bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Rare Case of Gastric Variceal Hemorrhage Secondary to Infiltrative B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Lenhart Adrienne , Fernandez-Castillo Juan , Mullins Keith , Salgia Reena
Published: October 2016

Portal hypertension commonly arises in the setting of advanced liver cirrhosis and is the consequence of increased resistance within the portal vasculature. Less commonly, left-sided noncirrhotic portal hypertension can develop in a patient secondary to isolated obstruction of the splenic vein. We present a rare case of left-sided portal hypertension and isolated gastric varices in a patient with large B-cell lymphoma, who was treated with splenic artery embolization. The patient is a 73-year-old male with no previous history of liver disease, who presented with coffee ground emesis and melena. On admission to hospital, he was found to have a hemoglobin level of 3.4 g/l. Emergent esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed isolated bleeding gastric varices (IGV1 by Sarin classification) in the fundus and cardia with subsequent argon plasma coagulation injection. He was transferred to our tertiary center where work-up revealed normal liver function tests, and abdominal ultrasound showed patent hepatic/portal vasculature without cirrhosis. MRI demonstrated a large heterogeneously enhancing mass in the pancreatic tail, with invasion into the spleen and associated splenic vein thrombosis. Surgery consultation was obtained, but urgent splenectomy was not recommended. The patient instead underwent splenic artery embolization to prevent future bleeding from his known gastric varices. Pathology from a CT-guided biopsy was consistent with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. PET imaging showed uptake in the splenic hilum/pancreatic tail region with no additional metastatic involvement. He was evaluated by the Hematology Department to initiate R-CHOP chemotherapy. During his outpatient follow-up, he reported no further episodes of melena or hematemesis. To the best of our knowledge, there have only been two published case reports of large B-cell lymphoma causing upper gastrointestinal bleeding from isolated gastric varices. These cases were treated with splenectomy or chemotherapy alone. Thus far, splenectomy has been the standard treatment approach for splenic vein thrombosis with clinical complication, such as gastric variceal bleeding. We present a case of successful treatment of bleeding isolated gastric varices using a less invasive and less morbid approach through splenic artery embolization. This case highlights the need for an increased awareness of the diverse etiologies of left-sided portal hypertension and isolated gastric varices, as well as the consideration of minimally invasive management strategies.
Long-Term Survival of Patients Receiving Artificial Nutrition in Japanese Psychiatric Hospitals
Authors: Abe Keiichi , Yamashita Ryuko , Kondo Keiko , Takayama Keiko , Yokota Osamu , Sato Yoshiki , Kawai Mitsumasa , Ishizu Hideki , Nakashima Tadao , Hayashi Hideki , Nakata Kenji , Asaba Hiroyuki , Kadota Koichi , Tanaka Kazuyoshi , Morisada Yumi , Oshima Etsuko , Terada Seishi ,   Middle Western Japan Dementia Study (mid-Dem study)
Published: October 2016

Background/Aims: Most patients with dementia suffer from dysphagia in the terminal stage of the disease. In Japan, most elderly patients with dysphagia receive either tube feeding or total parenteral nutrition. Methods: In this study, we investigated the factors determining longer survival with artificial nutrition. Various clinical characteristics of 168 inpatients receiving artificial nutrition without oral intake in psychiatric hospitals in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, were evaluated. Results: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of artificial nutrition was associated with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube, diagnosis of mental disorder, low MMSE score, and absence of decubitus. Conclusion: Patients with mental disorders survived longer than those with dementia diseases on artificial nutrition. A PEG tube and good nutrition seem to be important for long-term survival.
Increased circulating resistin is associated with insulin resistance, oxidative stress and platelet activation in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Santilli Francesca , Liani Rossella , Di Fulvio Patrizia , Formoso Gloria , Simeone Paola , Tripaldi Romina , Ueland Thor , Aukrust Pål , Davì Giovanni
Published: October 2016

Resistin is an adipokine that promotes inflammation and insulin resistance by targeting several cells including platelets. We hypothesised that in type 2 diabetes (T2DM), resistin may foster in vivo oxidative stress, thromboxane-dependent platelet activation and platelet-derived inflammatory proteins release, key determinants of atherothrombosis. A cross-sectional comparison of circulating resistin, sCD40L, as a marker of platelet-mediated inflammation, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), endothelial dysfunction marker, Dickkopf (DKK)-1, reflecting the inflammatory interaction between platelets and endothelial cells, and urinary 8-iso-PGF2α and 11-dehydro-TxB2, reflecting in vivo lipid peroxidation and platelet activation, respectively, was performed between 79 T2DM patients and 30 healthy subjects. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of the α-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose and the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone, targeting hyperglycaemia or insulin resistance, versus placebo, in 28 and 18 T2DM subjects, respectively. Age- and gender-adjusted serum resistin levels were significantly higher in patients than in controls. HOMA (β=0.266, p=0.017) and 11-dehydro-TXB2 (β=0.354, p=0.002) independently predicted resistin levels. A 20-week treatment with acarbose was associated with significant reductions (p=0.001) in serum resistin, DKK-1, urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 and 8-iso-PGF2α with direct correlations between the change in serum resistin and in other variables. A 24-week rosiglitazone treatment on top of metformin was associated with significant decreases in resistin, DKK-1, 11-dehydro-TXB2 and 8-iso-PGF2α, in parallel with HOMA decrease. In conclusion, resistin, antagonising insulin action in part through PPARγ activation, may favour insulin resistance and enhance oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and platelet activation. The adipokine-platelet interactions may be involved in platelet insulin resistance and their consequent pro-aggregatory phenotype in this setting.
Discrepancy between Laws and their Implementation
Authors: Lee Kim Moonsil
Published: October 2016

