bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal guardians: Intimate labor and the pursuit of gendered citizenship among South Korean volunteers for migrant women
Authors: Choo Hae Yeon
Published: November 2016

This article uses ethnographic research to examine the intimate labor of South Korean middle-class women who volunteer in immigrant integration programs for migrant women entering South Korea via cross-border marriages. I show that volunteers participate in South Korea’s nation-building project under globalization as the “maternal guardians” of migrant women, thus challenging their own gender-based subordination while sustaining the racial and class hierarchy and the heteronormativity of the Korean nation. These women use intimate knowledge about migrant women as a medium to pursue respect in the face of gendered discontent and transform themselves as new global South Korean citizens.
Social belonging and the social collective
Authors: Tinson Julie , Piacentini Maria , Nuttall Peter , Cocker Hayley
Published: November 2016

Adopting a relative perspective on poverty, this article reflects on the social and psychological aspects of market access in a context of abundance. We consider the recent introduction of a consumption-related adolescent youth ritual and the implications this has for those who are financially disadvantaged and their ability to negotiate and navigate the market. Using dimensions of market practice as a lens, we reveal a system that resists reduction to individual actors and demonstrate how and in what ways the social collective facilitates social belonging as well as promoting higher level educational goals. This has important consequences for our understanding of meaningful social practice as well as realizing what is being shaped through market practices.
Viability of Seeds Consumed by Fishes in a Lowland Forest in the Brazilian Central Amazon
Authors: Weiss Bianca , Zuanon Jansen A. S. , Piedade Maria T. F.
Published: November 2016

Várzeas are forest areas seasonally flooded by white-water rivers and have a variety of tree species, which bear fruit during the filling or flood and in the beginning of low water periods. During those periods of inundation, fruits and seeds are important resources for different fish species. In this study, the viability of whole seeds removed from the stomach and intestine of fishes was analyzed. Fishes were collected with gillnets installed during 24-hr cycles along the flooded forest, during the filling, flood, and in the beginning of low water periods of the Year 2014 in the Catalão lake, Brazilian Central Amazon. In total, 1,915 specimens of fish were captured, and 148 specimens (8% from the total) contained seeds in their digestive tracts. Some fishes that consumed seeds are species commercially important and have migratory habits. Fishes consumed 3,092 seeds. All whole seeds removed from the digestive tracts of fishes were seeded in várzea soil and maintained in a greenhouse. Seeds of 16 plant species (89%) germinated. Our conclusion is that fish species can play an important role in the ecology of várzea forests by dispersing seeds, contributing to the colonization of new areas, and allowing genetic flow between subpopulations distributed along the rivers.
A rare case of emphysematous pyelonephritis in a renal transplant patient
Authors: Narcisse Dennis , Agarwal Manyoo , Hancock Michael , Wells Daniel , Sands Christopher
Published: November 2016

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare life-threatening complication of a properly functioning renal allograft leading to potential graft loss and hemodialysis. Currently, no clear management guidelines exist in these clinically challenging immunosuppressed renal transplant recipients. We report a case of a 62-year-old woman who presented with class 4 EPN and was managed with intravenous antibiotics and nephrectomy at our medical center.
Social Acknowledgment of Violent Experiences and Its Role in PTSD and Appetitive Aggression Among High-Risk Males in South Africa
Authors: Sommer Jessica , Hinsberger Martina , Weierstall Roland , Holtzhausen Leon , Kaminer Debra , Seedat Soraya , Maercker Andreas , Madikane Solomon , Elbert Thomas
Published: November 2016

Violence exposure poses a risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and appetitive aggression. Does acknowledgment of violent experiences by one’s social environment also affect these adverse consequences of violence? We investigated relations between number of traumatic event types, number of violent offenses, PTSD symptoms, appetitive aggression, and social acknowledgment. A total of 290 participants were recruited through a Cape Town rehabilitation center for offenders. Using path analysis, we demonstrate higher societal disapproval to be associated with more intense PTSD symptoms and greater appetitive aggression. However, past experiences of recognition were also related to more intense PTSD symptoms. Violence exposure was positively associated with PTSD symptoms and appetitive aggression, and a higher number of violent offenses was related to greater appetitive aggression. Results indicate that besides violence exposure, social acknowledgment may play a significant role in the severity of PTSD and appetitive aggression. Intervention programs should not neglect targeting social structures.
Yoga-Related Injuries in the United States From 2001 to 2014
Authors: Swain Thomas A. , McGwin Gerald
Published: November 2016

Background:

Yoga has become more popular among people in the United States and has been touted by both yoga participants as well as some physicians and researchers for its health benefits. While the health benefits have been studied, the frequency of injury among yoga participants has not been well documented.

Purpose:

Injury incidence, rates, and types associated with yoga in the United States have not been quantified. This study estimates US yoga-associated injury incidence and characterizes injury type over a 13-year period.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from 2001 to 2014 were used to estimate the incidence and type of yoga-associated injuries. The number and age distribution of yoga participants was estimated using data from National Health Statistics Reports. These national population estimates were applied to the NEISS data to determine injury rates overall and stratified according to age categories.

