bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
MOOCs: meaningful learning tools for public administration education or academic simulacra?
Authors: Sementelli Arthur J. , Garrett Terence M. 
Published: May 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore and critically assess the potential value and effectiveness of massive open online courses (MOOCs) for public administration education.Design/methodology/approach– The research in this conceptual paper offered a critical examination of MOOCs using the work of Baudrillard, Debord, and others to re-frame and reconsider our understanding of this emerging educational strategy.Findings– Baudrillard’s simulacrum and Debord’s spectacle concepts can inform the discussion and understanding of MOOCs in higher education.Research limitations/implications– This is an emerging area that needs further study and development.Practical implications– MOOCs might contribute to the blurring of lines between educational products that are needed and products for which a need is manufactured by corporate interests.Social implications– MOOCs might contribute to the commodification of knowledge in higher education.Originality/value– This is the first conceptual paper exploring MOOCs and their issues using Baudrillard and Debord.
Learning capability and performance in later working life: towards a contextual view
Authors: Jeske Debora , Stamov Roßnagel Christian 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The authors contribute to the literature by contrasting the cognitive with a contextual view on learning and development to address preconceptions about aging in order to broaden employers’ views on learning and performance across the working life and careers of their employees. The authors furthermore identify a number of opportunities that exist to support and sustain learning capability and performance in older workers. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors conducted a selective literature search to identify literature that best exemplifies both the cognitive and contextual view.

Findings
– Age-related declines in performance are observed on very specific and limited tasks, unlikely to be encountered in the workplace. Due to its focus on assessing limits and age differences, such studies will not normally take experience, job and personal resources into account – these are more likely to be present in the workplace. The authors find that much of the more applied evidence suggests older workers can perform at a similar level to their younger colleagues – when the workplace or training context does not restrain them from using their own strategies and resources to complete tasks.

Research limitations/implications
– The current overview of research that is more representative of the more cognitive view outlines a number of issues regarding the transferability as well as generalisability of these well publicised findings. Many of the laboratory-based cognitive ageing research focuses on “testing the limits” of cognitive processing and efficiency. This paradigm is not compatible with the specific tasks and learning that takes place in the workplace, which led us to a more contextual view.

Practical implications
– The authors provide several starting points for broader and more inclusive training and development, particularly the role of supervisory practices, climate, self-efficacy and learning competency, resources and strategies.

Originality/value
– Taking a more contextual view may foster a re-evaluation of how inclusive current managerial practice, policies and current development initiatives are. Distinguishing job and personal resources can help in identifying the aspects that can be influenced by workers themselves and those aspects that are the primary responsibility of organisations and their managers.
Cutaneous apocrine carcinoma of the scrotum: A case with widespread subcutaneous induration
Authors: Miyagawa Takuya , Kadono Takafumi , Taniguchi Takashi , Nakamura Kouki , Saigusa Ryosuke , Yoshizaki Ayumi , Miyagaki Tomomitsu , Yamada Daisuke , Masui Yuri , Sato Shinichi 
Published: May 2015

