bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seasonal–Interannual Variation and Prediction of Wet and Dry Season Rainfall over the Maritime Continent: Roles of ENSO and Monsoon Circulation
Authors: Zhang Tuantuan , Yang Song , Jiang Xingwen , Zhao Ping
Published: October 2015

The authors analyze the seasonal–interannual variations of rainfall over the Maritime Continent (MC) and their relationships with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and large-scale monsoon circulation. They also investigate the predictability of MC rainfall using the hindcast of the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2).

The seasonal evolution of MC rainfall is characterized by a wet season from December to March and a dry season from July to October. The increased (decreased) rainfall in the wet season is related to the peak-decaying phase of La Niña (El Niño), whereas the increased (decreased) rainfall in the dry season is related to the developing phase of La Niña (El Niño), with an apparent spatial incoherency of the SST–rainfall relationship in the wet season. For extremely wet cases of the wet season, local warm SST also contributes to the above-normal rainfall over the MC except for the western area of the MC due to the effect of the strong East Asian winter monsoon.

The CFSv2 shows high skill in predicting the main features of MC rainfall variations and their relationships with ENSO and anomalies of the large-scale monsoon circulation, especially for strong ENSO years. It predicts the rainfall and its related circulation patterns skillfully in advance by several months, especially for the dry season. The relatively lower skill of predicting MC rainfall for the wet season is partly due to the low prediction skill of rainfall over Sumatra, Malay, and Borneo (SMB), as well as the unrealistically predicted relationship between SMB rainfall and ENSO.
The Role of Moist Processes in Shortwave Radiative Feedback during ENSO in the CMIP5 Models
Authors: Li Lijuan , Wang Bin , Zhang Guang J.
Published: October 2015

The weak negative shortwave (SW) radiative feedback αsw during El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) over the equatorial Pacific is a common problem in the models participating in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). In this study, the causes for the αsw biases are analyzed using three-dimensional cloud fraction and liquid water path (LWP) provided by the 17 CMIP5 models and the relative roles of convective and stratiform rainfall feedbacks in αsw are explored. Results show that the underestimate of SW feedback is primarily associated with too negative cloud fraction and LWP feedbacks in the boundary layers, together with insufficient middle and/or high cloud and dynamics feedbacks, in both the CMIP and Atmospheric Model Intercomparsion Project (AMIP) runs, the latter being somewhat better. The underestimations of SW feedbacks are due to both weak negative SW responses to El Niño, especially in the CMIP runs, and strong positive SW responses to La Niña, consistent with their biases in cloud fraction, LWP, and dynamics responses to El Niño and La Niña. The convective rainfall feedback, which is largely reduced owing to the excessive cold tongue in the CMIP runs compared with their AMIP counterparts, contributes more to the difference of SW feedback (mainly under El Niño conditions) between the CMIP and AMIP runs, while the stratiform rainfall plays a more important role in SW feedback during La Niña.
Using the Economics of the Pass-Through in Proving Antitrust Injury in Robinson-Patman Cases
Authors: Alexandrov Alexei , Koulayev Sergei
Published: October 2015

We analyze and summarize microeconomic theory of pass-through rates. We start by analyzing a monopolist firm in a standard frictionless market, then add more nuances to the model, including, but not limited to, oligopolistic competition, menu costs, price points, endogenous quality and package size choices, and consumer search costs. We proceed to show how each of these factors affects pass-through rates.
Measurement System of Gear Parameters Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Wang Wencheng , Guan Fengnian , Ma Shiyong , Li Jian
Published: October 2015

Fault detection is an important step in gear production, but the traditional methods are inefficient. In this paper, a novel method for gear parameter measurement is proposed based on computer vision. First, we introduce the hardware composition of a system and the main structure of the software algorithm. Next, we discuss the principles of digital image pre-processing, image segmentation, and image analysis and also analyse the detailed steps, including gear centre positioning, gear tooth root radius calculation, and the addendum circle radius calculation. Finally, we show how the other parameters of the gear can be calculated using formulas, and how possible faults can be detected accordingly. This method is simple and requires neither edge detection nor Hough transformation. Experiments show that the system is stable and fast and that it can meet the needs of gear parameter measurement, replacing manual detection in actual production.
The vest-collar as a rodent collar to prevent licking and scratching during experiments
Authors: Jang Yura , Park Ye Eun , Yun Cheol-Won , Kim Dae-Hyun , Chung Hesson
Published: October 2015

