bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Does NHK Make You Smarter (andSuper NewsMake You ‘Softer’)? An Examination of Japanese Political Knowledge and the Potential Influence of TV News
Authors: COLLET CHRISTIAN , KATO GENTO 
Published: February 2014

AbstractA fundamental component of liberal democracy – citizen knowledge – has only recently been examined in Japan; rarer still are assessments of the impact of media consumption on political awareness. In this paper, we utilize two recent sources – the Japanese Election Studies III (JESIII) and GLOPE2005 – to address two related questions: (1) what factors influence Japanese political knowledge? and (2) is the changing media environment in Japan having an influence on what citizens know about political affairs? With regard to the first question, we find, in line with previous studies in the US context, that knowledge is explained by education, gender, and politically impinged employment as base factors, with interest, efficacy, and civic duty playing a role as second-stage behavioral factors. Evidence of other traits presumed to distinguish the more informed Japanese – dissatisfaction with politics and community mobilization context (living in urban areas, districts with higher voter turnout, and having larger social networks – remains mixed. Regarding the second question, we find that the effects of media exposure on knowledge vary. Where the GLOPE2005 finds an influence of regular newspaper reading, the JESIII indicates that watching a TV news program ‘often’ also boosts knowledge. The JESIII results reveal further that,ceteris paribus, regular exposure to NHK contributes to higher levels of knowledge at a rate that is comparable to a one unit increase in educational attainment. Conversely, we find that softer news programs (e.g., Fuji TV'sSuper News) have a depressive effect that appears to decrease knowledge as exposure accumulates. The direction of the causal arrow is not entirely clear. At the same time, our findings lend credence to previous work that raises concerns about the ‘infotainization’ of Japanese (and US) news programming (e.g., Taniguchi, 2007; Prior, 2005). Rather than demystifying or democratizing Japanese politics, softer programs may simply be perpetuating extant gaps between elites and the public.
Searching for a Dream Plan: Two-Level Game Analysis of the Futenma Relocation Issue Under the Hatoyama Cabinet
Authors: SHINODA TOMOHITO 
Published: February 2014

AbstractEmploying a two-level game framework, this study examines the decision-making process of the Hatoyama government on the replacement of the US Marine air base in Futenma, Okinawa. Before reaching the final decision to revert to the existing plan of relocating it to Nago City, the cabinet members explored different possible alternatives. Prime Minister Hatoyama simultaneously pursued different international and domestic goals. Misperception and miscommunication between Tokyo and Washington were at play. A two-level game framework provides a clear picture of what Hatoyama tried to pursue and why he failed.
Abstract interpretation of temporal concurrent constraint programs
Authors: FALASCHI MORENO , OLARTE CARLOS , PALAMIDESSI CATUSCIA 
Published: February 2014

AbstractTimed Concurrent Constraint Programming (tcc) is a declarative model for concurrency offering a logic for specifying reactive systems, i.e., systems that continuously interact with the environment. The universaltccformalism (utcc) is an extension oftccwith the ability to express mobility. Here mobility is understood as communication of private names as typically done for mobile systems and security protocols. In this paper we consider the denotational semantics fortcc, and extend it to a “collecting” semantics forutccbased on closure operators over sequences of constraints. Relying on this semantics, we formalize a general framework for data flow analyses oftccandutccprograms by abstract interpretation techniques. The concrete and abstract semantics that we propose are compositional, thus allowing us to reduce the complexity of data flow analyses. We show that our method is sound and parametric with respect to the abstract domain. Thus, different analyses can be performed by instantiating the framework. We illustrate how it is possible to reuse abstract domains previously defined for logic programming to perform, for instance, a groundness analysis fortccprograms. We show the applicability of this analysis in the context of reactive systems. Furthermore, we also make use of the abstract semantics to exhibit a secrecy flaw in a security protocol. We also show how it is possible to make an analysis which may show thattccprograms are suspension-free. This can be useful for several purposes, such as for optimizing compilation or for debugging.
Serum levels of mature microRNAs in DICER1-mutated pleuropulmonary blastoma
Authors: Murray M J , Bailey S , Raby K L , Saini H K , de Kock L , Burke G A A , Foulkes W D , Enright A J , Coleman N , Tischkowitz M 
Published: February 2014

