bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Mandibular Advancement Devices on CRP Levels in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Friedman Michael , Pott Thomas R. , Lundgren Mary E.
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

Determine the effect non‐surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) using an oral appliance has on C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels. Design: Retrospective case study.

Methods:

Patients with OSAHS, confirmed by apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI), and fitted with a custom oral appliance between December 2011 and November 2012 were reviewed. The non‐specific inflammatory marker CRP was determined prior to oral appliance fitting and after improvement of OSAHS symptoms determined by AHI.

Results:

Fifty consecutive patients (78.0% male, age 47.7±11.8 years, body mass index 29.5±5.1 kg/m2) were treated for moderate/severe OSAHS using a fitted oral appliance (mean initial AHI 33.3±21.7, mean initial oxygen saturation 85.2±5.9). Oral appliance treatment significantly improved patients’ AHI, reducing AHI by an average of 40.5% (follow‐up mean 11.9±22.1, p<0.001) as well as increasing average oxygen saturation (follow‐up mean 90.6±3.6). These patients initially had a relative elevation in CRP (mean initial CRP 2.5±1.8 mg/dL) that decreased following use of their fitted oral appliance, a significant reduction to an average of 1.9±1.3 mg/dL (p = 0.006).

Conclusions:

Elevated CRP levels, notably shown to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, were significantly decrease with oral appliance therapy. Oral appliance therapy achieves reasonable response and cure rates in patients with moderate/severe OSAHS, and as demonstrated by the case review, has the added benefit of reducing the risk cardiovascular events.
Upper Airway Stimulation in OSA Patients Resolves Multilevel Airway Collapse in a Dose‐Response Manner
Authors: Safiruddin Faiza , Vanderveken Olivier , Anders Clemens , Lee Kent , Maurer Joachim T. , Van de Heyning Paul , deVries Nico
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is a potential therapy for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)–refractory obstructive sleep apnea by hypoglossal stimulation using an implantable, programmable neurostimulator. We tested the hypothesis whether changes in stimulation amplitude would modulate palatal and tongue‐base airway size during wakefulness and sedation.

Methods:

Fifteen patients underwent digital video laryngoscopy while awake and/or drug‐induced sleep (DISE) at least 3 months after UAS system implantation for CPAP‐refractory obstructive sleep apnea (Inspire Medical Systems, Minneapolis, MN). Neurostimulation was applied at four increasing amplitudes: first sensation, tongue movement, titrated therapeutic, and sub‐discomfort. Palatal and tongue‐base cross‐sectional area were measured and compared between periods with and without stimulation.

Results:

Twelve patients (all male, age: 51.2±9.0 years; AHI: 28.8±7.8/h) underwent DISE; fifteen patients (all male, age: 50.4±10.2 years; AHI: 29.3±7.5/h) underwent awake laryngoscopy and eleven patients and both. During both awake and DISE, higher stimulation amplitudes had a graded response in enlarging multi‐level airway dimensions, with a larger percent increase of airway size during DISE. While awake, palatal area increased between 5.0±24.0% at the lowest stimulation to 73.0±79.3% at the titrated amplitude (P = 0.01), and tongue‐base increased between 64.2±70.3% to 128.6±103.8% (P = 0.05). During DISE, palatal area increased from 9.3±30.4% to 215.4±305.2% (P = 0.09) and tongue‐base from 12.0±45.4% to 177.3±166.4% (P = 0.01).

Conclusions:

Upper airway stimulation increases airway size during awake surgery and improves airway collapse during sedation. Increasing stimulation amplitudes enlarges both retro‐palatal and retroglossal airway size. Increased multi‐level airway size is a potential therapy mechanism of upper airway stimulation when treating CPAP‐refractory OSA.
Quantification of Drying Effect of Water Soluble versus Petrolatum Products on Nasal Mucosa
Authors: Montag David T. , Odland Rick
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

Nasal dryness can lead to quality of life issues or recurrent epistaxis. Nasal emollients have been used for its treatment, but few objective studies are available showing their ability to prevent mucosal dehydration. Due to rare reported complications with the use of petroleum, water‐based emollients were developed. Objectives: 1) Determine water loss of various nasal emollients exposed to flowing air. 2) Compare water loss from nasal mucosa that has been coated with various nasal emollients.

Methods:

Ongoing laboratory studies were performed in an academic setting beginning in October 2012. A setup consisting of two specimen chambers, a flow meter, an air source, and two humidity/temperature sensors was used to test the ability of various nasal emollients to prevent water loss. Water loss from the agents was calculated based on weight and humidity. Experiments were also performed using sheep nasal mucosa coated with the same emollients. Water loss was similarly determined for the mucosa. A literature review on complications of petroleum products was performed.

Results:

Water‐based nasal emollients lose more water and mass than petroleum‐based products (P =. 02). Nasal mucosa coated with water‐based products rather than petroleum also lost more water.

