bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weaning children off enteral nutrition by netcoaching versus onsite treatment: A comparative study
Authors: Marinschek Sabine , Dunitz‐Scheer Marguerite , Pahsini Karoline , Geher Birgit , Scheer Peter
Published: June 2014

Aim

The Graz model of tube weaning has been internationally recognised as a successful and rapid tube weaning program. Beside the onsite treatment option, a telemedical counselling was specifically developed in 2009. This study aims to show outcomes of this newly invented treatment in a large sample of patients.

Methods

Our retrospective open‐label study compared success of onsite versus telemedical Graz‐based weaning methods for patients with diverse clinical diagnoses with either nasogastric, gastric or jejunal tubes. Outcome variables were successful transition to oral feeds, partial transition to night tube feeds, and failure or interruption of intervention. Patients and physicians chose the intervention method.

Results

Complete weaning was achieved in 153 of 169 (90.5%) children in the netcoaching group versus 170 of 209 (81.3%) of those opting for onsite treatment (no significant differences, P > 0.05). Higher partial weaning rates were observed in the onsite group (15.3% vs. 4.7%, P < 0.01, degrees of freedom = 3, χ2 = 22.76). There were no significant differences regarding the outcomes ‘weaning trial without success’ (netcoaching: 0% vs. onsite: 2.9%, P > 0.05) and ‘interruption of programme’ (netcoaching: 4.7% vs. onsite: 0.5%, P > 0.05) between the two groups.

Conclusion

Despite limitations of study design, we have demonstrated similar efficacy of Graz‐based less expensive netcoaching versus more expensive onsite intervention in a large referral population with chronic tube dependency with the majority transitioning to complete oral feeds.
Identification of New Sources of Resistance to Septoria Tritici Blotch Caused by Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Mehrabi Rahim , Makhdoomi Amin , Jafar‐Aghaie Mohammad
Published: June 2014

Twenty‐nine synthetic hexaploid wheats (SHWs) were evaluated for resistance to five isolates of Zymoseptoria tritici, a devastating wheat pathogen worldwide. The five Z. tritici isolates varied in their virulence spectra towards wheat genotypes, indicating that they have distinct set of avirulence genes. New isolate‐specific resistances were identified that could be used in wheat breeding programmes. Comparing with the previous studies, the number of specific resistances identified in this study is considerable. Among 150 interactions, 78 isolate‐specific resistances were identified. Interestingly, 21 wheat genotypes showed specific responses to one or more isolates tested. Of these, 12 genotypes were highly resistant to all isolates, indicating that they possess known or novel effective resistance genes. The Stb15 and Stb16/Stb17 are effective resistance genes towards isolates used in this study, indicating that the conferred resistance in these genotypes is due to the presence of either of these genes in combination or individually. Alternatively, they may carry novel broad‐spectrum resistance gene(s) that their identification is of interest. Our data suggest that the presence of complete resistance to various Z. tritici isolates in SHWs justifies the need for more in‐depth research to characterize the likely novel genes.
Systematic classification of tablet disintegrants by water uptake and force development kinetics
Authors: Quodbach Julian , Kleinebudde Peter
Published: June 2014

Objective

Water uptake and force development of disintegrating tablets provide a high degree of information about the disintegration mechanisms and process itself. An apparatus for the simultaneous measurement of water uptake and force development of tablets is presented, and the gathered data are analysed.

Methods

Flat faced, 10 mm, dibasic calcium phosphate tablets containing 2% disintegrant are investigated with the newly constructed apparatus. The force is determined with a texture analyser, whereas the water uptake is recorded by a balance. Different measurement regimes are compared with each other. Measured curves are analysed according to their shape and fitted with a modified Hill equation.

Key findings

Known disintegration mechanisms can be confirmed with the newly constructed apparatus – swelling for sodium starch glycolate and croscarmellose sodium, and shape recovery for crospovidone disintegrants. Different brands of polacrilin potassium act by different mechanisms. All curves could be fitted successfully with a modified Hill equation. A novel classification to facilitate the appropriate disintegrant selection is presented on basis of the fit parameters.

Conclusion

The new apparatus allows the acquisition of water uptake and force data simultaneously. Parameters calculated with the modified Hill equation provide a simple way to classify disintegrants according to their behaviour.
Pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone in plasma and bone of patients undergoing hip or knee surgery
Authors: Gergs Ulrich , Clauss Tobias , Ihlefeld Dorothea , Weiss Michael , Pönicke Klaus , Hofmann Gunther O , Neumann Joachim
Published: June 2014

Objectives

Patients undergoing hip or knee replacement therapy are routinely pretreated with antibiotics before surgery. It is controversial in which antibiotic is the treatment of choice for this purpose. One possibility is the cephalosporin ceftriaxone. Here, we wanted to know if effective tissue concentrations are reached.

