bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protective Effects of Emodin and Chrysophanol Isolated from Marine Fungus Aspergillus sp. on Ethanol‐Induced Toxicity in HepG2/CYP2E1 Cells
Authors: Qian Zhong-Ji , Zhang Chen , Li Yong-Xin , Je Jae-Young , Kim Se-Kwon , Jung Won-Kyo
Published: September 2011

Alcohol‐induced liver injury progresses from fatty infiltration followed by a harmful cause of inflammation leading to an irreversible damage. In this study, two compounds (emodin and chrysophanol) isolated from marine fungus Aspergillus sp. were examined for their protective effects against ethanol‐induced toxicity in vitro. Ethanol‐induced HepG2/CYP2E1 cells were treated with the compounds at various concentrations, and the results showed that there was a dose‐dependent decrease of gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity and increase of glutathione (GSH) in the culture media with an increase in cell viability. Furthermore, the protective effects of the compounds were evaluated by protein expression levels of GGT, GSH, and CYP2E1 using Western blot. Among the compounds, emodin addressed to the ethanol‐induced cytotoxicity more effectively compared to the chrysophanol. It could be suggested that emodin isolated from this genus would be a potential candidate for attenuating ethanol induced liver damage for further industrial applications such as functional food and pharmaceutical developments.
A Confidence Region for Zero‐Gradient Solutions for Robust Parameter Design Experiments
Authors: Cheng Aili , Peterson John , Chitturi Pallavi
Published: September 2011

One of the key issues in robust parameter design is to configure the controllable factors to minimize the
variance due to noise variables. However, it can sometimes happen that the number of control variables is
greater than the number of noise variables. When this occurs, two important situations arise. One is that
the variance due to noise variables can be brought down to zero The second is that multiple optimal control
variable settings become available to the experimenter. A simultaneous confidence region for such a locus
of points not only provides a region of uncertainty about such a solution, but also provides a statistical test
of whether or not such points lie within the region of experimentation or a feasible region of operation.
However, this situation requires a confidence region for the multiple‐solution factor levels that provides
proper simultaneous coverage. This requirement has not been previously recognized in the literature. In
the case where the number of control variables is greater than the number of noise variables, we show how
to construct critical values needed to maintain the simultaneous coverage rate. Two examples are provided
as a demonstration of the practical need to adjust the critical values for simultaneous coverage.
Optimizing Distributed Real-Time Embedded System Handling Dependence and Several Strict Periodicity Constraints
Authors: Kermia Omar
Published: September 2011

This paper focuses on real-time nonpreemptive multiprocessor scheduling with precedence and strict periodicity constraints. Since this problem is NP-hard, there exist several approaches to resolve it. In addition, because of periodicity constraints our problem stands for a decision problem which consists in determining if, a solution exists or not. Therefore, the first criterion on which the proposed heuristic is evaluated is its schedulability. Then, the second criterion on which the proposed heuristic is evaluated is its execution time. Hence, we performed a schedulability analysis which leads to a necessary and sufficient schedulability condition for determining whether a task satisfies its precedence and periodicity constraints on a processor where others tasks have already been scheduled. We also present two multiperiodic applications.
Successful Implementation of a Perioperative Glycemic Control Protocol in Cardiac Surgery: Barrier Analysis and Intervention Using Lean Six Sigma
Authors: Martinez Elizabeth A. , Chavez-Valdez Raul , Holt Natalie F. , Grogan Kelly L. , Khalifeh Katherine W. , Slater Tammy , Winner Laura E. , Moyer Jennifer , Lehmann Christoph U.
Published: September 2011

Although the evidence strongly supports perioperative glycemic control among cardiac surgical patients, there is scant literature to describe the practical application of such a protocol in the complex ICU environment. This paper describes the use of the Lean Six Sigma methodology to implement a perioperative insulin protocol in a cardiac surgical intensive care unit (CSICU) in a large academic hospital. A preintervention chart audit revealed that fewer than 10% of patients were admitted to the CSICU with glucose <200 mg/dL, prompting the initiation of the quality improvement project. Following protocol implementation, more than 90% of patients were admitted with a glucose <200 mg/dL. Key elements to success include barrier analysis and intervention, provider education, and broadening the project scope to address the intraoperative period.
In VitroProperties of Orthodontic Adhesives with Fluoride or Amorphous Calcium Phosphate
Authors: Chow Clara Ka Wai , Wu Christine D. , Evans Carla A.
Published: September 2011

