bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ten-year standardization of lipids and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in a randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of statins on secondary stroke prevention: Japan Statin Treatment Against Recurrent Stroke
Authors: Nakamura Masakazu , Fukukawa Tatsuyuki , Kitagawa Kazuo , Nagai Yoji , Hosomi Naohisa , Minematsu Kazuo , Uchiyama Shinichiro , Matsumoto Masayasu , Miyamoto Yoshihiro ,   for J-STARS collaborators
Published: January 2017

Background

The Japan Statin Treatment Against Recurrent Stroke (J-STARS) is a clinical trial that administered pravastatin for secondary stroke prevention. Lipid concentrations are a well-established risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases. Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) indicates a high risk of inflammatory reactions. In clinical trials, internationally approved standardization is essential for obtaining study results that are comparable with those from overseas. Therefore, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and hs-CRP were standardized throughout a 10-year study period.

Methods

J-STARS specified a single clinical laboratory for blood analyses. Four lipids were evaluated by calculating the total error: accuracy (absolute mean %bias vs. reference value) + precision (1.96 among-run coefficient of variation [CV, %]). Accuracy for hs-CRP was ensured using a calibrator traceable to the international plasma protein reference material and precision was evaluated by CV.

Results

Average total errors (standard deviation, %) throughout the study period were as follows: TC 1.35% (0.290%), HDL-C 2.45% (1.087%), LDL-C 2.65% (0.956%) and TG 3.70% (0.559%). Four lipids met the performance criteria of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The precision of hs-CRP was 3.28% (0.627%), which met the performance criterion established by the American Heart Association/CDC.

Conclusions

Based on standardization, the results of J-STARS appear to be comparable with those of similar intervention-based clinical studies on statins overseas. These study results will contribute to the establishment of preventive measures against recurrent stroke in Japanese patients. J-STARS is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT00221104.
An Evaluation of Seasonal Variation of Nonaccidental Fractures in Children Less Than 1 Year of Age
Authors: Leaman Laura , Hennrikus William , Nasreddine Adam Y.
Published: January 2017

The aim of this study was to identify seasonal variation in nonaccidental injury (NAI) in children <1 year of age. Fifty consecutive patients age ≤12 months with a fracture were identified between January 2010 and June 2012. Patients’ records were reviewed for demographic, clinical, and radiographic data. Zip code was used to collect socioeconomic data. Out of 50 patients included in the study, fractures in 16 (32%) patients were reported for abuse. NAI was reported in 2/13 (15%) fracture cases presenting in the spring, 5/6 (83%) in summer, 6/15 (40%) in autumn, and 3/14 (21%) in winter. The ratio of NAI to accidental injury was highest in the summer. Presentation in summer was associated with NAI ( P < .001). In addition, NAI was associated with parental unemployment, single parents, and lower socioeconomic status ( P < .001). Seasonal variation occurred, and the most common season for NAI was the summer; also, NAI in children <1 year of age was associated with parental unemployment, single parent, and poverty.
Streptococcal Pharyngitis and Appendicitis in Children
Authors: Nielsen Jason W. , Abel Stuart A. , Kenney Brian
Published: January 2017

Background. Several pathologies, including pharyngitis, are associated with abdominal pain that can mimic appendicitis. We sought to further understand the link between appendicitis-like symptoms and streptococcal (strep) pharyngitis. Methods. All patients undergoing ultrasound imaging for appendicitis in our emergency department during 2013 were reviewed (n = 1572). A total of 207 patients were identified who underwent both ultrasound for appendicitis and testing for strep pharyngitis. Demographic and outcomes data between rule out appendicitis patients who underwent strep testing and those who did not were compared. Results. Strep testing was more common in younger patients (mean age = 8.26 vs 10.26 years P < .001) and evenly matched by gender (104 male, 103 female). Of the 207 patients tested for strep pharyngitis, 8 (3.9%) patients had appendicitis and 35 (16.9%) patients tested positive for strep pharyngitis. No cases of concurrent strep pharyngitis and appendicitis were identified. The negative appendectomy rate in the strep pharyngitis tested group was 38.5% (5/13), compared with 7.7% (23/296) ( P = .003) in the nontested group. The appendicitis rate among the strep tested group was 3.8% (8/207) compared with 20% (273/1365) in the nontested group ( P < .001). Conclusions. Patients undergoing testing for strep pharyngitis were younger, had lower rates of appendicitis, and had a higher rate of negative appendectomy. A diagnosis of concurrent appendicitis and strep pharyngitis is rare. In cases of patients with sufficient symptoms to warrant testing for strep pharyngitis a diagnosis of appendicitis is less likely and surgical intervention leads to higher negative appendectomy rates.
The Flexible Few: Oligarchs and Wealth Defense in Developing Democracies
Authors: Markus Stanislav , Charnysh Volha
Published: January 2017