Methods

We studied plasma and bone kinetics of ceftriaxone in orthopaedic patients (n = 22) treated with ceftriaxone (2 g) immediately prior operation. Plasma samples were withdrawn before and at three time points after ceftriaxone infusion. After bone replacement, extracts from cancellous bone or cortical bone were obtained, and ceftriaxone was quantified using column chromatography.

Key findings

The plasma kinetics of ceftriaxone and distribution into bone were analysed using a population approach (ADAPT 5). The population mean of the area under the curve (AUC) was 140 mg h/l. A cancellous bone to plasma concentration ratio of 1.12 ± 1.29 was achieved 5 h after start of infusion. The half-life of uptake into the cortical bone was less (8.4 h) than into cancellous bone (12.1 h, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Under these experimental conditions, concentrations of ceftriaxone in cancellous and cortical bone should be adequate to protect the patients against usual ceftriaxone-sensitive nosocomial infections and are substantially lower than the plasma concentrations.
Self‐care and Subjectivity among Mexican Diabetes Patients in the United States
Authors: Seligman Rebecca , Mendenhall Emily , Valdovinos Maria D. , Fernandez Alicia , Jacobs Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2014

Type 2 diabetes is considered a public health crisis, particularly among people of Mexican descent in the United States. Clinical approaches to diabetes management increasingly emphasize self‐care, which places responsibility for illness on individuals and mandates self‐regulation. Using narrative and free‐list data from a two‐phase study of low‐income first‐ and second‐generation Mexican immigrants living with diabetes, we present evidence that self‐care among our participants involves emotion regulation as well as maintenance of and care for family. These findings suggest, in turn, that the ideology of selfhood on which these practices are based does not correspond with the ideology of selfhood cultivated in the U.S. clinical sphere. Divergence between these ideologies may lead to self‐conflict for patients and the experience of moral blame. We argue that our participants use their explanations of diabetes causality and control as a form of self‐making, which both resists such blame and asserts an alternative form of selfhood that may align more closely with the values held by our Mexican‐American participants.
Understanding the spectacular failure of DNA barcoding in willows (Salix): Does this result from a trans‐specific selective sweep?
Authors: Percy Diana M. , Argus George W. , Cronk Quentin C. , Fazekas Aron J. , Kesanakurti Prasad R. , Burgess Kevin S. , Husband Brian C. , Newmaster Steven G. , Barrett Spencer C.H. , Graham Sean W.
Published: June 2014

Willows (Salix: Salicaceae) form a major ecological component of Holarctic floras and consequently are an obvious target for a DNA‐based identification system. We surveyed two to seven plastid genome regions (~3.8 kb; ~3% of the genome) from 71 Salix species across all five subgenera, to assess their performance as DNA barcode markers. Although Salix has a relatively high level of interspecific hybridization, this may not sufficiently explain the near complete failure of barcoding that we observed: only one species had a unique barcode. We recovered 39 unique haplotypes, from more than 500 specimens, that could be partitioned into six major haplotype groups. A unique variant of group I (haplotype 1*) was shared by 53 species in three of five Salix subgenera. This unusual pattern of haplotype sharing across infrageneric taxa is suggestive of either a massive nonrandom coalescence failure (incomplete lineage sorting), or of repeated plastid capture events, possibly including a historical selective sweep of haplotype 1* across taxonomic sections. The former is unlikely as molecular dating indicates that haplotype 1* originated recently and is nested in the oldest major haplotype group in the genus. Further, we detected significant non‐neutrality in the frequency spectrum of mutations in group I, but not outside group I, and demonstrated a striking absence of geographical (isolation by distance) effects in the haplotype distributions of this group. The most likely explanation for the patterns we observed involves recent repeated plastid capture events, aided by widespread hybridization and long‐range seed dispersal, but primarily propelled by one or more trans‐species selective sweeps.
A conserved type IV pilin signal peptide H‐domain is critical for the post‐translational regulation of flagella‐dependent motility
Authors: Esquivel Rianne N. , Pohlschroder Mechthild
Published: June 2014

In many bacteria and archaea, type IV pili facilitate surface adhesion, the initial step in biofilm formation. Haloferax volcanii has a specific set of adhesion pilins (PilA1‐A6) that, although diverse, contain an absolutely conserved signal peptide hydrophobic (H) domain. Data presented here demonstrate that these pilins (PilA1‐A6) also play an important role in regulating flagella‐dependent motility, which allows cells to rapidly transition between planktonic and sessile states. Cells lacking adhesion pilins exhibit a severe motility defect, however, expression of any one of the adhesion pilins in trans can rescue the motility and adhesion. Conversely, while deleting pilB3‐C3, genes required for PilA pilus biosynthesis, results in cells lacking pili and having an adhesion defect, it does not affect motility, indicating that motility regulation requires the presence of pilins, but not assembled pili. Mutagenesis studies revealed that the pilin‐dependent motility regulatory mechanism does not require the diverse C‐terminal region of the PilA pilins but specifically involves the conserved H‐domain. This novel post‐translational regulatory mechanism, which employs components that promote biofilm formation to inhibit motility, can provide a rapid response to changing environmental conditions. A model for this regulatory mechanism, which may also be present in other prokaryotes, is discussed.
Trypanosoma brucei histone H1 inhibits RNA polymerase I transcription and is important for parasite fitness in vivo
Authors: Pena Ana C. , Pimentel Mafalda R. , Manso Helena , Vaz‐Drago Rita , Pinto‐Neves Daniel , Aresta‐Branco Francisco , Rijo‐Ferreira Filipa , Guegan Fabien , Pedro Coelho Luis , Carmo‐Fonseca Maria , Barbosa‐Morais Nuno L. , Figueiredo Luisa M.
Published: June 2014

