bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corn and Soybeans in a Strip Intercropping System: Crop Growth Rates, Radiation Interception, and Grain Yield Components
Authors: Verdelli Diego , Acciaresi Horacio A. , Leguizamón Eduardo S.
Published: March 2012

Crop growth rates (CGR), radiation interception (IPAR), yields, and their components were determined in two crops monocultures (using one corn and two soybean genotypes) and in intercropped “strips,” during three growing seasons. Corn yield in the strips significantly increased in the three seasons (13–16%) as compared to that in the monocultures. This response was due to increased yield in corn plants of the border rows of the strips, which was highly correlated to an increased IPAR, allowing high CGR at critical crop stages. As a result, more dry matter was partitioned to grain and also an increased number of ears per plant were generated. Conversely, yields of soybeans in the strips were 2 to 11% lower than that in the monocultures, with variable significance depending on soybean cultivar and/or year. Grain number per unit area was the yield component most closely associated to yield variation in both crops. We believe that if yield components of this system are more closely identified, more appropriate genotypes will fit into strip intercropping, thus contributing to the spread of this technique and thus to the sustainability of actual massive monocultured agricultural systems.
Validity of Eight Integrated Healthcare Delivery Organizations' Administrative Clinical Data to Capture Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Exposure
Authors: Delate Thomas , Bowles Erin J. Aiello , Pardee Roy , Wellman Robert D. , Habel Laurel A. , Yood Marianne Ulcickas , Nekhlyudov Larissa , Goddard Katrina A. , Davis Robert L. , McCarty Catherine A. , Onitilo Adedayo A. , Feigelson Heather Spencer , Freml Jared , Wagner Edward
Published: March 2012

Background: Cancer Research Network (CRN) sites use administrative data to populate their Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW). However, information on VDW chemotherapy data validity is limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of VDW chemotherapy data.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of women ≥18 years with incident, invasive breast cancer diagnosed between January 1999 and December 2007. Pharmacy and procedure chemotherapy data were extracted from each site's VDW. Random samples of 50 patients stratified on trastuzumab, anthracyclines, and no chemotherapy exposure was selected from each site for detailed chart abstraction. Weighted sensitivities and specificities of VDW compared with abstracted data were calculated. Cumulative doses calculated from VDW data were compared with doses obtained from the medical chart review.

Results: The cohort included 13,497 patients with 6,456 (48%) chart review eligible. Patients in the sample (N = 400) had a mean age of 65 years. Trastuzumab, anthracycline, and other chemotherapy weighted sensitivities were 95%, 97%, and 100%, respectively; specificities were 99%, 99%, and 93%, respectively; positive predictive values were 96%, 99%, and 55%, respectively; and negative predictive values were 99%, 96%, and 100%. Trastuzumab and anthracyclines VDW mean doses were 873 and 386 mg, respectively, whereas abstracted mean doses were 1,734 and 369 mgs, respectively (R2 = 0.14, P < 0.01 and R2 = 0.05, P = 0.03, respectively).

Conclusions: Sensitivities and specificities for CRN chemotherapy VDW data were high and dosages were correlated with chart information.

Impact: The findings support the use of CRN data in evaluating chemotherapy exposures and related outcomes. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(4); 673–80. ©2012 AACR.
Prevalidation of Salivary Biomarkers for Oral Cancer Detection
Authors: Elashoff David , Zhou Hui , Reiss Jean , Wang Jianghua , Xiao Hua , Henson Bradley , Hu Shen , Arellano Martha , Sinha Uttam , Le Anh , Messadi Diana , Wang Marilene , Nabili Vishad , Lingen Mark , Morris Darly , Randolph Timothy , Feng Ziding , Akin David , Kastratovic Dragana A. , Chia David , Abemayor Elliot , Wong David T.W.
Published: March 2012

Background: Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 60%. Presently, there are no scientifically credible early detection techniques beyond conventional clinical oral examination. The goal of this study is to validate whether the seven mRNAs and three proteins previously reported as biomarkers are capable of discriminating patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) from healthy subjects in independent cohorts and by a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Early Detection Research Network (EDRN)-Biomarker Reference Laboratory (BRL).

Methods: Three hundred and ninety-five subjects from five independent cohorts based on case controlled design were investigated by two independent laboratories, University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) discovery laboratory and NCI-EDRN-BRL.

Results: Expression of all seven mRNA and three protein markers was increased in OSCC versus controls in all five cohorts. With respect to individual marker performance across the five cohorts, the increase in interleukin (IL)-8 and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) was statistically significant and they remained top performers across different cohorts in terms of sensitivity and specificity. A previously identified multiple marker model showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for prediction of OSCC status ranging from 0.74 to 0.86 across the cohorts.

Conclusions: The validation of these biomarkers showed their feasibility in the discrimination of OSCCs from healthy controls. Established assay technologies are robust enough to perform independently. Individual cutoff values for each of these markers and for the combined predictive model need to be further defined in large clinical studies.

