bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric comparison of three behavioural scales for the assessment of pain in critically ill patients unable to self-report
Authors: Chanques Gerald , Pohlman Anne , Kress John P , Molinari Nicolas , de Jong Audrey , Jaber Samir , Hall Jesse B
Published: July 2014

Introduction

Pain assessment is associated with important outcomes in ICU patients but remains challenging, particularly in non-communicative patients. Use of a reliable tool is paramount to allow any implementation of sedation/analgesia protocols in a multidisciplinary team. This study compared psychometric properties (inter-rater agreement primarily; validity, responsiveness and feasibility secondarily) of three pain scales: Behavioural Pain Scale (BPS/BPS-NI, that is BPS for Non-Intubated patients), Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) and Non-verbal Pain Scale (NVPS), the pain tool routinely used in this 16-bed medical ICU.

Methods

Pain was assessed by at least one of four investigators and one of the 20 bedside nurses before, during and 10 minutes after routine care procedures in non-comatose patients (Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale ≥ -3) who were unable to self-report their pain intensity. The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU was used to assess delirium. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Quantitative data are presented as median (25th to 75th).

Results

A total of 258 paired assessments of pain were performed in 30 patients (43% lightly sedated, 57% with delirium, 63% mechanically ventilated). All three scales demonstrated good psychometric properties. However, BPS and CPOT exhibited the best inter-rater reliability (weighted-κ 0.81 for BPS and CPOT) and the best internal consistency (Cronbach-α 0.80 for BPS, 0.81 for CPOT), which were higher than for NVPS (weighted-κ 0.71, P <0.05; Cronbach-α 0.76, P <0.01). Responsiveness was significantly higher for BPS compared to CPOT and for CPOT compared to NVPS. For feasibility, BPS was rated as the easiest scale to remember but there was no significant difference in regards to users’ preference.

Conclusions

BPS and CPOT demonstrate similar psychometric properties in non-communicative intubated and non-intubated ICU patients.
Host lifestyle affects human microbiota on daily timescales
Authors: David Lawrence A , Materna Arne C , Friedman Jonathan , Campos-Baptista Maria I , Blackburn Matthew C , Perrotta Allison , Erdman Susan E , Alm Eric J
Published: July 2014

Background

Disturbance to human microbiota may underlie several pathologies. Yet, we lack a comprehensive understanding of how lifestyle affects the dynamics of human-associated microbial communities.

Results

Here, we link over 10,000 longitudinal measurements of human wellness and action to the daily gut and salivary microbiota dynamics of two individuals over the course of one year. These time series show overall microbial communities to be stable for months. However, rare events in each subjects’ life rapidly and broadly impacted microbiota dynamics. Travel from the developed to the developing world in one subject led to a nearly two-fold increase in the Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio, which reversed upon return. Enteric infection in the other subject resulted in the permanent decline of most gut bacterial taxa, which were replaced by genetically similar species. Still, even during periods of overall community stability, the dynamics of select microbial taxa could be associated with specific host behaviors. Most prominently, changes in host fiber intake positively correlated with next-day abundance changes among 15% of gut microbiota members.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that although human-associated microbial communities are generally stable, they can be quickly and profoundly altered by common human actions and experiences.
Misuse of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs in the UK
Authors: Kapil V. , Green J. L. , Lait C. Le , Wood D. M. , Dargan P. I.
Published: July 2014

Benzodiazepines and Z-drugs are commonly prescribed for insomnia and anxiety
syndromes and there is increasing concern regarding their misuse. Using an
internet-based questionnaire we found that of 1500 respondents 7.7%
(n = 116) had misused one or more of these medications.
Almost 15% of those misusing at least one of these drugs did so once weekly
or more often. The main reasons reported for their use were to help sleep
(66.4%), to cope with stress (37.1%) and/or to get high (31.0%). A total of
31% obtained the medications from multiple sources; healthcare professionals
(55.2%) and friends/family (39.7%) most commonly. Our study can be used to
inform prevention measures for their misuse.
Genetic Manipulation of the Ghrelin Signaling System in Male Mice Reveals Bone Compartment Specificity of Acylated and Unacylated Ghrelin in the Regulation of Bone Remodeling
Authors: Delhanty Patric J. D. , van der Velde Martijn , van der Eerden Bram C. J. , Sun Yuxiang , Geminn Julia M. M. , van der Lely Aart-Jan , Smith Roy G. , van Leeuwen Johannes P. T. M.
Published: July 2014

