bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodological process ethics in international theory
Authors: Curley Tyler M
Published: May 2014

In this review essay, I identify a commonality between Patrick Thaddeus Jackson’s The Conduct of Inquiry and Daniel J. Levine’s Recovering International Relations: an ethical methodological process to organize international theories in ways that promote a plurality of visions. Jackson’s ideal-typification of the various methodological approaches in international relations encourages a pluralistic science. Likewise, Levine’s constellation method demands a multiplicity of theoretical perspectives, in order to sustain the critical elements intrinsic to each. As I argue, this shared methodological process ethic not only advances theoretical pluralism but, in so doing, actively opens thinking space for constructing alternative political realities.
Neural Findings and Economic Models
Authors: Fumagalli Roberto
Published: May 2014

Proponents of neuroeconomics often argue that better knowledge of the human neural architecture enables economists to improve standard models of choice. In their view, these improvements provide compelling reasons to use neural findings in constructing and evaluating economic models. In a recent article, I criticized this view by pointing to the trade-offs between the modeling desiderata valued by neuroeconomists and other economists, respectively. The present article complements my earlier critique by focusing on three modeling desiderata that figure prominently in economic and neuroeconomic modeling. For each desideratum, I examine findings that neuroeconomists deem to be especially relevant for economists and argue that neuroeconomists have failed to substantiate their calls to use these findings in constructing and evaluating economic models. In doing so, I identify methodological and evidential constraints that will continue to hinder neuroeconomists’ attempts to improve such models. Moreover, I draw on the literature on scientific modeling to advance the ongoing philosophical discussion regarding the prospects of interdisciplinary models of choice.
Natural Sprawl
Authors: Okulicz-Kozaryn Adam
Published: May 2014

Sprawling and leapfrogging suburbs, as opposed to compact central cities, appear peaceful, clean, and safe. They appear happy and healthy. On the other hand, suburbs look and feel fake, dull, and alienating. Which one is happier and healthier, sprawling or compact areas? I discuss pros and cons of sprawling and compact counties drawing on social and natural sciences. I also perform a simple quantitative exercise—I regress several wellbeing/health measures on sprawl and density at county level. Sprawl is measured with Ewing’s index. Sprawling and low-density counties are healthier in terms of mentally and physically healthy days than non-sprawling counties, controlling for many predictors of health. I interpret it as the advantage of low-density living close to nature. Given rather unaesthetic nature of American suburbia, I argue that if we left more nature in suburbs, people living there would be even happier.
Consequences of Assessments of Effectiveness for Counterterrorist Financing Policy
Authors: Brzoska Michael
Published: May 2014

Assessments are an important instrument in shaping global counterterrorist financing (CTF) policy. However, while CTF policies had an impact on terrorist activity, it is not clear which CTF measures are useful and which are not. Past assessments have had a bias toward expanding the scope and intensity of CTF regulations and implementation because of their focus on output and outcome of measures, rather than on their impact on terrorist activity. The article discusses major features of CTF evaluations and places them into wider frameworks of assessments in high-risk politics.
Get the Message
Authors: Funk Friederike , McGeer Victoria , Gollwitzer Mario
Published: May 2014

Results from three studies demonstrate that victims’ justice-related satisfaction with punishment is influenced by the kind of feedback they receive from offenders after punishment. In contrast to previous studies that found a discrepancy between anticipated and experienced satisfaction from punishment (Carlsmith, Wilson, & Gilbert, 2008), participants were able to accurately predict their satisfaction when made aware of the presence or absence of offender feedback acknowledging the victim’s intent to punish. Results also indicate that victims were most satisfied when offender feedback not only acknowledged the victim’s intent to punish but also indicated a positive moral change in the offender’s attitude toward wrongdoing. These findings indicate that punishment per se is neither satisfying nor dissatisfying but that it is crucial to take its communicative functions and its effects on the offender into account. Implications for psychological and philosophical theories on punishment motives as well as implications for justice procedures are discussed.
Responsiveness to the Negative Affect System as a Function of Emotion Perception
Authors: Moeller Sara K. , Nicpon Catherine G. , Robinson Michael D.
Published: May 2014

Perceiving emotions clearly and accurately is an important component of emotional intelligence (EI). This skill is thought to predict emotional and social outcomes, but evidence for this point appears somewhat underwhelming in cross-sectional designs. The present work adopted a more contextual approach to understanding the correlates of emotion perception. Because emotion perception involves awareness of affect as it occurs, people higher in this skill might reasonably be expected to be more attuned to variations in their affective states and be responsive to them for this reason. This novel hypothesis was pursued in three daily diary studies (total N = 247), which found systematic evidence for the idea that higher levels of daily negative affect predicted lesser sociability particularly, and somewhat exclusively, among people whose emotion perception skills were high rather than low. The results support a contextual understanding of individual differences in emotion perception and how they operate.
An Empirical Investigation of Variance Design Parameters for Planning Cluster-Randomized Trials of Science Achievement
Authors: Westine Carl D. , Spybrook Jessaca , Taylor Joseph A.
Published: May 2014

Background:

Prior research has focused primarily on empirically estimating design parameters for cluster-randomized trials (CRTs) of mathematics and reading achievement. Little is known about how design parameters compare across other educational outcomes.

