General Subject Matter Research Articles

A Pilot Study of the Level of Evidence and Collaboration in Published Neurosurgical Research.

Large-scale studies analyzing neurosurgical published research are lacking. This pilot study was designed to assess feasibility of an ongoing annual neurosurgical literature and research analysis of published articles in English-language neurosurgery journals. All scientific articles published during 2015 in the print version of 14 English-language neurosurgery journals were reviewed individually. During 2015, 4065 articles were published in 14 neurosurgical journals. Of these, 1116 (27.5%) were nonscientific articles and were excluded from the analysis, and 2949 scientific articles were analyzed. Of these, 2% and 8.5% of publications met criteria for levels of evidence 1 and 2, respectively. One third of published manuscripts (33.2%) were retrospective chart reviews. There were 1742 different centers (mean 1.95 centers per article; range, 1-19) represented in 2949 articles from 67 countries (mean 1.23 countries per article; range, 1-12). Multicenter collaboration was present in 47.5% of published articles, and international collaboration was present in 17.5%. The highest numbers of U.S. author international collaborations were with Canada (70 collaborations), China (33 collaborations) and Italy (25 collaborations). Data for levels of evidence, multicenter collaborations, and international collaborations are presented for each individual journal and subject within neurosurgery. This pilot analysis provides a descriptive assessment of levels of evidence and collaboration based on journal, general subject matter, and subcategories of subject allowing for comparison. This methodology may be used on an annual basis to establish neurosurgery publication trends and to identify underrepresented areas of research within the specialty.

Pemetaan Kompetensi Guru Mata Pelajaran Umum di Madrasah Tsanawiyah

This research aims at mapping the competencies of general subject matters of the teacher in madrasah (math, English, and Indonesian) including professional competence, individual or personal competence, social competence, and pedagogic competence. the result of this research shows that professional competence and pedagogic competence of general subject teacher in madrasah are still low. the average value for professional competence is 53.4 and average value for pedagogic competence is 53.32. whereas individual competence and social competence of general subject teacher in madrasah mainly are good enough. the average value for individual competence is 83.06% and average value for social competence is 74.47%.

Foreword to the special edition, the return to Europe: a generation of re-inventing national identities

PurposeReaders from outside the region may not be familiar with the subject matter, therefore, the purpose of this paper is to serve as a foundation for the further reading and appreciation of the submitted manuscripts.Design/methodology/approachBased on a pertinent literature review, the foreword addresses the general subject matter of this special edition. The approach used was to introduce the reader to the contents as well as to complement and introduce the contributions.FindingsThe literature review substantiates the varied positions adopted and exposed by the contributing authors.Originality/valueThe contents are derived from original research. The value, as mentioned above, positions the reader to better understand the subject matter at hand.

