bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Difference in Composite End Point of Readmission and Death Between Malnourished and Nonmalnourished Veterans Assessed Using Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Clinical Characteristics
Authors: Hiller Lynn D. , Shaw Robert F. , Fabri Peter J.
Published: September 2016

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated an association between malnutrition and poor outcomes. The primary objective of this study was to explore the difference in the composite end point of readmission rate or mortality rate between hospitalized veterans with and without malnutrition. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective chart review comparing veterans with malnutrition based on a modified version of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition consensus characteristics that used 5 of the 6 clinical characteristics to a matched control group of nonmalnourished veterans based on age, admitting service, and date of admission who were admitted between August 1, 2012, and December 1, 2014. Data were extracted from the medical record. Multivariate analysis was used to identify predictors of outcomes. Results: In total, 404 patients were included in the final analysis. All end points were found to be statistically significant. The malnourished group was more likely to meet the composite end point (odds ratio [OR], 5.3), more likely to be readmitted within 30 days (OR, 3.4), more likely to die within 90 days of discharge (OR, 5.5), and more likely to have a length of stay >7 days (OR, 4.3) compared with the nonmalnourished group. Length of stay was significantly longer in the malnourished group, 9.80 (11.5) vs 4.38 (4.5) days. Conclusion: Malnutrition was an independent risk factor for readmission within 30 days or death within 90 days of discharge. Malnourished patients had higher rates of readmission, higher mortality rates, and longer lengths of stay and were more likely to be discharged to nursing homes.
Tales of Two Cities (in the Second-Century BCE): Jerusalem and Nineveh
Authors: Dick Michael
Published: September 2016

This article reviews the two roughly contemporary deutero-canonical works from the second century BCE: the book of Judith and the book of Tobit. Both of these books agree in making Nineveh/Assyria the antagonist, even though the Medes had destroyed that city more than four hundred years before. This article proposes that Nineveh, ‘the evil city’, functions as an antipodal to the Holy City of Jerusalem. Despite the seemingly irresistible imperial power of Assyria embodied in its seventh-century capital, God's plans prophesied through the anti-Assyrian oracles of Isaiah and other prophets will not prove false. This peripeteia culminates in an eschatological New Jerusalem with its thoroughly renewed Temple for its God.
Design of double-crowned tooth geometry for spiroid gear produced by precision casting process
Authors: Bo Shen Yun , Liu Xuan , Wang Li Jun
Published: September 2016

A novel double-crowned tooth geometry is proposed by the application of ease-off topography for spiroid gear manufactured by precision casting process, with the goals of localizing the bearing contact and obtaining a perfect function of transmission errors. The modified tooth surface is applied as the reference geometry to machine the die cavity geometry that will produce such geometry of the gears. The tooth geometry of crowned gear was achieved first from a pre-designed controllable function of transmission errors along the desired contact path. Then, the desired ease-off topography along the contact line is designed and calculated computationally from the given mathematic model of surface modification. The geometry of double-crowned spiroid gear could be reconstructed by superimposing the ease off of contact line direction on the profile-crowned tooth surface. The article provides numerical examples to validate the feasibility of ease-off modification methodology that was used to produce the double-crowned tooth geometry for the gears, while tooth contact analysis is performed computationally to investigate the stability of bearing contact and function of transmission errors to alignment.
Prediction of fretting wear in aero-engine spline couplings made of 42CrMo4
Authors: Qureshi Waqar , Cura Francesca , Mura Andrea
Published: September 2016

Aero-engine spline couplings are widely used in the aero-industry to transfer torque and power. They are often subjected to fretting wear damage which results in reduced equipment life and early replacement. This work focuses on experimental investigation to be used as a basis for predicting fretting wear in spline couplings working in a misaligned condition. For this purpose tests have been performed on spline couplings under varying conditions of torque and misalignment angles. The experimental data has been used to develop empirical relations and neural-network-based approximations for the prediction of fretting wear. Though the tests have been performed specifically on spline couplings of nitrogen-hardened 42CrMo4, the findings of this work are fairly general and may be used as a quick and early design tool for spline couplings of any material owing to their straightforward and simple application.
Peter Black, Christopher Stevens, class and inequality in the Daily Mail
Authors: Toolan Michael
Published: September 2016

This article is part of a larger study of changes in British newspaper representations of wealth inequality in the United Kingdom from 1971 to the present day. Selected findings are reported from a corpus-linguistically based comparative critical discourse analysis of large samples (approximately 55,000 words each) of TV programme reviews that appeared in the Daily Mail, written by the TV critics Peter Black (in 1971) and Christopher Stevens (in 2013). Occurrences of class and its collocates and co-texts are a particular focus of attention. In Black’s reviews, it is a recurrent contemporary concern and recognised as indicative of inequality of opportunity. In Stevens’ much longer stories, class has largely disappeared from the discursive agenda of contemporary Britain and is only mentioned in relation to the past or other countries. By 2013, it seems to have become ‘natural’ not to discuss class and present-day wealth inequality in Mail TV reviews. The part-quantitative, part-qualitative methodology adopted here suggests that the tracing of something as masked as the discursive acceptance of wealth inequality must inevitably be more piecemeal and multi-factorial than other more sharply and overtly categorised forms of discrimination (based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religion, for example).
Ideology and Local Public Expenditure Priorities
Authors: Connolly Jennifer M. , Mason Dyana P.
Published: September 2016

