bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
African Salafism: Religious Purity and the Politicization of Purity
Authors: Østebø Terje
Published: July 2015

There is much ambiguity in terms of how Salafism is understood as an empirical phenomenon and how it is used as an analytical concept. This is partly because it often occurs rather uncritically in the media and in public discourses, but also due to the fact that Salafism represents a phenomenon encompassing a broad range of issues. This paper gives an overview over features and trends inherent in what I call African Salafism, focusing on issues such as the role of African agency, quests for religious purity, and processes of politicization of purity. The concept of African Salafism is obviously not unproblematic, as it may give the impression that we are dealing with a phenomenon that can neatly be delineated, and that it is characterized by a certain set of features making it distinct from other forms. It is important to recognize that African Salafism signifies the representation of Salafism on the African continent, as something shaped by African realities, and which obviously would contain significant local varieties.
Irwo Sunnance yan-no! 1: Youth Claiming, Contesting and Transforming Salafism
Authors: Sounaye Abdoulaye
Published: July 2015

This article discusses youth religiosities and how young Salafi (Sunnance) appropriate the discourse of the popularization of the Sunna and at the same time distance themselves from the well-known Izala movement. The Sunnance have become a social formation only recently, but have earnestly and regularly taken the stage to lay the ground for a new expression and understanding of the Izala reform agenda. They claim to be Izala though they have consistently taken theological positions and promoted practices that challenge and break with Izala “orthodoxy.” These developments, the article argues, are the manifestation of the Izala effect, an intra and inter-Muslim dynamic that is gradually reshaping both anti-Sufism dear to Salafism and Sufi practices. The article is based on ethnographic materials collected in Niger over the last four years among youth promoters of a religious life in line with the “Pious Ancestors.”
Nigeria’s Mainstream Salafis between Boko Haram and the State
Authors: Thurston Alex
Published: July 2015

This article examines northern Nigeria’s mainstream Salafis – figures who advocate exclusive, literalist, exoterically-minded readings of scripture, but who oppose the violence of the fringe Salafi sect Boko Haram. The article argues that the emergence of Boko Haram has placed mainstream Salafis in a complicated position vis-à-vis both Salafi-leaning audiences and the state. In the face of accusations by state and society that all Salafis are connected to Boko Haram, mainstream Salafis have worked to undermine Boko Haram’s messages and Salafi credentials in order to maintain influence over Salafi-leaning youth. Along with other voices in northern Nigeria, mainstream Salafis have also externalized blame for Boko Haram’s violence, attributing Boko Haram’s existence to the state, to Christians and Jews, and/or to Western powers. They have also criticized the state’s response to Boko Haram. Finally, they advocate for perceived northern Muslim interests but attempt to avoid being seen as pro-government.
The rediscovery of Stachys virgata (Lamiaceae), a rare endemic of Peloponnisos, Greece: taxonomy, distribution, karyology and conservation
Authors: Constantinidis Theophanis , Kalpoutzakis Eleftherios , Kougioumoutzis Konstantinos
Published: July 2015

Stachys virgata, a rare Greek member of S. subsect. Rectae, was hitherto known from historical collections made in the north-eastern and southern parts of Peloponnisos, the last one dated in 1844. Its only recent record, on Poros Island in 1940, is not supported by a herbarium specimen. The species was rediscovered in 2005, 161 years after its last collection, and subsequently documented in 18 populations (1 of them now extinct) distributed along the eastern slopes of Mt. Parnonas and Mt. Madara in east Peloponnisos. We review the species’ description and distribution based on both historical records and recent collections, select a specimen deposited in the Natural History Museum, Paris (P) as a lectotype, and count its chromosome number, 2n = 34, for the first time. We evaluate the species’ taxonomic relationships and consider its threats and conservation status based on our own field work and several years of monitoring. S. virgata totals 355 mature plants and 12 out of its 18 populations comprise 20 plants or fewer. Based on the IUCN criteria, S. virgata falls under the Endangered (EN) category and specific conservation measures are proposed. Finally, we provide a key distinguishing S. virgata from the other Greek members of S. subsect. Rectae.
Two new species of Navicula (Bacillariophyta, Naviculales) from the Cascade Mountains of the American Northwest
Authors: Bahls Loren , Potapova Marina
Published: July 2015