Conclusions:

Petroleum‐based nasal emollients are superior to water‐based emollients in terms of less dehydration of underlying mucosa. There are, however, rare complications associated with the use of petroleum products.
A Systematic Review of Simulation in Otolaryngology Residency Training
Authors: Tompkins Jared J. , Sebelik Merry E.
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

The central premise of our systematic review was to determine: Where does the field of otolaryngology stand in incorporating simulation into residency training? We believe there has been a profound increase in the use of simulation in otolaryngology residency training programs recently, which can be described by a simultaneous increase in the number of otolaryngology simulation‐based publications. Study Design: Systematic review. Data Sources: A literature search was performed using the Ovid Medline and PubMed search engines.

Methods:

Two independent reviewers separately evaluated the 142 articles for relevance using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results:

Sixty‐nine articles were included and broken down into number of publications produced per year, country of origin, resident training level targeted, the specific area being simulated, and the fidelity of the simulation. The number of simulation‐based publications has increased from 1996 through 2012. The United States has produced 61% of the articles, with another 8 countries also contributing. The simulated areas were temporal bone/ear (28), airway/endoscopy (19), sinus (15), head and neck cancer (2), and esophagus (1). The fidelity of these simulations was also described as high (55 articles, 80%), low (6 articles, 9%), or both (8 articles, 11%).

Conclusions:

Simulation‐based medical education in otolaryngology has grown tremendously since the 1990s with a corresponding increase in the number of publications. We anticipate this trend will continue, as simulation takes an increasingly important role in providing the innovative solutions to meet the challenges of training future otolaryngologists.
Treatment and Long‐term Follow‐up of Peritonsillar Abscess
Authors: Shaul Chanan , Rodriguez Mercedes , Schwarz Yehuda , Peleg Uri , Muhanna Nidal , Sichel Jean‐Yves
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

Study the therapeutic management, recurrence, and need of tonsillectomy in Peritonsillar abscess. Study design: Retrospective study and long term telephone survey. Setting: Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Department at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

Methods:

Review of 117 files of patients diagnosed with peritonsillar abscess who underwent needle aspiration obtaining pus were hospitalized at our department between the years of 2004 to 2007, and were followed at least four years after their discharge date.

Results:

One hundred four patients (89%) improved without any other intervention. Thirteen patients (11%) underwent an additional procedure such as aspiration and/or incision and drainage. After the needle aspiration, the patients were treated with intravenous antibiotic treatment: penicillin or broad spectrum antibiotics, amoxicillin‐clavulanate, or a combination of metronidazole and cefuroxime. There was no clinical distinction between the various groups. A hundred and five patients (90%) were followed up by telephone call, obtaining the following information: 88 patients (84%) had no recurrence. The remaining 17 suffered recurrence; most of them, 9 patients, had only one. 18 patients underwent tonsillectomy; 13 due to recurrent peritonsillar abscess and 5 due to recurrent tonsillitis.

Conclusions:

1) Needle aspiration is an effective treatment for peritonsillar abscess. 2) The supplementary antibiotic treatment with penicillin was satisfactory, and no advantage was found to the broad‐spectrum antibiotic treatment. 3) A sweeping recommendation for tonsillectomy is not required after a single episode. Surgery should be recommended only after two or more episodes of peritonsillar abscess.
Assembling a Three‐Dimensional Computed Tomography Database
Authors: Ho Brian , Solares C. Arturo
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

It is important for surgery to keep up with new technologies. Current skull‐base techniques use stereotactic navigation, assisted by magnetic resonance (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) compilation. Our objective is to assemble a normalized CT database for three‐dimensional (3D) endocranial renderings. This database can provide preoperative information for assistive mapping and intraoperative land marking during procedures.

Methods:

222 CT studies were pooled between October 2011and December 2012. These studies were then deidentified and loaded into third party software, Osirix (Pixmeo, Switzerland), and reconstructed into 3D renderings. The Osirix program is a freeware‐based Apple‐only‐program capable of volumetric analysis, metrics, and 3D space manipulation. The database was then encrypted for patient information protection.

Results:

A total of 179 studies(101 males and 78 females) were ultimately used. Two‐hundred gigabytes of hard‐disk space was used. An Apple (Cuptertino, CA) laptop, running Mac OSX, was used for computation. The Osirix software was downloaded as freeware, requiring no payment. The hard‐disk was purchased at a local electronics store for $100.00 USD. The computer was approximately $1300.

Conclusions:

Radiologic imaging drives preoperative surgical planning. This can be augmented by new technology and creative applications of current innovations. There has not been an explanation process on how to assemble this data for departments and individuals. We provide a simple, reproducible, and inexpensive guide to CT head databases. Once the database is assembled, it may be used for such projects as mapping the parapharyngeal carotid, estimating endocranial volumes, and surgical diagrams.
Correlation between Growth Pattern of MicroPTC without Extrathyroidal Extension and Central Lymph Node Metastasis
Authors: Lee Yoon‐Se , Lim Yun‐Sung , Woo Chang‐Ki , Lee Won‐Yong , Wie Chan‐Eun , Wang Soo‐Geun , Lee Byung‐Joo
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

Although prognostic significance of central lymph node (CLN) metastasis in micropapillary thyroid cancer (microPTC) is controversial, thorough removal of metastatic LN may reduce the recurrence rate. Histological or clinical predicting factors for CLN metastasis have been studied to determine the adequate surgical extent or postoperative adjuvant therapy to eradicate metastatic LN. However, histological features inside primary tumor were not considered as a predicting factor for metastasis. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between specific histological findings of microPTC and CLN metastasis.