Local governments prioritize spending on various types and levels of public services. Although scholars have shown that citizen preferences and institutional factors, such as economic, political, and legal arrangements, play a role in resource allocation, scholars have not systematically examined the impact of local elected officials’ own ideological preferences on service prioritization. A better understanding of the impact of personal ideology on local government resource allocation is needed as this provision of funds has implications for democratic governance and responsiveness. We develop and use a novel measure of local elected official ideology using a 2011 survey of California local elected officials to test the hypothesis that local decision-maker ideology affects attitudes on funding-specific service categories. We find evidence that local elected officials’ attitudes toward service reductions are associated with both their own individual ideology, measured on the conservative–liberal spectrum, and the ideology of their constituents.
Impact of a clinical pathway on appropriate empiric vancomycin use in cancer patients with febrile neutropenia
Authors: Vicente Mildred , Al-Nahedh Mohammad , Parsad Sandeep , Knoebel Randall W , Pisano Jennifer , Pettit Natasha N
Published: September 2016

Objectives

Febrile neutropenia management guidelines recommend the use of vancomycin as part of an empiric antimicrobial regimen when specific criteria are met. Often, vancomycin use among patients with febrile neutropenia is not indicated and may be over utilized for this indication. We sought to evaluate the impact of implementing a febrile neutropenia clinical pathway on empiric vancomycin use for febrile neutropenia and to identify predictors of vancomycin use when not indicated.

Methods

Adult febrile neutropenia patients who received initial therapy with an anti-pseudomonal beta-lactam with or without vancomycin were identified before (June 2008 to November 2010) and after (June 2012 to June 2013) pathway implementation. Patients were assessed for appropriateness of therapy based on whether the patient received vancomycin consistent with guideline recommendations. Using a comorbidity index used for risk assessment in high risk hematology/oncology patients, we evaluated whether specific comorbidities are associated with inappropriate vancomycin use in the setting of febrile neutropenia.

Results

A total of 206 patients were included in the pre-pathway time period with 35.9% of patients receiving vancomycin therapy that was inconsistent with the pathway. A total of 131 patients were included in the post-pathway time period with 11.4% of patients receiving vancomycin inconsistent with the pathway ( p = 0.001). None of the comorbidities assessed, nor the comorbidity index score were found to be predictors of vancomycin use inconsistent with guideline recommendations.

Conclusion

Our study has demonstrated that implementation of a febrile neutropenia pathway can significantly improve adherence to national guideline recommendations with respect to empiric vancomycin utilization for febrile neutropenia.
Reducing Surgical Site Infection with Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy After Open Abdominal Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Li P.-Y. , Yang D. , Liu D. , Sun S.-J. , Zhang L.-Y.
Published: September 2016

Background and Aims:

Surgical site infection, in particular superficial incision infection, is a common type of complication following abdominal surgery. Negative-pressure wound therapy has been confirmed to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection in various surgeries, but there are few prospective randomized studies into its application to abdominal surgery.

Material and Methods:

A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted in which patients with abdominal surgery and open surgery were randomly divided into a negative-pressure wound therapy experimental group and a gauze-covering control group. Information about demographic data, type of surgery, surgical sites, incision treatment outcomes, surgical site infection factors, and follow-up was recorded.

Results:

From May 2015 to December 2015, 71 patients were enrolled in this study, including 33 in the experimental group and 38 in the control group. There were 10 cases of incision complications, all superficial infections, with an incidence of 14.1%. The surgical site infection incidence was statistically different between the experimental and control groups (3.0% vs 23.7%, p = 0.031). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that incision length ⩾20 cm increased the surgical site infection incidence (odds ratio value of 15.576, p = 0.004) and that the application of negative-pressure wound therapy reduced the surgical site infection incidence (odds ratio value of 0.073, p = 0.029).

