bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Governance in public procurement: the reform of Turkey’s public procurement system
Authors: Ayhan Berkay , Üstüner Yılmaz 
Published: February 2015

Regulation and control of public procurement constitute a crucial field for the application of governance ideals and practices. This study explores the public procurement reform process in Turkey with reference to the implementation of governance as part of an ongoing neoliberal discourse and practice. Turkey’s public procurement system was reformed in 2002 in line with governance principles of transparency, anti-corruption, securing competition and by establishing an independent regulatory institution. A decade after this reform, our analysis shows that political will, economic forces in the procurement market and problems in the institutional-organizational setting are factors that play a role in the relapses from governance ideals and practices. Points for practitioners Reforms aimed at achieving good governance in public procurements are hard to sustain. The specific institutional traditions of local contexts, interventions of political authorities and powerful economic interests play an important role in the success of reforms. Persistent ad hoc modifications of public procurement laws erode the regulatory scope, change the composition and political autonomy of board membership, and undermine the principles of transparency, accountability and competitiveness. There is a need to actively ensure sustainability of governance principles through strong defense mechanisms which should be institutionalized within local social dynamics.
Mortgage Foreclosures and the Changing Mix of Crime in Micro-neighborhoods
Authors: Lacoe Johanna , Ellen Ingrid Gould 
Published: February 2015

Objectives: The main objectives of the study are to estimate the impact of mortgage foreclosures on the location of criminal activity within a blockface. Drawing on routine activity theory, disorder theory, and social disorganization theory, the study explores potential mechanisms that link foreclosures to crime. Methods: To estimate the relationship between foreclosures and localized crime, we use detailed foreclosure and crime data at the blockface level in Chicago and a difference-in-difference estimation strategy. Results: Overall, mortgage foreclosures increase crime on blockfaces. Foreclosures have a larger impact on crime that occurs inside residences than on crime in the street. The impact of foreclosures on crime location varies by crime type (violent, property, and public order crime). Conclusions: The evidence supports the three main theoretical mechanisms that link foreclosure activity to local crime. The investigation of the relationship by crime location suggests that foreclosures change the relative attractiveness of indoor and outdoor locations for crime commission on the blockface.
Analysis of Higher Education Policy Frameworks for Open and Distance Education in Pakistan
Authors: Ellahi Abida , Zaka Bilal 
Published: February 2015

Background The constant rise in demand for higher education has become the biggest challenge for educational planners. This high demand has paved a way for distance education across the globe. Objectives This article innovatively analyzes the policy documentation of a major distance education initiative in Pakistan for validity that will identify the utility of policy linkages. Research Design The study adopted a qualitative research design that consisted of two steps. In the first step, a content analysis of distance learning policy framework was made. For this purpose, two documents were accessed titled “Framework for Launching Distance Learning Programs in HEIs of Pakistan” and “Guideline on Quality of Distance Education for External Students at the HEIs of Pakistan.” In the second step, the policy guidelines mentioned in these two documents were evaluated at two levels. At the first level, the overall policy documents were assessed against a criterion proposed by Cheung, Mirzaei, and Leeder. At the second level, the proposed program of distance learning was assessed against a criterion set by Gellman-Danley and Fetzner and Berge. Conclusion The distance education program initiative in Pakistan is of promising nature which needs to be assessed regularly. This study has made an initial attempt to assess the policy document against a criterion identified from literature. The analysis shows that the current policy documents do offer some strengths at this initial level, however, they cannot be considered a comprehensive policy guide. The inclusion or correction of missing or vague areas identified in this study would make this policy guideline document a treasured tool for Higher Education Commission (HEC). For distance education policy makers, this distance education policy framework model recognizes several fundamental areas with which they should be concerned. The findings of this study in the light of two different policy framework measures highlight certain opportunities that can help strengthening the distance education policies. The criteria and findings are useful for the reviewers of policy proposals to identify the gaps where policy documents can be improved to bring the desired outcomes.
T1 Glottic Carcinoma
Authors: Misono Stephanie , Marmor Schelomo , Yueh Bevan , Virnig Beth A. 
Published: February 2015