AbstractDICER1 is a critical gene in the biogenesis of mature microRNAs, short non-coding RNAs that derive from either -3p or -5p precursor microRNA strands. Germline mutations of DICER1 are associated with a range of human malignancies, including pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB). Additional somatic ‘hotspot’ mutations in the microRNA processing ribonuclease IIIb (RNase IIIb) domain of DICER1 are reported in cancer, and which affect microRNA biogenesis, resulting in a -3p mature microRNA strand bias. Here, in a germline (exon11 c.1806_1810insATTGA) DICER1-mutated PPB, we first confirmed the presence of an additional somatic RNase IIIb hotspot mutation (exon25 c.5425G>A [p.G1809R]) by conventional sequencing. Second, we investigated serum levels of mature microRNAs at the time of PPB diagnosis, and compared the findings with serum results from a comprehensive range of pediatric cancer patients and controls (n=52). We identified a panel of 45 microRNAs that were present at elevated levels in the serum at the time of PPB diagnosis, with a significant majority noted be derived from the -3p strand (P=0.013). In addition, we identified a subset of 10 serum microRNAs (namely miR-125a-3p, miR-125b-2-3p, miR-380-5p, miR-125b-1-3p, let-7f-2-3p, let-7a-3p, let-7b-3p, miR-708-3p, miR-138-1-3p and miR-532-3p) that were most abundant in the PPB case. Serum levels of two representative microRNAs, miR-125a-3p and miR-125b-2-3p, were not elevated in DICER1 germline-mutated relatives. In the PPB case, serum levels of miR-125a-3p and miR-125b-2-3p increased before chemotherapy, and then showed an early reduction following treatment. These microRNAs may offer future utility as serum biomarkers for screening patients with known germline DICER1 mutations for early detection of PPB, and for potential disease-monitoring in cases with confirmed PPB.
Accuracy of an UWB‐based position tracking system used for time‐motion analyses in game sports
Authors: Leser Roland , Schleindlhuber Armin , Lyons Keith , Baca Arnold 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe main aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the ultra‐wideband (UWB)‐based positioning system Ubisense, which is used for time‐motion analysis in sports. Furthermore, some alternatives for positioning the system's transponders on the atheletes, as well as the accuracy depending on the location of measurement, were tested. Therefore, in a pre‐study, some basic issues were examined (measurement assumptions and consistency and location of the system's transponder used for position detection), and position measurements at the borders and in the centre of a basketball field were performed. In the main study, 13 male basketball players (15.8 years ± 0.6; 187.9 height ± 3.4; 77.5 weight ± 3.7), equipped with a Ubisense transponder mounted on top of their heads, handled a trundle wheel during simulated match play. The players with the trundle wheel participated passively in the match by following one of the ten competing players. The distance measurements of the trundle wheel were used as reference values and compared to the Ubisense distance estimations. Best results were found with the measurements of a single mounted transponder on top of the athlete's heads. No differences were detectable in the accuracy between measurements in the centre and at the borders of the basketball field. The (Ubisense) system's difference to the (trundle wheel) reference was 3.45 ± 1.99%, resulting in 95% limits of agreement of −0.46–7.35%. The study indicates the examined system's sufficient accuracy for time‐motion analysis in basketball.
The Lion, the Witch, and the King: Thomas Stapleton’s Apologia pro Rege Catholico Philippo II (1592)
Authors: Machielsen Jan 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
Historians have rarely acknowledged the restraint shown by Catholic exile writers in their portrayals of Queen Elizabeth. As a general rule, exiles took care to restrict their often stringent criticism to the queen’s government or advisers. This restraint has been obscured, in part, by the Apologia pro Rege Catholico Philippo II (1592) written by Thomas Stapleton (1535–1598), Regius Professor of Scriptures at the University of Leuven (Louvain). The Apologia represents the queen as a malignant genius and witch responsible for much of the world’s evils. This article shows that the Apologia, hitherto read as transparently the work of an English Catholic exile, was written for a largely Netherlandish audience, played to Netherlandish concerns, and appeared under a Netherlandish pseudonym. English involvement in the Revolt of the Netherlands on the side of the Protestant rebels meant that anti-Elizabethan sentiment in the Spanish Netherlands was widespread, and the Apologia was part of Stapleton’s efforts to bridge English and Netherlandish Catholic concerns. By presenting his criticism of Elizabeth as a defence of and a sign of devotion to Philip II of Spain by a loyal subject, Stapleton sidestepped accusations of disobedience levelled against the Catholic exiles by the English government. Careful study of Stapleton’s representation of Elizabeth shows why as a general rule other Catholic apologists, such as Robert Persons and Richard Verstegan, did not follow suit. Stapleton’s portrayal of a powerful and malignant queen highlights how the standard representation was influenced by a language of loyal opposition and a need for the nominal preservation of obedience.
‘Affluence’ and the Left in Britain, c.1958–1974
Authors: Middleton Stuart 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
Accounts of British politics in the 1950s and 1960s have treated ‘affluence’ as a socio-economic condition to which political thinkers and actors responded, with greater or lesser success. This overlooks the contemporary significance of ‘affluence’, which is better understood as a conceptual field in which many of the Left’s crucial ideological and strategic battles were fought during the 1960s. Whereas historical usage has broadly followed Labour revisionists’ sense of ‘affluence’ as a determinate socio-economic condition, at least three critical usages were developed in opposition to this, which contested both its specific detail and its conception of a prior socio-economic reality to which it was the task of politics to respond. These were synthesised into a shared Labour critique of the Conservative Government in the early 1960s, before being gradually turned against the Wilson administrations by their critics on the left. In particular, two major interventions—the ‘rediscovery of poverty’ (1965), and the ‘Affluent Worker’ study (1968–9)—restored a material referent to these critical accounts of ‘affluence’, but in a more equivocal sense than historical usage has assumed. These critiques helped to influence a broader reorientation of Labour politics after 1970, which accorded greater salience to redistribution and the interests of workers. Simultaneously, they may have helped to fix the meaning of ‘affluence’ in the usage of historians, as a result of which its significance for contemporaries and its influence upon the course of Labour politics have hitherto been incompletely understood.
The role of seed germination in the invasion process of Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L., Fabaceae): comparison with a native confamilial
Authors: Ferreras Ana E. , Funes Guillermo , Galetto Leonardo 
Published: February 2014