Conclusion:

Negative-pressure wound therapy can reduce the incidence of surgical site infection in open abdominal surgery.
An exploration of the impact of younger-onset dementia on employment
Authors: Evans David
Published: September 2016

This study explored the emergence of dementia in people who were still working. A qualitative life course approach was used to describe the experience from the onset of dementia-related symptoms to the time when the person left the workforce. The emergence of dementia at work for the participants in this study took the form of a slow transition that initially was not noticed by co-workers. It brought about subtle changes as the person became forgetful, disorganised, made mistakes and was slower. Over time the person’s job performance continued to deteriorate and others at the workplace started to realise that there was a problem. Some were seen to be poor workers and so experienced difficulties with supervisors and co-workers. Others encountered difficulties managing changing relationships at work and negotiating the complex world of the workplace. Few were able to continue working beyond their diagnosis, and several raised concerns about the lack of opportunities for people who develop dementia while still employed. Given the greater participation of older people in the workforce, findings highlight the importance of identifying and supporting workers with declining cognitive function.
Utilizing sensors networks to develop a smart and context-aware solution for people with disabilities at the workplace (design and implementation)
Authors: Kbar Ghassan , Al-Daraiseh Ahmad , Mian Syed Hammad , Abidi Mustufa Haider
Published: September 2016

The developments and improvements in human–computer interaction and information and communication technologies have resulted in innovative assistive technology (AT) solutions for the people with disabilities (PWDs). Although, there have been many new ideas and technologies for assisting the PWDs, still very few of them have considered the workplace environment. Therefore, there is a need to develop a comprehensive universal AT solution that can maximize the PWDs productivity at work. In this work, an AT and smart context-aware solution has been developed to assist the PWDs at the workplace. This has been achieved through the designing and the implementation of a smart unified interface to guide and assist the PWDs. A wireless sensor network has been employed in this context-aware smart solution in order to track and determine user’s location. The unified interface is adaptive and includes four modules that are smart helping, smart communication, smart editor, and auto emergency response. A proper AT process and technological design considerations have been adopted to achieve a comprehensive, universal, adaptive, and context-aware solution.
Male victims of domestic abuse: implications for health visiting practice
Authors: Perryman Susan M , Appleton Jane
Published: September 2016

Domestic abuse is a significant public health issue globally. Although it is recognised that both sexes may be victims of domestic abuse, the phenomenon is commonly understood from the perspective of male to female violence, supported by a substantial body of research and policy focusing on female victims of domestic abuse. However, evidence shows that significant numbers of men are victims of female-perpetrated violence, but as the issue is under-explored, the extent and effects of abuse are poorly understood. For health visitors working within communities in the United Kingdom, knowledge of all aspects of domestic abuse is vital in the delivery of evidence-based practice. A systematically conducted critical literature review aimed at establishing the current body of knowledge on male victims of domestic abuse was undertaken, and implications for health visiting practice considered. Nineteen primary research studies were included in the review. A thematic analysis identified four themes: ‘violent relationship’, ‘harms and behaviours’, ‘risk’ and ‘seeking help’. Results show that men reported being victims of female-perpetrated physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse, with some experiencing severe aggression, control and fear. Health visitors have an important role to play in influencing policy and in practice addressing the health and social care needs of male victims of domestic abuse and their families.
Physical fitness profile of competitive young soccer players: Determination of positional differences
Authors: Marques Mário C , Izquierdo Mikel , Gabbett Tim J , Travassos Bruno , Branquinho Luís , van den Tillaar Roland
Published: September 2016

The aim of this study was to compare the anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics of the different playing positions in adolescent soccer players. Furthermore, differences among playing ages (under 14, under 16, and under 18 years) were determined. One hundred and sixty-seven young male national level soccer players were tested on anthropometric characteristics and physical performance tests (30 m sprint, ball kicking, overhead medicine ball throw, and countermovement jump). The results demonstrated differences in anthropometric characteristics between positions ( p < 0.05). Differences were also found in the physical performance tests; forwards performed better in the throwing, countermovement jump, and sprint tests than defenders. Midfielders demonstrated greater countermovement jump performances than right defenders. Our results highlight that there is an influence of playing position on the anthropometric and physical qualities in adolescent players. This emphasizes the importance of evaluating the physical profile of players and their development according to playing age and playing position.
Pot/Lid Illusion
Authors: Mastandrea Stefano , Kennedy John M.
Published: September 2016

A new everyday visual size illusion is presented—the Pot/Lid illusion. Observers choose an unduly large lid for a pot. We ask whether the optic slant of the pot brim would increase its apparent size or if vision underestimates the size of tilted lids.
A novel purgative protocol for capsule endoscopy of the small bowel produces better quality of visibility than 2 l of PEG: Timing is of the essence
Authors: Adler Samuel N , Farkash Shai , Sompolinsky Yishai , Gafanovich Inna , Goldin Eran , Bar‐Gil Shitrit Ariella
Published: September 2016

Introduction

The ideal way of preparing patients for small‐bowel capsule endoscopy has been controversial. Previous studies have shown that ingestion of 2 l of polyethylenglycol (PEG) 12 hours prior to capsule ingestion leads to improved visibility in comparison to no preparation at all. We speculated that using a post‐ingestion (PI), booster‐based cleansing protocol might provide an alternative to the PEG cleansing protocol.