ObjectiveRecent large‐scale studies have observed differences in survival following treatment for early laryngeal carcinoma depending on treatment type but were not able to take sociodemographic, comorbidity, and facility data into account. The objective of this study was to determine whether survival differences across treatment types persist when these factors are included in the analysis.Study DesignRetrospective cohort analysis.SettingLinked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare data files.Subjects and MethodsMedicare beneficiaries who were identified through the SEER registries (1991‐2009) as having T1 glottic squamous cell carcinoma (scca) and a known treatment type were included.ResultsA total of 2338 patients with incident T1 glottic scca were identified. Most were white and male. Treatment type was radiation only in 47%, local surgery and radiation in 39%, and local surgery only in 14%. Black race and increased comorbidities were associated with worse survival. When sociodemographics, comorbidities, and facility characteristics were taken into account, survival differences were observed across treatment types, with those receiving local surgery demonstrating better overall and cancer‐specific survival.ConclusionThese results suggest that following treatment of T1 glottic scca, there may be survival differences across treatment types beyond those explained by sociodemographic, comorbidity, and facility characteristics.
Retroaortic right internal thoracic artery grafting of circumflex artery targets
Authors: Lev-Ran Oren , Matsa Menachem , Ishay Yaron , Shabtai Amir , Vodonos Alina , Sahar Gideon 
Published: February 2015

Background Retroaortic right internal thoracic artery grafting has failed to gain popularity. We aimed to delineate patient correlates of eligibility, distribution of targets, and effects of target remoteness on outcome and risk of retroaortic bleeding. Methods Data of 861 patients undergoing skeletonized bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting (2007–2012) were analyzed according to retroaortic ( n = 300) or T-graft configuration. Retroaortic graft subgroups were categorized according to proximal (first obtuse marginal, ramus) or distal (2nd, 3rd, or sequential 1st-2nd obtuse marginal) circumflex artery targets. Results LOESS curve analyses revealed that taller patients had a higher likelihood of retroaortic grafting. The distribution of 337 retroaortic graft targets (300 patients) was first obtuse marginal in 74.5%, 2nd marginal in 12.4%, ramus in 11.2%, 3rd marginal in 1.9% and sequential 1st-2nd marginal in 12.3%. The success rate in reaching proximal and distal circumflex artery targets was 97% and 30%, respectively, 5-year survival (92.2%) and freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (85.8%) were comparable between proximal and distal retroaortic graft subgroups. Distal circumflex artery targets had no effect on the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. The incidence of retroaortic bleeding from skeletonized retroaortic grafts was 0.6%. Conclusions Taller patients have a greater likelihood of qualifying for retroaortic grafting. This technique is highly reproducible for proximal but not distal circumflex artery targets. Distal circumflex artery targets are not independent correlates of early or late adverse outcomes. The risk of retroaortic bleeding is low despite retroaortic right internal thoracic artery skeletonization.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for lung cancer patients and their partners: Results of a mixed methods pilot study
Authors: van den Hurk Desiree G. M. , Schellekens Melanie P. J. , Molema Johan , Speckens Anne E. M. , van der Drift Miep A. 
Published: February 2015