Results:

There were 29,590 yoga-related injuries seen in hospital emergency departments from 2001 to 2014. The trunk (46.6%) was the most frequent region injured, and sprain/strain (45.0%) accounted for the majority of diagnoses. The injury rate increased overall from 2001 to 2014, and it was greatest for those aged 65 years and older (57.9/100,000) compared with those aged 18 to 44 years (11.9/100,000) and 45 to 64 years (17.7/100,000) in 2014.

Conclusion:

Participants aged 65 years and older have a greater rate of injury from practicing yoga when compared with other age groups. Most injuries sustained were to the trunk and involved a sprain/strain. While there are many health benefits to practicing yoga, participants and those wishing to become participants should confer with a physician prior to engaging in physical activity and practice only under the guidance of certified instructors.
Show Me My Health Plans
Authors: Politi Mary C. , Kuzemchak Marie D. , Liu Jingxia , Barker Abigail R. , Peters Ellen , Ubel Peter A. , Kaphingst Kimberly A. , McBride Timothy , Kreuter Matthew W. , Shacham Enbal , Philpott Sydney E.
Published: November 2016

Introduction: Since the Affordable Care Act was passed, more than 12 million individuals have enrolled in the health insurance marketplace. Without support, many struggle to make an informed plan choice that meets their health and financial needs. Methods: We designed and evaluated a decision aid, Show Me My Health Plans (SMHP), that provides education, preference assessment, and an annual out-of-pocket cost calculator with plan recommendations produced by a tailored, risk-adjusted algorithm incorporating age, gender, and health status. We evaluated whether SMHP compared to HealthCare.gov improved health insurance decision quality and the match between plan choice, needs, and preferences among 328 Missourians enrolling in the marketplace. Results: Participants who used SMHP had higher health insurance knowledge (LS-Mean = 78 vs. 62; P < 0.001), decision self-efficacy (LS-Mean = 83 vs. 75; P < 0.002), confidence in their choice (LS-Mean = 3.5 vs. 2.9; P < 0.001), and improved health insurance literacy (odds ratio = 2.52, P < 0.001) compared to participants using HealthCare.gov . Those using SMHP were 10.3 times more likely to select a silver- or gold-tier plan (P < 0.0001). Discussion: SMHP can improve health insurance decision quality and the odds that consumers select an insurance plan with coverage likely needed to meet their health needs. This study represents a unique context through which to apply principles of decision support to improve health insurance choices.
Microarray analysis reveals a potential role of LncRNAs expression in cardiac cell proliferation
Authors: Wang Jue , Geng Zhimin , Weng Jiakan , Shen Longjie , Li Ming , Cai Xueli , Sun Chengchao , Chu Maoping
Published: November 2016

Background

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been identified to play important roles in epigenetic processes that underpin organogenesis. However, the role of LncRNAs in the regulation of transition from fetal to adult life of human heart has not been evaluated.

Methods

Immunofiuorescent staining was used to determine the extent of cardiac cell proliferation. Human LncRNA microarrays were applied to define gene expression signatures of the fetal (13–17 weeks of gestation, n = 4) and adult hearts (30–40 years old, n = 4). Pathway analysis was performed to predict the function of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEM). DEM related to cell proliferation were selected to construct a lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network. Eight lncRNAs were confirmed by quantificational real-time polymerase chain reaction (n = 6).

Results

Cardiac cell proliferation was significant in the fetal heart. Two thousand six hundred six lncRNAs and 3079 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed. Cell cycle was the most enriched pathway in down-regulated genes in the adult heart. Eight lncRNAs (RP11-119 F7.5, AX747860, HBBP1, LINC00304, TPTE2P6, AC034193.5, XLOC_006934 and AL833346) were predicted to play a central role in cardiac cell proliferation.

Conclusions

We discovered a profile of lncRNAs differentially expressed between the human fetal and adult heart. Several meaningful lncRNAs involved in cardiac cell proliferation were disclosed.
A predictive model of overall survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Mahmoudian Mehrad , Seyednasrollah Fatemeh , Koivu Liisa , Hirvonen Outi , Jyrkkiö Sirkku , Elo Laura L.
Published: November 2016

Metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is one of the most common cancers with a poor prognosis. To improve prognostic models of mCRPC, the Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods (DREAM) Consortium organized a crowdsourced competition known as the Prostate Cancer DREAM Challenge. In the competition, data from four phase III clinical trials were utilized. A total of 1600 patients’ clinical information across three of the trials was used to generate prognostic models, whereas one of the datasets (313 patients) was held out for blinded validation. As a performance baseline, a model presented in a recent study (so called Halabi model) was used to assess improvements of the new models. This paper presents the model developed by the team TYTDreamChallenge to predict survival risk scores for mCRPC patients at 12, 18, 24 and 30-months after trial enrollment based on clinical features of each patient, as well as an improvement of the model developed after the challenge. The TYTDreamChallenge model performed similarly as the gold-standard Halabi model, whereas the post-challenge model showed markedly improved performance. Accordingly, a main observation in this challenge was that the definition of the clinical features used plays a major role and replacing our original larger set of features with a small subset for training increased the performance in terms of integrated area under the ROC curve from 0.748 to 0.779.
Development of the Interest in the Adult World by Preschool Children: Creative Personality and Creative Professions
Authors: Кожокарь  , Kozhokar Svetlana
Published: November 2016

