bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
One Laptop Per Child
Authors: Battro Antonio M.
Published: January 2013

One Laptop Per Child OLPC is a non-profit organization that has introduced the one to one modality in the use of computers for education in many developing and poor countries. It is based in the idea of an “expanded school” where each child and teacher owns his or her own laptop connected to the Internet. Children spontaneously work in collaboration and teach each other in many different settings at school, at home and in public places. Teachers are not limited to work in a computer lab or computer class in restricted periods of time and are able to coach the development of neurocognitive skills of each cohort of students. The one to one modality reflects a vision of social equity that is beyond sharing arrangements.
Reply to Battro on the One Laptop Per Child
Authors: James Jeffrey
Published: January 2013

Dr. Battro takes issue with my paper on the One-Laptop-per-Child Programme that appeared in a 2010 issue of this journal (20/3). He raises a variety of issues that are relevant to this Programme but nowhere does he deal with my main point, namely, that poor countries simply cannot afford to give students their own laptops. The result would be as I show a serious imbalance in the education (and perhaps other) budgets.
Influence of solar activity on breaching, overflowing and course-shifting events of the Lower Yellow River in the late Holocene
Authors: Wang Yingjie , Su Yanjun
Published: January 2013

The Lower Yellow River (LYR) has been characterized as a frequently breaching, overflowing and shifting river in historical periods. Understanding the factors that influence the LYR variations is critical for river management and disaster prevention. This study constructed a spatio-temporal data base of the LYR’s breaching and overflowing events (BOEs) and course-shifting events (CSEs) occurring in the late Holocene. The data base and corresponding solar activity data were analyzed to determine the overall influence, temporal influence and spatial influence of solar activity on the LYR. Results showed that 75.5% of the LYR CSEs and 61.7% of the LYR BOEs occurred in sunspot number decline phases of 11 yr solar cycles, suggesting that the LYR changed more frequently during the sunspot number decline phases. The underlying mechanism of this phenomenon was further interpreted as the high correlation between sunspot decline phases and heavy rainfall in the middle reaches of Yellow River (MYR). Five of the six heavy rainfall years over the last 60 years and 14 of the 16 well-known heavy rainfall records from 132 BC to AD 1933 in the MYR occurred in sunspot decline phases. Heavy rainfall in the MYR promoted the increase of the LYR runoff and the sediment rate and then raised the possibility of the occurrence of BOEs and CSEs. The study also found that the frequency of BOEs was positively related to the fluctuation amplitude of the sunspot maximum intensity in long time series. The flow directions of the LYR courses were found to affect the influence of solar activity on BOEs. The highest correlation between sunspot decline phases and BOEs was presented during the lifetime of eastward flows while the lowest during the lifetime of northward flows. In addition, human activities may undermine the impact of solar activities on the LYR changes.
Carers’ ambivalence in conflict situations with older persons
Authors: Breitholtz Agneta , Snellman Ingrid , Fagerberg Ingegerd
Published: January 2013

The aim of this study was to illuminate the meaning of professional carers’ experiences in caring situations when a conflict of interest arises with the older person receiving care. The findings reveal the complexity of the carers’ ambivalence when facing a conflict of interest, weighing up between the older persons’ right to self-determination and external demands. The carers are alone in their ambivalence, and the conclusion is that they need help and support to be more present in the encounter. The implication for this study is to focus on care as a person-centered practice and to focus on people as interdependent on support carers to maintain older people’s right to self-determination in the relationship.
The ethics of coercive treatment of people with dementia
Authors: Lejman Eva , Westerbotn Margareta , Pöder Ulrika , Wadensten Barbro
Published: January 2013

The aim of the present study was to describe how registered nurses in nursing homes ensure legal security, good and safe nursing care and uphold the dignity of nursing home residents with severe dementia without violating residents’ integrity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 charge nurses in a county in central Sweden. The transcribed interviews were examined using manifest and latent content analyses. The manifest analysis identified actual local routines involving coercive treatment and registered nurses’ descriptions of complications and alternative measures. The latent analysis resulted in three themes describing nursing strategies: one with coercive treatment, one with coercive treatment under specific circumstances and one to prevent coercive treatment. Interpretations of legal terms regarding coercive treatment and inadequate gerontological nursing training and understaffing seem to preserve the use of coercive treatment.
Professional quality of life of Japanese nurses/midwives providing abortion/childbirth care
Authors: Mizuno Maki , Kinefuchi Emiko , Kimura Rumiko , Tsuda Akiko
Published: January 2013