Methods:

We reviewed patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and central lymph node (CLN) dissection for microPTC from January to December 2011. Fibrotic change, growth pattern and architecture of tumors were used as histological factors. Histologic findings were classified according to the degree of fibrosis (<10%, 10‐50%, >50%) and growth pattern (well‐defined/extracapsular spread (ECS)/spiculated or infiltrative). The relationship between CLN metastasis and those histological or clinical factors were analyzed.

Results:

Of 353 patients, 162 had CLN metastasis (45.9%). Chi‐square test showed that age, gender, and tumor size were not related to CLN metastasis. Well‐defined tumor (n = 28) had lower rate of CLN metastasis (14.3%) than tumor with ECS (46.5%) or infiltrative pattern (32.8%, P = 0.019). Multivariate analysis showed that growth pattern was only risk factor for CLN metastasis (odds ratio = 1.972, P = 0.022).

Conclusions:

Follicular or infiltrative growth pattern of microPTC is an independent risk factor for CLN metastasis. This report suggests that tumor behavior in the primary tumor plays an important role in CLN metastasis.
Cotinine Level in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: An Objective Measure of Tobacco Use
Authors: Hatcher Jeanne L. , Weaver Kathryn , Tooze Janet , Sterba Katherine , Day Terry A. , Sullivan Christopher A.
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

1) Compare the prevalence of tobacco use in preoperative head and neck cancer patients as assessed by urinary cotinine and self‐report. 2) Consider the importance of accurate measurement of tobacco use in pre‐operative head and neck cancer surgical patients and potential implications for clinical interventions.

Methods:

Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract undergoing a major head and neck surgical procedure were recruited from two academic medical centers from May 2011 to November 2012. We assessed preoperative tobacco exposure by self‐report and urinary cotinine using a semiquantitative test strip.

Results:

We recruited 112 patients (mean age 59); 72.3% male, 82.1% white, 76.5% stages III‐IV. The prevalence of tobacco use in the 48 hours prior to surgery was higher when assessed by urinary cotinine (41.1%) when compared to self‐report (25.9%) (McNemar's exact test, P < 0.0001). Sensitivity of self‐reported tobacco use was 60.9% and specificity was 98.5%. Of those who denied tobacco use prior to surgery (N = 83), 18 (21.7%) had a positive urinary cotinine and 14 (16.9%) reported second‐hand smoke exposure. There were no significant associations between second‐hand exposure, gender, cancer stage, or prior treatment and positive cotinine.

Conclusions:

Accurate measurement of tobacco use is critical to care provision and intervention development for head and neck cancer patients. Self‐report may fail to identify a significant number of tobacco users. Future analysis in this study will examine relationships among self‐reported tobacco use, cotinine level, and postoperative outcomes including length of stay and wound infection.
How team risk and planning and control risk moderate the effects of clan and self control on the process performance of IT projects
Authors: Liu Shan
Published: August 2013

The successful control of information technology (IT) projects has received significant attention in academe and in practice. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of formal control modes in the performance of IT projects for project managers. However, little is known about the joint effects of risks and the two informal control modes, clan and self control, on the process performance of IT projects from the perspective of user liaisons. Based on data collected from 63 completed IT projects in China, we have found that both clan and self control are important from the perspective of user liaisons and that informal control is effective for the performance of different stakeholders. However, both team and planning and control risks suppress the effectiveness of clan and self control in process performance, indicating that IT project performance is not purely dependent on a single risk or control factor but on the balance between these two streams.
Retrograde mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation of infrageniculate great saphenous vein for persistent venous stasis ulcers
Authors: Sullivan Leo P , Quach Giang , Chapman Tina
Published: August 2013

Objective

To present the use of retrograde mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation for ablating the remaining below-knee great saphenous vein in patients with venous stasis ulcers persisting after above-knee great saphenous vein ablation.

Methods

This small study includes six patients with persistent C6EpAsPr ulcers following above-knee great saphenous vein ablation with no incompetent perforators. They were treated using retrograde mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation approach followed by Unna therapy, followed up on post op days 3 and 30 with ultrasound, and subsequent weekly visits until the wound healed.

Results

Six patients (four men and two women), have average ulcer size of 4.1 cm2. There was no nerve injury or other complications after mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation. These patients had an average of 28 ± 11 days healing time, compared with a mean of five months in traditional method.