Based on an original large- N dataset of individual Ukrainian oligarchs and qualitative evidence, this article tests competing perspectives on the political power of big capital. We find, surprisingly, that neither the assumption of direct power by the oligarchs nor the mobility of oligarchic assets helps tycoons protect their fortunes against shocks. Instead, the indirect strategies of party support and media ownership significantly enhance business wealth. Empirically, we profile postcommunist oligarchs by examining the political and economic activities of 177 oligarchs from 2006 to 2012. Theoretically, we contribute to the literatures on instrumental and structural power of capital, and on the interactions between extreme wealth, rule of law, and democracy. In doing so, we contrast the logic of flexibility, according to which oligarchs benefit from political adaptability and deniability, with the logic of commitment compensation, according to which oligarchs benefit from direct power when the rule of law is weak.
Therapist Expertise in Psychotherapy Revisited
Authors: Hill Clara E. , Spiegel Sharon B. , Hoffman Mary Ann , Kivlighan Dennis M. , Gelso Charles J.
Published: January 2017

The thesis of this article is that the lack of evidence related to the identification and development of therapist expertise is due to the inadequate definition and operationalization of the concept. We propose a definition of expertise that is restricted to performance in the conduct of psychotherapy: the manifestation of the highest levels of ability, skill, professional competence, and effectiveness. In addition, we offer several criteria that may be used to assess expertise: performance (including relational and technical expertise), cognitive processing, client outcomes, experience, personal and relational qualities, credentials, reputation, and self-assessment. We then review research related to the development of expertise, highlighting the role of experience with clients, personal therapy, supervision, deliberate practice, and feedback. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for conducting research on therapist expertise.
Different ways new information technologies influence conventional organizational practices and employment relationships: The case of cybervetting for personnel selection
Authors: Berkelaar Brenda L
Published: January 2017

Cybervetting – employers’ use of online information from social media and search engines to evaluate job candidates – may displace, supplement or shape conventional personnel selection and employment relationships in unexpected ways. Analysis of 45 interviews suggests that typically extractive approaches to cybervetting have the potential to displace less recognized, yet valuable, relational functions of more interactive practices depending on the functions and values users apply to the adoption and use of particular information and communication technologies. These findings highlight the need to consider how people implicitly and explicitly compare the functions of emerging technology-enabled practices with conventional organizational practices and salient values to understand when an emerging practice may displace, supplement or have no effect on a conventional practice. This study offers a preliminary framework for understanding how emerging sociotechnical practices evolve and with what effect, thereby providing insight into information and communication technology adoption and use beyond personnel selection contexts. It also suggests the emergence of a type of parasocial employment relationship should employers conflate interacting with applicants’ information with interacting with applicants themselves.
Exposure to suicidal behaviors: A common suicide risk factor or a personal negative life event?
Authors: Harris Keith M , Bettiol Silvana
Published: January 2017

Background:

Numerous suicide risk factors have been proposed but not adequately validated for epidemiology, treatment and prevention efforts.

Aims:

Exposures to suicidal behaviors (ESB), from family and friend suicide attempts and completions, were tested for validity as a suicidal risk factor and also for measurement and construct adequacy.

Methods:

An anonymous online survey yielded 713 participants (aged 18–71), who reported ESB, completed the Suicidal Affect-Behavior-Cognition Scale (SABCS), and comprised a broad spectrum on those variables.

Results:

Tests of dimensionality and internal consistency showed the four ESB variables (attempts/completions through family/friends) were independent and did not form a common factor or an identifiable ESB latent trait. ESB variables were, however, associated with demographic and psychiatric histories. A battery of tests revealed no meaningful associations between ESB and total suicidality or suicide risk factors (social support, depression, anxiety, stress, satisfaction with life and emotional stability). In addition, in contrast to previous reports, young adults ( n = 200; aged 18–20) showed no increased suicidality due to ESB.

Conclusion:

Results showed no validity for ESB as a common risk factor for suicidality or other psychopathology, or as a latent trait. ESB showed evidence as a personal negative life event with individual effects and interpretations.
Two Societies: The Writing of the Summary of the Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders
Authors: Loessberg Rick
Published: January 2017

The Kerner Commission examined the riots that occurred throughout the United States in 1967. The summary of its Final Report concluded that the nation was moving toward “two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal.” So powerful is the wording that it continues to be invoked whenever there is a Ferguson-type incident. While much has been written about the reaction to the Kerner Report, little has been known about the summary’s development or why it has endured. New interviews with key participants and an examination of Kerner Commission files have not only resulted in the discovery of information which runs counter to what was previously thought, but helps explain why the summary is still influential after almost fifty years.
Improved set-membership guaranteed state estimation for uncertain non-linear systems
Authors: You Fuqiang , Zhang Hualu , Wang Fuli
Published: January 2017

