bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Radical Flank Effect and Cross-occupational Collaboration for Technology Development during a Power Shift
Authors: Truelove Emily , Kellogg Katherine C.
Published: April 2016

This 12-month ethnographic study of an early entrant into the U.S. car-sharing industry demonstrates that when an organization shifts its focus from developing radical new technology to incrementally improving this technology, the shift may spark an internal power struggle between the dominant engineering group and a challenger occupational group such as the marketing group. Analyzing 42 projects in two time periods that required collaboration between engineering and marketing during such a shift, we show how cross-occupational collaboration under these conditions can be facilitated by a radical flank threat, through which the bargaining power of moderates is strengthened by the presence of a more-radical group. In the face of a strong threat by radical members of a challenger occupational group, moderate members of the dominant engineering group may change their perceptions of their power to resist challengers’ demands and begin to distinguish between the goals of radical versus more-moderate challengers. To maintain as much power as possible and prevent the more-dramatic change in engineering occupational goals demanded by radical challengers, moderate engineers may build a coalition with moderate challengers and collaborate for incremental technology development.
La réforme de la Moudawana
Authors: N’Diaye Marième
Published: April 2016

In Morocco, the New Family Law (2004) has introduced provisions in order to strengthen women’s rights and sexual equality. These reforms were made possible by a redefinition of the content and position of Islamic Law within the hierarchy of norms. Legitimated by the intervention of the King/Commander of the Faithful, the New Family Law has, however, so far had a limited impact due to a conservative case law and a lack of appropriation by the litigants.
Physical activity and sedentary time among young children in full-day kindergarten: Comparing traditional and balanced day schedules
Authors: Vanderloo Leigh M , Tucker Patricia
Published: April 2016

Objective:

To compare physical activity and sedentary time among young children whose schools adhere to traditional (i.e. three outdoor playtimes = 70 minutes) versus balanced day (i.e. two outdoor playtimes = ~55 minutes) schedules in Ontario full-day kindergarten classrooms.

Design:

The project was part of a larger, 2-year cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Full-day kindergarten classrooms across London, Ontario, Canada.

Methods:

Participants included 113 young children (mean age = 4.69 years; standard deviation [ SD] = 0.66 years) from eligible full-day kindergarten programmes. Participants’ physical activity and sedentary data were collected using Actical accelerometers worn for five consecutive days during school hours only. Type of school schedule and periods of outdoor play were captured using the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation tool.

Results:

Participants mean activity rates (i.e. sedentary time, light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA] and total physical activity [TPA]) during school hours were similar across both formats. Participants’ overall daily physical activity and sedentary time did not significantly differ across school schedule type ( p > .05); however, participants adhering to the traditional schedule accumulated significantly more TPA outdoors than those following the balanced day schedule.

Conclusion:

Neither schedule format appeared to be superior with regard to supporting overall daily physical activity nor minimising sedentary time in school, although children adhering to the traditional schedule format did accumulate more physical activity during periods of outdoor play. Regardless of schedule type, steps are warranted to encourage additional movement (and minimise sedentary behaviours) in the school setting by school and public health officials.
Binary logics and the discursive interpretation of organizational policy: Making meaning of sexual harassment policy
Authors: Dougherty Debbie S , Goldstein Hode Marlo
Published: April 2016

Although workplace policies are written in neutral terms that give the appearance of rationality, research shows that policy meanings are in fact constructed and negotiated through discursive practices. Sexual harassment policies illustrate this phenomenon. Sexual harassment is a highly complex and fluid phenomenon that is dependent on context and culture for its meaning. Although sexual harassment policies tend to use language that appears to lie outside of the interpretive stream, these policies are in fact always subject to discursive interpretation. One particularly powerful form of discursive interpretation lies in the interplay between binary logics and binary language. This study explored the interplay between macro-level binary logics, mezzo-level sexual harassment policy and micro-level binary language during organizational members’ discussions about their organization’s sexual harassment policy. Our analysis of focus group and interview data revealed that participants discursively produced what we have termed a complex binary web that reshaped the meaning of the policy, such that usage of the policy contradicted organizational norms and values. Understanding sexual harassment policy discourse as constructed in a binary web reveals that rational assumptions underlying sexual harassment policy may be inconsistent with the lived experiences in organizational cultures.
Deer crossing. Moose crossing. Old people crossing. Children crossing: Reading Islamophobia through a vegan lens in Kamila Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows
Authors: Quinn Emelia
Published: April 2016

