bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managers as consultants: The hybridity and tensions of neo-bureaucratic management
Authors: Sturdy Andrew , Wright Christopher , Wylie Nick
Published: July 2014

The nature and extent of changes in management remain subject to debate, especially around the notion of post-bureaucracy. Most research concedes that there has been some change, but towards hybrid or neo-bureaucratic practices. However, the mechanisms through which these changes have occurred, and their precise forms and outcomes have received less attention. This article addresses these issues by focusing on an emerging group of managers that closely resembles images of new management (e.g. project-based, change focused, externally oriented and advisory in style). Drawing on interview-based research in the United Kingdom and Australia, it examines consulting practices and orientations adopted within management roles. It first constructs an ideal type of neo-bureaucracy and then explores different elements of management as consultancy empirically. It shows how they are inspired by anti-bureaucratic rationales but assume a hybrid neo-bureaucratic form. We also show that, far from resolving tensions between rational and post-bureaucratic forms, management as consultancy both reproduces and changes the tensions of management and organisation. Thus, rather than denying or heralding changes in management towards a ‘new spirit of capitalism’, we focus on a context in which such changes are occurring and demonstrate their wider implications for both management and consultancy.
Quality of life in mothers of children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Dehghan Leila , Dalvand Hamid , Feizi Awat , Samadi Sayyed Ali , Hosseini Seyed Ali
Published: July 2014

Four hundred and twenty-four Iranian mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) were recruited using the convenience sampling approach in a cross-sectional study. The researchers assessed the quality of life (QOL) in mothers according to the gross motor function levels and types of CP. The evaluation was done using a well-validated Persian version of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. In 2012, demographic data and clinical relevant information were also collected in rehabilitation clinics affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The results indicated that the mean score for the study sample on physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) was 39.21 and 41.23, respectively. This suggests that participants considered themselves to have a low QOL ( p < .05). The mean PCS scores for SF-36 were significantly different between mothers having CP children of different age, levels of motor function, and CP types ( p < .05 and p < .01, respectively). The results indicate that mothers of children with CP suffer from poor physical and mental health. Therefore, particular attention should be paid to the QOL in mothers of children with CP, and rehabilitation professionals should offer supportive strategies to promote aspects of their QOL.
Revisiting the European Union framework on immigrant integration: The European integration forum as a technology of agency
Authors: Arribas Lozano Alberto , García-González Nayra , Sebastiani Luca , Álvarez Veinguer Aurora , Gil Araujo Sandra
Published: July 2014

In the last 15 years, a European Framework on Immigrant Integration has been developed through soft law tools, aiming to create a common understanding of the concept and promoting the coordination, funding, and exchange of best practices among states, local administrations, and nongovernmental actors. In this article, we first contextualize the emergence of immigrant integration policies at the European Union level. We then examine the principal European Union documents on this issue, paying special attention to the link between integration and immigrant participation. Finally, based on an empirical study, we analyze, from the perspective of governmentality, the European Integration Forum, an apparatus considered the “last word” in immigrant integration policies at the European Union level.
Addressing linguistic diversity in the European Union: Strategies and dilemmas
Authors: Kraus Peter A. , Kazlauskaitė-Gürbüz Rūta
Published: July 2014

In multilingual environments, respecting diverse linguistic identities is a requirement for recognizing the equal dignity of citizens. In the official discourse of the European Union, the approach to linguistic diversity has typically oscillated between two normative poles. On the one hand, linguistic diversity is seen as a central element of Europe's cultural inheritance, as an asset that is a pillar for achieving the intercultural understanding on which a trans-European civil society has to rely. On the other hand, multilingualism is seen as a challenge for creating an integrated market-cum-polity. The way to confront this challenge consists in turning it into a potential economic asset: multilingualism thereby becomes primarily a competitive advantage in a global context characterized by cognitive mobility in knowledge-based societies. In its attempt at delineating a strategy between these two poles, European language policy entails multiple contradictions. Ultimately, it may be associated with an embrace of multilingualism in which the value of linguistic diversity is reduced to economic criteria. Due to the lack of proper political foundations for coping with linguistic diversity at the European level, we are facing an impasse in which the recognition of equal dignity is put at risk by a normatively inconsistent marketing of diversity.
The newest diversity is the oldest: Religious pluralism and the EU
Authors: Zanon Flavia , Sciortino Giuseppe
Published: July 2014

Since the 1990s, the expansion of the European Union's competences to new policy fields and the entrance of new member states with recent histories of religious repression have increased the exposure of European Union institutions to issues having a potentially high impact on religious sensitivity. Because the differentiation between the religious and the political in Europe has never been complete, national laws and regulations have always reflected different forms of compromise between states and majoritarian religious churches. The involvement of supranational institutions could be a challenge to this variety of situations. The approach developed by EU institutions to deal with issues of religious diversity, however, severely minimizes the chances of any active intervention in country-level compromises, thereby leaving the resolution of contemporary challenges concerning religion in Europe to the national level. This situation points at the persistent absence of shared principles and values concerning a core component of a common European identity.
Salience of nationality in students’ spontaneous self-concept: A comparative study of a nationally homogeneous and a heterogeneous school context
Authors: Murdock Elke , Hirt Franziska S , Ferring Dieter
Published: July 2014