Impact: Salivary proteomic and transcriptomic biomarkers can discriminate oral cancer from control subjects. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(4); 664–72. ©2012 AACR.
Night Shift Work and Hormone Levels in Women
Authors: Davis Scott , Mirick Dana K. , Chen Chu , Stanczyk Frank Z.
Published: March 2012

Background: Night shift work may disrupt the normal nocturnal rise in melatonin, resulting in increased breast cancer risk, possibly through increased reproductive hormone levels. We investigated whether night shift work is associated with decreased levels of urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, the primary metabolite of melatonin, and increased urinary reproductive hormone levels.

Methods: Participants were 172 night shift and 151 day shift–working nurses, aged 20–49 years, with regular menstrual cycles. Urine samples were collected throughout work and sleep periods and assayed for 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle–stimulating hormone (FSH), and estrone conjugate (E1C).

Results: 6-Sulfatoxymelatonin levels were 62% lower and FSH and LH were 62% and 58% higher, respectively, in night shift–working women during daytime sleep than in day shift–working women during nighttime sleep (P ≤ 0.0001). Nighttime sleep on off-nights was associated with 42% lower 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels among the night shift workers, relative to the day shift workers (P < 0.0001); no significant differences in LH or FSH were observed. 6-Sulfatoxymelatonin levels during night work were approximately 69% lower and FSH and LH were 35% and 38% higher, compared with day shift workers during nighttime sleep. No differences in E1C levels between night and day shift workers were observed. Within night shift workers, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels were lower and reproductive hormone levels were higher during daytime sleep and nighttime work, relative to nighttime sleep (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: These results indicate that night shift workers have substantially reduced 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels during night work and daytime sleep and that levels remain low even when a night shift worker sleeps at night.

Impact: Shift work could be an important risk factor for many other cancers in addition to breast cancer.

MeSH Subject Headings: breast cancer, shift work, circadian rhythm, environmental carcinogens, estrogen, melatonin, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, pineal. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(4); 609–18. ©2012 AACR.
The Impact of Anemia on Long-Term Clinical Outcome in Patients Undergoing Revascularization With the Unrestricted Use of Drug-Eluting Stents
Authors: Pilgrim Thomas , Vetterli Florian , Kalesan Bindu , Stefanini Giulio G. , Räber Lorenz , Stortecky Stefan , Gloekler Steffen , Binder Ronald K. , Wenaweser Peter , Moschovitis Aris , Khattab Ahmed A. , Buellesfeld Lutz , Zwahlen Marcel , Meier Bernhard , Jüni Peter , Windecker Stephan
Published: March 2012

Background—

Anemia is frequent among patients with cardiovascular disease and adversely affects prognosis. The objective of this analysis was to assess the impact of anemia on long-term clinical outcomes among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the unrestricted use of drug-eluting stents (DES).

Methods and Results—

Between April 2002 to March 2009, 6528 consecutive patients underwent PCI with the unrestricted use of DES. Among patients with anemia according to the criteria by the World Health Organization (WHO) (hemoglobin <130 g/L for men and <120 g/L for women, respectively) patients below the 25
th
percentile separately for men and women were defined to have severe anemia. We compared clinical outcomes among patients with severe anemia and no/mild anemia during long-term follow-up through 4 years. Whereas 21.6% of patients were found to have anemia according to the WHO definition, 347 patients (5.5%) had severe anemia (mean hemoglobin, 98±11 g/L). Severe anemia was more prevalent among the elderly (
P
<0.001), diabetics (
P
<0.001), and patients with chronic kidney disease (
P
<0.001). In adjusted analyses, severe anemia was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.37–2.52;
P
<0.0001), cardiac death (hazard ratio, 2.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.57–3.43;
P
<0.0001), and myocardial infarction (hazard ratio, 2.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.36–3.01;
P
=0.00054) as compared with no/mild anemia without significant interaction across sexes (
P
=0.86) and acute coronary syndromes (
P
=0.61) and a trend toward a particularly high risk of mortality among anemic patients <65 years of age (
P
=0.07). Severe anemia resulted in a greater risk of overall definite stent thrombosis (hazard ratio, 2.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.48–4.54;
P
=0.00089).

Conclusions—

Severe anemia is common among patients undergoing PCI with the unrestricted use of DES and adversely affects long-term prognosis, including survival.
A New Level of Complexity
Authors: Boettger Thomas , Braun Thomas
Published: March 2012

