bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Clinical Study of Autologous Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells for Cerebral Palsy Patients: A New Frontier
Authors: Sharma Alok , Sane Hemangi , Gokulchandran Nandini , Kulkarni Pooja , Gandhi Sushant , Sundaram Jyothi , Paranjape Amruta , Shetty Akshata , Bhagwanani Khushboo , Biju Hema , Badhe Prerna
Published: February 2015

Cerebral palsy is a nonprogressive heterogeneous group of neurological disorders with a growing rate of prevalence. Recently, cellular therapy is emerging as a potential novel treatment strategy for cerebral palsy. The various mechanisms by which cellular therapy works include neuroprotection, immunomodulation, neurorestoration, and neurogenesis. We conducted an open label, nonrandomized study on 40 cases of cerebral palsy with an aim of evaluating the benefit of cellular therapy in combination with rehabilitation. These cases were administered autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells intrathecally. The follow-up was carried out at 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months after the intervention. Adverse events of the treatment were also monitored in this duration. Overall, at six months, 95% of patients showed improvements. The study population was further divided into diplegic, quadriplegic, and miscellaneous group of cerebral palsy. On statistical analysis, a significant association was established between the symptomatic improvements and cell therapy in diplegic and quadriplegic cerebral palsy. PET-CT scan done in 6 patients showed metabolic improvements in areas of the brain correlating to clinical improvements. The results of this study demonstrate that cellular therapy may accelerate the development, reduce disability, and improve the quality of life of patients with cerebral palsy.
Preliminary Evidence for a Compromised T-Cell Compartment in Maltreated Children with Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Bielas Hannes , Jud Andreas , Lips Ulrich , Reichenbach Janine , Wieser Iris , Landolt Markus A.
Published: February 2015

Objective: Adverse childhood experiences, such as maltreatment, and affective disorders are associated with a proinflammatory state and/or variably compromised counts in lymphocyte subsets in adults. Animal models of social stress indicate that recent thymic emigrant cells (RTE), which maintain the T-cell compartment, are affected. Methods: In this study, we examined the association between lymphocyte subsets, and depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among 16 maltreated children (aged 6-17 years) 1-3 years after the intervention by the Child Protection Team and among 14 healthy age-matched controls. The participants completed psychological assessment and had blood drawn for fluorescent-activated cell sorting analysis. Results: Among maltreated children and adolescents, depression was associated with lower counts of RTEs and T-helper cells after controlling for age. We found additional trends and large effect sizes with regard to the percentages of these cells, as well as for related lymphocyte subsets. Similar effects were found for PTSD, i.e. lower counts of naïve T cells, which was also supported by a trend for their percentage. Compared to controls, maltreated participants with a clinical level of depression had decreased percentages of RTEs, with a similar trend for PTSD. Conclusion: Limited by the nature of a pilot study and the small sample size, these preliminary findings of a compromised T-cell compartment related to psychiatric symptoms in maltreated children and adolescents need to be further studied; particularly the role of RTEs needs further evaluation.
The Influence of Positioning and Muscle Activity on Motor Threshold during Motor Cortex Stimulation Programming
Authors: Chang Stephano , Ranjan Manish , Slotty Philipp J. , Honey Christopher R.
Published: February 2015

Background: Stimulation parameters are crucial for the efficacy and safety of motor cortex stimulation (MCS). Motor threshold (MT) can be defined as the lowest voltage that produces motor contraction. The final stimulation parameters are always a smaller percentage of MT in order to avoid seizures. We determined how patient position and activity affect MT. Methods: Prospective MT measurements were made while patients were either lying down or sitting up, and in a resting state or while actively contracting the target muscle. Paired 1-tailed t tests were performed to assess for statistically significant differences between MT measurements made under the 4 different combinations of position and activity. Results: The MT was lower when the target muscle was being actively contracted compared to resting in both supine and upright positions (both p < 0.001). The MT was also lower when upright compared to supine in both resting and active states of muscle contraction (both p < 0.001). The mean difference between supine resting and upright active states is 0.79 V. Conclusion: When selecting final stimulation parameters for MCS, clinicians should be aware that the lowest MT is elicited while patients are seated upright and actively contracting the target muscle. Using this method of determining the MT when calculating the final stimulation parameters could reduce the chance of MCS-induced seizures.
Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Trigeminal Neuralgia Caused by a Developmental Venous Anomaly
Authors: Harrison Gillian , Lunsford L. Dade , Monaco III Edward A.
Published: February 2015