Methods

This randomized, blinded, prospective study enrolled 45 individuals. Patients were allocated to either of two groups. The PEG group ingested 2 l PEG 12 hours prior to the exam (n  = 22) and the PI group ingested one sachet of Picolax® dissolved in 250 ml of water one hour after swallowing the capsule with 500 ml of water (n  = 18). Primary endpoints were overall small bowel and distal third of small bowel cleansing levels. Secondary endpoints were average gastric and small‐bowel transit time.

Results

Forty‐five patients participated in this study. Five individuals were excluded because of incomplete study. Percentage of patients with adequate visibility in the distal third of the small bowel in the PEG group was 9% vs 72% in the PI group (p  < 0.0001). Average gastric time and total transit time were shorter in the PI group vs the PEG group (p  = 0.0065).

Conclusion

Timing of ingestion of the Picolax® purgative 60 minutes after swallowing the capsule endoscopy delivers better visibility in the distal third of the small bowel than the accepted cleansing protocol of ingesting 2 l PEG 12 hours prior to the capsule endoscopy procedure.
When Social Constraints Increase Trust
Authors: Robbins Blaine G.
Published: September 2016

The degree to which social constraints promote or undermine trust remains unknown. One classic perspective suggests that trust blossoms in the presence of social constraints, while another influential school of thought proposes that social constraints wither trust. The author integrates both traditions and proposes a model whereby social constraints increase trust, but only to the extent that individuals attribute another’s perceived trustworthiness to the situation. As individuals increasingly attribute another’s perceived trustworthiness to dispositional factors, the positive effect of social constraints on trust declines and approaches zero. The author addresses this debate and tests the model by designing two novel survey experiments of simulated car repair and group project scenarios. Findings from two large crowdsourced samples support the model. Implications for existing theory and future research are discussed.
Periodontal regeneration in swine after cell injection and cell sheet transplantation of human dental pulp stem cells following good manufacturing practice
Authors: Hu Jingchao , Cao Yu , Xie Yilin , Wang Hua , Fan Zhipeng , Wang Jinsong , Zhang Chunmei , Wang Jinsong , Wu Chu-tse , Wang Songlin
Published: September 2016

Background

Periodontitis, one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in humans, results in the destruction of tooth-supporting tissues. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of cell injection and cell sheet transplantation on periodontal regeneration in a swine model.

Methods

In the present study, human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were transplanted into a swine model for periodontal regeneration. Twelve miniature pigs were used to generate periodontitis with bone defects of 5 mm in width, 7 mm in length, and 3 mm in depth. hDPSCs were obtained for bone regeneration using cell injection or cell sheet transplantation. After 12 weeks, clinical, radiological, and histological assessments of regenerated periodontal tissues were performed to compare periodontal regeneration treated with xenogeneic cell injection and cell sheet implantation.

Results

Our study showed that translating hDPSCs into this large animal model could significantly improve periodontal bone regeneration and soft tissue healing. After 12 weeks, both the hDPSC sheet treatment and hDPSC injection significantly improved periodontal tissue healing clinically in comparison with the control group. The volume of regenerative bone in the hDPSC sheet group (52.7 ± 4.1 mm3) was significantly larger than in the hDPSC injection group (32.4 ± 5.1 mm3) (P < 0.05). The percentage of bone in the periodontium in the hDPSC injection group was 12.8 ± 4.4 %, while it was 17.4 ± 5.3 % in the hDPSC sheet group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Both hDPSC injection and cell sheet transplantation significantly regenerated periodontal bone in swine. The hDPSC sheet had more bone regeneration capacity compared with hDPSC injection.
Effects of matrix metalloproteinases on the fate of mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Almalki Sami G. , Agrawal Devendra K.
Published: September 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have great potential as a source of cells for cell-based therapy because of their ability for self-renewal and differentiation into functional cells. Moreover, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have a critical role in the differentiation of MSCs into different lineages. MSCs also interact with exogenous MMPs at their surface, and regulate the pericellular localization of MMP activities. The fate of MSCs is regulated by specific MMPs associated with a key cell lineage. Recent reports suggest the integration of MMPs in the differentiation, angiogenesis, proliferation, and migration of MSCs. These interactions are not fully understood and warrant further investigation, especially for their application as therapeutic tools to treat different diseases. Therefore, overexpression of a single MMP or tissue-specific inhibitor of metalloproteinase in MSCs may promote transdifferentiation into a specific cell lineage, which can be used for the treatment of some diseases. In this review, we critically discuss the identification of various MMPs and the signaling pathways that affect the differentiation, migration, angiogenesis, and proliferation of MSCs.
Secreted trophic factors of mesenchymal stem cells support neurovascular and musculoskeletal therapies
Authors: Hofer Heidi R. , Tuan Rocky S.
Published: September 2016

Adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a subject of intense experimental and biomedical interest. Recently, trophic activities of MSCs have become the topic of a number of revealing studies that span both basic and clinical fields. In this review, we focus on recent investigations that have elucidated trophic mechanisms and shed light on MSC clinical efficacy relevant to musculoskeletal applications. Innate differences due to MSC sourcing may play a role in the clinical utility of isolated MSCs. Pain management, osteochondral, nerve, or blood vessel support by MSCs derived from both autologous and allogeneic sources have been examined. Recent mechanistic insights into the trophic activities of these cells point to ultimate regulation by nitric oxide, nuclear factor-kB, and indoleamine, among other signaling pathways. Classic growth factors and cytokines—such as VEGF, CNTF, GDNF, TGF-β, interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8), and C-C ligands (CCL-2, CCL-5, and CCL-23)—serve as paracrine control molecules secreted or packaged into extracellular vesicles, or exosomes, by MSCs. Recent studies have also implicated signaling by microRNAs contained in MSC-derived exosomes. The response of target cells is further regulated by their microenvironment, involving the extracellular matrix, which may be modified by MSC-produced matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of MMPs. Trophic activities of MSCs, either resident or introduced exogenously, are thus intricately controlled, and may be further fine-tuned via implant material modifications. MSCs are actively being investigated for the repair and regeneration of both osteochondral and other musculoskeletal tissues, such as tendon/ligament and meniscus. Future rational and effective MSC-based musculoskeletal therapies will benefit from better mechanistic understanding of MSC trophic activities, for example using analytical “-omics” profiling approaches.
Draft genome sequence of Thermoactinomyces sp. strain AS95 isolated from a Sebkha in Thamelaht, Algeria
Authors: Bezuidt Oliver K. I. , Gomri Mohamed A. , Pierneef Rian , Van Goethem Marc W. , Kharroub Karima , Cowan Don A. , Makhalanyane Thulani P.
Published: September 2016

The members of the genus Thermoactinomyces are known for their protein degradative capacities. Thermoactinomyces sp. strain AS95 is a Gram-positive filamentous bacterium, isolated from moderately saline water in the Thamelaht region of Algeria. This isolate is a thermophilic aerobic bacterium with the capacity to produce extracellular proteolytic enzymes. This strain exhibits up to 99 % similarity with members of the genus Thermoactinomyces, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Here we report on the phenotypic features of Thermoactinomyces sp. strain AS95 together with the draft genome sequence and its annotation. The genome of this strain is 2,558,690 bp in length (one chromosome, but no plasmid) with an average G + C content of 47.95 %, and contains 2550 protein-coding and 60 RNA genes together with 64 ORFs annotated as proteases.
Wet and gassy zones in a municipal landfill from P- and S-wave velocity fields
Authors: Konstantaki Laura Amalia , Ghose Ranajit , Draganov Deyan , Heimovaara Timo
Published: September 2016

The knowledge of the distribution of leachate and gas in a municipal landfill is of vital importance to the landfill operators performing improved landfill treatments and for environmental protection and efficient biogas extraction. We have explored the potential of using the velocity fields of seismic S- and P-waves to delineate the wet and gassy (relatively dry, gas/air-filled) zones inside a landfill. We have analyzed shallow S- and P-wave reflection data and seismic surface-wave data acquired at a very heterogeneous landfill site, where biogas was extracted. A joint interpretation of the independently estimated velocity fields from these various approaches has allowed us to localize anomalously low- and high-velocity zones in the landfill. From the complementary information provided by P- and S-wave velocity fields, we have inferred the leachate-bearing wet zones and the gassy zones inside the landfill. Independent measurements of gas flow and mechanical tip resistance to waste deformation validate our seismic interpretations.
Pathways to sympathies for violent protest and terrorism
Authors: Bhui Kamaldeep , Silva Maria Joao , Topciu Raluca A. , Jones Edgar
Published: September 2016

Background

Radicalisation is proposed to explain why some individuals begin to support and take part in violent extremism. However, there is little empirical population research to inform prevention, and insufficient attention to the role of psychiatric vulnerabilities.

Aims

To test the impact of depressive symptoms, adverse life events and political engagement on sympathies for violent protest and terrorism (SVPT).

Method

A cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of Pakistani and Bangladeshi men and women from two English cities. Weighted, multivariable, logistic regression yielded population estimates of association (odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals) against a binary outcome of SVPT derived from a three-group solution following cluster analysis.

Results

Depressive symptoms were associated with a higher risk of SVPT (OR = 2.59, 95% CI 1.59–4.23,P<0.001), but mediated little of the overall effects of life events and political engagement, which were associated with a lower risk of SVPT (death of a close friend: OR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.07–0.74; donating money to a charity: OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.3–0.9).