AbstractIdentifying plant traits that promote invasiveness has been a major goal in invasion ecology. Germination plays a central role in the life cycle of plants and therefore could be a key trait in determining species invasiveness. In this study, seed germination of two confamilial, co‐occurring species that share ecological characteristics, the exotic invasive Gleditsia triacanthos L and the native Acacia aroma Gillies ex. Hook. & Arn., was compared. Seeds were obtained from individuals of three localities in the Chaco Serrano region of Córdoba, Argentina. Percent of seed germination and mean germination time were recorded in chemically and mechanically scarified seeds, and the former variable was also recorded in seeds subjected to: passage through the digestive tract of dispersers, fire simulations, fire simulation plus mechanical scarification, seed longevity, and dormancy break over time. In general, both species showed similar germination percentage. However, non‐scarified seeds of the exotic species lost physical dormancy when subjected to experiments of dormancy break over time, whereas, the native species had shorter mean germination time. The greater percentage of seed germination over time of the exotic species than of the native one might be triggering the spread of the former, whereas the shorter mean germination time might be hindering its expansion to more arid regions. The study of different mechanisms for achieving seed germination, particularly in hard seed species, could provide important information on the expansion of invasive species as well as useful knowledge for their management.
Microwave endometrial ablation versus thermal balloon endometrial ablation (MEATBall): 5‐year follow up of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Sambrook AM , Elders A , Cooper KG 
Published: February 2014