This paper presents a new improved set-membership algorithm for guaranteed state estimation for non-linear discrete-time systems with an unknown but bounded description of disturbance and noise. In this paper, the non-linear model is linearized first and the difference of convex (DC) programming method is used to outer-bound the linearization error, which is regarded as a disturbance of the system, and the improved set-membership algorithm guaranteed state estimation for the linearization system. An example is given to illustrate the proposed algorithm.
An overview of internet-enabled cloud-based cyber manufacturing
Authors: Wang Lihui
Published: January 2017

This paper presents an overview of the latest advancement of Internet-enabled cloud-based cyber manufacturing and new approaches for hardware-in-the-loop real-time applications, including cloud-based remote monitoring and control of industrial robots, remote assembly in a cyber-physical environment, and a cloud robotic system for energy-efficient operations. Altogether, they form an integrated cloud-based cyber manufacturing system. In terms of enabling technologies, they are the unique combination of virtual 3D models driven by real sensors, and image-to-model based representation of dynamic environment to guide cyber users. The objective of this research is to significantly reduce network traffic over the Internet for cyber manufacturing. This paper includes case studies, the results of which show that the integrated cyber-physical system consumes less than 1% of network bandwidth of traditional camera-based systems with a 30 msec latency of real-time operations. They are feasible and practical as cyber manufacturing solutions.
Cultivating Effective Social Support Through Abstraction
Authors: Lee David S. , Ybarra Oscar
Published: January 2017

Social support, in theory, should promote individual goal-pursuit. However, a growing number of studies shows that receiving support can undermine goal-pursuit. Addressing this paradox, we investigated a novel idea of the effects of how people think about their social support on their goal-pursuit. Four experiments showed that participants who were led to think abstractly (vs. concretely) about their social support showed higher intent to pursue their goal (Studies 1-3) and worked harder toward their goal (Study 4). The benefits of abstracting one’s social support occurred over a variety of personal goals, support types, and support-providers, indicating the generalizability and robustness of our findings. These results demonstrate that how people think about their social support influences goal-pursuit and suggest ways in which support-recipients can maximize their social support.
Do Firms Learn More From Small or Big Successes and Failures? A Test of the Outcome-Based Feedback Learning Perspective
Authors: Gong Yan , Zhang Yu , Xia Jun
Published: January 2017

It has been recognized that previous experiences can provide different types of feedback. However, it has not been systematically explored why firms are more likely to learn effectively from certain types of experience than others. From a feedback-based learning perspective, we argue that it is useful not only to focus on feedback valence (success or failure experiences) but also to examine feedback saliency (the magnitude of the experience’s influence). Based on a sample of acquisitions by U.S. firms, our results indicate that a firm’s success experience drives up the premium that it pays for a subsequent acquisition, whereas a failure experience reduces this subsequent premium. Moreover, we find that the magnitude of the effects of the four types of experiences—small failure, big failure, small success, and big success—does not follow a symmetrical pattern of inverse effects.
Book Review: Anton N.Oleinik, The Invisible Hand of Power: An Economic Theory of Gatekeeping
Authors: Sriraman Tarangini
Published: January 2017

Anton N.Oleinik, The Invisible Hand of Power: An Economic Theory of Gatekeeping. New York: Routledge, pp. 205, £95.00, ISBN: 13: 978-1-84893-524-2 (hbk).
Trigger warnings and the student experience
Authors: Bentley Michelle
Published: January 2017

The use of trigger warnings (TW) in higher education (HE) is a point of significant contention. Discussion has centred on academic perspectives. This study turns that around to ask what the student experiences of TW are, how they are perceived, and what this contributes to the existing debate. Based on survey and focus group data from two undergraduate modules, this article demonstrates that students are similarly divided on TW. It also re-assesses the current debate with respect to positive/negative effects on students, in-class applications of TW, how far students believe their learning environment should be ‘controlled’, and perceived censorship.
Transarterial embolization for renal angiomyolipomas: A single centre experience in 79 patients
Authors: Wang Chengen , Yang Min , Tong Xiaoqiang , Wang Jian , Guan Haitao , Niu Guochen , Yan Ziguang , Zhang Bihui , Zou Yinghua
Published: January 2017

Objective

To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of selective arterial embolization (SAE) in the treatment of renal angiomyolipomas (AMLs).

Methods

This was a retrospective review of medical records and imaging findings from patients with renal AMLs who attended our clinic and received SAE between January 2007 and January 2014. Only patents with complete medical records, preoperative computed tomography scans using typical imaging and follow-up data were included.

Results

A total of 79 patients were enrolled in the study. Technical and clinical success rates were 100% and 91% ( n = 72), respectively. Only two patients experienced major complications. Post-embolization syndrome (i.e. fever, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting) was reported in 68 (86%) patients, but all symptoms were mild and resolved with conservative measures. Mean radiological and clinical follow-up periods were 16.8 and 35.9 months, respectively. In 75 (95%) patients, tumours decreased in size; mean ± SD tumour size significantly decreased from 8.4 ± 3.5 cm pre-embolization to 6.7 ± 3.0 cm post-embolization .