Two species of Navicula—N. volcanica and N. subwalkeri—are described as new based on LM and SEM observations and a comparison with similar species. Modern distributions of the new species are restricted to two adjacent headwater streams along the crest of the Cascade Mountains in western Oregon, USA. Both species are established as extant based on observations of cells with intact chloroplasts. Navicula volcanica has uniquely structured areolae with small external openings fused into narrow and occasionally interrupted transapical slits, while in most other Navicula species both the external and internal openings are separate and apically elongated. When observed under LM, N. volcanica resembles N. ludloviana, from which it can be distinguished by its rhombic valve shape, unprotracted apices, and larger size. We present here the first SEM images of N. ludloviana, showing that unlike N. volcanica, this species has ultrastructure typical for Navicula sensu stricto. We also present new distribution records for N. ludloviana and populations that eclipse published ranges of valve size and shape for this species. Navicula subwalkeri is similar to N. walkeri in that both species possess an internal axial plate that partially covers the striae. It is distinguished from N. walkeri by its narrower valves and axial plate, protracted apices, smaller central area, curved striae, and higher density of areolae. Navicula subwalkeri and N. walkeri are sympatric species, although N. walkeri is much more widely distributed. Additional distribution records are provided for N. walkeri, including the first record from the State of Washington.
Salix nebrodensis (Salicaceae), a new species from Sicily
Authors: BRULLO CRISTIAN , BRULLO SALVATORE , CAMBRIA SALVATORE , GALDO GIANPIETRO GIUSSO DEL
Published: July 2015

Salix nebrodensis, a new species distributed along the mountain streams of North-East Sicily, is described and illustrated. Its ecological requirements, conservation status and taxonomic relationships with S. apennina and S. tyrrhenica are also examined.
Fruit as diagnostic characteristic to recognize Brazilian species of Zornia (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae)
Authors: Perez Ana Paula Fortuna , Lewis Gwilym Peter , Queiroz Rubens Teixeira , Silva Juliana Santos , Tozzi Ana Maria Goulart de Azevedo , Rodrigues Karina Fidanza
Published: July 2015

Articles of the lomentaceous fruits encountered in the thirty-six species of Brazilian Zornia species are described, illustrated and compared using scanning electron microscopy and stereomicroscopy. Macro-and micro-morphological characters of the fruit articles provide excellent diagnostic taxonomic characters (including fruit shape, fruit article surface, presence/absence of glands, presence/absence of bristles, and presence/absence of hairs) to distinguish among the Brazilian taxa. Results generally support the species recognised for Brazil although the micro-morphological characters have limited taxonomic value within some species complexes, in which taxa can be better differentiated using other morphological characteristics. The results of macro-morphological analyses show that the morphology of fruit articles is related to the geographical distribution pattern of each species and is a good source of morphological character to distinguish the species of Zornia. We present here an inedit identification key, based on the loment morphology, to distinguish the Brazilian species of Zornia.
Tardigrades of Sweden; an updated check-list
Authors: GUIDETTI ROBERTO , JÖNSSON K. INGEMAR , KRISTENSEN REINHARDT MØBJERG
Published: July 2015

Tardigrades occur worldwide and in a variety of ecosystems and habitats representing an important component of the micrometazoan biodiversity. Several studies documenting the occurrence of tardigrades in Sweden have been published since the first reports in early 1900, but no comprehensive summary of these studies have been published. We compiled the available information on recorded tardigrades from Sweden, using material from published studies and museum and university collections. In total, our review document 101 species of tardigrades that have been recorded from Sweden (an updated checklist of tardigrades from Sweden will be available online), of which 14 species are new records for the country. The highest number of species was recorded in the northernmost province of Lappland and the more southern provinces of Uppland and Skåne, while much lower species numbers are reported from the middle part of Sweden. This pattern probably represents biased sampling activities of biologists rather than real differences in biodiversity of tardigrades. In view of the few studies that have been made on tardigrade biodiversity in Sweden, the relatively high number of tardigrade species recorded, representing almost a tenth of the species recorded worldwide, indicates that many more species remain to be found. In this respect, more studies of the marine ecosystems along the Swedish west coast and the long Baltic Sea coastline would be of particular interest.
Description of the tadpoles of two endemic frogs: the Phu Luang cascade frog Odorrana aureola (Anura: Ranidae) and the Isan big-headed frog Limnonectes isanensis (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from northeastern Thailand
Authors: AMPAI NATEE , RUJIRAWAN ATTAPOL , ARKAJAG JIRACHAI , MCLEOD DAVID S. , AOWPHOL ANCHALEE
Published: July 2015

We describe the external morphology of the tadpoles of two frogs endemic to Thailand: the Phu Luang cascade frog    (Odorrana aureola) and the Isan big-headed frog (Limnonectes isanensis) from the type localities in the Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary, Loei Province, northeastern Thailand. Morphological and genetic characters (16S rRNA) were used to identify specimen and match tadpoles to the adults. Detailed descriptions of external morphology and coloration in life are provided for both species. We provide a brief discussion of the ecology of these tadpoles and a comparison to previously published data from tadpoles of closely related taxa. Additionally, we provide evidence for the utility of larval morphology in resolving the taxonomic puzzles presented by cryptic species complexes.
Clinical Evaluation of Sinonasal Lesions in Patients With Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease
Authors: Takano Kenichi , Abe Ayumi , Yajima Ryoto , Kakuki Takuya , Jitsukawa Sumito , Nomura Kazuaki , Himi Tetsuo
Published: July 2015

Objectives:

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic disease entity characterized by elevated serum IgG4 and extensive IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration of various organs. Patients with IgG4-RD show nasal manifestations with chronic rhinosinusitis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of sinonasal lesions in patients with IgG4-RD.