Ghrelin receptor-deficient (Ghsr−/−) mice that lack acylated ghrelin (AG) signaling retain a metabolic response to unacylated ghrelin (UAG). Recently, we showed that Ghsr-deficiency affects bone metabolism. The aim of this study was to further establish the impact of AG and UAG on bone metabolism. We compared bone metabolism in Ghsr−/− (lacking only AG signaling) and ghrelin-deficient (Ghrl−/−; both AG and UAG deficient) male mice. Ghrl−/− mice had lower cortical bone mass, whereas Ghsr−/− mice had lower trabecular bone mass. This demonstrates bone compartment-specific effects of AG and a role for UAG in bone metabolism. Also, Ghrl−/− but not Ghsr−/− mice had increased bone formation rate and increased osteogenic stem cell numbers in their bone marrow. In ex vivo bone marrow cultures both AG and UAG inhibited osteoblast differentiation. This indicated that bone resorption must be increased in these mice. Accordingly, osteoclastogenesis rate was faster in bone marrow cultures from Ghsr−/− and Ghrl−/− mice, and osteoclast formation was inhibited by AG signaling and partially suppressed by UAG. In osteoblast cultures, AG markedly induced osteoprotegerin gene expression and both peptides reduced RANKL/osteoprotegerin ratio. These data describe unique cell-type specific effects of AG and UAG within a single tissue, supporting a tight and complex control of bone formation and resorption as well as a link between nutrition and bone metabolism. The balance between AG and UAG actions in the bone marrow may lead to bone compartmental-specific effects.
Case Report: Reversible cabergoline-associated cardiac valvulopathy post drug discontinuation
Authors: Yedinak Chris G. , McCartney Shirley , Dillard Troy H. , Wei Kevin S. , Fleseriu Maria
Published: July 2014

We present a case of a 21 year old male patient diagnosed with a 2.2 cm prolactin-secreting adenoma in contact with the optic chiasm. The patient was treated with up to 6mg/week of cabergoline (total cumulative dose 814 mg) and developed mild valvulopathy. Valvulopathy was subsequently reversed after discontinuation of cabergoline therapy.
Formation of Regular School Teachers� Readiness to Innovative Activity
Authors: ���������  , Rustamova S.
Published: July 2014

Now, in conditions of new generation FSES introduction, a serious problem is arising before general education system � teachers� motivation to transformations, teachers� readiness development for introduction of necessary changes at all steps of educational process. Results of modern regular school activity on formation of school�s pedagogical staff readiness to innovative activity have been presented in this paper. Developed by the author model of formation of regular school teachers� readiness to innovative activity, as well as organizational and pedagogical conditions directed on this model realization have been described. Results of its approbation testify to positive change related to the level of pedagogical collective susceptibility to innovations, and more than a half of teachers after experiment�s end defined their level as optimum and admissible. Thus, teachers� readiness for innovative activity in many respects is defined by stage-by-stage development of innovative readiness for perception and acceptance of new ideas (such as purposes, contents, teaching technologies, estimation methods, etc.), to work with development of competences in a new way, creation of new experience related to interaction of teachers, as well as identification and support of pedagogical workers� own positive experience.
Surgical Specialty Choice Factors in Medical Higher Education Institution Students� Subjective Assessment
Authors: ���������  , Vasileva E. , �������  , Gaykina Mariya
Published: July 2014

Results of a research directed on studying of factors, impacting on a students� choice related to doctor�s profession, medical high educational institution and medical specialty during training in educational institution are presented in this paper. The factors having the greatest impact on medical specialty choice in students� subjective representation at a training phase before thesis have been ranged. It has been established that pedagogical technologies of medical specialty choice formation have to be implemented purposefully for vocational guidance process management in higher education institution, and also that subjective external factors, such as pedagogical competence of clinical chairs� academic staff in the pedagogical technologies area, training conditions on clinical chairs and teachers� attitude towards the professional choice problem have dominating impact on students� medical

specialty choice at the present stage.
Book Reviews
Authors: Rand Graham K.
Published: July 2014

In Book Reviews, we review an extensive and diverse range of books. They cover theory and applications in operations research, statistics, management science, econometrics, mathematics, computers, and information systems. In addition, we include books in other fields that emphasize technical applications. The editor will be pleased to receive an email from those willing to review a book, with an indication of specific areas of interest. If you are aware of a specific book that you would like to review, or that you think should be reviewed, please contact the editor.