Various types of restraint collars have been used for research animals, and the Elizabethan collar (E-collar) is the most commonly used. However, animals can be choked by the E-collar or they tend to remove it; furthermore, repeated rubbing and scratching of the collar may chafe the neck. We developed a new restraint collar with a vest to overcome these limitations. The vest-collar (V-collar) can be worn similarly to a vest, in contrast to the E-collar, which is fixed around the neck. A cone-shaped collar is attached to the vest in the V-collar and is made of Eva foam to surround the chest softly, accompanied by a transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film for visibility. To evaluate the performance of the V-collar, we conducted experiments with mice wearing the V-collar and the E-collar. Both groups showed normal weight gain and food intake. Glucose and stress hormone levels showed no significant differences, and no stress-associated leukocyte profiles were observed during the experiments. However, despite the short experimental duration, more than half of the mice in the E-collar group showed injury to the skin on the neck, with increased thickness of the epidermal and keratin layers. Moreover, inflammatory cell counts were higher in the E-collar group than in the V-collar group. In conclusion, the V-collar, in contrast to the E-collar, does not cause skin injuries in animals and is thus beneficial for animals and investigators. Investigators can effectively use the V-collar to enhance laboratory animal welfare.
Elevated risperidone serum concentrations during acute inflammation, two cases
Authors: Hefner Gudrun , Falter Tanja , Bruns Kai , Hiemke Christoph
Published: October 2015

Inflammation-mediated changes in drug metabolism may lead to alterations in the absorption, distribution, and clearance of psychotropic drugs and thus elevate drug levels in blood and lead to intoxications. We report about two patients who developed an up to threefold increase of dose-related serum concentrations of risperidone’s active moiety (risperidone plus 9-hydroxyrisperidone) during acute inflammation indicated by elevated C-reactive protein. The two female patients (aged 56 and 38 years, respectively) had the diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. For both patients, there was a close time-dependent parallel fluctuation of drug levels and C-reactive protein. Since elevated drug levels could not be attributed to prescribed comedications, it seemed likely that high-serum concentrations of risperidone were due to inflammation. It is concluded that elevated C-reactive protein should be considered as an indication to control blood levels of risperidone and possibly dose adaption.
Resilience Patterns
Authors: Mayordomo-Rodríguez Teresa , García-Massó Xavier , Sales-Galán Alicia , Meléndez-Moral Juan C , Serra-Añó Pilar
Published: October 2015

Resilience, or the capacity to be able to develop oneself successfully despite adverse circumstances, has become a concept of interest in recent years. There is a clear relationship between resilience, psychological well-being, and coping strategies. This study looked at 890 subjects with a mean age of 46.77 ( SD = 20.86) years, ranging from 18 and 95 years old. The participants were 40.6% men and 59.4% women. Using this sample, three clusters were developed by MATLAB R2010a and the Self-Organizing Maps toolbox. Two of these had high resilience, and the other one had low resilience; the psychological well-being variables and coping strategies were taken into account. Thereafter, multivariate analysis of variance showed a group effect for the resilience, psychological well-being, and coping strategies variables. Establishing resilient profiles based on variables such as psychological well-being and coping strategies reveals the best features for coping with stressful situations; this could help to promote nonpharmacological therapies for increasing resilience.
Outcomes of Occupational Self-Efficacy in Older Workers
Authors: Paggi Michelle E. , Jopp Daniela S.
Published: October 2015

Because of the increasing number of older workers, it is important to develop models of work-related constructs for this population. The present article developed a model surrounding occupational self-efficacy, testing its relation to other factors (e.g., intrinsic job motivation), predictors (e.g., self-perceptions of aging), and outcomes (e.g., job satisfaction). Employed adults of ages 50 and older ( n = 313) were recruited via organizations and social media sites. Study participants ( M = 59.7, SD = 6.1, range = 50–78) volunteered to fill out an Internet survey. Occupational self-efficacy predicted job satisfaction, and intrinsic job motivation fully mediated this relationship. More negative self-perceptions of aging predicted poorer occupational self-efficacy. Occupational self-efficacy also predicted life satisfaction. Expected retirement age and job performance were unrelated to occupational self-efficacy. These findings may inform workplace interventions that seek to maintain or increase older worker job and life satisfaction.
Mental States of Addiction
Authors: Rise Jostein , Halkjelsvik Torleif , Kovač Velibor Bobo
Published: October 2015

An increasing number of studies have examined lay meanings of addiction. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a generalized conception of an addiction mind-set was evident in the beliefs of a sample of 1,062 Norwegian adults responding to an online survey. The respondents were given a rating task in the following form: “Addiction to [substance/behavior] is/represents [descriptive term].” For each of the nine different addictive behaviors (cocaine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling, smoking, amphetamine, sedatives, snus, and heroin), the respondents rated their endorsement of 11 descriptive terms (mental states): reduced self-determination, obsession, strong urge, strong appetite, strong craving, reduced moral competence, reduced rational decision making, compulsion, habit, conflicting desire, and reduced willpower. Principal components analyses identified two distinct factors for six addictive behaviors: cocaine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling, amphetamine, and heroin. The endorsement levels of the descriptive items of the two factors were consistently high. Sedatives, smoking, and snus did not fit into the two factors. Norwegian adults thus seem to ascribe to a model of an addiction mind-set comprising two distinct versions, the irresistible, involuntary (Craving-compulsion version), and the voluntary resistible dimensions of addiction (Reduced agency version).
Discussion of Shared Information Can Increase the Influence of Divergent Members
Authors: Van Swol Lyn M. , Braun Michael T. , Acosta Lewis Emily E. , Carlson Cassandra L. , Dimperio Giovanna
Published: October 2015

