bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Homeless and incarcerated: An epidemiological study from Canada
Authors: Saddichha Sahoo , Fliers Joelle M , Frankish Jim , Somers Julian , Schuetz Christian G , Krausz Michael R
Published: March 2014

Background:

Incarceration and homelessness are closely related yet studied rarely. This article aimed to study the incarcerated homeless and identify specific vulnerabilities, which rendered them different from the nonincarcerated homeless. It also aimed to describe the homeless population and its significant involvement with the criminal justice and enforcement system.

Methods:

Data were derived from the British Columbia Health of the Homeless Study (BCHOHS), carried out in three cities in British Columbia, Canada: the large urban center Vancouver ( n = 250), Victoria ( n = 150) and Prince George ( n = 100). Measures included socio-demographic information, the Maudsley Addiction Profile (MAP), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) Plus.

Results:

Incarcerated homeless were more often male (66.6%), were in foster care (56.4%) and had greater substance use especially of crack cocaine (69.6%) and crystal methamphetamine (78.7%). They also had greater scores on emotional and sexual abuse domains of CTQ, indicating greater abuse. A higher prevalence of depression (57%) and psychotic disorders (55.3%) was also observed. Risk factors identified which had a positive predictor value were male gender ( p < .001; odds ratio (OR) = 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7–4.4), a diagnosis of depression ( p = .02; 95% CI: 1.1–4.4) and severe emotional neglect ( p = .02; 95% CI: 1.1–3.2) in the childhood.

Conclusion:

Homeless individuals may be traumatized at an early age, put into foster care, rendered homeless, initiated into substance use and re-traumatized on repeated occasions in adult life, rendering them vulnerable to incarceration and mental illness.
Music in the Home
Authors: Mehr Samuel A.
Published: March 2014

This study had three goals: (1) to investigate the potential connection between music experiences in early childhood and later music making as a parent, (2) to report the frequency of music making in a sample of American families with young children along with parents’ opinions on possible benefits of music classes, and (3) to compare frequency data to two previous studies. Parents of 4-year-old children were surveyed on the frequency of music activities in the home, their early arts experiences, and a variety of topics concerning arts education. An intergenerational link was found: The frequency of parental song in childhood significantly predicted parents’ later music behaviors with their own children, adjusting for other aspects of the early artistic environment. Parents reported high frequencies of music activities in the home, with most parents singing or playing recorded music to their children on a daily basis. Notably, the frequency of parental music making was unrelated to family income or to participation in music classes. Parents’ opinions on the effects of music education reflected a widespread belief that music classes confer a variety of nonmusical benefits.
Epidemiology of tetanus in Jamaica, 1993–2010
Authors: Harding Hyacinth E , Cawich Shamir O , Williams Eric W , Crandon Ivor W , Williams-Johnson Jean
Published: March 2014

Background

Although tetanus is still endemic in Jamaica, the epidemiologic profile has not been evaluated.

Methods

Admission registers at the main tertiary referral hospital were accessed to identify all patients diagnosed with tetanus from 1 January 1993 to 1 December 2010.

Results

There were 26 cases of tetanus (annual incidence of 0.57 cases per 1,000,000 population). Tetanus was more common in men (5.2:1) at a mean age of 59 ± 18.1 years. Persons in high-risk occupations (farmers, gardeners and construction workers) accounted for 52% of cases.

Conclusions

Tetanus remains endemic in Jamaica, occurring more commonly in elderly men. Doctors should be educated about the importance of a high index of suspicion, an immunisation history and promoting booster shots in high-risk groups.
Politics after Al-Qaeda
Authors: Devji Faisal
Published: March 2014

One of the consequences of Al-Qaeda’s terrorism has been its blurring of the distinction between national and international politics, both of which have lost a great deal of their former autonomy by serving as hosts for a set of new global concerns and practices. The Global War on Terror can be seen as an effort to externalize Al-Qaeda’s global threat by internationalizing it in a conventional war, and thus reinforcing both the autonomy of international politics and its separation from that of a national variety. More than a conservative move to protect the international order, however, the War on Terror was also an ambitious attempt to remake global politics in the wake of the Cold War. But despite the transformations it has wrought, the War on Terror failed to create either a new global order or even a new global politics.
Comparison of Long‐term Quality‐of‐Life Outcomes in Vestibular Schwannoma Patients
Authors: Robinett Zachary N. , Walz Patrick C. , Miles‐Markley Beth , Moberly Aaron C. , Welling D. Bradley
Published: March 2014

Objective

To compare long‐term quality‐of‐life outcomes in vestibular schwannoma patients managed with observation, microsurgery, or stereotactic radiation.

Study Design

ross‐sectional survey with retrospective chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Subjects and Methods

The Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality of Life (PANQOL) survey was mailed to 600 patients treated for vestibular schwannoma. Patients were separated by treatment and subsequently subdivided by years of follow‐up (0‐5, 6‐10, and >10 years). Composite quality‐of‐life (cQOL) scores and subscores for hearing, balance, facial nerve, pain, anxiety, energy, and general health were calculated. Scores were compared among treatment groups as a whole, among treatment groups at each time interval, and within treatment groups over time using a 2‐tailed analysis of variance and paired t test.