This article investigates the regulations on grain storage and the ration system during the Qin and Han periods of China (221bce-220ce), using the Shuihudi Qin legal texts and the Zhangjiashan Han legal manuscripts. The “Statutes on Granaries” (“Cang lü”) and the “Statutes on Rations at Conveyance Stations” (“Zhuan shi lü”) are compared to administrative documents from Liye and Xuanquan to demonstrate that there were significant discrepancies between these statutes and the actual distribution of food. This research on the process and the amounts of rations issued by local granaries reveals that the highly detailed regulations were designed not to guarantee a certain amount of rations to the recipients but to prevent the abuse of government property.
Waiting and the Legacy of Apartheid
Authors: Akujobi Remi
Published: October 2016

With debates about the issues of liberation, centering, and empowerment dominating the African literary landscape, particularly in works written by women, it is not surprising to find that the issue of ‘waiting’ occupies centre stage in Njabulo Ndebele’s novel The Cry of Winnie Mandela (2003). Much, of course, has been written on this work, which focuses on the peculiar problems facing women in contemporary South Africa, but the object of this essay is to examine the theme of waiting as it is made manifest in the literary production of the Third-World level of South African life under apartheid. The background to this literature is infiltration, colonialism, and exploitation in the lives of simple people struggling for survival and meaning in a harsh world. Through complex negotiations, women are attempting to come to terms with their increasingly visible role as breadwinners in the absence of their menfolk. This produces unexpected reconfigurations, personal and familial. One question addressed is whether these reconfigurations represent a crisis in the relations of social reproduction or a transition to new forms of family life. The novel is characterized by elements of the fantastic and mythical woven into a deceptively simple story that scrutinizes society at its base in a state of post-apartheid hangover.
J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace as an Allegory of the Pain, Frustration, and Disorder of Post-Apartheid South Africa
Authors: Oriaku Remy
Published: October 2016

In J.M. Coetzee’s novel Disgrace (1999), David Lurie, an embodiment of the unrepentant Afrikaner, his predatory masculinist ways recalling the overbearing and highhanded culture of the apartheid era, is shown as both perpetrator and victim. His daughter Lucy transcends her victim status; carrying in her the post-rape seed of the multiracial entity birthed by the post-apartheid arrangement, she is, unlike her father, prepared to make concessions and undertake the compromise and accommodation that are essential in the new South Africa. By the end of the novel, however, Lurie, too, has, at least on the personal level and in his caring for animals, learned the virtue of humility. Central motifs in Disgrace are linked to those in other novels such as Elizabeth Costello and in the metatextual The Lives of Animals. However, Coetzee, in his exploration of ethics and morality, is richly ambiguous, as is his approach to the porous divides between fiction, metafiction, faction, and autobiography. The essay closes with an examination of the various inflections characterizing Coetzee’s retreat from public testimony into autobiography, as a way in which to deal with the nature of the society he has now left in moving to Australia.
دراسة في مضمون النقوش الكتابية على عمائر الأشراف السعديين بالمغرب الأقصى (915 - 1069هـ/ 1510 - 1658م)
Authors: Abgadiyat Editors
Published: October 2016

The Sharifian Saadi Dynasty ruled Morocco for more than one century and a half, during which the Saadians achieved numerous political and military victories, the foremost of which are defeating the Portuguese army in the famous Battle of Oued El Makhazeen in AH 986/1578 CE and taking control over western Sudan. Moreover, they established marvelous religious, civil, and military buildings, many of which still stand in good condition up to the present time.

Numerous writings with various contents were inscribed on the façades of these buildings, ranging from Quranic and poetic verses to summoning and religious statements. Furthermore, the distinct characteristics of those inscriptions are not only artistically valuable to the archaeological studies, but are also of great use to other fields, including historical studies, media, and da'wah, which is the matter that we aim to highlight in this research. At that time, those inscriptions were means of summoning, preaching, and guidance at a time when mass media were very limited.