Thisin vitrostudy evaluated the efficacy of orthodontic adhesives with fluoride or amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) in reducing bacterial adhesion and enamel demineralization. Forty human premolars each sectioned buccolingually into three parts were bracketed with control resin (Transbond XT) or adhesives containing ACP (Aegis Ortho) or fluoride (QuickCure). Artificial lesions induced by pH cycling were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectrophotometry (XPS) and polarized light microscopy (PLM). After 28 days, Aegis Ortho demonstrated the lowest calcium and phosphorous content by XPS analysis. After 42 days, reductions in lesion depth areas were 23.6% for Quick Cure and 20.3% for Aegis Ortho (P<0.05). In the presence of 1% sucrose, adhesion ofStreptococcus mutansto Aegis Ortho and Quick Cure was reduced by 41.8% and 37.7% (P<0.05) as compared to Transbond XT. Composites containing ACP or fluoride reduced bacterial adherence and lesion formation as compared to a composite without ACP or fluoride.
Aortoesophageal Fistula after Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair of a Mycotic Thoracic Aneurysm
Authors: Gavens Elizabeth , Zaidi Zehra , Al-Jundi Wissam , Kumar Palepu
Published: September 2011

Mycotic aneurysms constitute a small proportion of aortic aneurysms. Endovascular repair of mycotic aneurysms has been applied with good short-term and midterm results. However, the uncommon aortoenteric fistula formation remains a potentially fatal complication when repairing such infective aneurysms. We present the case of an 80-year-old woman with thoracic and abdominal aortic mycotic aneurysms, which were successfully treated with endografting. However, the patient presented 3 months later with upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to erosion of the thoracic graft into the oesophagus. The patient was treated conservatively due to the high risk of surgical repair. There is currently little exposure to the management of mycotic aortic aneurysms. If suspected, imaging of the entire vasculature will aid initial diagnosis and highlight the extent of the disease process, allowing for efficient management. Aortic endografting for mycotic thoracic aneurysms is a high-risk procedure yet is still an appropriate intervention. Aortoenteric fistulae pose a rare but severe complication of aortic endografting in this setting.
Recurrent Urosepsis and Cardiogenic Shock in an Elderly Patient with Pheochromocytoma
Authors: Khoo Joan Joo-Ching , Au Vanessa Shu-Chuan , Chen Richard Yuan-Tud
Published: September 2011

Pheochromocytomas are thought to be uncommon in the elderly. However, the prevalence is likely to be higher than reported, as older patients are less likely to be diagnosed due to absence of classical symptoms of sympathetic overactivity and confounding effects of aging, comorbidities, and medications. We describe a hypertensive elderly patient with incidentally diagnosed pheochromocytoma complicated by recurrent urosepsis, cardiomyopathy, and fatal myocardial infarction. Our case demonstrates that, in older hypertensive patients without classical symptoms, orthostatic hypotension and urinary retention, which are common in the elderly, may indicate catecholamine excess and that the deleterious cardiovascular consequences of catecholamine excess in the elderly are not prevented by pharmacological α- and β-blockade.
Corrosion Behavior of Simulated HLW Glass in the Presence of Magnesium Ion
Authors: Maeda Toshikatsu , Ohmori Hiroyuki , Mitsui Seiichiro , Banba Tsunetaka
Published: September 2011

Static leach tests were conducted for simulated HLW glass in MgCl2solution for up to 92 days to investigate the dissolution mechanism of HLW glass under coastal repository condition. Under the condition that magnesium ion exists in leachate, the dissolution rate of the glass did not decrease with time during leaching, while the rate decreased when the magnesium ion depleted in the leachate. In addition, altered layer including magnesium and silica was observed at the surface of the glass after the leach tests. The present results imply that dissolution of the glass is accompanied with formation of magnesium silicate consuming silica, a glass network former. As a consequence, the glass dissolved with an initial high dissolution rate.
CA19-9 as a Potential Target for Radiolabeled Antibody-Based Positron Emission Tomography of Pancreas Cancer
Authors: Girgis Mark D. , Olafsen Tove , Kenanova Vania , McCabe Katelyn E. , Wu Anna M. , Tomlinson James S.
Published: September 2011

Introduction. Sensitive and specific imaging of pancreas cancer are necessary for accurate diagnosis, staging, and treatment. The vast majority of pancreas cancers express the carbohydrate tumor antigen CA19-9. The goal of this study was to determine the potential to target CA19-9 with a radiolabeled anti-CA19-9 antibody for imaging pancreas cancer. Methods. CA19-9 was quantified using flow cytometry on human pancreas cancer cell lines. An intact murine anti-CA19-9 monoclonal antibody was labeled with a positron emitting radionuclide (Iodine-124) and injected into mice harboring antigen positive and negative xenografts. MicroPET/CT were performed at successive time intervals (72 hours, 96 hours, 120 hours) after injection. Radioactivity was measured in blood and tumor to provide objective confirmation of the images. Results. Antigen expression by flow cytometry revealed approximately 1.3×106 CA19-9 antigens for the positive cell line and no expression in the negative cell line. Pancreas xenograft imaging with Iodine-124-labeled anti-CA19-9 mAb demonstrated an average tumor to blood ratio of 5 and positive to negative tumor ratio of 20. Conclusion. We show in vivo targeting of our antigen positive xenograft with a radiolabeled anti-CA19-9 antibody. These data demonstrate the potential to achieve anti-CA19-9 antibody based positron emission tomography of pancreas cancer.
Mobile Right Atrial Thrombi in a Patient with the Hemoglobin SC Disease
Authors: Savage H. O. , Ding N. , Eso O. , Sachdev B. , Lefroy D. L.
Published: September 2011

