bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Men's Roles in Families
Authors: Bowman Jonathan M.
Published: March 2016

The individual expression of the male role in the family may vary somewhat across cultures, but men often occupy similar family roles throughout the life span, despite variation in context. The male role in families is continually reified by men as they model gender norms and adult sexuality, provide resources, offer nurturance and support, and manage and maintain the family unit. Each of these primary male sex roles empower – and often constrain – male behavior within a family unit.
Journal of Family Studies
Authors: Bixby Monica Sue
Published: March 2016

The Journal of Family Studies
is an interdisciplinary peer‐reviewed journal that focuses on families and relationships within the family. The journal's mission is to promote studies of pragmatic and professional significance, focusing on the transitions of families and the well‐being of both parents and children throughout these transitions. Published by eContent Management Pty Ltd,
The Journal of Family Studies
is an international journal that is published three times a year. Two of the annual issues focus on broad topics relevant to the study of the family. The third issue is topic based, underscoring a specific theme within the scope of family studies. The journal encourages a wide array of submissions including both qualitative and quantitative original research, book reviews, and policy analyses.
Journal of Aging Studies
Authors: Gubrium Jaber F.
Published: March 2016

The
Journal of Aging Studies (JAS)
was founded in 1986 to provide a forum for border‐crossing, innovative research related to the aging experience. The journal publishes critical, empirical, or theoretical contributions from around the globe. Articles deal with topics such as intergenerational relations and transfers, marriage and remarriage in later life, grandparenthood, dual‐career retirement, and care and caregiving, among many others.
Homogamy
Authors: Arosio Laura
Published: March 2016

The term homogamy refers to marriages in which the partners share the same socially relevant characteristics, including social class, education, professional standing, age, religion, nationality and ethnic/territorial background. Homogamy is still the most common pattern of marriage in contemporary societies. The level of homogamy is a measure of the degree of openness of a society: high levels are indicative of closure, low levels of a more open social structure. The bias towards homogamy is favoured by the social forces that influence the choice of partner. Complying with the ideal of homogamy diminishes the social pressure felt by the couple and enhances the degree to which the marriage is socially acceptable, favouring the stability and duration of the marriage. Looking to the future, increasing territorial mobility, speed of communications and the growth of new matrimonial markets such as the Internet could lead to different levels of homogamy to those found in contemporary societies.
Community, Work & Family
(Journal)
Authors: Vulpis Mindy L.
Published: March 2016

This entry provides general information about the journal
Community, Work & Family
, including its history, aims, topics of recent content, and submission information. The journal is unique in its high level of international content and in its specific focus on the intersection of the workplace, the family, and the community.
Social Class and Childrearing
Authors: Peoples Clayton D.
Published: March 2016

Social class has a significant impact on childrearing patterns in the United States. Parents in the lower/working class tend to value conformity, which, in turn, impacts the way in which they raise their children. They typically employ a more authoritarian style of parenting, where obedience to rules/authority is expected of children and nonconformity is met with punishment (including, in some cases, spanking). Parents in the middle/upper class, on the other hand, tend to value self‐direction. As a result, they typically use a more permissive style of parenting and encourage their children to negotiate rules and question authority. These differences are important in that they not only impact parent–child relationships, but, also, they likely impact the sorts of occupations children pursue in adulthood, which may affect intergenerational mobility and limit upward movement among children of lower‐ and working‐class parents.
Courtship
Authors: Schon Jennifer
Published: March 2016

Courtship processes vary widely across cultures. In westernized cultures, the more casual form, dating, is commonplace. The diversity of individuals involved in dating grew significantly in the last few decades of the twentieth century, as interracial, homosexual, and older couples began to date more publicly. However, contemporary heterosexual dating still largely follows traditional gender roles. Several factors are influential in predicting whom a person will date: proximity, perceived similarity, and physical attractiveness. Cellular phones and other modern technologies have influenced both how couples meet and how they maintain their relationships. Courtship has negative aspects as well, including rejection, breakup, infidelity, abuse, and health risks.
Celibacy
Authors: Stratton Stephen E.
Published: March 2016

Celibacy is a choice to abstain from some, or all, sexual activity. Religious leaders are often encouraged or required to be completely celibate. Medical and psychological research indicate that celibacy is both a normal point on the sexuality spectrum and is not inherently more or less healthy than other approaches to sexual activity.
Female Infanticide
Authors: Wagner Phillip E.
Published: March 2016

Female infanticide is the deliberate and intentional act of aborting female fetuses or killing young female children on the sole basis of their biological sex. While the practice of female infanticide has been documented since antiquity, recent trends in specific geographic regions suggest that it is a continuing and pervasive threat to human rights and the well‐being of the global population.
Cross‐Cousin Marriage
Authors: McKendry‐Smith Emily
Published: March 2016