The contents of those writings also reveal the devoutness of the Sharifian Saadi Dynasty, the authenticity of their faith, their jihad against the Christian occupier both verbally and with weapons, their eagerness to fight heresies and deviations from religion and to disseminate the proper Islamic faith in accordance with the mission of the Prophet Muhammad, and the demonstration of Islamic teachings to their subjects with the purpose of guiding them using various methods available at that time.

In this sense, those selected texts were inscribed on remarkable parts of the façades of their buildings, especially congregational mosques, schools, zawiyas (little makeshift mosques), and saqayat (waterings), all of which were facilities granted for the public easement of access to all Muslims. Moreover, a considerable interest had grown in the good display of those writings in order to enhance their readability and achieve the greatest possible benefit of them, for they had been necessary means of communication with the public at that time.
The Psychology of Youth Faith Formation
Authors: Counted Victor
Published: October 2016

The present study explores the individual differences in the experience of faith formation using the framework of attachment theory, as it looks at what inspires attachment behaviours toward God. The experience of faith formation is herewith conceptualised in this study as a care-giving experience, watered by reciprocity of proximity with a divine attachment figure. The findings suggest four individual pathways in which the faith of young people was formed. These pathways were seen as remedies for previous insecure attachment experience with unavailable human attachment figures, and as a means of enhancing an already positive attachment with human relational partners. In-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen Christian youths of various racial backgrounds who were active members of different church denominations in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. The data collected from the respondents suggests youth faith formation as an attachment phenomenon.
Two new Pseudohalonectria species on beech cupules (Fagus sylvatica) and a new genus to accommodate P. suthepensis
Authors: PERERA REKHANI H. , MAHARACHCHIKUMBURA SAJEEWA S. N. , ARIYAWANSA H. , BAHKALI ALI H. , JONES E.B. GARETH , AL-SADI ABDULLAH M. , HYDE KEVIN D. , LIU ZUO-YI
Published: October 2016

We are studying the fungi on seeds and fruits and identified two Pseudohalonectria species from cupules of beech nut (Fagus sylvatica), collected from slightly anoxic, stagnant water in the moat in Bishops Palace, Hampshire, UK. Phylogenetic analysis of combined LSU, SSU and TEF1 sequence data provides evidence that they are new species in the genus. Pseudohalonectria hampshirensis and P. fagicola spp. nov. are introduced in this paper with descriptions, photomicrographs and molecular evidence. They are compared with closely related species in the genus and a key to the genus is provided. As a result of the phylogenetic analyses P. suthepensis is excluded from Pseudohalonectria and a new genus, Tropohalonectria is introduced to accommodate the species.
The Development of a Terrain-Resolving Scheme for the Forward Model and Its Adjoint in the Four-Dimensional Variational Doppler Radar Analysis System (VDRAS)
Authors: Tai Sheng-Lun , Liou Yu-Chieng , Sun Juanzhen , Chang Shao-Fan
Published: October 2016

The four-dimensional Variational Doppler Radar Analysis System (VDRAS) developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is significantly improved by implementing a terrain-resolving scheme to its forward model and adjoint based on the ghost cell immersed boundary method (GCIBM), which allows the topographic effects to be considered without the necessity to rebuild the model on a terrain-following coordinate system. The new system, called IBM_VDRAS, is able to perform forward forecast and backward adjoint model integration over nonflat lower boundaries, ranging from mountains with smooth slopes to buildings with sharp surfaces. To evaluate the performance of the forward model over complex terrain, idealized numerical experiments of a two-dimensional linear mountain wave and three-dimensional leeside vortices are first conducted, followed by a comparison with a simulation by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. An observing system simulation experiment is also conducted with the assimilation of simulated radar data to examine the ability of IBM_VDRAS in analyzing orographically forced moist convection. It is shown that the IBM_VDRAS can retrieve terrain-influenced three-dimensional meteorological fields including winds, thermodynamic, and microphysical parameters with reasonable accuracy. The new system, with the advanced radar data assimilation capability and the GCIBM terrain scheme, has the potential to be used for studying the evolution of convective weather systems under the influence of terrain.
Antibiotic Prescribing by Physicians Versus Nurse Practitioners for Pediatric Upper Respiratory Infections
Authors: Ference Elisabeth H. , Min Jin-Young , Chandra Rakesh K. , Schroeder James W. , Ciolino Jody D. , Yang Amy , Holl Jane , Shintani Smith Stephanie
Published: October 2016

Background:

This study investigates differences in antibiotic prescribing rates for pediatric upper respiratory infections (URIs) between physicians and nurse practitioners (NPs).

Methods:

Visits by children <18 years old diagnosed with URI to physicians or NPs between 2001 and 2010 were abstracted from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey. Logistic regression analyses examined variations in antibiotic prescribing rates.

