bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Men serving long-term sentences in Zonderwater Correctional Centre, South Africa: Religious identity and behavioural change
Authors: Landman Christina , Ncongwane Harold J. , Pieterse Tanya
Published: February 2019

This article retrieves the voices of a group of incarcerated men speaking on their religious identity and the behavioural changes ensuing from their religious choices. Research data were collected over a 10-month period from participants that consisted of a group of 30 male offenders serving life or long-term sentences at the Correctional Centre A, Zonderwater Management Area in Cullinan near Pretoria, South Africa. Qualitative research by means of an interview schedule invited offenders to share their thoughts on how their religious beliefs and experiences served as a support system during incarceration. Insight was gained into how religious identities were established to maintain a sense of belonging and hope during this period. The study embraces the Social Identity Theory that departs from the premise that individuals have multiple identities associated with the environment they live and operate in. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to understand the shaping of religious identity within the four themes that were identified: conserving identities; accommodating identities; contra-identities; and change of behaviour, attitudes and values. Research on religious identities operationalising into behavioural change provides knowledge to disciplines such as psychology, sociology and theology, and assists the correctional services in understanding the complex and dynamic nature of offenders when they voice themselves outside of their crimes.
Transient Ischemic Attack in a High-Risk Cardiovascular Patient with Renal Dysfunction after Treatment with Rivaroxaban and Clopidogrel: A Case Report
Authors: Kary Steven J , Roy Caitlin J , Semchuk William M , Lavoie Andrea J
Published: February 2019

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Práticas de atividade física e esporte no Brasil
Authors: Pontes Sarah Souza , Silva Alana Merces , Santos Laíza Muniz de Santana , Sousa Brendo Vitor Nogueira , Oliveira Elenilda Farias de
Published: February 2019

Objetivo: Caracterizar os praticantes de esporte e atividade físicas no Brasil por meio da estratificação dos resultados da Pesquisa Nacional de Amostra por Domicílio. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo ecológico de análise estatística descritiva, realizada com dados secundários em nível nacional por meio da Pesquisa Nacional de Amostra por Domicílio do ano de 2015, com 71.142 mil pessoas de 151.189 mil unidades domiciliares distribuídas por todas as Unidades da Federação. Realizou-se análise estatística descritiva, sendo organizadas variáveis qualitativas em tabelas e gráficos, através do teste qui-quadrado, considerando p≤0,05. Resultados: Constatou-se o Distrito Federal como o estado que mais realiza atividade física no país (30,9%) e o Mato Grosso o que menos realizou no período estudado (8,4%). Em relação ao esporte, Alagoas encontra-se como o estado que menos praticou esporte (17%) e o Amazonas o que mais o fez (30,7%). Percebeu-se ainda uma relação positiva entre a prática de atividade física e do esporte e a renda per capita por domicílio evidenciando que, quanto maior a renda, maior a prática dessas atividades. Quanto ao estado civil, nota-se que os autodenominados solteiros são os que mais praticam ambas as modalidades (esporte 27% e atividade física 18%), com diferenças significativas. Conclusão: Os praticantes de esporte e atividade física no Brasil no ano de 2015 caracterizam-se por serem do sexo masculino, com maior nível de escolaridade e renda, solteiros e que buscavam essas atividades a fim de melhorar sua qualidade de vida e o bem-estar.
Effectiveness of bendamustine in relapsed or refractory lymphoma cases: a Turkish Oncology Group study
Authors: Karadurmus Nuri , Paydas Semra , Esin Ece , Surmeli Zeki Gokhan , Yildiz Birol , Erturk Ismail , Nayir Erdinc , Dogan Mutlu , Sumbul Ahmet Taner , Barista Ibrahim , Gurkan Emel , Ocal Ramazan , Ferhanoglu Burhan , Ozgur Gokhan , Karakas Yusuf , Lacin Sahin , Ozaydin Sukru , Petekkaya Halil Ibrahim , Uskent Necdet
Published: February 2019

Introduction

We aimed to investigate the efficacy and side effects of bendamustine in relapsed/refractory lymphoma patients in Turkey. 

Material and methods

In this retrospective study, we included relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients who underwent multiple lines of chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was to determine the objective response and toxicity.

Results

Ninety-nine patients with a median age of 59.8 years were included in the study. Eighty-one patients had NHL (follicular lymphoma: 10, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: 27, mantle-cell lymphoma: 18, marginal zone lymphoma: 9, small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia: 17) and 18 patients had HL. The patients had previously received a median of three lines of chemotherapy (range: 2–8) except autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT); 19 patients (HL: 11, NHL: 8) had undergone ASCT. The objective response rate (ORR) was 74.3%, the complete response rate was 57% (= 53), and the partial response rate was 16.6% ( = 19). The overall survival (OS) rate at 1 year was 74.6%. The progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 1 year was 62.5%. The most common side effects were lymphopenia, anemia and neutropenia. Side effects which were observed as grade 3 and higher levels were lymphopenia (14.1%), neutropenia (10.1%) and fatigue (7.1%). 