This article uses close textual analysis of Kamila Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows in order to reevaluate contemporary theorizations of Islamophobia in relation to global speciesism. By addressing the lacuna in current work engaging with Islamophobia of an understanding of speciesism as a form of discriminatory oppression engrained within the hierarchical divisions of categories of human identity, the article seeks to establish a radically new vegan mode of reading with which to approach literary texts. Exploring the concept of a vegan lens as a mode of reading that seeks to expose the power of language and metaphor in maintaining the absent referent of nonhuman animals, and to challenge the way we understand the construction of human and nonhuman animal identity in relation to Islamophobia, it suggests the variety of ways in which speciesism has been foundational to the assertion of an “us” versus “them” dichotomy. Shamsie’s novel is thus read in order to complicate and multiply the human/nonhuman animal divide apparent within current discussions of postcolonial identity.
The Robustness of the Nine-Factor Structure of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire across Four Arabic-Speaking Middle Eastern Countries
Authors: Megreya Ahmed M. , Latzman Robert D. , Al-Attiyah Asma A. , Alrashidi Mousa
Published: April 2016

The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) focuses on the “pure” cognitive components of emotion regulation thought to help people to manage and control their emotions during or after the experience of a stressful event. The aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the CERQ (CERQ-Ar) across four Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East (i.e., Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar; N = 1,470). The original nine-factor CERQ model was confirmed, and these factors had moderate-to-high internal reliabilities, modest-to-strong interrelations, and meaningful associations with positive and negative affect. Results were robust across the four Arabic countries, suggesting that the same cognitive emotion regulation strategies appear to be present across different cultures, but the relative preference to use one or more strategies may quantitatively vary across cultures.
Death Reminders Increase Agreement With Extremist Views but Not Violent Extremist Action in Indonesian Muslims
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad , O’Brien Kerry S. , Bliuc Ana-Maria , Vergani Matteo
Published: April 2016

Using terror management theory, we examined whether mortality salience (MS; death-related cognitions) increased support for religious and political extremism and/or violent extremism in young Indonesian Muslims. Muslim and non-Muslim Indonesian students studying in Australia were randomized to an MS or control condition. Following completion of a distracter task, participants were asked to rate their agreement/disagreement with another Indonesian Muslim student’s (bogus) statements toward extremist views and violent extremist actions. After controlling for alienation, Muslim students in the MS condition reported significantly higher levels of support for extremist views than did non-Muslims. There was no significant effect of MS on violent extremist action in either Muslims or non-Muslims. The results suggest that reminders of death (MS) may lead young Muslims to be more supportive of politically and religiously extreme views, but not violent action. Our findings lend partial support to previous research in Iranian Muslim students; however, further research is needed to establish factors that can result in increased support for violent extremism.
Comparing Versions of the Good Behavior Game
Authors: Wahl Elaine , Hawkins Renee O. , Haydon Todd , Marsicano Richard , Morrison Julie Q.
Published: April 2016

Disruptions can prevent the classroom from being an effective learning environment. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a group contingency that has been proven to effectively prevent disruptions and increase engagement. However, the traditional methods of the GBG include teacher scanning for negative student behaviors, and may not align with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), which is becoming widely adopted in many schools. Extending the findings of Wright and McCurdy, the current study compared the effects of the GBG and a positive version of the GBG, called the Caught Being Good Game (CBGG), on student behavior, including engagement and off-task behaviors, as well as teachers’ use of positive and negative statements. Results showed both the GBG and the CBGG improved student behavior, with data not clearly indicating one was superior. Neither intervention led to an increase in positive teacher statements. Implications for teachers and suggestions for further research are discussed.
Tablet Audiometry in Canada’s North
Authors: Rourke Ryan , Kong David Chan Chun , Bromwich Matthew
Published: April 2016

Background

Access to hearing health care is limited in many parts of the world, creating a lack of prompt diagnosis, which further complicates treatment. The use of portable audiometry for hearing loss testing can improve access to diagnostics in marginalized populations. Our study objectives were twofold: (1) to determine the prevalence of hearing loss in children aged 4 to 11 years in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and (2) to test and demonstrate the use of our tablet audiometer as a portable hearing‐testing device in a remote location.

Study Design

Prospective cross‐sectional observational.

Setting

Remote elementary schools in 3 Canadian Northern communities.

Subjects and Methods

Tablet audiometers were used to test hearing in 218 children. Air conduction pure tones thresholds were obtained at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz. Children with hearing loss ≥30 dB in either ear were referred for audiology services.

Results

Tablet audiometry screening testing revealed abnormal results in 14.8% of the study participants. No significant difference in the rate of hearing loss was seen by sex; however, the rate of hearing loss decreased significantly with increasing age. The median duration of the hearing test was 5 minutes 30 seconds.

Conclusions

Of the study population, 14.8% tested positive for hearing loss based on our interactive tablet audiometer. In this setting, the tablet audiometer was both time efficient and largely language independent. This type of testing is valuable for providing much‐needed hearing health care for high‐risk populations in rural and remote areas where audiology services are often unavailable.
Association between Magnesium Disorders and Hypocalcemia following Thyroidectomy
Authors: Nellis Jason C. , Tufano Ralph P. , Gourin Christine G.
Published: April 2016

Objective

To identify factors associated with postoperative hypocalcemia after thyroid surgery and to understand the relationship among hypocalcemia, length of hospitalization, and costs of care.