The study on which this article is based investigated the salience of nationality in adolescents’ self-concept as a function of the diversity of the school context. According to the distinctiveness postulate, people selectively attend to and encode aspects that are most distinctive. We therefore predicted that students in the nationally heterogeneous school environment would mention nationality more frequently in their spontaneous self-concept when questioned than would those in the more homogeneous school setting. Furthermore, we expected minority members to mention nationality more frequently. These predictions were confirmed and implications will be discussed.
Are Chinese university students more likely to exhibit a Surface approach to learning than other international students in Finland?
Authors: Sakurai Yusuke , Pyhältö Kirsi , Lindblom-Ylänne Sari
Published: July 2014

This article is based on a study which investigated whether Chinese international students at a university in Finland are more likely to rely on a Surface approach to learning and dismiss a Deep approach than are other international students in the same university educational context. In responding to a survey, students’ scores with respect to the Deep approach and Organized Studying did not significantly differ between the groups. However, the Chinese students appeared slightly to exhibit the Surface approach to a greater extent, although this result was tentative when the students’ extreme response styles were taken into account.
Student destination choices in higher education: Exploring attitudes of Brazilian students to study in the United Kingdom
Authors: Foster Monika
Published: July 2014

Cross-border education provides evidence about international student destination choice including the push and pull model of international student choice. The research upon which this article is based, into Brazilian students’ decisions to study at universities in the United Kingdom, reveals some particular barriers such as cost, negative past relationships and family ties, and recommends raising awareness and a context-sensitive approach to enhance an interest in studying in the United Kingdom.
Is cardiorespiratory fitness a determinant of cardiomyopathy in the setting of type 2 diabetes?
Authors: Sénéchal Martin , Ayers Colby R , Szczepaniak Lidia S , Gore M Odette , See Raphael , Abdullah Shuaib M , Berry Jarett D , McGuire Darren K , McGavock Jonathan M
Published: July 2014

Objective:

The aim of this study was to determine whether high fitness attenuates the defects in left ventricular (LV) structure, function and triglyceride (TG) content in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and methods:

Patients ( n = 74) with T2DM and ≥1 additional cardiac risk factor were recruited to participate in this cross-sectional study. Outcome measures of interest were LV structure and function by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and myocardial TG content by 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). The primary exposure variable was cardiorespiratory fitness defined by peak oxygen consumption scaled to fat-free mass (FFM; VO2peak-FFM).

Results:

Mean age was 53.5 years; 42.9% were women and mean glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was 8.0% with the mean duration of T2DM 8.2 years. VO2peak-FFM was crudely associated with both LV end systolic ( r = 0.35, p = 0.002) and diastolic volumes ( r = 0.32, p = 0.004), but not with ejection fraction ( r = −0.15, p = 0.206), myocardial TG ( r = −0.04, p = 0.734) or early diastolic peak filling rate (PFR; r = −0.01, p = 0.887). In multiple linear regression analyses, among measures of LV structure/function, VO2peak-FFM was independently associated only with LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) ( β = 1.037, p = 0.038).

Conclusion:

In individuals with T2DM at increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, cardiorespiratory fitness is not associated with LV morphology, function or myocardial TG content.
Antibacterial properties and electrical characteristics of multifunctional metal composite fabrics
Authors: Yu Zhi-Cai , Lu Yan-Hua , He Hua-Ling , Zhang Jian-Fei , Lou Ching-Wen , Chen An-Pang , Lin Jia-Horng
Published: July 2014

In this research, a hollow spindle spinning machine was used to manufacture the multifunctional metal hybrid yarns with stainless steel wire (SSW) as core material, antibacterial nylon (AN) filaments and bamboo charcoal polyester filaments (BC-PETs) as inner and outer wrapped yarn, respectively. The wrapping numbers of produced metal hybrid yarns varied from 8.0 to 15.5 turns/cm. Furthermore, metal composite woven fabrics were fabricated with the metal hybrid yarns as weft yarns and PET filaments as warp yarns on a loom. These woven fabrics were evaluated in terms of far infrared (FIR) emissivity, anion density, electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE) and surface resistance. The antibacterial activity of the woven fabrics was assessed against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli according two test methods AATCC100-2004 and 90-2011, respectively. The wrapping numbers showed a significant influence on the FIR emissivity and anion density of the produced woven fabrics. The presence of SSW in the hybrid yarns decreased the surface resistance and improved the EMSE of the woven fabrics. EMSE measurement showed that FH-15.5 woven fabrics with 0°/90°/0°/90° lamination angles displayed a better electromagnetic shielding behavior than with 0°/45°/90°/−45° lamination angles.
The Biopolitics of Privilege
Authors: Bunds Kyle S.
Published: July 2014