Conclusions

Objective response rate of bendamustine was found to be 74.3% in relapsed/refractory HL and NHL patients. It appears to be an effective option as a salvage treatment for patients who have previously received multiple lines of therapy.
SER-PD – Polish adaptation of the My Emotions Scale for the assessment of parents’ emotional reactions to child’s crying
Authors: Kaźmierczak Maria , Pawlicka Paulina
Published: February 2019

Background

The Polish adaptation of the My Emotions Scale measuring parental self-reported emotional reactions to a child’s crying is pre-sented. The scale measures parent-oriented (amusement, anxiety, frustration) and infant-oriented (sympathy and empathy) emo-tional reactions to a child’s crying, which has been defined as the most obvious early attachment behaviour.

Participants and procedure

A total of 495 parents of small children (including 376 mothers, no couples) took part in the study. Females were M = 27.79 (SD = 5.01) years old on average, whereas mean age of men was M = 31.71 (SD = 5.37) years. The majority of participants (74.90%) had one child. The average age of the assessed child was M = 9.17 months (SD = 4.43). Reliability and validity prop-erties of the scale are presented.

Results

The results confirmed the five-factor model, which showed adequate fit indices. The SER-PD has adequate internal consistency. The criterion-related validity of the scale was established by correlating five dimensions of parental emotional reactions to the child’s crying with measures of dispositional empathy and contextually neutral emotional reactions.

Conclusions

The SER-PD gives the opportunity for broader analyses of the parental responsiveness construct. It is a useful tool to examine parent-child interactions easily and noninvasively, in large samples, and in situations where qualitative data might be difficult to obtain.
Assessing the construct validity and reliability of the Academic Motivation Scale in the Vietnamese context
Authors: Nguyen Quang Ngoc , Nguyen Luot Van
Published: February 2019

Background

Academic motivation is one of the most studied constructs in psychology. However, in Vietnam, the lack of valid and reliable instruments evaluating academic motivation has led to limitations in research on this topic. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) is widely applied to different contexts across the world. The purpose of the study is to assess the construct validity and reliability of the AMS with a sample of Vietnamese university students.

Participants and procedure

The research study was conducted with a convenience sample of 341 university students. Male students accounted for 11.70% of participants. The average age was 20.28 with a standard deviation of 1.12. To participate in the study, students conducted an online questionnaire consisting of the AMS. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and correlation analysis and calculated Cronbach’s α to examine the validity and reliability of the scale.

Results

CFA indicated that the seven-factor model fitted the data best, with all the unstandardized factor loadings being statistically sig-nificant. Regarding reliability, AMS subscales had satisfactory Cronbach αs. Correlation analysis supported almost entirely the hypothesis about simplex structure of the AMS.

Conclusions

Considering the results, we suggest that the AMS has met the requirements for validity and reliability, and could be used in research with Vietnamese university students on academic motivation itself and its relationships with other psychological con-structs.
Assessment and comparison of radiation dose and image quality
in multi-detector CT scanners in non-contrast head and neck examinations
Authors: Khoramian Daryoush , Sistani Soroush , Firouzjah Razzagh Abedi
Published: February 2019

Purpose

To assess and compare radiation dose and image quality from non-contrast head and neck computed tomo­graphy (CT) examinations from four different multi-detector CT (MDCT) scanners.

Material and methods

Four CT scanners with different numbers of detector rows including one 4-MDCT, a 6-MDCT, a 16-MDCT, and a 64-MDCT were investigated. Common CT dose descriptors including volumetric CT dose index (CTDIv), dose length product (DLP), and the effective dose (ED), and image quality parameters include image noise, uniformity, and spatial resolution (SR) were estimated for each CT scanner with standard tools and methods. To have a precise comparison between CT scanners and related doses and image quality parameters, the ImPACT Q-factor was used.

Results

Minimum and maximum CTDIv, DLP, and ED in the head scan were 18 ± 3 and 49 ± 4 mGy, 242 ± 28 and 692 ± 173 mGy × cm, 0.46 ± 0.4 and 1.31 ± 0.33 mSv for 16-MDCT and 64-MDCT, respectively. And 16 ± 2 to 27 ± 3, 286 ± 127 to 645 ± 79 and 1.46 ± 0.65 to 3.29 ± 0.40 for neck scan, respectively. The Q-factor in head scan was 2.4, 3.3, 4.4 and 5.6 for 4-MDCT, 6-MDCT, 16-MDCT and 64-MDCT, respectively. The Q-factor in neck scan was 3.4, 4.6, 4.7 and 6.0 for 4-MDCT, 6-MDCT, 16-MDCT and 64-MDCT, respectively.