Conclusions

This study provides long-term evidence that SAE is a safe and effective method in the treatment of patients with renal AMLs.
Localizing Modern Female Subjectivities
Authors: Yüksel Gökçen , Stetter Stephan , Walter Jochen
Published: January 2017

In our article, we analyze gender norms in Turkey. We are interested in how such norms are transformed or reified in light of global/local interplays in contemporary world society. The case of Turkey is usually studied with a view to a persistent gap between national/global constitutional and legal provisions that promote gender equality, on the one hand, and a seemingly resistant everyday reality, on the other. While our research in the Turkish province of Hatay confirms that such a gap persists, we nevertheless detect meaningful transformations of gender norms in everyday practice. Our research, which focuses in women’s positioning in higher education, indicates that such transformations occur in particular through everyday spatial practices, inter alia through what we refer to as local tactics of mobility by women seeking higher education. While there is no linear and direct diffusion of gender norms from the global/national to the local, we nevertheless observe significant global/local interplays to which these local norm transformations relate. These interplays can be well captured on the basis of constructivist theories of modernity. More specifically, by drawing from theories of world society and global governmentality, we conceive of these spatial practices as a diffusion of forms of (female) modern subjectivities, engendered by modern technologies of the Self, through which women in Hatay locate themselves in relation to a world society shaped by societal differentiation and social exclusion. Transformations or reifications of gender norms in Hatay are thus not so much the result of a direct diffusion of global gender norms. They are rather triggered indirectly through spatial practices on the local level that are, in turn, embedded within a world societal horizon that promotes modern subjectivities in response to societal differentiation and social exclusion.
Is Remnant Preservation Truly Beneficial to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Healing? Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluations of Remnant-Preserved Reconstruction
Authors: Naraoka Takuya , Kimura Yuka , Tsuda Eiichi , Yamamoto Yuji , Ishibashi Yasuyuki
Published: January 2017

Background:

Remnant-preserved anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction was introduced to improve clinical outcomes and biological healing. However, the effects of remnant preservation and the influence of the delay from injury until reconstruction on the outcomes of this technique are still uncertain.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purposes of this study were to evaluate whether remnant preservation improved the clinical outcomes and graft incorporation of ACL reconstruction and to examine the influence of the delay between ACL injury and reconstruction on the usefulness of remnant preservation. We hypothesized that remnant preservation improves clinical results and accelerates graft incorporation and that its effect is dependent on the delay between ACL injury and reconstruction.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 151 consecutive patients who underwent double-bundle ACL reconstruction using a semitendinosus graft were enrolled in this study: 74 knees underwent ACL reconstruction without a remnant (or the remnant was <25% of the intra-articular portion of the graft; NR group), while 77 knees underwent ACL reconstruction with remnant preservation (RP group). These were divided into 4 subgroups based on the time from injury to surgery: phase 1 was <3 weeks (n = 24), phase 2 was 3 to less than 8 weeks (n = 70), phase 3 was 8 to 20 weeks (n = 32), and phase 4 was >20 weeks (n = 25). Clinical measurements, including KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side anterior tibial translation measurements, were assessed at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after reconstruction. Magnetic resonance imaging evaluations of graft maturation and graft-tunnel integration of the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months after reconstruction.

Results:

There was no difference in side-to-side anterior tibial translation between the NR and RP groups. There was also no difference in graft maturation between the 2 groups. Furthermore, the time from ACL injury until reconstruction did not affect graft maturation, except in the case of very long delays before reconstruction (phase 4). Graft-tunnel integration was significantly increased in both groups in a time-dependent manner. However, there was no difference between the NR and RP groups.

Conclusion:

Remnant preservation did not improve knee stability at 2 years after ACL reconstruction. Furthermore, remnant preservation did not accelerate graft incorporation, especially during the acute and subacute injury phases.
Circular RNAs: An emerging type of RNA in cancer
Authors: Hou Li-Dan , Zhang Jing
Published: January 2017

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel type of widespread and diverse endogenous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are different from the linear RNAs, form a covalently closed continuous loop without 5’ or 3’ polarities. The majority of circRNAs are abundant, conserved and stable across different species, and exhibit tissue/developmental-stage-specific characteristics. They are generated primarily through a type of alternative RNA splicing called “back-splicing,” in which a downstream splice donor is joined to an upstream splice acceptor through splice skipping or direct splice. Recent studies have discovered circRNAs function as microRNA sponges, binding with RNA-associated proteins to form RNA–protein complexes and then regulating gene transcription and translation into polypeptides. Emerging evidence indicates that circRNAs play important roles in the regulation of the development and progression of multiple cancers by serving as potential diagnostic and predictive biomarkers involved in tumor growth and invasion and providing new strategies for cancer diagnosis and targeted therapy. In this review, we briefly delineate the diversity and characteristics of circRNAs and discuss the highlights of the biogenesis of circRNAs and their potential functions in tumor.
Systemic Sustainability in RtI Using Intervention-Based Scheduling Methodologies
Authors: Dallas William P.
Published: January 2017