The following books are reviewed in this issue of Interfaces, 44(4), July–August 2014: Keeping Up With the Quants: Your Guide to Understanding + Using Analytics, Thomas H. Davenport and Jinho Kim; Analyzing Evolutionary Algorithms, Thomas Jansen; Systems Analysis Tools for Better Health Care Delivery, Panos M. Pardalos, Pando G. Georgiev, Petraq Papajorgji, and Britta Neugaard, eds.; Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die, Eric Siegel; and Unrelenting Innovation: How to Build a Culture for Market Dominance, Gerald J. Tellis.
Outcomes in non-surgical management for bowel dysfunction
Authors: Collins Emma , Hibberts Fiona , Lyons Monica , Williams Andrew B , Schizas Alexis M P
Published: July 2014

This retrospective review considers clinical outcomes of patients following non-surgical management of bowel dysfunction (faecal incontinence and constipation), within a tertiary centre's pelvic floor unit. Between November 2010 and January 2013, 443 patients were entered into a database and the results of their treatment were recorded. To capture the treatment modalities that patients received they were grouped into three categories: defaecatory techniques and/or pelvic floor exercises; dietary advice and/or medication recommendations; rectal irrigation or the use of anal plugs. Patients received a median number of three sessions with a specialist nurse or physiotherapist. After completing a programme of therapy, 81% of patients had an improved St Mark's incontinence score and 75% of patients had an improved Thompson's functional constipation score. Subjective symptom improvement was reported in 78% of patients. The majority of these patients were discharged in 2011 and 2012 and have not required follow-up, suggesting that non-surgical management is effective on a medium-term basis.
Preventing muscular contractures through routine stroke patient care
Authors: De Diana , Wynn Emma
Published: July 2014

The aim of this article is to elevate the standard of ward-based routine care by informing readers about the prevention and management of muscular contractures post-cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Musculoskeletal complications can develop at any time during the acute or latter stages of stroke care and rehabilitation; therefore, it is imperative that all nurses understand the importance of correct limb placement and some of the detrimental complications that can occur. By placing more onus on therapeutic positioning and earlier mobilisation, nurses, working alongside allied health professionals, can significantly improve morbidity-related outcomes.
Spiritual coping of older people in Malta and Australia (part 1)
Authors: Baldacchino Donia R , Bonello Lilian , Debattista Clifford J
Published: July 2014

This descriptive sequential explanatory study, which forms part of a larger study, investigated the use of spiritual coping strategies by three cohort groups of Maltese older residents in three phases. The theoretical model of causal pathway for mental health based on monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) guided the study. Participants were recruited from four private homes: two in Australia (n=30), two in Malta (n=43) and two state residences also in Malta (n=64). The residents (n=137; men n=103, women n=34), mean (M) age 72.8 years, were all Roman Catholics, mobile and with a minimum residence of 6 months. The quantitative data (phase I) were collected by the Maltese version of the Spiritual Coping Strategies scale ( Baldacchino and Buhagiar, 2003 ). The qualitative findings in phase II derived from the face-to-face interviews and focus groups explain the use of spiritual coping strategies and how they contributed toward coping with institutionalisation. Significant differences were found in spiritual coping (F=11.434; p=0.001; degree of freedom (df)=2) whereby the cohort in Australia scored the highest scores in the total spiritual coping (M=48.60; standard deviation (SD)=6.251), religious coping (M=23.47; SD=2.145) and existential coping (M=25.13; SD=6.033). No significant differences were found in the total spiritual coping between subgroups of mobility and demographic characteristics except by gender (Student's t-test (t)=2.455; p=0.015) whereby women (M=22.09; SD=4.325) scored higher than the men (M=19.67; SD=4.508). Australian private homes reported the highest (significant) mean scores in total spiritual coping, religious coping and existential coping. Recommendations were set for clinical practice and management, nursing education, and further research.
Promoting safety, honesty and openness in the NHS
Authors: Glasper Alan
Published: July 2014

Professor Alan Glasper discusses recent initiatives to promote safety in the NHS including a new review of the NHS reporting culture being conducted by Sir Robert Francis QC over the next 5 months, which is designed to make it easier for NHS staff to speak up when things go wrong.
Subcutaneous fluid administration and the hydration of older people
Authors: Gabriel Janice
Published: July 2014

Hypodermoclysis, or the subcutaneous administration of fluids, is a method of rehydration that is not routinely used in the UK. Yet it is a simple and effective method of fluid administration for individuals with mild-to-moderate dehydration, especially for the frail and elderly ( Sasson and Shvartzman, 2001 ). Subcutaneous infusion is an alternative route of parenteral administration. It provides a number of advantages over the intravenous route for those individuals unable to tolerate enteral fluids, as it is associated with fewer complications, as well as a wider range of infusion sites. This makes it particularly advantageous for frail and/or older patients requiring low-volume hydration in the community setting. This article discusses indications and contraindications for subcutaneous infusions, as well as patient assessment, placement, securement and potential complications.
Avoiding admission and facilitating early discharge through OPAT
Authors: Nazarko Linda
Published: July 2014