The article describes the approaches to the formation of cognitive interest to creative activity by children of the preschool age, the expansion of

knowledge of the adult world, their work, the creative professions and personalities that contribute to the successful process of socialization of

preschool children, their adaptation to the school. The author proposes effective methods to provide children with creative activities features,

encourage them to commit small subjective discoveries, the search for innovative solutions, the development of communication skills through

creative collaboration.
Feeding the critically ill patient
Authors: Raper Sarah , Maynard Nick
Published: November 2016

Evidence for the active role of the gut in multiple organ failure has turned attention away from total parenteral nutrition back to enteral nutrition as the optimal nutritional support in the critically ill. With proper feeding protocols it is possible to feed enterally the most critically ill patients.
A critique of the Barthel Index
Authors: Dewing Jan
Published: November 2016

This article provides a critical review of a popular functional index, the Barthel Index. The strengths and weaknesses of the index with an emphasis on its use by nurses is considered and the need to use this and other functional indices for measuring disability is addressed.
Safety from sharps
Authors: Holloway Jayne
Published: November 2016

Needlestick and sharps injuries are responsible for 35% of hospital injuries to staff. Despite this, there has been little effort in the past to reduce potential hazards. Nurses and other healthcare personnel must be made aware of the risks so that they can improve their practice.
Passive euthanasia in palliative care
Authors: Penn Katherine
Published: November 2016

Passive euthanasia is invariably practised in palliative care. This article aims to address the legal, moral and ethical implications of not hydrating dying patients and presents the results of a questionnaire assessing doctors' attitudes.
Giving adoptive and foster families the support they need
Authors: Homden Carol
Published: November 2016

Carol Homden, chief executive of Coram, says that as the numbers of looked-after children continue to rise, health visitors have a crucial role to play in supporting adoptive and foster families and encouraging permanence.
A study examining the concerns, support needs and experiences of newly formed adoptive families
Authors: Meakings Sarah , Shelton Katherine H , Coffey Amanda
Published: November 2016

This article draws on the findings from a national adoption study to examine the characteristics and experiences of children recently placed for adoption. With a focus on relevance to health visiting, it considers the early concerns, support needs and experiences of newly formed adoptive families, and examines the role health visitors play in supporting these families, as part of routine health intervention for children.
Give and receive
Authors: Williams Kate
Published: November 2016

Kate Williams suggests ways to establish a positive ethos around the giving and receiving of gifts. Link children's wish lists to a range of festive activities, while downplaying the commercial aspects.
Philosophy and Ideology
Authors: Srinivasan Amia
Published: November 2016

What is it for an analytic philosopher to do ideology critique? How should analytic philosophers engage with the great critics of ideology outside the analytic tradition? Just how useful are our proprietary tools as analytic philosophers when it comes to thinking about ideology, and in what sense ‘useful’, and to whom? And to what end might we pursue ideology critique? Here I attempt to say something about these questions by commenting specifically on a recent contribution to analytic ideology critique, Jason Stanley’s How Propaganda Works.
Protocol at the Crossroads: Rethinking anti-trafficking law from an Indian labour law perspective
Authors: Kotiswaran Prabha
Published: November 2016

As we approach the fifteenth anniversary of the United Nations Trafficking Protocol, we can discern several phases of its diffusion, materialisation and interpretation in domestic criminal law regimes across the world. Although not exclusively preoccupied with sex work and sex trafficking anymore, the fact remains that the inordinate attention on trafficking in Western industrialised economies is disproportionate to the extent of the problem. Only 7% of the world’s 20.9 million forced labourers are in developed economies while 56% are in Asia Pacific. Yet in BRIC countries like India, with a substantial majority of the world’s trafficked victims and where 90% of all trafficking is domestic, trafficking has gained policy resonance only relatively recently. Even as India remains an active site for sexual humanitarianism with international and local abolitionist groups actively targeting sex workers, the article argues that less developed countries like India can play a crucial role in reorienting international anti-trafficking law and policy. Towards that goal, this article offers India’s bonded, contract and migrant labour laws as a robust labour law model against trafficking in contrast to the criminal justice model propagated by the Trafficking Protocol worldwide.
Re-evaluating Palermo: The case of Burmese women as Chinese brides
Authors: Hackney Laura K
Published: November 2016

The definition of human trafficking as set in the Trafficking Protocol (also known as the Palermo Protocol) functionally centres most of the response to the phenomenon in the criminal justice system. This occludes many of the sociopolitical determinants of vulnerability that leads to trafficking.  It also discourages any real debate about the various forms of oppression and even structural violence that act as catalysts to the human trafficking market.  The Trafficking Protocol, and a vast number of international organisations, non-governmental organisations and governments, focuses on statistics of prosecution rates, arrests, victim typology and organised crime. I use the example of bride trafficking along the Sino-Burmese border to illustrate the complications and, in certain instances, harm that befall an anti-trafficking regime that does not use a wider lens of migration, agency, development and gender equality to address the factors leading to exploitation.
Debate: Forced Labour, Slavery and Human Trafficking: When do definitions matter?
Authors: Plant Roger
Published: November 2016