Methods:

We evaluated radiological findings of sinonasal lesions in 79 patients with IgG4-RD who were divided into 3 groups according to severity. We also compared serological findings, including serum IgG4 and IgE levels, and eosinophil counts.

Results:

Rhinosinusitis was found in 41 patients (51.9%). Although there were no significant differences in the serum IgG4 and IgE levels of the groups, there was a significant increase in eosinophil counts (445 ± 311.9/mm3) in Group C. Furthermore, 14 of the 41 patients with rhinosinusitis (34.1%) showed improvement after prednisolone administration. Patients with IgG4-RD and serum eosinophilia tend to also have sinonasal lesions.

Conclusions:

Rhinosinusitis is common in patients with IgG4-RD, and its pathogenesis can be similar to eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis.
Quality control review: implementing a scientifically based quality control system
Authors: Westgard James O , Westgard Sten A
Published: July 2015

This review focuses on statistical quality control in the context of a quality management system. It describes the use of a ‘Sigma-metric’ for validating the performance of a new examination procedure, developing a total quality control strategy, selecting a statistical quality control procedure and monitoring ongoing quality on the sigma scale. Acceptable method performance is a prerequisite to the design and implementation of statistical quality control procedures. Statistical quality control can only monitor performance, and when properly designed, alert analysts to the presence of additional errors that occur because of unstable performance. A new statistical quality control planning tool, called ‘Westgard Sigma Rules,’ provides a simple and quick way for selecting control rules and the number of control measurements needed to detect medically important errors. The concept of a quality control plan is described, along with alternative adaptations of a total quality control plan and a risk-based individualized quality control plan. Finally, the ongoing monitoring of analytic performance and test quality are discussed, including determination of measurement uncertainty from statistical quality control data collected under intermediate precision conditions and bias determined from proficiency testing/external quality assessment surveys. A new graphical tool, called the Sigma Quality Assessment Chart, is recommended for demonstrating the quality of current examination procedures on the sigma scale.
Types of Infant Formulas Consumed in the United States
Authors: Rossen Lauren M. , Simon Alan E. , Herrick Kirsten A.
Published: July 2015

We examined consumption of different types of infant formula (eg, cow’s milk, soy, gentle/lactose-reduced, and specialty) and regular milk among a nationally representative sample of 1864 infants, 0 to 12 months old, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2010. Among the 81% of infants who were fed formula or regular milk, 69% consumed cow’s milk formula, 12% consumed soy formula, 5% consumed gentle/ lactose-reduced formulas, 6% consumed specialty formulas, and 13% consumed regular milk products. There were differences by household education and income in the percentage of infants consuming cow’s milk formula and regular milk products. The majority of infants in the United States who were fed formula or regular milk consumed cow’s milk formula (69%), with lower percentages receiving soy, specialty, gentle/sensitive, or lactose-free/reduced formulas. Contrary to national recommendations, 13% of infants younger than 1 year consumed regular milk, and the percentage varied by household education and income levels.
Report of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Offered in Pennsylvania Childcare Centers
Authors: Lutzkanin Kristen M. , Myers Abigail K. , Schaefer Eric W. , Sekhar Deepa L.
Published: July 2015

The study objective was to quantify sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) offerings to children in Pennsylvania (PA) childcare centers and determine whether this information is communicated to parents. In October 2014, a SurveyMonkey link was sent to 4461 PA childcare centers. The 518 respondents represented 88% of PA counties. 279 centers (54%) serve SSBs. 330 (65%) of childcare centers provide parents a report of their child’s daily intake. Of 185 centers serving SSBs and providing a daily intake report, 91% include SSB consumption. In total, 38% of centers (103/272) offer but do not report SSB consumption. In 96% of centers, parents may request their child not receive SSBs. In conclusion, though more than half of PA childcare centers surveyed offer SSBs, those providing daily intake reports usually include SSB consumption. Requiring daily intake reports may be a strategy to increase parental awareness of items consumed outside the home.
Short-Term Efficacy and Correlates of Change in Health Weight Management Program for Chinese American Children
Authors: Chen Jyu-Lin , Kwan Monica
Published: July 2015