Results

The survey return rate was 49%, and the mean follow‐up was 7.9 years. The only significant difference in cQOL occurred at 0 to 5 years, where stereotactic radiation scores were better than both microsurgery and observation (P =. 009). No significant differences were detected in cQOL after 5 years. Within the radiation group, cQOL was significantly lower at 6 to 10 years than at 0 to 5 years (P =. 013). At no point was cQOL for stereotactic radiation less than that for observation or microsurgery.

Conclusions

Long‐term (>5 years) quality‐of‐life outcomes measured by the PANQOL in vestibular schwannoma patients show no significant differences between stereotactic radiation, observation, and microsurgical intervention. Studies are needed to fully evaluate very‐long‐term QOL for patients with vestibular schwannoma.
Dimensions, Outcomes and Mediating Roles of Empowerment
Authors: Singh Manjari , Sarkar Anita
Published: March 2014

We examined the multidimensional concept of empowerment in the context of women primary school teachers in India. We conducted interviews and then a questionnaire survey. Using structural equation modelling, we found that empowerment has two components: one is ‘latent empowerment’ (consisting of meaning, competence and impact); and the other is ‘action-oriented empowerment’ or autonomy. In teachers’ context, ‘latent empowerment’ affects both job satisfaction and innovative behaviour, whereas autonomy weakly influences only the innovative behaviour. ‘Latent empowerment’ mediates the relationship of workplace support with both job satisfaction and innovative behaviour. The role of information sharing in enhancing innovative behaviour through autonomy is weakly supported.
Demographic Profiling of the Locus of Control of Employees
Authors: D’souza Keith C. , Agarwal Upasna A , Chavali Usha
Published: March 2014

This study examines variations in employees’ locus of control (LOC) across the demographic variables of gender, educational background and respondents’ age. The study is based on data collected from 565 employees, using an adapted version of the Rotter Internal–External Locus of Control Scale. Based on a survey of literature, three hypotheses were formulated relating the demographic variables of gender, educational background and age with LOC. The results of this study yielded evidence of variations based on all the three demographic parameters. T-tests and analyses of variance suggest that there is no uniform LOC across different groups of employees. Men, ‘Gen X’ and people with higher educational levels (postgraduates) demonstrate higher internal LOC when compared with counterpart demographic groups. Implications of the findings for organization and management practice are discussed.
An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship between Net Stock Issues and Returns in India
Authors: Sehgal Sanjay , Pandey Asheesh
Published: March 2014

In this article, we focus on net stock issues which is a relatively unexplored asset pricing anomaly. We examine the relationship between net stock issues and returns in the Indian context using data for BSE 500 stocks from 1995 to 2012. The relationship between size, value and momentum attributes and stock return is confirmed, which is consistent with prior literature. We specifically find a negative relationship between net stock issues and returns after controlling for other firm characteristics, thus implying that companies with larger public offerings provide lower post-event returns. The net stock issues attribute is empirically associated with size and value characteristics. Large firms and low price to book (P/B) or relatively distressed firms tend to make bigger public offerings. While the former may do it to finance business expansion plans, the latter rely more on external financing owing to weak earnings record. Our findings are pertinent for policymakers, market practitioners and academicians. The study contributes to equity market anomaly literature for emerging markets.
Cysteine-rich, angiogenic inducer, 61 expression in patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma
Authors: Lin Yang , Xu Tianmin , Tian Geng , Cui Manhua
Published: March 2014

Objective

Cysteine-rich, angiogenic inducer, 61 ( CYR61) is a key gene in the transforming growth factor-β signalling pathway, which is involved in the development of many tumour types. This study aimed to clarify the status and clinical significance of CYR61 expression in patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma.

Methods

Tissue from patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma or benign ovarian tumours were investigated retrospectively for CYR61 expression at mRNA and protein levels, using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Correlations between immunohistochemical scores and several clinicopathological parameters were investigated.

Results

In 50 patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma and 50 patients with benign ovarian tumours, CYR61 expression on mRNA and protein levels was significantly higher in ovarian epithelial carcinoma tissue than in benign ovarian tissue. CYR61 expression was associated with regional lymph node metastases and progression of clinical disease stage. There was no difference in CYR61 expression between patients aged <50 years and ≥50 years.

Conclusions

CYR61 expression was significantly upregulated in ovarian carcinoma tissue compared with benign ovarian tumour tissue samples. Protein CYR61 levels were associated with lymph node metastases and Union for International Cancer Control stage. Protein CYR61 may be useful in targeted diagnosis and therapy, for patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma.
Intravenous lidocaine pretreatment with venous occlusion for reducing microemulsion propofol induced pain: Comparison of three doses of lidocaine
Authors: Kim Dae Hee , Chae Yun Jeong , Chang Hyuk Soo , Kim Jin A , Joe Han Bum
Published: March 2014

Objective

Pretreatment with intravenous 40 mg or 0.5 mg/kg lidocaine with venous occlusion is recommended to prevent pain following injection of lipid emulsion propofol. This approach is not sufficient to prevent pain from the injection of microemulsion propofol. The present study investigated whether a higher dose of lidocaine pretreatment with venous occlusion would be more effective for reducing pain following injection of microemulsion propofol compared with 40 mg lidocaine.

