bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Prophylactic Antibiotics at Peritoneal Catheter Insertion on Early Peritonitis: Data from the Catheter Section of the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry
Authors: Lanot Antoine , Lobbedez Thierry , Bechade Clémence , Verger Christian , Fabre Emmanuel , Dratwa Max , Vernier Isabelle
Published: October 2016

Background: International guidelines recommend the use of a prophylactic antibiotic before the peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter can be inserted. The main objective of this study was to assess whether this practice is associated with a lower risk of early peritonitis and to estimate the magnitude of the centre effect. Methods: A retrospective, multi-centric study was conducted, in which data from the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry was analysed. Patients were separated into 2 groups based on whether or not prophylactic antibiotics were used prior to catheter placement. Results: Out of the 2,014 patients who had a PD catheter placed between February 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014, 1,105 were given a prophylactic antibiotic. In a classical logit model, the use of prophylactic antibiotics was found to protect the individual against the risk of early peritonitis (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.92). However, this association lost significance in a mixed logistic regression model with centre as a random effect: OR 0.73 (95% CI 0.48-1.09). Covariates associated with the risk of developing early peritonitis were age over 65: OR 0.73 (95% CI 0.39-0.85), body mass index over 35 kg/m2: OR 1.99 (95% CI 1.13-3.47), transfer to PD due to graft failure: OR 2.24 (95% CI 1.22-4.11), assisted PD: OR 1.96 (95% CI 1.31-2.93), and the use of the Moncrief technique: OR 3.07 (95% CI 1.85-5.11). Conclusion: There is a beneficial effect of prophylactic antibiotic used prior to peritoneal catheter placement, on the occurence of early peritonitis. However, the beneficial effect could be masked by a centre effect.
Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy for Cancer Detection: Performance of 2D-, 3D- and 3D-MRI Fusion Targeted Techniques
Authors: Klein Jacques , de Górski Arachk , Benamran Daniel , Vallee Jean-Paul , De Perrot Thomas , Wirth Gregory J. , Iselin Christophe E.
Published: October 2016

Introduction: The study aimed to evaluate 3 different modalities of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies (PBs; 2D-, 3D- and targeted 3D-TRUS with fusion to MRI - T3D). Primary end point was the detection rate of prostate cancer (PC). Secondary end point was the detection rate of insignificant PC according to the Epstein criteria. Patients and Methods: Inclusion of 284 subsequent patients who underwent 2D-, 3D- or T3D PB from 2011 to 2015. All patients having PB for initial PC detection with a serum prostate-specific antigen value ≤20 ng/ml were included. Patients with T4 and/or clinical and/or radiological metastatic disease, so as these under active surveillance were excluded. Results: Patients with T3D PB had a significantly higher detection rate of PC (58 vs. 19% for 2D and 38% for 3D biopsies; p = 0.001), with no difference in Gleason score distribution (p = 0.644), as well as detection rate of low-risk cancers (p = 0.914). Main predictive factor for positive biopsies was the technique used, with respectively a 3- and 8-fold higher detection rate in the 3D- and T3D group. For T3D-PB, there was a significant correlation between radiological cancer suspicion (Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System Score) and cancer detection rate (p = 0.02). Conclusions: T3D PB should be preferred over 2D PB and 3D PB in patients with suspected PC as it improves the cancer detection rate.
Species diversity and spatial distribution of snakes in Jigme Dorji National Park and adjoining areas, western Bhutan
Authors: Koirala Bal Krishna , Gurung Dhan Bdr , Lhendup Phurba , Phuntsho Sonam
Published: October 2016

This paper presents the results of a study conducted on the diversity and spatial distribution of snakes along the elevation gradients of Mochu River valley in Jigme Dorji National Park and its adjoining areas.  The survey was conducted from July–September 2014 and May–July 2015.  The study aimed to assess the diversity and distribution of snakes using opportunistic the visual encounter survey technique.  A total of 17 species of snakes belonging to 15 genera and three families were documented during the study period.  More than 53% of species were recorded in the lower sampling sites (between 1,200–500 m) indicating more favourable climatic conditions and habitat types for snakes assemblages at lower elevations indicating the importance of protecting low land forest areas for the conservation of snakes in the Bhutanese mountain ecosystem.
On the occurrence of Common Baron (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Limenitidinae: Euthalia aconthea Cramer, 1777) in the Delhi area and analysis of abiotic factors affecting its distribution in India
Authors: Bais Rajv K. Singh
Published: October 2016

This paper gives details of the occurrence of Euthalia aconthea from Delhi area situated in the Indo-Gangetic plains.  Occurrence records of this species suggest that it is most frequent in five zones of India, despite the fact that its main larval food plant Mango Mangifera indica is abundantly available almost throughout India.  Possible abiotic factors are hypothesized for this distribution.
Long-Term Follow-Up After Catheter Ablation of Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia in Children
Authors: Backhoff David , Klehs Sophia , Müller Matthias J. , Schneider Heike E. , Kriebel Thomas , Paul Thomas , Krause Ulrich
Published: October 2016

Background—

Catheter ablation of the slow conducting pathway (SP) is treatment of choice for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Although there are abundant data on AVNRT ablation in adult patients, little is known about the long-term results ≥3 years after AVNRT ablation in pediatric patients.