Fifteen years ago, only a small minority of hospital inpatients were considered suitable for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) services ( Wiselka and Nicholson, 1997 ). Now, almost 70% of those treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics as hospital inpatients are considered suitable ( Hitchcock et al, 2009 ). Around 38–53% of those requiring OPAT are able to self-administer (Hills et al, 2012). The demand for IV antimicrobial therapy is increasing and the way it is being delivered is changing. The delivery of IV anti-microbial therapy in the community has the potential to make a huge difference to the way health care is delivered. It can enable people who would once have been admitted to hospital to be treated in the community. It can facilitate early hospital discharge ( Nazarko, 2013a ). Potentially, there are huge benefits in developing OPAT but there are also risks. People may be subjected to an invasive treatment when it is not necessary; therapy may be continued when it is no longer necessary ( Nazarko, 2013b ; Conant et al, 2014 ); and patients may be selected for OPAT who would be best treated in hospital. The key to providing safe and effective care is to work together to maximise benefits and minimise risk ( Duncan et al, 2013 ). This article examines how acute and community services can work together to ensure appropriate selection, treatment and follow-up of patients.
Chronic musculoskeletal pain and falls in community-dwelling older adults: The brief pain inventory shows promising discriminative validity
Authors: Stubbs B , Eggermont L , Patchay S , Schofield P
Published: July 2014

Background:

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) and falls are common among community-dwelling older adults. Study aims were to: investigate the relationship between CMP and any (>1), single and recurrent falls (>2) in community dwelling older adults; and determine the discriminative validity of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) to differentiate between non-, any, and recurrent fallers.

Methods:

this was a cross-sectional study involving 295 community-dwelling participants (mean 77.5 ± 8.1 years, 66.4% female). CMP was assessed and classified as none (comparison group), single, and multisite (>2). The BPI severity and interference subscales were used and falls were recorded over 12 months. Data was analysed with logistic regression and receiver operator curves (ROC).

Results:

Over half of participants (154/295, 52.2%) had CMP (41.6% single and 58.4% multisite pain). Participants with CMP were at increased risk of recurrent falls (odds ratio [OR] 2.25, 95% CI=1.03–4.88) and this risk was highest in those with multisite CMP (OR=3.43, CI=1.34–8.65). The BPI severity subscale demonstrated good discriminative ability to differentiate between recurrent and non-fallers with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.761, (CI=0.685–0.836); a mean score of 2.7 had a sensitivity of 78.3% and specificity of 64.6%. The AUC for the BPI interference subscale was 0.767 (CI=0.693–0.840); a mean cut off score of 2.0 had a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 67.3%.

Conclusions:

Older adults with multisite CMP are at greatest risk of recurrent falls. In clinical settings, the BPI may prove useful for discriminating between recurrent and non-fallers.

Implications:

Pain is not yet recognised by major governing bodies (e.g. NICE, or the American or British Geriatrics Societies) as an important risk factor for falls. This research demonstrates that multisite CMP is indeed an important risk factor for falls and, in particular, recurrent falls. No author has previously considered using a pain assessment scales to identify those at risk of falls; however, this research demonstrates that the BPI may prove a useful tool to identify those most at risk from falling.
Home- and Community-Based Waivers for Children With Autism: Effects on Service Use and Costs
Authors: Cidav Zuleyha , Marcus Steven C. , Mandell David S.
Published: July 2014

We examined (a) the associations between Medicaid home and community-based waiver participation and service use and expenditures among children with ASD; and (b) how states' waiver spending moderates these effects. We used 2005 Medicaid claims to identify a sample of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We selected two comparison groups who had no waiver participation: (a) children who were eligible for Medicaid through disability (disability group), and (b) children who had at least one inpatient/long-term care (IP/LT) episode (IP/LT group). Waiver participants were less likely to use IP/LT services and had lower associated expenditures than the disability group. As states' waiver spending increased, waiver participants became increasingly less likely to use IP/LT services. Waiver participants had more outpatient visits and associated expenditures; this difference increased as state waiver spending increased. Compared with the IP/LT group, waiver participants had lower IP/LT expenditures, more outpatient visits, and associated expenditures. Higher state waiver generosity increased this effect on outpatient visits and expenditures.
Validity Evidence for Self-report With Assistance to Measure Physical Activity Behavior in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Johnson Marquell , Yun Joonkoo , McCubbin Jeffrey A.
Published: July 2014