Methods

Patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned to one of three groups: pretreatment with 40 mg (group L40), 60 mg (group L60) or 80 mg (group L80) lidocaine intravenously with venous occlusion, followed by injection with microemulsion propofol 1 min later. Pain was assessed on a four-point scale (severe, moderate, mild, none) based on physical responses to the injection.

Results

A total of 68 patients were included in the final analysis. Pain severity and incidence were significantly lower in patients in group L60 and L80 compared with patients in group L40. There were no statistically significant differences in pain incidence or severity between group L60 and group L80.

Conclusions

Pretreatment with 60 mg lidocaine intravenously with venous occlusion may be the most effective minimum dose for reducing injection pain following microemulsion propofol administration for induction of anaesthesia.
Efficacy of low-dose rosuvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypo high-density lipoprotein cholesterolaemia
Authors: Katabami Takuyuki , Murakami Mariko , Kobayashi Suzuko , Matsui Tomoya , Ujihara Makoto , Takagi Sachiko , Higa Mariko , Ichijo Takamasa , Ohta Akio , Tanaka Yasushi
Published: March 2014

Objective

To analyse the efficacy of low-dose rosuvastatin for treating hypo high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterolaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia.

Methods

Patients with HDL-cholesterol (C) <40 mg/dl and triglycerides (TG) <400 mg/dl who were receiving treatment with lipid-lowering drugs other than rosuvastatin (or previously untreated with lipid-lowering drugs) and with low-density lipoprotein [LDL]-C ≥120 mg/dl were included. Patients were treated with 2.5 or 5 mg rosuvastatin orally, once daily, to achieve the target LDL-C level specified in Japanese guidelines. Changes in total cholesterol, HDL-C, TG, LDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and non-HDL-C at 3 and 6 months were prospectively analysed. Safety was evaluated by examining changes in hepatorenal function, glucose metabolism and creatine kinase.

Results

Out of 49 patients, all lipid parameters other than TG were significantly improved at 3 and 6 months. At 3 months, 83.3% of patients had achieved the target LDL-C level. Among nonlipid parameters, no changes were observed except for estimated glomerular filtration rate, which was improved by + 5.2% and + 9.6% at 3 and 6 months, respectively.

Conclusions

Low-dose rosuvastatin was effective in improving hypo-HDL cholesterolaemia and may have renoprotective effects.
Fatty liver and serum cholinesterase are independently correlated with HbA1c levels: Cross-sectional analysis of 5384 people
Authors: Katoh Shuichi , Peltonen Markku , Wada Takashi , Zeniya Mikio , Sakamoto Yoichi , Utsunomiya Kazunori , Tuomilehto Jaakko
Published: March 2014

Objectives:

To examine the association between glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fatty liver markers.

Methods:

This cross-sectional analysis stratified subjects into quintiles based on HbA1c. Fatty liver using ultrasonography scores (FLUS) were assigned as follows: 2 points, moderate or severe fatty liver; 1 point, mild fatty liver; and 0 points, normal liver. Subjects with viral hepatitis, alcohol intake >175 g/week or receiving hypoglycaemic treatment were excluded.

Results:

The study included 5384 subjects. Serum cholinesterase (ChE) and FLUS showed a significant graded increase with increasing HbA1c. In linear regression analysis stratified by body mass index (BMI) and age, ChE and FLUS were significantly associated with lower (1 + 2) and higher (3 + 4 + 5) HbA1c quintiles, respectively, independent of BMI and age.

Conclusions:

The findings show that both ChE and FLUS are significantly correlated with HbA1c, independent of BMI and age.
Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation in the Patella
Authors: Gomoll Andreas H. , Gillogly Scott D. , Cole Brian J. , Farr Jack , Arnold Ryan , Hussey Kristen , Minas Tom
Published: March 2014

Background:

Cartilage defects in the patella are common, and a subset of patients does not respond to nonoperative measures. While most cartilage repair techniques have demonstrated good outcomes in the femoral condyles, the patellofemoral compartment poses special challenges.

Hypothesis:

Repair of patellar cartilage defects with autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) will provide lasting improvements in pain and function.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Patients were treated at 1 of 4 participating cartilage repair centers with ACI for cartilage defects in the patella; bipolar (patella + trochlea) defects were included as well. All patients were followed prospectively for at least 4 years with multiple patient-reported outcome instruments, including the International Knee Documentation Committee, Short Form–12, modified Cincinnati Rating Scale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and Knee Society scores. Treatment failure was defined as structural failure of the graft combined with pain requiring revision surgery.