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is mostly caused by vascular compression of the nerve's root entry zone due to an ectatic artery. Rarer causes include compression from tumors, vascular malformations or multiple sclerosis plaques. Developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) are benign, aberrantly appearing venous structures that drain normal cerebral tissue. DVAs are a rare etiology of TN. The management of TN caused by a DVA is controversial as disruption of the DVA can be catastrophic. Methods: We report a case of a young man with severe medically refractory TN related to a brachium pontis DVA who was successfully treated by gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSR) to the trigeminal nerve. Results: Within 2 weeks of GKSR, the patient reported experiencing 60% pain relief; 5 years postoperatively, he remains completely pain free with some mild sensory loss in the V2 and V3 areas. Conclusions: GKSR has an established role in the management of TN. This is the first reported case of using GKSR to treat TN caused by a DVA. In the setting of a DVA, GKSR should be an initial consideration for TN therapy after medical failure because of the high surgical risk related to disrupting the DVA.
Disease Duration Did Not Influence the Rates of Loss of Efficacy of the Anti-TNF Therapy in Latin American Crohn's Disease Patients
Authors: Kotze Paulo Gustavo , Ludvig Juliano Coelho , Teixeira Fábio Vieira , Malluta Everson Fernando , Miranda Eron Fábio , Hardt Marcelo Raisweiler , Olandoski Márcia , Kotze Lorete Maria da Silva , Kleinubing, Jr. Harry
Published: February 2015

Background/Aims: The efficacy of both Infliximab (IFX) and Adalimumab (ADA) can be reduced over time. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of loss of efficacy (LOE) of both IFX and ADA, and outline the influence of disease duration on its occurrence. Methods: Retrospective, multicenter, observational cohort study, with CD patients treated with anti-TNF therapy. LOE was defined as the need for steroids, occurrence of major abdominal surgery during treatment, dose increase, interval shortening or switching of the anti-TNF agent. Patients were allocated in three subgroups based on disease duration (DD): <24 months, between 24 and 60 months and >60 months. Results: 175 patients were included in the study (117 under IFX and 58 under ADA therapy). LOE occurred in 32% of patients with DD <24 months, in 33.3% with DD between 24 and 60 months and in 31.3% of subjects with DD over 60 months (p = 0.975). Conclusions: Disease duration (DD) did not influence LOE rates. These results suggest that in real-world observational practice, patients with early CD might have the same rates of LOE than patients with a disease prolonging for a longer duration.
Preclinical Models of Encephalopathy of Prematurity
Authors: Jantzie Lauren L. , Robinson Shenandoah
Published: February 2015

Encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP) encompasses the central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities associated with injury from preterm birth. Although rapid progress is being made, limited understanding exists of how cellular and molecular CNS injury from early birth manifests as the myriad of neurological deficits in children who are born preterm. More importantly, this lack of direct insight into the pathogenesis of these deficits hinders both our ability to diagnose those infants who are at risk in real time and could potentially benefit from treatment and our ability to develop more effective interventions. Current barriers to clarifying the pathophysiology, developmental trajectory, injury timing, and evolution include preclinical animal models that only partially recapitulate the molecular, cellular, histological, and functional abnormalities observed in the mature CNS following EoP. Inflammation from hypoxic-ischemic and/or infectious injury induced in utero in lower mammals, or actual prenatal delivery of more phylogenetically advanced mammals, are likely to be the most clinically relevant EOP models, facilitating translation to benefit infants. Injury timing, type, severity, and pathophysiology need to be optimized to address the specific hypothesis being tested. Functional assays of the mature animal following perinatal injury to mimic EoP should ideally test for the array of neurological deficits commonly observed in preterm infants, including gait, seizure threshold and cognitive and behavioral abnormalities. Here, we review the merits of various preclinical models, identify gaps in knowledge that warrant further study and consider challenges that animal researchers may face in embarking on these studies. While no one model system is perfect, insights relevant to the clinical problem can be gained with interpretation of experimental results within the context of inherent limitations of the chosen model system. Collectively, optimal use of multiple models will address a major challenge facing the field today - to identify the type and severity of CNS injury these vulnerable infants suffer in a safe and timely manner, such that emerging neurointerventions can be tailored to specifically address individual reparative needs.
Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy with Right Bronchial Occlusion under Artificial Pneumothorax
Authors: Zhang Yi , Duan RuiHua , Xiao XiangFeng , Pan Tiecheng
Published: February 2015

