bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Percepción del riesgo de la gripe A (H1N1) desde el “paradigma psicométrico”
Authors: Aragonés Juan-Ignacio , Talayero Fernando , Olivos Pablo
Published: January 2013

En la investigación de la percepción del riesgo, el paradigma psicométrico se ha venido aplicando, habitual-mente, para analizar la percepción de un gran número de riesgos, utilizándose, en este caso, para conocer cómo se percibe un solo riesgo: la gripe A (H1N1). En este estudio empírico se analiza la percepción que una muestra de estudiantes universitarios españoles (N = 326) tenía de esta epidemia cuando empezó a propagarse por el país. Tras la aplicación de un análisis de componentes principales sobre 17 características de la percepción del riesgo, se obtuvieron cuatro dimensiones: “poder catastrófico”, “amenaza”, “control” y “conocimiento”. Un análisis de regresión múltiple realizado posteriormente reveló que las dos primeras actúan como predictoras de la magnitud del riesgo que se atribuye a esta epidemia. Además, se observó que estas dos dimensiones y la magnitud del riesgo percibido estaban relacionadas positivamente con la realización de alguna acción protectora contra el contagio de esta enfermedad.
Actitud hacia los futbolistas nacionalizados: el rol de la ideología y la conveniencia
Authors: Willis Guillermo B. , Rodríguez-Bailón Rosa , Moya Miguel , Morales-Marente Elena
Published: January 2013

En esta investigación se estudian algunas variables que influyen en la actitud hacia los futbolistas nacionalizados que juegan en las selecciones nacionales. Primero, se predijo que la creencia de que el equipo del país mejoraría con la inclusión de dichos jugadores estaría relacionada con actitudes positivas hacia los mismos. Asimismo, también se estudiaron otras variables ideológicas, como el prejuicio en contra de los inmigrantes, el patriotismo y la orientación a la dominancia social, esperando que éstas variables estuvieran relacionadas con una actitud negativa hacia los futbolistas inmigrantes nacionalizados. Se realizaron dos estudios, uno en España (N = 97) y otro en México (N = 108). Los resultados mostraron que las variables que mejor predijeron la aceptación de los futbolistas fueron el prejuicio (en sentido negativo), y la creencia de que el equipo mejoraría su rendimiento. En la discusión se plantean algunos factores relacionados con la aceptación de nuevos miembros en el endogrupo.
El efecto de la información normativa sobre la conducta peatonal
Authors: Gallardo Ismael
Published: January 2013

El comportamiento peatonal inseguro es una de las causales de muerte no natural más importantes en el mundo. En este trabajo se plantea que una explicación para este problema es que en un contexto de este tipo existe información normativa prescriptiva (deber hacer) y descriptiva (lo que las personas hacen), que es incompatible una de otra. Basado en la teoría focal de la conducta normativa (Cialdini, Reno y Kallgren, 1990), se realizó un experimento en donde los participantes debían describir el trayecto que realizarían para ir de un punto a otro de una acera trazando una línea. Se les entregó una fotografía que fue editada para que cada participante realizara esta tarea sólo ante información prescriptiva o descriptiva, en ausencia de ambas o en presencia de ambas. Los resultados mostraron que sólo la presencia de información prescriptiva llevó a una proporción mayor de trazos seguros, mientras que la presencia simultánea de ambas normas llevó a trazos más inseguros, no existiendo diferencias con el resto de las condiciones. Se discuten las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas de estos resultados.
Adolescents' perspectives on traditional, non-traditional, and direct political activities: The role of identity-processing styles and political beliefs
Authors: Šerek Jan , Petrovičová Zuzana , Macek Petr
Published: January 2013

The study examined whether adolescents' tendency to employ informational, or normative identity-processing style predicts their perceived effectiveness of different political activities. Data were taken from the broader longitudinal study conducted in the Czech Republic, and included reports from 179 participants (Time 1 = age 17; Time 2 = age 19). Path analyses suggested that adolescents who sought information tended to perceive non-traditional political activity (e.g., in civic organizations) as effective, while participants' normative conformism predicted disbelief in direct activity (e.g., petitions). Perceived effectiveness of traditional activity (e.g., voting) reflected adolescents' actual political trust rather than their identity-processing styles. These results complement previous findings on the correlates of identity-processing styles and adolescents' political thinking.
Psychometric properties of the Environmental Identity Scale (EID)
Authors: Olivos Pablo , Aragonés Juan-Ignacio
Published: January 2013

The Environmental Identity (EID) Scale was proposed by Clayton to study the relationship between identity and nature. Although it is cited in several publications, it has rarely been subjected to psychometric analysis. The main aim of this study is to analyze the fulfilment of construct and convergent validity criteria for this scale. For this purpose, 282 university students were asked to complete a questionnaire, along with related measures: Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS), the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale, Ego-biocentrism and self-reporting of pro-environmental behaviours. Exploratory factor analysis of EID shows that there are four underlying dimensions: environmental identity; enjoying nature; appreciation of nature; and environmentalism. All the correlations between EID and the criteria variables were significant, with environmentalism and environmental identity as the best predictors of pro-environmental behaviour.
“A House in the Woods”: Values, attitudes and behaviours towards Forests
Authors: Lima Maria-Luisa , Marques Sibila , Moreira Sérgio
Published: January 2013