Conclusion

Mechanico-chemical endovenous ablation can be safe and effective in the treatment of patients with below-knee great saphenous vein insufficiency with venous ulcers.
Variations in ultrasound scanning protocols in the UK for suspected deep vein thrombosis in outpatients
Authors: Shahi F , Murali K
Published: August 2013

Aims

To assess current ultrasound scanning protocol in outpatients with suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT), in particular whether practitioners routinely scanned calf veins.

Methods

A standard questionnaire was sent out via post to all radiology departments in the United Kingdom (UK) and via the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) website in 2010. Responses were entered into Access® and database queries were run to analyse responses. Free-text comments were taken into account in our analysis.

Results

A total of 277 responses (50 through the BMUS website) were received (46% postal response rate). Of them, six were excluded as these were incomplete. Thus, 97 (36%) were consultants, 13 (5%) accredited vascular scientists (AVSs), 153 (56%) sonographers and six (2%) higher radiology trainees. All AVSs scanned the whole limb and used all three modalities of compression, colour and pulse wave Dopplers. Practice across other healthcare professionals varied. In all, 120/176 (68%) of other health-care professionals trained in vascular ultrasound scanned the whole limb routinely and 82/120 of these used all three scanning modalities. Trained sonographers scanned the whole limb significantly more than the medical cohort (P = 0.017). The use of all three modalities varied significantly between AVS and the non-AVS trained professionals (P = 0.0194), the trained medical cohort of consultants and sonographers (P = 0.0001), and trained and non-trained respondents (P = 0.0113). The commonly chosen reason for not scanning the whole limb was that it had poor sensitivity for calf vein DVTs. Free-text reasons for not scanning the whole limb routinely included local protocols prohibiting it.

Conclusions

There is a discrepancy between the scanning protocols of medically trained and allied health-care professionals, trained or otherwise in vascular ultrasound, and between these groups and AVSs. This is likely to have an impact on clinical governance.
BI-RADS® 3 lesions at contrast-enhanced breast MRI: is an initial short-interval follow-up necessary?
Authors: Bahrs Sonja D , Baur Astrid , Hattermann Valerie , Hahn Markus , Vogel Ulrich , Claussen Claus D , Siegmann-Luz Katja C
Published: August 2013

Background

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) BI-RADS® 3 lesions should have a very high probability of being benign. To prove benignity most institutions do follow-up MRI.

Purpose

To evaluate the necessity of initial short-interval follow-up after 6 months as it is suggested for mammographic BI-RADS®3 lesions.

Material and Methods

We analyzed 163 consecutive MRI-BI-RADS® 3 lesions on follow-up MRI: 75 masses (46%), 67 foci (41.1%), and 21 (12.9%) non-mass-like enhancing lesions (NMLE).

Results

During MRI follow-up (mean time, 563 days) 20% of the lesions disappeared, 23% decreased, 52% did not change, and 4.9% showed increase. All increasing lesions were biopsied (5 benign, 2 ductal carcinoma in situ, 1 invasive carcinoma). The rate of malignancy was 1.8%. All malignant lesions (1 mass, 1 focus, 1 NMLE) showed increase at initial follow-up after a mean interval of 190 days.

Conclusion

In this study the malignancy rate of MRI-BI-RADS® 3 lesions corresponded to mammographic BI-RADS® 3 lesions. Initial short-interval MRI should be suggested to identify malignant MRI-BI-RADS® 3 lesions.
Wellbeing and hospitalized children: Can music help?
Authors: Longhi Elena , Pickett Nick , Hargreaves David J.
Published: August 2013

Live music in hospital has been suggested to be effective in helping paediatric patients to relax, and reduce their pain and anxiety. In this study we explored whether it is music per se or the adult attention linked to it that might be beneficial to the children. Thirty-seven paediatric patients with cardiac and/or respiratory problems between the ages of 7 days and 4 years were recruited at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London. Each child participated in three 10-minute sessions: 1) Music; 2) Reading; 3) No interaction. Their physiological responses, i.e., oxygen saturation level and heart rate, and pain assessment were taken before and after each session. A significant decrease in heart rate and pain level were found at the end of the music session. Oxygen saturation level increased significantly only in the younger paediatric patients group, mostly at the end of the no interaction session, and less so at the end of the music session. The music survey showed that parents and hospital staff rated the use of music in hospital positively. We conclude that it is music per se, and not the social component associated with it, that helps to improve paediatric patients’ wellbeing.
The effect of duration post-migraine on visual electrophysiology and visual field performance in people with migraine
Authors: Nguyen Bao N , Vingrys Algis J , McKendrick Allison M
Published: August 2013

Purpose:

In between migraine attacks, some people show visual field defects that are worse when measured closer to the end of a migraine event. In this cohort study, we consider whether electrophysiological responses correlate with visual field performance at different times post-migraine, and explore evidence for cortical versus retinal origin.

Methods:

Twenty-six non-headache controls and 17 people with migraine performed three types of perimetry (static, flicker and blue-on-yellow) to assess different aspects of visual function at two visits conducted at different durations post-migraine. On the same days, the pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and visual evoked response (PVER) were recorded.