AbstractCutaneous apocrine carcinoma (CAC) is a rare malignancy. It develops predominantly in the regions where apocrine glands are distributed. Some cases of CAC have been reported in the axilla and the inguinal regions, but only a few in the scrotum. We herein report a case of CAC which widely spread over both sides of the whole scrotum with plate‐like hard induration, and such a manifestation has never been reported before. CAC is known to have high rates of local recurrence or metastasis, and the efficacy of radiotherapy or chemotherapy has not been established. As therapeutic options for CAC are limited, it is critical to reach the diagnosis and treat at an early stage.
Application of electron microscopic analysis and fluorescent in situ hybridization technique for the successful diagnosis of extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma
Authors: Funakoshi Takeru , Sato Tomotaka , Hosokawa Ryoko , Saito Masataka , Amagai Masayuki , Ishiko Akira , Ohyama Manabu 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe diagnosis of soft tissue tumors is often challenging. Immunohistochemical investigation, let alone routine histopathological investigation, may not allow definitive diagnosis in some cases. To overcome such difficulties, more advanced techniques need to be adopted. Herein, we report an extremely rare 56‐year‐old Japanese female case of extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (ES), successfully diagnosed by electron microscopy (EM) using formalin‐fixed sections and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The patient had a 2‐year history of a tumor growing on the leg. In routine histopathology, invasive proliferation of tumor cells was observed in the dermis. Tumor cells were round and uniform with large hyperchromatic nuclei, which were positively stained for CD56, VS38c, Ki‐67, MIC2 and vimentin, but not for pan‐keratin AE1 + AE3, cytokeratin 20, chromogranin A, synaptophysin and neuron‐specific enolase. As these findings were not conclusive to make the final diagnosis, EM specimens were prepared from formalin‐fixed sections and subjected to investigation. Cell surface projections and dense core granules were detected, suggestive of either Merkel cell carcinoma or extraskeletal ES. Subsequent FISH analysis identified reciprocal translocation of the ESWR1 gene, enabling the final diagnosis of extraskeletal ES. This study provides useful information enabling the diagnosis of this uncommon soft tissue tumor.
EDITOR'S CHOICE: Safeguarding Sumatran tigers: evaluating effectiveness of law enforcement patrols and local informant networks
Authors: Linkie Matthew , Martyr Deborah J. , Harihar Abishek , Risdianto Dian , Nugraha Rudijanta T. , Maryati  , Leader‐Williams Nigel , Wong Wai‐Ming 
Published: May 2015

Summary

The United Nations recently listed illegal wildlife trade as a serious crime because of the escalating demand for highly prized species, such as tiger and rhinoceros, and the failure to effectively control the trade. In turn, this places greater urgency on reducing supply by securing source populations of these species. Yet, whether law enforcement strategies designed to mitigate poaching are succeeding remains poorly understood, despite the millions of dollars invested annually in this mainstay conservation strategy.

Here, we assess the performance of one of Asia's longest running law enforcement programmes, from Kerinci Seblat National Park in Sumatra, by investigating whether forest ranger patrols reduced the occurrence of snare traps set for tiger and its ungulate prey base; local informant reports on poaching influenced ranger patrol success; and the resulting population trends of target species changed in response to these conservation actions.

A total of 4433 snare traps were removed during 642 foot patrols conducted from 2000 to 2010. Controlling for the influence of varying detection probabilities, as well as accessibility and other possible determinants of illegal hunting, revealed that sites with a greater frequency of patrols, rather than the combined distance walked, had a lower occurrence of snare traps in succeeding years.

Patrols conducted on the basis of local informant ‘tip‐offs’ were significantly more likely to detect snare traps than routine patrols, with reports increasing detections by over 40%.

There were no significant changes in the occupancy status of the tiger prey base from 2004 to 2011, suggesting that it remained stable during this period. The relatively good condition of prey and predator populations in Kerinci Seblat National Park was further supported by the results of an independent survey conducted in 2008–2009 which revealed a widespread tiger occurrence.

Synthesis and applications. Our results not only demonstrate the effectiveness of the Kerinci Seblat law enforcement strategy in protecting wildlife, but highlight the benefits from cultivating a network of reliable informants. The study also represents a critical step in helping these urgently needed conservation assessments to become common place in the fight to save flagship species.
The Politics of Participatory Art
Authors: Bell David M. 
Published: May 2015

The two books reviewed in this article engage with ‘participatory art’, in which artists mobilise people as the central medium of their work. Grant Kester argues that such works have the potential to generate new communal forms that challenge neoliberal hegemony, while Claire Bishop argues that in dispensing with the negating praxis of the avant-garde they all too frequently end up reproducing its logics. The article suggests that if the binary that structures both their arguments is overcome, a productive synthesis of their arguments can be made – although this still leaves unanswered a number of questions about the role that art might play in social change. Bishop, C. (2012) Artiﬁcial Hells: Participatory Art and the Politics of Spectatorship. London: Verso. Kester, G. H. (2011) The One and the Many: Contemporary Collaborative Art in a Global Context. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
The Evaluation of Antioxidant Interactions among 4 Common Vegetables using Isobolographic Analysis
Authors: Jiang Hai‐wei , Li* Hong‐yan , Yu Cheng‐wei , Yang Ting‐ting , Hu Jiang‐ning , Liu Rong , Deng* Ze‐Yuan 
Published: May 2015