Forests are an important source of resources, but public attitudes towards the forests have rarely been studied. This paper focus on this topic aiming at: (a) describing the attitude towards the forest and its correlates; (b) testing the hierarchic relationship between ecologic values, attitudes and use of the forest; and (c) testing the moderating role of attitudinal ambivalence in the association between attitudes and forest related behaviours. A sample of residents living close to forests was collected (N = 1206). Results show that the attitude towards the forest is quite favourable. More positive attitudes were found in the North, among those working in the forestry and those who live close. Universalistic values are associated with the use of the forest but this relationship was partially mediated by the attitude towards the forest. Finally, attitudinal ambivalence was a predictor of the behaviour, but not a moderator of the attitude behaviour association.
Efectos del procesamiento inicial del contexto sobre la memoria a largo plazo
Authors: Alonso María-Ángeles , Fernández Ángel
Published: January 2013

Se estudiaron los efectos del contexto ambiental sobre la memoria en tres experimentos en los que se manipuló el contexto cambiando las habitaciones entre estudio y prueba de memoria, haciendo que los sujetos estudiaran una lista de palabras en una habitación y que la recordaran más tarde en el mismo contexto ambiental o en otro diferente. Además, la mitad de los sujetos recibieron instrucciones de dedicar atención extra a la habitación de estudio antes de aprender las palabras, y la mitad recibieron instrucciones estándar, que no les inducían explícitamente a procesar la habitación. La manipulación contextual no afectó a los niveles de recuerdo cuando el intervalo de retención era corto (10 minutos en el Experimento 1), pero mostró efectos fiables con intervalos de retención más largos (1 semana en el Experimento 2, y 1 mes en el Experimento 3). En estos dos experimentos, las instrucciones estándar de codificación produjeron los efectos habituales, con un menor recuerdo en la condición de contexto diferente. Sin embargo, las condiciones de codificación extra facilitaron el recuerdo incluso cuando el contexto era diferente durante la recuperación. Estos hallazgos se comentan en relación con desarrollos teóricos actuales.
A Linear Markov Model for East Asian Monsoon Seasonal Forecast
Authors: Wu Qiaoyan , Yan Ying , Chen Dake
Published: January 2013

A linear Markov model has been developed to predict the short-term climate variability of the East Asian monsoon system, with emphasis on precipitation variability. Precipitation, sea level pressure, zonal and meridional winds at 850 mb, along with sea surface temperature and soil moisture, were chosen to define the state of the East Asian monsoon system, and the multivariate empirical orthogonal functions of these variables were used to construct the statistical Markov model. The forecast skill of the model was evaluated in a cross-validated fashion and a series of sensitivity experiments were conducted to further validate the model. In both hindcast and forecast experiments, the model showed considerable skill in predicting the precipitation anomaly a few months in advance, especially in boreal winter and spring. The prediction in boreal summer was relatively poor, though the model performance was better in an ENSO decaying summer than in an ENSO developing summer. Also, the prediction skill was better over the ocean than the land. The model's forecast ability is attributed to the domination of the East Asian monsoon climate variability by a few distinctive modes in the coupled atmosphere–ocean–land system, to the strong influence of ENSO on these modes, and to the Markov model's capability to capture these modes.
Impact of Strong Tropical Volcanic Eruptions on ENSO Simulated in a Coupled GCM
Authors: Ohba Masamichi , Shiogama Hideo , Yokohata Tokuta , Watanabe Masahiro
Published: January 2013

The impact of strong tropical volcanic eruptions (SVEs) on the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and its phase dependency is investigated using a coupled general circulation model (CGCM). This paper investigates the response of ENSO to an idealized SVE forcing, producing a peak perturbation of global-mean surface shortwave radiation larger than −6.5 W m−2. Radiative forcing due to volcanic aerosols injected into the stratosphere induces tropical surface cooling around the volcanic forcing peak. Identical-twin forecast experiments of an ENSO-neutral year in response to an SVE forcing show an El Niño–like warming lagging one year behind the peak forcing. In addition to a reduced role of the mean subsurface water upwelling (known as the dynamical thermostat mechanism), the rapid land surface cooling around the Maritime Continent weakens the equatorial Walker circulation, contributing to the positive zonal gradient of sea surface temperature (SST) and precipitation anomalies over the equatorial Pacific. Since the warm and cold phases of ENSO exhibit significant asymmetry in their transition and duration, the impact of a SVE forcing on El Niño and La Niña is also investigated. In the warm phase of ENSO, the prediction skill of the SVE-forced experiments rapidly drops approximately six months after the volcanic peak. Since the SVE significantly facilitates the duration of El Niño, the following transition from warm to cold ENSO is disrupted. The impact of SVE forcing on La Niña is, however, relatively weak. These results imply that the intensity of a dynamical thermostat-like response to a SVE could be dependent on the phase of ENSO.
A Trajectory Approach to Analyzing the Ingredients Associated with Heavy Winter Storms in Central North Carolina
Authors: Fuhrmann Christopher M. , Konrad Charles E.
Published: January 2013

