yi-Fan , Yang Jun , Zhu Xin-Qiang
Published: June 2016

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been explored in pharmaceutical applications such as tumor targeting and delivery of drugs, in which MWCNTs are given through intravenous injection. However, the biosafety of MWCNTs is of concern for such application. Therefore, in the current study, we used a fatty liver model to investigate the possible toxicity of MWCNTs to the liver, as MWCNTs were retained mainly in the liver of mice after intravenous injection. Male Sprague Dawley rats were used to generate the fatty liver model, and the effects of intravenous administration of MWCNTs on fatty liver were studied. Hematoxylin and eosin staining for hepatocellular anatomy and Masson trichrome staining for hepatic fibrosis were conducted. Histologically, MWCNTs aggravated steatohepatitis with higher nonalcoholic fatty liver disease scores. Analysis of liver injury markers indicated that MWCNTs administration resulted in chronic hepatitis, along with increased liver fat and altered liver oxidation, including the increase of P6 protein and the depletion of glutathione. In conclusion, our results suggest that MWCNTs can aggravate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in Sprague Dawley rats, and oxidative injury may be involved in this process.
A Safety Evaluation of a Nature-Identical l-Ergothioneine in Sprague Dawley Rats
Authors: Marone Palma Ann , Trampota Jan , Weisman Steven
Published: June 2016

l-(+) Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring thiol amino acid with antioxidant properties and potential benefits as a dietary supplement. Despite its century-old identification and wide distribution in human food, little is known of its mechanism of action and safety. The nature-identical biomimetic of l-(+) ergothioneine, produced by Mironova Labs and supplied as Mironova (EGT+), has been investigated in the present studies for its mutagenic and toxicologic potential. In a plate incorporation and preincubation assay with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, 100, 1,535, and 1,537 and Escherichia coli WP2uvrA strain, at dose concentrations of 1.58, 5, 15.8, 50, 158, 500, 1,580, and 5,000 μg/plate with and without metabolic activation, no cytotoxicity or mutagenicity was observed. Following a preliminary 28-day study, a repeated dose 90-day gavage study at dose levels of 0, 400, 800, and 1,600 mg/kg body weight (bw)/d in Sprague Dawley rats, in which dose-proportional systemic absorption was confirmed by plasma analysis, no adverse clinical, body weight/gain, food consumption and efficiency, clinical pathology, or histopathological changes associated with the administration of the nature-identical ergothioneine were observed. In conclusion, EGT+ administered over 90 days was well tolerated with a no adverse effect level at 1,600 mg/kg bw/d, the highest dose tested for male and female rats. In addition, the nature-identical test substance, EGT+ was not mutagenic in a bacterial reverse mutation assay at plate concentrations of up to 5,000 μg/mL in the presence or absence of metabolic activation.
Systolic blood pressure, routine kidney variables and renal ultrasonographic findings in cats naturally infected with feline immunodeficiency virus
Authors: Taffin Elien RL , Paepe Dominique , Ghys Liesbeth FE , De Roover Katrien , Van de Maele Isabel , Saunders Jimmy H , Duchateau Luc , Daminet Sylvie
Published: June 2016

Objectives

Hypertension is a common cause of proteinuria in HIV-infected people. In cats, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection appears to be associated with proteinuria. Therefore, the results from systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurements in naturally infected FIV-positive cats were reviewed to assess whether hypertension contributes to the observed proteinuria in these cats. Ultrasonographic findings in FIV-positive cats were reviewed to complete renal assessment and to extend the scant knowledge on renal ultrasonography in cats.

Methods

Data from client-owned, naturally infected FIV-positive cats were retrospectively reviewed. To obtain a control group, records were reviewed from age-matched, privately owned, FIV-negative cats.

Results

Data from 91 FIV-infected and 113 control cats were compared. FIV-infected cats showed a significantly lower SBP ( P <0.0001) and significantly fewer FIV-infected cats were hypertensive (⩾160 mmHg) compared with control cats ( P = 0.025). The prevalence of renal azotaemia did not significantly differ between groups, although FIV-infected cats had significantly lower urine specific gravity (USG) ( P = 0.0273) and a higher incidence of USG below 1.035 ( P = 0.043). Urinary protein:creatinine ratio (UPC) was significantly higher in FIV-infected cats ( P = 0.0005) and proteinuria (UPC >0.4) occurred more frequently in FIV-infected cats ( P <0.001). Renal ultrasonography showed abnormalities in 60/91 FIV-infected cats, with hyperechogenic cortices in 39/91 and enlarged kidneys in 31/91.