Methods and Results—

Follow-up data from 241 patients aged ≤18 years who had undergone successful AVNRT ablation were analyzed. Median age at ablation had been 12.5 years, and median follow-up was 5.9 years. Radiofrequency current had been used in 168 patients (70%), whereas cryoenergy had been used in 73 patients (30%). Procedural end point of AVNRT ablation had been either SP ablation (no residual dual atrioventricular nodal physiology) or SP modulation (residual SP conduction allowing for a maximum of one atrial echo beat). After the initial AVNRT ablation, calculated freedom from AVNRT was 96% at 1 year, 94% at 3 years, 93% at 5 years, and 89% at 8 years. Age, sex, body weight, the choice of ablation energy, and the procedural end point of AVNRT ablation did not impact freedom from AVNRT. Six of 22 AVNRT recurrences (27%) occurred ≥5 years after ablation. No late complications including atrioventricular block were noted.

Conclusions—

Cumulatively, catheter ablation of AVNRT continued to be effective in >90% of our pediatric patients during the long-term course. A significant part of recurrences occurred >5 years post ablation. Body weight, energy source, and the end point of ablation had no impact on long-term results. No adverse sequelae were noted.
Developing a Legal Framework for Advance Healthcare Planning: Comparing England & Wales and Ireland
Authors: Donnelly Mary
Published: October 2016

This article examines the legislative frameworks for advance healthcare planning in England & Wales (the Mental Capacity Act 2005) and in Ireland (the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015), undertaking a comparative analysis of each measure, with particular focus on the detail of the approaches taken. It is only through this kind of detailed focus that the normative choices made by legislation can fully be understood and evaluated. The article argues that, in several respects, possibly because the drafters were able to reflect lessons learned from other jurisdictions, the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 provides a more rounded and complete form of advance healthcare planning than that provided by the Mental Capacity Act. This is on the basis that it provides more protection for patient choice; better potential for delivery on the choices made; and a more appropriate balance between formalities and enforceability.
A new subspecies of Nacaduba cyanea Cramer, 1775, from Buru, Maluku, Indonesia (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)
Authors: Tennent W. John , Gassó Miracle M. Eulàlia
Published: October 2016

“Across the world, natural-history collections hold thousands of species awaiting identification. In fact, researchers today find many more novel animals and plants by sifting through decades-old specimens than they do by surveying tropical forests and remote landscapes. An estimated three-quarters of newly named mammal species are already part of a natural-history collection at the time they are identified. They sometimes sit unrecognised for a century or longer, hidden in drawers, half-forgotten in jars, misidentified, unlabelled.” Museums: The endangered dead (C. Kemp, Nature 518 (7539): 292–294, London, 19th February 2015)

A new subspecies of Nacaduba cyanea (Cramer, 1775), N. c. sanane ssp. n., from the Indonesian island of Buru is described and illustrated. It is compared with nominotypical cyanea (TL: “West-Indiën” [= West Indies]; recte: “Oost-Indiën” [= East Indies]) and N. c. obiana (Fruhstorfer, 1915) (TL: Obi). All eight currently recognised Moluccan subspecies of N. cyanea, including N. c. sanane ssp. n., are illustrated and a map depicting their distribution in the Moluccas is presented.
Further records of the plant bug subfamily Isometopinae from Thailand (Heteroptera: Miridae), with descriptions of three new species
Authors: Yasunaga Tomohide , Duangthisan Jomsurang , Yamada Kazutaka , Artchawakom Taksin
Published: October 2016

Three new species, Isometopus chaiyaphum, Paloniella microchelys, and Myiomma phuvasae, of the plant bug subfamily Isometopinae Fieber are described; additional records for I. siamensis Yasunaga, Yamada & Artchawakom are documented. The habitat of P. microchelys is reported. A checklist of the isometopine fauna of Thailand is provided.
A new record of Sida glutinosa (Malvaceae), a rare species of the Caatinga in northeastern Brazil, with lectotypifications and taxonomic notes on the allied Sida glabra
Authors: BARACHO GEORGE SIDNEY , AGRA MARIA DE FÁTIMA
Published: October 2016

Sida glutinosa (Malvaceae), a rare and poorly known species in Brazil, is recorded in areas of the Caatinga ecoregion, as well as its first occurrence in the State of Paraíba. In addition, the relationship between this species and its closest relative, S. glabra, is discussed, S. piauhyensis is lectotypified, and a key to separating the species of Sida sect. Nelavagae in Pernambuco and Paraíba States is given.
Aspidistra globosa (Asparagaceae, Nolinoideae), a new species with erect stem from southern Vietnam
Authors: VISLOBOKOV NIKOLAY A. , NURALIEV MAXIM S. , KUZNETSOV ANDREY N. , KUZNETSOVA SVETLANA P.
Published: October 2016