Study Design

Retrospective database analysis.

Methods

Discharge data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 620,744 patients who underwent thyroid surgery from 2001 to 2010 were analyzed through cross‐tabulations and multivariate regression modeling. Hypocalcemia, length of stay, and costs were examined as dependent variables. Secondary independent variables included magnesium and phosphate metabolism disorders, vitamin D deficiency, menopause, sex, extent of surgery, malignancy, and surgeon volume.

Results

Hypocalcemia was reported in 6% of patients and was significantly more common for the following variables: women, age <65 years, patients from the Northeast, total thyroidectomy ± neck dissection patients, low‐volume surgical care, malignancy, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and patients with disorders of magnesium or phosphate metabolism (P <. 001). Magnesium and phosphate disorders were present in <1% of patients. Magnesium disorders were significantly more likely for patients with hypocalcemia (7%; P <. 001), and hypocalcemia was present in 52% of patients with magnesium disorders (P <. 001). On multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds of hypocalcemia were greatest for patients with magnesium disorders (odds ratio, 12.71; 95% confidence interval, 8.59‐18.82). This relationship was not attenuated by high‐volume surgical care. Hypocalcemia and magnesium disorders were both associated with increased length of stay and costs, with a greater effect for magnesium disorders than for hypocalcemia (P <. 001).

Conclusions

Disorders of magnesium metabolism are an independent risk factor for postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia and are associated with significantly increased costs and length of stay.
Treating posttraumatic stress disorder with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: A preliminary meta-analysis and comparison to prolonged exposure therapy
Authors: Amoroso Timothy , Workman Michael
Published: April 2016

Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a major area of research and development. The most widely accepted treatment for PTSD is prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, but for many patients it is intolerable or ineffective. ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) has recently re-emerged as a new treatment option, with two clinical trials having been published and both producing promising results. However, these results have yet to be compared to existing treatments. The present paper seeks to bridge this gap in the literature. Often the statistical significance of clinical trials is overemphasized, while the magnitude of the treatment effects is overlooked. The current meta-analysis aims to provide a comparison of the cumulative effect size of the MDMA-AP studies with those of PE. Effect sizes were calculated for primary and secondary outcome measures in the MDMA-AP clinical trials and compared to those of a meta-analysis including several PE clinical trials. It was found that MDMA-AP had larger effect sizes in both clinician-observed outcomes than PE did (Hedges’ g=1.17 vs. g=1.08, respectively) and patient self-report outcomes (Hedges’ g=0.87 vs. g=0.77, respectively). The dropout rates of PE and MDMA-AP were also compared, revealing that MDMA-AP had a considerably lower percentage of patients dropping out than PE did. These results suggest that MDMA-AP offers a promising treatment for PTSD.
Reframing Participation in Postsecondary STEM Education With a Representation Metric
Authors: Tokita Christopher K. , Doane William E. J. , Zuckerman Brian L.
Published: April 2016

Efforts aimed at broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) require a holistic presentation of the state of racial and gender participation. Statistics currently used to describe participation often include raw counts of degrees and the percentages of demographic groups receiving STEM degrees. While these data provide insights into demographic trends, they do not present the complete picture because these “traditional” statistics do not capture how well a field of study reflects—or is proportionally similar to—a larger body, such as the college population. If the goal of broadening participation in STEM education is to ensure that all racial and gender groups are proportionally represented, analysts require direct measures of representation. In this article, we present a novel metric that assesses the degree to which groups are overrepresented or underrepresented in a given field. This metric calculates field-specific representation by comparing the proportion of degrees awarded to members of a demographic group in a specific field of study with the proportion of all degrees awarded to that group. Using data from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education, we demonstrate the efficacy of this representation metric and show that it provides new insights into STEM participation levels for women and other groups considered to be underrepresented. While traditional measurements show the increasing number of degrees awarded to and the increasing share of underrepresented minority students in STEM, our metric revealed that underrepresented minorities remain underrepresented in STEM fields, especially in engineering and the natural sciences.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Efficacy for Reducing Recidivism Rates of Moderate- and High-Risk Sexual Offenders: A Scoping Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Mpofu Elias , Athanasou James A. , Rafe Christine , Belshaw Scott H.
Published: April 2016