Aims: To assess the safety and feasibility of minimally invasive esophagectomy and selected three-field lymphadenectomy with the right bronchial occlusion in left semi-prone position under artificial pneumothorax. Methods: Thoracoscopic-laparoscopic subtotal esophagectomy and selected three-field lymphadenectomy were performed in 166 patients with esophageal carcinoma by the right bronchial occlusion in left semi-prone position under artificial pneumothorax. Results: 109 patients received two-field lymphadenectomy and 57 received three-field lymphadenectomy. The average operative time was 202.5 ± 21.3 min; the average thoracoscopic operative time was 98.4 ± 15.5 min. The average blood loss was 39.6 ± 4.2 ml, and no blood transfusion was needed during the surgery. The mean lymph node harvest was 28.4 ± 5.2 nodes. Hospital stay ranged from 7 to 95 days and the average was 11.3 days. The postoperative complication rate was 29.5%, and the mortality rate was 1.2%. Conclusions: It is feasible and safe to perform thoracoscopic-laparoscopic subtotal esophagectomy and selected three-field lymphadenectomy with the right bronchial occlusion in left semi-prone position under artificial pneumothorax for esophageal carcinoma. The procedure shows advantages in improved visibility and accessibility of the surgical field, and better subsequent surgical outcomes.
Empatía y agresión en el uso de videojuegos en niños y niñas
Authors: Brenes-Peralta Carlos , Pérez-Sánchez Rolando
Published: February 2015

En esta investigación estudiamos el papel de la agresión y la empatía como predictores de la tendencia en niños y niñas a jugar videojuegos solos o acompañados. En el estudio utilizamos el enfoque revisado del manejo emocional aplicado al uso de videojuegos (Vorderer, Hartmann & Klimmt, 2006). Realizamos una encuesta con 395 estudiantes costarricenses de escuelas públicas y privadas de San José (M= 10.69 años). Los resultados señalan que los niños y niñas con puntuaciones altas en agresión conductual y empatía emocional tienden a canalizar la agresividad y la empatía en el juego compartido. Los niños y niñas con puntuaciones altas en empatía conductual tienden a jugar solos. Proponemos la discusión sobre estos resultados mediante la teoría del manejo de las emociones.
Children's Gratitude: Implication of Contextual and Demographic Variables in Argentina
Authors: Oros Laura Beatriz , Schulz-Begle Annie , Vargas-Rubilar Jael
Published: February 2015

This article explores the motives for gratitude expressed by children, taking into account contextual and demographic variables. The sample consisted of 249 participants aged between 8 and 10 years from Argentina, of which 127 were middle SES children (Group 1) and 122 were low SES children (Group 2). The study used a free response technique and Cramér’s V tests were performed to analyze whether the responses were associated with SES, gender and age. The most prominent motive for gratitude in Group 1 was related to having a family. Children from the lower SES group demonstrated gratitude for being able to have material objects and the basic elements necessary for survival, among which food was emphasized. Girls focused their gratitude on loving relationships, whereas boys mentioned material objects, borrowed objects, as well as autonomy granted by their parents. The motives for gratitude were also found to be significantly associated with age.
Redox-Regulated Suppression of Splenic T-Lymphocyte Activation in a Model of Sympathoexcitation
Authors: Case Adam J. , Zimmerman Matthew C.
Published: February 2015

Sympathoexcitation, increased circulating norepinephrine, and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species are driving forces underlying numerous cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. However, the effects of elevated norepinephrine and subsequent reactive oxygen species production in splenic T-lymphocytes during hypertension are not currently understood. We hypothesized that increased systemic levels of norepinephrine inhibits the activation of splenic T-lymphocytes via redox signaling. To address this hypothesis, we examined the status of T-lymphocyte activation in spleens of a mouse model of sympathoexcitation-driven hypertension (ie, norepinephrine infusion). Splenic T-lymphocytes from norepinephrine-infused mice demonstrated decreased proliferation accompanied by a reduction in interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor-α production as compared with T-lymphocytes from saline-infused mice. Additionally, norepinephrine directly inhibited splenic T-lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production ex vivo in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, norepinephrine caused an increase in G1 arrest in norepinephrine-treated T-lymphocytes, and this was accompanied by a decrease in pro-growth cyclin D3, E1, and E2 mRNA expression. Interestingly, norepinephrine caused an increase in cellular superoxide, which was shown to be partially causal to the inhibitory effects of norepinephrine, as antioxidant supplementation (ie, Tempol) to norepinephrine-infused mice moderately restored T-lymphocyte growth and proinflammatory cytokine production. Our findings indicate that suppression of splenic T-lymphocyte activation occurs in a norepinephrine-driven model of hypertension due to, at least in part, an increase in superoxide. We speculate that further understanding of how norepinephrine mediates its inhibitory effects on splenic T-lymphocytes may elucidate novel pathways for therapeutic mimicry to suppress T-lymphocyte-mediated inflammation in an array of diseases.
Michel Aoun, ‘Patriarch of the Christian Street’
Authors: Lefort Bruno
Published: February 2015