This study explored the relationship between professional quality of life and emotion work and the major stress factors related to abortion care in Japanese obstetric and gynecological nurses and midwives. Between October 2011 and January 2012, questionnaires that included questions concerning eight stress factors, the Professional Quality of Life Scale, and the Japanese version of the Frankfurt Emotional Work Scale, were answered by 255 nurses and midwives working in abortion and childbirth services. Professional Quality of Life scores (compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, burnout) were significantly associated with stress factors and emotion work. Multiple regression analysis revealed that of all the evaluated variables, the Japanese version of the Frankfurt Emotional Work Scale score for negative emotions display was the most significant positive predictor of compassion fatigue and burnout. The stress factors “thinking that the aborted fetus deserved to live” and “difficulty in controlling emotions during abortion care” were associated with compassion fatigue. These findings indicate that providing abortion services is a highly distressing experience for nurses and midwives.
Caring for children in pediatric intensive care units
Authors: Mattsson Janet , Forsner Maria , Castrén Maaret , Arman Maria
Published: January 2013

Children in the pediatric intensive care unit are indisputably in a vulnerable position, dependent on nurses to acknowledge their needs. It is assumed that children should be approached from a holistic perspective in the caring situation to meet their caring needs. The aim of the study was to unfold the meaning of nursing care through nurses’ concerns when caring for children in the pediatric intensive care unit. To investigate the qualitative aspects of practice embedded in the caring situation, the interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted for the study. The findings revealed three patterns: medically oriented nursing—here, the nurses attend to just the medical needs, and nursing care is at its minimum, leaving the children’s needs unmet; parent-oriented nursing care—here, the nursing care emphasizes the parents’ needs in the situation, and the children are viewed as a part of the parent and not as an individual child with specific caring needs; and smooth operating nursing care orientation—here, the nursing care is focused on the child as a whole human being, adding value to the nursing care. The conclusion drawn suggests that nursing care does not always respond to the needs of the child, jeopardizing the well-being of the child and leaving them at risk for experiencing pain and suffering. The concerns present in nursing care has been shown to be the divider of the meaning of nursing care and need to become elucidated in order to improve the cultural influence of what can be seen as good nursing care within the pediatric intensive care unit.
Ethical problems and moral sensitivity in physiotherapy
Authors: Kulju Kati , Suhonen Riitta , Leino-Kilpi Helena
Published: January 2013

This study identified and described ethical problems encountered by physiotherapists in their practice and physiotherapists’ moral sensitivity in ethical situations. A questionnaire-based survey was constructed to identify ethical problems, and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire Revised version was used to measure moral sensitivity. Physiotherapists (n = 116) working in public health services responded to the questionnaire. Based on the results, most of the physiotherapists encounter ethical problems weekly. They concern mainly financial considerations, equality and justice, professionalism, unethical conduct of physiotherapists or other professions and patients’ self-determination. The dimension of moral strength was emphasised in physiotherapists’ self-evaluations of their moral sensitivity. As a conclusion, ethical problems do occur not only at individual level but also at organisational and society level. Physiotherapists seem to have moral strength for speaking on behalf of the patient. Scarce resources make them feel insufficient but much could still be done to provide quality care in co-operation with other health-care professionals.
Changing Gender Preference in China Today: Implications for the Sex Ratio
Authors: Chi Zhou , Dong Zhou Xu , Lei Wang Xiao , Jun Zheng Wei , Lu Li , Hesketh Therese
Published: January 2013

There is growing evidence in China that son preference is on the decline. But sex ratios at birth, despite a recent small reduction, are still the highest in the world at around 120 male births to every 100 females. We carried out this research to explore current attitudes towards gender preference amongst people of reproductive age in China today, with a view to understanding better the persistently high sex ratio. We conducted in-depth interviews with 212 individuals, aged 18 to 39, in rural and urban areas of three provinces—Yunnan, Guizhou and Zhejiang—and have shown that while son preference has weakened considerably in this reproductive generation, it has by no means disappeared. The sex ratio remains high because of this small minority of individuals who still expresses a clear son preference and who choose sex-selective abortion to ensure male offspring. But its numbers are falling, and this may help to explain the recent downturn in sex ratio and perhaps signals the beginning of a trend towards its normalisation. Intensive local policy interventions have been successful in reducing the sex ratio in some areas and these should be disseminated widely.
Exploring Domestic Violence in an Indian Setting
Authors: M N Vranda
Published: January 2013

The aim of the article is to explore the nature of domestic violence and responses to it among a cross-section of women who sought help at a Family Counselling Centre in Bengaluru. They were interviewed with the help of an in-depth interview guide for qualitative data. The women interviewees described their experiences, their reasons for staying on in abusive relationships, suffering violence at the hands of husbands and other family members, their future plans and the alternatives open to them. Interventions by agencies meant to help them have a vital role to play and must offer a wide range of services.
International Student Policies in UK Higher Education from Colonialism to the Coalition
Authors: Walker Patricia
Published: January 2013