The formation of Intracardiac thrombi is rare in the absence of structural heart disease or atrial fibrillation. We describe a case of spontaneous right atrial thrombus formation that occurred in a patient with a hypercoagulable condition who had been sub optimally anticoagulated.
Perinatal Environment and Endometriosis
Authors: Somigliana Edgardo , Vigano Paola , Abbiati Annalisa , Paffoni Alessio , Benaglia Laura , Vercellini Paolo , Fedele Luigi
Published: September 2011

Background/Aims: Perinatal environmental exposure may affect fetal development and reprogram the developing organism for adult-onset disease. In this case-control study, we aimed at assessing this pathogenetic model in endometriosis. Methods: Consecutive patients with a first laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis were selected as cases. Controls were women who underwent laparoscopy during the same study period, but who were found to be free of the disease. Selected women and their mothers were interviewed. Results: Ninety-one women with endometriosis and 82 controls were selected. Handedness, a variable believed to be determined prenatally by hormonal environment in utero significantly differed between the study groups. Women with the disease were less likely to be left- or mixed-handed (adjusted OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08–0.71). In contrast, we failed to detect any association with birth order, maternal age, smoking, nausea, weight gain, prematurity, birth weight and breast-feeding. Conclusions: Our results generally do not support the view that in utero exposure may play a major role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The association with handedness, however, is intriguing in this regard and deserves further investigation.
Melatonin Receptor 1A Gene Polymorphism Associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Li Chao , Shi Yuhua , You Li , Wang Laicheng , Chen Zi-Jiang
Published: September 2011

Background/Aims: Melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene is a regulator of circadian rhythms and reproductive processes. The MTNR1A gene is also a potential candidate gene of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of the present study was to determine whether or not the MTNR1A gene polymorphism is associated with a predisposition to PCOS. Methods: The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2119882 in the MTNR1A gene was detected in 482 patients with PCOS and 522 healthy Chinese Han women. Subsequently, the association of MTNR1A gene variants with plasma glucose, insulin levels during oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) and hormone levels was investigated. Results: The frequencies of genotypes and allelotypes of SNP rs2119882 differed significantly between PCOS cases and healthy controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). SNP rs2119882 was associated with higher fasting plasma glucose concentrations (p = 0.021) and OGTT-induced insulin release at 0, 30, 60, and 120 min (all p < 0.05) in PCOS cases, as well as an increased homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (p = 0.005). Conclusion: SNP rs2119882 is associated with PCOS.
Clinical Characteristics and Type of Thrombophilia in Women with Pregnancy-Related Venous Thromboembolic Disease
Authors: Mitic Gorana , Kovac Mirjana , Jurisic Djurdjina , Djordjevic Valentina , Ilic Vesna , Salatic Iva , Spasic Dragan , Novakov Mikic Aleksandra
Published: September 2011

Background: Normal pregnancy is characterized by numerous changes in the hemostatic system, creating the hypercoagulable state which increases the risk of venous thromboembolic event (VTE) occurrence. The risk is further increased by the presence of inherited or acquired thrombophilia. Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of different types of thrombophilia in women with pregnancy-related VTE, and to investigate the possible connection between the type of thrombophilia and localization of VTE as well as the gestational age of VTE occurrence. Participants and Methods: Two hundred and two women with the first episode of pregnancy-related VTE and 130 controls were investigated. The antithrombin, protein C and protein S activity, APC resistance, FVG1691A, and FIIG20210A were determined. None of the investigated women was pregnant at the time of thrombophilia testing, and none was using oral contraceptives. Results: Thrombophilia was diagnosed in 95 patients (47%) and 7 controls (5.4%). The prevalence of FV Leiden, FIIG20210A mutations, antithrombin, PC and PS deficiencies taken together and combined thrombophilia was 22.3, 10.4, 6.9 and 6.9%, respectively. Significantly more frequent antepartum occurrence of VTE (11 vs. 3, p < 0.05) was found in women with natural coagulation inhibitor deficiency. Pulmonary embolism occurred more frequently in nonthrombophilic women (25 vs. 3, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Inherited thrombophilia was found to be considerably more frequently present in women with pregnancy- and puerperium-related VTE compared to healthy controls. Women with thrombophilia are at higher risk of developing thromboses localized in the iliacofemoral region, and women without thrombophilia are at higher risk of developing pulmonary embolism. Deficiency in natural coagulation inhibitors is associated with antepartum VTE occurrence.
The Positive Correlation between Cord Serum Retinol-Binding Protein 4 Concentrations and Fetal Growth
Authors: Chan Te-Fu , Tsai Yung-Chieh , Wu Chen-Hsuan , Lee Chien-Hung , Wang Shih-Han , Su Juin-Huang
Published: September 2011