We can spend a lot of time debating the connections or essential differences between the concepts of trafficking, forced labour, slavery and modern slavery, or slavery-like practices. Some insist that trafficking is a subset of forced labour, others the reverse. The arguments between academics, bureaucracies and even government agencies have often been vitriolic.
Debate: Towards a Cohesive and Contextualised Response: When is it necessary to distinguish between forced labour, trafficking in persons and slavery?
Authors: Paavilainen Marja
Published: November 2016

In my view, the answer to the debate question of whether it is necessary to distinguish between forced labour, trafficking and slavery depends on the context. Therefore the focus should instead be on identifying when it is necessary to distinguish and when it is not required. Furthermore, an essential follow-up is the question of how we can prevent and address these different forms of coercion in a coherent manner.
Debate: The Challenges and Perils of Reframing Trafficking as ‘Modern-Day Slavery’
Authors: Chuang Janie
Published: November 2016

In the last five years, we have seen a rebranding of global anti-trafficking efforts as ‘modern-day slavery’ abolitionism. The United States of America (US) Department of State and powerful philanthropists are key proponents of the slavery makeover, prompting other governments, international organisations, and non-governmental organisations alike to adopt the ‘modern-day slavery’ frame. The slavery frame has helped ignite outrage and galvanise political support for modern anti-slavery campaigns. It has also helped expand the anti-trafficking spotlight beyond the sex sector to expose the extreme exploitation that men, women, and children suffer in the non-sexual labour sectors of our global economy. These benefits come at a cost, however, both with respect to legal doctrine and practice, and, perhaps more significantly, to how we understand and respond to the problem of extreme exploitation for profit.
The Prosecution of State-Level Human Trafficking Cases in the United States
Authors: Farrell Amy , DeLateur Monica J , Owens Colleen , Fahy Stephanie
Published: November 2016

In an effort to combat human trafficking, the United States federal government and all fifty states passed new laws that criminalise human trafficking and support the identification and prosecution of human trafficking perpetrators. Despite the passage of these laws, only a small number of human trafficking cases have been prosecuted in the last fifteen years. Guided by the notion that prosecutors seek to avoid uncertainty when making decisions to pursue criminal prosecution, we explore how human trafficking crimes are indicted under these newly defined state laws. Using a sample of cases from twelve US counties and interviews with police, prosecutors and court personnel, we examine the factors that influence the decision to prosecute crimes investigated as human trafficking in state court. This research informs our understanding of why so few human trafficking cases are prosecuted and why human trafficking suspects are rarely convicted of trafficking offenses.
Possible biochemical mechanisms involved in beneficial and adverse effects of folates
Authors: Shaljyan Alla , Vardanyan Gayane , Saharyan Anahit , Aghajanov Michael
Published: November 2016

Fortification of flour and bakery products with folic acid (FA) to reduce the number of neural tube defects as well, as anemia, is practiced in some countries. The purpose of our review is to discuss is folic acid supplement reasonably everyone?It is well established, that folic acid has numerous significant beneficial effects. Folic acid prevents neural tube defects like spina bifida and anencephaly, it prevents development of macrocytic anemia. The ability of folic acid to decrease homocysteine level is associated with its protective influence on cardiovascular disease. Moreover, combination of high folate level with vitamin B12 deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and anemia. According to available information, folate has a dual effect on cancer, protecting against cancer initiation, but facilitating progression and growth of neoplastic cells and promote methastasis. However, relationship between folate supplementation and cancer, is, perhaps, one of the most controversial subjects in the field.Whether increased circulating folic acid is a risk factor for certain pathologies, or it might have a beneficial effect is not clear at present. Scientific community does not have a true consensus view on whether mandatory fortification is true approach.
Abstimmungsverhalten im Bundesvision Song Contest
Authors: Pannicke Julia
Published: November 2016

Die Analyse des jährlich stattfindenden Bundesvision Song Contest als innerdeutscher Musikwettbewerb ist nicht nur aus musikalischer, sondern auch aus wissenschaftlicher Sicht lohnend. Mittels empirischer Analyse der vergebenen Punkte liefert der vorliegende Beitrag eine Untersuchung des Abstimmungsverhaltens der Zuschauer auf nationaler Ebene in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Grundsätzlich wird davon ausgegangen, dass die Qualität der Aufführung ausschlaggebend für die Abstimmung ist und somit maßgeblich für die Kür des Gewinnerbundeslandes. Die quantitative Auswertung ermöglicht es allerdings, weitere Faktoren zu erschließen, welche den Sieg erklären. Mit der empirischen Analyse können darüber hinaus wertvolle Aussagen über die Beziehung deutscher Bundesländer getroffen werden. Zentrale Ergebnisse der Schätzung sind, dass insbesondere die geografischen und kulturellen Hintergründe einen signifikanten Einfluss aufweisen und somit das Abstimmungsverhalten bestimmen.
Co-Creation-Prozesse in Livemusikkonzerten
Authors: Flath Beate
Published: November 2016