Results:

A total of 110 patients were available for analysis. As a group, they experienced both statistically significant and clinically important improvements in pain and function in all physical outcome scales. The International Knee Documentation Committee improved from 40 ± 14 preoperatively to 69 ± 20 at the last follow-up; the Cincinnati Rating Scale, from 3.2 ± 1.2 to 6.2 ± 1.8; and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, from 50 ± 22 to 29 ± 22 (all P < .0001). Ninety-two percent of patients stated that they would choose to undergo ACI again, and 86% rated their knees as good or excellent at the time of final follow-up. Nine patients (8%) were considered treatment failures, and 16% reported that their knees were not improved.

Conclusion:

Cartilage repair in the patellofemoral joint is arguably not without its challenges. Autologous chondrocyte implantation remains off-label in the patella, a fact that needs to be discussed with prospective patients during the informed consent process. However, when performed with attention to patellofemoral biomechanics, self-rated subjective good and excellent outcomes can be achieved in more than 80% of patients treated with ACI, even in a patient population with large and frequently bipolar defects such as the one presented in this study. However, final functional scores, although significantly improved, still reflected residual disability in this challenging group of patients.
Beyond Unity in Diversity: Cosmopolitanizing Identities in a Globalizing World
Authors: Ang Ien
Published: March 2014

The greater interconnectivity and interdependence unleashed by globalization are not creating a more harmonious, cosmopolitan humanity. On the contrary, the more global the world becomes, the more insistent particular differences, especially of the nationalist kind, are being articulated around the world, often leading to tension and conflict. This seeming paradox cannot be reconciled through simple mantras of ‘unity in diversity’. Rhetorical references to ‘a single humanity’ to overcome structurally entrenched divisions (as institutionalized in the world system of nation-states) are not sufficient for the attainment of greater pan-human solidarity. In response to this predicament this paper argues for a processual cosmopolitan perspective, in which a humanistic universalism should not be seen as a static moral ideal, but as a social and political horizon that must be worked towards, but probably never achieved, through a painstaking and continuing process of cosmopolitanization against the grain of powerful modes of particularist closure.
Choice of noxious facilities: Case of a solid waste incinerator versus a sanitary landfill in Malaysia
Authors: Othman Jamal , Chuen Khee Pek
Published: March 2014

A choice experiment analysis was conducted to estimate the preference for specific waste disposal technologies in Malaysia. The study found that there were no significant differences between the choice of a sanitary landfill or an incinerator. What matters is whether any disposal technology would lead to obvious social benefits. A waste disposal plan which is well linked or integrated with the community will ensure its acceptance. Local authorities will be challenged to identify solid waste disposal sites that are technically appropriate and also socially desirable.
Unions, joint regulation and workplace equality policy and practice in Britain: evidence from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey
Authors: Hoque Kim , Bacon Nicolas
Published: March 2014

This article provides an empirical assessment of the relationship between unionization and the adoption of equal opportunities (EO) policies and practices in British workplaces, using data from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey. The results demonstrate an association between union recognition and the adoption of a range of EO practices. However, this association largely only holds where unions are able to influence EO decision-making via negotiation or consultation. There is little evidence that the equality practices adopted in unionized workplaces where negotiation and consultation does not occur are any different from those adopted in non-unionized workplaces.
‘Teachers are Always Good. Children have Flaws.’
Authors: Ganapathy-Coleman Hemalatha
Published: March 2014

What do the poor in India say about the education their children are receiving? And how do they remember their own years of schooling? This cultural psychological study of parental beliefs about education explored these questions by employing participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus groups and sentence-completion tasks. The participants were 19 low-income parents from the state of Gujarat, India, with a child between 8 and 18 years of age. Results indicated that these materially impoverished parents nostalgically deified teachers, whom they often referred to as Guru, while they characterised their young student selves as playful and distracted. They upheld the sanctity of the teacher–student relationship, only occasionally criticising the schools and teachers of their childhood. Examining the personal narratives of these parents, I argue that Guru is a shared cultural concept that they have appropriated as a cultural resource for understanding their own educational experiences and reconstructing their childhood selves in acts of remembering. Upholding this ancient concept also allows them to stake a claim to their ethnocultural belonging in the present.
The Meanings Jamaicans Associate with Corporal Punishment
Authors: Burke Taniesha , Sutherland Olga
Published: March 2014

This study examined the meanings Jamaicans associate with corporal punishment and its perceived effects on children, caregivers’/parents’ relationship with children and in a broader sense, Jamaican culture. A total of 183 readers’ comments on 13 articles that focused on corporal punishment—published in a prominent Jamaican online newspaper—were qualitatively analysed. The results indicated that not all Jamaicans engage in or embrace the use of corporal punishment. There is a clear divide between Jamaican individuals who practise corporal punishment and those who believe it is socially unacceptable. Those in favour of it reported that it was religiously justified and effective as a method of discipline. Opponents of this view highlighted the negative physical and mental effects of corporal punishment on children and provided alternative discipline methods that were less punitive and more responsive to the needs of children and the parent–child relationship. Implications of the results are discussed.
Romantic Love, Commitment and Marriage in Emerging Adulthood in an Indian Context
Authors: Gala Jigisha , Kapadia Shagufa
Published: March 2014