Trypanosoma brucei is a unicellular parasite that causes sleeping sickness in humans. Most of its transcription is constitutive and driven by RNA polymerase II. RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcribes not only ribosomal RNA genes, but also protein‐encoding genes, including variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) and procyclins. In T. brucei, histone H1 (H1) is required for VSG silencing and chromatin condensation. However, whether H1 has a genome‐wide role in transcription is unknown. Here, using RNA sequencing we show that H1 depletion changes the expression of a specific cohort of genes. Interestingly, the predominant effect is partial loss of silencing of Pol I loci, such as VSG and procyclin genes. Labelling of nascent transcripts with 4‐thiouridine showed that H1 depletion does not alter the level of labelled Pol II transcripts. In contrast, the levels of 4sU‐labelled Pol I transcripts were increased by two‐ to sixfold, suggesting that H1 preferentially blocks transcription at Pol I loci. Finally, we observed that parasites depleted of H1 grow almost normally in culture but they have a reduced fitness in mice, suggesting that H1 is important for host–pathogen interactions.
Suicidal ideation in adolescents: A structural equation modeling approach
Authors: Choi Jung‐hyun , Yu Mi , Kim Kyoung‐eun
Published: June 2014

The purpose of this study is to test a model linking adolescents' experience of violence and peer support to their happiness and suicidal ideation. The participants were high school students in Seoul, and in Kyungi, and Chungnam Provinces in Korea. The Conflict Tactics Scale, School Violence Scale, Oxford Happiness Inventory, and Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire were administered to just over 1000 adolescents. The model was tested using a path analysis technique within structural equation modeling. The model fit indices suggest that the revised model is a better fit for the data than the original hypothesized model. The experience of violence had a significant negative direct effect and peer support had a significant positive direct effect on their happiness. Happiness had a significant negative effect and the experience of violence had a significant positive effect on suicidal ideation. These findings demonstrate the fundamental importance of reducing exposure of violence to adolescents, and that increasing peer support and their happiness may be the key to adolescent suicidal ideation prevention.
Where the wild things are: looking for uncultured Glomeromycota
Authors: Ohsowski Brian M. , Zaitsoff P. Dylan , Öpik Maarja , Hart Miranda M.
Published: June 2014

Our knowledge of Glomeromycotan fungi rests largely on studies of cultured isolates. However, these isolates probably comprise one life‐history strategy – ruderal. Consequently, our knowledge of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may be biased towards fungi that occur primarily in disturbed habitats and associate with disturbance‐tolerant host plants. We can expect to see a signal for this in DNA‐based community surveys: human‐impacted habitats and cultivated plants should yield a higher proportion of AM fungal species that have been cultured compared with natural habitats and wild plants.

Using the MaarjAM database (a curated open‐access database of Glomeromycotan sequences), we performed a meta‐analysis on studies that described AM fungal communities from a variety of habitats and host plants.

We found a greater proportion of cultured AM fungal taxa in human‐impacted habitats. In particular, undisturbed forests and grasslands/savannahs contained significantly fewer cultured taxa than human‐impacted sites. We also found that wild plants hosted fewer cultured fungal taxa than cultivated plants.

Our data show that natural communities of AM fungi are composed largely of uncultured taxa, and this is particularly pronounced in natural habitats and wild plants. We are better poised to understand the functioning of AM symbioses associated with cultivated plants and human‐impacted habitats.
Acclimation to UV‐B radiation and visible light in Lactuca sativa involves up‐regulation of photosynthetic performance and orchestration of metabolome‐wide responses
Authors: WARGENT J. J. , NELSON B. C. W. , MCGHIE T. K. , BARNES P. W.
Published: June 2014