Background/Aims: Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has been shown to be associated with insulin resistance and fatty acid metabolism. We hypothesize that RBP4 might play a role in fetal growth and that cord serum RBP4 may act as a marker of fetal growth, independent of fetal insulin levels. Methods: Twenty-one women having fetuses in the top quartile (>75th percentile) of birth weights for gestational age were enrolled into the trial, along with 21 women having fetuses in the bottom quartile (<25th percentile) of birth weights for gestational age. Serum RBP4 and insulin levels were analyzed. Results: Cord serum RBP4 and insulin concentrations were significantly higher in the top quartile group (14.3 ± 3.7 ng/ml, 3.8 ± 5.2 µIU/ml) than in the bottom quartile group (11.3 ± 2.6 ng/ml, 0.9 ± 1.4 µIU/ml; p = 0.004, p = 0.017). Cord serum RBP4 and insulin as well as gestational age (r = 0.744, r2 = 0.553, p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with fetal birth weights. Conclusion: Cord serum RBP4 concentrations were higher in subjects with top quartile fetuses than in those with bottom quartile fetuses. Cord serum RBP4 concentrations were significantly correlated with fetal birth weight. These findings may indicate that cord serum RBP4 plays a regulatory role in fetal growth.
Circulation
Editors' Picks
Authors:   The Editors
Published: September 2011

The following articles are being highlighted as part of
Circulation's
Topic Review series. This series will summarize the most important manuscripts, as selected by the editors, published in
Circulation
and the
Circulation
subspecialty journals. The studies included in this article represent the most read manuscripts published on the topic of arrhythmia and electrophysiology in 2009 and 2010.
Childhood Health and Labor Market Inequality over the Life Course
Authors: Haas Steven A. , Glymour M. Maria , Berkman Lisa F.
Published: September 2011

The authors use data from the Health and Retirement Study’s Earnings Benefit File, which links Health and Retirement Study to Social Security Administration records, to estimate the impact of childhood health on earnings curves between the ages of 25 and 50 years. They also investigate the extent to which diminished educational attainment, earlier onset of chronic health conditions, and labor force participation mediate this relationship. Those who experience poor childhood health have substantially diminished labor market earnings over the work career. For men, earnings differentials grow larger over the early to middle career and then slow down and begin to converge as they near 50 years of age. For women, earnings differentials emerge later in the career and show no evidence of convergence. Part of the child health earnings differential is accounted for by selection into diminished educational attainment, the earlier onset of chronic disease in adulthood, and, particularly for men, labor force participation.
Dynamics of Inequality
Authors: Song Shige , Burgard Sarah A.
Published: September 2011

In this study, the authors analyze the dynamic relationship between Chinese women’s education, their utilization of newly available medical pregnancy care, and their infants’ mortality risk. China has undergone enormous social, economic, and political changes over recent decades and is a novel context in which to examine the potential influence of social change and technological innovation on health disparities. The authors consider efficacy, or the ability to quickly absorb and effectively utilize new medical innovations, and argue that the social stratification of efficacy provides an important conceptual link between education and the greater likelihood of benefitting from medical innovations. Using the 2001 National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Survey data and multilevel, multiprocess models, the authors show that Chinese infants born to better educated mothers retained a survival advantage over the turbulent decades between 1970 and 2000. This occurs largely because educated mothers more actively sought prenatal care and professional delivery assistance use.
New Supply and Price Dynamics in the Singapore Housing Market
Authors: Ooi Joseph T. L. , Le Thao T. T.
Published: September 2011

In this paper, VAR models are employed to trace the price response of existing houses to the quantity of new units launched by homebuilders in Singapore between 1996 and 2009. Contrary to the ‘competition’ hypothesis prediction of a negative reaction, it is found that marginal supply Granger-cause existing house prices in a positive manner. The effect is robust to the inclusion of exogenous demand factors as well as price interaction in the primary (new houses) and secondary (existing houses) market segments. The ‘contagion’ effect is consistent with the hypothesis that developers, due to their ability to predict the market, are price leaders in the housing market. It is also found that homebuilders exhibit ‘herding’ behaviour in mimicking each other’s timing on when to market their new residential projects.
The Predictive Accuracy of Risk Factors in the Sexual Violence Risk–20 (Svr-20)
Authors: Rettenberger Martin , Boer Douglas P. , Eher Reinhard
Published: September 2011

The Sexual Violence Risk–20 (SVR-20) is the most commonly used structured professional judgment guideline for sexual offender risk assessment and risk management planning. Using a prospective longitudinal research design the authors evaluated the predictive accuracy of the SVR-20, of its subscales, and of the individual items in relation to different recidivism criteria and offender subgroups by analyzing a total sample of 493 sexual offenders released from the Austrian Prison System. Findings indicate good predictive accuracy for the prediction of sexual recidivism for the total sample (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = .72) as well as for the rapist subgroup ( n = 221, AUC = .71) and the child molester subsample ( n = 249, AUC = .77). However, the results also revealed some inconsistency in the predictive power of the SVR-20 depending on recidivism criterion and offender subgroup. Furthermore, it can be pointed out that the subscales and individual items substantially differ in their association with future sexual and nonsexual violence.
Assessing the Generalizability of the Near Repeat Phenomenon
Authors: Youstin Tasha J. , Nobles Matt R. , Ward Jeffrey T. , Cook Carrie L.
Published: September 2011