Objectives:

This article presents empirical estimates of design parameters that can be used to appropriately power CRTs in science education and compares them to estimates using mathematics and reading.

Research Design:

Estimates of intraclass correlations (ICCs) are computed for unconditional two-level (students in schools) and three-level (students in schools in districts) hierarchical linear models of science achievement. Relevant student- and school-level pretest and demographic covariates are then considered, and estimates of variance explained are computed. Subjects: Five consecutive years of Texas student-level data for Grades 5, 8, 10, and 11.

Measures:

Science, mathematics, and reading achievement raw scores as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. Results: Findings show that ICCs in science range from .172 to .196 across grades and are generally higher than comparable statistics in mathematics, .163–.172, and reading, .099–.156. When available, a 1-year lagged student-level science pretest explains the most variability in the outcome. The 1-year lagged school-level science pretest is the best alternative in the absence of a 1-year lagged student-level science pretest.

Conclusion:

Science educational researchers should utilize design parameters derived from science achievement outcomes.
Indications, Hospital Course, and Complexity of Patients Undergoing Tracheostomy at a Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital
Authors: Liu Charles , Heffernan Colleen , Saluja Saurabh , Yuan Jennifer , Paine Melody , Oyemwense Naomi , Berry Jay , Roberson David
Published: May 2014

Objective

The purpose of this study was to review inpatients undergoing tracheostomies at a tertiary care pediatric hospital in a 24‐month period and to identify the indications, comorbidities, hospital course, patient complexity, and predischarge planning for tracheostomy care. The goal was to analyze these factors to highlight potential areas for improvement.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care pediatric hospital.

Subjects

Ninety‐five inpatients at Boston Children's Hospital requiring a primary or revision tracheostomy during the 24‐month period encompassing 2010 to 2011.

Methods

Inpatients undergoing tracheostomy during the study period were identified using 2 different databases: the Boston Children's Hospital Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement database and institution‐specific information from the Child Health Corporation of America's Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS). We extracted the specified metrics from the inpatient charts.

Results

Patients undergoing tracheostomy are complex, with an average of 3.4 comorbidities and 13.6 services involved in their care. The tracheostomy was mentioned in 97.9% of physician and 69.5% of nurse discharge notes, and 42.5% of physician discharge notes contained a plan or appointment for follow‐up. Of the patients, 33.7% were discharged home (27.3% of the nonanatomic group and 52.4% of the anatomic group). Overall, 8.4% of tracheostomy patients died before discharge.

Conclusion

The complexity of pediatric tracheostomy patients presents challenges and opportunities for optimizing quality of care for these children. Future directions include the introduction and assessment of multidisciplinary tracheostomy care teams, tracheostomy nurse specialists, and tracheostomy care plans in the pediatric setting.
Repeated lysergic acid diethylamide in an animal model of depression: Normalisation of learning behaviour and hippocampal serotonin 5-HT2 signalling
Authors: Buchborn Tobias , Schröder Helmut , Höllt Volker , Grecksch Gisela
Published: May 2014

A re-balance of postsynaptic serotonin (5-HT) receptor signalling, with an increase in 5-HT1A and a decrease in 5-HT2A signalling, is a final common pathway multiple antidepressants share. Given that the 5-HT1A/2A agonist lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), when repeatedly applied, selectively downregulates 5-HT2A, but not 5-HT1A receptors, one might expect LSD to similarly re-balance the postsynaptic 5-HT signalling. Challenging this idea, we use an animal model of depression specifically responding to repeated antidepressant treatment (olfactory bulbectomy), and test the antidepressant-like properties of repeated LSD treatment (0.13 mg/kg/d, 11 d). In line with former findings, we observe that bulbectomised rats show marked deficits in active avoidance learning. These deficits, similarly as we earlier noted with imipramine, are largely reversed by repeated LSD administration. Additionally, bulbectomised rats exhibit distinct anomalies of monoamine receptor signalling in hippocampus and/or frontal cortex; from these, only the hippocampal decrease in 5-HT2 related [35S]-GTP-gamma-S binding is normalised by LSD. Importantly, the sham-operated rats do not profit from LSD, and exhibit reduced hippocampal 5-HT2 signalling. As behavioural deficits after bulbectomy respond to agents classified as antidepressants only, we conclude that the effect of LSD in this model can be considered antidepressant-like, and discuss it in terms of a re-balance of hippocampal 5-HT2/5-HT1A signalling.
Mucoperiosteal Exostoses in the Tympanic Bulla of African Lions (Panthera leo)
Authors: Novales M. , Ginel P. J. , Diz A. , Blanco B. , Zafra R. , Guerra R. , Mozos E.
Published: May 2014