In this autoethnography, I negotiate my middle-class Whiteness in attempting to come to terms with my own (mis)understanding of, and role in, familial, socio-economic, and cultural hegemony. Through a series of vignettes, I seek to question my relationship with my father’s shadow—a relationship founded upon an invented “daddy” co-created by a collection of coaches, friends, cousins, teachers, researchers, my father, his father, and the present-day media. Specifically, I reflexively evaluate my privilege as a middle-class White male struggling to deal with the expectations of those around me, especially in childhood. By connecting stories of my Thanksgivings as child, undergraduate student, outsider, and married man, I provide a critical perspective into and interrogation of my at-times messy maturation into a particular gendered and classed subject position.
Calf Muscle Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Henry Jon C. , Satiani Bhagwan
Published: July 2014

Calf muscle veins have been demonstrated to be one of the most frequent areas that develop deep venous thrombosis (DVT), both as an isolated finding and in combination with proximal DVT. Calf muscle venous thrombosis (CMVT) has been shown to be more frequently associated with localized calf tenderness, and when left untreated, a proportion tend to propagate proximally and may lead to pulmonary embolism. Imaging with duplex venous scanning is fairly sensitive in the diagnosis of CMVT. Treatment recommendations for CMVT are variable with some studies showing clear clinical benefit of anticoagulation therapy and others showing no benefit.
Heart Failure Caused by Renal Arteriovenous Fistula With Giant Renal Artery Aneurysms
Authors: Okamoto Yuki , Sugimoto Tsutomu , Yamamoto Kazuo , Yoshii Shinpei
Published: July 2014

We encountered an extremely rare case of a renal arteriovenous fistula (AVF) with 2 giant renal artery aneurysms (RAAs) in a 75-year-old woman who presented with congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. A chest x-ray revealed cardiomegaly with a cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) of 65%. Computed tomography showed 2 giant left RAAs (diameter, 45 × 40 mm2 and 75 × 60 mm2) associated with an AVF, dilated inferior vena cava, and dilated pulmonary arteries. A radical nephrectomy was performed through a transverse laparotomy after the left renal vein, and arteries were dissected from the inferior vena cava and aorta, respectively. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, and her condition improved. Her cardiomegaly was ameliorated, as manifested by a decrease in CTR to 57% and the absence of volume overload.
Safer in Jail? A Comparison of Victimization History and Psychological Adjustment Between Previously Homeless and Non-Homeless Incarcerated Women
Authors: Asberg Kia , Renk Kimberly
Published: July 2014

Homelessness and incarceration are closely linked among women, and rates of these marginalizing circumstances are increasing. Nonetheless, few studies have examined differences between female inmates who were previously homeless and female inmates who were not homeless prior to incarceration. Results indicated that women who were homeless prior to incarceration were more likely (relative to their non-homeless counterparts) to have experienced childhood molestation, adult sexual assault, and arrests for prostitution and to have been in treatment for substance misuse. Homeless and non-homeless women did not differ significantly on measures of psychological adjustment. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research will be discussed.
“Me Getting Plastered and Her Provoking My Eyes”
Authors: Becker Sarah , Tinkler Justine
Published: July 2014

Barroom sexual aggression—especially unwanted groping, kissing, and touching—is ubiquitous and largely unregulated. While research explicates how alcohol interacts with other precipitating factors to cause incidents like fistfights, the causes of less serious forms of sexual aggression remain understudied. Normalization of non-consensual sexual contact in bars means much of it goes unnoticed and is difficult to quantify or predict using conventional statistical methods. We use 126 young people’s narratives about experiences with barroom aggression to explore how/when it is tolerated or socially sanctioned. We find that alcohol, context, and gender shape attributions for sexual aggression in public drinking settings.
Surgical management of great saphenous vein varicose veins: A meta-analysis
Authors: Lynch Noel P , Clarke M , Fulton Greg J
Published: July 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to synthesise the available evidence of randomised controlled trials comparing endovenous laser therapy to traditional open surgery, high ligation and stripping, for the treatment of great saphenous vein varicose veins in terms of clinical effectiveness, patient satisfaction and peri-operative complications.

Methods

MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane library were searched to identify eligible studies. All randomised controlled trials comparing endovenous laser therapy to high ligation and stripping that used ultrasound examination as an outcome measure and had follow up of one year or more were included. The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias was also used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Pooled risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used as the measure of effect for each dichotomous outcome.

Findings

Nine eligible publications relating to six randomised controlled trials were identified. The total enrolment of the studies was 1289 limbs. The clinical efficacy of endovenous laser therapy is comparable to that of surgery in the relatively short follow up period described in the studies. Meta-analysis revealed a trend towards a higher risk of ultrasound recurrence after endovenous laser therapy at 12 months. Quality of life questionnaires reveal similar outcomes for endovenous laser therapy and surgery. There is low quality evidence to suggest surgery is associated with more pain, sensory complications and infection.