Designating himself as ‘Patriarch of the Christian street’, Michel Aoun has become the main character of a social narration. A network of partisan media institutions orchestrates the circulation of the leader’s image. These productions operate in a fragmented media environment in which each complex primarily targets a specific and already sensitized population. These publics, for which the transmission of family memory has often worked as a prerequisite, in turn spread a specific interpretation of Lebanese reality. Such modes of representation, both vertical (inspired by the partisan institutions) and horizontal (relying on peer-to-peer circulation) frame Aoun’s image in reference to a triple aesthetics deliberately emphasizing affects: a patriarchal family trope revealing a sense of fusion, a heroic picture stirring inspiration, and a prophet’s metaphor fostering communion within the group. As a consequence, the group of followers is produced primarily as affective, in opposition to alternative negative figures. In that respect, the study of the representations of a figure like Michel Aoun enables us to investigate the contemporary configurations in which collectives are produced in Lebanon and thus to re-examine the very nature of politics in this segmented polity.
New species of Chaetozone and Tharyx (Polychaeta: Cirratulidae) from the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic and the Northeastern Pacific, including
a description of the lectotype of Chaetozone setosa Malmgren from Spitsbergen in the Norwegian Arctic
Authors: BLAKE JAMES A.
Published: February 2015

Eight new species of cirratulid polychaetes of the genus Chaetozone from the Alaskan (Beaufort Sea) and Canadian Arctic (Baffin Island, Baffin Bay, Labrador, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay) and the Northeastern Pacific are reported together with two new species of Tharyx from the Alaskan Beaufort Sea and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The new species of Chaetozone and Tharyx are compared with related species; distinct species groups within these genera are discussed. A redescription of C. setosa Malmgren, 1867, the type species of the genus from Spitsbergen, based on a lectotype and associated paralectotypes designated by the late Dr. Mary E. Petersen is presented. A review of characters important in the taxonomy of the genera Chaetozone and Tharyx is presented. A key to species of Chaetozone from the Northeastern Pacific and North American Arctic is provided.
Corrections on the biology of Traumatomutilla André, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)
Authors: Bartholomay Pedro R. , Williams Kevin A. , Waldren George C. , Oliveira Marcio L. de
Published: February 2015

Most velvet ants (Mutillidae) are solitary ectoparasitoids of the enclosed immatures of other insects: Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Blattodea (Brothers et al. 2000, Amini et al. 2014). The genus Traumatomutilla Andrė, 1901, of the subfamily Sphaeropthalminae, tribe Sphaeropthalmini (Sphaeropthalmina sensu Brothers), is one of the most diverse groups of this family in the New World tropics, with 175 species (Nonveiller 1990). The biology and behavior of its species, however, are virtually unknown and the only information regarding host associations for Traumatomutilla is either the result of misidentification or has been erroneously referenced.
Taxonomic review of Tapiena (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae), with key to species and new species from Thailand
Authors: TAN MING KAI , LIU CHUNXIANG , ARTCHAWAKOM TAKSIN
Published: February 2015

The genus Tapiena (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae), consisting of species from around Asia and Africa, is reviewed. Henningian species concept was applied and morphology was used to estimate species boundaries. From Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, Thailand, two new species are described: Tapiena sakaerat Tan, Liu, Artchawakom sp. n. and Tapiena denticulata Tan, Liu, Artchawakom sp. n. This represents the first record of the genus Tapiena in Thailand. A key to the species of Tapiena (for males only) is also provided.
Debroyerella gen. nov. and Ulladulla gen. nov., two new lysianassoid genera (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Lysianassoidea)
Authors: LOWRY J. K. , KILGALLEN N. M.
Published: February 2015

Two new genera and a new species of lysianassoid amphipods are described. Debroyerella gen. nov. is described for three Antarctic species previously assigned to the genus Cheirimedon. Ulladulla gen. nov. is described to accommodate the new species U. selje, from Australian waters. Diagnostic descriptions are given for the genera and all species are described in full.
RPM Myths That Muddy the Discussion
Authors: Ippolito Pauline M.
Published: February 2015

The reversal of the longstanding per se rule against minimum resale price maintenance (RPM), in favor of a rule of reason standard, has generated considerable controversy. This article discusses some of the statements sometimes seen in the discussion of RPM's effects that do not have a solid economic foundation. The article also highlights the value of empirical evidence on the uses of RPM and other vertical restraints to help guide the courts in their efforts to develop truncated approaches to rule of reason analysis for assessing the practice.
Vertical Integratio
Authors: Joskow Paul L.
Published: February 2015

Oliver Williamson's work on transaction cost economics, and more generally on the factors that determine the boundaries between firms and markets, has provided key insights that have significantly expanded our understanding of the attributes of transactions and organizations that lead to vertical integration and vertical contractual relationships more broadly. Transaction cost-based theories of vertical integration focus on the implications of incomplete contracts, asset specificity, information imperfections, incentives for opportunistic behavior, and the costs and benefits of internal organization. These theories focus on efforts by firms to mitigate transaction costs and various contractual hazards that may arise with anonymous spot market transactions by choosing among alternative organizational and contractual governance arrangements that can reduce these costs. There is substantial empirical support for these theories. Property rights-based theories are sometimes interpreted as formalizing some of Williamson's work. However, little empirical work has focused on property rights-based theories per se. Principal-agent theories of vertical integration that are distinguished from other organizational theories primarily by assumed differences in risk aversion between principals and agents and associated moral hazard problems have also been advanced. They add little to the other theories and have limited independent empirical support.
Proposed Standards for Identifying Predation: Williamson's Perspective and the Court
Authors: Durrance Christine Piette
Published: February 2015