Results:

Migraine participants showed persistent, interictal, localised visual field loss, with greater deficits at the visit nearer to migraine offset. Spatial patterns of visual field defect consistent with retinal and cortical dysfunction were identified. The PERG was normal, whereas the PVER abnormality found did not change with time post-migraine and did not correlate with abnormal visual field performance.

Conclusions:

Dysfunction on clinical tests of vision is common in between migraine attacks; however, the nature of the defect varies between individuals and can change with time. People with migraine show markers of both retinal and/or cortical dysfunction. Abnormal visual field sensitivity does not predict abnormality on electrophysiological testing.
What Lies Ahead
Authors: Clinkinbeard Samantha S.
Published: August 2013

Self-control has been consistently linked to antisocial behavior and though low self-control makes delinquency more likely, neither the findings nor the theory suggests that low self-control necessitates participation in such behavior. There remains a shortage of research on those situational factors or individual characteristics that might lessen the effects of low self-control on antisocial behavior. Future orientation is one such characteristic that can have implications for the control of behavior. The purpose of the current study was to explore the independent and interactive effects of future orientation and low self-control on delinquency using data from Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. A series of regressions showed that self-control and future orientation had independent effects on delinquent behavior. Further, future-oriented achievement expectations conditioned the effect of self-control on delinquency such that the effects of self-control were weakened with increases in future orientation. The findings suggest that prevention programs should place more emphasis on helping youth plan for the future. Further, research should more fully explore the other aspects of future orientation (e.g., specificity of planning and change/stability of aspirations), as they relate to self-control and delinquency.
Improving Patient Outcomes Through Registered Dietitian Order Writing
Authors: Roberts Susan R.
Published: August 2013

Traditionally, registered dietitians (RD) have not had order writing privileges in most patient‐care facilities and rely on physicians to implement their recommendations. Research has demonstrated that this model results in a high percentage of RD recommendations not being ordered. Timely nutrition interventions are important due to the prevalence of malnutrition in the hospital setting and when RD recommendations are implemented, important outcomes are improved. In addition, several studies have demonstrated that when RDs have order writing privileges, which allows more assurance that an intervention will occur and timely interventions, improved outcomes, such as improved nutrition status, better management of electrolytes and glycemic control, reaching goal calories sooner, reduction in inappropriate parenteral nutrition use, cost savings, and less error with electronic order entry. The process for implementation and outcomes of an RD order writing program at 1 large, urban, tertiary medical center is described. The program has been successful, but the implementation process required multiple years and ongoing monitoring through data collection to ensure success. RDs interested in order writing privileges must consider federal and state regulations, their individual scope of practice (relevant training and competency assessment), and how to obtain approval from the appropriate hospital governing committees. RDs who obtain order writing privileges must understand “with privilege comes responsibility” and should plan to conduct outcomes research to promote the value and acceptance of RD order writing by regulatory agencies at all levels and hospital leaders, for instance physicians and administrators.
Reliability and Validity of the Quality of Life-Alzheimer Disease Chinese Version
Authors: Yu Hong-Mei , He Run-Lian , Ai Yong-Mei , Liang Rui-Feng , Zhou Li-Ye
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the quality of life-Alzheimer disease (QOL-AD) Chinese version in patients with dementia in mainland, China and to compare patient and caregiver reports of patient QOL.

Methods:

The QOL-AD Chinese version was established following standard guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of measures. The reliability was assessed by internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The validity included construct and convergent validity. A paired Student t test was performed to determine differences between patient reports and caregiver reports.

Results:

The reliability for both patient and caregiver reports on the QOL-AD was good (Cronbach α values of 0.66 and 0.87; intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.84 and 0.90 for patient and caregiver reports, respectively). The validity of patient and caregiver reports was supported by correlation with domain measures. All of the multitrait-multimethod correlations demonstrated a high relationship between patient reports and caregiver reports, ranging from 0.26 to 0.55. The caregivers rated patient QOL significantly higher than did the patients.

Conclusion:

The findings support the use of the Chinese version of the QOL-AD as a generic instrument to measure QOL of AD in mainland China. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between patient and caregiver reports of patient QOL.
The Interactive Effect of Anger and Disgust on Moral Outrage and Judgments
Authors: Salerno Jessica M. , Peter-Hagene Liana C.
Published: August 2013

The two studies reported here demonstrated that a combination of anger and disgust predicts moral outrage. In Study 1, anger toward moral transgressions (sexual assault, funeral picketing) predicted moral outrage only when it co-occurred with at least moderate disgust, and disgust predicted moral outrage only when it co-occurred with at least moderate anger. In Study 2, a mock-jury paradigm that included emotionally disturbing photographs of a murder victim revealed that, compared to anger, disgust was a more consistent predictor of moral outrage (i.e., it predicted moral outrage at all levels of anger). Furthermore, moral outrage mediated the effect of participants’ anger on their confidence in a guilty verdict—but only when anger co-occurred with at least a moderate level of disgust—whereas moral outrage mediated the effect of participants’ disgust on their verdict confidence at all levels of anger. The interactive effect of anger and disgust has important implications for theoretical explanations of moral outrage, moral judgments in general, and legal decision making.
Chunggan extract (CGX), methionine-and choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced hepatosteatosis and oxidative stress in C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Park H-J , Han J-M , Kim H-G , Choi M-K , Lee J-S , Lee H-W , Son C-G
Published: August 2013