The “near repeat” phenomenon suggests that when a crime occurs in a given area, the surrounding area may exhibit an increased risk for subsequent crime in the days following the original incident. The present study assesses the extent to which near repeats generalize across three different crimes, including shootings, robbery, and auto theft. A series of near repeat models was estimated to further specify the temporal proximity of near repeats for each crime type under investigation. Results showed that a near repeat pattern exists across crime types; however, each crime type has a unique spatiotemporal pattern. Implications for police strategies, such as geographical profiling and future research connecting near repeat patterns to repeat offenders, are discussed.
Development and Validation of the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Skills Questionnaire
Authors: Jacob Karen L. , Christopher Michael S. , Neuhaus Edmund C.
Published: September 2011

Although several theories exist to describe why patients improve in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), in only a limited number of studies has CBT skill acquisition been examined, particularly among patients with complex clinical profiles. Thus, the overarching aim of this research was to develop a tool to measure patients’ use of CBT skills, such that it would have clinical utility for patients and therapists during treatment. In Study 1, the authors developed an initial set of items for the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Skills Questionnaire (CBTSQ). They submitted these items to an exploratory factor analysis in an initial administration ( n = 350) and to a confirmatory factor analysis in a second administration ( n = 378). Results indicated that there were two factors (Behavioral Activation and Cognitive Restructuring) with good factor structure and internal consistency, and both the factors evidenced expected relationships with other constructs. In Study 2, the criterion validity of the CBTSQ was investigated on a patient sample in a CBT-oriented treatment setting. Results showed that CBTSQ scores increased following treatment, and Cognitive Restructuring and Behavioral Activation scores predicted reduction of overall psychiatric symptoms and depression. Thus, the CBTSQ appears to be a promising measure of CBT skill acquisition and treatment outcome as well as an instrument that can help patients and therapists monitor progress specifically related to a CBT skills training treatment approach.
Megacities: Globalization, Metropolization, and Sustainability
Authors: Stratmann Bernhard
Published: September 2011

Drawing on Simmel's view of the modern metropolis, the article provides a reflection on the present research on megacities and likewise a corrective to approaches focusing too unilaterally on risks. At the same time the emergence and advancement of megacities will be explored in the context of the current processes of urbanization, globalization, and metropolization. It will be argued that a “hazards perspective” on major cities needs to be complemented by a focus on the potential of these cities, i. e., on hope, creativity, and urban resilience. Overall, it is concluded that city size is not necessarily an obstacle to sustainability.
Reconfiguring Space, Mobilizing Livelihood Street Vending, Legality, and Work in the Philippines
Authors: Milgram B. Lynne
Published: September 2011

In the Philippines, the liberalization of the country's economy has meant increasing rural to urban migration and dramatic growth in informal sector trade. Women, in particular, building on their historical roles as the country's primary public and regional market traders, have made Philippine city streets their new business venue for itinerant, but viable work selling different goods: fresh produce, manufactured goods, cooked food – gendered occupations common throughout Southeast Asia. That their livelihood enterprises occur within public spaces not customarily used for commercial activities, means that such trades raise questions about who has access to and rights over such street spaces. Focusing on the growing street economy in Baguio City, the industrialized and administrative center of the northern Philippines, this article argues that female street vendors, through their livelihoods, unsettle essentialist categories such as informal/formal work, appropriate space use, and legal/illegal practice. Many of these women may appear unprepared for labor organizing, as few have the financial resources or the training they need to protect their rights. Yet, by organizing themselves into vendor associations, using letter writing campaigns and assuming innovative leadership positions, vendors successfully protested the 2007 Baguio City bylaws banning street trade in the central business district. The concessions these women won on selected laws enabled them to capture urban spaces consolidating their access to livelihood despite the constraints they face and the differences among street-based groups. Recognizing such gendered place-based politics makes nuanced analyses of Baguio City's street vendors important to policy makers and social scientists seeking to understand how vendors’ actions may contribute to informed renegotiations of rights to integral work.
Urban-Rural Straddling Conceptualizing the Peri-urban in Central Africa
Authors: Trefon Theodore
Published: September 2011

African urban hinterlands are fascinating spaces of imbalance where ordinary people have imagined new constructions of space and time. On the basis of interdisciplinary field research in central Africa, this article analyzes how power over nature is structured in peri-urban areas. It defines the concept of peri-urban space and identifies the stakeholders working, living, exploiting, and imagining this hybrid form of social space. It addresses the way urban populations have reconfigured the complex relations that link them to their hinterlands. It concludes that demographic pressure will continue in peri-urban areas, that the environment will be increasingly degraded and people living in these areas will find access to land for housing and agriculture more and more challenging.
Indigeneity and consciousness in Brazil: Analyzing Sousa (1587) and Mendes Jr (1912)
Authors: Ferrari-Nunes Rodrigo
Published: September 2011