Conclusions

The results clearly indicate an increasing trend in the Q-factor from 4-MDCT to 64-MDCT units in both head and neck examinations. This increasing trend is due to a better SR and less noise of images taken and/or fewer doses in 64-MDCT.
Hypertrophic olivary degeneration in a 16-year-old girl after subtotal surgery of a brainstem pilocytic astrocytoma – a case report
Authors: Sobieraj Paulina , Duczkowski Marek , Terczyńska Iwona , Duczkowska Agnieszka , Krupa Katarzyna , Krupska Ewa , Bekiesińska-Figatowska Monika
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD) is a unique neurological condition caused by interruption of the dentato-rubro-olivary pathway, also known as the triangle of Guillain and Mollaret. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the best modality to diagnose both the degeneration of the inferior olivary nucleus and the underlying cause.

Case report

We describe a case of a unilateral HOD in a 16-year-old girl several months after a subtotal excision of a brainstem pilocytic astrocytoma. Taking into account the patient’s history, tumour recurrence must have been considered, but the typical location and MR morphology, as well as the time of occurrence after brainstem surgery, contributed to the diagnosis of HOD. The causative factor was the interruption of the central tegmental tract, which forms one arm of the Guillain and Mollaret triangle. Additionally, this is an interesting case of a child, who stayed in a coma for several months following brainstem surgery, but finally was discharged home with only minor neurological defects and returned to normal life.

Conclusions

Hypertrophic olivary degeneration is an infrequent neurological condition, especially in the paediatric population. Nevertheless, it should be considered when interpreting late postoperative scans of children with a history of a brain tumour.
Evaluation of various patient-, lesion-, and procedure-related factors on the occurrence of pneumothorax as a complication of CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy
Authors: Shiekh Yassar , Haseeb Wani A. , Feroz Imza , Shaheen Feroze A. , Gojwari Tariq A. , Choh Naseer A.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

To assess the influence of various patient-, lesion-, and procedure-related variables on the occurrence of pneumothorax as a complication of CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy.

Material and methods

In a total of 208 patients, 215 lung/mediastinal lesions (seven patients were biopsied twice) were sampled under CT guidance using coaxial biopsy set via percutaneous transthoracic approach. Incidence of post procedure pneumothorax was seen and the influence of various patient-, lesion-, and procedure-related variables on the frequency of pneumothorax with special emphasis on procedural factors like dwell time and needle-pleural angle was analysed.

Results

Pneumothorax occurred in 25.12% (54/215) of patients. Increased incidence of pneumothorax had a statistically significant correlation with age of the patient (p = 0.0020), size (p = 0.0044) and depth (p = 0.0001) of the lesion, and needle-pleural angle (p = 0.0200). Gender of the patient (p = 0.7761), emphysema (p = 0.2724), site of the lesion (p = 0.9320), needle gauge (p = 0.7250), patient position (p = 0.9839), and dwell time (p = 0.9330) had no significant impact on the pneumothorax rate.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated a significant effect of the age of the patient, size and depth of the lesion, and needle-pleural angle on the incidence of post-procedural pneumothorax. Emphysema as such had no effect on pneumothorax rate, but once pneumothorax occurred, emphysematous patients were more likely to be symptomatic, necessitating chest tube placement. Gender of the patient, site of the lesion, patient position during the procedure, and dwell time had no statistically significant relation with the frequency of post-procedural pneumothorax. Surprisingly, needle gauge had no significant effect on pneumothorax frequency, but due to the small sample size, non-randomisation, and bias in needle size selection as per lesion size, further studies are required to fully elucidate the causal relationship between needle size and post-procedural pneumothorax rate. The needle should be as perpendicular as possible to the pleura (needle-pleural angle close to 90°), to minimise the possibility of pneumothorax after percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy.
Effects of Earth's magnetic field variation on high frequency wave propagation in the ionosphere
Authors: Fagre Mariano , Zossi Bruno S. , Yiğit Erdal , Amit Hagay , Elias Ana G.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. The ionosphere is an anisotropic, dispersive medium for the propagation of radio frequency electromagnetic waves due to the presence of the Earth's intrinsic magnetic field and free charges. The detailed physics of electromagnetic wave propagation through a plasma is more complex when it is embedded in a magnetic field. In particular, the ground range of waves reflecting in the ionosphere presents detectable magnetic field effects. Earth's magnetic field varies greatly, with the most drastic scenario being a polarity reversal. Here the spatial variability of the ground range is analyzed using numerical ray tracing under possible reversal scenarios. Pattern changes of the spitze, a cusp in the ray path closely related to the geomagnetic field, are also assessed. The ground range increases with magnetic field intensity and ray alignment with the field direction. For the present field, which is almost axial dipolar, this happens for Northward propagation at the magnetic equator, peaking in Indonesia where the intensity is least weak along the equator. A similar situation occurs for a prevailing equatorial dipole with Eastward ray paths at the corresponding magnetic equator that here runs almost perpendicular to the geographic equator. Larger spitze angles occur for smaller magnetic inclinations, and higher intensities. This is clearly observed for the present field and the dipole rotation scenario along the corresponding magnetic equators. For less dipolar configurations the ground range and spitze spatial variabilities become smaller scale. Overall, studying ionospheric dynamics during a reversal may highlight possible effects of dipole decrease which is currently ongoing.
Experiments on patterns of alluvial cover and bedrock erosion in a meandering channel
Authors: Fernández Roberto , Parker Gary , Stark Colin P.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. In bedrock rivers, erosion by abrasion is driven by sediment particles that strike bare bedrock while traveling downstream with the flow. If the sediment particles settle and form an alluvial cover, this mode of erosion is impeded by the protection offered by the grains themselves. Channel erosion by abrasion is therefore related to the amount and pattern of alluvial cover, which are functions of sediment load and hydraulic conditions, and which in turn are functions of channel geometry, slope and sinuosity. This study presents the results of alluvial cover experiments conducted in a meandering channel flume of high fixed sinuosity. Maps of quasi-instantaneous alluvial cover were generated from time-lapse imaging of flows under a range of below-capacity bedload conditions. These maps were used to infer patterns of particle impact frequency and likely abrasion rates. Results from eight such experiments suggest that: (i) abrasion through sediment particle impacts is driven by fluctuations in alluvial cover due to the movement of freely-migrating bars, (ii) patterns of potential erosion are functions of sediment load and local curvature, (iii) low sediment supply ratios are associated with regions of potential erosion located closer to the inner bank but this region moves toward the outer bank as sediment supply increases, and (iv) the threads of high erosion rates are located at the tow of the alluvial bars, just where the alluvial cover reaches an optimum for abrasion rate.
Selection of multi-model ensemble of GCMs for the simulation of
precipitation based on spatial assessment metrics
Authors: Ahmed Kamal , Sachindra Dhanapala Arachchige , Shahid Shamsuddin , Demirel Mehmet Cüneyd , Chung Eun-Sung
Published: February 2019