Mucoperiosteal exostoses (MpEs) of the tympanic bulla (TB), also referred as middle-ear otoliths, have been occasionally described in dogs and cats in association with clinical signs of otitis media or as an incidental finding, but they have not been recorded in other species. In this report, we describe the radiographic, gross, and histopathologic features of MpEs in 8 African lions ( Panthera leo). All animals (5 males and 3 females) were adults that had been kept in captivity and had their skeletons conserved as part of an anatomic academic collection. A radiographic study revealed mineralized structures in the TB consistent with MpEs in 7 of the 16 examined TB; a computed tomography study identified MpEs in 12 of the 16 TB. Six TB from 4 lions were sectioned, and several MpEs were demineralized for histopathologic analysis. Grossly, MpEs appeared variable in number and shape. Some were globular structures that were loosely attached to the mucosal surface of the TB; others were isolated to coalescent bone spicules extending from the mucoperiosteum. Position was also variable, but MpEs frequently developed in the hypotympanum, especially on the ventromedial aspect of the TB wall. Microscopically, MpEs were composed of osteonal bone growing from the periosteum and not by dystrophic calcification of necrotic tissue debris, as is hypothesized in dogs.
A Comparison of Attitudes Toward Prisoners of Religious and Non-Religious College Students in Hong Kong
Authors: Chui Wing Hong , Cheng Kevin Kwok-yin
Published: May 2014

While there have been numerous studies on the religious, namely, Christians’, attitudes toward punishment, less attention has been devoted to the religious attitudes toward prisoners. This study aims to examine and compare religious affiliation and spirituality with respect to attitudes toward prisoners. Respondents were comprised of a sample of college students in Hong Kong divided into three groups: Buddhists, Christians, and those self-identified as non-religious. Both Christians and Buddhists displayed more positive attitudes toward prisoners with respect to perceived bad character and perception of negative interaction compared with the non-religious. Likewise, Christians and Buddhists exhibited more positive attitudes toward prisoners with respect to empathy and perception that prisoners are normal compared with the non-religious. Spirituality, however, moderated these relationships as spirituality interacted with religious affiliation to produce more negative attitudes toward prisoners. Possible implications are discussed.
The makeshift city
Authors: Vasudevan Alexander
Published: May 2014

This paper introduces a set of analytical frames that explore the possibilities of conceiving, researching and writing a global geography of squatting. The paper argues that it is possible to detect, in the most tenuous of urban settings, ways of thinking about and living urban life that have the potential to reanimate the city as a key site of geographical inquiry. The paper develops a modest theory of ‘urban combats’ to account for the complexity and provisionality of squatting as an informal set of practices, as a makeshift approach to housing and as a precarious form of inhabiting the city.
Assessment of the effects of biophysical and anthropogenic factors on woody plant encroachment in dense and sparse mountain grasslands based on remote sensing data
Authors: Gartzia Maite , Alados Concepción L. , Pérez-Cabello Fernando
Published: May 2014

Land abandonment exacerbated by climate change has led to increased woody plant encroachment of mountain grasslands in many regions of the world. The present study assessed woody plant encroachment below potential tree line in the Central Pyrenees of Spain and the association of this encroachment with changes in land use. Remote sensing data from Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) from the mid-1980s and mid-2000s were analyzed by supervised classification for identification of land cover types. The transition matrix indicated that shrublands were the most dynamic plant communities. Consequently, 21% of cultivated areas, 19% of dense grasslands, and 24% of sparse grasslands became shrublands during the period analyzed, and 35% of shrublands became forest. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) were used to identify biophysical and anthropogenic factors that were significantly correlated with woody plant encroachment of dense and sparse grasslands. Distance to the nearest woody plant habitat (shrub or forest) was the most strongly correlated factor with woody plant encroachment of both types of grassland. This factor explained 69% and 71% of the variance in models of dense and sparse grasslands, respectively. Besides this factor, anthropogenic factors had larger effects on woody plant encroachment of dense grasslands, regions that were more productive and accessible. However, biophysical and especially topographic factors had slightly greater effects on woody plant encroachment of sparse grasslands, regions that were less productive and accessible. The changes in land cover that we observed indicated that land cover has become more homogeneous. There have been reductions in the variety, functions, and services of grasslands, particularly in areas below the potential tree line that are vulnerable to the development of woody plant habitats.
The Relation Between Testing Environment and Baseline Performance in Child and Adolescent Concussion Assessment
Authors: Vaughan Christopher G. , Gerst Elyssa H. , Sady Maegan D. , Newman Julie B. , Gioia Gerard A.
Published: May 2014

Background:

Previous research has demonstrated differences in cognitive performance when baseline concussion assessment is performed in a group versus an individual setting. Accurate baseline assessment is imperative when such data are used to make clinical decisions regarding cognitive and symptom recovery after concussion.