Mit dem Verfügbarwerden und der Omnipräsenz von digitalen Medientechnologien erschlossen sich neue Möglichkeiten, diese in unterschiedliche Kontexte des Kulturmanagements zu integrieren. In den letzten Jahren war der Trend zu beobachten, Apps für entsprechende Kulturangebote zu entwickeln - sei es im Kontext kulturvermittelnder Einrichtungen oder im Kontext der Künstler- und Küstlerinnenvermarktung. Zentral ist dabei stets die Möglichkeit zur Interaktion mit (potentiellen) Kunden und Kundinnen, auch vor Ort, was bis zu einem gewissen Grad die Integration dieser in die Leistungserstellung ermöglicht. Vor diesem Hintergrund greift der vorliegende Beitrag eine App aus dem populärmusikalischen Bereich heraus. Konkret handelt sich dabei um die Funktion Handy-Lightshow der offiziellen App der Schlagersängerin Helene Fischer, die das Einbeziehen der Konzertbesucher und Konzertbesucherinnen in die Konzertdramaturgie ermöglicht. Durch das Ausrichten des Smartphonedisplays Richtung Bühne werden über akustische Signale der Musik, Farbe und Helligkeit des Smartphonedisplays gesteuert, sodass ein ‚Lichtermeer‘ entsteht.

Der Beitrag nimmt vor dem theoretischen Hintergrund des Customer-Experience-Managements (CEM) eine Einordnung vor und diskutiert die Frage, inwiefern diese Teilfunktion der App neue Möglichkeiten für das CEM in Form von Co-Creation-Prozessen in Livemusikkonzerten bietet. Die Bedeutung der präsentierten App- Funktion für das CEM liegt demnach vorrangig in der Möglichkeit, ein Konzertelement - die Light-Show - erlebnisorientiert mitzugestalten, welches normalerweise für Konzertbesucher und Konzertbesucherinnen nicht greifbar und nicht mitgestaltbar ist.
An Empirical Analysis of Art Galleries
Authors: Memili Esra , Fang Hanqing , Hellstern Gerd-Michael , Ozga Joanna , Nayir Dilek Zamantili
Published: November 2016

Despite the extant research on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and its performance consequences, cultural industries have been under researched. In our paper, we examine the impact of the Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) on performance as well as performance deviation from industry average in art galleries. The findings of our exploratory study based on responses from 113 art galleries in Istanbul showing that EO improves performance only in galleries with above industry average performance. We further find that the relationship between EO and performance deviation of galleries is U-shaped.
Lack of an apparent role for endothelin‐1 in the prolonged reduction in renal perfusion following severe unilateral ischemia‐reperfusion injury in the mouse
Authors: Boesen Erika I.
Published: November 2016

Therapeutic approaches to block the progression from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease are currently lacking. Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is a powerful vasoconstrictor, induced by hypoxia, and previously implicated in renal ischemia‐reperfusion (IR) injury. This study tested the hypothesis that blunting the vascular influence of ET‐1, either through endothelin ETA receptor blockade (ABT‐627) or vascular endothelial cell deletion of ET‐1 (VEET KO), would improve recovery of renal perfusion and repair of injury following a severe ischemic insult in mice (45 min unilateral renal ischemia). Male C57Bl/6 mice receiving vehicle or ABT‐627 commencing 2 days prior to surgery, and VEET KO mice and wild‐type littermates (WT) underwent 45 min unilateral renal IR surgery followed by 28 days recovery. Renal blood velocity was measured by pulsed‐wave Doppler ultrasound before and after surgery. Renal blood velocity was not significantly different between pairs of groups before surgery. Unilateral IR induced a marked reduction in renal blood velocity of the IR kidney at 24 h postsurgery in all groups, which partially recovered but remained below baseline at 28 days post‐IR. Despite the lack of effect on renal blood velocity, ETA receptor blockade significantly attenuated the atrophy of the post‐IR kidney, whereas this was not significantly affected by lack of endothelial ET‐1 expression. These data suggest that although blockade of the ETA receptor is mildly beneficial in preserving renal mass following a severe ischemic insult, this protective effect does not appear to involve improved recovery of renal perfusion.
Is static balance affected by using shoes of different height?
Authors: Truszczyńska Aleksandra , Trzaskoma Zbigniew , Stypińska Zuzanna , Drzał-Grabiec Justyna , Tarnowski Adam
Published: November 2016

Study aim: to investigate the impact of heels of different height on static balance of teenagers and young women not accustomed to high heels.

Material and methods: The study involved 71 young women aged 21.09 ± 2.91 years. We used a stabilometric platform to take measurements barefoot and with heels: of 4 cm and of 10 cm. Two types of measurements were taken: with eyes open and with eyes closed.

Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant increase in values of the measured stabilographic parameters with 4 cm and 10 cm heels, in comparison to measurements taken with bare feet. Measurements with eyes closed revealed significantly greater distortions to static balance than measurements with eyes open. A comparison of measurements – both with eyes open and with eyes closed – barefoot, with 4 cm heels and with 10 cm heels revealed statistically significant differences.