The internationalization of tertiary education has given rise to student mobility of industrial proportions and affects and is affected by, national economies. Currently British universities are host to the second highest number of international students in the world; the proportionality of international students in the student body in UK higher education (HE) is also the second highest globally.Over the decades the British government has declined to link policy and practice on international student issues, rather, has taken a stance which presented a view of the country’s role in overseas student affairs that reflected imperialist, postcolonial, international, and global perspectives, invariably mirroring the political complexion of the day. The article highlights a number of ways in which policies designed to control international student numbers has had the effect of creating conditions in which the domestic students have in turn been privileged and disadvantaged. Using a historical perspective to interrogate former policy initiatives, it concludes by reflecting on what the impact of present policies are likely to be for future developments of the sector.
Business Games for Leadership Development
Authors: Lopes Mauricio Capobianco , Fialho Francisco A. P. , Cunha Cristiano J. C. A. , Niveiros Sofia Inés
Published: January 2013

Leadership development poses great challenges to modern organizations. One possible method to develop leaders is the use of experiential techniques based on business games. The objective of this article was to identify, based on literature, business games used in leadership development and to examine how they contribute to the qualification of the leaders. In particular, the article analyzes business games in which elements of leadership development were present as part of the computer model (simulator). The article describes the goals of the games, their pedagogical and technical features, their relation to leadership theories, and their effectiveness in leadership development. The methodology used was systematic review conducted in SCOPUS, ISI, and BKL (Bernie Keys Library) databases. The review identified five games that met the criteria and objectives of this research. This study shows that using business games for leadership development is still a hard task. It points up some problems and difficulties in this task and suggests ways to develop more effective methods for leadership development with business games.
Chronic Pain Management as a Barrier to Pediatric Palliative Care
Authors: Thompson Lindsay A. , Meinert Elizabeth , Baker Kimberly , Knapp Caprice
Published: January 2013

Pain is common as a presenting complaint to outpatient and emergency departments for children, yet pain management represents one of the children’s largest unmet needs. A child may present with acute pain for an intermittent issue or may have acute or chronic pain in the setting of chronic illness. The mainstay of treatment for pain uses a stepwise approach for pain management, such as set up by the World Health Organization. For children with life-limiting illnesses, the Institute of Medicine guidelines recommends referral upon diagnosis for palliative care, meaning that the child receives comprehensive services that include pain control in coordination with curative therapies; yet barriers remain. From the provider perspective, pain can be better addressed through a careful assessment of one’s own knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The key components of pain management in children are multimodal, regardless of the cause of the pain.
Human Response Is Lognormal; Plan on Waiting If You Want Reliability
Authors: Sheridan Thomas B.
Published: January 2013

Human response times fit a lognormal probability function, which poses severe constraints on the time a system designer must allow to accommodate a significant fraction of respondents; for example, 6 standard deviations for 95% confidence and 11 standard deviations for 99% confidence. When a human operates in series with machine elements, there may be no justification for demanding a quick response from the machine.
Minimizing Human Factors Mishaps in Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Authors: Waraich Qaisar R. (“Raza”) , Mazzuchi Thomas A. , Sarkani Shahram , Rico David F.
Published: January 2013

Unmanned aircraft system (UAS) mishaps attributable to lack of attention to human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) science in their ground control stations (GCSes) are alarmingly high, and UAS-specific HF/E engineering standards are years away from development. The ANSI/HFES 100-2007 human factors standard is proposed as a specification for the design of UASes because of the similarity between general-purpose computer workstations and GCSes. Data were collected from 20 UASes to determine the applicability of commercial standards to GCS designs. Analysis shows that general-purpose computer workstations and UAS GCSes are up to 98% similar. Therefore, our findings suggest that the application of commercial human factors standards may be a good solution for minimizing UAS mishaps.
Belonging, Status, or Self-Protection? Examining Justice Motives in a Three-Level Cultural Meta-Analysis of Organizational Justice Effects
Authors: Fischer Ronald
Published: January 2013