This article analyzes understandings of indigeneity and legal consciousness in Brazil in the 16th, early 20th and 21st centuries. The article focuses on the often ignored work of João Mendes Junior, written in 1912, about the indigenous peoples of São Paulo and on Gabriel Soares de Sousa’s Tratado descritivo do Brasil em 1587 [A Descriptive Treatise of Brazil in 1587]. Mendes’ ideas about race, biology and indigeneity diverge considerably from hegemonic Western theories of racial purity and Social Darwinism, but his contribution has never really been acknowledged. This article argues that theories that better fit the organizing model of the free market have become more hegemonic and widespread. For this reason, social scientists should strive to bring into discussion epistemological alternatives to the hegemonic principles of capitalism, which foster exploitation, destitution and the privatization of public space.
What's wrong with this picture? The case of access to information requests in two continental federal states – Germany and Switzerland
Authors: Holsen Sarah , Pasquier Martial
Published: September 2011

More than 80 access to information (ATI) laws exist worldwide. Their primary objectives are to increase transparency and accountability in government. Given the similarity in the components of ATI laws across countries, one could expect per capita usage of the laws to be roughly similar. However, comparing the number of requests in seven countries, we found that far fewer requests are being made in Switzerland and Germany than in Canada, Ireland, Mexico, India, and the UK and that, in contrast to these five, the number is not increasing. Drawing on 28 semi-structured interviews with experts on the Swiss Law on Transparency (LTrans) and German FOI Law (IFG), we offer three primary explanations for the low use of the laws. The first is that few people are aware of the law in either country as a consequence of little promotion of the laws. The second is that people might have more interest in information held at the state or local level than at the federal level. The third is that other avenues to information in Switzerland reduce interest in using the LTrans and a culture of “ amtsgeheimnis”, or official secrecy, in Germany inhibits the administration from willingly disclosing information. We examine these hypotheses against the situation in the UK, where awareness of the FOI law is known to be high and the number of requests is high and has been on the rise for the past four years.
Impact patterns and temporal evolutions of water drops impinging on a rotating disc
Authors: Li J-Y , Yuan X-F , Han Q , Xi G
Published: September 2011

The impact process of a water drop colliding with a rotating disc was recorded and analysed using a high-speed video camera. Four falling velocities of the drop, eight rotational speeds, and four impacting radii of the disc were chosen to study their influences on the outcomes of drop impact. The correlation of the deposition–splash boundary was found to be the function of Reynolds number, Weber number, and Rossby number. Four kinds of impact processes were classified in terms of Rossby number and several new stages of the impact outcomes not present in drop impact on a stationary plate were recognized. For deposition processes, the temporal evolutions of two spread factors, the tangential and radial spread factors, were analysed in detail. It was found that the Rossby number and the falling velocity of the drop are the major factors affecting the tangential spread factor. In contrast, the Rossby number has little effect on the radial spread factor while the falling velocity of the drop still exerts a considerable influence on it.
Sedimentary records of extraordinary floods at the ending of the mid-Holocene climatic optimum along the Upper Weihe River, China
Authors: Huang Chun Chang , Pang Jiangli , Zha Xiaochun , Zhou Yali , Su Hongxia , Wan Honglian , Ge Benwei
Published: September 2011

Sedimentary records of the Holocene extraordinary floods were investigated in the upper reaches of the Weihe River, a major tributary in the middle Yellow River basin. Palaeoflood slackwater deposits (SWD) were identified at several sites on the riverbanks. These clayey silt beds are inserted into the Holocene aeolian loess-soil profiles and slope clastic deposits. They have recorded the extraordinary palaeoflood events which occurred between 3200 and 3000 yr BP as dated by OSL method and checked by the archaeological remains of the Neolithic and Bronze Age retrieved from the profile. The minimum flood peak discharges were estimated at between 22 560 and 25 960 m3/s by using palaeohydrological methods. It is 4.5–5.0 times the largest gauged flood (5030 m3/s) that has ever occurred since 1934. The palaeoflood slackwater deposits were found inserted into the pedostratigraphic boundary between the late-Holocene loess (L0) and the mid-Holocene Luvisol (S0) in the riverbank profile. This indicates that the extraordinary flood events were synchronous with the pedogenic regression at the end of the mid-Holocene climatic optimum. The climatic proxies from the studied profile and the correlative profiles in the river valley and the Loess Plateau show that the pedogenic regression was forced by climatic aridity and intensified dust storms and dust falls in connection with monsoonal shift over the Yellow River basin at about 3100 yr BP. The extraordinary flood events were documented not only on the Weihe River, but also on the mainstream and other tributaries of the Yellow River. These suggest that both extraordinary floods and droughts were parts of the climatic variability during the monsoonal shift. These findings are of great importance in understanding the interactions between hydrological system and climatic change in the semi-arid and subhumid regions of the world.
Significance of glomerular activation of the alternative pathway and lectin pathway in lupus nephritis
Authors: Sato N , Ohsawa I , Nagamachi S , Ishii M , Kusaba G , Inoshita H , Toki A , Horikoshi S , Ohi H , Matsushita M , Tomino Y
Published: September 2011