Abstract. The climate modelling community has trialled a large number metrics to evaluate the temporal performance of the Global Circulation Models (GCMs) for the selection of GCMs, while very little attention has been given to spatial performance of GCMs which is equally important. This study evaluated the performance of 20 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) GCMs pertaining to their skills in simulating mean annual, monsoon and winter precipitation over Pakistan using state-of-the-art spatial metrics; SPAtial EFficiency, Goodman–Kruskal's lambda, Fractions Skill Score, Cramer’s V, Mapcurves, and Kling-Gupta efficiency for the period 1961–2005. The multi-model ensemble (MME) precipitation was generated through intelligent merging of simulated precipitation of selected GCMs employing Random Forest (RF) regression and Simple Mean (SM). The results indicated some differences in the ranks of GCMs for different metrics. The overall ranks indicated NorESM1-M, CESM1-CAM5, GFDL-CM3 and GFDL-ESM2G as the best GCMs in simulating the spatial patterns of mean annual, monsoon and winter precipitation over Pakistan. MME precipitation generated based on the best performing GCMs showed more similarities with observed precipitation compared to precipitation simulated by individual GCMs. The MME developed using RF displayed better performance than the MME-based on SM. Multiple spatial metrics have been used for the first time for selecting GCMs based on their capability to mimic the spatial patterns of annual and seasonal precipitation. The approach suggested in the present study can be extended to any number of GCMs and climate variables and applicable to any region for the suitable selection of an ensemble of GCMs to reduce uncertainties in climate projections.
Assessing the performance of global hydrological models for capturing peak river flows in the Amazon Basin
Authors: Towner Jamie , Cloke Hannah L. , Zsoter Ervin , Flamig Zachary , Hoch Jannis M. , Bazo Juan , Coughlan de Perez Erin , Stephens Elisabeth M.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Extreme flooding impacts millions of people that live within the Amazon floodplain. Global Hydrological Models (GHMs) are frequently used to assess and inform the management of flood risk, but knowledge on the skill of available models is required to inform their use and development. This paper presents an intercomparison of eight different GHMs freely available from collaborators of the Global Flood Partnership (GFP) for simulating floods in the Amazon basin. To gain insight into the strengths and shortcomings of each model, we assess their ability to reproduce daily and annual peak river flows against gauged observations at 75 hydrological stations over a 19-year period (1997–2015). As well as highlighting regional variability in the accuracy of simulated streamflow these results indicate that (a) the meteorological input is the dominant control on the accuracy of both daily and annual maximum river flows, and (b) groundwater and routing calibration of Lisflood based on daily river flows has no impact on the ability to simulate flood peaks for the chosen river basin. These findings have important relevance for applications of large-scale hydrological models, including analysis of the impact of climate variability, assessment of the influence of long-term changes such as land-use and anthropogenic climate change, the assessment of flood likelihood, and for flood forecasting systems.
Comment on “Channel flow, tectonic overpressure, and exhumation of high-pressure rocks in the Greater Himalayas” by Marques et al. (2018)
Authors: Platt John P.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. The upward-tapering channel model proposed by Marques et
al. (2018) for the Himalayas has a “base” that forms part of the subducting
footwall and
therefore does not close the
channel. This configuration does not produce return flow, and no dynamic
overpressure develops in the channel. The geometrical and kinematic
configuration they actually use for their calculations differs from this and
is both geologically and mechanically improbable. In addition, the fixed
upper boundary condition in their models is mechanically unrealistic and
inconsistent with geological and geophysical constraints from the Himalayan
orogen. In reality, the dynamic pressures calculated from their model, which
exceed lithostatic pressure by as much as 1.5 GPa, would cause elastic
flexure or permanent deformation of the upper plate. I estimate that a
flexural upwarp of 50 km of the upper plate would be required to balance
forces, which would lead to geologically unrealistic topographic and gravity
anomalies. The magnitude of the dynamic overpressure that could be confined
is in fact limited by the shear strength of the upper plate in the Himalayas,
which is likely to be < 120 MPa.
Bioactive compounds evaluation in different types of Czech and Slovak honeys
Authors: Škrovánková Soňa , Snopek Lukáš , Mlček Jiří­ , Volaří­ková Eva
Published: February 2019