Aspidistra globosa is described and illustrated as a new species from southern Vietnam (Gia Lai province, Kon Ka Kinh National Park). The new species has long erect stem, which is a rare feature in the genus Aspidistra. Aspidistra globosa resembles A. khangii and A. locii in globoid perigone and erect stem, but differs in smaller flowers, color of perigone, position of anthers and orientation of flower.
The identity of Aster zayuensis Y. L. Chen (Asteraceae)
Authors: FU ZHIXI , ZHANG GUOJIN , YAN HONG , NIE BAO , JIAO BOHAN , GAO TIANGANG
Published: October 2016

Based on evidence from specimens and fieldwork, Aster zayuensis Y. L. Chen is shown to be conspecific with Duhaldea eupatorioides (DC.) Steetz.
Matthiola shiraziana (Brassicaceae), a new species from Dena region, Iran
Authors: ZERAATKAR AMIN , GHAHREMANINEJAD FARROKH , AL-SHEHBAZ IHSAN A. , KHOSRAVI AHMAD R. , ASSADI MOSTAFA
Published: October 2016

Matthiola shiraziana, a new species from Iran, is described and illustrated. It is compared with the closely related M. flavida Boiss. and M. ovatifolia (Boiss.) Boiss. A full description and detailed stereomicroscopic micrographs and diagnostic morphological features are provided on the basis of the specimens housed in several Iranian herbaria.
An Expendable Microstructure Profiler for Deep Ocean Measurements
Authors: Shang Xiaodong , Qi Yongfeng , Chen Guiying , Liang Changrong , Lueck Rolf G. , Prairie Brett , Li Hua
Published: October 2016

Measurements of turbulence in the deep ocean, particularly close to the bottom, are extremely sparse because of the difficulty and operational risk of obtaining deep profiles near the seafloor. A newly developed expendable instrument—the VMP-X (Vertical Microstructure Profiler–Expendable)—carries two microstructure shear probes to measure the fluctuations of vertical shear into the dissipation range and can profile down to a depth of 6000 m. Data from nine VMP-X profiles in the western Pacific Ocean near 11.6°N over rough topography display bottom-intensified turbulence with dissipation rates increasing by two factors of 10 to 4 W kg−1 within 200 m above the bottom. In contrast, over smooth topography in the southern South China Sea near 11°N, three profiles show that turbulence in the bottom boundary layer increases only slightly, with dissipation rates reaching 1 W kg−1. The eddy diffusivity over rough topography reached to 5 m2 s−1. The average diffusivity over all depths was 0.3 and 0.9 m2 s−1 for the tests in the southern South China Sea and in the western Pacific Ocean, respectively, and these values are much larger than previous estimates of less than ≈0.1 m2 s−1 for the main thermocline.
The Role of Convectively Generated Gravity Waves on Convective Initiation: A Case Study
Authors: Su Tao , Zhai Guoqing
Published: October 2016

A case study of a convection initiation (CI) event involving a mesoscale gravity wave is presented. This severe convection event occurred in east China on 5 June 2009. High-frequency automatic weather station (AWS) data, visible satellite data, and Doppler radar data were combined to depict the features of the gravity wave and the development of several convection centers. The gravity wave was manifested by a surface pressure dip and surface wind shift propagating westward away from the early convection. The pressure dip propagated at a speed of >30 m s−1, which is comparable with that in previous observational studies of convectively generated gravity waves. A special focus is on the initiation of a deep convection cell in Anhui Province, which resulted in 25 deaths. Surface observations showed two precursors before CI, including a convergence line and wind shift at the eastern end of the convergence line. High-resolution numerical simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model were used to examine the structure of the gravity waves and forecast CI processes. The model reproduced the observed features of the gravity wave and the precursors before CI. Three-dimensional model results showed that CI occurred at the intersection between a convergence line and the gravity wave. The relationships between the wind shift and the pressure drop are consistent with polarization relation in ducted gravity waves. As the updraft of the gravity wave intersected with the convergence line, the low-level updraft strengthened and led to CI. The gravity wave, which had stronger updraft than downdraft, suggested a positive contribution to CI.
Measuring Oxidative DNA Damage With 8-Hydroxy-2’-Deoxyguanosine Levels in Patients With Laryngeal Cancer
Authors: Mazlumoglu Muhammet Recai , Ozkan Ozalkan , Alp Hamit Hakan , Ozyildirim Ercan , Bingol Fatih , Yoruk Ozgur , Kuduban Ozan
Published: October 2016

Objectives:

8-Hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine is a biomolecule associated with DNA damage. We evaluated oxidative stress and DNA damage in patients with laryngeal cancer by measuring 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine levels.

Methods:

This study enrolled 117 subjects, including 64 controls and 53 patients who had benign vocal cord lesions or laryngeal cancer. The benign excised lesions, tumor tissue, noncancerous laryngeal tissue, blood, and urine were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography, and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine levels were compared between groups.

Results:

Blood and urine 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine levels in patients with laryngeal carcinoma were significantly higher than in the controls ( P = .00002, P = .00001). The 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine level was significantly higher in tumor tissues than in non-tumor tissue and benign vocal cord lesion tissues ( P = .00002, P = .000001).