Hypothesis:

The use of similar standardized test administration procedures and test conditions across group and individual settings results in no differences in cognitive performance or symptom reporting.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 939 participants (aged 5-18 years), including 313 tested individually and 626 tested in a group setting, matched on age, sex, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder status, were administered concussion baseline assessment using the desktop version of the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing and a new pediatric measure, the Multimodal Assessment of Cognition & Symptoms for Children. Cognitive performance, symptom reports, and rates of invalid performance were compared between settings.

Results:

No significant differences were found between individual and group testing settings for the age-based Learning and Memory Accuracy composite and Response Speed composite standard scores on the Multimodal Assessment of Cognition & Symptoms for Children. Accounting for age and sex, adolescents’ performance on the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing revealed no differences between settings on the 4 composite raw scores (Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Visual Motor Speed, and Reaction Time). Furthermore, symptom reporting was similar between settings on both measures. Rates of invalid performance did not differ between the 2 administration groups for either age group. There was an interaction effect for invalid performance between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and setting in younger children (aged 5-12 years), with higher rates of invalid performance for children in the group setting with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder compared with those without, although there were no differences in the individual setting.

Conclusion:

In this sample, children given a baseline assessment in a group setting performed no differently than children tested individually when standardized administration procedures were used by trained test administrators. Previous evidence suggesting differences between settings may be attributable to the variability in test administration and supervision rather than the environment itself. The importance of standardized procedures and proper supervision during baseline concussion assessment is supported by these findings.
Investigating the Structure of the WJ-III Cognitive in Early School Age Through Two Exploratory Bifactor Analysis Procedures
Authors: Dombrowski Stefan C.
Published: May 2014

Two exploratory bifactor methods (e.g., Schmid–Leiman [SL] and exploratory bifactor analysis [EBFA]) were used to investigate the structure of the Woodcock–Johnson III (WJ-III) Cognitive in early school age (age 6-8). The SL procedure is recognized by factor analysts as a preferred method for EBFA. Jennrich and Bentler recently developed an alternative EBFA procedure. They claim that EBFA more readily produces independent cluster structure and overcomes the proportionality constraint experienced by the SL. The results of both analyses support the preeminence of the g factor at age 6 to 8. Examination of omega coefficients, the divergent factor structure, and the small amount of variance accounted for by the lower order factors suggests caution when interpreting beyond the higher order factor. Implications for interpretation of the WJ-III Cognitive at age 6 to 8 are discussed.
Quick Genetic Screening Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing in Patients With Tuberous Sclerosis
Authors: Liu Qing , Huang Yan , Zhang Mingrong , Wang Lian Qing , Guo Xia Nan , Si Nuo , Qi Zhan , Zhou Xiang Qin , Cui Li-ying
Published: May 2014

Tuberous sclerosis complex is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by hamartomas in multiple organ systems. Mutations in the 2 large genes TSC1 and TSC2 have been demonstrated to be associated with tuberous sclerosis complex by various mutation screening methods. Targeted next-generation sequencing for genetic analysis is performed in the current study and is proved to be less cost, labor, and time consuming compared with Sanger sequencing. Two de novo and 1 recurrent TSC2 mutation in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex were revealed. Clinical details of patients were described and the underlying mechanism of the 2 novel TSC2 mutations, c.245G>A(p.W82X) and c.5405_5408dupACTT(p.P1803Lfs*25), were discussed. These results added to variability of TSC mutation spectrum and suggest that targeted next-generation sequencing could be the primary choice over Sanger sequencing in future tuberous sclerosis complex genetic counseling.
Do Subjective Memory Complaints Herald the Onset of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson Disease?
Authors: Erro Roberto , Santangelo Gabriella , Barone Paolo , Picillo Marina , Amboni Marianna , Longo Katia , Giordano Flavio , Moccia Marcello , Allocca Roberto , Pellecchia Maria Teresa , Vitale Carmine
Published: May 2014

Background:

Longitudinal studies on healthy participants have shown that subjective memory impairment (defined as subjective cognitive complaints with normal cognitive objective performance) might be a strong predictor of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Parkinson disease (PD) also manifests cognitive disturbances, but whether subjective memory complaints may predict the development of MCI in PD has not yet been explored.

Methods:

We prospectively screened newly diagnosed, untreated patients with PD in order to evaluate whether subjective memory complaints may predict development of MCI over a 2-year follow-up evaluation.