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Chunggan extract (CGX) in an animal model of hepatosteatosis. The C57BL/6N mice were fed either methionine- and choline-sufficient (MCS) diet ( n = 10) or a methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet ( n = 50) for 4 weeks, and then they were treated orally with CGX (100 or 200 mg/kg), ursodeoxycholic acid (80 mg/kg, as a positive control), or distilled water (DW, MCS diet group, and MCD diet group) for the final 2 weeks (once per day). The MCD diet induced severe hepatic injury with the typical features of hepatosteatosis in both serum and hepatic tissues. CGX treatment significantly attenuated these alterations in the serum levels including triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin. Moreover, CGX also efficiently prevented from the hepatic TG accumulation in the hepatic tissue, evidenced by histopathological findings, compared with the MCD diet. In addition, CGX treatment significantly ameliorated the excessive oxidative stress and antioxidant markers in the serum as well as the hepatic levels of reactive oxygen species, the levels of malondialdehyde, the protein carbonyl, and total antioxidant capacity, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. In conclusion, our results indicate the experimental relevance of CGX for potential clinical application in patients with hepatosteatotic disorders and a possible mechanism related to its antioxidant properties.
A Bayesian network meta-analysis for binary outcome: how to do it
Authors: Greco Teresa , Landoni Giovanni , Biondi-Zoccai Giuseppe , D'Ascenzo Fabrizio , Zangrillo Alberto
Published: August 2013

This study presents an overview of conceptual and practical issues of a network meta-analysis (NMA), particularly focusing on its application to randomised controlled trials with a binary outcome of interest. We start from general considerations on NMA to specifically appraise how to collect study data, structure the analytical network and specify the requirements for different models and parameter interpretations, with the ultimate goal of providing physicians and clinician-investigators a practical tool to understand pros and cons of NMA. Specifically, we outline the key steps, from the literature search to sensitivity analysis, necessary to perform a valid NMA of binomial data, exploiting Markov Chain Monte Carlo approaches. We also apply this analytical approach to a case study on the beneficial effects of volatile agents compared to total intravenous anaesthetics for surgery to further clarify the statistical details of the models, diagnostics and computations. Finally, datasets and models for the freeware WinBUGS package are presented for the anaesthetic agent example.
Evidence on Structural Instability in the Japanese Money Demand Function
Authors: Tang Chor Foon
Published: August 2013

The main purpose of this study is to re-investigate the long-run Japanese M2 money demand function and its stability over the period of 1970:Q1 to 2010:Q4. This study uses the bounds testing approach to cointegration within the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) framework to examine the presence of a cointegration relationship. The rolling regression procedure is then incorporated into the ARDL cointegration test to investigate the stability of the cointegrating relationship between money demand and its determinants in Japan. With the full sample, this study confirms that real M2 money demand, real income, real interest rates and real exchange rates are cointegrated. However, the evidence of the rolling ARDL cointegration test implies that the cointegrating relationships are not stable over time, indicating that the Japanese M2 money demand function is also unstable. In line with the rolling ARDL cointegration results, the recursive Chow breakpoint F-test and the Quandt likelihood ratio (QLR) test also suggest the same instability outcome.

JEL Classification Codes: C22; E41
The Effects of Transaction Costs, Landlord and Tenant Practices and Property Rights on Foreign Real Estate Investment
Authors: Fereidouni Hassan Gholipour , Al-mulali Usama , Mohammed Miswan Abdul Hakim Bin
Published: August 2013

The purpose of this article is to examine the relationships between real estate market factors (transaction costs, landlord and tenant practices and property rights) and foreign real estate investments (FREI) after controlling for other relevant determinants of FREI. This article uses related observations from 38 countries to investigate the relationships between real estate market factors and FREI. Our analysis shows that countries with lower transaction costs and higher level of property rights attract greater amounts of FREI. Furthermore, our empirical results indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between pro-landlord practices and FREI.

JEL Classification: R3, D23, P26
Government Expenditures and Business Cycles—Policy Reaction and Surprise Shocks
Authors: Glocker Christian
Published: August 2013

This article analyses the effects of government expenditures on German business cycle fluctuations by means of an estimated DSGE model based on low frequency oscillations. The results highlight that fiscal policy has a strong impact on the amplitude of fluctuations while hardly any on the duration of business cycles. To the extent that fiscal policy shocks are an important source for triggering economy-wide fluctuations, fiscal policy also strongly reacts to shocks originating elsewhere. Thus standard specifications of government expenditures in terms of simple AR(1) processes ignore the fact that there can indeed be a strong dependence of governmental variables on economic fluctuations.