A pretest and posttest study design was used to test a healthy weight management intervention with overweight and/or obese Chinese American children. Children attended 8-weekly small group sessions while parents attended a single 2-hour parent workshop. Children had their weight, height, blood pressure, waist and hip circumference, and fast lipids data assessed and completed several questions questionnaires regarding food choices, self-efficacy, and knowledge at baseline, 2 months, and 6 months. Parents completed questionnaires regarding demographic, acculturation level and family environment. We found significant reduction of body mass index, waist/hip ratio, systolic blood pressure and improvement of child’s eating style, physical activity knowledge, self-efficacy, and children’s quality of life at 6-month follow-up. In addition, significant improvement of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decrease in triglyceride were found at 6-month follow-up. Improvement of nutrition self-efficacy and decreased stimulus environment were associated with decreased body mass index in overweight and obese Chinese American children.
The Association Between Bathing Habits and Severity of Atopic Dermatitis in Children
Authors: Koutroulis Ioannis , Pyle Tia , Kopylov David , Little Anthony , Gaughan John , Kratimenos Panagiotis
Published: July 2015

Background. Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that frequently affects children. The current recommendations on management using lifestyle modification are highly variable, leading to confusion and uncertainty among patients. Aim. To determine current bathing behaviors and the subsequent impact on disease severity. Methods. This was an observational cross-sectional study conducted at an urban pediatric emergency department. Parents were asked to fill out a questionnaire concerning the patient’s bathing habits. The results were correlated with the atopic dermatitis severity determined by the SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis) tool. Results. No difference between variables was found to be significant for bathing frequency, time spent bathing, or use of moisturizers. Multivariate analysis showed that atopic dermatitis severity increased with age greater than 2 years ( P = .0004) and with greater bathing duration ( P = .001). Conclusion. Atopic dermatitis severity may be associated with a longer duration of bathing. The frequency of bathing does not appear to affect atopic dermatitis severity.
Risk Factors for Attention and Behavioral Issues in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Lance Eboni I. , Comi Anne M. , Johnston Michael V. , Casella James F. , Shapiro Bruce K.
Published: July 2015

Background. Children with sickle cell disease have an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, and specific learning disabilities. Little research has been done to characterize the sickle cell disease–related characteristics associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in the sickle cell disease population. Methods. This study was a retrospective chart review involving the outpatient records of 2 medical centers, Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins Hospital. Participants in the study included 59 children with sickle cell disease with a documented neurodevelopmental diagnosis, specifically attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, attention issues, behavioral issues, executive dysfunction, specific learning disabilities in math, reading, and reading comprehension, intellectual disabilities, developmental delay, fine motor disorders, language disorders, or autism spectrum disorders. Results. Children with sickle cell disease type hemoglobin S-β thalassemia plus had significantly higher odds of attention issues than children with sickle cell disease type hemoglobin SS (OR = 17.0, 95% CI = 1.99-145.00, P < .02). Children with sickle cell disease and a reported history of asthma had significantly higher odds of behavioral issues than children with sickle cell disease without a history of asthma, after adjustment for gender and sickle cell disease type (exact OR = 19.53, 95% CI = 1.16-1369.72, P < .04). Conclusion. Children with sickle cell disease may have increased risk for certain neurodevelopmental diagnoses based on their disease characteristics and associated comorbidities. These preliminary study results should be explored in a larger database.
Emphasizing Planning for Essay Writing With a Computer-Based Graphic Organizer
Authors: Evmenova Anya S. , Regan Kelley , Boykin Andrea , Good Kevin , Hughes Melissa , MacVittie Nichole , Sacco Donna , Ahn Soo Y. , Chirinos David
Published: July 2015

The authors conducted a multiple-baseline study to investigate the effects of a computer-based graphic organizer (CBGO) with embedded self-regulated learning strategies on the quantity and quality of persuasive essay writing by students with high-incidence disabilities. Ten seventh- and eighth-grade students with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder participated in the study. The authors collected data on the number of words, sentences, transition words, essay parts, and holistic writing quality score across (a) baseline (writing on the computer without the CBGO), (b) CBGO-use phase (writing on the computer with the CBGO), and (c) maintenance (writing on the computer without the CBGO). In a visual analysis, all participants improved the quality of their writing, and the majority of students also increased the quantity of their writing. Student interview data are presented to discuss the social validity of this innovative technology-based intervention.
In the shadow of the state: Think tanks and foreign policy in Latin America
Authors: Merke Federico , Pauselli Gino
Published: July 2015

This paper analyzes the role of think tanks as members of civil society in Latin America. Our goal is to present an initial conceptualization and measurement of the role think tanks play in the foreign policy sub-subsystem. We focus on three of the most influential think tanks in the region: CARI (Argentina), CEBRI (Brazil), and COMEXI (Mexico). This paper suggests that the state’s characteristics and the character of its civil society determine the type and strength of its think tanks. This paper also considers the challenges that think tanks face in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico more generally by comparing each chosen think tank’s board, public activities, presence in local media and social media, and publications. We conclude that there have yet to be significant incentives and resources available for thinks tanks in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico to grow and, thus, Latin American think tanks’ activities typically follow their governments’ agendas.
Postcolonialism 2010–2014
Authors: Mishra Vijay
Published: July 2015