The discovery of the regulatory role of noncoding RNAs, and micro (mi)RNAs in particular, has added a new layer of complexity to our understanding of cardiovascular development. miRNAs regulate and modulate various steps of cardiovascular morphogenesis, cell proliferation, differentiation, and phenotype modulation. miRNAs simultaneously regulate multiple targets, and many miRNAs can bind to the same target, allowing for a complex pattern of regulation of gene expression. miRNA families are continuously added during evolution paralleling the increased complexity of the cardiovascular system in vertebrates compared with invertebrates. Several lines of evidence suggest that the appearance of miRNAs is at least in part responsible for the formation of complex organ systems and stable regulatory mechanisms in vertebrates. We review the current understanding of miRNAs during cardiovascular development. Further progress in this area will help to decipher quantitative changes in gene expression that provide robustness to cellular phenotypes and regulatory options to diseases processes. miRNAs might also provide clues to better understand congenital heart defects, which are the most common birth defects in human newborns.
Enhanced Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca
2+
Leak and Increased Na
+
-Ca
2+
Exchanger Function Underlie Delayed Afterdepolarizations in Patients With Chronic Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Voigt Niels , Li Na , Wang Qiongling , Wang Wei , Trafford Andrew W. , Abu-Taha Issam , Sun Qiang , Wieland Thomas , Ravens Ursula , Nattel Stanley , Wehrens Xander H.T. , Dobrev Dobromir
Published: March 2012

Background—

Delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) carried by Na
+
-Ca
2+
-exchange current (I
NCX
) in response to sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca
2+
leak can promote atrial fibrillation (AF). The mechanisms leading to delayed afterdepolarizations in AF patients have not been defined.

Methods and Results—

Protein levels (Western blot), membrane currents and action potentials (patch clamp), and [Ca
2+
]
i
(Fluo-3) were measured in right atrial samples from 76 sinus rhythm (control) and 72 chronic AF (cAF) patients. Diastolic [Ca
2+
]
i
and SR Ca
2+
content (integrated I
NCX
during caffeine-induced Ca
2+
transient) were unchanged, whereas diastolic SR Ca
2+
leak, estimated by blocking ryanodine receptors (RyR2) with tetracaine, was ≈50% higher in cAF versus control. Single-channel recordings from atrial RyR2 reconstituted into lipid bilayers revealed enhanced open probability in cAF samples, providing a molecular basis for increased SR Ca
2+
leak. Calmodulin expression (60%), Ca
2+
/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II (CaMKII) autophosphorylation at Thr287 (87%), and RyR2 phosphorylation at Ser2808 (protein kinase A/CaMKII site, 236%) and Ser2814 (CaMKII site, 77%) were increased in cAF. The selective CaMKII blocker KN-93 decreased SR Ca
2+
leak, the frequency of spontaneous Ca
2+
release events, and RyR2 open probability in cAF, whereas protein kinase A inhibition with H-89 was ineffective. Knock-in mice with constitutively phosphorylated RyR2 at Ser2814 showed a higher incidence of Ca
2+
sparks and increased susceptibility to pacing-induced AF compared with controls. The relationship between [Ca
2+
]
i
and I
NCX
density revealed I
NCX
upregulation in cAF. Spontaneous Ca
2+
release events accompanied by inward I
NCX
currents and delayed afterdepolarizations/triggered activity occurred more often and the sensitivity of resting membrane voltage to elevated [Ca
2+
]
i
(diastolic [Ca
2+
]
i
–voltage coupling gain) was higher in cAF compared with control.

Conclusions—

Enhanced SR Ca
2+
leak through CaMKII-hyperphosphorylated RyR2, in combination with larger I
NCX
for a given SR Ca
2+
release and increased diastolic [Ca
2+
]
i
-voltage coupling gain, causes AF-promoting atrial delayed afterdepolarizations/triggered activity in cAF patients.
Evaluating Social and Environmental Issues by Integrating the Legitimacy Gap With Expectational Gaps
Authors: Panwar Rajat , Hansen Eric , Kozak Robert
Published: March 2012

This article adopts an issues management approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation. Issues evaluation, which is an integral component of issues management, can be conducted by using the concept of three expectational gaps (factual, conformance, and ideal gaps). However, the concept of expectational gaps suffers from an ambiguity that limits its application to issues evaluation. The legitimacy gap concept is used in this article to clarify the ambiguity surrounding expectational gaps. The study thus develops a four-gap framework for conducting a quantitative issues evaluation. This framework is applied to six social and six environmental issues in the context of the forest products industry in the Northwest United States by means of a survey of 278 society and 94 industry respondents. Results empirically demonstrate the existence of expectational gaps and also provide insights into the nature of misalignment between societal and business perceptions along these social and environmental issues. Appropriate managerial responses are suggested to narrow or bridge different types of gaps.
The Engagement of Firms in Environmental Collaborations
Authors: Wassmer Ulrich , Paquin Raymond , Sharma Sanjay
Published: March 2012

The engagement of firms in environmental collaborations has become a ubiquitous phenomenon in today’s business landscape. Yet much of the research to date is fragmented across multiple disciplines and lacks a clear framework to support future study. The authors consolidate and synthesize existing contributions into a conceptual map comprised of antecedents, consequences, and contingencies to better understand environmental collaborations. This map offers a perspective on how firms develop strategies, structures, and capabilities to manage and balance environmental and economic performance and increasing demands for environmental sustainability from multiple stakeholders and society. The authors then highlight existing gaps in the extant literature and outline a future research agenda, including key questions and issues needing additional study.
‘Can One Go Along With This?’ German Diplomats and the Changes of 1918–19 and 1933–4
Authors: Jonas Michael
Published: March 2012