JEL Classification: C13, C32, E3, E62
The Added Value of Study Abroad
Authors: Tarrant Michael A. , Rubin Donald L. , Stoner Lee
Published: August 2013

Few studies have employed experimental designs adequate for documenting the value added of studying abroad; that is, learning outcomes above and beyond that which may be achieved in domestic or traditional campus-based courses. Using a pre-/posttest, two-by-two factor design of course location (study abroad vs. home campus) by course subject matter (sustainability vs. nonsustainability), we found significant highest order interactions for three dependent measures of global citizenry. Results suggest that it is the combination of location (abroad) and academic focus that yields the greatest increases in specified learning outcomes for study abroad. Implications for political agendas, academic initiatives, and research directions are discussed.
The New Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders
Authors: Porter Jeffrey S. , Risler Edwin
Published: August 2013

Purpose:

Assess the new alternative Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) model for personality disorders (PDs) as it is seen by its creators and critics.

Method:

Follow the DSM revision process by monitoring the American Psychiatric Association website and the publication of pertinent journal articles.

Results:

The DSM-5 PD Work Group’s proposal was not included in the main diagnostic section of the new DSM, but it was published in the section devoted to emerging models. The alternative DSM-5 PD constructs are radically different from those found in DSM, fourth edition, text revision.

Discussion:

There are some positive conceptual changes in the new model, but reliability and validity are not generally improved. However, social workers may be able to benefit from the use of the personality trait domains/facets of the alternative model.
The Social Climate and Peer Interaction on Outdoor Courses
Authors: Mirkin Benjamin J. , Middleton Michael J.
Published: August 2013

This two-study report investigates achievement goal theory in the social domain to gain greater understanding of how the social climate of outdoor courses relates to peer interactions. In Study 1, we used mixed methods to examine how adolescents experienced the social climate of weeklong outdoor courses and how those perceptions related to peer interactions. In Study 2, a larger sample from longer courses was used to assess perceptions of social climate and how those perceptions relate to peer interactions. Significant adaptive changes in peer interactions were predicted by cohesion and previous experience. Results also indicate the meaningfulness of the instructor role. These studies contribute to knowledge of how the social climate and social motivation interact on outdoor programs.
The learning of adjectives and nouns from affordance and appearance features
Authors: Yürüten Onur , Şahin Erol , Kalkan Sinan
Published: August 2013

We study how a robot can link concepts represented by adjectives and nouns in language with its own sensorimotor interactions. Specifically, an iCub humanoid robot interacts with a group of objects using a repertoire of manipulation behaviors. The objects are labeled using a set of adjectives and nouns. The effects induced on the objects are labeled as affordances, and classifiers are learned to predict the affordances from the appearance of an object. We evaluate three different models for learning adjectives and nouns using features obtained from the appearance and affordances of an object, through cross-validated training as well as through testing on novel objects. The results indicate that shape-related adjectives are best learned using features related to affordances, whereas nouns are best learned using appearance features.

Analysis of the feature relevancy shows that affordance features are more relevant for adjectives, and appearance features are more relevant for nouns. We show that adjective predictions can be used to solve the odd-one-out task on a number of examples. Finally, we link our results with studies from psychology, neuroscience and linguistics that point to the differences between the development and representation of adjectives and nouns in humans.
The impact of diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica in patients with MS: a 10-year follow-up of the South Atlantic Project
Authors: Papais-Alvarenga Regina M , Vasconcelos Claudia CF , Alves-Leon Soniza V , Batista Elizabeth , Santos Claudia MM , Camargo Solange MGG , Godoy Mauricio , Lacativa Maria C , Lorenti Mariangela , Damasceno Benito , Damasceno Alfredo , Brum Doralina , Barreira Amilton A , Guimarães Rocha Maria S , Alvarenga Helcio , Tilbery Charles P
Published: August 2013

Background:

It is recognized that there is a particular geographic and ethnic distribution of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) among Caucasian and non-Caucasian populations.

Objective:

To review the diagnoses of patients whom were enrolled in the South Atlantic Project, a Brazilian multiple sclerosis (MS) survey performed from 1995–1998, and to identify NMO and MS case frequencies.

Methods:

We reviewed the data from a 10-year follow-up of MS patients. To apply the current diagnostic criteria, the neurologists were asked to collect clinical and laboratory data from the medical records of study patients treated from 1999–2009.

Results:

The spectrum of inflammatory demyelinating disease in 322 patients (67% white; 33% African-Brazilian) was: 49 (15%) with NMO; 14 (4%) with NMO syndromes; 10 (3%) with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM); one isolated tumefactive brain lesion; 249 (77%) with MS (151 with relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS), 70 with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and 27 with primary progressive MS (PPMS)). Disability was more severe in NMO and PPMS. One-third of the NMO patients had died.