The idea of postcolonialism as signifying a break from the past, as the sign of the new, as a critical reappraisal in the context of imperialism and the rise of capital, and as a register of social and political assertiveness took shape as major geo-political changes were underway (the Iranian Revolution, the gradual decline of the Soviet Union, and so on). However, by 2006 when the word finally entered the OED, the citation and the definition embedded in it captured an important shift: “postcolonialism” as a proactive cultural logic aimed at the creation of an intentional object. The critical survey undertaken here suggests that the discourse of postcolonialism is now an intentional discourse with specific affects. These affects, as seen in the Anglophone bibliography on the subject of these past five years, may now be examined with reference to subjects and themes as varied as melancholia, shame, the horrors of poststructuralism, creolization, the vernacular, the cosmopolitan turn, the postcolonial “jew”, the subaltern challenge, global warming, world-literary systems, traumatized bodies, among others.
Changes in Chinese Culture as Examined Through Changes in Personal Pronoun Usage
Authors: Hamamura Takeshi , Xu Yi
Published: July 2015

For the last several decades, Chinese society has experienced transformative changes in its social ecology. Is Chinese culture more individualistic today as a result? The current research examined this question by cross-temporally examining the usage of Chinese personal pronouns associated with individualism–collectivism. A Chinese corpus encompassing the period from 1950 to 2008 was analyzed using the Google Ngram Viewer. Cross-temporal changes in the usages of personal pronouns conceptually associated with individualism–collectivism were non-linear and highly similar to the patterns found for pronouns and non-pronoun words unassociated with individualism–collectivism. Follow-up analyses that disentangled these patterns indicated an increasing usage of individualistic pronouns and a decreasing usage of collectivistic pronouns in recent decades.
Expressions of Gratitude in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Wang Dan , Wang Yudan C. , Tudge Jonathan R. H.
Published: July 2015

Gratitude is a socially desirable virtue that is related to well-being at both personal and societal levels. The present study took a developmental perspective to examine changes with age in types of wishes and gratitude in two societies. The samples consisted of 357 children, aged 7 to 14 years, from a medium-sized city in the southeast United States, and 334 children from a metropolitan area in southern China. Results showed that the expression of connective gratitude, which is considered the most sophisticated form of gratitude and theorized to promote personal well-being and social relationships, increased with age, regardless of society. Participants in China, a society considered to emphasize relatedness more than does the United States, were more likely to express connective gratitude than were their counterparts in the United States. Furthermore, an inverse relationship between hedonistic wishes and connective gratitude was revealed in the U.S. sample.
Recruitment for Psychiatric Treatment Trials
Authors: Burstow Bonnie
Published: July 2015

This article is about ethics, specifically, the myriad of unethical practices characterizing recruitment for psychiatric trials. Using a case study approach, honing on recruitment material, and examining the typical, the author explores recruitment in two studies—one involving electroconvulsive therapy, the other, a psychiatric drug. The bulk of the article is on these trials. The ethical problems which surface include minimization of risk; euphemism; lack of transparency; false and misleading claims, unfair inducement; failure to mention most of the common and serious negative effects; and a predatory quality. The author also identifies some worrisome new trends. Of special interest to the humanistic counselor is the attempt to implicate people’s own counselors and therapists in recruitment. The article ends with reflections on the onus that such practices place on all practitioners striving to be ethical. The author concludes that it is critical that counselors and therapists not be complicit and beyond that they take it on themselves to confront and expose. Concrete practice suggestions include adopting an explicit policy against such referrals, alerting any clients who may be considering such trials of the danger, and countering false claims.
Beyond the Mass Tourism Stereotype
Authors: Wang Ying , Weaver David B. , Kwek Anna
Published: July 2015

Low-priced tour packages are mass tourism power projection sites where providers attempt to restrict tourist power. This study adopts a hybrid design that incorporates dual analytic autoethnography and blog analysis, sharing not only the authors’ experiences and insights into the negotiation between supplier attempts to disempower tourists and reciprocal efforts of tourists to self-empower in all-inclusive tour packages, but also viewpoints of other tour participants collected during the tours and from the Internet. Tour experiences were negotiated through power exchanges. In this “powerscape,” we were subjected to disempowerment strategies, including domination, intimidation, reliance creation, and trust building, while our self-empowerment ranged from active resistance to nonresistance. Different disempowerment strategies appear to solicit specific reactions. Our exploratory study provides insight into the power dynamics implicit in mass tourism and identifies several contextual factors that shape power relationships.
Residents’ Support for Tourism
Authors: Nunkoo Robin , So Kevin Kam Fung
Published: July 2015