The term “cross‐cousin” marriage refers to marriage between the children of two opposite‐sex siblings, such as the child of one's mother's brother or father's sister. This type of marriage is further divided into three subtypes: matrilateral cross‐cousin marriage, patrilateral cross‐cousin marriage, and bilateral cross‐cousin marriage. Research has suggested a number of advantages stemming from this practice for the groups who practice it, although these vary across cultures and there is no consensus among scholars as to the meanings and motivations for this practice.
Teen Pregnancy
Authors: Isaacs Alyssa M.
Published: March 2016

Though teen pregnancy rates are on a decline, the United States still has the highest teen pregnancy rate compared to other industrialized nations. The ramifications of such pregnancies extend far beyond the teen parents. Factors affecting teen pregnancy rates range from broad environmental and demographic variables including socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity to social and familial variables including parental monitoring and family closeness to individual variables such as school performance and substance use. Teen pregnancy prevention programs are being implemented at several different levels including governmental policies, mass media campaigns, community‐based programs, and school‐based programs. Though many of these programs lack rigorous evaluation, one of the most promising programs is comprehensive sex education in schools, as evidenced by Kirby's (2007) extensive review.
Assortative Mating
Authors: Pauley Perry M. , Veluscek Alaina M. , Harrison Kathryn E.
Published: March 2016

Assortative mating is the process whereby traits, both social and genetic, influence individuals' mate preferences. Studies have consistently demonstrated that individuals prefer to partner with others who are similar insofar as social attributes – for example education level, religious preference, even personality traits – are concerned. Recent studies have suggested that social factors are more significant in the mate selection process than genetic compatibility.
HIV
and Families
Authors: Amutah Ndidiamaka , Rodriguez Andrea A. , Nellum April L.
Published: March 2016

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), as of 2013, there were approximately 16 million women and 3.2 million children living with HIV worldwide. Complex issues triggered by HIV infection – including illness, poverty, stigma, and secrecy – reflect a need to understand HIV in the family setting. Given the primary role families play in responding to the epidemic, strengthening the capacity of families through targeted initiatives can be an important strategy in preventing the spread, and mitigating the debilitating effects, of HIV/AIDS.
Mobility, Social
Authors: Farnicka Marzanna A.
Published: March 2016

Social mobility is a phenomenon describing changes in social structure with relation to a selected reference group. It used to refer to social position, income, and prestige, but nowadays it is also agreed to refer to lifestyles and the manner of life organization (intergenerational and intragenerational mobility). This entry describes various meanings ascribed to social mobility, as well as its consequences. Mobility is necessitated by economic and social transformations, whose speed forces adaptation on individuals. Lack of social mobility may result in social maladjustment.
Journal of Family Theory & Review
Authors: Milardo Robert M.
Published: March 2016

The
Journal of Family Theory & Review
is owned by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) and published quarterly by Wiley‐Blackwell. The journal publishes original theory, methodology, meta‐analyses, narrative reviews, and book reviews, and seeks to advance the integration and growth of the multidisciplinary and international domains of the behavioral and social sciences that define contemporary family studies.
Authoritarian Parenting
Authors: van Vleet Bethany L. , Bodman Denise Ann
Published: March 2016

Authoritarian parenting refers to a strict parenting style originally identified by developmental psychologist and parenting researcher Diana Baumrind (1967). Baumrind classified parenting styles based on two dimensions (warmth/support and control) and identified three key styles of parenting as antecedents to children's behavior: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. The authoritarian parenting style is characterized by parental use of high levels of control behaviors and showing low levels of warmth and support. Authoritarian parents tend to be restrictive, allow little input from children, and provide little reasoning behind rules and regulations. However, research has found a lack of consistency in negative outcomes across culture and subcultures.
Women's Roles in Families
Authors: Galick Aimee
Published: March 2016

Women are responsible for a variety of roles in families. Women are performing roles that have typically been delegated to men in the past, such as income earner. This has led to increased pressure on women because they are still typically seen as primarily responsible for family. Many factors influence how women respond to this increase in responsibility including the larger social context, family policy, and cultural values.
Journal of Child and Family Studies
Authors: Singh Nirbhay N.
Published: March 2016

The
Journal of Child and Family Studies
is an international journal that provides a forum for topical issues pertaining to the development and well‐being of children, adolescents, and their families. It publishes basic research, with an emphasis on translating the latest research results into practical applications for clinicians and health care practitioners. In addition, it publishes applied research that broadly covers various aspects of developmental psychopathology, including issues associated with identification, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention, as well as family and parenting issues.
Singlehood
Authors: Laplant Katie M.
Published: March 2016