This literature scoping review compared recidivism rates of moderate- and high-risk sexual offenders who received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) oriented treatments. Ten empirical studies from 2001 to 2014 were selected for review that met the following criteria: (a) Treatment program included a CBT-based intervention with a comparative intervention; (b) participants included adult, male, moderate- and high-risk sexual offenders only; and (c) follow-up data for up to 12 months. Data were analyzed using a summative metric for recidivism rate comparisons ( N = 3,073 for CBT and N = 3,588, for comparison approaches). Sexual offense recidivism rates varied from 0.6% to 21.8% (with CBT) and from 4.5% to 32.3% (with comparison intervention). The within-sample median rate of violent recidivism with a history of sexual offense was 21.1% (with CBT) versus 32.6% (comparison). Sexual offenders had a general felonies (within-sample) median recidivism rate of 27.05% (with CBT) versus 51.05% (comparison). The evidence supports the conclusion that CBT in its various forms is an efficacious treatment modality to prevent offense recidivism by sexual offenders. Suggestions for future research are considered.
Proactive and Reactive Criminal Thinking and Self-Reported Offending: A Cross-National Survey of Seventh- Through Ninth-Grade Boys and Girls
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this study was to assess the cross-national generalizability of the moderately strong relationship between proactive criminal thinking (PCT) and reactive criminal thinking (RCT) and whether RCT correlates better with self-reported offending than PCT across gender and international cluster. Correlations between PCT, RCT, and self-reported offending were calculated and compared in a cross-national sample of 59,992 (29,083 boys, 30,909 girls) seventh through ninth graders. These correlational analyses were conducted on the total sample as well as on six different international clusters. Consistent with predictions, the PCT and RCT correlated highly in all samples (.51-.62) and though the two scales achieved similar correlations with offending, the RCT correlated significantly better with offending after controlling for PCT than PCT correlated with offending after controlling for RCT. These results provide cross-national support for the supposition that RCT is a more important correlate of offending than PCT in early to mid-adolescence.
The place of spirit
Authors: Bartolini Nadia , Chris Robert , MacKian Sara , Pile Steve
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we seek to map out the specific geographies through which spatialities of religion have been imagined. These involve such spatial metaphors as islands, networks and spheres. Less attention has been given to new forms of spirituality, and to the consequences of thinking through these for our understanding of modernity itself. We argue that modernity, religion and spirituality are entangled and spread through daily life. We conclude that adding new forms of spirituality to the mix of geographies of religion requires reconsidering more than the boundary between secularity and religion, but also rethinking the place of spirituality in modern life.
Abuse of Parents in Early Modern Finland
Authors: Toivo Raisa Maria
Published: April 2016

In the early modern courts of law in Finland—then a part of Sweden—physical and verbal violence by (teenage or adult) children against their parents was theoretically a capital crime. Nevertheless, in practice, extenuating circumstances were sought and punishments were mitigated. One of the common extenuating circumstances was that the parent had provoked the abuse through overdisciplining the child or misusing parental authority in the household. In the trials, each party tried to excuse and if possible legitimize their own behavior. In this article, I investigate the phenomenon of the abuse of parents in the law courts of seventeenth-century Finland and the argumentation of parental power and its refutation in those trials. In the trials, values and expectations of parenthood and parental authority were discussed, used, and played on by different parties in cases dealing with the abuse of a parent.
Fire tests at reduced scale as powerful tool to fasten the development of flame-retarded material: Application to cables
Authors: Girardin Bertrand , Fontaine Gaëlle , Duquesne Sophie , Bourbigot Serge
Published: April 2016

The cables have to meet regulations to be used in buildings. In Europe, they are evaluated according to large- and small-scale tests (e.g. EN 50399 and IEC 60332-). They can be time- and material-consuming. In this study, a novel bench-scale fire testing method was developed only considering the external sheathing/jacket. Flat specimen of materials used as cables’ sheathing was impacted by a methane burner, and the heat release rate and the flame spread were measured. Good correlations on five benchmark materials were found between the classifications at the large scale (EN 50399) compared to those measured at the reduced scale. Using the bench-scale test, optimized formulations were developed.
Social Inequalities in Inflammation: Age Variations in Older Persons
Authors: Mitchell Uchechi A. , Aneshensel Carol S.
Published: April 2016

Objective: Systemic inflammation is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and inequalities by race/ethnicity, gender, and education have been documented. However, there is incomplete knowledge as to how these disparities present across age, especially in late life. This study assesses whether differences in C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, are contingent on age among older persons. Method: Data are from the 2006/2008 Health and Retirement Study ( n = 10,974) biomarker assessment. CRP was regressed on interactions between age and other status characteristics. Results: Racial/ethnic differences in inflammation do not vary significantly by age. However, gender and education differences are greatest at younger ages and then narrow steadily with increasing age. Discussion: There is considerable heterogeneity in how disparities in inflammation present across age and characteristics such as race/ethnicity, gender, and education. Understanding status differences in the influence of age on factors affecting late-life health is useful for health disparities research.
Dynamic design and thermal analysis of an ultra-precision flycutting machine tool
Authors: Liu Pingfan , Chen Wanqun , Su Hao , Chen Guoda
Published: April 2016