Honey contains important bioactive compounds (enzymes, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and minerals) with several positive health effects for humans. In the study six types of honey (acacia, rape, floral, multi flower, forest, and honeydew honeys), of Czech and Slovak origin, were evaluated for bioactive compounds by means of color, polyphenols and antioxidant capacity analyses. The brightest color of honeys, the lowest values measured spectometrically, had acacia and rape honeys, followed by floral, and darker multi flower and forest honeys, and honeydew honeys. Polyphenols (PP) amount, determined by spectrophotometric method with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, was highest for the darkest honeydew honeys, followed by multi flower and forest honey, brighter floral honeys, and rape and acacia honey. Honeys polyphenols were in the range from 54.0 to 254.2 mg GAE.100g-1. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was analyzed by spectrometric methods with ABTS and DPPH reagents. Antioxidant capacity values are in agreement with the PP contents order. They were highest also for honeydew honeys (59.2 - 89.6 and 73.1 - 118.7 mg TE.100g-1), followed by multi flower (66.0 and 56.7 mg TE.100g-1) and forest honey (56.0 and 49.1 mg TE.100g-1), then floral honeys (33.0 - 49.2 and 27.8 - 38.7 mg TE.100g-1) and the lowest values for rape (19.0 and 28.1 mg TE.100g-1) and acacia (15.5 and 11.3 mg TE.100g-1)honey. A positive correlation between color, PP amount and TAC was evaluated for analyzed honeys. Darker honey samples showed higher values of phenolic compounds and antioxidant potential, therefore they belong to the honey types with higher amount of bioactive compounds such as antioxidants.
The evaluation of selected qualitative parameters of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) in dependence on its cultivar
Authors: Šlosár Miroslav , Hegedűsová Alžbeta , Hegedűs Ondrej , Mezeyová Ivana , Farkaš Ján , Golian Marcel
Published: February 2019

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is relatively known vegetable species, but it is grown only on small area in the Middle European region. Its cultivars are characterized by different colour of tuber flesh which can be white, beige, yellow, orange and purple. The aim of this study was to determine and compare selected qualitative parameters of tubers (total carotenoids, vitamin C and total soluble solids) among orange, white and purple sweet potato cultivars. The field experiments were established at Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra in 2016 and 2017. Sweet potatoes were grown by hillock system with using of black non-woven textile for soil mulching. The tuber harvest was realised on the 6th October 2016 and 13rd September 2017. The highest content of total carotenoids was found in orange sweet potato cultivars (78.47 - 122.89 mg.kg-1 fresh weight) and its values were multiple-fold higher in comparison with purple (4.22 mg.kg-1 f. w.) and white (10.71 mg.kg-1 f. w.) cultivars. Orange cultivars were also richer source of vitamin C (246.31 - 325.99 mg.kg-1 f. w.) compared to white (179.66 mg.kg-1 f. w.) and purple (187.75 mg.kg-1 f. w.) cultivars of sweet potatoes. The total soluble solids, expressing mainly sugar content, was higher in purple (10.13 °BRIX) cultivar of sweet potatoes, followed by cultivars with orange (8.52 - 9.72 °BRIX) and white (5.57 °BRIX) tuber flesh. Obtained results showed the significant effect of cultivar, characterized by different tuber flesh colour, on the composition and contribution of sweet potatoes for human health.
Moral Distress, Sign of Ethical Issues in the Practice of Oncology Nursing: Literature Review
Authors: Vargas Celis Ivonne , Concha Méndez Camila Andrea
Published: February 2019

Objective: To describe the factors that influence the emergence of moral distress in oncology nurses. Methodology: integrative review of the literature whose search will be performed in Web of Science databases, CINAHL (EBSCO), Scielo, Proquest, Pubmed and PsycInfo using the keywords moral distress and oncology nursing and their similes in Spanish, without restriction for years of publication until 2017. Results: The results of this review were grouped into three groups of factors each with subgroups: 1) Organizational factors: ethical climate, evasive culture and resources for ethics delivered by the organization. 2) Particular clinical situations: pain management, information delivery, futile treatment, and assistance to the patient and their family in the process of death, 3) Interpersonal relationships: poor communication, power relations, trust in the team’s competence. Conclusion: the three factors described are triggers of moral distress in oncology nurses. When there are ethical problems and the nurses do not participate in the deliberation process, these problems can be hidden and be normalized, which can diminish the moral sensitivity of the professionals, as well as the possibility of acting as moral agents.
Global and Multidimensional Symptom Assessments in Patients Presenting Abdominal Neoplasms
Authors: Lira Ana Lucia , de Freitas Thalyta Cássia , Martins Thais , Guimarães Daniela , Silva Marianne Regina , Drumond Camila , Guimarães Raphael Mendonça
Published: February 2019