The current meta-analysis examines cross-national differences in justice-work attitude and behavior associations to identify underlying justice motives, that is, when and why people pay attention to justice. A three-level meta-analysis with 54,100 participants from 36 countries was conducted. Income inequality and cultural values were used as moderators after statistically controlling for unreliability of measures. Systematic cross-national differences in justice effects were found. Associations of justice with other work variables are stronger if there is greater income inequality, people expect their leaders and institutions to foster commitment and loyalty (institutional collectivism) and individuals identify with their close in-groups (in-group collectivism). This suggests that belongingness (collectivism) and control (income inequality) motives are important. Implications for justice theories and cross-cultural research are discussed.
The Paradox of “Acting Globally While Thinking Locally”
Authors: Mazmanian Daniel A. , Jurewitz John , Nelson Hal T.
Published: January 2013

The paradox motivating this article is why California has acted globally by enacting a comprehensive mitigation policy to reduce the emissions of Greenhouse gases, a true public good since the benefits will be shared across the planet, but has not mustered the will to act locally through the adoption of an equally comprehensive adaptation policy for the state to protect its own public and private assets and interests. We attempt to explain the paradox by identifying what it is that differentiates climate change adaptation from mitigation, both substantively and politically. The paradox notwithstanding, we identify several imaginable adaptation policies and strategies that would be commensurate with individual and collective self-interested behavior.
Clean Production and Profitability
Authors: Kamande Mercyline W. , Lokina Razack B.
Published: January 2013

This study examines the linkage between the profitability of firms measured by return on assets (ROA) and environmental performance measured by eco-efficiency and also the impact of a good environmental management system (EMS) on profitability and eco-efficiency of firms. These environmental management practices were captured by the type of EMS a firm adopts that classified firms as either environmental leaders or environmental laggards. To achieve this panel data regression model with ROA as the dependent variable and eco-efficiency scores as the regressors was performed. The results suggest that there is a potential gain in the profitability of the firm by improving eco-efficiency in resource use. Furthermore, proactive firms are found to perform better than reactive firms in terms of profitability and eco-efficiency but firms that combine both proactive and reactive EMS perform even better, which shows the benefit of adopting commitment-based approaches alongside the compliance-based approaches to environmental management.
An Intervention to Help Older Adults Maintain Independence Safely
Authors: Ganong Lawrence H. , Coleman Marilyn , Benson Jacquelyn J. , Snyder-Rivas Linley A. , Stowe James D. , Porter Eileen J.
Published: January 2013

Older adults who live alone are at risk for problems (e.g., falling, sudden illness). To maintain themselves safely at home they may benefit from planning to prevent problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an intervention designed to train family members or friends as to how to help older adults who were living alone make plans to maintain independence safely in their homes and to make behavioral and household changes to enhance safety. Support network members of 19 older adults randomly assigned to the intervention group were taught to use multiple segment vignettes to assist the older adults in creating plans for living safely. Older adults in the control group ( n = 21) were asked to engage in an unstructured discussion about home safety with their network members. Older adults in the intervention group developed safer plans and made more household and behavioral changes than did control group adults.
The 15-Minute Family Interview as a Learning Strategy For Senior Undergraduate Nursing Students
Authors: Holtslander Lorraine , Solar Jessica , Smith Nicole R.
Published: January 2013

Nursing care of families continues to be a challenge within complex and demanding health-care systems. Educational strategies to bridge the theory−practice gap, connecting classroom learning with clinical experiences in undergraduate nursing education, enable students to develop the skills required to form meaningful partnerships with families. This article describes how undergraduate nursing students complete a 15-Minute Family Interview in a clinical practice setting, and document the interview process in a reflective major paper. Students integrate research and theory and identify ways to improve the care of families in the clinical setting while building communication skills and confidence in interacting with families in everyday practice. The implementation of the assignment and the evaluation of the process, including quotes from 10 student papers and 2 clinical faculty members, are discussed. Implications for education and ongoing research are offered.
Framing Synthetic Biology
Authors: Dragojlovic Nick , Einsiedel Edna
Published: January 2013

Under what conditions does the perceived “unnaturalness” of a specific application of synthetic biology influence its public acceptability? Using data from a framing experiment embedded in a national survey of Canadian adults, we argue that this consideration leads to negative perceptions of the technology only when opponents of the application use rhetoric that refers to its unnaturalness and when characteristics of the application itself, such as the use of genetic material from “dissimilar” organisms, increase the perceived relevance of such arguments. Additionally, we find that individuals who view nature as sacred or spiritual are most responsive to unnaturalness framing.
Advertising Ethics
Authors: Fullerton Jami A. , Kendrick Alice , McKinnon Lori Melton
Published: January 2013