Background: Lung cancer patients and partners show high rates of impaired quality of life and heightened distress levels. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction has proven to be effective in reducing psychological distress in cancer patients. However, studies barely included lung cancer patients. Aim: We examined whether Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction might be a feasible and effective intervention for patients with lung cancer and partners. Design: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a training in which mindfulness practices are combined with psycho-education to help participants cope with distress. In this mixed methods pilot study, questionnaires on psychological distress and quality of life were administered before, directly after and 3 months after the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training, in combination with semi-structured interviews. Setting/participants: Patients with lung cancer and partners were recruited at one tertiary care academic medical centre. A total of 19 lung cancer patients and 16 partners participated in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training. Results: Most patients were diagnosed with advanced stage lung cancer. Vast majority completed the training. Those receiving anti-cancer treatment did not miss more sessions than patients who were not currently treated. Patients and partners felt positive about participating in a peer group and with their partner. Among participants no significant changes were found in psychological distress. Caregiver burden in partners decreased significantly after following Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. The qualitative analysis showed that the training seemed to instigate a process of change in participants. Conclusion: The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training seemed to be feasible for patients with lung cancer and their partners. A randomized controlled trial is needed to examine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in reducing psychological distress in lung cancer patients and partners.
Therapeutic futility in cancer patients at the time of palliative care transition: An analysis with a modified version of the Medication Appropriateness Index
Authors: Domingues Duarte , Carneiro Rui , Costa Isabel , Monteiro Carolina , Shvetz Yulyia , Barbosa Ana C , Azevedo Pedro 
Published: February 2015

Background: Palliative Care professionals are often confronted with therapeutic futility, consisting in inappropriate strategies that do not add any advantage to the patient and may actually increase adverse events. Scientific literature concerning this issue is lacking. This article is one of the first to study therapeutic futility specifically at the time of transition to the palliative care setting. Aim: To study the phenomenon of pharmacologic therapeutic futility at the time of transition of a cancer patient to palliative care. Design: The pharmacological prescriptions at the time of the first appointment at an oncological palliative care unit during a time period of 2 months were prospectively collected and characterized using the Medication Appropriateness Index. Participants: The sample comprised 71 patients with a mean age of 68.2 years. Results: The most common pharmacological groups were analgesics ( n = 121; 19.2%), psychoactive drugs ( n = 89; 14.1%), and antihypertensives ( n = 51; 8.1%). A total of 61 patients (85.9%) consumed 5 drugs or more at the time of the first appointment. The mean number of daily medications decreased significantly after the palliative care team intervention, from 7.15 to 5.73 ( p < 0.05). The principal causes of inappropriateness were absence of indication for the drug (23.0% “inappropriate”), the drugs’ adverse interactions (11.1%), and inadequate dosage (9.9%). After the first consultation in the palliative care setting, 28.2% of the drugs were suspended. Conclusion: This article tried to evaluate the main causes of therapeutic futility at the palliative care transition. The principal causes of inappropriateness were absence of clinical indication, clinically significant drug–disease/comorbidity interactions, and incorrect dosage/posology.
Association between TNFSF10 polymorphism and migraine susceptibility in a Chinese population
Authors: Jia Shasha , Dong Wanli , Zhou Xianju , Chen Zhiguo , Yun Wenwei 
Published: February 2015

Objective To investigate the correlation between migraine in a Chinese population and a 4 base pair (GAGT) insertion/deletion polymorphism (rs35975099) localized near the 3' end of the tumour necrosis factor superfamily 10 gene, TNFSF10. Methods Ethnically Han Chinese patients with migraine and healthy control subjects were recruited. TNFSF10 genotype and allele frequencies were determined via polymerase chain reaction and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results Rs35975099 was in Harvey–Weinberg equilibrium in patients with migraine ( n = 269) and control subjects ( n = 374). There were no significant relationships between allele or genotype frequency and migraine. Conclusion There was no functional significance of the TNFSF10 gene polymorphism rs35975099 in migraine pathogenesis.
The effect of thioctic acid on allodynia in a rat vincristine-induced neuropathy model
Authors: Kahng Jimin , Kim Tae kwan , Chung Eun Yong , Kim Yee Suk , Moon Jeong Yeon 
Published: February 2015