Current status of diversity and distribution of Bryophytes of Odisha

In an attempt to reveal the biodiversity status of one of the least studied plant groups of Eastern Ghats, the authors have catalogued the diversity and distribution of bryoflora of Odisha situated in the Northern Eastern Ghats biogeographic regions of India. One hundred fourty nine species of bryophytes including 102 mosses under 23 families, 41 liverworts under 16 families and 6 hornworts under 2 families were reported from Odihsa as a result of 7 years of primary survey (2008-2015) conducted in some selected bryodiversity rich habitats covering 12 districts of Odisha and also from scrutiny of different research publications including research papers, books and research reports. In terms of species richness, the Deomali hills was found to be the most diverse in terms of bryophytes followed by Similipal biosphere reserve, Mahendragiri hills, Niyamgiri hills, Baphlimali hills and Khandadhar hills. Deomali hills also showed highest diversity in endemic mosses. Five mosses such as Fissidens orishae Gangulee, Erpodium mangiferae Müll. Hal., Hyophila comosa Dixon, Stereophyllum confusum Ther., Neckeropsis exserta (Hook. ex Schwagr.) Broth. are found to be endemic to India that occur in Odisha. Aneura pinguis (L.) Dumort., Anoectangium stracheyanum Mitt., Cyathophorella hookeriana (Griff.) M. Fleisch., Cyathophorum adiantum (Griff.) Mitt., Distichophyllum schmidtii Broth., Eurhynchium striatulum (Spruce) Schimp., Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw., Leucobryum juniperoideum (Brid.) Müll. Hal., Lophocolea bidentata (L.) Dumort., Macromitrium sulcatum (Hook.) Brid., Notothylas levieri Schiffner, Pallavicinia lyellii (Hook.) Gray Pellia epiphylla (L.) Corda., Philonotis fontana (Hedw.) Brid., Pogonatum neesii (Müll. Hal.) Dozy., Polytrichum commune Hedw., Polytrichum juniperinum Hedw., Racopilum cuspidigerum (Schwagr.) Angstrom, Racopilum orthocarpum Wilson ex Mitt., Riccia beyrichiana Hampe ex Lehm., Riccia billardieri Mont. & Nees., Spruceanthus semirepandus (Nees) Verd., Thuidium cymbifolium (Müll. Hal.) Paris, Thuidium koelzii H. Rob., Trematodon longicollis Michx., are some of the new distributional record of occurrence for the Eastern Ghats.The present study reveals that Fissidentaceae, Pottiaceae, Bryaceae, Dicranaceae, Aytoniaceae, Marchantiaceae, Funariaceae and Anthocerotaceae are dominant families in the study area. The authors have also identified few forest pockets and critical habitat in the state where bryophyte diversity shall be very rich that needs a detailed survey in near future. The authors discuss the list of bryophytes of the state in a regional context of rarity, as well as address some general subject matters regarding cryptogam conservation and further work needed in the state of Odisha. The study would provide a prelude data for future bryological studies and bryomonitoring in the Eastern Ghats in general and the state of Odisha in particular.

General Principles of European Private Law and Interest Analysis: Some Reflections in the Light of Mangold and Audiolux

Abstract: In recent years, the Court of Justice of the European Union has twice tackled the task of identifying general principles in the field of European private law. Both cases – Mangold and Audiolux – concerned issues of discrimination; however, the two rulings differ substantially in both methodology and outcome. With regard to methodology, the Court made clear in both cases that general principles of law are the result of an inductive process of reasoning based on a consideration of other rules existing in the law of the Union, in public international law, or in the national laws of Member States. While the Mangold Court performed this task in a rather superficial way, the Audiolux ruling can serve as a model. A generalization from the more specific sources of law requires, as a second step, a reasoned justification. An analysis of this nature only takes place in Audiolux. But in this judgment, it reflects a narrow conception of general principles which is ill-suited to private law. General principles of law are general neither on account of their foundational importance, nor of the very general subject matter dealt with, nor of their general scope of application. They are general in that they derive from other more specific legal rules. Thus, even a very specific subject may be governed by a general principle of law. Contrary to Audiolux, the concept of general principles of law cannot be limited to principles having a constitutional character. In the legislation of the European Union, the term ‘general principles of law’ is sometimes used with regard to principles enjoying precedence over secondary Community law; in other cases, the principle may have an equal or lower hierarchical rank. In private law, in particular, general principles serve as a vehicle for the conveyance of information on the subject matter, of the interpretation of legislation, and of the filling of gaps. The inductive derivation of a general principle of law from specific legal rules requires the Court to analyse the interests of the parties involved and to evaluate those interests in the light of the law of the Union.

Psychosocial outcomes and interventions among cancer survivors diagnosed during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA): a systematic review.