This article explores the responses of German diplomats to the two central instances of political upheaval in pre-1945 German history, the November Revolution of 1918–19 and the establishment and consolidation of the ‘Third Reich’ in 1933–4 from a comparative historical angle. Based on the examination of contemporary records and the autobiographical writings of a cross-section of high-ranking diplomats, it substantiates and empathically illustrates the actual meaning of conservative behaviour and sensibilities in the face of radical change. It thereby explores the effect of the sudden arrival of discontinuity and rupture in otherwise rather continuous lives and accordingly points to the presumed tension between abstract historical development and the subjective nature of human agency. In line with more recent developments in the history of international relations, the subsequent assessment has to be seen an attempt to prosopographically probe into the mentality, the habitus, and the ideological disposition of German diplomats in the first half of the twentieth century. In doing so, this article directly contributes to current political debates in Germany about the history of the German foreign ministry, the Auswärtiges Amt, in the Third Reich.
The Politics of Impartiality: The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in the Soviet Union, 1946–7
Authors: Harder Andrew
Published: March 2012

Officials from the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) were among the world’s first international civil servants charged with impartially implementing a humanitarian assistance programme in a contentious political environment. Using the underexploited papers of Richard Scandrett and Marshall MacDuffie, this article explores the story of UNRRA in the Soviet Union and assesses its significance in forging an ethos of international public service and humanitarianism in the United Nations system. I argue that this animating spirit has its roots in the first-hand exposure of UNRRA personnel to the destruction wrought by the war, and in the personal rapport UNRRA officials established with their Soviet counterparts. Meanwhile, a strong reaction against multilaterally administered relief arose in the USA, forcing the organization to vigorously defend its performance. In response, UNRRA staff rejected the politicization of relief and became more committed to the broader goal of strengthening international institutions in order to address global problems. UNRRA staff concluded that the impartiality of international relief work should be protected as a vital asset in alleviating human suffering. As today’s humanitarian workers face an increasing threat of violence in places like Afghanistan and Sudan, the lessons on UNRRA’s experience are worth remembering.
Western Attitudes to War in the Balkans and the Shifting Meanings of Violence, 1912–91
Authors: Michail Eugene
Published: March 2012

During the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s there was a prevalent perception that at least since the Second Balkan War of 1913 the West had developed an image of a Balkan propensity for extreme war violence that had remained unchanged ever since. This article challenges the presumptions of continuity and uniformity that inform such views of the history of Western–Balkan contacts. It reveals that more often than not Western attitudes to violence in the Balkans varied considerably, reflecting different ideological or strategic assessments. While in 1912–3 there developed indeed a common Western image of the two Balkan Wars, subsequently the two World Wars led to a diversification of the Balkan images on national lines. Especially the victorious Allies’ postwar myths, both after 1918 and 1945, were closely connected with a positive view of Balkan war violence. The Second World War and the Cold War established new standards of extreme violence, pushing even further back any negative public associations of the Balkans, which became instead an international backwater, known more for its tourist attractions than for its violent history.
Prisoners of War and Civilian Internees of the Japanese in British Asia: The Similarities and Contrasts of Experience
Authors: Yap Felicia
Published: March 2012

The similarities and differences between the experiences of prisoners of war and civilian internees of the Japanese have largely been overlooked by studies of Japanese-held prisoners. This article aims to provide this critical comparative perspective by examining the experiences of prisoners of war and civilians in four key theatres of the war in British Asia: Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore and Borneo. It draws largely, however, on the intriguing case study of the Lintang Camp in Borneo (Sarawak) where prisoners of war were imprisoned alongside civilian internees during the war. It argues that there were overarching similarities and constraints to both sets of experiences, but key differences in Japanese wartime policies and a variety of other factors such as combatant status, class, rank, active agency, leadership, and gender also contributed to how captivity was experienced during this tumultuous period.
‘To Consolidate Peace'? The International Electro-technical Community and the Grid for the United States of Europe
Authors: Lagendijk Vincent
Published: March 2012

Why did engineers and policy-makers together argue for a European electricity network? This article shows, first, how ideas of European cooperation were conceived in both circles, and second, how the two came together in an alliance that brought the idea for European grid into the League of Nations (LoN) and International Labour Organization. Non-government organizations in the field of electricity acted as intermediary platforms, and close links between some engineers and politicians enabled a next step. It argues furthermore that such an alliance was made possible through a set of shared ideas, stressing technical networks as an extension of international politics, viewing ‘Europe’ as an obvious unit of optimization, and relying on a ‘technical’ approach rather than political consultation.
Patterns of Tight and Loose Coupling in a Competitive Marketplace
Authors: Aurini Janice Danielle
Published: March 2012