Winter storms, namely snowstorms and ice storms, are a major hazard and forecasting challenge across central North Carolina. This study employed a trajectory approach to analyze the ingredients (i.e., temperature, moisture, and lift) associated with heavy snowstorms and ice storms that occurred within the Raleigh, North Carolina, National Weather Service forecast region from 2000 to 2010. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) tool was used to calculate 72-h backward (i.e., upstream) air parcel trajectories from three critical vertical pressure levels at the time and location of heaviest precipitation for each storm. Analysis of composite trajectories revealed the source regions and meteorological properties of air parcels associated with heavy winter storms. Adiabatic and diabatic contributions to air parcel temperature and moisture content were also estimated along each trajectory to assess the physical processes connected with heavy winter precipitation in the region. Results indicate that diabatic warming and cooling contribute significantly to the vertical temperature profile during heavy winter storms and therefore dictate the resulting precipitation type. The main source of diabatic warming is fluxes of sensible and latent heat within the marine atmospheric boundary layer over the Gulf Stream. These fluxes contribute to a warming and moistening of air parcels associated with heavy ice storms. In contrast, heavy snowstorms are characterized by diabatic cooling in the lower troposphere above the marine atmospheric boundary layer. The most significant moisture source for heavy snowfall is the Caribbean Sea, while heavy ice storms entrain moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Stream region near the Carolina coast.
Efficacy and Safety of Triple Antiplatelet Therapy in Obese Patients Undergoing Stent Implantation
Authors: Gao Wen , Zhang Qinghua , Ge Hailong , Guo Yonghe , Zhou Zhiming
Published: January 2013

We evaluated the impact of triple antiplatelet therapy on platelet reactivity, reducing cardiovascular events and the safety in obese patients undergoing coronary stenting. Obese patients (n = 428) undergoing coronary stenting were randomly assigned to 2 groups: standard dual group (clopidogrel plus aspirin, n = 215) and triple group (n = 213); adjunctive cilostazol was added to the dual group treatment. Platelet reactivity was assessed at baseline and at 1-year follow-up by conventional aggregometry. Major adverse cardiovascular events, stent thrombosis, target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization, and bleeding events were analyzed after 1-year follow-up. At 1-year follow-up after stenting, major adverse cardiac events including death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic-driven TLR were lower in the triple group than the dual group. Major bleeding was similar in both the groups. In obese patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, triple antiplatelet therapy was superior to dual antiplatelet therapy in decreasing thrombotic events in 12-month cardiac events, mainly driven by a decrease in the incidence of clopidogrel resistance.
Gene-Environment Interactions Are Associated With Endorsement of Social Hierarchy Values and Beliefs Across Cultures
Authors: Fischer Ronald
Published: January 2013

The study tests gene-environment interactions for explaining cross-national differences in social hierarchy values and beliefs. Greater threats are predicted to be associated with stronger endorsement and support of social hierarchies in the presence of population genetic deficiencies in processing threat-related information. Predictions are tested with data from 28 societies, focusing on hierarchical dominance values in teachers and student samples (28 societies) and support for central authority in representative samples (21 societies). The interaction between greater population frequency of short alleles of the 5-HTT serotonin transporter gene and presence of threats was significant in six out of the eight regressions. I discuss the findings in the larger context of interdependencies between biological and cultural processes and the importance of broadening our tool kit for studying cultural differences.
Preliminary examination of the effects of relative humidity on the fracture morphology of cotton flat bundles
Authors: Cintrón Michael Santiago , Ingber Bruce F
Published: January 2013

A preliminary examination of the effects of relative humidity (RH) of three testing conditions on cotton fiber fracture morphology is presented herein. In addition, measurements of fiber moisture content, stelometer cotton flat bundle strength and elongation were collected at the three testing conditions. A general trend is observed for moisture content, strength and elongations measurements; testing in conditions with higher RH generally resulted in a progressive increase in moisture content, strength and elongation values. The morphology of broken fibers was also affected by the testing conditions. Fibers broken at high RH (i.e. 70 ± 2°F and 80 ± 2% RH) showed a more frayed fracture where microfibril separation, a fracture pattern that suggests independent microfibril failure, was evident. In contrast, at standard conditions (i.e. 70 ± 2°F and 65 ± 2%), fiber fractures were more granular (clean fractures), a reflection of a more unilateral breaking action. At low RH (i.e. 70 ± 2°F and 50 ± 2%), fiber fractures exhibited a distorted granular pattern, with extended fracture breaks that did not exhibit microfibril separation. Our preliminary findings are of relevance to post-harvest moisture control efforts currently employed in industry and may contribute to larger efforts to understand the effects of the fracture and damage observed in cotton fiber properties.
Simulation of the yarn transportation dynamics in a warp knitting machine
Authors: Metzkes Karoline , Schmidt Rolf , Märtin Jan , Hoffmann Gerald , Cherif Chokri
Published: January 2013