Results:

Upper respiratory infections accounted for approximately 439 ± 21.5 million visits. Patients seen by NPs were more likely to have Medicaid, live in the lowest median household income quartile zip codes and micropolitan locations, and live in the South compared to patients seen by physicians. Nurse practitioners prescribed antibiotics 66.7% ± 4.2% of the time versus physicians at 52.8% ± 0.8% for URI visits (unadjusted P-value = .002). Adjusted by specialty, URI type, and chronic diseases, NPs had marginally significantly different odds of prescribing antibiotics (OR = 1.6, 95% CI, 1.0-2.6, P-value = .048), but the association with prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics is not as strong (adjusted P-value = .063). Patient visits to a pediatric (OR = 0.54, 95% CI, 0.43-0.67) or ENT/surgery practice (OR = 0.11, 95% CI, 0.06-0.18) had lower odds of antibiotic prescribing compared to general/family medicine practices. Year (2001-2010) was not significantly associated with antibiotic or broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing rates for physicians, but rates for NPs fell for otitis media ( P-value = .007) from 90.2% ± 8.2% (2001-2002) to 74.8% ± 6.8% (2009-2010) of visits.

Conclusions:

Nurse practitioners have higher rates of antibiotic prescribing compared to physicians for pediatric patients with URIs; however, this difference is less after adjusting for specialty. Examining comparative antibiotic prescribing is important to promote evidence-based practice and adoption of clinical guidelines.
Sensor Data Fusion Framework for Improvement of Temperature Sensor Characteristics
Authors: KV Santhosh , De Smet Karel
Published: October 2016

This paper presents a multi-sensor data fusion model for measurement of temperature. The proposed paper puts forward an objective to develop a temperature measuring instrument (a) having improved performance characteristics like sensitivity and linearity (b) that produces accurate measurement even though a sensor is faulty. The technique is designed using the framework of multi-sensor data fusion consisting of sensor like thermistor, thermocouple, and resistance temperature detector. Output from all these sensors are converted to a common representation format using radiometric normalization. Pau’s framework is used for implementing the task of fusion in the proposed paper. Implemented laboratory model is tested for functionality using extensive set of data. Output shows that the proposed technique was able to produce improved linear and sensitive output as compared to system with individual sensor. Root mean square of percentage error obtained for tests conducted is about 0.86%, which is a significant improvement.
Punitive and Rehabilitative Orientations Toward Offenders Among Community Correctional Officers in China
Authors: Jiang Shanhe , Jin Xiaohong , Xiang Deping , Goodlin-Fahncke Wendi , Yang Shengyong , Xu Na , Zhang Dawei
Published: October 2016

This study focuses on two primary control orientations in corrections—punishment and rehabilitation. Based on data collected from 225 community correctional officers in Hubei, China, in 2013, officers’ control orientations toward offenders and the effects of job characteristics, agency characteristics, and sociodemographics on these orientations were investigated. The research found that Chinese community correctional officers integrated punishment and rehabilitation orientations. Agency characteristics and rehabilitation views affected the officers’ views, while only one (age) of the job characteristics and demographic variables was significant.
Age Group Differences in the Predictive Validity of the Level of Service Inventory–Revised
Authors: Ellison Jared M. , Steiner Benjamin , Brennan Pauline , Chenane Joselyne L.
Published: October 2016

The Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R) is a widely used risk assessment tool with demonstrated predictive validity among incarcerated offenders. However, researchers have yet to examine the predictive validity of the LSI-R with adult inmates of different ages. We examined the predictive validity of the LSI-R and its 10 subcomponents across developmentally defined age groups of men confined in prisons in a Midwestern state. We found that the LSI-R predicted the prevalence of misconduct similarly across the groups, but there were a number of differences in the magnitude of the effects when we examined the incidence of prison misconduct.
Cities and climate change: How historical legacies shape policy-making in English and German municipalities
Authors: Eckersley Peter
Published: October 2016

This article draws on secondary historical sources and primary interviews to highlight how the legacy of the creation of local governments in England and Germany has significant implications for policy-making in the present day. By employing an institutionalist perspective to analyse how one municipality in each country tries to promote renewable energy and retrofit private housing, it demonstrates how historical factors have resulted in the German Council having more capacity to act hierarchically in local governance arrangements than its English counterpart. These findings have notable implications for how governments at all levels seek to tackle major challenges such as climate change.
Palliative long-term abdominal drains in refractory ascites due to end-stage liver disease: A case series
Authors: Macken Lucia , Joshi Deepak , Messenger Jenny , Austin Mark , Tibble Jeremy , Mason Louise , Verma Sumita
Published: October 2016

Background:

Ascites, the commonest complication of cirrhosis, leads to frequent hospitalisations. Refractory ascites confers a median survival of 6 months without liver transplantation. In many, the management remains palliative (large-volume paracentesis). Despite calls for improvement, palliative and end-of-life care is not yet integrated into end-stage liver disease. Long-term abdominal drains are a palliative strategy in malignant ascites, but not end-stage liver disease.