Conclusions: High heels in the population of young women significantly worsen static balance. Heel height and the exclusion of visual control are important factors diminishing static balance.
Elections and the Economy: What to do about Recessions?
Authors: Ghayad Rand , Cragg Michael , Pinter Frank
Published: November 2016

There is no doubt that the US is embedded in a weak economy. Bond markets are now saying that neither inflation rates approaching 2 percent targets or real interest rates substantially above zero are on the horizon anytime in the foreseeable future. Growth forecasts are being revised downwards in most places, and there is growing evidence in the US that inflation expectations are becoming unanchored to the downside. That, along with widening credit spreads and a stronger dollar as Europe and Japan plunge more deeply into the world of negative rates is alarming and suggests that we are at risk of another recession. Presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle have laid out their positions on major issues ranging from taxes, minimum wage, the federal debt, to issues such as immigration, military strategy, and climate change. While candidates’ policy positions differ generally, it is not clear what their priorities are when it comes to most of these issues. In this paper, we apply text analytics to analyze hundreds of thousands of words that appeared in policy releases, interviews, or debate transcripts related to all of the 2016 presidential candidates. Among other things, we find that macroeconomic policy or “what to do about recessions” has been largely ignored by presidential candidates in this year’s election. Perhaps not surprisingly, Donald Trump’s positions are focused on Mexico and China while Hillary Clinton’s positions are heavily focused on gender and social factors. This appears to present a contrast from Bill Clinton’s campaign in the early 1990s, which was focused on America’s declining economy, emphasizing a basic but effective slogan, “It’s the Economy, Stupid!”
The role of magnetic resonance imaging in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis presented with lymphedema-like swelling: a case report
Authors: Ng Karen Ka Man , Cheung Tommy Tsang , Lau Chak Sing , Chung Ho Yin
Published: November 2016

We report a 45-year-old lady with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) presented to us with unilateral swelling of the left hand and wrist, mimicking lymphedema. She was arranged to have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the affected hand and wrist. Lymphedema was successfully ruled out, and severe synovitis and tenosynovitis were found to be the causes of the extensive swelling. The case report aims to illustrate the importance of MRI in diagnosing and differentiating other important pathologies for lymphedema-like swelling in patients with RA.
The Messy Business of Art, Research, and Collaboration: Audience Engagement in Home/Less/Mess
Authors: Farough Dawn
Published: November 2016

The subject of theatre audience engagement has preoccupied scholars and practitioners in theatre studies and research-informed theatre. Yet at the same time, there is a profound absence of data about audience members. The Canadian play and research project,
“Opera Singing Interrupted”: Simon Stephens’s Carmen Disruption
Authors: Mark Lianna
Published: November 2016

Simon Stephens’s
Hell and Redemption in Greig Coetzee’s Johnny Boskak is Feeling Funny
Authors: Barnes Hazel
Published: November 2016

This paper analyses the ways in which Coetzee creates a hybrid tragi-comic epic through presenting the moral journey of very flawed, ordinary characters struggling with the aftermath of social change in a post-apartheid South Africa. The play,
Entropy Balancing is Doubly Robust
Authors: Zhao Qingyuan , Percival Daniel
Published: November 2016

Covariate balance is a conventional key diagnostic for methods estimating causal effects from observational studies. Recently, there is an emerging interest in directly incorporating covariate balance in the estimation. We study a recently proposed entropy maximization method called Entropy Balancing (EB), which exactly matches the covariate moments for the different experimental groups in its optimization problem. We show EB is doubly robust with respect to linear outcome regression and logistic propensity score regression, and it reaches the asymptotic semiparametric variance bound when both regressions are correctly specified. This is surprising to us because there is no attempt to model the outcome or the treatment assignment in the original proposal of EB. Our theoretical results and simulations suggest that EB is a very appealing alternative to the conventional weighting estimators that estimate the propensity score by maximum likelihood.
Performance and stochastic stability of the adaptive fading extended Kalman filter with the matrix forgetting factor
Authors: Biçer Cenker , Özbek Levent , Erbay Hasan
Published: November 2016

In this paper, the stability of the adaptive fading extended Kalman filter with the matrix forgetting factor when applied to the state estimation problem with noise terms in the non–linear discrete–time stochastic systems has been analysed. The analysis is conducted in a similar manner to the standard extended Kalman filter’s stability analysis based on stochastic framework. The theoretical results show that under certain conditions on the initial estimation error and the noise terms, the estimation error remains bounded and the state estimation is stable.