This study evaluated a scheduling methodology referred to as intervention-based scheduling to address the problem of practice regarding the fidelity of implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) in an existing school schedule design. Employing panel data, this study used fixed-effects regressions and first differences ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to analyze the impact of intervention-based scheduling on student reading achievement and growth. Findings suggest that an intervention-based scheduling design holds promise for addressing the commonly reported concern of implementing interventions with fidelity. Results indicate that students obtained higher rates of achievement and growth in the area of reading while receiving instruction through an intervention-based schedule design. Students accessing Tier 2 interventions demonstrated higher growth rates in reading than those not accessing Tier 2 interventions. However, additional research is required to determine the extent to which intervention-based scheduling may influence other educational settings.
Key Program Findings and Insights From the Baby-Friendly Hawaii Project
Authors: Kahin Sahra A. , McGurk Meghan , Hansen-Smith Heidi , West Margaret , Li Ruowei , Melcher Carolyn Lopez
Published: January 2017

Background:

Breastfeeding is the optimal method for infant feeding. In the United States, 81.1% of mothers initiate breastfeeding; however, only 44.4% and 22.3% of mothers are exclusively breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months, respectively.

Research aim:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides guidance and funding to state health departments to support strategies to improve breastfeeding policies and practices in the hospital, community, and worksite settings. In 2010, the Hawaii State Department of Health received support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch the Baby-Friendly Hawaii Project (BFHP) to increase the number of Hawaii hospitals that provide maternity care consistent with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and increase the rate of women who remain exclusively breastfeeding throughout their hospital stay.

Methods:

For this article, we examined the BFHP’s final evaluation report and Hawaii breastfeeding and maternity care data to identify the role of the BFHP in facilitating improvements in maternity care practices and breastfeeding rates.

Results:

Since 2010, 52 hospital site visits, 58 trainings, and ongoing technical assistance were administered, and more than 750 staff and health professionals from BFHP hospitals were trained. Hawaii’s overall quality composite Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care score increased from 65 (out of 100) in 2009 to 76 in 2011 and 80 in 2013, and Newborn Screening Data showed an increase in statewide exclusive breastfeeding from 59.7% in 2009 to 77.0% in 2014.

Conclusion:

Implementation and findings from the BFHP can inform future planning at the state and federal levels on maternity care practices that can improve breastfeeding.
Fuel requirements of spark ignition engines
Authors: Kalghatgi Gautam , Stone Richard
Published: January 2017

This paper reviews the fundamental requirements of liquid hydrocarbon fuels for spark ignition engines, namely that the fuel should vaporise satisfactorily and burn in a controlled manner. The phenomenon of knock and the development of the octane scale are discussed. The variation in the pressure–time histories for different engines is discussed, together with the reason why this leads to different fuel requirements. The difference in the octane rating tests and the way in which engine downsizing exacerbates these differences in the pressure–time histories are discussed. The applicability of the research octane number and the motor octane number to modern engines is reviewed, together with the phenomena of low-speed pre-ignition and superknock. The effects of the hydrocarbon fuel distillation characteristics on the driveability and the emissions are reviewed and discussed with respect to the historical context and the current legislative requirements. Brief mention is made of other fuel requirements such as the density, the gum content and the aromatic content.
Monitoring discriminatory political discourse on immigration: A pilot study in Catalonia
Authors: Rubio-Carbonero Gema , Zapata-Barrero Ricard
Published: January 2017

The aim of this article is to present the findings of an analytical framework we have designed to monitor discriminatory political discourse on immigration. Through the understanding of how some of the most relevant studies in three disciplines (political science, social psychology and linguistics) have framed racism, we try to infer how such racism may manifest in discourse through particular discriminatory tendencies. The combination of these tendencies has contributed to the designing of the proposed analytical framework that aims, by means of 12 standards, to systematically certify political discourse as discriminatory, quantify how much discriminatory discourse is and assess how such discrimination is legitimised or justified. By implementing such a framework within the context of Catalonia, this pilot study offers a global picture of how Catalan political discourse on immigration is constructed and how each of the standards appears (or does not appear) in discourse. Once the viability of this framework is proven, we conclude it could be the basis of comparative research in other contexts.
The Court of Justice of the European Union and fixed-term work: Putting a brake on labour market dualization?
Authors: de la Porte Caroline , Emmenegger Patrick
Published: January 2017