Objective To investigate the antiallodynic effects of thioctic acid in vincristine-induced neuropathy in rats. Methods Neuropathy was induced in Sprague–Dawley rats via vincristine intraperitoneal injection. After 15 days, rats were investigated for the presence of mechanical and cold allodynia, and those with allodynia received intraperitoneal injection with normal saline or 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg thioctic acid. Mechanical and cold allodynia were assessed before treatment and at 15, 30, 60, 90, 150 and 180 min after treatment. Results Mechanical and cold allodynia were reduced by thioctic acid injection. The duration of effect increased with thioctic acid dose. Conclusion Thioctic acid may be an effective treatment for vincristine-induced neuropathy.
Migraine affects white-matter tract integrity: A diffusion-tensor imaging study
Authors: Chong Catherine D , Schwedt Todd J 
Published: February 2015

Background Specific white-matter tract alterations in migraine remain to be elucidated. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), this study investigated whether the integrity of white-matter tracts that underlie regions of the “pain matrix” is altered in migraine and interrogated whether the number of years lived with migraine modifies fibertract structure. Methods Global probabilistic tractography was used to assess the anterior thalamic radiations, the corticospinal tracts and the inferior longitudinal fasciculi in 23 adults with migraine and 18 healthy controls. Results Migraine patients show greater mean diffusivity (MD) in the left and right anterior thalamic radiations, the left corticospinal tract, and the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus tract. Migraine patients also show greater radial diffusivity (RD) in the left anterior thalamic radiations, the left corticospinal tract as well as the left and right inferior longitudinal fasciculus tracts. No group fractional anisotropy (FA) differences were identified for any tracts. Migraineurs showed a positive correlation between years lived with migraine and MD in the right anterior thalamic radiations ( r = 0.517; p = 0.012) and the left corticospinal tract ( r = 0.468; p = 0.024). Conclusion Results indicate that white-matter integrity is altered in migraine and that longer migraine history is positively correlated with greater alterations in tract integrity.
Overcoming Workplace Barriers
Authors: Johnson Angela Marie , Kirk Rosalind , Muzik Maria 
Published: February 2015

Background: Persistent racial disparities in breastfeeding show that African American women breastfeed at the lowest rates. Return to work is a critical breastfeeding barrier for African American women who return to work sooner than other ethnic groups and more often encounter unsupportive work environments. They also face psychosocial burdens that make breastfeeding at work uniquely challenging. Participants share personal struggles with combining paid employment and breastfeeding and suggest workplace and personal support strategies that they believe will help continue breastfeeding after a return to work. Objective: To explore current perspectives on ways to support African American mothers’ workplace breastfeeding behavior. Methods: Pregnant African American women (n = 8), African American mothers of infants (n = 21), and lactation support providers (n = 9) participated in 1 of 6 focus groups in the Greater Detroit area. Each focus group audiotape was transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to inductively analyze focus group transcripts and field notes. Focus groups explored thoughts, perceptions, and behavior on interventions to support African American women’s breastfeeding. Results: Participants indicate that they generally believed breastfeeding was a healthy option for the baby; however, paid employment is a critical barrier to successful breastfeeding for which mothers receive little help. Participants felt breastfeeding interventions that support working African American mothers should include education and training for health care professionals, regulation and enforcement of workplace breastfeeding support policies, and support from peers who act as breastfeeding role models. Conclusion: Culturally appropriate interventions are needed to support breastfeeding among working African American women.
Association of PELI1 polymorphisms in systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility in a Chinese population
Authors: Chen F-R , Zhai Z-F , Shi X-W , Feng L , Zhong B-Y , Yan W-J , Wang H , Chen Y , You Y , Luo N , Zhang D-M , Hao F 
Published: February 2015