Conclusion

Endovenous laser therapy is a safe alternative to traditional open surgery. There is some weak evidence to suggest that endovenous laser therapy has a higher risk of ultrasound-detected recurrence at 12 months following treatment compared to open surgery. However, it may be associated with less sensory complications, pigmentation and infection.
Understanding How Prior Knowledge Influences Memory in Older Adults
Authors: Umanath Sharda , Marsh Elizabeth J.
Published: July 2014

Older adults have a harder time than younger adults remembering specific events and experiences (episodic memory), whereas the ability to use one’s general knowledge either improves or remains stable over the life span. Our focus is on the sometimes overlooked but critical possibility that this intact general knowledge can facilitate older adults’ episodic memory performance. After reviewing literature that shows how prior knowledge can support remembering in aging as well as lead it astray, we consider open questions including whether prior knowledge is used only to fill in the gaps after a memory failure and when older adults might need to be instructed to apply their prior knowledge. Overall, we situate our claims within theories of cognitive aging, arguing that prior knowledge is a key factor in understanding older adults’ memory performance, with the potential to serve as a compensatory mechanism.
Contrary to Psychological and Popular Opinion, There Is No Compelling Evidence That Older Adults Are Disproportionately Victimized by Consumer Fraud
Authors: Ross Michael , Grossmann Igor , Schryer Emily
Published: July 2014

According to psychological and popular opinion, older persons are especially susceptible to consumer fraud. Research on cognitive and affective aging reveals age-related changes that could increase the vulnerability of older persons to consumer fraud. However, this research does not show that consumer fraud actually is more prevalent among older persons. In generalizing from laboratory findings of cognitive decline to age differences in the prevalence of consumer fraud, psychologists may underestimate the influence in everyday life of possible protective factors associated with old age, including increased experience and changes in goals, lifestyle, income, as well as purchasing and risk behaviors. We review evidence on the prevalence of consumer fraud and conclude that there is no clear indication that it is more prevalent among older persons. Aggregating across all consumer frauds, there is evidence that consumer fraud is less common among older persons than adults of other ages. This evidence is potentially flawed, however, because of failings inherent in the methodologies. In the absence of irrefutable data, it is premature to conclude that consumer fraud is less prevalent among older adults, but it is also premature to conclude that consumer fraud is more prevalent among older persons, as is assumed in conventional and psychological wisdom.
Is there an Al-Jazeera–Qatari nexus? A study of Al-Jazeera’s online reporting throughout the Qatari–Saudi conflict
Authors: Samuel-Azran Tal , Pecht Naama
Published: July 2014

This article evaluates the high-profile accusations published on Wikileaks that Al-Jazeera was used as a diplomatic tool by Qatar, with the 2002–2007 Qatari–Saudi conflict serving as a case study. The analysis is aimed at revealing whether the conflict affected Al-Jazeera’s coverage of Saudi affairs, specifically whether Al-Jazeera Arabic ( N = 285) and Al-Jazeera English ( N = 220) websites increased the volume of articles casting Saudi Arabia in a negative light and decreased the volume of articles casting Saudi Arabia in a positive light throughout the conflict, relative to the pre- and post-conflict periods. The analysis of Al-Jazeera Arabic reveals a very strong relationship between the tone towards Saudi affairs and timing relative to the Saudi–Qatari conflict ( χ2(14) = 101.57, Cramer’s V = 0.42, p < .001), with a dramatic rise in articles criticizing Saudi Arabia for human rights violations and support of terrorism during the conflict. By contrast, the authors found no significant differences between the conflict and post-conflict coverage of Saudi affairs by Al-Jazeera English. The study indicates that the Al-Jazeera Arabic output was highly coordinated with Qatari interests, casting doubt on its claim of independence from Qatari interests.
Wavering between profit-making and change-making: Private media companies in conflicts in Nepal
Authors: Ghimire Safal , Upreti Bishnu Raj
Published: July 2014

Post-1990 Nepal is remarkable, not only for democratic political change but also for its mushrooming media industry; media companies have been influential actors in conflicts. To analyse their role and motives as private business actors in conflicts, this article explores the dynamics of media engagement, the implications of media companies’ actions and needs, and their motives as corporate actors. The authors focus on two conflicts – the anti-monarchy movement and the internal labour disputes in media companies – and the companies’ response to different conflict situations. Using a qualitative case study approach, the article concludes that media companies in conflict situations have inevitable social as well as commercial obligations. Balancing these two interests and maintaining political neutrality become challenges to media in conflict contexts. Evidence shows that media companies can either manipulate situations or be manipulated themselves by various actors’ interests, leading to unintended and sometimes undesirable conflicts.
Audit of healthy lifestyle behaviors among patients with diabetes and hypertension attending ambulatory health care services in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Baynouna Latifa Mohammed , Neglekerke Nico J. D. , Ali Habiba E. , ZeinAlDeen Sana M. , Al Ameri Thuraya A.
Published: July 2014

Background:

Knowledge is limited on healthy lifestyle behaviors and their associations with glycemic and blood pressure control among patients with diabetes and hypertension in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Objective:

To examine healthy lifestyle behaviors and their associations with glycemic and blood pressure control among patients with hypertension and diabetes, and improvement after the implementation of an intervention in a Chronic Disease Program.