The concept of coupling—the relationship between the environment, administrative goals, and instructional practices of education organizations—is a staple in New Institutional research. Yet processes of coupling have remained elusive. Drawing on ethnographic research of the ‘‘Ontario Learning Center’’ (OLC) franchise, along with interviews of franchise owners and representatives, this article examines an ideal-type, tightly coupled organization. Despite the fact that the educational materials, the progress monitoring, and even the ‘‘emotional labor’’ of instruction are highly formalized and monitored, the author discovered evidence of loose coupling everywhere. Most strikingly, loose coupling is being accomplished in the context of rule following (rather than rule breaking) based on how managers and instructors interpret and prioritize available technical and institutional frameworks. By examining these processes, this article makes two contributions: First, it examines the symbolic dimensions of tightly coupled organizations by articulating how organizations and their actors reinterpret environmental demands in mutually beneficial ways. Second, this article situates the growing ‘‘inhabited institutions’’ literature within the new realities of education organizations, examining how meaning is actively constructed and how such processes generate understandings about appropriate lines of action.
Establishment and liberalism: A response to Nigel Biggar
Authors: Hobson Theo
Published: March 2012

This is a response to a recent article by Nigel Biggar defending the establishment of the Church of England. Biggar’s central claim is that establishment need not offend against liberal values. To some extent he is right, for ‘liberalism’ is large and flexible. Yet this article argues that the most coherent theological case for disestablishment is rooted in a particular theological account of liberalism. Establishment may or may not offend against ‘liberalism’: it does offend against liberal Christianity.
Remitting Behaviour of Turkish Migrants: Evidence from Household Data in Germany
Authors: Ulku Hulya
Published: March 2012

This paper provides an empirical analysis of the remittances of Turkish migrants using novel data from 589 households in Berlin, which holds the largest Turkish community outside Turkey. The findings suggest that the remittances of Turkish migrants are determined mainly by a combination of self-interest and tempered altruism. Comparison of migrant groups who do and do not intend to return to Turkey shows that those intending to return remit mostly for self-interest and remit larger amounts, while those with no such intention remit mainly due to implicit loan agreement within the family. There is no evidence of pure altruism in any of the samples. In addition, remitters are more likely to increase the amount of remittances where they are to be spent on education and investment. The same relationship does not hold for basic needs.
Human-capital-centred Regionalism in Economic Development: A Case of Analytics Outpacing Institutions?
Authors: Wolf-Powers Laura
Published: March 2012

Drawing on the case of the Delaware Valley Innovation Network, a regional consortium funded under the US Department of Labor, the paper argues that sophisticated analytical tools developed to facilitate workforce- and occupation-led economic development are running ahead of the institution-building required to put new approaches into practice. There are two main reasons for this. First, tensions persist around the role of the public-sector workforce system in regional development initiatives. Secondly, regional stakeholders disagree about whether ‘knowledge economy’ investments should include the training of manufacturing, transport and logistics workers. The documentation of regional occupational specialisations, ‘talent gap’ analyses and the clarification of career pathways are crucial components of human-capital-centred regionalism in economic development. However, best analytical practices are of little use without the institutional capacity to translate analysis into coherent, effective policy.
Do Mothers’ and Fathers’ Authoritative and Authoritarian Parenting Interact? An Exploration on Schooling Aspects With a Singapore Adolescent Sample
Authors: Sim Tick N. , Chin Jeffery E.H.
Published: March 2012

Our study sought mainly to examine interactions between mothers’ and fathers’ authoritative and authoritarian parenting. A total of 284 adolescents (mean age 13.5) from 2 Singapore schools contributed self-report data on their parents’ parenting and various schooling aspects. Prior to testing for interactions, adolescents with two authoritative parents were found to have greater interest in schooling and mastery goals than those with two authoritarian parents. In addition, fathers’ parenting style contributed unique variance beyond mothers’ for three aspects. Regarding interactions, five emerged, three involving mothers’ and fathers’ authoritative parenting and suggesting that authoritative parenting is particularly amenable to moderation. Overall, the five interactions point to the possibility that fathers’ contributions are obscured if mothers are excluded and that authoritarian parenting can have positive effects in specific instances, although gender also needs to be considered. These results elucidate erstwhile obscured processes when interactions are not taken into account.
A Revised Model of Civilian Control of the Military
Authors: Levy Yagil
Published: March 2012

What determines the subordination of the military to civilian control? Existing scholarship has neglected the power structure within which relations between the military and civilians are embedded. Addressing this oversight, this article theorizes that civilian control of the military is influenced by two relations of exchange: (1) the republican exchange, wherein the state provides its citizens with rights in exchange for their military sacrifice; and (2) the control exchange, in which the military subordinates itself to civilian rulers in exchange for resources the state provides. If both relations of exchange are in equilibrium, civilian institutions can establish firm supremacy over the military. This article examines the causes and consequences of disequilibrium. It concludes that disequilibrium in the republican exchange can undermine the control exchange and civilian supremacy over the military. Applications and implications of the theory are developed through examples from the United States and Israel.
Asymmetrical Military Socialization
Authors: Mendee Jargalsaikhan
Published: March 2012