Case presentation:

A retrospective, single centre, case series review was performed of patients undergoing long-term abdominal drain placement for refractory ascites secondary to end-stage liver disease at a large teaching hospital between August 2011 and March 2013.

Case management:

Patients with end-stage liver disease and refractory ascites, where liver transplantation was not an option, were considered for long-term abdominal drains. Seven patients underwent successful long-term abdominal drain insertion after multi-professional assessment.

Case outcome:

Following long-term abdominal drain insertion, mean hospital attendances reduced to 1 (0–4) from 9 (4–21), with none for ascites management. Median survival after long-term abdominal drain insertion was 29 days (8–219). The complication rate was low and none life threatening.

Conclusion:

Palliative and end-of-life care needs in end-stage liver disease remain under-addressed. Our data suggest that long-term abdominal drains may be a safe and effective palliative intervention in end-stage liver disease. Prospective randomised controlled trials comparing large-volume paracentesis versus long-term abdominal drains in refractory ascites secondary to end-stage liver disease are warranted.
Identity and Vote Overreporting by Bureaucrats: Implications for Public Service Motivation
Authors: Bednarczuk Michael
Published: October 2016

Studies have argued that the higher levels of public service motivation (PSM) found in bureaucrats as compared with others lead to the positive civic and political behaviors seen in government employees. This study extends those findings to see if high PSM could have any negative effects on these same behaviors. Drawing from research on identity theory, it is hypothesized that a salient “public service identity” could contribute to bureaucrats being more apt than others to report that they have voted in elections when they actually had not. Logit models using data covering a span of almost 30 years in the United States find support for the hypothesis. This work suggests that viewing PSM through the lens of identity theory may have broad implications for the field of public administration.
How Does It Work? Mechanisms of Action in an In-Prison Restorative Justice Program
Authors: Armour Marilyn , Sliva Shannon
Published: October 2016

Research is limited on mechanisms of action in restorative justice interventions. This multimethods study delineates the change processes underlying a successful in-prison group treatment program by (a) examining shifts in offenders’ self-schemas and (b) identifying key program components that influence this movement. Researchers assigned to small groups as “co-facilitators” gathered data using participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and psychological assessments at three time points. Mechanisms of action include group norms and behaviors that contrast with prior experiences and uncover offenders’ self-schemas through intrapsychic processes, which prompt them to test and act upon new possible selves through the group process.
Batterer Intervention Programs in Spain: An Analysis of Their Effectiveness
Authors: Ferrer-Perez Victoria A. , Bosch-Fiol Esperanza
Published: October 2016

Intimate partner violence against women is a social and women’s health concern. Much effort has gone into providing services and support for victims of this violence. By contrast, intervention programs focusing on the batterers themselves have received far less attention. The purpose of this article is to provide a systematic review of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of batterer intervention programs (BIPs) implemented in Spain as provided by research published in peer-reviewed journals and scientific reports. The results obtained show that assessment focuses mainly on evaluating whether there is an improvement in the psychological variables of abusers. In cases where the rate of success or failure is analyzed, it is important to note the high drop-out rates observed, and the wide variability in success and improvement rates obtained. In summary, the results obtained in this revision allow to corroborate the assumption that associated with BIP is a lot of controversy, since its construction, its implementation, its assessment, and its effectiveness.
A novel optimal frequency control strategy for an isolated wind–diesel hybrid system with energy storage devices
Authors: Kouba Nour EL Yakine , Menaa Mohamed , Hasni Mourad , Boudour Mohamed
Published: October 2016

This article presents the design of a new effective control strategy to enhance frequency stability of an isolated micro-grid-based wind–diesel hybrid system. The suggested control methodology involves load frequency control coordinated with battery energy storage systems. A recently developed meta-heuristic algorithm called multi-verse optimizer was applied to design an intelligent load frequency control scheme in the aim to handle the frequency fluctuation due to load changes and wind farm integration. The multi-verse optimizer algorithm was used to optimize the proportional–integral–derivative controller parameters for the load frequency control loop. The proposed controller was coordinated with two different kinds of storage system, which are redox flow batteries and electric vehicles. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy, the simulation was performed under step load changes and then was extended with doubly-fed induction generator wind farm integration. Furthermore, to show the potential of multi-verse optimizer algorithm, a comparative study was done with other approaches available in the literature. In addition, robustness analysis was carried out. The obtained simulation results show that the proposed strategy is a very effective means for providing robust load frequency control controller and to avoid hybrid system instability. Furthermore, the system frequency can be improved using an optimal power management of the stored energy in both redox flow batteries and electric vehicles to compensate the load frequency control capability of the diesel groups, which allow to the possibility of integration of a large penetration of wind farms. In summary, the proposed control strategy may be helpful to identify the needed load frequency control capacity in the presence of dispersed generation’s units.
Different processing of meningeal and cutaneous pain information in the spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis
Authors: Melin Céline , Jacquot Florian , Vitello Nicolas , Dallel Radhouane , Artola Alain
Published: October 2016

Introduction

Within superficial trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) (laminae I/II), meningeal primary afferents project exclusively to lamina I, whereas nociceptive cutaneous ones distribute in both lamina I and outer lamina II. Whether such a relative absence of meningeal inputs to lamina II represents a fundamental difference from cutaneous pathways in the central processing of sensory information is still unknown.