ObjectiveTo compare long‐term outcomes following microwave endometrial ablation (MEA™) and thermal balloon ablation (TBall).DesignFollow up of a prospective, double‐blind randomised controlled trial at 5 years.SettingA teaching hospital in the UK.PopulationA total of 320 women eligible for and requesting endometrial ablation.MethodsEligible women were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to undergo MEA or Tball. Postal questionnaires were sent to participants at a minimum of 5 years postoperatively to determine satisfaction with outcome, menstrual status, bleeding scores and quality of life measurement. Subsequent surgery was ascertained from the women and the hospital operative database.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was overall satisfaction with treatment. Secondary outcomes included evaluation of menstrual loss, change in quality of life scores and subsequent surgery.ResultsOf the women originally randomised 217/314 (69.1%) returned questionnaires. Nonresponders were assumed to be treatment failures for data analysis. The primary outcome of satisfaction was similar in both groups (58% for MEA™ versus 53% for TBall, difference 5%; 95% CI −6 to 16%). Amenorrhoea rates were high following both techniques (51% versus 45%, difference 6%; 95% CI −5 to 17%). There was no significant difference in the hysterectomy rates between the two arms (9% versus 7%, difference 2%; 95% CI −5 to 9%).ConclusionsAt 5 years post‐treatment there were no significant clinical differences in patient satisfaction, menstrual status, quality of life scores or hysterectomy rates between MEA™ and Thermachoice 3, thermal balloon ablation.
Barriers to Computed Tomography Radiation Risk Communication in the Emergency Department: A Qualitative Analysis of Patient and Physician Perspectives
Authors: Robey Thomas E. , Edwards Kelly , Murphy Mary K. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractObjectivesThis qualitative study aimed to characterize the barriers to informed discussions between patients and emergency physicians (EPs) about radiation risk from computed tomography (CT) and to identify future interventions to improve patient understanding of CT radiation risk.MethodsThis study used a focus group approach to collect concepts about radiation risk exposure from a national sample of EPs and a local sample of emergency department (ED) patients. A directed content analysis used an a priori medical ethics framework to explore themes from the focus groups while a subsequent normative ethics analysis compared these results with existing perceptions about discussing CT radiation risk.ResultsFocus groups (three each for a total of 19 EPs and 27 patients) identified concepts consistent with core medical ethics principles: patients emphasized autonomy and nonmaleficence more than physicians, while physicians emphasized beneficence. Subjects' knowledge of radiation dose and risk were equivalent to previously published reports. When asked about whether they should talk about radiation with patients, 74% of EPs reported that radiation exposure should be discussed, but the study EPs self‐reported doing so with only an average of 24% of patients. Patients reported wanting to hear about radiation from their physicians the next time they need CT scans and thought that a written handout would work better than any other method. When presented with options for how to discuss risk with patients, EPs reported needing easy access to risk information and preferred discussion over other communications approaches, but had mixed support of distributing patient handouts.ConclusionsThe normative view that radiation from diagnostic CT should be discussed in the ED is shared by patients and physicians, but is challenged by the lack of a structured method to communicate CT radiation risk to ED patients. Our analysis identifies promising interest among physicians and patients to use information guides and electronic order prompts as potential informational tools to overcome this barrier.
Social anxiety disorder, a lifelong disorder? A review of the spontaneous remission and its predictors
Authors: Vriends N. , Bolt O. C. , Kunz S. M. 
Published: February 2014

ObjectiveBased on clinical observations, social anxiety disorder (SAD) is usually described as a chronic disorder. Its natural course in the community is less clear.MethodThe present review summarises prospective and retrospective spontaneous remission rates of SAD in the community and its predictors that were published after 1987. Remission rates were specified as partial, defined as still having social fears, but not fulfilling the diagnostic criteria, and full, defined as having no social fears anymore.ResultsIn prospective studies, remission rates of SAD varied between 36% and 93% and in retrospective studies between 3% and 80%. The estimated average remission rate in prospective studies was 50% for full remission and 79% when including partial remission. In retrospective studies, the average remission rate was 26% during the last year and 56% over the lifetime. Diverse predictors of remission of SAD have been found that can be clustered into less severe anxiety, less additional psychopathology, less stress, employment, and mental health.ConclusionThe enormous variation in remission rates indicates that SAD might have different course types (short, fluctuating, and chronic) and is not necessarily a chronic disorder. Prevention and treatment should be focused on enhancing positive and reducing negative factors.
A DFNA5 Mutation Identified in Japanese Families with Autosomal Dominant Hereditary Hearing Loss
Authors: Nishio Ayako , Noguchi Yoshihiro , Sato Tatsuya , Naruse Taeko K. , Kimura Akinori , Takagi Akira , Kitamura Ken 
Published: February 2014