Social exchange theory (SET) has made significant contributions to research on residents’ support for tourism. Nevertheless, studies are based on an incomplete set of variables and are characterized by alternative, yet contradictory, and theoretically sound research propositions. Using key constructs of SET, this study develops a baseline model of residents’ support and compares it with four competing models. Each model contains the terms of the baseline model and additional relationships reflecting alternative theoretical possibilities. The models were tested using data collected from residents of Niagara Region, Canada. Results indicated that in the best fitted model, residents’ support for tourism was influenced by their perceptions of positive impacts. Residents’ power and their trust in government significantly predicted their life satisfaction and their perceptions of positive impacts. Personal benefits from tourism significantly influenced residents’ perceptions of the positive and negative impacts of tourism. The study provides valuable and clearer insights on relationships among SET variables.
Time for a Radical Reappraisal of Tourist Decision Making? Toward a New Conceptual Model
Authors: McCabe Scott , Li Chunxiao (Spring) , Chen Zengxiang
Published: July 2015

General models of tourist decision making have been developed to theorize tourist decision processes. These models have been based on the premise that tourists are rational decision makers and utility maximizers. Further, these models have been operationalized through input–output models to measure preferences and behavioral intentions. The extent that they remain viable to explain and predict tourist behavior as tourism markets mature however is uncertain. This review article critiques these approaches and proposes a new general model based on dual system theory to account for different types of choice strategies, the constructive nature of preferences, and to recognize the individual and contextual factors that influence choice processes. The article argues that a general tourist choice model should integrate the psychological processes that determine choice strategies, or heuristics, and consider choice context. These include individual differences, task-related factors, and principles determining system engagement. Future research and practical implications are outlined.
New wine in old wineskins: A critical appraisal of diaspora missiology
Authors: Krabill Matthew , Norton Allison
Published: July 2015

In the past decade, there has been an explosion of research that uses insights from migration studies as a way of understanding various shifts in global Christianity. As a result, missiology has both benefited from and increasingly gravitated toward migration studies for assessing specific global processes. Diaspora missiology, framed as a discipline, movement, and strategy, has emerged as a contemporary missiological reflection on globalization and migration. While some aspects of diaspora missiology contribute helpful insights to the future of missiology, ongoing missiological reflection that uses diaspora as its key framework raises questions that invite critique. In this article, we describe the emergence of diaspora missiology and the various ways it is currently being used in the broader discourse as represented by major proponents Enoch Wan, Sadiri Joy Tira, and J. D. Payne. We then raise four points, critically and constructively unpacking key questions under the following headings: (1) assessing the need for a distinct discipline as an alternative to “traditional missiology”; (2) objectifying migrants: counting and (dis)counting the world’s Christians; (3) the “unnoticed” missionary potential of Christian migrants; and (4) immigrant congregations and transnational ties: multidirectional mission.
From Landlord Manor to Red Memorabilia
Authors: Ho Denise Y. , Li Jie
Published: July 2015

What was a revolutionary museum in the Mao era, and what are the lives and afterlives of its artifacts? This article traces the exhibitionary culture of the town of Anren, home to both the Mao-era sculptural icon the Rent Collection Courtyard and the Jianchuan Museum Cluster, China’s largest private museum and collection of Maoist memorabilia. Examining the production and reception of exhibits from the 1950s to the present, we argue that—far from mausoleums that relegate objects safely to history—museums in China have been dynamic and vital public spaces that have defined and redefined the past for the present, serving as both a medium and a product of revolutionary culture. Over the last six decades, museums have paraded the revolution’s spoils, served as a schoolroom for class education, replaced traditional temples as new ritual sites, staged theatrical performances, held court over historical cases, and, finally, commodified their collections into tourist memorabilia.
Operating theatre nurses’ experiences of teamwork for safe surgery
Authors: Sandelin Annika , Gustafsson Birgitta Å
Published: July 2015

The aim of this study was to describe operating theatre nurses’ experiences of teamwork within the surgical team in regard to achieving patient safety. Safe surgery for patients is based on teamwork in a safe modus between the members in the surgical team. Operating theatre nurses contribute to safe surgery by professional perioperative nursing activities and by participation in teamwork in the surgical team. A qualitative descriptive design using narrative interviews with 16 operating theatre nurses in Sweden was chosen for increased understanding of their experiences of teamwork in regard to achieving patient safety. The findings are presented in three themes, illustrating teamwork in regard to achieving patient safety between the operating theatre nurses’ and other professionals in everyday situations. From the operating theatre nurses’ narrated experiences of teamwork, person-centred nursing care, interdependent collaboration and familiarity of the professionals’ skills contributed to safe surgery. A brief meeting, unfamiliarity of professionals’ skills, uncontrolled tantrums and experiences of exclusion were experienced as counteractive to patient safety. The operating theatre nurses managed demanding situations by diverse strategies to restore patient safety.
Multi-Wavelength Photoacoustic Visualization of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Lesions
Authors: Gray J. P. , Dana N. , Dextraze K. L. , Maier F. , Emelianov S. , Bouchard R. R.
Published: July 2015