The article focuses on issues of love, marriage and commitment during emerging adulthood, a life phase which is increasingly prominent in urban India owing to its global factors. In-depth and open-ended questionnaires and interviews of 110 respondents, comprising 80 emerging adults, 40 women and 40 men; and 30 middle aged adults, 15 men and 15 women having children between 18 and 25 years of age were conducted to ( i) unravel the social beliefs and attitudes towards romantic love, commitment and marriage and factors that shape these beliefs and attitudes, ( ii) understand the importance of commitment in conceptualising romantic relationships and ( iii) examine the generation and gender differences in the concepts, beliefs and attitudes. Findings reveal that even when the emerging adults are open to experimentation before marriage, the ultimate goal of romantic relationship is to establish a long-term relationship culminating into marriage.
Standing Committees on Ministries in the Bangladesh Parliament
Authors: Obaidullah A.T.M.
Published: March 2014

Since parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh was restored in 1991, the reorganisation of parliament has become the centre of attention. Development partners have been keen on organisational and institutional reforms in parliament to make a meaningful shift to the parliamentary system that was put in place abruptly and without adequate preparations. This transformation called for a revision of rules and the modernisation of the parliamentary secretariat, rejuvenating the committee system. This article highlights the major steps taken in the reorganisation of the standing committees of the parliament in Bangladesh, in an attempt to increase the parliament’s institutional/oversight capacity on the executive. It traces the weaknesses of the parliamentary standing committees of the early 1990s, findings and recommendations of the major reform measures and the state of affairs in the aftermath of reforms. However, strengthening parliamentary committees and their oversight capacity on the executive needs systemic and institutional changes, which calls for strong political commitment and strategic leadership on the part of senior parliament management and change in the mindset of the executive.
Esophageal cyst in the duodenum of a foal
Authors: Loynachan Alan T.
Published: March 2014

A 21-day-old Thoroughbred colt was euthanized following a history of recurrent colic. A 4.5 cm in diameter, occlusive, submucosal cyst was identified in the duodenum at necropsy. Histologically, the cyst was surrounded by a smooth muscle wall and was lined by both squamous and attenuated cuboidal to columnar epithelium. A diagnosis of an esophageal cyst was made based on the gross and histologic findings.
The Clinical Trials Nurse as Subject Advocate for Minority and Culturally Diverse Research Subjects
Authors: Rubin Susan L.
Published: March 2014

Minority involvement in clinical trials is necessary to promote diversification in health-related research. The clinical trials nurse is uniquely qualified to advocate for and ensure the success of the minority participant in clinical trials research during the processes of recruitment, informed consent, and retention of subjects. This article incorporates a review of literature in conjunction with the American Nurses Association’s standard of practice number 7 regarding ethics to demonstrate how the role of the clinical trials nurse as subject advocate can facilitate successful participation of minorities in clinical trial research.
Existential Concerns About Death
Authors: Moestrup Lene , Hansen Helle Ploug
Published: March 2014

Research suggests that addressing dying patients’ existential concerns can improve their quality of life. We aimed to illuminate dying patients’ existential concerns about the impending death through a descriptive analysis of semistructured interviews with 17 patients in Danish hospices. The main findings demonstrated how the patients faced the imminent death without being anxious of death but sorrowful about leaving life. Some patients expressed that they avoided thinking about death. They wished to focus on positive aspects in their daily life. We argue that the patients’ existential concerns could not be fully captured by Yalom’s existential psychology or by Kübler-Ross's theory about death stages. Patients’ complex concerns could be more fully explained taking an outset in Heidegger's phenomenological thinking.
Ancient Sri Lankan Lumbar-Supported Seats
Authors: Goonatilake Susantha
Published: March 2014

Ergonomics, as well as ergonomically designed seats, date from the 1950s in the West. However, remains of spine-hugging, ergonomically designed seats are found in a special category of meditation monasteries in Sri Lanka, dating between the 8th and 10th centuries CE. Located in Sri Lanka’s ancient capital of Anuradhapura, stone remains of these seats fit, as in modern ergonomics design, the curvature of the spine. The divergence of these seats away from earlier examples with a straight back is attributable to an austere Buddhist sect that meditates on physical awareness of the body.
Medical Aspects of Fitness to Drive
Authors: Sheikhzadeh Ali , Pinto Vivek
Published: March 2014

Orthopedic surgeons and other stakeholders need better return-to-driving guidelines for post–orthopedic surgery and trauma patients. The state of the current orthopedic research is in need of better methodology, particularly regarding control over the cognitive domain’s influence on the physical domain. Recommendations need to be based on an individual’s assessment of physical performance rather than the passage of time after surgery. This article highlights the areas of concern for driving research in the orthopedic community and how they can affect study design.
Improving Field Observation of Spinal Posture in Sitting
Authors: Fitzsimmons John
Published: March 2014

