bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developmental Trajectories of Achievement Goal Orientations During the Middle School Transition
Authors: Duchesne Stéphane , Ratelle Catherine F. , Feng Bei
Published: July 2013

This longitudinal study builds on research addressing changes in achievement goal orientations (AG) across the transition to middle school. We had two objectives. The first was to identify and describe different development trajectories of AG (mastery, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance) from the last year of elementary school (Grade 6) to the third year of middle school (Grade 9, or Secondary 3). The second was to determine whether these trajectories depend on individual dispositions such as anxiety, depression, aggressiveness, and inattention. A sample of 378 French-speaking students from the province of Quebec and their mothers participated in a 4-year longitudinal study. Results showed three trajectories for mastery goals (High, Moderate, and Moderate-declining) and four trajectories for performance-approach (High, Moderate-declining, Low-increasing, and Low) and performance-avoidance goals (High, High-declining, Moderate, and Low-declining). Individual dispositions in the sixth grade predicted trajectory group membership. Results are discussed in light of their implications for the literature on AG and education.
Integrated task and motion planning in belief space
Authors: Kaelbling Leslie Pack , Lozano-Pérez Tomás
Published: July 2013

We describe an integrated strategy for planning, perception, state estimation and action in complex mobile manipulation domains based on planning in the belief space of probability distributions over states using hierarchical goal regression (pre-image back-chaining). We develop a vocabulary of logical expressions that describe sets of belief states, which are goals and subgoals in the planning process. We show that a relatively small set of symbolic operators can give rise to task-oriented perception in support of the manipulation goals. An implementation of this method is demonstrated in simulation and on a real PR2 robot, showing robust, flexible solution of mobile manipulation problems with multiple objects and substantial uncertainty.
Combined staining for immunohistochemical markers in the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma: Improvement in the sensitivity or specificity?
Authors: Wu Gang , Wang Jie , Zhou Zhongwen , Li Tianyi , Tang Feng
Published: July 2013

Objectives

To investigate the ability of cytokeratin (CK)-19, galectin-3, human bone marrow endothelial cell (HBME)-1 and tyrosine kinase-type cell surface receptor HER2 (HER-2/neu) to differentiate papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) from benign thyroid nodules.

Methods

Archival specimens of PTC and benign thyroid nodules were included in this retrospective immunohistochemical study. CK-19, galectin-3, HBME-1, and HER-2/neu protein levels were analysed immunohistochemically using routinely prepared tissue sections.

Results

Specimens from 331 patients with PTC and 664 patients with benign thyroid nodules were reviewed. For all four protein markers, the percentage of samples with cells that demonstrated positive immunostaining was significantly higher in PTC specimens than in benign thyroid nodules. As a single protein marker, CK-19 was the most sensitive (92.7%) and HBME-1 was the most specific (97.9%). The combination of CK-19 and galectin-3 was the most sensitive (82.8%), and the combinations of HBME-1 with CK-19 or galectin-3 or HER-2/neu were the most specific (98.3%).

Conclusions

The combination of HBME-1 and either CK19 or galectin-3 or HER-2/neu can improve the specificity of the diagnosis of PTC.
Reference Values for Proximal Femoral Anatomy in Adolescents Based on Sex, Physis, and Imaging Plane
Authors: Bixby Sarah D. , Kienle Karl-Philipp , Nasreddine Adam , Zurakowski David , Kim Young-Jo , Yen Yi-Meng
Published: July 2013

Background:

Morphological alterations of the hip joint are important contributors to the development of osteoarthritis. While plane-specific variations in the shape of the proximal femur have been described, there are no defined reference standards for measurements in adolescent patients.

Purpose:

To evaluate hips in asymptomatic adolescent patients using radially reformatted multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) to define the morphological characteristics of the femoral head-neck (FHN) junction with respect to patient sex and physeal status, and to establish reference values for α angle, FHN offset, and epiphyseal extension (EE).

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 132 pelvic MDCT scans in adolescent patients with abdominal pain were reformatted into radially oriented planes along the femoral necks. The diameter of the femoral head, α angle, EE, and FHN offset were measured. Reference values for α angle, EE, and FHN offset were determined, and the α angle, EE, and FHN offset were compared between open versus closed physeal status for each sex.

Results:

The α angle measurements in male patients were higher than in female patients in anterior (A), anterosuperior (AS), and superior (S) planes ( P < .001). The median α angle was highest for all patients in the AS plane (male, 52°; female, 49°). Open physes correlated with higher α angles compared with closed physes in all imaging planes except the AS plane. The FHN offset was lowest in the AS plane for all patients and was increased in female patients with closed physes compared with open physes in the A plane and in the A, S, posterosuperior, and posterior planes in male patients ( P < .05). There were subtle plane-specific variations in EE.