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) thermal therapies are limited by deficiencies in existing image-guidance techniques. Previous studies using single-wavelength photoacoustic (PA) imaging have demonstrated that HIFU lesions generate contrast with respect to native tissues but have not sufficiently assessed lesion extent. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate feasibility of characterization of in vitro HIFU ablation lesion dimensions using 3D multi-wavelength PA imaging. Fresh porcine cardiac and liver tissue samples were embedded in agar phantoms and ablated using a 2.5 MHz small-animal HIFU system. Both 2D and 3D multi-wavelength photoacoustic-ultrasonic (PAUS) scans were performed in the near-infrared (NIR) range to characterize the change in the absorption spectrum of tissues following ablation and were compared to stained gross pathology to assess treatment margins and lesion extent. Comprehensive 2D multi-wavelength PA imaging yielded a spectrum in ablated tissue that did not display the characteristic local maximum in the optical absorption spectrum of deoxy-hemoglobin (Hb) near 760 nm. Two-dimensional tissue characterization map (TCM) images reconstructed from 3D TCM volumes reliably characterized lesion area and showed >70% area agreement with stained gross pathology. In addition, tissue samples were heated via water bath and concurrently interrogated with 2D PAUS imaging. PA signal exhibited an initial amplitude increase across all wavelengths, corresponding to an initial temperature increase, before then exhibiting a spectral change. This study suggests that multi-wavelength PA imaging has potential to obtain accurate characterization of HIFU lesion extent and may be better suited to guide HIFU ablation therapies during clinical treatments than single-wavelength methods.
Silence and Censure: A Qualitative Analysis of Young Adults’ Reflections on Communication With Parents Prior to First Sex
Authors: Goldfarb Eva , Lieberman Lisa , Kwiatkowski Samantha , Santos Paul
Published: July 2015

Seventy-four first- and second-year students, participating in focus groups at a northeastern U.S. university, discussed recollections of messages received at home, prior to sexual debut, about sex and sexuality. Responses were categorized as Characteristics of Communication (nature of interactions participants had at home about sexuality) and Major Message Content (actual themes of those conversations). Commonly reported characteristics were trouble talking with parents; most conversations happened with mothers; participants feared parents’ reactions; and among lesbian, gay, bisexual groups, feared parents’ discovering their nonheterosexual orientation. Commonly reported message content included use protection and, among women, wait. Women reported messages that were at best, mixed, and at worst, threatening or moralistic. Men reported fewer conversations, and those recalled were more neutral or encouraging, especially from fathers. Parental messages to males and females differed qualitatively, reflected stereotypical assumptions about gender roles, desire, and appropriate conditions under which to have sex, and lacked support for nonheterosexual orientations.
“Here’s Hoping We Get Pummeled”
Authors: Tamir Ilan , Galily Yair , Yarchi Moran
Published: July 2015

This study discusses changes in football fans’ perception of nationalism in recent years. A growing number of athletes, fans, and sports teams have been explicitly prioritizing their own particular individual interests over national ones. National football teams nowadays enjoy far less support from their fans, whose allegiances are often multiple and who, at times, even reject their own national team. Globalization and the rise of social networks, along with economic and individual agendas, have all been chipping away at national sports teams’ popularity. Using content analyses of online forums and Israeli football fans’ Facebook groups during times the national team was playing, this study aims to reveal a variety of vested interests on multiple levels, which serve to undermine national sports hegemony.
Developing and testing EVALOE: A tool for assessing spoken language teaching and learning in the classroom
Authors: Gràcia Marta , Vega Fàtima , Galván-Bovaira Maria José
Published: July 2015

Broadly speaking, the teaching of spoken language in Spanish schools has not been approached in a systematic way. Changes in school practices are needed in order to allow all children to become competent speakers and to understand and construct oral texts that are appropriate in different contexts and for different audiences both inside and outside school. Here we describe the construction of EVALOE (‘Escala de valoración de la enseñanza de la lengua oral en contexto escolar’ [Assessment scale of oral language teaching]), a flexible tool designed to assess the teaching and learning of spoken language in schools. The first part of the tool is an observation scale (for use in the classroom), and the second is a semi-structured interview carried out with the teacher after the observation. The instrument is designed to assess how teachers facilitate the development of spoken language. It also aims to further interdisciplinary collaboration with regard to the introduction of changes in teaching practices in order to promote the development of communication friendly classroom environments. A pilot test and expert review of the tool was carried out. Thirty-nine schools then participated in the field test, which involved 39 professionals (23 speech and language therapists, eight educational psychologists, and eight teachers) and two university students. Eighty observations, 34 in a preschool setting and 46 in primary schools, were carried out. The results suggest that EVALOE is a useful tool for assessing the teaching and learning of spoken language.
Beyond the equal-weight framework of the Networked Readiness Index: a multilevel I-distance methodology
Authors: Milenkovic Marina Jovanovic , Brajovic Branka , Milenkovic Dejan , Vukmirovic Dragan , Jeremic Veljko
Published: July 2015