To date, in the textile manufacturing process of warp knitting, trouble-shooting and process optimization mainly rely on empirical knowledge and experiments. This factor limits the achievable increase in productivity and quality. On the other hand, using simulations, different phenomena that affect the quality of the knitted fabric and the knitting process can be clarified in the run-up of the experiments. Consequently, an increase in quality and flexibility can be reached with reduced experimental effort. This paper presents a process simulation of the warp thread dynamics in the thread feeding system of a warp knitting machine. For this purpose, a continuum model of the warp thread that includes the spatial dynamics of the thread and the axial transport movement has been developed.
Equated Pooled Booklet Method in DIF Testing
Authors: Cheng Ying , Chen Peihua , Qian Jiahe , Chang Hua-Hua
Published: January 2013

Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis is an important step in the data analysis of large-scale testing programs. Nowadays, many such programs endorse matrix sampling designs to reduce the load on examinees, such as the balanced incomplete block (BIB) design. These designs pose challenges to the traditional DIF analysis methods. For example, as difficulty levels often vary across booklets, examinees with same booklet scores may be disparate in ability. Consequently, DIF procedures based on matching total scores at the booklet level may cause misplacement of examinees and inflation in measurement errors. Therefore, modification to traditional DIF procedures to better accommodate the BIB design becomes important. This article introduces modification of current simultaneous item bias test (SIBTEST) procedure for the DIF analysis method when multiple booklets are used. More specifically, examinees will be pooled across booklets, and the matching will be based on transformed booklet scores after common block equating/linking. Simulations are conducted to compare the performance of this new method, the equated pooled booklet method against that of the current pooled booklet method, in terms of both Type I error control and power. Four factors are considered in the simulation—the DIF effect size, item difficulty, impact, and the length of common block. Results show that the equated pooled booklet method in general improves power while keeping Type I error under control. The advantage of the new method is the most pronounced when the traditional method struggles, for example, when the item is difficult or there is impact.
Artistic Parrhesia and the Genealogy of Ethics in Foucault and Benjamin
Authors: Brigstocke Julian
Published: January 2013

In The Use of Pleasure, Michel Foucault suggests that it is possible to read Walter Benjamin’s writings on Baudelaire as a contribution to a genealogy of ethics. This article experiments with reading Benjamin in this way. It shows that a distinctive analysis of each of the four elements of Foucauldian ethics (ethical substance, mode of subjectivation, ethical practice and telos) can be found in Benjamin’s work on Baudelaire and the Paris arcades. Specifically, the article makes the case for reading Benjamin in terms of his valuable contribution to understandings of the role played by art in modern forms of ‘parrhesia’, or courageous truth-telling. However, whereas Foucault’s notion of ‘arts of living’ focuses on challenging actual relations of power, Benjamin’s focuses on activating potential forms of power. In this way, Benjamin’s ethical framework tests the limits of Foucault’s conceptualization of the government of self and others.
Positive and negative social exchanges and mental health across the transition to college
Authors: Fiori Katherine L. , Consedine Nathan S.
Published: January 2013

There is evidence that positive and negative social exchanges have different implications for various psychological outcomes, but research has been limited by a lack of multidimensional and parallel measures and underlying processes explaining the implications are not well understood. In the present longitudinal study, we address these gaps in the literature by using parallel measures of positive and negative social exchanges to predict both positive and negative aspects of emotional health in a sample of 113 first-year college students and by testing for loneliness as a mediator. Consistent with a domain-specific effects model, increases in negative exchanges were associated with increases in negative but not positive emotional well-being and vice versa. Changes in loneliness partially mediated these effects.
Handling ability of gaseous microemboli of two pediatric arterial filters in a simulated CPB model
Authors: Strother A , Wang S , Kunselman AR , Ündar A
Published: January 2013

Objective:

The purpose of this experiment was to compare the Sorin KIDS D131 and the Terumo Capiox AF02 pediatric arterial filters in a simulated CPB procedure to determine which filter is the better for clinical use.

Methods:

The experimental circuit was primed with an 800 ml combination of lactated Ringer’s solution and human blood (hematocrit (Hct) 30%). The two filters were tested under flow rates of 500, 1000, and 1500 ml/min at room temperature and their purge lines opened and closed as 5cc of air was injected into the circuit.