Conclusion:

The α angle is higher and FHN offset is lower in the AS plane in patients with closed versus open physes, whereas the opposite is true in all other planes. The α angles in male patients were higher than in female patients, although there were no significant sex-based differences in the FHN offset. The α angles were highest and FHN offset was lowest in the AS plane. There were subtle variations in EE across all planes, and the EE was higher in patients with closed versus open physes.

Clinical Relevance:

Plane- and sex-specific reference values for α angle, FHN offset, and EE in asymptomatic adolescent patients will assist orthopaedic surgeons and radiologists in appropriately suggesting femoroacetabular impingement based on the imaging evaluation of patients with hip pain, whose measurements lie at the periphery of or outside the reference intervals in the appropriate clinical context.
The protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester against toluene-induced nephrotoxicity in rats
Authors: Meydan Sedat , Nacar Ahmet , Oztürk Hasan Oktay , Tas Ufuk , Köse Evren , Zararsiz Ismail , Yılmaz Nigar , Kus Ilter
Published: July 2013

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study is to examine the negative effects of toluene on kidney tissues and functions and to investigate the protective effects of CAPE against toluene-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. A total of 21 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups of equal number in each. The rats in group I were the controls. Toluene was intraperitoneally injected into the rats in group II with a dose of 500 mg/kg. Rats in group III received CAPE daily while exposed to toluene. After 14 days of experimental period, all rats were killed by decapitation. Enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were studied in the rat kidneys. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels were measured for renal function. The CAT and SOD enzyme activities and serum creatinine levels were significantly increased in rats treated with toluene when compared with the controls. But GSH-Px activity, MDA, and BUN levels showed statistically nonsignificant changes. However, increased CAT and SOD enzyme activities and decreased serum creatinine levels were detected in the rats that received CAPE while exposed to toluene. The GSH-Px activity and MDA and BUN levels in the same group did not show statistically significant changes. The results of our study demonstrated that toluene damages kidney tissue and is a nephrotoxic substance. CAPE was able to prevent the renal damage as antioxidant, antitoxic, and nephroprotective agent.
Growth of Research Associations and Journals in the Emerging Discipline of Altruistics
Authors: Smith David Horton
Published: July 2013

This article sketches the development of the organized, interdisciplinary, global field, and emerging academic discipline of altruistics, focusing on academic journals and mainly on researcher associations founded since the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) in 1971. About 55 similar interdisciplinary altruistics researcher associations have been founded worldwide (48 described here; including 9 defunct), 25 of them national in geographic scope, but seven covering a world region and 11 global. Over 100 academic journals that publish research on altruistics or its sub-topics have been published, with 95 active ones described here. The author estimates that there are at least 8,000 active altruistics researchers worldwide, and perhaps as many as 20,000.

The author devised the neologism “altruistics” (or alternatively, “voluntaristics”) to refer to all the phenomena of our field, individual and collective. Included are philanthropy, nonprofit sector, third sector, voluntary sector, civil society, social economy, volunteering, associations, and nonprofit organizations, among other topics. The term is similar to the term linguistics.
Fabrication and evaluation of polyaniline nanofibers via ethyl cellulose template
Authors: RenChun Fu , Jun Du , hui Huang , Zhong-Cheng Guo
Published: July 2013

The template method for polymerization has high potential for synthesizing polymer nanotubes, nanofibers, and nanobelts because it controls the diameter and length of the material microstructure. In this study, polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers were successfully prepared with ethyl cellulose as the template. The chemical constituents and crystallinity of the PANI nanofiber samples were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray powder diffraction. Sample morphology was characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The size uniformity and electrical conductivity of the PANI nanofibers were also determined. The electrical conductivity of the PANI nanofibers reached up to 13.5 S cm−1 at a hydrochloric acid concentration of 1 mol L−1. The PANI nanoparticles had uniform size, and the PANI nanofibers were disordered. The mechanism of ethyl cellulose as a template for synthesizing PANI nanofibers was also analyzed. This study provides a simple method for synthesizing uniform conductive PANI nanofibers.
A hybrid approach to multi-criteria optimization based on user’s preference rating
Authors: Cheema Manjot S , Dvivedi Akshay , Sharma Apurbba K
Published: July 2013