Single adults make up a substantial part of the population, with half of Americans currently identifying as single. There are three categories of singles, those who never marry, who are single through divorce, and who are single through widowhood. Many singles in the United States face stigma and pressure to become married and follow the ideal life course. Remaining single also plays a significant role in identity for many single individuals. There are some advantages to being single such as skill development and self‐reliance and also some disadvantages such as decreased sexual satisfaction, and for never married singles there is less integration into the community.
Nuclear Families
Authors: Bryant Leah E.
Published: March 2016

Nuclear families, a term used interchangeably with traditional families, for example, are generally considered to include a set of parents and their offspring. Historically, as men and women left their extended family networks sparked by the Industrial Revolution, they created nuclear family structures that are considered the normative family structure today. However, census data show that two‐parent families have precipitously declined as more people divorce or decide not to marry. Nuclear families are the standard by which all other family forms are evaluated, which has far‐reaching implications.
Journal of
GLBT
Family Studies
Authors: Galupo M. Paz
Published: March 2016

The
Journal of GLBT Family Studies
is a peer‐review interdisciplinary journal focusing on the unique experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. The journal publishes original research, as well as theoretical and review papers on topics exploring the impact of sexual orientation and gender identity on all aspects of family.
Sexuality
Authors: Fitzpatrick Jacki , Yianitsas Samantha K.
Published: March 2016

The term
sexuality
reflects individuals' perceptions of their gender identities and engagement in physical behaviors to achieve pleasure, intimacy, and/or reproduction. Sexuality is influenced, but not necessarily dictated by physical/biological characteristics (e.g., genitalia). Rather, it is also influenced by sociological factors (e.g., politics, religion, medical advances, social media) that reflect beliefs/attitudes during particular time periods. Thus, sexuality is an emergent process that changes for individuals and US society over time.
Marital Rape
Authors: Troshynski Emily I. , Dirks Danielle
Published: March 2016

Also known as spousal rape, marital rape is nonconsensual sex where the offender is the victim's spouse or intimate partner. The legal history of marital rape includes notions of property, obligation, and standards of “wifely duties.” Because of its unique sociolegal history, popular culture considers marital rape less serious than rapes committed by a stranger. However, research indicates that it typically involves ongoing physical and sexual abuse. Future research should continue to demystify the reality and prevalence of marital rape.
Date and Acquaintance Rape
Authors: Dirks Danielle , Troshynski Emily I.
Published: March 2016

Date and acquaintance rape are among the most underreported violent crimes in the United States, not least because of myths that blame the victim or suggest that it is less serious than “real rape.” Decades of research show that acquaintance rape is commonplace in the lives of young women and that it has unique and severe deleterious effects on survivors. Victims hesitate to report because they are fearful of not being believed, suffering reprisal, or experiencing traumatic treatment by medical, criminal justice, or legal officials. Feminists and activists seek to disrupt the broader rape culture that supports perpetrators of acquaintance rape. National media attention, policy initiatives, and legislative reform all represent successes.
Journal of Family Social Work
Authors: Conway Pat , Uhrich Jenny
Published: March 2016

TheJournal of Family Social Work, whose purpose is to increase access to current research, theory, and practice regarding families in order to improve family outcomes, has been published since the early 1990s. Its goals are to: increase understanding of the couple and family through clinicians' and researchers' innovative methods of inquiry; promote collaboration among academics, clinicians, and researchers; and create a better understanding of the interplay between and among the effects of the sociopolitical and temporal contexts of the self or the clinician and social work practice with couples and families.
Parental Discipline
Authors: Larzelere Robert E. , Kuhn Brett R.
Published: March 2016

This entry summarizes scientific information about three aspects of parental discipline: nurturance as a foundation for discipline, preventive strategies, and appropriate responses to misbehavior. A conditional sequence model integrates contradictory recommendations about disciplinary responses into a comprehensive overview consistent with an authoritative parenting balance of love and appropriate limit‐setting. That authoritative‐parenting balance has been shown to have much better long‐term child outcomes than either the extreme of authoritarian parenting (limits without love) or the extreme of overly permissive parenting (love without limit‐setting).
S
haria Law
Authors: Al‐Hamdi Mohaned , Schumm Walter R.
Published: March 2016

Sharia represents the Islamic jurisprudence that deals with all aspects of life for Muslims, including many detailed aspects of family life. However, Sharia is subject to a variety of interpretations, based on different Muslim schools of reasoning. In contemporary societies, Sharia is frequently adapted to secular laws. Sharia represents one example of the tension experienced by all societies, religions, and families, as social systems, in trying to apply more general or abstract moral principles to very specific situations across different times, cultures, and types of families.
Marital Power
Authors: Treas Judith , Kim Julie
Published: March 2016