Based on the theoretical frameworks of information-sharing in groups and the linear discrepancy model, this study highlights the importance of communicating shared information for a divergent member to influence a group. Participants received information concerning whether “under God” should be in the Pledge of Allegiance. After stating individual opinions, they discussed the issue in small groups and came to a group decision on a continuous, ordered scale. Low divergent members, who had opinions closer to the average of other group members, had more influence than high divergent members. Group members with high divergence were more confident and talked more than others. However, there was no relationship between the amount divergent members talked or their confidence level and their amount of influence. Highly divergent group members who mentioned more shared information were more influential and came across as more knowledgeable.
The Impact of Arab American Culture on Diabetes Self-management Education
Authors: Bertran Elizabeth A. , Fritz Heather , Abbas Malak , Tarakji Sandra , DiZazzo-Miller Rosanne , Pociask Fredrick D. , Lysack Catherine L. , Arnetz Judith , Jaber Linda A.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to better understand barriers and facilitators of diabetes self-management education (DSME) among Arab American patients with diabetes. Little is known about the impact of Arab culture on DSME.

Methods

Arab American adults (N = 23) with medically managed diabetes participated in 1 of 3 focus groups. An Arabic-speaking, trained moderator conducted video-recorded sessions. Verbatim Arabic transcripts were translated into English. Transcripts underwent a qualitative content analysis approach.

Results

Arab American cultural traditions such as food sharing, religious beliefs, and gender roles both facilitated and at times impeded DSME. Patients also held conflicting views about their interactions with their providers; some participants praised the authoritative patient-physician relationship style while others perceived the gaps in communication to be a product of Arab culture. Participants expressed that lack of available educational and supportive resources are key barriers to DSME.

Conclusion

Arab American culture affects DSM activities, and culturally sensitive educational resources are lacking. Development of DSME programs tailored to address relevant aspects of Arab culture might improve DSME outcomes in Arab American population.
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
Authors: Triplitt Curtis , Solis-Herrera Carolina
Published: October 2015

Purpose

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) imparts an increased risk of adverse health outcomes in patients unable to achieve glycemic control. Patient education and individualization of treatment are important for effective management of T2D. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are a class of injectable glucose-lowering agents that lower A1C with added benefits of weight loss and improved cardiovascular risk markers. This review discusses the role of GLP-1RAs currently approved in the United States (exenatide, liraglutide, albiglutide, dulaglutide) for T2D management and characterizes the efficacy and safety profiles of individual GLP-1RAs.

Conclusions

GLP-1RAs are recommended as a preferred add-on agent to existing metformin monotherapy, as first-line therapy if metformin is contraindicated or poorly tolerated, and for use in combination with other oral glucose-lowering agents or basal insulin. Shorter-acting GLP-1RAs (exenatide and liraglutide) offer improved coverage of postprandial hyperglycemia, while longer-acting GLP-1RA formulations (exenatide extended-release, dulaglutide, and albiglutide) further improve fasting plasma glucose, which can result in additional A1C lowering. Reductions in body weight and blood pressure appear similar among individual agents, and small increases in heart rate are of unknown clinical relevance. Gastrointestinal adverse events abate over time with continued treatment and are less frequent with longer-acting GLP-1RAs. Hypoglycemia incidence is low but increased when GLP-1RAs are used with insulin secretagogues or insulin. GLP-1RAs target multiple pathophysiologic mechanisms in patients with T2D and improve glycemic control, although there are some differences within this drug class that may be relevant in clinical practice. Therefore, selection of the most appropriate treatment for individual patients is important.
A Home-Visiting Diabetes Prevention and Management Program for American Indian Youth
Authors: Chambers Rachel A. , Rosenstock Summer , Neault Nicole , Kenney Anne , Richards Jennifer , Begay Kendrea , Blackwater Thomasina , Laluk Owen , Duggan Christopher , Reid Raymond , Barlow Allison
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of a family-based, home-visiting diabetes prevention/management intervention for American Indian (AI) youth with or at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Methods

The Together on Diabetes program, developed through community-based participatory research, enrolled 255 AI youth (aged 10-19 years) with or at risk for type 2 diabetes and 223 support persons. Delivered by local AI paraprofessionals in 4 rural AI communities, the program included home-based lifestyle education and psychosocial support, facilitated referrals, and community-based healthy living activities. Changes in AI youth participants’ knowledge, behavior, psychosocial status, and physiological measurements were assessed over 12 months.