Conclusions:

We determined that laryngeal cancer was associated with oxidative stress, which may be quantified by measuring 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine. For a patient with a suspicious laryngeal lesion, 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine levels in blood and urine can provide advance information about the likely diagnosis.
The serum concentration of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with Kawasaki disease
Authors: Teraura Hiroyuki , Kotani Kazuhiko , Minami Takaomi , Takeshima Taro , Shimooki Osamu , Kajii Eiji
Published: October 2016

Kawasaki disease is a febrile disease of childhood that is associated with increased inflammatory cytokines and immunoregulatory abnormalities. While the serum concentrations of soluble IL-2 receptor can change under such pathologies, the relevance of the soluble IL-2 receptor concentration in patients with Kawasaki disease has not been specified. We aimed to summarize the existing studies that reported the soluble IL-2 receptor concentrations in patients with Kawasaki disease. Original articles that were published up to July 2016 were collected using a PubMed/Medline-based search engine. A total of nine articles that reported the serum soluble IL-2 receptor concentrations in acute-phase Kawasaki disease were eligible. All of the articles described a high soluble IL-2 receptor concentration in patients with Kawasaki disease relative to the level of controls or the reference range. Two of five articles on patients with coronary artery aneurysms described a significantly higher soluble IL-2 receptor concentration in patients with coronary artery aneurysms than patients without. Two articles on patients with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy described a significant decrease of the soluble IL-2 receptor concentration after the therapy. Accordingly, the serum soluble IL-2 receptor can be a potent marker of disease activity and therapeutic effects in patients with Kawasaki disease; further studies are thus warranted for its use in the clinical setting.
Civil society in a divided society: Linking legitimacy and ethnicness of civil society organizations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Authors: Puljek-Shank Randall , Verkoren Willemijn
Published: October 2016

Civil society (CS) strengthening is central to peacebuilding policies for divided, post-war societies. However, it has been criticized for creating internationalized organizations without local backing, unable to represent citizens’ interests. Based on in-depth empirical research in Bosnia-Herzegovina, this article focuses on the legitimacy of CS organizations (CSOs). It explores why legitimacy for donors rarely accompanies legitimacy for local actors. We hypothesized that whilst donors avoid supporting mono-ethnic organizations, seen as problematic for peacebuilding, ‘ethnicness’ may provide local legitimacy. However, our analysis of CSOs’ ethnicness nuances research characterizing organizations as either inclusive or divisive. Moreover, local legitimacy is not based on ethnicness per se, but CSOs’ ability to skilfully interact with ethnically divided constituencies and political structures. In addition, we offer novel explanations why few organizations enjoy both donor and local legitimacy, including local mistrust of donors’ normative frameworks and perceived lack of results. However, we also show that a combination of local and donor legitimacy is possible, and explore this rare but interesting category of organizations.
Risk assessment heuristics: Cues and intention to use a condom in casual sex
Authors: Rinaldi-Miles Anna , Quick Brian L , McCloskey Laura
Published: October 2016

Objective:

This study examined the relationship between three heuristic cues (consistency, liking and social proof) and condom use in casual sex relationships utilising the theory of planned behaviour.

Participants:

Totally, 388 US college students were surveyed.

Method:

Three vignettes for each cue primed students to project their willingness to use a condom during casual sex encounters.

Results:

Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed that the cues exerted significant main effects on attitude ( F(5, 1,935) = 6.16, p < .001), subjective norms ( F(5, 1,930) = 5.626, p < .001), perceived behavioural control ( F(5, 1,935) = 8.51, p < .001) and behavioural intentions ( F(5, 1,930) = 2.44, p = .033). Post hoc analysis revealed condom avoidance behavioural intentions were more likely for the vignette depicting social proof ( M = −1.26, standard deviation [ SD] = 1.08).

Conclusion:

Findings indicate that heuristic cues influence college students’ condom use intentions, and prevention programmes should incorporate cues to increase effectiveness.
Explaining patterns of inequality in childcare service use across 31 developed economies: A welfare state perspective
Authors: Van Lancker Wim , Ghysels Joris
Published: October 2016

Childcare services are increasingly regarded a major policy lever to combat social inequalities in early life. Yet, it was shown that inequality in the use of childcare services is the norm rather than the exception in European and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. As a result, social inequalities between disadvantaged and advantaged children are likely to be reinforced instead of being narrowed. The aim of this article is to conduct a macro-level analysis exploring which welfare state characteristics are associated with inequality in childcare use. We find that government involvement in the availability, affordability and quality of service provision is related to lower levels of inequality in childcare use. The results also suggest an impact of labour market opportunities and parental leave schemes. The findings contribute to a proper understanding of the institutional mechanisms underlying inequality in childcare service use.
Changes in mechanical properties of GFRP composite after exposure to warm seawater
Authors: Ronagh Hamid , Saeed Nariman
Published: October 2016