Marital power, defined as a partner's ability to have his/her will prevail in the marriage relationship, is a useful concept for examining partner dynamics. Because power itself cannot always be observed, it is often measured as decision‐making outcomes. While economic and functionalist approaches emphasize efficiency and co‐operation, structural explanations regard power as perpetuating marital inequality. However, with the increase in women's participation in employment and men's growing contribution to housework, there is support for bargaining theory – that is, partners' relative resources determining their power relations. Macro‐level factors such as national contexts and the family institution also influence how much power one partner has over the other. Despite movement toward equal decision‐making, female disadvantages continue.
Stepparenting
Authors: Kang Young Jin , Ganong Lawrence H. , Russell Luke T. , Coleman Marilyn
Published: March 2016

Stepparenting occurs when adults marry or cohabit with a partner who has a child or children from a previous relationship or relationships. Many adults become stepparents after having experienced multiple marital or relational transitions (e.g., marriage, divorce, cohabitation) and their stepchildren also may have had multiple family transitions. Some stepparents function as replacements for missing biological parents, whereas others perform roles as supplemental parental figures to their stepchildren. There are many factors that affect the complexity of stepparenting and stepparent–stepchild relationships, such as marital status, family history, residential status, gender, and age.
H
enry
J
.
K
aiser Family Foundation
Authors: Duncan Melanie L.
Published: March 2016

The Henry J. Kaiser Family foundation is a nonprofit organization that conducts and disseminates research on health‐related issues. While the foundation has been in existence since 1948, the incarnation of the foundation that is known as of the mid‐2010s has been active since 1991. The mission, goals, research, and contributions of the foundation are discussed in this entry.
Social Construction
Authors: Barry David M.
Published: March 2016

A social construction, or social construct, is an important methodological tool used when investigating social phenomena. It is a general term referring to the idea that social phenomena are best understood as products of social interaction. The concept is also related to phenomenological theories of knowledge such as social constructionism, social constructivism, and the social construction of reality. Reference to phenomena as social constructs or constructions is commonplace in many (sub)disciplines across the social sciences.
W
illiams Institute
Authors: Duncan Melanie L.
Published: March 2016

The Williams Institute, founded in 2001, is an interdisciplinary think tank that is affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. It was formed to provide reliable and accurate research to key players who are responsible for making decisions on issues pertaining to the lesbian and gay communities in the United States. The mission, goals, and efforts of the institute are discussed in this entry.
P
ew Research Center
Authors: Duncan Melanie L.
Published: March 2016

The Pew Research Center is a US‐based think tank originating in 1990 that conducts nonpartisan research on public policy, demographics, and opinions. The original project was implemented to collect public opinion polls on politics and policy. As these polls were meant to be collected on a regular basis, the notion of establishing a research center that would maintain regular records and polls was put forth and that led to the Pew Research Center that exists in the mid‐2010s. The history, research, and projects of the Pew Research Center are discussed in this entry.
Media Representations of Sexuality
Authors: Duncan Melanie L.
Published: March 2016

Media representations are often thought to be reflections of reality; however, we know that the depictions of sexuality that we are exposed to often diverge far from the norm. The representations that are put forth for consumption often set unrealistic expectations for behavior and pleasure. These expectations are also different for men and women in terms of what is considered to be acceptable or morally right. Depictions of sexuality are often heteronormative and may not address variations in sexual orientations and sexual expressions. This entry discusses historical and current representations of sexuality in media, differences in portrayals of male and female sexuality, representations of alternative sexualities and sexual orientations, and current and future directions of media representations of sexuality and their analysis.
Marriage Laws in the
U
nited
S
tates
Authors: Henderson Tammy L. , Douglas Jonathan R. , Daniel Annie
Published: March 2016

The US Supreme Court deems marriage to be one of the most important relationships in society. Marriage is a fundamental right woven into the US constitutional “zone of privacy” and centers on liberty of choice and personal autonomy. It has been argued that there should be limited government intrusion in the fundamental right to marry; however, some states have placed restrictions on the right to marriage that range from age and licensure requirements to medical examinations. In addition to traditional marriage, some states recognize common‐law marriages and provide some protection to same‐sex couples. The US Supreme Court has given limited protection to intergenerational households that function like a traditional family. To a significant degree, contemporary marriage laws in the United States have not kept pace with family development. This entry considers the right to marriage, restrictions on the right to marriage, and other protected relationships.
Sex Trafficking
Authors: Gregoria Erin M.
Published: March 2016