Results:

As the flow rates increased, the number of gaseous microemboli (GME) being returned to the pseudo patient increased for both of the pediatric arterial filters. Having an open purge line increased the number of GME removed from the CPB circuit, caused less of a pressure drop than when closed and increased the total hemodynamic energy loss than when closed. Both of the filters performed and reacted similarly in decreasing GME, hemodynamic energy loss and pressure drop. The only minor difference was that the Capiox AF02 had slightly less stolen blood flow (109.5 ± 1.7 ml/min at 500 ml/min, 114.7 ± 1.1 ml/min at 1000 ml/min and 105.8 ± 4.2 ml/min at 1500ml/min) from the open purge line than the KIDS D131 (119.5 ± 2.5 ml/min at 500 ml/min, 128.3 ± 1.0 ml/min at 1000 ml/min and 126.3 ± 3.1 ml/min at 1500 ml/min).

Conclusion:

Our study confirmed that both the Sorin KIDS D131 and the Terumo Capiox AF02 were equivalent in their ability to remove significant numbers of GME, the amount of pressure drop and the total hemodynamic energy loss across the arterial filters at the various flow rates. An arterial filter is not an option, but a necessity for removing microemboli delivered to the patient.
Fusing LIDAR, camera and semantic information: A context-based approach for pedestrian detection
Authors: Premebida Cristiano , Nunes Urbano
Published: January 2013

In this work, a context-based multisensor system, applied to pedestrian detection in urban environments, is presented. The proposed system comprises three main processing modules: (i) a LIDAR-based module acting as the primary object detector, (ii) a module which supplies the system with contextual information obtained from a semantic map of the roads, and (iii) an image-based detection module, using sliding window detectors, with the role of validating the presence of pedestrians in the regions of interest generated by the LIDAR module. A Bayesian strategy is used to combine information from sensors onboard the vehicle (‘local’ information) with information contained in a digital map of the roads (‘global’ information). To support experimental analysis, a multisensor dataset, named the Laser and Image Pedestrian Detection dataset (LIPD), is used. The LIPD dataset was collected in an urban environment, under daylight conditions, using an electrical vehicle driven at low speed. A down-sampling method, using support vectors extracted from multiple linear SVMs, was used to reduce the cardinality of the training set and, as a consequence, to decrease the CPU time during the training process of the image-based classifiers. The performance of the system is evaluated, in terms of detection rate and the number of false positives per frame, using three image-detectors: a linear SVM, a SVM-cascade, and a benchmark method. Additionally, experiments are performed to assess the impact of contextual information on the performance of the detection system.
Interictal cortical hyperresponsiveness in migraine is directly related to the presence of aura
Authors: Datta Ritobrato , Aguirre Geoffrey K , Hu Siyuan , Detre John A , Cucchiara Brett
Published: January 2013

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare the interictal cortical response to a visual stimulus between migraine with aura (MWA), migraine without aura (MwoA), and control subjects.

Methods

In a prospective case-control study, blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI) was used to assess the response to a visual stimulus and arterial spin labeled perfusion MR to determine resting cerebral blood flow. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess interictal visual discomfort.

Results

Seventy-five subjects (25 MWA, 25 MwoA, and 25 controls) were studied. BOLD fMRI response to visual stimulation within primary visual cortex was greater in MWA (3.09 ± 0.15%) compared to MwoA (2.36 ± 0.13%, p = 0.0008) and control subjects (2.47 ± 0.11%, p = 0.002); responses were also greater in the lateral geniculate nuclei in MWA. No difference was found between MwoA and control groups. Whole brain analysis showed that increased activation in MWA was confined to the occipital pole. Regional resting cerebral blood flow did not differ between groups. MWA and MwoA subjects had significantly greater levels of interictal visual discomfort compared to controls ( p = 0.008 and p = 0.005, respectively), but this did not correlate with BOLD response.

Conclusions

Despite similar interictal symptoms of visual discomfort, only MWA subjects have cortical hyperresponsiveness to visual stimulus, suggesting a direct connection between cortical hyperresponsiveness and aura itself.
Advanced moisture modeling of polymer composites
Authors: Roe N , Huo Z , Chandrashekhara K , Buchok A , Brack RA
Published: January 2013

Long-term moisture exposure has been shown to affect the mechanical performance of polymeric composite structures. This reduction in mechanical performance must be considered during product design in order to ensure long-term structure survival. In order to determine the long-term moisture effects on composite components, representative parts are commonly tested after having been exposed to an accelerated moisture conditioning environment. Accelerated moisture conditions are established in order to rapidly drive moisture into test specimens simulating worst-case long-term exposure scenarios. Currently, accepted methodologies for analyzing the time required to condition specimens are limited, allowing only simple geometry and an assumption that diffusivity rates are independent of the flow path or direction. Therefore, a more advanced finite element method is desired. In this study, a three-dimensional model is developed and implemented in commercial finite element code. The parametric study has been conducted for three-dimensional shapes, moisture diffusion pathways, and varying moisture and temperature conditions. Finite element results are validated with a one-dimensional analytical model and experimental results. A user-subroutine was implemented in commercial finite element code to calculate the moisture content. The ultimate goal for this research is to determine the exposure time for accelerated conditioning that produces the most accurate moisture distribution with the part and minimize over-conditioning of the laminate.
Microstructural Abnormalities in Language and Limbic Pathways in Orphanage-Reared Children
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Behen Michael E. , Singsoonsud Piti , Veenstra Amy L. , Wolfe-Christensen Cortney , Helder Emily , Chugani Harry T.
Published: January 2013