A national survey of 1,045 advertising students measured opinions about the ethical nature of advertising and ethical dilemmas in the advertising business. More than nine out of ten students agreed that working for a company with high ethical standards was important. Students rated all twelve workplace dilemmas presented as somewhat unethical. For ten of the twelve scenarios, student attitude toward the ethicality of the described action and behavioral intent were inconsistent. Implications for advertising educators and for professionals are discussed.
Sexual Victimization and Family Violence Among Urban African American Adolescent Women
Authors: Kennedy Angie C. , Bybee Deborah , Kulkarni Shanti J. , Archer Gretchen
Published: January 2013

Guided by an intersectional feminist perspective, we examined sexual victimization, witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the family, and familial physical abuse among a sample of 180 urban African American adolescent women. We used cluster analysis to better understand the profiles of cumulative victimization, and the relationships between profiles and IPV victimization and personal exposure to the sex trade. Just under one third of the sample reported sexual victimization, with cooccurrence with both forms of family violence common. The cluster profile with high levels of severe family violence was associated with the highest rate of IPV victimization and sex trade exposure.
Men’s Talk
Authors: Stanley Nicky , Fell Benedict , Miller Pam , Thomson Gill , Watson John
Published: January 2013

This article reports research undertaken to inform a social marketing campaign targeting men’s violence toward women in a city in northern England. Eighty-four men drawn from community groups participated in 15 focus groups. Participants struggled with wider definitions of domestic abuse and resisted depictions of men as wholly responsible for domestic violence. The potential loss of the relationship with children and, to a lesser degree, the relationship with their partner were identified as powerful incentives for changing abusive behavior. Men were particularly affected by the prospect of damage to their own self-image that children’s perceptions of their fathers’ violence conveyed.
The Supportive Process for Ending Intimate Partner Violence After Pregnancy
Authors: Salazar Mariano , Högberg Ulf , Valladares Eliette , Öhman Ann
Published: January 2013

This grounded theory study found that Nicaraguan mothers exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy eventually acted to protect their children and themselves. They experienced ending abuse as an empowerment process characterized by a cognitive change in women’s attitudes toward partner abuse and the emergence of help-seeking strategies that lead to ending violence with or without ending the relationship. This process was facilitated by a supportive environment that challenged abusive behaviors as well as being asked about abuse during their last pregnancy. Although environmental changes can facilitate ending abuse, Nicaragua’s public institutions must be strengthened to reach women in need.
Potential for Collaborative Writing in Professional Communication and Health Studies Through Service-Learning
Authors: Hill Sandra , Griswold Paula
Published: January 2013

Two professors teaching in professional writing and health studies have incorporated service-learning projects into their courses and included similar writing goals. Though employing different methodologies, they saw similar outcomes. Through assessment of student reflections and discussions of course outcomes, both professors concluded that there is potential for collaborative service-learning projects between the two disciplines. This article discusses pedagogical approaches in the two courses, the theory and pedagogy on which the approaches are based, and practical ideas on how a collaborative professional writing/health studies service-learning project might be set up. Such ideas may provide a model for collaboration across disciplines.
Which CSR-Related Headings Do Fortune 500 Companies Use on Their Websites?
Authors: Smith Katherine Taken , Alexander Julie J.
Published: January 2013

This article examines website headings used by Fortune 500 companies in their efforts to inform stakeholders about corporate social responsibility (CSR). Instead of using “Corporate Social Responsibility” as a heading, companies often use specific terms to identify various CSR initiatives. The purpose of this article is to identify common CSR-related headings that are currently used on Fortune 500 company websites. Data were collected from all Fortune 500 company websites. The websites were further analyzed according to manufacturing, retailing, and service industry. Interesting similarities and differences were found. This study provides guidance on articulating CSR-related activities to consumers, employees, and stakeholders.
Business Languages for Intercultural and International Business Communication
Authors: Ainsworth Judith
Published: January 2013

Specialists in international education maintain that all undergraduates require contact with and understanding of other nations, languages, and cultures to develop intercultural communication skills. To determine if the business school at a small comprehensive university provides sufficient intercultural communication training, feedback from two surveys and an interview with the international business (IB) coordinator were analysed. Results revealed that the business school has implemented a multicomponent IB concentration, but that business language initiatives were unsustainable because of inadequate administrative commitment. Thus, efforts directed at internationalising the curriculum fail unless they are fully integrated into all programs and engage all stakeholders.
Regional Anesthesia for Vascular Surgery
Authors: Atkinson Catherine J. , Ramaswamy Karunakaran , Stoneham Mark D.
Published: January 2013