Predatory pricing is the act of pricing below a rival's costs in order to drive the rival out of the market. Predatory behavior and competitive behavior often look alike, and as such, require appropriate standards to detect truly anticompetitive conduct. A number of standards to identify predation have been offered in the antitrust literature since the 1970s. Oliver Williamson offered an output-based test to detect predation. In this article, I discuss the contribution of Williamson's proposal, relative to the other prominent offerings in the literature. I examine these tests relative to existing Supreme Court precedent, which has adopted a standard resembling the ideas of Areeda & Turner. I provide some analysis of the differences between theoretical predatory pricing and the alleged predatory behavior that has been examined by the Court.
Antitrust Remedies in a Systems Setting
Authors: Pittman Russell
Published: February 2015

Many of the characteristics of systems sectors, far from presenting dramatically new questions associated with the “new economy,” exhibit parallels with the characteristics of the “old” network sectors such as rail, electricity, and telecommunications. Regarding antitrust remedies in systems markets, the article argues against a presumption in favor of vertical separation and competition at the components level, suggesting that in particular settings this remedy may impose more harm and cost than benefit, and proposes that the alternative paradigm of competition among vertically integrated systems deserves equal privilege in the discussion. Lessons suggested for antitrust remedies in a systems setting include (1) greater emphasis on requirements to deal; (2) consideration of a corresponding “prohibition from dealing,” along the lines of the line-of-business restriction in United States v. AT&T; and (3) supplementing structural remedies with behavioral remedies in those settings where first mover advantages and the possibility of tipping render competition particularly fragile.
Market Definition Alchemy
Authors: Kaplow Louis
Published: February 2015

In a recent series of articles, I argue that the market definition/market share paradigm should be abandoned entirely. Among my central claims are that (1) as a matter of economic logic, there exists no valid way to infer market power from the market shares in redefined (nonhomogeneous goods) markets—short of entirely reversing the market redefinition; and (2) choosing a best market requires already having in hand one's best estimate of market power, rendering the exercise pointless—actually worse, since the market power inference from the chosen market is inferior to the estimate with which one began. Not surprisingly, criticisms advanced in this special issue and elsewhere do not succeed in repealing the laws of logic, any more than medieval alchemists were able to overturn the laws of nature.
The Extraordinary Deterrence of Private Antitrust Enforcement: A Reply to Werden, Hammond, and Barnett
Authors: Lande Robert H. , Davis Joshua P.
Published: February 2015

In 2011, we documented an extraordinary but usually overlooked fact: private antitrust enforcement deters a significant amount of anticompetitive conduct. Indeed the article showed that private enforcement probably deters even more anticompetitive conduct than the almost universally admired anticartel enforcement program of the United States Department of Justice.

In a recent issue of The Antitrust Bulletin, Gregory J. Werden, Scott D. Hammond, and Belinda A. Barnett, members of the Justice Department staff, challenged our analysis, asserting that our comparison “is more misleading than informative.” However, their specific criticisms do not withstand scrutiny. In this reply, we explain why our original conclusions survive the efforts of Werden, Hammond, and Barnett to debunk them.
Reverse-Payment Patent Settlements in the Pharmaceutical Industry: An Analysis of U.S. Antitrust Law and EU Competition Law
Authors: Clancy Michael , Geradin Damien , Lazerow Andrew
Published: February 2015

In the pharmaceutical industry, originator companies researching and developing new medicines typically obtain a range of patents to protect these medicines against generic competition. On the other side, generic suppliers seeking to enter the market will often challenge the validity of these patents or may simply launch their products, forcing the originators to bring litigation to enforce their patents and prevent the generics' entry. In the context of the corresponding litigation, the originators and generic suppliers often decide to enter into a settlement. While the settlement terms will vary from case to case, a number of settlements have involved a payment made from the patent holder (the originator) to the accused infringer (the generic supplier) in order to settle the dispute (reverse-payment patent settlements). Against this background, this paper seeks to analyze the compatibility of such settlements under U.S. antitrust law and EU competition law drawing on recent cases.
The Human Brain Response to Dental Pain Relief
Authors: Meier M.L. , Widmayer S. , Abazi J. , Brügger M. , Lukic N. , Lüchinger R. , Ettlin D.A.
Published: February 2015