Conclusions and relevance

Hypertension can be excluded as a common cause of renal damage leading to proteinuria in FIV-infected cats. Proteinuria and poorly concentrated urine are common in naturally infected FIV-positive cats, in contrast to azotaemia. Clinicians should cautiously interpret ultrasonographic abnormalities as these occur in over half of FIV-infected cats.
Chlorhexidine Bathing Effects on Health-Care-Associated Infections
Authors: Denny Janette , Munro Cindy L.
Published: June 2016

Background:

Health-care-associated infections (HAIs), infections that patients contract during the course of their hospitalization, are receiving a growing amount of attention. Heavy skin bacterial colonization aids in the transmission and development of HAIs. Nurses frequently use bathing with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) to reduce patients’ cutaneous microbial burden. This intervention has been shown to have promising but mixed results in the prevention of HAIs.

Purpose:

This article reviews the literature for evidence on the impact of CHG bathing on HAIs.

Method:

A literature search was conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies and meta-analyses that examined the impact of CHG bathing on HAIs using PubMed and CINAHL with the following search terms: CHG bathing AND healthcare associated infections, surgical site infections ( SSIs), central line associated bloodstream infections ( CLABSIs), ventilator-associated pneumonias ( VAP), catheter-associated urinary-tract infections ( CAUTIs), and Clostridium difficile-associated disease. The initial search identified 23 articles for review. Additional studies were identified by searching references used in original studies or review articles on this topic.

Principle findings:

There is good evidence to support incorporating a CHG bathing regimen to reduce the incidence of CLABSIs, SSIs, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) HAIs.

Conclusion:

As CHG becomes a standard practice to prevent HAIs, it is important to monitor for adverse reactions and evidence of resistance/susceptibility.
Changing the subject: putting labour into public relations research
Authors: Keating Maree
Published: June 2016

In this article, I argue for a public relations research agenda which places new divisions of labour and worker subjectivities at the centre. While communication technology may be facilitating greater work flexibility, research is needed into how work processes interact with broader inequality regimes, producing new discourses and possibilities for resistance among public relations practitioners. I discuss the benefits of sociological frameworks which position work as a central organising process through which power relations are constructed and maintained. I then propose that Bourdieu’s theory of habitus complements Glucksmann’s ‘Total Social Organisation of Labour’ (TSOL) framework, combining a focus on power relations within a field with a feminist analysis of new divisions and processes of labour. After briefly discussing cultural and public relations scholarship which problematises work from a critical perspective, I conclude by framing a critical feminist public relations research agenda on labour, which utilises Bourdieuvian theory and Glucksmann’s TSOL.
Sex differences and subclinical retinal injury in pediatric-onset MS
Authors: Graves Jennifer S , Chohan Hardeep , Cedars Benjamin , Arnow Samuel , Yiu Hao , Waubant Emmanuelle , Green Ari
Published: June 2016

Objective:

To assess retinal ganglion cell (RGC) injury and sex differences in axon loss in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional evaluation of consecutive pediatric MS subjects and controls. Eyes with acute optic neuritis (ON) within 6 months of visit were excluded. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) included peripapillary ring and macular scans with post-acquisition segmentation of retinal layers using automated software (Heidelberg v1.8.6.0). Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) measured associations of sex, history of ON, disease duration, and age with OCT outcomes.

Results:

In all, 53 MS subjects (100 eyes, median disease duration = 1.0 years, interquartile range (IQR) = 0.3, 2.5) were compared to 19 control subjects (38 eyes). Eyes with history of ON showed reduced retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL: −26.8 µm, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −38.9, −14.8, p < 0.001) and 26% lower ganglion cell layer (GCL) volumes (−0.12 mm3, 95% CI = −0.16, −0.072, p < 0.001) compared to control eyes. Non-ON MS eyes had lower temporal RNFL (−11.9 µm, 95% CI = −18.6, −5.3, p < 0.001) and GCL volumes (−0.036 mm3, 95% CI = −0.06, −0.011, p = 0.004) than control eyes. In MS eyes, males versus females had lower global RNFL (−9.4 µm, 95% CI = −17.4, −1.33, p = 0.022) and in ON eyes had lower temporal quadrant RNFL (−9.6 µm, 95% CI = −15.1, −4.15, p = 0.001).