Results:

We enrolled 76 de novo untreated patients with PD. Of the 76 patients, 23 (30.3%) complained memory issues. Among the patients cognitively unimpaired at baseline, those with subjective complaints were more likely to develop MCI at follow-up. The regression model confirmed that presence of subjective memory complaints at baseline was an independent predictor of development of MCI at follow-up.

Discussion:

This is the first prospective study to explore the relationship between subjective and objective cognitive deficits in newly diagnosed, untreated patients. Our results provide preliminary evidence that subjective memory complaints might predict future development of MCI.
Fire, vegetation, and Ancestral Puebloans: A sediment record from Prater Canyon in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, USA
Authors: Herring Erin M , Anderson R Scott , San Miguel George L
Published: May 2014

Continuous sediment, charcoal, and pollen records were developed from a ~7-m sediment core from Prater Canyon in Mesa Verde National Park (MEVE), Colorado, USA. Sediment input into the canyon is episodic and is linked to precipitation runoff and vegetation cover. Pollen recovered from the Prater Canyon sediment core reflect the vegetation changes within the MEVE region. During the period recorded, the vegetation of the region surrounding Prater Canyon transitioned from xeric adapted species in an open environment to a more mesic, Pinus edulis–Juniperus osteosperma (piñon–juniper) woodland over the last 1500 years. Two distinct changes in fire frequency occurred. Before 4080 cal. yr BP, fires occurred at a much more frequent rate (2.5–12 fires/200 years) than from 4060 cal. yr BP to present (0–2 fires/200 years). Most importantly, the variations occurring in the charcoal record for the past 2500 years coincide with both shifts in human occupation and climate fluctuations within the region, with burning increasing during Ancestral Puebloan occupation and moist but increasingly dry conditions, and declines in both at the end of the ‘Medieval Climate Anomaly’ (MCA). The record from Prater Canyon demonstrates the importance of the Ancestral Puebloans in landscape modification during their occupation from ad1 to 1300. Charcoal deposition also increased during the 20th- to 21st-century transition with the highest deposition rates of the core recorded then.
Plant macrofossil and biomarker evidence of fen–bog transition and associated changes in vegetation in two Finnish peatlands
Authors: Ronkainen Tiina , McClymont Erin L , Tuittila Eeva-Stiina , Väliranta Minna
Published: May 2014

Past vegetation assemblages, preserved in peat layers, are one of the key proxies when reconstructing historical peatland dynamics. Northern peatlands can be divided into two main types: fens and bogs. Compared with bog peat, the fen peat is usually more decomposed because of different eco-hydrological conditions and effective humification processes. A high level of decomposition hampers reliable identification of plant remains and constrains palaeoecological approaches. Biogeochemical studies on bog plants and bog peat have shown that plant group–specific biomarkers can be applied to identify fossil plants or plant groups from peat, given the identification of plant group–specific markers in living fen plants. In this study, we applied plant macrofossil, biomarkers and multivariate statistical analyses to two mid-boreal peat sequences to investigate whether biomarkers can be applied to distinguish fen and bog environments and whether plant-specific biomarkers can be identified from fen peat. Macrofossil analyses clearly separate dry bog hummocks, moist lawns and wet fen habitats apart. Corresponding division emerged when the biomarker data were combined with the macrofossil data. Moreover, we succeeded to separate bog and fen habitats apart by the changes in n-alkane and the n-alkane ratio distributions along the cores. The fen–bog transition zone was indicated by high sterol and triterpenoid concentrations and changes in degradation measures. However, it remains a challenging task to attain species-level information of past plant assemblages from highly humified fen peat layers based on biomarkers only.
Job Design
Authors: Bettini Elizabeth A. , Cheyney Kristi , Wang Jun , Leko Christopher
Published: May 2014

Special education teacher attrition has numerous negative impacts for students and schools. Administrators play an essential role in supporting special educators, but they seldom receive adequate preparation to provide this support effectively. The authors synthesize job characteristics theory, an area of research conducted by organizational psychologists. This theory is used to provide practical suggestions for administrators interested in supporting and retaining special educators.
Measuring Fidelity to Improve Intervention Effectiveness
Authors: McKenna John W. , Flower Andrea , Ciullo Stephen
Published: May 2014

Teachers are responsible for using evidence-based practices to improve students’ academic and behavioral outcomes. Although teachers have access to a variety of resources on evidence-based practices, poor implementation can adversely affect their effectiveness. However, an inadequate student response to intervention may also be the result of a mismatch between the practice and the student’s needs. As a result, it is important for teachers to determine the degree to which they implement evidence-based practices as intended to determine if an inadequate student response is due to poor implementation or inappropriate selection of intervention. The authors discuss the importance of fidelity of implementation. Methods teachers can use to measure implementation fidelity are reported. Suggested methods are discussed and examples are provided.
Melanoma With Rhabdomyosarcomatous Differentiation
Authors: Shenjere Patrick , Fisher Cyril , Rajab Ramzi , Patnaik Lipsta , Hazell Steve , Thway Khin
Published: May 2014