Sex trafficking, a form of modern‐day slavery, is a multibillion‐dollar enterprise. Sex trafficking thrives via the sophisticated ways in which victims are manipulated into the sex trade, as well as trafficking's profitability with low risk of penalty for the perpetrators. Typically, victims of trafficking are targeted due to their vulnerability and are lured through force, fraud, or coercion. Sex trafficking occurs in residential brothels, restaurants, truck stops, motels/hotels, and other places and is not always recognizable to the general public. Due to trauma, shame, and fear, an individual who survives sex trafficking will often experience difficulty reintegrating into mainstream society. Survivors of trafficking may face complex challenges such as social isolation, poverty, mental health issues, medical issues, legal troubles, and increased vulnerability. It is also common for survivors of sex trafficking to have co‐occurring psychological diagnoses such as chemical dependency, mood disorders, and dissociate disorders.
Female‐Headed Households in the
U
nited
S
tates
Authors: Kang Young Jin
Published: March 2016

Female‐headed households are heterogeneous; individuals' experiences in these households may differ depending on various factors. Although female‐headed households may include those headed by cohabiting females, single mothers, same‐sex cohabiting and married females, and grandmothers, they may have permeable boundaries in that individuals often move into and out of them. Female‐headed households often face unique challenges, such as poverty, conflicts in balancing work and family responsibilities, gender discrimination, social class bias, and other social stigma. Researchers may need to focus more on resilience factors that can sustain members of female‐headed households. Given the likelihood that they will continue to increase in numbers, it may be important for governments to pay attention to the various needs of these households.
Arranged Marriage
Authors: Rider Kennon V. , Swallow Ann
Published: March 2016

People the world over engage in mate selection through one of two ways: future spouses themselves choose or parents or a larger kinship group choose. The first of these is referred to as “love marriage,” “free‐choice marriage,” or “autonomous mate selection.” The second form, “arranged marriage,” is the prevalent form of marriage in about half of the world's population. However, not all arranged marriages are alike. They range from the more traditional form where parents select partners based on factors likely to protect the interests of the family and larger society and without any input from the potential spouses, to a more contemporary form where the potential spouses have considerable influence. Forced marriage is sometimes a form of arranged marriage but should not be considered synonymous. Studies of marital quality have been inconclusive as to whether love marriages or arranged marriages result in greater marital satisfaction.
Abstinence Programs in theUnitedStates
Authors: Schumm Walter R. , Campos Cruz J. I. Falcon
Published: March 2016

Abstinence in general refers to avoiding actions or substances that may involve long‐term harm to oneself or others, even if they present opportunities for short‐term pleasurable experiences. Abstinence can be voluntary or involuntary. While it can refer to avoiding many things, in family studies it usually refers to avoiding premarital sex to some degree, and is often used in reference to abstinence‐based sex education, which remains controversial and often appears to be less effective than a mixture of abstinence and comprehensive programming. In the United States, federal and state politics have a substantial impact on the acceptance and implementation of abstinence‐based and other types of sex education programming.
Wedding Industry
Authors: Duncan Melanie L.
Published: March 2016

Weddings are considered to be a cultural universal. They appear, in some fashion, across all cultures. Since the mid‐nineteenth century, the wedding industry has seen some shifts in its purpose, services provided, outlook, and place in a consumer culture. In the early twenty‐first century, weddings and all their trappings represent a billion‐dollar industry. In this entry the shifts in the wedding industry are discussed in terms of their impact, the current state of the wedding industry, and predictions as to its future directions.
Maternal Employment
Authors: Shehan Constance L.
Published: March 2016

Women's participation in the paid labor force depends on many factors, including marriage, reproductive rights, and the belief that women should be the primary providers of care for children. The structure of a nation's economy, specifically whether it is agricultural, goods producing, or service producing, is also a primary determinant of the demand for women's employment and shapes the types of jobs they hold. Maternal employment, particularly among those who have young children, is of concern in most societies. Yet, in the United States, little formal support is available to them in the form of paid maternity leave, guaranteed job protection upon return to work after the birth of a baby, and/or provisions that enable new mothers to continue to breastfeed their babies while employed. Moreover, employed mothers experience a wage penalty relative to employed women who are not mothers.
Dating
Authors: Duncan Melanie L.
Published: March 2016

Dating is representative of changes that have occurred with regarding to mate selection and marriage. Dating can refer to a specific act (or “date”) or to the short‐ or long‐term relationship that a couple may enter. The process of dating involves varying social protocols, gender roles, age‐specific behaviors, and meanings throughout the life course.
Surrogacy
Authors: Duncan Melanie L.
Published: March 2016

Surrogacy is when a woman carries a child for someone else. There are many reasons why someone may become a service and a variety of individuals and couples who might seek her services. This entry details the intricacies that are involved in the process of surrogacy.
The impact of parenthood on physical aggression: Evidence from criminal data
Authors: Boothroyd Lynda G. , Cross Catharine P.
Published: March 2016