Objective: To evaluate symptoms among patients with abdominal cancer and associated factors. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study with 100 patients. The prevalence of symptoms was evaluated through the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) and its association with demographic and clinical variables using chi-square and ANOVA tests. Results: The most prevalent symptoms were weight loss (64.0 %), pain (56.0 %), dry mouth (50.0 %), “I do not look more myself” (48.0 %) and lack of energy (45.0 %). There was a significant difference between sex and high-frequency (PHYS-H) (p = 0.001) and low-frequency (PHYS-L) physical symptoms (p = 0.004), and for general scale (TMSAS) (p = 0.002); (p = 0.001), general range (p = 0.027) and borderline significance for the global scale (GDI) (p = 0.051); high-frequency physical symptoms (p = 0.022), low-frequency physical symptoms (p = 0.034) and the overall scale (p = 0.034). There was one major complaint regarding the severity of high-frequency physical symptoms in patients with liver cancer (p = 0.018). Conclusion: Symptoms of physical and psychological aspects in cancer patients were associated with gender, race, marital status and tumor location. There is a need for tools to assess symptoms and enable health professionals to intervene more effectively.
Needs Analysis in EFL Teaching in Greece: The Teachers’ Stance
Authors: Chatzikyriakou Marina , Zafiri Makrina
Published: February 2019

The present research aims at identifying the way teachers in the Greek private sector become aware of their students’ needs and how they implement this knowledge in course and syllabus design. More specifically, teachers’ beliefs on the role and effectiveness of needs analysis in course and syllabus design were explored through both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The reason for conducting a study of this kind and caliber is the fact that syllabuses are mainly test-oriented within the context of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in private institutes in Greece, as obtaining certificates is the primary goal, and teachers are asked to align courses and syllabuses to their students’ needs. The findings revealed that teachers acknowledge the significance of needs analysis and implement their findings in course design. They also revealed the methods they use in order to become aware of their students’ needs. These results will benefit EFL teachers who want to maximize their potential and facilitate their students’ learning.
Effect of Regulation on Outreach of Microfinance Institutions in Ghana
Authors: Quartey Joyce Ama , Kotey Bernice
Published: February 2019

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) play an important role in enhancing the growth potential of small businesses. However, while regulation ensures that MFIs are financially sustainable, compliance compels them to make large-sized loans to wealthy clients in order to reduce the risk of lending and minimize administrative costs, a situation that compromises their main goal of reaching out to the poor. The study therefore, examined the effect of regulation on breadth and depth of outreach by microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Ghana. The purpose of the study is to find out whether regulation has enabled MFIs to increase their outreach (breadth and depth) thereby improving their sustainability. A mixed methods research design was employed, involving initial hypotheses testing with 31 self-regulated and 24 Central bank-regulated MFIs. The findings were then triangulated with a qualitative research design involving 13 Central bank-regulated and 20 self-regulated MFIs. The results showed that regulations increased the client base of MFIs but reduced the percentage of poor clients served, largely women. It is recommended that the government set up a fund for poor clients to be accessed by well-performing MFIs for provision of financial services to the poor to assist in poverty reduction.
Confucian Values and Entrepreneurial Firm Legitimacy
Authors: Kim Kong-Hee , Tan James A.
Published: February 2019

This paper offers a model based on institutional theory to explain differences in the level of new venture formation and development between the Confucian-based societies of East-Asia and Western countries such as the United States. We propose that the Confucian values underlying the institutional and cultural environments of East-Asian countries adversely affect the social legitimacy of entrepreneurial firms thereby inhibiting new venture formation and growth. The theoretical model and propositions developed in this paper extend the theoretical understanding of the interplay between Confucian values, cognitive behavior, and entrepreneurial firm legitimacy. Implications for international entrepreneurship research are discussed.
The Sociable Textual Archive: Laying the Groundwork for Linked Bibliographic Entities
Authors: Nelson Brent
Published: February 2019

Much of our scholarly thinking of the ‘social’ in digital editing has been with respect to the human processes of building an archive or an edition. This paper explores the idea of the ‘social’ with respect to the archive’s materials themselves. Taking the John Donne Society’s Digital Prose archive as a test case, this paper explores the infrastructure and resources available for creating an open ‘sociable’ knowledge network of linked bibliographic resources.
Open Social Knowledge Creation and Library and Archival Metadata
Authors: Seeman Dean , Dean Heather
Published: February 2019