Results

Over one-half (56.1%) of youth were boys. The median age was 13.2 years. At baseline, 68.0% of youth reported no physical activity in the past 3 days; median percentages of kilocalories from fat (36.18%) and sweets (13.67%) were higher than US Department of Agriculture recommendations. Nearly 40% of participants reported food insecurity in the past month; 17.1% screened positive for depression. Support persons were predominantly family members, few reported having home Internet access (38.6%), and the majority reported being long distances (>30 minutes) from food stores. Whereas support persons were primarily responsible (≥69%) for obtaining medical care for the youth, the youth had a greater role in behavioral outcomes, indicating joint diabetes prevention/management responsibility.

Conclusions:

Baseline results confirmed the need for family-based youth diabetes prevention interventions in rural AI communities and indicated that enrolling at-risk youth and family members is feasible and acceptable.
Type 2 Diabetes and Depression
Authors: Kaltman Stacey , Talisman Nicholas , Serrano Adriana , Cabassa Leopoldo J. , Magee Michelle F. , Pulgar-Vidal Olga , Peraza Dorys , Cohen Nancy R.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The purpose of the current study was to engage a local primary care clinic community that serves the Latino immigrant population to obtain their input regarding the design and implementation of a proposed integrated behavioral intervention that will simultaneously target T2DM and depression self-management in this high risk patient population.

Methods

Nine key informant interviews and 3 focus groups were conducted. Key informant interviews were conducted with the medical director, a primary care provider, a diabetes educator, and a medical assistant from each site, as well as the counselor who serves both sites. Fourteen patients with T2DM who screened positive for depression and 7 of their family members participated in the focus groups. Key informants and focus group participants were asked about patient challenges with diabetes management, the role of depression in T2DM, their impressions of the proposed intervention, and motivators and barriers to participation in the intervention.

Results

Commonly reported challenges with diabetes management included the struggle with healthy eating and information exchange upon diagnosis. T2DM and depression were seen as interrelated and described by many as having a cyclical relationship. Key informants and focus group participants uniformly supported the proposed intervention and recommended the involvement of family members.

Conclusions

Results of this study support the need and acceptability of individualized behavioral interventions that target T2DM and depression simultaneously.
Memory, Presence, and Time
Authors: Gloviczki Peter Joseph
Published: October 2015

Written after concentrated reading of compact autoethnographies, this autoethnographic postcard sets out to briefly acknowledge and reach out to these scholars (and other autoethnographers) in a way that emphasizes gratitude about the shared nature of the human experience.
Radiofrequency Ablation Turbinoplasty versus Microdebrider‐Assisted Turbinoplasty
Authors: Acevedo Jason L. , Camacho Macario , Brietzke Scott E.
Published: October 2015

Objective

To critically review published literature for treatment‐related outcomes for bilateral inferior turbinate reduction (IFTR) via either microdebrider‐assisted turbinoplasty (MAT) or radiofrequency turbinoplasty. The primary outcomes were relief of nasal obstruction according to visual analog scale and nasal airflow, volume, and resistance measures based on acoustic rhinomanometry.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Catalog, and CINAHL.

Review Methods

The databases were searched with the terms “turbinoplasty” and “turbinate reduction.” Inclusion criteria were English language, human subjects, and studies specifically relating to IFTR with radiofrequency turbinoplasty or MAT. Exclusion criteria were pediatric patients and concurrent nasal procedures. Results were tabulated, and the data were analyzed per random effects modeling. Subgroup analysis and quality assessment were also performed.

Results

A total of 976 articles were initially identified, with 26 meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Random effects modeling demonstrated a significant improvement after IFTR, as measured with the visual analog scale (4.26‐point improvement, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 3.32‐5.20, P <. 001, k = 21 studies, I2 = 99%) and with acoustic rhinomanometry measurements of volume (2.43‐cm3 improvement, 95% CI = 0.48‐4.38, P =. 015, k = 6 studies, I2 = 99%), flow (203‐mL/s improvement, 95% CI = 131‐276, P <. 001, k = 4 studies, I2 = 99%), and resistance change (2.78‐Pa/cm3 improvement, 95% CI = 0.433‐5.13, P =. 020, k = 5 studies, I2 = 99%). There was no difference in outcome by technique, allergic rhinitis, or quality score. The 2 highest‐quality papers favored MAT. The median follow‐up was 6 months.