Methods

We recorded extracellular field potentials in the superficial Sp5C of anesthetised rats evoked by electrically stimulating the dura mater, to selectively assess the synaptic transmission between meningeal primary afferents and second-order Sp5C neurons, the first synapse in trigeminovascular pathways. We tested the effect of systemic morphine and local glycinergic and GABAAergic disinhibition.

Results

Meningeal stimulation evokes two negative field potentials in superficial Sp5C. The conduction velocities of the activated primary afferents are within the Aδ- and C-fibre ranges. Systemic morphine specifically suppresses meningeal C-fibre-evoked field potentials, and this effect is reversed by systemic naloxone. Segmental glycinergic or GABAAergic disinhibition strongly potentiates meningeal C-fibre-evoked field potentials but not Aδ-fibre ones. Interestingly, the same segmental disinhibition conversely potentiates cutaneous Aδ-fibre-evoked field potentials and suppresses C-fibre ones.

Conclusion

These findings reveal that the different anatomical organization of meningeal and cutaneous inputs into superficial Sp5C is associated with a different central processing of meningeal and cutaneous pain information within Sp5C. Moreover, they suggest that the potentiation upon local disinhibition of the first synapse in trigeminovascular pathways may contribute to the generation of headache pain.
Do Villages Promote Aging in Place? Results of a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Graham Carrie , Scharlach Andrew E. , Kurtovich Elaine
Published: October 2016

Villages are a new, grassroots, consumer-directed model that aims to promote aging in place and prevent unwanted relocations for older adults. In exchange for a yearly membership fee, Villages provide seniors with opportunities for social engagement (social events and classes), civic engagement (member-to-member volunteer opportunities), and an array of support services. In total, 222 Village members were surveyed at intake and 12-month follow-up to examine changes in their confidence aging in place, social connectedness, and health. The strongest positive results were in the domain of confidence, including significantly greater confidence aging in place, perceived social support, and less intention to relocate after 1 year in the Village. As most seniors were in good health and well connected at the time they joined the Village, there were not improvements in health or social connectedness. Authors discuss the importance of longer term, longitudinal studies to examine the effectiveness of Villages in preventing institutionalization over time.
Interactive Syllable-Based English Vocabulary Learning in a Context-Aware Environment
Authors: Wang Wen-Yen , Huang Yueh-Min
Published: October 2016

English is one of the most important second languages in nonnative English-speaking countries, where learning English usually begins in primary school. To this end, vocabulary learning is regarded as the most fundamental and crucial stage in developing the student’s English language capability. While some studies have explored strategies of vocabulary learning that exploit context-aware technologies, to the best our knowledge, little has been done to employ English syllabification as a learning strategy on a mobile device to help learners recognize English vocabulary in context-aware environments. In this study, we develop an interactive syllable-based English vocabulary l earning board (I SEE) on a tablet PC to incorporate context awareness to help Taiwan students learn new vocabulary. With the proposed strategy, English vocabulary is split into syllable units to help students improve their English language listening and speaking skills in a context-aware environment. Experimental results from an elementary school English course demonstrate that this innovative manner enhances the learning achievements and learning attitudes of students and promotes improved motivation.
What Drives Students' Loyalty-Formation in Social Media Learning Within a Personal Learning Environment Approach? The Moderating Role of Need for Cognition
Authors: Arquero José L. , del Barrio-García Salvador , Romero-Frías Esteban
Published: October 2016

Our study analyzes an educational experience based on the integrated use of social media within a higher education course under a personal learning environment approach and investigates the factors that determine students' loyalty to social media learning. We examined the moderating role of need for cognition (NFC) in students' formation of attitudes, satisfaction, and loyalty toward this learning experience. The results indicate that NFC has an influence on these variables, significantly moderating how loyalty toward social media learning is formed. For high-NFC students, satisfaction with the learning experience is the most important variable to explain loyalty; whereas for low-NFC students, attitudes have a stronger effect. Different strategies are suggested, according to the learners' NFC levels, for increasing the use of social media in personal learning environments. Practical implications for improving the integration of such informal resources into formal education are discussed.
Not a “Real” Period?
Authors: Hasson Katie Ann
Published: October 2016