AbstractIsobolographic analysis was used to assess the antioxidant interactions (synergism, addition, and antagonism) of 4 common vegetables (tomato [T], carrot [C], eggplant [E], and purple potato [P]). The lipophilic (L) extracts of T and C (main carotenoids), the hydrophilic (H) extracts of E and P (main phenolics) were mixed by the certain ratios (1:9, 3:7, 1:1, 7:3, 9:1, w/w) and their antioxidant activities were investigated by 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’‐Azinobis‐(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulphonate) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays, respectively. Most of the binary mixtures (LC‐HE, LC‐HP, HE‐HP, LT‐HE, and LT‐HP combinations) showed the synergistic antioxidant effects. In DPPH assay, the greatest antioxidant activity of vegetable combinations was 1:9 LT‐HP (EC50: 2.45 ± 0.13 mg/mL), followed by 9:1 HE‐HP (EC50: 3.62 ± 0.12 mg/mL) and 1:9 LC‐HE (EC50: 3.74 ± 0.47 mg/mL). In ABTS assay, the greatest antioxidant activity of vegetable combinations was 9:1 HE‐HP (EC50: 4.20 ± 0.10 mg/mL), followed by 7:3 HE‐HP (EC50: 4.41 ± 0.63 mg/mL) and 1:1 HE‐HP (EC50: 5.35 ± 0.85 mg/mL). Among these combinations, 1:1 LC‐HE combination showed the highest synergistic antioxidant effects in DPPH assay (synergistic rate: 87.4%), and 7:3 LC‐HE combination showed the highest synergistic antioxidant effects in ABTS assay (synergistic rate: 87.0%). The mixtures of phenolics and carotenoids with suitable ratios in vegetables effectively enhanced the synergistic antioxidant effects.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Postmenopausal Women's Health
Authors: Kim Jun Ho , Kim Young Jun , Park Yeonhwa 
Published: May 2015

AbstractDeclined estrogen levels in women after menopause can cause a number of significant health issues, and various estrogen receptor ligands have been clinically evaluated for postmenopausal treatment. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been shown to display protective effects against menopausal symptoms such as bone loss and metabolic dysfunctions in both animals and humans. In particular, it inhibits the proliferations of breast and endometrial cancer cells through estrogen receptor α‐mediated mechanism(s). These findings suggest that CLA may provide beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms, while protecting the endometrium and breast from estrogen stimulation. Thus, understanding the effects of CLA on menopausal disorders and ER metabolism is important in development of novel therapeutic options for use in postmenopausal women with or without conventional estrogen therapy. In this report, we review literature regarding the impact of CLA on menopausal symptoms in cell lines, rodents, and humans, along with potential mechanism(s). We also discuss safety consideration for CLA use in humans.
The impacts of information on returns from farming: evidence from a nationally representative farm survey in India
Authors: Birthal Pratap S. , Kumar Shiv , Negi Digvijay S. , Roy Devesh 
Published: May 2015

AbstractUsing a nationally representative sample of farm households from India, this paper examines the impact of use of information on net farm incomes. Employing methodologies that mitigate potential biases in the estimation of the impact, the empirical results show that farmers who use information realize over 12% higher net returns per hectare. The paper also establishes a pecking order in access to information. Small farmers and those at the bottom of social hierarchy (based on caste) have access to fewer information sources, and they depend more on informal social networks and input dealers for their information needs. The larger farmers and those from upper caste rely relatively more on sources such as radio, television and newspaper.
Preeclampsia is Characterized by Fetal NK Cell Activation and a Reduction in Regulatory T Cells
Authors: Loewendorf Andrea I. , Nguyen Tina A. , Yesayan Maria N. , Kahn Daniel A. 
Published: May 2015