Self-reported physical activity (PA) behavior with assistance from a secondary source has previously been used with adults with an intellectual disability (ID). Limited evidence of reliability and validity have been provided for this approach. This study examined evidence of convergent (CV) and discriminant (DV) validity for self-report with assistance from a secondary source as a measure of PA in adults with ID. PA of 37 participants with ID were assessed using (a) self-report, (b) accelerometers, and (c) pedometers. The multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) analysis was used to evaluate validity. MTMM analysis revealed high reliability among variables, low to strong CV, and moderate DV. The study outcomes provide initial convergent and discriminant validity evidence for this measure of PA in adults with ID.
Empirically Derived Model of Social Outcomes and Predictors for Adults With ASD
Authors: Mehling Margaret H. , Tassé Marc J.
Published: July 2014

This study used data from the National Core Indicators (NCI) Survey to derive an empirically validated measurement model for social outcomes and associated constructs for both individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and individuals with other disabilities. Items consistent with the survey structure of the NCI were selected as initial indicators of the latent constructs Social Relationships, Community Inclusion, and Opportunity for Choice in factor analyses. Results yielded a novel factor structure that is different from the original NCI survey structure. Three factors emerged as a result of these analyses: Personal Control, Social Determination, and Social Participation and Relationships. The factor structure of each of these constructs was consistent although not identical across individuals with ASD and individuals with developmental disabilities other than ASD.
Effect of Supported Employment on Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes of Transition-Age Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Case Control Study
Authors: Wehman Paul , Chan Fong , Ditchman Nicole , Kang Hyun-Ju
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of supported employment intervention on the employment outcomes of transition-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by the public vocational rehabilitation system using a case-control study design. Data for this study were extracted from the Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911) database for fiscal year 2009. The sample included 23,298 youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged between 16 and 25 years old at the time of application. The classification and regression tree (CART) method was used to estimate propensity scores and to adjust for selection bias on the basis of all prominent covariates relevant to the dependent variable (i.e., competitive employment). Results yielded six homogeneous subgroups, and receipt of supported employment was found to increase the employment rates across all of the groups. The effect of supported employment was especially strong for youth who were Social Security beneficiaries, special education students, and individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism who were high school graduates. These findings suggest that supported employment is an effective service for enhancing the vocational rehabilitation outcomes of young adults and provides valuable information for policy makers, health care providers, rehabilitation counselors, and educators.
Facebooking the Egyptian elections: Framing the 2012 presidential race
Authors: Khamis Sahar , Mahmoud Abd El-Basit Ahmed Hashem
Published: July 2014

While most previous research on cyberactivism in the Arab Spring, in general, and the Egyptian revolution, in particular, focused on analysing the role of social media in mobilizing the masses for political action, coordinating protest movements and rallying support for regime change. Other aspects of social media use for different purposes, such as online campaigning and framing the image of presidential candidates who are running for office and competing in elections after regime change, have been largely understudied. Similarly, most previous research which tackled framing focused on ‘news framing’, rather than ‘image framing’, or how different media can be used to create images and conceptions of different individuals or groups. Therefore, this study tries to fill these gaps in prior research through conducting a content analysis of the Facebook pages of the five top runners in the Egyptian presidential race of 2012 to find out how and why they used them to frame their own images online before, during and after the elections. In doing so, it revealed how this process was influenced by several factors, such as emerging events, and how it had distinct functions, such as asserting the unique identity of each candidate, juxtaposing and comparing the ‘self’ to the ‘Others’, and launching attacks on other candidates.
Towards the development of the voter’s choice behaviour model: Analysis of the Egyptian 2012 presidential elections
Authors: El-Khoreiby Inas A. Hamid
Published: July 2014

An important stream of research in the political marketing field has focused on modelling how voters know about political parties and candidates and how they make their voting decisions which are based on received information. This article aims to reinterpret and test Newman and Sheth’s (1985) model of voter’s choice behaviour that assumes that voters’ behaviour can be driven by a combination of one or more of seven distinct cognitive domains. The study includes another two factors that may influence the choice of a given candidate: the media’s role and the candidates’ election campaigns during the election period. The results indicate a negative correlation between voting and having information about the presidential candidates and their electoral programmes in general, and this may refer to Egyptians’ desire to exercise their political rights after the revolution, despite their lack of knowledge about candidates. The article argues that the role of the media and candidates’ campaigns changed during various stages of the election, as they had limited effect in influencing the intentions of voters to elect a specific candidate and they had a bigger role in changing the intentions of some voters, which consequently persuaded them to vote for another candidate.
Islam in the West: A discourse analysis of American and British Muslim web content
Authors: Elmasry Mohamad Hamas
Published: July 2014