While fixed-term work benefits employers and increases the prospects of employability of various categories of workers, it is inherently precarious. The European Union (EU) directive on fixed-term work emphasizes the importance of equal treatment of workers on fixed-term contracts with comparable permanent workers and aims to prevent abuse of this contract form. Surprisingly, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) rulings in this area have by and large been neglected in comparative labour market research. We fill this gap by systematically analysing the CJEU case law concerning fixed-term work and connecting it to the literatures on labour market dualization and Europeanization of labour law. We develop an analytical framework to analyse the Europeanization of labour law, which we then use to analyse the directive and the case law regarding the directive on fixed-term work. Our findings show that the equal treatment is affirmed in all cases under analysis for different provisions of labour contracts. With regard to abuse of recourse to fixed-term contracts, by contrast, the rulings still represent a zone of legal uncertainty, whereby some judgments allow for fixed-term contracts, such as for social policy purposes, while others prohibit their use. We therefore conclude that the CJEU does not put a brake on labour market dualization, but it does insist on equal treatment of workers, regardless of their contractual arrangements.
No role for benzodiazepines in posttraumatic stress disorder? A surplus of certainty despite scarce evidence
Authors: Starcevic Vladan
Published: January 2017

Objective:

This article addresses some of the controversies about the role of benzodiazepines in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Conclusions:

Benzodiazepines have been admonished in treatment guidelines for posttraumatic stress disorder, but this is based on very little solid evidence. Although benzodiazepines do not seem to be effective in the treatment of the core posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, their careful use as adjunctive agents for the symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbance may be useful. Future research needs to identify predictors of improved treatment outcomes in posttraumatic stress disorder with use of benzodiazepines.
Best theory diagrams for multilayered plates considering multifield analysis
Authors: Cinefra M , Carrera E , Lamberti A , Petrolo M
Published: January 2017

This work presents the best theory diagrams (BTDs) for multilayered plates involved in multifield problems (mechanical, thermal and electrical). A BTD is a curve that reports the minimum number of terms of a refined model for a given accuracy. The axiomatic/asymptotic technique is employed in order to detect the relevant terms, and the error is computed with respect to an exact or quasi-exact solution. The models that belong to the BTDs are constructed by means of a genetic algorithm and the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). The CUF defines the displacement field as an expansion of the thickness coordinate. The governing equations are obtained in terms of few fundamental nuclei, whose form does not depend on the particular expansion order that is employed. The Navier closed-form solution has been adopted to solve the equilibrium equations. The analyses herein reported are related to plates subjected to multifield loads: mechanical, thermal and electrical. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of the type of the load in the definition of the BTDs. In addition, the influence of geometry, material parameters and displacement/stress components are considered. The results suggest that the BTD and the CUF can be considered as tools to evaluate any structural theory against a reference solution. In addition, it has been found that the BTD definition is influenced to a great extent by the type of load.
Development, Administration, and Structural Validity of a Brief, Computerized Neurocognitive Battery: Results From the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers
Authors: Moore Tyler M. , Gur Ruben C. , Thomas Michael L. , Brown Gregory G. , Nock Matthew K. , Savitt Adam P. , Keilp John G. , Heeringa Steven , Ursano Robert J. , Stein Murray B. ,   On behalf of the Army STARRS Collaborators*
Published: January 2017

The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) is a research project aimed at identifying risk and protective factors for suicide and related mental health outcomes among Army Soldiers. The New Soldier Study component of Army STARRS included the assessment of a range of cognitive- and emotion-processing domains linked to brain systems related to suicidal behavior including posttraumatic stress disorder, mood disorders, substance use disorders, and impulsivity. We describe the design and application of the Army STARRS neurocognitive test battery to a sample of 56,824 soldiers. We investigate its structural and concurrent validity through factor analysis and correlation of scores with demographics. We conclude that, in addition to being composed of previously well-validated measures, the Army STARRS neurocognitive battery as a whole demonstrates good psychometric properties. Correlations of scores with age and sex differences mostly replicate previously published findings, highlighting moderate to large effect sizes even within this restricted age range. Factor structures of scores conform to theoretical expectations. This neurocognitive battery provides a brief, valid measurement of neurocognition that may be helpful in predicting mental health and military performance. These measures can be integrated with neuroimaging to offer a powerful tool for assessing neurocognition in Servicemembers.
Substance and Alcohol Misuse, Drug Pathways, and Offending Behaviors in Association With ADHD in Prison Inmates
Authors: Young Susan , González Rafael A. , Wolff Kim , Xenitidis Kiriakos , Mutch Laura , Malet-Lambert Isabella , Gudjonsson Gisli H.
Published: January 2017