We describe 2 new cases of malignant melanoma with divergent rhabdomyoblastic differentiation occurring in adult patients. The patients were women aged 67 and 51 years with primary cutaneous and uterine cervical melanoma, respectively. Rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in melanoma is very rare in adult patients, and to our knowledge, only 7 such cases have been described in the world literature, of which only 4 have conclusive documentation of the presence of rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. We present the fifth and sixth cases of adult melanomas with conclusive divergent rhabdomyoblastic differentiation, including the first noncutaneous (cervical) case; we also review the literature and highlight the potential for underrecognition of this phenomenon.
“Dominant” Myelolipoma Encasing Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Jayson , Fisher Cyril , Thway Khin
Published: May 2014

Although myelolipomas of the adrenal glands are detected with increasing frequency with advances in imaging, the occurrence of myelolipoma with adrenal cortical carcinoma remains very rare. We present a case of combined myelolipoma with adrenal cortical carcinoma in a 47-year-old man. In previously reported cases of adrenal cortical carcinoma and myelolipoma, the latter occurred as incidental foci within or peripheral to the carcinoma, perhaps representing “myelolipomatous metaplasia” rather than true neoplasia. We describe a new finding, in which the myelolipomatous component consisted of a large mass adjacent and dominant to the carcinoma. The presence of these 2 defined and apparently independent tumors suggests, in this case, the occurrence of collision or synchronous neoplastic events, rather than of metaplasia.
Immunohistochemical Analysis of Expressions of RB1, CDK4, HSP90, cPLA2G4A, and CHMP2B Is Helpful in Distinction between Myxofibrosarcoma and Myxoid Liposarcoma
Authors: Wang Tao , Goodman Mark A. , McGough Richard L. , Weiss Kurt R. , Rao Uma N. M.
Published: May 2014

The role and diagnostic efficacy of gene and protein products RB1, CDK4, CHMP2B, HSP90, and cPLA2G4A, all previously shown to be involved in tumor genesis and cell proliferation, were examined by immunohistochemical techniques in 32 cases of myxofibrosarcomas and 29 myxoid liposarcomas (all diagnosis had been confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization). HSP90 demonstrated strong nuclear and cytoplasmic positivity in all myxoid liposarcoma cases, while only 4 myxofibrosarcomas showed scattered HSP90 positivity. All but 4 cases of myxofibrosarcoma displayed strong positivity for cPLA2G4A, while only 2 myxoid liposarcoma cases were cPLA2G4A positive and both were CHMP2B negative. Overexpression of both cPLA2G4A and CHMP2B also suggested higher tumor grade. In conclusion, HSP90 and cPLA2G4A immunohistochemical stains are useful markers to distinguish myxofibrosarcoma from myxoid liposarcoma.
Impact damage testing on composite marine sandwich panels, part 1: Quasi-static indentation
Authors: Muscat-Fenech Claire De Marco , Cortis Jeremy , Cassar Charles
Published: May 2014

High fibre content composite laminate skins use marine grade orthophthalic polyester, POLYLITE® 440-M850 resin and chopped strand mat/woven E-glass for the thin outer face skins and DIVINYCELL® H100 closed-cell linear PVC foam as core. Marine grade hybrid sandwich panels are designed in accordance with BS EN ISO 12215-5:2008 for small craft hull construction, using a wet lay-up and cured under vacuum pressure. Impact damage testing followed ASTM D7766-11 and ASTM D6264-98 procedures A and B for rigidly supported and simply supported sandwich panels. A review of the current state of standard testing procedures of marine sandwich panels is described. Testing using the default hemisphere indentor also included other standard rock geometries – conical, square-based pyramid and flat-faced cylindrical. The damage incurred under each variation of indentation impact is described, in terms of force, absorbed energy and indentation displacement. New contact laws are suggested for the different rock geometries. Destructive sectioning of the panels provides the visual damage incurred through the thin face skins and core and the roles played by all members comprising the sandwich panels.
Non-domination, contestation and freedom: The contribution of Philip Pettit to learning and democracy in organisations
Authors: Griffin Martyn , Learmonth Mark , Elliott Carole
Published: May 2014