The objective of the present study was to elucidate the association between glomerular complement depositions belonging to the alternative (AP) and lectin (LP) pathways, and clinical findings of lupus nephritis (LN). Immunofluorescence (IF) was performed on 17 LN patients using antibodies against factor B, factor H, properdin, mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and L-ficolin. Compared with factor B/factor H negative patients ( n = 9), positive patients ( n = 8) showed longer duration of LN ( p < 0.05) and more severe interstitial fibrosis ( p < 0.05). Eleven patients had properdin deposition in glomeruli, and in three of them, with a duration of LN of less than 1 month, factor B was undetectable. Compared with properdin negative patients ( n = 6), positive patients ( n = 11) showed significantly higher urinary protein excretion ( p < 0.01). MBL/L-ficolin positive patients ( n = 11) also had significantly higher urinary protein excretion ( p < 0.05) compared with negative patients ( n = 6). An independent association was found between glomerular deposition of properdin and that of MBL/L-ficolin ( p < 0.01) in addition to factor B/factor H. Traces of glomerular activation of AP and LP reflected the clinical status of LN. It appears that glomerular deposition of each complement component, especially properdin, may be an index of the histological activity of LN.
Indian Ecological Consumer Market Profile
Authors: Singh Devinder Pal
Published: September 2011

The consumers, today, are becoming increasingly conscious of environmental issues. This has a positive impact on their attitude towards the eco-friendly companies and products. However, the level of environmental consciousness in emerging economies like India is unknown. This study gives an insight into the environment consciousness among the Indian consumers, and profiles the Indian consumer market into four clusters employing a two-step cluster analysis. It characterizes these four clusters for the marketers so as to supplement the makers with valuable inputs so as to target the customers.
High Specific Power Actuators for Robotic Manipulators
Authors: Robinson Ryan M. , Kothera Curt S. , Woods Benjamin K. S. , Vocke Robert D. , Wereley Norman M.
Published: September 2011

Recent advancements in actuator technology suggest that the implementation of reliable, high power-to-weight ratio pneumatic actuation systems is now possible for robotic platforms. Existing robotic manipulator arms for casualty extraction and patient placement use hydraulic actuation, whereas related robotic prosthetic devices typically use heavy actuator motors. We have developed an alternative solution that employs pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs). The goal of this study is to identify requirements for a lightweight, high-force robotic manipulator, design the system for heavy lifting capability, and assemble a prototype arm. Following characterization and comparison of different-sized PAM actuators, a proof-of-concept manipulator was constructed. A quasi-static model for the PAM actuators was applied to the system, which includes the Gaylord force, as well as non-linear elastic energy storage. Experimental testing was performed to measure the joint torque and dynamic response of the manipulator, and to validate the model.
Chinese forbearance ethos disclosing selfing and othering in stereotyping modeling
Authors: Wang Mao-jin , Dai Jing-jing
Published: September 2011

The conceptual framework of this stereotyping modeling research is the methodological-relationalism-based social representations approach (SRA). The classic literary work of the Yuan Dynasty (1271—1368) — Xu Ming-kui’s The 100 Exhortations to Forbearance (The 100EF) — is employed for deriving the 10 dyads of parameters of selfing (the cultivating of a self’s principles towards oneself) and othering (the cultivating of the self’s principles towards others) in terms of observation of the forbearance metanorms. These dyads are taken as the dynamic devices, forming a hierarchy, for the self’s forbearance development. The symmetricity and the reciprocity of selfing and othering are seen to be the attributes of the dyads and are interpreted for stereotyping in relation to transgressions of the forbearance metanorms. A hierarchy of the 10 levels of stereotyping is thereby eventually established. This stereotyping modeling as a theoretical framework, developed on the basis of the forbearance feature of the Chinese society and mentality, aims to analyze the development of stereotypes. In this way, this exploration of indigenous stereotyping in defense of the Chinese forbearance ethos is expected to expand and deepen Joffe and Staerklé’s (2007, p. 395) proposition of ‘‘the self-control ethos as the centrality in Western aspersions regarding outgroups.’’
Storytelling scholars and the mythic child: Rhetorical aesthetics in two case studies
Authors: Jones Raya A
Published: September 2011