SummaryMutations in DFNA5 lead to autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hereditary hearing loss (NSHHL). To date, four different mutations in DFNA5 have been reported to cause hearing loss. A 3 bp deletion mutation (c.991‐15_991‐13del) was identified in Chinese and Korean families with autosomal dominant NSHHL, which suggested that the 3 bp deletion mutation was derived from a single origin. In the present study, we performed genetic screening of mutations in the interval between intron 6 and exon 9 of DFNA5 in 65 Japanese patients with autosomal dominant NSHHL and identified the c.991‐15_991‐13del mutation in two patients. Furthermore, we compared the DFNA5‐linked haplotypes consisting of intragenic SNPs between the reported Chinese and Korean families and found that the Japanese patients showed a shared region spanning 41,874 bp. This is the first report of DFNA5 mutations in Japanese patients with autosomal dominant NSHHL, supporting the suggestion that the 3 bp deletion mutation occurred in their ancestors.
Comparison of organic electroluminescence and liquid crystal displays for clinical utility in orthopedic endoscopic surgery
Authors: Dezawa Akira , Sairyo Koichi 
Published: February 2014

AbstractIntroductionOrganic electroluminescence displays (OELD) use organic materials that self‐emit light with the passage of an electric current. OELD provide high contrast, excellent color reproducibility at low brightness, excellent video images, and less restricted viewing angles. OELD are thus promising for medical use. This study compared the utility of an OELD with conventional liquid crystal displays (LCD) for imaging in orthopedic endoscopic surgery.MethodsOne OELD and two conventional LCD that were indistinguishable in external appearance were used in this study. Images from 18 patients were displayed simultaneously on three monitors and evaluated by six orthopedic surgeons with extensive surgical experience. Images were shown for 2 min, repeated twice, and viewed from the front and side (diagonally). Surgeon rated both clinical utility (12 parameters) and image quality (11 parameters) for each image on a 5‐point scale: 1, very good; 2, good; 3, average; 4, poor; and 5, very poor.ResultsFor clinical utility in 16 percutaneous endoscopic discectomy cases, mean scores for all 12 parameters were significantly better on the OELD than on the LCD, including organ distinguishability (2.1 vs 3.2, respectively), lesion identification (2.2 vs 3.1), and overall viewing impression (2.1 vs 3.1). For image quality, all 11 parameters were better on the OELD than on LCD. Significant differences were identified in six parameters, including contrast (1.8 vs 2.9), color reproducibility in dark areas (1.8 vs 2.9), and viewing angle (2.2 vs 2.9).ConclusionThe high contrast and excellent color reproducibility of the OELD reduced the constraints of imaging under endoscopy, in which securing a field of view may be difficult. Distinguishability of organs was good, including ligaments, dura mater, nerves, and adipose tissue, contributing to good stereoscopic images of the surgical field. These findings suggest the utility of OELD for excellent display of surgical images and for enabling safe and highly accurate endoscopic surgery.
Osteological development of Cope's Gray Treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis
Authors: Shearman Rebecca M. , Maglia Anne M. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractHyla chrysoscelis, Cope's Gray Treefrog, is a generalized treefrog found throughout much of east‐central North America. Although it is a model for many behavioural and ecological studies, little is known of its skeletal morphology or development. Herein, we describe the postembryonic skeletal development and adult osteology of H. chrysoscelis. The adult skull is well ossified with slight dermal ornamentation, the postcranial and tadpole skeletons are fairly non‐distinct with no obvious novel morphologies, and the Gosner stage by which bony elements first appear varies. We compare the rank order sequence of ossification to that of its sibling species Hyla versicolor and use examples from this study to demonstrate current complications with conducting ossification sequence meta‐analyses.