This article provides a reading of the civic republican ideas of the political philosopher Philip Pettit in order to make new contributions to learning within organisational life. Our aim is to achieve non-domination in the workplace, and we suggest how Pettit’s work, through the provision of a democratic constitution and development of the resources of individuals and groups, might inspire eminently practical ways in which to increase freedom and minimise asymmetries of power at work. Such asymmetries have long been an ingrained feature of organisations, confounding even the most progressive attempts to increase opportunities to learn and act within organisations. We do not, therefore, underestimate the problems involved. Nevertheless, we advance our arguments as new – but practicable – contributions to progressive forms of management learning.
Determinants of iron accumulation in deep grey matter of multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Ropele Stefan , Kilsdonk Iris D , Wattjes Mike P , Langkammer Christian , de Graaf Wolter L , Frederiksen Jette L , Larsson Henrik B , Yiannakas Marios , Wheeler-Kingshott Claudia AM , Enzinger Christian , Khalil Michael , Rocca Maria A , Sprenger Till , Amann Michael , Kappos Ludwig , Filippi Massimo , Rovira Alex , Ciccarelli Olga , Barkhof Frederik , Fazekas Franz
Published: May 2014

Background:

Iron accumulation in deep grey matter (GM) structures is a consistent finding in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This study focused on the identification of independent determinants of iron accumulation using R2* mapping.

Subjects and methods:

Ninety-seven MS patients and 81 healthy controls were included in this multicentre study. R2* mapping was performed on 3T MRI systems. R2*in deep GM was corrected for age and was related to disease duration, disability, T2 lesion load and brain volume.

Results:

Compared to controls, R2* was increased in all deep GM regions of MS patients except the globus pallidus and the substantia nigra. R2* increase was most pronounced in the progressive stage of the disease and independently predicted by disease duration and disability. Reduced cortical volume was not associated with iron accumulation in the deep GM with the exception of the substantia nigra and the red nucleus. In lesions, R2* was inversely correlated with disease duration and higher total lesion load.

Conclusion:

Iron accumulation in deep GM of MS patients is most strongly and independently associated with duration and severity of the disease. Additional associations between cortical GM atrophy and deep GM iron accumulation appear to exist in a region specific manner.
What should autism research focus upon? Community views and priorities from the United Kingdom
Authors: Pellicano Elizabeth , Dinsmore Adam , Charman Tony
Published: May 2014

The rise in the measured prevalence of autism has been accompanied by much new research and research investment internationally. This study sought to establish whether the pattern of current UK autism research funding maps on to the concerns of the autism community. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with autistic adults, family members, practitioners and researchers to identify their priorities for research. We also captured the views of a large number of stakeholders via an online survey. There was a clear disparity between the United Kingdom’s pattern of funding for autism research and the priorities articulated by the majority of participants. There was general consensus that future priorities for autism research should lie in those areas that make a difference to people’s day-to-day lives. There needs to be greater involvement of the autism community both in priority setting and in research more broadly to ensure that resources reach where they are most needed and can make the most impact.
Our unfinished debate about market socialism
Authors: Miller David
Published: May 2014

This article reconstructs and reflects on the 1989 debate between Jerry Cohen and myself on market socialism in the light of Cohen's ongoing defence of communitarian socialism. It presents Cohen's view of market socialism as ethically deficient but a modest improvement on capitalism, and outlines some market socialist proposals from the 1980s. Our debate centred on the issues of distributive justice and community. I had argued that a market economy might be justified by appeal to desert based on productive contribution, but Cohen saw effort as the only relevant desert base, and claimed that only non-comparative judgements of economic desert were possible. Market-derived inequalities, therefore, could not be deserved. He also condemned markets for relying on the motives of greed and fear, and therefore as destructive of community. In reply, I asserted that markets also liberated people from fixed social roles, and that market competition could be viewed differently, as providing the most effective way for people to contribute to each other's welfare. In retrospect, this debate can be seen to raise questions about the nature of justice and the purpose of political philosophy that have come to the fore in recent exchanges between ‘realists’ and ‘idealists’.
G. A. Cohen on exploitation
Authors: Vrousalis Nicholas
Published: May 2014

This paper argues that Cohen’s early work on Marxism, and his work in political philosophy, entails commitment to a distributive paradigm, that is, the view that exploitation obtains only if distributive injustice obtains. Cohen’s early espousal of that paradigm is explicitly reaffirmed in his defence of luck egalitarianism. The paper argues that Cohen’s distributive paradigm is neither the only defensible theory of exploitation, nor indeed the most plausible. It also shows that Cohen himself had doubts about the distributive paradigm, and in fact came to reject it towards the end of his life.
The emotional well-being of young people having a parent with younger onset dementia
Authors: Hutchinson Karen , Roberts Chris , Kurrle Susan , Daly Michele
Published: May 2014