UV‐B radiation is often viewed as a source of stress for higher plants. In particular, photosynthetic function has been described as a common target for UV‐B impairment; yet as our understanding of UV‐B photomorphogenesis increases, there are opportunities to expand the emerging paradigm of regulatory UV response. Lactuca sativa is an important dietary crop species and is often subjected to rapid sunlight exposure at field transfer. Acclimation to UV‐B and visible light conditions in L. sativa was dissected using gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements, in addition to non‐destructive assessments of UV epidermal shielding (SUV). After UV‐B treatment, seedlings were subjected to wide‐range metabolomic analysis using liquid chromatography hybrid quadrupole time‐of‐flight high‐resolution mass spectrometry (LC‐QTOF‐HRMS). During the acclimation period, net photosynthetic rate increased in UV‐treated plants, epidermal UV shielding increased in both subsets of plants transferred to the acclimatory conditions (UV+/UV− plants) and Fv/Fm declined slightly in UV+/UV− plants. Metabolomic analysis revealed that a key group of secondary compounds was up‐regulated by higher light conditions, yet several of these compounds were elevated further by UV‐B radiation. In conclusion, acclimation to UV‐B radiation involves co‐protection from the effects of visible light, and responses to UV‐B radiation at a photosynthetic level may not be consistently viewed as damaging to plant development.
The Role of Project and Organizational Context in Managing High‐tech R&D Projects
Authors: Chandrasekaran Aravind , Linderman Kevin , Schroeder Roger
Published: June 2014

High‐tech organizations often struggle to manage different types of R&D projects. Evidence from research and practice suggests that managers frequently categorize and manage projects based on the extent of change triggered in product, process, technology, and market dimensions. However, this can create challenges in high‐tech organizations. This study investigates how high‐tech organizations manage R&D projects based on their learning goals. First, we argue for the benefits of categorizing R&D projects based on the degree of exploration and exploitation learning goals. A qualitative case study from four high‐tech business units involving 10 R&D projects helps understand the different types of projects based on their learning goals. The case study shows that R&D projects in high‐tech organizations typically fall into three categories based on their learning goals: Radical innovation projects, Incremental innovation projects, and Hybrid projects. Second, we iterate between literature and evidence from our qualitative data to theorize how project context and organizational context affect project performance depending on the type of project. The data for the empirical analysis come from a multilevel survey of 110 R&D projects across 34 high‐tech business units. Results show the importance of designing project and organizational context differently for the three types of R&D projects. Collectively, this study offers a new perspective on how to manage high‐tech R&D projects.
The role of the medial frontal cortex in the development of cognitive and social‐affective performance monitoring
Authors: Crone Eveline A.
Published: June 2014

Adolescence is a time of many cognitive and social‐affective changes that are important for rapid behavioral adjustment to a variety of environmental demands and social contexts. Performance monitoring is one of the most important processes for behavioral adjustment; it allows individuals to evaluate outcomes of actions and change behavior accordingly. Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that dorsal and ventral subregions of the medial frontal cortex are differentially engaged in performance monitoring, depending on the cognitive or social‐affective dimensions of a task. Based on a review of neuroimaging, ERP, and heart rate studies, the implications of these modality‐dependent contributions are discussed for the development of performance monitoring in adolescence.
Are Pharmacological Interventions Between Conception and Birth Effective in Improving Reproductive Outcomes in North American Swine?
Authors: Wessels JM , Khalaj K , Kridli RT , Edwards AK , Bidarimath M , Tayade C
Published: June 2014

Contents

The objective of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of using pharmacological compounds on reproductive outcomes, particularly litter size, in North American swine. While the opportunity to improve reproduction in North American pigs exists, numerous hurdles need to be overcome in order to achieve measureable results. In the swine industry, the majority of piglet losses are incurred during pregnancy and around farrowing. Over the last 20 years, a reduction in losses has been achieved through genetic selection and nutritional management; however, these topics are the focus of other reviews. This review will evaluate attempts to improve litter size by reducing losses at various stages of the reproductive process, from the time of conception to the time of farrowing, using pharmacological compounds. Generally, these compounds are used to either alter physiological processes related to fertilization, embryonic attachment or uterine capacity, etc., or to facilitate management aspects of the breeding females such as inducing parturition. Although some of the pharmacological agents reviewed here show some positive effects on improving reproductive parameters, the inconsistent results and associated risks usually outweigh the benefits gained. Thus, at the present time, the use of pharmacological agents to enhance reproduction in North American swine may only be recommended for herds with low fertility and presents an avenue of research that could be further explored.
Legacy Effects of Oil Road Reclamation on Soil Biology and Plant Community Composition
Authors: Viall Eric M. , Gentry Laura F. , Hopkins David G. , Ganguli Amy C. , Stahl Peter
Published: June 2014