Conclusions

Independent of SVPT associations with depressive symptoms, some expressions of social connectedness (measured as life events and political engagement) are associated with a lower risk of SVPT.
Anaphase asymmetry and dynamic repositioning of the division plane during maize meiosis
Authors: Nannas Natalie J. , Higgins David M. , Dawe R. Kelly
Published: September 2016

The success of an organism is contingent upon its ability to transmit genetic material through meiotic cell division. In plant meiosis I, the process begins in a large spherical cell without physical cues to guide the process. Yet, two microtubule-based structures, the spindle and phragmoplast, divide the chromosomes and the cell with extraordinary accuracy. Using a live-cell system and fluorescently labeled spindles and chromosomes, we found that the process self- corrects as meiosis proceeds. Metaphase spindles frequently initiate division off-center, and in these cases anaphase progression is asymmetric with the two masses of chromosomes traveling unequal distances on the spindle. The asymmetry is compensatory, such that the chromosomes on the side of the spindle that is farthest from the cell cortex travel a longer distance at a faster rate. The phragmoplast forms at an equidistant point between the telophase nuclei rather than at the original spindle mid-zone. This asymmetry in chromosome movement implies a structural difference between the two halves of a bipolar spindle and could allow meiotic cells to dynamically adapt to errors in metaphase and accurately divide the cell volume.
Flying high: Limits to flight performance by sparrows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Sun Yan-Feng , Ren Zhi-Peng , Wu Yue-Feng , Lei Fu-Min , Dudley Robert , Li Dong-Ming
Published: September 2016

Limits to flight performance at high altitude potentially reflect variable constraints deriving from the simultaneous challenges of hypobaric, hypodense, and cold air. Differences in flight-related morphology and maximum lifting capacity have been well characterized for different hummingbird species across elevational gradients, but relevant within-species variation has not yet been identified in any bird species. Here we evaluate load-lifting capacity for Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) populations at three different elevations in China, and correlate maximum lifted loads with relevant anatomical features including wing shape, wing size and heart and lung masses. Sparrows were heavier and possessed more rounded and longer wings at higher elevations; relative heart and lung masses were also greater with altitude, although relative flight muscle mass remained constant. By contrast, maximum lifting capacity relative to body weight declined over the same elevational range, while the effective wing loading in flight (i.e., the ratio of body weight and maximum lifted weight to total wing area) remained constant, suggesting aerodynamic constraints on performance in parallel with enhanced heart and lung masses to offset hypoxic challenge. Mechanical limits to takeoff performance may thus be exacerbated at higher elevations, which may in turn result in behavioral differences in escape responses among populations.
BRAND EQUITY: COMPORTAMENTO DO CONSUMIDOR PERANTE AS MARCAS DA DISTRIBUIÇÃO
Authors: Sousa Daniela Alexandra da Costa , Coelho Arnaldo , Bairrada Cristela Maia
Published: September 2016

O tema do brand equity não só é relevante para as organizações como também oferece um conjunto vasto de vantagens para o próprio consumidor. O objetivo central desta pesquisa passa por estudar as variáveis que mais contribuem para a sua formação e, ao mesmo tempo, estudar o impacto do brand equity na intenção de compra e no word-of-mouth (WOM). Para os devidos efeitos, foi realizada uma pesquisa de índole quantitativa por meio de um questionário estruturado, baseado em uma amostra de 237 inquiridos com idade superior a 18 anos. Feita a análise estatística, as variáveis price deals, identificação com a marca, confiança na marca foram as que apresentaram um impacto positivo total nas variáveis respeitantes à construção do brand equity: qualidade percebida, lealdade e brand awareness. Já estas dimensões do brand equity parecem ter um impacto positivo no word-of-mouth e a dimensão brand awareness tem um impacto positivo na intenção de compra. Por fim, a intenção de compra tem um impacto positivo no WOM.
Regional Studies As Means of Patriotic Education of Younger Schoolchildren
Authors: Курочкина  , Kurochkina I.
Published: September 2016

The article considers the use of materials for regional studies in the process of supplementary education materials for the purpose of patriotic

education of younger schoolchildren. Recommendations on specific topics and content of lessons in a study group on Moscow studies are given,

that introduce primary schoolchildren with the history of his native land, expanding their understanding of the national culture and traditions.
Scientific and Methodical Aspects of Development of Culture of Leisure Activity of Younger Schoolchildren
Authors: Ежкова  , Ezhkova N.
Published: September 2016

The article considers in the scientific and methodological aspects the ways of organizing of leisure activity of younger schoolchildren in after-hour

time, laying the foundations of its culture. The kinds of leisure activities are characterized. The requirements for the organization of this process,

for creating the conditions for a comprehensive and full development of younger schoolchildren in the course of extracurricular activities are

given.
Factors of Development of Primary Education and Their Measurement Methods in the West
Authors: Писарева  , Pisareva L.
Published: September 2016

The article reveals the peculiarities of education in pre-school and primary link in the Western countries (primarily in Germany): positive and negative influences on the development and quality of primary education, methods of its estimation are analyzed. The criteria of readiness of children for the transition from preschool to elementary school are described. The general and the particular in the primary education system of various countries of the West are given.
The Role of Managerial Ability in Corporate Tax Avoidance
Authors: Koester Allison , Shevlin Terry , Wangerin Daniel
Published: September 2016