Younger onset dementia (YOD) not only affects the person with the diagnosis but the whole family, which often includes young people. A limited body of research on this group of young people indicates that they experience varying degrees of emotional trauma. We explored the lived experiences of young people having a parent with YOD from the perspective of the social model of disability. Data were available from semi-structured interviews with 12 young people who had a parent with YOD looking at their lived experiences between 8 and 24 years. Thematic analysis identified four main themes: the emotional toll of caring, keeping the family together, grief and loss and psychological distress. The social model of disability theory provides a helpful framework for these families who experience significant emotional distress, demonstrating that the disability is often socially constructed by a society, which marginalizes and excludes them. A ‘whole family’ approach is proposed, where the needs of young people and their parents are respected and responded to age appropriately.
Insiders as outsiders: Bicultural research assistants describe their participation in the evaluation of an antenatal clinic for women from refugee backgrounds
Authors: Stapleton Helen M , Murphy Rebecca , Kildea Sue V
Published: May 2014

Refugee populations are widely regarded as difficult to access for research purposes, often because of specific ethical sensitivities and practical challenges. Hence, research methods must be judiciously chosen and fine-tuned to ensure they are sufficiently sensitive and culturally appropriate. Bicultural Research Assistants, who typically share language and cultural similarities with respondents, may be gainfully employed to help address these challenges. By assuming a cultural ‘brokerage’ role, they are well positioned to advise the research team, helping to ensure culturally appropriate conduct throughout the study. Despite extensive use of participatory methods in qualitative studies, the experiences of Bicultural Research Assistants in research activities in tertiary hospital environments, particularly maternity care settings, are rarely reported. This paper addresses a deficit in the literature on this topic. It describes the roles and insights of five female Bicultural Research Assistants trained in basic research methods, and employed on an evaluation of a specialist antenatal clinic for women from refugee backgrounds. Their inclusion as members of the evaluation team was essential to successfully engaging (male) gatekeepers, recruiting eligible women, administering surveys, and conducting, transcribing, and translating interviews. Following the evaluation, the Bicultural Research Assistants contributed a one-off Focus group which explored their motivations for participating in the evaluation, and their experiences of occupying multiple roles as co-researchers, interpreters and respondents. Reported benefits included the acquisition of new skills, improved interprofessional relationships and greater acknowledgement of their roles and responsibilities by hospital staff and community stakeholders. Gender-related barriers were also described. Customary socio-cultural norms, which positioned women as relatively powerless and subservient, were frequently contravened by the Bicultural Research Assistants in their research roles.
From Shadow to Light
Authors: Schnelldorfer Thomas , Jenkins Roger L. , Birkett Desmond H. , Georgakoudi Irene
Published: May 2014

Background. Correct recognition of the extrahepatic bile ducts is thought to be crucial to reduce the risk of bile duct injuries during various laparoscopic procedures. Image-enhanced laparoscopy techniques, utilizing various optical modalities other than white light, may help in detecting structures “hidden” underneath connective tissue. Methods. A systematic literature search was conducted of studies describing image-enhanced laparoscopy techniques for visualization of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Results. In all, 29 articles met inclusion criteria. They describe various techniques in the animal or human setting, including autofluorescence imaging, drug-enhanced fluorescence imaging, infrared thermography, and spectral imaging. This review describes these various techniques and their results. Conclusion. Image-enhanced laparoscopy techniques for real-time visualization of extrahepatic bile ducts are still in its infancy. Out of the techniques currently described, indocyanine green–enhanced near-infrared fluorescence laparoscopy has the most mature results, but other techniques also appear promising. It can be expected that in the future, image-enhanced laparoscopy might become a routine adjunct to any white-light laparoscopic operation near the hepatic hilum.
Development of a measurement for transformational and transactional leadership in schools taking on a school-based intervention
Authors: Oterkiil Constance , Ertesvåg Sigrun K.
Published: May 2014

This article describes the development and validation of a measure for transformational and transactional leadership that may be used as part of a more comprehensive instrument to measure a school’s capacity to implement school-based interventions. Data used for this study were gathered from the reports of 1144 teachers from 45 Norwegian schools who were taking on a school development intervention aimed at preventing and reducing problem behaviours among students. Using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, measurement structures with two factors at the teacher level and one factor at the school level provided a good fit to the data. Although there is some overlap between transactional and transformational leadership, the two concepts do measure distinct features. Transformational and transactional leadership was eventually measured by teacher reports on two scales, each consisting of four items. As part of the validation, scores on the scales were related to other aspects relevant for organisational capacity. As expected, the transformational and transactional leadership scales both correlated significantly negatively with staff freedom and positively with innovation climate, affiliation, principal positions in schools, and collaborative activity at both the teacher and the school levels.
Dyspepsia
Authors: Kaushik Neha
Published: May 2014

Dyspepsia is a common symptom that affects 40% of the UK adult population each year. It is estimated that only 2% of these patients consult their GP. The combined cost to the NHS of prescription medications and endoscopies is roughly £600 million annually. The majority of patients with dyspepsia are managed in the community. This article aims to provide a management approach to those who can be safely treated in the community and to revise those features in the history and examination that suggest a more serious pathology, thereby enabling identification of those requiring secondary care input.