In machining, there exist different quality characteristics that define overall process quality. These quality characteristics are controlled by different input process parameters. Thus, for best possible process quality, optimization is required. The resultant quality characteristics have different weightage of preference depending upon the requirements of the individuals or group. If in a group, the individuals have conflicting interests, it becomes difficult to take decisions. In this article, a new hybrid approach for multi-criteria optimization has been proposed based on the user’s opinion/preference while defining quality characteristics. Accordingly, the new technique may be termed as ‘User’s Preference Rating’ method for optimization. The major advantage of this method is that any number of opinions of the individuals can be considered for calculating the weights. Furthermore, in this technique, it is not essential to specify relationship between all quality characteristics. The implementation of the technique has been illustrated using data during ultrasonic machining of titanium.
Automated process planning system: A new method for setup planning and a mathematical model for fixture design
Authors: Abedini Vahid , Shakeri Mohsen , Siahmargouei Mohammad Hasan , Baseri Hamid
Published: July 2013

Setup planning and fixture design are two main tasks for the integration of design and manufacturing process. Setup planning identifies which features must be machined in each setup and determines locating datum for each setup, whereas fixture planning determines precise locating and rigid clamping of workpieces according to a part design and process requirements. So, a close interaction exists between setup planning and fixture design. This research deals with the problems of setup and fixture planning for the machining of prismatic parts. In the first step, a new heuristic method is presented to plan the setups with accurate respect to datum faces in design and manufacturing. Two concepts, namely, “inferiority face” and “control face,” have been used for this purpose. In the next step, a mathematical model is used to define the primary, secondary and tertiary fixture planes with respect to locators’ position. This model determines relationship between misplacement of locators and dimensional and geometrical specifications of workpiece. The main purpose of developing the model is to determine the effect of locator height error on hole position tolerance. The capability of this model is verified by simulation in “motion study” module in SolidWorks software. This approach is very useful in the hole-making process. The system is developed in Visual Basic on a SolidWorks platform. The effectiveness of the system is verified by an industrial component.
Poly(l-lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite/collagen composite coatings on AZ31 magnesium alloy for biomedical application
Authors: Wang Zhen-Lin , Yan Yu-Hua , Wan Tao , Yang Hui
Published: July 2013

Surface modification of biomedical magnesium alloy using composite coating shows an attemptable approach for the development of Mg-based biomaterials with excellent cytocompatibility. Hydroxyapatite/collagen composite was preliminarily fabricated by biomineralization, the bioactive poly(l-lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite/collagen composite coatings were spin coated on AZ31 magnesium alloy using poly(l-lactic acid) solution mixed with hydroxyapatite/collagen particles, and the resultant materials and coatings were characterized in structure and related properties; furthermore, the in vitro degradation behavior of modified magnesium alloy in 1.5-fold Hank’s solution was investigated. The results show that hydroxyapatite/collagen composite achieved chemical bonding between hydroxyapatite and collagen similar to natural bone; composite coatings on AZ31 magnesium alloy retained the bioactive functional groups of the componential materials and improved the corrosion resistance of Mg alloy; the mass fraction of hydroxyapatite/collagen particles incorporated into the composite affected the porous structure, interfacial adhesion and thus the corrosion resistance of the composite coating due to phase separation as well as volume concentration effects of polymer solution. Composite coatings suppressed the sharp rising of pH value and the released Mg2+ from substrate to extensive degree, and the degradation behavior of the modified magnesium alloy was supposed to be correlated to microstructure of the coating as well as the synergistic reactions among alkaline- and acidic-degraded products.
Characteristics and predictors of women who obtain rescreening for sexually transmitted infections using the www.iwantthekit.org screening programme
Authors: Gaydos Charlotte A , Barnes Mathilda , Jett-Goheen Mary , Quinn Nicole , Whittle Pamela , Hogan Terry , Hsieh Yu-Hsiang
Published: July 2013

Professional organizations recommend rescreening chlamydia-infected women. The iwantthekit Internet-screening programme offered rescreening opportunities by using iwantthekit. Mailed, home-collected vaginal swabs were tested for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis by nucleic acid amplification tests. Demographics and risk behaviours of repeat users were determined from questionnaires. Predictors of repeat users were measured in a matched case–control study. Of 1747 women, 304 (17%), who used iwantthekit, indicated they had used the kit previously. Mean age was 24.7 ± 5.7 years and 69% were African-American. Repeat iwantthekit users were more likely to be aged ≥20 years (OR = 2.10); were more likely to have been treated for a sexually transmitted infection (OR = 2.32); less likely to drink alcohol before sex (OR = 0.63); and to never use condoms (OR = 0.43). Of repeat users, 84.2% had a negative prior test and 15.8% had a positive. At current test, 13.2% were infected. Previous trichomoniasis was associated with current trichomoniasis ( p < 0.05). The iwantthekit may offer rescreening opportunities for previously infected women.
Circumcision as treatment for Zoon’s balanitis in an HIV-positive teenage patient
Authors: de Oliveira Pileggi Flávio , Nogueira Paulo Luis Batista , de Melo Coelho Maria Fernanda , da Silveira Orsi Gustavo , de Fatima Gali Sorita Tazima Maria , Vicente Yvone AMVA , Cervi Maria Celia , de Moura Negrini Bento Vidal
Published: July 2013