Observing seated posture is important for ergonomic assessment; proper chair fit and chair adjustment should be considered for the entire context of work demands. Recommending only one seated posture presumes that all seated work has a similar location of visual targets, shoulder reach distances, and support surfaces. The nature of work tasks may influence posture more than does chair adjustment, and field observation of sitting should focus specifically on lumbar spine posture when work may cause forward movement of the torso. I suggest that the position and movement of the pelvis in relation to the torso is a reasonable and important indicator of spinal posture.
Needed for cultural psychology: Methodology in a new key
Authors: Valsiner Jaan
Published: March 2014

This Editorial is a “leftover”—or maybe a “dessert”—from my recent treatise on how cultural psychology can lead the rest of the discipline out of the loops of “dust-bowl qualitative empiricism”1 that is beginning to take form in the social sciences. Cultural psychology of today operates at the intersection of these social tendencies, running the risk of being caught in the middle. One of the results of active “positivism-bashing” and witch-hunt on “dualisms” that has gone on for the past half-century is a “qualitative turn” in the social sciences. While that turn restores the focus on context-bound original phenomena as its empirical object, it remains as uninventive in the theoretical realm as its declared opponents ended up being. It has simply replaced the focus of the inductive generalization exercise from the field of quantified phenomena (as data) to that of qualitative descriptions (some “rich,” some “poor”) that leave the illusion of understanding based on our common sense, but do not lead the field into new theoretical breakthroughs. The unique feature of cultural psychology—in all of its various versions—is the focus on complex human meaning systems. Analysis of such systems requires a new look at methodology. It is demonstrated how this new look is actually a historically old one—replacing the primacy of inductive generalization by the dynamics of generalization that takes place between deductive and inductive lines, with a special hope for the use of abductive processes.
Paternal pains of imprisonment: Incarcerated fathers, ethnic minority masculinity and resistance narratives
Authors: Ugelvik Thomas
Published: March 2014

According to official statistics, about half of the male prisoners in Norwegian prisons are fathers. At the same time, just over three prisoners in 10 are foreign nationals. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in a Norwegian remand prison, this article will discuss some of the problems imprisoned ethnic minority fathers are facing, and detail some of the solutions they employ. I will focus particularly on two narrative problem-solving strategies. One is the promotion of parental values based on a strong (paternalistic) version of the pater familias combined with narratives about the sorry state of Norwegian parenting. The other is a form of symbolic resistance through narratives about violent revenge taken on responsible state agents. Finally, I will show how the imprisoned ethnic minority fathers reposition themselves as both real men and good fathers in the process.
Security-reliability performance of cognitive AF relay-based wireless communication system with channel estimation error
Authors: Gu Qi , Wang Gongpu , Gao Li , Peng Mugen
Published: March 2014

In this paper, both the security and the reliability performance of the cognitive amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system are analyzed in the presence of the channel estimation error. The security and the reliability performance are represented by the outage probability and the intercept probability, respectively. Instead of perfect channel state information (CSI) predominantly assumed in the literature, a certain channel estimation algorithm and the influence of the corresponding channel estimation error are considered in this study. Specifically, linear minimum mean square error estimation (LMMSE) is utilized by the destination node and the eavesdropper node to obtain the CSI, and the closed form for the outage probability and that for the intercept probability are derived with the channel estimation error. It is shown that the transmission security (reliability) can be improved by loosening the reliability (security) requirement. Moreover, we compare the security and reliability performance of this relay-based cognitive radio system with those of the direct communication system without relay. Interestingly, it is found that the AF relay-based system has less reliability performance than the direct cognitive radio system; however, it can lower the sum of the outage probability and the intercept probability than the direct communication system. It is also found that there exists an optimal training number to minimize the sum of the outage probability and the intercept probability.
Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor gene linkage and copy number variation analysis by droplet digital PCR
Authors: Roberts Chrissy h , Jiang Wei , Jayaraman Jyothi , Trowsdale John , Holland Martin J , Traherne James A
Published: March 2014

The Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR) gene complex has considerable biomedical importance. Patterns of polymorphism in the KIR region include variability in the gene content of haplotypes and diverse structural arrangements. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was used to identify different haplotype motifs and to enumerate KIR copy number variants (CNVs). ddPCR detected a variety of KIR haplotype configurations in DNA from well-characterized cell lines. Mendelian segregation of ddPCR-estimated KIR2DL5 CNVs was observed in Gambian families and CNV typing of other KIRs was shown to be accurate when compared to an established quantitative PCR method.
Professional Development
Authors: Blythe Natalie
Published: March 2014

The SEG Honorary Lecture program is an extraordinary program that gives students, faculty members, and working professionals the opportunity to stay current in industry news by providing lectures from industry professionals. Thanks to Shell, the Honorary Lecture (HL) program spans six geographic regions and impacts thousands of individuals each year. While each year brings exciting “firsts,” 2013 marked the first time in the program's history that the HL made a stop in Tanzania, Africa.
Reloading mechanized tree planting devices faster using a seedling tray carousel
Authors: Ersson Back , Bergsten Urban , Lindroos Ola
Published: March 2014