This article presents the results of tensile tests performed on E-glass/Epoxy composite coupons. Eighteen GFRP panels were manufactured and cured in laboratory environment, out of which specimens in size of 25 mm × 250 mm specimens were cut. The specimens were categorised into three groups; the first group was post-cured at 60℃ oven for 16 h while the second and the third groups were placed under seawater at 60℃ for about 60 days and 4 months to represent saturation condition and ageing, respectively. The mechanical parameters such as elastic modulus (E), ultimate tensile strain (ɛu) and shear modulus (G) which are reported here were measured and were compared to one another showing that these are influenced by different conditioning regimes to a great extent.
School Personnel Perceptions of Youth With Disabilities Returning to High School From the Juvenile Justice System
Authors: Sinclair James S. , Unruh Deanne K. , Griller Clark Heather , Waintrup Miriam G.
Published: October 2016

Little is known about the perceptions of teachers of their students returning from the juvenile justice system, which can influence student relationships and student engagement, both of which are critical to reduce recidivism rates. This study utilized an online survey to examine the perceptions of a convenience sample of 283 school personnel (e.g., special educators, administrators) from across the country on available transition services, school climate, self-efficacy, barriers faced during reentry, and supportive strategies. Findings indicate transition services are implemented inconsistently; personnel believe they have the ability to positively influence youth, yet they have low expectations for youth after graduation. Findings suggest opportunities for professional development on holding high expectations for youth, services to prevent negative outcomes. Implications for future research call for examination of wraparound services and analysis of transition services utilized across different states and regions of the country.
Laccase-mediated in situ polymerization of pyrrole for simultaneous coloration and conduction of wool fabric
Authors: Bai Rubing , Yu Yuanyuan , Wang Qiang , Yuan Jiugang , Fan Xuerong
Published: October 2016

Polypyrrole catalyzed by laccase appears as a black color in solution. Conductive fabric coated with polypyrrole could present a dark green color, but the colorimetric and dyeing properties have not been discussed. In this study, pyrrole was used for the dyeing of wool fabric through in situ polymerization using laccase. The absorbance of reaction solution increases as time goes on and a significant peak appears at 460 nm on the ultraviolet-visible spectrum. Scanning electron microscopy indicated polypyrrole catalyzed by laccase does fix onto the wool fiber comparing to the control sample. The structure and electrochemical activity of dyed wool fabric were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, respectively. The dyeing depth of the dyed wool fabrics increased gradually with the extension of time and increasing of concentration of laccase and pyrrole. The dyed wool fabric prepared presents good electrochemical activity in terms of in situ polymerization using laccase in solution.
Too Scared to Learn? The Academic Consequences of Feeling Unsafe in the Classroom
Authors: Lacoe Johanna
Published: October 2016

A safe environment is a prerequisite for productive learning. Using a unique panel data set of survey responses from New York City middle school students, the article provides insight into the relationship between feelings of safety in the classroom and academic achievement. The survey data include the reported feelings of safety for more than 340,000 students annually from 2007 to 2010 in more than 700 middle schools. Findings show a consistent negative relationship between feeling unsafe in the classroom and test scores. The study provides insight into the mechanisms through which feeling unsafe in the classroom relates to test scores and presents multiple robustness checks to support the central finding.
The post-political trap? Reflections on politics, agency and the city
Authors: Beveridge Ross , Koch Philippe
Published: October 2016

This commentary reflects on the influence of the post-political critique on urban studies. In this literature (e.g. Swyngedouw, 2014), the default position of contemporary democracies is post-politics – the truly political is only rare, random and radical. The ‘post-political trap’ refers to the intuitively convincing, yet ultimately confining account it provides of contemporary urban governance. We identify three shortcomings. First, the binary understanding of the real political/politics as police negates the in-betweenness and contingency of actually existing urban politics. By so doing, secondly, political agency is reduced to the heroic and anti-heroic. Thus, the plurality of political agency in the urban sphere and multi-faceted forms of power lose their political quality. Third, the perceived omnipotence of the post-political order actually diminishes the possibilities of the urban as a political space of resistance and emancipation. On these grounds we argue not for a rejection of the notion of the post-political per se but for a more differentiated approach, one more alert to the contingencies of the political and of depoliticisation in the urban realm.
What is (still) political about the city?
Authors: Beveridge Ross , Koch Philippe
Published: October 2016

What happens to urban politics when examined through the post-political lens? In our response to Derickson, Dikec and Swyngedouw we reassert the key elements of our critique: the prescriptive understanding of politics and the inconsistent use of the urban. We close this debate with some thoughts on how we might urbanise the political.
Model-Based and Design-Based Inference: Reducing Bias Due to Differential Recruitment in Respondent-Driven Sampling
Authors: Shi Yongren , Cameron Christopher J. , Heckathorn Douglas D.
Published: October 2016