This article presents the dynamic design and thermal analysis of an ultra-precision flycutting machine tool. The hydrostatic bearings are used both in the spindle and slide to ensure the stiffness of the machine tool. The fluid–structure interaction method is used to obtain the actual clearance changes of the hydrostatic bearing. The dynamic and thermal performances of the machine tool are analyzed considering the effect of hydrostatic bearings. The influence of the thermal effect on the static and dynamic performance of the machine tool is further studied. The prototype machine tool is built. Preliminary machining trials have been carried out and provided evidence of fluid–structure interaction method being helpful to design the ultra-precision machine tool based on the hydrostatic technology.
Vagal Tone and Children’s Delay of Gratification
Authors: Sturge-Apple Melissa L. , Suor Jennifer H. , Davies Patrick T. , Cicchetti Dante , Skibo Michael A. , Rogosch Fred A.
Published: April 2016

Children from different socioeconomic backgrounds have differing abilities to delay gratification, and impoverished children have the greatest difficulties in doing so. In the present study, we examined the role of vagal tone in predicting the ability to delay gratification in both resource-rich and resource-poor environments. We derived hypotheses from evolutionary models of children’s conditional adaptation to proximal rearing contexts. In Study 1, we tested whether elevated vagal tone was associated with shorter delay of gratification in impoverished children. In Study 2, we compared the relative role of vagal tone across two groups of children, one that had experienced greater impoverishment and one that was relatively middle-class. Results indicated that in resource-rich environments, higher vagal tone was associated with longer delay of gratification. In contrast, high vagal tone in children living in resource-poor environments was associated with reduced delay of gratification. We interpret the results with an eye to evolutionary-developmental models of the function of children’s stress-response system and adaptive behavior across varying contexts of economic risk.
Memory as persona non grata in the work of Eugène Minkowski: a historical approach
Authors: Vaz João M
Published: April 2016

Memory is both ubiquitous and persona non grata in the work of Eugène Minkowski. Despite the relevance of memory in the works of those who influenced him, in particular Bergson, Minkowski nonetheless repeatedly overlooked its importance in his writings. To the reader of his work this fact is as much evident as unaccounted for – both by prior research and by Minkowski himself. I shall try to prove that this disregard for memory was conditio sine qua non of Minkowski’s first synthesis of Bleuler and Bergson in a 1921 article, which resulted in his famous concept of loss of vital contact with reality and which he equated with schizophrenia. Moreover, this historical approach will, on the one hand, explain the fragmentary use made by Minkowski of the philosophy of Bergson and, on the other, shed light on central aspects of his Le temps vécu of 1933 that an exclusively philosophical analysis cannot reveal.
Improving the Context Supporting Quality Improvement in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Quality Collaborative: An Exploratory Field Study
Authors: Grooms Heather R. , Froehle Craig M. , Provost Lloyd P. , Handyside James , Kaplan Heather C.
Published: April 2016

Successful quality improvement (QI) requires a supportive context. The goal was to determine whether a structured curriculum could help QI teams improve the context supporting their QI work. An exploratory field study was conducted of 43 teams participating in a neonatal intensive care unit QI collaborative. Using a curriculum based on the Model for Understanding Success in Quality, teams identified gaps in their context and tested interventions to modify context. Surveys and self-reflective journals were analyzed to understand how teams developed changes to modify context. More than half (55%) targeted contextual improvements within the microsystem, focusing on motivation and culture. “Information sharing” interventions to communicate information about the project as a strategy to engage more staff were the most common interventions tested. Further study is needed to determine if efforts to modify context consistently lead to greater outcome improvements.
Adding Value to the Health Care System: Identifying Value-Added Systems Roles for Medical Students
Authors: Gonzalo Jed D. , Graaf Deanna , Johannes Bobbie , Blatt Barbara , Wolpaw Daniel R.
Published: April 2016

To catalyze learning in Health Systems Science and add value to health systems, education programs are seeking to incorporate students into systems roles, which are not well described. The authors sought to identify authentic roles for students within a range of clinical sites and explore site leaders’ perceptions of the value of students performing these roles. From 2013 to 2015, site visits and interviews with leadership from an array of clinical sites (n = 30) were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to identify tasks and benefits of integrating students into interprofessional care teams. Types of systems roles included direct patient benefit activities, including monitoring patient progress with care plans and facilitating access to resources, and clinic benefit activities, including facilitating coordination and improving clinical processes. Perceived benefits included improved value of the clinical mission and enhanced student education. These results elucidate a framework for student roles that enhance learning and add value to health systems.
The Anti-Allodynic Gabapentinoids
Authors: Alles Sascha R. A. , Smith Peter A.
Published: April 2016