Following the unprecedented oil drilling presently occurring in western North Dakota, thousands of kilometers of oil roads must be reclaimed to an acceptable post‐extraction condition. This study assessed the soil biological and plant communities of nine decommissioned oil roads reclaimed during three periods between 1983 and 2002 in the Little Missouri National Grasslands of western North Dakota. We hypothesized that time‐since‐reclamation would positively affect soil biological and plant communities and, consequently, success of reclamation at older sites. To assess this hypothesis, we measured soil enzyme activity, soil microbial community composition, plant community composition, and soil physical and chemical properties along a gradient extending from road‐center to adjacent native prairie for the nine roads. Time‐since‐reclamation did not affect soil and plant properties measured, indicating that older reclamations are not more similar to native prairie than reclamations occurring more recently. A strong gradient between samples from road‐center and native prairie was identified with univariate and ordination analyses, indicating that soil and plant communities of reclaimed oil roads do not resemble those of the surrounding prairie. Soil organic matter (SOM) was identified as the most significantly affected soil property, being 30% lower on reclaimed roads than prairie. The relationship between SOM, microbial community, and plant community suggests that incorporating additional SOM could hasten reclamation as a result of improving the physical environment for plants and providing a labile carbon and energy source for the soil microbial community which, in turn, will enhance the nutrient and physical conditions for plant growth.
Seed Bank Effects on Recovery after Disturbance in Reconstructed Tallgrass Prairies
Authors: Rossiter Stephen C. , Ahlering Marissa A. , Goodwin Brett J. , Yurkonis Kathryn A.
Published: June 2014

Litter‐removing disturbances such as fire in grasslands temporarily increase available resources for plants, opening a window of opportunity for new establishment as communities recover. At this time, new individuals or species could be added to the community as a result of germination from the local seed bank. In reconstructed grasslands this may be problematic, as the seed bank may contain a suite of undesired species reflective of prior and surrounding land uses. In two, 25‐year‐old, low‐diversity reconstructed grasslands, we tested the effect of local seed bank establishment following litter‐removing disturbance using seedling removal plots (1 m2) and plots where natural seedling establishment was allowed. Following disturbance, the vegetation was either left intact or hayed to enhance seedling establishment (a common practice following inter‐seeding efforts). Although the seed bank and seedling community were dominated by resident grasses (Andropogon gerardii and Poa pratensis), recruitment from the seed bank increased species richness and reduced evenness through the addition of forb species (including Cirsium arvense) in one of the study sites. Haying temporarily altered the abundances of the dominant grasses, but did not consistently affect seedling recruitment. Disturbances that facilitate seed bank recruitment may promote establishment of undesired species within reconstructed grassland communities, and we need to take steps to better manage the contributions into and recruitment from the seed bank to reconstruct sustainable grasslands.
Never Too Old For an Autogenous Dialysis Fistula? Results of Endovascular Interventions in Nonagenarians
Authors: Azevedo Pedro N. , Turmel‐Rodrigues Luc
Published: June 2014

The number of elderly patients in hemodialysis has increased in recent years and nowadays there are significant numbers of nonagenarians. However, there is currently no information in the literature about arteriovenous fistula (AVF) outcomes in patients aged over 90 years after endovascular treatment for stenosis or thrombosis. This retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data included 38 consecutive patients aged over 90 years who were referred for endovascular evaluation and treatment of AVF nonmaturation (n = 11), dysfunction (n = 25), or thrombosis (n = 2) between 2005 and 2013. Median age was 93.9 years, and 24% were diabetic and 47% hypertensive patients. Immature and dysfunctional AVFs were treated by angioplasty, thrombosed fistulas by thromboaspiration. Fistula patency rates were calculated according to the Life‐Table method. The immediate overall clinical success rate was 97.4%. Complications included four transient dilation‐induced ruptures. Stents were placed for rupture control (n = 3) and major elastic recoil (n = 3), and to rectify a basilic vein pseudoaneurysm developed after dilation. Mean follow‐up was 62.6 months. Primary patency rates were 60% and 43% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Secondary patency rates were 95% and 92% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Patency rates were not significantly different between immature and dysfunctional AVFs. Endovascular treatment of AVF complications appears to be a valuable approach in nonagenarian patients in view of the low invasiveness, low complication rate, and relatively good long‐term patency rates.
“All boys and men can play football”: A qualitative investigation of recreational football in prostate cancer patients
Authors: Bruun D. M. , Krustrup P. , Hornstrup T. , Uth J. , Brasso K. , Rørth M. , Christensen J. F. , Midtgaard J.
Published: June 2014

Evidence is accumulating that exercise‐based rehabilitation improves physical capacity and quality of life in cancer survivors. However, recruitment and persistence of male cancer patients in rehabilitation and physical activity are low and novel health promotion strategies are warranted. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the meaning of recreational football as a team and interaction‐oriented health‐promoting activity in men with prostate cancer (n = 26). Qualitative data were collected through six focus group interviews (n = 4–6) and 20 h of participant observations. The two data sets were analyzed using framework analysis. The analysis produced 11 subthemes that were structured into three overarching themes: (a) motivational drivers; (b) united in sport; and (c) confirmation of own capacity. The findings indicated that participants regarded football as a welcome opportunity to regain control and acquire a sense of responsibility for own health without assuming the patient role, and football training legitimized and promoted mutual caring behavior in a male‐oriented context. In conclusion, the study suggests that football, due to its cultural representation of masculine ideals, may be a potent and unique strategy for increasing recruitment and adherence to physical activity in prostate cancer patients.
Effects of a 5‐month football program on perceived psychological status and body composition of overweight boys
Authors: Seabra A. C. , Seabra A. F. , Brito J. , Krustrup P. , Hansen P. R. , Mota J. , Rebelo A. , Rêgo C. , Malina R. M.
Published: June 2014