Evolutionary approaches to sex differences in physical aggression weigh the potential benefits of aggression against the likely costs to inclusive fitness, with some authors focusing on the damage physical injury would do to female inclusive fitness, and others on the extent to which success in physical competition may particularly enhance male fitness. This study tested a hypothesis derived from these approaches: that parents would be less physically aggressive than non‐parents because of the damage any physical injury would do to their inclusive fitness. Analysis was carried out using the United States federal sentencing records for 1994–1999 (22,344 individuals). The proportion of theft convictions which were violent (robbery; vs. larceny) was significantly greater for men than women (odds ratio 7.7). As predicted, non‐parents were significantly more likely to be violent than parents (odds ratio 1.6). Parenthood had a similar effect on relative rates of violence in men and women, although the baseline was considerably higher for men. There was also a significant effect in men of marital status, which interacted with parental status such that parenthood was only associated with a reduction in rates of violence in males recorded as partnered. The results are interpreted in terms of both evolutionary theory and recent work on the hormonal impacts of marriage and parenthood. Aggr. Behav. 42:577–584, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Flow Metal‐Free ArC Bond Formation via Photogenerated Phenyl Cations
Authors: Bergami Matteo , Protti Stefano , Ravelli Davide , Fagnoni Maurizio
Published: March 2016

A convenient photochemical flow protocol for the formation of aryl‐carbon bonds via photogenerated phenyl cations has been developed. A wide range of phenylated products, including biaryls, allylarenes, 2‐arylacetals and benzyl γ‐lactones, was smoothly synthesized in satisfactory yields under metal‐free conditions. The adoption of a flow reactor often allowed us to adopt higher concentrations of substrates and shorter irradiation times compared to those usually employed in batch systems.

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Biocomposite proton‐exchange membrane electrolytes for direct methanol fuel cells
Authors: Suganthi S , Mohanapriya S , Raj V.
Published: March 2016

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)‐amino acid (AA) biocomposite membranes are prepared by blending PVA with AAs such as glycine, lysine (LY), and phenyl alanine followed by in situ crosslinking with citric acid (CA) and explored as a new class of biocomposite membrane electrolytes for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). CA crosslinks with PVA through esterification offers adequate chemical, thermal, and morphological stability thereby produces methanol‐obstructing close‐packed polymeric network. These biocomposite membranes are characterized in terms of mechanical, thermal, sorption, and proton‐conducting properties. Hydrophilic nature of AA zwitterions significantly facilitates proton conduction and CA crosslinking mitigates methanol crossover through establishing appropriate balance between hydrophilic/hydrophobic domains. The rational design of membrane microstructure with proper arrangement of hydrophobic/hydrophilic domains is a key to enhance electrochemical selectivity of PVA‐AA/CA biocomposite membranes. Biocomposite membrane comprising LY exhibits nearly threefold higher electrochemical selectivity in relation to PVA/CA blend membrane. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43514.
STP Approach to Model Controlled Automata with Application to Reachability Analysis of DEDS
Authors: Yan Yongyi , Chen Zengqiang , Yue Jumei , Fu Zhumu
Published: March 2016

This paper introduces semi‐tensor product of matrices (STP), a new matrix analysis tool, into the field of discrete event dynamic system (DEDS). Using STP, the dynamics of controlled automaton are modelled as an algebraic expression of the states, events and control specification. Based on this algebraic description, a sufficient and necessary condition is proposed to check whether any two states of a DEDS are reachable or not. The condition suggests an algorithm which can discover all the event strings by which a controlled automaton can move to one state from another one if they are reachable. All the results can be used to analyze corresponding problems of finite automata after simple modification. Finally, illustrative examples examine the correctness of the presented results/algorithm and demonstrate the modification after which the results are suitable for finite automata. The approach of this paper provides a new angle and means to understand and analyze the dynamics of DEDS.
Entrainment and droplet spectral characteristics in convective clouds during transition to monsoon
Authors: Bera Sudarsan , Pandithurai G. , Prabha Thara V.
Published: March 2016

In situ observations in growing deep cumulus in polluted and clean environments during the transition to monsoon over Indian peninsula are used to investigate entrainment effects on droplet size distribution and the width of possible cloud cores. Pre‐monsoon clouds indicate reduction in spectral width in the diluted cloud volumes due to lateral entrainment whereas monsoon cloud has higher spectral width. Relative dispersion is observed to increase with the distance from cloud core of monsoon cloud while for pre‐monsoon clouds it remained almost constant. Enhanced entrainment in polluted pre‐monsoon clouds is responsible for narrow cloud core compared to monsoon cloud.
Effect of extremely low‐frequency electromagnetic fields on antioxidant activity in the human keratinocyte cell line NCTC 2544
Authors: Calcabrini Cinzia , Mancini Umberto , De Bellis Roberta , Diaz Anna Rita , Martinelli Maddalena , Cucchiarini Luigi , Sestili Piero , Stocchi Vilberto , Potenza Lucia
Published: March 2016