The gabapentinoids (pregabalin and gabapentin) are first line treatments for neuropathic pain. They exert their actions by binding to the α2δ accessory subunits of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Because these subunits interact with critical aspects of the neurotransmitter release process, gabapentinoid binding prevents transmission in nociceptive pathways. Gabapentinoids also reduce plasma membrane expression of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels but this may have little direct bearing on their therapeutic actions. In animal models of neuropathic pain, gabapentinoids exert an anti-allodynic action within 30 minutes but most of their in vitro effects are 30-fold slower, taking at least 17 hours to develop. This difference may relate to increased levels of α2δ expression in the injured nervous system. Thus, in situations where α2δ is experimentally upregulated in vitro, gabapentinoids act within minutes to interrupt trafficking of α2δ subunits to the plasma membrane within nerve terminals. When α2δ is not up-regulated, gabapentinoids act slowly to interrupt trafficking of α2δ protein from cell bodies to nerve terminals. This improved understanding of the mechanism of gabapentinoid action is related to their slowly developing actions in neuropathic pain patients, to the concept that different processes underlie the onset and maintenance of neuropathic pain and to the use of gabapentinoids in management of postsurgical pain.
Evaluation of a potentially probiotic non-dairy beverage developed with honey and kefir grains: Fermentation kinetics and storage study
Authors: Fiorda Fernanda A , de Melo Pereira Gilberto V , Thomaz-Soccol Vanete , Rakshit Sudip K , Soccol Carlos R
Published: April 2016

The aim of this work was to study the fermentation process of honey with kefir grains through a comprehensive understanding of its rheological properties, probiotic cell viability, instrumental color parameters and kinetic aspects in a batch bioreactor and during storage. The results showed that kefir grains were well adapted to bioreactor conditions, reaching high levels of cell viability (over 106 CFU mL−1 for total yeast and bacteria), phenolic compounds content (190 GAE/100 g) and acidification after 24 h of fermentation at 30 ℃. Colorimetric analysis showed that lightness (L*) and redness (a*) remained constant, while yellowness intensities (b*) decreased during fermentation time. After 35 days of storage, honey kefir beverage maintained its chemical characteristics and microbial viability as required to be classified as a probiotic product. The Ostwald-de-Waele (R2 ≥ 0.98) and Herschel-Bulkley (R2 ≥ 0.99) models can be used to predict the behavior of honey kefir beverage. The parameters analyzed in this study should be taken into account for industrial production of this novel non-dairy beverage.
Stardom from the perspective of media power: Reproducing media power in the reception of Li Yuchun’s stardom
Authors: Cui Li
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the stardom of Li Yuchun, a star from Super Girls’ Voice (an American Idol-type show), from the perspective of media power. Based on Couldry’s framework of media power, which focuses on the symbolic boundary between the media world and the ordinary world, this study compares the stardom of Song Zuying, who represents party stars; the stardom of Jay Chou, who represents commercialized stars; and the stardom of Li Yuchun to explore the ways in which audiences construct the stardom of Li Yuchun. Their implications for the Chinese entertainment industry and popular culture are also discussed.
The run of ourselves: Shame, guilt and confession in post-Celtic Tiger Irish media
Authors: Free Marcus , Scully Clare
Published: April 2016

This article examines the emergence of the themes of shame and guilt in Irish print and broadcast media in the wake of Ireland’s 2008 economic collapse. It considers how the potential search for explanation of the crisis as a manifestation of unregulated banking and development sectors was displaced onto a confessional discursive pattern in which emphasis was placed on rampant borrowing and consumption as reflective of collective narcissism and acquisitive greed. Hence the logic that ‘hubris’ led inevitably to a national fall from grace and the corresponding resurgence of postcolonial shame; and the interplay between cultural nationalist and neoliberal discourses of redemption through confession of guilt and disciplinary self-regulation as the purging of excess.
De Novo Glutamine Synthesis
Authors: He Qiao , Shi Xinchong , Zhang Linqi , Yi Chang , Zhang Xuezhen , Zhang Xiangsong
Published: April 2016

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of de novo glutamine (Gln) synthesis in the proliferation of C6 glioma cells and its detection with 13N-ammonia.

Methods:

Chronic Gln-deprived C6 glioma (0.06C6) cells were established. The proliferation rates of C6 and 0.06C6 cells were measured under the conditions of Gln deprivation along with or without the addition of ammonia or glutamine synthetase (GS) inhibitor. 13N-ammonia uptake was assessed in C6 cells by gamma counting and in rats with C6 and 0.06C6 xenografts by micro–positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. The expression of GS in C6 cells and xenografts was assessed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results:

The Gln-deprived C6 cells showed decreased proliferation ability but had a significant increase in GS expression. Furthermore, we found that low concentration of ammonia was sufficient to maintain the proliferation of Gln-deprived C6 cells, and 13N-ammonia uptake in C6 cells showed Gln-dependent decrease, whereas inhibition of GS markedly reduced the proliferation of C6 cells as well as the uptake of 13N-ammoina. Additionally, microPET/computed tomography exhibited that subcutaneous 0.06C6 xenografts had higher 13N-ammonia uptake and GS expression in contrast to C6 xenografts.