Objective Studies in animal models have indicated that Pellino 1 is involved in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The current study was designed to determine whether PELI1 confers genetic susceptibility to SLE in humans, as assessed in a Chinese Han population. Methods Blood samples were drawn from patients diagnosed with SLE and healthy volunteers. Three single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci with a minor allele frequency of at least 0.05 were chosen to evaluate the correlation between PELI1 genotype and the incidence of SLE. Results There was a significant difference in the frequency distribution of the rs329497 allele between the SLE patients and the healthy controls (A vs. G; Bonferroni corrected p = 0.036, odds ratio = 0.75, 95% confidence interval = 0.60–0.94). No differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of other SNP loci were observed between the two groups. Furthermore, the alleles and genotypes of the three SNPs were not associated with lupus nephritis. Conclusion In the Chinese Han population, PELI1 SNPs may be associated with SLE susceptibility.
Pregnancy and patients with preexisting lupus nephritis: 15 years of experience at a single center in Korea
Authors: Koh J H , Ko H S , Lee J , Jung S M , Kwok S-K , Ju J H , Park S-H 
Published: February 2015

We investigated obstetric outcomes and comorbidities during pregnancy in females with preexisting lupus nephritis (LN) and identified predictors for renal flare. In cases of renal flare during pregnancy, we assessed the long-term post-delivery renal outcome. We performed a retrospective analysis of 183 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pregnancies including blood chemistry, urinalysis, urinary protein, and disease activity recorded at prepregnancy, during pregnancy, and at one month, six months, and one year post-delivery. Pregnancies with preexisting LN had a greater frequency of adverse obstetric outcomes and maternal comorbidity. Renal flares occurred in 50.7% of pregnancies with preexisting LN, 89.2% of which were reactivations. Renal flare among pregnancies with SLE was predicted based on preexisting lupus nephritis (OR 17.73; 95% CI, 5.770–54.484), an active disease prior to pregnancy (OR 2.743; 95% CI, 1.074–7.004), and prepregnancy eGFR < 90 ml/min/1.73 m2 (OR 11.151; 95% CI, 3.292–37.768). Persistent LN one year after delivery was observed in 33.3% of pregnancies. The median follow-up time after delivery was 5.9 (3.1–9.7) years and chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurred in 21.4% of pregnancies with renal flare. In patients with renal flare, failing to achieve a ≥ 50% reduction in urine protein levels within six months, longer total duration of renal flare, and acute kidney injury at renal flare was associated with CKD development. Females with preexisting LN should achieve remission before pregnancy. When patients experience renal flares during pregnancy, it is important to reduce the proteinuria level by >50% within six months and to achieve early remission for excellent long-term renal outcomes.
Beyond Strain
Authors: Sutter Megan , Perrin Paul B. , Peralta Silvina Victoria , Stolfi Miriam E. , Morelli Eliana , Peña Obeso Leticia Aracely , Arango-Lasprilla Juan Carlos 
Published: February 2015

Introduction: Life expectancy is increasing in Latin America resulting in the need for more family caregivers for older adults with dementia. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between personal strengths (optimism, sense of coherence [SOC], and resilience) and the mental health of dementia caregivers from Latin America. Method: Primary family dementia caregivers ( n = 127) were identified via convenience sampling at the Instituto de Neurociencias de San Lucas, Argentina, and CETYS University, in Baja California, Mexico and completed measures of these constructs. Findings: Personal strengths explained between 32% and 50% of the variance in caregiver mental health. In a series of hierarchical multiple regressions, more manageability (β = −.38, p = .001), general resilience (β = −.24, p = .012), and social competence (β = −.21, p = .034) were uniquely associated with lower depression. Greater comprehensibility (β = −.28, p = .008) was uniquely associated with decreased burden, and manageability was marginally related (β = −.21, p< .10). Greater optimism (β = .37, p< .001) and manageability (β = .27, p = .004) were uniquely associated with increased life satisfaction. Discussion: The personal strengths of caregivers in Latin America may be particularly important for their mental health because of the culturally imbedded sense of duty toward older family members. Implications: Incorporating strengths-based approaches into research on caregiver interventions in regions where caregiving is a highly culturally valued role such as Latin America may have the potential to improve the mental health of dementia caregivers.