A cancer diagnosis during adolescence or young adulthood (AYA; defined as ages 15-39) generates unique medical and psychosocial needs as developmental milestones are simultaneously impacted. Past research highlights that AYAs' experiences and psychosocial outcomes are different, and more research and attention is needed. We aimed to identify and synthesize literature regarding psychosocial outcomes, unique needs, and existing psychosocial interventions pertaining to individuals diagnosed with cancer exclusively during AYA, and to highlight areas for future research. A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and PsycINFO (via OVID). Grey literature was searched using key term variations and combinations. Overall, 15,301 records were assessed by two independent reviewers, with 38 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Data synthesis of the 38 articles was organized by four main themes based on quality of life and survivorship: physical well-being (7 studies), psychological well-being (8 studies), social well-being (9 studies), and survivorship care (14 studies). The paucity of studies for such broad inclusion criteria highlights that this population is often combined or subsumed under other age groups, missing needs unique to these AYAs. AYA cancer survivors' experiences are nuanced, with interacting variables contributing to post-treatment outcomes. AYAs require age-appropriate and flexible care, informational needs and treatment-related education that foster autonomy for long-term survivorship, as well as improved follow-up care and psychological outcomes. By incorporating these findings into practice, the informational and unmet needs of AYAs can be addressed effectively. Education and programming is lacking specific and general subject matter specific to AYAs, incorporating ranging needs at different treatment stages.

Medical innovation laws: an unnecessary innovation.

Objective This paper aims to demonstrate that any suggestion that there is a need for specific innovation laws is flawed. Innovation is central to good medical practice and is adequately supported by current law. Methods The paper reviews the nature of medical innovation and outlines recent attempts in the UK to introduce specific laws aimed at 'encouraging' and 'supporting' innovation. The current legal framework is outlined and the role of the law in relation to medical innovation explored. Results The analysis demonstrates the cyclic relationship between medical advancement and the law and concludes that there is no requirement for specific innovation laws. Conclusions The law not only supports innovation and development in medical treatment but encourages it as central to a functioning medical system. There is no need to introduce specific laws aimed at medical innovation; to do so represents an unnecessary legal innovation and serves to complicate matters. What is known about the topic? Over recent months, there has been a great deal of discussion surrounding the law in the context of medical innovation. This was driven by the attempts in the UK to introduce specific laws in the Medical Innovation Bill. The general subject matter - negligence and the expected standard of care in the provision of treatment - is very well understood, but not in cases where the treatment can be described as innovative. The general rhetoric in both the UK and Australia around the Medical Innovation Bill demonstrates a lack of understanding of the position of the law with regards to innovative treatment. What does this paper add? This paper adds clarity to the debate. It presents the law and explains the manner in which the law can operate around innovative treatment. The paper asserts that medical innovation is both supported and encouraged by existing legal principles. What are the implications for practitioners? The paper presents an argument that can guide the policy position in this area. It also provides clarity around the legal position and expected standard of care for those who are introducing innovative medical treatment.

International scientific date palm meetings, 1931 and #8211; 2011: A bibliographic study

Periodic international meetings of date palm scientists to present the results of new research and technologies have advanced the development of modern date palm propagation, farming practices, fruit production and processing, as well as biotechnology and molecular marker technology. From the first such event in Algeria in 1931, to the recent one in Saudi Arabia in 2011, a total of 35 international meetings have been held in 14 countries during the eight decades. Most commonly referred to as a conference or a symposium, these meetings have been organized around specific date palm themes, and in most cases a proceedings has been published. As an aid to date palm researchers, this bibliographic study attempts to summarize information about the time, place, general subject matters and publications generated by these meetings.

The Role of Nanotechnology in Architecture and Built Environment

Abstract The research paper is in different disciplines and the basic and applied research is often not in step. It is not a secret that the teaching of a nanotechnology course will soon be required in most engineering and architecture curricula. It is also generally accepted as one of the key state-of threat courses in architecture. The need to develop an understanding of this general subject matter for architectures of the future cannot be questioned. The intent of this paper is therefore to connect science and technology under the umbrella of nanotechnology in order to design and build practical and innovative materials and devices from the nanoscale upward. The findings of this paper are expected to benefit nanotechnology in architecture and building materials which will directly or indirectly contribute to its suitability and modern materials use.