Conclusion:

De novo Gln synthesis through ammonia–glutamate reaction plays an important role in the proliferation of C6 cells. 13N-ammonia can be a potential metabolic PET tracer for Gln-dependent tumors.
Enhanced itch elicited by capsaicin in a chronic itch model
Authors: Yu Guang , Yang Niuniu , Li Fengxian , Chen Meijuan , Guo Changxiong J , Wang Changming , Hu Danyou , Yang Yan , Zhu Chan , Wang Zhongli , Shi Hao , Gegen Tana , Tang Ming , He Qian , Liu Qin , Tang Zongxiang
Published: April 2016

Chronic itch (pruritus) is an important clinical problem. However, the underlying molecular basis has yet to be understood. The Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 channel is a heat-sensitive cation channel expressed in primary sensory neurons and involved in both thermosensation and pain, but its role in chronic itch remains elusive. Here, we for the first time revealed an increased innervation density of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1-expressing sensory fibers in the skin afflicted with chronic itch. Further analysis indicated that this phenomenon is due to an expansion of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1-expressing sensory neurons under chronic itch conditions. As a functional correlates of this neuronal expansion, we observed an enhanced neuronal responsiveness to capsaicin under the dry skin conditions. Importantly, the neuronal hypersensitivity to capsaicin results in itch, rather than pain sensation, suggesting that the up-regulated Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 underlies the pain-to-itch switch under chronic itchy conditions. The study shows that there are different mechanisms of chronic pain and itching, and Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 plays an important role in chronic itch.
Methods to improve patient recruitment and retention in stroke trials
Authors: Berge Eivind , Stapf Christian , Al-Shahi Salman Rustam , Ford Gary A , Sandercock Peter , van der Worp H Bart , Petersson Jesper , Dippel Diederik WJ , Krieger Derk W , Lees Kennedy R ,   on behalf of the ESO Trials Network Committee
Published: April 2016

Background

The success of randomized-controlled stroke trials is dependent on the recruitment and retention of a sufficient number of patients, but fewer than half of all trials meet their target number of patients.

Methods

We performed a search and review of the literature, and conducted a survey and workshop among 56 European stroke trialists, to identify barriers, suggest methods to improve recruitment and retention, and make a priority list of interventions that merit further evaluation.

Results

The survey and workshop identified a number of barriers to patient recruitment and retention, from patients’ incapacity to consent, to handicaps that prevent patients from participation in trial-specific follow-up. Methods to improve recruitment and retention may include simple interventions with individual participants, funding of research networks, and reimbursement of new treatments by health services only when delivered within clinical trials. The literature review revealed that few methods have been formally evaluated. The top five priorities for evaluation identified in the workshop were as follows: short and illustrated patient information leaflets, nonwritten consent, reimbursement for new interventions only within a study, and monetary incentives to institutions taking part in research (for recruitment); and involvement of patient groups, remote and central follow-up, use of mobile devices, and reminders to patients about their consent to participate (for retention).

Conclusions

Many interventions have been used with the aim of improving recruitment and retention of patients in stroke studies, but only a minority has been evaluated. We have identified methods that could be tested, and propose that such evaluations may be nested within on-going clinical trials.
Expert Premier League soccer managers’ use of transformational leadership behaviours and attitude towards sport integrity: An intrinsic case study
Authors: Mills John P , Boardley Ian D
Published: April 2016

The present study is the first to examine transformational leadership behaviours and integrity attitudes of expert, Premier League and International level football managers. To provide a rich, detailed exploration of the expert managers’ experiences, a qualitative approach was adopted utilising holistic content analysis. Constructed narratives revealed that the key behaviours demonstrated were inspirational messages or team talks (i.e. inspirational motivation), empathy (i.e. individualised consideration), introducing new training methods (i.e. intellectual stimulation), using exemplar players (i.e. appropriate role modelling), and goal setting (i.e. high performance expectations). However, the use and effect of such behaviours varied greatly between managers. Each of the managers also claimed to have been willing to “bend the rules” as a player and frequently used euphemistic labels to describe such behaviour. However, upon entering management, all three managers claimed to have adjusted such attitudes without providing an explanation for this.
Climbing Ladders of Success: Perceptions of Barriers to Public Sector Career Advancement in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka
Authors: Tharshini Uruthirakodeeswaran , Kumar Shamala , Rathnasekara Hasara
Published: April 2016