Standardization both reflects and facilitates the collaborative and networked approach to metadata creation within the fields of librarianship and archival studies. These standards—such as Resource Description and Access and Rules for Archival Description—and the theoretical frameworks they embody enable professionals to work more effectively together. Yet such guidelines also determine who is qualified to undertake the work of cataloging and processing in libraries and archives. Both fields are empathetic to facilitating user-generated metadata and have taken steps towards collaborating with their research communities (as illustrated, for example, by social tagging and folksonomies) but these initial experiments cannot yet be regarded as widely adopted and radically open and social. This paper explores the recent histories of descriptive work in libraries and archives and the challenges involved in departing from deeply established models of metadata creation.
Crowdsourcing Downunder
Authors: Hendery Rachel , Gibson Jason
Published: February 2019

In this paper we report on the experience of two research projects that intended to experiment with crowdsourcing models for opening up their scholarly materials to the wider public. Both the Howitt & Fison project, and Mapping Print; Charting Enlightenment were designed to take into consideration particularities of the Australian academic environment: in the former case, sensitivities around materials relating to First Peoples; in both cases, geographical distance from potentially interested communities, and the difficulties of formal recognition and categorisation of time spent on activities that lie at the intersection of research and outreach. They had similar challenges in terms of needing to process a large amount of data before analysis and progress towards the projects’ main research goals could begin. They also had similar goals in terms of eventual use of the project data, for example, making historical texts available online, and producing maps, networks, timelines and digital exhibitions of images and texts. In the end, one project has found crowdsourcing invaluable for building connections with interested publics the other discovered that crowdsourcing was not necessary to produce the results the project needed, and has moved away from this to focus its efforts instead on the linking of existing data and automation of structuring and categorisation. This paper discusses how the projects came to take these different directions, and how the above-mentioned Australian contexts contributed to their evolution.
Growth promotion and yield enhancement of barley cultivars using ACC deaminase producing Pseudomonas fluorescens strains under salt stress
Authors: Azadikhah Mitra , Jamali Fatemeh , Nooryazdan Hamid-Reza , Bayat Fereshteh
Published: February 2019

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase enzyme reduce the level of stress, ethylene and stimulate plant growth under various biotic and abiotic stress conditions. The present study aims at characterizing efficient salt-tolerant, ACC deaminase containing Pseudomonas fluorescens strains with plant growth-promoting activity isolated from the rhizosphere of barley plants and evaluating the influence of potent plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) isolates on growth and yield of five barley cultivars under salinity stress. Plant growth and yield in barley cultivars following inoculation with salt-tolerant, ACC deaminase producing PGPR strains under salt stress were quantified. Results indicated that under various levels of salinity (50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl) inoculation with PGPRs had positive impact on growth parameters and yield of barley cultivars including plant height, spike length, weight and number, peduncle length, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight and grain yield, comparing to uninoculated control plants under salinity stress. Inoculation of barley cultivars with bacteria ameliorated the negative effects of salinity and resulted in increase in growth and yield. Besides, as the salinity levels increased, growth and yield of barley cultivars decreased; however, cultivars showed different responses to salt stress. This study demonstrates the vital role of rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase for increasing salt tolerance and consequently improving the growth and yield of barley plants under salinity stress.
The The impact of a muscle pump activator on incisional wound healing compared to standard stockings and compression devices in kidney and kidney-pancreas transplant recipients: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Aquil Shahid , Sharma Hemant , Alharbi Bijad , Pacoli Katharine , Luke Patrick P. , Sener Alp
Published: February 2019

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the impact of thrombo-embolic-deterrent + intermittent pneumatic compression (TED + IPC) vs. muscle pump activator (MPA) on incisional wound healing in kidney and simultaneous pancreas- kidney (SPK) transplant recipients.

Methods: We conducted a single-centre, randomized controlled trial in which 104 patients (kidney n=94; SPK n=10) were randomly assigned to wear TED + IPC (n= 52) or MPA (n=52) for the first six days following surgery. Patient demographics, postoperative outcomes, and incisional wound images were taken using a HIPAA-compliant application on postoperative days (POD) 3, 5, and 30, and assessed using the validated Southampton Wound Care Score.

Results: There were no demographic differences between the groups. The MPA group had a significant improvement in wound healing on POD 3 (p=0.04) that persisted until POD 5 (p=0.0003). At POD 30, both groups were similar in wound healing outcomes (p=0.51). Bayesian inferential analysis revealed that the use of TED + IPC following transplantation had inferior outcomes compared to the use of MPA with sequential moderate evidence. The rate of complex wound infections was significantly greater in the TED + IPC group compared to the MPA group (29% vs. 12%, respectively; p=0.03). Patients were more satisfied with the use of a MPA device than TED + IPC. No major complications were encountered in either group.