ProblemPreeclampsia affects 3–17% of pregnancies worldwide and has serious consequences for both the mother and the fetus. As maternal–fetal immune tolerance is bidirectional, fetal immunopathology may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of pregnancy disorders. Nevertheless, the impact of preeclampsia on the fetal immune system is unclear.Method of studyIn this case–control study, we examined the phenotype of innate and adaptive immune cells from the cord blood of 3rd trimester babies born to healthy mothers and compared them to cord blood from 3rd trimester babies born to mothers with symptomatic preeclampsia.ResultsThe ratio of CD56hi CD16− non‐activated/regulatory NK cells to CD56lo CD16+ activated/effector NK cells as well as the proportion of CD4+ T cells was significantly decreased in the cord blood of babies born to preeclamptic mothers. The percentage of FoxP3+ Treg, especially the FoxP3lo populations (resting Treg and cytokine Treg), were significantly reduced. Importantly, this reduction in FoxP3+ Treg affected the ratio of CD8+ effector T cells per FoxP3+ Treg in the cord blood of babies born to preeclamptic mothers.ConclusionThese observations indicate that there are significant fetal immune system derangements during preeclampsia.
Simulations of the effects of scheduled abdominal aortic aneurysm repair on survival
Authors: Carlisle J. B. 
Published: May 2015

SummaryI simulated survival with and without scheduled repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms with different diameters in different populations. The results imply that scheduled repair should be determined by the combination of a patient's monthly mortality hazard and aneurysm diameter. The median survival of some patients will be extended by the scheduled repair of aneurysms smaller than 55 mm, whereas the median survival of other patients will be curtailed by repair of any aneurysm. The results also suggest that, on average, surveillance is futile: the effect of scheduled aneurysm repair on an individual's median survival did not change but the cohort effect diminished as patients died during surveillance. The results of the UK Small Aneurysm Study were reproduced in simulation and are compatible with the repair of aneurysms smaller than 55 mm diameter. Epidemiological simulations suggest that past randomised controlled trials underestimate the effect of aneurysm repair today.
Adjusting for population shifts and covariates in space–time interaction tests
Authors: Schmertmann Carl P. 
Published: May 2015

SummaryStatistical tests for epidemic patterns use measures of space–time event clustering, and look for high levels of clustering that are unlikely to appear randomly if events are independent. Standard approaches, such as Knox's (1964, Applied Statistics 13, 25–29) test, are biased when the spatial distribution of population changes over time, or when there is space–time interaction in important background variables. In particular, the Knox test is too sensitive to coincidental event clusters in such circumstances, and too likely to raise false alarms. Kulldorff and Hjalmars (1999, Biometrics 55, 544–552) proposed a variant of Knox's test to control for bias caused by population shifts. In this article, I demonstrate that their test is also generally biased, in an unknown direction. I suggest an alternative approach that accounts for exposure shifts while also conditioning on the observed spatial and temporal margins of event counts, as in the original Knox test. The new approach uses Metropolis sampling of permutations, and is unbiased under more general conditions. I demonstrate how the new method can also include controls for the clustering effects of covariates.
EVI1, a target gene for amplification at 3q26, antagonizes transforming growth factor‐β‐mediated growth inhibition in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yasui Kohichiroh , Konishi Chika , Gen Yasuyuki , Endo Mio , Dohi Osamu , Tomie Akira , Kitaichi Tomoko , Yamada Nobuhisa , Iwai Naoto , Nishikawa Taichiro , Yamaguchi Kanji , Moriguchi Michihisa , Sumida Yoshio , Mitsuyoshi Hironori , Tanaka Shinji , Arii Shigeki , Itoh Yoshito 
Published: May 2015