Conclusions

IFTR produces a significant subjective and objective improvement in nasal airflow in the short term. This change does not appear to be related to the technique used for IFTR.
Gilles Deleuze, Simone Weil and the Stoic Apprenticeship: Education as a Violent Training
Authors: Kotva Simone
Published: October 2015

In 1971, Ivan Illich wrote that school had become the world religion of a modernized proletariat. Without undoing the power of human interaction undergirding it, understanding how we learn is thus vital to undoing the institutional power of the West – of ‘deschooling’ society. Responding to the conflict between secular and religious schemes of education, the article investigates the ways in which the ‘atheist’ Gilles Deleuze and the ‘mystic’ Simone Weil both employed related stratagems from Stoic philosophy to critique ‘schooling’ construed as the acquisition of, rather than participation in, knowledge. Through a critical reading of the differences between Deleuze's and Weil’s ideas of education, the argument suggests that these differences run aground on the fundamental opposition to a common adversary: that normative pedagogy which trivializes the need to re-school, as well as de-school, society.
Predictive factors for complete renal tumor ablation using RFA
Authors: Acosta Ruiz Vanessa , Lönnemark Maria , Brekkan Einar , Dahlman Pär , Wernroth Lisa , Magnusson Anders
Published: October 2015

Background

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can be used to treat renal masses in patients where surgery is preferably avoided. As tumor size and location can affect ablation results, procedural planning needs to identify these factors to limit treatment to a single session and increase ablation success.

Purpose

To identify factors that may affect the primary efficacy of complete renal tumor ablation with radiofrequency after a single session.

Material and Methods

Percutaneous RFA (using an impedance based system) was performed using computed tomography (CT) guidance. Fifty-two renal tumors (in 44 patients) were retrospectively studied (median follow-up, 7 months). Data collection included patient demographics, tumor data (modified Renal Nephrometry Score, histopathological diagnosis), RFA treatment data (electrode placement), and follow-up results (tumor relapse). Data were analyzed through generalized estimating equations.

Results

Primary efficacy rate was 83%. Predictors for complete ablation were optimal electrode placement ( P = 0.002, OR = 16.67) and increasing distance to the collecting system ( P = 0.02, OR = 1.18). Tumor size was not a predictor for complete ablation (median size, 24 mm; P = 0.069, OR = 0.47), but all tumors ≤2 cm were completely ablated. All papillary tumors and oncocytomas were completely ablated in a single session; the most common incompletely ablated tumor type was clear cell carcinoma (6 of 9).

Conclusion

Optimal electrode placement and a long distance from the collecting system are associated with an increased primary efficacy of renal tumor RFA. These variables need to be considered to increase primary ablation success. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of RFA on histopathologically different renal tumors.
Two states provide models for newspaper preservation
Authors: Krahmer Ana , Phillips Mark , Larson Ron
Published: October 2015

This article proposes digitization partnerships in Texas and Wisconsin as models for other states trying to preserve newspaper archives. The Texas Digital Newspaper Program is the hub of newspaper digitization and preservation in Texas. In Wisconsin all residents can access every issue of more than 200 Wisconsin newspapers published since 2005.
Mechanism or Myth?
Authors: Cech Erin A.
Published: October 2015

Occupational gender segregation is an obdurate feature of gender inequality in the United States The “family plans thesis”—the belief that women and men deliberately adjust their early career decisions to accommodate their anticipated family roles—is a common theoretical explanation of this segregation in the social sciences and in popular discourse. But do young men and women actually account for their family plans when making occupational choices? This article investigates the validity of this central mechanism of the family plans thesis. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 100 college students at three universities, I find that most women and men report no deliberate consideration of their family plans in their college major or post-graduation career choices. Only a quarter of men accommodate provider role plans in their choice of occupations, and only 7 of 56 women (13 percent) accommodate caregiving plans. Further, men who anticipate a provider role are not typically enrolled in more men-dominated fields, and women who seek caregiver-friendly occupations are not typically enrolled in more women-dominated fields. These findings question the validity of the family plans thesis and suggest instead that the thesis itself may reproduce segregation as a cultural schema that buttresses essentialist stereotypes about appropriate fields for men and women.
The Neoliberalization of Irish Higher Education under Austerity
Authors: Mercille Julien , Murphy Enda
Published: October 2015

This paper discusses the transformations that have taken place in Irish higher education under neoliberalism and, in particular, during the period of austerity since 2008. We adopt a critical political economic framework conceptualizing Ireland as a prototypical neoliberal state and maintain that the period of economic crisis since 2008 has witnessed a deepening of neoliberalism. We argue that restructuring in the education sector has been shaped by forces originating from the European Union, global institutions, as well as from the interests of Irish political and economic elites. We examine several aspects of the neoliberalization of the education sector, including privatization, commercialization, labor casualization and the erosion of work conditions. Empirically, the paper synthesizes and conceptualizes available data on neoliberalism and higher education in Ireland. Theoretically, it presents a useful framework to investigate similar cases in other countries.
Ten-year disease burden of acute poisonings in northeast Iran and estimations for national rates
Authors: Asadi R , Afshari R
Published: October 2015

Background:

Acute poisoning is a common health problem worldwide. Traditionally, the frequency of admitted cases, number of deaths or online resources were used to measure the volume of this problem. In this study, the burden of acute poisoning is addressed for the first time.