The importance of the theoretical results and the contribution to estimation performance of the adaptation method are demonstrated interactively with the standard extended Kalman filter in the simulation part.
Hydrothermal synthesis and thermoelectric properties of PbS
Authors: Zhang He , Wang Haiyan , Zhu Hongyu , Li Hongtao , Su Taichao , Li Shangsheng , Hu Meihua , Fan Haotian
Published: November 2016

In this paper, hydrothermal approach combined with high pressure sintering method was employed to synthesize PbS. The X-ray diffraction results show that single phase PbS can be obtained by a simple hydrothermal method. The scanning electron microscope results show that the PbS sample has nearly cubic shape and preserves well crystallized and coarse grains after high pressure sintering. The thermoelectric performance of PbS obtained in this study is comparable to that of a PbS sample prepared by conventional method. The carrier type and concentration of PbS can be tuned effectively by doping with Bi. The maximum figure of merit for PbS doped with 1 mol% Bi reaches 0.44 at 550 K, which is about 30 % higher than that of undoped PbS. These results indicate that hydrothermal method provides a viable and controllable way of tuning the electrical transport and thermoelectric properties for PbS.
Geodynamic Research at the Department of Planetary Geodesy, SRC PAS
Authors: Brzeziński Aleksander , Jóźwik Mieczysław , Kaczorowski Marek , Kalarus Maciej , Kasza Damian , Kosek Wiesław , Nastula Jolanta , Szczerbowski Zbigniew , Wińska Małgorzata , Wronowski Roman , Zdunek Ryszard , Zieliński Janusz B.
Published: November 2016

The Department of Planetary Geodesy of the Space Research Centre PAS has been conducting research on a broad spectrum of problems within a field of global dynamics of the Earth. In this report we describe the investigations on selected subjects concerning polar motion (modeling and geophysical interpretation of the Chandler wobble, hydrological excitation of seasonal signals, search for optimal prediction methods), tectonic activity in the region of the Książ Geodynamic Laboratory of the SRC, and finally the new joint Polish-Italian project GalAc analyzing feasibility and usefulness of equipping second-generation Galileo satellites with accelerometers.
Participation of Employees and Students of the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography in Polar Research
Authors: Pasik Mariusz , Adamek Artur , Rajner Marcin , Kurczyński Zdzisław , Pachuta Andrzej , Woźniak Marek , Bylina Paweł , Próchniewicz Dominik
Published: November 2016

This year the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography, Warsaw University of Technology celebrates its 95th jubilee, which provides an opportunity to present the Faculty’s rich traditions in polar research. Employees and students of the faculty for almost 60 years have taken part in research expeditions to the polar circle. The article presents various studies typical of geodesy and cartography, as well as miscellany of possible measurement applications and geodetic techniques used to support interdisciplinary research. Wide range of geodetic techniques used in polar studies includes classic angular and linear surveys, photogrammetric techniques, gravimetric measurements, GNSS satellite techniques and satellite imaging. Those measurements were applied in glaciological, geological, geodynamic, botanical researches as well as in cartographic studies. Often they were used in activities aiming to ensure continuous functioning of Polish research stations on both hemispheres. This study is a short overview of thematic scope and selected research results conducted by our employees and students.
»Organisation« im on/off-Modus
Authors: Hahn Matthias , Wagner Gabriele
Published: November 2016

Qualitätsmanagern an Hochschulen steht eine Vielfalt an unterschiedlichen Bewertungsfolien zur Verfügung, wenn sie die „Qualitätsfrage“ stellen und beantworten müssen. Die von uns durchgeführte rekonstruktive Analyse rückt jedoch folgenden Befund in den Fokus: Die Vielfalt der Bewertungsfolien ist weniger ein Problem, sondern vielmehr eine Lösung für ein ganz anders gelagertes Bezugsproblem. Das Bezugsproblem der Qualitätsmanager an Hochschulen besteht darin, dass die „Qualitätsfrage“ das hochschulische Geschehen an seinen organisationalen Kontext erinnert, in der Gestalt bereits etablierter formaler (und informaler) Erwartungen hinsichtlich dessen, wie und in welcher Qualität ‘die Dinge zu laufen haben’. Im Kontext formaler Organisation lässt sich das Handeln der Mitglieder aufgrund der normativ generalisierten Verhaltenserwartungen, die an die Mitgliedschaftsrolle geknüpft werden, daher prinzipiell als Entscheidung behandeln, die sich konform oder abweichend gegenüber organisatorischen Erwartungen verhält. Damit entsteht die Möglichkeit, die an der Hochschule angestellten Wissenschaftler nicht alleinals peers, sondern in ihrer Rolleals Organisationsmitgliederzu adressieren. Genau diese Beobachtungs- und Behandlungsmöglichkeit markiert einen Bruch mit einer zentralen Norm der Hochschule, die es dem wissenschaftlichen Personal bis dahin in weiten Teilen erlaubte, davon absehen zu können, dass sich ihr professionelles Handeln im Kontext einer Organisation, nämlichder Organisation Hochschulevollzieht. Der Beitrag arbeitet vier Formen der Lösung dieses Problems heraus.
Eccentric Strength Training: A Review of the Available Technology
Authors: Tinwala Farhan , Cronin John , Haemmerle Enrico , Ross Angus
Published: November 2016

ECCENTRIC (ECC) STRENGTH TRAINING IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR AMONG STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACHES AND PRACTITIONERS GIVEN THE PROVEN BENEFITS FOR PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS, INJURY PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO UNDERSTAND THE DEVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE TRAINING OF ECC STRENGTH, THE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED, AND THE ASSOCIATED ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. IT IS HOPED THAT WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE THE PRACTITIONER IS BETTER INFORMED AT MATCHING ECC STRENGTH TRAINING NEEDS WITH THE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY. FOR A VIDEO ABSTRACT DESCRIBING THIS ISSUE, SEE VIDEO, SUPPLEMENTAL DIGITAL CONTENT 1, http://links.lww.com/SCJ/A198.
Environmental Anchoring of Head Direction in a Computational Model of Retrosplenial Cortex
Authors: Bicanski Andrej , Burgess Neil
Published: November 2016