The effects of a 5‐month intervention of football instruction and practice on the perceived psychological status and body composition of overweight boys were examined. Twelve boys (8–12 years; body mass index ≥ 85th percentile) participated in a structured 5‐month football program, consisting of four weekly 60–90 min sessions with mean heart rate > 80%HRmax [football group (FG)]. A control group (CG) included eight boys of equivalent age from an obesity clinic located in the same area as the school. Both groups participated in two sessions of 45–90‐min physical education per week at school. Indicators of perceived psychological status included body image, self‐esteem, attraction to participation in physical activity, and perceived physical competence measured with standardized questionnaires. Body composition was evaluated using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. From baseline through 5 months, FG improved (P < 0.05) in all indicators of psychological status (%Δ = +11.7 to +29.2%) compared with CG (%Δ = −32.1 to +0.5%). Changes in percentage body fat and lean body mass, however, did not differ between FG and CG. The findings suggest that a 5‐month football intervention program was effective in improving the psychological status of overweight boys but did not significantly alter body composition.
Cerebrovascular responses during rowing: Do circadian rhythms explain morning and afternoon performance differences?
Authors: Faull O. K. , Cotter J. D. , Lucas S. J. E.
Published: June 2014

The purpose of this study was to characterize cerebrovascular responses to rowing exercise, investigating whether their diurnal variation might explain performance differences across a day. Twelve male rowers completed incremental rowing exercise and a 2000‐m ergometer time trial at 07:00 h and 16:00 h, 1 week apart, while middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv), cerebral (prefrontal), and muscular (vastus lateralis) tissue oxygenation and hemoglobin volume (via near‐infrared spectroscopy), heart rate, and pressure of end‐tidal CO2 (PETCO2) were recorded. MCAv was 20–25% above resting levels (68 ± 12 cm/s) during submaximal and maximal exercise intensities, despite PETCO2 being reduced during maximal efforts (down ∼ 0.5–0.8 kPa); thus revealing a different perfusion profile to the inverted‐U observed in other exercise modes. The afternoon time trial was 3.4 s faster (95% confidence interval 0.9–5.8 s) and mean power output 3.2% higher (337 vs 347 W; P = 0.04), in conjunction with similar exercise‐induced elevations in MCAv (P = 0.60) and reductions in cerebral oxygenation (TOI) (P = 0.12). At the muscle, afternoon trials involved similar oxygen extraction (HHb volume and TOI) albeit from a relatively lower total Hb volume (P < 0.01). In conclusion, rowing performance was better in the afternoon, but not in conjunction with differences in MCAv or exercise‐induced differences in cerebral oxygenation.
Health promotion: The impact of beliefs of health benefits, social relations and enjoyment on exercise continuation
Authors: Nielsen G. , Wikman J. M. , Jensen C. J. , Schmidt J. F. , Gliemann L. , Andersen T. R.
Published: June 2014

The aim of this study was to explore how and why participants in structured exercise intervention programs continue or stop exercising after the program is finished. We conducted four focus group interviews with four groups of middle‐aged and elderly men (total n = 28) who had participated in exercise interventions involving playing either a team sport (football) or a more individually focused activity (spinning and crossfit). Our results show that different social, organizational and material structures inherent in the different activities shape the subjects' enjoyment of exercise participation, as well as their intention and ability to continue being active. In conclusion, team sport activities seem to be intrinsically motivating to the participants through positive social interaction and play. They are therefore more likely to result in exercise continuation than activities that rely primarily on extrinsic motivation such as the expectation of improved health and well‐being.
Football training improves cardiovascular health profile in sedentary, premenopausal hypertensive women
Authors: Mohr M. , Lindenskov A. , Holm P. M. , Nielsen H. P. , Mortensen J. , Weihe P. , Krustrup P.
Published: June 2014

The present study examined the effects of short‐term recreational football training on blood pressure (BP), fat mass, and fitness in sedentary, 35–50‐year‐old premenopausal women with mild hypertension. Forty‐one untrained, hypertensive women were randomized into a football training group (n = 21; FTG) and a control group (n = 20; CON). FTG performed 45 ± 1 1‐h small‐sided football training sessions during the 15‐week intervention period. BP, body composition (dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry), blood lipid profile, and fitness level were determined pre‐ and post‐intervention. After 15 weeks, systolic and diastolic BP, respectively, were lowered more (P < 0.05) in FTG (−12 ± 3 and −6 ± 2 mmHg) than in CON (−1 ± 1 and 1 ± 2 mmHg). Total body fat mass decreased more (P < 0.05) in FTG than in CON during the 15‐week intervention period (−2.3 ± 0.5 kg vs 0.4 ± 0.3 kg). After 15 weeks, both total cholesterol (−0.4 ± 0.1 mmol/L vs 0.1 ± 0.2 mmol/L) and triglyceride (−0.2 ± 0.1 mmol/L vs 0.3 ± 0.2 mmol/L) were lowered more (P < 0.05) in FTG than in CON. Yo‐Yo intermittent endurance level 1 test performance increased more (P < 0.05) in FTG than in CON (111 ± 18% vs 1 ± 3%) during the 15‐week intervention period. In conclusion, short‐term football training resulted in a marked reduction in BP and induced multiple improvements in fitness and cardiovascular health profile of untrained, premenopausal women with mild hypertension.
Gender Labor, Assimilationism, and Transformative Practices: The Relational Negotiations of Cisgender Women and their Transgender Men Partners
Authors: Franklin Kolbe
Published: June 2014