This study sought to identify prominent discourses on four Islamic websites produced in the United States and Britain. The analysis looked specifically for discourses about identity, the religious ‘other’ and terrorism. The four Muslim organizations examined here – the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and the UK Islamic Mission (UKIM) – used the Web to construct discourses that describe them as authentically Islamic, in service to Muslims, in cooperation with non-Muslims and enemies of terrorism. The Muslim-produced web content studied here offers up a set of discourses that can be considered counter-hegemonic insofar as they challenge discursive formations that are dominant in both entertainment and news media. For instance, rather than associate Islam with terrorism, the sites denounce it in strong terms and distance the religion from the crime.
Conflict reporting and parachute journalism in Africa: A study of CNN and Al Jazeera’s coverage of the Boko Haram insurgency
Authors: Musa Aliyu Odamah , Yusha’u Muhammad Jameel
Published: July 2014

The violent insurgence in Northern Nigeria linked to the group ‘Jama’atu Ahlussunna Lidda’wati wal Jihad’, also known as ‘Boko Haram’, has since its outbreak in July 2009 attracted a lot of international media attention. Two notable media channels that have consistently reported it are CNN and Al Jazeera English. By applying the critical discourse analysis technique this article focuses on how these reputable media organizations often rely on parachute reporting – whereby correspondents are only dispatched to the scene of the conflict from their offices or beats abroad – and the consequences. This tradition has a tendency to raise questions on the credibility of the reports as the correspondents’ access to local sources is hindered and their understanding of the local terrain and context of the conflict could be problematic. This article, therefore, postulates that CNN and Al Jazeera reportage of the Boko Haram conflict using reporters not fully based in the affected areas leads to misunderstanding and misreporting the crisis and misinforming the audience. This type of reporting is also found to lead to inadvertent polarization of the conflict due to the use of assumptions and stereotypes in news reporting, which questions the media’s role as neutral observers/reporters of the conflict.
Cumplimiento de metas: El caso de un incentivo a las universidades chilenas parcialmente financiadas por el Estado
Authors: Wörner Carlos H.
Published: July 2014

En el marco de las regulaciones chilenas, el Estado transfiere diferentes cantidades de dinero para financiar algunas universidades. Uno de los mecanismos de transferencia recibe el nombre de "Aporte Fiscal Directo" (AFD ). Esta transferencia varía año a año según reglas establecidas de una manera literal compleja, tal como se expresa en los documentos legales que regulan estas asignaciones. En esta nota, se muestra explícitamente un algoritmo algebraico que rige estas operaciones. Esta formulación permite calcular algunas variaciones previsibles para las asignaciones del año siguiente de acuerdo a la variación de los parámetros utilizados.
Competing Activities in Social Networks
Authors: Belhaj Mohamed , Deroïan Frédéric
Published: July 2014

We consider a society in which each agent has one unit of a resource to allocate between two activities. Agents are organized in a social network, and each activity generates complementarities between neighbors. We find multiplicity of equilibrium for high intensity of interaction, and we characterize equilibria in terms of specialization and polarization. Overall, results reveal the crucial role played by network geometry. The results also suggest that the structure of the social network should be taken into account for the design of a public policy in favor of a specific activity.
A Guest in the House: Nursing Instructors’ Experiences of the Moral Distress Felt by Students during Inpatient Psychiatric Clinical Rotations
Authors: Wojtowicz Bernadine , Hagen Brad
Published: July 2014

Significant research has been done on the impact of moral distress among nurses, particularly in acute and intensive care settings. However, little research to date has investigated the experiences that nursing students have with moral distress. Additionally, there is a dearth of research on the role of nursing instructors’ perceptions of their responsibilities to their students when encountering morally distressing situations. This manuscript describes a qualitative study conducted with eight mental health nursing instructors who acknowledged a responsibility for helping students deal with moral distress and ethical issues, but who also struggled with ways to do so. Additionally, instructors expressed frustration with their “guest” status on inpatient psychiatric units and their powerlessness to effect moral change in a medical model of psychiatric care.
A study on glass fiber reinforced composites from 2,3-epoxypropyl-3-(2-furyl) acrylate and methyl methacrylate
Authors: Patel Rakesh B. , Tarpada Umesh P. , Raval Dipak K.
Published: July 2014

2,3-Epoxypropyl-3-(2-furyl) acrylate (EPFA) was synthesized from 3-(2-furyl) acrylic acid (FAA) and epichlorohydrin, followed by copolymerization of EPFA with methyl methacrylate (MMA) by varying the mole ratio of EPFA:MMA at different reaction times using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator at 80°C in toluene. The FAA, EPFA and copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, viscosity measurement, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) as well as epoxy equivalent weight (EEW). Mechanical properties, electrical properties and chemical resistance of the selected glass fiber reinforced composites were determined according to the ASTM method and discussed in light of copolymer composites.
Numerical study of polymer melt flow in a three-dimensional sudden expansion: viscous dissipation effects
Authors: Tutar Mustafa , Karakus Ali
Published: July 2014