Most prior studies model tax avoidance as a function of firm-level characteristics and do not consider how individual executive characteristics affect tax avoidance. This paper investigates whether executives with superior ability to efficiently manage corporate resources engage in greater tax avoidance. Our results show that moving from the lower to upper quartile of managerial ability is associated with a 3.15% (2.50%) reduction in a firm’s one-year (five-year) cash effective tax rate. We examine how higher-ability managers reduce income tax payments and find that they engage in greater state tax planning activities, shift more income to foreign tax havens, make more research and development credit claims, and make greater investments in assets that generate accelerated depreciation deductions. Identifying a manager characteristic related to firms’ tax policy decisions adds to our understanding of the factors that explain the substantial variation in corporate income tax payments across firms.

This paper was accepted by Mary Barth, accounting.
Strategic Communication for Capacity Alignment with Pricing in a Supply Chain
Authors: Chu Leon Yang , Shamir Noam , Shin Hyoduk
Published: September 2016

We study a supply chain comprised of a retailer who sources a product from a manufacturer. The retailer has superior forecast information about market demand, and the manufacturer builds the capacity and sets the wholesale price prior to demand realization. We explore forecast information sharing between the retailer and the manufacturer by means of cheap talk. We show that meaningful forecast information can be shared truthfully only before the manufacturer sets both the capacity and the wholesale price. By sharing the demand forecast with the manufacturer, the retailer faces the trade-offs between inflating the forecast to convince the manufacturer to increase capacity and deflating the forecast to persuade the manufacturer to offer a lower wholesale price. When the value of forecast information sharing is high, the trade-offs are balanced, and incentives are aligned, leading to truthful information sharing. Moreover, we find that larger demand uncertainty can promote credible information sharing and, surprisingly, can benefit both firms. Finally, we demonstrate that under general distributions, in equilibrium, firms share forecasts as a form of range/interval, which has been also implemented in practice.

This paper was accepted by Yossi Aviv, operations management.
Evolution Cum Agency: Toward a Model of Strategic Foresight
Authors: Gavetti Giovanni , Menon Anoop
Published: September 2016

This study examines the origin of the strategic innovation that changed the face of financial services—Charles Merrill’s financial supermarket business model—through three well-known and largely juxtaposed conceptual models of strategic foresight. Our study, whose purpose, business historical focus, and structure mirrors Graham Allison’s famous “Conceptual Models of the Cuban Missile Crisis,” allows us to make three contributions. First, it sharpens our understanding of the models we used in the study. Second, it provides the foundations of an integrated view and model of strategic foresight that suggests disciplined strategic foresight is possible, understandable, and replicable within some precise boundaries. Finally, it suggests directions for future behavioral strategy work.
The effectiveness of laser therapy on the management of chronic low back pain
Authors: Poon Tsz Hin , Carus Catherine
Published: September 2016

Background/Aims:

Chronic low back pain is a global musculoskeletal challenge, resulting in pain and disability on individuals. Laser therapy can be used to treat chronic low back pain. This review evaluates the effectiveness of laser therapy including high level laser therapy (HLLT) and low level laser therapy (LLLT) on chronic low back pain in relation to pain or functional disability.

Methods:

The authors conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED and PEDro from their start to June 2015. All studies that met predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria were appraised with The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools in June 2015.

Results:

Six RCTs met the inclusion criteria: two RCTs reported significant improvement in pain and functional disability with the use of HLLT but with a small sample size (n=103); one RCT (n=61) reported significant improvement and three RCTs (n=215) reported insignificant improvement in pain and functional disability with the use of LLLT.

Conclusions:

On the strength of the evidence available, HLLT and LLLT are not currently recommended to be replaced or be offered in addition to conventional treatment. Further rigorous research is required to confirm the potential use of laser therapy on individuals presenting with chronic low back pain.
Honey for wound care in the 21st century
Authors: Cooper R
Published: September 2016

This review is written in memory of Professor Peter Molan, who published a paper in the Journal of Wound Care in 1999 describing the therapeutic properties of honey in relation to wound care. It provides an update to show how our understanding of the mode of action of honey has changed within the past 17 years.
Clinical investigation of biofilm in non-healing wounds by high resolution microscopy techniques
Authors: Hurlow J. , Blanz E. , Gaddy J.A.
Published: September 2016

Objective:

The aim of this study was to analyse wound biofilm from a clinical perspective. Research has shown that biofilm is the preferred microbial phenotype in health and disease and is present in a majority of chronic wounds. Biofilm has been linked to chronic wound inflammation, impairment in granulation tissue and epithelial migration, yet there lacks the ability to confirm the clinical presence of biofilm. This study links the clinical setting with microscopic laboratory confirmation of the presence of biofilm in carefully selected wound debridement samples.