Conclusion:

Subclinical retinal injury occurs in pediatric-onset MS patients without a history of ON. As in adult-onset MS, substantial GCL thinning is present in eyes with prior ON. Finally, greater retinal axonal injury occurs in boys compared to girls.
Influence of a training programme on a preservice teacher’s ability to promote moral and sporting behaviour in sport education
Authors: Schwamberger Benjamin , Curtner-Smith Matthew
Published: June 2016

Sport education (SE) has been touted as a model particularly conducive to realizing affective objectives. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the influence of a training programme on one preservice physical education (PE) teacher’s ability to promote moral and sporting behaviour in SE. The participants in the study were the teacher, Alex, and the 75 middle school students he taught within two 20-lesson SE Ultimate Frisbee seasons. The theories of structural development and social learning guided data collection and analysis. Data were collected with nine qualitative methods and reduced to themes by employing analytic induction and constant comparison. Many of the students in the study had been socialized into norms of sporting participation that were mostly negative and believed that it was acceptable to behave in an unfair and unsporting manner. During the course of the two seasons, Alex managed to get many of them to question this thinking and to engage in positive sporting behaviours. That he did not change the thinking or behaviours of some highly skilled students, and that the behaviours of other students of similar skill level regressed once the seasons became more competitive, illustrated how powerful the negative influences of the institution of organized youth and school sport can be.
Socio-economic risk factors for preterm birth in Norway 1999–2009
Authors: Oftedal Anne-Marie , Busterud Kari , Irgens Lorentz M. , Haug Kjell , Rasmussen Svein
Published: June 2016

Aims: Preterm birth is a major cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity and is strongly associated with socio-economic factors. The objective of this study was to examine the associations of maternal education, marital status and ethnicity with preterm birth and to determine the extent to which such associations can be explained by the established risk factors of maternal age, parity and smoking. Methods: This was a register-based cohort study with data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway 1999–2009 and Statistics Norway. The sample included all singleton spontaneous births in Norway from 1999 to 2009 ( n=494,073). The main outcome measure was preterm birth (gestational age <37 weeks). Results: Low maternal education and single motherhood were associated with preterm birth. After adjustment for the established risk factors, the excess risks were reduced, but remained statistically significant. The relative risk for low education was reduced from 1.50 to 1.36 and for single motherhood from 1.50 to 1.28. Women from Asia had a higher risk of preterm birth than Norwegian-born women (relative risk 1.29) with minor effects of adjustment. Conclusions: Several socio-economic risk factors are associated with preterm birth in Norway. In addition to the established risk factors, prenatal health care should focus on high-risk groups defined by maternal education, marital status and ethnicity.
A disposition of risk: Climbing practice, reflexive modernity and the habitus
Authors: Bunn Matthew
Published: June 2016

The paper utilizes climbing practice to examine how risk societies generate risk consciousness in agents. It critiques the cognitive basis of reflexivity, particularly in Beck’s work, and seeks an alternative rooted in embodied practice. Sweetman’s ‘reflexive habitus’ serves as a starting point to synthesize a relationship between Ulrich Beck’s risk society and Bourdieu’s theory of practice. However, it is argued that both Sweetman and Beck overstate the shift reflexive modernity implies. Instead, the article focuses on Bourdieu’s account of ‘regulated improvisation’ to argue that, as fields become more ambiguous, agents must make use of improvisation to match their subjective capacities with objective possibilities. For climbers, this involves a slow development of the perceptual basis for climbing risks. This allows risk to become perceptively controllable, whereby climbers can manage the basis of the risks they take through a host of options, including the length, remoteness and severity of a climbing route.
Examining the roles of mobile and social media in political participation: A cross-national analysis of three Asian societies using a communication mediation approach
Authors: Chan Michael , Chen Hsuan-Ting , Lee Francis L. F.
Published: June 2016

The Asia-Pacific constitutes the fastest growing region in mobile and social media penetration. Yet, the political implications of the technologies are not fully understood. Using probability samples of university students in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China, this study examines the roles of mobile and social media news in offline and online political participation. Consistent with the O-S-R-O-R model (Orientations–Stimulus–Reasoning–Orientations–Response), which derives from communication and cognitive mediation models explaining the relationship between media use and political participation, all three samples demonstrated indirect relationships between mobile/social media use and political participation through interpersonal political discussion and political efficacy. The study contributes to theory building by demonstrating the external validity of the O-S-R-O-R model across different political systems.
Somali piracy prisoners and biopolitical penal aid in East Africa
Authors: Gilmer Brittany V
Published: June 2016

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has elicited a growing body of interdisciplinary research. Much of this research focuses on identifying the root causes of piracy, analyzing onshore and offshore responses, or evaluating various rule-of-law approaches; no study has yet to examine how Somali piracy has impacted prisons. Drawing upon ethnographic research, this article explores how UNODC counter piracy funding is reshaping the carceral spaces of East Africa. I examine how the need to secure and develop Somali piracy prisoners in regional prisons has created a bodies-for-aid penal market in East Africa. Large aid packages are awarded to prisons that agree to accept suspected Somali pirates and ensure the support, maintenance, and enhancement of the lives of Somali piracy prisoners. I theorize a new form of penal aid— biopolitical penal aid—linking prison development funding to the containment of specific prisoner populations. Using the Montagne Posée Prison in the Seychelles as a case study, I explore how biopolitical penal aid is reshaping prison spaces and practices to tease out underlying tensions between international and regional security projects, how these projects are negotiated and appropriated at different scales, and how they are being experienced by staff and Somali piracy prisoners.
Making sense of age-group justice
Authors: Bidadanure Juliana
Published: June 2016