In this report we describe a case of the Zoon’s balanitis in a boy with HIV (AIDS B2). The clinical presentation, failure of topical treatment, cure by circumcision, and the histopathology findings are presented.
Antivenom activity of triterpenoid (C34H68O2) from Leucas aspera Linn. against Naja naja naja venom induced toxicity
Authors: Venkatesan C , Sarathi M , Balasubramanian G , Thomas John , Balachander V , Babu V Sarath , Bilal S Mohammed Yusuf , Majeed S Abdul , Madan N , Raj N Sundar , Vimal S , Nambi KSN , Hameed AS Sahul
Published: July 2013

The isolated and identified triterpenoid, 1-hydroxytetratriacontane-4-one (C34H68O2), obtained from the methanolic leaf extract of Leucas aspera Linn. was explored for the first time for antisnake venom activity. The plant ( L. aspera Linn.) extract significantly antagonized the spectacled cobra ( Naja naja naja) venom induced lethal activity in a mouse model. It was compared with commercial antiserum obtained from King Institute of Preventive Medicine (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India). N. naja naja venom induced a significant decrease in antioxidant superoxide dismutase, glutathione (GSH) peroxidase, catalase, reduced GSH and glutathione- S-transferase activities and increased lipid peroxidase (LPO) activity in different organs such as heart, liver, kidney and lungs. The histological changes following the antivenom treatment were also evaluated in all these organs. There were significant alterations in the histology. Triterpenoid from methanol extract of L. aspera Linn. at a dose level of 75 mg per mouse significantly attenuated (neutralized) the venom-induced antioxidant status and also the LPO activity in different organs.
Cancer complicating systemic lupus erythematosus – a dichotomy emerging from a nested case-control study
Authors: Dey D , Kenu E , Isenberg DA
Published: July 2013

Objectives

We determined whether any individual cancers are increased or decreased in a cohort of 595 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) followed for up to 32 years at the University College London Hospitals Lupus Clinic, looking for any associated clinical or serological factors and the prognosis after cancer diagnosis.

Methods

We undertook a careful retrospective review of the medical records and identified all individuals diagnosed with cancer. For controls, we selected three other patients in the cohort who had not developed cancer, carefully matched for age, sex, ethnicity and disease duration, to determine if any obvious differences emerged in a nested case-control design.

Results

Thirty-three patients developed cancer after being diagnosed with SLE. There was a statistically insignificant small increase in overall cancer risk, standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) 1.05 (95% CI 0.52–1.58) and increased SIRs for cervical, prostate, anal and pancreatic cancers and reduction in breast cancer SIRs. Haematological and musculoskeletal manifestations, anticardiolipin and antithyroid globulin antibodies were found to be positively associated with cancer risk in multivariate analysis. There was no drug, dose or duration was associated with cancer risk. There was a reduction in survival with a cancer fatality rate of 84.2% ( p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

We found a very small but statistically insignificant increased cancer risk with reduction in survival. Whereas some cancers appear to be more common in SLE, notably prostate and cervical cancer, others, particularly breast cancer, are less frequent. Multiple clinical and serological factors are involved in the increased risk of malignancy in SLE. No drug dose or duration effect was identified.
Roy Lee Moodie (1880–1934) and the beginnings of palaeopathology
Authors: Waldron Tony
Published: July 2013

Roy Lee Moodie was a geologist whose interest in ancient disease was stimulated by his finding of pathological change in some of the fossils that he studied, including many from the Rancho La Brea site in California. He occupied teaching positions in Chicago, Dallas and Santa Monica and in 1928 began an acquaintance and a correspondence with Henry Wellcome who was then in the United States and appearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. Moodie persuaded Wellcome to sponsor his palaeopathological work and the following year he was appointed palaeopathologist to the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum (WHMM) at a salary of six thousand dollars a year, the first person to hold such a title and the first and only occupant of the title at the WHMM or its successor organisations. He published extensively from 1915 until his death in 1934, including his great compendium Paleopathology; an Introduction to the Study of Ancient Evidences of Disease, and the collected papers of Sir Marc Armand Ruffer. He is perhaps best remembered or, at least, most widely quoted for attributing the beginnings of palaeopathology to a publication of Esper in 1774 although the passage in which he did so contained two major errors that have been perpetuated in the literature ever since, the authorship of the publication and the diagnosis of the lesion that he supposed began the study of disease in antiquity.
Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930): Physician during the typhoid epidemic in the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902)
Authors: Cirillo Vincent J
Published: July 2013