Rhetorical and literary deconstruction of psychologists’ texts is an established line of postmodern critique, but the aesthetic-affective register of reader—text interactions has received little attention. The issue overlaps inquiries about embodied aspects of subjectivity. Drawing partly on Bakhtin’s dialogism, this study explores two themes concerning the interplay between textual and readerly dynamics through a close-up on two texts containing case studies of children. The textual dynamics of the ‘‘Anna’’ study presented by Jung in 1909, and republished with Supplementary material in 1946 (Jung, 1946/1991), illustrates dialogical tensions arising from ambivalence about whether the epistemic mode is ‘‘paradigmatic’’ (logico-scientific) or ‘‘narrative.’’ An analysis of the Bulger murder, as offered by Nightingale and Cromby in a 2002 article, exemplifies the rhetorical function of the ‘‘child’’ image through its emotional impact on the reader, notably a dissonance between a notion of childhood innocence and the case of children who commit murder. The conclusion reflects on theorizing about embodied subjectivity as applicable to the two target texts.
The construction of ethnic boundaries in classroom interaction through social space
Authors: de Haan Mariëtte , Leander Kevin M
Published: September 2011

This article adds a social-spatial dimension to ethnicity construction while acknowledging the production of ethnicity as constructed through a relation of the ‘‘here and now’’ and an imagined (common) past. Empirically, social-spatial analysis is elaborated by looking at how social difference is produced in multi-ethnic schools through classroom interaction both in the USA and in the Netherlands. In our analysis, we are concerned with how ‘‘school’’ becomes evoked or produced in student discourse while ethnic positions are established. At the same time we show how spaces such as migrant neighborhoods and homelands are evoked and related to school spaces. The results show that more general mechanisms can be distinguished of how students use these spaces in their constructions of otherness across the data sets, but that the quality and complexity of these mechanisms are specific and can be related to the more general (migration) histories of the ethnic groups.
Exposure to secondhand smoke in Finnish workplaces and compliance with national smoke-free workplace legislation
Authors: Heloma Antero , Helakorpi Satu , Honkonen Jarkko , Danielsson Petri , Uutela Antti
Published: September 2011

Aims: The present study examined time trends and associations in exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) at work in Finland in 1985—2008 and compliance with national smoke-free workplace legislation that has been enforced since 1995. Methods: The study population comprised respondents of nationally representative annual postal surveys from 1985 to 2008. The differences in the prevalence of SHS-exposed respondents were measured with particular reference to workplace size and workplace smoking arrangements. Results: From 1985 to 2008 daily exposure to SHS at work decreased in all workplaces. The annual decrease was largest in 1994—95 when the smoke-free workplace legislation was enacted. The proportion of exposed employees in workplaces with designated smoking rooms was two-fold compared to employees in workplaces where no one smoked, and this ratio remained unchanged between 1995 and 2008. Employees in small workplaces were exposed most and exposure to SHS was lowest in the largest workplaces. Conclusions: Totally smoke-free workplaces give better protection against the exposure to SHS than workplaces with designated smoking areas. We urge a law reform that does not allow any designated smoking rooms indoors. In the prevention of SHS exposure, special attention should be directed to small workplaces.
A decade of generic pharmaceutical policies in Brazil
Authors: Barra A C Gomes , Albuquerque I de
Published: September 2011

The publication of the Law of Generic Drugs in 1999 has encouraged the modernization of the pharmaceutical sector in Brazil and has led to positive changes in access to medicines in the country. This article discusses the advances promoted by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in its institutional mission to improve access to pharmaceuticals based on safety and efficacy criteria. The authors reviewed the Brazilian legislation and regulation since its inception and highlighted some actions conducted by Anvisa that improved the healthcare market in Brazil through the incorporation of generic drugs in healthcare policies.
Delivery Systems Can Determine Therapy Cost, and Effectiveness, More Than Type of Therapy
Authors: Yates Brian T.
Published: September 2011

We should go further than Kazdin and Blase (2011) in emphasizing the importance of the costs and effectiveness of alternative delivery systems for therapies. I propose that the manner in which therapy is delivered often determines its cost, and its effectiveness, more than the type of therapy delivered. In this article, I illustrate this argument through compiled research and describe several inexpensive delivery systems with the aid of metaphors.
Reducing the Burden of Mental Illness in Military Veterans
Authors: Sloan Denise M. , Marx Brian P. , Keane Terence M.
Published: September 2011

Clinical psychology as a profession owes much to the recognition of the psychosocial needs of servicemen and women returning from World War II and the Korean conflict. The current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan represent another opportunity for substantial advancements in assessment and treatment practices. Stimulated by the prescient article by Kazdin and Blase (2011), we briefly describe innovations in evidence-based practices currently being implemented in the Veterans Health Administration to best serve the more than 2 million returning servicemen and women. The largest healthcare system in the nation, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs began a wide range of innovations early this century to include dissemination of evidence-based mental health treatments, the use of anonymous Internet-based interventions to reach large numbers of military personnel who may not otherwise present for mental health service, the use of videoconferencing to deliver assessment and treatment to individuals residing in remote locations, and the use of laypersons (e.g., peers) for treatment delivery. In addition to describing the strengths of these efforts to reduce mental health burden, we also discuss persisting barriers and limitations of these innovative efforts within this system of healthcare.