Subjects:

All patients with diabetes or hypertension attending seven primary health care centers in Al Ain, UAE during a designated three-week period in July and August 2009.

Method:

Nurses conducted an audit of patients’ adherence to health lifestyle behaviors related to meal planning, smoking, exercise, blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring at home, and foot and eye exams in the Chronic Disease Program clinics after a self-management intervention. A perceived knowledge score and discussion scores (based on the frequency the patients discuss diabetes and hypertension management issues with their providers) were calculated. Data were analyzed using linear regression and odds ratios.

Results:

Patients reported acceptable rates of adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors, including a low smoking rate (6% in males), following a meal plan and exercising (88.6% and 78.7%, respectively). Among patients with diabetes, 59% tested their blood glucose levels at least once a week compared to only 15.3% of those with hypertension monitoring their blood pressure levels at home. Only 33% of the participants were following the current physical activity recommendations. Healthy lifestyle behaviors fell into the following clusters: meal planning with exercise (odds ratio (OR): 8.9 [3.3–23.7]), meal planning with foot exams (OR: 10.6 [3.4–32.9]) and exercising and foot exams (OR: 5.2 [1.9–14.2]).

Conclusion:

This practice-based audit provides an essential assessment for future interventions to improve adherence to healthy life style behaviors among patients with diabetes and hypertension attending primary health clinics in the UAE.
Implementing the Resource in Clinic Program in Primary Care Delivery
Authors: Wodinski Lindsay , Woodman Kate , Wanke Margaret , Nguyen Thanh , Jacobs Philip
Published: July 2014

Alberta’s Primary Care Networks (PCNs) bring together family physicians and other health professionals to provide local, comprehensive, and readily accessible primary care services to patients. The Edmonton North PCN, one of the largest in the province, piloted the Resource in Clinic (RIC) Program with objectives to increase efficiencies in the use of physician time, increase physician workplace satisfaction, increase unattached/orphan patient access, and decrease patient wait times. An evaluation of the RIC Program employed surveys (completed by physicians with RICs, RIC staff, and patients), log chart recording, and physician billing data and cost analysis. The findings indicated high satisfaction with the model, increased physician visits, and improved access for patient with comorbidities. The study did not demonstrate increased number of patients or new patients, nor could conclusions be drawn related to patient wait times.
Facial Dimorphism in Autistic Quotient Scores
Authors: Scott Naomi Jane , Jones Alex Lee , Kramer Robin Stewart Samuel , Ward Robert
Published: July 2014

Baron-Cohen’s extreme male brain theory proposes that autism results from elevated prenatal testosterone levels. In the present study, we assessed possible correlated effects of androgen exposure on adult morphology and, in particular, the development of facial features associated with masculinity. We created composite images capturing statistical regularities in facial appearance associated with high and low Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) scores. In three experiments, we assessed correlations between perceived facial masculinity and AQ scores. In Experiment 1, observers selected the high-AQ males as more masculine. We replicated this result in Experiment 2, using different photographs, composite-image methods, and observers. There was no association of masculinity and AQ scores for female faces in either study. In Experiment 3, we created high- and low-AQ male composites from the five AQ subscales. High-AQ images were rated more masculine on each of the subscales. We discuss these findings with respect to the organizational-activational hypothesis of testosterone activity during development.
Controlling Offensive Behavior Using Narrative Exposure Therapy
Authors: Crombach Anselm , Elbert Thomas
Published: July 2014

Insecure and violent environments foster two different forms of aggressive behavior: reactive aggressive responding, such as fearful or angry impulsive behavior to perceived threats, and appetitive aggression, which encompasses violence-related feelings of power, excitement, and pleasure. We tested whether forensic offender rehabilitation narrative exposure therapy (FORNET; five sessions) would reduce involvement in everyday violence and produce beneficial effects for mental and physical health. In a Burundian residential center for former street children, we identified a subset of 32 male youths (mean age = 17 years) who scored highly in appetitive aggression. We conducted a randomized controlled trial by assigning matched pairs to receive either FORNET or treatment as usual. During the follow-up (4–7 months after completing treatment), the 16 youths who received FORNET reported having committed significantly fewer offenses (Hedges’s g = 0.62) and presented with fewer physical-health complaints (Hedges’s g = 0.56) than did their matched control participants.
The drainage systems at Mohenjo-Daro and Nausharo: A technological breakthrough or a stinking disaster?
Authors: Ratnagar Shereen
Published: July 2014