Methods:

Data related to 44,340 poisoned patients from 2004 to 2013 were analysed. Two sources including hospital information and forensic medicine data of the Khorasan Razavi catchment area. The disability-adjusted life years (DALY) method – including years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) – was used to estimate the burden.

Results:

In this period and for all acute poisonings, the mean (SD, minimum–maximum) incidence of acute poisoning was 30,485 (3049 per year). In total, 29,208 DALY were lost, including 8499 YLD and 20,709 YLL. DALY have increased from 1808 in 2004 to 4283 in 2013. Among the total DALY over this 10-year period, 17,592 (60%) were related to males. Narcotic use accounted for the largest percentage of DALY (19.6%), followed by analgesics–sedative use (16.3%) and illegal drug use (11.41%). The health loss due to these causes was large (YLD = 8499 and YLL = 20,709) and showed a rapidly increasing trend.

Conclusions:

Estimating DALY is more informative than using the frequency of death. If we expect the same ratio in the country, we would expect a DALY rate of 729,750 years for the 75,000,000 inhabitants of this country in this time period or 72,975 DALY lost per year for poisonings.
Biogenetic Explanations of Mental Disorder
Authors: Haslam Nick , Kvaale Erlend P.
Published: October 2015

Biogenetic explanations of mental disorder are increasingly prominent. However, they have decidedly mixed implications for how affected persons are perceived. We review evidence of these mixed blessings from three perspectives: how people with mental disorders are viewed by the public, by themselves, and by clinicians. Although biogenetic explanations may soften public stigma by diminishing blame, they increase it by inducing pessimism, avoidance, and the belief that affected people are dangerous and unpredictable. These explanations may also induce pessimism and helplessness among affected people and reduce the empathy their treating clinicians feel for them. We interpret these findings in light of social psychology research on essentialist and mechanistic thinking.
Personality Traits in Childhood and Adolescence
Authors: Soto Christopher J. , Tackett Jennifer L.
Published: October 2015

Like adults, children and adolescents can be described in terms of personality traits: characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. We review recent research examining how youths’ specific behavioral tendencies cohere into broader traits, how these traits develop across childhood and adolescence, and how they relate to important biological, social, and health outcomes. We conclude that there are both key similarities and key differences between youth and adult personality traits, that youths’ personality traits help shape the course of their lives, and that a full understanding of youth personality traits will require additional research at the intersection of personality, developmental, and clinical psychology.
New Light on the Mind’s Eye
Authors: Mathôt Sebastiaan , Van der Stigchel Stefan
Published: October 2015

The eye’s pupils constrict (shrink) in brightness and dilate (expand) in darkness. The pupillary light response was historically considered a low-level reflex without any cognitive component. Here, we review recent studies that have dramatically changed this view: The light response depends not only on a stimulus’s brightness but also on whether you are aware of the stimulus, whether you are paying attention to it, and even whether you are thinking about it. We highlight the link between the pupillary light response and eye-movement preparation: When you intend to look at a bright stimulus, a pupillary constriction is prepared along with the eye movement before the eyes set in motion. This preparation allows the pupil to rapidly change its size as your eyes move from bright to dark objects and back again. We discuss the implications of these recent advances for our understanding of the subtle yet important role that pupillary responses play in vision.
Chimpanzee Cognitive Control
Authors: Beran Michael J.
Published: October 2015

Cognitive-control processes are a feature of human cognition. Recent comparative tests have shown that some nonhuman animals might share aspects of cognitive control with humans. Two of the executive processes that constitute cognitive control are metacognition and self-control; here, recent experiments with chimpanzees are described that demonstrated metacognitive monitoring and control when these animals engaged in an information-seeking task. Chimpanzees also showed strategic responding in a self-control task by exhibiting self-distraction as an aid to delay of gratification. These demonstrations indicate continuity with similar human cognitive capacities, and the performances of chimpanzees in these kinds of tests have implications for considering the nature of the intelligence of these animals and the evolution of human cognition.
(Baby)Talk to Me
Authors: Golinkoff Roberta Michnick , Can Dilara Deniz , Soderstrom Melanie , Hirsh-Pasek Kathy
Published: October 2015

Since the mid-20th century, scientists have observed unique features in speech, facial expression, and content directed to infants and toddlers in comparison to speech directed to adults. Whereas much research has studied the characteristics of so-called infant-directed speech and speculated about its significance for language learning, research directly testing these ideas has been more limited until recently. Studies now suggest that infant-directed speech (a) promotes infant attention to language, (b) fosters social interaction between infants and caregivers, and (c) informs infants about various aspects of their native language by heightening distinctions relative to the speech addressed to adults. New developments focusing on the social role of infant-directed conversational interactions highlight the importance of caregiver responsiveness to the infant. Building a communicative foundation even prior to the time language emerges is crucial for fostering language development.
Technological advances in bovine mastitis diagnosis
Authors: Duarte Carla M. , Freitas Paulo P. , Bexiga Ricardo
Published: October 2015