This article presents a small state’s perspectives on military socialization by examining military interactions at political and strategic, operational, and tactical as well as educational tiers. Transnational military socialization creates learning and socializing environments for militaries. However, the transnational military socialization process in Asia has received little scholarly attention, although its nature changed dramatically after the Cold War and 9/11. A small state often enters into asymmetric socialization with major powers. Mongolia presents an interesting case to capture these changes and impacts of transnational military interactions. The Mongolian military internalized Soviet military norms, ideas, and values during its seventy-year military socialization process. Since then, it has been attempting to disconnect from its communist past by internalizing the Western military norms, ideas, and culture even though it is isolated from the Western world. Interactions between Sino-Mongolian militaries over the past two decades have not resulted in any in-depth exchanges of ideas due to political, historical, and cultural factors. In the absence of explicit pressures from these three major powers, today the Mongolia military has consolidated a new identity, similar to a Western military. It has increased its contribution to peace support operations while attempting to disconnect its Soviet past and avoiding absorption from the growing Chinese military initiatives toward Central Asia. At the same time, Mongolia’s military socialization with Russian or American militaries often triggers uncertainty for Chinese security.
Developing structural specification: Productivity in early Hebrew verb usage
Authors: Lustigman Lyle
Published: March 2012

The study investigates acquisition of verb inflections by four monolingual Hebrew-acquiring children from middle-class backgrounds, audio-recorded in longitudinal, weekly samples at a mean age-range of between 18 and 26 months. Productive use of inflectional morphology is shown to manifest increasing structural specification, as a function of children’s developing knowledge of morphology–syntax interfaces illustrated by Subject–Verb agreement. The verbs used by all four children evolve from non-specified stem-like forms via sporadic structural alternations to initial productivity in the use of largely under-specified inflected forms. This process of increasing structural specification is interpreted as reflecting paradigmatic/syntagmatic interfacings in developing grammatical productivity, such that eventually a full range of inflectional contrasts is manifested in all and only appropriate syntactic environments.
International Consensus Guidelines for Nutrition Therapy in Pancreatitis
Authors: Mirtallo Jay M. , Forbes Alastair , McClave Stephen A. , Jensen Gordon L. , Waitzberg Dan L. , Davies Andrew R. ,   for the International Consensus Guideline Committee Pancreatitis Task Force
Published: March 2012

Guidelines for nutrition support in pancreatitis have been inconsistently adapted to clinical practice. The International Consensus Guideline Committee (ICGC) established a pancreatitis task force to review published guidelines for pancreatitis in nutrition support. A PubMed search using the terms pancreatitis, acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, nutrition support, parenteral nutrition, enteral nutrition, and guidelines was conducted for the period from January 1999 to May 2011. Eleven guidelines were identified for review. The ICGC used the following process to develop unified guideline statements: summarize the strength of evidence (grading) of the guidelines; establish level of evidence for ICGC statements as high, intermediate, and low; assign published guideline levels of evidence; and define an ICGC grading system. International Pancreatitis Guideline Grades were established as follows: platinum—high level of evidence and consistent agreement among the guidelines; gold—acceptable level of evidence and no conflicting statements in guidelines; and silver—single existing guideline statement with no conflict in other guidelines. Eighteen ICGC statements were derived from the 11 published pancreatitis guidelines. Uniform agreement from widely disparate groups (United States, Europe, Japan, and China) resulted in 4 platinum‐level guideline statements for nutrition in pancreatitis: nutrition support therapy (NST) is generally not needed for mild to moderate disease, NST is needed for severe disease, enteral nutrition (EN) is preferred over parenteral nutrition (PN), and use PN when EN is contraindicated or not feasible. This methodology provides a template for future ICGC nutrition guideline development.
Does Gender Matter? The Effect of Gender Representation of Public Bureaucracy on Governmental Performance
Authors: Park Sanghee
Published: March 2012

This article investigates gender representation in the public bureaucracy in the context of South Korea and its substantial effects on governmental performance. The past decades have seen a growing body of research on the theory of representative bureaucracy, yet the conceptual linkages remains unclear. This study, first, identifies three missing links existing in the theory of the representative bureaucracy. Second, we investigate whether the presence of women in the bureaucracy affects on the consequences of governmental activities. Using an unbalanced time-series data set for 25 years with gaps including 1978, 1983, 1986 to 2008, the investigation is conducted in terms of the media attention on women’s issues, social welfare budget, and the legislative success of the executive branch measured by the number of passed bills submitted to the National Assembly. The result of the autoregressive integrated moving average time series analysis (ARIMA) suggests that a representative bureaucracy influences substantive consequences on governmental performance.
Kinetics of Lung Lesion Development and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Response in Pigs With Vaccine-Associated Enhanced Respiratory Disease Induced by Challenge With Pandemic (2009) A/H1N1 Influenza Virus
Authors: Gauger P. C. , Vincent A. L. , Loving C. L. , Henningson J. N. , Lager K. M. , Janke B. H. , Kehrli M. E. , Roth J. A.
Published: March 2012