Despite a great deal of feminist work that has highlighted its social construction, menstruation seems a self-evidently “natural” bodily process. Yet, how menstruation is defined or what “counts” as menstruation is rarely questioned. Examining menstruation alongside technologies that alter it highlights these definitional questions. In this article, I examine menstrual suppression through an analysis of medical journal articles and FDA advisory committee transcripts, paired with websites used to market menstrual suppression to consumers. Across these contexts (clinical research, FDA regulation, and advertising), new definitions of menstruation converged on a distinction between bleeding that occurs when women are taking hormonal birth control and when they are not. The case of menstrual suppression birth control pills provides an opportunity to study the work of redefining a biological process understood as quintessentially natural and deeply significant for gendered embodiment, as well as a challenge to consider both the social and material construction of gendered bodies.
Current Trends in Dog-Human Communication
Authors: Kaminski Juliane , Piotti Patrizia
Published: October 2016

Domestic dogs are especially skillful at understanding human forms of communication. Evidence suggests that dogs’ skills in this domain might be an adaptation to life with humans and the result of selection processes during domestication. One question that has sparked a lot of research in recent years is to what extent dogs’ communication is in any way comparable to that of human infants. Here, we discuss recent research that has examined the extent to which dogs communicate to inform others. Communication with the motive to inform others is, as of yet, seen as a unique feature of human communication.
Now You See It, Now You Don’t
Authors: Zentall Thomas R. , Pattison Kristina F.
Published: October 2016

The cognitive ability of dogs can be assessed using tasks from the human developmental literature. A task that appears to have ecological relevance is the object-permanence task, in which performance hinges on understanding that an object continues to exist once it can no longer be seen. Although dogs are good at visible displacement tasks, in which an object disappears into a container, they can also understand an invisible displacement, in which the container holding the object is moved. Furthermore, we have found that dogs are able to show considerable memory for the invisibly displaced object. We have also found evidence for object permanence in dogs using the violation-of-expectancy procedure, in which subjects look longer at a stimulus that violates expectations (a screen that appears to pass through an object that has been placed behind the screen) than one that does not. Similarly, we have found that dogs look longer at an object that appears to have changed color or size after being placed behind a screen compared to an object that has not changed. Object-permanence tasks provide an ecologically relevant means of evaluating the cognitive development of dogs.
Why Did the Dog Walk Into the MRI?
Authors: Berns Gregory S. , Cook Peter F.
Published: October 2016

Because he was trained to. The domestic dog’s accessibility, social intelligence, and evolutionary history with humans have led to increasing interest in canine cognition. Despite a growing body of data on canine behavior and cognitive skills, relatively few advances have been made in understanding canine brain function. Practical and ethical concerns had limited the use of the invasive brain-imaging techniques typically used with primate and rodent models. However, the demonstration that dogs can be trained to cooperatively participate in fMRI studies has opened up a wealth of new data about canine brain function. Many of these studies have investigated the dog’s preternatural social intelligence, focusing on neural pathways associated with different types of reward, including social reward, and face and vocal processing. These studies have implications for our understanding of canine brain function, and potentially, because of dogs’ close relations with humans, for models of human development and pathology.
Moral Distress Among Long-Term Care Social Workers
Authors: Lev Sagit , Ayalon Liat
Published: October 2016

Objective:

To describe the quantitative validation of a unique questionnaire to measure moral distress among social workers in long-term care facilities in Israel.

Method:

Overall, 216 long-term care facilities’ social workers took part in the pilot study that included psychometric evaluation and construct validation. Moral distress was examined by two scales, measuring the frequency and the intensity of morally loaded events. A third scale was created, representing the product of the frequency and intensity scores for each item separately.

Results:

Two items with high floor effect were removed. The internal reliability of each of the three Moral Distress Scales was .92. An exploratory factor analysis suggested a single-factor solution. The construct validity was approved. In its final version, the questionnaire consisted of 15 items.

Conclusions:

We believe that the questionnaire can contribute by broadening and deepening ethics discourse and research with regard to social workers’ moral conflicts and moral distress.
Use of Vitamin E and C Supplements for the Prevention of Cognitive Decline
Authors: Basambombo Luta Luse , Carmichael Pierre-Hugues , Côté Sharlène , Laurin Danielle
Published: October 2016

Background: There are few studies of the association between the use of antioxidant vitamin supplements and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Cognitive decline is generally viewed as part of the continuum between normal aging and AD. Objective: To evaluate whether the use of vitamin E and C supplements is associated with reduced risks of cognitive impairment, not dementia (CIND), AD, or all-cause dementia in a representative sample of older persons ≥65 years old. Methods: Data from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (1991-2002), a cohort study of dementia including 3 evaluation waves at 5-yearly intervals, were used. Exposure to vitamins E and C was self-reported at baseline in a risk factor questionnaire and/or in a clinical examination. Results: The data set included 5269 individuals. Compared with those not taking vitamin supplements, the age-, sex-, and education-adjusted hazard ratios of CIND, AD, and all-cause dementia were, respectively, 0.77 (95% CI = 0.60-0.98), 0.60 (95% CI = 0.42-0.86), and 0.62 (95% CI = 0.46-0.83) for those taking vitamin E and/or C supplements. Results remained significant in fully adjusted models except for CIND. Similar results were observed when vitamins were analyzed separately. Conclusions: This analysis suggests that the use of vitamin E and C supplements is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline. Further investigations are needed to determine their value as a primary prevention strategy.
Relationship Among Anxiety, Depression, and Family Impact in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Average-Range IQ
Authors: Iadarola Suzannah , Oakes Leona A. , Shih Wendy , Dean Michelle , Smith Tristram , Orlich Felice
Published: October 2016