Method:

Human wound debridement samples were collected from adult patients with chronic non-healing wounds who presented at the wound care centre. Sample choice was guided by an algorithm that was developed based on what is known about the characteristics of wound biofilm. The samples were then evaluated by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy for the presence of biofilm. Details about subject history and treatment were recorded. Adherence to biofilm-based wound care (BBWC) strategies was inconsistent. Other standard antimicrobial dressings were used and no modern antiseptic wound dressings with the addition of proven antibiofilm agents were available for use.

Results:

Of the patients recruited, 75% of the macroscopic samples contained biofilm despite the prior use of modern antiseptic wound dressings and in some cases, systemic antibiotics. Wounds found to contain biofilm were not all acutely infected but biofilm was present when infection was noted. The clinical histories associated with positive samples were consistent with ideas presented in the algorithm used to guide sample selection.

Conclusion:

Visual cues can be used by the clinician to guide suspicion of the presence of wound biofilm. This suspicion can be further enhanced with the use of a clinical algorithm. Standard antiseptic wound dressings used in this study demonstrated limited antibiofilm efficacy. This study also highlighted a need for the clinical team to focus on expiration of dressing action and consistent practice of BBWC strategies which includes the use of proven antibiofilm agents.
Representations of disability in Turkish television health shows: Neo-liberal articulations of family, religion and the medical approach
Authors: Bezmez Dikmen , Bulut Ergin
Published: September 2016

This article investigates representations of disability in Turkish television shows on health in their relation to the hegemonic ideologies that shape and are reproduced by them. Three categories emerge: disability as a familial, religious and medical issue. Respectively, each category is moulded by and perpetuates a patriarchal motherhood discourse, an Islamic ethos, and a medical approach. These interrelate with the overarching disabling and neo-liberal ideologies and produce contradictory representations – e.g. disability is represented as curable, but also left to God’s will. This relates to the particularities of Turkey, defined by Islamic leanings towards disability, accompanied by neo-liberalism and cultural conservatism.
‘I Have a Drone’: Internet memes and the politics of culture
Authors: Howley Kevin
Published: September 2016

Comparisons between slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr and US President Barack Obama are commonplace in news and political discourse. This article takes up this comparison by way of a critical analysis of an Internet meme that emerged at the time of Obama’s second inauguration. Specifically, it analyses the ‘I Have a Drone’ meme – an unusually provocative example of digital culture that calls out Barack Obama on his targeted killing programme – with an eye towards better understanding the role political memes play in the compression of complex ideas into smaller packets, and the implications thereof for public discourse and political engagement. This discussion is located in relation to contemporary theorizing on Internet memes, with an emphasis on the cultural politics enacted within and through this emergent form of participatory culture. Throughout, it is argued that the ‘I Have a Drone’ meme challenges the rhetorical equivalence between the two African American leaders, thereby registering and articulating popular opposition to Obama’s drone wars. Doing so, this article highlights the creative and incisive fashion in which activists, graphic artists and others appropriate, challenge and reconfigure news and political discourse in digital space.
Linha de Cascais: muito mais do que uma via-férrea turística, um estímulo à concentração populacional na faixa costeira por ela servida (1911-1944)
Authors: Paulino Joana Catarina Vieira
Published: September 2016

A linha de Cascais, construída no final do século XIX e tendo, inicialmente, um fito turístico, de veraneio e prática de banhos, acabou por se revelar uma via-férrea que promoveu a concentração de população de facto no espaço suburbano e rural por ela servido, nomeadamente, entre Algés e Cascais. Cabe, neste estudo; verificar: qual o alcance da influência do caminho-de-ferro; quais as povoações que, em termos demográficos, se destacavam e se estas já tinham alguma importância anterior, em termos de quantitativos populacionais e sectores de actividade a elas associados; e, para finalizar, qual o carácter de ocupação da faixa costeira pela população, nomeadamente, se é contínuo ou descontínuo. Visa-se, assim, à luz da presença do caminho-de-ferro (e, nos anos 20 do século XX, mediante a sua electrificação, que constituiu um estímulo e um factor atractivo), estudar o processo de suburbanização da cidade de Lisboa para Oeste, junto à zona ribeirinha, o qual, alguns anos mais tarde, originou a formação de parte integrante da Área Metropolitana de Lisboa.
O território português nos inícios do século XIV. Espaço e narrativa nos relatos do reinado de D. Dinis
Authors: Valdaliso Covadonga
Published: September 2016

Pretende-se neste artigo analisar a imagem do território político português na primeira metade do século XIV a partir da análise de três textos narrativos escritos no período que relatam o reinado de D. Dinis: a Vida e milagres de Dona Isabel, o Título VII do Livro de Linhagens do Conde Dom Pedro e o capítulo DCCXIX da Crónica de Espanha de 1344. Parte-se da ideia de que estas fontes fornecem dados conscientes, e portanto criam um território simbólico, condicionado pela intencionalidade dos escritos e com uma funcionalidade narrativa e política.