Leveraging visual concepts and query performance prediction for semantic-theme-based video retrieval

In this paper, we present a novel approach that utilizes noisy shot-level visual concept detection to improve text-based video retrieval. As opposed to most of the related work in the field, we consider entire videos as the retrieval units and focus on queries that address a general subject matter (semantic theme) of a video. Retrieval is performed using a coherence-based query performance prediction framework. In this framework, we make use of video representations derived from the visual concepts detected in videos to select the best possible search result given the query, video collection, available search mechanisms and the resources for query modification. In addition to investigating the potential of this approach to outperform typical text-based video retrieval baselines, we also explore the possibility to achieve further improvement in retrieval performance through combining our concept-based query performance indicators with the indicators utilizing the spoken content of the videos. The proposed retrieval approach is data driven, requires no prior training and relies exclusively on the analyses of the video collection and different results lists returned for the given query text. The experiments are performed on the MediaEval 2010 datasets and demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

Крестный путь героя. Ветхозаветные и евангельские мотивы в романе «Москва» Андрея Белого

This article is focused on the most important aspect of poetics in the novel “Moscow” by Andrey Bely: biblical motifs in its artistic spase. Biblical motifs are shown to be related to the general plot and subject matter of the novel.

Beyond the Liberal Self

In the following short essay I set out the key insights and main arguments by chapter of Alison Assiter's Kierkegaard. This text is an important contribution to the general subject matter of realizable well-being. In a final section I discuss possible elaborations and limitations and challenges to the problem of morals and ethics that can and are developed from a metaphysic of the person.

Tolomeo y Copérnico en el Nuevo Mundo. Juan O’Gorman y el muro sur de la Biblioteca Central de Ciudad Universitaria

El tema del debate astronómico entre las teorías de Tolomeo y Copérnico y su resignificación en la pintura mexicana moderna es el tema general de este ensayo. Entre los pintores que se ocuparon a mediados del siglo XX de representar la oposición entre geo y heliocentrismo se encuentran Antonio Ruiz y Juan O’Gorman: mientras el pequeño mural con este tema, realizado por el primero, obedeció a una encomienda particular y se resolvió por medio de las convenciones que rigieron los mapas cosmográficos europeos de los siglos XVII y XVIII; el de O’Gorman, que domina el muro sur de la Biblioteca Central de Ciudad Universitaria, está inserto en un programa icnográfico complejo dedicado al encuentro o choque de culturas y valores que caracterizaron el periodo de la colonia. Parte importante de la argumentación de este trabajo se refiere a la intención del arquitecto y pintor de hacer una decoración mexicanista que pusiera en tensión los antiguos libros prehispánicos o códices con las funciones prácticas e intelectuales de una biblioteca moderna.

Comparison of Perception on Science Teacher Preparation Courses by Beginner and Experienced Science Teachers

The purpose of this study is to investigate beginner and experienced Korean science teachers' perceptions about the science teacher preparation courses from which they graduated, and to compare them. The study was conducted as a qualitative study using in-depth interviews. For the study, interview questions were developed by the authors based on the questionnaire of 'The IMPPACT project' that was being conducted in America. The interview tool includes questions about their experience of science subject matter content knowledge, science pedagogical content knowledge, and general pedagogical content knowledge in their preparation courses. For the interview, seven beginning science teachers, less than five years of teaching experience, and five experienced science teachers, more than five years of teaching experience, were sampled from secondary schools in Korea. The research results are as follows: First, most of the beginner and experienced science teachers perceived that the teaching methods in the classes of science subject matter were not good model for teaching science in their secondary school, because they were not diverse enough and entailed mostly knowledge transfer just through lecture without teacher-student interaction. Second, most of the beginner science teachers perceived that they were affected positively by the teaching strategies and evaluation methods in the classes for science pedagogical subject matter and they could apply those strategies and methods in their current science teaching. Lastly, most of the beginner and experienced science teachers perceived that general pedagogical subject matter is important and prerequisite for science teaching in their schools, but the courses that they experienced at their university were not appropriate for their current teaching.

Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, 1995 (Abridged)

This case explains the plan of the Equitable Companies to sell a 20 percent interest in Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) via an equity carve-out in an initial public offering (IPO), and presents students the task of pricing DLJ's shares in the IPO. The company approached the pricing task using the method of comparable multiples. The case gives ample information on valuation multiples of peer firms. A key point of assessment is to choose which industry segment DLJ competes in so that an appropriate multiple may be chosen. The case also describes the equity-underwriting process in detail. It presents a rich range of industry information, affording an opportunity to discuss forces of change in the investment-banking industry. The teaching note explains how the case may be used to explore the trade-off between maximizing the offering price and supporting the trading of shares in the aftermarket. This case is an abridgement of the A (F-1145) and B (F-1146) cases, which may be taught alone or together. Taught together, they would ordinarily require two class periods. The instructor may cover the general subject matter of the A and B cases by using this abridged version.

Inclusion, Itinerant Teachers, and the Pull-out Model

Inclusion, Itinerant Teachers, and the Pull-out Model Donald F. Moores, Editor In the Spring 2008 issue of the Annals I addressed the paucity of research on the effectiveness of Bilingual-Bicultural (Bi-Bi) instruction in its present form, as indicated by the lack of measures of academic achievement (Moores, 2008). One hundred and sixty years ago, during the first year of publication of the Annals, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (1848) wrote “On the Natural Language of Signs and Its Values and Uses in the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb.” We have had linguistic and sociolinguistic research on American Sign Language (ASL) and other national sign languages for more than 50 years, and ASL has been an integral part of Bi-Bi instruction for 20 years. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the percentage of deaf and hard of hearing children taught through Bi-Bi instruction seems to have plateaued around 10%, mostly in residential or center schools (Gallaudet Research Institute, 2006), with relatively little presence in regular public schools, which a growing majority of deaf and hard of hearing students attend. My position is that hard data is needed for public school programs to commit to Bi-Bi instruction or to incorporate ASL as part of an instructional program. Admittedly, applied research is difficult, especially today, in view of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) mandated for each deaf or hard of hearing student. Random assignment of subjects to different educational treatments is not possible, and even causal-comparative research is difficult. However, there are alternatives that can and should be used, and there is a growing literature on both quantitative and qualitative research with small and dispersed populations that can be applied not only to modes of communication with deaf students but also to other issues such as school placement and support services. In terms of numbers of children served, a great need exists for information and data on children placed in “inclusive” classrooms with hearing children and receiving support services from itinerant teachers of the deaf. According to the 2006–2007 Annual Survey of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Youth (Gallaudet Research Institute, 2006), 39% of all deaf and hard of hearing students received support services from itinerant teachers, meaning that more than 90% of their instruction time was in the regular classroom. The figure of 39% is probably an underestimate. Mitchell (2004) reported that the number of deaf and hard of hearing children identified in the Annual Survey was far smaller than the numbers reported by IDEA-mandated state child counts. Because the numbers of children in regular education settings were undercounted in the survey, Mitchell recommended using weighted sample results to estimate more accurate figures. According to Clifford (2008), we have a good deal of information on itinerant teachers and their responsibilities and a fair amount of information on the students they serve, but we have much less on their actual teaching and nothing on academic outcomes. As with classroom teachers of the deaf, itinerant teachers tend to be white, female, and hearing; and the percentage of deaf itinerant teachers is even lower than the percentage of deaf classroom teachers. Itinerant teachers tend to be well-educated, state-certified teachers of the deaf, with considerable experience both as classroom teachers of the deaf and itinerant teachers. Typically, they serve children in several schools, often from kindergarten through high school. Instruction usually is provided on a pull-out basis; the student is taken out of the classroom for a period of time, typically from 30 to 60 minutes, and receives tutoring in a separate placement on a one-to-one basis. These teachers travel from as little as 20 miles per week in urban/suburban areas to more than 150 miles per week in rural areas. Itinerant teachers enjoy the diversity of students and freedom in scheduling, but they have problems with time constraints, travel, and isolation. They need to have a broad knowledge of general education, student levels, subject matter, and communication modes. In Clifford’s summary of students served by itinerant teachers, slightly more than half were male. Most students had a less than profound hearing loss, wore hearing aids, [End Page 273] were in the...