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a link-tracing sampling and inference method for studying hard-to-reach populations, has been shown to produce asymptotically unbiased population estimates when its assumptions are satisfied. However, some of the assumptions are prohibitively difficult to reach in the field, and the violation of a crucial assumption can produce biased estimates. We compare two different inference approaches: design-based inference, which relies on the known probability of selection in sampling, and model-based inference, which is based on models of human recruitment behavior and the social context within which sampling is conducted. The advantage of the latter approach is that when the violation of an assumption has been shown to produce biased population estimates, the model can be adjusted to more accurately reflect actual recruitment behavior, and thereby control for the source of bias. To illustrate this process, we focus on three sources of bias, differential effectiveness of recruitment, a form of nonresponse bias, and bias resulting from status differentials that produce asymmetries in recruitment behavior. We first present diagnostics for identifying types of bias and then present new forms of a model-based RDS estimator that controls for each type of bias. In this way, we show the unique advantages of a model-based estimator.
Indisciplining sociologies, disciplining feminisms
Authors: Chadha Gita
Published: October 2016

The Introduction to this volume draws the map of the relationship between feminism and sociology, arguing that each has to indiscipline and discipline the other on different registers. Contextualised within the pedagogic need to ground interdisciplinarity, the article argues that feminism and sociology must be brought together to alter each other in a transformational manner. Addressed to sociologists, it attempts to graft feminism and sociology on the axes of language, location and lineage. It suggests that the disciplinary crisis faced by sociology may be reduced with the adoption of a reflexivity that is at the intersection of sociology and feminism. It also suggests that the practices of a feminist pedagogy offer possibilities for revitalising the discipline of sociology. It provides summaries of the articles in the volume that lead us to reflexivity and pluralism.
Feminist research
Authors: Rayaprol Aparna
Published: October 2016

The article focuses on methodological debates between feminisms and sociologies. It suggests that before the advent of feminist studies, social scientists had not engaged critically with patriarchal and androcentric structures which oppress and dominate women. The article points out that in the feminist approach, theory and praxis are necessarily intertwined. It uses Sandra Harding’s classification of feminist epistemologies as a framework within which to map feminist studies in India. It provides examples of research studies for each methodological approach, discusses the use of feminist methodologies in sociological enquiry and argues for a more gender-sensitive approach in social research. Lastly, it goes on to detail a body of work in feminist ethnography, citing instances of work in different fields that have made inroads using feminist research.
Re-inventing ‘public’ and ‘private’ in social experience of movements
Authors: Samant Mayuri
Published: October 2016

The article seeks to critically examine the secure/normative family from the standpoint of one or more members entering the arena of social movements because this, in many ways, is seen as putting nation/society before the family. In this context, the article attempts to understand how two activists of a Marxist group called Magowa1 enter different spheres of social/collective action and negotiate duties/obligations of the familial in the process of critiquing the normative, recasting lived practices in the family or creating alternate support structures to the family. I hope to tease out the processes of restructuring or reorganising the private sphere that seem inevitable when one or more members of the family enter the arena of social movements. While drawing from the insights from family studies in India, and social movement studies, the article attempts to explore the lives of two activists from the group to map mainly the ‘failed’ or ‘successful’ journeys of the processes of restructuring the ‘private’. These complex journeys help us to arrive at an understanding that goes beyond framework that either suggests that social movements ‘established alternatives to the family’ or ‘simply reproduced normative families in personal lives’. They help us to look for more complex grey areas, thus widening the scope of both family studies and social movement studies.
The Case for the Nonideal Morality of War: Beyond Revisionism versus Traditionalism in Just War Theory
Authors: Pattison James
Published: October 2016

Recent discussions in Just War Theory have been framed by a polarising debate between “traditionalist” and “revisionist” approaches. This debate has largely overlooked the importance of an applied account of Just War Theory. The main aim of this essay is to defend the importance of this applied account and, in particular, a nonideal account of the ethics of war. I argue that the applied, nonideal morality of war is vital for a plausible and comprehensive account of Just War Theory. A subsidiary aim of the essay is to show that once we appreciate the importance of the applied, nonideal account, it becomes clear that the positions proposed by revisionists and traditionalists are, in fact, much closer than often presumed.
Unspoken Insurgencies: Interpretive Publics in Contentious Politics
Authors: Liou Stacey
Published: October 2016

This essay uses the 2014 protests in Thailand in which demonstrators silently brandished The Hunger Games’s three-fingered salute as a lens through which to analyze nonverbal communication in contentious politics. Drawing on and extending J.L. Austin’s speech act theory, I explore the conditions of legibility of nonverbal language such as bodily gesture, signs and symbols. While neither verbal nor nonverbal speech guarantees an exact translation between intention and reception, nonverbal utterances operate along a looser terrain of legibility. I contend that the attribution of meaning and intention to the speaker’s nonverbal utterance demands a reflexive consideration from the listener, founding a new community of meaning oriented around a shared context. This interpretive public, with its ambivalent emancipatory potential, is the space of politics.
Isaac: Sowing in Joyous Laughter, Reaping in Tears
Authors: Zucker David J.
Published: October 2016

Biblical Isaac seems to face a series of traumas. Despite the literal meaning of his name (Isaac/ Yitzh̲aq/he will laugh), there appears to be little joy in his life. This article argues that contrary to this reading, other dynamics are at play. Isaac overcomes his early experiences and achieves a great deal in his time..
Ezekiel as Misogynist
Authors: Zucker David J. , Reiss Moshe
Published: October 2016