Bovine mastitis is an economic burden for dairy farmers and preventive control measures are crucial for the sustainability of any dairy business. The identification of etiological agents is necessary in controlling the disease, reducing risk of chronic infections and targeting antimicrobial therapy. The suitability of a detection method for routine diagnosis depends on several factors, including specificity, sensitivity, cost, time in producing results, and suitability for large-scale sampling of milk. This article focuses on current methodologies for identification of mastitis pathogens and for detection of inflammation, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different methods. Emerging technologies, such as transcriptome and proteome analyses and nano- and microfabrication of portable devices, offer promising, sensitive methods for advanced detection of mastitis pathogens and biomarkers of inflammation. The demand for alternative, fast, and reliable diagnostic procedures is rising as farms become bigger. Several examples of technological and scientific advances are summarized which have given rise to more sensitive, reliable and faster diagnostic results.
Severe Mycoplasma bovis outbreak in an Austrian dairy herd
Authors: Pothmann Harald , Spergser Joachim , Elmer Josef , Prunner Isabella , Iwersen Michael , Klein-Jöbstl Daniela , Drillich Marc
Published: October 2015

A conventional dairy farm, housing 19 Austrian Simmental cows, experienced a spontaneous outbreak of a Mycoplasma bovis infection, showing severe clinical signs of respiratory tract disease, clinical mastitis, and tremendous drop in milk production. Despite intensive therapy, 5 cows died within 2 weeks or were euthanized. From the remaining cows, bacteriological culture and polymerase chain reaction revealed M. bovis in 10 of 14 milk samples. Mycoplasma bovis was found in 1 of 5 randomly collected nasal swabs. Autopsy of 1 cow revealed infection of the lungs and the udder with M. bovis. The 13 M. bovis isolates from milk samples, nasal swabs, lungs, and udder were genotyped by multilocus variable number of tandem-repeat analysis, and indicated that described infections were caused by a single M. bovis strain. The virulent M. bovis strain resulted in dramatic economic loss to the farmer. To control the disease, culling of all animals, including heifers and calves, was recommended, and strict hygienic measures were implemented before introducing new animals to the farm.
The Shame and Guilt Scales of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect–Adolescent (TOSCA-A): Factor Structure, Concurrent and Discriminant Validity, and Measurement and Structural Invariance Across Ratings of Males and Females
Authors: Watson Shaun , Gomez Rapson , Gullone Eleonora
Published: October 2015

This study examined various psychometric properties of the items comprising the shame and guilt scales of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect–Adolescent. A total of 563 adolescents (321 females and 242 males) completed these scales, and also measures of depression and empathy. Confirmatory factor analysis provided support for an oblique two-factor model, with the originally proposed shame and guilt items comprising shame and guilt factors, respectively. Also, shame correlated with depression positively and had no relation with empathy. Guilt correlated with depression negatively and with empathy positively. Thus, there was support for the convergent and discriminant validity of the shame and guilt factors. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis comparing females and males, based on the chi-square difference test, supported full metric invariance, the intercept invariance of 26 of the 30 shame and guilt items, and higher latent mean scores among females for both shame and guilt. Comparisons based on the difference in root mean squared error of approximation values supported full measurement invariance and no gender difference for latent mean scores. The psychometric and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Machine Translation Discussed With Young People
Authors: Torres-Hostench Olga , Aguilar-Amat Anna , Cid-Leal Pilar
Published: October 2015

The aim of the Fira de Recerca en Directe 2015 (Live Research Fair) held at the Barcelona science museum CosmoCaixa is to encourage young people in our country to take up scientific careers. At each stand, students were presented with a scientific enigma and were encouraged to find the answer to it through conversations with researchers and through experiments using laboratory equipment. At the Tradumàtica Research Group’s stand, we presented research we have been carrying out in Machine Translation (MT) and MT postediting. Traditionally, scientific outreach programs have a unidirectional format from researchers to the citizenry. However, our experiences at the Fair on the perception young people have of MT clearly show a bidirectional interaction between researchers and the young people, and this experience helped us come up with ideas to improve our research.
Young Children in Intractable Conflicts
Authors: Nasie Meytal , Diamond Aurel Harrison , Bar-Tal Daniel
Published: October 2015

The article examines the political socialization of young Jewish-Israeli children who live under the Israeli–Palestinian intractable conflict. It proposes arguments and presents empirical evidence to suggest that the way in which political socialization of young children happens in this context contributes to the development of conflict-supporting narratives of ethos of conflict and collective memory by the youngest generation. As a result, the conflict solidifies adherence to these narratives in adulthood, thereby serving as a major obstacle to the processes of peace-making and peace-building. Specifically, as evidence for showing how the political socialization works in Israel, a series of studies conducted in Israeli kindergartens and elementary schools are presented. These studies recount the contents acquired by young children, as well as contents delivered by teachers, related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. This indicates the serious consequences of acquiring conflict-supporting narratives at an early age in societies involved in intractable conflict.
Future-oriented impact assessment: Supporting strategic decision-making in complex socio-technical environments
Authors: Nieminen Mika , Hyytinen Kirsi
Published: October 2015