Despite the rise in research on the experiences of transgender men (female‐to‐male, FTM) in recent years, little academic attention has been paid to the partners of these individuals. The experiences of a large portion of this population, cisgender women whose partners transition from female to male, provide a unique perspective on how individuals negotiate performances of normative gender ideals and heteronormative practices in transitioning non‐normative relationships. Research has shown that when these cisgender women find themselves in relationships that are socially defined as heterosexual, they often begin questioning their sexual orientation in relation to their partner's gender identity as well as the role and applicability of their beliefs regarding gender equality and anti‐heteronormative practices. This article provides an overview of the current literature that addresses the enactment of gender labor, the practice of reaffirming another person's gender through physical, emotional, and sexual care, by cisgender women whose partners transition from female to male. Specific focus is given to how, in some situations, the performance of gender labor manifests in assimilationist ways that adhere to typically heteronormative frameworks as well as how, in others, the performance of gender labor manifests in potentially transformative and destabilizing ways that serve to challenge normative structures. Gaps in the existing literature as well as directions for future research are also explored.
Race for Cures: Rethinking the Racial Logics of ‘Trust’ in Biomedicine
Authors: Benjamin Ruha
Published: June 2014

This article examines the normative underpinnings of ‘trust talk’, asking how biomedical discourse constructs racial group boundaries and what implications this has for our understanding of the politics of medicine more broadly. Drawing upon a 2‐year multi‐method study of the world's largest stem cell research initiative and extending key insights from the sociology of race–ethnicity and social studies of science and medicine, this paper identifies three ways in which discourse in the stem cell field constructs racial group boundaries – through diversity outreach, clinical gatekeeping, and charismatic collaborations. In so doing, the paper also explicates counter‐narratives – medical racial profiling, subversive whiteness, and biopolitical minstrelsy – as forms of discursive resistance that challenge the normative underpinnings of recruitment discourse.
Information and Communication Technology Use and Social Connectedness over the Life Course
Authors: Chesley Noelle , Johnson Britta E.
Published: June 2014

Technological innovation and adoption is, at root, a social process that unfolds over time. In this review, we connect ideas from life course and technology studies to examine social connectedness among youth, working age, and older adults. We argue that a sensitivity to key life course themes – especially timing and transitions, linked lives, and social and historical context – in studies examining the implications of technological innovation and social connectedness will generate deeper understanding of the role that technology use plays in shaping social life.
Black Authenticity: Defining the Ideals and Expectations in the Construction of “Real” Blackness
Authors: Nguyen Jenny , Anthony Amanda Koontz
Published: June 2014

This review presents an overview of research on Black authenticity. As the definition of Black authenticity is often not made explicit in literature, the complexity and nuance of this cultural resource can be overlooked. We explore two trends of Black authenticity present within literature, which we label as commodifying realness and legitimating membership. Beyond offering a working definition and review of these trends, this review also attempts to highlight the importance of the interconnectedness between controlling images and individuals' negotiations of Black authenticity. We conclude by summarizing the importance of studying Black authenticity and suggesting future directions for research.
Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System
Authors: Vogel Matt , Stephens Katherine D. , Siebels Darby
Published: June 2014

This is the second essay in a two‐part series exploring the relationships between mental illness, criminal behavior, and the criminal justice system. The number of mentally ill persons in prisons and jails has increased substantially over the last several decades, and there are currently more people with mental illness behind bars than there are in mental hospitals. In this essay, we place these trends within a broader historical context of the social control of mental illness in the United States. We identify how and why mentally ill persons have come to be overrepresented in the criminal justice system and highlight the unique challenges this population poses for police, courts, and correctional facilities. Finally, we review several recent innovations in policy and practice that may help alleviate that burden of criminal justice involvement on mentally ill offenders, as well as the burden of mentally ill offenders on the criminal justice system.
The Sociology of Innovation: Organizational, Environmental, and Relative Perspectives
Authors: Dahlin Eric C.
Published: June 2014