When the Anglo-Boer War broke out in October 1899, Arthur Conan Doyle, a retired ophthalmologist, was already famous as the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Motivated by patriotism and adventure, Doyle joined the medical staff of a private field hospital endowed by philanthropist John Langman (1846–1928). Langman Hospital opened in Bloemfontein, South Africa, at the height of that city’s typhoid fever epidemic which raged from April to June 1900. There were nearly 5000 cases of typhoid and 1000 deaths but official statistics do not truly reflect the magnitude of the suffering. Doyle argued that the British Army had made a major mistake by not making antityphoid inoculation compulsory. Because of the new vaccine’s side effects, 95% of the soldiers refused immunization. Despite his strong opinions, Doyle failed to press the issue of compulsory inoculation when he testified before two Royal Commissions investigating the medical and military management of the war in South Africa. One can only imagine how the army might have benefited from the new idea of prophylactic vaccination in preventive medicine if Doyle had not let these opportunities slip away. As a consequence, antityphoid inoculation was still voluntary when Great Britain entered World War I in August 1914.
Socioeconomic Determinants of Iron-Deficiency Anemia Among Children Aged 6 to 59 Months in India
Authors: Bharati Susmita , Pal Manoranjan , Chakrabarty Suman , Bharati Premananda
Published: July 2013

The extent of anemia and its socioeconomic determinants among the preschool children (6-59 months old) in India have been studied in this article. Relevant data are taken from the third round of the National Family Health Survey. The initial analysis reveals some interesting features. The most affected children are in the age-group of 6 to 23 months. Beyond this age a decreasing trend is observed up to the age of 48 to 59 months. The highest and the lowest prevalence of anemia have been found to be in the central and the northeast zones, respectively. The vulnerable groups are the children of illiterate parents and those belonging to the poor families in the rural areas. Categorical logistic regression also confirms that status of literacy and wealth of parents have strong negative association with the status of anemia of the children.
Meta-analysis of Green Tea Drinking and the Prevalence of Gynecological Tumors in Women
Authors: Gao Ming , Ma Wang , Chen Xiao-Bing , Chang Zhi-Wei , Zhang Xu-Dong , Zhang Ming-Zhi
Published: July 2013

We performed a meta-analysis of the correlation between drinking green tea and the risk of female ovarian tumors. Related literature (2000-2010) was retrieved from PubMed, EMbase, CBMdisc, CNKI, and Wanfang databases. The relationship between the prevalence of ovarian cancer and drinking tea in cohort studies was explored. RevMan5.1.0 software was used for the meta-analysis. A total of 6 case control studies and cohort studies were included. A total of 9113 participants, 3842 cases, and 5271 control cases were included in our analysis. Our analysis indicates that drinking green tea can significantly decrease the risk of ovarian cancer (odds ratio = 0.81; 95% confidence interval = 0.73-0.89; P < .0001). Further research is needed to explore the relationship between drinking green tea and the risk of ovarian tumor in different groups of people and with different tea types and dosages.
Reducing Obesity Among People With Disabilities
Authors: Fox Michael H. , Witten Mary Helen , Lullo Carolyn
Published: July 2013

Achieving healthy weight for people with disabilities in the United States is a challenge. Obesity rates for adults and children with disabilities are significantly higher than for those without disabilities, with differences remaining even when controlling for other factors. Reasons for this disparity include lack of healthy food options for many people with disabilities living in restrictive environments, difficulty with chewing or swallowing food, medication use contributing to changes in appetite, physical limitations that can reduce a person’s ability to exercise, constant pain, energy imbalance, lack of accessible environments in which to exercise or fully participate in other activities, and resource scarcity among many segments of the disability population. In order for there to be a coordinated national effort to address this issue, a framework needs to be developed from which research, policy, and practice can emerge. This paper reviews existing literature and presents a conceptual model that can be used to inform such a framework, provides examples of promising practices, and discusses challenges and opportunities moving forward.
Warrior for Climate Science and Awareness
Authors: Chadwick Sarah Jo , Armel Carrie , Root Terry , Crookall David
Published: July 2013

This tribute outlines some of the major contributions that Stephen H. Schneider made to climate change science and to communication about that science to help a broader audience understand it in an educated manner, and realize that urgent decisions are needed, even with incomplete information. We highlight some of the awards and honors that Dr. Schneider received, and quote from a few already published tributes. We cite some of his publications and provide further sources for readers to learn more about climate science and about Dr. Schneider.
Campaigns, Mobilization, and Turnout in Mayoral Elections
Authors: Holbrook Thomas M. , Weinschenk Aaron C.
Published: July 2013