Conclusions: The use of a MPA device in the immediate postoperative period leads to a significant improvement in immediate and early wound healing, and decreased number of complex wound infections following kidney and SPK transplantation compared to standard TED + IPC therapy. Patients were more satisfied with the use of a MPA device than TED + IPC.
Enhancing Learning and Teaching for Architectural Engineering Students uing Virtual Building Design and Construction
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Chen Bing
Published: February 2019

It is important for students in the built environment related disciplines to acquire subject-based knowledge and skills from reflecting on their experience. In return, the learning-by-doing approach has been widely adopted in the academic cluster of built environment. To further strengthen this, this paper proposes a Virtual Reality (VR) based learning and teaching tool. It creates a virtual 3D environment that helps architectural engineering students conceive their design ideas, plan the layout, design the structure, construct the products (buildings, communities, infrastructures, etc.), and directly interact with the products they designed. The objectives of this research are: (1) to build a VR design environment for students to experience corresponding impact from different scenarios, which will help the student understand and investigate different design theories and schemes; (2) to build a VR construction environment for students to investigate how the building is built and what safety issues should be noted when visiting a construction site; and (3) to provide a collaborative environment for students in the Built Environment domain for better communication through a complete building project featuring active and experiential learning. Unity is used to develop the package and VIVE, a VR package, is used to facilitate the immersive interaction between the virtual environment and the users. Students from the Built Environment cluster were invited to use the tool and give feedback using a questionnaire. Positive comments were given by the students showing that they were very interested in studying academic subjects through such a technical game. All of them wanted to play more rounds to improve their performance and to find answers to the questions they failed to answer correctly. Most of the students were willing to spend more time in finding answers after playing that game.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Education Studies, Vol. 12, No. 3
Authors: Lee Chris
Published: February 2019

Reviewer acknowledgements for International Education Studies, Vol. 12, No. 3, 2019.
Student Teachers’ Preparedness to Teach: The Case of Turkey
Authors: Akdemir Öznur Ataş
Published: February 2019

In this research, it is aimed to investigate the level of student teachers’ preparedness to teach in terms of different variables. To this end, a descriptive survey study is conducted with 211 undergraduate students studying at the faculty of education of a Turkish public university. The data is collected with The Preparedness to Teach Scale. Standard deviation, arithmetic mean, frequency, percentage, t test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Scheffe and LSD (Least Significant Difference) test are used in data analysis procedure. According to the results, it is found that student teachers’ level of preparedness to teach, understanding learner, designing effective learning environment, designing the process of teaching and technopedagogical competencies are at sufficient level. Additionally, while there isn’t any difference between the levels of student teachers’ preparedness to teach in terms of gender, there are some differences between them in terms of their departments and class levels. Some suggestions based on the result of the present study are directed at researchers and practitioners.
Indicators of Effective Followership for Teachers under the Local Administrative Organization, Thailand: The Structural Relationship Model
Authors: Potima Napupa , Sanrattana Wirot , Suwannoi Paisan
Published: February 2019

This study aims to examine the consistency of the structural relationship model developed from both related theories and previous studies. Key components, sub-components and related indicators were examined by descriptive method. Sample sizes were controlled by the ratio between sample units and number of parameters as 20:1. A total of 31,026 samples were collected. All samples were teachers who were teaching at schools under the jurisdiction of local administration in Thailand. The questionnaire was used as a 5-level rating scale with 0.979 reliability. Results were based on related hypothesis, WIE model, participatory measurement model (PAR), and critical measurement model (CRT), respectively. The Measurement of Integrity (INT) and FOLL (Good User-Conduct Modeling) models were consistent with those previous studies. The key components, sub-components and indicators were also loaded according to the criteria.
Social Responsibility and Its Impact on Financial Performance in Companies Listed on the Amman Stock Exchange
Authors: AL-Rawashdeh Abed Alwahab , Ameen Al Nuaimi Faten
Published: February 2019

The main purpose of this study was to clarify the expenditure of Jordanian Industrial Companies on social responsibility and its impact on financial performance, and the researchers used multiple linear regressions to test the hypothesis of the study. Results showed that social responsibility has a statistical significance on the financial performance of the Jordanian industrial companies. The study recommended, more efforts to increase the interest of Jordanian industrial companies’ social responsibility towards the environment, in general and in particular, to increase investment of Jordanian Industrial Companies, using their resources in education, health, and infrastructure to achieve their share of responsibility towards the society.
De sluitingsbevoegdheid van artikel 13b Opiumwet: een mogelijk vervolgingsbeletsel voor het Openbaar Ministerie
Authors: van der Vorm Benny
Published: February 2019

The sanction of article 13b Drug Act: a possible prosecution impediment for the Public Prosecution Service?

According to article 13b of the Dutch Drug Act, the mayor is authorized to close homes and buildings in case of violation of this act. The closure of these homes and buildings is considered as an administrative sanction with no punitive aim. However, in certain cases it is possible that the application of this sanction could to be considered as a criminal charge. If so, this might have consequences for a possible criminal prosecution, because of the concept that no legal action can be instituted twice for the same cause (ne bis in idem-principle). This could lead to the situation that the Dutch Public Prosecution Service might lose its right to prosecute. In the combat of ‘undermining criminality’ this would be a major upset.