This numerical paper presents the effects of viscous dissipation on both hydrodynamic flow behavior and thermal flow characteristics of fluid included in rheological polymer flow analysis. The shear rate dependence of the viscosity is modeled using a modified form of the Cross constitutive equation, while the density changes are modeled using the modified Tait state of equation. The Navier-Stokes equations are solved in a sequential, decoupled manner with energy conservation equations using a finite volume method based fluid flow solver. Hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layer developments in an asymmetric sudden expansion for different velocity and melt flow injection temperature boundary and geometry conditions are determined under the influence of viscous dissipation effects and the results are compared with each other to measure the relative effects of viscous dissipation on the interactions of these layers for a commercial polymer melt flow, namely polypropylene (PP). The numerical results demonstrate that proposed mathematical and numerical formulations for viscosity and density variations including viscous heating terms lead to more accurate representation of the polymer melt flow and heat transfer phenomena in plane channels or mold cavity associated with a sudden expansion.
Tribological performance of polymethyl methacrylate as an aviation polymer
Authors: Fidan Sinan
Published: July 2014

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is one of the most popular synthetic polymers in aircraft windshields as an alternative to glass, due to its lightweight, high transparency and impact-resistant characteristics. The erosion behavior of PMMA is critical when used as an alternative to glass in an aircraft windshield. This paper presents experimental data on the effects of particle size, velocity and impingement angle on the roughness of PMMA, using 3D optical profilometry after solid particle erosion tests. Particular attention is paid to determining the different morphologies of imprints and cracks with regard to particle size, impact velocity and impingement angle. It is further shown that the removed volume in overlapping impacts measured by 3D profilometry is captured well. It is demonstrated that maximum erosion rate occurred at a 30° impingement angle and correlates well with the ductile erosion behavior of PMMA. Detailed worn surface analysis was performed using 3D optical profilometer scanning to investigate effects of particle size, velocity and impingement angle on the roughness of PMMA.
Complexity trade-offs do not prove the equal complexity hypothesis
Authors: Fenk-Oczlon Gertraud , Fenk August
Published: July 2014

Complexity trade-offs are often considered as evidence for the hypothesis that all languages are equally complex; simplicity in one component of grammar is balanced by complexity in another. According to Shosted (2006), this "negative correlation hypothesis", as he calls it, was never validated using quantitative methods. The present paper recalls, in a first step, our previously found significant negative cross-linguistic correlations between syllable complexity and number of syllables per clause and per word, as well as an almost significant negative correlation between syllable complexity and number of morphological cases. All these correlations indicate complexity trade-offs between subsystems of language, as do the positive correlations found between syllable complexity, number of syllable types, and number of monosyllabic words. In a second step we argue against the view of such complexity trade-offs as proof of the equal complexity hypothesis. This hypothesis is hardly testable for several reasons: As long as it is impossible to quantify the overall complexity of a single language, it is also impossible to compare different languages with respect to that quantity. Secondly, it could – because of its character as a null hypothesis – never be corroborated for principal reasons.
Complexity in the history of language study
Authors: Kilarski Marcin
Published: July 2014

This article examines the history of two examples from American Indian languages as an illustration of the ways in which the ambivalent and controversial nature of linguistic complexity has shaped the attitudes to "exotic" languages. In particular, I trace the life cycles of the Cherokee verbs for washing and the Eskimo words for snow from an unbiased origin in the works of John Pickering (1777-1846) and Franz Boas (1858-1942) to ideologically oriented uses as evidence for claims advanced within late 19th century anthropological racism and 20th century cultural relativism, respectively. The history of these examples illustrates the instrumental treatment of linguistic data in secondary references in linguistics and the social sciences as well as contradictory interpretations of complexity, as shown by the overemphasis on lexical overabundance and the disregard for morphological complexity of the languages in question. More generally, I show that the notion of complexity has been a key aspect of discussions concerning such issues as cross-linguistic differences in linguistic structure, evaluations of languages regarded as "exotic" or "primitive" as well as the assumed cognitive, cultural and social correlates of linguistic structure.
Global optimization and complexity trade-offs
Authors: Sinnemäki Kaius
Published: July 2014

It is sometimes assumed in research on language complexity that if languages tended towards some optimal level of global complexity, so that all languages would be roughly equally complex, then local complexity trade-offs should be a general principle in language. Drawing evidence from computer simulations I show that in equally complex systems the proportion of trade-offs (significant negative correlations) is higher than in random systems but far from being a general principle in language. In addition, it may be impossible to determine whether a certain correlation-set comes from random systems or equally complex systems. Based on these results a correlational approach on a handful of typological variables cannot be used to validate, or even falsify, the assumption that all languages are equally complex and, therefore, complexity trade-offs should be kept separate from that assumption. The typological distribution of complexity, drawn from the World Atlas of Language Structures, is further shown to differ from both random systems and equally complex systems.
Measurement of changes in urinary neopterin and total neopterin in body builders using SCX HPLC
Authors: Lindsay Angus , Janmale Tejraj , Draper Nick , Gieseg Steven P.
Published: July 2014