The objective of this report was to characterize the enhanced clinical disease and lung lesions observed in pigs vaccinated with inactivated H1N2 swine δ-cluster influenza A virus and challenged with pandemic 2009 A/H1N1 human influenza virus. Eighty-four, 6-week-old, cross-bred pigs were randomly allocated into 3 groups of 28 pigs to represent vaccinated/challenged (V/C), non-vaccinated/challenged (NV/C), and non-vaccinated/non-challenged (NV/NC) control groups. Pigs were intratracheally inoculated with pH1N1and euthanized at 1, 2, 5, and 21 days post inoculation (dpi). Macroscopically, V/C pigs demonstrated greater percentages of pneumonia compared to NV/C pigs. Histologically, V/C pigs demonstrated severe bronchointerstitial pneumonia with necrotizing bronchiolitis accompanied by interlobular and alveolar edema and hemorrhage at 1 and 2 dpi. The magnitude of peribronchiolar lymphocytic cuffing was greater in V/C pigs by 5 dpi. Microscopic lung lesion scores were significantly higher in the V/C pigs at 2 and 5 dpi compared to NV/C and NV/NC pigs. Elevated TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 were detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at all time points in V/C pigs compared to NV/C pigs. These data suggest H1 inactivated vaccines followed by heterologous challenge resulted in potentiated clinical signs and enhanced pulmonary lesions and correlated with an elevated proinflammatory cytokine response in the lung. The lung alterations and host immune response are consistent with the vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD) clinical outcome observed reproducibly in this swine model.
The Impact of Staphylococcus Aureus Concentration on the Development of Pulmonary Lesions and Cytokine Expression After Intravenous Inoculation of Pigs
Authors: Soerensen K. E. , Skovgaard K. , Heegaard P. M. H. , Jensen H. E. , Nielsen O. L. , Leifsson P. S. , Olsen H. G. , Aalbaek B. , Kristensen A. T. , Kjelgaard-Hansen M. , Wiinberg B. , Iburg T. M.
Published: March 2012

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a common complication in severe sepsis. In pigs, the lungs play an important role in clearing systemic bacterial infections due to pulmonary intravascular macrophages found specifically in pigs. However, this increases the exposure of the porcine lungs to pathogens and potential injury. The authors propose that increasing the concentration of the inoculum without changing the bacterial dose will lead to severe sepsis with pronounced pulmonary lesions. This could potentially create a risk of cytokine spillover to the circulation, leading to an increased systemic response. Eight Danish Landrace pigs, approximately 10 weeks old, were inoculated twice with a low or once with a high concentration of Staphylococcus aureus. Three pigs were sham-inoculated. The animals were grouped based on macro- and microscopic lung lesions. The mRNA expression of local pulmonary inflammatory markers was compared to protein levels of systemic inflammatory markers. The most severe pulmonary lesions were observed in animals receiving the high S. aureus concentration, indicating that severity of lesions is dependent on inoculum concentration rather than total numbers of bacteria. Furthermore, local mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines appeared to be dependent on the magnitude and severity of tissue destruction, including the ability to confine the lesions. Increasing mRNA levels of serum amyloid A could be a confident marker of severity of pulmonary lesions. Since no correlation was observed between local and systemic levels of inflammatory cytokines, this finding could indicate an ability of the porcine lung to compartmentalize the local inflammatory response and thus restrict systemic contribution.
Modelling of high-temperature inelastic behaviour of the austenitic steel AISI type 316 using a continuum damage mechanics approach
Authors: Gorash Yevgen , Altenbach Holm , Lvov Gennadiy
Published: March 2012

A conventional material behaviour model can be extended to taking into account varying thermo-mechanical loading conditions in wide stress range. The motivation for developing this model is given by the well documented failure case study of high-temperature components at unit 1 of the Eddystone fossil power plant (Pennsylvania, USA), which have operated for 130,520 h in creep–fatigue interaction conditions. The developed model basis is a creep constitutive law in the form of hyperbolic sine stress response function originally proposed by Nadai (1938). The constitutive law is extended to assume the damage process by the introduction of scalar damage parameter and appropriate evolution equation according to Kachanov–Rabotnov concept. The research task is the introduction into the constitutive model of a few additional material state variables, able to reflect hardening and recovery effects under cyclic loading conditions. The first variable is represented by the relatively fast saturating back-stress [Formula: see text] describing kinematic hardening. The second variable is represented by the relatively slow saturating parameter [Formula: see text] describing isotropic hardening. Evolution equations for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are formulated in a modified form originally proposed by Chaboche and based on the Frederick–Armstrong concept. The uniaxial modelling results are compared with cyclic stress–strain diagrams and alternative experimental data in the form of creep curves, tensile stress–strain diagrams, relaxation curves, etc., for the austenitic steel AISI type 316 at 600 °C in a wide stress range.
Surnames and Gender in Japan: Women’s Challenges in Seeking Own Identity
Authors: Tanaka Kimiko
Published: March 2012