This article revisits the notion about one of the wonders of the Harappan heritage. The fact of street drains is not disputed, but it alone does not tell us what was drained out from the Mohenjo-daro houses, nor does it tell us how efficacious the system was. It then notices briefly the later Iron Age and Early Historic system of vertical drainage, which, in fact, may have wasted less clean water for clearance and could have made for more salubrious surroundings.
Contextualising caste: Co-option, circumvention and contestation as exemplified in the Jātakas
Authors: Roy Kumkum
Published: July 2014

The article attempts to provide an understanding of caste by exploring non-Brahmanical texts that may have circulated widely, in this case exemplified by the shorter Pali Jātaka stories that were written down by the mid-first millennium AD. The narratives appear to point to the coexistence of multiple, not necessarily harmonious, understandings of caste. The narratives often invoke other identities, which do not fit in within the varṇa–jāti framework. The contexts within which these occur would suggest that these were part of the commonly available vocabulary of both narrators and audience. The narratives also explicitly question Brahmanical pretensions. Overall, then, we can suggest that while the Brahmanical prescriptive texts envisaged a caste order that was all-encompassing and all-pervasive, there were also alternative perceptions available in early India.
Paper manufacture in medieval India
Authors: Rezavi Syed Ali Nadeem
Published: July 2014

The article essays at bringing together the knowledge of paper manufacture in medieval India as derived from various sources, such as texts, paintings and reports of physical remains. An attempt has been made to identify changes in the manufacturing process and also to explain why the paper produced in medieval India remained of an inferior quality when compared to European paper.
Book Review: Gaur, The Medieval City of Bengal c. 1450–1565 Special Issue of Pratna Samiksha: A Journey of Archaeology, New Series, Vol. 3, ed., Suchira Roychoudhury
Authors: Rezavi Syed Ali Nadeem
Published: July 2014

Gaur, The Medieval City of Bengal c. 1450–1565, Special Issue of Pratna Samiksha: A Journey of Archaeology, New Series, Vol. 3, ed., Suchira Roychoudhury (Kolkata: Centre of Archaeological Studies and Training, Eastern India), 2012, pp. xiii, 218, 5 maps, 32 colour plates and 86 B/W figures, ₹ 1,000 (Institutions), ₹ 800 (Individuals)
Hepatic inflammation scores correlate with common carotid intima-media thickness in rats with NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet
Authors: Wu Jing , Zhang Hua , Zheng Hao , Jiang Ying
Published: July 2014

Background

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an emerging public health problem, may be a highly atherogenic condition. But the relationship between fatty liver diseases and carotid atherosclerosis in small-animal is incompletely understood. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in NAFLD rats using high-frequency ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, and to ascertain if the degree of hepatic pathological changes was associated with carotid IMT.

Results

Liver injury was induced by a high-fat diet for 8, 12 and 16 weeks, separately, in fifty four SD rats (27 treated, 27 controls). Liver echogenicity and IMT of the carotid and aorta were evaluated and compared to histological findings of them. In comparison with the rats in the control group, fatty liver disease in rats was characterized by homogeneous and diffusely increased echogenicity (bright liver), an increased anteroposterior diameter of the liver and serum biochemical changes. Hepatic histological analyses demonstrated indications of simple steatosis in rats induced by an 8-week high-fat diet, and a high-fat diet for 12 weeks and 16 weeks could induce steatohepatitis (NASH) in rats. The 12- and 16-week groups had a significantly higher inflammation scores than those of the control groups. IMT values for the carotid and aorta were remarkably increased in the NASH groups compared with the control groups (P < 0.05). The end-diastolic velocity and systolic peak velocity of the carotid and aorta in the NASH groups were significantly smaller than those in the control group. A significant correlation between the IMT of the carotid with hepatic inflammation score (r2 = 0.598, P = 0.001) and the systolic peak velocity of the carotid (r2 = −0.342, P = 0.041) were shown in NAFLD rats.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis of fatty liver disease and early atherosclerosis in rats is feasible and efficient, and that carotid IMT increased significantly in NASH rats but not in simple steatotic rats. A significant correlation between the IMT of the carotid artery with hepatic inflammation score were shown in NAFLD rats. This method for non-invasive diagnosis is especially relevant in the research of the pathogenesis and therapy of NAFLD and atherosclerosis using rodent models.
Frictional properties of sediments entering the Costa Rica subduction zone offshore the Osa Peninsula: implications for fault slip in shallow subduction zones
Authors: Namiki Yuka , Tsutsumi Akito , Ujiie Kohtaro , Kameda Jun
Published: July 2014