This study utilized diffusion tensor imaging fiber tractography to examine the miscrostructural integrity of limbic and paralimbic white matter tracts in 36 children (age M = 124 months) with histories of early deprivation, raised from birth in orphanages and subsequently adopted into the United States, compared to 16 age-matched typically developing children. We found increased mean diffusivity bilaterally in the arcuate fasciculus and increased mean diffusivity and reduced fractional anisotropy bilaterally in the uncinate fasciculus and cingulum in children with early deprivation. Microstructural integrity of the left arcuate fasciculus and right cingulum was related to language and behavioral functioning, respectively. White matter abnormalities were also associated with length of deprivation and time in the adoptive home. Our findings suggest that white matter pathways, connecting limbic and paralimbic brain regions is abnormal in children with histories of early deprivation, with some pathways appearing more susceptible to early deprivation than others.
A Pediatric Case of Severe Pandysautonomia Responsive to Plasmapheresis
Authors: Clark Melinda B. , Davis Trevor
Published: January 2013

We describe a 13-year-old female with abrupt onset urinary retention progressing rapidly to pandysautonomia with symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, gastroparesis, anhidrosis, pupillary dysfunction, and abdominal pain. Pandysautonomia has been reported frequently in adults, but is less commonly described in children. Autonomic nervous system dysfunction usually has a self-limiting course with gradual near-complete or complete recovery. Most patients with pure pandysautonomia produce an antibody targeted against the ganglionic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and titers have been shown to correlate with symptom severity. The clinical presentation described in this report is consistent with a progressive form of acute autoimmune autonomic neuropathy, but she was initially seronegative for known autoantibodies. She responded promptly to plasmapheresis. This case report emphasizes the importance of recognizing features of autonomic nervous system dysfunction and discusses the medical evaluation and treatment options for pediatric patients based on symptom severity.
The curious case of La Cantatrice chauve (1950): Re-thinking the death of the avant-garde
Authors: Cox Lara
Published: January 2013

This article deploys the production history of Ionesco’s most famous play, La Cantatrice chauve, to interrogate a theory of the failure of the avant-garde propounded by cultural theorists. This play has been produced without interruption by the dedicated cast of the small Left Bank Huchette theatre in Paris since 1957. I argue that, while the Huchette’s ‘Le Spectacle Ionesco’ has become a tourist commodity for many theatregoers, the specific circumstances of this production history allow us to see the show not as a hegemonic, de-politicising cultural institution, which a theory of the failed avant-garde would have us believe, but as an impetus for aesthetic experimentation with La Cantatrice chauve beyond the Huchette’s walls. As such, the article propounds a continued ‘spirit of the avant-garde’ that inheres within La Cantatrice chauve.
Flexicurity in crisis: European labour market policies in a time of austerity
Authors: Heyes Jason
Published: January 2013

This article compares labour market policies implemented by EU member states in response to the economic crisis that erupted in 2008. It also considers the implications of the crisis for the European Commission’s flexicurity agenda. The discussion focuses on Ireland, the UK, Germany and the Czech Republic. The article demonstrates that responses to the crisis have been shaped by established features of national employment regimes in the four countries; but each employment regime is also affected by the implementation of austerity measures, which undermine conditions for implementing those components of flexicurity that have appealed most to trade unions.
Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Authors: Gingerich Wallace J. , Peterson Lance T.
Published: January 2013

Objective: We review all available controlled outcome studies of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) to evaluate evidence of its effectiveness. Method: Forty-three studies were located and key data abstracted on problem, setting, SFBT intervention, design characteristics, and outcomes. Results: Thirty-two (74%) of the studies reported significant positive benefit from SFBT; 10 (23%) reported positive trends. The strongest evidence of effectiveness came in the treatment of depression in adults where four separate studies found SFBT to be comparable to well-established alternative treatments. Three studies examined length of treatment and all found SFBT used fewer sessions than alternative therapies. Conclusion: The studies reviewed provide strong evidence that SFBT is an effective treatment for a wide variety of behavioral and psychological outcomes and, in addition, it may be briefer and therefore less costly than alternative approaches.
Read This Article, but Don’t Print It
Authors: Lamm Eric , Tosti-Kharas Jennifer , Williams Eric G.
Published: January 2013