Local anesthesia has made dental treatment more comfortable since 1884, but little is known about associated brain mechanisms. Functional magnetic resonance imaging is a modern neuroimaging tool widely used for investigating human brain activity related to sensory perceptions, including pain. Most brain regions that respond to experimental noxious stimuli have recently been found to react not only to nociception alone, but also to visual, auditory, and other stimuli. Thus, presumed functional attributions have come under scrutiny regarding selective pain processing in the brain. Evidently, innovative approaches are warranted to identify cerebral regions that are nociceptive specific. In this study, we aimed at circumventing known methodological confounders by applying a novel paradigm in 14 volunteers: rather than varying the intensity and thus the salience of painful stimuli, we applied repetitive noxious dental stimuli at constant intensity to the left mandibular canine. During the functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm, we suppressed the nociceptive barrage by a mental nerve block. Brain activity before and after injection of 4% articaine was compared intraindividually on a group level. Dental pain extinction was observed to correspond to activity reduction in a discrete region of the left posterior insular cortex. These results confirm previous reports demonstrating that direct electrical stimulation of this brain region—but not of others—evokes bodily pain sensations. Hence, our investigation adds further evidence to the notion that the posterior insula plays a unique role in nociceptive processing.
Sexual Orientation Identity Change and Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Everett Bethany
Published: February 2015

Several new studies have documented high rates of sexual identity mobility among young adults, but little work has investigated the links between identity change and mental health. This study uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health ( N = 11,727) and employs multivariate regression and propensity score matching to investigate the impact of identity change on depressive symptoms. The results reveal that only changes in sexual identity toward more same-sex-oriented identities are associated with increases in depressive symptoms. Moreover, the negative impacts of identity change are concentrated among individuals who at baseline identified as heterosexual or had not reported same-sex romantic attraction or relationships. No differences in depressive symptoms by sexual orientation identity were found among respondents who reported stable identities. Future research should continue to investigate the factors that contribute to the relationship between identity change and depression, such as stigma surrounding sexual fluidity.
Multinational enterprises: Comparing performance-related pay between companies in Eastern and Western Europe
Authors: Poutsma Erik , Moerel Hans , Ligthart Paul EM
Published: February 2015

This article compares the spread of broad-based individual performance-related pay practices (PRP) in Central and Eastern European (CEE) and Western European companies. The article investigates the dominance effect of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and the constraining effects of industrial relations, i.e. collective bargaining and union influence. A key finding is that we did not find stronger influence by US MNEs compared with other MNEs. Regarding the determinants of industrial relations, in general decentralised firm-level bargaining supports the adoption of PRP schemes, whereas a greater degree of unionisation tends to reduce it. However, the latter effect is not found in CEE countries with their more permissive industrial relations system. The fact that there are high levels of broad-based individual PRP in CEE, that there is no negative association with unionisation and a positive relationship with firm-level bargaining and no effect of MNEs suggests that this practice is well established in firms in CEE.
Providing Services for Students With Gifts and Talents Within a Response-to-Intervention Framework
Authors: Johnsen Susan K. , Parker Sonia L. , Farah Yara N.
Published: February 2015

Response to intervention (RTI) was included in the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), specifically as part of an assessment process to determine if a child has a disability. Although IDEA’s focus is on students with disabilities, 10 states have developed policies that attend to students with gifts and talents within their RTI frameworks (National Association for Gifted Children [NAGC] & the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted [CSDPG], 2013). This article describes (a) how gifted and talented students might access services within a comprehensive RTI framework and (b) research-based models and practices in gifted education.
Measuring the Outliers
Authors: Rambo-Hernandez Karen E. , Warne Russell T.
Published: February 2015

Out-of-level testing is an underused strategy for addressing the needs of students who score in the extremes, and when used wisely, it could provide educators with a much more accurate picture of what students know. Out-of-level testing has been shown to be an effective assessment strategy with high-achieving students; however, out-of-level testing has not been shown to work well with low-achieving students. This article provides a brief history of out-of-level testing, along with guidelines for using it.
Building Tourism Networks through Tourist Mobility
Authors: Asero Vincenzo , Gozzo Simona , Tomaselli Venera
Published: February 2015

This article aims to define tourism networks analyzing tourist mobility between destinations. The study adopts network analysis methods, testing a data processing strategy that combines descriptive measurements and clustering tools. A segmentation approach has been employed to investigate differences or similarities between the trip-related attributes of tourists within networks. Data are from a sampling survey carried out on tourists’ visit in Sicily. The results show that the tourist choice defined the role of a destination as “central” or “peripheral” within a network. Tourists build their own networks around nodal destinations, even if they are geographically distant. Thus, tourist mobility affects the shape, the dimension, and the structure of the networks, where tourists are different for characteristics, trip-related behaviors, and type of holiday chosen. The study provides some evidence that can be useful for planning tourism facilities, managing tourism routes, and defining destination management strategies.
Country Variations in Family Members' Informal Pressure to Drink Less
Authors: Holmila Marja , Raitasalo Kirsimarja , Knibbe Ronald A. , Hradilova-Selin Klara
Published: February 2015