On Nordic clearcuts, todayâs tree planting machines produce high-quality but costly regenerations. Much of this high cost is attributable to the planting machinesâ low productivity. One promising way of raising productivity is to lessen the time spent manually reloading seedlings onto the carousels of crane-mounted planting devices. Using MagMat, a carousel test-rig designed by engineering students, we studied how much faster tray-wise seedling reloading is on the Bracke Planter compared to reloading with todayâs seedling-wise-loaded carousel. The MagMat test-rig held eight Hiko cultivation trays from which seedlings were deplugged individually and dropped into the planting tube. The time study confirmed that seedling reloading was on average twice as fast with MagMat compared to todayâs seedling carousel, thereby increasing assumed planting machine productivity by 8â9% depending on the planting device used. MagMatâs cost-efficiency was analysed to be particularly reliant on its added investment cost, mechanical availability and how quickly trays can be switched automatically. Nevertheless, MagMatâs field performance illustrated the overall potential of tray-wise loading compared to piecewise seedling loading for increasing the productivity of crane-mounted planting devices. Also, deplugging proved to be a reliable method of extracting seedlings from the rigid, copper-painted Hiko cultivation trays even when performed at the excavatorâs boom-tip during mounding work. We conclude that, rather than piecewise seedling loading, tray-wise loading combined with deplugging seedlings from suitable cultivation trays is a reliable and much more time-efficient method to feed seedlings on probably any type of tree planting machine.
Early childhood educators’ knowledge and abilities in planning language learning environments
Authors: Ofner Daniela , Thoma Dieter
Published: March 2014

In this explorative study we investigate (1) how early childhood educators differ in their planning of language training, and (2) if their planning abilities in the context of language training increase with their linguistic content knowledge. We interviewed fifteen early childhood educators from southern Germany on their planning and reflection practices in language training and videotaped them during a language training session to assess how systematic their planning activities were. We qualitatively analyzed the interviews and developed a detailed coding scheme that allowed us to create a planning score. We previously tested their knowledge about language, first and second language acquisition, assessment, and training with a standardized test for language training competence (SprachKoPFv06). In qualitative analyses we identified two types of early childhood educators: elaborate and restricted planners. Correlational analyses and group comparisons suggest that educators with more language-specific knowledge are more systematic and target-oriented when planning language learning environments.
Activation of Prefrontal Cortical Parvalbumin Interneurons Facilitates Extinction of Reward-Seeking Behavior
Authors: Sparta Dennis R. , Hovelsø Nanna , Mason Alex O. , Kantak Pranish A. , Ung Randall L. , Decot Heather K. , Stuber Garret D.
Published: March 2014

Forming and breaking associations between emotionally salient environmental stimuli and rewarding or aversive outcomes is an essential component of learned adaptive behavior. Importantly, when cue-reward contingencies degrade, animals must exhibit behavioral flexibility to extinguish prior learned associations. Understanding the specific neural circuit mechanisms that operate during the formation and extinction of conditioned behaviors is critical because dysregulation of these neural processes is hypothesized to underlie many of the maladaptive and pathological behaviors observed in various neuropsychiatric disorders in humans. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) participates in the behavioral adaptations seen in both appetitive and aversive-cue-mediated responding, but the precise cell types and circuit mechanisms sufficient for driving these complex behavioral states remain largely unspecified. Here, we recorded and manipulated the activity of parvalbumin-positive fast spiking interneurons (PV+ FSIs) in the prelimbic area (PrL) of the mPFC in mice.In vivophotostimulation of PV+ FSIs resulted in a net inhibition of PrL neurons, providing a circuit blueprint for behavioral manipulations. Photostimulation of mPFC PV+ cells did not alter anticipatory or consummatory licking behavior during reinforced training sessions. However, optical activation of these inhibitory interneurons to cues associated with reward significantly accelerated the extinction of behavior during non-reinforced test sessions. These data suggest that suppression of excitatory mPFC networks via increased activity of PV+ FSIs may enhance reward-related behavioral flexibility.
Responses to Orientation Discontinuities in V1 and V2: Physiological Dissociations and Functional Implications
Authors: Schmid Anita M. , Purpura Keith P. , Victor Jonathan D.
Published: March 2014