We examined the frictional properties of sediments on the Cocos plate offshore the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, and explored variations in the intrinsic frictional properties of the sediment inputs to the Costa Rica subduction zone. Sediment samples were collected at Site U1381A during the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 334, and include hemipelagic clay to silty clay material (Unit I) and pelagic silicic to calcareous ooze (Unit II). The frictional properties of the samples were tested at a normal stress of 5 MPa under water-saturated conditions and with slip velocities ranging from 0.0028 to 2.8 mm/s for up to 340 mm of displacement. The experimental results reveal that the steady-state friction coefficient values of clay to silty clay samples are as low as ~0.2, whereas those of silicic to calcareous ooze samples are as high as 0.6 to 0.8. The clay to silty clay samples show a positive dependence of friction on velocity for all tested slip velocities. In contrast, the silicic to calcareous ooze samples show a negative dependence of friction on velocity at velocities of 0.0028 to 0.28 mm/s and either neutral or positive dependence at velocities higher than 0.28 mm/s. Given the low frictional coefficient values observed for the clay to silty clay samples of Unit I, the décollement at the Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project transect offshore the Osa Peninsula likely initiates in Unit I and is initially very weak. In addition, the velocity-strengthening behavior of the clay to silty clay suggests that faults in the very shallow portion of the Costa Rica subduction zone are stable and thus behave as creeping segments. In contrast, the velocity-weakening behavior of the silicic to calcareous ooze favors unstable slip along faults. The shallow seismicity occurred at a depth as shallow as ~9 km along the Costa Rica margin offshore the Osa Peninsula (Mw 6.4, June 2002), indicating that materials characterized by velocity-weakening behavior constitute the fault zone at the depth of the seismicity. Fault slip nucleating along a fault in Unit II would be a likely candidate for the source of the shallow earthquake event.
Constrained Assortment Optimization for the Nested Logit Model
Authors: Gallego Guillermo , Topaloglu Huseyin
Published: July 2014

We study assortment optimization problems where customer choices are governed by the nested logit model and there are constraints on the set of products offered in each nest. Under the nested logit model, the products are organized in nests. Each product in each nest has a fixed revenue associated with it. The goal is to find a feasible set of products, i.e., a feasible assortment, to maximize the expected revenue per customer. We consider cardinality and space constraints on the offered assortment, which limit the number of products and the total space consumption of the products offered in each nest, respectively. We show that the optimal assortment under cardinality constraints can be obtained efficiently by solving a linear program. The assortment optimization problem under space constraints is NP-hard. We show how to obtain an assortment with a performance guarantee of 2 under space constraints. This assortment also provides a performance guarantee of 1/(1-ϵ) when the space requirement of each product is at most a fraction ϵ of the space availability in each nest. Building on our results for constrained assortment optimization, we show that we can efficiently solve joint assortment optimization and pricing problems under the nested logit model, where we choose the assortment of products to offer to customers, as well as the prices of the offered products.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1931 .

This paper was accepted by Dimitris Bertsimas, optimization.
A Dynamic Traveling Salesman Problem with Stochastic Arc Costs
Authors: Toriello Alejandro , Haskell William B. , Poremba Michael
Published: July 2014

We propose a dynamic traveling salesman problem (TSP) with stochastic arc costs motivated by applications, such as dynamic vehicle routing, in which the cost of a decision is known only probabilistically beforehand but is revealed dynamically before the decision is executed. We formulate this as a dynamic program (DP) and compare it to static counterparts to demonstrate the advantage of the dynamic paradigm over an a priori approach. We then apply approximate linear programming (ALP) to overcome the DP's curse of dimensionality, obtain a semi-infinite linear programming lower bound, and discuss its tractability. We also analyze a rollout version of the price-directed policy implied by our ALP and derive worst-case guarantees for its performance. Our computational study demonstrates the quality of a heuristically modified rollout policy using a computationally effective a posteriori bound.
Feel the calmness within
Authors: Mosley Jenny
Published: July 2014

Spaces need to have quiet spaces where children can read and relax, and staff who understand when to slow the tempo. Jenny Mosley suggests introducing ‘calmers’ and ‘golden moments’. Anyone for a back rub?
Skills for secret agents
Authors: Cruickshank Sarah
Published: July 2014

August 2014 sees the 50th anniversary of the death of James Bond creator and real-life spy Ian Fleming. Try these code-cracking and spying ideas which help children organise and order numbers, shapes and objects.
Clap clap, stamp stamp
Authors: Sharpe Dee
Published: July 2014

Activities that focus on rhythm will develop children's listening and attention skills and help them enjoy verse and songs. Get into the beat with these ideas that can also help improve their physical coordination.
Assessing the Utility of a PCR Diagnostics Marker for the Identification of Africanized Honey Bee, Apis mellifera L., (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the United States.
Authors: Szalanski Allen , Tripodi Amber
Published: July 2014

An assessment of a molecular diagnostic technique for distinguishing Africanized honey bees from European honey bees in the United States was conducted. Results from multiplex PCR diagnostics of a mitochondrial DNA cyt-b marker corresponded with results based on COI-COII sequencing analysis, but differed from morphometric analysis results. We suggest utilizing both multiplex PCR and morphometric methods for Africanized honey bee diagnostics in the United States, when possible.
Analysis of emboli and blood flow in the ophthalmic artery to understand retinal artery occlusion
Authors: Kaufmann Tim A.S. , Leisser Christoph , Gemsa Jeannie , Steinseifer Ulrich
Published: July 2014

Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is a common ocular vascular occlusive disorder that may lead to partial or complete retinal ischemia with sudden visual deterio ration and visual field defects. Although RAO has been investigated since 1859, the main mechanism is still not fully understood. While hypoperfusion of the ophthalmic artery (OA) due to severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery might lead to RAO, emboli are assumed to be the main reason. Intra-arterial thrombolysis is not a sufficient treatment for RAO, and current research is mainly focused on risk factors. In this study, a computational fluid dynamic model is presented to analyse flow conditions and clot behaviour at the junction of the internal carotid artery and OA based on a realistic geometry from a RAO patient. Clot diameters varied between 5 and 200 μm, and the probability of clots reaching the OA or being washed into the brain was analysed. Results show sufficient blood flow and perfusion pressure at the end of OA. The probability that clots from the main blood flow will to be washed into the brain is 7.32±1.08%. A wall shear stress hotspot is observed at the curvature proximal to the internal carotid artery/OA junction. Clots released from this hotspot have a higher probability of causing RAO. The occurrence of such patient-specific pathophysiologies will have to be considered in the future.
From the Editor
Authors: Meyers Fabienne
Published: July 2014

It is a real treat to introduce a new series called “Youth Views on Sustainability” on page 10. The idea came about last summer during the GA in Istanbul, when I met Nuno Bacharel. Nuno, the community manager for
Asymptomatic expulsion of a fetus through cesarean section scar in the presence of invasive placenta previa
Authors: Shrim Alon , Raviv Shira , Weisz Boaz , Perri Tamar , Korach Jacob , Hallak Mordechai , Frisch Leon
Published: July 2014

Spontaneous rupture of the uterus during the 2nd and 3rd trimester resulting from invasive placentation is a rare complication of pregnancy. We report a case of a 39-year-old G6P4, with four previous cesarean sections, who presented at mid-gestation with brown vaginal discharge. Invasive placenta previa was detected upon conducting abdominal ultrasound. The fetal head was seen trapped within the uterine scar, while the fetal body was visualized within the maternal abdominal cavity with intact membranes. In cases with invasive placentation, early attention to uterine rupture may reduce maternal morbidity.
Effect of silymarin pretreatment on the bioavailability of domperidone in healthy human volunteers
Authors: Yamsani Shravan Kumar , Yamsani Madhusudan Rao
Published: July 2014

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of silymarin pretreatment on domperidone oral bioavailability in humans.

Methods: The rats were pretreated with silymarin for 7 days. The transport of domperidone across the rat intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) was studied by using in vitro everted and non-everted sac methods. Samples were collected at preset time points and replaced with buffer. The drug content in the samples was estimated. The first part of the study included oral administration of 10 mg domperidone tablet alone, and blood was sampled from the antecubital vein. The second part of the study was conducted after a washout period of 2 weeks. Five hundred milligrams of silymarin was administered twice daily for 6 days. On day 7, one tablet each of 10 mg domperidone and 500 mg silymarin were administered concomitantly.

Results: In the everted sac and non-everted sac study with silymarin pretreatment, domperidone transport increased from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon. The silymarin pretreatment increased the bioavailability of domperidone. There was a statistically significant difference in the pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax,

T

1
2

${T_{{\textstyle{1 \over 2}}}}$

, AUC0–∞, and AUC0–24.

Conclusions: The significant difference in absorption of domperidone on pretreatment with silymarin is due to the inhibition of P-glycoprotein and CYP3A. Silymarin, which inhibits CYP3A4, should be contraindicated for domperidone.
Nuclear hormone receptors PXR and CAR and metabolic diseases
Authors: Mo Li , He Jinhan
Published: July 2014

Nuclear receptors (NRs) belong to a superfamily of evolutionarily related DNA-binding transcription factors that can be activated by steroid and thyroid hormones, and other lipid metabolites. Ligand activated NRs can regulate target gene expression by binding to DNA response elements present in the target gene promoters. Through this regulation, NRs are broadly implicated in physiology and metabolism. In this chapter, we will focus on the xenobiotic receptors and their recently discovered functions in metabolic diseases.
Effect of Operating Variables on the Performance of a Highly Loaded Annular Combustor
Authors: Muduli S. K. , Mishra R. K. , Satpathy R. K. , Chandel S.
Published: July 2014

A highly loaded full-scale annular combustor is studied in the air-flow facility for the effect of operating variables such as compressor discharge velocity and fuel-air ratio on the performance parameters. The combustor is designed to operate at high pressures and high exit temperatures that impose stringent limitations on its performance such as pressure loss, exit temperature profiles and combustion efficiency. The effect of excess air ratio on performance parameters is found to be marginal over the range tested. Increasing the excess air ratio decreases the pressure loss, exit pattern factors and combustion efficiency. The inlet Mach no. is found to influence the pressure loss strongly and exit temperature patterns marginally. Combustion efficiency is found to deteriorate with increase in Mach number. This will in turn affect the integrity and life of hot end components of the aero engine.