Examines how family members in 18 countries attempt to influence each other to drink less. Data come from the GENACIS (Gender, Alcohol and Culture: an International Study) dataset (overall sample 44, 115). The percentage of people who had experienced family member pressure to drink less were compared to country abstinence rate, mean drinking volume per drinker and other societal-level factors. Countries differed greatly on proportion of drinkers having experienced family members' pressure to drink less, however, in all countries drinking women reported less pressure than drinking men in their own society. Informal pressure was exerted most often by the spouse or sexual partner, and was found to be highly correlated with the country's socioeconomic conditions.
Concern about Family Members' Drinking and Cultural Consistency: A Multicountry GENACIS Study
Authors: Ólafsdóttir Hildigunnur , Raitasalo Kirsimarja , Greenfield Thomas K. , Allamani Allaman
Published: February 2015

The data analyzed came from Gender, Alcohol and Culture: An International Study and involve population surveys for 18 countries (total N = 34,916). The article studies gender and country differences in the relationship between social pressure to drink less experienced by individuals, considering seeking help for alcohol problems, and alcohol consumption and problem levels (AUDIT). In most countries for both men and women, informal control was applied most often by the spouse or partner, while reporting such controls from any source seemed more common in low- and middle-income countries. In all countries studied, men reported substantially more social control efforts than women. The hypothesis was not maintained that drinking control and help-seeking were more common for heavier drinkers and those with more drinking-related harms. However, there appeared to be a relationship between a country's aggregate level of drinking and the extent to which social control efforts were reported. Higher correlations between drinking and problem levels on the one hand, and spouses' and other family members' concerns on the other, may be suggestive of a cultural consistency in societal responses to drinking and alcohol-related problems.
The Lorong as a Risk Environment: Drug Use and Gangs among Young Men in the Slums of Makassar, Indonesia
Authors: Nasir Sudirman , Rosenthal Doreen
Published: February 2015

This study investigated the relationship between the social environment and drug use among young men in slum areas (lorong) in Makassar, Indonesia. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 male drug injectors who attended a drop-in center for drug users. The interviews revealed the crucial role of Rewa (the local concept of masculinity) in mediating risky practices, as youths strive to be perceived as Rewa. The dynamics of gang participation in the lorong result in high levels of drug use and are influential in the ways young men's drug consumption evolves. Furthermore, risky drug use that potentially leads to HIV infection is not an isolated behavior and must be understood in the social context of the lorong. We conclude that to be more effective, existing harm-reduction programs in Makassar that focus on individualistic behavioral change need to be complemented with community-based programs that take into account the social and structural context of risk taking practices among young people in the lorong.
A Coordinated Approach to Student Drug Use Surveys in Canada
Authors: Clark Heather
Published: February 2015

Student surveys of substance use provide an essential source of information regarding substance use trends, associated risks, sociodemographic correlates, and identification of high risk groups in a youth population. In Canada, these surveys are conducted intermittently in eight of ten provinces. Large methodological variability across jurisdictions limits opportunities for interregional comparisons and benchmarking. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, in partnership with national and provincial organizations, is working toward the development of a set of core indicators and a standard methodology for student surveys. Three working groups were formed to facilitate this work: development of indicators, development of guidelines for design and analysis, and identification of provincial/territorial school system characteristics. The first task was to develop and gain consensus on core indicators and was recently completed. This paper focuses on the process used to develop and select the indicators, including consideration of national and international surveys along with developing drug trends.
Effectiveness of Responsible Beverage Service: The Norwegian Experiences
Authors: Rossow Ingeborg , Baklien Bergljot
Published: February 2015

This article summarizes the findings from three evaluation studies of the Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) program in Norway. Effect evaluations in these studies demonstrated no effectiveness in that the program failed to reach its objectives of reducing on-premise sales to intoxicated and to underaged patrons. Process evaluations found that the content of the Norwegian RBS program was limited and represented a “light” version and program implementation varied significantly. In one project the program was hardly implemented, in another project program participation was made a prerequisite for extended opening hours, whereby the coverage of the target group became very high. A significant challenge in this area would be to improve program content and ways of implementation.
Voices from the Field: The Social Construction of Alcohol Problems in Inner-City Communities
Authors: Herd Denise
Published: February 2015