Vascular surgical patients are a diverse group of patients who tend to be elderly, with multiple comorbidities, while vascular procedures may involve significant blood loss and ischemia of tissues beyond the arterial obstruction. Regional anesthesia techniques may offer benefits to patients undergoing vascular surgery because of their cardiorespiratory comorbidities. However, this group of patients is commonly receiving multiple medications, including anticoagulants, so regional techniques are not without risks. This review will discuss this topic based around 3 fundamental revascularization procedures, carotid, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, and infrainguinal surgery, discussing the clinical applications of regional techniques relevant to each key area.
Utility of aquaporin-4 antibody assay in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders
Authors: Kim Sung-Min , Waters Patrick , Woodhall Mark , Kim Jee-Young , Kim Jee-Eun , Yang Ji Won , Kim Jun-Soon , Sung Jung-Joon , Park Kyung Seok , Lee Kwang-Woo
Published: January 2013

Objective:

Our aim was to evaluate the utility of aquaporin-4 antibodies (AQP4-Ab) in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD).

Methods:

The clinical and radiological characteristics of 78 patients with NMOSD and 22 with multiple sclerosis (MS), who were tested for AQP4-Ab by a cell-based assay, were assessed.

Results:

The mean time interval between symptom onset and development of optic neuritis and myelitis was 39.9 months in neuromyelitis optica (NMO). About 40% of patients with limited NMO would have fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for MS in the absence of the antibody assay results. In patients with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, positive AQP4-Ab assay results were associated with the poor response to acute steroid treatment and asymptomatic visual evoked potential abnormality. Presence of either painful tonic spasm associated with myelitis or severe disability at onset had high specificity and relatively high sensitivity in differentiating NMOSD with AQP4-Ab from MS.

Conclusions:

The AQP4-Ab assay can facilitate the early diagnosis of NMO and prevent limited NMO from being misdiagnosed as MS. It can predict the poor response to first-line acute-phase treatment and probably detect the subclinical optic nerve involvement in subgroups of NMOSD. Lastly, it will contribute to the upcoming revision of the current diagnostic criteria for NMO.
Load-dependent dysfunction of the putamen during attentional processing in patients with clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Tortorella C , Romano R , Direnzo V , Taurisano P , Zoccolella S , Iaffaldano P , Fazio L , Viterbo R , Popolizio T , Blasi G , Bertolino A , Trojano M
Published: January 2013

Background:

Load-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) abnormalities of brain activity during performance of attention tasks have been described in definite multiple sclerosis (MS). No data are available in clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) suggestive of MS.

Objectives:

The objective of this research is to evaluate in CIS patients the fMRI pattern of brain activation during an attention task and to explore the effect of increasing task load demand on neurofunctional modifications.

Methods:

Twenty-seven untreated CIS patients and 32 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent fMRI while performing the Variable Attentional Control (VAC) task, a cognitive paradigm requiring increasing levels of attentional control processing. Random-effects models were used for statistical analyses of fMRI data.

Results:

CIS patients had reduced accuracy and greater reaction time at the VAC task compared with HCs ( p=0.007). On blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD)-fMRI, CIS patients had greater activity in the right parietal cortex ( p=0.0004) compared with HCs. Furthermore, CIS patients had greater activity at the lower ( p=0.05) and reduced activity at the greater ( p=0.04) level of attentional control demand in the left putamen, compared with HCs.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates the failure of attentional control processing in CIS. The load-related fMRI dysfunction of the putamen supports the role of basal ganglia in the failure of attention observed at the earliest stage of MS.
The Anzacs
Authors: Donoghue Jed , Tranter Bruce
Published: January 2013

The traditions associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers – the Anzacs – comprise an important element of the Australian narrative. Although Australian and New Zealand soldiers did not officially become ‘Anzacs’ until they joined forces on the Western Front, the Anzacs are associated with the trauma of the Gallipoli campaign. Anzacs ‘live on’ in contemporary Australian culture, celebrated as national heroes by artists, politicians and writers. The Anzacs’ place in Australian history is enshrined through annual Anzac Day commemorations that legitimize idealized, heroic aspects of Australian identity. Drawing upon national survey data we show that Anzacs still have a strong influence on how Australians see themselves. Attitudes toward Anzacs vary only marginally according to social and political background, although they are most salient for middle-aged, less educated, Australian-born citizens, who are proud of their defence forces and exhibit a close attachment to Australia as a nation.
Semiotic technologies, temporal reckoning, and the portability of meaning. Or: Modern modes of temporality – just how abstract are they?
Authors: Kockelman Paul , Bernstein Anya
Published: January 2013