A centerpiece of Ezekiel's prophecies are his descriptions of the corruption of Jerusalem. That Ezekiel was probably writing as a priest (cf. Ezek 1:3) or at the very least, someone with priestly concerns, suggests the basis of his obsession with purity/impurity, as well as the contagion and corruption of the special rites associated with the Temple in Jerusalem. He chooses women as the metaphor for that defilement. Especially in chapters 16 and 23, he presents images of the city as prostitutes, as nymphomaniacs. His words there straddle the divide between misogyny and outright pornography.
The Ethics of the Fall: Restoring the Divine Image through the Pursuit of Biblical Wisdom
Authors: Benz Brendon C.
Published: October 2016

God's displeasure with the primordial couple for seeking the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis 3 is often explained as the result of humanity's transgression of a divine boundary intended to restrict human understanding. For some, this reflects the tyranny of God's character. However, the encounter between God and Solomon in 1 Kings 3 suggests an alternative reading. There, God approvingly equates the “listening heart,” which is able “to discern between good and evil,” that Solomon requests with a “wise heart” (vv 9, 12). Taking an intertextual approach informed by A. Giddens' work on the nature of social power and by a relational interpretation of the imago Dei, I propose that Genesis 3 asserts that it is humanity's drive to take possession of knowledge in isolation and without a listening heart that results in the collapse of the divine image. Consequently, the creation narratives that introduce the Bible make an ethical claim regarding the wisdom of constructing social relations in the context of diverse, power-sharing communities that reflect God's own interactions with humanity in such texts as Genesis 18 and John 20.
Negotiations of Power by MENA Women: A Social Scientific Sounding
Authors: Pilch John J.
Published: October 2016

Anthropologists recognize that male domination in MENA cultures (Patriarchalism) is a myth to which both men and women pay lip service. To challenge the myth is to jeopardize the assurances its observance gives to both men and women. In the domestic sphere, however, women wield considerable power which men reluctantly allow mainly in order to have peace (Prov 19:13; 21:9, 19; 27:15). Such inequality of power characterizes all cultures. Cross-cultural research explains the nature of this inequality, and how men and women negotiate serves a higher place in the Christian understanding of salvation. This has implications for Christian life and practice.
A Novel Enuresis Alarm for Toilet Training Students With Intellectual Disability
Authors: Mruzek Daniel W. , McAleavey Stephen , Engel Suzanne , Smith Tristram
Published: October 2016

In this study, a novel enuresis alarm device using a miniaturized radio frequency module and disposable sensors made with inexpensive conductive ink was used to teach toilet use for urination with three participants with severe intellectual disability (two males and one female; aged 7–15 years) in a private special education school setting. At study entry, the participants did not use the toilet for urination independently, despite prior training attempts using standard behavioral interventions. For each participant, the enuresis alarm was used as part of a manualized behavior modification program. Two of the participants progressed markedly in the acquisition of toileting skills during participation in the program, but results for the third participant were less clear. Data suggest high staff satisfaction with the device and procedure and several possible advantages over standard behavioral intervention. Thus, an enuresis alarm that comprises state-of-the-art technology may be useful for teaching toileting skills in classroom settings for some individuals with developmental disabilities.
Using Administrative Data to Explore the Effect of Survey Nonresponse in the UK Employment Retention and Advancement Demonstration
Authors: Dorsett Richard , Hendra Richard , Robins Philip K.
Published: October 2016

Background:

Even a well-designed randomized control trial (RCT) study can produce ambiguous results. This article highlights a case in which full sample results from a large-scale RCT in the United Kingdom differ from results for a subsample of survey respondents.

Objectives:

Our objective is to ascertain the source of the discrepancy in inferences across data sources and, in doing so, to highlight important threats to the reliability of the causal conclusions derived from even the strongest research designs.

Research design:

The study analyzes administrative data to shed light on the source of the differences between the estimates. We explore the extent to which heterogeneous treatment impacts and survey nonresponse might explain these differences. We suggest checks which assess the external validity of survey measured impacts, which in turn provides an opportunity to test the effectiveness of different weighting schemes to remove bias. The subjects included 6,787 individuals who participated in a large-scale social policy experiment.

Results:

Our results were not definitive but suggest nonresponse bias is the main source of the inconsistent findings.

Conclusions:

The results caution against overconfidence in drawing conclusions from RCTs and highlight the need for great care to be taken in data collection and analysis. Particularly, given the modest size of impacts expected in most RCTs, small discrepancies in data sources can alter the results. Survey data remain important as a source of information on outcomes not recorded in administrative data. However, linking survey and administrative data is strongly recommended whenever possible.
Synthesizing Evidence in Public Policy Contexts
Authors: Valentine Jeffrey C. , Wilson Sandra Jo , Rindskopf David , Lau Timothy S. , Tanner-Smith Emily E. , Yeide Martha , LaSota Robin , Foster Lisa
Published: October 2016