Strongly influenced by the previous Meiji Civil Code that shaped people’s perceptions about the traditional Japanese family, postwar Japanese society has not fully guaranteed gender equality, and whether to legally allow the dual-surname system is one of the major legal and political debates in Japanese society. To understand the tension between the traditional Japanese family emphasized in the previous Meiji Civil Code and gender equality emphasized in the current Japanese law, this study explored the surname system in Japan by reviewing historical trends, recent surveys, political debates, and comparing with other nations. This study illustrated that the surname was not attached to the family lineage and membership as today in the past, and symbolic significance of the surname has changed through the course of Japanese history.
Time Use on Caregiving Activities
Authors: Mastracci Sharon H.
Published: March 2012

Working mothers in federal service spend about 20 min per day less on caregiving activities, compared to their counterparts in the private sector. This result holds regardless of the type of job they hold, their educational attainment, marital status, the number and ages of their children, or the employment status of their spouse. This is an important result to federal agency recruitment, which targets a similar labor pool as does the private sector. It is also important to the retention of human capital in federal government, which has sought to establish a reputation as a model employer through the development and implementation of family-friendly workplace programs and a culture that supports overall work–life balance. However, mothers in federal service spend more time at work compared to their counterparts in the private sector, which prompts one to wonder whether less caregiving time and more work time is true balance.
Differential cellular and microbial responses to nano-/micron-scale titanium surface roughness induced by hydrogen peroxide treatment
Authors: Daw Abdulaziz E , Kazi Hizbullah AA , Colombo John S , Rowe Wendy G , Williams David W , Waddington Rachel J , Thomas David W , Moseley Ryan
Published: March 2012

This study investigated the effects of combined titanium nano-/micron-scale roughness, induced by hydrogen peroxide pre-treatments, on bone marrow stromal cell responses and Porphyromonas gingivalis adherence in vitro. Untreated surfaces exhibited nano-scale features, while hydrogen peroxide treatments promoted increased nano-/micron-scale roughness. Bone marrow stromal cell attachment and proliferation were maintained with 6 h and 24 h treatments, but significantly decreased on 1-week and 4-week-treated surfaces. Bone marrow stromal cells on 6 h-4 week-treated titanium demonstrated enhanced osteogenic differentiation versus untreated surfaces. P. gingivalis adherence was significantly increased on 24 h–4 week surfaces. Results suggest that 6 h but less than 24 h treatments maintain or promote bone marrow stromal cell responses while minimizing microbial adherence, potentially enhancing titanium surface bio-activation for osseointegration.
In vivo chondrocyte and transforming growth factor-β1 delivery using the thermosensitive chitosan/starch/β-glycerol phosphate hydrogel
Authors: Faikrua Atchariya , Wittaya-areekul Sakchai , Oonkhanond Bovornlak , Viyoch Jarupa
Published: March 2012

In present study, the chitosan/starch/β-glycerol phosphate hydrogel was investigated as an effective carrier for chondrocytes and delivery of transforming growth factor-β1. In vitro study indicated that transforming growth factor-β1 was released sustainably for 14 days with its biological activity to stimulate chondrocyte functions, as indicated by the strong expression of type II collagen protein. Subcutaneous implantation to rats revealed the strong expressions of type II collagen and aggrecan messenger ribonucleic acids, and also type II collagen protein was observed in the hydrogel in combination with transforming growth factor-β1 within 2 weeks. Our collective results showed the potential of chitosan/starch/β-glycerol phosphate hydrogel for effective delivery of chondrocytes and transforming growth factor-β1, and preserve chondrocytes’ phenotype and functions in vitro.
Pilot Test of an Employability Skills Rubric
Authors: Harvey Michael W. , Bauserman Adam D. , Bollinger Brett E.
Published: March 2012

This study pilot tested an employability skills rubric (ESR) to support the summary of performance (SOP) requirement in Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act. The ESR consisted of three performance areas: (a) Responsibility, (b) Problem-Solving Skills, and (c) Interpersonal Skills. The study sought to establish (a) interrater reliability, (b) the degree of agreement among raters, and (c) assessment of feedback regarding the ESR. The instrument was pilot tested with 19 local educational agencies. Most items had correlations in the moderate range and large effect sizes. There was a high level of internal consistency for each rubric and respondents indicated that the ESR identified important skills and appropriate measures related to the SOP.
Dynamic reliability of gears in a wind turbine gearbox under the conditions of variable wind speed and small samples
Authors: Sun Wei , Chen Tao , Wei Jing
Published: March 2012

Owing to the characteristics of the variable wind speed and small gear samples, the gear reliability of a wind turbine gearbox is hard to predict. In order to solve this problem, a complete reliability prediction model is presented in this article. Firstly, distribution parameters of the gear stress are deduced according to the variable wind data, and a linear path is defined for the time-varying stress. Next, historical gear samples are transformed into the equivalent prior data by grey relational analysis and then the posterior data is deduced by Bayes data fusion. Then, distribution parameters and a non-linear path are determined for the time-varying gear strength. After that, the dynamic reliability of gears in a wind turbine gearbox is calculated on the basis of the stress–strength interference model and the Monte Carlo sampling. Lastly, an instance is given to verify the validity of this model. The result shows that the variable wind speed will decline the reliability of wind gears, in addition, the reliability declines faster than its expectation in the infant mortality period.