Body building is a sport where ultrastructual damage to muscle fibres aids the development of dense muscle layers. Using a new strong cation exchange (SCX) based chromatography technique to measure neopterin and 7,8-dihydroneopterin, we investigated whether this muscle damage caused increased levels of inflammation. Urine samples were collected over eight consecutive mornings from 10 natural competitive body builders. Samples were analysed using SCX high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with urine volume corrected for creatinine and specific gravity (SG). The majority of subjects showed large changes in both neopterin and total neopterin (7,8-dihydroneopterin+neopterin) levels, though the mean data for the group showed no significant change over the week. There was no evidence of the high intensity resistance training causing an accumulation of inflammation as the values for all the body builders returned to close to the starting values after 2 days rest. The SCX analysis had an intra-specific viability of 3.04% and the inter-specific viability was 5.42%. Urine volume correction with SG was found to give the same values as using creatinine. Creatinine and specific gravity are both reliable methods for correcting for urine volume while SCX HPLC provides a new means of measuring urinary neopterin and total neopterin.
A high-pressure polymorph of propionamide from in situ high-pressure crystallisation from solution
Authors: Fabbiani Francesca P.A. , Pulham Colin R. , Warren John E.
Published: July 2014

The structure of a high-pressure polymorph of propionamide is reported from synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The polymorph was obtained by in situ high-pressure crystallisation from solution in a diamond-anvil cell at 0.9 GPa; its structure is 23% denser than that of the ambient-pressure polymorph at STP. PIXEL lattice and dimer energies calculations indicate that the ambient- and high-pressure polymorphs are energetically competitive. Together with acetamide and formamide, this is the third high-pressure polymorph of an aliphatic amide crystallising as a Z′=2 structure; the H-bonded network is however significantly different from the ones reported for the other two compounds. This study highlights the power of in situ high-pressure crystallisation techniques for accessing novel polymorphic forms of molecular compounds.
Electrochemical Techniques in Corrosion: Status, Limitations, and Needs
Authors: Frankel Gerald S.
Published: July 2014

The corrosion of metals occurs primarily by electrochemical processes involving metal oxidation and simultaneous reduction of some other species. The fundamental understanding of these processes has allowed the development of a number of electrochemical techniques for the study of the corrosion phenomena and assessment of the corrosion rate. In fact, electrochemical techniques are so ingrained in the field that many practitioners think of corrosion rates first in terms of current density rather than thickness or mass loss per unit time. Standard approaches for electrochemical corrosion rate determination are commonly used in the field for on-line monitoring of systems and facilities. Electrochemistry also provides powerful tools for developing fundamental understanding of corrosion phenomena. However, there are some limitations to the abilities of current electrochemical techniques and some needs for the future. This paper describes the status of electrochemical techniques, their limitations, where non-electrochemical methods are required, and future needs in the field.
Classification of Construction Costs—An International Overview from a UK Perspective
Authors: Martin Joseph L. N.
Published: July 2014

The development of elemental cost planning in the UK gave rise to a generally adopted Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) standard for classifying costs for buildings. The existence of data in this format has underpinned the development of cost control and, recently, the UK government's cost reduction strategy, which is based on the existence of reliable benchmark data. Similar concepts and classifications have also been developed around the world. Attempts to exchange data with other European countries in the Conseil European des Economistes de la Construction (CEEC) identified some significant differences in national usages for similar concepts (i.e., that in our “common” exchange language of cost per unit area for a building type, neither the costs nor the area were measuring the same thing). This resulted in the CEEC Code of Measurement for Cost Planning, which proposes a common grouping for the building elements and identifies the different area definitions. UNIFORMATII will be mapped to the Code. RICS has undertaken surveys to identify element classifications in other countries and produced Principles of Element Classification for Buildings (International) to promote the concept and use of elements. Until recently, there has been no widespread adoption of these methodologies in civil engineering, despite the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) having produced a Standard Form of Civil Engineering Cost Analysis for use by the UK Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). The government's desire for benchmarks has led to a wider interest in consistent cost breakdown structures for civil engineering and the development of Building Information Modelling (BIM) is premised on the integration of classification systems used by all parties to the development of a project. The revisions to ISO 12006-2 Building Construction—Organisation of Information About Construction Works—Framework for Classification need to be reviewed in this context