This article brings together two debates in contemporary political philosophy: on the one hand, the dispute between the distributive and relational approaches to equality and, on the other hand, the field of intergenerational equality. I offer an original contribution to the second domain and by doing so, I inform the first. The aim of this article is thus twofold: (1) shedding some light on an under-researched and yet crucial question – ‘which inequalities between generations matter?’ and (2) contributing to a far-reaching debate that touches upon the nature of egalitarianism. After showing that there are two key problems that fall within the scope of intergenerational equality – questions of justice between age groups and questions of equality between birth cohorts – I argue that, contrary to what the default distributive view (complete lives egalitarianism) states, some inequalities between age groups matter independently of their diachronic impact, and so partly for relational reasons. I argue that, even if we are distributive egalitarians, we must endorse the relational egalitarian conception to successfully make sense of some inequalities between age groups. I infer from this both that the putative view that the ‘relational’ conception of equality can be redescribed as distributive must be rejected and that the distributive view requires supplementation (but not necessarily displacement) by the relational view.
Explanatory models and openness about dementia in migrant communities: A qualitative study among female family carers
Authors: van Wezel Nienke , Francke Anneke L , Kayan Acun Emine , Devillé Walter LJM , van Grondelle Nies J , Blom Marco M
Published: June 2016

Background

The prevalence of dementia is increasing among people with a Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese-Creole background. Because informal care is very important in these communities, it is pertinent to see what explanations female family carers have for dementia and whether they can discuss dementia openly within the community and the family.

Method

Forty-one individual interviews and six focus group interviews ( n = 28) were held with female Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese Creole family carers who are looking after a close relative with dementia, and who live in The Netherlands. Qualitative analysis has been carried out, supported by the software MaxQda.

Results

The dominant explanations of dementia given by the female family carers interviewed are in line with what Downs et al. describe as the explanatory models ‘dementia as a normal ageing process’ and ‘dementia as a spiritual experience’. In addition, some female family carers gave explanations that were about an interplay between various factors. Turkish and Moroccan informal caregivers ascribe the causes of dementia relatively often to life events or personality traits, whereas Surinamese Creole caregivers frequently mention physical aspects, such as past dehydration. However, the explanatory model ‘dementia as a neuropsychiatric condition', which is dominant in Western cultures, was rarely expressed by the informal caregivers. The female family carers generally talked openly about the dementia with their close family, whereas particularly in the Turkish and Moroccan communities open communication within the broader communities was often hampered, e.g. by feelings of shame.

Conclusions

Female family carers of Turkish, Moroccan or Surinamese Creole backgrounds often consider dementia as a natural consequence of ageing, as a spiritual experience, and/or as an interplay between various factors. They feel they can talk openly about dementia within their close family, while outside the close family this is often more difficult.
The power brokers of neoliberalism: Philanthrocapitalists and public education
Authors: Baltodano Marta P
Published: June 2016

Since the 1970s business groups have staged the control of education, first in the form of partnerships with schools and universities to support science, math, and technology, and more recently in the form of venture philanthropy. This article examines how these business groups, including the “billionaire boys club” and their mega foundations, have become the power brokers of neoliberalism and have gained influential control over educational policies and other cultural spaces in the United States. Using the strategies of institutional capitalism, these venture philanthropies are using public money to lobby legislators and school districts to enact school choice friendly legislation, expand the proliferation of charter schools, and negatively shape social perceptions about public education.
Cognitive Reserve in Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Colangeli Stefano , Boccia Maddalena , Verde Paola , Guariglia Paola , Bianchini Filippo , Piccardi Laura
Published: June 2016

Cognitive reserve (CR) has been defined as the ability to optimize or maximize performance through differential recruitment of brain networks. In the present study, we aimed at providing evidence for a consistent brain network underpinning CR in healthy and pathological aging. To pursue this aim, we performed a coordinate-based meta-analysis of 17 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies on CR proxies in healthy aging, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We found that different brain areas were associated with CR proxies in healthy and pathological aging. A wide network of areas, including medial and lateral frontal areas, that is, anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as well as precuneus, was associated with proxies of CR in healthy elderly patients. The CR proxies in patients with AD and amnesic-MCI were associated with activation in the anterior cingulate cortex. These results were discussed hypothesizing the existence of possible compensatory mechanisms in healthy and pathological aging.