Objective: The objective of the study is to quantify the extent of specific polysubstance use, drug transitions to current substances, and describe the association with alcohol use disorders among inmates with ADHD. We also examined health risk behaviors and patterns of offending in relation with ADHD. Method: A total of 387 male British prison inmates were screened and interviewed via the Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults 2.0 (DIVA-2). Results: Male prisoners with ADHD endorse more methadone and amphetamine use. There was a significantly higher linear trend among those with ADHD for the number of substances ever used. ADHD was positively associated with increasing levels of alcohol use disorder severity, and with alcohol dependence. Transition along the pathways of substance misuse and persistence of drug misuse was better explained by the presence of conduct disorder/antisocial personality traits. Conclusion: Higher rates of alcohol dependence and stimulant–cocaine misuse suggest these inmates have maladaptive coping mechanisms, such as self-medication behaviors.
Neurocognitive Profiles in Children With ADHD and Their Predictive Value for Functional Outcomes
Authors: Bergwerff Catharina Elisabeth , Luman Marjolein , Weeda Wouter D. , Oosterlaan Jaap
Published: January 2017

Objective: We examined whether neurocognitive profiles could be distinguished in children with ADHD and typically developing (TD) children, and whether neurocognitive profiles predicted externalizing, social, and academic problems in children with ADHD. Method: Neurocognitive data of 81 children with ADHD and 71 TD children were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. The resulting factors were used for community detection in the ADHD and TD group. Results: Four subgroups were detected in the ADHD group, characterized by (a) poor emotion recognition, (b) poor interference control, (c) slow processing speed, or (d) increased attentional lapses and fast processing speed. In the TD group, three subgroups were detected, closely resembling Subgroups (a) to (c). Neurocognitive subgroups in the ADHD sample did not differ in externalizing, social, and academic problems. Conclusion: We found a neurocognitive profile unique to ADHD. The clinical validity of neurocognitive profiling is questioned, given the lack of associations with functional outcomes.
Resisting and surviving the mainstream scientific model: Findings on social relevance and social impact in the tropics
Authors: Wood Thomaz
Published: January 2017

The question of the social relevance and social impact of knowledge has gained prominence. However, the debate appears to have been restricted to academia in North America and the United Kingdom, which possess their idiosyncrasies. This study presents and analyses the dual research system of a Brazilian business school that has both applied and scientific research centres and concludes that (a) the development of the applied research centres had its roots in resistance to the introduction of a scientific business school model, (b) scientific research and applied research generate tensions when they coexist alongside one another, (c) the search for social relevance does not require scientific sophistication, and (d) the objective of generating social impact goes beyond achieving social relevance and requires specific competences that are not related to research activity. This study advocates for a critical and moral perspective with regard to the dominant model of scientific production.
‘Naloxone works’: The politics of knowledge in ‘evidence-based’ drug policy
Authors: Lancaster Kari , Treloar Carla , Ritter Alison
Published: January 2017

For over 20 years, drug policy experts have been calling for the wider availability of naloxone, to enable lay overdose witnesses to respond to opioid overdose events. However, the ‘evidence base’ for peer-administered naloxone has become a key point of contention. This contention opens up critical questions about how knowledge (‘evidence’) is constituted and validated in drug policy processes, which voices may be heard, and how knowledge producers secure privileged positions of influence. Taking the debate surrounding peer-administered naloxone as a case study, and drawing on qualitative interviews with individuals (n = 19) involved in the development of naloxone policy in Australia, we examine how particular kinds of knowledge are rendered ‘useful’ in drug policy debates. Applying Bacchi’s poststructuralist approach to policy analysis, we argue that taken-for-granted ‘truths’ implicit within evidence-based policy discourse privilege particular kinds of ‘objective’ and ‘rational’ knowledge and, in so doing, legitimate the voices of researchers and clinicians to the exclusion of others. What appears to be a simple requirement for methodological rigour in the evidence-based policy paradigm actually rests on deeper assumptions which place limits around not only what can be said (in terms of what kind of knowledge is relevant for policy debate) but also who may legitimately speak. However, the accounts offered by participants reveal the ways in which a larger number of ways of knowing are already co-habiting within drug policy. Despite these opportunities for re-problematisation and resistance, the continued mobilisation of ‘evidence-based’ discourse obscures these contesting positions and continues to privilege particular speakers.
Are they for us or against us? How intergroup metaperceptions shape foreign policy attitudes
Authors: O’Brien Thomas C. , Leidner Bernhard , Tropp Linda R.
Published: January 2017

We identify public opinion polls from other countries as an important form of indirect exposure to outgroups, and an important source of intergroup metaperceptions, outgroup perceptions, and support for group-level behavior towards outgroups. Three experiments demonstrate a two-step process through which such exposure affects support for ingroup behaviors that facilitate peaceful or violent intergroup relations. When indirectly exposed to national outgroups, Americans inferred intergroup metaperceptions (Step 1), which, in turn, shaped outgroup perceptions (Step 2). This effect and its underlying process occurred in relation to both fictitious (Experiment 2) and real outgroups (Iran, Experiment 1; Germany, Saudi Arabia, Experiment 3), as well as those similar (Germany) and dissimilar (Saudi Arabia) to the ingroup (Experiment 3). Further, this effect occurred beyond ingroup perceptions (Experiments 1–3), perceived intergroup threat (Experiments 2–3), and intergroup similarity (Experiment 3). Contributions to the literatures on cross-group contact, intergroup perceptions and attitudes, and image theory are discussed.
On the fringes of the European peace project: The neighbourhood policy’s functionalist hubris and political myopia
Authors: Lavenex Sandra
Published: January 2017