Global competitiveness in the 21st century is essentially based on improving business by employing information and communication technologies (ICT). Therefore, it is necessary to establish comparable and reliable ICT statistics for measuring the development of information society. One of the possible solutions is the Networked Readiness Index (NRI). The NRI is the degree of ICT implementation in a country’s economy with the aim of increasing its competitive advantage. In particular, the NRI provides a thorough overview of the top-ranked countries with a highly developed ICT infrastructure. The statistical foundation of the NRI composite index is based on a policy that assigns the same weight to all indicators. Starting from here, our aim was to contribute to the official methodology by providing an alternative weighting scheme. Consequently, our paper presents an alternative NRI framework based on the application of multilevel I-distance methodology. Our approach helps to overcome the issue of employing biased weighting factors in the process of creation composite indexes. We also provide an overview of potential corrections of the official NRI weighting procedure, aimed at sparking debate among researchers and policymakers.
The efficacy of Botulinum Toxin A for limb spasticity on improving activity restriction and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis using the GRADE approach
Authors: Baker Jennifer A , Pereira Gavin
Published: July 2015

Objectives:

A systematic review and meta analysis using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of Botulinum Toxin type A for limb spasticity on improving activity restriction and quality of life outcomes.

Data sources:

Pubmed, Cinahl, Amed, Embase and Cochrane databases. English Language. Search to January 2015.

Review methods:

All randomized, placebo controlled trials on adults with active function or quality of life measures for the arm and leg relating to spasticity of any origin and treated with a single dose of Botulinum Toxin A. Evidence quality was assessed by GRADE.

Results:

Twenty-five studies were reviewed. Meta analysis was carried out on six upper limb and six lower limb studies. Evidence quality for the upper limb was low/very low. A significant result for Botulinum Toxin A was found at four to twelve weeks for the upper limb for active function (SMD 0.32 CI 0.01, 0.62, P=0.04) These effects were maintained for up to six months for Active Research Arm Test (ARAT) only (MD 1.87 CI 0.53, 3.21, P=0.006). Evidence quality was very low for the lower limb. No significant effect was found. Meta analysis was not possible for quality of life measures.

Conclusion:

Botulinum Toxin A may improve active outcomes in the upper limb but further evidence is needed. No conclusion can be drawn about the effect on active outcomes for the lower limb or for quality of life measures in either limb.
Interactive Contributions of Cumulative Peer Stress and Executive Function Deficits to Depression in Early Adolescence
Authors: Agoston Anna M. , Rudolph Karen D.
Published: July 2015

Exposure to peer stress contributes to adolescent depression, yet not all youth experience these effects. Thus, it is important to identify individual differences that shape the consequences of peer stress. This research investigated the interactive contribution of cumulative peer stress during childhood (second-fifth grades) and executive function (EF) deficits to depression during early adolescence (sixth grade). Youth (267 girls, 227 boys; [Formula: see text]age at Wave 1 = 7.95, SD = .37) completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to assess peer stress and depression, respectively; teachers completed the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function to assess everyday performance in several EF domains. As anticipated, exposure to peer stress in childhood predicted heightened sixth-grade depression in girls but not boys with higher levels of EF deficits. This study extends theory and research on individual differences in vulnerability to adolescent depression, in turn elucidating potential intervention targets.
Kissinger and the Westphalian State: Still Faithful After All These Years
Authors: Chan Stephen
Published: July 2015

Despite seeming to express an openness towards the world, Henry Kissinger’s new book, World Order: Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History, is in fact deeply conservative in terms of his adherence to the Westphalian state as the desirable actor in International Relations, and almost as a normative condition of the world’s architecture. Kissinger sketches his views of different regions of the world, but these views are derived from his past experience more than a nuanced and forward-looking view of a rapidly changing world.
Henry Kissinger: Hero of our Time
Authors: Falk Richard
Published: July 2015

Henry Kissinger the supreme scholar/statesman of the late 20th century has authored a comprehensive interpretation of world order that revises his earlier West-centric orientation. This essay review assesses Kissinger’s view that there is a need for a new consensual world order that enjoys the participation and real consent of such important non-Western political actors as China, India and the Islamic World (viewed as a totality). Implicitly, Kissinger realizes that in the post-colonial world purely European conceptions of world order will no longer provide stability, but he nevertheless believes that only by the pragmatic ‘reinvention’ of these conceptions by the whole world will it be possible to achieve a stable and legitimate world order.
Kissinger and World Order
Authors: Hurrell Andrew
Published: July 2015

Kissinger’s World Order: Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History provides a powerful restatement of many of themes that have run through Kissinger’s previous writings, his commentary on international affairs, and his own view of the practice of own diplomacy. The book displays Kissinger’s capacity for grand synthesis and his ability to weave together a vast range of material into a coherent overall pattern. It is surely correct in pressing the case for taking the return of geopolitics seriously and for recognising the importance of different ways of seeing the world and of interpreting world order. But it is deeply flawed in the manner in which the themes of power and values are treated and in the moral and political lessons that are drawn from the analysis.