Research on local turnout has focused on institutions, with little attention devoted to examining the impact of campaigns. Using an original data set containing information from 144 large U.S. cities and 340 separate mayoral elections over time, our contributions to the scholarship in this field are manifold: we focus the literature more squarely on the impact of campaigns by examining the role of campaign effort (measured with campaign expenditures), candidates, and competition in voter mobilization; demonstrate the relative importance of challenger versus incumbent campaign effort in incumbent contests; and show that changes in campaign activities influence changes in turnout over time.
Personality and Political Culture in the American States
Authors: Mondak Jeffery J. , Canache Damarys
Published: July 2013

Differences in political culture have been observed at the cross-national and subnational levels, and political culture corresponds with a wide array of important social and political phenomena. However, possible psychological correlates of political culture are less clear. Building on research in personality psychology and cross-cultural psychology, this study contemplates whether aggregate personality measures compiled in the American states correspond with patterns in political culture. Using measures of personality traits provided by more than 600,000 survey respondents, parallels with state-level measures of citizen ideology, political culture, and civic culture are examined. Possible mechanisms linking personality and political culture are discussed.
Context Is Everything
Authors: Mathew Hitesh , Hamid Bushra
Published: July 2013

Changes in breast tissue in female-to-male transsexuals following gender reassignment and androgen therapy can cause difficulties in interpreting breast core biopsies. Clinical history and awareness of histological changes in breast tissue associated with androgen treatment are important in such cases. Specimen mislabeling is a potential pitfall to be borne in mind while evaluating unusual presentations in breast core biopsies. We report a case of a 58-year-old male with a well-defined supra areolar lesion clinically thought to be a fibroadenoma.
Overview and Analysis of Environmental and Climate Policies in China’s Automotive Sector
Authors: Wachtmeister Marcus
Published: July 2013

This article categorizes the mode of the most important environmental and climate policy instruments adopted in the automotive industry in China and identifies challenges to instrument implementation as well as potential ways to overcome them. The analysis shows that command-and-control standards are the dominant mode of environmental policy in China’s automotive industry and incentive-based instruments, taxes, and other market-based measures that form the backbone of transport policies in Europe and elsewhere are underrepresented. However, exceptions to this rule exist in form of locally applied incentive-based instruments, and in form of subsidies in the policy field of new energy vehicles. At present, command-and-control regulation shows the highest efficacy despite design flaws. Incentive-based instruments will achieve sufficient effectiveness in China only if their design as well as implementation and enforcement infrastructure are reformed substantially. This includes defining clear responsibilities, and powers in enforcement as well as rulemaking.
Rethinking Brazil’s Pantanal Wetland
Authors: Ioris Antonio A. R.
Published: July 2013

The present study analyzes the challenges related to the conservation of the South American Pantanal. It is focused on one of its most impacted areas, the Cuiabá River Basin. The research findings show a clear disconnect between the official assessment and the wider public perception of the processes that drive ecohydrological change. This partially explains the difficulty to implement environmental regulatory tools that conflict with the preexisting foundations of conservation strategies promoted by public agencies. The most significant result of the research shows a lack of a shared understanding about who is responsible for environmental problems. The responsibility is largely obscure, indeterminate, it is typically related to someone else, the “vague other” who hijacks the river from the rest of society, but can’t be properly identified. This perception helps to conceal the underlying causes of environmental degradation and is limiting the possibilities for resolution. The present article highlights the importance of accounting for a range of highly politicized issues at the intersection between interpersonal relations and broader socioeconomic pressures in a way that goes beyond the narrowly framed development and conservation debate.
Teen Dating Violence
Authors: Mulford Carrie F. , Blachman-Demner Dara R.
Published: July 2013

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has an emerging portfolio of research in the area of teen dating violence (also known as adolescent relationship abuse). This article begins with a discussion of the developments that prompted NIJ to focus on teen dating violence. Next, the article highlights specific accomplishments and contributions that NIJ has made to helping develop knowledge and scientific understanding of adolescent relationship abuse, particularly around the prevention of teen dating violence perpetration and victimization. This is followed by a presentation of some of the key findings from NIJ-funded research. We then move to a discussion of some of the complex issues around definition, measurement and research methods and how NIJ has been involved in addressing those issues. The article concludes with some thoughts about the intersection of teen dating violence research, policy, and practice and highlights several research gaps that are in need of additional attention.
Integrating a Social Behavior Intervention During Small Group Academic Instruction Using a Total Group Criterion Intervention
Authors: Rodriguez Billie Jo , Anderson Cynthia M.
Published: July 2013