The destabilization of Eastern Europe and of the Southern Mediterranean has exposed the limits of the European peace project. Obviously, the European Neighbourhood Policy has not succeeded in boosting peace and prosperity. This article attributes this failure to a combination of functionalist hubris and political myopia that emanates from the European Union’s peculiar constitution as a regulatory power with weak political union. While the projection of the European Union’s single market acquis has set over-ambitious targets, the needs of the partner countries and the wider geopolitical implications of the Neighbourhood Policy have received little political attention. In sum, the experience at the fringes of the European peace project not only unveils the limits of the European Union as a foreign policy actor, but it also raises more theoretical questions on the notion of ‘liberal peace’.
More than just a Single Market: European integration, peace and security in the 1980s
Authors: Ludlow N Piers
Published: January 2017

Economics was central to Europe’s problems in the early 1980s and its successes after 1985. But to view the European Community solely in this manner disregards the enduring importance of the quest for European peace. European leaders used the integration process as a mechanism to influence East–West relations and the Middle East. Peace rhetoric and symbolism sustained the core Franco-German partnership. European integration was crucial to the continent’s ability to peacefully absorb a huge shock in the form of German unification. And the Community’s role in exporting democracy, first to southern Europe, then to Eastern Europe, confirmed that integration was about more than just the Single Market.
Who was saving whom? The European Community and the Cold War, 1960s–1970s
Authors: Patel Kiran Klaus
Published: January 2017

This article argues that during the 1960s, the European Community (EC) made little contribution to peace. What peace there was resulted mainly from other factors, most importantly the United States as benevolent hegemon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and bilateral agreements. European integration under the auspices of the EC presupposed peace rather than contributing to it. At the time, the EC’s main role with regard to peace was at the symbolic level: it started to represent all attempts at peaceful co-operation and reconciliation in Western Europe. It was only in the 1970s, especially with the European Political Cooperation, that the EC began to actively promote peace beyond its borders.
Citizens’ representation in the 2009 European Parliament elections
Authors: Dalton Russell J
Published: January 2017

Political theorists maintain that citizens’ representation through elections is the cornerstone of democracy. However, many analysts claim that a deficit in democratic representation exists within the European Union. This research examines the ideological match between voters and their party using the 2009 European Election Study. Aggregate agreement between voters and their parties’ ideological position is very high, but agreement at the individual level is modest. Barely a majority of partisans favor the party that is closest to them on the Left–Right scale, and vote shifts to another party triples the representation gap. We model the factors affecting the size of this gap and voting for a nonproximate party. The results illustrate the representation gap that individual voters perceive in EU elections with implications for democratic representation.
Mapping Common Aphasia Assessments to Underlying Cognitive Processes and Their Neural Substrates
Authors: Lacey Elizabeth H. , Skipper-Kallal Laura M. , Xing Shihui , Fama Mackenzie E. , Turkeltaub Peter E.
Published: January 2017

Background. Understanding the relationships between clinical tests, the processes they measure, and the brain networks underlying them, is critical in order for clinicians to move beyond aphasia syndrome classification toward specification of individual language process impairments. Objective. To understand the cognitive, language, and neuroanatomical factors underlying scores of commonly used aphasia tests. Methods. Twenty-five behavioral tests were administered to a group of 38 chronic left hemisphere stroke survivors and a high-resolution magnetic resonance image was obtained. Test scores were entered into a principal components analysis to extract the latent variables (factors) measured by the tests. Multivariate lesion-symptom mapping was used to localize lesions associated with the factor scores. Results. The principal components analysis yielded 4 dissociable factors, which we labeled Word Finding/Fluency, Comprehension, Phonology/Working Memory Capacity, and Executive Function. While many tests loaded onto the factors in predictable ways, some relied heavily on factors not commonly associated with the tests. Lesion symptom mapping demonstrated discrete brain structures associated with each factor, including frontal, temporal, and parietal areas extending beyond the classical language network. Specific functions mapped onto brain anatomy largely in correspondence with modern neural models of language processing. Conclusions. An extensive clinical aphasia assessment identifies 4 independent language functions, relying on discrete parts of the left middle cerebral artery territory. A better understanding of the processes underlying cognitive tests and the link between lesion and behavior may lead to improved aphasia diagnosis, and may yield treatments better targeted to an individual’s specific pattern of deficits and preserved abilities.