Die vierzehnstufige Theogonie des Parmenides. Syrians und Proklos' Beitrag zur Interpretation des rätselhaftesten von Platons Dialogen

ABSTRACT The article examines the reasons for Proclus' claim that the exegetical approach of his teacher Syrianus was the only one being able to cope with all the differences of a metaphysical understanding of Plato's Parmenides, especially regarding the subject-matter of the second hypothesis. After a brief reconstruction of Proclus' view on the history of Parmenides-exegesis, Syrianus' approach is shown to be based on two fundamental decisions regarding the scheme of categories exercised in all nine hypotheses of the dialogue: Firstly, they are not conceived of as the formal pattern common to all the nine sets of deductions, but rather as deliberate selection of “conclusions” revealing the sub-species pertaining to the subject-matter of the hypothesis in question. Secondly, it is assumed that those “conclusions” are connected by a continuous hierarchy of deduction, one by one derived from one another. Those two fundamental claims make it possible to interpret the second hypothesis of the Parmenides as expounding a hierarchy of fourteen different grades of deities, as the general subject matter of this hypothesis is participated deity (i.e. participated One) and the text is subdivided in fourteen different conclusions. Although some peculiarities of the Platonic text might support this interpretation, its two fundamental assumptions are in the end shown to be misleading for any serious attempt to understand the dialogue metaphysically.

Advancing the Future of Family Violence Law Pedagogy: The Founding of a Law School Clinic

This Article advocates for law schools to integrate family violence law further into their curricula and proffers reasons why family violence training is critical in preparing students to practice law. The authors posit that although live-client specialty clinics are the most in-depth way to teach family violence law, the topic should also be offered through doctrinal courses, externships, or general subject matter clinics. The Article then describes the authors' own experiences in cofounding a child advocacy clinic in New York City, outlining the steps taken to transform a vision into the actual formation of a clinic. Finally, the authors conclude with thoughts about the future of family violence law in legal academia, including mandating family violence law education for all law students.

The Inner-City Asthma Intervention tool kit: best practices and lessons learned

Asthma is a major public health problem of increasing concern in the United States. Low-income populations, minorities, and children living in inner cities experience disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality due to asthma. In 1991, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the National Institutes of Health funded the National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study (NCICAS), the foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded Inner-City Asthma Intervention (ICAI) on which the tool kit discussed in this article is based. To summarize the purpose and content of a tool kit for health care organizations that wish to enhance their asthma management efforts and to improve the quality of life of children with asthma and their families. The ICAI was tailored to the individual child and family through a combination of group and individual activities (core) and follow-up. Information contained in the tool kit is based on project reports, tracking and data collection reports, program oversight activity, and general subject matter knowledge. Although the NCICAS proved successful, moving from a research design to the real world of implementation was difficult. The tool kit draws on the experience of implementation and provides strategies, options, and considerations for health care organizations to use in tailoring project activities. The ICAI demonstrated that committed health care organizations, with trained and experienced individuals, could help empower children and families to manage childhood asthma. The tool kit was designed to share the best practices and lessons learned from the ICAI implementation of the NCICAS protocol at the community level.

The Inner-City Asthma Intervention: description of a community-based implementation of an evidence-based approach to asthma management

In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded a 4-year project to implement the Inner-City Asthma Intervention (ICAI)-an asthma treatment and management project based on the protocol developed for the National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study (NCICAS) funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. To describe the ICAI's major components and implementation issues. Information contained in this article is based on project activity and management reports, site client tracking and data collection reports, site visit and other program oversight activity, and general subject matter knowledge. The site client tracking data collection process varied among sites during the intervention. Common definitions and processes were developed and implemented as needed. Three of the 24 original sites discontinued participation. The remaining sites enrolled 4,174 children into the intervention. Although the project ended earlier than originally scheduled, 1,035 children completed the entire intervention. Of the 3,139 children who did not complete the entire protocol, 1,355 children and their families completed the core activities or the core activities plus one or more follow-up activities. The ICAI project demonstrated that although there were a number of implementation issues to overcome, it is possible to implement effectively a proven National Institutes of Health protocol in the community setting.