For a variety of reasons, researchers and evidence-based clearinghouses synthesizing the results of multiple studies often have very few studies that are eligible for any given research question. This situation is less than optimal for meta-analysis as it is usually practiced, that is, by employing inverse variance weights, which allows more informative studies to contribute relatively more to the analysis. This article outlines the choices available for synthesis when there are few studies to synthesize. As background, we review the synthesis practices used in several projects done at the behest of governmental agencies and private foundations. We then discuss the strengths and limitations of different approaches to meta-analysis in a limited information environment. Using examples from the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse as case studies, we conclude with a discussion of Bayesian meta-analysis as a potential solution to the challenges encountered when attempting to draw inferences about the effectiveness of interventions from a small number of studies.
A Retrospective Cohort Study of Glossopharyngeal Nerve Taste in Children with Recurrent Acute Tonsillitis
Authors: Hill Courtney A. , Dang Suveera , Beach Michael , Chen Eunice Y.
Published: October 2016

Objective

To compare glossopharyngeal taste between healthy children and those with recurrent acute tonsillitis.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Pediatric clinics in a tertiary care medical center and satellite location.

Subjects and Methods

Smell and taste testing was administered to 80 well children and 64 children with recurrent acute tonsillitis (age range, 6‐17 years). Smell testing was performed with the NIH Toolbox Odor Identification Test, with scores based on national averages for age and sex. Validated Taste Strips were placed on the midline of the tongue at the circumvallate papillae in random tastant order and in increasing concentrations to test sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Ordinal logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis.

Results

The healthy and tonsillitis groups were similar, with mean ages of 11.3 and 10.8 years (P =. 34), respectively. The tonsillitis group had fewer boys (n = 18 vs 43, P =. 002), higher mean body mass index (BMI) percentile (n = 72.2 vs 59.8, P =. 01), and more subjects with public or no insurance (n = 24 vs 13, P =. 004). Univariate analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in rate of normal overall taste (67.2% vs 60%, P =. 39) and in sweet (79.7% vs 82.5%, P =. 67), salty (85.9% vs 82.8%, P =. 82), sour (64.1% vs 70%, P =. 48), and bitter (90.6% vs 86.3%, P =. 45). In multivariate analysis, smell ability, sex, BMI percentile, parent BMI, and insurance type did not affect overall taste or sweet, salty, sour, or bitter alone.

Conclusion

Despite controlling for potential intrinsic (sex, smell, BMI) and extrinsic (parent BMI, insurance type) confounders, there was no statistically significant difference in taste among children with recurrent acute tonsillitis as compared with healthy children.
Development of a caregiver-reported measure to support systematic assessment of people with dementia in long-term care: The Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for Dementia
Authors: Ellis-Smith Clare , Evans Catherine J , Murtagh Fliss EM , Henson Lesley A , Firth Alice M , Higginson Irene J , Daveson Barbara A ,   on behalf of BuildCARE
Published: October 2016

Background:

Symptom burden is common for long-term care residents with dementia which if untreated compromises quality of life. Measurement tools can support assessment of symptoms and problems but are not widely used in long-term care settings. We developed the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for Dementia derived from the Palliative care Outcome Scale, Palliative care Outcome Scale–Symptom and Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale.

Aim:

To examine the content validity, acceptability and comprehension of Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for Dementia for routine use in long-term care settings for people with dementia and to refine Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for Dementia.

Design:

A multi-method qualitative study consisting of focus groups, semi-structured interviews and cognitive interviews.

Setting/participants:

Three residential long-term care settings in London, UK. Focus group and semi-structured interview participants included caregiver staff, family, general practitioners and district nurses. Caregiver staff were sampled purposively for cognitive interviews.

Results:

A total of 26 respondents participated in the focus groups ( n = 21) or semi-structured interviews ( n = 5) and 10 caregiver staff completed cognitive interviews. Additional symptoms and problems included agitation, wandering, sleep problems, communication problems and diarrhoea. Refinements or lay terms were required to improve comprehension and consistency of item response for nausea, drowsiness, delusions/hallucinations, agitation, loss of interest, communication problems and interaction. A video presentation was required to support comprehension of instructions and assessment of verbally compromised residents.

Conclusion:

Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for Dementia is a comprehensive and acceptable caregiver-reported measure to detect symptoms and problems in dementia. It is suitable for caregiver staff without professional training as it has been refined and tailored to maximise caregiver expertise, ready for further psychometric testing.
Statistics for Sleep and Biological Rhythms Research
Authors: Klerman Elizabeth B. , Wang Wei , Phillips Andrew J. K. , Bianchi Matt T.
Published: October 2016

This article is part of a Journal of Biological Rhythms series exploring analysis and statistical topics relevant to researchers in biological rhythms and sleep research. The goal is to provide an overview of the most common issues that arise in the analysis and interpretation of data in these fields. In this article, we address issues related to the collection of multiple data points from the same organism or system at different times, since such longitudinal data collection is fundamental to the assessment of biological rhythms. Rhythmic longitudinal data require additional specific statistical considerations, ranging from curve fitting to threshold definitions to accounting for correlation structure. We discuss statistical analyses of longitudinal data including issues of correlational structure and stationarity, markers of biological rhythms, demasking of biological rhythms, and determining phase, waveform, and amplitude of biological rhythms.