Conclusions:

The frequency of NMO was 6.8% in São Paulo and 20.5% in Rio de Janeiro, and mainly seen in persons of African descent, which strengthens the hypothesis of there being an ethnic association of this disease. We recommend that epidemiological studies on MS that were performed previously be reviewed again, to ensure more accurate diagnoses.
Assemblages of penal governance, social justice and youth justice partnerships
Authors: Gray Patricia
Published: August 2013

Youth justice in England and Wales is delivered by multi-agency Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) which are expected to work in partnership with social welfare agencies to provide ‘holistic’ support that targets the interrelated personal and social needs of young offenders associated with their risk of reoffending. This article engages with criminological debates which attempt to interpret the hybrid assemblages of penal governance that have characterized late modernity in order to theorize why these partnerships have had only limited success in addressing the social context of youth crime. It will be argued, evidenced by an analysis of research data on YOT partnerships in action, that these assemblages are ‘classed’ in so much as they act as conduits for strategic elements which articulate powerful class interests (along with those of other social forces) to be translated into practice. Such strategic elements sustain class inequality and deny social justice to young people in conflict with the law.
Genres, styles and discourse communities in global communicative competition: The case of the Franco–American ‘AIDS War’ (1983–1987)
Authors: Helal Fethi
Published: August 2013

This article compares the rhetorical strategies employed by American and French scientists in the research article introductions published by both research teams during the so-called ‘AIDS War’ (1983–1987). The controversy concerned priority rights for the discovery of the AIDS virus. Using Swales’s (1990) CARS model as a comparative template, the results indicated that while the Americans proceeded with a deductive, bold and highly elaborated pattern of rhetorical presentation, the French opted for an inductive, more nuanced and unelaborated rhetoric which prioritized the communication of scientific content at the expense of the writers’ attitude and personal perspective. The observed variations can be accounted for on the basis of perceptions of what constitutes appropriate academic style during the debate, audience design, power relationships and the sociopolitics of knowledge production in American and French scientific cultures. The article concludes by exploring the implications of these results for the use of English in the resolution of global research problems across the intercultural continuum.
Strategies of writing summaries for hard news texts: A text analysis approach
Authors: Yuan ke Li , Hoey Michael
Published: August 2013

This article analyses which propositions of the original hard news texts are replicated in their summaries written by competent readers, with a view to observing the strategies they use to write summaries for this text type and analysing the linguistic devices involved when they implement the strategies. Three strategies, namely deletion, selection and abstraction, are used by summary writers to boil down the original texts to their main points. Implementing these strategies requires readers to make of the relationships holding between the propositions (or larger parts) of text. Teaching linguistic devices such as subordinators, conjuncts, lexical signals, lexical repetitions and parallelism is crucial because they assist students to analyse the relationships between the propositions.
Qualitative secondary data analysis: Ethics, epistemology and context
Authors: Irwin Sarah
Published: August 2013

There has been a significant growth in the infrastructure for archiving and sharing qualitative data, facilitating reuse and secondary analysis. The article explores some issues relating to ethics and epistemology in the conduct of qualitative secondary analysis. It also offers a critical discussion of the importance of engaging with the situatedness and contextually embedded nature of data, and ways in which contexts (including research designs and disciplinary and methodological assumptions) are themselves embedded in primary data. I illustrate some strategies for addressing these matters with reference to analyses of two different areas, drawing on research conducted as part of ESRC Timescapes, and highlight some issues for development research.
Replication of quantitative work in development studies: Experiences and suggestions
Authors: Duvendack Maren , Palmer-Jones Richard
Published: August 2013

There is a growing demand for replications of authoritative works in development studies, which reflects recent trends in other social sciences as well as challenges to important quantitative works in development studies where replications have made contested contributions to understanding. At the same time, there is a strong trend within development towards adoption of medical models of evidence-based policy to find out what policies and interventions work. Replication is a key practice of medical (and natural science) research and was advocated frequently over several decades without success. This article addresses the incentives for replication going beyond a narrow focus on extrinsic rewards, reviews some significant examples, discusses behaviour during replication and draws lessons for replicators and replicatees.
Book Review: Gender and Sexuality in India: Selling Sex in Chennai
Authors: Kapadia Karin
Published: August 2013

Sariola, S. 2010: Gender and Sexuality in India: Selling Sex in Chennai. London and New York: Routledge. x + 161 pp. £26 paperback, £85 hardback, £56.52 ebook. ISBN: 978-0-415-54915-8 cloth. ISBN: 978-0-415-53356-0 paperback. ISBN: 978-0-203-86353-4 ebook.
Book Review: The State of the World Atlas
Authors: Potter Rob
Published: August 2013

Smith, D. 2013: The State of the World Atlas (9th edition). Oxford and London: New Internationalist and Myriad Editions. 144 pp. £14.99 paperback. ISBN: 978-1-78026-121-8 paperback.
Book Review: Red Tape: Bureaucracy, Structural Violence, and Poverty in India
Authors: Sportel Terah
Published: August 2013

Gupta, A. 2012: Red Tape: Bureaucracy, Structural Violence, and Poverty in India. Durham: Duke University Press. xiii + 368 pp. £74 cloth, £19 paperback. ISBN: 978 0 8223 5098 9 cloth. ISBN: 978 0 8223 5110 8 paperback.