This article contributes to the growing research interest on sustainability-directed citizenship behaviors by helping to develop the construct of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) toward the environment, defined as voluntary behavior not specified in official job descriptions that, through the combined efforts of individual employees, help to make the organization and/or society more sustainable. Hypotheses predict the extent to which employees’ beliefs about their organization and about sustainability in general will be associated with OCBs toward the environment. The hypotheses are tested via a field survey of 733 employees working in a variety of occupations. Regression results indicated that OCBs toward the environment were related to, yet distinct from, OCBs in general, perceived organizational support (POS), affective commitment (AC), and beliefs that sustainability is important both in general and for one’s current organization. The article concludes with theoretical implications for research on sustainability and extra-role behaviors as well as the practical implications for managers wishing to foster sustainability in their organization.
Risk Taking in First and Second Generation Afro-Caribbean Adolescents
Authors: Jolly Kim , Archibald Cynthia , Liehr Patricia
Published: January 2013

School nurses are well positioned to address risk-taking behaviors for adolescents in their care. The purpose of this mixed-method exploratory study was to explore risk taking in Afro-Caribbean adolescents in South Florida, comparing first- to second-generation adolescents. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from an immigrant group using the adolescent risk-taking instrument to evaluate risk-taking attitudes, behaviors, and self-described riskiest activities. One-hundred and six adolescents participated; 44% were first generation Afro-Caribbean. Data analysis included analysis of variance, frequencies, and content analysis. There were no differences in risk-taking attitudes; smaller percentages of first generation Afro-Caribbean adolescents reported sexual activity, substance use, and violence. Over one third of the sample, regardless of generational status, reported alcohol use, but did not note alcohol or other health-compromising behaviors as “riskiest” activities. It is important to better understand Afro-Caribbean adolescents’ perspectives about risky behaviors, and school-based venues offer the best promise for reaching these adolescents.
Forefoot Problems in Cerebral Palsy—Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Bleck Eugene E.
Published: January 2013

Forefoot deformities in cerebral palsy include cavus, metatarsus adductus, hallux valgus and bunion, dorsal bunion, and toe flexion contractures. Both prevention and correction of these deformities are surgical. Some can be prevented by lengthening or tenotomy of the spastic muscle that causes the dynamic deformity which eventually becomes the fixed skeletal deformity. Fixed deformities need osteotomies and arthrodesis of the bones in addition to removing the force of the deforming muscle. Some forefoot problems are related to the mid and hind foot, e.g., hallux valgus due to spastic pes valgus. Severe cavus can develop after overzealous Achilles tendon lengthening and failure to separate forefoot from hindfoot equinus.
The Use of Orthotics in Foot and Ankle Problems in Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Rosenthal Robert K.
Published: January 2013

The molded polypropylene orthosis offers many advantages in the treatment of foot and ankle problems in cerebral palsy. Numerous balancing, stance phase, and swing phase difficulties are treated with an ankle-foot orthosis with appropriate molding to correct each specific problem. Various foot orthoses can also be used to control dynamic muscle imbalances. Gait analysis has confirmed the merits of these orthoses.
Metatarsalgia Caused by an Increase in Circulating Platelets: A Case Report
Authors: Rosenkranz Leon , Cataletto M. Michael
Published: January 2013

A patient with a year-long history of metatarsalgia was found to have an elevated platelet count due to essential thrombocythemia, a benign myeloproliferative disease. Reduction of the platelet count with chemotherapy eliminated the foot pain. The authors recommend that a platelet count be part of the work-up of patients with metatarsalgia when the etiology of the foot pain is unclear.
Determinants of Neighborhood Change
Authors: Jun Hee-Jung
Published: January 2013

This study hypothesizes that neighborhood change is produced by interactions of factors at the neighborhood, municipal, and metropolitan scales. I present a multilevel analysis of neighborhood change in 35 metropolitan areas between the years 1990 and 2000. The results show that factors at all three scales are relevant to neighborhood change. While the municipal context has been missing in the literature, this study finds that neighborhoods stay economically healthier in smaller and more homogeneous cities in terms of race/ethnicity and family type.
Micro milling performance assessment of diamond-like carbon coatings on a micro-end mill
Authors: Wu Tao , Cheng Kai
Published: January 2013

In micro milling, unpredictable tool life and premature tool failures are the major constraints for its industrial applications, and prolongation of the tool life so as to enhance the tooling performance presents great challenges. Appropriate coating techniques potentially offer a feasible and promising solution. In this study, diamond-like carbon films are deposited on a Ø500 µm diameter tungsten carbide (WC) micro-end mill by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition process. Coating characterisation has been undertaken and the diamond-like carbon coatings are found in good coverage on the tool except for a slight delaminating on the edge corners. Besides, the surface of the amorphous coatings is much smoother than that of WC. In addition, comprehensive cutting performance of the diamond-like carbon coated tool in dry slot milling of Al 6061-T6 has been compared with those of uncoated tools in both dry and wet conditions. It is observed that the use of diamond-like carbon coatings can reduce the cutting forces, lessen the tool wear, improves the surface roughness and minimise the micro-burr formation as compared to the corresponding performance of an uncoated tool in dry cutting. However, the performance improvement is still unreachable to those resulting from the cutting fluid influence.
An improved Yasutomi correlation for viscosity at high pressure
Authors: Bair Scott , Mary Charlotte , Bouscharain Nathalie , Vergne Philippe
Published: January 2013