Some epidemiological studies have suggested possible associations between exposure to extremely low‐frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF‐EMFs) and various diseases. Recently, ELF‐EMF has been considered as a therapeutic agent. To support ELF‐EMF use in regenerative medicine, in particular in the treatment of skin injuries, we investigated whether significant cell damage occurs after ELF‐EMF exposure. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was evaluated in the human keratinocyte exposed for 1 H to 50 Hz ELF‐EMF in a range of field strengths from 0.25 to 2 G. Significant ROS increases resulted at 0.5 and 1 G and under these flux densities ROS production, glutathione content, antioxidant defense activity, and lipid peroxidation markers were assessed for different lengths of time. Analyzed parameters of antioxidant defense and membrane integrity showed a different trend at two selected magnetic fluxes, with a greater sensitivity of the cells exposed to 0.5 G, especially after 1 H. All significant alterations observed in the first 4 H of exposure reverted to controls 24 H after suggesting that under these conditions, ELF‐EMF induces a slight oxidative stress that does not overwhelm the metabolic capacity of the cells or have a cytotoxic effect.
GroE chaperonins assisted functional expression of bacterial enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Xia Peng‐Fei , Zhang Guo‐Chang , Liu Jing‐Jing , Kwak Suryang , Tsai Ching‐Sung , Kong In Iok , Sung Bong Hyun , Sohn Jung‐Hoon , Wang Shu‐Guang , Jin Yong‐Su
Published: March 2016

Rapid advances in the capabilities of reading and writing DNA along with increasing understanding of microbial metabolism at the systems‐level have paved an incredible path for metabolic engineering. Despite these advances, post‐translational tools facilitating functional expression of heterologous enzymes in model hosts have not been developed well. Some bacterial enzymes, such as Escherichia coli xylose isomerase (XI) and arabinose isomerase (AI) which are essential for utilizing cellulosic sugars, cannot be functionally expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We hypothesized and demonstrated that the mismatching of the HSP60 chaperone systems between bacterial and eukaryotic cells might be the reason these bacterial enzymes cannot be functionally expressed in yeast. The results showed that the co‐expression of E. coli GroE can facilitate the functional expression of E. coli XI and AI, as well as the Agrobacterium tumefaciens D‐psicose epimerase in S. cerevisiae. The co‐expression of bacterial chaperonins in S. cerevisiae is a promising post‐translational strategy for the functional expression of bacterial enzymes in yeast. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 2149–2155. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Outcome of acute intestinal failure
Authors: Atema J J , Mirck B , Van Arum I , ten Dam S M , Serlie M J , Boermeester M A
Published: March 2016

Background

Type 2 acute intestinal failure is characterized by the need for parenteral nutrition (PN) for several months, and is typically caused by complications of abdominal surgery with enteric fistulas or proximal stomas. This study aimed to evaluate clinical management according to quality indicators established by the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland.

Methods

Consecutive patients with type 2 intestinal failure referred to a specialized centre were analysed. Outcomes included the rate of discontinuation of PN, morbidity and mortality.

Results

Eighty-nine patients were analysed, of whom 57 had an enteric fistula, 29 a proximal stoma (6 with distal fistulas), and three had intestinal failure owing to other causes. One patient was deemed inoperable, and nine patients died from underlying illness during initial management. Before reconstructive surgery, 94 per cent (65 of 66 operated and 3 patients scheduled for surgery) spent the period of rehabilitation at home. Discontinuation of PN owing to restoration of enteral autonomy was achieved in 65 (73 per cent) of 89 patients. Seven patients developed a recurrent fistula, which was successfully managed with a further operation in four, resulting in successful fistula takedown in 41 of 44 patients undergoing fistula resection. Three patients (5 per cent) died in hospital after reconstructive surgery. The overall mortality rate in this series, including preoperative deaths from underlying diseases, was 16 per cent (14 patients).

Conclusion

Intestinal failure care and reconstructive surgery resulted in successful discontinuation of PN in the majority of patients, although disease-related mortality was considerable.
Mortality from laparoscopic antireflux surgery in a nationwide cohort of the working-age population
Authors: Maret-Ouda J , Yanes M , Konings P , Brusselaers N , Lagergren J
Published: March 2016

Background

Both medication and surgery are effective treatments for severe gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Postoperative risks have contributed to decreased use of antireflux surgery. The aim of this study was to assess short-term mortality following primary laparoscopic fundoplication.

Methods

This was a population-based nationwide cohort study including all Swedish hospitals that performed laparoscopic fundoplication between 1997 and 2013. All patients aged 18–65 years with GORD who underwent primary laparoscopic fundoplication during the study interval were included. The primary outcome was absolute all-cause and surgery-related 90- and 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were reoperation and length of hospital stay. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios with 95 per cent confidence intervals of reoperation within 90 days and prolonged hospital stay (4 days or more).