Segmenting the visual image into objects is a crucial stage of visual processing. Object boundaries are typically associated with differences in luminance, but discontinuities in texture also play an important role. We showed previously that a subpopulation of neurons in V2 in anesthetized macaques responds to orientation discontinuities parallel to their receptive field orientation. Such single-cell responses could be a neurophysiological correlate of texture boundary detection. Neurons in V1, on the other hand, are known to have contextual response modulations such as iso-orientation surround suppression, which also produce responses to orientation discontinuities. Here, we use pseudorandom multiregion grating stimuli of two frame durations (20 and 40 ms) to probe and compare texture boundary responses in V1 and V2 in anesthetized macaque monkeys. In V1, responses to texture boundaries were observed for only the 40 ms frame duration and were independent of the orientation of the texture boundary. However, in transient V2 neurons, responses to such texture boundaries were robust for both frame durations and were stronger for boundaries parallel to the neuron's preferred orientation. The dependence of these processes on stimulus duration and orientation indicates that responses to texture boundaries in V2 arise independently of contextual modulations in V1. In addition, because the responses in transient V2 neurons are sensitive to the orientation of the texture boundary but those of V1 neurons are not, we suggest that V2 responses are the correlate of texture boundary detection, whereas contextual modulation in V1 serves other purposes, possibly related to orientation “pop-out.”
μ-Opioid Inhibition of Ca2+Currents and Secretion in Isolated Terminals of the Neurohypophysis Occurs via Ryanodine-Sensitive Ca2+Stores
Authors: Velázquez-Marrero Cristina , Ortiz-Miranda Sonia , Marrero Héctor G. , Custer Edward E. , Treistman Steven N. , Lemos José R.
Published: March 2014

μ-Opioid agonists have no effect on calcium currents (ICa) in neurohypophysial terminals when recorded using the classic whole-cell patch-clamp configuration. However, μ-opioid receptor (MOR)-mediated inhibition ofICais reliably demonstrated using the perforated-patch configuration. This suggests that the MOR-signaling pathway is sensitive to intraterminal dialysis and is therefore mediated by a readily diffusible second messenger. Using the perforated patch-clamp technique and ratio-calcium-imaging methods, we describe a diffusible second messenger pathway stimulated by the MOR that inhibits voltage-gated calcium channels in isolated terminals from the rat neurohypophysis (NH). Our results show a rise in basal intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in response to application of [d-Ala2-N-Me-Phe4,Gly5-ol]-Enkephalin (DAMGO), a MOR agonist, that is blocked byd-Phe-Cys-Tyr-d-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2(CTOP), a MOR antagonist. Buffering DAMGO-induced changes in [Ca2+]iwith BAPTA-AM completely blocked the inhibition of bothICaand high-K+-induced rises in [Ca2+]idue to MOR activation, but had no effect on κ-opioid receptor (KOR)-mediated inhibition. Given the presence of ryanodine-sensitive stores in isolated terminals, we tested 8-bromo-cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose (8Br-cADPr), a competitive inhibitor of cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPr) signaling that partially relieves DAMGO inhibition ofICaand completely relieves MOR-mediated inhibition of high-K+-induced and DAMGO-induced rises in [Ca2+]i. Furthermore, antagonist concentrations of ryanodine completely blocked MOR-induced increases in [Ca2+]iand inhibition ofICaand high-K+-induced rises in [Ca2+]iwhile not affecting KOR-mediated inhibition. Antagonist concentrations of ryanodine also blocked MOR-mediated inhibition of electrically-evoked increases in capacitance. These results strongly suggest that a key diffusible second messenger mediating the MOR-signaling pathway in NH terminals is [Ca2+]ireleased by cADPr from ryanodine-sensitive stores.
Interactions betweenN-Ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor and GluR2 in the Nucleus Accumbens Contribute to the Expression of Locomotor Sensitization to Cocaine
Authors: Lu Hai-Feng , Wu Peng-Fei , Yang Yuan-Jian , Xiao Wen , Fan Jun , Liu Jing , Li Yuan-Long , Luo Yi , Hu Zhuang-Li , Jin You , Wang Fang , Chen Jian-Guo
Published: March 2014

Many studies have reported a withdrawal-dependent increase in synaptic AMPA receptor (AMPAR) levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of cocaine-sensitized rats; however, the exact relationship between the expression of sensitization and altered AMPAR surface expression in the NAc has not yet been investigated. We demonstrated that the expression of behavioral sensitization was negatively controlled byN-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF)-GluR2 interactions in the NAc. The upregulation of NSF–GluR2 interactions, which may be resulted by the increase in NSF S-nitrosylation after withdrawal from cocaine, was associated with the changes in the expression of behavioral sensitization. Disruption of NSF–GluR2 interactions in the NAc with a specific peptide, TAT-pep-R845A, increased the locomotor response of rats to cocaine by decreasing GluR2 surface insertion. In contrast, prevention of GluR2-containing AMPARs removal from synapses with Pep2-EVKI attenuated the expression of behavioral sensitization. Similarly, treatment with the nitric oxide donor, S-Nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP), attenuated the expression of locomotor sensitization by promoting GluR2 surface expression. This effect was mediated by the binding of S-nitrosylated NSF to GluR2, which promoted the surface expression of AMPARs. Noticeably, exogenous injection of SNAP into NAc also attenuated the expression of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference. Thus, these results indicate that increased NSF–GluR2 interactions in the NAc after withdrawal from cocaine attenuated the expression of behavioral sensitization and serves as a negative regulatory mechanism in drug-exposed individuals.