Innovation is risky. New products and firms are subject to high failure rates. To minimize the risk associated with innovation, most scholars agree that firms should engage simultaneously in two types of activities: exploring new alternatives and exploiting existing competencies. Firms that simultaneously engage in explorative and exploitative activities are called ambidextrous organizations. Research on ambidextrous organizations, however, inadequately considers the importance of the environment in which organizations operate for innovation success. The sociological view of innovation fills this gap by emphasizing the importance of social context for explaining innovative outcomes. The sociology of innovation highlights, first, the structural arrangements – characteristics of social networks, organizations, and institutions – that influence innovation and, second, the relative nature of innovation – whether an object is considered novel depends on one's vantage point. Drawing on the relative view of innovation, I develop a typology that outlines several paths to innovation with respect to two vantage points: the organization and the environment. I argue that minimizing the risks associated with innovation is most likely to occur when firms follow the path of innovation that consists of generating novel solutions that simultaneously exploit knowledge and resources that are both available to the firmandin the firm's environment.
The Sociology of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Authors: Gale Nicola
Published: June 2014

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and traditional medicine (TM) are important social phenomena. This article reviews the sociological literature on the topic. First, it addresses the question of terminology, arguing that the naming process is a glimpse into the complexities of power and history that characterize the field. Second, focusing on the last 15 years of scholarship, it considers how sociological research on users and practitioners of TM/CAM has developed in that time. Third, it addresses two newer strands of work termed here the ‘big picture’ and the ‘big question’. The big picture includes concepts that offer interpretation of what is happening at a societal level to constrain and enable observed patterns of social practice (pluralism, integration, hybridity and activism). The big question, ‘Does it work?’, is one of epistemology and focuses on two developing fields of critical enquiry – first, social critiques of medical science knowledge production and, second, attempts to explain the nature of interventions, i.e. how they work. Finally, the article examines the role of sociology moving forward.
Prenatal Screening for Down's Syndrome: Parent and Healthcare Practitioner Experiences
Authors: Thomas Gareth M.
Published: June 2014

This article reviews research on both parent and healthcare practitioner experiences of prenatal screening for Down's syndrome. Whilst studies on Down's syndrome screening are broad in scope and diverge in theoretical and epistemological foundations, their core focus can be classified into two main and intertwining categories: (i) the decision‐making practices of expectant parents and why they do/do not participate in screening and (ii) the interactions between parents and practitioners, particularly the discrepancies of knowledge and the pursuit of “informed choice” and “non‐directive care.” To conclude, I highlight current knowledge gaps and the areas of substantial interest for future critical sociological engagements.
Nation in Market Times: Connecting the National and the Commercial. A Research Overview
Authors: Kania‐Lundholm Magdalena
Published: June 2014

This article provides an overview of the growing body of research pertaining to different forms of mediated nationhood. In particular, it focuses on the relatively recent trend toward increasing articulations of national identity with the language of consumerism and neoliberal market ideology. It argues that the process is twofold; on the one hand commercial entities employ nationalist appeals in order to sell their commodities, a process which is called “nationalizing the commercial”. On the other hand, nation states make advantage of advertising agencies to create attractive and competitive nation brands which is a process of “commercializing the national”. The article argues that this double logic is a result of the growing importance of the economic power in societies which can be named as " economization of the social" . In the context where the political articulations of nationhood are subsumed by the commercial ones, the link between the national and the commercial is seldom challenged or questioned.
Thinking in Words: Language as an Embodied Medium of Thought
Authors: Dove Guy
Published: June 2014

Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in the idea that natural language enhances and extends our cognitive capabilities. Supporters of embodied cognition have been particularly interested in the way in which language may provide a solution to the problem of abstract concepts. Toward this end, some have emphasized the way in which language may act as form of cognitive scaffolding and others have emphasized the potential importance of language‐based distributional information. This essay defends a version of the cognitive enhancement thesis that integrates and builds on both of these proposals. I argue that the embodied representations associated with language processing serve as a supplementary medium for conceptual processing. The acquisition of a natural language provides a means of extending our cognitive reach by giving us access to an internalized combinatorial symbol system that augments and supports the context‐sensitive embodied representational systems that exist independently of language.
Action and Language Integration: From Humans to Cognitive Robots
Authors: Borghi Anna M. , Cangelosi Angelo
Published: June 2014

The topic is characterized by a highly interdisciplinary approach to the issue of action and language integration. Such an approach, combining computational models and cognitive robotics experiments with neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and linguistic approaches, can be a powerful means that can help researchers disentangle ambiguous issues, provide better and clearer definitions, and formulate clearer predictions on the links between action and language. In the introduction we briefly describe the papers and discuss the challenges they pose to future research. We identify four important phenomena the papers address and discuss in light of empirical and computational evidence: (a) the role played not only by sensorimotor and emotional information but also of natural language in conceptual representation; (b) the contextual dependency and high flexibility of the interaction between action, concepts, and language; (c) the involvement of the mirror neuron system in action and language processing; (d) the way in which the integration between action and language can be addressed by developmental robotics and Human‐Robot Interaction.