This essay is about meaning and measurement, with particular emphasis on the relation between semiotic technologies and temporal reckoning. It begins by theorizing four ways of framing time. Temporality as metricality focuses on the repetition of tokens of common types. Temporality as performativity focuses on the roots and fruits of a given event. Temporality as reckoning focuses on how one determines when an event occurred or how long an event lasted. And temporality as worldview focuses on the ways a given community (genre, public, discipline, philosophy, register, etc.) frames the nature of time. Temporality as reckoning is then used to question some entrenched claims about temporality as worldview. In particular, the claim that modern modes of temporality are ‘abstract’ (in comparison to so-called premodern, traditional, or everyday modes of temporality) is called into question. In place of pre-theoretical notions like abstraction (and similarly inadequate concepts, such as ‘commensuration’, ‘quantification’, and ‘objectification’) a set of fine-grained analytic distinctions is introduced. These may be used to theorize the conditions for and consequences of a technology being relatively portable: its meaningfulness being widely applicable and/or contextually independent. Reflexively, while this essay draws its examples and methods from the domain of time, its general claims are meant to be portable to other domains – from velocity and price to temperature and information.
Is conversion a ‘colonization of consciousness’?
Authors: Roberts Nathaniel
Published: January 2013

The trope in which conversion – especially of non-Western people to Christianity – is envisioned as a type of conquest is one many scholars have found compelling. This article examines the implicit moral psychology behind the idea that conversion is a ‘colonization of consciousness’, which it identifies as rooted in a secular liberal model of the self and of religion. The appeal of the conversion-as-conquest trope lies in its focus on power, but by building secular liberal assumptions into its theoretical optic it remains ironically blind to some of the most pervasive ways power operates today – namely, through the production of secular truths about religion, and by authorizing ‘autonomous’ secular subjectivities as normative. Drawing on examples from the author’s research on Pentecostal conversion in Indian slums, and on a national context where violent anti-conversion activism is prevalent, the article argues that while both conversion and opposition to it entail power, this power is not well understood on the model of mental colonization, or ‘resistance’ by uncolonized subjectivities.
Marketized philanthropy
Authors: Bajde Domen
Published: January 2013

As the impact of market actors and their doctrines on philanthropy gradually increases, the debate between the proponents and the critics of ‘marketization’ of philanthropy intensifies. Curiously, the debate has largely centred on ‘philanthrocapitalists’ and philanthropic professionals, while less attention has been devoted to the ways in which the newly emergent philanthropic ideologies and practices are ‘marketed’ to and adopted by the broader audience of philanthropic givers. In response, we explore the ideological elements that make lending through Kiva, an emergent microfinance charity, meaningful to its creators and supporters. A combination of interpretive methods is used to outline Kiva’s ideology of entrepreneurial philanthropy. This utopian ideology is found to legitimize ‘marketized’ philanthropic practices by invoking alternative conceptions of poverty, social progress and philanthropy (i.e. representations of philanthropic giving, philanthropic benefactors and beneficiaries and the relations between them).
The dynamics of place brands
Authors: Kavaratzis Mihalis , Hatch Mary Jo
Published: January 2013

This article introduces a novel approach towards place branding theory, adopting a view based on the relationship between the place brand and place identity. The article first evaluates the dominant conceptualization of identity within place branding. It is argued that better understanding of the relationship between place identity and place brands might advance the theory of place branding. In its current state, place branding practice and, to a great extent, place branding literature adopt a rather static view on place identity as something that can easily be articulated and communicated for the purposes of branding the place. This approach is limited as it does not reveal the full complexity of place identity and limits the role and potential of place branding. The article, drawing on a combination of the literatures on place identity and organisational identity, proposes a more dynamic view of place identity that considers identity a constant dialogue between the internal and the external. The role of branding within the identity dialogue is then clarified leading to an appreciation of the full dynamics of place brands. The true nature of place branding is revealed as one of interaction and dialogue between stakeholders.
Opening Ungava to industry: a decentring approach to indigenous history in subarctic Québec, 1937–54
Authors: Boutet Jean-Sébastien
Published: January 2013

This article examines the period leading up to the establishment of the Schefferville iron mine in subarctic Québec, Canada, with a focus on the years 1937–54. The beginning of iron ore mining at Schefferville was a decisive moment in the growth of the modern Québec state, opening the way for the industrial exploitation of the province’s natural resources – mineral and otherwise – in the hinterland. Relying on oral and written sources, the research emphasizes the roles and actions of Innu individuals during this phase of development conducted by exploration companies and the Iron Ore Company of Canada at the heart of their ancestral homeland. If the early mining experience at Schefferville evolved largely to the detriment of the Indigenous communities inhabiting the region, a decentring approach to ethnohistory in the context of industrial colonialism reveals that the Innu also worked to determine their own engagement with the mining world, adjusting and maintaining their practices on the land while participating in the wage labour economy.
Adolescent Psychopathic Traits and Violent Delinquency
Authors: Flexon Jamie L. , Meldrum Ryan C.
Published: January 2013