EVI1 (ecotropic viral integration site 1) is one of the most aggressive oncogenes associated with myeloid leukemia. We investigated DNA copy number aberrations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines using a high‐density oligonucleotide microarray. We found that a novel amplification at the chromosomal region 3q26 occurs in the HCC cell line JHH‐1, and that MECOM (MDS1 and EVI1 complex locus), which lies within the 3q26 region, was amplified. Quantitative PCR analysis of the three transcripts transcribed from MECOM indicated that only EVI1, but not the fusion transcript MDS1–EVI1 or MDS1, was overexpressed in JHH‐1 cells and was significantly upregulated in 22 (61%) of 36 primary HCC tumors when compared with their non‐tumorous counterparts. A copy number gain of EVI1 was observed in 24 (36%) of 66 primary HCC tumors. High EVI1 expression was significantly associated with larger tumor size and higher level of des‐γ‐carboxy prothrombin, a tumor marker for HCC. Knockdown of EVI1 resulted in increased induction of the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor p15INK4B by transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β and decreased expression of c‐Myc, cyclin D1, and phosphorylated Rb in TGF‐β‐treated cells. Consequently, knockdown of EVI1 led to reduced DNA synthesis and cell viability. Collectively, our results suggest that EVI1 is a probable target gene that acts as a driving force for the amplification at 3q26 in HCC and that the oncoprotein EVI1 antagonizes TGF‐β‐mediated growth inhibition of HCC cells.
Rosiglitazone treatment and cardiovascular disease in the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial
Authors: Florez H. , Reaven P. D. , Bahn G. , Moritz T. , Warren S. , Marks J. , Reda D. , Duckworth W. , Abraira C. , Hayward R. , Emanuele N. ,   from the VADT Research Group
Published: May 2015

AimsTo evaluate the relationship between patterns of rosiglitazone use and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial (VADT).MethodsTime‐dependent survival analyses, case–control and 1 : 1 propensity matching approaches were used to examine the relationship between patterns of rosiglitazone use and CV outcomes in the VADT, a randomized controlled study that assessed the effect of intensive glycaemic control on CV outcomes in 1791 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) whose mean age was 60.4 ± 9 years. Participants were recruited between 1 December 2000 and 31 May 2003, and were followed for 5–7.5 years (median 5.6) with a final visit by 31 May 2008. Rosiglitazone (4 mg and 8 mg daily) was initiated per protocol in both the intensive‐therapy and standard‐therapy groups. Main outcomes included a composite CV outcome, CV death and myocardial infarction (MI).ResultsBoth daily doses of rosiglitazone were associated with lower risk for the primary composite CV outcome [4 mg: hazard ratio (HR) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49–0.81 and 8 mg: HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.49–0.75] after adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates. A reduction in CV death was also observed (HR 0.25, p < 0.001, for both 4 and 8 mg/day rosiglitazone); however, the effect on MI was less evident for 8 mg/day and not significant for 4 mg/day.ConclusionsIn older patients with T2D the use of rosiglitazone was associated with decreased risk of the primary CV composite outcome and CV death. Rosiglitazone use did not lead to a higher risk of MI.
Progression to insulin therapy among patients with type 2 diabetes treated with sitagliptin or sulphonylurea plus metformin dual therapy
Authors: Inzucchi S. E. , Tunceli K. , Qiu Y. , Rajpathak S. , Brodovicz K. G. , Engel S. S. , Mavros P. , Radican L. , Brudi P. , Li Z. , Fan C. P. S. , Hanna B. , Tang J. , Blonde L. 
Published: May 2015

AimTo assess time to insulin initiation among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with sitagliptin versus sulphonylurea as add‐on to metformin.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used GE Centricity electronic medical records and included patients aged ≥18 years with continuous medical records and an initial prescription of sitagliptin or sulphonylurea (index date) with metformin for ≥90 days during 2006–2013. Sitagliptin and sulphonylurea users were matched 1 : 1 using propensity score matching, and differences in insulin initiation were assessed using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox regression. We used conditional logistic regression to examine the likelihood of insulin use 1–6 years after the index date for each year.ResultsPropensity score matching produced 3864 matched pairs. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that sitagliptin users had a lower risk of insulin initiation compared with sulphonylurea users (p = 0.003), with 26.6% of sitagliptin users initiating insulin versus 34.1% of sulphonylurea users over 6 years. This finding remained significant after adjusting for baseline characteristics (hazard ratio 0.76, 95% confidence interval 0.65–0.90). Conditional logistic regression analyses confirmed that sitagliptin users were less likely to initiate insulin compared with sulphonylurea users [odds ratios for years 1–6: 0.77, 0.79, 0.81, 0.57, 0.29 and 0.75, respectively (p < 0.05 for years 4 and 5)].ConclusionsIn this real‐world matched cohort study, patients with T2DM treated with sitagliptin had a significantly lower risk of insulin initiation compared with patients treated with sulphonylurea, both as add‐on to metformin.