The Yasutomi temperature–pressure–viscosity correlation is attractive for elastohydrodynamic lubrication analysis because it does not require an equation of state for the liquid. However, the original Yasutomi correlation suffers from the appearance of a zero in the function describing the pressure dependence of the relative free volume thermal expansivity. When the original correlation is employed, a liquid with a high inflection pressure lacks the inflection in the predicted pressure–viscosity behavior and a liquid with a low inflection pressure is predicted to have two inflections. A new function removes these concerns and provides improved precision without the need for an equation of state. The improved function gives a more faithful representation of viscosity at even low pressures.
The representation of the enemy in North and South Korean literature from the Korean War
Authors: de Wit Jerôme
Published: January 2013

The way in which the enemy was portrayed in North and South Korean literature differs according to each state’s pre-war paradigm. With large-scale popular uprisings taking place in the South before the war, the literary focus rested almost exclusively on the ideological corruption of the enemy. The North Korean context was different. The Pyongyang regime was quickly able to establish a stable society, and they could concentrate on perceived external threats, and thus, their stories stress the Americans’ imperialist ambitions in Korea. Each side claimed that the citizens of the enemy state were longing for liberation from their oppressors, and tried to accentuate the enemy’s humanity by emphasizing the distinction between those in power and the general public. Their stories suggest that it is almost impossible to maintain a clear distinction between the elites and the ordinary population, and therefore, a group of potential allies could be easily framed as ruthless enemies. The foreign enemy, however, was portrayed in a much less subtle manner in which racist or bestial traits were commonly used to describe them.
Treatment outcomes following leukemic transformation in Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Kennedy James A. , Atenafu Eshetu G. , Messner Hans A. , Craddock Kenneth J. , Brandwein Joseph M. , Lipton Jeffrey H. , Minden Mark D. , Schimmer Aaron D. , Schuh Andre C. , Yee Karen W. , Gupta Vikas
Published: January 2013

Key Points

Induction followed by allo-transplantation can achieve long-term disease control in select patients with AML arising from a Ph-MPN. In this population, transplant should be the goal in patients treated with curative intent, as induction alone provides limited benefit.
Estimation of data-specific constitutive exons with RNA-Seq data
Authors: Patrick Ellis , Buckley Michael , Yang Yee Hwa
Published: January 2013

Background

RNA-Seq has the potential to answer many diverse and interesting questions about the inner workings of cells. Estimating changes in the overall transcription of a gene is not straightforward. Changes in overall gene transcription can easily be confounded with changes in exon usage which alter the lengths of transcripts produced by a gene. Measuring the expression of constitutive exons— exons which are consistently conserved after splicing— offers an unbiased estimation of the overall transcription of a gene.

Results

We propose a clustering-based method, exClust, for estimating the exons that are consistently conserved after splicing in a given data set. These are considered as the exons which are “constitutive” in this data. The method utilises information from both annotation and the dataset of interest. The method is implemented in an openly available R function package, sydSeq.

Conclusion

When used on two real datasets exClust includes more than three times as many reads as the standard UI method, and improves concordance with qRT-PCR data. When compared to other methods, our method is shown to produce robust estimates of overall gene transcription.
Characterisation of the bacterial microbiota of the vagina of dairy cows and isolation of pediocin-producing Pediococcus acidilactici
Authors: Wang Yvonne , Ametaj Burim N , Ambrose Divakar J , Gänzle Michael G
Published: January 2013

Background

Uterine infections in dairy cows lower profitability of dairy operations. Infections of the reproductive tract are related to the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria during the first three weeks after parturition. However, alterations in the vaginal microbiota composition in the first weeks after parturition remain poorly documented.

Results

In this study, bacteria isolated from the vagina of healthy pregnant, and infected postpartum cows were characterised by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis and partial 16S ribosomal RNA (rDNA) gene sequencing. Populations of bacilli and lactic acid bacteria of the genera Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus were present in both healthy and infected cows. Infected cows had a significant increase in the vaginal enteric bacteria population which consisted mainly of Escherichia coli. Three E. coli isolates harboured the gene coding for Shiga-like-toxin (SLT) I or II. Several isolates of the Pediococcus acidilactici were found to produce the bacteriocin pediocin AcH/PA-1. Quantitative PCR analyses of vaginal mucus samples collected from ten metritic cows before and after parturition confirmed the presence of the Lactobacillus group (Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp., and Weissella spp.); Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, and bacilli. The presence of the pediocin AcH/PA-1 structural gene and SLT genes were also confirmed with qPCR.

Conclusions

In conclusion, overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, particularly E. coli, after parturition likely contributes to the development of metritis. Our microbiota analysis extends the information related to the composition of commensal bacteria in the bovine female reproductive tract and may facilitate the development of novel intervention strategies for prevention of uterine infections in dairy cows.