Though ties between having psychopathic attributes and criminality are strong, only recently has the criminological community appreciated that the characteristic traits of psychopathy are emergent in youth and are variably distributed in the population. In recognition, this study evaluates the value of psychopathic callous–unemotional (CU) traits in youth alongside key criminological variables in explaining violence. Results show that CU traits remain robust among traditional criminological variables in explaining juvenile violence. Further, CU traits are observed to interact with key criminological covariates such that at higher levels of one construct, the impact of other correlates on violence is weakened.
Comparison of the Effect of Medical Assistants Versus Certified Athletic Trainers on Patient Volumes and Revenue Generation in a Sports Medicine Practice
Authors: Pecha Forrest Q. , Xerogeanes John W. , Karas Spero G. , Himes Megan E. , Mines Brandon A.
Published: January 2013

Background:

Research has shown increases in efficiency and productivity by using physician extenders (PEs) in medical practices. Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) that work as PEs in primary care sports medicine and orthopaedic practices improve clinic efficiency.

Hypothesis:

When compared with a medical assistant (MA), the use of an ATC as a PE in a primary care sports medicine practice will result in an increase in patient volume, charges, and collections.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

For 12 months, patient encounters, charges, and collections were obtained for the practices of 2 primary care sports medicine physicians. Each physician was assisted by an ATC for 6 months and by an MA for 6 months. Eighty full clinic days were examined for each physician.

Results:

Statistically significant increases were found in all measured parameters for the ATC compared with the MA. Patient encounters increased 18% to 22% per day, and collections increased by 10% to 60% per day.

Conclusion:

ATCs can optimize orthopaedic sports medicine practice by increasing patient encounters, charges, and collections.

Clinical Relevance:

Orthopaedic practices can be more efficient by using ATCs or MAs as PEs.
Risk Modifiers for Concussion and Prolonged Recovery
Authors: Scopaz Kristen A. , Hatzenbuehler John R.
Published: January 2013

Context:

Currently, no consensus exists for grading the severity of concussions. Identification of risk factors that may affect concussion risk and the likelihood of prolonged recovery can be of value to providers who manage concussion.

Evidence Acquisition:

Relevant studies were identified through MEDLINE (1996-2011) using the keywords concussion, postconcussive syndrome, and risk or risk factor. Targeted searches for specific risk factors were conducted with additional keywords, such as gender and migraine. Manual review of reference lists was also performed to identify pertinent literature.

Results:

For risk factors of concussion, history of prior concussion and female sex have the most supporting evidence. Sports with consistently high risk for sustaining a concussion include football, men’s ice hockey, and women’s soccer. Younger athletes appear to be more susceptible to concussion, but data are limited and inconsistent. Protective equipment does not definitively alter concussion risk, though it protects against other injuries. Symptoms such as long headaches, migraines, amnesia, and multiple symptoms appear to be associated with prolonged recovery. Younger age may also increase the risk of prolonged concussion.

Conclusion:

High-quality evidence for risk modifiers in concussion remains sparse. Prior concussion, collision sports, female sex, and women’s soccer are the strongest known risk factors. Evidence for most other factors is inconclusive.
Challenges in the Management of the Open Abdomen
Authors: Worhunsky David J. , Magee Gregory , Spain David A.
Published: January 2013

First described more than 60 years ago, the open abdomen has now become a relatively common entity in surgical ICUs. Although the indications for an open abdomen have evolved since the original description of the damage control laparotomy, the goal remains to provide an unstable or critically ill patient time to correct their physiologic derangements. Temporary abdominal closure is thus used as a bridge to definitive repair and closure. Unfortunately, the open abdomen is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and recent studies have suggested an overuse of the technique. Once the decision is made to proceed with an open abdomen, multiple options exist for temporary abdominal closure. The hope is to obtain definitive closure shortly thereafter in an attempt to reduce potential complications including intra-abdominal infection or enteroatmospheric fistula. Options for temporary closure range from the Bogotá bag to vacuum-assisted techniques; a combined technique of sequential fascial closure with vacuum assistance has recently been shown to result in 100% fascial approximation. In situations where fascial closure is unattainable, temporary coverage with a skin graft may be employed, followed by late abdominal closure via complex abdominal herniorrhaphy. Even using advanced methods such as component separation or a “pork sandwich” technique, the complication and recurrence rates remain high. A careful understanding of the indications, optimal management, and potential complications of the open abdomen is necessary to limit its overuse and ultimately reduce some of the challenges associated with it.