Total group contingencies, a variation of interdependent group contingencies, provide educators with an efficient and effective mechanism to improve social behavior and increase academic skills. Their utility has not been examined in small educational groups. This is unfortunate as supplemental instruction frequently is delivered in small group settings, and problem behavior may have a deleterious effect on learning. This study evaluated effects of a positive reinforcement total group contingency implemented by instructional assistants across five small groups of kindergarten students receiving supplemental literacy instruction. Results indicated reductions in student problem behavior, increases in adult provision of specific praise statements, and increases in opportunities to respond to academic instruction. Although the intervention focused on student social behavior, we also documented improved fidelity of implementation of the literacy instruction following training and implementation of the total group criterion intervention. The implications for implementing total group contingencies during small group instruction are discussed.
Ideational change and the emergence of the international norm of truth and reconciliation commissions
Authors: Ben-Josef Hirsch Michal
Published: July 2013

What role does ideational change play in norm emergence? While there has been some attention to changes in the application of norms, most scholars refer to the ideas that are associated with a norm’s practice as being fixed. I argue that ideational change is a causal mechanism that facilitates norm emergence. In particular, I propose three types of content change that capture changes in the ideas associated with the goals expected to be attained by the application of the norm (‘logic of consequences’), with its morality (‘logic of appropriateness’), and with its relations with similar or alternative practices (‘specification’). These changes in the rational and moral reasoning and argumentation that frame the practice that is associated with an emerging norm are likely to make this practice congruent with more contexts and appealing for more states. To illustrate the content change proposition, this article traces the emergence of the international norm of truth and reconciliation commissions. In the debates that followed the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, truth and reconciliation commissions shifted from being seen as a political compromise to being regarded as a ‘holistic’ tool for social and political reconstruction and came to be associated with multiple democratizing effects. Truth and reconciliation commissions also shifted from being the ‘weaker alternative’ to trials to a practice that is morally equal and complementary to the judicial option. Taken as a whole, these changes in the expected utility, morality, and specification of truth and reconciliation commissions facilitated their emergence and consequent institutionalization as an international norm.
Young foster children and their carers: An approach to assessing relationships
Authors: Mares Sarah , Torres Marianne
Published: July 2013

Objective:

This article outlines an approach to assessing the quality of relationships between young foster children and their carers. These children are at high risk of disorganised attachment relationships and of developmental psychopathology given their relational experiences prior to and in care. During a semi-structured play interaction the emphasis is on identifying behaviours of clinical interest. This can be complex given the likelihood of atypical or unexpected behaviours expressed within relationships.

Method:

The paper draws on literature on the clinical application of attachment theory to the assessment of relationships and on the authors’ experience of developing and delivering an assessment and intervention service for children aged 0 to 5-years-old within a mental health service for children in foster care. Clinical material is used to illustrate and develop the issues.

Conclusion:

The case for including a semi-structured observational procedure as part of a comprehensive assessment of foster children and their carers is outlined. This is argued to have more clinical utility than formal approaches to attachment classification. The benefits of including a semi-structured and relational approach to clinical assessment of foster children are outlined along with the need to be cautious in the use of attachment related terminology when formal assessments have not been undertaken.
Assessing public health intervention practices in a Danish municipality: Applying criteria based on the European Community Health Promotion Indicator Development (EUHPID) model
Authors: Larsen Maja , Pedersen Helene Schaldemose , Davies John Kenneth , Gulis Gabriel
Published: July 2013

Aim: To develop a set of assessment criteria and assess public health interventions at municipal level in Denmark using the European Community Health Promotion Indicator Development (EUHPID) model to support more effective planning and funding allocation in public health. Methods: Based on knowledge synthesis, a set of assessment criteria were developed to classify interventions into the four types of public health provided by the EUHPID model: health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, and health care. Information was then collected on all current public health interventions in Varde Municipality within a 3-month period in spring 2009. Finally, the interventions were categorised using the developed assessment criteria. Results: The knowledge synthesis process resulted in the development of a set of assessment criteria and the 154 reported public health interventions were divided into relevant types using these criteria. 57% of the interventions were based on a salutogenic health promotion approach, 33% on a pathogenic disease prevention approach, 10% on the pathogenic health protection approach, and 0% on the pathogenic health care approach. Conclusions: The assessment criteria based on the EUHPID model can be useful and have wider global significance for planning public health interventions, allocating appropriate funding to support public health interventions, and thereby encouraging and supporting more effective intersectoral working practices.
Maternal visibility at the commodity frontier: Weaving love into birthday party consumption
Authors: Jennings Laura , Brace-Govan Jan
Published: July 2013

Children's birthday parties are celebrations that offer a means to understand consumption values surrounding motherhood that can remain understated or even taken for granted. Mother's consumption activities and the involvement of their child can reveal their management of the commodity frontier. As the marketplace increasingly provides goods and services to support mothers and parenting, the extent to which this is acceptable is a source of anxiety for the enactment of ‘good’ mothering in some social groups. The maternal visibility that birthday parties demand adds further strain. Building from previous work that acknowledges mothers to be the organisers of family celebrations and work that identifies ideologies of motherhood as important in the enactment, or performance, of mothering, this study examined mother–child consumption and the management of the commodity frontier in the preparation and hosting of young children's birthday parties.