This study examines the social construction of alcohol problems by activists involved in alcohol policy campaigns in inner-city neighborhoods in the 1990s. Nearly 200 informants were interviewed and asked to describe why they thought local neighborhoods mobilized around alcohol policy issues. In contrast with other social movements that have emphasized individual alcohol problem or addiction experiences, informants in this study focused on the role of alcohol outlets and sales and marketing in contributing to various forms of social disorder, such as crime, violence, illicit drug use, public intoxication, and nuisances that were engulfing their neighborhoods. These themes were interpreted in light of the social conditions faced by inner-city residents in the 1980s and 1990s, including the crack cocaine epidemic, the spectacular rise in youth violence, aggressive new alcoholic beverage marketing campaigns, and the increasing rates of poverty in dilapidated urban centers.
Is Spirits Really the Most Harmful Alcoholic Beverage? Evidence from a Recent Alcohol Survey in Sweden
Authors: Ramstedt Mats , Boman Ulrika
Published: February 2015

The aim of this study was to determine if spirits consumption is more harmful than consuming milder beverage types in Sweden, using monthly survey data for the period 2005–2009. Logistic regression modeling was performed to estimate the association between different beverages and harmful drinking, controlling for gender, age, and socioeconomic factors. There was no support for the idea that spirits consumption is characterized by more harmful drinking patterns and consuming strong beer, in particular, was a better predictor of heavy drinking and harm. It also appeared that people who include spirits, strong beer, and cider/alcopops in their consumption pattern more often had harmful drinking patterns and experiences of alcohol-related problems. The present findings suggest that strong beer is the most problematic alcoholic beverage in Sweden, but also that patterns combining several beverage types are also good measures of harmful drinking, particularly patterns including strong beer, cider/alcopops, and spirits.
The Political Pharmacology of Methadone and Heroin in Danish Drug Policy
Authors: Houborg Esben
Published: February 2015

This article uses the concept of “political pharmacology” to show that drugs are complex and mutable entities, the constitution of which is as much a political (power) issue as it is a technical one. The article analyzes the negotiations and struggles that have been involved in the constitution of methadone and heroin as maintenance drugs in Denmark. Danish drug policy on medical-maintenance treatment was for many years dominated by a medico-administrative technocracy. But from the mid-1990s, this technocracy, and the way it defined maintenance treatment and maintenance drugs, was challenged by drug users and other actors. They were, among other things, dissatisfied with the medical constitution of maintenance drugs as “stabilizing medications” and demanded that the drugs should also be allowed to function as “intoxicating substances.”
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics, the States, and the Origins of Modern Drug Enforcement in the United States, 1950–1962
Authors: Nicholas Phil , Churchill Andrew
Published: February 2015

Over one million drug arrests occur in the United States each year, the vast majority of which are made at the state and local levels. This study examines the time period when state and local governments began to aggressively police illegal drugs, and we seek to determine the extent Harry Anslinger, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner, actively encouraged these governments to expand drug enforcement and adopt more punitive sentences. The study found that although Anslinger and his agency worked to influence state and local drug policy in the United States, they enjoyed varying levels of success from state to state. By the mid-1950s, a new intergovernmental enforcement regime had emerged where the federal, state, and local governments adopted punitive drug laws and invested resources in policing drugs. Drug enforcement remains the dominant policy approach in the United States.
“They Don't Live in My House Every Day”: How Understanding Lives Can Aid Understandings of Smoking
Authors: Robinson Jude , Holdsworth Clare
Published: February 2015

While the prevalence of smoking in Western countries has substantially reduced following the introduction of comprehensive tobacco control programs, reduction strategies such as the introduction of smokefree legislation, media campaigns, and individual and group support for people trying to quit have been less successful with people living on low incomes, suggesting the need for new ways to engage with people who smoke. We argue that rather than focusing solely on researching smoking behaviors to generate new understandings of why people smoke, people working in the broad area of public health should look more widely at peoples' lives in order to understand their smoking. Using a biographical, narrative perspective as part of a wider ethnographic study of 12 families living in one community within Liverpool in 2006, we argue that understandings that position smoking purely as a harmful, deviant behavior fail to capture the cultural complexity of the lives of smokers and the changing place and meaning of cigarettes over a person's lifetime, and may explain why smokers fail to engage with smoking cessation services and continue to smoke.
Alcohol, University Students, and Harm-Minimization Campaigns: “A Fine Line between a Good Night Out and a Nightmare”
Authors: Hernandez Lara , Leontini Rose , Harley Kirsten
Published: February 2015

Trends in alcohol consumption in Australia suggest that university and college students engage in heavy drinking. However, while media and policy representations of young drinkers are frequently negative, the academic literature suggests that young people are not unaware or unconcerned about the harms linked to alcohol use. In this study, we conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with six university students aged 18–21 years. We examined the concerns they raised about alcohol use, including their views on two harm-minimization campaigns that were distributed in Australia at the time of the study. Our data suggest that, although there are some significant contradictions in attitudes and views about what constitutes “harm” in relation to alcohol use, university students nonetheless do reflect on the risks associated with intoxication. Furthermore, we found that the messages embedded in the campaigns resonate with this cohort's concerns and fears about drinking, as well as their values and future ambitions.