Results

Of 8947 included patients, 5306 (59·3 per cent) were men and 551 (6·2 per cent) had significant co-morbidity (Charlson score above 0). Median age at surgery was 48 years, and median hospital stay was 2 days. The annual rate of laparoscopic fundoplication decreased from 15·3 to 2·4 patients per 100 000 population during the study period, whereas the proportion of patients with co-morbidity increased more than twofold. All-cause 90- and 30-day mortality rates were 0·08 per cent (7 patients) and 0·03 per cent (3 patients) respectively. Only one death (0·01 per cent) was directly surgery-related. The 90-day reoperation rate was 0·4 per cent (39 patients). Co-morbidity and older age were associated with an increased risk of prolonged hospital stay, but not reoperation.

Conclusion

This population-based study revealed very low mortality and reoperation rates following primary laparoscopic fundoplication in the working-age population. The findings may influence clinical decision-making in the treatment of severe GORD.
Form ‘defines’ function: Neural connectivity between aesthetic perception and product purchase decisions in an fMRI study
Authors: Chattaraman Veena , Deshpande Gopikrishna , Kim Hyejeong , Sreenivasan Karthik Ramakrishnan
Published: March 2016

In the aesthetics literature, object beauty has been emphasized for its non‐instrumental benefits, in other words, beauty that is ‘rewarding’ in itself, without functional considerations. In the context of consumer products, this study examines the influence of aesthetic perceptions on purchase decisions based on integrating both reward (hedonic) and functional value attribution mechanisms. Brain connectivity analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data sheds light on the neural route for the influence of product beauty on purchase. Notably, a significant directional connectivity from brain networks mediating ‘aesthetic perception’ to ‘functional value’ to ‘purchase decision’ shows that the left Amygdala, an emotion‐related region of the aesthetic network, influences all five regions in the functional network, which then influences the purchase network of the brain, thus supporting the utilitarian goals of aesthetic appraisals and the Antonio Damasio's somatic/emotional marker hypothesis. Further, we find clear evidence that the reward (hedonic) network, which also influences the purchase network, receives information from the functional network of the brain, integrating both the non‐instrumental and instrumental value of the product. In other words, beauty in consumer products influences purchase decisions by evoking emotions that importantly define the functional value of products, in addition to their hedonic/reward value uncovered in previous literature. In light of the novel findings, the authors discuss important implications for marketing theory, methodology, and practice. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Can an organization's philanthropic donations encourage consumers to give? The roles of gratitude and boundary conditions
Authors: Kwak Dae Hee , Kwon Youngbum
Published: March 2016

This study examines whether an organization's charitable donation will prompt consumers who closely identify with the organization to give to the charity as well. We posit that identifying with a benefactor will enhance the perception that consumers are involved in the donation process, which evokes grateful feelings. We also predict that the amount of the organization's donation will positively moderate the influence of organization identification on charity‐evoked feelings of gratitude, while attitude toward the organization's charity will positively moderate the gratitude–donation relationship. In Study 1, we show how gratitude arises in the context of corporate social responsibility by demonstrating the mediating role of perceived donation contribution in the relationship between organization identification and gratitude. In Study 2, we demonstrate that organization identification has a significant indirect effect on donation intention through gratitude. Multigroup analyses show that the identification–gratitude link is more salient when the organization commits to donating a larger amount of money to a charity. Furthermore, the impact of gratitude on donation intent is significantly stronger for individuals who hold a favorable attitude toward the organization's corporate social responsibility activity. Our findings indicate that an organization's charitable giving also encourages consumers to give to the community via vicariously felt gratitude. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Post‐transcriptional regulation of gene expression in neural stem cells
Authors: Kim Do‐Yeon
Published: March 2016

Expression of each gene can be controlled at several steps during the flow of genetic information from DNA to protein. Tight regulation of gene expression is especially important for stem cells because of their greater ripple effects, compared with terminally differentiated cells. Dysregulation of gene expression arising in stem cells can be perpetuated within the stem cell pool via self‐renewal throughout life. In addition, transcript profiles within stem cells can determine the selective advantage or disadvantage of each cell, leading to changes in cell fate, such as a tendency for proliferation, death, and differentiation. The identification of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) and greater understanding of their cellular physiology have raised the possibility of using NSPCs to replace damaged or injured neurons. However, an accurate grasp of gene expression control must take precedence in order to use NSPCs in therapies for neurological diseases. Recently, accumulating evidence has demonstrated the importance of post‐transcriptional regulation in NSPC fate decisions. In this review, we will summarize and discuss the recent findings on key mRNA modulators and their vital roles in NSPC homeostasis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.