The findings show that mothers could publicly demonstrate their intimate knowledge and care for their child by personalising the birthday party through the gift of their time and effort to create a ‘homemade’ event. Although overt commercialisation was managed, do-it-yourself understates the need to consume the constituent elements of the celebration. Instead mothers' abiding care was woven into the party to express something special for the child without material excess. Effortful work, time and emotional energy were all understated in the creation of a memorable event for the child. The underpinning rationalisation asserted that the fun, innocent simplicity of childhood was an imperative. The involvement of the child in consumption for the party allowed the mother to gauge the child's pleasure, teach values and manage the commodity frontier.
The VAST Challenge: history, scope, and outcomes: An introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Cook Kristin , Grinstein Georges , Whiting Mark
Published: July 2013

The annual Visual Analytics Science and Technology (VAST) challenge provides Visual Analytics researchers, developers, and designers an opportunity to apply their best tools and techniques against invented problems that include a realistic scenario, data, tasks, and questions to be answered. Submissions are processed much like conference papers, contestants are provided reviewer feedback, and excellence is recognized with awards. A day-long VAST Challenge workshop takes place each year at the IEEE VAST conference to share results and recognize outstanding submissions. Short papers are published each year in the annual VAST proceedings. Over the history of the challenge, participants have investigated a wide variety of scenarios, such as bioterrorism, epidemics, arms smuggling, social unrest, and computer network attacks, among many others. Contestants have been provided with large numbers of realistic but synthetic Coast Guard interdiction records, intelligence reports, hospitalization records, microblog records, personal RFID tag locations, huge amounts of cyber security log data, and several hours of video. This paper describes the process for developing the synthetic VAST Challenge datasets and conducting the annual challenges. This paper also provides an introduction to this special issue of Information Visualization, focusing on the impacts of the VAST Challenge.
Ecuador’s Higher Education System in Times of Change
Authors: Van Hoof Hubert B. , Estrella Mateo , Eljuri Marie-Isabel , León Leonardo Torres
Published: July 2013

Ecuador’s higher education system is undergoing dramatic changes. The National Constitution of 2008 and the Higher Education Law of 2010 have changed the way Ecuador’s universities are funded, administered, and accredited. The importance of research was elevated and drastic changes were made to the academic qualifications and employment conditions of full-time faculty. This article describes the attempt to raise the level of Ecuador’s system of higher education and its impact on faculty and administrators.
Endovascular Versus Medical Therapy for Uncomplicated Type B Aortic Dissection
Authors: Merola Jonathan , Garg Karan , Adelman Mark A. , Maldonado Thomas S. , Cayne Neal S. , Mussa Firas F.
Published: July 2013

Background:

Uncomplicated type B dissections have been traditionally managed with antihypertensive therapy. In the endovascular era, this dictum has been revisited. This review pooled the available studies to compare the outcomes of best medical therapy (BMT) to thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for uncomplicated type B dissections.

Methods:

A literature search was performed to identify studies on uncomplicated type B dissections managed with BMT with and without TEVAR. The primary outcome measures were mortality rates at 30 days and at 2 years following intervention.

Results:

A total of 6 studies included 123 patients who underwent TEVAR/BMT, and 566 patients who had BMT alone. The mortality rates at 30 days (6.5% TEVAR/BMT vs 4.8% BMT, P = .21) and at 2 years (9.7% vs 11.9%, P = .32) were similar. Renal failure was greater in TEVAR/BMT (15.4% vs 2.1%, P < .01). Rates of surgical reintervention/intervention were similar (17.6% vs 20.1%, P = .31).

Conclusion:

The TEVAR with BMT does not provide survival benefit compared to BMT alone, 2 years following uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.
Spontaneous Recanalization of an Occluded Middle Cerebral Artery in a Patient With Moyamoya
Authors: Eom Ki Seong , Kim Dae Won , Choi See-Sung , Kang Sung Don
Published: July 2013

Moyamoya disease is a rare cerebrovascular disorder that is characterized by progressive stenosis of the distal portion of the internal carotid artery and its main branches. Here the authors present the first case of spontaneous recanalization of an occluded middle cerebral artery in a woman with moyamoya who had not undergone surgical or endovascular treatment. Although the exact mechanisms remain unclear, spontaneous recanalization in moyamoya could be considered a possible phenomenon. Thus, the neurosurgeons should always pay attention to the pathological variety of dynamic changes in the cerebrovascular structure in moyamoya.