Allocentric (world-centered) spatial codes driven by path integration accumulate error unless reset by environmental sensory inputs that are necessarily egocentric (body-centered). Previous models of the head direction system avoided the necessary transformation between egocentric and allocentric reference frames by placing visual cues at infinity. Here we present a model of head direction coding that copes with exclusively proximal cues by making use of a conjunctive representation of head direction and location in retrosplenial cortex. Egocentric landmark bearing of proximal cues, which changes with location, is mapped onto this retrosplenial representation. The model avoids distortions due to parallax, which occur in simple models when a single proximal cue card is used, and can also accommodate multiple cues, suggesting how it can generalize to arbitrary sensory environments. It provides a functional account of the anatomical distribution of head direction cells along Papez' circuit, of place-by-direction coding in retrosplenial cortex, the anatomical connection from the anterior thalamic nuclei to retrosplenial cortex, and the involvement of retrosplenial cortex in navigation. In addition to parallax correction, the same mechanism allows for continuity of head direction coding between connected environments, and shows how a head direction representation can be stabilized by a single within arena cue. We also make predictions for drift during exploration of a new environment, the effects of hippocampal lesions on retrosplenial cells, and on head direction coding in differently shaped environments.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe activity of head direction cells signals the direction of an animal's head relative to landmarks in the world. Although driven by internal estimates of head movements, head direction cells must be kept aligned to the external world by sensory inputs, which arrive in the reference frame of the sensory receptors. We present a computational model, which proposes that sensory inputs are correctly associated to head directions by virtue of a conjunctive representation of place and head directions in the retrosplenial cortex. The model allows for a stable head direction signal, even when the sensory input from nearby cues changes dramatically whenever the animal moves to a different location, and enables stable representations of head direction across connected environments.
Kisspeptin level in the aging ovary is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system
Authors: Fernandois Daniela , Cruz Gonzalo , Na Eun Kyung , Lara Hernán E , Paredes Alfonso H
Published: November 2016

Previous work has demonstrated that the increase in the activity of sympathetic nerves, which occurs during the subfertility period in female rats, causes an increase in follicular cyst development and impairs follicular development. In addition, the increase in ovarian sympathetic activity of aged rats correlates with an increased expression of kisspeptin (KISS1) in the ovary. This increase in KISS1 could participate in the decrease in follicular development that occurs during the subfertility period. We aimed to determine whether the blockade of ovarian sympathetic tone prevents the increase in KISS1 expression during reproductive aging and improves follicular development. We performed 2 experiments in rats: (1) an in vivo blockade of beta-adrenergic receptor with propranolol (5.0 mg/kg) and (2) an ovarian surgical denervation to modulate the sympathetic system at these ages. We measured Kisspeptin and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) mRNA and protein levels by qRT-PCR and western blot and counted primordial, primary and secondary follicles at 8, 10 and 12 months of age. The results showed that ovarian KISS1 decreased but FSHR increased after both propranolol administration and the surgical denervation in rats of 8, 10 and 12 months of age. An increase in FSHR was related to an increase in the number of smaller secondary follicles and a decreased number of primordial follicles at 8, 10 and 12 months of age. These results suggest that intraovarian KISS1 is regulated by sympathetic nerves via a beta-adrenergic receptor and participates locally in ovarian follicular development in reproductive aging.
Anthropometric Charts for Infants Born Between 22 and 29 Weeks’ Gestation
Authors: Boghossian Nansi S. , Geraci Marco , Edwards Erika M. , Morrow Kate A. , Horbar Jeffrey D.
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVES:

Using a large, racially diverse US dataset, we aimed primarily to: (1) fit and validate sex-specific birth weight and head circumference for gestational age charts for infants born at 22 to 29 weeks’ gestation; and (2) fit race-specific birth weight and head circumference for gestational age charts.

METHODS:

We used data collected between 2006 and 2014 on 183 243 singleton infants without congenital malformations with gestational age between 22 weeks, 0 days and 29 weeks, 6 days from 852 US members of the Vermont Oxford Network. For the sex-specific charts, the final sample size included 156 587 infants who survived hospital discharge. From these 156 587, we abstracted a subset of 47 005 infants to fit sex-specific charts separately for white, black, and Asian infants. For all charts, we applied quantile regression models to predict infants’ birth weight and head circumference percentiles from gestational age expressed in days.

RESULTS:

We successfully validated the overall sex-specific charts. Over most of the gestational age range, black infants, either girls or boys, had the lowest predicted birth weight as compared with white and Asian infants for many percentiles.

CONCLUSIONS:

We fitted and validated new sex-specific charts using a recent, large, and racially diverse dataset. Future steps include using these charts to examine associations of weight and head circumference at birth with mortality and morbidity.