Little is known about how internalizing symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affect family outcomes, despite the high rates of internalizing disorders in ASD and the dynamic relationships among child, parent, and family variables. We evaluated the predictive value of internalizing symptoms in 69 adolescents with ASD and average-range cognitive abilities on family impact. In addition, we examined the correspondence between parent and child symptom ratings. Results indicated that internalizing symptoms predict family impact above IQ and externalizing symptoms. Depression (but not anxiety) predicted more positive family functioning, and parents rated more internalizing symptoms than adolescents. The results are contrary to our initial predictions, and we offer several explanations for this difference. Differences between parent and child ratings of internalizing symptoms are also explored.
Hobnail Hemangioma With an Unusual Clinical Presentation
Authors: Porriño-Bustamante María Librada , Aneiros-Fernández José , Retámero Juan Antonio , Fernández-Pugnaire María Antonia
Published: October 2016

Hobnail hemangioma, also known as targetoid hemosiderotic hemangioma, is an uncommon vascular proliferation that clinically presents as a small solitary red to purple papule or macule, located on the limbs or trunk. Multiple lesions and atypical locations have been described. Histopathologically, it exhibits a biphasic pattern, with dilated vessels in the superficial dermis and angulated vessels in the deeper dermis, with endothelial cells that show a hobnail appearance. There is controversy about the histogenetic origin of hobnail hemangioma, although recent studies support that it is a lymphatic malformation. The investigators report the case of a 41-year-old man with an irregular lesion, red to purple in color, with a maximum diameter of 4 cm, on the scalp. The location and in particular the clinical appearance are uncommon. Immunohistochemical analysis showed negativity for WT1 and focal positivity for D2-40. Clinical-pathologic correlation acquires particular importance in the case of lesions with atypical clinical presentation.
Energy performance and environmental quality of typical railway passenger stations in northern China
Authors: Song Ling , Wang Ying , Li Xiaofeng
Published: October 2016

In recent 20 years, the energy performance of public buildings has attracted substantial attention due to the potential for significant energy savings. As semi-open structures, railway passenger stations are noticeably distinct from other public buildings. This paper investigated current energy consumption situation of 36 railway passenger stations in northern China. The energy consumption of the railway passenger stations was divided into high, medium and low levels, with the annual average energy use indexes being 423 kWh/m2, 222 kWh/m2 and 101 kWh/m2, respectively. Heating and cooling are the main energy consumers for major building services. The analysis also established a linear relationship between energy consumption and passenger flow density. However, the linear correlation was not evident where inconsistent operation and management occurred, as was often the case for small and medium sized stations. To further explore, the environmental quality which can reflect the operation and management levels was also tested in eight small- and medium-sized stations. The result showed that stations with high operational and management standards more closely approximated the linear curve and that stations with low standards were further away. Hence, the linear curve would represent the energy consumption levels of railway stations with high standards of operation and management.
Differences in structural tendencies between Japanese newspaper editorials and front-page columns: Focus on the location of the main topic
Authors: Kato-Yoshioka Akiko
Published: October 2016

This article investigates differences in structural tendencies between Japanese newspaper editorials and front-page columns. Although intuitively recognized by Japanese people, such differences have tended to be empirically overlooked in discourse or rhetoric research. This study compares the two text types, specifically focusing on the location of the main topic (or ‘the highest topic’) in the text item rather than the main thesis, the former of which has received less empirical attention than the latter in Japanese discourse research. The study analyzed 30 editorials and 30 front-page columns from three major Japanese newspapers. The results show that the editorials have an early placement pattern, whereas the columns tend to have delayed introductions. These differences were statistically significant, empirically demonstrating how the intuitively recognized structural tendencies between the two text types crucially differ. The finding that there is a systematic early placement of the main topic in Japanese editorials is indicative of a basic common feature among languages in the editorial genre. From a methodological perspective, the study demonstrates the validity of the index of the main topic location as an analytical tool to distinguish different textual structures.
Poetry Makes Nothing Happen and Architecture Is When Theory Is the Residue of a Journey
Authors: Preziosi Donald
Published: October 2016

What is fabricated or made to exist calls attention to what is not made and is non-existent, thereby bringing to consciousness the relativity of both what is perceived and the means of perceiving and making as well as the fiction or artifice of facticity.