The article proposes a systemic and future-oriented evaluation approach designed to support decision-making in complex socio-technical environments. The approach integrates established methods of evaluation, foresight, impact assessment, system dynamic modelling and societal embedding within a single framework to provide versatile information to increase strategic intelligence in decision-making. This generic and flexible framework aims to support decision-making in various policy and decision-making situations. It is designed to meet the challenges of the changing innovation environment.
Theory in evaluation: Reducing confusion and encouraging debate
Authors: Leeuw Frans L. , Donaldson Stewart I.
Published: October 2015

One of the goals of the journal Evaluation was to advance theoretical and methodological understandings of evaluation. Twenty years later theory as understood in the field of evaluation is fragmented, a problem widely recognized in the evaluation community. The goal of this article is to make a modest contribution to clarifying this situation. We first present two typologies of evaluation theory and invite readers to join us in a discussion of the pros and cons of these typologies. We then present an impressionistic picture, mainly qualitative, of how ‘theory’ has featured in past issues of this journal. Many articles with a theoretical orientation have been published in Evaluation providing a rich though somewhat diffuse picture in which many of the types identified in our typologies are represented. Finally several suggestions are put forward to further strengthen the development of theoretical work in the evaluation profession. These are ‘theory knitting’, ‘theory layering’ and ‘theory-driven evaluation science’.
The contribution of process tracing to theory-based evaluations of complex aid instruments
Authors: Schmitt Johannes , Beach Derek
Published: October 2015

This article focuses on methodological challenges in evaluating complex program aid interventions like budget support. We show that recent innovations in process-tracing methodology can help solve the identified challenges and increase the strength of causal inference made when using case studies in demanding settings. For the specific task of evaluating the governance effectiveness of budget support interventions, we developed a more fine-grained causal mechanism for a sub-set of the comprehensive program theory of budget support. Moreover, based on the informal use of Bayesian logic, we have elaborated on how to increase the conclusiveness of empirical evidence for one part of the theorized causal mechanism. We argue that by establishing an explicit theorized mechanism prior to empirical research and by critically judging our evidence according to an informal Bayesian logic we can remedy some of the problems at hand in much case-study research and increase the inferential leverage in complex within-case evaluation studies.
Policy-oriented argumentation or ironic evaluation: A study of verbal quoting and positioning in Austrian politicians’ parliamentary debate contributions
Authors: Gruber Helmut
Published: October 2015

This article explores the different uses of forms of direct verbal quotes (whole clauses, word groups, or single words/phrases) in follow-up utterances delivered during the parliamentary debates after the inaugural speech of a new chancellor in the Austrian parliament and investigates their positioning effects for members of parliament (MPs) who have the first opportunity of publicly ‘doing being a government or opposition MP’ in the new legislative term. Representing the first public confrontation between government and opposition MPs, the debates foreshadow topical and interpersonal aspects of the political frontstage communication in the beginning legislative term. The main purpose of this article is to investigate the relations between formal properties of direct verbal quotes, recontextualization practices, their pragmatic function, and the specific aspect of the public personae speakers foreground by their use in the inaugural debates. Although direct quotations in follow-up utterances of MPs do not occur very often, the analyses demonstrate that this specific form of discourse representation deserves attention not only because it is mainly opposition MPs who use direct quotations in uptaking discourse units, but also because of the different semiotic aspects of direct quotes (symbolic, content oriented vs indexical, reported speaker typifying) which are foregrounded in the investigated recontextualization practices. These practices result in MPs’ different public self-positionings toward their role of ‘being an opposition MP’, namely, either as policy-oriented arguers or as ironic evaluators.
Effect of the size reduction on the bulk tensile and double cantilever beam specimens used in cohesive zone models
Authors: Costa M , Viana G , Canto C , da Silva LFM , Banea MD , Chaves F , Campilho RDSG , Fernandes AA
Published: October 2015

Cohesive zone elements used in finite element analysis are a reliable way to design and predict the behaviour of the joint. The characterisation of the traction separation law used in these models is done using tensile and fracture tests, and the parameters of such laws depend on humidity and temperature. Water diffusion tests are therefore necessary, which are dependent on specimen geometry, meaning a bigger specimen takes longer to fully saturate. To solve this problem and increase the efficiency of the ageing process, smaller tensile bulk and double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens are necessary. Another advantage of smaller DCB specimens is that they can be tested in smaller high-temperature chambers, where normal DCB specimens do not fit. Smaller geometries of the bulk tensile and DCB tests are analysed, and a proposed geometry for each test is shown to produce very satisfactory results, validating the use of these specimens.