Women in Jaffna district, Sri Lanka, show a high rate of participation and progress in the public sector. However, at senior managerial level, their representation is comparatively lower than that of men. Therefore, two studies were carried out with the principal objective of identifying barriers to career advancement of women at the middle managerial levels of the public sector in the Jaffna district. An equal number of men and women at secondary and tertiary levels in the public sector in Jaffna participated in the studies. In Study 1, 40 officers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires, the results of which were then content analysed. In Study 2, a structured questionnaire was administered to investigate the experiences of 120 officers. Cluster analysis and descriptive analysis were performed to examine the nature of these barriers to career advancement of both men and women. Individual barriers and sociocultural barriers were identified as stronger barriers to women than men, and organizational barriers were identified as stronger barriers to men than women.
The Effects of Smoking on Carotid Artery Hemodynamics
Authors: Babiker Mahmoud S.
Published: April 2016

Background: Smoking is considered to be associated with a variety of public health problems. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of smoking on carotid artery hemodynamics in Saudi Arabian participants. Methods: In a quantitative descriptive study, 121 participants were investigated by B-mode and Doppler sonography: 76% (n = 92) were smokers, and 24% (n = 29) were nonsmokers. The mean age of all participants was 36 ± 2 years (range, 19-100). Carotid arteries for all participants were evaluated with 7-MHz linear transducer according to a standard carotid sonography protocol. Results: The majority of the smokers (89.1%) were asymptomatic. The prevalence of carotid plaques in the smoker group was 22.8% of the 92 subjects. There was a significant statistical association between frequency of smoking and age with the presence of plaques ( P < .001). In the smoker group, 18.4% had measurable carotid artery atherosclerotic disease. The duration and frequency of smoking increased the percentage of carotid stenosis by 0.34% and 0.31% per year, respectively. Regardless of plaque presence and age increase, there was a linear association between the duration of smoking and an increase in carotid peak systolic and end diastolic velocities, which increased 0.62 and 0.65 per year, respectively. Conclusion: Current tobacco use has a strong association with carotid artery plaque and alterations in carotid hemodynamics in Saudi Arabian smokers.
The relationship between foot posture, body mass, age and ankle, lower‐limb and whole‐body flexibility in healthy children aged 7 to 15 years
Authors: Hawke Fiona , Rome Keith , Evans Angela Margaret
Published: April 2016

Background

The complex relationship between foot posture, flexibility, body mass and age in children is not well understood. The objectives of this post hoc analysis were to explore the relationships between foot posture, flexibility, body mass in children aged seven to 15 years.

Methods

Thirty healthy, asymptomatic children (20 girls, 10 boys) aged 7 to 15 years with a mean age (SD) of 10.7 (2.3) years, were recruited through the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Podiatry Clinic, Auckland, New Zealand. Clinical data were collected by a podiatrist with 20 years' experience and included: height and weight (for Body Mass Index), Foot Posture Index‐6 (FPI), Beighton score, Lower Limb Assessment Scale score (LLAS); and ankle lunge angle. For this post hoc analysis, Pearson's test and Spearman's rho were used to explore relationships between variables. Statistical significance level was p < 0.05.

Results

Data for each of the 30 participants for each variable were included in analyses, which returned the following statistically significant results: higher FPI was associated moderately with higher Beighton score (r = 0.44, p = 0.01); greater lunge angle was associated moderately with higher Beighton (r = 0.40, p = 0.02) and LLAS (r = 0.42, p = 0.02) scores; older age was associated strongly with higher BMI (r = 0.52, p = <0.01) and moderately with lower Beighton (r = −0.41, p = 0.024) and LLAS (r = −0.40, p = 0.03) scores; and higher Beighton score was associated strongly with higher LLAS (r = 0.85, p = <0.01). There was no difference in foot posture between girls and boys (p = 0.21).

Conclusions

In this sample of healthy, asymptomatic children age 7 to 15 years, children with a more pronated foot type exhibited greater lower limb and whole‐body flexibility, but not greater ankle joint flexibility. There was strong agreement between lower‐limb and whole‐body flexibility. This study highlights the importance of assessing the paediatric flat foot in the context of a developing body.
Propagation of errors in citation networks: a study involving the entire citation network of a widely cited paper published in, and later retracted from, the journal Nature
Authors: van der Vet Paul E. , Nijveen Harm
Published: April 2016

Background

In about one in 10,000 cases, a published article is retracted. This very often means that the results it reports are flawed. Several authors have voiced concerns about the presence of retracted research in the memory of science. In particular, a retracted result is propagated by citing it. In the published literature, many instances are given of retracted articles that are cited both before and after their retraction. Even worse is the possibility that these articles in turn are cited in such a way that the retracted result is propagated further.

Methods

We have conducted a case study to find out how a retracted article is cited and whether retracted results are propagated through indirect citations. We have constructed the entire citation network for this case.

Results

We show that directly citing articles is an important source of propagation of retracted research results. In contrast, in our case study, indirect citations do not contribute to the propagation of the retracted result.

Conclusions

While admitting the limitations of a study involving a single case, we think there are reasons for the non-contribution of indirect citations that hold beyond our case study.